diff --git a/ionic/components/aside/aside.scss b/ionic/components/aside/aside.scss
index c4802ec171..d7622daf88 100644
--- a/ionic/components/aside/aside.scss
+++ b/ionic/components/aside/aside.scss
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ $aside-shadow: -1px 0px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) !default;
       box-shadow: 1px 2px 16px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
 
       ion-aside-backdrop {
-        background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0.32);
+        opacity: 0.5;
       }
     }
   }
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ ion-aside-backdrop {
   left: 0;
   bottom: 0;
   position: fixed;
-  background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0);;
+  background-color: rgb(0,0,0);
 }
 
 .aside-content {
diff --git a/ionic/components/aside/aside.ts b/ionic/components/aside/aside.ts
index 1db366adde..1f6a19438b 100644
--- a/ionic/components/aside/aside.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/aside/aside.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ import * as util from 'ionic/util/util'
 import {dom} from 'ionic/util'
 
 /**
- * TODO (?) add docs about how to have a root aside and a nested aside, then hide the root one
+ * Aside is a side-menu navigation that can be dragged out or toggled to show. Aside supports two
+ * display styles currently: overlay, and reveal. Overlay is the tradtional Android drawer style, and Reveal
+ * is the traditional iOS style. By default, Aside will adjust to the correct style for the platform.
  */
 @IonicComponent({
   selector: 'ion-aside',
@@ -218,7 +220,7 @@ export class Aside extends Ion {
   host: {
     '[style.width]': 'width',
     '[style.height]': 'height',
-    '[style.backgroundColor]': 'backgroundColor',
+    '[style.opacity]': 'opacity',
     '(click)': 'clicked($event)'
   }
 })
@@ -239,7 +241,7 @@ export class AsideBackdrop extends Ion {
 
     this.aside = aside;
 
-    this.backgroundColor = 'rgba(0,0,0,0)';
+    this.opacity = 0;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/ionic/components/aside/extensions/types.ts b/ionic/components/aside/extensions/types.ts
index b46355cb5a..0fed2b38d7 100644
--- a/ionic/components/aside/extensions/types.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/aside/extensions/types.ts
@@ -42,15 +42,15 @@ const backdropManipulator = {
     //.classList[sliding ? 'add' : 'remove']('no-transition');
   },
   setOpen(open) {
-    let amt = open ? 0.32 : 0;
-    this.aside.backdrop.backgroundColor = 'rgba(0,0,0,' + amt + ')';
+    let amt = open ? 0.5 : 0;
+    this.aside.backdrop.opacity = amt;
   },
   setTransform(t) {
     if(t === null) {
       t = this.aside.width();
     }
-    let fade = 0.32 * t / this.aside.width();
-    this.aside.backdrop.backgroundColor = 'rgba(0,0,0,' + fade + ')';
+    let fade = 0.5 * t / this.aside.width();
+    this.aside.backdrop.opacity = fade;
   }
 }