LCD

The first truly double-sided LCD

By Mike Hanlon

January 5, 2007 Each new technological breakthrough, regardless of the vertical market from which it came, seems to have the potential to influence not just its core market but dozens of other verticals. Some technology breakthroughs influence more verticals than others and we can’t help but feel that Samsung’s new double-sided LCD might have a profound effect on the form factor what we’ll be carrying a year or three from now, and subsequently on the content formats for the world’s burgeoning mobile information industry. The LCD can show two different pictures or sets of visual data simultaneously on the front and back of the same screen. Other conventional double-sided LCDs can only show a reverse image of the same video data. The LCD's efficient and ingenious use of light to display images in both transmissive and reflective modes promotes slimmer, more cost-effective products and will replace two display panels with one, thereby reducing overall thickness of mobile products by at least 1mm. The display requires only one backlight, while previous double-screen LCDs require two. One side of the panel operates in a transmissive mode, while the other operates in a reflective mode. By using a unique reflective design that utilizes the light trapped in the opposing screen's transmissive mode, the reflective mode does not solely rely on external light sources. Read More

Samsung develops World’s Slimmest Mobile LCD Screen

By Mike Hanlon

November 29, 2006 Samsung Electronics is the world’s largest provider of numerous technologies and consumer electronics products, among them thin-film transistor, liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panels. The company has now announced that it has developed the thinnest reported LCD panel - one no-thicker than a credit card at 0.82mm, which is 0.07mm thinner than the panel previously reported to be the world’s slimmest. The company also announced that it has developed a new mobile technology, which it is calling, “i-Lens”, for integrating the entire panel assembly, including a protective layer, into a single, thinner module that is more shock-resistant and easier to read than conventional panels. In effect, it means our mobile phones will soon become slimmer yet again. Read More

Sanyo’s 42 inch Weatherproof LCD Monitor

By Mike Hanlon

November 5, 2006 It costs more than three times its non-weatherproof 42 inch equivalent in the Sanyo range, but the CE42LM4WPR flat panel 42 inch LCD Monitor has truly unique qualities which have the potential to open up the outdoor display and advertising market. Suddenly advertising, information services, and promotional activities can be empowered by the use of a 42 inch display at open-air events in all weather and in harsh environments, such as dusty or humid conditions. The ruggedised (our words not theirs, so don’t go dropkicking it around the place) screen now has IP56 weather-resistant accreditation making it viable for a range of industrial and architectural applications including in-factory information services, outdoor home usage in courtyards and pools areas as well as, commercial applications such as clubs and digital signage. Read More

BenQ FP241W - the world's first HDMI LCD

By Tim Hanlon

November 4, 2006 After a release in Asia earlier in the year, BenQ has launched their impressive 24-inch LCD to the rest of the world. Not only managing the title of the world's first LCD with an HDMI input (and the ability to playback 1080p HD video without conversion), the FP241W boasts specifications that wouldn't be out of place in an expensive flat panel TV. Read More

The LCD flat panel display (FPD) machine

By Mike Hanlon

October 18, 2006 Ever wondered what a machine that produces flat panels looks like – well wonder no more – this little baby is a new breed of highly-efficient machine that enables the production of six 55inch LCD TV screens from Gen 8.5 (2.2m x ~2.5m) glass substrates at a time. Applied Materials provides Nanomanufacturing Technology solutions for the electronics industry and has produced it as the first of several suites designed to reduce the total cost of flat panel manufacturing. The new Gen 8.5 panels are expected to contribute to TFT-LCD TV market growth, which is forecast by market researcher Display Search to exceed 40 million units in 2006. Read More

LCD Monitor with integrated iPod connectivity

By Mike Hanlon

October 3, 2006 Okay, this is the last time we mention iPod ever … well at least for today. Every time we see another very cool iPod peripheral we swear it’s the last one we’ll run but they keep coming and this integrated ViewDock display from ViewSonic has forced us to succumb yet again. It’s the first “Made for iPod” LCD display with an integrated iPod dock and popped up at the 2006 Apple Expo in Paris, receiving a Best of Expo 2006 award. The ViewDock monitor expands media player possibilities by integrating an iPod docking station into a widescreen display and we reckon this idea has some longevity to it as it offers immediate access to a screen 65 times larger than an iPod screen and might spawn yet another direction for the way we access our media. Read More

Samsung releases innovative LED LCD TV

By Mike Hanlon

September 6, 2006 Samsung used the backdrop of the IFA show to announced a 40" LCD TV with high powered LED Backlight technology. The new technology has already received the prestigious "Innovation Award" from the EISA (European Image and Sound Association) for its superb features including LED light source, 146% wide colour gamut and industry leading contrast ratio (10,000:1). The new 40" with LED light source realises far richer colour reproduction, based on a wide colour gamut that is 46% improved from previous models and enables unprecedented sound volume. High Dynamic Contrast Ratio, Samsung's proprietary technology, provides deeper and more refined images with the highest contrast in the industry. Read More

Cool outdoor multifunctional LCD TV

By Mike Hanlon

August 26, 2006 We suspect that this EUR289 (USD$370) French-made 12.7cm colour LCD outdoor television is just the ticket for campers. It handles both PAL and SECAM and comes with a remote control but its multifunctional prowess runs waaay beyond that. In addition to the TV, it has an AM/FM radio, thermometer, removable torch, a siren, a compass, a bi-directional neon light and an anti-mosquito ultrasound functionality. It is also ruggedised so that it won’t die the first time it gets a bit of a knock, and it’s also quite compact at 20 X 22 X 30 cm. If we’d paid attention during High school French classes we might be able to tell you more. If you paid attention during High School French, you might be able to discern more for yourself. Read More

Sony merges LCD TV with desktop PC

By Mike Hanlon

August 23, 2006 Combining the power of a PC with a quality LCD and stylish design, Sony today unveiled the new VAIO LS1 TV/PC Combo. Featuring a framed display with a transparent border for a stunning, floating effect, the LS1 model packs the essentials for powerful computing into a slim chassis discreetly hidden behind the back of a flat-panel 19-inch WSXGA+ (1680 x 1050) LCD display. The new VAIO LS1 TV/PC model incorporates an Intel Core Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and a roomy 250 GB hard drive for running multiple, demanding applications simultaneously, such as watching and/or recording a TV show while downloading music in the background. Read More

Samsung to unveil 70-inch LCD TV Panel

By Mike Hanlon

August 22, 2006 Samsung will unveil a 70-inch LCD panel for use in the consumer HDTV market at the International Meeting on Information Displays (IMID) 2006, which opens in Korea tomorrow. Samsung's latest LCD panel boasts full high-definition resolution (1080p) and a conical viewing angle of 180 degrees for multi-viewing audiences. In addition, its video signal is reproduced at 120Hz, compared to a video signal of 60 Hz for a conventional Full HD LCD panel, enabling rapidly moving video images to be reproduced with crystal clarity. Samsung will begin producing the new 70-inch LCD during the first half of 2007, bolstering its position in the ultra-large-screen TV segment as the 70" LCD TV will compete head-to-head with PDP (plasma display panel) and projection TV makers. Read More

Samsung 3 inch VGA LCD screen to improve digital camera display

By Mike Hanlon

August 14, 2006 Samsung, the world's largest provider of thin-film transistor, liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panels, has announced that it has developed the first three-inch LCD panel with VGA (640 x 480 pixels) resolution that directly meets industry interface standards for digital still cameras. The new LCD panel will make viewing digital pictures distinctly more impressive on camera screens, personal multi-media players and other products requiring high-image resolution and low-power consumption. Samsung will exhibit the new device at IMID 2006, which opens on August 23. Read More

LCD TV with 120Hz Refresh Rate

By Mike Hanlon

June 30, 2006 Competition imporoves the breed and the LCD screen continues to improve in both size and picture quality. One of the traditional weaknesses in LCD television performance is in the area of delivering crisp, fast action imagery, which can be significantly improved with higher refresh rates. JVC introduced the world's first 120Hz LCD TV last year (Q3, 2005) in Japan, and earlier this week announced plans to offer the technology in the US market. JVC's Clear Motion Drive technology produces images at 120 frames per second (120Hz), double the typical rate, and inserts an interpolated image. The result is a significant reduction in blurring or ghost images. JVC will offer Clear Motion Drive in the 37-inch LT-37X987, to be available in August, and the 32-inch LT-32X987, to be available in October. Both sets offer 1366 x 768p native resolution and JVC's fifth generation D.I.S.T. (Digital Image Scaling Technology) Genessa 32-bit CPU video processing, which seamlessly upscales any video source to display at 768p. Read More

32-Inch HD-Ready All-Weather Outdoor LCD TV

By Mike Hanlon

June 13, 2006 We understand ruggedised laptops, mobile phones and digital cameras, but didn’t realise the trend had taken hold to this extent … the ruggedised teev! Homeowners can now enjoy their favorite TV show or DVD in the comfort of their own backyard, with the new SunBriteTV 32-inch HD-ready all-weather LCD television that is designed for outdoor installation. Read More

CyberTouch Announces 32-inch Touch Screen LCD Monitor

By Mike Hanlon

May 25, 2006 Digital signage continues to offer greater bang per buck per minute. We like bigger and higher-res so we were pleased to see the continued growth in size of the touchscreen this week when CyberTouch announced the Orion 32 -- the latest and largest touch LCD monitor. The 32"diagonal (16x9 aspect ratio) touch screen LCD monitor is ideal for electronic signage, hospitality, kiosk and point-of-purchase applications. This larger size touch monitor allows designers to display more information and reduce the number of screens while increasing interactive efficiency. Read More

The world’s most advanced LCD TV - 56-inch and 3840 x 2160 pixels

By Mike Hanlon

February 24, 2006 Taiwanese Chi Mei Optoelectronics is a name you may not know, despite the company being the third largest LCD TV panel supplier in the world. At CEBIT in Hannover in mid-March, the company will display the world’s first 56-inch LCD TV panel. Perhaps more startling than the size of the mega-telly is the definition which is known as Quad Full High Definition (QFHD) with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels and an astonishing 8.29 million pixels. The new panel features resolution that is four times that of currently available products (1920 x 1080), and the highest ever achieved. The new panel consists of over 24.8 million units of transistors, with a data transmission speed of over 1.4 gigabytes per second. To achieve this breakthrough result, the Chi Mei Optoelectronics research and development team overcame a number of significant technical challenges, including the development of special new driver methods and scanning procedures and solving massive heat generation problems caused by the alignment of so many transistors. Read More

ViewSonic announces one millisecond video response time LCD

By Mike Hanlon

February 8, 2006 – ViewSonic today announced the development of a new LCD technology that will herald the arrival of LCD monitors with a one millisecond (MS) response time. Capitalizing on growing demands for speed, design and op line technology, ViewSonic has continued a string of market "firsts" by demonstrating a benchmark one millisecond video response time LCD technology. Available later this year, the technology features the latest ViewSonic OverDrive chip, a plug-in replacement for a microprocessor designed to speed up the PC in which it is used. This is ideal for handling complex PC gaming and motion video applications with an ultra-fast response time that eliminates ghosting and delay.

The one millisecond response time matches the speed and performance requirements of users such as gamers who enjoy immersive gaming action, digital content enthusiasts and fast Internet surfers. A gamer with discriminating speed needs, would see a dramatic difference when playing action games that have quick changes in scenery or character movements. Read More

The Dell 3007WFP 30-inch LCD - and then there were two...

By Mike Hanlon

January 15, 2006 At long last, there’s a competitor to Apple’s 30-inch Cinema HD Display – Dell released its Widescreen UltraSharp 3007WFP flat-panel LCD monitor at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month, effectively lowering the price of one of these delectable, productivity-enhancing beasties from US$2499 to US$2199. Both screens require a dual link DVI video card to drive them, and neither of them are all that cheap, but consider the Return On Investment offered by a larger screen – Apple’s research shows productivity is linked to the amount of screen real-estate while Microsoft’s research shows that two screens offer more productivity than one screen, so why not supercharge your productivity with two of these screens. It's a simple business decision - paying US$2500 for a permanent 10% productivity increase or US$5000 for better than 20% is a no brainer for any professional who spends more than a few hours a day in front of a workstation. Read More

And now a Ferrari F-20 LCD screen

By Mike Hanlon

January 7, 2006 The partnership between Acer and Ferrari dates back to February 2003 when Acer became the Official Supplier of the team. Since that time, Acer has been developing and selling Ferrari notebooks with such success it has now announced the Ferrari F-20 LCD Monitor. The new 20" Ferrari LCD display uses exclusive materials and advanced technologies such as Acer CrystalBrite, which offers greater luminosity and brighter images. It also has a completely unique feature – a Ferrari badge and the guarantee your desktop will be as up-to-date and stylish as possible – for US$600. Read More

Logitech’s G15 Keyboard with adjustable-tilt LCD display and extra programmable keys

By Mike Hanlon

August 13, 2005 For a technology almost certainly destined for the scrapheap as some people might have you believe, the keyboard is sure getting a lot of attention. In recent times we've reported on the VisiKey, DAS, Keyscan, Maltron, Matias, orbiTouch, Optimus, SureType and Virtual keyboards. Logitech's G15 keyboard does not wish to replace the methodology of the keyboard - just significantly enhance it. Designed to provide an unprecedented level of programmability and control, the Logitech G15 keyboard is the the ultimate keyboard for serious PC gamers. The first keyboard in the G-series family of gaming-grade peripherals, the Logitech G15 keyboard features a built-in auxiliary LCD display, 18 programmable keys, and advanced software, making it easy to set up custom commands for every game. The adjustable-tilt, backlit LCD can be programmed to display vital in-game information, or data from other applications, without interrupting game play. Read More

Philips LCD and plasma screens win blind comparison test

By Mike Hanlon

June 9, 2005 There isn't a big screen manufacturer on the planet without a team of fast-talking, jargon-wielding product managers and technical experts who are all incredibly good at convincing you their brand is the most technologically advanced in existence. Which made it a refreshing change when Philips invited us to a blind comparison test – over 400 retailers and journalists were invited to go along and see its 42-inch Plasma and 32-inch LCD televisions placed alongside several other comparable brands and models in a ‘masked’ study. We were there – we participated – from a blind survey of 400 industry people 74% ranked Philips Plasma first, and over 60% ranked the Philips LCD first based on overall picture quality. The products tested were 42 inch plasma screens from Philips, Panasonic, Pioneer and LG and the 32 inch LCD screens from Philips, Panasonic, JVC, Samsung and Sharp. Read More

Sharp to produce World's largest LCD television at 65 inches

By Mike Hanlon

June 5, 2005 Sharp has announced it will begin selling a 65’ LCD television in Japan in August, and in so doing will claim the title of the world’s largest “production” LCD television. The announcement is a major coup for Sharp in the public relations cut-and-thrust with its fellow television manufacturers Matsushita (aka Panasonic), Samsung and LG and pushes the Japanese company into screen real estate territory previously inhabited only by plasma screens. Further embarrassment will caused by the pricing and specifications of the Sharp 65 incher which will sell for 1.68 million yen and have a screen resolution of 1920 x 1,080 pixels both considerably better than equivalent plasma screens in the Japanese domestic market. Read More

Reversica’s new plasma/LCD concealment hardware

By Mike Hanlon

April 15, 2005 Not everybody wants to make an LCD/Plasma screen the central focus of a room and there are now a number of creative solutions to this aesthetic dilemma. Home entertainment furniture company Reversica has come up with a new twist on creating flexible living spaces with the introduction of the Gyre 6300 flat screen concealment hardware system. The design uses an unusual rotaxial motion to flip between a 50” flat screen TV and a bookcase – all in a slim 18" case. Read More

Samsung develops World's largest (82-inch) TFT-LCD screen

By Mike Hanlon

March 11, 2005 Samsung has again inched ahead in the “mine’s-bigger-than-yours” contest it is playing with LG over the world’s largest LCD screen. This time it has announced an 82-inch TFT-LCD. In an illustration of just how far and how fast the game has progressed, Samsung developed the first 40-inch model in August 2001, the first 46-inch panel in October 2002, the first 57-inch model in December 2003 and now the first 82-inch panel. The screen uses12.44 million thin-film transistors to achieve an image quality of 6.22 million pixels. Read More

Bang & Olufsen Beovision 7 LCD TV

By Mike Hanlon

March 1, 2005 danish design icon Bang & Olufsen has released its BeoVision 7 television, a 32” LCD widescreen TV with integrated DVD player, digital surround sound module and a three-way stereo loudspeaker system. The BeoVision 7 system also incorporates Bang & Olufsen’s VisionClear, a package of picture technologies designed to deliver the best possible picture in all situations. For example, if the curtains are opened, the BeoVision 7 automatically adjusts its picture to match the light conditions of the room. A special anti-reflection coating reduces the effect of incoming light, allowing the TV to be viewed even in broad daylight. Read More

Philips' New Line Of Flat Plasma And LCD TVs.

By Mike Hanlon

Philips Australia has announced the availability of the two largest Philips plasma televisions to date, the 50PF9966 and 42PF9966. At the same time, they've released eleven new look flat television solutions for every room in the home, with sizes that extend to 50 inches in Plasma and 42 inches in LCD TV.

Highlighting key innovations in the new FlatTV range for 2004, these models feature Philips' own Ambilight and Pixel Plus 2 visual enhancing technologies. Philips is significantly extending its FlatTV range to match consumers' growing demand for flat, slim and widescreen televisions, modern design and advanced picture quality. Read More