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These 8K displays may end up on your next tablet
Most of us have barely touched 4K content, but the keen folks in Japan are already showing off some 8K displays, and we're not just talking about those of conventional TV sizes. At CEATEC, NHK brought along three upcoming 8K panels that may end up on future tablets, laptops and monitors. These include JDI's 17.3-inch LCD that was just announced last week, as well as Ortus' insanely sharp 9.6-inch LCD (that's a whopping 915 dpi!) from May, and Sharp/SEL's 13.3-inch OLED display. Even though the OLED panel was unveiled back in June last year, it's still by far the best 8K display out of the three; it's as if you're looking into another world, thanks to the combination of high contrast, strong vibrancy plus insanely sharp resolution. Alas, there's no launch date for any of these just yet, but a spokesperson from NHK hopes to see these come out before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which will be broadcast in 8K.
The first 8K TV will go on sale soon for over $130,000
Sharp has demonstrated Super Hi-Vision 8K displays before (as seen above during CES 2015), but today in Japan it announced an 85-inch version is going on sale October 30th. Dubbed the LV-85001, it's a monitor (it has a tuner so you could call it a TV, but that can't actually receive 8K video) for professional use only, mostly since there aren't really any broadcasts or content to watch in 8K. Coming in at 16 times the resolution of 1080p screens, the 7,680 x 4,320 pixel LCD panel uses Sharp's IGZO technology. To actually watch any 8K video, you'll need to plug into all four of its HDMI inputs at once just to have enough bandwidth. If you're interested (and why wouldn't you be, even though there's almost nothing to watch), just contact Sharp's business-to-business sales unit, and bring along a check for 16,000,000 yen, or about $133,034 US.
Acer rolls out a curved, super-wide display with AMD's gaming tech
You can get desktop PC displays that are curved, super-wide and gaming-friendly, but all three at once? That's tricky. Thankfully, Acer thinks it has an answer. The company has just launched the 34-inch XR341CK in the US, giving you a curvy, 21:9 aspect ratio LCD with AMD's anti-tearing FreeSync tech built-in. So long as you have a fast-enough gaming rig (including newer AMD graphics, if you want FreeSync), you'll get an extra-immersive canvas for your first-person shooters and racing sims.
GoPro's Hero+ LCD puts a touchscreen on its entry-level camera
Last week, GoPro unveiled some advanced tools for the more ambitious content creator. Today, for the folk that just want to snorkel in the Bahamas, or jump off a cliff there's a new member of the GoPro camera family to consider: the Hero+ LCD. If you're familiar with the company's naming conventions, you've probably figured out that this is a revision of the bare bones Hero that was introduced last fall (and that yes, it has an LCD). The new camera has a few significant revisions over the original Hero though, including a decent bump in the price.
Sharp said to be spinning off its smartphone LCD business
Sharp is still in financial trouble despite shifting more of its attention to mobile displays, and it appears ready to take some drastic action to keep itself afloat. Nikkei, Reuters and the Wall Street Journal all claim that the Japanese firm is planning to spin off its smartphone LCD division. The move will reportedly happen during the company's current fiscal year (by next March), and the WSJ believes that it could be announced before Sharp unveils its restructuring plans in May. The corporation will only say that it's still considering its reorganization options. If the spinoff talk is true, though, this shows just how tough it is to survive in the mobile display business if you aren't a powerhouse like LG or Samsung -- even some of Japan's LCD giants had to form an alliance to stay in the game.
Yes, LG will have new 4K TVs at CES next week
Ending a long period of speculation, LG revealed that it will have new TVs of the extra-large, super duper high-res variety to show off during CES next week. While that's not really a surprise, one thing we should note is that all of them are flat -- no anti-curved glasses necessary here. Spanning eight different product lines (UC9, UB9800, UF9500, UF9400, UF8500, UF7700, UF6800 and UF6700), LG's Ultra HD TVs have more than just the quantum dot and webOS 2.0 Smart TV updates we've heard about. They're also thinner than ever (of course), with promised upgrades for the color balance and black levels. The embedded 4K video decoder can handle 30fps or 60fps inputs and is "future-proof" for future standards, but we haven't heard specific details about things like expanded color depth.
Samsung's super-wide curved monitor makes your PC extra trendy
If both ultra-widescreen and curved computer monitors are all the rage these days, then Samsung's new SE790C display is supremely fashionable. The 34-inch, 3,440 x 1,440 LCD has both a super-wide 21:9 aspect ratio and a gentle arc, combining two trends (fads?) in one. Supposedly, this all-encompassing design produces a "3D-like" effect that brings you into the action -- that's a little difficult to believe, but the screen will at least look futuristic sitting on your desk. Just don't expect it to make your photos pop. Although the SE790C covers all of the sRGB color range, it's using a middle-of-the-road VA (vertical alignment) panel rather than something particularly vivid, like IPS (in-plane switching). There's also no mention of US availability or pricing, so it's hard to know if this represents a good deal. So long as the price isn't too outlandish, though, it could be a good way to immerse yourself in games and movies.
LG says next year's 4K TVs will be better because of quantum dots
LG has announced that next year, it will have a new set of 4K TVs to slot between its existing Ultra HD LCDs and super-colorful OLED models. These are different because they use quantum dot technology, which LG says will make for a wider color palette and better color saturation than regular LCDs. Sony's already using the technology in its high-end TVs, and reports have indicated that Samsung will offer LCDs with quantum dots as well. The tech used here will use nanocrystals in sizes of 2 to 10 nm that show a different color based on their size, laid in a film over the usual IPS LCD. LG has committed heavily to OLED as a display technology of the future, but even with prices dropping rapidly, it's still out of range for most buyers. As a result, improving traditional LCDs -- and trying to convince folks to upgrade to 4K at all -- is where the key battles will be. The new TVs will be available in 55- and 65-inch versions at first, and you can be sure we'll be taking a close look at them in Las Vegas next month.
Sharp's new display shows the pixel-density race is far from over
If you have spectacularly good eyesight, the highest pixel-density you can see is about 500 pixels-per-inch (ppi). But that trifling little detail isn't stopping display manufacturers and marketers, no sir! Sharp just revealed an iPhone 5s-sized (4.1-inches) IGZO LCD screen with WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600) resolution. That works out to 736ppi -- a quantum leap above Samsung's Galaxy S5 LTE-A, the current smartphone champ at 576ppi. You'll see devices with the screen starting in 2016, but it may lose its density crown before then anyway. Samsung is rumored to have a 5.9-inch, 4K Super AMOLED display with 747ppi in the works. Better eat those carrots. Update: We've updated the post to note that it's the iPhone 5s that has a 4-inch-sized screen, not the iPhone 4s.
LG's superwide 105-inch 4K TV is $100,000, but there are cheaper options
Remember that massive 105-inch Ultra HD TV LG brought to CES earlier this year? Today at the custom installer show CEDIA LG has revealed it's going on sale (next to two 4K OLED TVs), but fitting it into your budget will be tougher than squeezing one into your house. That's because this giant will cost $100,000 when it ships in November. Prefer mild over wild? You can get the 98-inch version (which still stretches more than 8 feet diagonally) for a mere $40,000 around the same time. For the rest of us, LG is introducing three new series of 4K TVs, with the 40-inch 40UB8000 available as the cheapest model for just $1,000.
LG's got an 8K television and food looks delicious on it
As per usual, South Korean electronics giant LG is here at IFA in Berlin, Germany. Less usual? The company showing up with a 98-inch 8K (aka Super Hi-Vision) television. LG's saying it's "16 times full HD resolution," and while we didn't sit and count every pixel, the food porn being shown off looked mighty tasty. No pricing or availability was given, but any kind of commercial release is probably pretty far off. The real reason it's here, however, is simply to showcase that LG can create the gorgeous, ultra high-res screen -- just like Sharp did with its massive 8K display a few years ago. And hey, did we mention that the food looked really pretty? Explore its depths in the gallery below. Update: As sweet as this TV is, it's using the older LCD technology, not OLED.
Framed gesture-controlled digital canvas debuts on Kickstarter, starting at $399
It's shaping up to be a big month for digital art displays. Electric Objects popped up on Kickstarter with its successfully funded 23-inch LCD for $299, and now a familiar face has turned to the funding site with its own rebooted version. Framed 2.0, an update to 2011's overpowered 40-inch model, includes integrated WiFi, a 720p front-facing camera and motion sensors, so you can interact with the frame using gestures. There's also a companion smartphone app, for purchasing and swapping art, creating schedules and adjusting settings. The first 250 backers can take home a 24-inch 1080p screen for $399. A 40-inch version will be available for $1,500, while a "super limited" 55-inch model will go for a whopping $10,000, including dinner with the design team in Tokyo. All three frames are available for pre-order on Kickstarter now, with select models shipping in November.
This is Samsung's last year making plasma TVs
If you've been flirting with buying a new plasma TV, now's the time: Samsung SDI has announced that it's stopping production of PDP (plasma display panels) later this year. The Korean firm's reasons for abandoning the technology echos Panasonic's PDP shut-down -- low demand and declining profits. Of course, the real culprit is likely an increasing focus on 4K, and an inability to manufacture higher-res plasma sets for the mass market. It isn't clear how long the company's remaining plasma sets will remain on the market, but Samsung plans to have the last of its PDP facilities closed by November 30th. Plasma production resources will be repurposed or sold to support Samsung's battery and materials business. This leaves LG as the last major player making PDP-based HDTVs, but if you're a die-hard plasma fan, it might better to hedge your bets and upgrade sooner rather than later. [Image credit: Tomas Hudcovic/isifa/Getty Images]
Sharp flaunts Free-Form displays for funky-shaped devices
When Motorola unveiled its snappy Moto 360 smartwatch, the first thing we thought was "how do you make a round display?" Sharp has one answer with its new IGZO-based "Free-Form" LCD prototype that can be sculpted into any shape. The company's current IGZO tech only works with rectangular displays, where the circuits that drive the LCD live on the perimeter of the screen. Sharp managed to bake those chips into the display itself, allowing for not only a shrunken bezel but nearly any display format you might want. That'll let designers create much more compact car dashboards, new digital signage, unusually shaped monitors and yes, wearables like smartwatches. That likely won't include the Moto 360, though, since it's rumored to have an OLED display. Also, Sharp says that the Free-Form display is nearly ready for mass production, but isn't quite there yet.
Samsung's new Ultra HD TVs arrive soon with (or without) curves for $2,500 and up
We got our first peek at Samsung's latest high-end HDTVs -- including the new curved shape that it says creates a larger viewing "sweet spot" -- at CES back in January, and now they're just about ready to come home. Of course the new shape isn't all there is to offer, and while Samsung isn't joining LG in pushing any new OLED TVs, it is expanding its lineup of Ultra HD screens and bringing more 4K content to watch thanks to a new deal with Fox. There's also upgraded Smart Hub software with multitasking to pull in streaming video and live TV all at once, new quad-core CPUs to boot it all up in just 1.8 seconds, and a simpler pebble shaped remote for control. That massive 105-inch Ultra HD TV we were drooling over is still penciled in to launch during the second half of this year, but if you're looking for a more modest upgrade, then we have new details on price and release for most of the other models (LCD only, no word on plasma).
ASUS unveils 28-inch, $799 4K display targeting price-sensitive pros
ASUS' 31.5-inch 4K monitor may be the ideal display for many content creators, but a typical asking price over $3,000 rules it out for all but the most affluent. Much to our relief, the company is bringing the cost of its technology closer to Earth with a new 28-inch display, the PB287Q. It touts the extra-sharp 3,840 x 2,160 resolution of its bigger sibling, just in a smaller and cheaper form factor. You aren't giving up much in the way of features, either, as the 28-inch panel boasts a quick 1ms response time, DisplayPort, MHL-capable HDMI and a rotatable design. The real highlight, of course, is the discount -- the PB287Q will ship in the second quarter for $799, which both puts it on par with Lenovo's affordable 4K display and makes it easier to justify for penny-pinching workstation buyers.
Panasonic officially quits plasma TVs, blames Lehman Brothers even after all this time
We may compare Panasonic to the character of Michael Myers way too often, but this Halloween the analogy is particularly relevant given news the company is officially killing plasma TV production. Manufacturing of plasma panels will end in December this year, earlier than the most recent rumor suggested, with the last remaining factories going dark in March 2014 at the same time sales efforts will cease. It's a strategic decision to free up resources, the firm claims, citing low demand for plasma and the impact of LCD development as reasons for its exit. "Severe price competition" as a result of the Lehman Brothers collapse way back in 2008 is also blamed, so when you're left wanting the warm glow of new Panasonic plasma next year, you know who to shake an angry fist at.
Japan Display joins the Quad HD phone screen party with two new LCDs
LG clearly doesn't have a monopoly on Quad HD smartphone screens -- Japan Display has unveiled two low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) LCDs that offer the extra-sharp 2,560 x 1,440 resolution. The headlining 5.4-inch panel is ever so slightly denser than its Korean equivalent, at 543ppi; there's also a 6.2-inch (473ppi) model for giant devices. Both LCDs have "dead-bands" that are just 1mm thick, which should lead to extra-slim bezels on finished products. Japan Display hasn't said which companies will use the Quad HD screens, but it's easy to see one of the joint venture's partners (Hitachi, Sony or Toshiba) calling first dibs.
Samsung acquires 7.4 percent of Gorilla Glass maker Corning, signs long-term supply deal
In a move that could raise eyebrows in the LCD business, Corning has taken full control of Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co. Ltd., a joint venture 43 percent owned by Samsung. In exchange, the Korean company will get $1.9 billion worth of preferred shares in Corning, which if converted, would give it a 7.4 percent stake. The pair have also agreed to a deal that will see Samsung Display supplied by Corning through 2023. That company's Gorilla Glass is used in most high-end smartphones and tablets, including those made by Samsung, Apple, HTC and Motorola. Since the Korean giant already supplies most of its competitors with LCD displays and other components, we can imagine some of them casting a wary eye on such a deal.
Japan Display now making 1080p WhiteMagic LCDs, hints at high-end phones with bright screens
It's been hard to appreciate the brightness of WhiteMagic LCDs when they've been limited to lower-end smartphones like the Sony Xperia P. That shouldn't be a problem from now on, as Japan Display has started mass-producing its first 1080p WhiteMagic screen. Like its ancestors, the new 5-inch panel uses white subpixels to reach outdoor-friendly luminosity (840 cd/m2) without excessive power use; it can also match typical LCD brightness levels using less energy. Japan Display hasn't said just which phone makers are using the 1080p screen, but we wouldn't be shocked if company partners like Sony get first dibs.
