How do you make an otherwise plain, unassuming monitor one that's worth paying attention to? You make it run off of sheer joy, that's what. Sadly, we've yet to see an LCD that gets all the juice it needs from the smiles on our faces, but NEC's 22-inch MultiSync E222W is unquestionably a step in the right direction. Said panel is said to utilize 50 percent less power and contain half the amount of mercury compared to traditional LCD monitors, and as for specs, you'll find a 1,680 x 1,050 resolution, 250 nits of brightness, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, a five millisecond response time, DVI / VGA sockets and a 4-way adjustable stand. Check it this July for $269.

[Via iTech News]

Don't get all worked up here, you won't find anything too far out of the ordinary. That said, there's nothing at all wrong with new LCD options in the 20-, 22- and 24-inch segments, and that's exactly what ViewSonic's delivering. The VG2027wm, VG2227wm and VG2427wm are all equipped with 1,920 x 1,080 Full HD panels, a 20,000:1 contrast ratio, 300 nits of brightness, an integrated two-port USB 2.0 hub, DVI / VGA ports and built-in stereo speakers. The new trio can be had right now for $319, $399 and $499 from smallest to largest. Sexy side shot is after the break.

Compared to technologies such as Wireless USB, DisplayLink has actually done fairly well for itself. Nah, it's no worldwide phenomenon, but it definitely has enough traction to really shine once USB 3.0's bandwidth arrives. That said, the tech is making the most of its current situation with the introduction of the DL-1x5 Series processors, two of which actually support Full HD. The DL-125, DL-165 and DL-195 will all slide into USB-enabled LCD monitors here shortly, with the middle guy supporting resolutions as high as 1,920 x 1,080 and the DL-195 cranking things to 2,048 x 1,152 before crying "Uncle!" In theory, at least, this enables laptop users to connect high-res screens when their desktop replacement needs a helping hand, and it can be enjoyed now by consumers in Asia, the Middle East, Russia and Europe who can snag themselves a new SyncMaster LapFit LD190G or LD220G monitor.

[Via EverythingUSB, thanks Ian]

Not that we haven't seen LCD monitors get less demanding when it comes to energy, but we've yet to see a company take eco-friendliness this far. Professional LCD maker Eizo has just announced a new pair of panels (the 20-inch FlexScan EV2023W-H and the 23-inch EV2303W-T) that boast a "human presence sensor." As the phrase implies, these displays are designed to shift to power saving mode when it realizes that its master has vacated the area, and when they return, it automatically flips back on in order to keep from being bashed by one of many USB-connected peripherals. Unfortunately, it seems the human detection timer can't be changed from 40 seconds, and no, there are no current plans to implement a robot presence sensor once the Apocalypse is realized.

[Via FarEastGizmos]

We're not sure if Apple will ever succeed in pushing mini DisplayPort on the industry in favor of the full sized version, but Collins America has decided what bandwagon it wants to be on -- it's just announced three new CinemaView displays that feature the smaller connector. The $299 1440 x 900 19-inch, $399 1650 x 1050 20-inch, and $499 1920 x 1080 24-inch displays all feature 3 USB ports, passthrough stereo audio ports, an all-in-one cable, and totally ripped industrial design, but hey -- at least they're cheap. Should be on sale "before September 1."

[Via Slashgear]

With little to no fanfare, ViewSonic has followed up its recently outed VT2230 with an all-too-similar VG2427. Said display packs a 24-inch panel, 1,920 x 1,080 native resolution, 20,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 300 nits of brightness, a height adjustable stand and hidden stereo speakers. Additionally, you'll find a 2-port USB hub, ECO mode for sucking down less energy (while idle, we presume) and a seductively slim bezel to boot. It's up for grabs right now for $499.

Eizo's known for doling out less-than-affordable LCD monitors, but this one just takes the crown (for now). Slated to dazzle in operating rooms everywhere this July, the RadiForce LS560W is a 56-inch behemoth of an LCD that boasts a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 (or darn close to native 4k x 2k). We're also told that the panel features a 176-degree field of view, a 1,200:1 contrast ratio and 450 nits of brightness. And to think -- we were beginning to wonder if all that 4k surgery footage would ever find a dedicated screen to run on.

Not ready to go big screen? Just need a medium sized set to handle your bedroom Xbox 360 addiction? ViewSonic's got a new one ready to splash down in your abode -- the 22-inch VT2230. Said panel checks in with a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, VGA / HDMI inputs, a built-in ATSC / NTSC / QAM TV tuner and a relatively small price tag. Further specs include a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, five millisecond response time, 300 nits of brightness and twin 3-watt speakers. Sure, nothing mind-blowing or anything, but it's not half bad for $349.

This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff / companies stop sending things. Today we've got a 22-inch iZ3D 3D monitor on offer, ready to take you (and your mind) to a dimension rarely seen on typical computer LCDs. Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting!

Special thanks to iZ3D for providing the gear!

The rules:

• Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
  
• You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
• If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
  
• Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
  
• Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) 22-inch iZ3D 3D LCD monitor. Approximate value is $399.
  
• If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• Entries can be submitted until Thursday, March 19th, 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
• Full rules can be found here.

ASUS news from CeBIT? Say it ain't so! Just hours after the company introduced two new "Green" LCDs, we stopped by to see what all the fuss was about. What we found were two rather vanilla looking LCDs (they're in the gallery below, we promise) sitting beside something entirely more interesting: a Wireless LCD prototype. An ASUS rep informed us that the model shown was utilizing the currently-in-limbo ultra-wideband (UWB) standard, and he affirmed that the monitor didn't have a model name nor an estimated ship date or price; it was simply on hand to prove that wireless LCDs were possible and that they're on the way. He noted that ASUS was looking into other wireless protocols -- namely wireless HD and WHDI -- and that it was "waiting things out" before making a final decision on what variation to use. Our take? We suspect it's both testing for best compatibility / range and waiting to see if UWB will remain viable in the coming months, which likely means no shipping product for quite some time. For what it's worth, the on-hand demo was stellar, with no visible lag, glitches or dropped frames to speak of.

Just when you thought you'd heard the last from ASUS at CeBIT, in flies this. Here in Hannover, the outfit has broadened its reach by introducing a few new monitors, with the EzLink Series piquing our interest the most. The simply titled Wireless LCD Monitor can reportedly be connected via the Wireless Host Controller Interface (WHCI) or USB Host Wire Adapter (HWA), essentially turning it into a more recognizable USB monitor. There's also the Green line, which -- for now, at least -- contains the VH192C and VH196. Both of 'em reportedly save around 20 percent in the power consumption department compared to who-knows-what, while the former model incorporates Color Shine to nix the glare, enrich color density and make your life approximately 8.23 times better. Curiously, there's no word on specs, pricing or release dates, but we'll do our best to dig all that up on the show floor.

Dell's new 24-inch G Series LCD, which was previewed during CES this year, has finally gone on sale at the outfit's website. The G2410 flat-panel is said to be one of the firm's greenest LCDs, as it proudly sports an EPEAT Gold rating and utilizes halogen-free laminates in circuit boards along with chassis plastics that contains 25 percent post-consumers recycled plastics. Other specs include a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution panel, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 250 nits of brightness, VGA / DVI connectors and a 5 millisecond response time. It's all yours for $349, though there's no apparent discount for hugging a tree prior to pulling the trigger.

[Thanks, Rob]

Like it or not, 3D is back. Er, it's attempting to be back, though we'd argue the jury is still out on whether it'll stick around for any meaningful amount of time this go 'round. At any rate, those who are already sold on the mesmerizing powers of stereoscopics should probably give this one a look, Olympus' PC 3D Viewer Kit is one of the first consumer-level packages designed to give 3D content creators a look at their work on a standard LCD. The bundle will be comprised of a BenQ E2400HD 24-inch LCD (1,920 x 1,080 resolution), 3D media player software, 3D shutter glasses and a controller box -- just enough to get you proofing without having to rent out a visual effects studio. There's no word on a price for the currently Japan-only package, but really, you can't put an MSRP on the third-dimension.

[Via AkihabaraNews]