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Nanovision MIMO 710-S and 720-S USB monitors hands-on
So you want a little more desktop real estate, eh? You could replace your existing screen with a bigger, higher resolution one, but sometimes a bigger monitor can just be, well, a little too big. You could always go with a secondary or tertiary monitor, but sometimes your desk is just too small. In that case a little USB auxiliary monitor is just right, and MIMO's latest, the 710-S and 720-S, are slimmer, sexier, and far more portable than ever. We thought that would make them perfect for anyone with a Goldilocks complex and slinky laptop, but the truth is, sadly, a little more complicated.
Logitec DisplayLink-certified USB-to-DVI dongle handles QWXGA
DisplayLink may not have the rampant following you probably thought it would when it was originally introduced, but we'd credit much of the indifference to the inability of most adapters to hit the magical 1080p mark. Up until now, most USB-to-DVI dongles couldn't support resolutions higher than UXGA (1,600 x 1,200), but at long last Logitec has stepped in to provide an alternative that blows right on by 1,920 x 1,080 and stops at QWXGA (2,048 x 1,152). If this here product looks like just the thing you and your spare monitor have been waiting for, feel free to hit the read link and place your pre-order for ¥12,980 ($136). But hey, don't blame us if your graphics card gets envious.[Via Akihabara News]
Nanovision's MIMO 720-S USB secondary display is slim yet touchable
If you got all excited about the upcoming MIMO 710-S, Nanovision's slinky refresh of its earlier UM-710, but then felt like someone took the wind out of your proverbial sails when you learned it lacked a touchable screen, we'd advise you to hold fast and ready that metaphorical spinnaker. The company has confirmed there's another new version coming over the horizon, the 720-S, featuring the same 7-inch, 800 x 480 panel, but now granted touch capabilities. You'll need to exercise a bit of restraint, as they're not due to ship for another month or so, and while we don't know exactly how much it'll displace from your wallet one UK site has a pre-order up for £130 (about $215). We do plan to be putting a 710-S through its paces shortly, though, which might just help to tide you over.
Mimo's 710-S 'Mobile Slider' USB monitor gets low... real low
Well, wouldn't you know it? Those off the wall concepts of what appeared to be a next-generation USB-driven Mimo monitor seem to have found their way into the production line, as the outfit made suddenly famous for its secondary displays now has a new model on tap. The 710-S "Mobile Slider" edition is really just a tweaked version of the aforementioned 7-inch panel, but it has been completely redesigned into a "sleeker, foldable and more portable unit." We hadn't really given much thought to bringing one of these things along in a laptop case, but this critter just might change our opinion on the usefulness to road warriors. Hit the read link to get in line; you'll have the opportunity to part with $149.99 in exchange for one later this month. [Via EverythingUSB]
DisplayLink boldly enters HD realm on new Samsung LapFit displays
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]
Mimo making its USB monitors slimmer, sexier?
Sometimes interesting news comes from unexpected places, and this morning that place is a UK car customization shop called Carcomputer. They've posted up info and pics for what appears to be the next generation of Nanovision's USB-driven Mimo monitor. The specs seem to be the same, with a 7-inch, 800 x 480 LED-backlit screen, but it's the new case design that's notable. Gone is the chunky, cheap looking shiny plastic, replaced by a slender matte black and silver design that not only holds the display in landscape or portrait mode but also allows it to be collapsed and thrown in a bag without scratching that panel. Right now that's all we know, but hopefully we'll be bringing more news soon -- along with pics of a set of these installed into headrests of our custom '64 Impala.[Thanks, Payam]
ASUS shows off Wireless LCD prototype, "Green" monitors
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.
ASUS debuts EzLink Series, VH192C / VH196 Green LCDs at CeBIT
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.
Century's Plus One 8-inch USB monitor seems pretty OK for displayin' stuff
You know how it is, with so many apps fighting over that valuable desktop real estate. Luckily, there is no shortage of companies looking to fill the void in your life (or your workflow) with an additional 8 inches of USB-enabled monitorin'. The newest entry into the market is the Plus One LCD-8000U by Century, a digiframe-looking thing that sports an 800 x 600 resolution, 250 cd/m2 brightness, and supports either portrait or landscape mode. What's not to love, right? Well, the fact that it's going for $190 is not very lovable. Still, it's good to have options. Or something. Award winning video after the break.
More details on D-Link's upcoming 7-inch SideStage USB monitor
We swung by D-Link's booth at CES to check out its upcoming SideStage USB-powered monitor, hoping to see the thing in action and get some more details ahead of its release. What we found was quite familiar looking, to say the least. D-Link was disappointingly just demoing a Nanovision, but was quick to point out this would not be the product destined for a full US release sometime this summer. That new display will still be produced by Nanovision, but will be modified to better suit our market, graced with a different logo, and cheaper, too. No firm price yet, but the company is targeting sub-$100, which sounds good to us.
LG lauches a trio of 1080p monitors splattered with ATSC tuners, USB Multilink
LG just announced a threesome of LCD monitors using its f-ENGINE image processing chip for those of you using your monitors as makeshift HDTVs. The flagship M237WD (pictured) features a 1080p, 16:9 aspect panel stretching 23-inches with a built-in ATSC tuner, 5ms refresh, 30,000:1 dynamic contrast, a vast array of A/V inputs (2x HDMI, 2x SCART, DVI, and plenty more), and a universal infrared remote control. The LG 53 series is available in 27-, 24-, 23-, and 22-inch models with a 1080p resolution or lesser 20- and 19-inch models. Key specs include a 2ms response, 50,000:1 dynamic contrast, HDMI input, touch panel controls and f-ENGINE processing. Also announced is the latest LG Multilink USB monitor (the 22-inch L226WU-PF) which daisy-chains up to 6 addition monitors over USB. It features a 1,680 x 1,050 rsolution, 5,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 2ms response and 16:10 aspect ratio. No word on what the resolution is when pushing data in a 6-up config. No pricing or availability either for that matter. Full press release after the break, images below. %Gallery-40860%
Samsung ships DisplayLink-equipped SyncMaster 2243QW
Samsung's been shipping DisplayLink-equipped displays in its UbiSync line for months now, and now it's got one more headed to consumers. The 22-inch 2243QW comes with a 1,680 x 1,050 native resolution, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 5-millisecond response time, a built-in USB hub and VGA / DVI inputs. 'Course, the signal gets sent over USB, but it's your best guess as to what it'll run. Er, is running, considering that it's shipping now to the US and Europe.
Acer adds DisplayLink multimedia dock to 22-inch P224W monitor
Acer's P224W is nothing new, but it's getting some seriously new functionality here at CES. Said display has become the first Acer monitor with a matching multimedia dock, which includes a USB hub that allows PCs to connect to it via DisplayLink (or in other words, via USB). In case you're in need of a refresher, other specs include a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, 1,680 x 1,050 native resolution, VGA input and a 5-millisecond response time. It's shipping now for an undisclosed amount in the US and Europe.
D-Link introduces 7-inch USB-powered SideStage monitor
D-Link, the company best known for its workings in the networking space, is suddenly branching out into new territories. Taking a pretty noticeable cue from Nanovision, D-Link is debuting a secondary display today in Las Vegas. The 7-inch SideStage, which rocks a 800 x 480 resolution and can be used in either landscape or portrait mode, weighs just 1.34-pounds and gets all the juice it needs from a powered USB 2.0 socket. Regrettably, the outfit failed to disclose a price or release date, simply saying it would be on display at CES. Why the tease, D-Link?
Acer ships 22-inch B223 DisplayLink USB monitor in Europe
The whole DisplayLink thing still hasn't completely caught fire or anything, but it's getting there -- slowly, but surely. Now, Acer has a new USB-connected monitor that's shipping in Europe, the 22-inch B223. The unit is part of the outfit's B series of monitors and features a decidedly ho hum 1,680 x 1,050 resolution, a DL-160 network display chip that enables up to six of these to be connected to a single PC and a 5-millisecond response time. You should definitely expect a premium when getting all this USB-y functionality, but €339 ($430) just seems, how do you say... outrageous?[Via Electronista]
4.3-inch USB-powered monitor asks "will the real nettop please stand up?"
So you've just purchased a new desktop that checks in at 1.6- x 2.4 - x 2.1-inches (actual size may vary), and you're looking for the perfect LCD to accompany it. At long last, we finally have a solution for the aforementioned quandary. The Century LCD-4300U is a 4.3-inch LCD monitor that not only provides the convenience of a USB connection, but it also gets every ounce of energy it needs via that same USB cable. The mini monitor touts an 800 x 480 resolution, LED-backlighting and compatibility with Windows XP / Vista and OS X. Now, if only the darn thing didn't cost ¥19,800 ($197), we might have ourselves a runaway winner.[Via OhGizmo]
Mitsubishi's RDT201WDL DisplayLink monitor now available
Laptop user looking for some dual-display action? Mitsubishi's new DisplayLink-equipped RDT201WDL WIDE LCD is a 20.1-inch wide-format monitor that features a USB hub, built-in Ethernet and WSXGA+ (1,680 x 1,050) resolution. Energy-conscious consumers will enjoy the on-screen energy meter and three levels of power usage, and we can all appreciate the fact that this monitor uses up to 36 percent less juice than a traditional LCD (in addition to the traditional savings DisplayLink provides by skipping the discrete graphics card). This item is currently available in Japan, and there's no word yet on a Stateside release date.[Via Business Wire]
ASUS VW223B and VW202B DisplayLink monitors now on sale
We originally spotted ASUS' DisplayLink-equipped VW223B back at CeBIT, but now it -- alongside the 20.1-inch VW202B -- is finally available. Both LCDs boast a WSXGA+ (1,680 x 1,050) resolution, 300 cd/m2 brightness, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 5-millisecond response time and VGA / USB 2.0 connectors. The USB functionality is being coined EzLink by ASUS, but it's no different than the DisplayLink you've grown to know and love. As per ASUS' apparent internal guidelines, it has completely failed in dishing out pricing information for the freshly available duo, but hey, at least we know they're out there!
Gefen's USB-to-DVI adapter handles UXGA
Certainly not the first to conjure up such wares, Gefen is hopping in the USB display adapter game with its own USB-to-DVI adapter. The unit supports screen resolutions up to 1,600 x 1,200 and plays nice with all 32-bit versions of Windows as well as OS X. As you're probably well aware, up to a half dozen of these critters can be connected to a single PC at a time, and any attempt to use seven or more will likely cause a catastrophic meltdown. Unfortunately, these things are still a tad pricey, and even Gefen's will set you back a stiff $129. Full release posted after the jump (which affirms OS X support).
I-O Data's USB-to-DVI adapter plays nice with Aero
USB-to-DVI adapters have certainly progressed a good ways over the years, and I-O Data's ain't too shabby, either. The external graphics dongle supports resolutions up to 1,680 x 1,050, measures in at 57- × 85- × 22-millimeters and even plays nice with Vista's Aero Glass interface. Unfortunately, it's not so compatible with Open GL or HDCP. That's a little too hamstrung for our ¥14,600 ($135), but to each their own.[Via AkihabaraNews]
