It looks like your cellphone display (and camcorder viewfinder) resolution is about to get significantly higher in the near-future, thanks to NEC and its crack team of super nerds. The company today announced that it had developed a 2.7-inch LCD module which delivers a resolution of 960 x 540, thanks to a super high pixel density of 413 pixels-per-inch. The quarter high-definition (QHD) panel is compatible with full HD resolution, and sees a boost in both the color gamut and luminance. Sure, it all sounds a bit dry on paper, but when you're noticing just how bad local reporters look in HD on your phone, you're going to thank NEC.

See those people? As much as NEC would like to think so, that's not you. If it were you'd be ass-deep in nag about your inattentive dismissal of "quality time" while suffering dire warnings about barefoot-borne diseases. Or maybe that's just us. Regardless, NEC hopes that the launch of its 4-component Lui (Life with Ubiquitous Integration) system -- ¥379,890/$3,705 Blu-ray packing PC server (Lui SX), ¥89,880/$877 10.6-inch laptop (Lui RN), ¥49,980/$487 4.1-inch handheld (Lui RP), and ¥300,000/$2,926 Desktop (Valuestar R Lui) -- will somehow create harmony in your household. Besides the marketing hype, we're really just talking about Windows Home Premium SP1 here and a bunch of DTCP-IP DRM and DLNA compliant devices. In fact, the so called "laptop" and handheld units lack any traditional OS at all -- they can only be used to receive streaming content off your home server. Even then, some streaming is restricted inside and outside the home thanks to the DRM lockdown. Do we really need one or even two more devices in the home just for media?

Update: Regardless of what you may have read elsewhere, there is no WiMAX here. That's not even a standard available in Japan.

[Via Impress]

NEC's got yet another new projector rolling in for under a grand ($899, to be exact), and it's going by the name VT800. Beyond the stark white finish, you'll find a native XGA (1,024 x 768) resolution, an Ethernet port for remote management / control, built-in closed caption decoding, a USB port, an HDCP-compliant HDMI input, 2,700 lumens, 500:1 contrast ratio and a lamp good for around 3,000 hours. Furthermore, the unit boasts a five-watt internal speaker, PIP / ESS functionality, wall color correction presets and 3D Reform, which "squares the image by adjusting horizontally, vertically or diagonally when the projector cannot be placed parallel or perpendicular to the screen." It's all yours this April.

[Via AboutProjectors]

NEC's LaVie lineup has been dressed up in just about every costume imaginable, but for whatever reason, it has yet to be embossed with the characters from Kimi Kiss -- until now, that is. Fans of the series will surely appreciate the design cues, but the hard part will be choosing from the smorgasbord of color options. Nevertheless, those actually concerned with what's inside the chassis will find a 2GHz Mobile Sempron 3600+ CPU, 512MB of RAM, an 80GB hard drive, DVD combo drive and a 15.4-inch 1,280 x 800 resolution panel. A bit underpowered for ¥90,783 ($879), but even NEC knows you aren't looking at this one for the exquisite componentry.

[Via Gizmodiva]

While calling it the holy grail of 3D may be a stretch, there's no denying that the technology has been largely held back and (rightfully) seen as a gimmick due to the whole "unsightly glasses" requirement. Granted, this isn't the first time we've heard of 3D being experienced sans goggles, but the newfangled agreement between Magnetic and NEC could deliver just that to a display near you very soon. Reportedly, the duo is off demonstrating a 57-inch Enabl3D display at the Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas, and while this iteration is admittedly aimed at commercial users, the promise of seeing imagery "pop more than a foot off the screen without the use of any special glasses" sure sounds intriguing. No word on when this stuff will be coming to everyday users, but don't be shocked to see marketers coming up with new ways to grab your attention (and frighten the young) with this in the near future.

We're a bit bummed that wireless USB-equipped laptops are merely trickling in versus pouring, but we reckon we'll take what we can get. Next on the docket is the LaVie J series from NEC, which consists of the flagship LJ750/LH along with the lower-end LJ730/LG and LJ700/LH. Besides the whole cord free USB thing, you'll also find up to a 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo U6700, 2GB of RAM, a 12.1-inch display (1,280 x 800 resolution), 160GB of HDD space, 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR. The pain? Around €1,735 ($2,543) for the top-of-the-line stuff.

We're not going to say that femtocell technology is "all the rage" right now, but we will admit that we're seeing some real players get into the game. If you've been wondering when these unicorn-like devices were going to start making their way into the real world, you can finally get some answers. With Mobile World Congress coming up soon, a number of new products and services centered around the signal-proliferating technology are being announced, including a handful of entries from Netgear and collaborators, as well as new products from Motorola. Check the press releases below and learn all about it. Remember, knowing is half the battle.

Read - NETGEAR and Kineto Wireless To Showcase 3G Femto Home Access Solution at Mobile World Congress
Read - NETGEAR and Nokia Siemens Networks Collaborate on 3G Femto Home Access Solution
Read - NEC and NETGEAR Team to Develop an Integrated 3G Access Point for Femtocell Solution
Read - Motorola Announces Family of Femtocell Solutions

Adding injury to insult, then pouring salt in the wound, and finally kicking mud in Microsoft's eye, NEC has launched an official Vista downgrade product, FlexLoad. The company debuted a two-DVD package on Tuesday priced at an affordable £7, which is meant to help (mainly business) customers create an XP partition that they can use to boot from. Says David Newbould, NEC UK's product marketing manager, "We do have some customers who are very happy with XP and see [no need] to move to Vista at the moment." Of course, we're pretty sure that when he said "some" he actually meant "lots." Another nasty burn for the folks in Redmond -- though those 100 million units sold can probably buy a lot of kleenex.

[Via FSJ]

It looks like those three new NEC monitors we mentioned a few days ago are making their way over to the States, with prices, release dates... you know, the whole shebang. Now slightly redubbed the ASLCD174WXM, ASLCD194WXM, and ASLCD224WXM, the displays pack many of the same features, though they differ ever-so-slightly where it counts. The 17- and 19-inch models feature a 1440 x 900 resolution, with 800:1 and 1000:1 contrast ratios, while the 22-inch version sports a 1680 x 1050 resolution with a 900:1 contrast ratio. All three models use the company's Ambix dual-input technology, NEC's ECO Mode low-power settings, and include built-in speakers. The monitors will be available in March, with prices ranging from $209.99 for the ASLCD174WXM, to $229.99 for the ASLCD194WXM, and $329.99 for the ASLCD224WXM.

All geared up to start your work week with a trio of hu hum NEC monitors? If so, we won't delay any longer in doling out the nitty-gritty. Up first is the 17-inch LCD174WXM, which features a 1,440 x 900 resolution panel, DVI / VGA (x2) inputs, twin one-watt speakers, a headphone jack, 250 nits of brightness and an 800:1 contrast ratio. As for the 19-inch LCD194WXM and 22-inch LCD224WXM, they each share a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m2 brightness and 176-degree viewing angles. Still, the 19-incher gets stuck with a 1,440 x 900 resolution while the 22-inch sibling gets blessed with 1,680 x 1,050. Per usual, there's no word on prices just yet, but considering the lack of excitement these are bringing, we doubt too many folks will mind.

[Via Impress]

When you're driving "pinpoint calibration, consistent light output, and enhanced color/grayscale compensation" as the main selling points of your new monitor, it can only be NEC behind the wheel. Their 30-inch, MultiSync LCD3090WQXi letter-pie targets professionals in the media arts with a 2,560 x 1,600 pixel resolution, 12-bit internal look-up table, ColorComp technology for image accuracy, and support for 102% of the NTSC color scale. A pair of DVI inputs allows for both HDCP-encrypted and analog sources. Ships February for $2,200.

[Via Trusted Reviews]

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We feel sorry for poor NEC. While everyone at CES is busy buzzing about Alienware's gorgeous curved DLP display (including us), NEC is quietly showing off its CRVD-42DWX+ display that's more or less identical: a 2880x900 (double WXGA+) panel with a contrast ratio of 10000:1. We're assuming they're both built by the same ODM, Ostendo, so hopefully some healthy competition will help bring one of these two beauties within your meager gaming budget. Unfortunately, like the Alienware model, there's no pricing or shipping information. Ogle some more pics in our gallery below.