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Sun's coronal ejections caused by magnetic ropes, galactic weathermen to predict solar storms?
Space weather gets nasty when the sun starts shooting plasma into the cosmos, and these solar storms wreak havoc on both satellites and gadgets here on earth. Scientists want to predict the sun's eruptions so we can protect our gear (and know the best time to go tanning), and George Mason University researchers have made a discovery that may help us do so. By examining images from NASA's Solar Dynamic Observatory spacecraft, Professor Jie Zhang and grad student Xin Cheng determined that magnetic ropes are causing coronal ejections. The ropes are formed by several magnetic fields wrapped around each other, and scientists believe they can carry electrical currents strong enough to cause the plasma bursts. Prior to an eruption, Zhang observed a low-lying channel with unique electromagnetic properties (believed to be a magnetic rope) heat a portion of the sun's surface up to 10 million degrees. Once hot enough, the spot spewed forth copious amounts of the plasma and magnetic energy that gives GPS units and phones fits. Now that we know what gets Helios all riled up, we just need to find a way to calm him down. Close-ups of the sun in its tizzy are after the break.
CMEL shows off 1mm-thick 25-inch HD OLED panel
Call us crazy, but we're thinking the OLED battle is totally on. With the novelty of Sony's XEL-1 behind us and the lust for bigger screen sizes completely consuming our minds, we're drooling at the mere thought of a 25-inch OLED panel that checks in at just 1-millimeter thick. Taiwan's Chi Mei EL was caught showing off the long-awaited display at the FPD International exhibition in Japan (last year's image shown), where it explained to onlookers that the marvel featured a native resolution of 1,366 x 768 and was capable of displaying 16.7 million colors. Regrettably, there was no mention of an expected release date, but we'll be watching at CES 2009 just in case (one of our) wildest dreams come true.[Via OLED-Display]
Kodak stuns with world's first 7.6-inch OLED picture frame
We figured it was coming, now sure enough, Kodak just let loose a new picture frame based on CMEL's new mass-produced, 7.6-inch OLED panels. Ultra-thin as you'd expect and wireless as you'd hope, the new 800 x 480 pixel Wireless Frame should be ready for the holidays sporting 2GB of internal storage, integrated audio, a 30,000:1 contrast, 180-degree viewing angle, and photo service compatibility with Flickr and others. Unfortunately, it's got a price you'd expect from this nascent display tech: $999. Sparky, had better be worth it.[Via OLED-Display]
7.6-inch OLED displays go mass production, next stop UMPCs and Kodak photo frames?
Sometime shortly after Philips introduced it first digital photo frame -- let's call it CES, January 2006 -- something happened to the industry: it went to crap. Instead of focusing on quality displays vendors started tossing in gimmicks to sell their goods. This might change now that 7.6-inch OLEDs are going mass production. Already, Kodak is rumored to have placed an order for the medium-sized panels set to roll off the lines in September at CMO's Chi Mei EL (CMEL) factory. That should mean incredibly vibrant, thin, high-contrast frames with 16.7 million colors spread across 800 x 480 pixels just in time for the holidays. While dropping these pricey displays into low-cost netbooks would be a stretch, we wouldn't be surprised to see a few of those 7-inch UMPCs make the move to OLED as well. [Via OLED-info] Read -- Kodak rumor Read -- CMEL 7.6-inch specs
CMO and CMEL develop 25-inch LTPS AMOLED TV
When its not busy taking colossal orders for Dell's (probable) 19-inch widescreen business, Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO) is teaming up with Chi Mei EL (CMEL) to create an active matrix OLED TV panel and slapping a "world's largest" label on it. While we've certainly seen larger AMOLED displays before, this 25-inch rendition boasts its Low Temperature Polysilicon TFT technology as the differentiating (and record setting) factor. Typically, LTPS TFT screens are found in more pocket-friendly devices -- such as Minox's DC 8111 digital camera -- but this panel upps the ante by proving suitable for your average bedroom / living area. While shying away from specifics, CMEL did manage to tout the "fully functional, full color" television's "slim design, wide viewing angle, high contrast, and fast response time," but (unsurprisingly) failed to provide any foresight into eventual availability or price.[Via TGDaily]
