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TDK starts mass production of transparent OLEDs, makes texting and walking safer
TDK is taking those transparent OLED screens we saw back in October and putting them into mass production. The 2.4-inch, QVGA (240 x 320) UEL476 display has a transmittance of 40 percent, but obscures light passing through the front so others won't be able to read your text messages from behind. Obviously, these aren't going to find their way into high-end Android handsets, but they may have a home in fashion phones like Lenovo's S800. And, you know, they seem perfect for SMS addicts who can't stop their thumbs from flying even while walking. Check out the full PR after the break.
Dialog Semiconductor ramps up production of translucent displays for Lenovo S800
We did a double take last fall when we saw Lenovo's S800 phone with a see-through display, and now it seems the futuristic handset is more than just proof of concept. Dialog Semiconductor, the company that makes that passive matrix OLED display, said the S800 will be the first commercial product to incorporate its SmartXtrend translucent screen, which claims superior picture and color quality, viewing angles, and video playback. The company also said the technology is particularly well-suited to displays with QVGA resolution -- a miniscule tidbit about a device that, unlike its screen, leaves a lot to the imagination. Still no word on when it will be available, but at least we can rest assured it's not a fantasy.
TDK's see-through and curved OLED display eyes-on (video)
Remember the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness? At a list price of $1,000, it'd be hard to forget -- but with a monochrome see-through display, the whole transparency thing was little more than a novelty on a phone that served little practical purpose. TDK might have the solution with its new transparent QVGA OLEDs, available now to manufacturers in monochrome and in a lovely color variant by the end of the year. At two inches, they offer 200ppi pixel density and are more secure than you might think: the light only shines in one direction, so you actually can't see any data from the back even though you can still see through the display. At a glance, the display's didn't seem as vibrant as the best AMOLEDs on the market, but then again, these are passive matrix -- and you can really tell in our videos after the break where the refresh scans stand out. Guess that's the price you pay for transparency, right? We've also got some video of the 3.5-inch flexible OLED screens TDK's got on hand; they're not transparent, but considering the long, narrow resolution, we can't help but think they'd make for amazing wristwatches (or high-tech glowstick replacements at raves). %Gallery-104249%
Samsung SDI to back away from PMOLED, focus efforts on AMOLED
Unbeknownst to most, there are actually quite a few flavors of OLED out there. We've got passive-matrix (PM), active-matrix (AM) and transparent, and evidently Samsung SDI isn't really feeling the former anymore. Reportedly, the outfit will begin to phase out of the PMOLED business, and it will begin looking for ways to alter its existing PMOLED production line for "other uses." The plug is being pulled (at least partially) as decreasing panel prices and a small bucket of buyers have reduced profitability, leaving it little option but to readjust its focus on the more promising AMOLED. The move isn't entirely surprising -- after all, LG Display suspended its entire PMOLED business last year, and while there is a slight possibility that the firm keeps a small bit of PMOLED production going, it'll be minor (if there's any at all). Our take? We're stoked. It's the AMOLEDs that'll end up in that mythical 40 inch (and beyond) OLED HDTV, so we're all about giving more attention to that baby's commercialization date.
iriver M10 / NV PMP navigator in the wild
Until now, we haven't seen much more than prettied-up press shots of iriver's NV GPS/PMP unit (previously known as the M10), but the company's finally let the device loose for everyone to get a better look at, with the folks at AVING.net among those snapping up pics of it at a recent event. As you can see, what we previously assumed to be only a jog dial actually boasts its own screen (a 1.15 inch PMOLED display, specifically), which is apparently used to provide key bits of information in icon-form. Otherwise, the device looks to be just what we've been expecting, with it reportedly on track for a Korean release sometime next month.[Via Navigadget]
