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More on Apple's new LED-backlit MacBook Pro
Apple left a little mystery in their MacBook Pro announcement today, and being that this marks their first official release of an LED-backlit laptop we had to take out the guesswork and get confirmation on a few of our more burning questions. All 15-inch MBPs now use LED-backlit displays standard; 17-inchers still use CCFL (cold cathode fluorescent) Apple claims users can see a battery-life benefit of between 30 mins - 1 hour (depending on use). They did not have stats on exact efficiencies between LED and CCFL backlit displays. The new LED backlight is the same brightness: 300 vs 300 nits of the previous gen's CCFL The viewing angle is also the same as before In other words, besides faster time from fully-off to full-brightness and an increase in battery life, Apple claims users should notice absolutely no perceivable difference between last-gen displays and the new LED-backlit ones. Other bits To clarify, MacBook Pros are using Santa Rosa, but MacBooks are not yet using Santa Rosa Even though the MBP is 0.2 pounds lighter, we're still without an internal / integrated 3G option
Small LCDs with integrated backlight sensor use 30% less juice
We seem to have been draining our phone batteries even faster than usual this week, so we find TPO's power-saving display sensor tech to be pretty encouraging news for the future. The Taiwanese display manufacturer has figured out how to integrate ambient light sensors directly into a standard LCD screen, resulting in more accurate light readings than the usual external sensor setup. The system can also compensate for temperature with the addition of a black level sensor, which means the screen can detect light levels from 3 to 10,000 lux and adjust the backlight accordingly. The sensor tech is designed for small screens in mobile devices, and TPO estimates that the setup reduces overall power consumption around 30% under normal use, which would maybe let us get through a day without resorting to buying that enormous external battery pack we've been dreading. No word on when we'll see these screens hit the consumer level, but TPO says mass production won't start until 2008, so better keep that charger handy for a while.
Samsung poised to introduce white LED-backlit displays
Samsung believes that by 2010, 30% of all LCD televisions will include LED backlights instead of the conventional flourescent used in most sets now. What's different from the LED units we've seen before is that Samsung wants to use white LEDs, with single diodes custom-coated to produce the same backlight previously requiring combinations of red, green, and blue bulbs. Samsung recently invested in Intematix, which produces custom phosphor coatings for LED bulbs to create uniform color -- required in a television to faithfully reproduce colors. Until recently costs have been higher for LED backlight units, keeping them relegated to higher-end models. Samsung claims the single bulb process reduces costs by 40%, but time will tell whether white-only LEDs are truly better or cheaper than tri-color LEDs, or if they are just the next "Reveal lightbulb" marketing gimmick.[Via I4U News]
ASUS gets official with its LED-backlit U1F lappy
All the same sexy, but this time we've got a bit more info on the upcoming U1F 11.1-incher from ASUS. Of course, that LED backlight inside the 5mm thick LCD is the highlight, but there's plenty more to love inside this 18mm thick laptop (0.7-inches, though it tapers up to 1.1-inches thick). Oddly enough, one of the neatest highlights is the optional external disc drive. This one ain't no stripped down combo drive number, but instead houses a Blu-ray / DVD super multi burner for the ultimate in optical goodness. We're not sure what you'd be doing with a Blu-ray movie on this WXGA LCD, and there don't seem to be any HD outputs for slapping video onto a big screen, but we like the chutzpah all the same. Under the hood there's a Core Duo U2400 processor with a Intel 945GM Express chipset and Intel a/b/g WiFi. Hard drive options range from 40 to 80GB, the webcam is of the VGA variety and connectivity includes gigabit Ethernet and Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR and A2DP. With a 3-cell battery on board, the U1F weighs 2.2 pounds, thanks to the magnesium-aluminum / carbon fiber built case and an LCD about half the thickness and 1/3 lighter than the traditional kind. The LED backlight also boasts of better luminance, faster response time and lower power consumption than the traditional LCD, and combined with some fancy ASUS Power4 Gear eXtreme power management should have battery life up 20-25 percent over traditional laptops. Still no word on price or availability, but you'll be able to get this thing with Vista Home Premium or Vista Business when it does ship.[Via DailyTech]
Proton bringing LED backlit LCDs to CES 2007
Even though Toshiba's SED technology will be a no show at CES this year, Proton let us know that its LED backlit LCDs will be on display. The last time we saw these HDTVs (the 42-inch 1080p P42L1 and 32-inch 720p P32L1) at Computex they were expected to hit this year but now are slated for a second quarter 2007 release. In case you've forgotten during the long wait for this technology to reach reasonable prices, LED backlighting (like SED) promises more accurate color reproduction than current CCFL-based LCDs. We'll have to wait until next year to see which one actually delivers.
iPod: media player, cultural icon, and rescue beacon?
Sure, we've heard the heartwarming stories of SMS savings a boy's life and TiVo preventing a man from heading to prison, but this round of "Gadgets Saving Lives" features none other than the token iPod as the center of attention. While Griffin has long since had the idea of using the iPod to power a flashlight-type device, a mushroom hunter (yes, they do exactly as the title describes) resorted to the backlit LCD in his Apple in order to lead rescuers to his location. While enjoying a presumably thrilling evening of picking 'shrooms from the wild brush in Vancouver, Washington with his mother, Pini Nou somehow found himself off the beaten path and lost under a cover of darkness (and wild grass, too). By phoning in authorities and faintly describing his surroundings, troops were able to get close enough to view the white glow emitted from his PMP, and 20 minutes later he was safe and sound, albeit "cold, tired, and aching." So, there you have it kids, the ultimate excuse to get an iPod for the holidays -- safety.[Thanks, Napo M.]
JVC's LED backlit LCD at CEATEC 2006
LCD TVs using LEDs for backlighting aren't exactly new -- Sony's high-end Qualia line has had this feature for a while -- but getting them down to a price affordable for most consumers has still proven to be an unattainable goal. Samsung had a 40-inch 10,000:1 contrast ratio beauty on display at IFA 2006 last month, and now the good folks at JVC are showing the model pictured above at CEATEC 2006. No deets on pricing, specs or even size are available yet, but if plasma isn't a good fit for your wall or budget -- and waiting around for SED is too much of a bore -- LED backlighting is the best bet for improved color reproduction and black levels in LCDs.
Samsung shows off 40-inch LED backlit LCD at IFA
We do love us some LED backlighting, and Samsung has the goods at IFA this year. Their new LE40M91 LCD measures a reasonable 40-inches, runs at a 720p resolution, and manages an easy to love 10,000:1 contrast ratio. The display also features 450 nits of brightness, and a 146% color gamut. Best of all are the rumors that this display could be going for a mere $3,000 when it's released, and the dual HDMI ports don't hurt none either. The display is accompanied by a pair of non-LED LCDs, but they aren't too shabby all the same. Measuring 40 and 46-inches respectively, the LE40F7 and LE46F7 manage 1080p resolutions, 6000:1 contrast ratios, 127% color gamut and 450 nits of brightness, along with all the same connectivity of their LED cousin. Since this is all going down at IFA, Samsung is just announcing these displays for European markets right now, but our hopes are definitely for eminent and wallet-friendly Stateside releases.[Via HD Beat]
IFA 2006: Samsung introduces LED backlit 40-inch LCD
Samsung is showing off their LED-backlit LCD panel for European markets at IFA 2006. The LE40M91 40-inch 720p LCD has a 146% color gamut, 10,000:1 contrast ratio and 450 cd/m2 brightness rating. LED backlighting has been available in Sony's Qualia line, but remained out of reach for most buyers due to its high price. Although Samsung didn't release any pricing information earlier reports pegged the 40-inch LCD at about $3,000. This TV also features Samsung's 100hz technology, while inserting a frame between other two frames, they claim their motion adaptive technology helps reduce blurring without reducing brightness, clarity or color. They showed off two other new LCDs, a 40- and 46-inch (LE40F7/LE46F7) that don't feature the LED backlighting or 100hz technology, but do have 1080p resolution, 6,000:1 contrast ratio,127% of the NTSC color gamut and 450 cd/m2 brightness, much like the upcoming 52-inch LN-S5296D. All three screens feature Samsung's Wiselink "10-in-3" technology which apparently allows for USB, memory card, printer and dual-HDMI connection.[Via Digitimes]
52- and 46-inch Sharp 1080p Aquos LCDs US-bound in October
Speaking of "reaching a broader customer base in a speedy and timely manner", Sharp has already announced US pricing and availability for two of the LCDs already shown this morning in Japan. The 52-inch LC-52D62U and 46-inch LC-46D62U 1080p Aquos LCDs will be available in October with MSRPs of $4,799 and $3,499 respectively. Couple that with their new next-generation ASV panel that provides a 2000:1 static contrast ratio (10,000:1 dynamic), 450 cd/m2 brightness, 4ms response time, two 1080p HDMI inputs, two component inputs, built -in QAM/ATSC tuners and Sharp's 4-wavelength backlighting system and you have a good product at a great price compared to Samsung and Sony LCDs of the same size. No word yet on the 42-inch HDTV shown earlier in Japan, but they may wait to announce it here since it is not due until November.
Konica Minolta develops ultra-bright mobile display
Making mobile displays extraordinarily bright seems counter to the logic that battery life is priority number one, but Konica Minolta is taking its chances and marketing its new organic EL backlight tech to cellphone manufacturers, claiming to rock 1,000 candela per square meter (by comparison, a highway flare burns at about 70 candela). We're questioning the need -- or ability, for that matter -- to look at a screen blasting more light at us than a small flashlight, but if the output can be toned down for typical use, we can certainly see the safety applications in this. Just don't kill our precious batteries, Konica Minolta, and we're down.[Via Akihabara News]
CCFL backlighting is still in
Cuz all the cool kids are doing it for at least the next year or so, much unlike the mullet. Despite all the hubbub about LEDs, CCFLs are likely to continue backlighting your LCD panel, even as manufacturers ramp up production to meet demand. When will light emitting diodes and flat fluorescent lamps become a part of the flat screen TV landscape? Who knows but Kumho Electric isn't looking to find out. I still wanted my HDTV t-shirt though.
The next step in LCDs is LEDs
Everything has a downfall. LCDs are notorious for being backlit too much causing bad black levels. Plasmas, on the other hand, do not suffer from this. Nether will LCDs though if manufactures starting using LED (light-emitting diodes) instead of conventional backlighting. This process will cost a tad more then the current method, but I believe that there is enough of people like us that will pay a bit more in order to achieve plasma like colors. Right?
