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Samsung Series 7 HDTV monitor hands-on
Of the two monitors Samsung announced last week, the Series 7 was decidedly the middle-of-the road number. But that's not saying much, seeing as how its big brother, the Series 9, is Sammy's first consumer display with a plane line switching panel, and has a 2560 x 1440 pixel count. The Series 7, available in 24- and 27-inch sizes (both 1080p), uses the same matte, 400-nit, SuperBright Plus panel you'll find on the newly announced Series 9 laptop, and as ever it looks bright and clear, even in the face of some oblique viewing angles. For the money ($600 and up), it also has built-in WiDi and MHL, along with an integrated TV tuner. So far as we can tell, after having seen it in person, the biggest thing you'll lose once you step down from the Series 9 (aside from the PLS bit) is design flair. Whereas the Series 9 has a slim aluminum build with glowing touch controls, the Series 7's glossy surfaces pick up fingerprints quite quickly. (Then again, this more or less rocks the same design as last year's Series 9 flagship, so how bad could it be?) Have a peek at our shots below, and stay tuned for a separate look at the Series 9 -- for whatever reason, the one on display at tonight's press event was powered off for the night, so we'll be back sometime soon when we can show you that high-quality PLS display in the buff.Sean Buckley contributed to this post.
3M Touch Systems 46-inch Projected Capacitive Display hands-on (video)
Heard of Microsoft Surface? Sure you have. It's the tech that takes capacitive touch and smears it across a table-like design. While those devices, manufactured by the likes of Samsung, have begun their slow creep into the market, rival companies are hard at work on their own multi-user, widescreen touch solutions. Which is precisely what 3M Touch Systems is showing off today at CES Unveiled. At 46-inches, its prototype Projected Capacitive Technology ups the ante on user input, allowing a theoretical maximum of 60 touch points and up to four split screens. We had a chance to take the table for a test run, so click on past the break to see how it fared.
Vuzix designs Smart Glasses to look like sunshades, tout connected transparent display
Vuzix has announced plans to develop a stylish head-mounted display solution in the form of Smart Glasses, through a licensing partnership with Nokia. The yet-unnamed product would integrate a bright, high-contrast display with a pair of seemingly ordinary-looking sunglasses -- sounds like a perfect companion to the ZionEyez in-glasses camera prototype we saw last month. In Vuzix's words: This amazing new technology starts with a compact display engine capable of hi contrast and brightness for outdoor use. The output is then relayed into a 1.4 mm thick plastic waveguide lens with input and output hologram structures on the surface which squeezes the light down the waveguide and then two dimensionally expands the image back into the user's eye, creating an image that is then mixed into the real world. Naturally, the company envisions its Smart Glasses solution as a web-connected device, letting you watch videos or browse the internet while still being able to see-and-avoid pedestrians as you walk on the sidewalk or obstacles while behind the wheel -- try doing that with a Kindle or smartphone (better yet, please don't). Vuzix expects its Smart Glasses solution to start appearing as early as this summer, but we'll be getting an early look next week at CES.
BryteWerks Model One combines HTPC and 16:10 HD projector for $2,449
With countless digital projectors ranging in quality from the bottom-shelf drug store stocking stuffer to the six-figure top-of-the-line behemoth, getting your foot in the door as a manufacturer is a near-impossible endeavor. Unless you've designed something like this -- the Model One, from BryteWerks. We've only had a peek at the ultra-sleek glossy black renders at this point, but we're holding out hope that this cube looks as fantastic in person as it does in the gallery below. Inside, you'll find a 16:10 widescreen 1920 x 1200 projector with a brightness of 6,000-11,000 lumens, depending on configuration. There's also a built-in home theater PC, complete with an Intel Core i3 to i7 CPU, Blu-ray drive and storage options that include a 2TB HDD or 500GB SSD. The system can be controlled using the embedded 720p 8.9-inch touchscreen, or remotely using a keyboard and mouse or an Android or iOS app. There's no word on release date just yet, but Model One pricing ranges from $2,449 to $5,999. Hit up the source link to place your order after the site goes live on January 9th.
HP outs Compaq L2311c docking monitor, LV1911 and LV2011 budget displays
The last time HP unveiled a monitor it was chasing gamers looking for a little 3D on a budget, but this time around, it's got business users on the brain. Specifically, the kind of workers who spend a lot of time away from the office, or perhaps share a workspace with others. That's the idea behind the 23-inch Compaq L2311c Notebook Docking Monitor, which connects to laptops via USB. That same cable will also transmit video, though even HP will admit you'll get far better results if you use USB 3.0 instead of 2.0. Taking a tour of the monitor itself, you'll find a four-port USB hub and VGA socket, along with a 720p webcam, which should pair nicely with HP's bundled MyRoom software. The 1080p display is also adjustable, with 130mm of space to slide it up and down. At the lower end of the spectrum, HP also announced the LV1911 and LV2011, a pair of 18.5- and 20-inch monitors, both of which forgo niceties like a webcam or USB hub. Either way, the resolution is low, given the spacious screen sizes: 1366 x 768 for the 18.5-incher, and 1600 x 900 for the 20-inch number. The smaller LV1911 will arrive stateside in March for $125, while the LV2011 will go on sale next month for $135. As for the L2311c docking monitor, it'll cost $319, and be available in the US, Japan and other Asian markets later this month.
Sony sells its stake in Samsung LCD team-up for $939 million
Sony and Samsung have decided to part ways on their seven-year-old LCD venture. Possibly due to Sony's recent struggles in the increasingly competitive world of TV division, Samsung will buy up its 50 percent share for around $939 million. The Japanese company has agreed to a new strategic agreement to source Sammy's LCDs in the future and, according to Sony, will continue "cooperative engineering efforts focused on LCD panel technology." Its full explanation follows after the break.
NEC outs pair of displays that tell you their carbon footprint, how economically awesome they are
So, what's so special about NEC's new 24-inch MultiSync LED backlit displays? Well, these nifty NECs have two ECO modes to help keep power consumption to a minimum, plus a feature that lets users to track the amount of carbon dioxide created by the electricity they use. It also lets you input how much you pay for all those electrons to track just how much the monitors contribute to your monthly utility bill. Otherwise, these are fairly unremarkable 250-nit, 1920 x 1200 panels with DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI-D, and USB 2.0 connections. The eco-friendly displays are available from NEC Japan, but the company's not saying how much they cost. One thing we do know is that they'll be upping the smug quotient in the land of the rising sun. See what that could lead to in the video after the break -- warning: may not appeal to those who hate funny things.
AMD Radeon HD 6000 cards receive VESA DisplayPort 1.2 certification, merit badges
When the certifications come in, you wipe a tear from your eye and ponder how proud you are. On Thursday, the Video Electronics Standards Association announced that AMD's Radeon HD 6000 series graphics cards, including the high-end Radeon HD 6990, are the first to receive DisplayPort Version 1.2 certification. That means the cards are rated to support DisplayPort's 5.4Gbps HBR2 data link speed and also feature increased display resolution, color depths and refresh rates, plus improved support for Full HD 3D stereoscopic displays. For the multiple monitor die-hards, there's also better support for multiple monitors connected to a single DisplayPort receptacle to make your lives easier. Full technical details are in the PR below, but it's good to see a capable card series grow up a bit / become a man.
LG updates eye-tracking, glasses-free 3D displays, learns to love the hyphen
We hope you're not too attached to that 20-inch DX2000 you got from LG back in July. (You did rush out and buy one, right?) 'Cause the Korean manufacturer has just updated its line of eye-tracking, glasses-free 3D displays with the 25-inch DX2500! Just like its smaller sibling, the DX2500 has a parallax barrier over the screen and an embedded camera for tracking head and eye movement. As a person shifts around the monitor it dynamically adjusts the image to (at least theoretically) maintain the best possible 3D effect. The screen also does on-the-fly 2D to 3D conversion. The DX2500 is shipping now in Korea for 1.3 million won (about $1,556) and should be available globally some time early in 2012. Check out the full PR after the break.
MOD and MOD Live Android ski goggles give extreme analytics, we go eyes-on (video)
Straight out of Q's closet of goodies are Recon Instrument's brand new MOD and MOD Live ski goggles, giving bikers, skiers and snowboarders a glimpse into the digital extreme with a tiny built-in LCD micro display -- powered by an itsy bitsy Android ARM Coretex-A8 600 MHz computer. The 428 x 240 WQVGA screen allows the hardcore to tune into things like speed, jump analytics, distance, pre-loaded trail maps, height and GPS location, while keeping MOD Live users connected to calls and texts via Bluetooth. Running Android 2.3, the LIVE variety will let you see who's calling, answer calls, receive texts and even respond to them with pre-programmed responses. Users can switch between screens using the included remote, attachable via wristband or headstrap. Since the display is so tiny, the amount of Android apps athletes will be able to use will be limited -- so, sorry kids, no Angry Birds while mountain biking off a cliff. If that doesn't sound distracting enough, the manufacturer promises future third-party camera and video recorder integration to capture all the jumps, dives and spills associated with shredding the gnar. Sadly, the current model only has 512Mbs of storage and 256MB of RAM, so you won't be able to store too many Sean White-worthy feature films on them. Giving these bad boys a go, they transported us into what seemed like the future with details of our personal best performances staring us in the eye from the corner of the screen -- rad. Flexible and bendy, the eye shield easily pops out of the frame to reveal the display itself, along with the computer's guts. Of course, the extreme flexibility and bulkiness of the goggles doesn't bode well for those of us who actually use goggles to protect our eyes -- giving us the impression that they would not offer much cushion with a severe spill. The enviable eyewear will retail for $299 with the Android smartphone-connected version available for $399. Check out the video and full PR after the break. %Gallery-138853%
HP embraces this 3D thing, outs 2311gt monitor and second-gen Wireless TV Connect
In case you haven't noticed, HP's really pushing this newfangled 3D thing right now. In addition to the TouchSmart 620, its first 3D desktop, the outfit just announced the 2311gt monitor, along with its second-generation Wireless TV Connect box, which now streams 3D content. Starting with the display, you've got a a 23-inch, 1080p panel that uses Film Patterned Retarder (FPR) technology to create 3D visuals by aligning every other row of pixels with the left or right eye. It's a passive technology and indeed, we came away from our brief eyes-on with the impression that the 3D rendering isn't as convincing as what you'll get on the TouchSmart 620 and its active shutter glasses. Still, HP says when it comes to viewing there's a sweet spot of 20 to 30 inches from the screen, and we have to admit we got the sharpest view from that vantage point. Also, HP threw in Cyberlink's PowerDVD software for 2D-to-3D conversion, which makes this a potentially tempting deal. Moving on, the Wireless TV Connect box now streams 1080p movies in 3D, and HP claims to have lowered its latency, especially compared to Intel Wireless Display. Look for it in December with a $180 price tag. As for you, gamers, that 2311gt monitor will ring in at a reasonable $299 and go up for grabs mañana. %Gallery-137814%
AOC's 16-inch portable monitor sucks power, video from your USB port
AOC's latest may not have the IPS viewing angles of recent tablet offerings or high-end monitors, but this portable 16-inch screen connects -- and powers itself -- through just one USB port. Priced at $139, the AOC e1649fwu also includes a fold-up stand and can be propped up in both portrait and landscape. The 16:9 TFT screen packs 1366x768 resolution, and AOC promises that it won't immediately suck all the life out of your laptop, though we'll hold our judgement until we can get our hands on one. It could be a very canny addition to your portable office arsenal; it weighs in at a spritely 2.3lbs (just under over 1kg) and the 1.4 inch thickness means it may squeeze into some (admittedly more capacious) lappie bags. You'll finally be able to look like you mean business while pluggin' away in your own private corner at Starbucks after this launches next month.
Intel: Ivy Bridge GPU to support 4K resolutions
Color us unsurprised that Ivy Bridge is destined to be faster and smaller than its predecessor, but unbeknownst to us is an interesting tidbit concerning the upcoming architecture's GPU. The revamp will support resolutions in excess of 4K (topping out at a maximum of 4,096 x 4,096) -- a sizable jump from the WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600) limitation of its Sandy Bridge's forebearer -- opening the door to all sorts of resolution independent goodness. Guess that means you won't need a discrete GPU in the future to power that bodacious (but pricey) pro-level display. Have a peek in the links below if you're hungry for more.
Daily Update for Sept. 19, 2011
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes, which is perfect for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen.
AMD Eyefinity eyes-on, prepare to fall for landscape goodness (video)
Sure we've seen it before, but we'd be remiss if we didn't share what we stumbled upon at AMD's Fusion Zone at IDF 2011. Laying before you is a 5 x 1 landscape Eyefinity setup, powered by an upcoming unreleased 8-core FX CPU paired with a single Radeon HD 6990. For those of you keeping score at home, that's four displays connected via mini-DisplayPort and the fifth over DVI. Not much more to say, so peep the gallery below or hop past the break for a video of the bodacious rig running Dirt 3. Myriam Joire contributed to this report. %Gallery-134018%
HP goes display crazy, unveils eight new models, four IPS panels (hands-on)
HP may not have much going on when it comes to cellphones and tablets at the moment, but the company is hardly resting on its laurels. As if to prove it's still got a bit of fire in its corporate belly, it unleashed a total of eight new displays today (nine, if you count the updated HP rp5800 Retail System). The trio of digital signage models, including the 47-inch multitouch LD4720tm, probably aren't of much interest to you, but the four new ZR series Performance Displays and the more budget friendly LE2202x Essential display are worth at least a quick glance. The LE model is an LED backlit, 1,920 x 1,080 monitor with 21.5-inches of real estate and a 5ms response time. The ZR line are all IPS displays, ranging in size from 20 to 27-inches, with a resolution of 1,600 x 900 at the low end and up to 2,560 x 1,440 for the ZR2740w. The 2740 also sports the ability to display over one billion colors, while the three other models make do with just 16.7 million. The ZR2040w, ZR2240w and ZR2440w ZR2740w are available now for $189, $289 and $425 $729 respectively, while the ZR2740w ZR2440w is expected to follow in October for $729 $425. Those with less demanding eyes and occupations will be able to grab the LE2202x on September 19th for $179. Check out the galleries below, as well as the PR after the break. Update: Our apologies, it's the ZR2440w that won't be shipping till october. Dante Cesa contributed to this report. %Gallery-133662% %Gallery-133706%
3M makes Mary Lou Jepsen's dreams come true, showers Pixel Qi with cash
Chances are you've heard plenty about Pixel Qi's super-efficient, transreflective displays. The odds are equally as high that you've never touched one before, either. Well, 3M aims to change all of that and make good on founder Mary Lou Jepsen's continued promises to get those screens out into the consumer wild. Infusing the LCD company with an undisclosed amount of cash, 3M's New Ventures investment arm is betting the combo of its Optical Systems Division's LCD film technology expertise and funding will not only ramp up production of the sunlight-readable color screens, but also innovate uses for it across "...consumer markets as well as digital signage and touch applications." It's a nice shot of confidence for the display maker's much-touted, albeit scarce tech, and could be the financial boost necessary to take Jepsen from underdog to industry heavyweight. We'll keep a close eye out for how this develops. In the meantime, you can jump past the break to read the hyperbolic PR for yourself.
Daily Update for Sept. 7, 2011
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes, which is perfect for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen.
Apple begins shipping Thunderbolt displays
The Thunderbolt-compatible displays Apple announced back in July have reportedly started shipping out to stores and retailers. MacRumors reported that the displays shipped this week, and should hit shelves very soon. Electronista has heard that shipping to customers will start up on September 15, which is a little later than the original "60 days" we were promised. But late is better than never, right? Honestly, these things are bee-youtiful, offering a 27-inch LED display, complete with an edge-to-edge design (hot!), a Facetime camera built in, a 2.1 speaker system, USB and Ethernet ports and of course a Thunderbolt port. If you'd like to get one, it'll set you back a cool $999 -- not cheap, but far from expensive for what you're getting. The MacBook Air above is, of course, not included.
Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi look to join LCD manufacturing forces
There have been rumors circulating that Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi were going to combine their LCD making efforts. Now, according to Yomiuri Shimbun, that plan seems to be moving forward. The deal doesn't cover big-screen manufacturing, only small and medium sizes that find their way into phones and tablets. The joint venture will command roughly 20-percent of the market according to TechCrunch when it finally becomes official, with a hefty investment from the semi-public Innovation Network Corporation of Japan, which will own a significant stake in the new company. It may be another day or two before the deal is announced, but consider this a serious shot across their Korean competitors' bows.
