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LG Display showcases 11.5-inch flexible e-paper
We're still years away from commercialized color variants, but LG Display is proving that bigger ain't really a thang. In fact, it recently showcased an 11.5-inch sheet of flexible e-paper at SID 2009, which could obviously be used in the Kindle XXL. Sadly, few (and by few, we mean none) details were given regarding an eventual launch date, but hey, at least it's around, right?[Via OLED-Display]
Samsung unveils 55-inch HD LCD, low power 10.1-inch display, and more at SID 2009
If you're a display aficionado (which you probably are, unless that subscription to Display Aficionado we saw at your apartment was a holiday gift from a misguided aunt) the Samsung booth at SID 2009 is proving to be a non-stop thrill ride, from the company's OLED displays to this next item, the "world's first" true 240Hz full HD 55-inch LCD display. The company is also showing off a new 10.1-inch LCD for netbooks with 50% less power consumption and a none-too-shabby 1366 x 768 resolution. Also on tap is a new 4-inch qVGA TFT-LCD made using a printable semiconductor process, but no details are forthcoming there. Happy Display Week, everybody!
Samsung slaps "production-ready" label on 14.1- and 31-inch OLED TVs
Samsung's been kicking around its 14.1- and 31-inch OLED TVs since CES 2008, but it seems as if things are turning for the better at SID this week. In a press release outed today, Sammy told the world that it's exhibiting "production-ready" AMOLED TV sets, though the sizes are the same as the ones we've seen before. The 31-incher really has our attention, with it being the planet's first OLED with a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) display, a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, a color gamut of over 100 percent NTSC and an 8.9 millimeter slim enclosure. So, when does "production-ready" morph into "in production?" Bueller?[Via OLED-Display]
Sharp adds cyan and yellow to its RGB displays, laughs scornfully at magenta
Sharp is taking some cues from the nearly dearly departed print publishing world for its next line of LCDs, adding two colors to the typical RGB gamut. Cyan and yellow, half of the CMYK spread that makes your Sunday Garfield sketch pop, are going to be added to the company's displays to make up what it's dubbing "Multi-Primary-Color Technology." The tech is said to be able to reproduce 99 percent of all colors able to be perceived by the human eye -- because apparently 1.7 billion colors from a traditional LCD wasn't enough. The displays will be on display at the Society for Information Display Symposium in San Antonio starting next week. So, lucky Texans, prepare to get your cone cells massaged.
Samsung shows off latest, biggest, bendiest AMOLED prototype
Today the flexible OLED is still a very rare thing, usually confined to dark corners of exhibitors booths at trade shows or grainy photos from some research facility. Sadly that doesn't look to change anytime in the immediate future, but Samsung is at least still making progress with the tech, demonstrating a new 6.5-inch flexible prototype at SID 2009 in San Antonio. It's bigger than the earlier examples we've seen from the company, and apparently a little bendier too, but beyond those juicy facts -- and knowing that it can display scenes from The Sound of Music -- we don't know a thing about it.
Samsung's Blue Phase LCD technology gets detailed
Regardless of how hard you wish upon your lucky stars, Samsung's 240Hz LCDs aren't going to magically hit store shelves in the near future. That's not to say you aren't interested in learning a tad more about how these so-called revolutionary panels will make your viewing experience better in a few years, though -- right? Tech-On was able to listen in on what LCD engineers and the like were saying about the prototype on display recently at SID 2008, and there were plenty of oohs and ahhs to go around. We'll spare you the technobabble in this space, but there's plenty of that in the read link below should you care.
TDVision demonstrates HD-3D TDVisor / TDVision applications at SID 2008
TDVision Systems has been pushing its mysterious TDVisor since just after CES, but now the firm is looking to get serious about demonstrations at SID 2008. Both the visor and a "complete suite of TDVision applications including the stereoscopic virtual world, the AlterSpace, Dejaview and the 3D media player" will be showcased, and even more interesting will be the demo "of the 2D and MPEG-compatible TDVCodec running on a Blu-ray Disc." If you'll recall, the TDVCodec (a stereoscopic 3D format) was designed to be backwards compatible with 2D systems, and it's suggesting that the same BD flick can carry the traditional 2D imagery as well as 3D scenes thanks to its technology. Now, all that's left to do is wait and see how fantastic the results really are (or aren't).
LG Display showcases two-sided LCD panels
It's nice enough to be able to record two programs at once, but what if you could display The Hills on one side of your LCD while catching a playoff tilt on the other? Never mind the audio issue (there's always headphones!), but LG Display has introduced a prototype at SID 2008 that could potentially make the aforesaid scenario a reality. 2.2-inch (160 x 120) and 15-inch (2,048 x 1,536) versions were reportedly announced, both of which boast reflectivity of 20-percent. Put simply, the panels can display different images on the front and back sides of the glass substrate, and ideally, they're suited for use in mobile devices where the main and secondary displays could actually be the same device. No word on when these things will actually make their way out to handset / TV manufacturers, but we're certainly digging the possibilities here.
Samsung's 82-inch QuadHD LCD: Now with 120Hz
Samsung's stream of 82-inch monsters packing the company's latest technology continues unabated, this time a minor update to the QuadHD behemoth we saw at CES brings so-outdated 120Hz motion processing and LED backlighting to keep blur and judder far, far away. We know what you're thinking, its 3840x2160 resolution is no good unless you can write on it, luckily Samsung also has an 82-inch ultra high definition e-Board in its SID 2008 booth. OLED fans take heart, Samsung has reached economies of scale, hopefully meaning reasonably priced (and longer lasting) thin screens are due sooner instead of later. The Korea Times notes LG's at the show as well, showcasing LCD roll-printing technology to replace the photolithography process that currently births the flat panels on our walls, but we simply can't be bothered with a company that's only the number two LCD manufacturer in the world.[Via TV Snob]
AUO promises thinner, greener HDTVs at SID 2008
AUO's back again, displaying what new flat panel technologies are trickling down to its OEM televisions, and soon to hit shelves in more reasonably-priced models (albeit wearing another company's name) near you. Hitachi and others are at the forefront of the thinner, lower powered LCD movement, and AUO promises an "ultra-slim" 10mm thick 42-inch LED backlit model next week at SID 2008. The new technology gives power savings of 44% over current models, as well as a 46-inch display with 50% power savings, 500 nits of brightness and 5,000:1 "ultra static high contrast ratio". While we'll wait to find out how that compares to other HDTVs with questionable claims to high contrast rations, the company also plans to show technology that provides 200,000:1 contrast ratio with LEDs. Besides just using less power, we can look forward to LCDs built with using less raw materials and resulting in less chemical waste, which due to our extensive comic book research, we can unequivocally say is a good thing.
Samsung first on the block with 240Hz LCD prototype, 100% better motion, wavier hair
Samsung's harder better faster "blue phase" (not to copy Blu-ray, just named for the color observed during its development) LCD panel is the first to demonstrate image-driving speed of 240Hz, surpassing current twisted nematic, in-plane switching or vertical alignment technology. In the quest for smooth CRT-style motion Samsung follows DLP manufacturers that announced plans to cross the 240Hz barrier at CES by manufacturing a display that aligns its own layers, simplifying manufacturing and ensuring uniform brightness without the need for an overdrive circuit found in today's merely expletive-inducing 120Hz LCDs. Don't expect these to hit shelves before 2011, coming first in TVs "that require high-speed video reproduction" -- like the one you'll buy that has a much bigger number than your next door neighbor's latest HDTV. For now, the only place to see the future is this 15-inch model at the Society for Information Display 2008 show in LA May 18.
A look at the Final Fantasy supporting cast
Sure, Final Fantasy might be primarily about Tidus, Cloud, Squall and other spiky-haired, androgynous protagonists who may or may not suffer from (false) memory loss, but let's not forget the colorful supporting cast of characters that flesh out your party. In honor of the upcoming multi-world brawler Final Fantasy Dissidia, PSP Fanboy has a gallery highlighting the best side characters in the series. Check it out here.
Explay intros oio nanoprojector, plans to launch in 2008
Explay is apparently trying to ensure that its micro-projector doesn't become just one of the crowd, as it's trying to outdo the competition by showing off its oio at SID 2007. While we'd seen offerings from Explay before and even heard whispers of a 2007 launch, it looks like it'll be next year before the oio hits the hands of the general public. Nevertheless, the firm was off parading its accomplishment in Long Beach, California, dubbing its minuscule PJ the "first truly mobile and fully operational nano-projector." Of course, we're sure more than a few outfits would love to disagree on that very point, but Explay went on to praise the oio's ability to function in a variety of locales from a "dimly lit bar to a bright office." Notably, it sounds like the company will be aiming for more dollars than those held by mere gadget freaks, as the oio marketing team will be targeting "medical, security, and even artistic" fields whenever Explay can get these things out of the door. Click on through for a closeup of the oio itself.[Photo courtesy of Explay]
Civilization coming to the DS?
Sid Meier recently sat down with Gamespot to discuss Civilization and the possibility of it gracing handhelds. With how well Age of Empires works on the DS, we'd love to see more strategy games hit the console. Turns out, Sid agrees, stating that:"Our goal is to deliver Civilization on any game platform that makes sense. If we can deliver a fun experience to the players on the DS, then we'll do it. We're still in the exploratory mode on all of this, but will definitely let you know our plans as soon as they're set."So, we're assuming that they're looking to the console for a version, in some form, of a Civilization game. Personally, we'd like a game built from the ground up exclusively for the platform, but perhaps that is a pipe dream. With how well the DS is consistently selling, we feel Firaxis and Sid would be ill-advised to avoid the DS.
Sid Meier likes the Wii
During an interview with Shacknews, Sid Meier talked up tons of topics, however all we care about is what he had to say about the Wii. Apparently, he has had a turn with the console and from what he played (Excite Truck and Wii Sports Tennis, to be exact), he liked.Shacknews: What are your thoughts on the Nintendo Wii? Do you think it will offer exciting new game play possibilities, or do you see it as more of a flash in the pan? Sid Meier: I just attended a demonstration of the Wii and it's a very fun system. We played Tennis and Excite Truck and had a blast. The controller is definitely a unique approach and is pretty intuitive. It won't work for all games, but it makes lots of sense for games that require individual character movements (like tennis, baseball, sword fighting, driving etc.).
LG puts their biggest 100-inch LCD on display this weekend
If you're looking for a place to catch The Sopranos season finale on Sunday, let us make a suggestion. If you live in San Francisco, you may want to stop by SID (Society for Information Display) 2006, where LG will be publicly showing off their record setting 100-inch LCD HDTV.Or maybe you wouldn't want to...oh who are we kidding you know you would. If you were to accidentally make off with the massive 5ms refresh rate and 3000:1 contrast ratio monster, post up a pic or two in the flickr group of how you got it to fit in your living room.
