Todays & Tomorrows Technology

After already committing to releasing a 15-inch OLED TV potentially as early as December 2009 in Korea, LG have now revealed their plans to have a 32-inch OLED display on the market in 2012. Suggesting that OLED would provide a new source of revenue, LG Display CEO Kwon Young-soo told press that the company’s focus is on larger panels rather than cellphone-sized versions.

This, the executive claimed, is because “the larger the display, the more efficient the OLED technology.” It’s certainly given the company’s HR department a boost: LG Display have apparently taken on 1,700 new staff in research and development this year.

“The commercial success of OLEDs hinges on how it shows its superiority compared to existing liquid crystal display (LCD) technologies. We will focus on TV panels rather than cell phone panels because the larger the display, the more efficient the OLED technology” Kwon Young-soo, CEO, LG Display

LG Display are still investing into LCD, however. After reporting a profit in Q2 2009 after panel prices rose and demand outstripped supply, the company is investing the equivalent of $2.59bn into an eighth-generation production line, which will be operational by the second half of 2010.

NKK Switches have announced a new control that integrates a compact 96 x 64 OLED display. The OLED Rocker has a 0.92-inch monochrome OLED panel with broad 180-degree viewing angles, and offers both up/down navigation as well as push-enter functionality.

The control joins NKK Switches’ existing display-control range, which already features a color-OLED button. However that control is only a push-button, and requires a far deeper panel mount.

NKK envisage the control as being used in home automation systems, scrolling through different options and perhaps replacing a whole bank of lighting or audio/visual controls. It’s also IP64 rated for resistance to dust and water, meaning it can be installed in industrial locations. No word on pricing, nor general availability.

Samsung may have managed to get several models from Sharp’s TV and monitor ranges banned from import into the US, after convincing the U.S. International Trade Commission that the products infringe one of its patents. The IP refers to LCD display technology, with sets from Sharp’s Aquos range of HDTVs named as potentially in violation.
While ruling against other Samsung patents the company had accused Sharp of violating, the agency decided that one particular patent, granted in 2004 and titled “Liquid Crystal Display having wide viewing angle”, was indeed infringed. The ITC are now suggesting that Sharp LCD products should be banned from import into the US.

A final ruling in Sharp’s complaint against Samsung is yet to be reached, though an ITC administrative judge actually Sharp’s spokesperson declined to comment on the ongoing process, while Samsung could not be reached for a statement.

LG have unveiled two new ”full LED” HDTVs, each with 55-inch LCD panels and 240Hz refresh rates. The LG 55LH95 and LG 55LH93 both use 3,360 individual LEDs and boast a contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1; the company’s backlighting technology can individually control 240 sections of the display, dimming or brightening as suits the image on-screen.
Despite sliding in all those LEDs, the new HDTVs are still slimline. Depth is just 24.8mm, despite the company also fitting in wireless connectivity; it’s unclear from the press release exactly which format LG have selected, but considering they’re boasting zero degradation we’re assuming it’s some type of ultrawideband HDMI.

The two new sets will be released in July, priced at around $5,500 for the 55LH93 and around $5,900 for the 55LH95. Smaller 42-inch and 47-inch “full LED” sets will follow by the end of 2009, though they won’t be as slimline as these 24.8mm flagship models.

LG and NComputing have announced a new range of “Network Monitors“, LCD displays with integrated thin-clients that can be used as virtual desktops or with cloud computing systems. Unlike most thin-client systems, however, LG’s looks straightforward enough for home or SOHO implementation, requiring just an X550 PCI card to be installed into the server PC, the included vSpace virtualization software installed and then up to five N-series monitors hooked up via ethernet cable.


Three N-series monitors will be available initially, the 17-inch N1742L-BF, 18.5-inch N1941W-PF and a 15.6-inch model only on sale outside the US. Each has an ethernet port, for connection to the X550 PCI card, together with PS/2 ports for keyboard and mouse. There’s also a VGA port for using the display as a regular LCD with a local computer, plus built-in speakers.

Each server PC can use up to two X550 cards, allowing for a total of eleven users at any one time. Both Linux and Windows are supported and, while no pricing for the displays has been released, LG are calling the X550 a “sub-$200″ product. It, plus the N-series monitors, will go on sale worldwide this month.

Samsung announced a brand new LCD monitor not too long ago called the VC240, but this is no ordinary display. In fact, it’s configured to work as a video conferencing tool. Made by an affiliated company called Radvision, this display is 23.6-inches and has a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution.


But this monitor also comes with a noise-canceling microphone and a 5-megapixel camera. 3W speakers are built-in. The camera is capable of a 720p resolution and 30fps live video streaming.

Other features include 300cd/m2 brightness, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, a 170-degree and 160-degree horizontal and vertical viewing angle, respectively and a 5ms response time. It also features V2oIP, SIP, MCUs and MS. Inputs include VGA and DVI-I. You’ll be able to get your hands on this display sometime in the fall for $1,999.

Eizo announced a new LCD monitor today called the FlexScan EV2333W-H. Measuring in at 23-inches and sporting a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, this 1080p display supplies an eco-friendly and practical monitor solution.

What makes this display unique is that it has both a HDCP-protected DVI port and DisplayPort. Other inputs include VGA. With 300cd/m2 brightness and a 3,000:1 contrast ratio, it’s equipped for a decent quality picture for everyday use.

Other specs include a 7ms pixel response time, a FlexStand with vertical adjustment and swivel capability and EcoView Sense, which is an infrared sensor that detects the brightness in the room and whether or not you’re sitting in front of the computer, adjusting the screen’s on-status and brightness accordingly. You can get the Eizo FlexScan EV2333W-H LCD monitor starting on July 16th in Japan for the equivalent of $560. There’s been no word on a U.S. release just yet.

NEC has made two new LCD displays available in the U.S. today to match the recent release of similar models in Japan. The LCD2490WUXi2 and the LCD2490W2 both sport 24-inch screens and feature IPS panels.
These displays have a much better image quality than TV or PVA screens and allows them to show 96.7% of the sRGB color space. Professional graphics editors could definitely make use of these.

Other features include auto-brightness, 12-bit color lookup tables, ambient light sensors a 320cd/m2 brightness, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, VGA and DVI inputs and more. a SpectraView color calibrator comes with the LCD2490W2 display as well. You can get both models by the end of the month for $1,099 and $1,299, respectively.

VIZIO announced today that they will be releasing a whole slew of new HDTVs this year as a part of their XVT- and M-series lines. The XVT-series can expect the addition of six new models while the M-series will get several more.
The XVT-series is set to get the 32-inch SV320XVT and the 37-inch SV370XVT. Both models are 1080p and feature a 120Hz refresh rate. Larger sized models will be available as well including the 42-inch SV421XVT and the 47-inch SV471XVT. Both of these are 1080p as well and include a 240Hz refresh rate plus USB video inputs and Smooth Motion technology. Two 55-inch models will also be available including the VF550XVT, which will have 1080p with 120Hz refresh and the VF551XVT, which will have 1080p with 250Hz refresh.

New M-series models are also set to be released in three sizes that range from 22- to 55-inches. All will be 1080p with a dynamic contrast ratio of up to 50,000:1. VT models will look like wooden picture frames and the VL has the JAVA color VIZIO has made famous. You can expect the SV421XVT and SV471XVT models in July for $1,200 and $1,500 and the SV320XVT and SV370XVT in September for $750 and $850. The M-series might be released later this month or in early july for $350 up to $1,800.

JVC have announced that their GD-32XI - the world’s slimmest 32-inch LCD display - will go on sale in Japan come August. The screen, announced back at CES in January, measures 6.4mm at its thinnest point, and is capable of displaying 1080p Full HD video.

The GD-32XI has a contrast ratio of 4,000:1 and brightness rating of 400cd/m2. It reportedly manages 100-percent coverage of sRGB colors and 90-percent of Adobe RGB, while cutting the number of necessary parts down by around 50-percent. JVC’s GENNESA image processing tech is also onboard, to reduce motion noise, improve color accuracy and boost still images.

Despite the slender dimensions, JVC still manage to fit a fair few ports onto the GD-32XI. As well as two HDMI sockets there are analog RGB ports, component and composite connections, an RS-232 and speaker terminals. There’s also an SD card slot and USB port, for viewing images and listening to MP3s.

JVC expect most buyers of the GD-32XI to be business and commercial, planning to shift 10,000 sets a year. The 1080p display will be priced at the equivalent of around $2,500.