The Display Industry News Source for 7.19.2012

Old Airport Dot Boards Go On Steroids, Get Interactive "A Brooklyn-based interactive team called Breakfast has used the electromagnetic fot ticker boards that you may have seen at rail stations and airports and turned them into fully interactive windows." via Sixteen-Nine

Smartphone Shoppers Prefer Larger Displays "T-Mobile cited this survey as one reason behind its recent decision to offer the Samsung Galaxy Note, a "phablet" that has a 5.3-inch display with 800 x 1280 pixels. T-Mobile says the larger display makes "enjoying HD content and getting work done easier than ever."" via InformationWeek

The Exceptional iMac G4: Ten years later "With the launch of the flat-panel iMac G4, Steve Jobs declared, “The CRT is officially dead.” But the transition had already been underway: less than a year earlier, in May 2001, Apple had phased out its last modular CRT display, the 17in Apple Studio Display. By early 2002, the original iMac G3 remained the only CRT-bearing Mac left in Apple’s inventory. Interestingly, Apple backpedalled a bit with the release of the eMac (also launched in 2002), which relied on a CRT monitor to keep costs down for educational customers. But after that, it was flat panels or nothing for Apple." via Macworld

Digital Signage Viewpoint: Is the Sun Rising or Setting on LCD Display Sales? "Global shipments of flat panel LCD displays used for digital signage and other public display applications declined in the fourth quarter of 2011, marking the first sequential quarterly decline in three years, according to recently released data from NPD DisplaySearch, a global research and consulting firm specializing in the display supply chain. The decline comes after a two-year period of impressive growth for the public display (also called the "large flat panel display") category. Between 2009 and 2011, this market segment witnessed 65 percent growth in unit volume production, the display market research and analysis firm said." via AV-iQ

Sony’s First Ultrabook Targets the Budget-Conscious "The Vaio T has a 13.3-inch display with a 1,366 by 768 pixel resolution. Colors looked a bit dull, and pictures and videos weren’t overly bright or sharp. The lower resolution also means you have to scroll a bit more to see what’s onscreen, but you do get a decent-size touchpad that supports multitouch gestures to help you navigate various pages and switch between tasks. It worked well in my tests as I was able to return to the desktop by swiping down on the touchpad with four fingers and move between Web pages and photos by swiping left or right with three fingers." via All Things D

Intel working on touch-enabled ultrabooks "Chip maker Intel is powering full steam ahead on its ultrabook vision with more than 140 ultrabooks powered by its Ivy Bridge chipset in the works - up from the 110 it said it was working on in May. Of those, 40 will be touch-enabled ultrabooks sporting both a qwerty keyboard and a touch-sensitive display, said Intel CEO Paul Otellini during the company’s recent investor call." via Hindustan Times

Samsung's 75-inch ES9000 flagship smart LCD TV coming to US for $9,999 in August "Samsung is focusing on its luxurious design with a 0.31-inch curved bezel that's clad in a seamless "rose-gold-colored" finish and features a hidden, pop-up webcam. No word yet on detailed specifications, but it has local LED backlighting and is said to have the highest contrast ratio of any Samsung smart TV to-date." via TheVerge

How 3D TVs and other displays work "It isn’t too hard to appreciate how a camera with two lenses is able to record the two (left-eye and right-eye) images necessary for 3D. What’s much more difficult is designing a viewing system that ensures that each eye sees only one of those two images. Over the years countless types of stereoscopic display have been devised." via PC Advisor

Use capacitive sensing to Implement reliable liquid level sensing "Capacitive sensing technology has become the primary technology underlying touch interfaces.  However, capacitive sensing is not limited to creating dynamic buttons and sliders on different appliances for the user interface. There are numerous applications where capacitive sensing can replace traditional ways of implementing specific functions like liquid level sensing, humidity sensing, and sensing of metallic objects. This article will discuss how to implement liquid level measurement using capacitive sensing technology." via EE Times

Projected capacitive touch - ITO layout evolution "As one after another handheld consumer electronics gadgets such as tablets and smartphones emerges in the market, touch panel technology, with its capability to enable smaller devices, lower manufacturing cost and intuitive user experience on small screens, is no longer confined to conventional industrial/commercial applications like kiosks, KTV jukeboxes, machines at production lines, POS and ATM. It is gradually replacing traditional keyboard/mouse as the major interface for man-machine communication and interaction on personal devices. DisplaySearch forecasts that global touch control module shipment will reach 1.4 billion units by 2015 with a revenue totaling US$9 billion. Japan's Fuji Keizai also estimates that by 2016, the market will grow 110.5% from 2011 with a total output at JPY775.3 billion." via DigiTimes

Prime View, Hydis License FFS Display Technology to Sharp "Industry executives pointed out that Sharp needs the licensing to win Apple’s contracts to make Apple iTVs. Apple has applied the technology to iPads and iTVs. ...Liu estimated FFS application will extend beyond smartphones and tablet PCs to laptops and TVs soon." via CENS

In Easy Steps: How to replace the broken iPhone 4/4S screen "Though the back can be removed easily by letting loose two screws and sliding open the cover. However, the screen, as it goes with Apple products, is a  work cut out for a patient and tech-savvy person. But it is not to say that the task is impossible." via News Pakistan

N-trig Single-Chip Solution Brings Pen and Multi-Touch Computing to the Small Screen "While competing solutions require either two sensors or multiple chips to support pen and multi-touch, N-trig is the first company to offer both on a single chip and a single sensor, providing device manufacturers with a compact, low-power solution and paving the way for N-trig to enter the handheld market. The newest DuoSense chipset is optimized for a variety of screen sizes, ranging from 5" handhelds to 11" tablets, and offers an Analog-IC that allows for support of up to 15.6" portable PCs." via MarketWatch

Display Alliance is published by Mass Integrated Systems, Inc., a global display distributor. We supply display panels for Digital Signage, Industrial, Military, Medical, End-of-life, Projected Capacitive Touch (PCAP), Laptops, Tablets, and more. Call us for sourcing and purchasing: (978) 465-6190

The Display Industry News Source for 7.18.2012

Image via Time Techland / MICHAEL NAGLE / GETTY IMAGES

Next-Gen iPhone Will Have A Thinner, Higher Quality Display "According to the report, LCD makers such as Sharp and Japan Display (which comprises Toshiba, Hitachi, and Sony as well as LG Display) are mass producing panels that use something called “in-cell technology”, which should make the display itself thinner." via TechCrunch

5 Benefits of a Thinner iPhone with In-Cell Display Technology "If the WSJ‘s “people familiar with the matter” are reliable and Apple is indeed shifting to “in-cell” display tech, here’s a breakdown of the benefits from both consumer and manufacturing standpoints." via Time Techland

LG Display employees charged with stealing OLED tech from Samsung "We previously heard that OLED technology was being secretly sold to "a rival local firm," but Samsung now characterizes the incident by saying that LG "systematically stole its display technology and poached Samsung employees."" via TheVerge

Looks Now Kill In Kuwait "The JHMCS allows a pilot to see critical flight and navigation information displayed on his visor. Sort of like a see-through computer monitor or Head Up Display. Most importantly, the pilot can turn their head towards a target, get an enemy aircraft into the crosshairs displayed on the visor, and fire a missile that will promptly go after target the pilot was looking at." via Strategy Page

China panel makers form OLED alliance "China-based panel makers such as Visionox and Changhong along with many others have formed an OLED industry alliance in order to boost AMOLED TV sales as well as to stay competitive with Korea-, Taiwan-, and Japan-based OLED makers in the panel industry. Sources said China-based panel makers feel AMOLED is the next wave of panel technology and that it will be used as the standard for portable media players, digital cameras and picture frames, portable gaming devices and tablets in the future." via DigiTimes

Google’s hybrid convertible touchscreen notebook "The patent filing occurred right at the end of 2010 but has only recently been published by the US Patent and Trademark office. It does look a little unwieldy and clunky compared to new flexible tablet systems we saw at Computex this year from the likes of Acer, MSI and ASUS not to mention the slick Microsoft Surface which was recently unveiled." via Hexus

Densitron launches new PMOLED modules with long lifetime (up to 150,000 hours) "They are also offering PMOLED in different colors, and they say that their OLED panels lifetime is now three times longer than it was when they were first introduced." via OLED-Info

Chipworks Analysis: Atmel’s MXT 540E Touch-Screen Controller "Given the extremely competitive nature of touch-screen controller ICs, Atmel offers no data sheets or major performance parameter data on the E-series, and it only provides a brief product summary on the MXT224. But a Chipworks analysis shows that about 41% of the MXT540E’s die consists of analog circuitry. The rest comprises digital circuitry for the processor, memory, and I/O circuitry." via Electronic Design

You can check out The Smarter Glass Group (http://smarterglass.com/) for Projected Capacitive Touch solutions.

Smartphones, Tablets Drive Touchscreen Market "Smartphones and tablets will help push touchscreen revenue to $16 billion this year, according to NPD DisplaySearch. Mobile phones are the primary product for touchscreens, accounting for about 75 percent of the screens shipped overall in 2011. NPD DisplaySearch expects 1.2 billion touchscreens will ship into the mobile phone market this year, up 68 percent from 2011." via Twice

FlatFrog Announces Development of Multitouch 3200 Interactive Display "The FlatFrog Multitouch 3200 uses an advanced optical in-glass multi-touch technology (PSD) developed and patented by FlatFrog Laboratories. Light is injected inside the top glass pane and scatters wherever the top surface is touched. This scattering effect is detected, and positions of several simultaneous touches are determined. The FlatFrog Multitouch 3200 is able to track 40 simultaneous touches at sub pixel accuracy, far beyond the capabilities of most competing solutions, the company said. Unlike some other touch technologies, the FlatFrog Multitouch 3200 can also be used with gloves and pens." via Digital Signage Connection

Concept Vending Machine With See-through Display

Billy Mays Would Be Proud

Display Alliance is published by Mass Integrated Systems, Inc., a global display distributor. We supply display panels for Digital Signage, Industrial, Military, Medical, End-of-life, Projected Capacitive Touch (PCAP), Laptops, Tablets, and more. Call us for sourcing and purchasing: (978) 465-6190

The Display Industry News Source for 7.16.2012

Image via Toronto Sun / REUTERS / Kim Hong-Ji / Files

The brave new world of tomorrow’s tablets "Professor Zhenan Bao’s team at Stanford has developed stretchable, super-sensitive and solar-powered “electronic skin,” or sensors that can feel a touch as light as that of a fly. One of its obvious applications is in touchscreens, and Bao said the research has generated a lot of inquiries from companies. “Right now there is a lot of interest in having sensors in the screen that can have pressure input for the touchscreen,” Bao said. “Companies are also basically looking for replacement material for the current silicon that is cheaper and compatible with plastic substrate but has the same performance level.”" via Toronto Sun

LG Display Working On 60" Flexible OLED Display "Outside of making dreams come true in the HDTV industry, it'll also be used (potentially, anyway) as "a window displaying information at bus stations, aquariums and retail stores." When you think about those types of applications, the sky really is the limit." via HotHardware

Samsung wants LG to admit to alleged OLED tech leak "Samsung says the leak will make them lose “trillions of won” and accused LG Display of orchestrating the leak at the corporate level." via SammyHub

Audi launches largest digital showroom "Promising a fully multichannel experience, the store offers any passerby wishing to browse the 36 models on offer the chance to do so via four multi-touch tables and two screens installed within the new showroom. ...This idea for a new format of customer service is based on the fact that 90 per cent of automobile consumers will make a final purchase decision through the internet, according to Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management for Marketing and Sales at Audi AG." via Retail Gazette

Glass enabling future touch technology "For projective capacitive touch, according to Hollis, the conventional discrete touch module needs an extra ayer of glass with both sides pattenred with ITO. But now the OGS integrates the touch sensor and cover class into one to do without the thickness of an extra sheet of glass. This not only reduces weight but also simplifies the materials and manufacturing process to decrease panel thickness. It enhances light transmission, and the production process is streamlined." via DigiTimes / Corning

You can check out The Smarter Glass Group (http://smarterglass.com/) for Projected Capacitive Touch solutions.

Do you use screen protectors to preserve your smartphone's display? "Without the capacitive digitizer and large, beautiful, pixel-packed display, smartphones of today would hardly be as exciting, entertaining or useful. We would all be stuck in the era of BlackBerry and left using non-smart styluses on our Windows Mobile devices. Protecting that big, delicate slab of glass covering your smartphone's display is vital. Break or ruin that and you could render your device useless." via PhoneDog

Apple's next retina display could be a TV "Talking to CNET, Soneira said, ""My... theory is that color consistency and accuracy among all Apple devices is more important for Apple than Retina Display resolution and will be the strategic basis for the eventual launch of an Apple Television,"" via TechRadar

MacBook Retina Repairs Now Available at MyService "Similar to the newer models of MacBook Air, the LED panel is not available separately. This means that to replace a cracked or damaged screen, the entire upper section will need to be replaced. The cost of the replacement will vary depending on the issue. If the screen is physically damaged or suffered from a liquid spill, the replacement cost will be higher than if the screen suffers from a component failure outside of the warranty period. If the unit is undamaged and still under the Apple warranty, the upper section can be replaced under AppleCare at no charge. MyService can perform both in and out-of-warranty upper section replacements." via MyService

"A Weak Display Week?" "It seems that the sector, or at least what the show represented as the ‘face’ of the sector, is now more about the maturing of technologies, with awards, for example, for best panel from LG, best P-CAP touch sensor from Occular and Samsung’s latest OLED display. Conversation was just as likely to be about achieving economies of scale, better ways to manufacture or the trend for vertical integration of the manufacturing chain rather than the unveiling of lots of revolutionary product technology or innovative applications and GUI approaches using the technology." via andersDX

Sci-fi tech coming to a classroom near you "Judy Kay, Professor of Computer Science at the university and a principal in the Computer Human Adapted Interaction team, has been developing software for interactive tabletops and wall displays. She described the touch screen technology as ''more egalitarian'' than interactive whiteboards, encouraging collaborative learning as users solve problems together. Ultimately she sees the tabletops becoming part of students' ''personal digital ecosystems'', complementing smartphones, tablets and laptops in the classroom." via The Sydney Morning Herald

Booming Industries: Digital Signage Solutions for the Healthcare Industry "Medical offices and hospitals alike have begun implementing LCD displays in high-visibility areas to provide up-to-the-minute wait times, registration information, way-finding directions and even public safety alerts. These advanced displays can reduce patient anxiety, manage expectations and efficiently save time by eliminating repetitive questions from patients. Some hospitals have even implemented displays in individual rooms to communicate more efficiently with patients." via Panasonic for Business Blog

Display Alliance is published by Mass Integrated Systems, Inc., a global display distributor. We supply display panels for Digital Signage, Industrial, Military, Medical, End-of-life, Projected Capacitive Touch (PCAP), Laptops, Tablets, and more. Call us for sourcing and purchasing: (978) 465-6190

The Display Industry News Source for 7.13.2012

Image via New Image Rent-To-Own

Vizio retakes lead in US LCD TV market; Samsung maintains overall TV dominance ""Samsung is very well positioned, not just in the US LCD TV segment, but also globally in all TV technologies, including plasma and emerging displays like AMOLED," Morrod said. "Overall, Samsung is the world's leading brand, and its scale and scope mean that it can always compete in markets such as the US. Samsung is also very well-positioned at the top end of the market, which has helped it generate profits over several years."" via DigiTimes

‘Spintronic’ OLED promises brighter displays "Physicists at the University of Utah have invented a new 'spintronic' oled which they say promises to be brighter, cheaper and more environmentally friendly than current leds. "It's a completely different technology," said distinguished professor of physics Z Valy Vardeny." via New Electronics

Chief turning digital displays interactive ""Customers have expressed excitement about the simplicity of converting a select flat panel into an interactive display, the intuitiveness of the software — it just works — and the ability to share a common platform," said Derek Derks, Chief's business development manager. "I'm most excited about the possibilities for our partners to create powerful interactive meeting and training spaces that are accessible for everyone."" via Digital Signage Today

E Ink, Sharp sign patent cross-licensing deal "As part of the deal, E Ink and Sharp will use some of their respective patented technologies in return for licensing fees, such as LCD (liquid crystal display) and TFT (thin-film transistor) technologies, the report said. It will also help both companies focus on the development of their businesses, it added." via ZDNet

Samsung Galaxy OLED Display Technology Shoot-Out Galaxy S I – Galaxy S II – Galaxy S III "Not surprisingly, all new display technologies initially start near the back of the pack in performance compared to the established and more refined products – IPS LCDs in this particular case. Not surprisingly, the Google Nexus One came in last place in our Smartphone Display Shoot-Out. But six months later the Samsung Galaxy S I did a lot better and we gave it a Display Mate Best Video Hardware Award for the Best New Display Technology. In this Shoot-Out we will examine in-depth the display performance of the three Galaxy S generations to see how OLEDs have been evolving and improving over time. This article will be a combination of objective praise and critical analysis of OLED displays." via DisplayMate

Competing Display Technologies Chipping Away at Plasma Display Panel (PDP) Filters Market, According to New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. "With the advent of the digital age, change in digital signal transmission, and increase in popularity of broadband network, the television market worldwide is experiencing a drastic shift in terms of display technology, which has resulted in the rise of the Flat Panel Display (FPD) TV market. At present, the chief display technologies that exist in the television sector include Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT), Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), Plasma (PDP), Light Emitting Diode (LED), Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED), and Projection." via SFGate

Developments in Autostereoscopic Display Technologies Drives the 3D Enabled Smartphones Market, According to New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. "Already feeling the trickling down effects of the 3D revolution is the growing popularity of the use of the technology in mobile electronic devices as evidenced by the heavy influx of new electronic devices with 3D displays. 3D display technologies have struck a hidden goldmine and those capable of providing a stereoscopic perception of 3D depth is poised to spiral in popularity" via Virtual-Strategy Magazine

Display Alliance is published by Mass Integrated Systems, Inc., a global display distributor. We supply display panels for Digital Signage, Industrial, Military, Medical, End-of-life, Projected Capacitive Touch (PCAP), etc. Call us for sourcing and purchasing: (978) 465-6190

The Display Industry News Source for 7.12.2012

Image via OLED-Info

Sony's 25" Full-HD medical -grade OLED monitor now shipping "Sony announced today that the Trimaster EL PVM-2551MD (announced back in September 2011) is now shipping. The PVM-2551MD is a 25" Full-HD monitor for the medical industry. It uses the same panel used in Sony's professional HD monitors (such as the recently announced BVM-F250). The panel is the first OLED panel to get an FDA approval for use in surgery." via OLED-Info

Microsoft Acquiring Perspective Pixel Inc. Means Huge TouchScreens To Be Future WhiteBoards "Jeff Han, the founder of PPI who pioneered the multi-touch technology,has made PPI sell 27-inch, 55-inch, and 82 inch multi-touch displays. With this acquisition, Microsoft is trying to rove its feet deeper into the hardware field following the launch of its Surface tablet. We might soon see Microsoft’s Mega TouchScreens used in educational institutes and offices as whiteboards." via CrazyEngineers

The iPad Mini-The iPad Enterprises Have Been Waiting For "CIOs won't care if the screen is smaller or not Retina-enabled. It will be good enough for enterprise apps, while just bad enough to discourage workers from turning it into their primary gaming machine. A lower-res screen also means requires fewer bits sent and received over the network - key when you're on a 3G data plan. It also means longer battery life - again key for field service, salespeople and other out-of-office workers." via ZDNet

Forget glasses: MIT’s new 3D technology works with just your naked eyes “Holography works, it’s beautiful, nothing can touch its quality,” says Douglas Lanman, a postdoc at the Media Lab. “The problem, of course, is that holograms don’t move. To make them move, you need to create a hologram in real-time, and to do that, you need … little tiny pixels, smaller than anything we can build at large volume at low-cost. So the question is, what do we have now? We have LCDs. They’re incredibly mature, and they’re cheap.” via Demas Capital Partners Blog

Alliances increase between China-based TV vendors and panel makers "These alliances have been and will continue to be win-win situations for both vendors and panel makers as global competition has been increasing. Various TV vendors have said that competition with value-added products such as high-end LED TVs that have social functions can no longer be the only basis for competition in the market; rather, making alliances in the supply chain will be even a larger factor." via DigiTimes

Display Alliance is published by Mass Integrated Systems, Inc., a global display distributor. We supply display panels for Digital Signage, Industrial, Military, Medical, End-of-life, Projected Capacitive Touch (PCAP), etc. Call us for sourcing and purchasing: (978) 465-6190

The Display Industry News Source for 7.11.2012

New Wacom Cintiqs Paint a Pretty Picture "Tailored around the increasing demands of creative professionals, Wacom® announces two new members of the Cintiq® family of interactive pen displays, the Cintiq 24HD touch and Cintiq 22HD. Artists and designers now have two new options for working directly on screen. As with the Cintiq 24HD, Wacom's latest Cintiqs feature best-in-class widescreen HD displays, ultra-wide viewing angles and premium color performance.  To give professional artists and designers enhanced focus on their work and creativity, Wacom introduces the powerful combination of a precision pen and natural multi-touch. With the addition of these models to the Cintiq lineup, anyone, from freelance industrial designers sketching in a small studio to Hollywood animators creating the next blockbuster movie, can find a Cintiq that best fits their workflow." via Reuters

Microsoft Buys Touch Screen Manufacturer Perceptive Pixel "“PPI’s large touch displays, when combined with hardware from our OEMs, will become powerful Windows 8-based PCs and open new possibilities for productivity and collaboration,” Microsoft Office division boss Kurt DelBene says." via HardwareCanucks

Microsoft Becomes a Display Maker: A New Vista for the Display Industry "The second question is will any of Microsoft's potential competitors respond by purchasing their own touch panel companies or maybe even other display technologies. As the marketing emphasis of new devices is increasingly wrapped around what kind of display the device has, will the major hardware OEMs or others in the market be content to buy common technology from display companies or will they want to own either the IP or or the supply chain to grant them unique competitive advantage." via Flat Panel Display Blog

Transparent displays gaining more attention from display makers "Since Samsung released its 46-inch transparent LCD touch screen display that has a contrast ratio of 4,500:1 with resolution of 1366 by 768 pixels and a 70% color gamut, it has revolutionized the way consumers will be able to interact with display screens, said sources. Sources said the displays could be used in a variety of ways such as for jewelry displays, freezer displays and vending machines etc., and will increase the ways LCD screens can be used in the future." via DigiTimes

Plastic Logic: Offering true display flexibility "Founded by researchers at Cambridge University’s Cavendish Laboratory in 2000, Plastic Logic is a leader in plastic electronics and has devoted its resources to the development of organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) technology. OTFT allows for the placement of electronics on increasingly thin, flexible electro-phoretic sheets made of rugged, durable plastic." via Manufacturing Digital

The Display Manufacturing Line at Plastic Logic's Dresden facility

Frost predicts sharp rise in in-car displays "The researchers predicted that the market for central displays in Europe alone will more than double to 9.5 million units by 2017 from 4 million units last year. In North America, the market will almost triple to 6 million units from 2.3 million units last year. ...Frost said the growing infotainment needs of drivers will also change the design of in-car screens. Drivers need, “large and intelligent information display systems,” to show all the content that’s available in the car, said Frost & Sullivan analyst Krishna Jayaraman." via Automotive IT

i-Pad-like capacitive touchscreen technology may be coming soon to an airline flight deck near you "Touchscreen technology isn't new for the most modern aircraft. The F-35 joint strike fighter, in fact, has touchscreen technology in the cockpit provided by Barco, but it's infrared touchscreen technology so that it works reliably with a gloved hand. Infrared touchscreens are out of the price ranges of most avionics designers. Capacitive touchscreen technology, however, is not." via Avionics Intelligence

The iPad: A Game-changer for the Digital Signage Industry? ""In just a few months' time," said Hintze, "we have worked with customers putting Android tablets into taxis, iPads as point-of-sale, conference room signage, kiosks for hotel concierges and payment terminals at retail stores. We will be highlighting many of these use cases as we continue to demonstrate the many ways tablets can be used beyond personal computing devices."" via Digital Signage Connection

Airbus develops electronic flight bag apps for iPad-wielding pilots ""By combining our EFB content with the world's most versatile mobile digital device, the iPad, airline pilots will be able to optimise aircraft performance in the palm of their hand, while obtaining savings in cost, weight, and time," said Airbus' Didier Lux. In addition to developing the apps, Airbus is now also adopting the iPad as a part of its Flight Test and Training Department, which will be using Apple's tablet as "standard practice from now on."" via The Verge

Are Wearables the Next Wave of Computing? "Display output is the most industry-confused part of the wearable equation.  The industry is confused on this because they are not thinking beyond today’s odd-looking Google Glass’s glasses form factor.  Over time, this display technology will be integrated as an option into your favorite’s brand of designer glasses. You will not be able to tell what are regular glasses and ones used for wearables.  Contact lenses are being reworked as well.  Prototypes already exist for contact lenses that work as displays, so like all emerging tech, will make it into the mainstream over time.  The final, yet most important aspect to the wearable display is that every display within viewing distance will be a display.  Based on advancements in wireless display technology and the prevalence of displays everywhere, your wearable will display data in your car, your office, the bathroom mirror, your TV, your refrigerator…… pretty much everywhere." via Tech.pinions

Display Alliance is published by Mass Integrated Systems, Inc., a global display distributor. Call us for your display panel needs. (978) 465-6190

The Display Industry News Source for 7.9.2012

Image via Digital Signage Connection

New Research Highlights Retailer Use of Digital Signage and Other New Technologies "A net 63 percent of retailers expect to increase IT spending in 2012 with the remaining 37 percent planning to cut back or hold the line. Large retailers expect to boost IT spending the most — 4.8 percent, on average. For all firms, the planned average increase is 4.2 percent. New developments in the areas of digital signage, social engagement, mobility, payment processing and other areas haven given retailers new tools and capabilities and, in some cases, challenges. One in three retailers currently use digital signage, with an additional 20 percent intending to do so soon, according to the CompTIA survey. Sales and promotional announcements and other direct engagement with customers are the most popular uses, cited by 71 percent of respondents." via Digital Signage Connection

Pilot of the future: U.S. Army gets wearable tech for the battlefield "If you happen to be in Farnborough, London, this week, you'll be able to see a demo of an Army pilot geared in the latest in wearable military technology -- a portable computing device that fits in a pocket and a display panel that can be strapped to a soldier's wrist. The entire Aviation Warrior (yes, that's what it is called) system -- which includes a helmet equipped with a flip-down viewing monocle and taps into the cockpit's digital display -- may seem like something that belongs in Battlestar Galatica, but it is no prop. Created by the Raytheon Company, the system provides access to important tools that help Army helicopter pilots maintain "situational awareness," according to the makers. "He can see where the good guys are and where the bad guys are," Todd Lovell, the chief engineer for Raytheon's technical services branch, put it simply when explaining part of what the technology does. ...The company has already outfitted older planes with a digital center display unit, replacing the analog dials of the past. The helmet -- with its display monocle -- connects into the center display unit, allowing pilots to see all the information provided by the unit without looking down at the display." via C|Net

Indonesia's Nexian launches a mobile phone with a 2.4" transparent OLED

Image via OLED-Info

"OLEDNet says that the OLED panel is made by Neoview Kolon. That's the first time we hear of NK actually producing transparent panels. They have been showing prototypes for a while though, including 2.4" panels indeed. It may also be that this is a panel made by Futaba, who's been producing 2.4" transparent PMOLEDs for a while." via OLED-Info

Amazon’s Next Kindle Fire Will Ship in Q3 With Improved Display "And, more importantly, developers familiar with the device have been instructed to build their apps for a display with a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution, which is a bit different than the 1024 x 600 display of the current Kindle Fire. Not only will that apparently make it sharper and more vibrant, it will give it a different aspect ratio, as well. In other words, the display has an entirely new width-to-height ratio. “The really interesting thing here is that the screen shape is changing slightly: From an aspect ratio of 1.71 (tall and narrow in its standard Portrait mode) to an aspect ratio of 1.60,” DisplayMate President Raymond Soneira told AllThingsD, when asked about what that means. Notably, that’s a fairly common aspect ratio in the tablet market. The 10.1-inch Toshiba Thrive and the Acer Iconia tablets both use 1280 x 800 displays. So, too, does Google’s new Nexus 7 tablet. And while raising the Fire’s resolution from 1024 x 600 to 1280 x 800 might not sound like a much of an increase, Soneira said it is an improvement. “That’s a 67 percent increase in total pixels, and it is visually significant,” he said. “It gives the display a PPI (pixels per inch) of 216.” That’s a pixel density 29 percent greater than that of the current Kindle Fire, which should improve visual clarity and image crispness. So, how will that increase in resolution affect the new Kindle Fire’s battery life or its overall design? Not all that much, apparently. Said DisplaySearch senior analyst Richard Shim, “The increase in pixel density isn’t as drastic as it was in the 1024 x 768 iPad 2 to 2048 x 1536 new iPad, so it’s less likely to significantly alter battery life or thickness.”" via All Things D

Which is Better? IPS vs. Non-IPS, LCD vs. Plasma, Glare vs. Non-Glare "At one point in time, it seemed that it would be too difficult to make and LCD much larger than about 40" whereas plasma screens, due to their larger sized pixels, were inherently big. However, as the industry has gotten better at making LCDs, there is now no difference in their availability in large sizes. but there is still a cost difference with Plasmas generally being cheaper in the same size. Plasma also has better response times and better off-axis brightness and contrast. Plasma's downsides are that the multiple layers of glass tend to produce greater reflections in a bright environment. The surface reflections can be combated with anti-glare coatings at additional cost. Plasmas also generally take more energy to run and plasmas used to suffer from an image burn in problem (leaving the same image on the screen for too long caused a semi-permanent residual image). The burn in problem is no longer an issue with the newer screens but the energy issue largely remains." via Flat Panel Display Blog

APPLE DITCHES EPEAT "I’m typing this post on a 17-inch MacBook Pro with the non-matte cover glassed LCD. The design is pleasing to my eyes, but functionally there are problems. First, glare. It’s distracting and I don’t like it. Second, the cover glass is not optically bonded to the LCD so there is an air gap. Well guess what, dust get trapped in there and when that happens it is irritating. The air gap also leads to light refraction and reflection that adds to the visual imperfections. Third, the cover glass adds weight and thickness. Apple took care of most of these problems with the retina 15-inch MacBook Pro. First, glare. It’s still there but there’s less of it. Second, Apple eliminated the cover glass and integrated the bezel into the top layer of the LCD itself. Other things that got eliminated along with the cover glass: air gap, trapped dust, refraction, reflection. Third, no cover glass means lighter and thinner. Fantastic, isn’t it? Not if you’re EPEAT or iFixit. Kyle Wiens, iFixit:" via Display Blog

NOVALED SIGN A STRATEGIC COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH SAMSUNG MOBILE DISPLAY "NOVALED has sign a licensing and purchase agreement with Samsung Mobile Display. As part of the agreement, SMD has committed to purchase dopant materials used in the transport layers of its AMOLED display modules from Novaled for several years. In addition, Novaled will provide its proprietary PIN OLED® technology to SMD for use in the production of SMD’s AMOLED display modules. Novaled has developed several doping and transport materials that can be used in OLEDs to further enhance the advantanges of Novaled’s PIN OLED® technology. As a result, these OLEDs have very low driving voltage and high substrate compatibility, while maintaining high power efficiency and long lifetime. “Novaled materials are designed to deliver customer benefits, especially for mass-produced devices. Our latest agreement with SMD is further proof of our strong position in the research and development of OLED technologies and materials designed to enhance the performance of OLED products,” said Gildas Sorin, CEO of Novaled. “It also confirms our strategy to build successful and long-lasting business relationships with leading OLED display and lighting manufacturers.”" via OLED-Display

Rockwell Collins and Boeing to Bring New Flight Deck to 757/767 Aircraft "The all-new 757 and 767 flight deck features the following technologies:

-- Comprehensive electronic flight instrument and engine indicating crew alerting advanced flight display system featuring three large-format, landscape displays which provide significantly higher levels of situational awareness and reliability. Each display provides two independently controlled display windows to replace six cathode ray tube displays and numerous analog instruments.

-- Advanced NextGen communication and surveillance systems - with optimized viewing on the advanced displays -- provisions for future airspace modernization around the globe, including ADS-B In applications, controller-pilot datalink, airport taxi maps, and surface guidance.

-- Additionally, Rockwell Collins will offer an Integrated Head-up Guidance System (HGS(TM)) with future SVS capability for improved situation awareness, more efficient operations through all phases of flight, including departures and approaches in low-visibility conditions, thunderstorm diversion, and quick, at-a-glance flight path monitoring." via MarketWatch

The Display Industry News Source for 7.6.2012

Image via TechCrunch

Olympus Yells “Me Too!” With The MEG4.0 Wearable Display Prototype "Watch out, Google. Here comes Olympus with the MEG4.0 and don’t dismiss this as a Google Glass knockoff. Olympus has been researching and developing wearable displays for more than 20 years. The MEG4.0 concept, and with that, its eventual production counterpart, has been a long time coming and could be a serious competitor in the space. ...However, much like Google, Olympus is not revealing the user interface yet. If the MEG4.0 is to be a success, the interface, and more importantly, the depth of the information available needs to be as mature as Google Glass. Price and availability was not announced." via TechCrunch

Google Glasses, Whistling Past the Graveyard "Near to Eye devices are always problematic for several reasons. First, a good portion of the population still wears glasses and these folk can not use the device without some sort of vision correction oriented around a very very short focal length and therefore not suitable for general wear. Second, even for those without the need for corrective lenses, the strain of focusing your eyes on something less than an inch away is always taxing. Third, especially for those near to eye glasses that attempt to produce 3D, a very significant portion of the population have issues with their 3D vision. These glasses frequently cause headaches. In my opinion, near to eye (as with autosteroscopic 3D) needs a holographic solution." via Flat Panel Display Blog

HP Wins Patent For See Through Display Screen

"First lodged in 2006 the patent describes using light-reflective slats to display images produced by a computer on a transparent screen while also allowing light from behind the device to shine through. HP acknowledges that alternative see-through technology using angled half-silvered mirrors is already used by TV broadcasters in teleprompters to allow newsreaders to see text superimposed over camera lenses. ...This could be a "chart, picture or other image," they wrote, "For example [the] see-through display may be placed upon a map so as to provide an observer with a navigation route." They added that it might be advantageous to make such screens flexible so that they could be rolled away for storage." via Smarthouse

Fat Thumb Recognizes Your Oversized Digits, Lets You Multitouch Zoom With One Finger

"Six researchers from the Interactions Lab at the University of Calgary have developed a new touchscreen interaction technique called Fat Thumb. This extra bit of touchscreen software tracks your thumb’s contact size as a form of simulated pressure, allowing you to navigate and perform multi-touch gestures with a single finger. ...A Fat Thumb system could make it much easier and more comfortable to use touchscreens. But, more importantly, a touchscreen interface that can distinguish between your finger’s nail, tip, and pad could open whole new subset of single-touch interactions." via PCWorld

Latest Rumor Pegs Retina iMac For An October Release "It’s entirely possible that Apple will stuff a Retina display within the current iMac, and then in turn, launch a redesigned model next year like previous reports suggest. As demonstrated by the MacBook Pro with Retina Display’s price, the ultra high-resolution display is a costly component. Apple is likely holding out until LCD makers can increase their production yield, therefore dropping the price of the units. A Retina-equipped iMac is all but guaranteed; Apple just needs to make sure the model is priced right. A Retina iMac would have staggering display resolutions. A 21.5-inch model would likely have a resolution around 3840×2160, double that of the current 1920×1080 screen. The 27-inch already has a 2560×1440 display; a Retina-level screen might have a resolution around a staggering 5120×2880. Apple is seemingly trying to use the retina display to stand apart from other PC makers. It started with the iPhone and eventually hit the iPad. Now, with the latest MacBook Pro, Apple is charging forward with the Retina display. All that’s missing is an iMac and Apple Display with a Retina display." via TechCrunch

Flexible displays to be focal point for panel makers "Flexible displays, which are bendable and extremely light and thin screens, are starting to be researched and developed more in depth. These paper-like devices will also be very energy-efficient and able to be transported and used anywhere, giving them endless applications for users and making them one of the main focuses for developing ultra-mobile devices in the future. The biggest difference between tablets and flexible displays lies with the substrate material. In a flexible display, the glass substrate is replaced with a flexible substrate material, which could be either foil, plastic or extremely thin glass." via DigiTimes

Tablet Shipments to Surpass Notebook Shipments in 2016 "Tablet PCs are expected to incorporate multi-core processors, increasingly stable operating systems, growing app libraries and higher resolution displays. In addition, notebook PCs are also evolving to meet the challenge from tablet PCs. Thinner form factors, higher resolution displays and touch functionality features are expected to increase. The notebook PC market will remain the largest part of the mobile PC market during the forecast period, accounting for 60% of mobile PC shipments in 2012, declining to 49% by 2017." via DisplaySearch

Toshiba Found Guilty Of LCD Price-Fixing "A jury in Northern California this week found Toshiba guilty of conspiring with other LCD panel manufacturers to fix prices in the U.S. market, a verdict that could slap the Japanese tech giant with up to an $87 million fine. The class-action suit was brought against Toshiba, Samsung, Sharp and other LCD makers in 2007. It was filed by U.S. purchasers of LCD panels, both consumers and TV and computer manufacturers that incorporate the panels into their products. ...In its statement issued Tuesday, Toshiba denied having participated in any fixed pricing scheme, and said it plans to appeal the ruling." via CRN

SMART announces interactive flat panel 'Board 8055i' in India "SMART has announced one such educational solution in the form of the SMART Board 8055i interactive flat panel, which is a 55-inch touchscreen board. It blends a high-definition, shadow-free, 55–inch LCD display with advanced multi-touch capabilities and SMART Notebook collaborative learning software. It also offers access to the SMART Exchange website, wherein educators can connect, share and download nearly 60,000 digital resources. The board is highly interactive with features like presence detection and support for freestyle interaction that allows users to select, move or write over objects simultaneously for increased interaction. The presence detection automatically detects user movements for quick startup and automatic shut-down which eventually helps with power saving. The incorporated DViT (Digital Vision Touch) technology for the interactive panel enhances multi-touch experience, freestyle interaction, touch gestures and object awareness." via Tech2

The Display Industry News Source for 7.2.2012

Image via OLED-Display

Samsung Display Newly Established as World’s Largest Display Manufacturer "Samsung Display Co., Ltd., a global leader in display panel technologies and products, announced today that it has begun conducting business as a newly merged corporation with Samsung Mobile Display and S-LCD corporations. Samsung Display is the world’s largest display manufacturer, now with 39,000 employees and seven production facilities worldwide. ...Kwon said, “Samsung Display is destined to attain virtually unlimited growth, through continuous efforts to combine our proven know-how in the display field with an overwhelming creative spirit.” He added, “Our combined strengths will guide Samsung’s display business through the next decade and longer, in turning the many synergistic benefits of the company into far-reaching, tangible results.” ...Through its merger with Samsung Mobile Display and S-LCD corporations, Samsung Display plans to expand the company’s management efficiencies, while optimizing the synergistic effects of its LCD (liquid crystal display) and OLED (organic light-emitting diode) business initiatives. The company also intends to strengthen its global competitive edge by combining OLED production technology with precision large panel operations and seasoned supply chain management." via BusinessWire

Ideum Multitouch Tables Pro & Platform Are 55″ Wide

 "Ideum, a New-Mexico based company has come up with its fourth-generation multitouch tables, which by the way are becoming popular at museums and educational institutes. Ideum has two types of tables – the Pro and the Platform. Both of them are 55-inch LED LCD multitouch displays and run on 64-bit Microsoft Windows 7 Professional. With a depth of just two-inches, there are 40 simultaneous touch points on both tables and feature a 30,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. Both tables support Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and RFID. Ideum tables are built for sturdiness and are made up of micro-etched, low-friction surface created from a sheet of hardened, ultra-clear, low-iron tempered glass." via CrazyEngineers

Intel planning boom in touchscreen demand for new laptops "With demand for tablets and smartphones surging, Intel Corp. is betting that supplies of touchscreens will start to run short just as PC makers begin to introduce touch-enabled laptops and other devices. To ensure that PC manufacturers don't get squeezed out, the chipmaker last month said it had agreed to pay four Taiwanese touch-screen makers to secure supplies of the parts. ...While touch-screen makers have enough capacity to cope with smartphone growth, according to DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim, laptop screens are at least three times the size of those used in phones. That means growing sales of touch-enabled notebooks would significantly increase demand. And as touch screens get larger, there's a greater chance they will have defects, Shim said." via The Detroit News

Virtual Reality Helps Service Members Deal with PTSD "One therapeutic PTSD tool, the Virtual Iraq/Afghanistan program, is in place in close to 50 hospitals and clinics across the U.S. The system offers a variety of scenarios. With the smell of gunfire and body odor in the air, troops can drive along a desert road only to have their Humvee hit an improvised explosive device. Or they can walk the town as the call to prayer rings in their ears, passing a spice market only to hear gunfire break out. It will never replicate the traumatic event a service member had in the war zone, but it doesn’t have to. ...Although increased graphics and options will certainly make the simulation more realistic, Rizzo emphasizes that the basis of the therapy is in the scientific research and results behind it. Exposure therapy works effectively, and the data are just starting to trickle in for virtual reality therapy. ...PTSD tools are not constrained to a set of goggles or a head-mounted display; several tools are available through virtual worlds accessed via the Internet. SimCoach is an interactive program with four different avatars that users can talk with about PTSD. The coach can give the user an assessment, suggest local care facilities, give information about the disorder, and offer an anonymous place to talk. ...Virtual reality programs — whether they rely on goggles or laptops — all face the same struggle when trying to provide proper levels of realism. Users are aware that they are looking at something computer-generated, and programs that try for complete realism may tumble instead into the “uncanny valley” — where not-quite-perfect human avatars can be off-putting." via DefenseNews

High resolution displays for notebooks, tablet PCs becoming tight, say sources "The supply of high resolution displays has been falling short of demand recently, since more and more notebook and tablet vendors have followed Apple to adopt high resolution panels for their devices, according to industry sources. ...Meanwhile, despite rising demand, panel makers in Japan and Korea are ramping up their capacities for high resolution panels cautiously, resulting in an increasingly tight supply in the segment, the sources commented." via DigiTimes

Chimei to mass produce AMOLED technology followed by In-Cell technology "Chimei-Innolux will focus on mass producing touch-screen panels that use white AMOLED during the second half of 2012 followed by In-Cell technology during 2013, according to the company's chairman, Hsing-Chien Tuan. ...However, in 2013 In-Cell technology is expected to become more widespread in touch screen panels as Windows 8 and ultrabooks gain more popularity, said CMI. In-Cell technology eliminates the middle layer of glass in a device, combining the LCD and touch components of the display into a single layer. The technology will reportedly be used in Apple's next generation iPhone and will be adopted by other touch-screen makers in the future, said sources." via DigiTimes

Wintek Garners Google’s Big Order for OGS Touch Panels "With its efforts on developing OGS (one glass solution) technology paying off, Wintek Corp, a Taiwan-based maker of touch panels, has garnered a big order from Google for OGS touch panels for use in its Google Nexus 7 tablet, confirmed the chairman Hyley Huang. ...Huang stressed that OGS touch panels are expected to replace traditional models using two pieces of glass in the coming years, considering that the trend is being driven by Intel and Microsoft, both of who have actively promoted next-generation laptops that feature use of touch panels computable with new chipsets and Windows 8. He furthered that his company is optimistic about market outlooks for OGS, which is likely to become the mainstream in the global touch panel industry starting in 2013, and will step up development of the technology to ride on the trend. " via CENS

The Display Industry News Source for 6.29.2012

World's Thinnest Screen Made From Soap Bubble

LG reportedly researching 60-inch+ transparent flexible 4K displays with government funding "The South Korean government is plunging $55 million dollars into LG to promote the development of 60-inch+ transparent flexible 4K displays, if reports are to be believed. DDaily says that LG beat out Samsung for the deal after applying last year, and it's set to be officially announced next month. The project should generate 3840 x 2160 flexible displays in various sizes, and they'll have a 10cm radius of curvature with over 40 percent transparency. LG will reportedly research the manufacturing and materials with various unnamed partners before putting the displays into production. We've seen LG make strides in flexible displays before, with its 0.7mm-thick e-paper screen going into production a couple of months back, but the company could have bigger ambitions — DDaily says it's aiming to capture 70 percent of the transparent flexible display market by the year 2020." via The Verge

NPD DisplaySearch Emerging Display Technologies Conference to Cover Interactivity and Touch Trends "The fourth annual Emerging Display Technologies Conference will be held August 13-14 in Santa Clara, Calif., NPD DisplaySearch announced today. With display and related technologies shaping the future of mobile devices and other products, it has become increasingly critical for the electronics supply chain to stay up-to-date on the latest trends in touch screens, OLED and low power displays, solid state lighting, and materials for all of these technologies. This year’s conference will feature in-depth market and technology assessments from NPD DisplaySearch analysts and insights from industry leaders on strategies for addressing existing market needs or creating new applications. “The Emerging Display Technologies Conference continues to serve as a forum that draws speakers from industry-leading companies to discuss key developments in materials and component technologies,” noted Jennifer Colegrove, PhD Vice President, Emerging Display Technologies for NPD DisplaySearch. “This year’s event will be no exception, with a focus on touch technologies as well as related topics in solid state lighting on the agenda.”" via DisplaySearch

4K TVs are coming, but they face an uphill battle in the home "TV makers are at a bit of an impasse: for the first time ever, demand for LCD TVs is down year-over-year. After years of increasing sales and declining prices, the market is finally beginning to become saturated, and the incremental improvements and new features that the television companies have added since LCD TVs became mainstream—things like OLED lighting and 3D TVs—have either been well out of consumers' price ranges or too niche to attract a wide audience. The TV industry is looking for that must-have feature that will get people with existing LCD TVs to upgrade their sets, and one of those features is the 4K resolution standard. While 4K TV sets are slowly making their way to the market, both the discussion panels and vendors at Consumer Electronics Week seem a bit unsure about the standard's prospects in the home." via Ars Technica

Commentary: China panel makers need to improve production technology "China's ability to further compete in the global high-end panel market is hindered by the technology most of its panel makers are using. As a result, China's major panel makers are tackling the low-end smartphone market, which will limit their profits and decrease their chances of taking on major Korea- and Japan-based makers in the future. China has seen a boom of 6G and 8.5G LCD production lines from major panel makers such as BOE; however, while this may prove to be helpful for China in the short run, local panel makers still face intense competition from OLED makers, which is gaining rapid popularity." via DigiTimes

TV New Technology "Trinitron, Black Matrix, 36% Transmission (black) glass... In 40 years (1964-2004) the TV had relatively few new technologies that were native to the set that stuck. Of course, there was the VCR and Home Theater, which were literally outside of the box that had tremendous impact. But there was also blue glass, picture in picture, and numerous other must have features that came and went. Since 2004 and the near simultaneous introduction of HDTV (encapsulating both digital broadcast, aspect ratio change and resolution increase)and flat panels there have been a number of continuing developments. A few of them are discussed here:" via Flat Panel Display Blog

Frost & Sullivan: Deluge of In-vehicle Information to Trigger a Revolution in the Design of Automotive Display and Instrument Clusters "The exponential growth of in-vehicle information is triggering a revolution in the design of display systems in the automotive infotainment market. The ubiquitous presence of Smartphones has led to a demand for the same functionalities to be present inside cars. Technologies such as touch screens and large displays have become a commodity in the automotive infotainment domain. As vehicles rely more and more on sophisticated forms of technology, the requirements for onboard information displays are becoming increasingly comprehensive and diverse. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.automotive.frost.com), Strategic Analysis of European and North American Markets for Display and Instrument Clusters, finds that in Europe, the market size for central displays, touch screens and head up displays is estimated to reach 9.5 million, 2 million and 0.5 million, respectively, by 2017. In North America, the market size for central displays, touch screens and head up displays is anticipated to reach 6 million, 3 million and 0.4 million, respectively, by 2017." via Exec Digital

19-inch sunlight-readable rugged LCD monitors for vetronics, avionics, and railways introduced by TRU-Vu "TRU-Vu Monitors Inc. in Arlington Heights, Ill, is introducing the SRM-19 19-inch sunlight-readable liquid crystal display (LCD) for demanding industrial and commercial applications that operate in direct sunlight such as military and law-enforcement vehicles, ships, and aircraft. The SRM-19 rugged display offers 1,000 nits brightness. By comparison, laptop screens average 150-200 nits, and standard desktop monitors average 200-250 nits, company officials say. The rugged monitors are built with industrial-grade components and feature 1,280-by-1,024-pixel SXGA resolution. The monitors come with VGA, and BNC composite video inputs, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, and operate on 12-volt DC and 90-to-240-volt AC power supplies (story continues below)." via Avionics Intelligence

The Display Industry News Source for 6.28.2012

Google Glasses Designer Gives Us An Up Close Look "Olsson is the senior industrial designer on the Google Glass project and has spent the last year working at Google's X Lab to design a piece of technology that will sit in front of people's eyes. The glasses, according to Google's video, will be able to do everything from search the Internet and show you maps right in front of your eyes. ...On the front of the glasses, in the top left (or right depending on which way you view them) corner is a small camera and a small glass-looking box, which is a tiny display. On the top of the glasses is a power button and a camera button. You control the screen's interface with the touchpad on the leg of the glasses. "The touchpad is all hidden. There's no texture, it extends all over," Olsson describes." via ABC News

LCD monitor vendors to focus more on smart applications in the future "LCD monitor vendors have been discussing how to stay competitive in the global market by researching ways for tablets and smartphones to have better connectivity with large-sized monitors. Sources said the focal point of the LCD monitor firms' research is growing popularity with smartphone and tablet use and the need for consumers to display information on a large display via their smart device. Meanwhile, the vendors have been planning to introduce new products this summer to accommodate the boom season that will have features such as new sizes, reduced thickness, LED-backlights and enhanced resolution." via DigiTimes

Bi-Stable LCD Displays Making a Power Play "Imagine an LCD Display module that requires no power to display an image even if you leave the image on the screen for two weeks. That seems impossible, right? Well not any longer. A new display technology called bi-stable or cholesteric liquid crystal display is now a reality and is available to designers of products. The display technology is unique in that it only requires power to change the image on the screen, but does not require any power to hold the image in place indefinitely." via Product Design & Development

NanoMarkets Announces Release of Latest Report on OLED Materials Market, Sees $7 Billion Opportunity by 2019 "Industry analyst firm NanoMarkets has announced that it will begin shipping its latest report that analyzes the opportunities for OLED materials suppliers in both the display and lighting sectors over the next eight years. The report, “OLED Materials Markets 2012,” estimates that the total market value of materials used in OLED lighting and OLED display applications will grow quickly from over $500 million ($US) in 2012 to over $7 billion by 2019. Of the total OLED materials market value, the active OLED materials -- emissive materials, hosts, and hole/electron injection and transport materials are expected to account for nearly $3 billion. Additional details about the report are available here" via SFGate

The Modbook Pro returns, morphing a MacBook Pro into a pen-based tablet "You may recall a little product called the Modbook, an after-market mod for Apple's MacBooks. The mod kits — which have previously cost upwards of $5,000 — turns a MacBook Pro into a tablet computer by ripping off the keyboard and LCD, giving what's left a new casing and LCD. Well, the company is back, announcing today a refresh of the Modbook Pro which will have all the current 13.3-inch MacBook Pro's specs, plus a Wacom digitizer which adds pen input tech.The tablet will apparently get 7 hours of battery life on a single charge, and will be available "early this fall."" via The Verge

Chinese Phone Makers Buy Lots of AMOLED Panels From Samsung Supplier "There was a time, not so long ago, when China-based handset makers were making phones with crappy hardware to compete with Apple’s iPhone. Today, several Chinese handset makers have their own flagship phones that feature impressive hardware, and they are no longer a piece of crap. ...Recently, there are reports that Coasia Microelectronics, which mainly distributes IC components for Samsung such as CMOS image sensors, multi-chip package (MCP) memory and OLED displays, is expected to get new AMOLED panel orders from several Chinese phone manufacturers. Who are they?" via M.I.C Gadget

SWEDX Introduces Innovative Gesture-controlled Digital Signage Solution "The new SWEDX Wave offers not only an innovative way to attract audiences but also an innovative way to control the content on a digital signage display via gesture. SWEDX Wave is a combination of an edge-lit LED display and eight control buttons. Each button is associated with a video file stored on a flash memory connected to the screen. Waving the hand above the buttons will load and display the associated video automatically. When the video displaying is completed, SWEDX Wave will load the main video and display it repeatedly until a button is interacted. Thanks to SWEDX Wave technology, the buttons can be placed behind any material, such as glass, fabric, wood, etc. According to the Sollentuna, Sweden-based company, the interaction is still there, surprising and delighting the user." via Digital Signage Connection

Corning Pounds Its Chest To $16.50 With Bigger Gorilla Glass "Corning (NYSE:GLW) recently showcased its large-sized Gorilla Glass at Infocomm 2012 held in Las Vegas. The larger Gorilla Glass offers potential new revenue streams for Corning namely, large screen multi-touch devices and large screen display solutions. Both the opportunities arise from the enhanced toughness of the larger Gorilla Glass. We have a Trefis price estimate of $16.50 for Corning, approximately 30% above its current stock market price. ...According to projections of NPD DisplaySearch shipments of public display market are to increase by 15 percent to reach 3.1 million units in 2012. And the projected 10-year compounded annual growth rate for the same stands at 25 percent to reach 12 million units in 2018." via Trefis

The Display Industry News Source for 6.27.2012

Image via OLED-Info

Philips unveil the modular Living Sculpture 3D OLED system and the interactive OLED mirror "After teasing us for almost a month, Philips finally launched their new modular 3D OLED system, the Livingscrulpture 3D. It's a kinetic system based on modular OLED blocks. The rectangular Lumiblade panels are placed on rods that can change their height - thus easily creating 3D surfaces. The system consists of base plates, each one holding 16 OLED panels (4x4). The OLED themselves are rectangular, 76x76 mm each (including the frame, the active area is 61.4x60.5 mm) and the color temperature is 3,000K. The typical luminance per OLED is about 1,500 cd/m². The base panel size is 316x316 mm. You can find the data sheet here. Of course this thing ain't cheap. Philips told us that each base plate wil cost about €700 (so that's about €43 per OLED, which is actually a good price for an OLED panel). A square meter will cost about €7,000. Together with the new system, Philips also launched their new web site - The New Art of Light." via OLED-Info

Dell Updates as Industry-leading Supplier of Displays Portfolio with Focus on Exquisite Performance and Value "Dell today announced the immediate availability of new displays that combine performance and value to enable customers amazing viewing experiences. The six new displays join Dell’s industry-leading portfolio of solutions, which has once again ranked #1 in flat-panel display market share in North America[i], and #2 in flat-panel shipments worldwide[ii], according to DisplaySearch." via Dell

Samsung, LG's key display technologies leaked by Israeli firm "According to the prosecution, the indicted employees photographed circuit diagrams of yet-to-be-released 55-inch AMOLED television panels when they were let into Samsung and LG's manufacturing factories to check defects of inspection equipment from November of last year to January of this year. ..."It is very likely that the stolen technologies have been given by the Israeli firm to foreign rivals," a prosecution official said. "This may expectedly deal a massive economic blow to the entire nation and can cause a sea change in the landscape of the global display market."" via Yonhap News Agency

A look inside Leap Motion, the 3D gesture control that's like Kinect on steroids "Leap Motion's not the household name Kinect is, but it should be — the company's motion-tracking system is more powerful, more accurate, smaller, cheaper, and just more impressive. Leap CTO David Holz came by the Verge's New York offices to give us a demo of the company's upcoming product (called The Leap), and suffice to say we're only begrudgingly returning to our mice and keyboards. The Leap uses a number of camera sensors to map out a workspace of sorts — it's a 3D space in which you operate as you normally would, with almost none of the Kinect's angle and distance restrictions. Currently the Leap uses VGA camera sensors, and the workspace is about three cubic feet; Holz told us that bigger, better sensors are the only thing required to make that number more like thirty feet, or three hundred. Leap's device tracks all movement inside its force field, and is remarkably accurate, down to 0.01mm. It tracks your fingers individually, and knows the difference between your fingers and the pencil you're holding between two of them." via The Verge

Small- and medium-size panels more profitable, says industry sources "Panel makers are focusing on producing small- and medium-size panels due to increasing global demand along with declining prices for large-sized panels. Sources noted that more than ever there is strong demand for mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and notebooks. As a result, Japan-, Korea-, Taiwan-, and China-based panel manufacturers such as BOE and Tianma are all competing for small- and medium-sized panel orders to meet the growing trend." via DigiTimes

Capsule Review: Toshiba's 14" USB Mobile LCD Monitor "While notebook hardware has steadily improved over the years, outside of the recent MacBook Pro with Retina Display there haven't really been any moves forward in improving desktop real estate in some time. In fact, for productivity-oriented users this continues to be a major reason for sticking with a desktop setup (if not a desktop system): more monitors, more space to work in. This fact of life has resulted in a bit of a niche market in the form of small, USB-powered screens." via AnandTech

Latin American Defence Procurement Pushing Ahead Despite Global Recession "End-users in Latin America are extremely price conscious, in many cases even preferring to buy second-hand platforms and domestically refurbish and upgrade them. There is an increase in the popularity of modular platforms, and demand for upgrade components and packages will remain high. “Governments in these under-developed countries look favorably on defence procurements with clear domestic industrial and technological benefits,” concluded Ball. “In order to foment incentive, companies should enter the market via partnership with local companies or by establishing a domestic manufacturing base.”" via Defence Talk

Medication Kiosks Offer Efficient Healthcare Option "Phoenix Kiosk, a leading provider of kiosk software and services, believes medication kiosks can aid consumers in their need for efficient health care services. Kiosks are already serving a vital role in the medical field. Patients can test their blood pressure at health kiosks, check-in for a doctor’s appointment and use computer-assisted kiosks to learn about health problems. Medication kiosks are a logical next step in user-friendly health care." via Phoenix Kiosk

Video Conferencing Display System Sizing and Location "As video conferencing systems become more widely installed, there are often questions about what size monitors and how many are required. While fixed Telepresence systems make this choice easy, most video conferencing systems come as a base unit (generally a small box the size of a mini-PC), and a camera and a table-top speaker. The selection the video displays and mounting/positioning is generally left to the customer or an integrator. The challenge is that often the resulting placement and room set-up leave much to be desired. To best understand the placement, distance and positioning of video monitors in a meeting space, a basic understanding of how humans see and use video is required. Using simple trigonometry it is possible to define the variables to assure optimal positioning and impact of a videoconferencing system. This white paper will review those factors and then cover basic room set-up. It will also discuss how the new 4K displays may enhance the room video experience." via Unified Communications Strategies

The Display Industry News Source for 6.26.2012

MetaTwistTower Digital Signage Display at Munich Airport "The MetaTwistTower is the first instrument of its kind in a new generation of digital information and communication systems. The natural progressive step in the transitional development from analogue advertising space to digital static screen: A digital billboard chameleon that adapts to suit its environment in order to covey the optimal communicative objective. The variability of this new system outpaces common LED systems, not only regarding the attractiveness and effectiveness it creates in the advertisement space but also with regards to its broad scope of application potential. The MTT’s transformation ability directly pays off as performance strength. Its spectacular dynamic provides the MetaTwistTower with numerous options of displaying images in different ways; this greatly enhances the communicative effect of digital content creating an absolute eye catcher for any passers-by." via MetaTwistTower

LCD panel makers to allocate more production capacity for TV applications "Panel makers have appropriated increasing portions of their production capacities for panels used in LCD TVs and tablet PCs in response to less growth potential in the global demand for LCD monitors, according to industry sources. Sources said that the LCD market is already mature and that decreasing the supply of panels used in monitors is expected to help keep prices for such panels stable. TPV Technology is expected to ship 65 million LCD monitors in 2012, only 5 million units more that were shipped in 2011." via DigiTimes

Panel manufacturers look to increase panel prices with new sizes "Industry sources said 40- and 42-inch sized LCD panels have dropped roughly 8-9% in price over the last month due to instabilities in European economies and that panel manufacturers are hoping that new panel sizes will stimulate the TV market. Sources said new 39- and 50-inch LCD panels will challenge mostly 37- and 47-inch segments, particularly in China, and the firms are optimistic the new panels will help push up LCD panel pricing during the second half of this year." via DigiTimes

Mitsubishi Installs Japan’s Largest Digital Signage System At Narita Airport "Mitsubishi Electric Corp. has announced that they have successfully installed Japan’s largest digital signage system at Narita International Airport. So, now whenever you go inside the airport, you will see hundreds of Panorama Vision OLED display screens, making this digital signage system the largest in Japan. ...Across the digital panels, the the travelers in transit can see the terminal areas, displays airport news, entertainment programs, advertisements as well as relaxing imagery to keep them engaged." CrazyEngineers

eMagin Receives Initial Production Subcontract for U.S. Army Enhanced Night Vision Goggle "The SENVG gives soldiers the ability to detect and identify potential threats regardless of weather or environmental conditions, helping to ensure they complete their missions and come home safely. "This is an important award for eMagin as it proves the value of the low power, high contrast and wide temperature operational advantages of our active matrix OLED technology for the U.S. Army's night vision initiatives," commented Andrew Sculley, President and Chief Executive Officer of eMagin. "We are pleased to be able to help reduce the power requirements for the SENVG with low-power, high contrast, OLED microdisplays."" via MarketWatch

41% of retailers will not deploy MPOS "Ian Tomlinson, CEO of Cybertill, commented: “I believe mobile EPOS systems are a great tool for added customer service, but I also believe that mobile POS should be deployed to add value and not just as an expensive gimmick. However, I think when this question is asked in twelve months’ time, mobile POS will have gained greater traction in the retail environment and be a proven solution that more retailers will be looking to deploy across their business.”" via Retail Gazette

HDTV Expert - Can Quantum Dots Save LCD-TV from AMOLEDs? – Ken Werner "Nanosys (Palo Alto, CA), which identifies itself as a materials company, has been working for several years to develop QD technology for display applications and has generated serious interest from companies such as Samsung and LG Innotek.  But there has been a missing link, or two:  a company that can produce commercial volumes of stable QD components and a company with high-volume supply-chain expertise.  Given its experience in manufacturing display enhancement films of various kinds and effectively supplying them in high volumes to the consumer display industry, 3M is clearly in a position to fill both of these roles.  Or, as Optical Systems Division VP Jim Bauman put it, “Combining the world-class technology and materials expertise of Nanosys with the engineering, design and supply chain capabilities of 3M will unlock a powerful new color viewing experience for consumers.”" via HDTV Magazine

Haptics: Reinventing the finger "THE smooth and impenetrable surface of the touchscreen has become familiar to everyone from dexterous toddlers to frustrated, fat-fingered adults. But not for much longer if Ville Makinen, the founder of Senseg, has his way. Under Dr Makinen’s tutelage Senseg, a Finnish firm, is deliberately roughing touch screens up. It is applying the idea of haptics—feedback to the sense of touch, rather than the senses of vision and hearing that are the usual targets of computer interactions—to the interface between screen and user." via The Economist

Interphase Awarded First Patent for the penveu™ Interactive Display System "The patent covers the penveu™ targeting system, which eliminates the need for calibration by inserting a targeting system – invisible to the human eye, but visible to the pen – into the display stream. ...penveu is a device that disrupts the $1.8 billion interactive whiteboard (IWB) industry, by enhancing the functionality of currently installed projectors and large screen displays. It encompasses superior technology – bringing rocket science to the masses in a sleek, pinpoint-accurate device – incorporating satellite and military navigation system technologies that are only now available to commercial markets.  It is compatible with any computer connected to a projector, large screen display, or TV using a VGA connector, regardless of operating system – all for a fraction of the current market price for such classroom technology." via The Sacramento Bee

Fujitsu Announces Low-cost 8-bit MCUs with capacitive touch sensor and controller functions (MB95870) "To date, capacitive touch sensor technology has typically been used in applications such as cash points and train station TVMs (Ticket Vending Machines) or in office equipment such as copiers and printers. In recent years, however, capacitive touch sensor technology has experienced rapid growth, driven by the spread of touch key and touch panel applications in household appliances – such as in refrigerators and washing machines, for example. When compared to mechanical switches or resistive film touch key technology, capacitive touch key technology is not only easier for users to operate but is also more resistant to dust, moisture and wear. This array of features has made the capacitive method the preferred choice in touch key technology. As the marketplace for touch key and touch panel interfaces expands, the demand for capacitive touch sensors and controllers to drive this technology is also increasing. In addition, there is a strong demand for the microcontrollers for such systems to be equipped with touch sensor and controller functionality." via Electropages

The Display Industry News Source 6.25.2012

Image via Canon

Canon to Launch Augmented-Reality Platform Based on Head-Mounted Displays "The virtual images are shown to users using two tiny display panels that sit just above the eyes. The images from the display panels are carefully aligned with user's point of view, to keep the virtual world aligned with the real one. This camera-display combination allows the platform to display virtual items and shapes as though they are being viewed at the correct size and angle, even as users change position." via PCWorld

Sony, Panasonic to Team up to Mass-produce OLED TV Panels "The companies aim to develop an effective way to print large panels that use OLEDs, or organic light-emitting diodes, by next year, they said in a statement. They signed an agreement Monday that includes sharing their technology and jointly researching mass production techniques." via PC World

Leaked Slide Sheds New Light On RIM’s First BlackBerry 10 Devices "...the slide notes that the L-series BlackBerry (previously known as the London) would sport an OLED display running at the same 1280×768 resolution as the alpha hardware. That display manages to cram 356 pixels into every inch, which also confirms that the L-series device will have a 4.2-inch display panel. The slide also offers up a few details about what RIM has planned for their forthcoming keyboard-toting N-series model, perhaps most notably that the phone’s OLED display will run at 720 x 720 with a pixel density of 330 ppi. Crunching the numbers points to a screen that’s just a shade under 3.1 inches diagonal, making it the largest display to go on a more traditionally designed BlackBerry (the touch-friendly Torch series had larger 3.7-inch displays)." via TechCrunch

Clear Channel Airports announced it will implement a first-of-its kind digital advertising program at Denver International Airport "The installation plan includes more than 118 LCD screens throughout the airport, including 70-inch freestanding LCDs throughout level six of Jeppesen Terminal, six post-security overhead ultra-thin bezel video walls on the soffits of the A, B, and C Concourses and four 26-foot diagonal high-definition LED video towers formed around the Great Hall elevator columns. Denver International Airport will have the largest digital footprint of any North American airport, according to the company." via Digital Signage Connection

Why developing countries embrace mobile banking "More than half of the world's adults — 2.5 billion — are unbanked, according to research recently published by the World Bank Development Research Group. ...Instead of trying to coax these populations into getting on board with mainstream banking, many companies are finding new ways to provide them with financial services, whether it's deploying kiosks to help the unbanked cash checks, pay bills and transfer money, or offering mobile banking services that allow consumers to transfer money via smartphones. ...Consumers can load their MOM m-wallets with cash at one of 82,000 retail touch points (expected to be 2 million by year's end) and use it to pay for electricity, gas and mobile bills and top-ups, as well as airline, bus and movie tickets." via Self Service World

The Display Industry News Source 6.22.2012

Image via Xbit Laboratories

Panasonic and Sony to Team Up for OLED TVs Next Week "The cooperation between Sony and Panasonic will inevitably change the landscape of the OLED market significantly as the two have a clear aim to reduce pricing of appropriate screens. The biggest question is how successfully will the two companies act together and how competitive will be their products in general." via Xbit Laboratories

Nintendo Debuts 3DS XL With 90% Larger Displays: Available August 19 For $199 "We’ve seen a huge trend lately with OEMs increasing screen size on smartphones, where gaming has grown to be more and more prevalent, slowing chipping away at Nintendo sales. It only makes sense that Nintendo would take a hint and offer more screen real estate on their portable gaming devices." via TechCrunch

PRI-DSF North American Digital Signage Index "The current North American Digital Signage Index report shows a slight decline in industry performance, masking the underlying momentum the digital signage industry has built.  The report includes 30 charts and graphs, along with a review and commentary about industry trends." via Platt Retail Institute

China to Procure US$4.5 B. of LCD Panels from Taiwan This Year "A procurement delegation led by Yang Xue-shan, Vice Minister, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of China, recently visited Taiwan and signed several purchase letter of intent (LOI) with local companies, with total procurement value being about US$4.72 billion to include about US$4.5 billion or some 30 million liquid crystal display (LCD) panels." via CENS

Digital Signage Expo's July 2012 Industry Forum "Digital Signage Expo's July 2012 Industry Forum will be a unique, three-day event staged in a resort setting that allows end user guests and sponsors to network and create long-lasting relationships with peers and digital signage industry experts in a relaxed and enjoyable setting. The event will be held July 22-25 in Denver, Colo." via Digital Signage Connection

AUO's 4" flexible AMOLED on video "Back in November 2011 AUO unveiled a 4" flexible AMOLED prototype. Today the same panel won the "Outstanding Photonics product award" at the Display Taiwan 2012 conference. Here's a video showing the display. You can skip to 2:43 if you want to see a closeup footage of the AMOLED panel, showing how AUO setup a nice mechanism that keeps bending it:" via OLED-Info

Philips Shows Glasses-free 3D Displays "Technology company Philips showed new 3D displays that are "glasses-free" last week at the InfoComm 2012 conference in Las Vegas. Philips also introduced a new Touch series of displays and a new lineup of commercial-caliber televisions." via Campus Technology

New Leasing Partnership with Leading iPad POS Creator "LEASE POS NOW has partnered with Revel Systems, an iPad POS company in San Francisco. Lease POS NOW has just been named the exclusive leasing company for Revel Systems iPad POS. This partnership enables customers to lease their iPad POS hardware from LEASE POS NOW for just $250 a month, per iPad system. Furthermore, every year, the company will receive a free update in the iPad POS equipment." via PR.com

Switching to smart lighting "OLED technology is a few years behind in terms of performances. The cost is a blocking point as, in 2011, it was about 20.000$/klm. “It’s another dimension, and the OLED lighting market is not yet foreseen,” noted Lagrange. Customers want more light, or lumen, per dollar. For that, Lagrange called for more than lumen. This means adding new functions, working on high-quality lighting, developing easy-to-integrate in-house solutions and adding more services through the light." via EE Times

ONELAN will be joining forces with Avnet Embedded at the IN-STORE Show at Olympia, London, (stand G125) on June 27-28 "Avnet Embedded will be exhibiting simplified digital signage solutions for in-store applications. They will demonstrate ONELAN’s Cyclone Enterprise content management solution delivering digital signage and messaging throughout a customer’s store, using Instore Screen’s Network One LCD integrated media player and Network One HD Box connected to external displays, said the Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, U.K.-based company." via Digital Signage Connection

ISTE 2012 | June 24-27 | San Diego BenQ America Corp. | Booth 5031 "“At ISTE 2012, BenQ will unveil a number of exciting new products designed to enhance the classroom experience and take learning to ‘Higher and Higher’ levels,” said Lars Yoder, President at BenQ America Corp. “Visitors to our booth will experience our new interactive flat panel displays and our latest SmartEco, interactive, and high-brightness projectors. These products have been designed specifically to provide higher levels of interactivity, efficiency, collaboration, and performance for educators and students, while dramatically reducing total cost of ownership for schools.”" via BenQ USA

The Display Industry News Source 6.21.2012

Philips teases with a new OLED lighting "Art of Light" video "Philips posted a teaser video, called The New Art Of Light. It involves OLED Lumiblade panels of course: ...We do not know much yet, except that "Soon you will be able to create sculptures with light". Philips will reveal it on June 26th." via OLED-Info

Samsung Galaxy Note 2: Unbreakable, Higher-Resolution 5.5" Display "For now it's all rumours and hearsay, sometimes leaked from subcontractors, but what's certain is that the Galaxy Note II (seen in the non-official photo above) is already creating a buzz. Word on the street says it will have a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with Pentile technology (two sub-pixels per pixel) with 1680 x 1050 pixel resolution (300 dpi), compared to  the current Galaxy Note's 5.3-inch Super AMOLED screen and 1280 x 800 resolution (285 dpi). According to Korean website, MK Business, the display currently in the works is unbreakable and the first in a coming generation of Samsung-made flexible OLED screens, possibly the fruit of the firm's Youm technology." via DigitalVersus

Wither Pixel Qi (pronounced "Chi") "Sunlight, or even bright room, visibility has always been a problem with LCDs. This issue came to the fore with the development of notebook PCs for third world audiences and e-readers for the developed world. While an expedient solution for the e-reader market, where video speeds were not required, was to go to an e-paper screen, for the third world PC solution, transflective technology was developed that could be incorporated into conventional LCD manufacture." via Flat Panel Display Blog

Philips Integrates OPS Slot for Internal PC Modules "Technology company Philips has launched a set of LCD displays that adhere to the Open Pluggable Specification (OPS), useful in digital signage. At InfoComm 2012 last week in Las Vegas the company was showing its new Philips OPS-enabled displays, consisting of nine different products. OPS is an industry standard interface developed by Intel that allows users to insert an internal PC into a Philips digital signage display. The slot is designed to simplify the changing, maintenance, and upgrading of a media player." via Campus Technology

Fujitsu to Demonstrate Latest Consumer, Communications, Industrial, Automotive Products at Embedded Systems Conference in São Paulo June 26-27 "Also on display will be a full set of power management ICs that are designed for a broad range of consumer electronic applications, including a demo of a new LED driver IC. A final highlight will be demos featuring Fujitsu’s industry-leading, single-chip graphics display controllers (GDCs). Fujitsu’s GDCs are ideal for displaying content on small-form-factor, high-resolution LCDs for automotive, handheld and computer applications." via Fujitsu

Best and Most Affordable POS Solutions for Business "Is your point of sale (POS) service provider keeping up with emerging, more affordable technologies? Sixty-six percent of retailers are interested in implementing mobile point of sale (mPOS) terminals, according to TKTK. Motorola Solutions estimates that 36 percent of fixed point of sale systems will be replaced with mPOS systems by the end of 2013. TopTenREVIEWS has just released a comparison of the top POS system providers to reveal which companies offers the best, most affordable POS solutions for retailers and restaurants. We also evaluated whether they have released mobile technologies such POS software for iPad and Android devices." via TopTenREVIEWS

KAL unveils cashless ATM "The RTM does a deposit transaction and puts money directly into the retailer's bank account," he said. "So 'Steve' goes in to the RTM, does a $100 transaction; money comes out of Steve's account and it goes into the acquirer bank's account. Simultaneously, the acquiring bank puts money into the retailer's bank account." ...The RTM can even offer video conferencing with a teller using the unit's 17-inch onboard liquid crystal display or an attached video topper, Korala said. And because it runs on the same KAL software that runs ATMs, the RTM interfaces with the bank's network like any other machine." via Self Service World

Educational iPad kiosks on rise in schools and universities "Recently, the San Diego School District announced plans to introduce more than 25,000 iPads into their K-12 system. In Maine, 285 students are reading at a higher level because iPads have been incorporated into their curriculum. These large volume iPad deployments are part of a growing trend in education from kindergarten all the way to graduate programs, with applications ranging from educational games for children to college textbooks and campus portals, the company said." via Self Service World

Army, Northrop Grumman, BAE move forward on next-generation JETS infantry targeting system "Current systems are far too heavy or lack necessary capability for accurate fire support during the day and at night, and do not work well with digital communications necessary to receive, transmit, store, display, plan, and coordinate targeting data. This solicitation will call for industry to design and build JETS prototypes as part of the program's full-scale development phase, which should last for about 2 1/2 years, during which the winning contractor will be asked to deliver between five and 20 prototype JETS systems." via Military & Aerospace Electronics

Boost Your Signal and Benefits of Tablet PCs in Law Enforcement "Information such as incident reports, records databases, or something as simple as a road map are all conveniently available via a rugged tablet PC inside a patrol vehicle.  Such access provides valuable information that makes their job easier to perform and more productive over the course of the day." via The Ruggedized Computing Blog

The Display Industry News Source 6.20.12

Image via ZDNet

Inside the MacBook Pro Retina-display "Even the experts at iFixit, who are used to removing and handling fragile screens, managed to break the Retina display when attempting to remove it." via ZDNet

Chinese Suppliers Shine in Large-Sized LCD Panel Market in Q1 "Although the major South Korean brands continued to dominate, Chinese suppliers represented the fastest-growing contingent of the large-sized liquid crystal display (LCD) panel market in the first quarter, capitalizing on rising production and strong domestic demand for 32-inch televisions." via iSuppli

UAS Operators Save Lives In Combat "The Puma UAS is a 13-pound, portable, hand-launched unmanned aircraft system, known as a UAS, with a wingspan of 9.2-feet and electro-optical/infrared, or EO/IR, sensors able to beam back real-time imagery from combat-relevant locations.

The EO/IR sensors on Harris’ PUMA UAS showed live, real-time images of the insurgent activity on his one system remote video terminal, or OSRVT. The OSRVT is a laptop-like display screen and antenna able to give Soldiers like Harris advance warning of nearby threats." via DefenceTalk

MGM / Four Winds Digital Signage Case Study

Global LCD TV Shipments Fall for the First Time Ever in Q1’12 "Worldwide TV shipments fell almost 8% Y/Y in Q1’12, the steepest rate of decline since Q2’09. Total TV shipments for the quarter were 51M units, according to the latest release of the NPD DisplaySearch Advanced Quarterly Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report. The biggest contributor to this decline was a slowdown in shipments of LCD TVs, which fell year-on-year for the first time in the history of the category, declining just over 3%, to 43M units." via DisplaySearch

The Touch-y Subject Of Touch Tech For Digital Signage "There are at least a dozen different touch technology categories out there right now, and almost 200 companies selling their own variations on them.

By far, the big boy is Projected Capacitive, or P-Cap, or The Touch Thing That’s Most Like My Smartphone screen. The numbers of companies doing that has grown sharply, and the same with companies doing “multi-touch” – which by most definitions could be any number of the categories listed above, including P-Cap." via Sixteen:Nine

Next app for TI's DLP is large touchscreens "Digital light processor technology developed by Texas Instruments 25 years ago has been used to bring big-screen cinema to the digital age is now being used in picoprojectors for smartphones, cameras and tablets, company officials said. By this time next year, they predict DLP technology will powering large touchscreens." via EE Times

CMI wins Outstanding Photonics Product Award 2012 for its 50" 60Hz Frame Repeating 3D Direct-Type LED panel "Chimei Innolux Corporation (CMI) has granted “the Outstanding Photonics Product Award 2012” by the Photonics Industry & Technology Development Association (PIDA) for its 50" 60Hz Frame Repeating 3D Direct-Type LED panel, fully demonstrating the company’s superior capabilities of integrated R&D and it leadership on innovative technology." via CMI

The Phoenix Group Expands Its POS Products & Solutions Portfolio With Ingenico's Devices Designed to Handle NFC Mobile and EMV Payments "Ingenico, a leading worldwide provider of payment devices and services, and The Phoenix Group (TPG), the largest independent distributor of POS terminals and solutions in the U.S., today signed a new multi-year distribution agreement, enabling TPG to market and sell Ingenico's next generation Telium series point-of-sale (POS) devices to independent sales organizations (ISOs) in the United States. In the wake of accelerated demand for innovative products capable of securely accepting traditional magstripe, emerging EMV chip-based, contactless, and NFC-based payments both companies are making a strategic investment to offer the latest Telium POS technology and solutions to ISOs." via Market Watch

Display Industry News Source 6.19.2012

Image via Sharp

Sharp Aquos HDTV Has A Huge 90″ Screen; Making It The World’s Largest LED 3DTV "Sharp, the company who just launched the Feel UX – the customized Android UI, has a new announcement to make. The japanese tech-giant is launching the huge 4 feet tall and 6 feet and 8 inches wide LED LCD HD 3DTV. Last year we told you aboutSharp’s 85″ Direct View LCD and now we can see that the company has set out to break its own records. With this TV set-up in your living room, you won’t feel the need to go to a theater to watch the 3D movies on the big screen ever again." via Crazy Engineers

Microsoft Announces Its First Tablet: Surface "The ARM-powered Windows RT model is one millimeter thinner than the latest iPad. It has a 10.6-inch screen with a 16:9 HD resolution, compared to the iPad’s 9.5-inch screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio. The larger display on the Surface means more weight—24 grams extra, to be precise, or just under an ounce more than its rival from Cupertino." via ZDNet

Microsoft renames its old Surface computer as PixelSense "The table-top, multitouch computer that Microsoft unveiled in 2007, which was largely relegated to retail outlets, hotel lobbies, and museums, has been rebranded as PixelSense. ...But the new name is a bit of return to the product's roots. The device's panel features 2 million sensors that have been built into the panel, between the pixels, and that trade off between picking up visible or infrared light. The technology that powers the recognition of that data, which was around 1 gigabit per second, is something Microsoft called PixelSense." via C|Net

Digital out-of-home media: Outdoor key to U.S. growth, but China is catching up fast "The U.S. remains the biggest market for digital out-of-home media, but China is closing on it rapidly – and American growth is largely driven by digital billboards, rather than place-based digital signage networks, according to latest reports." via Flatvision Industry News

Delphi Display Systems Introduces Industry’s Most Reliable Order Confirmation System "Delphi Display Systems, Inc. ("Delphi") today introduced its latest model Order Confirmation Display technology for improving order accuracy and speed-of-service at drive-thru Quick Service Restaurants. Named Endura for its durability, the new product line sets the standard for performance and reliability with the longest warranty available in the industry today. Delphi is a leading designer and manufacturer of reliable and rugged outdoor digital signage solutions." via Delphi Display Systems

Display Industry News Source 6.15.2012

Image via Sarah Tew / C|Net

Design, Power and Entertainment Reign Supreme in VIZIO's Incredibly Sleek and Sophisticated, Premium PC Line Unveiled Today "With a stunning 24" or 27" Full HD 1080p display, included subwoofer for 2.1 surround sound audio with SRS Premium Sound HD™ and dual HDMI® inputs for connecting cable boxes and game consoles, the VIZIO All-in-One PC delivers serious entertainment. ...

With an impressive 15.6" Full HD 1080p display, performance-tuned audio with SRS Premium Sound HD™ and a long-lasting battery, the VIZIO Notebook is an all-day, on-the-go, multimedia powerhouse. ...

With a 14" HD+ or 15.6" Full HD display and a razor-thin design made possible by a durable, anodized aluminum unibody construction, the VIZIO Thin + Light is sleek enough to take anywhere and easily outperforms notebooks twice its size." via PR Newswire

Acer Iconia A700: High-resolution Android tablet "Acer is expanding its Iconia line of Android tablets with the A700. The 10.1-inch display on the A700 offers a high resolution of 1900 x 1200, making it one of the highest resolution Android tablets. ...Acer has expansion adequately covered by including a USB 2.0 port and also HDMI for connecting to big screens. ...The tablet weighs in just under 1.5 pounds and is thin at 0.43 inches. ...Battery life is claimed to be 13 hours which is probably accurate given the 9800 mAh battery." via ZDNet

OLED Beats LCD With 2,560 dpi Resolution "If you thought the 651 dpi resolution of Japan Display's upcoming LCD panels was impressive, you ain't seen nothing yet! Sony, one of the consortium's members, has pushed things even further with OLED screens with 2,560 dpi over 0.5'' (1.27 cm) and 2,098 dpi over 0.7'' (1.8 cm).

These tiny screens are actually designed for digital camera electronic viewfinders or for the displays used in OLED glasses. In fact, Sony's HMZ-T1 gaming headset already comes loaded with two 0.7" 2,098 dpi OLED screens." via DigitalVersus

InfoComm 2012 Notes And Impressions "In a lot of ways, the show reflected how so much of the business these days is about video walls and high impact visual presentations. There were a LOT of video walls, though very few play with shapes other than rectangles.

I saw some 4K screens, and the image quality is spectacular – though these screens make more sense for medical imaging than pushing QSR menus and running ads.

...

Maybe because it was a smaller show, and therefore they stood out more, but it seemed like there were more transparent LCD products at Digital Signage Expo than here. However, one I did notice was from Vewell. They did a nice job, like Planar has done, showing how these things could be applied as small units in higher end retail." via Sixteen:Nine

UDC and L-3 deliver ruggedized 4.3" AMOLED prototype to the US Air Force "Universal Display and L-3 Display Systems have delivered an unbreakable plastic-based knee-mounted AMOLED display system prototype to the US Air Force. The project aims to build an ejection-safe electronic flight bag system designed to replace the paper maps and checklists traditionally held on the pilot’s knee. The display (which uses UDC's PHOLED materials) is 4.3" in size and features 480x320 resolution on a plastic substrate system." via OLED-Info

Display Industry News Source 6.14.2012

Image via Sixteen:Nine

IAdea Debuts Signboard Kits For Digital Signage "The XDK-081 Signboard Kit is a versatile digital signage kit that includes a 8″ LCD panel and an IAdea SD media appliance board. By creatively combining the technology with application-specific enclosure, IAdea customers have developed unique and effective digital signage solutions." via Sixteen:Nine

iFixit Teardown: Retina MacBook Pro Will be Hard to Repair "There’s also the 220ppi Retina display itself, which is fused with the bezel, meaning that it would need to be replaced in its entirety if anything goes wrong. Add to that the fact that proprietary Flash memory is used in the Retina MacBook Pro, and you’ve got yourself a virtually irreparable $2,200 laptop that should only be fixed by Apple’s Genius Bar." via PCWorld

A New Record For LCD Resolution: 651 dpi "Japan Display, a consortium of Japanese TV giants, has developed a 2.3-diagonal-inch LCD panel (5.8 cm—a format usually found on cameras) with 1280 x 800 pixel resolution. That's a record 651 dpi (dots per inch, or pixels per inch). The screens available in phones today pale in comparison." via DigitalVersus

Samsung at SID 2012 "During a keynote presentation, it was clear that Samsung sees OLEDs as enabling a revolution in displays, which they call the "Display Transformer" - with thin, light, bright, efficient, flexible and transparent panels. They see the new "creative" displays increasing the total display market by 30% (from $160 billion to $210 billion). Samsung sees OLED TVs taking up 24% of the LCD TV market by 2018, this is an actually DispalySearch's forecast." via OLED-Info

Acer Debuts Iconia Tab A700 Tablet with Full HD 1080p Display "The Acer Iconia Tab A700’s full HD 1080p LED backlit display allows customers to enjoy a visually rich experience: 1080p videos and photos look more vibrant and realistic, and social media networks and online shopping will be enjoyed with more clarity and precision. Many of the most popular Android apps – such as 3D games, reading and digital media – already support 1080p, so they can be enjoyed in greater detail on the new Acer A700 tablet.

Ensuring an optimal viewing experience, the Acer A700’s display has a 16:10 aspect ratio, 800:1 contrast ratio and a wide 178 degree viewing angle. Plus, the display is a 10-point touch capacitive screen, so it delivers a remarkable degree of accuracy and responsiveness.

In addition, customers can share video stored on the Acer Iconia Tab A700 with other devices via the tablet’s built-in micro HDMI port. The new tablet also supports dual-displays, so customers can share videos and photos on an external display. Plus, the tablet can be used as a console to play the latest games on a TV." via AkihabaraNews