The Display Industry News Source 12.2.11

This is What I Want for Christmas - the EXODesk Touchscreen Monitor (Video Above) - via Blogote.com

2012 To Bring Higher Resolution and LED Backlights for Tablet PC Panels, says DisplaySearch - ""The TFT LCD industry is undergoing some extraordinary changes in regards to high resolution and LED backlights for tablet PC panels. Rapid growth in multimedia usage of tablet PCs is driving panel makers to upgrade the resolution of tablet PC panels," noted David Hsieh, vice president, Greater China Market, DisplaySearch. "At the same time, the rapidly growing LCD TV market in emerging countries is encouraging panel makers to develop 'fit spec' products, such as low-cost direct type LED-backlit panels, which have a similar structure to traditional CCFL models, but consume less power," Hsieh added." via DigiTimes

AUO Expects Prices of Some Large-Size Flat Panels to Bottom Out - "Prices of certain sizes of large-size LCD panels are likely to bottom out soon due to an influx of short lead-time orders, according to KY Lee, chairman of AU Optronics (AUO). However, Lee stated that the business outlook for the panel industry in 2012 remains unclear. Sales of LCD TVs during the 2011 Black Friday shopping weekend in North America were pretty much amazing, pushing up demand for flat panels, Lee noted, adding that prices of certain sizes of monitor and TV panels have been raised accordingly." via DigiTimes

Samsung Wants to Lead Large-Scale Touch Display Market with PixelSense Multitouch Displays - "Samsung isn’t just relying on Microsoft’s second-gen Surface SUR40 for sales of its in-pixel multitouch LCD panels: the company has begun mass production of the 40-inch display, and is eyeing other potential implementations of the 50-point multitouch system. What makes Samsung’s screen special is the PixelSense optical sensors, embedded in with the display itself, and capable of not only tracking multiple points of finger contact, but of capturing images of whatever objects are placed on top of it. Since putting things on top of displays normally ends in cracks and weeping, Samsung has outfitted this particular panel with a sheet of tempered glass that can withstand 80kg. However the expectation is that it will be used for eye-catching (and convenient) tricks like scanning documents placed on top or – since wall-mounting is an option – held against it." via SlashGear

Samsung Announces Production of 40-inch 'Optical Sensor in Pixel' LCD Panels - "The Optical Sensor in Pixel LCD panel detects reflected images of an object on the panel using Infrared sensors that are built into the panel. With optical sensor in each pixel of the panel, the new panel can much more accurately assess touch sensitivity compared to existing touch panels. Using next-generation image sensing technology, the Optical Sensor in Pixel panel can detect more than 50 touch points simultaneously and can display images with Full HD resolution and wide-angle viewing. All of the input functions of a keyboard, mouse or scanner can be carried out on the panel itself. The panel can be installed in a variety of applications including table top and wall-mounted types." via MarketWatch

The Display Industry News Source 11.29.11

Sony Personal 3D Viewer Headset with Two OLED Screens (Video Above) - via CNET

E-Ink Holdings Suspends Panel Production Agreement with LG Display, Switches to Rival - "Power struggles amid display manufacturers, as E Ink Holdings (EIH) apparently suspends its fringe-field switching (FFS) LCD panel production agreement with LG Display and instead shifts manufacture to rival CPT. FFS displays are a key rival to the IPS panels that LG Display and others supply Apple for the iPad, promising wide viewing angles among other benefits. In addition to ending the FFS production agreement, EIH will buy back bonds in its Hydis display subsidiary." via Digitimes and Slashgear

Apple Switches Component Sourcing From Korean Manufacturers to a Combination of Japanese Companies - "After months of fighting Court battles with arch rival Samsung, Apple appears to have switched large chunks of their component sourcing from Korean manufacturers LG and Samsung, to sourcing OEM components for their new iPhone and iPads from a combination of Japanese companies including Toshiba, Hitachi, Sharp and Sony. The move could strip billions from the revenues of the Korean companies who are set to compete head on with Apple in the smartphone, tablet, PC and in mid 2012 the TV market. Several sources have said that Sharp is currently building a new 55" Apple TV while other sources have said that two of the three companies forming the Japan Display alliance, Hitachi and Sony, were already producing both iPad 3 LCDs and four-inch LCDs for a "new iOS device."" via Smarthouse

Demand for LCD Panels for Vehicle Displays Grows - "While shipments of small- to medium-size LCD panels for handset applications will continue to make up the largest portion of global shipments of flat panels, vehicle displays are increasingly becoming a potential application for small- to medium-size flat panels, according to Digitimes Research. Demand for vehicle displays has continued to expand recently as more and more automakers in the US and Europe have rolled out vehicles with built-in navigation devices, said Digitimes Research. As a result, shipments of vehicle displays are expected to grow by a CAGR of 18.9% during the period from 2011-2014, said Digitimes Research, adding that shipments of high-end panels for the automotive OEM market are likely to post an even higher CAGR of 24.8% during the period." via Digitimes

iPad 3 Rumored to Have Retina Display based on In-Plane Switching - "He (CNET's Richard Shim) speculated this Retina Display will be based on LCD technology with in-plane switching (IPS) rather than AMOLED. A QXGA display has the same 4:3 aspect ratio the iPad which will allow for scaling up apps just like the Retina iPhone and iPod display did, allowing minimal intervention. Its wide screen 16:10 aspect ratio counterpart is called WQXGA, featuring a 2560-by-1600 pixel resolution of Apple’s 30-inch Cinema Display." via 9to5Mac

The Display Industry News Source 11.23.11

Turning Food Into Display Surfaces, Just in Time for Thanksgiving (Video Above) - via TechCrunch

Apple Choosing to Partner with Sharp and Integrate IGZO on Upcoming iPad 3 - "The adopted display tech is based on IGZO (indium, gallium, zinc) processes, which offer near-OLED power consumption, is cheaper to make and only 25 percent thicker than displays made using OLED technology. This technology depends on oxide-material-based thin-film transistors, which enables manufacturing advantages. The analyst has a host of interesting details on the new process, for example: "He believes that Apple and Sharp will jointly develop OLED panels for use in the iPhone and iPad within the next one to two years." He describes a new printing technology Sharp and Apple have that enables OLED to be printed onto a film that's later stuck to the glass, boosting display yields to a "tremendous" degree." via Computerworld.com

Japan Display Alliance Threatens Taiwanese Suppliers in Small and Medium-sized Companies - "Japan Display will utilize high value-added technologies of the major shareholders and establish new production lines by utilizing funds provided by INCJ, to meet market demand for high value-added products. And with efficient use of existing production capabilities of the shareholders, Japan Display aims to improve cost competitiveness to solidify its position as a globally leading company in the small- and medium-sized display market. The business will begin operation in the spring of 2012 once officially approved." via cens.com

Qualcomm's Mirasol to Challenge LCD and E-ink, Will Arrive in Next Few Months - "Most tablets and e-readers today use LCD or e-ink technology, but a new challenger that promises sharp color and reduced screen power consumption could be used in devices in a matter of months. The company is primarily focusing the screen technology on e-readers, but Mirasol displays have also been shown on tablets. "We have partners who are really excited about the kind of capabilities that Mirasol brings -- the ultra low power, sunlight visibility, the fact that we can do video on these things. So the devices are coming out, we're feeling good about where we're headed," Jacobs said. Displays are the biggest power hog on devices and Mirasol's low-power attribute is its biggest advantage, Jacobs said." via PC World

Taiwan Government to Visit AUO and CMI to Push Merger in TFT-LCD Sector - "The government's top economic planner said Friday she will visit AU Optronics Corp. (AUO) next week to see what incentives the government can offer to push for integration of the country's struggling flat panel display companies. Christina Liu, chairwoman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD), said she will travel to the central city of Taichung next Tuesday to meet with AUO Chairman K.Y. Lee to solicit his opinions on her proposal that the country's top two flat panel display makers merge or integrate to enhance their competitiveness in the fiercely competitive global TFT-LCD (thin film transistor liquid crystal display) market. Liu said she also planned to meet with senior executives of another domestic flat panel display giant, Chimei Innolux Corp., to better understand its views on her "integration" proposal. Major local flat panel display makers have been reeling from huge losses due to weak end-market demand, high royalty costs and cut-throat competition from foreign competitors." via Taiwan News

Microsoft Surface Now Taking Orders - "Microsoft, which has prospered via small systems like the PC, now hopes to chart a new course with its latest offering called the Microsoft Surface 2, a gigantic coffee-table sized device with built-in touchscreen capabilities. The list price: $8,900. The Samsung Electronics-developed version of the touch-screen table has begun taking pre-orders in 23 countries, with its release date pegged for "early 2012."" via International Business Times

The Display Industry News Source 11.18.11

Using Laser Plasma Technology to Produce Images Without the Constraint of a Screen (Video Above)- via diginfo.tv 

New Partnership Japan Display to Focus on Small/Medium AMOLED Displays - "The goal of JAPAN Display is to produce small/medium AMOLED Displays for the smartphone, handheld and tablet-pc market. These companies will invest close to USD 2.6 Billion. Toshiba Corp, Hitachi Ltd and Sony Corp would combine small and medium display businesses to create Japan Display and the Japanese government would provide the needed capital." via oled-display.net

Flat Panel TV Growth Rate Exceeds 9 Percent in Past Year - ""In contrast to slowing sales of flat panel TVs for at-home consumer enjoyment, monthly sell-through of FPDs designed specifically for commercial applications are up through the first three quarters of 2011, with sell-through 9 percent ahead of the same period last year,” noted Chris Connery, DisplaySearch Vice President of PC and Large Format Commercial Displays." via Sixteen:Nine

CMI Posts Strong Showing for October Shipment of Small/Medium Panels - "Chimei Innolux Corp., the largest thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panel manufacturer in Taiwan, registered consolidate revenue of NT$40.16 billion (US$1.34 billion) in October, down 3.2% month-on-month (MoM) and 1.3% year-on-year (YoY).  Thanks to strong demand for smartphone panels, the company`s shipments of small- and medium-sized panels rose 12.5% MoM to reach 43.08 million units, the second highest monthly record since November 2010. Chimei Innolux`s shipments of large-sized panels in October were 10.26 million units, down 11.4% MoM." via CENS.com 

Using Ambient Light to Reduce LCD Power Consumption by Over 90% - "Even as the processing power and download speeds of mobile devices surge, one component still lags behind: the screen. LCD panels use significantly more power than any other component of a phone or tablet because of their need to pump out bright light to form an image. The only practical alternative is e-ink, the technology used in the Amazon Kindle; it consumes orders of magnitude less power but sacrifices color and the ability to change images fast enough for video playback or smooth game play. Because the device’s screen uses ambient light, like a printed page or e-ink display, the power consumption is a tenth or less of that of a comparable LCD, although the display also features a built-in light for use in the dark." via Taiwan News

The Display Industry News Source 11.14.11

New Ultra High Definition TV to Have the Same Resolution as IMAX Screen (Video Above) - via Stumbleupon

Display Godzilla? Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi to Merge Display Businesses - "The deal has been in the making for months, but today Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi made the mega merger official. The three companies signed definitive agreements with the Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) to integrate their small- and medium-sized display businesses. Under the deal, semi-public INCJ will hold 70% of Japan Display, Inc., a new company that will run the operations. Sony, Toshiba, and Hitachi will control 10% each when Japan Display starts its business in spring 2012. Japan Display will issue US$2.6 billion in new shares to INCJ through a third-party allocation." via TechCrunch

Too Big to Fail? Government Support Results in Giant Flat-Panel Industry - "The government's policy to support flat-panel makers in Taiwan has resulted in a giant industry that is too big to fail, according to the country's banking sector. The government's ambition to position Taiwan as the world's biggest suppliers of TFT-LCD panels has resulted in the banking sector holding outstanding loans of NT$280 billion (US$9.26 billion) to flat panel makers AU Optronics Corp. and Chimei Innolux Corp. as of the end of last year, according to banking sector financial statements." via Focus Taiwan

Interactive GoBoards Becoming More Common Marriott Hotels - "Denver’s Four Winds Interactive has quietly built up a nice business with Courtyard by Marriott for the big GoBoard interactive displays you’ll find in the hotel chain’s lobbies. There are now GoBoards in almost 400 U.S. locations, and the latest version of the software driving the screens, announched today, adds some interesting new wrinkles. The 4.0 version uses Microsoft Tags, colorful 2D bar codes that are very similar to QR codes, but different in a few ways (such as QRs being open source). The tags are attached to all local information options on the GoBoard, allowing hotel guests to send directions for things like area restaurants and local malls directly to their smart phones." via Sixteen:Nine

Tesla's Futuristic Touch Screen Dashboard - "Tesla's screen resembles a large iPad or Android Tablet--it's hard to overstate how overwhelmingly ginormous it looks--and sits in between the driver and front passenger. It has a music player, a navigation system, hand-free calling, a rear-view camera, climate controls, and other features which you might expect. It also lets you check up on the status of your car's battery, and--as you can see in the photo above--it sports a full-blown Web browser. And Tesla says that it will allow third-party apps, too." via cNet

The Display Industry News Source 11.11.11

Nokia's Nanotechnolgy-Enabled Phone (Video Above) - via TechCrunch

Oversupply Leads to First Ever Year-to-Year Shipment Decline for TFT-LCD Industry - "Some 208 million TV panels are forecast to be shipped in 2011 from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and China, down 6% from about 220 million units in 2010, according to DisplaySearch, the display market research and consulting firm, realizing the first-ever year in global TFT-LCD industry to see year-on-year (YoY) shipment decline. Thanks to increasing demand from emerging markets, makers` new models and specifications, vendors` discount promotions in the year-end high season, and brand vendors` optimistic sales goals for 2012, however, DisplaySearch forecasts the global LCD TV market will begin to rebound the next year." via cens.com 

Small and Medium Size Panels Lead the Way in Q4 Production - "Most small- to medium-size flat panel production lines at Taiwan-based LCD panel makers are operating nearly at full capacity due to strong demand for small- and medium-size panels from the tablet PC, digital toy, e-book reader, smartphone and DSC sectors, according to industry sources. Taiwan-based flat panel makers Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT), HannStar Display and Giantplus Technology as well as Korea-based Hydis have been benefiting from the growing applications for small-to medium-size panels, indicated the sources." via DigiTimes

Major TV Manufacturers Scale Back Production Due to Popularity Surge in Smartphones and Tablets- "With Sony and Panasonic releasing statements that they both plan on cutting their flat screen panel production by 50%, investors are worried that this move is too little, too late. Japan has been taking the right steps by cutting costs and moving production lines, but weak growth in the US market has been hurting their sales for years. The recent mega-quake and its tsunami has also thwarted production." via ShopJimmy.com

Taiwan-Japan Alliance Taking Shape in TFT-LCD Industry to Counter South Korean Competition? - "Japan-based home appliance giant Panasonic Corp. has for the first time placed flat panel and outsourcing orders with Taiwanese TFT-LCD (thin film transistor liquid crystal display) manufacturers, major local business dailies reported Wednesday. Panasonic's flat panel orders for two Taiwanese LCD makers -- Chimei Innolux and AU Optronics -- reached 43 percent of its projected demand for flat panels, media reports said. Other Japanese consumer electronics companies, such as Sony, Sharp and Toshiba, have also increased their flat panel and outsourcing orders with major Taiwanese makers, according to the reports. Citing market analysts, the reports said the Japanese companies' move indicates that a Taiwan-Japan alliance is taking shape to cope with keen competition from their South Korean counterparts." via Taiwan News

The Display Industry News Source 11.8.11

Microsoft's Time-Lapse Build of their 6-Story Windows Phone (Video Above) - We are excited to witness this gigantic display as we travel to CETW 2011 in NYC tomorrow. Hope to see some of you there!

Sony Set to Debut Wi-Fi Touch Screen Photo Frame - "The W700, available in black and white, features a 7-inch touch-screen 800x480 LCD (16:9, WVGA) with LED backlighting and flick and click navigation. Compatible content include a variety of media like the usual MPEG variants and raw AVCHD files. Internal memory is fair at 1GB, but there is support for MS Pro/Duo, SD/SDHC/SDXC storage cards, and Mini-A and Mini-B USB port for thumb drive or computer connections. Included Wi-Fi support is impressive with the full range over 802.11b/g/n and networking capability." via cnet 

Chimei to Invest $8 Billion on Plant in Brazil - "Chimei Innolux Corp, the nation’s biggest LCD panel maker, yesterday said it was evaluating the possibility of operating an LCD plant in Brazil, responding to speculation that the company would follow major shareholder Hon Hai Precision Industry Co’s decision to build a plant there.In June, Hon Hai said it planned to invest US$12 billion on a production line in Brazil to make tablet devices over the next five years and it also planned to build a component supply chain in the Latin American nation to tap into fast-emerging markets." via Taipei Times

Apple Ponders Backlight Options for Next iPad - "Operating on the assumption that Apple is actively pursing a Retina Display for the next Apple iPad tablet the rumor mill is reporting that Apple will introduce a new LED backlight design with the next iPad tablet. Apperantly the current single LED back-light design used in the 1024×768 resolution iPad 1 and iPad 2 isn’t sufficent for the 2048×1536 resolution display that’s reportedly being used on the next-gen. Apple iPad tablet." via Tablets-Planet

Using Multiple Layers and More Lenses to Create a Higher Sense of Depth Perception - "It forms images of objects at the front toward the front, and objects at the back toward the back. When objects at the front are in focus, those at the back are blurred, and when you're looking at the objects at the back, those in front are blurred. So a feature of this display is that it reproduces focal depth. The resolution in the current prototype stands at just 200×200, but another cool feature is that it allows you to view pictures in 3D not only when you move your head horizontally, but also when you move it vertically." via TechCrunch

The Display Industry News Source 11.4.11

The Next Smartphone Trend? Bendable Screens With Flexible OLED ePaper (Video Above) - via Technology Review by MIT 

Glowing E-Reader Screen Becoming Trendy - "The eBook Reader points out a newish technology being pitched as the next step in passive displays. Flex Lighting makes an extremely thin layer (0.05mm thick) that allows light from hidden LEDs to be distributed evenly over its whole surface. The light is directed towards the screen itself, it seems, which is certainly necessary for a reflective-type display. It only needs one or two LEDs, so battery draw is minimal, and the extreme thinness and flexibility make it work in practically any display stack." via TechCrunch

New Visa Credit Card Has LCD Screen (but I'd rather have a lower APR) - "The CodeSure card can be used as a regular Visa debit, credit or pre-payment card. In addition to the display, it comes with a numeric keypad and a battery that is supposed to last up to three years. After testing over the past year, the card is now commercially available in Europe. Visa says that the card "can also be used for services like eBanking, telephone banking, transactions signing and access to third party services." It can offer messages in non-Roman alphabets too, should that be an issue. Similar to an encrypted key fob, it provides a one-time PIN number that is used during the transaction to verify the owner's identity. This is done via the numeric keypad. Issuing banks can use this card to verify that they are indeed talking to their customers and not someone who has stolen their card." via Readwriteweb 

Touch Technology in Clothes or Coffee Tables? New Stretch Material Can Make it Happen - "The new touch technology relies on something called time domain reflectometry, or TDR, which has been used for decades to find damage in underwater cables. TDR is simple in theory: send a short electrical pulse down a cable and wait until a reflection of the pulse comes back. Based on the known speed of the pulse and the time it takes to come back, software can determine the position of the problem—damage in the line or some sort of change in electrical conductance." via Technology Review by MIT

The Pros and Cons of OLED Displays and Apple's New Energy-Efficient Hybrid - "According to Apple, the relative power inefficiency in displaying white spaces using an OLED display may be particularly problematic in certain contexts. For example, certain applications, such as word processing, spreadsheet design and use, database design and use, e-mail, and other business or productivity applications, typically utilize dark or black alphanumeric characters on a white background, such as to simulate writing or printing on a sheet of paper. As a result, these applications may cause the display of large expanses of white background with relatively little area devoted to the non-white alphanumeric characters. Such applications, therefore, may make the use of traditional OLED displays unsuitable or undesirably power intensive for battery powered and/or portable electronic devices, such as handheld devices." via Patently Apple

The Display Industry News Source 11.1.11

A Look at Mitsubishi's PMOLED Display from CEATEC-2011 (Video Above)- via OLED-DISPLAY.NET

South Korea Levies Heavy Fines on Prominent LCD Manufacturers for Price Fixing - "South Korea's competition watchdog has fined 10 LCD makers a total of 195 billion won ($176 million) for allegedly holding secret meetings to keep the prices for flat screen displays artificially high. The 10 companies, which collectively held 80 percent market share for LCD screens, held more than 200 secret "crystal meetings" between 2001 and 2006, according to an investigator for the Fair Trade Commission in Seoul. He said prices should have fallen naturally over time. The companies are Samsung Japan, Samsung Electronics, Samsung Electronics Taiwan, LG Display, LG Display Taiwan, LG Display Japan, AU Optronics, Chimei Innolux Display, Chungwha Picture Tubes and HannStar Display." via PCWorld

Using Electrical Charges to Enhance Sensory Experience on Smooth Touch Surface - "Called electrovibration, the technique uses electrical charges to simulate the feeling of localized vibration and friction, providing touch-screen textures that are impossible to simulate using mechanical actuators. The touch panel is made of transparent electrodes on a glass plate coated with an insulating layer. By applying a periodic voltage to the electrodes via connections used for sensing a finger's position on the screen, the researchers were able to effectively induce a charge in a finger dragged along the surface. By changing the amplitude and frequency of the applied voltage, the surface can be made to feel as though it is bumpy, rough, sticky, or vibrating. The major difference is the specially designed control circuit that produces the sensations." via MIT Technology Review

Samsung to Debut Flexible Displays in Early 2012 - "Samsung, on its recent earnings conference call, disclosed its plans to bring out flexible displays, starting with smartphone handsets, but eventually working their way up to tablets and other items. Samsung’s technology is said to revolve around pixels that make their own light, rather than using a backlight, which allows for added flexibility." via TFTS

15-Inch LCD for Upcoming MacBook Pro? - "According to Macotakara.jp, Apple has finished work on test units of a 15-inch LCD for an upcoming ultra-thin laptop from Apple. The report calls the new machine a 15-inch MacBook Air, but in all likelihood it’s a thinner 15-inch MacBook Pro. The report also says that this new MacBook Pro will lose the optical drive, which seems like the direction Apple is heading towards." via 9to5mac.com

The Display Industry News Source 10.28.11

New Video by Microsoft Showcases Futuristic Integration of Mobile Devices, Touchscreens and Our Daily Lives (Video Above) - via MobileBeat

Touch Tablet Technology is the Hot New Dish for Restaurant Industry - "It is hard to deny the growing interest in tablet technology in today's foodservice industry. Savvy operators will turn the trendy technology into a management tool that allows them to better understand which menu items are moving, enhance and monitor guest experiences, how to better deploy labor and more. While tablet readers first gained momentum in the nightlife and bar industry, this tableside ordering technology has since moved into the foodservice realm. Technology companies report successes particularly among the casual dining sector and see potential in the college and university segment." via FES Magazine

SMK Unveils New Capacitive Touchscreen That Works With Gloved Hands - "SMK's (screens) are specifically designed for dash panel systems in cars. With more and more functions being centralized there, access at any time is important and many people wear gloves while they drive. Resistive screens avoid this problem but lose out on sensitivity in general. This new screen, which will first appear in 6.5" versions but can be made larger, might be the best of both worlds." via TechCrunch

Pixtronix and CMI Team-Up to Develop 5" Diagonal MEMS Display Prototype - "The new 5-inch diagonal displays offer the lowest power consumption at the best image quality for all applications, achieving over 135% NTSC color gamut, greater than 170 degree view angles, more than 3000:1 contrast ratio and 24-bit color depth, all at a 75% average power reduction versus LCD displays." via MarketWatch

Panasonic to Focus on Smaller LCD Panels due to Low Demand for TV's - "According to Nikkei, domestic demand for TV's plunged after the termination of government subsidies for energy-efficient home appliances, pushing down the price of large LCD panels. Panasonic plans to gradually increase production of tablet-sized LCD panels to half the output at its plant in Hyogo Prefecture. The company will shift its focus from TV LCD panel operations to 50" and larger panels, which have healthier margins." via Reuters

The Display Industry News Source 10.25.11

A Simple Drop Test Comparison Between the iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy S II by the Crew at SquareTrade (Video Above) via Sammy Hub

Tablets Overtake Notebooks in Total Shipments for First Time Ever this Quarter - "ABI Research says there were 13.6 million tablets shipped this quarter, compared to 7.3 million netbooks. Apple's iPad represented 68 percent of the tablet shipments in the second quarter of the year, ABI says. "Netbooks had previously led the way" with 8.4 million shipments in the first quarter of the year, compared to 6.4 million tablets, ABI said. "This is a trend that we do not expect will reverse," said Jeff Orr, ABI Research group director, mobile devices, said in a statement." via Technolog on msnbc.com

Toshiba Unveils Impressive Hi-Res Tablet Display - Toshiba recently revealed a 6.1 inch panel with a pixel density of 498 pixels per inch, crediting it's creation to the company's work in the development of LTPS TEchnology (Low Temperature Polysilicon). "The Toshiba panel has a resolution of 2560 x 1600 and a 1000:1 contrast ratio. It can show 16.7m different colours. With the viewing angle at 176° in both directions, the display would seem perfect for deployment in a tablet." via RegHardware

ITRI Introduces i2R e-paper in Hopes of Reducing Worldwide Paper Consumption - "The i2R e-Paper uses a flexible cholesteric liquid crystal panel to store and transmit images. This display technology uses ambient light from its surroundings to display images, and therefore does not require a light source of its own, unlike a traditional LCD screen. Because it uses preexisting light, it does not require power consumption to display images. The addition of different pitch spherical composite ion-exchangers allows the cholesteric liquid crystal to display different colors, namely red, blue and green. The cholesteric liquid crystal display is completely recyclable and needs only heat to hold its 300 dpi images." via Earth Techling

AUO Posts Worse Than Expected Quarterly Loss, Doesn't Foresee Speedy Recovery Soon - "The company also further slashed its capital spending this year to T$60 billion from a previous forecast of T$70 billion in July and T$95 billion seen at the beginning of the year. It plans spending of no more than $40 billion in 2012, to cut costs. Panel makers are struggling with falling prices due to weakening demand for demand for TVs, desktop monitors and notebook PCs in top markets. South Korean flat-screen maker LG Display, the second largest LCD maker, posted its biggest quarterly loss last Thursday as tepid demand for televisions and computers hit panel prices and one-off losses weighed." via Reuters

The Display Industry News Source 10.21.11

New Technology Uses Microphone and Touchscreen to Distinguish between Different Types of Taps (Video Above)- via TechCrunch

Apple Fielding Complaints over iPhone 4S Screen Tint - New owners of the iPhone 4S are noticing that the screens are more yellow than before, causing unhappiness and anger. And because it is a "display difference that is uniform across the board, this appears to be a different type of issue than those seen previously with iPhones of the past." via MSNBC.com Technolog

What's Next for Display Technology? The Latest from IMID 2011 and the Korean Electronics Show - "The LCD enterprise division of Samsung Electronics showcased a new technology, dubbed 'Premium LCDs' and The next generation display. They showed for the first time, their 17.3 inch no-glasses typed 3D notebook panel which detects the viewer's eye movement to help provide the best 3D definition. The product's mechanism is simple; by attaching a 120 Hz liquid crystal barrier to the front of the LCD panel, the viewer can enjoy full HD 3D videos with no glasses and no loss of resolution. Also by using the new "Eye Tracking" technology, they solved the flaw of the original no-glasses typed 3D panels which was to maintain a certain distance in order to enjoy 3D videos." via IT Times (Korea)

LG to Reconsider New Investment Plans due to Downturn in Market - "LG Display, the world's largest LCD manufacturer, said on Thursday it will reconsider all of its new investment plans, including the construction of a manufacturing plant in China. A sharp decline in LCD prices caused the company to suffer an operating loss of W492.1 billion (US$1=W1,145) in the third quarter, marking the fourth-consecutive quarterly loss. Jeong Ho-young, vice president and chief financial officer at LG Display, said during a briefing in front of investors, "As we have been experiencing a poor earnings performance, we will think over all of our investment plans and we don't plan to make any new LCD investments from the first half of next year."" via The Chosunilbo

NEC Debuts Transparent Head-Mounted Display - "The Tele Scouter, which NEC calls a "Wearable Computer," is sized at 75x40x35mm and weighs 64g. Powered by a Windows Embedded CE 6.0-equipped (portable) terminal, it produces pictures in 800 x 600 resolution that can be superimposed onto the real world. NEC says that when worn, the Tele Scouter creates the impression of a 16-inch screen that's about one meter away from the user's eyes." via TechCrunch

The Display Industry News Source 10.18.11

Now You Can Turn Any Surface Into a Touchscreen (VIDEO ABOVE)- A joint venture by Microsoft and the folks at Carnegie Mellon Human Computer Interaction Institute called OmniTouch uses a picoprojector and a 3D scanner to allow users to display on any surface with multi-touch capabilities. via TechCrunch

How Global Screen Culture will Affect Us - "If you're wary of the idea that new types of screens can change our behavior, think again. Have you noticed your children pressing shapes on static posters, thinking they can move them as they do on a tablet computer? Have you ever tried to swipe your finger across a TV or another, non-touch-screen gadget's display not long after using a smart phone's tactile commands? The answer is likely yes. These are two good examples of how quickly our perception of what things can do shifts. As touch-screens have become more popular, they have retrained how we interact with images we see on many surfaces." via The Atlantic 

Visa Introduces Credit Cards Integrated with Key Pads and LCD Screens - "Visa has improved credit cards with a built-in keypad and LCD screen for two-factor authentication. Adding electronics into the new CodeSure cards, without significantly increasing the thickness of the card, offers a convenient, cheaper alternative. A small LCD window allows the user to switch the device between several modes and also displays the passcodes generated." via eWeek Europe 

Integrating Display Technology with Wind Turbines - Well known Segway inventor Dean Kamen has applied for a patent for an inflatable wind turbine that will have "embedded LED's running on wind power that could light up to display text or an image. The inflatable turbines, Kamen said, “might be a neat opportunity to put a little visibility on wind turbines, supply a little bit of power” and provide energy-efficient, outdoor advertising opportunities." via The Union Leader

The Newest Trend is a Narrow Bezel - "LG Display, today announced that it has developed a 55-inch panel for public displays equipped with the world’s narrowest bezel. The new public display panel comes with the narrowest bezel that creates a 5.3 mm gap (left/right: 3.4 mm, top/bottom: 1.9 mm) between individual panels when displayed alongside each other. This makes it possible to create a large 165-inch multi-screen public display capable of producing seamless, life-like images. In addition, the narrow bezel enables a more visible surface area, improving the viewing effect and visual cohesion most critical to a multi-screen display." via OLED-Display.Net

The Display Industry News Source 10.14.11

iPhone 4S Teardown By iFixit via iFixit

MultiTouch Ltd. Introduces Largest Multi-User Multitouch Display - "MultiTaction builds on MultiTouch's patented optical imaging technology Computer Vision Through Screen for multitouch displays, and provides the world's most advanced set of touch, gesture and object recognition capabilities. The MultiTaction Cell 55" is a Full HD display that is four inches deep on the sides and eight inches deep in the middle, can accommodate unlimited number of touch points and an unlimited number of concurrent users with full hand recognition." via MarketWatch

Cadillac is Taking it's Touch Screen Capability and Performance to Next Level - "General Motors Co.'s luxury brand will unveil its new interactive console today with iPad-like touch screens, fewer buttons and advanced voice recognition. The new in-car technology, dubbed CUE, will enable drivers to pair up to 10 Bluetooth-enable devices — such as smartphones and MP3 players — with the car's onboard infotainment system and call up contents by either speaking aloud or using the icons on the eight-inch LCD touch screen. "For the tech-savvy, it's everything you want it to be: a full suite of infotainment, navigation and communication tools that keeps you fully connected," said Don Butler, Cadillac's vice president of marketing." via The Detroit News

Stanford Students Create Touchscreen Braille Writer During Summer Course - In a two-month summer course on high-performance computing, promising undergrads compete to create innovative applications. This summer's winner developed a touchscreen Braille writer that stands to revolutionize how the blind negotiate an unseen world by replacing devices costing up to 10 times more. via The Stanford University News

New Warplanning Tablet bring Shock and Awe - The AAI Corporation is introducing a two by three foot tablet designed for the battlefield. Taking the place of maps and printed coordinates, the multi-functional touchscreen tablet will enable Commanders to contain all aspects of information in one centralized location. "It's an intelligence and operations convergence." said Chris Ellsworth of AAI. via WIRED 

The Display Industry News Source 10.12.11

Kyocera debuts "New Sensation Touch Panel" at CEATEC Japan 2011 - "Kyocera Corp developed a touch panel that gives the user a feeling of pressing a button and exhibited it at CEATEC Japan 2011." Kyocera "prototyped a device like a smartphone by using the new touch panel and demonstrated that it is possible to input characters and use a Web browser with the device. The new touch panel gives feelings of clicking a button, pressing a soft, mechanical button, half-pressing and then completely pressing down a shutter button, etc. Also, it is possible to make the user feel as if there are buttons on the touch panel when the user is stroking the panel with a finger." via TechOn!

The Latest on Digital Scribing Technology - A great article discussing the latest Digital Scribing Technology from the Pogo Sketch (thinkgeek.com) to the Bamboo Stylus (Wacom) and the PhatPad (iPad App). The new technology is opening more doors to help bring touchscreens to everyday applications and allow manufacturers to lower production costs. via The Sydney Morning Herald

ITRI Introduces Eco-Friendly Polarizer Protective Film for LCD's - ITRI introduces "HyTAC(TM), the world's first environmentally friendly polarizer protective film for LCD displays used in consumer electronics. The breakthrough materials and production processes used in the development of HyTAC(TM) will make the production of LCD displays 50 percent more eco-friendly, improve performance in LCD transparency and stability, and provide a safer manufacturing environment for employees while reducing production costs." via Marketwire

LG Unveils 47" Lower Power LCD TV Panel - "LG Display said Saturday that it has developed a 47-inch 1080p LCD TV panel that consumes less electricity than other over 40-inch TVs or even PC monitors measuring more than 20 inches. The new panel is said to "achieve the world's lowest power consumption rate among large LCD panels by dramatically reducing the number of LED lamps used while maintaining a high level of brightness."" via TWICE

Two Leading Panel Makers Report Decline in Sales for September - "Chimei Innolux Corp. and AU Optronics Corp. (AUO), two of Taiwan's leading flat panel makers, reported a decline in sales for September due to falling product prices. Chimei Innolux said Friday it posted NT$41.47 billion (US$1.36 billion) in consolidated sales for September, down 1.3 percent from August and also down 9.1 percent from a year earlier.According to DisplaySearch, a market advisory firm, prices of liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors and panels for notebook computers remained flat in early October, but TV screens faced downward pressure in pricing. DisplaySearch said flat panel makers have been selling products at prices below production costs and such pressure is mounting amid a supply glut." via Taiwan News

The Display Industry News Source 10.7.11

Tributes to Steve Jobs Pour In - We would be remiss if we didn't mention the passing of the legendary Apple co-founder this week. He was a true innovator in his field, and had a tremendous impact on the Display Industry. TechCrunch has a great post sourcing tributes from all over. via TechCrunch

Pixel Density for Displays Expected to Grow - "Increasing demand for high information content and multimedia capability in mobile devices continues to drive flat panel display resolution to higher levels of pixel density. With panel makers developing ultra-high resolutions, such as 4K × 2K for TVs and QXGA (2048 × 1536 pixels) for tablet PCs, the average pixel density of flat panel displays is expected to grow over the next few years." via ECNMag

Apple Suppliers Expect to see Shipment Boost - "Apple's suppliers are expected to benefit from the newly launched iPhone 4S and an 8G version of iPhone 4, with global shipments of the overall iPhone products likely to exceed 100 million units in 2012, according to industry sources." via Digitimes

Samsung Profits Exceed Expectations - Samsung, the 2nd largest producer of LCD panels for mobile phones, posted forecast-beating profits due to high global demand for mobile devices. Although sales for LCD panels are expected to be down, the huge demand for mobile devices offset the slump. via Korea Times

Pandigital Expands Android Tablet Line with SuperNova - "Pandigital today expanded its new line of Android(TM) media tablets with the Pandigital SuperNova. The SuperNova is the flagship product in a new line of Android tablets from Pandigital. It features an 8-inch capacitive touchscreen, advanced processor, Adobe(R) Flash(R), HDMI-out, built-in Bluetooth, front- and rear-facing cameras, and many more features and capabilities for the consumer." via MarketWatch

The Display Industry News Source 10.4.11

Sony at Cutting Edge of Medical Monitor Technology - "The Sony LMD-2451MT is at the cutting edge of medical monitor technology, with its micropolarisation filter and passive glass technology. It reproduces images clearly, smoothly, and reliably.  3D technology represents a major breakthrough in medical precision and development. Sony’s new LMD-2451MT 3D monitor enables surgeons to gain detailed insights and spatial orientation by means of clear 3D images during complicated operation." via 3droundabout.com

Amazon Ready to Take a Slice of Apple’s Tablet Marketshare - “Is the Kindle Fire actually that good a device? Not really. If it was a standard Android tablet the technorati would have scoffed at it instantly. A 7” LCD screen, 1 GHz processor, 512 Mb RAM, 8 Gb storage and no 3G, camera or microphone put it at the lower end of the spectrum, that’s before you consider it’s running the smartphone-centric Android Gingerbread 2.3 operating system – a full generation behind 3.1 Honeycomb not standard on would-be iPad killers" via TechCentral.ie

Cypress Leading the Way in Solving Display Noise - "Cypress has announced its fourth generation of touch screen controllers, claiming it will allow touch screen electrodes to be deposited directly onto LCDs without the need for noise suppression by air gap or electrostatic shield. Further claims are that the screen will work dripping wet, or when the handheld is connected to noisy chargers." via Electonics Weekly

China Makes Over 70% of products with Large-Size Panels - "China has emerged as the world's third biggest supplier of large-size TFT LCD panels, with over 70% of the end products in the four major large-size panel applications being made in the country. Tablet devices have joined LCD TVs, monitors and notebooks (including netbooks) to become the fourth biggest applications for large-size panels. China’s low-cost labor and government incentives have attracted many manufacturers of LCD TVs, monitors, notebooks and tablet devices to set up production bases in the country." via Digitimes.com

Touch Screens to Signal the End of Keyboards? - "A recent report suggests that by 2015, half of all computers purchased for children will implement touch screen rather than keyboard. Touch screens will, therefore, be as familiar to the next generation of computer users, as keyboards are for today’s computer users. With an increase in use of touch screens in computing, some people are predicting an end to the traditional keyboard." via Armagard

The Display Industry News Source 9.7.2011

Perceptive Pixel demos 82" multi-touch display powered by NVIDIA Quadro at SIGGRAPH 2011.

A Brief Look at Screen Resolutions "In comparison to the fixed-​​versus-​​fluid debate, the argument about designing for particular screen resolutions has been quite tame these past few years. When designers say that a site is designed, or optimized, for a particular screen resolution, they’re actually talking about the resolution of the viewer’s monitor. In the past, the screen resolution debate was focused on whether our designs should still accommodate monitor resolutions of 800×600 without displaying a horizontal scrollbar." via DesignFestival

3D: FPR vs. Active Shutter "All currently available 3D displays take 3D imaging and visualization and try to apply it to our eyes, instead of on the object itself. Our eyes and our brain were designed to perceive three dimensional objects. That’s why we have two eyes: one on the left and the other on the right. The three dimensional object is viewed from slightly different angles. The difference between what the left eye sees from what the right eye sees is called parallax. The brain combines the two different visual information and the parallax between them to see three dimensionally." via DisplayBlog

Apple begins shipping 27″ Thunderbolt displays "According to MacRumors, the Apple 27″ Thunderbolt Display is now shipping to stores. So what, you might ask, a new display is shipping. Big deal. Well, in this case it is much more than just another great looking Apple display. It has something new that no other display has, the Thunderbolt port." via macgasm

Motorola Droid Bionic "The Motorola Droid Bionic sports a 4.3-inch 960×540 LCD with a PenTile Matrix 2×2 sub-pixel structure. Photos and videos look very good on a PenTile Matrix display, but where it falls short is text. The iPhone 4 has a RGB-stripe 960×640 LCD." via DisplayBlog

The Display Industry News Source 9.6.2011

The Advantages of ‘Off the Shelf’ Touchscreen Kiosks "‘Off the Shelf’ Touchscreen Kiosks are more cost effective. ‘Off the Shelf’ Touchscreen Kiosks are usually held in stock and so the manufacturer has a batch of these touchscreen kiosks made, which reduces his costs and he passes some of these savings onto the customer, making an ‘Off the Shelf’ Touchscreen Kiosk a cheaper option." via touchscreenkiosks4business

Sharp demos the first 8K4K display "The new mega resolution of 7680 x 4320 is still not in use obviously (not even in theaters!), but test broadcasting is scheduled to the begin in early of 2020. This “little” friend is made with around 33 million pixels and from what we can see, it packs a huge quality!" via akihabaranews

Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook "Now the bad part: the 13.3-inch LCD on the S3 sports a 1366×768 pixel format. Right here, the S3 fails to meet the standard set by the 13.3-inch MacBook Air, which packs 1440×900 pixels." via DisplayBlog

CPT, HannStar post losses in 1H11 "CPT's shipments to the notebook, e-paper backplane, and smartphone segments are expected to grow with the coming of the peak season in second-half 2011." via DigiTimesDisplays

Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi want to produce small-medium sized OLED Displays "Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi plans to ramp up a new company which has to develop and produce small to medium sized OLED Displays for the smartphone and tablet-pc market. Sony set their focus to larger OLED Displays. Sony sell at the moment a 17 and 24 inch monitor for the broadcast market.Sony actively provide technical support for the OLED display business of the new company. via OLED-Display

Hot, Flat, And Widescreen: The Rise Of The Minitabs "Consumers, too, are looking for something new. The 10-inch tablet is boring and, more important (at least according to Apple) a patent violation. What better way to keep tab-like gadgets in the pipeline than to smoosh them down?" via TechCrunch

The Display Industry News Source 8.31.2011

LG Display cuts capex; tablet boom hits LCD TVs "Flat-screen maker LG Display will slash next year's capital spending by a quarter as booming sales of mobile devices from iPads to Android smartphones saps demand for TV panels, its main source of earnings." via Reuters

Taiwan wants to establish an AMOLED R&D alliance "Taiwan's government wants to establish an AMOLED R&D alliance, to help local companies compete with AMOLED leader Samsung. Currently it is reported that AU Optronics (AUO) has volunteered for the plan and are in talks with smartphone and PC makers HTC, Acer and Asustek to form the alliance. It's not clear whether other Taiwanese OLED makers (such as Chimei Innolux) will join too." via OLED-Info

Sony, Hitachi And Toshiba Make Their LCD Business Merger Official "As reported, the semi-public organization will control 70% of the venture (to be set up by the end of the year), with the other partners holding a 10% stake each. Tentatively named “Japan Display”, the venture will launch with a cool US$2.6 billion investment and instantly control 21.5% of the world market for small and medium-sized LCDs." via TechCrunch

Samsung GT-I9220 with Super-Amoled-HD is real "The Samsung GT-I9220 with a 4.3 inch Super-Amoled-HD Display is real. At the Wi-Fi certified website we found a registration about this new smartphone from Samsung. The Super-Amoled-HD Display has 326ppi and a resolution of 1280×720 pixels." via OLED-Display

3D LCD Panel Shipments Grow in Second Quarter "Note these are 3D LCD panels shipping into the supply channel. The question then becomes: is the increase in 3D LCD panel shipments the result of end user market demand for 3D TVs? Or it is simply a supply side push based on wishful thinking? I’m betting it’s the later." via DisplayBlog