display alliance news 9.1.2010

LG Rolling Out New Smart TVs At IFA.
There is a war being waged by TV makers. A war against set-top boxes. See, TV makers like LG and Sony don’t want you going off and buying a Roku, or iTV, or what have you. So over the last couple years, they keep adding features to their TVs — apps, internet, weather, that kind of thing. LG’s latest, which it will be showing at IFA this next week, doesn’t look terribly different from the stuff we’ve seen from others, but the new control scheme might be fun. Read more at crunchgear.

To Win Over Users, Gadgets Have to Be Touchable.
Scientists and academics who study how we interact with technology say people often try to import those behaviors into their lives, as anyone who has ever wished they could lower the volume on a loud conversation or Google their brain for an answer knows well. But they say touching screens has seeped into people’s day-to-day existence more quickly and completely than other technological behaviors because it is so natural, intimate and intuitive. Read  the full article at nytimes.  

Zoom gets new backing for expanding digital footprint.
Dallas-based ORIX Venture Finance has provided what it calls debt financing – no numbers stated – to Zoom Media Group Inc. to let that Montreal media company expand its footprint and services in the US and Canada, particularly as it relates to digital displays. Zoom has been one of the most aggressive firms in the sector in expanding its digital presence directly and by acquiring other firms that fir the model. The company started putting posters in restaurants and bars in Montreal and Toronto, but now has a large US operation and has grown very active in the fitness club sector. Read dave Haynes full article at Sixteen:Nine.

Flextronics provides pay hike in southern China.
Singapore-based EMS provider Flextronics International has raised basic wages for employees at its production base in Zhuhai, southern China, from an average of 960 yuan (US$141) to 1,100, the same as paid in Shenzhen, where wage levels are the highest in southern China, according to Flextronics China vice president Fu Jun. The raise is expected to increase Flextronics' overall costs by about 2-5%, Fu pointed out. Sourced from digitimes.

CPT to adjust 70% capacity at 4.5G for touch panel production.
Taiwan-based TFT-LCD panel maker Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT) will adjust 70% of the production capacity at its 4.5G line in northern Taiwan for producing touch sensors for projected capacitive touch panels, according to the company. Monthly shipments of touch senors are expected to increase to over three million units in the second half of 2010 from two million units currently, CPT noted. Read more at digitimes.

Seiko Epson Rolls Reflective High-temperature Polysilicon TFT LCD panel.
The LCD panel, which is targeted at the display elements of projectors, has a screen size of 0.74 inches and a pixel count of 1,920 x 1,080 (full HD). Seiko Epson has been mass-producing transmissive high-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD panels and has already shipped 60 million units. This time, the company started the volume production of a reflective high-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD panel for the first time in the world, it said. Read more at techon.

WSJ: Panasonic Says US Flat-Panel TV Sales Slowing.
OSAKA (Dow Jones)--Panasonic Corp.(6752.TO) said Tuesday it is seeing a sharp slowdown in U.S. flat-panel television sales, while also noting weak demand in both Europe and China, echoing a similarly bearish assessment of the market from rival Sony Corp. (6758.TO). Read more at wsjonline.

Think You’re Smarty Pants? Look Around, Get Smarter!
Mike Cearley of 11th Screen talks about what makes a company great. He says, Identify as many smart people around you, friends and/or co-workers, and talk to them.  Build a relationship with them.  Learn from them.  Smart people make smart people smarter.  And as I’ve said, before I yearn to learn.  It’s just amazing how much knowledge is usually right in front of us, in the places and the people we see on a regular basis.  Embrace it.  Learn from them.  Get smarter. Read more at 11thscreen.

About Chris Sava

display alliance news 8.31.2010

ViewSonic ViewPad 7: The Android 2.2 Tablet That Thinks It’s A Phone.
Nicholas Deleon  of crunchgear talks about Viewsonics new tablet. He says, there’s sure to be a deluge of tablets coming out of this year’s IFA show in Berlin. I know I’ve written about the Samsung Galaxy approximately 8,000 times in the past few weeks! So, here’s another: the Viewsonic ViewPad 7. She’s an Android-based tablet, as so many are these days, and she had a 7-inch, 800-480 display. Why are these things popular again? Read Nicholas’ full article on crunchgear.

On the Tech Front: LG.
Ryan from ShopJimmy’s Blog tells us, it’s been awhile since I’ve covered developments in TV technology and manufacturing — mainly because I became weary of all the 3D clamor and giant blue creatures — but LG just announced the release of two new prototypes worth noting. The first is an 180-inch(!) plasma prototype. It would be the world’s largest plasma TV. LG didn’t divulge many details in their PR about the TV, but don’t clear an entire wall in your house for this monster anytime soon. Read more at shopjimmy.

China Electronics Export Market Down in June, Except for PCs.
China’s mobile handset and LCD-TV exports declined unexpectedly in June, as the handsets were negatively impacted by a government investigation and the televisions took a hit due to weak demand and rising inventory, according to China market research company iSuppli Corp. Exports of mobile handsets in June amounted to 59.5 million units, down 1 percent from 60 million in May. Meanwhile, total LCD-TV export shipments fell by 3 percent, declining to 4.3 million units, down from 4.4 million the previous month. Channel inventory in June rose compared to May because of weaker-than-expected sales. Read more at isuppli.

AUO hiking LED backlight proportion for notebook, monitor panels.
AU Optronics (AUO) is increasing its applications of LED backlights for its TFT-LCD panels used in notebooks and LCD monitors, with the LED backlight proportion for the former to be increased from 98% currently to 100% at the end of 2010 and the latter from 25% in the second quarter of 2010 to 100% in 2013, according to the company. Read more at digitimes.

Ideal Outdoor Display Areas.
Using outdoor TV screens brings real benefits to many businesses. Whatever message or information that you want to get across – more people will see it outside your premises than will inside. There are main two reasons why screens are placed outside premises: advertising – promoting their own or products or brand or those of an affiliate or third party; and information – providing news and event information. Outdoor TVs and outdoor digital signage are ideal for this because no matter how many people visit your premises each day, far more will walk past it. Read the full article at armagard.

Electronics contract manufacturers face supply chain pileup, says iSuppli.
Component shortages have led to a traffic pileup in the global electronics supply chain, with major contract manufacturers facing a challenging supply imbalance characterized by tight inventories of parts and finished products and a glut of raw materials, according to iSuppli. Read more at digitimes.

About Chris Sava

Touch Screen Technologies for LCD Monitors

It’s well known that keyboards, mice and other pointing devices are impractical in certain environments. They are fragile, vulnerable to abuse, susceptible to liquid and dust contamination, and contribute to repetitive-motion injuries.

Touch screens offer ease of use, speed, accuracy, and negate the need to become proficient with a handheld device. General Digital™ offers the option of equipping your LCD monitor with a variety of touch technologies, such as:

• Resistive Touch Screen
• SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) Touch Screen
• Surface Capacitive Touch Screen
• Projected Capacitive Touch Screen
• Infrared Touch Screen
• Optical Touch Screen
• Dispersive Signal Touch (DST)

Read more about touch screens for LCD monitors on General Digital’s web site.

Click to read more ...

display alliance news 8.27.2010

iPod touch 4 LCD Display and Front Panel Assembly Video.

SmartPhoneMedic recently published a video on YouTube which compares the LCD display and front panel assembly of the unannounced iPod touch 4 with iPhone 4 and iPod touch 3rd gen. The new iPod touch 4 appears to be larger than the previous version and also has a hole on the front panel which indicates that it will certainly feature a front-facing camera. Sourced from touchreviews.

Philips to Sell LCD TV Business to TPV.
Dutch electronics giant Royal Philips Electronics plans to sell its LCD TV business in the Chinese market to Admiral Holdings Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed TPV Technology Limited, according to an announcement issued by TPV on Thursday. The two companies reached a letter of intention on the same day, under which TPV will be allowed to use the Philips brand for its TV products for 5 years. At the same time, the sales and distribution business of Philips TV in China including both its inventories and employees will be transferred to TPV, the First Financial Daily reports. Read more at crinordic.

Sprout Social Debuts Social Media Management Platform For Businesses.
The startup’s platform allows businesses to connect to customers and monitor key metrics and the overall competitive landscape using social media tools. The Sprout Social platform integrates with social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, LinkedIn and Foursquare and includes lead generation, business intelligence, offer and promotion distribution services, as well as brand monitoring and analytics. Read more at techcrunch.

LG Display maintains plans for advanced panel production in China.
Although LGD is still waiting for approval from the China government for its plant project, the company indicated that it plans to invest US$4 billion to set up an 8.5G plant in Guangzhou, China for 32-, 47- and 55-inch TV panel production. Monthly capacity is designed at 120,000 substrates with mass production scheduled in the first quarter of 2012, the company added. Read the full article at digitimes.

Wintek signs patent licensing agreement with Seiko Epson.
Wintek has announced the signing of a patent cross licensing agreement with Japan-based Seiko Epson for LCD manufacturing.The agreement was signed on August 26, taking retroactive effect as of January 1, 2010, according to Wintek. Wintek noted that the licensing is mainly for the remaining patents of Seiko Epson for TFT and STN manufacturing. Seiko Epson in 2009 sold its TFT-LCD panel plant to Sony's small- to medium-size subsidiary, Sony Mobile Display (SMD). Sourced from digitmes.

New accounting rules in Taiwan to generate software/hardware demand valued at NT$70 billion.
As all of Taiwan-listed companies will be required to use IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) for accounting beginning 2013, they have to modify their existing accounting systems or introduce IFRS anew, which is expected to generate demand for IT software/hardware and consulting services with a market potential estimated at NT$70 billion (US$2.19 billion), according to the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Read more at digitimes.

Tight capacity keeps smartphone touch panel pricing high.
Although 3.5-inch capacitive touch panels have already been out for 3-4 years, prices of 3.5-inch applications for smartphones remain high at US$12-13 due to tight supply, according to market sources. The prices for 3.5-inch capacitive touch panels for smartphones in 2009 were US$11-12, lower than current prices, the sources noted. Sourced from digitimes.

A Summary of 4 Futuristic Display Technologies From Japan’s NTT on TechCrunch.

About Chris Sava

The only Industrial Event exclusively targeting Touch Screen, China Touch Screen Exhibition& Conference ?

China International Touch Screen Exhibition (C-TOUCH), held twice a year with one in Shanghai in July and the other in Shenzhen in November since its inception in 2008, has come to be the top Touch Screen Industry show in Asia. Thanks to the rapid development of the Chinese communication and consumer electronic industry and our five-years-long experience in Electronic Industry Exhibition. C-Touch is enjoining an annual growth rate of over 30% by average for the last two years. More and more companies consider C-touch one of the most wanted annual Industry Event in world wide scope and many of them would consider it a most important sourcing platform .

Click to read more ...

About Chris Sava

Industry Analyst - Display Alliance
In an effort to personally learn as much as possible about the display industry, reporting the industry news has become part of my daily routine. After obtaining degrees in both philosophy and writing (McDaniel College), and with several years of pavement-pounding sales experience, my goal is to bring some Zen to the industry news, and furthermore to grow Display Alliance into a valuable resource that the entire display industry can leverage. Eventually, I plan to post my own articles, offering insight and solutions to the LCD display industry.

Account Executive - Mass Integrated
As an account executive, I have a unique opportunity to report on the products and companies I work with; I sell a wide variety of display products, and am constantly on the lookout for new display products that Mass Integrated can distribute worldwide. My position as an account executive also keeps me tuned in to excess inventory that I can remarket on the web.

Personal Details
Growing up on the northeastern coast of Massachusetts, I have a wide range of interests: I find myself equally at home in the mountains, on the ocean, or in the city. I've always been passionate about technology and am interested in traveling to the places where I do business. If you are ever in the area, feel free to look me up.

Contact Details
displayalliance@gmail.com
Direct: 978 465 6190 X102
Mobile: 978 417 9325
18 Henry Graf Jr. Road
Newburyport, MA. 01950.

display alliance news 8.26.2010

Sharp slowing larger LCD panel production, but Sony to feel the squeeze.
Reports have surfaced that Sharp will be lowering the production capacity of its new Sakai LCD panel factory by 20 to 30 percent for the next two months, apparently in response to piling inventory in the US and China as production outpaced demand. Sharp however hasn't verified these claims and dutifully reiterated its expectations to meet sales forecasts for the fiscal year of 2010. Read the full article at engadget.

Outdoor Digital Signage in the UK – Grows to 12 percent of all outdoor advertising.
The outdoor digital signage market is growing strongly in the UK. In the second quarter of 2010 the industry is up 16.2 percent on the previous year, reports the Outdoor Advertising Association (OAA). The UK outdoor digital signage market is now contributing to 12.8 percent of the entire outdoor advertising sector making the United Kingdom one of the fastest growing areas in the industry. Read the full article here on DA.

3 Micron University of Michigan logo Demonstrates Advanced Display technology.
In a step toward more efficient, smaller and higher-definition display screens, a University of Michigan professor has developed a new type of color filter made of nano-thin sheets of metal with precisely spaced gratings. Conventional LCDs, or liquid crystal displays, are inefficient and manufacturing-intensive to produce. Only about 5 percent of their back-light travels through them and reaches our eyes, Guo said. They contain two layers of polarizers, a color filter sheet, and two layers of electrode-laced glass in addition to the liquid crystal layer. Chemical colorants for red, green and blue pixel components must be patterned in different regions on the screen in separate steps. Read the rest of this interesting article at shamskm.

Two new halls added for Integrated Systems Europe 2011.
Expansion into Halls 6 and 9 of Amsterdam RAI to cater for growing exhibitor demand. With bookings for the 2011 edition of Integrated Systems Europe running at record levels, organiser Integrated Systems Events has announced that the show will occupy an additional two halls at the Amsterdam RAI. The opening of Halls 6 and 9 gives ISE the chance to accommodate the varying needs of exhibitors who want to increase the amount of space they occupied in 2010, as well as companies who will be new to the event next year. Find out more about the trade show at iseurope.

Green Technology: New Recommendations Make It Easy To Be Green.
The Screen Forum this summer published a list of 12 steps it recommends those rolling out digital signage networks take to heart to minimize the environmental impact of their project. It might not be easy being green if you happen to be the CEO of British Petroleum in light of the Gulf oil disaster, but if you're responsible for a digital signage network being environmentally responsible has never been simpler thanks to the Screen Forum. Read more about the Screen Forum.

Inside Sharp's new LCD factory, we can see our next HDTV from here.
The path back to LCD leadership for Sharp begins at its just opened Sakai City manufacturing facility. Being a 10th generation facility means it can roll out more and bigger displays, producing six 60-inch LCDs from each glass substrate, 60% more than older 8g facilities. Read the full article at engadget.

Large-area LCD panel shipments go down in July amid lower monitor, PC demand.
According to Displaybank, the month of July has seen manufacturers ship 52.61 million large-area TFT-LCD panels - down 8% compared to June. Revenue also slipped sequentially and reached $6.5 billion this past month, the reason for this performance being a drop in demand from monitor and PC makers. Read the full article at pcmagazine.

Outdoor Digital Signage in the UK – Grows to 12 percent of all outdoor advertising

The UK outdoor digital signage market is now contributing to 12.8 percent of the entire outdoor advertising sector making the United Kingdom one of the fastest growing areas in the industry.

Click to read more ...

display alliance news 8.25.2010

Samsung still leads in LCD HDTV shipments, with Vizio close behind. LG moves up, while Sharp dips further.
Samsung continues to be the leading LCD HDTV shipper in the United States, claiming 19.7 percent of the market in the second quarter of 2010, according to market research firm iSuppli. The former leader, Vizio, is closing the gap, while Sony remains a distant third. Two trends that will probably continue: buyers gravitating more toward LED-backlit sets (a 5-percent jump from the first quarter) and more new HDTVs connected to the Internet (roughly 32 percent overall). Read the full article at zdnet.

Taiwan's Chimei steps up patents battle with Sony.
Taiwanese flat-screen maker Chimei Innolux Corp., an affiliate of technology giant Foxconn, said Wednesday it had filed more patent infringement lawsuits against Sony in the United States and China. The company said it hoped to halt Sony's sales and shipments of the Playstation 3 game console, Bravia LCD television, Vaio notebook computer and Cybershot digital camera using the suits filed to the US International Trade Commission and the Delaware Federal District Court. Read the full article here.

Corning upgraded at Oppenheimer; analyst sees bottom to stock's slide.
With worries of an oversupply in the LCD TV supply chain likely at a peak, it is time for investors to snap up specialty glass maker Corning Inc., says an Oppenheimer analyst. Over the past few weeks, analysts have been sounding the alarm on an excess of inventory at LCD TV manufacturers, a factor that could cause slower revenue growth for suppliers such as Corning. Read the full article at canadianbusiness.

It’s All for Sony? AUO and Wistron to Establish a JV for LCM in China.
On August 20 2010 AUO and Wistron announced the establishment of a joint venture for  TFT LCD panel module manufacturing in Zhongshan, China. Total investment in the JV, tentatively named Zhongshan BriVision Optronics Corporation, is expected to be limited to $10 million; AUO will own 51% and Wistron will hold 49%. Read the full article at DispaySearchBlog.

China market: 32-inch segment takes 41% of TV panel shipments in 2Q10, says WitsView.
The 32-inch segment accounted for 41% of the total LCD TV panel shipments in China in the second quarter of 2010, followed by the 26-inch segment with 15%, according to WitsView. In the global TV panel market, the 32-inch segment also ranked first with a 44% share in the second quarter, followed by the 40- to 42-inch segment with 21%. Read the full article at digitmes.

It's not worth it, put down the misleading information!

This morning I posted an excerpt from a press release on marketwire. I did so, admittedly, without fully digesting the article. I then came across a reaction to it on Dave Haynes blog, Sixteen:Nine. According to the press release, Convenience TV moved to the No. 1 market share spot in the “video advertising market” on Monday by reaching it’s millionth customer. They did so soon after installing only their 28th display.  Dave points out how misleading this article is. Read it once and you can tell why.

My goal is to offer valuable information to the display industry via news feeds by scouring the Internet for relevant, new, and interesting articles. Perhaps in my haste to post the newest information I neglected to, well, read the article  thoroughly. If ever I make a post that doesn’t offer remarkable value to the display industry, or completely miss something worth having a laugh at, please please please let me know. I’m a sales guy breaking my way into the blogging world, so a little critique is well within my acceptable pain tolerance.

Green Technology: New Recommendations Make It Easy To Be Green

The Screen Forum this summer published a list of 12 steps it recommends those rolling out digital signage networks take to heart to minimize the environmental impact of their project.

It might not be easy being green if you happen to be the CEO of British Petroleum in light of the Gulf oil disaster, but if you're responsible for a digital signage network being environmentally responsible has never been simpler thanks to the Screen Forum.

That's because the Screen Forum, an independent working group focused on sharing best practices in the digital signage industry, released earlier this summer a list of one dozen steps aimed at ensuring digital signage networks deliver the maximum impact with the minimum affect on the environment.

The steps, available on the group's website, are a well-reasoned list of proscriptions for minimizing the impact of digital signage networks on the environment. While the list is publicly available on the Web and self explanatory, I found one aspect of the Screen Forum's steps fascinating and worthy of a bit of comment.

Click to read more ...

Inexpensive Indian made Tablet

The Stamp platform from Allgo features include:

Android 2.1 (Eclair) ported on i.MX23 based platform
Support for upto WVGA LCD
Touchscreen / keypad support
Audio playback from internal flash memory and SD-card
MPEG-4 / H.264 Video playback
Android USB gadget (Mass storage) support
Web browsing over WiFi network
FM Radio
Sound Recording
Boot from NAND or SD-card
Other Android applications Alarm Clock, Calender, etc.

Sourced from CrunchGear.

screen media news 8.24.2010

From NTT’s Showroom In Tokyo: Next-Generation Digital Signage System.
The system in operation at the showroom can not only detect the presence of human beings but also takes into account how many people are standing in front of it. For example, if two persons approach the display in the restaurant floor of a shopping mall, a camera installed in the ceiling right above the system immediately detects their presence. But instead of randomly displaying ads, the system pulls information from restaurants in its network and offers up ads only for those that currently have enough space for two people (shown in Japanese on the display on the picture above). Article sourced from CrunchGear.

Spicer recruited to run NEC’s VUKUNET.
NEC Displays announced today it has hired on Graeme Spicer to head the effort to spread the understanding and adoption of its VUKUNET digital signage platform, which includes the universal advertising platform and a free content management suite. Read Dave Haynes full article at Sixteen:Nine.

AXcess News: New Leader Emerging in Booming Video Advertising Market.       
The lucrative video advertising market is seeing a surge in growth amongst the digital advertising arena in LA after Convenience TV moved to the No. 1 market share spot on Monday, reaching 1 million viewers through its convenience store network.  Excerpt from marketwatch.

New digital signage platform from Axiomtek with 42-inch HD wide TFT LCD.
Axiomtek has released the DSA-142, a new large-size professional digital signage platform. This platform is equipped with a 42-inch full high definition wide TFT LCD, supporting 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution with high quality and exquisite images. This platform is powered by Intel processors like the Core2 Duo T9400 2.53 GHz or Celeron M 575 2.0 GHz processor with Intel GM45 chipset. It has a pluggable CPU board design and is easy for system deployment and efficient maintenance. Axiomtek says that the DSA-142 can be deployed in a variety of venues from shopping malls to corporate environments, education, hospitality, banks, transportation, restaurants, recreation and more.  Read the full press release here.

DS to a new chain of pharmacies in Sweden.
In connection with the deregulation of the pharmacy monopoly in Sweden, ZetaDisplay is the first to equip an independent chain of pharmacies with the company’s Digital Signage media platform. This independent chain of pharmacies expects to open 100 pharmacies within two years. Installation has already started. ZetaDisplay estimates that sales will reach SEK 6 million.  Sourced from Digital Signage Blog.     

Premise-Based vs. SaaS Software Solutions for Digital Signage.
While not the most important criteria used to distinguish between all the software vendors in the digital signage space, whether the digital signage content management software runs locally on the end-user hardware (“premisebased” or “on-premise”) or is hosted on servers off-site by a provider (“software as a service” or “SaaS”), is certainly a major consideration upon which a solution is selected. Read Maria Porco of X2O Media’s full article here.

display alliance news 8.23.2010

Qualcomm Mirasol Technology to Be Strong Display Tech Contender in 2012.
Qualcomm is planning to commercialize its Mirasol display technology, which will add color and rival LCDs and e-ink displays, by investing $2 billion to start a plant in Taiwan, with mass shipments of the screen to occur in the beginning of 2012.  Read the full article here.

Panasonic to Change Company Name of Subsidiary (IPS Alpha Technology, Ltd.)
Panasonic Corporation announced that IPS Alpha Technology, Ltd. ("IPS Alpha"), a subsidiary manufacturing LCD panel, will change the company name and take over IPS Alpha Technology, Himeji, Ltd., and IPS Alpha Support Co., Ltd. as of October 1, 2010, through a resolution that was approved at the Board of Directors held on today.  Read the full press release here.

How to Clean LCD Screens – The Natural Way.
Armed with a screen-safe cleaner and a dirt-free cloth, you’re ready to battle dust and smudges. To start cleaning an LCD screen, turn off the device. Apply the cleanser to the cloth—never spray cleanser directly onto the screen. Using a gentle, circular motion, rub the cloth over the screen to remove oil and dirt. For stubborn smudges, don’t rub harder. Too much pressure can result in an ominous sounding condition called dead pixels, which can trigger partial to complete loss of picture.  Instead, eliminate stubborn smudges by repeating the gentle cleansing process as often as necessary. Read the full article here.

Sharp to Cut LCD Production for Two Months.
Japanese electronics company Sharp Corp. (SHCAY) will cut its production of LCD panels as TV inventories piled up in China and the United States. The company will reduce capacity utilization at its Sakai factory by 20%-30% for as long as two months, Reuters said, citing a report in the Japanese press. The factory makes panels of 40 inches and larger. The move will impact companies that buy panels from Sharp, including Sony Corp. (SNE). The change will not affect supplies for Sharp's own TVs. Sharp reaffirmed its sales forecast of 15 million TVs for fiscal 2010. That's a 47% increase from 2009. Sourced from DailyFinance.

China market: Taiwan panel makers outperform Korea rivals in TV panel shipments in 2Q10, says WitsView.
Global top-four TFT-LCD panel makers together provided 88% of the total LCD TV panel shipments in China in the second quarter of 2010, with Taiwan-based makers outperforming their Korea competitors, according to WitsView. Read the full article at DigiTimes.

Panasonic Finally Buying the Rest of Sanyo.
In a deal that has been slowly percolating for years, Japanese electronics giant Panasonic has announced (PDF) it will make a tender offer for all outstanding shares of Sanyo common stock on August 23 at ¥138 per share. Panasonic acquired a controlling stake in Sanyo in late 2009; buying out the remaining common stock puts Sanyo solely in Panasonic’s hands. Read the full article at digitaltrends.

What’s the difference between an LED and LCD screen in a MacBook Pro?
Good question – but actually, the first thing we need to clear up is the idea that your MacBook or MacBook Pro has an LED screen and not an LCD screen. The LED refers to just the backlight portion of your screen, not the entire screen itself. There is a common misconception that the current model MacBook and MacBook Pro do not use LCD screens.  Read the article at 1080p.

screen media news 8.23.2010

Digital Signage Market Poised to Skyrocket.
Well it appears that the 800-pound gorilla Google has set its sights set on the digital signage market. NewScientist.com broke the story earlier this month that the search-engine company has filed for a patent on a way to divvy up ads on a network of electronic signs. The ideas seems to be to give retailers and others a simple way to organize an advertising campaign to promote inventory on, for example, a digital signage network display or displays near their stores in a mall. Read the full article here.

ViewSonic Rolls Out Expanded Finch Club Program With New Features and Improved Incentives.
Award-Winning Reseller Program Provides Additional Revenue-Generating Opportunities and Support to Company's Channel Partners. ViewSonic® Corp., a leading global provider of computing, consumer electronics and communications solutions, today at XChange Americas announced enhancements to Finch Club, the company's program that rewards new and existing channel partners. Read the full press release here.

Can Digital Signage Support Customer Service?
For years there has been is a significant push behind digital signage as a solution for promoting products in retail settings. To be sure, a well-placed network of screens with refined content can generate an enormous response. But, its value extends much further. One of the largest challenges for all venue owners is to make certain customers are treated with professionalism and responsive support. It’s more difficult than it sounds. Anyone who has approached an employee in a retail environment with a simple question can attest to the slow deterioration of customer service. The good news is that digital signage can help. Read the full article here.

Cross the digital signage viewer chasm with QR & Bump.
Byron of RiseVision says, what I would do though is scan a QR code to learn more or take that message with me to digest later. Or better yet, the display could encourage me to bump it and as part of that bump make it really clear to me what will and won’t be shared, and either of these technologies could actually be used to get me further involved with the display and the message provider. The scan or the bump from the display could be my check in vehicle for the likes of FourSquare, Gowalla, Yelp and now Facebook Places or it could be as simple as posting on Facebook that I “Like This” or that I am here on Twitter. Read the full article here.

display alliance news 8.20.2010

Really Wide: Optrex T-55604D192J-LW-A-AAN.
Jin from DisplayBlog writes, the model name is incred­i­bly long but what inter­ests me is the 16:3 aspect ratio. The T-55604D192J-LW-A-AAN by Optrex is a 19.2-inch (48.8-cm) dig­i­tal sig­nage LCD with a pixel for­mat of 1920×360. Other specs: -30° up to +80° tem­per­a­ture range, 60K-hour LED back­light, 500 cd/m2 bright­ness, 700:1 con­trast ratio and view­ing angles of 160/140 degrees. Connectivity options are: Gigabit Ethernet, USB, VGA, DVI, DisplayLink.

Sharp reportedly to cut LCD panel production.
Sharp Corp. will reduce its LCD panel production due to mounting inventories in the U.S. and China, according to a report published Friday. The Nikkei business daily reported that Sharp will cut capacity utilization at a Sakai, Japan factory by between 20% and 30%. The Sakai facility is capable of producing the equivalent of 1.3 million 40-inch screen TVs a month, according to the report. The cutback is expected to last one to two months, the report said. Sourced from Market Watch.

AUO and Wistron to Establish a Joint Venture for TFT-LCD Module Plant.
The Board of Directors of AUO and Wistron approved establishing the joint venture with a registered capital of no more than US$ 10 million. AUO and Wistron will own 51% and 49% of the shareholding of the joint venture respectively. The joint venture will tentatively be named Zhongshan BriVision Optronics Corporation. Read the full press release on prnewswire.

Corning: CLSA Downgrades; Cites Weaker LCD Panel Market.
Corning (GLW) shares are trading lower this morning after CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets analyst Steven Fox this morning cut its rating on the stock to Outperform from Buy. Fox writes that he thinks Corning’s LCD glass shipments are harder to predict over the next couple of quarters than he would have expected a month ago. He’s looking for flat unit shipments in Q3, and then a 15% sequential decline in Q4. Fox is bullish on the company’s growing Gorilla Glass product cycle, but he notes that production is still ramping while the LCD TV business is softening, and that “Street estimates may need to move down in the interim.” Read the full article here.

Public Media Works to Place up to 7,000 Entertainment Kiosks at Gas Station Convenience Stores Across the US.
Public Media Works, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, EntertainmentXpress, Inc., announce an agreement with Modular Conversions, LLC to place up to 7,000 DVD movie and game kiosks in new convenience stores as major oil company-sponsored gas station conversions are completed over the next three years across the U.S. The initial phase includes full funding for the installation of up to 1,500 EntertainmentXpress kiosks to be placed in prime West Coast targeted locations. Read the full article here.

New Samsung Tablet rumors: 7" and 10", but both will use LCD displays.
The Samsung-Tab (or Galaxy Tab) tablet computer rumors continue. Today a Korean site claims that Samsung will announce their tablet computer at IFA 2010 (September 3rd). It will come in two versions: 7" and 10". Both will be using an LCD display, not a Super-AMOLED. Read the full article here.

display alliance news 8.19.2010

LG to show a 31" OLED TV at IFA 2010?
There are some reports that LG plans to show a new 31" OLED TV at IFA 2010 (September 3rd). We know that LG want to introduce larger OLED TVs, but it's highly unlikely that it'll happen so soon - not until their Gen-5.5 plant goes online in 2012, anyway. Read the article at OLED Info.

Display Myths Shattered.
Dr. Raymond Soneira, President of DisplayMate Technologies Corp., wrote a very insightful article on monitor and HDTV display myths. He argues that manufacturers and marketing teams are cooking-up bold claims and exaggerations about their products’ specs, from contrast ratios to color gamuts. Read the full blog post at ShopJimmy’s Blog.

Kiosks dispense driver's licenses.
Mississippi has expanded its self-service kiosk program at its driver’s license offices, according to The Mississippi Press. The self-service machines were first placed in seven driver's license offices in December, according to the Department of Public Safety. There are now 29 kiosks in license offices and two standalone machines in the Harrison and Yazoo county courthouses. The kiosks have reduced wait time from several hours to a few minutes, according to the department. Read the full article here.

Barco receives follow-on orders from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for rugged displays used in Predator-series UAS ground control stations.
Over the last six months, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has continued follow-on orders for 300 TL-248 flat LCD displays for use in Predator Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Ground Control Stations (GCS), ensuring the ongoing deployment of intelligence and superior operational performance in key defense applications where ruggedization is required. Read the full press release here.

Global LCD-Screen Component Sales Expected To Fall.
Global sales of a key component used in liquid-crystal-display screens--the display driver integrated circuit, or DDI--will decline starting this quarter because of rising inventory, slowing consumer demand and new technologies, according to iSuppli Corp. Read the full article here.

Sharp's LCD blackboard to hit market at months end.
A new display from Sharp Corp. (TSE:6753) can be used like a blackboard, with users able to write on the screen. The 60-inch LCD display, to go on sale on August 31, features a proprietary touch panel with enhanced handwriting recognition accuracy and smoother input. The PN-L601B will cost around one million yen (US$11,701), including handwriting software. A computer is necessary to use the software. Read the press release here.

screen media news 8.19.2010

Digital Out of Home Companies Need to Embrace Their Media Side.
From Digital Signage Insights by david.weinfeld@presetgroup.com (David Weinfeld)I wish that more digital out-of-home companies focused on the media end of the equation rather than the nuts and bolts of it all. The majority of DOOH networks fail to paint a picture of who they are, and why viewers should forge relationships with them. Embracing their role as media companies would give them the opportunity to build cross-channel conversations with consumers. If these companies continue to think of their viewers as just eyeballs, they will forever be looked at as nothing more than screens. Read the full article here.

Boutique Film Leverages Navori Digital Signage to Power Lcd Screens in the Swiss Alps.
Through strategic partnerships, Boutique Film has created the largest profitable digital signage booking platform in Switzerland. This approach offers simplicity for their clients and the opportunity to launch national and regional advertising campaigns quickly and efficiently. Networks of screens are strategically located so as to guarantee a viewing experience that is unique, both in quality and visibility. Video based ads offered on these screens are seen exclusively by the top echelons of society, who are predominantly high income earners and corporate decision makers. Read the full article here.

Caltron introduces new multizone digital signage player.
The MP-02Z’s multizone feature allows users to upload videos, pictures, RSS text, and date and time information. The complimentary CAT software that comes with the player allows users to schedule and manage files onto different zones, to remotely control the player through an Internet connection and to transfer content to networked players. Fullpress release here.

LCD panel price fixing

Digitimes reports that attorney generals from a total of eight US states have taken anti trust action for alleged price fixing against most of the major TFT LCD panel makers. read more

In a related story IBTimes in the UK goes on to mention that as many as 21 executives have plead guilty and some 890 million in fines have already been paid. LCD customers Tracfone Wireless, AT&T, and Motorola joined the fun(insert sarcasm), filing lawsuits in the past month. read more

display alliance news 8.18.2010

HannStar to increase CF capacity.
TFT-LCD panel maker HannStar Display plans to spend NT$4.724 billion (US$148 million) increasing monthly color filter (CF) capacity by 50,000 sheets at its 5.3G plant in order to achieve 100% self-sufficiency, according to the company. Read the full article here.

Australia bullish on digital growth.
Lower screen prices and the shift away from print media are among the biggest factors building Australia’s digital out-of-home market, new research says. Researcher Frost and Sullivan predicts that the value of digital-signage systems sold in Australia will grow 12 percent annually over the next three years, to reach AUD58.4m ($53m) by 2013. Read the full article here.

LCD-TV Prices Increase as New Models Arrive and Promotions Fade.
LCD-TV pricing in the United States surged upward in July as brands and retailers introduced new models with enhanced features and slowed promotional activities designed to move older sets, according to iSuppli Corp. The average retail price in July for an LCD-TV in the United States amounted to $1,136, up 7.2 percent from $1,060 in June, the highest rate of increase in at least a year. The price also was up 2.8 percent from $1,104 in July 2009. While pricing often oscillates on a month-to-month basis, a year-over-year increase is unusual in the LCD-TV market, where annual price erosion rules due to falling panel costs and escalating competition. Read the full article here.

Spain Takes Major Digital Leap Forward.
Following several recent deals with major circuits, the Spanish market is now priming itself for major digital conversion. Yelmo Cines, the third largest exhibitor in Spain has reached an agreement with European d-cinema facilitator Arts Alliance Media to equip its entire screen estate with high-end digital technology. The deal for all 370 screens will begin immediately and marks the largest d-cinema deployment agreement in the Spanish market to date. Read the full article here.

Viewsonic Going All-LED Backlighting By 2011.
Good news: traditionally-illuminated displays are going the way of the dodo. Viewsonic is phasing out all non-LED displays and hopes to only have LED-backlit units by early 2011. It probably wasn’t that hard of a choice to make; LEDs are getting cheaper and cheaper, and their cachet in the market is getting greater and greater. Sourced from CrunchGear.

eMagin to supply ITT with $15.2 million OLED-XL microdisplays for the US Army.
eMagin has announced that they have been awarded a $15.2 million subcontract by ITT Corporation to supply them with OLED-XL microdisplays. These will go into ITT's Spiral Enhanced Night Vision Goggle (SENVG). Sourced from OLED Info.

Tapping educational e-book reader market needs 2-3 years, says E Ink chairman.
While many vendors of e-book readers have begun looking to the large educational market, tapping the market will take two to three years to see fruition, but demand will grow rapidly, according to EPD (electrophoretic display) maker E Ink Holdings (EIH) chairman Scott Liu. Read the full article here.