Filed under: Displays

It looks like there’s a good chance that you’ll soon be able to put some new monitors on your holiday wish list. DigiTimes is reporting that ViewSonic and Apple will be releasing 17-inch widescreens later this year or possibly in early 2007, leading to expectations that they’ll replace the existing entry-level and mid-level displays currently on the market. As far as ViewSonic is concerned, this intel from “industry sources” seems pretty reasonable given that the company’s just updated the rest of the line recently. What about on Apple’s side? Yep, it’s been awhile since the company has even had a 17-inch display — so let’s just say that we can’t wait for CES and Macworld Expo 2007.

[Via TG Daily]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

---

BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: Displays

Sick of news from the Korea Electronics Show? Of course not, that’s why you’re reading Engadget on a beautiful Sunday instead of being outside and enjoying the world. We’ve just come across this new piece of Haier hotness, the HV-2200TSW. Oh yes, it’s comin’ atcha with a 1,680 x 1,050 resolution, packs 300 candelas-per-square-meter of brightness, brings a 700:1 contrast ratio and has a 5-millisecond response time. And we welcome you to guess as to whether we know the price of this display or when you can get it. Yes, it’s just as frustrating for you as it is for us.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

---

BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Filed under: Desktops, Displays

With Apple’s “Showtime” event just around the corner and new minis and iMacs already on the market, there has been a surprising dearth of rumors surrounding the world-changing products that will inevitably be announced on Tuesday, so we’re here to fill that void with a juicy and plausible — but entirely unlikely — bit of dirt. The story goes like this: a gentleman calling himself “Jeff Foster” just happened to be working on his brand new blog (red flag #1) when a friend of his who supposedly just got a job as an Apple rep decided to endanger his newly-acquired position by sending Jeff some blurry cameraphone shots from inside the storied halls of Cupertino headquarters (red flag #2). All three images that Jeff “received” depict a previously unmentioned desktop called the “MacTower” (positioned the exact same way in each photo — red flag #3), with one of the snaps (pictured above) blowing the lid off an all-new 24-inch Cinema Display complete with built-in iSight camera. This MacTower — which looks almost exactly like the PowerMac G5 of old (red flag #4) — is presented as a little brother to the recently-released Mac Pro, and reportedly sports a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo CPU, up to 4GB of 667MHz DDR2 RAM, hard drive capacity maxing out at 1.5TB, a 16x SuperDrive, and of course, Bluetooth 2.0 and AirPort Extreme radios standard. Despite the many inconsistencies that make Jeff’s story sound dubious at best, we decided to pass the info along so you all can have a nice Sunday picking it apart and screaming “Photoshop!” in the comments; oh, and Jeff, you’re welcome in advance for sending a little traffic over to your blog’s “very first post” (red flag #5).

Update: Red flag #6 (perhaps the biggest of them all): Several astute readers have pointed out that a commenter calling himself Jeff Foster made the following remarks in another rumor post we ran on the first of this month: “I really just want them to release a smaller tower… you know, so they’ll have a mac mini, imac, something like a Mac Tower, and mac pro…” Coincidence? We think not. For shame, Jeff, for shame.

Update #2: Red flag #…oh what the heck, when the faker comes right out and openly admits to his scam, all flags get tossed to the wind. From “Jeff Foster,” in the comments section of this very post: “It’s something i threw together last night a little out of boredom and a little out of, well, no, i guess totally out of boredom. just having a little fun.” Upon much deliberation, we’ve decided not to unlink Jeff’s site; however, if you’re sick and tired of these frauds gumming up the rumor mill with this purposely deceptive crap, we encourage you to follow the Read link and let Jeff know exactly what you think of his little “boredom project.”

[Thanks, Mike C.]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Runco, obviously, is already in the game. So are Sony, Sharp, Marantz, JVC, and even a little outfit called projectiondesign. But when it comes to 1,080p front projectors, we’ve been wanting to call up Mitsubishi on our Boost Mobile phone and ask them “Where you at?” Well the venerable rear-projection TV manufacturer has apparently been biding its time in order to release its first full HD unit, but the pricetag on this 3LCD model may convince you that it was worth the wait, as the LVP-HC5000 will cost “just” 450,000 yen (about $3,890) when it hits Japanese shores on October 12th. Even at this bargain basement price, you’re still getting a very respectable set of specs, most notably a dynamic contrast ratio of 10,000:1 (though static is a mere 2,000:1), 1,000 nits of blinding brightness, as well as a full complement of inputs including HDMI, DVI-I, component, composite, S-Video, and even D-sub. Yeah, this all sounds like a pretty good deal; now we’re just hoping that they’ll ship this puppy overseas and help us finally purge that embarrassing 27-inch CRT from our otherwise kick-ass home theater setup.

[Via HDBeat]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Desktops

Looks like there was still a little bit that didn’t make it into Steve’s keynote yesterday that’ll make it a little easier to sink a couple grand into a new Mac Pro: Apple’s 20 and 23-inch Cinema Displays got price cuts and spec bumps. Their 20-inch is now down to $699 from $799, and their 23-inch is way down to $999 from $1,299; likewise, the 20-inch now has a 300cd/m2 brightness, up from 250cd/m2, while the 23-inch hits a 400cd/m2 brightness and 700:1 contrast ratio, up from 270cd/m2 and 400:1. Still not quite competitive enough to best Dell’s 800:1 contrast ratio / 300cd/m2 20-inch 2007WFP, or their 1000:1 contrast ratio / 450cd/m2 24-inch 2407WFP, but Apple’s sure trying.

[Via TUAW]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

So we’re not sure if this is the same Vista-focused product that the company was supposedly working on with Microsoft, but Samsung has just revealed a new 22-inch widescreen LCD known as the CX223B/W that should go nicely with the upcoming OS. Available in black or silver, this monitor features a pretty decent 1,680 x 1,050 resolution, 5-millisecond response time, and most importantly for HD fans, an HDCP-enabled DVI port (though HDMI seems to be missing). The lack of info on other important specs such as contrast or brightness makes us think that the display is not scheduled for an impending release, a notion that’s only further supported by the lack of any pricing details. If you can’t wait for the CX223BW to start shipping in the US, there’s always that LCM-22w2 from Westinghouse to keep you occupied for the time being, and both Dell and LG are expected to drop new 22-inch models in the near future as well.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays, Misc. Gadgets

Liquid-based displays are nothing new — in a vertical orientation, at least — but apparently it’s a lot more difficult to coax a standing pool of water into forming recognizable shapes and characters. In fact, before coming up with their current design, researchers at Japan’s Akishima Laboratories were only able to get poorly-formed letters to pop up once every 15 minutes in their first stab at using waves to “print” on the surface of a specially-built pool. Their second attempt, however — developed with Professor Shigeru Naito of Osaka University — addresses both major flaws by using formulas known as Bessel functions to cut the processing time down to between 15 and 30 seconds and form characters with straight lines. The 30-centimeter deep, kiddie pool-sized device employs 50 generators operating in unison to produce cylindrical waves that behave like pixels, giving it the ability to display the entire roman alphabet as well as a number of kanji characters. Eventually this technology could be combined with music and lighting effects to create multimedia attractions at hotels or theme parks, but until they can speed up the letter formation even more (and maybe toss in some video), we don’t see any real practical applications here. Readers?

[Via Pink Tentacle]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

If you though that Apple’s 20-inch iMac was an impressive all-in-one computer, just wait till you hear about Samsung’s new 40-inch 400PXn and 46-inch 460PXn LCD displays, both of which feature embedded versions of Windows XP. Designed for use in commercial applications such as signage, the two monitors sport an updated version of Samsung’s MagicNet technology, which allows them to run slideshows or video without the need for an external server; if a server is being used to stream data, it can control up to four of the displays at once, feeding them either separate images or one tiled picture (arrays of 4 x 4 units are possible). Specs-wise, both products are pretty run-of-the-mill: you get a 1,366 x 768 resolution, 8-millisecond response time, 800:1 contrast ratio, and 500cd/m² maximum brightness. Although they’re available immediately, Sammy hasn’t released any pricing info for these models, but TG Daily points out that the previous, non-XP versions cost $8,950 (460Pn, pictured) and $6,750 (400Pn), respectively — so we can be sure the upgraded editions won’t come cheap.

[Via TG Daily]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays

So NEC's got another pair of monitors, submitted here for your approval: the LCD1990FX, and its black counterpart, the LCD1990FXp. Oh, you know, they're just your usual overpriced ultrathin-bezeled (7mm) EIZO-like professional studio monitors with the usual features; 178° viewing angles, 250cd/m2 brightness, 1500:1 contrast ratio, 20ms response time, DVI, VGA, and 19-inch 1280 x 1024 resolutions. In otherwords , probably not enough to justify that ¥102,900 ($880 US) price tag, but that bezel man, that bezel. If you ever wanted to build that grid of LCDs, this screen's is your obvious choice.

[Via Far East Gizmos]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

If you like to watch high definition video-- and we mean really, really like to watch it-- then Pioneer has a new 50-inch plasma on the market that promises unrivaled picture quality and realism -- for a pretty steep price. We first heard of the Elite PureVision PRO-FHD1 back at CES in January, where we instantly knew from the specs that this was a pretty special model: it delivers full 1080p resolution using over two million pixels that are just .576 millimeters across, features a 3,000:1 contrast ratio and 1,000cd/m2 peak brightness, and sports two HDMI, one DVI, and one component input. What you're not getting here, though, are any built-in tuners; not only does this display lack a digital ATSC tuner, but it's also missing even a regular NTSC version -- which actually isn't that big of a deal for consumers with a set-top cable or satellite box. Apparently you can run right out and pick up your very own FHD1 as of today, but some of you may need to bring along several methods of payment, just in case you don't have any credit cards that are $10,000 under the limit.

[Via HDBeat]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays, Gaming

When it comes to gaming monitors, performance is everything, so Asus was off to a good start by endowing its new 19-inch PG191 LCD with a zippy 2-millisecond response time. However, we're not sure that it was also a good idea to build two speakers and a subwoofer into this unit; although they do lend the monitor a rather, um, distinctive look, it would seem that most consumers who are really into their gaming already own a set of dedicated speakers -- and probably a 5.1 or 6.1 setup -- which perform better than the ones Asus is offering here. Also, part of the package is a built-in 1.3 megapixel camera, which may indicate that the company is actually targeting wannabe-gamers with this model -- folks who envy the rockstar lifestyle portrayed by Fatal1ty and friends, but who have yet to begin accessorizing their own PCs. Rounding out the specs are your standard 1,280 x 1,024 resolution, 800:1 contrast ratio, and 320cd/m2 brightness, along with a DVI port, in-game video capture software, and special audio/video settings designed to enhance gameplay. No word yet on pricing or availability, but if the speakers and camera add too much loot to the bottom line, we can't imagine that many real gamers will be interested.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays, Gaming

So PCMag decided to run LG's 19-inch Flatron L1970HR LCD through their suite of tests to see if its 2-millisecond response time really performs as advertised, and the good news for gamers is that this display indeed delivers excellent motion performance with little ghosting and few artifacts. You're also getting good color reproduction and a contrast ratio of 1600:1 that sounds great on paper, but in reality you can expect some loss of shadow detail and noticeable compression at both ends of the greyscale. Another trade-off for that zippy response time is resolution, as the 1,280 x 1,024 pixel array may not be enough for hardcore gamers or folks working on documents and photos all day, with the biggest knock being the monitor's inability to render smaller-sized fonts. In the end, unless all that you're doing is watching movies and playing video games all day (in which case we'd like to hear more about your job), it sounds like super-smooth video may not be worth the sacrifices you're making in other departments.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Desktops, Displays

We were just getting used to that whole wave of 21-inch LCDs, when it looks like 22-inchers are going to be the hip new thing in the coming months. A new report is out claiming that Microsoft is working with Samsung to produce a special 22-inch widescreen LCD to work with Windows Vista and be branded with the Microsoft logo. Sounds like they're trying to promote widescreen monitor usage with their new OS, and we're guessing Microsoft wouldn't mind making a few bucks while they're at it. The word from Chi Mei Optoelectronics makes us think that Microsoft and Samsung aren't the only ones to get the 22-inch bug. Dell has reportedly just made a large order for 22-inch widescreen panels from CMO, and LG.Philips and AU are jumping on board as well. There's no telling how heavily Microsoft is going to be recommending 22-inch displays to the users of Aero, but it doesn't look like anybody wants to be left out.

[Thanks, Mr. Kaiser and Will P.]

Read - Microsoft and Samsung team for 22-inch LCD
Read - Dell orders from CMO

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays, Portable Video

Having already wowed us twice with its wall-sized e-newspaper and RFID shielding material, Japan’s Toppan Printing Company has once again managed to impress with a large OLED display that could find its way into all of those portable devices that we love. At 5.5-inches and 400 x 234 pixels, the screen revealed at San Francisco’s Society for Information Display 2006 is one of the larger models of its type, and what’s more, sports active matrix technology to improve upon the passive matrix OLEDs of the past. Brighter, sharper displays realized through Toppan’s manufacturing process will begin showing up on portable DVD players and the like sometime next year.

[Via Akihabara News]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

We're not sure how business savvy it is for a company to announce in a press release that two of the 16:10 LCDs it's just unveiled -- in the same release -- will be made obsolete by key spec bumps in just a few months, but that didn't stop Acer from revealing that both the new 22-inch AL2216W and 26-inch AL2616W will be replaced by HDCP-capable versions during the fourth quarter. Reason being,  the current iterations of these models -- both members of the company's Value Line -- lack the necessary digital inputs to support the HD copy protection standard, although that's not the case with the the third display released today, the DVI-sporting, 24-inch AL2434WR. Like the AL2616W, the 24-incher -- part of the Office Line -- features a 1,920 x 1,200 WUXGA display, 6-millisecond gray-to-gray response time, and a 1000:1 contrast ratio, while the AL2216W is slightly quicker (5 milliseconds) than both, but offers less pixels (1,680 x 1,050) and a lower contrast ratio (700:1). As of this writing, pricing has not been revealed for any of these new units, but if you're interested in the Value lineup, we're thinking that maybe you should just save your pennies anyway and hold out for HDCP.

[Via BIOS]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays, Wearables

Until full-color flexible displays start hitting the market in who knows how many years, the only way to get big-screen video enjoyment on the go (besides holding your iPod right up to your face) is by attaching your device to a head-mounted display. Far from the bulky eyesores they once were, HMDs have thankfully evolved to the point where you don’t look completely goofy sporting a pair in public, so there will probably be some interest in a new low-profile model called the ezVision Video iWear. Typical of these devices, instead of advertising the actual size of the LCDs, manufacturer ezGear only claims that the ezVisions simulate a 50-inch widescreen TV at some undetermined distance. You also get an 8-hour rechargeable battery, iPod and RCA breakout cables, and a replaceable nose piece, all for $400 direct from the manufacturer, or perhaps less when they arrive at retailers later this month.

[Via Yahoo]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays

MIT's got a new machine in the works that will offer some discrete seeing abilities to the 1.3 million legally blind in the US without the need for invasive retinal implants. Though it's not portable and doesn't (yet) support video feeds, the 12 x 6 x 6-inch "seeing machine" developed by Elizabeth Goldring, a senior fellow at MIT's Center for Advanced Visual Studies, enables users to control virtual 3D environments, view images, or read documents by way of an LED eyepiece that projects images directly onto the retinas of those with limited vision. (An example of what Goldring apparently see is blown up onscreen above.) We assume the consumer application of such a device is only eventual, but for now it remains with at MIT for development, so, um, keep an eye out.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Misc

We hesitate to bring up anything to do with the ongoing debacle that is SPOT, but the guys over at Microsoft’s most left-of-center division helped popularize the concept of “glanceable” information — ubiquitous, high-demand data (weather reports, for instance) that can be gleaned quickly and with little or no user input. Cellphones, despite the fact that they have ready access to such data, have been largely left out of the party; always-on displays are a backbone of the glanceable concept, and the dazzling, hi-res screens necessary to keep the modern consumer entertained drain far too much power to be left on when no one is interacting with the device. Manufacturers have taken baby steps to solving the power problem by introducing OLEDs, but more is needed. Qualcomm, when it’s not busy filing lawsuits, has been working on its iMoD (short for Interferometric Modulator) technology, which uses an array of microscopic mirrors to stay highly visible in well-lit conditions. Meanwhile, Philips spin-off Liquavista is taking the electrowetting approach. Either way, we’re all for always-on cellphone displays that afford us more than a few hours of standby, but both groups have yet to name any commercial devices in the pipeline. In the meantime, there’s still a chance to jump on the glanceable bandwagon — grab a handful of Ambient Orbs, turn down the lights, and soak in the psychadelic data.

[Via textually.org]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays

Seriously, what is it with all the projectors? Now Sony's got six new ones as well, a line of 3LCD displays that range in price and resolution from ¥111,000 for SVGA up to ¥270,000 (~$1,000 - $2,400 US) for an XGA. The models include the VPL-CX63 and CX61XGA displays (top), 3,000 and 2,500 lumen models with 190w bulbs and piddly VGA inputs; the XGA VPL-CX21 and SVGA VPL-CS21, which improve on the old VPL-CX20 / CS20 models with a better imaging engine (middle); and 2,100 lumen brightness; and the VPL-EX3 and ES3, lower end movie and gamer centric boxes with an XGA and SVGA resolution and 2,000 lumen picture (bottom). In other words, nothing too world shattering here, we're sure you'll find a way to continue on with your day knowing they're probably going to be stuck in Japan forever.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays

You thought BenQ was done launching new digital projectors, but you thought wrong, son. Their latest for Japan is the W100, a ¥89,800 (about $800 US) device with DVI, dual component, composite, S-Video, and a 854 x 480, 1,300 lumen, 2,500:1 contrast ratio image. Just your run of the mill, but the we know what completists those whiteplasticphiles happen to be.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Displays

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments