Some behind-the-"screens" work just completed by Samsung will soon enable many of the portable devices you enjoy to offer thinner and lighter touch panel displays. The Korean electronics giant has announced a new LCD technology called hTSP (Hybrid Touch Screen Panel) that will allow manufacturers to incorporate touch screen functionality directly into the TFT fabrication process, whereas most current touch-sensitive applications require a separate, sensor-laden printed circuit board (PCB) attached to the top of the display. So far the company is able to create LCDs as big as 3.5 inches using the new method, meaning that you can expect to see hTSP-sporting smartphones, PMPs, and nav devices on store shelves in the near future.

It’s been a bad year for the Miami Dolphins: first they lost Heisman Trophy-winning running back Ricky Williams for the upcoming season, and soon their “biggest HD display in the world” may have to play second fiddle to a new scoreboard being installed this summer for the University of Texas Longhorns. At 7,370 square feet, the 134-foot by 55-foot ‘board being built for the school by Daktronics (who also manufactured the Miami display) has a slightly larger screen area than the current 7000-sqaure-foot title-holder, but nitpickers may argue that since the UT model will be almost a foot shorter diagonally, that it doesn’t qualify as the “world’s biggest.” The argument may turn out to be moot, though, as a horse track in Tokyo is supposedly planning to install a ridiculous 197-foot-wide monster of a screen later this year that will overshadow all who came before it. UT’s project comes as part of a multi-million dollar overhaul of their stadium, which will also include several other large displays, a new sound system, and a $150 million renovation of the north end zone meant to enable a 90,000 person capacity.

[Thanks, Brian]

border="1" align="right" src="http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/05/eye_strain.jpg" alt="" />As if we weren’t
already worried enough about our cellphone causing href="http://www.engadget.com/2005/12/19/the-blackberry-balm-hand-massage-and-you/">Blackberry thumb, href="http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/04/26/cellphones-do-dont-make-you-indecisive/">certain indecisiveness,
and, of course, brain cancer, the WSJ is now
reporting that according to some leading opticians, portables, especially with small screens and smaller fonts, could
be causing irreversible eye strain and damage to our vision. Apparently the action of focusing for long periods of time
on small spacial areas held relatively closely to the body — especially displays with poor contrast ratios, and bad
glare — tends to overwork the eye’s ciliary muscles, and might be causing deteriorated vision in the same young group
of patients now visiting doctors for other technologically related ailments, like href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/29/apple-to-introduce-ipod-volume-limiter/">portable audio related href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/02/apple-sued-over-ipod-hearing-risks/">hearing loss — a group far too young
to be coming in for their annual eyes, ears, and artificial hip-bone checkup.

[Via href="http://news.techdirt.com/news/wireless/article/6640">TechDirt]

border="1" align="right" src="http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/05/eye_strain.jpg" alt="" />As if we weren’t
already worried enough about our cellphone causing href="http://www.engadget.com/2005/12/19/the-blackberry-balm-hand-massage-and-you/">Blackberry thumb, href="http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/04/26/cellphones-do-dont-make-you-indecisive/">certain indecisiveness,
and, of course, brain cancer, the WSJ is now
reporting that according to some leading opticians, portables, especially with small screens and smaller fonts, could
be causing irreversible eye strain and damage to our vision. Apparently the action of focusing for long periods of time
on small spacial areas held relatively closely to the body — especially displays with poor contrast ratios, and bad
glare — tends to overwork the eye’s ciliary muscles, and might be causing deteriorated vision in the same young group
of patients now visiting doctors for other technologically related ailments, like href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/29/apple-to-introduce-ipod-volume-limiter/">portable audio related href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/02/apple-sued-over-ipod-hearing-risks/">hearing loss — a group far too young
to be coming in for their annual eyes, ears, and artificial hip-bone checkup.

[Via href="http://news.techdirt.com/news/wireless/article/6640">TechDirt]