On February 4, 2009, NEC Electronics announced its low-power application specific standard product (ASSP) based on the company’s single frame super resolution technology, part number uPD9245GJ. What does this ASSP do? The uPD9245GJ “sharpens out-of-focuse images, smoothes rough edges, refines contours by analyzing and processing information contained in one frame of data in real time.” Put it a different way the super resolution technology-based ASSP “reduces the blurring that occurs when low-resolution images are expanded and displayed in high-resolution.” You can watch a video explaining the technology by clicking on this link.

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Toshiba TG01 Specifications

Display: 4.1″ TFT LCD with Resisitive Touch
Pixel Format: 800 x 480 (landscape)
Memory: 512MB
Connectivity: HSDPA, GPS, WiFi
Storage: microSD
Video: DivX
OS: Windows Mobile 6.1 (custom 3D GUI)
Other: Flash
Dimensions: 9.9mm thick 

Toshiba is promising to “revolutionise the mobile entertainment world” with its TG01 smartphone. I already thought Apple did that with the iPhone 3G. Maybe another revolution is at hand. The 4.1″ TFT LCD is a good start; it’s 0.6″ larger than what’s in the iPhone. It sports a 800 x 480 pixel format that is much more than the iPhone’s puny 480 x 320. The 9.9mm-thick device is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset running at 1GHz and the company claims the TG01 is faster than any other smartphone on the market. Specification-wise the TG01 has a lot going for it but will it be a better mobile entertainment device that the exceptionally-well integrated iPhone? More pictures and a video after the break.

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SIM2 Solar Series 47″ LCD Specifications

Display: 47″ TFT LCD with LED Backlight
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Pixel Format: 1920 x 1080
Contrast Ratio: Infinite (over 1,000,000:1)
Brightness: 4000 cd/m2
Availability: Q2’09 

On February 3, 2009, Dolby Laboratories and SIM2 Multimedia announced the new SIM2 Solar Series high-dynamic range (HDR) enabled LCD display featuring Dolby Vision. The SIM2 Solar Series feature a Dolby Vision 47″ LCD. Dolby Vision has a proprietary algorithm that manages the LEDs in the backlight: each LED is controlled individually based on the image on the display. This is unique in that LEDs in all other LED backlights are controlled in a number of groups around 12-16.

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On February 2, 2009, Samsung Electronics and UniPixel announced the signing of a Joint Development Agreement to collaborate on advancing the development of UniPixel’s TMOS (Time Multiplexed Optical Shutter) display technology. TMOS display technology can offer a potential savings of 60% of the bill of materials in manufacturing LCDs, power consumption can be lowered and brightness can be improved.

UniPixel has a slogan that states, “Instead of blending color in space, Uni-Pixel blends color in time.” The company also claims, “Compared to LED, LCD and plasma screens, our technology is simply superior.” Samsung clearly seems to think there is something to investigate with this joint development agreement with UniPixel. Check out the Flash video. If everything goes right and Samsung incorporates TMOS technology, expect Samsung’s LCD goods to feature even lower power consumption, higher brightness, and lower prices in the future.

Panasonic Viera Z Series TH-P54Z1 Specifications

Display: 54″ Neo Plasma Display Panel (PDP)
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Pixel Format: 1920 x 1080
Contrast Ratio: 40,000:1
Dimensions: 24.7mm (0.97″)

Panasonic unveiled a lot of flat panel TVs and Akihabara News has the pictures. Panasonic’s Viera Z Series is the top-of-the-line with three sizes: 46″ (TH-P46Z1), 50″ (TH-P50Z1) and 54″ (TH-P54Z1). Both the 50″ and 54″ Z models feature the ultra-thin design that has a thickness of just 24.7mm or 0.97″. Panasonic’s new Neo Plasma Display Panel (PDP) powers all three sizes. The Neo PDP has a higher luminous efficacy that yields the same level of brightness but consumes just 50% of traditional PDPs. Contrast ratio is a solid 40,000:1 and of course the Z series plasma TVs are 1080p capable. The tuner is external to the main display and is wirelessly connected using WirelessHD technology. WirelessHD can wirelessly transmit “an uncompressed 1080p A/V stream with a high quality of service (QoS) within a room at a distance of ten meters.” This way you can hide the external tuner and connections box; it is also easier to connect all the wires.

According to WitsView and reported by DigiTimes, first-tier LCD manufacturers are pressuring LCD component suppliers to reduce prices. First-tier LCD suppliers would include Samsung, LG Display (LPL), AU Optronics (AUO), Sharp and Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO). It is not unusual for LCD manufacturers to negotiate with LCD component suppliers for better prices–the process intensifies when LCD manufacturers are not making profits. In Q4’08 LCD suppliers have announced large losses and will take the opportunity to squeeze component suppliers.

There are many LCD components including the glass substrate, color filter (CF), polarizer, driver IC, backlight unit (BLU), etc. Glass substrates are of interest to many because of Corning, which is the dominant supplier of LCD glass with roughly 60% market share in terms of capacity and shipments. WitsView is reporting that glass substrate prices are expected to decrease 5-7% Q/Q in Q1’08.

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Samsung plans to invest KRW 2.2 trillion in LCDs in 2009. Facilities maintainence will take KRW 1 trillion and the ther KRW 1.2 trillion will be for expanding its L8-2 G8 TFT LCD fab located in Tangjeong, South Chungcheong Province. Compared to the KRW 3.7 trillion that Samsung invested in LCDs in 2008, the company will be investing 40% less in 2009. Samsung is expecting the global LCD market to turn around in 2H’09 and will require getting to Phase 2 of its L8-2 LCD fab.

LG Display (LPL) will also decrease its LCD CAPEX by 50% in 2009 to KRW 2 – 2.5 trillion, quite a bit less compared to KRW 4.5 trillion that LPL invested in 2008. LPL’s CEO Kwon Young-soo stated that the LCD industry has already hit rock bottom and that LCD panel prices will start recovering in the coming months.

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DisplayBlog is written and produced by Jin Kim. Subscribe via RSS.