Dell’s Adamo XPS has an interesting hinge. I does look like it will be better balanced when the display is open. The other side sports another USB connection (for a total of three), an Ethernet port and headphone out. Oh, and another set of vents. Interesting design. Let’s hope Dell doesn’t take too long to expose the rest of it. The Adamo XPS is just 9.99-mm thick.
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Solid BenQ‘s G2320HDB is a 23-inch 1080p LCD monitor sporting a 1920 x 1080 resolution, brightness of 300 cd/m2 and a 5ms response time (on/off) and a fast 2ms GTG (grey-to-gray) response time. Dynamic contrast ratio is stated to be 40,000:1–don’t read too much into this spec but do pay attention to the static contrast ratio of 1000:1, quite good. Viewing angles are a bit limited at 170/160 thanks to the use of a TN TFT LCD panel. Connectivity is solid with VGA, DVI-D and HDMI (1.3) ports. You can only tilt the G2320HDB down (20 degrees) and up (5 degrees).
Marketing There are many marketing labels attached to the G2320HDB: Q-Pilot, Senseye+Photo Image Technology, and AMA (Advanced Motion Accelerator). The Q-Pilot is the name for BenQ’s OSD (on-screen display) and the company touts its ease-of-use. The Senseye+Photo Image Technology are five presets for optimized pictures for different content. AMA boosts response.
Regular BenQ combines a lot of style with solid functionality in the G2320HDB. Style does count for a lot these days, but aside from style and a few clever names, it looks to be a regular 23-inch LCD monitor.
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Here is what PhotographyBLOG concludes about the GF1:
… the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 takes most of the good points of its bigger brothers, the G1 and GH1, and literally squeezes them inside a smaller, more compact-camera-like body. The fantastically well-implemented Live View, lightning fast auto-focus, excellent image quality and added bonus of 720p video makes the GF1 a great camera for beginners and more serious photographers alike.
That’s some high praise. Another video after the break. (more…)
Optimistic AU Optronics (AUO) is optimistic about LCD panel demand in the fourth quarter of 2009. The company’s chairman shared optimism that lower LCD panel prices will not have much of an impact. According to analysts, LCD panel prices are expected to continue dropping through the first quarter of 2010. KY Lee, AUO’s chairman, stated that he does not see any negative factors impacting the overall demand for LCDs in China and North America. He also shared that LCD panel prices will only fall slightly in the fourth quarter.
No Credit I personally do believe there are some negative factors that might impact the US market for LCD goods, especially LCD TVs. Without access to easy credit and many unemployed I don’t know where the demand for LCD TVs will come from. Even though most 32-inch LCD TVs are under US$499 it is still a large enough amount that consumers will need access to credit to purchase.
Source: DigiTimes
Integration Vertical integration is what LG Display wants to achieve. Why? Cost savings and more control over how LCDs get made, especially small/medium LCDs. Another reason is to be competitive against Samsung, one of the most vertically integrated LCD manufacturers in the world.
Win Win LG Display is planning to absorb the LCD module operations of LG Innotek. The LCD module business accounts for roughly 20% of LG Innotek’s total revenues, which was KRW 3 trillion in 2008. LG Innotek in return will receive a cash infusion that will allow it to concentrate on its LED business. LG Innotek is planning to invest about KRW 350 billion in 2010 to expand it LED capacity in Gwangju and about KRW 1 trillion to build a LED manufacturing facility in Paju where LG Display’s LCD cluster is located. LG Innotek is expected to earn KRW 1.5 trillion in LED sales in 2012. The company will seek to vertical integrate its LED businesses: LED backlighting, wafer, chip, packaging, and module operations. The absorption of LG Innotek’s module business is subject to the board’s approval.
Competitive By bringing small/medium LCD module capabilities into LG Display, the company will be able to save manufacturing costs and be more competitive with its rival Samsung Mobile Display (SMD). LG Display generates roughly KRW 1 trillion annually for small/medium LCD panels–about half of what SMD makes. In 2008, LG Display generated KRW 700 billion.
Source: “LG Plans Display Shakeup” – The Korea Times
Monitor Focus According to DigiTimes, TPV Technology will form joint ventures with the world’s top two LCD manufacturers: LG Display and Samsung. The two Korean LCD suppliers are eager to setup manufacturing capabilities in China to take advantage of strong domestic demand for LCD monitors. TPV and LG Display will setup two LCD module plants: one in Xiamen, China and the other in Fuzhou, China. Production is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2010. TPV will also establish a LCD module plant with Samsung in Fuzhou.
Lower Costs By establishing joint ventures with TPV, a top integrator of LCD monitors, LG Display and Samsung can improve production efficiencies and lower manufacturing costs. TPV is not the only company that is being courted: LG Display is also working with Skyworth and Amtran while Samsung is working with TCL.
Source: “LG Display and Samsung reportedly to form separate joint ventures with TPV for LCM production in China” - DigiTimes
Revenue Down Units Up Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO) reported TFT LCD panel September revenues of NT$30.2 billion (about US$940 million), down 1.5% M/M and 0.2% Y/Y. CMO’s large-area TFT LCD panels increased 0.9% M/M and 9.19% Y/Y to approximately 7.3 million units. Small/medium LCD shipments also increased 9.9% M/M and 29.4% Y/Y to 16.1 million units. In the third quarter, large-area TFT LCD panel shipments increased 13.2% Q/Q and 17.5% Y/Y to 21.7 million units. CMO shipped 47.2 million small/medium LCD panels in Q3’09, up 33.3% Q/Q and 24.9% Y/Y.
Source: “CMO September revenues drop slightly” – DigiTimes
Diamond Glass LG‘s SL95 series is an ultrathin (29.3mm or 1.15-inch) comes in two sizes: the 47-inch 47SL95QD and the 42-inch 42SL95QD. It has an edge-to-edge cover glass called Diamond Glass giving it a borderless-looking smooth design. According to LG the Diamond Glass is rugged too, being able to withstand normal knocks on it. Here are the pertinent hardware specs:
LED The SL95 series is just 29.3mm thick and has a bezel border of just 30mm, much thinner that previous models with a 50mm bezel. The bezel is hidden behind the glass cover so cannot be seen easily when turned off. Edge-lit LED backlight technology is incorporated to make the SL95 series extremely thin. I wouldn’t put too much credence into the incredibly high dynamic contrast ratio. (more…)
Resistive The Archos 5 is a 5-inch portable media player (PMP) that uses Google’s Android as the OS from Archos. Unfortunately the beautiful 4.8-inch TFT LCD with 800 x 480 resolution is coupled with resistive touch technology. Not all resistive touch is terrible: there is one that is excellent but most are terrible and I’m hoping the Archos 5 is at least decent. The reviews on Amazon are not too flattering with only 1 of 5 reviews giving it a 5 star rating (at the time of writing). (more…)
Gorgeous HTC’s HD2 is a gorgeous smartphone touting a 4.3-inch capacitive touch LCD with a 800 x 480 resolution (landscape) and runs Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional. An 1GHz Snapdragon CPU powers the HD2, which also happens to be the world’s first WinMo smartphone with a capacitive display. The HD2 has a 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus, a dual-LED flashlight, 3.5mm audio jack, micro-USB connection, three sensors (accelerometer, proximity, ambient light), apps for social networking (FaceBook, Twitter, YouTube), Bluetooth 2.1, GPS, digital compass, WiFi BG and WiFi router. The HD2 looks really nice, but can someone remind me why it is called ‘HD’? (more…)
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