Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Samsung Develops New 'Blue Phase' LCD Panel for TVs [Samsung]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/290062969/samsung-develops-new-blue-phase-lcd-panel-for-tvs

Samsung has developed a new technology for LCD panels called Blue Phase, which it claims improves picture quality on its high-end LCD TVs. Called Blue Phase, the cost-efficient design eschews liquid crystal alignment layers, instead making its own, bringing production costs down. Current video image quality is driven at 120Hz, but the new technology will effectively double that to 240Hz. A 15-inch model will be unveiled in LA next week, and Samsung expects mass production to begin in 2011. Full press release below.

Samsung Develops World's First "Blue Phase" Technology to Achieve 240 Hz Driving Speed for High-Speed Video Seoul, Korea - May 14, 2008- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world's largest provider of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panels announced today that it has developed the world's first "Blue Phase" LCD panel - which will offer more natural moving images with an unprecedented image-driving speed of 240 Hertz. Samsung is planning to unveil a 15" model of its Blue Phase LCD panel at the SID (Society for Information Display) 2008 international Symposium, Seminar and Exhibition, which will be held in Los Angeles from May 18 to 23. Executive Vice President Souk Jun-hyung, the head of LCD Business' Display R&D Center, said that "Our Blue Phase mode is a major evolutionary development beyond conventional liquid crystal modes. Samsung's development of the technology provides a tremendous opportunity to move image quality of LCD screens much closer to that of a real moving image." Developed with an extremely cost-efficient design, Samsung's Blue Phase mode does not require liquid crystal alignment layers, unlike today's most widely used LCD modes such as Twisted Nematic, In-Plane Switching or Vertical Alignment,. This new Blue Phase mode can make its own alignment layers, eliminating the need any mechanical alignment and rubbing processes. This reduces the number of required fabrication processes, resulting in considerably savings on production costs. Additionally, Blue Phase panels will reduce the possibility of bruising the LCD panel interface whereby pressure on the screen can impair uniform brightness. Overdrive circuits are currently applied to each LCD panel to improve the video image quality in premium LCD TVs, which are driven at 120Hz. The Blue Phase mode features a superior response rate, allowing images to be reproduced at 240Hz or higher without the need for any overdrive circuit. The term "Blue Phase" was coined when the technology's developers observed bluish! hues wh ile watching their new liquid crystal mode in operation. Since many academic and corporate institutions researched this new liquid crystal mode, Samsung has become the first to unveil a commercially viable product prototype using the "Blue Phase" technology. Samsung expects to begin mass producing its Blue Phase LCD in 2011. The LCD panels will be mainly used in TVs that require high-speed video reproduction.

[Via Press Release and Akihabara News]

Microsoft intros the VX-5000 and VX-500 LifeCams, LX-2000 headset

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/289454115/

Filed under: Peripherals

Microsoft really wants you to do some video conferencing, okay? Why else would they release the LifeCam VX-5000 and VX-500 webcams? Apparently gunning for some of that juicy video-chat market, the boys and girls in Redmond have introduced two models sure to find a home perched atop any monitor. Both cams sport VGA resolution and play nice with Windows Live Messenger -- we assume they're USB 2.0 devices, but Microsoft doesn't seem to want to tell us. The company is also releasing a headset, the LifeChat LX-2000. The VX-5000 will be available in June for $49.95, while the VX-500 and LX-2000 hit shelves this month for $16.95 and $29.95, respectively.

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Greenhouse claims its DH-SSDGD SSD drive is 'industry's fastest'

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/289517927/

Filed under: Storage

When it comes to drives, it's all about space and speed. That's why we were happy to see that Greenhouse is boasting that the DH-SSDGS series is the "industry's fastest" -- sure, we can't verify that claim, but at least they're trying to get our attention. Regardless, the new drives read at up to 130MB/s with write speeds of 67MB/s, with capacities that range from 16GB up to 128GB. Drive size is a standard 2.5-inches, with a 9.5mm height. Greenhouse says the SATA-compatible boxes will be available in late May (in Japan at least), no word on pricing.

[Via Impress]

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Creative gets official with Vado cheapcorder

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/289596560/

Filed under: Digital Cameras

JR.com may have let the cat of the bag, but Creative's not letting that stop it from getting all official with its new Vado Pocket Video Cam, which is taking square aim at the likes of Pure Digital's Flip Video cheapcorder. Like the Flip, Creative's offering comes packing a lowly-but-YouTube-friendly 640 x 480 resolution, along with 2GB of built-in memory (with no expansion options), a 2-inch display, a flip-out USB connector, and a promised two hours of battery life on a charge. Not exactly the most feature-packed camera out there (even for a budget model), but the $100 price tag is certainly right, and you can get it in your choice of silver or hot pink.

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Sharp rolls out 46-, 52-inch LCD TVs with built-in web browser

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/289674768/

Filed under: HDTV

Sharp has just let loose a pair of new sizable and feature-packed LCD TVs, although you're more likely to find one of 'em in a kiosk or a conference room than a home theater. Intended primarily for commercial use, the 46-inch TL-M4600 and 52-inch TL-M5200 each boast a full 1920 x 1080 resolution, along with a "sub-6ms" response time, a full range of ports (including DVI-D and HDCP-compatible HDMI), optional speakers, and a 1,500:1 contrast ratio on TL-M4600 and 2,000:1 on the TL-M5200. Both also boast fanless internal cooling systems to keep the noise down and, perhaps most notably, LAN connectivity complete with a built-in web browser. Of course, just because Sharp's targeting businesses and the like doesn't mean it won't sell you one, although you'll have to drop a hefty $4,000 for the 46-incher or $5,000 for the 52-inch model.

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MSI Wind gets official pricing and availability for the US: $399

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/289691396/

Filed under: Laptops

We already knew most of the details on the MSI Wind, but the Atom-based ultraportable just got official US pricing and availability today -- and just like we hoped, it got a little cheaper on the trip over. Although there'll be both 8.9-inch and 10-inch versions worldwide, we're only getting the 10-inch in both XP and Linux flavors, starting June 3rd. The SuSE version will feature that 1.6GHz Atom, 512MB of RAM, 80GB hard drive, and a 3-cell battery rated at 2.5 hours of use for $399, while the XP edition will come in at $549 with 1GB of RAM, Bluetooth, and a larger 6-cell battery good for 5.5 hours. There's also apparently going to be a $500 "base" XP edition, but details on that are pretty sparse at the moment. Looks like ASUS had better get that Atom-based Eee 900 out by June as planned if it wants to keep up, eh?

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Superpowerful small wind turbines light up the night

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/289708034/

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

We've seem some impressive wind power tech, but a new breed of small, high-power wind turbines could potentially bring efficient wind power home. Developed by an inventor named Doug Selsam, the new turbines have rotors just 14-18 inches in diameter, but can produce 200 watts in a 20MPH wind, and much more than that at higher wind speeds. The trick is using high-strength carbon-fiber materials that allow several rotors to be hooked up as one -- in strong winds a thirteen-rotor system can produce enough juice to blow out a bank of car headlights "like flashbulbs." That's pretty impressive -- especially since the system is light and balanced enough to be held up with one hand. No word on when or how we might see these hit the public, but we can see some pretty sweet applications -- laptops in the park, anyone?

[Thanks, Yocheved]

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Herbalicious Furniture

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/yankodesign/~3/289541662/

Design student Elliot Mariess needed to come up with something new and off kilter for his degree so naturally he envisioned any space should and could have an aromatic herb garden. This simple looking dresser is more than meets the eye - inside is a whole garden living off a low wattage bulb. Not only do you get fresh herbs, but it naturally filters the air, keeps stank off your clothes, and makes us all look like green thumbs.

Designer: Elliott Mariess

Elliott Mariess

Monday, May 12, 2008

Sumitomo set to produce 40-inch OLED panels in 2009

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/288251205/

Filed under: HDTV

Not that there was any doubt that OLED is on its way to larger sizes (hasn't it been since like 2005?), but Japanese firm Sumitomo Chemical announced its plans to produce 40-inch OLED panels for HDTVs some time in 2009, meaning Sumitomo-based TVs could hit the market in 2009 or 2010. Samsung's old-skool 40-inch OLED HDTV prototype shown above for scale.

[Via OLED-Info]

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Eye-Fi launches Eye-Fi Home, Share, and geotagging Explore

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/288469937/

Filed under: Peripherals, Wireless, Storage

Eye-Fi's expanding from a single card to a family of three tonight. All are the same 2GB as before, but now we've got the new flagship Eye-Fi Explore ($129), which includes geotagging courtesy of Skyhook (the same WiFi-based location system that helps the iPod touch and iPhone find their way). Then you've got the Eye-Fi Share ($99) -- basically the same card we used to know simply as the Eye-Fi -- and finally the Eye-Fi Home ($79), which appears to only be able to upload photos through desktop software using your home network. Expect 'em all on sale come June 6th.

Gallery: Eye-Fi launches Eye-Fi Home, Share, and geotagging Explore