By Nigam Arora, Contributor Samsung’s advances in this technology have the potential to seriously hurt Apple as Samsung is believed to control up to 90% of the supply of OLED displays.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
Tag Archives: OLED
No, you don't need new glasses, those are curved TVs (video)
Las Vegas—No matter how many times you rub your eyes, those things won’t look straight. These concave OLED beauties are easy on the eyes, but heavy on the wallet.
The curved angle makes every point of the surface equidistant from your eyes. That means no more odd distortion or lack of detail around the edges, which makes for a great wide angle viewing experience.
If you didn’t like 3D before, it may be about time to try again on one of these things. Our own Tim Moynihan checked it out and was in awe of how well the images popped off the screen.
There’s no set prices for these babies yet, but you can check out an uncurved OLED set from LG for a mere $12,000. Yeesh!
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld
CES 2013: The Resolution May Not Be Televised
By Mark Rogowsky, Contributor A look at the launch of 4K, UltraHD and OLED, organic light-emitting diode televisions at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The marketing challenges faced by Samsung, LG, and others as they bring a series of competing “next big things” to a skeptical marketplace.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
CES 2013: 3D TV Is Dead, Long Live 4K
By Erik Kain, Contributor At CES 2o13, 3D televisions appear to be a thing of the past, while TV manufacturers focus on OLED and 4K.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
Biggest, brightest, and best HDTVs at CES 2013
Sony has been all about 4K at this year’s CES, promoting a number of new ultra-high resolution HDTVs. While Sony’s current OLED 4K offering, a massive 84-inch beast, will run you around $25,000, the newly announced 65-inch 4K Bravia XBR-65X900A and 55-inch Bravia XBR-55X900A should offer (slightly) lower price tags.
But what good is a 4K TV if you can’t get 4K content for it? Sony seems to have caught on to this sentiment, teasing a 4K World UltraHD video-distribution service that promises to give viewers access to 4K content from Sony Pictures and other studios.
More info | Price not available
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld
Audi at CES: Driverless Auto Parking, Matrix LED Headlamps, Next-Gen Infotainment, 3D Audio [2013 CES]
Audi’s display stand at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show hosted a veritable cornucopia of new technologies ranging from new LED lighting to autonomous-driving capability, but all fell under a central theme: “electronics trends over the next decade.” Audi thinks all of the stuff it brought to CES will be available to customers within that time frame. Some of the tech is arriving this year, but the company’s driver-less features probably won’t arrive until much later. We’ve broken down Audi’s CES announcements by category:
LED Lighting Advancements
Audi is the manufacturer that brought LED accent lighting into vogue, and it plans to take things to the next level with what it’s calling the Matrix LED high-beam headlight. Even though it might look like a regular full-LED headlight unit, the Matrix has several tricks up its sleeve. It’s linked with a camera, which allows it to detect other cars and pedestrians. This allows the lights to automatically default to a brighter high-beam function; if other traffic or pedestrians are detected, the system can selectively shut off individual LEDs in the headlights to leave a break in the lights’ forward beam. This creates what can only be described as dynamic, choreographed shadows that “follows” the object or objects in front of the car until they are no longer in the path of the beam so as not to blind them. This same individualized LED manipulation affords Audi adaptive front lighting capability sans any mechanical swiveling hardware; the appropriate LEDs in the headlight clusters illuminate in sequence to create an aimed beam of light around corners. It’s all extremely trick, and even more compellingly, will make its production debut this year on the A8.
Piloted Driving
Second to car-app integration, this year’s auto-related CES news also focuses on self-driving cars. Lexus showed off an autonomous LS sedan, and Audi brought along news of its plans to introduce a traffic-jam assistance feature with low-speed (less than 37 mph) autonomous capability and a fully automated self-parking system that enables the car to go seek out a parking space sans driver or occupants. Audi also announced that it is the first automaker to get a license from the state of Nevada allowing it to test autonomous vehicles on public roads.
The traffic-jam assist feature was demonstrated with a simulator (seen above) and essentially mashes together Audi’s currently available adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, thereby steering to hold lanes as well as accelerating and braking the car to and from a stop. The system only will work if it thinks you’re in a traffic-heavy situation; if traffic disperses, it relinquishes control back to the driver.
As mentioned, the autonomous parking function will allow drivers to exit their vehicle before instructing the car to find and park itself in a roadside or garage space. Unlike Audi’s currently available self-parking feature, which manipulates the steering while drivers handle acceleration, braking, and shifting, the Piloted Driving parking (Piloted Parking?) feature turns the car into its own valet. For underground parking garages, Audi predicts the parking facilities themselves will need to contribute some info to the car to assist in finding a space; this is accomplished via WLAN-equipped garages . . . of the future. Or maybe the present—Audi currently is working to thus equip a parking garage in Ingolstadt. Either way, the intention is that the car will then drive itself out of the parking spot and back to its owner when called upon.
So how close to reality are Audi’s Piloted Driving functions? Not far off—Audi showed off the compact laser scanner it plans to put in production (it takes the place of the large robotic-looking tower seen on autonomous cars from Google and Lexus) and stated it’s nearly ready for manufacture. The company tentatively said to expect traffic-jam assist to arrive with its next-generation vehicles. The self-parking system could be implemented within only a few years, although we think reluctance on the part of parking-lot owners to spend cash to upfit their facilities as necessary may hold this one up some.
- Comparison Test: Night-Vision Systems Compared from BMW, Mercedes, and Audi
- Comparison Test: 2012 Audi TT RS vs. 2011 BMW 1-series M Coupe, 2011 Infiniti IPL G Coupe
- Instrumented Test: 2013 Audi S6
Cabin Technologies
Audi also debuted a host of fresh cabin technologies, ranging from the addition of 4G LTE connectivity for Audi Connect (coming this year, though to which markets isn’t yet clear) to display concepts like (glasses-free) 3D rear-seat entertainment screens and an OLED, camera-based rearview mirror that could soon show up in production cars. The automaker is already working on the second generation of the VW Group’s modular infotainment platform that debuted in the all-new A3 hatchback, and this new system (dubbed MIB 2) will incorporate an the even hotter NVIDIA-sourced Tegra 3 processor. (The A3′s system uses the Tegra 2.)
Finally, Audi demonstrated a prototype 3D audio system co-developed with Bang & Olufsen in a diesel Q7 crossover. Unlike 5.1 surround-sound or stereo, the 23-speaker, 1400-watt system (with four 3D loudspeakers) actually recreates three-dimensional sound. We briefly sampled the setup and can confirm that it is both hugely loud and hugely good at reproducing realistic sound qualities. The bumpin’ sound system will debut on a yet-unspecified Audi model next year.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Car & Driver
Sony suffers snag during OLED rollout (video)
LAS VEGAS—Demo glitches can happen to the best of us—even Steve Jobs had to deal with his share of uncooperative equipment. You would just prefer that when something goes awry, it doesn’t happen at the world’s largest trade show. And you really don’t want it to involve one of the marquee products of your presentation.
Unfortunately for Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai, that’s precisely what happened during Sony’s press presentation at CES 2013 on Monday. In an otherwise tight presentation that tackled Hirai’s focus since becoming Sony’s chief executive nine months ago as well as the unveiling of the Xperia Z smartphone, Hirai ran into a bit of trouble when it came time to show off a 56-inch prototype of a 4K OLED TV. Hirai called it the world’s largest OLED display. Unfortunately, it soon featured the world’s largest Blue Screen of Death on an OLED display, as you can see in the footage below from our colleagues at IDG News Service.
To Hirai’s credit, he pressed on with his presentation even as the TV jumped from a blue BIOS screen to a black screen displaying a Windows error message. “Sony will continue to push the envelope of what you can do, what you want to do, and what you haven’t even dreamed of yet,” Hirai said.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld
CES Day Zero wrap-up: 4K TVs foisted on the Las Vegas press corps (video)
LAS VEGAS—Monday was press conference day at CES 2013, and as you might expect, tech companies introduced a veritable avalanche of new hardware—and among all this new shininess was a slew of big-screen TV announcements. Sony had a prototype of its OLED 4K TV on display, though it isn’t yet available for purchase. A number of manufacturers also announced their plans for future sets, with 4K resolution taking the spotlight.
Sony didn’t announce any specific times or prices for its upcoming Bravia XBR sets on Monday, but it did say that its new HDTVs will come in both 65-inch and 55-inch versions. These TVs will be so-called 4K sets, featuring four times as many pixels as regular 1080p HDTVs, and offering a greater level of clarity. These models, luckily, will cost a lot less than the currently available 84-inch Bravia XBR, which demands an incredible $25,000.
Vizio also introduced some upcoming Ultra HD 4K resolution sets, which will be available later this year in 55-, 65-, and 70-inch models. Some models will offer Vizio’s Theater 3D technology, as well as Smart TV features like built-in apps you may or may not need. Vizio has yet to announce pricing or a release date for these new sets.
Panasonic made public its plans to release a whopping 32 new TVs in 2013, including ones that let you edit photos on the TV itself. Trippy. Some models will even include a touch pen for more detailed edits, and the ability to transfer photos to and from mobile devices like smartphones and tablets.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld
Olympus trots out super-stabilized, super-rugged cameras at CES 2013
LAS VEGAS — If you’re plagued with super-fumbly hands, Olympus may have you covered with two new point-and-shoot announcements from CES 2013. The company announced a follow-up to the excellent everything-proof Tough TG-1 iHS from last year, as well as a long-zoom compact camera featuring a similar super-powered stabilization system as the one found in the high-end Olympus OM-D E-M5.
Like its predecessor, the new Olympus Tough TG-2 iHS is a rugged camera that has specs more akin to a premium compact camera. The lens has a maximum aperture of F2.0 with an aperture-priority mode, and the camera has a 12-megapixel backside-illuminated CMOS sensor to help performance in low-light situations. The camera also has HDR and high-speed burst modes, and it shoots 1080p video. The Tough TG-2 iHS also boasts built-in GPS and underwater depth/elevation indicators, as well as a 3-inch OLED display.
Those specs are good enough to rival many higher-end point-and-shoots, and the TG-2 iHS is also no slouch in the rugged department. The Tough TG-2 is rated as waterproof to 50 feet underwater, freezeproof down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, immune to drops of more than 6 feet, dustproof, and crushproof to weights up to 220 pounds.
Due in March, the Tough TG-2 iHS is priced at $380.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld
Sony teases an OLED 4K set at CES 2013
LAS VEGAS—4K and OLED have been two of the biggest buzzwords in the realm of TVs at CES 2013, and a Sony prototype set on display at this year’s show packs both those buzzwords into one 56-inch set. The prototype set offers 3840-by-2160 Ultra HD resolution on a 56-inch OLED display. It’s just a prototype, but it’s a very pretty one.
When the set does come to market, expect it to cost as much as a new home. Sony’s existing 4K HDTV offering, the 84-inch XBR-84X900, costs $25,000 right now, and it’s “only” an edge-lit LED panel; first-generation OLED sets are going for around $10,000, too.
At last year’s show, Sony notably showcased a prototype Crystal LED HDTV set, which featured a different technology than OLED sets; it looks like the company will abandon that Crystal LED technology in favor of OLED sets in the future.
On the products-you-can-actually-buy 4K front, the company also announced two new 4K sets at smaller screen sizes (and prices) than the big, ultra-pricey XBR-84X900. The edge-lit 65-inch Bravia XBR-65X900A and 55-inch Bravia XBR-55X900A will be the new 4K additions, but no specific prices or availability information was announced.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld
Sony teases a OLED 4K set at CES 2013
LAS VEGAS—4K and OLED have been two of the biggest buzzwords in the realm of TVs at CES 2013, and a Sony prototype set on display at this year’s show packs both those buzzwords into one 56-inch set. The prototype set offers 3840-by-2160 Ultra HD resolution on a 56-inch OLED display. It’s just a prototype, but it’s a very pretty one.
When the set does come to market, expect it to cost as much as a new home. Sony’s existing 4K HDTV offering, the 84-inch XBR-84X900, costs $25,000 right now, and it’s “only” an edge-lit LED panel; first-generation OLED sets are going for around $10,000, too.
At last year’s show, Sony notably showcased a prototype Crystal LED HDTV set, which featured a different technology than OLED sets; it looks like the company will abandon that Crystal LED technology in favor of OLED sets in the future.
On the products-you-can-actually-buy 4K front, the company also announced two new 4K sets at smaller screen sizes (and prices) than the big, ultra-pricey XBR-84X900. The edge-lit 65-inch Bravia XBR-65X900A and 55-inch Bravia XBR-55X900A will be the new 4K additions, but no specific prices or availability information was announced.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld
CES: LG's 55-Inch OLED TV to Cost $12,000
Following details of its Korean Launch, LG has announced that its 55-Inch OLED HDTV will be available in the U.S. in March for a cool $12,000. This is more expensive than the international pricing, which is set at 11 million won (just over $10,000) in South Korea, and also a bit later. The HDTV is set to arrive at Korean retailers in February.
The OLED TV itself, official model number 55EM9700, is just 4 millimeters thick and weighs just 22 pounds, thanks to the new OLED technology. Short for organic light-emitting diode, OLED displays are comprised of a layer of organic matter that emits light when charged with electricity. This eliminates the need for a backlight, allowing for deeper black levels and thinner, lighter displays.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Tech
Sleek 20th-century style plus 2013 capability star in the Urban Hello phone
Landlines are so passé, but French start-up Urban Hello wants to bring back the concept of a phone for the whole household.
Urban Hello’s high-definition home phone acts as a handset and a hands-free phone with a built-in 360-degree speaker. The stylish has two OLED displays at the top and base, which activate only while in use. It was shown Sunday at the CES Unveiled press event.
Urban Hello founders Herve Artus and Catherine Seys designed the phone as a hub to communicate with loved ones via long distance after the French couple married and had children.
“We needed to call the grandmother, and my mother would call me when I was cooking,” Seys said while showing off the phone.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld
CES: In 2013, TV Technology Focus Shifts To 4K From OLED
By Eric Savitz, Forbes Staff In the television category, the big trend at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas will be 4K LCD TVs, a technology also called ultra HD. Last year, the focus was on OLED TVs – but the high cost of producing large OLED displays continues to hamper their wide […]
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
LG gets a jump on CES, announces Ultra HD TV lineup for 2013
LG is getting a jump on next week’s Consumer Electronics Show announcing Ultra high-definition TVs that offer four times the resolution of 1080p HD displays. On Friday LG said it will head to CES with two new Ultra high-definition TVs (UHDTV) featuring 55 and 65-inch 3D screens. UHDTVs will have a big presence at CES 2013, with a bevy of TV makers expected to trot out models.
Just like LG‘s 84-inch UHDTV introduced at CES 2012, the two new models making their debut at CES 2013 will feature 3840-by-2160 resolution. The sets will also come with LG‘s newly refreshed Magic Remote that includes gesture and voice recognition, and Wi-Fi and WiDi connectivity. Pricing and availability were not announced, which is typical of CES announcements.
The new LG UHDTV sets won’t be the only UHDTV displays being shown off at CES. Samsung is headed to Las Vegas with an 85-inch UltraHD TV, and Westinghouse plans to debut a 110-inch UHDTV the company says will be available for custom orders before the end of March. Westinghouse also plans to introduce 50-, 55-, and 65-inch models all offering 3840-by-2160 resolution.
While manufacturers are busy producing new Ultra HDTVs, there is almost no content available that can take advantage of the new super resolution. Broadcasters hoping to deliver images in Ultra HD will have to upgrade their transmission equipment, while digital downloads and discs from entertainment companies are not yet UHD ready.
Sony, which recently started selling its first 84-inch UHDTV for about $25,000, is getting around this problem by including a UHD content server with every purchase. The server comes pre-loaded with 10 movies in UHD including “The Amazing Spiderman,” “The Karate Kid,” “Salt,” and the 2012 version of “Total Recall.” The company is also sweetening the deal by including an Xperia Tablet S as a remote control.
LG in late 2012 also started selling its 84-inch UHDTV, which is currently available in the U.S. from select retailers for about $17,000. You don’t get a media server with LG‘s set, but the company says its UHDTV will upscale content on the fly to get as close as possible to the new resolution, a feature that Sony’s set also offers. South Korea-based customers will have an easier time of getting content for their new LG UHDTVs; the electronics maker has formed a content agreement with the Korea Broadcasting System to bring UHD material to viewers.
LG has been hard at work developing its next-generation technologies for television. Recently, the company announced that it would start accepting pre-orders for its 55-inch OLED 3D HDTV in South Korea, another big hit at CES 2012. A U.S. launch date has not been announced, but LG says it will announce further markets for its OLED TV in the coming weeks.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld
LG's $10,000 55-inch OLED HDTV Goes on Sale Next Month
Beating competitors to market with the first large-sized OLED HDTV, LG‘s 55-inch, $10,335 behemoth will arrive in Korean retailers in February with North American, European, and expanded availability in Asia expected in March, according to the Associated Press. The display, which measures at only 4 millimeters thick and weighs only 22 pounds, is now for pre-order at 1,400 retailers across Korea. LG debuted the prototype version of the display last year at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) with no confirmed plans for release. Samsung showed off a similarly sized OLED display at last year’s event, but has yet to announce any further plans for a retail model.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Movies
LG starts taking pre-orders for 55-inch OLED TV
LG Electronics will begin accepting pre-orders for its 55-inch OLED TV in South Korea this month with deliveries scheduled to begin in February.
The company plans to announce over the next several weeks information on other markets where the device will be sold and the pricing.
OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screens are thinner than current LCDs (liquid crystal displays) and PDPs (plasma display panels). They offer images that are brighter and more vibrant, and they handle fast-moving images like sports better.
But although these screens have been used for handheld devices like smartphones, larger versions used in TVs have proven to be expensive. LG said its 55-inch OLED TV will start selling in South Korea through retail stores at about $10,320.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Source: PCWorld
Samsung rumored to be working on 6.3-inch Galaxy Note III
Just when you thought smartphones couldn’t get any bigger, rumor has it that Samsung will put a 6.3-inch OLED display into its Galaxy Note III.
The report comes from Korea Times, citing officials from local parts suppliers as part of a larger story on Samsung’s transition from LCD to OLED displays. The story doesn’t provide any other details or a release date for the Galaxy Note III, but a mid- to late-2013 launch seems likely, given that the Note II launched in October.
Samsung’s original Galaxy Note had a 5.3-inch screen, while the Note II had a 5.5-inch screen. (Samsung also changed the aspect ratio from 16:10 to 16:9.) Although jumbo-size smartphones have their detractors, the concept has proven popular. Samsung sold more than 5 million Galaxy Note II handsetswithin two months of launch.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Source: PCWorld