about-electronics.eu

DigiTimes: LG is scheduling time for “mass production” of its 100-inch LCD TV, according to a press release from the company. A selling price has not yet been determined, the company has said.

LGE recently developed the 100-inch LCD TV and the model will enter 2007 Guinness Book as the world’s largest LCD TV.

The 100-inch LCD TV, with panel from LG.Philips LCD, features a maximum 3,000:1 contrast ratio, color reproduction of 92%, viewing angle of 180 degrees and response time of 5ms, said the company.

The TV is offering a 6.22 million-pixel picture quality, said the company.

In ultra large flat-panel TV competition, plasma technology is so far the winner. In July, Panasonic said it will start offering 103-inch PDP TVs, the world’s largest, with a retail selling price of US$69,999.95 (€54,800), in Christmas 2006.

read more

TG Daily: Panasonic announced yesterday that all of their new plasma display panels (PDPs) would not contain lead oxide, claiming it has become the first company to achieve such a milestone. The electronics manufacturer says that with the elimination of lead, the displays don’t weigh as much, and are more environmentally friendly, without compromising picture quality.

The conventional way of producing PDPs required lead oxide glass for a handful of the components inside, and other “structural elements”, according to Panasonic. It’s also crucial for getting the best possible picture quality by optimizing the softening points of each material in the display.

However, Panasonic has circumvented this need by developing new materials that have the same sort of characteristics and reliability as lead oxide, without actually using any lead.

Panasonic says that it started using this process in spring 2006, with the introduction of its first new plasma TV lineup for the year. Since then, the company claims it has avoided the use of lead products for all new 2006 models, even including the 103-inch plasma HDTV it showed earlier in October.

read more

The Stage: Make-up artists spokeswoman Sandra Exelby is warning that a significant proportion of the profession will need retraining in the next two years as high definition television becomes the norm.

Exelby, who is chairman of the National Association of Screen Make-up Artists and Hairdressers, explained that while some would only need to “top up” their skills, there were many who had insufficient training.

“HD needs a higher level of skill because the pictures are so much clearer, it is something like five times the clarity – virtually like being in the same room as someone. Every flaw will be visible unless make-up artists retrain in new techniques and even something as basic as what colours to use has to be adapted,” she said.

“Broadcasters are asking for HD-trained staff and within the next two years this is going to snowball. Everyone in the industry will need to be able to do it.”

read more

DigiTimes: China’s LCD TV market is poised for tremendous growth during the next four years, with a whopping 49% compound annual growth rate expected during the period from 2005 to 2010, according to research firm iSuppli.

China’s LCD TV shipments are predicted to increase to more than 20 million units in 2010, up from a mere 1.4 million units in 2005, the research firm said.

The increase in unit shipments will be reflected in revenue, with the Chinese LCD TV market growing to US$12.8 billion in 2010, rising at a CAGR of 59.4% from US$1.3 billion in 2005.

According to iSuppli, the 30-inch-and-larger sets are enjoying the fastest growth rate of all LCD TVs in China due to customers’ preference for large-size TVs and the declining prices of these products. This price decline will continue as 6G and 7G LCD fabs reach full production. As the 30-inch-and-larger sets continue to become more affordable, their unit shipments will rise to account for more than 80% of China’s LCD TV market by 2010, iSuppli predicts.

read more

Mobileburn: Motorola adds mobile music to the in-vehicle experience with the introduction of the new Motorola Automotive Music & Hands-free System T605. With this new car kit, drivers have one seamless solution that offers access to digital music and phone calls directly through a compatible car sound system.
Leveraging hands-free, headset and Bluetooth stereo profiles, the T605 pairs with a compatible Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone and a separate compatible Bluetooth-enabled music source for crystal clear connectivity and entertainment. (…)

The Motorola T605 is expected to be available in the first half of 2007. For more information regarding pricing and product availability in your region, please check with your local Motorola representative. For additional information, please visit www.hellomoto.com.

read more

NYTimes: The most important consideration for television buyers is usually the quality of the picture screen. Hannspree, a Taiwan-based manufacturer known for its creative designs, has created a TV for people who care about the back of the set as well.The posterior of the Hannspree Lounge model is wrapped in a curved panel of faux wood, reminiscent of the famous Eames lounge chair. This means the television does not have to be positioned against a wall to hide the back, but could sit on a credenza in the middle of a room.

For more info, please visit the company’s Web site at www.hannspree-usa.com or www.hannspree.com/eu/en.

read more

Anythingbutipod: This one seemed to slip under everyone’s radar when it debuted this past summer at IFA, presumably because at first glance the Odys MP-X10 looks like yet another Nano rip-off, but we think it’s worth a closer look.

It’s true that the player sports unoriginal dimensions (3.5″ x 1.6″ x 0.29″) and what looks like a clickwheel gone splat, but everyone knows that it’s what’s on the inside that counts, right?

And this is where the MP-X10 makes us forgive its copycat appearance (and its meager 512MB, 1GB, and 2GB capacities). In addition to MP3, WMA, and WAV support, the UMS-compliant player features an FM radio, text reader (for lyrics and ebooks), Tetris, and voice recorder.

It can also play AMV videos (oh well) and display JPGs and animated GIFs on its 65K-color 128 x 128 display. It’s unfortunately equipped with a nonstandard 2.5mm headphone jack, but Odys includes a 3.5mm adapter so the issue is minimized.

The MP-X10 is available now in black and white at various online retailers, including Amazon Germany, who sells the 1GB player for 69 euro.

read more

T3: It’s been months since Apple announced its titchy player, but it’ll finally go on sale this Friday. Something for the weekend sir?…Steve Jobs proudly paraded the new iPod shuffle alongside the new nanos and full-size players in September, but this Friday they’ll finally make their way into stores, so you can grab the tiniest MP3 player in the world for just £55 (about 80 euro).

The dinky player comes in just one flavour, the silver 1-gig variety, but includes an equally attractive dock and built in clip to secure it to your trouser pocket.

read more

AVZombie: Pioneer is the latest brand to delay its US Blu-ray launch. The company says it will now ship its first player, the BDP-HD, in December, but has declined to issue specific reasons for the delay. Pioneer senior VP of product development Andy Parsons has merely stated that the brand wants to ensure that the player does what is required of it.
Pioneer says it will introduce a BD player in Europe sometime in 2007.

read more

AVZombie: The blue-laser market is about to get a whole lot bluer. Leading adult film company Vivid Entertainment says it will introduce its first HD content on disc early 2007. Explaining why it’s taken the adult companies so long to show an interest in hi def discs, Vivid’s co-founder says that while his industry is often seen as a leader in new technology, “that technology has to be affordable. The two HD formats are not there yet, although we are willing to take a chance because we feel the market will be ready very soon.”

Vivid has yet to decide which format it will support.

read more

Gizmodo: Sony, Samsung, and LG together with Panasonic, Toshiba, NEC and SiBEAM are  working on a new spec called WirelessHD (or WiHD) that lets you beam uncompressed HD content from say a cable box to your HDTV.

It’ll use the 60GHz frequency and handle video as well as audio. The technology will appear in components, HDTVs, game consoles, and even portable gadgets like HD camcorders by spring 2008.

For those of us who’ve already splurged on big budget HDTVs and components, the WirelessHD folks will create wireless adapters that’ll let your equipment go wireless.

read more

EETimes: Third quarter plasma panel shipments increased 17% sequentially and 47%year-to-year, reaching a record 2.8 million units, according to market research firm DisplaySearch.  However, growth waswas slower than previous quarters.

Plasma panel revenues also topped $2 billion for the first time in the third quarter, reaching $2.02 billion (around €1,5 billion), up 29% year-to-year. The average selling price of a plasma panel dipped to $724 (€567), down 6% sequentially and 12% year-to-year, the firm said.

DisplaySearch noted that third quarter plasma panel growth was slower than any of the past 12 quarters, which had ranged from 73 to 170% year-to-year. Plasma panel suppliers are expecting even slower growth in the fourth quarter, DisplaySearch said, forecasting 3.2 million units, which would be up 20 percent year-to-year.

Assuming plasma panel suppliers hit their fourth quarter targets, 2006 panel shipments will rise 49% in 2006 to 10.7 million units, less than half the growth of previous years, the firm said.

DisplaySearch attributed the slowing growth to closer capacity growth, migration to large panel sizes, tighter supply and increased competition from LCD TVs.

read more