Engadget

AU Optronics, Idemitsu Kosan announce 'strategic alliance' on OLED development

Amar Toor — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:29:00 EST

The OLED-infused future is fast approaching in Taiwan, where AU Optronics today announced a "strategic alliance" with Japanese firm Idemitsu Kosan. According to AUO, the partnership will see both companies collaborate on new OLED displays and patents, with Idemitsu filling the role of supplier. Taiwan-based AUO delivered the following statement: "This will accelerate business growth in AUO's small-sized OLED displays for smartphones and tablets, which have emerged as a new growth area in the display industry, and that of large-sized OLED displays for TVs." There's no indication as to when we might see the first fruits of this alliance, but as AUO VP Paul Peng recently reminded us, it may be a while.

Continue reading AU Optronics, Idemitsu Kosan announce 'strategic alliance' on OLED development

AU Optronics, Idemitsu Kosan announce 'strategic alliance' on OLED development originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO's flexible e-paper to take on Stretch Armstrong in battle of the bendiest

Lydia Leavitt — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:59:00 EST

There's nothing better than unplugging on a Sunday afternoon with a newspaper and a cup of Joe, which is exactly what AU Optronics hopes to facilitate with its 6-inch Rollable Organic TFT E-paper. We've heard rumblings about the foldable photovoltaic device before, but the company has finally delivered a working prototype that is completely solar powered and elastic enough to make even Gumby jealous. Made of organic TFTs, the SVGA e-paper has an amorphous silicon PV battery, which turns natural or indoor light into solar energy without requiring a power plug. The only downside? Unlike the dead tree variety, wrapping presents in this stuff is a no-go. Check out the extended PR after the break.

Continue reading AUO's flexible e-paper to take on Stretch Armstrong in battle of the bendiest

AUO's flexible e-paper to take on Stretch Armstrong in battle of the bendiest originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO VP says large OLED TVs won't be feasible for commercial use until 2014

Donald Melanson — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:06:00 EST

Eager to get your hands on a big-screen OLED TV? Then it looks like you may still have to wait a few more years -- at least according to Paul Peng, the executive vice president of display manufacturer AU Optronics (otherwise known as AUO). While the technology has been getting cheaper and more efficient as of late, he says that the production costs are still too high and yield rates too low for large OLED TVs to be feasible for commercial use any time before 2014. Of course, we suppose that all depends on your definition of "feasible." Last we heard, LG was still planning on releasing a 55-inch OLED TV by mid-2012 -- for a yet-to-be-disclosed price.

AUO VP says large OLED TVs won't be feasible for commercial use until 2014 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO Sipix e-paper staggers through video at 6 fps, could go as high as 16

Sean Buckley — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 01:04:00 EST

We haven't heard from the folks at IRX Innovations in a while, but if this video is any indication, they haven't given up on their e-reader dreams just yet. A wily internet video shows the outfit squeezing a modest 6 fps out of an AUO Sipix e-paper panel. Playback is noticeably choppy, but IRX engineers say they can eek an additional 10 fps from the unit by running content through a memory buffer. It's a far cry from Mirasol's crazy-smooth 1080p color displays, or even Bookeen's anti-chromatic offering -- but we won't complain if they can keep it cheap. Besides, Chariots of Fire was born to be seen in slow motion.

AUO Sipix e-paper staggers through video at 6 fps, could go as high as 16 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 01:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC's 10-inch 'Puccini' Honeycomb tablet still rumored for summer release

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 26 May 2011 01:56:00 EST

What would a morning be without a little injection of rumorjuice courtesy of DigiTimes? Today's tattle has HTC's 10.1-inch LTE "Puccini" tablet hitting mass production in June with AU Optronics and Wintek pegged as the touch panel suppliers. Other specs, like the 1.5GHz MSM8660 processor and Android 3.0.1 build, seem to have been culled from that 911sniper leak which DigiTimes graciously cites as "sources in the supply chain." Of course, the June date has been tossed around before by DigiTimes but it's good to hear it again so close to the 10-incher's rumored summer release.

HTC's 10-inch 'Puccini' Honeycomb tablet still rumored for summer release originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 May 2011 01:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO's 71-inch ultra-wide 3D LCD panel eyes-on

Richard Lai — Sun, 08 May 2011 13:55:00 EST

While strolling around Shenzhen earlier today, we decided to stop by at the China Optoelectronics Display Expo to feast our eyes on AUO's "world's largest" 71-inch 21:9 3D LCD panel. Phew, what a mouthful, but this 240Hz ultrawidescreen is indeed larger than the sub-60-inch offerings from Vizio, JVC, and Philips. But is it any good? We put on our passive 3D glasses and found the experience to be surprisingly comfortable and effective (even at about 40 degrees from the center before we hit the wall), though the glossy screen's reflection of the neighboring booth was slightly off-putting. This would probably be less of a problem at your humble abode, anyhow.

In terms of availability, AUO told us that China-based TCL will be the first to pick up this beast of a panel, and the final product should be out in August. Apart from that, we couldn't squeeze out further info about other brands, so you best be writing to your nearest dealership to import this exotic cinema TV. More eyes-on pics in the gallery below.

Gallery: AUO's 71-inch Cinema Scope 3D LCD panel eyes-on

AUO's 71-inch ultra-wide 3D LCD panel eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 May 2011 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Taiwan subsidizes development for Delta's glasses-free 3D projector and AUO's flexible AMOLED

Richard Lai — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 07:18:00 EST

You know the Taiwanese are pretty serious about technology when you see them liberally throwing cash at factories. According to DigiTimes, Delta Electronics and AUO are two recent winners for a shared NT$600 million (US$19.6 million) government grant, which will cover 45% of each of their research expenditure -- so probably not a fifty-fifty split. If all goes well, Delta will bring out glasses-free, wide-angle 3D projection that's enabled by using multiple high-res LED beamers; whereas AUO will take advantage of the recent AMOLED shortage and develop high-res flexible panels. Nice going, folks, just don't let us catch you all partying on the factory floor with that money.

Taiwan subsidizes development for Delta's glasses-free 3D projector and AUO's flexible AMOLED originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 07:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO showcases world's largest Cinema Scope 3D LCD TV, among other three-dee niceties

Darren Murph — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 09:42:00 EST

In case you haven't noticed, FPD International 2010 is just about ready to hit full-swing, and AUO is on hand with a stockpile of new kit. AUO Optronics just so happens to be a fairly substantial panel maker in the grand scheme of things, so people tend to pay attention when they roll out the planet's largest Cinema Scope (read: 21:9 aspect ratio) 3D LCD TV. A 71-inch version of the aforesaid device is on hand for the public to gawk at, as is a 65-inch QFHD 4K x 2K lenticular lens 3D TV. The former boasts a 240Hz double frame rate, LED scanning backlight and optimized parameters for better motion flow, and unlike most three-dee televisions these days, this one works with polarized glasses -- you know, the ones that are dirt cheap, don't require batteries and haven't been known to give people headaches. The latter is a glasses-free solution, but unlike the company's next generation 3D notebook panels, you'll need to be located in one of eight viewing spots to dig the effect. In related news, AUO is also trumpeting a 4-inch 3D interactive touch panel suitable for use with smartphones, portable game consoles and tablets, but unfortunately, no release information is being doled out for any of this stuff. A heartbreaker, really.

Continue reading AUO showcases world's largest Cinema Scope 3D LCD TV, among other three-dee niceties

AUO showcases world's largest Cinema Scope 3D LCD TV, among other three-dee niceties originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 09:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO solar-powered touch keyboard connects your laptop with the sun

Darren Murph — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 21:03:00 EST

Call us crazy, but we're sensing a trend. Just hours after Logitech came forward with its solar-powered desktop keyboard, in flies AUO with something similar for laptops. Demonstrated alongside its deadzone-free 3D panel at FPD International 2010, the 14-inch solar-powered touch keyboard laptop solution (it's a working title, folks) is meant to be integrated into laptops in order to cut power usage by as much as 20 percent. So far as we can tell, a solar module is built within the laptop's lid and its keyboard panel, and the touch-sensitive overlay enables light to travel through while giving you a totally outlandish typing experience -- something akin to the Libretto W105, most likely. There's no word on a scheduled release date or price, but we'll definitely be keeping an eye out for a nearby prototype.

AUO solar-powered touch keyboard connects your laptop with the sun originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 21:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO trumpets 'deadzone-free' laptop and tablet 3D displays, recommends leaving glasses at home

Darren Murph — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 12:31:00 EST

Hello, future! We had an inkling that glasses-free 3D was the next big thing when we had a gaze at Intel's display back at CES earlier this year, but it seems that AUO is out to overcome the largest hurdle when dealing with lenticular lens 3D technology: viewing angles. Today, the outfit has revealed the world's first deadzone-free naked eye 3D notebook panel at FPD International 2010, and as the lengthy title indicates, this solution will enable you to view 3D content sans glasses and without positioning yourself carefully in front of the screen. Purportedly, AUO's tapping into SuperD's naked eye 3D wizardry to create a 15.6-inch laptop (1080p) and 10.1-inch tablet (WXGA) panel, and there's even an eye-tracking mechanism that's baked in to capture viewers' eyeball movements. Zanier still, both 2D and 3D modes can operate concurrently on the same display, and the viewer can switch back and forth between the two modes without having their brain implode. The company's pushing a mass production date of Q3 2011, which means that the last CES this planet ever sees should be quite the interesting one.

Continue reading AUO trumpets 'deadzone-free' laptop and tablet 3D displays, recommends leaving glasses at home

AUO trumpets 'deadzone-free' laptop and tablet 3D displays, recommends leaving glasses at home originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

7-inch iPad tattle churns through Taiwanese rumor mills

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 07:04:00 EST

The 7-inch iPad rumors are suddenly hot and heavy. In the last few weeks, we've seen a series of reports claiming that Apple was working on a smaller iPad (or bigger iPod touch?) set for release between the end of 2010 or early 2011. A DigiTimes piece, sourcing its own "analyst," claimed that the device would be making a jump to the Cortex A9 processor core, 512MB of RAM like the iPhone 4, and a 1,024 x 768 pixel IPS panel -- the same resolution as the 9.7-inch iPad giving the new model a better pixel density. Now we've got Taiwan's Economic Daily News saying that Chi Mei will join LG in supplying the new 7-inch IPS panels with AUO joining Sintek to provide the digitizer. EDN also claims that either Compal or Pegatron may join Foxconn in the assembly. Remember, even with hints of a new iPad model in Apple's own code this is all just rumor for now. Besides, we're still waiting for those Xbox 360 Blu-ray drives that the Economic Daily News assured us were coming in Q3 of 2008.

7-inch iPad tattle churns through Taiwanese rumor mills originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 07:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO shows off 2.4-inch transparent multitouch display

Donald Melanson — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:19:00 EST

AUO's no stranger to showing off wild new displays that may or may not ever end up in actual products, and it looks like it's no exception at Display Taiwan 2010 -- the company's taken advantage of the trade show to unveil this new 2.4-inch transparent multitouch display. While it's apparently suitable for cellphones and other devices as well, the company says it's targeting it specifically at GPS devices -- we presume, to allow a slightly less obstructed view on your windshield (as opposed to an actual HUD). Of course, it is still just a prototype, but the capacitive screen does indeed seem to support full multitouch, and is said to be fairly responsive. See for yourself in the video after the break courtesy of Netbook News.

Continue reading AUO shows off 2.4-inch transparent multitouch display

AUO shows off 2.4-inch transparent multitouch display originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO scores patent lawsuit decision over LG Display

Richard Lawler — Mon, 03 May 2010 14:37:00 EST

LG Display may want to be more careful where it aims those patent lawsuits next time, after a dispute it kicked off with AUO has lead to a finding by a U.S. District court that it actually violated AUO's patents and not the other way around. Say hello to patent Nos 6,778,160, 6,689,629, 7,125,157 and 7,090,506, covering "technologies help to improve response time, improve reliability of LCDs, solve the problem of defects in the displayed images, and provide a very compact structure useful for small handheld devices, respectively." So far AUO is indicating that it will seek an injunction preventing LG from shipping its potentially infringing HDTVs, monitors, notebooks and even phones to the U.S, plus some other legal tough talk for good measure. After LG's almost inevitable appeal this could drag out for years and/or be resolved in a sudden alliance of cross licensing so while there still may be time to grab that Chocolate Touch you've been eyeing, we'd keep a casual eye on LE9500 shipping dates in case of slippage.

Continue reading AUO scores patent lawsuit decision over LG Display

AUO scores patent lawsuit decision over LG Display originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 14:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO's 65-inch 3D HDTV panel headed for the conveyer belt in 2H 2010, boasts polarized specs

Sean Hollister — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:16:00 EST

While it might have been a pipe dream back in '09, Taiwanese display manufacturer AU Optronics is firmly committed to blasting our eyeballs in 2010, with a monstrous 65-inch HD LCD panel ready for all the 3D and pseudo-3D content (we're looking at you, G-Force) you have on offer. AUO isn't hedging its bets on this one, either; at FPD China 2010, the company announced that they're using a polarized solution with cheap, $2 to 3 glasses to generate the 3D effect. Sure, polarized is the preferred method for most theatres, but it's often more expensive than active shutter tech for an in-home user -- and can come with some serious visual tradeoffs like permanent ghosting or halved vertical resolution. We won't know for sure until we get hands-on, but either way, expect to see AUO's panels in a branded 3D HDTV near you early next year, or just a few months before HDI drops a 103-inch monster of its own.

AUO's 65-inch 3D HDTV panel headed for the conveyer belt in 2H 2010, boasts polarized specs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Apple's iPad to demand lion's share of tablet PC market?

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:10:00 EST

It's pretty early in the game to call the iPad a winner (or loser) but that's not going to stop analysts and industry execs from their god-given right to bluster. AppleInsider did a nice roundup of Wall Street types predicting year one sales to be anywhere from 1 million and 5 million units with potential to grow as Apple churns out future device iterations, more content and carrier agreements, and a broader global reach of its devices and services. Paul Peng, executive VP of AU Optronics' global business unit, the company tasked with providing the iPad's display apparently, sees Apple selling up to 10 million units annually. Then again, AUO's going to hype this device with all it's got in hopes of selling additional panels to more clients.

On the surface, these numbers are pretty optimistic when you consider that Apple sells about 13.5 million Macs per year (extrapolating 3.36 million sold last quarter). Even more so when you realize that only 3 million to 4 million tablet PCs are sold annually according to Peng and Endpoint Technologies' analyst Roger Kay. Problem is, the iPad isn't really a tablet PC is it? As Technologizer astutely points out, "the iPad isn't a traditional PC -- it's more of an appliance. You don't tinker with your television; you turn it on and consume services." By that logic, it's not a direct competitor to the netbook or e-reader either (though the markets definitely overlap). The only thing we can say with certainty is that it is divisive and that it has captivated the attention of the entire consumer electronics industry.

Apple's iPad to demand lion's share of tablet PC market? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

FED apparently not dead, baby, Field Emission Technologies sells out to AUO

Richard Lawler — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:42:00 EST

Returning just in time to do battle with LPD for vaporware of 2010 award, Field Emission Display technology is still kicking. We'd heard that Field Emission Technologies was closing its doors, but here's the president of Field Emission Technologies Shohei Hasagawa (left) clasping hands with the CEO of display manufacturer AUO, Dr. L.J. Chen, and FET Japan prez Jun Yamazaki celebrating the sale the technology. Apparently AUO plans to develop the CRT-rivaling flat-screen displays for high end display applications. Can it pick up where Sony left off? We're doubtful, but the sale means at least a slim hope professionals could be looking into something even sweeter than plasma or LCD sometime soon.

FED apparently not dead, baby, Field Emission Technologies sells out to AUO originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO previews lots of fancy displays, clownfish-approved 1080p 14-inch OLED monitor

Tim Stevens — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:01:00 EST

FPD International 2009 is nearly upon us, and as we've seen in years past it's a time of wondrous innovation and gratuitous side-shots of impossibly thin displays. Leading off the pack this year is AUO, teasing a number of new panels and technologies that may or may not rock your living rooms sometime in the next two to four years. Chief among them is a 14-inch, 1080p OLED display with a 100,000:1 contrast ratio and 16 million colors. There will also be a range of switchable and glasses-free 2D/3D displays ranging from 8- to 65-inches, a ridiculously wide 58-inch 2.35:1 TV with a 2560 x 1080 resolution, and, naturally, a skinny LCD -- in this case the 65-inch beauty pictured below that's just 7.9mm on the Z plane despite pumping out a claimed 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio. Good stuff? Yes. The craziest displays we'll see this week? Not a chance.

Continue reading AUO previews lots of fancy displays, clownfish-approved 1080p 14-inch OLED monitor

Filed under: Displays

AUO previews lots of fancy displays, clownfish-approved 1080p 14-inch OLED monitor originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO previews lots of fancy displays, clownfish-approved 1080p 14-inch OLED monitor

Tim Stevens — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:09:00 EST

Continue reading AUO previews lots of fancy displays, clownfish-approved 1080p 14-inch OLED monitor

Filed under: Displays, Others, LCD, OLED

AUO previews lots of fancy displays, clownfish-approved 1080p 14-inch OLED monitor originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO demonstrates 6-inch flexible electronic paper, pledges production for next year

Tim Stevens — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:29:00 EST

If e-paper is ever really going to have a chance against tree-paper it's going to have to get a lot more flexible. We've seen multiple demonstrations of bendable wares from LG and even big daddy E Ink, but AUO is the first to pledge mass production of the stuff (since the Readius went bust), starting in 2010. The company has demonstrated a 6-inch flexible display offering 16 shades of gray and a contrast ratio of 9:1, which sounds terrible but is actually slightly better than the Kindle's 7:1. The company is also showing off a 20-inch non-bendy version that should also hit production sometime next year. When will either get the hammer treatment? That remains to be seen.

Filed under: Displays

AUO demonstrates 6-inch flexible electronic paper, pledges production for next year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO aims for $100 e-book readers by 2011

Donald Melanson — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:29:00 EST

E-book readers have certainly been getting better and cheaper lately, but it looks like display-maker AUO thinks there's still plenty of room for improvement, and it's now promising to cut the price of 'em fully in half within two years. The key to that, obviously, is to make the displays cheaper, which AUO says it can do by not only improving the technology, but by taking advantage of the sheer scale of its production capabilities. That, it says, could allow for a $150 e-book reader by next year, and a $100 reader by 2011. What's more, AUO also says that it expects both Amazon and Sony to get "some" of their displays from AUO (with the rest coming from industry leader Prime View) which, if you put two and two together, could pave the way for some cheaper Kindles and Sony Readers in the not too distant future.

Filed under: Displays, Handhelds

AUO aims for $100 e-book readers by 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

AU Optronics delays construction of two LCD plants

Darren Murph — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:55:00 EST

Man, what a difference a ~~year~~ few months makes. At the front end of 2008, panel makers the world over were boasting about big investments to expand production lines and live large on Malta. Now, it's tough to go a week without hearing of at least one plant closing. Take Taiwan's AU Optronics, for instance -- in February of this year, it pledged $9.3 billion to build a pair of LCD factories. Now, it's placing those lofty plans on hold, noting that construction on "two new LCD plants" would be delayed by at least six months. According to chairman KY Lee: "One has to use the brakes and slow down a bit on a downhill path." A curious analogy, but we suppose it works.

Filed under: Industry, Displays

AU Optronics delays construction of two LCD plants originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO debuts 15-inch multi-touch panel, screens aplenty

Donald Melanson — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:57:00 EST

AUO is never one to rest on its laurels when it comes to displays of all shapes and sizes and, if its latest batch is any indication, it looks like it's not showing any signs of letting up. One of the stand-outs here is a 15-inch multi-touch panel which, like the company's 8-inch model, has all the necessary multi-touch technology built onto the panel itself, and is able to recognize light pens in addition to fingers (it's also rolled out new 4.3-inch and 12.1-inch models for good measure). As if that wasn't enough, AUO has also taken the wraps off a new borderless 2.2-inch display (pictured above), which it hopes will soon find its way into a whole host of cellphones and portable media players, as well as 2.8-inch display that can also double as a fingerprint scanner, a 24-inch LCD that promises to display 3D images without glasses, a slightly larger 8.9-inch version of its curved display and, lastly, a 6.5-inch 800 x 480 display with a 2,000:1 contrast ratio. No word of any actual products set to use the displays, of course, but they'll apparently all be on display at the FPD International Forum in Yokohama, Japan later this week.

[Via Electronista]

Filed under: Displays

AUO debuts 15-inch multi-touch panel, screens aplenty originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

ASUS readying touchscreen Eee PC and laptops for 2009 Windows 7 launch?

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 04:47:00 EST

With HP's touchscreen laptop looming on the horizon, out come the leaks of an ASUS touchscreen lappie scheduled for launch in the first half of 2009. Touchscreen Eee PCs too (finally, right?) if DigiTimes' sources at panel makers are correct (which they tend to be with regard to ASUS). According to the Taiwanese industry rag, ASUS will likely use either a 12.1-inch or 11.6-inch touchscreen panel developed by AU Optronics (AUO) or Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO). What's odd here is the claim by sources that the touch-panel notebooks "are expected to take advantage of Windows 7" and presumably the new Microsoft OS's multi-touch capabilities. Strange, since Windows 7 isn't officially expected until sometime in early 2010 -- a date looking more and more like a publicly padded goal to avoid the bashing Microsoft received for its Vista delays. The whispers certainly add a bit more credence to rumors of a 2009 release as expressed by Bill Gates himself, or more specifically June 3rd, 2009 as allegedly marked in the internal Microsoft calendar.

Filed under: Laptops

ASUS readying touchscreen Eee PC and laptops for 2009 Windows 7 launch? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Oct 2008 04:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO preps eco-friendlier 32-inch LCD

Steven Kim — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:56:00 EST

Even though there are some sketchy figures bandied about in the mad rush to hop on the "green" bandwagon, the trend of producing more efficient devices with less environmental impact is for real. It looks like LCD manufacturer AUO is spreading its tech bets. Only a couple of months ago, the company was touting LED backlighting for a 44-percent reduction in energy consumption (and better images, to boot). Now the company is planning to show off a 32-inch LCD that it claims will cut consumption by 50-percent and will be market-ready in Q2 2008. No radical new technology here, just good engineering that cuts the number of fluorescent tubes used for the backlighting from 16 down to 4. No doubt that LED backlights are the future, but we'll be more than happy to see fluorescent backlights put some pricing pressure on them.

[Thanks, Richard!]

Filed under: Displays, LCD

AUO preps eco-friendlier 32-inch LCD originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

LG to cut LCD production, Samsung plans to keep its lines humming

Richard Lawler — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:28:00 EST

That glut of LCDs sitting on the shelves has some manufacturers at odds on how to react, with world #2 LG cutting production by 10% (with plans to raise it again in September), while the number one manufacturer Samsung is going to keep pushing them out as fast as it can, aiming for double digit sales growth this year. That doesn't mean it's not concerned about falling demand and too much supply, but it looks like all those partnerships mean its going to have someone to sell all its screens to at the end of the day. Don't expect that attitude to crash prices anytime soon however, as OEMs like AUO and CMO are following LGs lead and cutting production temporarily.

Read - Samsung Elec says has no plans to cut LCD output
Read - LG Display to cut output by 10 pct in downturn

Filed under: LG, Samsung, LCD

LG to cut LCD production, Samsung plans to keep its lines humming originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO unveils curved, slim and an 8-inch multi-touch display

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 19 May 2008 07:48:00 EST

AU Optronics (AUO) is tooting the "world's first" horn this morning with its new curved TFT-LCD process on glass substrate. They've also got the world's slimmest -- 0.63mm -- TFT-LCD available in both 1.9-inch and relatively massive 8-inch versions, the latter boasting a 400cd/m2 brightness and 2.1-gram weight. Not bad, but they can't hold a candela to future generation OLEDs. Perhaps most interesting, though, are a pair of in-cell, multi-touch displays offered at 4.3- and 8-inches. The panels are said to offer superior anti-glare properties while manufacturing the multi-touch feature directly into the LCD cell without necessitating any additional glass. The 4.3-inch panel hits mass-production this quarter. Feel free to speculate on which MID devices might sport 'em.

[Via DigiTimes]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

AUO unveils curved, slim and an 8-inch multi-touch display originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 May 2008 07:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO promises thinner, greener HDTVs at SID 2008

Richard Lawler — Sat, 17 May 2008 09:33:00 EST

AUO's back again, displaying what new flat panel technologies are trickling down to its OEM televisions, and soon to hit shelves in more reasonably-priced models (albeit wearing another company's name) near you. Hitachi and others are at the forefront of the thinner, lower powered LCD movement, and AUO promises an "ultra-slim" 10mm thick 42-inch LED backlit model next week at SID 2008. The new technology gives power savings of 44% over current models, as well as a 46-inch display with 50% power savings, 500 nits of brightness and 5,000:1 "ultra static high contrast ratio". While we'll wait to find out how that compares to other HDTVs with questionable claims to high contrast rations, the company also plans to show technology that provides 200,000:1 contrast ratio with LEDs. Besides just using less power, we can look forward to LCDs built with using less raw materials and resulting in less chemical waste, which due to our extensive comic book research, we can unequivocally say is a good thing.

Filed under: Displays, LCD

AUO promises thinner, greener HDTVs at SID 2008 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 May 2008 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

AU Optronics pledges $9.3 billion to build two LCD factories

Darren Murph — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 07:57:00 EST

Call us crazy, but we're sensing a trend here. Just months after Samsung announced its intentions to expand an 8G LCD plant and merely hours after Matsushita trumpeted plans to spend $2.8 billion on constructing a new LCD factory of its own in Japan, along comes word that AU Optronics is following suit. This firm, however, is busting out a whopping $9.3 billion in order to erect two facilities "to meet demand for large-sized LCD TVs." Reportedly, one of the buildings will be situated in Taichung, Taiwan, and while it has yet to decide whether it will build 8.5G factories or ones that are even more advanced, we've got all ideas it will have orders lined up from day one, regardless.

[Via Widescreen Review, image courtesy of FTIS]

Filed under: Industry, Displays, Others, LCD

AU Optronics pledges $9.3 billion to build two LCD factories originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Feb 2008 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hey Asus, where's the $199 Eee PC?

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 01:35:00 EST

Last week Asus finally revealed pricing and specs for their much anticipated Eee PC ultra-portable laptop. Anticipated not so much for the specs -- 7-inch LED-backlit LCD, 2 to 8GB of flash storage, up to 1GB memory, WiFi, and webcam -- but for the low, low $199 retail price. Rightly, more than a few of us were dismayed when the entry-level model was revealed to actually cost as much as US$358 in Taiwan and an expected $300 (pre-tax) price when launching Stateside before the month is out. The culprit? Well, according to DigiTimes' Taiwanese component insiders the relatively steep price is in large part due to an unexpectedly high cost for the 7-inch LCD panels. Asus had expected to source the panels for about $15 each but found themselves paying AU Optronics (AUO) and Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO) up to twice as much for the hardware. Feel better for knowing? Yeah, didn't think so.

Filed under: Laptops

Hey Asus, where's the $199 Eee PC? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Oct 2007 01:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

AU Optronics develops uber-thin mobile display

Darren Murph — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 00:52:00 EST

AU Optronics isn't messing around when it comes to improving the displays that you're forced to look at each time that boss / SO / telemarketer rings you up, and just months after developing a screen with a sub-one-millimeter border, the firm is now tooting its horn again after crafting what it calls the "world's thinnest 1.9-inch mobile device panel." The unit measures in at just 0.69-millimeters, and since we know it's tough to visualize something that skinny, how's this for reference? It's about "13-percent slimmer than a credit card." Granted, it doesn't seem to include any type of protective covering, but it is said to weigh just 2.2-grams and boast 400 nits of brightness. Just make sure you exercise caution when smashing through your contact list in a fit of fury on this thing, okay?

Filed under: Others, Misc

AU Optronics develops uber-thin mobile display originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Oct 2007 00:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

AU Optronics develops uber-thin mobile display

Darren Murph — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 00:52:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones, Displays

AU Optronics develops uber-thin mobile display originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Oct 2007 00:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

AU Optronics squeezes more real estate onto mobile screens

Darren Murph — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 05:07:00 EST

AU Optronics seems to know a thing or two about LCDs, and the engineering minds behind the scenes have apparently developed a few mobile screens that replace those wide borders with more pixels. The firm will be showing off its new 2.2-inch transflective panel with the "world's slimmest border of 0.9-millimeters" and its 2.7-inch panel which touts the "world's highest contrast ratio" (for its size, we presume) of 2,100:1, which just barely edges Sharp's iteration. The near-borderless display is reportedly "a half size smaller" than existing renditions, and the 2.7-incher claims to be uber-bright and offer up an unusually wide viewing angle as well. Unfortunately, it sounds like this technology won't be making its way up the LCD food chain, as one researcher noted that what you see here will be "mobile device-exclusive."

[Via FarEastGizmos]

Filed under: Misc

AU Optronics squeezes more real estate onto mobile screens originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Jun 2007 05:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

AU Optronics squeezes more real estate onto mobile screens

Darren Murph — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 05:07:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

AU Optronics squeezes more real estate onto mobile screens originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Jun 2007 05:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO shows off its 65-inch 120Hz 1080p HDTV

Richard Lawler — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 12:06:00 EST

AU Optotronics will be showing off Taiwan's first 65-inch 1080p 120Hz LCD, scheduled for release in the third quarter of this year, at Display Taiwan 2007 next week. Sharp has already displayed this technology and size in its Aquos line, but now that AUO has the capability of building 60-inch+ panels on its 6G production line, we can expect even more competition in the market for these massive HDTVs. Besides the 120Hz technology to reduce blurring, AUO's baby brings 4ms response time, 2000:1 contrast ratio and 10-bit color processing with 92% of the NTSC color gamut, in 42-, 46- and 65-inch sizes.

Filed under: Displays, Others, LCD

AUO shows off its 65-inch 120Hz 1080p HDTV originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jun 2007 12:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Apple and HP readying LED-backlit laptops?

Darren Murph — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 14:50:00 EST

While nobody really knows what Mr. Jobs has planned for next week's Macworld keynote, DigiTimes has a report claiming that LED-backlit laptops are coming down the pike, and if true, will be hitting more than MacBook Pros. According to a rather sure-sounding account, Apple and HP are both aiming to launch lappies in the second quarter of this year with LED-based LCD panels. Purportedly aimed to showcase the sexy interfaces that await us in Windows Vista and OS X 10.5, the screens would be derived from suppliers such as "Nichia or Cree" and tout a "brightness level of over 1,680 nits." Additionally, no model names were handed out as potential candidates for the LED upgrade, but with refreshed laptop models from both firms essentially sure to hit within a matter of months, it wouldn't be too surprising to see such upgrades make the cut. Nevertheless, we've seen our fair share of certainties turn out bogus, so per usual, we'd recommend a healthy dose of table salt with this one as well.

[Via Electronista]

Filed under: Displays, Laptops

Apple and HP readying LED-backlit laptops? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Jan 2007 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

eCinema and AUO tout CRT-quality LCDs

Donald Melanson — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 18:39:00 EST

LCD manufacturers eCinema and AUO have both been boasting about breakthroughs in LCD technology recently, promising LCD monitors that rival bulky CRTs in picture quality. eCinema's display (seen above), boasts a massive 30,000:1 contrast ratio and 1,000 to 4,000 steps of grey, as opposed to the 256 currently found on most LCDs. What's more, they say the first display using the technology, the 40-inch DCM40HDR, will be available by the end of the year. They didn't, however, disclose the price (we'll just pretend for a minute that we can afford one). In comparison, AUO's LCDs seem a bit lackluster, with only a 1200:1 contrast ratio, although the company says its HiColor Technology with LED backlight will push the display to over 100% color saturation and the promised 4ms response time ain't too shabby either. No word yet on availability of displays using AUO's tech yet, although they say it's ready to go and can be applied to both WXGA (1366 x 768) and full 1080p (1920 x 1080) resolutions.

Read - eCinema
Read - AUO

Filed under: Displays

eCinema and AUO tout CRT-quality LCDs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Jun 2006 18:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AUO promises CRT quality from an LCD

Richard Lawler — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 19:57:00 EST

AUO is showing off their new LCD technology this week at the FPD Taiwan 2006 show. They already improved conventional CCFL backlighting, but their new HiColor Technology with RGB LED backlight ups the available NTSC color gamut from 72% to 105%, eliminating one of the major complaints about LCDs. Their new Simulated Pulse Driving technology improves gray-to-gray refresh rates to 4ms, giving what they claim is CRT-level image quality. Advanced MVA technology provides a 1200:1 contrast ratio that will also improve the color washout typical of LCD screens, and improved image processing for better detail. Better yet, all this technology is ready for the 1366x768 and 1920x1080 panels of the future.

It all sounds great, now we just need to find out who will be slapping their sticker on all this shiny new technology when it hits the shelf and how much it will cost. Hopefully we can get a picture or two once the show starts tomorrow.

Filed under: LCD

AUO promises CRT quality from an LCD originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Jun 2006 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments