If we believe Japan's Nikkei, the decision by Hon Hai Precision Industry (that is, Foxconn's daddy) to buy a stake in Sharp was really just the start of a long, torrid love affair in LCD production. While Hon Hai is getting the rosy side of the deal for Sharp's TV-oriented Sakai plant, it's now thought to be paying Sharp for display technology that would go into a new factory in Chengdu for small- and medium-sized LCDs used for smartphones and tablets. If all dovetails as nicely as the two would like, the joint venture would see advanced mobile displays manufactured on the cheap -- the best of both worlds. Suffice it to say that there's a few companies that might be interested, as clients like Apple are no strangers to Chengdu. Before you let visions of IGZO-based LCDs on every iPad and iPhone dance through your head, though, remember that neither Hon Hai nor Sharp has confirmed anything -- and that the plant wouldn't be up and running until 2013 at the earliest, even if everything's in sync.

Sharp reportedly getting cozy with Hon Hai Precision, helping to make phone and tablet LCDs in Chengdu originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 15:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After Sony cut off its supply of capital to the ill-fated Sakai production plant that it jointly owns with Sharp, it became clear that the final goodbye may be little more than a formality. And here it is, in the form of a cold, resolute press release stating that Sony is selling its seven percent stake back to Sharp and taking back the 10 billion yen ($126 million) it originally invested. The only reason given is the "rapidly changing market for LCD panels and LCD televisions," which is a polite reference to the fact that profits from big TVs are well below what these companies predicted back in the heady days of 2008 and early 2009, when the impact of the global economic crisis loomed without yet being fully apparent. Fortunately for Sony, which is in the delicate stages of reform, the solid pre-nuptial agreement it had in place with Sharp should protect the company from having to revise its financial forecasts for the coming year -- not that those were particularly great in the first place.

Continue reading Sony formally quits Sharp LCD joint venture, takes back every yen it invested

Sony formally quits Sharp LCD joint venture, takes back every yen it invested originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 03:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's been a long, long time since Apple undertook a significant redesign of the iPod touch, which hasn't been looked at since 2010 and received just a splash of white last year. A possible front panel part leak we've just seen could overturn all that -- and hint at the 2012 iPhone's direction in the process. If we go by the claims of MacRumors' supplier friends, the media player would be growing up, but not out, with a taller 4.1-inch screen. We're skeptical, as the white part (black on the inside) seems almost too good to be true -- we haven't seen anything similar elsewhere in the unofficial parts market. Still, having heard murmurs of larger iPhone screens and knowing Apple's own tendency to base the iPod touch on whatever iPhone flavor is new this year, we could be looking at iPhones and iPods growing for the first time since 2007. There's also some as yet unconfirmed next-gen iPhone parts included by the source, although we'd hesitate to call them smoking guns unless they're put together in Apple-like form later in the year.

Purported fifth-gen iPod touch panel slips out, shows a tall 4.1-inch screen that's possibly iPhone-bound originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 14:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Just in case the world forgot which phone was first with 2GB of RAM, LG has pushed out another press release for its Optimus LTE II which ships this week in Korea, just as promised. The detailed specs reveal this version ships with a 4.7-inch True HD IPS LCD, and while many of its specs (8MP camera, 1.5GHz dual-core CPU) are identical to its predecessor, it weighs in at an extra 10g, likely owing to the larger 2,150mAh battery. As mentioned previously it also has support for wireless charging and, naturally, the Optimus UI 3.0 detailed earlier. There's still no word on when we'll see this one outside of Korea but for now a few specs and pictures will have to hold us over.

Continue reading LG's Optimus LTE II ships this week in Korea, nails down a few more specs

LG's Optimus LTE II ships this week in Korea, nails down a few more specs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 23:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While there's already plenty of excitement around other quad-core Android phones, LG will join the party soon when its Optimus 4X HD launches in a few European countries next month. Germany, Sweden, Great Britain, Italy and Poland are all on deck in June, where this latest Optimus variant will bring a 4.7-inch 720p HD IPS LCD, Tegra 3 CPU (benchmarked and seen in white here) and 2,150mAh battery coupled with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. On the software front, LG is touting its ability to take and share notes with "Quick Memo" (as seen in the Optimus Vu, now updated with the ability to include hyperlinks) as well as new "Media Plex" video playback controls. We got our hands all over this one during MWC 2012 a few months ago so until it drops in your neck of the woods, check out our gallery and video for a closer look or the press release after the break.

Gallery: LG Optimus 4X hands-on

Continue reading LG lines up Optimus 4X HD for launch in Germany, Sweden, Great Britain, Italy and Poland

LG lines up Optimus 4X HD for launch in Germany, Sweden, Great Britain, Italy and Poland originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 23:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Panasonic's yearly earnings are in and the red ink added up to a record $9.7 billion net loss for 2011. Number one on incoming president Kazuhiro Tsuga's list is turning around the company's TV division, where its heavy investments in both plasma and LCD manufacturing resulted in heavy losses. Currently the company expects a better result in both next year after 2011's write downs and restructuring, although its projections see total sales falling from 17.3 million last year to 15.5 million. Panasonic is expected to follow Samsung and LG into large screen OLED HDTV production and outgoing prez Fumio Ohtsubo mentioned it would likely look for a partner there. Sumitomo has been rumored as a potential ally in the past, though a preference for run-flat tires could not be confirmed at press time.

Panasonic racks up a record loss for 2012, looks forward to profits and a partner for OLED TVs originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 May 2012 06:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While we're still waiting for Toshiba to deliver its top of the line 55X3 HDTV with 4K resolution and glasses-free 3D technology here in the US, it just announced a step-down model in Japan. The Regza 55XS5 keeps the 3840 x 2160 LCD panel, but switches to edge LED lighting instead of local dimming and drops 3D altogether, autostereoscopic or otherwise. There's a CEVO Duo image processing engine inside the slimmed-down frame upconverting your standard HDTV res inputs to QFHD, as well as support for apps and USB hard drive for recording broadcasts. This model should ship in June on the other side of the Pacific for an "open price" expected to be around 750,000 yen ($9,410 US), slightly lower than the X3's 900,00 yen launch price last December. So, still hanging on for an 8K Super Hi-Vision model, or is this resolution high enough for you?

Toshiba's 55XS5 brings quad HD without the glasses-free 3D tech to Japan in June originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 00:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If your gadget life centers equally on Apple devices and luxury Danish home theater, Bang & Olufsen now has you officially covered. The BeoPlay V1 TV, which we got a sneak peek at just over a week ago, has a slot to connect your Apple TV without wires spoiling the look of your upscale loft. Both 32- and 40-inch versions have relatively powerful speakers, too, with as many as three 32W amps in the 40-inch version being joined by discrete treble / mid speakers and a bass unit. Either of the 1080p TVs carries a 100Hz refresh rate, five HDMI inputs, and a USB port for your music and photos. Just as new is a BeoPlay A3 speaker dock for the iPad, which nestles your first- or second-generation iPad into what Bang & Olufsen calls a "stable wedge" that not only keeps the iPad comfy but adapts the speakers to get maximum output depending on its orientation. An eight-hour 10-hour battery keeps the speakers completely wireless, although it won't charge your iPad in the process. The company will have the V1 in British shops on May 3rd at a comparatively frugal £1,999 ($3,238) and £2,499 ($4,047) for the respective 32- and 40-inch sizes, while fans of Hamlet's homeland will have to wait until May 23rd to pay £449 ($727) for an A3 dock, a picture of which you can find after the break.

Update: As it turns out, the A3 will priced at $550 with it hits the US later this month, not $727 as we previously reported.

Continue reading Bang & Olufsen caters to the iOS crowd with Apple TV-friendly BeoPlay V1 TV set, A3 iPad speaker dock (update)

Bang & Olufsen caters to the iOS crowd with Apple TV-friendly BeoPlay V1 TV set, A3 iPad speaker dock (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 May 2012 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III's light leak fix found to be black tape originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 May 2012 17:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Quick quiz: which consumes more power, an "energy-efficient" 55-inch LED TV, or the 90-foot "Patterned by Nature" video installation at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences? It's actually a trick question, because the sculpture does eat less power -- just 75 watts -- but then it only has a fraction of the TV's pixels. Each of its 3600 "dots" is in fact a 6-inch glass pane which can vary its transparency, a decidedly more lo-fi approach than similar tech we've seen before, but no less arresting as a result. As the video shows, it combines an eight channel soundtrack with twenty Mario-like animations on its serpentine skin -- ranging from bacteria to flocking geese -- to bring mother nature to the viewer without sapping her energy.

Patterned by Nature: it's big, blocky and earth-approved (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Sharp posts $1.4 billion extraordinary loss, refocuses on mobile displays

Sharp posts $1.4 billion extraordinary loss, refocuses on mobile displays originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 04:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While LCD monitors with in-plane switching technology were once decidedly settled at the high end, LG apparently thinks its time for everyone to have one and is launching its mainstream IPS4 line. Executive VP JJ Lee says the aim is for IPS monitors to become "ubiquitous in every room", bringing better color reproduction, picture quality and wide viewing angles with them. So far we know they're slotting in just below the 3D-capable models shown off at CES, but there's nothing mentioned in the press release (included after the break along with another pic) about prices, sizes, specs or model numbers. If you're in the market however, expect to find out more soon since they will roll out to Asia first in May, followed by Europe and North America in "the coming weeks".

Continue reading LG's IPS monitors head downmarket with 2D-only IPS4 series launching soon

LG's IPS monitors head downmarket with 2D-only IPS4 series launching soon originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 01:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If there's a large display as part of your workstation, you know how difficult it can be to keep track of all of your windows simultaneously, without missing a single update. Now imagine surrounding yourself with three, or four, or five jumbo LCDs, each littered with dozens of windows tracking realtime data -- be it RSS feeds, an inbox or chat. Financial analysts, security guards and transit dispatchers are but a few of the professionals tasked with monitoring such arrays, constantly scanning each monitor to keep abreast of updates. One project from the MIT Media Lab offers a solution, pairing Microsoft Kinect cameras with detection software, then highlighting changes with a new graphical user interface.

Perifoveal Display presents data at normal brightness on the monitor that you're facing directly. Then, as you move your head to a different LCD, that panel becomes brighter, while changes on any of the displays that you're not facing directly (but still remain within your peripheral vision) -- a rising stock price, or motion on a security camera -- are highlighted with a white square, which slowly fades once you turn to face the new information. During our hands-on demo, everything worked as described, albeit without the instant response times you may expect from such a platform. As with most Media Lab projects, there's no release date in sight, but you can gawk at the prototype in our video just after the break.

Gallery: MIT Media Lab: Perifoveal Display

Continue reading Perifoveal Display tracks head positioning, highlights changing data on secondary LCDs (hands-on)

Perifoveal Display tracks head positioning, highlights changing data on secondary LCDs (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

LG has released its Q1 2012 numbers, and there's plenty of good news to go around, with TV profits that nearly doubled and profit from cellphones for the second quarter in a row following six straight quarters of losses. Despite slightly lower sales, more of the units that did sell had higher prices and made more profit. In its press release, the company claimed to have "turned the corner" with a net profit of $215 million, blaming the slower sales of TVs on the European economy and cellphones on declining featurephone sales. We don't have specific numbers, but it called out the popularity of the Optimus LTE and Optimus Vu as part of the reason for increased revenues. Of course, the year is only just getting under way, and the company is expected to introduce its first 55-inch OLED HDTV soon, as well as quad-core smartphones and a new L-style series of phones. Before that however, it will have to deal with the competition from fellow Korean giant Samsung which will report its earnings later this week and has a few high profile releases up its sleeves as well. There's more details in the press release after the break, and PDF linked below.

Continue reading LG's Q1 2012 earnings show greater profits on strong TV, phone sales

LG's Q1 2012 earnings show greater profits on strong TV, phone sales originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 01:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We're more used to phones getting leaked ahead of time, but it's not always just the latest and greatest handset that sneaks its way into our inbox. Danish website Recordere has managed to get a cheeky glimpse of the new BeoPlay V1 TV from Bang & Olufsen. Pegged as the new "affordable" model from the Scandinavian manufacturer, it'll come in two flavors: the BeoPlay V1-32 and V1-40 (the numbers representing screen size,) which include DLNA functionality, five HDMI ports, one USB, and integrated 5.1 surround sound, as well as a few other treats. The official launch is the 5th of May, with pricing set at €2,399 and €2,899 (about $3,170 and $3,831 respectively) depending how big the space in your front room is.

New BeoPlay V1 shows up ahead of time, hearts and wallets flutter originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Apr 2012 05:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With 4K cameras suddenly popping up everywhere we look at NAB 2012, it's little surprise that Canon is showing off this matching 30-inch prototype intended for the very professionals tasked with mastering video shot by its latest hardware. Like the retina display, it produces an effect where no matter how close you're standing it's still impossible to pick out the individual pixels, and easily matched what we'd seen from a prototype 20-inch 4K LCD from Panasonic at CES. The people we spoke to who handled some of the work on Canon's demo footage preferred it to their 2K projectors for the clarity and ability to get pixel accurate representations of the source material, plus it probably fits more easily into a production suite. The big question from all who see this in person is when will it be available and for how much, and while Canon says it's due to ship this year, we're on our own to speculate about the (surely astronomical) price.

Continue reading Canon shows off prototype 30-inch 4K reference display, won't put a price tag on love

Canon shows off prototype 30-inch 4K reference display, won't put a price tag on love originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Deep-pocketed RED owners take heed. The company just demoed some pretty nifty module updates, including an OLED EVF, a new 9-inch touchscreen and the crown jewel Meizler Module, which brings to the table such features as wireless 1080p transmission, a wireless timecode transceiver and full wireless lens control -- we're particularly taken with that last feature, which effectively enables remote-controlled follow focus, aperture and zoom control. The new 9-inch will also come in handy with wireless control, making it easier to verify sharpness and exposure. It features the same touch functionality of its smaller sibling, giving you full control of the camera.

The display will likely draw some attention when mounted on an EPIC, which is noticeably smaller than the LCD itself, but once you toss on a lens and power pack, the rig looks slightly better proportioned. That's the good news. The bad news is the price -- you're looking at a cool $13,000 for that wireless module, which is named after its designer, assistant camera Steven Meizler, while the Bomb OLED EVF can be had as an upgrade for $1,200 (if you're willing to trade in your LCD version), or $3,900 if you plan to buy it outright. You can head over to the Red Store to pick that device up today, though you'll need to hang tight for the Meizler and 9-inch LCD, both of which are expected to launch later this year. You'll get an up-close look at all the new gear in the gallery below, and you'll also find a video overview with RED's Ted Schilowitz when you venture past the break.

Gallery: RED 9-inch touchscreen, OLED EVF and Meizler Module eyes-on

Continue reading RED 9-inch touchscreen, OLED EVF and Meizler Module eyes-on (video)

RED 9-inch touchscreen, OLED EVF and Meizler Module eyes-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Canon 'examining countermeasures' for 5D Mark IIIs experiencing top LCD light leak problem originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Apr 2012 20:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

HTC One X review

HTC One S review

HTC Sense 4 review

Gallery: HTC One X vs. One S... fight!

Continue reading HTC One X vs. One S: which phone is The One for you?

HTC One X vs. One S: which phone is The One for you? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sony, Toshiba, Hitachi joint venture Japan Display fires up operations originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 07:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Samsung Display spinoff officially launches as 'the world's largest display manufacturer'

Samsung Display spinoff officially launches as 'the world's largest display manufacturer' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 02:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Flat-panel TV shipments to fall for the first time ever in 2012?

Flat-panel TV shipments to fall for the first time ever in 2012? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Sharp's bigger and better HDTVs for 2012 start hitting store shelves

Sharp's bigger and better HDTVs for 2012 start hitting store shelves originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• The event is open to those 18 and older.
• The event begins at 7:00pm and will run for approximately two hours.
• This is not first-come-first-serve, so there will be no need to line up.
• Please bring a photo ID and your confirmation with you for admission.

Win a chance to ride along with Engadget for a private briefing on Panasonic's 2012 home entertainment lineup! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Samsung's WiFi-laced DV300F camera now available, priced at $200

Samsung's WiFi-laced DV300F camera now available, priced at $200 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 02:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: iPad (2012) review

Continue reading iPad review (2012)

iPad review (2012) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

AU Optronics found guilty of US price fixing, appeal already in the works originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 02:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Acer brings five monitors to the US, prices range from $139 to $329

Acer brings five monitors to the US, prices range from $139 to $329 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

PixelQi has heavy night, wakes up married to French 'PadPro' tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 07:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy Beam

Continue reading Samsung unveils new Galaxy Beam smartphone / projector combo with dual core CPU

Samsung unveils new Galaxy Beam smartphone / projector combo with dual core CPU originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 25 Feb 2012 21:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Samsung spinning off LCD business

Samsung spinning off LCD business originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 01:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Alleged iPad 3 Retina Display examined under a microscope originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

2012 HDTV pricing leaks out for Panasonic, Sony, Sharp and Samsung originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Panasonic prices, dates some of its 2012 HDTVs (VT, GT, ET) and accessories in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We were told at CES last month to expect Vizio's ultrawidescreen LCDs would hit the market sooner rather than later, now we know how it will fit into our budgets, even if we're not sure how the aspect ratio will fit in our living rooms. Similar to the way its first Theater 3D TVs popped up last year, the XVT 3D CinemaWide product page reveals a 58-inch model (50- and 71-inchers are also planned) sporting its trademark 21:9 aspect ratio (compared to a traditional HDTV's 16:9) and 2560x1080 resolution will start at $3,499. It also has an array of specs, measuring the 120Hz Edge LED lit screen at 56.7-inches wide by 29-inches high and 1.8-inches deep. Just as we saw when they were first announced at CES 2011, Vizio upscales Blu-ray and other wider-than-widescreen sources to fill the screen without those black bars we've become accustomed to. If you're watching standard HD programming, the extra space alongside can accommodate tiles for Yahoo! Widgets pulling information from the internet without blocking the picture at all. Check our gallery below for a better look and a demo video after the break, we'll keep an ear to the ground to find out when and where these displays might hit the market first.

Update: Vizio tells USA Today to expect this set to launch ahead of March Madness -- the better to manage our completely-useless-by-the-Sweet-16-because-Gonzaga-won-again brackets on.
[Thanks, chilipalm]

Continue reading Vizio reveals $3,499 price for its 58-inch ultrawidescreen HDTV

Vizio reveals $3,499 price for its 58-inch ultrawidescreen HDTV originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sharp to cut LCD production in Osaka plant by half originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Samsung 2011 Q4 earnings official: $42 billion in sales, $4.7 billion operating profit originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Hitachi to halt domestic production of Wooo LCD and plasma TVs, Mitsubishi to axe optical discs?

Hitachi to halt domestic production of Wooo LCD and plasma TVs, Mitsubishi to axe optical discs? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Samsung gets tired of neighbors watching its Transparent Smart Window, installs blinds

Samsung gets tired of neighbors watching its Transparent Smart Window, installs blinds originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Jan 2012 09:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Sony glasses-free 3DTV eyes-on

Continue reading Sony demos 24- and 46-inch glasses-free 3DTVs, we go eyes-on (video)

Sony demos 24- and 46-inch glasses-free 3DTVs, we go eyes-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.