Scent-emitting advertising trial sniffs out suckers in Japan

Apparently July is a hot month for ad trials in Japan, as just weeks after a number of 65-inch digital posters were installed in a Tokyo train station, in flies word that yet another consumer-luring installation is being tested. Recruit and NTT Communications are delivering Scent-emitting LCD Display Systems to an underground mall in the heart of Japan, each of which rely on a 42-inch LCD and a scent-sprayer that emits delightful odors to correspond with the on-screen imagery. The goal is to attract onlookers and get them to grab a nearby coupon book, but considering that the experiment shuts down on August 1st, you should probably get your nose down there in a hurry if you're looking to score some savings.

[ Via: Engadget ]
[ Tag: ads,advertise,advertisement,advertising,digital signage,DigitalSignage,japan,ntt,ntt docomo,NttDocomo,recruit,scent,smell,smellvertising ]

Researchers boast of progress towards more efficient OLED lighting

We haven't seen all that many OLED lighting options, but a group of researchers from the University of Michigan and Princeton University say they could be on the verge of changing that situation, with them now boasting of a new breakthrough that could greatly increase the efficiency of OLEDs. The key to that, it seems, is a combination of an organic grid and some tiny dome-shaped micro lenses that guide the trapped light out of the devices. As the researchers point out, with current OLEDs, only 20% of the light generated is actually released, but they say this new method could boost the efficiency by a full 60%, or about 70 lumens per watt of power. Of course, they're also quick to point out that all of this is still quite a ways away from becoming practical for commercial purposes, although they seem to be optimistic that the eventual production cost for these new and improved OLEDs will be competitive with existing ones.

[ Via: Engadget ]
[ Tag: oled,oled lighting,OledLighting,princeton,princeton university,PrincetonUniversity,university of michigan,UniversityOfMichigan ]

Microsoft Research thinks telescopic pixels will rival LCDs

The boys and girls at Microsoft Research are getting set to publish a report detailing a competing (and in their perspective, superior) technology to replace the LCD monitors we've grown to know and love heart with reservations. By using pixels that boast "a pair of mirrors to block or transmit light," displays could theoretically be created which are "faster, brighter, and more power efficient than liquid crystal displays." Dubbed telescopic pixels, the devices would be able to turn off and on in under 1.5-milliseconds, which is quick enough to put "red, green, and blue light-emitting diodes behind each pixel." Furthermore, these pixels are way brighter than those used in LCDs, which means users would see less power draw and be able to view the screen more easily in direct sunlight. Sounds solid from here, but could you not humor us with a release time frame or something?

[ Via: TG Daily ]
[ Tag: display, display technology, DisplayTechnology, LCD, microsoft, Microsoft Research, MicrosoftResearch, monitor, pixel, Telescopic ]

Hands-on with Samsung's new holiday lineup

We got a gander at Samsung's fancy new tellervisions and other stuff, and while the basic design language hasn't changed a whole ton in recent years, there's always something new going on. We're particularly enthusiastic about the new Series 8 LCDs, which manage a standard complement of ports in 2-inch thick form factors -- none of that ports-in-the-base nonsense. The cute little InfoLink RSS widgets (pictured) are also quite the welcome addition to Samsung's lineup, since these days we really can't be bothered to lift our phone up to eye level and check the weather on there. We bet you think we're kidding. Samsung is always droning on about the "Touch of Color" design, which is present in all its new televisions, along with its new computer monitor / TV hybrid displays. The flavor of the month is a new honeycomb pattern worked in with the color, but we really couldn't care less -- we'd rather watch TV. Elsewhere in the event we got to handle Samsung's new cameras and camcorders. The new TL34HD is a particular stunner, though we do prefer the older black / blue color scheme. Nothing could have prepared us, however, for the SC-MX20. While in press photos it appears to be just another cheap-ass YouTube camcorder (which it is), in person the build quality and amazing color choices really blew us away -- and trust us, no one is more surprised than we are by this fact. Most everything on display will be available next month.

[ Via: Engadget ]
[ Tag: features,hands-on,samsung,sc-mx20,series 8,Series8,tl34hd ]

Toshiba and Matsushita to Start Cranking Out OLEDs in Massive Numbers [Displays]

Toshiba and Matsushita's joint display group is about to become the first Japanese firm to jump into the OLED production game, and in a big way—their announced factory will begin producing as many as one million 2.5-inch OLED panels per month when it comes online in the fall of next year. What could they be up to? OLED iPods perhaps? It's pretty far down the road for any serious speculation, but rumors of an OLED-equipped iPod which would use less power by eliminating the backlight and offer better color reproduction have been flying for a while. And the 2.5-inch size matches what's currently found on the iPod classic, as well as the Zune 80 (Zune 80 uses a 3.2 inch screen, thanks Marx). Autumn 2009 is a long way off, and these could just end up in one of many OLED-equipped phones or PMPs already out there, so don't hold your breath on this one. [Bloomberg via Electronista]

[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
[ Tag: ]

Toshiba and Matsushita to jointly manufacture small OEL displays

The world already knew of Toshiba and Matsushita's separate plans to barrel into the OLED realm, but Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology is all set to become the first in Japan to "mass produce organic electroluminescent, or OEL, display panels." Reportedly, the two outfits will establish manufacturing lines in the Ishikawa Prefecture in fall of 2009, with plans to churn out one million 2.5-inch EL displays. Granted, the products will be rather minuscule in nature, with the idea being to fit them into cellphones, PMPs and other handheld gadgetry. Better hurry -- Samsung's pulling away over in South Korea.

[ Via: CNET ]
[ Tag: display,display technology,DisplayTechnology,joint venture,JointVenture,manufacture,Matsushita,OEL,oled,organic electroluminescent,OrganicElectroluminescent,panasonic,Toshiba,Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology,ToshibaMatsushitaDisplayTechnology ]

Armpit-based displays provide odd form of advertising

Not that London isn't the unofficial home to weird ads or anything, but this one is just taking things way too far. Reportedly, deodorant manufacturer Right Guard has created an armpit-based method of advertising which has cleverly been dubbed "pitvertising." We've no idea if the trial will turn into anything permanent, but unless garb with these displays are given away for free, we can't imagine too many self-respecting Londoners becoming walking stare magnets just because.

[ Via: textually ]
[ Tag: ads,advertising,armpits,commercial,deodorant,england,london,marketing,pitvertising,right guard,RightGuard,uk ]

RGBy Lamp is LED Color-Changing Toy for Color Scheme Fanatics [Lighting]

We showed you the impressive RGBy tabletop last year, but designers Makoto Hirahara and Shinya Matsuyama have gone and commercialized a new chameleon color-change lamp. The RBGy lamp is a simple battery-powered gizmo that changes color to match whatever object you've got it sitting on. You simply press to capture, and it copies the color by varying its LED illumination. It's hard to think of a purpose for it, other than impressing your date by matching the moodlighting to her dress... but there are cheaper ways to impress, given that each 2.75-inch steel and plastic lamp costs $199.
[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
[ Tag: ]

Fujitsu to launch FLEPia color e-ink e-books in the fall?

We first saw Fujitsu's FLEPia e-books with the company's color e-ink tech over a year ago, but rumor has it they're finally getting close to launch. That's the word according to Nikkei, which says that the A4-sized readers won't feature an integrated backlight, but still be able to run for up to 50 hours on a single charge. The WiFi-capable unit is said to cost ?100,000 ($941), but other specs are still up in the air -- hopefully they'll be changing the name as well.

[ Via: CrunchGear ]
[ Tag: color e-ink,ColorE-ink,e book,e book reader,e-book,e-book reader,E-bookReader,e-ink,EBook,EBookReader,fujitsu ]

Hannspree introduces three gimmicky sport LCDs, additional gimmicky LCD

Okay, so we don't necessarily see the appeal of having a 19-inch LCD TV shaped like a basketball invade the swank minimalism of Engadget HQ, but we're certain some of you need to furnish your basement rec rooms or something, and Hannspree's got you covered with a new trio of sports-themed LCDs. For $279, you get your choice of basketball, soccer ball, or baseball (which, oddly, is black), each of which features the same middle-of-the-road 1280 x 1024 panel with 5ms response time and a 1000:1 contrast ratio. There's also a $239 model called the "slamma," which sports a different 1440 x 900 19-inch panel with a 700:1 contrast ratio. No word on availability, but Hannspree is calling this its "summer lineup," so we're guessing sometime soon. More pics after the break.

[ Via: Engadget ]
[ Tag: baseball,basketball,hannspree,lcd,lcd tv,slamma,soccer,sport lcd ]

AOC says its 22-inch 2218Ph LCD monitor has that Mac flair

Hey, at least it's not being secretive about it. AOC has just introduced its new $429.99 2218Ph LCD monitor, which -- among other things -- claims to bring PC users "the element of style Mac users have enjoyed for the last few years." Judging by the image above, we're not too sure what exactly it's getting at, but we are told that it relies on "state-of-the-art metallic workmanship," a polished aluminum cabinet, a zinc multi-flex stand and a piano black finish to wow onlookers. Other specs include a 1,680 x 1,050 native resolution, HDCP-compliant HDMI input, two-millisecond response time, 12,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and that all-important Windows Vista Certified sticker. Whatcha got on that, Cupertino? Full release after the jump.
Incredibly sleek design and powerful performance, AOC's 2218Ph goes head-to-head with the latest and greatest of today's computer monitors and comes out ahead of the pack
Fremont, CA. July 10, 2008 – AOC announced today the release of their High-Def by Design 2218Ph computer monitor. Setting a new benchmark for combining design and the latest in HD performance, the 2218Ph monitor finally brings PC users the element of style Mac® users have enjoyed for the last few years, but with the twist of improved performance and HDMI capabilities.
State-of-the-art metallic workmanship, piano-black bezel, polished aluminum cabinet and zinc multi-flex stand make up some of the design specifications of the 2218Ph, all surrounding a glossy panel displaying vivid, bright and clear images.
"The 2218Ph brings PC power-users the design and performance they have always wanted from a monitor," said Jerry Chou, Senior Manager of Business Development, IT, for AOC. "Every aspect of the 2218Ph takes consumers performance and style demands into account, from its zinc and aluminum build, to the swivel design that provides flexibility in positioning the monitor on a desk or mounted on a wall. This monitor looks beautiful anywhere in the home or office...even if it's not even turned on," added Chou.
Running head-to-head with Apple® monitors of similar size, AOC's 2218Ph out-performs it's Mac® counterparts in virtually every category thanks to AOC's 40 years of experience in display technology. For gamers who prefer to move away from the PC, the 2218Ph also includes HDMI input, and an ultra-fast 2ms response time allowing consumers to utilize it as an HDTV.
Product specification highlights:
• State-of-the-art metallic workmanship
• Flexi-stand – for placement flexibility
• Ultra-high dynamic contrast ratio (12,000 to 1)
• Illuminating touch-key
• HDMI inputs
• 2ms ultra fast response time
• FRC 8-bit panel (16.2 million colors)
• Glare screen – protects against glare and provides improved color saturation
• HDCP ready – digital content in HD without distortion
• Illuminating touch key
• Windows Vista Certified™
"Our 2218Ph is High-Def by Design in that we have taken into account every visual aspect of the monitor. Whether viewing a movie, photos, or looking at the monitor from behind, any angle is eye catching and designed for today's digital consumer," said Chou.
The 2218Ph features an MSRP of $429.99. Full product specifications and comparison charts are available upon request.
About AOC
AOC is a leader of HD display technology for Monitors and TVs backed by over 40 years of design and manufacturing experience. AOC has earned a reputation for selling user-friendly, technologically advanced displays on the market with every aspect of AOC's business focusing on the development of products that fit seamlessly into consumers' digital lifestyle.
AOC displays are manufactured by TPV, one of the largest display manufacturers in the world. TPV manufactures one out of every four displays globally, including OEM's for some of the largest and most innovative name brands. This extensive manufacturing knowledge and experience translates into AOC staying ahead of the curve with the ever-changing technologies in today's digital world.
To learn more visit www.aoc.com.

[ Via: Engadget ]
[ Tag: 2218Ph,AOC,lcd,lcd monitor,LcdMonitor,monitor ]

D-Link DSM-210 unboxing, hands-on, and mini-review

When we first heard D-Link was sending its new DSM-210 Internet Photo Frame our way, we'll admit we had some pretty Star Trekkian visions of what it might entail. The device -- which is a 10-inch, 800 x 480 LCD display with built-in WiFi and ethernet connectivity -- promises to upgrade the familiar static nature of its ilk with a handful of networking enhancements. The frame adds Facebook, RSS, and various photo site (Flickr, Picasa) integration, then couples it with weather reports and the standard slideshow options (using the 1GB onboard storage or SD / MMC / Memory Stick slot). What should be a killer combo -- a frame that actually provides some interactive features -- is unfortunately hampered by its clunky UI and painful navigation via its dimestore micro-remote. D-Link does provide a nice landing page to set up your various accounts, though there's a cap on how many pictures can be in each stream, and it won't let you add two of the same subscription services on the device (say, if you and your spouse have separate Flickr accounts). The weather application is a nice touch, but that fact that it displays advertisements is a bit of a detractor -- do we really need to be bombarded with Dr. Pepper ads interspersed with photos from our peace-keeping missions abroad? All in all, it's not a bad device, but for the $249.99 price tag, you may be better off buying a cheapo netbook for a little bit more cash and leaving it open on a table somewhere.

[ Via: Engadget ]
[ Tag: connected frame,ConnectedFrame,d-link,dlink,dsm-210,features,hands on,hands-on,HandsOn,internet photo frame,InternetPhotoFrame,photo frame,PhotoFrame,review,unboxing ]

Averatec All-In-One PC brings a little generic flair to the party

Averatec's been trying to bring a little pop to its products lately, and the new All-In-One PC (seriously, that's what it's called) is the company's sleekest effort to date, copping a little style from both the iMac and the Gateway One. Your $1249 won't buy you anything spectacular behind that 22-inch display, but it's not too bad either: 2.4GHz E4600 Core 2 Duo with GeForce 8400 graphics, 2GB RAM, a 320GB disk, and Vista Home Premium. That's not a particularly astounding deal compared to the name-brand all-in-ones, but the specs are slightly better, so if you're spending nights ripping the labels off your jeans, it looks like you've got the perfect machine to start working on that followup to Plastic Surgery Disasters.

[ Via: Engadget ]
[ Tag: all in one pc,all-in-one pc,All-in-onePc,AllInOnePc,averatec ]

Sharp brings TV to the powerless

Forget schools, forget lighting, forget easy access to drinking water... it's that sweet TV goodness that people living off the grid really need. Well, that and laptops. You're looking at Sharp's 26-inch LCD prototype which uses just a quarter of the power (or a third measured annually) of a conventional CRT with the same screen size. That's low enough to be suitably powered by a Sharp, triple-junction thin-film solar cell module whose surface area is roughly equivalent to that of the LCD screen. Sharp hopes to market the two items as a pair in a bid to "contribute to the environment." Good thing too, 'cause nothing fills a billion empty bellies like an eye-full of boob-candy.

[ Via: Impress ]
[ Tag: developing countries,DevelopingCountries,lcd,prototype,sharp,solar,television,tv ]

Sony talks future of OLED, Blu-ray's chances against DVD

In case you didn't get the message, Sony's due sooner-rather-than-later 27-inch OLED is going to be priced for the Mark Cubans, Bill Gates' and other people not you of the world, at least for the next couple of years. Even with recent massive investments, U.S. head Stan Glasgow tells CNET OLEDs in the future could be seen as a premium alternative to LCDs, but don't expect Sony to jump on smaller screens while they wait for the technology to catch up, HDTV is the focus. As for the upcoming standard def-streaming Hancock experiment? The first of many, if things go well, while at the same time he acknowledges format war winner Blu-ray may not penetrate to the same level as DVD since "a lot of people may be happy with an upconverting DVD player" -- which would be music to Toshiba's ears.

[ Via: Engadget ]
[ Tag: blu-ray,hancock,oled,sony,stan glasgow,StanGlasgow,streaming ]

Casio touts "Blanview" transmissive LCD for outdoor use

Casio sure seems to be confident in its new transmissive LCD panel, so confident that it apparently thinks it can make it with a name like "Blanview." The big innovation here, Casio says, is that it's managed to develop a new system that pulls outside light into the LCD panel to make the transmissive LCD usable outdoors without backlighting, eliminating the need for so-called "semi-transmissive" LCD panels that are more commonly used today. What's more, it says this new method also increases the transmittance of the panel by about 30% and cut its power consumption for outdoor use by upwards of 50% compared to current panels. Unlike some other promised LCD technology, it also seems like this one is actually fast approaching commercializtion, with sample panels ranging in size from 2.7- to 6.5-inches set to begin shipping this month.

[ Via: Engadget ]
[ Tag: blanview,casio,lcd,lcd panel,LcdPanel,transmissive lcd,TransmissiveLcd ]

LED Painter lights up your walls with excess

While a spinning LED globe or an LED-adorned Roomba is all well and good for a few kicks, if you really want to turn your living room into a light show you may want to consider something like Brilldea's LED Painter system, which can apparently be put to use in a whole host of different applications, including the LED windows pictured above. At the heart of the system is a 16 channel RGB LED controller, which lets you connect up to 48 independent LEDs, and gives you the ability to daisy chain multiple boards together if you really want to blow things out. As you can see in the video after the break, the effects possible are fairly impressive, even if they're a bit lacking in the subtlety department.

[ Via: MAKE:Blog ]
[ Tag: brilldea,led,led lighting,led painter,LedLighting,LedPainter ]

Widescreen LCDs going widescreen by 2010

The term "widescreen" is one of the most notoriously confusing monikers (this side of Full HD) used to describe a display's specifications. Widescreen generally translates to a 16:10 aspect ratio when discussing computer LCDs (monitors or laptop displays) or 16:9 if you're talking about the living room TV. Of course, it can also refer to the 2.35:1 ratio often used for films or something entirely different if you're Apple touting the wonders of your new widescreen iPhone. Fortunately, we're trending towards at least some convergence around the 16:9 aspect. DisplaySearch predicts that by 2010, 16:9 panels will make up 90% of new laptop displays and 67% of new monitors. Acer has been at the forefront of this transition with products like its Gemstone Blue laptops and the Acer P224W monitor pictured above. The move is being driven by panel manufacturers' desire to maximize production efficiency -- something they should have realized before the glass sizes diverged in the first place. Regardless, the end result should be more pennies saved by you, Joe Consumer, and that's a good thing.

[ Via: Engadget ]
[ Tag: 1610, 169, 16x10, 16x9, acer, analyst, displaysearch, lcd, monitor, speculation, widescreen ]

ViewSonic rolls out 26-inch VA2626WM LCD monitor

Viewsonic didn't quite hit the mark with its recent attempt at a $500 projector, but it looks like it's fared considerably better with its nearly $500 26-inch VA2626WM LCD monitor, which packs most of the features you'd expect from a pricier model. That includes the requisite 1920 x 1200 resolution, along with a 6,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, HDMI, DVI, and VGA ports, and even some 2.5 watt speakers, which can thankfully be removed. No word on specs like brightness or refresh rate, unfortunately, but those details should be cleared up by the time the monitor lands sometime next month for $529.

[ Via: Electronista ]
[ Tag: 26-inch,lcd,lcd monitor,LcdMonitor,va2626wm,viewsonic ]