Sony, Panasonic confirm OLED TV partnership

Sony, Panasonic confirm OLED TV partnership: Apple, Samsung set in sights?
By Zack Whittaker | June 25, 2012

Summary: As expected, Sony and Panasonic have agreed to partner up to take on Samsung
and likely Apple as the OLED television industry sets its sights on a shift away from LCD technology.

Japan’s two largest television set makers, Sony and Panasonic, have agreed to join forces on OLED displays, following a rumbling that the two could partner up by the end of June.

In a statement, the two companies said they will establish mass-production technology for OLED panels by 2013 by integrating their unique technologies.

The plan was aimed at Samsung, the monopoly holder of the television business, following its LCD unit spin-off last year to make way for an OLED television production line.

It also strategically ramps up efforts to take on an expected Apple television set, thought to be released early next year or as far away as 2014, depending on which analyst you call.

OLED televisions are as thin as half-a-centimeter and display dazzling colour and picture quality, while using a fraction of the power consumed in an ordinary LCD display.

Analysts predict the OLED television market could rocket to 16 percent of the overall market up by 4 percent today to $20 billion by 2018.

Samsung has been ahead of the curve, despite Sony pioneering the first OLED display in 2007. But the greatest threat to the wider television building industry is Apple, even though it has yet to announce a television set of its own.

Apple’s forthcoming announcement on an expected television could include OLED technology but rumours have been few and far between. As is the case with almost anything Apple, no-one is quite sure what the Cupertino-based technology giant has up its sleeve.

The defensive move could revive the television market and prepare Sony and Panasonic for an expected battle in the coming years as televisions are expected to increase in pixel density, colour and picture quality, while selling for a lower price than where they are now.

South Korean scientists claim development of "true blue" for OLED displays

It's no secret that OLED gurus have had the toughest time improving the life of blue luminance to match the lifespans of its red and green counterparts, but a team of South Korean scientists have purportedly stumbled upon (or developed, as it were) a breakthrough "true blue" material that can "accelerate the development of next-generation organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays." Up until now, scientists have been able to create highly efficient green and red OLED materials, but the inability to make a true blue OLED material was really holding things back. So, now that this little hurdle has been hopped, how's about we get some big screen OLED HDTVs out to the people?

-engadget

Sony's Super-Thin OLED HDTV: Now at Amazon

Amazon.com is now selling Sony's new 11-inch, super-thin OLED HDTV for $2,499. The set, which is based on the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology, is just one-eight of an inch thick, compared to today's Plasma and LCD flat-screen sets which measure up to four inches thick.

While the set will only feature an 11-inch screen, Sony believes that OLED HDTVs could eventually compete with LCD and Plasma in the big-screen category. In addition to the thin panel, the OLED set promises to be more energy efficient and offer better pictures of fast-moving images.

Note: Amazon.com prices change regularly due to supply and demand.

Samsung Develops OLED Window Display

The picture you see above is a window - a window made of 12.1-inch OLED panels. These panels are not your ordinary OLED displays; they're especially crafted by Samsung as translucent "Window Display" types exhibiting 30 percent transmittance. The resolution is a less impressive 840 × 504 pixels and its luminance is measured at 200cd/m2.

While the OLED window is merely an exhibit for now - not something that actually has a practical application - it represents technologies that could be in the future. Think windows that could automatically be dimmed to save energy on heating and cooling or boutique glass windows flashing adverts. The translucent OLED "Window Display" was showcased by Samsung at the FPD International 2008 along with the company's other new technologies including a 0.05mm depth flapping OLED.

-gearlog

Crazy Casio Camera Phone with 8.1 Megapixels, 3.1-inch WVGA OLED

Casio Japan has a new camera phone that pushes a few limits to glorious new territory. Borrowing components from Casio’s digicam technolgy is the Casio Exilim W63CA.

According to Casio, the Exilim W63CA is the first 8.1 megapixel camera phone in Japan, but that’s not where the goodness ends. It’s also got six-axis vibration compensation, a 28mm wide angle lens, 10.2x digital zoom, 600MB internal memory, microSD expansion, YouTube compatibility, Bluetooth, and face detection. The brilliant 3.1-inch OLED display features an impressive WVGA (800×480 pixel) resolution as well.

Available in four different colors

-mobile magazine

The German Fraunhofer Institute IPMS developed an OLED light source with touch interface.
Aside from displays, OLED technology is also getting a lot of attention in light source development. As OLED is a cold light source it is safe to touch. The Fraunhofer Institute took this property and turned it into a feature to control the OLED light.

Switching and dimming the light could be easily controlled by a hand movement, which overcomes the traditional controller function.
The cool thing about this Touch OLED light is that the OLED itself is used to read the hand movements. There is no additional layer necessary for the touch interface.
I wonder if the same technology can be used for OLED displays. If you can use the display OLEDs also for reading the touch information future touch screens would get slimmer and cheaper.

-i4u.com

Car remote starter and alarm features 1.3in OLED panel

Taiwan – Tesor Plus Corp. is offering a two-way remote car alarm and starter that has a 1.3in OLED panel with 262,000 colors and eight vehicle graphic backdrops. The unit supports up to four auto/manual transmission vehicles with gasoline/diesel engines.

The remote car alarm and starter uses FM transmission and features silent arm/disarm, panic and anti-hijack alarms and four-language voice and vibration alert functions. It features eight trigger zones and two four-pin sensor ports. Receiving/transmission range is up to 1km.

The remote car alarm and starter comes with an MP3 player, a tachometer, voltage and temperature sensors, a programmable timer and an oil pressure circuit.

The car alarm unit has remote engine start, door lock/universal central lock and light flash relays. It supports button beeper, vibration, voice and button lock. A secondary unlock function with disarm and secondary auto engine starter is available.

The remote car alarm and starter provides settings control for time, alarm clock, daily start time, countdown time, passive arm, passive lock, lock timing, ignition lock, PIN override and new PIN assignment. It provides parking time and parking position information.

Other functions include truck pop and dome light control, remote start in valet mode and car call.

The unit’s built-in battery can be recharged via USB connection or adapter.


globalsources.com