Display Technology

Green displays (whatever that may mean) are a new selling point for displays that no longer can distinguish themselves by mere size of screen, narrowness of equipment, or beauty of output. The varieties of greenness vary, but include recyclable devices that can be returned to the vendor for deconstruction, solar-powered cell phones, energy-usage limits on TVs (as reported in this month's Display Technologies newsletter), and now an LCD TV from AUO that displays to potential buyers a third-party-certified carbon footprint. What are the important measurements of 'greenness' for displays, and what information would influence your decision to buy?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Display Technologies, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Display Technologies today.

The technology for e-readers is available: wireless connections, big bistable displays, long battery lifetimes — and deals with publishers of books and periodicals. The next two battles will be to get people to buy them, and to see who ends up with market dominance: Amazon, Sony, Samsung, or someone else? What about the Readius, which has a flexible roll-out screen? And, in the end, what about cost? What would convince you to shell out for an e-reader?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Display Technologies, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Display Technologies today.

Wires are a hassle, batteries are heavy and short-lived. So the recent Witricity demonstration, showing an LCD screen and three cell phones being powered without wires (or batteries) looks pretty attractive. But is it a game-changing technology? How much do you hate using cords to power (or recharge) your power-hungry TV, cell phone, and laptop? Wi-Fi changed the way we work — what about wireless power? Would you pay extra for wireless electrical power transmission?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Display Technologies, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Display Technologies today.

Recent trade press articles describe using a cell phone as a barcode display. The move it appears is for cell phones, cameras, and media players to have increasingly overlapping capabilities. According to one pundit, they'll all eventually merge into a small-screened device that will do everything. But optimizing a device for one function tends to give better usability. Do you see convergence amid mobile devices? Or just a bigger grasp for more market share?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Display Technologies, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Display Technologies today.

If automakers are to survive, car designs will have to be more attractive to buyers and car manufacturing will have to be more efficient. (companies have focused on opportunities to shave costs since Henry Ford set up his first assembly line.) Robust, efficient flat panel displays on the dashboard can ease design constraints and perhaps reduce costs. How can displays change for more cost-efficiency an to better serve customers? I wish car-makers would 1) stop using blue LEDs that destroy my night vision whenever I look at the stereo, and 2) show me diagnostics — the outline of a car with an exclamation point doesn't do it for me. How do car displays annoy you? How could they be better?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Display Technologies, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Display Technologies today.