Display Technology

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.

Forget the economy and LCD price fixing, let's take about lighter things. Actually, let's talk about weightless things, like the space station module. Fans of Stephen Colbert swamped the naming Web site that NASA had set up for the module. But taste (if not popularity) won out in the end and the new module will be called Tranquility. A new treadmill in the station, however, will be christened Colbert.

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.

Sit back and close your eyes. Now, forget the recession for a minute; dream about the perfect home theater. Just this week, I heard about flat flexible speakers while another publication suggested ways to hide your flat screen HDTV when not in use by sliding something in front of it. If only the sky were the limit, what would you envision being in your home theater?

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 Kindle 2 is here with a thinner package and more shades of gray — as well as redesigned ergonomic features. There's been plenty of hoopla — from PC World's "hands-on" review, to online comic xkcd's glee over free cellular Web access. But the people I know are really waiting for a color version — which may be in the works. What would make Kindle perfect for you?

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.

At the Consumer Electronics Show, the industry always brings out some great — and sometimes just plain odd — products. This year display-makers seem to have given up on producing bigger and thinner displays. Instead, this year's buzz-words are 3D and flexible displays. All else being equal, which sort of display would wow you more? In a comic-book fight between Captain 3D and Flexible-Screen Man, who would you root for?

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.