Hasta La Gadget!

AMOLED displays may be in relatively short supply nowadays, but Samsung is doing its best to bridge the gap. Today, the company’s Mobile Display unit announced that its 5.5th-generation AMOLED production line is now open, some two months ahead of schedule. The line uses glass substrates that are substantially larger than those found in its existing factories, allowing Samsung to increase output, while lowering costs. This increase in production comes in response to growing demand for the Galaxy S II and an AMOLED market that, according to DisplaySearch, should triple in value this year to $4.26 billion. For now, the production line is focusing on smartphone displays, since that’s where demand is growing fastest, but will eventually turn its attention to tablet PC displays, as well. The new factory assembling the displays can currently churn out about three million screens per month, but is capable of ramping that up to 30 million, at full capacity. No word yet on when it will achieve this rate, but if SMD continues to boost its output, we may even see that market surplus we’ve been hearing about.

Samsung’s new AMOLED production line should help ease smartphone display shortages originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 07:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When it’s not pushing Super Hi-Vision, the hopeful 7,680 x 4,320 successor to HD, NHK also dabbles in small, flexible OLED panels. The Japanese public broadcaster recently showed off a 5-inch prototype display that, while bearing a heavy green tint and very noticeable rows of dead pixels, was still a significant improvement over a similar screen it demoed in 2009. Sure, it’s not quite as flexible or vibrant as Sony’s rollable OLED from last year, but it does seem to suffer from fewer bad pixels — an important step towards maturation. Don’t miss the video after the break which offers some pretty nifty glimpses at a number of bendable OLEDs. It’s clear the tech is still a little wet behind the ears, but we’re definitely getting closer to a future populated with TVs that roll up for storage and e-readers that fold like a paperback.

Continue reading NHK’s flexible OLED is both literally and figuratively green (video)

NHK’s flexible OLED is both literally and figuratively green (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 May 2011 19:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DigiTimes has been canvassing its manufacturing industry sources again, and today it’s managed to extract some intel regarding Apple’s typically secretive supply chain. Steve Jobs’ team are said to have purchased between 200 and 300 glass-cutting machines, specifically in order to use them to slice up curved glass display covers for the iPhone 5. This move has apparently been in an effort to accelerate production, with glass makers reportedly showing a reluctance to buy the machinery themselves due to its prohibitive cost. Lest you think this sense of urgency might accelerate the iPhone 5 from its earlier-rumored September launch, DigiTimes also reports that yields of curved glass are not yet good enough to start using said fancy machines. So the iPhone may be headed for the same curvacious look as we’ve already seen on Dell’s Venue and HTC’s Sensation (or maybe even the concavity of the Nexus S), but as is Apple’s wont, it looks like that will be done with a tailor-made, custom solution. At least those Cupertino designers have a couple of generations of curved iPod nano screens under their belt, giving them a good idea of how to handle the atypical glass frontage. Now if we could just have a good idea of when this phone will actually be on sale…

iPhone 5 may feature curved glass screen, continue iPod nano legacy originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 May 2011 02:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bookeen has already taunted us with an E Ink Pearl display hacked to playback clips of chubby bunnies without so much as a hiccup, now it’s showing off web browsing and scrolling on the same screen. It’s a little stuttery, as you can see in the video below, but considering this is the same tech found in the Kindle it’s quite impressive. The trick is accomplished using custom software and off the shelf hardware — in other words, nothing terribly fancy. So, while we sit here letting out exasperated sighs with every digital page turn, we’ll just keep hoping Bookeen gets this in something we can buy soon.

Continue reading Bookeen does real time web browsing and scrolling on standard E Ink screen (video)

Bookeen does real time web browsing and scrolling on standard E Ink screen (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 May 2011 02:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Color E Ink technology still has some kinks to work out, but Ricoh thinks it may have just taken a big step forward with its latest display. The company’s electronic paper, introduced at SID this week, promises to reproduce images that are 2.5 times brighter than competitors’ offerings, while covering a color range that’s four times wider. To achieve this, Ricoh used a simple lamination method, layering three strips of electrochromic material between two substrates. Unfortunately, however, there’s no indication that the technology will be commercially available anytime soon, as Ricoh still needs to incorporate its e-paper onto more practical screen sizes, as well as enhance the display’s durability — both of which sound like pretty major hurdles to us. Full press release after the break.

Continue reading Ricoh’s new electronic paper promises greater brightness, enhanced color

Ricoh’s new electronic paper promises greater brightness, enhanced color originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 May 2011 08:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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