LG Display (LGD) has announced that it has developed what it claims to the world's thinnest LCD TV panel measuring 2.6mm. The development of extremely slim LCD panel was possible by applying the company's accumulated "slimming" technologies including the use of an ultra-slim, edge-lit LED backlight system and proprietary optical film technology, the company said.The 42-inch panel weighs less than 4 kilograms - making it ideal for wall mounted TVs, LGD said. The new product offers 120Hz refresh rate technology with full HD (1920x1080) resolution.In May, LG Display unveiled 42- and 47-inch LCD TV panels measuring 5.9mm - the world's thinnest panels at the time, the company said.LG Display said it will showcase the product and its display technologies in a private room at the Bellagio Hotel during the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2010 in Las Vegas.LG Display's 2.6mm thick 42-inch full HD LCD TV panelPhoto: Company

China-based Shenzhen Netcom Electronics has launched a microSD card with a density of 32GB, a capacity comparable to that of class 6 SDHC devices.A 32GB microSD card is twice as large as most mainstream handset memory cards that are compatible with the SD 2.0 standard. Such handset memory cards usually come in a range of capacities from 2GB to 16GB. Netcom is able to satisfy the needs of handset users who are eager to pick up a 32GB microSD card for additional memory.Netcom said its new 32GB microSD card is produced by stacking nine chips together. The nine-chip stack structure, as well as arranging the circuit path, make it difficult for most module makers to produce this type of memory card, which is no larger than the head of a nail (11x15x0.8mm, WxLxH). However, Netcom has the proven packaging technology capability to deliver the product to market.Founded in 1998, Netcom is dedicated to design and manufacturing of flash storage devices such as memory cards and USB drives. The company also develops digital media players such as personal media players (PMP).Netcom 32GB microSD cardPhoto: Company

IRVINE, Calif., Dec 15, 2009 -- Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced that it is the first silicon provider to ship a true single die Blu-ray Disc chip. The new Broadcom BCM7630 offers an unprecedented level of integration combining proven optical front-end and back-end video decoding and display technologies in a single die solution. In addition to industry leading Blu-ray performance, the BCM7630 also supports leading-edge Internet streaming applications including Netflix2.0, Pandora Internet Radio, Vudu, CinemaNow movie services and others. This unparalleled integration and functionality delivers a premium home entertainment experience to consumers.Also announced today is the BCM7632, which supplements the capabilities of the BCM7630 by adding support for the playback of 3D Blu-ray movies. The potential for watching 3D movies in the home has generated great excitement with more than a dozen 3D movies released in 2009. Although the 3D Blu-ray standard is not yet finalized, it is anticipated that the BCM7632 will comply with the final specification.

Seiko Epson on December 16 unveiled the Perfection V600 Photo, a photo scanner model intended for professional photographers, for immediate launch in the Taiwan market at a recommended retail price of NT$10,990 (US$340), according to Epson Taiwan Technology & Trading.The Perfection V600 Photo can be used to scan photo prints, 35mm negatives, mounted slides and medium-format full panoramic film (6×22cm), Epson Taiwan pointed out. The scanner features a 6400×9600dpi resolution, and filters to remove tears and creases from damaged photos and dust and scratches from film, as well as Epson-developed power-saving Ready Scan LEDs, Epson Taiwan indicated.Epson Perfection V600 PhotoPhoto: Company

Lenovo Mobile Communication Technology has launched TD-SCDMA standard-based OPhone smartphone Lenovo O1, with immediate sales in all local markets in mainland China. The phone is based on Spreadtrum Communications's TD-SCDMA solution, and supports China Mobile OPhone OS smartphone operating system.Spreadtrum and Lenovo Mobile jointly developed Lenovo O1. This new handset runs on the China Mobile-developed intelligent terminal software platform - the OPhone platform. Lenovo O1 uses Spreadtrum's TD-SCDMA/HSDPA/GSM/GPRS/EDGE baseband chip SC8800S and radio RF chip QS3200. It is currently the first 3G OPhone-based smartphone that supports TD-SCDMA, combining China Mobile's integrated applications, openness, comprehensive entertainment, business applications and other major features for the mobile Internet, the company claimed.Lenovo O1 adopted Spreadtrum TD-SCDMA chip technology to support GSM/GPRS/EDGE/HSDPA and meets the demand for convergence of video, interactive e-mail and web browsing among others. The introduction of TD-SCDMA OPhone-based smartphones, represented by Lenovo O1, should greatly push forward the development cycle for China's TD-SCDMA devices, the company added.

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NEC Display Solutions of America, a leading provider of commercial LCD display and projector solutions, announced today the addition of two new short throw projectors, the NP510WS and NP610S, to its NP Short Throw Series. These portable units address the needs of educational facilities and corporate applications that require a short throw distance in classrooms and conference rooms.Designed with NEC customers in mind, the wide-format NP510WS and standard-aspect NP610S employ a variety of eco-friendly features that lengthen the life of the projector, saving money and energy in the process.The projectors utilize ECO Mode technology to extend lamp life up to 5000 hours, and lower power consumption and noise level (29dB) for nearly silent operation, ensuring a pleasant presentation for speakers and audiences alike. Power management controls contribute to energy savings by automatically turning the unit off when an incoming signal is not detected from any of the inputs, while quick start (3-4 seconds) and quick shutdown allow for immediate use and power off functionality without the need for a cooling period.The NP Short Throw Series includes new features such as longer filter usage time and a carbon savings meter whereby users can calculate the positive effects of operating the projector in ECO Mode, which is encouraged by an optional message at system startup."The next-generation NP Short Throw Series was purposely designed for ease-of-use in areas with small throw distances, such as classrooms, conference rooms and training rooms, where a bright image is needed," said Rich McPherson, Product Manager at NEC Display Solutions. "The NP510WS and NP610S are cost-effective products that include a multitude of technologies to help presenters give efficient and successful presentations."The NP510WS and NP610S projectors include the following features:- Short throw lens, which eliminates shadows on the screen along with projected light in the presenter's eyes created by traditional front projection systems- Virtual Remote (DDC/CI), which controls the projector directly from a computer without the need for additional control cables- Remote diagnostics, which enables the user to monitor and make adjustments to the projector remotely- Closed captioning, which enables users to display text information for the hearing impaired- Automatic Vertical Keystone Correction, which allows the projector to be tilted up or down and still produce a square image without the need to make manual image adjustments- Auto Power ON, which eliminates the need for a remote control by automatically turning the projector on when a signal is detected- AutoSense, which enables quick setup for users that need fast functionality by intuitively syncing the projector with most computer signals- Dual computer inputs (VGA and DVI-I with HDCP), which ensure quick switching between presentations- Integrated RJ45 connection, which provides for quick connection to the LAN (10/100 base-T capability)- Top cover lamp change, which provides easy lamp changes without removal of projector from the mount- Powerful 7-watt speaker, which fills the volume requirements for most classrooms and conference rooms- Optional wall mount kit, which provides flexibility during integration and allows for wall mounting- Optional control and signal interface box, which manages power on/off, input switching and volumeThe NP510WS and NP610S projectors will be available for January 2010 shipment at an estimated street price of US$949 and US$999, respectively. Both projectors come with a standard 2-year limited parts and labor warranty, including the first year with InstaCare (repair and return in three business days or next business day exchange).NEC Display Solutions short throw NP510WSPhoto: Company

VIA Technologies has announced the VIA VN1000 digital media chipset for next generation desktop and all-in-one PCs, offering a high definition (HD) multimedia entertainment platform compatible with the advanced desktop features of Microsoft Windows 7.The VIA VN1000 digital media chipset features the ChromotionHD 2.0 video processor to guarantee smooth playback of the latest Blu-ray titles with hardware acceleration of the most demanding H.264, WM9 and VC1 codecs over the latest display technologies, including Display Port and HDMI.Paired with the new VIA VT8261 southbridge, the VIA VN1000 chipset consumes only up to 12W, making it an excellent choice for Windows 7-based mini desktop and all-in-one desktop PCs designs, according to VIA.Offering feature-rich specifications with significant emphasis on graphics and HD video playback, the VIA VN1000 features the VIA Chrome 520 IGP, combining a DirectX 10.1 graphics engine, with support for Shader Model 4, OpenGL 3.0 graphics and OpenCL 1.0 for next-generation GPGPU applications.The VIA VN1000 supports DDR3 system memory at speeds of up to 1066MHz, one x8 lane and four x1 lane PCI Express 2 expansion slots, up to five PCI slots and a VIA Vinyl HD 8 channel audio codec. An IDE controller, supports up to four SATA drives, SD/MMS/MMC card reader support and 12 USB 2.0 ports are supplemented with support for PS/2, SPI, GPIO and LPC technologies, VIA highlighted.The VIA VN1000 digital media IGP chipset is fully compatible with VIA Nano, VIA C7, VIA C7-M and VIA Eden processors and supports all Microsoft Windows platforms and popular Linux distributions. VIA VN1000 chipset specifications Item Detail Processor support VIA Nano, VIA C7, C7-D and Eden (V4) processors VIA V4 bus 400/800MHz Memory support DDR2 677/800 and DDR3 800/1066 Max memory 16GB PCI Express One 8-lane, four 1-lane Northbridge/southbridge link Ultra V-Link (1GB/s) Graphics VIA Chrome 520 IGP DirectX support DirectX 10.1 Video acceleration H.264, WMV, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 Source: Company, compiled by Digitimes, December 2009VIA VN1000 chipset and VT8261 southbridge chipsetPhoto: Company

Acer America has debuted the new 11.6-inch Ferrari One notebook to the US market.Fueled by Vision technology from AMD, the notebook delivers highly responsive, balanced multitasking performance via the AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor with low-power CPU designed for long-lasting battery power, according to Acer. ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics provides high-definition visual quality coupled with up to 4GB of DDR2 667MHz system memory to drive digital and multimedia features and other demanding applications with ease. The Ferrari One comes equipped with Windows 7 Home Premium and 250GB hard drive.Along with its 11.6-inch HD widescreen display, the Ferrari One notebook features an ultra-portable design, measuring about one inch and weighing 3.31-pounds. The look and feel of Formula 1 racing is shown throughout the notebook's detailed design, including the checkered palm rest extending into a comfortable full-size keyboard, the metallic LED-lit power button and yellow prancing horse emblem, Acer highlighted.The notebook features enhanced stereo speakers and Dolby Home Theater Audio Enhancement, which deliver vibrant surround sound and bass effects to bring a true cinema-style experience to movies, music and casual games, Acer claimed.The Acer Ferrari One FO200-1799 notebook is available now via Acer's authorized resellers and at major retailers nationwide, with prices beginning at US$599.99. The Ferrari One comes with a one-year limited warranty. Acer Ferrari One FO200-1799 notebook specifications Item Detail CPU AMD Athlon 64 X2 L310 dual-core processor OS Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Display 11.6-inch HD widescreen CineCrystal LED-backlit display Chipset AMD M780G VGA ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3200 Memory 4GB dual-channel DDR2 memory HDD 250GB 5400RPM SATA hard drive Price US$599.99 Sources: Company, compiled by Digitimes December 2009Acer Ferrari One FO200-1799 notebook Photo: Business wire

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Dec. 7, 2009 - Atheros Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHR), a global leader in innovative technologies for wireless and wired communications, has announced that Microsoft's new Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adapter leverages the high performance of the industry's most widely adopted 11n technology, Atheros XSPAN, to deliver an enhanced wireless experience. Xbox 360 owners will see improvements in speed, range and wireless security features enabled by Atheros' XSPAN 2-stream 11n, dual-band PCIe solution, the AR9280. Additionally, Xbox LIVE members can seamlessly stream HD movies and TV episodes in instant-on 1080p and 5.1 surround sound with Zune video on Xbox LIVE, as well as update their Facebook profile, send tweets via Twitter, download Games on Demand or watch Netflix videos from their console.With XSPAN, the Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adapter delivers up to seven times the TCP/IP throughput and twice the range of 11g-enabled adapters. It also features robust security based on the WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2) security protocol to protect your media content and information. The dual-band AR9280 employs the 5GHz band to avoid interference, enabling lag-free network gaming in congested wireless environments such as dense housing or areas with multiple wireless networks. It utilizes the 2.4GHz band for simple data applications such as email, web surfing and social media networking. With the AR9280's 11n speeds, Xbox gamers can enjoy simultaneous applications that enhance the gaming experience such as streaming live video from a webcam to personalize game play, supporting voice for multi-player chat and streaming music from Last.fm - featuring the world's largest online music catalog."The gaming console is adding advanced media hub capabilities for delivering on-demand movies, video, and music, as well as connecting users to their favorite social media sites," said Ben Naskar, vice president and general manager of Atheros' networking business unit. "XSPAN delivers the performance to meet the growing user demand for content and applications accessed through the Xbox LIVE community - wirelessly. We are pleased to be working with Microsoft to enable a superior gaming and entertainment experience in the home."

December 8, 2009 (Plano, TX) - Texas Advanced Optoelectronic Solutions, Inc (TAOS) today announced the addition of multiple products to its existing Color Management Solutions portfolio. The expanded portfolio now offers increased design flexibility, features and options for manufacturers of products where color is mission critical. The new TAOS programmable color sensors provide more cost-effective, lower-power solutions for color discrimination, determination and measurement in a wide variety of applications such as color-point feedback control in solid-state illumination and RGB backlight systems, color adjustment in printers, industrial process quality controls, portable medical diagnostic systems, paper and product handling, toys, and games. For emerging RGB LED backlighting applications in laptops, monitors and HDTVs, TAOS color sensors can be used not only to control the intensity of the backlight, but also the white point or color temperature of the backlight. In ambient light sensing applications, the white point of the environment can be determined by a color sensor and this data can be used to drive the RGB LED backlight to a white point that compliments the white point of the environment. The resulting richer, deeper and more realistic colors enhance the user experience. Additional packaging and features to include integration of proximity sensing are also planneed. "Color sensors, while still a relatively niche technology, are growing rapidly because there are so many vertical industries in which color plays an integral role," said Carlo Strippoli, TAOS vice president of Sales & Marketing. "TAOS is expanding its Color Management Solutions portfolio to help our customer differentiate their products and meet their color-centric product needs. As an example, where color is an integral part of the end product, manufacturers can utilize color sensor-based systems to reduce their time-to-market, improve product quality through color consistency and increase efficiency through reduced scrap." Key industries and applications in which color is mission critical include: Automotive: lighting control Aerospace: lighting control Computer: copiers, printers, laptops, monitors Consumer: HDTVs, photographic equipment, toys, smoke/gas detection, paint palette Medical: chemical analyses, blood/gas analyses Manufacturing/Industrial: packaging, printing, process control/inspection, solid state commercial lighting, robotics, food & beverage, fashion & footwear, home furnishings, automobiles Instrumentation: diagnostic equipment, spectroscopy All new products added to the TAOS, Inc Color Management Solutions portfolio are available now from TAOS, Inc and its authorized distributors.