Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology (TMD) has developed a new circular design LCD intended for installation in instrument panels for automotive applications, the company has announced.The newly developed product features a 75mm outer diameter circular form, including the driving circuit, and is based on TMD's proprietary low temperature polysilicon (LTPS) technology. The compact design is beneficial in the tightly confined space typically found in a motor vehicle instrument panel, TMD pointed out.Historically, TFT LCDs have been designed in a rectangular format, due to the electronic connections and configuration needed to externally control the pixels at the intersections of electrodes arranged in horizontal and vertical directions. In the newly developed display, the peripheral driving circuit is integrated on to the glass, using TMD's proprietary LTPS technology, which enables a drastic reduction in the number of external points required for electrical connection. The result is a display module that is round for approximately three-quarters of its circumference.By achieving an effective viewing display area of 62mm and a thickness of 11mm or less, including the backlight and LCD driving circuit, this prototype may fit well within the typical speedometer or tachometer gauge found in automotive applications, said TMD.The newly developed display will be exhibited in TMD's booth # 561 at the FPD International 2007 in Yokohama Japan, from October 24 to 26, 2007. Major specifications of TMD newly developed display Item Details Screen size 62mm circular design Number of pixels 240 (H)×RGB×240 (V) [at the center vertical and horizontal lines] Pixel pitch 0.258mm (W)×0.258mm (H) Pixel array RGB horizontal stripe array Frontal luminance 500 cd/m2 Viewing angle direction Viewing angle at 12 o'clock (at the highest contrast) Contrast 600:1 Number of colors 260,000 colors Outline dimensions (Max.) Circular section: 75mm. Thickness: 11mm or less Source: Company, compiled by Digitimes, October 2007TMD new circular LTPS panel Photo: Company

Chi Mei Group recently announced the launch of its 52-inch full HD LCD TV in Taiwan. Chi Mei Group says that it is the first Taiwan-based company to launch a 52-inch LCD TV in Taiwan and expects its sales proportion of the segment to exceed that of 46- and 47-inch LCD TVs in 2008. Chi Mei aims to gain more than a 30% market share of the 46- and 52-inch TV segment, according to Ben Cheng, a vice president at Nexgen Mediatech, which operates own-brand businesses under Chi Mei Group. Key specifications of Chimei-brand 52-inch LCD TV Item Details Brightness (nits) 500 Contrast ratio 1,500:1 Dynamic contrast ratio 6,000:1 Response time 6.5ms Resolution 1,920×1,080 Price NT$104,900 Source: Company, complied by Digitimes, October 2007 Chimei-brand 52-inch LCD TVPhoto: Company

Panasonic will release a 103-inch plasma display panel (PDP) TV in Taiwan by the end of October, according to the Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN). Shipments of the TV are projected to reach over 50 units within six months after launch. The 103-inch PDP TVs have a recommended retail price of approximately NT$2 million(US$61,252), the paper cited Panasonic Taiwan as saying.

Asustek Computer's low-cost Eee PC notebook has gone on sale in Taiwan with pricing at online retailers at around NT$11,655 (US$358). This is much higher than the price of US$199 Asustek originally promoted for the portable PC, but this was to be as expected as Asustek recently admitted that the lower price would only be available for bulk purchases of a model with lower specifications, and which is intended for emerging markets. The model now on sale in Taiwan features a 7-inch LCD display, 4GB solid state storage, 512MB DDR2 RAM and runs on an Intel mobile processor. Weight is given as 920g. The devices also features three USB 2.0 ports, Wi-Fi b/g connectivity, a VGA output, two audio jacks, Secure Digital (SD) card reader (which according to earlier reports also supports SDHC cards), webcam, speakers, and LAN and modem ports. Battery life is listed as 3.5 hours. As previously reported the Eee PC comes loaded with a customized Linux-based operating system and a suite of software applications. These include the Firefox web browser, email and instant messaging clients, Skype, and OpenOffice 2.0. In line with Asustek's aim of promoting the Eee PC for educational use, a collection of children's learning software which covers subjects including science, math and languages is also included. Additionally, the Eee PC supports multimedia functions and includes a selection of games. Whether or not users will be able to add additional software through repositories maintained by Asustek is unclear at this stage. Asustek has set up a service network in Taiwan including toll-free call center, service center, and a drop off/collection service with a local chain of convenience stores. Interestingly, it is explicitly made clear that the service center will not support issues related to the installation of Windows XP on the Eee PC although Aststeck notes that the hardware does support the operating system. According information on the Asustek website a total of four models can be expected to be available. Asustek Eee PC specifications Eee PC 8G Eee PC 4G Eee PC 4G Surf Eee PC 2G Surf Display 7-inch CPU Intel OS Linux (hardware Windows XP compatible) LAN Yes Wireless LAN Yes Memory (DDR2) 1GB 512MB 512MB 256MB Storage 8GB 4GB 4GB 2GB Webcam Yes Yes Battery 4-cell 5200mAh: 3.5 hours 4-cell 4400mAh: 2.8 hours Source: Company, compiled by Digitimes, October 2007The Eee PCPhoto: Company

Optoma recently introduced in Taiwan five front DLP (digital light processing) projectors that support full high-definition (HD) resolutions from 800×600 to 1,024×768.The five projectors range in price from NT$24,900-39,900 (US$762-1,221), said Optoma, noting that their brightness ranges from 2,200 to 3,100 lumens and have contrast ratios ranging from 2,000:1 to 2,500:1. All have been available in the market since the end of September, according to the company. Key specifications of Optoma's new projectors Item Details Model EP721 EP727 EP752 OP1310 EP7155 Weight (kg) 2 2 2.9 2.9 1.45 Brightness (lumens) 2,200 2,200 2,800 3,100 2,500 Contrast ratio 2,000:1 2,200:1 2,200:1 2,200:1 2,500:1 Resolution 800×600 1,024×768 1,024×768 1,024×768 1,024×768 Price (NT$) 24,900 33,900 49,900 59,900 39,900 Source: Company, compiled by Digitimes, October 2007Optoma EP721 front projectorPhoto: CompanyOptoma EP727 front projector Photo: Company Optoma EP752 front projector Photo: Company Optoma EP7155 front projectorPhoto: CompanyOptoma OP1310 front projector Photo: Company

Asustek Computer announced the release of its Silent Square EVO CPU cooler, which supports quad-core processors.The Silent Square EVO features wave-shaped double side fins located on both sides of the cooler for a large heat exchange area and combines a copper base and five copper heatpipes for efficient heat transfer to the fins.The Silent Square EVO is able to support the Intel Core 2 Extreme/Core 2 Quad CPUs and AMD Athlon 64 FX/X2 processors and is ideal for users who wish to overclock their systems, according to the company. Asustek Silent Square EVO CPU cooler specifications Item Detail CPU support Intel Core 2 Extreme, Intel Core 2 Quad, Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Pentium processor family AMD Athlon 64 FX/X2, AMD Athlon 64/ Sempron Net weight 745g Fan Dimension: 92×92×25 (mm) Cooler Dimension: 120×105×146 (mm) Source: Company, compiled by Digitimes, October 2007Asustek Silent Square EVO CPU coolerPhoto: Company

Asustek Computer announced the release of the Asustek P5E3 DELUXE/WiFi-AP@n motherboard. The P5E3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP@n adopts the Intel X38 chipset, supports DDR3 1800MHz dual channel memory architecture and dual PCI Express 2.0 x16 lanes.The motherboard comes with an Asustek EPU (Energy Processing Unit), allowing the CPU power supply to be digitally monitored and fine-tuned with improved VRM efficiency in heavy or light loadings. The P5E3 DELUXE/WiFi-AP@n also supports 802.11n Wi-Fi specifications onboard for faster data transfers, and Asustek Express Gate – an optional Linux OS bootup for instant access to the Internet in five seconds, the company noted. Asustek P5E3 DELUXE/WiFi-AP@n motherboard specification Item Detail CPU Intel Core 2 Quad / Core 2 Extreme / Core 2 Duo / Pentium Extreme / Pentium D / Pentium 4 Processors. Compatible with Intel 05B/05A/06 processors and Intel next generation 45nm multi-core CPUs. Chipset Northbridge: Intel X38 Southbridge: ICH9R FSB Support 1600, 1333, 1066 and 800 MHz Memory Dual channel DDR3 1800, 1600, 1333, 1066 and 800MHz memory up to 8GB Expansion slots 3 PCI Express x16, supports CrossFire technology 2 PCI Express x1 2 PCI Source: Company, compiled by Digitimes, October 2007Asustek P5E3 DELUXE/WiFi-AP@n motherboardPhoto: Company

Transcend recently announce the arrival of its 32GB 2.5-inch SATA solid state drive (SSD) which can be used in most notebook computers and mainstream PCs just like a regular hard drive.Transcend's 2.5-inch SATA SSD has the standard compact dimensions as normal 2.5-inch hard drives, but is only 9.5mm thick. The 2.5-inch SATA SSD has built-in ECC (error correction code) functionality that ensures reliable data transfer and increases overall system integrity. Built-in wear leveling technology also ensures ultra-long lifespan and data-retention durability for prolonged use.The 2.5-inch SATA SSD is currently available in 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB capacities. The 8GB version is available at a pre-tax price US$239 while the 16GB and 32GB models have a pre-tax price of US$449 and US$376, respectively.Transcend 32GB SSDPhoto: Company

Motorola has introduced seven new W-series handsets – the W156, W160, W175, W180, W206, W213, and W377 – in addition to a special edition of its RAZR 2 handset.The FM radio featured on the W160, W180, W213 and W377 requires optional headphones in order to listen to it. Motorola's proprietary CrystalTalk Technology, which automatically adjusts audio to ensure clear calls even in noisy environments, is featured on the W156, W160, W175, W180, W206, and W213, and was previously found only on Motorola's premier handsets.The W377 flip-phone features an integrated FM radio and MP3 ringtones. This handset also has an integrated VGA camera, Bluetooth wireless technology and popular preloaded games. The W377 also has one-touch SMS, speakerphone, mobile calendar and an alarm clock and 10MB of internal memory.The Motorola W206 and W213 candybar phones have a phonebook that can store up to 500 entries, and SMS storage for up to 500 messages and a large color display, MP3 ringtones, pre-loaded games and WAP/GPRS.The W175 and W180 are both candybar style handsets optimized for business with a battery time that supports long calls and one-key access to text messaging and capacity to hold up to 500 phone numbers.The W156 and W160 are also candybar phones with both featuring Motorola's CrystalTalk Technology and the W160 including FM radio. The phones have ten preloaded 32 channel polyphonic ringtones and 15 standard alert ringtones.Motorola's RAZR 2 V8 Luxury Edition handset features 18K gold-plated accents on a black metal finish with a soft-touch back, embossed with a snake skin texture. The handset is 12.05mm, features CrystalTalk technology, has a 2-megapixel camera with 8x digital zoom, is capable of two hours of video capture and playback and has up to 2GB of onboard storage for songs.All products will be available during the fourth quarter of 2007, according to Motorola.RAZR 2 V8 Luxury Edition handsetPhoto: Company

Sony on October 12 unveiled its media center PC, the VAIO TP1, in Taipei with availability in the Taiwan market set for December this year, according to sources at Sony Taiwan.The VAIO TP1, which is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and comes equipped with a built-in 500GB hard disc and full HD support, is to carry a suggested retail price below NT$40,000 (US$1,227), the sources indicated.Prior to the availability of TP1, Sony will start marketing its 19-inch VAIO LM16 living room PC in Taiwan on October 27 with a price tag of NT$74,800, the sources said.Sony also added five new models to its notebook lineup aiming to boost its share in the Taiwan market. The new models include the TZ26, TZ27 and TZ28 for the high-end segment, the FZ25 for the home entertainment market and the CR25 for the mainstream segment.Prices for the TZ26, TZ27 and TZ28 are tagged at NT$59,800, NT$69,800 and NT$89,800, respectively, said company sources.An array of Sony's VAIO media center PC and notebook productsPhoto: John Hsu, Digitimes, October 2007