cooltech

The newer SONY Bravia line is nothing new; it was introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show last January in Las Vegas. Whenever I look at one though, I find that it is such a neat product, that I thought it was worth another mention.

To start with, you can watch select streaming Internet video on the Bravia. Gives the average tech aficionado a hint of things to come. The 19-inch KDL-19M4000 unit features a 1440 x 900 progressive screen resolution. That’s a lot of pixels. Besides the 19″ ‘M-series’. there are three other models that also offer high-definition picture quality at an attractive price.

Watch a Blu-ray disc, check out the video you shot on your SONY digital video cam or listen to surround sound audio via an AV receiver. A touch of a button on your remote activates all of these external components. The 19″ model also includes an HDMI, component and PC input.  Who said that 19″ TV’s were passe’?  This one provides a multitude of uses for every home.

The other available sizes in the ‘M-series’ are 26, 32, and 37 inch models.  They have features like BRAVIA Internet Video Link, Digital Media Port, DLNA compatibility and USB input.  Owners can purchase additional external modules which expand functionality even more. One of the first modules available is the BRAVIA Internet Video Link module.  This will allow for viewing of select streaming Internet video, including high-definition content.  All models are available now.

Displays have become such an integral part of our culture and society that there is an organization devoted to just their ‘research, design, manufacturing, applications, marketing and sales’.

The Society for Information Display holds an annual event that draws thousands.  Six thousand display professionals will be among those in attendance at the SID Symposium, Seminar, and Exposition May 18-23 in Los Angeles. According to a SID press release, some of this years exhibitors will include: 

Samsung Electronics , who will display an 82″ TV panel, which is the largest commercial LCD TV in the world, ultra-slim 40″ and 52″ panels less than 10mm thick and a white e-board (electronic blackboard for corporate and institutional applications), which will feature ultra-high resolution (4K*2K) and a 120Hz driver and embedded touch sensors.

Epson is debuting its new OLED display systems capable of producing the “Ultimate Black”.  It is black that holds the key to overall image quality.  Epson has succeeded in lengthening the life of the display system to more than 50,000 hours through the creation of their own original element structure.

Microvision will display their new pocket-sized laser projector which is enabled by their novel PicoP™ display module.  The new miniature projectors make use of Microvision’s MEMS single scanning mirror technology which does not require a lens, so it is focus-free.  The tiny mirror will steer a beam of light precisely to project an image for use with automotive heads-up displays, cell phones and lap tops.

LG Display will show their 15″ TFT-LCD made by an All Layer Roll Printing Process and a 6″ oval TFT-LCD, and a 1.4″ round TFT-LCD for small and medium displays. Displays come in many shapes these days apparently.

Display technology has to keep up with the increasing demand for miniature displays and large displays in any number of devices. The technology continues to advance with new applications and structures unveiled at shows like the SID Symposium and many more in the pipeline.

The new Cooltech blog at Today is born.  Come back often for a mix of high-tech product news, introductions to the coolest gadgets and a glimpse of things to come.

Our introductory post is about new laser technology.

A glimpse into the future perhaps? It’s hard to talk about the future when you’re talking about technology. The future usually refers to a month from now. So is the case with laser applications. What was once science-fiction is finding new applications every day.

QPC lasers is introducing their BrightLase(R) Red-Green-Blue “RGB” laser for use in high resolution miniature projectors.  Why a miniature projector you ask?  With the tiny screens on many portable consumer devices; Internet browsing, games and video sharing can be difficult. The miniature projector solves that problem.

The new lasers are expected to find their way into PDAs, games, laptops, automobiles, and aircraft.  The RGB laser is designed to be compatible with the leading micro-display technologies.

It seems like yesterday that we were witnessing lasers used as the weapon of choice in Sci-fi flicks. Then we graduated to laser pointers. Now lasers will expand beyond CD players to yet another useful application.