Samsung Electronics Widens Its Lead in the Monitor Market

Despite the global economic slowdown, Samsung Electronics, a global leader in the world’s LCD monitor market, widened its lead over its rivals. LCD monitors now account for about 95% of the world’s monitor market. 



According to market research institute IDC, Samsung achieved a share of 16.0% in unit sales in the world’s LCD monitor market in the third quarter of this year, keeping the top spot for five straight quarters starting from the third quarter of 2007. 



Samsung sold off 6.298 million LCD monitors in the third quarter, setting a new quarterly sales record. The previous record was set in the third quarter of 2007 when Samsung sold 6.283 million units.



Samsung widened its lead over the No. 2 player by 2.0% points from 0.3% points thanks to the rising popularity of the T Series along with aggressive marketing activities to promote the sales of a series of brand-new models, including the dual webcam monitor. 



For the third quarter of this year, Samsung commanded a share of 16% in sales volume terms, with its competitors maintaining shares of 14.0%, 11.9%, 10.2%, and 8.9%. 



In unit sales, Samsung maintained the top spot with a share of 17.2%, with its competitors maintaining shares of 14.0%, 12.9%, 10.0% and 7.5%.



Backed by strong growth in the LCD monitor business, Samsung has maintained the top spot in the world’s monitor market for nine straight quarters starting from the third quarter of 2006 in unit sales and seven straight quarters from the first quarter of 2007 in revenue terms. 



Samsung achieved a share of 16.1% in unit sales in the world’s monitor market in the third quarter of 2008, with competitors at 13.5%, 11.6%, 10.8% and 8.7%. In revenue, Samsung gained a share of 17.2%, with competitors at 13.7%, 12.8%, 10.4% and 7.4%.

source : www.tbreak.com

Honeywell Altura MLX 42-inch 1080p 10-bit HDTV

Honeywell Altura MLX HDTV

Not all televisions are created equally, and yet most consumers are in the dark when it comes to knowing the difference. However, for those smart shoppers who keep in touch with technology, Honeywell offers a treat for home theater enthusiasts. The Altura MLX series delivers a 1080p resolution at the double-rate 120Hz display speed. The Honeywell MT-HWJCT42B2AB offers 42" of full high-definition LCD viewing with a 10-bit color gamut far superior to most all other LCD panels. Benchmark Reviews tests the performance and quality of this HDTV in this article.

Don't let anyone lead you believe that High Definition Televisions are the future... a more correct statement is that HDTV's have already been around for a few years and are the here and now. Unfortunately, not everyone is up to speed, and some are going to be very surprised by the changes in store only a few months away. You see, by the time this article is published there will be exactly 90-days remaining until D-Day hits and the transition to an all-digital terrestrial broadcast begins. In past articles Benchmark Reviews gave you specific instructions on how to survive this digital transition, which offered a guide on how to smartly buy your first HDTV. However, in this article we test one of the better alternatives for step-up consumers who want to enjoy full high-definition content without falling into the money pit.

Now that analog televisions are finally a page in the history books (with or without a transition looming), consumers almost have no real choice in the matter except to get onboard the digital revolution. It would make good sense to know what you should be shopping for. Just as it is with computers, the difference between buying obsolete from cutting edge has nothing to do with looks. There are a few very basic items that should be considered a "given" in HDTV technology, and these are the basic rules I mentioned in our how-to guide.

source : benchmarkreviews.com

LG Laptop Screen Promises Good Image in and Outside

Martyn Williams, IDG News Service

LG Display has developed an LCD (liquid crystal display) module that it says looks as good outdoors in sunlight ads it does indoors and plans to unveil it CES in January in Las Vegas.

The 14.1-inch display is intended for laptop computers and allows users to switch display modes to suit the location.

All LCD panels require a light source to make the type and images on the screen visible to users and the source varies depending on the type of panel and its intended use. Panels like those in most laptops and televisions use illumination from a backlight panel behind the screen that results in an image that looks good indoors but is not bright enough to be seen outside. Reflective panels use a mirror behind the screen to reflect ambient light for a brighter outdoor image but one that looks dark indoors.

Halfway between these two technologies are transreflective panels that have both a mirror and backlight behind the panel and offer a compromise between the two types of display but don't excel outdoors or inside.

The new LG Display panel can be switched between backlight mode, when indoors, to reflective mode, when outdoors, at the touch of a button allowing the best of both technologies without any compromise, the company said in a statement. An added benefit of this is that when the screen is switched to reflective mode the backlight turns off and battery life can be extended.

The contrast ratio when used outdoors is 9:1 on the new display versus around 3:1 on a typical laptop display, LG Display said.

LG Display will offer its first demonstration of the screen at CES. The display is still a prototype and there are no immediate plans to commercialize it.

Source :www.pcworld.com

Apple Unveils New 24-inch LED Cinema Display

By : Philip Michaels, Macworld.com

Apple didn't just unveil remodeled laptops at Tuesday's press event on its Cupertino, Calif., campus. The company also added a 24-inch LED monitor to its Cinema Display offerings, though the new display is geared specifically for Apple's revamped MacBook and MacBook Pro lines.

The 24-inch LED Cinema Display offers 1,920-by-1,200-pixel resolution, along with a built-in iSight camera and microphone, stereo speakers, and three-port USB 2.0 hub. It features an aluminum and glass enclosure, giving the LCD monitor a striking resemblance to Apple's current iMac design.

"It's gorgeous," Apple CEO Steve Jobs said as he unveiled the new LED Cinema Display. "Really, really nice. Thin."

But Apple is touting this monitor for laptop users--specifically for its redesigned MacBook offerings. The LED Cinema Display features an integrated MagSafe charger that allows laptop users to plug in and power their notebooks. MacBook users can also connect to the monitor via its Mini DisplayPort, which Apple says is 10 percent the size of a full DVI connector.

In keeping with Apple's push to release more environmentally friendly products, the 24-inch Cinema Display is an LED-backlit monitor. LED backlights improve upon the cold-cathode florescent lamp technology common in older displays by consuming less power, lasting longer, and containing no mercury. Apple says the glass on the display is arsenic free and that the monitor contains no brominated flame retardents. Apple also said that all internal cables and components are PVC-free.

Source : www.pcworld.com

LED Cinema Display Now Shipping

By : Scott McNulty , Macworld.com

Apple early adopters rejoice! Apple has just sent out the first wave of shipping confirmation emails for the new 24-inch Apple LED Cinema Display . You'll recall that the LED Cinema Display is designed to compliment the new MacBook/MacBook Pro line with a Mini DisplayPort connector, integrated MagSafe, 3 powered USB 2.0 ports, iSight, and built-in speakers.
Apple unveiled the display in October at the same event where it overhauled its entire laptop line .
Some have called this US$899 monitor a MacBook dock, and it certainly seems to fit that bill quite nicely especially when you consider that MacBooks are the only computers on the planet at the moment that can even make use of one. Still, even though it supports a small subset of Macs (at the moment) this monitor is a great deal for a LED backlight monitor which makes it even more attractive to this MacBook Pro toting blogger.

source : www.pcworld.com

Eddy Winner: NEC MultiSync 3090WQXi Display

By : James Galbraith, Macworld.com

Although 30-inch wide-screen LCD monitors are meant for a niche market-professionals whose work demands color accuracy, the NEC MultiSync 3090WQXi is among the nicest displays we saw this year.
The 3090WQXi may be more expensive than Apple's 30-inch Cinema HD display, but it features a wider viewing angle, a higher contrast ratio, and an adjustable height, and it has a longer warranty than Apple's largest display. Its wide viewing angle makes it a great collaboration tool, since folks gathered around the screen will see the same colors from almost any angle. The monitor can display 16.7 million colors (8 bits), and it boasts a 12-bit Look Up Table that gives it an enormous palette of 68.5 billion colors.
NEC built a ton of technology into the 3090WQXi-such as X-Light Pro, which uses an internal backlight sensor to monitor and correct light output over the display's life-to keep it looking great over the years. For color pros who want a large canvas but don't want to sacrifice color accuracy and performance, the NEC MultiSync 3090WQXi sets a new standard for big displays.

source : www.pcworld.com

LG Display Cuts Q4 Outlook on Sharp Decline in LCD Demand

By : Martyn Williams, IDG News Service

LG Display has cut its outlook for the current quarter after seeing a sharp decline in demand for LCD (liquid crystal display) panels and a bigger than expected drop in their price.
The company still expects demand to increase from the third quarter but growth is now expected to be in the single low-digit percentage range. It had been forecasting a percentage jump in the low to mid-teens. Prices are down by the low twenties percentage from the third quarter, it said in a statement.
Production has already been scaled back in light of the lower-than-anticipated demand, it said.
LG Display is a major manufacturer of LCD panels, which it supplies to manufacturers of products such as laptop PCs, televisions and cell phones. Lower global demand for electronics products and computers as a result of the poor economy is causing device makers to scale back their production and that in turn is hitting LG Display.

source : www.pcworld.com