SONY, TOSHIBA, HITACHI TEAM UP FOR NEW DISPLAY COMPANY

Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi officially joined forces today, cementing a government-backed joint venture that's been in the works for a few months, now. Together with the government-funded firm Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ), the three manufacturers will now form an entity known as Japan Display Inc., slated to launch during the Spring of 2012. INCJ is providing the lion's share of the funding (approximately $2.6 billion), giving it a 70 percent stake in the newly formed venture. The other three, meanwhile, will each control ten percent of the company, which will encompass their respective small-display subsidiaries. The stakeholders are hoping that today's announcement will help revive their sagging display sales, with some extra help from Panasonic, which also announced that it's selling one of its biggest domestic factories to the freshly minted Japan Display, for an unnamed sum.

RUMOR: iPAD 2 PLUS COMING THIS FALL

Apple is gearing up to launch an updated version of its popular iPad 2 tablet with a high-resolution display later this year, according to FBR Capital Markets analyst Craig Berger. In a note to investors on Wednesday, the analyst claimed that Apple is currently shopping for quotes from manufacturers in China. The new iPad, which he calls an “iPad 2 Plus,” will not be an entirely new model as earlier reports have stated. Instead, Berger’s sources say the update will be a high-end version of the iPad 2 with a better display; the analyst believes Apple will increase the device’s pixel density from the current iPad 2 display’s 132 pixels per inch to between 250 and 300 pixels per inch.

The move would be extremely curious for Apple, but it is possible. Apple could release a new high-end iPad featuring a 2048 x 1536-pixel display, which is double the current model’s resolution, and developers would able to maintain a single version of each application that will accommodate both screens. This would be a similar scenario to what we have now with the iPhone 3GS (480 x 320-pixel display) and iPhone 4 (960 x 640-pixel display).

SAMSUNG TO ROLL OUT FLEXIBLE AMOLED DISPLAYS IN 2012

Samsung's been a frequent source of frustration, teasing us with its fabulous flexible displays for years, while never giving us a date when we could buy one for our very own. However, word on the web suggests that Sammy is finally ready to unleash its pliant panels upon the world in Q2 of 2012. Apparently, the company's mobile display division opened a new manufacturing plant with Ube (who produces the plastic substrate for the screens) last month to mass-produce bendy AMOLEDs for watches and phones.

APPLE'S REVAMPED STORES UNVEILED

We all knew something was up, and over the weekend Apple took the wraps off what is being called “Apple Store 2.0,” a revamp that includes various new niceties. The changes, which coincided with Apple’s 10th retail anniversary, involve both consumer facing changes and behind-the-scenes tweaks that will combine to improve an already unique retail experience. Most notably, perhaps, are the thousands of iPad 2 units that have replaced paper signs and info cards next to Apple’s demo devices spread throughout the stores. Each iPad is interactive and features info about the product it accompanies, and there is also a “Specialist” button that will allow perusers to call a sales rep over for help or to make a purchase. These new iPad 2 displays won’t perform any other function — at least, not that the typical shopper can access — and they’re encased in acrylic enclosures to prevent people from walking off with them.

RUMOR: NEXT GEN Wii CONTROLLER TO FEATURE 6.2 INCH DISPLAY

The next-gen Wii console rumors have heated to a boil. One of the most interesting bits of tattle originates from Kotaku. The gaming site's sources claim (with impressive specificity) that the new 8-button controller features a screen pushing a whopping 6.2 inches, two analog sticks, and a camera. The new Wii console (sometimes called the Wii 2, Wii HD, or simply "Project Cafe") is said to support the new controller in addition to Wii Remote-style controllers for backward compatibility with existing Wii games -- at the moment, however, it's not clear if that implies support for existing Wiimotes. But why the giant display? Here's Kotaku'stake:

The 6.2-inch screen will receive data wirelessly from the Nintendo console and presents an array of options, from putting the player's inventory or map on the controller screen, to allowing players to combine it with the controller's camera to snap photos that could be imported into a game or even turning it into some sort of glorified viewfinder (we're unclear about whether the camera on the controller points at the player or can be outward-facing; we've heard both - maybe it swivels?).

In other words, you can think of the new contoller-plus-console combination as a modern Dreamcast system or "glorified mega-DS," as Kotakuputs it, where the TV is the top screen and the handheld controller is the lower touchscreen. If true then we'll likely hear the official first word at E3 which kicks off on June 7th.

TWO ISSUES AFFECTING iPAD 2 SCREENS

With the launch of the iPad 2 yesterday, some people are experiencing some issues with new acquired fruit device. The first issue -- yellow spots beneath the LCD glass -- is reminiscent of the same fresh-from-the-factory iPhone 4 issue that resolved itself just as soon as the bonding agent used for the LCD glass had time to evaporate.

The second issue, which is being conflated with the first, is related to light bleeding through from the outer edges of the LCD panel. The bleeding is most noticeable when watching a movie or using an app with a dark background as demonstrated in the picture above.

Are you having these issues or any others with your iPad 2? Let us know in the comments section.

BENDABLE DISPLAYS MADE FROM SILK

We have all shuddered at the thought of sitting on our rigid display devices and cracking them in half. Now Taiwanese researchers have found a way to make the display more bendable by using silk. The researchers take what is called liquid silk and turn it into an insulating membrane that is then used to make the TFT, or thin-film transistor, display found in both e-readers and LCD panels.

The advantage of the process is much more resilient e-reader panels. The best part is it is actually cheaper than the current technology for making TFT displays with the component cost for the silk coming in at about three cents per display.

LEAKED: iPAD2 DISPLAY

9to5Machas reportedly acquired the upcoming iPad 2's display, including its part number (LP097X02-SLN1). The display is said to be 1mm thinner and much lighter than the existing iPad's.

The decrease in thickness falls right in line with the rumors about the iPad 2 having a tapered edge to the milled aluminum chassis. 9to5Macgoes on to say the resolution will be the same as the current iPad, which runs counter to the rumors elsewhere the iPad 2 would have a Retina Display like in the iPhone 4.

RUMOR: APPLE RELEASING 3D DISPLAY DEVICE

According to a new rumor Monday morning, the company’s entry make take place sooner than expected. Japanese enthusiast blog Kanteidan Blog claims Apple is ready to start building small 3D displays that may be included in the next-generation iPod touch. The displays would not need special glasses to operate, and would instead rely on glasses-free 3D technologies like motion and head tracking in order to create a 3D effect. Kanteidan Blog speculates that gaming will be a major focus for the upcoming 3D technology making its way to the iPod touch. If true, the news could spell trouble for Nintendo, which is expected to announce the U.S. launch of its Nintendo 3DS portable gaming console later this week. Apple is known to have been exploring 3D technology for quite some time, and the company owns several patents that cover 3D. No real evidence suggests that Apple is ready to implement 3D into its upcoming devices, however. [BGR]

APPLE SEES 3D AND HOLOGRAPHIC DISPLAYS AS NEXT FRONTIER

According to The Telegraph, Apple has recently been granted a patent for a system to produce 3D effects with the need for glasses. Apple's system uses a special screen dotted with tiny pixel-sized domes that deflect images taken from slightly different angles into the right and left eye of the viewer.

By presenting images taken from slightly different angles to the right and left eye, this creates a stereoscopic image that the brain interprets as three-dimensional. It could be used in computer monitors, televisions and cinema screens.

Apple also proposes using 3D imaging technology to track the movements of multiple viewers and the positions of their eyes so that the direction the image is deflected by the screen can be subtly adjusted to ensure the picture remains sharp and in 3D.

The patent claims this technology would also create images that appear to be holographic because of the ability to track the observers movements.
It states: "An exceptional aspect of the invention is that it can produce viewing experiences that are virtually indistinguishable from viewing a true hologram.
"Such a "pseudo-holographic" image is a direct result of the ability to track and respond to observer movements.

"By tracking movements of the eye locations of the observer, the left and right 3D sub-images are adjusted in response to the tracked eye movements to produce images that mimic a real hologram.

"The invention can accordingly continuously project a 3D image to the observer that recreates the actual viewing experience that the observer would have when moving in space around and in the vicinity of various virtual objects displayed therein. This is the same experiential viewing effect that is afforded by a hologram.

"It allows the observer, for example, to move around a virtual object and top observe multiple sides from different angles."

Most of the current technology requires viewers to where some type of special glasses to see the 3D effect. Apple's patent, however, has now raised speculation that the computer giant may be aiming to branch into the 3D domain by looking to abolish the need for glasses and even go further by offering the chance for holographic films.

Holographic movies, however, would require new filming techniques currently not being used by the movie industry to ensure actors are filmed from multiple angles.

Initially the holographic displays may be used for computers and the patent suggests a solution to allow users to walk around an object without ever having to go behind a screen.
It proposes using "holographic acceleration" – where the image moves faster relative to the observers' own movement so they would only need to walk in a small arc to see all the way around the holographic object.

Leander Kahney, a consumer technology expert and author of the Cult of Mac, said: "At present, Apple seems an unlikely company to get into the 3D TV business, which is struggling, but if Apple cracks the technology it could help make 3D the dominant display technology. It certainly does away with the biggest problem – the 3D glasses. [The Telegraph]

APPLE CONFIRMS MACBOOK AIR DISPLAY ISSUES

According to BGR, Apple's internal support system confirms that the new 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Airs are experiencing display bugs in some cases. Both the flickering and fading are known issues, although there's no real fix for them—yet.

Apple employees have been told to say that they're aware of the problem, and that a software fix is "upcoming." In the meantime, you're encouraged to put the computer to sleep, wait ten seconds, then restart the computer to force a display power cycle.

NEXT GENERATION DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY - VIDEO

Liquavista has released a video showing off their latest electrowhetting technology.  This new technology offers full color, high refresh rates, visibility in all lighting conditions and low power consumption.  This newest version is now flexible and Liquavista claims it is "unbreakable".  See video below for this up and coming technology.  The bad news is the earliest we can expect to see this technology in the real world is the second half of 2011. [Engadget]

LG PUTTING FLEXIBLE E-PAPER INTO PRODUCTION

LG is putting a 9.7 inch color e-paper display and 19-inch flexible e-paper display into mass production by the end of the year according to an SEC filing via PC World.  Details are light, but the 19-inch display is the same as what was revealed back in January (pictured below).  It could be used for newspaper sized devices or digital signage.