OLED

Review: Create and edit Word-compatible documents with WordPad-based Jarte

We suggest taking a look at Carolina Road's Jarte, a free, tabbed-based, Word-compatible word processor built upon WordPad. It's fast and reliable, like WordPad, but it adds some features, such as single-click bookmarking, mouse scroll wheel cut-and-paste capability, and dictionary and thesaurus reference tools. Jarte is available in installed and portable versions; there's also a paid upgrade (still less than Word, though). The latest version of Jarte is compatible with Windows 8; we tried it in Windows 7.

Jarte's installer let us choose whether to install some components, such as dictionary and spell checker tools for … Read more

LG's curved OLED launches with Ewan McGregor's help

LG has announced availability for the 55-inch curved OLED TV in Australia, which is the first country to be confirmed outside of South Korea, and introduced Ewan McGregor as its new brand ambassador.

Though pricing wasn't announced at the Australian launch of the LG 2013 range, the company said the TV will arrive before the end of the year. The set was announced for Korea at 15 million won (around AU$13,100); there is no availability or pricing for other regions, including the U.S.

LG Australia's marketing general manager Lambro Skropidis told CNET Australia that he … Read more

LG's curved 55-inch OLED TV now open for preorders

After being the first TV manufacturer to launch an OLED TV, LG is now taking preorders for a new model featuring a curved screen. The 55EA9800, priced at 15 million Korean won (US$13,500), will be available starting from next month, but this is limited to the Korean market for now. Unfortunately, both availability and pricing for other countries will only be announced later.

Despite a sizable 55-inch screen, the 55EA9800 has an alluring 4.3mm-thin side profile and weighs just 17kg. Special "thin-transparent film speakers" are integrated within the panel's stand to maintain a sleek … Read more

The end of plasma?

Recently, there was quite a hoopla when it was reported that Panasonic would no longer be developing plasma as a TV technology. According to Panasonic, this isn't true.

However, it does bring up some interesting questions. Because there will be a time when plasma television development (and production) does come to an end. LCD too, for that matter. The timing of both is rather crucial, but specifically, a lack of a suitable replacement for plasma could have dire effects on picture quality across the board.

So what does the future hold for flat-panel TVs?… Read more

Samsung Galaxy S4 rocks the best phone OLED yet, says report

The Samsung Galaxy S4 may have a 5-inch screen with a killer 1080p HD resolution, but that doesn't tell you as much about its display quality as you might think.

That's because, as any display guru (like CNET's David Katzmaier) will tell you, a screen's ultimate rating spans resolution and pixel density, sure, but also color reproduction and accuracy, total brightness, viewing angles, and reflectance.

The screen material technology also plays a huge role; when it comes to smartphones, LCD displays make up the lion's share of manufacturers' choice, with Samsung at the forefront of … Read more

LG eyes flexible OLED-equipped smartphone for Q4

LG will be launching a device featuring a flexible OLED display sometime later this year.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, LG vice president of mobile, Yoon Bu-hyun, said that his company has plans to launch a smartphone with a flexible OLED screen in the fourth quarter. According to the Journal, he failed to say what other features it'll have and where it will be offered.

LG is among several mobile companies, including one of its chief competitors, Samsung, eyeing flexible OLED display technology.

The companies envision devices featuring fully flexible screens, allowing for more leniency in … Read more

Sony's new $2,000 digital binoculars get better zoom, EVF

Sony, trying to bring digital technology to a market that's remained stubbornly analog, has upgraded its digital binocular with the announcement today of the $2,000 DEV-50V.

The binoculars, due to ship in June, are vastly more expensive than even high-end binoculars from rivals such as Canon and Nikon. But Sony's digital binoculars -- which capture a scene with image sensors then display it with small electronic viewfinder (EVF) -- can do something ordinary binoculars can't.

Namely, they'll help you remember what you saw by taking a video or photo. And, if you like, it'll … Read more

Samsung HQ raided over alleged theft of OLED technology

Samsung found itself the target of a police raid in South Korea on Monday over the alleged theft of OLED display panel technology.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency investigated Samsung's headquarters in Asan, South Korea, in an attempt to find documents related to OLED (organic light-emitting diode) technology, Bloomberg reported late yesterday.

Police are trying to determine whether Samsung is tangled up in an alleged leak of OLED technology documents by partners of LG Display, a Samsung spokesman told Bloomberg. No details were revealed as to who called the police, but LG said it didn't contact them.

"… Read more

Scintillating specs: New 5.2-inch OLED display for smartphones

Get ready to see more smartphones sporting a spectacular OLED screen.

Japan Display -- a joint venture consisting of Sony, Toshiba, and Hitachi's manufacturing muscle -- revealed the development of a 5.2-inch OLED smartphone screen featuring 1,080p resolution and an ultra-sharp 423 pixels per inch (ppi). … Read more

Shop on Twitter with a hashtag

Tuesday's CNET Update is a Twitter #shopaholic:

The social media giants are testing new ways to get you to shop on their networks. Facebook is rolling out a "Buy Tickets" button for event page owners. And Twitter partnered with American Express to let card holders shop by tweeting a hashtag.

Also in today's tech news roundup:

- Apple CEO Tim Cook said OLED displays are "awful." Of course, that's what Apple's biggest competition uses.

- Intel confirmed that it will unveil an Internet-based TV service and box later this year. And the … Read more