Daily Marauder

TECHNOLOGY

Samsung has unveiled an 82-inch LCD panel that a company executive termed the “optimal display for future TVs.” The display, which one report described as “massive,” has a resolution of 3820×2160 pixels — for a total screen resolution of 8.3 megapixels — and is said to be four times better than today’s 1080p TVs. (TG Daily 5/18, The Korea Times 5/18)

LG Display is likely to begin operating next year a new $960 million production line for LCDs, CEO Kwon Young-Soo told analysts last week. The move by the world’s No. 2 LCD maker concerns analysts and investors who say it could cause a glut of the screens in the market. (The Wall Street Journal 5/19)

Large-screen LCD shipments slipped 1.6% in April, to 36.6 million units, a 29.7% annual increase, fueled largely by the information-technology segment, according to LCD researchers WitsView. The firm reported that the TV segment shipped 7.8 million units, a 2.9% decline as demand remained weak for LCDs at 40 inches and above. (Smarthouse 5/19)

With plans to sell Blu-ray players for under $300 this month, Wal-Mart will become a low-cost purveyor of the device, which has failed to gain traction among mass-market consumers largely because of their high price. Wal-Mart will sell a Profile 1.1 Funai player under the “Magnavox” brand with picture-in-picture functionality. Best Buy is expected to offer the player under the Insignia brand for about $350, beginning in July. (Pocket-lint.co.uk 5/19)