AU Optronics sees LCD rebound
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(InfoWorld) - Executives at AU Optronics, the world's third largest LCD panel maker by revenue, on Thursday said demand for notebook PCs and digital cameras has picked up recently, and predicted better times ahead. "There has been a sharp uptick in notebook demand," said H.B. Chen, president of AU Optronics, in a small group meeting with reporters. The company's supply of notebook PC screens is tight now, a situation likely to continue over the next few months. Demand for digital camera screens is also rebounding, he said. "Our second-quarter loading rate will clearly be better than the first quarter," he said, indicating the company will increase production. AU had slowed production at some factories because of an inventory glut that caused LCD panel prices to fall over the past several months. His statements should help ease some industry concerns about the global notebook PC sector, but it's not necessarily a good sign for users. AU produces nearly a fifth of the world's LCD screens, giving it a unique view of the health of certain IT product categories. An industry glut has kept LCD prices down over the past several months, a situation that can be great for users because oversupply often sends LCD panel prices plunging. LCD panels are often the most expensive part of a device, so lower panel prices can have a big impact on end-user product prices. A return to health for the industry could curtail some of the steep price declines users have seen on certain products. The January through March quarter should be the weakest quarter of the year for AU, said Kuma Hsiung, executive vice president at the company. Last year's glut was worsened because companies started stockpiling LCD screens, which meant that once demand for some end-user products softened, the plentiful supply turned into a serious inventory problem, he said. Now, inventories are clearing out, so that the second quarter shouldn't hurt LCD panel pricing as much as in the current quarter.
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Liquid Crystal Displays continue to dominate the television market. That hasnât stopped Panasonic and Sony from trying to develop other display technologies.
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Despite pulling out of the US and European markets, Sony&#39;s CLIE line is still kicking in Japan, and is now kicking with an OLED display.
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Facing growing competition from LCDs and coming OLEDs, it goes after the more affordable 32-inch market.
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Samsung is going to increase its 7th generation LCD production line and will pay with its own cash reserves. Samsung says that this will help them to meet demand for large size TVs and computer monitors.
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New component contains the blue and red lasers required for support of the two disc formats as well as the associated lenses and optical receivers. Commercial production possible by end of next year.
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MAJOR LCD panel maker AU Optronics may can plans to build a seventh generation TFT-LCD fab, the Taipei Times said. That follows a slump in sales in July, after prices for large size LCD panels started to topple.
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Plasma television technology has a  bright future despite an onslaught on its home turf from rival  LCD (liquid crystal display) TVs, makers of plasma screens told  Reuters at the IFA consumer electronics fair in Berlin.
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The main front-projection technology competing with Texas Instruments' DLP is 3LCD, now revving up its fight for more recognition.
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European stock markets have risen when a well-received statement from Alcatel-Lucent helped offset a weak showing on Wall Street overnight.
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A recovery in resource stocks and some star performances from smaller companies have helped the Australian share market back into the black today.
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Constellation is defiantly optimistic regarding near-term challenges.
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NEW YORK - Optimism that the embattled technology sector was due for a recovery sent stocks modestly higher Monday despite a new revenue warning from semiconductor company Broadcom Inc.    While Broadcom, which makes chips for television set-top boxes and other electronics, said high inventories resulted in delayed shipments, investors were encouraged as it said future quarters looked brighter...
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Superdense arrays of silicon electrodes will bring scientists closer to an artificial retina that approximates normal vision.
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SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Australian ear implant maker Cochlear Ltd. (COH.AU) said Monday it has moved quickly to lift production to meet increased demand from doctors following
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The consumer electronics giant is doing just fine now, but tomorrow may pose some challenges.
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LG Electronics' plasma business is improving steadily and the display division hopes to post a single-digit operating profit margin by the end of the year, the head of its display business said on Sunday.