Digital Gadgets

Reviewed of Nec’s New Pro 20-Inch Multisync

NEC Display Solutions of America, a leading stand-alone provider of flat panel desktop and large-screen displays, today announced its new series of professional LCD monitors - the NEC MultiSync 90-series.
Most folks wouldn’t even consider dropping $1,300 on a 20-inch LCD monitor, not when top-notch products such as the Samsung SyncMaster 204T are available for half the price.

Designed to deliver technology-leading screen performance to image-critical markets, the new NEC MultiSync 90-series, which will replace the award-winning MultiSync 80-series, contains over 25 new or improved features that produce crisper, clearer images; enable better control and connectivity; increase energy efficiency; and provide greater adjustment versatility.

The folks over at PC Magazine have taken a look-see at NEC’s new MultiSync LCD2090UXi pro display, and while they liked what it can do, they’re thinking it’s probably best left to the pros and their expensable pocketbooks.

The new MultiSync 90-series “i” models, which use IPS-based modules, address the color critical needs of markets such as medical imaging, graphic illustration and photography.

Carrying a standard four-year warranty, among the highest and most comprehensive in the industry, the MultiSync 90-series “i” models include the 19-inch MultiSync LCD1990SXi, the 20-inch (20.1 viewable) MultiSync LCD2090UXi and the 21-inch (21.3 viewable) MultiSync LCD2190UXi monitors.

The new MultiSync 90-series “p” models, utilizing VA-based modules, are well-suited to meet the needs of CAD/CAM and other users who demand high resolutions, precise images, adjustment flexibility and advanced features but may not have a need for exacting color reproduction.

The MultiSync 90-series “p” models will include the 19-inch MultiSync LCD1990SXp and the 21-inch MultiSync LCD2190UXp monitors, which will carry a standard three-year warranty.

We’re guessing the $1299 price tag for a 20-inch LCD is all of a review most people will need to hear, but they went on to find that the display’s powerful color controls, automatic ambient light adjustment, and flat-out great color make it definitely worth the consideration of those who can afford it.

The 1600×1200 display also offers a very wide 170 degree viewing angle, and its 8ms gray-to-gray response time isn’t too shabby either.

The picture wasn’t as perfect when using an analog connection, and DVDs showed some background noise, but neither of those should raise a flag for most pros.

“NEC has a history of developing displays with leading-edge technology,” said Ray Froude, Senior Product Specialist, NEC Display Solutions of America. “By involving end-users such as illustrators, animators, and radiologists in our development process, the new MultiSync Professional 90-series not only raises the performance bar in these image-critical markets, it also delivers the features and improvements these professionals demand.”

Although the monitor is not geared towards the gaming crowd, it did an adequate job of displaying fast-motion video. Its 16-ms (black-to-white-to-black) pixel-response rating gets a boost from NEC’s Rapid Response overdrive technology, pushing the all-important gray-to-gray response to approximately 8 ms.

There was some image ghosting and flicker evident on our Doom 3 tests, but game play was still acceptable, and the colors were vibrant. DVD movie playback was generally good, although some background noise was noticeable. The panel has a wide viewing angle; colors and image sharpness remained true at up to 170 degrees on both the horizontal and vertical planes, with only a slight loss of luminance at the extreme end of the arc.

NEC covers the 2090UXi with an almost unheard of four-year parts, labor, and backlight warranty (three years is the standard). The company also provides 24/7 telephone support and a wealth of product technology and troubleshooting information online. Included in the box are two DVI cables and an analog cable, screws for wall mounting, and a comprehensive user’s manual.

The MultiSync LCD2090UXi is designed for high-end users who require accuracy, performance, and image control in a professional-grade LCD monitor. Although its price will scare off most consumers, we can expect some of its high-end features to start showing up in midrange LCD monitors in the near future.

Apple plans 17-inch MacBook Pro by June

The 17-inch MacBook Pro is coming sooner or later, we all know it. But it sounds like our most common bastion of Apple rumors, AppleInsider, got a call from their, um, insider at Apple, and apparently the 17-incher is supposedly due to be launched in time for June’s WWDC (where last year they announced the Intel partnership, if you remember); nice, The new flagship model, which will based around a 17-inch widescreen display and feature at least a 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo processor, is expected to round-out Apple’s MacBook Pro product line.

Despite optimism from some of Apple’s current 12-inch PowerBook customers, a 12-inch MacBook Pro model has yet to surface on Apple’s product roadmap, reliable sources have told AppleInsider.

These sources say the 17-inch MacBook Pro has been penciled-in for a release at or around Apple’s annual World Wide Developers Conference, which has historically taken place around June.

Still, there remains the possibility that the high-end Apple notebook could be pushed out the door a bit earlier this Spring. Recent reports indicate that the developmental progress of 17-inch MacBook Pro is on par with that of Apple’s Intel-based iBooks, which are widely rumored for a release by April.

One factor that may prohibit an earlier release of the 17-inch MacBook Pro is the lack of an 8x SuperDrive thin enough to fit in the notebook’s enclosure, which is reportedly just as slim as the 15-inch model.

Due to its sleek industrial design, the MacBook Pro requires 9.5mm thick SuperDrives rather than the 12mm drives used in Apple’s previous line of PowerBook G4 notebooks. Each of the company’s 15-inch MacBook Pro models includes only a 4x SuperDrive because an 8x 9.5mm version of the drive is not yet available in production quantities but we’re not too happy about the idea that supposedly the 12-inch version of the MacBook Pro didn’t show up on their product roadmap.

According to AppleInsider’s proprietary checks, a slot-loading version of the 8x SuperDrive suitable for the MacBook Pro is slated for customer shipments beginning in May. It’s unclear if Apple will add an 8x SuperDrive option to the 15-inch MacBook Pro at this time or reserve the feature for a later revision of the notebook.

Apple patents display leap frog concepts for touch sensitive displays

US Patent & Trademark Office revealed Apple’s patent number 20060026536 titled “Gestures for touch sensitive input devices.” Apple’s heavy hitters such as Jonathan Ive, Duncan Robert Kerr and Steve Hotelling of the famed Chameleon patent are listed on this patent. The touch sensitive system will apply to a number of devices such as a tablet, the iPod, cell phones, PDA’s and other “consumer electronic devices.

This new series of patents support the breaking news that Macsimum first posted last week on the tablet patent titled “Methods and apparatuses for operating a portable device based on an accelerometer.” The patents present a great number of great new-to-market virtual object concepts that are like interactive widgets. The patent officially defines them as “Touch Images” and provides an explanation for such.

Commercial & industrial touch screens applications

It would appear that Apple may consider licensing their advanced screen touch technology – when you consider the following patent point.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a computer system 500 according to one embodiment of the invention. The computer system 500 may correspond to personal computer systems such as desktops, laptops, tablets or handhelds. By way of example, the computer system 500 may correspond to any Apple or PC based computer system.

More: macsimumnews.com

Sony readies mainstream all-in-one media PC

Sony this week took the wraps off its latest all-in-one entertainment PC, the Vaio VA1, follow-on to the consumer electronics giant’s V3 machine.

The star of the show is the integrated 20in 16:9 aspect ratio display with Sony’s X-black colour-enhancing technology. The 2.8GHz dual-core Intel Pentium D 820 processor isn’t quite top-of-the-range, however, and neither is the ATI Mobility Radeon X700 graphics chip, so we suspect Sony is pitching the VA1 toward more mainstream buyers.

The Sony VAIO VGC-VA11G is a prime example of how to combine a PC and a TV. Despite a few wrinkles that need to be ironed out, this is one of the more appealing all-in-one Media Center PCs we’ve seen.

As a TV and DVR combo, the system is superb. It comes with two 160GB SATA hard drives, for a total of 320GB, so it can record enough programming for an avid TV fan and hold tons of pictures, music, and the like. The 20-inch, 16:9 widescreen is bright and clear for watching DVDs and TV programs and playing the occasional 3D game.

The remote is a standard Microsoft Windows Media Center Edition model, but its IR receiver is an external USB device that stands out from the system’s otherwise sleek design.

Like its predecessor, the VA1 requires just a single cable, for power. The keyboard, mouse and TV-style remote control are all wireless, as is the the unit’s network connection, though there are Ethernet, USB and Firewire ports present for those who can’t yet live without wires.

The PC runs Windows XP Media Center Edition and contains a 250GB hard drive for storage and a dual-layer DVD±RW drive for archiving content recorded from the integrated digital and analogue TV tuner. Sony claims the box not only has room for a second hard drive, but also that adding one is easy.

Once set up, the PC displays and records stutter-free TV programming. With Sony’s Click-to-DVD integration and MCE Update Rollup 2 enhancements, you can easily get programming off your Media Center to display on other devices. There’s even a utility that will help transfer video, music, and pictures to a Sony PlayStation Portable.

The VA11G’s USB, Fire-Wire/i.LINK, and cable TV ports are well situated on the sides of the case, easily accessible and barely visible from the front.

However, the VA11G’s most irritating feature is that it forces you to use the remote or wireless keyboard/mouse to change channels or raise and lower the volume.

The system has a sufficient spec to warrant Intel’s Viiv branding, but Sony didn’t say today whether the VA1 will ship as a Viiv box or not.