sharp

CNET Labscast 21: iPad 3 hands-on, big ultrabooks, and an 80-inch TV

Big week, or at least big gadgets and gear, on the CNET Labscast. Forget about tiny 13-inch ultrabooks, now these slim laptops are moving into 14- and 15-inch territory, and we've got a couple of examples to pass around the room. Then Ty talks up his latest acquisition, a massive 80-inch Sharp LCD TV. It's awesome for sports (or "sport" as Ty puts it), but you can't make an 80-inch LCD for $5,000 without cutting a few corners.

But before all that, we've got the new iPad 3 (yes, that's what we're calling it), and a very eye-opening comparison of text blown up on both that and the iPad 2--be warned, it's the kind of thing you can't un-see.

Sharp replacing president after huge loss expected for 2011

Sharp will appoint Executive Officer Takashi Okuda as its new president effective April 1, replacing President Mikio Katayama, the company announced today.

Katayama will transition to his new role as chairman of the board of directors but without any representative rights, according to Nikkei.com. Chairman Katsuhiko Machida will step down to become a special adviser.

The shift in leadership comes amid ongoing financial woes for the Japanese electronics maker. Falling prices on LCD TVs and a robust yen have both hurt the company's bottom line. For the nine months ended in December, Sharp saw its revenue drop by … Read more

The 404 1,009: Where we'd rather have a Bloomin' Onion (podcast)

We're able to peel CNET television Editor Ty Pendlebury's eyes away from the Sharp 80-inch smart TV he's reviewing right now to sit down with us for a show about language translation apps, overused QR codes, Batman impersonators, and more.… Read more

Is the iPad's display a slam dunk?

Does the new iPad's pixel-packing display make it a must-buy?

I haven't seen the 2,048x1,536 display up close (yet), but this CNET hands-on video gives you an idea. Apple's Web page devoted to the display also gives you a pretty good tour of the technology.

By offering four times the pixel count of tablets on the market today, Apple is clearly pushing the display technology envelope. From the ongoing discussions I've had with NPD DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim, it seems clear that LG Display and Sharp are struggling with production. Though main supplier Samsung … Read more

iPad's display is cutting edge--and a challenge for manufacturers

The new iPad's display is so avant-garde that Apple could have trouble keeping up with demand if it exceeds recent iPad 2 levels, according to a display analyst.

Cutting-edge tech: It's gratuitous at this point to say that the new iPad's 2,048x1,536 display is by any measure amazing--boasting a resolution typically found on large 24-inch class desktop displays.

Exactly how this is achieved is explained in a NPD DisplaySearch discussion about how Super High Aperture technology--by increasing aperture ratio--allows Apple to squeeze four times the number of pixels into the new display compared to the … Read more

Dell UltraSharp U2412m review: Filled to the rim with value

The Dell UltraSharp U2412m trades in the series' staple, the H-IPS panel, for a cheaper and lower-performing E-IPS panel.

I'll admit to being a bit disappointed when I learned Dell went with a cheaper panel. However, what this enables it to do is offer a monitor full of ergonomic features, a fully stocked OSD, and--despite its less-than-stellar viewing angles--excellent performance at a great price.

The full review has always been waiting for you. You just needed to believe in yourself first in order to see it.

More reviews can be easily accessed from the monitor hub.

Buy laptop, TV, monitor a while back? You may be owed money

If you bought a laptop, computer monitor, or television with a flat-panel LCD display between 1999 and 2006, and you live in one of the affected states, you could be eligible for a damages payment under a half-billion-dollar settlement of a class-action lawsuit involving price-fixing.

The California attorney general's office issued a statement this week urging residents of the state to visit a new class-action Web site--lcdclass.com--for information on how to file a claim.

In October 2010, California's attorney general filed a lawsuit against 10 companies, including Samsung, Hitachi, and Sharp, that alleged the companies &… Read more

On back of iPad 3, Apple tablet numbers to jump in 2012

Shipments of the iPad 3 are expected to zoom this year, based on orders placed for displays, an Asia-based report said.

Those orders for iPad 3 displays may go as high as 70 million this year, according to a report in the Chinese language Commercial Times.

That would be more than a 60 percent jump over iPad sales in 2011, which were about 40 million.

The Times mentions Samsung and LG Display as suppliers of the iPad 3's Retina 2048x1536 display but does not mention Sharp. Based on separate reports, Sharp is expected to ship an IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) … Read more

Alleged iPad 3 Retina Display surfaces in photograph

With an early March launch of the iPad 3 looking more and more feasible, parts suppliers and third-party resellers are adding rumors on a daily basis to possibly help shape the look and feel of Apple's next-generation tablet.

Today's rumor involves an alleged photo of Sharp's Retina Display, widely believed to be included on the iPad 3. The story was picked up by Japanese blog Macotakara (via 9to5Mac), claiming the photos came from a third-party parts manufacturer called iLab Factory.

As with any rumor that has so many steps to get public, and especially with ones originating … Read more

Sharp IGZO display possible for iPad 3, says analyst

Sharp's high-resolution IGZO display technology may not be out of the running for the iPad 3, according an analyst at DisplaySearch.

Though there have been rumors claiming that Sharp's IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) technology did not make the cut for the iPad 3, Charles Annis, a Kyoto, Japan-based analyst at DisplaySearch, thinks Sharp still has a good shot at the iPad 3.

The iPad 3 is expected to sport a 9.7-inch 2048x1536 resolution LCD, a much higher resolution than the iPad 2's 1024-by-768 panel.

Annis spoke with CNET on Monday.

Question: So, what is the … Read more