Short Take: Acer gets into flat panels

Acer Display Technology, a division of , has licensed TFT-LCD (thin film transistor liquid crystal diode) technology from IBM, in an effort to quickly jump into the market for flat panel monitors. Acer will invest $600 million in a manufacturing plant in Taiwan and begin production by the second quarter of 1999, according to the company, manufacturing sleek flat panel displays, active-matrix notebook screens, and other products in sizes 13 inches and larger.