Sony OLED Displays Coming Soon

Posted By: Ryan Monday, February 9, 2004 1:16:29 PM

A new article has been published which confirms and earlier PalmInfocenter story about Sony planning to use Organic LED display technology in a future handheld. The report claims Sony has developed a new OLED display to be used in a yet unnamed PDA line sometime in the Spring.

The new report in Digitimes states, Sony has announced that in the spring of 2004 it will commercialize an active matrix OLED (AMOLED) PDA panel using LTPS (low-temperature poly-silicon) from Sony-Toyoda’s line. The PDA panel will be three to four inches in size diagonally, a significant increase for OLED dimensions. This display is likely to be only the second AMOLED product on the market. [...] Because the PDA market is relatively small, Sony can supply enough panels for a whole product line, even at the early stages when its AMOLED yield is somewhat low.

This article confirms and adds credit to an earlier report that claimed that Sony would have a PDA out in the Spring of 2004 with an OLED display. Sony is expected to officially announce the TH55 and TJ37, and TJ27 at the PalmSource Developers Conference Tuesday in San Jose. Those models have already been released in Japan and Hong Kong. There is no information available of yet to indicate whether they will have OLED screens.

About OLED Screens
Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) is a generic term for a whole group of possible screen types. OLEDs are made up of thin films of organic materials that give off light of various colors when voltage is applied to them. Like LCDs, OLEDs have both active matrix and passive matrix forms.

The main advantages of OLED screens over current ones is the screen itself glows so there is no need for a back- or side-light. This means they require less power and take up less space, two important factors in a handheld. They also cost less to make.

OLEDs have a faster response time so they are also better able to show video. They can be seen from wider viewing angles. They are less susceptible to heat and cold. OLEDs have fewer manufacturing steps and use both fewer and cheaper materials than LCDs do.

Numerous companies are working on developing OLED screens, like Sony, Pioneer; and TDK. Research scientists at Kodak invented the OLED in the early 80s and the company continues working with them today.

Thanks to Steve for the tip!

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Too goot to be true?

PhoenixAG @ 2/9/2004 4:32:21 PM #
If the screens are cheaper and better, and also provide better battery life and reduce the size of the handheld, then WHY WHY WHY haven't PDA makers incorporated them into their handhelds till now?

Kodak developed this in the 80s!

I always thought that OLED displays, because they are smaller and provide better battery life, would be more expensive than the normal LCDs and thats why they aren't seen much (if at all).

They are more durable too...

I want my Tungsten E to have an OLED screen :-(

RE: Too good to be true?
hotpaw4 @ 2/9/2004 5:02:35 PM #
Until recently, OLED displays of this size could not be manufactured uniformly in volume, and they had aging problems (the pixels would fade out in a few months). Looks like those problems may have been solved.
RE: Too goot to be true?
bmari20007 @ 2/9/2004 5:04:39 PM #
there is a time when every technology finally becomes available. This is it--not before, that's what took so long. Just because its better doesn't mean its been available before now--what gave you that impression?

RE: Too goot to be true?
twocents @ 2/9/2004 7:42:51 PM #
It got good specs, but this technology is not a catch-all. Outdoor and bright light use is probably zilch to none.

RE: Too goot to be true?
RhinoSteve @ 2/9/2004 11:15:26 PM #
To give you a hatting on technology history there are five major milestones of any technology:

1. Theory for it is published.
2. Made functional in research and development.
3. First commercial offering that is very expensive and specialized.
4. Price is affordable for a mass market.
5. Technology is obsolete.

Thus, in the 80s we were at Step 1 and now we are hitting Step 4 now twenty years later. Welcome to materials research!


RE: Too goot to be true?
Wollombi @ 2/10/2004 1:04:58 AM #
>>"It got good specs, but this technology is not a catch-all. Outdoor and bright light use is probably zilch to none."<<

Not necessarily. Motorola had a phone out a while back (called the TimePort(?) or something like that) which used an OLED display. The thing was so freaking bright that sunlight had no visible effect on it's readability. Something like that in a PDA would be phenominal.

_________________
Sean

Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.

RE: Too goot to be true?
razorpit @ 2/10/2004 11:28:39 AM #
I don't know about you but my Timeport was useless outdoors unless I covered the screen with my hand.

The new UX series CLIE uses OLED technology
;-) @ 2/10/2004 10:31:52 PM #
The new CLIE UX is incredible. It was recently demoed in the Bay Area and Sony should have provided adult diapers for those who quickly wet themselves after touching it. Even the Sony bashers will finally shut their mangy yaps when they see this mini laptop next month.

.11b, Bluetooth, 4" OLED screen, massive battery time, decent keyboard, light metal clamshell design. This is the one every power user has been waiting for since the original Pilots.


It's just too big.

RE: Too goot to be true?
aardvarko @ 2/10/2004 11:50:32 PM #
I own the Timeport 8767, the aforementioned model. It's easily readable in sunlight, although it's not as reflective as an RFT or R/TFT screen.

Too new to be true...

bmari20007 @ 2/9/2004 5:01:28 PM #
this technology is brand spanking new. Its viability is demonstrated by the amazing battery life specs posted by the new Sony TH55 models in Japan and Hong Kong.

Also, the real excitement for me comes from the fact that these "glowing" displays actually may make it feasible to take advantage of the "minimum backlight" setting battery life horizons, if this proves to be true.

Its about time palms gained a tech windfall like this.

RE: Too new to be true...
bmari20007 @ 2/9/2004 5:08:57 PM #
sorry I have to retract--I was not aware that there's still a queston of whether the TH55 and the '37 use OLED displays. It seems a strong possiblity though in light of their magical gains in battery life that may not be due just to the Handheld Engine.

RE: Too new to be true...
madmaxmedia @ 2/9/2004 5:54:41 PM #
It's a decent possibility though- the TH55 battery specs are really, really good. The PDA is pretty slim too, so there had to be some significant improvement somewhere- battery tech, wifi tech, or screen tech. Since these OLED's are apparently coming, I think this is a good possibility for the TH55.

I guess we won't know until real units arrive. I wonder if the screens will look significantly different.

RE: Too new to be true...
abhinay @ 2/9/2004 8:15:50 PM #
Cant be OLED"s... one of the claims is 24 hours of battery life while playing MP3's with the screen off... on a normal clie, this is closer to 10 hours... so it has to be the HHE, since the screen is off anyway..
OLED's also dont need backlights, and one of the specs does mention something about backlight brightness, so, its highly unlikely that the TH is using OLEDs...

RE: Too new to be true...
jgardia @ 2/9/2004 10:50:09 PM #
You can have 24 hours of mp3 because the th55 has a dsp that plays the music, so when you are only playing music, the processor isn't used, so it could be running at 8 mhz. And I think that the dsp uses less power than the main processor, so here is the improvement in the battery duration.


Jose.

PS: How bad is my english? If anyone can correct my post, it would be great.

RE: Too new to be true...
helf @ 2/9/2004 11:12:59 PM #
your english looks fine to me. Better than most peoples here in alabama ;)

RE: Too new to be true...
Altema @ 2/10/2004 1:26:25 PM #
"You can have 24 hours of mp3 because the th55 has a dsp that plays the music..."

That would be reasonable, since the main CPU would not be doing the decoding and could run at its minimum speed. It should also have a good-sized battery, as it is larger and heavier than the T3.

Not OLED?

mikecane @ 2/10/2004 3:40:55 AM #
http://tinyurl.com/2xaua

-- I saw this camera at SonyStyle over the weekend. The LCD is incredible. Unlike anything I've seen before. Its listed as a Hybrid LCD. The description doesn't state OLED, however. But if OLED looks anything like this, we're all in for one huge treat.

RE: Not OLED?
abhinay @ 2/10/2004 6:27:01 AM #
Thats an LCD Alright... I've had the opportunity to use the device, quite a while back actually, and its definitely an LCD... OLED's look a whole lot better than that ;)

RE: Not OLED?
ComputerBob @ 2/10/2004 6:32:16 AM #
"The Hybrid system consists of a transmissive LCD combined with a reflective LCD." nothing like an OLED from what i gather...
RE: Not OLED?
MickeyDaRogue @ 2/10/2004 9:25:04 AM #
Sony's Web site (in Japanese)

www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/PEG/PEG-TH55/spec.html

mentions that the display is a "backlit TFT LCD display" (my own translation, so error prone) nothing to do with OLED which are called "Yuuki EL" or "—L‹@EL" in Japanese.

I'm really looking forward to an OLED PDA! If it is to go on sale this Spring, odds are that it is already produced on a small scale... I wonder if we'll have any leaks in the followings days/weeks.


RE: Not OLED?
mikecane @ 2/10/2004 11:26:23 AM #
>>>OLED's look a whole lot better than that ;)

Wow. Can't wait to see one!

A natural fit for UX models...

JonAcheson @ 2/10/2004 10:42:43 AM #
They could conceivably fix the battery life issues AND do half or full VGA.

Jon Acheson


"All opinions posted are my own, and not those of my employers, who are appalled."

TH-55 Not OLED (According to Specs)

bmari20007 @ 2/10/2004 11:12:03 AM #
According to the Hong Kong specs page, which is in English, the TH-55 has a TFT display. Thin-Film Transistor technology applies only to Active Matrix LCDs if i'm not mistaken meaning unfortunately, this is not an OLED handheld.

Hopefully Sony won't bring out another horrid UX or NX model as its first OLED display palms. I'd give up on them if they did, knowing I'd have to wait 2 years for a decent biz purposed one.

Is OLED Technology Quiet?

skennedy1217 @ 2/10/2004 2:54:52 PM #
My T2's transflective screen has started to whine. Maybe it's the screen's fault, maybe it's my cold. Either way it's annoying. Does anyone know if OLEDs suffer from the same problem?

Scott

________________________________
M100==>M500==>T|T==>T|T2==> ?

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