PVI cranking up production

[m-reader]

Good news everyone!

PVI announced on December 23 that it has completed the acquisition of E-Ink. With support from E-Ink and Hydis, as well as from Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO), PVI's output will be able to meet the expected surge in demand in 2010, Liu noted.

E-Ink plans to expand its electronic ink capacity by three to four times in the second or third quarter of 2010 depending on market development, and to triple the capacity for film coating as well, Liu noted.

Now, for the really interesting part:

In terms of TFT panel production, 50-60% of Hydis' capacity will be used to make EPD panels in 2010, and PVI will also have support from CMO's 5G lines, Liu said.
For module production, PVI will continue to convert the TFT module capacity at its Yangzhou plant, China to EPD module capacity, Liu said, adding that production of EPD modules at the Yangzhou plant will exceed TFT modules in 2010.

Engadget also has this to add:

... and it's licensing daylight-viewable LCD tech to LG for somewhere in the neighborhood of $30m. Whether that means we'll be seeing new devices based on E Ink and next-gen LCD screens or just more sales of existing devices remains to be seen, but we're obviously hoping for new gear -- good thing CES is right around the corner.

I haven't heard about LG's next-gen LCD tech yet? Is this something similar to PixelQi screns or Qualcomm's Mirasol?


2010 = Interesting year for electronic book readers!

[LDBoblo]

Yeah it might be a good year for ebook readers in general...the most likely advantage being lower costs for same-old e-ink devices.

2009 was year of the clones...I hope 2010 moves forward a bit. Too bad Mirasol isn't slated for release in devices in the first half of 2010 Don't know at all about Liquavista though.... Don't really care about EPD until it is faster and more readable.

[brecklundin]

it does not say the daylight readable LCD is NEW...transflective LCD panels have been around for quite some time now. In fact my Clie and many other PDA have used them for a decade or so in many models in a product family. It is just the transflective LCD panels have been expensive probably due to low investment in production lines as well as the almost complete disappearance of the PDA from the face of the earth. I believe there are some Panasonic Toughbooks which use transflective LCD's and a few other laptop makers as well. I suspect they are a natural competitive tech for EPD panels such as the Eink brand panels as well as the PixelQi line of panels.

It's, as you intimate, a great thing to see all of these options start to enter wide use. Fun times are coming this next year...

[m-reader]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

it does not say the daylight readable LCD is NEW...transflective LCD panels have been around for quite some time now. In fact my Clie and many other PDA have used them for a decade or so in many models in a product family. It is just the transflective LCD panels have been expensive probably due to low investment in production lines as well as the almost complete disappearance of the PDA from the face of the earth. I believe there are some Panasonic Toughbooks which use transflective LCD's and a few other laptop makers as well. I suspect they are a natural competitive tech for EPD panels such as the Eink brand panels as well as the PixelQi line of panels.

It's, as you intimate, a great thing to see all of these options start to enter wide use. Fun times are coming this next year...

I was rather hoping they were talking about Mirasol or Pixel Qi type of screens - Transflective LCD is good, but nowhere near these two in terms of outdoor readibility and power consumption (IHO - from what I've read on the Internets (which by definition must be true )).

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by m-reader

I was rather hoping they were talking about Mirasol or Pixel Qi type of screens - Transflective LCD is good, but nowhere near these two in terms of outdoor readibility and power consumption (IHO - from what I've read on the Internets (which by definition must be true )).

hehehehe...ME TOO...but these days I could see them spinning old tech up rather than new tech, though $30M is no small investment for a division of a company like PVI. It could just be an issue of an improved more energy efficent CPU's/GPU's, display controllers, drivers and whatever else is needed to increase effiency.

Mirasol looks amazing and along with PixelQi they offer huge potential save significant power use...no real color in daylight viewing mode compared to color in the transflective stuff. Even my Clie's display shows enough color to improve reading and make using it a lot easier. But one thing I will say about the K1 I just cannot stand is the performance in brigh sun is supurb, and it's only the K1. It will be interesting when I finally endup with the Pocketbook 360 or even the 302 if it is "cool" enough... But you never know what this CES will turn up...

[LDBoblo]

Originally Posted by m-reader

I was rather hoping they were talking about Mirasol or Pixel Qi type of screens - Transflective LCD is good, but nowhere near these two in terms of outdoor readibility and power consumption (IHO - from what I've read on the Internets (which by definition must be true )).

Pixel Qi is a transflective LCD. Not all of them are the same. There are different reflective LCDs and emissive LCDs too.

[m-reader]

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

Pixel Qi is a transflective LCD. Not all of them are the same. There are different reflective LCDs and emissive LCDs too.

Thanks LDBoblo - I am suffering an acronym oveload. I work in the IT for living and all these acronyms give me headspins.
What does the Mirasol tech qualify as? Do you know anything about the LG technology they are licensing?

[LDBoblo]

Originally Posted by m-reader

Thanks LDBoblo - I am suffering an acronym oveload. I work in the IT for living and all these acronyms give me headspins.
What does the Mirasol tech qualify as? Do you know anything about the LG technology they are licensing?

Mirasol is a different beast called IMOD (interferometric modulation), made up largely of tiny mirrors.

LiquavistaBright and related techs are called "electrowetting".

It's hard to say exactly what LG intends to do with PVI beyond a supply relationship, and the article that stated LCD licensing was remarkably unclear, perhaps to the point of being incorrect.

Edit: Just re-read the WSJ article...seems LG is gonna make use of some of Hydis's tech that might be useful for their transflective stuff.
Addendum: A brief article that summarizes some of the advantages of the LG/PVI deal can be found at this page.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by m-reader

I was rather hoping they were talking about Mirasol or Pixel Qi type of screens - Transflective LCD is good, but nowhere near these two in terms of outdoor readibility and power consumption (IHO - from what I've read on the Internets (which by definition must be true )).

I thought they were transflective LCD?

Edit: Nevermind, I see somebody already pointed that out. That'll teach me not to read all the way through the thread before replying.