Sharp AQUOS P Full HD LCD-TV's

Technology and Science Magazine. Sharp introduced a completely new line of LCDs designed equally for computers and TV watching. The AQUOS P series is designed as much to sit on a desk as in a living room and is one of the first HDTV lineups to offer full 1080p video at small sizes; the 22-, 26-, and 32-inch sets all display up to 1920x1080 using either DVI, VGA, or one of the two available HDMI inputs. An integrated digital TV tuner and two 5-watt speakers allow the sets to operate independently of any outside device but can be used with a picture-in-picture mode to let users run a computer while keeping track of a TV show.

While input and resolution remain the same for each LCD, contrast ratios vary between 1,200:1 for the 22-inch display and 2,000:1 for the top 32-inch model. Sharp is initially releasing the AQUOS P in Japan with the country's proprietary D5 video input as well as support for HDCP-encrypted videos through DVI and HDMI. Pricing will be open on the market when the displays ship on November 22nd. Releases outside of Japan are unknown but would require changing or removing both the D5 input and the TV standards supported by the built-in tuner.

Iiyama ProLite touchscreen LCD

Technology and Science Magazine. Iiyama has announced a new lineup of touch sensitive monitors for desktop computers. The offerings consist of the 15" ProLite T1530SR, the T1730SR, and the T1930SR, all of which connect either through VGA or DVI, and support USB and RS-232 for the touchscreen interface. The new ProLite screens use a 4:3 aspect ratio and come in either a black or white bezel. The 15-inch model supports a typical 1024x768, featuring a 16ms response time, while the 17- and 19-inch versions are rated at 5ms response, with a resolution of 1280x1024. Contrast ratio for the displays is measured at 500:1 for the 15-inch, and 800:1 for the larger models.

The touch-LCDs are advertised as being compatible with both Macintosh and Windows-based systems, an offer a full set of on-screen controls. Iiyama offers the Extensive Touch Utilities to allow for 4-point calibration of the touch area with either nine or 25 point linearization, and the displays can be viewed in either landscape or portrait modes. Prices for the displays sit at £330 ($700US) for the 15-inch model, £350 ($750US) for the 17-inch, and £400 ($850US) for the 19-inch version.