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Today — 15 January 2025Tech News

LG Display announces its brightest, most striking OLED TV panel yet

15 January 2025 at 18:00
A marketing image of LG Display’s fourth-generation OLED TV panel.
Image: LG Display

LG Display didn’t have its usual exhibit of flashy, breakthrough new screens at this year’s CES. This resulted in an odd situation where it was actually Panasonic that shared the most details about LG Display’s latest and greatest OLED panel. Even before any official announcement, it was already the centerpiece of 2025 flagships like Panasonic’s Z95B and the LG G5 from LG Electronics (not to be confused with the display division).

But now the company is ready to spill the full details on its new four-layer tandem OLED design. “33 percent brighter than the previous generation and optimized for the AI TV era, it is the industry’s first-ever OLED display to achieve a maximum brightness as high as 4,000 nits,” LG Display wrote in a press release that went out tonight. The AI mention made me roll my eyes a bit, but there’s no doubting that this is a very impressive panel.

Here’s the rundown on what’s so innovative, according to LG Display:

The new panel’s innovation centers on a Primary RGB Tandem structure, which is LG Display’s proprietary technology that uses independent stacks of RGB elements to produce light. It had previously used a three-stack light source, with two layers of blue elements emitting relatively short energy wavelengths alongside red, green, and yellow elements in a single layer.

The Primary RGB Tandem structure applied to the fourth-generation OLED TV panel organizes the light source into four stacks by adding two layers of blue elements and independent layers of red and green elements. It improves maximum brightness by increasing the amount of light produced by each layer compared to the previous structure.

A marketing chart comparing LG Display’s various generations of OLED TV panels. Graphic: LG Display
The latest-gen OLED display uses a four-layer structure to maximize brightness — this time without any micro-lens array technology.

Of course, seeing as we’re squarely in the OLED brightness wars, Samsung Display has its own brighter-than-ever QD-OLED screen that’s going into Samsung’s S95F, which was also announced in Las Vegas. But whereas Samsung is going all in on its glare-free display finish, LG is sticking with a more traditional glossy finish — though it uses “ultra-low reflective technology” to lessen any potential distractions.

Energy efficiency has improved again with the fourth-gen LG Display OLED, and the company says that color brightness can reach 2,100 nits, which is a 40 percent improvement compared to the prior version. These peak brightness numbers are what the panel is technically capable of, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that TV makers like Panasonic will necessarily push it that hard in consumer sets.

Either way, OLED keeps getting brighter and more vibrant while still retaining all of its trademark strengths like perfect blacks, fantastic viewing angles, and fast response times for gaming. The best ones don’t come cheap, but they’re worth saving up for. If you’re after more info on the new panel, I recommend these great videos from Caleb Denison at Digital Trends and Vincent Teoh at HDTVTest.

LG Display’s rival, Samsung Display, did have a CES showcase that my colleague Sean Hollister caught during the show, so be sure to give that a watch as well.

LG Display's new OLEDs are even brighter and more power-efficient

LG Display is introducing its 4th-generation OLED TV displays today, which manage to not only be brighter than what it showed off in 2024, but also more power-efficient and less reflective. The LG OLED evo M5 was one of Engadget's favorite announcements from CES 2025, thanks in part to the LG Display panels it uses.

LG Display's new 4th-generation OLED TV panel can reach a maximum brightness "as high as 4,000 nits," according to the company, which is 33 percent brighter than the previous generation panel. It's worth noting maximum brightness is not the same thing as uniform brightness across the same display panel, but it's still a notable improvement when OLEDs can struggle with brightness. Especially when those gains are paired with better energy efficiency, which LG Display says is "around 20 percent greater" on a 65-inch 4th-generation panel.

An LG Display graphic going over the improvements added with each generation of OLED display.
LG Display

The changes to the new OLED's efficiency are due to enhancements to the panel's "structure and power supply system" while the brightness improvements have to do with a clever to tweak to how LG is arranging the LEDs in the panel. The 4th-generation OLED uses a "Primary RGB Tandem structure" which stacks independent layers of red and green light elements with two blue layers. Each layer produces more light which helps improve brightness and "color purity."

LG Display is also aiding color reproduction (and presumably purity) with a new film coating that reduces the amount of light reflected from the surface of the panel and light absorbed and reflected inside the panel. The company says all of these developments are in service of making better "AI TVs" but if that doesn't sway you, it sounds like TVs with these new panels should just look better too.

The 4th-generation OLED panel will appear in "top-of-the-line mass-produced" TVs this year, and LG Display says the "Primary RGB Tandem structure" will be gradually introduced into Gaming OLED monitors in the future, as well.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/lg-displays-new-oleds-are-even-brighter-and-more-power-efficient-020010221.html?src=rss

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© LG

An LG TV on a wall.

Chinese AI company MiniMax releases new models it claims are competitive with the industry’s best

15 January 2025 at 17:37

Chinese firms continue to release AI models that rival the capabilities of systems developed by OpenAI and other U.S.-based AI companies. This week, MiniMax, an Alibaba- and Tencent-backed startup that has raised around $850 million in venture capital and is valued at more than $2.5 billion, debuted three new models: MiniMax-Text-01, MiniMax-VL-01, and T2A-01-HD. MiniMax-Text-01 […]

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You can grab a refurbished Kindle Scribe for nearly $200 less than the new model

15 January 2025 at 16:07
The last-gen Kindle Scribe is nearly identical to the new model, only with a few minor upgrades.

If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to the new Kindle Scribe, we’ve got good news: the first-gen model is on sale for a couple hundred dollars less than the second-gen model. Normally $349.99 in new condition, Amazon is currently selling it with in refurbished configuration with 16GB of storage, a Basic Pen, and a one-year warranty for just $233.99 as a part of a limited-time lightning deal. You can also buy it at Amazon with 32GB of storage for $259.99.

Both of Amazon’s note-taking ebook readers sport a spacious 10.2-inch 300 ppi display and an adjustable warm light, though the latest Scribe builds upon the original with thinner bezels, a textured display, and a soft-tipped Premium Pen. The most significant changes come in the form of software features, which are available on the first-gen model via a free download. That means no matter which e-reader you buy, you can finally write notes directly on pages. You’ll also be able to take advantage of various AI features, including AI-generated summaries and a tool that lets you refine your handwriting. The only difference is that the new Scribe comes with these features baked in.

Read our original Kindle Scribe review.

Three more midweek discounts

  • The Beats Powerbeats Pro are down to $99.99 (half off) at Best Buy, which is their lowest price to date. The wireless earbuds are still exceptionally comfortable despite their age, with over-ear hooks that keep them securely in place during intense workouts. They also continue to deliver good sound, pair well with Apple devices, and last up to nine hours on a single charge, though you’ll still need a Lightning cable to charge them. Read our review.
  • Amazon and Best Buy are selling the Apple Pencil Pro for $99 ($20 off), which is one of its best prices to date. The stylus is compatible with the latest iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad Mini; however, unlike the Apple Pencil (USB-C), the Pro model features Find My support so you can quickly locate it. It also comes with extra creative capabilities, including pressure sensitivity, double-tap tool switching, and a “barrel roll” feature that lets you twist your digital brush’s orientation by turning the stylus as you paint.
  • You can pick up the Chipolo One Point at Amazon for $22 ($5 off), an all-time low. The puck-shaped Bluetooth tracker is perfect for keeping tabs on various items, whether it be a set of keys or a pet collar. The keyring tracker also features a user-replaceable battery, IPX5 water resistance, and support for Android’s Fast Pair feature, though keep in mind it only supports Google’s Find My platform, not Apple’s.

Hindenburg Research, a short seller that targeted tech and EV companies, is closing up shop

15 January 2025 at 15:36

When Hindenburg Research posts a blog on its website, it often means a company’s final days are near. Today, that company is Hindenburg Research. Nate Anderson announced Wednesday he has shut down short-selling firm Hindenburg Research after a seven-year run issuing damning reports about high-profile companies, including many of the technology world’s giants and buzzy […]

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Create Your Website Without Breaking the Bank: Get Web Hosting for Under $2.50/Month!

15 January 2025 at 15:15
Hostinger Discount January 2025

Planning to build your first website or switch to a better web hosting provider? Hostinger is offering massive discounts on a wide range of plans, helping you save hundreds of dollars. Don’t miss out on these limited-time deals!

The Supreme Court could decide the fate of Pornhub — and the rest of the internet

15 January 2025 at 15:27
Illustration of a stop sign over a window of flesh colored pixels.
Cath Virginia / The Verge

In Supreme Court oral arguments over a potentially seismic change to the internet, the most memorable question came from Justice Samuel Alito. “One of the parties here is the owner of Pornhub, right?” Alito asked Derek Shaffer, lawyer for the adult industry group Free Speech Coalition. “Is it like the old Playboy magazine? You have essays there by the modern-day equivalent of Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley, Jr.?”

The massive adult web portal Pornhub, in case you’re wondering, does not publish essays by distinguished intellectuals. (Shaffer notes that it does host sexual wellness videos.) The question inspired a slew of commentary on social media, alongside a few quips directed at Justice Clarence Thomas, who declared during oral argument that “Playboy was about squiggly lines on cable TV.” But as funny as the quotes were, what the justices were getting at was hardly a joke: how much protection does sexual content and other legal speech deserve, if hosted online?

FSC v. Paxton concerns Texas’ HB 1181, which requires sites with a large proportion of sexually explicit content to verify users’ ages and post scientifically unproven health warnings about how porn “is proven to harm...

Read the full story at The Verge.

Tubi will livestream the 2025 Super Bowl for free in 4K

15 January 2025 at 15:28

The Super Bowl tends to be a cultural moment, even for people who don't know an extra point from a safety. This year, if you want to see the whole program, including the halftime show by Kendrick Lamar, there will be a free streaming option. The broadcast will be available in 4K on Tubi, the free ad-supported streaming TV platform owned by Fox.

This year marks the first time Tubi will have the NFL's final matchup as part of its programming. Fox Sports announced its plans to mark the occasion of Super Bowl LIX with a "takeover" of Tubi, including not just the livestream of the game, but also a special red carpet pre-show. Tubi will also have a Countdown to the Super Bowl on the NFL channel starting January 28 that will highlight big moments from the championship's history.

Super Bowl LIX will be available to watch on FOX, FOX Deportes, Tubi and Telemundo, as well as on NFL digital properties, without requiring any paid-TV authentication. The game takes place on February 9.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/tubi-will-livestream-the-2025-super-bowl-for-free-in-4k-232831563.html?src=rss

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© USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect / Reuters

Aug 24, 2024; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; General view of the NFL logo on a goalpost during warmups prior to the game between the Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

USDOT sues Southwest Airlines over ‘chronically delayed’ flights

15 January 2025 at 14:42
US-AVIATION-TRANSPORTATION
Photo by DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) is suing Southwest Airlines for “illegally operating multiple chronically delayed flights and disrupting passengers’ travel,” according to a press release.

The USDOT’s investigation found that “Southwest operated two chronically delayed flights — one between Chicago Midway International Airport and Oakland, Calif, and another between Baltimore, Md. and Cleveland, Ohio — that resulted in 180 flight disruptions for passengers between April and August 2022,” per the release. “Each flight was chronically delayed for five straight months.”

A flight is considered chronically delayed if “it is flown at least 10 times a month and arrives more than 30 minutes late more than 50 percent of the time,” the USDOT says.

“Southwest is disappointed that DOT chose to file a lawsuit over two flights that occurred more than two years ago,” Southwest spokesperson Laura Swift says in a statement to The Verge. “Since DOT issued its Chronically Delayed Flight (CDF) policy in 2009, Southwest has operated more than 20 million flights with no other CDF violations. Any claim that these two flights represent an unrealistic schedule is simply not credible when compared with our performance over the past 15 years. In 2024, Southwest led the industry by completing more than 99% of its flights without cancellation.”

In addition, the USDOT is taking “enforcement action” against Frontier Airlines for operating chronically delayed flights. USDOT has fined Frontier $650,000 in civil penalties; the US Treasury will be paid $325,000, while the other $325,000 will be suspended if Frontier “does not operate any chronically delayed flights in the next three years,” the USDOT says.

Frontier Airlines spokesperson Jennifer F. de la Cruz declined to comment.

Earlier this month, USDOT announced a $2 million penalty against JetBlue for operating chronically delayed flights. The USDOT also fined Southwest Airlines in 2023 over a holiday meltdown that stranded millions in 2022.

The FTC Suing John Deere Is a Tipping Point for Right-to-Repair

15 January 2025 at 14:46
After years of complaints about “unlawful” repairability policies, the FTC is suing tractor manufacturer Deere & Company. Repairability advocates are calling it a milestone for consumer rights.

Reusable rocket startup Stoke raised another massive round: $260M

15 January 2025 at 14:50

Y Combinator alum Stoke has an ambitious goal to build the first fully reusable rocket and VCs have opened their wallets wide.

© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

From Clicks to Connection: Tech’s Role in Creating Lifelong Consumers

15 January 2025 at 14:28
This post was created in partnership with Fetch During Adweek's webinar, From Clicks to Connection: Tech's Role in Creating Lifelong Consumers, industry leaders explored how brands can use technology, AI, and personalization to drive emotional connections, build community, and create lasting relationships. Robin Wheeler, chief revenue officer at Fetch, kicked off the event by highlighting...

Who should and shouldn’t buy a new MacBook Air right now

By: Zac Hall
15 January 2025 at 14:10

Friends don’t let friends buy a new MacBook Air right before a newer MacBook Air comes out, right? That’s mostly true, but two exceptions. There are currently two very good MacBook Air models that you can purchase brand new that are both incredible values.

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