Japanese market laptops - Page 2

Hmmm...can you describe this special coating layer? Is this the essential component to the Crystal View screens? What about the increased brightness and contrast? Do you think that screens similar to the Crystal View you've seen in Japan are indeed the same technology as Crystal View (perhaps they licensed it or something)?

I haven't done much reading on the technical side of things, I can just give you my own impressions. I think the coating layer is only one aspect of the improved screen, I'm guessing the underlying panel is also improved and optimized to work in conjunction with the coating to improve contrast, tonal range and sharpness. Fujitsu may have licensed the technology to other companies, but I think a number of different manufacturers have developed their own different versions of the similar glossy screen technology.

I've only seen the screens in showrooms, under less than ideal fluorescent lighting. And none of the ones I looked at were close enough for side-by-side comparisons. To be honest, when I first saw the screens in the shops, I was worried that glare might be a serious issue. They do have anti-reflective coatings, but I haven't had a chance to use any of these screens in a normal work/useage environment. I'm probably more sensitive than most people to glare on computer screens and televisions, so the verdict is still out for me concerning the glare issue.

Comparing the Japanese Loox T90D (P5010) that I saw in the same showroom as a Sony TR1 (or 2) last year: the Sony seemed brighter, but the Fujitsu seemed sharper, with better contrast and tonal range. Looking at the pictures in the 'My New Fujitsu N5010!!' thread, I don't remember the Loox being as stunning as that. Of course when I saw the T90D, I was only looking at the standard Windows desktop, IE and a couple other mostly text applications in a bright store.

Is the Loox T90D identical to the P5000 series? If so I can understand why it may not be as bright as the N5010. I have seen the N5010, N3010, and a Sony XBrite side-by-side in a store, and not only was the N5010 and XBrite more sharp and bright than all the other notebook screens there, but they were also brighter than the N3010, which also uses the MVA technology. I guess they are still one level above the other screens that may use similar glossy technology.

No, the Loox has a glossy screen. The US market P5000 has a dull matte screen. (As I mentioned in my earlier post above.) If you search on LeoG you can find some discussion. Otherwise the form factor and internals pretty much the same spec.


The names of some of similar technologies:

Fujitsu: Multi-Domain Vertical Alignment (MVA)
Sony: Xbrite
Toshiba: Clear Advanced Super View (CASV)

Heh...I actually posted about that in LeoG...in that forum about a P7 that should be released soon...I hope it is what I think it will be...

For those interested, here are a few LeoG threads discussing the Japanese Loox T90/T70 glossy screens vs. the US P5010/P5020:

T70G vs P5020D
Replacing matte screen cover
Does the p5020 have a matt, or a Glossy screen?
Amazing Discovery

I saw your posts at LeoG delta... happy to have you over in that forum.

Yago just posted about the NEC Lavie N Model on LeoG. Checking out the NEC site, I found an interesting page on NEC's glossy screen technology:

NEC "Super Shine View" (translate with Babel Fish)

It's the most in-depth description of the technologies I've seen. They even have a "Super Shine View 3D" which gives a 3D look to 2D photos and DVDs.

There's also a chart of color range which claims standard screens only show 45% of true color tonal range, while their "Super Shine View" screen can show 72%. There's an illustration of multiple layers of coating which serve to focus the picture of the display while bouncing external glare off at oblique angles to minimize glare.

They claim 176 degree wide viewing angle tilting up and down, and a 178 viewing angle left to right.

Well, I posted about this over at Leog...

But has anybody seen that www.PortableOne.com (Ivan), has what seems to be like an updated s6000 series? The s6020, with Dothan, plus with the CV screen

The notebook is said to start shipping mid May.

I'm not finding it...do you mean the S6220? From the brochure it seems both the S6210 and S6220 will have 13.3inch Crystal View screens, while the S6210 will have Banias chips, and S6220 will have 400MHz FSB Dothan chips.

Oops, you are correct, my "6020" was a mistake.

Here's a new story (in English!) about the 3D screen technology:

Will Your Next Display Be 3D?

Not strictly a laptop, but this looks very cool. It's almost the ideal fusion of PDA and notebook.

Sony unveils tiny wireless pen PC

(spotted on LeoG)

Sounds like the OQO and the FlipStart PC, only better because of the use of Pentium-M ULV instead of Transmeta Crusoe...very interesting...

Sony VAIO X505 series on Cnet

Sony VAIO X505 Released (pics, specs)

X505 PDF

Not really a Japanese notebook, but it looks like Hitachi will be selling the Asus W1 under the Prius brand in Japan:

PriusDeck NoteStyle J (Japanese)
pic

Pentium M-1.60GHz
Mobile Radeon 9600
15.4" 1280x800

It's due to ship on the 22nd.

Another nice Japanese ultraportable is coming to the US: the Panasonic Y2. It's feather-light 3.3 lbs with a SXGA+ screen and built-in optical drive.

1.3GHz Pentium M LV 713
855GME Integrated Graphics (64MB shared)
14.1" SXGA+ 1400 x 1050
256MB RAM (512MB max)
40GB HD
DVD-ROM/CD-RW
802.11b+g
3.3 lbs!

Panasonic Toughbook Y2 (Panasonic US site)

Panasonic CF-Y2 Gets Tough with Centrino

Panasonic Launches 3.3 lb. CF-Y2 Toughbook-R

From the LeoG thread: Panasonic Y2 - 14.1" LCD and only 1.5Kg

I posted this question in another thread, but I figured you Japanese import gurrus might have a good idea about this as well: []

What do you guys think of the new Panasonic R4? I'm considering it as a replacement to my Fujitsu. I've decided that I don't need a unit with an optical drive while on the road, so I think this might work beautifully. It seems to meet the requirements: reealllly small, great battery life, and durability (supposedly you can drop the thing from 2 meters and it will be just fine.)

The only issue is the 1.2GHz Pentium-M. My Fujitsu uses an old Pentium-M and it feels a bit under-powered. The top of the line R4 can be expanded to 1.5GB RAm, however, so I'm thinking that might make the difference. Any opinions/suggestions?

I'm not too worried about purchasing a Japanese import. The Fujitsu I have now is imported, and I've never had a problem. (By comparison, my old US Vaio went back and forth to CompUSA three times within an eight month period.) My real concern is the speed of the new 1.2GHz Dothans. You don't see them in too many machines other than ultraportables, so no one seems to have much experience with them.

Forget Japan for investing in the computer market, turn to Taiwan and China instead. That is the wya many of the Japanese retailers are going. Whatsmore, many of the parts in those lappies shown here are now made in China. The age of Made in Japan=high quality is nearing its end.

People always think that Japanese laptop prices are so much cheaper than the UK or the US...complete rubbish.