Technology never stops moving forward -- even as LED lighting begins to enjoy a rollout across various product sectors, new eco-friendly lighting competitors emerge. Sure enough, we're talking OLED technology. Konica Minolta has entered a licensing agreement for some of Universal Display's UniversalPHOLED (phosphorescent OLED) technology. PHOLED lighting may not be as sexy as, say, full motion colorific OLED displays, but knowing how many applications there are for static white light, there's lots of moolah to be made in this technology. And between Konica Minolta's partnerships with Universal Display and General Electric, there could be some exciting developments in the not-too-distant future. And we're not thinking lightbulbs; try ultra-thin, energy efficient PHOLED backlighting as an interim technology while full-fledged OLED displays get mainstreamed.

[Images courtesy InternationalLightTech and CityPages]

Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun reports this morning that Sony plans to sell its 11-inch XEL-1 OLED TV in Europe in 2009. That dovetails nicely with a two-week old statement by a Sony representative who said, "I'd be very surprised if this hasn't arrived in the UK by 2009." Us too, after all, it's been on sale in Japan since December of 2007 and was recently caught slumming the big box outlets in the US. It only seems natural then, that Sony would ramp production to the point that by 2009 they could meet the minimal, European demand for a $2,500-ish TV measuring just 11-inches -- million:1 contrast or not. Still, it's all a bit late if you ask us (you did right?) seeing as how Sony plans to be producing medium to large OLED panels as early as April 2009.

[Via AVING]

Read -- Europe 2009
Read -- UK 2009

You can order up Sony's XEL-1 OLED TV from SonyStyle.com right now for $2,499.99 and hope that it ships by tomorrow. Or, you can waltz on down to your local Sam's Club, plunk down for a membership and walk out with the previously mentioned set for just $1,748.51. We can't say for sure if these units are available at Clubs nationwide just yet, but that's a comparatively delicious price for those in the market for an ultra-small, ultrathin OLED TV. Anyone care to guess how cheap this thing will be on Black Friday?

[Thanks, Vishal]

A bit earlier this year we heard that Panasonic (Matsushita's red-headed stepchild) was vying for a little recognition in the OLED TV game, but outside of that, details were scarce. Now, however, we're being told that the outfit is planning to start selling 40-inch OEL (organic electroluminescent, better known as OLED 'round these parts) televisions "as early as 2011." Reportedly, it will be investing "several billion yen" to construct a prototype production line for OEL panels "20-inches and larger" that will go into service next spring. We'd be pretty stoked if the final product were within sight, but make sure to ring us early on next decade to make sure we haven't completely forgotten about this here promise.

The energy-saving nature of OLEDs has certainly been debated, but a passel of big name firms and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) are pushing forward with an initiative to promote the technology. Aside from the aforementioned entity, ten companies including Sony, Sharp, Toshiba and Matsushita (Panasonic) are collaborating on the five-year effort, which will likely cost ¥3.5 billion ($32.8 million). In sum, the project is aimed at "developing a core technology to mass-produce 40-inch or larger OLED displays in the late 2010s," and there's even a mention that said companies are racing South Korean firms to get a jump on OLED deployment. Race on, we say.

[Via Widescreen Review]

Perennial display industry prognosticator DisplaySearch has looked really deeply into its crystal ball, and has come back with OLED TVs and mini-note PCs as the big growth sectors. Over the years 2007 - 2015, DisplaySearch pegs sales growth for OLED TV at 167-percent and mini-note PC at 74-percent, both outpacing even the golden-egg-laying goose that is the digital photo frame. On the large scale, we agree that OLED looks like it will be the future, but putting numbers on an 8-year span is a bit of a reach; or at least that's what laser TV and FED are hoping.

Several Japanese tech giants are teaming together today in a quest to make 40-inch and larger OLED panels for televisions. Sony, Toshiba, Panasonic, Sharp and others will participate under a joint development project initiated by the Japanese government. All of this is of course meant to help the Japanese companies compete with South Korea's chaebols, particularly Samsung and LG, as the industry giants maneuver for an advantage over the next, next-generation flat panel technology to dominate the living room.

[Via OLED-info]

In case you didn't get the message, Sony's due sooner-rather-than-later 27-inch OLED is going to be priced for the Mark Cubans, Bill Gates' and other people not you of the world, at least for the next couple of years. Even with recent massive investments, U.S. head Stan Glasgow tells CNET OLEDs in the future could be seen as a premium alternative to LCDs, but don't expect Sony to jump on smaller screens while they wait for the technology to catch up, HDTV is the focus. As for the upcoming standard def-streaming Hancock experiment? The first of many, if things go well, while at the same time he acknowledges format war winner Blu-ray may not penetrate to the same level as DVD since "a lot of people may be happy with an upconverting DVD player" -- which would be music to Toshiba's ears.

Not like LG had any choice but to get savvy with OLED, but either way, it's good to hear that it's making the investment willingly. According to CEO Kwon Young-soo, LG is planning to use some of its "abundant cash" (must be nice, right?) to "increase capital spending for the active-matrix organic light-emitting diodes (AMOLED) business." He refused to dole out a proper figure at the time, noting that the company was "still watching the market to seek a proper time to implement decisive action." As for logistics, it's highly likely that a little tag-team work with Samsung SDI will take place, while it's also probable that we'll see its 3.5G AMOLED line relocated to its facilities in "Paju, Gyeonggi Province, following the relocation of the two-generation production line in Gumi." So, LG -- now that we know you're all gung ho, might we see that 32-inch OLED TV before 2011?

Looks like Universal Display isn't the only firm out there spending some hard earned time and money researching OLED technology. The European CombOLED consortium is scheduled to run until the dawn of 2011, after which it darn well better have made good use of the $10.9 million that it has been allotted. The project is being headed up by OSRAM Opto Semiconductors, and the primary goal is to "combine new device structures, advantageous manufacturing approaches and less complex materials with the aim to achieve cost-effective OLED-based lighting." We couldn't tell you what that means for mainstream consumers hankering for an OLED HDTV, but it sure sounds promising.

No, really... more rumors of Panasonic shifting R&D yen into OLED televisions? Oh you betcha, albeit this time with the specifics of a 37-inch OLED targeted for a retail launch in the next three years. Japanese newspaper, Sankei Shimbu, is reporting that the OLED panels will be produced on a parallel assembly line at Panasonic's new IPS Alpha factory. Without offering any specifics, Panny did have the decency to confirm that it's working on OLED technology -- something we already knew about. With consumers and editors alike awestruck by OLED display technology and Sony and Samsung already official committed to delivering medium to large panels in 2009/2010, only the chatter of Panasonic not pursuing OLED as a future panel technology would surprise us.

Universal Display has a thing for outdoing itself, and just a month after patting itself on the back for setting a new OLED power efficacy record, the outfit is already celebrating an even larger achievement. Reportedly, the company has "successfully demonstrated a record-breaking white OLED with a power efficacy of 102 lumens per watt at 1,000 cd/m2 using its high-efficiency phosphorescent OLED technology." In layman's terms, this means that its OLEDs are sucking down less energy than ever before. In time (before 2015, actually), the US Department of Energy wants someone to create a 150 lm/W commercial OLED light source, and thanks to our trusty abacus, we can definitively say that Universal Display is getting mighty close to said goal. Oh, and considering how badly Sony's XEL-1 performed in power tests, we can only hope this stuff is applicable to the TV sector.

It's a 0.3-millimeter thick OLED TV from Sony. We get (sorta) up close and personal. Need we say more? Head on over to Classic to take a peek!

At D6 today Howard Stringer showed off a brand new "thinner than a credit card" 0.3mm thick OLED panel that Sony is working on. They're planning on a 27-inch version of the screen in the short term for the ultra-rich, but the obvious hope is to fight LCD for dominance in the home in the coming years. This could very well be that 11-inch 960 x 540 display we saw last month, but specs are slim at the moment. More shots after the break.

[Image courtesy of All Things Digital]

The D conference is in full swing, and the next heavy hitter on deck is Sony CEO Howard Stringer, who's rumored to have a new Sony OLED display for Unkie Walt to play with. We're assuming it'll be a little bit bigger than the XEL-1, but Silicon Alley Insider says it'll come in at just .3mm thick, which is only slightly beefier than a playing card. We're guessing it'll be more like the XEL-1's 3mm, but we'll see what Howie has in store for us -- we wouldn't be opposed to hearing some more about those "slim PS3" rumors, ourselves.