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aricher

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Feb 20, 2004
2,211
1
Chi-il
I found this interesting - anyone think Apple might be using this tech in the PB G5s?? What gets me is how they say "at least one "name" laptop is slated to show up on U.S. shelves this year." Hmmm who always uses cutting edge tech?

BusinessWeek - May 6, 2004 - Visionary Sound for Tomorrow's PCs
New audio technology from British company NXT turns LCD laptop displays into stereo speakers, with vastly superior sound.

Quote: "The contrast is like listening to a transistor radio vs. a home stereo system.

There's also an economic benefit that may surprise most people: Punching the speaker-grille holes in a laptop's case is one of the more expensive manufacturing operations. Eliminating that and the usual speakers can nearly offset the cost of the fancy new technology.

To hear the difference in sound quality while playing an online game or listening to downloaded music, you'll have to go to the Land of the Rising Sun -- unless you can snag NXT's Williams. The NEC (NIPNY ) LaVie LS900 is now sold only in Japan. But NXT says at least one "name" laptop is slated to show up on U.S. shelves later this year, and more could follow next year.

"This is going to be big," says Roger Kay, an analyst with market researcher International Data Corp. While speaker screens will start off in premium computers, he predicts that mass production will reduce costs to the point where the technology becomes commonplace.

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/may2004/tc2004056_2438_tc024.htm
 
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