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| People connected to people and information anytime, anywhere; the IT-based society -- made possible largely by the continued evolution of semiconductors and liquid crystal displays | |
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 Since
the IC first became commercially available in 1961, it has undergone
remarkable change -- the IC has become incredibly small, and can
now incorporate millions of transistors, offering unbelievable performance
in a myriad of applications. The original IC, by comparison, only
housed one transistor, three resistors and one capacitor.Today, ICs are used in all kinds of electronic products and systems, from personal computers and mobile phones to televisions, air conditioners and other appliances. They can also be found in video game systems, automobiles, corporate and government information systems, factory automation and other industrial applications -- virtually every element of the infrastructure which supports our daily lives. There is a direct link between the evolution of the integrated circuit and that of electronic products and systems. The microprocessors that are used in the personal computers of today, for example, integrate more than 50 million transistors and feature operating frequencies some 20,000 times faster than the ICs of the early 1960s. Personal computers built around these new, more powerful ICs can send and receive music or video data, download software, and they allow users to enjoy online games and take advantage of other useful, innovative Internet-based applications, delivering the blazing speed users today demand. The super-powerful ICs of today have also made possible exciting new portable products such as digital still and video cameras, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) and digital audio devices, as well as home information appliances like digital TVs and DVD recorders. The significant increase in the performance of ICs -- as well as the marked decrease in the cost of production -- is due primarily to the huge strides made in manufacturing technology, which has also been the catalyst in the propagation of electronic products and systems. ICs have played a crucial role in the creation of the IT-based society, and are equally important in its continued growth. |
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 The
first experimental LCD was created back in 1968, and a few years
later LCDs began to be used for an ever-widening range of applications.
Thin-film transistor (TFT) LCDs, the most commonly used liquid crystal
displays today, entered full-scale production in the early 1990s.
In the ten years since, LCDs have gotten incredibly slim and lightweight,
and consume less power than ever. They also offer higher resolution,
larger screens, brilliant color and support moving pictures.Today, LCD panels are employed in a wide range of products including laptop computers, personal computer monitors, mobile phones, digital still and video cameras, LCD TVs and car navigation systems. New types that offer even higher performance are being developed to suit specific application requirements. A market shift from CRTs to LCDs will gradually occur as the medium- to large-sized TFT LCD color panels found in LCD TVs, personal computer monitors and laptop computers will become larger and offer higher resolution as the technology evolves. The unique advantages of the LCD -- thin profile, lightweight and low energy consumption -- also make them ideal for use in mobile equipment. The market for small LCD panels found in mobile phones and PDAs is expected to grow substantially as they now offer color display capability and constantly increasing resolution. The LCD is a key device in the creation of the IT-based society, and will continue to serve an important function long into the future. |
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