Nanotube TVs May Be Next
by
Randy Mears
Yea that’s right, according to this article, Motorola is transitioning from the laboratory phase to the manufacturing development phase on their high-definition carbon nanotube based FED (Field Emission Display) TVs. The manufacturing development phase is where the factory gets designed and built. This whole process, including manufacturing production, will likely be outsourced to a yet-to-be-determined manufacturer. Nothing I have read thus far has given me an idea of how long it will take to get from the beginning of manufacturing development to products in stores. Experience tells me it will be at least a couple of years. After all, there are plants to build and manufacturing hurtles to overcome.
FEDs have been cooking in labs for about a decade so Motorola won’t be the only company that will produce these dazzling TVs. Other manufacturers like Canon and Toshiba are planning to ship non-nanotube based FED TVs by the end of 2007 (called SED but based on the same principle). Since nanotubes are the most efficient electronic emitters, nanotube solutions should outperform the others. It appears that Motorola may not have the first production FED TV but, unless another company like Samsung pulls a rabbit out of a hat, I think they still have a lock on getting out the first ones based on nanotubes.
