Optical Disc Drives – R.I.P. or V.I.P.?

Optical drives that can read and write CDs, DVDs, and even Blu-ray discs have just about vanished from laptop computers in order for manufacturers to reduce bulk and extra weight and create smaller, thinner and lighter machines.

While it’s true today that software can be downloaded from the Internet, and most people now download and stream music and movies rather than buy it on discs, the need still remains for the discs themselves and therefore, a device to play them.

But if you like to travel light and you have a new laptop or tablet, what do you do?

Look to LG. LG manufactures a full line of optical disc drives (ODD) with numerous models to suit various needs. Our USB-powered ultra slim portable models are very affordable, Windows 8, 10 and Mac OS compatible, and also M-DISC™ compatible for archival storage. What’s more, LG ultra slim portable ODDs are full-function compatible with the most successful tablet on the market—the Microsoft Surface Pro.

Wondering why you’d still need an ODD these days?

  • You have a large CD collection you eventually want to rip to MP3s
  • You have DVDs you might enjoy watching while traveling
  • You get a new laptop and want to install older software from discs
  • You want to burn documents, photos or videos from a hard drive, SSD or cloud service to preserve your digital memories
  • If you’re in IT you might have the need to burn and run emergency discs from time to time

If you have a laptop bag or tablet bag, an LG ultra slim portable ODD can easily slip inside and go anywhere you go. And once again, if you love your Microsoft Surface Pro tablet you can now make it even more versatile with full-function compatibility from LG.

LG optical disc drives are still burning bright. Have a look at our full line of external and internal models from DVD to Blu-ray here.

M-DISC™ is a trademark of Millenniata

Francis Ford Coppola lauds LG OLED in recent interview

Did you read Jacob Bernstein’s November interview with Francis Ford Coppola in the New York Times? It was about the making of The Godfather – promoting Coppola’s exciting new book containing his actual production notes. But the interview also turned to the state of movies today, where Coppola says something incredible about LG OLED. Here is the excerpt:

Bernstein: “There is TV now. Many would argue the advent of Netflix, HBO and Amazon in relation sort of make up for the decline of the movie studio.”

Coppola: “Yes. Cinema and television are becoming the same thing. You can’t say I do this for television or movies. They both can be shown in theaters or at home. It can be one minute or a hundred hours, and you can have a screen that’s big and beautiful like the LG OLED screens, which are a miracle.”

Francis Ford Coppola says LG OLED screens are a miracle. That’s an amazing unsolicited compliment coming from an amazing Hollywood director. We absolutely love that LG OLED technology is being so highly acclaimed. Mr. Coppola, we appreciate your continued support.

Read the full interview here.

Mr. Coppola has been a strong supporter of LG OLED technology this year. Watch this video from April where he hails LG OLED TV as the next frontier in cinematic home entertainment.

Now imagine what LG OLED displays could do for your business’s image.

2016 is a ‘Banner Year’ for 4K UHD

On November 9 the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) reported that Holiday (Q4) shipments of 4K UHD televisions in the United States are expected to reach 4.5 million units, driving total 4K UHD sales for 2016 to 10 million units – a 40% increase in sales over last year.

Gary Shaprio, CTA president and CEO said, “We’ve been bullish about 4K UHD since day one, and market growth continues to justify our enthusiasm. Manufacturers are introducing an increasing variety of 4K UHD displays at a range of price points. Many of these displays include new innovations like HDR and WCG that make the viewing experience more immersive. Strong growth in display sales, combined with the increasing number of 4K UHD Blu-ray discs and other content, 4K cameras, and additional devices in the market will cement 2016 as a ’banner year’ for 4K UHD.”

LG Commercial Displays sees this as great news for 4K digital signage, too.

Why? Because as 4K TVs become more popular, so will the demand for 4K content. And that means much more potential for businesses looking to give their customers an incredible onsite experience with attention-grabbing branding elements, intricate product details, enhanced communication and better engagement, courtesy of larger displays with outstanding 4K UHD resolution.

At LG, raising the bar on image quality and the customer experience is our top priority. Our end users have known it for years from our 720P and Full HD panels with IPS technology, 4K UHD displays and video walls with advanced local dimming and Shine Out™ technology, and now our latest and greatest, LG OLED, setting the new standard for the pinnacle of image quality and innovation.

Last week we told you about the advantages of large 4K displays for business. And after the recent report from CTA, we especially want to encourage you, whether you’re currently considering a 4K UHD display solution, on the fence, or still not convinced. If you want to raise the bar on your customer environment, large 4K displays with their immersive viewing experience would indeed be the way to go. And don’t forget, LG 4K displays feature our Tru 4K Upscaler to make the most of non-4K content. So the same content you’ve already been using on your digital displays will look even better, even when your patrons get up close.

Read the full Consumer Technology Association press release here.

More businesses are installing large 4K displays. Here’s why.

Large 4K Ultra-High-Definition (UHD) displays present a huge opportunity for businesses that are looking to elevate their brand image, add wow factor to their messaging and create an exciting customer experience. With incredibly detailed images, stunningly bright colors and jaw-dropping sizes, large 4K displays could be exactly what you need to create an unforgettable environment for your patrons.

The dazzle is in the details

The larger the display, and the closer visitors can get to it, the more important it is to have 4K capability. Higher resolutions mean that the image has more detail, so with 4K’s 8.29 million pixels (3840 columns and 2160 rows of pixels) compared to Full HD 1080p’s 2.07 million (1920 columns and 1080 rows of pixels), 4K displays are able to show greater details that become very noticeable on larger screens. Visitors will see the difference in important branding elements, product representations, smoother lines and other aesthetics.

A 4K display also makes it possible for customers to get quite close to a big screen without noticing the pixels that make up the image. With a 98-inch Full HD 1080p display, for example, people would need to be at least 13 feet away before the pixels would disappear. But with a 98-inch 4K display they could be as close as seven feet. So with 4K, you could have a much larger display, even a massive video wall, in a smaller space without hindering the amazing visual experience.

And then there’s 4K’s extreme color gamut. 4K UHD panels are Rec. 2020 color space compliant, providing a much wider range of colors than a Full HD panel’s ITU709 color space. 4K UHD are able to reproduce colors that cannot be shown with the ITU709 color space and, therefore, can more faithfully reproduce branding and product colors.

Create a 4K content chain

It’s important to note that it’s not enough to simply purchase a 4K display if you want to view native 4K content. Your entire content chain will need to support 4K video. Products designed for use with native 4K content must also support HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding), the new H.265 encoding/decoding standard, which compresses 4K video signals so they don’t overwhelm the network.

Upscaling optimizes non-4K content

Also keep in mind that simply streaming Full HD 1080p, 720p or standard definition content to a 4K display will result in graphics that are either way too small, or expanded and distorted. Non-4K content needs to be prepared for a 4K screen via a process called upscaling. LG’s Tru Upscaler function is state-of-the-art, delivering UHD image quality with the lower resolutions. The same content a business has already been using on their existing digital displays will look even better on an LG 4K commercial display, even when viewed from up close.

Thinking about going 4K?

Large 4K displays are a powerful strategy for capturing and holding customer attention and maximizing your message’s impact. Your customers won’t soon forget the extra effort you put in to give them a breathtaking show.

We’re working on a 4K eBook that will give you plenty of details about LG’s 4K display advantages. Stay tuned and we’ll tell you when it’s ready.

FreshSign™ brings an affordable turnkey digital signage solution to SMBs

The popularity of digital signage continues to increase, and today it has become the standard wherever people shop, eat, gather and work.

Yet many small to medium size businesses do not have the time, expertise or capital to evaluate technologies, hunt for multiple vendors and coordinate an end-to-end digital signage deployment. And so they are looking for a digital signage partner who can provide all of the necessary components rather than having to do all the legwork themselves. They want a digital signage solution that can be easily purchased and works well.

Here’s some great news for SMBs: Freshwater Digital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, now offers a very budget-friendly complete digital signage solution with LG commercial displays at the heart. They call it FreshSign.

For $125 per month, end users get a turnkey package that includes an LG 49-inch 1080p commercial display, industrial mount, professional installation, full-featured software, customizable content, content management support and personal customer support, all from Freshwater Digital.

In the FreshSign package the LG digital signage runs on LG’s webOS, along with software from Gauddi—the world’s first digital signage platform dedicated to LG webOS. The LG displays with robust System-on-a-Chip (SoC) also eliminate the need for an external media player, allowing for the great pricing.

FreshSign is also available with a 43-inch LG display for $120 per month, or a 55-inch LG display for $140 per month.

Matt Downey, President of Freshwater Digital said: “FreshSign is the complete digital signage solution that takes the guesswork out of starting a digital network. Freshwater Digital has developed FreshSign as an incredibly simple, amazingly affordable opportunity for business, retail, food service and virtually anyone else to take advantage of the benefits of digital signage.”

This is going to make a lot of business owners very happy. LG is very pleased to be part of this exciting and efficient solution that will bring the power of digital signage into many more SMBs.

Learn more about the FreshSign complete digital signage solution with LG displays here.

FreshSign™ is a trademark of Freshwater Digital.

LG treats NYC Digital Signage Week to Industry-leading Technologies and the Life’s Good Lounge

nycroadshow-blogimgOctober 24 – 28 was Digital Signage Week in New York City, bringing together industry leaders, media owners and planners, creative agencies, retailers, architects and investors, all looking to experience the latest and greatest digital signage has to offer.

LG was there on October 27, and we did not disappoint. We took over 404 Studios in Midtown Manhattan with an amazing all-day display of the cutting edge.

During breakfast and lunch sessions jaws dropped at the sight of our incredible In-Glass OLED Wallpaper, Dual-Sided Curved Tiling and Flat OLED Displays, 55-inch OLED Hospitality TV, and the 86-inch Ultra Stretch Signage in a freestanding four-sided pillar configuration. Large-format displays and the Clover Video Wall drew plenty of attention too.

IT professionals were impressed with our UltraWide® Monitors and smaller desktop monitors, and Hospitality guests marveled at the perfect amenity for a standout hotel—the LG Styler steam care system for clothing.

All along one side of the studio were the outstanding LG Signature home appliances and award-winning Signature OLED TV G6.

And one lucky registered attendee won a 55-inch curved OLED TV. Congratulations!

Then at 4:00 p.m. the lights went down and the music turned up. We transformed 404 Studios into a club-like ambience as our Life’s Good Lounge with guest DJ, open bars and passed Hors d’oeuvres gave our guests a fun place to relax, unwind and network for four more hours.

We have plenty of the NYC photos for your viewing pleasure here, and we’ll have videos up next week. A big THANK YOU to all our guests for making this event a huge success.

Today, November 3, we’re in Miami for a Commercial Display Roadshow aboard the SeaFair Miami—the world’s first megayacht event venue. It’s the fourth largest private yacht in America, stretching 228 feet long and towering 57 feet above the water. Stay tuned for info, photos and video.

Next stop—Hawaii. The LG 2016 Technology Roadshow will be in Honolulu on November 16 – 17 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Tapa Ballroom, where we’ll put on a two-day product showcase worthy of the Aloha State. We’re bringing all the latest innovations LG has to offer—commercial displays, air conditioning systems, LED lighting, solid surface materials, home appliances and electronics, and more. This is going to be great, and we hope to see you there

Register Now for Honolulu, 16 – 17

LG Demonstrates the Commitment to Green Building with the new GreenZone Project

LG’s energy efficient technologies are at the heart of the new GreenZone education center, developed for the Compton YouthBuild campus in Compton, California. Compton YouthBuild provides construction training and outreach programs for young people in the Compton community that are interested in creating a sustainable future for themselves, their families and their communities.

The GreenZone is a prefabricated 15×40-foot state-of-the-art classroom structure designed to LEED standards and created in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Building Design + Construction magazine. It features a kitchenette, a deck, and handicap ramp access.

LG is the leading technology provider for the GreenZone. Onboard are LG’s ENERGY STAR® certified home appliances and commercial displays, super-efficient air conditioning system and LED lighting, and sustainable natural countertops composed of 93 percent quartz.

Before being relocated to the YouthBuild campus, GreenZone was on display at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo from October 5 – 7 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Greenbuild is the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building, and it brings together nearly 20,000 attendees and 600 exhibitors from the green building industry.

We are very proud to be part of the GreenZone project. Our featured products underscore LG’s commitment to leadership in developing sustainable technologies for greener buildings. In fact, LG is a 2016 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence, with numerous products on the EPEAT Registry.

William Cho, president and CEO, LG Electronics USA said it best: “The GreenZone at Greenbuild 2016 is the ideal platform to highlight how LG’s broad product portfolio – from air conditioning to appliances to LED lighting and more – helps designers and builders create more sustainable buildings. This project, which benefits Compton YouthBuild’s terrific education programs, also represents a wonderful opportunity to give back to the community.”

Want to know more? There’s plenty of green to go around:

Read the Press Release including our GreenZone product descriptions here.

Learn about LG’s commitment to green here.

Learn about the GreenZone project here.

Learn about Compton YouthBuild here.

Learn about the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo here.

Create a Standout Hotel with LG’s Technology, Easy Installation and Services

Just as the best hotels strive to provide the finest guest experience, LG is striving to give hoteliers a friendly, accommodating and stress-free business experience. Our focus on the success of our Hospitality clients and their guests’ satisfaction has led to the creation of certified partnerships based on reliability, trust and excellence. And as of April 2016, we’ve been offering all the display technology, easy installation and services you need to set your hotel apart from the rest. Let’s have a quick look.

Guest Room TV Liquidation and Installation

Guest room TVs are typically retired every five or six years. And as the 20-year leader in guest room TVs, LG is ready to provide the latest, industry-leading Pro:Centric® Full HD, 4K and Smart Hospitality TVs in an array of sizes.

But what do you do with your old TVs?

Simple solution. Your LG account manager can coordinate liquidation services with one of our nationwide certified partners specializing in installing and liquidating Hospitality televisions. They’ll uninstall the TVs, remove them from the property, recycle them properly or sell them, and hand you a check. Need a Pro:Centric server for your new LG TVs? No problem, they’ll install one.

Common Area Digital Signage Services

Right from the start the LG Hospitality experience is smooth, accommodating and uncomplicated. LG Fulfillment, our dedicated third-party partner for Hospitality digital signage, qualifies our customers, sets expectations early on, and determines the goals and budget for the digital signage deployment.

LG Fulfillment will coordinate a complete expert installation including the signage or video wall, mounts, cablings and video player, with one of our nationwide certified digital signage installation partners.

Content Creation and Management

In the world of digital signage, content is king. And with LG Hospitality solutions you won’t have to worry about it. LG Fulfillment can coordinate your needs with one of our certified Hospitality content partners who will work with you to develop top-quality digital signage content to impress your guests, enhance the look and feel of your hotel and increase revenue.

LG Technologies for Hospitality

  • Credit-card-thin OLED Hospitality TVs for the Luxury Suite
  • Industry-leading Hospitality TVs for the Guest Room
  • Amazing OLED Displays for the Common Areas
  • Breathtaking Video Walls for the Common Areas
  • 86-inch Ultra Stretch Signage for the Common Areas
  • Desktop IPS Monitors for the Front Desk and Offices
  • Hospitality-specific Software Platforms and Software

We are very pleased to be able to provide this complete end-to-end Hospitality solution for creating a standout hotel. We cover all the details in a new eBook that you can download now.

Second-quarter 2016 Hospitality Survey Results are in. And we’re stoked.

In past monthly newsletters we told you about LG’s very nice first-quarter 2016 Hospitality Survey results. And now the second-quarter 2016 numbers have come in. We are so pleased that our Hospitality customers continue to enjoy the outcomes LG’s technology provides—improved customer experience and improved staff efficiency. Many thanks to all who participated in the online surveys.

How do we get the numbers?

For the Hospitality surveys we use TechValidate, a trusted authority for the data their platform publishes. They have developed stringent process control and verification technology to ensure the authenticity of the data they collect.

To ensure maximum participation, TechValidate optionally protects the identities of research participants, allowing them to contribute their feedback freely and without fear of legal or business repercussions. When participants opt to have their public identity protected, the data they contribute is attributed by their role and industry (e.g. CIO, Fortune 500 Financial Services Firm).

TechValidate collects data from customers via fast and easy-to-use online questionnaires. The participation process is quick and fun, which encourages high participation.

Here are the TechValidate LG Hospitality Survey Results published on August 17, 2016.

Of 72 users surveyed, 96% indicated that the results from purchasing their LG Commercial Display solution met their original expectations for purchasing.

Of 74 users surveyed, 61% are extremely satisfied with LG Commercial Displays, and 20% are very satisfied. Another 19% are satisfied.

Of 72 users surveyed, 71% plan to make other/future purchases with LG Commercial Displays; 22% say possibly, still deciding.

Of 71 users surveyed, 93% measure ROI on the LG Commercial Displays purchased as “improved customer experience” and 20% as “improved staff efficiency.”

Of 72 users surveyed, 89% most recently purchased LG Hospitality TVs, 10% purchased TV Signage and 3% purchased Digital Signage.

Those are great numbers. So what’s coming next?

Plenty. LG has never been a company to rest on its laurels. We have an ongoing 20-year history of leadership in guest room TVs, and as of April this year we’ve expanded our offerings to cover the common areas as well. LG now offers all the technology, easy installation and services your team needs to create A STANDOUT HOTEL.

Stay tuned…in next week’s blog we’ll tell you all about it and provide a detailed eBook for download.

LG to host our most amazing event of Digital Signage Week

nyroadshow-blogThe Life’s Good Lounge

Thursday, October 27, 2016

404 Studios

404 10th Ave, (between 32nd and 33rd St.)

New York, NY 10001

Breakfast (7:30am – 10:30am)

Lunch (Noon – 3pm)

Happy Hour (4pm – 8pm) Invitation Only

New York Digital Signage Week is happening October 24 – 28, with various events set around Manhattan. Digital Signage Week brings together thousands of digital signage industry leaders and hundreds of out of home media owners, media planners, creative agencies, retailers, architects and investors, for a week of networking, learning and seeing the latest and greatest in the digital signage industry.

Our Commercial Display Roadshow will be there with a truly amazing event we’re calling The Life’s Good Lounge. We’re taking over all three levels of 404 Studios in Midtown Manhattan for a product showcase like no other, with open-house breakfast and lunch, followed by an invitation-only top-shelf Happy Hour with guest DJ…(consider this your invitation, you can register down below).

FIRST, THE PRODUCTS: At The Life’s Good Lounge you’ll experience things you won’t see anywhere else during Digital Signage Week. In fact, unless you’ve been to DSE, InfoComm or HITEC this year you haven’t seen anything yet.

We’ll be featuring lots of cool technologies including the incredible In-Glass OLED Wallpaper and Dual-Sided Curved Tiling OLED Display—each making their first appearance at an LG Roadshow. We’ll also have our Dual-Sided Flat OLED Displays, the new OLED Hospitality TVs, and the 86-inch Ultra Stretch Signage in horizontal and four-sided pillar configurations. Large-format 70”, 79” and 98” displays will be up and running, as will a 2 x 2 Clover Video Wall made with four 55” panels. Also on the floor will be a high-brightness window-facing display, IT UltraWide Monitors and smaller desktop monitors.

Our partner TSI Touch will be there with overlay technology to convert a standard display screen to a touchscreen—incredibly great for wayfinding applications, visitor check-ins and more.

And if you have a few wrinkles in your sport jacket, you might want to try out our new LG Styler steam care system for clothing while you enjoy the show.

Representing LG’s consumer side will be the award-winning LG Signature OLED TV G6, and drooling is just about guaranteed.

LG HAUSYS will be there too, showcasing their remarkable countertop surfaces.

NOW, ON TO THE HAPPY HOUR. From 4-8PM we’ll have open bars with top-shelf spirits and LG Signature cocktails for your enjoyment. And for your entertainment we’ll have NYC Hotspot DJ Carol C.

AND ON TOP OF ALL THAT, one lucky attendee will win a 55-inch Curved OLED TV.

See…we told you you’ll experience things you won’t see anywhere else. So please join us at The Life’s Good Lounge for an amazing display of technology, excitement and entertainment. See you there.

REGISTER NOW