MMD, the leading technology company and brand license partner for Philips Monitors, is rolling out new displays for home and business users featuring innovative SoftBlue technology. SoftBlue protects eyes and reduces eye fatigue by mitigating the impact of blue-light exposure, but without sacrificing the fidelity and quality of the original color. Users therefore enjoy wellbeing for their eyes as well as professional-grade color fidelity. The new SoftBlue displays for the home (the E-Line) are already in stores; the SoftBlue displays for professional users (P-Line) are due out this fall. Responding to the challenge of blue-light exposure Commenting on the new line-up of displays with SoftBlue technology, Thomas Schade, Vice President EMEA at MMD, says, “This new technology is emblematic of the commitment of MMD to taking care of users' health and wellbeing, as well as providing brilliant, colorful images for maximum productivity. Studies show that blue light from LED displays can damage eyes and affect vision. But we're all spending more and more time in front of screens, and continually exposing our eyes to potentially harmful rays. The new SoftBlue technology is proven to mitigate this risk. It is certified by international testing organizations SGS Labs and TUV Rheinland to reduce blue light and protect eyes.” The new displays with Philips SoftBlue technology take a refreshingly different approach to the challenge of removing harmful blue light. In contrast with filter-based methods – a glass in front of the screen or anti-blue light spectacles – they retain the fidelity of the original color. Filter-based solutions tinge colors with yellow. At best, this detracts from the viewing experience; at worst – in applications such as medical imaging that rely on color fidelity – it renders the display useless. SoftBlue displays, on the other hand, mitigate the impact of blue-light exposure at source: by eliminating blue light emissions at the potentially harmful wavelengths at the higher end of the shortwave spectrum, and shifting the wavelength peak from harmful 450 nm to 460 nm. This reduces the potentially detrimental blue light by over 90%, but without sacrificing the fidelity and quality of the original color. Users therefore benefit from accustomed picture quality, brightness and color fidelity, and enjoy well-being for their eyes as well. Apart from the standout feature of SoftBlue technology, all five new displays pack an impressive set of features for maximum display performance. Equal to the challenges of both home and professional applications, they are all equipped with IPS-ADS panels for extra-wide 178-degree viewing angles with crisp images and vivid colors, 16:9 Full HD quality at a resolution of 1920 x 1080, and built-in stereo speakers to complement easy viewing with a great sound experience. The E-Line displays for home users, available in 21.5-inch, 23.6-inch and 27-inch sizes, have an elegant slim design with touch controls to fit in with the home décor. They also include the exclusive Philips technology suites SmartContrast, which dynamically enhances contrast settings, and SmartImage Lite, which enhances and adjusts contrast, color saturation and sharpness to deliver ultimate display performance for whatever application scenario the user has selected – all in real time and at the press of a single button. The two P-Line displays, in 21.5-inch and 23.8-inch versions, are designed with busy professionals in mind. In these displays, SoftBlue is complemented by another exclusive Philips technology to lessen eye fatigue: Philips Flicker-Free Technology regulates brightness and reduces flicker for more comfortable viewing. With the SmartErgo base, the displays can be tilted, swiveled and height-adjusted to whatever level and angle best suits the user – again a people-friendly feature that enhances productivity and eases the physical strain of a long workday. The two P-Line displays also include the professional-grade version of SmartImage technology, with dynamic optimizing of image contrast, color saturation and sharpness to suit the application, plus a special Economy mode for major power savings. And to save even more energy, the displays also have an integrated PowerSensor, which detects if the user has moved away from the desk and automatically reduces monitor brightness. This cuts energy costs by up to 80 percent and also extends monitor life. The E-Line 27-inch 277E6EDAD display, 23.6-inch 247E6EDAW display and 21.5-inch 227E6EDSD display are already available in stores. The P-Line displays will add a buzz to the choice of monitors in stores this September. — SG
