Sharp said it may appeal a ruling by a US trade panel that said the Japanese electronics maker had violated an LCD patent held by South Korea's Samsung Electronics.

Despite the recession, South Korean electronics maker launches slick new LED televisions, but backs away from upscale 'Luxia' branding.

Tech Data, a distributor of IT products, announced on 15 May, its Digital Signage and Projectors Specialized Business Unit (SBU) has established distribution agreements with HANNspree North America, a provider of LCD TV products, electronics company Hitachi Home Electronics and Vivitek, a manufacturer of visual display and presentation products.

Sony on Thursday announced its first annual loss in 14 years and warned it would stay in the red this year as the global economic downturn inflicts heavy damage on Japan's high-tech giants.

South Korean electronics giant Samsung Electronics launched a joint venture with a sister company on Thursday to produce light-emitting diodes (LEDs) used mainly in TVs and other displays.

Japanese electronics giant Toshiba has said it is to cut a further 3,900 temporary jobs by March 2010 to cope with the global economic downturn. The news came as it said it expected to report a net loss of 350bn yen (US$3.5bn) for the year to March 2009.

Cheap electronics can be counted as one of the few perks of a recession, but because of China's stimulus plan, tobacco farmers in Qinhai and simple economics, LCD screens are actually getting more expensive.

California state regulators, who have limited automobile emissions and required large utilities to increase use of renewable energy, now are taking aim at a ubiquitous household item - the television.