Foxconn takes Sharp

There are a lot of other companies that could have been targeted to bring OLED (the usual suspect) to Foxconn. Only one possible buy-out target had the "next generation display" that had a huge display and tiny form factor -- that was Sharp with PicoP.


Wall Street Journal -- much more at the source.

The deal is a victory for Foxconn, which has been looking to expand in the market for next-generation displays with its pursuit of Sharp, a supplier of smartphone screens to Apple Inc. Foxconn believes acquiring Sharp will allow it to move up the technology value chain by making smartphone screens, which are the most expensive components in mobile devices.

“We have much that we want to achieve and I am confident that we will unlock Sharp’s true potential and together reach great heights,” Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou said in a statement Wednesday.

Future-ready

Displayground (& Dell) "Future-ready"

a very interesting coincidence... 

March 29th, 2016
by Dawn Goetter
MicroVision announced today that we closed an underwritten public offering of 4,058,823 shares of our common stock at a public offering price of $1.70 per share, for gross proceeds of approximately $6.9 million. We expect to receive net proceeds, after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses, of approximately $6.2 million. We intend to use the net proceeds for general corporate purposes.

As we have discussed in the past, from time to time we evaluate financing opportunities that will enable us to continue working towards our business goals. Coming off of a strong growth year in 2015, we believe that this was a good time to pursue a financing opportunity.

We strongly believe we have a terrific opportunity ahead of us and plan to cntinue working hard on executing our business plan, leveraging our PicoP® scanning technology to enable future-ready applications.

Samsung Smart Windshield

With multiple producers of projector engines, it will be possible for more and more products of this type to appear. Now that production is on, things should s start getting really interesting.

The Samsung Smart Windshield is simple, and the technology already exists to put it into production. Using a smartphone like Samsung's Galaxy series, along with an app and a small projector that shines specific information onto a motorcycle or scooter's windshield, the concept allows a rider to see navigation information and can send automated responses to emails, phone calls, and text messages while the bike is in motion. While we're tempted to say something like this could distract a rider, let's not pretend that plenty of people aren't already listening to music, glancing at a navigation system or even reading a set of directions printed on paper and attached to the tank or strapped on a wrist.
From AutoBlog



Thanks for the Heads up Joe!

Future Ready - Dell.

Sharp and Foxconn to Sign Deal Next Week

So, multiple sources who know what's going on, I'll believe this report.

I find the language interesting: "adopting next generation displays."  I've read enough of these reports to know that it's assumed by many that the "next generation display" is assumed to be OLED, not confirmed to be. OLED is also a place where there is significant competition and many other take-over targets.

The degree to which Foxconn produces top quality products for a number of major OEMS, including Samsung, Sony, Apple, Hewlett Packard, Amazon, Google, Huawei and Xaiomi -- means that this deal could be an enormous leap forward for MicroVision.

OLED Producers


Reuters

Sharp Corp (6753.T) and Taiwan's Foxconn are set to sign a takeover deal next week after repeated delays, with the two sides set to agree on a smaller bailout than originally planned for the troubled Japanese electronics maker, two sources familiar with the talks said on Saturday.

The two companies will hold board meetings on Wednesday to approve the deal and officially sign a deal the following day, said the two sources with direct knowledge of the talks.

The deal would be the largest acquisition by a foreign company in Japan's insular technology sector. In choosing to negotiate with Foxconn, Sharp turned down a rival offer by a state-backed fund.

It would also boost Foxconn's position as Apple's main contract manufacturer and provide Sharp with funds to start mass-producing organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens by 2018, around the time Apple is expected to adopt the next-generation displays for its iPhones.

Apple Insider

Meet with RoBoHon

Qualper --- new information

My friend Joe sent this to me early this morning. Clearly some things are cooking.

It took a while for me to get it translated:

Translated Here: nicoyun

Full Cape Optoelectronics Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. is located in China's Silicon Valley - in the Shanghai Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, established in January 2013 with a registered capital of up to 300 million yuan. Mainly engaged in research and development of laser technology and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS, Micro-Electro-Mechanical System) and applied to the field of mobile terminal product development and production.

　　P 2015 is a full history of the development ushered in a breakthrough year, the company developed the world's first MEMS design and production of micro laser projector smartphone the successful listing, to make up for the gaps in the smart phone market on the projector. In the same year, full-Pu Optoelectronics formed a global sales team, bringing the full-Pu Optoelectronics completed by the research and development stage to the product stage of magnificent turn, became the photovoltaic industry research and development production and sales of high-tech companies.

　　

　　Not only is the mobile phone by the entire Cape photoelectric company launched a new micro laser projection smart phone features phone sets and projection capabilities in one, not only to subvert the traditional mobile phone, just as the year turned out to Steve Jobs with Apple iPhone, so that consumers themselves, to the mobile phone industry into an unprecedented hope; and will lead to a visual revolution, giving consumers a real feast of visual images. Does not require bulky projector does not need a laptop, business people can still easily travel, as long as the whole hand Cape projector phone family gatherings, as long as Bluetooth stereo, home theater immediately presented, easy entertainment, enjoy the family, no longer obsessed own world, put down a family care, to share with photos and happy journey; as long as a wall, the whole Cape laser projector phone gave a wonderful image of the world. All this will be easy thanks to our unique capabilities ----- without focus. So far, all of the world face the global projection equipment requires focus, so our products is bound to subvert the traditional projection equipment, lead the future!

　　

　

　In addition MENS super giant screen laser projection smart phones, we have laser projectors and laser controller:
　　MEMS laser projector is mounted within the same MEMS laser modules of high-end products, the use of red, green and blue laser light source with a resolution of up to 1920x1080, without focus, low power consumption, long service life. Can be used for everyday office anywhere, travel meetings, business road show, entertainment and other major scenes, and the screen up to 200 inches.

　　Integration of four laser controller technology, laser virtual keyboard, wireless mouse fly, 3D motion capture, laser pointer, plug and play mini-receiver, compatible with USB1.1 and USB2.0; laser controller stylish, strong sense of design, line body fluid. Hand laser mouse with fashion and technology!

　　Full Pu Optoelectronics will launch a series based MEMS laser modules developed products, such as ultra-short focus set-top boxes, smart glasses.

　　Laser projector mobile phone, since 2015 in a comprehensive listing, by the majority of consumers like and favor, the company has begun mass production, the future market potential unlimited!

　　Keen you smell a business opportunity? It is a huge cake, waiting for you to share! Whole & P make the world ahead of the arrival. (Wen / Zhou Hui)

Full Sony PlayStation games for mobile devices

SONY Announcement
UberGizmo

Not long after it became apparent that Nintendo has a hit on its hands with its new mobile game, Sony has announced that it has created a new business unit that’s going to bring PlayStation games and IP to mobile devices, smartphones and tablets powered by iOS and Android. The new unit is called Forward Works and Atsushi Morita, Sony Computer Entertainment’s head in Asia and Japan will lead Forward Works.

The company said in its announcement today that it’s PlayStation mobile titles will be “full-fledged,” which is something that gamers might appreciate, so they’ll certainly be looking forward to see what Sony comes up with.

Money Raising and Price Targets -- A little math

I'm not a financial wonk. I try not to look at the price of MicroVision stock all the time, but I am invested in a company that has the best portable projection technology.

What follows is all my opinion.

My investing thesis is simple: 

• We carry little computers in our pockets that we use to communicate, entertain, and retrieve data. 

• We want what we carry to be as small as possible
• We want the screen we view that entertainment and data to be as big as possible

• The only thing that can solve the big and small problem is a good projector that can turn any surface into a screen - as big as you might want.

• MicroVision has the best solution for this problem. No focus required, energy efficient, and tiny -- but still able to light up the side of a building at night, or even in bright light can give a cell phone a screen the size of a decent laptop screen. 

Manufacturing Issues:

Initial design: Designing a new product is a difficult proposition, often taking more years than most people think a thing would. MicroVision's PicoP is through this process.

Production: transition from prototypes to production of a product is extremely difficult. For MicroVision, PicoP was stalled partly because the production had to wait for the existence of required components.

Mass production and production processes are difficult to engineer. They can be constantly challenged with problems that may require significant redesigns. It can be very time consuming. A redesign of a single portion of a process requiring all other progress to halt for a time. It can't be rushed. Throwing more people and more money at this kind of problem generally doesn't make it faster. MicroVision is close to the end of this process with PicoP.

Initial Production to Mass Production: Transitioning from Initial production to mass production is easier to accomplish than the initial stages. Once the processes are figured out, duplicating the result is relatively easy. The first assembly line is very difficult to create. The following ones are simple, and can be done at a fantastic speed compared to the first. If you produced thousands of units the first year while perfecting the manufacturing process, producing millions of units in subsequent years is easier. MicroVision is beginning this process.

Market adoption: In the case of many new technologies, market adoption is difficult. Even today, we are surrounded by ultra-high resolution televisions that aren't being adopted because their is very little accessible content for them. Adopting the fax machine was very difficult, because they were useless without a network of them.

PicoP genuinely has NO impediments to mass market adoption. The content for them to use is widely available - from video media, data generated or pictures taken by the phone they will be embedded in being the favorite media. 

The transition to mass production and the lack of impediment to mass market adoption is the biggest reason I will continue to hold stock in this company no matter what the price does in the short term. 

"Dilution": MicroVision just raised money through issuance of more stock. While as an investor this certainly isn't an ideal case - when it is put in perspective it is certainly not a catastrophe.

Prior to the raise, there were approximately  47,500,000 shares of MicroVision stock.

By raising six million dollars at a price of $1.70 per share, there will be approximately 3,500,000 more shares of stock, raising the total number of shares to approximately 51,000,000 shares. Whatever you thought your ultimate price target was, you can reduce it by about 6%. My upside target is high enough that I don't think I will notice it much.

The Next big thing in Phones May not be a Phone

This is one of the best dot-connecting articles I've read yet. You can see MicroVision at the center of all of this... if the phone function is divided among many devices, what the devices need is an easy to install screen -- a big screen with a small form factor.

Think Haier, ASU, Cicret... etc.


We're all over the future.


More at the source. 

Reuters

Industry experts believe innovation in smartphones is giving way to phone functions popping up as software or services in all manner of new devices from cars to fridges to watches and jewellery rather than remaining with handheld devices.

And analysts and product designers said fresh breakthroughs are running up against the practical limits of what's possible in current smartphone hardware in terms of screen size, battery life and network capacity.

"Everything in the phone industry now is incremental: slightly faster, slightly bigger, slightly more storage or better resolution," said Christian Lindholm, inventor of the easy text-messaging keyboards in old Nokia phones that made them the best-selling mobile devices of all time.

The financial stakes are high as the futures of Apple, Google, and Microsoft, the world's three biggest listed companies at the end of last year, may now turn on who gets the jump on making handsets redundant.

Many firms are experimenting with new ways to help consumers interact with the wider world through touch, sight and sound.

These include voice-activated personal assistant devices dangling from "smart jewellery" necklaces with tiny embedded microphones or tiny earpieces that get things done for us based on our verbal commands.

The world's biggest tech companies have made real progress in this arena with Google Now, Apple Siri, Microsoft Cortana and Amazon.com's Alexa now able to read texts or emails for users, answer practical questions, control phone features, handle basic communications or read a map.

 Lindholm now runs KoruLab, developers of compact, ultra-efficient software for running wearable devices. He sees smartphone functions splitting into two camps - big-screen devices for rich entertainment and compact wearables for more transactional activities like keeping up with one’s calendar, health or fitness monitoring or paying for goods or services.



Whatever platform might displace the handheld phone also will need to resolve nagging questions about battery life, which have become more pressing as consumers watch more and more video.

The next big device also needs more flexible screens capable of working in different lighting conditions. That’s a decades-old dream of gadget enthusiasts that has eluded recognized market leaders Samsung and LG of Korea, which have struggled for years to mass-produce flexible screens at anything close to mass-market prices.

Apple Event today

Watch it live here: Apple Event

Motley Fool - Sony Future Lab Devices

This table top projector was displayed at CES with MicroVision -- They missed the Sony Agent (Which I think is closer to reality that some of the stuff they talk about here.)


Motley Fool -- More at the source.

AR tabletop projectors

Sony also showcased a projector that turns a tabletop into a touchscreen while beaming depth-sensitive digital objects onto the surface. It can also recognize and interact with physical objects. In a SXSW demo described by Engadget's Nathan Ingraham, the projector made the illustrations in a physical copy of Alice in Wonderland "jump" off the book and onto the table.

This is similar to Microsoft's (NASDAQ:MSFT) approach with HoloLens, except Sony's strategy doesn't require a headset and the images aren't three-dimensional. Microsoft has also dabbled in tabletop touchscreens before -- the "original" Surface, which was launched in 2007, was a 30" tabletop touchscreen. That device, which was later renamed PixelSense, was mainly sold to restaurants, hotels, and casinos. Microsoft also previously showcased "RoomAlive" projectors which turn rooms into interactive games, and "IllumiRoom" tech which projects images around the TV to blur the lines between the screen and the room.

It's unclear how Sony's AR projectors will be used, but they might eventually be marketed as a cheaper alternative to the HoloLens, or spice up its Home, Entertainment, and Sound business, which generated 16% of its sales last quarter.

Foxconn / Sharp

Asian Review

While the latest round of due diligence has exposed no major issues, Hon Hai, a key iPhone assembler better known as Foxconn Technology Group, continues to comb through Sharp's financial and operational records with financial adviser JPMorgan, a source said. The research covers everything from inventory to staffing levels at the troubled electronics maker.

"Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou remains firm in his wish to buy Sharp," the person said. "The company is also still striving to ink the deal by the end of March, although Foxconn is now under huge time pressure to meet that deadline."

Augmented Reality for Maintenance... will be better with projection.

Car Trade

The rising complexities in cars has been a concern that’s been voiced by multiple owners the world over for some time now. Enough instances have been documented by now which showcase the fact that even, regular, self-maintenance tasks have been pushed to the outer fringes thanks to the increased electronics and inter-dependent systems that they’ve come to carry. No surprises then to find even the owner’s manual turn into some form a complex encyclopaedia that one must spend time deciphering, even for the simplest of tasks.

hyundai sonata uses augmented reality for maintenance

Manufacturers have devoted time, money and resources towards making things convenient for owners again & Korean automotive giant, Hyundai, may have finally figured a way out. They’ve just announced an app for their latest luxury sedan – the Sonata that uses augmented reality for maintenance that puts some form of control back in the hands of car owners.

Firing up the app via the smartphone, one discovers that the entire car has been divided into individual sections. Pointing the camera against the corresponding section of the car, results in an overlay, where the said area has been mapped out with helpful individual prompts. These when worked around on the phone reveal detailed information such as its use & how it affects the functioning of the car. One even gets an overview of the exact location of key maintenance items. Further, one can fire up an illustrated overview on the best way to access & service the said item, for example.

PlayStation Vue & Binge-on

Not available on Android -- yet. 

But this is a perfect companion for PicoP.... the ecosystem gets better and better.

C|Net

THE GOOD PlayStation Vue has most of the features and channels you get from your cable or satellite TV provider, without hidden fees or contracts. Its cloud DVR lets you record, pause and rewind live TV, and fast-forward through commercials on recorded shows. Local ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC channels are available in seven US cities, and on-demand in others. It works with PlayStation consoles and Amazon Fire TV, as well as iPhone, iPad and Chromecast, and can stream to up to five devices simultaneously. It has an innovative, show-centric interface and offers profiles for different family members.

THE BOTTOM LINE Sony's PlayStation Vue lets you ditch cable TV and still enjoy tons of live channels and DVR features, and you don't even need a PlayStation.


USA Today

The program, which offers free, lower-quality video streaming to T-Mobile subscribers, now features YouTube and Google Play Movies & TV.

When T-Mobile launched Binge On in late 2015, it offered unlimited streaming of Netflix, Hulu and other Internet entertainment providers without those views counting toward a subscriber's monthly data limits. But YouTube, the world's largest video streamer, was noticeably absent.

YouTube content, instead, contributed to the user's monthly data use, but it was still downgraded to lower quality playback.

YouTube parent Google lashed out at T-Mobile for what it said was throttling. Others, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, joined in on the debate, resurfacing a fight over net neutrality, or the concept that Internet service providers should treat all content equally.


The beef between T-Mobile and Google is over, for now.

Oppenheimer

Heartless is beautiful. Oppenheimer reiterates their market-perform on MicroVision and invests in robots.


Hilltop News
"Oppenheimer reiterated their market perform rating on shares of Microvision, Inc. (NASDAQ:MVIS) in a report published on Tuesday morning, MarketBeat.com reports."

ASU Smart Watch -- Coming THIS month.

The ASU projector is almost certainly MicroVision.

This was a company & Product that I looked for repeatedly at CES. (Consumer Electronics Show). ASU showed the same booth location as Haier (Where I got a glimpse of the R2D2 Robot that is confirmed to use PicoP.)

I expect more news on this soon, as the release date is claimed to be THIS month in China and in June in the US.

ASU Website - Specs



Gizmodo

More at the source.

Take this new smartwatch that lets you watch movies or your latest video communique from MI6, projected onto a nearby wall. It’s called the ASU Cast One. First, it’s a smartwatch running a version of Android Lollipop. Second, it’s a freakin’ movie projector. What?! The company says it projects up to six-and-a-half feet in distance and the screen expands to 60 inches. ASU says it rivals home theater projectors with its 720P resolution

The watch should launch in China in March and June in the US for $300. Just don’t shine your latest Netflix favorite in anybody’s eye.

Sharp Foxconn deal.... still watching

I keep paying attention to this deal because I suspect our future prospects will be much more fantastic once it's done.

No one can say anything about Sharp's plans while this deal is still in limbo.

It is my strong suspicion that part of the reason this deal is being done is because of PicoP.... if that is the case, the news can't be released until the deal is either done or dead.

just what is an advanced screen?

Sharp Corp on its latest quarterly performance as part of its efforts to finalize a planned acquisition of the ailing electronics maker, a person familiar with the matter said.

Investors are on edge about prospects for the deal - estimated to be worth nearly $6 billion - after a last-minute hitch last month over potential liabilities at Sharp. Concerns that the process is dragging out helped send the display maker's shares tumbling 12 percent on Wednesday.

A signing of the deal may not happen this week, people with the knowledge of the matter told Reuters although they added that Foxconn was unlikely to walk away given its deep desire to gain control of Sharp's advanced screen technology.

Sources spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Reuters

PlayStation VUE Live OTT national Rollout

Interesting timing for this, and great stuff!

HDGuru

The market for over-the-top delivered live pay TV services continued to evolve over the weekend as Sony revealed that its IP-delivered PlayStation Vue multi-channel video service is now available nationally.

The news of the service, which will limit availability of local live TV channels in most of the new areas, comes just a few weeks after AT&T’s DirecTV revealed plans to expand its direct-to-home satellite TV service with a multi-tiered IP-delivered version targeting homes as well as mobile devices.

In addition to providing live cable TV channels and sports events, the PlayStation Vue service also allows users to record shows to a “cloud DVR” and watch multiple TVs around the house from one account.

Like the forthcoming DirecTV OTT service, PlayStation Vue is not targeting so-called cord-cutters – which is a term used to describe disgruntled cable and satellite TV subscribers looking to drop multi-channel pay-TV services for cheaper alternatives. Instead, they are offering more flexible and more robust OTT solutions for live TV viewable on TVs as well as mobile devices.


All of the services are offering customers greater flexibility of choices and new pricing options to traditional cable, satellite and telco TV services. The services also provide an easier path to obtaining live TV channels on mobile devices and PCs in addition to traditional TV sets.

Sony’s PlayStation Vue service, which will now expand from 7 to 203 TV designated market areas, will include bundled channel tiers either including or excluding local live TV stations, indicated as “full” or “slim.”

The PlayStation Vue slim packages start at $30 per month. In place of live local TV, they offer on-demand next-day access to Prime Time content from ABC, NBC and Fox. CBS programming is not included at launch, but is expected to be added in live and on-demand versions in select markets later.

Cicret Bracelet at Wearable Tech Conference

Thanks to an alert message board participant. Thanks

Microvision is in there, by the way. Check this post from the past: Cicret Bracelet

The stock will fluctuate, ultimately the shareholders will get paid for stuff like this.

Meta Development Kit Launch

The Development Kit Launch

How is MicroVision associated? I'm not sure, but I'm certain MicroVision.

Projectors in Nintendo NX?

We've been watching the Nintendo NX for a long time. Initial rumors got stuck between a console game and a portable game, and there was language early on that made me think that it could be a prime candidate for PicoP.

A lot of links have made the digging page, but there have been very few posts about it. (if any)

Now this, patents that include projectors by Nintendo, apparently for the NX.

Gameranx   -- there's more at the source.

The first patent is for technology that combines an infrared camera and distance sensor to take an infrared image of a hand, and then recognize its distance and size. This patent also includes gesture recognition, and other applications that were not in the Kinect, like a GPS receiver and a projector.

Sony Interactive Tabletop

I tried figure out how to embed the video, but no joy.

Time Warner News Austin

Ford Patents Entertainment System for Self-driving Car

When you have access to little projectors that can be installed anywhere, you come up with even more interesting ideas.


UberGizmo
Car and Driver

Call it jumping the gun or simply thinking long-term about the realities of living with self-driving cars, but automakers are exploring the topic of entertaining vehicle occupants in autonomous cars. This, before a single wholly autonomous car has been sold to a customer, a milestone not expected to pass for years—if not decades—to come. A Ford patent, recently published by the U.S. Patent Office, offers a clue to the automaker’s thinking when it comes to occupying future car occupants: a giant drop-down projection screen.

Based on the illustrations in Ford’s patent for an “Autonomous Vehicle Entertainment System,” the concept is not at all unlike that of a drive-in movie theater, only zoomed in somewhat for in-car viewers. It’s more of a drive-ing theater, with a roll-down screen that deploys from the top of the windshield and displays images from a ceiling-mounted projector. Ford acknowledges that the entertainment system could take the form of in-dashboard displays, a gauge-cluster screen, or even a tiny display embedded in the rearview mirror.

Other manufacturers have been toying with in-car entertainment, from Volvo’s focus on video-streaming-capable mobile data connections to Faraday Future’s TV-screen-with-wheels concept from this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. In Ford’s patented hypothetical, the entertainment system will either shut off or transition media to passenger-specific displays (mounted to the front seatbacks or the ceiling for rear-seat passengers) when the car switches out of autonomous mode and the driver retakes control—which is key, because it shows Ford is thinking of the in-between stages of autonomous-car development, where cars can operate by themselves only part of the time.

Thoughts on the broader situation

I know a lot of people are upset and confused about the current state of the stock price. Markets are often unpredictable. 

Just where is MicroVision?

The goal MicroVision had was to get PicoP to the point where it can start generating money for MicroVision. Then they would support it, and start working on the other awesome IP that MicroVision has. PicoP is there now.

The installations, embedded uses and the revenue from it will not be instant.

It's ready to go, it is being implemented, and the implementation will take time - we're in that process. We're seeing embedded solutions popping up as prototypes - Sony Agent, a silly, but kind of cool R2D2 refrigerator, stand alone projectors, embedded in phones projectors, embedded in a little robot projector, over an interactive sandbox, probably in at least one augmented reality headset. 

R2D2 Refrigerator distracted people.  The big news is that a gigantic company like Haier is using embedded PicoP. Do you really think a company like Haier would use PicoP for a product like that and not be coming up with many other use cases for it? 

When there are many NDAs the news arrives indirectly.

A year ago the chatter on investor  boards was "we have to be embedded in a cell phone -- that's the ultimate." PicoP IS embedded in a cell phone. (which, for some reason looks almost identical to an iPhone5) Mass production, marketing and distribution are going to take a little time.

We had a hiccup last year in the supply chain. That shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone -- we were warned about that during the stockholders meeting -- "everything looks great -- but there can be bumps on the road." We had a bump. It set us back a few months. It didn't change the story.

Going from development, to manufacturing, to field testing, adjusting based on field testing, to mass production and integration all takes time. Look at ANY technology, they all do the same thing. 

MPCL1 and Celluon were the field testing. They now know the product works, and works in the wild. They are clearly ramping the production -- because they've been adding equipment to make more.

The saying "the watched pot never boils" is meaningful here. We have all seen other cool technological things pop up as science fiction, and then a decade later we see it in action and we perceive that it appeared suddenly. That's almost never the case.

We now have a very cool technology that is on the edge of being everywhere.

Regarding the 40-70% growth guidance? My own read on that is that it is an extremely conservative number, probably based only on the currently in place agreements. [I do not know this for certain, it is my opinion. You can form your own]

I sought some counseling on what might be happening with Sharp (two projector engines -- so they're going to use them on more than RoBoHon) and was told that Sharp can't announce anything -- they're in acquisition negotiations with Foxconn.

Stock price aside -- my optimism for the future of MicroVision and the future of its technology continues to grow. The stock price stumbled, but the future is very very bright. (with laser light, from really small laser diodes, creating beautiful imagery on all kinds of surfaces.)

Next Week: MicroVisions Engine Licensees - Sony and Foxconn

Barring something significant, this deal is done. 

MicroVision has two Engine partners: SONY and FOXCONN. Both occupy primary positions in Apple's supply chain.

I see this as a major advance for the company. Are things better this quarter than last? Absolutely.

Times of India

TOKYO: Sharp's two main banks are set to lower interest rates on billions of dollars in loans and offer other financial support as part of a planned takeover by Taiwan's Foxconn, a source with direct knowledge of the plan said.

The move is partly a response to a last-minute hitch to the signing of the deal over potential liabilities at the ailing Japanese display maker, although some of the discussions have been going on for a while, the source said.

He added that the deal is now likely to be announced next week.

The core banking units of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Mizuho Financial Group have extended the vast majority of Sharp's 510 billion yen ($4.5 billion) in syndicated loans which are due at the end of the month.

Major customers of Foxconn include or have included: (From Wikipedia)

• Acer Inc. (Taiwan)^[56]
• Amazon.com (United States)^[8]
• Apple Inc. (United States)^[57]
• BlackBerry Ltd. (Canada)^[58]
• Cisco (United States)^[59]
• Dell (United States)^[60]
• Google (United States)^[61]
• Hewlett-Packard (United States)^[62]
• Huawei (China)^[63]
• Microsoft (United States)^[64]
• Motorola Mobility (United States)^[60]
• InFocus (United States)
• Nintendo (Japan)^[65]
• Nokia (Finland)^[57][66]
• Sony (Japan)^[67]
• Toshiba (Japan)^[68]
• Xiaomi (China)^[69]
• Vizio (United States)^[70]

AND LENOVO... 

From Pocketnow

Apple, Microsoft, Sony, Acer, Nokia, Toshiba, Xiaomi, Huawei, Lenovo, are just a few of Foxconn’s largest clients. Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., trading as Foxconn Technology Group, is a Taiwanese company that also happens to be the world’s largest electronics contractor manufacturer. At a recent company shareholder meeting, the company’s chairman, Terry Guo, made some reassuring statements.

According to Guo, this year, in 2015, Foxconn will become the world’s largest desktop, tablet, and smartphone OEM (original equipment manufacturer) / ODM (original design manufacturer). Foxconn is also the largest OEM for iPhones, and Guo reassured the shareholders — worried about Apple contracting other OEMs — that the company has been collaborating with Apple since the first generation of its products, and will continue to be Apple’s major OEM.

Thank you William!

Celluon Video -- PicoBit

Celluon PicoBit at CES -- it's coming soon. (April-May) this year.

I'll be first in line to purchase one.

From GeekCentral

Conference call very soon

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MicroVision, Inc. (NASDAQ: MVIS), a leader in innovative ultra-miniature projection display and imaging technology, today announced its 2015 operating and financial results and an overview of its 2016 business objectives.

2015 Operating Results

2015 was a year of significant growth for MicroVision. Progress was made on each of its stated goals for the year:

• Support its Fortune Global 100 customer with display module commercialization
• Develop new OEM/channel opportunities for display engine manufacturing partners that are incorporating PicoP® display technology
• Increase supply capacity for key components
• Achieve significant year-over-year growth through component sales and licensing of PicoP display technology
• Evolve technology platform to offer enhanced features and capabilities for licensees of PicoP display technology.

Below are specific accomplishments related to the 2015 goals.

Support Fortune Global 100 Customer

The company successfully provided manufacturing support services, and the customer launched its display engine in 2015. MicroVision recognized $1.5 million in revenue from this effort. In addition, in March 2015 MicroVision signed a multi-year licensing agreement with this customer that included an $8 million upfront payment to MicroVision.

New OEM/Channel Opportunities

In 2015 multiple products came to market with the display module manufactured by MicroVision’s Fortune Global 100 customer. Media and consumer reviews for these products, including the MP-CL1 pico projector offered around the world by the Fortune Global 100 customer directly, have been extremely positive and highlight the features and benefits enabled by MicroVision’s PicoP® scanning technology. Two of the products were among the top five pico projectors selling on Amazon.

In October Sharp Corporation unveiled RoBoHoN, its innovative mobile robot phone product, which includes an embedded display engine based on MicroVision’s PicoP scanning technology. RoBoHoN, an eight-inch tall walking, talking robot sporting an integrated Android phone system, generated a significant amount of positive media coverage upon its introduction. MicroVision and Sharp collaborated on the display engine that met the small form factor requirements to provide the robot with the integral functionality of projecting videos and photos on command. PicoP scanning technology provides the focus-free projected display that allows RoBoHoN to share content on any surface.

Looking beyond the products that came to market in 2015, a number of OEMs are in product development with the display module from the Fortune Global 100 customer. MicroVision expects several of these products to come to market later in 2016. Throughout the year the company also nurtured other relationships for future opportunities in emerging markets such as 3D imaging and augmented reality.

Increase Supply Capacity

Capacity was expanded in 2015 after receiving $14.5 million in purchase orders for key components. Equipment for the capacity expansion came online in Q4 2015. A shortage of parts manufactured by a contract manufacturer impacted the volume of third and fourth quarter shipments. MicroVision and its contract manufacturer addressed the issue and production resumed in mid-November.

Achieve Significant Year-Over-Year Growth

MicroVision achieved 164 percent revenue growth in 2015 with more than $9 million in total revenue for the year. Product and royalty revenue was $7.2 million more in 2015 than 2014 as a result of the company’s transition to production and commercialization of its PicoP scanning technology.

Evolve Technology Platform

In January MicroVision showcased an array of product concepts and demonstrations for its customers at CES 2016. Demonstrations covered four application areas the company has identified for its PicoP scanning technology platform: projection and display, automotive head up display, 3D imaging and eyewear.

2015 Financial Results

MicroVision reported the following financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2015:

• Annual revenue of $9.2 million in 2015, compared to $3.5 million in 2014. Revenue for the fourth quarter of 2015 was $ 1.8 million, compared to $0.7 million for the same quarter in 2014.
• Operating loss was $14.6 million for 2015, compared to $13.2 million in 2014, and $4.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2015 compared to $3.4 million for the same quarter in 2014.
• Net loss for the year of $14.5 million, or $0.31 per share, compared to $18.1 million, or $0.44 per share for the prior year and $4.3 million, or $0.09 per share, compared to $3.3 million or $0.08 per share for the same quarter in 2014. The 2014 net loss includes a $5.0 million non-cash loss on the exchange of warrants in the first quarter.
• Cash used in operations was $5.8 million in 2015, compared to $13.0 million for 2014 reflecting the $8 million up-front license fee received in early 2015.

As of December 31, 2015, backlog was $11.0 million and cash and cash equivalents were $7.9 million.

2016 Objectives and Outlook

“Last year was marked by significant progress and growth. In fact, we are in the best position of our company’s history with two customers in production with our technology,” said Alexander Tokman, president and CEO of MicroVision. “We are very optimistic about 2016 both in terms of revenue growth potential from pico projection and advancing our technology to address emerging applications such as augmented reality and 3D sensing and imaging.”

To attain its revenue growth goals MicroVision plans to continue supporting its Fortune Global 100 customer to secure design wins for pico projection applications. The company also looks forward to the commercial availability of Sharp’s innovative mobile robot phone product, RoBoHoN, that is expected to come to market later this year. The company also has programs in place that are expected to improve gross margin through improved efficiency and reduced cost in the production of its key components.

Looking to new markets for growth beyond 2016, MicroVision is investing in internal development of its PicoP scanning technology for new “beyond projection” applications. The company believes emerging products for augmented reality and 3D sensing and imaging can benefit from the unique ability of its technology to integrate projection and sensing capabilities in a single, tiny module.