Like
every year, even in 2014, phones will get smarter, computers will get
faster, cameras will capture more pixels, and screens will display those
clearer. We will see newer versions of operating systems. There will be
better iterations of devices, and you'll probably ditch your old
faithful for a new shiny one.
But
this feature is not about mere upgrades. Not at all. It is about
cutting-edge tech that's only been seen in research labs till now... and
some of these are still prototypes. Regardless, all of it is... hot
stuff.
As small as a memory card
The
Edison is Intel's latest experiment in miniaturization. This
Linux-based 'computer' - the size of an SD card - comprises a 400MHz
dual- core processor, integrated Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.0. The chipmaker
even has an app store designed for the platform, making Edison a highly
customizable miniature computer that can be put to myriad uses,
including in wearable gadgets.
As
a proof of concept, Intel outfitted baby clothing with Edison as well
as sensors that could track temperature, breathing, and motion. It also
kitted an LED coffee mug with Edison, and wirelessly connected both the
micro computers. When the baby was happy, the sensors in its clothing
conveyed the data via Edison to the coffee mug (in the parent's hand) to
display a happy green smiling face, but when something went wrong, that
face turned red... Expect to hear and see more of Edison this year.
Intel
plans on getting it out into the market within the next few months. In
fact, it has already announced a $1.3 million 'Make It Wearable'
competition, including $500,000 that will be awarded to the most
innovative developer.
Lots of 'Steam'
A
few years ago, Valve -- developers of best-selling titles such as Half
Life, Counter Strike, and Team Fortress -- envisioned a future where
games could be delivered via the internet straight to computers. That
was the beginning of Steam - an online distribution service that brought
gamers and content together.
As
part of the next step, Valve envisioned consoles - built by different
vendors - that would replace PCs. These boxes would be equipped to
handle all of Valve's offerings. And the concept of a Steam Box was
born. These machines would not be a 'one size fits all'. Each hardware
manufacturer could design its own configuration, and at different
prices, so long as all those machines are optimized for Steam.
Well,
recently, 13 vendors - including Alienware, Gigabyte, Zotac, Falcon
Northwest and Digital Storm - unveiled their own versions of this
console. And since Steam boasts of a catalogue of over 2,000 games, it
is in a unique position to digitally distribute titles at a discount of
up to 75% - and this can only mean good things for gamers.
So
while Sony and Microsoft slug it out for console supremacy, they just
might find Valve creeping up on them. As for us, we're glad Steam Box is
no longer plain vapourware.
Dual-boot tablets
If
you're out shopping for a tablet, you're forced to choose an operating
system, whether Android, iOS or Windows Phone. But guess what? A new set
of slates - ready to hit the market as early as February - will support
Android (Jelly Bean) as well as Windows 8. This means, you can (at
boot-up) choose which OS you want to run.
The
first of these devices, interestingly, is Micromax LapTab - a 10-inch
slate that's powered by a dual-core 1.4GHz Intel Celeron processor, 2GB
RAM and with 32GB storage.
Similarly,
Asus has also announced the Transformer Book Duet TD300 - a hybrid
laptop-tablet combo that boasts of some killer hardware under its hood,
including a 13.3-inch Full HD IPS display, an Intel Core i7 processor,
4GB RAM, and a choice between a 128GB solid state drive (SSD) or a 1TB
hard drive.
Now the only thing left to see is whether the strange bedfellows, Google and Microsoft, are okay with the arrangement...
All about the curves
A
few years ago, manufacturers glibly convinced us that we really needed
flat screen TVs. And we, gullibly, believed them. But now, once we've
upgraded, the same chaps are telling us that curves are the new thing.
Last
year, Samsung unveiled a simple curved screen prototype. This year,
they went a step further. The South Korean giant has built an 85-inch
ultra high-definition (UHD) TV that looks like any other flat-panel
television. But press a button, and both its vertical edges start moving
forward to reveal a bendable screen. The resulting concave display is -
supposedly - engineered to recreate a theatrical effect; bringing the
edges closer to make the viewing experience more immersive.
And
then there is Panasonic that can't quite decide whether screens should
be concave or convex. It has built a prototype that curves in as well as
out.
Well,
we're not sure if bendable UHD screens are immersive or not. But yes,
in the next couple of years, expect almost every TV maker to throw
curved displays at you. And you can expect them to cost much more than
the sedan in your parking lot!
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