It is said that if you really want to be proven wrong, like be completely and totally wide off the mark, in fact so erroneously mistaken that you become a laughing stock – then you should predict the future of technology. Nothing is a bigger minefield that to predict the future trends of where consumer electronics, gadgets and devices will go. And yet that’s exactly how I am starting with my first ever column in this space.
Its not just that I like to live dangerously or that I have suicidal adventurous streak, I am doing this purely because we are entering an era of technology that may well be in its most exciting phase ever. Welcome to the first of many columns that I will write here. The idea of these columns is simple. There is great excitement in the consumer electronics and computing fields. Yet, there is also a lot of mindless hype, confusing jargon, perplexing features and baffling choices in there. My quest on this column is simple. To bring you simple, straightforward, clear-cut and uncluttered reporting from the fields of technology. If it’s big, if it’s radical, if its out-of-the-box, if it will be the next big thing – then you will read about it here first. This is an uncluttered, straightforward filtration of getting out the best from within a stream of mediocrity.
So now you know why I am going into futuristic technology and trends. There is so much ground to cover in future trends that I would need a 200 page book to just get warmed up. Wireless media servers, e-books, HD camcorders priced less than Rs 10,000, amazing digital cameras, new netbooks, digital photo albums, next generation storage, smart players and even to your new mobile phone – its all looking good and very different in the future. Lots of topics to cover and that’s what I will try and do in each column. But today I am taking on an area that has the most excitement being generated, will be something on your buying list very soon and has the most anticipation within all categories. The next level of Television display and the next generation of HD disc players. This is an area that is literally on fire - from current choices to what we will have in the future.
Your Next Display
It’s a fantastic time for people planning to buy or upgrade to their next flat screen television display. Fantastic because prices are supremely low, technology and features are pouring in and the form factor is improving on a continuous basis. But it’s on the technology front that things are really hotting up. While your choices till now were restricted to either a Plasma or an LCD, it’s the new entrant LED that may well be crowned the winner soon. It’s a bit of a hybrid technology, somewhere in-between the current LCD’s and the future OLED’s – but in itself it’s a great piece of innovation. It’s a supremely thin screen, with dazzling brightness, very accurate colour reproduction and really eye popping contrasts. Plus it will also make you feel good as they are fairly economical on power consumption. So what’s not to like – this is great technology and its green too! Well what’s not to like is the price. It’s priced at about three to four times more for a similar sized flat panel. Still, this will drop as it becomes mainstream and more commercial. I expect 2010 to be the year of the LED TV.
And the story continues….
Even though I believe LED will be the next big thing in the display world, what is happening in the Plasma and LCD territory is nothing short of incredulous. First of all they are becoming so increasingly thin; that it’s almost bordering on the ridiculous. Just a year back a Plasma was about 3 inches thick and it still looked nice and sleek. Now it’s all about one third of an inch. Yes, you read that right, one third of an inch thin. It’s like a super sharp giant razor blade that also emits pictures and sound. Then there’s the movement forward on improving picture to dazzling proportions. 200 Hz, upscaling, Full HD upconversion- if all these leave you a little confused and bewildered, don’t worry too much about it. All of it is good! It’s as simple as taking your normal ordinary picture from a standard source like Cable TV or a DVD and giving you a full HD experience. You have to see the difference to believe it. The last thing that really excites me here is that all the new technologies in the current Plasma and LCD field are all geared to save on power consumption by a factor of 60 to 70 percent. Saving the earth and still having a giant screen in your home theatre is a doubly satisfying feeling.
BluRay
It’s been so long on the horizon that most people seem to be bored off it even before it has taken off. First of all was the long drawn out and somewhat ugly battle between the two next generation formats; Blu ray and HD-DVD. Finally Blu Ray won in what was proclaimed as victory of better technology. Even then the Blu Ray format did not really set the market on fire. It was a combination of high prices for the players, not much choice, very few movie titles, no real incentive to upgrade and just a general lack of awareness. All of that is about to change in a hurry. The end of 2008 did show that Blu Ray is finally set to take off as more BD players sold than ever before. New players are out, smaller, faster to start, thinner, better looking, less clunky, smartly featured, fully speced and even integrated into full 5.1 home theatre systems. Thus lean choice is no longer a factor. Then prices are down to a very reasonable half of what they were a year ago. The problem is that while Blu Ray is taking off worldwide, the unique Indian situation is not letting it happen. Here, Blu ray discs are almost impossible to find and till software and media isn’t available all over and in an economical fashion – no hardware really sells in this country. But there is new hope on the horizon. The new revolution of organised professional Movie libraries may actually change all that-and fast. This new and very roust library lending business model is promising to take to Blu ray in big way. If that happens, plus prices of players drop – then a new Blu ray payer may well be in your near future.
So the time isn’t far when your next movie experience in your home may well be on a state of the art display, that is almost pasted on to your wall, is one tenth of an inch thin, with a 1080P resolution, Full HD, a jaw dropping picture and an eye popping movie being played on it from your amazing new Blu Ray player.
Now that I have whetted your appetite, I think my job for this time is done. Time close on this column and time to tell you that the next column will go into all kinds of futuristic imaging products - from the next generation of digital cameras with features you have only dreamt about, to camcorders that will make your mouth water to printers that can do some real imaging magic. Until next time then!
