Panasonic TV chief: OLED televisions will be affordable in 2-3 years

OLED TVs will get cheaper, Panasonic's TV boss says, predicting that the self-illuminating television tech will be within reach of average consumers in a few years' time.

"Probably within two or three years," said Masahiro Shinada, director of Panasonic's TV business division, speaking to CNET at the IFA trade show in Berlin, where the company just revealed its first commercial OLED TV set, the ultra high-definition 65-inch CZ950. "From 2017 or 2018, the OLED market will expand."

OLED is an emerging TV technology that, unlike today's regular LCD TVs, doesn't require a backlight because the pixels in the screen can be individually switched on or off, resulting, for instance, in perfect blackness in parts of the screen where nothing is showing. OLED TVs can be very thin and light, and the technology produces the best picture quality we've ever seen. On the other hand, these panels are expensive and tough to build. Models from LG on the market now start in the neighborhood of $2,000 and range up quickly from there.

Price drop

That pricing problem is, Panasonic asserts, a temporary one.

"I'm very confident panel cost will go down," says Shinada, arguing that growth in OLED for business purposes (when the tech is used in signs or retail displays) will help to lower prices on the consumer side too. The TV boss expects that if panel suppliers can improve their yield ratios -- that is, the number of OLED panels produced that are fit to be put into TVs, rather than scrapped -- prices will drop dramatically. "Last year, the panel suppliers' yield was very, very low level" Shinada said. "But currently this ratio is now growing."

OLED wars

LG is currently the only other major TV maker betting on OLED, and it has a head start, having sold televisions using the technology for several years now. Panasonic does have form when it comes to self-illuminating systems, however, having championed plasma TV, the similarly self-illuminating display tech that was beloved by TV fanatics but lost a format war to today's much more common LCD TVs.

"Panasonic developed PDP [plasma display panel]," Shinada said. "But unfortunately we stopped this business in 2013." Now the company hopes some of the experience it gained during the plasma years will translate to OLED, and yield a picture that beats LG's.

Their OLED TVs will have one thing in common -- both companies are using white OLED, which means each pixel shines white light through a set of red, green and blue filters to create a pixel's worth of colour. Another approach -- one previously favoured by Samsung, uses actual red, green and blue sub pixels, and no filters. Shinada says the decision to use a white OLED and filters is the better option for now because of cost reasons, even if the red-green-blue alternative "probably" would produce a better image. The company hasn't decided what it will favour in the future, with Shinada reiterating, "Panel cost is the most important point."

Trouble with the curve

"The benefit for the customer is not so big," Shinada said, commenting that the enthusiasm for curved TVs has cooled significantly since last year and that the company's next flagship TV will "probably" go back to straight. Shinada says that LG will also be launching its TVs in both curved and flat versions, suggesting the customer response to non-straight sets has been tepid.

With Samsung and LG dominating the TV market, Panasonic has its work cut out and, having suffered through the decline of plasma, is taking a risk with OLED, which is still a long way from gaining traction with shoppers. The 65CZ950 will go on sale in Europe in October, so we won't have long to wait to see how it fares.

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Asus Previews Water-Cooled Gaming Laptop

At IFA today, Asus including the world's first water-cooled gaming laptop.

The ROG GX700 (above) features a 17-inch G-Sync 4K display and a very bulbous water reservoir that tests the limitations of the word "laptop." The company revealed very little about the GX700 except to say that it provides a "stable, super-fast performance," but promised more details in the future.

The G752 gaming laptop (below), however, stands as the flagship product in Asus's Republic of Gamers (ROG) lineup. It boasts a 4K IPS display, Nvidia GTX 980M graphics card, sixth-generation Intel Core i7 CPU, a keyboard with 30-key rollover anti-ghosting, and out-of-the-box over clocking.

Meanwhile, is a new high-end gaming PC that Asus claims is the "most dominating" PC under 10 liters. It boasts an Intel Core i7-6700 and Nvidia GFX Titan graphics card. Asus claims it's capable of outputting 4K games at ultra-high graphical settings and 50 frames per second, but that number will vary wildly depending on the game in question.

Other ROG reveals included the ROG Matrix GTX 980 TI, the company's newest Nvidia GTX 980 graphics card, with options for tweaking and over clocking. The new Maximus VIII Extreme Assembly motherboard is also designed for over clocking, and includes a 10Gbps high-speed Wi-Fi card and an audio break-out box. The Swift PG348Q is the newest ROG gaming monitor, a 34-inch curved display, and new ROG keyboards, mice, and headsets are also on the way.

Asus also showed off what it claims to be the world’s fastest Wi-Fi router, the RT-AC5300, which sports six antennae that make it look like Eisengard.

The Asus Zen AiO S is the newest iteration of the company's all-in-one PC. It features a 4K display, the latest generation Intel Core i7, an Nvidia GTX 960M graphics card, 32GB DDR4 memory, and USB 3.1 ports. It also optionally supports the Intel Real Sense camera for biometric login, gesture controls, and other functions

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Apple iphone 6S event event confirmed for 9 September

Apple has announced that their next product update will take place in San Francisco on 9 September, as widely expected.

New iPhones, including a flagship iPhone 6S and 6S Plus are widely assumed to be on the slate. A new iPhone 6C with a friendlier, colourful exterior and slightly lower price point is possible, as is a new TV device and maybe new iPads -- though it's likely these will be held back for a later event in October.

The invite is typically cheerful and playful, emblazoned with the words 'Hey Siri, Give Us A Hint'.

In a nice twist, if you actually ask Siri that question she will give you a contextual response, telling WIRED that "we'll just have to wait until September 9".

The iPhone 6S is expected to come with an improved 12 megapixels camera, and processor, the addition of Force Touch actions launched with a hard press on the screen, refinements to its design (though given it's a 'S' series device, probably minor ones) and all the software additions expected from iOS 9, announced in June. It's also thought that animated wallpapers (as on the Apple Watch) will be a feature, along with 4K video recording.

The announcements will be made on September 9th 2015, at 10AM PT and at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California.

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Questioned cloud Microsoft's universal Windows apps plan.

With the release of Windows 10, Microsoft is emphasizing development of universal Windows apps.

The OS provides platform convergence with Windows running on a single, unified core, meaning an app targeting the universal Windows platform can run on every Windows device. However, the universal Windows plan keeps changing, stressed analyst Rob Sanfilippo, of Directions on Microsoft, who questioned the plan's usefulness at this point with Microsoft de-emphasizing Windows phones.

Universal applications provide the most utility when transitioning between Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile devices; Windows desktop PCs, laptops, and tablets all provide the same experience already, SanFilippo said. "The biggest challenge is getting the same app to run on these devices and phones. But Microsoft's recent de-emphasis on Windows phones has gutted the promise of Windows 10 Mobile, leaving the primary usefulness of Universal Applications -- same app on desktop-laptop-tablet and phone -- in question." Microsoft, in fact,may not see as many upgrades to Windows 10 Mobile as planned, with many phones lacking the prerequisite software updates.

Initially, the plan featured a developer strategy for organizing code and minimizing work to target the same application for Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1. "Today it refers to the capability to build a single application binary -- usually with the Modern, aka Metro design style -- that runs on Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobile, and other systems that are or will be Windows 10-compatible, such as Xbox One, Surface Hub, IoT devices and HoloLens," said Sanfilippo.

The Visual Studio 2015 software development platform, released July 20 features project templates for building Universal Windows apps via languages including C#, Visual Basic, C++, or JavaScript.

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IBM squeezes more out of chip technology

IBM and Samsung researchers have produced the semiconductor industry’s first 7nm (nanometer) node test chips with functioning transistors.

Greater levels of miniaturization enable designers to cram more transistors on a single chip, which increases performance, lowers costs and potentially reduces power consumption.

These factors are important in modern datacenters, where space and energy consumption are at a premium.

The IBM researchers have developed a 7nm chip fabrication in partnership with Global Foundries and Samsung at Suny Polytechnic Institute’s Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering.

“Enabling the first 7nm node transistors is a significant milestone for the entire semiconductor industry as we continue to push beyond the limitations of our current capabilities,” said Michael Liehr, Suny Poly executive vice-president of innovation and technology.

The development of 7nm chips could improve the efficiency and scalability of datacenters, which are currently based on 14nm and 22nm technology. IBM said the techniques used to develop 7nm technology could result in at least a 50% power/performance improvement for next-generation mainframe and Power systems that will power the big data, cloud and mobile era.

The research alliance has claimed a number of industry-first innovations, most notably Silicon Germanium (SiGe) channel transistors and Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography integration at multiple levels in developing the 7nm technology.

“For business and society to get the most out of tomorrow’s computers and devices, scaling to 7nm and beyond is essential,” said Arvind Krishna, senior vice-president and director of IBM Research. “Working with our partners, this milestone builds on decades of research that has set the pace for the microelectronics industry, and positions us to advance our leadership for years to come.”

Fifty years ago, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore outlined his vision of how microelectronics would power the modern world – introducing Moore's Law, which predicted the power of microchips would double every 18 months. Chip researchers have tried to follow this model, doubling the performance of their microprocessors every 18 months. But miniaturization pushes the limits of chip fabrication.

Along with 7nm technology, IBM is also researching alternative technologies for post-silicon-era chips.

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Dell Latitude 13 7000

The Dell Latitude 13 7000 Series 2-in-1 (7350) is tailor made for business use. This detachable-hybrid tablet makes it easier to carry just one device if you need a laptop computer most of the time, and a tablet you can carry around part of the time. It’s  almost-10-hour battery life, corporate-friendly features.

Design and Features

The Latitude 7350 comes with a keyboard dock, which differentiates it from slate tablets like the Microsoft Surface Pro 3. The system with the keyboard attached measures 9 inches (HWD) and weighs 3.59 pounds. It's the same weight as the Dell Latitude 14 7000 series (E7450).

Performance

The Latitude 7350 comes with an Intel Core M-5Y71 processor with integrated Intel HD Graphics 5300. It beat the Lenovo Yoga 3 and the HP EliteBook Folio 1020  and it was barely lower than Intel-Core-i5 and i7-powered systems like the Dell Latitude E7450 (2,681), the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 (2,704), and the Toshiba Satellite Click 2 Pro (2,939). Its test results on Handbrake (3 minutes 50 seconds) and Adobe Photoshop CS6 (5:52) are a bit slower than its rivals with standard Core i5 and i7 CPUs.

Battery life is a strength for the Latitude 7350. It lasted 7 hours 29 minutes for the tablet alone, and almost ten hours with the keyboard dock attached That's still many hours longer than Intel-Core-M-equipped systems, like the Acer Transformer Book T300 Chi. Full Core i5- and i7-equipped laptops and tablets, like the Toshiba Satellite Click 2 Pro (6:48), didn't last as long, but the presence of a higher-powered processor isn't indicative of a short battery life like it was in the past.

Tablets are excellent for portability and touch-screen use. Laptops are better for productivity, particularly when you need to type more than a few words at a time. The Dell Latitude 13 7000 Series 2-in-1 (7350) is the best of both worlds, giving you the flexibility of a tablet or laptop at a moment's notice. It's a fully capable detachable-hybrid tablet that will help you do your job on the go, with minimal compromises. 

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Samsung Galaxy S4

Samsung Galaxy S4 is a 4.2.2 Android Jelly  Bean operating system mobile uses the vibrant touch wiz user interface has been able to generate good demand. It has a full HD super ambled at a pixel resolution of 1920 by 1080 which gives a pixel density of 441 pixel per inches protected by Corning Gorilla glass. It has 13 megapixel duel camera, sound and shoot mode and dram shot. It has also Air Gesture, Air View, Group Play, etc.
The Korean company had earlier launched a 0 percent 12 month EMI scheme for the Galaxy S4. Now the company has launched an exchange offer along with a lot of freebies with the device. The new Galaxy S4 doubles down on the formula of its predecessor, slim package, big screen and tons of features.
Hardware:
Galaxy S4 next to a Galaxy S III and you'd be hard pressed to pick them apart-until you turn them on. 5 inch screen on the S 4 is even larger than the S III. It is nearly on par with the extraordinary crisp screen on the HTC one but far brighter and with better contrast and color saturation.
It has a plastic back, a single hard home key on the bottom and an illuminated menu and back capacitive keys that disappear when not in use. Samsung is sticking with a designed that has worded for them and company executives claim that the plastic back allows them and their customers greater flexibility for removable batteries and memory and accessories such as the S-View cover, which serves as a replacement for the original back panel with an integrated screen protector,thus shielding the front glass without significantly increasing the thickness of the device. The S III had a similar cover but this new one has a transparent panel that allows you to see information such as the time, the number of messages you have and incoming call.
Samsung has not at all abandoned the race for more megapixels. The Galaxy S 4's camera has a 13megapixel sensor, which really does take some stunning still shots.
Samsung also has the other must have halo feature of 2013: an infrared blaster that allows it to function as a remote control for your television and other AV gear.
Software:
Galaxy S 4 keeps with its successful software strategy: Pack in more feature than any customer could discover in a human lifetime. It has 13 mode camera app, including automatic animated GIFs that let you select the parts of the picture that are in motion, a drama mode that composes multiple action shots into one image and an eraser mode that turns multiple exposures image, removing anyone who is in motion.
Samsung Galaxy S4 has Air Gesture function uses infrared sensors that can detect sweeping gestures of your hands a few inches above the screen. You can use these to answer the phone, move between photos in the gallery or move up and down on a web page. Samsung has used  this type of interaction in its Galaxy Note series of tablets and phablets but those devices used an electromagnetic resonance pen.  If you look away from a playing video, that video is paused. The screen will stay on as long as you are looking at it. Web pages will scroll up and down in response to the tilt of your head. Samsung's new features are in consistently applied and after a few days you  find  yourself turning  a lot of it off.
When Samsung introduced  its phone to phone content  sharing features, called Group Play, in the Galaxy S III, we loved the idea but thought it was a bit strange to presume all your friends would have Samsung phone. Samsung has expanded Group Play to support collaboration on Power Point presentations, PDF and Word document and even games.
Samsung also invested time and effort in cleaning  up and reorganizing its touch wiz user interface that sits atop Android Jelly Bean. The most immediately useful change is an expanded set of instant setting icons in the drop-down notification panel. Now you can easily turn on off without digging  through the settings menu.
Conclusion
The Galaxy S 4 can do things out of the box that no other phone can do. But it's worth nothing that much of the functionality built into the S 4 can be added to other smartphones through apps. Samsung can continue cramming more features into its next generation devices.
Galaxy S4 is a satisfying  device for using. The size and clarity of the screen alone give it  uncommon than the other smartphone.
 

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