In the late 90s we came to know of the successor of normal DVD format i.e. HD-DVD, pioneered by Toshiba and NEC along with other manufacturers. Although Sony also claim their successor brand for DVD format better known as Blu-Ray.

The general purpose of both the technologies was same and the core technology was also very similar. Instead of the red laser beam that was utilized in the traditional DVD format also known as 3x DVD, these new technologies implied the blue wavelength that was much shorter than the normal red one. The result was more storage in the same disc, now a single HD-DVD can hold up to 3 times that of a normal DVD.

Apart from that the main objectives for both the format was essentially very same. Both groups (i.e. one headed by Toshiba and the other by Sony) were looking for higher quality videos, crisper audio playback, and obviously more space. The objectives were mainly achieved by both the groups but Blu-Ray takes lead in the case of more storage (nearly three times that of HD-DVD on standard versions).

 The HD-DVD however enjoyed the advantage of an early mover and was launched in the market before Blu-Ray. It main players and peripheries became readily available in the market for a normal consumer. It was supported by the major studios in the Hollywood who actually sold their movies in the new format also initially Sony also supported the format by making camcorders that use the HD-DVD format. Even Microsoft introduced a HD-DVD add-on in the Xbox 360 for playing movies etc.

Then recently a conflict arises in adopting only one standard for the future, Sony and his allies does not want to loose their heavy investments provoked debates and propagated their format all over the world. On the other side Toshiba insists on HD format as it was available so as its players etc and support from Intel and Microsoft. Many firms even try to have a common standard and unify both the standards but eventually failed.

Sony with the help of its motion picture section promoted Blu-Ray and announced that their movies will come out in Blu-Ray. Along with that they introduced the technology in its least bad condition in the PS3. The major advantage that they present was more space in their DVDs and some other minor factors but their major presence in the Hollywood and the US market lead to success where on February 19, 2008 Toshiba finally abandon the format to make room for the Blu-Ray.

The problem now arises for the consumers who are currently utilizing the HD-DVD format. A huge number of people in the world currently are using HD players, HD LCD televisions and monitors also a massive number of them are using cable services that provide HD format. The normal consumer is now caught in a dilemma whether or not to go for a new HD LCD or should wait for no matter how long for the Blu-Ray to enter into market. Also the cost related to the HD format were much less than those with the Blu-Ray, hence a drain on the consumers money. It will be interesting after the abandoning the HD what will happen to the HD integrated products in the market.

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Multi-Touch:

Are you surprised by the amazing multi-touch system introduced by Apple in their Iphone and the new Ipod touch or you are simply fed up with your friend claiming the beauty of the multi-touch in his gadget that you don’t have. In all these cases you’re not supposed to worry because you can now have fun with this technology at the most relaxing place one can imagine.

IBar as the firm is known as is making special screens that can extend till 20-25 meters and is placed on the main serving desk of a Bar. The main feature in that screen is that it is a “Milky Bar Surface” which is attached to several integrated video projectors inside the sheet. The main job of these projectors is to project or glow anything and everything that touches the screen, all in all forming a huge multi-touch screen that apple engineers can envy.

The whole screen is designed in a way to glow in varied colors everything that touches the Milky Way, also it also links all the things that are touching the counter at a time, In effect making a galaxy of stars right underneath your palms.

The technology is introduced by a Swiss firm and they are selling the whole setup commercially with many bars looking to boost their sales are installing the IBar. An illustration of the “Milky Way” is available on youtube.com just follow the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaKehq6qsdY. For more information also check out the IBar’s website http://www.i-bar.ch/en/info/.

The field of online marketing involves the fork of search engine and social media marketing. It somehow includes online advertising as well, but advertising serves the hope to generate more and more revenues. Marketing entails appropriate strategies i.e. buying cheapest domain name and to save more by taking cheap hosting services.

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Nowadays as people are getting more and more into computers, their lives are becoming more and more dependent upon the bits and bytes a PC can have.

With more and more heavy gaming engines and better quality formats of videos are coming out these not only require a superior graphic card but also much more space than previously. The normal size of a game has increased from few Megabytes to gigabytes e.g. fable takes more than 5 GB so as GTA San Andreas. On the similar pattern a normal DVD quality movie has reached 2 GB, whereas an HD-DVD movie takes as much as 25 GB of your hard disk. In presence of byte eater like these one hard disk is surely on a tight space, and it is become impossible to have a better collection of movies and games.

Hard disk makers such as Seagate and Samsung to fulfill are researching in the fields of solid-state technologies that will provide more space but may require more energy and may take more physical space. The temporary solution was to add as much hard disk as one can for the much needed space. As a response to this cluttering of data Hitachi’s Hard disk division came up with the world’s first 1TB hard disk (Desk series) in the middle of 2007, the problem was dealt very properly, Hitachi continually invested to minimize the size of the head to make possible more space. 

The demand for more space was ever increasing and the development process was speeding up also. Finally on 15^th October Hitachi announces that they are able to reduce the size of the computer head to 2,000^th part of a human hear, double from the previously used 1 TB hard disk. This huge development made possible the storage capacity of a single hard disk rise from 1 TB to 4 TB for a desktop pc and 1 TB for mobile pc and laptops. 

The improved technology termed as “Current Perpendicular-To-The-Plane Giant Magneto-Resistive” (CPP-GMR) not only increases the size of the hard disk without compromising on the physical space but also are more responsive than previous technologies, but are much more noise proof than the current Hard disk. The only problem with these wonder machine is their availability, Hitachi promises to deliver these hard disk in 2009 gradually while reaching there full potential in 2011. Up till that time we are stuck with the “Small” capacity hard disk for at least a year.

For more information regarding the latest updates please follow the link below. http://www.hitachi.com/New/cnews/071015a.html

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Do you ever considered looking at a graphic card specifications and fighting with your friends over its performance for Far Cry and GTA San Andreas. If you notice closely you will find out in reviews and other details that whether the card supports a very little known but much talk about feature “Anti-Aliasing”. Most of us do know that having a sophisticated graphic card that can support the above mentioned feature will be directly means better card performance and a much more enjoyable time playing games.

The problem is that many few of us know what that feature actually is and what is the main purpose it is implied for? The main function of such a feature is as follows: In a image no matter how good that is, rapid movements and zooming distorts the image and cause it to make huge blocks (pixels) that are used in the formation of that image, the phenomena is known as “Aliasing”.

Aliasing was not a very significant problem in normal day to day usage of images and was very much covered by Flash using Arrays instead of simple pixels for the formation of texts or design for the sake of Publishing, but the problem remains there and was only minimized. The problem arises majorly in the ever demanding and expanding field of computer gaming. With the introduction of heavy images, rapid movements and millimeter precise details, the problem of Aliasing become prominent.

The only solution that was concluded in recent past was the more the pixels in an image processor will be the more the smoother the edges and the image itself be. The research associates at the MIT labs finally came up with the solution to the problem of Aliasing in images with a technique we now know very well as Anti-Aliasing. The main idea behind was that the block edges of an image is made smoother by adding a blurring effect to the edges of the image. The blurred image then can easily be merged with the other part of the major scenery or the whole virtual environment to form a final image that performs much better than the image using older technology.

The image below will give you an idea how the whole thing works and all the pieces of images then galvanized in their final form.

 

 

Obviously the whole process requires heavy image processors and graphic cards the reason why people nowadays are force to buy those that support this technology. For those whom cannot buy the high graphic cards, the merciful developers also provides gaming engines in the new labels that gives the option to switch on or off the Anti-Aliasing mode. So next you go out there for a new graphic card do keep these things in mind.

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