TV Steps in to the Future

Samsung, Sony and LG declared war on one another as each company presented a different “future” of Television in the Consumer Electronics Show 2015 at Las Vegas.

“The bigger the better,” a common attitude found with TV buyers nowadays. But the three big-hitters foresee different aspects of Television. And each willing to bet big on their own horses.

Samsung believes that nanocrystal semiconductor technology, also known as quantum dot, will dominate the market when it comes to TV. It will capture attention with brighter colours, greater contrast, and has similar prices to current TVs. A Samsung spokesperson states that “overall, what’s important is what kind of value the technology can deliver to consumers – not which panel it uses.”

LG OLED TV, Source: Engadget

Rival company LG, on the other hand, insists the pricier OLED, or organic light-emitting diode displays, is of superior technology that offers brighter colours, deeper blacks, and is the future of television. LG prides itself as the only company in the CES 2015 that had OLED technology in their products. LG does not say if they are going in to production by 2016, but speculation is going around that

Sony increases its TV picture quality and brightness with an advanced image processor, who also promotes 4K TVs. Not to mention, introducing an eye-catching slender TV just 4.9mm thin.

“Four out of 10 Australian households already buy big screen sizes 50 inches (127cm) and above. When the TV is that big, 1080p full high-definition only does so much. You really need 4K.” – Sony Australia Managing Director, Vincent Yip

Source: news.com.au

In the end, only consumers can decide which TV they prefer. Or, if they even still want a TV after Microsoft’s big HoloLens reveal.

Game of Drones

Drones are playing a big part in the upcoming Anzac Test for the Australian team, The Kangaroos.

The Kangaroos are the first national team in Australian sport to use aerial drones. In an effort to win against the Kiwis, the drones serve as a bird’s-eye view which will help improve overall game play and strategy.

The Anzac Test coach Tim Sheen is enthusiastic with the aerial drones aiding their tactics, however some of the Kangaroo Veterans state that it can be somehow distracting. Still, the Kangaroos are pushing technological boundaries with drones worth $20,000 to give the team a “tactical edge.”

Bird’s-Eye View of Rugby Games, Source: Daily Telegraph

But this seems to be just the first step. The Australian sports technology industry is slowly growing as entrepreneurs and investors are starting to back start-up companies in this field. Entrepreneur Duncan Saville has partnered with Australian Sports Technologies Network to invest up to $50,000 in a group of  local sports technology start-ups.

Such investments may change the way we play sports in general, not just rugby. Technology and sports working hand in hand will provide optimum results with data analysis, and even help minimise risk of injuries.

Australian Sports Technologies Network says Sports Tech are “innovations [that] are closely aligned with technology capabilities and advancements in materials and fibres, manufacturing, life sciences as well as information and communication technologies.” This includes apparel, footwear, protective wear, equipment, wearable devices, analytics – data & video, online & mobile, medical, nutrition and health products.

Although people have already embraced wearable “sports” tech like Fitbit and Nike+, people are still excited to the new and innovative tech that may come about in the world of professional sports. It may very well be, a game changer.

The Apple Ink-Unfriendly Watch

If you want the new Apple Watch, you might want to hold on to your money first.

It seems there has been a number of faults in the new Apple Watch, the most notable one being the tattoo malfunction. The AU$500 watch will not work properly if you have an arm sleeve tattoo, extending to the wrist area.

The ink on the skin confuses the sensors located below the device, which makes it mafunction. Users experiencing the same problem turned to social media to express their frustration over the Apple Watch. One anonymous user on Reddit wrote:

“My hand isn’t tattooed and the Watch stayed unlocked. Once I put it back on the area that is tattooed with black ink, the watch would automatically lock again.”

Tech site iMore have figured out why the watch works on some people with tattoos, and why it doesn’t work on others. They tested the watch on different tattoos and found out that some colours caused the Apple Watch to malfunction, while other colours were fine. iMore states that “Dark, solid colours seem to give the sensor the most trouble.”

However, until Apple releases a statement regarding the matter, all of these are just theories with no solutions. Apple has yet to comment on the tattoo debacle, and users who are affected by the issue has reported that customer service has escalated the issues with Apple engineers.

The Power of Poo

An innovative machine can harness electricity from dog feaces! Don’t dismiss it just yet, the device can charge household appliances such as refrigerators!

A machine called “Poo Poo Power“, still a conceptual design by Oceane Izard, can turn dog feaces into electricity. How does it work? The idea is that the user will place a biodegradable bag of dog waste inside the machine, then, the bacteria will emit methane, which is then converted in to power. The electricity that Poo Power produces will then be stored in batteries, which can be used around the house. However, the amount of power it produces depends on the size of the dog.

“For a beagle, it creates between 250 and 340 grammes of faeces per day. This allows you to run a fan for two hours. For a German dog, it’s twice as much. It could almost run your fridge.” – Oceane Izard Source: NDTV Gadgets

About 63% of Australian households own pets, making it one of the countries with the highest rates of pet ownership in the world. According to RSPCA, “there are estimated to be 4.2 million pet dogs in Australia; 19 dogs for every 100 people.” Imagine how many houses that could light up! And imagine how much help that can be to lessen landfill waste and water pollution!

The Power of Poo, Source: Poo Power!

As bizarre as this may sound, the concept is not that new. Poo Poo Power is similar to many other alternative energy source designs, the only difference is the scale of it. Australia’s “Poo Power!“, another work in progress, works on a larger scale which aims to place the machines in parks to light up city streets, among other things. Another one is Cambridge, Massachusetts’s “Park Spark“, which does the same thing – turns dog poo into energy in a larger scale. It may be a weird, but it seems the world is catching on to these projects. It is, after all, a sustainable energy source which helps the planet – so why not?

Holograms Just Got Real

Welcome to the future! Microsoft’s HoloLens opens infinite possibilities with a “mixed-reality” headset that can bring everything you see in your computer, to life.

Microsoft is breaking all sorts of barriers with this new technology as they introduce a new medium in arts, construction, education, space navigation, and more. Imagine not needing a monitor to watch shows anymore, Netflix can stream straight from your wall. Interior designing will be a breeze; drag and drop a furniture in full scale, easy custom fit.

The HoloLens is a mixed-reality headset based on Raspberry Pi 2. It allows users to interact with 3D objects that “floats in the air” like holographic projections. Users can manipulate the holograms with eye movement, hand gestures and voice control.

Although the HoloLens just sounds like a shiny new toy to play with, Microsoft upped the ante at the Build 2015 Developers Conference. Microsoft presented the HoloLens’ real-world applications in businesses and education. For example, an architect could use the HoloLens to interact with 3D models, laid out virtually in front of them on a table. Better yet, work with aspects of a building in full scale.

Microsoft’s HoloLens simulation, Source: Microsoft

Judging from the social media comments, consumers are already excited to give HoloLens a go. Though some may be skeptical, customer feedback is largely overwhelming. But how much will it cost? An unnamed Microsoft exec told the New York Times that the HoloLens will cost significantly more than a game console. People are already speculating that the HoloLens will most likely cost around $700 – $1500.

Overall, Microsoft did a great job with this new tech. Infinite possibilities presented in a new medium.