Google announces #Android Lollipop, Nexus 6 #smartphone, Nexus 9 tablet and Nexus Player

Version 5 of Android official gets a name as Google announces devices to go up against Apple's lineup. Photo: Google

Google has announced the next version of Android, formerly known as Android L, will be called Lollipop, officially version 5.0 of the mobile operating system. It also announced the first two devices to run Lollipop: the HTC Nexus 9 tablet and the Motorola Nexus 6.

The company also unveiled the first device to run Android TV: the Nexus Player. Built by Asus, the hockey puck-shaped device is a " first-of-its-kind Android gaming device," Google says.

Android 5.0 Lollipop

Sundar Pichai, Google's senior vice president of Android and Chrome, announced the new software and hardware in a blog post. Android 5.0 "#Lollipop" is the first version to employ a new design paradigm, which Google calls "Material," first announced at the Google I/O developer conference in the summer.

Read more:  2014 gadget hot list: What's going to be the next big thing in technology

Lollipop was made to keep the experience of using Android consistent across devices, Google says. From phones to TVs to smartwatches, if the device is running Lollipop, the interface will feel part of the same family, and transitions from device to device will be more seamless, with things like music, photos and video remembering where you left off.

The new version of Android gives users more granular control over notifications, with the ability to limit them in certain situations. For example, you may want to limit notifications to a few specific people when you're in a meeting or on personal time. This could have big implications for smartwatches and other wearables, where smart notifications are central to the experience.

Android Lollipop also includes a battery-saving feature that Google says can extend the life of a device by up to 90 minutes. It's unclear whether the battery saver limits functionality in any way, but considering it's just a fraction of what Samsung, HTC and others get from their ultra low-power modes, Lollipop's battery saver likely keeps you connected.

Security has improved, too. Lollipop includes a Smart Lock feature, which lets users designate trusted devices — such as a Bluetooth earpiece or smartwatch — to keep their phone unlocked when it's present. It's a feature that was previously available on some Android phones, Motorola's in particular, but with version 5.0 it's part of the OS.

Lollipop also includes Factor Reset Protection, according to Re/code, which lets device owners disable their phone remotely. Encryption for the phone's data is also enabled by default.

Nexus 6

The Nexus 6, made by Motorola, is the first smartphone to run Android Lollipop. It has a 6-inch display with Quad HD (2560 x 1440) resolution, a 13-megapixel camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS) and a robust 3220 mAh battery that can charge quickly (15 minutes gets you 6 hours of battery life) with the included Turbo Charger.

Available in "midnight" blue or "cloud" white, the Nexus 6 will be up for pre-order in late October in the US for from $US649, though no official Australian release plans have been announced.

Read more:   How Andriod fans convinced to buy the iPhone 6

Motorola also said many of its current phones will get the Android Lollipop update, including both versions of the Moto X, all three versions of the Moto G, the Moto E, the 2013 Droid line (Ultra, Mini and Maxx). There is no firm date for any update since any Android update needs to be approved by mobile carriers.

Nexus 9

The Nexus 9 tablet, as rumoured, is built by HTC. It has an 8.9-inch IPS (in-plane switching) LCD screen (the same size as the larger Kindle Fire HDX), protected by Gorilla Glass 3. Similar to the Nexus 7, which was made by Asus, the Nexus 9 has a soft-touch backside, but it also has a brushed-metal edge.

The tablet packs a 64-bit Tegra K1 processor, and its GPU is a Kepler DX1. It has 2GB of RAM and buyers can choose between 16GB or 32GB of storage. Both Wi-Fi and LTE versions will be available.

At 0.79 cm thick and 425 grams, the overall size of the Nexus 9 is lighter than the iPad Air and almost as thin. Like the HTC One, it'll have dual front-facing stereo speakers.

The Nexus 9 will be available October 17 in the US, starting at $US399 (again, no Australian ploans announced as yet). Google will also offer a keyboard case, which looks like a combination of an iPad Smart Cover and a Surface Type Keyboard.

Nexus Player

The Nexus Player represents the official launch of Android TV, the spiritual successor to Google TV, which didn't see much success in the marketplace (although Google says Google TV isn't being discontinued). Android TV brings the clout of the Android app platform to power a streaming device similar to a Roku box or Apple TV.

Unlike Google TV devices, the Nexus Player doesn't come with a keyboard. Instead it includes a voice-activated remote and a visual graphical user interface. Content syncs with other Android devices, letting users start watching on the Nexus Player and finish on a tablet or phone. The device is also compatible with Google Cast, meaning it also has all the abilities of Google's Chromecast dongle.

Powered by a quad-core Intel Atom processor, the Nexus Player is also available October 17 in the US, for $US99. Google will also offer an optional game controller for $US39.

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You probably can't afford Intel's new smart bracelet

Talk about a terrible wearable price tag. Intel's latest stab at the wearables market is a luxury smart bracelet, called MICA, that will be available for "less than $1,000" at Barney's by the holiday season this year (2014). 

MICA stands for My Intelligent Communication Accessory, and is the product of a collaboration between the chip maker and designer Opening Ceremony. The smart part of MICA is its ability to show your SMS messages, meeting alerts and other notifications on your wrist. The bracelet will also support 3G radio, so you won't have to be tied to a smartphone to receive these alerts.

You'll also get a 1.6-inch curved sapphire touchscreen (on the inside of your wrist) along with semi-precious gems and water snakeskin, meaning this bracelet's cost could be sky high. But don't worry, Intel told Business Insider that MICA will cost less than $1,000. Just how much it will cost is not clear yet. That's at least $500 less than the current version of Google Glass (Explorer II), which will set you back $1,500.

The bracelet's makers are selling the product as the first smart bracelet that's a "feminine accessory blending seamlessly into everyday life," but how often do you really wear a luxury bracelet? Intel's news release states the bracelet "enables women to stay connected," but says nothing about what MICA will do for fashionable men.

Fashion houses are slowly getting in on the smart wearables industry. A few weeks earlier, Ralph Lauren unveiled its smart shirts that pack biometric sensors to track the wearer's fitness levels. But tech giants such as Samsung and LG have already been hard at work, putting out devices such as the Gear S and LG G Watch smartwatches. Apple is also expected to make a play for this pie, and is rumored to be unveiling an iWatch on Sept. 9th.

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2014 gadget hot list: What's going to be the next big thing in technology

We're facing another year of rumours and gossip about the hot tech tickets - here are the top 10 things to look out for in 2014

How is it nearly 2014 already? Where has the time gone!

And we all know what that means once the clock strikes midnight on December 31 - yes, another year of rumour, counter rumour and conjecture about the latest gadgets, gaming and technology.

So what have you got to look forward to during the next 12 months?

Here are the top 10 things to watch out for.

Reuters

Developer Maximiliano Firtman wears Google glasses before a news conference

10. Google Glass

Will it launch publicly in 2014? Well, we'll see clearly soon - 'see clearly', geddit!

Anyway, these futuristic specs are currently in Beta with some high profile geeks posting pictures of themselves wearing a pair on their Twitter accounts.

Enabling you to interact with the world around you in a totally different way, Google Glass lets you get info from the web and take pictures using voice commands.

You just might look an idiot wearing a pair in the next 12 months, before it takes off and everyone has them.

Samsung

Samsung's Galaxy Gear SmartWatch

9. Smart watches            

Hot on the heels of the Pebble and Samsung Galaxy Gear smart watches, will surely come newer and more innovative mobile-linked wristpieces.

In fact, at the 2014 Mobile World Congress expo, we're bound to see loads of the things in a concept stage.

But 2014 will be the year Apple launches one. Or maybe it won’t.

Both of which would be a big story.

The first would show the potential power of these products and the second would dismiss the idea as a fad if a company like Apple fails to take up the gauntlet.

No doubt, in time, we'll discover which one.

YouTube - SmartyRing

 

8. Wearable tech

Similarly, 2014 will be the year of technology that you wear - and not just on your wrist or nose.

The whole sector looks set to increase throughout our lives on the back of the growing trend for wearable fitness devices that track exercise progress and healthy living.

Expect to see products built into clothing as well as stuff you can physically wear yourself.

7. Big screen Apple TV

Will Apple launch its own TV set in 2014?

Well, it's been talked about since 2012 and we are still none the wiser.

But it would make sense to enter that market and take on rivals Samsung and Sony.

A touchscreen telly backed by iOS and all of Apple's apps and games would be a massive disrupter in the TV space.

However, it would surely cost a premium price and that marks out one major issue for the US giant as it battles to extend mainstream reach of the iPhone and iPad.

AFP

A fairgoer passes by a tunnel made of washing machines

6. Internet of things

This catch-all term for appliances in our home talking to each other is yet another buzzword but it will come further to fruition in 2014.

It speaks of a world where washing machines, fridges, kettles and ovens connect to the internet and can be controlled via mobile phones or tablet computers.

Watch out for many manufacturers launching compatible products at the CES gadget fest in Las Vegas in early January.

5. iPhone 6

The next yearly update for Apple's flagship product will be crucial.

With the 5S bridging the gap with its fingerprint reader, it will take a huge jump in technology and design for the iPhone 6 to really garner positive headlines and satisfy investors.

Apple usually has a trick or two up its sleeve but facing stiff competition now in the smartphone space, it will have to conjure up the sort of magic that set the original iPhone apart from the rest.

goCarShare

 

4. Sharing economy/Tech for good

There are dozens of startups in the UK now operating in this space aiming to use technology for the greater good of society.

From car-sharing ones like goCarShare to the product sharing RentMyItems, there's a huge shift in creating services to help others, and for some, not concentrate so much on huge profits.

This theme will certainly continue in 2014 so watch out for new ways to collaborate with friends, neighbours and strangers to make the world a much better place.

3. Electric cars

From the Nissan LEAF to the BMW i3, 2013 started to bring electric cars more to the middle of the road.

As more charging points are rolled out across the country in 2014, expect the interest in these motors to increase.

As well as helping the environment, they keep the cost of driving low with no need for petrol or diesel.

All you do is plug them in overnight and off you go in the morning.

Of course, you have a limited range but they're great for local and short hopper journeys.

Rex

The Oculus Rift - a 1080p HD Virtual Reality Headset for 3D Gaming

 

2. Gaming takes centre stage

As the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 begin to take hold in our living rooms, all eyes will be on new gaming experiences being created for them.

With more power and better graphics, we're expecting some developments that really push the boundaries of immersive entertainment crossed with gaming experiences.

If we don't get them though in the next 12 months, that'll be the final nail in the coffin for the traditional-style home console we used to know and love.

AFP

A journalist takes a look at a 110 inch giant screen 4K television

1. 4K TVs

When we switched from normal telly to high-definition, the change in picture quality was massive.

Now imagine taking that up a few notches further and moving from HD to Ultra HD or 4K.

2014 should be the year these screens start their extension into the mainstream with prices lowering enough to make the them affordable for early adopters.

It won't be until late 2015 that these will be within reach of us all but in the meantime, along with thinner and even curved TV screens, this is a trend to watch.

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iPhone 5S vs. Galaxy S4 vs. HTC One – The Battle Of The Beasts

The recently released iPhone 5S has definitely caught eyeballs of general users and techies alike. Apart from delivering a promising device, Apple has gone a step further and stuffed it with goodies that will cater to all our whims and fancies. To truly understand the situation that surrounds Apple as of now, we need to understand the past that clearly states how Samsung's Galaxy series with its S3 and S4 thwarted the iPhone 5 and HTC One carved a comfortable place for itself, leaving Apple facing a ton of flak for delivering a below-par smartphone. Dwindling sales figures and the soaring Android market definitely put some heat on Apple. Keen on breaking through the scepticism, Apple put its act together and delivered to us a smartphone that looks and acts like it is tailored by the imagineers at Apple. But numbers do matter at the end of it all, right? Time to pull up the stats and see how the 5S fares in the rat race.

The Outer Shell

© apple (dot) com

A clarification before we start off. Tim Cook, the current CEO of Apple faced heat for increasing the screen size of the iPhone, something that clearly went against the principles of Steve Jobs. Jobs, for one, stated that an obnoxiously large screen is cumbersome and unnecessary for a smartphone. Albeit, that was the past, and as for what we see today, smartphone makers are busy flattening their smartphones while making them larger than ever before. Keeping that in mind, the iPhone 5S retains the similar shell as that of the iPhone 5, a simple 4 inch LCD screen that does the job of dishing out bright and vivid graphics for a user's satisfaction. Compared to that, the Samsung Galaxy S4 has a massive 5 inch screen with the trademark AMOLED screen and HTC with its 4.7 inch LCD. All the smartphones flaunt an impressive screen, but does the size really matter? Smartphones have lost their tag of being ergonomic, and yet somehow Apple has retained the sanity to keep the size static. And since the size remains the same, so will the overall weight. The 5S comes up to be lighter than the Galaxy S4 and the HTC One. So a point for Apple.

The Power

© apple (dot) com

Apple was known to give us a powerful device, but the new wave of Android smartphones with their octacore processors shook up some ground. Thankfully for Apple, it had a trick up its sleeve, which worked fashionably well for itself. Apple wanted to deliver a hi-powered device, and for that, they ripped out the heart of a desktop computer, a 64 bit chipset, and put it right into the 5S. Yes, the 5S has a A7 64-bit chipset that makes it twice as faster as its predecessor in terms of usage and graphics. If that wasn't enough, the motion sensing technology is handled by a whole new chip altogether, lifting off a bit of weight from the A7 chip's shoulders. While the 5S is a desktop PC on your palm, the Galaxy S4 is a Quadcore processor that clocks in at 1.9 GHz. A fairly powerful chip, but one that pales in comparison to the 5S. The HTC One shares a similar fate as it has a Quadcore processor shy of delivering its optimum power by giving us 1.7 GHz of it. We can only gauge the power that lies inside the A7 and a thorough burn-test might help us cement the facts further, but by looks, the iPhone 5S with its 64-bit A7 chipset strides right ahead of the competition.

Storage And Battery

© samsung (dot) com

Apple users happen to grudgingly comply with the company's norms at delivering a device without expendable storage. Mobile devices at a time had an unwritten rule of giving a memory slot for the storage hungry masses. All that changed to a certain extent with cloud storage coming into play, but that might not be the case on a global level. People still crave for more. Keeping that in mind, the iPhone 5S comes in the typical variants of 16, 32, and 64 GB, albeit without a slot. As opposed to that, the Samsung Galaxy S4 gives similar variants with expansion capabilities. Unfortunately, HTC One falters in this one with 32 and 64 GB variants without any slot. Winner, the Galaxy S4.

Smartphone manufacturers are hell-bent on pumping more power into their smartphone, cramming the smallest and the most powerful chips out there. And yet, amidst this entire clamour, they simply tend to forget the power it needs to sustain the smartphone. In the past, mobile phones were capable of running for a day while still saving some battery at the end of it all. As opposed to that, the current range of smartphones fails to work for a day of heavy usage. Same has been the case with the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One. The S4 with its 2600 mAh and the One with 2300 mAh gives you a day's worth of use. Compared to that, the iPhone 5S has a minuscule 1434 mAh of juice. With a powerful chipset to run this machine, we doubt how the 5S will run, but Apple assures us that the phone gives 10 hours of surfing with a full charge. At this point, nobody seems to be a winner, but we hope Apple delivers what it claims.

The Camera

© apple (dot) com

This is tricky. For a unit that has baffled smartphone users since its inception in the market, people are still trying to figure out what the megapixels truly denote. Simply put, the value of the number does not matter. A lens with its image capturing is solely dependent on the size of the sensor that is nested inside. Holding that thought, HTC One flaunts a 4 MegaPixel camera which is clubbed with HTC's very own Ultrapixel technology. Samsung on the other hand has a flashy 13 Megapixel camera with the glitz and glamour the Samsung OS provides. Comparatively, the iPhone 5S has an 8 Megapixel camera with a large aperture and a dual LED flash and the ability to shoot 120 fps videos in high definition. Yet again, we're left in the dark for now, but the numbers seem to look and sound right for the iPhone 5S. We'll still give it a draw among the three.

Overall Stats

© apple (dot) com

Samsung blew everyone's mind away with the way they had tweaked Android and moulded it around the phone to make it work like a charm. The added goodies were a delight to see and the phone promised what it delivered. Android had truly arrived with the Samsung Galaxy series. HTC soon followed and delivered a well-polished Android smartphone. Apple desperately needed a makeover and they did just that with the iOS 7. It may not have a monumental change from its predecessor, but it did refine and fine-tune the discrepancies that were persistent. This time around though, Apple took it a step further and added fingerprint scanning to the OS and changed the gameplay altogether, leaving the competition in a heap of dust. Points for Apple for their ingenious technological implementation? Definitely.

The Price

© apple (dot) com

Pricing always proves to be the tipping point for various users and manufacturers. Apple set a trademark for delivering high-end smartphones that were meant to burn a hole in your pocket. Various other manufacturers followed suite and pushed the envelope further. While all these smartphones are priced in a similar range, the iPhone's variants come at $199 for 16GB, $299 for 32GB, $399 for 64GB. The Galaxy S4 at $199.99 for 16GB, $299.99 for 32GB; and the HTC One at $199. Without putting much thought into it, the iPhone 5S is a clear winner for the power and capability it packs as a whole. Add to that the snazzy looks and we have a clear-cut winner!

The smartphones flaunt great stats, with one topping the other in various fields. Yes, further tests will cement Apple's claims and allow us to understand what the phone is truly capable of, but as of now, it still strikes a better deal than the Galaxy S4 and the HTC One. What's the final verdict? Apple loyalists should rejoice as the iPhone has finally regained its holding, while the competitors need to buck up and deliver an overall smashing product to rival iPhone's re-established glory.

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SONY LAUNCHES WATERPROOF XPERIA Z1 WITH 20.7 MEGAPIXEL CAMERA

Sony today launched its new smartphone Xperia Z1 with a 20.7 megapixel camera and like most other Xperia smartphones, this one is waterproof and dustproof as well.Sony launched the phone at IFA in Berlin and Sony has chosen to concentrate on the camera features where the Xperia Z1 is concerned. The 5-inch full HD screen phone has 2GB RAM and 16 GB memory space. It runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and also has support for a MicroSD slot up to 64 GB.It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core 2.2 Ghz processor, 3000 mAh battery and supports 4G LTE. The front camera is 2 megapixel. The phone has an aluminum frame.As far as the main rear camera is concerned Sony says it has to 3 times "clear image zoom" with zero loss of image quality. It has Sonys G Lens with F2.0 and wide angle 27mm. It also has 1/2.3-type Exmor RS for mobile CMOS image sensor with 20.7MP, which is a high sensitivity sensor capturing details and crisp images, even in low-light conditions.Some software features of the camera are: Social live which will let users broadcast recording live from Xperia Z1 to Facebook.Info-eye which will give users information on landmarks or items which are captured by them using the smartphone.Timeshift burst ensures that the Xperia Z1 takes 61 images in 2 seconds. Users can then scroll around and choose the best image.AR effect which lets users create customisable animations.Sony says it has also opened up its camera software and is encouraging developers to add even more functionality to it.Xperia Z1 will launch globally from September 2013 and will come inblack, white and purple colours.Sony also showed off new smart lens called QX100 and RX100 which can be strapped onto the Xperia Z1 and other Xperia phones via a lens module. Once you do that, it converts your phone into a regular compact camera. The lens connects with the phone via WiFi.Overall, the smartphone doesn't look too different from other Sony Xperia phones, except for the 20.7 megapixel camera.





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iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C: Release date, colors, and hardware specs rounded up

We’re now just a few days away from Apple’s announcement of the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. The iPhone 5S will most likely be released towards the end of September, alongside the iPhone 5C. The iPhone 5S, like the 4S, will be an incremental update (but with the addition of champagne- and graphite-colored variants), while the 5C will be a brand-new, plastic-chassis smartphone that comes in a variety of colors. Yes, at long last, it looks like Apple is finally kowtowing to the consumers who have been begging for a cheaper iPhone for years. The rumored iPhone 5S specs, except for the possibility of an integrated fingerprint scanner, aren’t all that exciting, however.

Let’s dive straight into what we know (and don’t know) about the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, including the hardware specs, software specs, and release date.

iPhone 5S: Hardware and software specs

The best leaks currently peg the iPhone 5S’s hardware as a somewhat incremental upgrade of the iPhone 5. There will the same dual-core CPU (but clocked a bit higher), an upgraded quad-core SGX544MP4 GPU, 2GB of RAM, and an IGZO screen (for increased brightness and/or reduced power consumption). The camera should be bumped up to 12-megapixels, and there should be a dual-LED flash. Perhaps most significantly, it currently looks like there will be a champagne (light gold) and graphite variant of the iPhone 5S (see image above). These are only marginally different from the existing slate-black and silver-white models, but they fit in nicely with Apple’s drive to provide more variety.

In terms of new features, the iPhone 5S will seemingly have NFC and a fingerprint reader. NFC functionality isn’t all that surprising, considering many Android phones have supported it for two years or more. The fingerprint reader is an interesting rumor that hasn’t gone away since Apple acquired Authentec, which has lots of fingerprint scanning-related IP. A recent rumor suggests that the Apple will use a sapphire glass Home button, with a fingerprint reader underneath it. Sapphire glass, as we’ve covered before, is very durable — though, unless you have adamantium claws like a certain hirsute superhero, sapphire glass is probably a bit overkill.

Another option is that Apple will embed the fingerprint scanning technology in the display itself, though we think that’s unlikely; the Home button makes a lot more sense.

As always with an “S” model, we don’t expect anything too crazy, hardware-wise. To be honest, I still think Apple will wait for the iPhone 6 before introducing the fingerprint reader, but we’ll see. Software-wise, the iPhone 5S will of course run iOS 7, which will be released for other iOS devices around the same time.

iPhone 5C: Hardware and software specs

The iPhone 5C is essentially a slightly curvier, plastic-backed iPhone 5. The C probably stands for “Color,” but of course this model is expected to be a lot Cheaper, too. So far, Apple has relied on cut-price older iPhones to capture the mid-range market, but as this market continues to grow (thanks to developing markets in Brazil, Russia, India, China), Apple has been losing ground to Samsung and other smartphone makers. With the rich Western markets reaching smartphone saturation, and no visible strategy from Apple on how to compete with the growing threat of Samsung, Apple’s stock value has been steadily nibbled away by Wall Street.

Color-wise, the iPhone 5C is expected to come in up to six shades, including white, blue, green, red, and yellow. A black iPhone 5C hasn’t been leaked yet, and Apple might keep black as a “premium-only” iPhone 5S color. In the image below, you can see that the iPhone 5C packaging will have a see-through lid, so that you can see what color you’re getting — and so that retailers can create attractive, rainbow-like displays. (That’ll make quite a difference from the usual monochrome of Apple stores, eh?)

Anyway, back to the iPhone 5C’s specs: Expect something very similar to the iPhone 5(dual-core CPU, tri-core GPU, 8-megapixel camera), but with a plastic back. These plastic backs should come in a variety of colors, and will be permanent — you won’t be switching out your iPhone’s chassis for another color. Again, software-wise, the 5C will run iOS 7. Recent rumors suggest that Siri might be yanked from the iPhone 5C’s version of iOS 7, though, to further differentiate the cheaper phone from its flagship sibling. Like the fingerprint scanner, I think it makes more sense to debut an iPhone Lite/Mini alongside the iPhone 6 — but the rumor mill is obviously against me here, insisting that we will see an iPhone 5C on September 10.

With two new iPhones, and perhaps two new iPads as well, it’s clear that the September 10 event will be massively significant, both for consumers and shareholders. With Samsungtaking control of the smartphone market over the last year, and its dominance of the tablet market being diminished by Google, Amazon, and Samsung, Apple will need to deliver something spectacular on September 10. We’ll be there, of course, and reporting it live

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HDMI 2.0 released: 18Gbps of bandwidth allowing for 4K @ 60 fps, 32 audio channels

Kicking off the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, the HDMI Forum has released HDMI 2.0. HDMI 2.0 introduces support for 4K (2160p) at 50 and 60 FPS, 3D playback at 4K resolution, up to 32 audio channels (up from a paltry eight), and some interesting features such as “dynamic auto lip-sync” and the ability to deliver dual video streams to multiple users on the same screen. The max throughput of HDMI 2.0 is a beefy 18Gbps (up from 10Gbps), and you’ll be glad to hear that your stupidly expensive HDMI cable will continue to work with the new spec.

HDMI 2.0 is the first major update to the HDMI specification since version 1.4, which was released way back in 2009. 1.4a and 1.4b were released in 2010 and 2011 respectively, but they mostly focused on support for 3D — which, as we now know, is dead. HDMI 2.0, you’ll be glad to hear, shifts the focus back towards what the interface was originally designed to do: transfer high-definition multimedia content. To this end, the main change in HDMI 2.0 is improving the per-channel bandwidth from 3.4Gbps to 6Gbps, allowing for higher-resolution audio and video to be transferred. (See: Xbox One and PS4: Analyzing their support for 4K video and gaming.)

The HDMI spec calls for three discrete channels, which are primarily used to carry three different kinds of data/signal: The DDC (display data channel) negotiates which audio/video formats are supported by the receiver, and is used for HDCP (content protection DRM); TMDS (transition minimized differential signaling) carries the actual audiovisual data; and CEC (consumer electronics control) is a channel that allows the user to control HDMI-connected devices via a universal remote, or alternatively allows HDMI devices to control the TV/other HDMI devices. (For example, Google Chromecast uses the CEC command One Touch Play to automatically switch to the Chromecast when it begins playback).

As far as I can tell, all three channels can be used for audiovisual data, for a combined total of 18Gbps — but this only helps if you want to display three separate images. I don’t think you can combine all three channels to create a single 18Gbps, ultra-high-resolution feed. 6Gbps is enough to carry 4K video at 60 fps, or 3D 4K at 30 fps, along with 32 audio channels, and that seems to be the limit of the HDMI 2.0 spec. The DDC and CEC channels don’t require anywhere near 6Gbps (more like Kbps and Mbps), so most of the remaining 12Gbps will go to waste — unless you use HDMI 2.0′s new “dual video streams” function, which presumably uses two TMDS channels to display two video feeds on a single display. (Or maybe it just halves the main TMDS channel — we’ll probably have to wait a few more months for the spec’s exact details to become public.)

HDMI 2.0 also introduces support for the 21:9 aspect ratio, up to 1536KHz audio sampling, and “dynamic synchronization of video and audio streams.” We’re not entirely sure what the last one means, but the press release suggests that it will help with lip syncing.

HDMI 2.0 uses the same connector and cables as HDMI 1.4, but there’s no easy way to upgrade HDMI 1.4 devices to 2.0. The HDMI Forum notes that it’s possible for manufacturers to provide a firmware and/or hardware upgrade to enable HDMI 2.0, and we presume that Panasonic, LG, Sharp, and anyone else who has already released a 4K display is looking at providing such an update, primarily to enable 4K @ 50 and 60 fps. We expect the first HDMI 2.0 devices to be shown off at IFA over the next week, and they should begin to hit the market in the next few months.

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Hide Any File In Android Device Without Using Any Software

This trick does not require any app. Its a simple trick, even an unskilled user can perform. 

Steps To Hide Your Files In Android Device :

• Goto the file or folder which you want to hide.
• Now select rename option.
• Now just right (.) dot at the starting of the file name.

Example : If your file name is Cyber World, then rename it to .Cyber World and press OK.

• If your hidden files are in shown activity then goto setting and unmark Show Hidden Files.
• Now your file is successfully hidden without using any third party software.

Note : If you want to unhide that file , then just goto setting and tick Show hidden files and finally goto that file and rename it again without (.) dot.

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