$5 Processor

Just for a blast from the past check out CNET's recent post. You can buy a 200mhz PII processor for $5 free shipping. This same processor was in the "Computer of the Future" in 1998 (also in that computer a built in DVD player).

Or further down the page you can get a 700mhz processor for $20 (which sold for $990 in June of 2000).

Just think, that thousand dollar processor that you decided you need now will only cost $20 in 6 years.

Future Display Technologies

Just recently I have heard about some new technologies in the display field.

Thus far, the CRT has been regarded as the best display technology for personal computers. This has been because of color reproduction, contrast ratio, and brightness. People are now seeing the drawback of that 80lb beast many have sitting on their desks. However, the change to LCD's and other flat panel displays have brought the quality of the display down. CRT's are still used when high definition photo/video editing is needed.

These future technologies (if they ever come to fruition) may pose a real end to CRT's.

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New LCD

One new technology created by a company called eCinema has announced a new LCD technology that claims to outperform CRT's. (of course in every field, except cost). This new LCD claims to have 1000 to 4000 step gray-scales (as opposed to current LCD's roughly 256 step gray-scales). This new LCD is made to prevent that "always lit" backlight problems with creating dark blacks in current LCD's.

This new LCD also claims to have a 30,000:1 contrast ratio, matching the CR of top-of-the-line CRT's, beating most normal CRT's (4,000:1 - 10,000:1), beating the best plasma TV's (10,000:1), beating the best DLP projectors (4000:1), and demolishing current LCD's (1,000:1).

eCinema's technology also claims to support up to 48bit color support (currently at 36bit). This is on par with current CRT's but still beaten by plasma screens.

Also, the frame rates are true to the video (HD or SD). Current LCD's are at roughly 60 frames per second, whereas this new LCD will display 29.976fps as 29.976, a true 1080p display. And, a 15ms black to white to black response time (where as current LCD's cheat by measuring gray to gray).

This display is geared toward the high end video and photo editing groups, and is expected to go on the market in Q4 of this year. Just don't expect it to be in any reasonable price range.

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OLED

OLED's have been talked about for a little while not, so if you don't know much about them check out the Wikipedia page.

Basically OLED stands for "Organic Light-emanating Diode". The main benefit of OLED displays are the fact that they don't need a backlight to operate. Thus a much better battery life for notebook computers. Also, they are much cheaper to make than LCD's due to the "ink-jet printer" property (meaning that they can be printed on a substrate via the same technology that ink-jet's use.)

OLED's also have insanely fast response times (reported at roughly 1000 times faster than LCD's). Though its other aspects aren't breaking CRT's back, with a 5000:1 contrast ratio, and 500cd/m2 brightness.

Some other problems with OLED's hint at the organic part of the construction. Apparently if water comes in contact with the organic part of the unit then 'bye bye monitor'. (but then again when has water and electronics ever been good). Also, the life span of the displays may also be extremely short (some even say as short as a year or 1000 hour life).

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SED

SED displays caught my eye near the end of last year. The technology behind the display puts 3 electron emitters in each pixel (red, green, blue). This, in effect, is a CRT in each pixel.

So, SED equates to a thin, flat panel monitor that beats any CRT. The aspects are: a currently 10,000:1 contrast ratio (with a prototype reaching 100,000:1), a less than 1ms black to black response time, 180 degree viewing angle, and consumes less power than an LCD.

And if you want to read a whole lot more about SED's then go here.

SED's are supposed to be on the market at the end of 2007 or beginning of 2008.

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Do I hear winner? I think so. As long as it fits into my budget that is.


P.S. if you happened to get through all that babble then you probably also have one of the same pet peeves I do: When a new display technology comes out they put a picture of the display with it's so-called High Defination display, and everyone marvels at it saying how good the display looks, when they are actually looking at their own monitor's representation of the display.

Skype 2.5 Officially Released

Skype has officially released the 2.5 version. If you have never used it, now is your chance. The new version includes SMS support, direct calling of Outlook contacts, a new GUI. You can still call any other skype user on their computer for free, and if you live in the United States you can call any phone in the US or Canada for free also.

Just be forewarned that if you call a land line the number that shows up on their phone is 000-012-3456. And if you haven't told that person to answer to that number they most likely will think it is a telemarketer or some other hooligan.

ps. and yes Steve that was me calling Wag :-D

How NOT to steal a SideKick II

If you haven't seen the website How Not to steal a SideKick II, go check it out now.

Here is a brief overview of the situation. A girl accidentally leaves her cell phone in a cab and the person who finds it decides that they can keep the phone because 'finders keepers'. Well this girl's friend tries to contact the person who has the phone and they basically tell him to 'shove it' and that they were going to keep the phone.

After a lot of digging around (and finding pictures that have been taken with the stolen phone through tMobile's website) the myspace pages of the culprit and her boyfriend, who was also vulgar and mean.

So in a couple days this event has been slashdotted, front page dugg, put on msnbc, all in less than a week (mostly a couple hours).

In this time multiple servers have crashed trying to put up with the massive amounts of hits and posts on forums. And his bandwidth is getting raped by the masses.

In the end he has been in contact with the police after many requests to have the phone given back and for an apology.

It is a funny read and a little help to the guy who is just trying to get some justice.

Favicon Change

I have just updated my favicon so that if you think this blog is worth checking more than once in your life you will see a little icon next to your bookmark, and next to the URL. If you don't see this image next to your URL or after you have made a bookmark post here so I can change it.

Bear in mind that this icon was made after midnight in about 15 min so any criticism will be gladly appreciated.

Here is a larger version so that you don't have to squint to give me criticism.







Also, I was wondering if I should put this larger version anywhere on my blog. Comments?

The 11 Fingered Man

After reading Why IMDB is so dangerous... by Steve Dispensa, who has a great blog about programming, the windows kernel and other stuff in general, I decided to take some time to look through the quotes and facts about some of my favorite movies.

The first movie I looked up was The Princess Bride, which happens to be one of the best movies of all time. After reading all of the quotes and remenicing, I looked through the trivia section.

The first interresting fact states that Christopher Guest, the actor that plays Count Rugen, the 11 fingered man (or better known as the 6 fingered man), also played Nigel Tufnel in another Rob Reiner production This is Spinal Tap.

Nigtel Tufnel is the member of Spinal Tap that is well known for having the amplifier knobs that "go to eleven".

Draw your own concluions.

Introduction

This blog is simply a compilation of things I find interresting. So therefore it will probably sway more toward technology than anything else. However, you will come across random posts that could cover the entire spectrum.

Check out the blogs that I have posted to the right, you will definately find some very interresting information there.

So come back frequently and hopefully enjoy yourself.

~BMR