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Five New Technologies That Will Change Everything
SuperSpeed USB will transfer data at 4.8 Gbits per second, or ten times the rate of USB 2.0.
Credit: usb.org
Five new technologies are on their way that will give users unprecedented access to data thanks to new high-speed connections and user interfaces.
First, USB 3.0 is a new standard that preserves backward compatibility by allowing older cables to plug into new jacks, but features an extra pin that boosts the data rate to 4.8 Gbits/second. USB 3.0, dubbed SuperSpeed by the USB Implementers Forum, can transfer a 30-Gbyte video in just over a minute.
Second, by 2012, two new wireless protocols — 802.11ac and 802.11ad — should be able to provide over-the-air data transmissions of 1 Gbit/second or faster. The faster wireless data rate will enable users to stream multiple high-definition videos throughout a room or house.
Third, the next wave of next-generation TVs will allow viewers to experience three-dimensional (3D) videos at home. 3D TVs are likely to rely on alternating left-eye and right-eye views for successive frames. Many HDTVs already operate at 120 Hz, so the ability to alternate left and right eye images far faster than the human eye can see is already available. This type of 3D viewing will require glasses that use rapid shutters to alternate the view to each eye, but TV manufacturers also are working on 3D sets that do not require glasses.
Fourth, augmented reality in mobile devices will become increasingly popular as consumers expect to be able to receive information on any subject in any location. Researchers also are developing contact lenses capable of projecting images into someone's sight.
Finally, HTML5 promises to do away with browser conformity issues and the need for audio, video, and interactive plug-ins. HTML5 will enable designers to create Web sites that work the same on every browser and give users a better and faster Web experience.
From PC World
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