Apple has introduced the 'Retina' terminology seen so far in the iPhone, iPad and MacBook Pro to its range of desktop all-in-one computers. The 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display comes with a 5120x2880 display, which Apple is terming the "world's highest resolution display."

"Thirty years after the first Mac changed the world, the new iMac with Retina 5K display running OS X Yosemite is the most insanely great Mac we have ever made," said Philip Schiller, Apple's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing. "With a breathtaking 14.7 million pixel display, faster CPU and graphics, Fusion Drive, and Thunderbolt 2, it's the most beautiful and powerful iMac ever."

iMac with Retina 5K display has four times more pixels than the standard 27-inch iMac and 67 percent more pixels than a 4K display. A single supercharged Apple-designed timing controller (TCON), with four times the bandwidth, drives all 14.7 million pixels. Apple says the iMac with Retina 5K display also uses highly efficient LEDs and organic passivation to "improve image quality and reduce display power consumption by 30 percent, even while driving four times more pixels at the same brightness."

For those who obsesses about colour accuracy, Apple claims the  iMac with Retina 5K display is "calibrated using three state-of-the-art spectroradiometers to ensure precise and accurate colour." Apple is also boosting of improved contrast ratio on the iMac with Retina 5K display.

While the highlight of iMac with Retina 5K display is of course the display, it is no slouch in terms of the other specifications. The iMac with Retina 5K display comes with a 3.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.9GHz, with an option to configure it with a 4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 4.4GHz.

Every new iMac with Retina 5K display also comes with AMD Radeon R9 M290X graphics and can be configured with AMD Radeon R9 M295X graphics, delivering up to 3.5 teraflops of computing power.

iMac with Retina 5K display comes standard with 8GB of memory and a 1TB Fusion Drive, Apple terminology for the SSD + HDD hybrid. The new iMac can also be configured with up to 32GB of memory, a 3TB Fusion Drive, or up to 1TB of PCIe-based SSD storage. iMac with Retina 5K display includes two Thunderbolt 2 ports that deliver up to 20Gbps each, twice the bandwidth of the previous generation, 4 USB 3.0 ports, SDXC slot, Gigabit Ethernet, and a headphone slot.

The iMac with Retina 5K display comes with Apple Wireless Keyboard and Apple Magic Mouse.

Every new Mac comes with OS X Yosemite, which was officially released on Thursday. iMovie, GarageBand and the suite of iWork apps come free with every new Mac.

iMac with Retina 5K display can be ordered from select Apple Authorised Resellers starting next week. The 3.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.9GHz, AMD Radeon R9 M290X graphics and a 1TB Fusion Drive is priced at Rs. 1,79,900.

Gadgets News· hd tv's

iMac With 27-Inch 5120x2880 'Retina 5K Display' Launched at Rs. 1,79,900

Apple has introduced the 'Retina' terminology seen so far in the iPhone, iPad and MacBook Pro to its range of desktop all-in-one computers. The 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display comes with a 5120x2880 display, which Apple is terming the "world's highest resolution display."

"Thirty years after the first Mac changed the world, the new iMac with Retina 5K display running OS X Yosemite is the most insanely great Mac we have ever made," said Philip Schiller, Apple's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing. "With a breathtaking 14.7 million pixel display, faster CPU and graphics, Fusion Drive, and Thunderbolt 2, it's the most beautiful and powerful iMac ever."

iMac with Retina 5K display has four times more pixels than the standard 27-inch iMac and 67 percent more pixels than a 4K display. A single supercharged Apple-designed timing controller (TCON), with four times the bandwidth, drives all 14.7 million pixels. Apple says the iMac with Retina 5K display also uses highly efficient LEDs and organic passivation to "improve image quality and reduce display power consumption by 30 percent, even while driving four times more pixels at the same brightness."

For those who obsesses about colour accuracy, Apple claims the  iMac with Retina 5K display is "calibrated using three state-of-the-art spectroradiometers to ensure precise and accurate colour." Apple is also boosting of improved contrast ratio on the iMac with Retina 5K display.

While the highlight of iMac with Retina 5K display is of course the display, it is no slouch in terms of the other specifications. The iMac with Retina 5K display comes with a 3.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.9GHz, with an option to configure it with a 4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 4.4GHz.

Every new iMac with Retina 5K display also comes with AMD Radeon R9 M290X graphics and can be configured with AMD Radeon R9 M295X graphics, delivering up to 3.5 teraflops of computing power.

iMac with Retina 5K display comes standard with 8GB of memory and a 1TB Fusion Drive, Apple terminology for the SSD + HDD hybrid. The new iMac can also be configured with up to 32GB of memory, a 3TB Fusion Drive, or up to 1TB of PCIe-based SSD storage. iMac with Retina 5K display includes two Thunderbolt 2 ports that deliver up to 20Gbps each, twice the bandwidth of the previous generation, 4 USB 3.0 ports, SDXC slot, Gigabit Ethernet, and a headphone slot.

The iMac with Retina 5K display comes with Apple Wireless Keyboard and Apple Magic Mouse.

Every new Mac comes with OS X Yosemite, which was officially released on Thursday. iMovie, GarageBand and the suite of iWork apps come free with every new Mac.

iMac with Retina 5K display can be ordered from select Apple Authorised Resellers starting next week. The 3.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.9GHz, AMD Radeon R9 M290X graphics and a 1TB Fusion Drive is priced at Rs. 1,79,900.

Samsung and LG unveil super-sized 105-inch Ultra HD televisions

Living rooms are in for a shock as LG and Samsung both announce the world's largest and curviest 105-inch Ultra HD super televisions. Source: Supplied

EVERY January the cream of the tech world show off their shiny new wares at the Consumer Electronics Show - the biggest gadget event on the planet - and this year both companies will be elbowing each other for TV supremacy by unwrapping 105-inch Ultra HD curved sets.

LG began the TV battle by first announcing it will be revealing the "largest curved TV ever made", which is an LCD screen with a resolution of 5120 x 2160 (current Full HD screens are only 1920 x 1080) and a 21:9 aspect ratio that will look more like a cinema screen than a traditional home TV.

Samsung then quickly reacted by also proclaiming it would unveil "the world's first, largest and most curved 105-inch UHD TV" at the show.

This too will have the same resolution and aspect ratio as LG's beast but will adopt different picture processing.

Samsung’s 105-incher is said to be the world’s curviest screen. Source: Supplied

In a Samsung blog it was revealed: "The Samsung 105-inch Curved UHD TV adopts a new proprietary picture quality algorithm that delivers optimised colour and greater feeling of depth. As the curved panel has been further upgraded and TV circuit technology has been added, the combination of the upgraded curved panel with a greater picture quality engine provides the ultimate immersive experience."

It also went on to talk about the curvature of the display: "As Samsung's 105" Curved UHD TV is the world's most curved, it provides almost two times vivid images when viewed from the side and the best possible TV viewing experience from any angle. Also, the 105 incher adopts 'Quadmatic Picture Engine' which delivers all content in UHD-level picture quality no matter what the source is."

Naturally, prices and release dates haven't been mentioned but anything less than $100,000 we'd be surprised.

We'll be bringing you more information on these super sets and other great gadget news from CES when it starts on January 7-10, 2014.

Gadgets News· hd tv's

Samsung and LG unveil super-sized 105-inch Ultra HD televisions

Samsung and LG unveil super-sized 105-inch Ultra HD televisions

Living rooms are in for a shock as LG and Samsung both announce the world's largest and curviest 105-inch Ultra HD super televisions. Source: Supplied

EVERY January the cream of the tech world show off their shiny new wares at the Consumer Electronics Show - the biggest gadget event on the planet - and this year both companies will be elbowing each other for TV supremacy by unwrapping 105-inch Ultra HD curved sets.

LG began the TV battle by first announcing it will be revealing the "largest curved TV ever made", which is an LCD screen with a resolution of 5120 x 2160 (current Full HD screens are only 1920 x 1080) and a 21:9 aspect ratio that will look more like a cinema screen than a traditional home TV.

Samsung then quickly reacted by also proclaiming it would unveil "the world's first, largest and most curved 105-inch UHD TV" at the show.

This too will have the same resolution and aspect ratio as LG's beast but will adopt different picture processing.

Samsung’s 105-incher is said to be the world’s curviest screen. Source: Supplied

In a Samsung blog it was revealed: "The Samsung 105-inch Curved UHD TV adopts a new proprietary picture quality algorithm that delivers optimised colour and greater feeling of depth. As the curved panel has been further upgraded and TV circuit technology has been added, the combination of the upgraded curved panel with a greater picture quality engine provides the ultimate immersive experience."

It also went on to talk about the curvature of the display: "As Samsung's 105" Curved UHD TV is the world's most curved, it provides almost two times vivid images when viewed from the side and the best possible TV viewing experience from any angle. Also, the 105 incher adopts 'Quadmatic Picture Engine' which delivers all content in UHD-level picture quality no matter what the source is."

Naturally, prices and release dates haven't been mentioned but anything less than $100,000 we'd be surprised.

We'll be bringing you more information on these super sets and other great gadget news from CES when it starts on January 7-10, 2014.

Sony plays it straight with $20k, 85-inch 4K TV

Sony’s 85-inch Ultra HD X9500B comes with a $20,000 price tag. Source: Supplied

SOME TV makers say 2014 is the year of the curved TV but Sony has taken a different path.

The TV giant is backing 4K resolution and big displays as the way of the future — seriously big displays.

Sony’s top model is the 85-inch, Ultra HD X9500B, that comes with a $20,000 price tag.

Unlike other models in the Sony range, it does not have the strip of magnetic speakers down the side of the screen that are a feature of Sony’s new peak design wedge shape.

Instead, it offers a long duct speaker with an audio output of 40 watts, compared with the 65 watt audio power of the next model down (the X9000B).

Sony works on the reasonable assumption that if anyone is willing to pay $20,000 for a TV, they’re probably willing to pay extra for a surround-sound system.

The X9500B comes with a simple stand of two angled legs.

If size matters the X9500B certainly measures up. Source: Supplied

A port replicator means a single fat cable runs inside the stand’s leg so you don’t have anything to take away from the visual impact of the screen.

And the visual impact is something to admire.

If this flagship can’t match other Sony models in audio output, it certainly outdoes them in picture quality.

The X9500B has Sony’s X-tended Dynamic Range Pro picture engine with direct LED backlight that gives it a brightness range three times that of a conventional LED LCD TV.

The X9500B, as is common with high-end TVs, comes with two remote controls. One is the standard remote, the other is Sony’s one-flick remote that has an attractive absence of buttons but it also takes some time to fully master.

I hooked the Sony up to a Blu-ray player to watch Harry Potter kick Voldemort’s butt, I hooked it up to a PlayStation, which allowed me to kick anyone’s butt, and I hooked it up to streaming services to watch the Tour de France kick a lot of cyclists’ butts.

The X9500B outperformed two rival 4K TVs in a side-by-side test. Source: Supplied

Sony calls its colour range Triluminos. We will call it the ability to show deep reds, rich greens and bright blues well, and it outperformed two rival 4K TVs in a side-by-side test.

We also hooked up a Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone to this television, using a MHL 3.0 cable, allowing the viewing of a 4K video shot on a 4K screen without the need for upscaling.

Television buyers are not going to be watching 4K home videos every day, but the smartphone camera delivers a rare source of pure 4K content.

Broadcast and streaming TV services are yet to deliver content that you don’t have to upscale to fully appreciate.

Should you rush out and buy this $20,000 4K TV?

The people who are asking themselves the question can probably afford not to even bother to ask.

Would you if you could?

Anyone asking this question is probably unable to afford the answer.

Some questions are too easy.

Bravia X9500B

$19,999, sony.com.au

Gadgets News· hd tv's

Sony plays it straight with $20k, 85-inch 4K TV

Sony plays it straight with $20k, 85-inch 4K TV

Sony’s 85-inch Ultra HD X9500B comes with a $20,000 price tag. Source: Supplied

SOME TV makers say 2014 is the year of the curved TV but Sony has taken a different path.

The TV giant is backing 4K resolution and big displays as the way of the future — seriously big displays.

Sony’s top model is the 85-inch, Ultra HD X9500B, that comes with a $20,000 price tag.

Unlike other models in the Sony range, it does not have the strip of magnetic speakers down the side of the screen that are a feature of Sony’s new peak design wedge shape.

Instead, it offers a long duct speaker with an audio output of 40 watts, compared with the 65 watt audio power of the next model down (the X9000B).

Sony works on the reasonable assumption that if anyone is willing to pay $20,000 for a TV, they’re probably willing to pay extra for a surround-sound system.

The X9500B comes with a simple stand of two angled legs.

If size matters the X9500B certainly measures up. Source: Supplied

A port replicator means a single fat cable runs inside the stand’s leg so you don’t have anything to take away from the visual impact of the screen.

And the visual impact is something to admire.

If this flagship can’t match other Sony models in audio output, it certainly outdoes them in picture quality.

The X9500B has Sony’s X-tended Dynamic Range Pro picture engine with direct LED backlight that gives it a brightness range three times that of a conventional LED LCD TV.

The X9500B, as is common with high-end TVs, comes with two remote controls. One is the standard remote, the other is Sony’s one-flick remote that has an attractive absence of buttons but it also takes some time to fully master.

I hooked the Sony up to a Blu-ray player to watch Harry Potter kick Voldemort’s butt, I hooked it up to a PlayStation, which allowed me to kick anyone’s butt, and I hooked it up to streaming services to watch the Tour de France kick a lot of cyclists’ butts.

The X9500B outperformed two rival 4K TVs in a side-by-side test. Source: Supplied

Sony calls its colour range Triluminos. We will call it the ability to show deep reds, rich greens and bright blues well, and it outperformed two rival 4K TVs in a side-by-side test.

We also hooked up a Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone to this television, using a MHL 3.0 cable, allowing the viewing of a 4K video shot on a 4K screen without the need for upscaling.

Television buyers are not going to be watching 4K home videos every day, but the smartphone camera delivers a rare source of pure 4K content.

Broadcast and streaming TV services are yet to deliver content that you don’t have to upscale to fully appreciate.

Should you rush out and buy this $20,000 4K TV?

The people who are asking themselves the question can probably afford not to even bother to ask.

Would you if you could?

Anyone asking this question is probably unable to afford the answer.

Some questions are too easy.

Bravia X9500B

$19,999, sony.com.au

         Wow factor ... LG’s 65-inch 4K ultra high-definition OLED TV. Source: Supplied

AUSTRALIAN television audiences will be encouraged to upgrade their screens before Christmas, with LG revealing the country’s first Ultra High-Definition OLED models.

Australia will be one of just 10 countries in the world to receive the technology when it arrives in stores in the coming months, though a specific arrival date is yet to be set.

But the cutting-edge displays will not come cheaply, with the larger 77-inch breakthrough screen priced at $22,999, and the least expensive, a 65-inch screen, at $9,999.

LG Australia home entertainment marketing manager Grant Vandenberg said the South Korean company had a clear advantage being the only company selling organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens after Samsung abandoned the advanced format this year.

Mr Vandenberg said LG was backing OLED technology as the “TV of the future” as it offered brighter colours, deeper blacks and higher contrast.

The big screen ... LG’s ultra high-definition OLED TV will be Australia’s first. Source: Supplied

“It is a lot of money but 4K OLED is for people who want the best technology in the market,” he said.

“You have to remember that 10 years ago, televisions were selling for the same price.”

The two Ultra High-Definition televisions will go on sale in selected stores alongside an upgraded, full high-definition, 55-inch curved OLED TV that last year launched at $11,999.

The TV will this year sell for just $3,999 -- a saving Mr Vandenberg put down to better manufacturing practices.

LG’s main rival, Samsung, kicked off the OLED television war in Australia in August last year, launching its first curved OLED screen for $10,999.

But the company has since stopped selling OLED television panels in favour of LED-backlit LCD screens with Ultra High-Definition resolution.

LG also revealed an even more expensive television at its harbourside launch, with a “whopping” 98-inch Ultra HD screen due in Australia before Christmas for $39,999.

Gadgets News· hd tv's

LG’s ultra high-definition OLED TV coming to Australia, but price tag means it’s not for everyone

         Wow factor ... LG’s 65-inch 4K ultra high-definition OLED TV. Source: Supplied

AUSTRALIAN television audiences will be encouraged to upgrade their screens before Christmas, with LG revealing the country’s first Ultra High-Definition OLED models.

Australia will be one of just 10 countries in the world to receive the technology when it arrives in stores in the coming months, though a specific arrival date is yet to be set.

But the cutting-edge displays will not come cheaply, with the larger 77-inch breakthrough screen priced at $22,999, and the least expensive, a 65-inch screen, at $9,999.

LG Australia home entertainment marketing manager Grant Vandenberg said the South Korean company had a clear advantage being the only company selling organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens after Samsung abandoned the advanced format this year.

Mr Vandenberg said LG was backing OLED technology as the “TV of the future” as it offered brighter colours, deeper blacks and higher contrast.

The big screen ... LG’s ultra high-definition OLED TV will be Australia’s first. Source: Supplied

“It is a lot of money but 4K OLED is for people who want the best technology in the market,” he said.

“You have to remember that 10 years ago, televisions were selling for the same price.”

The two Ultra High-Definition televisions will go on sale in selected stores alongside an upgraded, full high-definition, 55-inch curved OLED TV that last year launched at $11,999.

The TV will this year sell for just $3,999 -- a saving Mr Vandenberg put down to better manufacturing practices.

LG’s main rival, Samsung, kicked off the OLED television war in Australia in August last year, launching its first curved OLED screen for $10,999.

But the company has since stopped selling OLED television panels in favour of LED-backlit LCD screens with Ultra High-Definition resolution.

LG also revealed an even more expensive television at its harbourside launch, with a “whopping” 98-inch Ultra HD screen due in Australia before Christmas for $39,999.

Motorola might soon announce the Droid Turbo, as the smartphone's purported user manual, all 73 pages of it, has emerged online revealing a number of specifications and features. The smartphone is expected to launch soon, exclusively on Verizon.

The high-end smartphone by Motorola as seen in the purported user manual leaked by motofirmware website, features a 5.2-inch display, a 21-megapixel rear camera with dual-LED flash, and features like Moto Actions, Moto Display and Moto Connect.

Since the guide fails to show the back panel of the Droid Turbo, it is hard to say whether or not the handset will feature a ring-like camera like seen on the Moto X (Gen 2) or not.

Android Police speculates the handset to feature a flash on either side of the handset's rear camera. The front-facing camera is placed at the top-centre part with no mention about its sensor size. No other specifications are seen for the handset.

Interestingly, Android Police notes the manual mentions the volume rocker, which is placed on the right-side of the handset below the power button, can be pulled out to access the Nano-SIM card tray.

Besides 4G LTE, the Droid Turbo also features Bluetooth, NFC, Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity options. Qi wireless charging compatibility is also mentioned as one of the features of the handset, along with support for Motorola's Turbo Charger.

A report from August claimed that Motorola is planning to debut 8 new devices before Christmas. However, out of 8, the company has now already introduced Moto X (Gen 2) and Moto G (Gen 2) handsets.

The report claims that the company is also planning to launch the Droid, the Droid Maxx, the Droid Turbo, the Moto X Play, the Moto S and the much-anticipated next Nexus smartphone codenamed 'Shamu' before the end of the year.

Android· Gadgets News· hd tv's· Iphone· micro-cell

Motorola Droid Turbo User Manual Leaked; Lists 21-Megapixel Rear Camera

Motorola might soon announce the Droid Turbo, as the smartphone's purported user manual, all 73 pages of it, has emerged online revealing a number of specifications and features. The smartphone is expected to launch soon, exclusively on Verizon.

The high-end smartphone by Motorola as seen in the purported user manual leaked by motofirmware website, features a 5.2-inch display, a 21-megapixel rear camera with dual-LED flash, and features like Moto Actions, Moto Display and Moto Connect.

Since the guide fails to show the back panel of the Droid Turbo, it is hard to say whether or not the handset will feature a ring-like camera like seen on the Moto X (Gen 2) or not.

Android Police speculates the handset to feature a flash on either side of the handset's rear camera. The front-facing camera is placed at the top-centre part with no mention about its sensor size. No other specifications are seen for the handset.

Interestingly, Android Police notes the manual mentions the volume rocker, which is placed on the right-side of the handset below the power button, can be pulled out to access the Nano-SIM card tray.

Besides 4G LTE, the Droid Turbo also features Bluetooth, NFC, Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity options. Qi wireless charging compatibility is also mentioned as one of the features of the handset, along with support for Motorola's Turbo Charger.

A report from August claimed that Motorola is planning to debut 8 new devices before Christmas. However, out of 8, the company has now already introduced Moto X (Gen 2) and Moto G (Gen 2) handsets.

The report claims that the company is also planning to launch the Droid, the Droid Maxx, the Droid Turbo, the Moto X Play, the Moto S and the much-anticipated next Nexus smartphone codenamed 'Shamu' before the end of the year.