What's not to like about tomorrow's technology?

Steve Makris , The Edmonton Journal
Published: Wednesday, January 23, 2008

What good is the newest technology if you can't use it right now?
That's what I ask myself every time I go to a big tech show, like the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this month.
Big-name companies like Panasonic, Microsoft, Samsung and LG spend millions of dollars on elaborate booth displays wooing attendees with new electronics.

But the most exciting products I saw, felt and touched there are like the previews they show in movie theatres -- coming this summer, or later.
Much of this future technology was TV displays, essentially guaranteeing that in a few years you can buy a very good sub-$1,000 flat-panel screen, but if you want the latest, prepare to dish out several thousand.

Here are some cool products that Canadians can't enjoy yet. Sorry.
Panasonic's stunning Quad High Definition 150-inch diagonal screen plasma TV has no release date. It has 4,096 by 2,160 resolution, four times that of today's top 1080p displays.
It's targeted for commercial use but the closest consumer experience is buying nine 50-inch screens. That would be much cheaper than the 150-inch model.
Samsung's 2160p LCD TV (ultra-high definition) may be easier on the wallet, but it, too, is not yet for sale. There is no movie camera to match its sharpness yet, so the video I saw on it was actually a composite of four HD cameras. Was I impressed? Totally. It's the first time one can keep moving closer to a TV screen and see nothing but more picture detail. For now, the only thing consumers would enjoy on these ultra-sharp screens is showing their eight- megapixel digital camera photos.
This technology one-upmanship is the way of life in the display industry and it is not cheap.
"Essentially, Samsung, showing this advanced technology at CES, shows the world that Samsung is preparing for the anticipated needs of the future," said Andrew Dorcas, director of marketing for the company's consumer electronics division.
"Much must be done in advance to ensure those needs are met, including the R&D to manufacture and the awareness of manufacturing capabilities."

Pioneer showed its 2.5-centimetre-thick plasma prototype, with a live demonstration of its Project Kuro TV that delivers deep blacks (the way TV visual performance is rated today) that are beyond current models. The project, still clothed in secrecy, has no completion date.
LG pushed live TV, showed a cellphone using Mobile DTV-MPH technology on GSM networks. The VX9400 was streaming live HD-
quality video with picture quality to convince many that a good TV experience can be had on a small portable screen.
But according to LG Canada's Frank Lee, Canadians will not get one until 2011 when the wireless infrastructure is in place.

Microsoft showed off its version two Zune portable media player, announcing it will be available in Canada this spring with similar prices as Apple iPod models. But its online song-buying site and Zune Social network will not be available for Canadians until even "later in 2008," according to Elana Zur, Zune product manager for Microsoft Canada.
"We really wanted to focus our resources on getting the U.S. experience right before bringing it into other markets," said Zur. "You can see the progress from version one to version two that was made there with those learnings."

Zur said the further delay on the online Canadian Zune Marketplace has much to do with organizing Canadian media content.
That's not the news people like myself -- who want the newest technology now -- want to hear!