The transition to High Definition (HD) TV has not yet occurred in many parts of the world, including ours, while developed countries are soon to embrace the new Ultra-HDTV with up to 16 times the picture information of today’s HDTV.

At the Broadcasting Convention that ended last week, in Amsterdam, the IBC, Sky Deutschland CEO, Brian Sullivan announced support for U-HDTV and revealed that his company is already working on it in Germany; also, NHK, Japanese Public Broadcaster is developing U-HDTV System called Super Hi-Vision. It is told that there are two levels of U-HD, one that is 4K (which is readily available), and the other is 8K, which is being worked upon.

At the convention, IBC showcased the growing number of 4K cameras, monitors and video cards, as well as Sony displayed a 4K live transmission via satellite, displaying that this technology is an achievable technical goal. The move from HD to 8K is a big leap.

Nintendo launches Wii U in November

Good news for gaming geeks! Nintendo has announced the date for the launch of its new gaming console Wii U, which is the first HD gaming console that will costs $300 for a basic version, whereas the deluxe version will be black, instead of white, and will cost $350 as it will have more memory, charging stand and a treat in the shape of the game Nintendo Land.

This console will be unique as it will have touch screen controller called Gamepad, it will work as a remote control and users will be able to browse programming and comment on the scenes while they watch.

The device will have Mario franchise’s new game New Super Mario Bros. U. The game will have new ways to play involving Gamepad, there will be new challenges for the players like completing the level without touching the ground. Moreover, the company has also announced new entertainment feature called, “Nintendo TVii,” the service collects all the ways users have of watching movies, TV shows and sports. This includes pay-TV accounts along with services such as Hulu and Netflix.

Mammoth in our zoos?

Perhaps yes! Recently, researchers from Russia’s north-eastern Federal University have unearthed the remains of a mammoth from the north-eastern province called Yakutia, at the Russian arctic coast, and they believe the remains contain enough material to clone the mammoth. Researchers’ find contains mammoth hair, soft tissues, fur and bone marrow, along with the cell nuclei intact in it.

The mammoth, which is believed to be extinct 1000 to 4000 years ago, can be cloned if the researchers find at least one living cell in the discovered remains. It is said that from 1980s, many attempts have been made to recreate this long extinct animal but none of them have been proved successful.

Robo dog

Frankly, scientists and techno wizards have made so many interesting and some very unusual things that nothing seems to surprise these days. But sometimes a piece of news does make you amazed at all that man has started doing.

In one such move, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of new technologies for use by the military, has developed a robotic dog that will be accompanying American troops into the field, and it can be controlled by a touchscreen computer. Besides being the troops’ best friend, the dog, named Alpha, will aid them in their work. What exactly the dog can do is something that is a bit of a secret. — Aamir Raz Soomro