To playback 3D 4K videos, a TV has to be able to produce at least 60 frames per second (fps), however, HDMI 1.4 is only able to produce a maximum of 30fps. There are two solutions to this, the implementation of HDMI 2.0 or a little trick used by many manufacturers: film data is projected via HDMI 1.4 in the 4:2:2 colour space with 12- Bit colour depth even if it is available as 4:2:0 with eight-Bit, like on a Blu-ray. 4K HDTVs will be receiving firmware updates for the 4:2:0 transmission via HDMI 1.4.

NVIDIA has recently introduced a chip known as G-Sync that adjusts the refresh rates of both the monitor and graphics card. If G-Sync is installed in the monitor, the GeForce graphics card can determine the frequency with which the monitor should display the images. This leaves no room for delayed reactions and choppy videos. ASUS, BenQ, Phillips and ViewSonic have already announced new monitors with G-Sync for 2014.

Sky has recently started using 4K cameras for recording football games for the Champions League. Many stations are planning 4K transmissions for 2015. The Japanese will be going a step further at the World Cup in 2014 in Brazil: the NHK station will record the games with a hand- held 8K cam developed by Astrodesign with a resolution of 4,320x7,680 pixels. NHK predicts that they will be able to conduct an 8K broadcast in 2020, at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

4K monitors and TVs are the purest form of luxury and cost as much as a small car. But devices with resolutions of about 2,160x3,840 pixels will become more affordable starting next year. This change will be heralded by mobile computing devices from Samsung’s ATIV series. The Ultrabook ATIV Book 9 Plus with a resolution of 1,800x3,200 pixels is already in some markets. But the ATIV Q 1 , with Windows 8.1 and Android will only make its appearance in 2014. Japan Display Inc., founded by Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi has already introduced a 12-inch 4K display for notebooks and tablets. It will be installed in devices starting this year. 4K TVs such as those from the M9 series from Toshiba  restrict themselves to diagonals that are 58-inches and higher. They deliver significantly sharper pictures especially with HDTV programmes. For intelligent scaling, the TVs use their integrated multi- core processors. Although the devices will cost at least 3,000 Euros (RM13,500, industry insiders say that the prices will definitely decrease as the new year passes and will be on par with the prices of HDTVs with the same screen sizes. 4K TVs however still haven’t solved their problem of transmitting via HDMI 2.0 (see below). Even TV material with 4K resolution is very rare. Large 4K monitors will continue to be used only by specialists, who work with the necessary photo and video material, even in 2014. But technology is doing something on this front: Sony has announced a 30-inch OLED monitor in 4K resolution as part of its Trimaster series – but the OLED factor makes it almost as expensive as a compact car.

Wearable Computers are fast becoming a huge hit with consumers thanks to devices as they are designed to look stylish and also packed with features. But Wearable Computers involves much more than just watches and goggles. The Kickstarter product Ring Clock is currently pushing the limits of what is feasible. This ring has 144 LEDs that show the time. This is why the ring needs to be wirelessly charged quite often. Come 2014, you will be able to grab one of these for about US$200 (RM657).