What is the function of a channel in java?

[phpuser123]

In the J2SE there's a package java.nio.* which has classes like the channels..I would like to know what does this class do?I googled a bit but I didn't get a clear answer ..
The web says it represent connection to entities like file etc but isn't our InputStream and outputStream class from java.io.* provide the functionality of communication between entities like files ??

I would be grateful if any1 could enlighten me wd this ??




Thanks in adv..