10/6 Electronics

Please add updates@feedmyinbox.com to your address book to make sure you receive these messages in the future. Electronics New Mobile Components From Samsung Hint At Possible Super Gadget October 5, 2009 at 2:18 pm If taken together, Samsung's quartet of new mobile parts could spell one killer phone. Samsung OneDRAM Samsung's original OneDRAM memory vastly improved data processing speeds on mobile phones, and the new upgrade bests 'em by 20 percent. We've seen portable HD power in the Tegra-powered ZuneHD, but now it's someone else's move. And it appears Samsung is ready to take a swing. At the Samsung Mobile Solutions Forum in Taipei, the company announced a package of drool-worthy mobile components that could lead to one smokin', high-def playin', 3D gamin' device. First up are two new 1GHz provessors. The S5PC110 (catchy, right?) is geared for media-heavy smartphones and will be able to handle 3D gaming and full 1080p high-def playback without draining the battery. Its cousin (the SSPV210) will likely end up in netbooks. Both processors will have built-in HDMI1.3 support to output video to an HDTV.A new OneDRAM chipset also means super-fast data transfer speeds (20 percent faster than its predecessor, Samsung claims). Now for display and capture: Their new 5-megapixel camera is capable of recording 1080p video at 30fps, and new screen technology points to fully capacitive touchscreen support -- that means multi-touch potential. Though none of these components have been tied to specific devices, Samsung is already starting to produce them in small batches and will have more mass rollout in the beginning of 2010. Dell's Latitude Z Brings Wireless Charging to Laptops October 5, 2009 at 2:17 pm The new, 16-inch Dell Latitude Z is the first laptop to bring wireless inductive charging to the masses -- well, the I'm-willing-to-spend-an-extra-$400-on-an-already-two-grand- machine masses, at least. Unlike the Palm Pre, the wireless capability on the Latitude Z isn't a matter of a simple battery cover switcheroo. When building out a system, you have to select the upgrade be pre-installed in the undercarriage of the laptop for an extra $200. Dell has partnered with eCoupled to incorporate their charging tech into the Z; the system transfers charging current to the battery (either a four- or eigh-cell) via an embedded coil on the bottom of the laptop. Dell claims inductive charging time is about the same as wired: about 3-4 hours for a full charge. The charging dock is another $200 on top of that. Beyond inductive charging, Dell's really swinging for the fences with the Z's feature set, including all (yes, all) of its top-drawer goodies in one machine. In addition to charging, the Z also supports wireless docking to connect to monitors and other peripherals. The right bezel of the 16-inch monitor showcases Dell's EdgeTouch quick-access controls, and the trackpad is multitouch. It runs on an Intel Core 2 Duo processor starting at 1.4Ghz, and can fit one or two solid-state hard drives up to 256GB. You can also opt for integrated mobile broadband to pick up WiMax or 3G data networks. The Z is also the showcase model for Dell's new Latitude On feature, a sort of mini-quick boot for travelers. A dedicated button alongside the power switch launches quickly into a separate OS environment, which only allows access to e-mail, document editing, Web browsing, calendar, and contacts. The browser is Firefox-based, and the e-mail client is cleverly skinned to look like Outlook. Booting in Latitude On nearly quadruples the notebook's battery life. In other superlatives, the Latitude Z also snags the title of "thinnest 16-inch laptop," measuring about 0.8 inch at its thickest point when closed. Features like Latitude On are available as options on more mid-range machines, but it's unclear when inductive charging will trickle down to Dell's more mainstream lineup. Right now, Dell reps only admit it as a possibility; we'll just have to see how many people adopt it in this quasi trail run. The Electronic Future of Smoking October 5, 2009 at 2:15 pm Do you want all eyes in the room focused strictly on you? Do you want vague potential health benefits? Well, kids, toss out those cancer sticks and replace them with a thin tube of plastic containing a lithium-ion battery that heats liquid nicotine into a stream of vapor. Welcome to the future of smoking. This week, Ryanair (the preferred budget airline of most every European student) announced they will start selling no-smoke cigarettes on flights. The cleverly named "Similar Smokeless Cigarettes" aren't precisely the same as the vaporizer-based electronic version, but there's nothing like a planeful of folks sucking on something that resembles a cigarette to bring smoking back to the mainstream. Sure, the chemicals inside might numb your tongue after a while, and heaven forbid you drunkenly attempt to crush out the $80 glorified smoke, but what price vanity? Start sucking on a smokeless smoke, exhaling a sweet nothing of a vapor, and, I can attest, all eyes will focus on you. Better yet, whip out your laptop and plug your cigarette into the USB charger. People will talk. But they likely won't talk for long. Pseudo-rettes are on their way to the mainstream. In late July, the FDA released its evaluation of the technology. The study was a fairly straightforward undertaking to determine the "nicotine content and other impurities" of two brands of electronic cigarettes. "The Center [of Drug Evaluation and Research] is concerned that in addition to nicotine delivery, the vapor may also provide other potentially harmful volatile components," reads the study background. Scientists tested for tobacco-specific carcinogenic impurities and they found them, at very low levels. Meaning, on this count at least, that e-cigs are less harmful than ordinary cigarettes. Some e-cigarettes sell nicotine-less cartridges and in some of these, researchers discovered, there are in fact "very low amounts of nicotine present." This is tantamount to discovering there are trace levels of alcohol in O'Douls. Surely there are other ways to get your oral fixation. They also found some rather unsavory chemicals, including diethylene glycol, which is an ingredient in anti-freeze. The amount is hardly toxic, but the mere fact has sent the opposing sides into respective tizzies. Despite their eponymous origins, e-cigs are currently unregulated, meaning they can be purchased by anyone willing to pony up the $50 or more e-cigs run. This children-might-smoke-it claim is one of the biggest guns in the e-cig opponents' rack. Most manufacturers sell cartridges filled with "exotic" flavors like rose and chocolate and cigar and, oddly enough, green tea -- proof beyond the shadow of a doubt, goes the argument, that these are targeted at kids. Fans, meanwhile, have latched onto every imaginable tack, from the green angle (fewer butts!), to the conspiracy (Big Tobacco is keeping them down!), to a bound-to-backfire defense of e-cigs' smoking cessation potential (nicotine gum and the like is regulated by the FDA). The last boasts defenders in high places. In April, there was a small congressional brouhaha of sorts after one senator called for a ban until the FDA could verify the device's safety and another fought back insisting no action should be taken, that they were effective means of quitting smoking. Which leaves the two sides at a stalemate. The fallout of the FDA's report, despite the fairly benign findings, has been a predictable groundswell of political fervor. Connecticut's attorney general has issued a warning, Oregon's has filed a lawsuit, one county in Long Island has voted to ban them. Facebook has banned ads, PayPal has cracked down and just last week Amazon reportedly announced to merchants their sale was prohibited. The manufacturers are fighting back, and the fans are rallying, and only time will tell which side will win. Likely, the makers will cave and start submitting for regulation, the e-smokers will grumble about Big Tobacco and nanny states, and within a few years no one will blink at a smoker puffing away at a cigarette that needs to be charged. What Comes After Arduino? October 5, 2009 at 2:14 pm Arduino is a great microncontroller package for entry-level electronics tinkerers, but once you've got your sea legs, cheaper DIY microcontrollers used to build anything from grow-lights to irrigation systems are what you might reach for next. The Arduino platform is doing something amazing: bringing hardware development to the masses. It's a sweet little system, with a built-in hardware programmer, simplified programming language, and lively user base that offers plenty of sample code and assistance in the online forums. While this fully assembled solution is a good way to get your feet wet, there are a lot of good reasons to just buy an off-the-shelf processor, make your own circuit board and write in a low level language like C. It can be cheaper, quicker and easier to debug. Here, check out some of the projects I've made and how I pay for my hobby, as well as my hardware setup. What Do the Pros Use? I'm not the only one who knows there are times to leave Arduino behind. Adafruit Industries and Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories are arguably the leaders of the DIY electronics revolution. Look closely at their products and you will often find a humble AVR micocontroller instead a full-blown Arduino. I personally love a business card on which you can mount a microcontroller and start developing firmware. You are doing something right when you can sell your business card for $4.75. Adafruit sells an inexpensive persistence of vision kit for bike wheels that allows a single row of LEDs to show images or spell out text. Using Arduino for such a project would be overkill. Here are the two scenarios in which I reach for an AVR rather than an Arduino. To Save Money, Make Money Arduinos generally go for $15 to $60 each. This is affordable for one-off tinkering, but it doesn't scale well. I've built 10-unit runs of simple projects using raw microcontrollers and custom circuit boards for 90 percent less than the price of a single Arduino. Among them are a temperature display for my veggie powered car, intelligent irrigation controllers for the yard, even grow lights for plants that pulse LEDs. These projects are also physically smaller than most Arduinos. By shrinking the design and keeping costs low, it's easier to sell your homemade invention and turn a profit. I've actually been able to pay for my electronics habit by building a few extra units and selling them online. For Easy Debugging Most Arduino users debug their code by sprinkling print statements into the code then watching the output in a serial terminal. This is an effective way to find out where the software is misbehaving, but it's time consuming. Professional hardware developers use in-circuit emulators (ICE), which allow the user to see the values of each variable and step through the code with a debugger as it executes on the processor. These ICE-based systems massively speed up hardware development time. How to Get Professionally Printed Circuit Boards Cheap October 5, 2009 at 2:13 pm Get your boards printed by a pro-service for a longer-lasting, better-looking project. Let's say you have a problem that can be solved with some electronics and maybe even a microcontroller. You gather up your parts and prove the idea on a breadboard, a sort of blank canvas for prototyping projects. Then what? A common solution is to solder everything to a blank perforated circuit board, but that still leaves you with a fragile mess of wires that looks like a disaster and takes a long time to assemble. The better idea: get a circuit board professionally printed. Too spendy? Think again. I've had about 10 different boards printed for all sorts of projects ranging from a trampoline that shoots fireballs to much less complicated boards that spells text on my bicycle wheels. These circuits are still working great fours years later and didn't break my wallet. Follow the jump to see my tips for getting professional boards without breaking your wallet. To get the most bang for your buck on a pro-printing job, you have to first ask: How much can you do without? Do you need a legend (aka silkscreen)—the printed part names on the circuit board? If you designed the circuit and will be the only person building it, you can probably skip the legend. How about a solder mask? This is simply a thin, resistive coating that prevents bridging between areas of the board that are to be soldered. If you don't need either one, why pay for them? That's why I love Barebones PCB, a minimalist board shop that makes 2-layer boards with plated-through via's for less than any other place I've found online. (If you've found a better deal, please let me know in the comments!) Barebones has a simple Web site that prompts you for three basic questions. Answer these and you get a unit price. Quantity ? Y_Dimension ? X_Dimension ? I punched in quantity: 2 y=2" and x=3" and got a price of $23.70. So much for my good deal talk, right? But when I changed the quantity to 20, the price drops to $4.80 a board. So for any projects you intend to make more than once, you can save yourself a ton of money and the headaches of hand-drilling boards or messing with breadboards. The first circuit boards I had printed were all based on persistence-of-vision projects. A microcontroller would blink specific LEDs at 30Hz, creating an effect that looked like text when the lights were moving. This is a fun beginner project and each of my boards worked. I sent these boards out for printing for two reasons: 1. I was getting into surface mount parts, which make home etching and perf boarding even less appealing. 2. These boards were going onto bicycle wheels, so I didn't want to have them falling apart or dropping off the wheel as I rode through the streets. Here are the basic steps to go from idea to pro-printed board: Step 1: Design a schematic (most DIY folks use Eagle software, I use gschem) Step 2: Design a circuit board (most DIY folks use Eagle software, I use PCB) Step 3: Export the gerbers (circuit board formatted files) Step 4: Upload gerbers to barebonesPCB as a zip file Step 5: Wait five business days for boards to arrive Step 6: Stuff (assemble) boards and enjoy Oh, and should you decide that it is time for a more professional circuit board complete with legend and soldermask you can still go through Advanced Circuits. The cost of the original barebones order will be discounted from your final run of professional boards. USB 3.0 : A Primer October 5, 2009 at 2:10 pm USB 3.0 ports will start arriving by the end of this year. Here's what you need to know. That Universal Serial Bus port in your computer is about to get an upgrade. You know, the one where you plug in all your external hard drives, digital cameras, MP3 players, thumb drives, and USB heated-slippers? If you bought your computer any time after the year 2000, it probably came equipped with a USB 2.0 port. However, later this year computers will start shipping that include USB 3.0 ports, which can transmit data up to ten times as fast. Here's what to expect. What is USB 3.0? Dubbed "SuperSpeed," USB 3.0 is much faster at transferring data than its predecessor. The current 2.0 ports can transfer packets of information at speeds of 480Mbit/s, but the 3.0 spec will be able to handle 4.8 to 5Gbit/s. This tenfold increase in speed is accomplished by increasing the number of wires used for transfer from 4 to 9 and more efficient handling of the traffic throughout the data bus. This large flow of information can also be split into several different streams of information being transferred at once. USB ports can transfer not only information but also electricity to peripherals, which has yielded many kooky results. While energy transfer is nothing new in USB ports, the new version will help conserve energy. As it stands, USB connections are not specialized, and information packets are broadcast to all peripherals attached. The new ports and cables, however, will target the necessary device and send packets only to the devices that need to receive them. That allows conservation of power on portions of the cable that are not being used. The best part is backwards and forwards compatibility. New cables will work in old ports (although not with the increased speed), and old cables will work in new ports. When confronted with disparate ports and cables, the computer will initiate polling to decide what the highest speed is that both ends can support. What will USB 3.0 do for you? Of course, there's the increase in speed of packet transfer. That'll mean faster uploads of photos or MP3s to and from your cellphone, and drastically better performance for USB mass storage devices like external hard drives. There's also the potential for hi-def streaming: 5Gbit/s speeds offer the ability to cleanly stream video at 1080i definition. The process is also scalable for any future developments that Moore's Law will throw our way: USB 3.0 was made in preparation for future computing. When will you get USB 3.0? Taiwanese PC manufacturers claim they will start shipping 3.0-compatible computers by the end of this year. However, it's estimated that these initial models will only be able to reach about a quarter of the port's potential speed. The technology will evolve over time to reach its maximal rates. Meanwhile, the port will become much more ubiquitous: About 140 million units will be produced in 2011 and up to 340 million units by 2012. Faster than Flash, Meltable Phase-Change Device Memory Is Finally in Production October 5, 2009 at 2:09 pm It's been 40 years in the making. This week Samsung finally announced they've kicked phase-change memory (PCM) into mass production. In a nutshell, PCM stores information by melting and freezing microscopic crystals. In gadgets like cell phones, its frozen-in-place nature means lightning-fast bootup times--instantaneous, even. Part of PCM's current appeal is that it actually works better the smaller it gets, unlike flash memory, which is the current go-to for small devices. Since flash memory saves data as small groups of electrons, the smaller the area you have to work with, the fewer electrons will fit, thus making the memory increasingly unstable. PCM, on the other hand, actually benefits from shrinking, for a simple reason: smaller crystals melt and freeze faster. Matthias Wuttig, a physicist at RWTH Aachen University in Germany, has developed PCM cells that can switch on in 19 nanoseconds. The concept of PCM has been around since the 1960s, but has presented persistent challenges for physicists. The first attempts used crystals that required extremely high temperatures in order to melt. By the time new crystal materials that shifted forms at lower temps were developed, gadget memory had already given way to the transistor (yes, flash). Samsung's PCM memory, for now, is only 512MB. But, Gregory Atwood, a senior fellow at Numonyx Memory Solutions in Switzerland, speculates in Nature that, as the demand for smaller and smaller memory eclipses what flash can handle, more time and attention will be paid to PCM and its potential to succeed flash as the mobile go-to. Hybrid Anything October 5, 2009 at 2:08 pm A former IBM engineer says his latest invention can turn regular cars into plug-in hybrids for between $3,000 and $5,000. He could be on to something. It fits into a wheel hub and can double a car's fuel economy. That's the claim of Dr. Charles Perry, who says his plug-in hybrid retrofit kit can save America 120 million gallons of fuel per day. Big talk. But then, inventors betting on revolutionary uphevals need to talk as big as they think. The former IBM electrical engineer designed the kit to transform existing automobiles into hybrids by placing an electric motor inside each wheel. Perry recently took first prize for his invention at a green energy competition at the Tennessee Technology Development Corp. The plan is to develop the kit into a product selling for between $3,000 and $5,000. As part of the prize, Perry received a $50,000 grant, which will be matched by Palmer Labs LLC of Reston, Va., whose goal is to commercialize the invention. Perry reiterates a common statistic that 80 percent of US drivers make daily trips of fewer than 30 miles at 40 miles per hour or slower. Such performance, he says, can be achieved by way of his 10-15 horsepower electric motors, which would be powered by extra batteries installed in a car's trunk. Perry will work with the Tennessee Technological University on a prototype, then plans to fit 30 state-owned vehicles with the kit for testing. The final stage would see the kits manufactured by Palmer Labs within three years. Ant-Sized Microbots Travel in Swarms October 5, 2009 at 2:07 pm While Hollywood focuses on robots several times taller than humans, some researchers are building tiny robots that could fit on your fingernail. These microbots would work in swarms to collect data for a variety of applications, such as surveillance, micromanufacturing, and medicine. The researchers, from institutes in Sweden, Spain, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, use a novel approach to allow robots to be built cheaply and in large quantities. Working on a limited budget, they built an entire robot on a single circuit board. Single-chip designs have previously been hard to design and manufacture. However, instead of soldering the components together using conventional methods, the researchers used conductive adhesive to attach different modules to a flexible printed circuit board using surface mount technology. They then folded the circuit board to create the robot. Different modules allow the robot to communicate, move, store energy, and collect data. The tiny robots, less than 4mm in any direction, contain a solar cell on top for power, and vibrating legs, three of which they use to move and one that acts as a touch sensor. A single robot wouldn't be able to do much by itself. However, the project is based on the concept of I-SWARM (intelligent small-world autonomous robots for micro-manipulation), inspired by the behavior of insects. According to this concept, a large number of these robots, interacting with their environment and able to communicate with each other using infra-red sensors, could mimic the swarm intelligence of insects like ants. The researchers hope to improve the fabrication techniques, particularly the efficiency of adhesion, and to automate the process of folding the circuit board. With further funding, they aim to mass-produce these tiny robots. Unlike some previous attempts, the researchers hope that their methods will allow them to manufacture enough microbots to truly mimic insect behavior and swarm intelligence. October 5, 2009 at 2:06 pm It is based on Interactive-Wear's 'Know-where concept Jacket' with their integrated MP3 player and a Bluetooth mobile phone interface. Thats basically the 'standard' configuration for a decent Wearable Electronic Jacket (and yes, we still don't like the integrated MP3 player). The additional bonus for the io-Jacket is the use of the GPSoverIP function from a German company with the same name. This technology is used to track the movement of trucks of transportation and delivery companies. The GPSoverIP has also the possibility to 'see' inside buildings where normal GPS does not work. Pretty nice feature. With the service from Vodafone, the Jacket (wearer) can upload in realtime the data (position) and anyone knowing the website can follow in realtime the movement. 5 Future Technology Myths October 5, 2009 at 2:01 pm What will the world look like 10 years from now? Forty years from now? Will the continuation of Moore's Law eventually allow us to have a society run by automated robots? Will we have conquered global warming and celebrate as a people as we approach the much-vaunted prospect of the singularity? Some futurists, the people who deal in this kind of speculation, have made predictions of this nature, but there are also those who say these forecasts are inaccurate. In this article, we'll take a look at some popular ideas about the future of technology that are likely myths. Predicting future trends or developments, especially in a dynamic field like technology, is inherently inexact, but it is possible to make some informed guesses. Of course, it's also possible to argue the opposite point of view regarding the reality of some of these technologies, but in these cases, there's enough evidence out there, particularly from experts, to diagnose them as myths. Let's start with one of the great fabled machines of the post-industrial age: the flying car. Soon We'll All Be Driving Flying Cars The flying car has been prophesied for decades. It's one of the holy grails of the futuristic, utopian society, where everyone gets to zip around through the air and land easily, quietly and safely wherever he or she wants. You've probably seen videos of flying-car prototypes, taking off from the ground, hovering and possibly crashing. But the first "autoplane" was actually unveiled in 1917, and many similar efforts have followed. Henry Ford predicted the flying car was coming -- in 1940 -- and there have been numerous false alarms ever since. A decade into the 21st century, we don't seem to be any closer, despite what you might read on gadget blogs. Because funding dried up, NASA abandoned its contest for inventors to create a "Personal Air Vehicle," and there doesn't seem to be another government agency, except perhaps the secretive DARPA, ready to take on the project. There are simply too many challenges in the way of a flying car becoming widely adopted. Cost, flight paths and regulations, safety, potential use in terrorism, fuel efficiency, training pilots/drivers, landing, noise, opposition from the automobile and transportation industries -- all stand in the way of a legitimate flying car. Also, these vehicles will likely have to be able to operate as cars on regular roads, posing another logistical challenge. In fact, many of the so-called flying cars that are being hawked as the real thing are simply roadable aircrafts -- a sort of plane/car hybrid that is not capable of, say, making a short trip to school to drop off the kids. Plus, they're far too expensive. One such vehicle, the Terrafugia Transition, set for a release in 2011 or later, is expected to cost $200,000. The Technological Singularity Approaches In recent years, prominent futurists like Ray Kurzweil have argued that we are approaching the singularity, perhaps as soon as 2030. There are many different conceptions of just what exactly the singularity is or will be. Some say it's a true artificial intelligence that can rival humans in independent thinking and creativity. In other words, machines will surpass humans in intelligence and as the planet's dominant species, capable of creating their own new, smarter machines. Others contend that it will involve such an explosion in computing power that somehow humans and machines will merge to create something new, such as by uploading our minds onto a shared neural network. Critics of the singularity, such as writer and academic Douglas Hofstadter, claim that these are "science-fiction scenarios" that are essentially speculative. Hofstadter calls them vague and useless in contemporary discussions of what makes a human being and our relationships with technology [source: Ross]. There is also little evidence that the sort of "tidal wave" of technological innovation predicted by Kurzweil and other futurists is imminent. Mitch Kapor, the former CEO of Lotus, called the singularity "intelligent design for the IQ 140 people". One magazine called it "the Rapture of the geeks" -- hardly a complimentary term. Computer scientist Jeff Hawkins contends that while we may create highly intelligent machines -- far greater than anything we have now -- true intelligence relies on "experience and training," rather than just advanced programming and advanced processing power. Moore's Law Will Always Hold True Moore's Law is generally taken to mean that the number of transistors on a chip -- and by extension, processing power -- doubles every two years. In reality, Gordon Moore, the computer scientist who originated Moore's Law in 1965, was talking about the economic costs of chip production and not the scientific achievements behind advances in chip design. Moore believed that the costs of chip production would halve annually for the next 10 years but may not be sustainable afterwards [source: Hickins]. The limit to Moore's Law may then be reached economically instead of scientifically. Several prominent computer experts have contended that Moore's Law cannot last more than two decades. Why is Moore's Law doomed? Because chips have become much more expensive to produce as transistors have become smaller. One analyst has predicted that by 2014, transistors will be 20 nanometers in size but that any further reductions in chip size will be too expensive for mass production. For comparison, as of summer 2009, only Samsung and Intel have invested in making 22-nanometer chips. The factories that produce these chips cost billions of dollars. Globalfoundries' Fab 2 factory, set to begin production in New York in 2012, will cost $4.2 billion to build. Few companies have those kinds of resources, and Intel has said that a company must have $9 billion in yearly revenue to compete in the cutting-edge chip market. That same aforementioned analyst believes that companies will attempt to make the most out of current technologies before investing in new, more expensive, smaller chip designs. So while the end of Moore's Law may limit the rate at which we add transistors to chips, that does not necessarily mean that other innovations will prevent the creation of faster, more advanced computers. Doubters point to the numerous sci-fi fantasies and predictions of the past that still have not come true as evidence that the singularity is just another pie-in-the-sky dream -- for example, we don't have moon bases or artificial gravity yet. They also argue that understanding the nature of consciousness is impossible, much less creating this capability within machines. Finally, the impending coming of the singularity depends in large part on the continuation of Moore's Law, which, as we discuss on the next page, may be in jeopardy. (It should also be noted that Gordon Moore himself is not a believer in the singularity.) Robots Will Be Our Friends While we're probably not headed for a Skynet-like Armageddon, an increasing number of scientists worry whether adequate measures are being taken to safeguard ourselves from our robotic and digital creations. One of the main concerns is automation. Will military drones eventually be allowed to make their own decisions on whether or not to attack a target? If a human is monitoring, will he or she still be able to override the drone's wishes? Will we allow machines to replicate themselves without human direction? Are we going to allow self-driving cars? (Some cars already offer the ability to park themselves or to prevent a driver from drifting into another lane.) Then there is the issue of robots occupying roles they probably should not. Already, there are prototype medical robots designed to ask patients about their symptoms and to provide counsel, simulating comforting emotions -- a role traditionally occupied by a human doctor. Microsoft has a video-based receptionist A.I. in one of its buildings. A new class of "service robots" can plug themselves into electrical outlets and perform other menial tasks -- not to mention the long-established Roomba, an automated, vacuum like robot. We may also be placing too many critical tasks and responsibilities into the "hands" of non-human actors, or will gradually find ourselves in a position of dependence on machines. At a 2009 conference of computer scientists, roboticists and other researchers, the experts in attendance expressed concern about how criminals could take advantage of next-generation technology, like artificial intelligence, to hack information or impersonate real people. The bottom line of this conference and other discussions seems to be that it's important to start tackling these issues early, to outline industry standards now, even if it's not clear what kind of technological advancements the future will bring. We Can Stop Climate Change Is global warming inevitable? The consensus among many scientists is that it is, at least to some extent, and that we can only hope to stop major disasters and deal with the consequences. Some of the world's most respected climatologists say that humanity has already passed the proverbial point of no return. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of more than 2,000 scientists, met in 2007 and issued a stark warning, after having first announced that in 2001 global temperatures were already rising. Even now, we are seeing the effects of climate change, such as in glacier melt and rising sea levels making South Asian cyclones more severe. The effects are expected to be particularly severe for hundreds of millions of people in the developing world. The atoll of Tuvalu now deals with high tides that threaten to submerge the entire nation. If we produced no more greenhouse gases after today, the world would still see a 1 degree Fahrenheit increase in temperature by mid-century because existing carbon dioxide would stay in the atmosphere for a half-century or more. (Some countries are trying to do something about this, such as Norway, which is pumping CO2 into disused underground oil wells.) And a potentially catastrophic increase of 3 to 6 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century is possible. The major remaining question, for some, is whether the amount of warming can be kept in check in order to prevent these disastrous scenarios. Encouraging grassroots environmental action is important, but intergovernmental cooperation is paramount, and that's been slow in coming, particularly with the United States, China and India. We also, experts say, need to begin to plan how to respond to warming-related disasters, such as by aiding coastal areas, establishing quick-response units for wildfires and preparing for deadly heat waves. Could blood be used to power batteries ? October 5, 2009 at 1:59 pm Batteries­ are pr­actically essential devices but present a whole ho­st of problems. Over time they can have trouble retaining a charge. Some stop working altogether. Others overheat or leak or even explode. They're also rigid and sometimes bulky. Then how about, instead of your standard AA or lithium-ion, a flexible, incredibly thin battery that could be powered by blood or sweat? Seems like an improvement, right? A group of scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute claims they've created just such a battery, one that uses the electrolytes naturally found in bodily fluids. The results of the research, detailed in the Aug. 13, 2007, issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are generating some excitement as part of a new crop of "bio-batteries" that run off of bodily fluids or other organic compounds. (The RPI team claims that theirs could even run on tears or urine.) The battery is not only as thin as paper; it essentially is paper. At least 90 percent of the battery is made from cellulose, which makes up traditional paper and other paper products [source: RPI]. Aligned carbon nanotubes make up the other 10 percent, give the paper its conductive abilities and also make it black. The nanotubes are imprinted in the very fabric of the paper, creating what's called a nanocomposite paper. One of the paper's authors said that the battery "looks, feels and weighs the same as paper". Using nanotechnology, the battery's small size, flexibility and replenishing electrolyte source -- that is, as long as you eat -- make it ideal for medical applications. When using the battery away from the human body, scientists soaked the paper in an ionic fluid (a salt in liquid form), which provides the electrolytes. The battery's paper-like construction grants it significant flexibility. The RPI research team believes that the battery could, in the future, be printed in long sheets, which could then be cut into small, custom-shaped batteries. The nanocomposite paper can have holes poked in it or be cut into unusual shapes and continue to function. Several sheets could be lumped together to power medical implants, such as pacemakers, artificial hearts or advanced prosthetics. The battery would easily fit under the skin without causing any discomfort. Because the ionic liquid used doesn't freeze or evaporate like water, the battery could be employed at a wide range of temperatures: from -100 degrees Fahrenheit up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Its temperature resistance and light weight mean that manufacturers of automobiles and airplanes -- both of which require light, durable materials -- may come calling. The researchers behind the battery claim that their device is unique because it can act "as both a high-energy battery and a high-power supercapacitor" [source: RPI]. ­Supercapacitors allow for large, quick bursts of energy, potentially extending the technology's already wide range of applications. The battery, which is considered environmentally friendly because of its lack of chemicals and high cellulose content, was announced in the summer of 2007, but it may be years before it's ready to stream off production lines in long sheets. The RPI research team says that, in the meantime, they're trying to boost the battery's efficiency and to figure out the best method for production. Other Types of Bio-Batteries It's not just researchers at the Rensselaer Polytechnique Institute who are working on bio-batteries. Many other corporations, universities and research foundations are competing to produce viable batteries that can be powered off of organic compounds, especially human fluids. Researchers consider sugar and human blood glucose potentially valuable sources of power because they occur naturally, are easily accessible and don't produce harmful emissions. In 2003, Japanese researchers at Panasonic's Nanotechnology Research Laboratory announced that they were working on extracting power from blood glucose. At the time, they were using enzymes -- a frequent component of bio-batteries due to their catalytic properties -- to retrieve electrons from glucose. Two years later, a different Japanese research team, this one from Tohoku University, announced that they had succeeded in creating a small "biological fuel cell." Their cell could be used to power small medical devices, such as an implant to measure blood sugar levels in diabetics. Future versions of such technology could, like RPI's nanocomposite paper, be used to power an artificial heart with the blood that flows through and around it. In August 2005, scientists in Singapore developed a battery that uses human urine as its fuel. Despite its potentially off-putting power source, the battery has a wide variety of applications. The researchers said that their device was the size of a credit card and could form the basis of inexpensive, disposable disease-testing kits. (Urine is already used to detect drugs and some diseases.) What makes the device particularly useful is that it integrated the battery and testing device into one disposable chip. Imagine a one-time use home-testing kit for diseases like cancer or hepatitis. One of the researchers involved in the project said that the battery could also be adapted to provide a brief charge to other electronic devices. A lost hiker might use one to power a cell phone for a short emergency call. Electronics giant Sony announced in August 2007 that it had also created a battery that derives energy from sugar. One demonstration showed the small battery extracting energy from a glucose solution. In another demonstration, the battery sipped on a sports drink for power. If urine-powered or sports drink-sipping batteries were not strange enough, a South Korean research team may have produced one of the strangest of all bio-devices in September 2007. These scientists produced "crab-like microrobots" made out of genuine living tissue. They made the tiny robots by extracting tissue from neonatal rat hearts and growing it on miniscule 'E'-shaped skeletons. These heart cells then "pulsated" for more than 10 days, allowing the robots to move up to 50 meters [source: Primidi.com]. With the right refinements, these microrobots could be used to clear away blockages in arteries. While many exciting announcements have been made in the field of bio-batteries, it may be some time before we see them replacing nickel-cadmium, lithium-ion or the several other types of traditional batteries. Even so, the small, flexible, long-lasting and environmentally friendly battery technologies discussed here show the great possibilities researchers see in bio-batteries, especially for the field of medicine. With that in mind, scientists seem to be exploring every possible option in bio-battery and fuel-cell technology: One research team even devised a fuel cell that ran off of gin and vodka. Anatomy of a Cordless Telephone October 5, 2009 at 1:57 pm To illustrate the parts of a cordless telephone, we will show you the inside of this one from General Electric (GE). It was made in 1993 and operated in the 43-50 MHz range. As mentioned above, all cordless phones have a base and a handset. Let's look at these parts individually. Base The base unit of the cordless phone is plugged into the telephone jack on your wall. If you open up the base and expose the circuit board, you see several components that carry out the functions of the base: * phone line interface - receives and sends telephone signals through the phone line. * radio o amplifies signals to and from phone-line interface, user controls and speaker phone (if present). o broadcasts and receives radio signals to and from the handset. * power - supplies low voltage power to the circuits and recharges the battery of the handset. Phone Line Interface Phone line interface components do two things. First, they send the ringer signal to the bell (if it's on the base) or to the radio components for broadcast to the handset. This lets you know that you have an incoming call. Second, they receive and send small changes in the phone line's electrical current to and from the radio components of the base. When you talk, you cause small changes in the electrical current of the phone line, and these changes get sent to your caller. The same happens when the caller talks to you. Radio Components The radio components receive the electrical signals from the phone line interface and user controls (keypads, buttons). The radio components convert the signals to radio waves and broadcast them via the antenna. Radio components use quartz crystals to set the radio frequencies for sending and receiving. There are two quartz crystals, one for sending signals and one for receiving signals. Remember that the base and handset operate on a frequency pair that allows you to talk and listen at the same time (duplex). The radio components include an audio amplifier that increases the strength of the incoming electrical signals. Power Components A DC power cube transformer supplies the low voltage required by the electrical components on the circuit board. The power components on the circuit board work with the power cube to supply electrical current to re-charge the battery of the handset. In addition to the above components, some bases also have audio amplifiers to drive speakers for speaker phone features, keypads for dialing, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) for caller ID, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for power/charging indicators, and solid state memory for answering machine or call-back features. Handset You can carry the handset with you throughout the house or outside within the range of the base transmitter. The handset has all of the equipment of a standard telephone (speaker, microphone, dialing keypad), plus the equipment of an FM radio transmitter/receiver. When you open up the handset, you see these components: * speaker - converts electrical signals into the sound that you hear. * microphone - picks up your voice and changes it to electrical signals. * keypad - input for dialing * buzzer or ringer - lets you know that you have an incoming call. * radio components o amplify electrical signals to and from microphone and speakers. o send and receive FM radio frequencies * LCD or LED displays - indicator lights. * re-chargeable battery - supplies electrical power to handset. Speaker The speaker receives the electrical signals from the audio amplifier in the radio components and converts them into sound. When you remove the cover from the speaker, you see a large round permanent magnet with a hole in the middle and a deep groove surrounding the hole. Within this deep groove is a coil of fine copper wire that is attached to a thin plastic membrane. The plastic membrane covers the magnet and coil. To hear sounds, the following events happen: 1. Electrical signals come from the radio components. 2. The electrical signals travel in the coil of copper wire. 3. The electrical signals induce magnetic currents in the coil of wire, thereby making it an electromagnet. 4. The electromagnetic coil moves in and out of the groove within the permanent magnet. 5. The coil moves the attached plastic membrane in and out at the same frequencies as the changes in electric currents. 6. The movements of the membrane move air at the same frequencies, thereby creating sound waves that you can hear. Microphone The microphone changes the sound waves from your voice into electrical signals that are sent to the audio amplifier of the radio components. A microphone is essentially a speaker that works in reverse. When sound waves from your voice move the membrane, they make tiny electric currents either by moving a coil of wire within a magnet or by compressing the membrane against carbon dust. Keypad The keypad allows you to dial a number. It transfers the pressure from your fingertip on the appropriate key into an electrical signal that it sends to the radio components. Below the rubber keypad is a circuit board with black conductive material under each button (shown above). The keypad works like a remote control. When you press a button, it makes a contact with the black material and changes its electrical conductance. The conductance sends an electrical signal to the radio components indicating that you have selected that number. Buzzer or Ringer When the radio components of the handset receive the ringer signal from the base, they send electrical signals to the buzzer. The buzzer changes those electrical signals into sound much like the speaker does. You hear the buzzer sound and know that someone is calling you. In some phones, the speaker is used to make the ringer sound and there is no need for a separate ringer. Radio Components The radio components of the handset are like those of the base -- they convert electrical signals from the microphone into FM radio signals and broadcast them at the same frequency as the receiving crystal of the base unit. The radio components also receive radio signals at the same frequency as the broadcasting crystal from the base, convert them to electrical signals and send them to the speaker and/or buzzer (ringer). Remember that the base and handset operate on a duplex frequency pair that allows you to talk and listen at the same time. Duplex Example Base: * 44.32 MHz transmitter * 49.28 MHz receiver Handset: * 49.28 MHz transmitter * 44.32 MHz receiver LCD or LED Displays Most handsets have one or more light-emitting diodes (LED) that indicate various things, such as when the phone has an open line or when the battery is low. Some handsets have an LCD that can display numbers for caller ID features, similar to a cell phone. The LCD may be reflective or backlit so that you can see it when the room l ight is low. Battery The handset's battery supplies the power for all of the electrical components in the handset. All cordless phone handsets have a rechargeable battery (nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride or lithium). When the battery runs low, an indicator light on the handset usually lights up or flashes. In some phones, a "beeping" sound may also indicate a low battery. You then recharge the battery on the base of the cordless phone. The GE cordless phone that we dissected was from 1993. Modern cordless phones have the same functions and much of the same hardware. However, many of the electronic circuits that were once achieved with transistors, resistors and capacitors have been replaced with integrated circuits. This advancement allows the handset to be either smaller with the same functions or the same size with more functions. In summary, a cordless phone is basically a combination of a telephone and an FM radio transmitter/receiver. Because it is a radio transmitter, it broadcasts signals over the open airways rather than specifically between the base and handset. Because of this open broadcast, It is possible for other people to listen to your phone conversation by using a radio scanner. So an important issue and feature to look for in a cordless phone is security -- DSS offers the best protection against eavesdropping. Cordless Telephones October 5, 2009 at 1:54 pm Cordless telephones are one of those minor miracles of modern life -- with a cordless phone, you can talk on the phone while moving freely about your house or in your yard. Long before cell phones became so cheap that anyone could afford one, cordless phones gave everyone the freedom to walk and talk within the privacy of their own homes. Cordless phones have many of the same features as standard telephones, and there are many models available. In this article, we will examine how these cordless telephones work and see why there are so many different types on the market today. The Basics A cordless telephone is basically a combination telephone and radio transmitter/receiver (see How Telephones Work and How Radio Works for details on these two technologies). A cordless phone has two major parts: base and handset. * The base is attached to the phone jack through a standard phone wire connection, and as far as the phone system is concerned it looks just like a normal phone. The base receives the incoming call (as an electrical signal) through the phone line, converts it to an FM radio signal and then broadcasts that signal. * The handset receives the radio signal from the base, converts it to an electrical signal and sends that signal to the speaker, where it is converted into the sound you hear. When you talk, the handset broadcasts your voice through a second FM radio signal back to the base. The base receives your voice signal, converts it to an electrical signal and sends that signal through the phone line to the other party. The base and handset operate on a frequency pair that allows you to talk and listen at the same time, called duplex frequency. A Brief History Cordless phones first appeared around 1980. The earliest cordless phones operated at a frequency of 27 MHz. They had the following problems: * limited range * poor sound quality - noisy and ridden with static because walls and appliances interfered with the signals * poor security - people could easily intercept signals from another cordless phone because of the limited number of channels In 1986, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted the frequency range of 47-49 MHz for cordless phones, which improved their interference problem and reduced the power needed to run them. However, the phones still had a limited range and poor sound quality. Because the 43-50 MHz cordless phone frequency was becoming increasingly crowded, the FCC granted the frequency range of 900 MHz in 1990. This higher frequency allowed cordless phones to be clearer, broadcast a longer distance and choose from more channels. However, cordless phones were still quite expensive, about $400. In 1994, digital cordless phones in the 900 MHz frequency range were introduced. Digital signals allowed the phones to be more secure and decreased eavesdropping -- it was pretty easy to eavesdrop on analog cordless phone conversations. In 1995, digital spread spectrum (DSS) was introduced for cordless phones. This technology enabled the digital information to spread in pieces over several frequencies between the receiver and the base, thereby making it almost impossible to eavesdrop on the cordless conversations. In 1998, the FCC opened up the 2.4 GHz range for cordless phone use. This frequency has increased the distance over which a cordless phone can operate, and brought it out of the frequency range of most radio scanners, thereby further increasing security. In the next article we`ll see the anatomy of the cordless telephone. Video cables and Audio/Video cables October 5, 2009 at 1:52 pm Video Cables The most common type of video cable is called composite video. A composite video cable consists of one yellow RCA connector that's usually bundled with red and white RCA analog audio cables. It's called composite video because all of the video information -- color, brightness and sync -- is composited, or squeezed, onto one cable. Composite video cables were designed for older TVs and have a maximum resolution of 330 lines. They're fine for watching VHS tapes on the old TV in the basement, but if you have a newer television, or an HDTV, composite video cables simply won't cut it. S-video cables are a step up from composite video with a maximum resolution of 400 lines. You will recognize an S-video cable by its circular, nine-pin connector. S-video separates color information from picture information, resulting in a crisper image. Although S-video jacks are found on a lot of TVs, DVD players and home theater receivers, the cable's initial popularity was quickly eclipsed by component video. Component video cables consist of three RCA connectors colored red, green and blue. With component video, not only is color separated from picture, but the color portion is split into two separate signals. The result is a super-sharp image with deep color saturation. Component video cables are ideal for connecting high-definition video components like Blu-ray players and HDTVs. Most home theater receivers come with several sets of component video jacks. DVI (digital video interface) cables were designed specifically for use with HDTVs and other high-definition video components. They have large, 18-pin connectors that look like computer cables. DVI cables offer the exact same image quality as component video cables, except that DVI comes with a built-in copy protection protocol called HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection). Critics of DVI claim the built-in copy protection mechanism causes compatibility problems with certain devices. Lastly, we'll look at three kinds of cable that carry both audio and video signals. Audio/Video Cables There are a handful of cables that transmit both audio and video signals. For years, coaxial video cables were one of the only choices for connecting video components. Coaxial video cables have that famous one-pin connector, sometimes called a stinger, that can either be pushed or screwed into place. Coaxial video cables are now mostly confined to outside connections, such as satellite TV or cable TV lines that come through the wall. A single coaxial cable carries both video and audio signals. HDMI cables are an updated version of DVI. HDMI cables were also designed for use with HD components, but their connector is much slimmer, like a large USB cable. HDMI also includes HDCP copy protection. Manufacturers of HDMI cables tend to advertise their product as the only choice for connecting HD video components, but that's not true. DVI cables work equally well. However, if you're using an analog TV, all three work equally well. In Europe and the UK, the most popular dual-purpose cable is called SCART (Syndicat des Constructeurs d'Appareils Radiorécepteurs et Téléviseurs). SCART cables have fat, 21-pin connectors. In Europe, SCART cables do the work of RCA analog audio cables as well as composite, s-video and component video cables, but they can't carry high-bandwidth digital video or audio signals, such as those necessary for high-definition TVs. HDMI is the preferred cable in Europe for HD components. FireWire, or IEEE 1394, cables are mostly associated with connecting devices to computers, but a few high-end home theater receivers and HDTVs now come with FireWire ports. FireWire is capable of carrying compressed MPEG-2 video and digital audio. You might use a FireWire cable to connect a digital video camera directly to your home theater system to show off some unedited footage. To sum up, here are the cables that you would use for some common home entertainment systems. Home stereo system (CD changer, stereo receiver, speakers): * Lower-end: If you're playing regular CDs or MP3s, you'll only need RCA analog audio cables and speaker wire. * Higher-end: If you want crisper digital audio, go for optical or digital coaxial cables and thicker speaker wire. * Highest-end: If you want the unparalleled sound of DVD-audio in full surround sound, you'll need special DVD-audio cables and 12-gauge speaker wire. Home theater system (Blu-ray player, DVD player or VCR, video game console, home theater receiver, TV, speakers): * Lower-end: If you have an older standard-definition TV and mostly use your system to watch regular DVDs or VHS tapes, then you'll do fine with a composite video cable bundled with RCA analog audio cables. * Higher-end: For a newer standard-definition TV, you should really upgrade to component video cables. RCA cables will still do fine for audio. * Highest-end: Once you enter the world of high definition, you'll need to use either component video cables or one of the two copy-protected options: DVI or HDMI. You'll also want to invest in thick-gauge speaker cable to make the most of your surround-sound system. How do I know which cables to use October 5, 2009 at 1:51 pm The cable selection at the electronics store could be renamed the "wall of confusion." Not only are there dozens of different kinds of audio/video cable -- some for stereos, some for home theaters, some for HDTVs and some for … who the heck knows? Even if you're lucky enough to find the cable you need, you still have to decide between super expensive and suspiciously cheap. And then there's the salesman. "Have you heard of silver-plated connectors?" What? "If you're buying speaker wire, then you should also buy these stands that keep the wire from touching the floor." Why? "The more expensive the cable, the better the sound." Really? In this article, we're going to give it to you straight. We'll explain, in simple terms, what each type of audio/video cable does and where it should be used. Along the way, we'll debunk some cable myths, starting with the idea that the most expensive cable is the best. Audio Cables Let's start with audio-only cables. The most common audio cables are called analog RCA cables. These are the cables with red and white, or sometimes red and black connectors. RCA cables are widely used to connect devices like VCRs and DVD players to TV sets or CD players to stereo receivers. RCA audio cables come in pairs with two connectors on each end, a red one for right stereo and a white (or black) connector for left stereo. They are often bundled with video cables. Experts recommend gold-plated RCA connectors for extra protection against corrosion, especially if you live in a humid environment. The other most common type of audio cable is speaker wire. Speaker wire runs from a stereo receiver to all speakers except the subwoofer (that requires a coaxial cable). Each speaker needs its own dedicated wire. Speakers not only receive audio signals via speaker wire, but also power. Speaker wire is made from 99 percent oxygen-free copper and usually comes "unshielded," which means you can see the copper conductor. Speaker wire comes in different thicknesses or gauges rated from 12 to 18 (thickest to thinnest). As a general rule, the longer your speaker wire, the thicker the gauge you should use. For speaker wire lengths up to 20 feet (6.1 meters) long, 14-gauge is sufficient, but anything longer than 60 feet (18.3 meters) requires 12-gauge wire. Speaker wire is fairly simple, so you can get away with buying inexpensive, bulk wire. And don't let anyone tell you that all of the speaker wires in your system need to be the same length. That's a myth. Most audio recordings are digital nowadays, and there are several newer cables that specialize in carrying high-bandwidth digital audio signals. Optical digital cable (also known as fiber-optic and Toslink) transmits audio signals as pulses of light and is impervious to interference [source: ecoustics.com]. Another digital audio cable is called digital coaxial. It looks the old coaxial cables that connect satellite dishes or cable TV signals to televisions, except this is specially designed to carry digital audio. You'll find optical and digital coaxial jacks on newer DVD players, CD players and stereo receivers. The last type of audio-only cable is called analog multi-channel cable. This cable is designed for use with special players such as DVD-audio that play discs recorded at high sample rates for the maximum sound quality. Analog multi-channel cable consists of six to eight bundled RCA connectors, each responsible for a different audio channel on the back of a stereo receiver. In the next post we'll talk about video-only cables, and Audio/Video vables, a slightly more complicated topic. 10 Hot Home Theater Systems October 5, 2009 at 1:50 pm When anyone talks about the decline of film, you can be sure home theater will come up as a potential movie-killer. It's not just the increasing price of movie tickets or the wallet-squeezing operation theaters have set up at the concession stand. Staying indoors in the comfort of your own living room might sound more appealing than getting in the car , driving to a theater chain and dealing with loud moviegoers who leave a mess and talk on cell phones during the show. If you've ever thought about setting up your own personal movie theater, the amount of options can be mind-boggling. Whether you're looking for good sound for an equally good deal or even if you have millions to spare, buying a new home theater system is a big decision, and with so many options available, how do you decide which one is right for you? We've rounded up 10 hot home theater systems, making it­ ­easy to find something for every budget. 10: Onkyo HT-S9100THX If you've ever settled into a movie and been met with a loud, whirring noise accompanied by a huge rumbling, you may have thought the robots were finally taking over and stampeding the theater. Fortunately, if you check the movie screen and see three large letters, "THX," you can rest easy -- the short intro before the film is letting you know that the images and sounds you're about to experience have been given a special seal of approval. If you're familiar with the THX logo and its association with audio and video performance, then you should give the Onkyo HT-S9100THX a listen. So does Onkyo have anything to do with THX, or is the home theater company just using the letters to get some attention? As it turns out, the Onkyo HT-S9100THX package is the world's second home-theater-in-a-box -- or "integrated home-theater system," as the two companies like to call it -- that is THX-certified. (The first was an earlier version by Onkyo, the HT-S900THX.) The S9100THX includes a DVD player that can upgrade video to 1080p, a 7.1 channel surround sound system and is priced between $799 and $999. 9: Sony DAV-HDX500/i BRAVIA The Sony DAV-HDX500/i BRAVIA offers many of the typical perks of a home theater system -- a five-disc DVD player, five surround sound speakers and a subwoofer, all ready for the movie lover. The DAV-HDX500/i BRAVIA goes a few extra steps for the music lover, too. The system comes with an iPod dock so digital music fans can play their music over the speakers, and with an XM Radio subscription and the XM Mini-Tuner package, the DAV-HDX500/i BRAVIA is ready for satellite radio listening. The system also has either 720p or 1080i output via an HDMI digital interface, allowing viewers to upgrade their DVDs' video quality. Sony's DAV-HDX500/i BRAVIA is one of the more affordable home theater systems, selling for about $420. 8: Panasonic SC-PT760 Fo­r anyone with a budget range between $267 and $415, the Panasonic SC-PT760 is a possible candidate for consideration. It offers your typical home-theater-in-a-box specifications -- a five-disc DVD player, 5.1 channel wireless surround sound speakers, HDMI input that upgrades video to 1080p and an iPod dock for iPod integration. The SC-PT760, Panasonic's mid-range system in a group of three, is more popular than its two cousins, the less expensive SC-PT660 ($300) and the more expensive SC-PT960 ($500). The lower-end system scraps the wireless speakers and front speaker stands, making it less convenient than the SC-PT760; the higher-end system, on the other hand, adds tallboy speakers to the mix, an extra that many consumers may find unnecessary and not worth the extra money. 7: Sony HT-CT100 Some home theater systems come with a plethora of accessories. More often than not, the more gadgets included in the package, the more confusing and frustrating it can be to set up everything. However, other systems, however, can be pleasantly simple. One popular subsection of the home theater system market is single-speaker audio. If you think that's all there is to it, you're just about right -- single-speaker audio packages typically come with one speaker, often in the shape of a long, rectangular rod, that delivers "faux" surround sound. ­Priced at around $300, the Sony HT-CT100 is one of the leaders in single-speaker audio, offering a small, minimalist setup that includes a subwoofer and a thin soundbar speaker. Manufacturers have perfected these simpler sound systems over the years . 6: Panasonic SC-BT100 Now that the high-definition DVD wars are over and Blu-ray is the sole provider of HD home video, you can expect a lot of systems, including laptop computers and video game consoles, to begin using the format. Home theater system producers have, of course, followed suit, and several in-the-box packages are showing up on the shelves. One Blu-ray home theater system that's caught people's attention is the Panasonic SC-BT100. The first notable thing about it, aside from the Blu-ray-capability, is its price -- depending on where you purchase it, the SC-BT100 will cost between about $600 and $800. Considering that many home theater systems only play standard DVDs and can go for more than $1,000, the SC-BT100's price could convert anyone who's still on the fence about whether or not to switch to Blu-ray. The SC-BT100 includes an AV receiver and a set of five speakers; it's 7.1-channel-ready, meaning you'll have to buy an additional set of speakers and wireless receiver to get the full effect. 5: Denon DHT-FS3 For sleek simplicity that can hide in your living room but still provide sound worthy of a home theater system, the Denon DHT-FS3 stands out. The package includes one speaker and one standalone subwoofer, both of which are very compact -- the speaker measures at 3.75 inches (9.5 centimeters) high by 33.5 inches (85 centimeters) wide by 4.8 inches (12 centimeters) deep and only weighs about 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms), while the subwoofer is 4.25 inches (10.8 centimeters) high by 14.9 inches (37.9 centimeters) wide by 14.25 inches (36.2 centimeters) deep and weighs about 12 pounds (5.4 kilograms). The DHT-FS3 has a shiny piano-black finish, and in a way it does look like a miniature version of a piano section. The Denon DHT-FS3's list price is as high as $1,200, making it one of the more expensive home theater systems, but an online search can lead to prices as low as $700. 4: Sony DAV-IS10 Not everyone's living room allows for home theater systems to fit perfectly. Many packages come with speakers or subwoofers that are simply too big, and even if you can mount accessories on walls, they might look garish and out-of-place, ruining any sense of comfort in your entertainment space. Many manufacturers are trying to shrink home theater systems, making speakers small while keeping the sound big. The Sony DAV-IS10, for instance, offers speakers as small as golf balls, so they can go in nearly any space in your room. The package is also high definition, offering DVD upscaling to 720p and 1080i and an HDMI cable. The system will play DVDs, CDs, MP3s from iPods and FM/AM radio, and retailed for around $400. 3: Pioneer HTS-GS1 Video gamers can be pretty picky about their setups -- sometimes a specific type of controller will be the only thing that feels right, or a high-definition television will offer the best visuals and display a game's graphics the way they should be seen. For Xbox 360 owners looking for a little more pizzazz for their gaming experience, the ultimate may be the Pioneer HTS-GS1. This home theater package is designed to match the style of the Xbox 360 console and enhance the experience with its sound system. Geared toward small-to-medium sized rooms, the HTS-GS1 offers easy-to-follow instructions for setup and configuration with the 360. On top of offering 5.1-channel surround sound for the console, the home theater system also enhances DVDs, CDs and MP3 files that can play on the Xbox. Prices for the Pioneer HTS-GS1 range from $240 to $330. 2: Bose 3-2-1 Series III The Bose 3-2-1 Series III is, as the name suggests, the company's third installment of the 3-2-1 group. This home theater system is a compact one, offering imitation surround sound with just two speakers and a subwoofer. The Series III DVD player and tuner is also small, measuring at 13.4 inches (13 centimeters) high by 10 inches (25.4 centimeters) wide by 3.3 inches (8.4 centimeters) deep. Whereas the Series II didn't include HDMI, the Series III corrects that and makes it easy to connect to an HDTV and upscale any standard DVDs to 1080p. The high price of the Series III ($950) may scare off any budget shoppers, but those with the cash and a penchant for graphite might want to look into the package. 1: Kipnis' Outer Limits Theater For the ultimate, never-gonna-get-it setup, we can look toward the living room of music producer Jeremy Kipnis. Most people, if they had $6 million to burn, would do many things. Maybe they'd buy a house or a couple of new cars. Kipnis didn't do any of these things. With $6 million, he instead built a gigantic, state-of the art home theater system, which has become known variously as "Kipnis' Outer Limits Theater," "The Kipnis Studio Standard Experience," or "The Greatest Show on Earth." This, of course, wasn't your typical, home-theater-in-a-box situation, as no home-theater-in-a-box exists for such a high price tag. Kipnis chose the separate elements and put them together, including the ultra-high resolution (4,096 by 2,160) Sony SRX-R110 Digital Cinema Projector, 8.8-channel sound with 16 18-inch (45.7-centimeter) subwoofers, a Sony Playstation 3 and top-of-the-line Blu-ray, HD-DVD, DVD, VHS and Laserdisc players. The couch in his living room, however, only sits three, so make sure you grab a seat if you're ever invited to witness The Greatest Show on Earth. The PlayStation Portable Works October 5, 2009 at 1:46 pm The Sony PlayStation 2 has become a mainstay in the living rooms of video game players around the world. With the PSP (PlayStation Portable), Sony took its first step into the portable, handheld video game arena. With devices like the Nokia N-Gage, the Nintendo Game Boy Advance and Nintendo's newest handheld, the DS, on the market, the PSP faces stiff competition. But with its widescreen display, powerful graphics and ability to do more than play games, the PSP still stands out in the crowd. In this article, we'll learn what sets the PSP apart when it comes to gaming on the go. PSP Innovations Sony practically invented the world of portable electronics when it released the Sony Walkman audio cassette player in 1979. When it came time to design a portable gaming system, Sony wasn't content to replicate what had come before: Typical handheld game systems are a few generations behind the cutting edge of home console gaming -- the Nintendo DS is about as powerful as a Nintendo 64, which came out in 1996. But the PSP has the same amount of CPU power as the full-size PlayStation 2. The first thing most people notice about the PSP is the widescreen monitor that takes up practically the entire width of the device. The screen has a 16:9 aspect ratio and features a 480x272-pixel TFT-LCD screen (thin-film transistor liquid-crystal display -- also known as an active-matrix LCD). Sony has also designed an all-new format for the medium that carries games, movies and other information for use on the PSP. Universal Media Discs (UMD) are 60-mm optical discs that hold up to 1.8 gigabytes (GB) of information. Sony reports that the UMD cartridge was designed to be manufactured quickly and for lower costs than earlier, lower-capacity portable media. Earlier game systems, both portable and console-based, have split different functions into separate processors, such as a processor for graphics and a processor for mathematical calculations. The PSP takes this concept to another level: It features a main central processing unit (CPU), a media processor, a 3-D graphics processor, a security processor to prevent piracy and a final processor to manage power and conserve battery life. In one area, the PSP does not diverge from what has come before. The portable system features the buttons that are familiar to PlayStation players, and all the controls are mounted to the ergonomically designed body of the unit. How can I unlock my front door when I'm out of town October 5, 2009 at 1:44 pm At the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show, technology companies from around the world gathered to demonstrate the newest products and concepts that they hope will become the next big thing on the market. Products ranged from high-definition televisions to deafening sound systems to the latest in computer microprocessors. But among the companies you'd expect to find at an electronics show, there were a couple that might have surprised you. Think of all the things in your life that fit into the category of high-tech. There's a good chance the lock on your front door isn't among them. At least one company hopes to change that with a new lock system that brings the simple mechanism of the door lock into the 21st century. That company is Schlage and the system is the Schlage LiNK. The Schlage LiNK system's basic components are an electronic locking system, a wireless control unit called a Bridge and some proprietary software you install on your computers or Web-enabled cell phones. You'll need a high-speed Internet connection as well. Why do you need such a high-tech setup? It's because the Schlage LiNK lets you control your home's locks remotely. The locking mechanism for the LiNK looks a lot like other electronic lock systems. It's an electronic bolt lock paired with a standard keypad with numbers ranging from 0 to 9. Owners can create multiple four-digit codes to lock and unlock the doors. There are dozens of different electronic locking mechanisms on the market already. The LiNK system relies on a wireless technology that Schlage calls Z-Wave. Z-Wave is a narrow band of low-powered radio frequencies that the LiNK system uses to relay information and commands. These commands include the ability to lock and unlock the door using a device like a laptop or cell phone. There's no need to make extra keys or hide a spare under the welcome mat -- in fact, you can unlock your door without ever calling a locksmith. Schlage's software lets you do more than just lock and unlock your doors. It also lets you set multiple codes and then keep track of when those codes are used. First, instead of giving each family member a key, you assign them a personal code. The Schlage software keeps a 90-day log of every code used to unlock the door. Parents might find this option particularly useful. Imagine you're the parent of a teenage boy. He claims he got home at the agreed-upon hour of 9 p.m. You can pull up your LiNK software program and check the records to see if he's fibbing. All you have to do is look for his code and the time stamp for when it was used that night. Or you can set your system so that it sends you a text message whenever someone uses a specific code to get into the house. The LiNK system isn't limited to networking locks. You can also purchase other Z-wave devices such as modules for lights, thermostats, window shade controls and video cameras. These modules can receive commands from the Bridge. That means that with the right equipment, you can control everything from your house's temperature to its lighting from the other side of the world. If you connect a camera to a Z-wave module, you can look at a live video feed. Mounting a camera outside your front door allows you to see who is there at any time of the day. This can come in handy if you want to let someone in but don't want to go through the trouble of giving that person a temporary code. You can have the person call you when he or she arrives at your house. Then you can use the camera to verify the person's identity before you unlock the door. You can also set the video camera to record footage -- potentially useful if someone is trying to break into your home. 10 Tips for Getting the Most From Your Digital Camera October 5, 2009 at 1:43 pm With a digital camera, you can also take as many pictures as you want without worrying about wasting film. You can look at pictures right away and decide whether to keep them or delete them. And, you can print only the images you want -- you don't have to process whole rolls of film and then figure out where to store all the pictures. But digital cameras also have a few disadvantages. A film camera can take a picture almost immediately when you press the button. Digital cameras, on the other hand, can take a few seconds, especially if they're making adjustments automatically. They also require more light than traditional cameras do. Sometimes, the abundant space on a memory card encourages people to take so many pictures that they're not sure what to do with them later. By keeping a few tips in mind, it's easy to overcome the disadvantages and get a lot out of your digital camera. 1. Control the light : It is good to remember that a digital camera is a lot like a film camera, but it uses a sensor and a memory card in place of film. When you take a picture, a digital shutter opens and exposes the sensor to light. The sensor reacts to the light, and the memory card stores the resulting picture. The light that hits the sensor determines virtually everything about the picture. Your camera may be able make some adjustments, but it has to work with the amount and type of light that it receives. You can control how the light hits the sensor with three settings: * The focus adjusts the lens in relation to the sensor, making sure that the light converges on the sensor's surface. Most digital cameras have an automatic focus feature, but a few focus manually and have interchangeable lenses. * The aperture, measured in f-stops, determines how wide the shutter opens. A wide opening lets in more light, and a narrow opening lets in less. Higher f-stops mean that the opening is smaller, and lower f-stops mean that it is larger. The aperture determines the picture's depth of field, or how much of the picture is in focus. At low f-stops, the foreground of the picture will be in focus while the background is out of focus. At high f-stops, objects in both the foreground and background are in focus. * The shutter speed determines how long the shutter is open. The longer it's open, the more light will hit the sensor. If you or your subject is moving while the shutter is open, the image will be blurred. 2. Choose the best exposure : On most cameras, you can manually adjust the aperture and shutter speed. This can reduce the amount of time between when you press the button and when the shutter opens. Most cameras also have a fully automatic mode that adjusts the settings, including the focus, for you. You can take lots of good, clear pictures with this mode. Many cameras also have several presets for capturing portraits, fast action or outdoor scenes. But automatic exposure might not be best for every situation, so understanding f-stop, shutter speed and presets can make a huge difference in how well your camera works for you. Being able to set the exposure on your own will also let you cut down the amount of time between when you press the button and when the shutter opens. In other words, you can take the picture you want before the moment passes. You can learn more about setting exposure by taking several pictures of the same scene using different settings and seeing how the finished product changes. 3. Hold the camera steady and lock the focus : Since digital cameras require more light than film cameras, the shutter is often open longer. This can cause your pictures to blur. Using a tripod or monopod can help you keep your camera still. Also, on most digital cameras, pressing the button halfway will focus the camera. You can hold the button in this position until you're ready to take the picture. This can further reduce the time between when you press the button and when the shutter opens. It can also let you keep the camera in focus while re-framing the picture. 4. Use optical -- not digital -- zoom : An optical zoom physically changes how far the lens is from the sensor. Digital zoom, on the other hand, simply forces the camera to create the picture from one portion of the sensor rather than the whole thing. You can do the work of a digital zoom yourself using image editing software, and you can often do it better than your camera can. 5. Preserve the battery : It's tempting to use the LCD screen as a viewfinder. Sometimes, it's the only good way to see what you're taking a picture of. But the LCD screen uses lots of battery power. If possible, set your camera to preview pictures on the screen after you take them but to keep it turned off the rest of the time. 6. Delete unwanted pictures right away : Unless you're quickly taking several pictures of the same scene, look at your picture as soon as you take it. You'll know right away if you need to take another. If you do, go ahead and delete the one you don't like. If you wait to review all your pictures and delete unwanted ones, your camera will probably insert new pictures into the spaces the deleted ones left. This can make it harder to sort and organize your pictures later. 7. Maximize your storage space : Most cameras come with a very small memory card. Upgrade it to something larger, and keep the old one as an emergency backup. You can fit more pictures onto your card by lowering the resolution or increasing the compression that the camera uses. Even if your camera has a high megapixel rating, you can manually set it to take slightly lower-quality pictures. You should still be able to make average-sized prints with little to no loss of quality. 8. Transfer your pictures : After taking pictures with your digital camera, the next step is to transfer them from the memory card to your computer. Depending on your camera, you either remove the card and place it in a card reader, or you plug your camera directly into your computer's USB or FireWire port. Some people wait until the memory card is nearly full, but it's a good idea to go ahead and copy your pictures soon after you take them. That way, you won't lose your pictures if something happens to your camera, and you can sort and share your pictures while they're still fresh on your mind. You should also back your pictures up onto CD-ROM or DVD-ROM regularly. Many digital cameras come with software to help you manage your pictures. Often, the program will show you thumbnails, or miniature versions of your pictures, so you can quickly navigate through your collection. You can use the program to categorize your photos by date, subject matter or type. Many programs also let you make basic image corrections, like removing red eye. Or, you can use more advanced software, like Adobe Photoshop, to completely change the look of your pictures. See Digital Photography Basics for more details. 9. Know your print options : You can print pictures at home on a photo printer, or you can send them to a printing service. Both options have some pros and cons. If you buy a printer, you can print your pictures right away. Many printers are portable, so you can take them with you on vacation and print photos as you go. But the cost of the printer, ink and paper can add up -- in general, this is an expensive way to print your photos. Most of the time, using a professional printing service is a more economical option. You can make standard-sized prints for a few cents each and very large prints for a few dollars. Typically, you sign up for a free account, upload the photos you want to print, and place your order. Sometimes, you can take CDs of images to an in-store kiosk and place your order there. Using a professional service is generally cheaper than buying your own printer, and your prints will probably be better quality. However, uploading the pictures can take time, since you'll want to send full-sized, high-resolution pictures. You'll also have to wait a few days for your prints to arrive. 10. Share your photos online : If you're going to share your photos via e-mail, it's a good idea to re-size them before you send them. Digital cameras can create very large image files, and these files can take a long time to download. To reduce the size of your pictures, open them in your photo editing software. Make the files smaller in one of two ways: * Reduce the resolution, measured in dots per inch (DPI). The minimum resolution for good-quality onscreen viewing is 72 DPI. * Reduce the image size, measured in inches, centimeters or pixels. A 3 by 5 inch (7.6 by 12.7 centimeter) picture will travel well by e-mail but will still be big enough to see. Save the result as a new file, and keep your original high-resolution image. If you'd rather share your photos in an online gallery than via e-mail, you can start an account on an image-sharing site like Flickr, Fotki or Snapfish. Your camera's software may also include automatic uploading options. Many of these services are free, but some limit how many pictures you can upload per month or how much disc space you can use. Do You Need a Spy ware Remover? October 5, 2009 at 9:41 am Most computers today have internet access and a lot of people surf the internet or may send and receive e-mails. For that, there is over 90% chance your computer is infected with spyware - Source CNN. Read about them in the article. How dangerous are spyware? Let me give you a short list of things spyware can do, 1. Spyware can run completely hidden on your computer 2. It can slow down your computer a lot 3. It can spy on you and send everything you type to someone else 4. It can record everything you do, allowing someone to see it later 5. It can spy on you and send account information, passwords, credit card numbers and similar to a third party. 6. It can steal files, pictures, videos and more from your computer Some spyware will do just a few things and others everything from the list above, and more. You must keep your computer clean from spyware or risk losing personal information, financial information or even your private photos or family videos. Run a spyware scanner regularly to clean out any spyware that may have sneaked their way into your computer. Do note that antivirus software (even the most expensive ones) have problems to keep spyware out. So get a good anti spyware software and use it! No matter what the spyware's purpose really is, the bottom line is that at the very least it will cause you countless hours of problem solving and slow downs on your computer. Scan your PC now to make sure it is clean. If you find anything, avoid using any credit cards or visit your bank until the PC is cleaned with a top anti spyware software. Those are the tips to remove those spywares from your computer and how to protect it from them. No need to worry how to get rid them off from your computer or take it to an expert, you can do it by yourself. How to Get the Right Touchpad? October 5, 2009 at 9:41 am A touchpad is a device found in laptops. Touchpads are used to replace mouse, because you can move the computer's cursor using your fingers. Touchpads are great substitutes for mouse especially for tight working spaces. Touchpads are small and have a size of about 20 square centimeters. Touchpads are also found in some PDAs and music players. So, how do you know if this touchpad is the right one for you? Check it out. Kinds If you need a touchpad guide, then you must understand and know the different kinds of touchpad available. There are three kinds of touchpad which will serve as your touchpad guide when looking at laptops and other devices that come with a touchpad of their own. External touchpad - connects externally to a device through a USB or PS/2 port. This is a separate device that also has some buttons you can click plus additional controls. This also allows users to access specific programs through some of its additional features. Portable touchpad - has the features of both a keyboard and a conventional touchpad. It is very lightweight and can be taken with you everywhere. It can also be used with a desktop computer, connected through a USB or PS/2 port. Built-in touchpad keyboard - this is mainly a desktop keyboard with a touchpad feature. The touchpad feature can be found at the bottom panel of the keyboard and is ideal for people with limited space for using a mouse and for people who don't have a mouse to use. Remember A touchpad guide involves: Compatibility - pick a touchpad that is compatible with your computer, whether desktop or laptop. Check first if your computer uses a USB or PS/2 port so you can pick the right touchpad. Wrist support - go for a touchpad with adequate wrist support to reduce the strain on your wrists. This is particularly true for touchpad keyboards, which can protect your wrists from strain and injury. Be careful in choosing the best touchpad for you because it is the most important part in your laptop that allows you to do a lot of things and control your laptop. What are The Parts of a Camera and Their Functions? October 5, 2009 at 9:40 am A Camera is a technological device for obtaining photographic images of objects of interest. Photographs enable us to capture events and moments in time and preserve these for years. There are many parts in the camera and each one of them has its function. If you want to know each part and what they are doing, read this article. This device is made up of three basic elements: the mechanical element (the Camera body itself), the optical element (the Lens), and the chemical element (the Film [although there are also digital cameras that don't make use of the traditional film]). All the other numerous parts and components that make up a camera simply function to support or enhance any of the above mentioned core functions. Listed below are 15 functional components of a Camera, following which I will explain the function of 10 of them. 1. The Camera Body 2. Lens 3. Film 4. Viewfinder 5. The Shutter 6. Aperture 7. Shutter Release Button 8. Shutter Curtains 9. Shutter Speed Control Knob 10. Film Cavity 11. Film Rewind Knob 12. Film Sprockets 13. Flash Shoe (Accessory Jack) 14. Focusing Ring 15. Self - Timer Button (1) The Camera Body: All the internal mechanical, optical, and chemical parts of a camera are held together by the Camera body. This serves to protect these very sensitive parts. The Camera body also serves as a framework against which the other parts of the Camera articulate to function properly. (2) The Lens: The Lens is undoubtedly the most important component of the Camera (considering the main purpose of a Camera). The lens takes the beams of light bouncing off an object and focuses this light on the image plane so that a real image is formed that can be photographed. The greater majority of the modifications and refinements that have occurred in the camera since its invention have centered on or around the Lens, and that underscores the importance of this part of the camera. (3) The Film: This is a thin roll of light -sensitive plastic which is placed at the image plane of the Lens. When the Camera is ready to take pictures, several devices combine to ensure that the film is exposed to the image formed by the lens. When the film is exposed to the image coming from the lens it records the image, and we have pictures! Before and after use, the film is stored in a light-tight film holder. Unknown to most persons, there are no black and white or color cameras. We only have black and white and color films. It is the film that determines whether a picture will come out as black and white or colored. (4) Viewfinder: This is a part of the Camera that helps us decide which object we want to photograph. It helps us point the camera in the correct direction and indicates what will or will not appear in the final photograph. Viewfinders are of two types: (1) Those that work independent of the lens, known as aim-and -shoot cameras; (2) Those that show exactly what the lens is seeing, found in SLR (Single Lens Reflex) cameras. (5) Shutter: The shutter determines how long the film is exposed to light or to the image coming from the lens. Shutters are of two types: the one located just behind the lens, called the leaf shutter; the second type is located in front of the film plane, it's called the focal plane shutter. The shutter consists of two metal sheets or "curtains" which remain shut or closed when the camera is not in use. But when the shutter release button is depressed, one of these curtains slide open to allow the image from the lens to hit the film. After a brief moment, the second metal sheet of curtain will slide in to close the opening. The interval between the opening and closing depends on the speed we selected using the shutter speed knob. (6) Aperture: This is an opening, or hole, at the center of the lens. The function is to cause images to be brightened or dimmed uniformly. This is achieved by increasing or reducing the size of the hole, using a knob called the Aperture Ring. When the opening is enlarged, more light passes through the lens, causing the picture to brighten. Conversely when the opening reduces, less light is let in, thus dimming the image or picture. (7) Flash Shoe (or Accessory Jack): This is the hook to which one may attach a flash, if one chooses to use a flash and the camera supports it. This accessory is located just above the Viewfinder. (8) Focusing Ring: When we are looking through the Viewfinder, it is the Focusing Ring that is used to bring the object into focus. It is more like an adjuster. (9) Film Cavity: This is the location where the roll of film is placed in the camera. This cavity is secured from light. It is a sort of dark chamber whose job is to ensure that the only light reaching the film is the one coming through the lens, and even then only when the shutter is opens. This is important since the film cannot differentiate between the light coming from the lens and the one coming from other sources. Without this cavity lights from the surrounding area would easily hit the film and distort the picture quality. (10) Film Rewind Knob: This knob is used to return all the exposed roll of film back into their casing. This must first be done before removing the exposed film from the camera; otherwise the negative will be ruined! Some modern cameras perform this function automatically once we've taken the last exposure. After knowing each part's name and function of the camera, you can use it now easily without facing any problem. A Camera helps us preserve memories. Understanding how the various parts of this devise work will help us get the best from our Cameras What is the Best Digital Camera for Beginners? October 5, 2009 at 9:40 am As a beginner photographer, you should choose a digital camera which is easy to use and convenient for you. The decision to buy a digital camera after a cell phone is perhaps the most important piece of technology the average person will buy. So how do you go about making your first digital camera choice? As a new buyer you've probably been assailed by a host of advertisers trying to get you to spend your buck with them. Going to a photography shop won't help much either as there it's the same economic principle, sell as many of the highest priced camera as possible. Higher priced is not always better quality. So where do you start with your first digital camera purchase? What do you buy? As an inexperienced camera newbie there are a few simple principles. 1. Don't make an impulse buy There are so many messages assaulting your senses that it is easy to make a quick decision which is probably not a wise decision. When looking at the camera you want buy, think, then go away and consider the merits. If you still think it's the camera you want buy go back later, make the purchase but live with the decision without regrets. 2. Don't buy under pressure The oldest sales trick under the sun is for a salesperson to pressure a customer saying this is a never to be repeated deal. Don't buy because of free memory cards, cleaning, kits or pouches. Nobody gives away something for free. Somewhere along the line someone is paying for it and most probably it's you. If the salesperson won't allow you to come back tomorrow or to think about it there is a reason. 3. Don't buy cheap The great price you are being offered has a reason and very seldom is it a great deal. Either you are losing on quality or you're being conned into something illegal. There is saying that goes, "buying cheap is expensive". On the other hand, buying a reasonably priced camera is good sense. 4. Evaluate the product A reputable salesperson will allow you to go and research the deal because if it is a good one you'll come back. The internet has opened up the world for us to research the products we want to buy. Read the reviews, ask questions on forums and chatrooms. Join a photography club and rub shoulders with experienced photographers who'll give the right advice. Find out as much as you possibly can. 5. Buy what you can afford to lose I don't mean to physically lose the camera. What I mean is that if you don't continue you haven't got something that has broken the bank and wasted your hard earned money. If you decide that photography is not for you then you won't regret your purchase. 6. Therefore the best digital camera is... The best digital camera is one that is reasonably priced, takes a reasonable photo and is not complicated to use. Good photographs are taken by good photographers. A good photographer will take a good photo with any camera. The quality of the print or digital photo might vary in quality but it'll still be a great image. You want to learn photography and not just how to operate a digital camera. As you enter the world of photography you'll find that the camera is just a recording device and has no idea as to what a good photo is. The key is learning photography and understanding what it takes and what you need. Once you understand this and have proven that photography is for you, you have the knowledge to go out and purchase a camera that will serve your photographic needs. Too many people, spend too much, too quickly buying a camera that is too expensive and isn't what they need for the area of photography they want to pursue. So buy a camera that suits your requirements and not what the salesperson thinks you need. Happy shooting! The Best Way to Turn Your iPod into TV October 5, 2009 at 9:39 am The Apple iPod is synonymous with mobile audio and music, and with the launching of the video-capable iPod, music lovers not only will enjoy the audio but also video. Herein lies the problem - the apple iPod screen is only 2.5 inches, and there is no doubt that viewing pleasure can be increased when we can have a bigger video screen. How then can the iPod have a bigger viewing screen - so as to be considered a mobile TV as well? To convert your iPod into a Mobile TV, all you need to do is to get a MicroOptical Goggles. You can wear this goggle over your regular spectacles or eyeglasses, and where you do not feel comfortable, you can do so over your contact lenses. The goggles are fairly light at 70 g, with a belt clip that holds the iPod and the battery pack of 3 AAA-batteries. A cable connects to the iPod headphone port. These goggles will deliver the image from two tiny LCDs through a series of lenses directly to the eyes so that you can watch video on what looks like a 27 inch screen TV! Now, if you are always on the go and travelling, and you need to research or study or to get information from video clips, you can now enjoy 27" equivalency viewing with the apple iPod. The only drawback is the cost of the MicroOptical Corp Goggles, which, however is expected to drop with demand. Without the goggles, you have to tolerate the viewing from the 2.5 inch screen from the iPod, or dish out around $269 for the Goggles and start to enjoy Mobile TV using the iPod. With the development of technology, soon the battery pack consisting of the 3-AAA size batteries will disappear, making it more light weight! Indeed, there is nothing to hold back the iPod from developing into the music player and mobile TV player if you can afford the cost of the goggles. Enjoy watching anything on iPod and see it clearly on you TV screen. Restore Deleted Data from iPod or iPod Touch October 5, 2009 at 9:39 am Much of the iPod users download many videos, music, photos and other things in their iPod. Accidently, you may delete one of your favorite movie or song. If you own an iPod of any sort then you would've come across a time when you accidently deleted the wrong song or lost your whole iPod's data due to corruption or formatting. Yes I know it isn't a very pleasant situation to be in and it leaves you wondering "can I restore deleted data on my iPod". Well luckily for you, you actually can so to learn how to restore deleted data from iPod or the iPod Touch continue reading below... You see the iPod's hard drive is very similar to a computer's hard drive, and just like a computer it doesn't immediately erase deleted data. Instead what happens is that the data that is deleted gets marked and its space becomes listed as available re-usable space, however until that space is overwritten your old data is still there and can be recovered. So essentially you have a small window of opportunity to recover you lost data, although you must act fast and try not downloading or uploading any new stuff onto your iPod if you wish to successfully recover your files. Now to actually restore the deleted data from your iPod you are going to need to download the appropriate software which allows you to do so. Since windows don't provide you with any utilities, you are going to have to look towards third party software designers. There are many great data recovery programs out there that can easily recover your deleted iPod data if it is still recoverable. These programs are specially designed for recovering deleted data and there are programs especially for the iPod, so even if your iPod is corrupt, frozen or formatted you still should be able to get your lost data back. So if you were wondering how to restore deleted data from iPod or iPod touch then all you need to do is download the appropriate software, run the program and your problem should be solved. There is a program that you can download for free to check to see if your data is actually recoverable, visit the link below to download... Personally I have used Stellar iPod Recovery to recover lost music files, Not only can you retrieve files that have been accidentally lost or deleted but also recover music from formatted or corrupt iPods. Plus it's Free To Download So Check It Out! Accidentally delete music of your iPod, don't Panic! With the right iPod Recovery Tool you should have all your favorite songs back within minutes. How to Solve the Touchpad Troubles? October 5, 2009 at 9:38 am The most sensitive place in your laptop computer is the touchpad. Also, it's a very important component in your laptop and hard to replace. Is the trackpad on your laptop or netbook slowing your work down? It sure does for me! Unless a laptop is your main computer, you may have a hard time switching from a mouse on your main machine to the little touchpad on your laptop. I know that a lot of people find trackpads hard to use. They are prone to accidental touches that will send your mouse cursor all over the screen. This can be a huge pain when doing precise work such as copying and pasting large portions of text or any graphic design work. The easiest way to fix this is to simply plug in an external mouse. Many people find external mice easier to use, more comfortable and more precise. You have two options, corded or cordless. Corded mice are cheap and easy to come and buy. Almost everyone has an extra mouse lying around. The drawback is the cord. It's usually much too long to use on a laptop computer and frequently gets tangled or caught on objects. Cordless mice on the other hand are free of any wires and very compact. Many of them have a dongle that stores right into the mouse itself when not in use. Simply take the dongle out, plug it into a USB port and you are ready to go. The big downside to cordless mice is the fact that they require batteries. Newer versions only require a singe AA battery, but it can be a real hassle when that battery dies right when you are in the middle of doing important work. Carrying an extra battery or using rechargeable ones can help with this issue. One tip that really helped me out when using an external mouse on my netbook is to go into the mouse settings and turn on the option to disable the trackpad when an external mouse is plugged in. This will eliminate accidental touches of the trackpad. A simple but very helpful feature! An external mouse plugged into your notebook computer can really make a difference in usability. Stop struggling with your touchpad and give it a try. I bet you won't be able to go back! The Best Way to Transfer Software from One Computer to Another October 5, 2009 at 9:38 am Over time, computer users tend to accumulate a great deal of software from a variety of sources. You may have purchased your old computer already including software that you like, but unfortunately this software is not included with your new unit. Or you may have installed software from an online source or a disk that is no longer available. If you buy a new computer and you think how to transfer all your best program and games from the old one to the new one. Here are some ways to do that: 3. Using an external drive One of the most obvious ways to transfer software from one computer to another is to copy the software from the old computer to an external hard drive or flash drive. Before doing so, you will want to make sure that the drive has enough capacity to hold the software files so that you don't lose any critical components when adding it to the new computer. You may want to use a web-based drive to store the programs as well for ease in accessing them to download them onto your new machine once this process is completed. This is the most time consuming of the methods. 2. Drag and drop method If you have the ability to link the hard drives of each of your computers via USB cables, then the easiest way to transfer software from one computer to another is by doing so, then dragging the original downloaded software files from one hard drive to another. However, be advised that if you have ever removed a portion of the software from the original computer, you may not be able to do this correctly. It is best to get someone who is experienced with computers to handle this process for you, if at all possible, to avoid any problems. You also will need to allow your new computer to upload each software file and then re-install it to the new machine, all of which will take some time. 3. Software transferring application There are several software transferring applications available on the market, such as 'PC Mover' that can find then copy all the software files from your old machine, then re-install them onto your new computer. This software can be attained relatively inexpensively, less than the cost of taking your computer to an IT support person to do this task. Once you have the software copied, then you will also benefit from having a permanent backup of the software in case of a system crash. If done carefully, you can easily transfer software from one computer to another by using one or more of the options mentioned above. Don't be upset because you will not lose your expensive programs and favorite games. Be sure to consult with a qualified computer technician if you experience any problems or need additional help. Clean Your Laptop's Touchpad October 5, 2009 at 9:37 am You have to take care of your laptop and its purgation because it reflects you. Well, I suppose that everybody knows that laptops don't come with that regular desktop computer mouse. Instead, laptops have pointing devices such as touchpads, pointing sticks or trackballs. We will be speaking today about these laptops that have a touchpad as their pointing device and most of all; we will be speaking about how to clean the laptops' touchpad. Cleaning your laptop touchpads improves the quality of the motion and response of the touchpad. Because touchpads are sealed, you will not need to worry about dirt or dust entering your laptop. Instead you as a constant user will probably make your touchpad dirty. Yes, even if you may not be aware and as clean as you may be, your fingers are actually greasy. This grease, while working with your laptops' touchpad gets on it making it more difficult to use after a period of time. So, once in a while you have to clean the laptop touchpad. This can be easily done with a damp cloth with a bit of 50% solution of isopropyl alcohol. Or use a small amount of ammonia-based window cleaner. Actually almost any glass cleaning solution will do the trick. However, because of the "almost" word, if you don't know for sure that you can safely clean your laptop touchpad with the solution you have, try it first on the bottom of your laptop bag to see if the solution doesn't do some harm to the inside of the bag. Always remember not to push too hard when cleaning the surface of the touchpad since the laptop's touchpad is a fragile device that may suffer injuries while cleaning it. So carefully wipe the dirt off the touchpad of your laptop without pushing. After cleaning it, if the touchpad was seriously wet, and the touchpad does not respond in the normal, expected way, a week or so of non-use may cure keys that don't work. If by bad luck your touchpad gets damaged, you can speak with a laptop repairing service provider to change it as part of a new keyboard. It is an easy task to do in most of the cases. This is straightforward if the part can be obtained, usually direct from the manufacturer. Unfortunately, it is an expensive part (typically between $20 and $50) However, be careful not to get to that point when you break your laptop's touchpad while cleaning it because it will be more difficult to change or repair it than to pay a bit of attention when cleaning it. You know now how to clean it and keep it neat without any damage. Be careful in order not to spend your money and break your budget and in the end it will not work and you will lose your laptop touchpad. A Camera Lens Filter October 5, 2009 at 9:36 am When we take a photo for ourselves such as in wedding, a journey, with our family or friends or anywhere, we wish to look nice and beautiful in the picture. There is something called a camera lens filter which your photo looks better. Read about it. Camera lens filters are thin layers of glass which help to develop the quality of the picture by reducing the glare and increasing the saturation of the picture. Normal filters include UV (ultra violet) filters and haze filters which protect the lens of the camera and give it longer life. It depends upon the time and need for choosing a camera filter. A very good photographer would definitely have a couple of camera lens filters always in his bag. Be it a still picture or a video, these filters bring out the maximum from the quality of the picture. There are different types of camera lens filters. There are the Linear and Circular Polarizer, Neutral Density Filters, Graduated Neutral Density Filters, UV / Haze filters and Warming and Cooling Filters. These filters are used under special conditions only. For example, The Linear and Circular Polarizer Filters are used to take photos or videos with less glare and improved saturation. This commonly means that they help to take pictures of the sky or the water or some foliage in landscape photography with lesser glare and enhanced saturation. The Neutral Density Filters are a great help while taking picture of waterfalls or a river which is under bright light. These filters help by extending the exposure time of the lens. Like this all camera lens filters have different uses. But using these filters without the need may adversely affect the quality of the picture. There might be a dull color tint wholly or partial or there might be more of a glare entering into the lens resulting in a very bright picture. I think choosing the best camera lens filter will help you to make your photos look good with the best quality of color. Try to find the best one for you.   This email was sent to blogpersonalcomputer@gmail.com.  Create Your Account Don't want to receive this feed any longer? Unsubscribe here.