Gadget Info: MP3/MP4 player - Smart phone - PDA - PS3 - Xbox - iPod - DVD player

How to Fix or Repair Bad Sectors of Disk

2009-04-17T14:36:00.008+07:00

If you have a trouble with blue-screen on your computer, or your windows can not run properly. This indication maybe refers to the damage of harddisk drive (HDD). Before you buy a new hard drive, you can try to repair or fix bad sectors with several solutions:

1) Disk check tool on Windows
a. On Windows XP. Going to Start, Programs, Accessories, and then click on Command Prompt. And type "chkdsk/R" without quotes (/R is "Locates bad sectors and recovers readable information").
b. Under Windows 9x (95, 98 and Me), you can scandisk. Scandisk has an option to do a surface scan and repair as well.

2) Here is the solution (from OMH):
a. Run a surface scan on the HD to determine where, EXACTLY, the bad sectors are located. Use a program like "Partition Table Disk Doctor"; it found all the bad sectors on my drive were located in 3 seperate areas from cylinder 0 through cylinder 1063.
b. Note the locations of the bad sectors.
c. Partition your HD. (I suggest you use a program like Acronis Disk Director; it will give you the flexibilty and HD information that you will need more so than simple Fdisk.) Make one partition that covers up to and a little bit past the point where the bad sectors were reported. (In my case, that was an 8Gb partition that ran from cylinder 0 to cylinder 1063.) Then make another partition in the area that is NOT affected by the bad sectors. THIS is the one you're going to set as active, format, and prepare to accept your O/S.
d. Now delete the first partition, the one with all the bad sectors on it. Doing so will turn it into "unallocated space". MAKE NO ATTEMPT TO USE THIS SPACE ANY LONGER! Yes, you may have to lose a few gigabytes of space, but it's worth it to have your PC working well again. As I said at the start, this is the method I used that got my HD running perfectly! I hope it helps someone.

3) Using a program or software HDD Regenerator

Repairing HDD Bad Sectors with HDD Regenerator

Hard disk drive is an integral part of every computer. It stores all your information. One of the most prevalent defects of hard drives are bad sectors on the disk surface. Bad sectors are a part of the disk surface which contains not readable, but frequently necessary information.

If your hard drive is damaged by bad sectors, it is not only becomes unfit for use, but also you risk losing information stored on it. If you suspect that your hard disk drive is damaged and contains bad sectors, you have difficulties to copy data from your disk, your operating system is unstable or you unable to boot to Windows altogether - don't rush to throw out your disk and don't think that your important information is irretrievably lost.

Take advantage of HDD Regenerator - the unique program for regeneration of hard disk drives. HDD Regenerator will regenerate your hard drive by magnetic reversal.

As a result, not readable damaged information will be restored. With all this going on, the existing information will not be lost! HDD Regenerator regenerates hard disk drives exclusively at physical level. It ignores file system and can be used with FAT, NTFS or any other file system, and also with unformatted or unpartitioned disks.

During regeneration, the disk structure is not changed and the existing data is not affected.
Click here to download HDD Regenerator

Cheaper Price for Sony PlayStation

2009-04-01T12:07:00.003+07:00

taken from videogames.yahoo.com by Mike Smith

Old Console from Sony namely PlayStation 2 to drop under $100 on April 1, 2009. Sony confirmed in the early hours Tuesday that it will be dropping its price by $30 for the Playstation 2 to $99.99. The price drop was previously leaked by an insider at retailer Kmart, who spotted a price change in his system and tipped off gaming blog Joystiq about the news.
Playstation 2

Playstation 2 Under $100?

Price cuts are always welcome, but it's not quite what hardcore gamers were hoping to hear. Consumers and industry analysts have been calling for a price cut on Sony's flagship Playstation 3 system for months now: the PS3 is the most expensive games machine on the market by a hefty margin. But Sony put a stop to that speculation in a statement today, saying "We do not have plans for a PS3 price drop, and any rumors to that effect are false and are the result of speculation."

So, is the nine-year-old PS2 a good deal at less than $100? Assuming you don't already have one, there's no question about it. Sure, it's no match for current-gen consoles like the Xbox 360 or PS3 (or even, more arguably, the Wii) but it has a software selection that's absolutely superb. If you're looking for a way to play great games on the cheap, and you're prepared to be a little behind the tech state-of-the-art, you can't do much better.

Which Digital Camera is Right for Me?

2009-02-28T17:39:00.007+07:00

Digital camera gives us an ease to perpetuate the image or important moment, and share to the others. But choosing a digital camera products that are suitable for our needs is not easy.

taken from articlesbase.com

Market is flooded with digital cameras from various brands. They too vary in sizes, in features and in specifications. It is obvious to get confused which one is better in this festive season for your family. Here follows the article that tries to impart some of the useful digital camera buying tips:

What do you need the camera for?

If you are looking for a simple one that can be used at home, you won’t get interesting features that you may need for taking really good photographic pictures that normally professional photographers look for. Otherwise it would be a waste of money if you have the digital camera with latest features only to be used for personal photography. Digital cameras available in the market are of three basic types:

Point and Shoot, Lifestyle and Professional. Based on the purpose one can choose from the following main three types:

•Point and Shoot: - reasonably compact, with common features and size like 35mm digital cameras.
•Lifestyle: - with moderate features, it’s sleek and compact, so you can carry it around with utter ease.
•Professional: - with interchangeable lenses, flashes and other accessories, this type of digital cameras is robust and feature laden, just the best choice for a professional or serious photographer.

Features You Must Look for Resolution

Digital images are made up of dots (.) called as pixels. The higher the number of pixels in your captured image, the better will be the quality of the image. This will therefore help you enlarging your image to higher pixel dimensions without creating a pixilated (broken) image, which we normally called as blurred image.

Compression

Compression shrinks a photo's file size so that more images can be stored in the memory card. If you need the absolute best quality images, you have to consider buying a digital camera that takes uncompressed photos but will accommodate less number of images.

Memory

A digital camera's memory size will determine the number of images that can be stored. Memory of 128MB will be good enough if you want to use the camera for personal purposes. If you are on a vacation or when you cannot download images for longer days, a memory of 512MB to 1GB the best option.

LCD Screen

Most digital cameras come with at least an optical viewfinder but many digital cameras also come with an LCD screen built into the back. The display panel varies from 1.5" - 2.5" from camera to camera.

Lens

It is the length of a digital camera's lens that determines how much of a sight will fit in a picture. A "Normal" lens is about 50mm, most closely approximate to what your eye sees.

Optical Zoom

This enables a photographer to zoom in on an object without lowering quality of pictures. Depending on the magnification number, you can zoom in more up to its specified limitation.

Digital Zoom

This feature enables the photographer to zoom in on the centre of the picture by removing the edges of the image. Doesn’t this feature make a digital camera cool.

Focus an Exposure

In most digital cameras, the correct exposure for the lighting conditions is automatically determined. A camera rated ISO 100, has approximately the same light sensitivity as that of a traditional film camera loaded with ISO 100 film. A higher ISO rating means that the camera is more sensitive to light and is potential enough to take pictures in darker settings.

Audio and Movie Capture

This feature allows you to record sounds and moving images at the same time, in exactly the same way that a camcorder works. Some digital cameras offer the facility to record a few seconds of audio with each shot, thus letting you add a personal sound bite to your photos.

Movie Mode

This is a feature that lets you take short film clips with your digital camera. The total record length is typically limited to 10 to 90 seconds.

Flash

Most digital cameras come with an in-built flash. Some cameras however include additional features, such as red-eye reduction or night portrait mode.

Image Erase

Most cameras also let you select pictures to erase. This handy feature gives you the chance to edit out the photos you don't want in order to save more space in the memory for more snaps.

Self-Timer

A self-timer allows a digital camera for a delayed exposure, usually giving you about 10 seconds before the picture is taken. So no problem if you don’t find anybody to take your photos. You can set your digital camera on self-timer and go back to your position to take a perfect photo of yours.

Computer Connections

Most high-end digital cameras have software and connections for all Mac, PC computers and laptops. However it is necessary to make sure the digital camera you want is compatible with your platform before you go for a buy.

Image Stabilization

This feature enables the photographer to capture still images of something moving very fast. This feature is a must for all professional photographers, especially sports photographers.

Printing

Now-a-days, you can buy special printers, depending on the compatibility of your camera, to print off your pictures without connecting it to a PC. This applies both for digital and SLR Professional cameras.

The Significance of Digital Camera Size and Portability
Size is another very important factor to be taken care of. If you are to use the camera for non-professional purposes the size has to be small as you cannot afford to carry huge sized cameras when you are enjoying a vacation. And there is kind of security problem as there may be a chance of theft.

Budget – The "Cannot Be Ignored Option"

Based on the budget the features will vary and the overall offering of a digital camera. Today's digital cameras run anywhere from Rs 800 to Rs 30,000, depending on resolution and feature specifications. While the initial expense of a digital camera is still high you may find that the added convenience and savings in film and processing costs are worth it.

Free Download Mobile Themes

2009-02-21T21:23:00.019+07:00

To enhance the mobile device display, you can change the default theme on your mobile device. Here's some of beautiful mobile themes that you can download the suitable your taste. This download is for personal use only.

How to use:
* Find phone model behind your battery
or check your mobile-OS
* start download
* Save the file on your PC
* Transfer the file to your phone

Symbian S60 3rd Edition 176x208 Themes

1) Blue

Click here to download

2) Mohammad

Click here to download

3) Animated love

Click here to download

4) Romantic love

Click here to download

5) Spidy

Click here to download

6) Naruto smash

Click here to download

Symbian Series 40 3rd Edition 240x320 Themes

7) Butterfly

Click here to download

Sony Ericsson vUIQ3b 240x320 Themes

8) iPhone: Smoke in Black purple

Download here

Sony Ericsson v4.7 240x320 Themes

9) Crysis

Download here

Pocket PC Themes

10) Jelly fish

Download here

source: www.gallery.mobile9.com

Best Anti-Porn - Porn Filter - Porn Blocker Software

2009-02-15T19:53:00.028+07:00

Preface

Internet Pornography

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Internet pornography is pornography that is distributed by means of various sectors of the Internet, primarily via websites, peer-to-peer file sharing, or Usenet newsgroups. While pornography had been traded over the Internet since the 1980s, it was the invention of the World Wide Web in 1991 as well as the opening of the Internet to the general public around the same time that led to an explosion in online pornography.

Like videotapes and DVDs, the Internet has proved popular for distributing pornography because it allows people to view pornography (essentially) anonymously in the comfort and privacy of their homes. It also allows access to pornography by people whose access is otherwise restricted for legal or social reasons.

Porn viewing during working hours can damage companies by leading to sexual harassment suits, spreading viruses, adware and spyware on company owned computers as well costing time and productivity.

An explanation given for this phenomenon are the poor economy which cause employees to need a release from stress and to feel that management is too tied up to notice their activities. Other explanations include porn becoming a mainstream activity among younger workers and sites that are becoming easier to quickly click on and off.

Free vs. Commercial

On the Web, there are both commercial and free pornography sites. The bandwidth usage of a pornography site is relatively high, and the income a free site can earn through advertising may not be sufficient to cover the costs of that bandwidth. One recent entry into the free pornography website market are Thumbnail gallery post sites. These are free websites that post links to commercial sites, providing a sampling of the commercial site in the form of thumbnail images, or in the form of Free Hosted Galleries—samplings of full-sized content provided and hosted by the commercial sites to promote their site. Some free websites primarily serve as portals by keeping up-to-date indexes of these smaller sampler sites. When a user purchases a subscription to a commercial site after clicking through from a free thumbnail gallery site, the commercial site makes a payment to the owner of the free site. There are several forms of sites delivering adult content.

Internet Pornography Effects on Children

Finding pornography website is very very easy through Google. We just typing the word "sex" and as soon as possible the site links listed. Ease is impact on children and teens.

Children who get free internet access and exploring pornography-sites, slowly but sure will affect for their negative-activity. Sexually explicit conduct includes various forms of sexual activity such as intercourse, bestiality, masturbation, sadistic or masochistic abuse, and lascivious exhibition of the genitals. Therefore, required of the role of the parents, teachers, and related institutions in order to monitor the use of the internet for them.

Best Parental Controls Software for Windows

One of way to avoid children viewing Web-pornography, we can use content-filter software. A variety of content-filter software is available to block pornography and other classifications of material from particular computers or networks. Web filters like Net Nanny, Anti-porn, Child Control, and others can help. Anyway, I was selected Anti-Porn for my best porn-filter Software. Anti-Porn have complete features, small file size, user friendly, and light (does not reduce for computer performance). Anti-Porn is a comprehensive net filter software to protect children from Porn web contents.

These are steps "How to use Anti-Porn v9 Program":
1) You can download it here or the latest version here
2) After download completed, you can install it on your computer.
3) Don't forget the password you've created

4) After installation finished, you can see Anti-Porn icon in system tray (at the bottom-corner-right). Right-click the trayicon to see Anti-Porn menu.

5) Choose Exit to exit the program

6) Filter options - Restriction list. Purpose to block web-address (Domain blocking)

7) Filter Options - Keywords. The website will not open if contains this keywords.

8) Eye protection to lock desktop

9) Other Options - Hiding options. Best way to hide the program existence, and don't forget to make Hotkey

10) Log Settings to see the records of internet activity

11) Game restriction to block the Game software

12) Chat tools to lock the chat programs

13) Filter options - Permission list to allow the trusted-sites that contains "adult keyword"

According to my experience on Anti-Porn v9 that I installed in Internet cafe and Gaming center, this program works very effective (around 98% depend on your configuration) to block pornography website. The parents will not worry against their children who browsing internet.

Nine-year-old has written an application for the Apple iPhone

2009-02-10T11:51:00.004+07:00

taken from news.bbc.co.uk

This boy has name Lim Ding Wen, a nine-year-old Malaysian boy in Singapore has written a painting application for the Apple iPhone. He started using a computer when he was aged two.

Lim Ding Wen created the finger painting program, known as Doodle Kids, for his two younger sisters aged three and five.

The program allows iPhone owners to draw images on the handset's touch screen using just their fingers.

The program has been downloaded more than 4,000 times from Apple's iTunes store in less than two weeks.

While most children of his age are painting or drawing with crayons, Lim Ding Wen has been programming.

Lim, who is now fluent in six programming languages, first started using a computer when he was two-years-old, discovered programming aged seven, and has since completed more than 20 programming projects.

His latest application, Doodle Kids, allows users to draw pictures using their fingers and then clear the screen by shaking the iPhone.

"I wrote the program for my younger sisters, who like to draw," said Lim. "But I am happy that people like it."

Lim wrote the original application on his computer but has now adapted it for use on an iPhone.

He told The Electric New Paper in Singapore that he wrote the application in just a few days in Pascal.

Go on my son

Writing on his website, Lim's father - Lim Thye Chean - a chief technology officer at a local hi-tech firm, who also writes iPhone applications, was modest about his son's achievements.

"Ding Wen is an above average boy with an interest in computers, especially Apple IIGS and Macs, likes to do programming, and that's it.

"Doodle Kids is an extremely simple program that can be done by anybody. Everybody can program - if Ding Wen can, so can you," he wrote.

Lim Ding Wen is now working on a sci-fi game for the iPhone called Invader Wars and plans to join his school's robotics club.

Laptop Maintenance

2009-02-05T15:49:00.003+07:00

Tips for Maintaining the Laptop or Notebook

taken from zenexpress.com

Laptops are expensive gadgets made for mobility. Generally, they are not very tough, and are not known to take too well to being mishandled. If you do end up messing your laptop, even the smallest of repairs will set you back by thousands of rupees. Read on to learn how to care for your laptop. We have also included some important pointers you need to stick to before, during and after using your laptop.

Clean It Right

Since your laptop is such an expensive gadget (falling prices notwithstanding), be extremely careful while cleaning the screen. Make sure the cloth is very soft, and has no imprints or monograms on it, as these may scratch the screen. Also ensure that the cloth is lint-free, else it will leave fibres on the screen, and make the display unclear. Make sure you don't spray any cleaner directly on the screen. Instead, spray onto the cleaning cloth, and allow the cloth to capture the dirt and contaminants.

Choosing The Spray

The screen is the most expensive component of your laptop. Adequate care must be taken while choosing the cleaning spray. Harsh sprays could turn the screen yellow, and may even cause cracking. Use plain water or vinegar to clean the screen.

Placing The Laptop

Hard drives work on the property of magnetic flux, so any electrical field may damage the hard disk and the data on it. Make sure your laptop is at least 13 cm away from any electrical appliance that generates a strong magnetic field-such as a microwave oven.

Give It A Breather

If you have just shut down your laptop, give it 30 seconds before you start it up again. This ensures that the hard drive has spun down, and is not subjected to sudden switching on and off.

Data Backup

Always back up your data. Laptops are mobile devices, and are susceptible to breakage. Also, it's possible that the hard disk simply crashes. Remember, you can never back up too frequently.

Laptop Battery Care

The bane of most laptop users is the lack of a really long battery life. There are three main types of laptop batteries:

* Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd)
* Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH)
* Lithium Ion (Li-ion).

Nickel-Cadmium

This type of battery must be fully discharged and then fully recharged every few weeks. If you don’t do this, it will quickly lose battery life due to what is known as the `memory effect'.

The memory effect means if you don't follow the above procedure, your battery will only charge up to the percentage of the last charge. For instance, if you discharge it to 30 per cent, it will only charge up the remaining 70 per cent. Do this repeatedly, and the 30 per cent will become unusable, giving you an effective 70 percent charge even though the indicator will still show a 100 per cent charge each time you charge it.

Nickel Metal Hydride

Ni-MH batteries are similar to Ni-Cd batteries, although they are less susceptible to the memory effect. They also have a higher capacity.

Lithium Ion

These are the latest type of batteries, and have no real problems as far as the memory effect is concerned. The problem with these is that they lose their effectiveness if overcharged or left for a long time with a full charge. Always discharge these batteries if you're going to be storing them away.

Keep Your Battery Healthy

* Before the first use, charge the batteries for 12 hours or the minimum charge time, as mentioned in the manual.
* For daily use, charge the battery to capacity, then run the laptop on battery power until it is completely drained (for Ni-Cd or Ni-MH batteries, this prevents the memory effect) or almost drained. (For Li-ion batteries, this can help prevent overcharging).
* Don't leave your battery unused for long periods of time. Even if you use AC power most of the time, use the battery regularly to keep it in good condition. Switch off your AC adapter when the laptop is not in use. This prevents overcharging.

To extend battery life, you can try decreasing the LCD brightness while using your notebook. You can activate the `Standby' and `Hibernation' powersaving modes, too, for better battery life.

Battery Storage

* If you do not use your laptop for extended periods of time-a week or more remove the battery pack from the laptop, but only after discharging it fully.
* The batteries should be stored in a cool dry place, removed from heat, humidity and dust as well as metal objects.

Use A Laptop Case

It is advisable to spend a couple of thousand rupees and get a sturdy carry-case for your laptop.The case should ideally be hard from the outside and soft on the inside, while being a comfortable fit. It should be able to absorb shocks and carry your laptop accessories.

Keep Eatables Away

Obviously, no eating and drinking near or around your laptop. The least bit of water could short-circuit some sensitive laptop circuits, and render it useless.

No Hard Booting

You may sometimes be tempted to turn your laptop off by simply holding down the power button until it powers down. Although quick, this method is harmful to the laptop and could cause data loss.A hard reboot should only be used as a last resort. Sometimes this is inevitable, for instance, when Windows hangs. But this should not be a regular practice.

General Tips

* Shortcuts To Success

Create shortcuts to your most commonly used applications, folders and files on the desktop. This way, you can access them quickly. If you like your desktop clutter-free, you can also create custom toolbars in Windows XP.To do this, right-click on the Windows taskbar, go to `Toolbars' and click `New Toolbar'. Next, choose the drive or folder you want to access using the toolbar. You can create different toolbars for different drives and folders.This is expecially useful for sales executives who want easy access to presentations, pro and other information they use on a day-to-day basis.

* Clean up The Junk

Uninstall applications you don't use. Apart from saving on disk space, you'll also prevent your notebook from slowing down.Be resourceful-keep backups of the OS, drivers and commonly used applications on a secondary partition so you can do some reinstalling on your own if you face any issues when travelling. Carry driver CDs and recovery disks.

Laptop Security

* Don't Be A Jerk

Don't subject your laptop to jerks and shocks. This will help avoid damage to your hard drive.Preferably, power the notebook off before moving it from one place to another.

* Dusty Notebooks Don't Impress

Protect your laptop from dust. Ensure vents are clean to enable good air flow.

* Drinks And Laptops A No-No

Don't place any containers filled with beverages (hot or cold) near your notebook, to prevent accidental spills.

Power Saving Tips

* Let Power Be Managed By The Pros

Set the device to switch off the LCD screen, and hard drive after fixed intervals of time.

* Disconnect

External peripherals and accessories such as external optical drives, PC cards and USB keyboard lights draw power from the notebook. Disconnect such devices when not in use.

* Suspend Your Notebook

Booting the notebook when it is not connected to a power source draws a lot of power from the battery. Instead of shutting down your laptop in the middle of a meeting, choose the `Suspend' mode if you wish to use it again after just a short interval. This will save battery and help you restart your work faster.

Multi-Touch Patent has been Awarded by Apple

2009-02-02T21:29:00.004+07:00

Patent Definition

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The term patent usually refers to a right granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof. The additional qualification utility patents is used in the United States to distinguish them from other types of patents but should not be confused with utility models granted by other countries. Examples of particular species of patents for inventions include biological patents, business method patents, chemical patents and software patents.

Some other types of intellectual property rights are referred to as patents in some jurisdictions: industrial design rights are called design patents in some jurisdictions (they protect the visual design of objects that are not purely utilitarian), plant breeders' rights are sometimes called plant patents, and utility models or Gebrauchsmuster are sometimes called petty patents or innovation patents. This article relates primarily to the patent for an invention, although so-called petty patents and utility models may also be granted for inventions.

Certain grants made by the monarch in pursuance of the royal prerogative were sometimes called letters patent, which was a government notice to the public of a grant of an exclusive right to ownership and possession. These were often grants of a patent-like monopoly and predate the modern British origins of the patent system. For other uses of the term patent see Land patents, which were land grants by early state governments in the USA. This reflects the original meaning of letters patent that had a broader scope than current usage.

Apple Awarded Multi-Touch Patent

taken from news.worldofapple.com

Congratulations to Apple Inc. because Apple has been awarded a patent that appears to cover much of the iPhone's multitouch user interface.

According to the US Patent Office Apple was awarded patent number 7,479,949 on January 20, 2009. The patent which was filed on April 11, 2008 covers multi-touch and all associated gestures such as pinch, swipe and rotation.

The patent is titled:
"Touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for determining commands by applying heuristics"

The initial patent abstract is as follows:
"A computer-implemented method for use in conjunction with a computing device with a touch screen display comprises: detecting one or more finger contacts with the touch screen display, applying one or more heuristics to the one or more finger contacts to determine a command for the device, and processing the command. The one or more heuristics comprise: a heuristic for determining that the one or more finger contacts correspond to a one-dimensional vertical screen scrolling command, a heuristic for determining that the one or more finger contacts correspond to a two-dimensional screen translation command, and a heuristic for determining that the one or more finger contacts correspond to a command to transition from displaying a respective item in a set of items to displaying a next item in the set of items."

Solar Energy Gadgets

2009-01-29T15:59:00.010+07:00

About Solar Energy

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Solar energy is the radiant light and heat from the Sun that has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation along with secondary solar resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass account for most of the available renewable energy on Earth. Only a minuscule fraction of the available solar energy is used.

Solar power technologies provide electrical generation by means of heat engines or photovoltaics. Once converted its uses are only limited by human ingenuity. A partial list of solar applications includes space heating and cooling through solar architecture, potable water via distillation and disinfection, daylighting, hot water, thermal energy for cooking, and high temperature process heat for industrial purposes.

Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way they capture, convert and distribute sunlight. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic panels, solar thermal collectors, with electrical or mechanical equipment, to convert sunlight into useful outputs. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.

Solar Energy Gadgets for a Green Life

taken from green-planet-solar-energy.com

There is a huge range of small scale solar energy devices on the market today, with more appearing all the time. The majority of these devices are aimed at charging mobile electronic devices or allowing their operation when the battery is depleted.

With such a wide range of products available it can be difficult to identify quality items. As for all other manufactured goods, good quality products often look exactly the same as poor quality ones. Buying long lasting, well built items is the best choice for ourselves and the planet as we minimize both long term expense and waste.

Small Solar Chargers

The sleek, futuristic looking Solio solar charger comes with a swathe of connectors for charging different devices and also has a built in battery for excess power storage. Its battery capacity and ability to plug directly into the mains electricity makes it compare favourably withproducts such as the Freeloader solar charger.

By comparison, the Soldius solar charger charges at a much faster rate but does not have a backup battery. This both limits its usefulness to the daytime hours and reduces its weight.

Then there is the incredibly cheap Brando Solar USB Charger line of products. These are less than half the cost of other comparable units. Is this a price breakthrough or a case of buyer beware?

If you are looking to recharge regular batteries, you may benefit from having a solar AA battery charger. Be careful to buy a quality unit that does not come with its own batteries.

Solar Generators

The PowerCube 6000 is a fair attempt at producing a stand alone solar powered generator that can match the performance of its petrol driven competitors. However the price and bulkiness of this unit will limit its appeal to those with excess money to spend.

By comparison the Solar Stik looks lightweight, far more practical and even comes at a better price. The warranty on the parts and workmanship is equal to or better than the Powercube, making it an ideal portable energy solution.

10 Best Tips on Computer Maintenance

2009-01-28T15:09:00.006+07:00

taken from ezinearticles.com by Pinky Mcbanon (updated)

Can you imagine a day in your life without your computer? Computers have become an integral part of our lives by enhancing our productivity at work and at home. It is essential for the computer to give us reliable service. This does not happen automatically. As computer owners, we need to ensure the serviceability of our computers.

The precautions mentioned below can keep your computer healthy and functioning in a stable and reliable manner.

1. Regular Maintenance - Computers need a dust-free, temperature-controlled atmosphere to function correctly. This can be ensured by periodically opening up the case and removing accumulated dust with a vacuum cleaner. Dust tends to clog vents responsible for air circulation and obstruct moving parts in devices like fans that are normally used to aid heat dissipation.

2. Never Turn-off When You can Shutdown - If you abruptly turn off a computer that is hanging, your hard disk could be damaged and your software corrupted. Use the shutdown tab of the Task Manager to do so.

3. Get a Good UPS - The UPS provides standby power for a short while in case of mains failure and can help protect your work from loss. It also saves the hard disk and software installed from damage by allowing you to shutdown the computer if AC power is no longer available.

4. Run Disk Check Tool like Scandisk (in Windows 98) or Chkdsk (in Windows XP) regularly and run Disk Defragmenter if needed - This step performed on a regular basis can help you access the hard disk more efficiently and speed up you computer.

5. Anti-virus, Adware and Spyware Removal Tools - You need to have these software packages installed to scan your computer regularly to remove and prevent security threats. Updating protection software is also an integral part.

6. Uninstall Programs, Never Delete - It is better to uninstall software rather than delete manually, for proper functioning of your computer.

7. Registry Scan - Periodic registry scans are required to ensure that the registry is update. Using a registry cleaner is better than cleaning manually. I recommended to use TuneUp Utility.

8. Software and OS Update - Always make sure you update all installed software and the Operating System regularly. Keep the CD-ROMs for the software packages installed on your computer safely.

9. Firewall - If you browse the Internet, the protection afforded by a good firewall against online threats is invaluable. But, if your internet connection have a problem with activation of firewall, as well you turn off firewall.

10. Detaching Peripherals - It is not advised to detach and attach peripherals like a serial/parallel device when the computer is running as the threat of a short circuit destroying parts of the peripheral or the Motherboard is very real. This does not apply to hot-swappable devices like USB devices.

Free Download Anti Spam - Spam Filter

2009-01-26T21:55:00.005+07:00

Preface

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

E-mail spam

E-mail spam, also known as junk e-mail, is a subset of spam that involves nearly identical messages sent to numerous recipients by e-mail. A common synonym for spam is unsolicited bulk e-mail (UBE). Definitions of spam usually include the aspects that email is unsolicited and sent in bulk. "UCE" refers specifically to unsolicited commercial e-mail.

E-mail spam has steadily, even exponentially grown since the early 1990s to several billion messages a day. Spam has frustrated, confused, and annoyed e-mail users. Laws against spam have been sporadically implemented, with some being opt-out and others requiring opt-in e-mail. The total volume of spam has leveled off slightly in recent years, and is no longer growing exponentially. The amount received by most e-mail users has decreased, mostly because of better filtering. About 80% of all spam is sent by fewer than 200 spammers. Botnets, networks of virus-infected computers, are used to send about 80% of spam. Since the cost of the spam is borne mostly by the recipient, it is effectively postage due advertising.

E-mail addresses are collected from chatrooms, websites, newsgroups, and viruses which harvest users' address books, and are sold to other spammers. Much of spam is sent to invalid e-mail addresses.

Phishing

Spam is also a medium for fraudsters to scam users to enter personal information on fake Web sites using e-mail forged to look like it is from a bank or other organization such as PayPal. This is known as phishing. Spear-phishing is targeted phishing, using known information about the recipient, such as making it look like it comes from their employer.

Spamihilator, Free Spam Filter for Windows

What is Spamihilator?

Spamihilator works between your E-Mail client and the Internet and examines every incoming E-Mail. Useless spam mails (Junk) will be filtered out. This process runs completely in the background.

The Learning Filter (Bayesian Filter) uses the rules of Thomas Bayes (English mathematician, 18th century) and calculates a certain Spam-Probability for every E-Mail. You can train this filter! So it will know your messages even better than you. Hence the recognition rate will continuously increase.

Spamihilator screenshotIn addition Spamihilator uses a Word-Filter, that searches messages for known keywords. User-defined words and regular expression can be added.

Of course, Spamihilator supports Plugins. These useful additional filters protect your system against annoying spam mails.

The program works with almost every E-Mail client, such as Outlook 2000/XP/2003/Express, Eudora, Mozilla Thunderbird, IncrediMail, Pegasus Mail, Phoenix Mail, Opera, etc.

Download latest version of Spamihilator

How to Choose the Best Photo Printers

2009-01-26T12:11:00.006+07:00

Preface

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A photo printer is a printer (usually an inkjet printer) that is specifically designed to print high quality digital photos on photo paper. These printers usually have a very high number of nozzles and are capable of printing droplets as small as 1 pico liter.

Photo Printers Buying Guide

taken from lytebyte.com by Mr. Byte

As much as the confusion reigns in buying any product in this competitive world, it exists before buying a photo printer for home as there are thousands to choose from. The best way is to consider it category by category and go on in an elimination round. Think what is the purpose of the photo printer that you are willing to buy and this may determine the money you may want to put on it which usually ranges from $50 to $500 or more.

This is a sleek printer from Samsung

So here are the features that I would recommend to look for before you make up the decision :

Resolution
The first one that I would look into is the resolution in dpi (Dots per inch) also known as Max H-Resolution Color. But look carefully here as you infer the quality of the print from these numbers because this dpi varies for different technology like ink-jet or thermal or laser. DPI usually varies from 300 to 4800 or above and thermal printers have low numbers than ink-jet. But whatever it is, it’s better to get one a decent one from the category of your choice if not the highest. The highest and the latest would always mean the costliest, so it’s better to settle for the second best and you can also keep it for a reasonable time before you buy the next home photo printer. So buy a standard one like 1200 by 4800 dpi for ink-jet which is same as 300 by 300 dpi for thermal dye printers.

Brand
Buying a branded one usually tends to be a costlier one but you can it without thinking too much. It’s like paying insurance for your product. If you are willing to do a well research on other brands that you are considering to buy, it may be a better choice. The better ones are usually from HP, Canon, Epson, Xerox, Lexmark etc.

Size
The regular size of photos is 4 by 6 inches or little bigger than that is 8 by 10 inches. Most photos that you would print often would be within these sizes. But if you are a large photo enthusiast, you may consider tabloid sizes like 11 by 17 inches or even bigger tabloid 13 by 19 inches. These sizes would be great for wall hangings. But it’s better to settle for 8 by 10 inches and you can always print these extra large ones from a store.

Printer Type and Technology
Here the printer type we have considered is home photo printer but you can also buy printers which are also suited for regular day to day printing so that you need not have two printers near your computer! Considering the technology, the poplar ones for photo printing are ink-jet or thermal dye printers than laser. Most of the thermal printers are better than ink-jet for long lasting looks of the pictures and making it water proof.

Speed
Speed is the main factor when it comes to cost. Most of the printers may give the same quality but some offer high speed printing while maintaining the quality. As a home user, you may settle for low speed and save lot of money.

Operating Cost
You may end up buying a printer of your choice now and maybe reluctant to use it later because the running cost of using photo papers and ink may be very high. You may think that you can use third-party inks and paper but each printer is designed to work at its best with a particular ink, paper and software which run behind it. The physics behind the operation of the technology differs from product to product. You may see a slight difference in quality if you use third party products but if that’s reasonable quality, it may be the better choice.

Other Features :

Number of Ink Colors - Higher number of ink colors may give professional quality of pictures but may not be necessary for home user.
Connectivity – You can always connect the printer with USB to your computer. Higher connectivity features like wireless, connecting to multiple computers at the same time are of necessity but of choice.
Scanner – Again it’s only by choice. It’s a matter of need and want.
Other features like compatibility, built in additional features like CD or DVD -writer, Digital and multimedia card reader, touch screen, preview screen, laminator etc add up the price tag so it’s better to decide what you want exactly.

To make your choice better, you can always read some printer reviews before you go to the store or order it online.

Best Free Download Anti Spyware

2009-01-23T08:26:00.013+07:00

Preface

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

About Spyware

Spyware is computer software that is installed surreptitiously on a personal computer to intercept or take partial control over the user's interaction with the computer, without the user's informed consent.

While the term spyware suggests software that secretly monitors the user's behavior, the functions of spyware extend well beyond simple monitoring. Spyware programs can collect various types of personal information, such as Internet surfing habits, sites that have been visited, but can also interfere with user control of the computer in other ways, such as installing additional software, and redirecting Web browser activity. Spyware is known to change computer settings, resulting in slow connection speeds, different home pages, and/or loss of Internet or functionality of other programs. In an attempt to increase the understanding of spyware, a more formal classification of its included software types is captured under the term privacy-invasive software.

In response to the emergence of spyware, a small industry has sprung up dealing in anti-spyware software. Running anti-spyware software has become a widely recognized element of computer security best practices for Microsoft Windows desktop computers. A number of jurisdictions have passed anti-spyware laws, which usually target any software that is surreptitiously installed to control a user's computer. The US Federal Trade Commission has placed on the Internet a page of advice to consumers about how to lower the risk of spyware infection, including a list of "dos" and "don'ts."

Unlike viruses and worms, spyware does not usually self-replicate. Like many recent viruses; however, spyware—by design—exploits infected computers for commercial gain. Typical tactics furthering this goal include delivery of unsolicited pop-up advertisements; theft of personal information (including financial information such as credit card numbers); monitoring of Web-browsing activity for marketing purposes; or routing of HTTP requests to advertising sites.

Anti-Spyware Programs

Many programmers and some commercial firms have released products dedicated to remove or block spyware. Steve Gibson's OptOut pioneered a growing category.

Anti-spyware programs can combat spyware in two ways:

1. They can provide real time protection against the installation of spyware software on your computer. This type of spyware protection works the same way as that of anti-virus protection in that the anti-spyware software scans all incoming network data for spyware software and blocks any threats it comes across.

2. Anti-spyware software programs can be used solely for detection and removal of spyware software that has already been installed onto your computer. This type of spyware protection is normally much easier to use and more popular. With this spyware protection software you can schedule weekly, daily, or monthly scans of your computer to detect and remove any spyware software that has been installed on your computer. This type of anti-spyware software scans the contents of the windows registry, operating system files, and installed programs on your computer and will provide a list of any threats found, allowing you to choose what you want to delete and what you want to keep.

Such programs inspect the contents of the Windows registry, the operating system files, and installed programs, and remove files and entries which match a list of known spyware components. Real-time protection from spyware works identically to real-time anti-virus protection: the software scans disk files at download time, and blocks the activity of components known to represent spyware. In some cases, it may also intercept attempts to install start-up items or to modify browser settings. Because many spyware and adware are installed as a result of browser exploits or user error, using security software (some of which are antispyware, though many are not) to sandbox browsers can also be effective to help restrict any damage done.

Earlier versions of anti-spyware programs focused chiefly on detection and removal. Javacool Software's SpywareBlaster, one of the first to offer real-time protection, blocked the installation of ActiveX-based and other spyware programs.

Like most anti-virus software, many anti-spyware/adware tools require a frequently-updated database of threats. As new spyware programs are released, anti-spyware developers discover and evaluate them, making "signatures" or "definitions" which allow the software to detect and remove the spyware. As a result, anti-spyware software is of limited usefulness without a regular source of updates. Some vendors provide a subscription-based update service, while others provide updates free. Updates may be installed automatically on a schedule or before doing a scan, or may be done manually.

Not all programs rely on updated definitions. Some programs rely partly (for instance many antispyware programs such as Windows Defender, Spybot's TeaTimer and Spysweeper) or fully (programs falling under the class of HIPS such as BillP's WinPatrol) on historical observation. They watch certain configuration parameters (such as certain portions of the Windows registry or browser configuration) and report any change to the user, without judgment or recommendation. While they do not rely on updated definitions, which may allow them to spot newer spyware, they can offer no guidance. The user is left to determine "what did I just do, and is this configuration change appropriate?"

A popular generic spyware removal tool used by those with a certain degree of expertise is HijackThis, which scans certain areas of the Windows OS where spyware often resides and presents a list with items to delete manually. As most of the items are legitimate windows files/registry entries it is advised for those who are less knowledgeable on this subject to post a HijackThis log on the numerous antispyware sites and let the experts decide what to delete.

If a spyware program is not blocked and manages to get itself installed, it may resist attempts to terminate or uninstall it. Some programs work in pairs: when an anti-spyware scanner (or the user) terminates one running process, the other one respawns the killed program. Likewise, some spyware will detect attempts to remove registry keys and immediately add them again. Usually, booting the infected computer in safe mode allows an anti-spyware program a better chance of removing persistent spyware. Killing the process tree may also work.

A new breed of spyware (Look2Me spyware by NicTechNetworks is a good example) hides inside system-critical processes and start up even in safe mode, see rootkit. With no process to terminate they are harder to detect and remove. Sometimes they do not even leave any on-disk signatures. Rootkit technology is also seeing increasing use, as is the use of NTFS alternate data streams. Newer spyware programs also have specific countermeasures against well known anti-malware products and may prevent them from running or being installed, or even uninstall them. An example of one that uses all three methods is Gromozon, a new breed of malware. It uses alternate data streams to hide. A rootkit hides it even from alternate data streams scanners and actively stops popular rootkit scanners from running.

Download the Best Free Anti Spyware

taken from download.com by Peter Butler

Microsoft Windows Defender

Free of charge for all registered Windows users, this beta program from Microsoft detects and removes malware from your machine. Additional tools include a privacy eraser and scan scheduler. Download here

CCleaner

Not only will this fabulous freeware wipe away your Internet surfing tracks, it also removes unused files on your machine to optimize performance. A Registry-cleaning tool with automatic backup functionality is the icing on the cake. Download here

SpywareBlaster

Detecting and removing spyware is important, but it's even better to keep it off your machine completely. Javacool Software's nifty utility prevents ActiveX-based malware from installing itself on your PC. Download here

SpyCatcher Express

Antispyware definition files change from week to week, but this free offering from Tenebril catches malware that other scans don't. The detection engine is quite aggressive, however, so users should be careful not to delete any files they know are safe. Download here

HijackThis

When your standard adware protection isn't solving your problem, try this target scanner. It analyzes key areas of your local drive and Registry to suggest all possible threats. Download here

Best HDTVs Buying Guide, Plasma TV vs. LCD TV

2009-01-20T17:03:00.012+07:00

TVs Buying Guide

Taken from dreamwarecomputers.com by Steve Blackweel

A trip to your local home entertainment store to buy a new Television is a task that can easily become so confusing for so many people that they leave the store without making a purchase. We're past the days of just buying the size of CRT TV that best fits our needs or our budget. With so many different types of TV technologies on the market these days, one really has to know what they want in a TV before even approaching the shopping stage. The main issues that have to be tackled are the size of the TV you want and how much you're willing to spend.

A quick background on the technologies

LCD – LCD is short for 'liquid crystal display' which is a type of display that uses an array of crystals in front of a backlight source. When voltage is applied to these crystals they twist to allow varying amounts of light to pass through colour filters, this is a process that happens at every pixel to essentially display the entire image on the screen or TV.

Plasma – A plasma TV is made up of millions of cells containing the inert gases required to illuminate the display when they are charged. Each pixel of a plasma television is divided into three “sub-pixels”, one for red, one for green and one for blue. When the gas in these sub-pixels has a charge applied to it, it turns into a luminous plasma. Through this happening in every single pixel of your TV, the right colours will be lit up to create an image.

DLP – DLP is certainly the more technologically complex of the three major television styles. A DLP chip containing over a million small mirrors (one for each pixel) is a chip that is small enough to be held in the palm of your hand. By tilting a mirror towards a light source or away from it, the corresponding pixel's 'on' or 'off' state can be controlled. Since each mirror can be turned on and off thousands of times per second, the chip has the capabilities to keep up to creating action-intense scenes without a problem. The replaceable lamp bulb that lights up these mirrors is first filtered through a colour wheel before reflecting off the DLP chip mirrors. This colour wheel is what creates the red, green and blue colours required to create a full-colour image.

Interlace vs Progressive Scan – To put things simple and straightforward on this subject; interlacing allows the image quality to be improved while not consuming any more bandwidth. This is done by the television drawing the odd lines of the image and then the even lines. This is also the common method used by television broadcast stations (both standard definition and a lot of high-definition broadcasts as well). Progressive scan (example 1080p) content is able to achieve much higher quality and frame rates but also consumes more bandwidth which is why most TV stations are not broadcasting this style of content yet. Progressive scan draws the image progressively, one line after another in order.

LCD
With LCD being such a widely available display technology, you won't have a hard time finding many different styles and brand names. Although not being available in larger sizes used to limit the LCD technology, this is no longer true. The range is from about 7 inches to 65+ inches in size. The smaller and more common sizes are also very budget friendly because they are mass produced on such a large scale for everything from TVs to computer displays. When you get into the larger LCD sizes, usually 50+ inches, then the price starts to get a little more costly than some of their plasma and DLP counterparts. Since the main source of an LCD's image is produced by the flat panel and the accompanying backlight, these are not very deep TV's and are popular for wall-mounting and also outperform all other TV styles when displaying static images. The good news is that with LCD panels being such widely produced in such a large variety of sizes now, prices are continually dropping on this technology. Being very budget-friendly is what makes LCD such a popular choice amongst typical home users who aren't looking to spend a lot of cash to build a big home theater system. Due to the design of an LCD panel there is no need to worry about any sort of “burn-in” time where you need to be careful with the display settings. We'll touch more on this subject in a bit. We are also past the days of slow LCD panels where ghosting would be an issue and that is another area you simply do not need to worry about when shopping for an LCD TV.

Visually, LCD buyers often enjoy the ability to choose between models with the typical non-reflective front panel and those with thin glass overlays on the front. This is quite different front plasma TVs where the gases used to create the plasma are sandwiched between two [reflective] glass panels. Depending on the style of room a plasma TV is being put into, this highly reflective front may not always work to the buyers liking.

Although there are some cons to the LCD TV category, I personally don't find these big enough to sway me away from buying one. First off is the problem of viewing angle, which is continually being improved upon as LCD technology advances. The viewing angle of an LCD display is somewhat less than their plasma and DLP counterparts. Plasma's have a viewing angle of up to 180 degrees where as LCDs tend to fall short of that at around 175 degrees (give or take a few degrees on each comparison). Since LCD displays were originally designed for a single-user experience, such as a computer monitor, they have a “sweet spot” viewing angle where all the colours and intensities are better balanced. Plasmas do not suffer from this “sweet spot” and can be viewed equally from any angle. Another bound-to-happen issue on most LCD TVs is backlight leakage. Since the backlight on these displays is what makes the LCD panel bright enough for the picture to be visible, it must always be turned on. When an LCD panel shows black it is simply blacking out the pixels that must be black but there is still a backlight turned on behind these pixels. This often causes the blacks to not be a rich and deep black, but to be slightly lighter. Depending on the quality of the TV and your viewing angle, the blacks in your picture may sometimes be very noticeably lighter, often with a slight white hue to them from this bleeding of the backlight. Keep in mind that's often only common on cheaper TVs, and if you try out a few before buying and invest your money wisely you won't run into a problem this severe.

Plasma
Another option you'll have in your search for a new Television is a plasma TV. Plasma televisions don't come in sizes nearly as small as their LCD counterparts, but they are just as thin as a lot of LCD TVs so they can be easily mounted on a wall as well. When it comes to buying a larger sized TV, plasma is often one of the two cheaper routes to go; with DLP being another option we'll discuss soon. Although plasma doesn't always share the same resolutions as similar sized and priced LCD panels do, most plasma TVs are capable of 1080p.

Since illumination is created by a chemical reaction at each pixel and does not rely on a backlight that is always turned on like the LCD technology, a plasma TV will have much better blacks than an LCD can achieve. This will be especially noticeable with off-axis viewing, a case where LCD's will commonly lose black intensity. When it comes to contrast ratio, black levels, and depth perception it is said that plasma has a great advantage over LCD's in normal to low room lighting conditions. When you're in a really bright room or have nearby windows then make sure you watch out for reflections off the glass front!

As plasma TV's commonly only come in 42”+ sizes, you can't expect to go out and buy a “cheap” or “small” plasma. Once you do buy that new plasma, keep in mind that a lot of people don't realize that there is a “burn-in” time. For the first 100 operational hours of the TV you should run it at a reduced contrast level because it is possible to get a permanent image “burned” into the screen. During this time you will want to make sure that all the content you watch is in full widescreen mode. Any black bars at the sides of the screen from watching 4:3 ratio video will further contribute to this burn-in. After that initial 100 hours the TV will be much less sensitive to burn-in, although not completely clear of it. For minor burn-in, there are applications out there that can be executed from a computer to try and fix it.

DLP
The last of the three major options you'll have to choose between is a DLP TV. The projection method used on these TV's will make them quite a bit deeper than a plasma or LCD set of the same screen size. That cuts out the option to wall-mount these guys; they must be set on a stand in order to elevate them to optimal viewing level. Having an excellent size to price ratio, these are another very popular style of TV for those wanting to go big. A DLP television will often cost less than it's identical sized plasma counterpart. As with plasma, you will only find DLP TV's on the larger size (commonly 42”+). Also similar to plasma is the absence of a backlight behind the panel of a DLP television. This will also give it far better blacks than an LCD screen would have. Being in such an affordable price range means that you will have lots of options to choose from when buying a DLP TV, so count that as another plus. Being a continually evolving format, DLP manufacturers are starting to improve upon some issues this technology faced when it was newer. The “rainbow effect” is something you may experience on a DLP TV with a bulb backlight. Since only one colour on the internal colour wheel is shown at a time, if you pan your eyes across the image or look away and then look back quickly, some people say they can actually see the colour separation. Newer DLP designs are improving upon this by using LED backlighting with RGB LED's to essentially replace the traditional bulb and colour wheel all together. This not only cuts down on that expensive bulb cost, but also rules out the fact that the colour wheel may be subject to future failure because it is a mechanical device (and as we know, few mechanical devices will last forever). Unlike older DLP's that would achieve 1080p through a method called 'Wobulation', newer chip designs are also enhancing upon this by allowing the TV to natively produce 1080p content without some mirrors doing “double duty”.

Connectivity
Lastly, you will want to look into the connectivity options of the television you choose. Most new TVs are now using HDMI to handle the majority of their interfacing with other components. HDMI is an entirely digital audio and video signal carried by one simple cable. Being a digital signal, it is able to carry high definition images up to 1080p for the best viewing experience in your new home theater. However, do you want PC connectivity too? Some users want the ability to tightly integrate their computer into their home theater system. If this is the case, look into the style of connection the TV uses for computer interfacing and make sure your computer has that connection as well (commonly analog VGA or digital DVI). For legacy components, you will want to make sure the TV supports the basic RCA video and audio inputs because a lot of components like digital cameras are still using these connection styles. S-video? Component input? Flash card input? Your requirements for all these will depend on what you plan on connecting to your home theater both now and in the near future.

To Conclude
Home television buying can be an incredibly daunting task. To keep things simple in this basic buying guide here, I tried my best to outline all the major things you will need to know in each area. However, at the same time I was only able to scratch the surface of each without writing a complete novel for you. Using your newfound knowledge, hopefully you will be able to find a television that will best suite you and your intentions for it. I highly encourage that once you've found a style you think will work best for you that you research it even further and try out a few store demo models of that kind of TV before making the investment yourself.

You can find more HDTV review for Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, LG, Philips HDTV at www.testfreaks.com/televisions

Plasma TV vs. LCD TV
Plasma TV and LCD TV have different advantages

This review taken from consumersearch.com

Plasma televisions and LCD TVs are both capable of delivering a relatively big picture within a thin case, but there are some differences between them.

Plasma TVs are now available in a much wider range of sizes than in the past, but LCD televisions are available in still more, including sizes below 32 inches. While they might be thin, be aware that plasma TVs are still quite heavy, often requiring professional installation (for wall mounts) and good venting to keep them from overheating. LCD TVs weigh less, but they're still cumbersome to mount on a wall.

Plasma TVs are known for their better ability to display dark colors as compared to LCD TVs. This makes them a good choice for movie watching where dark scenes are common, and it's the reason why most reviewers say plasma is a better choice for a home theater. LCD TVs appear brighter, but they don't usually display details in shadowy areas as well.

If your room is brightly lit, an LCD TV may be a better choice. That's because plasma TVs can sometimes look washed out in a bright room, and they often have problems with reflections and glare. Some plasma screens have anti-reflection coatings, helping them better cope with ambient light, but their effectiveness varies.

Plasma TV screens have wider viewing angles than LCD flat-panel televisions. That means you can sit at more of an angle and still get the best picture. With LCD TVs, on the other hand, sitting too far to one side will result in a loss of brightness. In addition, LCD televisions can sometimes have problems with moving images. That's because it takes longer for LCD pixels to switch color than for plasma pixels to change. However, according to reviews, that is becoming less of a problem in the latest LCD TVs.

Burn-in was a problem with early model plasma TVs. However, new technology reduces the risk of burn-in, and analysts at PC Magazine say that it's no longer a concern with most plasma TVs. LCD TVs have no burn-in risk.

Temporary image retention is a similar problem, but less severe; in that case, a static scene leaves behind an annoying ghost that takes several minutes -- or more -- to completely disappear. Some plasma TVs include anti-image-retention features such as an "eraser" function that removes image retention quicker or a "pixel shifter" or "pixel orbiter," which imperceptibly moves an image around the screen by a pixel or two. Image retention can be a problem with all plasmas, but budget choices seem to be more susceptible. Reports add that temporary image retention seems to decrease as a plasma display ages.

Plasma TV panels contain a gas that loses brightness over time. Because of that, some buyers have been concerned about the life expectancy of a plasma TV. However, the latest sets have panels that are rated to last up to 60,000 hours before they lose half their brightness, which translates to over 20 years if you watch TV eight hours a day. Clearly, most buyers will have long since replaced their TVs before the plasma panel wears out.

All plasma TVs today are HD (high definition), with screen resolutions of 720p or 1080p. Note that for manufacturing reasons, most 42-inch and smaller 720p plasma displays don't quite display the full horizontal resolution of 1280 horizontal pixels. By industry convention, however, these are still called HD because they do display the full 720 vertical pixels in an HD image. Additionally, experts say that at typical viewing distances, most won't notice the slightly reduced horizontal resolution of these displays. (For more on HD resolutions, see our report on HDTV.)

Conclusion

So, who is the best HDTV product right now? It is many criteria for balance of overall size, screen size, resolutions, picture quality, sound quality, 3D-ready feature, and cost. After you read article above, you can choose your own HDTV product that give you the home entertainment experience.

Best Free Download Mobile Games

2009-01-18T13:08:00.030+07:00

Last time I have been collecting the "Best Free Download Mobile Software", and this time I will to inform about "Best Mobile Games for Free" that I have been selected from some websites. The genre of games are including action, adventure, simulation, racing, and puzzle, with 2d or 3d graphics.

These are Most Popular Free Games for Your Mobile Phone, PDA, or Handheld Device

1. Frozen Bubble

As you probably already know Frozen Bubble is a popular free puzzle game (especially in Linux platform). User controls a small canon, shooting bubbles and tries to hit other bubbles so to create groups of 3 or more bubbles of the same color. Requirements: Symbian S60 3rd Edition. Download here

2. The Tumbleweed

The unique realism of physics and graphics of the game will have you rolling and jumping in the desert for hours. Have a safe trip. Enjoy astounding 3D action and keep the high score. Tumbleweed is a 3D game for S60 3th edition. Download here

3. Freeflight is a 3D flight simulator

Freeflight is a 3D flight simulator for JAVA (j2me) compatible mobile phones. It will give you a chance to fly with four different aircrafts over many landscapes. The 3d graphics are taking alot of the phone resources, thats why you need some powerfull Symbian phone to have it running smoothly. Download here

4. S-Tris 2

S-Tris 2 is based on the famous Tetris concept and is the follow-up of our popular S-Tris game. This game comes as a demonstration of our in-house developed game engine Edge and is completely free. The game is available for Windows Mobile, Symbian, the GP2X game console and Windows desktop. Download here

5. SpeedRacer

Free Flash lite racing game, drive & control your car on danger road. Requirements: Symbian OS with Flash lite. Download here You need to register for free before downloading this game.

Download Free Mobile Games from Gamejump.com

How to Download :
1. Browse to the www.gamejump.com
2. Choose the game you like (puzzle, action, arcade, or adventure).
3. Click Select phone, choose your phone type. Download key will see.
4. Browse to the m.gjmp.tw on your mobile phone or computer.
5. Enter download key to download the game, and click submit.
6. Enjoy the game

Don't know your phone model?
Try powering off your phone and removing your battery. Most phones have a sticker under the battery that will have the phone manufacturer and model listed.

How to Build Powerful PC for Gaming, Gaming PC vs. Next-Gen Consoles (Part 2)

2009-01-15T13:30:00.026+07:00

...... continuation of Part 1

Standard Native Resolution of the Consoles and PC

When the game consoles follow standard HD 720p and Full HD 1080p, then PC follow a standard called XHD. It seems that representative of the Xtended HD or Xtreme HD.

There are 3 types of resolutions that are categorized as XHD, namely:
- 1680x1050
- 1900x1200
- 2560x1600

Third resolution is used on the 19" wide LCD monitor, 22" Wide, 24" Wide, and 30" Wide. HD 720p resolution used by the popular next-gen game consoles and 32" LCD monitor in fact the quality is still lower rather than SXGA (1280x1024) resolution are commonly used on the PC with 17" LCD monitor. HD 720p resolution actually is Wide version of the 1024x768 resolution that commonly used on the 15" LCD monitor.

Maximum resolution supported by PC game has reached 2560x1600 (WQXGA), while the game consoles maximum still 1920x1080 (Full HD 1080p). But very rarely console games that really supporting Full HD 1080p resolution. The majority of PS3 games and Xbox 360 just to use the 1280x720 resolution (720p HD), a resolution that much lower rather than common resolution among PC Gamer is 1280x1024.

Can or not a PC gamer reach to XHD resolution depends on the videocard and monitor that they have. The good videocard and the higher the type of monitor, then the higher resolution that can be use by them to play. Meanwhile for consoles gamer, they will remain trapped in the carried game resolution that the majority only 1280x720. Even if they use the LCD monitor Full HD 1080p, the picture will still be broken because the original game resolution only 1280x720. In this case, LCD TV 1080p only do "upscale" the game that still 720p resolution.

Some games in the Xbox 360 and PS 3 even has a lower resolution rather than 1280x720 (720p). Examples are Call of Duty 4, Oblivion, Tomb Raider Legend, and Alone in the Dark that has a 1024x600 resolution (600p), and the more severe is Jericho only 996x560 (560p) and Guitar Hero 3 only 1040x585 (585p). While that games on the PC are supports the resolution of 1920x1200 and even 2560x1600.

Grand Theft Auto 4 on Xbox 360 and PS 3 are also only 1152x640 resolution (640p) is much lower rather than in PC version that supports 2560x1600 resolution. In addition, only a few game in Xbox 360 and PS 3 use the Anti-Aliasing (AA) to refine the image. A lot games in the consoles are not supporting AA, which means the image is certainly very jagged. While in the PC you can even increasing AA to 8X.

How to Choose Video Card for Gaming PC

Please note that the purchase videocard for $100 and below will only make you regret that poor performance and can not be compared games sensation in Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Therefore, rather than waste money $100 to buy low-end videocard better to save your money and collected to buy a middle-class or high-end videocard.

Facts prove that the best seller of videocard in the world at this time is Radeon HD4850 that notabene is middle class ($200), not low-end videocard. Previous the best seller of videocard is Geforce 8800GT, which is also middle-class videocard. (Geforce 8800GT now changed the name to the 9800GT).

Therefore, if you want to experience the performance of the Gaming PC, which should to use Radeon HD4850 512MB videocard. This videocard include middle category with $200 price, which means still much cheaper and more powerful than Xbox 360 or Playstation 3. It have the ability to play all the games are well in maximal detail setting, and will still be able to play games that will appear in 1-2 years.

Another alternative to the performance equivalent of Radeon HD4850 is Geforce 9800GTX+ 512MB. The advantage is support PhysX and CUDA. But a weakness of this videocard is extravagant power and very long size. Unlike the Radeon HD4850 that can use 400Watt PSU and the size definitely enough to all casing, Geforce 9800GTX+ often require users to upgrade to 500 Watt PSU and replace with a larger casing. Because of "hidden cost" is large enough, the giant videocard is less in demand rather than Radeon HD4850, especially Geforce 9800GTX+ is still more expensive around $30.

Geforce 9800GTX (up) vs. Radeon HD4850 (down)

If you do not have enough budget to get the Radeon HD4850, use Geforce 9800GT or Radeon HD4830, which will cost around $150. If your budget is actually minimal, Geforce 9600GT 512MB could be selected, the price is only $120, price is equivalent to the old Playstation 2 slim console. Should not to use videocard under Geforce 9600GT class, if you do not want to regret and frustration after the purchase. Unless you are still playing in low resolution (1024x768) then videocard Radeon HD4670 for $100 could be selected. For $100 price class, the performance of Radeon HD4670 is a lot better rather than Geforce 9500GT.

For $100 segment, Radeon HD4670 is interesting because of the potential CrossFire that enables user in the future to add 1 more videocard to get the equivalent performance Radeon HD4850. Potential of CrossFire on low-end ATI videocard more interesting rather than potential of SLI on the low-end NVIDIA videocard, because the number of motherboards that support CrossFire more cheaper rather than the motherboard supports SLI.

Please also note that the videocard can be to overclock, so that when a game that appears later is too heavy, you can still improve performance of videocard with the way increasing the GPU clock and VGA memory.

Currently, the overall, Radeon HD4850 is a best seller videocard in the world. While for high-end segment, Radeon HD4870 is the best seller. Performance of Radeon HD4870 ($300) proven able to overcome the Geforce GTX260 which costs far more expensive ($400).

In the price segment $150, Geforce 8800GT/9800GT more interesting rather than Radeon HD4830. However, some Geforce 9800GT types the prices is too close to Radeon HD4850, so that better to get Radeon HD4850 who are performing clearly far more quickly rather than Geforce 9800GT.

Choosing a Videocard Depend on the Size of Monitor

Keep in mind how expensive videocard that you buy also depends on how high the size and resolution of your monitor. The higher-resolution monitor and size, the more expensive videocard that you must buy. Because of more expensive videocard (more powerful) will have extra power to handle the high resolution.

Even if you can turn-down monitor resolution, but keep in mind that the LCD monitor will have the view that more bad when not using its native resolution. Therefore, not too obsessed with the 19" LCD that able to offer higher resolution (1680x1050) if your videocard is still $200 class to down. Because the 1680x1050 resolution ideally raised by $300 class videocard like Radeon HD4870.

Unlike the LCD Monitor, 32" LCD TV in the public market does not need to require expensive videocard, because the resolution of LCD TV even much lower rather than the LCD monitor with a smaller size. Considering the game consoles are generally played using a LCD TV like this, so the powerful gaming PC ideally use a videocard range of $150-$200 that have been strong enough to lift the 32" LCD TV resolution.

The majority of gamers in Indonesia using the 17" LCD monitor that have 1280x1024 resolution. Therefore the videocard segments $150-$200 will be ideal for the majority of gamers. 32" LCD TV 720p is also the type of LCD TV's that most popular used in Indonesia. Therefore videocard segments $150-$200 will be ideal to be paired with a LCD TV that only have 1366x768 resolution (the number of pixel even still low compared to 17" monitor with 1280x1024 resolution ).

For the 19" or 22" monitor with 1680x1050 resolution, you should choose $300 videocard. Because the videocard for $200 is less ideal for pairing with the monitor's size.

Videocard $150 class was actually could be run games in 1680x1050 resolution, but only feasible for the light games category such as Call of Duty 4, Devil May Cry 4, Unreal Tournament 3, Bioshock, ET Quake Wars. While in the game a little weight, you need to start setting down the detail so that the graphics quality of videocard $150 class is able to provide a smooth framerate. However a bad graphics quality result from that, is still better rather than the graphics quality on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

Please note that the 32" LCD TV (720p HD ready) the number of pixel still less rather than the 17" LCD monitor. LCD TV is basically just the bigger size of course, but in terms of sharpness (resolution) of image is still less rather than LCD monitor.

Back to Part 1

How to Build Powerful PC for Gaming, Gaming PC vs. Next-Gen Consoles (Part 1)

2009-01-14T11:56:00.040+07:00

Translated from reviewland.com by Budzkay

Preface

During this time people assume that the game consoles such as XBox and Playstation is best means to play games, while the functions of the PC game is just additional functions only. Most gamers are still assume that the game consoles are able to provide a better picture rather than a PC. Presumption may be correct only if they use a PC that still use the onboard videocard or low-end VGA, a practical function not much different with the PC in the office whose function is only for typing and internet.

Currently, the technology for the PC videocard again and again was far above the technological sophistication latest game consoles. For example, the cheapest Geforce 8800 series like a Geforce 8800GTS 320MB that has technology & performance far above the Xbox 360 and Sony Playstation 3. Videocard prices are even cheaper than the price of Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

Using a Gaming PC was based on Core2 Duo processor and the generation of Geforce 8800GTS videocard will cost nearly 2X price of Xbox 360, but the PC Gaming has function that 7X more than a game consoles. And keep in mind that the view of game in Gaming PC is far better than the consoles.

Some of the functions of a Gaming PC:
- Gaming, off course
- Video Editing
- Movie/Music Encoding
- Desktop Publishing
- Graphic Design
- Office productivity
- Multimedia
- DVD/CD duplicator
- Home entertainment
- Internet browsing
- Scientific calculation
- Server
- Chatting
- Blogging
- Instant messaging
- Web Design
- Data Storage
- And many more ....

There are 2 main reasons why the Gaming PC can be a more attractive option than buying a game console such as Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 :

1. Graphics quality in PC games better than the next-gen gaming consoles. Because the technology in the PC videocard always more advanced than the graphics chip used in the consoles. For example is the Lost Planet game and Gears of War which looks better on a PC rather than on the Xbox 360. Mass Effect was became hits in Xbox 360, also appear in the PC version with better graphical display. And recently Grand Theft Auto 4 has also been present in PC version that is capable of resolution with 3X higher than the version of Xbox 360 & PS 3.

2. For the people who life and work that can not be separated from the computer, then build a Gaming PC that costs would be far cheaper than buying a game console such as Xbox 360 or Playstation 3. Buy a next-gen game console can become the cheaper solution to play games, only if you do not need a PC in your life and work. So, most students of primary school or Junior High School will tend to select the game consoles because they have not really need a PC intensively. However, when someone began to adults, where he began to work and the work requires a PC intensively, then build the gaming PC will be cheaper than buying a next-gen console.

Spesification of Standard PC to Work

At this time the PC to use for working with comfortable need the specification does require dual-core processor and 1GB memory. PC with low spesification will cause inconvenience in the work and reduce the productivity of you. A computer with only 512MB memory is not even used to be comfortable with internet activity when you open multiple web pages or multiple applications simultaneously. Now, a computer will feel responsive and comfortable to work with at least 1 GB memory. A graphic designer and people who work in the field of video editing even need a PC with at least 2GB memory.

For harddrive, 80GB capacity at this time is also not enough for most people who are very diligent to download the movies and pictures from the Internet, especially for people who work in the field of multimedia. With the difference price between 80GB and 160GB harddrive that is not up to $10, it's very foolish if you persevere to buy 80GB harddrive.
Thus, a standard PC is feasible to use for working will have specs at least dual-core processor and 1GB memory. The price will be around $200, with specs details as follows:
- Dual-core Pentium E2160 (1.8Ghz)
- Motherboard nForce 7100 chipset (nForce 630 with the onboard graphics Geforce 7100)
- DDR2 Memory 667 1GB
- Harddisk 160GB SATA
- DVDR-W drive 20x multi
- Casing + standard PSU

By adding an Wide LCD monitor 15" at $130, the total price of the desktop PC become $330 only. In comparison, a notebook that has the same specs as the price is about $650. Therefore, who was said that notebook was cheap? Notebook price still 2x more expensive than desktop PC with the same specs.

Remember that computer with high performance (eg Gaming PC) is cheaper, but the computer that used for style (eg Notebook) is expensive.
A real example in our life reality show that the prestige is more expensive than performance: Having beautiful girlfriend more expensive costs rather than have a girlfriend who worked diligently (but not beautiful). Same as a sexy secretary has higher salaries rather than stiff who work for 24 hours.

A desktop PC with a standard specs as above will not be able to jack up your prestige as well as the notebook with same specs. However, desktop PC is foundation a Gaming PC. And the Gaming PC is an object that has a prestige value....

Spesification a Gaming PC

If you want to make standard PC specs above to be a Gaming PC, add enough memory to 2GB and buying a videocard Geforce 9800GT 512MB or Radeon HD 4830 512MB that can bring the graphics quality that far better than the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. The cost of adding memory from 1GB to 2GB only $14 and videocard Geforce 9800GT 512MB or Radeon HD 4830 512MB just around $150. This means that the cost of a standard PC into a gaming PC is not up to $200 means a much cheaper price than the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 or Nintendo Wii.

The Cost to change the "Standard PC" to "gaming PC" is just $ 160, which means the price is equivalent to the ancient game console Playstation 2.

Videocard technology of Geforce 9800GT & Radeon HD4830 are surpassing greatest game console at this time. Karena itu the graphics quality in the Gaming PC is certainly will be better than any game console ever created by human.

If you want to make the Gaming PC more economical, you can use a videocard Geforce 9600GT 512MB that the performance 10% more slowly than Geforce 9800GT, but it costs only $100 which means that even cheaper prices rather than the Playstation 2 Slim notabene ancient console technology.

Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 that have been said as the next-gen game consoles, actually uses ancient technology graphics chip that has been used on the PC videocard a few years ago.

For details, see the comparison table of graphics chip technology Console vs. PC videocard.

	Current price	Released	Graphic chip technology
Playstation 2	$150	1999	Graphics Synthesizer
XBox 360	$400	2005	ATI Xenos (R500) Used in PC at videocard ATI Radeon X1800XT in 2005
Playstation 3	$400	2006	NVIDIA RSX (G70) Used in PC at videocard NVIDIA Geforce 7800GTX in 2005
Nintendo Wii	$400	2006	ATI Hollywood Equivalent with videocard ATI Radeon 8500 was released for PC in 2000
Radeon HD 4850	$200	2008	RV770
Geforce 9800GT	$160	2008	G92
Radeon HD 4830	$150	2008	RV770LE (cheap version RV770)
Geforce 9600GT	$120	2008	G94 (cheap version G92)

Game consoles are goods that can not be upgraded like gaming PC. So the game consoles user can only receive and trapped in to the old technology. As comparison, look at the pictures below.

Apple iPhone vs. Google T-Mobile G1 Android

2009-01-13T17:36:00.016+07:00

Apple iPhone vs. Google Android

5 Ways Google's Android Beats the iPhone (and 5 Ways It Doesn't)

taken from popularmechanics.com by Seth Porges

Google is hoping to transform cellphones the way it did the Web, beginning with its first Android phone, the new T-Mobile G1. But if Google really wants to dominate the mobile market, it will have to prove that it can out-do (or get third parties like HTC to out-do) Apple's iPhone, the market leader when it comes to functionality and usability. And while many of the G1's features are direct responses to iPhone shortcomings, there are still many departments in which the iPhone will remain dominant. Here are five ways Android and the G1 beat the iPhone, and five ways they don't (at least not yet).

5 Ways the G1 is Better Than the iPhone

1. Keyboard
As proficient as we've become with the iPhone's virtual keypad, tapping touchscreen keys (especially ones without haptic feedback) has its limits. Physical keyboards, like those on BlackBerrys and Treos, are much easier to use. The G1's little keyboard will become especially important as smartphone manufacturers increasingly market their devices as pocket-based PCs, and may give the G1 a clear edge when it comes to gaming.

2. Expandable and Removable Parts
The iPhone's sealed battery is more of a metaphoric problem than a functional one. Sure, it's a pain not being able to swap in a new battery for long jaunts off the grid (thankfully, plenty of accessories are designed to fix this problem), and nobody likes having to ship his phone back to Apple if his battery begins to lose its charge. But this problem has drawn as much fire as it has because it is symbolic of the closed, unmodifiable nature of Apple products—a criticism to which Android seems a direct response. Not only can you swap the G1's battery for a fresh one at will (a feature it shares with virtually every other phone on the market), but you can also add extra memory for songs and programs using its micro-SD slot. Good thing too, since the phone's built-in memory is pretty paltry (more on that below.)

3. Integrated Compass
Not only does the G1 have GPS, it has an integrated compass that can determine which way you're facing and give you Google Maps StreetView images of the buildings around you. It's not that useful on its own; after all, you could just look up to see what's around you, but we're interested in seeing what third-party developers can do with this functionality. Maybe Garmin or another company could put together a program that turns the G1 into a fully featured hiking GPS? Even if that doesn't happen, carrying a compass around can't hurt when you find yourself in unfamiliar territory.

4. Offline Integration with Google Apps
You can access mobile versions of most Google applications on an iPhone, but with a few exceptions (such as the Google Maps application) you'll need to do it through the Web. The Android phone's calendar is an offline version of the much-loved Google Calendar online application. Enter dates into your phone, and they automatically show up on your online calendar. And while you can easily set an iPhone to sync up with calendars such as Google's there is a beautiful simplicity with the way Android replicates the online programs you are used to offline, in areas where you don't have service.

5. Multitasking and Copy and Pasting
The iPhone can do a lot, but it can't do a lot at once. With the exception of the iPod music-playing program, which can run in the background while you do just about anything, the iPhone is a multitasking weakling (somewhat ironic, considering the fact that Apple's Macintosh computers were desktop multitasking pioneers). With Android, you can easily swipe between programs. However, it must be noted that it is still to be seen what sort of effect this will have on the phone's memory and performance. The perils of mobile multitasking are among the chief problems with Windows Mobile, where you can certainly load up a ton of applications simultaneously, it will just take forever for them to do anything. It must be noted that we really do appreciate that Android allows you to copy and paste text. Perhaps it will motivate Apple to finally bring that feature to the iPhone.

5 Reason's the iPhone's Still Number One

1. The G1's Not a Real Media Player ... Yet
The iPhone doesn't just play back video—it's one of the best (and best-looking) portable media players on the market. While we'll certainly see developers making video playback programs for the G1, there are none built into it. But Apple beware: If there's one thing the open-source development community loves, it is support for a wide range of video formats and codecs. All it will take is one robust mobile playback program (mobile VLC, perchance?) to make users remember just how much they hate converting videos into MP4 so they'll play on an iPhone.

2. The iPhone is Thinner
The G1's slide-out keyboard may be useful, but it comes at a price: The G1 takes us back to the pocket-bulging smartphones of yesteryear, while the iPhone is svelte enough to fit in the front pocket of your Levis.

3. No Multitouch
The G1 uses a capacitive touchscreen. This is the same highly sensitive type of screen found on the iPhone (most touchscreen phones use mostly inferior resistive touchscreens), and should allow the G1 to compete when it comes to touch sensitivity. But the G1 does not have the iPhone's multitouch capability. While the G1 attempts to make up for it by utilizing "long-touches" to bring up deep menus, it loses out on the huge amount of functionality (and coolness) that comes from the iPhone's ability to sense two fingers at once.

4. Terrible Headphone Jack
The iPhone proved that people were willing to listen to music on their cellphones. Still, most manufacturers are reluctant to put a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack on their phones, forcing customers instead to use bulky adaptors or subpar bundled headphones. The 3G iPhone bucked that trend (the original had an annoying recessed headphone jack that could only take specially made headphones), but the G1 relies on an irritating proprietary plug. To make things work, early indications are that adaptors won't even be available when the phone first hits shelves, making the bundled headphones the only choice.

5. Internal Memory
The iPhone currently comes in 8 GB and 16 GB varieties, and we'll likely see a 32 GB version before long. The G1 has just 192 MB of onboard memory, and comes with a 1 GB micro-SD card. That's not really enough memory for a phone that's supposed to be full of music and downloaded applications. If you want an 8 GB G1, you'll have to purchase an 8 GB micro-SD card, which will push the price of the phone from $179 above the iPhone's $199 price tag. If T-Mobile, Google and HTC really expect us to use the G1 as a mobile computer, they'll need to give us more memory.

Review below taken from technology.timesonline.co.uk by Murad Ahmed

The T-Mobile G1 is Great, the iPhone is Better

The first mobile phone powered by Google was launched September 23, 2008 ready to do battle with Apple’s iPhone for the top spot on many people’s Christmas gift list.

The long-awaited smart phone, the T-Mobile G1, which was unveiled at a press conference in New York, will go on sale in the US next month, and is expected to hit British stores by early November.

The event, featuring whooping and cheering more often associated with the unveiling of new Apple products, revealed the first handset to run on “Android” — Google’s new software for mobile phones.

The arrival of Android signals the opening round of the battle between Google and its rivals, such as Nokia and Apple, to create software for the next generation of mobile phones that allows users to connect seamlessly to the internet.

A Google spokesman said that, these days, using phones “does not just mean a phone call, but rather access to the world’s information” and that mobiles will be one of the most important ways to connect to the internet in future.

However, when The Times was granted a first glance at the new device, the phone did not seem to offer a ground-breaking feature to rival the “wow factor” of the iPhone’s touchscreen. Instead, the G1 happily adopts the best features of the iPhone and BlackBerry — two of the best smart phones on the market.

It has the easy-to-navigate and intuitive touchscreen, like the iPhone. But, like the BlackBerry, it has a qwerty keyboard, which slides out, and a “trackball” that helps you navigate around the screen.

The internet giant emphasised that the phone is not a “Google phone” per se, as it is manufactured by HTC, a Taiwanese manufacturer, and will be offered exclusively by T-Mobile in Britain. To obtain the phone, customers must sign up to an 18-month contract that costs £40 a month. But it seems the product will be sold on the back of Google street cred.

Early versions of the phone were called the “Dream” but the final handset has been named the “G1”. Instead of the manufacturer’s name on the back, it reads “with Google”. As a result, it is Google’s brand and reputation that will be enhanced — or dented — by this phone.

The phone may represent a threat to Apple’s iPhone and iPod, as the new device is able to download digital music from amazon.com. As a result, about six million tracks will be available on the G1 at the touch of a button.

However, the G1 cannot compete with Apple’s sleek design. At first touch, the G1 looks and feels plastic and clunky by comparison.

The mobile allows easy access to Google’s range of online applications, such as Gmail, its personal e-mail service, and YouTube. The G1 also allows you to see Google Maps in “street view”, so you can explore cities virtually, as if standing on the street corner itself.

However, the buzz surrounding the G1 has less to do with ground-breaking new features, and more to do with Google’s innovation — the Android operating system that runs the phone. Google’s aim is to get more people online, using search and advertising services from which it makes money.

And there are more Androidpowered phones to come, with the manufacturers LG and Samsung likely to reveal mobiles that run on the software next year.

Google also hopes to take the lead over Apple by making Android “open source” — meaning that people will not be charged to use it on their handset or for writing applications for it.

This means that anyone can write programs that will run free of charge on an Android-powered phone.

Best Free Download Mobile Software

2009-01-13T11:03:00.025+07:00

Collection of best free software for your Pocket PC, SmartPhone, or Palm PDA.

Best Free Windows Mobile Software

from www.cnet.com.au by Jessica Dolcourt and Joseph Hanlon

You dig your Windows Mobile device, but you'll love it more when it's loaded up with free software for entertainment, security and work. Find the best and brightest free downloads for your faithful handheld.

You think you like your Pocket PC or Windows smartphone now, but when you see our collection of best free software made just for the portable operating system, your heart will beat a little faster. From music and chat to ringtones and games, these free mobile applications rise above the rest.

GSPlayer

You need music, and you need it now. GSPlayer simply and effectively manages your MP3s with sound quality that's more than acceptable. Not a fan of the basic blue look? Skins are available, too.

Skype for Pocket PC

The lovely thing about mobile telephony is that you don't need a phone to use it, which makes Skype ideal for wireless-enabled Pocket PCs. If you do have a smartphone, paying your wireless fees is still less expensive than making a direct international call.

Kevtris

This addictive Tetris-like game adds an extra aid and extra hurdle. Shadowy place holders will remove some guesswork by prompting you where pieces fall, but navigating with the small buttons on your device is its own challenge.

Spybot - Search & Destroy

As mobile attacks are on the rise worldwide, security is one area where you don't want to skimp. With free basic protection for Pocket PC and smartphones, you have no excuse not to.

Magic Button

Wouldn't it be great to have a single command that actually closes a Pocket PC program with the push of a button? Enter Magic Button, which populates your taskbar for easy control over running programs and lets you map digital versions of hardware buttons to boot.

ToneThis

Most free ringtones sound like they've been ripped from bad video games. Instead of shelling out for a tune that reminds you of Lemmings, produce one from your desktop and transfer it to your device.

Google Maps

The truth is, everyone needs good directions. We recommend giving Google maps a spin. Too bad the program doesn't also use GPS sensors to pinpoint our current location on the map, but for free, we can't complain!

Quake

Re-live the PC classic on your Pocket PC. Navigate through the labyrinthine maps and use the handset's touchscreen to aim at monsters before blowing them away. Note: to play Quake you also have to install a few files which can be downloaded from here.

PocketCM Keyboard

Jealous of the iPhone's finger-friendly on-screen keyboard? PocketCM Keyboard features the same visual feedback which highlights the key you've just selected, making it easier to be sure you're striking the right place for each character.

Group SMS

Just as the name suggests, Group SMS makes it easy to send a burst message to a number of contacts simultaneously. A must-have for business users with a team to communicate with.

YouTube Player

Some newer Windows Mobile devices come with a preloaded YouTube player, similar to the iPhone. For everyone else there's Youtubeplay.

PDAcraft Paint

What's a Windows operating platform with a version of MS Paint? Explore your inner artist with this very simple drawing program for your mobile.

Adobe Flash Lite 2.1

This standalone version of the Flash Lite 2.1 player for Windows Mobile 5.0 devices is free and allows developers to test their Flash Lite applications and content before actual handsets start shipping with Flash Lite 2.1 pre-installed. This version is also available to end users who want to play back Flash Lite content and applications on Windows Mobile 5.0 devices.

Most Popular Free Symbian Software (compatible with any Symbian device)

eBuddy

The most popular and free instant messaging application on your mobile. Download it to your phone to chat on MSN, YM!, AIM, ICQ, Google Talk, and Facebook; all in one single buddylist.

Smartguard

Hide your mobile content sms, images, videos, and numbers with password

Opera Mini

Try the new version of this free full Web browser for your phone. Browse the full Web anywhere, anytime, on any phone. Synch your bookmarks, history, notes and more between your computer and mobile phone.

FileExplorer

FileExplorer is a program for managing files on the phone and memory card. Current features include hiding/unhiding of folders and files, password protected access to the program and copying and moving files.

Twitter (New)

Social networking and microblogging service utilising instant messaging, SMS or a web interface.

Best Islamic Mobile Software

Qur'an Reader (for Java, Blackberry, PalmPRC)

Read the translation of Holy Quran in Arabic and English translation by Mohsin Khan for Java-enabled phones. Quran Reader has a fast scrolling display and a full index of all the Surahs (chapters) of the Holy Quran. It includes the feature of saving and retrieving bookmarks, as well as browsing to a particular verse inside a Surah (chapter). The translation includes verse numbers and verse highlighting for easy reading and easy reference.

IMAGiNET Islamic Suite

The world’s first Holy Quran and Hadith Shareef on Pocket PC devices. The software comes with Arabic-Latin soft keyboard, in addition to an Arabic character handwriting recognition. A multilingual interface, Arabic, English are included.

Another Islamic Software

At this website, you can also find and get your favorite Islamic Software. It's totally free for your Mobiles Phones or Pocket PC.

Creating beautiful shadow effect using Paint Shop Pro 9 (Part 2)

2009-01-12T16:58:00.011+07:00

At last time, I tried to create a glass shadow effect for the text using Paint Shop Pro v9 with simply Layer and Masking technique, and this time I tried to create again with perspective shadow effect but without Masking technique. Certainly easier and the result is good too. The steps was not different with last time.

These are the steps :

Step 1
Open a new 400X200 pixel image with a white background.

Step 2
Add a new Raster layer to this image.

Step 3
Click on the Text tool and put the text at the left of the image. Example Arial font with 48 pt size in bold style, don't forget to select 'Selection' in Create as:.
And then, Click on the Fill tool , select a color from the Materials Palette to the text.

Step 4Duplicate current Layer. Click Image menu and select Flip.
Click on the Deformation tool , drag the text down. And use the Deformation tool to change the shape of the gradient filled text. Remember, to skew the text, press the SHIFT key. Change the opacity of the layer (in Layer panel) that contains the gradient filled text to 40.

Step 5
Repeat the steps from step 2 to step 4 but with a different text. In this steps, you can create with your creativity. Use the skew and rotate the text to create a perspective effect.

The final result show resemble the image on the top.

Creating beautiful shadow effect using Paint Shop Pro 9 (Part 1)

2009-01-10T22:06:00.032+07:00

Currently, many web sites have the text and images or picture that was given by the effect in order to be seen more beautiful. One of them by giving the effect of shadow under the object, as though the object is in the top of the glass. There are many different ways or techniques to create the effect with Image Processing Software such as Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro. This time I tried to explain the easy way to create a glass shadow effect for the text using Paint Shop Pro v9.

There are some terms that need to be understood to create a shadow text effect on the glass, for example Layer and Masking.

These are the steps :

Step 1
Open a new 400X200 pixel image with a white background.

Step 2
Add a new Raster layer to this image.

Step 3
Click on the Text tool and put the text at the left of the image. Example Arial font with 48 pt size in bold style, don't forget to select 'Selection' in Create as:.
And then, Click on the Fill tool , select some colors one by one from the Materials Palette to each text.

Step 4Duplicate current Layer.
Click on the Deformation tool , drag the text down. You can use the Deformation tool if you want to change the shape of the gradient filled text. Remember, to skew the text, press the SHIFT key.

Step 5
Click Image menu and select Flip.

Step 6
Click on the Selection tool and drag to gradient filled text.
Then, select New mask layer, click Show selection.

Step 7
Click on the Fill tool , select Swatches (Gradient color) from the Materials Palette and set the direction to 0 Angle in "Materials Properties", and put in the text.

Step 8
Change the opacity of the layer (in Layer panel) that contains the gradient filled text to 50.
The final result show resemble the image below.

Go to Part 2

How to Create PDF Files for Free or Convert from any Documents

2009-01-08T12:19:00.011+07:00

Preface

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format created by Adobe Systems in 1993 for document exchange. PDF is used for representing two-dimensional documents in a manner independent of the application software, hardware, and operating system.

Each PDF file encapsulates a complete description of a fixed-layout 2-D document (and, with Acrobat 3-D, embedded 3-D documents) that includes the text, fonts, images, and 2-D vector graphics which comprise the documents.

PDF is an open standard that was officially published on July 1, 2008 by the ISO as ISO 32000-1:2008.

Create PDF Files for Free

mixed from reviewsaurus.com and freebies.about.com

PDF (Portable Document Format) is one of the most used format when it comes to distributing documents across the web. However, Adobe Acrobat is a paid program (not Acrobat Reader) and expensive too, so it becomes difficult for everyone to purchase such a software and have the ability to create the PDF files.

Here I would like to mention some of the ways through which you can create the PDF files for free and without spending even a single penny!

1. Using Open Office

With the help of Openoffice.org you can export the documents in PDF format. This is the best way to create PDF documents for free. If you already have a recent copy of OpenOffice.org you have what you need to create PDF files. Just open the document in one of the OpenOffice.org applications, click on the file menu and choose export to PDF. If you don't have OpenOffice.org you can download it for free and use use it at home or in a business setting at no cost. The software is available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Solaris and in a number of different languages.

2. Using online office like Zoho, ThinkFree or Google Docs

These service i.e. Zoho and ThinkFree or Google Docs allows you to export the files as PDF. So, when you have some important document, just open them in these online office programs and export them as PDF.

3. Converting the documents using free online converters

There are a number of online PDF converters, but most of them require registration and make you jump through various hoops to get your PDF file. PDF Online only requires that you supply an email address to use for receiving your PDF file.

PDF Online reduces image resolution, does not preserve hyperlinks, and will not process a file larger than 2 megabytes. I only recommend an online PDF converter if you just need a quick conversion and can't install OpenOffice.org or a print driver based PDF creator.

4. Using free software

There are various free softwares which allow you to create the PDF files. CutePDF is one of such softwares. CutePDF is basically a print driver that produces PDF files instead of sending your document to a printer. The main reasons you might want to use CutePDF instead of OpenOffice.org is that it is an extremely small program and will allow you to create PDF files directly from any application that you can print from. You just print your document and select the CutePDF driver instead of another print driver.

The only two drawbacks to CutePDF that I can see are that it doesn't preserve hyperlinks in a document and it doesn't give you options like the amount of compression to use and whether to use security options in your PDF file.

There is an open source program that works like CutePDF but gives you lots more options. However, it still will not preserve hyperlinks. You can download PDFCreator if you need the extra flexibility.

5. Through Microsoft Office

LyteByte has got a great article which tells you that how you can create the PDF files using Microsoft Office Applications.

Apple iPod Review - Touch vs Classic vs Nano vs Shuffle

2009-01-06T14:06:00.025+07:00

Preface

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

iPod is a brand of portable media players designed and marketed by Apple Inc. and launched on October 23, 2001. The product line-up includes the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the video-capable iP od Nano, and the screenless iPod Shuffle. The iPhone can function as an iPod but is generally treated as a separate product. Former iPod models include the compact iPod Mini and the spin-off iPod Photo (since reintegrated into the main iPod Classic line). iPod Classic models store media on an internal hard drive, while all other models use flash memory to enable their smaller size (the discontinued Mini used a Microdrive miniature hard drive). As with many other digital music players, iPods, excluding the iPod Touch, can also serve as external data storage devices. Storage capacity varies by model.

The current iPod line. From left to right: iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Classic, iPod Touch

Apple's iTunes software can be used to transfer music to the devices from computers using certain versions of Apple Macintosh and Microsoft Windows operating systems. For users who choose not to use Apple's software or whose computers cannot run iTunes software, several open source alternatives to iTunes are also available. iTunes and its alternatives may also transfer photos, videos, games, contact information, e-mail settings, Web bookmarks, and calendars to iPod models supporting those features. Apple focused its development on the iPod line's unique user interface and its ease of use, rather than on technical capability. As of September 2008, more than 173 million iPods had been sold worldwide, making it the best-selling digital audio player series in history.

iPod Touch vs Classic vs Nano vs Shuffle

This review from ipodmanual.org

iPod Touch

One of the most innovative iPods is the iPod touch. This is similar in design to the ever-popular iPhone, without all of the bells, whistles, and phone capabilities.

The iPod touch is great because it has a large screen that makes it perfect to watch movies and TV shows and play video games.

However, some people lament the fact that the iPod touch is more expensive than other models. It also has a small amount of storage for something of this nature.

Even so, you will probably be able to fit enough of the things you love for this to be well worth your time. If you’re desperate for an iPod touch but want to save money, you could always buy a refurbished model that will be as good as new.

iPod Classic

The iPod classic is one of the easiest iPod reviews to do. It is simply a great product that expands on the original iPod models that we’ve all come to know and love.

The main reason that so many people love the classic is because of the massive amount of storage space. There is a 160GB model and an 80 GB model! You would be able to download all of the movies, TV shows, and video games you wanted.

Even with all of the great improvements there are some things that are less than desirable. If you have accessories that you used with an older model you may have a hard time getting them to transfer to the new model.

It seems that there are compatibility issues with some of these. Another downside is that the audio has not seen any improvements. Even so, the iPod has always had a great sound quality. Most people would be very happy with the iPod classic even with these details.

iPod Nano

The iPod Nano is another incredibly popular model. The newest version has seen an update in the case shape that many people view as an improvement. In addition to the casing design, this is one iPod that is uber affordable and desirable.

The love for the Nano often begins because of the slim case. If you travel frequently and need to put your iPod in your pocket, this can be a major plus for you.

Not only does this Nano have a great shape, but it also has a very clear picture that you won’t believe fits in such a tiny package. There are also pre-installed video games and other great features.

Of course, there is a downside to every model. Some find the wideness of the Nano to be a bit too much. Another problem is that the sound quality is not as great as that of other higher-end iPods. Even so, you can’t go wrong with the Nano if its specifications match your needs.

iPod Shuffle

The shuffle is on the lowest end of the spectrum but still serves a great purpose for many people. This is great because it is very small at about the size of a stick of gum. It has a great price and simple controls.

Of course, the controls can also be considered a downside. They do not offer much flexibility and some might get frustrated with the lack of options. This iPod is not for everyone, but is a great little MP3 player with a kick.

Which One?

After you’ve read these iPod reviews, consider the functions that mean the most to you. There are many to choose from, and have the great Apple quality you’ve come to know and love. No matter what you choose, you’ll sure to be happy with your decision.

New Update

You can see recent update news, features, specs, and prices of Apple iPod at Apple website

How to download YouTube videos, free YouTube downloader and converter

2009-01-05T12:10:00.001+07:00

Preface

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

YouTube is a video sharing website where users can upload, view and share video clips. YouTube was created in February 2005 by three former PayPal employees. In November 2006, YouTube, LLC was bought by Google Inc. for US$1.65 billion, and is now operated as a subsidiary of Google. The company is based in San Bruno, California, and uses Adobe Flash Video technology to display a wide variety of user-generated video content, including movie clips, TV clips, and music videos, as well as amateur content such as video blogging and short original videos. Most of the content on YouTube has been uploaded by members of the public, although media organizations including CBS and the BBC offer some of their material via the site.

Unregistered users can watch the videos, while registered users are permitted to upload an unlimited number of videos. Videos that are considered to contain potentially offensive content are available only to registered users over the age of 18. The uploading of videos containing defamation, commercial advertisements, copyright violations, and material encouraging criminal conduct is prohibited by YouTube's terms of service.

Download YouTube Videos from Website or Free Grabber Software

taken from mashable.com by Stan Schroeder

Youtube video download tool and Youtube converter, it has the complete functions and easy to use to download YouTube video, archive Youtube video, and convert YouTube video to iPod, iPhone, PSP, Apple TV, Zune, Pocket PC and a lot of other mobile devices.

We’ve chosen any YouTube downloader tools we’ve found to be actually working. Here they are, categorized according to the platform they work on:

From Website

1. Videodownloadx.com doesn’t have a lot of options, but it’s simple, and it works. It also enables you to share the YouTube video with your friends via e-mail. Unfortunately, all the files are called get_video, and you have to add the .flv extension manually.

videodownloadx.com

2. VideoDownloader is very similar to KeepVid, but supports even more video sharing sites, and it’s also available as a Firefox extension. Just like with KeepVid, all downloads are in .flv format. We recommend Me diaCoder for free conversion.

javimoya.com/blog/youtube_en.php

3. YouTube Downloads takes the cake in the longest domain name contest. It also separates itself by using a proxy for downloading videos, which means that you might be able to get videos even if YouTube access is blocked at your workplace or in the country you live. Just search Google for YouTube videos, and copy/paste the URL into YouTube Downloads.

www.downloadandsaveyoutubevideos.info

4. Zamzar is an online file format conversion site which can do a lot more than just converting YouTube videos to another format and downloading them to your hard drive, but it’s doing a great job so we had to include it here. Thoroughly tested by us and highly recommended.

www.zamzar.com

5. YouTubia separates itself from the crowd by enabling you to search as well as download YouTube files. Options are scarce, but it works.

www.youtubia.com

6. VidGrab is another simple site that works with YouTube, Google Video, MySpace and Break.com. Besides the download function, the site also sports a top list of most viewed videos.

www.vidgrab.com

7. Vixy offers both downloading videos and converting them into DivX avi, mov, mp4, 3gp, or mp3 (for audio only) formats. The conversion works well enough, but sometimes results in slightly choppy playback.

vixy.net

8. Media Converter can be a little slow, but the results of the video conversion are quite good. We’ve converted some YouTube videos to avi (mpeg4 + mp3) format and it worked well. The tool is not limited to video conversion; it also supports several audio and document formats.

www.mediaconverter.org

9. KcoolOnline is a web-based converter which supports 98 video sharing web sites, including YouTube. It has literally zero options, so it’s recommended for those who like to keep it simple.

www.kcoolonline.com

From Windows Applications

10. YouTube Grabber downloads files from Youtube in .flv format. Copy and paste the URL of a video from YouTube into the program, press «grab», and the file will be downloaded into the same directory as the program.

www.download.com/Youtube-Grabber/3000-2071_4-10574801.html

11. Orbit Downloader is a desktop application which can download videos from a wide variety of sites. The download process is very simple, just hover your mouse over the video and you’ll get a button that says «Get It». The developers of the program claim that it’s very fast (up to 500% faster, they say) due to its P2P download technology.

www.orbitdownloader.com

12. My Video Downloader. With all these free tools, it’s actually funny to see a commercial one. It’s called My Video Downloader, and while it does look solid and offers a lot of conversion options (a free trial which enables you to download 10 videos is available), we’re not sure it offers enough to warrant a price tag.

myvideodownloader.com

13. KeepV is a desktop downloader as well as a converter, which can convert the downloaded videos from flv to avi, mov, mp4, or 3gp formats.

keepv.com

14. VideoGet boasts being able to download video clips from more than 100 video sharing websites. We haven’t tested all of them, so we’re just going to take their word for it. It’s a deskop application with a nice, simple interface, and a solid number of options.

nuclear-coffee.com/php/products.php

15. TubeSucker is a desktop YouTube video downloader with some interesting options, including batch downloading large amounts of videos from a certain user. See the video tour on the site.

www.newrad.com/software/tubesucker/

From Mac OS X

16. Get Tube is an OS X application which lets you download video or audio files from YouTube, DailyMotion and Kewego.

web.mac.com/simonvrel/iWeb/software/v.1.0.html

From Linux

17. Youtube-dl. Here’s some love for Linux users. Youtube-dl is a program that lets you download YouTube clips in flv format, which both mplayer and VLC can easily chew up.

www.nuxified.org/blog/download_youtube_video_files_with_youtube_dl

18. YouTube Ripper is not actually an application; it’s a simple script that rips all videos that match a keyword, uploaded by a specific YouTube user. We don’t really have ideas on what to use this for, but maybe you do! PHP port is also available.

nlindblad.org/2007/04/08/youtube-ripper-collectors-edition/

From Browser Plugins

19. Vidtaker is a Firefox-only plugin that can download videos from most streaming websites: Google Video, YouTube, MySpace, etc. It automatically converts the video to a DivX avi.

www.vidtaker.com

20. Ook? Video Ook! Yes, that’s the full name of this Firefox plugin, which enables you to download videos from YouTube and several other video sharing web sites. It features one click downloading and integration with the popular DownThemAll Firefox plugin.

addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2584

Free data recovery programs, Recovers files, Restore files that have been deleted

2009-01-04T14:03:00.020+07:00

taken from detikinet.com by Dewi Widya Ningrum (translated)

Do you had deleted important files on your computer accidentally? Cases like this possibly had stricken you, occasionally happened because we were hurrying or was pursued by time

But do not worry, you can use recovery tools to restore the files earlier. These are 4 tools that you can use to restore the deleted file. This tool can be downloaded for free on the Internet.

1. Undelete Plus

Among the applications for free to restore the deleted files, Undelete Plus the one that could be used. It User interface be classed as very simple. You can restore the erased files easily in accordance file type, such as the Application, GIF graphics, HTML documents, PDF, etc.

This tool operates on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003 and Windows Vista. You can download the Undelete Plus at http://www.undelete-plus.com

2. Restoration

Restoration is one of the application to restore the deleted file. This tool also very easy to use and does not need to be installed on the computer. You can simply download the tool at http://www.snapfiles.com/get/restoration.html, and run the executable-file to restore the deleted file.

3. PC Inspector File Recovery

Although the user interface of PC inspector File Recovery is not so user friendly, this application is very powerful to detect and restore the deleted file. After the scanning process was done, would show the deleted files in the folder structure (tree structure) to facilitate the search.
In this way, you could easily find and select the file or folder was deleted, and then click on the icon "save" to restore the file. This tool can be downloaded at http://www.pcinspector.de/Sites/file_recovery/info.htm?language=1

4. Recuva

Recuva was often called as "Recover". It User interface was very simple. In the basic mode, this tool will display a list of files that erased to be recover. If you change it to advanced mode, the scanning process will be repeated and the options appear to display the information contains a list of erased files. This tool can be downloaded at http://www.recuva.com

iPhone 3G by Apple Inc. a Best Smartphone, News and Review

2009-01-03T09:55:00.013+07:00

see full specs on Apple site

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The iPhone is an internet-connected multimedia smartphone designed and marketed by Apple Inc. with a flush multi-touch screen and a minimal hardware interface. The device does not have a physical keyboard, so a virtual keyboard is rendered on the touch screen instead. The iPhone functions as a camera phone (including text messaging and visual voicemail), a portable media player (equivalent to an iPod), and Internet client (with email, web browsing, and local Wi-Fi connectivity). The first generation phone hardware was quad-band GSM with EDGE; the second generation also adds UMTS with HSDPA.

Apple announced the iPhone on January 9, 2007. The announcement was preceded by rumors and speculation that circulated for several months. The iPhone was initially introduced in the United States on June 29, 2007 and has since been introduced worldwide. It was named Time magazine's "Invention of the Year" in 2007. On July 11, 2008, the iPhone 3G was released and supported faster 3G data speeds and Assisted GPS.

review taken from cell-phones.toptenreviews.com

Apple iPhone 3G 16GB

Introduction

The question of whether or not the new and improved iPhone 3G deserves all of the glowing reviews and accolades it has been receiving is a simple one to answer: it does. What the iPhone 3G has, it has in spades. With improved connectivity, durability, speed, reception and refinements in its button positioning and material design, the 3G iPhone is miles ahead of its predecessor, and even further ahead of its competitors. But best of all, it comes with a much reduced price tag, and increased memory capacity.

Appeal and Flexibility

While the iPhone 3G isn’t the first 3G phone, it does make better use of the technology than other devices before it. Aside from its four 3G radio bands, the iPhone 3G includes three GSM radio bands, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, providing seamless access and use from virtually anywhere. But the iPhone 3G really shines in its improved software performance.

The iPhone 3G supports the 2.0 software, an upgrade that promises new additional features such as iWork document support, contacts search and the capability to view PowerPoint presentations. Also included in the software are parental controls, a scientific calculator and user-friendly bulk-delete option. The supported Microsoft Exchange Server also offers email, contact and date planner, remote wipe, global contacts access and auto-discovery, enhancing its work-use crossover appeal even further.

Though the many users that contracted with ATT with the first iPhone release last fall are likely to be upset, new users are certain to be pleased by the reduction in price. But users beware: the 2-year AT&T contract will cost more over time than the first generation iPhone, so while it’s lighter up front, it does carry heavier baggage.

Design Features

Like all Apple products, the iPhone 3G is a work of art, and stands somewhere between fashion-forward accessory and jack-of-all-trades handheld tool. The body maintains its overall design from its previous versions, but with key differences in the material used. The buttons are chromed for further protection against damage, while the touchscreen itself has had some cosmetic changes to provide for better protection and easier touchscreen use. The aluminum backing has been replaced by an ultra-light, black plastic skin, which helps to defray the cost of the product, while reducing overall weight.

A key difference between the iPhone 3G and the previous iPhones is the location of the headphone jack. While other iPhones had a recessed headphone jack, the new iPhone 3G's headphone jack remains flush with the body, enabling users to hook up any 3.5mm headphones they want.

The iPhone 3G supports three 3G bands, 850, 1900 and 2100, allowing it impressive speed and connectivity. In fact, in speed demonstrations, the speed of the iPhone 3G has proven to triple the speed of the previous iPhone. But it isn’t certain if these speeds will be a standard when many iPhone 3Gs are using the same network.

The GPS features offered by the iPhone 3G are a cut above others, using Assisted GPS with the help of satellites. The 3G iPhone’s GPS can also be used for live tracking, making it a very useful tool for pedestrian or automotive navigation. Better still, the iPhone 3G offers photo geotagging. Turn-by-turn directions by third-party apps are promised to follow very soon.

The battery life of the iPhone 3G also boasts strong improvements over the previous iPhone, providing more than 10 hours of 2G talk time, five hours of 3G talk time, five hours of 3G internet time, six hours of Wi-Fi internet time, seven hours of video playback and 24 hours of audio playback. These improvements are likely to keep the charger at home, allowing for by all accounts, all-day use.

The iPhone 3G also offers support for more than 15 languages, and includes a spray can styled applicator for writing characters in Asian languages.

Improvement

The body of the iPhone 3G remains virtually the same as the previous iPhone. However, with its ultra-light plastic backing, the new iPhone 3G does weigh in slightly lighter. The edges of the iPhone 3G are also now tapered to provide leverage and easier use of the interface. Most importantly, the same ultra-light plastic backing solves many of the battery changing questions and problems that occurred with the first model.

While picture resolution and audio quality remain the same, expanded memory capacities and better connectivity provide for more media storage and entertainment options. And with third-party gaming applications soon to come, the iPhone 3G is likely to have further use and crossover appeal within handheld gaming.

The most important improvement of course is the incorporation of 3G technology. Cell phones and handhelds have provided internet connectivity for the better part of the last five years. But with server, bandwidth, hardware and software problems, the results were often hazardous at best and restricted to ring tone downloads and sports scores. The iPhone 3G makes up for years of error, providing speedy and stable internet connection.

The iPhone 3G also includes a SIM card removal tool and power adapter, making up for many of the problems that faced the earlier iPhone.

What's Missing

To the surprise of many, the new iPhone 3G still fails to make use of many of the multimedia options that Apple itself champions. Multimedia messaging, voice dialing and video recording—options which are standard in most cell phones—are painfully absent. Also in need of work is the built-in camera, which is a pretty bare-boned feature. While most iPhone users are unlikely to be dissuaded by the shortcomings of its built-in camera, it would be nice to see improvements made in later versions.

Summary

Though the iPhone 3G isn’t by any means revolutionary, it does up the ante by doing an incredible job of refining available technologies, improving upon the previous iPhone design and challenging the various business and entertainment multimedia cell phone markets. Hopefully the future will see an iPhone that taps into the multimedia, video and audio capabilities pioneered by Apple. But until then, the iPhone 3G should do an excellent job of tiding you over.

Apple MacBook Pro, Which Size MacBook Pro should I Buy

2009-01-01T21:35:00.009+07:00

This article taken from guides.macrumors.com

Overview

After several months of rumors, accurate predictions and real photographs, the Rev. F MacBook Pro was finally released at Apple's notebook event on October 14, 2008. The new "Unibody" enclosure enabled Apple to produce a slightly slimmer case, yet also slightly heavier. The new design also allows hard drive access, as an officially user installable part.

After teaming up with NVIDIA, Apple decided to use two GPUs in the MacBook Pro, a 9400M GT for light work and a 9600M GT for graphically intensive applications. According to NVIDIA, the MacBook Pro does not feature HybridSLI. Apple also decided to use a NVIDIA chipset, although it still has the same 1066 MHz FSB capabilities as Intel's Montevina. DDR3 RAM was also included for the first time, and RAM upgrades were made much more affordable through Apple than they have been in the past.

The 17-inch model is still awaiting an update but is presumed by many to be released within a few months.

Which size MacBook Pro should I buy?

The most significant benefit to purchasing a MacBook Pro is having both power and portability. Ideally, the nature of what you will be using the MacBook Pro for can help dictate what screen size MacBook Pro you invest in. Prior to making your purchase, ask yourself: "Will I be using my MacBook Pro for travel or primarily as a convenient portable solution around the home?" If your professional career dictates that you carry a MacBook Pro with you every day through airports, hotels and business meetings then investing in a 17" model might prove to be too cumbersome a companion for you. Likewise, if the majority of the work you do is stationary, with travel being relatively rare, both 15" and 17" MacBook Pros are appropriate.

MacRumors Examples

Scenario	Our recommendation	Why?
I'll be using the MacBook Pro for graphic design and/ or movie editing. I plan to occasionally move around from place to place with the MacBook Pro.	17" MacBook Pro	You'll benefit from the better screen size and resolution. If you move around quite frequently, a 15" MacBook Pro with an external display may be a better choice.
I require something I can take everywhere with me, but I do demanding things like playing games and heavy photo editing.	15" MacBook Pro	While a 17" MacBook Pro is thinner and lighter than some of the 15" Windows laptops, it is still quite heavy and large to be carrying with you everywhere. It may be worth investing in an external screen to extend your real estate when at home.
I just want something to surf the Internet with, check email, listen to some tunes and word process with.	MacBook or 15" MacBook Pro	A MacBook Pro would be overkill in this case, however, if you really want a bigger screen, then the 15" MacBook Pro would be fine if you have enough funds.

If you need more update information about Apple MacBook Pro, you can visit Apple website.

Fastest Browser, Opera 10 alpha

2009-01-01T11:43:00.014+07:00

Fastest browser is not necessarily the best browser. Who is the best browser at this time?

To determine the browser where the fastest and best, many criteria must be met for the test. Therefore, I only choose based on my experience, since I try to use Opera version 6, 7, 8, and the last version 9.6, the Opera browser to work more quickly while open many web pages than other browsers such as Mozilla and Internet Explorer. However, Opera browser has matters in the lack of compatibility. Some web pages do not appear perfectly, because many programmers to optimize its web site to the Mozilla bowser. So that the web page will be perfect when opened by the Mozilla browser.

This time I will provide information about new version of the Opera, it is Opera 10 alpha, which you can try to free download at Opera site.

What is new in the opera 10?

1) Updated engine

Opera Presto 2.2 is the newest rendering engine for the Opera browser. It provides significant improvements in speed, performance and security.

2) 30% Faster on the real Web

We optimized the Opera Presto 2.2 engine to be much faster on resource intensive pages such as Gmail and Facebook.

3) Great-looking standards

With an Acid3 100/100 score, Web Fonts support, RGBA/HSLA color and SVG improvements, Opera 10 alpha is ready for the next generation of Web applications. Learn more

4) Inline spell-check

Write freely in your Facebook wall, blog or Web mail. Opera 10 alpha underlines any misspelled words so you can express yourself without reservation.

5) Auto-update

Opera 10 alpha makes it easier than ever to stay up to date with the latest version.

6) E-mail your way

Depending on your personality or mood, use full HTML formatting or just plain text in your e-mails. Either way Opera Mail has your back.

7) Web Fonts and SVG

Typography on the Web will never look the same. With the Opera Presto 2.2 engine, you can use Web Fonts -including SVG font files- on your Web pages.

8) Opacity through RGBA and HSLA

Transparency is the new black. In Opera Presto 2.2 it is easier to make page elements transparent, with the addition of an alpha transparency argument to the RGB and HSL color models.

9) Opera Dragonfly evolved

Opera Dragonfly is now even better for debugging Web sites, allowing you to edit the DOM and inspect HTTP headers.

If you found a bug, you can report any bugs on Opera 10 Alpha

Digital Qur'an

2008-12-30T14:42:00.011+07:00

Preface

Assalamu'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Today, I want to inform you about Al-Qur'an "The biggest signs (mukjizat) from Allah SWT to the prophet Muhammad SAW". On the development in the current digital period, Al-Qur'an was digitalize by human.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

About Digital Qur'an

The Digital Qur'an is the electronic version of the Qur'an revered by millions of Muslims across the world. There is a strict code of conduct for handling this text which limits its accessibility, especially in situations such as traveling or everyday reading on the move. The invention of the Electronic Digital Qu'ran addressed these limitations, in particular the ability to read the Qur'an due to the on-screen text feature.

Since its introduction in 1993 by the Korean company; Penman Corporation the Digital Qur'an has progressed through various stages of development and taken on a whole raft of additional features on the way. The Original, Penman, Qur'an book was a basic black and white unit, similar in size to the majority of today’s units, the only function of this device was the playback of the recitation of the Quran with synchronized on-screen Arabic text; it allowed basic navigation of The Book with the ability for the user to select a specific Surah and specific verses. This particular function changed little if at all in the succeeding years.

The Digital Qur'an was in instant success throughout the Muslim world, the portability of the device due to its ‘solid-state’ technology, meant that people could read and listen to the Qur'an in places and situations where it had previously been impossible to do so.

The second offering from Penman included the much requested inclusion of the English Text Translation. This again was synchronized with the Arabic recitation and proved an invaluable resource for consumers.

After this point the Reigns were taken up by a company based in Hong Kong; Enmac Engineering Corporation. Their product range made the Digital Quran more financially accessible and attractive by introducing the next major development in the industry; The Colour Screen. This feature mimicked the current trend of the mobile phone market at’ the time and ensured the continuing popularity of the genre.

Enmac’s products were mass produced in China at an affordable price; however this was achieved at the sacrifice of expenditure on research and development. As such the subsequent models were more variation than innovation. This oversight opened the door to a UK based company: Playnetics. This company realized that both hardware and software development of the Digital Qur'an had stagnated and brought to market, innovative; quality based products that addressed the needs of the Muslim technology consumer.

Playnetics initial offering received praise for its usability and design, but the uptake of the product was severely hampered by the high retail price and low dealer margins.

Taken from digital-quran-v3.blogspot.com

Digital Qur'an V3 by Sony Sugema

Description:
Excellent software, good sounds, nice tarjamah.

This is a Windows application [98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista]. Once installed, you can see ayat written in arabic, the translation [English or Bahasa Indonesia], and at the same time you can hear the sounds reading ayat.

It has features such as browsing and searching certain ayat, copying ayat as picture and exporting ayat to html.

Installation instructions:

After download finished, extract it (with WinRAR or else)
Scan it with antivirus to make sure it's clean (and make you feel comfortable)
Run it and follow step by step instruction. Yup, it's in Bahasa Indonesia, simply click "Lanjutkan"; it means "Next" or "Continue".
There will be a shortcut at Startmenu -> WAREZ distro (Pro) -> Digital Qur'an

To download:
The total size is about 450Mb, splitted into 6 parts. You can download from this site (4shared), or here:

If you're familiar with torrent, you may want to download Digital Qur'an v3 torrent from this mininova or h33t.

Acknowledgement:
Mr. Sony Sugema is not the maker of this good software, just an anonymous announcer.

The Noble Quran

The Noble Quran software was developed to allow users to easily recite and understand the Quran. The arabic in this program is unique in that it is clear, large, and easy to read. It includes a transliteration to help you read, surah introductions by Syed Abu-Ala’ Maududi, and includes an excellent english translation by Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali, Ph.D. and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan. Free download here.

Some examples of digital Qur'an product

CarQu'ran

Qur'an iPod 4th Generation Nano

Quran Chip for your Cell Phone

Digital Pocket Quran

How to choose Flash MP3 Player Product

2008-12-29T15:06:00.007+07:00

This article from mp3-players.toptenreviews.com

Why Buy a Flash Drive MP3 Player?

Flash MP3 players are built to groove. These tiny players do not contain moving parts, so they are 100% skip-proof, unlike other players that are merely skip-resistant. They come in a variety of sizes ranging from 2GB to 16GB and are reasonably priced.

Don't be fooled by the dimensions of these players, despite their size they can:

Play Music – Flash MP3 players can play music files, like MP3, wav, ogg and wma as well as FM radio.
Play Audio Files – Go on the road; with a flash player you can take your audio files with you, so you can listen to your favorite audio books or podcasts without being strapped to your computer.
Display Images – View full-color jpeg images, some even support other file types like bmp or gif. You can even build slide shows to share.
Display Video – Watch video clips and music videos; many music download services also offer video downloads like music videos, TV shows or humorous clips.
Record – Record music from a CD, streaming audio, FM radio or record other sounds like voice through an integrated microphone.
Play Games – Never get bored; many players come with free games or you can download games from download service sites.
Time Management – Watch the clock, these little portables have clocks and alarms; some can even sync up with Outlook or have calendars and stopwatches.
Accessorize – Play music anywhere. Many of these players can be connected to compatible speakers or an FM transmitter for playing in the car. For maximum portability, you can accessorize with armbands, finger straps or other devices that can offer hands free playing.

What to Look for in a Flash MP3 Player

The best Flash MP3 players are compatible with a variety of audio files and have long lasting batteries. Additionally, it is helpful if they have easy-to-use menus and playlist options for browsing files. Advanced players also display video and images.

Look for a product that is compatible with the type of download service you are interested in, for example most sites offer wma files, but the iTunes Music Store uses aac files. You also want to consider screen sizes. If you plan on watching a lot of videos and viewing photos, a larger screen will be much easier on the eyes.

Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to evaluate Flash MP3 Players:

Features – This criterion refers to the players essential features, including what they can play and display, what they can record from and their organization tools. The best products in this review can play music, radio and video, can display images and text, can record from any source and have a clock and alarm.
Music Formats – The most practical MP3 flash players can play a variety of music formats including mp3, wma and wav and aac.
Photo and Video Formats – In order to offer the best photo and video viewing options, a flash MPin a 3 player needs to display the most common formats. This means jpegs for photos and mp4, mov, wmv and avi formats for video, just to name a few.
Physical Features – Physical features include dimensions, appearance and the type of controls. We also looked at the screen size, resolution, weight, menu navigation and battery life. A good battery will give around 25 hours of audio playback and 5 hours of video playback on a single charge.
Music Browse – It is helpful if the player offers a variety of search and sort options to find songs. Many display album art and can sort and search by genre, artist, track or album.
Help/Support – Customer service is vital to customer satisfaction; considerate manufactures provide numerous ways to contact the company, including by email, telephone or chat. It is also helpful if they post comprehensive online product information and useful downloads.

This is Sunglasses MP3 Player, very cool for you.

Windows 7 Beta 1 (Build 7000) Leaked On BitTorrent [Windows 7]

2008-12-28T16:34:00.004+07:00

The Windows 7 Beta 1 that was public-bound in mid-January has been leaked now, and you can get a copy on BitTorrent.

The beta expires July 1, 2009, and from what we read, it's a bit more stable than the versions people have been playing with for a few months. Hit the links below to get a copy, if you're OK with the fact that you're technically not supposed to have this just yet. [My Digital Life via BlogsDNA via Technovedad via Download Squad]

News above from imeshedup.com

These are other Windows 7 screenshots

redmondpie.com

windows7center.com

Eset NOD32 v3 Antivirus

2008-12-27T20:36:00.014+07:00

This review from anti-virus-software-review.toptenreviews.com

Overview

ESET's NOD32 is rapidly becoming one of the best pieces of antivirus software on the market today. ESET's NOD32 once again has delivered an excellent product that is highly effective, and now, easy to use. The strength and beauty of this software is its light footprint, relatively fast scanning and superior ThreatSense® Technology that detects malicious software before it has been reported. Its interface is intuitive and easy to use for the average home user, but can be configured and tweaked by the advanced user. The one-user, one-year package is priced at $39.99, which is the middle range of the antivirus software products reviewed.

Standout Features

Effective antivirus protection (98%)
Light footprint on your computer (34M)
Excellent scanning speed
Excellent proactive protection
Is one of the few companies still offering products for legacy O/S's such as DOS and Windows 95, Windows 98, etc.

Ease of Use:

ESET's NOD32 is simple to use right out of the box (figuratively speaking … it’s a download) and requires little or no configuring for the average user. Yes, it’s an “install and forget program! The interface is clean and simple with enable/disable toggles and a configure option for those who are into tweaking their antivirus software. Unlike Kaspersky, which allows you to tailor their software based upon the perceived threat and the level of protection desired, advanced configuring NOD32 requires a bit more knowledge of your system. Fortunately, NOD32 works as it should in its default configuration and most users will never have to do anything but simply install this excellent software.

Effectiveness:

ESET's NOD 32 is among the most effective antivirus software products on the market today. Independent tests show that NOD32 removed about 98% of the virus threats it faced, putting it on par with BitDefender, “TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award” winner, and Kaspersky, “TopTenREVIEWS Silver Award” winner. In addition, NOD32 is certified by all the major independent testing laboratories the world over. Of the major antivirus software packages tested, NOD32 interfered less with our other computer operations than any of the other products reviewed. Its spyware protection is a little weaker than one might like, putting it on the same level as Kaspersky's 92%. Where NOD32 stands head and shoulders above its competitors is in its proactive detection and protection.

Most of the reputable antivirus software developers now include a heuristic engine that attempts to detect malware before it has been reported. Some refer to this as “Day Zero” detection because it is able to detect threats before their signatures is has been identified. The idea here is that when the software finds some code that looks malicious, it executes the software in the background to determine if it’s a threat to your machine. ESET has refined this technique like no other antivirus software developer with their ThreatSense® Technology.

This ThreatSense® Technology delivers an excellent detection rate while offering a very fast scan rate. Other antivirus packages offer similar detection rates, such as BitDefender and Kaspersky, but in both of those cases, the penalty you pay are slow scan rates. NOD32 is the only software package reviewed and tested that offered both high detection rates AND fast scan rates, indicating these folks know how to write efficient and effective code (according to the company, NOD32 is written in assembly language, a very efficient, low-level language). ESET could be the sleeper antivirus company ready to take this market by storm in coming years.

Updates:

Unlike Kaspersky and BitDefender, ESET's NOD32 only updates its virus signatures once a day. That's probably a short enough interval considering that ESET has the power to “push” updates to your computer in the instance of attack. Also, with ESET's highly effective heuristic, proactive engine, it is very likely that NOD32 will recognize malicious code before the signature is available. These two features make us more comfortable with the slightly longer update intervals than some of its competitors have.

Feature Set:

ESET's NOD32 is all about effectiveness AND speed. This software uses fewer resources than any of the packages tested and this is a thing of beauty. NOD32 is a breath of fresh air in a world of bloated software in that its code is efficiently written. From the perspective of the average user, this means this software has a light footprint and fast scans, both very good things. Its ThreatSense® Technology’s proactive defense is among the best heuristic programs on the market.

NOD32 offers several layers of protection including real time email scanning, antivirus protection, antispyware protection and rootkit scanner. The email scanner integrates easily and directly into MS Outlook or any other standard POP3 email client. Disappointingly, NOD32 did not have a Parental Control option where parents can block and control what sites their children are able to access online.

NOD32 is among the few antivirus products that still supports such legacy operating systems as DOS, Windows 95, Windows 98, etc. as well as Windows XP and Vista.

Ease of Installation:

Installation was prompt and easy. The package is just 34M making it among the lightest antivirus packages we have ever seen. We were disappointed, though, that ESET did not automatically remove the existing antivirus software on our system. Instead, NOD32 prompts you to remove any existing antivirus on your computer before installation.

ESET has made some excellent and necessary improvements in their interface with version 3, making the software far easier and more intuitive to use. Anticipating that the vast majority of people don't want to spend time messing with their antivirus software, but instead just want it to work, ESET crafted NOD32’s interface to be clean and simple. Most people can simply “install and forget” this software. The left-hand column features Protection Status, Computer Scan, Update, Setup, Tools and Help. The right windowpane is reserved for the active feature in use.

Although the features have an enable/disable toggle, the advanced user can simply click on “configure” in any of the features and find all of the advanced tweaks that anyone could ask for. Should you need to remove NOD32 from your computer, there is an uninstall option. After a reboot we found almost no evidence of the product on the machine.

Help/Support:

ESET's NOD32 provides extensive, context-sensitive help files similar to Kaspersky and this feature by both firms should be applauded. It’s about time the other software developers include similar help files. It’s simple and quick for the user and doesn't require much development cost for the software publisher. Online, ESET provides a fairly thorough 32-page PDF file manual for download, plus online FAQs for NOD32, links to an active user forum dedicated to the software, and a web form for contacting ESET customer support. While there is live telephone support offered, the call is not toll free and is available only during business hours, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday.

Summary:

ESET's NOD32 offers the antivirus software buyer one more excellent choice. Its sets itself apart from the competition with its scanning speed and light footprint on your computer resources. Its proactive approach to virus and other malware detection is among the best in the world, its virus detection is excellent, and now with an easy to use interface, this software ranks among the best available. There is no hesitation in recommending ESET's NOD32 and awarding it the “TopTenREVIEWS Bronze Award” for antivirus software.

Free Download

You can download for a free 30-day trial Eset NOD32 Antivirus for Win XP/2000/Vista at Eset Website and the manual user guide

NOTE: To ensure a smooth transition, ESET recommends uninstalling your current antivirus programs before installing ESET software.

Sony Vaio Z550

2008-12-27T09:23:00.007+07:00

This review from mobiletechreview.com by Lisa Gade, Editor in Chief

A year ago we reviewed the Sony Vaio SZ650, a powerhouse ultra-portable 13.3" notebook that combined excellent performance with carbon fiber styling and a compact design. It looks like we're at the end of the SZ series life-- but that's not a bad thing. For those who thought the SZ could have been even sexier looking and lighter-- thoughts that might not have arisen were it not for the MacBook Air-- there's the new Vaio Z series, announced this summer and shipping now. The Z makes the 4 pound, smaller than everything else on Best Buy shelves SZ look a tad large. It's got the performance and dual-graphics of the SZ series at a size and weight that put it between the Vaio TZ and SZ series. Pricing is similar to the SZ series, and Sony has the SR line for those who liked the SZ line's size and performance minus the high-end appointments like dual graphics cards, higher-end XBRITE-DuraView display and carbon fiber casing. The SR line isn't cheap compared to the average basic back-to-school HP or Dell, but at its $1,699 starting price, it's cheaper than the Z that starts around $2,099 in retail configuration.

The Vaio Z550 left, and the SZ650 right.

The 13.1" Sony Z550, available at retail locations and online, is one of the first notebooks running on the Intel Montevina platform (Centrino 2). It has an updated 25 watt (that's really low power for a non-ULV Core 2 Duo) 2.4GHz Intel P8600 CPU that uses the 45 nanometer process. This Core 2 Duo CPU plus Montevina's improvements make for a very powerful, yet power-frugal system that's future-proof enough to keep most owners satisfied with performance and features for 3 years. What does Montevina, the successor to Santa Rosa, offer? A significantly smaller motherboard that allows manufacturers to shrink designs (hence the smaller Z compared to the SZ), more powerful Intel GMA X4500 integrated graphics with an HD option that decodes HD video, support for lower power consumption CPUs (translates into longer battery life and cooler temps), a faster implementation of WiFi 802.11n, a 1066MHz FSB (up from Santa Rosa's 800MHz) and support for DDR3 RAM.

The Sony Vaio Z series notebooks come in several configurations, including build-to-order when purchased from Sony's web site. The Z550 ships with a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo, 3 gigs of DDR3 RAM, a dual layer DVD burner, hybrid graphics (Intel 4500HD and NVidia 9300M GS), a 250 gig 5400rpm SATA hard drive and a 1366 x 768 XBRITE display. When building to order, you can go with a Blu-ray drive ($500 up-charge), or a 1600 x 900 resolution XBRITE display (better have good eyes or be ready to twiddle with Vista's font dpi settings). Other options include 7200rpm SATA hard drives, higher capacity hard drives and single or dual SSD drives.

The Vaio Z, is one of the few notebooks that combine extreme performance and extreme portability. At 3.31 lbs. it's just 5.4 ounces heavier than the MacBook Air and similar in weight to the IBM ThinkPad X300 equipped with a 6 cell battery and DVD drive. The Sony isn't wafer-thin like the Air, nor even as thin as the X300, but it has a smaller footprint than either. This Vaio is wickedly faster than the Air and X300: it packs the performance of a high end notebook with discrete graphics into a package even granny could carry. For the excellent performance, classy carbon fiber packaging and small size, the Z550 is reasonably priced.

Z vs. SZ

Is it worth upgrading if you have a current SZ model? Can't decide which to buy? That depends on your needs in terms of portability and battery life. The Z offers somewhat upgraded performance (mostly in the graphics department) and a nearly identical feature set-- the size, weight and longer battery life are more significant.

* While the SZ series features Sony's XBRITE display, the Z has their XBRITE-DuraView display that's supposedly more impervious to scratches and more importantly has an anti-glare coating. Some folks love the richness of a high gloss display while others are driven mad by the glare. The Z's display is noticeably more color saturated than the SZ (on par with the MacBook Air, minus the gloss), but it's a bit less bright (the SZ could burn your retinas on high brightness settings).

* The Z has a true widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio of 1366 x 768 pixels while the SZ has a more standard WXGA 1280 x 800 display. You won't see black bars on widescreen movies on the Z but older games that support only the more standard 1280 x 800 resolution will run at 1024 x 768 on the Z (if you use an external monitor for gaming, this doesn't matter and most games released in the last two years support 1366 x 768).

* The Z can switch between Stamina and Speed modes (integrated vs. dedicated graphics) on the fly without a reboot, unlike the SZ. The battery and compartment have been redesigned and the battery doesn't have that little bit of jiggle like the SZ.

* The Z's keyboard is radically redesigned and is similar to the Vaio TZ series with raised keys that are much easier to type on than the SZ's.

* The Z runs cooler than the SZ, with both being louder than average when the CPU is doing serious work in Speed mode, but the Z being a few decibels louder at lower stress settings.

* The Z adds an HDMI port that works in conjunction with the NVidia dedicated card.

Sony Vaio Z550 and MacBook Air.

Looks aren't everything but they sure help

These days consumer electronics are personal style statements. The Z is certainly one of the sexiest laptops on the market with its carbon fiber casing, new barrel hinge design that hides the battery along with the illuminated power button and power jack (one on each hinge cap). The chrome accents on the carbon fiber give it a more daring look than the SZ and the display bezel is impossibly thin. Sony can make the display panel thin thanks to the rigidity relative to thickness of carbon fiber. You can can flex the display panel, but not more so than a MacBook Pro. Pressing a finger on the lid doesn't cause light distortion or pooling which is surprising given how thin this thing is. You can pick up the notebook by the display panel (a scary thing to do) and it flexes a decent amount but not enough to harm the display (nor does it crack and break). Note-- this doesn't mean we advocate doing this kind of thing under the guise of normal use.

Open the Vaio and you get another dose of high tech eye-candy. The dark silver (with just the slightest hint of Sony's old signature Vaio purple) wrist rest is brushed aluminum. The trackpad has a dot pattern that looks cool and the biometric fingerprint scanner nestled between the 2 mouse buttons is smaller than ever (yet it works well). The raised keyboard keys not only look like sculpted entries for a modern art museum competition but they make for an extremely good typing experience. There's plenty of space between the keys and the backboard is also brushed aluminum (the entire top interior panel is one piece of curved aluminum) which means there's none of the usual notebook keyboard flex. Since this is a small notebook, the page up/down keys are integrated into the arrow key pad-- pretty much the only concession to size. You need not poke at the very small tray open button on the side of the DVD drive-- there's an eject button just above the top row of keys, along with Sony's usual 2 programmable application launcher buttons.

The machine feels extremely light (no kidding) and is small enough to fit inside a briefcase or large tote. Build quality is excellent, and every port, vent and label on the Vaio looks perfectly made.

Ports

The Z550 has two USB 2.0 ports (one on each side), a VGA port, HDMI port (both on the right, and you can only use one at a time), DVD burner (right), 4 pin unpowered FireWire port, 3.5mm headphone and mic jacks, modem and Ethernet (both under covers). There are SD and Memory Stick Duo card slots on the front edge and a wireless on/off slider switch. The Z series has one ExpressCard/34 slot and no PCMCIA slot.

Performance and Graphics

Here's the fun part-- usually 3.3 lb. notebooks are weak performers and we have to explain how cramming chips into small spaces requires performance concessions. Put that thought on hold; the Vaio Z550 will compete with any notebook currently on the market and outperform many of them. The Intel Centrino 2's smaller motherboard requirements, lower power consumption and lower heat generation mean that a small notebook can be powerful (plus Sony has had years of practice at making high end subnotebooks). The Z550 ships with the Intel Penryn 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo processor with 3 megs of level 2 cache and a 1066MHz front side bus. A 2.53GHz CPU with 6 megs of level 2 cache is available on other Z models, and all but the base model ship with 3 gigs of DDR3 -1066 (PC3-8500) RAM. The machine can hold a max of 4 gigs, and there are 2 SODIMM slots under a door on the notebook's bottom. One slot has a 2 gig SODIMM and the other has a 1 gig SODIMM, so if you wish to upgrade to 4 gigs, you need only replace the 1 gig SODIMM. This is more useful with 64 bit Vista (not a shipping option on the Z) which can make use of all 4 gigs or if your graphics card is using a lot of shared memory.

The notebook is up to all manner of high demand tasks from DirectX 9 gaming full-throttle (NVidia turned on), DirectX 10 gaming with modest in-game settings, video editing (including HD video editing), HD video playback, Photoshop, Visual Studio, ripping MP3s from disc quickly and more. Despite Vista's famously high overhead, our Vista Business SP1 32 bit edition machine feels extremely fast. Unless you want a desktop-class DirectX 10 gaming experience to play the latest extremely demanding 3D games at high settings, the Z550 should be more computer than most folks need. The standard 5400rpm 250 gig hard drive performed well experientially and in benchmarks, and was fairly quiet and cool (ours was an Hitachi disk). For those who want more performance (and possibly more heat and fan noise), there's a 7200rpm option on built-to-order, and there are SSD (solid state drive) options for an even faster, cooler and quieter machine. Currently Sony offers pricey single and dual 64 gig SSD options ($720 for 64 gig and $1,320 for 128 gigs total). The SSD drives use the slower Ultra ATA interface (most common on SSD drives) and the 2x64 gig is configured as a RAID.

All Vaio Z series notebooks come with a dual layer DVD burner. A Blu-ray drive is optional, and currently only available with the 1600 x 900 display option which also doubles dedicated NVidia graphics memory to 256 megs. Intel's new graphics chipset, the GMA 4500HD is a very good performer that's perfect for DVD playback and light gaming with older titles. The NVIDIA 9300M GS has 128 megs of dedicated DDR3 RAM (256 megs on the 1600 x 900 display version) and can also use shared memory as needed.

Benchmarks

PCMark05, NVidia graphics, Vaio Optimized power setting (Speed switch setting)

PC Marks: 5272
CPU: 6082
Memory: 5155
Graphics: 3506
HDD: 4761

PCMark05, Intel integrated graphics, Vaio Optimized power setting (Stamina switch setting)

PC Marks: 4904
CPU: 6048
Memory: 5074
Graphics: 2271
HDD: 4656

Windows Experience Score (Nvidia, Optimized power setting)

Processor: 5.3
RAM: 5.9
Graphics: 4.4
Gaming graphics: 5.1
Hard disk: 5.2

Battery Life

The Vaio ships with a 5400 mAh Lithium Ion battery and Sony offers their (as usual overpriced) extended 8100 mAh extended battery for $249. Centrino 2 lives up to the hype, and we managed 5 hours and 15 minutes on the Optimized power plan and Stamina setting with WiFi on and screen brightness set to 65%. For a notebook this powerful, that's very impressive, and it's significantly better than the current Vaio SZ notebooks. With the Optimized power plan and the speed setting using NVidia discrete graphics we managed 3:30. For our tests we did a mix of heavy surfing, checking email every 15 minutes using Outlook, working with Office documents and watching a few streaming short videos.

Networking

It's all here: WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n courtesy of the Intel WiFi Link 5100AGN, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR with A2DP support, wired gigabit Ethernet, a modem and Sprint EVDO Rev. A wireless module with an internal antenna and GPS capabilities. You'll need to start a Sprint data plan contract to use the Sprint fast WAN service, and those speeds are impressive. Sprint has very good EVDO metro regional coverage that's handy for the business traveler but not so well suited to vacations in the boonies where cellular service is sometimes lacking. Note that you do not have to use the Sprint module or start a contract if you don't care to use the service, and there are Z models that come without the Sprint modem (there is no 3G GSM option for the US, unfortunately). You can also use a Bluetooth enabled GSM 3G or EVDO phone as a wireless modem for the Z. We tested it with the Nokia E71, a lovely 3G HSDPA smartphone with an AT&T SIM inside. Speeds were very good and we loaded heavy pages at rates equivalent to a slower WiFi 802.11b connection. WiFi with our 802.11n router rocked thanks to the Intel 5100AGN module which gave excellent range and very fast data transfers.

Conclusion

The Vaio Z550 is a stunningly light, compact and beautiful notebook. And it's got more than just good looks, with top notebook performance. Clearly it's not priced to compete with the average bargain notebook, but the specs, combined with the small size, light weight and very good build quality make this notebook a bargain compared to ultralights on the market that either cost significantly more and/or are underpowered in comparison.

Pro: Extremely light and small, especially for powerful notebook. Hybrid graphics offer flexibility and performance as needed. Beautiful looks and great design. Excellent build quality. Has the latest Centrino 2 technology inside, and likely won't leave you wishing for an upgrade for a few years. One of the most color-saturated displays we've ever seen-- it looks lovely and is accurate enough for serious graphics work. Runs cooler than most notebooks in this performance class, including the SZ series. Fan noise is definitely acceptable for a performance notebook. Good sound quality and volume from the built-in stereo speakers and great sound through headphones. Sony has cut back on the bloatware, and what's there is easier to cleanly uninstall.

Con: As usual, spare Sony standard and extended batteries are keenly overpriced ($199 for a standard battery, $249 for the extended).

Price: $2,099 (Z550), other Z models are available at different price points. 1 year warranty

Sony BDP-S5000ES Blu-ray Disc Player

2008-12-26T19:24:00.004+07:00

This review from gadgets.softpedia.com by John

Despite of the fact that Blu-ray's rate of adoption still lags behind Sony's expectations, the company keeps rolling out advanced Blu-ray players, targeting pretty much every particular segment of the consumer electronics' market, whether we're talking about entry-level of high-end products. And that's also the case with the BDP-S5000ES model, released by the Japanese company back in September 2008, a player that's both compatible with the latest Blu-ray specifications and provides advanced image processing features on the side.

The BDP-S5000ES supports two of the latest Blu-ray specifications, namely BD-Live (profile 2.0) and Bonus View (Profile1.1), which allow users to enjoy additional content, found either on the disc itself or online (1GB Flash Memory Included). Plus, in order to make this thing even more user-friendly, the GUI is none other than Sony's famous XMB (Xross Media Bar).

Moreover, the player features a 14-bit HD video processor that improves standard definition and high-definition picture quality with the help of HD Reality Enhancer and Super Bit Mapping technologies. In this way, standard DVDs can also be pushed upwards, reaching a level of video quality close to that of Blu-ray discs.

Also on the subject of video, it's important to note that the BDP-S5000ES features a built-in video Digital-to-Analog Converter, supporting 1080i, 720p: 14 bit/296 MHz (HD); 480i, 480p; 14 bit/216 MHz (SD) resolutions. However, the device's audio-related features are also quite impressive, since the BDP-S5000ES provides Dolby TrueHD Decoding, as well as dts Decoding.

As far as the connectivity options are concerned, the BDP-S5000ES is quite well-endowed, since it comes packed with HDMI, S-Video, Component and Composite interfaces, analog and coaxial audio outputs, plus an Ethernet connection, IR input and RS232 Control port.

As mentioned right from the start, Sony's BDP-S5000ES is one of the most expensive Blu-ray players currently available in the company's line-up, retailing for an estimate 2,000 US dollars.

Spesification of Sony BDP-S5000ES Blu-ray Disc Player.

Machines 'to match man by 2029'

2008-12-26T18:45:00.005+07:00

This news from news.bbc.co.uk by Helen Briggs

Machines will achieve human-level artificial intelligence by 2029, a leading US inventor has predicted.

Humanity is on the brink of advances that will see tiny robots implanted in people's brains to make them more intelligent, said Ray Kurzweil.

The engineer believes machines and humans will eventually merge through devices implanted in the body to boost intelligence and health.

"It's really part of our civilisation," Mr Kurzweil explained.

"But that's not going to be an alien invasion of intelligent machines to displace us."

Machines were already doing hundreds of things humans used to do, at human levels of intelligence or better, in many different areas, he said.

Man versus machine

Ray Kurzweil said "We'll have intelligent nanobots go into our brains... to make us smarter".

"I've made the case that we will have both the hardware and the software to achieve human level artificial intelligence with the broad suppleness of human intelligence including our emotional intelligence by 2029," he said.

"We're already a human machine civilisation; we use our technology to expand our physical and mental horizons and this will be a further extension of that."

Humans and machines would eventually merge, by means of devices embedded in people's bodies to keep them healthy and improve their intelligence, predicted Mr Kurzweil.

"We'll have intelligent nanobots go into our brains through the capillaries and interact directly with our biological neurons," he told BBC News.

CHALLENGES FACING HUMANITY
-Make solar energy affordable
-Provide energy from fusion
-Develop carbon sequestration
-Manage the nitrogen cycle
-Provide access to clean water
-Reverse engineer the brain
-Prevent nuclear terror
-Secure cyberspace
-Enhance virtual reality
-Improve urban infrastructure
-Advance health informatics
-Engineer better medicines
-Advance personalised learning
-Explore natural frontiers

The nanobots, he said, would "make us smarter, remember things better and automatically go into full emergent virtual reality environments through the nervous system".

Mr Kurzweil is one of 18 influential thinkers chosen to identify the great technological challenges facing humanity in the 21st century by the US National Academy of Engineering.

The experts include Google founder Larry Page and genome pioneer Dr Craig Venter.

The 14 challenges were announced at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston, which concludes on Monday.

Death Match: BlackBerry Storm VS Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

2008-12-26T13:29:00.004+07:00

This review from t3.com by Hannah Bouckley

Stormy smarties

Another test with the words ‘iPhone rivals’ in the first paragraph, but for now Apple’s groundbreaking handset is still the bar against which touchscreens like the Blackberry Storm and Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 will be compared too.

Arguably one of the best looking phones we’ve seen, the Storm’s is RIMs first touchscreen, boasting unique SurePress technology that replicates the feel of a solid keypad. Instead of building the features around the touchscreen capabilities, it’s still unmistakably Blackberry, with dedicated back and menu keys.

Using Windows Mobile 6, Sony Ericsson’s X1 is a more traditional smartphone, in the design vein of HTC, masquerading as a modern touchee, with a high-res screen you can jab and poke as hard as you please.

Stuffed with features and fired up with connectivity, is either phone worth your cash?

Death Match One: Ease of use

Blackberry Storm

Free on contracts over £35, 24 months

Great for Google Maps and You Tube, the highlight is the bright, colourful and detailed screen, which rotates automatically - most of the time. Feedback makes the touchscreen feel like a ‘proper keyboard.’ You have to use double-clicks so there’s no danger of hitting the wrong button, unless you’re using the tiny dual-key QWERTY keyboard that is.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

£670 sim free, or free on contract

Hit the X Panel button to access shortcut panels for key applications, such as web, music, photos and main menu. The touchscreen feels small and you’re messily swapping between the stylus and finger, a feat not helped by the sluggish Windows Mobile interface. The slide-out keyboard might not be sexy, but is for more accurate than the Storm.

Winner: BlackBerry Storm

Death Match Two: Features

Blackberry Storm

Ridiculously there’s no WiFi, which for a phone geared up for browsing, is ludicrous, what about using it abroad? You can install Facebook, Google Maps and You Tube apps and RIM’s app store launches in March 2009. As well as GPS, you get six months of Vodaphone’s Fine&Go navigation service.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

Unlike the Storm you get WiFi, as well as HSPDA and 3G, although logging on proved temperamental at times. There’s a good 3.2MP camera and trial of Wayfinder Navigator service.

Winner: Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

Death Match Three: Performance

Blackberry Storm

Browsing is speedy, although you’re at the mercy of Vodaphone’s signal. Push email is terrific, and you get a useful cut and paste facility. Battery life is comparable with the N96, iPhone and G1, so you’ll be charging every night.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

Battery life impresses, lasting longer than the Storm. 3G browsing is fairly speedy, although we struggled to get onto the WiFi network, but this was due to Windows Mobile. The 3.5mm jack lets you hook up your own headphones, although you’re stuck with Windows Media rather than SE’s superior Walkman interface.

Winner: BlackBerry Storm

Death Match Four: Conclusion

Even though the Xperia X1 has an outstanding build, next to the Storm and iPhone, it’s creaky and dated. The Storm’s emailing is top notch, but the fiddly text input and criminal lack of WiFi let down. When it comes down to it, Sony Ericsson makes far better camera and music phones, whilst the RIM’s BlackBerry Storm is a fantastic smartphone even with the niggles.

Toshiba Camileo H10 SDHC Camcorder

2008-12-25T12:16:00.003+07:00

Source: trustedreviews.com by James Morris

Toshiba is not a name you would immediately associate with camcorders - more notebooks, TVs and disc players. But the company is quietly chiselling itself a niche as a purveyor of cheap high definition video cameras as well, such as the Camileo Pro HD. Latest to join the range is the Camileo H10. Available for under £150, yet able to shoot 720p video, the H10 sounds like an absolute bargain.

Of course, at this price, corners have been cut. For a start, the device comes with just 64MB of memory built in, which is enough to test things are working and very little else. So you will need to factor in an SD card from the outset, although that's hardly a major expense these days. The H10 has four different recording options. The headline act is HD, although this is 1,280 x 720, not Full HD. There is also a D1 option that operates at 720 x 480, plus VGA at 640 x 480, and QVGA at 320 x 240 to choose from. All run at 30 frames per second, however, rather than the European-friendly 25 frames per second.

At its top setting, the H10 uses a 4Mbits/sec data rate, which isn't particularly high, even for 720p resolution instead of Full HD. So a 2GB SD card will be enough for a little over an hour of video. Considering 2GB cards can be had for little more than a quid these days, we wonder why Toshiba didn't just bung one in the box for good measure.

The fact that the H10 only offers 720p video is also somewhat strange when you look at its specifications (probably a limitation of the electronics more than anything else). For instance, the sensor has a 10.48-megapixel resolution, more than enough for Full HD, although Toshiba hasn't made it clear how big this CCD is. The main beneficiary of all these pixels is, as always, digital photography. If you want to stick within the native resolution, Standard still image mode offers a resolution of 3,648 x 2,736. But you can also add interpolation to bump this up to High, which captures at 4,608 x 3,456.

There is a fairly modest 5x optical zoom available, with 4x digital zoom on top - but we found this made images very fuzzy indeed. Normally, we would suggest turning off digital zoom, but there is no option to do this on the H10. At least zooming stops when it reaches the extent of optical power, so you can choose not to use digital zooming in each instance.

The majority of settings are accessed via the central button on the back. But ranged around this are specific controls for changing the shooting resolution, toggling through the flash modes, turning the self-timer off and on, and enabling the Intelligent Lighting setting.

Returning to the central button, this calls up the Options menu, which converts the four buttons into navigational controls. Within this menu, you can enable macro mode, which allows focusing up to 1cm away. There are seven exposure settings, ranging between + and -1EV, but no manual shutter configuration. You can also vary between nine levels of sharpness. White balance options include presets for daylight, fluorescent and tungsten, alongside fully automatic, but there is no manual setting. A night mode is also available.

A few more options are included in the photo menu. Strangely, backlight compensation is only available for still images, not video. You can also choose a 5-picture continuous shooting mode, and ‘Two in One', which combines two shots into one single image, although we're not entirely sure why you would want to do that in camera.

In either mode, there are three digital effects available, including black and white, classic, and negative. There is also a Motion Detect setting. Turn this on, and the camera will record video when it detects motion, although the external power supply will be required to use this for any length of time.

In general, we found the H10 reasonably comfortable to shoot with. However, the placement of the record button to one side initially means you are likely to press the Options button instead, as that is where your thumb more naturally sits.

Considering the bargain price, we weren't expecting particularly amazing video performance from the H10. Despite the HD resolution, video quality can't hold a candle to the top Full HD models from the likes of Canon, Panasonic, Sony, JVC and Samsung. In adequate lighting, colour fidelity could only be described as acceptable. Some reds had a tendency to wash out and veer towards orange. The aggressive compression also smoothed out detail too much and light areas blew out, losing detail entirely.

We found the H10 had problems focusing in lower light, too. This was a shame because colour performance was generally quite good and the level of grain not excessive. Overall, the H10 performs above the level of a compact digital camera pressed into service to shoot video and definitely ahead of a mobile phone. But it's not even close to the same league as premium HD camcorders.

Unfortunately, despite the H10's comparatively high sensor resolution, it didn't particularly prove itself as a digital camera either. Colour fidelity was good, but the overall picture looked very fuzzy. This wasn't helped by the necessity of pushing down quite hard on the photo button to take a photo, making it difficult to keep the camera steady.

Video is recorded as AVIs using H.264 MPEG-4 compression. We found this a little problematic for editing software. Corel VideoStudio Pro X2 was able to import the files but was extremely sluggish editing them. Premiere Elements 7 also imported the footage and after some hesitation was quite fluid editing it but with occasional stalls. CyberLink PowerDirector 7 imported the files but then crashed when we tried to play them on the timeline. So overall we can't give many plaudits for the H10's compatibility with mainstream video editing apps.

Despite its low price, the Camileo H10 still has HDMI built in, although this is a mini socket so requires an adapter to connect to a TV. Amazingly, Toshiba actually includes an adapter cable in the box. It's only 1.2m long, but that should be enough for HDTV hook-up. You even get a remote control, for leisurely lounge control. For analogue TVs, a minijack is incorporated with a breakout cable for composite video and mono audio.

Verdict

When a camcorder offers HD shooting at this kind of price, it's hard to be too critical. After all, 2008's top selling camcorder, the JVC Everio GZ-MG330, is more expensive for just standard definition, and the Panasonic SDR-S7 costs about the same, and that's standard definition too. The Toshiba also gets extra brownie points for including an HDMI cable. But the video performance is not significantly better than the standard def alternatives, and editing the results is much more of a pain. So, whilst the Toshiba Camileo H10 is still good value, videomakers on a tight budget would still be better off forgoing the HD nametag for something a little more practical.

The Active Trax Audio Player with Solar Panel

2008-12-25T11:41:00.009+07:00

This article from coolest-gadgets.com by Ally

Although it’s a little late in the year to be planning anything outdoorsy, when you do, this audio player is worth checking out. It’s not quite as compact as other speakers I’ve seen. However, it has a few extra perks that make it perfect for anyone who likes being outdoors a great deal or anyone trying to go green. It uses a couple different methods to make sure that you don’t have to actually be inside to charge it. Sadly, you’ll still have to find a way to charge up your iPod, but at least the speaker will keep running.

Once your iPod does die off though, you always have the backup of using the AM/FM radio that’s built into the speaker. To charge the speaker up you can leave it out in the sun to charge from the solar panel or you can use the hand crank. If you’re at home and don’t want to deal with the eco-friendly methods, you can also plug it into the wall, once it does have a full charge it will run for 7 hours. It comes in either the white shown here or black. With the black, the crank is white instead of the orange shown on the white version. It looks a bit more sleek than the white.

Sony PSP-4000 coming late 2009

2008-12-24T16:52:00.006+07:00

This article from gadgetreview.com by Albert S.

The Sony PSP-4000 is reportedly coming in late 2009. The current update, the PSP-3000, has an improved LCD screen, built-in microphone and a PS button so I’d expect only an incremental update on the 4000. Perhaps a slightly larger screen, reduced form factor, and improved battery life? We’ll see.

But this is where it gets interesting: what happens after the PSP-4000. It’s rumored that developers are already coding for the next-gen “PSP2″. One can only guess as to the specs but here’s hoping that Sony, if they have any iota of sense, will completely nuke the UMD drive in favor of flash or solid state memory. Not only will this improve battery life but it’ll pave the way for digital content distribution.

Sony, if you’re listening, ramp up the built in memory, reduce the footprint, spruce it up with a nice touchscreen, and above all KISS (Keep It Simple Sony).

This article from slashgear.com by Chris Davies

Sony are already planning the next update of their PSP handheld console, the PSP-4000, for release in late 2009, while game developers are already coding titles in preparation for the device’s replacement, the PSP2. That’s the word from Eurogamer, who have heard from unspecified publishing sources about the next-gen versions of the current Sony PSP-3000.

Details beyond that tentative late-2009 release for the PSP-4000 and what’s described as a “later” launch of the PSP2 (though that name has not been confired) are scarce. Sony UK have said they “would not comment on rumour and speculation”.

Sony last updated the PSP back in August, with the arrival of the 3000-series model. This had minor changes over its predecessor, the most notable of which was an improved LCD display. A built-in microphone and a new ‘PS’ button were the only other real additions.

Nokia N95 (8GB, Unlocked)

2008-12-24T16:33:00.005+07:00

Product summary review from reviews.cnet.com

The good: The Nokia N95 (8GB) features 8GB of internal memory and has a spacious 2.8-inch display and 3G support. The smartphone also includes Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, a 5-megapixel camera, and robust multimedia capabilities.

The bad: The 8GB N95 can be sluggish at times, and call quality could have been better. There's no expansion slot, and it's also very expensive.

The bottom lineThe bottom line: Offering ample memory, a larger screen, and 3G support, the 8GB Nokia N95 is sure to please those looking for the ultimate in multimedia/cell phone convergence, but you'll pay for the features, and there are some performance issues.

Specifications: Band / mode: WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900 ; Talk time: Up to 300 min ; Combined with: With digital camera / digital player ; See full specs.

Pentax announces limited edition white K2000 Double Zoom Digital SLR System

2008-12-24T15:47:00.005+07:00

This review from dpreview.com

Pentax has announced a limited edition of the K2000 (K-m in Europe) in white, bundled as a double zoom kit with the camera body and two kit lenses. Both Pentax DA L 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL and Pentax DA L 50-200mm F4-5.6 AL lenses and the K2000 body sport a white finish with black trim. The kit will be made available on a limited basis in February 2009. UK MSRP is £50 above the recommended selling price of the standard K-m.

In addition, Pentax has also released an online game for prospective K2000/K-m users to learn more about the camera and have a little fun.

UK MSRP: £449 with 18-55mm kit lens, £549 with both 18-55mm and 50-200mm lenses.

Golden, CO, December 16, 2008 - Pentax Imaging Company has announced a limited edition, white PENTAX K2000 DSLR system with a double zoom kit. This new model replicates the original K2000 design that launched in September 2008 for consumers who are ready to make the transition from a point-and-shoot digital camera to digital SLR photography. The new camera body and both lenses* feature a brilliant white color with black trim.

The white Pentax K2000 is an entry-level system consisting of the new Pentax K2000 body, a white smc Pentax DA L 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL lens, and a white smc Pentax DA L 50-200mm F4-5.6 AL lens.

Bundled as a complete kit for the convenience of the customer, the Pentax K2000 system offers uncomplicated operation for new digital SLR users and family photographers seeking high-quality digital SLR photography for the first time.

Combining Pentax-developed, easy-to-use Auto Picture modes as well as powerful learning functions all housed in one of the smallest, lightest camera bodies in its class, the Pentax K2000 system is ideal for digital SLR beginners.

Additional features on the newest digital K2000 SLR body include a 10.2 megapixel CCD, a 2.7 inch, 230,000 dot high resolution, wide-view LCD panel, and an ultra compact design that facilitates one handed operation. The body also features the same Pentax-developed Shake Reduction technology found on more advanced K series digital SLRs. Pentax Shake Reduction is compatible with more than 25 million Pentax lenses to deliver sharp images even when handheld at slower shutter speeds.

The K2000 also features the powerful Pentax-developed Auto Picture Mode, which selects from Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Action, and Night Portrait modes to tailor the camera settings for any photographic situation.

The camera also has a comprehensive Dust Removal system to help keep images spotless. A dedicated programmable help button clearly explains current camera settings to guide and teach the user about digital SLR photography.

The lenses included with this Pentax K2000 system are the white versions of a newer series introduced with the DA L designation. This DA L series offers the same optical performance and compatibility as the current smc Pentax DA 18-55mm II and smc Pentax DA 50-200mm lenses.

This stylish, limited edition white Pentax K2000 kit will be available on a very limited basis in February 2009 at a price to be announced.

eStarling Impact7 WiFi Digital Frame Launches

2008-12-24T15:35:00.005+07:00

This article from i4u.com by Shane McGlaun

eStarling has announced its latest digital photo frame called the Impact7. The screen is 7-inches, has a resolution of 480 x 234 pixels, and has a built-in Jpeg decoder engine. Wi-Fi connectivity is built in with 802.11b/g and support for WEP64, WEP128, WPA1, and WPA2 encryption.

Support for memory cards includes SD, MMC, and MS along with a USB 2.0 port. Internal memory is 256MB. A remote control is included and the frame has automatic shutdown to save power. The integrated Wi-Fi connectivity allows the frame to get images directly from the social networking pages of friends and family. You can use this feature to send photos to friends or family around the world via the Internet.

The frame can also subscribe to RSS photo feeds like the National Geographic feed. Photobucket users can display all of their public or private images wirelessly on the frame as well. An iPhone application is available that lets photos be taken on the iPhone camera and sent directly to the frame. The frame has a retail price of $99.99 and is available now.

Play station 3 vs. XBox 360

2008-12-24T15:08:00.007+07:00

This review from hardcoreware.net by Carl Nelson

Being a video game developer (I develop for both, Playstation 3 and XBOX 360) people ask me almost daily which platform I think is better. These are my personal feelings, in no way does this reflect my employer.

Short answer: XBOX 360.

Long answer: Price, performance, visual quality, game selection and online support. I think the XBOX 360 wins in every category.

Price: This is obvious; the XBOX 360 core is only $299. The PS3 is around $499 for the 20GB version. It comes with a hard drive, but you don’t need a hard drive to enjoy a lot of great games on the 360 so I think it’s fair to compare both core systems.

Performance: On paper, the PS3 is more powerful. In reality, it’s quite inferior to the 360. Without getting into too many details, the three general-purpose CPU’s the xbox360 has are currently FAR easier to take advantage of than the SPU’s on the PS3. I suspect a few years down the road some high budget, first party PS3 exclusive titles will come out that really take advantage of the SPU’s and do things the XBOX 360 can’t, but I don’t think the console is worth buying based on this speculation (for some it will be though, we'll have to wait and see how these games turn out).

Graphics: The XBOX 360 is a clear winner. The GPU is more powerful. It has more powerful fillrate, and far more pixel and vertex processing horsepower. Part of the reason is their choice of memory, and architecture of pixel and vertex procesing. I can’t get into details but the same vertex shader will run much slower on the PS3 than the XBOX 360. The 360 also has a clever new way rendering high definition anti aliased back buffers. To accomplish the same effect on PS3 is prohibitively expensive. For this reason I think many games will have no choice but to run in non-HD resolutions on the PS3 version, use a lower quality anti aliasing technique, or do back buffer upscaling. The end result in all cases is going to be noticeably worse image quality.

Game Selection: The XBOX 360 has a huge head start here. 1 year is an eternity in gaming. Almost all multi-platform developers have made the XBOX 360 their primary platform due to timing of release-to-market, this means the games will look and perform better on the 360. The PS3 versions will be ports of the 360 versions. (The opposite was true for XBOX 1 vs. PS2). The XBOX 360 is also far faster to develop for due to better development tools (massively popular Visual Studio .NET vs. proprietary, buggy PS3 compiler and debugger), better documentation, and easier architecture (3 general purpose CPU’s vs. 8 specialized processors that require DMA). Timing has also caused all next-gen middleware developers to make XBOX 360 their primary platform, and they will ‘add ps3 support’ as needed. This support will probably be inferior to the XBOX 360’s due to manpower and more importantly, demand. It’s this catch-22 now that will continue to drive the 360 forward and hold PS3 back.

The other obvious point here is that right now the Xbox360 already has a very impressive line-up of titles on store shelves; the ps3 just launched, and has virtually nothing of interest. Also, many 360 games are already discounted. PS3 games are all full price since it just launched.

Live: Microsoft’s online support with XBOX1 was phenomenal. They built in-house experience, user base, facilities, $$ commitment from executive level (since it proved successful), and most importantly, feedback from 100,000s of XBOX Live subscribers. Playstation 2’s online support sucked. They are now playing catch-up, trying to emulate Xbox’s model. But they had their hands tied just trying to make the PS3 work, it was incredibly ambitious (blu-ray etc.). I haven’t seen it yet, but I seriously doubt the quality will be anywhere to the level of XBOX 360.

HD Content: The PS3 comes with one built in (blu-ray). The XBOX 360 offers HD-DVD as an add-on for $200. You probably don’t care about HD-DVD right now. But you will soon (The quality between DVD and HD is comparable to VHS vs DVD, if you have the right TV) so I suggest paying attention to the war that’s begun. There are two formats: HD-DVD and BLU-RAY. Basically if you rent a BLU-RAY DVD from Bockbuster, it won’t play in your XBOX 360 HD-DVD, and vice versa with the PS3. The implications of this format war would require another article on its own. But as far as the consoles are concerned, the XBOX 360 wins because the DVD player is a separate unit. Playing movies is very taxing on the DVD reader, and let’s face it. In 3 years when your PS3 DVD drive goes out due to playing lots of movies (PS2 was notoriously bad about this) you will have to go buy another PS3. With the 360, you’ll just chuck your HD-DVD player, and go buy another one at the store. In 3 years standalone units wlil probably only cost about $99-150. Another point for the XBOX 360, is that I don’t know who will win the format-war, so I would rather wait with purchase of a HD player. The PS3 doesn’t give you this option.

PS3 controversy: Shootings, Wallmart fights, $15,000 Ebay sales etc. My advice is ignore it. It will pass soon.