Saturday, September 29, 2007

Fujitsu P50XHA40 - Punching Well above it's weight!

Buying a new television nowadays is a major investment. When you are spending the equivalent of what you used to spend taking the entire family on holiday several years ago it would be wise to ensure any decision made is a wise one.

The way that technology changes so quickly nowadays you would be wise to consider carefully any investment and try and ensure that it remains compliant with all possible standards.

The latest telecommunication system for broadcasting moving pictures and sound is known as Digital television (DTT) and as the name implies this relies upon the transmission and reception of digital signals as opposed to the more conventional analogue formats. With DTT, viewers are limited to whatever channels the antenna picks up. Signal quality will also vary.

For the purposes of this article we want to take a look at purchasing a new Flat Screen Television and in this case the television in question is the Fujitsu P50XHA40.

The P50XHA40 is a 50in Plasma TV and currently these TV's can be found for 5000 pounds sterling or 10000 US dollars. The screen resolution is 1366 X 768 and with regards to being HD Ready the answer is yes. The Fujitsu has none scarts and the type and number of Multimedia interfaces the P50XHA40 uses is HDMI / DVI 1/1. The type of Tuner for this TV is not required and the Fujitsu is available from limited outlets only.

All these points being taken into consideration, how would we view the Fujitsu P50XHA40?

The most obvious place to start with as far as TV's are concerned would be the picture quality and our score here would be 10 out of 10, next we would look at the sound quality and our view of this would be 8 out of 10. Taking a look at the number of relevant connections and their availability, our score would be 6 out of 10. As far as overall features are concerned we would give it 8 out of 10 and for ease of use and overall value for money we would give it, 6 out of 10 and 8 out of 10 respectively.

Finally our overall opinion would be this is one of Fujitsus oldest hi definition Plasma Big Screen TV's. On first takes, this piece of equipment isn't widly impressive, its not ugly but just isn't necessarily beautiful either. Given its distinct lack of connectivity I presume the Fujitsu philosphy is that if you've got the cash to pay for this type of equipment then you are not going to think twice about getting top of the range peripherals for it either. On the massive plus side is that the picture qualities are excellent with excellence all round on the visual front. As one commentator said "this is Plasma TV at its best".

It is extremely unlikely given the variety and range of makes and models available that you will not be able to find something to match your tastes or budget. You could be completely avant-garde and stay in the forefront of fashion and design or you could decide to take perhaps the safer option and go for one of the established makes and models available. Either way we hope that by reading this short article you should have a slightly more informed view of the options available to you

We ask all readers to remember that the information in this article regarding the price of the TV's are there for illustrative purposes and are meant as a guideline rather than an absolute quote and should be considered thus.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

How To Turn Your Hp Pavilion Into A Digital Photography Editor

The HP pavilion and the HP photosmart are considered as few of the most reliable tools when it comes to digital imaging. If you happen to be one of your people who are interested in digital photography and is planning to engage in digital photography as a hobby, it would be a good idea for you to use your HP pavilion Notebook PC or your HP Pavilion Slimline into a personal photo editor. With is wide screen and very clear visual reception, you can really go wrong with you photo editing if you use your HP pavilion. In fact, with the right kind of photo editing software or one of those Multifunction/All-in-One products, you can easily produce some stunning pictures through your own computer.

Getting Started

Before you engage in digital photography, you need to know the basic principles involved in taking pictures and composing your subject. Even if you can later on edit your pictures and correct some color mistakes, focusing and even shuffle or add some objects into the picture with the use of your computer, you should not really rely on the editing alone to produce good pictures. Always remember that editing your pictures will take a lot of time so it would be best to compose your pictures well before hand so that you will no longer spend so much time trying to make your pictures look better.

Composing a picture involves the arrangement of the people and objects in the picture. Although composing a picture comes naturally to some people, others may find if rather difficult to create balance and symmetry in their photos. If you happen to be one of those people who are having problems composing your pictures, you need to study this art. To learn how to compose your pictures, you need to read some photography books and magazines. Pay close attention to the balance and symmetry of the pictures in the photography books and magazines. Try to practice taking picture indoors and outdoors so that you will get used to dealing with objects under different types of lighting. It may take sometime before you can get these things perfectly but since you are not really in a big hurry to produce professional looking pictures, just take you time and have some fun.

While working on your skills on composing your pictures, you also need to learn to work with the different types of lighting. Note that lighting could affect the colors of your pictures. Poor light can make your pictures look dark even when you shoot it in broad daylight. On the other hand, too much light will make your pictures look bleach out and lifeless. To make sure that you get sharp and beautiful pictures, pay close attention to the settings of your digital camera. Most digital cameras can be easily adjusted to take in just enough light to make your pictures look perfect.

Video Security Surveillance Cameras - How Can They Protect Your Assets?

A video security camera is most of the time used in a CCTV circuit. The closed circuit system makes extensive use of video cameras to provide up to date and detailed shots of almost every angle under security. The video security camera is thus linked to others in a circuit, its feeds coming across a monitor from where the person keeping an eye on the security can view all the different images.

This type of system often makes use of a quad, a device whereby the screen of a monitor is split in four to allow for four different recording camera images. Video security camera also comes as wireless or wired. The wireless video security camera transmits images through a built-in transmitter, and the receiving device picks up the signal to record or play the feed. Standard wireless cameras can transmit to up to a thousand feet, while more powerful cameras can even cross the two thousand feet line. When the camera is wired, it can be connected to a recording device and its images transferred this way, to be stored on disk or on tape.

For this purpose, the DVR- digital video recorder- is slowly but surely shoving the analog video recorder box out of the picture. DVR allow for the recording of high resolution digital images to a hard disk drive. This eliminates the need for VHS tapes, while also eliminating the damage factor of the tape. Digital images can be stored indefinitely with no change in the quality, and DVR recording capacity can be increased using a bigger hard disk. DVR also allows for easier search parameters, and has the convenience that it can be accessed anywhere around the globe using the Internet.

Video security cameras can come equipped with IR illuminators and motion sensors for added accuracy, as well asnight vision properties that provide a reconstructed live image even in pitch black night.

Effective Decisions For VOIP Solutions

Not all advertisements you find online or other places are straightforward. Often filled with implications, not facts, you may be misled. VOIP solutions providers can do this by placing many different types of charges on credit cards. Once they are paid, what can be done?

Designing a communication system today means taking into consideration various skill sets and experiences. With VOIP solutions, the cheapest option is not always the best even if it appears to be so. While it used to be that older fixed line telephones were simple and straightforward, business lines today are anything but.

With the new technology available today, it is incredibly important to make well researched and coordinated decisions to make the investment in VOIP solutions worthwhile. While the internet can bring investment savings, this savings is negated when the customer can not communicate effectively through the new system.

One of the largest problems is that VOIP solutions do not pay enough attention to basic business designs. Some companies using them have such terrible experiences that they have gone back to using standard fixed phone lines. Competitors can take advantage of this, which makes the problem even worse than expected, by having VOIP solutions properly designed for their business.

Effectively Using VOIP Solutions In Your Business

Often, companies make mistakes in who they trust with these decisions, such as counting on engineers to make decisions, or they fall for the false advertisements read. Many executives are not current in their knowledge of VOIP solutions or its technology and are unwilling to show their ignorance to better the company's bottom line. Do not make these mistakes.

Know what to expect when using VOIP solutions within your own business. There are two benefits that are likely to be seen. First, cost savings can be found, as this is the most well known benefit. Secondly, providing better customer service relationships can happen in some situations.

Rather than trying to work your business around VOIP solutions, it should fit within your business. This means always making customer requirements the first importance and by not falling for what looks good only on paper. In some situations traditional methods of communication with clients can still be considered and should be kept in mind.

While these systems may be new to you, finding quality service providers is necessary. One way to be sure to get this level of attention is by gathering fact based feedback from satisfied users of the service.


Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Apple iphone : it will change you life

The apple iPhone is a latest mobile phone that allows you to make a call by simply pointing your finger at a name or number in your address book, a favorites list, or a call log. It also automatically syncs all your contacts from a PC, Mac, or Internet service. And it lets you select and listen to voicemail messages in whatever order you want -- just like email. With iPhone, making a call is as simple as touching a name or number. In addition, you can easily construct a favorites list for your most frequently made calls, and quickly merge calls together to create conference calls.

It is unique phone with slim profile and no keys - it has 3.5 inches touch display that uses multy-touch technology for navigation. A sensor controls the orientation of the display, and MAC OS X controls the smart phone's functionality. It is quad-band GSM/EDGE device with WiFi and Bluetooth, and features 8GB of memory.

Visual Voicemail allows you to go directly to any of your messages without listening to the prior messages. So you can quickly select the messages that are most important to you. IPhone includes an SMS application with a predictive QWERTY soft keyboard that prevents and corrects mistakes, making it easier and more efficient to use than the small plastic keyboards on many smart phones. The iPhone features a 2-megapixel camera and a photo management application that goes far beyond anything on a phone today. Sync photos from your PC or Mac, and you're ready to browse or email them with the flick of a finger. With iPhone, making a call is as simple as touching a name or number. In addition, you can easily construct a favorites list for your most frequently made calls, and quickly merge calls together to create conference calls. Handheld and mobile digital electronic devices for the sending and receiving of telephone calls, faxes, electronic mail, and other digital data; MP3 and other digital format audio players; handheld computers, personal digital assistants, electronic organizers, electronic notepads. And there are a number of nice touches as well, including a motion sensor that rotates photos when you turn the phone, and voicemails displayed visually that you can click on and listen to. As we all expect from Apple, this is a seriously buttoned up device.

How to View Digital Television

How to View Digital Television

Consumers that experience the joy of digital television are watching their favorite shows - from sit-coms, to dramas, to sports games, and everything else - in high definition. But what is high definition television (HDTV)? Where does digital television come from? What do I need to view its contents? What are all these terms I keep hearing like "HDTV, "HD-Ready", and "HD Receiver"? Read on to discover what you need to know, what you need to have, and, most importantly, how to view digital television.

Background: The End of Analog
If you've ever had no access to cable or satellite television, you may know the experience of using a set top box antenna on a television (commonly known as "rabbit ears") or an outside t.v. antenna to receive local "over-the-air" broadcast channels. These are television channels whose broadcast towers are generally within 30 -60 miles (or less) of your t.v. antenna. Depending on distance and other factors, these broadcasts may be somewhat clear, but are often "fuzzy" and, at times, unwatchable. Until recently, all local television stations broadcast their local channels using these older analog signals. Analog signals are what you'll pick up locally using only a t.v. antenna (no cable or satellite connection). Analog signals have been around since the invention of television. However, because of government-based policy, analog signals will cease to exist effective February 17, 2009.

As of February 18, 2009, your television will not be able to receive any local, over-the-air broadcasts. By that date, everyone will need to know how to view digital television: that will be the only thing that exists!

The Rise of Digital
In sharp contrast to analog television, digital television will bring with it a number of enhancements. Most notably, image resolution and sound quality will be significantly enhanced. Compared to digital television, today's analog signals will appear dull and out of focus; digital television will be much more vivid and realistic. Digital signals can also be enhanced with additional streams of information, such as programming guides, displaying what is currently playing on a selected channel. In addition, digital signals are much more dense than analog signals and can carry up to six times as much information using the same amount of bandwidth as analog signals (think of a 6 lane freeway versus a single lane road). And, don't forget the sound! Along with digital images, digital sound - such as Dolby 5.1 surround sound - can be a part of the broadcast.

Greater image resolution and enhanced audio quality lead to a television viewing experience that is more intense, more enjoyable, and more satisfying.

How to View Digital Television
The above background information aside - what do you need to get started viewing digital television? You basically need three items:
1) A digital television (also known as an "HD" or "High Definition" television). The role of the digital television is like the role of your computer's monitor: it serves to display signals received from another piece of hardware (the Sharp Aquos LC52D92U 52" LCD HDTV is an example of a very nice HDTV). What is that other piece of hardware? Keep reading. . .
2) A digital receiver (also known as an "HD Receiver" or "High Definition Receiver"). The role of the HD receiver is to convert over-the-air (or "OTA") broadcasts into a format viewable on your digital television. Just as your computer creates images that are displayed on your monitor, the digital receiver takes captured over-the-air (OTA) broadcasts and displays them on your digital television (the ViewSonic HD10 HDTV Tuner is an example of an HDTV receiver). But how do you capture these over-the-air broadcasts? That brings us to. . .
3) An antenna. That's correct: a simple, run-of-the-mill set top box antenna will capture local broadcasts of digital signals, provided you are within range of local broadcast towers. Generally speaking, the larger the antenna, the greater the reception you can expect to receive. A powerful directional antenna, such as the Channelmaster 4228 can receive broadcast signals from up to 60 miles (or more!). Also, please note: there is no digital television antenna! If you have an ancient analog antenna on your roof, you can, in fact, use that same antenna to view digital signals provided you have a digital receiver and a digital television.

You will also need a local television channel that broadcasts digital signals (see Titan TV for what local stations are broadcasting in your area).

In many cases, an HD television will have an integrated HD Receiver; this simply means that the HD Receiver is included with the HD television, so all you'll need is an antenna to begin enjoying digital television. Buyer Beware: an "HD-ready" television means the television itself is digital, but does not have an integrated HD receiver. In order to watch digital television on an HD-ready television, you will have to purchase an additional HD receiver.

Using the above setup, it is possible to receive local, OTA ("over-the-air") digital television broadcasts absolutely free, minus the cost of the hardware. Imagine having 19 - 30 channels or more as many locations can, all channels are digital quality, with no cable or satellite bill!

Summary: How to View Digital Television
The glory days of analog television are limited; as of February 18, 2009, all analog broadcasts will cease to exist, ushering in the days of digital television. Digital broadcasts provide a much more efficient means of delivering high-definition video and audio into your home.

Remember, you need three things to receive digital television: an HD receiver, an HD television, and an antenna of some sort. Of course, you can take your television experience even further by using a digital surround sound audio receiver, but, as they say is an article for a new blog entry.


Monday, September 3, 2007

O2 Mobile Phones and Networks: Feel the Power

The pace at which the present-day world is progressing, it won't be long before machines will take over every possible part of our lives. The fruit of telecommunication advancement is there to be seen by one and all. It is bigger and tastier than ever before. Have you ever thought how our lives would turn out to be when everything that we usually did ourselves would be taken care of my machine? We have already seen a clear hint about this revolutionary progress, but there lies ahead many miles to cross, more tides to unwind! Nevertheless, it has been so good so far - the constantly evolving technology is being wisely implemented for the right purpose in the right proportions. The mobile phone industry is one of these recipients, which has shown a steady and beneficial growth to subtly make human lives more sophisticated, more technologically active.

Founded in 1985 as Cellnet, O2 is one of the largest mobile phone makers as well as a leading network service provider operating in the UK, Ireland and Germany. A part of BT Group plc earlier, O2 had been strategically rechristened in 2001 by Telefónica of Spain and was able to bring more solidarity to their financial situation. With its concentration spread out through nations like Germany, Slovakia and Czech Republic, the company has marked invaluable mileau all across these nations. In fact, the reputation of O2 is so widespread that it has been honoured with the status of sponsor for various sports clubs. Keeping business requirements in mind, O2 has unveiled some solid business phones which have been fully satiating the mobile needs of many an avid mobile phone users. Some of the most popular O2 mobile phones are O2 XDA Executive, O2 XDA 2i, O2 XDAMINI, O2 XDA Orbit, O2 Jet, O2 Ice, O2 XDA Trion, O2 XDA Graphite and so on. Most of these O2 contraptions are powerful Windows Mobile based PDAs. They boast of functions like camera, MP3 player, Infrared, voice recorder, GPRS, Bluetooth, WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML etc. Moreover, these devices are endowed with ample memory space as well as stunning display screens.

O2's network strength in the UK and other countries is really commendable. Wide coverage of areas across various nations has helped O2 in gaining much popularity in truest sense of the word. O2 keeps on offering very cool and attractive mobile schemes time to time for its valued customers. Add to all, the large chain of O2's after sales service centers also let the user of a O2 mobile phone to remain tension free all through out life time. And as positives to O2, these proactive customer friendly steps are making sure that O2 enjoys its stint among the leaders of mobile phone industry longer than any one else.

However, in the whole state of affair where O2 is thoroughly continuous in taking steadfast steps to remain ahead of any competition, we the users remain with the maximum chance to enjoy the best of mobility. And with reputation being the introducer of many firsts, O2's every effort to awestruck us with superior mobile creations is welcomed from every counters. For believers of possibilities, O2 mobile phones are the perfect accessories.

O2 mobile phones have revolutionized the cellular industry with quite an impact, and the effects are very much evident in the market. So, what are you waiting for? O2 mobile phones with superb functions and network strength will definitely increase your communication power. You will not only enjoy superb and rich mobiling facility with the O2 handsets, but also enjoy great value for your deal. Don't think twice before buying an O2 mobile phone-O2 is here, so does happiness!

Sony Playstation 3 : Pushing Limits of the Virtual World

It has been more than twelve years since the Japanese consumer electronics giant Sony has entered the gaming space. Since their first gaming console offering, Sony PlayStation has been successful in craving out a special name in the game player's niche. Till recently, PlayStation's legacy remained untouchable and its leadership barely challenged. However, with the launch of seventh generation gaming consoles from two other major player in the league, namely Microsoft and Nintendo, Sony PlayStation lost good grounds in terms of market share and brand loyalty.

Their latest seventh generation gaming console - the Sony PlayStation 3 seeks to win back lost grounds. The PlayStation 3 was first launched in Japan - the company's home ground on November 11, 2006, with the North American release coming a mere six days later on November 17, 2006. The system was then released in Europe and Australasia on March 23, 2007. Right from day one of its launch, the gaming console gained enormous popularity among all gamers around the world. According to Media Create, 81,639 PS3 systems were sold within 24 hours of its introduction in Japan. Initially, the Sony PlayStation 3 was available in two configurations - 20GB and 60 GB. However, the 20GB module was discontinued after a while due to lack of demands and was replaced by an even higher 80GB module.

The PlayStation 3 is based on open and publicly available application programming interfaces. The PlayStation 3 includes the ability to store different user profiles, explore down loaded photos, play music and movies from the hard drive, compatibility for a USB keyboard and mouse for additional aid in navigation through its user interface and computer like game play, and a full fledged web browser. These features and options gives a Sony PlayStation 3 user the freedom to diversify the usage of the gaming console apart from its primary function - to play high quality video games.

Is Plasma TV Better Than LCD TV

Before making any final HDTV buying decisions, it is essential that you understand the difference between plasma and LCD displays.

Outwardly, both LCD and Plasma are flat and thin although they use different technologies to deliver the same results.

The market share once dominated by plasma televisions is gradually being eroded by the introduction of more larger display LCD televisions from various manufacturers.

Plasma television display sizes, up until recently, have always been way ahead of LCD due to the different technologies involved. For some time, the maximum LCD display size was limited to 32 inches or less while plasma was the obvious choice for anything bigger.

However, things have changed with affordable LCD televisions up to 37 inches coming onto the market. Already available are LCD televisions in the 40 to 50 inch size range, which will gradually become more affordable to the average consumer.

With two different technologies being pitched to the average customer, the choice between LCD and plasma is likely to be a little confusing to some.

We will be walking into our local electronics stores in search of a new 42 inch-plus TV, and rather than just having to choose between brands of plasma televisions, we'll be choosing between different brands and two differing technologies.

To add to the confusion, hardware manufacturers such as Panasonic have taken it on themselves to decide which is the best technology, by not producing LCD televisions above a 32-inch display size.

Another example comes with the electronics giant, Pioneer, who have so much faith in plasma display technology, that they have so far refused to make LCD televisions in any size.

The perception amongst consumers so far, seems to have become that LCD is the technology of tomorrow, and plasma is the technology of the past.

My point is that just because plasma does not seem to be 'trendy' or the 'in thing', don't simply ignore it. While it is true that high definition on an LCD display is exceptionally bright and sharp, plasma can still out perform the new kid on the block in less showy, but equally important areas.

At the end of the day, just because everybody else is buying LCD, don't just follow the crowd for the sake of it, and give both plasma and LCD a fair chance when it comes to buying your new high definition TV.

As time goes on, the rivalry between plasma and LCD is only going to increase as larger displays come onto the market.

Ultimately, it is you, as the consumer that needs to take onboard the different sizes and prices you are willing to pay and base your buying decision on what features you really need.