My Techno Galore

Photography goes digital

noreply@blogger.com (JSB) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 01:59:00 +0000

For hundred years now, photography has been synonymous to a light-sensitive emulsion developed in chemicals. Now the trend is digital photography.

The change is the career of photography is an eventuality. Digital cameras have a promiscuous relationship with desktop computers and mobile phones. This will no doubt continue to evolve. More importantly, advantages outweigh their limitations, so more and more photography bugs are swinging to the digital wave.

Easy to process

Digital recording has many advantages. Images are easy to process. You can manage photos by easy printing, editing, manipulation and easy storing. No more worrying about destroyed negatives or storing photos. With digital photography you can use your computer or laptop to store captured images for future use.

No more dark rooms to develop your pictures. It's fast and trouble-free. With digital photography you can simply take photos and if you don't like just delete it and you can retake the shot. That's how convenient digital photography is.

Laptops: Getting Luxury

noreply@blogger.com (JSB) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 12:48:00 +0000

A truly decked-out notebook is the ideal traveling companion for business and of course for bloggers.

Laptops have gone extreme and styly. Some of the latest models come loaded with giant screens, massive hard drives, dual processors, Blu-ray or HD DVD drives, and even designer lids, if you so desire. Laptops have also become incredibly popular in recent years--major vendors say that portables are on track to outsell desktop PCs by 1 million units this year. Laptop companies must be doing the right things to make their machines so enticing.

Rounded up six of the biggest, baddest laptops programers could find to see which are worth our hard-earned dollars. They tested three desktop replacement models (the Apple MacBook Pro, Dell Inspiron 1720, and HP Pavilion HDX) and three all-purpose laptops (the Lenovo ThinkPad R61, Sony VAIO VGN-FZ180E/B, and Toshiba Satellite A205-S4639). They ran WorldBench 6 Beta 2 benchmark test suite--as well as battery tests--on the notebooks, and they also put them through rigorous hands-on evaluations. In the end the HP notebook came out atop the desktop-replacement category, while the Lenovo portable bested the other all-purpose models.

In addition to looking at some of the most decked-out portables available, they examined the latest mobile broadband options to help consumers stay connected when we're on the road. They also checked up on solid-state technology and how it's changing the way laptops perform. They peeked a bit into the future to see where laptop technology is headed. And finally, they rounded up a number of carry-on bags for protecting our machine and looked at some accessories that can help increase our productivity when we and our notebook are traveling.

iPod Touch : should you buy it?

noreply@blogger.com (JSB) — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 10:21:00 +0000

Apple just announced the iPod Touch! Now its a worldwide technews, but what does this mean for the iPhone?

The main reason why the iPhone wasnt that too easy its because of the price. 'm an avid Apple fan, but first and foremost, I like to spend my money wisely. Despite a few gripes regarding the touch keypad, most of the reviews I've read about the iPhone are decent, nothing but praise. But again, price was definitely an obstacle for most, especially if they had to switch phone carriers. Somehow, opening your checkbook to pay early termination fees, $60 and up for an unlimited data plan, and over $500 for the device itself just hurt too much.

Yes, I know I said I'd wait for the next generation, but I just couldn't resist the $200 price drop. Anyway, I'm taking my chances, because this may be the only chance at nabbing the-soon-to-be-obsolete 4GB model for under $300 (it's OK, I'm not proud). Now why would I buy an iPhone, when I could've waited for the $299 8GB iPod Touch, you ask? Here a logic:

No Phone: The new iPod Touch may have more storage, but it doesn't have a phone. This means you still have to carry two devices: a phone and the iPod Touch. I don't know about you, but I'm not one to carry an iPod everywhere I go. That's why I say no thanks to the iPod Touch. I'll just stick to an iPhone and eliminate all the excess baggage.

No Camera: The 2-megapixel camera is gone.

No Bluetooth or EDGE: This means no bluetooth headphones, headset, or access to the Internet when you can't find a hotspot. Bummer.

Wi-Fi: Woohoo, it has Wi-Fi — but what's the use of having Wi-Fi if you can't always access a hotspot outside the house? Once you walk out the door, the only place you have free access to the Internet is at Starbucks to buy music.

Storage: Why, oh why on earth would you pay $299 for an 8GB iPod or $399 for 16GB? OK, so it's flash-based, has a multi-touch interface, a beautiful 3.5-inch display, and Wi-Fi capabilities, but the price just seems outrageous when the 160GB metal iPod Classic is only $349. Makes me wanna weep.

No New Features: The iPod Touch is just an iPhone without a phone. And why didn't they add new colors, FM radio, an expansion slot, or a microphone to give it VoIP capabilities? Even the Sony Mylo and Zune have some of these features. Why make it look and act like a PDA, yet leave out important things like a microphone.

The good news is we now have options. Options are great when you don't have to to decide between carriers, or find ways to unlock the iPhone without it blowing up in your face. The iPod Touch has great features, but doesn't compare to the iPhone. Now that the iPhone is cheaper, why not go for the one with the most features at the expense of storage? Besides, I already have plenty of storage for music on my four other iPods.

Gadgets Update!

noreply@blogger.com (JSB) — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 16:13:00 +0000

No jokes about hot bods, please. All of you warm-blooded folks may have the advantage with this new technology. You may soon be able to power your cell phone, PCs, and other electronics by tapping into your own body heat, and you don't need to be pedaling a stationary bike, walking the treadmill, or otherwise working up a sweat to do it. You can just sit there, couch potato style, and generate enough body heat to keep your gear going.

I stumbled across this tidbit on the Discovery Channel, but the research originates from the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits, where they are developing special circuits that use body heat. These could lead to battery-less cell phones and medical monitors that draw energy from their users.

The new circuits utilize the principle of thermoelectric generators (TEG) made from semiconductor elements. According to the scientists, the TEGs extract electrical energy simply from the temperature difference between a hot and a cold environment. Normally, a difference of several tens of degrees would be required in order to generate enough power, but the difference between the body's surface temperature and that of its environment is only a few degrees. To boost the energy, they combined a number of components that store up the energy until there's enough to operate the electronic device.

The photo shows a wireless transmitter being powered by the heat given off by a person's hand via a thermoelectric generator. Can't wait to see if it takes advantage of hot flashes!

The Savvy Networker by Liz Ryan

noreply@blogger.com (JSB) — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 18:24:00 +0000

Etiquette for Online Outreach

Online networking is all the rage, as Internet tools make it easy for us to reach out to almost anyone who has a presence online. Lofty executives, potential clients, and future employers are within easy reach to anyone with a browser and an email account. But it won't do to rush off and start blasting off email messages to strangers -- that's a recipe for being ignored or added to an email blacklist.

Take the time to think through your online networking approach, and your results will improve dramatically. Here are five tips to get you going.

It's Not All About You

When you've read about an interesting person you'd like to get to know, it pays to dig a little deeper before you launch an introduction via email. An email message with the subject line "Loved your article" has a much better chance of being read than one titled "Hope you can help me."

If you want to establish a relationship, spend half an hour online and learn a few things about the person you're interested in meeting.

Cut to the Chase

Most of us reach out to well-placed strangers when we need help with something -- finding a new job, closing a plum client, or meeting a person who's otherwise out of our reach. So when you launch a networking overture, come to the point. No one has time to read the saga that describes your last 15 jobs, as fascinating as it may be. You've got to say, "I was hoping that you can advise me on my Marketing job search." Be specific.

Don't ever send your resume as an attachment to a person you don't know -- it's presumptuous, and raises fears of computer viruses. Ask, instead, for one specific thing, perhaps a bit of emailed advice on best companies for brand managers or some tips on moving from Operations into IT. Your target person's time is valuable, and you want to demonstrate that you know that.

Offer to Reciprocate

People think that it sounds silly to offer to help the person whose help you are seeking, but it's not. It's far better to write, "Of course, I would love to help you in any way I can, as well" than to behave as though you believe perfect strangers should be falling down with eagerness to assist you with your projects.

Don't be surprised if the person you're looking to contact takes you up your offer. He or she may have a young relative graduating from college who needs an "in" at your employer. Networking is about reciprocity.

Don't Press Your Advantage

Let's say you've reached out to a VP at a major manufacturer, and you've now exchanged email messages a couple of times. That's great. Be happy about your new contact, and don't push the young relationship by introducing six of your closest friends to your newest associate or adding your new pal to your newsletter distribution list.

Close the Circle

If you write to a technology expert asking for a technical answer and you get one, write back immediately to express your gratitude. After you've implemented the solution, write again and say so. It's frustrating for a person to take time helping a networker with an issue, and then never to hear from him or her again. Close the circle by writing, "Dear Allan, thanks for your job-search networking tips. I'm happy to say I got the job, and I owe you a beer the next time you're in Milwaukee!"

Savvy networkers know that the power of networking is in the quality of the relationships they build, not the number of people they know or their titles. Cultivate your connections with your focus on the people, and your network will pay you back in spades.

Wireless Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (JSB) — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 17:33:00 +0000

MANILA, Philippines—Funny how I never seem to learn my lesson.

A few months ago I managed to turn the mall race I joined into a freak show by making a complete fool of myself - first by almost throwing up when we were asked to drink a can of diet soda, then by practically inhaling the spaghetti, chicken and garlic bread in the eating leg and then by changing the definition of the term “ice skating.” (I call it Hoisting Yourself Onto the Rail And Using It To Propel Yourself Forward Cursing The Entire Time While Trying Not To Fall Down And Pretending Everyone Around You Is Blind And Can’t See How Stupid You Look.) My most vivid memory of that day was wondering why I had not dropped dead in the middle of Megamall yet. Yeah, I’m always eager to prove to the world how out of shape I really am.

But when I was told that the Nokia N95 Soul of Manila Wireless Adventure will not be a physically challenging race, that we don’t even have to wear sporty clothes, I didn’t think twice about joining. After all, I had declared 2007 as a year for adventures and taking risks. And besides, the prospect of rediscovering Manila’s soul sounded mighty appealing to me.
The teams

~ By Pam PastorInquirer

A Google phone is the talk of the blogosphere

noreply@blogger.com (JSB) — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 16:02:00 +0000

The Google Phone: Few outsiders know if it really exists, but it's got a cult following.Just months after iPhone mania gripped Silicon Valley gadget heads, suspense is building over reports that Google Inc. plans to release its own cellphone.The blogosphere is buzzing with rumors that the search giant may announce Linux-based mobile software as early as this week and a Google phone, which observers have cheekily dubbed the GPhone, by early next year.The latter is the most tantalizing to Silicon Valley, which is just getting over the June 29 launch of Apple Inc.'s multipurpose iPhone.No one has displayed indisputable proof that the GPhone exists. But one thing is certain: Google, which took in nearly $11 billion last year from Web advertising, is investing heavily to target the potentially lucrative and hotly contested mobile search market.

GOLDEN BOY

noreply@blogger.com (JSB) — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 16:41:00 +0000

Here is our Golden Boy! Clever man!!! If only I can do that, I'll be trading a lot of cars either.

The teenage hacker who managed to unlock the iPhone so that it can be used with cellular networks other than AT&T will be trading his reworked gadget for a new car. according to the sourse, he traded his gadget to Terry Daidone, co-founder of CertiCell, who also promised the teen a paid consulting job. But according to him, they dont have final deciscions for Mr. Hotz as of the moment. Well guys, I have 2 iPhone here, i'll wil try to unlock it. Give me 1 year to figure it out. Who would like to trade his old junk car? Hehehe!

TREND : Gotta-Have That Gadget

noreply@blogger.com (JSB) — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 15:54:00 +0000

Some gadgets are more gotta-have than others. Its True. There are some gadgets that we must gotta-have than others.

Some people say " I can live without gadgets like cellphones, camera, ipod, computer, laptop, etc.. i dont need that. As a matter of fact I can live with my balpen and my notebook alone. i don't need to be updated with regards to hi-tech gadgets out there."

Maybe yes to other people who lives in a far far away that even electricity couldnt even reach. But somehow they still need some gadgets.

UUmm, there are gadgets that seem essential to me. This are my list and i'll tell you why?

1. Cellphone - with the kind of life we had and the business we have, cellphones are very important. I think the only people that doesnt use cellphones are babies.

2. Computer/Laptop - Oh! this is very important to me. I surf the net everyday, every hour, every single munite. This is part of my daily routine surfing and posting my blogs. Of course im also using my computer/laptop for business.

3. Digital Camera - Photography is a hobby for me. But even if I use this in my casual days, those images that I captured, I also post them in the internet, maybe sell them for profit.

These are my three gotta-have gadget lists. Maybe its different for you. Maybe you have more options than I do, or perhaps you have your own nominations.

SGH U600

noreply@blogger.com (JSB) — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 14:15:00 +0000

Sleek. Classy. Beautiful

The SGH - U6OO Edition is describe one of the best edition og Samsung Electronics, Co. Ltd.'s. Samsung's SGH-U600 set a world record for thinnest slider handset on the market, a record that Samsung itself had set. The new U600 is thin - thinner than many of the thinnest chocolate bar shaped handsets available today. Taking a look at this thin slider makes you wonder with lots of "oozzzz" as it does not look like the usual mobile phone with its chic designed feature.

Techno BUZZ

noreply@blogger.com (JSB) — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 14:00:00 +0000

"Those who are usually worry about their phones, computer, softwares, laptop, ipod, video games, gadgets, tech latest being outdated need not worry, because here you can find out all the latest trends and tech updates."

~ So search yourself and have fun.