Friday, 30 July 2010

Getting the Best Value of GPS Device For Your Car

GPS is fast becoming a critical technology for cars. You can also increase the value and worth of your car it you install a GPS unit on it. A GPS unit is a reliable security feature. It can also serve as a handy driving navigator so you can avoid road accidents and reduce driving time. GPS devices are very common among luxury cars. However, standard vehicles are usually not equipped with built-in GPS units. You have to buy a GPS device and install it on your car. You can certainly enjoy the benefits of GPS tracking device for your car. Here are some of the top benefits you can get from a GPS unit. 1) GPS Units Can Increase the Value of Your Car: If you want to sell your car in the future, then it would be more valuable if it has a GPS system. With a GPS unit, your car now can be considered a top of the line vehicle using high technology tracking and security device. It is not an ordinary car anymore. The GPS unit can transform your car into a modern vehicle. A GPS system for your car is a good investment. This device enhances the security features of your car thus increasing its value. So, if ever you sell it, you will be able to command a good price for your vehicle. 2) Favorable Car Insurance Plans: GPS-enabled cars can enjoy better insurance plans. Insurance companies usually give favorable insurance terms for your vehicle. In case someone steals your vehicle, authorities can easily track and locate your car. This is the reason why insurance companies provide preferential rates for cars with GPS devices. Insurance companies will be more confident in providing low monthly premium plans because your car is fitted with a GPS unit. 3) Worry-free Road Navigation: If you are traveling on unfamiliar roads, then you need not worry too much because the GPS unit can provide accurate directions. Maps and other directional tools are loaded into your GPS unit. It can certainly help you to find the right way so you can quickly arrive to your destination. If you want to avoid heavy traffic, then the GPS device can provide alternative routes for you. You can also select the easiest route if ever you miss a turn or lose your way in unfamiliar roads. Because of these capabilities of a GPS unit, you can certainly reduce driving stress. 4) Access to Emergency Response Services: You can directly hook up your car’s GPS device to any emergency call numbers such as 911.If you figure in an accident while driving, the GPS unit will instantly send emergency warning signal to 911. Emergency response teams and services therefore can easily track your vehicle. The GPS device can also warn you if there are road hazards or road blocks ahead. Installing a GPS device on your car has many benefits. You will have a more comfortable driving experience if you have a GPS system on your car. That is why a GPS tracking unit can make your car more valuable.

Friday, 23 July 2010

Choosing a Digital Camera - Seven Important Camera Features

Best camera feature Choosing a digital camera can be very confusing because of all the camera features that are available. However, there is a logical way of making your way through all of the choices. Probably the first thing to think about is how much you want to spend. The price ranges are huge and you will most likely be able to find one that fits within your budget. From the most simple cameras of less than one hundred dollars to the most advanced digital cameras that run many thousands of dollars, there is a camera out there for everyone. Point and Shoot cameras are typically less expensive than DSLR digital cameras. However, that is not a hard and fast rule in today's market. Intro DSLRs have come down in price and Points and Shoot cameras can be quite sophisticated. The main difference is that a DSLR camera has interchangeable lenses, while a point and shoot camera lens is part of the camera. So the lens you buy with a Point and Shoot camera is the lens you get. Period. So one of the most important things if you are purchasing a Point and Shoot camera is the quality of the lens and that it will do what you want it to, regarding wide angle or zoom features. As far as other features go, here are some of the basic options that are offered. 1) Amount of Megapixels : Many cameras of today will offer 10MP or more. A high amount of megapixels is a good option if you will be printing large prints or doing a fair amount of cropping. 2) Optical Zoom: The higher the optical zoom number, the closer in you will be able to focus and shoot a subject. Optical zooms can range from 3x up to 24x. 3) Shutter Speed : Fast shutter speeds (high numbers) are advantageous if you are shooting quick moving objects, such as sports, birds, etc. An example of a high speed would be 1/2000th of a second. 4) ISO Settings : High ISO settings are typically used when you are taking photos in dimly lit or dark situations. Here is where the quality of the camera is important. Just because a camera offers a very high ISO setting does not mean that the image captured will be noise-free. Noise is tiny specs that appear in a photo. If this is important to you (taking pictures in dark areas), be sure to buy a camera that produces quality photos even at high ISO settings. 5) Scene Modes : If you like things to be very automatic, be sure the camera you are considering has lots of Scene Modes, where you can set the camera to just shoot, for example, Sports. The camera makes the correct settings automatically. 6) LCD: This is the viewing screen on the camera. Generally they will range from 2 to 3 inches in size...the larger, the better. Some cameras offer this with or without an electronic viewfinder, which is the small opening you look through when framing a shot. 7) Flash : Automatic flashes usually work for a specific distance. If you are shooting in situations where you will need to use the flash, check out the flash distance of the camera to make sure it will work well for you. These are some of the main camera features. There are others also. The best thing to do is to decide what you will be using the camera for and choose one that has features and options that are most important to

Wednesday, 21 July 2010

Why LCD TVs Make Perfect Gifts?

We can all admit technology keeps making our lives simplier, more interesting and of an improved or higher quality. LCD TVs are no exception – they really are a step up from the old CRT TV screen we were once used to. Whether it is a television or computer monitor, an LCD screen is definitely one screen that we should all apreciate. LCD TVs have a great resolution which is far better than previous CRT TV screen. This is perfect for movie lovers or anyone who enjoys watching their favourite TV programmes. Most LCD TVs have a low weight making them easy to move around if you so wish to. They provide great portability with their slim build. Also if you are concerned about your bill (and who isn't) then LCD TVs are ideal as the power consumed by LCD screens is less than that which is consumed by other screen types. LCD TVs are a great choice for the economically minded and environmentally friendly person. LCD TVs are well known for looking great in living rooms. They normally have a very classy look that can bring a room to life. However that isn't what truly sets them apart. They offer a high quality picture and make for a great viewing experience. LCD TVs are also slim so they do not require much space. These TVs normally will blend in with your house décor and actually make it look better. With all the qualities the LCD TV possess that you rarely find in one single item you can never regret getting one for yourself and you should now. But it's not just you who would like this. For reasons explained above, and LCD TV can also make a great gift. Be it a birthday or anniversary do not go for the usual shirt, holiday or presents you are accustomed to and try something different! An LCD TV will make a perfect gift. It is classy, and worth the cost and you can to enjoy it with everyone. You will also spend less money than you actually think you will. With its extraordinary features you will never regret it and everyone can appreciate it! Watching your favorite shows and films on a good quality picture will let you enjoy them even more. You do not even have to go through a whole redecorating process or move furniture about just to get it to fit into the house. It takes little space and anyway you can buy one that is adequate in size for the space you can create for it. An LCD TV is designed to last a long time as long as you take good care of it. There is so much choice today and you can really find one that suits you. Or if its for others too, then you will surely find something that everyone will like. An LCD TV really is a fantastic choice and is something that everyone must invest in to appreciate it. Whether you are looking to treat yourself or buy a gift for someone, then you should consider an LCD TV. Prices have come down and they are not as expensive as they one were which is a bonus.

Tuesday, 20 July 2010

Hot Tips For Discovering Cheap Laptop Computers

Getting laptop computers is easy, but buying cheap laptop computers requires time and effort. Anybody can get a laptop, all you need is to go to the store, close your eyes and pick one. But not everyone can shop for cheap laptop computers. When i say cheap laptop computers, i mean cheap in price and good in quality.

To get cheap laptop computers, you need to know what spec to focus on. In this section i will review some of my experience in getting cheap laptop computers. There are a few major specs that everyone is looking at, they are:

1) Processor: This is the spec you want to focus on, if you are comparing two models of laptop computers. (for example, two laptops have the same price but one offer higher processor speed and the other one offers higher RAM, which one will you choose?) Of course, the answer is choosing the one with higher processor speed. Why? it is simple. You can't change the processor of your laptop once you bought them. Secondly, RAM is so cheap nowadays and is replaceable. A RAM cost you $30 if you buy them separately but if you get them together with your laptop its gonna cost you $100.

What processor to choose? That really depends on your budget. If you have extra bucks to spare. Get a higher speed processor and your laptop computer will perform slightly better. Do not get too pump up when you are considering sparing some money on this spec. Always focus on your budget. They are lots of good deals out there, just keep searching:) i would suggest spend extra 5 to 10% of your budget on this.

2) RAM Most of the time people end up spending extra $100 to $300 just to get a couple gig of RAM. I will put least focus on these spec, as i know that i can change them later. Laptop usually comes with two slots of RAM. As regard on how to buy the right RAM for your laptop, check it out at any computer store. They are more than willing to help you, sometimes even replace them for you. If you are shy or the shop sales man is not friendly. Go to this site to find the right RAM. As regard on how to replace laptop memory (RAM), google them and you will get tones of feed back and even video showing you how to do it.

3) Weight This is tricky. Why? sometimes you may think that you travel a lot. but end up placing the laptop in your room most of the time. If you are a casual user, who do not need to bring your laptop with you everywhere you go then ignore this spec. You pay for the portability and most of time you will have to pay a higher price to get the same spec of laptop. Try to imagine where are you going to use your laptop most often and you will get your answer right away. If weight is not important to you then good job, you save yourself at least $100 or more. One step nearer for your goal to get cheap laptop computers.

4) Screen Size To get cheap laptop computers, you will always go for 15 inch screen (15 to 15.9 inch to be specific) Why? this is the standard size where the manufacturer mass produce. If you go an inch higher or lower, its gonna cost you. (about $100 or more - depends on the brand). The second thing is if you want a bigger screen, go get a larger external monitor for a cheaper price and of better quality (effects and size).

5) Hard drive Hard drive nowadays is cheap and you can get an external hard drive (small USB powered hard drive) for a cheap price. 5400 RPM is good and 7200 RPM is better. Do not shop for size. Shop for speed (RPM). If you need extra low speed memory, you can always get them later for a very cheap price.

6) Video memory If you play games in your laptop ( i mean graphic demanding games), then you might want to spend extra cash for a dedicated video memory (graphic cards in short). I do not recommend buying a gaming laptop. Why? you not only need to have a dedicated video memory, you also have to get a faster processor, higher RAM and a faster hard drive. I would suggest buying a gaming desktop. You can get the same specs or even better specs for a cheaper price.

Sunday, 18 July 2010

Desktop, Laptop, Macbook, Which is Right For You?

So you are now ready to buy your next computer, laptop and or Macbook. Perhaps your old computer has given out on you, is outdated or just plain can't cut it anymore. No matter what the reason be, you are ready to take the next step and upgrade. But you still have not decided if you want a desktop or a laptop. This article was written in hopes to make the decision a little easier on you. After all it is a big purchase you will be making. Some questions to ask yourself may be… do you enjoy gaming? or will you be using this for business or pleasure or both? Will you do a lot of moving around or do you travel a lot? will you be keeping your computer in one place? Finding the right questions to ask and then answering them as honestly as possible is exactly what you need to do in order to choose your next computer, be it a desktop or a laptop, wisely. So why not write down each question that you may have and then answer them, or do research and then answer them. Now put them in order of importance and hopefully this will help you make that final choice

Now let us break down the main difference between the desktop and laptop. Here is the rundown:

Desktop computers have more power and more room for adding more power. This is because the amount of space in a desktop computer is greater which allows for a more powerful, well everything. From a faster video card, to processor to additional RAM and more, you can have it all with the proper desktop. Go ahead and add on this better airflow and cooling and you have got an overall faster machine. A faster, yet stationary, machine.

As for laptop and or Macbook computers: while laptops cannot stand up to desktops when it comes to pure power, they offer something else, mobility. If you travel a lot you will most certainly want a laptop. From business trips to taking notes in your college classes, laptops offer the ability to move around. This is not to say your laptop and or Macbook will be slow, they certainly will have enough power for most every day users.

So what is the final verdict? Well I cannot decide for you, because each person is different. All I can offer is the main differences in these two types of computers (desktops and laptops) and ultimately the final decision will be yours.

To summarize it all up for you. Picking the right computer for you will most probably take you some time and most probably take you some research. But once you are done and take that final step to purchasing your next computer you will want it to be the right one. After all, most people end up keeping the same computer for a while before replacing them and I am sure you will most likely want to do the same.

The Apple IPad - What is it For?

There has been much excitement in the market place and much hype about Apple’s new offering to the world, the Apple iPad. Initially supply problems in the US were affected by unprecedented demand in the UK for this new piece of kit from Apple. Just as a large number of people were excited about the iPhone, others are now excited about the Apple iPad, but are they excited just because of the media hype or is it really a great piece of technology that we should all rush out and buy? Looking on the web at various blogs and forums there is much of a mixed reaction to the iPad. In development, prior to its release, it was originally named the Apple Tablet and the name change to iPad could have been a ploy to make the consumers think of it as something different, not just another tablet computer. Therefore, does it compare to the tablets offered by Dell or Fujitsu? In many cases, some say not: it does not have the range of functionality though it is priced lower. Is it a replacement to the notebook? Afraid not, it does not have the range of functionality, though again it is priced lower. Is it a new type of e- reader? Well, it can provide the function, but it is not a top of the range e-reader though the marketing hype may make it look like a competitor to the Kindle. So what is it for?

It certainly offers the familiar Apple functions, such as access to the iStore and its list of Apple apps, the wireless internet access so that we can use the web applications and all the sites that we normally get to using our laptops or mobiles. We can listen to music on the iPad and we can play games too. In fact, it sounds a bit like the iPhone does it not? Without the phone!

Anyone can use the iPad: there are no windows, no files, just apps to use one at a time. “What no multitasking?” I hear you cry? No, not yet, will it come in the future? Maybe.

There is no camera, but hey it’s not a giant mobile phone, it’s an iPad; it is not a notebook, it’s an iPad. Will they add a camera? Maybe - probably.

If we take a quick look at the technical side, it has a 1024 x 768, 9.7 inch diagonal screen. The iPhone screen, incidentally, is 480x320 and 3.5” diagonally. It has a choice of 16gb, 32gb or 64gb flash drives installed. Its processor is a 1 GHZ Apple A4 processor with integrated 3D graphics, power management and audio, storage and I/O interfaces. Due to the fact that all of these functions are on a single chip it makes the Lithium-polymer battery a good contender in the best battery life competition.

Wi-Fi-only Apple iPads can run with a 10-hour battery life which will be perfect for those long plane journeys and much longer than a mobile computer. A shorter life if you are playing games, however.

The technology looks OK, the battery life is very good, it’s new and it’s from Apple: that may be enough to sway you into buying one. The price is seen by some as excessively high but you can make your own mind up about that as thousands of iPad owners already have. If you do not have an iPhone the Apple iPad will be a treat for you, but you will still need a cell phone if you have one.

If you have an iPhone and have seen all of the apps and experienced the touch screen technology and played music and games you might struggle to find the right use for the iPad. However, I feel this is just the beginning. It can only get better, new releases will come and functionality will improve, though I doubt if the Apple iPad will get any cheaper.

One thing is sure: until it does not have to boot up like any other computer, tablet or not, it will never have use as a phone unless it is independent of the iPad itself. That one factor will reduce its attraction to iPhone users that already have many of the apps they need - the Apple iPad then becomes no more than a computer and e-reader without excelling at either.