Windows Treatments A Stitch in Time

If you ask me, the worst thing about PCs is that things go wrong more often than Ben Affleck makes bad career choices. The best thing? The machines are usually pretty easy to fix. In fact, you can solve the most common hardware and software problems in just a few minutes (though the actual repair time will vary from system to system). We've collected 37 lightning -fast fixes for a locked-up PC, a Windows update gone awry, a lost network link, a corrupted Word document, and the other glitches you're most likely to encounter.

Windows Treatments A Stitch in Time

Problem: Windows has become cranky. Sometimes application don't launch, sometimes programs don't close, and sometimes they just don't work at all.

Quick fix #1: Go to the Windows Update site to download the latest patches for your version. To configure Windows XP to automatically download and install updates, right-click My computer, select Properties, Automatic Updates, and click Automatic (recommended). In Windows 2000 and Windows Me, open Control Panel, double-click Automatic updates, make sure "Keep my computer up to date" is checked, and Settings. For Windows 98, go to the Windows Update site and download the Critical Update Notification utility.

Most Windows patches deal with security holes, but the update service also adds support for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, the latest DirectX versions, and other new technologies.

Quick fix #2: Roll back Windows 2000 or XP to the last time your PC worked by launching in Safe Mode. Restart your Pc and press F8 to bring up the Windows Advanced Options. Select last know Good Configuration (your most recent setting that worked) and press Enter.

If that doesn't do the trick, you can restore even earlier settings in Windows XP and Windows Me, by using System Restore . Click start , All programs (Programs in Me), Accessories, System Tools , System Restore and choose Restore my computer to an earlier time. Click Next, select a recent date checkpoint, and then proceed through the rest of the System Restore wizard.

UK survey says off-shoring in full swing

A survey performed by The IT Job Board, an IT recruiment service based in the UK, had some grim news for native IT workers.

According to the survey, two-thirds of companies have off-shored some IT functions in the last six months. That’s on top of 34% of IT professionals who stated that more than half of their IT department had already been off-shored. Of those, 79% said the jobs were outsourced to India.

The next six months doesn’t look so rosy either. 50% of those surveyed believe their companies were planning to off-shore over the next six months. When asked where they thought the work was going 75% believed the work would go to India. As far as the roles being affected by outsourcing 79% thought it was software development related, 71% said it was programmer roles, and 57% believed it to be IT support jobs being impacted.

A big complaint with off-shoring is that the people hired lack business knowledge. 83% of those surveyed also believe it has a negative impact on the quality of IT. 76% also believe there is no long-term benefit to the economy as a result of off-shoring.

Microsoft Stores: This time, it’ll be different

As Microsoft hires top retail experts, critics raise red flags, claiming that the company is copying Apple’s stylish stores rather than out-innovating the Mac maker. The Redmond-based software giant, however, remains adamant that the experience alone will sell well enough to cover the high costs of running a large-scale retail operation, including leasing heavy-traffic locations at a premium.

Microsoft has clearly embarked on an expensive adventure with no fast return on investment. That doesn’t matter as the company’s retail vision is a long-term one.

The company’s latest high-profile hire includes George W. Blakenship, 56, retail expert credited for securing prime locations for Apple’s stylish retail stores, TechFlash learned. Microsoft is also seeking retail talent on its website, like a store manager.

Microsoft has shared little detail about its retail efforts thus far beyond officially confirming the fact that some stores will open “right next door to Apple stores,” indicating high-traffic locations across the nation’s biggest cities. When Microsoft went public with the retail strategy this January, the company said the first stores would open this fall.

According to the TechFlash report citing a Microsoft representative, Blakenship is already helping Microsoft pick prime locations. The executive provides an assistance as a consultant rather than working in a full-time capacity. Blakenship’s input will be critical due to his astounding track record.

Blakenship worked as Gap’s VP of real estate strategy before joining Apple as VP of real estate in 2000. During his Apple tenure, he helped senior VP of retail Ron Johnson define the retail strategy. In addition, Blakenship was instrumental in securing high-traffic locations for Apple’s brick-and-mortar stores. In 2002, he became senior advisor with Vectiv Corporation, a company that provides store lifecycle management enterprise software.

Prime locations are key in retail. Picking one is only half of the story, though. Negotiating terms with property owners, cutting deals, and managing paperwork - in short, making things happen - is where Blakenship excels. Here’s how his former chief Ron Johnson described to a group of investors in 2006 what prime locations meant for Apple’s retail strategy:

“If you want to enrich their lives, you can’t be in a parking lot, off a highway. You gotta be where they live their life. You gotta be right where they work, where they play, where they live, where they shop. The only way to enrich their life is to be part of their life. They’ve got to walk 10 feet to your store, not drive the car 10 miles. That’s what enriching lives would take.”

The ifoAppleStore warned that Microsoft’s new consultant has brought with him Apple’s secret retail recipe:

“Blankenship was among the earliest of Apple’s retail store employees, arriving shortly after Johnson (senior VP of Apple’s retail business). He was there when Johnson began to clarify his vision of how the stores would operate and what they would look like, and where they should be located.”

Should Microsoft build stores in times of recession?

Some think Microsoft is just copying Apple's stylish stores. Pictured above: Glass staircase inside Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue store in the center of Manhattan.

Many think Microsoft shouldn’t have engaged in retail during this tough economic climate, especially knowing that Dell and Gateway escaped their respective retail adventures. On the other hand, Microsoft should invest now that the real estate is under pressure amid a grim macroeconomic environment, which brings the prices down.

It’s unclear if Microsoft can justify running a large-scale retail operation on selling the experience alone. Critics warn that Apple stores leverage the experience to lure people into buying premium-priced products. Although the recession is knocking on Apple’s door, too, its retail stores are still generating huge foot traffic and money.

Apple plans to open 25 new stores in fiscal 2009, half of which will be outside the U.S. Apple stores generated $1.471 billion in revenues from Mac sales in the second quarter. Over 50 percent of customers who visit Apple stores have never owned a Mac before. Although this is a 15 percent decrease in both revenue and units from the year-ago quarter, the number of visitors ballooned to 39.1 million, up from 33.7 million visitors a year ago.

With an average revenue per store $5.9 million, down from $7.1 million a year earlier, and a retail margin at $308 million, Apple stores make enough money to cover the premium attached to high-traffic locations.

Microsoft stores should focus on products

Our own John Brownlee is convinced that Microsoft’s decision to open stores next to Apple’s can’t go over particularly well. “It’s being something like opening a Walmart next to a Neiman Marcus,” he said. A prototype store image leaked from Microsoft Retail Experience Center, a 20,000 square foot private retail center at Redmond, suggests the company will focus on showing what PCs can do, promoting high-profile software like Windows 7, and helping people troubleshoot their PCs.

Apple store in Sanlitun, China.

But Microsoft has plenty of other products to offer, both own and OEM’s: Windows Mobile smartphones, Zunes, Xbox 360s, loads of games and third-party peripherals, keyboards, mice, home media servers, media center peripherals, web cams, headsets, etc. Each of these could have a thematic appearance rather than being an array of mismatched items.

Microsoft will allegedly leverage stores to advertise key brands, like the Zune and Xbox 360. We don’t know, however, if the company will actually sell these products or send customers to OEMs in order to avoid taking away from its other retail channels. One thing is certain: People won’t walk into a Microsoft store to grab a copy of Windows or Office.

Microsoft had a retail store before Apple

Microsoft opened its own store before Apple, in 1999, but it closed down after two and a half years.

You could be forgiven for thinking that Microsoft is wrong focusing on a controllable street presence whereas it could be selling a full range of own and OEM’s products.

You could be also forgiven for thinking that Microsoft is copying Apple’s stylish stores but watchful readers will disagree, warning that Microsoft had its own store before the Mac maker opened the first Apple store.

In 1999, the 8,500 square foot microsoftSF store opened for business at the Metreon in San Francisco. The store’s interior used art installations to create a computer boutique atmosphere.

It sold mostly boxed software and merchandise, but there was also a showcase room that demoed Microsoft’s WebTV platform. Microsoft closed down the store two and a half years later.This time, things should be different.

This time, it’ll be different

In addition to Blakenship, other high-profile hires indicate that Microsoft is re-entering the retail business on a much broader and longer-term scale. An earlier appointment of David Porter as corporate vice president of retail stores certainly indicates seriousness on Microsoft’s part.

Porter had been building WalMart’s retail businesses for 25 years prior to joining DreamWorks Animation SKG as head of worldwide product distribution. With seasoned veterans like Porter and Blakenship, Microsoft’s stores should be stylish and shiny, likely staying with us for a long, long time. Let’s just hope they don’t do a brown store.

Darth Vader Flashlight lights the way to the dark side

Continuing our trip today with sci-fi merchandise is an item that I’m frankly surprised to have not seen before on store shelves and certainly would not mind seeing it in my geek tool box. Granted, this replica lightsaber once owned by Anakin Skywalker may make you look pretty dangerous among your fellow Sith, but in reality the Darth Vader Flashlight does more for lighting a room than dividing your opponents in half.

The Darth Vader Flashlight contains 4 red LED lights which brightly illuminate any dark path with an eerie red glow when switched on. To add to the lightsaber effect, the flashlight includes a button that plays back authentic sound effects so you can further pretend that you are the fallen Jedi that has to get his butt kicked by his son before he sees the error of his ways.

Available from the Star Wars Shop, the Darth Vader Flashlight is available for preorder right now for just $25. And hey, if you miss the nice lightsaber beam effect, you could always fill a room with a fog machine before you turn this flashlight on and pretend you are dueling it out with Luke in the Cloud City.

How to hack your iPhone or iPod Touch

Have you ever wanted to break free from Apple’s enclosed list of apps.? Well, by simply doing the following, you will be free at last to try out other third-party apps. on your iPhone or iPod Touch.

The hackers of our generation are getting stronger and more determined as ever, and after Apple’s new 1.1.1 update that rendered unlocked iPhones useless, hackers took it personal. Therefore a group of hackers including hdm/metasploit, rezn, dinopio, drudge, kroo, pumpkin, davidc, dunham, and NerveGas have put together the “One-Touch” instant jailbreak which works with the iPhone and the iPod Touch. Basically making your device’s full disk available for use and adding Installer.app to the device, giving you access to installing almost any third-party app. on your iPhone or iPod Touch.

It’s simple to use, just open up your Safari web browser on your iPhone or iPod Touch and visit JailBreakMe.com (make sure NOT to click on this link unless you want to hack your device now!!!), after visiting the site simply read the instructions provided, then scroll down and click on the “Install AppSnapp” button. You’ve just hacked your iPhone or iPod Touch, that’s it!!!

Additional Notes: When “jailbreaking” (hacking) your device, Safari will commonly disappear and you will be brought back to the home screen, once there give it a minute for the device to restart and make sure not to touch anything at this point. Once your iPhone or iPod Touch has restarted and you get the “Slide to Unlock” screen, go ahead and unlock it and you’ll find that a new icon (Installer.app) is available on your home screen.

Also sometimes your Safari web browser will hang/stall when you activate the hack. If this happens, just press the Home button for about 5 seconds until it returns you to the home screen, then try again. Usually it’s best to use WiFi rather than EDGE when jailbreaking your device.

Advanced User Note: If you want to add SSH access to your device, then you’ll have to install the BSD subsystem, Community Sources, and then install Open SSH (you might also have to upgrade the Installer.app for this to work properly). By adding SSH/SSHFS, you’ll be able to open Finder Windows which may come in handy since you will have the ability to drag and drop files on your iPhone or iPod Touch.

The hack worked perfectly fine for me, and it only took about a minute to set up. Now I can add almost any app. I want to my iPhone and my iPod Touch. Hope you have fun with your newly hacked device!!!

How to Make Free Or Cheap International Calls Using VoIP

Most of us have some friends and family living, studying or travelling in different parts of the world. In the past, expensive international call charges meant that people often went for weeks or months without actually hearing their loved ones’ voices. These days, though, all that has changed. Thanks to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, it’s now possible to call anyone, anywhere, at any time, for as long as you want - and it’s cheap, if not free.

Airmail letters, telegrams, long-distance echoes … it’s time to relegate all these to history. These days, thanks to email, it’s easy to communicate with people all over the world. Email and messaging services allow you to read, almost instantly, what someone has written to you. And now VoIP technology means you can make international phone calls using broadband, too.

These calls can be free, as long as you’re prepared to accept some limitations. For more flexibility, you can sign up with a VoIP provider that offer low-cost monthly call plans.

Free international calls
Typically ‘PC to PC’ enables you to make free international calls. To enjoy free international calls, you, and the person you’re calling, both need the following.

1. a computer or laptop
2. a broadband connection
3. a headset/ microphone/ speaker (these may be integral to your computer)
4. an account with a VoIP provider that allows this type of calls, such as Skype or MSN.

This system suits many people. But it does have its drawbacks:

• you are tied to your computer, as is the person you’re calling;
• you need to make sure that you’ve both signed up to compatible providers that will allow you to talk to each other (usually, this has to be the same provider, though is starting to change);
• it is totally independent of your traditional landline service, so you can’t just pick up the phone and dial any number you need/want to, it has to be PC-to-PC;
• you can use this to make a calls to other landlines or mobiles, but if you do, you will be charged for the calls by the minute;
• you often find it’s best to agree in advance a time to call the other person, by email, so with a PC-to-PC so that you ensure you catch each other at each others PC;
• the call quality isn’t as good as that of a regular landline or mobile phone.

Many people are happy to put up with these limitations, because the calls are free. So if this set-up suits you, then that’s great.

Cheap international calls
You may, though, decide that you want the flexibility of making calls using a traditional home telephone instead of through your PC with headsets. If so, you could consider signing up with a VoIP provider that allows this.

With this method, you sign up to a paid call plan with a VoIP provider. The VoIP provider will send you an adaptor that allows you to plug the base of your normal handset into your computer or router. This uses VoIP technology to make ‘phone-to-phone’ calls. The only difference is that the calls go through your existing broadband connection - and not through a landline.

It means that you can simply pick up the phone and dial a number, as before. The person you’re calling doesn’t need to have a computer, or broadband. The call quality is so good that the person you’re calling won’t know you’re using VoIP.

How much you pay depends on the call plan you choose. You can choose one that includes just a few European countries, for example, or the US and Canada, or one that covers many more countries around the world. Whatever you go for, the monthly cost will be capped. As long as you call only the countries listed in your call plan, you’ll pay exactly the same subscription, each and every month, for unlimited, anytime calls. No unpleasant bills!

So, if you’re looking to make cheap international calls, it’s simply a matter of working out which suits you best. Then free or cheap calls are yours to enjoy.

Costas Kariolis - Online Marketing Manager of Vonage UK. Vonage are leading low rate VoIP providers for home & small business users. Offering cheap phone calls and free international calls to landlines via an internet phone service for a set monthly fee.

Solar Eclipse on July 22, 2009 - Longest total solar eclipse of 21st century

On July 22, 2009 the earth will witness the longest 'total' solar eclipse of 21st century which will be visible from many parts of Asia including northern India, Eastern Nepal, China, Myanmmar and parts of Pacific ocean. The maximum time of the total eclipse will be 6 minutes and 39 seconds in Southern Japan. It will remain the longest till July 13, 2132. But next total solar Eclipse will be visible in 11 July, 2010. In this eclipse, it would be completely dark as in night.

What is a total Solar Eclipse?
Total solar eclipse occurs when the Sun is completely obscured by the Moon. The intensely bright disk of the Sun is replaced by the dark silhouette of the Moon. Total solar eclipse can be observed from a small part of the world. Unlike partial eclipse, whole part of sun will be hidden by Moon in total solar eclipse.


What will be the path of total solar eclipse?
The eclipse will start from India, to Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan China and Ryukyu island of Japan from where it curves toward the south i.e Pacific ocean. See this map of solar total eclipse. It will travel about 15,150 km in earth surface where it remains about 3 hours and 25 minutes.

Where will be the total solar eclipse be seen?
As said earlier, it would be seen in Northern India which includes Surat, Indore, Bhopal, Varanasi and Patna. Eastern Part of Nepal including Dharan, Ithari, Biratnagar and Mechinagar will also witness total solar eclipse. In China it will be seen in Chengdu, Chongqing, Wuhan, Hefei, Hangzhou and Shanghai. Northern tip of Myanmar will also witness the total eclipse. Some part of Bhutan and many places in the Pacific will witness total eclipse.
However, partial eclipse can be seen from all parts of India, Nepal, China and most Asian countries and those in Oceania.

What is the best place for Eclipse to be seen?
Taregana in Bihar of India which is 25 km from Patna will be the best place to watch the solar eclipse. The surya grahan would be most clear from that place.

You can watch the solar eclipse live on the internet on http://www.eclipsesolar.es/

New York Uni researchers create invisible camera flash

Two researchers at New York University have created a new type of camera flash that could potentially remove problems such as red eye occurring in the pictures we take.

A camera flash is necessary in low light conditions to ensure a good image is captured. But the problem is that flash of light can result in red eye, closed eyes, and if you ever watch the film stars walking down the red carpet at their latest premier; thousands of flashes of light isn’t the most pleasant thing to watch in the world.

This new flash Rob Fergus and Dilip Krishnan are developing gets around those problems by being invisible. In other words, it does not use visible light. Instead they use infrared and ultraviolet light as the “dark flash” and modified the camera using it to recognize those frequencies.

Taking a picture in this way does not produce a perfect image, though, as the result is the equivalent of what you’d expect to see through night vision goggles. To rectify that the camera also takes a second capture of the scene being photographed without the aid of the flash. Those two pictures are then combined using software to produce the final image.

The use of software to combine the images also allows the images to be improved, for example, unwanted reflections can be automatically taken out. The combining of the images is not perfect, however, and the image capture can miss fine detail like freckles.

Facebook celebrates 250 millionth user

You probably had a good idea that Facebook was popular, but I’m sure many users didn’t know just how popular the social website was. According to the most recent Facebook Blog post by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook now connects 250 million people. To celebrate this fact Facebook has developed some cool animation to show just how connected Facebook is globally.

Besides being a place where 250 million people can now connect it’s clear from Facebook’s animation that the website has become a global community. It’s hard to imagine that Facebook first started as a spinoff of a Harvard University social website called Facemash.

I have personally been amazed by some of the friends I have been able to find on Facebook. Some people I haven’t been able to track down in a decade. Some how Facebook just makes it easy to connect with long lost friends and family. That’s part of the reason why the company now has 250 million users.

Atlona Technologies brings wireless HDMI/DVI/VGA through WUSB

Back in mid-April, a little noticed product from San Jose-based Atlona Technologies hit the streets with a MSRP of $199, dubbed HDAiR. Yesterday, they released the follow-on to that product. It comes with the same price, but increases the usable resolution to 1440×1200 (up from the previous 1440×1050). It also supports native 720p.

It’s called AT-HDAiR, and it’s a wireless USB to HDMI or VGA adapter, that also supports DVI through an adapter. The WUSB chipset was developed by Wisair. Future products supporting larger display surfaces and more features are also planned.

The system works in two parts: The host and the monitor receiver. The host can theoretically be any device, though currently there are only drivers written for Windows XP and Vista. A WUSB adapter connects to a standard USB 2.0 port. It acts as the transmitter. A receiver is connected to the monitor, which supports up to 1440×1200 or 720p.

Click image for larger view.

Using Wireless USB, the host can then be positioned up to 30 feet from the monitor, allowing for easy same-room access to project a signal to the HDTV while working also on the notebook computer in some other way, for example.

The WUSB to HDMI/VGA adapter features:

• Monitor, HDTV or projector compatible
• Resolutions up to 1440×1200, or 720p
• Can mirror or extend display
• Supports 4:3 and 16:9
• Full room coverage without line-of-sight
• Can support two displays (with lesser resolutions)
• 32-bit color
• MSRP $199

Review: Battlefield 1943 for Xbox 360

The long-running Battlefield series is back with Battlefield 1943, a download-only game on the Xbox 360 (tested), PS3, and PC. It takes players to the Pacific theater of World War II where it puts the US Marine Corps up against the Japanese Imperial Army. It’s a formula we all know well–the World War II FPS–but now we see a few interesting new maps and guaranteed action thanks to a huge release on the Xbox 360.

In fact, the release was the game’s first problem. Its servers were totally overwhelmed from the start on the Xbox 360 and players could barely get in the game for the first 24 hours or so. It was a very frustrating experience because you would try to get in a game over and over and if you finally got in you could play for a few minutes and then you would get kicked… except being kicked caused my Xbox to freeze which was more than a bit annoying. Before long servers were added and the game seemed totally stable.

BF1943 starts off with three maps (Iwo Jima, Wake Island, and Guadalcanal) with a fourth (Coral Sea) added when a particular system’s players hit 43 million total kills (this happened July 15th on Xbox 360). Coral Sea is dogfight only, so it will be a unique aspect of the game, but not a giant addition of content, unless if you can’t get enough of the planes/anti-aircraft guns.

From the start Battlefield 1943 seems sparse compared to much of the competition. You only have three classes to choose from (assault, rifleman, and sniper… basically close, medium, and far range specialists) and each person has a single explosive choice, melee, and secondary weapon. You can’t get new weapons with more experience points, in fact there seems to be no particular benefit from amassing experience aside from in-game achievement stamps and personal pride. What Battlefield does offer are vehicles and awesome gun placements. In 1943 you get a plane, tank, landing boat, jeep, anti-aircraft flak canon, and machine gun turret. The vehicles (more so than the gun placements) are the game big draw as they add a great element to combat and they allow for team action, as you can pile three guys in a jeep, two in a tank, and so on. Of course, the planes are extremely fun to use, and can be very deadly if you are good enough to use them properly, but most people can’t.

It’s hard to generalize about games with as many total players as Battlefield 1943, especially when I’m focusing only on the Xbox, but overall the combat is fast and furious but easy to follow. There are a maximum of 24 players per map, enemies and friends are clearly defined thanks to colored flags over their heads and there is no team-killing so you don’t have much to worry about while you are firing away.

Teamwork is a must because each map has five flags that have to be controlled to be successful, but a problem arises in that there aren’t any mechanics aside from the vehicles that promote teamwork. Maybe you’ll run with a group of guys to make an attack, but without anyone chatting there is little organization and the lack of cohesive groups of enemies means that often a single good player is all that is needed to take over a base. This is probably a result of the fact that the maps are large, there are multiple choose-able spawn points, and at any time more than a few players are either flying planes or hanging out waiting for a plane to spawn. So with 24 players in-game you might only have 16 fighting and those are spread out all over the maps. The result of this is you might march into a key base and see no defenders there, or just one guy that you can sneak up on. Strategically speaking, it’s disappointing.

Another shortcoming of the game is the weapon firing. The weapon models look good enough, and their firing action feels right, but the result of that firing is far from perfect. I ended up often just firing as much as possible at an enemy hoping they would die, not shooting them with a great shot and knowing that I got them or even expecting a certain reaction. I’m probably used to Call of Duty 4 which, in my opinion, nailed this aspect of the game, so BF1943 firing seems like a crapshoot compared to what I would expect from a multi-player FPS in 2009. It’s different, not completely bad, but it just never felt totally right to me. The machine gun was probably the best feeling main gun and the rifle action felt completely disconnected, turning what could be the game’s most versatile weapon into something not particularly fun to use.

The Battlefield formula tries to ensure that all these shortcomings are made up by the addition of vehicles (at least as much as that is possible). This didn’t work out exactly as well as it could have, but the vehicles are all very well done, and what’s more, they are balanced. The size of the maps makes them important simply for transportation purposes–this is where the jeep comes in handy–but they have other advantages as well. A critical advantage is firepower as the jeep has a machine gun operated by a passenger and the tank has its shells, as well as a driver-controlled machine gun and a passenger-controlled one. Vehicles are also great for making sure two or more teammates arrive at a location at the same time. While the plane, unless controlled by an expert, is only a minor annoyance most of the time, the tank is a different story. It is heavily armored, rather versatile, and has different attack options, making it the best spearhead for attacks. It is vulnerable to the assault players’ bazooka as well as rifle-propelled grenades, but it generally takes 2-3 hits to destroy a tank, by which time the attacker has usually been vanquished. So the tank is a bit on the powerful side, if it was a little slower or the shells took longer to refill it could be a bit more balanced, but overall when a single soldier has to go up against a tank, the tank usually wins.

While playing the game you will accumulate points for kills, kill assists, captures, and destroying vehicles (you lose points for suicides). Points won’t earn you any weapons but you will get post-match bragging rights and you’ll move up the ranks over time. The game has Microsoft’s standard 200 Xbox Live Achievement points, as well as in-game achievements which tend to be more difficult to acquire. These systems feel tacked on and while they are better than nothing, they left me wishing for more.

Considering the $15 price tag it’s hard to deny that Battlefield 1943 is a good game on a number of different levels. It delivers a balanced WWII FPS with polished sound and first class visuals, plus it allows for the command of vehicles that are more than just a distraction–they are a major part of the game. Those features noted, the game lacks the depth that I’ve come to look for in a multi-player FPS. The weapon options are limited, there is little teamwork amongst the players (at least so far), and, most significantly, there are only four maps. Realistically there are only three because Coral Sea is separate from the main play mode and looks like it will just end up being a sandbox/deathmatch for people who don’t feel like waiting for a plane on the main maps.

We have to make allowances for Battlefield 1943 because it is $15 and downloadable, so with these in mind the game is quite impressive. Casting these aside, the game is no COD4, World at War, or Team Fortress 2, but it’s not trying to be. The Battlefield series has its own fans and its own strengths, and if you can appreciate the game for what it is you should be able to get more than a few hours of fun out of it.

UV Monkey lets you know if the sun will burn you to a crisp

With Summer in full swing, the need to protect your skin becomes more important as outdoor activities in the unrelenting sunshine could harm you if you don’t use sunscreen. But did you know that even hazy summer days could also burn you if you don’t protect yourself? Don’t gauge how much sun there is outside by looks alone. You need a meter to tell you how much UV radiation is out there whether it is sunny or partially cloudy.

The UV Monkey can help you do this by giving you a quick way to see how much sun protection you are going to need. It is a small key ring that changes color in the sun to let you know the current UV Index outside. Just match the color changing center to one of the four matching color references on the outer ring to see if the sun is set for low cook or for full broil that day. This UV gauge also serves double duty and can even be used to determine the light level to see how well solar powered equipment might work in a particular area.

So for those of you who are fair skinned or need a quick way to check the light to solar charge your gadgets, the UV Monkey is available from ThinkGeek and can be purchased for just $9.99.

IFPI wants money from The Pirate Bay sale

The music industry will attempt to seize money paid to acquire the Pirate Bay, according to a high-level music industry source and a spokesman for the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), the trade group representing the music industry worldwide.

Pirate Bay co-founder Peter Sunde shows 'I owe you' note to the music industry following a judge's order that the site's founders pay the equivalent of $3.6 million.
(Credit: Mats Lewan/CNET )

Global Gaming Factory, a Swedish software company, made big news two weeks ago by announcing that it would acquire the Pirate Bay, the popular outlaw file-sharing site, for $7.8 million. Since then the company has been touting a new business model and even hiring executives, such as Wayne Rosso, the former Grokster president, to legally obtain content from film and music industries.

What remains to be seen is how that sale might be affected by attempts by the music industry to collect the $3.6 million damages that a court in Sweden awarded it in April. The court found the four operators of the Pirate Bay--Fredrik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, Peter Sunde Kolmisoppi, and Carl Lundström--guilty of copyright violations and sentenced each to a year in jail. The court also ordered them to pay 30 million Swedish kronor ($3.6 million).

Alex Jacob, a spokesman for the IFPI, said that the group has always intended to collect the damages award, but now, should the sale go through, music execs know that the original Pirate Bay operators have access to the money.

Whether these attempts to seize part of the proceeds could hold up a sale remain unclear. The first thing to remember is that the sale isn't yet done.

According to a press release, Global Gaming's offer is to pay half of the $7.8 million in cash and the other half in the company's stock. To finance the deal, Global Gaming must issue new shares and to do that it needs the blessing of investors and board of directors. Any acquisition isn't expected to be finalized before August, the company said.

On the other side, the Pirate Bay's founders have said that they haven't owned the company for years.

"We never had any interest in earning money from the Pirate Bay," Peter Sunde told Dagens Nyheter, a Swedish newspaper. "We haven't owned TPB since the search and seizure in 2006... Those who will get the money, friends in a foreign company, have agreed as a condition to put the money in a foundation for future internet projects."

The legal adviser for Global Gaming has said that the Pirate Bay is owned by a company in the Seychelles called Reservella.

Jacob, from the IFPI, says it makes no difference who owns the Pirate Bay. He said: "The judge found the four operators guilty and ordered them to pay the damages."

That's who the IFPI will try to get the money from.

Review: Word Tower for iPhone

If you’re a fan of Boggle, Scrabble, and other word-type games, you’ll love the latest twist on the traditional model that Word Tower delivers.

Word Tower is a game that presents itself like Tetris except that instead of falling blocks you have falling letters. Your goal is to combine the falling letters with the letters already on the game board and create words. Depending on the level you choose, the words can be three letters long or a minimum of four or more. The object is to finish the level before the letters stack in towers, hence the name Word Tower.

Gameplay is done by interacting with the game board and dragging the falling letters to their destination and then matching letters that are adjacent to each other to form words.

I’ve been playing the game for about a day now on and off and it does take some getting used to. Initially I started in Starter mode but found it to be a little too slow. I then went to Advanced and found it to be much more to my liking. Granted, in Advanced mode the letters fall fast, so you have to be on your toes or your game will be over before you know it.

The developer, Mac Martine, definitely did a great job at keeping the game player engaged. As I mentioned above, it starts off pretty easy but as you go on there are different tiles that fall like a star, snowflake, ice, and more that will do things like triple word points, interfere with word selection, blow up random tiles, and more. Also, as you progress the goal won’t be to eliminate 50 lettered tiles, like it is on the first level, but will instead be to match the key with the keyhole. The game also offers the ability to flip the gameboard over, which allows the letters to fall in the opposite direction, opening up new word creation possibilities.

Mozilla starts Contributions pilot for Firefox Add-on developers

The developers behind some of the more popular add-ons created for the Firefox browser are the unsung heroes of Mozilla’s browser success. The Firefox browser on its own is a great piece of software, but it is made all the more usable by the large array of add-ons available to enhance it.

Mozilla has decided its about time those developers were able to easily get some recognition for their efforts in the form of cold, hard cash. To that end, a new pilot has been launched this week called Contributions which allows add-on developers to easily receive a donation (contribution) from Firefox users as a way of saying thankyou or for funding continued development.

The Contributions system is voluntary. Developers can set it up for their add-ons, but its up to users if they decide to contribute or not. The transfer of money will be handled through PayPal who Mozilla is currently setting up the payment system with. The other good news is Mozilla aren’t taking a cut and the developer will receive all funds minus the PayPal transaction fee.

Along with the Contributions pilot Mozilla has also introduced “About the Developer” areas which sound like they will act just like a mini-blog. The developer can give details about the add-ons they develop, themselves, and what the future holds.

Comcast launches free iPhone application

With ever increasing competition from other cable operators and telecommunication companies such as AT&T and Verizon it’s probably not surprising that Comcast has decided to offer their own iPhone mobile application. Considering wireless companies such as AT&T and Verizon are touting the remote capabilites of their many household services it seems that Comcast wants to do the same. The free mobile application takes some of the best features of Comcast Digital Voice, Digital Cable, and High-Speed Internet, and makes them available through an iPhone or iPod touch.

The application features something called a SmartZone unified box. Using SmartZone you can access email and voice mail in one location. Users can sort and search their email and even forward voice mail to others using email. Another feature of SmartZone is its integration with the Comcast Visual Voicemail service.

Some Digital Voice features of the application include the ability to look at home phone logs, forward home phone calls to your iPhone or any other number, listen to voice mail and easily call someone back with a tap, and the ability to quickly add phone numbers to the application’s Universal Address Book.

Comcast was naturally smart enough to include some video components with the application. Users can browse their video guide and mark favorite channels and programs through their iPhone. You can also set reminders for favorite shows and even share favorite shows and showtimes with friends. Believe it or not, the application even includes information on Comcast’s On Demand service. Through the iPhone application users will be able to explore the Comcast On Demand content library and pick a favorite category and even watch trailers for available movies.

Meet your new carrier: Google

Google goes mobile with style, putting forth a new app for Android and BlackBerry devices that lets you do things carriers hate: Transcribe voicemail in a karaoke style, make cheap international calls, and send and receive free SMS messages - all without even using your cellphone number. Is Google beating carriers at their own game?

Google’s young service dubbed Google Voice could significantly alter the mobile landscape down the road. Basically a clever telephony service that routes your calls while providing the universal voice mailbox, Google Voice gives you one phone number to rule them all, linking all your cellphones and fixed lines together. This way, your contacts call only your Google number while you decide where incoming calls route on a per contact basis or using a broader criteria based on a region, phone numbers, groups of people, and other custom rules set in the web interface.

The service links all your cellphones and landlines to one Google number.

Advanced features allow you to record calls, make free conference calls, and switch phones during a call. The universal voicemail mailbox feature turns each audio message into a piece of text. The service came to light in June as an invite-only limited beta, adding new features like the ability to change your Google Voice number. It’s still in beta (request an invite) and available only in the US, but Google promised to eventually roll it out internationally.

With a native mobile client for Android and BlackBerry devices unveiled Wednesday, Google Voice went mobile, and in a big way too. The app puts the service right where you need it - on your cellphone - allowing you to use your Google Voice number to place outgoing calls and text people. The app is intuitively integrated with a default address book and dialer programs built-in to your phone.

SMS messages sent and received through your Google Voice number are totally free and international calls are way cheaper than your carrier’s minutes. The app transcribes your voicemail in a “karaoke style,” highlighting the words being read. Here’s how Vincent Paquet and Marcus Foster of Google Voice and Mobile teams, respectively, described the app in a blog post:

Previously, to place a call using Google Voice, you had to dial your own Google Voice number from your cell phone or use the Quick Call button online. With this new mobile app, you can make calls and send SMS messages with your Google Voice number directly from your mobile phone. The app is fully integrated with each phone’s contacts, so you can call via Google Voice straight from your address book.

Google Voice on Android: Automatically transcribed voicemail messages.

You can also access a combined call history and read SMS messages sent to your Google Voice number, even if your phone doesn’t receive SMS messages. The app integrates with Android’s native dialer, unlike the BlackBerry version that comes with a separate dialer app.

Best of all, outgoing calls and SMS messages display your Google Voice number, rather than your underlying cellphone number. Previously, people retrieving your return calls would have seen your cell, home, or office number, depending on where you received incoming calls.

Google told the NYTimes that it’s “working with Apple” on an iPhone version. Wired noted that the iPhone maker and AT&T could seriously cripple the app so it doesn’t lure users away from the carrier’s pricey minutes and text messages (AT&T’s unlimited texting option costs $20 a month).

Apple’s App Store agreement with the AT&T already prohibits VoIP and video calls, giving the carrier the power to prevent apps like Skype and Slingbox from placing VoIP calls or transferring video over its cellular network, although AT&T does allow limited video streaming in some apps.

Until Google Voice app for the iPhone becomes a reality, iPhone users can either play with GV Mobile, an unofficial Google Voice app, or access the web-based Google Voice interface using the Safari browser. Android users can download the app by searching for “Google Voice” in the Android Market. BlackBerry owners are advised to visit m.google.com/voice. People who don’t own an Android or a BlackBerry device can still operate Google Voice from the mobile Google Voice site at http://www.google.com/voice.

Resident Evil 5 PC dated and extras detailed

Capcom has finally announced that Resident Evil 5 will be released on PC in September. Those of you in North America will get it on September 15th while Europe will have to wait a few more days until September 18th.

The game will have been out for a number of months on PS3 and Xbox 360 by the time the PC version arrives. So Capcom has included some additional features to tempt you to either buy it again, or give PC players some ammunition when arguing why it was worth the wait.

First up, the game will be playable in 3D if you have the right setup to play with the Nvidia 3D Vision Kit (Nvidia goggles, 120Hz display, compatible GeForce graphics card, Windows 7 or Vista). Work has been done on the game to give it depth and make objects leap out of the screen at you if you choose to play in this mode.

Alongside offering additional costumes for both Chris and Sheva, and online matchmaking, those of you with a powerful rig are going to be most interested with the updated Mercenaries mode. Mercenaries is a mini-game which sets you a challenge that is usually done under pressure e.g. timed. Capcom are claiming the PC version of this mode can cope with three-times the enemies seen on the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Convergence brings a mobile phone that can light your cigarette

Engadget has uncovered what is definitely one of the strangest combo mobile phones I’ve seen in a while. The SB6309 Lighter Phone doesn’t really leave anything to the imagination given its name, but its execution is another story. Apparently you slide back a protective cover and then insert your cigarette. Seconds later you’re puffing away.

As of this writing there’s no word on if the Lighter Phone is real, what its price is, or anything else, but the concept alone should get people thinking more about what they really want their mobile phone to be able to do for them in the future.

I’ve heard of smoking mobile phones but this is ridiculous–ok, I couldn’t resist that one.

Confirmation that the next iPod Nano will sport a camera?

For the last couple of months there have been many photos and stories floating around about what the next iPod Nano (5G) would offer. The running theme seems to support the inclusion of a camera and a release date of September. We can’t speak to the release date but if the photos at accessory store Uxsight.com are to be believed, a camera is definitely coming soon.

Affectionately called the iPod Nano 5th Generation 5G Skin Case, it features a cut out on the back of the case for a camera.

You can buy the case for $1.19 + $5.49 shipping at uxsight.com if you want to get ahead of the pack.

My guess is that it’s just a manufacturer trying to get ready for a release. The interesting part is that it’s actually for sale, so maybe they do know a little something.

June 2009 Console Game Sales: Summer slump

Gamers, we’ve officially entered the summer slump. That time when there’s no hugely hyped release coming until October or so. It’s also the time when many gamers finish playing catch-up from the previous holiday season. This editor, for one, is still working his way through Dead Space (and regretting having waited this long to start).

Looking at the numbers, it’s a slump for game retailers as well. June 2009 sales were down 31 percent from 2008–a start contrast that many observers will be quick to associate with continuing economic hard times. Retail research firm NPD, in its report for June, stated that the drop is the biggest since September 2000.

“The impact of the economy is clearly reflected in the sales numbers,” said NPD analyst Anita Frazier in a statement following the release of the numbers. She added that at this point, consumers are waiting for a must-have title - or a hardware price cut.

Amazingly, Nintendo’s Wii Play finally fell out of the top 10, after over 3 years on the charts. Most have ascribed that dynastic run on the charts to the inclusion of an extra Wii Remote in a package costing only $10 more than a standalone remote, though it’s possible that Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 might be the replacement with its packed-in Wii MotionPlus accessory.

This month’s top 10 games and hardware sales rankings follow, with thanks to Wired:

1. Prototype (360)
2. UFC 2009: Undisputed (360)
3. EA Sports Active Bundle (Wii)
4. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 (Wii)
5. Wii Fit (Wii)
6. Fight Night Round 4 (360)
7. Fight Night Round 4 (PS3)
8. Mario Kart Wii (Wii)
9. Red Faction: Guerrilla (360)
10. Infamous (PS3)

Top hardware sales (units sold in parenthesis):

1. Nintendo DS (766,500)
2. Wii (361,700)
3. Xbox 360 (240,600)
4. PlayStation 3 (164,700)
5. PSP (163,500)
6. PlayStation 2 (152,700)

5 Best Tools To Recover Data From Damged DVD/CD and other Medias

Almost all of the computer users will have a plenty of collection of DVD's or CD's. Other than any other medium to back up important data we prefer CD's or DVD's due to their easy availability and cheap prices. After prolonged use or keeping them for years, they become unreadable due to the scratches on them. You may have many valuable data in it. Most of the users end up in throwing away their unreadable or corrupt DVD's or CD's. Most probably windows fails or refuses to read and retrieve data from such scratched DVD's or CD's. This is because they consolidate the data into very small area and a scratch will make it unreadable. Dont lose your hope; you can still recover the data from those damaged/Scratched/Unreadable DVD/CD easily and that too without spending any money. Here are some Great Free Utilities to Recover Data from unreadable or scratched DVD's or CD's

1. IsoPuzzle
   


This is one great utility that tries to recover as much as data from unreadable or scratched DVD's and CD's.

All readable data is taken form the scratched DVD or CD and it is stored as an image file in ISO format. ISO files can be read by various softwares like as WinRar, Nero Burning Rom, Daemon Tools etc.

You just need to specify the " Source " and " Destination " and press the " Start " button and the copy process will automatically start.

If the DVD or CD is severely damaged that even IsoPuzzle can't recover the data, there is also an option to give the time limit for the purpose, so after that the software will automatically stop by its own.

The whole recovery process could take an hour or more. The DVD or CD will be ejected after the recovery process if you have activated the " On completion| Eject " option.



Download IsoPuzzle



2. Unstoppable Copier


Unstoppable Copier is faster than IsoPuzzle, but do not perform as much as IsoPuzzle does.

When windows is unable to copy a file or folder from a unreadable or damaged DVD or CD it will abort the process and deletes the portion of the files copied till now.



Unstoppable Copier continue copying the file from first to the end. Any data which is unrecoverable even after many retries are replaced with blanks. This will help you to really recover every byte of information that can be recovered.







Download Unstoppable Copier

3. CD Recovery Toolbox

Apart From any other CD/ DVD data Recovery utilities CD Recovery Toolbox is the best out there. This is just because it is free and due to its high data recovery rates. It is just an awesome CD/ DVD data Recovery tool.

After installing CD Recovery Toolbox. Start the program and insert your DVD/CD from which the data is to be recovered. If the DVD/CD has been inserted CD Recovery Toolbox will display the contents of the DVD/CD on it's window. Next you need to select a folder location to save the recovered data from the DVD/CD. On the next step select the Folders and Files you want to be recovered. You can select the entire DVD/CD to recover if you want. But doing this will take a lot of time for the data to be recovered. So it would be wise to select only the important folders and files that you need the most. Now press the Save button Finally.

CD Recovery Toolbox can recover data from different media such as CD, DVD, HD DVD, Blu-Ray, etc.

Download CD Recovery Toolbox




4. CDCheck

CD Check is another great utility that will recover the data from Damaged/ Unreadable/Scratched DVD/CD easily. Cd check is made to detect the errors on damaged DVD/CD's and recover them. It checks for the corrupted data on the DVD/CD's and will show the corrupted ones to you. CDCheck is a Shareware Utility but it is free for Personal Use. Get a free license for CDCheck from here.




Download CDCheck





5. Dead Disk Doctor

Dead Disk Doctor is from Russia. This tool will try to read the damaged part of DVD/CD and will try to recover it if it can't read the data the software will automatically replace those portions with random data. Since replacing data DVD/CD with random data could corrupt it, this tool is more useful if you have some DVD/CD or other medias with audio or Video content in it to be Recovered. So you will still be able to recover most parts in the DVD/CD even though small portions may get skipped.

Download Dead Disk Doctor

All the 5 Utilities are Free and offers great value for recovering important data from damaged DVD's/CD's.

[Solution] Restore Missing DVD/CD drive (" Error code 19 " [ Fix ] )/ Get back the Accidentally Deactivated DVD/CD drives When you have opened the 'My

When you have opened the 'My Computer' or Windows Explorer the DVD/CD drive has got disappeared!. when you peeped into the 'Device Manager' it is seen that there is some serious problem and the entries have been marked with the yellow exclamation mark. When selecting the 'Properties from the context menu of the particular drive and error code is reported saying "Error code 19". Here is the solution to get the DVD or CD drive back.

Just editing the Windows registry a little bit will solve this problem.
Press [Win] + [R] (or select Run from start menu)and type 'regedit'.
Go to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}.

In the right pane delete the "UpperFilters" and "LowerFilters" values. Just select it and press [Delete] key and confirm. Now restart your system you will get your DVD/CD drive back in My computer

Make your maiden flight with the Silverlit Heli-Mission SWAT Truck

Silverlit has revealed its Heli Mission SWAT Truck. Looking combative, this prominent SWAT truck comes with futuristic 3 channel helicopter which is able to be launched right from its truck. This tricky gizmo appears to be controlled remotely and includes IR controller and user guide. This fully function controllable Heli Mission SWAT truck comes with LED headlights, running lights as well as siren.

This wonderful gadget includes automatically opening doors placed in the roof of the truck and launch pad so that the 3 channel helicopter could be airborne. If you are a fan of controlling a helicopter using nothing but a remote control, this radio controllable device is about to become your favorite toy. The Heli-Mission SWAT Truck is expected to hit the market in July with a price of around 100 USD.

The Heli-Mission SWAT Truck features a remote control being capable of controlling your aggressive truck while your crazy whirlybird is about to make its maiden flight. Most likely, your next challenge will be to land your helicopter back on the launch pad, so additional skills will be essential.

Cheers to set a new trend with the Wine-powered cell phone

Would you like to amaze your friends with alcohol powered cell phone? This eco gadget is beyond imagination as it is powered by wine setting a new trend in cell phones. This ingenious concept offers a new sustainable energy still being under development and promises to power your portable gizmos. Engineered by designer Tryi Yeh it is about to take your eco friendliness to the next level.

Called “Cheers”, this intelligent cell phone is shaped like an alcohol bottle but what is interesting about the concept is that it is going to be powered by alcohol itself. Once the cap of your green mobile phone is removed, you will be able to get the fuel cell holding wine which appears to provide more efficiency in battery power saving.

On the top of the bottle there is a cap shaped fast function switch while using Cheers
Unfortunately, there is no data on technical specifications but hopefully we will have one handy once our eco consciousness is at high level. This green mobile phone will surely bring a lot of fun using it especially when you need to refuel it.Would you like to amaze your friends with alcohol powered cell phone? This eco gadget is beyond imagination as it is powered by wine setting a new trend in cell phones. This ingenious concept offers a new sustainable energy still being under development and promises to power your portable gizmos. Engineered by designer Tryi Yeh it is about to take your eco friendliness to the next level.

Called “Cheers”, this intelligent cell phone is shaped like an alcohol bottle but what is interesting about the concept is that it is going to be powered by alcohol itself. Once the cap of your green mobile phone is removed, you will be able to get the fuel cell holding wine which appears to provide more efficiency in battery power saving.

On the top of the bottle there is a cap shaped fast function switch while using Cheers
Unfortunately, there is no data on technical specifications but hopefully we will have one handy once our eco consciousness is at high level. This green mobile phone will surely bring a lot of fun using it especially when you need to refuel it.Would you like to amaze your friends with alcohol powered cell phone? This eco gadget is beyond imagination as it is powered by wine setting a new trend in cell phones. This ingenious concept offers a new sustainable energy still being under development and promises to power your portable gizmos. Engineered by designer Tryi Yeh it is about to take your eco friendliness to the next level.

Called “Cheers”, this intelligent cell phone is shaped like an alcohol bottle but what is interesting about the concept is that it is going to be powered by alcohol itself. Once the cap of your green mobile phone is removed, you will be able to get the fuel cell holding wine which appears to provide more efficiency in battery power saving.

On the top of the bottle there is a cap shaped fast function switch while using Cheers
Unfortunately, there is no data on technical specifications but hopefully we will have one handy once our eco consciousness is at high level. This green mobile phone will surely bring a lot of fun using it especially when you need to refuel it.

NTT docomo solar-powered mobile phone – green solution to earth pollution

All the enthusiastic gimmick lovers seem to be already encumbered with a great deal of miscellaneous gadgets, but do they have what seems to be a good solution to our earth pollution? Called NTT DoCoMo, this turns out to be a solar powered mobile phone, so you can charge it whenever it is sunny.

This solar hybrid mobile phone can be also used in a rainy season as this is a water resistant replica which can be immersed in water up to one meter but for 30 minutes. When the battery of solar powered NTT DoCoMo is flat you can easily charge it over just 10 minutes of sun light while its panel produces about 1 minute of talk time.

This ecologically friendly solar powered mobile phone features an 8 mega pixel CCD camera designed to capture high quality pictures even in those bad lighted areas. Even if objects around you are moving, you will be able to take clearly visible pictures.

You may easily stay connected even if your cell phone is fully wet, so this appears to be a nice bathroom gadget. Starting from September, the DoCoMo solar hybrid handset is expected to be available in Japan. This stunning cell phone is scheduled to be showcased at Wireless Japan 2009 exhibition.

MR i-Spy Digital Camera Binoculars to record video and take pictures

Here is a very interesting spy gadget designed for those who like taking digital pictures while spying. Called the MR i-Spy Digital Camera Binoculars, this set of binoculars is released by Chilli Technology which offers the cheapest line of high quality binoculars. The main advantage of this spying bad boy is that this set of binoculars is fitted with a digital camera. So if you consider yourself to be a casual photographer, this marvelous set of binoculars appears to be a perfect solution.

The MR i-Spy Digital Camera Binoculars is designed to be a durable, light weight and easy to operate product. Its high quality digital camera comes with 1, 3 Mega pixel which is powered by 2 AAA batteries. Additionally, the MR i-Spy Digital Camera Binoculars has an embedded memory with a storage capacity of 16 MB which is sufficient to store 40 - 50 images when in HI mode or 100 - 150 when in LO mode.

This spying device is also capable to record video but the problem is that there is no sound in them. As for resolution, the MR i-Spy Digital Camera Binoculars features 1280 x 1024 pixels in HI mode and 640 x 480 pixels in LO mode. This marvelous set of binoculars also includes auto power off mode making it possible for your pair of binoculars to shut down when not in operation for after 30 seconds.

Sure enough, you may be able to manually power on or off this charming device. This nice looking must have device also comes equipped with focus range of 10 meters infinity, lens F 2, 8, f = 28 mm, USB 1, 1 interface, 3 digit 888+ICON monochrome LDC display, a USB cable, a hand strap including Ulead software.

This intuitive device is capable of easily operating as this is a plug and play device and once pictures taken you will be able to upload them to your personal computer. The MR i-Spy Digital Camera Binoculars weighs about 350 grams excluding its batteries. This smart set of binoculars supports PC and Mac and is available at an affordable price of just 44 USD.

Waterwalkerz to burn off your energy while running on water

If you want to feel like a hamster, here is a right gadget for you. Called Waterwalkerz, this funny device makes it possible for you to run on water. So if you are interested in burning off a lot of energy while running on water, this beautiful inflatable ball made of plastic will give you up to 30 minutes of free water walking until the air presence allows. Hopefully, you will get enough energy for a crazy running of 30 minutes.

The balls are constructed from plastics known as Thermoplastic polyurethanes to feature elastic and transparent abilities. Besides, the balls are rated to be abrasion resistant meaning you will be able to have fun rolling along the pebble beaches. These rugged balls measure 2 meters in diameter so its size is good enough for being used in swimming pools of just 8 foot in diameter with a 25 meter swimming pool being enough for water running competition of 5 water runners at the same time.

According to its producer, this amazing ball is capable of carrying 90 kg weight limit but those fun loving people with a weight of 110 kg who used a ball had no troubles using it. Waterwalkerz are mostly designed for those who organize parties or team competitions. Waterwalkerz can be had for 710 USD with blowers available for 199 USD. With Waterwalkerz balls, you will be able to continuously and effortlessly rotate whether you are next to a lake, beach or swimming pool.

Did you believe that running on water while being dry was possible? Waterwalkerz are the balls that take your energy consuming fun to the next level. Using these funny balls, you will be also able to stay physically fit. Fitness on water has never been so fun plus a ball is safe and easy to operate. There is no time limit when to use it as it can be used all year round whether it is a swimming pool or a lake.

If you have a child, 5 minutes of using Waterwalkerz will be enough for some exhausting running on water. In addition, it is very durable and trustworthy. You can easily repair it if you get punctured. Among other activities to practice there is football or sumo, fitness or just crazy running. Anyway it appears to be very exhausting but it worth using it.

Casio Men's G-Shock Mudman Digital Sports Watch – digital beauty

This Casio G-Shock Mudman digital sports wrist watch is designed for those courageous men who might spend their time being in severe weather conditions. This digital beauty offers some high tech features including mud resistance and shock resistance making this splendiferous replica work impeccably.

This craftily designed wrist watch includes a high durability black case made of resin coming with red buttons as well as resin band. This beautiful model of Casio is powered by a high precision Quartz movement. In addition to that, this ravishing time piece has a 1 / 100 second stopwatch along with a 60 minute capacity and a 24 hour countdown timer.

The Casio G-Shock Mudman digital sports wrist watch features 4 independent daily alarms one of which is a snooze alarm including a selectable hourly time signal. This tantalizing time keeper also comes packed with a water resistance up to 200 meters while its measuring modes incorporate elapsed time, split time and first - second place times.

This smart replica comes equipped with a scratch proof mineral crystal, AfterGlow LED electro luminescent back light. This marvelous model of wrist watch is rated to be a low temperature resistant with a capacity to operate at a temperature -20 C/- 4 Fahrenheit. Additionally, you are the one who practice recreational scuba diving, you will have no trouble with the Casio G-Shock Mudman digital sports wrist watch.
This nice looking time keeper weighs 4, 80 ounces and is covered by one year warranty. Its case thickness is 15 millimeters while case diameter is 45 millimeters.

Bushnell Legend 10×42 Waterproof/Fogproof Roof Prism Binocular to witness the future differently

This stunning set of binoculars called Bushnell Legend roof prism binocular is just amazing. Now that it is released you may enjoy using this looker which appears to be 20 per cent lighter than previously made products due to a novel magnesium chassis. This light weight replica is now more slender while its looks are really fascinating.

This daredevil set of binoculars boasts a water resistance so you may feel free using it in a rainy weather. Additionally, it is also a shock proof product meaning it will be much protected in those shocking situations. With its rubber armor, it seems there is nothing that could spoil your spying experience.

The Bushnell Legend binocular appears to be fog resistant so a high level of visibility is guaranteed. This Legend binocular features a fully multi-coated optics as well as high quality BaK - 4 prisms coming with PC- 3 phase coating which is capable of producing maximum light and true color fidelity.

Whether it rains or shines, you will be enjoying witnessing clearly visible views. The last but not the least feature of this glamorous model is its retrofitted twist up eyecups. So it must be a must have device for those who like hunting or those who adore being outdoors while watching genuine colors of distant areas.

This heavy duty binocular also features a water repellent lens coating while its smart camouflage color seems to be a perfect choice if your plans are to pass unnoticed. Besides, the Bushnell Legend binocular comes packed with 42 millimeter objective lens and offers a 10 x magnification.

Mint Energy to be a smart battery powered by motion

In today’s technological world we witness endless and intelligent solutions to most of our problems. With all the portable electronic devices you use it seems to be necessary to have batteries handy to run your favorite gimmicks. Here is a new clever solution called Mint Energy battery which is easily rechargeable once it is well shaken. So whenever you need some power, just shake it. What could be easier than that?

The main advantage of this nifty battery is that it is also available compared to those no wall socket situations where you are limited in actions. Whether you have a camping and need a torch constantly operating or you drive your bike listening to your mp3 player you now have the idea how to make your life easier.

Since this is a rechargeable battery it is supposed to be better for the earth compared to those conventional throwaway batteries polluting the environment. This intelligent battery does not depend on weather conditions, so this is another major advantage that lets you using your portable gadgets all day long.

This turns out to be a rechargeable metal hydrate Ni - mH battery while its capacity is approximately half of its standard counterpart. The battery is capable of storing the power generated from the bobbin when well shaken.

There is a permanent magnet under the coiled bobbin and when it travels through the shaft up and down, it produces energy while its rubber shock absorber is designed to bounce the magnet back and absorb the shock at the same time.

Kawasaki to release night vision helmet-built head-up display

Despite of its huge popularity, Kawasaki appears to be always on the go. A new gadget offered by Kawasaki is designed for a new generation GTR. Kawasaki boasts its infra-red night vision technology which is capable of providing much visibility than standard headlights have to offer. This optional product might be of avail in those night driving situations.

There is a pair of infra-red cameras installed behind lenses in front of its rear-view mirrors. Cameras select pictures to provide a rider with a stereoscopic view to your on board computer which lets you define the distance from road objects while warning a rider when necessary. Additionally, one camera displays a picture on your LCD monitor placed on your instrument panel.

These long-wave cameras operate based on heat that makes it a perfect device for highlighting distant animals however if an object is not hotter than the background, the system will not identify that. These smart cameras are able to get heat for more than 300 meters which is much better than what you see through your headlights.
As you move in the dark, the system will be alerting you to those dangerous road situations. While driving without night vision does not make you look at your on board computer, this smart system highlights identified objects.

This smart system is able to alert you though a Bluetooth headpiece mounted in your helmet and provide you with additional data about the distance from the object. So if you are bike aficionado, you will be surprised at how useful it could be.

Panda Internet Security 2009

Panda continually reinvents itself. This year it got it right. Not only does the Internet Security suite look better, but it runs better, too, as evidenced by results from CNET Labs and third-party testing. The new interface is clearly a nod to Symantec Norton 360. Panda steps up the comparison by offering a similar online storage package (1GB for one year) to that offered by Symantec. But Panda can't match Symantec's customer service, nor that of its other competitors, leaving users to depend on online knowledgebase articles and e-mail support. For a fast, effective online security suite at a good price, we recommend either Norton or McAfee this year.

Setup and interface
Panda Internet Security 2009 remains one of the most expensive security products on the market, although street prices can be lower. Still, you can get similar suites from Symantec or McAfee for about $20 less. Like Norton, Panda Internet Security 2009 runs on Windows XP and Vista only.

As mentioned, the new interface looks a lot like Norton 360, with settings in the upper right and columns populated with related content front and center. The first column, Protection, contains antivirus, firewall, identity protection, vulnerabilities, an antispam filter, and Web content control. The middle column, Maintenance, includes the backup and recovery feature. A third column, Updates, includes the automatic update data. There is plenty of open space in the new design for Panda to offer additional features in the future.

However, clicking on any feature not only gives you detailed configuration setting, but also a second left-hand navigation panel for the other topics. This seems redundant; as though Panda couldn't decide which navigation system would work best.

Should you decide to remove Panda Internet Security 2009, there is an uninstall feature. Upon reboot we found no traces left on our test machine.

Features
In addition to providing antivirus, antispam, and a personal firewall, Panda Internet Security 2009 includes Identity protection and Safe Surfing control. And Panda Internet Security matches the look and feel of Norton 360, right down to including a free online backup service.

Web content control is Panda's cleverly reworded Parental Controls with preset filters for Office, teenagers, and kids; you can create your own. The section is password protected by the system administrator and must be installed separately.

As with Eset Smart Security, we liked the granularity of the Panda personal firewall, giving users the ability to monitor specific services as they access the Web.

Back up to CD or DVD is a two-step process--first to hard drive, then to disc. We wonder why you can't just back up straight to disc since that is what most people will want to do. Online backup is through Docoom and 1GB is provided free with the paid product.

Panda also allows users to create a rescue disk, a bootable disk to be used in case of an emergency. These used to be included with security products years ago, then went out of vogue.

There are some inconsistencies. For example, within Vulnerabilities, in contacting Microsoft for latest updates, Panda uses Internet Explorer. However, for technical support issues, it opens your default browser, which in our case is Firefox.

Missing are any security-related utilities, such as a secure data deletion option.

LG 42LH90

With every new technology release, LCD tries to catch up to plasma in the picture quality race, but never seems to succeed. The biggest potential equalizer attached to LCD's engine is LED backlighting with local dimming, a technology first marketed widely by Samsung two years ago that's slowly spread to other brands' flagship LCD TVs since. LG's 2009 entrant is the LH90 series, and it closes the gap considerably compared with the best plasma displays. The LH90 models evinced superb black-level performance and LG's characteristically accurate color, helped in large measure by the company's best-in-class user-menu adjustments. This is easily the best-performing LG TV we've tested, and despite a few flaws, it's a worthy member of the flat-panel elite.

Series note: We performed a hands-on evaluation of the 47-inch LG 47LH90, but this review also applies to the other sizes in the series, namely the 42-inch 42LH90 and the 55-inch 55LH90. All sizes share identical specs and features and should provide very similar picture quality.

Design
Editors' note: Many of the Design and Features elements are identical between the LG LH90 series and the LG LH55 series we reviewed earlier, so readers of the earlier review ay experience some déjà vu when reading the same sections below.

A sleek, rounded, glossy-black frame surrounds the matte screen of the LH90 series, and its curvaceousness extends to a semitransparent, blue-tinted stand stalk that supports the panel above the circular, swivel stand. The extreme edges of the panel are lined in similar semitransparent blue that's subtle enough to retain plenty of sophistication. The only other prominent details are the smallish LG logo, the chrome-edged, illuminated power indicator, and the three letters "L E D" stenciled onto the bottom-left edge. Overall the look is classy and understated, if a shade bulbous in person.

Seagate BlackArmor NAS 440 (4TB)

A downside to the BlackArmor is that its write speed could be better compared with its read speed. However, once it's set up, the NAS offers very fast read throughput rates, hassle-free remote access, great expandability, and a vast amount of storage capacity: 8TB and beyond. Note: The device is sold in 2TB, 4TB, and 6TB capacities. Currently, you will need to supply your own drives to reach 8TBs, as Seagate hasn't released that model yet. Also, the NAS's high initial price point, while not a problem for businesses, may stress most consumer's pocketbooks. If you're looking for a simple NAS for the home, we recommend the WD My Book World or the Iomega Media Home Network drive. For most small businesses, however, the BlackArmor has what you need.

Design and setup
The BlackArmor NAS server has a bold-looking design with four bays on its front and a top that protrudes further, showing off its tiny LCD. Each bay can hold one SATA hard drive of any capacity, meaning that currently the device can hold up to 8TB of storage. Currently, the device comes in three versions: with two hard drives (2TB BlackArmor 420) or with all four bays populated (4TB or 6TB BlackArmor 440), and you can completely replace these hard drives yourself, without any tools. You can also hot-swap any hard drive when the device is in operation in case of hard-drive failure. Seagate recommends you only use its hard drives and only provides tech support when you use its hard drives, but both BlackArmor versions work with SATA hard drives from any vendor.

Considering its large size, the BlackArmor's fan is surprisingly quiet. Also, it is the first NAS server we've seen that lets you replace its cooling fan. This is a useful feature, as over time the fans tend to collect dust, become noisier, or just stop working.

On the back of the BlackArmor are two Gigabit Ethernet ports and three USB ports, with another USB port on the front for quick and convenient thumbdrive connectivity. The device supports both USB external storage devices and printers. A small LCD on the front displays the status of the USB-connected device, providing information such as IP address, link status, data, time, and so on. On the right side of the LCD are two navigation buttons that we found rather confusing to use at first, as they are not labeled. The BlackArmor's backup solution is based on Acronis' excellent True Image and comes with a license for 10 computers. One of its more useful features is the capability to quickly recover a crashed computer by booting from the included software CD that lets you perform a complete system recovery from a backup contained on the BlackArmor NAS.

Thanks to the included discovery software utility, setting up the BlackArmor was a simple task. Once you have everything setup, the utility assists in finding the NAS server on the network and will let you map network drives to its two default share folders: "public" and "download." Fortunately, the utility isn't needed to access the NAS as it fully supports SMB protocol and can be easily found using Windows Explorer.

You can also use the discovery utility to launch the BlackArmor's Web interface, but this is where the simplicity ends. Unfortunately, you will need to figure out a lot by yourself as we found the NAS server's manual rather scant on details.

Features
Though it lacks support for IP cameras, the BlackArmor 440/420 NAS server has a long list of features. In this review, we touched on only those we found significant or unique to this device.

General features: The BlackArmor has a standard user account management. By default, the device comes with an "Admin" account that lets you log in and create other user accounts. Though this default account has administrative privileges, it doesn't include all of the features of a user-created account. For example, you won't be able to use the Admin account to access the NAS remotely over the Internet. This is confusing since most, if not all, NAS servers, give the "Admin" account the same (or more) access to features as it does regular accounts.

Adobe Creative Suite 4 Master Collection

Adobe offers Creative Suite 4 professional software in five flavors. Among them, the Master Collection offers professionals the most jam-packed digital toolbox. There are applications for concocting and editing digital pixel and vector graphics, print layouts, video, Web pages, and animation, and then repurposing that content for mobile devices. Those who don't need the whole shebang might consider suites that cost less, such as Web Premium or Standard for Web design, Design Premium or Standard with tools for printed media, or Production Premium for film (scroll down for charts with more details).

The release of Adobe Creative Suite 3 in 2007 was the first to incorporate former Macromedia products, such as Flash. With Creative Suite 4, Adobe has unified the interfaces of all the applications for a more seamless experience. The Flash-based panels within CS4 are more nimble than its predecessors, and handy pull-down menus with preset styles enable you to shift among work space layouts quickly.

The Master Collection will set you back about as much as, say, a Volvo from the 1990s: $2,499 for new or $899 to upgrade. It costs $1,599 for users of other CS3 suites to upgrade, or $1,199 for users with two eligible older versions of the suite. Buying all Master Collection applications individually would set you back close to $6,290, or more than $2,000 if upgrading from CS3 versions. The charts below detail the contents of and pricing for this and other CS4 suites; please click on the images of suites and their individual applications to learn what's new inside of each.

Prices for the individual applications haven't changed since CS3, but we wish that Adobe would lower the costs, or perhaps allow mix-and-match pricing for more flexibility. Artists who access this software from their workplace or purchase it at an educational discount might skip more than a few meals to afford it. Those on a budget who don't need so many tools might consider alternatives, such as CorelDraw graphics suite. The five CS4 packages (see chart below) are a relative bargain if you regularly rely on at least three of the included applications. If so, don't make the mistake of paying full price for the applications individually.

Setup and interface
The Web abounds with complaints about Adobe's installer and updater, and most are justified. Every Windows application installer suggests you close any running applications, but you can usually ignore it and 99 percent of the time everything works out fine. Adobe forces you to close your browser and all Microsoft Office applications, because many of the programs in the suite--primarily Acrobat--spread octopus-like tentacles throughout your working environment. That's pretty appalling in and of itself, but in addition to wasting a large chunk of time installing, you can't do anything else but play Solitaire while it's happening. And as before with the updater, you'll get to relive this delightful close-your-apps-or-else experience on a regular basis. Plus, the installation "progress" bar bears no relation to reality whatsoever, with its two steps forward and one step back movement.

Unfortunately, it took us nearly 2 hours to install the Adobe Master Collection CS4 on Windows Vista and XP machines (we didn't test CS4 thoroughly on a Mac). But that's still less time than with CS3. Adobe's custom installation lets you pick and choose which components to embrace or reject, but there's no mechanism for migrating your settings and all your custom tools.

You'll need powerful hardware to run the heavy-duty CS4 applications: Users of Windows XP SP2 or Vista must have a processor of at least 2GHz, or 3.4GHz for working with high-definition video. Photoshop now natively supports 64-bit Vista, while Premiere, After Effects, Soundbooth, Encore, and OnLocation are certified for 64-bit Vista.

A 1,280x900-pixel display with OpenGL 2.0-compatible graphics card is required, and support for Shader Model 3.0 may be needed, particularly for working with video. Mac users need an Intel multicore processor running Mac OS X version 10.4.11 or newer, at least 2GB of RAM, and free hard-disk space of 26.3GB or higher. Installation comes via DVD. More specifics are available at Adobe's Web site.

Features
If you rely on Adobe software for work, then CS4 could be worth the plunge, depending upon your staple tools. We find CS4 a more worthwhile upgrade than CS3 was. There's not much to wow users of Photoshop who don't work with 3D content, but Illustrator finally manages multipage documents. Flash, on the other hand, takes a big leap forward by slashing the steps required to build animation. Premiere can handle batch encoding and manage footage from tapeless cameras, while it and Soundbooth both convert recorded speech into text.

Workflow improvements to CS4 include autofill searches for timelines and projects in AfterEffects. Adobe aimed to improve the options for making round trips among the applications without rebuilding content. For instance, you can export Fireworks designs as CSS and bring them into Dreamweaver. There's greater integration from one application to the next, with support for the latest formats for Web sites and mobile phones, including desktop Adobe AIR applications. Please find links to reviews of individual applications in the chart below.

Service and support
We almost hate to rate Adobe's tech support as excellent due to the extreme expense of live, personalized help from the company. However, the software industry has been moving away from free customized assistance for years. At least Getting Started help for installation issues and other speed bumps lasts for 90 days. Adobe's comprehensive, self-serve options include embedded and online lookups, tutorials, and excellent videos. Also, the company has expanded its help-yourself and peer support online. The new Adobe Support Portal requires an Adobe log-in and password. Newbies would be wise to get up to speed with the interactive tutorials and maybe even third-party books and Web sites. Web-based forums with other users, as well as the Community Support in beta testing, may be the best bargain for getting hands-on advice.

Don't bother trying to seek extra help without a registered serial number; the days of "borrowing" copies of heavy-duty Adobe software from friends are long gone. Help with a live Adobe representative continues to be expensive. Each year we find the pricing options harder to find on Adobe's Web pages. The Bronze level of support, for five prepurchased incidents, is $175. Unlimited Silver support costs $1,200, three times the price of some applications, like Dreamweaver. Such pricing is clearly set for corporations rather than freelancers.