To The Moon And Back

The Nokia N96 is the latest in the NSeries of Nokia.

Just like any other smartphones in the market, this is a multi-functional phone designed to integrate mobile communication with complete entertainment features. I’ve always been a fan of smartphones ever since I found out I can browse the net using these small gadgets. This particular smartphone is different from its predecessors because of advanced video and camera capabilities. The 5MP camera lets you take high resolution photos and record great videos with the help of stabilization feature. With a large 2.8″ screen, you would enjoy watching your TV shows, thanks to advanced television viewing feature (network-dependent). It stores up to 16GB of internal memory and can be expanded with an optional microSD card.

A quick look on the features:
Quad band GSM / GPRS / EDGE: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G and WLAN access.
Mobile TV (network-dependent feature).
GPS Navigation.
Instant upload to Flickr, Vox, Yahoo! and Google.
Full-HTML browser.
5-megapixel camera, Carl Zeiss optics.
High quality VGA camera in front of the phone, for video calling and self-portrait use.
Plays music files, and lets you download easily via Nokia Web.
Allows high-quality video calling using 3G
A built-in motion sensor that automatically rotates the screen when tilted as on the Nokia N82.

To see complete features and specs, check out the N96 Wiki.

*photo from http://news.ecoustics.com

This is the most popular topic in twitter now - video games. At least, within my contact list. Everyone seems to want to buy PSP for their husbands (lucky men!) and in order to justify the purchase; we all talked about our favorite video games.

I’ve already said several times how I’m not so crazy about video games but for the sake of making my husband happy, I’m more than willing to do my research. I went online to read on getting started in gaming and searched for PSP games as well:

* Daxter
* Burnout Legends
* Lumines
* Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror
* World Soccer Winning Eleven 9
* Wipeout Pure .
* SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo
* FIFA 06
* MLB 06 The Show
* Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

Now Lumines I can play but I don’t really care for the others on the list. Only when a friend told me that I can download the old time favorite video games did I manage to re-consider getting one. Some of the games that I can download are Mario Brothers 3, Adventure Island, The Sims, Mahjong, Bubbles, Collapse, and hundreds more. Of course, PSP is not just about games. The one thing that really convinced me to get one is the built-in WiFi. I’m a sucker for any gadget that has WiFi connectivity - my laptop, phone and now PSP. And did I mention that we can watch movies and listen to music too? Of course, we already have a portable DVD for that but you can never have enough gadget right?

I’ve never appreciated how useful portable storage can be until I met a client last Monday. I didn’t want to bring my laptop because one, I haven’t replaced my battery yet and two, I just don’t see myself lugging something heavy without a car. So thanks to my ever reliable portable hardisk, I just saved all my designs and finished website and then plugged it in my client’s computer. My husband learned about this and wanted to have one for himself. He needs to bring it with him in the office all the time so he can’t possibly share mine. So I promised him I’ll get him one if I earn extra this month.

I’m choosing between the two -

Western Digital 160GB
My Passport Essential USB 2.0
Portable Hard Drive - Real Red

Western Digital 320GB
My Passport Essential USB 2.0
Portable Hard Drive - Intense Blue

The only difference is the capacity but they both have the following features.

From Buy.com

Simply Elegant
# Combine a beautiful new gloss-red case that fits smoothly in your hand and pocket with mega-capacity for all your digital content and the worlds most popular portable drive just got better than ever.

Easy
# Installation is a snap because you don’t really “install” this drive; you just plug it in and it’s ready to use. There is no CD to install; the included software loads from the drive the first time you plug it in.

Smart
# Powered by the USB bus. No separate power supply is needed.

Big capacity that fits in your pocket
# This compact drive fits easily in your pocket or purse, weighs only a few ounces and with capacities up to 320 GB, you can take tons of photos, videos, files and music with you wherever you go.

Synchronized and secure
# WD Sync synchronization and encryption software lets you take your critical data with you. Plug My Passport into any PC, edit files, read e-mail, and view photos. Then sync all of your changes back to your home or office computer. Your data is protected with 128-bit encryption. (Windows only)

Includes Google software
# Search your drive, manage your photos, and simplify Web searches with included Google software. (Windows only)

But for twice the capacity size, you only have to pay about $45 extra for the blue model. Not so shabby eh? Now you can bring all the photos, electronic books, videos, music, even scrapbooking kits with you wherever you want to go.

Tracking devices have always been a controversial topic because of privacy issues. However, I believe that services like GPS Tracking can save time and even lives when used wisely. In fact, Lightning GPS has created a solution especially for law enforcement to help them do their jobs efficiently.

For personal use, GPS Tracking can be a great gadget for parents who are always worried about their children. There are always cases of missing children anywhere in the world that parents just can’t relax enough when their kids are not with them. Lightning GPS have several GPS Tracking devices for kids that you can choose from. There are GPS jackets, GPS strollers, GPS clothing and GPS backpacks developed both for outdoors and indoors to help parents informed where their children are at all times. You can never be too safe when it comes to your child’s safety.

So yes, I approve tracking devices as long as it’s used for safety and saving crimes. I don’t think using one on your spouse, even if you’re suspecting him/her of infidelity, will help you solve your marital problems.

In search for the best digital camera? Let BestinClass.com help you. There are thousands of cameras that you can choose from so the first thing you need to do is figure out your needs. Do you travel a lot? You can find the best travel digital camera using the search wizard wherein you will choose your preferred size and price. Once you submit your search, Best in Class will display the top recommended cameras as recommended by experts.

Don’t like what you see? You can easily refine your search results by:

• Type - point and shoot, manual controls, interchangeable lenses
• Use - for travel, young children, fast action, low light
• Size - compact, ultra compact
• Price - $200 to $1500 above
• Features - wide angle lens, high resolution, large LCD screen, rugged and weatherproof, etc.

Other search options that you can use: Brand (canon, Kodak, Nikon, Olympus), Memory, Lens.

I’ve been wanting to buy another camera that’s light and easy to use. Usually, by the time I’m done tinkering with the manual settings of our DSLR, my daughter got tired of posing and I’d be left with blurry and not so nice shots.

After trying the search wizard for the best compact digital camera:

1. Use - Photos of young children or pets (need to quickly capture the moment)
2. Size - Compact (fits in a purse or jacket pocket)
3. Price - under $400

I got four recommendations but the other two were as big as our Canon 300D. The other two are Canon Powershot and Panasonic Lumix. I haven’t tried any Panasonic cameras though and don’t want to spend money on a brand that I haven’t used yet. This cuts my list to only one:

Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
8MP Ultra Compact Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
$229.94 (cheap huh!)

This small and versatile camera has clean lines and an easy-to-use interface. It also
boasts a good zoom, image stabilizer, and face detection, making it ideal for capturing
precious moments with children.

The recommendation doesn’t end there. There’s a full recommendation page detailing the features of your chosen product and a few more camera options just in case the item did not meet your requirements.

When planning to travel, you make sure to pack all the necessities from bottles to toys to baby wipes to quick snacks. But how can you really keep a toddler happy and content on long drives? There are tons of creative answers that you can find on baby books and baby blogs but mine would be as simple as getting a VCD/DVD player for the car. It won’t be as simple if you don’t have a budget but this is something we’re very much willing to invest on. My daughter just can’t take 1-2 hour drives without her two favorite DVDs - Hi5 and Harry Potter.  Aside from her questions every 10 minutes, it keeps her happy for more than an hour that I can simply lie back, relax and enjoy the drive. This is the reason why she loves riding her grandmother’s car. The mere thought of a trip to the grocery excites her because not only she can get out of the house, but she can also enjoy her movies while at it. So buying one for our car is just inevitable. 

I found two portable DVD players within our budget:

Sony DVP-FX820 8″ Portable DVD Player Black
$179.99

8″ LCD Widescreen Monitor
High-Resolution (800 x 480 resolution)
180 Swivel and Flip monitor
Up to 6 Hour of Battery Life
Dual Sensor for Remote Control
Product Dimensions: 1.3 x 8.9 x 6.3 inches ; 2.4 pounds

OR

Philips PET702 7″ Portable DVD Player
$101.50

7″ TFT LCD 16:9 widescreen
Built in stereo speakers for quality sound
Car adapter and remote control.
Up to 2 hour playback on rechargeable built-in battery
Product Dimensions: 6 x 7.8 x 1.5 inches ; 1.5 pounds

Both can play the following formats:DVD, Picture CD, SVCD, Video CD, DVD-R/-RW, MP3-CD, CD-R/CD-RW, DVD+R/+RW, CD. Phillips is so much cheaper and lighter but the playback time is giving me second thoughts.

Now this is something I can’t decide on just by reading online. The reviews will help but a lot but I’d have to see them working firsthand and check warranties and such. At least, I know which items to ask instead of accepting the first expensive item that the salesman will offer.

I’ve never had a Mac. I’ve played with my boss’ Macbook Pro before while he was having lunch. There was this one time when I spent two hours using my client’s while presenting a design. I’ve also touched the new Macbook Air from an Apple store. And on those three times, my need to have one increased tenfold.

I don’t just want it. I need it. As a graphics / web designer, owning multiple computers is a must for browser compatibility. I already have two but both of them are using the Windows platform so there’s no way that I can check what my designs look like on a Firefox, Safari in Mac. I always rely on my colleagues who use Mac so they can check if my websites are working properly on their browsers. It sucks, and not exactly convenient.

I won’t go for Macbooks since I already have my trusted HP laptop. What I really need is a high powered machine that can run multiple graphic applications while running a web server. It needs to have more than 2GB of memory and a minimum of 250GB hard drive. The monitor has to be very huge so I can check how my website looks like on all resolutions.

Having browsed through all the possibilities, it boils down to the perfect option - a 20 inch iMac.

At $1100, I can have all these and more:
2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
1GB memory (upgradable up to 4GB)
250GB hard drive1
8x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT with 128MB memory

Slim, all-in-one design
Setting new standards for elegance and simplicity, the all-new, all-in-one iMac packs all its components — from processor to video camera — into an astoundingly thin, anodized aluminum frame.

Intel Core 2 processor
At speeds up to 2.8GHz, the advanced dual-core Intel processors that power every iMac are faster than ever — delivering greater performance for everything from enhancing photos to playing games and more.

Dazzling displays
Your photos, movies, and games will come to life in rich, vivid color thanks to the new glossy widescreen display on every iMac.

Should I continue dreaming or just go right ahead and ask my boss if he can buy me one? He was the one who introduced me to iMacs so I guess if I convince him how I really need it, he might just consider getting one for me. In fact, his old iMac will do. I will use this to improve my designs which at the end of the day, is really just for the company’s sake.