“Girl Tech” Toys: The Gadgets for Girls Revolution

by: Sarah Corlett

While girls’ toys have always been lucrative for toy makers (think Barbie, Cabbage Patch Kids, Care Bears and – more recently - Bratz), the market for technology-based toys has always been much more heavily aimed at boys. While, certainly, many girls enjoy them, video gaming systems and other such leisure technologies feature war games, flight simulators and fantasy role-playing games whose pace and graphics are meant to appeal to the male demographic. Lara Croft does not wear tiny shorts for the benefit of her female fans.

This Christmas, a company called “Radica Games” is promoting a line of technology-based toys aimed exclusively at young girls that they call “Girl Tech”. These gadgets for girls include such items as the “Password Journal”, a sort of high-tech diary for modern girls. It uses voice recognition software to keep unauthorized people (like siblings and parents) from reading the owner’s innermost thoughts and includes features like an invisible ink pen for even greater security, a calendar to keep the social life organized and an alarm to tell the owner if someone is trying to break in to the journal. However, it may be a better product in theory than in practice: many online reviews of this product do not recommend it due to technical glitches, most citing the voice-recognition software as the problem.

Another “Girl Tech” item that is poised to be very popular this Christmas is the “Girl Tech Digi Makeover”. It has a built-in digital camera and can hook up to the owner’s television. The point is to take a picture of someone and then use the device to try out different hairstyles, haircuts and makeup to see how they look. It advertises over 50 hairstyles and colours, as well as an array of makeup that makes for an almost endless combination of new looks. Unlike the diary, this item has had very positive reviews from consumers on different websites and is touted as one of the must-have items for Christmas 2007.

“Girl Tech” features many other items as well, from a digital video journal that can be hooked up to the computer for customizing entries, to a virtual pet called the “Password Puppy”. The target age range for all of the “Girl Tech” toy line starts around age 8 and they are appropriate through the preteen years. Radica suggests that older people may enjoy them as well, but older teen girls would probably be more interested in more sophisticated technological gifts, such as the latest mobile phone or digital camera. “Girl Tech” toys, however, are a great way to show younger girls that technology isn’t just for boys.

About The Author

Sarah Corlett runs the successful toy resource "The Toy Maker": http://www.the-toy-maker.co.uk

Cell Phone Ring Tones; Personalize the music that you want to hear on your mobile phone

by: Daryl Plaza

Cell Phone Ring Tones; Personalize the music that you want to hear on your mobile phone

Now that you finally are the owner of a cell phone, a very popular thing to do is to try out new cell phone ring tones in order to give some added spice to your phone. If you happen to be a new kid on the block when it comes to cell phones and ring tones, a cell phone ring tone is a piece of MP3 music or a special sound that your cell phone plays to alert you when you have an incoming call. Instead of the same old dull ringing of your cell phone, you can have a custom sound for your cell phone's ring style. You can actually have different ring tones for different people who call your cell phone.

Available Ring Tones

When it comes down to cellular phone ring tones, you have to know exactly which type that you wish to choose from. You can opt to have a monophonic ring tone, a polyphonic ring tone, or some real/true ring tones as well. The following information will give you some insight into just what these various ring tones are. This may help you make a better decision as to which ring tone you wish to get.

Monophonic Ring Tones - While monophonic ring tones are almost obsolete today, when personalized ring tone first came on the scene, cell phone were only able to play ring tones that were monophonic meaning that they only had the very basic sounds. For these types of tomes, just one note is played at a time by one instrument. These monophonic tones were able to be produced through MIDI; these were used just as rudimentary ring tones. Someone soon figured out how these monophonic tones could be used to play very simple versions of popular songs. This started the boom of the musical ringtone business. Today other tones have become far superior to these, so very few people actually use the monophonic ring tone.

Polyphonic Ring Tones - When you take it to the next level, the next cell phone ring tone to consider is the polyphonic ring tone. There is a special sequencing technology ascribed to these ring tones. They are definitely a step above the monophonic ring tones. Forty different notes are able to be played at the same time with these ring tones. This means that you can literally have the sound of an entire orchestra. The sound coming out of the cell phone was much richer and the music tones even sounded much better! There is one drawback. Polyphonic ring tones are not able to use digital audio.

Real/True Ring Tones - Last but not least we have the most up-to-date type of ring tone, which is also known as a real tone or a true tone. These tones are actually able to play real music on your mobile phone. In fact, you will not only be able to get instruments, but you can choose to get the vocals as well. The real tone is not limited to electronic sounds. Real tones could be anything from voice, to music to sound effects. Most of the cell phones today will be able to play these types of ring tones; yet, many of the old style cell phones may not be able to play the real/true ring tones.

Mobile Phone Ring Tone Benefits

Now that you are able to understand the various types of ring tones that are available to you, the next question you may have is what you may be able to get by having these ring tones on your cell phone. These are just a few of the great benefits when it comes to having your very own cell phone ring tones:

• Benefit #1 - You will be able to know who is calling you without even having to look at your cell phone - One of the main benefits in having such a variety of ring tones for your cell phone is that you are actually able to set your phone so that there are special ring tones for specific callers. This means that you are able to give members of your family one tone, friends can have another tone, and people you do not have in your phone book can have a totally different ring. Doing this will actually allow you to know who is calling you without having to look at your wireless phone since you will be able to recognize the different ring tones for different people. If it is someone you do not recognize, you do not have to take the call.

• Benefit #2 - Your personality should be reflected in your ring tone - Another great benefit of obtaining personalize cell phone ring tones is that you have the leeway to let your ring tone reflect your personality. There is no limit that is placed on you that says you can only have one standard ring tone. No matter if you are feeling happy, excited, in love or happy there is a ring tone available to reflect your every mood.

• Benefit #3 - Every time your cell phone rings you will be able to hear your favorite song - Another great benefit of having a specialized cell phone ring tone is that you will be able to listen to your favorite songs whenever your phone rings. You no longer have to be bothered with listening to some annoying ring tone. Instead, you will actually be able to choose your favorite songs to have on your cell phone as ring tones so that you will be able to hear them each time your phone rings.

To Pay or Not to Pay

There is one important fact to take into consideration about ring tones. You must understand that there are free ring tones that you can download from the Internet or there are ones you can purchase. You may to make the decision as to what your budget can afford. The free cell phone ring tones sound better when you first hear them. It is worth noting, however, that many of the free ring tones do not have the best quality.

You will often find sites that offer free monophonic ring tones, but these are usually very outdated. There are some sites that may offer other kinds of free ring tones, but, if you want to get a popular ring tone that is of good quality, you must resign yourself to the fact that you are going to have to pay for them. You can expect to pay anywhere from $0.50 to $3.00 for each ring tone.

Ring Tones and Cell Phone Companies

There are now cell phone companies that are offering ring tones. Some of these cell phone companies include: Alltel, Cingular, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. Many of these companies sell the ring tones separately or they may offer various ring tone packages that offer you so many ring tones every month at a slightly discounted price. One of the great things about this deal is that you can usually end up getting those ring tones right on your cell phone instead of having to search the Internet endlessly for the ring tones that you want. In the long run, this will save a lot of trouble and hassle.

About The Author

Daryl Plaza is a regular contributor to http://CellPhoneEasyCall.com and informational base website on cellular phones, cellphone plans ,cell phone ring tones, cell phone plans to help the consumer choose the right wireless phone for them.

Cell Phones Give You So Many Benefits For Communication

by: Daryl Plaza

Cell phones give you so many benefits for communication

Cell phones have become a staple in homes and business around the world. Businessmen and women have grown dependant on this form of tele- communication. Whether you are at work or out shopping, it is important that you keep in touch with your family. Having a cell phone means that you are accessible in case of an emergency even if you are out on the road. There are many different cellular phone plans that you can choose from, whether you want a prepaid cell phone or one that has options.

The Cell phone has become a multi-billion dollar industry and it is expanding every day. More and more people are becoming technology minded and choose to purchase a cell phone.

The Use of Cell Phones in Emergencies

Perhaps the greatest benefit to owning a cell phone is the security of knowing that they can call for assistance anytime or anywhere they need too. In past decades, millions of people were stranded on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere because their car broke down. Not being able to get help and having to rely on the kindness of strangers who passed by. It was not only frustrating it was also very dangerous.

There are still people out there who do not want to own a mobile phone. They do not want to pay for a wireless phone plan. For those people, a prepaid cell phone is the perfect gift. They can use the phone in emergencies only. With a prepaid cell phone, you do not receive a monthly bill and you do not have to sign any contracts.

Cellular phones have come a long way since their inception. Constant improvements have brought them into the twenty first century. With today cell phones, GPS systems are a standard accessory. There are even phones that allow you access the Internet to have directions sent right to your phone.

How Do Cell Phones Enhance Business?

You may be asking yourself what is the big deal with a business cell phone? The answer of course is that any type of business that has on the road salesmen, the office knows how difficult it is to contact their salesman. In the past they would have to wait until he or she called into the office. With a cell phone, they can be contacted anytime.

Cell phones not only allow the corporate office to keep in contact with employees, it also allows salespeople to contact their clients at a moments notice if a deal of a lifetime pops up suddenly. Cell phones can also cut down on land line phone bills because most plans allow the callers to make calls to other people who have the same carrier. So a salesman can call the corporate office even if he or she is a thousand miles away and not be charged any long distance charges.

People are fascinated with gadgets, and those who own mobile cell phones are no different. There are many accessories for cell phones, and almost everyone wants to own them. Whether it is a hands free headset or voice messaging, cell phone gadgets are incredible. The prices for each gadget are different, and depending on the accessory, compatible with specific model phones.

Cell phones are most popular with real estate agents. This is because many now advertise their businesses and business listings online. It is here where the real estate agent places a special number on the website for prospective buyers to inquire about specific properties by text messaging the Real Estate Agent.

Wireless Phones and Legal Matters?

Cellular phones have also become useful in legal matters. It is possible to access all cell phone records online, and in doing so, many criminals have been convicted because of the evidence.

Adding Kids Into the Equation

Kids and phones go hand in hand. As parents of teenagers, you know how difficult it can be to get him or her off the phone. This is when a cell phone can become your best friend. By supplying your child with a prepaid cell phone you are taking back the landline. You will not only have access to your own phone; you will not have to listen to the constant babbling of your kids.

Cell phones are not only for communication, they can also teach your child how to be responsible. If your child is pre pubescent, you may be able to instill responsibility in him or her.

The Elderly and Cellular Phones

When cell phones were first developed, they were big and clunky. They were hard to use and calls were often dropped. Today, cell phones are sleek and slender, and you can barely notice them however the features are phenomenal. Some would say that the more advanced the cell phone is, the more complicated it is to use. Small screens and buttons can be maddening to use, especially if you have large hands.

Pushing the Envelope of Entertainment

Mobile phones today come equipped with cameras, and music, ring tones and even Internet access. Camera phones are great because after you take the picture, you can instantly send it to anyone in the world who has a cell phone.

Higher end cell phones also come equipped with video recording software. You can record up to two minutes of video and also send it to anyone in the world. Calendars and day planners can also be found on higher end cell phones.

Cell phones today are extraordinary and they are being upgraded every day. Soon, the cell phones of today will become obsolete and will be replace with new and innovative phones that can do anything.

About The Author

Daryl Plaza is a regular contributor to http://CellPhoneEasyCall.com an informational website designed to help consumers find the right Cellular Phone , cell phone prepaid phone plan that suits their needs.

O2 XDA 2i Tomtom Crash Workaround

by: John Applin

Having purchased a bluetooth GPS receiver for my O2 XDA 2i (see my review here), I was a little disappointed that the Tomtom software that I had also purchased would crash every 5 or 10 minutes. This is infuriating because it's not something that you can fix on the move with 1 hand. I would have to stop the car, remove the PDA from it's holder, perform a soft reset which takes a couple of minutes, reconnect to the bluetooth GPS receiver, start the Tomtom software, put the phone back in it's holder, then carry on with my journey. Now imagine doing this 3 or 4 times throughout your journey!

Having searched for a fix on the internet I came up with a range of suggestions from XDA Developers. Some suggestions involved upgrading the memory card to one with a faster read/write transfer rate, which I did but still no joy. I still had the infuriating crashing problem!

I then had a brainwave after receiving an SMS message on the move. When I received the message the phone crashed in it's usual way, still infuriating you might think, but it gave me that Eureka moment. I realised that whenever the phone part of my PDA was attempting to do something it caused the Tomtom software to crash. This would then explain why the XDA would crash every 5 or 10 minutes.

As you may or may not know, each mobile phone network is divided up into 'cells'. Each 'cell' is a region of the country that is covered by a mobile phone antenna. If you are travelling in a car or train there will come a point where you are moving between one cell and another. When this happens your phone (or PDA) will perform a handshake procedure to let the antenna know that you're entering a part of the country covered by that particular antenna. Now obviously this handshake procedure takes just enough resources so that it causes the PDA to crash. I then searched more on the internet for a fix to this problem but could find nothing so I took it upon myself to fix it.

Firstly I tried to find a way that I could disable the phone software part of the PDA while allowing the rest of the PDA software to function as normal, this would obviously mean that the phone functionality was inoperable throughtout my journey but it's a small price to pay for not getting lost. Now I know what you're thinking "just enable flight mode" and while this would disable the phone software part, it also disables the use of the bluetooth stack which renders the bluetooth GPS receiver useless. One option is to remove the SIM card from the phone, while this would work it means taking the back off the phone and removing the battery which causes a soft reset and unnecessary hassle. There is another way!

Here's what I did:

Firstly go to start, settings, phone,

Under security tick 'Require PIN when phone is used',

Input a memorable PIN for the phone part of your PDA,

Navigate back to the main screen.

How to disable just the phone part of the PDA:

From the main screen tap the antenna and signal icon at the top of the screen

Enable flight mode.

Tap the same icon again and turn off flight mode.

A screen will appear asking you for your PIN, at this point click 'cancel'.

Your PDA is now fully functioning apart from the phone part because you have denied access to the SIM card.

How to re-enable the phone part of the PDA:

>From the main screen tap the antenna and signal icon at the top of the screen

Enable flight mode.

Tap the same icon again and turn off flight mode.

A screen will appear asking you for your PIN, at this point enter the PIN that you chose previously.

The phone part is now functioning normally again.

It would be nice to have a proper fix to this problem so that I could receive phone calls and text messages on the move but I can live with this for now.

About The Author

John Applin
John's Reviews
For more reviews, how to's, technical help go to http://www.johnsreviews.com

Bluetooth GPS Receiver Review

by: John Applin

This is a tiny bluetooth GPS receiver which I bought from Mobile Fun Ltd, I bought this to connect to my O2 XDA 2i PDA and it cost around £40. I was intially looking on google for cheap GPS receivers and this came up as the cheapest. I thought at that price they'll be a catch, and the catch usually being poor performance, but I was pleasantly surprised! This thing really does work, and works well!

After searching for initial reviews on this device I came up with very little other than the reviews from Mobile Fun Ltd, which I was reluctant to trust for fear of them being somewhat biased. I thought for £40 I'll take a chance and so bought it, all credit to Mobile Fun the receiver arrived the very next morning. Upon opening the box I was a little disappointed, all the there was by means of instructions was a small sheet of paper that had been loosely translated from Japanese to English by a dyslexic toddler. You can download the user manual from here and the Tomtom pairing manual from here. After following these instructions you will have it set up in no time. Another thing I noticed was that there is no manufaturer's name or marks anywhere on the device or the packaging, which makes searching for support quite difficult.

A nice touch with this little device is that it is supplied with a battery that is common to a lot of Nokia phones (3.7V 850mAh Li-polymer battery, BL-5C), a quick search on ebay means that you can get replacement batteries for these receivers for about £4 which is good to know should you need one.

What's In The Box?

Bluetooth GPS Receiver x1
12v In Car Adapter (USB) x1
Basic Instructions x1
Battery x1
USB Charging Cable x1


Installation

Provided you follow the limited instructions for pairing with your device, and the Tomtom setup instructions, you should be up and running in less than 5 minutes. I have only charged the receiver once since I bought it about 2 months ago, the battery just seems to last forever! The supplied in car charger and USB cable means that the receiver can be charged on the move from a 12v source and can also be charged from any PC or laptop. From cold start up the receiver aquires a usuable GPS signal exremely quickly, quicker than most of the really expensive GPS receivers that I've come in contact with. The device is extremely small and can easily fit into any space in your car, or even your pocket if you're using it for walking or cycling.

One small problem I did have is that when using it with my XDA 2i the Tomtom software would often freeze and cause me to stop the car, reboot my phone, then carry on my journey. At first I thought this was the result of the XDA losing its connection with the bluetooth receiver and hence confirming my fears about the price of this product. It quickly became apparent that this was not the case and it was in fact an issue with my PDA and the Tomtom software.

I quickly discovered a workaround for this issue between the Tomtom software and my XDA that enables the whole system to work flawlessly. I shall write a 'how to' on this workaround shortly as I'm sure many other XDA 2i users share the same problem.

I do know that there is a known issue when using any bluetooth GPS receivers with the O2 XDA 2 (note not XDA 2i) due to the bluetooth stack settings that are shipped with the phone, please be aware of this before buying this device as you are sure to encounter problems.

Key Features

Compatible with TomTom, Navicore, and all major GPS software packages.
12 parallel satellite-tracking channels for fast acquisition and reacquisition.
Provides superior navigation performance in city environments.
Built-in rechargeable Lithium-polymer battery provides more than 10 hours of constant use.
Unit can be charged with the included car charger while still in use.
Mini-USB charger compatiblty, charge not only the Bluetooth GPS Receiver but also compatible PDAs & Smart Phones with the same charger.
3 colours LED to show the status of Bluetooth/GPS/Power activities of this device.



Specifications

GPS receiver: L1, C/A code, 12 channels
Tracking sensitivity: –152dBm (average) or better
Acquisition sensitivity: –139dBm (average) or better
TTFF (Time to First Fix): Cold Start: 50s (average) / 60s (95 possibility)
Hot Start: 2s (minimum) / 6s (95% possibility)
Positioning accuracy: Standard Positioning Service (SPS), WAAS (optional) 2DRMS: approx. 5m
Measurement data output: Update time: 1 second
NMEA output protocol: V.3.01
Baud rate: 38400 bps (8-N-1)
Datum: WGS-84
Type: GGA, GSA, GSV, RMC
Power consumption: 75mA (average)
Bluetooth: Bluetooth version 1.2 compliant
Class 2 operation (up to 10 metre range)
Serial Port Profile (SPP)
Output terminal: Type B Mini-USB (TTL Level)
Antenna Type: Built in Patch Antenna
Battery: 3.7V 850mAh Li-polymer battery, built-in charger
LED: Power (red), GPS (green), Bluetooth (blue)
Dimension: 64(L) x 39(W) x18.5(H) mm
Operating temperature: -20°C ~ +60°C
Storage temperature: -20°C ~ +60°C; Battery: -20°C ~ +45°C

Conclusion

A great little device that performs well beyond its price range. Check if there is any known issues with your device and bluetooth GPS receivers before purchase as this will save you a lot of headaches. The only thing that lets this product down is a lack of documentation and online support, other than this well worth the buy!

johnsreviews rating: 8/10

About The Author

John Applin
John's Reviews
For more reviews, how to's, technical help, go to http://www.johnsreviews.com

Creative Zen Microphoto 8gb Review

by: John Applin

This device was recommended to me by a friend, this is an ipod like device that can store up to 8gb of mp3's as well as photos.

Creative have been manufacturing alternatives to Apple ipods for a while now and this model, the Creative Zen Microphoto, is sold to directly compete with the Apple ipod photo (although the ipod photo comes with a 60gb hard drive).

On first appearances the Zen Microphoto feels well built and sturdy, most of Creative's lineup seem to be built to a high standard which is what you'd expect from any device which costs a significant amount of money. One thing that usually lets devices like this down is the quality of the earphones. A lot of thought usually goes into the device and the bundled earphones seem like they were thought of at the last minute. This isn’t the case with the Creative Zen Microphoto however, the earphones feel quality, fit comfortably in the ear, and actually produce a decent sound. One thing that would have been a nice feature is in-line volume controls for volume and track navigation. As it stands you have to root around in your pocket, fish out the Zen, then activate the controls before you can perform any of these tasks, which would become annoying if you were riding a bike or jogging while listening to your music.

Since you have to use the main controls on the Zen you'd expect them to be easy to use, for some reason though Creative have opted for a control panel which consists of 4 touch buttons and a touch slider. You have to tap the buttons or the slider in order to activate the device, then use the slider to navigate through the track listings and menus. Once into the menu function it is self explanatory and easy to navigate, with a nice bright display which is clear and easy to read. What I found in my experience was that the slider was oversensitive and the 4 touch buttons were undersensitive, this proved a little infuriating. One thing I did notice is that there was no stop button, only play and pause. What I think would have been a better option would have been to use simple click buttons for the controls and a classic volume wheel instead of a slider. I can see what creative have tried to do in choosing the buttons and the slider that they have, in trying to keep the lines and style of the device simple, but in doing so have made the zen more difficult to use and ultimately lets the device down.

An aspect that I think Creative needs to seriously look at is when you switch to viewing photos on the zen, the music stops. Quite why this happens I'm not sure but I think this is something that will frustrate a lot of people.

When switching on the Creative Zen Microphoto the edge around front face of the device lights up to compliment the buttons and really does look good.

Creative's choice of navigation buttons for the Zen become evident when switched on as the whole package has a quite a stylish look when illuminated.

The Zen Microphoto comes with a USB lead to connect to a PC, this allows for the easy transfer of music and photos onto the Zen as well as being able to use the Zen as a portable USB storage device for other files which is quite handy. The 8gb hard drive size means there should be sufficient space for most people to carry around their entire music collection.

Conclusion

Good Points Stylish, easy menu navigation, good sound quality, excellent build quality, 8gb hard drive

Bad Points No in line volume control or navigation, poor navigation controls, inability to view photos while listening to music.

John's Reviews rating: 6/10

About The Author

John Applin
John's Reviews
For more reviews, how to's, technical help go to http://www.johnsreviews.com

DirecTV Shopping Guide: What You Need To Know Before Subscribing To DirecTV?

by: Teddy Low

As the first satellite TV provider in United States, DirecTV was first launched in year 1994. They gained more than 300,000 subscribers in year one and the number increased exponentially since then. Nowadays, DirecTV stands as one of the world biggest satellite TV providers with more than 20 million users around the States. Now in case you’re one of those shopping for DirecTV, here are some useful reviews on the satellite TV service.

Standard DirecTV deals

Just as most satellite TV deals available in the market, you will get free satellite system, free DVR and HD upgrades, free incentive gifts (such as DVD player), and free premium movie channels for DirecTV standard deals. However, shoppers should be aware that in order to be eligible in such deal, you must commit to a 12 – 18 months service contract.

Programming with DirecTV

DirecTV offers about 250 programming choices, covering a wide range of movie, news, documentary, music, as well as International channels. The standard options with DirecTV are nothing different when compare to other paid TV services like Comcast and Dish Network.

What differs DirecTV from the rest is its supreme sports broadcasting packages. In fact, DirecTV gives a better option to sport with its exclusive rights on NFL, MLB, and NASCAR sports packages.

On the high definition side, DirecTV currently offers about 10 major HD including HBO HD, Showtime HD, ESPN HD, ESPN 2 HD, Universal, TNT HD, Discovery HD and HD Net Movies. In case you are not aware, DirecTV is, in fact, serving less HD channels when compare to Dish Network 70+ HD programming choices. Thus if you are looking for a TV service to boost maximum HDTV usage, perhaps DirecTV is not your best choice in the market.

DirecTV also serves local channels when available, this include local channels like CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, PBS, WB, UPN, as well as certain local independent stations. In the larger markets, the locals are carried on the main satellite location. In smaller markets, the locals are carried another sat location where HD and most Spanish language programming is located, requiring a slightly larger oval dish, capable of receiving signals from both satellite at once. In markets that lack a WB affiliate, DirecTV includes WBZL-TV from Miami or KSWB-TV from San Diego (both stations will join the CW network in September, 2006). Certain persons who live far from a city with television stations and who cannot easily receive television over-the-air, known as a 'white area', can receive feeds from New York & Los Angeles for CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox. A national PBS channel is also available. In early 2006 DirecTV began the roll out of HD locals in the largest cities, which require new set-top boxes and an even larger dish capable of "seeing" four satellite at once.

At a glance: DirecTV vs cable TV

Cable TV is ‘old-school’, pioneer in paid TV services; and cables offer valuable add-on services such as cable Internet and cable phone services. DirecTV is still consider ‘new’ when compare to the cables. However, DirecTV programming choices are wide, their monthly cost is lower, and they offer exclusive sport packages that you cannot get elsewhere.

At a glance: DirecTV vs Dish Network

Both Dish Network and DirecTV are offering their service based on the same technology. Thus, it is not surprise to see that their offers are in fact more or less the same. From incentive gifts to systems built up to programming choices - they are just too similar.

The slight differences between Dish Network and DirecTV are the pricing and programming. DirecTV’s packages cost a little more when it comes to monthly subscriptions but as mentioned, they do offer better sport events coverage compare. Dish Network, on the other hand, have more International (non English) and HD channels.

DirecTV installation

The installation process with DirecTV is pretty simple and fast. The system can be installed to your existing TV system regardless on your TV model or the type of building you are living. Landed or terrace house, condominium or shop lot – they are just fine with DirecTV systems. To install personally, users can setup the DirecTV satellite system by referring user manual guides. However Standard installation is provided free by most of the DirecTV dealers, thus it’s actually not an issue to worry about.

Last piece of advice: Shop wisely.

It’s common that consumers tend to follow the crowd. As DirecTV growing more and more popular, I’m not surprise there are shoppers that order DirecTV just because their neighbors have it too. However, this is not the wise thing to do. Come’on, why waste money on TV subscription that you never watch? So hey, be realistic, DirecTV do offer great deals online – however, shoppers are recommended to shop according to their needs. If you watch TV twice a week, there’s no point to have 256 channels in your TV.

About The Author

Teddy Low -- experienced writter on consumer products reviews. Visit his latest satellite TV related website and get Direct TV deals at: http://www.satellitetvissue.com/DirecTV.htm

What are the Advantages of having a Bluetooth Wireless Headset ?

by: Frank Anderson

In today’s busy world everyone tries to fit 24 hours of life into an 8 hour day, we are so busy with kids, jobs, spouses, deadlines and commitments. In this busy world we answer the Question, What are the advantages of having a Bluetooth wireless headset?

So, what are the advantages of having a Bluetooth wireless headset you ask?

Well the First and best advantage of a Bluetooth wireless Headset is that both of your hands are free to be of use to you at all times. Have you ever seen a person with a broken arm or no arm at all? Why limit yourself to only having one hand free as you go about your business? Think about this because this is exactly what you are doing when you talk on your cell phone without a Bluetooth wireless headset.

The second advantage of having a Bluetooth wireless headset is when you do any activity your focus is more on that activity than keeping your phone glued to your ear.

Another advantage of a Bluetooth wireless headset which is my favorite is that when you are making business (or personal) calls you are free to roam around the house or office to be more productive, if your are calling somewhere that puts you on hold (for the next available agent) without a Bluetooth you tend to sit around waiting for a extended period of time, being unproductive, but try this with a Bluetooth wireless headset. When I am at home trying to take of business I don’t just sit around on hold, now I will do whatever I can, the trash, clean, laundry, unload the dishwasher or anything else that needs to be done while I am on hold. This makes me extremely more productive in life and I never have much time so I am grateful when I can save a little, you should try this too.

The fourth advantage I can think of in owning a Bluetooth wireless headset is I seem to be more apt to call my family (sometimes I don’t know if this is good or bad) but overall this is a good thing my parents are getting older and I need to check in with them more often. I can usually accomplish this while still going about my daily business.

Another use for a Bluetooth wireless headset is, while driving it keeps your hands on the wheel and not plastered to your ear, personally I DO NOT recommend this except in emergencies, but I know many people are going to do this so at least it is safer than having one hand on the wheel, this is where my wife makes all of her phone calls on the way to work. But please remember driving is difficult enough without any distractions so the more things you try to do the more dangerous it becomes.

In this day and age of the internet and other outlets it is easier than ever to own a Bluetooth wireless hands free headset it does not matter which area of the country you live in urban or rural buying a Bluetooth is just a click away, many websites offer free shipping or discounts one site like this is my own www.BluetoothsRus.com we offer free shipping for orders over $49 and a discount for those who try to save a little more, ours is “UPS” which you enter in the checkout page of the site in the preferred customer code area, this will save you 10% off your entire order.

Another advantage of a Bluetooth wireless headset is not getting an expensive ticket, many states have current or pending laws regarding use of cellular devices while driving, if it’s illegal you will get an expensive ticket. Many states allow for hands free devices like Bluetooths. Bluetooths wireless headsets come in many styles and colors; also Bluetooths that clip on your cars visor or lay on a table are available for those who do not like to wear earpieces.

One last advantage to buying a Bluetooth wireless headset it they make Great Gifts, so if you need a gift that people will remember a Bluetooth is truly a great one. You can get most bluetooths for under $100 and many under $50. A gift like this is sure to be remembered for a long time and its so easy some web-sites offer gift wrapping (for a Fee) but the gift goes directly to the person and no hassles for you, so just sit back and take the credit,” What a country”.

In closing I hope I have answered the question: What are the advantages of owning a bluetooth wireless headset? Have a great day, and if you have any other questions on this topic feel free to e-mail me at the address on my website. Remember technology is a great thing and can save you a lot of time if used wisely so take advantage of any product that can make your quality of life better; this is why I do recommend a Bluetooth wireless headset.

Frank Anderson
http://www.BluetoothsRus.com
BluetoothsRus@aol.com

About The Author

Frank 48 years young

wife Rene 45

Daughter Amber 22 Graduate Cal lutheran University 2007

Son- Shane 19 Sophmore Boston College

lives in southern California

loves Family, outdoors, sports, Music & Travel

grew up in Lake Tahoe would like to retire back there

The Truth About Leatherman XE6

by: Richard J Runion

There are a lot of cheap knifes available in the market. You may save a bit of money by buying these knives, but these knives don’t remain sharp for long. So, when you actually need to use them at home, you’re likely to feel helpless. So, you need to realize that if you want quality, you should be ready to pay for it.

You will save yourself a lot embarrassment by investing in a quality knife. Leatherman products have a reputation for reliability and are popular among users of such tools. These include engineers, army personnel, and fire fighting personnel, among others. Anybody who loves the great outdoors, and goes on camping or kayaking trips, in particular, will just love Leatherman knives.

The handles are anodized and round-edged. This makes them very attractive to look at. Leatherman XE6 is 3.2 inches long, weighs 6.8 ounces, and packs 16 tools, all made of 100% high-grade stainless steel. It is a miniature delight that boasts quality that is difficult to conceal.

The XE6 variant, belonging to the Juice line of Leatherman tools, is the most packed one of all, with a fairly thick chassis. It comes with pliers, wire cutters, and four screwdrivers, apart from a saw, an awl, and a diamond-coated file. An option of straight or serrated knife blades is also offered.

Serrated scissors, plus a corkscrew, can and bottle opener, and a lanyard attachment are the other tools available. Sixteen instruments packed into one should take care of your needs in almost any situation. Especially when it is something as portable as the XE6.

If you think I am going a little overboard in praising this army knife multi-tool, I must inform you that I am not going to ignore its blemishes, if any. Compared to the Wave line of Leatherman tools, the XE6 doesn’t have a positive blade-locking mechanism. However, the blades slide into place.

Apart from not having locking blades, the Leatherman XE6 is a bit too hefty for its size. One-hand knife extension is conspicuous by its absence. The scales on the handle could do with better grip. The cock-screw could easily get entangled in the fabric of your pocket. The saw blade is very short.

Despite some negatives, the XE6 is a powerful tool that is covered under Leatherman’s 25-year warranty. You can reasonably expect the XE6 to last much longer than other pocketknives. And, yes, it’s a good buy.

About The Author

Richard J. Runion is the President of Geostar Publishing & Services LLC. Rich loves net research & blogging. His new blog on Leatherman XE 6 is fast becoming popular, as it is comprehensive and well-researched. Read his blog at: http://www.leathermanxe6review.com/

Five Reasons Why I recommend Dyson Vaccum Cleaner As A Good Buy

by: Richard J Runion

In recent years, Dyson has eaten into market leader Hoover’s share. The main reason for this is that Dyson came into the market on the initiative of its inventor, who actually offered the innovative vacuum cleaner to Hoover.

In fact, he approached all the major manufacturers, and everyone of them turned him down. This could rank as one of the most short-sighted decisions in the history of the vacuum cleaner industry. In fact, a Hoover spokesman once admitted the folly of not accepting Dyson’s product. Had Hoover consented, he said, they wouldn’t have had to face the competition they now do, as the new technology was likely to have then decayed, on a shelf.

That’s when Dyson decided to manufacture and market his product on his own. It took him about five years to get a patent, but there was no looking back after that.

So, how does Dyson’s cleaner do what traditional vacuum cleaners do not? These are the seven reasons I rate Dyson as a cleaner worth buying, over traditional vacuum cleaners:

1. No Clogging:

There’s no clogging of the bag, in a Dyson cleaner, because there is no bag. The bag present on traditional cleaners was dispensed with, after it was found that clogging of the bag reduced suction.

2. Advantage of being bag-less:

The cleaner does not have a bag. That means there’s no bag to empty, from time to time.

3. Good Airflow:

High Velocity Airflow technology insures good airflow and better cleaning, in a Dyson.

4. Quality Filter:

The HEPA filter used on a Dyson cleaner prevents clogging of the filter which traditional machines suffer.

5. Maneuverability:

Vacuum cleaners are no fun when you struggle to move them. The ball in the Dysoin’s vacuum head prevents this problem.

6. Build Quality:

These cleaners are rugged because the manufacturers use ABS and polycarbonate for the casing. (You will find this material in cars, and crash helmets.) Also, you will agree with me when I say that the upright design looks sleek and radical.

7. Innovation:

Above everything else, I credit Dyson for thinking innovatively, for thinking about the buyer, and not just about profits.

Though these cleaners are a bit heavy and some of them have high clearance making it hard to clean under furniture, I recommend Dyson Vaccum Cleaner as the pluses are more than the minuses.

About The Author

Richard J. Runion is the President of Geostar Publishing & Services LLC. Rich loves net research & blogging. His new blog on Dyson Vaccum Cleaner is fast becoming popular, as it is comprehensive and well-researched. Read his blog at: http://www.dysonvaccumcleanerreview.com

TomTom ONE GPS Review

by: Kyle Hahn

I had recently purchased a TomTom ONE GPS Systems for my car. Here is my own opinion/review of this product. First off this system came with a 1GB memory stick for your applications and maps. The TomTom One GPS System was around $349 at Best Buy. I love this device because you can mount it in your vehicle as well as carry it around wheverer you go. It usually connects to about 8 out of 12 satellites available. I have had this device for about a year now and it has only got me lost twice, but that might be because I’m always to lazy to update it.

The other day my buddy was in my car, and he had the urge to try to hooked up his Bluetooth cell phone to my TomTom ONE GPS to see if it would give us weather, traffic reports, etc. It indeed gave us weather reports, but we could not get the traffic reports to work. It would come up with a green button in the top right hand corner but never notified us of anything else, so we weren’t sure if it was even working or not.

The TomTom ONE GPS also has a option for “Night Colors”, which is great in my opinion. I mean who wants a bright light glaring in the face from the GPS? Night mode changes all map colors to darker colors so you can still see them at night but they don’t blind you while you are trying to drive. I have noticed that the TomTom ONE GPS, has a option for TomTom Plus Services. I guess you can pay $15.00 a month or so and receive instant map updates as well as POI(Point of Interest) updates from this service. I personally am not in the car enough to pay for it, but some people may desire to have this.

In a nutshell, I think the TomTom ONE GPS Navigation System is well worth the money. I just recently moved to Florida and have no clue where I am going. The TomTom saves me from having to ask people where to go or to get on Google Maps everytime I want to get somewhere.

About The Author

Kyle Hahn
Kyle's Blog
http://www.kylehahn.net

Vizio VX32L 32" LCD HDTV Review

by: Kyle Hahn

The Vizio 32" LCD HDTV cost around $500 or so, depending on where you buy it. I bought mine from Sam’s Club at around $520. I also purchased the wallmount for it. This is my first HDTV LCD TV that I have ever owned and I love it. It has dual HDMI output connections as well as VGA output connection to hook it to your PC or what not. I have hooked this up to my PC via DVI connection and the quality isn’t as good as I thought it would be, but still very good. If you get the perfect resolution set for this TV it would look flawless, especially with HDMI. The max resolution for the Vizio 32" is 1366 x 768 resolution. The HDMI cables run about $100, thats why I have not hooked this up via HDMI yet.

I currently have Dishnetwork (Non-HD) connected to my TV. If you are far away the TV looks EXCELLENT. When you get closer is when you start to see more of the pixels, but this is obviously caused by not having DishNetwork HD, and HDMI cables hooked up. My personal opinion on this TV is that for the price, you can not beat $500 for a 32" Hi-Definition TV. The TV has the capability to remove the base to allow mounthing on the wall. There are about 10 screws or so to fully mounth this TV to the wall. It was not much of a task at all. Pretty simple.

Here is a bit more information about what Outputs/Inputs the TV provides as well as size information:

Inputs
RF (F Connector for internal tuner): 1
HDMI with HDCP: 2
Analog Stereo Audio for HDMI Inputs: 1
Component YPbPr plus Stereo Audio: 2
Composite Video: 2
S-Video plus Stereo Audio: 1
Computer RGB plus Stereo Audio: 1
Service Port: 1

Outputs
Analog Audio out (RCA): 1
5.1 SPDIF Digital Optical Audio: 1
Headphone (Stereo Mini-Jack): 0

Dimensions
Carton: 35" W x 28" H x 14.2" D
Net: 31.4" W x 23.3" H x 10.4" D
Without Stand: 31.4" W x 22.1" H x 3.9" D
Certifications: CSA, CSA-US FCC Class B, IC, BETS-7

I would HIGHLY recommend the Vizio 32" VX32L HDTV to any one wanting to purchase a HD LCD TV.

About The Author

Kyle Hahn
Kyle's Blog
http://www.kylehahn.net

What Satellite TV Can Offer You?

by: Allisohn Jane Perez

Do you know what are the offers that satellite tv gives you? It will definitely give you and your family more fun and excitement. Not only that you can watch hundreds of channels, complete movie and sports packages, but also those channels that are available from across the country or even across the globe.

There are times when you are so much busy and you intend to miss your favorite show. That show may be your ever favorite and you haven't miss any episode of it in your entire life. But with satellite tv, you better not to worry at all. Because you could have both the East Coast and the West Coast versions of a channel so you can watch it later.

Compare to cable tv, satellite tv offers many more channels with some packages and hundreds more of channels. Other than that, we all know that cable is not available in some areas in the country. And sure you don't like that. Of course you can't stick watching with just one channel and you definitely want to have more. Satellite tv is one great choice. Unlike with cable, which typically only has one provider per area, in sateliite tv you can choose from any number of satellite television providers.

Although for some reasons, cable tv may have its advantages, but some of cable customers actually experience more frequent loss of their programming than satellite television customers. And charges for installation for hooking the cable up to more than one TV. So that's not good to hear right?

Yes there are so many satellite tv providers out there, but which one would you choose? We all know that competitions are every where and it is also common in choosing satellite tv providers. But you don't have to worry, you will surely get a better price, more than what cable tv can offer.

Just try to ask these questions: First, are there channels that are not available in cable that you really want? Second, are there shows that you are craving to watch and you don't want to miss any episode on them? And lastly, are you willing to pay extra for local channels or can you find a satellite television package that includes them at no extra cost? Think about it.

Everywhere, there are reviews from different consumer that you can find from magazines, internet and many other. Reviews of the top satellite television provider such as Dish Network. Reviews from fellow consumers will make you easy to decide.

Choosing satellite tv from any of its providers will always assure you to enjoy and love what you are watching. You can get you favorite channels such as, family channels, movie channels, sports channels, international channels, HDTV channels and even more. Satellite tv has all these that you will watch and sure you'll not gonna let them go away.

About The Author

Allison Jane Perez is working as a webmaster and as an online marketer.

To know more about the latest offers on Dish Network and Satellite TV visit http://www.satelliteusa.com

Nokia 6500 Classic-A Complete Blend Of Multimedia Technology

by: Austin David

Want a silver screen to watch movie on your palm! The Nokia 6500 Classic can offer fun imaging feature, allowing users to record, playback and stream video on the phone. Born with the best; the Nokia 6500 Classic Phone receives praises from the users because of its compact casing, 3G technology and a 2 inches QVGA LCD screen to provide sophistication while phoning, high speed broadband connection along with fast data transfer, multitasking capabilities and video streaming, and to provide excellent visual presentation respectively.

Order Nokia 6500 Classic from the retailing sites to get the excellent phoning, imaging, and web browsing at an affordable price. The Nokia 6500 Classic Phone encompassed with 2-mega pixel camera and music player provides users with the ultimate imaging and music experiences. The camera can steal the show by offering beautiful images and portraying videos on the screen. The music player can soothe the minds through its tuneful sound and melodious music. As far as messaging is considered; the Nokia 6500 Classic Phone has put much emphasis on text messaging, multimedia messaging and email to assess non-verbal communication. The clarity of communication is determined with wireless connectivity and networking. Order Nokia 6500 Classic online as it does not rely on cables t download games and applications, transmit data and files, send multimedia messages and email and browse internet on the move. In fact, the Nokia 6500 Classic Phone supports Bluetooth, USB, EDGE, Quad Band technology, HSCSD, WAP and XHTML to render wire free communication in the form of multimedia and mobile computing.

When multimedia communication is at its offing; the introduction of the Nokia 6500 Classic Phone has set a new trend of communication to develop computer-generated performance on the mobile phone. In short, the Nokia N6500 Classic is regarded as a sophisticated device designed with all the latest technology you could need.

About The Author

Austin David is associated with Contract Phones. To know more about Nokia 6500 Classic, Contract Mobile Nokia Phone, Order Nokia 6500, Mobile Phone Accessories please visit http://www.contractphones.me.uk/

Talk Without Falling Short Of Credit With Pay Monthly Phones

by: Thomas Rivers

Most of the mobile phone users, not merely in UK but through out the globe face a common problem. It is regarding their high monthly mobile phone bills. The mobile phones have become such an integral part of our every day lives that neither we can think of dispensing with it, completely, nor do we want to carry on with the high mobile phone bills. In such a vicious situation, pay monthly phones come as a relief for all those mobile phone users, who want to escape from the present tormented situation. The pay monthly deals are available on the most advanced mobile phone handsets from the reputed manufacturers, so that there is no need for the users to compromise over his desires. In addition to all this, there will be no issue of running out of credit. You can keep a close eye to your monthly mobile phone bills. Let us explore minute details of what exactly this plan is and why you should order pay monthly phones.

The pay monthly mobile phones are one of the two most popular deals in the UK. It is quite a simple mode to keep track on your monthly expense of mobile phones. As per the pay monthly deals, you will be offered a bill on the monthly basis, which would comprise the record of the calls you have made along with the additional features. You are supposed to pay the mobile phone bill, in the given time. In case, you fail to repay the loan amount in the fixed period, then you will be liable to some late fee.

As per the pay monthly phones, you are required to sign a contract to avail unlimited talk time. You are free to make use of the additional payable features of the phone, according to your own wish. These mobile phone deals turn the whole affair in to a lucrative one. You can save a lot of money on your monthly mobile phones. The best part of the pay monthly mobile phones deals is that you can avail these deals on the mobile phones of your choice.

About The Author

Thomas Rivers is associated with 3 Mobile Shop. To know more about pay monthly mobile phones, 3 Tariff Plans, mobile phones deals, Contract Mobile Phone Deal, Mobile Phone in UK please visit http://www.3mobileshop.org.uk/

Legal Tunes Download Sites For Your Mp3 Player

by: Jeffrey Wolf

Existing technology makes music videos more accessible than ever, with a enormous percentage of people now downloading music from the internet to their MP3 player or ipods. Many people use file sharing sites to find their MP3 player files, but these sites do not have copyright ownership. This alters the stability and condition of the product, and can also develop into legal proceedings being brought against the buyer. Thus, the best way to download music to your audio player is to find a legitimate site.

Online MP3 player downloads from a legitimate site have the advantage of being certified by both the record company or the musician. This means that there is no infringement of copyright laws and allows many advantages for the buyer. Approximately 35% of all MP3 player owners now use this reasoning to download music files. Of course, certified MP3 file downloads come with a cost but this is nominal when compared with the price of CDs and minidisks.

There are two methods of paying for MP3 player downloads. The first is one off fee or monthly payment that acts as a subscription. This process permits subscribers to download infinite music files to their audio apparatus, and is cost efficient for any consumer who requires ordinary use of the services. The second process of payment entails a pay per download or burn scenario. This is more cost efficient for those who will use file downloads less frequently. Both payment processes will permit the customer to take advantage of the benefits of legitimate MP3 file downloads.

The basic advantages of with a legitimate MP3 player download site is that the sound quality is the best viable as state of the art digital recording device is used. The download speed is also superb, and many download sites have great additional extras such as MP3 ripping and MP3 tagging services. Licensed MP3 player files will not harm part of the way through, and so you can be certain in the service expected. The licensing means that the download site will not be blocked due to copyright infringement, which is usual among file sharing sites. One of the primary advantages of using a legitimate site is that there is little chance of encountering and obtaining a virus. Approved MP3 player download sites have excellent security measures which are revised frequently to guarantee the best viable product is expected by customers. There is also better privacy guaranteed, with spyware detected and deleted, keeping customers secure from risk.

Of course there are some disadvantages to be had. Licensed MP3 player download sites have a much lesser selection of music existing than the file sharing sites. There are also very few qualified mp3 download sites around, so there is little choice in terms of which service provider you can use. However, the quality of the websites available is very good, so this should not be a hindrance. The price concerned with qualified MP3 player websites is off putting to many, but the complete advantages of subscribing outweigh the disadvantages. The licensed site guarantees a quality product for your audio player, which is secure for your computer and which follows laws and regulations. It is fast, accessible and cost effective.

Many MP3 player and iPod download sites offer free trials of its services so that you can examine the website throughly before committing to any purchase. This is about being able to download a specificed number of download files or being able to use the services for a set length of time before a payment is required.

About The Author

Jeffrey Wolf

For more detailed information on legal music, movie and video downloads; go to: http://Top10Downloads.org

Firefly Phones Vs. Kajeet Phones

by: Emi Light

You may have heard all about the new crop of cell phones geared especially to kids. They are full of features that your kids will love, as well as features you’ll love as a parent. Two of the popular cell phones for children are Firefly phones and Kajeet Phones.

In order to make your decision you’ll want to do a little research. There are features prevalent in one phone that may not be in another phone. Think about your needs as a parent, and your child’s needs to pick the cell phone that will work best for your family.

Firefly Phones

The Firefly phone is a fairly simple cell phone for kids. It does not have a keypad, but just five buttons. There is also no camera or some other things you may be used to having on your own phone. That is ok with younger children who will just be happy they have their own phone!

One feature your children will love is that the covers of the phone are interchangeable. If they want a blue phone one day and a red phone the next, it is a simple matter of changing a “skin.” This sort of customization is exactly what children need, and a Firefly phone provides this.

You will like the Firefly Kids cell phone because there are two designated buttons for your child to call you. That is a huge plus if your child has a hard time remembering numbers or needs to call quickly in case of an emergency.

Another huge plus is that there is an emergency button for one-touch phone calls to 911. That definitely adds some peace of mind for the safe use of children’s cell phones!

The Firefly cell phone is a great choice for you if you like simplicity. There is a phone book and other helpful features, but nothing that gets in the way of this being a very useful cell phone for children.

If your children are keen on the idea of being able to send text messages to their friends, they will not be able to do so with the Firefly mobile phone. Again, they may be so excited with having their very own phone that they may not even notice.

The Firefly offers a prepaid plan and one with a contract. Parents who want to maintain control of how long their children are talking on the phone will want to buy the Firefly prepaid phone rather than the version with a contract.

Pros of the Firefly Cell Phone

Simple, 5 button navigation
Emergency Mom and Dad buttons
One touch 911 Button
Prepaid or Contract Plans
Changeable Skins

Cons of the Firefly Cell Phone

No ability to Text Message
May be Too Simple for Some
Has a Small Learning Curve

Kajeet Phones

Another option in the world of cell phones for kids comes from Kajeet Phones. A Kajeet phone allows parents to provide all of the limitations on the child’s phone, rather than the company making a more limited cell phone.

A Kajeet cell phone has the Kajeet Navigator. This is a web software application. Another unique part of the Kajeet phone is the Configurator. This is a Web-based application that you can get to from your home computer.

In the Configurator, parents can set approved and blocked numbers. This is especially important if you want to maintain safe use of cell phones for children.

For parents who are especially concerned, you can also view sent and received calls. This can be important if you’re worried that your child is contacting something they should not be.

Kajeet phones seem to be geared toward helping children learn how to live in the real world. One way they do this is by having wallets in the Configurator. In these wallets, your kids can earn how to manage their money and the amount that is going into the cell phone plan.

Kajeet is a pre-paid service, so it is a great learning tool for your children to see how many minutes they have left and come up with better ways they could be using them.

Your kids will want a Kajeet phone because they’ve recently partnered with Nickelodeon! They can get ring tones, games, and images all with a Nickelodeon theme. So many children love Spongebob and Rugrats that they’ll flip for this service.

Kajeet phones allow for text messaging which is all the rage among kids and teenagers these days. The main goal of the Kajeet service seems to be teaching kids responsibility, while still giving them a great full-featured cell phone for children.

Pros of the Kajeet Phone
Full Featured
Parents decide how much or how little freedom their children have.
Nickelodeon themes
Text messaging capability
Teaches Responsibility

Cons of the Kajeet Phone
May offer too much freedom
Not as easy to use for younger children
Has a learning curve

Which Phone is Right for My Child?

Firefly phones and Kajeet Phones are both wonderful in their own way. Weigh the pros and cons of each to make your decision. Regardless of which cell phone you choose, your child will thank you and you will feel great for taking part in safe use of cell phones for children.

About The Author

Emi Light

For more info on technology for children (including where to find great discounts), visit http://BestKidTechnology.wordpress.com and http://BestComputerBuy.wordpress.com.

Electronic Graphic Organizers for Brainstorming

by: Ajeet Khurana

The teachers of the world invariably stay away from technology when it comes to teaching their students. They had to stay extremely organized in order to produce easy to understand graphs, charts, and other forms of graphic learning material. If a graph got messed up during an exercise or lecture, they were out of luck and had to move on and start again on a fresh sheet. Now, that isn't the case anymore. New electronic graphic organizers are available which make life much easier for teachers and help students to learn far more effectively.

SmartDraw Electronic Graphic Organizer

SmartDraw has a new piece of software that offers full capability for teachers who have little idea of the computer. Instead of just going along with the old, bland templates of the past, teachers can now create graphic organizers with this software. They can take previous examples and make the necessary modifications in order to ensure that their students get the point.

This product is one of the most revolutionary ones on the market because of some of its teacher-friendly functions. They get to choose from more than one hundred of what SmartDraw refers to as "SmartTemplates", which are specially designed applications that can be changed and quickly saved by a teacher. In addition to that, the product is easily obtainable. With a quick download, you will have the software. After that, you will be on your way to creating top notch applications for teaching and presentations using this software.

MatchWare Open Mind 2

Also taking the electronic market by storm is MatchWare, who has introduced its new Open Mind 2 organizing product. This software is a professional looking mind mapping application that enables you to create your own professional looking presentations with a lot of ease. With this new software, ideas can be turned into great looking graphic presentations in the matter of a little while. That flexibility and quickness is important for those people that do not have too many spare minutes.

This product has drawn rave reviews from many of the customers who have had a chance to get their hands on it. It allows for quick use and it one of the easiest systems to follow. Because it is fully compatible with Microsoft Windows and it has full integration properties, there should be no problem getting it up and running. The only problem with this product is figuring out which of the many applications to use. From the mind mapping software to the time table making ability, there is always a new feature to try out.

Just like other electronic graphic organizers, MatchWare Open Mind 2 can be quickly downloaded on the Internet with little trouble. This means that you can be creating great looking documents not too long after you bring home the product.

Tinderbox

For those folks that want a highly functional piece of software that is both powerful and easy to use, Tinderbox is a great option. When compared to the other programs on the market, this one is extremely deep and has a lot of capability. Though it may not be as flashy as some of its competitors, this piece of software is a stolid worker if you want your job done. Regardless of what kind of graphic presentation that you need to put together, there is an application within Tinderbox that will help you create it.

Tinderbox prides itself on providing products that are easy to use and state of the art. The product comes with a great deal of assistance in case you happen to run into any snags along the way. Because of the depth and overall capability of the application, you might end up having some questions about various features. That is all right, as there is included a help section which should give you your answers.

Tinderbox also claims that its product is one of the fastest on the market. There are features included in this product that make it very easy to get work done quickly. You won't be waiting around when you see that some work must get done.


These three products are some of the top electronic organizers on the web today. Each one offers something that is unique and can help bring something special to any presentation. When you are looking to get across a point involving some data, how do you achieve that then through visual, good looking presentation material? With a lightning quick download of any of these products, you can be on the way to creating terrific presentations that will surprise even you. Regardless of whether you are teaching English to a bunch of 7th graders or presenting a business proposal to a set of new clients, you will find great use in these products.

About The Author

Ajeet Khurana

Did you know that graphic organisers are effective tools. Visit http://www.graphic.org/ And did you know that graphic organizers at http://www.graphic.org/goindex.html also make an effective brainstorming web at http://www.graphic.org/brainst.html

Cell Phones for Children- 4 Options

by: Emi Light

There was a time that many parents balked at the idea of buying their child a cell phone. Fortunately, many now see that cell phones are the best way for your busy kids to contact you and for you to keep tabs on them. How do you choose which cell phone to buy them with all of the great options out there?

It is important that you do your research and think about the needs of your child as well as what you want out of the phone. All of the companies claim to have a superior product, but you should do a little digging in order to see beyond the hype. There are several brands to choose from. Some of the most popular include:

Firefly Phones
Kajeet Phones
LG Migo
Leapfrog’s Tic Talk phone.

Firefly Phones

The Firefly cell phone is a great option. It is very simple to use because it actually doesn’t have a camera, MP3 player, or video. This phone doesn’t weigh very much as a direct result of losing those features. This will be a relief for many kids and parents as we are used to having to carry quite a bit for our busy lives.

The Firefly kid’s cell phone has a neat display screen that will show how much battery power is left as well as the signal strength that is available. For those parents who are worried about their children answering from unknown callers, phone number ID is displayed for incoming calls.

Your kids may not care so much about the actually functionality of the phone, but they’ll all want their Firefly mobile phone to look cool. There are some neat color skins that you can purchase for your kids to instantly change the look of their cell phone.

The Firefly kids cell phone is a wonderful option for you if you want to have a lot of control over the phone calls your children make and receive. There is no need to worry that your child will spend hours and hours talking on their phone. Parents can control who can call in. This function offers a great piece of mind.

Despite those great features, there are many people who will not be happy with the Firefly prepaid phone. It is missing many of the “cool” features your children have come to appreciate and enjoy. There is no way to organize the phone or send text messages.

Kajeet Phones

Another phone you may want to consider is from Kajeet phones. This phone is unique in that it was designed by parents and beta tested by kids.

Many parents who’ve tested this phone have been very impressed with all that it offers. It can be very dangerous to just give your child a regular cell phone. With regular phones they can call anyone and receive calls from anyone. Kajeet phones really helps to eliminate this problem.

With this phone you can set whom your kids can call. This is important if you don’t want them wasting away their minutes on calling friends for hours on end. Another neat feature is the ability to set the hours when your children can make phone calls.

There are some children who will try and sneak in calls here and there at school. With Kajeet phones you can allow them to call home and 911, but block all other calls during the school day.

Another great feature is that you can give your children a phone allowance. They may miss the ability to buy ringtones and other “fun” things. With Kajeet phone’s cell phone allowance they will have the ability to buy these things if you want them to. Once they’ve spent their allotment, they cannot spend any more money until you’re ready for them to.

Kajeet phones are neat because they’ve really listened to their target audience and their parents. Even a quick visit to their website show that they really do pay attention to what kids in this day and age need and want.


LG Migo Phone

The LG Migo phone is another option in the world of cell phones for kids. It is a bright green color that will immediately attract children who want a cool looking phone to impress their friends. This phone is geared towards a slightly younger audience, which is something to keep in mind.

The phone has five speed dial buttons that you can program. This is a great option for younger children who are unable to remember phone numbers.

LG Migo also has a Chaperone service that is ideal for parents. The system acts as a kind of GPS device. You set the boundaries that are ok for your child to be in. If they leave that area your phone will be notified with a text message. This is something to keep in mind for safe use of cell phones for children

Leapfrog’s TicTalk Phone

Another entry into the world of cell phones for children is Leapfrog’s Tic Talk phone. The TicTalk phone is probably one of the most unique looking cell phones out there. It looks a bit like a stopwatch and is very durable. This is a good model for parents who are worried that their children will immediately break the phone. Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone should stand up to even the most active of children.

The TicTalk works by scrolling through numbers in a phonebook. There is no dialing involved for the child. This may or may not be easy to get used to, but can actually be quite convenient once they learn the ropes.

Parents set the actual phone up online. This is a great way to add convenience for those who prefer the simplicity of typing online.


Kids will want to scoop Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone up because it has games on it that are pre-installed by Leapfrog. The phone is overall more full featured than some other cell phones for kids that are available today.


How Should I Choose?

There are many different cell phones for children that are on the market today. It is up to you and your child to decide which features are the most valuable to you. Your first priority should be the safe use of cell phones for children. Then, pick the best option for your family.

About The Author

Emi Light

For more info on technology for children (including where to find great discounts), visit http://BestKidTechnology.wordpress.com and http://BestComputerBuy.wordpress.com.

Free Cell Phones, How can you find the Best Cellphone Deals?

by: Daryl Plaza

Free Cell Phones, How can you find the Best Cellphone Deals?

Have you had a chance to look at any of the cell phone offers lately? The free cell phone offers that are available today are very imaginable. Some of them you have heard of and some you haven't. Just about every cell phone provider will give you a free cell phone when you sign up for their service such as Samsung, Verizon, Motorola, U.S. Cellular and Sprint just to name a few. Here are some examples of some of the companies that you can choose from to get a honey of a deal:

AT & T

This company has a free pink RAZR cell phone when you open a new account. Free shipping is offered as well as a Bluetooth headset when you arrange to have service with them.

1.) Another free cell phone that you can get when you open a new account with AT & T is a Black Berry pearl red phone.

2.)When you activate a new account with AT & T, you can get a free Motorola V3 RAZR, which is valued at $320.b.

3.)You will also be able to choose a Sony Walkman style phone when you open a cell phone account with AT & T.

T Mobile

This company offers a free Nokia wireless cell phone if you sign up for their service. This offer includes free FedEx shipping.

Sprint

If you activate a new cell phone account with Sprint, they will give you a free Sanyo Katana II pink cell phone that has a value of $199.

1.)When you activate an account with Sprint, you also have the choice of a free Samsung M300 red cell phone which includes a Jabra Bluetooth headset.

2.)You can get a Samsung Upstage M620 that retails for $99.99 but after the activation and mail in rebates, you end up getting this cell phone for free.

Verizon

You can receive an LG Chocolate cell phone, valued at $299, for the price of $49.99. However, after your service is activated with them and you send in your rebates, your will get the cell phone for free.

These carriers are just a few of the best cellphone deals that are available today. If you do a Google search, you will find that the offers are numerous. Your e-mail box is probably full of offers from different cell phone companies that are offering their best free cell phone deals as well as cheap cellular phone deals on a daily basis.

Since so many cell phone companies are competing for your business, cell phones have become much more affordable over the last several years. If you are only concerned about using a cell phone for emergencies there are cell phone plans that are available that have as little as 450 minutes a month at a very reasonable cost. Various agencies have cell phones that only have 911 services if you just want to use one in case of an extreme emergency.


One very good cheap cellular phone deal is a mobile plan where you are able to call others who have the same service as you have for free. This way you do not have to worry about using minutes when you talk to family and friends. Most of these companies will let you rollover any time you have left over. This kind of cell phone would be a great gift for your parents who live in another state. You will also have the peace of mind that they are all right since you will be able to call and check on them especially if they are elderly.

Just about every teenager in today's society thinks that a cell phone is an absolute necessity. It seems that all of their friends have them so they have to join the crowd! You can find affordable plans for your teenagers and even your pre-teens so as to avoid any embarrassment in front of their friends. There are many cell phone deals that offer a service that will allow you to choose so many friends and family that you may call for free. If you have watched TV lately, you will find that these plans have become quite popular.

If you are looking for affordability, then consider getting a family plan. A family plan works this way. You pay one price for a certain amount of minutes that are shared between two or more cell phones for just one price. There are some plans today that offer extra cell phones free when you decide to go with a family or shared plan. These are excellent ways to keep in touch with your spouse or your children especially in these days when everyone is so busy with school, work and all of those extracurricular activities.

If people happen to be traveling, they may be on the lookout for cheap cellular phone deals. This is truly a lifesaver if you happen to get lost or break down. Keeping safety in mind, it would be a good idea to keep a mobile phone in your car at night in case it would break down or if you are in an area that is not well traveled.

It is possible to track someone's whereabouts using their cell phone. For some people this can be seen as an invasion of privacy, but it can serve its purpose in the event there happens to be a kidnapping or an unexplained disappearance. Law enforcement personnel could use this tool wisely with the rising rate of child abductions.

Another good point about this technology would be to locate a relative who has Alzheimer's disease. If you have ever been put in the position of not being able to find your father, mother, grandfather or grandmother then a cell phone could give you peace of mind, which could end up being priceless! People with Alzheimer's disease tend to wander off and get lost. If you make sure that they have a cell phone with them, which could help you find them before any harm could come to them. The benefit that you may be able to find your loved one far outweighs any idea that you may be intruding on someone's privacy.

This feature that comes on your cell phone can be disabled if you wish. As with any technology, there are ways to disable anything you do not wish to have activated on your cell phone. Just give this some careful thought before you do this, as it can really be a valuable tool down the road. There can be abuse with this feature, but that is true with just about anything today.

Free cell phone deals are constantly changing. The best way to find the right deal for you is to decide what you are going to use the cell phone for and how much you are going to need it. Then you can do a comparison of all the different plans that are available and see which one is better suited for your budget. Then that will be the right cell phone for you!

About The Author

Daryl Plaza the regular contributor to http://CellphoneEasyCalls.com an informational website designed to help the consumer learn more about Cell phones , cellphone plans and accessories.

Hearing Impaired Phones Help Millions Communicate

by: Chris Robertson

We live in a society that is more dependent upon communication technology than at any other time in human history. And, with one out of ten people living with a hearing loss, it's critically important to ensure that technology is readily adaptable to people who have mild to severe hearing loss.

Thankfully, there are a number of hearing impaired phones on the market that are designed to keep everyone in the communication loop. A wide range of amplified phones is available, including both corded phones and cordless phones. If you are interested in buying hearing impaired phones, here are some brands and models to consider:

GE: If you, a coworker, or a loved one suffers from moderate to severe hearing loss and also has vision problems, GE's big button amplified phones may be the answer. The phones have graphic equalizers that can customize the phone for a person's hearing loss, and have ringer amplification up to 90dB and a handset boost up to 40dB. The amplified base speakerphone works like a charm, and an enhanced visual ringer and vibrating alert ensures that no calls are missed.

For users with mild hearing loss, GE offers a wonderful cordless audio boost phone. Its oversized ear seal helps hearing capability, and the hearing aid-compatible phone provides a 20dB gain. In addition, its backlit keypad, large buttons, and large LCD display are invaluable to those who are also sight-impaired.

Clarity: Clarity's line of corded phones are known for amplifying only the sounds the listener wants to hear while reducing irrelevant and unwanted background noise. With an audio output jack that can be connected to a headset, a neck loop, or a cochlear implant, the phones can amplify an incoming voice for a 60dB gain. Plus, they're fully compatible with hearing aids.

ClearSounds: ClearSounds offers hearing impaired cordless phones that are perfect for people who need the versatility and mobility that cordless phones offer. With amplification up to 50dB, the phones have tone controls that affect both low and high frequencies. With a vibrating alert in the handset and a loud ringer in both the base and the handset, calls won't be missed.

Ameriphone: Ameriphone offers a variety of amplified corded phones that both increase volume and make words clearer and easier to understand. Slide control gives the moderately hearing impaired user the ability to adjust the tone range, while large, backlit buttons make it easy for those with impaired vision to dial.

Of course, corded phones and cordless phones are only one type of technology that can assist those with hearing impairments. TTY/TDD phones are vital for some people, while warning devices like smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and weather alert radios can save lives. Similarly, knock sensors, light alerts, and bed shakers can make the lives of those with hearing impairments easier.

Hearing impaired phones are made by a variety of manufacturers and have myriad features. In order to find the right phone to fit your needs, shop with a reputable online store that has sales associates who are both knowledgeable and who are eager to help.

About The Author

Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. Majon International is one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing and internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business resource web site at: http://www.majon.com

To learn more about subjects like Hearing Impaired Phones please visit the web site at: http://www.thephoneresource.com

For more information and informative related articles and links about this subject matter and content, please visit Majon's Communications directory: http://www.majon.com/directory/Communications

The Army-Ant in Technology

by: Harun Yahya

Then, when they reached the Valley of the Ants, an ant said: “Ants! Enter your dwellings, so that Sulayman and his troops do not crush you unwittingly.” (Qur’an, 27:18)

The “Valley of the Ants” refers to a special place and special ants. In addition, the fact that Prophet Sulayman (as) could hear the ants talking among themselves may contain striking references to future developments in computer technology. The present-day term “Silicon Valley” refers to the centre of the world of technology. It is most significant that a “valley of the ants” appears in the account of Prophet Sulayman’s (as) life. Allah may be drawing our attention to the advanced technology of the future.

Furthermore, ants and other insect species are widely used in advanced technology as models in robot projects and are intended to serve in a wide range of areas, from the defence industry to technology. The verse may also be referring to these developments.

Latest Developments in Miniature Technology: Army-Ant Robots

The best known project using ants as a model are the “Army-Ant Robot” projects being carried out independently in several countries. One study being carried out by the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Virginia State University seeks to develop small, inexpensive, and simple physically identical robots that can be used as a robot army. Project officials explain these robots’ functionality in the following terms: “The way they behave as a group, in a coordinated manner, perform a series of physical actions, and take joint decisions.” These robot armies’ mechanical and electrical designs have been based on the behaviour of an ant community. They are called the “army-ant” robots because of their similarities to their insect counterparts.

The “army-ant” robot system was originally designed as a “material-carrying system.” According to this scenario, several small robots would be charged with jointly lifting and carrying objects. It was later decided that they could be used for other tasks. One report describes other tasks to which they might be assigned in the future:

Nuclear and hazardous waste cleanup with robotic “swarms,” mining (including material removal and search-and-rescue), mine sweeping (both land and water), surveillance and sentry, planetary surface exploration and excavation. 1

In a report by Israel A. Wagner, an expert on ant robot technology, the ant robot projects were described in these terms:

Ant-robots are simple physical or virtual creatures designed to cooperate in order to achieve a common goal. They are assumed to have very limited resources of energy, sensing and computing, and to communicate via traces left in the workspace or on the ground, like many insects naturally do…

The distribution of work among multiple a(ge)nts can be made by either a central controller who sends orders to the agents, or by an a-priori agreement on a certain partitioning that, if obeyed by the agents, eventually leads to a completion of the given mission. A third way, used throughout the current work, is to design the behavior of individuals such that cooperation will naturally emerge in the course of their work, without making a-priori decisions on the structure of the cooperation. The specific application that we address is covering, which is also known as exploring or searching. This variety of names hints to the many applications this problem might have: from cleaning the floor of a house to mapping an unknown planet or demining a mine field. 2

As can be seen in these examples, an ant’s social lifestyle forms the basis of many projects, and the various ant-based robot technologies are providing benefits for human beings. That is why it is so important that ants and their valley are referred to in the Qur’anic account of Prophet Sulayman’s (as) life. The term “ants” in the verse may refer to an army consisting of robots, future developments in robot technology, and how robots will play an important role in human life. For example, they may perform many arduous tasks and thus make people’s lives more comfortable. (Allah knows best.)

1- John S. Bay, “Design of the ‘Army Ant’ Cooperative Lifting Robot,” http://armyant.ee.vt.edu/paper/robo_mag.html.

2- Israel A. Wagner, “My Travels With my A(u)nts: Distributed Ant Robotics,” www.cs.technion.ac.il/~wagner/pub/thesis_abs_eng.html.

About The Author

Under the pen name of Harun Yahya, Adnan Oktar has written some 250 works. His books contain a total of 46,000 pages and 31,500 illustrations. Of these books, 7,000 pages and 6,000 illustrations deal with the collapse of the Theory of Evolution. You can read, free of charge, all the books Adnan Oktar has written under the pen name Harun Yahya on these websites http://www.harunyahya.com

Ipod Cases

by: Kelvin Hall

As we've seen, the design and manufacture of iPod cases is in itself a growth industry. The first crop of cases is the "Hope" line, in which $3 of each of the seven models sold—including the Remix Metal and Sport Armband for iPod nano—will go to the Susan G. The difference between high-quality and low-quality iPod cases is generally apparent pretty quickly: fit and finish, materials, and “feel in the hand” tend to be a lot better on the higher-quality cases. The detailing on the cases is particularly charming, with some of them having divine little touches such as satin bows, felt buttons, flowers, or embroidery.Handmade cases can command a price premium over standard cases, and branded fashion a premium over even handmade cases. There are so many protective cases for your iPod that wading through the options can be daunting and the range of iPod cases is too wide, seductive and cost effective to be neglected.

iPod cases can also come in a variety of different materials, ranging from leather, to hard cover cases ,to silicone type iPod cases. New iPod armbands also have a casing to place your iPod in, instead of a clip to clip it on. The best use for these types of cases however, is for people who are constantly on the go and who love to use their iPod to workout with.

PDA-ish cases are a tired breed, and aside from its use of a quality Nappa leather exterior and complementing suede interior, Venom mini is highly similar to other cases we’ve seen. A standard PDA case keeps your iPod on your belt when it’s opened, which has the virtue of not tugging on your headphone cord like Venom mini, but the disadvantage of being much harder to see and use. However, if you’re thinking of buying one of the cases, you’re likely doing so for the name and the workmanship.

If you've ever wanted to listen to your iPod while swimming, snorkeling or navigating an inhospitable environment then the H20 Audio line of Waterproof iPod cases is for you. H2O's patented case design is complete with a Commander™ Scroll Wheel control assembly, allowing seamless song switching even while wearing gloves. Capable of depths of up to 10 feet (or 200 feet using the DV model), the H2O Audio iPod Cases are highly recommended when you can't let a simple thing like Level 4 white water rapids deprive you of your rocking tunes. The case is a water tight compartment, lined with what they call a "T Seal" type of gasket. By using a dual locking hinge system, H2O is able to ensure a tight compression around the entire iPod thereby keeping water out.

About The Author

Kelvin Hall works in the electronic industry and promotes devices that enter the market. If you would like to find out more about ipods visit: http://ww.theipodcorner.com

Optical Zoom Versus Digital Zoom

by: Paul Casinelli

A common misconception of digital camcorders is the advertising component known as "total zoom". This is the combination of Optical Zoom + Digital Zoom. It is important to fully understand the values and disadvantages of both types.

Selecting a camcorder with a respectably higher optical zoom can lead to more effective video shooting and clearer picture results. It enlarges a picture using the actual lenses. It will allow you to capture a video from a farther distance without losing picture quality.

Digital zoom, on the other hand, will allow you to enlarge a picture but consequentially will reduce the overall picture quality. The word Digital refers to enlarging the picture "artificially". It selects the specific area of the picture you would like to capture and enlarges it.

It is important to select a digital camcorder that will meet your specific needs. If you are interested in recording videos at a distance such as sporting events or a scenic route, it would be important to own a camcorder that will allow you to capture a clear and concise picture when using the zoom feature. However, if your budget and recording intentions are lower, most zoom capabilities will still be effective.

For a selection of affordable digital camcorders that feature both clear picture quality and impressive optical zooming options, visit http://www.camcorderhut.com/Digital_Camcorders.html . It is important to choose a camcorder with large optical zoom, but this is not the only feature that you should consider when purchasing. Be sure to research shooting modes (wide screen or full screen), and other technology available today!

About The Author

Paul Casinelli

Camcorder Hut.com sells affordable and brand name digital camcorders, camcorder cases and camcorder bags, as well as camcorder accessories. As a company they strive to offer customers informative digital camcorder information in addition to low priced items.

Please visit http://www.camcorderhut.com for great deals on digital camcorders as well as other informative articles regarding digital camcorders!