Archive for June, 2006

Fujifilm Finepix A330 - Great at Macro Imaging

Fujifilm Finepix A330Wildlife photography has been my daughter Sonia’s childhood passion. Now she has added a new dimension to it. She has been studying insects and wants to create an archive of the images of the various species of insects she’s been studying. [Read more]


The Fuji Finepix S5000 - An expert at capturing distant subjects

Fuji Finepix S5000Mary and I met for coffee after not seeing each other for a few years. “How’s your work going? I asked, a bit curious about what she’s been up to since she is a friend I admire so much for her numberous accomplishments.  [Read more]


The slim ’n’ stylish Casio Exilim Z55

Casio Exilim Z55The things that really grab the attention of Mariah, the coolest lady in our neighborhood, are real cool and stylish gadgets and fast convertibles. That is what her cousin, John, told me once. That is why she sports a sleek Mercedes convertible, a razor thin cell phone, stilettos, and only eats salads for lunch.  [Read more]


Casio Exilim EX-Z30 takes image streaming to a whole new level

Casio Exilim EX-Z30“I wanted to send some images of our college excursion to Susan, my sis. When I told her so over the phone, she said, “I am bored of still photos. So don’t send me any.” Though I debated with her about it for sometime, I too wanted to find a new way to record the special moments of our trip.  [Read more]


Chrysler planning to offer employee discounts this summer

Chrysler is gearing up to offer employee discounts to consumers this summer in an effort to reduce their 2006 inventory and make room for 2007 models. Chrysler has been having a lot of problems moving their trucks and SUVs because of fierce competition from imports as well as the popular GM and ford truck and SUV brands.  [Read more]


The web-friendly Casio Exilim Z4U

Casio Exilim Z4UMy business partner Mary came up with the idea of creating an image album on our travelogue website. “I want to find an easy way to create a photo album on our site,” she told me and my wife Martha, the other day. Martha, a shutterbug by passion, came up with an instant solution. “Get hold of a Casio Exilim Z4U.  [Read more]


Casio Exilim Z10 - Easy to operate

Casio Exilim Z10Grandmother is going globetrotting, and everyone in the family is busy helping her gear up for her big flight. Dad is planning her trip, Moms packing her bags, Sis is readying her safety kit, and uncle is getting her passport and visa details. So what am I to do?  [Read more]


Manage your mortgage and save a bunch

Are you just paying your mortgage and other home equity lines of credit without looking into how you can manage your debt to put money in your pocket? This article is perfect for you if you have multiple Home-equity lines of credit, have up to 20% equity in your home, or have paid off your home and wondering what to do next. [Read more]


Businessweek Online and eLearners.com teaming up to offer online education

There is a boom in online education especially among professionals who would like to improve their careers by learning new skills or a higher university degree. Aferall it has been proven that professionals with higher levels of education generally earn more than their counterparts who do not have the same level of education. eLearners.com and Businessweek online have teamed up to offer the readers of Businessweek Online the opportunity to learn online.  [Read more]


An experienced professional can still benefit from an online education

Business executives are finding out that an extensive business experience does not necessarily mean that they have all the skills they need to fully understand all aspects of their business. Surely, there is division of labor in most corporate settings, but knowledge of how various aspects of business operate is bound to greatly improve one’s value in an organization as well as greatly enhance one’s ability to better understand and implement business strategies.  [Read more]


Are you forcing your kids to inhale the smoke from your cigarette?

Sure you may wind down your window when you smoking and driving. Sure you go outside to smoke a few sticks after dinner and junior comes outside to hand out with you and catch that cool breeze. Sure you bark at him when he tries to pick up your cigarette butts.  [Read more]


Cholesterol-lowering drugs may reduce the risk of developing nuclear cataracts

One of the eye diseases that strike people as they age is cataracts - the clouding of the lens of the eye. Studies show that if you have more antioxidants in your diet, your chances of developing cataracts as you get older significantly diminishes.  [Read more]


Sanyo VPC-J1 Xacti - A Pro at capturing great images

Sanyo VPC-J1 Xacti“Rosalene, your assignment is aimed at getting the best images of the places you are visiting. I want the presentation to be perfect when you are back,” said Robert, my boss. “Yes, boss. Don’t worry I’ll get the job done with my Sanyo VPC-J1 Xacti.”  [Read more]


The two-in-one Sanyo VPC C4 is a perfect travel mate

Sanyo VPC C4Travelling light is very important for my dad. A few weeks ago he said, “Hey Jenny, can you find out about a handy digital camera I could carry for my summer trip to the hills. I am too old to carry too much.” So yesterday, I told him about the two-in-one Sanyo VPC C4. However, Dad was a bit difficult to convince.  [Read more]


Sony Ericsson K610im - Putting the internet in our hands

Sony Ericsson K610imFinally, Sony Ericsson has made a move that has proven to everyone that they understand mobile telephone trends. The K610im is equipped to handle iMail, Web browsing, iMMS. The phone is also equipped with a 2 Megapixel camera.  [Read more]


Blu-Ray Equipped Sony Vaio AR Premium Has Been Launched

Sony Vaio AR PremiumDVD Player buffs and video editing ethusiasts will love the new Sony Vaio AR Premium, but not its $3,500 price tag. The video quality on this Sony laptop is yet to be matched by any other laptop in its category. It is loaded with the latest technology, and a lot of bells and whistles, but its battery will not last beyond 30 minutes if you are watching a DVD.  [Read more]


Educators to be first to test the $100 Laptop

Laptop-crankEducators will be the first to test the $100 Laptop that only needs cranking to generate the electricity that powers it. And the testing will take place at the National Educational Computing Conference scheduled to take place in San Diego, July 5 through the 7th.  [Read more]


SSP-M4SV -A Skype Conferencing Device

SSP-M4SV -A Skype Conferencing DeviceGetting four people on a conference call using one Skpe Account is now a cinch. The SSP-M4SV Multi Conference device is your ticket to reducing the cost of conference calls. Chatting with friends, family members, and business associates has just been made much easier. [Read more]


Vonage sued by Verizon over alleged patent infringement

It seems Vonage is having a hard time these days. The same week it announces its IPO, Skype declares that it is offering a free phone calls to U.S. and Canada. And now this - Verizon claiming in a lawsuit filed on June 12 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, that Vonage infringed on seven of its VoIP patents.  [Read more]


Capture crystal clear images with the Casio QV-R62

Casio QV-R62Susan, my sweet wife, and I agreed when we were about to have our first baby, that Special moments must be captured forever. “But I would love to be get ready for when our baby comes so that we never miss one precious moment. And I’m afraid the clunker we have now just won’t do.”  [Read more]


Casio QV R40 - Leading the point and shoot category

Casio QV R40My Friend and colleague, Peter, had a distant look in his eyes. I knew what he was daydreaming about: the Alps. After a hectic year, he was finally taking a summer trip to the Alps. “It’s the mountains that you are gazing at?” I nudged him. Peter smiled and said, “Not really, Sam. I am imagining what it would be like taking those awesome shots with my new Casio QV-R40, a 4.0 megapixel digital camera.”  [Read more]


Toyota Avalon and Chevy Impala are rated “Good” for Side Impact Safety

2006 Toyota AvalonThe most recent car crash tests conducted by the private car crash testing organization, Insurance Institute of Highway safety, have declared Toyota Avalon and Chevy Impala their best cars for side impact safety. The test conduct by the institute is different from the side impact safety test conducted by the government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  [Read more]


Starter-Interrupt Device Is The New High-tech Repo Man

Starter-InterrupterIs it a matter of time before the Repo man becomes extinct? It certainly looks like it, especially if the rate at which auto dealerships adopt a new high tech gadget that lets them sell cars to customers with poor credit scores. The new device, known as a Starter-Interrupter…  [Read more]


E-Commerce University Now Offering Ecommerce Law Programs

Ecommerce is a relatively new and untamed arena that keeps changing by the day. New laws, policies and regulations from multiple regions of the world have made online business quite a minefield to navigate for most well-established companies. This is where E-commerce University has carved its own niche. [Read more]


Nikon Coolpix 7900 - Confidence, Elegance and Performance

Nikon Coolpix 7900Camera X enters the room, looking smug and nose high up in the air. Nikon Coolpix 7900 is sitting by the window, a petite frame with sleek looks. Camera X pokes Nikon in the ribs and says haughtily: Hey you! Move out of my way.  [Read more]


Nikon Coolpix 5900 - Easy operations, exquisite pictures

Nikon Coolpix 5900Rick: Don’t you think you are too hung up on the Nikon Coolpix 5900? I simply cannot understand what the hullabaloo is all about? And why can’t we buy any other model?  [Read more]


Nikon Coolpix 3700 - Born to deliver crystal clear pictures

Nikon Coolpix 3700Miranda did not attend Eminem’s live concert, but she is not that upset about missing out on the chance of a lifetime to watch Eminem up close and personal. You see she has just got hold of the pictures and video clips that her brother shot on his Nikon Coolpix 3700 during the show and they are as good as the real thing, even better, as Miranda would like her friends to believe.  [Read more]


Nikon Coolpix 2200 - A Beginner’s Best Bet

Nikon Coolpix 2200Bob Gatting has set out to teach his high school-going son, Roby, the basics of digital photography. And he has chosen the Nikon Coolpix 2200 for the job. A 2.0-megapixel resolution means that pictures come out with quite impressive colors and detailing while Roby gets the pleasure of blowing them up to beautiful 8″x10″ prints.  [Read more]


Coffee Could Protect You From Liver Disease

Coffee is at it again - dispelling that old notion that it is bad for you. If there are so many benefits to be derived from drinking coffee, why are decaffeinated beverages being hyped up so much? A study conducted by the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, in Oakland, California, suggests that their might be a link between drinking coffee and a reduced incidence of liver disease called Cirrhosis in heavy drinkers.  [Read more]


Caffeine May Not Be Bad After All

It was once thought that caffeine was bad for you, which then led to the explosion of decaffeinated beverage evangelists, and a windfall for beverage manufacturers who flooded grocery store shelves with everything decaffeinated, except water. Well, could it be that researchers did not look real deep into how caffeine affects our body? It may have gotten a bad rap, but it may be worth your while to look at the new findings by researchers at…  [Read more]


Green Tea Could Protect You Against Cancer

Yale University researchers have presented some evidence in the Journal of American College of Surgeons that seems to indicate that there could be a link between a healthy heart and lower cancer rates in Asian countries in spite of their higher smoking rate.  [Read more]


How to avoid car crash scams

Car crash scams account for an estimated $14 billion in bogus insurance claims, and a tremendous increase in insurance premiums for the rest of us. According to Los Angeles Times, LA ranks second to Miami in staging fake accidents. At the rate it is occurring in major cities, the police and insurance investigators are unable to keep up with the scammers.  [Read more]


Is Spam Over Internet Telephony Just Bogeyman Hysteria?

Have you read lately about concerns of what hackers and spammers will do with your VoIP if nothing is done to secure it? VoIP certainly has some shortcomings which of course include the fact that it is using the same platform - the internet - that hackers and spammers use to attack our email, privacy, etc. But is the fear justified, or is it simply excessive fear cooked up by the imaginations of those who see a nonexistent bogeyman? [Read more]


MusicGremlin - Download, play and share your music wirelessly

MusicGremlinThe MusicGremlin is a digital music player that seems to snatch music out of thin air and play it on your MP3 player - MusicGremlin’s MG1000. How do they do it you ask? Well, it is called WiFi. Yes, this baby uses WiFi to download music and allow you to share it with your friends, legally. [Read more]


How To Get A Free Klegg M6

Klegg MiniIf you don’t know about Klegg Surround Sound Systems, then you are not in tune with the coolest sound systems in the market today. Klegg is running a limited time offer. The offer is simple. All you need to do to get your free Klegg Mini is…  [Read more]


Casio Exilim EX S600 - The camera that speaks for itself

Casio Exilim EX S600Dear Jay,Seen the snaps? Do I need to tell you that I am having the time of my life at the Alps! I am skiing, snowboarding, gorging and merrily clicking away with my Casio Exilim EX S600. And honey, you have to try it out. [Read more]


Casio Exilim EX Z600 - Brilliant in outdoor photography

Casio Exilim EX Z600We were dead set against taking the Casio Exilim EX Z600 for our beach trip but our son, Will was adamant. Back from out trip, all brown and plump, we are glad that we gave in to his wishes.  [Read more]


Samsung Digimax S500 - Pleasure and performance

Samsung Digimax S500 The Samsung Digimax S500 is equipped with a true color-filtered 5.1 megapixel CCD, and it perfectly combines high picture resolution with a high precision 3x optical zoom lens. Its telephoto capability is extended by a 5x digital zoom giving it a maximum of 15x zoom.  [Read more]


Samsung Digimax A55W - A 5 megapixel powerhouse

Samsung Digimax A55WSamsung successfully widens its 5-megpaixel digital camera offerings with the introduction of its Digimax A55W. The camera is equipped with a 5x digital zoom and a 4.8x optical zoom. During playback, the camera has an additional 8x zoom to help you see the rich vibrant colors in the images you’ve captured.  [Read more]


Your VoIP privacy could soon be compromised

George Orwell’s book, 1984, is slowly but surely becoming our reality. The FCC has given VoIP providers until May 2007 to allow the wiretapping of calls that go over the internet, just as landline calls are monitored.  [Read more]


eBay integrating Skype into select auction categories

eBay is finally doing something with its expensive baby, Skype, acquired last September with $4.1 billion. In an effort to improve the communication between buyers and sellers on eBay, the company decided to leverage Skype by integrating it into 14 auction categories, which include…  [Read more]


Another Chrysler recall?

The Chrysler Group, part of the auto manufacturing giant, DiamlerChyrsler, announced another recall today, just days after its first recall on Monday where it announced that 111,600 Grand Cherokees made in 2003 and 2004 were being recalled because their heated front seats may catch on fire.  [Read more]


Toyota motors to double its Hybrid models by 2010

Toyota PriusToyota motors’ President, Katsuaki Watanbe, released a statement today that they are on course to overtake General Motors to become the world’s number one automobile manufacturer. Toyota currently manufactures 235,000 vehicles and plans to increase this number to 1 million cars by 2010.  [Read more]


There are solutions to your post-baby bulge

It is no secret that pregnancy can put a woman’s body through the wringer. . It is absolutely normal for a woman to gain a few pounds around the tummy area when she gets pregnant, but some women are better able to lose most of this fat with a little exercise and dieting.  [Read more]


Too many facial wrinkles could be a sign of lurking danger

Do you or a loved one have too many facial wrinkles? Of course we know that wrinkles just by themselves are a sign that your face is losing its elasticity with the passage of time, and this is quite normal. What is disturbing is that if you…  [Read more]


Samsung Digimax L50 - Includes more features in the 5 megapixel segment

Samsung Digimax L50Samsung Digimax L50 is a high-resolution 5 megapixel digital camera with a 3x optical zoom SHD lens. If you judge a camera by its size, you will certainly misjudge the Samsung Digimax L50.  [Read more]


Panasonic Lumix DMC LZ5 - Equipped with the best image stabilizer

Panasonic Lumix DMC LZ5Panasonic has launched the Lumix DMC LZ5 6 megapixel camera with a MEGA Optical Image Stabilizer, 6x optical zoom lens, and a 2.5-inch LCD screen. It also comes equipped with enhanced scene mode options which include the high sensitivity mode, which allows shooting at a maximum ISO1600.  [Read more]


Ricoh Capilo RR1 - Style and finesse

Ricoh Capilo RR1Cute and stylish are the words I’d use to describe the Ricoh Capilo RR1. This compact 4.13-Megapixel digital camera has three operating modes - digital still, voice and motion picture with audio. [Read more]


Pentax *ist DL2 - The amateur’s DSLR

Pentax *ist DL2 The Pentax *ist DL2  comes with a 6.1 effective megapixel sensor, 2.5″ LCD display, a pentax mirror optical viewfinder, the unique Pentax KAF Mount and a robust stainless steel finish.  [Read more]


Pentax Optio 50L - A marriage of simplicity and affordability

Pentax Optio 50L This light-weighted, smooth digital camera possesses a 5 megapixel sensor, 3x zoom (32 - 96mm in 35mm format), Pentax branded lens, contrast detection autofocus, and an interesting Macro Mode for taking pictures from as close as 2.4 inch.  [Read more]


HP Photosmart E327 – A fixed-focus beginner’s camera

HP Photosmart E327The HP Photosmart E327 is equipped with a 5 Megapixel CCD imager and an HP-branded fixed focus. It has a 4x digital zoom - enough to crop subjects tightly. Images are displayed on a 1.8-inches LCD screen. It does not have an optical viewfinder. [Read more]


Pentax K100D – Great for Pros and adored by amateurs

Pentax K 100D The Pentax K100D is a 6.1 megapixel camera with a 2.5” LCD display, the pentax mirror optical viewfinder as well as a Pentax KAF mount. The Shake reduction System virtually eliminated the need for a tripod.  [Read more]


Ricoh RDC i700 - Bringing the power of the internet to Photography

Ricoh RDC i700Ricoh RDC i700 is the world’s first Internet-Ready Digital Camera. The camera combines the digital imaging and power of the Internet to capture still, sounds, and videos that you can share wirelessly with anyone, at any time and from anywhere. [Read more]


HP Photosmart R725 – The sleek and smart 6 megapixel camera

HP Photosmart R725Smart mini digicams are in vogue these days and the 6 megapixel HP Photosmart R725 with a 6.5 to 9.5 lens (39 to 118 millimeters on 35-mm camera) is a serious contender in this category. It boasts a 2 inch LCD cum viewfinder and an 8x digital and 3x optical zoom that offers great clarity in 4 x 6 inch prints.  [Read more]


Panasonic Lumix DMC FX9 - The Perfect embodiment of function and design

Panasonic Lumix DMC FX9The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX9 is the latest addition to Panasonic’s family of digital cameras, and the perfect embodiment of function and design. This 6 megapixel camera comes in three colors - red, silver and black.  [Read more]


Polaroid i1032 - Perfect for beginners

Palaroid i1032Polaroid’s i1032 is a digital camera that is designed for beginners. This 10.0 Megapixel point and shoot digital camera comes with a price tag that is under $300 (Wal-Mart)and has few competitors in its class. [Read more]


Fuji Finepix S5100 – Digital Photography made easy

Fuji Finepix S5100The Fuji Finepix S5100 is a stylish 4.0 megapixel point-and-shoot SLR camera. It is equipped with a advanced manual features like continuous shooting, continuous auto-focus, shutter priority and aperture priority modes, and supports an impressive 10x optical zoom.  [Read more]


Sony Alpha A100 – The first to use dynamic range optimization

Sony Alpha A100The Alpha A100 is Sony’s first digital single lens reflex camera. This DSLR is equipped with a 10.2 Megapixel APS CCD image sensor along with a Bionz image processor. The DSLR has a superb Eye Start auto focus system that fully utilizes a proximity sensor on the viewfinder in order to find out when it is in use. This Alpha A100 is the first to make use of the dynamic range optimization technology.  [Read more]


Epson R-D1 – The camera with the world’s first 1x viewfinder

Epson R D1The Epson R D1 is a first grade rangefinder digital camera featuring a 6.1 Megapixel APS-C sized CCD image sensor. It offers both RAW (.ERF) and JPEG file formats. This Epson digital device can store images on SD memory cards and has a shutter speed range of 1sec to 1/2000 sec. [Read more]


Olympus MJU 700 - Waterproof and sophisticated

Olympus MJU 700The Olympus MJU 700 is a 7 Megapixel digital camera with a 3x optical zoom lens. Its waterproof casing and its technological prowess coupled with its stylish appearance make it a darling among both novice and professional photographers. [Read more]


Canon Ixus 50 - A marriage of performance and design

Canon Ixus 50 The Canon Ixus 50 is a digital camera with a good blend of performance and superior design. It comes equipped with a capable viewfinder and a 2-inch LCD screen with a brightness control system… [Read more]


Sanyo VPC AZ3 - Light, handy and effective

Sanyo VPC AZ3 Sanyo’s VPC AZ3 digital camera is exactly what you’d expect a digital camera to be. Its 3x optical zoom is capable of caputuring both images that are faraway as well as those that are close up. It also supports burst shooting of up to nine consecutive shots at 4 megapixel resolution.  [Read more]


Pentax Optio E10 - ‘Easy to Use’ and reasonably priced

Pentax Optio E10Simplicity is the only word, which can be used to describe Pentax Optio E10. The camera is solely meant for those who do not want to delve into the confusion of problematic settings and menus.  [Read more]


Casio EX-P600 Exilim Pro - Designed For No-brainer Photography

Casio EX-P600 Exilim ProThe Casio EX-P600 Exilim Pro is a compact and superior performer. It is 6 Megapixel camera that is equipped with a powerful a 4x optical zoom lens and an enormous 2-inch color LCD screen. When it comes to no-brainer photography, the Casio EX-P600 Exilim Pro is designed to turn novices into Pros. [Read more]


Dell now offering Skype on its XPS line of PCs

On Wednesday, Dell announced that they have teamed up with Skype to pre-install Skype software with Dell XPS mobile systems on all its XPS line of products, which include, the XPS M1210 and the XPS M2010. This alliance will make it much easier for Dell computer owners to more easily integrate both hardware and software designed around Skype’s VoIP service. [Read more]


HP PhotoSmart 435 - The handy ‘point and shoot’ camera

HP PhotoSmart 435If you were looking for an all-purpose ‘point and shoot digital camera’ then the HP PhotoSmart 435 is your best choice. It is a 3.1 Megapixel camera, capable of producing print enlargements up to 11 x 14 inches. It is equipped with an internal memory of 16 MB and an expansion slot for adding SD and MMC memory cards.  [Read more]


Biomethane - The New Gasoline Alternative

If you have not heard of the new fuel called biomethane, you are not alone. It is a gasoline alternative that some students at Western Washington University harnessed from cow dung. And you thought cow poop was just good enough to be used as fertilizer.  [Read more]


Survey results indicate that VoIP users are satisfied

A survey conducted by SupportSoft, a Redwood City, CA, real time service management provider, was released on May 31, and the results show that VoIP users are quite satisfied with their phone service. Surely, VoIP has its little quirks, like calls sometimes cutting off, but it should be no surprise that its users are satisfied. [Read more]


Skype has launched another service - Free Conferencing

Just today Skype announced that it has teamed up with Vapps, a Hoboken, NJ, VoIP conference call provider to launch HighSpeedConferencing.com - a site where Skype users can sign up for conference calls with up to 500 participants.  [Read more]


Motorola just launched its Moto Q

Motorola Moto QMotorola on Wednesday launched its Motorola Moto Q, designed to compete with the BlackBerry and Palm Treo. Verizon is now offering it with a two-year contract at the low price of $199.99. At such a reasonable price, gadget lovers who have shied away from the Treo and BlackBerry due to their high price may be willing to give the Moto Q a try.  [Read more]


Leica Digilux 1 - An Embodiment Of Technology, Design And Function

Leica Digilux 1 Leica Digilux 1 is a fantastic embodiment of design, function and technology. It possesses a 4-megapixel CCD sensor, high speed aspherical Leica lens with 3x optical zoom and an enormous 2.5-inch LCD screen designed to make your images vivid.  [Read more]


Fujifilm Finepix Z3 - A Digital Camera For The Fashion-consious

Fujifilm Finepix Z3 The Fujifilm Finepix Z3 is the sequel to Finepix Z1 and undoubtedly exceeds its predecessors Z1 and Z2 in performance. The Fujifilm Z3 is a camera with a 5.1 megapixel resolution and a 3x optical zoom lens.  [Read more]