Digital Home Thoughts.com

Windows System Restore Helps You Restore Your Windows System

Hooch Tan — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:30:00 GMT

http://lifehacker.com/5466794/the-c...an-you-remember

"Windows System Restore is an awesome system recovery tool, and it's included with Windows for free. It's the ideal solution for rolling back bad drivers, fixing when buggy software breaks your PC, or simply rolling you back to a previous point in time. If you've still got a bad taste in your mouth from the lackluster XP version of System Restore, it's time to take a look at it again if you've upgraded to Windows 7 or Vista."

Lifehacker poo poos Windows XP's version of System Restore, though I have had fairly good experiences with it. Windows System Restore was probably the best thing to come out of Windows Millennium Edition, and it has come in handy more than once. I sort of imagine it a lot like a Recycle Bin for the Operating System itself. It is NOT a proper backup solution, but it is handy when it comes to recovering your system should it fall apart. Truthfully, short of viruses, malware and actual hardware failures, I'm finding OSes to be far more resilient these days. Still, having various ways to recover ones system is useful and practical. From file backups, to system images, to System Restore, all should play a part. Each of them has saved my bacon on more than one occasion.

GE CELL FUSION DECT 6.0 Phone System

Jeff Deneen — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:00:00 GMT

28127FE1 28101

Product Category: Phones

Manufacturer: GE (Thompson Consumer Electronics)

Where to Buy: Amazon

Price: $59.99

System Requirements: Standard landline phone or Bluetooth enabled cell phone (comes with two handsets.)

Specifications: 120Vac/ 60Hz; Cell Unit 4.772x2.1122x5.2717;Handset in cradle 3.945x5.0449x5.5709; Ni-MH batteries; headset optional

Pros:

Easy set up;
Great features;
Inexpensive;
Great coverage.

Cons:

Bright charging lights;
Cannot use handset while charging;
No digital answering capability (GE 28128EE2 has digital answering).

Summary:

The Cell Fusion phone system is a great way to stay in touch when at home while your mobiles are charging. You can also add a landline to the base unit. It is a great way to intercom from room to room as well as monitor a room if you need to track a sleeping child. Like all DECT 6.0 solutions I have seen, up to 6 handsets can be added. The design is clean and fits into most decors.

Phones Everywhere, But . . .

It seems that we have phones everywhere, but we seldom know which one is ringing, and where it is when someone calls. I hate sitting in my chair, watching a game and having to get up and find which one happens to be ringing. My spouse's phone is rarely accessible when it rings. I have been looking forward to using this technology since I heard about it. The system allows you to put the Base Unit in a location where you can also place your Bluetooth enabled mobile phone(s) while charging and answer up to two mobile phones and a landline wherever you place a wireless handset. This is especially helpful for households that have abandoned landlines and rely exclusively on mobile phones. It even passes through CallID from the mobile or landlines if properly equipped. If you have a landline to support your alarm system, you can receive local calls and use your mobile for toll calls all from one handset.

So How Does It Really Work?

I am phone guy having worked in the industry for years. I was able to set up the phone in seconds. It was so simple that my technophobe spouse could have done it! Simply pull the base unit out of the box, attach the phone jack to the landline if needed, plug the base into a standard electrical outlet, and plug in the handsets into electrical outlets. The instructions ask for the handsets to charge for 16 hours prior to use, but the indicator showed a full charge in about three hours.

Next, you have to register the handsets with the base. The handsets that came with the system have a simple menu to follow. The 28101, a newer handset, took a bit of guessing, but by simply pushing the "Page" button on the base unit I was able to register the handset. After the handsets are registered, you can name them for easy reference. I have handsets on three floors in my house, the base on the middle floor, and have no issues with coverage.

The best feature of this system is setting up the mobile phones to the base. Basically the mobile phone treats the base unit as a Bluetooth Headset. Put your mobile near the base and put it in Bluetooth search mode. In a short time, you can add "CELL FUSION" as a device. Use "0000" as the code to pair the mobile to the base. When you put your mobile down for charging for the night, simply press "1" or "2" on the base unit and you will see a blue light letting you know that the mobile is paired and your CELL FUSION system can be used to answer or make calls through your mobile.

What I really like about the system is that I can use it to intercom my daughter rather than walking down stairs or monitor my son if he is home sick. I use Vonage for my phone service. The handsets work great and even show the Voice Mail indicator based on the Stutter Tone on the phone line. These are features that are standard on more expensive SOHO phone systems.

Room For Improvement

Nothing is perfect. The menus are a bit obtuse and could be easier to follow. I also have issues with the Bluetooth pairing. It seems to want to connect all the time even when I want to use my Bluetooth headset instead of the CELL FUSION Base Unit. I found that when I want to use CELL FUSION, all I have to do is turn off my Bluetooth headset and all is well.

The 28127FE1 does not have digital answering capabilities, but the 28128EE2 does. Since I use a hosted voice mail product, this was not an issue for me.

Depending on the model of handset, the charging lights can be either Red or Blue on the charging base. They are both too bright for me. I took some Duct Tape and covered up the lights. Some of us are just too sensitive to light.

Conclusions

I can recommend this product to anyone that the needs the functionality. It has great form factor, works great, and brings mobile phones to any room in the house even while they are charging.

Jeff Deneen is the Principal at 17 STS Marketing Group, a company which is focused on customers, prospects, and using technology to enable companies to communicate with them. He as owned many mobile devices and actually owns an Apple Newton, the precursor to the iTouch. He recently moved to Birmingham, Alabama along with his wife, daughter, son, dog, and two cats. His wife accuses him of having a Bluetooth headset permanently implanted in his right ear. Check out his blog 17sts.wordpress.com.

Do you enjoy using new hardware, software and accessories, then sharing your experience with others? Then join us on the Thoughts Media Review Team! We're looking for individuals who find it fun to test new gear and give their honest opinions about the experience. It's a volunteer role with some great perks. Interested? Then click here for more information.

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION

Making Windows Media Center A Better Ripper

Hooch Tan — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT

http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/2010/02...s-media-center/

"I have a feeling Auto Rip n Compress is going to be everyone’s next “must-have” add-in for Windows Media Center. The add-in allows you to easily rip DVD or Blu-ray movies from your couch using only your remote."

By now, most people should have already converted their video library, but for those of you that have not, or are just starting building your digital library, you might want to consider Auto Rip n Compress. The program does not give you anything new that other programs such as Handbrake, already do, but it does make things really simple, and easy to do from within Windows Media Center itself. In truth, it actually uses Handbrake to do transcoding. The only part which I feel slightly apprehensive about is in order to pull metadata, like the movie description and cover art, you need to register an account with GD3. There are various free online sources for movie data that do not require registration, so why expose yourself when you do not have to? Still, it is great to have another option to archive your DVDs and BluRays.

The Netbook Neo-Sleeve from Skooba Design

Jason Dunn — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 10:00:00 GMT

Skooba Design was a bit slow to catch on to this whole "netbook" thing, but now that they have, they've come out with two products aimed specifically at netbook owners. The first is the Netbook Neo-Sleeve ($19.95 USD), a simple sleeve for netbooks, and the second is the Netbook Messenger, a full-on messenger bag for netbooks which I'll be reviewing later.

The Netbook Neo-Sleeve is made of neoprene, a soft, water-resistant material that's exactly the kind of protection you want for your netbook without it getting bulky. The Neo-Sleeve measures 12"L x 7.5"H x .75"D in size, and can carry a netbook up to 10.1 inches in screen size (or 11" x 7.5" x 1.5" in overall dimensions). This makes it perfect for netbooks such as the HP Mini 1000, HP Mini 110, Acer Apsire One, etc.

However, it doesn't handle the the larger HP Mini 311 or similar netbooks, including the new Dell Mini 10 that has a deeper chassis than the older Dell Mini 10. Just because your netbook has a 10.1" screen doesn't mean it will fit - make sure you check the measurements. I'd love to see Skooba Design release a slightly bigger version of this sleeve, built for 12" netbooks/notebooks.

The Netbook Neo-Sleeve comes in four different colours: Abyss Black, Blizzard White, Deep Ocean Blue, and Inferno Red (sent to me for review, pictured above). I've seen the Abyss Black and Blizzard White in person; they are indeed black, and white, respectively. But Inferno Red as pictured above? I've asked numerous people to describe the colour of the Inferno Red Neo-Sleeve, and the answers I've gotten back are burgundy, maroon, and wine-coloured. I'm a big fan of all things red, and this bag isn't red. I can see that Skooba Design was going for a dark, rich red, but they veered off into burgundy land and this won't match any red netbook you purchase. 'Nuff said.

Figure 1: The shoulder strap attached to the Neo-Sleeve. Though the image above looks red-ish, the photo below with the darker colour is more indicative of what Inferno Red looks like in real life.

Figure 2: The front pouch has a USB stick slot. It's a tight fit though and only fits average-sized USB flash drives, and not the two chunky Patriot Xporter drives I own.

Included with the Netbook Neo-Sleeve is a small shoulder strap, stored in the front pouch. The shoulder strap is a basic affair, but given the light weight of the netbook, it doesn't need padding. I wish it had a strip of rubber to eliminate slippage though. The front pouch is a nice touch - every other neoprene case I have lacks any sort of front pouch, so I was pleased that Skooba Design added this. The pouch is large enough for the power brick and cable, but only from certain netbooks. If you have a netbook like the Acer Aspire One or Dell Mini 10, you'll have a small power adapter that plugs into the wall and a long, thin cable that plugs into the netbook. This is what fits in the pouch on the Neo-Sleeve.

If, however, you have an HP Mini 1000, HP Mini 110, MSI Wind U100, or one of several other netbooks on the market, you'll have a two-part power solution: a power brick with a long, thin cable going to the netbook, and a power cable going to the wall. This power solution takes up more space, and unfortunately won't fit in the front pouch on the Neo-Sleeve...unless you ditch the wall portion of the power cable and buy a 1-foot replacement cable. Ultimately I wish Skooba Design would have made the front pouch a bit taller to accommodate the power supplies of the many netbooks on the market that use these larger power supplies.

The Skooba Design Netbook Neo-Sleeve is a well-designed netbook sleeve, but because it's designed for smaller netbooks with small power supplies, make sure your netbook is compatible with it before ordering or you'll be disappointed when it doesn't all fit.

If you want to save 20% off any order of $50 or more, use the coupon code DIGIDEAL.

Jason Dunn owns and operates Thoughts Media Inc., a company dedicated to creating the best in online communities. He enjoys photography, mobile devices, blogging, digital media content creation/editing, and pretty much all technology. He lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with his lovely wife, his son Logan, and his sometimes obedient dog. He has a weakness for technology in a red candy-coated shell.

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION

Home Videos - Why Do We Make Them?

Andy Dixon — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:00:00 GMT

http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2010...ke-home-videos/

"I can't open some of the musical scores I prepared for Broadway shows in the 1980's, because the sheet-music software company went out of business. I know a film editor who can't see the first movie she ever made, because it uses a Sony videotape format that disappeared ages ago. And I routinely hear from readers who can't open their Microsoft Word documents from the early days, because, incredibly, today's Word can't open those early-version files."

Image courtesy of Toms Hardware

David Pogue of The New York Times has blogged about the dliemna he faced with media becoming obsolete. As an example he talks about a film editor who can no longer view a film she made years ago because the Sony videotape format has disappeared. No doubt many of us have experienced this issue with the loss of media such as floppy discs over the years. This leads on to David discussing why we even keep home movies, if the media we save them to now, will be obsolete by the time our children grow up. Will our children even care about those movies when they are adults, will their children care? It's a nice thought provoking article that really raises the issue of how to keep media we treasure as the formats continue to evolve and progress.

MSI Wind U135 Won't Blow You Away

Chris Gohlke — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:00:00 GMT

http://www.notebookreview.com/defau...asp?newsID=5514

"The MSI Wind U135 fell short compared to the competition in terms of software support and battery life. Out of the box the U135 was missing any sort of touchpad software--including on the restore partition--greatly reducing the features. We later found the drivers included on the MSI support website, which brought multi-touch options, as well as simple features like scrolling. Another huge downside to this particular netbook is the battery life, having half the battery life of the ASUS Eee PC 1005PE with the same hardware and only a slightly larger battery. This massive difference in battery life comes from the increased power consumption: The U135 draws almost 8 watts at idle and the 1005PE uses less than 5 watts. Overall the MSI Wind U135 lacked a great deal of polish, but with improvements in power consumption and software out of the box, it would be a great little netbook."

Kind of shocking that the battery performance is so poor compared to a relatively similar machine. Hopefully this is something they can fix rather quickly or else I can't imagine these will sell too well.5

ATI Releases New Card That Focuses On Multimedia

Andy Dixon — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:00:00 GMT

http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/...-neglects-gami/

"It's rare to see a rumor -- hell, even a roadmap -- pinpoint the timing of new releases quite so accurately, but our earlier report of ATI refreshing the middle and lower parts of its lineup turned out to be bang on. Following in the footsteps of the HD 5670, we have the Radeon HD 5450, which drags the entry price for DirectX 11 and Eyefinity multi-monitor support all the way down to $50."

It's rare that a graphics manufacturer releases a card aimed purely at multimedia and not gaming, but this is exactly what ATI are doing. Say hello to the HD 5450 which is aimed at people requiring a silent, yet powerful enough card to handle the multimedia requirements we now demand of our Media Center PCs. If that's not good enough news for you, then then price will be - $50.

Skooba Design's Checkthrough Brief: A Great Travel Companion

Jason Dunn — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Skooba Design, the company formerly known as RoadWired, continues to crank out new bag designs and as usual, I'm keen to review them being the bag fanatic that I am. They were among the first companies to release a line of airport security checkpoint-friendly bags, which caught my attention. As someone who always travels with a laptop, I was curious to see if this really would make things easier going through security, so I requested one of their Checkthrough Brief bags, a $139.95 USD bag that comes only in black. I knew it was a sizable bag (17"L x 13"H x 7.5"D, 48 ounces) based on the number of pockets and pouches, so when I traveled to Seattle in November of 2009 for Mobius, I had it crammed full of gadgets. How did the bag work for me? Keep reading - especially since there's a special 20% off coupon for Digital Home Thoughts readers.

Figure 1: The outside front-left pocket has an elastic pouch perfect for items of middling thickness such as a point and shoot digital camera. There's also a mesh pouch for thin items such as paperwork. Alternatively, this is where you'd store the included plastic bag for your travel fluids - you know, the ones that are restricted for carry-on now. Check out the Skooba Design photo gallery for images of what this looks like.

Figure 2: The outside front-right pocket has an elastic pouch perfect for a passport and a folded boarding pass. There's also two pen/pencil holders. I was pleased to see only two and not four as some older Skooba Design bags had.

Figure 3: Above the two front pouches, there's a larger pouch. It has two loose-fitting storage areas up top, and a larger storage area below.

Figure 4: Gadgets gone wild! On the inside of the first major zippered area is where you can store your gizmos - there are four elastic pouches along the top, each wide enough for an MP3 player, smartphone, several cables per pouch, etc. Below that there are two sizeable zippered pouches.

Fujitsu LifeBook UH900 Now Available

Chris Gohlke — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:00:00 GMT

http://www.pocketables.net/2010/02/...ith-extras.html

"Unlike its higher priced Japanese counterpart, the LOOX U/G90, the 5.6" multitouch-screened UH900 is available in just a single configuration that includes a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 processor, 2GB of RAM, 62GB SSD, Windows 7 Home Premium, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS. Carrying an MSRP of $999, the 1.1-pound computer is currently being offered as part of a special that gets buyers $150 off with a coupon code and mail-in rebate, free shipping, and either a 160GB Edge DiskGo portable hard drive or a Lexmark X2670 all-in-one printer."

I like the form factor, but I'd like to see a larger screen in the same device. Also, those USB ports on the front seem like they would get in the way of trying to type. Fix that, and make it convert into a tablet at the same price point, and you'd have a total winner. Otherwise, as cool as it is most consumers will select a slightly larger netbook at less than half the price.

Flash is a Must Have for the Future

Hooch Tan — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:30:00 GMT

http://blogs.adobe.com/conversation...nt_and_app.html

"We are ready to enable Flash in the browser on these devices if and when Apple chooses to allow that for its users, but to date we have not had the required cooperation from Apple to make this happen. Longer term, some point to HTML as eventually supplanting the need for Flash, particularly with the more recent developments coming in HTML with version 5. I don't see this as one replacing the other, certainly not today nor even in the foreseeable future."

I will gladly argue, and have argued that Flash is a ciritcal component to getting the whole "web" experience at present. With its pervasiveness at hundreds of major sites, I consider Flash as much a part of the everday web as I consider PDFs a sad reality of government website forms. That being said, Flash definitely needs to be concerned, and it hopefully will be replaced in the future, despite the confidence that Kevin Lynch exudes. Developers will be pushed by management to develop on what will get the most penetration and presumably, costs the least. Right now, Flash is a great, cheap way to get neato dynamic content online. However, there is a growing population, largely driven by smartphones with the iPhone as the leader, that are accessing online that do not have decent Flash support. With the shrinking userbase, companies are going to look to alternative solutions like HTML5, which can serve the whole market. Well, that is unless they buy into this whole "app" thing, and hire developers to make an iPhone app, other developers for an Android app, even more developers for a Maemo app and even some developers for a WinMo app, if it still exists in a few months. Apple is betting that their base of iPhone users, soon to be bolstered with iPad users, is enough to push companies to go an alternate route than deal with Flash. Had the iPad come before the iPhone, it probably would be a different story, but Flash's days may very well be numbered!

Nikon Announces Spring 2010 COOLPIX Line of Digital Cameras

Jason Dunn — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:10:00 GMT

"Mississauga, ON, February 2, 2010 - Nikon Canada today introduced eight new COOLPIX cameras to its popular line-up of compact digital cameras, including one Performance-series, four Style-series and three Life-series cameras. Nikon continues to lead innovation in the ever-evolving categories of compact digital cameras as demonstrated with the introduction of a CMOS sensor and 26x optical zoom lens into its flagship Performance-series COOLPIX P100. Nikon has also equipped five of its new COOLPIX cameras across all three series with HD movie capabilities, making creating and sharing memories fun and easy. Elegantly designed compact cameras in vibrant must-have colours to suit personal style are a hallmark of the COOLPIX line, including the new COOLPIX S8000, COOLPIX S6000, COOLPIX S4000, COOLPIX S3000, COOLPIX L22 and COOLPIX L21. Additionally, the new COOLPIX L110 offers 15x super zoom and HD video recording with stereo sound and easy shooting versatility."

Nikon has kicked out a boatload of new cameras, and they've done it at 11pm Eastern Time. It's time for me to head to bed you see, so rather than giving you analysis of what Nikon has released, I'm going to say that the most noteworthy thing I see here is that Nikon is finally offering point and shoot cameras with 720p video - meaning they've caught up to what Panasonic and others were doing in 2008. I'm a huge fan of Nikon DSLRs, but when it comes to their point and shoot cameras, historically they haven't been on the cutting edge. This group of new cameras looks like it's competitive with what's out there now. What do you think? Am I missing anything? Do any of these cameras stand out to you?

The remainder of the press release is after the break, along with a couple of other images.

"Our newest Nikon COOLPIX cameras reflect the easy-to-use technologies, and compact and stylish cameras consumers expect from Nikon, said Gregory Flasch, National Advertising and Communications Manager at Nikon Canada Inc. New features such as HD movie and long-zoom shooting capabilities provide users with powerful yet easy-to-use functionality, allowing them to express their personal style.

All Nikon COOLPIX cameras incorporate Nikons world-class NIKKOR lenses, delivering accurate detail and brilliant colour, as well as Nikons EXPEEDTM advanced digital image processing system technologies, which ensure high-quality pictures with amazing colour and sharpness. A new enhancement in select camera models is Advanced Flash Control, which creates a more natural-looking appearance in low-light conditions. Other COOLPIX features include Vibration Reduction (VR) Image Stabilization, which minimizes blur that may appear in pictures, even in low-light or unsteady conditions while shooting handheld; and Scene Auto Selector, which automatically recognizes the shooting situation and adjusts the cameras settings. Also, the new Night Landscape mode found in the COOLPIX P100 combines a series of consecutive shots into a single, clearer image with low noise when photographing at night. Adding to the overall functionality, the COOLPIX P100 and L110 include an easily accessible video record button to make recording movies a one-step process. In addition, sharing images and HD video is easier and more fun with enhanced HDMI connectivity found on many of the new COOLPIX cameras.

New COOLPIX P100 Digital Camera Features 26x Super Telephoto-Zoom Lens and CMOS Technology for Shooting Versatility

Nikon continues its commitment to high performance in the compact digital camera category, offering photo enthusiasts ultra long-zoom capabilities, high-speed action and shooting versatility in a compact body. New to the COOLPIX line, the P100 is the first Nikon COOLPIX camera to incorporate a 10.3-megapixel backside illumination CMOS sensor, which enables high-speed shooting at 10 frames per second (fps) at full resolution and exceptional image quality, even when shooting in low-light conditions. Other functions benefitting from the lower noise and exceptional image quality of the new CMOS image sensor include an in-camera high dynamic range (HDR) function, which merges images of the same scene to achieve a single image with a broader range of tonal detail.

Additionally, a Night Landscape mode combines a series of consecutive shots taken into a single image, with reduced noise. An expansive 26mm wide-angle to 678mm super-telephoto 26x Optical Zoom-NIKKOR ED glass lens brings users closer to the action, which can be utilized while capturing Full HD movies (1080p) with stereo sound recording. The COOLPIX P100 also features a high-speed Sport Continuous Mode for shooting up to 120 fps (1.1 MP) and a pre-shooting cache to help ensure users never miss a shot. Additional COOLPIX P100 features include a 3.0-inch Vari-angle 460,000-dot Clear Colour Display LCD; Electronic Viewfinder; 5-way hybrid VR Image Stabilization System for crisp, blur-free photos; Mode Dial; Active D-Lighting; Subject Tracking; Scene Auto Selector Mode; and Nikons Smart Portrait System.

The COOLPIX P100 is available in black.

New COOLPIX S8000 Digital Camera Boasts 10x Zoom, Ultra-High Resolution 3.0-inch LCD Screen and Enhanced Creativity with Class-Leading* Slim Design

Built on the success of Nikons previous long-zoom compact cameras, the new 14.2-megapixel COOLPIX S8000 is the thinnest camera in its class*, featuring a powerful and versatile 10x (30mm to 300mm) telephoto Optical Zoom-NIKKOR ED glass lens to capture incredibly sharp, crisp images. Additionally, the S8000 has the ability to record HD movies (720p) at 30 fps with built-in stereo sound recording. It also features a 3.0-inch ultra-high resolution 921,000-dot Clear Colour Display LCD for composing and sharing images or movies.

Allowing the user to enjoy more creative freedom with convenient in-camera functions, the COOLPIX S8000 features the Creative Slider, a fun new way to apply effects when shooting in Auto Mode. Brightness, saturation and hue can be adjusted using the Rotary Multi Selector, all while watching a real-time preview on the cameras LCD monitor. The COOLPIX S8000 also features new functions to enhance image quality in dark settings, including Advanced Flash Control to enable users to create more natural-looking flash shots by utilizing higher ISO settings and faster shutter speeds in low-light conditions.

Additional COOLPIX S8000 features include High ISO up to 3200; 4-way VR Image Stabilization System; ultra-fast start-up; Sport Continuous Mode up to approximately 3 fps for 45 frames (3MP); Subject Tracking; Scene Auto Selector Mode; Nikons Smart Portrait System; and an ultra-stylish design.

The COOLPIX S8000 is available in black, red and bronze.

*Among compact cameras equipped with an optical zoom capable of zooming in at 10x or more as of January 15, 2010 (according to research conducted by Nikon Corporation).

The New COOLPIX S6000 Digital Camera Delivers Super Slim Design and Fast Response

The new COOLPIX S6000 blends style and performance into a compact, go-anywhere package. Measuring at only 25mm in depth, the COOLPIX S6000 is the thinnest in its class**. With a versatile 7x wide-angle Optical Zoom-NIKKOR ED glass lens, users can capture the action near and far. The COOLPIX S6000 includes a bright 2.7-inch 230,000-dot Clear Colour Display LCD and the ability to record HD movies (720p) at 30 fps.

Additional COOLPIX S6000 features include 14.2-megapixel resolution; ISO 3200; 4-way VR Image Stabilization System; ultra-fast start-up (approx. 0.75 sec.); HDMI Connectivity; Sport Continuous Mode up to approximately 3 fps for 45 frames (3 MP); Advanced Flash Control; Subject Tracking; Scene Auto Selector Mode; Nikons Smart Portrait System; and a sleek design.

The COOLPIX S6000 is available in black and red.

**Among compact cameras equipped with an optical zoom capable of zooming in at 7x or more with wide-angle capability measuring 30mm (35mm format equivalent) or less as of January 15, 2010 (according to research conducted by Nikon Corporation).

The New COOLPIX S4000 Digital Camera Combines Stylish Design with Intuitive Touch Controls

Integrating sleek design and intuitive touch operation, the new COOLPIX S4000 digital camera is all about the users experience. Whether its recording HD movies or exploring creative possibilities, the COOLPIX S4000 places the cameras controls at the touch of a finger. The COOLPIX S4000 incorporates a new 3.0-inch, high resolution touch panel 460,000-dot Clear Colour Display LCD, which makes it easy to compose, review and share pictures. Advanced touch features include Touch Shutter, allowing users to select their subject with a single touch on the screen, adjust focus and exposure and automatically release the shutter, as well as Subject Tracking to automatically follow and focus on a subject selected by touching the screen.

The COOLPIX S4000 features 12-megapixel resolution; a 4x wide-angle Zoom-NIKKOR glass lens; ISO 3200; HD movie (720p); 4-way VR Image Stabilization System; Scene Auto Selector Mode; Nikons Smart Portrait System; and a sleek design.

The COOLPIX S4000 is available in black, red and pink.

New COOLPIX S3000 Style Setter in Sleek Design, Vivid Colours

Sleek design, eye-catching colours and innovative technology make the COOLPIX S3000 the ideal tool to express personal style. Measuring at just 19mm (approximately 0.8 inches) in depth, the COOLPIX S3000s stylish looks and colour options make it the perfect camera for capturing and sharing memories on the go.

The COOLPIX S3000 features 12-megapixel resolution; a 4x wide-angle Zoom-NIKKOR lens; ISO 3200; 4-way VR Image Stabilization System; Subject Tracking; Scene Auto Selector Mode; Nikons Smart Portrait System; and a colourful, compact design.

The COOLPIX S3000 is available in black, blue, green and orange.

New COOLPIX L110 Delivers Uncomplicated Awe-Inspiring Zoom

Optimized for action shots, high-powered zoom and simple operation, the COOLPIX L110 is equipped and ready to capture lifes precious moments up-close or far away, with stunning quality and clarity. The ideal choice for consumers seeking a fully featured long zoom camera at a great value, the COOLPIX L110 achieves its versatility through its 15x Optical Zoom-NIKKOR glass lens. Covering a focal length from a wide 28mm to 420mm super-telephoto, the lens broad focal range can readily handle the task of capturing all of lifes events, including action shots at the kids soccer game and stunning landscapes from the family vacation. The COOLPIX L110 also features Sport Continuous Mode, allowing users to capture the best highlights from the stands or the sidelines. The power-efficient COOLPIX L110 can shoot approximately 840 still images or record seven hours*** of HD video with a set of four AA Energizer® Ultimate Lithium batteries, included with the camera. Nikon EN-MH-2 Ni-MH rechargeable batteries, which are available separately, can also be used for rechargeable convenience.

Additional COOLPIX L110 features include 12.1-megapixel resolution; 3.0-inch high-resolution 460,000-dot Clear Colour Display LCD; HD movie (720p) with Optical Zoom and Auto Focus while recording video and a built-in stereo microphone; 5-way VR Image Stabilization System; Smart Portrait System; and Scene Auto Selector.

The COOLPIX L110 is available in black and red.

*** Recording stops automatically after 29 minutes. This figure is based on Nikon Corporation testing standards and stated for recording at 250 C with AA size Energizer® Ultimate Lithium batteries. Actual results may vary greatly depending on factors that include differences in ambient temperature, and amount of zoom and autofocus operations used.

New COOLPIX L22 and L21 Digital Cameras are Compact and Easy To Use at an Affordable Price

The COOLPIX L22 and L21 are the ideal cameras for consumers who are looking to easily capture all of lifes memories at an affordable price, without compromising performance. The COOLPIX L22 features 12-megapixel resolution for stunning image detail, a 3.6x Zoom-NIKKOR lens for creative compositional freedom, while a bright 3.0-inch 230,000-dot LCD screen to make sharing and composing photos enjoyable. The COOLPIX L21 with 8-megapixels and a 2.5-inch 230,000-dot LCD screen also features a 3.6x Zoom-NIKKOR lens.

Additional COOLPIX L22 and L21 features include 3-way VR Image Stabilization System, Smart Portrait System and Easy Auto Mode. Both cameras can be powered by two AA-batteries (included) or Nikon EN-MH-2 Ni-MH rechargeable batteries, which are available separately.

The COOLPIX L22 is available in black, blue and red. The COOLPIX L21 is available in champagne silver and pink.

AvailabilityThe latest COOLPIX models will be available from Authorized Nikon Canada Dealers in March 2010.

PricingThe Manufacturers Suggested Retail Prices (MSRPs) are as follows:COOLPIX P100 - $449.95COOLPIX S8000 - $339.95COOLPIX S6000 - $279.95 (Available in limited distribution)COOLPIX S4000 - $199.95 COOLPIX S3000 - $169.95 COOLPIX L110 - $279.95COOLPIX L22 - $129.95COOLPIX L21 - $99.95

EXPEEDTM - The State-of-the-Art Image-Processing System technologies, only from NikonBuilt on Nikons innovative EXPEEDTM advanced digital image processing system technologies and incorporating the precision optics of a NIKKOR lens, the latest Nikon cameras continue the longstanding tradition of industry-leading photographic performance, superior image quality, advanced functionality and ease-of-use.

Exclusive Canadian WarrantyNikon Canada offers an exclusive two-year warranty for all COOLPIX digital cameras purchased from an Authorized Nikon Canada Dealer. Consumers investment is protected by Nikon Canadas warranties with in-Canada service.

About NikonNikon, At the Heart of the ImageTM, is the world leader in digital imaging, precision optics and photo imaging technology and is globally recognized for setting new standards in product design and performance for its award-winning consumer and professional photographic equipment. Nikon Canada distributes consumer and professional digital SLR cameras, NIKKOR optics, Speedlights and System Accessories; Nikon COOLPIX® compact digital cameras; COOLSCAN® digital film scanners; 35mm film SLR cameras; Nikon software products and Nikon sports and recreational optics. At the heart of every Nikon camera is Nikon's Exclusive EXPEEDTM advanced digital image processing system technologies. All Nikon Canada products are sold through a network of Authorized Nikon Canada Dealers. For more information on Nikon Canada and its products and services or to find an Authorized Nikon Dealer, visit www.nikon.ca.

**Photos are available upon request

Note: Specifications, design, product name, standard accessories and release schedule may differ by country or area.

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TiVo? What TiVo? Media Centers Presented for your Consideration

Hooch Tan — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT

http://lifehacker.com/5462275/which...center-compared

"We focused on three widely available, and generally popular, media centers for our comparison and review. We're certainly aware there are many alternatives out there, as free software or stand-alone hardware boxes, but these are the three media centers that receive ongoing development, and can be installed on the widest number of TV-connected computers."

The whole media center market is becoming very crowded. My main complaint about them though, is that in Canada, our online options are still quite limited, unless you want to go the route of finding stuff that fell out of the back of a bit bucket. As such, I am stuck with media center choices that can record TV signals. The media centers that record are much smaller in selection, and the hardware options provided by my cable or satellite provider is less than stellar. I am actually partial to Windows Media Center, largely because it is easy to set up, use and manage. It was designed with the idiot in mind, and I like not having to pour over details anymore. However, I can see that once I can shrug off the cable/satellite tether, options like XBMC become considerably more attractive. What is everyone using these days and why did you pick it?

Sync Your Media Center, Zune And Windows Home Server

Andy Dixon — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:00:00 GMT

http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/wi..._medium=twitter

"Windows Home Server was a large part of CES this year. I was pleasantly embraced by all you fellow Windows Home Server users and I joyfully shared the new features sets that Power Pack 3 empowered your home server with. The beautiful thing about our booth is the ability to walk everyone step by step, on how to take advantage of these new features. For those of you who were not at CES, I'd like to take the time to share with you those steps that I shared with CES attendees. One of the key scenarios that got a lot of interest at the show was how a Zune music player can benefit from having a Windows Home Server around as well. This post goes into more detail about why and how it all works together."

When Microsoft released Power Pack 3 for Windows Home Server, there were a number of new features added that perhaps not everyone realised was included. This article from The Windows Home Server blog, explains how to make full use of one of those features if you have a Media Center PC, a Windows Home Server and a media player such as the Zune. The ability to access your music, videos and pictures on both your Media Center PC and your Zune is nice, but to be able to record your TV shows and automatically create a copy compressed especially for the Zune so you can watch them on the go is brilliant. No more having to encode the TV shows specifically for the Zune, just record your show on the Media Center as normal and one extra copy encoded correctly for the Zune or other media player of your choice will be made. If you didn't know about this, then take a read and see how easy it is.

Jammie Thomas' Copyright Penalty Lowered

Jon Childs — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 07:00:00 GMT

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-1...LeadStoriesArea

"Last June, a federal jury in Minnesota found Jammie Thomas-Rasset liable for willful copyright infringement and ordered her to pay nearly $2 million. Michael Davis, chief judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, chopped the amount to $54,000, or $2,250 per song.

"The need for deterrence cannot justify a $2 million verdict for stealing and illegally distributing 24 songs for the sole purpose of obtaining free music," wrote Davis."

Two million for sharing a couple dozen songs, without any intent to make any money does seem a bit harsh. I think everyone agrees that artists deserve to be able to profit from their work, but it seems we have reached a point where people can be financially ruined by doing something that is quite common. Especially since just the cost of a trial could be ruinous for most people. With the RIAA suing deceased grandmothers, people without computers, and 12 year olds, maybe it is time to revisit copyright law in the US.

Old World vs. New World Computing

Jason Dunn — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:00:00 GMT

http://stevenf.tumblr.com/post/3592...puters-ive-been

"In the New World, computers are task-centric. We are reading email, browsing the web, playing a game, but not all at once. Applications are sandboxed, then moats dug around the sandboxes, and then barbed wire placed around the moats. As a direct result, New World computers do not need virus scanners, their batteries last longer, and they rarely crash, but their users have lost a degree of freedom. New World computers have unprecedented ease of use, and benefit from decades of research into human-computer interaction. They are immediately understandable, fast, stable, and laser-focused on the 80% of the famous 80/20 rule. Is the New World better than the Old World? Nothing's ever simply black or white."

This is a really great "think piece" that's well worth reading if you're the kind of person that likes to think about where computers - and that includes mobile devices - are going to be moving in the next decade. As such, I'm posting it across all our sites to get the widest possible take on the topic. I want to hear from you!

Steven Frank, the author, posits that new world computers are task-centric and secure, and that's the future of computing. For many types of scenarios, I think that works really well - but Frank doesn't seem to acknowledge that in order to do anything involving real content creation, an "old world" PC is still required. I'm happy to have a limited-in-functionality Web-pad style device next to my couch for Web surfing, tweeting, etc., but when I need to process raw files on a colour calibrated monitor, or edit HD video? Old world computing rules those scenarios.

I also have to wonder how sophisticated the software can get on these New World computers - ever noticed how so many iPod Touch games are the same? Screen size and touch-only inputs are significantly factors on what developers are able to do.

In some ways this boils down to the "appliances" vs. "computers" argument that has been going on for years. Appliances are more reliable, but they only do very specific things. Computers do infinitely more, but are generally less reliable than appliances. Which would you rather have, and why?

A Product I'm Eagerly Awaiting: The AirMouse

Jason Dunn — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:54:00 GMT

http://www.gizmag.com/airmouse-wear...le-mouse/13993/

"It's no secret... Studies have shown that excessive mouse usage can cause repetitive stress injuries. Unfortunately for most of us, "excessive" can mean anything more than a few hours a day. Fortunately, however, there are alternative styles of mice out there designed to be easier on the hands and arms. One of the more interesting ones to come along in a while is the AirMouse, made by Canadian firm Deanmark Ltd. What makes it unique is the fact that you wear it like a glove."

As someone who has suffered from repetitive stress injuries related to keyboard/mouse use for well over a decade now, I've been eagerly awaiting technologies that would assist me in reducing the wear and tear placed upon my body. The creators of this product were on a Canadian TV show called Dragon's Den - which happens to be a fantastic show by the way - and they showed up a clunky prototype. The images above are, I believe, Photoshop'd mock-ups, but you can see where they're going with this. Supposedly coming to market within the next 6-12 months, this is a product I'm going to keep my eye on.

Gizmodo Compares the Hot Slates

Jason Dunn — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 14:00:00 GMT

http://gizmodo.com/5459308/slate-sh...kyline=true&s=i

Gizmodo has put together an interesting chart that shows the way these devices stack up to each other. Worth checking out!

Is Your Operating System Outmoded?

Reid Kistler — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 12:30:00 GMT

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/21/...rating-systems/

"We've come so very far in the way computer operating systems treat us, and in the way we treat those computer operating systems. They multitask, they animate, they reach into the internet and pull down our favorite parts, they rarely crash and they're always on. It's a far cry from a decade ago, but I think we could go so much further.... I think there are serious opportunities for evolution available to the Microsofts, Apples and Ubuntus of the world, but they involve embracing new technologies in new ways. And stealing a ton of ideas from phones."

In an editorial that appears on Engadget, Paul Miller presents 10 "outdated elements" that he feels are keeping current operating systems from being all that they could be - along with a proposed solution for each. I do not think that most of his items are really all that important, but then my idea of an outmoded operating system is illustrated in the picture above! It would certainly be difficult to argue against easier windows management or lower costs, but his other points seem to be non-issues, already have solutions, and/or are pertinent to only certain user groups. Which of his 10 problems do you think seriously need to be fixed - and is the OS the best place to look for such solutions?

Panasonic Updates Line of Point and Shoot Cameras

Jason Dunn — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:00:00 GMT

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/26/...mc-zs7-and-dmc/

"Panasonic's just announced quite a handful of Lumix compact cameras, featuring both the new Venus Engine VI and Venus Engine HD II that claim to perform quicker with better noise reduction. What's more exciting is that these are all compatible with the forthcoming SDXC cards too..."

As someone who already owns as DMC-ZS3 and a DMC-TS1 (just purchased a month ago), looking at these cameras I don't see much that makes me want to rush out and buy the newer versions - which is just fine with me. Highlights? The DMC-ZS5 and DMC-ZS7, an upgrade to the ZS3 (what, is four an unlucky number?), bring GPS and a bigger and more high-resolution screen to the table - but only for the ZS7. The ZS5 seems very much like the ZS3. The TS2 - the waterproof/shockproof model - brings a bump in resolution to 14.1 megapixels...and that's about it from what I can tell.

All in all, not very impressive - I was hoping we'd see bigger sensors with more focus on image quality. The GPS on the ZS7 is pretty cool, though I think 98% of my photos are taken indoors...

Could Microsoft Be Ditching the Points System?

Jason Dunn — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:00:00 GMT

http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/7...r-Amounts-.html

"Xbox Live deserves praise as a service, but being the standard for which other online gaming services are judged means its flaws come under repeated scrutiny -- for good reason. It's why I always find myself asking Microsoft executives a couple of the same questions whenever I'm given the opportunity to sit down with them: why is there a friends cap on Xbox Live and when will the entire service allow me to pay for content in real-world dollar amounts, rather than confusing Microsoft Points?"

Where do you guys stand on the issue of points? I'm not as negative on them as some people - I'm fine paying 800 points for an Xbox Arcade game, largely because I have no frame of reference for the cost. Interestingly, I found points to be very frustrating when deciding to rent SD and HD video downloads - I know how much a DVD or Blu-ray rental costs at my local video store, so having to fire up a Web browser to calculate how much a video downloads costs ticked me off. I like the idea of micro-transactions for game content, but think that it could co-exist alongside all the other content (songs, videos, games) being in dollar amounts. Any changes made to Xbox Live would rippled down to the Zune Marketplace. What's your take?