How to choose a digicam.........!!!!

Digital cameras are classified as compact, superzoom, bridge, system and single-lens reflex models. Their names may not reveal much, but if you are not aware of what's behind them, you may end up making a mistake when buying a digital camera. Digital cameras are so well established that there are a range of different types on the market.

The compact and single-lens reflex (SLR) varieties are the easiest to differentiate. “But all is not as complicated as it appears to be at first glance. Although most compact cameras have a small image sensor, some are capable of zooming up to 15 times closer to the photographed object.

The average resolution of a modern compact camera is between 10 and 14 megapixels. Clauss says the trend at the moment is towards compact cameras equipped with a wide angle lens, a large display and lots of automatic functions.

In general manual functions are the exception to the rule with compact cameras. The depth of field is also very large on a compact. Germany's ‘Computer Bild’ magazine recently compared 12 compact cameras ranging in price from 312 to 436 euros (394 to 550 dollars).

According to the magazine, it appears that even the makers of small cameras are equipping their products with quite powerful lenses. That has led to greater zooms and more range when it comes to setting up shots. Superzoom, or bridge cameras as they are also known, are designed to fill the gap between compact and SLR cameras.

They usually come with a 30x zoom, and in contrast to compact cameras, they allow you to alter aperture size or the exposure settings. Good bridge cameras have an electronic viewfinder. Other useful functions include the option of using a separate flash and the ability to store images in RAW format.

Some versions have a manual zoom ring that allows you to make fine adjustments to the focus. The quality of the lens is usually a compromise between a very large focal length and a small image sensor. Digital system cameras have been on the market for only about two years. Just like an SLR camera you can remove and change the lens on a system camera. Because a system camera has no mirror it is much lighter than a comparable SLR model.

The Micro Four Thirds System (MFT) created by Panasonic and Olympus has set the standards for system cameras. MFT cameras have a live view on their displays. The image sensor in this type of camera is much larger than in a compact camera. The sensor is the same size as those found in SLR cameras at 17.3x13 mm and has a resolution of about 12 megapixels.

Germany's consumer organisation, Stiftung Warentest, conducted a study on system cameras and included a few SLRs for comparison. Of the 25 cameras examined Stiftung Warentest rated 23 as 'good' and the other two were ranked as 'satisfactory.'

However, all of the models took better quality pictures than normal compact cameras. Single-lens reflex cameras with APS-C sensors are very compact in size but are larger than system cameras with interchangeable lenses.

An APS-C sensor is 23x15mm and bigger than that found in a system camera. Thanks to its larger size, the APS-C sensor shows its superiority when photographing bright objects. The sensor also gives you a wider spectrum of options to select different areas of focus.

Sensors tucked into cell phones could map airborne toxins in real time

A tiny silicon chip that works a bit like a nose may one day detect dangerous airborne chemicals and alert emergency responders through the cell phone network.

If embedded in many cell phones, its developers say, the new type of sensor could map the location and extent of hazards like gas leaks or the deliberate release of a toxin."Cell phones are everywhere people are," said Michael Sailor, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of California, San Diego who heads the research effort.

"This technology could map a chemical accident as it unfolds."In collaboration with Rhevision, Inc., a small startup company located in San Diego, Sailor's research group at UCSD has successfully finished the first phase of development of the sensor and have begun to work on a prototype that will link to a cell phone.

The sensor, a porous flake of silicon, changes color when it interacts with specific chemicals. By manipulating the shape of the pores, the researchers can tune individual spots on the silicon flake to respond to specific chemical traits."It works a little like our nose," Sailor said. "We have a set of sensory cells that detect specific chemical properties.

It's the pattern of activation across the array of sensors that the brain recognizes as a particular smell. In the same way, the pattern of color changes across the surface of the chip will reveal the identity of the chemical."

$100 Tablet PC: Coming Soon

The nonprofit organization that has tried to produce a $100 laptop for children in the world's poorest places is throwing in the towel on that idea -- and jumping on the tablet bandwagon.

One Laptop Per Child's next computer will be based on chipmaker Marvell Technology Group Ltd's Moby tablet design. Marvell announced a prototype of the device this year and said it costs about $99.

Nicholas Negroponte, founder of One Laptop Per Child, is optimistic his organization will be able to keep the price under $100 in part because Marvell plans to market its tablets widely to schools and health care institutions.


The quirky green and white XO laptop sold by One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) to governments and organizations in countries such as Afghanistan and Uruguay wasn't destined for such a broad audience. OLPC had to repeatedly scale back expectations for how many of the laptops it could produce, and it didn't get the price much below $200, twice the price specified by the device's "$100 laptop" nickname.


The new tablets will have at least one, and maybe two, video cameras. They'll sport Wi-Fi connections to the Internet, "multi-touch" screens and have enough power to play high-definition and 3D video. Marvel hopes to make the screens 8.5 inches by 11 inches, the size of a standard sheet of paper. Unlike Apple Inc's iPad tablet, the device will also work with plug-in peripherals such as mice.

Cellphones with highest radiation

Do cellphones cause brain cancer, dementia or have other side effects? Though there have been numerous studies on this, the verdict remains unclear. For, some studies reveal long-term side effects of cellphone usage, others term them as mere hype.

However, it is largely certain that cellphones do emit radiation. In fact, some analysts are now of the view that all cellphones should compulsorily display their radiation levels. US-based environmental group EWG recently published a list of phones with high levels of RF radiation. The list, which appeared on CNET, includes some of the most popular smartphone models from companies like LG, Motorola, Blackberry and Samsung.



The study is based on SAR or Specific Absorption Rate. SAR according to the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association is "a way of measuring the quantity of radio frequency (RF) energy that is absorbed by the body.

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Is your privacy protected online?

Is your privacy protected online? Find out the answer to this question too late, and you could be facing some serious hassles: identity theft, compromised financial information, or simply dozens of annoyances coming through your inbox in the form of spam.

That's why the best way to ensure that your privacy is protected in cyberspace is to take precautionary steps beforehand. Here are a few.

Keep personal information personal :
There are more opportunities than ever to give away personal information online --knowingly or inadvertently. Social networks, forums, blogs -- all encourage interactivity. And, as you get comfortable with your online friends, it's tempting to reveal personal details.

Just remember that when you write something on a social website, its usually there for all to see. So be very careful about what information you divulge about yourself voluntarily.

How closely does your screen name or username resemble your real name? Have you posted your age, location, or other identifying information on any websites? In the course of conversing online, do you routinely drop details about yourself that someone with less than altruistic intentions could use to invade your privacy or compromise your security?

And how about members of your family? Do you have kids who might unwittingly be providing personal information about themselves, you, or your family?

All of the security software in the world won’t protect your privacy if you or your loved ones aren’t careful with personal information online. It’s a good idea to have a chat with family members about what information is and is not acceptable to divulge online to complete strangers

Flying Car may be a reality soon

Flying cars have always been something typically reserved for science fiction, but they have now come closer to reality.

The department tasked with exploring the concept, Defence Advanced Projects Agency (DARPA), has cleared the Transformer (TX) program. The flying vehicle is currently in motion for military services rather than the everyday motorist.

If the vehicle realizes the capabilities planned, it is possible that by the year 2015 U.S soldiers will have the ability to drive into battle in a flying car, designed to be seated for four that will go 250 miles on a tank of fuel and be able to fly through the air and drive on the ground.

The Transformer will give troops the ability to avoid traditional and unconventional threats such as ambushes and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and road obstructions. The Pentagon has budgeted 54 million dollars so far to develop the concept.

Nintendo to launch 3D DS

Nintendo Co Ltd plans to launch a new model of its DS handheld game gear that allows users to play three-dimensional (3D) games without using special glasses.

The Japanese firm said the new portable player will be able to play titles created for previous DS models and will be launched in the financial year starting in April.

Nintendo, which competes with Sony Corp and Microsoft Corp in video games, declined to give details such as price and launch dates, but said more information will be announced at the E3 video game trade show in Los Angeles in June.

Sony plans to release 3D titles for its PlayStation 3 game console in time for the planned release of its 3D TVs in June. That game console can be upgraded to become 3D-capable using a software update.

Now Charge mobile... on the run

Believe it or not, you may be able to charge your mobile, laptop and iPod with a few minutes' walk in near future. Scientists at Georgia Tech university have claimed to have developed the first device to tap the power of motion and produce practical amounts of electricity from piezoelectronics.

The team group said piezoelectrics can generate voltages up to 1.26 volts, and can produce even higher voltages, the Discovery Channel reported. "This is a key step to designing technology that will be useful in the near future," said co-author Z L Wang. "Every move you make, every step you take, you can generate electricity. The power output could quickly jump high enough to power iPods and cellphones.

By cramming 20,000 nanowires into three square centimetres, the scientists have created the world's first device powered solely by piezoelectric materials.

A piezoelectric material is something that, when pushed or pulled, generates a mild electrical charge. "Within three to five years piezoeleectric nanowires, woven into a cotton shirt or housed in a shoe heel, could charge a cellphone or laptop battery after even a short walk.

Bike Balloon is Full of Hot Air!

We keep running into motorcycle riders with tall claims all the time, but this one really takes the cake.

Being touted as the "world's biggest flying bike", this hot air balloon has been made for the promotion of the George White Superbikes racing team from the Land of the Queen, which races in the British Superbike Series.

While the balloon will be used to fly the name of the team high at various venues of the racing series, the sort of statistics that stand by its making are simply mind numbing.

At 37 metres high and 47 metres wide, the balloon was made out of 5500 different patches of fabric, sewed together by over 50 miles of thread!

The balloon has been built to scale, blowing up an average BSB bike 23 times. Ever imagined a 23XL helmet on a rider? That's what we mean when we say that size does matter!