Thursday, March 8, 2012

Action Cameras on a Budget - The Best Buys For Under 200 GBP

Some people use action cameras on a regular basis, even as part of their profession if capturing HD footage for professional sports movies, for example. In this instance investing in a top of the range, full HD action camera is fully justified.

In contrast, for the casual part-time user, action cameras are arguably more of a luxury than a necessity as they may only be used a handful of times a year. For some, this can make it difficult to justify spending hard earned cash on a top of the range action camera, such as a GoPro HD2 or the new Drift HD.

Thankfully, for those on a slightly tighter budget there are some great alternatives on the market. Here are some of the best action cameras available for under £200.

Bullet HD lite 720p (£119.99)

The Bullet HD Lite is the little brother of the revolutionary Bullet HD Pro helmet camera. Being small and light, the Bullet HD will go virtually unnoticed when mounted on a users' helmet or goggles, making it ideal for those who like to keep their kit light. What the Bullet HD Lite lacks in size, it makes up in functionality, with a resolution of 720p @ 25fps (frames per second), 5 megapixel images with 3 second burst mode and a 135 degrees optical wide angle lens to capture an excellent field of view. The Bullet HD Light only has one button, making it extremely easy to use and a variety of included accessories allow a wide variety mounting options. For those looking for a feature-rich, entry level action camera without breaking the bank, look no further than the Bullet HD Lite.

Bullet HD Onyx (£164.99)

The Onyx sits in between the Bullet HD Lite and the daddy of the Bullet family, the Bullet HD Pro 1080p and offers the best of both worlds when it comes to functionality and affordability. In keeping with the HD Lite, the Onyx is ultra-lightweight and small enough to mount anywhere virtually unnoticed. The Onyx boasts 720p resolution at a rate of 30fps (slightly more than its counterpart) but what really sets the Onyx apart from the Lite is the ability to capture 12 megapixel photos - a revolutionary feature. The Onyx is a great mid-level action camera.

GoPro HD Naked (£199.99)

The GoPro HD Naked package is, as the name suggests, void of accessories - you just get the camera. However, when that camera is a GoPro Helmet Hero, the lack of any bells or whistles is fully justified, because for what the Naked lacks on the outside, it more than makes up for inside; with full 1080p HD recording, 170 degree wide angle lens and 5 megapixel still image capture. The camera also has a 60fps filming option available at 720p for slow motion editing and is waterproof to 60m. While the Naked doesn't come with any specialist accessories or mounts, it does include a basic Curved Adhesive Mount and a GoPro Waterproof Quick-Release Housing, so you will be able to use the camera out of the box, albeit to a limited extent. The Naked is a favourable package for those who wish to grow their action camera toolkit over time, adding accessories and mounts as and when they can afford to, or feel the need to.

Looxcie 2 (£149.99)

The Looxcie 2 is a wearable, mobile-connected camcorder that automatically sends footage to your chosen social networks or email as and when it's captured. The Looxcie 2 is super-simple to operate and very lightweight (22g) so can comfortably be attached to the user's ear, hat or clothing, allowing a great point of view recording perspective. Better still the Looxcie is totally hands-free and there's even an a downloadable mobile application that can be used to control the device. Users can choose to capture video in 320p or 480p and store up to 5 hours of video footage on the device itself. While the Looxcie will struggle to withstand the physical strain of high-impact action sports, it makes a great gadget for capturing and sharing the unmissable moments in everyday life.

All of the action cameras described above are excellent value for money and ideal considerations for those on a budget. While price is an obvious factor when purchasing an action camera, ultimately, your choice of camera should come down to its suitability to the job at hand.

Submitted by Matt Taylor, Marketing Manager at Action Cameras. For more information about the Bullet HD, GoPro HD and Looxcie action cameras and the accessories and mounts available for them, visit http://www.actioncameras.co.uk/.


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Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Caring for Your Electrical Equipment

If you want to preserve the life of your belongings and keep it working properly, you need to be willing to change some of the bad habits you may have acquired over the years and incorporate some new ones into your daily routine. Part of being a savvy and conscious consumer is knowing how to purchase quality materials and knowing how to take care of your electrical equipment. Failure to properly care for these possessions will end up costing you more money in the long haul.

Due to inflation, if you have to repurchase any of your items, don't be surprised to see that you will pay more for the replacement than when you originally purchased the product. If you want to avoid having to foot the bill for a replacement that could have been avoided, then you should consider learning how to care for your materials properly.

The first step to caring for your things is to make sure that once you have finished using it, you clean the item off before putting it away. The way that you would cleanse it all depends on what type of item it is. If you are not sure or familiar with how to care for your belongings, check your instruction manual for the manufacturer's directions.

These types of possessions vary so much in their function and capacity that it would be impossible for you to figure out how to clean and care for each individual one. However, there are some simple guidelines that can be used for most appliances so that they last longer and provide the same kind of performance as they did when you first purchased them.

Storage can play an important role as to how long your things will work. If you are not storing them in dry places that will not interfere with their function, then you can expect to be making a trip to a hardware or supply store fairly soon. You can also expect to shell out some major cash for a suitable replacement. Make sure that when you unplug your item and it is not going to be used anytime soon, you wrap up the cords and keep them out of harm's way.

Caring for electrical equipment is something that anyone can do and it only takes a few extra minutes to make sure that everything is properly cleaned and stored to extend the life and performance of your products. If you have some electrical equipment that is need of service, there are places that do repairs and they are cheaper than having to replace a whole item. Many of these companies also offer a warranty to back the quality of their work, which is great for people who have a preference for a particular brand or appliance. You can also go to these service and repair shops to find electrical equipment for sale at very reasonable prices.

Save yourself some time and money by taking care of your property by keeping it cleaned, serviced, and stored away until it is in use. Why spend your money on replacements that could have been avoided altogether?


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Monday, March 5, 2012

New Consumer Invention Idea - To Go Coffee Cup With Embedded Wi-Fi Amplifier

Each month, I attempt to come up with 30 potential new inventions, one for each day of the month. Personal Tech devices are always amongst my favorites. Okay so, today, I was sitting in Starbucks peering out the window and noticed a gentleman trying to work on his computer out on the patio, but he had a brick wall between him and the coffee shop, normally he'd have been able to get the signal, but apparently, he wasn't able, so he moved to a different seat to get online.

The other day at another Starbucks, I had noted that someone in their car trying to perhaps get their emails from across the parking lot, they waited until a spot opened up and then drove into the first stall, and started computing on their laptop. Then recently, I noted a cool little picture in a popular business newspaper of a coffee cup with what looked like it had waves coming up, the article was about the creativity boost enabling writers to come up with better ideas in the ambiance of a coffee shop.

Still, that cartoonish picture made me think about my previous observations and challenges of folks getting Wi-Fi within close proximity but not inside the actual store. So, I thought to myself, well, that it would be an interesting idea to have an actual coffee mug which doubled as a Wi-Fi repeater. Okay so, how might I go about designing something like this you might ask? Well, how about some sort of a mesh made out of carbon nano-tubes and graphene coatings, forming antenna around the insulation wall of the coffee mug? That might work.

Perhaps the coffee mug might plug into a USB port, and it might also allow the coffee to stay hot with a small heating element. They do make coffee cup holders that can plug into the side of your computer to keep your coffee warm. Now then, how much would something like this sell for you ask? Well, most of these coffee cups which are pretty nice sell for about $15, it's a pretty big markup, it is significant profit item for a coffee shop.

Therefore, perhaps something like this might double in price and cost 30 bucks, or sell for $29.95 and perhaps you could buy them on the Starbucks website, or on Amazon? Do I think it would sell? I'm sure it would sell, I'm just not sure how many people would buy it right away. Perhaps someone needs to do a market study on this, and go file a patent. If you'd like to discuss this topic with me in greater detail, I have made a few sketches, but I think you get the idea. Please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/


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Sunday, March 4, 2012

The Different Ways IT Companies Provide IT Help

Managed IT service companies are what you can consider the pillar of the most successful businesses in the market. This is because without their help, the systems, networks and databases of these huge conglomerates will not be able to function optimally. And with the influx of problems coming from the client's side, it's hard to imagine how these IT service companies are able to not only keep up but also provide solutions to their clients.

Fortunately, these managed IT service companies have developed a way to provide excellent IT help to their clients: through the different channels of customer support that can address simple to complicated issues that any type of business encounter.

Help Desk

Among all the channels of an IT help company, the help desk is considered as the busiest and most demanding channel. This is because this is the first channel that clients often go to whenever they encounter problems with their systems. That being said, the individuals who work at a company help desk must be proficient in various aspects of the IT field so that they can provide solutions that the clients should do in order to fix the problem.

Client Portal

In cases where the help desk have failed to provide support to the client, the client portal, which is the next channel of customer support is offered. Clients are prompted to file a support ticket, which details their problem, to the customer support of the company. The level and speed of support in this channel is not guaranteed, since the solutions that will be provided mostly depend on the information provided by the client. If the client has been very thorough in describing the issues he encountered, chances are, the solutions will be fast and accurate. If the client has failed to provide any useful information at all, their ticket is either forwarded to the next channel, or the company will urge the client to provide more useful information.

Remote System Management

One of the most effective ways to provide IT help is through the third channel of customer support -- the remote system management. Oftentimes, this is where clients who don't have any idea at all about their IT issues are forwarded. This channel is in charge of checking and solving client issues through a remote connection. By accessing the client's desktop, IT experts who are employed in this channel, find and fix the issue and also make sure that the system will be updated.

Typically, these channels of support would be enough. However, some IT service companies have extended their services to provide quality customer support for their clients. With the help of the company's onsite support, they are now able to perform regular visits to their client's system. Not only that, they also provide IT strategies that would enable their clients to maximize their system's potential. With these IT strategies, big companies are able to lower their production cost and still have a system that is running smoothly.

Without these IT service companies, a lot of businesses are likely to fail.

Are you looking for more information regarding IT help? Visit http://managedservicesinfo.com/ today!


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The Risks of Not Having IT Maintenance Services

In a world where every single company task involves the use of a computer, not having proper IT maintenance services could spell death for your company. You may think that the bundled service provided by these IT companies cost a lot. However, if you look at some of the possible scenarios you might encounter because of the absence of proper IT support, you will soon find yourself changing your opinion about these companies.

Frequent Down time

Because you do not have IT maintenance services, the chance of your system experiencing down times is increased. These down times could result from the very simplest things such as human error to the more complicated issues like network fault. Without an IT company routinely monitoring your system, these problems will not be prevented as it is the job of a managed IT service company to find and solve these issues. Needless to say, these down times will hamper your company's productivity and hurt your profits.

Loss of Data

Another problem often encountered by companies that have mediocre IT support is the loss of important data. This often results from web attacks or hacks that completely wipe out system data. Without a back up, it would be impossible for you to retrieve your data. This will not only render your system useless but might also lead to your company earning a bad reputation. This could be prevented with the help of the scheduled back ups performed by an IT company.

Web Attacks and Hacks

You may not know it yet but malicious people often love to prey on company systems. Without a secured system, your company will be prone to web attacks. Such web attacks are often damaging and could later on lead to more problems especially if a hacker manages to siphon useful data from your system. The important information they get will definitely be abused. Credit cards will be used to purchase whatever they want online. Bank accounts can be used to transfer funds. Identity theft will likely occur especially if your clients are respectable, powerful people in the industry. And the worst part is that once all the information is out there, there is nothing you can do to prevent these people from using it. Not only could this lead to a damaging reputation, this could also lead to potential lawsuits.

You may think that the IT experts that are already in your paycheck would be able to prevent this. But don't forget that the web has so much room for growth. And these malicious people who are intent on stealing data will take advantage of this. Only a company that hires people who continually work hard in adjusting with the new technologies being introduced everyday can keep up with these people. They are people who can provide and constantly reinforce your system's security so that there won't be holes and back doors left for these hackers to exploit.

Sure, hiring professionals who can provide IT maintenance services may cost you some money. But it's nothing compared to what you stand to lose if you do not make sure your company system is protected and maintained properly all the time.

Are you looking for more information regarding IT maintenance services? Visit http://managedservicesinfo.com/ today!


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Friday, March 2, 2012

GPS and SatNav - Removing Misconceptions

The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally designed for military use, has, as it has developed, revolutionised the art or skill of getting from one place to another among the general user population. Its development in coverage and reliability along with other technologies has enabled reasonably cheap SatNav systems for general usage, in our vehicles, mobile phones and other applications. Because of its reliability and growing popularity I believe SatNav is becoming widely accepted but without due consideration as to what it is really about. Many misconceptions have grown, some maybe not important, but in some cases having no awareness or the wrong ideas of what you have got or how it works could lead to problems of various severity.

The technology is fantastic but it is not without fault, just like any other technology it can go wrong. So let us remove these misconceptions and try to understand just where it can go wrong and how serious it may be.

First let us look at what SatNav is. We do know but do not really consider it in full. Now this is merely a loose use of words but many say they have GPS in their car. Well, yes they do, but they also have a full SatNav. This involves some method of obtaining position from orbiting satellites, some form of electronic map to put this position on, some software to navigate from here to there, and you may have engine sensor inputs to provide an inertial navigation back up when satellite signals are lost. That's essentially your SatNav system.

It is just a circumstance that the positioning system is mostly GPS. This is just one Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Others are developed or in development. GPS is just the most commonly used. If you have car SatNav, this, with the inertial back up, if you have it, is what you are using. GPS is also included in mobile phones.

This next could be easy to fall for as the distinction may not be too obvious on your machine. I have heard some claim they can get SatNav on their mobile phone in the cupboard under the stairs. I am deeply curious of what advanced technology achieves this. The signal from GPS satellites is line of sight. An obstruction will block any satellite it is in the way of. A broom cupboard will block the lot of them. Now the mobile can also be located by the cell network. Although not as accurate, defaulting to the cell network when GPS is lost is handy. But, I do not think this can be classed as SatNav. No satellites are being used. That's the, er, 'advanced' technology out of the way with.

So far it is wordage and a bit of a lack in awareness. The end result is that by some method you can get a position. If you happen to be off road and lose GPS it may be important to realise you have lost some accuracy. GPS could be 10m or better. The cell being 50m at best in urban areas, no great problem, but worse in rural areas, maybe a problem.

Another one. There are many who say with pride that they know how GPS works. Triangulation. I believe they fall for this because it's a legacy from before GPS where control networks were surveyed in by measuring angles. A GPS receiver, specifically the antenna, which may or may not be attached to the box, is positioned by trilateration, using ranges. This was harder to achieve with accuracy in those older days.

Also, satellite pseudoranges are not measured directly, hence along with inaccuracies the term pseudo. They are determined from time differences and light speed, more correctly, the speed of electromagnetic waves as the GPS signal is in the radio or microwave bands, depending on who you listen to. The nearly 300 million m/sec assumed in range calculations is only valid in a total vacuum. Some of the GPS inaccuracies are due to varying light speed. Nanosecond accuracy is required. A thousandth of a second error (1millisec) equates to 200 miles or 300km. Not many realise the importance of such small times.

Now accuracy has been mentioned, this leads to my favourite but that is another story that can be found in 'GPS and SatNav. Pinpoint Accuracy Explained' by the same author.

John Maris is a professional navigator and surveyor, offshore and coastal within the Oil and Gas exploration industry. With the increasing use of SatNav among the general user population, in vehicles, mobile phones and other applications, he is attempting to increase the awareness of users of how GPS, navigation and mapping combine to give us these systems. It is a fascinating and fantastic technology but not without its problems. A higher understanding of how it works will enable you to get the best out of your system, avoiding confusion and being misled. If interested in more detailed information then please visit http://www.azimuthnavigation.com/

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How to Remove Antivirus Dot Net?

Antivirus.NET is phony security software. It is like any other rogue software application designed to make the user believe that it is a helpful antivirus software. Once it enters the system it wreaks havoc on the OS. It enters via a Trojan which can go undetected by the firewall and antivirus program installed on your system. This is why it is not easy to recognize this infection.

Additionally whenever the user boots up the system to log in the account, this program automatically starts up alongside. Once it initiates, the fake antivirus will begins to scan the system. Then it will generate fake scan results of possible infection. The user will be pursued into purchasing the full version of this software in order to get rid of the infections on the system.

Let us now find out how to remove the antivirus.net:

Antivirus.NET symptoms

Following are the tell tale signs of infection:
• Initially whenever you wish to perform a search using the Yahoo engine with a particular keyword your search results will either be vague or it may get redirected to another unknown web page
• A visible change in the background of the desktop and the icons on the desktop
• An unknown or peculiar icon suddenly appearing on your desktop that you do not remember installing or creating
• There will be noticeable changes in the Home page settings including the wallpaper
• System speed and performance are compromised
• Technical issues like instant shutdowns, automatic opening of programs and internet speed slow down cropping up
• The Windows Registry getting corrupted and pop ups appearing too frequently.

Why is antivirus.net dangerous?
This infection is capable of changing the setting of your Windows Registry. It can also make changes in the system files that are related to Windows. It lets this virus reside within your system for long leading to system failure. This fake antivirus comprises keyloggers and Trojans which are utilized for stealing data like bank details, credit card info, passwords and social security numbers.

Removing antivirus.NET

You need to perform a few simple steps to get rid of this fake software. For this initially you would require to download a tool called Spyware Doctor. You will be prevented from downloading this tool in the normal mode as your system is infected. For this you need to perform the following steps:
• Start up the system in Safe mode that will require you to press the F8 function key repeatedly
• As soon as you reach the Advance Menu select the option of Safe Mode with networking using the arrow keys
• Press Enter to select the option
• Launch IE and go to the Tools tab and select the option of Internet Option
• The Internet Option window will be displayed where you need to click the Connections tab
• Go to LAN settings and deselect the check box against 'Use a proxy server for LAN'
• Click Ok to confirm
• Now download the Spyware Doctor
• Run the file to remove the Antivirus.NET from your system
• Restart your system again in normal mode

By performing the above mentioned steps you will be able to remove the menace of antivirus.NET.

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