Gadgets Gizmos

Bluetooth Stereo Headset: A Few Handy Items

Posted on 09:54, under

The Motorola Bluetooth stereo headset is an interesting piece of audio equipment and a close look at how it works will convince the interested buyer about its efficacy. The HT820 Motorola Bluetooth stereo headset supports both the headset as well as is hands-free for connecting with a phone using Bluetooth and has two additional profiles for audio.

This includes one for receiving stereo broadcast and the other for controlling audio devices. For those who have any of these profiles, the HT820 allows one to pause the music when taking an incoming call or one may skip tracks with the help of buttons present on the headset itself.

The Geeks Bluetooth Stereo Headset
Wireless earphones were introduced in 2001 and even though there are many manufacturers, their design has not seen much change. Very often they are uncomfortable to wear and the bulky over-the-ear-phone that weighs 25 grams or more does not excite the user too. Such earphones hindered perceptions of external sounds and were thus not very suitable for wearing them offline.

A solution to the problem may be found in the Geek headset that is lightweight as well as unique and has a ton of specifications for the headset as well as the Bluetooth audio transmitter. This Bluetooth stereo headset has Bluetooth specification V 1.2 compatible and supports Bluetooth profiles including A2DP and HSP and its radio frequency is from 2402 MHz to 2480 MHz and can be used up to 10 meters distance or twenty meters in open areas and is powered by two AA batteries.

This Bluetooth stereo headset has a button/switch for powering on or off as well as volume up and down controls and it also has phone accept, hang up or mute control. Its dimensions are 175 x 150 x 55 mm and the weight of this Bluetooth stereo headset is 123.8 grams With each advancement in technology, one is able to carry audio as well as video wherever one goes and though it may be very appealing to have it around as having wires attached to the Bluetooth stereo headset is not desirable.

The purpose of the Bluetooth stereo headset should be to allow audio and video devices to be placed on desks and still allow the user to move about freely around the office or cubicle. This is the aim of the Bluetooth stereo headset manufacturers and that is what users want most.

Article Courtsey:- Article Rampage.com

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How Can a Blue Tooth Wireless Headset Help Me Every Day?

Posted on 09:45, under

Every single day, technology and science creates something to make our life more comfortable and enable us to perform better professionally and personally; one of these achievements is the blue tooth wireless headset.

What Is Blue Tooth?
Blue tooth is the wireless protocol that enables contact between electronic gadgets that are less than 30 feet apart. Blue tooth operates through radio waves rather than the usual wifi that is used on most of our electronics today.

The Different Uses of the Blue Tooth Wireless Headset

There are many uses of the blue tooth wireless headset, the most common of which is in the mobile phone, where they enable the user to answer and dial without having to touch the phone at all by attaching the extremely light headset piece over the ear. The blue tooth wireless headset is mostly used in mobile phones carried by busy executives who multi task or those busy individuals that drive and need to speak on the phone at the same time.

Blue tooth wireless headset can be used for the PC as well in order to enable you to access your files, email and anything else that you have in mind. What you need to keep in mind is that blue tooth technology does not work beyond 30 feet and therefore you don’t want to get too far anyway from the gadget you are trying to receive or send data to. Therefore, don’t get carried away when using blue tooth as it is limited to a range.

The best feature of the blue tooth wireless headset is the fact that it does not have wires and therefore you can connect it anywhere you are and start transferring data, for example from your phone to your palm top or computer and so on. The only disadvantage of the blue tooth wireless headset is that it only works within 30 feet or less and therefore you cannot go too far from the gadgets and still expect it to run well.

Where to Shop for Blue Tooth Technology
Blue tooth wireless headsets are found everywhere but are expensive due to the advanced features it offers. However, if you search online you may always come across a bargain or sale especially on auction sites such as Ebay. Acquire a blue tooth wireless headset today and experience the convenience of a wireless technology at your fingertips.

Article Courtsey: Article Rampage.com

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The Smallest Bluetooth Headset from Bluespoon Weighs Only Five Grams!

Posted on 09:39, under

According to some, small is the new big and that was once evident in the Mini Cooper and is now taking over the Bluetooth headset segment what with Bluespoon that are already making the smallest Bluetooth headsets that are available outdoing themselves with a new model that is to be released soon. Bluespoon is about to release their 5G model which does not mean fifth generation as one may assume but refers instead to five grams. Yes, that is five grams as in weight and when this model is released it will undoubtedly be the smallest Bluetooth headset as well as being the lightest.

Of course, one would realize that one has to sacrifice something (and, that is the battery life) for the small size but the headset is in itself fairly comfortable to wear as well as being cool and can be shown off to good effect. One would of course, also need to take good care of it as it would be easy to lose as well and one would hope that it would not be too high priced so as to make it a most sought after item.

The Nextlink Smallest Bluetooth Headset
Nextlink is another favorite in the smallest Bluetooth headset category with a weight that was less than half of what the prior Bluespoons weighed and is sure to attract many buyers. This product has had a fair amount of technical expertise going into its making especially when one considers that the older Bluespoons were considered to be the lightest and smallest Bluetooth headsets available.

Nextlink Bluespoon Ax2 Ultra Small WirelessBluetooth Headset
One finds that this smallest Bluetooth headset is exactly up to mark and has small dimensions as well weighs in at just 0.3 ounces and is the second smallest BT handset currently available. It contains two soft rubber ear tips, USB charging cable and a rechargeable Li-Ion coin cell battery. To carry it, one can use the neck carrying strap and a user guide provides all the necessary operating instructions. The neck strap could be worn in order to have the AX2 handy and is especially desirable for those who do not wish to have the headset inserted in their ears.

This smallest Bluetooth headset is much smaller than one would expect to find and this earpiece is so unobtrusive that many would not even notice that it is being worn at all. The body of the headset is made of matte black plastic that is solid to the feel in spite of its small size.

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Encrypted USB Hard Drives: What, Why and How?

Posted on 07:24, under

In today’s society, it seems that anywhere that you go there is usually some form of computer accessibility nearby. For the active business person or college student, having the ability to use these devices to access your personal information anywhere that you may find yourself is an important factor to success. A USB hard drive with encryption may be the perfect device that will permit you to have all your data in the palm of your hand.

USB hard drives with encryption go by a number of different names, such as flash drives or thumb drives. These devices can fit onto your key ring and can contain a huge amount of storage. There are also memory storage cards that can also be used for this purpose.

One advantage that these USB hard drives with encryption have over other storage devices such as floppy discs or CDs is the ability to connect into a USB port, which allows them to be used with any computer system. While many computers may be purchased that contain no floppy disk drives, all systems have USB port availability. These USB hard drives with encryption also have much more storage and are more compact and durable than these other memory storage devices.

The USB hard drives with encryption are not exactly “drives,” as they contain no movable parts but are called such because when plugged into a computer, the operating system recognizes them as “drives.” One advantage of this design is the fact that they are much more durable and there is less of a chance of a mechanical malfunction when dealing with stationery parts.

Most of these USB hard drives with encryption use a standard type-A USB connection that can be plugged into any USB port on a computer system. The device contains a small circuit board that is encased in durable metal or plastic and the connectors are either protected by a plastic removable cover or retract into the casing itself. The computer system provides the power source for the USB hard drives with encryption.

The most common use for these USB hard drives with encryption is to transport and store personal information. This flexibility will allow you to bring work home from the office or transport documents to the library where you may need to finish your research. One extremely beneficial use of these devices is in the care of the elderly, when medical records can be stored on a flash drive that will allow any hospital to access a person’s medical history in the case of an emergency if the patient is unable to provide the information himself.

USB hard drives with encryption can also be used as a backup to store computer files in case the host device experiences a virus or other type of mechanical failure. Antivirus software can also be transferred from a flash drive into an infected host as well as storing a large amount of the host’s data while that system is shut down, making it an invaluable tool in making essential computer repairs.

As USB hard drives with encryption are easily lost or misplaced, many brands of these devices have the encryption placed directly into the hard drive itself to protect your data. Encryption software is also compatible with the majority of these USB hard drive devices. This security is an essential element to protect the data that you may be storing on one of these handy devices.

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USB Flash Drives: What Are They and Why You Might Want One

Posted on 07:16, under

If you are an average computer user, you may not be very familiar with USB flash drives (also called USB memory sticks, thumb drives, etc.). Even if you do have a USB flash drive or two, the newest technology is impressive and less expensive than what was available just one or two years ago.

The most impressive technological leap has occurred in the amount of memory USB flash drives can hold. Today, 32GB USB memory sticks the size of a business card cost less than two hundred dollars. 32GB of memory is more memory than some computers have! And 64GB USB flash drives have recently become available.

USB flash drives are also uniquely durable compared to other external storage devices like CDs and DVDs. Since USB flash drives are made with solid-state (no moving parts) technology and are encased in a durable plastic shell, they require no special handling like CDs and DVDs do. A recent Consumer Reports independent lab test showed that some USB memory sticks can survive hours on the dashboard of a hot car and some even survived laundering and drying as if they had been left in a pants pocket.

Another feature that USB flash drives have that can be beneficial is that they offer almost unlimited rewrite-ability. Some USB pens have tested successfully on over 500,000 rewrites. This rewrite capacity makes USB memory sticks a great data storage option when your data changes daily. If you keep a regularly updated Word documents or run a small accounting firm where you need to backup your system daily, this rewrite-ability can be a major plus.

Because of their large storage capacity and sturdiness, USB memory sticks can also be a great way to store important pictures, videos, and documents without fear that an accidental scratch will corrupt your files. USB flash drives also take up very little room, so you can easily add them to your safe deposit box or fireproof box. Or, if backing up data as mentioned above, dropping your USB flash drive in your purse, pocket, or briefcase will not risk its data integrity.

Finally, USB flash drives are great for people who work on different computers regularly. Some USB memory sticks allow you to save your desktop applications, utilities, and personal settings. This allows you to take your preferences with you to any computer that has a USB port. Since almost every computer today has multiple USB ports, personal data portability is a snap if you use your personalized USB drive. For some people, this portability and compatibility is practically a necessity.

So, the next time you, the everyday computer user, are looking to for a data storage device, check out the new generation of USB flash drives. They offer lots of memory and durability in a handy size that is compatible with most every computer. What more could you want in a data storage device?

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USB Memory Sticks: How They Are Useful for Students and Teachers

Posted on 07:02, under

High school and college students often work on different computers daily to complete assignments. And high school teachers and college professors are demanding more and more professional presentations from their pupils. Many students use USB flash drives to store their work and teachers are increasingly accepting assignments submitted on USB flash drives. Why are USB flash drives (also called USB memory sticks and USB thumb drives) becoming popular for academic purposes?

For Students:
First, students can create personalized USB drives that copy their desktop applications and preferences from their personal computer. When they plug in their personalized flash drive, they can run programs using their settings, utilities, browser, etc. This is obviously a handy feature for students who may work on their own computer, in the computer lab, on a coffeehouse computer, and on their parents’ computer all in one week. Plus, many smaller, more portable computers do not come with a DVD device, but all computers have USB ports.

Second, though DVDs are less expensive, USB flash drives offer more features that are student-friendly. USB flash drives are much harder to damage. Their case protects them from damage with normal usage, unlike DVDs that require special handling to keep from accidentally rendering data stored on them unreadable. You can drop USB memory sticks without damaging the data stored. Leaving them on the hot dash of your car may warp the case, but usually does not damage the memory. Some USB pens have even survived being washed and dried in Consumer Reports’ independent lab testing. Students can carry their personalized USB drives in their pockets, backpacks, or purses with little risk.

Third, USB flash drives are rewriteable many more times and can hold much more data than DVDs. Since a student is usually modifying data daily, this rewrite-ability can be a benefit that overrides the cost difference. Another potential cost-override difference is the sheer memory available now on USB flash drives. Today, you can purchase 32GB USB flash drives for less than two-hundred dollars. A 32GB USB flash drive has more memory than some computers and 64GB USB flash drives are also now available.

For Teachers and Professors:
Teachers and professors like USB flash drives for many of the same reasons students do: durability, reliability, and memory size. They also like the versatility USB flash drives offer.
Assignments are increasingly becoming multimedia presentations. When students submit these assignments on a personalized flash drive, they can include supporting PowerPoint presentations, spreadsheets, databases, Flash Media, narration, web links, research, and more along with their main assignment. This allows the teacher to assess their pupils on much more than their paper-writing abilities, which in turn, gives the students more accurate feedback.

Teachers and professors are also benefitting from the portability of personalized USB drive assignments. In class, they can transfer each student’s work onto their own USB memory stick, then return the students’ memory sticks immediately. Even if the teacher or professor takes all of the USB flash drives home, they can carry all of their students’ assignments in their briefcase or attaché. Compare this to carrying home reams of paper each time a major assignment is due. Not only is it easier on the back, but it is obviously easier on the environment as well.

Students and teachers alike are becoming fans of customized USB flash drives. They offer unparalleled portability, storage capacity, and reliability. As their price continues to drop, USB flash drives are sure to find their way onto more campuses and into more classrooms.

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The Security of USB Flash Drives

Posted on 14:10, under

Even the biggest USB flash drive is still smaller than most people s thumbs. Since we carry these devices to numerous locations, there is a fairly good chance that we will eventually lose them. If this should happen, most of us simply hope there was nothing sensitive on the drive. However, that is not the only thing you can do.

There are some basic USB flash drive security measures available.

If your flash drive carries some sensitive information that you hope to keep from ending up online by the next day, security measures available range from secure partitions to encryption options.

Secure partitions are a rudimentary form of security a password protected partition is created on the drive, using a utility supplied by the manufacturer, this makes a public partition and a secure one.

In most cases, it is not possible to access these partitions at the same time, it is often necessary to log into the secure partition, hiding the public one. Not all controllers feature this limitation. Using a version of your utility, someone else could re partition the drive. However, they would not have access to the data you have stored on the secure partition.

There are other USB flash drives that are much more specialised, they offer the same sort of secure, password protected partition. However, they also encrypt data stored on that partition, making it much harder for people to get to your data. While encryption algorithms can be broken, having encryption on your USB drive is an extra layer of security you can offer your data.

The down side to drives that use encryption is that some of them only perform this encryption in software that results in lower performance on the drive when encryption is enabled. Few manufacturers use a hardware based engine capable of encrypting and decrypting files at a higher speed to prevent performance penalties when you access a secure partition that s using encryption.

The problem with both of these security approaches is that they are mostly dependent on software; the majority of manufacturers of USB flash drives only provide Windows based software support.

What does that mean for Macintosh users and people who use a Linux distribution or other unusual operating system?

Security for USB flash drives is mostly still a matter of keeping good track of them. While it is possible to access public partitions on almost all systems, accessing the secure partition generally requires access to Windows.

USB flash drive security is still in its infancy, since these drives aren t routinely used by people with a need to secure their data. As they become more widespread and the need for security increases, expect flash drive security options to increase as well. For now, partitioning and encrypting are the major options available, though.

Windows users are in luck and can make use of both of these options effectively to preserve their data. However, users of operating systems that aren t compatible with the software on the drive must simply try not to let their USB flash drives fall into the wrong hands.

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Ready Boost Your Computer With a USB Flash Drive

Posted on 14:05, under

If you have found that your computer is running a little slower and you want to speed up games, videos and the Windows operating system itself, there could be a solution. Since Windows is able to access memory much faster than it can get things off the hard drive, recently used programs run more quickly than ones that you haven t touched in a while. Unfortunately, newer versions of Windows, including Vista, require a lot more memory than earlier ones.

It s possible to buy new memory just about everywhere, but there are some reasons this might not be the best solution. Inexperienced users may have trouble installing these cards and it s possible to run out of extra slots. The solution that can make things easier is your USB port, plug a flash drive into it and you will be able to add a little more to your system.

Using Ready Boost along with a USB flash drive allows you to easily and quickly add more memory to your computer, speeding things up for software and you re OS. It s just a matter of plugging in the drive, installing the program and adding the extra memory to your computer.
Make sure you have a flash drive and a computer capable of USB 2.0. Once you plug the drive into your computer, you will get an autoplay dialog box, including a selection for Speed up my system . Turn on Use this device and you will get more memory! Try out your most resource heavy program, like a game or computer art program, to test the results. The flash drive will be used just like the RAM inside the computer, offering a boost in speed.

Ready Boost doesn t just work with USB drives, either, it will also work with SD cards and Compact Flash cards, such as the ones used in a digital camera. However, your computer must have a built in card slot to use these, external card readers won t work. In addition, you must have Windows Vista and a card that offers Ready Boost compatibility. Look on the packaging to find a Ready Boost logo.

Only one flash drive can be used per computer and there are size limitations, you can only use Ready Boost with memory devices between 256 Mb and 4 Gb in capacity. Larger or smaller drives don t work. The speed boost you will get depends on the capacity of the drive. Try using a USB flash drive with the same capacity as your computer s memory.

Therefore, a 1 Gb RAM computer should use a 1 Gb flash drive; smaller flash drives would significantly reduce the speed you d get from using Ready Boost. It s also important to remember that you can t use this flash drive for file storage while it s being used by Ready Boost. You will have to change the settings under Properties, or reformat the drive if you want to do this.

For Vista computers that need a boost of speed, a USB flash drive and Ready Boost could be the solution. Remember to pay attention to the drive size and other factors and you will soon be surfing, gaming and working a whole lot faster.

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USB Flash Drives and Solid State Drives

Posted on 13:58, under

Solid state drives have been around for many years, but recent technological changes have increased their viability and their popularity. At its simplest, a solid state drive is one that is built entirely out of semi conductors, rather than a magnetic drive with moving parts. Originally, solid state drives referred to electronics that did not use vacuum tubes, but this definition is now outdated.
One commonly available form of solid state drive is a USB flash drive. These use the same kind of non volatile chip to retain information, even without power. However, these drives have different capacities and form factors from the solid state drives that are now beginning to enter the market.

A flash drive is designed as an external piece of the computer system.
A solid state drive is designed to be used inside the computer in place of magnetic hard drives.

On the outside, solid state drives don t look any different from ordinary hard drives. That allows notebooks and desktop computers to use the solid state drive instead of a regular hard drive. They have the same dimensions as a conventional hard drive and use ATA or SATA interfaces in the same way as the drives we are all familiar with.

So, if these drives look the same and plug into computers the same way, why use them? The lack of moving parts in these drives gives them an advantage over conventional hard drive, which must use drive motors to spin magnetic platters and drive heads. The storage on a solid state drive is instead handled by flash memory, allowing less power to be used, data to be accessed faster and the drive to be more reliable overall.

Using solid state drives in portable computers is made much easier by their lower power use. Since they have no motors to draw power, they use a lot less energy than normal hard drives. While the portable computer industry has taken steps to address this, their solutions still use more power than a solid state drive. It consistently draws less power than either hybrid or traditional hard drives.

Faster data access is possible since the drive platter doesn t have to spin up and there are no drive heads to move. That allows data to be read from a drive nearly instantly. There s nearly a twenty percent improvement in the boot time of Windows on a solid state drive versus a standard drive. Reliability is also important. Since conventional hard drives are very fragile, being jarred can damage them. Solid state drives have no moving parts to be damaged, and can be used in computers that are meant to travel in rougher conditions.

Currently, the big reason these drives are not being used more widely, is cost. These drives have been available for a long time, but the cost of the drive would be equivalent to that of the entire computer they were installed in. Since these drives are growing more popular, price is going down, that suggests that solid state drives will soon be more readily available in forms other than USB flash drives.

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Digital Camera Battery – A Major Source of Power Supply

Posted on 06:50, under

To capture some precious moment of life, digital camera is the best option as it gives wonderful photography experience to the users. Great quality picture and videos can be captured by the help of digital camera. Some of the added advantages and benefit that is provided in the digital camera that we do not find in a standard 35mm SLR camera include auto timer, forward and rewind options and the zooming option. To have perfection in photography with such advantageous digital camera it should also be equipped with qualitative range of accessories that will ensure enhanced performance from the camera. Among all the accessories of the digital camera, battery is the most important accessory that supplies power to the camera in order to capture amazing pictures and videos. Use of highly efficient and robust battery will ensure that the device consumes less power and it is able to provide the back-up for longer period of time.

In digital cameras there are generally two types of battery that are used. Standard AA-size cell and the rechargeable battery are the major types of battery used with digital cameras. Both types have certain advantages and disadvantages and it is up to the user to choose the right battery for their digital cameras. Standard AA-size battery is generally used in case of emergency due to its very short life. It is used in the situation when the rechargeable battery gets discharged during the long journey or some other similar situation. Other type of battery that is used with digital camera is rechargeable battery, which can be easily recharged whenever the battery get discharged. Rechargeable battery is also called as the proprietary camera cell.

Rechargeable battery is more expensive as it is available in compact size and has longer life. Mixture used in the rechargeable battery is Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), which is also better and safe for the environment. Taking important care of battery is quite vital in digital camera as it is the most important accessory of the digital camera. Battery of the camera should never be allowed to touch the metal objects such as coins etc. as this can cause short circuit or can discharge the battery also. The most important thing is one should use the right kind of battery and should always clean the battery component and should always remove the battery when camera is not in use. Digital camera batteries are provided by some leading companies such as Benq, Canon, Casio, Konica, Olympus, Samsung, Panasonic, Sony and Toshiba.

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Customized Classic II Jumpdrives in Different Capacities

Posted on 06:38, under

Jump Drives or Flash drives make it easy for you to carry loads of information conveniently. Although small and lightweight, most of the jump drives available in the market fail miserably in the looks department, what with their dull gray or black color. But not any more! Lexar jump drives are not your usual boring jump drives. They are sleek, smart and colorful. Now, have your company logo on it or use it as a key chain, apart from storing bulk of your data. And for those who look for class everywhere, there’s the Classic II JumpDrives, truly a class apart.

The Classic II JumpDrives have such an appealing look and feel that anyone will notice it instantly. And as for the functionality, with any of the Lexar Jump Drives you can rest assured of the best in technology. Lexar Classic II JumpDrives come in different capacities i.e. 64MB, 128MB and 256MB. The system requirement is Windows XP, 2000, Me Mac OS X or Mac OS 9. USB port 2.0 is recommended for trouble free performance.

Store your photos, music and video to take with you anywhere with Classic II JumpDrives. Data transfer is easy, the design is compact, fits on your key chain and it gives overall a great value for your money. Each of the Classic II JumpDrives has a streamlined, sleek design in metallic silver.
Lexar jump drives also offer you a two-year limited warranty and customization using pad print and laser etching technology. Customized JumpDrives ensure that you and the company you work have greater visibility. So, the next time you twirl your key chain with your logo etched on your Customized JumpDrives, you catch enough eyeballs and generate interest in your business.

You will also be pleasantly surprised to know that for this piece of classic design, you don’t have to pay an exorbitant price. Lexar Classic II JumpDrives come at low rates, at prices that are the most competitive in the market. And considering all the features they offer, you will be amiss, if you miss out on the Classic II JumpDrives. And what’s more, order easily online from the convenience of your home and have your object d'art-cum-technological-powerhouse, delivered at your doorstep. With a Lexar JumpDrives in your hand, you will feel like a power warrior, in the corporate world.

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Computer Storage Options – Today & Tomorrow

Posted on 06:23, under

Abstract:
This is the article brings the brief about the today’s and future computer storage options. Most of ours using computers and systems, but we do not know much more details about the storage and storage options existing today. For those people, you can easily get to know about the brief introduction and overview of nowadays storage options – personal and enterprise from this article.

Hard Disk Drive:
If anyone hears about computer storage, suddenly he might have think about this hard disk only. It is a common storage option, most of the PC’s have. After 1990, the evolutions of hard disk become more and more. So it easily occupies our PC’s without any competitions of other storage options. Compare to other storage options this is the smartest storage, suitable for personal computers. There are two main types of hard disks are used in today’s systems. They are,

Magnetic Hard Disks
Solid State Disks

Magnetic Hard Disks:
Magnetic Hard Disk Drive is a digital data storage device that reads and writes data via magnetization changes of a magnetic storage disk. This includes one or more randomly accessible rotatable storage media, or disks. Nowadays magnetic hard disks are there in market up to terabytes. Yes, a single hard disk drive has that much memory like a big storage server. The first commercial magnetic HDD introduced by IBM in 1956 having 5MB storage. But last year Hitachi introduced 1TB magnetic HDD. This year 2008, Seagate announced 1.5 TB HDD for personal and enterprise purposes. This HDD are having data transfer rate is nearly 16 to 20 Mb/s.

Solid State Disks:
The design of solid-state disk starts with combining the each block like Flash memory, Memory controller, RAM, RAM Controller, Processor and Host etc., M-Systems introduced first flash-based solid-state drives in 1995. (SanDisk acquired M-Systems in November 2006). Since then, flash based SSDs demands high in military and aerospace industries, as well as other mission-critical applications. Nowadays in SSD, Flash is used as a permanent storage and RAM is used as a temporary storage between Flash and processor to increase the performance.

It’s very suitable for small hand held systems and note books, because it does not have moving parts, requires less power, Host data transfer rate of up to 3Gb/s and silent operation. Up to 2007 middle only 64GB (Samsung & SanDisk) solid-state drives are there in the market with in the size that is compatible with notebooks. In this year Samsung announces a super-fast 256 GB, 2.5-inch solid-state drive. ‘Super Talent’ has announced the world's thinnest 256 GB 2.5-inch SSD drive. Toshiba also launched 3 MLC flash SSD families with SATA interfaces.

Optical Disks:
The main uses of optical storage disks are content exchange, backup and archiving and not for primary storage. It’s having capacity from 300 MB to 30 GB. Before the evolutions of Optical Storage Disks, the Magnetic floppy disks are used for data exchange and for small storages. Because of the very little storage (1.44 MB) and small life period of floppy, the optical disks had overtaken that. There are four main commercial types of optical disk’s are there for present day usage. They are,

Laser Disks
Compact Disks (CD)
Digital Versatile Disks (DVD)
Blu-Ray Disks (BD)

Laser Disks:
The laserdisc was the first optical storage medium used for commercial purposes, particularly for the movie industry. Paul Gregg invented the laserdisc technology in 1958, making use of a transparent disc. Laserdiscs are famous in 80’s for audio songs and although the VHS (Video Home System) cassettes and the CD/DVD format has overtaken the Laserdisc in usage. It looks 30 centimeters in diameter and it is made up of two single-sided discs. Laserdisc is actually an analog format unlike CDs or DVDs which are digital. Now Laser disks doesn’t have any market, but still some people are using this to hear old songs.

Compact Disks:
The most common form of optical storage is the Compact Disk (CD). Even with the arrival of other more powerful optical media, CDs remain a popular way for industries to package software, games, music, and movies. These discs provide low-cost and easy-to-use back-up for and physical transfer of data files. Normally compact disks are coming in two ways. One is CD-R (one time write and more number of reads) and CD-RW (More number of read and writes). A standard CD has a capacity of about 74 minutes of standard CD audio music and holds about 700 MB. But actual capacity depends on the format of writing.

Digital Versatile Disks:
This is the improved form of compact disks, commonly known as DVD. It has another expansion like Digital Video Disks also. It also contains DVD-R and DVD-RW separation like the above. A standard DVD offers 4.7 GB (Single Layer) / 8.5 GB (Dual Layer) storage. But it looks similar like CD. We can read/write the CDs in the DVD Writer, but CD writer won’t read the DVD.

Blu-Ray Disks:
It is the next-generation optical disks, able to hold high-definition video and other high-density storage. A single-sided Blu-ray disk can hold 25 GB of storage, while a dual-sided one can store 50 GB. The Blu-ray disk's size is similar to that of the CD and the DVD – 120 mm in diameter. It uses 405 nm wavelength of laser, so only it named as a Blu-ray disk. It has 54 Mbps transfer rate is superior to both the CD (150 Kbps) and the DVD's (11.1 Mbps). Blu-ray discs are more expensive and slower to manufacture, mainly used for Game storage like play stations.

RAID:
It is expanded like Redundant Array of Independent Disks. It is a technology that employs the simultaneous use of two or more Hard disk drive to achieve greater levels of performance, reliability, and/or larger data volume sizes. A RAID distributes data across several physical disks. There are three different types of RAID concepts. They are,

Software RAID
Hardware RAID
Firmware/driver based RAID

Tape Storage:
The main usage of tape storage is offline storage and backup for primary storage. Today’s magnetic tape is most commonly packaged in cartridges and cassettes. Tape drives can be connected to a computer with SCSI commonly and Fibre Channel, FICON, ESCON, parallel port, IDE, SATA, USB, FireWire or other interfaces also. It has the following important benefits.

It offers lowest cost per megabyte of all storage media options.
Extremely high capacity per cartridge.
Portable

The same like it has some limitations also.

Very slow operation (both read and write)
Relatively short operational life compare to other storage media
Subject to deterioration and environmental hazards

The difference between tape data storage and disk data storage is that tape is an Sequential access medium while disk is a random access medium. Nowadays Tape Storage is used to store data’s, which doesn’t need, but should have a Backup like Hospital passed away patients record.

Network Attached Storage:
It is commonly known as NAS, used for enterprise storage as a server. These devices contains embedded processors that run some sort of operating system or microprocessors that understands networking protocols and is optimized for particular tasks, such as file service and network backup etc., NAS is an ideal choice for organizations looking for a simple and cost-effective way to achieve fast data access for multiple clients at the file level. Some important benefits of NAS are listed below.

Files are easily shared among users at high demand and performance
Files are easily accessible by the same user from different locations
Demand for local storage at the desktop is reduced
Storage can be added more economically and partitioned among users—Highly scalable
Data can be backed up form the common repository more efficiently than from desktops
Multiple file servers can be consolidated into a single managed storage pool

Storage Area Network:
It is commonly known as SAN. It is a high performance storage network that transfers data between servers and storage devices, separate from the local area network. For a normal person these two, SAN and NAS are giving big confusion. These two are used as server storage but the main difference is, NAS uses LAN but SAN won’t use it. Some advantages of SAN over NAS are listed below.

Superior Performance
Reduces Network bottlenecks
Highly Scalable
Allows backup of storage devices with minimal impact on production operations
Flexibility in configuration.

Online Backup:
The above said methods are convenient and quick, and many offer plenty of inexpensive storage space. For Enterprises, the big problem is coming at the time of disaster, hurricane, earthquake, fire occurs, both the computer and the data backup servers could be destroyed. There's also the problem of theft, of course. But online backup services, which save the most critical computer files on a secure, off-site server over the Internet.

Online Backup means remote Backing up Services. That is taking backup via the Internet to a remote location can protect against some worst-case scenarios mentioned above. A drawback of this an Internet connection is usually substantially slower than the speed of local data storage devices and it also has the risk associated with putting control of company secrets data in the hands of a third party.

Article Courtsey: Article Base.com

Bluetooth Headsets-Making their mark in style

Posted on 08:55, under

Bluetooth is a wireless protocol utilizing short-range communications technology facilitating data transmission over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating wireless Personal Area Networks (PANs). The intent behind the development of Bluetooth was the creation of a single digital wireless protocol, capable of connecting multiple devices and overcoming problems arising from synchronization of these devices.

Bluetooth technology has been an evolutionary electronic device and widely used since 1999 and helped making wireless communication the wave of the future by allowing two devices to "talk" and transferring virtual data to one another over low-frequency radio waves. Bluetooth headsets have gained immense popularity and also have evolved as the best hands free option after mobile phone as use of mobile phones during driving is getting stricter.

Bluetooth headsets have become the preferred method of going hands-free for most consumers. They're more versatile than external speakerphones because you can use them outside as well as inside a car. Unlike a wired headset, you don't have to worry about the wires connecting the headset and phone getting tangled or caught on things. Also just as the number of headsets has exploded, the number of Bluetooth mobile phones has increased as well.

Varieties of Bluetooth headsets are easily available now days in the market. Bluetooth headsets can range in cost from about £5 for a low-end model to £50 or more for a top-of-the-line model. Naturally more expensive headsets tend to be smaller, more stylish and offer more and better features than less expensive models. But if you are looking for a decent headset then you can get a light-weight headset with noise cancellation technology - perhaps the most important feature for in-car use - in the £25 to £45 price range.

The design of the headsets has changed significantly with light-weight, easy to wear headsets making their way. Also with a stereo headset, you can listen to music without having a headset plugged into the phone. Such headsets come with an additional ear-bud attached by wire to the other earpiece. Microphone makes voice clearer and better indeed! The perfect example of one of the best Bluetooth headset is the striking Jabra BT3030 Stereo Bluetooth Mobile Headset. It’s sharp, funky-looking yet unobtrusive design incorporates a boom mic that helps the unit offer good voice quality in both directions while avoiding the audio compromises inherent in most ultra compact Bluetooth headsets.

Certainly Bluetooth headsets seem to be the best hands free option as of now and are already making a huge mark in style in this rapidly changing technology world.

For more such stylish Bluetooth headsets and hands free, please visit TheComponentShop.com.

Digital Camera Buying Guide

Posted on 07:47, under Digital Camera, Kodak EASYSHARE C763 Zoom Digital Camera

Planning to buy a digital camera? Not sure how to get started?

Market is flooded with digital cameras from various brands. They too vary in sizes, in features and in specifications. It is obvious to get confused which one is better in this festive season for your family. Here follows the article that tries to impart some of the useful digital camera buying tips:

What do you need the camera for?

If you are looking for a simple one that can be used at home, you won’t get interesting features that you may need for taking really good photographic pictures that normally professional photographers look for. Otherwise it would be a waste of money if you have the digital camera with latest features only to be used for personal photography. Digital cameras available in the market are of three basic types: Point and Shoot, Lifestyle and Professional. Based on the purpose one can choose from the following main three types:

Point and Shoot: - reasonably compact, with common features and size like 35mm digital cameras.
Lifestyle: - with moderate features, it’s sleek and compact, so you can carry it around with utter ease.
Professional: - with interchangeable lenses, flashes and other accessories, this type of digital cameras is robust and feature laden, just the best choice for a professional or serious photographer.

Features you must look for

Resolution

Digital images are made up of dots (.) called as pixels. The higher the number of pixels in your captured image, the better will be the quality of the image. This will therefore help you enlarging your image to higher pixel dimensions without creating a pixilated (broken) image, which we normally called as blurred image.

Compression

Compression shrinks a photo's file size so that more images can be stored in the memory card. If you need the absolute best quality images, you have to consider buying a digital camera that takes uncompressed photos but will accommodate less number of images.

Memory

A digital camera's memory size will determine the number of images that can be stored. Memory of 128MB will be good enough if you want to use the camera for personal purposes. If you are on a vacation or when you cannot download images for longer days, a memory of 512MB to 1GB the best option.

LCD Screen

Most digital cameras come with at least an optical viewfinder but many digital cameras also come with an LCD screen built into the back. The display panel varies from 1.5” - 2.5” from camera to camera.

Lens

It is the length of a digital camera's lens that determines how much of a sight will fit in a picture. A "Normal" lens is about 50mm, most closely approximate to what your eye sees.

Optical Zoom

This enables a photographer to zoom in on an object without lowering quality of pictures. Depending on the magnification number, you can zoom in more up to its specified limitation.

Digital Zoom

This feature enables the photographer to zoom in on the centre of the picture by removing the edges of the image. Doesn’t this feature make a digital camera cool.

Focus an Exposure

In most digital cameras, the correct exposure for the lighting conditions is automatically determined. A camera rated ISO 100, has approximately the same light sensitivity as that of a traditional film camera loaded with ISO 100 film. A higher ISO rating means that the camera is more sensitive to light and is potential enough to take pictures in darker settings.

Audio and Movie Capture

This feature allows you to record sounds and moving images at the same time, in exactly the same way that a camcorder works. Some digital cameras offer the facility to record a few seconds of audio with each shot, thus letting you add a personal sound bite to your photos.

Movie Mode

This is a feature that lets you take short film clips with your digital camera. The total record length is typically limited to 10 to 90 seconds.

Flash

Most digital cameras come with an in-built flash. Some cameras however include additional features, such as red-eye reduction or night portrait mode.

Image Erase

Most cameras also let you select pictures to erase. This handy feature gives you the chance to edit out the photos you don't want in order to save more space in the memory for more snaps.

Self-Timer

A self-timer allows a digital camera for a delayed exposure, usually giving you about 10 seconds before the picture is taken. So no problem if you don’t find anybody to take your photos. You can set your digital camera on self-timer and go back to your position to take a perfect photo of yours.

Computer Connections

Most high-end digital cameras have software and connections for all Mac, PC computers and laptops. However it is necessary to make sure the digital camera you want is compatible with your platform before you go for a buy.

Image Stabilization

This feature enables the photographer to capture still images of something moving very fast. This feature is a must for all professional photographers, especially sports photographers.

Printing

Now-a-days, you can buy special printers, depending on the compatibility of your camera, to print off your pictures without connecting it to a PC. This applies both for digital and SLR Professional cameras.

The Significance of Digital Camera Size and Portability

Size is another very important factor to be taken care of. If you are to use the camera for non-professional purposes the size has to be small as you cannot afford to carry huge sized cameras when you are enjoying a vacation. And there is kind of security problem as there may be a chance of theft.

Budget – The “Cannot Be Ignored Option”

Based on the budget the features will vary and the overall offering of a digital camera. Today's digital cameras run anywhere from Rs 800 to Rs 30,000, depending on resolution and feature specifications. While the initial expense of a digital camera is still high you may find that the added convenience and savings in film and processing costs are worth it.

Here is one such digital camera that suits best to your all purpose photographic needs: Kodak EASYSHARE C763 Zoom Digital Camera. Here follows other details:

Specifications

Standard features
Sensor type		1/2.5 in. CCD
CCD total pixels		7.38 MP (3152 × 2342)
Effective pixels		7.1 MP (3072 × 2304)
Lens		35–105 mm (35 mm equiv.) f/2.8–5.0 step aperture
Lens protection		built-in
Zoom		3X optical, 5X continuous advanced digital with LCD preview, 0.2X increments starting at 3X optical zoom
Shutter speed		4–1/1400 sec.
LCD		2.5 in. (6.4 cm) indoor/outdoor color display
Storage		32 MB* internal memory available, SD/MMC card expansion slot
Auto focus
Type		TTL-AF
Focus range		normal: 1.6 ft (0.5 m)–infinity macro (wide): 3.9 in.–1.6 ft (0.1–0.5 m) macro (tele): 1.3–2.6 ft (0.4–0.8 m)
Auto focus zones		selectable: multi zone (3 zones), center zone AF
Exposure control
ISO sensitivity		auto ISO: 80-200; selectable ISO: 80, 100, 200, 400, 800**
Metering modes		center-weighted
Compensation		±2.0 EV with 0.5 EV steps
Bracketing		±0.5, 1.0
AE lock		when S1 locked
White balance		auto, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent
Flash
Range		1.6–7.5 ft (0.5–2.3 m) at wide, ISO 200 2.6–4.6 ft (0.8–1.4 m) at tele, ISO 200
Modes		auto, fill, red eye, off
Shooting specifications
Drive modes		2 sec., 10 sec. 2-shot self timer, burst up to 3 images, exposure bracketing
Shooting modes		auto, SCN, video, digital IS, macro
Scene modes		portrait, night portrait, sports, snow, beach, backlight, fireworks, children, self-portrait, party
Click to capture		<>
Shot to shot		<>
Still capture
Still format		JPEG/EXIF v2.21
Picture size		7.1 MP (3072 × 2304) 6.1 MP (3072 × 2048)—3:2 5.0 MP (2592 × 1944) 3.1 MP (2048 × 1536) 2.2 MP (1800 × 1200)—3:2 2.1 MP (1920 × 1080)—16:9 1.2 MP (1280x960)
Compression		JPEG standard
Color modes		natural color (default), sepia, black and white
Long time exposure		0.5–max, 4 sec.
Review modes		delete
Editing		undo-delete, crop
Video capture
Format		Motion-JPEG with audio recording and playback
Quality		VGA (640 × 480) at 15 fps, QVGA (320 × 240) at 30 fps
Length		continuous based on memory capacity
Customization
Custom settings		camera sound, sound volume, auto power off, date and time, red eye pre-flash, date stamp, video date display, blur warning, language, format
Favorites
Favorites		slide show, multi-up, remove Favorites, set-up menu
Physical specifications
I/O interface		A/V output (NTSC or PAL, user-selectable), KODAK Camera Dock/Printer Dock interface, digital (USB 2.0) connection
Power		Lithium-ion battery, 700 mAh, 5V AC adapter, optional KODAK EASYSHARE Docks
Dedicated buttons		menu, review, mode dial, Favorites, auto, SCN, digital image stabilization, close-up, portrait, landscape, night portrait, sports, video, four-way with LED
Tripod mount		¼ in. standard
Dimensions		W × H × D: 3.5 × 2.4 × 0.95 in. (90 × 60 × 23 mm)
Weight		4.6 oz (130 g)
Compatibility
Dock compatibility		See the Dock Compatibility Chart
Direct printing		KODAK EASYSHARE Photo Printer 500, IMAGELINK print system compatible, PictBridge-enabled
Software		works with KODAK EASYSHARE Software
Warranty
one year

The Specification Details Courtesy: Kodak.com

USB Flash Drive – The Generation Next Promotional Tool!

Posted on 09:18, under Gadgets Gizmos, USB Flash Drive

Technology and Marketing go hand in hand:

It is obvious to find a new release whenever you make a decision to update your gadgets. Here at TheComponentShop.com, we try our best to make avail latest technology and offer our buyers the latest products and services. Though we have a wide ranging product line on offer for our customers, Custom USB Flash Drive has been one of our biggest marketing products in recent times. All credit goes to its tiny size and heavy data storage capacity. In other words we can say this has been a champion product for us as well as for our customers at present.

Let’s know something more about USB Flash Drives:

Basically “USB Flash Drives” can be divided into two distinctive parts: the ‘USB’ connector and the ‘Flash Drive’. The acronym ‘USB’ represents as ‘Universal Serial Bus’ and it works like a plug that connects the flash drive or data storage device to your computer or laptop. Most modern PC’s and laptops generally have between two and five USB ports; these are the panels to connect other computer accessories like keyboard, mouse, gaming devices including flash drive. You can find these USB panels either side of a CPU cabinet and at the sides of a laptop. The ‘Flash Drive’ refers to the external memory chip that stores the data inside it. It is called as ‘flash drive’ because flash type memory chip is used within the drive. Flash memory chips are much compact and ideal for small products like MP3/MP4 players such as small iPODs, mobiles, iPhones, etc.

Branded Vs Unbranded – a major problem with USB Flash Drive Buyers:

USB Flash Drives are available in different sizes (i.e. as per their storage capacities) ranging from 16MB through to 32GB. Depending, which capacity flash drive you have you can store different files such as documents and music as backup. USB flash drives normally have a key ring so you can attach them to your keys and won’t need to be worried of storage space.

Using Custom USB Flash Drives for promotional marketing

USB flash drives can be customised, either by shape, or promotional advertisement or just simply having your company corporate logo and contact details printed on either side in order to promote your target products or services. These USB flash drives can be considered as a great corporate gift option as people actually use them. You can even pre-load your company intros to each drive so your customers are constantly reminded of your products and services. Our range of USB drives includes Plastic, Metal, Leather and custom shapes. We offer a full range of packaging so your drives are well presented when giving to existing and potential customers.

Innovative marketing ideas

Another exciting advertisement option for USB flash drives can be as an alternative to audio/video cassettes, CDs/DVDs. Entertainment biggies can launch their music and movie trailers and promos, complete movies in USB flash drives.