December 2008
TECHNOLOGY
The Best Digital Camcorders and Cameras for Christmas by: Karl Bantleman
The hottest Christmas gifts for this year: Digital camcorders and cameras Whereas many Christmas gifts will gather dust well into the new-year, digital camcorders and digital cameras are sure to be put to immediate use capturing the day’s events. If you want to relive all those party games for years to come then camcorders are a great way to ensure those magic moments are never forgotten and can be passed on to future generations. Nowadays you should look for a digital camcorder with high-definition (HD) capabilities. The latest models include: Sony HDR-SR12E Digital Camcorder – A stylish and ultra-compact model with an impressively high capacity of 120 Gigabytes (GB). It allows up to 48 hours of recording time and produces excellent picture quality including still images up to a 10 megapixels resolution. Panasonic HDC-SD5 Digital Camcorder – One of the easiest to use camcorders on the market, the Panasonic HDCSD5 is lightweight and takes high definition to a new level as it is capable of recording 1920x1080 pixels for full HD glory. Canon HV30 Digital Camcorder – Described by its manufacturer as the “digital filmmaker’s camcorder”, the HV30 can be adapted to a number of shooting situations and features cinema-style progressive shooting to provide the look and feel of a film for ambitious movie makers. We may have become accustomed to taking quick snaps with our camera phones, but how many of us bother to download the images on to a PC and print them off? By contrast digital cameras can provide superb picture quality with images that can be easily accessed and treasured for years to come.
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So if you want to help a friend or family member capture memories this Christmas pick up one of the following: Fujifilm Z100fd Digital Camera – A slim-line digital camera available in four colours: cappuccino brown, tuxedo black, shell pink and satin silver. It is a stylish model with a 5x optical zoom lens and many advanced auto-snapping technologies. Panasonic DMC-FX500 Digital Camera – Named the best compact digital camera in Europe for 2008 by the Technical Image Press Association, the DMC-FX500 has an intuitive touchscreen operation as well as joystick control. It also has an image-stabilised zoom ideal for any subject. Olympus Mju 1030SW Digital Camera – Described as the “life-proof” digital camera, the versatile Olympus Mju is waterproof to 10m, crush proof up to 100kg and shock proof up to 2.0m. In addition it features face detection for perfect focus on image areas and 10.1 megapixels for poster-sized prints. Buying digital cameras allows us to save those special moments but if you want something more lively then a camcorders are your best bet. Find the best deals on digital cameras and more online.
Why Switch to Hdmi for Your New High Definition TV? by: Vic Metten
An excellent question. I’m sure many people ask themselves why they should switch to this new jack for their high definition televisions or disc players all the time. To boil it down to one word, think “digital.” HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) is a next generation jack that sends fully uncompressed audio and video signals from your source equipment (such as a Blu-Ray disc player, a DVD player, or your
amplifier) to your high definition television. Instead of jacks like component video (those Red/ Green/Blue connectors we are all familiar with) or DVI, HDMI uses just one small jack to handle it all; you don’t have to hook up any additional audio connectors to put together your picture and sound package. How does purchasing all of this new and baffling equipment affect you? It means that, rather than purchasing a whole bunch of jacks to put it all together, you can use just one single jack to connect your HDMI equipped source (such as Blu-ray disc player, gaming equipment like Xbox 360 and Wii, high definition cable or satellite box, or that brand new A/V surround sound receiver you just purchased) and your high definition television. I don’t know how much easier it could get. You will get brilliant picture quality at a maximum of 1080p, and you will hear an original distinct surrounding audio sound. Well some people will state, “The component video cable setup I have now appears to be alright and sounds good with my new HDTV.” In many ways this is the truth. But your typical component video cable is simply unable to connect a Blu-ray player to your high definition television and provide the quality and clarity the high definition has to offer. For televisions that are bigger than 50 inches, adapting Blu-ray and using 1080p is similar to washing the windows on your house or car. Okay, so you can look out just as they are normally, but when they have been thoroughly cleaned, it’s as if they don’t exist. Here’s an illustration of why you should adapt to HDMI. Grab a movie like “I, Robot”, one on a regular DVD and one on the new Blu-ray. Join your new Blu-ray player together with HDMI and also component video in turn. Then watch the movie as a normal DVD. It will have a high quality appearance and a wonderful sound. Now watch the movie again with an HDMI cable and the Bluray disk; make sure your player is set to 1080p, just like your new high definition TV, and
check that your surround receiver is able to use the latest audio formats like DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio. The change is amazing. While the video is markedly better, almost like in-home 3-D, it’s the master audio soundtrack that makes you really feel like you are at the filming. The fantastic reflection and sound are a real testimony to the reason you desire to have HDMI connections along with your new HDTV gear. An additional purpose to use HDMI is your new A/V digital surround device. HDMI delivers both Dolby TrueHD and DTSHD Master Audio tracks. This provides quality your Toslink optical and coaxial digital cables can’t match, and it’s an incredible improvement from the usual surround track provided by DVD. Now, not only does it let things scan around your 5.1 or 7.1 theater, it does it in a much more controlled manner that immerses the viewer in the action on the screen. You can see a huge contrast right from the get-go.
The Influence of Video Conference Today by: Christel Lumabas
With people making use of the Internet nowadays, the way they communicate may never be the same as before. The telephone may be the most critical invention for communication to date, and this instrument has opened new windows for better and faster communications. In line with the Internet, people are now getting used to the fact that they can see, hear, and communicate their ideas well without meeting the other person face to face. With the help of the Internet, people are now enjoying faster communications, all with the use of the video conference.
Computer technology in video conferencing allows people to simultaneously share information through four channels: through video, audio, the digital whiteboard, and data files. A group of people can share both their voices and themselves by having a live camera image of them while they talk. The people who participate in a said video conference entitle them to have the option of sharing and working with their documents on either person’s personal computer. By discussing verbally and observing each other’s body language with the use of video cameras, any participant could edit their shared information and give immediate response or feedback, all without seeing each other in person. This approach to communication technology paved its way not just for businessmen, but for the general public as well. With the decrease on the costs of video capturing and display technology, considering also the cheap cost of having a high speed Internet connection, anyone can make use of video conferences by using systems based on a webcam, a personal computer system, and software compression as well. In addition, the hardware used for this technology is getting better and better in quality, with cheap prices to boot.
Trivia Question #7:
(answer on page 12)
For students, the use of video conferencing gives them a chance to learn by actually engaging in a two way communication pallet. Also, professors and teachers from around the world can be bought in the classroom without using their passports. Video conferencing helps students from different countries and different cultures and learn from one another. Virtual field trips are also seen with the use of this technology, especially those students that are either isolated geographically, or economically disadvantaged. By having a video conference with a possible employer in another city, graduating students can effectively answer interview questions for a possible job after school. In all ways possible, video conference is actually helping students learn more. In the medical field, video conferencing can also help with regards to sharing of diagnosis, consultation, and transmission of medical images needed. With the use of video conferencing, patients may call on nurses and physicians in either routine or emergency situations, thus saving more lives and making use of health care benefits. Indeed, video conferencing has opened new doors for better and faster communications. With continuous use and possible developments, this approach can be seen anywhere in a few years time.
Some articles have video that 5 minutes or less?
Which of the following locations is known as the “Venice of the Pacific”? a Weno b Utwa Tafunsak c Tafunsak d Nan Madol
For the deaf and hard of hearing, this technology can help them communicate in terms of sign language, since this method is supported by video conferencing.
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