Favorite Things To Do With Home Technology

Save money. Save 10-15% on utility bills per month. Work with products that have a good value now, but also save money throughout the ownership of the home. Get energy savings through lighting management, irrigation control, solar energy, and temperature control. Lower monthly bills-how can you say no to that?

Enjoy the comfort of your home. Avoid crowds, uncomfortable seats, and the rising cost of going to the movies. Design a dedicated home theater with rumbling chairs, kick-ass sound, and of course-sound proof! Or, utilize a multi- purpose room to enjoy movies with the whole family.

Rest assured. Know your family is safe while at work loging on via the web. Receive email messages when your kids get home from school and disarm the system. See video of who is at your door, or just use sensors to let you know when someone is trying to enter unannounced.

Getting a little soggy? Be warned when a leak is threatening to turn into a flood. Some systems can detecat as little as 1/8 inch of water and alert you by phone.

Baby it's cold outside. Call from the airport and bring temperatures back up via cell phone call or your PDA. Never come home to a cold house again!

Having a party? One click of a button and you can have music, lighting, and temperature set just how you like it! Set similar scenes for dinner, movies, romantic evenings, and whatever else you can think of!

Bumps in the night. Immediately hit the "all lights on" button and illuminate your whole home!

Document it. Installation of wiring is essential to every project. Although the wiring is going to get closed up in the walls, it should also be prepared for future upgrades. Document what you do so you know exactly where the original wires begin, end, and how they connect to current components.

Holiday lights. Help control your utility bill by turning lights on at sunset, and off at a designated time.

Has it rained? Don't waste water the lawn if it's rained in the last 48 hours. Let your automation and irrigation systems work it out amongst themselves.


By Jennifer Shatos

Help, I Need a New HDTV! (Part 2 of 5)

Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the choices these days, you may feel like, "Where do I start?!"

In part 2 of our 5 part article, we the discuss the options in TV technologies

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Plasma. Plasma technology contains millions of "pixels" that contain a rare natural gas. This gas when excited by a small electrical charge produces colors and light to display the picture on the screen. Plasma is great for home theaters because it reproduces high motion video exceptionally well. On the other hand, if you have members of your family who like video games, I would rule Plasma TV's out-mainly due to something called "burn-in".

Downfalls. The biggest downfall of Plasma TV's is their half-life. As the TV ages it will naturally loose some brilliance and color depth. The good news-even with an average use of 4 hrs a day your plasma would still yield a half life of ten years. Not too shabby.

Burn-in is another downfall. Burn in is result of an image being displayed too often or for too long. Common ones are network logos, computer icons, video games, etc. The pixels involved get damaged and develop a "memory". This information actually becomes "burned in" to the screen. The good news-with care, you can drastically reduce the chances of burn in.

Benefits. Plasmas are among the thinnest TVs on the market up to 4" in depth. They are very suitable for Wall mounting or spaces for depth of the TV is a critical factor. Plasmas are produced in sizes ranging from 37" to over 70". Prices range from $1,400 to $17,000.

LCD. This technology is emerging from the computer world. Most small flat screen computer monitors are LCD. LCD does well in smaller sizes (50" or less), and produces still images and deep blacks rather nicely. In my opinion, they produce some of the best still images of any TV in the market. LCD TV's uses transistors to supply voltage to liquid-crystal-filled cells sandwiched between two sheets of glass. These voltages make the crystals untwist in varying degrees to filter light into varying shades of color.

Benefits. LCD are also very thin TVs with the thickest depth at approximately six inches. Pricing ranges from $600 to $5000. In addition, for the energy conscious individual, LCD's consume the least amount of electricity to operate.

DLP. DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology utilizes a small "Digital Micromirrors Device" (DMD) to tilt more than 1.3 million micromirrors. The mirrors tilt to reflect light to create the picture. A color wheel produces the varying shades of colors that reflect on the micromirrors.

Downfalls. If you are looking for a thin TV, or to mount on the wall? this is not the option for you. DLP TVs have depths as deep as 18".

Benefits. DLP TV's show the intention of having the longest life. The only part that will fail or affect image quality is the bulb life. Rated at 80,000 hours and being replaceable, average viewing of 4 hrs a day, make this a great TV for the next 50 years!

* Next in Part 3 of this article: What is HDTV?


By Brett Griffin

Help, I Need a New HDTV! (Part 1 of 5)

Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the choices these days, you may feel like, "Where do I start?!"

In part 1 of our 5 part article, we discuss the importance (and a quick rule of thumb!) of selecting a screen size appropriate for your space.

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Selecting the correct size TV is an important part of your purchase decision. Many just choose the biggest TV they can afford, but find out later that uncomfortably large-or perhaps even a tad too small!

If you get a TV that is too large for the space, you will not be able to take the whole picture in. More importantly, you may begin to suffer from eyestrain from being too close. Occasionally, people choose a size thinking it will be "fine for their room", later realizing that they are sitting too far away from the screen. Either way, the overall impact of your viewing experience has been diminished.

A quick and easy solution? A good rule of thumb is divide the distance from your eyes to the front of the TV by 2.5. For example, if I were to watch TV and while sittto get a screen size of 43" (9 feet x 12 inches = 108 inches / 2.5 = 43.2" diagonal screen.) Again, this is just a rule of thumb, but should give you a starting point when shopping for a TV.

* Next in Part 2 of this article: TV technologies-plasma, LCD, & DLP

©2005 Architechtronics, Inc. All rights reserved.

To stay on the cutting-edge of home automation, theater, and technology join "The EDGE" today-it's free! http://www.architechtronics.com/edge.html

By Jennifer Shatos

Lives With Games Tradition and Industry

The United States Of America citizen feels that games is a part of their life while developed countries such as the United Kingdom and Japan would feels that Games is high prospects to gain profit either in domestic level or internationally. Games is very influence in human life at this time. Games means in reference to computer, Console video such as playstation, PDA and also Telephone Hand-sets.

ISDA ( Interactive Digital Software Associations ) has made analysis about two years ago and found that games became life tradition of the United States people be it individual or other places such as home, hotel, in the aircraft, when playing internet, by EXPO also known as E3 collecting big producer to develop games all over the world. Many producer and games developer is centered in United States a part from Japan. using PDA and Telephone Hand-sets. The United States people always follow-up the games development, for example through EXPO games such as Electronic Entertainment

There are many factor found by IDSA from their analysis as follows:

a) About 10 to 11 hours per-family playing games.

b) Games always ONLINE with Internet in the United states

c) Respondents claimed that games is very good and satisfactorily entertaintment rather than watching television and cinema.

d) PC is more useful to play games while it applies email falls to number two.

e) Genre games is more acceptable either Console or PC games is more actions and sports.

Japan or popularity known as Nation of the raising sun producing number of games equipments. Like Sony is a great name in entertaintment especially in games. Likewise the character in the games became more interesting and its cartoon such as POKEMON became more popular. The fast development in wireless technology such as I-mode became games one of entertaintment very popular. Individual is free in playing game although through Telephone hand-sets which is 3 inches in size.

You might want to know how many Video games Viewer in Japan? According to CESA analysis ( Computer Entertaintment Supplies Associations ) in 2002 found out Video games viewer were about 23.6 millions or 25.6% Japanese people would very much in Video Games.

For computer technology there is good competition between audio equipment producer such as speaker and card-sound became computer games. It quality is very high through competing with graphic card producer became a good factor for computer games.

Because game is became part of life tradition in most other countries it is very profitable to the nation. For example and through analysis and research markets company found that the marketing games eletronic in year 2000 were up to 60.1% comparing year 1996 with only 27% the market value totaling 2 billion Pounds Sterling durations from year 2001 to 2005 which shows good prospect and use demand in game industry.

The demand is too high from people around the world making very good competing among Console games producers. Competition by console producer found to be high quality of its products from three games producers in the world like Sony, SEGA and Nintendo. Microsoft also produce its console known as XBOX which is acceptable in the world market.

In fact games doesn't count age. On beginning of playing games is only for youngster ages only 12 and 18 years old. At present day, ISDA reports majority playing games either PC games or Console is between 18 and 35 years of age. This is a factand may be due to heavy works or study where games is medium to ease tension. To end this article, I wish to quote from the words of Douglas Lowenstein, Presiden of IDSA that is games the mind of Intelectual, to entertain and to educate us in our wellbeing.

5 Steps to Remove Spyware for Free

Have you ever tried to remove Spyware off your PC only to find out it never left or it came back? Tired of all those annoying Popups, Viruses, and Ads on your system day in and day out? Well, listen closely because the day has come to remove Spyware programs and Viruses - forever!

I will give you some very useful tricks and tips to remove Spyware and Viruses for good! Follow closely:

Steps to Remove Spyware, Viruses, and Adware

1. There are many types of software available today that claim to remove spyware off our system, but which one REALLY does the job? What you need is software that not only will remove spyware, but TOTALLY removes it for good and keeps it off. After searching for the best of the best, here is THE BEST: Panda Online Scan. Why? It does not constantly run on your system, slowing it down and using bunches of memory! In other words, it runs from Panda on the web, then searches your whole system, will remove spyware and other bugs, then gives detailed info on the bug and tells you how to keep it off your system! Here is the address to get started:

http://www.stopspywareforfree.com/scan.html

It only installs a few plug-ins to run on your system, and no full installation!

2. Check your system services and systray items! The biggest mistake people make is never checking what programs are running in the background or memory of the system. A key step to remove spyware from your system is knowing this. Without knowing these things, you probably have bugs running on your system, and never know it! Why? They like to hide! Download and install a program called HIJACK THIS. It tells you exactly what is running and what is not running so you know exactly what might be hiding behind closed doors! Here is the address for this:

http://www.stopspywareforfree.com/hijackthis.html

3. Shutdown the SYSTEM RESTORE! (Windows XP)

Spyware and Viruses attach themselves to your system's restore files. This is an easy way for them to hide, even after you reinstall Windows! Right click on 'MY COMPUTER', then click on 'Properties'. Look for a tab on top called 'System Restore', and click there. Check the box that says 'Turn off system restore on all drives'. Click 'APPLY', then 'OK'. That's it!

4. Use an Anonymous IP address when surfing the web!

This is a huge step in keeping bugs off your system forever! Bugs get onto your system and retrieve info about you by capturing your IP address. Your IP address tells everyone who you are, where you're located, your system info, what kind of Windows you use, your browser, etc. An anonymous IP hides your IP by using an Anonymous address and makes you invisible to everyone, including Spyware and Ads! Here is an address to a good proxy list:

http://www.stopspywareforfree.com/proxylist.html

Please follow these instructions carefully for Microsoft Internet Explorer:

a) Scroll down on the page from the above link. On the list, look at the numbers listed under IP:Port Host name. Make sure the uptime on the right is at least 97 to 99 %.

b) Go to the Control Panel in Windows.

c) Open up ' Internet Options'.

d) Click on the 'Connections' tab on top.

e) Click on 'LAN Settings'.

f) Put a check-mark where it says PROXY SERVER.

g) In the Address box, copy and paste the IP address listed on the proxy list (for example: 148.244.150.58 - These are the numbers shown BEFORE the ':' (semi-colon).

h) Copy and paste the port number into the PORT box (for example: '80' - the number immediately after the semi-colon).

i) Click OK, and OK again to close, and close everything.

j) Go ahead and open up your browser and try surfing the internet to test.

Thats it! You are now surfing invisibly!

For the Firefox browser:

a) Open up the browser and go to 'TOOLS' then 'OPTIONS'.

b) Go to 'GENERAL' on the left, then click the 'Connection Settings' button below.

c) Choose 'Manual' proxy config from the choices.

d) Check the 'use the same proxy' checkbox.

e) In the 'HTTP Proxy' box, copy and paste the anonymous IP, and the PORT number in the PORT box (remove the zero first).

f) Click OK, then OK again to close.

g) Now test your browser by surfing the web.

You are now invisible.

**note - if your browsing gets super slow or has a problem, look for another IP and Port number on the list and try again. Most of the time the proxies from Mexico work best. Happy surfing! The free proxy list can be found here:

http://www.stopspywareforfree.com/proxylist.html

5. Download and install the new FIREFOX browser!

Please get rid of Microsoft Internet Explorer on your system! It is like a pipe that feeds Spyware, Ads and Viruses onto your system. There are just too many holes there letting everything in. Mozilla is a fairly new company that introduced a new breed of browser that blocks popups, and tries hard to keep these bugs off your system. It has very few or even NO holes or pipes to let the bugs in! Many people use it for this very reason, and it has a great look, better speed, and lets you change the theme of it! Awesome! Here is the address:

Help, I Need a New HDTV! (Part 3 of 5)

Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the choices these days, you may feel like, "Where do I start?!"

In part 3 of our 5 part article, we the discuss what HDTV is.

HDTV stands for High Definition TV. Clarity and detail are clear and crisp and truly unmatched. After watching HDTV on a regular basis-it's hard to go back!

Technically defined, HDTV displays vertical resolutions of 720 or 1080. This refers to the number of horizontal lines on the screen that make up the picture. Don't get caught up in the number of lines, it doesn't necessarily make for a better picture. While this may hold true for Plasmas, LCD and DLP TV's are evaluated differently. For example, 1080, is better on DLP and LCD for displaying slower moving video such as TV shows, news casters and other still images like photos from your recent vacation. While, 720 is better for fast motion pictures like action films, football games and similar fast moving programming.

Lastly you will notice next to the 720 or 1080 designations you will find a letter "I" or "p". This refers to the compatibility of video signals. Progressive scan ("P") is the newer method of creating a TV picture. The TV creates the picture from top to bottom in one pass and produces a better picture on newer technology TVs. Interlaced ("I") is most common method of creating a TV picture. The TV creates the picture in two top to bottom passes, first all the odd lines, and than the even lines. Developed for CRT TVs to produce a better picture. Most of your older videotapes, DVD's and laser disc will be in the interlaced format. You will likely want to consider a TV that accepts both formats.

* Next in Part 4 of this article: Ok, now the true question... do I need HDTV?


By Brett Griffin

The Ipod Mini: Why Its Not that Hot

I got my eyes set on a iPod mini, as it looked good for quite some reasons: it's small enough to put inside a pant's pocket, it has a lot of accessories to choose from and it obviously has enough hype you begin to wonder what all the fuss is about.

But you really have to see the cons of it and cut all the hype. It looked good from the start; it's small and simple, easy to use and has that nice Apple logo. But quickly the downsides surfaced, and they sure are annoying.

Firstly, the headphones are horrible: they are so uncomfortable they are totally unusable, and also they do not sound good at all. Well, any other $5 headphone will do, so that's not that bad. (It's also not advisable to use them, as the white color alerts any potential muggers you have an easy sellable item.)

The interface seems a good idea, with the scroll being able to be controlled with a circular motion. For scrolling fast it's great, but for selecting carefully one item, it's difficult. Also, for 'marking' a song for how many stars, it sometimes works, sometimes you spend a full minute twiddling it to get it right. Any other player with a sensible scroller works much better.

I was excited to know it had games to play, so when I'm bored waiting in line or on a bus, it could be a great way to pass the time; but even the breakout rip-off is only entertaining for about 5 minutes.

I even thought that maybe I could upload some text files to read some e-book, but the screen is not big enough for that, and reading is so cramped it's just not worth it.

The biggest gripe is that you cannot change the volume, unless you are on the 'Now Playing' menu! Any other player has dedicated buttons for this basic function, but in its decidedly minimalist point of view, it's a pain to go search for that specific menu just to adjust for a small change in a song. It supposedly was thought out carefully, but I see a lot of problems in the interface.

Also, there seems to be a big problem with the duration of its internal, non-replaceable battery. After 2 months of use, I did notice, it does not hold a charge for long now. After two house of continuous play, it just shuts down. Other reports on the web also say the battery fails, and has to be replaced.

I have also read on the web that the headphone connector is badly soldered and you eventually have to open it up and resolder it again.

I wouldn't buy it again. The iriver or the Creative seem to be a lot better options.