Articles

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

The year 2009 was witness to the rise and fall of technology and gadget trends. It was characterized by intensified video gaming blow outs, a new approach to mobile phone use and computer portability, and an endless quest to create better and more advanced gizmos.

As the New Year unfolds, video game expert and technology analyst Scott Steinberg unveils at Digitaltrends.com a sneak peek on the “what’s what” in technology for 2010.

1. The year 2010 may be the time for eReaders and eBook Players — digital tablets designed to simulate the customary reading-on-paper experience — to come into their own. Expected innovations in 2010 include selections powered by Android OS, more affordable models and full-color eReaders with touch screen and wireless 3G support.

2. Smartphones will continue to shine in 2010, but with added surprises. Android-run and Windows Mobile-powered smartphones will create an established market. Cell phones will likely be run by applications that offer more power and flexibility, allowing these devices to evolve and potentially replace laptops. Adapting to lifestyles, Smartphones will be must-haves in 2010, and Google’s Nexus One Smartphone is to watch out for.

3. The household names in television manufacturing are keen at beginning a new era of TV viewership. Shops filled with a display of cutting-edge three-dimensional TVs, as well as Blu-ray players that power 3D flicks, will be anything but extraordinary in 2010.

(more…)

With the sleek look of the Kawasaki Ninja 250R, you cannot help but be amazed when you see it new and enchanting you to be its first rider. What is more, you get the peace of mind that there will be no hidden defects, scratches or abused engines.

You should be aware though that Kawasaki Ninjas are priced differently according to the dealership that sells it. So do your research well to know which ones are reputable and which ones would likely offer you a better price. Take note that motorcycles that are in demand are more difficult to bargain for in terms of price, and with the Ninja 250R as a hot item, just take comfort that the additional price you pay would only mean better performance from a great looking bike. However, check out the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, there is no sense in paying more than necessary.

Buying a Used Kawasaki Ninja 250R
There are a lot of advantages to buying a used Kawasaki Ninja 250R. For one, it is more reasonably priced and not only that, great deals may be found if you know where to look.

Right now, the best place to start is the Internet via Craig’s List at http://www.craigslist.com or sites like eBay.com or more motorcycle-specific retail sites. These sites can be a gold mine for great deals from motivated sellers who for some reason or another needs to sell their current units.

(more…)

If you are looking for a motorcycle that is both easy to ride, sleek, cool-looking but also packs the horsepower and superior engine performance, then look no further than the Kawasaki Ninja 250R. It has long been regarded as a “starting class” bike by club racers globally, and it has been lauded as easy to handle even by beginners.

Please read the rest of the article here.

There was a bit of hubbub within the Internet community when Google started giving out exclusive invites for users to preview their newest baby – Google Wave.

Friends’ shout outs were variations of “I finally got a Wave invite!” and comments like “Nominate me!” and “Please send me an invite!” started going around social networking circles.

Google has done it once again, creating the same hype as when Gmail first came out. This “by invite only” feature works rather successfully, but will Google Wave live up to the hype and expectations of hundreds of intrigued users?

What is Google Wave? That is undoubtedly the first question to address.

Well, according to Google, it is an “online tool for real-time communication and collaboration.” Obviously, the key word here is “real-time.” Look at it as the evolution of email and IM thrown together – you can chat, post and reply to messages at once, share media – all in real-time.

Posts within the Google Wave interface are called waves. A wave can be:

• A conversation, email or IM style, wherein you can reply to messages as they are posted.

• Edited – any participant can edit the content posted and share ideas, comments, or suggestions with everyone included in that particular wave.

• Media-rich. That is, you can post photos, videos, and other media within a wave for all participants to view.

(more…)

One of the hottest gaming consoles out on the market today is the Sony Playstation 3 (PS3). As of March 2009, more than 170 million PS3 games have reportedly been sold.

With the recent release of the PS3 slim model last September 2009, even more games have made its way into the market. Here are 5 of the most recent and yet-to-be released PS3 games:

1. James Cameron’s Avatar
One of the most-awaited films of the year, Avatar promises to be a huge hit. The film breaks into cinemas worldwide on December 18th. However, its videogame adaptation, released earlier on December 1st, has proven to be a disappointment. Set as a prequel to the film, the game’s rich graphics and cool 3D environments suffer greatly from a thin plot and weak gameplay elements. Avatar: The Game is reportedly bland and mediocre, where you run around a beautiful world, meet characters that deliver boring dialogues, and shoot weird, unexciting enemies. IGN gives it a 6.8 rating, while GameSpot gives it a 5.5. The verdict? Don’t play the game before watching the movie!

2. Assassin’s Creed II
One of the best games to come out for the PS3, the sequel to Assassin’s Creed not only addresses most of the issues and glitches of the original game but also offers some great new elements. The game features a beautifully rendered environment that makes you feel like you’re really walking around Renaissance Italy. It presents a compelling, detailed storyline that merges historical facts seamlessly into the game, and introduces an extremely appealing character in Ezio Auditore di Firenze. New missions, an economy system, and additional character abilities complete the sequel. Some gameplay and video glitches may occur. Released last November, Assassin’s Creed II has a general rating of 9.0 and above.

(more…)

Everybody wants to be a billionaire. The big question is: How? Forget Ivy League schooling or wishing that you were born rich. Get into these businesses now!

5. Petrochemicals
Environmentally damaging or not, oil and petroleum is still the world’s hottest commodity. With most industries and consumers needing it every single day, petrochemical products are in hot demand and there is no indication that the demand will wane soon.

Asia’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani owes his fortune to petrochemicals.

4. Retail
Even with the economic downturn, people will still need to buy things. That is why retailers are still earning big bucks. Having a good sense of what people want, going with the trends, and offering value for money on your merchandise remain to be a retailer’s biggest challenge. However, if you get it all down to pat and you have built your brand better than your competitors, you are in for a great surprise.

Ikea’s Ingvar Kamprad is Sweden’s richest man. The 83-year-old is currently worth around $22 billion and runs an empire that spans more than 30 countries. Germany’s richest man, Karl Albrecht also made his billions in retail through his discount supermarket Aldi Sud. Other billionaires in retail: Jim, Christy, Robson Walton of Wal-mart,

(more…)

The next essential step to creating a Web site is to get it online so that people will be able to access it. In order to do this, you have to find a Web hosting company that will host your site. Indeed, one of the most critical components of running your Web site is your Web host.

Learn these seven simple tricks to getting a good Web host that caters to your needs as you start your site until you eventually expand.

1. Consider the Web hosting company’s infrastructure
There are Web hosts that offer services at low prices, but be wary of the risk of poor infrastructure, which consequently translate to low quality of service. On the other hand, costly Web hosting can come with quality services being delivered. Good hosting can come in good price, but it may be worth it.

2. Check the amount of Web space that the Web host offers
As your Web site gains more traffic in the future, it will need to expand. Consequently, your needs will vary, depending on the photos, sound clips or video files that your Web page will use. It pays to ensure that your Web host has enough space to cater to your needs in the long run.

3. Go for reliability and high-speed access
Select Web hosting companies that guarantee a minimum uptime of 99%. You can also check if your Web host offers refunds in the event that it falls below its guaranteed uptime.

(more…)

The soothing sound of a wind chime relaxes the weary soul, but not all wind chimes are the same. The Music of the Spheres Wind Chimes can create delightful melodic moods that can enhance any environment. The ambiance it can produce can be calming and mesmerizing at the same time.

These impressive wind chimes are known as the Stradivarius of wind chimes because they can generate brilliant customized melody and harmonies that appeal to any listener’s mood. Think of the melodic pentatonic scale that dates from ancient Greek era. With a gentle breath of air you will be transported to a tranquil spot, right in your very garden.

The breath of wind or even the gentlest breeze is your wand with these exceptional sounding garden wind chimes. The Music of the Spheres Chimes feature interchangeable wind-catchers that can be adjusted to achieve resonating sounds. More than the pleasure of listening, the harmonious play of melodies and tones surely are pleasing to the senses.

Indeed, the tonal quality is nothing but superb. Each cylinder is precisely positioned to achieve maximum sustain. You can pick one from the range of models of Music of the Spheres wind chimes, from the Soprano 30” to the 14’ Basso Profundo. Choose between six sizes spanning four octaves that come in eleven musical scales. For standard sizes, there are several interesting tunings to choose: Whole Tone, Quartal, Pentatonic, Balinese, Mongolian, Chinese, Japanese, Hawaiian, Aquarian and Gypsy.

(more…)

What do George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron, and Ewan McGregor, to name a few, have in common? They are all great lovers of big bikes.

Just because they are earning millions of dollars for every movie they make doesn’t really mean that they are already “limousine people”. Though they don’t want to thrust themselves into the limelight all the time, they still want to get some thrill and a breath of fresh air by riding their very much loved superbikes.

Moreover, since you would definitely be so interested what they’re driving on, take a look at the list of celebrities and their bikes:

Tom Cruise
The Top Gun and Risky Business star was one of the first people in the world to receive Desmosedici RR, one of the newest models from Ducati. It is sold at more than $72,000 and is composed of different materials, such as magnesium and titanium. With its carbon fiber system, it can literally travel at most 200 miles per hour.

Elizabeth Taylor
Who would have thought that the Grand Dame Elizabeth Taylor loves big bikes? Unknown to many, she actually owns Purple Passion, a Harley-Davidson bike. It’s not as massive as other models of the famous brand. However, for someone as delicate as she, she deserves something sexier or sultry to look at. Of course, it pays that she didn’t buy it herself. It was given by Malcolm Forbes, one of the wealthiest men in the world and where Forbes Magazine got its name from. Forbes himself owns more than 50 Harley-Davidsons.

(more…)

There is always that warm welcoming feel each time my kin would set the old-stone-walled pit at our backyard during summer nights. Friends and neighbors would come over for a relaxing conversation. The kids enjoying their melted marshmallows, the adults busy grilling kebabs and roasting lamb cuts.

However, I just realized that the stone-walled pit has gone remnant — for long summer nights to remember. Not one set their eyes on this new, interesting centerpiece by the garden: an elegant outdoor fire pit. “Our host are lighting up their fire in style,” I overheard one saying. Everybody agreed when I noticed and quipped that “Smoke gets in your eyes, never…”

The subject fire pit is crafted of cold rolled steel and finished with a natural rust patina. It has a round shape with sturdy curved legs, and is deep enough to afford more burning space for logs. The ladies were admiring the tribal Indian motif design. The thing just blends beautifully into the landscaped garden.

Stylish factor aside, I was looking at the handiness of these fire pits. This is out-and-out convenient because with the old method it can take a few hours to build your very own ring of fire and I learned that these most modern outdoor fire pit models are equipped with a rotisserie or grill grate, or converts into a table for double duty.

(more…)

Vital to the success of your online business is choosing the right e-commerce shopping cart. The world of e-commerce has its share of confusing and daunting aspects. For one, shopping carts are perceived to take care of the whole financial transaction – but, apparently, not at all.

With so many shopping cart software packages advertised on the internet all claiming to have the best superior product, choosing is difficult. There is that nagging question: Why do online shoppers abandon their carts at some point in the process?

If you want to learn more about e-commerce, this guide will explain the points you should consider before purchasing a cart.

1. The cost of the package
Invest on shopping cart software that meets your specific needs. A good software package will cost you some $US250 – $300. Any cost beyond that range should include superb features. As you anticipate your business to expand or diversify, shell out a little more by incorporating advanced shopping cart features. Be wary of shopping cart programs that are so that complex you would need to hire somebody else to assist in the implementation. Still, many web host providers like JustHost.com, offer shopping cart and ecommerce system that caters to your business needs.

2. Check the “back-end” aspects
Know that the payment gateway service manages the requests and transmits the same to appropriate financial networks, to include the online merchant account with your preferred bank. Most, if not all, programs now integrate basic functions of a shopping cart with a merchant account and payment gateway. It is recommended that you opt for one where your sales are paid by way of check or via direct deposit.

3. Check your hosting service support capability
Remote hosting does your business good because you can save on bandwidth charges – especially if your products are soft goods and delivered online. Make sure that your web host guarantees you fast implementation, secure connection, and constant monitoring of service. Know also that shopping cart scripts are written in various coding formats such as PERL, ASP, PHP, among many others. Perl 5 is now very well integrated to reliable web hosts.

(more…)

Some rather familiar things just poke on our curiosity: a rather ominous-sounding black box is hardly black but painted a bright color orange to aid location after a plane crash. And then I thought of sharing to you about my latest interesting find. In one of my searches for outdoor grilling equipment I came across a ‘Big Green Egg’. Sounds Martian, even. So what has this got to do with our family’s favorite weekend pastime?

This ubiquitous sounding term is actually an outdoor cooker that is creating quite an enthusiastic following among amateur chefs and fussy housewives. Them who like their barbecue steaks grilled in precise degree of doneness with the tender meat barely clinging to the bone and seared in savory juices and wood chip flavors. Sure, an authentic steakhouse in the backyard is a welcome idea.

What we can’t wait to discover about Big Green Egg is its rumored capability to simulate a brick oven to cook pizzas. In my mind is the famous fire cooked pizzas in New York — brick ceramic walls and all.

Interestingly, the fans of this grilling device have created a fraternity of sorts by collectively calling themselves “Eggheads.” Puns aside, the group even holds a big gathering of ‘Eggheads’ every October in Tucker, Georgia aptly called “Eggtoberfest.” which is replicated in other parts of the United States and the world for that simple reason of celebrating their love for the Big Green Egg by way of, what else, spirited roasting and nonstop grilling event.

(more…)

In the talk of high quality domestic and professional grills and kitchen accessories, Lynx grill is today’s leading brand. Not only is Lynx famed for its variety of designs according to different cooking purposes, but more importantly, it is prided for its durability. Consumers continue to patronize Lynx with its innovative products and improved customer services.

Lynx Grills have been in the business for thirty five years, and it continues to develop grill designs for various purposes and convenience. Lynx offers the food service sector with kitchen accessories that have been crafted with precise specifications. It makes use of superior and durable stainless steel material in all of its products, making it last through years of numerous grilling and barbeque sessions.

Lynx is also the leading brand in terms of kitchen appliance and accessory innovation. It has developed grilling equipment that makes cooking enjoyable and fitting to domestic or professional settings.

(more…)

Shopping for the latest technological gadget is a very tempting way to spend that hard-earned money during pay day. But do you really need to splurge on the latest version of iPod or iTouch when you have a perfectly functional music or video player? Here are guaranteed ways for you to resist incurring unnecessary gadget update even in the most enticing conditions.

(more…)

In an age of competitive and aggressive digital upgrade, getting left-out is a major turn-off. What’s worse, it’s just as shameful to own a piece and not know how to tweak it for some pampering and pimping. This article provides 10 ways to enjoy your personal computer; somewhat similar to MTV’s Cribs, only for computers.

(more…)