WHITE iPhone 4

White iPhone 4 Coming Soon?
By Liane Cassavoy, About.com Guide  April 17, 2011
www.about.com

When Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone 4 last year, he showed off a white version of the phone. Now, almost a year later, that white iPhone 4 may finally be about to hit the market. Numerous reports this week suggest that the white iPhone 4 will be available later this month.

When the iPhone 4 was released in June 2010, it was available in a black model only. At the time, Apple said the white version was delayed due to a manufacturing issue. At the time, it was expected that the delay would only last a few months -- but now, 10 months later, the white iPhone 4 remains unavailable.

But not for long, if these new reports prove true. Bloomberg reports that Apple will begin selling the white iPhone in "the next few weeks." That information is attributed to three unnamed sources with knowledge of the company's plans.

9to5Mac also is now reporting that the white iPhone has shown up in Apple's inventory and will be released "very soon."

Stay tuned.

MY THOUGHTS

Haven't we seen the white iPhone 4 already?  Or was that casing?

IPHONE 5

iPhone 5 to Get 8-Megapixel Camera?

By Liane Cassavoy, About.com Guide  April 3, 2011

Apple's WWDC is still a few months off, but rumors already are beginning to swirl about what iPhone-related announcements the company is likely to make at the June event. The latest speculation is that Apple may announce an iPhone with an 8-megapixel camera, powered by a Sony sensor.

The rumors of a Sony-supplied camera gained steam last week when the Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg sat down with Sony CEO Howard Stringer at an event in New York. As reported by 9to5Mac, Sony's CEO made a comment about supplying cameras to Apple, but did not offer any firm details on what type of camera it would supply.

Another source, TheStreet.com, reported back in April 2010 that Apple had "picked Sony's 8-megapixel camera chip for the 2011 iPhone." The report says that information was obtained from "supply and manufacturing sources."

Nothing has been confirmed, but -- as 9to5Mac points out -- that same report from TheStreet.com correctly predicted that the iPhone 4, which had not been announced at that time, would contain a 5-megapixel camera.

MY THOUGHTS

It's never gonna end.  It's your choice if you want to be sucked into these marketing ploys feeding on your constant desire to be "in".  Or worse, to be always a step or 2 ahead of others.

What is 4G wireless

Definition: What is 4G Wireless?

By Liane Cassavoy, About.com Guide

Definition:

4G wireless is the term used to describe the fourth-generation of wireless service. 4G is a step up from 3G, which is currently the most widespread, high-speed wireless service. 4G is only available in limited areas.

While all 4G service is called "4G," the underlying technology is not the same. Sprint, for example, uses WiMax technology for its 4G network, while Verizon Wireless uses a technology called Long Term Evolution, or LTE.

No matter what technology is behind it, 4G wireless is designed to deliver speed. On average, 4G wireless is supposed to be anywhere from four to ten times faster than today's 3G networks. Sprint says its 4G WiMax network can offer download speeds that are ten times faster than a 3G connection, with speeds that top out at 10 megabits per second. Verizon's LTE network, meanwhile, can deliver speeds between 5 mbps and 12 mbps.

Also Known As: Fourth-generation wireless service

MY THOUGHTS

Sometimes I look at the kids in the family and I wonder...how will they communicate with each other when they get to be our age today?

WHAT IS A CELLPHONE HARD RESET

What Is a Hard Reset on Your BlackBerry?
This article explains what a hard reset is and why you might need one.

By Elise Hines, About.com Contributing Writer
Filed In:

Definition: A hard reset is when you remove the BlackBerry's battery and all connections to any other power sources (e.g., USB cable connected to a PC or a BlackBerry charger), and then replace the battery. This severs all network connections, forces the device to reboot, and can resolve many BlackBerry software issues.

Performing a hard reset is a typical troubleshooting step to resolve BlackBerry issues. If your BlackBerry is frozen or will not allow you to perform a soft reset, you should perform a hard reset. Rebooting your BlackBerry on a regular basis may help you avoid performing hard resets.

MY THOUGHTS

Looks like this is something you have to do no matter what kind of cellphone you have.

JITTERBUG J: A CELL PHONE FOR YOUR FOLKS

Jitterbug J Review: Cell Phone Made Simple
About.com Rating 4 Star Rating

By Liane Cassavoy, About.com Guide

Cell phones don't get any easier to use than GreatCall's Jitterbug J. And that's the point: this cell phone is designed for folks who wouldn't typically use a mobile phone. It doesn't offer a lot in the way of extras -- you won't find a camera or a Web browser on this phone -- but what it does, the Jitterbug J does well.

The Jitterbug J is made by Samsung, and it's a quality-built phone. It's a flip style phone that feels compact yet sturdy in your hand. Available in red, white, or grey, the Jitterbug J measures 3.9 by 2.1 by 1.0 inches when closed. The exterior of the phone features a small monochrome display that shows you the date and time, or the number of incoming calls.

The phone flips open easily with one hand, thanks in part to the rubberized edging around the handset. Once it's open, you see the interior screen, which measures 2.1-inches diagonally, and the Jitterbug's marquee feature: its easy-to-use controls.

The number keys are big -- very big -- so as to easily viewed even by older folks and those with poor eyesight. The keys are backlit, too, making it easily to dial in dim light. Even though the keys are oversized, the Jitterbug J doesn't look cartoonish: it strikes a nice balance between appearance and usability.

Instead of typical phone controls, like send and end keys, the Jitterbug J has yes and no buttons. These make navigating the phone's features a snap. If you have a new message, for example, you're asked if you'd like to read it, and you can enter your response with one of the keys.

Making Calls

Voice quality varied in my test calls, with some calls sounding a bit hollow. I also noticed occasional static. Many of my calls were of very good quality, however, with voices coming through loud and clear on both ends of the line. I experienced no dropped calls during my tests.

Messaging

The Jitterbug J's messaging features are simple, but straightforward, just like the phone itself. The phone can send and receive text messages, but not picture or video messages; you'll have to view those online. Composing text messages can be a chore on the Jitterbug J's numeric keypad, but the phone does include some automatic replies that you can use, such as "Call me" or "Thank you."

Extra Services

The Jitterbug J doesn't run any of the typical apps or extras you'll find on many of today's cell phones. There are no games, no Web browser, no email. What you will find instead is a unique collection of services that are designed for the folks most likely to use the Jitterbug J.

Available options include The Check-in Call, which allows an operator to call you at pre-set times to check up on your well-being; LiveNurse, which gives you 24/7 access to registered nurses; The Wellness Call, which delivers a 4-5 minute motivational weekly call designed to improve your health and reduce stress; Daily Health Tips, which delivers suggestions for a healthy lifestyle; and Medication Reminder, which deliver automated reminder calls. GreatCall also offers services that let you check weather and news, and a calendar service.

Bottom Line

The Jitterbug J isn't for everyone. It's not the latest or greatest smartphone. It's not the best phone for anyone who uses text messaging more than casually. It lacks a camera and a Web browser. But for older folks and anyone who's looking for a basic cell phone that's drop-dead simple to use, the Jitterbug J will be a hard to top.

MY THOUGHTS

If you think your folks would feel more comfortable (and confident) with this phone, here's what it looks like (if you haven't seen it yet) -

from about.com

PHOTOGRAPHY LIGHTING EFFECTS

Photography Lighting Effects
Understanding How Different Types of Light Work With Photos

By Jo Plumridge, About.com Contributing Writer
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Nothing makes or breaks a photo more than lighting. Dramatic photography lighting can turn a mundane snapshot into something quite breathtaking. To be able to fully use lighting, though, we need to learn about photography lighting effects.

* Ambient lighting. This light is the soft, non-directional light that we often see when photographing outside. The brightness of your subject may well be reduced, but this type of lighting works well for landscape shots, as it provides even lighting across the frame.

* Artificial household and business lighting. These types of lighting throw a very particular cast over images. Tungsten lighting (commonly used in household bulbs) casts an orange glow over photos. Fluorescent or strip lighting casts a green glow. Fortunately, modern DSLR cameras have white balance settings which can correct for these casts.

* Studio Lighting. Professional photographers use a variety of different lighting in studios. The most common type of lights are flash lights, which work like a much larger version of a flashgun. Other types of studio lighting include tungsten lights and daylight balanced lights.

* Hard Light. This kind of light occurs in the middle of the day and is very intense, creating strong shadows and contrast. It isn't the most popular of lighting because of this, but can be used to good effect in sunny scenes with a minimum of areas in which to catch shadows.

* Back Lighting. This is when the light is focused directly at your camera, and it is commonly used to create silhouettes.

* Side Lighting. As you might expect, light comes from one side of the image with side lighting. This kind of light can be used creatively in genres such as portraiture and architecture to add long shadows and depth to images.

* The Golden Hour. The hour around sunrise and sunset produces a particular kind of lighting with red, pink, and golden tones. This type of lighting produces beautifully lit images, and it is the most popular for landscape photography.

On some occasions, you could also come across a combination of several of these lighting effects -- such as when some ambient light filters in to an indoor scenario. The trick is to learn to use all the available types of lighting to their best advantage.

MY THOUGHTS

that was some brief education on lighting. i hope camera enthusiasts get to read this.

LONG LASTING CAMERA BATTERIES

Long Lasting Camera Batteries
Tips for Improving Camera Battery Life

By Kyle Schurman, About.com Guide
If you've noticed your digital camera's battery power not lasting quite as long as it used to, that's not a surprise. Rechargeable batteries tend to lose their ability to hold a full charge as they age and are re-used. Losing digital camera battery power is a frustrating problem to have, especially if your "battery empty" light flashes just as you prepare to take that once-in-a-lifetime photo. These tips and tricks should help you gain a little extra battery life ... even from an older camera battery.

* If your camera has an optical viewfinder (the small window at the back of the camera that you can use to frame images), you can turn off the LCD screen and only use the viewfinder. The LCD screen has large power demands.

* Try to avoid using the flash, if at all possible. Continued use of the flash also drains the battery quickly. Obviously, there are some situations where a flash is required to create the photo, but, if you can shoot the picture with the flash turned off, do it to save some battery power.

* Do not spend a lot of time reviewing your photos. The longer you have the LCD screen on -- while you aren't actually shooting photos -- the faster your battery will drain in comparison to the number of photos you can shoot per charge. Spend more time reviewing your photos later when you return home and you have a fresh battery.

* Use your camera's power saving feature. Yes, I agree that this feature can be extremely annoying at times, as the camera goes into "sleep" mode when you haven't used it for a set period of time. However, it does work to conserve battery power. To achieve the most battery power savings, set the "sleep" mode to kick in as quickly as possible. With some cameras, this can be after as little as 15 or 30 seconds of inactivity.

* Turn down the LCD's brightness level, if your camera allows this. A brighter LCD drains the battery faster. A dimmer LCD is more difficult to see, especially in bright sunlight, but it will help extend your battery life.

* If you have the option of shooting some photos with the camera plugged into a wall outlet, use this option to conserve battery power.

* Don't believe the claims of the manufacturer about how much life your batteries should have. When testing the battery life of their cameras, most manufacturers will conduct their measurements in perfect conditions, something you likely cannot recreate in real-world photography. If you're able to achieve at least 75% of the battery life that the manufacturer claims, that's a good starting point.

* To obtain the longest life from your batteries, don't fall for the myth that says you should fully drain the battery before recharging it. In reality, a battery has "X" number of hours of use in it. If you're using some of those hours to simply drain the battery, it won't last as long over its lifetime. Just use the battery normally, and charge it when the battery needs a charge or when you're done shooting. A partial charge isn't going to significantly affect the life of the modern battery. That may have been the case with rechargeable batteries from several years ago, but it's not true with newer batteries.

* Don't turn the camera on and off repeatedly. Each time you restart most cameras, the introductory screen will appear for several seconds. Although this doesn't seem like much time, if you turn the camera on and off 10 times, you'll probably lose at least a minute of battery power, which may be the difference between snapping that last great photo and seeing the "battery empty" message. Use the "sleep" mode instead, which I discussed earlier.

* Finally, because all rechargeable batteries tend to hold less power as they age, you may simply want to purchase a second battery and have it charged and available. If you find yourself constantly altering your photography habits to try to conserve power with an older battery, you're better off buying a second battery as a backup or an "insurance policy."

MY THOUGHTS

ever notice how batteries seem to run out when you need it the most? maybe it's not bad luck. maybe it's in the way we use and conserve the batteries.