Hot Gadgets And Consumer Appliances For Christmas 2010

With the Holiday season pretty much upon us, no doubt you might be considering what to buy your friends and family for Christmas. For the kids it will be toys and even electronic gadgets for the older children and teenagers. Adults also love gadgets and appliances that can be used personally or in the home. Popular gift items will be things that provide entertainment to the owner. With this said, here are a few of the latest gadgets and gizmos that might make an ideal present for Christmas 2010.

The first item is the Flip Slide camera. Flip cameras have been a great hit. They are the size of a cell or mobile phone but are purely for taking video images. You can get high definition flip camera that give you 2 hours of recording time. The most innovative feature of the product is the USB hook up and flipshare software that allows you to move the video directly to your computer and get it on the web or burn it to a DVD quickly.

The Flip Slide video camera retains all these winning features but also has a slide feature that allows you to see the recorded images on a bigger screen than other Flip cameras. This means you can playback the video and watch on the camera immediately. No need for a computer.

The next item that has been garnering quite a fanfare for months now is the Kinect motion sensor system for the Xbox 360 gaming console. Kinect is Microsoft's response to the Nintendo Wii. And by all accounts, it will surpass the functionality of the Wii and make game playing even better.

The major difference between the Kinect and the Wii is that the Kinect does not require the game player to hold some form of controller like the Wii (and even the PS3 Move system) does. The Kinect sensor scans the whole body so that the whole of the players body can be involved in the game. Even facial expressions are scanned apparently. This should make game playing more real than ever before. And most Xbox 360 owners can't wait to get their hands on this gadget. No doubt Microsoft hope it boosts the profile of the Xbox 360 too.

Another appliance that could be a hit this Christmas is the Archos 7 8GB Home Tablet with Android. This is a bit like a small iPad. It allows you to connect to the internet and do all sorts of things that you regularly do without having to go to a computer. It has many Android applications pre-installed on it but you can also download your own apps which kind of personalizes the appliance for your own needs and wants.

There are many more appliances that could be the perfect present or gift idea for one of your loved ones, check out a few more ideas at Christmas gift ideas for kids, including the Kinect sensor with Kinect Adventures

Digital Video Marketing - What Equipment Do You Need?

We need lists. They help us to get started in the right direction. Here is a list of basic, affordable equipment that you should start assembling if you want to market using videos on the web.

1. There are many video cameras or camcorders that will serve you well. However, don't just go out and buy the first pretty one that hits your eye. You will have to look very hard to find a video camera that has a MIC IN jack.

Why is that so important? Your videos will sound more professional. If you don't use an external microphone, the microphone on the camera will pick up the ambient noise, the echos of the room and you will probably sound like you are inside a barrel when you make your videos. That is very distracting to the listener.

2. If you check carefully, you can find great video cameras on eBay Video Camcorders, make sure you get a camera that has an external Mic In Jack. (I am serious, don't make the mistake of getting a camera without one.)Start with an affordable used camcorder, if you must. There are numerous digital video or Mini DV cameras available that will fit the bill. Look for the PV-GS300 digital video camera. If you watch carefully and consistently, you will find them become available for auction on eBay. It should be in the $300 to $600 range.

The Canon GL2 camera that I use is more that satisfactory. It is a 3CCD mini DV camcorder. They are available new for about $2,000 and used for about $1,500 from bhphotovideo. They are also available for much less on eBay.

Don't get involved with the new AVCHD type video cameras yet. Most of the video editing software will not work with this format yet. You want your camera to record on to Mini DV tape.

Check bhphotovideo for a good assortment of new and used video cameras. You can obtain a warranty with most of your purchases, also.

3. To record that professional sound, a lavalier mic is the best choice. A lavalier mic that is very affordable is the Audio-Technica Omni directional ATR35s. It works great and it has a very long cord so you can run it up your shirt and even down your pant leg.

Check mics on ebay You will find one for about $25. It works great, too. You were careful to purchase a video camera with an external mic connection, weren't you.)

4. Don't forget, video lighting is important to the success in video production. We have all watched too many videos that were lighted poorly on YouTube and many of the other video sharing sites. The common mistakes are: * Not enough light

Sign up at TrafficBumper.com is dedicated to teaching its readers how to market with digital video. Tips, secrets, SEO advice and Social Networking methods are used. TrafficBumper.com contains many articles and videos to watch.

Security Camera Mysteries - What Does 720p Mean?

For those really into security systems that can handle serious levels of high technology, going with cameras that can capture an image and turn it into a high-definition display might be the way to go.

Prices of very nice kits have taken a hit recently, thanks to the entry of China wholesale security cameras suppliers. Typically, those kits feature video cameras capable of presenting images in what's called 720p.

Now, most of what 720p has to do with is the resolution, or quality, of the picture that will be displayed on a monitor capable of converting that signal to high-definition pictures.

"720" stands for the 720 horizontal scan lines of display resolution. The "p" stands for "progressive scan," though it's sometimes also meant to mean "non-interlaced."

Basically, 720p - with its progressive scan lines - can actually come much closer in terms of resolution to 1080i than most people might believe. It filters out flicker quite well and it's fairly sharp because it because it works so well at preventing that screen flicker. 1080 is so-called "true" high-definition and the number refers to the number of scan lines (1,080 of them) while the "I" stands for "interlaced."

"1080i" is the high-definition video mode, while high-def TVs usually feature 1080p, meaning that 1,080 horizontal scan lines are progressively scanned.

Both 720 and 1080 present pictures and displays that are generally superior to regular (or "standard definition") footage across every measurable criteria.

At any rate, most security professionals rate the ability to deliver displays in high-definition to be a desirable element in any good system.

Keep in mind, though, that a system able to capture and then display images in high-def is going to cost more, sometimes by many hundreds of dollars.

If getting one, make sure all the cameras are either all "I" or all "p," because the receiving equipment is only set up to handle one or the other.

These systems are considered, at present, to be the "gold standard" for home security kits.

Make sure any set being considered has a well-designed digital video recorder and security cameras that feature CCD (charge coupled devices) cameras that can make use of infra-red so that they can work well under all light conditions.

It's important that all cameras and equipment be matched up to match the resolution capabilities of the cameras because a 720p and a 1080i set of cameras normally can't be mixed together without a great deal of difficulty and a lot of adapter-type components.

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Video Production Lighting Basics

For many novice video producers, lighting causes lots of worry and seems very complicated. Lighting for video production CAN be complicated, but it certainly doesn't HAVE to be.

I specialize in making video as easy as possible while still maintaining a professional look. I can sum up everything you need to know about lighting in just three bullet points:

1. Direct Light = Harsh
2. Diffused Light = Soft
3. What DIRECTION is the light coming from?

If you learn the meaning of these three concepts, I promise your lighting efforts will improve tremendously.

We'll start with the first two points. They are related.
Light comes in two forms, direct and diffused. Direct light is harsh and scary looking while diffused light is soft and flattering to the face.

If you remember elementary school physics, light rays always travel in a straight line. Imagine yourself outside at night with a flashlight. You can see the entire beam of light and it is straight. If you want to illuminate an object, you have to shine the flashlight directly on it. This is an example of direct light It travels in one direction, straight as an arrow.

Diffused light is when the straight light beams hit something reflective and then bounce off it. They bounce in straight lines but usually there are so many straight lines bouncing around that the effect is to have light rays bouncing around every-which-way.

A standard, incandescent light bulb is painted white on the inside in order to diffuse the light The light beams hit the white paint and bounce.

Another prime example of direct and diffused light is to think about being outside on a cloudy day or a sunny day. On a bright, sunny day you have direct light There are lots of deep shadows and the shadows have distinct edges.

On a cloudy day, the clouds diffuse the light If it's cloudy enough, there will not be any shadows at all. Since the light is bouncing around every-which-way, any potential shadow is filled in by the bouncing light and eliminated.

Generally speaking, you want DIFFUSED light in video production. Unless you are doing a monster movie, diffused light will look best.

Most of the gadgets that come in a professional light kit exist for the sole purpose of diffusing the light If you do not have a professional lighting kit, you can achieved a diffused effect by pointing your light toward the ceiling or wall and bouncing it. Do not point it at the on-camera talent. They will thank you for it. Not only will it make them look better, but it will keep them from squinting and being dreadfully uncomfortable.

Now let's talk about the third bullet point. What DIRECTION is the light coming from?

Is the source of light in front of your on-camera person? Behind them? To the side? Behind? What direction the light is coming from will have a huge impact on how it looks.

Generally speaking, you want the light source to be in front of, or to the side, of your on-camera talent. You do NOT want it behind them unless you are trying to hide their identity. Light coming from behind will create a silhouette. Video producers usually reserve that technique for sleazebags who want to remain anonymous.

This is a mistake I see frequently. People will stand right in front of the window thinking that the light coming from the window will add enough light to make their shot look good. It probably would, IF the on-camera person stands so the light falls on their face and not on their back.

There you have it, the basics of lighting for video production.

Lorraine Grula has been a well-respected award winning video professional for over twenty-five years. (Yeah, that makes her kind of old.) Lorraine has done virtually every kind of video production imaginable and now shares her expertise on the web. Her blog, http://www.VideoProductionTips.com is full of free information and video tutorials.

Get Thousands of Free Hits With YouTube

Many people mistakenly believe that once a website goes live traffic will automatically come. Unfortunately, this is wishful thinking. If nothing is done to bring traffic to a website, chances are it will never get seen, despite it now being a part of the Web. Yet, webmasters don't have to fret, because with YouTube not only can they get thousands of free hits, but they can also have fun in the process.

So, what exactly is YouTube and how can you get traffic from it? YouTube is a website that allows members to share videos they have created. The content of these videos can be on virtually anything that is not violent or pornographic. In fact, even advertising is allowed, which is where the site's traffic-building possibilities come into play.

Yet, you don't want to make a blatant advertisement, since these types of videos are less likely to get views. Instead, you want to create a video giving information on a topic related to what you're selling. Then, at the end of the video, you can advertise your website. Make sure when you get to this point you use a URL that is short and memorable, since members won't have an opportunity to cut and paste your domain name into their browser. This means affiliate links and subdomains are out of the question. Of course, if all you have is an affiliate link or a subdomain, consider redirecting it to a more marketable domain name.

As far as creating the video, you can use Sony's Vegas Movie Studio. This program is not very expensive and works with most computers. To use it, you basically upload images or videos and manipulate them.

If you have no video, you can create one with images and a microphone. You can get the images from royalty-free photo sites, Microsoft Power Point, or you can take pictures yourself if you have the time and photography skills. Either way, as you are acquiring them, think ahead of time about how they're going to be presented in your video. You will want them to relate to what you're saying. For the best organization, consider writing a script before you find the images. That way you'll know what you need to look for ahead of time.

After you have uploaded your images into the program, read your script into your microphone. If you want you can even incorporate music into your program, though like your images, you will have to make sure they are royalty-free.

When you are finished with your video, you can upload it into your YouTube member account. From there, YouTube will take care of everything. If your video is interesting, people will watch it. Some may even incorporate it into their own websites, making your video even more visible.

To get more help in determining the flow of your content, look at other videos on YouTube. The most popular ones tend to be humorous, though there are others that get a lot of hits because they evoke a variety of emotions.

The 12 part E-course walks you through step by step on how to get the traffic coming to your site. This is traffic that you just put your time into, you don't have to spend any money for it. Find out more at www.newwebtraffic.com

Two Pieces of Essential Equipment For the PI, Or Paranormal Investigator

The desire to find proof of the paranormal has hit an all-time high in recent years thanks to exposure on television and other popular media. While there are several personal skills an individual will need to become a real-life ghost hunter there is a point of even greater importance. The prospective P.I. or ghost hunter, will require good quality ghost equipment.

Two of the most important, pieces of equipment are an EMF detector, and a video camera with thermal imaging technology. Ghosts are traditionally often felt by human beings via temperature shift in the surroundings, and strange tingling sensations. Early paranormal investigators decided to use or invent scientific equipment to determine what was really happening, and as a result infrared heat sensitive cameras are great for investigating areas that change temperature. For tingling sensations the modern ghost hunting EMF meter in any of its variations is considered as vital as the ability to sense the presence of ghosts used to be.

EMF Meters

• The EMF, electromagnetic frequency detector, started out as just that. It was a device that registered electromagnetic field variations in the immediate vicinity, and is still often used to determine if a residence has unhealthy magnetic fields from electrical devices. Any EMF meter will work for ghost hunting, with ghost hunting models designed for the job working especially well.


• Some modern EMF's designed specifically with the paranormal investigator in mind come with expanded capabilities that their ancestors did not, such as 3 level frequency ranges, lighting, plus temperature readers.

Infrared Cameras

• Thermal capable video cameras are the eyes of a ghost hunter. Recording devices can capture sounds, but remote controlled thermal video cameras can capture movement of subtle shadows or dramatic images in empty rooms where a ghost hunters presence might have affected results.


• A thermal imaging device detect minute heat fluctuations and give general outlines of the area in a fashion that shows how hot a given location is. A suspicious cold spot on a thermal imaging device that seems to move might very well be the discovery that finally bursts the flood gates of understanding about the paranormal aspect of life, death, and the universe.

These instruments are important because they allow the ghost hunter to use several small pieces of portable, good quality equipment and survey a wider area. That plus a quick response time to fluctuating magnetic and temperature levels can mean the difference between the excitement of discovery and having proof, or simply spending a cold night in a draughty building. The uncertainty and the excitement is a wonderful adventure in todays over civilized world. Finding a quality source of ghost equipment and training information is crucial to the beginning adventurer.

Hi, my name is Roger Wadham and I'm a dedicated futurist. With the new wave of professional quality ghost hunting equipment arriving on the market, the doors to exploring this ages old frontier are wide open.

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