Sunday, April 18, 2010

Small Projector for Laptop: Guide on Choosing and Buying Them

Small projector for laptop is a good choice if you are traveling a lot and making business presentation in a rush and want to make a good impression while on the move. Small Digital Projector can also be used as a backup if the main projectors will not operate under any conditions. This article will guide you on choosing and also how to buy them.

First of all, to get the projector that best suited for your needs, you need to answer these simple questions:

How many people will be there when you are doing the presentations?

Just get the average number, don’t need to be exact with this. These criteria will help you choose the requirement you need. The more people viewing the presentation, the more you should choose the size of the projected image in the projector. This is because the more people, the more people there are to be far away from your screen. That’s why the projected image needs to be larger as well. Another criterion you should consider when choosing a digital projector is the Lumens. It is the measured number of brightness in projectors. The more audience you will get, the Lumens number should be increased as well. Most consumer
Digital Projector has between 800-2200 Lumens.

How is the light condition?

Ambient light can make or break your presentation. In a perfect world, using a dark room, you will get the best image regarding the projector brightness. But in a common presentations, you should light up some ambient to let your audience taking notes, getting eye contact and other interactions. For a simple guide, follow these to select a projector based on lighting:

1000-1400 Lumens (very little or no ambient light – very dark)
1500-2000 Lumens (dimmed ambient light)
2100-3500 Lumens (normal ambient light)

If you are going to do outdoor presentations, make sure that you cover your screen in a shade to make the pictures visible.

Projector function

Here goes the big question, are you buying the
Digital Projector just because it is cool or you are buying the functionality? In either way, you should know and need the thing first. It’s a nightmare to put your digital projector on the shelf and not using it at all because it simply doesn’t work. The main functionality you should get is the projector’s resolution. A general guide to this are:

- SVGA resolution projectors (800×600) are best for displaying large text or less detailed images.
- XGA resolution projectors (1024×768) are the most common and are compatible with the vast majority of PCs and DVD players.
- SXGA (1280×1024) and SXGA+ (1400×1050) resolution projectors are appropriate for displaying engineering drawings, digital photography, HD applications or other images of a highly detailed or technical nature.

Budget

Before buying the projector, make sure that you have enough money. But if budget is short, you can try to get cheaper projectors. Nowadays you can even get a cheap digital pocket projector for under $200 like Optima PICO PK100

Hopefully this guide will give you some thought on choosing the small
Digital Projector for your laptop.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

An Amazing Way to Connect with Your Skype Contacts

Remember the days when it was impossible to keep in touch with friends and family while traveling abroad or even cross country, because the phone bills would be so astronomically high? Forget about cell phone calling. We all thought our problems were solved with the advent of USB Skype Phone, but even Skype requires getting to an Internet cafe and hoping your Skype contacts will be online. Well, the days of being chained to your computer or stuck in an Internet cafe are over thanks to Skype Mobile. Like Skype, Skype Mobile allows you to chat with people around the world, but this time around you can chat from your mobile phone, bringing a whole new level of connectivity to your life.

Like I said, USB Skype Phone is a completely free application that can be downloaded in the Android marketplace or Blackberry app world. I’m using a Motorola Droid on the Verizon network so once I downloaded the Skype app I was ready for business. Downloading the app just meant agreeing to a few terms, like that Skype will not be used for emergency calls, but rather those will be completed on the Verizon network. Once I agreed, the app prompted me to enter my Skype username and password. Of course I forgot my login and password so I had to refer to Skype.com to retrieve this information since there was no option within the app to do so. My recommendation would be to set-up the app before you embark on your road trip and remember your password, because there’s also no option to “remember” it once you sign into the app. Once I logged in, the app asked if I wanted to import any of my regular contacts into Skype – I of course clicked yes, and my Skype contact list grew by about seven people. The USB Skype Phone app lets you add three types of contacts to your Skype contact list: Skype contacts, SkypeOut contacts, and contacts imported from the phone’s native phone book, all of which are indicated by a different icon. You can also change your user profile within the Skype Mobile app with options like Full Name, your various numbers, and Mood.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Multimedia Projectors: How They Can Help Your Sunday School & Children’s Church

Did you ever think of using small Multimedia Projectors in your Sunday School or Children’s Church? I’m not a very good geek. I’d like to be one, but alas know too little about technology and am dependent on the kindness of strangers when it comes down to it. If you’re like me (or especially if you’re not!) you’ll appreciate this information on a neat little piece of gadgetry that even a technology-challenged person like me can make use of in children’s ministry!

Portable projectors (small digital Multimedia Projectors) have been around for a few years, but I only discovered them a couple of years ago as I was searching around for a way to display images to help illustrate and punctuate Bible lessons. It’s a pretty neat concept and of course like all digital technology, these multimedia projectors will keep improving over time. What I was looking for was something cost-friendly that I could use with my laptop to throw a picture onto a wall or screen in any room. Enter portable projectors: smaller, more lightweight, not quite as powerful but less expensive and just as effective for small applications as the fancier ones. They are marketed as portable business projectors, but they are very hand for education too.

Ways to Use Portable LED Projector in Children’s Ministry

So how do you use the things? Simply plug the projector into your laptop or other device, point its lamp toward a wall and voila! There are your song lyrics, slide shows, Scripture passages and Jelly Telly videos displayed for all to see…no more need to have the kids’ crowd around your laptop. There’s more to it, of course, than that; these can range in price from $210-$750, depending on the size and specs you want, and there is more information about lumens, lcd versus dlp projector capabilities and such you’ll want to understand before you buy. These gadgets are a great idea for small rooms and modest needs. A portable LED Projector can be used in virtually any room where the lighting can be dimmed or is not overly bright to begin with; they are completely portable, can be used with laptops, iPods or other devices, depending on the model, and can be gotten relatively inexpensively.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Skype Phones Extend Free Internet Calls

Skype phones extend free Internet calls one-step further. With USB Skype Phone, you can throw away the headsets and use a hard phone that looks and feels like a traditional phone. Skype is currently the largest, free Internet telephony software maker in the world and moving into the Skype phone market, as opposed to the pure desktop software market, is a leap ahead.

Skype, based in Luxemburg, has offered free worldwide peer-to-peer Internet telephony (VoIP) service for several years now. What this means is that you download the free Skype software onto your PC, Mac or PDA (or a few other devices), install the software, plug in your headset and start talking for free to friends worldwide that also have Skype installed. If you'd rather can someone on a traditional landline or cellular phone, then Skype also offers deeply discounted rates for this service as well.

Skype has also teamed up with phone-maker Siemens to help penetrate the cordless market. Siemens has developed a USB adapter that lets
USB Skype Phone users plug-n-play a cordless phone into their PC's. The Siemens Gigaset M34 USB PC adapter works with the recently launched Gigaset C340/345 and Gigaset CX340/345isdn, Gigaset S440/445 and Gigaset SX440/445isdn, Gigaset S645 and Gigaset SL440.

Skype WiFi phones are on the verge of becoming a reality. PDA-maker, i-mate has already introduced its wireless PDA device proloaded with Skype software. CEO Niklas Zennstrom reported that a mobile version of Skype will be available this year at the April 2005 VON Conference in Toronto.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Many Uses for Multimedia Projectors

A person who is going to incorporate the use of Multimedia Projectors into their work platform will find that there are many different sizes, designs, styles, and types of projectors to choose from. The type of project that is selected will depend on where it will be used and whether or not it will need to be mobile.

Many small businesses find that the versatility of an ultra light projector meets all of their needs. These projectors are very light weight and usually weight less than five pounds. They provide a resolution and lumens up to 500 which monitors the brightness of the slide being shown.

Most projectors are now manufactured with the capability to be used with a computer, DVD, VCR, HDTV, or video games. The ultra light projector is normally used with a computer and wireless mouse which allows a person to effectively project a slide show in a small room. There are many options available with these projectors that expand the uses for the projector, however most people choose the basic unit with ports that allow it to be used with their laptop computer.

Conference room projectors are larger and used in larger areas. These Multimedia Projectors usually are attached to a cart that has wheels and can be moved from room to room easily. The projectors have more built in options than the ultra light projector and rather than relying on automatic default adjustments to brightness and contrast, an individual can make manual adjustments to accommodate the light in the room where the projector is being used.

Larger projectors normally have software and equipment included that must be installed on the laptop or computer that is going to be used with the projector. The software adds to the flexibility of the projector and an individual is able to make manual adjustments to color, contrast, and brightness of the projector to accommodate the light levels in the room where it is being used. These projectors have larger cooling fans and are very durable.

When a projector is needed for a stationery location and will be used for a wide range of multimedia efforts, the fixed installation projector is often a wise choice. These projectors usually weigh several hundred pounds and are installed in the back of large auditoriums or rooms. The Multimedia Projectors have image quality that allows it to be seen clearly from any area in a room and provides several built-in options that are not available with smaller projectors. The split screen feature that can be used during meetings and web-casts provide a business with an additional level of communication with business associates and employees.

When selecting the fixed installation projector a business will find that they have computer components built into the projector that allow presentations to be downloaded to the projector. The result is that the presentation is clear, crisp, and can be shown on a split screen that encourages interaction with attendees. The projectors also have a recording device included that allow the presentations to be recorded and shown again when desired.

Choosing from the many Multimedia Projectors available will give an individual the opportunity to personalize their presentations and keep the equipment they need in one centralized location. The appropriate size projector will provide the kind of resolution, contrast, and brightness that will be needed in the rooms where they are used. A person who travels a lot will normally find the more mobile, ultra light projectors, with their automatic adjustments will provide the quality that they want for their presentations.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Which Skype Phone is Right for You

"What kind of USB Skype Phone do I need, how to buy a Skype phone",many people asked this question before they buy one. So, let’s have a look below.

If you do nor care if other people can listen to the full conversation, and If you are always "attached" to your PC and its monitor, the cheapest solution is to use your PC speakers and a microphone. You can get a microphone in many stores for under $10.

If you want to wander around your house while on the USB Skype Phone,The cordless Skype phone will free you. Plug the base station to your PC via a USB port. You can use it like a regular cordless phone. Some earlier generation cordless Skype phones have limited ranges and are designed to be used within a room only. Now DECT phones are available with good ranges and would not interfere with your wireless network

If you want to make video calls, Use a Skype video phone or a regular Skype phone and attached a web cam to your PC.

If you want hand-free Skype calls so that You hands are always busy doing other more important things, Use a Skype speaker phone, a headset with attached microphone or a Bluetooth headset.

In general, the cost goes up with features. You can have a speaker/microphone solution for under $10 to a pc-less Skype phone with extra handsets for over $300. At the time of this writing, pc-less Skype phones start at $110; Cordless Phones Skype start at $50; corded Skype phones start at $20; Skype dual phones start at $50; speaker phones start at $40; Bluetooth headsets start at $30. it is totally up to your budget.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Which Projector You Should Buy

Multimedia Projectors are getting quite popular these days mainly because of there vary usage. They can be used for presentations at conferences, board room presentations, projecting videos on to a wall in your home to watch movies, and more. There is variety of projectors available in the market. The major question is which projector you should buy? There are many brands and four major types of Multimedia Projectors.

If you are considering to buying a projector for home usage then Sound system is the first thing you should consider. The speakers that come along with projectors aren't that perfect. You can’t expect quality as your 5.1 audio systems. The device simply offers convenience of having sound while watching movies. Installing speakers every time you use a movie projector is a thing of the past. Multimedia Projectors are perfect for those who don't have high audio requirements. It is best for commercial or business use too. Now, you can play sounds to go with your presentations, which is a cool change.

And if you are looking for buying projector for business usage then resolution is the first thing you should look for. Resolution is the number of pixels that the projector is capable of displaying. Projectors with greater the resolution produce a better quality projector image because there are more pixels per square inch. A projector with less resolution will have a grainier picture, since there are fewer pixels per square inch. Low resolution projectors are not suited for Presentation. The other things one should look for is projector screen and touch screen monitor if available is handy as it save a lot of time. Many Wireless Multimedia Projectors are also available in the market suited for business category but they are costlier.

There are many brands of multimedia projectors to choose from,however, choose what suits you is the most important, so please think twice before you make the decision.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Using Skype to make free calls

USB Skype Voip Phone technology works by sending your voice over the internet network rather than a phone network. To do this, audio is converted into data packets that can be sent over the internet and converted back to voice on the other end. This process is the reason audio can arrive on a slight delay.Though it sounds complicated, using this technology to make free phone calls is easy. Users can make calls from their computer, a net-connected telephone or even a mobile phone.Using a computer to make USB Skype Voip Phone calls is the simplest method. This requires a microphone so you can be heard and speakers or headphones so you can hear your caller. Most modern laptops have both built in.Once a computer has been chosen, users must select a VoIP provider. The most popular service is Skype, and users can download its software free from skype.com. Other providers include Engin, GoTalk, Exetel and Globechat.After a short set-up, connecting to other members is as simple as clicking a few buttons, and Skype and some other services offer free calls between members.The quality of your VoIP call will depend on the internet connection between you and its recipient. Calls can be almost indistinguishable from telephone calls over a speedy connection.If you prefer to make calls from a more traditional handset, VoIP phones are available that can be connected to the internet with an ethernet cable. Some internet service providers, including iiNet, offer these VoIP phones.Alternatively, USB Skype Phone is now available for use on several mobile phones. After downloading the free app, Apple iPhone users can connect to other Skype members over a WiFi connection.Skype, the longtime king of online phone service, has been helping folks use their computers for years to make free or low-cost calls worldwide.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Ticket prices are going up though mainly for 3-D movies.

Ticket prices are going up though mainly for 3-D movies. According to a recent article Hollywood has found that the new 3-D phenomenon is popular and therefore the ticket prices for these movies should be more.

With so many theaters having the ability to “play a disc” with the movie on it, projected from a Digital Projector, how much is the theater being charged for the film? In previous years (and especially with reels) the theater was being charged a flat rate for a film and ticket sales made up for that film. I know a few places around town are still using reels but a megaplex like Showcase or Tinseltown, why would they have to bother? Wouldn't not having a print make things more cost effective? Maybe it is and they're just greedy. I'll stave that for a later column.

And do we really need 3-D? On some films it's cool (“Beowulf”) but in others (“Monsters vs. Aliens”) it's really more a gimmick to distract from what's going on. Don't get me wrong; I loved “Avatar” in 3-D but Cameron is a Digital Projector when it comes to the technical stuff. Other directors not so much.I have to make a final mention about 3-D: they're trying to perfect it for television. The only problem I see with this is that your eyes seemingly have to be immersed in the 3-D environment; usually glasses or goggle are involved. Would it be worth having a 3-D TV if it were 32-inch? Or 27? 13? We'll have to wait and wonder...

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Brace yourself for the 3-D movie experience

Like stepping into a cinematic wonderland, the new way to watch movies in three dimensions. Lifelike shape and form, motions that look like they're coming right at you, and modern Digital Projector technology are the hallmarks of this Hollywood trend, one with which local movie theater Somerset Cinemas 8 is prepared to get on board

All new Digital Projector will placed in two individual theater rooms -- "It does away with the old 35 millimeter film that everybody always used," said Bailey. Instead of the traditional reel of film, movies are sent as stored digital information on a sort of mini-computer, which is downloaded into the new equipment much like one would download songs onto an iPod.

"It's all digital 3-D now," said Bartley. "Most people have film that rolls off a platter. Here, you have a hard drive that you load movies from.

"The good thing about the picture is that it will always be the same every time you play it," he continued. "It's a little different from film. (On traditional film), black is black -- you can't see any difference in shades of black or white. With digital technology, you should be able to tell a difference in shades."

LCD is a tried and true technology

The earliest Digital Projector were based on Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) technology. We have podcast episodes in the archives all about it, but most of them were lost in the transition to our new website. Bottom line, LCD is a tried and true technology. It typically has very vibrant color and provide a very sharp, crisp picture.

On the downside, LCD’s vibrant color and crisp picture tends to produce video that doesn’t looks quite as real or lifelike as other technologies. Many describe it as looking more digital. It also doesn’t have the contrast capabilities of the other technologies, which is critical to home theater applications. For the office, LCD is great, for the home theater, it hasn’t quite won the hearts and minds of the masses.

Bottom line, LED Projector is bright, vivid and inexpensive. DLP projectors are darker, provide better contrast and don’t cost as much. LCoS projectors probably give the best picture, but they cost a lot. You have to weigh the pros and cons for yourself and see what your budget will allow. In the end, though, no matter what you choose, there’s no denying that a 120″ screen is pretty darn cool.