Cisco: Smart Grid May Be "1,000 times larger than the Internet"

There's been plenty of hype about the Smart Grid --- some justified and some not. But the gold award for Smart Grid hype has to go to Cisco, whose spokesperson last month said that the grid could end up being up to 1,000 times the size of the Internet.

Martin LaMonica of CNet wrote last month that Cisco believes that just the communications portion of the Smart Grid represents a $100 billion opportunity --- "$20 billion a year over the next five years."

That's certainly reasonable and believable. LaMonica interviewed Marie Hattar, vice president of marketing in Cisco's Network Systems Solutions group, who then seemed to ratchet up the hype at least a notch.

Hattar noted that Cisco already had a variety of products designed for the Smart Grid, such as various pieces of data center equipment. It also has released EnergyWise software, which will be used to manage energy use throughout an enterprise.

Hattar added that Cisco is also developing new products designed for home use, not just use in enterprises, such as home energy controller devices for its Linksys router line, or set-top boxes that can track energy use throughout the home.

Home use of the Smart Grid represents and enormous opportunity for Cisco and other companies, who may develop devices that attach to home appliances to connect to the Smart Grid. Hatar noted:

"Our expectation is that this network will be 100 or 1,000 times larger than the Internet. If you think about it, some homes have Internet access, but some don't. Everyone has electricity access--all of those homes could potentially be connected."

Clearly, the Smart Grid will not dwarf the Internet in that way. I can't blame her for her enthusiasm about the technology -- I share it as well. But 1,000 times larger than the Internet? Don't expect that to happen.

HP's TouchSmart Printers Print Web Content, No PC Required

Hewlett-Packard unveiled a new line of printers that allow you to access and print Web content from partners Google, Nickelodeon, and USA Today without a PC. The new printer line, unveiled at an event in San Francisco today, is part of a new HP printer technology called TouchSmart Web.

The printers take advantage of the HP's TouchSmart screen and software technology, first seen in the TouchSmart series of all-in-one PCs. Printers outfitted with this TouchSmart Web will feature a Web-connected touch LCD display mounted on the front of the printer, allowing you to navigate a list of HP applications for printing maps, Snapfish photos, or coupons.

Central to the new platform is the launch HP Apps Studio, which allows the printer to expand its range of content that can be downloaded from the Web and printed as new content applications become available.

The HP Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web will be the first printer in the line. Due this fall, the printer will be priced at $399, and will have a 4.3-inch touchscreen and integrated memory, so the printer can connect wirelessly to the Web and access apps for direct-from-Web printing. This approach eliminates the need to fire-up your computer to print Fandango tickets or grocery coupons, for example. The printer will support fax, copy, scan, and duplex printer, too.

The Power of Apps

Whereas the word "application" feels stodgy, Apple's iPhone has made "apps" attractive and hip, even for the mainstream consumer that doesn't think in terms of antiquated computing terms.

HP takes full advantage of the "app" rage to develop a new app platform that can be customized to fit your lifestyle and needs. They're on to something--although this feels like it's 15 years too late. Customizable news content you can print on-demand, for example, was available via CompuServe a decade and a half-ago, but it was no mass-market implementation.

Now, though, you'll be able to walk right up to your printer, and print what you need, without launching your PC (which involves both the actual process of launching the PC as well as the process of trying to stay focused on the "one" thing you booted up for to begin with).

The HP App Studio supports open APIs to encourage developers to create content; individuals will be able to create and share their own apps later this year. The launch partners announced today include USA Today, Google, Fandango, Coupons.com, DreamWorks Animation, Nickelodeon, Web Sudoku, and Weathernews.

The apps that these first partners will offer will enable direct access to maps, printing customized daily news, coupons, coloring pages, movie tickets, recipes, and personal calendars. Additional apps will be available as new developers come on board; HP says apps will be free for consumers to download.

"We don't want to make any trade-off to buy this Web connectivity," said Vyomesh Joshi, executive vice president of HP's Imaging and Printing Group. At the event, Joshi declined to discuss the actual business model behind the App Studio., but in the output examples, sidecar on-page advertising opportunities appear viable.

The underlying technology is HTML and Linux based; the Web kit browser runs on the embedded Linux OS; inside, there's an IMX 31 processor. The apps don't take a lot of resources, according to Joshi.

In the demos, some of the apps appeared a bit slow, somewhat akin to browsing a graphics intensive Web page over the iPhone using EDGE. But, the apps appeared useful: Pick which section you want to read, and it will print a one-page view of the news. The device has a built-in keyboard with wide, circular buttons the size of a small hand's finger pads.

HP noted how customized coupon printing would be less wasteful than the current newspaper model, where tons of coupon leaflets go out en masse only to end up being tossed out by consumers. However, the company didn't discuss the printer's cost-per-page for ink and paper, but you can control whether you print in color or black-and-white. (The printer replaces the C8000 series; the 5-ink cartridge-based print engine is similar, but has some tweaks, according to an HP spokesperson.)

A Printers Paradise?

Some aspects of this appear compelling--printing a Google map or a day's entry from Google Calendar, printing coupons for the restaurant or supplies I need today, printing movie tickets, or even a Sudoku puzzle or customized newspaper to take on the morning commute. However, I fear that the ink and paper costs might quickly outweigh some of the conveniences (or, for example, the parallel cost of ordering a local paper). The idea of not having to handle newsprint is enticing, and this could be a viable means of delivering news content to homes; but, will it pay to print that 25 cent coupon on a page that might cost a third of that to print?

One nifty extension of the HP App Studio: Since this entire platform uses the company's TouchSmart technology, HP says we can expect to see its Apps pop up on TouchSmart PCs, too. That could be a very handy and useful extension of this technology in a variety of work, education, and home scenarios. The company didn't indicate how soon the HP App Studio introduced here might migrate to its TouchSmart computers and laptops.

Google: We’ve Made a Breakthrough in Image Search

Humans may excel at pattern recognition, but computers aren't very smart at identifying images. Our brains can immediately identify photos of famous landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty or Great Wall of China, but computers are typically clueless without text tags as a cheat sheet.

This may be change, however, if a Google research project in "computer vision" pans out. The search giant Monday presented a paper on landmark recognition at the Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR) conference in Miami. The new technology allows computers to quickly I.D. images of more than 50,000 world landmarks with 80-percent accuracy, Google says.

Google is quick to point out its pattern-recognition technology is still a research project and not a new service. That makes sense, as a search tool that's right just 8 out of 10 tries isn't ready for prime time. Still, the concept is pretty cool and could prove a boon to travelers if Google can someday boost the accuracy rate. The ability to snap a photo of an unidentified landmark and have your smartphone or Net-enabled camera identify it immediately would be popular, I think. Of course, there's also the potential for scientific and consumer applications that no one's thought of yet.

So how does it work? Jay Yagnik, Google's head of computer vision research, explains in a blog post. The first step is to use 40 million GPS-tagged photos from two Google services, Picasa and Panoramio, and online tour guide webpages to compile a list of landmarks. "Next, we found candidate images for each landmark using these sources and Google Image Search, which we then "pruned" using efficient image matching and unsupervised clustering techniques," he writes.

The final step was to develop an indexing system for fast image recognition. But despite the cleverness of the project, accurate image search remains tricky. As the photo below indicates, unrelated landmarks may share similar architectural features; also, the inclusion of an enormous banner or flag can lead to a false match.

Hopefully Google's research project will improve image search, which today is too reliant on tagging. The next step would be to find a way to identify the countless number of non-landmark images, but that task seems infinitely more challenging.

Firefox 3.5 Release May Accelerate IE's Downfall

Mozilla's Firefox 3.5 Release Candidate 2 is now out in the open, meaning the long-awaited final version is likely right around the corner. If past trends are any indication, the debut of Firefox 3.5 may do more than just speed up your online experience -- it may also speed up the ongoing shift within the browser market. Most notably, it could accelerate the decline of Internet Explorer as the dominant choice for computer users worldwide.

Firefox 3.5 RC2: Mozilla's Beginning

Firefox 3.5 RC2 became available for public download on Friday. The browser was originally branded as Firefox 3.1 but later changed to 3.5 to better reflect the scope of improvements over its predecessor. Staying true to its moniker, Firefox 3.5 offers a whole host of new features, including private browsing, improved tab functionality, and speed increases said to make the product eight times faster than Firefox 3.0.

While the release candidate is considered a "public preview" geared toward developers and other brave souls, the final release will have the entire Internet in its sights. And that is where things could get very interesting.

The Firefox Release Effect

The last time Mozilla released a major Firefox update was just about one year ago, in June of 2008. Firefox 3.0 hit the Web in a big way, with the company's "Download Day" campaign helping snag a record-setting 8.3 million downloads within the software's first 24 hours online. There was even a Guinness World Record awarded for the feat -- but more noteworthy is the fact that, within a matter of days, Mozilla had more than doubled its beta share: Following the 3.0 reception, Firefox jumped up an overall market share of nearly 19 percent.

Microsoft's much-touted Internet Explorer 8, in comparison, barely made a dent in its early days; in fact, its overall share began falling only three days after its release.

Browser Trends

In the browser world, the broader trends may be the most telling, and Internet Explorer has been spiraling downward for months. From May 2008 to May 2009, IE lost 11 percent of its worldwide market share, according to data by Web metrics firm Net Applications. Firefox, meanwhile, grew by twice the amount IE fell: Its market share increased by 22 percent in that same time period.

The contrast is nothing new, either: I did a similar comparison about six months ago and saw comparable (though actually less extreme) results. Safari and Chrome, by the way, have also seen consistent growth over the past months; Firefox may be making the most dents in IE's armor, but it's certainly not the only warrior in the field.

Putting It All Together

Looking at the early 2009 numbers compared to the mid-2009 numbers, it appears the shift has been accelerating on its own -- and that's despite both the lack of any major Mozilla releases and the presence of a high-profile Microsoft release. Given that, and considering the huge surge seen with the previous Firefox release, it seems entirely plausible that Firefox 3.5 could move the market shift into overdrive. The recent decision to offer Windows 7 without IE in Europe could only add to the effect.

With the rate of change back at the start of the year, I'd projected IE would lose its crown by 2012. It's looking more and more likely, though, that the throne could change hands even sooner -- and Firefox 3.5, judging from the signs, may just play a strong role in helping move up that transition.

Intel and Nokia to Rattle Mobile Landscape

Plenty of questions linger regarding Intel and Nokia's partnership, but one thing we can count on is the two powerful tech players will rattle the mobile landscape. The Intel and Nokia partnership, announced yesterday, was slim on specifics but brimming with potential as both announced they would collaborate on a mobile-computing partnership.

The duo has the very real potential to shower consumers with dozens of shiny new Nokia and Intel products from super-smart smartphones that transmit voice and data at lightning speed and efficiency or something like a hybrid netbook/notebook that fits in your shirt pocket.

We will have to wait and see what becomes of the partnership because both executives from Intel and Nokia were mum on what type of gizmos we will be seeing and when. While the brunt of the announcement focused on explaining how both would deliver a new mobile platform, such as Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs), it's what was not said that may generate the most interest and should have Apple, AMD, and other mobile players interested.

Intel Partners Scratch Heads

While Intel and Nokia skimped on specifics, left dangling in the wind are questions about how this announcement will impact Intel's relationships with other companies it has longstanding relationships with. For example, Intel has made significant inroads with Apple, where many of its Macintosh computers are based upon Intel CPUs - will an Intel powered Nokia iPhone competitor strain Apple's relationship with Intel? Concerns should also surround Intel's relationship with Microsoft - will an Intel powered Nokia MID running Android or Linux impact Microsoft's sales of Windows Mobile?

Nokia, Intel Marriage: Jealous?

One thing is certain: Intel may be taking a big risk with its dive into the mobile wireless device market with Nokia. Intel has to be careful not to upset its current partners, yet still work with Nokia to deliver new and impressive devices to consumers. Perhaps, the biggest winner here will be AMD, which has already made inroads with Gateway into the netbook market and is poised to challenge Intel in the low cost computing arena.

If They Were Smart . . .

Still more questions remain about WiMax and alternative operating systems (Android and Linux). The smart move for both companies would be to quickly introduce a MID that shouts innovation. That innovation could come in the form of integrating WiMax into an Android based tablet, which can switch between various wireless modes, while providing the features of a Kindle and iPhone combined, add Bluetooth for a headset and viola, the companies would have something that could compete against netbooks, Kindles and iPods.

Together Intel and Nokia have the technology to make this happen. Nokia has already unsuccessfully dabbled with tablets and Intel already has experimented with cellular phone technology, so both companies have the background to make something happen quickly, and to become masters of the wireless market. Unfortunately, both companies may have to tick off some of their existing partners, at least a little, to seize the day and make this new relationship deliver something significant.

Gateway Launches First Small Form Factor Desktop

Didn't school just get out or something? Suffice, Gateway has introduced a handful of new PCs into the market under the "back to school" banner. The systems are split into two camps. The first represents Gateway's premiere in the small form factor market. And in this category rests a single new PC, the SX2800-01. At one-third the size of traditional systems, this lil' PC--"the runt," one could say--trades graphical dominance for the ability to wedge itself into the tiniest nooks and crannies. Kind of like a small puppy.

The $500 system is actually represented fairly well both outside and under the hood, based on a quick glimpse at the loadout:

* Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 (2.33GHz)
* Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500
* Intel G43 Express Chipset + ICH10
* 4GB DDR3 SDRAM
* 640GB SATA hard drive

Slightly more eye-opening are the connections this little fire starter packs into its miniature frame. At least, I did not expect a system of this size to come with nine total USB ports, in addition to an eSATA, mini-FireWire 400, and HDMI port. Gigabit Ethernet, a VGA port, and integrated 5.1 audio rounds out the list--and what a list it is. You don't often find this kind of connectivity on more expensive systems.

The DX Series

As mentioned, Gateway is also refreshing its DX line of performance-themed systems. Although the company has yet to release the final configurations that it plans to sell starting late June, Gateway has gone ahead and leaked out two potential configurations--the DX4300-03 and DX4820-02. Both mini-towers use an identical Gateway chassis and, even given the innate differences between Intel- and AMD-based motherboards, offer identical connective offerings. The machines come with a total of eight USB sports split down the middle between the systems' fronts and backs, a FireWire 400 port, VGA and DVI monitor outputs, and an HDMI connection.

Similarly, both machines offer Gigabit Ethernet connectivity and integrated 7.1 audio, and both throw an 18X DVD reader/burner into the mix as well. But I promise you, there are differences between these two systems, and they're more than just your typical "one's an AMD, one's an Intel" split.

DX4300-03

* MSRP: $750
* AMD Phenom X4 9750 (2.4GHz, 512KBx4 L2 cache, 2400MHz)
* ATI Radeon HD 4650 graphics card (1GB video memory)
* AMD RS780 chipset
* 8GB DDR2 SDRAM
* 1TB SATA hard drive

DX4820-02

* MSRP: $900
* Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 (2.66GHz, 4MB L2 cache)
* NVIDIA GeForce G210 graphics card (512MB video memory)
* Intel G43 Express chipset
* 8GB DDR3 SDRAM
* 750GB SATA hard drive
* Gateway FHX2300 23" HD Widescreen LCD

100 Firefox Add-Ons to Create a Truly Brilliant Browser

The Internet is full of smart tools these days, but only if you have the patience to go out and find them. So what if you could turn your browser into a little black book of awesome shortcuts, organizers, alerts and blogging assistants? Well, you can. Read on to learn about the 100 Firefox add-ons you need to create a truly brilliant browser that will make your life oodles easier.

Alerts

Stop forgetting birthdays, eBay deadlines and more when you use these smart alert systems that also notify you of things you never thought to consider.

1. WeatherBug 2.0.0.4: Get severe weather alerts and more weather support here.
2. WorldCoolers 1.002: With this add-on, Firefox will keep you updated on global warming news and more.
3. ReminderFox 1.9.1: ReminderFox organizes your date-based reminders and task lists and alerts you when deadlines loom.
4. Ghostery 1.4.0: With this alert, Firefox will tell you when web sites are watching your activity online.
5. eQuake Alert 3.0.1: If you live in an earthquake hotspot, use this alert to notify you of impending natural disasters.
6. Yapta: Get updates on falling air fares with Yapta.
7. Price Protectr Toolbar: Monitor prices and find coupons with this little add-on.
8. Coupon Digger 1.3: Coupon Digger 1.3 alerts you of coupons and deals as you shop.
9. Amber Alert 0.4.2: Let your Firefox browser track Amber alerts with this tool.
10. eBay Sidebar for Firefox: Stay on top of your choice eBay bidding with this alert.

Blogging

Get one-click blogging support with these add-ons.

11. ScribeFire Blog Editor: Sync Firefox and ScribeFire to more quickly post to your blog.
12. Apture Editor Plugin: Use this add-on if you’re a Blogger or Typepad user who wants to easily embed multimedia into your site.
13. Mahalo Share 4.0.3: With this add-on, you can quickly share your blog posts across 12 different services.
14. Zemanta 0.5.7: Get ideas for what to write on your blog when you use this add-on that works with Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, Blogger, WordPress and more.
15. easyComment 1.1: This tool lets you automatically fill out blog comment forms.
16. monkiri 1.0.1: Grab and post content from the web to your blog.
17. Clupedia Toolbar: Tune in to what people think about different topics so that you can more effectively comment on them.
18. LinkSensor 1.0.2: Amp up your page views by adding this tool to your account. It refers readers to similar posts on your blog via a pop-up balloon.
19. StumbleUpon: Quickly add your posts to StumbleUpon with this button.
20. Javascript Command: For more sophisticated sites, use this add-on to test out Javascript on web pages.

Photos

For photo sharing, organization and uploading, check out these fun add-ons.

21. FacePAD: This add-on downloads your Facebook friends’ photo albums quickly.
22. Canvas: Canvas is a smart add-on that lets you add photos from your files or the web to your browser theme.
23. Flickr: Search Flickr right from your Firefox toolbar.
24. GPhotospace 1.0.16: Store and share photos by syncing Firefox and Gmail.

Music and Video

This list of Firefox add-ons will make it easier for you to find and share music and videos.

25. FoxMediaCenter 2.0.1: This Linux add-on features an integrated TV recorder, media and playlist manager and more.
26. TV-FOX 1.1.3: Watch TV from your Firefox browser here.
27. musicbasket 1.1.1: Manage and search audio downloads from mp3.baidu.com and music.yahoo.com.cn.
28. Song.ly 1.1: Share music links on social sites like Twitter.
29. Video Bookmarks 0.7: This multitasking add-on lets you share, backup, organize and download videos from any site.
30. LastVid Search: With LastVid Search, you can search music and music videos by artist, track or album.

Information and RSS

Catalog all of your news sites, RSS feeds and favorite websites with the help of these tools.

31. TidyRead 0.3.2: Ignore all of the ads and junk on the side of websites when you use this add-on, which extracts the articles and important content.
32. Read It Later: Save pages you’d like to read but don’t have time to until later.
33. RSS Ticker 2.0.3: View your RSS bookmarks and feeds like a stock ticker.
34. NewsAddict: NewsAddict adds the latest news stories to your status bar.
35. Brief 1.2: With Brief, your Firefox displays feeds seamlessly and with one-click tagging support.
36. Sage: This streamlined RSS feed reader works with Firefox Bookmarks, supports various languages, reads RSS and Atom feeds and more.
37. In the News: This truly awesome tool finds related, updated news stories according to the text you highlight in Firefox.
38. NBA Scoreboard 2009: Get the latest NBA scores in your browser.
39. Politics and news, brought to you by The Huffington Post 1.1.1: Keep up with news from The Huffington Post.
40. NowPublic: Highlight newsworthy content on the web to get first-hand, eye-witness accounts of the story.

Networking

Network directly from your browser on sites like LinkedIn.

41. warichu bar 1.1.00: This social annotation tool lets you jump in the conversation and meet other social-minded surfers.
42. LinkedIn Companion for Firefox: View profiles, bookmark profiles and search LinkedIn from your browser.
43. Yoono: Use Yoono to keep all of your social networking accounts in one spot.
44. SynergyShare: Share websites with any of 50 different social networking sites.
45. Headup: With Headup, you can highlight and click to find content related to your interests and friends.

Favorites and Bookmarking

Manage and share all of your favorite websites with these toolbars and sidebars.

46. LiveClick 0.3.4.0: Use LiveClick to add feed reading, notifications and more to your Live Bookmarks.
47. Shareaholic for Firefox: This tool lets you share links across Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and more.
48. Clipmarks 3.5.1: Use this version of Clipmarks to save text, images or video on clipmarks.com and then post it on your blog or share it on social media sites.
49. My Portal 1.0.7: Prioritize your bookmarks with this tool.
50. reKommend: This sidebar makes it easy to recommend favorite websites and pages with friends.
51. Enhanced Bookmark Search: Weed through your bookmarks list with this tool.

Contacts and Communication

Stay in touch with friends, family and colleagues when you have these add-ons nestled in your browser.

52. Email the Web 2.12: E-mail any web page to any person you want with this add-on.
53. A Contacts Manager: Manage contacts in your Firefox browser here.
54. SMS Sidebar: Send SMS messages from any web page with this sidebar.
55. HelpCaster Click to Talk: Use this tool to use voice communication from your PC to registered phone numbers.
56. Firefox 123 FlashChat: Live chat securely and quickly from Firefox.
57. Laurenson UC Plugin: This experimental plugin features highlight-and-dial and click-to-dial capabilities.

Convenience

Make the web even easier to navigate with these tools.

58. URL Fixer 1.5: This button fixes your URL typos.
59. ReloadEvery 3.0.0: Automatically refresh web pages every so many minutes or seconds.
60. Easy DragToGo 1.1.2.3: Now you can do more with drag-and-drop features, like view images, open new tabs, and more.

Reference

Access dictionaries, calculators and other reference tools right from Firefox.

61. United States English Dictionary: Install this add-on to check the U.S. English Dictionary. Nearly 21,000 weekly downloads.
62. Graphing Calculator Toolbar: Turn your browser into a graphinc calculator that can manage up to 5 equations.
63. Dictionary Lookup Extension: This tool looks up highlighted words from web pages.
64. Bible Refalizer 0.1.4: This smart tool finds Bible references on a web page and then adds the hyperlink to an online Bible.
65. Cite This! 0.13: Your Firefox browser will generate Harvard Reference System-style citations for websites when you use this add-on.
66. See on Dictionary.com: Here you can see definitions in a new tab after highlighting an English word on a web page.

Finance

These tools will let you manage your budget, look up stock quotes and more.

67. Firebux: Firebux links with Buxfer to give you alerts on spending and budget tracking, lets you track IOUs, automatically downloads transactions, and more.
68. Ticker Tool 1.23: This tool connects you to Google Finance, Yahoo! Finance and sec.gov.
69. Stock Mashup 1.0: This tool combines charts, news and more from Yahoo! Finance and Google News.
70. Exch 1.4.4: Compute currency conversions here.

Organization and Productivity

Let Firefox help you stay completely organized and on the ball with these add-ons that leave just enough room for fun.

71. The Browser Highlighter: This add-on points out the important stuff on a web page.
72. e Information Organizer: Here you can add notes, to-do lists, appointments, bookmarks and more to your organizer, from any web page.
73. GTDInbox: Turn your Gmail into a GTD machine.
74. MyCalendar 0.5: Manage your own reference calendar with this tool.
75. Panic 0.3.6: Panic opens up a responsible-looking tab so that you look like you’re working, even if you’re playing around.
76. MyLog 0.1: MyLog lets you save, comment and tag web content.
77. Procrastato 0.7.0: Procrastinate for only a specified amount of time when you use this tool, which "checks up on you" after you spend too much time on certain kinds of websites.
78. Email Discipline: With this app, you can block yourself from checking e-mail or social media sites too often.
79. Foxden: Tile multiple web apps on one page so that it’s easier to multitask.
80. Gmail 3.0.2.1: This app organizes and tags your Gmail.

Business and Jobs

Look for jobs and access business tools with just a click or two.

81. Craigzilla 0.9.8: Sync up Firefox and Craigslist.
82. Business.com: Quickly access all the tools and resources on Business.com.
83. Search4Jobs 1.0: Here you can collect Monster Jobs feeds.
84. YellowBot Locl Search: Look up business hours of operation, phone numbers, maps and reviews.
85. WiseStamp: Customize your e-mail signatures to include or exclude all kinds of information.
86. Indeed Job Search: Search Indeed Jobs here.

Travel

When you take Firefox on the go, use these tools to find businesses, maps and more.

87. TripSync 3.0: Book travel from your browser with TripSync.
88. Multimap Toolbar Button: Quickly access maps of any local businesses.
89. Lonely Planet: Get reviews, vacation ideas and more from Lonely Planet’s Firefox add-on.
90. Ultimate Guide to Driving in Europe: Learn about driving rules, insurance requirements and more for European driving.

Searching and Surfing the Web

The Internet is all about searching, after all. These add-ons will enhance your search and surf experience in ways you never thought possible.

91. A PurpleBunny!: Use this add-on to read and write comments about the web page you’re on.
92. KnowMore Extension: Learn more about the environmental and social impact of the companies you’re searching for online.
93. LinkExtend 1.0.1: Get more information about websites for the sake of online safety and company ethics.
94. UltraBar 0.1: Add your own search engine to your toolbar with UltraBar.
95. SmarterFox: Browse Faster: This tool speeds up actions like searching, visiting favorite sites and more.
96. CustomizeGoogle: Customize your Google search experience with this add-on.
97. SaveURI 0.3.2: Save current URLs and not the general URL for the page.
98. Notefish: Organize and share notes and clips from the web.
99. Twitter Search: Access the real-time Twitter search with one click.

100. Select Search 3.0: By right clicking on selected text, you can conduct searches for Google Maps, jobs, compare prices, find movies, search health information, and more.

Casio Exilim EX-H10 Enters the Pocket-Megazoom Fray

While the last few Casio point-and-shoot announcements have been strongly geared toward high-speed shooting, the just-announced Casio Exilim Hi-Zoom EX-H10 is focused squarely on its zoom range and battery life.

The 12-megapixel EX-H10 offers a 24mm ultra-wide-angle lens as part of its ample 10X optical zoom (24mm to 240mm), along with a sensor-shifting mechanical image stabilization system.

Video: See the Exilim Hi-Zoom EX-H10 in action.

To go along with those optics, the EX-H10 has a 3-inch LCD screen, an HD movie mode that shoots 1280-by-720 AVI clips at 24 frames per second, and an in-camera Dynamic Photo feature that automatically crops out a subject from a shot's background and then lets you superimpose it on other images or backgrounds of your choice (think "in-camera green screen").

Casio is also claiming that the EX-H10 has phenomenal battery life, with the ability to fire off 1000 shots on a single charge of its rechargeable lithium ion battery. Most point-and-shoots we've seen in PC World Test Center battery tests top out at about 350 shots per charge--and that's on the high end of the spectrum.

The EX-H10 also packs in Casio's newest image-processing engine, the Exilim Engine 4.0, which features separate processors for image processing and other in-camera features.

Alas, the EX-H10 doesn't have the same high-speed burst mode chops as the Casio Exilim EX-F1, EX-FH20, EX-FC100, and EX-FS1, but it's nothing to sneeze at. Its burst mode maxes out at 10 frames per second.

Available in mid-July, the Casio Exilim Hi-Zoom EX-H10 will be available in black for $300.

Will Microsoft's Free Antivirus App be Worth the Price?

Microsoft is getting ready to offer Windows users a free antivirus product (code name Morro), something it should have built into one of its operating systems a long time ago. But, of course, Microsoft never makes things simple. So the big question is will Morro be worth the price?

Microsoft's goal is to offer the antivirus product as a hosted service, which is very different from what users have come to expect, especially when the word "free" is attached to the term "antivirus." After all, Grisoft and Avast have offered free versions of their antivirus products to PC users, and those free products are of the traditional download and install nature.

Microsoft says Morro will be released as a public beta "soon." There is no word on the final release. The big question here becomes will users entrust their security to Microsoft and what may be a half-baked beta product?

It is worth noting that Microsoft is claiming that "Morro" will be more than just a dedicated antivirus product. Microsoft is wrapping the term "real-time anti-malware" around the service. Morro will work by routing all of a users Internet traffic to a Microsoft datacenter, where the Morro application will process the traffic and identify and block malware in real time, by examining all of the rerouted traffic. That will give Morro a leg up on the free competition. The free products from Grisoft and Avast are merely antivirus products and don't address real-time malware threats.

By keeping Morro free, Microsoft has a lot to gain. First off it will help to sell Windows 7 when it hits the market in October. That will give Windows 7 the perception it has anti-malware technology built in (albeit, as a service). Secondly, Microsoft can use Morro as an avenue to force users to patch their systems -- quickly eliminating security flaws that are regularly discovered.

Finally, Morro will help Microsoft to build better products in the future, by being on the leading edge of malware protection. This helps Microsoft gain insight into how malware develops, spreads and infiltrates systems.

Of course a lot of questions remain about Morro. Questions that will need to answered quickly if Microsoft aims to succeed in the hosted antimalware area.

* Will Morro remain free forever?

* What user information will Microsoft gather with a Morro service?

* Will the service still protect when a user is not connected to the web?

* Will Microsoft keep the service as up to date as competing products?

* Will Morro be available for all Microsoft OSes?

* Will Morro noticeably impact performance?

Once there are solid answers to those questions, many will wonder what all of this will mean for the antivirus software market. Will a free security service from Microsoft push vendors such as Symantec, McAffe, Panda, Kaspersky, and others out of the market? The answer is probably not. Most of the security software vendors do a lot more than just desktop anti-malware -- the real expertise lies with protecting networks and providing products that prevent data leaks, kill spam and handle the other multitude of security ills that users can be exposed to.

At the very least, Morro should prove to be a marketing success for Microsoft, whether or not the service will be able to compete with commercial products is yet to be seen. At least the impression will be that Microsoft is concerned with security and is looking to protect their Desktop OS customers.

Due in July, the Olympus EP-1 won't be the first camera with a Micro Four Thirds system, but it may be the most significant DSLR-like camera yet.

Note that DSLR-like distinction: The EP-1 joins the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 and Lumix DMC-GH1 in the slowly growing stable of Micro Four-Thirds cameras. They're not quite DSLRs--a point we'll discuss later.

Along with a stylish throwback design--the EP-1 looks more like an old Kodak Instamatic camera than a DSLR--the EP-1 dangles all sorts of enticing specs in front of prospective buyers.

The marquee feature in the E-P1 is the 17.3mm-by-13mm Live MOS sensor found in Olympus's E-30 and E-620 digital SLR cameras, offering up a 12.3-megapixel resolution bolstered by Olympus's TruePic V processing engine. Compared to point-and-shoots with significantly smaller, megapixel-inflated sensors, that resolution actually means something. The E-P1 also shoots HD video, with an on-board stereo microphone to pick up audio.

The E-P1's 1.4-inch-deep body also houses a mechanical stabilization system (meaning you don't have to buy special stabilized lenses), an ultrasonic vibrating dust-removal system for the sensor, and a 3-inch-diagonal high-resolution LCD. The E-P1 will be sold in three different packages: as a body-only unit for $750; as a kit with a Zuiko zoom lens (extra-low-dispersion, or ED, glass; 14-42mm; f3.5/5.6) for $800; and as a kit with an ultrawide-angle (ED, 17mm, f2.8) lens with an attachable optical viewfinder for $900.

Joining those high-end specs are a host of features for the point-and-shoot crowd: in-camera "art filters," photo-editing features, 19 preset scene modes, and an Intelligent Auto mode that automatically optimizes settings for the shooter.

So what makes the EP-1 not quite a DSLR? Using a different interchangeable lens system than traditional DSLRs, the Micro Four Thirds system, codeveloped by Olympus and Panasonic, is a somewhat ambitious attempt to capture would-be DSLR buyers. The first Micro Four Thirds cameras seen in the wild were Panasonic's Lumix G1 and Lumix GH-1.

Like a DSLR, Micro Four Thirds cameras use a bigger, higher-quality image sensor and offer interchangeable lenses, but with a key difference: These cameras don't have the space-hogging mirror box at the heart of standard DSLRs, which means they are more portable and are capable of shooting video.

When the Micro Four Thirds system was announced in mid-2008, it had intriguing potential, offering what seemed a perfect blend of point-and-shoot and DSLR characteristics: an ability to swap out lenses, better overall image quality due to a larger sensor and more-powerful optics, a smaller size due to the lack of a bulky mirror box, and the ability to shoot HD video, which no DSLR could do at that time.

But the first-generation Lumix G1 was somewhat disappointing (no video capability, for example). The HD-shooting Lumix GH-1 looks like a winner, but it's not all that much smaller than a traditional DSLR, and it carries a premium price ($1500).

Another knock to the appeal of the Micro Four Thirds system was the fact that both Nikon and Canon quickly released full-fledged DSLR cameras that shoot HD video. What's more, the Micro Four Thirds system requires either its own lenses or a $150 adapter to use with standard Four Thirds lenses, requiring extra financial commitment from potential buyers.

However, with the E-P1, Olympus may have made the Micro Four Thirds system a lot more appealing, thanks to its sub-$1000 pricing, fashionable looks, HD video recording, and the prerelease buzz it created when prototype models of the camera were displayed in 2008 at Photokina and earlier this year at PMA. With apologies to the less-versatile, fixed-lens Sigma DP1 and DP2, this Olympus camera is the first DSLR-like camera to truly break out of that DSLR-looking mold.

Hands on with Sony VAIO VGN-NW180J/S

Why the heck is a new notebook debuting at some swanky event celebrating BD-Live? Sony's message: Blu-ray is everywhere--and they want to make sure you can get players for cheap (well, as cheap as BD can get these days). Case in point: The Sony VAIO VGN-NW180. This respectable-looking $880 laptop ships within the next two weeks sporting a BD-ROM drive. Upon hearing that, I had to push my way past the suits for a little quality one-on-one time with the machine.

So, bear in mind that these are just my initial thoughts on the notebook, and it's far from a scientific review. I was busy trying to keep the product managers from looking over my shoulder.

At First Glance

The first thing that'll grab your eye: The 15.5-inch (1366-by-768-pixel) panel. The glossy screen looks great and didn't give too much glare in the demo room--provided you have the LCD tilted at the correct angle. Eyeball it the wrong way, and the image will be a little washed out. That's nothing new. But the movies running on-screen looked crisp at 720p. Want to get the full 1080p picture? Plug in the HDMI cable, press the Display Off button, and you've got yourself a portable BD-Live-enabled player. At least, that's the Sony sales pitch.

The other bits of entertainment-centric nods include a discrete GPU, the 512MB ATI Radeon HD 4570. That's more than enough firepower for running video and, it's safe to say, get your game on. (For a little perspective, you can play a game like Left 4 Dead on a significantly less-powerful computer like the DV2). I obviously can't score things yet, but between the GPU, the 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P7350 processor, and 4GB of DDR2 RAM, signs point to a decent all-around performer.

It's also a solidly built all-purpose machine measuring 14.6 by 1.2 by 9.8 inches and weighing 6 pounds. And as is the vogue, this laptop sprouts cut-out keys. They are large, solid, and have pretty good key response in my initial kicking of the tires. The only button that seems a little goofy is the SplashTop "Web" button--you know, in case you need to hit the Web in a hurry and avoid Windows booting. Unfortunately, that's all it does. How about a Windows-less MP3 playing mode? Or A Blu-ray player that boots quickly? It just seems odd considering how this machine's positioned as an all-around entertainer. Okay, enough with my keyboard-based rant. Now it's the touchpad's turn.

The feel of the slightly sunken touchpad worked fairly well with good-sized, solid buttons (sorry, but no multitouch drivers are on the way). I'm just not sure how I feel about the faux wood-grain feel of the notebook. It seems a little silly--if decent enough to the touch--but why stop there? I might as well have a faux wood paneling on my notebook like a 1970s station wagon. But it comes in three colors: brown, white, and silver.

The new VAIO hosts a reasonable port package on board. Beyond the aforementioned HDMI, there's also a FireWire/iLink/1394 output (whatever you want to call it), three USB ports, VGA-out, an ethernet jack, a microphone, a 1.3-megapixel camera, and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. In addition, it has an ExpressCard slot, an SD card slot, and--surprise, surprise--a MemoryStick Pro slot.

In the past, Sony's been guilty of bloating machines with tons of useless software. Now the Sony reps confess that Sony has seen the light and reeled back on the preinstalled nonsense. Result? The 400GB, 5400-rpm hard drive that comes with this VAIO has 328GB of free space (the Windows installation plus a hidden backup drive image). Which looks fairly reasonable.

Panasonic Announces Ultra-Light HD Camcorders

Joining the slew of high-definition camcorders the company unveiled at CES earlier this year, two new Panasonic HD camcorders will be available in September that the company claims are "the world's lightest full-HD AVCHD camcorders."

The Panasonic HDC-SD10 and Panasonic HDC-TM10 will both weigh just half a pound, while both will offer 16x optical zoom lenses bolstered by optical image stabilization.

The HC-SD10 records 1920-by-1080 (full HD) video to SD/SDHC card with the AVCHD codec, while the HDC-TM10 records to both an 8GB flash drive and SD/SDHC cards. The HDC-TM10 also has the ability to switch between storage formats on the fly, which means video capture isn't interrupted if one of the storage devices fills up in the middle of a shoot.

Both camcorders will also boast features that are showing up across many Panasonic camcorder models, as well as rival camcorders from other manufacturers. The HDC-SD10 and HDC-TM10 both power on once you flip out their touchscreen LCDs, and Panasonic is touting a quick, 1.9-second power-up time for both camcorders. Each camcorder also features a pre-recording buffer, in which video is captured three seconds before the record button is pressed; this feature is geared towards helping action shooters capture hard-to-catch shots.

The new camcorders will also feature Panasonic's Intelligent Auto mode, a feature we've found to work very well in the company's digital still cameras. When turned on, Intelligent Auto mode uses a number of in-camera features working simultaneously--optical image stabilization, automatic scene selection, contrast correction, face detection, and autofocus tracking--to ease operation for casual users.

Both slated for a September release, the SDHC-only Panasonic HDC-SD10 will be priced at $550, while the hybrid-storage HDC-TM10 will cost $600.

Bing Search Engine in Action

Microsoft’s new search engine Bing is out. At first glance, it looks better visually than Microsoft’s previous attempt, live.com. The organization of results with easy access to search history, related searches and businesses is well done. I also like the infinite results in Images Search (which live.com also had) and the super-clear (even if slow) Bird’s Eye view in the Maps section. Search seems to be working okay for most items. I faced one issue when it brought up “Derry, NH” as the first result when I searched for my present hometown “Londonderry, NH”.

This is a good attempt by Microsoft, but I am not sure how much market share it can pull from Google at this late juncture in the search game. I know the money is all in the ads part, but Google has created a massive ecosystem with many products that complement its search engine. To name a few, Google Custom Search, Google Webmasters, Google Analytics, FeedBurner, etc. are products that have brought in web developers all over the world into embracing Google search.

Microsoft, to some extent, faces a chicken-and-egg problem. For web developers to take its search engine seriously, it has to show more people using it and clicking through to websites. At that point, developers will start to work about their pages ranking high on Bing and they will clamor for tools. This self-reinforcing cycle will build up the momentum. But at this point, Microsoft search has few users and people are not very bothered with search results on live.com.

Several months ago, when my company was spending money on Google, Yahoo and Microsoft ads, we found that there was little click-through on Microsoft ads. In addition, both as an absolute value and as a proportion of visitors, Microsoft search was way below Google and Yahoo! I noticed the same pattern on my blogs for organic search. Both my blogs have only 0.5% traffic from live.com, while Google has between 80% to 95% of the traffic on any given day.

In general, if you are a web developer, keep monitoring the traffic coming from Bing and until you start seeing an appreciable quantity, you can safely ignore with respect to your development activities.

CrunchPad Almost Ready for Prime Time

TechCrunch yesterday released conceptual drawings of the prototype for its Web tablet project, called the CrunchPad. The simplified device is a touch-screen tablet designed specifically for Web surfing, video chat, and light e-mail use.

There are no physical models of the product yet, but TechCrunch plans on having prototypes of the final device within the next few weeks. There isn't a lot of information on the device, but based on what we know the CrunchPad will have an Intel Atom chipset, two USB ports, a Webcam and microphone. The CrunchPad operating system is custom-built Linux software that boots directly into a Web browser based on the open source browser engine, WebKit. The last CrunchPad we saw had a plastic frame and came in three colors, but now they've decided to go with an aluminum case to reduce the device's thickness, according to TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington. Arrington did not say whether the final version of the CrunchPad would come in a variety of colors.

There are no dimension specs on the previous prototypes, but if the launch model of the CrunchPad works out as planned, the device's thickness will be less than an inch, and the screen will be flush with the CrunchPad's aluminum casing.

The company also released a previously unseen YouTube video showing the plastic CrunchPad prototype in action. When you turn on the device, you are presented with more than 30 round launch badges to popular Web destinations including Gmail, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, The New York Times, Yahoo, MSN, and others. A swipe to the right opens a Web page, and further swipes to the right navigate to any other Web pages you have open. You can scroll up and down a Web page from the far right side of the CrunchPad screen. A swipe up from the middle of the screen calls up a keyboard with device controls and integrated search buttons for Wikipedia, YouTube and others. A center screen down swipe displays a crossbar with all your open Web pages for faster navigation than constant right swipes. There were also four tabs at the top of the CrunchPad's homepage, but their functions were not specified.

While the CrunchPad looks impressive, the device wasn't able to deliver a smooth video stream from YouTube during the demo video. The developer showing off the device blamed the problems on a poor Internet connection. There were also problems with some of the gesture controls, since some movements for navigating a Web page and getting around the device are similar.

This is the final information TechCrunch is planning to release on their device until a special press event next month. Arrington did not specify what would happen at the event, but presumably TechCrunch will announce a launch date and provide an official demo of the final CrunchPad. There's still no word on pricing, but Arrington previously said he wanted to develop a sub-$300 device. The CrunchPad is being developed by TechCrunch in partnership with Fusion Garage, and Arrington says TechCrunch is in negotiations with "key partners" to bring the device to market.

The CrunchPad has been in development since July 2008, as a sort of protest against the fact that mainstream computer makers have yet to bring a cheap, Web tablet device to market. However, Apple is widely rumored to be developing its own tablet device; however, there's no word on whether the Apple tablet would be a simplified Web surfing device or Apple's answer to the netbook phenomenon. Most tech watchers believe Cupertino will not unveil their tablet, assuming it's real, during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference next week. But it will be interesting to see if Arrington's CrunchPad announcement, and a presumably imminent product launch, prompts any changes in Apple's plans at WWDC.

Nokia 6600 Slide Pink Has Many Mind-Blowing Features

The latest high quality Nokia phone to hit our streets is Nokia 6600 slide pink and it's packed full of high-class-technology combined with a sleek sophisticated look which makes this a top-of-the-range mobile phone that wont let you down. The new Nokia 6600 slide pink color style is perfect for all you pink fanatics out there looking for another stylish pink accessory to put in your handbags!

Nokia 6600 slide pink has many mind-blowing features that with make you go crazy behind. Its quick and easy tap-commands to activate silencing and the time plus use USB on-the-go-connecting are superb. Video streaming and listening to music from the multi-standard music player or FM radio will change your mood. The Nokia 6600 slide pink is the perfect balance between a discreet look and fulfilling your needs.

Admire and Adour the glossy steel design and aluminum centre button on the d-pad controller. Capture great quality pictures on the 3.2-megapixel camera. Listen to all your favorite tunes on the FM radio and MP3 Player.Use USB to connect internet for flexible usages and transferring data at faster rate.Store all your multimedia files and documents of works as Nokia 6600 slide pink gives you up to 16GB of memory. Easily switch the phone to silence or activate the time just by tapping twice.Nokia 6600 slide is a sim free mobile that balances a simple and elegant design with useful features. A Compact and sophisticated gadget, the Nokia 6600 Slide pink has a simple organic design that fits right in your hand. The Nokia 6600 Slide pink has smooth surfaces and exclusive materials that come together in a simple, well proportioned design with a 2.2 inch TFT display and high quality slider.

Enjoy more features of Nokia 6600 slide pink by connecting with quad band GSM, UMTS, Bluetooth connections, as well as faster data transfer capabilities with EDGE and 3G services for video calls.Nokia 6600 slide pink gives you all these accessories with the handset to charm youGenuine Nokia Battery BL-4U, Genuine Nokia Mains Charger AC-8, Genuine Nokia Micro USB Data cable CA-101, Genuine Nokia Memory Card MU-28 (512MB), Warranty Card, Manual.The Nokia 6600 slide pink mobile phone weighs just 110 grams and gives you so many features so its true that big things come in small packages and is 14 mm thick (full dimensions 90 × 45 × 14 mm). Nokia 6600 slide pink is capable to give you a stand-by time of up to 340 hours and a talk time of up to 4 hours. Now a lot of latest phones like Nokia n97 ane etc and you can compare a lot of nokia phones on any online mobile shop.

Improve Your Mobile Phone Signal

"Can you hear me now," is more than a smarmy catchphrase. It's also the enraged anthem of anyone who's had problems with cell phone reception. The Shangri-La of "full bars" doesn't have to be a pipe dream, though. Here are some tricks to give that signal of yours a boost.

Contents

* Step 1: Ignore the Mystery Devices
* Step 2: Research the Causes
* Step 3: Use Deductive Reasoning
* Step 4: Attempt a Fix
o 4.1 Change Location
o 4.2 Try an External Antenna
o 4.3 Invest in a Repeater
o 4.4 Switch Up the Phone Position
* Step 5: Contact Your Wireless Provider

Step 1: Ignore the Mystery Devices

If lousy reception could be solved solely by a slip of adhesive and aluminum, the world would be a much simpler place. In reality, reception problems stem from the myriad topographical and atmospheric obstacles radio frequencies encounter while traveling to/from your phone. The first step to solving this problem is accepting that there might not be a quick fix, and that it may take a lot of experimentation to find the root.

Step 2: Research the Causes

The best way to combat bad reception is knowledge. In short, cell phone networks work via an overlapping grid of broadcast towers (called cells). Each tower has a defined area of effectiveness (usually hexagonal in shape) that interlocks with neighboring towers. Dialing out on a handset effectively secures a patch frequency for the phone to connect and initiate or receive a call. Simple enough, right?


Unfortunately, the Achilles Heel of this setup is the network itself. Compared to other forms of radio communication (i.e., Ham or CB radio), cell phone networks are relatively underpowered when it comes to broadcasting/receiving signal. The redundancy of tower placement combats this problem, but it's still common for cell phone signal to be interrupted by X-factors like:

* Physical Obstructions - Buildings, tunnels, valleys and even mountains can all play a role in poor reception. Although the low power connection between a phone and a tower can be maintained through a number of solid materials, large obstructions and drastic differences in elevation can cause serious problems.

* Electronic Interference - Cell phones are one of many devices sharing the airwaves. It's not uncommon for other high power, high RF devices (and even household electronics) to wreak havoc on the signal.

* Weather - Believe it or not, weather can play a big part in reception. Dense cloud cover, lightning, and even humidity are just some of the weather patterns that impact your wireless service.

* Phone Positioning - Sometimes the biggest problems stem from the simplest things. Details like whether your phone has an internal antenna (and whether the device is being held correctly) can prove to be the difference between receiving or missing a call.

Step 3: Use Deductive Reasoning

Gathering enough data to make an educated guess may take a lot of moving around and test calls, but it's worth it. The key is analyzing the surroundings and noticing how they affect the phone's signal. Having problems while in the center of your office building, but okay outside? Then it's probably a physical obstruction issue. Dropping calls while outdoors during storm season? Consider the role of weather. Only have signal problems on a specific stretch of highway? You get the picture.


Ultimately, the goal is to amass a group of clues that point to the source of the problem. Be sure to take notes (mental or physical) on variables like the time of day when reception is worst, and the locations where you initiate/receive most of your 'troubled' calls. In a work setting, try to take a poll from co-workers with the same service provider. The little details gleaned from fact finding missions like this can help rule out larger problems like equipment failure.

Step 4: Attempt a Fix

Now that you've diagnosed the problem, it's time to attempt a fix. Here are some of the common solutions:

Change Location

No one likes having to run outside to make or receive a phone call. But if installing signal amplification equipment isn't feasible, it's likely that you'll have to think (and call) on your feet. Be it from electronic interference by nearby electronics, or some other stationary catalyst, be sure to remove yourself from the problem area before making a call. If the problem stems from a physical obstruction like the walls of a building, try to move to the perimeter and get close to a window. Cell phone signal is at its strongest in open air settings where there's a clear line of sight between the tower (often located on rooftops) and the handset, so keep that in mind while looking for a new location.

Try an External Antenna

An external antenna is like a beefed up version of the one on your phone. Although the name of the game is extending range with these devices, they come with their share of hassles too. They're typically large, come in high gain (flat areas) and low gain (wooded areas) models, require an additional amplifier and adapters, and need to be mounted outside. Since the phone needs to be physically attached to the antenna to get the benefits, this setup can also put a hamper on mobility. As such, external antennas aren't the greatest solution for intermittent service issues. However, they're worth looking into if you spend a lot of time in remote problem areas.

Invest in a Repeater

Repeaters are a common solution for urban settings. In short, the device receives a weak signal via an external antenna, amplifies it, and then rebroadcasts it over a given area through an internal antenna. Despite being a solid solution for multiple users having signal problems, repeaters have their issues too. Not only do they need at least a nominal signal to work, but they tend to be expensive, and require a some technical know-how to setup.

Switch Up the Phone Position

With the increased popularity of stylish, compact phones comes a host of reception problems. Since most manufacturers have ditched external antennas, it can take as little as a misplaced finger dump the signal and drop a call. Only encounter signal problems after a call is initiated? It could be your hand position that's causing the problem. Try holding the phone with your weak hand (or using a headset) for a day, and see if it that changes anything. You'd be surprised.

Step 5: Contact Your Wireless Provider

Although using the tricks above can help, there's always the chance that the problem is network related. U.S. cell phone providers have been racing to provide the densest coverage in populated areas, but there are still plenty of holes out there. As a paying subscriber, it's your place to let your provider know if their service isn't working for you. Don't be shy about reaching out and touching someone -- you may find out that your problem area is due for a new tower any day now.

Samsung i8510 Is Equipped With 8 Megapixel Camera Phones

Samsung always comes with astonishing handsets that differentiates Samsung from the rest of the crowd. Samsung i8510 (also called as SAMSUNG Innov8) is incorporated with the latest technology; it surely is the coolest gadget you can play with, it is the first mainstream Symbian Smartphone. Samsung i8510 is photo smartphone, designed to get a tough-looking, relatively large phone that feels reassuringly solid and a smooth slider mechanism brings it together.Samsung i8510 is equipped with 8 Megapixel Camera Phones; it looks every bit like a real camera, with an automatic lens cover that opens when you activate the camera and shuts when you're not using it. Plenty of settings for advanced users to play with, such as panorama, smile-detection autofocus and blink detection, a 9x digital zoom and a dual power LED flash.

It also not disappoints you when it comes to video camera; it is noteworthy, as it records in high resolution and at up to 120 frames per second, which means that you can play back in slow motion if you like. Personalizing and editing photos, videos and music with Movie Maker and Story Board applications are effortlessly carried out. In all Samsung i8510 gives you a diamond sharp clarity and brilliance.Samsung i8510 is a large phone so it favors a large LCD display and it has definitely made the most of the available space with a high-resolution QVGA display measuring 2.8 inches across, and displaying 16 million colors.

The Samsung i8510surprises you when it comes to music playback. Its music player can play all popular formats (MP3, AAC, and WMA). Samsung i8510 is equipped with an FM radio RDS and 3D surround sound DNSe 2.0 technology. To very extent music capabilities live up to our expectations for a high-end phone. Not only this there is also a media player that supports DivX playback, which is just as well since the huge 8GB of built-in memory is enough to store several full length movies! It will give you a space to store 2,000 songs in MP3 format. If that's not enough, you can use a 16 GB microSD memory card to expand the total memory to 24 GB - enough for 6,000 songs! The Samsung i8510 also has a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, so you can plug in your own high-quality headphones.

Samsung i8510 features A-GPS Mobile Phones satellite navigation, you can also download free software like Google maps, and GPS also supports geo tagging of images.Easy access to web and equipped with a HTML browser and uses intelligent zoom and switching between landscape and portrait modes to display web pages optimally, HSDPA enables download speeds of up to 3.6 Mbps.Samsung i8510 is able to connect via USB 2.0 or wirelessly via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, TV-Out connection to view photos and video directly on your TV is another icing on a cake. You can enjoy games on 3D graphics accelerator.Samsung i8510 is excellent and a worthy choice for any smartphone fans out there.