Guest post by Mike Lemaire.

Two weeks ago, Apple announced its plans to launch a new version of its iBooks app, one that would carry interactive textbooks aimed at school students. The most surprising part of the announcement may have been why it took so long for this to get launched in the first place.

On the surface, iTextbooks, which will only be available on the iPad, seem like the logical next step in the disruptive innovation of traditional education. The company has said it will be selling these books for just around $15 – a fraction of the cost of the traditional textbook to students – and iBooks will have plenty of interactive features, including streaming video, designed to make learning more fun and interesting. These changes seem like no-brainers, and they would be, if it weren’t for a few lingering questions.

Firstly, iBooks is only available to those who own an iPad, which seems to place the thousands of students who can’t afford to pay $500 for the iPad at a severe disadvantage. Also, textbooks are required to go through a rigorous state certification process before they are approved for school use, and it remains to be seen how Apple will be able to circumvent and/or cope with this process when it is releasing its books.

These questions are valid, and definitive answers probably won’t come until schools and students start buying into the viability of interactive textbooks, but the gauntlet to the textbook industry has been thrown down. Textbooks are heavy, expensive, and can be a burden to read, but they are also essential learning tools. There is plenty of coursework and learning that can be completed using information readily available via the Internet. But when a teacher is using a specific textbook to craft their tests and quizzes, there is no replacement for having the actual textbook.

This is why the question over iBooks isn’t about whether or not it will ever effectively disrupt a billion-dollar industry, but when it will effectively disrupt that industry. For now, iPads remain an expensive luxury item that is available only to the privileged few. But eventually they will become common amongst students, and students will make the easy decision to buy their cheaper textbooks through iTunes. The state certification process is rigorous, but it is in place to protect the students. And as long as Apple is serious about making this useful for students, then even the most stubborn state departments of education will recognize their value and approve the ones that are worthwhile.

Technology never stops evolving, so it seems silly not to try and apply the most recent technology to institutions – like education – where that technology can be most useful.

This was a guest post by Mike Lemaire who is a content editor and writer who runs a blog on online schooling. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, he can be reached at mike@onlineschools.com, you can follow him on Twitter as well.

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Smart Home – Integrating Technology in Our Daily Lives

When I search on the web to see the latest developments in technology and the path that it takes, I see not buttons or switches, but clean, wireless panels, with touchscreens or holograms. It seems that glass is the material of the future and the keyword for the future is “smart”. We have started to hear these words already, and in the future, we will hear them more and more: smartphone is a very good example of a smart technology that has been implemented so far. Also, smart security, smart TV or smart materials are just emerging. All of these will ultimately come together to build the house of the future: the smart home.

This reminds of a TV series I watched, Eureka. And it’s about a normal guy (a FBI agent) that ends up in a town called Eureka, where all of the world’s leading scientist live. And his house is a smart house that talks to him and can do almost anything: cook, clean itself, give information about anything and much more. That is how I imagine the smart house to be like. What will this so called smart house will do that today’s house cannot? After all, it’s still just a roof supported by 4 walls. Or is it? If implemented, smart materials and smart appliances will revolutionize how we look at our house.

Some of the gadgets than you will find in the smart home are already in development, and in few short years they will be something will see in most households or appliances stores.

Related Read: Infosys Develops Digital Smart Home Gateway

The Smart Window

Last year, at CES, Samsung unveiled their new design for the smart window. You might say that it’s not a new technology, and you would be wrong! The smart window is not like the old smart glass, that could modify its opacity, but a completely new design that looks like the Minority Report glass. You can install apps on it, you can browse the web, basically, it’s a big touchscreen, like the one on your smartphone that can connect wireless to the web. It’s transparent, just like a normal window, but at the “touch” of a button, you can close the shutters. A great technology that will be released very soon, and it’s something I would very much like to use and must have in any smart home!

The Smart Fridge

Of all things you would find in the smart house, the last thing you would expect to have a brain is the refrigerator. But, it seems that some people over at Samsung (I know, what’s up with these guys, making everything smart) and LG gave it a lot of thought and they’ve come up with smart refrigerators. These are not your average refrigerators, they have Wi-Fi connectivity, LCD displays, voice control and the possibility to view what groceries you have directly on your smartphone. The days when you pinned your notes on the fridge with magnets are gone, nowadays you write them on your smart fridge’s touchscreen.

The Smart TV

Smart TV’s have been around for a short while. We have seen what they are capable of doing, now having wireless internet support, 3D compatible, app market. They come with microprocessors, capable of thinking and giving you the best quality image possible. The cutting edge technology in TV development is now LED technology. They give manufacturers the possibility to produce incredibly thin screens (just a few millimeters) thick and also bigger screens than ever. Also mobile connectivity is now available, and the future series of smart TV’s will definitely be even more impressive.

Smart Security

What is a smart home if it’s not secure? One of the basic functions of a home is to provide security for its residents. And the smart security does exactly that: home automation technology notifies homeowners of any problems, and because it’s linked to the internet, it can even notify the authorities if someone tries to break in. In the smart home, there is however another type of security that has to be perfected. And that is self security. Because the house is linked to the internet and most of its appliances are also connected, the threat of hacking is greater. So the house has to have a few security features to protect itself and its occupants. Also, an artificial intelligence program would be a nice feature, one that can monitor homeowners health and who can learn their habits and attention them of any risks they might encounter.

All of these connected to your smart network, where you can access everything from the smart window to your heating or home entertainment. Everything will communicate with each other and make your house almost a living being.

These are just a few of the gadgets you will find in the smart home, and more are still in development. There are some who try to build in-home gardens, in witch you can grow your own vegetables, smart materials used to keep your more “green”, to consume less energy. If thing will go in the future at the speed they are advancing today, in 10 years we could live in our own Eureka house.

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Top 7 Cheap DSLR Cameras

DSLR cameras are more expensive than Point-and-Shoot cameras because they offer higher quality and many more features. The best way, in my opinion is to buy a used DSLR camera from eBay or Amazon for starters, and after you get the hang of it and learn to use it properly, then you should look for a new, better camera. If you are in the market for a cheap DSLR camera, you should search more stores and websites, because you might find deals or cheaper cameras. I have done that, and I’ve come up with a list of the cheapest entry level DSLR cameras. All of these DSLR cameras are in the $400 – $700 price range depending on where you find them.

1. Canon Rebel XS $352

Credit: KenRockwell.com

Canon is a big name in the photography business. They produce top of the line digital cameras, both DSLR and Point-And-Shoot and also, photo printers of the highest quality. The Rebel series from Canon are some of the cheapest DSLR cameras you will find, but despite that, they still have the quality and attention to detail Canon put in all their products. For an amateur photographer, the Rebel XS is a great camera. Try it and you will see what I’m talking about.

2. Nikon D3000 $400

Credit: dpreview.com

Nikon are better known for their high end models of DSLR cameras, but they also produce cheaper models, and, as the Canon cameras, they have a really good quality and can take some stunning pictures. There is an ongoing fight between Canon and Nikon, and both brands have advantages and disadvantages. All you need is some skill and this camera will become an extension of your arm. A great entry level DSLR camera for those who can’t afford its bigger brothers or who want to take learning digital photography slow and steady.

3. Canon EOS Rebel T3 $500

Rebel T3 is another cheap DSLR camera from Canon’s Rebel series. A series of entry level DSLRs targeted for those who are new in the digital photography world. This model is the precursor of the Rebel XS and so, it doesn’t have the same features, but nonetheless, I think it’s a good idea to evolve your skills rather then get scarred by all the features of your camera. A gradual learning is the best, and the Rebel T3 provides basic features at moderate quality.

4. Nikon D3100 $600

A good example of Nikon’s expertise in digital cameras is the D3100. This entry level DSLR camera provides excellent quality and lots of features all amateurs in photography must learn. And what better platform than the Nikon D3100. A great DSLR that could satisfy even professional photographers. I highly recommend this DSLR for anyone who takes photography seriously.

5. Canon EOS Rebel T2i $580

You can really tell I like the Rebel series, but how can I not? The T2i has excellent picture quality for its price. A host of features are available for its users, although the menu is a bit hard to read. But that is something you can get around. For it’s quality and features, the Canon Rebel T2i is a really good priced DSLR camera.

6. Sony Alpha A390 $500

Sony has its first name in this list, and the Sony Alpha A390 is the one I’m talking about. This DSLR camera has a 14Mpx sensor and a great design. Another cool feature is the great video capture capability. The Alpha A390 is a great DSLR camera for any newbie to the art of photography, and it makes a good learning camera.

7. Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 $650

An entry level cheap DSLR from Panasonic that is great! It’s not that expensive, and it can shoot HD video, it has a touchscreen display and its sensor is 12 MP, to name just a few of its features. It feels like a sturdy made camera and it fits great in your hand. I recommend this camera for anyone who want to make a hobby out of photography.

Remember that these cheap DSLR cameras can still be useful later on, with the addition of lenses, filters and other gear. They are quite expensive for some of us, so when you decide to buy one, you have to be certain that you will pursue this hobby, but in comparison to the other DSLR cameras, these are the cheapest models you can find. They all have great features for amateur photographers and they can be your launching pad into digital photography. So keep them in mind in your search for the best entry level DSLR camera.

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Related Read: How to Buy a Printer [Guide]

Because the prices for 3D printers have dropped, they can now be found even in some homes, not only in university science labs. They have bigger resolutions, so they can “print” more complicated designs with much more fidelity, putting them, for the first time in the shopping list of average consumers. Of course, they are still complicated pieces of equipment, and also bigger and slower than most ink jet printers, but on the other hand, they’re about the size of a big, laser printer. I’m sure that with time they will get smaller and smaller, and if the prices continue to drop, they will be a usual item on people’s desks.

Top 6 Cheap 3D Printers

But how do 3D printers actually work? It’s a question that I asked myself since the first time I’ve heard of such printers. 3D printers work by adding layer upon layer of material until they create a 3D object from a digital 3D file. There are other technologies, like DPL (digital light processing) that make 3D prints by shining laser lights in a plastic tub. When the light heats the molded material, it hardens. 3D printers are now getting smaller and smaller and soon we will be seeing them on everyone’s desk. But if you don’t want to wait until then, here are a few alternatives:

1. MakerBot Thing-O-Matic

MakerBot seem to be leading the way in 3D printer technology and development. They are the ones behind the Thing-o-Matic, one of the best 3D printers targeted to average users. This 3D printer will do high quality 3D models really fast (for a 3D printer), but if you decide to buy one, keep in mind you have to assemble it yourself. You will get a lot of parts and an instruction manual. Try to think of it as a LEGO model. But after all the work is done, you will have a fully functional 3D printer capable of making almost any 3D model you can think of.

2. MakerBot Replicator

This is not a 3D printer in the real sense of the word. It can replicate almost any 3D model with real high fidelity. This replicator can be found in 2 models: one with only 1 printing nozzle, that can print monochrome models, and the other with 2 printing nozzles that can print 2 colors. A really nice piece of tech and I expect to see more of it in the future. Maybe a merge between the Thing-o-Matic and the Replicator.

3. UP! 3D Printer

The most portable 3D printer you could ever find! It’s lightweight, it can print really detailed models and it’s perfect for home or office environments. You can pick up one for $2700. This printer is perfect for anyone who wants to build models, engineers, architects, teachers or those who are passionate about DIY. As you can see, this is a basic 3D printer but it will make the desired objects without hesitation. If I had enough money, I’d try a kiddo like this!

4. Printrbot

This 3D printer design is an ambitious project that Brook Drumm undertook a while back, and now it’s finally done. The Printrbot HQ is now up and running and it seems it will be here for some time. Seeing the market picking up, Brook is one of the pioneers of 3D printing. This project received an incredible amount of $830,827 from the $25, 000 goal. Let’s hope they will continue on working on the project and maybe we’ll soon see some more cheap and affordable 3D printers.

5. RepRap

RepRap is an even more ambitious project struggling to bring 3D printers to the masses. It’s a printer that can almost self replicate. Because it has many of its part made from plastic, the printer can make most of its own parts (except the electronics and the metal parts obviously). RepRap has more than one 3D printer designs, and if you are interested, you should give them a call and get one of their 4 designs: Prusa Mendel, MendelMax, Original Mendel or RepRapPro Huxley.

6. Desktop Factory V-Flash

This a hefty printer, at 150 pounds and a little under $10k, this printer is not for anyone. But it’s still cheaper than most. It’s a good investment for anyone who is in the design business. It’s not as good for a home of office, because of its dimensions, but nonetheless, a very good 3D printer and an affordable one as well. If you’re planning to sell toys at low prices and beat even the Chinese products, then maybe you should go for this “monster”

It’s true, the market for 3D printing is not that wide yet. But it’s a technology still in development and in few short years you will be able to find them at your local computer dealership. And, to be honest, I sometimes doubt that 3D printing will reach to the wide audience because, if everybody will have to chance to make products at home, why bother and buy them. I am talking about small to medium objects that you could make using your printer buddy. And, why not, even make a business out of it? 3D printing and affordable 3D printers are the way to remodeling our society.

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As you all know, the main competitor for Apple in smartphones, tablets, and now in media players, is Android, or rather, Android-powered devices. Being the new kid on the block, Android has lots of ground to cover, but since its debut, it has proved to be a very good OS and a really stable platform for developers to work on. Apple’s iPod Touch had lots of weapons at its disposal, apart from the prestige Apple had, from its predecessors, the iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano and iPod Classic, the Touch had 256 RAM, 1 GHz processor under-clocked at 800 MHz, a 3.5 inch 960-640 resolution screen and back to front cameras. All of these had a crucial part to play in order to take the iPod Touch at its current position.

Top 5 Android Media Players to Battle iPod Touch

Now, moving on to the competition, Android has strength in numbers. As opposed to the Apple player, Android players are manufactured by many others. And there are lots of examples of media players that could challenge iPod Touch’s dominance. The engineers and brilliant minds at Google realized that if they can create a versatile enough mobile operating system, then manufacturers and big names in the tech industry will adopt it, since they won’t have the trouble with the software part. All they need to do is to come with ground-breaking products that will be wrapped in Android’s system. This will result in a win-win-win situation:

• for Google, because they make money from Android activations and advertising;
• for manufacturers, because they gain more time to focus on the hardware aspect;
• for consumers who get a mobile OS that they can easily recognize and migrate to; for developers who get a wide market for their applications

Since this is an ongoing battle, there aren’t too many Android media players to challenge the mighty iPod Touch but I am sure that will change in the future. At the moment, in my opinion,

5. Creative Zen Touch 2

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Creative is a heavy name in the sound industries. Their premium products have amazed us over the years with top of the line sound quality. And so, the Creative Zen Touch 2 has the Creative Pedigree we would have expected. It also has lots of features, like GPS, wireless, camera and the possibility to stream audio over other bluetooth devices, such as speakers and headphones.

4. Ice Smart

Ever feel smartphones have too small screens and tablets are just to big? Well, the combination of these 2 devices is the best solution. And that combination is called Ice Smart. Its 5” screen is the perfect size to fit in your palm and Android 2.3 OS lets you install games and apps to make it more fun. It can be used as an media player, it plays HD video, e-Books and many more! A real competitor for Apple’s iPod Touch.

3. Samsung Galaxy Player WiFi 5.0

Samsung Galaxy has become a fierce opponent for Apple. With the Galaxy SII and the soon to come Galaxy SIII, Apple has a good reason to worry. And because smartphones aren’t enough, Samsung unleashed the Galaxy Player to go for the iPod’s title as the best music player. A great opponent and with its features and notoriety, the future looks good for the Galaxy Player.

2. Sony Walkman Z

Another in a long line of media players, Sony, steps up a notch and decides to enter the battle between Android and iOS. Their main weapon is Walkman Z. A great player with lots of cool features and, as its previous “colleague”, a reputation to uphold. The Walkman Z is a great player and, by the looks of it, only the first in a long line of great media players to come. The design is rocking, I’ll give them that!

1. HTC Sensation XL Beats

The top dog of Android media players, the HTC Beats is the most powerful weapon in Android’s camp. It can punch quite a punch with its 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 4.3 inch LCD screen, 1 GB of RAM and the 8 MP camera. The big gun of Android powered players is the main competitor for the iPod Touch. The tech is better, the design is cooler and the stakes are higher! I know, Sensation is a phone, but here, we’re talking about the music player side. The technology is Beats and it’s Apple’s worst nightmare.

The battle is, as of now, unclear. There is no winner or loser, because of the speed technology is moving forward. Today’s top ranked media player, smartphone or laptop will be tomorrow’s junk, lying under the bed. What chance does Android has in front of such a mighty opponent? In my opinion, a pretty good one. I love Android, but I also love the iPod Classic (yes, not the Touch, I am a more nostalgic person). It seems it’s not that easy to pick a winner when each of the players have so many advantages and such a big potential. If you ask me, the future of this battle will end in a draw, or, more likely in a “peace” between Google and Apple. The tech is moving forward and all of these devices are getting more powerful by the day, the only thing that will make a difference between them in the future is each one’s preferences.

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iPhone, the device which indeed re-invented the phone which we expected as a handheld device started its journey on June 9th 2007. With the forthcoming arrival of iPhone 5, let’s take a look at the generations of iPhone that came through in the five years of time. Initially when Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone to the market, he said that they were going to make a history in some time and the magic did really happen.

The First Generation – The original iPhone was initially an iPod, a phone and an internet mobile communicator. The phone had a 2 megapixel camera, a 3.5 capacitive touch screen that ran on iOS 1.0. Featuring a 412 MHz ARM 11 processor, it also housed a proximity sensor and an accelerometer. Some of the stuffs it lacked include the GPS, SD card slot expansion and the third party apps. However, the user interface capability was too good in it.

iOS 2.0 and the App store – This was launched saying, “Twice as fast for half the cost“. With the launch of the app store, they made a revolution again in the software distribution industry and this time they supported third party software with a 70/30 revenue split weighed towards Apple. This generation had a GPS support, 3G network operability, MobileMe Push messaging and Exchange Active sync support for mail along with all the same features the first generation had. At present, the app store houses half a million apps. These features attracted a lot of corporate users.

iPhone 3GS – This version had notable hardware improvements from the 3G phone. The camera was upgraded to 3MP and it had auto focusing option that took video in a decent way and also helped in uploading it to the You tube. With upgraded 600MHz Samsung chip and 480×320 mega pixel display, there was a compass tool that was very much useful in navigation. The iOS 3.0 enabled the users with push notification service and cut/copy/paste support. Find out more features here.

The iOS 4.0 – The iPhone 4 with the upgraded software iOS 4.0 stunned the world with the design. It had a 3.5 inch retina display and could detect pixels that are smaller to the human eye. It had an 8GB flash drive and supported HD recording with up to 30 frames per second along with the audio. The camera was upgraded further to 5.0 mega pixels. With the fastest processor and thin design, this was a huge hit in the market. The design housed an aluminum strip which serves as the antennae for the 3G network

iPhone 4S has Siri – The dual core A5 chip which has up to 2X faster performance and 7X faster graphics has a 8MP camera and can record videos in 1080 HD quality. The iOS 5 has a notification center that covers 200 features. The iCloud in the phone will help in storing the data wirelessly. The most important feature in the most amazing phone is the siri. You can use your voice to send messages, set reminders, search for information and more. The siri can search he web and translate voice to text.

Best of Luck to iPhone Competitors for 2012. Wink. Wink.

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Apple’s virtue of invention makes others to follow. There is no exception for Samsung in this matter. As we go through various aspects from design to delivery, Samsung is seen mimicking Apple in many ways. It is a common practice that brands will always keep track of their competitors and will try to accommodate winning features of competitors in their own products. The features are altered or enhanced to deliver more advantages to the end user.

Let us find why many people think Samsung imitates Apple products.

Samsung is one of the largest manufacturers of Android based smartphones in the world. Apple stays away from Android OS and runs its own version called iOS which is available exclusively on Apple products like iPads and iPhones. Even though the number of mobile applications available for iOS based mobiles is less than the multitude of applications available with Android OS, Apple fares well in the market. It is an undisputed fact that Apple has established a unique identity and it continues the same trend year after year by introducing innovative and user-friendly products and features. If you compare Apple products with Samsung, you can easily notice the striking similarities (deliberate or not) in the presentation of features as well as launch of new products into the market. One can observe the imitation in design, marketing and delivery.

There is a close resemblance between Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus and Apple’s iPhone 3GS. The product mimics many external features including the presentation of single home button as is common on Apple products. In addition to the Android’s home screen resemblance to the iOS, the internal applications of Samsung Galaxy Ace contain similar features of iPhone 3G. Many argue that the voice recorder as well as TouchWiz interface in Samsung Galaxy Ace gives similar impression of iPhone.

The imitation extends even in the promotional methods. Recently Samsung has pulled out an advertisement from YouTube without stating any reason. Market analysts, who follow various brands at micro level, opine that Samsung might have taken the step after being embarrassed by critics as the advertisement imitates the pattern adopted by Apple. It is observed that the child used for creation of the video ad was also the same one selected by Apple. Even though there are many pending lawsuits against Samsung filed by Apple, the latest launch of Samsung Tablet, Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the main contention.

Many believe that the Android tablet launched by Samsung imitates Apple’s iPad to the core. Even though the external features may not give sufficient impression of imitation, the packing gets inspiration from Apple’s iPad. Imitation in packing is also extended in Samsung’s accessories and peripherals. It was also observed that Apple’s application icons are on display at trade shows and other retail locations.

The imitation of Apple Mac Book pro is also noticed in Samsung’s Series 7 Aluminum laptops. It is general that competing brands will try to offer new features so that they can give stiff competition. Samsung is able to introduce new products and new features at a fast pace. However, it fails in presentation of ideas in a new way such that it will not come under the scanner.

The imitation of Apple by Samsung is three-fold i.e. Design, Advertising and Packaging. I remember a phrase here, which the Samsung management should read between the lines – “Plagiarism is Self Style“.

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Since the Apple iPhone was launched is has taken the position of the most successful smartphone on the market and everyone knows it has changed the lives of millions of people worldwide while hastening the fall of Blackberry smartphones. While the Droid platform is catching up, no company has equaled Apple’s iPhone popularity. With all the many things your iPhone does and is there is one problem with it. At the end of the day, when its battery begins to run out, what are you to do? Well, not to worry, here is a list of my five favorite battery backup products for Apple 3GS/4/4s iPhones.

Super Power Bank by Richard Solo

Richard Solo Super Power Bank works with iPad/Pad2; iPhone 2G/3G/3GS/4/4S; iPod; Smartphones and other USB powered devices. This ingenious device charges a pair of USB-connected devices at once and provides up to 6,600 mAh total backup power. Just connect your device to one of the ports on the Super Power Bank and press the power button to begin charging. That’s it. It takes about 2 hours to completely recharge an iPhone or iPod. You can carry it with you to ensure you won’t be without power when you most need it.

iPower 3 and iPower 4 – by MiSuny

The iPower 3 and iPower 4 are in essence charging sleeves that give your iPhone almost 2 full charges before it needs to be charged itself again. And it can be used to charge the iPad. It contains a 2400 mAH lithium polymer battery specified to provide:

• Up to an extra 5.3 hours of talk time
• Up to 45 extra hours of music time
• Up to 15 extra hours of video time (that is not a misprint)
• Up to 6.5 hours of Internet use

This backup battery charger has a sleeve that slips over your iPhone 3 or 4/4s that, in my opinion, actually enhances the look of your phone. This device is a great way to have your iPhone always ready to work for you whether you are on safari, skiing, or in a business meeting. Note: It has a built in solar powered charger.

Stitchway UltraPower 1900 mAh Backup Battery Charger

Stitchway UltraPower for iPhone 4, 4S, 3GS, 3G, iPod, iTouch; External, Portable, Rechargeable is available for an astonishingly low price! On Amazon brand new is $5.92 (USD) and used $2.50 (USD). This device can fully recharge your iPhone from dead in about 2 hours. It weighs only 2 oz. and plugs directly into your phone. It even has a LED that goes green when it is fully charged. There is only one drawback; this little device lasts 400 cycles before it becomes inoperative. But, hey, at this price, you’re good for a very long time.

The XTG Technology ultra-slim “Solar Portable Battery and Charger”

This is a portable Battery and charger. It charges via solar power or any USB port.

Note: If you use solar power you can only charge your phone up to 50% while the USB port hits 100%.

It features:

• 1500 mAh battery and USB output
• Charging and capacity indicator on the back that shows charging status and the remaining power level
• A mini USB charge cable and 2 window suction cups (to keep attached to your windows & hey it is solar)
• A built-in twistable LED flashlight that can be positioned to any position

Kensington K39264US Travel Battery Pack and Charger for iPhone and iPod Touch

If you are like me, then you will definitely enjoy this battery backup travel charger. This charger has it all. It has built in dock connector and a flip out USB tip to plug into the unit for easy charging. No need for extra cables. Now hear this; it features:

• Up to 23 hours of music time
• Up to 7 hours of video
• Up to 5 hours of talk time
• A 1 A power for fast charging of your iPhone device

It also has a LED Battery indicator that displays the remaining battery pack level. Just charge the battery pack in advance and when your iPhone gets low, charge it. It takes only about 30 minutes to charge an iPhone to 50% when you’re in a hurry. It can be charged several times on a “full charge” of the battery pack. The best part of this charger: it only weighs 4 ounces and it’s tiny – 1.5 x 2.8 x 6 inches. You can chill on the beach all day while watching videos with this mity mite. This can keep you going for 3 or 4 days before it needs to be charged.

It will be many years before we’ll see battery backup devices with these kind of power reserves built into any iPhone, given the power requirements of display technology and high send/receive power requirements. That pretty much guarantees we’ll continue to buy and appreciate these outboard devices for some time to come.

This was a guest post by Joseph Hand who architects backup and disaster recovery software at AppAssure. He is the Senior Director of Product Strategy, specializing in virtual, physical and cloud infrastructures for Windows Server, Exchange, VMware and Hyper-V backup.

© Raju PP for Technically Personal!, 2012. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact us, so we can take legal action immediately. If you are on Twitter you can follow me @rajupp! | Permalink |

Technology, Helpful Tool for Education or Isolating Factor?

When I was a kid, we used coloring books and played in the sand, or ran around the street. Computers were something rare, and not everybody was playing games at that time or spending so much time in the online. This reminds me of the latest Simpsons episode (at the moment of this writing), called The D’oh-cial Network. In the episode, Lisa creates a social network just like Facebook to make friends and, eventually, she discovers that albeit she has a lot of friends, you can’t really call that a friendship. Long story short, she is forced to close the social network down and the kids return to their previous occupations: playing entertaining, fun, physical sports, thus spending more time together.

Where I am going with this article is that, no matter how much technology evolves, we have to remain humans and not forget about feelings, emotions that are natural, not artificially fabricated. That’s why, approach and introduce technology to your kids with care as it seems that nowadays, technology has provided a solution for learning and playing for all kinds. If you want to give tablets a try for your kids, there are quite a few out there. They have few features and many have special screens that can withstand many punishments (such as water, scratching, drops etc) and protective coating.

Top 10 Tablets for Kids

Try not to compare them with iPad or other tablets, these do not have the power of those tablets (more powerful components equals higher price), and they do not really need it, for the apps kids use, these are enough to run smooth.

1. LeapPad

This pad is one of the best tablets for kids I’ve ever seen. It has lots of features and it’s really good for kids to develop their imagination. It features math and spelling games, it can adjust the learning level for your child. As far as tech goes, the LeapPad features a 5” screen and a 2GB build-in-memory and a 400 MHz processor. It can keep track of your child’s progress, so you can see how he/she improved since using the LeapPad.

2. InnoTab

With Inno Tab, learning has no limits! This tablet features a 5” touch screen with tilt sensor, and a host of educational apps. It can read e-books, mp3 or videos, all the tools you could need for kids to enjoy. It can store files on its 64 MB memory, or on an SD card. The tab supports up to 16 GB of memory. It has a really nice design, and it can appeal to kids from 4-9 years. Hell, even I like it!

3. Vinci Tab

This is the best looking tablet I’ve seen so far. It looks like a Formula 1 steering wheel, and it also has nice performance. This tablet features a 7” multi touch screen with a resolution of 800×480, a 3Mpx camera, 512 Mb RAM and all of these powered by a Cortex A8 microprocessor. You can install lots of apps and with its big screen it could be lots of fun for the little ones.

4. Nabi

Lots of games, lots of books, videos and drawings, all the things that make childhood fun, you can find them in this tablet. The Nabi looks like it should be use by kids: it has a nice rounded design. It can prove to be a learning tool as well as a fun device. Kids can customize their tablets with apps, skins and accessories. It features an 7” display and a 1.1 GHz Dual Core processor, and for more games, it has a dedicated graphics processor.

5. PlayBase

PlayBase could be considered the iPad of kids. It has a really clean design, with a 7” screen, a 1.2 GHz processor, Wi-Fi and all the features you will find on any other tablet. PlayBase is a really nice tablet, good for kids, but also for anyone else. It’s water, scratch and drop resistant, so it’s perfect for kids, and with its extensible memory, it can hold apps, videos and mp3’s for your kids to enjoy.

6. Nook Color

The Nook is not a new name in the business, but with this version, you can really feel it could be used by kids. It’s more of a play device than a learning gadget. The Nook features video playback and with Nook Comics, your kids have access to the largest database of Marvel comics they can find. You can enjoy the over 2.5 million books, magazines and interactive kid’s books, and so, the Nook Color will be something your kids will not get bored of. I know, many don’t view it as a tablet, but it’s a tablet for kids, right?

7. Kindle Fire

Kindle Fire is a tablet that has been covered by many, it’s a very useful tablet with a store that holds millions of movies, TV shows, music and books. It features a dual core processor and it can browse the web with lightning fast speed. Also, with the Kindle Fire you also get free cloud storage with Amazon’s Cloud. It’s touchscreen has a really vibrant color and it’s very responsive. A really nice tablet, good for both kids and adults. We’re obviously recommending it for kids because it’s cheaper.

8. Ubislate 7/Aakash Tablet

The Aakash Tablet is more than most tablets: it’s a portable video phone that can send and receive video calls over Wi-Fi or GPRS. Its 7” screen can run HD video due to it’s Cortex A8 700 MHz processor and it’s dedicated 3D graphics processor, and it can store movies on its 2GB internal memory or on a SD card (it can hold up to 32 GB SD cards). The tablet runs on Android 2.3, so it has lots of features and a massive market for apps is at your disposal.

9. Archos Arnova

A very stylish tablet, Archos Arnova is cool piece of kit. It can play full HD video on it’s 10.1” screen, it’s really fast due to its Cortex A8 ARM 1 GHz processor and it’s really easy to use. It has a very intuitive interface and it’s great for kids of any age. It can connect to Wi-Fi, so you can keep connected and also download learning apps for the little ones. Just as the Kindle Fire or the Ubislate, it’s a tablet specifically designed for kids, but again I am saying this, it’s much cheaper.

10. Boogie Board

Boogie Board is one of the coolest tablets out there. It comes in 8.5” and 10” models. It does not have all the tech of the other models (it doesn’t even have a color display). You have a stylus and you write on the screen. It’s just like paper. In fact, this will very well be the paper of the future. A really nice idea and it could be lots of fun for kids. Some thing just never die, don’t they?

These would be my top picks when it comes to tablets for kids. These could be really good learning tools, they have math apps or spelling, where they can watch cartoons or comics, learn or just play on them. As to what impact these gadgets will have on the social development of children, I don’t know, but I think that if you use them with moderation, and strictly as a learning tool, they can prove useful. Try not to overdue it though, these should not be used to take your kids off your head, but to be an aid in their development.

Editor’s Note: Some readers were surprised not to see iPad 2 in the list and quite rightly so. It comes with some of the best tablet apps for kids and so very easy to use. My personal vote goes for iPad as well. But then it comes at a price higher than most of the above ones.

Suggested Read: Top Cheap Tablets

© Raju PP for Technically Personal!, 2012. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact us, so we can take legal action immediately. If you are on Twitter you can follow me @rajupp! | Permalink |