HTC HD Mini on Orange

The new Mini edition HD phone from HTC has now been launched on the Orange network, this latest release from the smart phones manufacturer encompasses just about all of the features found in the previous HTC HD2 model but packs them into a far smaller frame with a far more pocket friendly 3.2 inch screen.

The HD2 still holds the record for the largest mobile phone touch screen currently available on the market, however many people find the overall size of the phone just a little too big for pockets and handbags, this is where the new HTC HD Mini wins the day.

Replicating the same Windows Mobile operating system alongside a 5.0 mega pixel camera with autofocus the new HD Mini is one of a number of new 'mini' phones to hit the market this year. Sony Ericsson may have just launched their latest Xperia X10 handset but they too are readying the Sony Ericsson X10 Mini and Mini Pro editions to address the demand for smaller smart phones.

It was Nokia that went down this path first by shrinking their Nokia N97 into the new Nokia N97 mini, the manufacturer claimed that the original model just was not pocket friendly enough and aimed there new 'mini' model at the youth and fashion market.

The biggest achievement that HTC have managed is to squeeze just about all of the features of the previous HD2 model with its massive 4.3 inch touch screen into such a small housing, the only real difference comes in the processing power of the processor which is now a 600MHz chip as opposed to the industry leading 1GHz found in the HD2.

There is a very good reason for this though, the new HTC HD Mini does not use anywhere near the same amount of processing needed to power the massive screen of the HD2 and so the smaller chip is fast and responsive when navigating the phones menus and loading and running applications.

There is a growing number of mobile phones featuring a 3.2 inch touch screen as this is becoming the most comfortable to use, most notably there is competition from the recently launched HTC Legend alsthough this runs on the Android system rather than Windows.

Other rival handsets include the Sony Ericsson Vivaz, Nokia X6 and Nokia N97 Mini, LG GW620 and new Samsung Wave although the S8500 Wave opts for the new Super AMOLED technology.

The HTC HD Mini can now be ordered on a good range of third party Orange deals, this is the first time that this phone has been offered on any of the UK networks with its initial release being as a SIM Free and unlocked handset.

There are further network launches planned for this new phone with O2 and Vodafone expected to be offering the HTC HD Mini over the coming weeks.

For more information about the HTC HD Mini and new HTC Desire please visit our mobile phones comparison website - Phones Limited.

HDD Recovery Tools

This is a situation that every tech support person has faced or will face at least once: a failed hard drive. In this particular case, a user was getting errors like "disk 0 error" and "invalid drive specification. "

Here were the other facts in the case:

o The data wasn't backed up.
o The problem came out of nowhere.
o The user had accessed Setup and tried to manually enter the settings for the drive type when"Auto" didn't work.
o There was no start up disk made by this machine.

Repair a drive like that one-even if only long enough to copy its data before you throw the drive in the garbage-is a tough challenge. Compared to buy a new drive, the price of Data Recovery nowadays is still a very expensive option.

While the Freeze it, Hit it, and Drop it options are still experimented with by some, the current size and sensitivity of the newer larger hard drives makes these options extremely risky and definitely NOT recommended for hard drives with a capacity that's greater than 60GB. And even then some of the operation suggested here should be approached with caution. Getting it wrong by trying to save some money will only end up costing you more if you then decide to pass on your hard drive to a data recovery company. . .

There are, broadly speaking three classes of data recovery, Logical, Electronic, and Physical.

o Logical Where the FAT, NTFS or other file structure has been corrupted either by accident or on purpose or individual filed or folders have gone missing. The hard drive has not suffered damage to the components of the hard drive itself.
o Electronic Component failure on the PCB (the circuit board on the bottom of the hard drive) in the motor or internally.
o Physical Internal damage to the hard drive, damaged platters, head crashes, damage to the motor, or head rack signal amplifier. You need a clean room and plenty of experience to have any chance of a successful outcome here.

Logical recoveries are becoming an affordable option for those people who are familiar with the risks involved with data recovery. Software tools that are now available for this task vary greatly in their capability, complexity and cost. Careful research should be done before any work is done on the damaged hard drive. If you are able, get another hard drive and experiment. Format it, Fdisk it, delete files and partitions and learn how the data recovery software operates under these various conditions. Before to start work on your own or your clients hard drive back it up, the backup mantra is one that you all should be familiar with by now! There are tools available to backup (or image) a hard drive that has been fdisked!! Use them. Ghost software is not suitable for this task, then perform your recovery attempts on the image not the original.

For the Electronic damaged, you must need some extra hdd repair tools to exchange the PCB or Head or other components, as far as we know, nowadays one tool called HD HPE Pro produced by SalvationDATA can do the excellent job of exchanging drive's components. Many data recovery companies now using this tool, also nowadays there are many faked tools in the market which price is lower than SalvationDATA, but with bad quality.

As for the Physical problems of the drives, if the situation happened in several years ago, then even the best professional data recovery company will say that they have no choice.

But nowadays, the HDD recovery tools grows at a quick rapid speed, there are many tools can do this job now, among them the most famous tools are produced by ACE and SalvationDATA, but it is said that the Data Compass of SalvationDATA is much powerful, which can also support the Raid data recovery, which ACE doesn't has.

So nowadays whether your HDD has logical or electronic or physical damaged, you are no need to worry about your data, because there is always solutions here to find your data back.

Three Sony Phones With Three Unique Features

Sony Ericsson, a premier mobile phone manufacture, does not need an introduction. The company has been producing number of basic to high end mobile handsets. After making a niche in the sector of music mobile phones in the form of several models launched under Walkman series phones, the company has stepped into the sector of smartphones. Today, Sony Ericsson is not only famous for music phones but is also gaining popularity for its Smartphones.

Three latest smartphones launched recently by the company are the Sony Ericsson Vivaz, Satio and Xperia range of phones. All the three models come with their unique features to woo the customers.

The speciality of Sony Ericsson Vivaz is its advanced HD quality camera that produces stunning video clips and still images. Communication truly becomes entertainment with the high quality HD video feature of Vivaz that allows the users to produce and broadcast their best experiences with the latest video capture and sharing features. The advanced powerful 8.1 mp camera with 4x zoom supported by a flash for images and video light when recording video clips comes with touch focus that allows the user to set the focus merely by touching the TFT touch screen display.

The Xperia X10 provides a synchronized user interface where communication and media applications weave its magic at one place known as Timescape and Mediascape. The handset is also available in two more variations as Xperia X10 Mini and Xperia X10 Mini Pro. There are number of great pay monthly and Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 pay as you go deals available that makes it lot more convenient and affordable for the users to own the phone.

Last but not the least, Satio is a delight for the photography freaks because it comes with a built in 12.1 MP high definition camera with Xenon flash, digital zoom and autofoucs facilities. This high end camera feature allows the user to capture excellent quality pictures with bright colours. You can find cheap Sony Ericsson Satio deals with many special offers and free gifts.

All the three phones are a hit and you can compare best deals on these handsets be it Xperia X10, Sony Satio, Vivaz or Sony Ericsson Vivaz Pro deals at any mobile phone comparison portals where you can get the price comparison and details of offers available that help you to make an informed decision.

Visit site to get great Sony Satio deals, Vivaz Pro deals

Film School - Is it Necessary For Success?

Is film school necessary for success in the movie industry? The short answer is no, however, there are important benefits that film schools provide. If you can compensate for this, then you don't need to spend upwards of $100,000 to attend one.

Demand

Film schools as we know them today--with full blown curriculums and specialized majors--didn't exist until the the 1960s. Prior to that, filmmakers learned their craft on the job, by doing. Alfred Hitchcock and Howard Hawks didn't go to film school. There weren't any!

These filmmakers learned their craft by moving up through the ranks of the old Hollywood system. Studios would groom their talent much the same way trade labor unions do it today. When the studio system collapsed in the 1950s, there was no way to learn the art and craft of filmmaking without having connections.

Filmmaking equipment was complex and difficult to operate. There were no "point and shoot" cameras, you needed someone to train you. Access to equipment was equally difficult since rentals were very expensive.

This void opened up the demand for film schools, which began to spring up in the 1960s. Famous graduates like George Lucas and Martin Scorsese were idolized by aspiring filmmakers, spurring the demand. Schools like NYU and UCLA became wildly popular.

Changing Needs

Demand hit an all time high in the late 1990s and then something interesting happened: the digital revolution. Filmmaking equipment became compact, easy to use, and affordable. Aspiring filmmakers began to question the need for film school. And rightfully so!

Today you can buy a broadcast quality HD camera and editing system for under $4,000. Couple this with some good books or online training (see link below), and you are on your way to becoming a filmmaker. Or are you?

Self Study

This brings us back to our original question of whether film school is necessary for success. With today's digital equipment and access to information, it is not. Film schools still flourish not because they are a gateway to the industry, but because students still go to college and major in subjects they like.

This is not to minimize the value of film schools. They provide important benefits that will help you develop your filmmaking skills and career. What are these benefits? The three most important are:

1. Instruction - Most teachers are not Hollywood stars, but you can still learn a lot from their trials and tribulations. A few will really inspire you. There is nothing better than studying with a great teacher.

2. Critical Review - Your work will be judged by instructors and colleagues. Though this can be rather blunt or downright harsh, you need it! Your parents and friends will love everything you do, so don't depend on them.

3. Contacts - Typically you will not make Hollywood contacts. This is true for even in the best schools. The contacts you make are your fellow students. This is important because as all of you move up through the industry, you become your own industry contacts and call on each other for jobs and deals.

Conclusion

If you choose to learn filmmaking on your own, it is important to compensate for the lost benefits of attending a school. A good place to start is developing a circle of filmmakers that you make movies with. Another good source is the Internet. Discussion forums can help not only with contacts, but with information and critical review as well.

I hope this is helpful in deciding whether film school is right for you.

Visit Film School Direct, http://www.FilmSchoolDirect.com, for tips, advice, and online courses.

Get a Free Apple iPad - Test the Apple iPad and Keep it For Free

Everyone should have heard about the Apple iPad by now. For those who haven't, the Apple iPad is a larger version of the iPhone with more capabilities. Really, its more like a laptop or notebook computer. It is very thin and about the same size as a notebook computer. The iPad has not been released to the public just yet and is still in the final testing phase. It is set to be released in April, 2010.

The Apple iPad will be very expensive when released with the simplest versions costing $499. Even if you could afford the iPad, it's going to be super hard to get your hands on one when it is first released. Just like the iPod and iPhone, when the product is first released it will immediately be sold out due to pre-ordering. The cool thing is, because the iPad is still in testing, Apple is looking for testers to help finalize the product. And, the cool thing is that you get to keep the iPad they send you at no cost! Read on to find out how.

How Can Apple Afford To Give Away iPads?

Well, first of all, they are Apple! Apple is a very large company and giving away some iPads for testing purposes will not hurt their pockets. As a matter of fact, giving away free products for testing actually serves a couple of purposes. First, you are actually testing the device and they use your feedback for quality control purposes. This saves them money. Secondly, this is really a very good marketing tactic. Apple knows that when they give you an iPad for free, you will be a customer for life. Not to mention the services they will now be able to offer you since you are an iPad owner. Also, third party sponsors help pay for the iPads through advertising.

Please Use Caution

Promotions such as these usually on occur when a new product is getting ready to hit the market or when companies decide they want to improve on current products. Due to the nature of these promotions, they do not last long. Right now, with iPad being released soon, Apple needs testers now before the product is released so that they may make any last minute changes. So, with that said, if you want to test the iPad, now is the time to do it because you may not get another chance, at least not until Apple decides to release a new version.

Also, make sure to stay away from offers stating that they are free but then go on to ask for your bank account info or credit card. These offers are scams and you will be charged if you complete these offers.

How to Become an Apple iPad Tester

1. Click Here to enter your zip code


2. Complete the info that is requested


3. Complete 2 offers

This is only available to US residents that are 18 or older. As mentioned above, the offer won't last long so don't miss out if want to become a tester. If the link above doesn't work go here http://www.wordpressmenu.com

Have fun and enjoy your free iPad.

Introducing the LG GS500 Cookie Plus

Just last February 10, LG announced its latest 3G touch screen phone to follow the footsteps of one of the company's bestselling devices, the LG Cookie KP500. The original Cookie was so popular that it was able to sell more than 10 million units in its first 13 months of release.

The successor, which is called the LG GS500 Cookie Plus, features SNS functionality to provide integration with various popular social networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Flickr. It features LiveSquare, which is LG's graphically based interface, and an Editable Screenshot MMS application that will surely enthrall users.

The Design

The new Cookie looks more eye-catching than the original, though it is made with the same plastics that make it very pleasant to touch. It is a little bit larger, measuring in at 107 x 52.5 x 11.5 mm, and weighs 92 grams. The handset display is 3 inches, featuring WQVGA resolution of 240 x 400 pixels and uses resistive technology. The buttons at the bottom of the screen are raised, and look great with the overall design of the phone. The top side has a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a standard microUSB port.

The Interface and Functionality

The most significant to this phone as compared to the original Cookie is with regards to the interface. It uses the same interface as that in the LG Pop GD510, which is pretty colourful and gives you the ability to personalize to a certain extent. For example, there are themes that younger users would love, similar to what you'd see in the Samsung Corby S3650. The main menu looks like what you would normally find in a handset that has an S-CLASS interface.

The home screen consists of three different pages, namely widgets, LiveSquare and favourite contacts (with their pictures). The widgets are pretty standard, except for the one that gives you quick access to various applications dedicated to the different social networking sites. LiveSquare is basically a register of all your latest messages and calls, with an interesting functionality that you would probably love.

Other Features

The multimedia player is very well designed, and come with simplified functionality to make it easier to use them. However, you should note that neither the audio nor the video player offers more than the usual standard options. The player supports AAC, AAC+, MP3, WMA, RA and MPEG4 formats. The good thing about this phone though is that it has 3.5 mm headphone jack (unlike the original Cookie) so you can listen to your favourite music using earphones. The LG GS500 Cookie Plus also comes with a 3.0 megapixel camera with digital zoom and video capture capability.

Will this phone be able to match the success of the first (and original) Cookie? At this point, it is difficult to guess especially since there haven't been any announcements yet as to the price. It is expected to hit the market sometime during early March, so there's still time to hope that it comes with an affordable price tag.

You can visit Best Mobile Contracts to see all the latest mobile deals available. You can compare deals for LG Cookie Plus on contract.

Affordable Blu-Ray DVD Players Can Make HD Movies a Part of Your Home

Now that Blu-Ray DVD players are finally affordable, watching high-definition movies on your HD television at your home is now a realistic possibility. When you think about it, HD DVDs were the one thing that were missing. You've got the great high-definition television, home theater sound, and the comfy couch or chairs, but when time comes to watch a movie, it's low-definition on that HD setup. What a shame, but no longer!

Fortunately, it didn't take too long for high definition DVDs, and affordable Blu-Ray DVD player prices to catch up. Aside from the Blu-Ray movie titles that are being released weekly for new movies, others that were originally filmed in high definition are being released as Blu-Ray versions. This includes a range of classics and relative contemporaries. When it comes to watching movies at home, you now have the power to watch them in Blu-Ray high-definition for an affordable price. This is true home theater.

Even though the world of Blu-Ray is still relatively new to many people, it soon will be the standard viewing format in most homes. Come holiday time, the requests for movies in only Blu-Ray DVD format will be a common request. Because Blu-Ray is the standard format for the high-definition DVD industry, the catalog of movies titles for today's new releases and yesterday hit movies will only continue to expand. There are currently thousands of titles.

If you are ready to treat your high-definition television, and yourself, to an affordable Blu-Ray DVD player, you can get one for as little as two hundred dollars. You can get a great player by spending somewhere between that amount and around five hundred. When buying an affordable Blu-Ray DVD player, the overall amount you have to spend can be reduced by shopping through a major internet retailer. In order to make more sales, they pass along their savings of not having a brick-and-mortar location to their customers. In addition, they are open all the time, show customer reviews, and have the largest selection. Are you ready to enter the world of Blu-Ray? Put up your feet, relax, and click here to start your quest for Affordable Blu-Ray Players

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Studio Lighting Or Lounge Illuminations

I started off with a couple of 500 cool light soft boxes and reflector but found I was limited on the speed and often produced perfectly focussed but blurred shots - I had thought that models would stand still, but the girls i was shooting wanted to jump around!

So i progress on to an umbrella with and SB800, a SB600 and a couple of old Vivitars on remotes which all work great usually! The flash umbrella certainly stopped the motion but sent light everywhere and I struggled to light the background separately.

I found using the D300 menu to control the flashes was cumbersome and now use the Commander unit which sits on the hotshoe and is much quicker to use.

So to to stop sending light everywhere, I now I have a soft box attachment for the SB800 and find i can control the direction of the light a lot better.

I liked the umbrella when shooting teenagers who wanted to bop around. It seemed to light them pretty well no matter what angle they were at, combined with a flash, high up behind them.

I have also added a pringles tube covered in black tape as a snoot, and foam cards to act as flags.

With all this kit I have enough to experiment with and am constantly learning. It is beginning to amaze me just how tilting a light this way or that really affects how the photographs look. I have read a lot but doing it in practise is where i am learning what i read.

What I would really like now is a room big enough to use the equipment!

I am not sure at what stage I would need to progress to studio lighting, I have not hit any limits in my lounge so far.

John P Wood
Wedding and Portrait Photographer - Ascot, Berks, UK
WebSite: John Wood Photography