How To Buy A Camera

A digital camera makes a great holiday gift. Not only do you get the joy of giving and receiving, but if it’s opened right away, the person who gets it can get some great holiday pictures. And, of course, there’s no need to run out and buy film.Selecting a digital camera is getting both easier and harder. It’s easier because there are so many good choices but the multitude of options can also make shopping a bit confusing.
The first two questions you should consider are how much you’re willing to spend and how the person might use the camera. Don’t let that discourage you. Today’s easy to use basic digital cameras can take very good pictures. Besides, many people prefer these compact and easy to use cameras over the larger and more complex models because they value simplicity and size over the level of control you get with the more sophisticated models.
If you are willing to spend the money and are buying a camera for someone who’s a serious photographer or someone who either knows or wants to learn the ins and outs of a manually controlled camera, you can now get a digital camera that rivals yesteryear’s single lens reflex cameras in picture quality, user control and quality of lenses.
But don’t get too hung up on the number. Unless you plan to print images larger than 8 by 10 (which is rare considering the size of most PC printers), then 4 megapixels is more than adequate. Even three megapixels is fine unless you plan to do a fair amount of cropping.Many of today’s digital cameras record five or more megapixels, which does give you a bit more room to crop, or the option of a larger print. But anything more than that, for most users, is overkill.
The quality and type of lens is also important. If you stick with a well-known brand like Canon, Kodak, Hewlett Packard, Olympus, Fuji or Sony, the lens should be fine. Photo buffs will, of course, prefer one over the other but as a general rule, cameras from these makers have adequate to excellent lenses.Zoom is also an issue but pay no attention to digital zoom. Some of the lower cost cameras (typically $149 or lower) have only a digital zoom which means the camera has internal software that blows up an image, giving the illusion that it has zoomed in. The only zoom worth considering is an optical zoom where the lens actually does zoom in on the subject.
In most cases, an optical zoom lens protrudes out from the camera body ? similar to the design in film cameras, but Konica Minolta pioneered a type of optical zoom lens (which is now used by some other camera makers) using a prism to “fold” the optical path of the light so that the lens never extends from the camera. Most point and shoot cameras have a 3X optical zoom.Memory may or may not be an issue. Most digital cameras have some internal memory for storing pictures but most also have a slot for a memory card, typically a tiny card, called Secure Digital (SD) that slips into the camera.
If you have an SD card, than the internal memory isn’t that important because you can buy cards that store anywhere from 16 megabytes to two gigabytes. The actual number of photos stored depends on your camera and the way it compresses photos, but on average, a gigabyte of memory will store more than 400 compressed four megapixel photos or about 275 five megapixel photos.You should put some thought into the camera’s viewfinder. Just about all digital cameras have an LCD screen that can show you pictures before and after they’re taken. Some also have an old-fashioned optical viewfinder that you hold up to your eye but many of today’s digital cameras only have an LCD.
Many people, who use digital cameras, prefer using the LCD to frame their pictures. You can see them holding the camera out in front of them, looking at the screen before they snap the shutter. Some people ? especially older folks who grew up with film cameras ? prefer holding the camera up to their eye and using an old-fashioned optical viewfinder.
In bright sunlight, an optical viewfinder can save the day if the sun washes out the image in the LCD display. Some camera makers make a big deal of the size of the LCD display. I’m not sure that matters much if you’re just using the LCD to frame or review pictures, but a lot of people use their cameras to show photos to others, so the larger display can add to the enjoyment of the camera.Another important issue is the type of battery used. Most cameras today come with one proprietary lithium ion rechargeable battery that you either charge inside the camera or by taking it out of the camera and connecting it to a charging unit. Some cameras use AA batteries.The advantage of the rechargeable lithium ion batteries is that you get more pictures per ounce of battery weight because of the efficiency of the design. This is particularly important with some of the ultra-small cameras where there simply isn’t enough room for AA batteries.
Some companies, including Kodak, offer cameras that use both AA batteries and lithium digital camera batteries. The big advantage to AA is that they are easily replaceable and you’re not dependent on the manufacturer for your batteries.My personal preference is a camera that takes AA batteries but I never use disposable alkaline. I instead use Rayovac rechargeable nickel metal hydride batteries that can be recharged in 15 minutes. One set (2) batteries can usually get me through a day or two but if I plan to do a lot of shooting, I just carry an extra couple of batteries with me.
For many people, size does matter. Most point and shoot cameras are quite compact but some are smaller and thinner than others. Casio, Canon, Kodak and others make very small and thin pocket-sized cameras that are capable of taking just as good a picture as their larger brethren.When choosing a camera as a gift, consider how it will be used. For most people, any compact camera is small enough but if it’s for someone who wants to walk around with the camera in his or her pocket, then you might want to get one of the ultra-small models that most manufacturers offer.
The camera’s controls can make a big difference. For example, some cameras require that you use a menu to turn the flash on or off or control the camera’s self-timer while other cameras allow you to control these functions by pressing buttons on the camera’s body. While too many buttons would obviously cause too much clutter, having to go to a menu and select your controls from a screen can add to the time it takes to get your camera in the right mode.
Many of today’s digital cameras can also take video clips. In the past, this was more gimmick than useful but companies are now offering 24 or even 30 frames per second video, which means that your video clips will show the full range of motion without the choppiness associated with lower frame rates.Also, video takes up a considerable amount of memory but thanks to cheaper and higher capacity SD and other memory cards, that’s less of a problem than it used to be.Still, don’t expect a digital camera to fully replace a camcorder. Digital cameras are great for short clips but you wouldn’t use one to record an entire wedding or graduation ceremony. You might, however, use it to record the singing of “Happy Birthday” at a party, or the moment your favorite graduate gets his or her diploma.
Most people with camcorders take too much video anyway and there’s something to be said about the forced discipline of having to take short clips. Once you take a video on a digital camera, you can usually play it back on the camera. If you’re going to do that, make sure your camera plays the sound as well as the video. Ultimately, you’ll copy the videos to a PC or Mac where you can show them, edit them or even burn them to a CD or DVD.
Do your research. Although I’ve reviewed some digital cameras (I recently gave high marks to Kodak’s C360), there are far too many models on the market to cover in this overview.
 

 How to Understand Camera Resolution

If you are going to buy a digital camera, you’ll need to decide on camera resolution. The camera’s resolution is the amount of detail that the camera can capture in each photo. Resolution is measured in pixels–light sensitive squares that make up the sensor in a digital camera. The more pixels, the better the resolution. Follow these steps to learn how to choose the camera resolution that will work for you and your photography needs.

Step 1   Understand the different pixel amounts available and how they correspond to the megapixels found on the camera. A 1 megapixel camera is 1216 x 912 pixels. A 1600 x 1200 pixel camera corresponds to about 2 megapixels. Four megapixel cameras have 2240 x 1680 pixels, and 4064 x 2704 pixel cameras have 11.1 megapixels.

Step 2   Understand what megapixel resolution is generally needed for different uses. For instance, if you will be simply emailing photos to your friends or posting them on a website, and you don’t ever need to print the photos out, you can get away with a 640 x 480 pixel camera, which is less than 1 megapixel. One megapixel cameras are the lowest end you should try if you will print out images, and this corresponds to 1216 x 912 pixels. If you want to print out a 4 x 6 photo, you want at least a 2 megapixel camera.

Step 3   Know that larger printouts of photos require better resolution cameras. A 4 megapixel camera is recommended for printing photos up to 16 x 20 inches. If you want poster size, large images printed out, you need a professional quality camera with at least 10 megapixels.

Step 4   Put all of this information together. The higher the resolution, the better and larger print you can make from the image taken on your camera.

How to Chose the Camera Resolution You Need
Step 1   Determine your budget. In general, higher resolution cameras will cost you more money. You can always check around for great bargains and sales, but just realize that the cost goes up with the megapixel amount.

Step 2   Decide what type of picture you will be taking. If you desire to take a photo of a beautiful sunset that you will keep and cherish forever, you will want a higher resolution. If you’re just taking a photo that will become an email to a friend, you can use a lower resolution.

Step 3   Determine the clarity you will need in your photos. If you are going to take a photo of something with printed words, you’ll need a higher resolution. If you wish to take a closeup picture of a flower, with acute detail, you’ll need more resolution. If you are taking a picture of something large, like the sky or ocean, you don’t need as much clarity.

Step 4   Assess how large you will want your prints to be. If you want a 4 x 6 print, you could use as low as a 1 megapixel digital camera. If your prints will be larger, such as a 16 x 20 inch print, you should use at least a 4 megapixel camera.

Step 5   Determine what use will be made of your printouts. If you will be selling the photos or entering them in a contest, you will need a higher resolution than if you will just be giving printouts to friends as keepsakes. Whereas you could print out a 4 x 6 photo of good quality with a 2 megapixel digital camera, if you want it to be a professional quality print, you would want at least 4 megapixels of resolution or more.

Step 6   Determine what use will be made of your camera. If you plan to take professional quality photos, you should get a camera with at least 16 megapixels for professional quality.

 Microsoft Office Professional 2007 reviews

Introduction
Releases of Microsoft Office over the past 6 years have been considered evolutionary upgrades, delivering new features with each new version making life a bit easier for authors of Office documents. The release of Office 2000 in 1999 introduced tighter integration with the Web, giving users the ability to flawlessly save documents in HTML format and distribute over the Internet or Intranet, adding stronger ways of accessing information.

In Office XP version 2002, Microsoft improved upon the stance of web integration by sampling with XML, users were able to tag documents adding a bit of intelligence to Office files. Other new features in version 2002 included the controversial Task Pane, the aim of which was to make common features in the suite more accessible. Office 2003 was more about the client/server experiences; products such as Exchange Server were now a part of what became the Office System and included a number of other products such as SharePoint Portal Server and Office Live Meeting Server.
Installation
The installer for Office 2007 has had a refreshing makeover that complements the changes throughout the user interface. After inserting the Office 2007 DVD you are greeted by a pleasant welcome screen, which immediately takes you to the list of products you might want to install depending on the edition. Next is the Product Key page, which displays a simpler layout without the awkwardness of prior versions of Office, requiring User name, Initials and Organization.

After the Product Key hurdle, you are greeted by the License Agreement, accept and move on, nothing special. Next is installation options, you have two choices, which depends on whether you have a prior version of Office installed or not. Upgrade or Customize, in this case I was granted both options since I had a prior version of Office installed, I chose to do a Custom install, which took me to a revamped Customize Install Page. Laid out in a set of Tabs, this includes Install Options, File Location, User Information, Help Improve Office and Upgrade.

The Install was a breeze, finished in less than 10 minutes on my system.

Sometime in January 2007, Microsoft will launch the release of Microsoft Office 2007. The suite will be available in eight editions, Basic, Home & Student, Standard, Small Business, Professional, Ultimate, Professional Plus and Professional Enterprise. This new version is Microsoft’s most radical departure in years, interface wise and offers new features and familiar tools that are sure to have users mesmerized and perplexed at times. If one was to investigate the current Office user base they would be surprised to find users running versions of Office as far back as Office 97. I have encountered one case where a seamstress is running Office 95 and Windows 95 and doing just fine with both I might add. But for many companies the user base is primarily saturated with versions 2000 and XP with some just planning or completing their move to version 2003 over the next two years. So, where does this leave Office 2007 if so many Company’s and users are what you would describe as contented with older versions of Office?

Nokia 6120 Classic

(Note 1: The Nokia 6120 Classic has the “Classic” tagged on the end to avoid confusion with the Nokia 6120, a much older phone.)

(Note 2: The Nokia 6121 Classic is the same as the 6120 Classic, but they have slightly different 3G frequencies. To save space, we’ll just refer to the 6120 Classic in this review, though all of the content in the review applies to both models.)

We at AAS don’t often mention our site statistics, but one unusual moment last week was when the 6120 Classic unboxing article drew a surprisingly large number of visitors, in one day managing to equal the total that most articles get in a week. This took us by surprise somewhat, as the 6120 Classic hasn’t had any hype, and doesn’t, on paper, appear to be any more special than other S60 models released recently.

Indeed, when this reviewer first heard about the phone it seemed like just another S60 model, without anything as novel as a built-in GPS or a twistable keypad. What would make the 6120 Classic stand out from the crowd?

Well, all it really took was seeing the actual phone in real life: it’s probably the most compact and light smartphone in the world right now, just 66 cubic centimetres and 89 grams / 3.1 ounces. The photos don’t do it justice, because they don’t get across the sense of size that you get from holding the phone itself. If you didn’t know it was a smartphone, you would be absolutely sure this was a normal “dumb” phone. On top of that, the launch price is also very distinctive, just 250 euros plus taxes, the lowest S60 launch price so far. It’s about the same launch price and size as the Nokia 6300, a Series 40 non-smart phone.

The Hardware Bit

Technically speaking, the 6120 Classic is a Symbian S60 3rd Edition FP1 smartphone. It has Quadband GSM (850/900/1800/1900) and Dualband 3G UMTS/WCDMA (850/2100) as well as HSDPA compatibility. The 6121 Classic has different 3G frequencies, UMTS/WCDMA (900/2100), but is otherwise completely identical to the 6120 Classic.

HSDPA is a rather snazzy new standard for phone networks which lets you download internet data at 3 to 14 megabits per second, far faster than traditional 3G, and faster than many home broadband connections. For this reason, HSDPA is often called 3.5G.

The 6120 Classic has a 16 million colour QVGA (240 x 320) screen. It has a 2 megapixel main camera and flash, which can also capture video at 320×240, and there’s a secondary camera on the front for videophone calls. On the bottom of the phone there’s the charging jack, a USB port to connect the phone to a PC, and a 2.5mm stereo audio jack for headsets (you can use 3.5mm headphones if you buy an adaptor). The 6120 Classic is Bluetooth 2.0 compatible, and supports Bluetooth stereo wireless headphones through the A2DP and AVRCP standards. On the right side of the phone there’s some external volume controls and a dedicated camera button. The left side of the phone has a mono external speaker, and a hotswap microSD memory card slot. There’s a power button on the top of the phone.

The keypad has the usual alphanumeric buttons, a direction pad, a Symbian S60 swirly menu key and a C delete key. The old S60 pencil/edit key has been merged with the # key, and this works fine, you really don’t miss the separate key at all. Holding down # from the standby screen activates the Silent profile, holding it down again activates the General profile. Using the keypad was generally fine, although people with very large fingers may have trouble with the small buttons. One slightly annoying thing was the position of the blue soft keys, it takes time to get used to them not being in the top right and top left corners.

The casing is very shiny on the front and back, with matt plastic and steel edges. It looks excellent, but the black version does tend to be a bit of a fingerprint magnet. 

The 6120 Classic’s battery officially provides a standby time of 9 days in GSM and 3G mode. It has 3.1 hours talk time in GSM mode, and 2.4 hours in 3G mode. How long the battery lasts in real life depends on what you use it for and how long you use it, it will vary tremendously from person to person. This reviewer charged the phone every couple of days.

Telephony

The 6120 Classic worked fine as a phone, it didn’t drop any calls and the sound quality was good. The Quadband GSM and Dualband 3G means you can use the phone on practically any GSM or 3G (UMTS/WCDMA) phone network in the world, and if the 6120’s 3G frequencies don’t quite suit you, there’s the 6121 Classic variant instead.

As you’d expect, there’s all the usual extras such as speakerphone mode, wireless Bluetooth headset support, voice commands etc. The 6120 also supports Push-To-Talk.

The messaging app lets you send messages by SMS text, MMS multimedia, email (including POP3 and IMAP4) or voice message. Webmail can be accessed through the built-in S60 browser.
Multimedia

The 6120 Classic has similar multimedia features to other S60 3rd Edition FP1 models. It has a hotswap microSD memory card slot which can use cards up to 2 gigabytes in capacity (about 500 to 1000 music tracks). As stated above, the 6120 Classic is A2DP and AVRCP compatible, so you can use Bluetooth stereo headphones with their own music controls. If you prefer wired headphones, the 2.5mm headphone socket is stereo, and you can also use 3.5mm headphones through an adaptor (third party adaptors are small and very cheap, about 5 to 10 euros from any major electronics shop). There’s an external mono speaker which is very clear and loud, but obviously a single speaker can’t do stereo.

The 6120 Classic has a music player compatible with an array of formats (including AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MP3, and WMA), and which can filter tracks by artist, album, playlist, genre or composer. There are customisable equaliser profiles, with five built-in presets. There are also various special effects including Bass Boost, Reverb and Stereo Widening. Playback can be sequential or random, and you can loop playback as well. The sound quality is good, but as with other S60 phones there’s a one second gap between tracks and a one second delay between pressing a button and the music player responding.

You can use ringtones from an even wider array of audio standards: AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MP3, MP4, M4A, WMA, Mobile XMF, SP-MIDI, AMR (NB-AMR), MIDI Tones (polyphonic 64 channel), RealAudio 7,8,10, True tones (WB-AMR), WAV.

MP4 files can also be used as video ringtones, and can be selected from the ringtones menu. Videos can be watched horizontally in full-screen mode, or vertically with bars at the top and bottom.

There’s a built-in FM radio, which lets you download all your local presets from an online database. The radio can be listened to through wired headphones or the built-in speaker, but whichever you use the headphones have to be plugged in to act as the FM aerial.
You can also listen to internet radio on the 6120 Classic, through the Streaming Links option on the Gallery application. To listen to a station you need its RTSP address, which can usually be found by searching Google, or alternatively some station websites such as those of BBC stations have a “Listen in standalone player” link which contains their RTSP address. Clicking on a standalone player link in the 6120 Classic’s web browser automatically starts the phone’s streaming links player, and the stream’s RTSP address can be saved to the Gallery so you can listen to it directly without having to use the web browser. If you haven’t tried Streaming Links on an S60 3rd FP1 device, this reviewer strongly recommends it. (One slight complication, the phone may say you don’t have a Default Access Point for streaming. This can be solved by going to the main menu screen, then Settings > Phone Settings > Applications > RealPlayer > Streaming > Network > Default Access Point - then just choose your normal internet access point.)

The 6120 Classic has a point-and-shoot 2 megapixel camera with flash, and the camera app contains the usual S60 options (flash on/off/auto, night mode, sequence mode, timer mode, panorama mode, white balance, colour tone, quality settings). There’s a dedicated camera button on the right side of the phone which activates the application, and takes pictures if the app is already running. Pictures are taken while holding the phone horizontally, just like a normal camera.

3G vs 3.5G (HSDPA)

The 6120 Classic’s HSDPA compatibility shows up when you use the internet in a HSDPA-compatible 3G network. If you start to download data from the internet (for example by starting up the web browser), the 3G network icon turns into a 3.5G icon, which means download speeds can be up to 14 megabits per second. HSDPA only speeds up the downloading of pages, and doesn’t affect how quickly the phone’s processor renders pages once they’ve been downloaded, so a complex page can still take about 10 seconds to fully appear. However, there’s no processing required on downloads of raw data such as application or video files, so the difference between 3G and 3.5G is much more noticeable when using things like the Download! service.

You can make and receive phone calls while using a 3.5G connection, but the phone automatically switches to 3G for the duration of the call.

This reviewer raced the 6120 Classic with the 6290. They both have the same browser (S60), the same platform (S60 3rd Edition FP1), the same speed processor (369mhz), and the same amount of free RAM (20mb), but the 6120 Classic has 3.5G while the 6290 only has 3G. Some pages loaded just as quickly on both phones, but on some sites (for example All About Symbian) the 6120 Classic was about twice as fast as the 6290. However, as with all internet speed tests, performance will vary greatly depending on which network you use and how much congestion there is on the network when you use it.

 Nokia 5000 Review

This highly attractive mobile phone comes in an extremely eye catching casing which looks both fashionable & stylish. The Nokia 5000 is a desirable looking handset which comes in a solid bar designed casing which is available in three colour options which include cyber green, neon blue & perfect purple. The back panel, side elements & navigation controls comes in the user’s chosen colour option & the remaining sections of the handset are coloured in a sophisticated black or silver. This fashionable mobile phone has a sporty look to its design which comes from the same Nokia family as the Nokia 5200 which is a slide opening mobile phone. The Nokia 5000 weighs a total of 74 grams including the fitted battery & the overall size of the casing is 11mm deep by 46mm wide by 106mm tall which makes this handset easy for carrying purposes. It comes with 12 megabytes of built in memory which can hold the users contacts details, pictures & messages.

The phone comes with a built in camera feature which is a 1.3 megapixel camera & the user can take a quick snap easily on this stunning little phone. The user can view their subject on the phone’s colour screen which works as a perfect viewfinder when taking a picture. The screen is 2 Inches in size when measured diagonally & displays up to 65k colours on a QVGA screen. The user can capture & view picture in landscape mode which gives the user a wider angle when taking a snap. The user can jazz up their pictures by adding a photo frame to their picture for a perfect finish. The Nokia 5000 comes with video recording & video playback capabilities which allow the user to enjoy moving video footage on this stylish little phone.
The user can take a call over the phones loud speaker system which leaves the user handsfree to chat away to friends & family whilst continuing to work. The users can rest their Nokia 5000 on their desk or table whilst taking to their contact over the phone’s loud speakers. The user can create a photo caller identification which allows the user to attach a photo to a contact in their phone book & then when the contact calls the user can see the chosen picture on the colourful screen. The phone book can hold up to one thousand contact at any one time which is ideal for the user on the move who needs all their contact numbers with them at all times. The Nokia 5000 comes with a built in organiser feature which comes complete with a local calendar. The phone comes with an integrated advanced calculator & a converter function which are useful features to have on the mobile phone. The 5000 is a dual band network phone which works on GSM 900 & 1800 which will switch between bands automatically. The battery is fully rechargeable via the phone adapter & when fully charged can provide up to 336 hours of standby battery time or up to 4.6 hours of talk time for the user to enjoy. The phone supports Bluetooth® wireless technology which allows the user to connect their new mobile phone to other Bluetooth® compatible devices without the use of wires for a cable free connection between two devices which are up to ten metres apart.

An integrated FM radio feature allows the user to enjoy a radio experience on their Nokia 5000 which comes complete with a radio recording option. A built in music player allows the user to transfer their favourite songs which can be listen to on this stunning phone when the user is on their travels. The music player supports MP3, AAC, WAV, ARM & MIDI music formats which are popular music formats. The user can play polyphonic, AAC & MP3 ringtones on the Nokia 5000. A built in Web browser is accessible from the phones main menu system which is a WAP Web browser which provides the user with a fun & easily accessible mobile Internet service. The user can communicate with other contacts using the built in messaging services which include audio messaging, email , instant messaging, multimedia messaging & text messaging. The user can create, send, edit, delete & receive messaging on the Nokia 5000. The Nokia 5000 will fit into any mobile phone user’s life & add that little bit of fun when the user is on the move.

Nokia 5320 measures 108 x 46 x 15 mm and has a volume of 67 cc. This is compact enough for a smartphone though we’ve seen them get even tinier. The phone is pocketable and with a weight of 90 grams it won’t make those baggy jeans any flabbier.
Design and construction
The design of the Nokia 5320 is obviously trying to catch on with the younger audience. The handset has an all-plastic construction and, although we didn’t fall in love with it in an instant, we find it quite nice to look at. The dimpled surface at the back and sides might not blend perfectly but they do provide a really nice grip and make the 5320 really hard to slip off your hands.
The video-call camera and a key called “My own” are symmetrically placed on both sides of the earpiece at the top of the front. My own key is a customizable shortcut to any function of the phone but its location makes it somewhat uncomfortable to use. It’s way out of reach when holding the phone normally.

 
The video-call camera and My own key on either side of the earpiece

The rest of the front panel is taken by the 2″ display and the keypad, which will receive their due attention in a little while.
The right side of the Nokia 5320 features the dedicated camera key and the volume rocker. They are both large enough but slightly embedded and thus not so easy to press.

The three dedicated music controls on the left are way handier. They are nice and tactile, and after a short while can be used without even being looked at. The card slot on the same side however is not so nicely worked out. The problem is the etched bit where you are supposed to stick you finger to remove the cap is completely covered by the rear panel. This means you either have to remove the battery cover or use a pointed object to open the card slot cap.

The music controls and the not-too-comfortable card slot on the left

The top of Nokia 5320 features the power key, which is also used for alternating the active profile and locking the keypad. We would’ve preferred it a bit larger but it is still usable enough.

The power key on top

At the bottom are the microUSB slot (under a plastic lid), the 3.5mm standard audio jack and the charger plug. The lanyard eyelet is also here but attaching a strap involves opening the battery cover too.

The four apertures at the bottom

The back side of the Nokia 5320 hosts the 2 megapixel camera and its dual LED flash. The camera performance will be discussed towards the end of our review in more detail. As for now, the only thing to mention is the lack of any lens protection whatsoever that renders it vulnerable to scratches.

Under the battery cover lays the 890 mAh Li-Ion BL-5B battery. It is quoted at 250 hours of stand-by, 3 and a half hours of talk-time and 24h of music time. The numbers aren’t mind-blowing by any means and performance turned out even worse. We had to charge the Nokia 5320 every other day even though we didn’t use it all that much. We guess with a little tweaking (reducing the light timeout, turning off 3G or switching the screen-saver off) things can improve but miracles are really unlikely.

As a whole, the construction quality of Nokia 5320 is decent. There were no creaks or other disturbing noises when handling the phone. All plastic though it may be, the handset feels sturdy enough and wear and tear is not likely to kick in too quickly.
Nokia 5320 has just the right size for holding in hand. It’s no problem operating either single or two- handedly and, even with the strangely placed My own key, we’re more than happy with ergonomics.

A small display
Nokia 5320 is fitted with a 2″ 16M-color TFT LCD display of QVGA resolution. It is obvious we won’t sing praises of screen size. After all, 2-inch displays belong below and seeing one in what’s not exactly a budget handset is a bit upsetting.

2-inch diagonal, but respectable picture quality

Picture quality makes up some for the small size with vibrant colors and good brightness. Good sunlight legibility is well taken for granted in a Nokia.
Good retail package
Considering its midrange standing, Nokia 5320 has a very decent retail package. The medium-sized box has most of the things you are going to need when using the phone.
A 1GB microSD card starts the list in our case but in some regions a smaller 512MB card will be shipped instead. A DC charger goes without saying, and so do the bunch of papers and the PC sync software CD.
The star of the retail box is the smart XpressMusic handsfree, that comes in two parts. You’ve got the essential 3.5mm standard audio jack and the remote pad, and you can replace the actual headphones if you like. The remote is also equipped with a lapel clip. Finally we found a microUSB cable to be used for connecting your phone to a computer.

 Wow her with the jewelry and wow yourself with the experience

This Christmas I pulled off what I never thought I’d be able to do. I bought my wife a piece of jewelry that surprised her and wowed her. On our honeymoon a few years ago, we stopped into the Maui Tiffany & Co. and she tried on a gorgeous pave set platinum diamond ring. We laughed at how beautiful it was and that “someday” she’d be able to have it.

I had that ring on my mind for the last 2 years and was finally in a position to purchase it. Not being a jewelry expert, all I could do was describe it to the Maui salesperson over the phone and hope that she could identify it for me. She then faxed me Xeroxed pictures of rings she actually placed on a copier machine to make sure I knew what I was talking about. I wasn’t prepared to buy the ring without seeing it in person, so she called the Seattle Tiffany & Co. to see if they had the ring, and they did. I live in Portland, OR, so asked the Seattle store to hold the ring until I was able to get up there. They held it for several weeks without a single complaint.

When I got to the store, I was treated with the utmost respect and civility. There was no pressure to buy, just a caring attitude of people who knew a young man was trying to decide if he should part with a lot of money. (If you live in the NW, go to the Tiffany in Pacific Place and ask for Patricia — she is excellent.)

When I left the store with the exquisitely wrapped ring in that famous blue/green bag, you should have seen the warm looks I got from women in Pacific Place. They all smiled at me, knowing I was going to make someone very happy. Needless to say, Christmas morning was a very special time for my wife and me. She is so proud to own the ring and I’m so proud to have gotten it for her.

And, with the Tiffany name comes the Tiffany quality. I know the ring will last many lifetimes and that my great, great granddaughter many, many years from now will be wearing this same ring.

Classics Review of Tiffany Jewelry

Tiffany jewelry is prized for its quality, sophistication, and beauty. From rings, earrings, bracelets & bangles to necklaces & pendants, spectacular designs for men and women are available to make any occasion extraordinary. For the utmost in jewelry gifts, there is no higher standard than Tiffany jewelry. Tiffany bracelets & bangles are magnificent, classic and chic. Their creations are of stunning elegance and captivating originality. Their designs will bring glamour to your life and worthy of cherishing always. Tiffany necklaces & pendants are poetry in motion. Captivating designs, superlative materials and meticulous craftsmanship will bring you the top luxury feel. Their signature pieces will proclaim your personal style forever.
No matter tiffany rings, earrings, bracelets & bangles or necklaces & pendants, they all can be called the crystallization of classics and fashion. Especially tiffany bracelets & bangles, every style of them are the result of classical inheritance and fashion pursuit. Since Tiffany & Co’s establishment to the present day, there has already accumulated a lot of world famous bracelets & bangles serials which are designed by top-class tiffany designers, such as world-renowned Atlas open bangle, Tiffany signature bangle, Tiffany 1837 circles bangle, Elsa Peretti open heart bracelet, Paloma’s zellige bracelet, Return to tiffany heart tag toggle bracelet, Tiffany blue box bracelet, Elsa Peretti star bracelet, Ice skate charm and bracelet, 1837 cuff bracelet and so on.
Each style of them has ever made a hit since their coming into the market. Take atlas open bangle for example, its design is very original and unique. If someone says style has a name, atlas open bangle is the lifelike example before the presence of you. Wearing it on your wrist will immediately embed exhibit your elegance and nobility. This kind of bangle is made of 18k gold, and the size is varied from people’s different size of wrist. Another example is 1837 cuff bracelet. We all know that tiffany 1837 bracelets collection is one of the most classical among the whole tiffany bracelets collection. Tiffany 1837 cuff bracelet can be called the most ingenious design. With cuff as its design inspiration, it’s a much greater challenge to the designer. If a pair of lovers wears this cuff bracelet on their wrists, it seems to tell people that two hearts of this pair of lovers have been firmly handcuffed together, in other words, it seems to herald their eternal love relationship. The unique design of this cuff bracelet has long transcended the test of time.
The design of Tiffany Co necklaces is just as classical and exquisite as bracelets & bangles. Famous Tiffany & Co necklaces serials are including collar, bead, engraved round tag, three open heart, continuous teardrop, engraved heart tag choker, 1837 lock necklace, star lariat necklace, engraved oval tag, ten row heart toggle necklace, donut chain necklace and so on. Take collar necklace for example, it’s just perfect for any formal and noble occasions. Pure craftsmanship and sterling silver texture will surly bring you top luxury flavor of grace. Choice of collar embodies your ultimate insightful vision. Engraved heart tag choker is also one of your best choices. Exquisite heart tag design will give full play to your elegance and nobleness. Heart tag choker symbolizes eternity, which is also a clear symbol of your love relationship. You will never regret your selection of this tiffany choker necklace, since it can truly bring you many unexpected surprises and joys.
Now that tiffany jewelry is so special and unique, what are you waiting for? No matter tiffany bracelets & bangles or necklaces & pendants, they all can bring you distinctive enjoyment. Come to select your dreaming ones as soon as possible.

 I wouldn’t be complete without my sweetie bracelet (Links of London Sweetie Bracelet)

Advantages: stylish, fashionable, comfortable to wear, just slides on. no fiddly clasp

I got my sweetie bracelet as a surprise Christmas present from my partner and I absolutely love it. To be honest I had never even seen or heard of the sweetie bracelet but now that I have one of my own I see them everywhere.

This is the perfect item of jewellery for every day wear. The great thing about this bracelet is you can add charms to it (5 in total) for that little bit of extra charm (pardon the pun), but unlike traditionally designed charm bracelets you can wear it completely on it’s own and either way it looks fabulous.

The sweetie bracelet I own is made from sterling silver but you can buy it in alternative metals including; Black Rhodium and 18ct rolled gold, sterling silver with 18ct rolled gold and an 18ct rolled gold version. The bracelet is expandable because the links are threaded onto thick elastic and easily slides over your hand onto your wrist and comes in 3 different sizes, small (150mm), Medium (160mm) or Large (170mm), which I think is a great alternative to the one size fits all. Because I have little wrists I went for the small and it fits perfectly. With a distinctive larger link with the links of London name and logo engraved on it (3 overlapping circles) this is easily identifiable as a links of London product.

The sweetie bracelet is a product of links of London who have been on the go since 1990 and received the award for best Jewellery brand of the year in 2007. Internationally Links of London has grown and stores can be found in the UK, Hong Kong, the USA and Canada. With a wide range of jewellery for both men and women in sterling silver and 18ct gold and a mixture of leather and silver items for decorating the home or office offering a variety of gift choices so you can give that special someone the perfect gift.

The cost ranges from £110.00 for the sterling silver bracelet to £830.00 for the 18ct Gold.

With over 150 charms to choose from the cheapest costing £35.00 to the most expensive being £550.00 there are lots to choose from, but choose wisely because you can only add 5 onto your sweetie bracelet.

The only place I know you can buy these sweetie bracelets is directly from Links of London either by going into one of their stores or ordering from their website.

I do know that there are lots of imitations out there so it’s probably best to buy directly fromLinks of London. The imitations are made of alloy instead of silver and are of poor quality so watch out.

My Jewellery box would not be complete without my links of London sweetie bracelet.

Summary: No jewellery box is complete until it houses a links of london sweetie bracelet

.Men’s Survival Guide to Tiffany & Co.

Don’t underestimate the power of the small turquoise box wrapped in white ribbon (and red at Christmas). Unfortunately, the same power comes at a $price$. Because this is a men’s guide, I will start with the bad news first.

Bad News:

1) ‘That little Tiffany costs how much!?’ is what your financial voice in your head would shout at the stratospheric prices, but you of course will continue to show a nonchalant exterior expression. My simple advise is try to avoid the place if you can, because once you present her with the trademark turquoise box, it’s all downhill for your savings from there.

2) Procrastination can mean more damage for your savings. Unless you’re in the New York City flagship store, merchandise often runs out a week before that special day. Just think, you are not the only men out there with a similar price range and impulse, and unless you’re Donald Trump, the selections will be limited to start with.

3) Limited selection at the elusive ‘affordable’ price range. If you fall into #2 above, it will mean postponing that new gadget you’ve been eyeing on.

4) Cost scale all depends on material. As a general rule of thumb, the least to most expensive materials are silver, 14-18k gold, platinum, any of above with semi-precious stone (ie pearl, pink sapphire, etc) and any of above with precious stone (ie jade, ruby, emerald, sapphire, diamond, etc). Remember that the cost exponentially increases from one category too!

Good News (sort of):

1) Even with the bad news #1 above, the expression on her face will be unforgettable. The turquoise box signals that she will like whatever is inside. Of course the size of the box matters - in this case, the smaller the better. Stay away from large fruit bowl size boxes.

2) Great last minute service, especially during lunchtime and after work hours. One on one attention ensures high quality service and quick turn-around, from gift wrapping to credit card processing. These salespersons are professionals - all of them can process your credit card and wrap the gift blind-folded.
If you are allergic to jewelry stores, I suggest narrowing down your choices first by getting their season catalog. As some of you may have already noticed, your special someone will get the catalog months in advance, and she will leave it in a not too conspicuous spot. If this happens, beware to NOT, I repeat NOT use the catalog as a coaster. The catalog can mean as much as the jewelry itself.

3) All of the above actually saves you TIME in the long run. Since there are but a few selections to choose from anyway, any stressful investment in time and effort are saved. The hardest decision will be whether she likes the gift for her ears, neck, wrist, or fingers.

Keep on earning chump change in sites like this to indulge that special someone. At the very least it will be enough to pay for the sales tax.