Basic Features

The basic features of most electronic thermostats ( Note that these will vary depending on the model so it is important to read the specs before you make your purchase ) include control of both heating and cooling systems; ability to set the temperature in your home at least four times during the day; monitor the humidity level in your home and display on a small screen; monitor the current temperature and display the temperature on a small screen; ability to set your furnace fan to run only when the furnace heat is on or to run constantly at a slow speed. The same applies to cooling cycles in the summer time.

Advanced Features

Obviously the sky is the limit here as is the price, however features such as additional setting times during the day for the temperature; control the humidity level in your home; remote activation / control via the internet; set the degree drop or rise  before the furnace or air conditioning kicks in;  auto switch from cooling to heating;  control of your thermostat by your electrical utility. ( we will discuss this last feature more in a later section)

Convenience and Saving Energy

Today’s modern electronic thermostats are designed to provide convenience to consumers as well as enable them to also save energy and reduce their electrical and heating costs.  Not everyone is perhaps familiar with these advantages so we will spend a few paragraphs discussing this particular topic.

With a manual thermostat you must constantly adjust the temperature for your own comfort as well as remember to adjust it downwards during heating seasons when you are away. The same is true for cooling seasons except that you must increase the temperature. Most of us are forgetful and will only remember that we should have adjusted the thermostat after we have left. We do not receive the energy savings as a result and our energy costs are increasing every month.

With an electronic thermostat you can set the temperature based on your schedule for each day and then forget about it. If your schedule changes, just manually change the temperature for that period to a comfortable level. during the next period the electronic thermostat will revert to the regular schedule that you have set for it. This is perfect for people who go to work every day. Who needs to heat or cool the house when no one is home?

Not only will you save heating fuel such as natural gas, oil or electricity depending on what your home is heated with, you will also save on electricity since your furnace fan will not run as often as well. The same principles are true for the cooling season when you run your air conditioning systems. All energy sources have been increasing their rates  recently so this is becoming more and more important as consumers look to stretch their hard earned dollars a bit further. It is not unheard of for electrical rates to be increased by 10 or 20% in some areas, so reducing usage is becoming even more important.

Electrical Energy System Banding

In several Canadian provinces and in some US states as well, the electrical utilities have begun charging for electricity used based on the time of day it is consumed. The idea is that more electricity is consumed by industry and consumers during the day causing maximum peaks around 11 am and 2 pm. By charging higher rates during these time periods the utilities are hoping consumers and industry will move their consumption to evening hours when demand is usually way down and also when electrical rates are much lower.

With this billing system in place, consumers can actually save money if they cause their electrical systems to be turned off during these peak times. Reducing  your furnace and air conditioning use during the day as well as clothes dryers, dishwashers and other appliances that consume electricity will definitely reduce your electrical bill.

Electronic thermostats are perfect for this energy reduction initiative, since consumers can adjust their thermostats to take advantage of the lower electrical rates offered by the utilities during non peak hours.

Electrical Utilities Controlling Your Thermostat!

We said we would come back to this subject in this post. Can you imagine that this is even  possible? And why would you allow it?

Well it seems that some utilities are so worried about meeting peak demands for electrical energy, they are offering all kinds of programs to help them reduce electricity consumptions and control peak demand load. If they cannot meet the electrical demand on any given day, consumers may experience brown outs which are dimming of the lights all the way to electrical system failure. Brown outs are also bad for computer systems and many other devices that need to have a stable electrical system.

Anyway, some utilities are offering to provide you with a brand new electronic thermostat complete with all of the bells and whistles and one more feature that most do not have. These special thermostats give the utility the ability to adjust the temperature in your home to reduce the electrical consumption during peak demand times. Apparently you can manually adjust the temperature yourself to over ride the change they make, however for many people it can be an excellent way to upgrade to a new thermostat and save money at the same time.

These programs do not exist in all jurisdictions and it is optional were they exist. The major advantage is that you receive a new electronic thermostat and they will install it for you as well. A great way to contribute to energy savings, reduce your costs for heating and cooling while still having control over your systems.

Timers to Control Lights

Traditionally many people have used the older style mechanical timers to turn on lights inside and outside the home. They plug into an electrical socket and with the use of small indicators turn on lights at the desired time. One of the drawbacks to this style of timer is that if the power goes off , the timer will lose time for the period that the power is off. Next thing you know you have the lights turning on and off at weird times if they are not reset. This is not easy to do if you happened to be away from  home on vacation.

There are electronic timers that work the same way, however they have no moving parts and a battery can be purchased to power them if the power does go off for a short time frame. They still need to be reset from time to take into account the changing times of sun rise and sun set, or daylight savings etc .

Photo Sensors

These are new devices that have light sensors in them which will turn off the light when there is adequate light and as the sun sets, the photo sensor will then turn the light on.  These are excellent devices since they do not depend on a timer to turn them on. They do need power of course and will not turn on if there is no power. However once the power returns, they will again begin to work as usual, turning the lights on as needed with no adjustment required.

There are a variety of photo sensor devices on the market. Traditionally you could not use a photo sensor with the new fluorescent lights. You were stuck using an incandescent light which draws more power and drives up your energy bill. Lately we have seen products on the market that are designed to work with fluorescent lights for indoor and outdoor use, which give you the power savings as well as light only when it is dark inside or outside your home.

Some of these devices now have timers with them as well. They work a little bit different than traditional timers. Instead of staying on for a specific time, they will turn on whenever there is a low light condition and then the timer kicks in keeping the light on for a specified time. Typically settings can be chosen from 2 , 4 or 6 hours. The lights will stay on for the number of hours chosen. Combined with the use of florescent lights and only staying on for a short time gives you additional energy savings.

There are also photo sensor lights with LED  bulbs available on the market as well. They work in the same manner as any other photo sensor based light, however they use LED’s instead of incandescent or fluorescent bulbs and take very little energy as a result. You can leave them on all night and they will consume very little power. They do not shed as much light, however there is sufficient to see your way around a dark home.

Motion Sensors Combined with Photo Sensors.

This is an excellent combination for those people concerned about power usage as well as security around the outside of their homes.  The photo sensor will only enable the motion sensor when there is a low light condition. The motion sensor when activated will only turn on the light if it senses motion within the range of the sensor. Aiming of these devices is important to ensure that you have a wide enough scan to give you the security you need. The light will also stay on for a specified length of time, which is usually long enough to scare any would be burglar away.

We have not seen these devices combined with the ability to support fluorescent bulbs yet, however it is less of an issue since they only turn on when they sense motion and they do not need to stay on all night. Power usage is minimized or at least less than it would be if the lights were on all night so there is minimal impact on your energy bill.

Application of these Security Devices

With all of these new products on the market it can confuse a consumer regarding which is better to use.  Many consumers will use the new LED photo sensor devices indoors to provide a low level low energy ambient light for their homes. When they are away from home over night and wish to give their home that lived in feeling, they will employ timers to turn lights on and off at the usual time you would expect. Lights come on in the evening and turn off at night around bedtime and the same thing in the morning.

Outdoors is a different matter. You want to have additional security at all times. No one wants to approach a dark home on any street. Lights with photo sensors and also with motion detectors are excellent devices to employ. This way when you come home at night your front door is always lit giving you the additional security that many people relish. In addition, motion detectors at the side of the home and at back entrances provide additional protection by turning on only when needed and when there is some sort of motion detected. Note that if you live in area were there are lots of animals, your lights are going to turn on more often that what you might expect.

Aside from that they are pretty much the same in terms of function. The much larger screen is easier to read of course and if you want something to allow you to read books, then this device is about the size of a large book.  The Apple iPad has taken the tablet market by storm to the point that they cannot make them fast enough to keep up with demand. Most apps written for the iPod Touch have been rewritten to also support the iPad.

Apple iPod or iPad

If you are thinking about purchasing one of these devices there are a number of things that as users you should be aware of. I am not going to get into all of the technical issues here since most consumers just want to know that it works all of the time and can they use it for the functions that they need it for. Also there is really nothing on the market that comes close to the functionality of these devices or the number of applications that you can download to them. As a result we will not even think about reviewing any of the other tablet and pocket systems that are gradually making their way onto the market.

Form Factor

Form factor is a fancy term for describing whether you like the size, shape and feel of a device. For me the form factor was really important and that is why I chose an iPod over an iPad. I like the idea of being able to read all of my emails, browse the internet, read books and check on my bank balance from a device I can carry around in my pocket. Both the iPad and the iPod Touch can do all of these things and much more.

I just like the idea of throwing my iPod touch in my pocket. While other folks will prefer the larger size screen of the iPad and the larger  font size that can easily be selected on the iPad. I have seen operations managers carrying both the iPad as well as the iPod Touch with them so that they can easily keep up to date with the systems they are monitoring and at a glance be able to check on any amber or red conditions that might be occurring in the network. Some like the size of the screen of the iPad, while others cannot be bothered carrying around the larger heavier devices.

Advantages of the iPad

Apple has been able to throw into one device the ability to browse the internet, read emails, read books, play games, be a photo frame device, play music as in an iPod. Combine that with 10 hours of battery life and over 300,000 apps available from the iTunes store and you have a very powerful device. While it is a general use device, it cannot do some of the application specific activities that other devices may be known for. Still this is a very powerful tablet computer and a major contender.

Reviewers have also mentioned that viewing videos on this device are so much better with the crystal clear screen and size. It has the portability of the iPod, with the larger screen to make viewing videos very enjoyable compared to the iPod.

Reading the news from online news papers as well as news feeds is also very comfortable with the large screen. The larger keyboard as well is convenient for replying to emails and sending notes to friends or updating status on Twitter or Facebook.  The portability of this device compared to a desk top or even a lap top computer is seen as a major advantage.

Disadvantages of the iPad

We already mentioned the size of the iPad, which may be a negative for some and preferred by others. It also does not have front and back cameras which would make it useful for video conference calling using services like Skype. Flash support and integrated HD video are promised for the next release, so if you have not purchased an iPad yet and can afford to wait, this new release might be worth waiting for.

While it is affordable, and a light weight tablet computer, it will not replace your laptop any time soon.  Power users of applications such as word, excel, power-point and project will prefer their personal computers for these applications. Note that you can work and / or read files for all of these, it is just more difficult to use them on the iPad including printing and modifying these files compared to a lap top or desk top.

One big disadvantage that many reviewers discuss, is the inability to connect the iPad to printers and other network elements other than through a wireless connection. Many agree that this wireless connectivity gives a great deal of flexibility, most do not have external devices set up to connect in this way.

The iPad is an excellent reader for all kinds of applications and content on the web or locally i.e. an e-book. With more and more apps available specifically for the iPad, it’s intrinsic value can only increase. Some reviewers complain that the apps written for the iPod, while they work well, are optimized for the iPod. Over time most app developers are modifying these apps to allow them to work better on the iPad and utilize the larger display the iPad provides.

For those readers who may not be familiar with this product, I will take a few paragraphs to describe some of the features that it has and why I like it so much.  First of all it does everything an iPhone can do except make voice calls on any of the nations cellular networks and it needs to have a WiFI connection to be able to connect with the internet.

WiFi Service & Locations

WiFi is basically free wireless internet that anyone can access. It is local in nature to the store, home or office that provides the service and some installations require a password. You can find WiFi sites at all Starbucks, many other coffee shops, most MacDonalds , even many laundry mats and many offices, although these are generally password protected.

Skype Calling on the Apple iPod Touch

I said you cannot make voice calls on the cellular networks.  You can make calls using Skype using your iPod Touch as long as you have a WiFI connection and you have a Skype ID and have installed the Skype application on your iPod Touch. This is one of those free app’s that Apple loves to advertise about! I just got off a free Skype call with my daughter in Barbados using my iPod Touch!

No Data Charges

I carry my iPod Touch with me where ever I go and check when I have a moment to see if there is a WiFi connection available. If there is I check my email, check the stock market, look up the weather forecast, sign on to Facebook to see what everyone is doing and even my bank account sometimes if I need to pay a bill. All of this is done over a WiFi connection and no data charges.

Viewing Yutube videos and downloading movies or large files can really eat into your data traffic allowance for the month if you are paying for a data plan using some other device. Not with the iPod Touch. There are no charges, it is free wherever you go. The only drawback is that you have to wait until you find a WiFI site before you can connect and go online.

Some people may not be satisfied with this level of connectivity. For me I am more than happy to not be online all of the time and to take advantage of free wireless internet service, free voice calling and free access to all my apps!

The New Ipod Touch

The new iPod Touch is sleeker than the original and also has a camera on the front as well as on the back of the device. Now you can take pictures with the iPod Touch and send them immediately or next time you have a connection. You can also participate in video conferences with your iPod Touch were the caller can both see you and you can see them if they are equipped with a camera as well. Note that the 3G iPhones only have one camera and cannot do video conferences very well. The 4G iPhones do have this capability with dual cameras.

Play Music, Read Books and much more

The iPod Touch is like any other iPod or Iphone in that you can download music from iTunes or load you own music onto the device and use it as a player. With OS 4.2 you can also now play music and also utilize other applications at the same time. The iPod Touch has all of the same features as the 4G models, in fact it uses the same OS ( operating system ) as the iPhone with the cellular calling features turned off.

There are over 300,000 apps that you can take advantage of depending on your interests. One area that I really like is that you can download and install an app that provides free science fiction books to read on your iPod Touch. Some of them are bit old, but many provide very interesting reading if your into that genre of fiction. There are may other types of books as well that can be downloaded. You can of course download books from iTunes and read some of the latest releases for a reasonable price. There is even a Kindle app that can be installed.

Now when I am shopping with my wife and she is taking some time to make a decision or is trying on clothes, I just pull out my iPod Touch and continue reading the latest book that I have been viewing. It auto saves the book mark so I never lose my place! This is one of the best apps that I have used so far.

For Those Die Hard PC Fans

I was one of those and would never purchase an Apple product, until I walked into a store one day and looked at the iPod Touch. A salesman explained how to operate it and what I could do with it and I was sold instantly. As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, it is one of the best purchases that I have made in a long time. With over 300,000 apps available, there is something for everyone and even if you have to pay a small fee of $.99 or a $1.99, you will more than get your money back for many of the apps that are available.

I personally like the iPod Touch because of it’s size. The iPad is too large for my needs, because I like to carry the iPod Touch around with me at all times. However readers should know that the iPad also does all of the same things that the iPhone and iPod Touch will do on a larger screen. As a result many apps are being rewritten to take advantage of the larger screen!

No More Blinking Clock

Remember the proverbial blinking clock on the VCR. Every time the power went off, the clock on the VCR would need to be reset and of course any programs that you were going to record would be lost. No more with a digital PVR. The new HD PVR’s are linked to the cable or satellite networks and even if they lose power they just re-sync after the power comes back on. You will lose any programs you were going to program while the power is off, however once it re-syncs, you are back in business and your programs will be recorded as usual without any need to touch the controls. Fantastic!

Recording is So Easy

This is one of the best parts. Recording a program now is so easy with the HD PVR’s. Pull up the programming guide, select the program you want to record, press the record button and then select the number of episodes and how long you want the program saved and you are done. It is that easy, since the PVR does all of the hard work in terms of translating the times, the channels and the programs.

You can watch your recorded programs any time and you can also record two programs at the same time! We never miss a program now. Note that the PVR has only two tuners, so you can watch or record only two programs at the same time.

Record in HD

Of course with a new TV set and HD PVR, you are going to start watching all of your programs in HD from now on. Once you have seen the quality difference, you cannot go back to regular programming. Your HD PVR is set up to record either. HD programming has more information and therefore will take more memory on the PVR’s hard disk, so if you really like to watch a lot of TV programming and record these programs, we suggest that you purchase or lease the largest PVR hard disk  available. The price differential is not significant and the extra storage will become really valuable to you. Purchase the Largest Hard Disc Available from your supplier.

Save all of Your Programs

We usually record programs, watch them at some later time and then delete them to make room for more programs later on. This way we always have space for new programs and we do not miss any of our programming. Some people will save their favorites so they can go back to the program and watch it several times. The only issue is that there is a limit to how much you can save on the disk so pay attention and clean up your PVR’s disk once and awhile to make room for new programs.

Speed Through the Advertisements

This is a really great feature. When we watch an hour long program that has been saved, we always fast forward through the commercials. Our PVR has a feature that allows us to fast forward at one of 4 different speeds. You can go slow or really fast and save time by not having to watch all of these advertisements. It is amazing, but a one hour program can be watched in something like forty minutes if you speed through all of the advertisements! We sometimes will spend an evening watching several programs from the same series and go through them all in two thirds of the time it would take to watch them live.

One of our friends has a really busy lifestyle. They schedule an evening to watch their favorite TV programs together. They spend the evening watching their programs and speeding through advertisements. In one evening, they can watch a weeks worth of programs and save a lot of time.

Pause, Rewind, Fast Forward and More

There are lots more features that are available. The usual pause , rewind, fast forward features are available. The action is much smoother than the old VCR’s and there is no risk of broken or stretched tapes either. Pause on a really spectacular scene or rewind and go through the scene again in slow motion. You have all of the control.

Also if you watch a program and have to stop in the middle the, PVR will remember were you stopped watching. When you return to that recording to watch remainder it will ask you if you want to start at the beginning or were you left off.

Integrated Remote

We talked about this feature in our last post as well. The remote that comes with the PVR can be programmed to control all of your components including the TV, the audio  system, the DVD player and the Blueray player. No need to go looking for the remote, it can all be controlled from one system.

Satellite or Cable TV PVR

When you purchase your PVR, the store you are dealing with should ask you which provider you are using. It is important to use the write model so that it will sync up properly and display the TV guide from either the Cable company or the Satellite company you subscribe to. You will need to make  sure that your system connects with your provider and you may also need to upgrade to HD programming if you do not already have it. An HD PVR and HDTV with out HD programming is like a car without gas.

Of course we also had to purchase a new TV stand to support the set that we bought and fit into our homes decor. This took almost as much time to make a decision as the actual TV set. We finally agreed on a sleek black glass model with several shelves that looks just great in the corner beside our fireplace.

Why a Plasma TV

Some people might ask why we did we not purchase one of the new LED flat screen TV’s or one of the new 3D flat screen panels? We will cover the 3D flat screen panel issue later in this post. The Plasma TV selection was actually quite complicated. I spent an entire afternoon in TV shop in one of their demo rooms viewing channels on several TV’s (LCD, LED and Plasma) and reading specifications about the various models as well comparing prices.

On the price issue we went to several different vendors comparing specific TV’s and found that the big name stores had their standard price, although they said they would match any competitor if we could prove that they had a lower price. I think this particular sales technique is invalid. If I find a better price at an acceptable vendor, why would I go back to the original vendor? Give me your best price now or forget it. Personally, we like to go with a smaller vendor who has been in business for a long time since they will give you much more personalized service in the long run.

Screen Burn In

For many years plasma TV’s had a bad reputation for images being burned into their screen’s. This happened when a particular image was left on the screen for too long and it left an imprint on the screen which would show through other programs that you might be viewing. Some of these images would disappear over time, however most consumers found this to be very irritating.  The new plasma TV’s have corrected this problem and the salesperson we spoke with assured us that this irritant would be a non issue for us. We have had the plasma TV for several months now and have not noticed this burn issue at all.

Features We Wanted

Brilliant images and response time are two important features that you need to pay attention to. In both cases the plasma TV’s are superior.  The colors are fantastic, especially on programs that feature high definition nature type programs. These pictures are truly spectacular. With respect to refresh rate, you need to pay attention to this spec, particularly if you watch a lot of fast action sports, high action movies or play a lot of games. We stayed away from the LED TV’s and the LCD because the refresh rate is actually slower in these sets than on plasma TV’s. Checking with CNET they actually concur with our own opinion that Plasma TV’s are by far superior to LED and LCD TVs.

A USB Interface was another feature we wanted and did not get on this model that we purchased. It was more of a convenience feature to allow us to hook up our computer to TV easily and use it as a monitor. It was not a must have, so we let this one go although there are more expensive models that have this feature.

It does have a camera interface however to allow you to connect your camera directly to one of the inputs to the set. You can also take your digital cameras memory card and plug it into a slot on the TV to access all of your pictures directly. The TV also has a display mode that cycles through all of the pictures if you want to display them.

Out of Date Already

Of course as with many electronic items, our 42 inch plasma TV was out of date within months of when we purchased it. There were new models both in the 2D and 3D display types which we could have chosen. The 3D TV’s are still too expensive for us so it will be awhile before we upgrade to the latest available model.

HD PVR

Once you invest in a new TV, you pretty much have to invest in a PVR to make it really a powerful combination. The new PVR’s are nothing like the old VCR’s in terms of programming. All you need to do is go to the TV guide, select the program you want to record and press record. Confirm and your program will be recorded every time it is posted on the  TV Guide from your cable or satellite company. Note that you must buy the PVR that is  compatible with your cable or satellite provider for it to work properly. It is far easier to use and now we never miss one of our favorite programs. Purchase your PVR from the same firm you bought your TV from and you can usually negotiate a deal.

Integrated Remotes

Another advantage of the PVR is that it comes with a programmable remote. Once programmed you can, control your PVR, your TV set and also the audio system if it is also hooked up to your entertainment system. One remote! Can you imagine how great that is!

Integrated Components

We really like our total set up now. The combination of the new plasma TV, the HD PVR  and the sound system, has brought us into the 21st century and providing us with very enjoyable HD programming. One remote, controls all components including an older DVD player that we still have. I guess that is the next thing to upgrade. We need a Blueray player!

I bought this particular model at FutureShop after talking with one of their sales people about which model to purchase.  I was concerned about this model since it did not specifically say that it had a built in microphone with it which you absolutely must have. Turns out it does, even thought the marketing material on the outside of the box does not talk about it.Talk about bad marketing on the part of Microsoft! Fortunately there was a salesman readily available to help me.

The Mic is a directional mic, which means it only picks up sound directly in front of it. For most computer calls this is exactly what you need. Sounds off to the side or in an adjacent room may not be picked up and transmitted unless they are very loud. This is actually an advantage if there is a lot of background noise when you are making a call.

The sales person I spoke to, used this particular model to call his family in Dubai every week and he said he can personally vouch for the unit. Personally I do not put a lot of faith in sales people especially when they are trying to sell me something, but I know were to find him and the video cam works!  It is going to be a Christmas gift so that we that we can stay in touch with our family while traveling.

Video Calling

Many people would simply say, “Why don’t you just pick up the phone and call?”. Well the answer is that we want to chat with our family over a long distance in another country and unless you have a spectacular voice  plan, it can get expensive. With this type of calling  you can chat for free as long as you want and not worry about what it is going to cost. When you compare a computer to computer call that is free, well what choice do you have! On top of that you can start a video call and actually see the person at the other end of the call.

Note, that it is a good idea to call first with the video turned off, then ask if they want to make it a video call. There is a possibility that they or you may not be dressed appropriately for a face to face call. If your camera is automatically turned on when you start the call, you may see some things that you did not plan on. Just a small thing, but it is good to be aware of this to avoid some embarrassment.

You can also call a traditional phone or mobile with this unit, however unless you connecting with a smart phone, you will just be able to have an audio call. The call will cost you some nominal fee, but it is usually much cheaper than paying long distance for the call. We have not tried this yet, however running Skype  on a smart phone enabled with video capability should also work. We have done this from an audio perspective so we think the video will work as well. The new iPOD touch with embedded cameras has been positioned to do exactly what we are discussing. It has a camera on the front as well as on the back to accommodate video conference calling. If someone has done this perhaps you could leave a comment to let us know how well it works.

We have spoken to our kids in over 30 different countries all using this type of calling method at zero cost. What a great way to keep in touch. A buddy of mind is using  this same approach to chat with his girlfriend in another city so that he can stay in touch more easily with her.

Back to the Microsoft LifeCam HD-5001

The HD stands for high definition and this camera provides 720p wide screen video recording. It is compatible with Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger and of course Skype, the industry leader. The camera is auto focus, so no need to make adjustments for a good picture and it comes with something called Truecolor Technology which delivers bright and colorful video. There is a flexible base which will allow you to place it almost anywhere including attaching it to the screen of your laptop. There is also a 3 year limited hardware warranty.

It is a compact small device which will not take a lot of room on your desk or on the side of your lap top. The Microsoft LifeCam HD-5001 comes with some software that you need to install during setup. Straight forward and easy to install, just insert the disk and follow the directions.

If you are buying a new  lap top you may not need to purchase one of these devices. Most now come equipped with cameras and built in microphones and can do much of what we have discussed. However they may not have some of the features such as HD, auto focus or have the flexibility of easily turning the camera to take in someone in another part of the room.  Before you purchase either a laptop or a Microsoft LifeCam HD-5001 discuss your needs with the sales person and select the best product for your needs.  Desk tops do not typically come equipped with these cameras and microphones, however you can sometimes negotiate with the store for a component like the Microsoft LifeCam HD-5001 to be included with your overall package.

If you have used the Microsoft LifeCam HD-5001 or other products similar to this one, please leave a comment for our readers.

One of the reasons we liked this particular camera is it’s small size. The camera can fit in a shirt pocket easily or in a woman’s purse with no problem what so ever. Of course it does not have the lens capability of large SLR type cameras, however we were willing to sacrifice that for the smaller camera size and ease of carrying. This way we can take the camera out when we want to take a picture easily and not look like a total tourist all of the time with his camera slung around their neck.

Compared to our old digital camera the Samsung PL70 Digital Camera is light years ahead. Some of the specifications that really impressed us are as follows:

Face Detection

The Samsung PL70 Digital Camera comes with smart face detection software which allows it to recognize faces in the picture to be taken. It will automatically detect a human face and focus on the face to obtain an accurate picture by adjusting the exposure automatically. There is also a blink detection mode and a smile detection mode. In blink detection mode, the camera will automatically take two photos if it detects that someones eyes are closed. Although this does not guarantee that you will not catch someone with their eyes close, it greatly increase the odds of getting a good shot.

The same applies to the smile function. Set the camera to Face Function and smile shot. The camera will automatically release the shutter when it detects that the subject is smiling.

Self portraits have always been difficult to take, however now there is a function that makes it a bit easier. Set the Samsung PL70 Digital Camera to self portrait and hold the camera in position. When you hear a beep press the shutter to take the shot. The camera automatically adjusts the focus to take a good shot with your face in focus.

Adding Voice Memos to Pictures

If you are one of these people who needs to be reminded of the details of a picture, record a voice memo of up to 10 seconds with each picture. The Samsung PL70 Digital Camera can easily accommodate this feature to help us all remember names of people in the picture or names of cities or towns we are visiting.

Image Sensor

Compared to our old camera which was state of the art at the time with 2.1 mega pixels, the Samsung PL70 Digital Camera is a 12.2 mega pixel camera which will give us excellent quality pictures taken at full quality levels.

Lens

The focal length has an F stop of 5 to 25 mm, which is equivalent to 28 to 140mm for a 35 mm film equivalent. The F Stop range is F3.4 to F5.8 and the digital zoom works from 1.0X to 5.oX which gives you great zooming power.

Display

The display on the Samsung PL70 Digital Camera is a TFT LCD screen with 3.o inch  screen size, one of the largest in the digital camera field for cameras that will fit in your pocket.

Shutter Speed

Shutter speed in auto mode can vary from 1/8 to 1/2000 of a second. The Samsung PL70 Digital Camera can also be programmed for program shooting, night time shooting and for taking pictures of fireworks.

Battery

The battery for the Samsung PL70 Digital Camera is a rechargeable lithium ion battery that easily fits into the camera and recharges in one of several ways.  You can connect the camera to your computer via a USB cable and the camera battery will be recharged. It may not work in all USB ports on your computer so you will have to confirm this. The battery can also be recharged with a special connector that allows you to connect it to an electrical outlet.

The battery is supposed to last for approximately 140  to 280 pictures depending on the use of the flash. You can also take approximately 130 minutes of video with the camera.

Uploading Pictures to Your Computer ( Mac or PC )

There are several ways to do this. I found the easiest way is to connect the USB cable provided to the camera and the computer and then turn on the camera. Once the computer recognized the camera, I selected the built in XP file transfer protocol for transferring pictures and selected those that I wished to transfer. It was as easy as that and the quality etc of the initial test photographs were great . The other approach is to install the software that comes with the camera and use this software to manage uploading the files. The additional advantage of using this built in software that comes with the camera is that you can also edit the pictures if you so choose.

Printing Photos Directly from your Camera

If you have the appropriate printer that accepts USB connections from Cameras you can connect the Samsung PL70 Digital Camera to the printer and then print the pictures on your camera directly from the camera.  The Samsung PL70 Digital Camera allows you to select the images, set the size, the layout , type of paper, quality and date if desired. Most recent printers will support this connection, however you may want to confirm before purchasing or read your printer manual before attempting to print directly from your camera. You can also print pictures from your computer in the standard way but first you must transfer them to your computer via the USB cable.

We set the Memory Frame 1040 Plus so that it would change pictures every few seconds, which gave everyone enough time to look at the picture while at the same time not boring them. It is important to keep the pictures moving fast enough to maintain everyone’s interest. The Memory Frame 1040 Plus is only an 8 inch by 10 inch display so it is not as large as some are, however when sitting on a small table or the mantle of the fireplace it is the perfect size.

The Memory Frame 1040 Plus has lots of features and like all new electronics these days, every year brings new features that are being added to new models.

How Many Pictures Can I Display

The number of pictures that can be displayed is a variable number. You can fill the memory with pictures and display all of the pictures one after another on a rotating basis. The reason the number of pictures is variable is that it depends on the size of the files that you load onto the Memory Frame 1040 Plus. When you take pictures with digital cameras, pictures can be quite small in size and not as good quality as pictures that are taken at full quality and consume a lot of memory. Basically it is a trade off between quality and file size. If you never will enlarge a picture there is no need to increase the pixel quality, however if you are planning on enlarging pictures you will want better quality pictures which means larger file sizes for digital images.

Loading Pictures into the Memory Frame 1040 Plus

Loading pictures into the Memory Frame 1040 Plus is as easy as transferring pictures from your computer onto a memory stick and then plugging your memory stick into the USB connector on the Memory Frame 1040 Plus. You can follow the on screen menus to transfer the pictures on to the Memory Frame 1040 Plus and set the display rate and you are ready to go.

If you decide to change the pictures or add more pictures, just repeat the same process. Depending on how many pictures you already have stored on the picture frame viewer you may need to erase some from the memory to make room for more.

On Screen Menu’s

The on screen menu for the Memory Frame 1040 Plus is quite intuitive . Most people will be able to figure it out easily especially if you are familiar with operating a computer. Just select the menu that you need and follow the step by step process to load files or display them for your enjoyment.

Adding Music in Combo Mode

The Memory Frame 1040 Plus can also play MP3 files that have been loaded onto the display. Access the file and press play to play the selected MP3 music file.

MP3 files can also be played in combination with a slide show that you might want to show. On the menu select combo and then select the MP3 file along with the photos that you want to display. The music will display in the background while the pictures are being displayed on the screen.

Movie Clips

Small movie clips can also be shown on the Memory Frame 1040 Plus.  Load your movie file onto the device and then select the clip you want to display and press play. You can also display pictures , music and movies from the memory stick that you have attached to the Memory Frame 1040 Plus, however it is better to transfer the files to the memory of the Memory Frame 1040 Plus to avoid any unnatural pauses in the display.

Adding Text

You can add test to screens as well, although this may take a little more time. Once the text file is created in ASCII format you can transfer it to the Memory Frame 1040 Plus and access it in memory for display.

Remote Control

As with most electronic devices these days the Memory Frame 1040 Plus comes with a remote control. There are controls that can be used that are on the side of the display at the back of the screen. However these are a bit awkward to use, especially when you have the remote o use.

The remote for the Memory Frame 1040 Plus has all of the functions you will need to transfer files, to load them and display them in the manner you wish. If you have trouble with the remote consult the manual for the Memory Frame 1040 Plus to clarify how it works.

Editing & Deleting Files

All of the files take up space in the memory of the Memory Frame 1040 Plus and you will want to clean up the files from time to time by deleting these files and adding others. There are simple on screen command that you can use to delete files for this purpose.

Keeping the Display Screen Clean

As with all display screens of this type and computer screens they seem to attract dust like a magnet. You will want to clean the screen often to avoid dust build up and to keep the Memory Frame 1040 Plus presentable.

Never clean the screen with anything that is abrasive to avoid damaging the screen in any manner. Use a soft damp cloth to wipe the screen and clean it. You may need to rinse the cloth several times, however each time take care to make sure that there is no possibility of droplets of water being splashed on the screen that could get past the sides of the screen and inside the display.

I was exposed to Bose for the first time when I was riding in the car of a friend of mine who had a Bose audio system installed in it. The clarity of the music was fantastic and the next time I saw a store, I spent over two hours in the store checking out the various audio’s systems and listening too music. If you ever want to build an audio theater or a home theater, this is the equipment to purchase.

Their high end systems will self tune to the room that you place them in, based on were you like to sit and listen to music. This is an intelligent optimization program that is utilized to make sure the music is optimized for your personally based on were you are in relation to the speakers and the size and shape of the room.

Speakers

They have those really small speakers which emit really clear strong sound from them. They can be mounted just about anywhere in your home and come in multiple colors to match your decor. They also have their low end system which combines a radio and CD player and speakers all in one. The unit is quite small and will easily fit on a shelf somewhere in your home, but will emit audio music that is strong and clear. I hear sounds on CD’s I have never heard before, that’s how good it is. It will also support multiple auxiliary inputs to connect other devices.

Compare Prices

The only place I have ever seen Bose was in the Outlet malls in the states, however recently we have seen them advertised online in Canada. When we were checking prices we found that in Canada, the audio system we were looking at was at least $100 more expensive and on top of that we had to pay 13% HST. (For those that may not be aware, Canadians in Ontario must pay 13% tax on just about everything we buy. This adds a lot to purchases, especially big ticket items). We were heading off to the US on a short vacation so decided to wait before making our purchase.

Factory returns are items that have been returned by customers for various reasons, checked out by the factory and confirmed that they are brand new, in working order and have no discernible scratches. They also sell for as much as $200 less than the price of a new system. We added  a factory returned CD player to the system we purchased and saved over $400 all together. We paid the 8% sales tax , declared the item at the border and did not have to pay any import duties or additional tax.

Bose Wave Music System

We purchased a Bose Wave Music System and a Bose Music System Multi CD Changer. The two units are integrated with one sitting on top of the other and measure about 14.5 inches wide, 9 inches deep and 6.5 inches high. Small and compact yet deliver a really powerful audio sound. We connect our TV output signal to the Bose auxiliary input and now listen to TV programs exclusively through this system. The multi CD changer supports 3 additional CD’s along with the single slot in the main unit. This model comes with two remotes that are used to set all features and control what you are listening too.

There is also a port to connect your iPOD to the system and then by selecting the appropriate auxiliary channel you can listen to any music you have on your iPOD. (Note that you must purchase an additional cable to connect these two devices) We use this configuration a lot when we want to play various songs over an evening.

Integrating Remotes

As we mentioned, the Bose Audio System comes with two remotes. These remotes do not support other non Bose devices. However if you have a multi-function remote with your TV set, you should be able to program that remote to control your Bose Audio System as well. We have too many remotes and this really is a great feature since it means we do not need to clutter up our coffee table with multiple remotes. You end up with one remote with a lot of functionality on it, and it does take a bit of getting use to. Still one remote is much better than many.

VAT Refund

We made one mistake when we purchased our Bose Audio system. The clerk at the store gave us a claim number and a form for us to claim a refund of the 8% New York State sales tax since we were taking the system to Canada. We did not know that we needed to obtain a document showing that we had actually imported the audio system into Canada. Even though we claimed it at customs, they waved us through and did not make us fill out any forms. As a result we did not get a refund of the New York State Sales tax. It was about$40 and would have been the icing on the cake, if we could also have received this rebate. We were very satisfied with the savings we obtained and we are not going to go back to customs now to try and get this form filled out.

Overall this is an excellent system that we can recommend to just about anyone. Check them out and if you have the time spend an hour or two in their store listening to the demo and the samples of music they provide.