Enlighten Me

We illuminate our lives every day with a variety of things: the sun, new knowledge, friendships, laughter, and, of course, light bulbs! No matter where you go, fluorescent and halogen bulbs glare down at you from the ceilings and the walls. Scientists have spent many years devising energy-efficient bulbs that are environment-friendly, and the search for a truly unique and viable light bulb is ever continuing.
               

Phil Bosua has invented such a light bulb, named “LIFX.” These LED light bulbs can be programmed for any color, dimmed as need, and come with a variety of effects. The fascinating thing about these bulbs is that they are controlled directly from your smart phone. External controllers are unnecessary, as LIFX simplifies things to make all of the features accessible in the palm of your hand. LIFX can also be programmed to match the beat of music being played in the room, and is a useful addition for anyone trying to turn any boring old room into a party just waiting to happen!

These bulbs have a life expectancy of about 40,000 hours, and can last for up to 25 years with average use. They are not on the market as of yet, but the project has received ten times the funding that it requires to get off the ground (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/limemouse/lifx-the-light-bulb-reinvented). Predicted prices are $69 for one, $119 for two, $196 for four, $294 for six, $392 for eight and $490 for 10. Below are two links: the first of which is an article describing the product, and the second is the product’s website at which you can pre-order some of these fantastic new glowing orbs!

http://www.geekologie.com/2012/09/lifx-the-color-changable-wi-fi-enabled-2.php
http://www.lifx.co/

Tips for fixing PowerPoint "nightmares"

Here are some ways to avoid PowerPoint "nightmares" that could happen. Many of these problems arise when people are trying to use PowerPoint created on their own computer on another one. We've had audio issues before (#6). Some of these tips are good to know such as the formatting text around the image issue.

Photoshop CS6 Retina Support

When Apple introduced the new MacBook Pro with retina display last summer, they also promised a Photoshop that would be retina compatible to follow within the next couple months. However, we did not see a retina compatible Photoshop this fall. But there seems to be good news... the latest Adobe video shows a new MacBook Pro running Photoshop CS6. This video is advertising Adobe's Create Now Live event which is scheduled for December 11, 2012. We will just have to wait and see if the promised retina compatible Photoshop CS6 will be included in this announcement.

Here is Adobe's video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NaTV3FlCxQ

What To Look For In a New Laptop

With the holiday season here, people want to buy. Even though gifts for this holiday season may range from scented candles to assorted cheeses, when it comes to getting a new laptop it isn't that easy. Shelves are now filled with shiny new PCs and Macs and its hard for consumers to pick what to get. Here is a guide to making the buy a little bit easier.

Windows or Mac?
The first choice may not be as easy you think. It could be a personal choice depending if you want an elegant and reliable Mac, or a Windows computer that offers much greater variety and lower prices. Apple has kept the traditional laptop approach with a touch pad and keyboard. Windows 8 has changed it up by offering a traditional Windows desktop mode, and another Start screen which is like a tablet and best used with touch screens. If you want a familiar laptop, focus on a Mac. If you want to switch back and forth, pick a Windows 8 laptop.

Storage:
Windows 8 takes up a lot more storage space than Windows 7. Make sure you get at least a 500 gigabyte hard disk or a 256 gigabyte solid-state drive.

Price:
The least costly Mac is the 11-inch MacBook Air and it is still $999. In general, you can expect to spend between $600 and $1,000 for a well-equipped thin and light touch-screen Windows 8 laptop.

Bottom Line:
Make sure you know what you're getting and why. Wade through the confusing options and get what you need.

Will Mario and Luigi Be Able to Keep Up?

This month Nintendo released a new version of its Wii game console to stores nationwide.  The new Wii, called Wii U, was released in the hopes of becoming a huge comeback for Nintendo games.  The Wii U looks like a combination of an iPad and a traditional console, with a touch screen in the middle.  Industry creators are starting to realize that younger generations of gamers favor a multi sensory gaming experience, with data accessible from their television, computer, tablet and cell phone. 

Since the arrival of mobile games such as Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, Temple Run and other inexpensive games, Nintendo has suffered greatly in sales and popularity.  Additionally, as free Web and Facebook games become more popular people are becoming accustomed to cheaper entertainment alternatives.  More expensive, traditional games are no longer in high demand.  Traditional games also take minutes to get up and running after turning on all the necessary equipment.  A web or cell phone game is ready for game play within seconds of opening the application.  Game players are attracted to the immediacy of these new games.

To remedy this issue Nintendo could potentially license their beloved Mario characters to other operating systems such as the iPhone and gain revenue that way.  However, Nintendo has chosen not to sellout their original creations to other gaming platforms even if it is a missed financial opportunity.  Nintendo hopes that the Wii U will make up for this years revenue loss.

As multimedia technology advances in all areas, companies must stay relevant and be aware of present competition.  Hopefully Nintendo will be able to keep up with these changes so iconic game characters like Mario and Luigi do not disappear from the gaming world.   

Photography Tips for Smartphone Users

Since the majority of college students now own smartphones, I thought that this article I found recently could be interesting and beneficial to many. Smartphone cameras have become increasingly impressive over the past couple of years. So much so that, it has become common to solely bring one's smartphone everywhere rather than taking an additional device out such as a camera to take pictures with. Therefore, find out ten tips on how you can make the most out of the pictures you are taking with your smartphone by reading the article listed below. The tip I found most interesting in the article was to ditch the flash. I had never realized before that many smartphone flashes are nothing more than glorified LED lights and can often cause your image to be both blurry and terribly lit. Which tip do you find most interesting?

http://www.popphoto.com/gallery/10-tips-making-your-smartphone-photos-look-they-came-real-camera

Enjoy!

Pixlr: Photoshop's Free Little Stepsister

I recently found the coolest photo editing website ever! Pixlr is a free website that lets you edit pictures in a couple different ways. 1. You can use the simple and fun editor that is kind of like Instagram to do basic effects and add borders. 2. There is an efficient option that combines the playful with the more professional. You can crop, adjust color, remove red eye, whiten teeth, add effects, add borders, etc. 3. The final way you can edit is in the professional mode. This mode is almost exactly like Photoshop! Many of the tools found in Photoshop are also in the Pixlr professional editor. If you want to edit some photos and don't want to pay this is a great option. You can also download the app to your iPhone. Play around with it, it is a lot of fun!