National Public Radio has broadcast an expose on this topic interviewing several children who discuss their “workloads” and several experts on the subject of child rearing and playtime. The report is available online and is accompanied by an excerpt from “The Power of Play”, the forthcoming book by David Elkind, which examines how the absence of imaginative free play can impact our kids’ ability to grow up healthy and happy.

Another possible outcome of allowing, even encouraging, our children to participate in almost every activity available to them is our collective inability, as parents, to teach our kids to make choices. How can we ever discuss the need to make choices in life, some of which can be quite difficult, if we as adults push our children farther and faster into the same world of over-abundance, anxiety, and excess that our culture makes out to be the norm?

So what can you and your family do to curb this trend? The first step should be to schedule a sit down family meal, even if it begins as just a once a week occurrence (if you do not already make this a part of your daily lives). Recapture the tradition of sharing this important time together and learning more about each other, by actually speaking to one another (a simple concept now classified as “nostalgia” in many households). At dinner you can talk to your kids about their day. Slow down, unwind, and revel in what they can come up with on their own. I personally have had to learn to stop finishing my daughter’s sentences and let her speak her mind, however long that make take. As she was learning to speak in sentences, I would often try to guess what she was trying to say in an effort to “speed things up”. I soon realized that the more I did this, the more she would expect others to assist her in speaking and in other aspects of her life, feeling as though she needs someone else – a learned co-dependence if you will. Today, I no longer jump in to act as her mouthpiece. As a result, her ability to talk, create stories, and play by herself has grown exponentially.

Next, (and this may be more difficult for your family to do than it is for me to type) scale back on the activities next season. Allow your kids the opportunity to make tough choices when it comes to scheduling their time. This will be hard if your young ones have not had to pick one event, sport, or activity over another in the past, but it will be worth it as they slowly learn the value of their own time, and yours!

We make it a point to not over schedule ourselves or our daughter. We leave weeknights open for free play and dinners. Weekends are generally free as well, aside from visiting the market (a trip we have turned into a chance for her to play as well – since there is a playground near-by). This gives us the freedom to be spontaneous and take a little road trip, go to a fair, or something else fun, unscheduled, and together. We have a sit down dinner every night. It is not always a full meal – it can be the always fun breakfast-for-dinner, or what we like to call “hodgepodge” where we will all grab something; leftovers, soup, tuna fish, or whatever is around. The key is – we are always doing so together. Studies showthat this simple act will result in a child that is 50% less likely to smoke, drink, or try drugs.

Seems worth the little bit of effort required, no?

Plus, it is refreshing and rewarding to prepare dinners with and for them and to move at a bit slower pace, providing them the chance to absorb more of their surroundings and emotions.

Remember that being bored is not a horrible thing. Despite the temptation to do so, we should not attempt to cram so much in to their lives that they will have no time to be bored. Boredom should not be seen as an enemy which will produce nothing but mischief, but rather, as a time when a child will learn, on their own, what he or she can do to pass the time and entertain themselves. More often than not this time will open up doors to creativity and healthy independence, and you will see their true interests and passions flourish.

Our kids will most likely spend the majority of their adult lives working in some fashion, why don’t we let them have their childhoods back.

Compared to the analog the SDTV is significant as it provides more channels from the same station. If you observe the analog broad casting you will find that it is a hassle the capacity to accommodate only a few stations. Where as with digital it contains more information than the analog.

If you already have an analog set and wish to upgrade it to a digital one its possible by using digital tuner decoder though it will display the high quality pictures as provided by the original digital sets. In today’s market you find digital quality sets are available and the best news is that their prices have decreased.

The cable providers always do not supply with digital cables which digital signals. As such cables do not meet the standards when a digital cable is connected to a digital TV it will receive only analog signal, thus eliminating the advantages of a digital television. A solution for this is the digital quality pictures provided by satellite service providers.

Digital TV is used for the latest innovation in entertainment the HDTV.  Here you get to watch pictures in a wider screen with more clarity than in analog sets. The picture quality and the audio clarity are far better as compared with the analog.

If this revolution from analog to digital continues what about consumers who have analog system is a question which ponders the minds of many.
For this a transition period has been set up and that is through the year 2006. If necessity requires then that can be extended too.

LCD is short for liquid crystal display, and while LCD technology has been around for quite some time, it has been only in the last decade or so that the technology became suitable for the high quality flat panel television and computer monitor displays we see today. The most notable feature of displays using LCD technology, of course, is the thinness of the unit, but the power behind that thin design is actually quite extensive.

The display on an LCD panel is comprised of picture elements, or pixels as they are known to computer geeks everywhere. The resolution the flat panel display is capable of is determined partially by how many pixels are contained in the display. A typical LCD panel display can range from hundreds of thousands of pixels to millions of pixels, and the higher the number of pixels the better the resolution will be. LCD televisions come in a number of different shapes and sizes, but they are typically designed to accommodate a 16 to 9 display ratio. This ratio makes them perfect for watching widescreen displays like DVDs, as well as traditional television shows.

What are the Differences between LCD and Traditional TVs?

LCD televisions, flat panel computer monitors and other devices have a number of built in advantages, and it is these advantages that have made them such a hit with technology buyers everywhere. Some of the many advantages of LCD technology include:

Brighter display – the displays on LCD televisions are brighter than those on a traditional CRT television, due to the special way these displays work. While a traditional CRT television or monitor uses a tube to create the display, the LCT TV uses pixels, providing for a brighter display.
Flicker free performance – the display of the LCD television or computer monitor will also be free of flicker, since the LCD display will have a constant source of light throughout the entire screen. Once the pixel is turned on it remains on. Contrast this to the design of the CRT television or monitor, which must refresh the screen periodically with a ray of light moving down the monitor or TV.
Low power consumption – another big advantage of the LCD TV is its superior energy efficiency. LCD televisions will be up to 65% more energy efficient than traditional televisions, helping to protect the environment while saving you money.
Ultra slim design – it is of course the thin and sleek design that turns heads and gets the attention of buyers. LCD displays can be as thin as 49mm (just over 19 inches), meaning that these TVs can be placed virtually anywhere.
Wall mountable designs – Many LCD TVs are so thin that they can be hung on the wall as you would hang a picture. It is important of course to purchase a wall mounting bracket that is suitable for holding the weight of the unit.
A Guide to Some LCD TV Terms

If you are in the market for an LCD TV, you will likely hear a number of new, and sometimes confusing, terms bandied about. It is important to understand what these words mean to you, the television technology shopper.

Aspect Ratio – the aspect ratio of the TV helps to determine its suitability for watching movies and television programming in true widescreen format. While the traditional television has always used a aspect ratio of 4:3, i.e. 4” wide, 3” high, the typical LCD television uses an aspect ratio of 16:9, providing a truer widescreen picture perfect for watching DVD and VHS movies, as well as traditional television programming.
Candela – one of those words you may hear from time to time is candela. Put simply, the candela is a standard unit of brightness, and it is equivalent to the number of candles that would be required to produce the same intensity of light. Therefore a rating such as 450 cd/m2 means that it would take a concentration of 450 candles in a square meter area to produce the same amount of light.
Contrast Ratio – the contrast ratio is simply the difference in intensity of light between the darkest black and the brightest white on the display. The higher the contrast ratio the sharper and cleaner the picture will be.
HDTV – high definition television, or HDTV for short, is quickly becoming the standard for television signal technology, and it is important to look for an LCD TV that is HDTV ready.
Inputs – the TV inputs are important if you plant to connect a DVD player, VCR, game console, computer or other device to the LCD display panel. There are many different types of inputs, and it is important that the TV you choose provide a number of different options for getting signals to the device. A TV with a great many inputs will allow you to connect a number of different devices to the TV, greatly enhancing its versatility and its value.
It is also important to make sure that LCD TV you choose has the proper tuner for playing the TV signal you have coming in to the house. Many plasma screen and LCD TVs will lack a built in tuner, meaning that they will need to pick up that television signal from a cable box, satellite TV box, DirectTV signal or other similar device. It is important to make sure you understand the type of tuner that comes with the TV you are considering, and it is important to purchase all the accessories you will need when buying the TV.

Speaking of accessories, it is important to buy only the highest quality component cabling to connect that LCD display to your DVD player, VCR, Laser Disk player, computer or other device. The highest quality cables will provide the best picture and sound quality, which will further enhance the display of the LCD TV you have chosen.

It is also important, of course, to get the very best price you can on the LCD TV you want. The suggested retail price of the typical LCD TV will vary according to a number of factors, such as the size of the display, the thinness of the display and the quality of the manufacturer. It is important to shop around as much as possible, and to read the reviews of all the models you are considering.

Finally, the ability to play several different television signal formats, such as PAL, NTSC and SECAM, is an important consideration. Different parts of the world use different formats for television signals and video products, and buying one of these multisystem LCD TVs is a good way to make it more versatile and useful while getting the best value for your money.

In early October, Apple began hyping the iPod’s release (which was still a secret from the press after eight months of development). The hype culminated in an announcement that Apple would make a major announcement on October 23, 2001, and that it was “not Mac”. The iPod was announced to the world from a rented auditorium near Apple’s corporate campus in Cupertino. The audience – and the rest of the computer industry – was shocked by the product. No one grasped the importance of the device to Apple and the music industry in general until much later. Many reacted to the product with hostility, with criticisms that ranged from its $400 price to the scroll wheel and its lack of Windows compatibility.

The iPod’s been around for a few years now but rather than being long in the tooth, it’s been re-invented numerous times by Apple Inc. and is now a seriously impressive piece of kit. The recent advent of the iPod Touch has added to the line of existing models, rather than simply replacing existing technology. The result, is a lineup of different models, each bringing their own speciality to the table. From the ipod Nano, with solid state memory and minimal size to the iPod classic, with hard drive and excessively large storage capacity, the range of iPods available will suit everyone from Gym freaks to music fans.

So why is it so popular? Well, it’s not so much the design any more, but the hype that surrounds the Apple iPod. You see, when originally released, the iPod was at the top of it’s game, with the largest capacity, intuitive design and ergonomics built into the control buttons and software. We’ve moved on from that though. Every manufacturer out there has an Hard disk mp3 player in some major store. Apple however have moved the whole idea of the iPod, let alone it’s range of computers, out of mainstream sales and into a Chique, hip and trendy twenty something got to have it style. Much like say- Greenwich was once a hip place to be seen in Manhattan. Apple have currently cornered the market- even created a brand new market all to themselves. Smacks of Sony and the Walkman all over again. At least Apple have the Mac to fall back on at the end of it all.

But making calls is just the tip of the iceberg. The iPhone has SMS with a QWERTY keyboard, visual voicemail, a 2-megapixel camera that takes beautiful images, and a half million possible ringtones are all at your fingertips – literally. The iPhone gives you all of the features of an iPod, and then some. Its widescreen display lets you listen to audiobooks or watch videos, movies, and television shows. You have instant access to the Internet, email, maps, and a YouTube player that launches from the home screen. The iPhone maps feature ensures that you’ll never get lost, and myriad widgets keep you endlessly delighted. But a list of features doesn’t begin to express what’s at the heart of the iPhone revolution. It’s gorgeous, it’s intuitive, it’s sleek, and it’s absolutely cool.

iPhone Portals

Best of all, when you buy an iPhone, what you pull out of the box is just the beginning. The possibilities are virtually limitless. That’s why an increasing number of iPhone aficionados are turning to what are, in essence, iPhone portals – gateways to accessories, downloads, and information for this technological wonder.

The right iPhone site will unlock a world of resources for both new owners and old-timers. In the accessories department, you’ll be able to find leather cases, gel skins, and even books to help you get the most out of your iPhone. You can also find tutorials and software for your device, as well as information about iPhone repair.

Download Services

But perhaps the most useful aspect of an iPhone gateway is that it presents a number of services to download music, music videos, movies, games, and much more. For example, you can find a service that, for a one-time fee, provides you with access to unlimited downloads. This circumvents the cumbersome pay-per-download fees of most sites.

When deciding which service to purchase, make sure that the service you choose has millions of files from which to choose, that it’s free of spyware and pop-ups, and that it offers free online help and 24-hour tech support.

Media Transfers

Typically, when you sign up with a download service, you’ll also receive easy-to-install software and tutorials on how to transfer media from a DVD or a PC to an iPhone. Look for software that supports multiple video formats, such as .avi, .mpg, .mov, .wmv, and .mp4. Similarly, the software should support a variety of types of images, such as .gif, .jpg, and .bmp.

The iPhone was undoubtedly the best invention of 2007. Now that the iPhone is available in 16GB and 32GB (as well as 8GB), it’s easy to download movies, music, and videos to your heart’s content. Finding the right iPhone portal will enable you to load up your iPhone and get out the door in no time at all.

As with most technology purchases, there are advantages and drawbacks associated with investing in this type of television. Before investing in your next television set, it’s important to understand the basics of plasma televisions.

Image Quality

One of the primary reasons that plasma televisions are so popular is their high quality image displays. These types of televisions offer very high resolution images with sharp details and true to life color.

Convenient Display

Plasma television sets can easily blend into the design of just about any room. These television sets are tiny when compared with analog units, and can allow you to better utilize the square footage of your home. Instead of taking up a significant amount of floor space, plasma televisions can be hung directly on the wall or placed on a compact stand.

Longevity

Plasma televisions are not the most durable or long lasting television sets available. These types of television sets are difficult, if  not impossible to repair. They generally last about seven years with normal usage. However, they are fragile and subject to irreparable damage when being moved from one location to another.

Pricing

Plasma televisions are priced at the mid range of television technology. They are less expensive than LCD television sets, but cost significantly more than analog sets.

Is a Plasma Television Right for You?

If you want to enjoy an affordable, high quality television viewing experience, a plasma television set can be a good choice for you. However, if you’re looking for a set that will last for a decade or more, and can stand up to the rigors of frequently moves, you may want to choose a different types of television set.

You can choose your favorite show or music on your iPod or MP3 player at a touch.  No more trying to adjust the radio or be distracted from watching the traffic.

2.    With an iPod or MP3 player along, that much needed exercise, whether its at the gym, jogging or just staying home to exercise, will not seem so boring. Some players allow you to monitor your mileage while you run.  The time will go faster when you are listening to your favorite music, sport or watching a video on your iPod or MP3 player.  Put a spring in your step while cleaning your home or shopping by listening to your favorite tunes.

3.    Your iPod or MP3 player can brighten your day, regardless of your activity.

4.    If you play sports, for fun or professionally, you can record your “moves”, then analyze them to see if you are following thru or need to make some adjustments.

What to consider before your purchase an iPod or MP3 player

Ask yourself these questions:

1.    Do you want your iPod or MP3 player solely for music or do you want it for video, sports, music and photos?

2.    What size iPod or MP3 player do you want?  They can be as small as a pack of gum and weigh less than a car key.  Depending on the capabilities will increase or decrease the size.  IPod or MP3 players are very portable, going anyplace with you.

3.    Is price a factor?  IPod or MP3 players come in a range or prices – the price range is dependant on what features and capabilities you get.  Ipod and MP3 players’ general price ranges vary from up to $100.00 to $300.00 or more.

4.    What kind of display for your iPod or MP3 player?  Screen size is a personal choice and can be as varied as the players themselves.  Screens can be as small as a 4-line graphic LCD to as large as 3.6″ color high-resolution LCD with 320 x 240 pixel resolution.

5.    What memory capacity do you want? 512K to 30GB? From 120 songs to 10,000 songs, photos and videos?  These are things to think about.

6.    Depending on the investment you make in your iPod or MP3 player, is it upgradeable to future formats and features?

7.    What about battery life for your iPod or MP3 player?  Depending on how you plan to use your player will help you decide how much battery your will need.  A 16 to 24-hour playing time is a good length of time before needing to recharge.  Most iPod or MP3 player batteries are lithium, rechargeable Li-on or lithium polymer rechargeable.  Other use alkaline batteries.  Recharging your iPod or MP3 player can also be done in various ways, with either car chargers, wall chargers and/or via USB port on your computer.

8.    Additional considerations are:  digital audio, micro-photo, FM transmitter, PC compatible and voice recorder.  Depending on the iPod or MP3 player you purchase will determine which options are available and work for you.

9.    Do you have a favorite color for you iPod or MP3 player?  Ipod and MP3 players come in many colors and you can get different color cases for them.

10.    When shopping for an iPod or MP3 player consider sound quality, durability, ease of downloading music, cost, benefits and design.

What functions, features and accessories are available?

1.    Various iPod or MP3 player system requirements are:
·    PC:  Microsoft® Windows® 98 SE, ME, 2000 or XP, Intel® Pentium® II 350MHz or AMD K6®-2 450MHz processor
·    Macintosh:  USB port, Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later (Mac OS X 10.3.4 or later recommended for use with low-power USB ports)

Additional system requirements can be: Windows Media Player, CD-ROM drive (for installation and import or playback from CD), USB 2.0 compatibility and Internet connection, (broadband suggested).

2.    Large memory in your iPod or MP3 player enables you to store thousands of songs for music on the go plus thousands of photos and videos.   Below is an example of iPod and MP3 players and their song capacity.  As you can see, the size of the players is as diverse as what they can hold.

Flash or Hard Drive    Based on 4 minutes per song
512MB    120 – 350 songs
1GB    250 – 500 songs
2GB    480 – 500 songs
4GB    1,000 or more songs
5GB    Stores 166 hrs of music
6GB    1,500 songs
8GB    4,000 songs
20GB    5,000 – 9,000 songs
30GB    7,500 songs
40GB    10,000 songs
60GB    15,000 songs

3.    Some players have available expansion slots.  Expansion slots are integrated receptacles for installing additional memory via a removable memory card (Secure Digital, Multimedia Card, Compact Flash, etc.). Installation is simple; the card simply pushes in and clicks into place.

4.    Via the USB 2.0 connection from your computer, you can transfer your favorite tunes from a music website to your iPod or MP3 player in as little as a few seconds.  IPod or MP3 players have a wide compatibility with many online subscription and pay-per-download music services.  Some iPod and MP3 players are “PlaysForSure” compatible. When purchasing your player, look for this logo on the packaging.  Any music download service displaying the “PlaysForSure” logo will work.

5.    You can press a button and transfer an entire CD to your player in as little as a few minutes using the USB 2.0 connectivity from your PC.

6.    ”MP3″ might be the buzzword, but it’s not the only digital music file format out there. Fortunately, most online stores and digital music players support a full range of digital file formats.  Here are the more popular formats in use:

·    ATRAC3 which stands for “Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding 3″, WMA, MP3, ACC (used only used by the Apple® iPod™), and WAV/AIFF
·    There are many additional file formats used by the MP3 and iPod industry, not all of which are listed here:
·    MP3, WMA, WAV and DRM are audio formats.
·    Display formats are JPEG, BMP, TIFF, GIF, and PNG.
·    Image formats and AVI, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, MPG, MPE, VOB, DAT, ADF, QuickTime MOV and WMV video formats

7.    Docking cradles, power supply, AC adapters and cables, belt clips, personal speakers, headphones/ear buds, cases, car FM stereo transmitters, lanyards, sync adapters and management software are some of the accessories available with iPod or MP3 players.

8.    Removable, rechargeable batteries are used in iPod or MP3 players, some use lithium, rechargeable Lithium-ion or lithium polymer rechargeable type batteries, while others use alkaline batteries.

9.    Some players have vertical touch pads to make navigation easier than ever.  These are micro-sized and curved to fit your hand, allowing for enjoyable pure ergonomic comfort and bliss.

10.    If you get tired of your stored music, tune in to your favorite radio station with the built-in FM radio.  As many as 32 preset stations are available on some iPod or MP3 players.  Some players have games already loaded, while others allow you to download games for playing, as well.

11.    Use the recording feature for multi-function convenience or record music from the FM tuner.  With the built-in recorder in your iPod or MP3 player, you can record your baby’s first words, the interview at the office, or anything else that is important to you.  Record messages to yourself and play them back later, never again forget that anniversary gift!!

12.    Personal organizers including daily tasks list, contact list and calendar; which easily syncs with Microsoft Outlook, are available on Ipod and MP3 players with hard drives instead of flash drives.

13.    Make your ears happy!!! Enjoy skip-free playback, with custom equalizer and pre-set EQ settings, this lets you get your music just the way you like it – there are settings for acoustic, classical, disco, house, jazz, new age, pop, rock and vocal at the touch of a finger.

14.    Ipod and MP3 players fit on your arm, in your pocket, on your belt, just about anywhere.  Some iPod and MP3 players weight as little as 0.8 oz.  The lightweight of the players makes them as portable as your lifestyle demands.

You want to know what is an iPod?  It’s a product created by Apple.  Depending on which version you have its possibilities for functionality are seeming to approach limitless.  Lets assume that you’re going to pick up the new 5th generation for the grandkid, because if he’s like most kids nowadays, he’s probably rude, disrespectful and ungrateful…unless he gets exactly what he wants; which is a 5th generation iPod.
When he opens it up and starts it up he’ll be looking at the possibility of storing up to 15,000 songs, and oddly enough he will too.  He’ll be able to load his iPod up with 25,000 crystal clear color photos.  His new best friend has the capacity to store up to 150 hours videos or movies that all have the same quality as the photos.  And he can roam the mean streets of your quiet town for 20 hours before this thing runs out of batteries.

So aside from everything that should have tempted you to buy the kid one long ago, excellent quality, great capacity, podcast possibilities, etc; you’ve got every reason in the world to push aside your concerns.  The new iPods are smaller, lighter, and have more options than one could reasonably want.  The new 5th generation iPod does so many things that you won’t be asking what is an iPod, but what isn’t an iPod.

The reason that a plasma television can produce such images in a thin layer is the technology that was actually created about 35 years ago. Plasma technology starts with two thin pieces of glass that are filled with xenon and neon gas. The chamber contains all of the pixels which can reach into the millions. This chamber is filled with electric current and it illuminates the pixels that also fill the chamber. This process creates a brilliant picture that is almost unmatched by any other screen. Plasma screens offer very high resolution that is bright and has a wide viewable range. You can view the screen within a 160 degree range with no loss in quality.

To incorporate most of the advantages of a plasma television, you must make sure that it has the features that are most up to date. The most up to date features of plasma televisions is that they have 1080p resolution. You also need multiple HDMI connections because you will be connecting more than just one HD component. DVD players, cable boxes and game consoles all have HDMI capability that makes the best use of your television. Make certain that your plasma television can handle at least two HDMI connections, or it is out of date. Component video is still a great second option, but it will not create as good results. Remember that your plasma television is a center piece for your technology and it should be capable of everything that you own.

The resolution of a camera is measured and advertised in megapixels. The idea behind this figure is the number of pixels that the camera has to take an image with. In this case the higher the number the better quality of picture you will be able to take. For example if you purchase a camera that has a resolution of 4 Megapixels, pictures that you take with that camera will be able to take images made up of 4 million pixels. Its obvious when you think about that a camera with a 2 megapixel resolution will not create as image as crisp or as detailed as the 4 megapixel one.

If you often print out your images on your PC or have them sent away to be printed then the megapixel rating of your camera can be very important to you. Higher megapixels on your camera will allow you to make prints larger in size while still keeping the quality. If you try to print a picture too large than what you camera was designed for then the image drastically loses quality.

The last thing to know about megapixels is the higher the resolution you take pictures in the more space on your memory card will be taken up. A picture taken on a 4 megapixel camera will need twice as much space on a memory card as a picture taken on a 2 megapixel camera. Be sure if you want quality pictures have enough memory on your camera to back it up., Either that or have spare media cards to plug in once your space has been used up.

<b>Digital Zoom and Optical Zoom</b>

No doubt when you are buying a camera you will want some sort of zoom function to take those in the distance shots. This is a troublesome area for some first time buyers. There are two types of zoom on the market for digital cameras. Digital Zoom and Optical Zoom. The only one that really matters is Optical zoom, this is true a true zoom function that brings the objects closer to you using the optics of the camera. Digital Zoom is like using the zoom function on an image editing software package. It enlarges a section of the image so it looks as if its closer to you.

Anything you can do with digital zoom you can do with a photo editing package so don’t splash too much money on a camera with digital zoom only. Sometimes you will also so “total zoom” advertised this means the number that is quoted here is the optical zooms magnification added to the digital zooms magnification. Try to find out the magnification level of the optical zoom alone for the true value of the camera.

<b>Aperture Size</b>

We may be going a little further here than some of you would like to care about but bear with us as the aperture size can make a big impact on your pictures. The size of the aperture determines exactly how much light is let into the camera when your picture is taken. Think of the aperture like the iris of your eye. No big deal you may think, however having more light allows you take better pictures in a variety of lighting condition, cloudy days is a perfect example.
With a large enough aperture you would be less likely to need the flash, personally I don’t like to use the flash function, the artificial flash of light does not always do justice to the picture you are trying to take. Also effects like red eye are also common.

<b>Shutter Speed</b>

Great effects can be made to images using a variety of shutter speeds. The thing to look for when buying a decent digital camera in terms of shutter speeds is the broadest range you can find. This will give you the best chance of manipulating the picture the way you want it. Combined with a pro-active aperture the shutter speed can make pictures come to life or freeze images in an instant.

This technique is great when you want to take moving objects exactly how they look as if they were still. Setting the shutter speed on a slower setting gives more exposure to the CCD (charge coupled device – the digital equivalent of film). The effect is that the picture almost seems to run. Moving objects are slightly blurred. You may think this is a bad thing but take an example of running water leaving the shutter speed on for longer will soften the image creating a pleasing image to the eye much like the way a waterfall appears in real life.

You can take digital photography to the extreme with a camera that has a very wide range of shutter speeds. With an incredibly slow shutter speed, you can have a long exposure of light to the CCD and hence receive like the famous traffic scenes where the headlights blend into each other into a constant stream.

<b>Storage Media</b>

Digital Cameras come with a slot for a variety of media cards. Check when you buy your camera what type of storage media it requires. There are several popular types including Smart Media, compact flash and xD picture cards. As long as you know what type your is you should be able to safely by the correct type. Always ask at your local store if you are unsure. If you give them your make and model they should be able to point you in the right direction.

The size of the media card you choose depends on your budget but get as much as you can afford. More memory means that you don’t have to change media cards, and you will be able to take pictures in the highest quality all the time. You will soon learn the benefits of having plenty storage space when you start to use your camera regularly.

The good thing about cameras media is that its just like a film if you do run out you can simply insert another one if you have one with you. It can be a bit of a pain when downloading your pictures to your PC but much less more of a pain than having to delete some picture because you have run of space on your media card.