When you compare phones, one of the most important things you pay attention to is the platform. Windows Phone, iOS, Symbian, MeeGo and, of course, Android – all of these operating systems have their advantages and disadvantages, and people usually try to consider all of them before making a final choice and buying a new phone.

What are the most important advantages of Android over the other platforms? What makes Android so special and so popular? Let’s now try to find it out.

1. Android is open-source

Android is Linux-based open-source platform, which gives it a number of obvious advantages. First of all, it means that not only one company develops it, but a huge number of people worldwide contribute to making it better. Of course, this makes the platform more secure, since a team of developers that work in one company can miss a bug or a serious flaw, but the thousands of eyes that are reading Android’s codes each day won’t miss any bug anyway.
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Are you looking to become more serious about photography? If you’re ready to move up from a basic digital camera to a digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera, here are ten models that can help you start taking pictures like a pro. Prices from Amazon.com.

1. Canon EOS Rebel T3i (with 18-55mm IS II lens) – $709
If you’re interested in using your camera for videography, this is a great choice. It features an articulated LCD screen and excellent image quality and shooting performance. This is an all-around good choice

2. Canon EOS Rebel T2i (with 18-55mm lens) – $579
This model of the Canon Rebel is a step down from the T3i, but still provides good photo and video quality. It’s also likely that you’ll find it for a lower price.

3. Nikon D5000 (with 18-55mm lens) – $749
This camera offers a number of great features, including quick performance and excellent image quality. Its main drawback is its design, which has a small dim viewfinder and weighs a bit more than other models.
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When a student decides on a course of study, whether it is at undergraduate or post-graduate levels or adult learning, there are a number of considerations to be made. Cost, duration of study, accessibility, materials and reading lists, amongst other things, must be weighed up and balanced alongside the needs and requirements of the student.

Evolution and Change

Of course, with study costs increasing and places on courses often restricted, there can be tight competition and a number of financial issues involved in applying to educational institutions. It’s no wonder that students and universities and colleges are considering alternative learning options.

Partly in response to developments in business and to such challenging academic times, teaching has never known such a period of technological development. From interactive whiteboards and e-books to digital media, computer-based learning tools and software, there are many constantly evolving materials and methods now available to enhance student learning.
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Pinterest is a social networking site where you can “pin”, catalog and share ideas. The website is based in Palo Alto, California and emerged as one of the top 10 ten social networking sites of 2011. The site debuted in March 2011 and the traffic has been increasing at an alarming rate. In the week ended on December 1, 2011, the site received nearly 11 million total visits.

A large following is being built up and growing daily. This incredibly addictive site has given rise to a growing demand for a Pinterest application on smartphones. This would enable users of Pinterest to keep in touch with their favorite site on the go. With growing popularity and versatility of Android platform an Android app for Pinterst seems imminent. Before we join our voice for this demand let us have a quick look at Pinterest.
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That Picture Stinks!
Expert Photographers Reveal Secrets
To Taking Better Pictures

It used to be that the art of picture taking was something only hobbyists and professionals worried about, but today most cell phones and smartphones have built-in cameras that border on the quality of the top cameras of only a few years ago.

So, basically, everyone has gotten into the act. Judy Holmes and Greg Baer think most people could use a little help. Okay, in some cases, a lot of help.

“Taking good pictures is about so much more than pointing and shooting,” said Holmes, a 20-year veteran professional photographer. She and co-author Greg Baer have just written the friendly, no-nonsense, how-to book That Picture Stinks! (www.thatpicturestinks.com).

“While there are many things that make a bad picture, there are three things that jump to mind: they’re too light or dark, the composition is poor or people don’t use the flash enough,” added co-author Baer. “The results can range from lousy to boring to, well, embarrassing. With just a few basics, people can dramatically improve the quality of their pictures and ensure that they capture memories worth preserving in a manner that’s worth showing.”

Holmes’s and Baer’s tips include:

• Too light or too dark – Too many people see the program mode or auto mode on the camera and think, “That’s for me!” It isn’t. The auto mode should be the last mode anyone thinks of using. If you want that beautiful sunrise or sunset to be all it shouldn’t be, or that winter wonderland to look more like nuclear fallout, by all means use the auto function! Otherwise, learn where to point the camera to “fool” it and give you the perfect exposure. Hint: Want the sunset deep and dark? Baer says point at the lightest area. Want the snow nice and bright? Point at the darkest area.
• Photo by Godzilla – Sometimes people take bad pictures of their kids, and they know the shots are bad, but they can’t put their finger on why they’re bad. The primary reason kids’ photos turn out bad is that, as grown-ups, we usually take pictures of our kids from the angle of looking down on them. After all, they’re small and we’re tall. As a result, we create all kinds of shadows, awkward poses and perspective issues that make it look like Godzilla is towering over them, grabbing a shot of them with our iPhone for a Facebook page. If you want to take consistently better pictures of your kids, get down. Really, get down on the floor and take pictures head-on from their level. You’ll get more of them in the shot, their eyes won’t be squinting from looking up at you into the sun, and the perspective will show a normally proportioned child (instead of this tiny creature with a huge head, skinny arms and feet that poke out from under their pants). Do the same with your pet pictures for an “Ahh” reaction instead of the normal “Ugh” one.
• A little more light please – Adding a flash to outdoor photographs, especially with people in them, is one of the quickest ways to look like a genius. Taking pictures in the bright sun can cause horrible dark shadows on your subject or worse, make them squint so they go blind. Turning the flash on instead of “auto flash” will help in these situations. It can help to lighten the shadows and balance the picture and if you move your subjects into a more shady area, using the flash will light up their faces. If you think that’s cool, just wait until you show off that picture. Then you’ll really see their faces light up!

“There are a lot more ways people can improve the quality of their photography, just by tapping on a few icons on their point and shoot,” Holmes added. “However, if they can follow these three basic rules, they’ll produce a lot fewer stinky pictures!”

About Judy Holmes & Greg Baer

Judy Holmes has been a professional outdoor photographer for 20 years, specializing in capturing nature’s motion and magic, often in extreme weather. Her particular emphasis is on simplicity of style and equipment. That Picture Stinks! is her fourth photography book.

Greg Baer has been a professional photographer for over 15 years. He has been published in magazines, calendars and cards. For the last 10 years, he has been running Corporate Cards using his photography to provide a novel way for businesses to communicate.

An absolutely new concept of relaxing films for home and office is becoming popular in the hectic polluted environment of any modern city. Apart from entertainment video content offered by the market, you can now use your home theater system as a getaway to the most secluded exotic places in the world filled with crystal clear sounds of nature and scenic visuals of mountain rivers and ocean shores.

The idea of lounge videos officially belongs to LoungeV creative studio. This relatively small film production company uses the most advanced technology to capture nature in its original virgin beauty. While watching these full HD films with 5.1 surround sound, it almost seems like there is no civilization present in this world, you forget about smoking cars, highways with traffic jams, crowds of people in the streets, supermarkets and mountains of garbage piling up in the outskirts of huge megapolises . It’s only you and nature in its splendor.
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