What video cameras will give you the High Definition quality videos?

I am looking for something not to expensive but not necesarily cheap. I am planning on doing a lot of video projects over the next year and want to use the best possible video recorder that will give me that High Definition resolution and is not to big and bulky. I will be getting my iMac in a few months with Final Cut Express 4 pre-installed. Also, I want a video camera not to complicated to use.

Best available video quality will come from the video captured with the least amount of compression. Currently, that means HDV - which is stored on miniDV tape (or external FireStore hard drives from Focus Enhancements connected using firewire to miniDV tape based camcorders).

Video is part of the equation. Audio is very important, too. If you are not using an external audio capture device (like the field recorders from M-Audio, Zoom, Edirol, Tascam - among many others), then you need a camcorder with a mic jack and manual audio control.

The least expensive DV/HDV camcorders with a mic jack and manual audio control are the Canon HV30 and Sony HDR-HC9. They will connect to your new iMac with a 4-pin to 6-pin firewire cable if you use the iMac's Firewire 400 ports... or a 4-pin to 9-pin firewire cable if you use the iMac's firewire 800 port. Both will work great with your iMac with either iMovieHD or FinalCut.

Both camcorders are also relatively small, however, you should make every effort to not capture video when the camcorder is handheld. Use some sort of stabilizer - tripod, SpiderBrace, steadicam/glidecam system, camera crane... even a chair or table... but not handheld.

As consumer-grade camcorders, their low-light behavior is not very good. The lenses and imaging chips are too small. However, they are much better than less expensive camcorders. Turn on the lights. Learn to use the white balance feature. Use the "Indoor" preset when you are shooting indoors.

All camcorders have "automatic" capabilities. This is a good place to start. As you learn to use your camcorder, you will want the manual settings because they will give you a lot more flexibility.

You do not have to use special "HD" tapes. Sony Premium tapes are around $3 each and can hold 60 minutes of DV or 60 minutes of HDV format video. Do not re-use tapes. They are the long-term archive. Store them in a cool, dry place.

Do not mix DV and HDV on one tape.

Pick a tape manufacturer and stick with it for the life of the camcorder.

Get a head cleaning tape.

Get one (or two) optional rechargeable, high capacity batteries.

Consider a wide angle and tele lens for shot flexibility (Consumer HDV camcorders typically do not have high zoom like standard definition-only camcorders have).

Get a sturdy case (like those from Pelican or SKB) - they will help protect your investment and keep all your stuff together.

Your next investigation activity will be microphones.

Since you seem a bit serious on this, I can't recommend any consumer flash memory camcorders because while they may have a mic jack, they do not have manual audio control (Canon HF10, HF11, HF100; Sony HDR-CX12). On top of that, anemic AVCHD just compresses way too much as a first step of the capture process.

Video compression = discarded video data = reduced video quality

Consumer hard disc drive (HDD) camcorders have known problems with vibration and high altitude (resulting in not recording video to the hard drive - and a "buffer overflow" error message) and no longer get to my short list because of these issues.

Consumer DVD based camcorders barely make useful doorstops.

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Sync Your iPhoto Libraries with iPhotoSync

Part 1. Sync your iPhoto Libraries between Macs

iPhotoSync is an easy to use tool which synchronizes the photos in your iPhoto libraries — it automatically retrieves “missing” photos from other Macs that you specify.
iPhotoSync NEVER deletes photos — it only adds. So it’s very safe.

Find the Missing Photos and Videos

Not sure which photos and videos are on which computer?
Launch iPhotoSync on 2 Macs and you’ll see which photos and videos the other Mac has that you don’t already have:

Two modes to sync your iPhoto libraries

Manual Mode
Browse the photos and videos and retrieve the ones you want. iPhotoSync copies them from the other computer and puts them in your iPhoto Library’s “Auto Import” folder; iPhoto imports them the next time you launch. iPhotoSync doesn’t modify your iPhoto Library database directly so it’s very safe.convert FLV to MOV Mac

Automatic Mode
If you want to receive photos and videos from another computer without having to go check for them, check “Automatically import”:

Choose to import all new photos and videos, or only from albums you choose.
In automatic mode, iPhotoSync’s “agent” program monitors the other computer and automatically retrieves new photos and videos as they become available. You can choose to import all new photos and videos, or only the new photos and videos in selected albums.

Compared to iPhoto’s “Library Sharing” Feature

iPhoto’s built-in sharing feature lets you view photos in another computer’s iPhoto Library, and even copy them to your own iPhoto Library, but:
•    iPhoto must be running on the other computer for it to work
•    iPhoto doesn’t tell you which of the other computer’s photos you already have
•    copying is a manual process
•    it doesn’t allow viewing and copying of videos, only photos

Note: iPhotoSync does not copy titles, Events, Albums or other metadata. It only copies new photos and videos from other computers and puts them in your iPhoto Library’s “Auto Import” folder for iPhoto to import.

Part 2: Sync your photos among iPod/iPad/iPhone and Mac

If you wanto to sync photos on your iDevices like iPod, iPad, iPhone etc. back to Mac, you can use SyncPod to be your assistant which is a professional Mac app for making it easy to transfer songs, movies, TV shows, playlist, photos etc. from iPod/iPhone/iPad to your Mac and into iTunes.  Moreover, this powerful transfer also allows to copy your media files from Mac to iPod/iPhone/iPad, even if the device (except iPhone) is not synced with the iTunes library. In addition, it features support for directly copying DVD movies and virtually any format video&audio to Apple devices.

The smart Mac app SyncPod works like this:

1. Open SyncPod and Connect device;
2. Find media files you want to copy:
   In a second, your iPod contents and iTunes library will appear in two side by side windows, ready to play. Check “hide duplicate contents on both sides” on the left corner of the interface, so that you can easily find the missing contents and transfer to iTunes quickly.
3. Drag contents from device to iTunes/Mac:
   You can now drag music (individual or albums, playlists, artists, genres), movies, TV shows, photos, e-book, and audio books in “iPod window” on the left over to “iTunes Window” or somewhere on your Mac-just click the Folder tab.mov to flv mac

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How did Google get its name?

Google derived its name from the word "googol", a term coined by then nine-year-old Milton Sirotta, nephew of the American mathematician Edward Kasner. The story goes, Kasner had asked his nephew to invent a name for a very large number - ten to the power of one hundred (the numeral one followed by 100 zeros), and Milton called it a googol. The term was later made popular and in Kasner's book, Mathematics and the Imagination, which he co-authored with James Newman. Later, another mathematician invented the term "googolplex", which represents ten to the power of a googol - a substantially larger number.

As Google is now the world's most popular search engine, its association with a number so vast is appropriate. According to www.google.com, "Google's use of the term [Google] reflects the company's mission to organize the immense, seemingly infinite amount of information available on the web."* In fact, this mission itself grows increasingly large daily, as the Internet continues to grow exponentially throughout the world.

History of Google
In 1995, Google's founding partners Larry Page and Sergey Brin met as students at Stanford University, where they began to collaborate on a search engine called BackRub. As this highly promising project developed, the two students managed to attract investors, and Google Inc. opened for business on September 7, 1998 in Menlo Park, California - like many promising IT companies, in a sublet garage. The company grew rapidly, along with site traffic, and in 1999 Google was named in Time magazine's Top Ten Best Cybertech list.

In recent years, Google has introduced a host of useful new features and products, including Google AdWords pay-per-click service, AdSense, the Google toolbar, and Froogle, a shopping search service first launched in December 2002. Finally, in 2004, the company went public, using an innovative electronic auction program to sell initial shares.

Despite becoming a corporate monolith, Google has retained its hip, youthful image, and its dynamic corporate culture with an accent on fun (e.g., skateboarding in the parking lot) remains intact.

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VMware Fusion Installation Guide

VMware Fusion Purpose

Unlike many other applications that work as an emulator, VMware Fusion allows you to run applications and operating systems using the resources from your Mac in real-time, meaning no glitches or delays like you find in similar software, such as Microsoft's Virtual PC. VMware Fusion is a virtual machine, which works the same as a physical computer. Virtual machines contain virtual hard drives, disk drives, processor, memory, network adapters and USB controllers. This allows you to enjoy your favorite Windows operating system or applications without needing a separate computer.

System Requirements

Before your VMware Fusion installation, check to see that your system meets the necessary requirements. Your Mac must have an Intel processor. In addition, you need at least a 1.5Ghz processor with 512MB RAM, though 1GB is recommended. You need 275MB of hard drive space to install the application itself. You will also need at least 1GB of hard drive space for each virtual machine you install.

In addition to these requirements, your Mac must also meet the requirements of the guest operating system you plan to install as a virtual machine. You must have Mac OS X version 10.4.9 or higher in order to use VMware Fusion.

VMware Fusion supports a large variety of both 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems, including Windows 95 and higher, Ubuntu and RedHat Linux and Novell Netware.

VMware Fusion Installation

You can either order a CD version of VMware Fusion or download the software from VMware. The software costs approximately $79.99, though rebates and discounts are offered from time to time.

After downloading the file, double-click the file which will be in the format VMware-Fusion-e.x.p-buildnumber.dmg. This is a disk image file. Double-clicking it mounts the file so you can install VMware Fusion. Open a Finder window and select the VMware Fusion volume you just mounted. Double-click the VMware Fusion icon with the .pkg extension.

Follow the installation assistant prompts to finish the VMware Fusion installation, such as choosing the installation location. Enter your serial number when prompted. If you do not have a serial number, you can purchase one or continue using the software on a trial basis. Restart your system after the installation completes.

After installation, open the Applications folder and double-click VMware Fusion.app. From this screen, you can create a new virtual machine, browse for existing machines, open virtual machines or download pre-configured virtual machines from VMware Fusion. You can use the Windows Easy Install feature to install certain Windows operating systems, which makes Windows installation easier for beginners. For help installing other operating systems, see the VMware Fusion Help section. The Virtual Applicance Marketplace from VMware Fusion provides downloads of virtual machines for many open source operating systems in addition to Windows. After operating systems are installed, you can then install Windows and open source applications.

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The iPad: 3G or not 3G?

We are just past halfway through the 60 day waiting period that Apple announced for the release of the WiFi iPad. While we don’t know everything about the device, we do know there are six different models split in half by a single feature: a GSM 3G cellular
radio for data only. In the last 30 days, the first question many people have asked is “Are you going to get an iPad?” But if the answer is yes, the second question is almost always “Are you going to get the 3G?”

3G ...

The choice to get 3G is tough. First off, the 3G radio will cost you an additional $130. It will also cost you some time if you have already decided to buy an iPad as soon as it is available; the 3G iPad is expected to be available about 30 days after the WiFi only version. This will likely mean you will have to wait until the end of April. It’s not a big deal, but it is something to consider if you aren’t the patient type.

But for that $130 you will get the ability to purchase a micro-SIM card you can use to connect to a 3G or Edge network much like an iPhone does today, but you can only use it for a data connection. One big advantage is that it is currently being offered contract free in the U.S. on AT&T’s network. Apple has also leveraged their relationship with AT&T to get some pretty good rates. They are offering a $14.99/month for up to 250MB of usage and $29.99/month for unlimited usage. Again, this is contract free so you can buy it for a month and then skip several if you want to before you turn it back on.

At this point, it is assumed that since you are buying the device contract free, that it will also be an unlocked device. This would mean that as other companies all over the world announce their plans, you should be able to also purchase micro-SIMs for networks all over the world, and hopefully they will also have monthly plans. This is potentially a great asset for those who travel a lot in the states or globally. In fact, if you only travel internationally once or twice a year, it could still pay off quickly. Currently, international data roaming plans on the iPhone are very expensive. AT&T’s highest available global roaming package for data will only get you 200MB/month and that amount will cost you $199.99. We will have to see what other service providers are going to offer around the world, but Apple and AT&T are off to a great start for the iPad.

Data is not the only advantage you will get for your $130. The GSM radio also comes equipped with a GPS chip. This GPS chip will work much like the GPS in the iPhone, and will be able to use the cell towers as well as satellites so it can more quickly pinpoint your location. This means that the myriad navigation and location apps for the iPhone would also work just as well on the 3G version of the iPad. With the right kind of car mount, the iPad could become the ultimate car navigation system. It would have a nice big screen, and you wouldn’t have to worry about being interrupted by a phone call while you are at a critical intersection. But other location aware social apps or even augmented reality systems would all be able to work well on the 3G iPad. All of this should work just fine without needing to purchase any kind of a monthly package from a service provider.
... or not 3G?

But what do you get if you choose WiFi only? First off, you can save yourself $130. But beyond that, you will still get a WiFi radio that is 802.11 a/b/g/n capable, a step up from the 802.11 b/g radio that come in today’s iPhones and iPod touches. Adding 802.11 a/n means the iPad will be able to connect at faster speeds to a newer WiFi router. This will be especially useful if you are streaming video or moving large files on your local network. The WiFi radio will also allow you to use basic location services based on nearby networks. It’s not always the most accurate way to use location services, but it can be good enough for some social networking apps or to help with finding out what your local weather is. However, it is nowhere nearly good enough to allow you to use navigation apps.
That is the question.

So which should you get? This will depend on several things. The first question is when and how do you plan to use an iPad? If it will be a device that you use mostly at home or work where you have an accessible WiFi network, and if you don’t plan to travel with it a lot, then maybe the WiFi is enough for you. Even if you travel a lot, if you already have an iPhone or some other smartphone with a data plan, you may still want to save yourself $130 and opt out of the 3G. However, if you travel a lot without a smartphone data plan, especially internationally, the 3G data option could actually save you a lot of money and frustration. Plus, the 3G option gives you the ability to use some of the iPhone’s great navigation applications.

The next question is whether you can afford it? If $130 is no big deal, then you may want to go for it. It will make the iPad a very flexible device without locking you into anything that might cost you more money. It will also add a similar amount of resale value to the iPad when you are ready to move on someday. But if money is tight, the WiFi iPad is very usable without that 3G option that many will not use much anyway.
And this is the my answer.

In the end, the 3G decision is a lot like the iPhone vs. iPod touch
decision. This time, there is no monthly contract to make the cost difference as big, but the comparison is very similar. To answer this question myself, I will buy an iPad but I am currently planning to do the WiFi only version. I plan to use the iPad primarily at home, or, when I travel, it will be used in hotel rooms or other places that I might use my MacBook Pro today. I already have an iPhone for my domestic travel, and although I do travel internationally, I have found that WiFi is usually available. But the 3G option is still tempting, and it’s possible I could change my mind. I will almost certainly get the 3G version if I upgrade to a newer iPad someday. I especially like the idea of being able to use the 3G without a contract and on any provider available.

March is here and the first iPads should roll out this month. Hopefully we will find out more about it in the coming weeks. I suspect the we will read some reviews from folks like Walt Mossberg and David Pogue as we get closer.

Are you planning to buy an iPad and, if so, will you add the 3G to it? Feel free to discuss your thoughts in the comments below.

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Which is Better - Mac or PC?

The million dollar question. Macs and PCs both have their pros and cons. But, if you had to pick one, what would you choose - a Mac or a PC?

Macs and PCs

To compare Mac and PC is not that difficult. If you haven't read part 1 of the series yet, be sure to do so. Part 1 features an overview of Mac vs. PC computers.

So, if you had to pick one, which would you choose? A Mac or a PC?

Below is a brief Mac vs. PC review and overview. I will list as many pros as possible about each one.

Why Macs are Better

- Macs give you the ability to run OS X and Windows both (legally).

- Macs work great with other Apple components such as the iPhone, iPod Classic, iPod Nano, iPod Touch, iPod Shuffle, etc...

- Macs are very simple to use.

- Macs are less prown to computer viruses, although they can get viruses.

- Purchasing a Mac gives you Apple Store support.

- Apple uses quality parts to manufacture Macs.

- Macs are trendsetting, designed well, and visually appealing.

- Macs come with better software, out of the box (iLife).

- Macs give you out of the box access to the iTunes Store, if you are an iPod or iPhone user.

- Out of the box, Macs are not loaded with trials and additional software.

- Apple has top of the line phone support.

Why PCs are Better

- You can build a PC from the ground up, picking each individual component. PCs give you maximum customizability.

- PCs are generally cheaper in price. You can get the same processor, amount of RAM, and hard drive capacity for much cheaper with a PC.

- Branded PCs are a wide market. You have many options when it comes to choosing a PC: Dell, HP, Gateway, etc... There are really only 6 types of Mac computer: MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Mini, iMac, and Mac Pro.

- PCs have better software compatibility. You can find practically any software for PC. Macs are more limited in selection.

- PCs generally have better backwards compatibility. You can run Windows 7 on a 5 year old PC. You cannot run Snow Leopard on a Power Mac G5.

- More people use PCs. Thus, PCs have a larger support community behind them.

- The majority of businesses use PCs.

- PCs are better for gaming.

- PCs have more compatible accessories than Macs.

- PCs are more upgradable.

- PCs are open source.

Conclusion

To compare Mac and PC... Which one is better? It's all personal preference. I'm sure that's not what you wanted to hear, but that's the best answer. In the above review, you can see that both of them have some great advantages. Some people like Macs better, some people like PCs better. Thus, some people absolutely hate Macs, and some people absolutely hate PCs.

It's all an opinion, a preference.

I will however, give you my opinion. As for myself, I'm a Mac. That's just what I prefer. I like Macs because I believe that they are simpler to use, and I like the designs that Apple comes up with. I would rather use OS X than Windows. That may change in the future. But as of now, my opinion is that OS X is a better operating system than Windows.

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The Best Way To Setup Time Capsule For The First Time

One complaint that many people have had about Apple's Time Capsule is difficulty setting it up for the first time. However, after some trial and error I figured out a great way to get Time Capsule up and running smoothly.

Setting Up Time Capsule For the First Time

When you first open Time Capsule, you will notice that it comes with a Time Capsule Airport Utility Disc. You do not need to waste time installing this software if you already have the latest version of Apple's Airport Utility on your Mac.

To get started setting up Time Capsule, plug the time capsule into a power outlet and connect it to your computer via ethernet. OS X should automatically recognize it, but if not, open up the Airport Utility. You can do this by doing a spotlight search for it or navigating: Finder - Applications - Utilities - Airport Utility.

After your have Airport Utility open, it will automatically search for Apple wireless devices. After it finds your Time Capsule, select the continue button. The first screen will ask you to enter a name and password for your Time Capsule. Keep in mind this information will be used for your Time Capsule access only, not your Airport wireless connection. After you have filled in that info, click continue.

The next screen will simply ask you how you want to secure your Time Capsule disks. You can just leave the option set on with device password. This will secure your Time Capsule access with the password you created on the previous screen. Users will not be able to connect without this password. The 2nd option on this screen asks you if you would like to allow guests to connect without a password. Make sure that "Not Allowed" is selected. Click continue

The next screen you come to will allow you to configure other devices with your Time Capsule. Just click continue for now.

The final screen is crucial. On the screen you are at at now, select "Disable wireless and connect to a computer or network using Ethernet".

Now, you will need to open up your Time Machine preferences. To do this, you can either click the Time Machine icon if you still have it in the dock. If not, you can click the time machine icon located on the top navigation bar (next to the bluetooth, sound, and battery indicators).

In the Time Machine preferences window, click the button that says "Select Disk". A box will pop-up that has your Time Capsule hard drive. By default, it should say "Data". Select it.

Time machine will now do its first backup. It will take at least one hour depending on how much data you have.

A couple tips to make sure everything goes right: After Time Machine is done doing its first backup, restart your computer. After it restarts, you are going to do another backup. Click the Time Machine icon, or select Time Machine from the top nav bar and select "Back up now". This time, Time Capsule should not take near as much time to backup. After it has finished, you are going to repair disk permissions. To do this, navigate Finder - Applications - Utilities - Disk Utility. Select your hard drive and click repair disk permissions. Restart your computer once more.

Be sure to read part 2 of First Time Setting Up Your Time Capsule to finish the process correctly!

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