5 Great Ways to Conquer Self Doubt

Let go of those doubts.


Self doubt has been something I’ve struggled with all my life, from debating whether I could get into a top tier university to believing I could succeed as a writer. It’s a very human emotion, and it’s made worse for some people because of life experiences or temperament. Self doubt also makes you feel alone. Sometimes you think you’re the only person in the universe who suffers from a crisis of confidence, and you wish that you could be more like your successful, self-assured neighbor. Well, I guarantee that your neighbor doubts himself every now and then too.

You won’t ever be able to rid yourself of doubt entirely – believe me, I’ve tried. But I hope that these suggestions will lessen your pain when dark thoughts are all around you.

Go back in time:

The first step to overcoming self doubt is to recognize that it’s there in the first place. Think about the circumstances that are leading you to feel insecure, and see if you notice any patterns. Are there particular situations (for example, dealing with a new boss, speaking in public) that prompt you to feel this way? Make a note of times in the past when you doubted yourself but ended up coming through with flying colors. Knowledge and recognition of your past successes will bolster your courage regarding what you can achieve in the future.

Defeat the doubtful thoughts:

In one column, write a doubtful thought, and in the opposite column, write facts that dispute that doubtful thought. For instance, suppose you are afraid to invite a new colleague to lunch because you’re afraid you won’t have anything to talk about and she won’t like me. Statements that refute that thought might be: “We can spend at least an hour talking about the office culture here and what she did before this” and “She will like me because I’ve made a sincere overture to get to know her better.”

Keep an event journal:

If you are a person who experiences a lot of self doubt, then it’s time for a test. In the course of a single day, write down all of the things – simple and complex – that you accomplished without a hitch. These can be things like “ran productive staff meeting” or “had great talk with Brandon over coffee.” Then, write down the things that didn’t go so well. You will inevitably notice that the list of things that went well far outweighs the list of things that didn’t, and this will hopefully allow you to see your doubt in a different light.

Call on your cheerleaders:

Often, our loved ones can see our lives much more objectively than we can. Being a natural introvert, I sometimes doubt my interpersonal skills, and when someone doesn’t respond to me in the way that I expect, I occasionally get paranoid. It always helps to call one of my best friends so that she can assure me that I do in fact have a lot of wonderful relationships in my life.

Celebrate your successes:

When a situation in which you doubted yourself turns out better than you expected, don’t just nod and smile and move immediately on to the next thing. Take a moment and reward yourself for a positive outcome. Do something you enjoy like going to your favorite restaurant or eating a delectable dessert. Taking the time to cement positive emotions in your mind will hopefully make the doubt disappear more quickly next time.


Thankful Ref:: Alexandra Levitt

Tips to Become social without using social Media.,

A famous writer once said, “Getting social is a cup of tea of an extrovert.” Therefore always try from your end to be an extrovert. An introvert can never be a great social person. If any of the following questions is hindering your mind then follow the tips given further. Are you in mood of making your social circle? We are all social beings and like to spend time with others, right? If you want to improve your social skills, then it is better that you start with yourself. To become social, you must take positive actions along with your extrovert nature. Although social media has given us great opportunities to get social with world around, yet there are many places where you need to be social without social media.

1.Remove Shyness

First tip of getting social is removing shyness from your end. Never be shy in any matters and see the crystal results.

2.Eye Contact

Make an eye contact.  First of all to be social you need to have self-confidence. Without this virtue, you will not be able to believe in yourself

3.Conversation

Talk part in conversation with friends and relatives.  Try to talk to the people around you. To start with you can take part in conversations about subjects in which you are familiar with.  You can ask questions or tell jokes to become a part of the conversation.

4.Hang-in or Hang-out

You have to give your effort to become social. If you are alone at home, then try to give a call to your friends and relatives.  If they are free, you can ask them to come over to your place.

5.Interact

Try to mix up with others.  During office or school lunch hours you can sit with a group of your classmates and colleagues and have your lunch.  You can also ask them to share your lunch with them. To become social you need to interact with more than one or two friends

6.Talk About Our Self

We all love to talk about our self. You can ask people to tell something about themselves and share their experiences on a particular topic.  You can draw out their interests and ask further questions on them.  If they share their sorrows with you do sympathize with them. Moreover, if others ask you to speak about yourself do not hesitate to do so.  Rather share your experiences and interests with them.

7.Extra Curricular Activities

Take part in various competitions like sports, cultural or any competitions or probably one that you are already good at.

8.Party Animal

Do not turn down any invitation offer. If your friend has invited you for any party celebrations try to accept the offer. It is the best way to tell others that you like the company of others.  You can also invite others to your home.

9.Be An Optimistic

Try to be an optimistic.  People like to spend time with optimistic people rather than wasting time with so called pessimists who are always upset with this world.  You must try to find out ways to be happy and always be positive.

10.Genuine Compliment To Others

To begin the conversation you can always compliment people.  Irrespective of age, people like to get compliment. Moreover, it is also a great conversation-starter.

Bonus

Making your conversation interesting is by knowing about others and doing things or favor for others can help in building your social status.
Great socializes make other people feel contented and interesting. How do they do that? By being really getting legitimately fascinated in other people, if you are talking to someone and you feel boring or inferior, ask yourself the reason. Is it really all your accountability? Perhaps yes, because all you need is to become social by yourself and not by force! Getting social will not only bring up your social status but will also boost your confidence, which is the ladder to any success in life!

Mohit Wattal
Quality Analyst,
Mindfire: India's Only Company to be both Apple Premier & Microsoft Gold certified.
Feel Proud to be a part of Team Mindfire.

Windows News & Tips How (and Why) to Partition Your Hard Drive

Disk partitioning--separating one physical hard drive into multiple independent volumes--can relieve all sorts of computer-related headaches, and thanks to the Disk Management tool included with Windows 7 and Vista, you can perform the task without expensive third-party software. Here's how to use Disk Management to make the most of your hard drive.

Why Partitioning Your Hard Drive Makes Sense

Most PCs come from the factory with a single partition on their hard drive, meaning that it shows up as one drive in the Computer window (as C:, typically). But keeping your data, applications, and operating system on the same partition can be risky because, if something happens to the partition's index file (the file that tells your computer where the various pieces of your data are located), your computer won't be able to boot up off that drive--and even if you boot up with a recovery disc or external drive, you won't be able to access the rest of your data.

Partitioning your hard drive essentially tells your computer to treat portions of that drive as separate entities. If you keep your system and apps on a partition separate from your data (documents, music, video, and the like), the data will be easier to back up (because your backup utility won't bother to copy the system and apps, which you can reinstall from the discs or redownload from an online source). In addition, you'll be less likely to lose your data in an accident; and if you ever need to reformat and reinstall Windows, you won't have to worry about restoring your data backups.

You can also set up an emergency partition. Suppose that Windows unexpectedly croaks and you don't have your emergency boot disc handy. If you've created a bootable partition that's large enough to contain a stripped-down OS and a handful of diagnostic tools, you can use it to rescue your data and salvage your computer. Some computer manufacturers (Lenovo, for example) supply a built-in emergency partition on some of their PCs, but you can make your own, if your PC lacks one.

Finally, partitioning lets you try out other operating systems--like Linux, for example. Generally, two operating systems can't coexist on the same volume without stepping on one another's toes, so you won't be able to dual-boot Linux or ease into Windows 7 if you're on a single-volume system.

How to Partition Your Hard Drive

Note: Users with complicated hard-drive configurations, RAID arrays, or the Windows XP operating system will likely need more-powerful partitioning software than Microsoft's Disk Management tool--EaseUs Partition Master is a good place to start.

First, back up your data. The partitioning process shouldn't delete any data, but you can't be too careful when working with your hard drive.

Open the Disk Management tool by slecting Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Computer Management. An entry for Disk Management should show up underneath the Storage heading on the left-hand side.

Click Disk Management, and you should see a list of your existing drives and partitions (if applicable). To create a new partition, choose a disk that has free storage space, right-click it, and select Shrink Volume. Bear in mind that you can safely shrink only basic disks; if you try to shrink dynamic disks (such as RAID arrays) that are formatted with the NTFS file system, you'll risk losing your data.

Type in the amount of space you want to shrink the disk by. The number you choose depends on what you want to use the other partition for. If you plan to dual-boot another version of Windows, for example, you'll want a lot of space (Windows 7 requires at least 16GB of available space, for example); but if you're setting aside room for an emergency recovery partition, you won't need nearly as much space.

If you plan to install an OS in this partition (Windows or otherwise), you'll probably have to stop here--your operating system installer will likely insist on making the partition itself during the installation process.

Once you've cleared the necessary space, it should show up in the Disk Management window as Unallocated Space. Right-click this entry, select New Simple Volume, and let the resulting wizard guide you through the remaiing steps of the process. Generally, you'll want to format the new partition as NTFS; and unless you're using this partition for archiving purposes, you won't need to enable file and folder compression for the whole drive. (If you decide to enable compression later, you can do it easily enough: In the Disk Management tool, right-click the partition and select Properties, Compress this drive to save space.)

Now you have a squeaky-clean hard drive partition that you can use to dual-boot Windows 7 or to keep your data safe. Have other ideas about uses for a partitioned drive? Leave them in the comments

Mohit Wattal
Quality Analyst,
Mindfire: India's Only Company to be both Apple Premier & Microsoft Gold certified.
Feel Proud to be a part of Team Mindfire.

Google Defends Against Large Scale Chinese Cyber Attack: May Cease Chinese Operations

REF: by Dave Girouard, President, Google Enterprise


Google is releasing information about a “highly sophisticated and targeted attack” on their corporate infrastructure that occurred last month. The attack originated in China and resulted in the “theft of intellectual property from Google.” In light of the attack Google is making sweeping changes to its Chinese operations.

Google is releasing some information about these attacks to the public. The company says that a minimal amount of user information was compromised, but has come to the alarming conclusion that the attacks were targeting the information of Chinese human rights activists. Google found that these attacks were not just going after Google’s data, but were also targeting at least twenty other major companies spanning sectors including Internet, finance, chemicals, and more. Google has also discovered that phishing attacks have been used to compromise the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists around the world.

In light of the attacks, and after attempts by the Chinese government to further restrict free speech on the web, Google has decided it will deploy a fully uncensored version of its search engine in China. This is a major change: since January 2006, Google has made concessions to the Chinese government and offered a censored (and highly controversial) version of its search engine at Google.cn. Google isn’t playing that game any longer. Should the Chinese government decide that an uncensored engine is illegal, then Google may cease operations in China entirely. We have included Google’s blog posts about the decision in their entirety below.

Like many other well-known organizations, we face cyber attacks of varying degrees on a regular basis. In mid-December, we detected a highly sophisticated and targeted attack on our corporate infrastructure originating from China that resulted in the theft of intellectual property from Google. However, it soon became clear that what at first appeared to be solely a security incident–albeit a significant one–was something quite different.

First, this attack was not just on Google. As part of our investigation we have discovered that at least twenty other large companies from a wide range of businesses–including the Internet, finance, technology, media and chemical sectors–have been similarly targeted. We are currently in the process of notifying those companies, and we are also working with the relevant U.S. authorities.

Second, we have evidence to suggest that a primary goal of the attackers was accessing the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists. Based on our investigation to date we believe their attack did not achieve that objective. Only two Gmail accounts appear to have been accessed, and that activity was limited to account information (such as the date the account was created) and subject line, rather than the content of emails themselves.

Third, as part of this investigation but independent of the attack on Google, we have discovered that the accounts of dozens of U.S.-, China- and Europe-based Gmail users who are advocates of human rights in China appear to have been routinely accessed by third parties. These accounts have not been accessed through any security breach at Google, but most likely via phishing scams or malware placed on the users’ computers.

We have already used information gained from this attack to make infrastructure and architectural improvements that enhance security for Google and for our users. In terms of individual users, we would advise people to deploy reputable anti-virus and anti-spyware programs on their computers, to install patches for their operating systems and to update their web browsers. Always be cautious when clicking on links appearing in instant messages and emails, or when asked to share personal information like passwords online. You can read more here about our cyber-security recommendations. People interested wanting to learn more about these kinds of attacks can read this U.S. government report (PDF), Nart Villeneuve’s blog and this presentation on the GhostNet spying incident.

We have taken the unusual step of sharing information about these attacks with a broad audience not just because of the security and human rights implications of what we have unearthed, but also because this information goes to the heart of a much bigger global debate about freedom of speech. In the last two decades, China’s economic reform programs and its citizens’ entrepreneurial flair have lifted hundreds of millions of Chinese people out of poverty. Indeed, this great nation is at the heart of much economic progress and development in the world today.

We launched Google.cn in January 2006 in the belief that the benefits of increased access to information for people in China and a more open Internet outweighed our discomfort in agreeing to censor some results. At the time we made clear that “we will carefully monitor conditions in China, including new laws and other restrictions on our services. If we determine that we are unable to achieve the objectives outlined we will not hesitate to reconsider our approach to China.”

These attacks and the surveillance they have uncovered–combined with the attempts over the past year to further limit free speech on the web–have led us to conclude that we should review the feasibility of our business operations in China. We have decided we are no longer willing to continue censoring our results on Google.cn, and so over the next few weeks we will be discussing with the Chinese government the basis on which we could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if at all. We recognize that this may well mean having to shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China.

The decision to review our business operations in China has been incredibly hard, and we know that it will have potentially far-reaching consequences. We want to make clear that this move was driven by our executives in the United States, without the knowledge or involvement of our employees in China who have worked incredibly hard to make Google.cn the success it is today. We are committed to working responsibly to resolve the very difficult issues raised.

Posted by David Drummond, SVP, Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer

Here’s a second post, from the Google Enterprise Blog:

Many corporations and consumers regularly come under cyber attack, and Google is no exception. We recently detected a cyber attack targeting our infrastructure and that of at least 20 other publicly listed companies. This incident was particularly notable for its high degree of sophistication. We believe Google Apps and related customer data were not affected by this incident. Please read more about our public response on the Official Google Blog.

This attack may understandably raise some questions, so we wanted to take this opportunity to share some additional information and assure you that Google is introducing additional security measures to help ensure the safety of your data.

This was not an assault on cloud computing. It was an attack on the technology infrastructure of major corporations in sectors as diverse as finance, technology, media, and chemical. The route the attackers used was malicious software used to infect personal computers. Any computer connected to the Internet can fall victim to such attacks. While some intellectual property on our corporate network was compromised, we believe our customer cloud-based data remains secure.

While any company can be subject to such an attack, those who use our cloud services benefit from our data security capabilities. At Google, we invest massive amounts of time and money in security. Nothing is more important to us. Our response to this attack shows that we are dedicated to protecting the businesses and users who have entrusted us with their sensitive email and document information. We are telling you this because we are committed to transparency, accountability, and maintaining your trust.

Mohit Wattal
Quality Analyst,
Mindfire: India's Only Company to be both Apple Premier & Microsoft Gold certified.
Feel Proud to be a part of Team Mindfire.

Google's Nexus One: The Reviews are in

Ref:Brennon Slattery.

The debut of Google's Nexus One "superphone" generated a lot of pre-launch hype with many heralding it as an "iPhone killer" before even seeing it. Fast forward to today. The phone is out and the reviews are in.

If you're looking for a consensus you will be sorely disappointed. There is both plenty to love (Snapdragon 1GHz processor) and grouse about (where is the multitouch?) with the Nexus One.

(Read PC World's complete review: Google Nexus One )

Here's a rundown of what reviewers are saying about the Nexus One.

The Aesthetic Appeal

Across the board, reviewers are impressed by the Nexus One's sleek design. The screen 480 by 800 pixel 3.7-inch touch screen is gorgeous. PC World said in its own review of the phone, "The Nexus One's 3.7-inch AMOLED display has drawn a lot of attention, and for good reason: The display is superb. Indeed, photos and videos of the phone don't do it justice. You need to view the display in person..."

Engadget is similarly impressed: "The Nexus One is nothing if not handsome. From its ultra-thin body to sleek, curved edges, the phone is absolutely lustworthy." TechCrunch's Michael Arrington loved it so much he claimed it was better, in many ways, than the iPhone. He wrote that the Nexus One is the most "elegant smartphone on the market today, solidly beating the iPhone in most ways."

Afraid of the Light?

The biggest problem with the Nexus One's otherwise gorgeous screen? Trying to work the thing in daylight. "Oh, and using this thing in daylight? Forget about it. Like most screens of this type, the Nexus One is a nightmare to see with any kind of bright light around, and snapping photos with it on a sunny day was like taking shots with your eyes closed," Engadget wrote. TechCrunch found it very manageable: "The screen will self adjust brightness and Google is smart about turning down the processor when it's not being used."

It's evident that aesthetic appeal is huge when it comes to smartphones. Consumers aren't content with powerful machines that look like castoff garbage; we want a device that glimmers and wows; an accessory like any other that makes our friends jealous. In this regard, the Nexus One performed well.

Underneath the Hood

The Android OS has dazzled many when it comes to speed and performance, and with Android 2.1 lurking underneath the hood of the Nexus One, all reviewers gushed about its capabilities. The Nexus One sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 1GHz processor that'll blow your hair back. It definitely sets it apart from the Android pack, and in Ars Technica's review, they conducted numerous speed tests against other phones, and in everything but Web page loading, the Nexus One crushed its competition.

The New York Times was impressed by its "instant, smooth response when you're opening programs and scrolling." If nothing else, the Nexus One bests all other Android handsets. The Wall Street Journal wrote, "The latency I had seen in earlier Android phones is gone, due to a slicker version of the operating system and faster chips."

The Camera

Cameras are tricky on smartphones. Most of the time they're lackluster and spotty (ahem iPhone ahem), but the Nexus One comes out of the gate with a beloved 5 megapixel snapper with flash. "The 5-megapixel camera gives you four resolutions plus a flash, autofocus, infinity focus, a 2X digital zoom, white-balance and color-effect controls, and three quality settings. You can record video clips at lengths of up to 30 minutes at a resolution of 720 by 480 pixels (20 frames per second)," PC World wrote, but "clips for multimedia messages are capped at 30 seconds."

Ars liked it, and added a caveat. "The built-in LED flash works adequately as a supplemental lighting for objects only a few feet away, but I would not trust it any further than that."

The Keyboard

Big yuck here. Our reviewer "desperately [wished] for a hardware keyboard." And forget about multitouch: "The native Android soft keyboard is in desperate need of a redesign. And throwing in multitouch--to enhance the navigation and typing experience--wouldn't hurt." Gizmodo's mostly negative review of the Nexus One also groaned about multitouch's absence.

When it came to the word-suggest feature -- a life-saver on the iPhone's occasionally difficult keyboard -- the Nexus One did okay. Gizmodo didn't think so, but offered a helpful alternative. Though the keyboard was an improvement, they're "still not big fan of typing on Android's virtual keyboard. Sure, the keys are actually responsive now, thanks to the muscle of the 1GHz Snapdragon processor, but somehow Google's word prediction still lags behind the iPhone's, and gives you strange options for when you're typing really fast on the phone." Gizmodo does supply a helpful work-around to this problem by downloading the iPhone-style "Better Keyboard" from the Android Marketplace.

The New York Times actually preferred the Nexus One's suggestions over the iPhone's. "As you start typing a word ('unfo'), the Nexus displays an entire row of likely candidates ('unfortunately,' 'unfortunate,' 'unfolding'), which you can tap, thus saving yourself more fiddly typing-on-glass."

Google Voice

What would a Google phone be without Google Voice? One of this phone's big selling points is this fantastic feature, and reviewers who mentioned it, loved it. TechCrunch especially loved it: "First, Google Voice is deeply integrated with the phone, as it is with all Android phones. That means you can assign your Google Voice number to the phone, and use it to make all outbound calls and text messages. In my opinion this is the single biggest selling point for Android phones, and why I won't switch away from the platform any time soon."

Voice-to-Text Input Feature

Speaking of voice, Android OS 2.1's newest addition, the voice-to-text input feature, worked for some, but not for all. Some writers said 80 percent; some said 90 percent; and others dismissed it on the basis that the feature requires an Internet connection, whereas other phones do not.

Reception

The Nexus One may have gotten away with spotty reception, dropped 3G and garbled calls, but the public has loudly spoken, and these problems have been highlighted in many news pieces. Operating on T-Mobile's network, the Nexus One continuously shifts from 3G to EDGE. Also, we found another upsetting and ironic trend: the failure of Google accounts. "Most disturbingly, my Google account sometimes wouldn't load. I also endured several failed attempts to upload image files to Picasa, due to a 'network error.'" How can a Google phone fail to access a Google account?

Apps

The Android App Marketplace (20,000+) has nothing on Apple's (100,000+), and the Nexus One, for some reason, cuts off the amount of apps you can store on your phone to a paltry 190 megabytes of storage for downloaded apps. Though these apps can now be spread across five pages (instead of the Droid's three pages), it seems ridiculous that, given the public's love affair with apps, the Nexus One would do such a thing.

Overall Problems

Here's a quick blast of other technical foibles that keep the Nexus One from being, as Google calls it, a "superphone."

• No Outlook syncing
• Android 2.1 not a huge improvement over previous versions, only prettier
• Gaming is "abysmal" without multitouch
• The unlocked phone is too expensive
• The battery drains quickly, even for "iPhone standards"

Final Judgments

After all is said and done, how do these reviewers actually feel about the Nexus One?

We said that when it comes to being the best Android phone on the market, the Motorola Droid "has a slight edge." We also suggested that "if the network issues with T-Mobile continue to crop up, you may be well advised to resist picking up a Nexus One until the CDMA version comes out this spring."

Engadget called it "just another Android smartphone."

Gizmodo said "The Nexus One is an over-hyped Android phone" and suggested buyers "get this thing unlocked and out of contract for $530 -- keep whatever cheap T-Mobile plan you currently have -- and resell it in a year when the Nexus Two is available," which is not a great reason to drop dollars on a phone.

TechCrunch gushed "Unlike previous Android phones, and I've used most of them, the Nexus One has no obvious flaws or compromises. The phone is the state of the art in mobile, and I will use it happily. Until, as I always say, something better comes along."

And Ars said, "The Nexus One is the best smartphone on the market at this point for general use."

So when you boil it down and look at the Nexus One based on reviews, you might become a little hesitant to purchase the device. Though it has its flaws, it also has its high points, and most certainly signals a change in the market for Google. Early adopters often run into the problem of buying a subpar device just because it's shiny and new; it's best, perhaps, to watch the Nexus One evolve, become the Nexus Two, and see how Google listens to its customers and improves its product.

Mohit Wattal
Quality Analyst,
Mindfire: India's Only Company to be both Apple Premier & Microsoft Gold certified.
Feel Proud to be a part of Team Mindfire.

Google Docs: Not the Only Free Cloud Storage in the Sky

REF: Jeff Bertolucci

In the coming weeks, Google Docs users will be able to store more of their important files online, where they can access them easily and share them with others, according to a Tuesday post on The Official Google Blog.

Users will be able to upload a file as large as 250MB to Google Docs. They'll also get 1GB of free storage for files that aren't in one of the Google Docs formats, such as documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Additional storage will cost 25 cents per GB per year.

The cloud-storage feature is certainly good news for Google Docs fans, but it's not the only free service in the sky. Here are four alternatives worth a closer look.

Dropbox

Update: This story originally incorrectly identified Google as the owner of the online storage service Dropbox. This story has been corrected. Dropbox is a privately owned company.

Dropbox offers 2GB of free online storage. Other options include 50GB for $9.99 per month, or 100GB for $19.99 per month. When put your files in a Dropbox folder in one computer, they're uploaded to the site's secure servers. Google Docs has a 250MB file size limit, but Dropbox has no such limitation. You can access your files from other computers (Windows, Mac, or Linux) or mobile devices that run Dropbox too.

Box.Net

Targeted at the corporate crowd, Box.Net is a little less generous in the storage department (click on the image for a look at the full screen).

The site's free option provides 1GB of online storage with a 25MB file-size limit. For $10 per month, you get 5GB of storage and a 1GB file size limit. The $15 per month plan includes 10GB of storage, with the same 1-gig file cutoff. Pricier plans for enterprise customers (with unlimited storage) are available too.

Microsoft Live Mesh

Live Mesh is another cloud service that lets you sync files across multiple computers (Windows and Mac), smartphones, and other mobile devices.

You get 5GB of free storage, but Live Mesh won't share or sync files and folders stored on removable media, including USB, flash, or external hard drives. Live Mesh offers a lot of synchronization options, and supports remote control of any PC in your mesh.

Windows Live SkyDrive

Microsoft's SkyDrive may lack the sophisticated sync-and-share features of its Live Mesh sibling, but it compensates for it by offering a whopping 25GB of free online storage. (Click on the image to view a full screen.)

SkyDrive supports public, private, and shared folders. Until recently, SkyDrive didn't integrate well with other Microsoft apps, but that's changing. For instance, the new Office 2010 beta lets you save a document on your PC directly to your SkyDrive online account. Will Google Docs, or the long-rumored but unannounced Google Gdrive online storage service, someday match or surpass SkyDrive's generous 25-gig offering?

Mohit Wattal
Feel Proud to be a part of Team Mindfire
Mindfire: India's Only Company to be both Apple Premier & Microsoft Gold certified.

Microsoft admits mobile mistakes

Banking on Windows Mobile 7 to save its bacon

By John Fontana | Network World US

Microsoft doesn't have a business model problem in the mobile market, but its phones are skewed toward business users at the expense of consumers and are not as modern as they need to be, Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division, told financial analysts at the Consumer Electronics Show.

Those realities will present Microsoft with some specific challenges in the mobile area, he said, where Apple and Google are setting a new pace. But in established Microsoft fashion, Bach is unbowed and optimistic despite the company's weak mobile showing to date.

He says the three-pronged assault that will fuel Microsoft is the new Windows Mobile 7 operating system, changes in marketing that will have Microsoft closer to the front lines, and most important, Microsoft's online services strategy around three screens and a cloud.

"We are very focused and confident in the work we are doing right now," he said, referring to Windows Mobile 7. "While I don't think if you looked across the past two years of what we have brought to market that we have executed as well as we would have liked, but I am quite optimistic with the new team we have, I am quite optimistic with the new work we are doing… and I feel comfortable we are going to be in the right place."

Microsoft is up against the poorly received Windows Mobile 6.5 it released last year, and the expectations of Windows Mobile 7, which it plans to highlight next month at the Mobile World Congress and in March at its annual Mix Conference. Shipment is expected this year.

That operating system is what Microsoft will yield to fight the dominance of Apple's iPhone and Research in Motion's BlackBerry and the hype around the recently unveiled Google Nexus One and the entire line of Android-based and open source Linux devices.

Bach told financial analysts to have high expectations for Windows Mobile 7.

"I have had the pleasure of seeing [Windows Mobile 7], looking at it and playing with it. I am certainly confident that we are going to see it as something that is differentiated and sets the bar forward, not in an evolutionary way from where we are today, but something that looks, feels and acts and performs completely different."

Bach, however, did not back up that endorsement with any details.

He also said Microsoft was evaluating how it will work in marketing saying mobile operator partners and OEMs would do the majority of the go-to-market work, but said Microsoft would be more involved.

"That is an additional muscle we have to build, that is why we launched the Windows phone brand; we have actually had good success without spending a ton of money in raising awareness on Windows phones in the U.S., and a couple of European markets," he said.

The goal going forward will be to accelerate those efforts.

Bach said nothing about a Microsoft-branded phone called Pink that has been grinding through the rumour mill. He did, however, take some pokes at Apple for controlling both mobile hardware and the software, and at Google for competing with partners by releasing a Google-branded phone. Bach seemed to be hinting that Microsoft won't follow either route. And he emphasized Microsoft's belief that online services will ultimately make the difference in the company's success or the lack thereof on the mobile platform.

"I [look at] the services opportunity, the search opportunity, I think there are other opportunities we can build on top of that, but those are sort of the ante to be a serious competitor," he said.

The belief, Bach said, is that over time users will blur the lines between their PCs, TVs and devices.

"The service delivery is going to be critical that is why I keep talking about cloud delivery, what we are doing with Widows Live, what we are doing with Xbox Live, why Azure is so important to us because it really will enable us to reach all of those different screens."

5 ways to think about Black Box testing :

An easy way to start up a debate in a software testing forum is to ask the difference between black box and white box testing. These terms are commonly used, yet everyone seems to have a different idea of what they mean.

Black box testing begins with a metaphor. Imagine you’re testing an electronics system. It’s housed in a black box with lights, switches, and dials on the outside. You must test it without opening it up, and you can’t see beyond its surface. You have to see if it works just by flipping switches (inputs) and seeing what happens to the lights and dials (outputs). This is black box testing. Black box software testing is doing the same thing, but with software. The actual meaning of the metaphor, however, depends on how you define the boundary of the box and what kind of access the “blackness” is blocking.

An opposite test approach would be to open up the electronics system, see how the circuits are wired, apply probes internally and maybe even disassemble parts of it. By analogy, this is called white box testing, but already the metaphor is faulty. It is just as hard to see inside a white box as a black one. In the interests of logic, some people prefer the term “clear box” testing, but even a clear box keeps you from probing the internals of the system. It might be even more logical to call it “no box” testing. But the metaphor operates beyond logic. Since “white box” testing is the most common term, I’ll use it here.

To help understand the different ways that software testing can be divided between black box and white box techniques, I’ll use the Five-Fold Testing System. It lays out five dimensions that can be used for examining testing:

1. People (who does the testing)
2. Coverage (what gets tested)
3. Risks (why you are testing)
4. Activities (how you are testing)
5. Evaluation (how you know you’ve found a bug)

Let’s use this system to understand and clarify the characteristics of black box and white box testing.

People: Who does the testing?
Some people know how software works (developers) and others just use it (users). Accordingly, any testing by users or other nondevelopers is sometimes called “black box” testing. Developer testing is called “white box” testing. The distinction here is based on what the person knows or can understand.

Coverage: What is tested?
If we draw the box around the system as a whole, “black box” testing becomes another name for system testing. And testing the units inside the box becomes white box testing. This is one way to think about coverage.

Another is to contrast testing that aims to cover all the requirements with testing that aims to cover all the code. These are the two most commonly used coverage criteria. Both are supported by extensive literature and commercial tools. Requirements-based testing could be called “black box” because it makes sure that all the customer requirements have been verified. Code-based testing is often called “white box” because it makes sure that all the code (the statements, paths, or decisions) is exercised.

Risks: Why are you testing?
Sometimes testing is targeted at particular risks. Boundary testing and other attack-based techniques are targeted at common coding errors. Effective security testing also requires a detailed understanding of the code and the system architecture. Thus, these techniques might be classified as “white box.”

Another set of risks concerns whether the software will actually provide value to users. Usability testing focuses on this risk, and could be termed “black box.”

Activities: How do you test?
A common distinction is made between behavioral test design, which defines tests based on functional requirements, and structural test design, which defines tests based on the code itself. These are two design approaches. Since behavioral testing is based on external functional definition, it is often called “black box,” while structural testing—based on the code internals—is called “white box.” Indeed, this is probably the most commonly cited definition for black box and white box testing.

Another activity-based distinction contrasts dynamic test execution with formal code inspection. In this case, the metaphor maps test execution (dynamic testing) with black box testing, and maps code inspection (static testing) with white box testing.

We could also focus on the tools used. Some tool vendors refer to code-coverage tools as white box tools, and tools that facilitate applying inputs and capturing inputs—most notably GUI capture replay tools—as black box tools. Testing is then categorized based on the types of tools used.

Evaluation: How do you know if you’ve found a bug?
There are certain kinds of software faults that don’t always lead to obvious failures. They may be masked by fault tolerance or simply luck. Memory leaks and wild pointers are examples. Certain test techniques seek to make these kinds of problems more visible. Related techniques capture code history and stack information when faults occur, helping with diagnosis. Assertions are another technique for helping to make problems more visible. All of these techniques could be considered white box test techniques, since they use code instrumentation to make the internal workings of the software more visible. These contrast with black box techniques that simply look at the official outputs of a program.

To summarize, black box testing can sometimes describe user-based testing (people); system or requirements-based testing (coverage); usability testing (risk); or behavioral testing or capture replay automation (activities). White box testing, on the other hand, can sometimes describe developer-based testing (people); unit or code-coverage testing (coverage); boundary or security testing (risks); structural testing, inspection or code-coverage automation (activities); or testing based on probes, assertions, and logs (evaluation).

Mohit Wattal
Quality Analyst,
Mindfire: India's Only Company to be both Apple Premier & Microsoft Gold certified.
Feel Proud to be a part of Team Mindfire.

How to write good passwords

A good password is a system for creating codes that are easy to remember but hard to crack

A good password isn't a password at all. Instead, it's a system for creating codes that are easy to remember but hard to crack. And by codes we do mean codes, plural, so that someone who finds out one of your passwords won't know them all. Here's one methodology to help you generate unguessable but memorable gibberish.

Step 1: Choose a core phrase. Start with a phrase that's at least five words long. It could be the first line of a song, a quotation, a book title - anything that sticks in your head. Draw your core password from that, perhaps by using the first letter of each word:

tcith

These are the first letters of the book title "The Cat in the Hat," for example.

The payoff: This simple step protects you from someone who is running what's called a dictionary attack, in which every single word in the dictionary (and many proper names too) are tried until the right one is found. Computers can run through a dictionary attack in no time flat.

Step 2: Replace some lowercase letters with capital letters, numbers or symbols. Now mix things up by creating conventions around letters that you'll always make uppercase or change to symbols or numbers. Do what makes sense to you, so you don't have to write your system down:

Tc!tH

Here, we've capitalised the first and last letters of the phrase, and replaced an "i" with an exclamation point. You could also make "@" stand in for "a," "1" stand in for "l," and so on.

The payoff: This step exponentially increases the amount of time it takes for someone who is running a password cracking program that burns through every possible combination of characters until it finds the right one. Rather than guessing from the 26 lowercase letters on the keyboard, the program has to try 52 uppercase and lowercase letters, plus 10 digits and at least 10 more punctuation marks.

Step 3: Customise the password for each site or application. You can use the same core password multiple times, but add a character or three to ensure that every passphrase includes a number, and also that the passphrase is at least seven characters long. To get there, think up a system for generating an extra letter and number based on the name of the website or program you're accessing.

o5Tc!tH

Assuming that the password is for a Yahoo webmail account, we've added an "o" - for the last letter of Yahoo - and a 5, for the number of letters in Yahoo.

The payoff: We started with a password of five lowercase letters, which has 11,881,376 variations (26 to the fifth power, for math wonks). After step three, our password has more than 10 trillion combinations of characters (72 to the seventh power). Even a desktop computer that can guess a million passwords per second will need more than three months to run through all those possibilities.

Step 4: Write down your hint. As long as you understand your methodology and rules, now you can write down a mnemonic device that will jog your memory without being obvious to anyone else. You should still keep this piece of paper hidden, though. Author and security expert Bruce Schneier recommends keeping actual passwords on a piece of paper in your wallet, because you guard it closely and know when it goes missing. Keeping hints there should be even safer. This would be enough to make us remember that we used the title "The Cat in the Hat" to generate our basic password.

Step 5: Repeat. While you can use the same core phrase for multiple accounts, make sure that you establish different levels of passwords. You could use the same core phrase for all accounts that don't involve financial information, another one for accounts where you've used your credit card number and a third for online banking. In an ideal world, passwords should be changed at least every 90 days. But most of us would be doing pretty well if we changed them whenever daylight saving time starts and stops.

In Case U ot swayed away by the 3G, Here comes 4G:

4G Mobile Service Debuts: What You Need to Know

#REF:Jeff Bertolucci, PC World

Dec 15, 2009 4:26 am

A Swedish telecom firm has become the first carrier to offer 4G wireless service, albeit on a very limited basis. TeliaSonera announced Monday that its 4G/LTE network for data services would be available initially in Stockholm, Sweden and Oslo, Norway, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. The carrier plans to expand 4G coverage to 25 cities in Sweden and four in Norway by the end of 2010.

On paper, TeliaSonera's 4G mobile broadband sounds blisteringly fast, with speeds of up to 100 Mbits/second--up to ten times faster than the provider's Turbo 3G service, the company says. Users of data-intensive apps such as video conferencing, online gaming, and Web TV broadcasting would benefit from 4G speeds, which initially is for data services only. The company's FAQ provides additional pricing and service details.

As is often the case with cutting-edge tech, early adopters will face some major challenges when upgrading to 4G. TeliaSonera customers, for instance, will need a special modem manufactured by Samsung to access the 4G network. And since the Samsung modem isn't compatible with 3G networks, users will need a separate 3G modem for when they leave the 4G coverage area. The good news is that a 3G-4G combo modem should be ready by Q2 2010.

4G in North America

On this side of the pond, the rollout of 4G will likely be a slow and steady process.

Wireless service provider Clearwire is currently building the first national 4G network in the U.S. Using WiMax technology, Clearwire offers broadband speeds of 4Mbps to 6Mbps--relatively poky compared to TeliaSonera's 100Mbps offering. As of September 2009, Clearwire reported 173,000 WiMax subscribers.

Sprint, which owns 51 percent of Clearwire, has announced plans to sell a 4G smartphone in 2010. And

Comcast, using the Clearwire network, is offering WiMax 4G service in Portland, Oregon. The Comcast High-Speed 2go service maxes out at 4Mbps.

Verizon, meanwhile, has been testing its 4G LTE network in a few U.S. markets, including Boston and Seattle. The carrier, as well as archrival AT&T, is expected to begin offering 4G service in limited areas next year. However, it's unlikely either provider will offer widespread 4G coverage until 2011.

Google Nexus One Phone Could Break Exclusivity Barriers

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By Tony Bradley@PC world

Rumors have been circulating for a while now that Google is developing its own Android-based handset. The Wall Street Journal reports that the rumors are confirmed and that Google employees are currently using a prototype of the Google device, which will be dubbed the Nexus One

Google is expected to market the Nexus One directly rather through any wireless carrier partnership. It is expected to be an unlocked GSM-based device which will be available in early 2010--possibly as early as January. If it is, in fact, GSM-based, that means it will work on either the T-Mobile or AT&T networks.The Nexus One hardware is allegedly from HTC--from the same mold as the HTC Passion. Based on the current rumors, the Nexus One runs on the blazing fast Snapdragon processor, has a super high-resolution OLED touchscreen, and will be thinner than an iPhone.

The number of Android-based handsets has exploded this past year. T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon each offer mobile devices built on Android. The most notable of these have been the recent release of theMotorola Cliq with T-Mobile, and the massive unveiling of the Droid from Verizon.

Google competing directly against Android-based devices from third-party manufacturers could ruffle some feathers. HTC, the company rumored to be producing the actual Nexus One hardware, has a variety of its own Android-based handsets planned for 2010, and the Nexus One would compete head-to-head with them.

Vendors like Motorola and Samsung, which have embraced the Android platform, may revolt--or at least shop for a new mobile operating system alternative rather than competing with Google. If the Nexus One is built on Android 2.1 as rumors have suggested, there could also be charges of unfair competition and predatory practices since the current version available to other vendors is Android 2.0.1.

The FTC might approve If Google markets the device directly, unlocked for use with any GSM-based carrier as suggested. Device exclusivity is a recurring issue and one that the FTC is currently exploring as a part of its widespread attempt to rein in the wireless industry.

Users--both consumers and businesses--may not want to unleash that genie, though. Purchasing directly from Google implies that there won't be any contractual obligation for service, but there also won't be any subsidization of the handset cost. As much as small business customers and consumers complain about contractual commitments and early termination fees, they also enjoy being able to upgrade to the latest technology every couple years without having to pay full price.

The Nexus One may be an attempt by Google to borrow from the Apple playbook. Although the hardware is from HTC, rumors suggest that Google has dictated every last detail of the hardware specifications and is customizing the Android experience to be uniquely Google.

As successful as recent Android-based devices have been, perhaps Google feels that none of them are truly living up to the potential that Android has to offer, and that only Google has the vision to deliver on the promise of Android.

The Nexus One could be Google's 'iPhone'--a pure Android handset straight from the imagination of the Android developers.

Microsoft and Firefox engineering a Chrome web OS rival?

In July, Google Inc. had announced that it was working on an operating system for netbooks called Chrome operating system (OS) and it is reported that it is set to have a publicly available "stable release" by the second half of 2010। The new browser based operating system can be a competitive product for the software giant, Microsoft Corp, who needs to respond.


Recently, the company has demonstrated an early version of Chrome OS that features tabs for frequently used web-based apps and a 7 second boot up time. Further, Google has released the source code under open source licensing as Chromium OS. Now, various analysts suggest that the new Chrome OS will start a race to develop browser based operating systems like Internet Explorer OS, Firefox OS or even Opera OS।


Google Chrome Operating System


The company has stated that the Google Chrome Operating System project will be an open source by the end of 2009. Although, it is based on the Linux kernel, it will use "a new windowing system". The Chrome Operating System is being targeted at users who spend most of their time on the Internet and is designed to run on computers ranging from netbooks to desktop computers.


Chrome Operating System concept

Various developers said that the concept behind browser based operating is simple, use enough Linux under the browser to run on modest hardware and you have a hit formula for the success. It is assumed that if Google can develop its Chrome OS in about two years, Microsoft, Firefox, etc, would be able to develop their own "browser based operating system" at the time when Google’s version arrives next year.


It seems that there are various customers for Chrome OS out in the market, which include Hewlett-Packard, Acer, Lenovo and Asus. Therefore, Microsoft, needs to respond, who holds the world’s operating system market with more than 90 percent share. Further, Firefox and Opera could also release their versions to retain their future market share and stand with the competition.


It is assumed that such browser based OS would support its parent's own web-based productivity applications, but Firefox could be a spoiler as Microsoft and Google will head in proprietary directions. Developers said that if these browser based OSs have similar specifications like Google than users can have interchangeable operating systems in future, which can be carried on memory cards.


Mr. Sundar Pichai, Google's VP of Product Management said that if any other browser maker wants to build their own version of the OS using their own browser, they can. It is assumed that Chrome OS is going to make computers cheaper. Analysts predict that there can be a drop of $100 per PC. Since the operating system will not involve any licensing fees and up gradation charges.


Conclusion



In spite of recent breakdown in Google services, the company has convinced people that their data is safe in the cloud, as their personal information is already up there. However, the company has not detailed that what apps can be run on the operating system. Can we run Photoshop on it and what are the applications changes to make Chrome OS a better choice than Windows? But we can say that only for self-defense, Redmond giant needs an alternative to Chrome OS to offer its customers.

Top 10 Camera Mobile Phones Of 2009

Gone are those days when we use to see mobile phones as a single utility device. Today it is much more than picking up calls and sending SMS. You can play music, record videos, watch clips, pay bills, store data, browse internet, get interesting apps on it, take pictures, share it on Facebook, flickr, and much more. Most of the people find taking pictures as the best utility of all, as capturing beautiful moments in life is just unbeatable. While you are on a college trip, or on a family vacation – good quality camera mobile phones can replace professional cameras in taking snap. But then landing up buying a camera cell which is not-so-good can certainly spoil your good moments when you take a hard copy of it. There are certain things you should remember before buying any mobile phone.

In case of camera phones, most of the people make a mistake of thinking that the higher the megapixels, the higher the quality of the phone. But no, megapixels play only 50% of the role and other features you must look at are, autofocus, sensor, flash, optical zoom, speed, interface, panorama options etc. Phones without camera are of rare “phenomenon” today, but not every handset can offer you the best quality. We have already reviewed Top 10 Music Phones of the year and this article on honeytechblog intends to provide information of Top 10 Camera Mobile Phones Of 2009, so that you pick up the best.

1. Sony Ericsson Satio

This definitely one of the best the camera phone of the year. This 12.1-megapixel camera with Xenon flash and intuitive touch focus gives you stunning, high-resolution shots you’ll want to blow up big and keep. With the Sony Ericsson Satio camera phone, all your favorite stuff is just a touch away. Tap directly into TV series, mobile videos, podcasts and music via the ingenious full-touch media menu on this amazing entertainment phone.

Interesting Features of Sony Ericsson Satio

• Camera Options – 12.1-megapixel with Xenon flash, auto-focus, Geo-targetting, Image stabilizer, red-eye reduction, video recording, 12x digital zoom and much more.
• Screen – 360×640 pixel – 16,777,216 color TFT touchscreen
• Display – 3.5? touschreen, 16:9 widescreen display with 16 million colors
• Memory – SanDisk microSD™ support
• Networks- GSM/GPRS/EDGE/HSDPA
• Colors – Black – Silver – Bordeaux
• Connectivity – Wisepilot™ turn-by-turn navigation, Bluetooth, Google Map, WiFi and more.
• Sizes – 112.0 x 55.0 x 13.0 mm – 4.4 x 2.2 x 0.5 inches
• Weight – 126.0 gram

2. iPhone 3G S

With a 3-megapixel autofocus camera and a photo application that makes it easy to share, iPhone 3GS is the most photo-friendly phone ever. The new 3-megapixel camera takes great still photos, too, thanks to built-in autofocus and a handy new feature that lets you tap the display to focus on anything (or anyone) you want. You can now also shoot video, edit it, and share it — all on your iPhone 3GS. Shoot high-quality VGA video in portrait or landscape. Trim your footage by adjusting start and end points. Then share your video in an email, post it to your MobileMe gallery, publish it on YouTube, or sync it back to your Mac or PC using iTunes.

Interesting features of iPhone 3G S

• Camera options: 3-Megapixle with AutoFocus, Crop, Rotate, Geotagging and video recording
• Display –Touchscreen 480 x 320 pixels (3.5 inch)
• Size – 115.5 mm (4.55 in) (h), 62.1 mm (2.44 in) (w), 12.3 mm (0.48 in) (d)
• Connectivity and Network – Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), Bluetooth, USB 2.0/Dock connector, Quad band GSM 850 900 1800 1900 MHz GPRS/EDGE including, A-GPS; Tri band UMTS/HSDPA 850, 1900, 2100 MHz. 3GS also supports: 7.2 Mbps HSDPA
• Special features – Accelerometer, Proximity Sensor, Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, Cut, Copy, Paste, Voice Memos, Voice Control and much more.
• Memory – 32 Gigabytes
• Weight – 4.8 Onces

3. Nokia N86 8MP

Nokia’s best camera phone till date with 8MP resolution sensor and this phone and 28mm wide angle lens. Take ultra high-quality pics with the 8 megapixel camera with auto focus, flash and Carl Zeiss optics. You can also capture clear images in bright and dark conditions with a wide exposure range, variable aperture and high speed shutter. And then share photos through Ovi*, email and MMS, or print them with a compatible printer. Capture DVD-like quality video day or night with a wide exposure range, stabiliser, and integrated video light.

Interesting Features of Nokia N86 8MP

• Camera Options – 8 Megapixels with AutoFocus, Dual LED Flash, Video recording.
• Display – OLED Display screen, 16M Colors
• Size : 240 X 320 pixels, 2.6 inches
• Memory : 8GB
• Connectivity – 3G, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, Radio
• Weight – 5.36 oz

4. Samsung Memoir SGH-t929

Samsung Memoir is widely known as a camera with the mobile phone. With 8.0 megapixels, a Xenon flash and a host of dedicated camera functions, the Memoir sets a new standard. But the Memoir™ doesn’t stop there. It’s also a music player, a full Web browser, a GPS navigation system and one of the most advanced touch screen phones in the world. The photo quality is superior, and the overall feature set is very striking. It does carry great performance.

Interesting Feature of Samsung Memoir

• Camera Options – 8 Megapixels with Xenon flash, auto focus, multiple shooting modes, Smile Shot smile and video recording with camcorder.
• Display- 240 x 400 pixels, 262 144 colors, TFT
• Network – GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA 1.8 Mbit/s/HSDPA 3.6 Mbit/s
• Special Features – Caller groups supported, 1000 -names capacity, Multiple Numbers Per Contact, Picture ID, Ring ID
• Multimedia and Music Player – MPEG4, 3GPP, H.263, H.264 – MP3 ringtones, AAC, AAC+, WAV, MIDI
• Size – 4.17 x 2.11 x 0.55 inches
• Memory – microSD/microSDHC
• Connectivity – USB, Stereo Bluetooth
• Weight – 4.40 oz

5. LG KC910 Renoir

Renoir takes super-sharp 8 megapixel pictures that can be edited in camera and are instantly ready for sharing online or printing. The phone’s list of features includes some that are usually only found on extremely high-end standalone cameras, such as Schneider-Kreuznach certified optics, a Xenon flash, auto and manual focus, sensitivity up to ISO 1600 and geo-tagging.

• Camera Options – 8 megapixel camera with autofocus, manual focus and xenon flash
• Video recording (MPEG4, 320 x 240 pixels, 120 frames/second)
• Display: Touch screen, TFT LCD, 262k colors, 240 x 400 pixels (3 inches)
• Audio – MP3/AAC/AAC+/AAC++/WMA formats
• Messaging: SMS, EMS, MMS, Email, Instant Messaging
• Memory: MicroSD Card Upto 16GB
• Connectivity: 3G, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, Radio.
• Size: 108 x 55 x 14.5 mm
• Weight: 110g

6. Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot C905

The 8.1-megapixel C905 Cyber-shot™ phone is equipped with Xenon flash and is always ready to capture the best moments of your life. C905 has all the functions you need for perfect pictures, smart Contrast balances light and color, face detection helps you focus on people and many more.

Interesting Features of Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot C905

• Camera Options – 8 MP pixels with autofocus, xenon flash Geo-tagging, face and smile detection, smart contrast, image stabilization, smile detection and videocalling
• Video recording – QVGA@30fps
• Display – TFT, 256K colors
• Size – 104 x 49 x 18-19.5 mm
• Memory – Memory Stick Micro (M2), up to 8GB, 2GB or 8GB card included
• Network – GPRS/EDGE/WLAN/
• Connectivity – Bluetooth, USB
• Weight – 136 gram

7. Samsung M8910 Pixon12

Samsung M8910 Pixon12 is the world’s first 12-megapixel camera phone for instant photo shoot. The Samsung Pixon12 enables users to take perfect pictures quickly and easily, thanks to a Dedicated Camera Power Key which gives users fast one-touch access to the camera function. Once the camera is turned on, users can point and shoot, capturing images as fast as today’s advanced digital cameras. The Samsung Pixon12 also features fast image saving, so users can move to their next shot within around 2 seconds.

Interesting Features of Samsung M8910 Pixon12

• Camera Options – 12 MP with Tracking Touch Auto-Focus, Image Stabilization, Beauty Shot.
• Video Recording – D1(720×480)@30fps, QVGA@120fps
• Display – AMOLED Resistive touchscreen, 16M Colors
• Size – 480 X 800 pixels, 3.1 inches
• Memory – microSD, up to 16GB,
• Connectivity – Bluetooth, USB
• Network – GPRS/EDGE/WLAN/ HSDPA,7.2 Mbps, HSUPA
• Weight – 120 g

8. Nokia 6700 classic

Capture and share print quality images with this 5 megapixel camera. The comfortable and straight forward design makes clicking photos quick and easy. This is actually the lowest priced 5MP you will locate on the market with excellent web browsing and call quality features. The most interesting part apart from camera options, you will find is the battery life. It comes with solid 12 hours battery life with music player on.

Interesting Features of Nokia 6700 classic

• Camera Options – 5 Megapixel with Autofocus, LED flash, Active toolbar, Photo editor on device, Color tone modes: normal, greyscale, sepia, negative and Direct printing to compatible picture printers.
• Video Recording – 640 x 480 @ 15fps or 352 x 288 @ 30fps
• Display – TFT screen, 16M Colors
• Size – 240 X 320 pixels, 2.2 inches
• Memory – MicroSD Card Upto 8GB
• Connectivity – 3G, GPS, Bluetooth, Radio.
• Network – GPRS/EDGE/WLAN/ HSDPA,TCP/IP support
• Weight – 113 grams

9. Samsung T939 Behold 2

The Behold® II is the latest Android phone with corporate email synchronization, WiFi, and visual voicemail. And its Webkit-based browser is fully integrated with Google applications so you can check Gmail, automatically add an event to your calendar, and find directions with Google Maps. The Behold® II also features a 3.2” AMOLED screen so you can view your graphics, photos and YouTube videos in clarity. And it is everything you need for multimedia, offering 16GB of expandable memory, Bluetooth 2.1, MP3 music player and a 5MP camera/camcorder with auto-focus, flash and 8x zoom. It’s truly something to behold.

Interesting Features of Samsung T939 Behold 2

• Camera Options – 5 MP, 2592?1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, geo-tagging and video recording.
• Display – AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
• Size – 320 x 480 pixels, 3.2 inches
• Memory – microSD, up to 16 GB,
• Network – GPRS/EDGE/WLAN/HSDPA
• Connectivity – Bluetooth, USB
• Weight – 4.2 oz

10. Nokia N97 mini

The sleek Nokia N97 mini integrates the web into your life and seamlessly connects you to your friends and favorite online services. It is younger than Nokia N97 and also comes with different design, slid opening, and better features. With this you can capture high resolution pictures and record video in DVD quality. Further impressive part is that you can save up to 10 hours of quality video on 8GB internal memory, or store up to 30 hours with a microSD external memory card.

Interesting Features of Nokia N97 mini

• Camera Options – 5 MP, 2592×1944 pixels, Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, Dual LED flash, video light and Geo-tagging
• Video Recording – VGA@30fps and VGA@15fps
• Display – TFT resistive touchscreen, 16M colors
• Size – 360 x 640 pixels, 3.2 inches
• Memory – microSD, up to 16GB
• Network – GPRS/EDGE/WLAN/HSDPA
• Connectivity – Bluetooth, v2.0 microUSB
• Weight – 138 g

You can no doubt drop the option of buying a camera for yourself, if you pick any phone from the above list. These phones are best of the year and hey it is Christmas time. So probably you could get one for your loved one as a beautiful surprise gift. Happy Clicking!