Getting Set Up With Your Hand and Power Tools

When you first begin to undertake DIY home projects you need to set up your initial tool kit.  It will have a combination of hand tools that are essential, along with a few basic power tools to make the work that little bit easier and faster.

Hand and power tools are created to get the job done and make life easier.

You need them for around the house, for repairing things and for the cars you drive too.

It doesn’t matter if you’re the type of person who works regularly with tools in a professional capacity or if you an around the house fixer, you’re going to have a need for the right tools.

The best time to stock your toolbox is before you discover a need for a tool that you don’t have.

There are your basic tools such as screwdrivers, socket sets, wrenches and pliers and then there are your hand and power tools.

Power tools increase productivity and can make a job go a lot faster and with much less sweat equity.

Trying to get a screw to go through a steel door goes a lot smoother using a cordless power screwdriver than it does using a hand held one.

You can get tool kits already combined for you, even buy them online and get them delivered to your door!

Black & Decker BDCD2204KIT 20-Volt MAX Lithium-Ion 4-Tool Combo Kit


Drills, Power Tools and More

Drills, power tools and more can cut down on the time you spend working and give you more time to relax. Drills can bore holes in some of the toughest materials known to man or it can quickly put a screw in place when it’s used in place of a regular screwdriver.

You can find these tools in either electric or battery charged. Most people prefer the battery charged due to the convenience of being able to use the drill anywhere they need to.

The downside of course, is if you forget to charge the tool before a job, you can run out of juice and you’ll be stuck waiting for the recharge. Not only are they good for driving in screws but in removing them as well by their reverse action.

The drill bits will vary in size and the drill itself can range in size from lightweight to fairly heavy. Try out the drill you’re thinking of buying before you take it home so that you’ll get the one that won’t strain your hand and wrist.

Depending on what you plan to use the tool for, look for the longest lasting battery life that you can find.

Drills, power tools and more are meant to make life easier, not harder but choosing the wrong model can not only be a waste of time and money but can leave you frustrated as well when it fails to perform as you expect it should.

 Check out some of the online DIY powertool kits here:

 

Black & Decker BDCDMT1206KITC Matrix 6 Tool Combo Kit with Case

You can also see a selection of top sellers on Amazon, read the customer reviews, order online often cheaper than buying at retail stores, and you even get it home delivered - what a great time saver!

power tools combo kits

You’ll find that with some tools, there’s a big difference in cost even between brands. What you have to do is look at the reputation of the tool. If you’re always replacing it, you’re better off purchasing the tool that stands for quality.

Hand and power tools aren’t just something that you want to have around, they’re tools you must have to keep up with life’s little breakdowns.

How To Use Seasonal Affective Disorder Lights Safely And Effectively

 Its Winter here now where I live, and it is bitterly cold, wet and overcast.  The whole world seems very grey and gloomy which makes it easy to fall prey to the SAD syndrome if you are not prepared with the right equipment and lights around your home to combat this form of depression.

If you didn't already know that there are special SAD lights and lamps that help everyone stay happy and balanced through even the darkest of winters, you need to check this out.

Although seasonal affective disorder lights are generally considered safe and effective to use, there are a few important points you need to bear in mind before you use them. Here’s a quick guide to how to prepare for their use, and the risks involved in using them.

Preparing To Use An SAD Lamp

The useful thing about light therapy boxes is that they are widely available from a number of different retailers. They can be purchased at relatively low cost, and are generally easy to use. You can purchase and use a light box without guidance from a doctor, though you may want to speak to a medical professional who will let you know if they have any specific recommendations or concerns.

Light therapy is best started early in fall, while conditions are still mild. Sufferers of SAD will often find that symptoms get worse as the winter progresses, so early use of light boxes can help to combat this, leaving better moods and higher energy levels. Some people do get Seasonal Affective Disorder during the summer months, especially when the weather is rainy or cloudy. In this case it’s important to use the light box when you feel is right for you.

In order to make sure that light therapy is as effective as possible, there are a few factors to consider:

* Timing: Most people find that light boxes produce better results when used earlier in the morning. Avoid using them later at night, as this may affect your sleep. Daily use is recommended, as the effects of light therapy often wear off.

* Duration: Seasonal Affective Disorder lights can be used for different lengths of time, depending on your own specific symptoms. Manufacturers of light boxes will generally recommend how long you should use them for. This will usually be a period between 30 minutes and a few hours, depending on the intensity of the light you are using.

*Intensity: Different light boxes have different intensities, and their brightness is measured in lux. It’s recommended that you use a product with at least 2,500 lux, though as high as 10,000 can be useful and will usually require 30 minute sessions.

Here are some of the most populat SAD lights that you can see online and get delivered to your door:

NatureBright SunTouch Plus Light and Ion Therapy Lamp$64.45

Lightphoria 10,000LUX Energy Light Lamp$64.59

Carex Health Brands Day-Light Classic 10,000 LUX SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Lamp (DL930)$132.99

Verilux VT05FWW1 HappyLight Energy Lamp 5000$65.00

HappyLight Compact Energy Lamp$32.85

Philips Hf3470 Wake-up Light, White$67.50

Omega Sunlight SAD Light Therapy (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Super Bright$73.40

Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Device$100.00

Verilux HappyLight Deluxe Sunshine Simulator$139.99

How To Get The Most From Your Light Box

In order to get the very best results from light therapy, you’ll need to make sure that you make time in your routine to do it every day. If you miss out certain days, or give up, then you’re not going to feel all of the benefits. The good news is that you don’t just have to sit there when the light is shining. You can carry on with your daily routine, as long as you stay nearby to the light box to get the full effect.

The Risks Involved

Seasonal Affective Disorder lights can produce some side effects, which are usually mild and fade quickly. These include:
* Eyestrain,
* Headache,
* Nausea,
* Dry mouth,
* Sleep problems.

If side effects don’t disappear then it’s important to seek medical advice, or try reducing the time you use the light box, start taking breaks and using them at different times of the day.

Seasonal Affective Disorder lights are generally very easy to use, and work quickly and effectively as long as you use them for long enough. The risks are very slim, but speak with your doctor if you’re concerned about how a light box could affect you.

You don't have to be depressed and sad all winter long... just plug into one of these great lighting systems and enjoy a natural way to beat depression!

- Helene Malmsio

What Kind of Furniture Should a Green Patio Have?

If you're trying to build a green patio, one of the main things to attention to is your furniture. Your furniture should look great, have strong functionality and be green - all at the same time.

==> What Should You Look for in Patio Furniture in General?

To start with, all patio furniture needs to be weather resistant. You can't have wood that'll crack in the heat or the cold. You can't have materials that'll expand or shrink too much when it gets wet. You can't have materials that'll rot.

Because patio furniture is out doors most of the time, it have to be very tough.

In addition, the overall design should match the rest of your patio.

What kinds of green patio furniture match this description?

==> Teak Furniture

Teak is one of the best woods to use for green patio furniture.

First of all, teak doesn't need to be treated. Treating wood is an extremely chemically intensive process which uses energy and produces waste that harms the environment.

Teak is also extremely water resistant and lasts a long time. It's the kind of wood that the government uses in park benches and bus benches. The furniture last just about forever and rarely need to be replaced. Teak is also used in boat construction.

==> Cedar Furniture

Cedar furniture is one of the strongest types of woods out there. It's almost as strong as oak, but doesn't crack. Most woods will crack over time, but cedar just holds strong.

One interesting feature of cedar is that it's cool to the touch, even when the weather is hot. This can add a nice touch of class to the feel of your patio on a warm summer day.

==> 100% Recycled Plastics

Finally, you have plastic materials that are made from 100% recycled plastic. There are a few different types you can choose from.

First, you have the very basic furniture pieces. These will look and feel much like your typical plastic patio furniture, except they're made from recycled material.

You can also get high-end recycled plastic furniture. These items can have a wide variety of different designs, some of them even made to look like wood.

There's a huge selection of different materials and furniture that an eco-conscious person can choose from. From woods to recycled materials, there's furniture to fit just about every patio size and design.

Make sure that when you're ordering wood that you get Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood. Make sure that when you buy 100% recycled plastic materials that you research the company it's produced by first to ensure they're truly a green company. By supporting companies that produce green furniture, you support the green industry as a whole.

Strathwood Basics 6-Piece Furniture Set

Strathwood Gibranta All-Weather Hardwood Arm Chair, Set of 2

Strathwood Gibranta All-Weather Hardwood 2-Seater Bench

Strathwood Brentwood 4-Piece Outdoor Furniture Set

Strathwood Griffen All-Weather Wicker 3-Seater Sofa, Dark Brown

RST Outdoor Bistro Patio Furniture, 3-Piece

4 Pieces Outdoor Rattan Sofa Sectional Patio Garden Furniture Wicker Chair

2x4basics? 90134 AnySize Chair or Bench Ends, Sand

Strathwood Gibranta All-Weather Hardwood Coffee Table

I have a heap more tips and ideas for gardening, going green and home decor here in my How to guide website:
http://www.learn-how-to-do-it.com/how-to-do-it-yourself-blog.html   I hope that you will visit and share your tips there too!

Home Guide For Using Solar Garden Lights

Paradise GL23836BK2 Plastic Solar-Powered LED Spot Light, 2 Pack, Black$7.55

When you start to use Solar garden light on posts or strings you quickly learn how simple they are to install and use, and how powerful they can be as a night light in your garden.

Solar lights come in many design options to transform your garden into a magical nighttime wonderland.


 Solar garden lights not only dramatically enhance a beautiful garden, but they are quite practical.

They can be used for safety to accentuate driveways, pathways, and steps.

 Whether choosing solar products for your home or business make sure they are made from quality components to assure reliability and longevity for many years of use.

Inquire about the manufacturer and the warranty of your solar garden light.

Solar spot lights are often used to accentuate floral arrangements, garden seating and gates. There are hundreds of models to choose from and each model provides a variation in bulb colors and fixture types to meet your garden design needs.

 The most up-to-date spot lights feature durability with commercial grade silicon solar cells and an energy management center enhanced by next generation LED technology.

 Rugged construction with no moving parts is the hallmark of each floodlight system designed to last for years without any maintenance.

 Ease of installation is balanced with plug and play assembly. Solar spot lights are the latest frontier in designing solar garden light.

When illuminating shrubs and small outdoor landscaping objects heavy duty spot light fixtures use durable ground stakes for easy placement.

You want to choose the highly efficient charging circuitry to enable each light to be powered under cloudy and overcast conditions. It is always good to be prepared for lower levels of sunlight. Each light products a soft spot light equivalent to a 15W light bulb.

 The most revolutionary features for the busy consumer is that there is low maintenance, no light bulbs to change and the electricity is generated from the light of the sun and thus there is no wiring or electric bill required.

Another strong landscaping feature includes solar garden light from small units mounted in the ground to light steps, flowerbeds, decorative tree rings, sidewalks, patios, pools or decks. While there are many varieties on the market, you may have special landscaping needs.

Now you can create your own low cost solar panels with the affordable prices offered for premium crystalline solar cells that would otherwise be discarded as seconds due to blemishes or other imperfections. If you don’t want seconds you can also buy prime solar cells at a higher price.

 The solar cells come with soldering pads for easy interconnection and integration into solar panels. You can make innovative solar garden light designs at around $2 watt from commercial manufacturers. For 10 watts you would order 62 inch squared solar cells.

 They can be interconnected in 12, 24 and 48 volt configurations. Most companies require a minimum order of 100 to 200 pieces for each custom module.

Another option for innovation is the latest flexible photovoltaic technology with monolithically integrated solar cells that are lightweight durable and affordable.

 There are over thirty models of flexible solar panels in the market and custom models available upon request to offer an entirely new dimension to solar garden light design.

You can learn more here about going green in your home, saving water, using alternative power, and using solar energy in your home.... How to Go Green at Home

And if you are really serious about solar power for your home and garden you need to check out my book I published about DIY Solar Power for Homes.... I have solar power in my home and I love it!

Below I will feature some garden products that use solar power, so that you can see for yourself how well this concept works.

And you can buy all of these items right here, online at amazon, and get better prices than in the retail stores while they also deliver it to your door, sometimes for free shipping!

Garden Creations JB5629 Solar-Powered LED Accent Light, Set of 8$17.96

3 Piece Decorative Solar Light Set (Hummingbird, Butterfly & Dragonfly)$15.00

Solar Crackle Glass Ball Lights, a Pack of 3 pcs in a set.$13.99

Innoo Tech 55ft/17m 100 LED white Solar Fairy String Lights for outdoor, gardens, homes, Christmas party$22.00

Color changing Crackle-glass Ball Solar lights - a set of 3 Glass Balls of 4" dia.$20.99

Moonrays 92271 Hummingbird Style Solar Light, Stained Glass Outdoor Lamp, Hummingbird, Stained Glass$17.08

Innoo Tech Purple 5M 50 Led Blossom Solar Fairy Lights for Gardens, Homes, Christmas, Partys, Weddings$18.55

Chameleon Lily Flower Solar Garden Light with Unique Green-lit Stem$17.99

Yards & Beyond Dual Use Coach Style Solar Lights - 2 Pack$15.55

Learn How to make Soy Candles from Home

Don't you just love the flickering light of a candle?  I think that most of us do.

Soy candles are popular all over the world and are used for many different occasions and decorations.  

You can buy decorative and scented soy candles from many retail and online stores, and you can also learn how to make soy candles yourself.

There are times when you will want to make candles at home when there is either a Birthday party, Christmas party, Halloween party, Valentines Day or even to light up the bridal reception table.

Making a soy candle is very easy provided you follow the steps below and have the necessary equipment as mentioned on individual step.

Soy Candles - How to make them from home:

Step#1: The first thing to decide is the candle number required. 1 soy votive candle will take about 2 oz of the soybean wax. Once the decision is made, it is important to measure the flakes from soy wax using a digital scale.

Step#2: The next step is melting of wax using a double boiler. This has been proven to be very effective, though it's quite slow compared with other methods like expensive wax melter.  You can also use electric rice cookers to melt your soy wax.

You need to regulate the temperature of the melted wad with an effective thermometer. Monitor the wax melting process fully ensuring the wax flash point is not reached as it results to flames. The wax flash point about 295 degrees and above.

Step#3: When the soy wax would have completely melted with a temperature of 170 degrees, add your preferred color dye gently. Stir the melted soy wax to blend in nicely with the dye, the best tool to use is a wooden spoon. At this point if the soy candle will later be exposed to UV-light, add the UV-inhibitor.

Step#4: This is the stage where fragrance oil is added and before doing this ensure the wax temperature is no hotter than 170 degrees. Soy wax generally retains fragrance better than the paraffin wax so you can use about 1.5 oz candle oil fragrance for 1 pound of soy wax. Once the fragrance oil is added, stir it for about 2 minutes to distribute the oil throughout the wax in the pot.

Step#5: This is a very crucial step that determines the quality of the soy candles. Reduce the wax temperature to about 150 degrees and use a pour pot to fill wax into a mold slightly higher than the room temperature.

Step#6: At this level, the molten candle would have started forming a top layer skin like film, it's the best level to which the wick is inserted if you have not already pre-glued wicks into the container. Hold the wick at the top tip, and push through the layer straight to the bottom part of the mold. Ensure the wick is centered and straight in the mold.

Step#7: This is the point where it may be necessary for you to clear any circles formed in the wax top at the centre of each candle after the previous step of inserting the wick. In order to fix this, wave a flame directly at the candle top in very quick motions.

Decent sized flames are essential so as to fix them perfectly. A propane torch or mini butane torch can be helpful. Be careful not to burn the wick. If you insert wicks that stick to the bottom of the container before you pour the wax, you will not have this problem.

Step#8: This is the final and the most crucial part if you are not creating a container candle, as you have to wait a period of about 5 hours to allow the candle to cool before removing it from the candle mold.

Avoid touching, examining or moving the candle. Once the soy candle is ready, pull it out gently. Let the candles set for a period of 1 to 2 days before burning.

If you followed the steps correctly, then this is the ultimate way to make beautiful soy wax candles. Be proud to teach your family and friends the skill to make them for gifts or for sale. 

You might even enjoy learning how to make soy candles enough that you decided to start a home business making and selling these soy candles for a profit.

You can learn more here about how to make soy candles:

I have also published a book that teaches you how to make candles and even make it into a home business

The Unique Playstation Network Experience – What’s It All About?

As someone who does not spend any time playing games on the computer or on Playstation gear, the whole thing just mystifies me.

If you are a parent wondering why your kids are driving you crazy about the latest gadgets and games, and wondering if you really should buy them one even if you don't understand it yourself, here is a chance to learn a bit more about at least one popular model of computer games.

If you ask gamers what defines gaming, then you're bound to get a million different answers. Some will say graphics and others will shout gameplay, soundtrack, online play, characters, stories... the list of what really defines gaming can go on forever.

 However, as you look, you'll see a common theme emerge no matter how many different people you ask. What really defines gaming is the community that arises within gaming.

From gamer to gamer whether online or on the couch, at events or at an arcade, gaming is defined by players connecting through their games. The Playstation Network is a singularly unique online experience that brings players together like no other.

The biggest drawing point of the Playstation Network is that you don't lose anything with online play just because you're not paying for a premium service.

Every single game on the PS3 that supports online play is free to play online with other players around the world.

This ultimate accessibility puts online gaming in the hands of anyone with an internet connection without them having to shell out every one, three, six, or twelve months to continue playing online with other gamers.

Of course there's a premium Playstation Plus service that has lots of cool features like early betas and free downloadable games, but you don't have to subscribe to it for basic multiplayer functions.

Another unique feature of the Playstation Network is something they call the Playstation Home. It seems like with every new console there's a way to create an “avatar” or personification of yourself to associate with your online ID, but Playstation Home takes things a step further and creates an entire online world where your Avatars can meet up and interact.

Playstation Home gives users of even the basic service access to online spaces that have the atmospheres of certain genres of gaming (like action, sports, or adventure) where they can chat with each other or play games together in the virtual space.

You also get your own personal space or “apartment” to customize with your own personal style and decorations to relax and chat with your friends.

Another great part of the Playstation Home is online hosting of gaming events. Events like major game releases are given their own space for PS Home users to explore, watch videos, play games, and chat to other gamers about the new game or games coming out.

Even major events like this year's E3 was hosted online where players could get information on and see videos of Sony's new upcoming games and participate in fun trivia to earn custom clothing for their avatars.

When it comes down to the features and services offered by the various online console networks, the Playstation Network is by and large the most unique and immersive online experience that gamers can take part in.

From the free online multiplayer features to the singularly unique way players can meet and interact with each other, the Playstation Network has more to offer than any other console network.

Get Off Your Couch With The Playstation Move

When you see the brightly colored “lollipop” controller for the Playstation move, you're probably thinking that you've seen this before from another console, right? 

Yes, let's clear the elephant in the room, Nintendo was the first company to capitalize on the motion gaming niche before anyone else really got into it, but that certainly doesn't mean they did it the best or that there isn't room for some fierce competition. 

The Playstation Move more than holds its own in the motion gameplay territory by stepping out and giving us games and features that other consoles simply haven't done.

For starters, the Playstation Move's motion controller is, hands down, the most accurate motion controller available. Even the Wii's “motion plus” controller that they released back in 2009 merely put the accuracy close to on par with the Move.

 Due to its unique design, the Move's motion controller follows movement incredibly accurately with little error even when moved quickly or wildly. 

With its range of sensors both internal and while using the Playstation Eye camera, the motion controller tracks accurately in any kind of lighting or environment and even when the controller is obscured from the camera's view (for example, behind the player's back).

One of the Move's coolest uses is in first person shooter type games, giving players a sense of immersion as they aim the controller as well as the fine-tuning you gain when aiming the controller yourself instead of using a joystick.  

The move also supports a number of additional accessories like the PS Move shooting attachment that converts your controller into a handgun and the Sharp Shooter attachment that turns it into an SMG styled gun, giving you unprecedented control over your favorite shooters.

 The Sharp Shooter attachment is even officially supported by several games including Killzone 3, Dead Space: Extraction, and Resistance 3. Recent reports show that an additional accessory, the PS Move racing wheel will be released for games like Little Big Planet: Karting, and Gran Turismo 5.

One thing that the Move does well that some other motion gaming systems don't really accomplish is step very well into the realm of AR gaming. One particularly good example is the PS3 exclusive series of Eyepet games. 

Both Eyepet and Eyepet and Friends gives you control over a virtual pet that you can play with in your very own living room. 

Teach it tricks, give it clothes, build courses for it to play on, and even bring a friend to play with their pet together with yours, the possibilities are endless.

Between the innovative gameplay the Move offers as well as the library of games that either support the move to enhance gameplay or are Move exclusive, the Playstation Move is sitting at the forefront of motion gaming even in the face of its competitor. 

Even if you've played game with motion aspects before, give the Playstation Move a try before you write it off and I'd be willing to bet you'll find yourself a fan the moment you start playing.

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Image Credits: Featured Images on this page are used under paid license from sources such as: Fotolia | BigStock | Dreamstime or free sources such as MorgueFile | Pixaby | Stockphotosforfree | Photorack or are my own images purchased & used under their MRR/PLR terms. All other images unless otherwise stated are used with permission as part of my affiliate links with Amazon.com.

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What do you say? 

Love them or hate them, computer games are here to stay! 

The only question nowdays is whether to get the in-house games limited to your gadgets, or whether you and your kids should connect onto the web based  online console networks...

So share your thoughts  ... great idea, or an abomination for people who love a traditional board games?

Do you agree?

Facts About The Apple iPhone 5 To Checkout Before Buying

Even though most homes still have a fixed landline phone connected, more and more homes and people are now also fitted out with a selection of mobile phones, tablets, Kindle ebook readers, iPads and now iPhones from Apple get added to the list.

If you are in the process of comparing mobile phones to see which model and brand would suit your requirements best, then the information here should be very helpful to you.

Innovation and excitement are two traits that tend to surround all new Apple gadgets, and the iPhone 5 is no exception.

The iPhone 5 is set to break records all over the place – from its feather like weight to the astonishingly powerful A6 chip that makes the whole thing work smoothly no matter what you’re trying to do.

 It’s also looking like it will set financial records - despite a cripplingly sluggish economy, pre orders for the iPhone 5 could not possibly be stronger. 

Here are some interesting facts about the iPhone 5, Apple, Steve Jobs and everything in between:

-          The Apple philosophy is truly remarkable. The company conceives new gadgets before the technology to create them even exists, and it then finds a way to bring it to market. 

-          So eagerly has the iPhone 5 been anticipated that the gadget had sold 2 million pre orders within the space of 24 hours. That means by the time you finish reading this article, about a staggering 4,000 iPhone 5’s would have been ordered.

-          Apple was founded in 1976 by two friends – Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.

-          Steve Jobs was a college dropout!

-          The very first iPhone was conceptualized in 2004 where Apple put a thousand workers on a mission to create something that would be simply mind blowing. It was initially called “Project Purple” – the iPhone made its debut in 2007, at the high end of the market and was an instant hit.

-           It’s anticipated that Apple stands to earn a massive $144 billion from the iPhone 5.

-          Out of a population of 311 million, it’s believed that in 2012 94 million people owned an iPhone. That’s almost one in three citizens!

-          46% of iPhone owners plan to upgrade to the iPhone 5 when launched.

-          The legendary Steve Jobs, co founder of Apple had led a very interesting life aside from creating Apple. For instance, he experimented with LSD, dated country singer Joan Baez and was a strict vegetarian.

      If that’s not enough to raise your eyebrow, he was offered an internship at Hewlett-Packard while he was in eighth grade. Jobs also saved the film company Pixar from going bust, purchasing it from George Lucas in 1986 for $5m. The first film ever released under his ownership was the hit Toy Story.

These facts just go to show how established the iPhone has become – it’s simply the must have, quintessential gadget and is officially the lightest smartphone in the world.

The Top Features of the Apple iPhone 5

As far as must have, cool gadgets go the iPhone has always been up there with the best of them. 

Overview – The most impressive release to date, the iPhone 5 is notably sleeker but packs a right wallop with 4G support, a longer screen and an A6 chip that’s twice as fast as before. If that doesn’t get you drooling, there’s better battery life and a brand new iSight camera too.

Screen – The iPhone 5 screen is notably larger now, with a retina display of 4 inches with an impressive 1136x640-pixel resolution at 326 ppi. It means you can squeeze more onto the screen, whether it’s displaying your favourite apps, playing movies or browsing the web. 

Performance – The A6 chip has the iPhone 5 working with noticeably greater fluidity, enhancing everything from apps usage to movie viewing.

Battery – Battery life is one of the many enhanced characteristics of the iPhone 5, with 8 hours 3G browsing time, 8 hours talk time and 10 hours video playback.

Camera – The new panorama feature in the camera app is slick, processing a 360 degree image of any room. In fact Apple has made some significant improvements to the (already decent) camera in V4 – with a lens of 4.1mm. The ISO range is also larger with the iPhone 5.

Build – The sleeker build feels lighter to hold – with a weight of 112g. The iPhone 5 has kept its stunning aesthetics, with the stylish glass/aluminium construction. The new Nano-SIM on the side replaces the old mini-SIM and a new Lightening connector replaces the old 30-pin model. It all helps to reduce the size and weight of the Apple iPhone 5.

Siri – The upgrades continue with a better Siri, which is able to launch apps via voice command as well as voice based Facebook entries. Additionally, restaurant searches are now powered by Open Table, while the engine behind movie reviews is Rotten Tomatoes.

Games Performance – Always a good gauge to test the processor speed, games are slicker to play on the iPhone 5 thanks to the new A6 chip.

Operating System – The iOS6 brings a number of improvements to iOS5, with Siri now fully compatible with everything from Yelp to Fandango. Facebook, Twitter, and support for Google Maps.

Connectivity – Ultrafast wireless has the means to operate on just about any carrier – it handles HSPA+ (20Mbps), DC-HSDPA (42Mbps), and LTE (max 100 Mbps). The iPhone’s Wi-Fi is also superior to the iPhone 4 boasting sporting 802.11N (dual channel 2.4GHz plus 5GHz) with a full speed of 150Mbps.

Audio – Apple really has tried to improve the audio on the iPhone 5. The phone brags no less than 3 microphones (front, back and bottom) , which makes for enhanced sound quality for recordings and calls. 

Perhaps among the most impressive additions is the noise cancelling feature, muting unwanted background murmuring while you’re making calls. Even the ear pods have undergone a transformation, offering both a better sound and fit. 

All in all, the iPhone 5 certainly has delivered more impressive features to an already top of the range piece of kit.

The Coolest New Apps & Things That The Apple iPhone 5 Can Do

Apple reported that before launching the iPhone 5 on September 21, its pre-orders had risen to above 2 million. It does offer some great new advancements over the Apple iPhone 4 - here are some of the coolest new Apps and things that the iPhone 5 will be able to do for you:

Spotify App – What better way to take advantage of the ergonomically optimised new ear pods than with the must have Spotify app.

Onavo – The 4G compatibility is a huge plus for the iPhone 5, the only problem being you’ll find yourself browsing the net more often and more rapidly than ever before. So, the free Onavo app is a rather key download because it shrinks down your data consumption while you browse.

YouTube - The YouTube app has been transformed especially for the iPhone 5 phone release. Everything’s better, from the search function to the interface. 

Netflix – With a bigger 4 inch screen, you’ll want to enjoy an app like Netflix to the max. Browsing movies on the iPhone is a far better and smoother experience than ever before – you’ll see that the explosions are more vivid to look at, and better to hear thanks to the better ear pods.

iPhoto – Apple has made significant improvements to the in built camera, but the cool iPhoto app allows you to edit, improve and fine tune your snaps before you share them online.

Camera Awesome – Another app to help you create picture masterpieces with your iPhone 5 camera. The app allows you to use depth detection sensors to take some seriously awesome pictures.

VLingo – Siri is much better with the iPhone 5 than ever before. It makes apps like VLingo perfect to use, as you can voice command just about everything from text messaging to asking all about the weather in Paris (even if you have no intention of going).

Kingdoms & Lords Game - Gaming is just better on the iPhone 5 thanks to the smoother engine and the bigger screen. Take your pick from any number of game apps, this new and free one has you attacking enemy realms as the King of your own castle.

Apple Maps – This really delivers a more enriching mapping experience than others like Google Maps. It means that your iPhone 5 effectively becomes a very useful GPS system in itself.

 Thanks to iOS6, Apple Maps has turn by turn navigation – it has the ability to provide live traffic data wherever you may be located, and give you alternative route information if you happen to be stuck in a jam somewhere.

 If you want something a little more slick, the new flyover feature lets you see an aerial visual angle to view buildings and locations with 3d effects. There is also integration with Siri, which means you can just tell it where you want to go and it computes the best possible route.

It’s early days yet – the new improved characteristics on the iPhone 5 will surely mean a ton of exciting new apps will be brought to market before long.

  

 

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What do you say? 

Mobile phones and tablets are everywhere you look.  One of the great joys I had was being able to disconnect and get rid of my own mobile phone when I retired --- I hated being hounded by people and constantly interrupted by the mobile phone demanding my instant attention.. 

Love them or hate them, they are here to stay! 

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