The Best Laptop to Use For Gaming

The Best Laptop to Use For Gaming

No, they’re not all the same. Laptops for regular people (not hardcore gamers) differ from what a gamer’s laptop should be. Some will not be able to deliver and give a good gaming experience. So, it is important to choose the best laptop suitable for games. You should remember that they have to be faster, more efficient and have a bigger memory than the ordinary laptops. A few specific things are necessary before buying that laptop, these include:

Best Graphic Card Companies On The Market

Some of the most common quality graphic cards in the market are from ATI or Nvidia. They produce the most efficient graphic cards compared to all other competition.

Wide Screen

It wouldn’t be enjoyable if you can barely see the characters on screen, right? A wide enough screen is essential to give you that right gaming feel. At least a 15-inch screen is advised.

Fast Processors

Good computer processors are equal to better gaming experiences. It will also be a bonus if you can expand your laptop’s memory.

Now that you know what you should be looking for, choose which brands can give you thise specifications. I’ll do the work for you and give you two.

Alienware

This is the ultimate gamers computer. They have fast processors, the best graphic card and an extensive memory. This gaming laptop will cost you at least $1,799, but sure it’ll be worth it.

Hewlett Packard

If your budget for that gaming laptop is a little too tight and you can’t afford to spend thousands of dollars, Hewlett-Packard has something built for you. Performance-wise, HP computers can deliver and they even have that bonus sleek and stylish design. Try using HP Pavilion HDX 16t. It might not cost too much, but it answers your need for that right laptop which will suit your needs for gaming.…

Can Music Affect Living Things?

Can Music Affect Living Things?

A friend once called the brain, the final frontier and I think she is right. While all the DNA links have been identified, not all of them are understood; however, the brain is still not totally identified.

For example, some scientists think that certain sound waves that mimic brainwaves can increase creativity, intelligence, control pain or alter psychological states. But the question remains. Can music and sound waves affect living things?

1. Yes. Using sound waves sounds crazy. We all listen to music and love it, but none of us claim that it can make us smarter. Or can it? Studies have been done with children listening to Mozart and have conclusively proven that Mozart improves IQ if only for 10 to 15 minutes. Children who listen to Mozart prior to taking a test tend to score better than those who don’t have a musical test introduction.

2. Yes. Studies with music have also included animals. The right kind of music can get hens to lay more eggs, cows to produce more milk and even affects rats. Music was played in two rat boxes. Researchers played rock music in one box and in the other box the music was Bach. The rats had a tunnel between the two boxes so they could “vote” on the music of their choice. The rats went with Bach no matter which box they played him in.

3. Yes. Music even affects plants. A researcher in 1968 did an experiment to see the effects of music on plant growth. She used many musical styles including classical, jazz, pop, rock, acid rock, East Indian and country. The plants grew well in every type of music except the rock and acid rock. Those plants withered and died. Did the plants respond to the music or just the sound waves each type of music produced? Does it matter?

Music is made up of sound waves. These are travelling waves that are an oscillation of pressure transmitted through air. They are composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard. So it appears that even plants that don’t show obvious choice when it comes to sound waves respond to certain music positively or negatively. Nonhuman animals make choices as well. Even children respond in positive ways to Mozart.

It would appear that sound waves and hence music have affects on living beings.…

I Am Not the Best Pianist in the World

I Am Not the Best Pianist in the World

If you’ve had a chance to take one of my online piano lessons or watch a video of me playing piano, you already know this fact – I’m not a great piano player.

And, I’ll probably never be a great piano player. It doesn’t bother me.

Why? Because in order to become great, you have to give it your all. And when I say your all, I mean exactly that. I mean spending a minimum of 6-8 hours a day practicing and practicing and getting ready for performance.

This vigorous routine is usually reserved for the classical pianist who wants a career as a performer.

The idea is to get so good at playing that expression and interpretation become priority. And there it ends. For while this pianist can play other people’s music extremely well, the odds are good that this same piano player, who’s practiced for thousands of hours, won’t be able to just sit down and play something original. Something not created by others.

And that dear friend is sad. Because while there’s no denying the music of Bach, Beethoven, etc is ‘good’ music, it makes me wonder why anyone would devote literally their entire life recreating it.

I’m not the best pianist in the world. But I can sit down at a piano and reach for a chord that calls to me. The dance then begins as melody, harmony, and rhythm come to life -right before me. Music flows forth and heart and mind become unified – instantly. What a gift to be able to do this!

I can’t play a Bach prelude or Chopin etude. But I can be myself at the piano and experience an intimacy that always leaves me feeling rejuvenated – like a cool breeze does on a hot summer day.

I don’t spend countless hours practicing either. No need to. I’m not entering a competition or preparing for a recital. My interest lies firmly with experience and experience alone. What I’m after is connection and release, mystery and the satisfaction that always comes when I allow the music to ‘play me.’ I let go of the need to create something good, something perfect, or something masterful. Instead, I focus on and enjoy the process and, forever how long it lasts, I am free.

Isn’t this ‘being at the piano’ worthy of respect? Is not the ability to do this priceless? I think so and have devoted myself to getting others to ‘have a go’ at it. Because once students taste the freedom of improvisation and free play, it’s as if a wellspring has been opened inside them. They finally have discovered what’s been missing all those years, namely the ability to play what one feels.…

Indie Music Promotion In a Nutshell

Indie Music Promotion In a Nutshell

So you are new out there in the market, you want to get your music become more exposed to a wider network of people but you think you’re waaay far off from the big names in the billboard charts.

Of course no musician started out easy, especially if he has to do a lot of indie music promotion on his own. However, you know that you have to do it so you can call the people’s attention to the kind of music that you want to make famous/ introduce. So with relatively low budget and a limited network, you have to work your way in.

A lot of talent managers say that indie music promotion needs to have double or triple the efforts made by the entities who are already established. But those efforts may be made easier with these easy focus points:

Get Aggressive Online

The internet has worked for a lot of personalities, companies, advocacies and even in multinational political affairs. The internet has become a new hub of information-reliable information-and the nature of its openness paves way for checks and balances to happen. Aside from that, using the internet also incurs very little costs, as you only have to have a working computer and a reliable internet connection for your little indie music promotion to happen.

First, you can have your own online profile and then build a brand from it. You can do so simply by keeping a working email (with your band’s name) and have an online social networking account which can also double as an online “headquarters” where you can post pictures, updates of your events/ gigs, band member profiles, and even lyrics and chords of your newest songs. When you finally get enough funds, try to invest in a fully functional website. Get a domain. When search is easy and convenient, people will appreciate how you catered to their curiosity fast. THEN you bank on a network.

Get Aggressive In the Networking

Once you feel comfortable online, the next thing that you must do is to not develop a strong network both online and in the non-digital world. Get to know the people who are big names in the industry. Or the people who KNOW the big names in the industry. Befriend them, flatter them, get closer to the limelight. If you suddenly find out via your online accounts that you already have a fan base, keep in touch with them. Also, reach out to other musicians, especially those who belong to the same genre as yours, and try to link each other so you both have the chance to increase your publicity. In you can even plan gigs and events with them.

Get the Network to Publicize

Aside from the self-made efforts that you exert for your indie music promotion, it’s also good if you have press releases and promotions done by a third party. Positive reviews and mere blog mileage is good, actually. Just try …

ASUS U33JC-A1 13.3-Inch Notebook – The Sleek Bamboo Finished Laptop

ASUS U33JC-A1 13.3-Inch Notebook – The Sleek Bamboo Finished Laptop

As the title indicates the ASUS U33JC-A1 is sleek and stylish. A very posh looking unit covered in real bamboo including the wrist pad area and even the touch-pad. This is not a case of form over function as the ASUS U33JC-A1 touts an Intel Core i3 M370 processor clocked at 2.4 GHz with 4GB of DDR3 RAM. A unique function of this premium machine is the Wireless Display AND the NVIDIA graphic processor unit. Typically, these two are not compatible, but ASUS has worked it out using technology from NVIDIA called Optimus that switches automatically on the go between the two.

The wireless display allows transmission of video and audio to an external source so you can enjoy your favorite movies on your TV or another monitor of your choosing. This 13-inch machine is thin, with the tale of the tape fining it just under an inch in thickness and weighing in at a slight 4.5 pounds. While this machine is a small lightweight, it packs a super heavyweight punch in hardware including one USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports.

Also included in the ASUS U33JC-A1 is a web cam that truly protects privacy. When the web cam is turned off, the lens is actually covered to make sure no transmissions are made. The ASUS U33JC-A1 includes the ASUS Control Deck which allows you to customize your settings like brightness, contrast, and power control settings by using the arrow keys and appears on the screen in 3D overlaying the desktop or whatever application you have open.

Preloaded with 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium operating system you can take full advantage of the host of easy tools Microsoft has worked hard to create. The slim lines of the posh and durable brown bamboo chassis is accented by trimming it in chrome strips, gives the ASUS U33JC-A1 a middle century looking machine with a modern feel.…

Do’s and Don’ts of Meditation

Do’s and Don’ts of Meditation

Whether you are a neo convert to meditation and yoga or you are an old hand at these things, the following eight points will, in all probability, be very helpful for you. Remember to keep them in mind while you start crossing your legs for your next session and you are sure to have an enriched meditation practice.

o No suppositions – Do not worry about the experiences your friend or family member shave had. Feel what you experience and don’t fret if you are not able to glimpse the ‘supposed’ experience.

o No rights, no wrongs – Meditation is all about yourself. There is no right or wrong way to do it.

o ‘Relaxed effort’ – Put in effort – it is necessary – but do not try too hard to concentrate.

o Stop chasing your thoughts away – You do not need to evict your thoughts from their perpetual home; your brain. Meditation itself would lead to relaxation.

o No comparisons – Do not try to compare different meditation sessions. The amount of relaxation you feel depends on many factors and accept the fact that each session is going to be different.

o Take care – Meditation acts like a flush that pushes out stress and other physical and emotional toxins. Due to this you might experience some increased negative feelings when you start meditation. Do not worry, the feeling is temporary.

o Enjoy the experience – Don’t be overly concerned about what you experience. The more relaxed you are, the better and easier the meditation experience.

Music has always played a major role in the relaxation of the human mind and body. It also is a great accompaniment to meditation and yoga. The correct type of soothing music will make sure that you have a complete meditation experience and will also guide you through the steps of meditation. Inner Splendor Media, a New York based company specialises in providing music albums for meditation, yoga and also deep sleep.…

Let the Ultimate Gaming Experience Begin With ASUS Republic of Gamers G73JH-A1 17-Inch Gaming Laptop

Let the Ultimate Gaming Experience Begin With ASUS Republic of Gamers G73JH-A1 17-Inch Gaming Laptop

It is an undeniable fact that there are a tremendous mounting number of gamers nowadays. In all walks of life whether youngsters, oldies, single, married, men or women go “gaga” over the latest games. If you are one of those gamers ASUS Republic of Gamers G73JH-A1 is a must have. If you wanted to increase your gaming experience a notch higher this is the best laptop for you.

This 17-inch gaming laptop is equipped with several features that will allow you to enjoy every game because of its perfect graphics that will make you more eager to play. You will feel no delay upon downloading every game you want because of its large memory capacity. You will experience a high definition quality of graphics making you feel your part of it, gaming will never be that fun and exciting. With all those features and more this gaming notebook takes the latest games to the next level.

However this laptop is not for gaming purposes alone because you can also use this when you want to watch your favorite movies in full high-definition because you will get superb image quality plus the wider screen will add to your enthusiasm because you will appreciate the scenes more. The audio will never be problems since it has built in speakers that will bring out the best in environmental simulation in surround sound technology. You will be amazed of the sound that it produces.

Furthermore, it has a pre-installed operating system which is the fastest and most reliable OS ever made by windows. The Microsoft Windows 7, with this you can easily connect and share your photos, videos and music by creating your own home network. This laptop is perfect for those students and even office workers who want to have a faster and worry free work load. This laptop is also durable and yet very handy that you will be able to bring it everywhere since it has a complimentary Republic of Gamers backpack making it more easy for you to carry it.

Upon reading all the reviews indeed this is an excellent machine in a very affordable cost. It will manage anything you need from office works to satisfying your entertainment needs. With this ASUS Republic of Gamers G73JH-A1 your gaming experience will never be the same.…

Why Music and Movement Classes For Our Very Young Ones?

Why Music and Movement Classes For Our Very Young Ones?

Enrolling your young child in a music class can have more benefits than you ever imagined. Children spend their early years developing social, emotional and cognitive skills. This process starts at birth and continues throughout life. In order to raise a child with good skills in these areas, a parent must work start her child young, sometimes as young as six months after birth. Experts agreed that music and movement is one of the most important tools in the development of a child’s learning skills.

In the context of early childhood development, music has traditionally, and intuitively, been a form used in every culture and creed to educate, entertain, engage and soothe the young. For as long as civilizations exist, parents have engaged their children in games and activities that are often accompanied by songs, rhymes and dancing. Morals and values are taught through songs or poems and stories. A lullaby sung over and over not only soothes the child into slumber, it also bonds the child to the adult for it instills a sense of security. Whether one uses an African lullaby or an Irish one, a Japanese finger play song, or a French rhyme to be accompanied by a lap bounce, music has been effective in teaching children how to relate to the world even before they learn to speak or write.

Very often, today’s parents neither have the time, nor the repertoire of games and activities to engage their young early in life to develop these skills. Fortunately, this can be re-captured through dedicated parent-&-child music classes where familiar as well as new and exotic musical ideas from multi-cultures are shared.

These critical areas of development can be successfully taught and imparted within a relaxed yet intentional musical session. For example, an egg shaker that is shaken, tapped and rolled to a steady beat of the music can also becomes an object for exploring the concept of object permanence when mommy plays a hide-and-seek game with the child. The child or toddler’s curiosity is piqued when confronted with different types of shakers making different sounds, for example, the big metal bottle containing beans versus the small Yakult bottle containing fine sand. The concepts of Intentionality and Relatedness are encouraged when the child gets to associate loud sound with the big container and vice versa.

The act of sharing instruments in a music class, and learning to play and stop when required are perfect examples of building self-control. Learning to hold hands in circle games or dances not only develops confidence and fosters cooperation but help the child relate to other adults and children in the circle.

Good Communication is contingent upon the presence of two simultaneous areas of development – listening skills and speech production. Knowing when to listen, and when to express one-self is an important communication skill. A properly conducted music and movement class which offers ample listening opportunities to the child will help develop …

Your Guide To Festival Essentials

Your Guide To Festival Essentials

Music festivals are a fantastic way to enjoy live music. Whether you are going to see an old favorite or discover some new bands, being prepared is very important.

When attending a festival at a venue with general admission seating, the earlier you arrive at the venue the better seats you will get. With that in mind, you may also want to bring a book or something to help you pass the time while you wait in line. Arriving early can improve your chances of getting a great parking spot as well. Many events are located near public transportation. This may be a good option for festival goers. It relieves the frustration of locating parking and is good for the environment.

Festivals areas can become very crowded. You may wish to leave behind your usual purse and opt instead for a small wristlet or card holder that can be worn around your neck. In a hurry it can be easy to lose small items such as a cell phone and credit card, especially when carrying other baggage. Backpacks may be a good option, be sure to pack valuables on the inside so that they are not easily accessible by the people walking behind you.

When going to a music festival, one must be prepared for any type of weather. Rain, shine or cold most festivals will continue. During a rainy season one should also be equipped with an umbrella, jacket, and blanket and dress warmly. When festivals are held outdoors, rain can put a damper on your good time. Grass areas can quickly turn to mud, so bringing an extra pair of shoes or mud boots maybe a good idea. A check of the weather report will likely tell you how to dress appropriately for the day.

If sun is in the forecast you may wish to bring a sun umbrella to the festival. They help to block the sun and can be large enough to provide shade for your entire group. Verify with the festival rules that they are permitted before packing though. In nice weather, you may only need a blanket or chair to sit on. However, many times festivals run late into the evening when the temperature cools off significantly. Therefore you may wish to bring a sweater and a blanket that can be used for warmth. During summer months, sunscreen is a necessity. UV rays can be harmful even in overcast weather, especially if you are near water. Sunburns are not only dangerous to your health; they will also ruin your good time.

Many music festivals are family friendly and encourage children to attend. Kids may become bored, especially during intermissions and before the music starts. Bringing along favorite toys and books will help them to stay occupied.

If allowed a cooler of food would be helpful since food and beverage prices at festivals can be quite high. If outside food and beverages are not permitted, you may want to have …

Just How Good of a Gaming Machine is the Alienware M17x?

Just How Good of a Gaming Machine is the Alienware M17x?

With specifications that make many desktop PCs feel pedestrian, the Alienware M17x uses many of the fastest laptop components currently available, and is targeted at the gaming market. The build quality, design and performance of this laptop (even in the standard build) are all really exquisite. Gamers will think they have died and gone to heaven as they destroy their enemies effortlessly, but gamers beware, you may find your friends so envious that you can’t get time to yourself as they crowd around pleading for a go!

The M17x is not cheap, but then neither is a Ferrari!

The M17x is not small or light. It measures 406 by 54 by 321mm, it weighs over 5kg, and some might argue it is a portable desktop. They are wrong – it is a beautiful machine and, let’s face it, getting some well needed bicep building exercise whilst carrying the M17x to receive your gaming champion award is hardly a burden.

Now for some hard facts about the M17x….

Aside from the power socket, which sits at the rear, all of the ports are located on the sides of the chassis. On the left, you get three USB ports (one of which doubles as an eSATA port), as well as mini-FireWire, DisplayPort, HDMI-out, VGA-out and Gigabit LAN connections. Over on the right, a slot-loading DVD writer is joined by a further two USB ports, audio in/out, a multi-format card reader and an ExpressCard/54 slot.

A decent level of customisation is made possible thanks to Alienware’s Command Center suite of utilities. The most eye-catching of these is AlienFX, which lets you change the colour of the ten LED-backlit sections of the laptop, allowing for an utterly garish rainbow effect or, if preferred, no lights at all.

When powered by an Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300 CPU it gives a clock speed of 2.53GHz – mobile processors don’t come any faster than this! The processor is backed up by 4GB of DDR3 memory and you also get three graphics chips: an integrated Nvidia GeForce 9400M and two discrete GeForce GTX 280M cards running in an SLI configuration.

Given its powerful components, Alienware has sensibly furnished the M17x with a 17-inch screen that features a suitably high native resolution of 1,920×1,200 pixels. Other specs include 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and two hard drives — 7,200rpm, naturally — providing a total of 1TB of storage.

In benchmark tests the Alienware M17x destroys the competition at a range of screen resolutions. It is breathtaking! However, please note that when worked hard, the fans can make a noise that makes you think a helicopter is landing on top of the house, but put on a set of headphones and you won’t even notice it (other people in the room may suffer, but why are they hanging around anyway).

So to conclude….

The Alienware M17x is the ultimate gaming machine – it simply takes your breath away.…

Best Rated Laptops for Gamers

Best Rated Laptops for Gamers

Step inside your gaming persona for a bit and think about this: what do you require out of a laptop designed for gaming? Is it the internal hardware? Is it the external design? Is it the added features and functionality it provides?

On the design part, lots of companies produce laptops with key design characteristics that inspire you to think about extreme things.

Alienware is such a company and their gaming laptop product line is designed to look more like really fast planes, rather than laptops. They also include illuminated keyboards with their laptops to make the design stand out from the crowd even more.

ASUS and Toshiba use the same strategy and include sleek, almost aerodynamic, design and highlights in their gaming laptops product line.

Some companies go that extra mile and include a lot of added connectivity options to their laptops so the average gamer isn’t constrained anymore to just playing games, but now has the option of connecting to the internet and keeping in touch with gamers alike.

Having accomplished great external designs, the real battle starts behind the scenes, under the laptop case, on the component level. There are no two laptops alike, and this is far truer in the case of gaming laptops, since every company focuses on key aspects while trying to keep their price requirements at bay so more gamers can afford the extra spec.

So what do you demand from your gaming laptop? Would you like to crank up the visual quality settings to ultra-high? Then you’ll need to afford the extra buck, since gaming laptops which can do that usually come equipped with more than one graphics card and this type of configuration costs quite a lot.

How about multitasking? Do you like to do more things at once? Then invest in a laptop with a powerful multi-core processor and plenty of RAM installed. Think quad-core here with about 4-6GB of RAM installed.

If you’d like a laptop that can do everything, then the same rules apply, since the processor and RAM will handle the tasks, while the graphics card(s) will ensure everything will be represented as it should be, with every pixel in its place.

Aside from the design aspects and the extreme internal configuration, the visual side of the equation must be taken into account. The screen size will determine how well you see your opponents on the battlefield. Look for screens equal or larger than 15.4 inches, since these are perfect for gaming, and don’t settle for anything less.…

Musicals in the Classroom: More Than Just a Catchy Tune

Musicals in the Classroom: More Than Just a Catchy Tune

Snapping fingers, tapping toes, voices in harmony expressing joy, sorrow, rage and love through song, their stories spanning a myriad of subjects: musicals are particularly effective classroom tools because of their songs. Even the most reluctant student will find himself or herself keeping time with their pencil at some point in the film. These melodic movies can be used in classrooms to teach students about many different topics including history and social-emotional learning, and can introduce students to different dramatic concepts and styles.

Classic musicals, like West Side Story or My Fair Lady, give students a famous literary work (Romeo and Juliet or Pygmalion), presented in a new way. If students are finding Shakespeare inaccessible, the star-crossed story of Maria and Tony will whet their appetite. Oliver! is a captivating way to present another take on Charles Dickens and the tragedies of child labor in 19th century England. As Dickensian novels can be hard for many of today’s students to process, a musical adaptation is one way to break the story into manageable, comprehensible pieces.

Other musicals, like Les Miserables, can be useful as change of pace in a history class. The Sound of Music, which follows a family fleeing Austria just before the Nazis invade, is a somewhat lighthearted way to start a discussion about a pivotal moment in history. Fiddler on the Roof describes the experiences of many Eastern European Jewish immigrants to the United States. It deals with issues of love, parenting, tolerance and tradition in a manner that appeals to everyone. Oklahoma! presents the optimism of the Westward expansion and the closing of the frontier. South Pacific explores different aspects of WW II. 1776 presents a fairly accurate view of the deliberations of the Continental Congress… in song.

The musical that most children are familiar with is The Wizard of Oz, an entertaining film with loveable characters, delicious villains, and enchanting set design. As you peel back the layers, you’ll find that this musical provides more material than it might initially seem. Not only does it deal with many fears that young children have as they start to mature (What if my parents can’t protect me? What if I’m taken away from home before I’m mature?), it is a great example of the Hero’s Journey. The story also displays several literary devices including the frame story, irony, foreshadowing, and symbol.

An argument can also be made that the story told by the book is an allegory to the history of populism in the U.S. in the late 1800s. High school history teachers can ask their classes to prove or refute the validity of the allegory as a change from the usual methods of teaching this period of U.S. history.

Contemporary musicals can have a home in the classroom, too. High School Musical, an extremely popular Disney movie, focuses on the downside of peer pressure and the interpersonal relationships among adolescents. It demonstrates the importance of remaining …

Five Ways to Enjoy Music and Movement With Your Toddler

Five Ways to Enjoy Music and Movement With Your Toddler

Music and movement are integral parts of life. Think of what happens when you can no longer hear musical sounds. The ringtone on your cell phone would go unheard, and the musical vibrations of the tornado warning system would be completely missed. Think of what happens when you are no longer able to move your body. You cannot get up and chase your children around the room, and you have trouble answering the door when a friend drops by for a visit. Rather than walking on your own two feet and enjoying the music of life, you have to rely on awkward mobility devices and listen to more basic, boring sounds all day.

It is obvious that music and movement is central to the enjoyment of life. Singers who are able to make a living creating music are paid huge salaries, are considered celebrities, and at times are worshipped by followers. This is not just because they are attractive or have great voices. It is because they music they create touches the lives of their fans. Their music makes life more enjoyable, allows fans to express complicated emotions they cannot put into words themselves, and even helps young adults discover themselves.

Music sets the mood for so many important occasions in life, and that starts at very young ages. Your toddler will enjoy the upcoming holiday season by learning Christmas carols and singing songs at Thanksgiving. They will hear the gobble gobble of the turkey as a melodic tune they can run around the house squealing. Their enjoyment of life will come through music over and over again as their life progresses.

Do you want to enjoy this music along with your child? Of course you do, so here are five ways you can do that:

1. Pick them up and dance with them. As they experience movement through your body, they will learn how to move their own bodies. As they get older, put them down and encourage them to move with you, but in their own unique way.

2. Take a music class. There are many early childhood music programs around, so you should easily find something suitable for you and your little one to enjoy together.

3. Watch children’s programs that are musically inclined. Even something as simple as watching The Wiggles can get your little one moving. These programs are on the child’s level, but you can have fun mimicking the movements on the screen as well.

4. Put your child on the “stage.” If you have a child who loves music, allow them to put on shows for you. Pop some popcorn, get comfortable on the couch, and allow them to go through their favorite songs with dance moves they have put together themselves. Remember, you should encourage an encore for every performance.

5. Listen to music while you fold laundry or wash dishes. Make music a natural part of your home, almost like a …

Michael Jackson – Another Premature Loss

Michael Jackson – Another Premature Loss

When the news came out about Michael Jackson’s death it was the latest addition to a long list of musicians who had died before their time.

No-one can under-estimate the impact that Michael had on music. He had such a huge amount of charisma about him and this was always so evident in his faultless performances. His dance routines have been incredibly influential and his song writing skills were recognised in many different circles.

It is perhaps not since the untimely death of Freddie Mercury that the world has lost such a powerful performer. Michael’s stage presence was awesome and you would never find an empty seat at one of his shows.

The loss of such stars is, I am afraid, nothing new. In every area of music, for decades, there have been many tragic deaths. You can even go right back to such names as Glenn Miller, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran. If you were to write down the names of them all, then you would very quickly realise just how many artists the world has lost. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Sam Cooke, Nick Drake, Marc Bolan, Ian Curtis, Jim Croce, John Lennon and Mick Ronson all went away before they should have done. In more recent years there have been such people as Kurt Cobain, Michael Hutchence and Luciano Pavarotti.

At least we have Michael Jackson’s music and videos to remember him with, but you can’t help wondering what he (and all of the others) would have gone on to do in years to come.

The biggest lesson that can be learned from the deaths of celebrities though, is that they are still only people. No matter how talented they were and what they achieved in their lives, they were still just the same as us all. Ordinary people are dying every day and each of them has a talent at one thing or another. Yes, it is a great loss to lose someone like Michael, but we need to keep it all in perspective. When we are surrounded by hype in the media it is very easy to get caught up in it all and forget that Michael Jackson was also just like the rest of us.…

The ASUS G73JW-A1 Gaming Laptop Review

The ASUS G73JW-A1 Gaming Laptop Review

In the game of laptop computers, versatility is everything. That’s why the ASUS G73JW-A1 is the laptop of choice for all of your gaming needs. This stunning unit is one of the very best of the gaming laptop computers available on the market today, offering a full complement of features and connectivity options to keep your gaming successes going well into the night.

You can start making your friends jealous by telling them all about the 1.73GHz Intel Core i7-740QM processor fully equipped with Turbo Boost Technology. Add one terabyte of storage on two 500GB hard drives and a staggering 8GB DDR3 RAM and you’re coming close to the full glory of this king of laptop computers for gamers.

Graphics are everything, though, and this ASUS G73JW-A1 doesn’t skimp for a second. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M graphics set the stage for the 17.3-inch LED-backlit HD display to rock your images out into the stratosphere. The graphics engine comes packed with an incredible 1.5GB of GDDR5 RAM and delivers DirectX 11 gaming capabilities for fantastic rendering.

This most powerful of laptop computers allows for amazing rendering in even the most difficult gaming scenarios, keeping you in the game when your friends will be slipping in and out. That’s an advantage you can count on, brought to roaring life with fantastic Altec Lansing speakers with EAX Advanced HD audio.

Comfort is king too with the ergonomically designed keyboard featuring back-lighting and angled design. You can get just the right amount of grip, even when it’s past your bedtime, as you game well into the night with your buddies.

Connectivity is more than up to par thanks to SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports for quicker charging and 10x faster transfer speeds than USB 2.0. You can plug and play your favourite devices in a snap.…

Upcoming New Craze – Watching Celebrity & Music Videos

Upcoming New Craze – Watching Celebrity & Music Videos

Over the past few years the internet has made its presence felt almost in all areas. It has widely captured the attention of all music and movie lovers from all across the world and allowed them watch their favorite music videos or celebrity video clips online. The growth in online music videos and songs has wrecked the barrier of language, society and country.

Today with the spread of Internet global accessing, watching celebrity video clips have become very popular online. With new websites bouncing up focusing entirely on offering free video clip to users, these days there are millions of online clips available online. Besides this, many established and media sites or news sites are adding celebrity video content to their websites. While most of this content is non-exclusive and available on competing sites, some websites produce all their own videos and certainly do not rely on the work of outside amateurs.

In recent years, the glamour and glitz in film and music industry have made everyone of us crazy. Many of us secretly or openly wish to live a life like our favorite film or music stars and celebrities. Besides this, there are many of us who even seriously care about celebrities and just wait in the long queue to have a better glimpse of our favorite actor. Moreover, there are even some who also purchase magazines on weekly or monthly basis to gain information about celebrities, recent films and music reviews. But subscribing to theses magazines can be very costly option as one has to pay huge amount of money for these magazines. Acting as a better alternative, online music videos and celebrity clips are emerging as ideal options.

Currently there are numerous video search engines that provide cost-free and easy online access to all of the great film studio content, celebrity video content, independent productions, and user-generated videos on the web. From hit series of different music composers to your favorite celebrity gossips or clips, video search engines has turned the vast universe of Internet video into high-quality, easy-to-use, personalized experience that entertain fans anywhere around the world. While some video clips are taken from established media sources, some individual-produced clips are also becoming more common and popular. Apart from all this, there are even different online musical websites that offer all kind of information and eye-catching wallpapers of music artists or new music album releases. These websites beyond doubt has brought an extraordinary and entertaining thrill to music video across the world.

No wonder free online music sites or video search engines have created a new digital revolution in present virtual world these days. The entire internet has indeed turned into an ideal platform where you can listen & download songs or view and share online celebrity videos with a few clicks of the mouse in few seconds. Certainly, this new craziness is more convenient when compared to waiting in front of your television all day for …

Top Websites For Free Beats and Instrumentals

Top Websites For Free Beats and Instrumentals

One of the interesting sites I ran into was soundclick where you can get as many beats and instrumentals of a variety of producers as you want.

Just one thing has to be kept in mind before downloading the beat from this site- try to contact the producer/ composer of the beat before using the beat in your songs if you are a creator.

Another site which has a lot going on with a large number of visitors and positive feedback is definitely where you have so much variety to choose from that you will go absolutely insane listening to beats and instrumentals- you’ll love it!

Some sites have beats you can listen to online and then buy them if you want to for as low as $5! A huge collection to choose from and you’ll find yourself in an ocean of high-quality music. Even Social Media sites like have different variety of beats and these sites offer industry standard beats as well!

Free beats and instrumentals are also available at . It has a drop-down list of different categories of music that you can select from and listen to the beats and get ideas for your own music, if you’re a creator of beats and instrumentals.

20dollarbeats is another highly acclaimed site for beats that are unique in their own way and so catchy that they will knock you off your feet right away! Try out the beats from here, listen to them and then make your own music after taking help from here! You might end up making a masterpiece that industrial musicians might love! What if you start earning from music too?

It’s not a bad idea to start off from here.

Makehitmusic is also a good source of free beats and instrumentals that you may find.

You can also send in your opinion about the beats by writing reviews on their website and let them know what you think about the beats that they have come up with! They have a huge variety or collection of music from different genres especially hip hop which is naturally by far the most favorite of all with specialties in east coast, west coast, dirty south, urban and crunk music that is truly today’s thing!…

Rockabilly Gems Emerge From the Depths of Obscurity

Rockabilly Gems Emerge From the Depths of Obscurity

Rockabilly music maintains a level of obscurity as a genre. To those of us who love rockabilly and listen to lots of rockabilly songs, it’s easy to forget that many people don’t even know what rockabilly is. So, while one could legitimately argue that rockabilly itself is obscure, there’s another level of obscurity that goes even deeper yet. That obscurity–those obscure artists and their recordings–holds immense treasure for the rockabilly music lover.

As with any musical genre, rockabilly has its royalty. Of course, there’s the King, Elvis, along with Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Burnette, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, and others who’ve found varying degrees of fame and fortune. The music that these cats made defines rockabilly history and for anyone new to the genre, well, you can’t go wrong with these names. Listening to their music will give you a great education in rockabilly lore.

But once you’ve become familiar with these guys and start scratching past the surface, that’s when you really start to uncover the untold riches that lie beneath the surface. First you run into names like Wanda Jackson, the Queen of Rockabilly and some of her fantastic early rockabilly recordings. That whets your appetite for more female rockabilly and you soon discover Janis Martin, the Collins Kids (with Larry and Lorrie Collins), Rose Maddox, and Sparkle Moore.

Then, as it dawns on you that there was much more to the rockabilly genre than you thought, you dig even deeper. There you find names like Jack Scott, Glen Glenn, Sleepy LaBeef, and Billy Lee Riley. You learn about Sun Records and find out with no little bit of surprise that Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, and Charlie Rich all started out at the same place that Elvis did and begin to realize the influence that this tiny Memphis record label had not only on the world of rock and roll, but also on modern country music.

Now you’re really getting interested. Further research uncovers names like Earsel Hickey, Groovy Joe Poovey, Charlie Feathers, Warren Smith, Joe Bennett and the Sparkletones, and so many, many more. It doesn’t take long before you begin to realize that what you first knew about rockabilly was not even close to the entire puzzle. Maybe those more famous names make up the big pieces of that puzzle. But you realize that with just those big names and their more famous recordings, you have hundreds of tiny holes in the picture.

It’s those names and the recordings that begin to appear out of the mist of obscurity that really start to make the picture whole. There’s no doubt to anyone who loves the rockabilly genre that this music is fun. But like any good puzzle, the real fun comes with discovery. Each new piece you uncover, each one that you snap into its proper place, gives you a more vivid understanding of the entire story. And what a rich, rich story this …

Five Common Mistakes in Script Writing

Five Common Mistakes in Script Writing

There are five errors I encounter frequently in film and television scripts that I read and can be avoided with some care. Fixing them is not absolute guarantee that you will have a good script; if your characters are not interesting and your story is not original and engaging, nothing done.

But, if you are aware of these five mistakes, certainly your best scripts will attract the interest of a producer.

Protagonist slack – In many scripts the protagonist seems to be always behind events without clear objectives or without taking concrete steps to achieve them. Your protagonist must know what he wants and must set a course to get what he wants. Find out what your protagonist wants and really put him to work in that direction.

Little conflict – If your character already knows what he wants, then it is up to you to complicate his life. Place a good number of obstacles in his way; preferably with increasing intensity. The nature of the obstacles depends on the story: they can be external (the highest mountain, the cruelest enemy…) but also internal (a deep fear, a distressing doubt…). Now, without hindrance, there would be no conflict and there is no drama without conflict.

Bad structure – There are scripts that are slow to take off, filling us with absolutely unnecessary information before the story begins. Others creep painfully, after climax, making us yearn for the arrival of the end credits. Apply here one of the few true rules for writing the script: “come late and leave early.” Viewers are a lot smarter than we think and have increasingly less patience for chaff. Start your script as closely as possible with the events that make the story start and stop once it is completed.

Tons of words and very less action – If your characters are limited to talking, you’re not writing a movie script; you’re writing a radio play. Some say that “true” film ended with the arrival of sound films. That’s debatable, but serves to remind us of the essence of visual art. Whenever possible, show instead of tell; arrange interesting visual solutions to advance the narrative; put your characters in action, and consider ways to link the visual scenes.

Flat Dialogues – Film is essentially a visual art, but our characters also have to talk. And talk is not only about transmitting information that the viewer needs to know; you have to build a web, a game, in which tension and conflict must always be present. Give your characters interesting things to say; prefer subtlety to the simple enumeration of facts and information and give each character a distinct voice that goes with their personality and condition.

Many screenwriters are just happy when they can get to the end of the first version of the script. Do not be fooled by that; there is still much more to do. You need to correct the five errors mentioned above.…

Rock Band Train Catches the Train of Success for New Album California 37

Rock Band Train Catches the Train of Success for New Album California 37

The American rock group Train reached platinum success (again) with 2009’s ‘Save Me, San Francisco,” thanks largely to the lead single “Hey, Soul Sister.” The song was charming, melodic, and ALL Train. Now the group returns to the musical foray with their sixth soothing-included record, California 37. The album chronicles the thoughts that aroused from front man Pat Monahan in his travels across the popular interstate 37 that runs through California. And if the record isn’t about that, it absolutely has a very “drive”-esque energy, reminiscent of long drives with nothing and everything to think about.

The album continues Train’s melodic sounds capes and alternative pop strategies for a quintessential pop/rock album. Though it comes off very safe for the group, it is perfectly balanced and is exactly what fans of Train were hoping for if they felt that train had a sound and should stick to it.

Interestingly, the album carries many producers, David Hodges and Butch Walker namely, the latter helming many corporate rock records of the last decade. Some of his credits include Dashboard Confessional, Gavin Degraw, and Katy Perry.

The record is being released by major label Columbia, and features 13 wholesome tracks that Monahan recorded while on tour for their last record. ‘Drive By” is the lead single and breached the billboard top 10. ‘Feels Good at First” followed that a few months later and coincided closely with the actual album’s release.

Train’s biggest claim to fame is their massive global album “Drops of Jupiter” from 2004 that placed them on the map, and their self-titled album previously that held the popular single ‘Meet Virginia.”

Train is expected to do many legs all over the world, beginning Summer 2012 so stay close to the source for new information pertaining to Train.

The album continues Train’s melodic sounds capes and alternative pop strategies for a quintessential pop/rock album. Though it comes off very safe for the group, it is perfectly balanced and is exactly what fans of Train were hoping for if they felt that train had a sound and should stick to it.

Interestingly, the album carries many producers, David Hodges and Butch Walker namely, the latter helming many corporate rock records of the last decade. Some of his credits include Dashboard Confessional, Gavin Degraw, and Katy Perry.

The album continues Train’s melodic sounds capes and alternative pop strategies for a quintessential pop/rock album. Though it comes off very safe for the group, it is perfectly balanced and is exactly what fans of Train were hoping for if they felt that train had a sound and should stick to it.…

Cooling a Laptop – What You Need to Know

Cooling a Laptop – What You Need to Know

A laptop that is allowed to overheat can result in the end of a laptop. You’ll notice if it feels too hot to the touch or the fan seems to be constantly in overdrive working to cool it down. It could even be that you have a problematic fan and trying to keep the laptop cool in the first place is a task. There are, however, ways to cool that laptop down before disaster strikes.

Clean it Out – Dust accumulates inside the laptop and can make it harder for the laptop to cool itself. This thick layer of dust can become like a blanket keeping the inside all cozy and warm, except that is not what you want happening. You best bet is to use a can of compressed air and spray out the computer in short bursts of sprays. This is generally done at the vent area. There are also computer vacuums on the market, or you can use a standard cotton swap to try to remedy the problem.

Additional Fan – In case your fan has stopped working, use a small, personal desk sized fan to assist. You can also try working in a room that has a full sized standing fan in it that can be positioned in the direction of your laptop. Even if your fan is working, it never hurts to try to add some extra cooling breeze to the situation.

Shut it Down – If your laptop is older or just not in great working condition, you should try letting the electronic device rest and cool down naturally more often. When you aren’t using it, turn it off completely. Also, even if you are going to take a lunch break and will be away from your laptop, you should shut it off not just let it hibernate.

Buy a Stand – You can consider making one too, but having one that has been professionally designed may end up working better for your laptop. Cooling a laptop happens much faster and continuously with the use of a stand. The laptop design allows for vents at the back of the bottom, but these vents do no good if they are blocked. A stand enables the vents to do their job.

Other Tips – Monitor the surface you are working on. If you are using a soft pillow, blanket or other similar item for a resting place for your laptop while working, you are more likely to cause harm and have issues cooling it down. Use a flat hard surface and, when possible, something that allows the vents to have some space, like a stand.

Also, if you do leave your laptop on during short breaks, consider flipping it over. Just shut the top and then flip it vent side up. That way, while not in use, the vents have direct air flow. Take care of your laptop along the way and cooling a laptop may not …

A Review of the Sager NP 8690 Gaming Laptop Computer

A Review of the Sager NP 8690 Gaming Laptop Computer

The Sager NP8690 gaming computer is quite possibly the most powerful gaming laptop in the world. It features a 15.6″ display that provides graphic displays that are usually this good on a 17 inch display. It also features the super fast NVIDA GeForce GTX 280M and the Core i7 CPU made by Intel. This machine uses the Calpella Platform and the PM55 chipset made by Intel that can handle the newest 1,333 Mega Hertz DDR3 memory that is dual channel and CPU memory to provide excellent performance for advanced applications and super realistic gaming. In addition to the graphics technology and CPU that are cutting edge, the machine also has a beautiful full 1080P High Definition LED display that provides realistic visuals that will complete your gaming experience. This portable gaming laptop is the answer for serious gamers and demanding enthusiasts alike.

With its intelligent and faster multi core technology the Core i7 CPU mad by Intel provides the processing power where it’s most needed and delivers an amazing breakthrough in gaming performance. This CPU depends on the combination of the Hyper Threading and Turbo Boost technologies both made by Intel to provide full processing power precisely when and where you need it the most.

This machine uses a Graphics Processing Unit that provides beautiful visuals and is supported by NVIDA Physx technology. It is truly a machine for serious gamers. It allows a completely new class of the interaction of physical gaming for a more realistic and dynamic experience and the NVIDIA CUDA technology provides the power of the GPU’s processor in order to perform even the most demanding system applications.

Beautiful and visually stunning graphic are generated by the full 1080P High Definition LED Display that has an engine that is state of the art that will come alive when displayed in 1080P. This machine will deliver brilliant colors with the 15.6 inch full 1080P High Definition widescreen that has LED display technology provides brilliant colors regardless if you’re playing a game or watching a Blu Ray movie.

The system’s DDR 1,333 Mega hertz system memory performance will provide greater memory bandwidth that won’t lag behind.

You won’t have to ever worry again about using too much space with the media that you want to save since this PC has expanded storage space with the eSATA. This advanced technology permits sufficient storage space without sacrificing performance as compared to Firewire or USB because it is connected directly to the hard drive controller.

You can us the video camera that is built in for communications on the Internet for chatting with your friends or for video conferencing regardless how far apart the parties may be. The 2.0 megapixel camera with high resolution will ensure that your video will look real.…

Helping the Earth Recover With Used Electronics

Helping the Earth Recover With Used Electronics

In today’s world of waste, litter and greed people forget about the need to recycle. The damage that humans have caused on the earth in many different ways has caused huge negative impacts and it now turning around to harm us as well. All of the damage caused has made Mother Nature angry, has made her react to our waste less and careless behavior. She is causing earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis and many other natural disasters in response to all of the damage we have committed against her beautiful earth. It’s a shame because she is trying to get through to us and trying to show us the importance of turning our actions around and treating her better, but some people just don’t seem to get it. What everyone around the world needs to do is start changing the way they think about the world. While it is often believed that nothing bad will ever really happen as a result of carelessness and waste, it is now very clear that this is just not the case. The waste has caused damaged and destroyed rainforests, natural life, global warming, shortages in water, oil and many other natural resources. It’s time, now more than ever to really start changing our actions before something much worse occurs.

People are asked to think of ways to reuse, reduce and recycle. These three very important actions are those which can start to make a difference and really help to begin to repair and maybe reverse the negative affects that the earth has experienced. From reusing bags, reducing use of paper and recycling plastics, aluminums and electronics, there are a mountain of actions and efforts that need to take place. In the recent years the notion of reusing and recycling has become a trend, something fashionable to do in the world of celebrities and fame. And it’s a good thing it has because sometimes the only way to get through to some people and make them act is to have them be convinced it’s something other people are doing.

Lots of businesses are even trying to market and profit off of this tendency towards the green movement. There are lots of websites and companies looking to buy or sell used electronics, your off lease laptop, old cell phones and more. whether you want to buy an off lease laptop from them which would give you a discounted price on your next laptop, or whether you are trying to sell an old computer to them, both can benefit you, the company and the environment. When you decide to buy a used or an off lease laptop you are making a decision to reduce the amount of materials that are being used to recreate and make new laptops. You are helping the earth recuperate some of her natural materials when you purchase a used electronic and you are getting a better deal, two things that benefit you. So learn about what an …

Asus X77 Laptop Review

Asus X77 Laptop Review

Gaming laptops, like the Asus X77, are expected to run computer games quickly and smoothly. Most computer games today have large memory requirements but due to the Intel/Radeon combination, the Asus X77 is capable of running these programs.

The Intel Core i5-430M processor runs at 2.26 Mhz. With its Turbo Boost technology, you can increase the clock speed of the processor to 2.53 GHz. The i5 also has a Level 3 Cache with 3 MB. This allows the processor to handle four threads at one time making it faster.

Supporting the Core i5 of the Asus X77 is a 4 GB RAM. Computer games tend to eat a low of memory. But with 4 gigabytes, you will be able to play games without encountering much of a problem. Now add the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 graphics card to that. With its DDR3 memory, you can now play games with heavy 3D graphics easily and without having to experience lagging.

The game experience is made more exciting with its 17.3″ LCD that has an output of 1600×900 resolution and 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio. This type of screen is actually better than what most desktops have.

Aside from the LCD screen, it has an HDMI video output and you can also connect it to an external HD monitor.

Another issue when it comes to gaming is storage space. Computers games now have movies included in them. You therefore need a lot of space for them. The Asus X77 has no issues when it comes to storage space. The Asus X77 uses a dual hard drive system. Now each hard drive can contain 500 GB each. This means that it has an available space of 1 TB or 1,000 GB. That is a large amount of space. With it, you can store not only games but also music files or movies. With these features, the Asus X77 can be comparable to a desktop.

You also get all these for at least $1,400 — a good price for a good gaming laptop.

SPECS

Central Processing Unit

Intel Core-i5 430M 2.26 GHz processor with Turbo Boost of up to 2.55 GHz

Random Access Memory

Up to 4 GB

Graphics Support

ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 GPU

Screen Size

17.3 inch

Screen Resolution

1600 x 900

Storage Space

Up to 1 TB, dual hard drive of 500 GB each

Optical Drive

multi-format DVD burner

PROS

Power and speed are what makes a gaming laptop what it is and the Asus X77 has both. The Intel Core i5 processor gives it the needed power and speed for the best gaming experience. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 graphics card plus the large 1 TB storage space provides the necessary support for it to happen.

The Asus X77 is not just a gaming laptop. It can also be used for multimedia. The resolutions and display are at high levels and it can be connected to an external HD monitor.

CONS

NONE…

3 Cheap Gaming Laptop That You Can Easily Afford

3 Cheap Gaming Laptop That You Can Easily Afford

From the beginning, laptops were meant for official purpose but now many people who love playing computer games are choosing gaming laptop over desktop computers. The reason behind this is that more and more laptop manufacturers are releasing gaming friendly laptops that are capable of high performance. So, are you looking forward to lay your hands on a gaming notebook? Here are 3 laptops that will easily fit inside your laptop:

ASUS N53JF-XE1

Asus has always been known to produce top notch laptops. This model from Asus comes with a 15.6 inch high definition display. It looks very elegant. One of the salient features of this laptop is its speakers. The sound output is quite loud and clear. It weighs 6.4 pounds and comes with 6 cell battery. It is powered by Intel Core i5-460M (2.8 GHz processor and Nfidia GeForce GT 425 graphics card with video memory of 1GB which is all you need to get the best gaming experience. The other features of the system include 2 megapixel camera, 5 in 1 card reader, 4GB RAM and many more.

MSI GX640-260

Here is a gaming laptop that comes with a very sporty appearance. It runs on Intel Core i5-450 processor that gives a speed of 2.4GHz. With 15.4 inches of high definition display and ATI Radeon HD5850 graphics card with 1 GB of video memory, you will stay glued to this system for hours playing games. Thanks to the 4GB DDR3 RAM present on the system, it promises you excellent performance. The 500 GB hard disk is large enough to store all the latest games that eat up huge disk space. 2 megapixel camera, HDMI port, and 4 in 1 card reader are some of the other features of this amazing laptop.

Gateway P6860FX

It runs on Intel Core 2 Duo T5550 processor and 2 x 2 GB DDR 2 RAM. It comes with Windows Vista operating system. The TFT display screen measures 17 inches. For gaming, you can take advantage of the Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS and video memory of 512MB. This will also let you enjoy your favorite movies at display resolution 1440 x 900 pixels. The integrated 1.3 megapixel will let you do video chat seamlessly. Even though the laptop is not built for gaming but its excellent battery life and high-end graphics will let your favorite games with utmost clarity.…

The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Gaming Laptop

The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Gaming Laptop

These days, computers have many other uses besides simply browsing the Internet and word processing. They are now fully integrated media devices that are able to seamlessly move from video games to watching movies. In order to maximize their potential many people prefer to buy a gaming laptop that tend to have better graphics and larger displays. These machines are very nice, but they have both advantages and disadvantages that need to be considered.

One of the advantages is that there is no doubt that these computers have some great qualities. Most of the manufacturers that you are buying them from, particularly all of the specialized manufacturers have them put together already. It is for this reason that you don’t have to spend much time doing research on the pieces comprises the entire computer. You can be sure that this machine will run all of the different types of media that you need, particularly the games that need video effects that are real time extremely well. You will know that you are getting a great computer although you can always add other capabilities to it.

In addition to this you should know that another advantage is that you are getting a machine that is powerful that will have the capability to run any media that you want. It is also entirely possible that the machine will also be able to run three dimensional modeling and video editing software as well. With the technology that is available today, they can also be ready built for LAN parties and a full service computer.

The cost of this type of machine is one of the primary reasons why you wouldn’t buy one. This is a disadvantage. They are usually very expensive even if you choose your own gaming ready options. If a computer is given the specific gaming laptop label, you can expect that it will cost even more. Sometimes this is more expensive then it is worth.

Another disadvantage is that you should expect that there are other parts of these machines that will be substandard. Some of them will have deficient features such as a hard drive that is unreasonably small. In these situations, you’ll have to make a big tradeoff which usually isn’t a fair trade.

If you want the laptop to be portable, its size is very important. You can usually get the size of display that you want on a gaming laptop, but you should really get a display that is 17″. This will make it difficult to transport because it has to be in a bag, and even harder to use in school settings or in a practical business. A gaming laptop should be used more for fun rather than work.…

The Importance of Music Licensing

The Importance of Music Licensing

If you are a composer, and have written many original songs, getting into music licensing is a very important objective. Additionally, it will aid in receiving substantial profit. For example, if a feature film, advertisement or TV show likes a song, they will request a music license for the composition.

With the downturn of the economy within the music industry today, there has been a dramatic increase in the popularity of music licensing in the entertainment world. It can be heard in radio, television and many other venues. Many organizations are in search of new talents around the world and it has become paramount to become educated and involved in music licensing as well as getting adequate representation.

Many talented individuals are deprived in pursuing their musical career due to lack of knowledge and exposure to licensing. In fact, in many cases the only thing that one can do as talented composer is to pursue music licensing, but how can this be achieved?

One way is by joining a performing rights organization or a PRO. Every country has its own society of composers and these organizations play a great part in the proper way to license music. In the United States the three primary companies are ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. Be sure to contact one of these organizations and become a member. They are extremely knowledgeable about music and all the technicalities that come along with music licensing and will be an invaluable source to your career.

The PRO’s in the United States collect over a billion dollars every year for songwriters and publishers who refer to this income as performance royalties. The caveat is that if your music has not been registered through the proper channels and does not have the appropriate music license you will never see this income.

Another thing that you can do is to find a publishing company. A publisher represents your songs in the business of music. Tasks such as music licensing, negotiating licensing, collecting royalties and making sure that you get paid at the proper amount at the proper time are all part of the publishing process and what a publisher does. It is very astonishing at the amount of composers that are oblivious to the most important aspect of the music business and daily lose out on substantial earnings generated through licensing. A well-connected publishing will allow you to flourish as a composer and allow your compositions to earn you credits, money and the recognition that you deserve.…

A Desktop Vs A Gaming Laptop

A Desktop Vs A Gaming Laptop

Playing video games on a computer has been very popular for over ten years now. At one time the only way you could play a video game was on a desktop, but that has all changed with the invention of the laptop computer. There are advantages and disadvantages to both and here are some of them.

A desktop PC is, of course not very portable. Conversely, a laptop is. You can simply unplug it, place it a bag, and take it wherever you want to go. In addition, with desktop PC you would have to take its components like the mouse, keyboard, and monitor along. The laptop wins in the portability category.

The components in your gaming machine become obsolete rather rapidly because the technology of gaming becomes more advanced each year. Also, the newest games always need the fastest and best equipment. As a result, the machine will need to be upgraded rather often. This can’t be easily done with a lap top because it is so difficult to upgrade components like graphic cards and hard drives. However, it can very inexpensively be done on a desktop machine. The laptop loses in the upgradability category.

Size does matter in gaming machines. All of the components in a desktop are external and therefore large. On the other hand all of the components are built into a laptop so they are small. The laptop wins the size category.

Money one is the most important aspect when selecting a computer. A desktop is much less expensive than a laptop gaming computer. If you look at two identical machines, one being a desktop and one being a laptop, you will find that the desktop is roughly half the cost of a laptop gaming computer. These two machines both had a 512 GeForce video, 2 gigabyte of random access memory (RAM), and a 2.16 Giga Hertz processor. That is a lot of difference in cost for the laptop over the desktop. In addition sine you can’t upgrade a laptop, it wins the affordable category.

Regardless of which computer you choose, it is simply a matter of personal preference. You will just have to decide which factor, portability, upgradability, size, and price is more important to you. Before you buy anything you should do some research. Regardless of which you choose, you can still have fun playing your favorite games.…

Qualities That Make Up Good Gaming Laptops

Qualities That Make Up Good Gaming Laptops

Gaming has always been popular, but with the advancement of the technology that is now in laptops, it has taken on a whole new life of its own. As gamers are able to take their fun on the road, they are looking for good gaming laptops that will serve their needs. It is only a matter of time before they replace their desktops with these new machines.

The processor is going to be the first thing that you need to look for. If you are willing to spend at least a $1,000, there is no need to settle for anything less than a 2.0 GHz processor. To be honest, there are machines out there that are faster than that for the money and you are going to need every bit of that speed to have good game play.

You are also going to want to have at least 4GB RAM. A large hard drive is nice, but it is not necessary unless you are going to be permanently downloading the games. If you are playing them on the net, you are more interested in how much RAM the computer has and how fast it can process the information.

The next feature that you want is a large screen. You should be able to see the entire game screen when you expand. If you have to shrink it down, you may be missing out on some of the action. Don’t settle for anything less than 15″ and if you can, go at least 17″ for the best play. After all, you are on a computer, not a PSP.

Finally, you need good graphics and plenty of USB ports. One of the reasons that gaming laptops cost a little more is because of the graphics that they have installed on them. You surely want something better than the standard and you will pay for it. The reason you want the USB ports on there is because it is always better to tap directly into the machine than to use a tower or spider. You can always get disconnected that way or suffer small delay. That is totally unacceptable when you are playing games.…

A Guide to Help With Finding Cheap Laptops

A Guide to Help With Finding Cheap Laptops

Regardless of the reason that you are looking at cheap laptops, you are going to want to make sure that the one that you get is something that is worth it. One of the reasons you may be looking at these kinds of laptops is since you know that many of them are worth the money. As with any of the things that you buy, there are some things to think of when you are looking around at the different ones.

As you already know, laptops are great with the way they allow people to work on the go. This gives people a lot of convenience and has a lot to do with the popularity they have. If you have already started looking around, then you probably noticed the many different kinds that are out there.

Various choices exist and this gives people more options on the type and price of computer they will buy. As the number of choices has increased in prices, so have the number of those that are cheaper. As many are already aware, choosing a computer that is not the newest one out there can help to keep the cost of the computer down.

If you do want one of the newer models, there are some decent computers that are made according to the needs of students and others that do not have a lot of graphic needs. In most cases, these kinds of computers are very reliable and will have no problem in handling what you need them to, in the case that you are a student or need a laptop just for some general use. Usually, you can get a laptop such as this, starting as low as $300.

If however, you need the computer for something else, then you may want to think of other options. This would be anything like gaming or some kind of designing or music, basically anything that is going to put a large load on the physical memory of the computer as well as the graphics. These are the kinds of situation that you would want to consider buying a computer that is refurbished by one of the manufacturers or through someone else.

If you find that you fall into this category, then you may want to think of buying a computer that is pre-owned or refurbished. One thing to consider however is if you buy a computer that is refurbished through a manufacturer then at least it will come with some kind of warranty. When you buy a computer from a person owner this is not the kind of protection that you will have and is something to think of.

Some people do actually find really good cheap laptops with personal owners, but this is not always the case. There are some cases where there could have been a problem they caused and that they covered up and you are unaware of and will not know about until …

Everything You Need to Know About Netbooks

Everything You Need to Know About Netbooks

Netbooks are basically laptops, but they’re smaller, cheaper, and very versatile for their capacity. Netbooks are an affordable, and most importantly portable, extra computer which can be used for browsing the internet, sending emails etc. They don’t have the grunt of a laptop, but they can do most of the job, in these areas. They’re like a sort of portable home computer support service when you need one.

Why are they so cheap?

Netbooks have filled a niche created by the high prices of laptops. A Netbook like the Dell Inspiron Mini 9, costs about $500, has a 9″ screen, an Intel Atom processor, 1gigabyte of RAM and a tiny 16GB hard drive. (That, incidentally, is about all that you really need for a wide range of computer work, and it’s why Netbooks have become so popular so fast.)

By way of comparison, pocket-rockets like the Studio XPS 13 cost $1500+ and have 4GB of RAM, a graphics card, a much faster processor and a 320 gigabyte hard drive. Lots of power squashed into a small package, but very expensive.

What could I use a Netbook for?

Netbooks won’t run the latest games or play HD movies. But when you add a mobile broadband connection, there’s not much they can’t do. They’re very useful in business, as a sort of portable organiser and general workhorse computer.

Netbooks are also becoming very popular with parents as an affordable way to get that all-important first computer and staying solvent. The Netbooks are good basic trainers, and even if they’ll obviously need something with more power soon enough, they’ll also know how to use it when they get it.…

The Sager NP8690 Vs The Dell Studio XPS 16 Vs The ASUS G51J-A1 Gaming Laptops

The Sager NP8690 Vs The Dell Studio XPS 16 Vs The ASUS G51J-A1 Gaming Laptops

While the Sager NP8690 isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing gaming laptop in the world, it is a high performance one. It has a simple black design that has absolutely no sense of styling. However, as far as performance is concerned, the Sager NP8690 gaming laptop is a winner. The standard configuration uses the Core i7 720QM CPU, made by Intel which is the same standard CPU that is used in the Studio XPS 16, but the Sager NP8690 gaming PC also includes a 15.6 inch display and a GeForce GTX 280M graphics card. The laptop’s display has a base resolution of 1600×900. However, even if the display is upgraded to a resolution of 1920×1080, there is almost no chance of the gamer experiencing any slowdown. The Sager NP8690 gaming machine laptop has a much larger graphics card than most gaming machines, but it is also more expensive than most gaming PCs. Like they say, you get what you pay for.

Of all of the gaming PCs that are available, the Dell Studio XPS 16 is the least expensive gaming laptop that uses the Core i7 CPY, but as far as expense is concerned, The ASUS G51J-11 gaming PC provides it with some pretty stiff competition. The Dell Studio XPS 16 uses the same amount of RAM and the same basic CPU as the ASUS G51J-A1. However, it uses the GTX 260M video card that is not so much faster that the average gamer will notice any difference. In addition, it is less expensive.

However, there is the matter of the hard drive. It comes standard with a 640 Gigabyte hard drive which is larger than what comes standard with the Dell XPS 16. Also, it comes standard with a 15.6 inch display that has a base resolution of 1920×1800. This is a much larger display than the base 1680×945 display that comes standard on it. If you upgrade the specifications on it so that they are equal to the display and hard drive on the ASUS G51J-A1, the Dell Studio APS16 actually costs more.

However, there are some other variables. The ASUS G51J-A has a shorter battery life because it has a smaller battery, and there are also some differences in other features such as ports and weight. All things considered the ASUS G51J-A1, the Dell XPS 16, and the Sager NP8590 are all pretty equal, and would make a good desktop replacement.…

The Loudness War and Dynamic Range in Music

The Loudness War and Dynamic Range in Music

You may not be aware but they say there is a Loudness War going on out there in your MP3 and/or CD collection. Probably on vinyl too. A lot of Pop, rock and other radio played music is louder now than it was in say the 1980’s. And the effects of increased loudness of recordings are of interest and perhaps concern for recording engineers, mastering engineers, musicians and music listeners.

So, why this is so and what is the Loudness War? Well many sound specialists have compared recordings from the 1980’s with present mainstream best-selling recordings and have found that today’s offering s are significantly louder. You may be able to test this for yourself with a few Spotify tracks – as long as default setting to make all tracks appear the same volume is turned off. Apparently, there is more limiting and compression on the music in the mixing and mastering process of production so it appears louder. Basically, it jumps out of the speakers more and therefore may attract the attention of listeners (and therefore consumers) more easily.

But there is a problem with this approach. It has apparently become the rule and not the exception and it may be compromising the quality of the music, rendering it more tiring on the ears and therefore less enjoyable to listen to. Turn Me Up dot Org is an organisation raising awareness about dynamic music and the Loudness War. They encourage listeners to turn the music up instead of musicians and engineers feeling pressured to make their music as loud as the loudest music. Turn Me Up dot Org appreciates that loud mixes and mastering does suit some types of music – such as Heavy Metal or Drum n Bass. But it should remain a stylistic choice, not a customary way of presenting music.

Dynamic Range Day is another campaign that echoes this sentiment. Dynamic Range Day takes place annually with an album winning the award for most dynamic recording – in other words one that has quiet as well as loud moments and keeps this dynamic to the recordings. The challenge involves making sure your recording has at least eight decibels of dynamic range – so eight decibels difference between the quietest and loudest moments in the music.

But interestingly, it has just been declared that dynamic range in music is not necessarily decreased or compromised if the music is one of the louder recordings. In a recent article in reputable music production magazine Sound on Sound magazine entitled ‘Dynamic Range and the Loudness War’, Emmanuel Deruty explains that loud records are not necessarily less dynamic recordings. He declares “We can prove beyond any doubt that the ‘loudness war’ has not decreased the loudness range.”

So, the claim that loud recordings have become the norm is of concern. But dynamic range may be preserved. As I have developed as a recording engineer and producer of more creative music, I have become …

Email Blast Services – Go Forth and Conquer

Email Blast Services – Go Forth and Conquer

Music promotion is guerrilla warfare; launching unorthodox attacks upon an unsuspecting listening audience. Doing whatever is necessary to get noticed. For any war campaign a healthy arsenal is needed. In the case of music the arsenal would be CD. Once you have amassed your arms get ready to unleash on the head honchos, the leaders of the music industry. Of course I do not mean that you should throw CD at anyone. Your CD can be effective weapons in your effort. Sending demos out to industry leaders can be a great way to gain exposure.

Of course this seems like an obvious move, but I am not suggesting that you send demos through the obvious channels such as label representatives and larger than life main stream artists. The target here should be smaller labels and independent artists. Many figures in the independent scene are much more accessible than most would imagine. All the effort needed on your part is a simple email.

Make a list of artists and labels you respect. Cross of any large major label artists or labels such as Virgin or Bono. Stick to the little fish, it is easier to get a bite. In the email compliment the independent artist and say how much you admire their work and contributions to music consultant. Do not suck up too much, but just let them know you know who they are.

Next mention your demo and ask if it would be alright to send one to them. Do not make it sound like you are trying to get signed, because most will be turned off by that goal. Make the request seem more like a friendly gesture rather than a music promotional tactic. You may want to bring up sending a CD on the second or third email. Depending on the person you are contacting you may want to build up more of a friendly repertoire.

Not only will you be surprised by the amount of people who reply to your emails, but also by the amount of interest in hearing what you have to show. Even if only a few sentences they will critique your music promotion. The thrill from getting responses alone is worth the effort of contacting them. The added bonus is really their comments which could greatly improve your music. If you are extremely lucky the independent artists or music industry person may share your music and get some buzz going for your music service. The possibilities are endless and the probabilities are low. High volume efforts create more chances for success.

Celebrities are people too; they are not way above you. Do not be afraid to approach them. Keep an open mind and be polite and you will be surprised by who will listen to your demo. There are no guarantees, but as always, simply getting heard is the goal and the rest will take care of itself.…

Best Gaming Laptop – What to Look For?

Best Gaming Laptop – What to Look For?

As avid gamers, we are constantly looking for the best gaming laptop. We are constantly searching for the best gaming laptop that will satisfy our gaming needs and have a fantastic gaming experience possible. In a bid to save money, the cheapest one may not perform as expected. On the other hand, the most expensive may not be the best. Most gamers would want a high performance machine that is not expensive. So what constitutes as a best laptop? It is not the price for sure!

A good laptop for gaming should have a better specification and CPU memory than normal laptops as it is designed specifically for high resolution graphics and pictures. These types of laptops are not difficult to find. They can be found in retail stores. If you want better and cheaper deals, they can be found online. Online stores will deliver the goods right to your doorstep.

The best gaming laptop prices can range from $700 – $1500. It may cost more if you go to a retail store. If you are on a budget, a $700 gaming laptop may be good enough to satisfy your gaming needs. If you are not worried about your budget and have more cash to spend, you would want to spend more for the best performing machine you can find.

As you know, 3D games require a much higher resolution laptop than 2D games. High resolution laptop for 3D games has a more powerful CPU that runs fast and better graphic card. If you want to buy this type of laptop, there are 2 types of graphic cards you want to know, namely ATI and Nvidia. Choose the laptop that will fit your need. The more powerful the machine is, the more you will have to pay.

The best gaming laptop brands are MSI, ASUS, Alienware and Toshiba Qosmio. You can find out more reviews here. Depending on what you are looking for, be sure to look at the capacity of the computer. There are also big or small screens, AMD or Intel CPUs for you to choose.

Gamers, nothing can compare to a wonderful gaming experience. Therefore, choose the best gaming laptop that you will enjoy for years to come.…

Electric Guitar Guide – How to Get Started Playing Right

Electric Guitar Guide – How to Get Started Playing Right

When you start playing the electric guitar, there are many things to keep in mind to start playing right. Don’t make many of the beginner mistakes that many beginners are prone to making. Follow this electric guitar guide to start learning properly.

Make sure you get an electric guitar that you can actually play. This means that the neck isn’t too warped and the electronics work. You will need at least a practice amp so you can hear yourself. A multi-effects peddle isn’t a requirement but it’s fun to have different effects while playing especially if the style of your choice has certain effects. After you get a guitar, be sure the change the string immediately.

Most of the time a beginner will start with a lighter gauge pick. This means it’s thin. If you want to get better at using a pick and do more complicated techniques, you will have to get used to a thicker pick. At first if you use a really thick pick, you might end up breaking too many strings.

Much of the beginner steps will be memorization and learning how to get your fingers to move. Sometimes your fingers just don’t have any dexterity when starting especially your ring finger which isn’t used to moving on it’s own. Don’t quit thinking you can’t do it because most at first really can’t until they gain more control.

Start off with chords and strumming. A basic chord chart should help. If your fingers get too sore to play which will happen, you can still practice by memorizing chords in your head.

As an electric guitar player you will want to also learn scales and picking techniques as this is the basis of solos and riffs. Start on these early picking up the major scale at first so you have a scale to practice your picking with.

If you get stuck, get more material. This could happen to be from a guitar teacher, a book, a video, or a course. It’s important to always have something new to practice and improve upon.…

The von Trapp Family History Part 7 – Family Life in the Midst of War

The von Trapp Family History Part 7 – Family Life in the Midst of War

During World War II, the von Trapp family’s music was a relief to Americans as their husbands and sons were away at war. The Trapps’ own sons, Werner and Rupert, served in the 10th Mountain Division of the United States Army and saw combat in Italy. During this time the von Trapp’s legacy grew as they founded a music camp on their property, continued their tours, and raised support for their destitute homeland. While they may not have sung the famous Rodgers & Hammerstein tune, they certainly found that it helped others feel better when they would “sing about their favorite things.”

As the war continued on, the music of the Trapp Family Singers refreshed and encouraged America’s citizens just as it had Europeans before the outbreak of World War II. With their oldest boys, Rupert and Werner serving in the tenth mountain division as ski-troopers in Italy, the family formed a bond even from stage with the tearful families whose fathers, sons, brothers, and husbands were off at war themselves. “We would have felt like apologizing if we had our boys with us,” Maria later related. “It wouldn’t have been right for us to have them with us whenever everyone else’s family was away serving our country.”

Back in Austria, the von Trapp villa was confiscated by the Nazis and was turned into Heinrich Himmler’s headquarters. Their once-beloved chapel was turned into a beer parlor, and the parents’ bedroom into Himmler’s private suite! Hitler himself even visited the property at one point where he ordered several of his guards to be shot for whistling a Russian folk song.

In 1944 Maria poured her creative energy into starting a summer music camp in an abandoned army barracks near their property in Stowe, Vermont. Just as they did when building their home, the family pitched in to turn the dirty buildings into a beautiful, homey vacation spot where guests could sing, play instruments, and learn Austrian folk dance. The first month-long adventure drew over one hundred people who were fans of the Trapp Family performances, many of whom were new to music.

When at last the war ended and their sons returned home, they were greeted by the entire music camp which was now in its second year. Werner continued to tour with the family, but Rupert stayed behind to pursue a degree in medicine. Rosmarie and Eleanor, the two youngest daughters, had joined the singing group when their brothers had left, making the family stage appearance even larger.

While the war may have been over, living conditions for Austrians were unthinkable, and many personal friends of the von Trapps told them of the destitution they were experiencing. The whole family’s hearts were touched by the pleas. Georg and Maria soon founded the “Trapp Family Austrian Relief, Incorporated”, with Johanna and Werner acting as secretaries for the project. Thus began an enormous campaign of collecting food, …

How To Buy A Laptop Using Laptop Reviews

How To Buy A Laptop Using Laptop Reviews

A compact laptop is almost a necessity for any businessman living in the modern world. They are highly portable and can store tremendous amounts of data, keeping you more organized and efficient. Compacts used to be inferior to a full sized laptop, but these days they are every bit as powerful as their larger, clunkier counterparts. The small dimensions and lightweight build make them perfect for any hectic lifestyle, but what are the actual benefits to buying a mini laptop over a full sized version?

– Quick data access

Most people opt for the compact laptop because it isn’t a hassle to carry with them. It is much easier to access business information no matter where you are. A look at any one of the numerous gadget reviews on the internet shows that these are in fact wildly popular these days. Email is just a button away, as are social networking sites and your favorite blogs. Best of all, you get the full functionality of a full laptop, which you can’t quite get with an internet capable smart phone. If you are a writer or a designer on the go, then a compact laptop is an absolutely essential tool for you. Check some laptop reviews to compare the weight and dimensions of a full size with a compact, and you’ll be amazed.

– Use your time more efficiently

You can get a head start on your day during the commute from home to work with a compact laptop. If you are stuck in traffic or if you ride a taxi to work you can flip it open and scan your emails and business updates, allowing you to be ahead of the game, every single day. Also, if you are a student then you can brush up on your course material before a crucial exam. Gadget reviews have nothing but good things to say about these laptops.

– Be more energy efficient

Compact laptops are very clean in their energy consumption, and only use fractions of the power that a regular computer would consume in the same time operating. They are truly the pinnacle of technology, and are especially popular in the environmentally conscious society. Read some laptop reviews to see how much energy your notebook consumes.

– Silent operation

Mostly because of the fact that they use less power, compact laptops are very quiet, and don’t annoy you with the standard hum of a larger machine.…

How to Select a Gaming Laptop For Beginners

How to Select a Gaming Laptop For Beginners

As technology improves, more and more people are opting to purchase laptops for all their gaming needs. Having a laptop means you can game anywhere so it’s ideal for people on the move, and it also saves a lot of space in your home. It can be somewhat confusing when selecting a laptop though, there are so many different features to consider, how do you know what model suits you best?

The first thing you should do is select a price range to suit your budget, this will help in narrowing down the options. You can expect to get a decent gaming laptop for in the region of one thousand dollars. To get a really hi spec laptop, expect to pay closer to two or three thousand dollars. If you are unable to afford anything over eight hundred dollars, then you will struggle to find something capable of playing today’s technology hungry games.

The most important thing to consider when choosing a gaming laptop, is the graphics card. Ideally you want something that is at least 512mb, it has to be a dedicated graphics card. Under no circumstances should you purchase a laptop with an integrated graphics chip, as this will be no good for gaming.

Second is the processor, ideally you want a 2ghz or faster dual core processor. This will govern the performance and speed of your laptop, the higher the ghz the better. You will normally have to choose between intel and athlon. Both are very similar to don’t worry about one being better than the other, just ensure the speed is good.

You should also consider how much ram the laptop has, aim for at least three gigs of ram. This will determine how smoothly the game runs along with the graphics card.

Other considerations should be the size of the hard disk, quality of screen, and the sound card. Aim for at least 300gb in the hard drive, as games take up a lot of space. The screen should ideally be a high def lcd screen, the higher the definition the better. Most laptops now will have adequate screens so if you are on a budget don’t worry too much about this.

One more thing to consider when buying the laptop is the weight and heat. If you are going to carry it around a lot, you will want something less than 3kg, some gaming laptops can be up to 5kg in weight. They can also produce a lot of heat, so you should read user reviews online to see what the heat production is like, particularly after a session of gaming.

If you follow these basic outlines, you should find purchasing a gaming laptop a lot simpler.…

5 Most Awesome Summer Music Festivals

5 Most Awesome Summer Music Festivals

Festival season is upon us, and if the smells of sizzling grills in your own backyard aren’t doing your summer justice, maybe it’s time to expand your land and share it with a crowd of music-obsessed, and sweaty, dancing people. There’s no other way, I say. You know that summers are made for the life of leisure. So we’ve compiled a list of glorious, music-drenched festivities happening very soon that will be sure to singe the soles off of your tap-tapping feet.

Every year, there’s an amazing festival-buffet to choose from–it’s only a matter of knowing what kind of rug-cutting and neck-straining you’d like to accomplish. And so, without further ado, we present to you the 5 most awesome music festivals this summer and beyond!:

1. Bumbershoot

Taken from the slang word for an umbrella, Bumbershoot is the largest urban arts event in North America. The annual music & arts fest will have you in a reverie of sound–from folk, rock and alternative acts from around the globe, from local favorites to legends–your ears will undoubtedly thank you a hundred times over. If you’re into other flavors of ear-candy, the event also offers a feast of comedy, spoken word, dance, literary arts and theater performances to satiate those cravings. The Bumbershoot festivities take place over Labor Day weekend at the 74-acre Seattle Center, Seattle, Washington.

2. Long Beach Blues Festival

The Long Beach Blues Festival gathers a savory cluster of notes that will make your soul melt. Also taking place over Labor Day weekend, this event presents the best of blues-rock, electric-blues, and jazz at the beautiful, tree-dense Rainbow Lagoon Park in Long Beach, California. The park sits close to the Pacific Ocean, so you can sway and groove to the funky and soulful melodies, all while cool breezes from the coast caresses and washes over you.

3. Pitchfork Music Festival

If independent music rings true to your blood, Pitchfork’s Music Festival will make your veins weep. Prepare yourself to experience July’s most massive indie-intensive party, and know that you were a part of it all. Later you can tell your grandchildren you traveled to Chicago in the same flannel shirt and flip-flops for days, and ate only organic produce from diving dumpsters, just to sweat it out with the hippest, and probably most obsessive, music freaks in existence.

4. Siren Music Festival

Ah, Coney Island. Nostalgia for old-time arcade and carnival food will tempt you, but the sounds from Siren Music Festival will put you under its spell and take you back to glorious reality. The all day, all ages event is free–sure to put a big smile on your pocket. Venture to the Coney Island amusement park in mid-July and revel in the new and old of independent music. You’ll have an awesome time bobbing your head to-and-fro, reminiscing on summer loves, and doing so inside a legendary and enchanting landmark. Did I mention that it’s free?

5. Lollapalooza

What’s left to …

Ane Brune Artist Review

Ane Brune Artist Review

Remember that little boy who sang that tune from The Snowman? Well, listening to this song by Ane Brun first reminded me of that. And now you might be thinking “oh really isn’t for me.” But don’t skip the page. A sense of open-minded-ness is needed when hearing about Ane Brun. She has perfectly pitched vocals and sings predominantly high notes with a slight ‘wobble’. Again, don’t skip the page. It gets better.

Originally from Norway, Ane Brun is an artist you can imagine to have studied at a highly established music school, playing the violin in her spare time, standing next to a pianist playing twinkly tunes and singing along. She releases her music through her own label – Balloon Ranger Recordings. She also formed “DetErMine Records” – located in Stockholm, Sweden – with two fellow artists Wendy McNeill and The Tiny. Her discography includes four full-length records plus a live album, and she has been nominated for numerous awards including best Norwegian Act on MTV Music Awards, best Female Artist, and best Norwegian song of the century.

But enough of the facts and figures. Get your headphones out and listen to her song “The Puzzle”. This is the one that should be encountered first. If there were a film made about her, this would be the first on the soundtrack.

At first impression it seems that this is music that couldn’t be danced to, or nodded along to. But just as you start to feel smug about your quick analysis and good judgment, it is all washed away by what can only be described as the unbelievable chorus which gives the song its defining USP (or Unique Selling Point, for you non-businessy people). For the first time, you find yourself tapping your foot and swinging your head at an alarmingly fast rate to what you first thought would be ‘background’ classical music. Accompanied by xylophone, acoustic guitar, backing singers, and violins, Ane Brun manages to create this speedy tempo in the chorus which sets her miles apart from other musicians in her field. Truth be told, I believe she’s created a new genre; a mix of classical, easy listening, and on some level, pop music.

If to talk about her music out-with this spectrum of musical description, it would be as “the post-Boxing Day feeling”. A paradox of feeling low and dormant, but simultaneously happy to be alive and with family. The feeling that makes you forget all the negatives in life and all the worries, and just see the positives. If this is a feeling you want to experience again, then give Ane Brun a few minutes of your time. That’s all she needs to blow you away. Quick summary I know, but I bet you’re already considering looking on her MySpace page.…

What Really Makes a Good Gaming Laptop?

What Really Makes a Good Gaming Laptop?

Are you a gamer? If you are, you will probably realise that not all laptops are good for gaming. I recently bought Starcraft 2 and it is running on my old Inspirion 6400. It keeps giving me the message that my graphics processor is slowing down the game. Well, that is because I do not have a dedicated graphics processor and my laptop is way below the minimum specification required.

First, lets look at the processor. It is the CPU or the central processing unit, the brain of the computer. You can get processor from either AMD or Intel. Intel seems to be dominating right now with it’s i3, i5 and i7 series. Using Starcraft2 as an example, it require at least a 2.6 Ghz Pentium 4 or equivalent AMD Athlon processor. The recommend processor is a Dual Core 2.4 Ghz Processor. The faster the processor, the better it is. However, it has to be balanced with the budget that you are willing to fork out. Below are the list of processors that would do well for gaming laptops.

Intel Core i7-740QM CPU

Intel Core i5-520M CPU

Intel Core i5-430M CPU

AMD Phenom II Quad-Core N930

Next is the memory or RAM (random access memory). Computers store currently used data in this memory area. It is a good rule of thumb to have at least 2G of ram especially if you are running on Windows Vista or Windows 7. For Starcraft2, Blizzard require at least 1.5 GB RAM for Windows Vista and Windows 7 user. It is common to find 4G RAM on a gaming laptop in the market.

Graphic card is also a very important aspect to consider when buying a gaming can get graphic card from NVIDIA or ATI. StarCraft2 recommends at 512 MB PCIe NVDIA GeForce 6600 GT or ATI Radeon 9800 Pro. My current laptop does not have any dedicated graphic card. It can still runs, but all the graphic setting is set to the lowest and you will have messages saying that your graphic is slowing down the game from time to time. So, just save yourself the trouble and get at least a 1GB video card.

NVIDIA GTS250M 1GB

ATI HD5650 1GB

ATI HD5165 1GB

For gaming laptop, you will be looking for machines with at least 15 inches or higher. You will want to enjoy the graphics as much as possible and therefore a bigger screen. You would probably want a good speaker external with woofer to enjoy the sound too. On the side note, a gaming laptop will be bulkier and heavier than a laptop for normal use. This should not be much of a problem to deal with.

You will have to fork out more for a gaming laptop as you are looking for specifications that are higher than those used for normal use. However, you will get to enjoy the gaming experience. The key is to balance your budget with your requirement.…

Toshiba Qosmio X775 3DV78 3D Gaming Laptop For The Serious Gamer

Toshiba Qosmio X775 3DV78 3D Gaming Laptop For The Serious Gamer

All hell breaks loose with the latest Toshiba Qosmio X775 Laptop series. A very powerful laptop that comes with a 17.3 inch LED screen, a stunning 3D Blu-Ray disc player and an awesome 1.5 gigabyte video card that can handle all the latest games for a hardcore gaming experience, not to mention that they come with cool 3D glasses. The latest series from Toshiba can handle all your needs be it business applications, entertainment, games, web browsing, you name it, the Toshiba Qosmio X775 series will meet and exceed all your expectations.

The latest entry in to the range, the Toshiba Qosmio X775 -3DV78 is a killer. With its 17.3 inch widescreen FHD TruBrite LED Backlight display, your 3D vision will truly come alive. With this feature, you can view anything in 3D. Movies, games, surfing the web and even browsing photos can be in 3D. Just put on the included 3D glasses and be amazed at how your laptop transforms into a truly immersive stereoscopic 3D display. Love playing games with your laptop? Well, with the Toshiba Qosmio X775 -3DV78 you can turn your favorite games into 3D, the Toshiba Qosmio X775 -3DV78 can convert games automatically into 3D making it more fun to play, giving you the most immersive gaming experience ever. If the visuals alone have you ready to buy, wait until we go through some of its other sweet features. This pc comes with Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit included and an Intel Core i7 Quad Core processor onboard with an Mobile Intel HM65 Express Chipset and 8 GB DDR3 RAM included.

Its 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive gives you quicker access to your files and multimedia. 1 Gigabit Ethernet allows easy access to the web and Wi-Fi networking for connections away from home. The Hard Drive Impact Sensor protects your files by ‘parking’ your hard drive heads in case of a sudden movement or when the laptop is dropped. This laptop also features built in harman/kardon stereo speakers for a fantastic listening experience, backed up by Dolby Advanced Audio that assists in providing a more natural sound experience. The laptop also includes an embedded LED backlit keyboard for easy typing in low room light with a numeric 10-key Pad. The laptop also comes with the industries latest 5 gigabyte p/s transfer rate USB 3.0 port and 4 legacy USB 2.0 ports for connectivity with a Touch pad with Multi-touch built in for convenient navigation.

Also included is an Energy Star Compliant, Eco Utility feature that enables you to quickly adjust the power setting of your laptop and monitor with a single click. Also built-in is wireless Bluetooth, along with a 3D stereo webcam and microphone with Face Recognition, along with a PC Health Monitor for easy monitoring of your PC’s health.

The Toshiba Qosmio X775-3DV78 is a fully packed PC for all ages. It’s the goto machine for both work and pleasure. With …

Record Label Contract – Learn How to Get One

Record Label Contract – Learn How to Get One

If you are a music artist and you have come to this article, then you are looking for a way to get a record label contract. Unlike other articles I won’t be chasing around the bushes, I will get straight down to business and let you know what you came here for.

Record label contract is not an easy thing to get if you are a young artist without any musical contacts or a godfather to launch your career. May be you already realized this, but yet you are here and this means that you are willing to go that extra mile in order to get yourself a deal with the record label. Before you go any further – stop! Take a minute and try to answer these questions.

First, how good are you, in terms of skills, talents and originality? Can you write your own song, can you sing in your own voice without trying to impersonate any singer? Have you ever performed in front of an audience, what was their reaction? Do you have fans; are they loyal to your music? Lastly but not the least, do you have alternate career other than music?

Once you have answered the above, try to correlate the answer to the rest of the article, this will help you get yourself a record label deal.

All record companies out there are looking to make money, nobody is there to nurture a budding talent and take a risk in releasing an album which will fail in the market. So they are looking for professionals, who write their own songs, and who can sing in their own voice without impersonating another musical artist. All label companies want a certain amount of guarantee that the album which they release in market will not fail miserably. In other words, they will never make a contract with a newbie.

Then, how can you get your contract? Remember man is an animal; he or she has to fight for everything. You need to compete with the local talents and prove that you are the best. Play at every given opportunity and have a group of fans who will be glad to follow you, because of your music. Make the local TV and radio take notice of you; see to that they play your track more often on their channels. Before long, you will be sitting in the office of a record label with people telling details about the contract.

If you want to know the truth on how to get a record label contract then visit . You will certainly get answers to all the above questions.…

Make Beats On Your Computer: 3 Quick Ways to Make Beats On Your Computer in Just 8 Minutes

Make Beats On Your Computer: 3 Quick Ways to Make Beats On Your Computer in Just 8 Minutes

Is it really possible to “Make Beats on Your Computer “? Ever wondered whether your computer can help you create beats? Yes, it can and I am going to share you the 4 magical ways to Make Beats On your Computer. You can do it without any prior experience in these. The below 3 magical ways will help you to make Beats on Your Computer in just 8 minutes. Guaranteed!

1. Software – The god to make beats:

Computers need softwares to run. In the same way, for making beats on your computer, you need software. It’s not just software but the best and simple to use software which will enable you to make beats on your computer with ease. Software should also be value for money. Not all costly soft wares are the best. Hence finding the right software is very compulsory. Always remember, one click of mouse can make wonders using software!

2. Turn your keyboard keys into different sounds:

Turn your keyboard into a magical music instrument. Using the software, you can assign each key to a different sound while making beats. Interesting right! This is the best part of quality soft wares. Just imagine! Pressing an Enter key can hum out a guitar chord! It’s very simple. All you need is to understand the software. Check how all these is possible using the various sounds given. Map your sounds with the keys. Starting creating amazing wonder beats using your computer.

3. Tutorials – The best guide

Tutorials are always the best guide for you to make beats. Are you thinking about where to search for the tutorials? Just browse through the website of the software, you will find many tutorials and also videos available. All these tutorials are for you to get familiar with the soft ware. To play your beats through your computer, just make sure you master these tutorials and then zoom you way to stardom among the music fraternity. This will take a very minimum of 8 minutes of your time to master it. Yes it’s very simple and you can make it with ease.…

Add iTunes Missing Info With TidySongs

Add iTunes Missing Info With TidySongs

Adding missing music info manually

If you are anything like me, you probably have a lot of songs with missing correct information, be it song titles, artists names or album title. I used to have a lot of “Track 01”, “Track 02” etc. as well as different artists names (Marina & the Diamonds vs Marina and The Diamonds). Not to mention missing album title.

It happened to me often that I fixed all this manually, typing the artists names and song titles that I found on the internet (Amazon…!); I wanted my music library to look great, and I couldn’t stand putting on a “Track 12” song that was not the “Track 12” I expected! Problem is: I keep adding songs to my music library, so it was a never-ending problem and it took so much time!

If you’ve experienced this, you will probably appreciate more than anything the use one can make of software that fix music info automatically.

If you’ve heard of TidySongs, you know it is a software that is primarily designed to remove duplicates from iTunes. But TidySongs is also very helpful in other circumstances, like missing music info!

Adding missing music info automatically

As I tried it, I can give you insight about how it works precisely.

To fix missing music info, all you have to do is download and launch TidySongs. When you open it up, click on “Fix your songs” in the main menu windows. From here, you can choose to “fix misspellings and add missing details to song labels”, or to “find missing songs”.

As for the latter, it’s about the “!” you can have next to a song. It means iTunes cannot find it anymore because you moved it in the folders on the computer (instead of moving it in iTunes library). I don’t really have this problem since I switched from Windows to MAC. Judging by TidySongs’ other features, I’m pretty sure it works perfectly well.

The first option, “fix misspellings and add missing details to song labels”, allows you 3 things:

Fix song titles

Fix album titles

Fix artist name

I love this option: it’s amazing how fast it changes the whole way your iTunes library looks. It’s just great.

Basically, you can proceed either one song at a time, which allows you to keep full control of the process and still being way faster that doing it totally manually (everything happens in TidySongs, you don’t have to go from one window to another, which makes a huge difference). Or you can put everything on automation. I’d recommend trying the “one by one” option first, before switching to the automatic mode that will save you so much time. This way, you are just making sure you are comfortable with how TidySongs works.…

5 Tips to Buy a Suitable Laptop For Your Business

5 Tips to Buy a Suitable Laptop For Your Business

Today’s Laptop is an essential tool for business professionals who are on the move. They can use it to communicate, document preparation, presentation and any other business related activities.

Therefore choosing a suitable laptop is essential for your business. But with so many laptops available in the market, it is really hard to choose the right laptop for your business. Don’t worry if you have this problem. You can always follow the guide below to choose the right business laptop:

Laptop Processor Technology. The most important part for a laptop is its processor. A processor will determine how fast your laptop can process and accomplish your commands and jobs. A laptop with fast processing speed can help you to finish your jobs faster, multitasking or even use the latest softwares. Besides that, some processors even comes with extra features such as data security. Depends on your budget, investing in a laptop with great processor can help you in performance and efficiency.

Weight. The significant reason you want to buy a laptop computer is its portability. A laptop’s portability depends on its size and weight . A laptop that is small usually light in weight. But a small laptop might disturb your work as its screen usually smaller. You may want to choose something that is light and small for easy packing, yet still powerful enough to do your jobs.

Battery life. If you are going to work on your laptop for a long hour, then you should buy a laptop with longer battery life. Today, laptop battery life is extended so much and you can easily use your laptop for 2-3 hours with a single battery. You can always add in extra battery if you want a longer working hour.

Security. Data and files that we save inside our laptop is very important. They are something that we must protect especially when we are moving around. Therefore data protection and security features, such as anti-shock, password manager, fingerprint scanner, are something that you must consider.

Extra features. Today most of the laptops is equipped with wireless feature. But there are a few new features being implemented in some laptop. Other connection options such as bluetooth, USB port, fire-wire etc also available in many laptops. You can consider these special features when you buy your business laptop.

One of the truths that you must accept is that quality is equal to money. The price might be higher if you want a laptop that has all the great features for your business.…

Have You Ever Wanted to Fall in Love at a Concert?

Have You Ever Wanted to Fall in Love at a Concert?

Over the years, I have heard a few couples that met at their favorite band’s concert. Personally, I would probably be interested in getting to know any attractive woman that listens to Coldplay, Jay-Z, and Bob Marley. If you ever wanted to fall in love at a club or a concert, the London based start-up may be your answer.

is a new dating site/social network that matches potential couples based on their musical tastes. Below is a very interesting conversation I had with the start up’s Co-Founder Alex Parish about his company’s mission and the secrets of online dating.

How was the idea for born?

Julian (the other Tastebuds founder) and I first met while playing in the London-based band Years of Rice and Salt. We were discussing the idea that sharing an interest, such as music, can be important to people when choosing potential partners. As musicians ourselves it’s something we find important in relationships we’ve had in the past, so we decided that a dating website based around sharing tastes in music might prove popular. At first, we launched TasteBuds as an experiment, but we quickly found that it had global appeal as it has now attracted people from hundreds of countries around the world.

How do you make sure that users are getting an accurate match?

The site matches people using the artists they add to their profile. We don’t think a shared taste in music is the be all and end all, but to ensure people are being truthful about their tastes we import their favorite artists from their profile and Facebook music likes.

Are people with similar musical tastes more likely to get romantically involved in comparison to a couple with opposite tastes?

We certainly think so; what you like can often say a lot about what you are like therefore predicting compatibility.

What is the main focus for ? Do you want people to find their music soul mates, or do you want to see people get married?

Our goal is to make it easier for you to meet new people. It’s still early days for the site, but we’ve already heard about the first Tastebuds wedding, as well as a couple of engagements. I’m always hearing from people who’ve made new friends on the site too.

What’s the key to creating a good profile where potential dates may actually communicate with you?

Be yourself – don’t list music on your profile that you don’t genuinely enjoy, as people will often break the ice by asking about the music on your profile. And, make sure you add a couple of decent photos of yourself, because at the end of the day your music taste isn’t the only thing people will want to check out!

What kind of advice would you give someone online dating for the first time?

Spend time making your profile unique – and humorous if you can – so there …

What To Look For In Gaming Laptop

What To Look For In Gaming Laptop

Technology changes every moment and one has to keep updating themselves regularly for one can never be sure what it is going to be like in the next decade or so. What was a dream a few years ago is a reality today. And now people can dream even bigger and better with the new age games and gaming consoles such as PlayStations and a gaming laptop.

With a new high-end gaming lap top replacing the erstwhile personal desktop computers today, gaming has been taken to an altogether new level. These machines are an example of sheer beauty and excellent technology that drives the world today. Lighter, faster and ultra portable, these new gaming laptop are all set to change how the world looks at computers today.

Today a, gaming laptop comes with processors and Graphic Accelerator Cards that are as fast as desktops and often, even better! Many of them even have sub-woofers and big LCD screens that enhance the overall gaming experience that one desires. And all this comes with a portability that makes it easier for us to travel with them. Gone are the days when laptops used to be really bulky and were known to be a pain to carry. Today, there are many that weigh just a few pounds and yet are capable of delivering high-end performance.

For those who are looking to buy a really good gaming laptop, there are a few aspects that need to be considered. Here is a list of them:

i. The CPU or the processor speedii. The Random Access Memory (RAM) availableiii. The Graphic Card

Firstly, the CPU or processor has to at the least be a dual core one. Although a quad will be the best option for gamers, those looking for affordability will have to look for a dual core as that Is the bare minimum requirement for gaming.

Secondly, the RAM memory has to be a minimum of 2 Gigabytes to support gaming at high speeds. A Gaming laptop with 5 Gigs of RAM would be the best in terms of performance. Also, the RAM speed needs to be checked before buying.

Thirdly, Graphic Cards are the heart of any gaming laptop that one can buy today. It is these cards that are responsible for delivering all the high end graphics and game play that one enjoys. The minimum requirement will be a Graphics Card of 1GB. Nvidia GeForce cards are the best for gaming!…

Free Laptop Offers

Free Laptop Offers

More and more people are looking for free laptop offers on the net. They know the value of time and also know how much of the same that they are wasting on a daily basis. While they are traversing to office, they see quite a good number of fellow travelers working away busily on their laptops. The same thing is repeated when they are returning back to home. It is no hidden fact that a majority of people come to the city to attend their office from suburban areas and they spend more than three hours daily just on traveling. This time could have been put to good use by completing some office work in advance.

Not only would it please their boss, thus increasing the chances of an early increment or promotion, it would also decrease the work burden and the tensions related with it while at office. These people would love to have their own laptop but cannot do so because of the high prices. Here is some interesting and good information for such people. Now they can easily get hold of their dream machine without spending a single cent. If you have been to the departmental stores, you might have noticed that quite a few of them offer these computers in exchange for a certain number of points.

These points can be gathered by purchasing goods from that store. Those who wish to participate are offered a credit card type of plastic sheet with a magnetic strip on its backside. Each time a person purchases goods and pays for the same at the participating departmental store, the relevant number of points are loaded on their plastic sheet. After a certain number of pre determined points have accumulated on the card, they can avail of the free laptop offers.…