Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 - Who Needs A DSLR?

This camera is a beast!  There's no other way to describe it.  For all those out there looking for a high-quality shooter, but don't want to lug around a DSLR - or pay for one, here is your camera.  I am amazed at the quality and versatility that Panasonic has created here.  All for $299 and it's a steal!  Outfitted with an f2.8 Leica lens with 24x optical zoom (35-600mm), this light (1.29lbs) shooter delivers excellent results.  Take a look at the zoom capabilities in the video below.

Surprisingly, with image stabilization on, you can shoot very sharp images without a tripod.  On top of this, the FZ200 also shoots full 1080p HD video, opening up a world of creative opportunities.  Those new to photography will be able to take great pictures right out of the box.  The automatic settings allow anyone to just start snapping.  Those who are accustomed to more manual options will not be disappointed either.  There are plenty of menus and options to get lost in.  You have all the manual settings you'd expect to find on a high-end DSLR allowing infinite adjustments.

Perfect for the weekend shooter and an excellent piece of kit for your next vacation.  Everyone will be stunned by the quality of images and ease of use of the Panasonic DMC-FZ200.

HP PhotoSmart 7525 - Where To Buy Ink?

So you got a refurbished HP PhotoSmart 7525 printer for a great price.  (The 7520 is exactly the same printer!  - only has a different model number)  Good job.  Your HP starter inks didn't last too long, so now you're looking to buy some new ink.

There lots of options out there beyond HP's exorbitant prices.  I generally go on eBay and look for compatible cartridges.  Usually the quality is good enough for my purposes, and you can save lots of money.  Cartridge World is a good place to go locally.  They will refill pretty much everything.  Most Office Depots and Staples have refilling stations as well.  Sometimes you can find deals on expired ink on eBay.  As long as the cartridge is still sealed, they should work just fine.

Here's a site that offers 3 different solutions - Remanufactured, Premium replacement, and OEM - click here

Stock up with bundle packs and save!  Time to make your own Christmas cards this year...

Waiting to Upgrade to Windows 10?

Still Waiting to Upgrade to Windows 10?  Here's Five Reasons to do it Now.

1.)  Start Button

The Start button is back and better than ever.  Microsoft has listened to your cries and brought back the Start button.  You still have the traditional Start features, as well as live tiles, which will serve to cater to touch screen Windows computers.  If you are one of the few who enjoyed the full screen start screen, you can enable that in the settings.  So, if you're tired of the Windows 8 interface, this is enough reason for most people to switch without hesitation.

2.)  Cortana

Windows, Google, and Apple have all been making strides in voice control for electronics over the past few years.  Do you enjoy using Siri on your iPhone?  Well, you're going to love Cortana.  You can have her set reminders, take notes, simple web searches, tell you jokes, and the list goes on.  Microsoft is also working on getting Cortana to Android and the iPhone so you can have her on all devices.

3.)  Security Improvements

The first security improvement that many have noted is the fact the Internet Explorer is no longer being used.  Along with that, there is Windows Hello.  Windows Hello allows you to sign in with just a look or a touch.  Although, many computers currently do not have a camera capable of facial recognition, it is something that will come standard soon enough.  Along with Windows Hello, Windows will continue to roll out updates for Windows Defender, Family Safety, and SmartScreen.

4.)  Microsoft Edge

With Internet Explorer being tossed aside, you now have Microsoft Edge.  One of the main features that is advertised with Microsoft Edge is the ability to highlight, circle, and make other marks on a webpage for your own personal notes.  In the future, Microsoft promises to add add-on support for the browser.  It's new and it's faster than Internet Explorer, so that alone makes it worth a try.

5.) It's FREE

Windows 10 is Free.  It won't cost you a dime, as long as you have Windows 7 SP1 or 8.1.  This offer is good for a year, so you have time to mull it over.

HDTVs : Features and Specifications - What Does It All Mean? - Rise of the Smart TVs

This is the age of Smart TVs.  You'll see this moniker thrown all over the place with lots of enthusiasm.  Take your tablet PC and duct tape it to your HDTV.  BAM! You now have a smart TV! Ok, its not that simple, because the manufacturers had to make it a little harder than that, right?  Each one made their own operating system with a bunch of apps, just like your tablet.  The confusing part is that not every TV can access all the same apps.  So beware when looking at a new "Smart TV".  Be sure to find a list of apps that it has access to and look at the apps you like to use all the time.  You might decide its not that smart.  The popular ones are Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, HBO Go, Facebook, etc.  Read the fine print!  Some smart TVs have the ability to screencast, or mirror what is on your Android's phone screen (sorry iPhone - you need Airplay) with a feature called Miracast or WiDi, a very easy to use and fun feature.

Not all Smart TVs are worth the extra coin.  Some manufacturer operating systems are pretty restrictive, and you may be asking yourself - Is this really worth another $250?  If you're questioning your need of a smart TV, don't worry!  Its easy (and affordable) to take a dumb TV and upgrade it.  All you'll need is an extra HDMI port (most TVs come with 2-4) and a Smart Stick.  Four popular ones are Google's Chromecast, Amazon's Fire TV Stick, AppleTV and Roku's Streaming Stick.  Each one taps into your WiFi network and gives you access to the internet and apps on your TV.  There are pros and cons to each, Google, Amazon's, and Apple's offerings allow you to benefit from other services (think Google Drive, Amazon Prime Instant Video, and iTunes) you might already be using, so look closely at their features and what you're currently using.  All are in the $35-$60 price range.

You might already have the "smart" part of the TV in your home.  The new Xbox One has many features beyond just playing games.  You can use it as a DVR, watch movies, follow fantasy football updates in real time, Skype friends and family, and access most of the popular apps out there.  Sony's Playstation 4 has many of the same features.  If you can get the kids off the games, you can enjoy a movie!

Current HDTVs are more like your computer screen than an old tube TV.  Hooking one up to a PC is a snap.  Just like the consoles mentioned above, PCs can play tons of games, as well as access a huge library of other software.  Two popular programs for organizing and accessing your entertainment are Plex and Kodi (formerly XBMC).  Both are free to download and fairly easy to setup and use.  These programs are great if you already have a library of TV shows, movies, and music because they add posters, descriptions, and trailers to your content.  Another great feature is being able to access your media through your smartphone via their respective apps.

So is your TV smarter than a 4th grader?  Probably not, but your 4th grader will have no problem using it!  Depending on what type of user you are, a Smart TV may not be worth the extra money.  You may already have a console or PC at home to do the same thing, or if you're on the fence - remember that you can easily make any HDTV with an HDMI port "smart" for $35 (Google Chromecast).

HDTVs : Features and Specifications - What Does It All Mean? - 3D for Fido

3D TV!  Hurray!  Finally, right!  The future is here!  Erm, kind, of.   Ok, maybe that's a little harsh, but you still have to wear funky glasses for most 3D TV sets.  It has come a long way from the blue and red specs of the 60's but the masses haven't adopted 3D like the manufacturers had hoped.  You'll find plenty of TVs offering 3D functionality most likely via a set of provided glasses.  If you're interested in glasses for the whole family extras can run up to $40 a pair.  Before you gear up for the little ones and Fido, think about how committed you are to this fancy headache inducing feature.  There are very few cable providers (if any) that broadcast 3D content, so be prepared to have a Blu-ray player to purchase 3D programming.  Netflix offers a paltry 18 titles in 3D, so while this eye-popping tech has been baked into a lot of TV sets, its not the driving force for new HDTVs.

What about those sets that don't use glasses?  They're on their way, with some having release dates in 2015 with price tags north of $5000.  If you're really into 3D - do yourself a favor and wait a year or two.  You'll be rewarded with fully baked technology that takes your breath away - with no headache.

HDTVs : Features and Specifications - What Does It All Mean? - Screen Resolution

High Definition - we're so used to it now because its everywhere, but merely a decade ago it wasn't available for everyone.  Scientists have been working on "high-def" since the 30's, as such the definition has changed as technology has progressed.

Screen resolution is the number of pixels in a display.  If you get very close to your TV you can actually see the pixels - they are very small - just a few millimeters per side.  A common HD display, 1080p, is made up of 1920 pixels wide and 1080 pixels tall, twice the resolution of SD (standard definition - think DVD quality).  The "p" stands for progressive scanning, which is one method of displaying the signal on a screen.  720p (1280x720) is also considered HD, and a few years ago it was considered cutting edge.  The most common HDTV screen resolution right now is 1080p, with the cutting edge crown going to Ultra-High-Definition, also called UHD, 4K (3840x2160), or 8K (7680x4320).

Movies shot on 35mm film have a much higher resolution than an HDTV.  We've had high resolution content for years, but getting it to TVs has taken a long time due to broadcasting bandwith constraints.  HD signals used to only be transmitted via satellite because of the large amount of bandwith needed. The switch from analog to digital broadcasting, which compresses HD signals down to SD signal bandwidth, has allowed for free over the air (OTA) transmissions of the major networks.

The "p" in 1080p stands for Progressive Scan - the method of displaying a signal on a screen from top to bottom, line after line.  The alternative to this is Interlacing, commonly denoted with an "i" as in 1080i.  When video is interlaced, only half the lines that make up the image on a display are shown at one time.  This is done to cut down on the amount of bandwidth used.  Progressive scanning video display produces a better viewing experience than interlacing.

The OTA signals that you can pick up with an antennae are a mixture of 720p and 1080i resolution, which any HDTV can display.  DVDs signals are 720x480 (480i), which is why they usually look pixelated on an HDTV.  Blu-ray discs can display a signal of 1980x1080 (1080p), exactly what an HDTV is designed to show.  Internet programming is quickly becoming the go-to source for high resolution content as more HDTVs can easily be connected to the web.  For example, YouTube offers a mixture of resolutions, usually constrained by the source material, ranging from 360p all the way to 2160p.  Ultra-High-Definition (4K) TVs need a special satellite feed, a specific 4K Blu-ray disc, or 4K digital video stream (YouTube) to fully utilize their display resolutions.

Right now most HDTVs are 1080p which is great because there are many ways to get high quality content for that screen resolution.  720p is not as ubiquitous as it once was, although for many it is a sufficient level of image quality.  Ultra-High-Definition TVs are the marquee HDTV product right now, but finding content to watch on them can be challenging and expensive.

HDTVs : Features and Specifications - What Does It All Mean? - Display Types

So you're interested in purchasing a new HDTV.  Get ready for an awesome movie night!  But wait, what's 1080p, 4K, 240hZ sub-motion, 4ms refresh rate, LED, LCD, plasma? - wait, isn't that in blood??!!  I know, it gets confusing pretty quickly.  Unless you're looking to get the latest and greatest, chances are most of these "features" you won't even notice.  In this article we'll dive into the specs sheet and explain what everything is so you can decide whether or not you really need it.  Hopefully this information will demystify the marketing games so you can be happy with your purchase.

Lets start with display type.  The two most common types you'll see are LCD, and Plasma.  LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display - technology that has actually been around for awhile (think your clock radio or digital watch).  LCD screens themselves don't emit light, they just change colors.  There are lights behind the liquid crystals that shine through them, creating a glowing, colorful screen.  A regular LCD TV uses Cold Cathode Flourescent Lamps, or CCFLS for light.  An LED LCD TV uses LED lights for the backlighting.  The main advantage of LED vs CCFL is reduced power consumption and thinner overall construction.

Plasma screens are made up of positively charged gases in side a bulb that electricity passes through, lighting up and creating colors.  Plasma screens generally have better picture quality than LCD screens.  They are also heavier, larger, and use more electricity.  Plasma TVs are less popular than LCDs.

The newest kid on the block are OLEDs or Organic Light-Emitting Diodes.  OLEDs are thinner, lighter, can be flexible, and have higher resolutions and larger display sizes than an LCD display.  OLEDs work like LEDs except instead of being bulbs, they are made up of films - which allows flexibility and size reduction.  OLEDs can create richer blacks and have better picture quality than LCDs.  This is the latest technology and consequently it is the most expensive.

So which one should you get?  Right now you'll see a lot of LED LCDs on the market.  They are the most popular and come in a wide range of prices and features.  Plasmas are a bit harder to find, and while their picture may be a touch better than an LCD, their weight and power consumption may be less attractive.  The fancy curved screens use OLEDs, so if you're looking for the bleeding edge check those out.  Since OLEDs are new, they are the most expensive.  In a few years their price will come down as manufacturing costs reduce.  Currently you'll find the best value in LED LCDs.

HDTVs : How Big is Too Big?

With nearly every size imaginable being produced by HDTV manufacturers, it can hard to decide just what size TV to get.  40, 42, 45, 48, 49 inches?  The first thing to realize is that screens are measured diagonally, and don't usually include the bezel (that piece of plastic on the outside of the screen).  Bezel sizes can range from 2 inches down to barely anything at all.  Look for the overall dimensions of the TV to make sure that it will fit in any cabinets you have in mind.  Since newer HDTVs are so much thinner than their older tube cousins, wall mounting is an attractive option.  Try to keep the middle of the TV in line with your eyes to get the best viewing experience.  As for the size of the screen, below is a guide based on viewing distance.  Too close to an HDTV and you might be distracted by the actual pixels that make up the screen.  If you sit too far away though, you're probably not experiencing all that HDTV awesomeness!

Screen Viewing distance range

32"         4.0-6.7 feet

37"         4.6-7.7 feet

40"         5.0-8.3 feet

46"         5.7-9.5 feet

50"         6.3-10.4 feet

55"         6.9-11.5 feet

60"         7.5-12.5 feet

65"         8.1-13.5 feet

70"         8.75-14.6 feet

75"         9.4-15.6 feet

80"         10.0-16.7 feet

84"         10.5-17.5 feet                     

Power Adapter fun FAQ's

The following is everything you ever wanted to know about the ubiquitous little power adapter.

Why do we need power adapters?

The simple answer is the design of our smaller digital devices today have a much lower power need than what is supplied by the Electric Company plug in your wall. Your power adapter simply takes that electricity and "transforms" it to the exact amount of electrical current the Manufacturer designed the item to use.


Why so many different kinds?

Now comes the tricky part where you need to pay attention. The reasons there are so many different kinds is 1) they all produce different electrical current as output, and 2) they have a different connection to the device.

How do I know which one?

Google is an excellent way to find your adapter as well as the original Manufacturer of your device (Dell, HP, Lenovo ...) If you have the original adapter then you look on the printed side. On there you will find its part number. Google that and you hopefully find a Company as eager as WIDGETREE to get you the right part at a great price!



In Summary ... it is very important that when you are replacing an adapter for one of your devices that you choose the correct one. An incorrect voltage or inferior (non OEM) can permanently damage your device beyond repair.

SONY DSC-QX10

So as you know Sony makes almost EVERYTHING. Ok, that may be an exaggeration but, they do make a lot of things and they are pretty cool things at that. Sony is best known for TVs, speaker systems, headphones and the infamous Play Station video game console, but today I found something new (at least to me) and very innovative. While working I came across a Sony DSC-QX10. I know your probably like what the heck is that because who REALLY knows things by the model number? Well, its the new age of camera technology. So lets have a flashback moment to when you were carrying your big camera bag with a million and one different accessories in it for your camera and lets not forget the time you accidentally left it at your kids sports game or event and raced back like a mad man hoping it was still their or that a trustworthy person picked it up. If you don't have kids just recall a time that you found yourself hassling with your camera bag. This cell phone attachable, camera is the bees knees of today, and you can avoid ALLLLL those other issues with this one tiny little camera. 

The features will blow your mind, as they did mine. The camera is about 2in tall, 2in wide and weighs about 10oz. You simply sync it to your phone, download the "Sony Play memories" application (available in App Store & Google Play Store), WHALAAAAA. You have a point and shoot digital camera in the palm of your hand ready to go, with a 10x optical zoom this camera is perfect for any event. On the rear side of the camera there are small retractable (and removable) arms that allow the camera to hug around your mobile device for photographs and videos you wouldn't believe. Not getting the right angle or shot you want? Detach the camera and simply hold it in your hand to get any type of angle you want, the camera can also hosts a tripod or selfie stick (i know you now what that is) on the bottom like a normal camera would. You can do all this while using your cell phone as the camera screen, whatever the camera sees through the lens you see in your hand through your phone. While your snapping all of these awesome photos, they are saving right to your phone as well as the micro sd (not included) and in less than a minute your great photography can be uploaded to all your favorite social media sites. Needless to say this thing is awesome and very convenient. We have one for sale here , with an in depth look at the specs. BUT BEFORE YOU GO......check out a few photos I snapped using the camera BELOW.

- Ky Clarno

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