Next Generation Running Gear : Fitness Gadgetry

PopularMechanics.com hits the asphalt to break down the latest rush of (pricey) fitness gadgetry. After two weeks on the course, they find the “running system” worth its weight on your feet — whether you’re in marathon training or out for a morning stroll.

With companies like Adidas, Apple and Motorola pumping out a mishmash of hybrid gadgets from GPS cellphones to heart-rate shirts, the biggest current trend in fitness technology—the rise of "running systems"—has left even marathoners mystified: Do flashy calculators from big-name brands warrant paying hundreds of dollars? How advanced a runner need you be to justify buying one? Are the built-in pedometers and GPS units even accurate? They sent two of their fittest to New York's Central Park for two chilly weeks worth of testing, suited up with six of the top running systems and plenty of skepticism:

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Motorola KRZR with BiM Active

$199 (with two-year agreement from Verizon or Sprint; BiM, extra $10/month)
FEATURES MP3, GPS, Voice, Maps, Phone

This popular cellphone provides convenient GPS measurements: Just tap a button to open the BiM Active program, wait about 10 seconds for the satellite, press GO, and it's recording your pace and distance. Afterward, the KRZR automatically uploads everything to a personal web page, complete with Google Maps. Unfortunately, the KRZR doesn't make for easy on-the-run monitoring, and the MP3 player is tough to navigate.

BOTTOM LINE The most accurate system in our test (see chart below) was also the easiest to understand. Not to mention it doubles as your cellphone—making for a safer run and the ideal cross-training gadget if you're a casual runner. Think the iPhone can pull that off?

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Nike + iPod

$279 (Sport Kit with iPod link and running sensor, $30; Air Zoom Moire shoes, $100; 2GB iPod Nano, $149)
FEATURES Pedometer, MP3, Voice, Maps

Connecting a small sensor on your iPod Nano to the pedometer inside custom sneakers, Nike-Plus offers jogging progress reports with intuitive iPod controls. Problem is, the armband cradling the system doesn't allow you to see the Nano's screen, while the shoes rely on less accurate stride input data. But you get audio feedback on your pace and distance as you run, "power songs" to keep you motivated, plus post-workout info online after a quick upload.

BOTTOM LINE With all the details you've come to expect from Apple, this powerhouse combo makes sense if you're a casual runner who already owns a Nano—or really needs that synched-up, pump-up tune.

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Adidas-Polar

$675 (RS800sd running computer and S3 Stride Sensor W.I.N.D., $490; Fusion shoe, $120; Fusion top with built-in heart-rate sensor, $65)
FEATURES Pedometer, Heart-Rate Monitor (HRM), Watch

Two clicks on a well-marked watch and you've activated this head-to-toe system—from the sport shirt with an embedded heart-rate monitor, down to the shoes with an "inertial" measuring pedometer. Despite all those connections, the pedometer remained the second most accurate on the track among the top six systems, though we both had to reset after Adidas-Polar had trouble learning our stride length (as opposed to the often inaccurate presets from the competition).

BOTTOM LINE Even without a satellite hook-up, this high-end package still puts the GPS systems to shame. But you better be a serious racer if you're going to shell out twice as much as the competition for it—and even more to upload your data. Plus, that wired shirt gets pretty stinky if you're running every day.

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Timex Body Link

$350 (Trail Runner system; Triathlon model also available)
FEATURES HRM, GPS, Watch

After strapping on a less-than-stellar armband and flipping its GPS switch, Body Link failed to pick up a satellite signal—both on our tree-lined running loop and away from the coverage and tall buildings. The watch's heart-rate monitor, though awkward and uncomfortable, worked well to combine with all the functions of the ever-reliable Timex Ironman.

BOTTOM LINE Timex might want to stick to keeping time. Without a reliable GPS receiver, this pricey system doesn't deliver enough for the casual or serious runner, unless looks really matter to you on the morning jog.

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Suunto t3

$280 (watch system, $150; GPS addition, $130)
FEATURES HRM, GPS, Watch

This sleek, supped-up watch does exactly what a GPS running system should do: log your training intensity, heart rate and distance. The buttons are subtle, which means you'll need to take your time getting the hang of connecting, monitoring and storing data. As a bonus, Suunto allows you to map your data to Google Earth for a bird's-eye view of your run.

BOTTOM LINE The t3's design is downright elegant. Although its accuracy finished in the middle of the pack, Suunto provides a solid system at a (relatively) reasonable price.

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Motionlingo ADEO

$150
FEATURES GPS, Voice

The cellphone-size accessory works as a standalone audio GPS unit or as a component to your MP3 player, so you can hear your progress along with music. Without a screen, you're forced to follow a confusing string of voice commands at setup. Like the Nike-Plus system, ADEO offers on-the-go audio feedback-only it's the least accurate at measuring distance of the bunch. And Motionlingo's software for measuring your training progress didn't work much better, crashing three times when we tried to upload data.

BOTTOM LINE With an annoying, audio-only interface and unreliable test results, the ADEO warrants consideration from only the most penny-pinching of athletes.

GP$: Is It Worth It?
If you're going to drop a couple hundred bucks on your triathlon training, that running package better work perfectly. But GPS perfection comes at a cost: Lost signals, system malfunctions and botched calibration are, sadly, common occurrences on a sliding scale of accuracy that, for the most part, goes up the more you pay. Here's how our GPS measurements stacked up in some 25 miles of repeats around the same 1.73-mile loop:
Product	Price	Distance (best)	Accuracy (%)
MotoKRZR	$209*	1.73	100
Adidas-Polar	$675	1.79	96.6
Suunto	$280	1.66	96
Nike+iPod	$279	1.83	94.6
ADEO	$150	1.20	70
Timex	$350	(No Signal)	N/A

* There is a monthly fee for BiMactive.com, and the price reflects cost after you sign up for monthly phone service.

ICON A5-Folding Plane Looks Like Sportscar

ICON A5 Folding Plane Looks Like Sportscar, Costs as Much as Maserati

A California startup revealed an aircraft on Wednesday evening built for an increasingly popular new kind of pilot—the weekend aviator with a jones for expensive toys.

Loaded with features like folding wings (so you can keep it in your garage) and seat belt-like parachutes (so you can ease the whole thing down to the ground), ICON Aircraft’s new light sport airplane (LSA), dubbed the A5, might just be the ultimate joyride.

“We designed it so that people who don’t know airplanes know that something has changed,” Kirk Hawkins, ICON’s chief executive officer, told Popular Mechanics.

What’s changed are federal regulations, which created a new form of airplane and a new kind of pilot licence that requires less training and no medical check to obtain. The Federal Aviation Administration created the Sport Pilot category in 2004, but only now are players large and small entering this virgin market. At the “Sun ’n Fun Fly-In,” an aircraft festival held in Florida earlier this year, manufacturers showcased 75 LSAs, up from just 20 in 2006.

For ICON, reaching new customers meant a design that borrowed heavily from automobile marketing. “The product has to have sex appeal and be aesthetically inspirational,” Hawkins says. “It not only has to perform well, it has to look like it performs well.”

ICON faced another design hurdle in ensuring that aspiring pilots were not cowed by the risks of flight. The A5’s cockpit gauges look like they belong on a sports-car’s dashboard, while curved structures guard against accidental contact with the propeller whenever the plane is on the ground. Perhaps most crucial to this goal is that increasingly common parachute: no delicate maneuvers are necessary if the airplane is distressed—it can simply float to the ground.

Engineers at ICON also built the A5 to be a lot less of a hassle than other small aircraft, allowing owners to have a lot more fun. The wings can fold for storage in a large garage, and the airplane even comes with its own trailer. Amphibious models have platforms that connect to docks or piers. Versions of the A5 that can’t land in water will have automatic, rather than manual, folding wings.

Hawkings isn’t shy about his attempt to make flying small airplanes the luxury motor sport of the 21st century. “The passionate consumer will not use these to get to grandma’s house quicker,” he says. —Joe Pappalardo

How to Turn Your PS-3 into PC (Linux Computer)

Extracted from Popular Mechanics(PM).


The Cell processor inside Sony's PlayStation 3 is a powerhouse that lets the gaming console render highly detailed graphics at blistering speed. That same chip gives the PS3 all the processing muscle it needs to become a fully functional computer. When they(PM) first heard this was possible, they(PM) were sure the procedure had to be illegal, or that it would at least void the warranty. But as it turns out, this is that rarest of finds in consumer electronics: a perfectly legal, manufacturer-supported hack that adds significant functionality. With a little bit of effort and expense, they(PM) turned a PS3 into a Linux computer—without losing any of the machine's native gaming goodness.

Step 1: Back Up

Sony hardly walks people through the conversion process—you've got to know where to look in the PS3's menus, and many of the steps can be a bit tricky. But the first procedure is a no-brainer—back up your data. That's a good idea before doing major tinkering with any PC, and it's especially smart with this project, which requires the installation of a second operating system and either reformatting or replacing the PS3's hard drive. The PlayStation's own OS won't disappear in the process (it's stored on flash memory), but saved games will be wiped clean, so it's critical to back them up. A backup command that works with any USB-connected external drive is built into the PS3 OS (it's under "System Settings"), but it will only back up saved game data. Other media files (music, video, etc.) need to be backed up manually.

Step 2: Upgrade Your Drive

PlayStation 3 ships with either a 40 or 80 GB drive. That's plenty of storage for games and could suffice for basic computing. But upgrading the hard drive on the PS3 is remarkably easy, so we saw it as a good excuse to bump up the storage capacity to a more PC-friendly level. The PS3 uses 2.5-in. laptop drives, and high­capacity replacements can be purchased from online retailers such as Newegg or Directron for $60 to $150. We went for Toshiba's capacious 250 GB—ample space for large movie, music and photo collections.

The drive is located behind a small removable panel on the side of the PS3 and can be replaced without too much muss and fuss. It is secured in a removable cage, which is held in place by one screw. The upgrade is similar to a drive replacement in a PC—old drive pops out, new drive pops in. When the console is turned on, the PS3 formats the new drive.

Step 3: Install Your New OS

This is where things get somewhat complicated. PS3 can't run Microsoft Windows or Apple's OS X but it can run Linux operating systems. There are many Linux varieties, but our favorite is Ubuntu. And it turns out that the open-source community has created a program called kboot that helps load Ubuntu onto the PS3.

To download an installation kit including both kboot and the Ubuntu OS, click right here. The file is an ISO, which can be burned to a CD or DVD to create a bootable disc with a program such as ImgBurn.

The first step in loading the new operating system is to create a drive partition. Select "System Settings," then "Format Utility" from the menu of the PS3. Choose "Custom" and allot 10 GB to the "Other OS." Choose "Quick Format," then restart.

Once the partition is made, the OS can be loaded from the Ubuntu disc using the "Install Other OS" function under "Settings" in the PS3 menu. This installs kboot, which allows the PS3 to install Ubuntu.

Switching between the Play­Station operating system and Ubuntu is not as straightforward as dual booting a standard PC. In fact, after installing the kboot file, you need to delve back into the PS3's System Menu to designate "Other OS" under "Default System" before the PS3 even installs the full Ubuntu OS. When you restart the PS3, plug a mouse and keyboard into the USB ports. (PlayStation controllers are good for gaming, but terrible for computing.) The console will boot using your Ubuntu disc and install the new system. (Expect it to take about an hour.)

With Ubuntu installed, you can use your PS3 to run programs such as OpenOffice for spreadsheets and word processing, Firefox for Web surfing and VLC for movie playback. In short, your console will be able to do anything a normal PC can do.

There is, however, a trick to getting back to the native PlayStation OS. To make the switch, reboot the console, and at the boot prompt, type "boot-os-game," then press Enter. This brings the PS3 back to game land.

How to Save Your Wet Cellphone

Even if a wet cellphone seems dead, there's a good chance it can be resuscitated. Just make sure you act fast—the longer the water sits inside, the greater the likelihood it will destroy the phone for good.

This is a DIY moment. While consumers are conditioned to send back broken merchandise, your phone's warranty probably doesn't cover water damage. And you may not have much luck pulling a fast one on your phone company—most of today's phones come with a “water sticker” that permanently changes color if it gets wet.

The first step: Immediately cut the power by removing the battery. I know it's tempting, but resist the urge to power up your phone to see if it works—just turning it on can short out the circuits. If you have a GSM phone (the type used by AT&T and T-Mobile), you'll want to remove the SIM card as well. Even if your phone turns out to be beyond repair, the SIM should retain a lot of its onboard information, such as the contacts in your phone book.

With the battery safely set aside, you now have one goal—dry your phone, and dry it fast. If you let the moisture evaporate naturally, the chance of corrosion damaging the phone's innards increases. Instead, blow or suck the water out. But don't use a hair dryer—its heat can fry your phone's insides. Instead, opt for a can of compressed air, an air compressor set to a low psi or a vacuum cleaner (a wet/dry Shop-Vac would be perfect). The idea is to use air to push or pull moisture out through the same channels it entered.

Finally, use a desiccant to wick away any leftover moisture. The most convenient choice is uncooked rice. Just leave the phone (and its disconnected battery) submerged in a bowl of grains overnight. If you're worried about rice dust getting inside your phone, you can instead use the packets of silica gel that often come stuffed in the pockets of new clothes. But acting fast is far more important than avoiding a little dust, so don't waste time shopping if you don't already have a drawer full of silica gel.

The most important thing to remember is to avoid heat. That means no hair dryers, ovens, microwaves or extended periods in direct sunlight. While heat will certainly evaporate the moisture, it could also warp components and melt adhesives. Those fragile glues are also why you'll want to avoid dunking the phone in rubbing alcohol (an oft­prescribed tip on the Web). Alcohol is a solvent and can dissolve the internal adhesives. (If you drop your phone in the toilet, it's okay to wipe the outside with alcohol to disinfect it.)

One final, perhaps surprising, note: If your phone gets soaked in salt water, you should probably flush the whole thing in fresh water before it dries. When salt water evaporates, it leaves crystals that can damage a phone's fragile components. Just be sure to remove the battery before flooding the device.

iPhone 3G vs Google

Sure, Apple's next-gen iPhone still looks pretty, and the iClones will follow from the old guard of handset makers. But even if Steve Jobs is playing nice with the cellphone market, PM's resident geek says it's the software, stupid. Here's how Google Android could really take down iPhone 2.0 in the upcoming code wars.

Apple didn't reinvent the phone. But it came close with the iPhone, creating an entirely new breed of mobile device—and promptly selling 6 million of them. In other words, the first iPhone wasn't the Sputnik of cellphones, but it may have been the Apollo 11.

A year later, as Apple launches its second-generation iPhone, the competition must realize that time is running out. If someone doesn't build a comparable touchscreen phone—right now—then the iPhone could become more than a historic success story. It will be unassailable, and the concept of an iPhone killer will become as mythical and useless as that other holy grail of consumer electronics: the iPod killer.

While companies like Samsung, LG and Motorola are used to fighting it out over handset design and built-in features, dutifully serving a range of niche customers while stumbling toward the next RAZR, beating the iPhone will mean excelling in an arena where phone makers have generally failed: software.

It's not that a touchscreen phone's hardware is irrelevant. The screen has to be tough enough to survive a fall, the processor fast enough to keep the phone from feeling too much like an underpowered computer, and the hard buttons smart enough to offset the inevitable interface hiccups. But more than any other kind of phone, a touchphone is a bundle of potential energy, a platform for software that defines not only the features, but the look and feel of the device. As iPhone competitors like the Samsung Instinct and LG Vu enter the market, it's been clear that the interface is what sets one model apart from another—turned off, every touchphone is a shiny little monolith. So even on a cosmetic level, the touchphone war will be fought with code.

Compared to Windows Mobile or the various proprietary operating systems built by other phone makers, the iPhone's OS and graphical user interface is clean, efficient and surprisingly free of embarrassment. Anyone who's tried to browse the Internet with directional buttons, or do anything at all with a RAZR, knows what I'm talking about. There's some room for improvement, of course. The lack of a landscape view for every iPhone application—and particularly ones where you're required to type—is mysterious, while video support in Safari is practically non-existent.

But no phone maker today is poised to take advantage of the software chinks—however small—in the iPhone's armor. Companies like BlackBerry may have excelled at direct, no-frills interfaces, but with the flood of new iPhone applications due to arrive July 11, it will take a true software giant to mount any sort of defense.

A giant like Google.

The company, which is spearheading the release of the open-source mobile phone operating system Android, also cut its teeth on simple, intuitive interfaces. It quietly releases free, browser-based applications that rival the Microsoft Office empire, and has already proven its mobile chops with the iPhone's Maps functionality.

While Apple attempts to encourage creative iPhone applications ideas with venture capital, the $10 million prize money that Google is sinking into its Android Developers Challenge may seem more tempting and less predatory to programmers. The first prize-winning Android applications will be released later this year—and early startups, like a GPS tracking program or even open-source hardware, are promising.

For Google, the emphasis is on open architecture and a wealth of smart programs for all kinds of phones. But as the iPhone has demonstrated, touchphones are the true battleground for software supremacy. If any of the first Android handsets released in the second half of this year is, say, touch-sensitive, with a screen somewhere between 3 and 4 in., the gauntlet will be thrown.

There's another possible endgame, though. "Do I believe that all applications are equal, and that more is always better," asks Muzib Khan, vice president of product management and engineering for Samsung Telecomm. "I don't think so." Samsung, it should be noted, is part of the Open Handset Alliance, but Khan points out that not every customer has the time—or desire—to filter through a constant flood of relatively untested applications. And with deep-pocketed providers like Sprint already investing billions in services like mobile TV, the company that can best implement a proven service, instead of enabling a million potentially buggy ones, could hold its own in the touchphone market. That's one reason why Samsung, for one, isn't planning on switching all of its new models to the Android platform. There's a place, you could argue, for proprietary, device-specific operating systems and services.

Still, given the track record that phone makers and providers have—with laughable browsers, stuttering television feeds and arcane e-mail programs—it's hard to imagine the old guard making an impact in the coming war between Apple and Android. Companies like Samsung will continue to deliver millions of devices that make excellent phone calls. But for something that does everything else, the last, best hope for a true iPhone-killer is Google.

Darude

Ville Virtanen (born July 17, 1975), better known by his stage name Darude is a tranceproducer and DJ from Eura, Hinnerjoki, Finland. Debuting in 1999, he released in 2000 the smash single "Sandstorm" and subsequent album Before the Storm. Darude is known worldwide for his progressive/uplifting style.

Beginnings

Virtanen started his career as an amateur musician while in high school, making music using his PC's tracker software. As his interest in music production rapidly grew (and his grades correspondingly dropped), he moved on to more serious production techniques.

While at a classmate's party, Virtanen played the song "Rude Boy" (written by Swedish artist Leila K) four times. This earned him the nickname "Rude Boy," which gradually morphed into "Da Rude", which in turn inspired the name "Darude."

Virtanen continued producing music while in technical school, occasionally releasing demos to radio stations beginning in 1997, and offering his music for download on MP3.com. In 1999, he gave a demo for "Sandstorm" to his producer, JS16 (Jaakko Salovaara). Virtanen signed on with JS16's 16 Inch Records label, and shortly thereafter, "Sandstorm" was released as a single.

Early career

"Sandstorm" was a smash hit in Finland, topping the Finnish Single Chart, selling platinum and holding the #1 spot on the Finnish Dance Chart for seventeen consecutive weeks. Word quickly spread about the track, which found global success. After becoming the #3 single in the United Kingdom (Becoming the first record by a Finnish artist to do so), "Sandstorm" eventually sold 2 million units worldwide, and was the world's biggest selling 12-inch record in 2000.

Shortly thereafter, Darude released his debut album, Before the Storm, selling 800,000 copies worldwide, topping the Finnish album charts, and earning him three Finnish Grammy awards. Before the Storm was produced by JS16, and features two of his remixes.

Darude's second single, "Feel the Beat," closely followed the success of Sandstorm, reaching #5 on the UK Singles chart. Subsequent releases, "Out of Control," and "Out of Control (Back for More)" (a remix of the former, featuring vocals by Tammie Marie) failed to match the success of Darude's first two singles.

Darude began a successful world tour in 2001, releasing Before the Storm: Australian Tour Edition in the process. 2002 saw the release of Before the Storm: Special Edition, featuring a collection of remixes of Darude's work. Since the release of Rush, Darude has remained on the road, particularly the United States and Eastern Europe.

In 2003, Darude released his second album, Rush, along with singles "Music" and "Next to You". All three had modest success, with Rush reaching #4 in weekly Finnish album sales and "Next to You" being commonly featured in DJ mixes.

Recent..

Darude is currently ranked #47 on the DJ List as of May 18, 2008 and #116 in the DJ Mag Top 100.

Darude posted his singles Tell Me and My Game from his upcoming new album Label This! on his official MySpace page. Tell Me was released in Finland on April 11, 2007 and My Game on September 19, 2007.

Discography

Albums:

• 2000: Ignition
• 2001: Before the Storm
• 2002: Before the Storm Special Edition
• 2003: Rush
• 2007: Label This!

Singles:

• 1999: "Sandstorm"
• 2000: "Feel the Beat"
• 2000: "Out of Control"
• 2001: "Out of Control (Back for More)"
• 2003: "Music"
• 2003: "Next to You"
• 2007: "Tell Me"
• 2007: "My Game"
• 2008: "In The Darkness"
• 2009: "Hard Trance"

External links

Darude official website
Darude on Myspace
Darude @ Discogs
Darude on lastfm
Darude on Djlist
Darude on Rapshody
Darude on ilike
Darude lyrics
Foxytunes

Free downloads

Eztracks
Artistdirect
3mp3
emp3.com
mp3.com
mog.com
beemp3

Torrent links

isohunt
torrentz
sumotorrents
piratebay

Major Electronic Music Websites

The websites i mentioned below are rich in content w.r.t Trance and Electronic music.They are large and resourceful databases satisfying the thirst of hardcore electronic music fans.Visit them and have a blast!!!.

These websites are presented in the alphabetical order but not based on the order of preference. All are equally good in some or other categories.


BeatsDigital is a UK-based online music store, that specializes in electronic music, dance music and remixes.

Beatport is a US-based online music store located in Denver, Colorado that specializes in electronic music, dance music and remixes. They featuring a fully flash AJAX GUI to offer the maximum interactive and rich content to the user while they surf in Beatport.And they supply the three major format as user to choice while they download - MP3, MP4 and WAV. Vary on different format, they have different price, MP3 and MP4 almost same price, and WAV a bit higher than the forth format.

Discogs is a website that consists of a huge database of music discographies (recent stats: 440,444 releases - 267,319 artists - 39,073 labels). The content can be added or changed by anyone, but has to be approved by moderators. Formerly focused only on electronic music, it has been gradually extended to other genres, such as Jazz and Rock.


Djmixes2k is a non-profit website offering direct downloads as well as BitTorrent downloads to livesets and mixes. They re-opened April 26, 2001, when the previous owner decided to quit. They changed their concept a bit and decided to only post privately recorded livesets and mixes. The sets stay online for 10 days.


iTunes Store is a digital music store run by Apple Inc. Music is purchased at (typically) $.99 USD on a per-song basis. Files are available either in a Digital Rights Management (DRM) protected AAC format, or in a 256-Kbps AAC format with no DRM, known as iTunes Plus.




I:Vibes : EDM related community, focusing on news, reviews and articles.



Juno Records is a online retail store that selling dance music related items, such as : CDs, vinyl records, music downloads, music merchandise and DJ equipments. They not just selling a fixed major kind genre music, but a wide range genre music like : Garage, Downtempo, Hip Hop/R&B, Rock and more.


MP3.com.au is Australia's most popular Music Service Provider.Australia's official MP3 Music Service Provider, showcasing the latest Music news, reviews, competitions, software, MP3 chats, MP3 hardware and free downloads from leading Australian Musicians."




Rock Street Journal or RSJ is a monthly magazine covering the rock scene in India and South Asia. RSJ online is their website. Check out the new look Rock Street Journal, with new sections, and a completely new interface. Almost all albums released by Indian bands ...
Read more about RSJ here



Trance.nu is a popular website related to electronic dance music, mostly Trance. The site offers news, articles, reviews, artist diaries, an online community, competitions and more.



Created as a labor of love by two trance fans who wanted to give back, TrancePosters is the first site to offer the community quality posters and trance related media.


Tranceaddict or "TA" is the world's biggest Trance related online community. Founded in 2000, it now has well over 50000 members from all over the world and the most hits per day of any trance related site. Among the community there can be found professional DJs & Producers, as well as a good base of amateurs who have the possibility to promote themselves and their work.


Vinylsound.com is a electronic music comunity for Spanish speakers. News , charts of best djs of world,reviews ,live sets online and more... .

Rock Street Journal

Ten years ago at any indian college fest, if you couldn’t identify Nirvana, U2 or Coldplay being spewed out by the flavour-of-the-month Indian band, chances of being labeled tone-deaf and uncool were quite high. But now, tables are gradually turning with a new genre of Indian rock music coming to the center stage. And whether it’s a romantic ballad or an electronica-infused number, one things stands clear: bands are no longer afraid to experiment with their own sound, rather than playing by the book. And with sustained efforts from magazines such as Rock Street Journal and subsequently platforms like Great Indian Rock (GIR) and pubrock fests, Indian rock music is on the cusp of breaking new ground everyday.

Rock Street Journal or RSJ is a monthly magazine covering the rock scene in India and South Asia. It was started in January 1993 in Allahabad by Amit Saigal and Shena Gamat Saigal after they realized the lack of support system for Indian rock musicians. The magazine has grown in popularity ever since and is now published from Delhi. It organizes the yearly Great Indian Rock Festival (GIR) to promote original music of new and upcoming rock bands in India.

Any insight into rock music in India would be incomplete without bringing Amit Saigal(in photo), who played a pivotal role in recognizing the "original" potential bands carried way back in the 90s, into the picture. The first step in this initiative was through a column in RSJ devoted to reviewing original Indian music.

Features:

• RSJ regularly covers professional and college festival concerts throughout India.
• It also publishes reviews of new music albums, new bands,old bands and everything that falls under the gamut of the Indian and the international rock scene, they also publish reviews of Indian Bands along with extensive reviews and interviews of International bands.
• Its website(RSJ online) has an extensive database of over a thousand rock bands and musicians hailing from the Indian subcontinent, including desi rock bands from elsewhere in the world.
• The website also contains the official forums frquented by thousands of Indian rock fans.Currently boasting of a registerd database of over 40,000

Concerts and Music Festivals:

• RSJ organizes the Great Indian Rock Festival each year showcasing the best among upcoming talent in rock and roll in the Indian subcontinent.
• The first GIR was in 1997 in Kolkata. It is usually held in Delhi in the month of February, in the 11th year of GIR; Norways biggest Black Metal Act Enslaved were headlining.
• In addition, RSJ has organized several other concerts including the Concert for Tibet in 2003 in Dharamsala, and the Brotherhood of Rock in Shillong.
• RSJ has also conceptualised and executed events like the Pubrockfest and RocktoberFest which are now regular events in Delhi, however the PubrockFest went national this year going to 7 cities and with over 30 gigs in all.
• This year the Pubrockfest is bigger going to 20 cities with 60 gigs and also features two international artistes from Australia and Canada respectively. 2007 also saw the inception of a new festival called LiveAlive - Experience Jazz, Blues and Beyond, this festival focused on music like jazz, blues and other experimental music.
• Every year in November, Jazz fans in Delhi get a treat in the form of The Jazz Utsav which is organised by Capital Jazz in association with Rock Street Journal, the Jazz Utsav features some of the biggest acts in Jazz from across the globe.

Partners in rhyme

Technology has given a big impetus to the band’s popularity ratings. Music promotion has found a new ally in the form of downloads and through networking websites like MySpace.com, while popular labels sit in the other corner and cringe. Another fact that has affirmed the emergence of the new rock ‘n’ roll talent in India is the launch of its loudest proponent, Rolling Stone.

In fact, even the mighty Bollywood has begun to acknowledge the alluring power of the growing trend of rock ‘n’ roll. Artistes like Vishal Dadlani of Pentagram, and the trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have proved that giving rock a pop and jangly spin opens up a world of possibilities, apart from satiating the artistic appetite.

Michelle Lobo, lead vocalist for the band TUG (Toxic Urban Grove), believes that the rise in new talents has also been wrought by the shift of focus from bands to individual artistes. "There’s still a long way to go, but I feel that individual talents have garnered a lot of attention in the last few years. Now and then you see a vocalist sing for more than two bands, which shows that many are keen on experimenting with different sounds."

It is perhaps this open-mindedness that has brought a much-needed respite from the staid, unoriginal and ‘juvenile’ songs of the bygone era.

These aspects have definitely stoked the interests of the listeners and driven them to the umpteen gigs being held every week, although the same can’t be said about the album sales. But more labels are eying promising bands so it won’t be too long before the deal is signed. Till then, there are a lot of gigs to keep your calendars full.

Promising artists:

Karsh Kale:Tabla player trained in classical music; known for working with Anoushka Shankar on Breathing Under Water. Has 6 solo albums to his credit.

Raghu Dixit Project: Folk-based rock musician. His self-titled album was out in March.

Galeej Gurus: Were chosen to perform at the Dubai Desert Rock festival along with bands like Velvet Revolver and Machine Head this year.

Avial:The band from Kerala featuring former Motherane guitarist Rex Vijayen. Their eponymous album has been getting rave reviews.

Shair n Func: Pentagram guitarist Randolph Correia collaborates with New York-based Monica Dogra to create a unique electronic sound.

10 most extreme accessories for computer geeks

Here are the Top Ten Computer Accessories for Web Search computer geeks; Computer geeks are notoriously difficult to shop for, but these geeky gift ideas will help you get your holiday shopping done - and it's all from the comfort of your own home.

1. Digital Picture Frame with Remote

Instead of using up valuable hard drive space to store your digital photos, simply pop the memory card out of your digital camera and place it into the Digital Picture Frame - you can view all of your photos as a slideshow, control fadeouts, and you can even add music. Very cool; comes with remote control. Perfect for geeky grandparents, perhaps?

2. Illuminated Mouse Pad

For those of us whose Dilbert mouse pads are sadly losing their flair. This Illuminated Mouse Pad comes with seven different color combinations, and is a "Gaming enthusiast approved mousing surface". I just think it looks really cool.

3 Antec PC Case

In the market for a good, solid, no frills (well, maybe a couple) PC case? A friend of mine just bought the Antec PC Case and couldn't be happier. Features "10 drive bays, a removeable motherboard tray, and a low-speed 120mm fan...front-mounted USB, firewire and audio ports."

4. Rear View Mirror For Your PC

Say you're at work, and you're playing a hot game of RuneScape online against your fellow cube slaves, and your boss keeps catching you, leading to awkward explanations? Squirm no longer, because a simple rearview mirror will save you.

5. USB Optical Liquid Mouse

This USB Optical Liquid Mouse is a great way to give your hand and wrist a bit of a break while surfing the Web.

6. Illuminated Keyboard

As someone who makes their living on the Web, I spend a lot of late nights blearily propping up my eyelids with toothpicks just so I can report on the latest Web trends and actually get some work done (that part about the toothpicks was kind of a lie-that would hurt). So, this Illuminated Keyboard is just the thing for us late night Web surfers.

7.Logitech Internet Chat Headset

For anyone who telecommutes and needs to talk via Skype or Google Talk, this Logitech Internet Chat Headset is a solid solution. "The Internet Chat Headset has it all at a great price: rich stereo sound, a noise-canceling microphone, in-line control for extra convenience, and a sleek behind-the-head design. The 9-foot cable gives you plenty of room to move around." I've got one of these on order from a friend's suggestion-he said that it was "the best one he'd found out there."

8. Mobile Edge Madison Tote-High Style Laptop Carrying Case for the Geeky Girl

Available in a stylish black or two-tone (gray and black) design. This does not look like the run of the mill laptop carrying cases out there; it looks more like a largish Hermes bag, if you ask me (and that's why I like it so much). Real leather accents, SafetyCell computer protection compartment,and extra compartments for all your extra stuff.

9. SnapStream Beyond TV 3 - PVR Software and Setup

Your PC can be used for a lot of things: work, play, surfing the Web, and watching and recording your favorite TV shows and movies. With SnapStream Beyond TV 3 (formerly PVR), you can "use your PC to record, watch, pause, and SmartSkip your favorite programs using the award-winning ViewScape interface." No clunky video tapes needed, and you can record and store all your favorite shows from one central location-your PC-and then download and stream them to any room in your house.

10. Wi Fi Signal Locator-Use Your Keychain To Find Hot Spots

Just the other day, I watched and waited as four different people had to boot up their laptops and manually search for a signal. This would have been a lot faster if we would have had the Wi Fi Signal Locator. This is the world's smallest Wi Fi signal detector, and fits easily on your keychain. Best of all: you don't have to boot up and waste valuable battery time, you can just let your Wi Fi Signal Locator do the work. Next time I go to the local coffee shop to surf the Web, I'm taking this.

By Wendy Boswell, Extracted from About.com

Top 10 Digital Cameras

Source: ConsumerGuideProducts@howstuffworks.com

Whether you want a simple point-and-shoot camera for family photos or you're a serious photographer who wants greater creative control, there's a digital camera that's right for you. We've rounded up 10 of the most popular and feature-packed models out there. Click on the pictures to compare prices.

Top 5 Point-and-shoot Cameras

Canon PowerShot A620 Packing a host of features into an easy-to-use, compact point-and-shoot, the Canon PowerShot A620 is tops in its class. This high-performance camera has a 7.1- megapixel CCD and customizable shooting settings that let you decide how much control you want and how much to leave on automatic. Its large 2-inch LCD screen has a grid option to help you line up and center your subject. You can also shoot movies up to 1GB in high-quality video mode or up to 60 seconds in fast-frame mode.

	Canon PowerShot A610 If you don't really need 7.1 megapixels, you can save money with the Canon PowerShot A610, which has the same features as the A620 but only 5 megapixels. That's still plenty for most people to zoom, crop and print richly detailed photos as large as 8 by 10 inches. Like the A620, the A610 offers 4X optical zoom, a 2-inch LCD and a number of shooting modes to make picture-taking simple, even if you're a novice.
	Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-P200 Small camera; big LCD. The compact Sony DSC-P200 is only 4 inches wide, 2 inches high and 1 inch deep but has a high-resolution 2-inch LCD so you can instantly enjoy viewing and sharing photos. It also has a robust 7.2-megapixel CCD and a quick auto-focus, 3X optical zoom lens to help bring your subject closer. Pre-flash metering sets exposure and reduces red-eye for great flash shots. You can also shoot in movie mode, recording as much as your selected Memory Stick can hold.
	Kodak EasyShare Z740 If you want to shoot close-up subjects and still enjoy the simplicity of a point-and-shoot camera, consider the Kodak EasyShare Z740, which gives you a powerful 10X optical zoom. If that's not enough, there's also 5X digital zoom for a total of 50X zoom capability. The exclusive Kodak Color Science Chip gives your pictures vibrant color even under difficult lighting conditions. Choose one of 16 shooting modes to get your perfect shot, whether it's a beach scene or a self-portrait.
	Fuji FinePix S5200 Toeing the line between point-and-shoot and digital SLR is the Fuji FinePix S5200. It's larger and heavier than the average pocket-friendly point-and-shoot, but just the right size if you like to use a long lens and have more control than the typical weekend snapshooter. Its 10X optical zoom and 5.7X digital zoom give you a total of 57X total zoom range. Intuitive controls on the body allow you to set up shots quickly without navigating through menus.

If you feel confident in your shutterbug skills and you want a faster-shooting camera that's compatible with a variety of lenses, you'll want a digital SLR. Check out the seriously responsive models below.

Top 5 Digital SLR Cameras

Ready to move up from the point-and-shoot minor leagues? Here are our top five digital SLR cameras.

	Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT A great camera for amateur digital SLR photographers, the EOS Digital Rebel XT offers the easiest operation in its class. It features an 8.0-megapixel CMOS sensor, Canon's own DIGIC II Image Processor and compatibility with more than 50 EF Lenses. Improving on its predecessor, the Digital Rebel, the Digital Rebel XT has an all new lightweight and compact body, nearly as small as digital SLRs get, with the responsiveness of a bigger semi-pro model.
	Canon EOS-5D The new Canon EOS 5D boasts a full-frame 12.8-megapixel CMOS sensor in a relatively compact magnesium-alloy body. Canon's DIGIC II Image Processor provides outstanding image quality, and "Picture Style" color control gives you superior command of color balance, contrast and sharpness. Pictures look great from almost any angle on the large 2.5-inch LCD, and easy-to-use menus simplify shooting operations so you can focus on your vision.
	Olympus EVOLT E-500 Never worry about dust on the image sensor interfering with your pictures with the Olympus EVOLT E-500. This easy-to-handle digital SLR camera uses an exclusive vibrating filter to eliminate dust and produce spotless pictures no matter where you change lenses. It has an 8-megapixel CCD and 25 shooting modes so you can take great pictures with a minimum of effort. A high-resolution, 2.5-inch LCD lets you view and share your shots from a wide viewing angle. And it's all housed in a lightweight, portable chassis.
	Konica Minolta Dynax 5D It's called the Maxxum 5D in North America, the Dynax 5D elsewhere, but no matter which name it goes by, this is a great little digital SLR camera from Konica Minolta. It employs an exclusive built-in anti-shake technology, enabling blur-free shooting in just about any situation, even at slower shutter speeds. Its 2.5-inch LCD displays detailed, easy-to-read information about settings and exposure values. And it has a wide variety of customizable settings so you can control color balance, contrast, saturation and sharpness in every shot.
	Nikon D50 Compact and lightweight, the Nikon D50 can go anywhere you do, and its lithium-ion battery lets you shoot about 2,000 images before needing to be recharged. It has a high-performance 6.1-megapixel CCD and is compatible with Nikon's wide variety of high-quality Nikkor lenses. High-speed continuous shooting allows you to shoot for up to 137 uninterrupted frames, depending on the type of SD card used, and a new small-picture function lets you choose the resolution you want when saving each shot, maximizing your storage capability.