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Gadgets:

Staff Favourite Devices & Apps

Participant Package

Toronto Public Library Public Toronto February 2012

www.torontopubliclibrary.ca http://vrl.torontopubliclibrary.ca

Gadgets Outline

I Welcome and Introduction • Review objectives of the workshop • Explain handouts

II Introduction to Gadgets • What Is A Gadget • Types Of Gadgets • What’s the best Gadget for me? • Latest Trends • Productivity & Connectivity

III Readers • What’s An eBook • Different Format of • PDF vs. EPUB • eBook Readers and Mobile Devices • Library Compatible eBook Devices (OverDrive)

IV • Apple Mobile Devices • Other Smart Phones and Apps • Mobile Apps and App Stores

V Tablets • What’s A Tablet • Tablet Apps • Chart Comparing Popular Tablets • Things You Should Know Before Buy your Tablet

VI Players / Audio Devices / Video Systems • Mp3 Players – Different Uses • List Of Audio Formats • Watching Video on the Go! • List Of Video Formats

VII Misc. Gadgets • Devices for your TV • Other Friendly Gadgets

VIII Glossary of Terms

Page 2 II. Introduction to Gadgets

What Is A Gadget?

Gadgets, Gizmos, Device: call them any name you can come up with. One word won’t describe the thousands of different electronic and handheld devices that are available on the market.

Gadget is a small technological object such as a device or an appliance that has a particular function, but is often thought of as a novelty. Gadgets are invariably considered to be more unusually or cleverly designed than normal technological objects at the time of their invention. Gadgets are sometimes also referred to as gizmos.

Types Of Gadgets

In the year 2010, we saw the biggest jump in new devices, here were the top 7:

Top 7 Gadgets of 2010 1. Tablets 2. Smartphones 3. MP3 Players 4. Gaming Laptops/Systems 5. E-Readers 6. Motion Sensing Gaming Consoles 7. 3D TV’s

E-Reader iPod / Mp3 Player

Page 3 What’s the best Gadget for me?

To answer this question, you first need to ask yourself, what is it you’re interested in doing with your gadget. Any one salesperson or expert can point you in the right direction and try and sell you on the latest device, but you need to decide for yourself. Ask yourself these following questions: Do I want to watch movies? Do I want to listen to Music? Do I want to read ? Check email and the internet?

Look out for the Latest Trends The introduction of touch screen technology is one of the biggest advancements in the world of consumer electronics. Once you browse through the specs of the most popular mobile devices and music players of today, you will see a lot of them having a touch screen on top and a couple of user interface tweaks to go with it. Touch-screens are common in devices such as game consoles, all-in-one computers, tablet computers, smartphones and most recently televisions.

Productivity & Connectivity

Another reason why customers react positively to all the new devices is because of the allowance for staying connected while on the road. Check email, stay in touch with clients, and have internet access 24/7. In addition; productivity has also become an essential selling point. It has never been so easy to be able to produce and polish up presentations, papers, design graphics, websites and videos.

Compatibility

Certainly life is getting easier for novice tech users. Download a song on your computer, and you can expect to see it on your phone, tablet and laptop instantly. With the developments and inclusion of services such as iCloud, Google Sync, Dropbox and Microsoft Cloud, you’ll never have a problem finding a file on any of your devices.

iCloud stores your music, photos, apps, calendars, documents, and more. And wirelessly pushes them to all your devices.

Page 4 III. eBook Readers

What’s an eBook?

An electronic (variously, e-book, eBook, digital book) is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices. Sometimes the equivalent of a conventional printed book, e- books can also be born digital. The Oxford Dictionary of English defines the e-book as "an electronic version of a printed book," but e-books can and do exist without any printed equivalent. E-books are usually read on dedicated e-book readers. Personal computers and some mobile phones can also be used to read e-books.

Different formats of eBooks: The following is a comparison of e-book formats used to create and publish e-books. A writer or publisher has many options when it comes to choosing a format for publication. While the average end-user might arguably simply want to read books, every format has its proponents. The file size for texts without images depends on the file format, but is always relatively small compared with a richly illustrated text.

The following is a comparable chart on some of the more popular formats:

Page 5 PDF vs. ePub By far, the most popular formats on the market at the moment are both the PDF and ePub formats. Most, if not all Tablets, SmartPhones, eBook Readers and Computer Systems can read these formats. More and more publisher are producing one of the following formats to ensure the audience will have no problem downloading and reading a eBook.

The PDF file format created by Adobe Systems, The EPUB format is rapidly gaining popularity and as initially to provide a standard form for storing printable of 2011 is the most widely supported vendor- documents containing a set of page images. The independent XML-based e-book format. The format format derives from PostScript, but without language can be read at least by the Kobo eReader, Blackberry features like loops, and with added support for Playbook, Apple's iBooks app running on iOS devices features like compression, passwords and DRM. such as the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, Barnes Because PDF documents can easily be viewed and and Noble Nook, , BeBook, printed by users on a variety of computer platforms, Gen3 (with firmware v. 2 and up), COOL-ER, they are very common on the World Wide Web , Lexcycle Stanza, BookGlutton, AZARDI, FBReader, , Moon+ Since the format is designed to reproduce page Reader and WordPlayer on Android, Freda on images, the text traditionally could not be re-flowed to Windows Mobile and Windows Phone 7, and the fit the screen width or size. As a result, PDF files Mozilla Firefox add-on EPUBReader. Several other designed for printing on standard paper sizes are less desktop reader software programs are currently easily viewed on screens with limited size or implementing support for the format, such as resolution, such as those found on mobile phones dotReader, FBReader, , uBook and and e-book readers. Adobe has addressed this . drawback by adding a re-flow facility to its Acrobat Reader software, but for it to work the document must The only notable device lacking integrated support for be marked for re-flowing at creation. the EPUB format is the Kindle, although there has recently been speculation that the Kindle However, this tagging process will not work on most will soon support this format. locked or password protected PDF documents. It also doesn't work at present (2009–10) on the Windows Adobe Digital Editions uses . format for its e- Mobile Device Center (the successor to Active Sync) books, with DRM protection provided through their as found in and . Thus, proprietary ADEPT mechanism. The recently automatic tagging support during synchronization is developed ADEPT framework and scripts have been limited to Windows XP/2000. reverse-engineered to circumvent this DRM system.

PDF files are supported on many e-book readers including: Mobipocket, iRex iLiad, iRex DR1000, Sony Reader, Bookeen Cybook, Foxit eSlick, , Barnes & Noble Nook, the iPad, PocketBook Reader, Bebook Neo and the Kobo eReader. Also, files can be read on the iPod Touch using the free Stanza app. On iPad, there are also many readers such as Stanza, iBook, FlipReader, ...

Scientific papers and books are often found in PDF format. In this case, the problem of showing tables and equations correctly has been dealt with, when the PDF was created. When trying to reflow such text, ereaders typically obtain very poor results

Page 6 eBook Readers and Mobile Devices

There are basically 2 kinds of devices that you can use to read eBooks: eReaders and Mobile Devices.

eReaders eReaders can hold eBooks so that they can be read anywhere, without the need to be connected to the internet or a computer. eReaders are dedicated to displaying eBooks. Often displaying ebooks is their only function, but some of them can do more. Where do you get ebooks? • You can get them from Toronto Public Library • You can buy them from a store, by connecting to the store on the Internet. o Kobos are linked with the Canadian bookstore chain Indigo Books & Music. o NOOKs are linked with the bookstore chain Barnes & Noble. o Sony Readers are linked with Sony’s Reader Store. o Kindles are linked with Amazon.com, however they are not currently supported with the download of Canadian library content

Mobile Devices Some mobile devices, such as phones or tablets, can directly download content from some services, through the use of mobile apps, which are applications designed specifically for a mobile device and are made available through their app marketplace. o Apple devices, such as the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch run the mobile iOS. o Android is a mobile operating system created by Google and several mobile phone manufacturers, and runs on many different phones, tablets, and even recent eReaders (Kobo Vox, Kindle Fire).

How do you get books on to your eReader or device ? Adobe Digital Editions • This program can be used on both Windows- and Mac-based computers to read eBooks. • It allows downloaded eBooks to be transferred to most of the eReaders that are compatible with the library’s downloadable content.

OverDrive Media Console mobile application • This is a mobile application, or “app”, that is available for mobile devices, such as phones or tablets, allowing the direct download without the use of a desktop computer. It can download print books, audio, music & videos.

Page 7 What are some advantages of eBooks? • Remote access: all you need to access is a compatible computer or device with an internet connection, as well as an account for certain content. Often, this content is available 24 hours a day. • Portability: eReaders are small, light, portable, and can hold many titles at once. • Customizable: some eBook formats allow you to change the size of the text for improved readability. • Enhanced: some eBook formats and readers allow for enhanced content, such as the ability to look up the dictionary definition of a word, or interact with a book in new and exciting ways (e.g. connect with social media, interact with images in a picture book) • No overdue charges: all titles are automatically ‘returned’ and come off your record, so you never have to worry about fines.

What are some disadvantages of eBooks? • Less selection: only popular titles that publishers have chosen to distribute in electronic formats are available, however collections and content is ever-building. The more people who use these eBook services, the more content will be purchased by the library. • Technology: access is dependent on the seamless function of computers, devices, and online services involved in the process of accessing information. • Power: although the batter lives of devices are improving, you will still need access to recharge your device, and its battery may run out at an inconvenient time. • Cost: devices can be expensive, and eBook/DRM standards may upgrade, reducing what an older device is capable of using. • Loan: there is no flexibility of loan period, so if you’re close to the end of your book, you cannot keep the title past the due date to finish it • Sharing: unlike a physical book, you can’t lend it to a friend.

Page 8 Current as of 1/10/2012. For the most up-to-date list, visit overdrive.com/eBookdevices. Library Compatible eBook Devices eBooks from your library’s ‘Virtual Branch’ website powered by OverDrive® are currently compatible with a variety of readers, computers and devices.

eBook readers

Amazon® Kindle Sony® Other devices (U.S. libraries only) • Kindle • Daily Edition • Aluratek LIBRE • Kindle 2 • Pocket Edition Air/Color/Touch • Kindle 3 • PRS-505 • En Tourage Pocket eDGe™ • Kindle DX • PRS-700 • HD • Kindle Touch • Touch Edition • Literati™ Reader • Kindle Keyboard • Wi-Fi PRS-T1 • Pandigital® Novel • PocketBook Pro 602 Barnes & Noble® Kobo™ The process to download

• NOOK™ 3G+Wi-Fi • Kobo eReader or transfer eBooks to these • NOOK Wi-Fi • devices may vary by device, • NOOKcolor™ most require Adobe • NOOK Touch™ Digital Editions. •

Mobile devices

™ Get the FREE OverDrive Media Console app for: Other devices iPad®, iPhone® & iPod touch® Android™ • Archos™ Tablets • Sylvania Mini Tablet • ASUS® Transformer • Toshiba Thrive™ Windows® Phone 7 • Coby Kyros • ViewSonic gTablet BlackBerry® • Cruz™ Reader/Tablet • EnTourage eDGe™ ...or use the free • Kindle Fire Kindle reading app • Kobo Vox on many of these • Motorola® Xoom™ devices. • Netbook™ Next 2 Available in Mobihand™ Available in the Available in • Pandigital Nova ™ SM & AppWorld App Store Android Market • Samsung Galaxy Tab™

Computers

Install the FREE Adobe Digital Editions software to download and read eBooks on your computer and transfer to eBook readers. Windows® XP, Vista or 7 Mac OS X v10.4.9 (or newer)

OverDrive and your library are not affiliated with and do not endorse any of the devices or manufacturers listed above.

For the most current information, visit overdrive.com/eBookdevices.

© 2012 OverDrive, Inc. AMAZON, Kindle and the AMAZON Kindle logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All trademarks not owned by OverDrive, Inc. that appear on this brochure are the property of their respective owners, who may or may not be affiliated with, connected to, or sponsored by OverDrive, Inc. Exp. 2.29.2012 IV. SmartPhones

Apple Mobile Devices – Comparing the iTouch, iPhone and the iPad

iTouch iPhone iPad iTouch is a lot like a tiny iPad or iPhone. iPhone is a smart phone that adds the iPad is a tablet. It has all the functionality of Designed to be a super iPod. phone component to the iTouch. the iTouch and then some.

What can you do? What can you do? What can you do? • Store & play music • All the same as the iTouch • Take photos, then store & display them • Take photos, videos and store & • Make phone calls, send texts & • Search the internet update your Facebook display them emails or Twitter accounts Read & send emails • Email • Search the internet via dataplan or • Read ebooks, listen to audio books, both • Read or listen to ebooks & wifi, update your Facebook or Twitter free from the Library and purchased from audiobooks accounts stores • Play games, follow hobbies & • Get Apps to play games, follow • Get Apps to play games, follow hobbies & interests, track health, use the TTC, hobbies & interests, track health, use interests, track health, use the TTC with apps from iTunes the TTC • Play videos, music, podcasts, radio • Play videos & podcasts • Siri – voice control stations 7.Provides Internet phoning & Skype • Word processing, presentations, • Videoconferencing - FaceTime How? spreadsheets • Through service plan (Bell/Fido/other How? services) - providing phone service How? Relies Solely on Wifi plus a set amount of texts & data per • Data plan & wifi month, What doesn’t it do? What doesn’t it do? - No phone or text What doesn’t it do? • No phone • Documents What’s it really great for? What’s it really great for? - Fairly low cost – great storage (holds a What’s it really great for? • Reading internet LOT of music/photos) & no ongoing • Instant access everywhere • Playing media, watching movies, TV, costs (data plan) • Great Camera at 8 megapixels • Reading eBooks & e-magazines Page 10 Other SmartPhones and Apps

In addition to the iPhone, other smartphones include Blackberry, Android, Samsung and more. All the phones have their individual App store for users to download games, programs, and features to your phone to maximize the potential of what you can do on your own device.

A is a high-end mobile phone built on a mobile , with more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a feature phone. The first smartphones were devices that mainly combined the functions of a personal digital assistant (PDA) and a mobile phone or camera phone. Today's models also serve to combine the functions of portable media players, low-end compact digital cameras, pocket video cameras, and GPS navigation units. Modern smartphones typically also include high-resolution touchscreens, web browsers that can access and properly display standard web pages rather than just mobile-optimized sites, and high-speed data access via Wi-Fi and mobile broadband.

Mobile Apps & App Stores

Mobile applications, also referred to as Apps, are software applications, usually designed to run on smartphones and tablet computers. They are available through application distribution platforms, which are typically operated by the owner of the mobile operating system, such as the Apple App Store, Android Market, and BlackBerry App World. Some apps are free, and others have a price. Usually they are downloaded from the platform to a target device such as an iPhone, BlackBerry, or Android phone, but sometimes they can be downloaded to less mobile computers such as a laptops or desktops.

Apple App Store The Apple App Store opened on July 10, 2008, and as of January 2011, reported over 10 billion downloads. As of June 6, 2011, there are 425,000 third-party apps available, which are downloaded by 200 million users BlackBerry Apps for the BlackBerry mobile devices are available through the BlackBerry App World application distribution service. It opened in April 2009, and as of February 2011, was claiming the largest revenue per app: $9,166.67 compared to $6,480.00 at the Apple App Store and $1,200 in the Android market. In July 2011, it was reporting 3 million downloads per day and one billion total downloads. Android Market The Android Market is an international online software store developed by Google for Android devices. It was opened in October 2008. In May 2011, Google announced that there are 200,000 available apps, with 10 billion apps downloaded and installed as of December 2011.

Page 11

Page 12 V. Tablets What’s A Tablet: A , or a tablet, is a mobile computer, larger than a mobile phone or personal digital assistant, integrated into a flat touch screen and primarily operated by touching the screen rather than using a physical keyboard. It often uses an onscreen virtual keyboard, a passive stylus pen, or a digital pen. In the last year and a half, Tablets have seen the biggest growth among any device on the market. They appeal to a wide range of audience who wish to check email, read a book, listen to music, watch movies, and play games. Tablets also have a serious side to them, applications like Microsoft Word, Presentation software and even apps to fool around with photos and website design. Finding the right tablet for you isn’t that hard, but they certainly don’t make it easy on you. Use the following to help you decide.

Tablets are generally known for their slick design, small in weight. Very portable devices to carry with you while headed to work. The Tablet’s screen is typically much higher resolution then the eBook, so viewing Movies, Magazines, Websites and Pictures make it that much more enjoyable.

Page 13 Tablet Apps Just like mobile devices, and Smartphones, Tablets as well have access to Apps. Apps can range from free to $20-$30/each. Schools are taking advantage of the tablets by giving them a bigger role in the classroom. Kids can learn differently with the assistance of Apps geared towards Science, Math, History and more.

More and more Doctors, Hospitals and Dentists are using tablets to help assist them with getting the information to their patients easier.

Tablets are also doing their part in the workplace. Helping graphic artists display portfolios, design and conducting presentations in the boardroom, and helping people whose job are on the road a lot. Travelling but staying connected to email, and any other bits of info that’s needed.

Business Realtors have access to Apps that can assist them with getting information for their clients. Programs that are designed to tell you the layout of a neighbourhood with regards to general household income, similar themed stores, population, age to make a decision easier to get to.

It also can be used for just some good old fun!!!!

Watching T.V. & Movies Making Music

Page 14 Chart Comparing Popular Tablets Great way to examine the popular tablets on the market and how they differentiate among:

Physical Size Storage Size Includes Camera Price and more

Page 15 Things You Should Think About Before Buying A Tablet!!

One you thing you might not notice, with the endless amount of reviews and chart comparisons in this handout and on the web, they don’t specify the file formats that are compatible. Example: Through OverDrive and Toronto Public Library, you want to download an audiobook to take on vacation.

If you look on the screen captures, a lot of books can be available in one, two or multiple file types. Depending on the type of file and the tablet you own, you may not be able to access and play. That’s the same for eBooks, Photos, Videos and Music. Even if you want to get an iPad to watch YouTube videos all day, you should know that a lot of those videos on that website and others are in Flash Video format. It’s not compatible. The same goes with other tablets. You download a video (.MPV) or audio file (.MP4); it may not work on another Tablet. Those formats are generally meant for Apple products.

Page 16 VI. Mp3 Players / Audio Devices / Video Systems

MP3 Players are definitely not one size fits all. They come in a range of shapes and sizes, use different types of memory, and support different formats. In fact the name MP3 Player is kind of misleading. Some makes and models of MP3 Players can play 10-15 different type of audio files. Based on these and other features, certain players are often better suited to certain uses - you should choose the player (or players) that meet your needs. Check out the various uses for an MP3 player and figure out which players are up to the task.

As we see it, here are some top uses for MP3 players, as well as some questions that you should consider in order to figure out if one or more of these usage models will suit you. Some people align with more than one use, and they should possibly consider buying more than one MP3 player to address various needs. For instance, you might want an ultra-compact flash player for jogging or skiing and a high-capacity hard-drive- based device for traveling. Of course, plenty of people just want an MP3 player for general, day-to-day use. If you're simply after a device that plays good-sounding music and is easy to use, any of the top products are perfectly suited for this.

On another note, some devices need software on your computer and or laptop to move your media to and from. Some of that software can be quite user friendly, and some not so much. Look around and explore. I myself bought a device once because of the promise that I was able to drag and drop any audio file format to it and it would be on it. No extra conversion software needed.

You listen to your stereo at home and to your computer at work, but filling your commute with tunes requires a portable player. Connecting your MP3 player to your car audio system can be done with an FM transmitter, cassette adapter, Bluetooth transmitter (if your stereo is Bluetooth compatible), or by purchasing an aftermarket car stereo with an iPod dock or line-input connection. Speaking of FM, if you want to listen to AM/FM radio, some devices have the capability. If you commute via subway or bus, look for a really good pair of noise-cancelling headphones can’t hurt either. Commuting

If you spend all your free time in the gym, you need an MP3 player that can keep pace. It should be compact and easy to operate with one hand. Rather than looking for one with massive storage, choose a flash-based model (1GB of storage should be plenty, but more can't hurt) that can also withstand tough workouts better than hard-drive-based players. You may also want an armband, an option on many ultra-compact models, and a set of headphones that will stay in place rather than the cheap earbuds typically included. Gym / Exercise

If you spend a lot of time on the road, you need an MP3 player that will enhance your journeys with music yet doesn't add undue weight to your carry-on. If you travel with the same laptop that stores your music, a compact flash-based player is the way to go, but if you'd rather leave the laptop at home, try a higher-capacity player that will hold all or most of your music.

Travelling

MP3 players have quickly become the medium of choice for listening to audiobooks. Compared with CD and cassette players, an average MP3 player is small and has the capacity to hold many hours worth of audio. With download-only audiobook options through your local library and through additional vendors such as iTunes offering a relatively inexpensive alternative to purchasing or renting audiobooks, there's more incentive than ever for book lovers to take a listen. If you're looking to purchase an MP3 player that works well with audiobooks, there are a couple things to keep in mind. The first is to make sure the player is compatible with all Audiobooks, other audiobook formats. The second is to make sure the player has bookmarking, a rather important Audio Formats feature that will keep you from having to fast-forward through extra-long audio files.

Page 17 If your appetite for digital music has your computer's hard drives bursting at the seams, you fit the description of the file hoarder. While sound quality and features are important to you, what you need most is an enormous capacity. With portable music devices reaching up to 160GB, it shouldn't be difficult for you to find a hard-drive player with enough storage to suit your needs.

160GB will have enough room for 40,000 songs and/or 200 hours of video. Massive Storage

Nowadays, the line between MP3 players and portable video players (PVPs or tablets) is blurrier than ever, as the majority of devices hitting the market include video playback as a feature. Although the screen on a typical MP3 player is too small for extended video viewing, it can be a nice bonus for certain users. Undeniably, MP3 players with relatively large screens make the best substitute PVPs--make sure you look for those that are at least 2.5 inches diagonal. No denying it's nice to have that extra distraction in certain situations, such as doctors' waiting rooms and airport terminals. Watching Video

List of Audio File Formats

Open File Formats (supported by most if not all systems and software) • wav - standard audio file format used mainly in Windows PCs. Commonly used for storing uncompressed (PCM), CD-quality sound files, which means that they can be large in size - around 10MB per minute of music. It is less well known that wave files can also be encoded with a variety of codecs to reduce the file size (for example the GSM or mp3 codecs).

• mp3 - the MPEG Layer-3 format is the most popular format for downloading and storing music. By eliminating portions of the audio file that are essentially inaudible, mp3 files are compressed to roughly one-tenth the size of an equivalent PCM file while maintaining good audio quality. We recommend the mp3 format for music storage. It is not that good for voice storage.

• ogg - a free, open source container format supporting a variety of codecs, the most popular of which is the audio codec Vorbis. Vorbis files are often compared to MP3 files in terms of quality. But the simple fact mp3 are so much more broadly supported makes it difficult to recommend ogg files.

• flac - a lossless compression codec. You can think of lossless compression as like zip but for audio. If you compress a PCM file to flac and then restore it again it will be a perfect copy of the original. (All the other codecs discussed here are lossy which means a small part of the quality is lost). The cost of this losslessness is that the compression ratio is not good. But we recommend flac for archiving PCM files where quality is important (eg. broadcast or music use).

Proprietary Formats (supported by / limited to specific software)

• wma - the popular Windows Media Audio format owned by Microsoft. Designed with Digital Rights Management (DRM) abilities for copy protection.

• aac - the Advanced Audio Coding format is based on the MPEG4 audio standard owned by Dolby. A copy- protected version of this format has been developed by Apple for use in music downloaded from their iTunes Music Store.

Page 18 Watching Video on The Go!

Watching Video on the go has become a lot easier now with more and more devices having the capability of playing video. From your cell phones to tablets to solely video players, the options are endless. Just with ebook and audio, video as well leave you with a wide range of video formats, and players can sometime play more than one of these formats, and some can’t.

If you shop around, more video devices have now got high definition video.

List of Video File Formats

• AVI - the AVI file format is also known as the Audio Video Interleaved format and made its way on to the market in 1992 when it was released by Microsoft. AVI files give playback of audio and video simultaneously but they also allow for split streaming, however, this is not commonly utilized. The AVI format is not as commonly utilized as other video file formats due to the fact that they are slow on keeping up with changes in.

• QuickTime- the QuickTime file format, also known as QTFF is a file format that was developed by Apple for use with the QuickTime application. Due to the structure of QuickTime files and the QuickTime software this type of video file format is often utilized by video editors because it is conducive to restructuring and editing.

• FLV - FLV files are also referred to as Flash or F4V files and are video files that utilize Adobe Flash Player to stream content via the internet. The biggest reason that individuals utilize the Flash format for videos is that it enables them to embed videos within pages and it is viewable by most operating systems. Flash file formats provide higher quality video than many other file formats; however, they require a lot of resources to enable the video to play flawlessly making this an inconvenient file type for older computer systems.

• MP4 - MP4 files, also known as MPEG-4 files are versatile files that are able to not only broadcast audio and video but they are also able to broadcast images and subtitles as well. MP4 files can be streamed via the internet like many other video files. As mentioned above in the audio file section, the audio only aspect of MP4 files is referred to as M4A; however, when referring to audio and video the file extension is MP4. MP4 files are common among Apple users particularly those with and iPod devices.

• MPEG - The MPEG file format was first introduced in 1993 by the Moving Picture Expert Group as a method of delivering both audio and video data by encoding it at the quality level of a CD. MPEG files are generally not preferred currently due to the creation of much higher quality video file extensions that allow for higher quality audio and picture production.

Page 19 VII. Misc Gadgets

Devices for Your T.V. There are so many great little gadgets for the person on the go. So whether your stuck in a Plane, Bus, or just waiting for a meeting to get started, you’ll know that you’ll always have something to do.

What about when you get home? Looking at your media on a nice big screen television sounds like a whole......

Apple TV Sony Playstation 3 Western Digital TV Stream content using Wi-Fi from Mainly a Gaming system, but also Watch Movies computer to T.V. has a Blu-Ray player Listen to Music Connect to Netflix and other Movie Store and Watch Movies View Photos Distribution Services Listen to Music Streams Content from Computer & View Photos Memory Stick All Files Stored on System.

Other Friendly Gadgets There are so many great little gadgets for the person on the go. So whether you’re stuck in a Plane, Bus, or just waiting for a meeting to get started, you’ll know that you’ll always have something to do.

Bose Headphones Harmon Karmon iPod Dock Sony Playstation Vita Different styles / price ranges iPod Dock to allow playing of iPod Released in Dec. 2011 Noise Cancelling Comes with Remote Control Handheld Gaming Console Noise Isolation Crisp / Clear Sound View Photos, Movies Comes w/ extended cord Rated Top 5 in Docking Systems Listen to Music Loud enough for a big party Ultra-Light Weight Touchscreen / Game Pad

Page 20 VIII. Gadgets Glossary of Terms

Intro A really simple guide to the most commonly used terms, associated with smartphones and tablets. Yes it may simple to you, but there are people out there, lacking the basic grasp of modern mobile devices. Fear not, here is a simple lens to help you learn the jargon, before you drive the kids and yourself crazy!

A - D App - Short for Application. A small program designed to run on a phone or hand held device. Apps extend the functionality and enhance the compatibility of the phone with your favourite sites and merchants.

Apple - Manufacturers of the iPhone, iPad, MacBook and iTunes.

Android - Operating system developed by Google for running smartphones and tablets. Bandwidth - A measure of how much data can be sent across a connection at one time. Normally represents download speed from the internet to a remote computer or laptop.

Blue Tooth - A wireless communication network connecting phones, laptops and compatible devices. Normally used with hands free devices to allow hand less talking.

Cloud - A web hosted application for storing data and files virtually. Often used as a backup location for computer based files clouds are a great way to free up your hard drive and improve the speed of the computer.

Download - A transfer of a file from the internet to your mobile or computer

Drag and Drop - To move an item or file to a different location or directory by clicking and dragging into place.

Driver - An externally downloaded file that makes your device compatibility with 3rd party hardware such as cameras, keyboards and printers.

Dual Core - When 2 processors are featured in a single chip. E - H Email - An electronic service for sending written messages and files across the internet.

Emoticon - Text or simple icons commonly used in text messages or emails to convey a graphical display of emotion or mood.

Flash - An application used by websites and browsers to display animations, video and image sequences.

GPS -Global Positioning System. Uses a network of global satellites to locate the position of a device. Also describes the navigation service offered by devices utilising the GPS technology.

HDMI - High definition media interface/ a connection that transmits high definition audio and video signals. Available on TV and laptop screens and in smaller versions for smartphones and tablets.

HD - High Definition. A video file or broadcast with a higher resolution than of 720p, 1080i and 1080p.

Hotspot - A public area covered by a wireless network. Access is free or paid for by purchasing credits.

I Icon- A small symbol used to identify a program or application.

ID3 Tag - A way of storing extended information about a file. MP3 files that provide the name of the album and artist etc.

IMAP -Internet Message Across Protocol - A method for email that allows the access to stored files through a remote server. Typically offered as an alternative to PoP3.

Page 21 ISP - Internet Service Provider - A company providing internet connection for an agreed fee. iCloud - is a Cloud Computing service offered by Apple Inc. to help its users to seamlessly sync and back up data from their Apple devices. Data shared from one Apple device of the user can be accessed by the user's other Apple device without needing to download again. iOS - originally known as iPhone OS is a considered to be one of the Most advanced Mobile Operating system created by Apple Inc. specifically to be used in Apple devices like the iPod, iPhone and iPad. iOS 5 is the latest update of this Operating system. iTunes - is an easy to share software that allows to sync any Apple device like iPhone, iPod or iPad with a PC or Mac. It is used to convert music and video to iOS readable format and transfer files to the Apple devices. It was also used for installing software updates until the release of iOS 5.

K - M Kilobyte - A measure of storage capacity. 1 KB = 1,024 bytes

Linux - An operating system often used on Macs

Memory - The data storage capability of a device. Measured in Gigabytes

MHZ -Megahertz. A measure of speed used for memory.

Micro SD card - Small type of memory card often used in handheld devices. Often comes with an adapter to make it SD or normal size.

MMS - Multimedia Messaging. A system for sending messages and small files between phones.

MP4 - A digital movie file / audio file commonly used on and smartphones.

N - P Netbook - A smaller laptop with portable features and a powerful battery.

Network - A virtual or wired series of computers and devices interacting and sharing information.

Operating System - Manages the hardware and software on your device.

PDF - Portable Document Format. A print friendly format for viewing and sharing documents online.

Playlist - A list of a music tracks in a que, ready for sequential playback

Q - S

QWERTY -The English keyboard layout. The top line from the left spells qwerty.

Resolution - The amount of resolution shown on an image.

Rip - To copy files (music, audio, movies, pictures) digitally.

Router - A device used to connect more than one computer or device to the Internet.

Sat Nav - A Navigation system used for directions and route finding.

Server - A computer network that holds information or manages a websites pages.

Shortcut - A quick way to execute a command.

Skype - A low cost virtual call operator.

Slideshow - A sequence of images with navigation.

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Smartphone - A modern mobile device with a computer layout and programs and extensions specific to the operating system or handset

Social Networking - Web hosted portals that connect people through a shared interest.

SSID -Service Set Identifier. A name or code used to identify a wireless network.

Stream - Playing media whilst it downloads.

T - W Tablet - A small computer with a touchscreen interface.

Tag - A keyword used to describe a file or folder.

Touchpad - A small touch sensitive pad which acts an alternative to a mouse for navigation.

Touchscreen - A computer or smartphone that uses touch commands instead of a mouse.

USB - Universal Storage Bus. A simple way to store multiple file types in one portable unit.

Wallpaper - A pattern or image used to decorate the background of your device.

Webmail - An email account hosted online, that allows remote access via password.

Wi -Fi -A generic term for wireless network. If you are out of range of Wi-Fi your phone will drop to a 3G connection, which is almost as fast!

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