TheTechLounge - Recent Articles: Guides

Beginner's Guide to Photographic Composition - Part I

Mon, 2 Feb 2009 09:46:17 -0600

Photography is an art, and by definition art is subjective. With that being said, there are many "rules" that can help your mind's eye focus. Truly, there are no steadfast rules in any art - they're really just guidelines, and you'll have to figure out for yourself when they should apply, and in what combination. This beginner�s guide will be split into three parts, and the overall goal is to provide a strong foundation for photographers unfamiliar with these so called rules of photographic composition (what makes up a photograph). To understand what makes �good� photographs, it�s important to understand the elements that work together [hopefully] to form the big picture.

Choosing the Right Netbook

Tue, 6 Jan 2009 14:44:59 -0600

They get called lots of things. They should be called netbooks, or at the very least, nettops. Ultra-portable is acceptable. UMPC is right out. Without breaking out the dichotomy yardstick, what am I going on about? Eee PCs, naturally. I want 'em, you want 'em, and they're practically sized to be stocking stuffers... But it's not just Asus anymore, there's a lot here to pick from, and I don't just mean all twelve different flavors of Eee PC. Acer with their Aspire One, HP makes a handful of Minis, MSI has their Wind. Lenovo's pushing their S10--which is remarkably similar to the Samsung N10--Gigabyte's got their M912 (catchy) and then there're the rarely-mentioned Kohjinsha SX3 and SC3, and at the other end of the spectrum there Dell with Inspirons Mini 9 and 12. For starters.

Nikon Announces D90 Digital SLR - First Ever With Movie Mode

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:03:05 -0500

Nikon today announced the D90 Digital SLR - successor to the D80. It's slated for availability some time (late?) September, at an ESP (estimated street price) of $999.95. At this point, I should mention that I'm a Canon user. I love my 5D and my treasure chest full of expensive L lenses. Point being, I'm so happy with Canon that it's rare for me to get excited about anything from the Nikon camp. In fact, this is the first time my eyes have wandered. [Forgive me, Canon, 'tis but a fling.] Oh, and we got some exclusive footage of the D90's movie mode in action, courtesy of professional photographer, Chase Jarvis.

Buying an HDTV: What You Need to Know

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:43:26 -0500

Walk into your local electronics emporium and look at the wall of screens. It's a beautiful sight. All of the displays look so wonderful, but where do you start? What do you need to know to find your perfect high-def match? Purchasing your first HDTV can be a daunting task if you aren't armed with the proper information when you enter the carnivorous den of your local electronics superstore. There are a couple of areas I'd like to focus on in this guide. The first thing to consider is the type of TV, and which is best suited to your viewing environment. This consists of the physical space the TV will occupy and any devices you plan to use with it will weigh heavily on your decision. Also important are the features and specifications that a new TV can offer. Buzzwords like 1080p, contrast ratio, HDMI, and 120Hz will be thrown at you as soon as you strike up a dialogue with a salesperson (or as they stalk you up and down the aisles). With a little preparation, you can be an informed consumer with the power to overcome jargon-filled sales pitches and, in the end, make the right decision for you.

Making the Switch to Digital TV

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:58:56 -0500

As the world changes so do the demands of consumers -- this is particularly true with technology. One of the most pressing issues today is that of digital television. But to most this subject is shrouded in mystery. Why are we being forced to convert to digital signals? What does going digital even mean? Most importantly, how will the shift to digital television affect me? These are all excellent questions, ones I hope to address sufficiently, and thereby purging the digital switch from its aforementioned shroud of mystery.

10+ Things I Learned With my First DSLR

Mon, 19 May 2008 14:40:30 -0500

It strikes me as pure poetry that the acronym for point-and-shoot is POS. Wait, no, it's not. That would have been apt. The first time I borrowed a friend's Canon 20D, I was hooked. Taking product shots went from a detestable any-excuse-to-put-it-off event to something... simple? Fun? Remarkably, taking pictures changed from something that I sucked at to something I could really get into. And, just like that, I started shopping around for DSLR bodies.

Gifts for Geeky Guys & Gals

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 17:09:30 -0600

Geeks are notoriously hard to shop for, and it's an ill-deserved notoriety. Yes, it's true that most people who fall under the geek purview spend their time talking about specific, and ridiculously expensive things that they're more comfortable buying themselves (myself excluded, see, I'm cool, I just used to be nerdy) but come on, they still like getting stuff. And since it's getting close to that time of year where we all like giving stuff away, lest the invisible giant who lives in the sky smite us for being selfish, the pressure's on for finding the right stocking-stuffer. It's really not hard. You just have to know where to "shop"--all this from the comfort of your very own work computer, even.

A Woman's Primer for Building Her Own Computer - Part I

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:36:29 -0500

The computer world has known for a long time that girls are to be taken seriously. Games can be ridiculously fun and appeal to everyone. And it's not just about The Sims and Bejeweled; girls want to grab a lightsaber or don platemail and save the world from Oblivion just as much as boys do, so what's stopping us from building our own computers?

Getting Untangled with CableOrganizer

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 12:12:27 -0500

In this article I'll be discussing something which really doesn't get that much attention. It's something that we all have to deal with. You've got them; you hate them. They're cables, and they're everywhere. To help me get clean, I've enlisted the help of our friends at CableOrganizer.com; if they don't have what I need for my cabling woes, nobody does. While I had initially intended for this article to serve as a sort of guide to all my messy brethren lurking in the shadows out there, that is not going to be the case. I'd be kidding myself if I thought for one second I could tell anyone how to get organized. I'm probably messier than most of you, after all. What I will do instead is share my experience with a handful of cable management products.

5 Things You Need to Know About SLR Lenses

Tue, 6 Feb 2007 11:42:07 -0600

There are two things I enjoy most in life. The first is photography and the latter, well!I like to tell people what to do. It makes me feel powerful. Strong. Like a small pony. Keep reading. One of the most common questions I get as related to photography is "what camera should I buy?" I've already answered that question (sort of) with a couple of previous articles. The next most common question (I mean next literally, as in directly after the previous question) is "what lens should I buy?" Well, that's a tricky question because there simply is no one-size-fits-all lens. My goal in this article is to give you some basic knowledge about lenses that will help set you on the path to lens buying goodness, or if you're like me, indecisiveness. Hey, it's a start.

High-End DIY Computer Buyer's Guide

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 18:32:42 -0600

The big corporations of this world are starting to foam at the mouth at the thought of astronomical holiday sales. Let's be honest, we're going a little rabid ourselves. Our high-end system budget is set at $3,200, and our goal in this article is to recommend components which offer the best bang for the buck while maintaining an overall balanced system.

Mid-Range DIY Computer Buyer's Guide

Sun, 26 Nov 2006 12:34:22 -0600

The big corporations of this world are starting to foam at the mouth at the thought of astronomical holiday sales. Let's be honest, we're going a little rabid ourselves. Our mid-range system budget is set at $1,600, and our goal in this article is to recommend components which offer the best bang for the buck while maintaining an overall balanced system.

Low-End DIY Computer Buyer's Guide

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 18:54:24 -0600

Black Friday is almost here. The big corporations of this world are starting to foam at the mouth at the thought of astronomical holiday sales. Let's be honest, we're going a little rabid ourselves. This guide will get you started on an enviable computer with huge potential for expansion, and with Vista looming, you'll be glad you made room for it. This price guide is aimed squarely at the price-conscious DIY system builder, with a budget set at $800.

10 Reasons NOT to Buy a DSLR Camera

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 21:17:39 -0600

One of the most common questions I get as related to photography is "What camera should I buy?" It was this very question that I addressed in my last article, "10 Reasons to Buy a DSLR Camera." If you haven't read it, basically it talks about the advantages of DSLR cameras versus point-n-shoots. Honestly, I never thought it would get such an overwhelming response, but I received a lot of really great feedback. I thought it was odd, though, that numerous readers left comments or emailed me to argue that DSLRs are not for everyone. Considering I said that myself in the article, I thought it was obvious that I agree. "I don't want to paint a picture that DSLRs are the perfect solution for everybody. There are some aspects which some would view as a negative of DSLR cameras..." "� and then I gave a few of those negative points, some of which I'll repeat in this article. I don't want anyone to get the false notion that I recommend a DSLR to everybody and their mother. The majority of people are probably going to be better off with a point-n-shoot. With that in mind, I present: 10 Reasons NOT to Buy a DSLR Camera.

10 Reasons to Buy a DSLR Camera

Sun, 5 Nov 2006 01:04:14 -0600

One of the most common questions I get as related to photography is "What camera should I buy?" Before I get into the reasons I recommend buying a DSLR, I'd like to state why you should NOT buy a DSLR. There is a saying among photographers: "The camera doesn't make the photo, the photographer does." Professional equipment means nothing without someone who knows how to properly use it to its fullest. I urge you not to buy that Canon EOS 20D or Nikon D80 or [insert other DSLR model here] if you plan to leave it on full automatic mode. DSLRs are expensive light-capturing tools that can help you create some amazing images, but only if you have the time and patience to learn what you are doing and be creative. With my public service announcement out of the way, I present to you: 10 reasons to buy a DSLR Camera.