If you love using smileys, the built in library for most instant messengers/email programs might not be enough. Luckily, there are a few resources on the web which allow you to access, use and share thousands of smileys and emoticons.

One interesting tool even allows you to create your own smiley face clip art!

Just remember, 90% of human communication is non verbal! So it’s very natural for us to use images to convey emotions, feelings, and messages in general, especially on the internet where face to face communication is not possible.

Just something to think about next time you type LOL.

The UBW32 is an inexpensive, simple input/output device to connect your computer(windows,Linux & Mac) to the real world. Simply plug it into your computer’s USB port and you can send simple commands to it via a terminal. You can use this device to connect to real world things like your table lamp or that power generating reactor you have in your basement.

UBW32 Hardware Features:

* 78 usable I/O pins – all header holes on .100″ grid
* 73 usable I/O pins available along edges, allow for easy “DIP” style breadboard mounting
* miniUSB connection – supplies power and full speed USB connection to PC
* 3.3V power regulator
* 5V power regulator allows higher voltage (battery or other) power input
* Power Select switch allows selecting between USB and external power (acts as power-on switch)
* Ground, 3.3V and 5V pins available on both sides for vertical breadboard mounting
* 5 LEDS – 1 for power, 4 under software use
* 3 push buttons – 1 for reset, 2 for software use
* Minimal board size – very thin (.28″ high, 4.4″ long, 1″ wide) and 2 mounting holes
* Uses PIC32MX460F512L processor – 80MHz, 512K Flash, 32K RAM, MIPS based CPU core
* Input protection fuse allows 500mA from the power supply
* Pads on underside of board for 5V pull up resistors on all non-analog I/O pins
* External input power protected by diode
Like most USB devices, this board can be powered through the USB port and can be programmed via it too. So no need to rush our to buy that great looking programmer. The device also comes with a windows based C compiler as a plugin to MPLab.  The device features 78 I/O pins all around the perifery of the board.

The comunity has already come up with various uses and sample programs for it. So just google your way to controlling your mom/wife’s mixer with this.

Available from SparkFun for about $40. Enjoy.

How to make solar panels at home – generate solar power at home.
Until now, the though of having your own solar panels at home was unrealistic. Sure it would be cool, it would save you a ton of money and you`d be helping the environment, but the initial installation would cost you and arm and a leg. For most people, solar power was not even a question. Until Now that is. Now anybody can easily make solar panels at home, for less than $200. Help the environment. Save some money. It`s a win win. Start thinking about home made solar power today.

1. Add lighting -
Flood lights (exterior), spotlights and other lights added to the exterior of your house make a great crime prevention aid. You should place these lights at strategic locations so you get great coverage at lower lighting costs.

2. Secure Locks -
A normal lock provides very less security to your house. A thief can easily open these locks with the help of common pocket knifes. You should secure all external doors in your house by using cylindrical deadlock type of locks. It is also advisable to add a digital lock to your doors. The circuit is available as a simple DIY (do it yourself) project. These locks can sound an alarm or notify you in case a mechanical lock is broken without disengaging the digital lock.

3. Participate in a neighborhood watch program.
These programs are known to reduce the number of crimes in a locality. Basic operation principle of this program is that every one observes and notifies suspicious activity.

4. Have a security camera installed
This is a great addition to the above mentioned point. If there are 15 houses in 1 block and each has 1 security camera, then the entire block is constantly monitored with 15 cameras. This improves overall security.

5. Have electronic sensors placed on windows and other entry points.
These sensors are great, they detect even small disturbances. Alternatively you can place additional metal strips such that windows are secure and cannot be open from outside.

These are few of the simple tips one can follow to secure their house.

Why do we need home security cameras?

Not many of us live in peaceful neighborhoods. Then again, some of us are away from home constantly, leaving kids or elders behind in the care of housekeepers. People like drivers, cooks or cleaners come by often. You need to know what is happening at home. Not all of us can afford a hi-fi alarm system that is totally foolproof. A hidden security camera would be a great help because it is mostly undetected by intruders and also lets you watch activities at home through your computer as well.

You can always get good deals over the internet if you are looking for affordable security cameras. Most of these cameras are totally undetected by burglars. They are usually tiny and can be mounted in cozy corners which allow them to monitor your house without being seen. Network security cameras not only stream live images for you to check, but also record the proceedings for you to view when you get back.

There are different types of security cameras you could choose from. Hidden cameras are very popular, but so are single camera systems and wireless camera systems that allow for mobility.

* Hidden security cameras: this can be used to monitor for thefts or even the regular household helpers, because you can’t trust anyone these days. But be careful because teenagers and other family members could themselves misuse these.
* Single security cameras: this covers a limited area and cannot reach out to separate rooms you wish to cover. Again, with one camera, any malfunctioning causes your security system to fail.
* Wireless cameras: digital and rechargeable wireless cameras are quite easy to handle and popular today.

So get yourself a nice camera security system and find it easy to keep vigil.

It is fun doing street photography. You can throw away all the rules into the bin and set off to take pictures. The best part is that while doing street photography, you don’t search for subjects. The picture just comes to mind when you see something random. All it requires is a timing sense that you have to hone to perfection to get some really good pictures. Keeping an open mind and positive approach would do well- you can get better ideas this way. You can experiment the most with angles and take some unusual and very interesting shots. These can look good even if the shots are taken upside down! So many out-of-focus shots have morphed into award winning pictures because the photographer had some presence of mind and envisioned a nice picture.

Different people can see the same picture with different perspective. Interpretation can be left to the viewers. This is what sets apart street photography from the others. Leave aside the perfect poses, imperfections make street photos stand out. Experiment with settings as well. Instead of staying safe with the normal digital camera settings, try different lighting and angles. Black and white pictures can get the best moods out of any subject out in the open. Try panorama and other options.

One more important thing- several subjects might not like you taking their picture. So be calm and relaxed and shoot from the hip, as if you are just carrying a camera and not actually shooting. And if they suspect you, just continue to shoot random pictures at that location even after they move from the spot. Go to fests and exhibitions where you have greater chances of finding some interesting possibilities for pictures. Do not ignore the street dwellers- they have the maximum potential for good pictures.

Now that you know how you can go about taking pictures on the streets, do not stop to think, go ahead and shoot!

Good quality pictures are in great demand everywhere. There are hundreds of web sites that need to feature pictures of products and events. Even such pictures are not as easy to shoot as you might assume. A lot of people spend mega bucks on exotic holidays and they need to get good pictures to cherish. The travel industry boom has brought with it demand for photographers with a fresh approach- no one wants the same old postcard-pictures anymore. You might also try ‘event photography’. This is relatively simpler if you are capable of getting the timing right. Several family functions and birthday parties and other celebrations need affordable but good photographers. Start with your locality and branch out.

Do your homework well. Study such options carefully to see which avenue you can choose. Get regular feedback from others about which are you are best at. Chalk out a clear business proposition. Indicate clearly the services you would be providing. This would help in funding if you want to set up a store. Make a list of your strengths that you could stick to, but also be aware of the weak points you still need to work on. Be clear as to what sets you apart from competitors. This particular marketing aspect could make or break your business.

Make note of the basic and extra equipment you might need. Check if it is feasible to open shop at your house or if you must start business under a separate roof. Your plan must be revised regularly and you must make clear-cut goals and short term objectives as well. Be smart while marketing. You might offer services at lower cost, but do not get to that extreme where your talent is not being valued. Let people know you are good! Word of mouth recommendation increases demand so make sure you begin well and impress the first set of customers so well that they get you more business.

• Flirt with flash: while taking pictures in bright sunlight, you may find it sometimes necessary to use flash to remove the shadows from your friend’s face. But if you want to create arty pictures like silhouettes, you could turn off the flash when there is a bright background, like the sunset. If you have a not-so-bright background, like cloudy grey sky, using flash can create some unusual and interesting shots. You can also fire the flash in shots. Just play around with different settings and you can get different shots with the same subject!
• Change the angle and the pose: for the same subject, toy around with different angles- at times, ordinary people look stunning from a certain angle. Shift from the normal smiling face to more natural poses- laughing and getting surprised… these are just a few ideas. At times, you could take the picture when the subject is unaware, this gives the most natural expression and sometimes, these turn out much better than the plastered smiles.
• Be careful with groups: has it ever happened that your entire gang of friends poses for a photograph and you look at the picture later to find that someone right in the middle has blinked when the picture was taken? This could spoil your photograph and make it embarrassing for the person who blinked as well. So take several shots so that such things are avoided. Even in this, you could always change the style and the angle of shot.
• Make note of how you took the picture: several times, we have experienced this. We manage to shoot the perfect picture and revel in that joy but forget all about what settings we used in that situation. Later, when encountered with a similar situation, we cannot recall the settings and hence, the picture may not turn out as good. You cannot just save the settings in your camera because settings might need to be changed for different cases. So when you do think you took a fabulous picture, just jot down the setting details so that you can use it next time and keep taking wonderful shots.

• White balance: you might want to take pictures of a beach vacation in the sun; you might also need to take pictures during a midnight party. Both these situations need different amount of lighting for clear pictures. With the white balance feature, your camera automatically figures out the amount of light needed and adjusts the flash options accordingly.

• To reduce the shadow on your subject, just shift the angle till you find the perfect lighting. Or keep the lighting at an angle to your subject for a good picture. Reflectors are good if you want to minimize shadows drastically. Normally, good quality digital cameras have preset options where the camera gets smart and adapts to changing light or to difficult shooting conditions.

• You have the portrait feature whereby you can focus more on the subject rather than the surrounding environment. Thus, you get a sharper shot of your subject. The regular night mode is suitable for shooting in insufficient light, like at night! Many higher end digital cameras also support the motion preset in which you can take a picture of a footballer running on the field without the picture getting blurred. Landscape setting allows for a good picture of the entire view and not just a single subject. This is very convenient if you are taking pictures of say, a hillside.

Use light to your advantage: several difficult lighting conditions actually improve your picture effect! You can take amazing silhouette pictures with a sunset background. You could also play around with shadows for a mysterious effect with your subject. Have a dusky background and use flash to get an interesting effect. Even a cloudy sky can give you a good shot if you handle the situation well. Instead of forcing flash and other settings, just change the angle and you might probably end up with a better picture! At times, black and white pictures look much more interesting than the brightly colored images. Keep your back to the sun and avoid glares.

But digital photography has made half the things easy: the equipment doesn’t seem to confuse us much!

Pictures can be viewed the instant they are taken; not only that, you could always refer to previous pictures if you are on a study tour and want to compare pictures of subjects that you took underwater. Later on, you can always upload your images on the internet for others to view. Sharing and retouching and editing pictures are made easy. With a good amount of memory, you can always take multiple pictures of the same subject and use which ever you like the best. Not only that, digital cameras meant for the underwater shoots also have a wide range of options you can choose from, for different scenarios.

There is no need to take a beginner’s photography course before you go on vacation to a beach to shoot underwater pictures! Your underwater digital cameras have features like white balance in order to get colorful pictures at greater depths. Else, you might end up with blue colored pictures everywhere. Use the external flash in order to get a clear picture and not a hazy shot, with light reflected off the subject. Of course, make sure you fit the camera into its waterproof case before you embark on your underwater photography adventure. For the same picture, you need to be located at a greater distance from your subject under water than you might on land. Zoom settings need to be altered because of effects like refraction at water and air interface.

Try using a wide converter lens while shooting pictures underwater. It happens that the normal camera angle seems slightly narrower compared to the same settings on land. Hence, it is advisable to have wider angles so that you can stay close to your subject and shoot if the water is not transparent enough. Macro lenses can allow you to take quality pictures of very tiny subjects as well. This takes some experimentation before you get the technique right. Once mastered, it comes in handy. So go on, use these tips and explore the water world!