There are many ways to clean the lens of a laser pointer such as q tips, microfibre, cotton buds and alcohol solution. Some of these may work, others will not but they all run the risk of damaging the lens. There are only two methods of cleaning lens that work well AND will not damage the lens. Those two methods are using compressed air and using professional lens cleaning tools such as a lenspen.
Compressed air and lenspens
The most common sources of compressed air are cans of compressed air and hand pumps or squeeze bulbs. The main criteria for compressed air sources is the air must be clean and dry. This is one reason why blowing on the lens is not recommended.
The best professional lens cleaning tools are lens pens from the company lenspens http://www.lenspen.com These lens cleaning tools are safe and suitable because they are designed to clean fragile precision optics such as camera lens.
Instructions
Safety is always an issue with high powered laser pointers so the first thing you do before cleaning the lens is remove the batteries from the laser. After removing the batteries, leave the battery end cap off as an extra precaution.
Compressed air will be able to clean 90% of lens so try using compressed air first. Gently unscrew the lens cap and with the nozzle held two to three centimeters away from the laser, direct a flow of air onto the lens for several seconds.
Install the batteries in the laser and test the beam. It should now be clean. If it is not, remove the batteries again and use the lenspen.
First gently use the brush of the lenspen to brush dirt and debris off the lens then use the pad on the other end of the lenspen on the laser pointer lens for several seconds to clean and polish the lens.
By the end of this process, then lens will have been thoroughly cleaned. If there is still a problem with the beam point or beam, it may be due to damaged lens.
Article is courtesy of Dragonlasers - No 1 lasers, laser pointer and green laser online store.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Lens cleaning for laser pointers - tips and instructions
GPS Buyers Guide, 6 things you must know!
- Screen Size and sound are important. Especially while driving. The screen should be readable and bright, Also Make sure the buttons are big enough for your fingers, so that you aren't pressing multiple buttons at the same time. Vehicles are noisier than you may think. Driving noise can make it difficult to hear weak audio. Be sure to check out the sound quality to make sure you can understand what is being said. It should be clear and loud so that you can hear it in your vehicle.
- Downloadable Maps and memory. Most gps units come with maps built in. A lot of them can download maps as well. It is a good idea to puchase one that has the ability to download maps, so that you map doesn't get outdated.
Memory - the more memory the gps unit has, the more locations, waypoints, landmarks, and maps you can save. - The time it takes a GPS to find and display information. This depends on the number of channels a GPS has. The more channels the unit has the better the reception. Take this into consideration. You don't want to have to pull over and wait for it to get map data if you make a wrong turn.
- Does the unit speak street names? This is very helpful. If it does not say the street names and it tells you to turn right. You may have to glance at the unit to check the street name. This can be dangerous.
- What type of batteries are used with the GPS? Are they normal rechargeable AA batteries or are they special manufacturer batteries? Also how long do they last.
- Bluetooth is great for those who need to use cell phones while driving, With Bluetooth the driver can make and receive hands-free calls through the unit's speaker and microphone, and view their telephone book and access caller ID on the screen. What an amazing feature. Of course blue-tooth enabled units are little more expensive.
Those are the six things you need to know before you buy a GPS.
Heres a quick note about mapping data:
All Magellan Garmin and NAVIGON GPS units use NAVTEQ mapping data, while TomTom uses Tele Atlas. I've done research online and found that both NAVTEQ and Tele Atlas are both good and I would not base my decision on which mapping data the gps uses.
Where to buy?
A good place to check prices is at: www.gpsreviewvideos.com
This website has video reviews of numerous gps units and links to compare prices. That way you can watch a video of the gps unit, compare prices from multiple sources online and get the best price.
Biometric Time Clocks
The biometric time timer is the electronic style of a time card clouting routine to screen attendance. It has also intensely enhanced on the authenticity of time account by with soul body part line as identification lettering for workers, making it impossible for workers to cheat as they can with time cards or swiping routines.
Models of biometric time timer's scale from retina, palm, and feel scanners. The technology factory by meeting the aura scanned, for example the feel print, with the numbers stored in its recall. If the two auras meet, it allows and account the period of admission and exit. Fingerprints and retinas are impossible to hearth. A worker cannot clout in for another or use another's access rights.
As the expedient is also programmable Science Articles, it can keep path of attendance very well for companies that attempt compliant time schedules. It can be made to reckon overtime and festival hours worked per worker. This is definitely good rumor for those in the payroll entity. They wouldn't have to expend hours computing compensation every time payday nears. What's more important is that it eliminates soul blunder it lessens the odds of having worker complaint news or tiresome readjusting of wage and place computations. The expedient keeps its own account that can be downloaded frankly into a payroll routine. Attendance news can clearly be written. Monitoring of worker transfer inside the offices can be facilitated. This makes biometric time timers the right expedient for nowadays business centers.
- R James Cook
Going From Here to There With an iPod Case
Most every electronic device today has some sort of protective carrying case. From portable gaming systems to digital cameras to cell phones, cases not only protect the gadget, the also ensure that all the components stay together. With a carrying case, cables stay put and memory cards are not lost along the way. Headphones are not separated or broken, and games, batteries and even instruction manuals are never lost.
Unfortunately, many of these cases are bulky; rarely is any socialite seen walking around with his or her cell phone slipped into a belt buckle carrying case. While older women or construction workers might not see the absurdity in this design, others do. Protective cases are, for the most part, the opposite of delicate, and in a world where electronic manufacturers are marching ever so quickly toward the smallest, the coolest, the thinnest and the sleekest, many users will go without the protection of a carrying case to maintain the look and presence of their devices.
The iPod case is a different story. In this shallow world of universal concern for everyone else's appearance, rarely is any iPod user ever seen without a case. While the case does, once again, protect a multi-hundred dollar investment, the iPod case is sleek, it's cool, and in many ways, it allows the user to express his or her beliefs, personality and desires in a way the iPod itself cannot.
Hear the Rainbow
Current generation iPod Classics are available in either black or silver, and while the newer Nanos and Shuffles offer a wider selection of colors, the variety is still limited.
Available iPod Colors:
Shuffle: silver, blue, green, purple, red
Nano: silver, blue, green, black, pink, red
Classic: black, silver, gold
Touch: black
However, the iPod case is available in a rainbow of colors, designs and patterns. If a user wants a purple iPod Classic, or an iPod graced by the logo of their favorite band, he or she can find a case to transform his or her iPod into a work of art. The iPod case is also offered in numerous materials, each serving a specific purpose and each tailored toward the specific need of potential buyers. Some cases are nothing more than a knit sock that slides on the iPod to protect it from minimal dirt and dust. Others are rubber or silicone sleeves that offer grip as well, protecting the iPod from water and other damaging agents, and protecting the screens from the elements. An iPod case can even be made from metal, clipping around the iPod to provide the ultimate shield, while also maintaining an aura of awe and splendor with its futuristic look and feel.
Colors and materials are only the beginning. An iPod case is also designed with certain uses in mind. While most allow the user to keep his or her iPod protected and still utilize its functions, some are aimed toward simply carrying the iPod around while it is not in use. Others are arm bands that slip around the upper arm of a listener, holding the iPod in place while he or she is on a tread mill, in the weight room or at a yoga class. The iPod case is as varied in uses as it is in colors and materials.
In the end, a listener can make a rather loud statement when he or she slips his or her device into one of these products.
- R James Cook
An Overview of After Market PDA Bluetooth Accessories
Bluetooth is one of the latest marketing buzzwords for PDAs and cellular phones, along with PCs and especially laptops. It is a wireless technology designed to let products and accessories built by different manufacturers work together, without requiring special access codes or driver installation. Theoretically, any Bluetooth accessory should work with any Bluetooth-enabled device, and multiple accessories working with the same device shouldn't interfere with each other.
For example, if you pick up a Bluetooth headset for your current PDA, and then in a year's time replace it with a new PDA, the headset should work with the new PDA without any difficulties. With some older PDA Bluetooth accessories and devices, this is not always the case, but generally the more recent the design of the accessory or device, the more likely it is to work with other Bluetooth products.
PDAs, Cellular Phones, and Computers
New PDAs today resemble cellular phones as much as classic PDAs like the Palm Pilot. Most of these devices are Bluetooth-enabled, and even have the capability to link with other Bluetooth-enabled PDAs and cellular phones to exchange data. For models that are not Bluetooth-enabled, there are frequently PDA Bluetooth accessories available that will add Bluetooth capabilities to the unit. Bluetooth adapters are also available for PCs and laptops, usually plugging into a USB port, allowing you to easily exchange data between your computer and your PDA.
Just about any type of data can be transferred over a Bluetooth link, from electronic business cards and pictures to word processing documents and PowerPoint presentations. For transferring data from a PDA to a computer, special software is often needed and included with the Bluetooth adapter. However, PDAs running Windows Mobile can communicate natively with computers running Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Windows Vista.
Having a Bluetooth PDA and a Bluetooth adapter for your computer can eliminate the need for a docking station or sync cable, removing one more piece of clutter from your desktop. You can even set the two devices up so they automatically synchronize their data when they're in range of each other.
Other PDA Bluetooth Accessories
Headphones and headsets are the most common PDA Bluetooth accessories right now. Wireless headphones are great if your PDA has music stored on it, because you don't have an unsightly wire running from your head to your pocket or purse. Headsets and earpieces allow hands-free operation of your cell phone or smart phone, which is not only convenient but is also quickly becoming a legal requirement world-wide for using your phone in your car.
Printer manufacturers are quickly adding Bluetooth capabilities to their products, turning them into convenient PDA Bluetooth accessories. Previously, to print something stored on your PDA, you had to use the docking station or sync cable to download the information to your computer, then print it from the computer. With a Bluetooth-enabled printer, you can send your data directly to the printer without the intervening steps. If your computer is also Bluetooth-enabled, it can send data to the printer as well, eliminating the need to hook up the printer to the computer or network.
There are many other PDA Bluetooth accessories available for your PDA, and with Bluetooth it doesn't matter who manufactures either the device or the accessory. A Motorola headset will work with an iPhone, and a Palm Tungsten can print spreadsheets on a HP LaserJet. Manufacturers are constantly coming up with new PDA Bluetooth accessories to meet the demands of consumers. Bluetooth technology is making it easier for everyone to communicate.
- R James Cook
Theft Prevention Accessories for PDAs
Losing a PDA through theft is one of the biggest challenges owners of personal data devices face. As the prices and capabilities of these units increases, so does the market for stolen PDAs, year after year. Of course, locking the unit up in a drawer and never taking it out is about the only certain way of making sure a PDA is never stolen, but that limits the usefulness. Attaching a heavy chain and a wheel hub may help, but it won't fit in your pocket. Instead of taking these sorts of extreme measures, consider one or more theft prevention accessories for PDAs.
Permanent Markings Scare Away Thieves
If you're a little handy and have a steady hand, you can try the tried-and-true method of etching. Grab your rotary tool and lightly carve an identifier into the back of the case, like a phone number or email address. Doing this will probably void your warranty. Don't try this unless you have a steady hand and neat handwriting.
A less extreme option is a security sticker. A sticker may not seem like much of a deterrent, but what if peeling off that sticker announced that the PDA is stolen? That's the idea behind security sticker theft prevention accessories for PDA units. The self-adhesive sticker is attached to the back of the unit, and gives an 800 number to call and report the PDA. The sticker also advises them that by reporting the unit, they can avoid prosecution.
However, if the sticker is peeled off, the phrase "STOLEN PROPERTY" and the 800 number are left behind in large, very obvious lettering of indelible ink. This type of theft prevention accessories for PDA units stops theft from those who want to snatch the item while you're not looking, and turn around and sell it on the street. Few people, regardless of how dishonest they are, will buy an item that announces it has been stolen.
Tracking the PDA With GPS
The GPS functionality built into many modern PDAs is usually used for convenience for the unit's owner, but with tracking security software, it can also be a way to find a stolen PDA. This form of theft prevention accessories for PDA units consists of software that is installed on the unit and a subscription service. The software installed will be linked to the unit's built-in password protection, and will automatically broadcast an emergency signal after an incorrect password has been entered. The subscription service will then pick up the signal and start tracking the PDA, informing the authorities where to find it.
Common Sense
Probably the best theft prevention accessories for PDA units, however, is our own common sense. Don't leave it lying unattended on a table, even for a moment. If you put it down and look away, someone else will probably pick it up. Don't leave it in plain sight inside a vehicle, even a locked vehicle. Make sure you use the built-in security functions of the unit itself. A password can, at the very least, protect the information on a unit from prying eyes if it is stolen. Think about that if you keep your kids' pictures and contact information for your kids' school on the unit.
- R James Cook
iPod Car Accessories are the Ultimate in Portability
Tired of Hearing The Same Songs Over and Over Again? Bring Your iPod With You on Your Next Car Trip and Never Be Subjected to Commercial Radio Again!
Have you ever been on a long car ride and hated every minute of it because you can't find anything you like on the radio? This happens to most of us and can turn even the most enjoyable road trip into an exercise in drudgery. Fortunately, with just one or two iPod car accessories, you can bring your favorite tunes along with you and never again have to settle for what's playing on the radio.
Make Every Car Ride a Joy Ride
At its most basic, there are two iPod car accessories you will need to listen to your music on the road: one to give you a way to hear the music, and one to keep the power on. Most of the time, the iPod car accessory will cover both needs, either in one unit or as a kit, but understanding these two requirements will help you select the best product or products for your needs.
Listening to your iPod in the car first requires a way to get the music from your iPod to your radio. There are several iPod car accessories that can do this for you. The most popular option is an FM transmitter that you plug into your iPod and set to broadcast on an unused station. All you have to then do is tune your radio to the channel your iPod is broadcasting to and you have instant music. The lack of wires running out of your iPod is part of the appeal of an FM transmitter.
Another option if your car radio has a cassette player is an adapter goes from your iPod to the cassette slot, just like the adapter many of us have used to connect up a portable CD player to the radio's cassette player. If you already have one of these lying around somewhere you won't even need to buy anything because it will plug into the headset plug of the iPod!
A third option is to have a permanent connection installed for your iPod. After-market radios usually have an accessory input where an iPod car accessory adapter can be plugged in, and a cable run out from behind the dashboard that you plug into your iPod. While this option will give the best sound quality of all the others, it will also be the most expensive because it will require professional installation. But if you spend a lot of time in your car, it will be worth it. Many car manufacturers are also now offering this kind of iPod connectivity as an option in their higher-end models.
iPod speakers are also an option for listening to your iPod in your car. They're not an ideal solution, since they can rattle around the car and fall off the seat or rear deck. If you already have a set of speakers that don't rely on AC power this can be a workable, if inelegant solution.
Keep the (Power) Lights On
Most of these iPod car accessories are either power-neutral (don't draw power from the iPod but don't provide power to it either) or draw power from the iPod. If all of your driving consists of commuting to the office and you charge your iPod between trips, this isn't so bad. But if you're driving long distance, you're going to need a way to keep the juice flowing to the iPod so you don't drain its battery and end up stuck listening to the radio again.
To keep your iPod playing, a car charger is a necessity. It's a simple cable that runs from your car's power adapter or cigarette lighter and keeps your iPod charged while it plays. The great thing is, you can listen to your iPod for your whole drive, then when you've arrived you can take your iPod out of the car and it's fully charged and ready to keep you entertained wherever you go next.
Some of the permanent connections also include a power connection. If you're getting one installed in your car, make sure this is included or you'll still have to buy a power adapter. If it's a factory-installed connection, check your owner's manual to see if it provides power to your iPod. Generally, if the connection is made to the headset port, then you'll need a power adapter but if it's connected to the docking port, you won't.
Keep Your Eyes on the Road
Safety is an important issue to bring up when using iPod car accessories. Make sure you don't let your iPod distract you from your driving! Try to avoid changing volume or tracks while your car is moving. One of the great things about permanent connections is that many of them allow you to control your iPod using the controls of the radio itself. This is especially handy if your radio has wheel-mounted controls. If you're using a stand-alone adapter, try to position your iPod so you can see it without taking your eyes off the road. If you can't, just plug the iPod in, hit play, and forget about it. It's not worth dying just because you don't want to listen to one song.
- R James Cook
