Modern technology has redefined many things in our lives. The way we communicate; the speed and efficiency when we travel; and the way in which we entertain ourselves. Not only this, but a raft of electronic devices and computer simulations have revolutionised science. The advance of the computer has altered mathematics, one of the purest forms of reasoning. Even art has been forced to rethink its approach and the boundary between artist, mathematician and programmer is becoming increasingly blurred.

Not so long ago art was restricted to static creations, such as a photograph or oil painting, with the artist then exhibiting their work to the passive viewer. Today, computer-based visual art, is not longer inert. It evolves and develops right in front of us, allowing the audience to interact in a way that makes digital art a formidable medium.

Digital art, like a subservient pet, responds to the owners (or viewers) actions. For example, from the slight movement of a computer mouse, or more impressively, tracking the motion of different parts of the body. The interaction of the viewer can actually change the character of the work, transforming them to the artist.

The early days of digital art and computer graphics were dominated by scientists and research technicians as they were the only people who possessed the knowledge to operate the computers of that time. Since then, the number of artists using technology in their work has increased so dramatically, that artists are now programmers and programmers are now artists.

“Computers have heralded a revolution, not only in the way that visual art can be produced, particularly in computer games, but the way in which the viewer can interact with movement and the environment,” says Paul Ayliffe, Creative Director of Black Rock Studios, who developed racing game Pure. “When I was a lead artist 15 years ago, I was regarded as a conventional artist; simply the natural ability to animate with basic tools. With the blistering pace of technology, all artists are now equipped with a versatile digital art portfolio or experience in CG visuals.”

If game play now offers the player more exploration and control, then Spore surely delivers this in abundance. It is widely regarded as a revolution in gaming and perceived a modern day colouring book. It’s not a game that relies on trigger-happy reflexes, more closely it resembles a tool to create; an alluring galaxy to discover other people’s creations and content. Never before has the traditional gamer been handed so much freedom to do what their instinct and heart desires.

Blizzard Entertainment, the powerhouse behind popular World of Warcraft, has heavily capitalised on the recent appeal from online gaming communities. It has an estimated 10 million subscriber’s world wide, with 7.5m of those users paying a $15 month-by-month subscription – generating a staggering $1.35bn in revenue per year. And let’s not forget the launch of Wrath of the Lich King in November to add to this figure.

The millions of illusive gamer clans around the globe are relishing the opportunity to execute new and elaborate tactics on one another. There is a distinct buzz going around the online gaming community and this multi-billion dollar industry is underpinned with gamers who proudly call themselves artists – reinforcing the blur between programmer, artist and viewer once again.

Even Doctors are turning to digital artists to help patients understand their illness and course of treatment. Artists turn medical images from 3D anatomical scans into less imposing forms, giving patients clarity and improving the communication with their doctor. This digital procedure is also being used to raise awareness among diabetics of the serious side-effects of their condition.

To appreciate the point of dynamic digital art and design, you need to be there; experience the energy and creativity; touch, feel and use your imagination. Digital art is the present and future, and it is no wonder that businesses are welcoming this form to encourage a wider audience.

Aurora is a leading full service design agencies in the UK, with digital art integrated within all of its creative platforms.

“The main focus for us is to educate and inspire our clients as to what can be achieved through the use of digital arts,” says Paul Danbury, Managing Director of Aurora. “It is very encouraging how our clients, and the industry as a whole, have embraced the infinite possibilities of this medium. It’s absolutely imperative as an agency we keep with the rapid pace in which technology is evolving and are proud to be involved in such a vibrant market.”

We now live and survive in a digital age. An age where life merges into art and art is the ideal way to express life. Never before has life had so much life!

Matt CRick is writing on behalf of Aurora, a full service creative design agency who can provide the highest quality design and marketing at affordable prices for SME

Most of us know just how expensive printer ink can be. It is often said that while companies that manufacture printers do sell them so cheaply, they more than make up for it with the cost of their printer ink. Thus, it is not really surprising that a lot of people would rather get a new machine or refill ink instead of buying branded ink cartridges.

But why should you resign yourself to the fact that printer ink is costly? There are ways of saving on ink, whether you use branded ink cartridges or refill ink. Here are just a few ways on how to save on ink.

1. Print in draft mode. Before you start printing, you should set up your printer so that it works in draft mode. Printing in draft mode not only makes the machine work faster, but it also uses a lot less ink.

How do you get your printer to work in draft mode? You simply go to the control panel of your computer (if you are using the Windows platform) and open the folder for your printers. Once there, click on your machine’s icon and open its settings. Then, select the option “print in draft mode.”

If you need to work on an important document that requires high quality printing, all you need to do is open the page setup of the software you are using and select other printing options.

2. Keep your machine turned off. The one mistake that a lot of people commit when it comes to printers is leaving the machine on when it is not being used. The latent heat being built up in the machine causes the printer ink to run and clog on the printer head. Not only does this use up the ink in a wasteful manner but also damages your machine. In this way, you can save up on electricity too.

3. Avoid printing images. Unless it is absolutely necessary to include them, you can leave out the images when printing out your document. Printing images uses up a lot of ink, even in draft mode. Also, if the image is colored and you are using different cartridges for different colors of ink, you save up on your colored ink.

4. Use up all your ink. We all get those warning signs flashing on our computer that tells us when the ink in our printer is running out. Please bear in mind that this is just a warning. You do not have to panic just because the warning message has already begun popping up on your computer screen. Use your printer ink up to the last drop.

5. Look for printer ink deals. Printer inks are definitely expensive, but there are shops both online and offline that sell inks at really reasonable prices. They also offer deals and other ways for their clients to buy quality ink cartridges without busting on their budgets. Learn to look for these deals whenever you can.

Even if we can afford expensive printer ink, using them properly and taking care of your printer can do a lot in making the most out of our ink cartridges. It never hurts to save a little, after all.

Lyn Askin is an expert on printer ink cartridges. If you want to know more about printer ink cartridges and MICR toners, please visit Inkcarts.com.

Collectors have long had to keep their eyes wide open for counterfeiting. Indeed, the advice “Let the buyer beware” takes on a whole new meaning in the collectibles market, where fake items are often more prevalent than the real deal. Now, tamper evident technology, however, is giving collectors greater peace of mind. Authenticating collectibles is just the latest in a long string of sectors where tamper evident seals are making their mark.

Just last month, Global Authentication Holdings, Inc., (GAI) launched its Dual Certification service for any graded or authenticated collectible. According to a press release announcing the debut of the service, “This unique and first to market innovation enables collectors to receive Dual Certification on their existing graded or authenticated product. The service will help boost buyer confidence by creating a double stamp of approval.”

So how exactly does this Dual Certification process work? “Each Dual Certified item receives a tamper evident hologram affixed to the collectible. A digital scan or image is taken of every item and is registered to Global’s database for website verification at any time. The population of each Dual Certified item is also archived for information on pricing and rarity.” The collectible trading card and autograph authentication markets are just two of the arenas that will benefit from this service.

Tamper evident holograms are the newest innovation in tamper evident technology. Holographic shrink bands are one of the exceptional quality, design and interesting techniques that are being used in tamper evident labels and seals. Leading converters and printers of heat shrink labels, sleeves and tamper-evident bands have recently introduced holographic shrink bands and labels to their inventory of offerings. Tamper evident holographic shrink bands are designed to provide manufacturers of consumer products with a visible security device that cannot be copied or simulated, thereby affording them the ultimate in security.

When heat shrink technology is added to these bands and labels with a holographic strip, they can be applied to any package that needs to be tamper evident. And for companies that want to put their personalized stamp on their tamper evident products, the holographic strip can be custom designed with a company logo or pattern. Thanks to the three dimensional image that is imprinted on the hologram, it is highly visible. What’s more, the complexity of the pattern makes it almost impossible to be reproduced.

The unique properties of the hologram provide higher security and eliminate the counterfeiting of products. In addition to members of the collectibles marketplace, this capability could prove beneficial to pharmaceutical, cosmetics, beverage, personal care products and many other manufacturers where extreme secure measures must be taken in order to make a product tamper resistant.

Tamper evident holographic shrink bands:

• Are available in clear or white

• Are available printed with generic “Sealed For Your Protection” or can be custom printed in 10 colors

• Attract the consumer’s attention with their metallic prismatic hologram effect

When added security is demanded, traditional tamper evident seals and shrink wrap bands may not be enough. That’s when holographic shrink bands provide a second level of defense.

Carmen Fontana is a Web Services Manger for Western Reserve Internet Services. For more information about tamper evident packaging, visit the Seal-It website.

Ever since flash was developed, it has served as an alternative to expensive video as an eye-catching way to present images and ideas, especially for web audiences. However, the process of creating flash movies or animation has always been the exclusive domain of professional programmers and multimedia artists. In addition, the software needed to make these flash movies were generally expensive and too complicated for the average computer user to master.

The good news is that there are now programs available on the internet that are easy enough for just about anyone to use for making their own flash movies. In terms of short and long term costs, these flash making tools are more affordable because they do not require training courses or expensive plug-ins. A flash maker is a program with editing tools and effects that can help you prepare impressive flash movies with drag and drop ease. It is ideal for small businesses wanting to present their products in a more captivating format than the usual slideshow, and for individuals who wish to create entertaining presentations for various occasions.

If you are not an experienced flash programmer, there are certain things you should keep in mind when looking for a flash maker. First of all, it has to be user-friendly. An interface that provides you with an accurate preview of your work is very important because this serves as a guide when you are editing. With a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) view, you can preview all your edits and effects so that you pretty much know what your flash movie is going to look like.

An ideal flash maker also should not require the user to use programming or Actionscripting. These are among the most difficult aspects of traditional flash programs, which are hard for average users to adopt. A good flash maker enables an untrained person to create flash using tools that are easy to understand and with simple mouse actions like clicking on, picking up or dropping objects.

The program should likewise be complete enough to provide you with comprehensive sets of tools, transitions and other effects that will support your creativity instead of limit it. These should come as part of the package you are paying for and not as additional plug-ins that you will again have to purchase. More importantly, it should be a standalone flash maker that will not require you to install and understand Actionscripting. The difference with conventional flash programs is that it eliminates the learning curve and allows you to learn the flash maker as you use it.

A unique advantage of a web-based flash making tool is that can it automatically make your flash movies compatible with a great number of media-sharing platforms, which is perfect if you want to make the most of internet publicity. A common problem with flash movies before is that their SWF file format is not supported in blogs and popular sites like YouTube and Google Video. Putting up your work directly from a flash maker to these sites is now possible though, with the “export” tool included in the program.

To learn more about this flash maker, visit: Toufee’s flash maker The Easiest and Fastest Flash Movie Maker Online. Plus you’ll receive 175 Free Flash Plugins For Trying! If you know how to use a mouse… you can create Flash with Toufee’s flash maker… Period!

The Samsung i8510 is a dual slider that was pretty much designed to resemble the Nokia N95. Although it is slightly heavier than the Nokia N95 it is a few millimetres thinner as well. With its touch sensitive navigation, the Samsung i8510 has a ton of features such as, GPS navigation, Wi-Fi, 8GB of built-in flash memory, FM radio a typical music player, plus a very nice 8mp camera. In terms of specification, you will not get better than this.

This Samsung i8510 has a wide 2.8 inch screen that shows all of what you want to see. It is a dual slider and that means that the keypad is underneath the initial top of the phone, alongside the music control keys that slide out of the opposite side. Although this phone is a bit heavy for some users, others will love its durability. You can hold plenty of video and even up to 2,000 songs and even more if you compress them. You can even ad a 16GB memory card that boosts your internal memory up to 24 GB which is more than enough to store tons of full length movies and even somewhere around 6,000 songs.

This phone is also well known now as being Europe’s first 8 megapixel camera phone and it uses Symbian technology to run everything. The camera has plenty of advanced settings and modes such as blink detection, zoom in up to 9x and a dual powered LED flash. There is a dedicated button that activates the camera, opens the shutter, and toggles between video, pictures, and your phones video/picture gallery. It can take very good video footage and you have the option to record with up to 120 frames per second.

The Samsung i8510 has a great web interface and it also has the ability to download with speeds of up to 3.6 Mbps, which is nothing short of amazing. Surfing the net was what this phone was made for. It has an HTML browser that allows you to switch between portrait and landscape modes in order to make your web page display as well as possible. The feature of touch-sensitive scrolling makes surfing the Internet just great. Of course this phone comes with Bluetooth technology and Wi-Fi compatibility. It also has this great feature of being about to use the TV-out connection to view photos and videos right on your very own TV. You can even stream content via a wireless connection to a PC or even a laptop by using the Wi-Fi compatibility feature.

You can do just about anything with this phone from downloading music to downloading iPhone applications and running them perfectly. You can listen to streaming music, watch streaming videos, and even upload your photos and videos to any website that you want. It has 3d surround sound with DNSe 2.0 technology that will allow for some great sound quality but if you choose you can plug in your headphones in the 3.5mm headphone jack. The Samsung i8510 is a unbelievably great phone that will essentially make you spend less time using your computer, as well as your DVD and mp3 players.

Kaamran Malik is an expert on mobile phones. For the best mobile contract go to http://www.bestmobilephonecontracts.co.uk/ where you can compare mobile phone contracts.

The Nokia N95 8GB is the revised and better version of the Nokia N95. It has a sleek design, which is almost identical to the N95 except that it is considerably slimmer. The N95 8GB is a slider phone so it hides the keypad underneath the main part of the phone. It can be turned sideways, otherwise known as the landscape method of viewing. It also has a 5 megapixel camera that has plenty of modes to make taking pictures easy as can be. The Nokia N95 8GB has a nice amount of internal flash memory which is used to store multimedia such as pictures, ring tones, and maps. It also has plenty of internal dynamic memory for messages, ring tones, calendar notes, to-do list, and other such applications.

The Nokia N95 is a slim phone that weighs a mere 4.55 oz and is approximately 4 inches by 2 inches so it will fit perfectly in your pocket or purse. It has a very large display of 2.8 inches and has ambient light detector technology and can detect up to 16.7 million colours. You get all the usual features such as text messaging, multimedia text messaging, hands-free speaker, voice recorder, call logs, speed dialling, a handy contact list, and a lot more.

It also comes with some not so common features that anyone would love such as talking ringtones, voice commands, SIND which is speaker independent name dialling, and even automatic resizing of megapixel images to the proper size for your MMS (multimedia messaging) activities. It has a wonderful 8GB of internal flash memory and 100MB internal dynamic memory, all of which should be more than enough for the usual phone activities. The N95 8GB really is a powerful multimedia device and you will love the ample memory.

The battery life for this phone is acceptable with a talk time of up to 3.5 hours and sometimes up to 5 hours, but it also has a stand-by time of up to 11.7 days. The Nokia N95 also has a wonderful 5 megapixel camera that can take video footage or just still pictures. It also has a digital stereo microphone that will assure the sound will be caught in the video. The camera has plenty of flash functions as well such as on, off, red-eye, and automatic. You even get the wonderful ability of digital video stabilization that helps reduce the natural shaking that happens with hand recorded media. You can record for up to 3.4 hours assuming the phone is fully charged, you can zoom up to 10x, choose from multiple colour tones, and it will also be saved in the popular mp4 format which means you can play it an iPod and most video phones.

The Nokia N95 8GB phone supports mp3 files so you can listen to as much music as this phone will hold. It also has built in GPS with A-GPS support which is great as it will help you get to those hard to find destinations. You can watch videos and listen to music with all the relevant details for the song appearing on the screen. Of course this phone, like most others, also has the basic features such as Bluetooth technology. The Nokia N95 8GB phone has all the features that you would want in a mobile phone and a whole lot more.

Kaamran Malik is an expert on mobile phones. For deals on mobile phone contracts go to http://www.bestmobilephonecontracts.co.uk/ - there you can compare the best mobile deals.

The HTC Touch Diamond is an extremely stylish and sleek touchscreen phone, which was introduced to challenge the dominance of the iPhone. It runs on the extremely powerful Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system. The HTCH Touch Diamond has a 2.8 inch TFT-LCD touchscreen which makes for fantastic viewing. The HTC Touch Diamond also has the great TouchFLO 3D system, which lets you search your photos and music by rotating the phone. The multimedia features are also fantastic, although the 4 GB internal memory lacks compared to some of its competitors.

The Touch Diamond is a beautifully crafted 11.5mm thick phone, and you just known that the manufacturers paid attention to detail. Not only does it look fantastic, but the HTC Touch Diamond is also extremely small and fits nicely into your hand. The HTC Touch Diamond phone has a slim design but does weigh a little more than most phones on the market today, weighing in at 3.9 ounces. But it has a wide 2.8 inch screen that has a maximum resolution of 640 x 480. The touch screen feature is a great feature that allows you to scroll and view anything and everything as fast as you can. It has very few buttons to mess with since almost everything is controlled via the touch screen. Its size in general is what you want because the height is a mere 4 inches, the width a small 2 inches and the thickness is a minor 0.4 inches so it really is a great size.

This phone has a great camera built into it that has all of the usual features. The battery life on this phone is only subpar with a standby time of up to 396 hours and a talk time of up to 330 minutes. It is a smartphone that uses Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional as its OS running system. It has a nice amount of RAM which is 192 MB and that should be enough to support the heaviest phone usage. It also has 4 GB of internal memory. You will be able to hold thousands of songs and videos.

Unfortunately you cannot expand the memory with the HTC Touch Diamond phone. Although it could stand for a few adjustments the performance of this phone is very good, but not outstanding, especially in relation to other phones within the same category. But it still makes for a favourite with many consumers. The GPS navigation feature is a great feature to have on any phone as well. You really can navigate your way around and it makes a nice addition.

You can make videos conversation calls with this phone using the high quality camera built into the phone. It has a nice pair of speakers built into it that will allow for awesome audio feedback. It also has one USB port to allow for easy uploading and downloading. The HTC Touch Diamond has some fantastic features and will fit nicely into any pocket. All in all, this phone is a very worthy challenger to the iPhone but falls a little short when compared to some of the high standards in the mobile phone market today.

Kaamran Malik is an expert on mobile phones. If you are looking for free contract phones go to http://www.bestmobilephonecontracts.co.uk/ - you will find many mobile phone deals.

The Samsung F480 Tocco is a fantastic touchscreen phone that is incredibly attractive. You can do so much with the Samsung F480 Tocco 3G phone. It has the ability to switch from landscape to portrait viewing modes. It has a camera and an HTML web browser that can allow for easy access to the Internet. You can also download with speeds of up to 7.2 mbps as it has HSPDA. The Samsung Tocco will also allow you to connect and share your photos, videos, and applications via the Internet. Downloading and uploading is one of this phones best qualities.

The Samsung F480 is one of the smallest phones around and it only weighs 106 grams. It is a tiny bit bigger than a credit card and it is extremely thin. Externally, the Samsung F480 Tocco is a little gem, well constructed and sleek. An extremely smooth phone, the Samsung F480 will fit nicely into your palms. It uses touchscreen technology and has a huge wide screen which is perfect for viewing pictures and videos, as well as browsing the net which you can connect to with amazing speeds. It also has a top-notch camera and fantastic multimedia capability. This phone comes with plenty of advanced features and can definitely perform to the highest standards, and does a fantastic job as an alternative to the iPhone.

The Samsung F480 Tocco has a 5 megapixel camera that has plenty of advanced settings such as Smile Shot that is mode that enables the camera to identify when your subject is smiling and automatically takes the picture. Another great feature is face detection that helps to ensure you capture who you want to capture. It also has auto focus that makes sure the picture is as clear as it can be. This phone also has the ability to record video at great quality, and any video call you participate in will be of the highest quality.

This phone has a touchscreen so you can navigate completely by utilizing that feature. The touchscreen is extremely efficient and simple to use, unlike some of the earlier touchscreen phones that entered the phone market. It is fully customisable with the drag and drop technology. The Samsung Tocco is a 3G phone which is the most advanced type on the market today, allowing you to benefit from fantastic Internet speeds as well as video calls. It also has a great battery life of up to 3 hours of talk time and up to 250 hours of standby time. The Tocco comes with a music player that can play mp3, wma and plenty of other formats of music. It has a great music library allowing you to store many songs which you can listen back to in high quality. Video quality is also fantastic. The Samsung F480 Tocco has 230MB internal memory, but this can easily be upgraded to 8GB with a memory card, and that is ample space to store what you want.

The Samsung F480 phone also has an FM radio. You can make voice memos and view documents and even get into mobile printing. You can also directly upload to your phone from a computer or vice versa via a 2.0 USB cable line. This 3G phone is more than enough for even the heaviest user and is certainly in direct competition with other 3G phones. A fantastic looking phone , the Samsung F480 Tocco certainly lives up to expectations and will more that satisfy the average user.

Kaamran Malik is an expert on mobile phones. For the best phone deals go to http://www.bestmobilephonecontracts.co.uk/ - where you can compare mobile phone contract deals.