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While some mentors will come and help you out for free, other mentors will be "paid." Usually for startup companies, these kinds of mentorship opportunities are compensated through equity rather than through cash, as most startups don't have all that much cash on hand. If you're working with such mentors, how much equity is a fair share?

==> It Depends on the Type of Business You Run

The type of business you run plays a large role in determining how much equity is a fair share.

If you run a small business, you're probably going to have to give away more equity than if you were operating a business with higher profit potential.

For example, if you want to get someone who owns 50 restaurants to advise you on how to open one restaurant, you'd probably have to give away a significant chunk - Say 5% to 10%.

On the other hand, if you're opening a restaurant chain yourself and are aiming for millions, you could probably give away less.

==> Baselines in a World Without Baselines

As a rule of thumb, board members in startup companies get 1% to 3%, depending on their level of experience and expected involvement in the company.

That said, there really isn't a set rule of thumb with these kinds of agreements. Some mentors will mentor you for free, while others will want 5% or more just to give advice.

It really comes down to what they believe the equity will be worth. If you're aiming to be the next Google and they believe you'll succeed, you may very well get away with less than 1%. On the other hand, if they expect their equity to be worth very little, they'll need more of it to be worth their time.

==> Vesting

Usually if you're going to give a mentor, advisor or board member equity in your business, you'll want to have those shares vest over time.

In other words, they should receive their portion of the company over a matter of years. Usually the time period is between three and five years.

That means in order to "earn" their 2% stake, they need to fulfill on their commitment to help take you to the next level over several years' time.

==> What About Free Mentors?

Are there mentors who'll simply give you advice for free? Absolutely. There are many, many people who'll help you simply out of a desire to give back.

That said however, it's unrealistic to hope that you can put together a core team of advisors simply out of good will. If you want to have advisors in all realms of your business, you're going to need an A team that has a vested interest in your business. Giving away equity is one of the best ways to do this.

One unique form of mentorship that's open to entrepreneurs is incubators. Incubators combine traditional investing with a streamlined mentoring process to help take beginning entrepreneurs to a successful exit.

What is an incubator? Is incubator mentorship right for you? Let's take a look.

==> Incubator Basics

An incubator is a business coaching program run by a very successful former entrepreneur. Typically, the incubator will provide $10,000 to $30,000 in funding and take between a 2% and a 10% stake in the company.

Once you're in the incubator program, you'll have access to their facilities and network. You'll be able to work out of a shared office for free and take advantage of their in house legal and accounting services.

You'll start your company at the same time as an entire group of other entrepreneurs. This helps create a sense of team spirit, of taking on a big task together.

In addition to access to the primary mentor, you'll usually also have access to a whole range of other successful individuals. Incubators might bring in other successful entrepreneurs as mentors or speakers. They might also bring in alumni of the program to talk about their successes and give advice.

==> The Downsides to Working With an Incubator

There are a few downsides to working with an incubator that you need to be aware of.

First of all, they're very industry focused. The majority of incubators focus on the tech industry; though there are also incubators for green tech, biotech and industries.

Most incubators are looking for quick equity cashouts. That means that generally speaking, incubators want to help you build out your idea then have your company acquired for a large sum in a short period of time. If you're looking to build up your company for the long haul, going with an incubator might not be your best bet.

==> It's a Very Specific Business Model

Incubators work under a very specific business model. They fund a group of businesses, while expecting a good portion of them not to succeed. The ones that do succeed need to bring in enough revenues to cover the lost investments, as well as the overhead costs of the incubator itself.

If your business fits under the model that the incubator's looking for, then you'd be hard pressed to find a better mentorship structure. You'll have access to experts in every realm of business development, from incorporation and getting started to eventually selling your company.

If you don't want to sell or if you don't want to run a hyper-accelerated growth company however, then a startup accelerator might not be your cup of tea. Make sure you understand what you're getting into before you dive into the world of incubators.

A mentoring relationship should be rewarding for both sides. If only the mentee is getting something out of the relationship, chances are the mentor will soon opt out.

It's common for mentees to think that they have nothing to give back to their mentor. That simply isn't true. Though you might not be able to give back in a monetary way, the fact is most mentors aren't in it for the money.

So how can a mentee give back to a mentor?

==> Gratitude

At the most simple level, mentors want to feel good about the fact that they're making a difference in your life.

Let your mentor(s) know how they've made a difference in your life. Be specific. Let them know how your life would have turned out if it wasn't for them.

After every meeting with you, your mentors should walk away feeling like they did a great thing. This feeling is why many mentors give a helping hand.

==> Public Mentions

Another way you can give back to your mentors is through public mentions. As you and your company become more successful, you'll have the opportunity to speak in public or be written about in public.

When that happens, go out of your way to mention your mentor(s). This will help them build up their name and also gives them a sense that you truly do appreciate what they do for you.

If you read books by successful people, you'll find that they often acknowledge their mentors and influencers by name. They'll do this not just in the "acknowledgements," but in the core of the book itself.

Find places to mention your mentors in public and they'll love you for it.

==> Being Successful

Finally, the ultimate way to say "thank you" to a mentor is to be extraordinarily successful. Mentors want to know that they made a difference and that their contribution helped you hit your goals.

Mentors want to make a difference in the world. If you go from starting a brand new business to being a successful entrepreneur thanks to your mentors, they'll feel very fulfilled. They'll be glad they took you on.

==> Giving Back to Mentors

Though mentees usually can't give back to their mentors in financial ways, you'll often be able to give back to mentors in emotional ways.

Make sure mentors feel good about helping you out. Make sure they walk away from your meetings glowing. Make sure that they're better off having spent time with you than if they hadn't.

Don't view your mentorship relationships as you taking something from them. View it as a mutual relationship, where they want to make a difference and you're their conduit. They're making a difference in your life and your business and in return, they get a wide range of emotional benefits.

The Pros
The first ever “Sandy Bridge” ready, ModuleFaster frequencies RAM available today with CompetitionPlug and play simplicity is the Kingston HyperX Memory.
A couple of weeks ago, Kingston announced the release of their new RAM - the HyperX, which allows Plug and play high performance memory for notebooks, the first to include “Sandy Bridge” available frequencies” for Intel's newest processors. This plug and play Ram uses JEDEC compliant of 1600MHz and 1866MHz memory values, truly a revamp for any notebook it's attached to. Now that sounds promising, let's take a closer look on this high speed memory and find out how it can help typical laptop users if it is as simple as “plug.”
Specifications
8 GB 1600MHz non-ECC SODIMM @ 1 0,5V (Kit 2) CL9-9-94 GB 1600MHz non-ECC SODIMM @ 1 0,5V (Kit 2) CL9-9-98 GB 1866MHz non-ECC SODIMM @ 1 0,5V (Kit 2) CL11-11-114 GB 1866MHz non-ECC SODIMM @ 1 0,5V (Kit 2) CL11-11-11
Avid PC gamers are already familiar with this new RAM from Kingston, and this high performance memory has already been widely used for desktop gamers. But this particular model is the first in high frequencies compatible for the latest 2nd generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processors.
For laptop users, there's no need for BIOS setting, as it most laptops automatically detects fast memory speed. Kingston even added the boost of performance laptop gets with this memory, as it delivers an automatic 'overclocking' notice with its HyperX modules. Also, these modules are backward compatible, and can be used to notebooks and Netbooks with older DDR3 base.

Test procedures
Here comes the fun part. Countless benchmark tests have been done with this memory, switching things to the maximum frequency and CAS latency of RAM with exhaustive analysis. And users can enjoy the benefits of this RAM faster to more capacity.
On its overclocking tests, 2 8GB kit HyperX 1866MHz memory (KHX1866CC11S3P1K2/8 G) was equipped to a chipset of Intel Sandy Bridge; one Toshiba Satellite A665 S5176 and the Lenovo ThinkPad W520, two very decent laptops. On Lenovo's ThinkPad, they use the latest and most powerful Intel Core i7-2920XM quad core CPU, which in theory should put the Kingston's latest RAM to its limits, but it runs smoothly and shows no problem with compatibility.

The Toshiba Satellite A665 S5176 on the other hand, used the more modest Intel Core i3 2310M processor. Again, the HyperX provide excellent performance. This particular test should be the basis for the usual type of RAM most laptop owners' use.

It is usually the smallest piece of sophisticated items that go bad first, and in the case of computers, computer fans are no different. Fans may be small and simple machines, but when they do down, the whole computer system suffers, as there will be nothing left to regulate the heat inside, and when the heat rises, expect your computer to work erratically.
It is fairly easy to replace computer fans, read on to learn more of the step by step procedure and do it right.

Step 1

Unplug your computer from its power source (this should go without saying). Make sure you keep all metal surfaces to the ground and keep any static electricity away from your body before you start sorting things out in your computer.

Step 2

Open the computer by unscrewing screws from the outside rim at the back of your computer, and then slide the chassis out. You can take off either one or two sides of the same computer case. Some new computer cases, like Dell, allow users to open chassis by depressing two big buttons placed on top and bottom of the computer case.

Step 3

Inspect the inside of your computer and find the defective fan or the fan you want to replace. Most of the time, it is the fan at the bottom from face of the case that gets busted. This is usually attached with four screws, one on each of its corner. This fan is also attached in your computer's motherboard by a pair of wires.

Step 4

Unscrew that particular fan from the case and take it off from its position nice and slow. Make sure it faces the right way as you take it off. The rule of thumb here is to make the manufacturer's label face the inside of the computer while the UL should be facing the front of your computer. With this fashion, it will work as an exhaust fan. Take note of the outlet that connects the fan to the motherboard before unplugging the old fan.

Step 5

Screw the new fan in place; follow those wires that connect the old fan to the motherboard. Make sure the black and red wires on the connector are plugged right at the same pins as before.

Step 6

Blow out some of the dust using a canned air before closing the case back. Then screw the chassis back in place.

Step 7

Plug your computer and see how your new fan works.

There are 5 general parts of a laptop you need to keep clean: the case, keyboard (including the touchpad), LCD screen, ports and cooling vents.  Also, if you feel comfortable, you can choose to open your laptop to clean its cooling system inside, including the fan and heat sink. Cleaning your laptop's cooling system can help you solve overheating problems and laptop freezing, etc.

Of course, always defer to your laptop manufacturer's manual for recommended cleaning procedures.

Materials Needed:

Isopropyl alcohol - Isopropyl alcohol evaporates quickly and doesn't leave residue behind. It is also safe to use for electronic equipment, especially for LCD displays.
Distilled bottled water - Distilled water is your safest option. Never use tap water on your computer, as it includes minerals that can harm your computer.
Lint-free cloth – A Lint-free cloth, like the cloth you use for cleaning your eyeglasses, is the safest thing to use in wiping your computer screens. Never use paper towels, facial tissues or other types of papers in wiping your computer screen, as these things include flakes that can scratch your computer.
Can of compressed air – This will be used to get rid of dirt and dust trapped in tiny spaces in your laptop.

Step by Step Cleaning

NOTE: When cleaning, make sure your computer is unplugged, or if it's a laptop, make sure you remove the battery completely.

Step 1 - Make a cleaning solution by mixing the distilled water in equal portions with alcohol. Then, dampen your cloth with the solution. Remember not to wet the cloth, dampening it with solution is enough. You don't want your solution to drip in your computer. Also, never spray directly on your computer, especially on your computer screen.

Step 2 - Clean the case using the solution.  This can make it look like brand new again. Then, wipe your keyboard by opening the lid of your laptop.  Next, wipe the display using the same cloth. You can also use a new moistened cloth if the first one gets too grimy. Once again, never spray the solution directly to the computer screen. Use gentle pressure and wipe the screen in circular motion to prevent streaking.

Step 3 - Clean the keyboard and touchpad using the can of compressed air. This will help to get out any debris or dirt trapped in spaces. Some laptops include a built-in keyboard tray. If you have this feature, you can pour distilled water straight into your keyboard and let it dry for several minutes. Always check your computer's manual to be sure. Finally, wipe the keyboard and touchpad using the damp cloth.

Cleaning Ports and Cooling Vents
Use the can of compressed air to clean the opening of your computer. Spray from an angle to blow out dirt, rather than into the computer. You can use a cotton swab to prevent the fan blades from turning while you clean it.
Lastly, make sure your laptop is completely dried before turning it on.

Fujifilm has recently released its latest series of Company Z line, a stylish compact digital camera and the successor of Z800EXR - the FinePix Z900 EXR. Like its predecessor, FinePix Z900 EXR has a horizontal sliding lens covered with metal housing and is available in three lovely colors: blue, matt black and red.
This new digital camera from Fujifilm includes a whopping 16 Megapixel CMOS sensor with EXR technology all for improved low light image quality, a lens with folded optics of 5x wide angle zoom (which is equivalent to 28-140 mm) and a large 5” touch screen LCD in high resolution and improved user interface.
FinePix Z900EXR also includes a lot of interesting features, such as:
New Auto mode that recognizes 27 scenes
Continuous capture, ability to shoot 12 frames per second with full Resolution
1 touch to full 1080p HD movie
High speed movies at 320 fps for playback in slow motion
Allow users to identify and tag images or movie for Facebook or YouTube upload, one camera can be connected to PC and tag all uploaded files in just one press button on Facebook and YouTube.
User-friendly panorama mode that can take full 360 degrees panorama pictures, for both horizontal and vertical function

Stylish Design
Sure you will trade picture quality and camera function for stylish design, but believe it or not, this new camera from Fujifilm caters both of these needs. At only 18.2mm thin, it's really an ultra-portable camera that you can slip in your jeans pocket or handbag.

High-Definition Movie Capability
With its full 1080p HD movie capture, Z900 EXR can capture vivid images that you can playback in your HDTV. Also, its one-touch movie button makes it so much easier to record movie clips with sequential capture,
This camera has no problem in low light, thanks to its Pixel Fusion Movie Technology, allowing more pixel sensitivity for dim light situations. .MOV files (movie files) are all captured in full 1080p HD in stereo at 30fps along with H.264 high profile compression for smaller file sizes and does not sacrifice quality. It is also so much easier to view and connect images on your HDTV through its mini-HDMI output connector (note that HDMI cable not included in the package).
Easy Uploads
Sharing photos and video files online is now an everyday activity for many people, thus Z900 EXR includes a automatic feature that allows for both Facebook and YouTube, for faster and easier postings of your media files on these social networking sites. It also allows users to identify and tag photos for both Facebook and YouTube upload. As soon as the camera is connected and identifies its PC and MyFinePix Studio software is launched, all marked images or videos will be automatically uploaded to those social networking sites in just one press of a button.
All these features for a retail price of $279.95.

Are you still using the old, obsolete and hard-to-navigate mouse with heavy mouse ball underneath? It’s hard to believe that there are still people using it, but if you still are, here are some great reasons to switch to an optical mouse.

Low Maintenance
Because optical mouse don’t rely on balls to detect cursor’s location on your computer’s monitor, it significantly requires less maintenance. Optical mouse uses LED (light emitting diode) – which is usually red in color – detects every movement of the device. When moving, the optical mouse takes thousands of pictures of the surface where it’s placed. It does its navigation by measuring and comparing the minute distances where the mouse travels when being moved in a flat surface, and it can tell you how far to move your cursor.

Because it doesn’t use the ball, it’s way easier to maintain. Meaning, you no longer need to regularly clean up the ball underneath. Also, optical mouse is way smoother to navigate on your screen and has better continuous cursor movements. The ball of the mechanical mouse on the other hand, becomes irritatingly choppy when it clogs dirt and dust.


No More Mouse Pads
Optical mouse only need a flat surface to work, this can be on top of your computer desk, a book, bench, etc. Thus, it negates the need for mouse pads. Mouse with mouse ball relies on mouse pads to detect and translate onscreen movements.

However, when using your optical mouse, make sure you use opaque surfaces. Transparent surfaces like glass will cause the LED light to seep through the surface, causing it to move inaccurately on your screen.

Lightweight
Optical mouse are significantly lighter than the old-school ball mouse. Thus, it’s a lot easier to maneuver on any flat surface, making it very convenient for people working long hours on their computers. Also with optical mouse, you will encounter less friction and resistance in navigating your mouse on any surface, thus minimizing hand and wrist strains.

Eye-catching
One of the best characteristics you will find on optical mouse is its appealing feature. Modern mouse models include sophisticated designs, making it not just lovely to look at, but feels very comfortable in your hands. Optical mouse are usually in red LEDs, however, more modern designs are now in blue and green LEDs. Other optical mouse even has transparent casings, making the light glow evidently in dimly lit areas. Some designs even cycle through variety of colors.

The main reason for computer fan noise is dust and dirt accumulated on its heater. Fan cools down heat emission, and fan on processor is controlled by software, which would depend on the temperature. Thus, when dirt and dust clogs the fan, the software will make the cooler fans run faster. If you’re using 80 mm or 10 mm, it would be wise to replace it with 120 mm.

Computer noise caused by fans can be really irritating, especially when you’re concentrating on your work, or watching a movie in your computer. Also, noisy fans can cause serious harm to your computer, as it won’t be able to provide enough cooling in your computer system due to clogged dirt and dust. Here’s other easy ways to minimize the noise of your computer fan.

1. Clean Your Fans
Cleaning your fans is the most simple and effective way to reduce noise and increase fan’s efficiency. Those accumulate dirt and dust in your fan’s blades simply hampers the speed of the spin, thus reducing the flow of air inside your computer case. With less airflow, components inside will not be effectively cooled. And as the temperature inside your computer case rise, your fans, particularly in your processor, will be forced to run harder and make irritating noise in the process. Include thorough fan cleaning in your computer routine. Clean all the blades of your internal fans so they can operate in their maximum efficiency with lower noise levels.

2. Replace Your Fans
You may not know it, but excessive noise may be a sign that some of your computer fans are not powerful enough to cool the inside of your computer. In this case, you need to identify those inefficient fans and replace them with better fans. Better fan means a fan that can provide bigger volume of air but makes significantly less noise. This means fans with high CFM (cubic feet per minute) specs and low decibel counts (dB).

3. Work in a Cooler Place
If your room temperature is cool, your computer fans will automatically cut out its performance, thus, they don’t need to spin fast and make a lot of noise. Using your computer in a cool area will help your computer save some power consumption from its fans. You can easily do this by placing your computer in a shady part of your room, away from sun’s rays.
Also, you can set yet your air conditioner to a good cool level and help your fans to get some cool air inside to cool its system.

There are tons of laptop cleaning tools and products available in the market, and most of them work really well in maintaining the good look of your laptop. However, regular cleaning means the need to buy these cleaning products over and over again, which can be costly in the long run.
However, there are lots of ways and alternatives for you to clean your laptop screen, and they don't need to be expensive, as you can find them right in the corners of your own household.

Today, laptop manufacturers no longer recommend using cleaning products that contain alcohol, ammonia or other strong solvents on LCD screens.

Also, you can't just simply use ordinary cleaning cloths to wipe your laptop screens. Some cloth can damage the screen and leave permanent scratches. You can use soft cotton cloth (an old shirt), disposable cloth, disposable wipes from drugstores (with no cleaning agent of course) or a similar large cloth (soft and non-woven). If you're not sure of the cloth to use, your best bet is to purchase single use wet/dry cloths especially made for wiping LCD and plasma screens.

Making Gentle Cleaning Solution

The ideal solution is just plain distilled water. If you think your screen needs heavier cleaning, then a 50/50 mix of distilled water and white vinegar is also a good option.

Putting Solution in a Small Atomizer Bottle

An atomizer bottle is a bottle that you push from the top to get a fine mist. Spray it on the cloth before wiping the screen, and never use it to spray directly on the screen.

Use Minimal Amount of Solution

Always use a small amount of solution to moisten the cloth and never make the cloth wet. An overly wet cloth can cause the solution to drip on the screen, and may cause it to weep behind the bezel to permanently damage your laptop screen.

Wipe in Circular Motion

Using a fast circular motion to wipe the screen can eliminate streaks. Use gentle and even pressure to the cloth while wiping and don't press your fingers on the cloth or screen. Too much pressure can damage the LCD matrix rendering of your screen.

Tips and Warnings

Never spray any solutions directly on the screen. The electrical connections of your LCD or plasma screen are along the edges.  Any solution that drips and gets into these connection wires can permanently damage your screen.

Never use tissue, table napkins and other paper products to wipe your laptop screen, as these things can leave flakes of paper. They also include wood fibers which can easily scratch your screen.

When you’re trying to build your own computer from scratch or upgrading for a higher end parts from old computer model, the first thing you should consider is your CPU (central processing unit), particularly your processor. A lot of computer users actually base their CPU speed choice alone, but there are quite a lot of factors that can affect CPU’s performance aside from its speed.

This article will give you 6 factors to look for before purchasing your CPU and help you in your upgrade decisions.

1. CPU Speed
CPU speed or also known as the clock speed, determines the rate at which your PC can run its installed programs. Old CPU models normally have clock speeds of up to hundreds of megahertz (MHz). Modern models of CPUs today have exceeded those models by far, as CPUs now run in gigahertz (GHz). Of course, fast computer is always better than the slow ones.

2.Quad Core vs Cor i3, i5, i7 series
If you’re running a lot of applications and programs in your computer simultaneously, then you should consider getting higher end processors. These processors can be pretty expensive, but they surely can help a lot in your productivity. If you’re just purely into gaming, then you can stick to medium-end processors, which significantly cost less. You can also check for other brands other than Intel, such as AMD. Just make sure you get the right counterpart of your choice.

3. Bandwidth
Bandwidth determines the amount of data your PC can run in one instruction. This is measured in bits, and most computer processors run on 32-bit processors. Modern computer processors on the other hand now run in 64-bit bandwidth speed.

4. Front Side Bus (FSB) speed
This component permits the information relay between your CPU and other parts of your computer. The speed of FSB is the pace which information is transmitted between the CPU and the rest of the system.

5. Level 2 (L2) Cache
The L2 cache is the CPU’s own memory and this is where data can be accessed and stored immediately. If L2 cache gets full, your computer will automatically store some of its data in your RAM. The CPU will then wait for that data to be transmitted from the RAM. Large L2 cache can be very helpful in running multimedia applications.

6. Compatibility
Motherboards don’t support every CPU, so when you’re assembling a computer or upgrading your old one, make sure your CPU is compatible with the motherboard chipset. You research or ask computer sales personnel for your computer compatibility concerns.

Avid Android devotees have been sitting on pins and needles for nearly 3 weeks. They are in rabid anticipation of the Transformer tablet, that ASUS chairman Jonney Shih gave a sneak preview of at the AsiaD conference last month. Granted, it was only a sneak peek, but he rattled off a list that got the salivary gland juicing up: 8.3mm thick, 10.1-inch screen, microSD slot and mini-HDMI out, plus an Ice Cream update before year’s end. And this will be the first quad-core tablet, with NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 SoC. I bet that got your attention.

The going price for the tablet, beginning in December, will be a mere $499 at 32G storage and $599 at 64G. The additional docking with keyboard will run you $149. There is more to the specs on this baby, too. The screen is a Super IPS+ display, composed of Gorilla Glass, at 1280×800 resolution. ASUS included its own technology to brighten the screen for outdoor viewing. It boasts a 600 nits brightness and 178-degree viewing angle.

Transformer Prime gets more enticing with the 1G RAM, gyroscope, GPS, and SonicMaster audio. The audio is exclusive to ASUS, providing acoustically accurate and crisp audio. The crystal clear experience reflects a wide staging of improved vocal reproductions and truer sound, all around.

The cameras on-board include a 1.2MP front-facing and an 8MP rear with auto-focus supported by a f/2.4 lens. The back-illuminated CMOS is capable of 1080p video, too. There is a 30% increase in color enhancement, beating out the competitors tablets, and the additional features of touch-to-focus depth of field and reduction of noise in low-light conditions.

The original claims were that the tablet could hold out 14.5 hours, but now the company reports that the tablet, by itself, can last 12 hours on the 22W battery. When you attach the dock, the lifespan jumps an additional 6 hours. This is the longest battery lifespan of any tablet on the market. It will last you the entire length of a trans-Atlantic flight.

The dock is onoly 1.2 pounds and the benefits can be significant. Consider the full-sized SD slot, the touchpad, and the USB 2.0 port. As far as software is concerned, the unit comes equipped with SuperNote, Polaris Office, and Android 3.2.

The aluminum casing is akin to the Zenbooks, but in two colors. This gives it a classy design that is unparalleled in tablets. The weight, at 1.29 pounds (586 grams), and the thickness, at 0.33 inches (8.3mm), brings it in at an even thinner size than either the Galaxy Tab 10.1 or the iPad 2. Don’t count on your old Transformer dock making the leap to the new tablet. The thinness might have been a give away for that.

The whole machine is wrapped in a hydro-oleophobic material. This leaves no fingerprints behind, not exactly a deterrent to thieves and murderers who might touch the laptop. Asus Eee Pad Transformer imparts an impression that you are touching a revolutionary tablet design. You might buy it just to feel more important about yourself.

The domination of Apple and Google in smartphone industry in America left other brands to rethink and rebuild their strategies, and yes, Microsoft and RIM are among them.
As far as the U.S. market share is concerned, the Android remained on top throughout the duration of 2011 for 53%, while Apple catapulted its shares to a whopping 29%. The share of BlackBerry on the other hand, has slipped down to 11%, while Microsoft powered phone could not get its game going as it Windows phones remained at 2% share.
Indeed, Google and Apple are not only taking control of the game, but they're changing the gaming field, forcing other players to constantly and completely reinvent its game plan in this area. Executive director of Connected Intelligence for NDP group Ross Rubin, sees 2012 as the year for companies' labors to bear its fruits. Other smartphone companies now understand the situation, and many of them had spent the year 2011 to strategize and regain their lost grounds in the industry. RIM fell into a big drop to 11%, while Google gained a whopping 53% share just between January and October of 2011. Now that all, except Google and Apple are developing their business strategies to protect their share of the market, 2012 will obviously the proving grounds for all their hard work.
The big move was started by Google's purchase of Motorola Mobility in August 2011 at $12.5 billion. That was the division of Motorola up until January 2011. And one of the biggest reasons for this move is to protect the Android from its anti-competitive threats, which obviously comes from Apple, Microsoft and other giants of the industry. Also, that particular move by Google strengthens their ties with Android and its hardware manufacturer, Motorola. Maybe, the most important thing though, is that, Motorola holds over 14,500 patents all granted and more than 6,500 pending pant applications all over the world. With their acquisition of Motorola, Google opens a lot of doors for innovation of these Androids.
It's also no secret that Motorola threw all of its weight into manufacturing mobile devices since 2009, releasing their first Droid, running Android. That thing was designed for Verizon network. And just last year, the world watched as they released their Droid X and Droid 2, making their competitors shake on the boots. So what can Acer, HTC, Samsung, LG and/or Lenovo do?
RIM is already trying to catch-up, redeeming itself from their good run in 2006, when more than half of smartphone sales were by RIM. In the past half a decade, the sales share dropped to 8%. Now that they're developing the next generation operating system - BlackBerry 7. RIM is now on 5th place among the world's top smartphone companies. After those changes, all we have to do is to wait and see.
What happens in the next couple of years can be anyone's guess, but if neither of Apple and Google commit huge blunders, the picture is unlikely to change.

The year 2011 marked the released of great electronics and some of these gadgets are just truly innovative devices. Here are our picks for seven of the most memorable and worthwhile gadgets to hit the scene during the past year.

Apple iPad 2
This is arguably the hottest item out in the market right now, not only does it offer users incredible versatility, but includes all the great apps you can find from Apple. However, its expensive price tag is what deters consumers from buying. Also, its camera is a complete drawback, and should just be used for Facetime rather than taking pictures.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
This is the best iPad alternative, not just for its Google's unique android features, but more importantly of its great stylish look. However, since this tablet is almost the same price with iPad2, and since Apple's brand is more popular brand for tablet, consumers opt for iPad over the Samsung's version.
Amazon Kindle Fire
One of the best multi-functional gadgets released in2011. Kindle Fire provide all of its functionality in a relatively cheap price, which makes up for not having some key features like the Bluetooth capability and camera. A great gadget for people who prefer tablets over laptops and love to read. 

Apple iPhone 4S
In terms of looks, the iPhone 4S is not very different from iPhone4, except of course, from its crazy expensive price tag attached to it. This is definitely a good buy if you have the budget for a new smartphone, but if you already have the previous version, you better stick to it.

Samsung Galaxy S II
This phone is one of the lightest and thinnest smartphones available today. Display is outrageously good and the screen display makes every image crisp and vividly clear. With much cheaper price tag than its competitor iPhone 4 and 4S, this phone is definitely a great and affordable treat.
PlayStation Vita
Sony has upgraded this gaming gadget for extra functionality and web features at a decent price. This handheld console is a must-have for many gamers.
Xbox 360 with Kinect
This is arguably the most incredible innovation in the world of gaming in 2011, and to top that, tons of games will be released for Kinect as well as other games in stores for next year. With its reasonable price, this can be an excellent deal for anyone at any age, and a good way to bond the family this Holiday season.

Buying gadgets seem to be an expensive undertaking nowadays, what with many advanced and technological gadgets in the market that are powered by the latest technologies. If you are going to buy a technological gadget, you would most often assume that it will cost you a hefty amount. But would you believe it that you can buy useful gadgets for no more than $100? Yes, you read that right! There are some useful gadgets that you can get for an affordable price.