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TELEVISIONS
»
'Tis the time to buy a flat-panel display? You betcha'!
»
Prices are still more than twice that of regular cathode ray tube
TVs (they are, however, falling), but if you want really large
screen sizes, Plasma or LCD are the way to go.
» Umm,
Plasma or LCD? Depends; if you want TVs with screen sizes below
42 inches, go for an LCD screen. Anything bigger, and you'll need
to buy a Plasma. But ideally, unless you want a behemoth of a
TV, stick to 32-37" LCD monitors.
» Make
sure any TV you buy is full High-Definition TV (HDTV)-compatible
(ask if it is 1080p-compatible; don't buy it if it isn't.) Even
though there are no HDTV broadcasts in India just yet-next-generation
DVD players (HD-DVD and Blu-Ray) that output HDTV images and HDTV
should be in India soon enough.
 MOBILE
COMMUNICATION DEVICES
»
Take a close look at the Blackberry Pearl-it proves
that your communication device doesn't have to look like a geometry
box.
» Choose
your input style. People have wildly different typing/writing
styles; so, choose your device based on how easily it works for
you. If you want to write, there is the Nokia 6708, for full QWERTY
keypads, you have a range of devices, like the Palm Treo, and
then, there are keypads like the Pearl.
» You
want your device to do more than receive your boss' email, right?
Some of the latest devices have cameras and MP3 players as well.
MULTIMEDIA PHONES
 »
First and foremost, no matter how great the pictures
are, no matter how many colours there are on the touch-screen,
remember the critical question: how does it feel like as a phone?
Talking is still the # 1 activity on a phone and if you can't
talk comfortably-no point buying it.
» Let's
be honest; you probably will buy a device like this to impress
friends/partners/colleagues. Make sure your new handset has a
major "wow" factor-like the N95, which can boost your
image just as well as the Porsche 911 you'll see in the accompanying
issue of BT More.
»
Make sure your phone can
support EDGE, 3G, Wi-Fi and can also do email and the internet.
Connectivity, after all, is the name of the game.
» If
the camera has a resolution below 3 megapixel, look for another
model.
» On-board
or swappable, anything under 1 gigabyte of memory is pointless.
 DIGITAL
AUDIO DEVICES
»
Well, it begins and ends at the iPod in this segment,
or does it? Microsoft's Zune, Creative's Zen, Sony's new Digital
walkman's and the Samsung Yepp range are all credible alternatives.
»
Small-capacity Flash-based players make the most sense for movement-intensive
activities like jogging or gymming.
»
Hard drive-based devices make sense for people who don't move
around a lot.
»
Do you really need 80 gigabytes? Or even 100 gigabytes of storage
(as the sixth-gen iPod is rumoured to be)? Chances are that you
won't, so don't buy the biggest-sized player unless you really
need to.
»
Screen size and brightness matter. There is a lot of new video
content for portable devices and it doesn't look that great on
small screens-unless you buy the smallest 1 gigabyte players.
GAME CONSOLES
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Why? Because, deep inside, there is still a bit of
that younger you left.
»
Which one? Tough question. Only the Microsoft XBox360 is available
legally in India right now, so we would say buy that. But once
the Sony PS3 comes to India (and the Nintendo Wii might come as
well), the choice will get tougher.
»
Avoid the grey market; this isn't a Rs 10,000 phone; it is a Rs
25,000-plus computer (PS3s cost upwards of Rs 50,000 on the grey
market). There is some quiet satisfaction in owning that ever-so-important
piece of paper-the warranty card.
» But
if you spend a large amount of your life commuting, skip the big
consoles. Get yourself a PlayStation Portable (available legally)
or Nintendo DS (buy one from abroad). They're brilliant time-pass
when you're waiting for traffic to clear up or on the local train.
TREADMILL
Tipsheet For The New Year
 Many
of you readers may have resolved to get back into shape in 2007.
Besides that being a common New Year's resolution, January is
a good time to start a workout regime to ramp up your body's fitness
levels, lose fat and build strength.What better time then than
the beginning of the year to do a run-down of some important dos
and don'ts in weight training?
Warm up. Too many people hit the weights
section at gyms before limbering up their bodies to make them
ready for intensive workouts. The best warm up is a moderate cardio-vascular
session-say, 10 minutes on an exercise bike or a brisk jog. Do
that before you reach for the dumb-bells.
Hydrate yourself. Apart from replenishing
the water that is lost by the body during workouts, drinking water
before, during and after workouts helps in building and regenerating
muscles. What about energy drinks versus water? Go for water.
Check form and posture. Always use a spotter
(a trainer or an experienced gym-partner; see illustration) to
check whether your form is correct while lifting weights, particularly
when you're going heavy. Bad form can cause serious injuries.
Get proper footwear. Just because a pair
of sneakers looks snazzy doesn't mean it's the best for workouts.
Running shoes aren't the best footwear for weight training. Workout
shoes should be lightweight with flat soles. Avoid air-filled,
strangely rippled varieties.
What you wear. There's a myth that tight
clothes should be avoided in gyms. Not if you go for the new,
high-tech fabrics that wick out sweat from your body as you workout.
Many sportswear brands offer such skin-fit uppers and bottoms
that not only keep you dry while working out but also help you
maintain form while exercising.
Machines vs. free-weights. This is a debate
that goes on and on. While machines can help you isolate muscles
for increased benefits from workouts, free-weight exercises make
you deploy more muscles and force you to maintain balance. Begin
with machines and then graduate to free-weights as you become
more adept at weight training.
Gives muscles a break. Don't exercise the
same group of muscles (e.g. chest or biceps) every day. In fact,
muscles need a break to recuperate and regenerate after they're
worked out. You should ideally not exercise a muscle group for
48 hours after you've put them through the paces.
Consult your doc. Before embarking on a workout
schedule you should see your physician to check whether you need
to adopt precautions, particularly so, if you have back problems
or suffer from chronic joint or muscle pains. Also, remember to
check the credentials of the trainers at your gym-there are far
too many quacks in the weight-rooms.
Have great workouts this year!
-Muscles
Mani
write to musclesmani@intoday.com
Caveat: The physical exercises described
in Treadmill are not recommendations. Readers should exercise
caution and consult a physician before attempting to follow any
of these.
STEPS
TO STAY HEALTHY DURING WINTER
Who wants to
miss all the fun during winter? A balanced regime will keep you
fit even as you enjoy yourself.
Eye the Apple. Apples contain antioxidants
that improve your immune function and prevent heart disease and
some cancers. Says Dr Vinay Goel, Consultant, Max Hospital, Delhi:
"Apples are a good source of potassium, folic acid, vitamin
C and calcium. They also help in the digestion process."
As the saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Walk in the Park. Go for brisk walks in a
park. "Besides the obvious benefit of exercise, it will also
expose you to sunlight and fresh air and lift your mood,"
adds Dr Goel.
Eye Care. Wear sunglasses when outdoors to
protect your eyes from UV rays. If you aren't sure whether your
glasses block the rays, take them to an eye clinic to check their
UV protection levels.
Count your Canapés. When there are
canapés, it's easy to lose count of how many you eat. Be
careful and eat in moderation.
Alcohol, Think of your Heart. Winter's a
time for heartier meals, such as stews, and red wine is a perfect
accompaniment. Drink in moderation. You'll stay sober and healthy.
Zap Germs. Holidays mean a lot more close
contact with family, friends and strangers-and a lot more germs
to share, too. Says Dr Goel: "To prevent the spread of germs,
use germ-killing cleaning products, bleach or boiling water, to
disinfect the house. Wipe down the phone, computer keyboard, mouse,
door handles and other common surfaces. Replace toothbrushes regularly."
-Manu Kaushik
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