HTC have launched a revamped version of their popular Sensation handset in the shape of the new Sensation XE. There is one particular feature on this new model which really does grab your attention and that is the new Beats Audio feature which effectively makes the phone the ultimate handset for enjoying your music.

Beats Audio is a new innovation designed to improve the quality of audio playback on portable devices. The problem with your average portable music player is that the headphones that come supplied can offer only a very limited frequency range. The frequency range relates to the whole audio spectrum that your ears can detect, from deep bass lines to high pitched vocals. The headphones supplied with the Sensation XE are engineered to deliver an extraordinary experience. This is especially noticeable on the lower frequency sounds which means for a variety of modern music the headphones are superb. There is an argument that the excellent depth present on this headset can drown out some styles of music such as classical but the type of consumer likely to use the Sensation XE is more likely to listen to the likes of House, Garage and Hip Hop music rather than Classical so this is no great issue. The headphones are an attractive black, red and silver finish and feature an in line remote control which enables you to adjust the volume and skip tracks without physically touching the handset.

The principal behind Beats Audio on the HTC Sensation XE does not only relate to the quality of headphones that are supplied but also the software built into the phone. This software detects when these headphones are connected and adjusts the output accordingly to enable the best possible sound to be heard. The phone also features the standard audio setting should you ever want to use the phones integral speakers but it is questionable how many people would actually do this when there is such a great alternative present. A nice feature is that the Beats Audio system is not only present on the music playback facility but also on the video player. This means that you could watch your favourite movies on the phones large screen and experience equally as impressive sound. A 3.5mm audio output is present on the phone which allows it to be easily connected to a home audio system in order to experience audio on an even bigger scale.

The HTC Sensation XE is the one of the ultimate handsets for music lovers and certainly matches the facilities that are offered on other excellent phones in this area such as the iPhone 4.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language is a unique, rewarding, and unforgettable experience that allows you to travel the world, grow personally and professionally, and build life-long relationships. It does not matter if you are just beginning your EFL career or have already started globetrotting as an EFL instructor. Imagine spending your weekends climbing the Great Wall of China, cruising through the canals of Venice, or exploring the Mayan ruins in Mexico. There really is no limit to what you will do, where you will go, and what you will see. Starting your journey might seem daunting at first but once you take the plunge your life will be changed forever!

If you have already obtained your TEFL Certificate, this will be a refresher. If you are new to TEFL instruction, the following information will give you a foundation. It is by no means comprehensive, but rather a platform which you can build upon.

One of the most important aspects of a class is attitude. The instructor should enter the classroom with a friendly, patient, and positive attitude. The instructor should also be fully prepared. Abraham Lincoln said it best. “If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six hours sharpening my axe”.

A TEFL class is generally broken down into three parts. Presentation, practice, and production. The PPP style of teaching is not the only approach to but it serves as a great starting point.

The presentation stage of the class includes an icebreaker. An icebreaker is a game, task, or activity that is used to break the ice. This helps your students relax, feel more comfortable, etc. After all, they are probably just as nervous as you are. The icebreaker should tie in with the focal point of the lesson. That is why this stage is called the presentation stage. You are presenting the focus of the lesson. The objective of the lesson can range from ordering in a restaurant, using a new lexical item, to going on a job interview.

The second stage of a lesson is called the practice stage. This stage gives the students a chance to manipulate, experiment with, and ultimately practice the new language they are learning. This stage will mostly be comprised of activities that allow the students to practice the language being taught.

The final stage is the production stage. This is where the students will independently produce the specific language they practiced in the previous stage through role plays, games, etc. This will allow the instructor to gauge whether or not the students have completed the lesson objectives. The production stage will also include a wrap-up of the class objectives, future goals, homework, etc.

So, there you have it. That is the basic anatomy of a TEFL class. We recommend investing in one or two EFL textbooks to broaden your knowledge base. This will help you tremendously when you first start out. It is important to keep your classes enjoyable for your students and yourself.

C. Lipton taught EFL in Bangkok, Thailand for one year. Prior to this, he spent two years teaching EFL in Osaka, Japan. He believes traveling the world is the highest form of education. His interests include photography, snowboarding, and fishing.

When preparing any blog content your first priority is to maintain relevance to the theme of the site. Of equal if not greater importance however is the way in which it is delivered since this will help make any update more interesting to read. Your blog posting not only needs to deliver quality content but also get people more involved in what they are viewing. Much like advertising if your blog posting does not grab and hold a persons attention everybody loses!

5 things you always want your updates to accomplish in order to make them more interesting to read are as follows:

Be Engaging

Whenever you can try to present your updates in a conversational manner that will better serve to engage your readers. Even the best quality content can be boring if it is presented in a clinical manner. Share what you have to say in the same way you would speak it and in most cases this will make it more interesting to read!

Get to the Point

Don’t use more words than you need to convey your point but instead make your point as early as you can with the body of the text people are viewing. Many people quite simply will not view the entire blog posting if they are not made aware relatively quickly what its intent may be! Give viewers a reason or motivation to read deeper into what you have posted or they are likely gone!

Create an Easy Read

Speak to be understood and not to impress while also using a layout that is easy to follow! Visitors land on your blog to be entertained and informed but not to be challenged! If they do not understand the meaning of the words you use or they find your format difficult to navigate you will be wasting their time and yours!

Enlighten Readers

As it was implied above always strive to make each update interesting to read from the standpoint of offering useful information! It can be late breaking news, insight from personal experience or thought provoking comments and/or statements but make your update useful in some way!

Encourage Feedback

By asking for comments readers will feel more a part of the process and a greater sense of community while you stand to benefit from their valuable feedback. This feedback of course will then help you to make improvements from which your readers ultimately benefit as well! Their comments are also extremely useful in helping you serve up the type of quality content they want to see.

Obviously you want your blog content to be on the ‘mark’ in terms of relevancy to the theme of the site. It is just as important however that your blog posting accomplishing the 5 things discussed above in order to make it more interesting to read. Offering quality content should always be your primary objective but if you do not present it properly many may never even read what you composed! The suggestions above focus more on the presentation of your blog posting however the quality continues to remain your responsibility!

It is not difficult to learn how to pack and ship a birthday present overseas. Millions of boxes, bags and other types of mail make the trip every day. The requirements are not hard to follow if the item is to arrive on time and undamaged. There are five parts to each package: the item, the container, the packing material, the sealing tape and the shipping label.

Consider the item to be shipped. Using a tape measure, record the height, width and length at the longest points. Record this information on paper. If the item is fragile, it may need a special container and/or packing materials. It is imperative that the shipper check to see if the item can be shipped overseas, and that the country allows that item to be received. This eliminates the possibility of seizure at customs, and disposal of the item.

The container should meet the requirements of shipping companies used. Generally, a cardboard box is the standard shipping container. If the item is particularly fragile, enclosing it first inside a wooden box or other protective container is allowed. The outside container should be cardboard.

Packing material is often diverse. Popped popcorn, foam peanuts, partially inflated balloons, zip closure bags and crumbled newspaper effectively protect items from damage during shipping. Check first to see if the recipient’s overseas shipping destination and customs will accept packages filled with loose foodstuffs. If not, a multitude of eco-friendly products are available to protect the birthday present. Make sure that they do not get caught in the bow or tear the wrapping paper or tissue paper. Anchor down the birthday card to the package to prevent packing materials from shifting it in transit. Everybody knows to read the card first, before unwrapping the present. This cannot be done if the card is lost and buried in the packing material.

To keep the container from opening during transit, use the right packaging tape. Choose tape at least two inches wide and rated for shipping. Regular half-inch wide office tape will not protect the package closure. Duct tape or other outdoor tape will likely be rejected and the package denied or returned. Fiber reinforced tape, often called strapping tape, is acceptable. Although it is hard to cut when the package arrives, the fiber reinforcement ensures the item will not pop open and come out of the carton during transit.

The shipping label is equally important. Handwritten labels affixed with household tape are rejected. These labels are notorious for separating from the package during transit. The package will not arrive without a label. To avoid this, place a second shipping label complete with both the sender’s and the recipient’s address inside the package. Unlabeled packages are opened to locate this information. Without it, the package could never reach its intended destination.

The sender can go online and schedule an at-home pickup instead of waiting in line. Once all of the necessary information is entered, the shipping label is printed and affixed to the package. The birthday present is then ready for pick-up. Be sure to leave ample time for transit so that it can arrive before the person’s birthday, instead of after.