Here's How To Watch a Movie Online - Was I a Jerk?

By Sam Timlin

The other day, I got an email from a friend asking if he could borrow my DVD of "Scarface". I wrote him back and told him to stop bothering me and just download it.

Ok, maybe I wasn't quite so harsh. But I think I threw him off at first!

What I meant to tell him is that he didn't have to go find a DVD; you can find any movie you want if you have an internet connection.

I've been getting a lot of questions lately about what the best ways to download movies online is and also if there are any websites which can boast of a large selection of movies.

I'd like to tell you that there is indeed a big selection online; better than any video store out there, in fact. Not only can you find Scarface, but you can find old favorites and new releases alike.

Ok, now that that's out of the way, let's cover the more important question - Where can I download movies online?

It's important to say where you shouldn't go to download movies. Avoid peer-to-peer networks like LimeWire and Kazaa. While these are OK for find music, they are a very poor choice for movies.

When you download movies from these networks, you have a good chance of catching a virus! These networks are unmonitored, so you have no idea what exactly you are downloading.

Two other problem with these types of sites - selection and download speeds.

A movie is a large file to download. When you're using a shareware program it can easily take over a day or two to finish downloading as the speeds can be terribly slow at times. You also won't find many of the movies you are looking for. The selection is limited compared to other options you have.

You can also choose to use a paid download service. You can find many websites which allow you to download movies on a per-download pricing model. You find the movie you want to download, pay a fee (generally about $10) and can download the movie at high speed over a secure connection.

It's not a bad option, but there's a much cheaper way to find and download movies with equal quality.

There are now specialty, membership-based movie download websites that let you download unlimited movies from their database simply by logging in to their website. To become a member, you pay a one-time only fee (about $35-45 usually) and are then able to download movies whenever you want.

These sites are a great alternative to pay per download sites since there is only a onetime fee and unlimited access to an enormous selection of movies. The download speeds are fast and the files are guaranteed to be virus free.

The best of these membership sites will also give you software to burn these movies to DVD so that you aren't limited to watching them on your computer.

Did my friend find Goodfellas?

Yes he did. And I'm pretty confident he won't be bugging me for a DVD in the future ;)

With more and more people downloading movies online, there will be less and less traditional video stores. Why go out to a store when you can download all the movies you want without ever leaving your home?

About the Author:

Click Here to learn how to get a free membership at the leading online movie download website. It's the easiest way to watch a movie online or copy them onto a disc to watch on your own TV.

The California Hiking Options - will want to go all the time

By Penelope SanMateo

There are times of the year that hiking in California is so beautiful that you will want to go every weekend! Maybe even take a week and see more than one area of the state on different trails. If you are looking for some of the best hiking trails around rivers, glaciers, deserts, the coastline or the grasslands California has it all.

Mount Tallac offers you a 9.4 mile round trip hike at an elevation reaching 9.735 ft. The gain on this hike is 3.255 ft so make sure you have lots of water, good shoes and are in good condition for this hike. As probably on of the best trails in the Lake Tahoe region you will enjoy the stunning views from the summit. Even with the best camera you probably won't be able to capture the beauty that your eyes will see and memories will retain. With both wooded areas and mountainous areas the hike gives you the diversity you are probably looking for. You will pass two lakes on this hike. The switchbacks are a steep climb taking you up to the summit which will be very hot, so be ready.

The Upper Yosemite Falls trail is 7.2 miles round trip with an elevation at the summit of 6,526 ft. The gain is 2,700 ft for this trail. The forested area will give you a cool area to hike in before hitting the flatlands which will give you the first view of the falls. The mist from the falls is a welcome relief from the heat. You have survived one set of switchbacks on the trip here and now you will face another before you reach the summit. This are is the most difficult of the hike with very steep inclines. If you are in super physical condition you won't have a problem (although it will challenge you) but if you aren't you may want to avoid the end of this hike by turning back earlier.

Enter the wonders of the desert with the heat and lack of water on the hike in Mosiac Canyon. Although the trail is just 2.5 miles round trip you will think you went further due to the climate conditions. After all, this is the hottest place in the US so it's a challenge. Bring plenty of water to rehydrate yourself on this hike, you'll need it. You might see some desert wildlife as you view the stunning designs nature created on the formations of the canyon walls.

Back to the mountains and this time it's the really high hike. Prepare for Mt. Shasta, the most challenging trail in California. The trial is 12 miles round trip and the summit is 14,179 ft with an elevation gain of 7,259 ft. You will work on this trail to see the beauty. The time to plan this hike is from May to mid July due to the unpredictable weather in the spring and the lava rocks and rolling boulders that come crashing down the mountain after the snow melt in the summer. Not only is this more than a hike, you will have issues with altitude sicknes if you are not careful so make sure you go with a partner for safety and practical reasons. Read all you can about this hike before you begin, it's not one for the faint of heart.

Going on a hike on Mt. Shasta will provide you with a different view and challenge. You will need sunscreen, sunglasses, an ice axe and shelter. Since you won't have much warning if the weather is going to turn on you take the shelter to offer protection when, and if, you need it. Bring along your crampons, helmet, summit pass, and winter boots and wear extra layers of cloths, and again, plenty of water. The snow around Helen's Lake is contaminated by human and animal urine so don't plan on drinking melted snow or ice...nasty!

Half Dome is a 16 mile round trip hike with an elevation gain of 4,800 ft to the elevation of 8,842. This is a great hike for between late May and early October. Because of the location, view and degree of difficulty people from all over the world come to hike at Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. This is a day hike that challenges you so if you aren't prepared with a great degree of fitness and lots of experience pass on this one. The climb through the switchbacks is rocky so be careful not to injure an ankle. If you reach the top of Nevada Falls (the halfway point) you will want to assess your skills and ability to continue on as well as adjust to the altitude change. To continue on be prepared to have a very steep, excruciatingly long climb to the back of the Half Dome rock. This is a most difficult climb with more switchbacks continually assaulting your body. If you have done your research you know about the Half Dome cables but you can't know the shock and fear experienced once you are in front of them until you are there. Now you need to reevaluate your physical condition to see if you are up to the risks involved in continuing up. The view from there is terrific with Yosemite Valley below, but make sure you are ready for this type of challenge before you even begin the hike. It isn't for the weak or physically unprepared.

About the Author:

Looking for a family vacation in California? Check out Penelope SanMateo's vacation travel articles on California attractions. Discover California's diverse regions from mountains to beaches, including the North Coast California tourism region.

Apple iPhone Music Downloads - Moving To Higher Ground

By Davion W

Here is good news to lovers of Apple iPhone music downloads. It holds on to its commitment to provide quality music entertainment to its clients. Plans to expand its service area are now under way and will soon be implemented. Despite the presence of other download sites, Apple is still one among the well-loved music sources.

As part of its expansion, Apple is going to widen its area or operation, even in places that are not part of its dominion in the past. This is an assurance that the company is serious in its efforts to give better and quality service to its clients.

Backed by the recent developments in communications technology, Apple iPhone music downloads is made more available to more people. If slow download speed used to limit your enjoyment before, then it is no longer a problem. A faster and better speed will soon be available.

The older versions of music download software will already be replaced. For example, the older handset models had iTunes built in its self. These handsets required a reliable WiFi connection in order to download.

Now there is the so-called 3G technology. This will make Apple iPhone music downloads available over-the-air. This means that you do not need WiFi or any other wired connection to grab a copy of your favorite music. As long as you have a 3G gadget, you get instant connection and download.

However, music labels seem to look at this new development at a different perspective. Download sites pay a certain fee to owners of labels for every song downloaded. These music labels have a proposal to increase the fee in case this new technology will already be available in the market. Another proposal is to charge a fee for songs that are converted to ringtones.

Faster downloads over-the-air is possible using a 3G iPhone. Apple is into negotiations of launching this line of products. You just have to wait for some time to find this product in the market.

There is a stiff competition among music download companies. This in one way contributes to better services offered. In their desire to be on top of the rest, they create their own way of outdoing their competitors. Apple iPhone music downloads is no exception.

You can hope for more products and services from a company that never ceases to find new ways of doing ordinary things in a better way. Go for Apple iPhone music downloads and enjoy your kind of music.

About the Author:

Discover where to download movies for iPhone and start watching in minutes. For more tips, read this on iPhone music downloads.