Everyone has artistic impulses, whether it’s doodling on a notepad or feeling inspired by a painting. Art Academy software for the Nintendo DS family of systems shows how art instruction can teach people to create their own masterpieces. This series of fun, interactive lessons teaches the essentials of drawing and painting, plus offers unique features that allow users to create and store their own personal masterworks. Users can follow basic tutorials on topics such as color and shading or just explore the boundless creative possibilities of Free Paint mode, which lets artists draw whatever comes to mind. The Nintendo DS stylus can be used just like a paintbrush or pencil, while the touch screen functions as a virtual canvas. The ability to adjust brush and pencil sizes, mix custom colors and apply creative effects can yield beautifully realistic results. Best of all, the skills learned in Art Academy can be transferred to real-world art materials.
 

With over 50 Android-based cell phones and tablets available worldwide, and more than 250,000 device activations every day, the Android market is exploding. Selecting the best Android-based device is confusing already and will only become more complex as the operating system is more widely adopted. DroidThing (www.droidthing.com) is an online, interactive database of Android-based devices. Users can select device parameters including price, memory, video capabilities, screen size, etc. and see which devices are best for their needs. It’s easy to compare the characteristics of multiple devices side-by-side. The site includes 3D scale models and reviews as part of its comparison options.
 

If you can tear yourself away from Facebook for a few moments, check out the changes to MySpace.com.  Promoting itself as a “social entertainment destination,” MySpace is aiming to create ways for people to discover content and connect with other fans who share similar interests. The MySpace entertainment experience will span music, celebrities, movies, television and games and will be available through multiple platforms, including online, mobile devices and offline events.
 

Canon marks ten years of the IXUS digital camera series with the launch of the IXUS 1000 HS, the world’s slimmest 10x optical zoom camera. Available in pink, silver and brown, this model’s high sensitivity system enables users to capture clear images in extremely low light environments — without the help of a flash. The camera offers an ISO range up to 3200, a 10MP CMOS sensor and the ability to shoot 1080p Full HD video. On the back is a 3-inch LCD screen and a mini HDMI port allows connection to an HD TV. And in a nice extra, the IXUS 1000 HS is compatible with Eye-Fi SD cards. These cards store media and fit into cameras just like a regular SDHC card, but they have built in Wi-Fi. This facilitates the use of a wireless network to transfer photos and videos to a PC or other network connected device.