Feed: Cheapest Digital Camera - AggScore: 14.1

Panasonic VIERA X1 Series TC-L26X1 26-Inch 720p LCD HDTV Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews) We replaced an 18 year old 27" CRT set with this one and it's a beauty. I am a TV news cameraman with thirty years in the business so I look at a lot of high end monitors at work.
When I went to the store I didn't expect to get a great set in this size and frankly 720P didn't excite me much either.
After looking at top tier sets from Sony, LG, Samsung, Toshiba and Mitsubishi I ended up on the Panasonic.
I was shocked at how good all the upper tier sets looked but the Panasonic seemed to have a little better detail down in the blacks and seemed to track highly detailed scenes with less digital noise than the others, but it was close accross the board.
The off air ATSC tuner is excellent and the set has all the inputs you could reasonably need. I do not intend to plug in an iPod so that wasn't a factor in my choice.
My DVD player is older and does not pass audio through the HDMI output so I connected it to the set via the component outs and I feel no need at all to upgrade to a BlueRay player. At this size this is a wonderful combination.
My general feeling is that if you watch a lot of HDTV that is live or tape such as sports then Panasonic flat screens just seem to pull a little more quality out of the signal. For movies it is more of a level playing field.
This is pretty subjective but it's how I see it.
It's amazing how far your money goes in this stuff anymore.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic VIERA X1 Series TC-L26X1 26 Inch 720p LCD HDTV

Product Description:
26" LCD,720p, PC input, 2 HDMI, Contrast ratio 8,000:1, Game Mode, iPod Entertainment Kit

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Apple iMac MB952LL/A 27-Inch Desktop Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It is hard to capture how beautiful this computer is in words much less video.
You have to see it in person.

I accidentally listed it on-screen as 2.26GHz, it should say 2.66GHz.

I took a stab at a video review.

I hope you enjoy.
Let me know your feedback, thanks!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Apple iMac MB952LL/A 27 Inch Desktop

Product Description:
Updated with a brilliant 27-inch LED-backlit widescreen display in a new edge-to-edge glass design and seamless all aluminum enclosure, the new Apple iMac is ideal for watching high definition movies and TV shows from iTunes, or editing and watching your own videos or photos using iLife. The iMac now also comes standard with a wireless keyboard and the new Magic Mouse, which features Apple's Multi-Touch technology. And it's faster than ever with a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor.


The 27-inch iMac features a brilliant LED-backlit display with widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio.

The iMac declutters your desktop with a wireless keyboard and new Magic Mouse--the world's first Multi-Touch mouse. The iMac's display offers an amazing 2560 x 1440-pixel resolution (for high-definition-plus viewing), and it uses IPS technology to deliver consistent color across an ultra wide 178 degree viewing angle. This 21.5-inch model also features improved graphics with the ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics processor with 256 MB of dedicated video memory. It's powered by a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which provides an optimized, multithreaded architecture for improved multitasking, video, and gaming performance. This 27-inch model can also be attached to a wall mount, articulating arm, or other VESA-compliant mounting solution using an optional VESA Mount Adapter Kit.


It comes pre-loaded with Apple's Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard operating system--an operating system custom-designed for the advanced technology inside--and it also comes with the iLife '09 suite of applications, including iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband, and iTunes.

Key Features

27-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with IPS technology, a 2560 x 1440-pixel resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, 375 cd/m2 brightness rating, and 178-degree viewing angle (horizontal and vertical)
3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3 MB shared L2 cache for excellent multitasking
1 TB Serial ATA hard drive (7200 RPM)
4 GB installed RAM (1066 MHz DDR3; supports up to 16 GB)
ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics processor (with 256 MB of GDDR3 memory) for better gaming performance and better responsiveness for video and photo editing.
8x slot-loading SuperDrive with double-layer DVD support (DVD

Panasonic 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I originally had a 4GB, 2MB per second SD card that I used with my Nikon D80 SLR. The form factor and capacity were ok, but I never quite got the rapid fire shooting I thought I should. At first, I blamed the camera and even considered exchanging it.

I recently replaced that card with this 16MB 6MB/second card and what a difference! Not only can I now take 1300 pictures at the cameras highest resolution, but clearly the slow part of my camera was my old memory card. With this new card, I am able to just hold down the shoot button and take photo after photo in rapid-fire!

I have had some friends complain about card failures, but I have never had a problem with a Panasonic card.

I have had no problems with this card and have been using it exhaustively now for over a month. I highly suggest it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card

Product Description:
M1) PANASONIC 16GB SD HS MEMORY

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SPECTEC SDIO Wireless LAN Networking Card WLAN 802.11b, Internet Connection for PDAs, Notebooks and PCs Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I recently purchased this card and was a little concerned as my PDA was not on the list of compatible devices. (Viewsonic V36) I had read some reviews on other sites that basically gave me the impression that it either worked or didn't. Fortunately for me I just plugged it in the slot, installed the driver via Active Sync and was ready to go.

I have had no problems over the first week of use. I am running PPC 2003 and everything works perfectly. The only thing that I wish they included were some programs for using it. But there are plenty of apps available on the net.

Signal strength has been good everywhere that I have used it although I haven't really had a chance to check to see what the range is. Most reviewers have stated 70 feet which seems pretty fair to me. In my home I have two walls between my front room and the access point and transmission was always in the 70-80% range at about 30 feet. Up at the office I have picked up an access point on the floor above me. So I can't fault performance in that area.

Battery usage is fair, I can get about 1 1/2 hours with constant use on a full charge. That is compared to about 2 1/2 without it. But when I am using the card I tend to run a few more apps at the same time so that may account for the reduction in battery life.

Overall an excellent product. I does not ship for the US but is shipped from Taiwan. Again, not a problem. I had mine within two weeks and that includes a holiday. If you are looking for a wireless card for your pda this will definitely fill the bill. Make sure that you do meet all of the OS requirements and that your slot is SDIO not just SD.

Click Here to see more reviews about: SPECTEC SDIO Wireless LAN Networking Card WLAN 802.11b, Internet Connection for PDAs, Notebooks and PCs

Product Description:
Wireless LAN Networking

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Samsung N120-12GBK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - 6 Cell Battery Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this last week after reading a LOT of reviews on various netbooks. I wanted something lightweight, durable and reliable for traveling especially via plane. I have a fairly portable laptop already but every extra ounce seems to really seem heavy walking through airports, NYC, etc. I also like the idea of being able to carry a lightweight machine to public places where i can get a little work done without needing to carry a laptop, power cord, etc.
I was a little worried that a netbook would not be 'enough' but so far it has been outstanding!
This particular netbook is far nicer looking and seemingly more durable than ANYTHING i've seen at local stores. Although the screen is advertised as 'glossy' it is not overly so and looks nothing like the HP and Asus 'glossy' screens. The keyboard is fantastic and the built in track pad works really well. Battery life has been very good - I got close to 8 hours the first time I charged it. This netbook is comfortable to type on and has rounded edges. The speakers are decent and certainly better sounding than many other netbooks on the market.
I recently loaded Office 2007 - it runs just fine. I also UN-Loaded the pre-installed McAfee software, replaced with AVG and that was a good decision - things are much faster without McAfee. I plan to upgrade to 2 gb of RAM but right now everything runs just fine with the installed 1 gb.
Although a netbook will probably not ever replace my laptop, it is perfect for the times i want/need to have computer access for internet, email and word processing/office type work. The convenience of being able to take this very portable, lightweight machine with me is a real bonus!
Although this netbook is a bit more expensive than some others on the market, I think it's worth the extra money.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung N120-12GBK 10.1 Inch Black Netbook - 6 Cell Battery

Product Description:
Weighing just 2.8 pounds, the Samsung N120-12GBK mini-notebook in black improves on its predecessors with a sleeker, curvier design, a glossy LCD screen, a larger touchpad, an integrated subwoofer for 2.1-channel surround sound (via SRS audio technology), and a 6-cell lithium rechargeable battery that provides up to 6 hours of continuous use. An affordable mobile PC that's ideal for all your online needs, the N120 is designed to go almost anywhere--from kitchen and living room at home to Wi-Fi hotspots at coffee shops, airports and more. It sports a 10.1-inch LED-backlit SuperBright screen and a 97-percent full-size keyboard that's easy to type on.

It's powered by the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, which is designed especially for mobile devices and features an innovative hafnium-infused circuitry that reduces electrical current leakage in transistors to conserve energy. The integrated 54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g) will keep you connected to email and all your social networks, while the Bluetooth 2.0+EDR technology enables you to use handsfree communication headsets while video chatting via the integrated 1.3-megapixel webcam. This model comes in black, but it's also available in white.


Other features include a 160 GB hard drive, 1 GB of RAM, built-in speakers and microphone, SD/SDHC/MMC memory card reader, three USB ports (with two of them able to charge your peripherals), and a VGA output to an external monitor. It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop.




See larger image.

See larger image.


Processor
The Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and it uses just 2.5 watts of power--less than 1/10 of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor--for excellent battery management. This 1.6 GHz Atom N270 processor also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data).




The 97-percent full-size keyboard makes it easy to type no matter where you are (see larger image). Storage & Memory
There's plenty of room for everything you download from the web with 160 GB of hard disk drive storage. Plus, you'll enjoy a quick system boot-up and fast access to stored information. The N120 offers 1 GB of installed RAM, delivering maximum netbook performance for accessing the Internet and enjoying streaming multimedia.


Screen, Video & Audio
With its LED-backlit SuperBright 10.1-inch wide LCD, you can view the Internet or any application in full-screen mode (at a 1024 x 600-pixel resolution) without compromise and in a clear and comfortable display. Video is powered by Intel's integrated, power-efficient 945GSE Express chipset, which features a 32-bit 3D graphics engine based on the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950. Enjoy a full and rich multimedia experience on the go with high-quality sound thanks to the integrated SRS 2.1-channel system, featuring 2 x 1.5 watt stereo speakers with a dedicated subwoofer. It also offers an integrated audio chip that's compatible with HD Audio.


Integrated Webcam
An integrated 1.3 megapixel digital motion camera makes it easier than ever to keep in touch with friends and family, using video-conferencing or live messaging. The camera combines the resolution and image quality of a still camera with the sustained high frame rates of a video camera.


Connectivity
This Samsung N120 mini-notebook has an integrated 54g wireless LAN (Acer InviLink) that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g wireless networks, as well as an Ethernet jack for plugging into a wired network. With the integrated Bluetooth connectivity, you can communicate and synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as PDAs and cell phones as well as use Bluetooth-enabled headsets for VoIP phone calls and handsfree video chats. To increase your storage capabilities, you can access optional memory cards (Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, and MultiMediaCard).Here's the full list of connectivity options:


Operating System & Software
Pre-installed with Windows XP, the Samsung N110 includes the following software: Samsung Recovery Solution III, Samsung Magic Doctor, Samsung Update Plus Easy Display Manager, Easy Battery Manager, Easy Network Manager, Easy SpeedUp Manager McAfee Virus Scan, Adobe Acrobat Reader.


Dimensions & Weight
This netbook measures 10.71 x 7.4 x 1.17 inches and weighs 2.8 pounds.


Power
This mini-notebook includes a six-cell (5200mAh) lithium-ion battery for up to 6 hours of use.


What's in the Box
This package includes the Samsung N120-12GBK, rechargeable battery, AC adapter, and printed operating instructions. It's backed by a one-year warranty.

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Samsung NC10-14GBK 10.2-Inch Black Netbook - 6 Cell Battery Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)USER BACKGROUND:
I've been involved with PC's since PC's came into existence.Through the years I've owned a wide range of notebooks from luggables, desktop replacements, to travel companions (currently I own a couple of 12" touch screen tablets and two HP 20" HDX media notebooks used as desktop replacements).I was ready for a new travel notebook and started to follow the evolving "Netbook" category.As in the past, I was faced with a substantial expenditure (several thousand dollars) to get one of the current higher end travel notebooks that would meet my general laptop requirements; a light, relatively powerful, good battery life and compact design.The evolving +/- $500 Netbook category piqued my curiosity and I started to read reviews and study the new product offerings including their upgradability potential, or lack thereof.

INTENDED USE:
In my experience, most air travelers use a laptop similar to myself, web browsing, email, and light office applications (word, excel, etc); or in other words the "Netbook" categories target market.

REQUIREMENTS:
On occasion I take long trips across the country (8 to 10 hour block to block) and I wanted my new purchase to provide a single charge that would last through that day's journey; no spare batteries or AC adapter in tow.A typical trip for me begins at the departure gate and firing up the notebook for a little catch-up computing while waiting for departure.Once airborne and settled in, I pull my notebook out for some on-board work.Upon arriving at my connection stop I either head to a travel lounge or the departure gate and get on-line once again.On the last flight leg, I'll generally pull out my notebook for some additional in-air use before getting to my destination.

My target requirements:
1.Light weight & Compact foot-print
2.Long battery life
3.10" - 12" screen size, 1024x600 minimum resolution and bright
4.Reasonable processing power for intended use
5.Windows XP Pro
6.2 GB of memory and a 320 GB 7200 rpm hard drive

MY NETBOOK SELECTION:
I purchased the "Samsung NC10" and I'M VERY IMPRESSED!I pre-ordered from Amazon.com and received the unit on 11/19/08.I settled on the white version since I'm not a fan of black keyboards which the NC10's blue and black color options sport.With the modifications discussed below, this little machine exceeds my overall expectations and is everything the various reviewers have analyzed and discussed to date.Most reviewers consider the keyboard on the NC10 the best in category, but since I'm not a touch typist that wasn't one of my hot buttons, however the key board is large, solid, and pleasant to use.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
The standard NC10 came closest to my purchase specs for light weight; it's under 3 lbs, long battery life; it seems Samsung's targeted 6 - 8 hours of battery life is doable (I've hit 6+ hours using disk, WiFi and toned down screen brightness). The 10.2" screen is very bright and clear with 1024x600 resolutions; it helps to auto-hide the taskbar to buy a little more screen real estate.The unit is very compact and like most Netbooks its projected area is smaller then an 8.5"x11" sheet of paper and the closed clamshell is 1" thick.The standard unit arrives with XP Home, 1 GB memory and a 160 GB 5400 rpm drive.The NC10 feels solid, build quality (inside and out) are excellent and out of the box the unit was responsive and fairly snappy.I have two WiFi access points in my home and the NC10's WiFi card picked both up with excellent reception and through-put; I also tried my Sprint USB broadband adapter with equally satisfactory results.

THE UPGRADES:
Like most engineering types; "If its not broke, take it apart and fix it anyway".I've read the reviews and knew the memory and hard disk could be easily be upgraded (given a little bit of prior experience and some hardware finesse).I went to my preferred parts supplier, Newegg, and purchased a 2GB stick of RAM for $32 and a 7200 rpm 320 GB disk drive for $100.I also picked-up a nice Netbook carrying case by Caselogic for $12 with my Amazon order.I used Apricon's EZ Upgrade Kit to image the units' standard 160 GB disk and then put it on the shelf as the failsafe backup.It took me about 10 minutes to take the unit apart and upgrade the components.I then prepared a Windows XP Pro DVD slipstreamed with SP3, repartitioned the disk, reinstalled the operating system and all the Samsung drivers and application software.Samsung did an excellent job of putting all the NC10's drivers and application software on their technical support web page.The overall result of these upgrades makes a noticeable improvement in overall performance.I'm very pleased with the final results for this tweaked, travel ready road machine (an example: standard boot time to WiFi connection is about 90 seconds, however I use hibernation on my notebooks and the machine will boot-up to WiFi connected status in 25 seconds).

NETBOOKS FUTURE:
I agree with many of the industry and media experts who have editorialized on the Netbook phenomena.Netbooks will continue to be a significant new growth segment in the overall notebook category.The manufactures have an interesting dilemma however; Netbooks will also continue to cut into sales of the higher margin, costlier tier of their notebook offerings.Feature creep is probably going to be the manufactures biggest marketing challenge; the temptation to seek product differentiation by adding larger screens, faster processors (central & graphics), more IO, etc.,all tending to increase price, size, weight, and cut into battery life.If you examine your real world use and expectations you may have the same epiphany I have had; these little Netbooks are excellent solutions vs. the more expensive traditional notebook offerings.With a couple of easy inexpensive tweaks, the "Samsung NC10" is a home run!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung NC10-14GBK 10.2 Inch Black Netbook - 6 Cell Battery

Product Description:
Small and incredibly functional, the Samsung NC10-14GBK netbook is a stylish alternative larger laptops when you want to stay connected and keep working but need to travel light. Weighing only 2.8 pounds, the NC10 netbook gives you the freedom to do that and more wherever you are. It incorporates a stunning 10.2-inch WSVGA SuperBright anti-glare screen and normal-size, ergonomic notebook-style keyboard that makes it easy to compose long documents on the go. And the NC10's ultra-durable Protect-o-Edge casing can easily withstand the stresses and strains of everyday life, making this netbook the ideal companion for a mobile lifestyle.
Designed especially for mobile devices, the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor uses a brand new design structure new hafnium-infused circuitry, which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors to conserve energy and gives you more time away from the wall outlet--up to 6 hours with the included 6-cell battery.


It boasts a range of advanced communications technologies, including an Atheros 54g wireless LAN (802.11b/g) for fast Internet access, a 10/100 Ethernet wired LAN and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR for connecting to peripherals such as your cell phone. It also includes an integrated digital motion camera, so it's easy to stay in touch using video-conferencing or live messaging. Other features include 1 GB or RAM, a 3-in-1 memory card reader, VGA output for external monitors, and three USB ports.


It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop.


Spec Check Processor
The Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and it uses just 2.5 watts of power--less than 1/10 of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor--for excellent battery management. This 1.6 GHz Atom N270 processor also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data).


Storage
This version of the Samsung NC10 comes with a 160 GB hard disk drive (5400 RPM), which offers enough to room to hold a an extra-large digital audio library of and still have room left over for movies, games, and a large collection of software. This Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to Firewire and USB 2.0.


Memory
The 1 GB of installed RAM can be expanded to a maximum of 2 GB of RAM,


Input
You won't have to make compromises to stay productive with the NC10 netbook. The 93-percent full-size keyboard makes it easy to type no matter where you are.


Screen, Video and Audio
The 10.2-inch screen has a WSVGA resolution (1024 x 600) and has a 220nit brightness rating. It also has an anti-glare finish for great viewing angles in all lighting conditions. Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 945, which uses shared video memory with the main memory.


This notebook includes an integrated audio card with Microsoft DirectSound compatibility, and it includes two stereo speakers (1.5 watts apiece for a total of 3 watts of power).


Connectivity
This Samsung NC10 notebook has an integrated 54g wireless LAN (Atheros) that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks--great for surfing at home on the couch or connecting to the Internet at hotspots around town. The Bluetooth connectivity (version 2.0 + EDR) enables you to communicate and synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as PDAs and cell phones. It has a multi-in-one card reader that's compatible with three different types of memory cards--Secure Digital (SD), Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC), and MultiMediaCard (MMC)--for maximum flexibility. Here's the full list of ports and external connections:


DVD/CD Drive
Because of its size, the Samsung NC10 does not come with an integrated optical drive, but optional CD/DVD read/write drives can be connected to the laptop via one of the three USB ports, enabling you to create your music mixes, burn movies to DVD, and more.


What's in the Box
This package contains the Samsung NC10 netbook PC, rechargeable 6-cell lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a limited warranty for parts and labor for one year from date of purchase.

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Memorex High Performance AA Alkaline Batteries, 50 Pack Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)At 30 cents a piece (=60 cents a pair), these Memorex batteries are good alkaline batteries.However, don't expect to use them in digital cameras, as they won't last long.For digital cameras that take AA you should use NiMH rechargeable batteries.The Memorex is great for other electronics such as CD players, MP3 players, portable radios, etc.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Memorex High Performance AA Alkaline Batteries, 50 Pack

Product Description:
Memorex high quality alkaline batteries designed to provide dependable power for your portable electronic and digital devices / 50 Pack of AA

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Patriot Duplicator 32 GB SDHC Class 4 Flash Memory Card with Auto Back-up PD32GSDHC4 Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)So far the two "Patriot Duplicator 8gb SDHCclass 6" chips are working great with my Panasonic FZ18 camera and iMac . I can't review the duplication software which was lost when I formated the chips in camera. I didn't want or need it . I plan to send in for the $[...] rebate (limit one per address).With free shipping this deal can't be beat!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Patriot Duplicator 32 GB SDHC Class 4 Flash Memory Card with Auto Back-up PD32GSDHC4

Product Description:
The Patriot Duplicator a is Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC)ash memory card with easy-to-use, sophisticated auto-backup software. Just insert the SD card in the netbook, laptop or PC and choose a few basic options in the easy-to-use set-up process. Instantly start backing up valuable data such as photos, presentations, videos, music and more. Best of all, Patriot Duplicator requires no installation on the laptop or PC; it runs exclusively from the SDHC card. Never worry about losingles due to hard drive failures. Patriot Dupicator has you covered.

Get 10% OFF

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Samsung LN40A450 40-Inch 720p LCD HDTV Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am updating this review after one month, as my knowledge about the product has increased. Basically I think it offers one of the best picture quality available at under $1K. The features that in my opinion set this TV appart are: outstanding HD picture and black levels, anti-glare coating, 3 HDMI inputs, great picture adjustment controls and swivel stand. On the minus side, the sound is tiny and the speakers are prone to vibration if you turn the bass higher. It's not a real concern for me, since I use external speakers anyway. Also, with some older material (not re-mastered) the picture may look a bit grainy. Perhaps not the best choice if you're viewing mostly SD programming.

Here is the original review, with a few minor adjustments:

Colours are deep, rich and accurate when fed a good quality signal through an HDMI or DVI connection. Even dark scenes are beautiful: deep black levels and excellent contrast are better than many plasma TVs. The screen backlight is uniform.There is no noticeable glare from the screen, although the glossy black bezel will show some reflections.

HD material looks excellent. Vibrant colours and outstanding detail give a perception of depths that is very pleasing, especially when watching HD sports channels. I found that component cables provided from my cable company did not work nearly as well. With HDMI/DVI the picture looks much better than it did in the store. I tried three different cables and I settled for a Monster 300 HDMI cable (rated 1080i) which in my opinion works well for this TV and is probably worth the extra few dollars as opposed to lesser brand names.

The Samsung A450 does a good job with high quality SD material and some channels look much better than a CRT of comparable size. There are no banding issues or artifacts that I notice, except to say that old SD material tends to look blurry on a 40 inch set vs the typical 27 inch CRT, which is to be expected. Feeding the signal through an upconverting DVD player seemed to help a bit in this regard. You can also use the upconvert setting on your cable box, but I found it more useful to set it on Auto-DVI.

The 720/1080i display is adequate for this size TV and in HD the picture looks as sharp as I'd ever want. In fact, I set up my cable box to 1080i, rather than the slightly sharper 720p. To my eyes, this resolution seems to give a more natural picture.

The design is quite attractive and the swivel stand is very handy if you put the TV on a stand, rather than hanging it on the wall. These TV's really have only a +- 30 degrees viewing angle before colours start to fade and while this model does better than others that I saw in the store, the swivel feature is a definite plus.

User menus are friendly and provide a vast array of options for picture adjustment. You can store three custom settings for each input (for viewing in bright/normal/dark room). The factory setting are quite good for standard cable TV viewing, but I found that different sources do require adjustment and you will be happy with all the controls that this set provides. One adjustment that CNET recommends is Picture:Picture options: Film mode: auto (rather than off), which should engage the 3:2 pull down for optimum viewing of film based material.

With a picture so sharp and clear, some lower quality material shot in low light (such as concerts and movies) may appear a bit grainy. While the digital noise reduction is largely ineffective, reducing sharpness all the way to zero (if necessary) effectivelly cleans the picture with minimal loss of detail. This is also recommended by CNET for the movie setting. However, someTV's fair better in this regard (for example the PN50A450, which I also own, has excellent noise reduction and even with the larger size, SD channels look better. However, the HD material is sharper and the blacks are deeper on the LN40A450). If you plan to use cable TV, the SA 4250HD box gives a better SD picture than the older 3250, so I would recommend it.

DNIe seems more of an experimental technology at this point. I found it more useful on the larger plasma, and I almost never use it in this LCF. It is mostly useful for sports, giving exceptional sharp and bright picture but at the expense of colour accuracy (especially for the green colour). A little fiddling with the green/red balance (about 10% towards red) will produce a more natural effect. For the standard/movie settings, where colour accuracy is the main consideration and sharpness not as important, DNIe is disabled. All in all, with so many adjustment options, in the quest for that perfect picture, you will, at first, find yourself reaching for the remote control more often than you really want, which is why having three custom setting per input is so useful - a feature that most TV's in this price range lack.

Set-up is easy. The set is quite light (40 pounds) and can be handled by just one person. Once plugged in, it will find all available channels and external sources. You can customize the names for each source, which makes it easier to identify them.

Motion blur doesn't seem to be a problem with this set, at least so far. There was only one instance that I noticed and re-booting the STB eliminated the problem.However, plasma TV's still seem to have the edge here (at least on paper), but I decided to go with LCD, since I like the extra brightness and colour definition that it offers and black levels and contrast are excellent and comparable to the Panasonic TH42PX80 for example. Since I looked at this Panasonic set in detail, I can add that the colour accuracy on the Samsung is better. This is even more important since the Panasonic lacks some of the picture adjustment options. In the trade-off however, you give up a couple of inches of screen size and perhaps a higher quality cabinet.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung LN40A450 40 Inch 720p LCD HDTV

Product Description:
With the SAMSUNG LN40A450 LCD TV, seeing clearly is never a problem. A 10,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio delivers crisp, high-definition images you have to see to believe. Action-packed movies and sports events are more lifelike than ever before with a 6ms fast response time, eliminating motion blur. You'll always enjoy total picture perfection with a SAMSUNG high-definition LCD TV.

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Pioneer Premier AVIC-F90BT Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've been really on the fence with this system. I love all the selling points of a GPS, MP3, Bluetooth and DVD, but it has some really disappointing downsides.

I go back and forth on whether or not I should take the system back and just have my factory stereo put back in (but who can go back when you've had something like this?). Sometimes I'm so incredibly frustrated and other times, I just simply love this system. I wish I could have researched it more, but I got it when it was brand new so no one had any reviews up. So here's the long of it (and YES I have the most recent firmware update):

-GPS works great expect for the orientation of the screen (if you are going south, the arrow points down... going north, arrow points out - can be very disorienting). I love being able to type in an address and have your system not only direct you, but having several options being directed (knowing the speed limit of where you are, approximate time to destination and/or next step, etc).

-DVD function works well too. Technically you have to have the parking brake on to have it work, but its a simple connector issue you can easily bypass. I take a lot of roadtrips with friends and my boyfriend, so I had it bypassed. It is incredibly dangerous to have it bypassed and a lot of places won't even bypass it for you, so use your best judgment.

-MP3, for some reason the place I got this thing installed told me I had to buy a connector to get it to work with an ipod. I thought it would work with the usb/ipod connector I bought at apple, but apparently not. Or they were just trying to rip me off ($75 they said, I said sell it to me for $20 or I was just going to return the whole damn thing completely). I love the MP3 player. It could be more accessible having the controls on the LEFT side of the screen rather than the RIGHT side. Plus, it operates with the standard ipod controls and menus, which are limiting at times. But it shows album cover art and if you have an ipod video, it plays your vids.

-Bluetooth has been touch and go for me lately. At first it totally worked with my LG enV. Tonight it wouldn't connect at all. Not sure if its a phone issue or a unit issue. But the sound is clear, people can hear you well and it saves your contacts. The bad thing is, because its touch screen, your finger might wrongfully choose a contact and before you know it, you are calling the wrong person. Sometimes the hangup glitches and I've experienced a few times where it wouldn't even call even when it was connected. Really annoying. I hope a fireware update fixes these bugs.

Other things...
Since I have a Mazda 3, they had to remove my clock because the double dec got in the way. Well, the lack of clear and readable clocks drives me nuts. I absolutely can't stand how small and unreadable the clock is either when its in audio mode or map mode. HATE IT.

Start up is slow, I have yet to try turning off the VC but I will. Still, 20 seconds even after you fix the default setting? Lame! You have no idea how much you miss your music when getting your journey started. Its a long time!

The touch screen is sometimes really finicky. If there is a bug or a glitch, the system can lag when you touch a button. Or sometimes you have to be really careful with how precise your aim is for a button.

The radio preset is really annoying. Again, why have the buttons on the RIGHT side of the console? So weird and awkward.

I feel like this system would really benefit from a remote controller. My arm is so tired from pressing so many things.

I wish the unit focused more on the audio and even the presentation. Its so bland and boring when its rife with cool possibilities like a screen saver with a clock on it (please... next firmware update have a BIGGER CLOCK accessible!! I'm dying here!). I'm really looking forward to the next update, but I'm worried it won't satisfy its deficiencies. When you spend this much on a fully loaded system, I know it won't be perfect, but some things are just really difficult to deal with. If I can really get the start up time down to 5 seconds, I'll be a really happy camper and just glue a clock to my dash.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Pioneer Premier AVIC-F90BT

Product Description:
No more hassling with map discs. Now you don't have to worry about discs being misplaced, damaged, lost, or stolen because we've done away with them for the F-Series navigation line. We've taken the entire TeleAtlas Database that was previously on the two-DVD set, compressed it down, and stored it internally on flash memory.

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Bushnell Yardage Pro Laser Rangefinders Elite 1500 Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this Bushnell Elite 1500 Rangefinder to use for golf.It is similar to the Bushnell Pinseeker model and was just a little bit cheaper.I used this product today during a round of golf and found it to be very helpful and extremely accurate.Most of my playing partners were asking me to shoot their yardage for them after I had done so for myself.

It definitely takes the guesswork out of which club to choose and exactly how far you have to the pin.You can also shoot trees and other landmarks such as bunkers to give you an idea of which clubs to hit to avoid that trouble.

I would highly recommend this for any golfer or hunter who needs to find out exactly how far they are away from a particular target.The value is unbeatable.Amazon has the cheapest prices by far!!

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Product Description:
Yardage Pro Lasr Rangfinder Trophy Elite 1500

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Lenovo ThinkPad SL510 Notebook (28479UU) Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I recently acquired a slightly upgraded version of this laptop and I have to say, I am highly impressed with the Lenovo quality. And I'm an IT guy.

For those that don't know, Lenovo (a Chinese company) purchased the PC business from IBM, including the product names (one with business clout is the ThinkPad line).

When it comes to building a robust machine that's capable of taking the kind of beating a business professional doles out on a machine, the ThinkPad line always stood for high quality and high expectations. Thankfully those expectations continue to be met by Lenovo in the ThinkPad line.

Pros mostly unique to Lenovo's systems:

Powered USB port; you can plug in any device that can be charged via USB into the computer (the yellow USB port) and it will charge even if the laptop is powered off. You won't need to pack every wall wart with you when you travel anymore!
Textured touch pad; when you're working in darker locations, this helps you easily locate the touchpad
Fn and Ctrl keys can be swapped via the BIOS; Lenovo has positioned the Fn key used to switch to external displays, change screen brightness and so on, where you'd normally find the CTRL key on the left part of the keyboard so you can swap the function of the two keys in the BIOS
Robust recovery options
Useful bundled software; password vault used to store passwords in an encrypted file, connection manager makes connecting to wired and wireless networks easier, excellent power control (let's you see a ton of info that straight Windows 7 doesn't show, such as how much power the machine is currently using)
LED light on screen to illuminate the keyboard (though there is a con; see below)
ThinkVantage button; press the button during boot up and it takes you to system restore which can restore files, just the OS or completely reset the system to it's factory installed configuration (which nukes local files, so backup before running that option if you have files you don't want to lose!). You can also access driver updates for your machine directly from Lenovo with this button as well (yeah, like I said, I'm an IT guy!)
Bundled software. Being an IT guy I HATE most company's bundled software. Not so with Lenovo, as everything on this machine, with few exceptions, is worth keeping and using.
USA based support. Purchase a Dell, speak to someone in India. Purchase a Lenovo ThinkPad, speak to someone in Atlanta, Georgia. And no, I'm not dismissing the capability of India based support, but we all know it is sometimes difficult to understand Indian speakers.

Cons:

The textured touchpad, when used for extended periods, may make your finger uncomfortable
The LED light for keyboard illumination works, but not nearly was well as the backlit Dell keyboards
As configured this system is Windows 7 32 bit; I recommend 64 bit only these days especially if you ever want to upgrade past 4 GB of RAM (something else I'd recommend). If you want Win7 64 bit, you can purchase the 64 bit restore CDs from Lenovo's customer service (WHICH IS USA BASED!) for ~$50.
2 GB RAM is adequate but should be 4 GB at least for a Win 7 machine to really shine
Case design. One thing that never seems to change from ThinkPad model to ThinkPad model is the design of the laptop itself; a ThinkPad LOOKS like a ThinkPad, even if it was built 5 years ago. This is good or bad, depending on what you're looking for.

Working where I do, I have the luxury of directly comparing this Lenovo laptop w/ the Dell E-series. When comparing the 2 side by side, it's amazing how much better built the ThinkPad is. Sound quality from the speakers on the ThinkPad is so much nicer than the Dell E6410. The screen is brighter and cleared. The E6410, if dropped on a corner of the laptop, would be shattered and destroyed. The ThinkPad? Maybe pop the bezel back in place and you're back up and running.

And let's talk about heat dissipation. If you plan on using your laptop as a LAPtop, don't even consider the Dell E-series. It is scorcher. You will sweat with it on your lap. And don't even think about leaving it running on a table with varnish. It WILL melt the varnish if left to sit long enough. Always put it on a place mat or something else. Then you have this ThinkPad. I've left it running diagnostics over night, on a table and guess what? It was STILL cool to the touch. There is a very slight warmth but not something you'll notice in general use.

Overall I feel Lenovo builds a vastly superior product for business users than the other 2 of the big three (Dell, HP and Lenovo). Neither of the other manufacturer's laptops have the feel of a high build quality and design. They are OK, but if you're looking for the perfect business laptop to travel around with you, and not just pretty eye candy to show off your prestige, buy the ThinkPad, even at a slightly higher price point than Dell or HP. You will appreciate it in the long run, as this is a machine that will last for a couple years longer than your warranty runs, unlike the Dell and HPs of the same class. And a Dell you'll be lucky to have last more than 3 years.

Even using my company's Dell employee purchase plan and the higher discount it affords, I chose a Lenovo and will do so for as long as Lenovo continues to build one of the best designed, robust and well thought out laptops for business users.

Highly recommended (the ThinkPad line, not necessarily this build). For this particular laptop, call Lenovo and spend $50 on the Windows 7 64 bit restore discs.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Lenovo ThinkPad SL510 Notebook (28479UU)

Product Description:
TOPSELLER T410 I5-520M 250GB SYST2GB DVDRW 14.1-WXGAW7P CAM

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Panasonic SC-PT770 1000W 5DVD 5.1 Channel Home Theater System with Built-in iPod dock and front-to-rear-Wireless Rear Speakers Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pros: Attractive design, easy set up, good sound quality (for the most part).

Cons: Unintuitive setup and menus, intermittent cut out from the rear wireless speakers, poor picture quality from the DVD player.Also, I have yet to be able to watch a movie on the DVD player without the picture freezing for a split second every two to three seconds.It's very distracting and disappointing after spending this amount on a new DLP television and home theater system.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic SC-PT770 1000W 5DVD 5.1 Channel Home Theater System with Built-in iPod dock and front-to-rear-Wireless Rear Speakers

Product Description:
With Panasonic, you can choose from 3 different types of Home Theaters that match your preference and room. Panasonic SC-PT770 Overview; High Quality Sound: The SC-PT770 uses front and center Bamboo Cone Speakers and a Kelton Subwoofer for crisp, clear mid- and high-frequency ranges and powerful, deep bass. A rigid, low-density bamboo material used in the fron and center speaker's cones helps achieve a clean, responseive sound. Vocals are pure and clear and dialog is crisp and easy to understand. The Kelton Type Subwoofer has an internal structure that is divided into two completely sealed spaces. The drive unit that is mounted to the space in the back causes the air in the front space to vibrate. This causes and Acoustic Filter effect in the front space to absorb unwanted noise while also vibrating the Passive Radiators. This achieves highly robust, reverberating bass sounds. Built-in Dolby Digital and DTS Decoder renders movie-theater-like sound while Home Theater Mode produces a total ouput power of 1000W of High Clarity Sound.Easy to Use: The built-in Universal Dock for iPod gives you a great new way to enjoy music and video3. Just slip your iPod into the cradle and enjoy. The dock charges your iPod , allows you to use the home theater remote to control the iPod , has on-screen audio menus, and also plays back iPod video. The SC-PT770 includes the front to rear wireless speakers, and a High Speed 5-DVD/CD changer with Multi-format Plaback: DVD-Video, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD-R, +R, +RW, CD, CD-R/RW, Video CD, SVCD, WMA, MP3, and JPEG. Environmentally Friendly: Add to this feature set a Smart Setup mode with Auto Speaker Setup and and Energy Star compliance, Low Power consumption for Stand-by (0.1W), and you have an ideal Home Theater solution.

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Acer Aspire w/ Intel Core i5-430M and a 500GB HDD Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The 6491 configuration of Acer's AS5740 boasts Intel's new Core i5 processor, and a quick review of the spec sheet reveals that this configuration is amazingly "tricked out" for the price.For those wondering, the "Gemstone" blue color is very dark, almost black.
I'm extremely pleased with the notebook, but offer the following for those who may be considering this purchase.Note that I actually ordered a replacement from J&R because of the following concerns, but will ultimately be keeping the original.
First, you'll need to live with the fact that the speakers are simply no good in the AS5740s.They'll pass at low volume, and are OK for general computing, i.e. Windows system sounds, but for music and movies -- not so good.At increased volumes they vibrate a bit, and the different settings available, i.e Dolby, Surround, etc., just change the sound without really improving it.I thought I had a dud machine with bad speakers, but the replacement was just as bad, and other reviews point to the speakers as one of the few criticisms.If you plan to use this as a mobile media player, then you may not be satisfied.Again, for general use, it's OK.
Second, as with many of the newer energy saving hard drives, the HD in the AS5740s (in my case a Western Digital Scorpio 500G drive) frequently parks its heads - causing a noticeable click (or tink) that was driving me absolutely crazy.I would describe the sound as kind of like a camera shutter, and at first I thought it was a Windows system sound -- perhaps the Internet Explorer "Start Navigation" sound, i.e. the click you get when you move to a new web page.I muted all Windows sounds and it was still there, so I knew it was mechanical.When the replacement machine made the same sound, I researched the issue and found that it was indeed the heads parking -- a common complaint with many different brands of hard drives these days.
It's a power-saving feature that can be modified with any Hard Drive management software.I tried a program called Drive Power Manager (drivepowermanager dot com) and adjusted the settings to high performance 254 and disabled the standby mode, and now the HD is quiet as a mouse.In effect, you just need to keep the HD working so it doesn't constantly park.And you can always go back to the power-saving settings if you wish, or if the sound does not bother you (unlikely).
So, bottom line, I'm keeping the original machine, sending the replacement back to J&R (who were wonderful throughout), and rate the AS5740-6491 with 5 stars, notwithstanding its less than impressive speakers.The other features more than make up for that shortcoming.

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Product Description:
Enjoy multimedia brilliance with the Acer Aspire AS5740-6491 Notebook PC showcasing a vivid 15.6" HD widescreen CineCrystal™ LCD display, Intel Core™ i5 performance and Dolby Home Theater® cinema-style surround sound. Add to that digital media features, Bluetooth® Technology, convenient quick keys and unprecedented connectivity making it easy to multitask, get creative and enjoy your favorite entertainment at home or on the road.

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HP Pavilion dm4-1060us 14.1-Inch Laptop Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I just got this notebook to send off to college with my daughter. I've been in the computer business for over 35 years, and this is one of the best PC notebooks I've ever had (I'd give it 5 stars, but it is not a Mac Book - my daughter prefers Windows).

But I have owned a bunch of PC notebooks over the years, including several other HPs, and this is the best PC notebook I've ever owned - a really excellent mix of size, performance, and style. Aside from its technical specs, it really is attractive for a notebook - way to go HP design team!

My daughter is very fussy about keyboards and trackpads, and to win her approval is a huge endorsement. I've been watching the ads for PC notebooks knowing college starts this fall, and this HP dm4 really caught my eye. I'd been considering the 8 hour ASUS machines, but this 6 hour HP was enough better in other specs to seal the deal. For a PC, the claimed 6+ hours (over 4 in reality) is way better than almost any other PC notebook (although Mac Books are much better).

Compared to most other PC notebooks, this one wins because: very light (other reviews say it is one of the very lightest 14" notebooks), fast (Intel i5 mobile, not just an i3), 4Gigs RAM, 500Gig hard drive (and 7200rpm, not 5400!), fingerprint scanner (and it really works well and seamlessly - encourages good security), bluetooth, WiFi N, HDMI + VGA, eSATA, Windows 7 64-bit, great battery life, great size and weight. Just right mix. (Just a note - it uses shared graphics, just fine for anyone except hard core gamers - probably improves battery life.)

SUMMARY: A great balance of price, performance, and style. Should easily last four years of college.

PROS: Size, weight, style, CPU performance, fingerprint scanner, memory

CONS: screen size (beautiful LED display, but at 768 pixels high, a bit low - wish it were 900), really loaded with crapware (but that is typical of almost any PC notebook today, especially HP - check out pc decrapifier)

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Pavilion dm4-1060us 14.1 Inch Laptop

Product Description:
Count on a thin, lightweight laptop that has everything you need and want. The HP Pavilion dm4-1060us Notebook PC delivers exceptional performance from the inside out. Manage your passwords, access online accounts and secure files easily using the integrated fingerprint reader and exclusive HP SimplePass software. With a battery that lasts up to 6.5 hours per charge, you can forget about plugging in your HP laptop all the time. This stylish notebook PC also has a durable metal chassis finished in brushed aluminum with the stream design in argento.Have fun wherever you go, whether it's around the house, across town or on the road. The HP Pavilion dm4-1060us Notebook PC is designed for how you live. Watch DVDs using the built-in optical drive and 14-inch diagonal High-Definition LED display. Integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® help you connect and sync your HP laptop to a printer, MP3 player or smartphone without using cables. Video chat in low-light environments using the HP webcam, plus transfer photos from a digital camera to your notebook PC using the digital media reader.

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