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SimpleTech by Hitachi SimpleDrive 500 GB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive SP-U35/500 (designed by Pininfarina) Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)A while back I got a great deal on this 500GB hard drive (not at Amazon). The drive is very sleek and comes in cool colors. I have the black unit and matches in well with the rest of my PC and A/V components. I use this drive as an external archiving device for my Dish Network (DN) ViP622 HD receiver. Recently, DN has enabled this feature on their ViPs. I was coming close to filling up the DVR and this simple and painless upgrade has been awesome. The receiver detected the SimpleTech with ease, formated the drive in 2 minutes, and from that point on I have about 490 GB worth of extra DVR space. Playing archived video either in SD or HD format is no different vs. playing direct from the receiver. Outstanding quality/no complaints! This drive comes in 750GB and 1TB capacities and should be a worthy upgrade for PC/Mac backup as well. FYI, There is another variation of this unit with also a FireWire port.

Click Here to see more reviews about: SimpleTech by Hitachi SimpleDrive 500 GB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive SP-U35/500 (designed by Pininfarina)

Product Description:
Thanks to the sleek, low-profile styling by famed Italian car designer Pininfarina, the SimpleDrive Desktop USB 2.0 External Hard Drive isn't just another external hard drive. The recipient of the same magic design touch and attention to fine details that helped turn Ferrari and Maserati into icons of the automotive world, the SimpleDrive Desktop will help turn your work space into a virtual art display while offering you up to 500 GB of backup storage for your computer files.
The SimpleTech® SimpleDrive^TM offers:

The SimpleDrive was designed Pininfarina of Ferrari fame. View larger. Ferrari-Inspired Low-Profile Design for your Desk
Get used to the staring when your colleagues visit your desk. This compact and elegant onyx black drive is as much a piece of fine art as a piece of robust hardware. But don't let the looks fool you. Beneath its cool and sleek exterior is a robust, high-capacity, single-drive solution that gives you the ability to store and backup tons of music, videos, photos and documents in a small footprint.
Featuring plug and play simplicity, and Mac and PC compatibility, the SimpleDrive Desktop features a hi-speed USB 2.0 interface for fast transfer of data at up to a 480 Mb/sec data transfer rate. Whether you want to increase the capacity of your desktop, or back up your valuable files quickly and securely, the SimpleDrive Desktop will perform for you with style. A built-in Kensington security lock lets you lock down your drive while you're away, and a built-in capacity meter keeps you abreast of your storage situation at all times.
Powerful Local and Online Backup Options
The SimpleDrive Desktop includes two backup options that will keep your mind at ease about your important data. With the included OneClick backup software, you have the option of either backing up and protecting all your files and folders, or selected ones, with a single click, or automatically. Either way, you'll have the peace of mind knowing your digital world is safe and protected.
But for the ultimate in protection, the SimpleDrive Desktop also offers the Fabrik Ultimate Backup solution that uploads your files to a secure, online server that will protect your data from real-world mishaps and offer near-real time protection without bogging down your computer. Fabrik's Ultimate Backup allows you to store up to 2 GB for free on one of its 448-bit encrypted servers, and for just a few dollars a month, you get unlimited capacity to securely store all of your important files and media collections offsite. Acting just like the drive's local backup software, you simply set Fabrik Ultimate Backup once, and it automatically and regularly backs up your content behind the scenes.


The capacity meter shows you how much space is left at a quick glance. View larger.

All backups, to the external drive or online service, are unobtrusive. Once your initial content has uploaded, the software performs incremental backups, so only the smallest amount of data that has been changed or modified in your files will be updated. (Although the SimpleDrive Desktop is both Mac and PC compatible, at this time the Fabrik Ultimate Backup solution is only available for Windows-based computers.)
To keep your content private and confidential, all files are encrypted with 128-bit SSL encryption while in transit, with an option for a private encryption key. Fabrik's offsite 448-bit Blowfish encrypted servers are housed by a Fortune 500 company, ensuring file protection, security and peace of mind. So no matter what happens to your drive--a curious toddler, a spilled drink or natural disaster--your irreplaceable photos, music, videos and files will be safe and secure both offsite and online.
The SimpleDrive Desktop measures a scant 1.50 x 8.25 x 5.0 (WxLxD), is backed by a 1-year warranty, and comes with free, unlimited technical support.
What's in the Box
3.5 SimpleDrive Desktop External Hard Drive with One-Click Backup Software, USB 2.0 Cable, AC Adapter, Resource CD, and Quick Install Guide.


The SimpleDrive comes in different storage capacities for every need.

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SimpleTech SP-U25/250L 250 GB Portable Hard Drive - Blue Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This drive is pre-formatted as NTFS (PS3 owners will need to reformat to FAT32 if they want to use it with the Playstation 3).

Transfer speed is very fast.

Simpletech advertises single click backup... well, if you use the enclosed backup software. There is no physical button on the drive, you click on the software backup button. A little misleading.
The software is O.K., but I uninstalled it. I am using it as drag-N-drop.

This unit powers from USB/USB 2.0 port. It will power and transfer data using 1 port, if you use the correct USB plug on the enclosed "Y" cable. Read the directions!

No need for a power adapter, but you can use one (not included).

This drive fits nicely in the CaseLogic Small External Hard Drive Case PHDC-1.

Click Here to see more reviews about: SimpleTech SP-U25/250L 250 GB Portable Hard Drive - Blue

Product Description:
Designed by Pininfarina, the very same design firm that gives Ferrari sports cars their stylish lines, SimpleDrive Portable hard drive is the easiest way to add fast, reliable storage to any desktop, laptop or notebook computer. With USB 2.0 setup is a snap and data transfer speeds up to 480Mb/second. StorageSync automatic backup software makes full or incremental backups fast and easy every time. And every SimpleDrive Portable hard drive comes with a free 2GB account on myfabrik.com so you can store, manage, and share your media online.

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6GB MicroSDHC Card with Adapter & Micromate USB 2.0 Reader / Writer Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I just got the new AT&T Tilt phone (great phone, I highly recommend it!) and of course the first accessory I ordered was this very sizeable microSD card. It's amazing how small memory is getting. It's a bit pricey right now, but hard to complain since this is the first 6GB microSD card out (at the time I'm writing this review at least!) It comes with 2 accessories, an SD card adapter and a neat USB plug that you can put the card and SD adapter into and then plug into an USB port. I first try the SD adpater with the card. I have two different card readers on my system and neither liked this adapter and gave me an I/O error. So I tried the USP adapter, that did work. Not a big deal for me, although a pain that I can't just plug it into the SD slots. Not sure if it's just an issue with my system, or this particular card, but it could be an issue if you really need to read the card in an SD slot alone. Otherwise, have had no issues with it so far, works great and I look forward to packing it full of music and video!

Click Here to see more reviews about: 6GB MicroSDHC Card with Adapter and Micromate USB 2.0 Reader / Writer

Product Description:
SanDisk is proud to announce our newest format and capacity to the SD card family: microSD High Capacity (microSDHC) 6GB flash card. Included as bonus is our new MicroMateTM SD/SDHC compatible, high-speed USB 2.0 Reader! This will help and ensure your transition from the microSD format to the microSDHC format for our cards and for compatible host devices. Also comes with a full size SD adapter to fit into devices with an SD slot. Not all devices support microSDHC 6 GB cards. Please contact your device manufacturer for details. To ensure compatibility, look for the microSDHC logo on the product or packaging of your new phone or PDA.

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Seagate 160 GB 2.5" External USB 2.0 Hard Drive ( ST9160821U2-RK ) Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this because the HD on my laptop was getting full, so i transfered most of what was on my harddrive to the external seagate drive, it comes with bounceback express software, that made it pretty easy to back up evrything i wanted to, i've had it for three months now and have accessed it numerous times and havent had a problem with it, my only complaint its a little thicker than my buddies firefly drive of the same capacity but for thr price i like mine better.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Seagate 160 GB 2.5 External USB 2.0 Hard Drive ( ST9160821U2-RK )

Product Description:
These beautifully compact drives take up very little space in your jacket pocket, briefcase, or on your desktop. And they weigh less than a pound. Enjoy easy storage and access of large digital music, photos, video, data and multimedia files both on-the-desk and on-the-go

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Panasonic Pro AG-HVX200A 3CCD P2/DVCPRO 1080i High Definition Camcorder with 13x Optical Zoom (16GB P2 Included) Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)We used this camera to shoot our short film and it proved to be awesome. The P2 cards were a little tricky to work with, but certainly less difficult and more portable than film; without the added expense of telecine.

For the cost, we could not have gotten this level of quality otherwise. I believe its got the depth of 16mm, plus it shoots in 24p. When we saw our final projection, we were just amazed.

Great cam for the money.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic Pro AG-HVX200A 3CCD P2/DVCPRO 1080i High Definition Camcorder with 13x Optical Zoom (16GB P2 Included)

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Sony Handycam HDR-SR8 - Camcorder - High Definition - widescreen - 3.2 Mpix - optical zoom: 10 x - supported memory: MS Duo, MS PRO Duo - HDD : 100 GB Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)12/21/2007
I ordered the camera from the SONY website and I JUST received it.I have barely spent an hour with it... but I thought I would throw something on here because there were no reviews.The SR8 is pretty much the same as the SR7 so you could get some good information on that review page...

The camera fits surprisingly small in my big hand.I turned on the camera and first I had to set the date and time... easy.

Then I pushed record and started filming.I did two short clips, took a few photos, and then hooked the camera up to my PC running Vista 64.The camera must be ON the docking station and you must use the USB cable that comes with the camera.One end of the USB cable is regular the other end is a small plug that goes into the docking station.The cord looks just like the one that connects the wireless game controller to the PS3 for charging.

Anyway, the docking station was plugged into the computer.Then I turned on the camera and the view screen came up with a list of choices.I chose the "computer" choice and then the PC recognized the HDR-SR8 hard drive and I was able to look at the photo and video files.The photos looked fine,and I dragged and dropped a video file over to the PC, however, I was not at first able to view the video on Windows Media Player until I selected the player as the choice for playback, then the video played perfectly. (The video will also play on the PC directly off of the camera.)

I plugged my thumb drive into my PC and created a folder called "video".I copied the video file from the camera, through the PC, to the new thumb drive folder.I took the thumb drive and plugged it into my PS3.The PS3 recognized the video folder and allowed the video files to play on my 73" HDTV.

The video played full screen and was good, MUCH better than a regular camera's video, but NOT the quality I had expected.I flipped through the manual and found that I didn't have the camera set at the highest quality, "xp".I changed the setting on the camera and shot another clip.I repeated the thumb drive process and watched the video on the HDTV.The quality was bit better, but the video file was about two times the size of the first one.

I was expecting more amazing clarity, but during all my research on the SR7 before purchasing the camera, I did read where a lot of folks said the indoor quality was where the camera was weakest.SO, when I get home from work today I will start with some outdoor video and let you know how that goes...

I did take a few more pictures while filming video, and they were not very good due to the lighting.I also took a few when the video filming was turned off and the flash automatically went off and those pictures were great.

I got a copy of Sony Vegas Pro 8, and will try that for editing on my Vista 64 and see what happens. I have a PC with XP set up on it and will default to that if 64 bit doesn't work...

I also read in the manual that the charging cord can be plugged directly into the camera, bypassing the docking cradle.I hadn't read that in my research, although the docking cradle is very low profile.12/21/2007
I recorded outdoor video at highest quality and played it back off of my thumb drive through the PS3 and it looked GREAT!Much better than what I got from indoor video.

Somewhat confused with Vegas Pro 8, have a lot of work to do yet to even get a playable output..12/22/2007
Vegas Pro 8 is running fine on Vista 64.The program is complicated and can do a lot more than I even understand at this time.There are a lot of choices for "rendering" video, which means how you want it to end up:avi, mpeg, mt2, etc., and then each extension has a lot of choices that go with it!I don't even know what a lot of the choices mean or are...I have a lot of learning to do, but it appears that rendering video takes about as long as the video clip is in length.

While the video does play straight off of the camera with Windows Media Player, you must choose another extension while editing with Vegas for your final product.I don't know what I am doing so this is just the results of my experimentation:

----The original 1:21 minute HDR-SR8 video clip = MTS @ 156 MB opened with Media Player

----Rendered to:MPEG2 HD @ 254 MB, opened with Media Player Classic
----Rendered to:WMV HD @ 81.9 MB, opened with Media Player
----Rendered to:AVI Uncompressed low quality @ 3.14 GB, Media Player (yes, Gigabytes!)

The MPEG2 and WMV look very HD on my 30 inch Apple monitor with no discernable difference from the original MTS.The AVI looks like the old video we are used to, but I can't believe how large the file was, maybe has something to do with the "uncompressed" part... I still have a lot to figure out.The WMV file is a lot smaller and looks great, but I don't know if that is the one to use for editing and saving or not.. confusing.

I plan on trying the three renders I created with my PS3 and try to make a DVD of them for a regular DVD player.. we will see.

I was able to use Vegas Pro 8 to manipulate video also.I "trimmed" and added one transition that worked for a short time and then I got confused and closed the whole program in annoyance.But it is good news that it is working with Vista 64.I know that it is NOT a 64 bit version of Vegas, but Vegas seems to be able to take advantage of some of the abilities of my PC... I have a quad core pc, a high end video card, and 4 gig of RAM, and for the first time since I got the computer, all four cores of processing power were slammed up to 100% during rendering of HD, and the RAM went up to 3 gig! For the AVI it wasn't stressed at all.

12/23/07
I tried to create a DVD with Windows DVD Maker with all four of the above formats on it, but only the AVI and the WMV HD were accepted by DVD Maker.I first tried the DVD on a regular DVD player hooked up to a 30" HD television.They both played, and there was a BIG difference between the lower quality AVI and the WMV HD.They both also played on the PS3 as well.

The MTS and the MPEG2 wouldn't go on the DVD with Windows DVD Maker.So we watched the two that did go on the DVD, the AVI and WMV, and then compared them to the MTS and the MPEG2 that wouldn't go on the DVD but played with my thumb drive on my 73" HDTV through the PS3.The MTS and the MPEG2 were WAYYY better than the AVI or WMV.

It is hard to tell the difference between the MTS, MPEG2, and WMV on my 30 inch Apple monitor, but on the 73" HDTV and PS3 the MTS and MPEG2 are perfect and seem identical.

All videos play great with no stuttering on my Vista 64 bit quad core, but on my other, older PC with XP, the higher quality videos stutter a lot, and for some reason the MTS won't play with the same version Windows Media Player 11 that I have on the Vista Computer.The AVI file plays fine on the XP machine, but it is not great quality.

So, based on my fooling around and not knowing a darn thing to start with, and still not knowing much, it looks so far like the MTS video that is taken with the HDR-SR8 looks best on my Mitsubishi 73" and PS3 when rendered in "MPEG2 HDV 1080-60i" on Vegas Pro 8.But then of course, I am wondering what is the best format to save in for future years and technological changes...

12/24/2007
I found out that I can copy video from my thumb drive to my PS3's hard drive by using the green triangle on the game controller.But I want to be able to transfer video from my computer where I manipulate video and photos.I decided I would like to have an external hard drive hooked up to my PS3 that I could take and hook up to my computer whenever I wanted.However, I quickly found out that ONLY FAT32 partitioned hard drives will work with the PS3.That was a problem for awhile as the PCs would only format in NTSF.After much searching I found a program that will allow the formating of FAT32, "fat32format".I downloaded it and it worked.I copied my video, photos, and music onto it in "video", "photo", and "music" directories, and the PS3 recognized them and I am up and running!

12/26/207
I got married today!We did a very simple ceremony at the courthouse.I brought along the camera on the off chance someone would hold it and film whatever happened.

The ceremony took place in a small room and there was a tripod there where they would film us with a Video Tape Recorder if we wanted to pay $20 dollars.I asked them if I could just use our camera and they said, "Yes".So I quickly hooked up the camera and they said we would still have to pay the $20... but they were kidding, we didn't have to pay extra.

Anyway, the video is AMAZING!We will always be glad of the HD video we have of that short four minute ceremony.The ONLY mistake I made is that I also had purchased the Bluetooth remote microphone, DVR-DVD405, which I had only had a chance to try once.(It works GREAT and records the middle channel remotely on your subject while letting the sound around the camera fill in the other channels.) Anyway, I SHOULD have clipped it on my wife or I before the ceremony because the sound of the Justice of the Peace was about twice the volume of what we were... we could be heard fine, but I should have used the microphone... but, hey, I am glad I got what I got.

My wife's family was anxious to see the video so I spend a FEW HOURS and made two products.I screwed up several times doing it, so my time was a lot longer than an expert would have taken, and I probably accomplished VERY simple things... but this is what I did:...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony Handycam HDR-SR8 - Camcorder - High Definition - widescreen - 3.2 Mpix - optical zoom: 10 x - supported memory: MS Duo, MS PRO Duo - HDD : 100 GB

Product Description:
Capture up to 38 hours of your life's special moments in Full HD 1080p video. Use professional grade Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar Lens 10x optical/20x digital zoom to get the action close to you. Capture both video and still digital imagery at the same time without switching modes with the Dual Record Mode function. Eliminate blurring from unsteady hands with the Super SteadyShot(R) optical image stabilization system. Smear-free images can be yours with a 1/2.9" ClearVidT CMOS Sensor to enhance sensitivity, creating less image noise in low light, higher pixel still images and greater detail, even when recording standard definition video. The advanced, multi-layer optical coating system improves contrast, enhancing color, while reducing ghosting and flare by 80%. Anti-reflective technology allows more light to pass through, helping to create a sharper image.x.v.Color Compliant for fuller color range expression Scene Selection -Auto, Spotlight, Portrait, Landscape, Twilight, Twilight Portrait (Still images only), Candle, Sunrise & Sunset, Fireworks, Beach and Snow Color Viewfinder -0.69cm (0.27 Type) Wide 16 - 9 ratio Backlight Select -Normal / Bright Inputs & Outputs -Component Video, Multi AV (Video/S-Video/Audio), Interface Connector for cradle, External Microphone, Phone Jack, Remote (Stereo Mini/Mini), HDMI Terminal Type C mini and DC IN System Requirements -Intel Pentium 4 Processor 2.8GHz CPU or higher, DirectX 9.0c or later,. Net Framework 1.1, Direct Sound compatible sound card, 512MB RAM or more, Compatible video card, minimum 1024 x 768 dots, 16-bit high color, Windows 2000 Professional SP4 and Windows XP SP2 Dimensions -75 x 81 x 149mm including protrusions with supplied battery attached Weight -530 grams (1 pound, 2 ounces)

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Western Digital WDG1T5000N My Book Pro Edition 500 GB USB/Firewire Triple Interface External Hard Drive Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is my fifth My Book I've purchased in the past few months (and first triple interface Pro model).Haven't had any trouble with any of them. It's very fast and very quiet. And they look amazing when stacked next to each other! The Pro models features a plastic case (like the Essential model) and a rubberized edge (like the Premium model).I haven't tried the backup software that ships with it -- a previous drive I had backed up with Restrospect didn't restore fully when I my laptop crashed.I now opt to use the better Super Duper to clone my drives.

Just a couple notes.When formatted on Mac OS X, you end up with 465GB of storage (which is to be expected with any formatted drive).Also, the photos make out the drive to be iPod-like pearly white, which isn't correct.It's more like metallic plastic -- similar to the aluminum case of Powerbooks/Mac Book Pros.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Western Digital WDG1T5000N My Book Pro Edition 500 GB USB/Firewire Triple Interface External Hard Drive

Product Description:
Is your computer loaded with photos, music, video, and all sorts of important files? If so, you should make extra room, back them up, and keep them safe on Western Digital's My Book Pro Edition 500 GB External Hard Drive. This reliable, easy-to-use external hard drive is the perfect storage solution for all your precious digital assets. And because it's the pro edition, it includes three leading external hard drive interfaces (FireWire 800, FireWire 400, and USB 2.0) on one drive for maximum performance and universal connectivity.


The My Book Pro Edition's elegant case takes up very little space. View product presentation.
FireWire 800, FireWire 400, and USB 2.0 connectivity are provided. View larger.
You can also daisy chain two or more drives together for even more storage. Installation is a breeze because you don't really "install" anything -- just plug it in and it's ready to use. There is not even an installation CD because all the included software loads automatically from the hard drive the first time you plug it in. For cream-of-the-crop, high-speed performance, use My Book Pro Edition's FireWire 800 interface. However, if FireWire 800 isn't convenient, Western Digital has you covered -- the My Book Pro Edition hard drive is also compatible with USB 2.0 and FireWire 400. Best of all, you don't have to choose between one or the other because all three interfaces are built into every drive.
Western Digital provides powerful software with the drive -- EMC Retrospect Express -- that makes backing up your data as easy as possible. In addition to full system backup, the software also provides system recovery and encryption. With a few simple steps you can back up all your data files, or just save your picture and music files. You can also schedule routine backups so you don't have to worry about it ever again.
Built for ease of use, this drive is equipped with a capacity gauge that shows how much space is left on your drive. The My Book Pro Edition also includes intelligent drive management features. For example, the drive turns itself on and off with your computer, and Safe Shutdown prevents the drive from being powered down until all your data has been written.
Western Digital uses a smart design to make the My Book Pro Edition look as good as it performs. The elegant case resembles a book and takes up very little space on your desk. Plus, it stacks horizontally and allows two or more drives to nestle neatly together like encyclopedias on a shelf. Inside the stylish exterior is an exceptionally fast, ultra-quiet, cool-running hard drive.
My Book Pro Edition Hard Drives are ideal for:
Note: If you don't need as much storage space, Western Digital also offers a 250 GB version of the My Book Pro Edition.

What's in the Box
My Book Pro Edition 500 GB external hard drive, 9-pin to 9-pin FireWire 800 cable (6 feet), 6-pin to 6-pin FireWire 400 cable (6 feet), USB 2.0 certified cable (6 feet), AC adapter with power cord, software CD-ROM (EMC Retrospect Express), and quick install guide.

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Creative Zen Micro 6 GB MP3 Player Black Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)NOTE: this review is for the 5gb player. I wrote this lengthy review for that model, and it didn't show up and I can't re-submit it now. DARN thing! All the specs should be the same though.

I've been behind the times using the same portable CD player for the last 6 or 7 years... so this was really a BIG step up for me. Hopefully this review will be helpful if you have never owned an mp3 player before....
I have no idea how this compares to the ipod, but here is a list of the lesser known features of the zen micro:

PROS
+++ It tells you the number of tracks, albums & playlists uploaded. Total Mb & Mb remaining.
+++ FM radio.
+++ Removable battery & micro hard disc.
+++ If you're halfway through a song (or paused) & you shut it down (or it shuts down after being inactive for a while, IT RESUMES WHERE IT LEFT OFF in the middle of a song when your turn it back on again!! :-)
+++ You can change the idle shutdown time, backlight time, contrast, touchpad sensitivity, language (there are 15 languages installed!!)
+++ sleep timer
+++ You can personalise (configure) menus, much like with mobile phones.
+++ PLAY MODES: normal, repeat track, repeat all, shuffle, shuffle repeat & track once.
+++ You can find songs by albums, artists, genre, playlist
+++ DJ menu: album of the day, random play all, most popular & rarely heard tracks.
+++ There are 10 bookmarks, which I have absolutely no idea how to use, but it must be put onto this list anyway. ;-)
+++ 12/24hr time, alarm, calendar, date (several date formats and you can even choose between the following separators: space, dot, dash, slash)
+++ Variable microphone sensitivity.
+++ Organiser; tasks + contact lists. (synchronised with creative sync manager)
+++ Smart volume + Equaliser (numerous modes: Off, custom, acoustic, classical, disco, jazz, new age, pop, rock, or vocal)
+++ master reset.:-0
+++ track name, title & artist on LCD display.+ battery indication, and various other on-screen icons while a song is playing, such as EQ & repeat modes.
+++ Gives the length of a song as a bar graph so you can tell the progress of the song...
+++ A lot of stuff in the box: remote control, belt clip & cradle, pouch, usb cable, charger, earphones, software (easy enough to figure out).....
+++ Last but not least: a cool blue glow + white backlit screen!!!
+++ There ISN'T a one second delay between playing each song.
+++ My zen micro hasn't crashed on me yet (and I have been sucessful in crashing every computer product known to man, eg: my Ericsson T39m phone several times!)

CONS:
--- The touch pad can be annoying sometimes. So you either have to hold it by the edges when playing a song or put it on hold mode, otherwise your palm will set off a whole bunch of menus.
It's okay when you're using it though.

--- You can't hear any music while fast-forwarding through a song. I am used to being able to go by ear while doing this, but you can't do that with this thing. Maybe a future firmware upgrade will fix this issue? Please??! Creative???!!

--- I walked all around sydney and couldn't find this in *ANY* shop. So I had to buy it online. All the photos of the zen on the 'net are front on.... and I didn't realise until I opened the box that the back & sides of the zen micro were coloured WHITE!!! ARRRRGHHHH! I hate white! Aaaahhh well, I suppose I'll get used to it soon enough.

--- I find the lowest volume setting isn't all that low. I can still hear songs well in a fairly quiet room during the daytime. At 3:00am I think this might be just a tad louder than I would have liked. [This is with panasonic earbuds though]

--- You have to first aportion (partition) the HDD to be used as an extrenal flash drive. Available sizes are: 128, 256, 512Mb, 1, 2Gb. You should be able to just use whatever is available. This isn't a big problem though.

--- Earbuds are too thick for my ears. Wearing them is like stuffing a peanut lengthwise in your ear. It pulls your earlobes out.

--- There is practically zero information (on how to use the menus) in the instruction manual.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Creative Zen Micro 6 GB MP3 Player Black

Product Description:
The Zen Micro digital music player from Creative Labs packs an incredible 6GB of storage capacity into a shell small enough to sit comfortably in yourjeans pocket. It also rides nicely in your hand, with a palm-fitting profileand thumb-friendly front-panel controls. It's a bit shorter than an Apple iPodMini, yet its rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides 12 hours of continuousplayback--50 percent more than iPod Mini's. The Zen Micro is compatible notmerely with MP3s and WAV files, but with WMA as well. Toss in USB 2.0 connectivityand you're looking at one spiffy portable music player.


But playing isn't all the Zen Micro does. You can useit to receive FM radio (with 32 station presets to keep your favoritesat the ready), and to record, either from the radio or from live sourcessuch as voice dictation or lectures using the built-in condenser microphone.
Trimmed in a luminescent blue glow and with easily visible backlit buttons,this stylish orange player holds up to 1,500 songs (99 hours) at 128 kbpsor 3,000 songs (198 hours) at lower-fidelity 64 kbps (MP3/WMA)--that'sa solid week's worth of music listening, never playing the same song twice.Compatibility with Microsoft's WMA compressed-audio format grants accessto over 2 million downloadable songs offered promotionally or for saleonline.
Perhaps the Zen Micro's coolest attribute is its DJ feature, which willshuffle not only all the songs you've loaded or all the songs on a givenalbum, but also, at your discretion, only the tracks you listen to mostor the ones you rarely hear, taking the work out of selecting your favoritesor hunting out all the music you're still getting to know.
For navigation, the device featuresa vertical, linear touchpad designed to make searching through songs orplaylists easy, quick, and fun. The unit's blue, 160 x 104-pixel, electroluminescentLCD shows key functions and song details at a glance, and you can even customizethe main menu to keep right at your fingertips the features that mattermost to you.
Another of the Zen Micro's handy features is its personal organizer.You'll never forget an important anniversary with the onboard calendar,and it also includes a to-do list and a contacts list, all of which syncseamlessly with Microsoft Outlook (Outlook thus required for use of thesefeatures). Further, the device offers a sleep timer and alarm so you candrift off to sleep to the strains of one playlist and wake to a completelydifferent one.
The Zen Micro's removable battery is easy to swap with another fullycharged battery (additional batteries sold separately), extending yourlistening by a half-day per swap.



Zen Micro's rechargeable battery is easy to replace.





Zen Micro's Removable Disk mode lets you connectyour player to the computer and directly copy the files you need.



Vertical touch pad
No more going round in circles to find the song you want, we all knowthat the quickest distance between two points is a straight line. ZenMicro's vertical touch pad and touch sensitive controls are designed tobe intuitive so that searching through songs or playlists is easy, quickand fun - try taking a cruise down this strip.

Removable Disk
Store and transfer not only your favorite tunes, but importantdata files as well. Zen Micro's Removable Disk mode lets you connect yourplayer to the computer and directly copy the files you need.


Highest audio quality of any MP3 player
Zen MP3 players are renowned for their superior audio quality, and theZen Micro is no exception. With an outstanding industry leading 98dB signalto noise ratio, you can achieve audio bliss with clarity as good as expensivehi-fi systems. That coupled with high fidelity earphones with dynamicbass response, the Zen Micro not only sets a new standard for sheer style,but for unmatched audio perfection.


What's in the Box
The Zen Micro player, stereo earbud headphones, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, a USB 2.0 cable, an installation CD, a quick- start guide, and Creative MediaSource software.

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ASUS Eee PC 1002HA 10-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, 10 GB Eee Storage, XP Home) Brushed Aluminized Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Fantastic aesthetics; the aluminum construction makes everything else out there look cheap.I have tried most every netbook, I mean literally have purchased them and tried them and this is the one that I carry.I also own the Eee 1000H, which does have a slightly brighter screen, but I gave it to my wife...

The Elantech trackpad is of a multi-touch/multi-gesture design and it just plain works.The mouse button is a single rocker design with short travel and a definite but light click and it oozes quality.

The BIOS includes a "boot booster" function (tied to a itty-bitty hdd partition), which helps the computer to boot significantly faster than any other brand out there (all new ASUS models appear to have this).

The keyboard is large enough to make touch-typing easy and for me the weird right shift button placement is not an issue as I am a left shift person (it is proportional to the rest of the keyboard).

The palm-rest is just big enough to allow most people to actually rest their hands on it when typing, which is much more comfortable than the half-on / half-off method necessary for most netbooks (although the Eee 1000H is even more comfortable).

Battery life is about 3 to 3.25 hours.Not class leading for sure (Samsung wins here) BUT the battery fits flush to the bottom of the computer which keeps the ENTIRE computer nice and thin.Once you look at a couple of netbooks, you'll see why the big barrel shaped batteries they use generally ruin otherwise beautiful aesthetics.

Some people will not like the power cord, SD slot, monitor out, kensington lock slot and ethernet port being on the back as opposed to the sides, but I love it because everything is out of the way (esp if you choose to use an external mouse).

Speakers are very good, but the Eee 900HA and the Eee1000H (Dolby) are better.I use earphones though, so its a non-issue.

Haven't tried the webcam so I can't offer much except to say its there.

The bloatware is within reason and is easily removed.The recovery DVD includes a bootable Norton Ghost recovery image and also includes the individual drivers, which are accessible from windows (if you have an external DVD drive).

I swapped the 160GB 5400RPM Seagate drive for an 80GB Intel X25M SSD drive and i just couldn't be happier.It boots from power switch to ready to use in 40-45 seconds (fully software equipped), runs Office 2007, plays movies stutter free and surfs the Internet all without complaint or issue.I would not recommend to anyone to spend the $500-600 for the Intel SSD drive though.It is faster, but NOT that much faster and the machine felt plenty peppy before.

The charger is of the two cords and a brick design (like everybody else). Fortunately, you can hit the very popular auction site out there and purchase a new ASUS branded wall charger for an Eee 900 (the original 900), which has the exact same specs as the one that comes with this and saves probably 1/2 the space. All for $20-25.

Anyway, I highly recommend this model, it is the best out there right now.Below are my experiences with other models in its class.

The Samsung NC-10 is ok, but nothing special and certainly not (IMO) worth the extensive press it has gotten.It is not user friendly from an upgrade standpoint (i.e. no bottom access to the hdd) and the chrome trim detracts from an otherwise classy finish (I tried the blue model).The recovery software consists of discs, which, DO NOT restore it to its factory configuration. Battery life is crazy long (5 to 6 hours)

The MSI wind is perhaps the PERFECT size, but its horrible construction leaves me bewildered as to why it is so popular.The hinges are so weak that the screen literally shakes as you type.I googled for answers and found that it is a common problem for these machines.I packed mine up after 5 minutes and sent it back.I can't imagine trying to watch a movie on it while bouncing around on an airplane.

The ASUS Eee 900HA is a great machine and even better for my frequent travel than this one (its quite a bit more compact), but the 8.9" screen makes for lots of vertical and horizontal scrolling and the keys are just too small.It is beautiful though and the size vs. features vs. price absolutely beats everything else out there (the 1002HA included). But only if you can live with the small screen and keyboard.

The HP mini 1000 is fantastic in every way, but its storage is too limited when you opt for the built in flash memory and its WAY too slow when you opt for the 4200 rpm 60GB drive.Worse is the fact that they used a legacy PATA (ZIF) connection on the hard drive, which rules out the use of the ultra fast Intel X18M SSD hdd.Very poor thinking on the part of HP.This one could have been the best out there.

The Lenovo S10 is very business like and is built very well.I eagerly anticipated this.It is marred ONLY by its ridiculously loud CPU fan.On top of the fan noise, the computer constantly "throttles" the fan making it sound as if the computer is going to take off at any minute.Again, a google search of the reviews out there revealed that mine was not an isolated case.Shame too, cus this one is ultra nice and has Lenovo's business/professional looks and build quality to go with it.

The Acer Aspire One is a nice netbook. Its deficiency lies mainly in its size/shape and the nightmare it takes to upgrade even the memory.I had the 3-cell 120GB model and found that its size was perfect for carry, but lousy for typing as it was too thick to rest your hands on a flat surface comfortably while typing (forget the palm rest, its almost non-existent). If you can find a good typing position, the keyboard is very nice with great feedback and feel. A complete dis-assembly is required for upgrading either the memory or the hdd (as in it voids the warranty)and if you choose to anyway, you'll find that the memory can only be bumped up to 1.5GB as there is 512MB built in to the machine. The power source is a "brick" design like everyone else, but seems to be larger than the others.

Good luck if you are shopping for a netbook and Happy Holidays.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS Eee PC 1002HA 10 Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, 10 GB Eee Storage, XP Home) Brushed Aluminized

Product Description:
Netbook Eee PC 1002HA offers even more options to users for unique user experiences. Featuring up to 5 hours of battery life, built in high speed connectivity and exclusive 10GB file-encrypted Eee Storage with easy accessibility makes it the ideal traveling companion for outdoor activities. The large 10" display provides comfortable viewing, and a large keyboard makes for easier typing and relaxing usage. Built-in camera ensures users stay in touch with the important ones. User friendly XP pre-loaded. ZBD Guaranteed for best quality LCD. Content includes Eee PC, battery, AC Adapter, Sleeve Case, Manual and Recovery CD.

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Maxtor STM310004OTA3E5-RK OneTouch 4 Plus 1 TB 3.5" USB 2.0/FireWire400 External Hard Drive Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Several things I like about this drive: It is one solid terabyte, not several smaller drives inside of a single enclosure like many others (2 x 500GB). The 7200 RPM speed of the drive means it is fast. I can play music off of it through iTunes while it backs up my computer with no change in performance. Maxtor is now owned by Seagate which is known for manufacturing better hard drives than those made by Maxtor in its earlier days. The drive is basically silent and has a nice modern appearance (I have seen some pictures of an all black version that looks pretty tough). The price is very reasonable compared to other 1TB drives. Overall I am very happy with my purchase and I am considering getting a second one so I can have one dedicated to backup and the other for storage of music and photos.

I purchased this hard drive when upgrading to Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard to use with "Time Machine." Time Machine is a computer backup service built into the new Apple Macintosh operating system, which quietly backs up any changes on your computer hard drive every hour. The Maxtor One Touch 4 Plus 1 TB hard drive comes formatted for Windows and includes several hundred megabytes of software pre-installed for backing up your computer at the press of the lighted button on the front of the drive. The instructions tell Mac users to use the included CD to reformat the drive and install Maxtor's backup software for Macintosh. Since I planed to use the backup software built into Leopard, I never inserted the CD. I simply connected the drive to my computer via the hard drives single USB 2.0 mini port (it also has two firewire 400 ports) and my computer instantly recognized the drive. I used Disk Utility in the utilities folder to reformat the drive for Macintosh, removing all the Windows software, and I was good to go. Highly recommended.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Maxtor STM310004OTA3E5-RK OneTouch 4 Plus 1 TB 3.5 USB 2.0/FireWire400 External Hard Drive

Product Description:
The Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus solution is a full-featured backup and storage solution with Maxtor SafetyDrill for complete recovery of a hard drive's contents in case of a system crash or virus/spyware attack*. With two levels of data security and capacities up to 1 TB, users can confidently back up or sync work and home computers.


Protect your data from unauthorized use.

Back up your files with one touch of a button.

Add on storage for your desktop or laptop. Portable Performance and Security
Provide a safe haven for your entire working environment. Don't back up and protect just your files anymore. System crashes and virus attacks can happen, and it's difficult to get your computer back to just the way you like it. To prepare, should the unfortunate happen, Maxtor SafetyDrill automatically creates a snapshot of the entire contents of your PC's hard drive which can be readily booted for an easy and complete recovery.
With this elegantly simple full-featured backup solution, Maxtor's software makes automated backup scheduling, specific file restoration, sync, security, drive and power management a snap. To safeguard against unauthorized use, Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus comes with both data encryption and Maxtor DrivePass. To top it off, with up to 1 TB you have more than enough room for your important documents, videos, photos, graphics, and music in one safe, convenient location - over 16,660 hours of digital music or 320,000 digital photos or 1000 hours of digital video or 250 two-hour DVD quality movies or 500 games.
The sleek and slim design of this hard drive--only measures 6.75 x 2.50 x 6.00-inches (H x D x W). The Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus lets you transfer files seamlessly from your computer via its USB 2.0 connection at a brisk transfer rate of up to 480Mb/sec. The drive delivers a spindle speed of 7,200 RPM, giving you the high-speed performance you need to back your data up quickly and safely.
It's easy to install - just plug the external drive into an available USB or FireWire port on your PC or Mac, run the preloaded software, and presto you're good to go. At this compact size, and with this high performance, you now have the ability to take your data with you anywhere you go, so your digital content finally has room to breathe. A five-year warranty is also included, giving you complete peace of mind.
Product Highlights

Hitachi DZ-BX35A DVD Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My brother asked me to help him pick the best camcorder for under $400. After doing extensive research and seeing how time-consuming it is (not to mention the hassle it can be) I decided to post part of my "research" in hopes of avoiding others the trouble.
About DVD-based camcorders:
-Tend to be the most expensive.
-Most use small 8cm DVDs that record 30 minutes only. Mini-DVs can record 60 and even 90.
-DVDs are not re-recordable, Mini-DVs are.
-DVDs are cheaper than Mini-DV tapes though.
-Can get DVD-Ram which are re-recordable but these are not common, so many players and computer drives are incompatible.
-Can get DVD-RW which are also re-recordable but the cameras that support those are the most expensive. A DVD-RW is more expensive than a normal DVD (but it is totally worth it). Some incompatibility issues exist but to a much lesser degree.
-DVD cameras record using video compression therefore the quality is not necessarily good, results vary according to the camera you choose but in general video compression causes decrease of image quality. Mini-DV is arguably better.
A DVD-based camera allows you to view your DVD directly on a player, whereas with Mini-DV you have to connect the camera to a TV or through something else like a VCR and use IT for playback which causes wear on the mechanism.
Editing is a hassle with both formats and unless you are still using VCRs, you are gonna have to use your computer, special software, Firewire cables, etc.
As far as features goes, you gotta look for what you will be needing, many cameras come with a lot of stuff that one ends up never using, so don't get suckered by does. But what I will provide here is some general info about the main brands that you are probably gonna be looking at:
Canon: tend to have noisy playback because the microphone picks up the sound made by the camera's mechanism as it records. Otherwise they have very good reviews.
Sony: this is overpriced crap. Look around at Sony product reviews and for most you'll find at least one person saying something like "I am surprised at how bad Sony's quality has gotten..." then look at the dates on those reviews and you'll see that this is not a random occurrence, it has been going on for years and yet people still believe that this is a good brand.
Negatives: a) Quality-wise, all but one of the current Mini-DV models have terrible reviews.
b) They use touch-screen technology for the controls which might sound cool to have and even might be cool to use, BUT fingers on an LCD screen are NOT a good idea.
Positives: a) Have the Night-Shot technology which basically is infrared technology which allows you to record with absolutely no light.
JVC: some models have had problems where the camera will show error messages and stop working for no apparent reasons. Do a basic google search for "JVC lens cap error" to find out more. Same noise problem as the Canon brand. Otherwise very good reviews all over.
Hitachi: it's the only brand with DVD-based technology that's any good that's under $400. In fact I don't think there's any other DVD-based camera under $400 period.

No other brands are worth it. Sharp made good cameras, but are not making any right now. Panasonics surprisingly suck.

Here's what I lookd at specifically:
DVD:
Hitachi: DZ-BX35A: The previous model has good reviews, but only supports DVD-Ram. This newer model will have the same price, has way better specs and will support DVD-RW.

Mini-DV:
Sony DCR-HC36: just two reviews for this one, but they are both good. Has nightshot (the infrared thing), has a very good stabilization system. It's too expensive (not a very good value). All in all, the only reason why I would consider this is for the nightshot thing, the rest of the specs are on par with other less expensive cameras. It you do consider this one, then may I humbly suggest getting the Sony DCR-TRV280 which is a Digital8 format (whose main problem is that only Sony supports that format).
Canon:
The ZR line is very good. The older models are the ZR100, ZR200, ZR300 and ZR400. Out of those the best value would be the ZR400. The battery is long lasting, they have a good stabilization system, but the specs are a bit dated by now.
Then there are the new models that just came out/will be coming out soon: ZR500, ZR600, ZR700. They are cheaper than the older models and the specs are much better, the problem with this ones is that there are no reviews yet.

JVC:
Same deal as with the Canons: there are two older models with good reviews: JVC GRD230 (very hard to find it nowadays) and JVC GRD270. Both however have very dated specs.
Then there are the new models: JVC GRD350, JVC GRD370, JVC GRD395. Again, there is no info about the quality yet, and considering how JVC has had some serious quality issues in the past, it is wise to wait (or get an extended service plan).

So why, you must wonder, did I write this review under this Hitachi product: simple, because this camera has to be the best value I've seen in a long while. If I had to buy a camera today, this is the one I would pick, as it has amazing features and specs at a tremendously accesible price. Many people are probably gonna end up in this page looking at it, so again I wanna save you the trouble I had to go through to make a choice. However, as good as it looks on paper, the real test comes from actual usage, so hopefully in a short amount of time we are gonna start looking at some actual working reviews for it (at which time I'll probably delete this one). My rating BTW is based on pricefeatures (value).

Click Here to see more reviews about: Hitachi DZ-BX35A DVD Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom

Product Description:
Hitachi's DZBX35A DVD Camcorder with 25x optical zoom provides media format versatility to support the most popular and widely available DVD formats, including DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM, and DVD+RW discs as well as SD cards for digital stills. This industry leading format compatibility allows users to choose the DVD format which best suits their individual needs. Other user-friendly features include a One Touch finalization button for quick and easy access to this essential last step, and a sleep/restart battery saver function that puts the camcorder in hibernation to save battery power between recordings and enables users to begin recording within one second of activation to ensure no action is missed.

BID NOW & WATCH TO WIN!!!
Stock photos represent similar item up for auction.

CONDITION :
GREAT FIND AT A GREAT PRICE!!!This Hitachi DZ-BX35A DVD Camcorder is a refurbished unit.It is being sold as open-box/returned/or repaired merchandise.This unit has been tested and is 100% fully functional.
*Includes a 30 day warranty so you can bid with confidence!!!

SPECS & FEATURES
*Records video and still images
* 16:9 recording mode for DVD-RAM, DVD-R, and DVD-RW formats
* 2.7-inch LCD display; 25x optical, 1200x super digital lens
* Video-to-Photo Frame Grab Tool allows you to pull photo stills to an SD card
* CinemaRes uses entire CCD to capture both video and still images before converting to DVD format


Hitachi DVD camcorders can record on and play back from a wide range of disc and memory formats.

DON'T WAIT ANY LONGER!
GET YOURS TODAY!

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Sony DRX-830U 18X External USB 2.0 Double-Layer DVD

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Date Published: Dec 27, 2011 - 12:16 am

Toshiba Satellite U405-S2915 13.3-Inch Laptop Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was able basically to open the box, plug it in, and start browsing the web.It detected my wireless instantly, no setup worries for me, which was soo much better than my last laptop.

Pros:
-what a price, very powerful and good looking for under $900
-medium size, fits in large purses which is convenient
-outside top of case is sexy silver, makes a good mirror (not quite that reflective, but almost)
-built in webcam, which the face recognition uses
-no annoying lock to keep lid closed, but very tight and secure also
-white LED lights, soothing and less annoying than blue, if a little bright
-sound control (spin wheel) on outside for easy access
-textured touch pad so i know when finger is on it
-64-bit Vista, excellent, easy to use for me so far, and this computer is built so it will run fast
-USB ports on both sides
-came with an interesting radio antenna, which i use occasionally
-power cord is nice and long, very convenient for public places
-keys have a nice feel to them, stiff but sleek
-screen is bright and crisp, haven't found it too reflective for my taste
-overall, sturdy, portable, a real looker

Cons:
-the battery on my laptop doesn't last as long as the manufacturer says, only about 3 hours unplugged on balanced power usage, the power saver mode hasn't made a difference in this so far...5 hours would be nicer
-does not come with microsoft office products, including but not limited to Word and PowerPoint, although many laptops don't come with this software anymore
-not able to decrease the brightness of the screen enough for when I am using it in a dark room, and the buttons to adjust said brightness are very inconveniently placed at the top of the keyboard...they are secondary functions of the F6 and F7 buttons, so that you have to use the FN key which is at the bottom of the keyboard
-I am always accidentally pushing the LED seamless buttons at the top near the power button (they control sound and music), these buttons are attractive but annoying
-speakers are too quiet and i often have to use headphones or secondary speakers, but the sound quality is decent, if quiet
-keys are glossy and adorable, but they show dust and fingerprints all the time, no matter how clean you are...but it looks so good when they are clean it is probably worth it
-MY X KEY POPPED OFF THE SECOND DAY USING THIS LAPTOP...from my experience, Toshiba keyboards are notorious for losing keys, if this happens to you, do yourself a favor and send it back right away and get a replacement
-a really good docking station for this laptop is not yet available as far as I can tell
-thin enough for me, but not ultra-thin or small like other new trendy laptops
-tiny spacebar, big enough but smaller than on a standard keyboard, takes a little getting used to

Make your own decision, I am keeping it and loving it after a month

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba Satellite U405-S2915 13.3 Inch Laptop

Product Description:
Weighing under 5 pounds, the ultra-portable Toshiba Satellite U405-S2915 notebook PC packs in an extraordinary amount of power and productivity into its elegant, compact package. The 13.3-inch widescreen display offers TruBrite technology for optimal image clarity and a 1280 x 800 resolution for extra desktop working space and a widescreen aspect ratio for watching letterboxed movies. A 1.3 megapixel digital web camera built into the LCD's bezel lets you quickly snap photos and participate in live video chats. The integrated webcam does more than just video chats. It includes Toshiba Face Recognition capabilities--the ultimate hands-free, hassle-free way to log onto your laptop. Just show your face to the webcam--no keeping track of hard-to-remember passwords and no unnecessary typing. And if you're using one laptop for several users--say for the whole family or for a small business--Toshiba Face Recognition lets you switch profiles with one simple look.
It's powered by the 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6400 processor, which boosts speed, reduces power requirements, and saves on battery life. It also offers a fast 800 MHz front-side bus speed and 2 MB L2 cache. It also includes Intel's 5100AGN wireless LAN, which will connect to draft 802.11n routers and offers compatibility with 802.11a/b/g networks as well.


Other features include a 320 GB hard drive, 4 GB of installed RAM (8 GB maximum), Bluetooth connectivity, dual-layer DVD

Remanufactured Hitachi DZMV550A DVD Camcorder w/18x Optical Zoom Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this on a lark at a Circuit City store that was closing, so I only paid $450 and could return it with no restocking fee (because it was "open box").For taking movies I really loved it.The image quality was very nice, the controls were fairly logical and easy to figure out, and the image stabilizer worked very nicely.On a cold Chicago day (20 deg F) I brought it into a butterfly garden (78 deg F and VERY humid) and the lens defogged faster than any other I've owned and the recorder was unaffected.The only problem was what to do AFTER shooting the video.

If you use the DVD-R discs (about $2 each at Sam's Club), you need to "finalize" the disc before it can be played in a regular DVD player.This takes 23 minutes and requires using the AC adapter, which is unacceptable.And you get poor DVD menus.Or, you can use the re-usable DVD-RAM discs ($18 each in stores, $6 on the internet) but these discs won't work in most DVD players or computer DVD burners.

So, I took some video with DVD-R discs, and it came out fine, but I didn't like spending $2 apiece for discs that held 30 minutes of video with poor menus.

And I took some video with a DVD-RAM disc.This video came out a little nicer, but was a little more work.First I had to download the video onto my computer (a late 2002 model Celeron).That was easy enough through the USB cable.If I updgraded to USB 2.0, it would be even faster.Then, on the computer, I loaded the video files into the DVD burning program.This was very un-intuitive, but I figured it out.Then the program burned my DVD.It took almost an hour, which is unacceptable, but the result was a beautiful and professional looking DVD disc.A more up-to-date computer, with a Pentium 4 processor and faster hard disk, probably would have done this task in much less time.

So I reluctantly returned the camcorder.I say reluctanly because it fit my hand almost perfectly, and I really enjoyed the quality of video produced by the DVD-RAM disc and software.Really it was much nicer than my Sharp VL-NZ50 camcorder.However, I didn't like time consuming requirements to get a disc that would play in a DVD player.Also, my old camcorder works fine, so it was hard to justify buying another one.I gave it 4 stars because of the price I paid.After I returned it to Circuit City, I looked at the regular price for this model and it was $699.I wouldn't pay $699 for this.In fact at $699 I would only give this 3 stars.For $699 I expect a 5 star++ experience.

My advice - If you want a DVD camcorder, and you have a good computer with a DVD burner on it, and you are computer literate, and have $700 to burn, then you will be able to enjoy using this camcorder.Otherwise you will hate it.I'm going to hold out another year.By then the price of this model will be much lower, and there will be new models much easier to use.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Remanufactured Hitachi DZMV550A DVD Camcorder w/18x Optical Zoom

Product Description:
The DZMV550A camcorder represents a revolution to create home movies. Record directly to DVD-R, finalize and remove the disc from the camcorder and play it on any standard DVD player. Added is the new "Quick Mode" menu design for easy operation. No need for fast-forwarding and rewinding with direct access to recorded scenes. These cameras feature high quality optics with multi-coated lens elements for optimal image contrast and color accuracy.

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Seagate STM307504OTAB06-RK Maxtor OneTouch III 750 GB FireWire800/FireWire400/USB 2.0 External Hard Drive Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I ordered mine from Amazon on June 26, 2007 and it was delivered by J&R the very next day (even with FREE Shipping!!) Onto its performance: The Maxtor 750 is being used on a 24" iMac via the FireWire 800 cable which was included. (I reformatted it via Disk Utilities and created 3 partitions.) It boots the Intel iMac with no problem. There is also an external Western Digital 320GB HD daisy-chained to my iMac via the Maxtor's built-in FW400 slot and both are running flawlessly. Transfer rates are much faster (to my eye anyway) and there have been no hardware problems whatsoever.
For fellow Mac users be aware that the backup software isn't as compatible with Macs as their press would have you believe. In my case, it's being used as a stand-alone backup drive - and doing a great job. It's almost silent. The one cosmetic thing I don't care for is the off-white activity light. It's too large and too active. It almost lights up the room when all lights are off.
Nonetheless, for the money (I paid $229.99) it was a great buy. For those unaware, Maxtor has been purchased by Seagate Technology. Just an FYI. Maxtor 750 GB OneTouch III Firewire 800/Firewire 400/USB 2.0 ( T01W750 )

Click Here to see more reviews about: Seagate STM307504OTAB06-RK Maxtor OneTouch III 750 GB FireWire800/FireWire400/USB 2.0 External Hard Drive

Product Description:
Designed with the creative professional in mind, the Maxtor OneTouch III solution with the triple interface provides FireWire® 800 connectivity for the fastest data transfer speed available. With the most highly integrated storage, backup, security and drive management software on the market today, the OneTouch III, FireWire 800 solution is perfect for professional designers, photographers, graphic artists and other power users.

Want to read more honest consumer review about Seagate STM307504OTAB06-RK Maxtor OneTouch III 750 GB FireWire800/FireWire400/USB 2.0 External Hard Drive now ?