I use this product for serious amateur photography, mostly of nature. This replaced my older EOS Rebel body which developed a screw lose inside the body and not cheap to repair. Camera shops tell me Canon cameras have that tendency. As most of these cameras, they have many options to preselect settings for various photo projects. It has even an option for night shooting without a tripod, but I have not tried many of these pre-selected option options. I generally use mostly manual settings, even manual focus, including the photographing of moving things. The camera produces very high quality endresults, especially if you shoot in raw and know how to use a good photo processing software. The digital film processing now in the camera is considerably better than my first Canon Rebel and was the reason for my upgrade, not the additional and enhanced shooting modes now offered. Too often the choices such shooting modes make are not pleasing to my eye as the one's I make manually, but I am sure that is not universal. In any case, I recommend this camera body which when provided with a good lens that suits your subject.
Showing posts with label digital camera video camera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label digital camera video camera. Show all posts
Moultrie I35 Game Spy 4 Megapixel Digital Infrared Game Camera
List Price: $179.99
Sale Price: $99.95
Today's Bonus: 44% Off
I had this camera for about 13 months and thousands of pictures. Sadly, some low-life stole it. The only drawbacks that I have found are that the night pics tend to be a little blurry and the trigger time is a little slow. I have several pictures of the back end of a deer walking by.
Canon PowerShot SX160 IS 16.0 MP Digital Camera (Old Model)
List Price: $199.00
Sale Price: $127.69
Today's Bonus: 36% Off
For the past 2 years I looked at the Canon SX-series cameras, but being a person who can only be happy with a lithium-battery camera, I shied away from these. So I finally went for it after reading the AA battery life is getting better. If you buy some rechargeables, preferably Eneloops, you will be happy enough.
PROS:
* Takes EXCELLENT CRISP, SHARP photos with TRUE COLORS, and also GREAT MACRO (close-up) shots. (I have taken some grainy photos while playing around with it, but they were my fault due to low light without the flash being up).
* Larger than an ultra-compact camera, easy to grip, yet not so large where it's a drag to carry with you this camera feels comfortable if you have larger hands or fingers, you won't accidentally push the wrong buttons, plenty of room I have short, stubby fingers and short nails as I do a lot of typing, those ultra-compact cameras were wrong for me!
* Very pleased with battery life; I've taken over 250 shots and a couple of videos with the Eneloops, they're still going strong (the alkaline AA batteries included w/camera did not last long) for Eneloops see my link below.
* The Image Stabilization turns off automatically when you attach the camera to a tripod, something I always forget to do with other cameras (AUTO mode).
* When you have this zoomed out to 16X, the stabilization seems to work better than other cameras I've used (the more you zoom out, the shakier it is); normally on other cameras I'd have to use a tripod.
* You can optically zoom during a video, audio does not cut out during the zooming function. Zoom motor is VERY quiet once you press the video/movie button, it becomes almost silent the way it does this amazes me.
* Easy for anyone to use in AUTO; and this also has full P/A/S/M manual controls, so this is a camera you can grow into if you are a novice.
* Has a Mode Dial some cameras, including Canon's cheaper models, are removing the dial on top of the camera and changing to a menu-only format.
CONS:
* Shutter response time is a little slow, probably due to the AA batteries (I'm using a Class 10 SD card, so it isn't that). Not sure if you would be happy with this camera if you are trying to capture fast moving kids or pets; if you can get them to hold still for a few seconds, it's fine.
* Build-quality: It's plastic, but if you are careful with your cameras you should be OK. The battery compartment door seems a little more robust than cheaper Canon models I looked at, it has a spring, unlocks and slides out to the side. Plastic tripod mount (ugh!, why couldn't they use metal?)
* This camera can't be put into your pocket, it needs a case. Also, a camera this size needs a neck strap, not a flimsy little hand strap like the one in the box.
* The 230,000 pixel LCD screen doesn't impress me, I've purchased cheaper cameras that have 460,000 pixels. You may be unhappy with photo quality when viewing it on the LCD, and pleasantly surprised after you upload the photo to your PC.
RANDOM THOUGHTS:
1. My camera was made in JAPAN! Not to say yours will be; I know with Panasonic cameras sometimes the same model will come from different countries. I don't know about Canon.
2. I've yet to find a P&S digital camera that is perfect. This one isn't perfect either, so it got 4 stars. You have to weigh the pros & cons for YOUR specific needs in a camera. I've tried other cheaper, basic Canon's, and I either returned them or re-gifted to friends.
3. There are strap openings on both sides of this camera, but they are so small they will only accommodate those small loops like wrist straps have. I think I found a neck strap that will work, see my link below. I've got one on order now.
4. I uploaded a short video to YouTube, I am Yarii41 on YT; if you do a search for "Canon SX160 Video Test" you should find it. I can't put the link here, since links to other sites aren't allowed in our reviews.
ENELOOP BATTERIES: Sanyo XX Battery Powered by eneloop, 2500mAh typical / 2400 mAh minimum High Capacity, 4 Pack AA Ni-MH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries
CANON CASE: Canon PSC-3300 Deluxe Soft Case for Canon SX130IS Digital Cameras
CLASS 10 SD CARD: Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 10 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC10E
NECK STRAP: OP/TECH USA 2201021 Bin/Op Strap-QDfor Compact Cameras and Binoculars -Neoprene (Black)
Pioneer SPH-DA01 AppRadio 6.1-Inch In-Dash Double-Din AV
I was so pumped for this product when I first saw the announcement for it a little over a month ago. Now that I have it and have spent the past 3 days using it I can safely say it has been a huge letdown. I really wanted it to work as well, I tried my hardest to see past all the issues, but there are so many and they interfere so heavily with the usability I couldn't. For that reason I'm returning it. I'll detail the specifics individually further down.
First, the idea itself was a great one. One I am convinced would have worked if it were not for the buggy software and the slow interface. It feels as if the product was rushed to market before it was thoroughly tested and tweaked. The line between great product and horrid one is thin here and this one missed the mark for myself. Also, I didn't count off for this as I was fully aware of it going in, but am posting it as an FYI to future less informed buyers. This product turns into a mediocre radio without an iPhone 4. It has no other input and will be a waste of $400 if you don't have one or don't plan on keeping yours for a while once you get the radio. I can't stress this enough, without an iPhone this radio is a few steps from useless.
Install & setup:
This was par for the course as far as any radio is concerned. I mounted the GPS antenna on the dash and the mic by my sun-visor. More than enough cable for both tasks. I am unsure if I could have gotten the GPS antenna to my back window, but it would have been tight. All other items installed like you would expect any aftermarket radio.
Hardware:
The fit and finish of the actual hardware is good. The microphone and GPS antenna look and feel like they are quality items and will last a while. As noted before the cable length for both was ample for installing on the dash/sun-visor. I can't say if I could have gotten the antenna to my back window, but it would have been tight if I had tried. The multitouch screen feels like an iPhone on the surface, although the software on the device causes issues with usability that will be detailed below. My screen had a single dead pixel that stuck out like a sore thumb when the screen was all black or displaying a dark color. The "home" button and volume buttons from a hardware perspective felt quality. The iPhone connection cable is unnecessarily thick and heavy. Although it feels like it will last it is too cumbersome to be comfortably used. As noted before there are no inputs for anything other than an iPhone and as discussed in other reviews only a single set of RCA outs. I did not degrade the rating for this as I knew this before I bought it.
Software/Processor:
This is where the unit really fails. It is extremely slow and the software is buggy. Several times (4-5) in the 3 days I have used it the unit has completely frozen, would not respond to any input what-so-ever. The only fix for this was to shut my car off for several seconds and start it back up. The software is also very, very slow. It takes 45 seconds to even become responsive after my car is turned on. When switching between screens there is a lag of between 5 to 30 seconds. It gets frustrating when you press a button several times after no response only to have 3-4 clicks register at the same time 4-5 seconds later, this happens quite a bit when changing volume. This appears to be a combination of the software and a slower processor than is needed. I am unsure if a more efficient software update could solve this issue as it is so bad now.
Radio:
The radio performed as you would expect. All was decently peppy except changing between bands. This took 10-15 seconds a band, there are 3 FM bands and 2 AM bands. So going from FM1 to AM1 can take 45 seconds as you press band, wait 15 seconds, press it again, wait 15 more and so on. Programming favorite stations was very easy, however the autoprogram button was right by the band switch button. I twice wiped out my presets after I hit this as it goes without confirmation if you touch it.
iPod:
This functioned well. The only major annoyance here was having to use arrows to scroll through songs/artists. The familiar slide your finger to scroll as you would on the iPhone was not here. The lag in the device between hitting the down arrow and seeing it moved often caused me to scroll past the artist/song I was looking for.
Phone/Bluetooth:
I never got in the phone app directly after the first few times. As hitting the phone button on the radio stops any music from playing before you dial, and once you do press this button you have to exit the radio app and relaunch the music app from your iPhone. For instance, if I'm listening to pandora and hit the "Home" button, pandora continues to play as expected, but once I press phone, before I have even decided who to dial the music stops, so it is silent until I find the contact and dial them, hang up, exit the app, and relaunch pandora. The workaround is to use your phone to scroll through your contacts and dial. This pauses the music only when you start the actual call, and resumes it as soon as it is over. The phone interface is also very slow. You have to use a button to scroll through contacts one page at a time, which takes 4-5 seconds to switch pages. I ended up using the phone to place every call after trying it through the actual radio. The bluetooth works OK. Most everyone I talked to asked me if I was on speakerphone as they could hear ample amounts of background noise. Also every call I placed that was over 8-9 minutes developed a serious echo, sometimes with a 1-2 second lag. I speculate this was due to the processor falling behind but am unsure.
Individual apps:
Next I'll go over individual apps. This was the most exciting thing about the radio as it makes it ever expanding as more apps come to support it. One needs to remember that the radio doesn't really run any apps, it just offers a second display for, and a way of interacting with, apps on your iPhone. Most of the complaints about the apps have to do with the responsiveness of the radio, not really the app as when I used them without the radio, all the interface challenges went away. The phone plays more of a critical role in controlling the radio than I hoped. Things such as switching apps, entering a destination in the GPS, or looking in your ohone book without killing the music has to be done on the phone. Also the reviewer that noted you can't use more than one app at once was partially mistaken. For instance I can start pandora music, then switch to motionx drive and the pandora music still plays, but to do anything other than change the track, I have to close motionx and open pandora from the phone itself.
Pioneer App Radio App This appears to be more of a "proof of concept" app than anything useful. First the vehicle has to be in park to use it. It allows you to access your iPhone calendar, Photo's, Google maps, as well as launch the supported apps on the device. There is really no use I could find for it, doing all the mentioned was much faster and easier using the iPhone. The reviewer who said this app must be running was mistaken. All supported apps can be launched directly from the iphone without ever using it.
Pandora This is probably the most polished app currently available on the device. I had very little issues with this app, other than the slowness of the interface.
MotionX Drive This app is handy, but the radio offers little more than a remote display for the GPS. The only functions you can do on the radio are resizing and changing the orientation on the map (using buttons, not multi-touch like on the iPhone). All other input had to be done via the phone, a fact that could arguably be more dangerous than using the radio. No multitouch moving or resizing of the map as in other apps. There was little difference noted in position accusation time between the phone being plugged in and not. For that reason I am unsure if the GPS antenna was helping much. Although skies were clear, it could have shown its usefulness during an overcast day.
INRIX Traffic A pretty useful app, it supports multi touch and moving of the map as it does on the iphone. Although extreme slowness was noted here as well.
Netflix/Hulu Both worked as you would expect if you plugged your phone into a monitor. The radio only acts as a remote monitor for viewing video, all control is on the phone for both apps. The vehicle has to be in park to use them.
rdio Did not use, can't offer review.
In conclusion the idea was solid and I feel could still be a good one. However, the software and performance issues were too much for me to overcome right now. I would strongly caution anyone who was thinking about buying this. That was the reason for the long review I did is had I known all the above, I would not have bought the radio.
First, the idea itself was a great one. One I am convinced would have worked if it were not for the buggy software and the slow interface. It feels as if the product was rushed to market before it was thoroughly tested and tweaked. The line between great product and horrid one is thin here and this one missed the mark for myself. Also, I didn't count off for this as I was fully aware of it going in, but am posting it as an FYI to future less informed buyers. This product turns into a mediocre radio without an iPhone 4. It has no other input and will be a waste of $400 if you don't have one or don't plan on keeping yours for a while once you get the radio. I can't stress this enough, without an iPhone this radio is a few steps from useless.
Install & setup:
This was par for the course as far as any radio is concerned. I mounted the GPS antenna on the dash and the mic by my sun-visor. More than enough cable for both tasks. I am unsure if I could have gotten the GPS antenna to my back window, but it would have been tight. All other items installed like you would expect any aftermarket radio.
Hardware:
The fit and finish of the actual hardware is good. The microphone and GPS antenna look and feel like they are quality items and will last a while. As noted before the cable length for both was ample for installing on the dash/sun-visor. I can't say if I could have gotten the antenna to my back window, but it would have been tight if I had tried. The multitouch screen feels like an iPhone on the surface, although the software on the device causes issues with usability that will be detailed below. My screen had a single dead pixel that stuck out like a sore thumb when the screen was all black or displaying a dark color. The "home" button and volume buttons from a hardware perspective felt quality. The iPhone connection cable is unnecessarily thick and heavy. Although it feels like it will last it is too cumbersome to be comfortably used. As noted before there are no inputs for anything other than an iPhone and as discussed in other reviews only a single set of RCA outs. I did not degrade the rating for this as I knew this before I bought it.
Software/Processor:
This is where the unit really fails. It is extremely slow and the software is buggy. Several times (4-5) in the 3 days I have used it the unit has completely frozen, would not respond to any input what-so-ever. The only fix for this was to shut my car off for several seconds and start it back up. The software is also very, very slow. It takes 45 seconds to even become responsive after my car is turned on. When switching between screens there is a lag of between 5 to 30 seconds. It gets frustrating when you press a button several times after no response only to have 3-4 clicks register at the same time 4-5 seconds later, this happens quite a bit when changing volume. This appears to be a combination of the software and a slower processor than is needed. I am unsure if a more efficient software update could solve this issue as it is so bad now.
Radio:
The radio performed as you would expect. All was decently peppy except changing between bands. This took 10-15 seconds a band, there are 3 FM bands and 2 AM bands. So going from FM1 to AM1 can take 45 seconds as you press band, wait 15 seconds, press it again, wait 15 more and so on. Programming favorite stations was very easy, however the autoprogram button was right by the band switch button. I twice wiped out my presets after I hit this as it goes without confirmation if you touch it.
iPod:
This functioned well. The only major annoyance here was having to use arrows to scroll through songs/artists. The familiar slide your finger to scroll as you would on the iPhone was not here. The lag in the device between hitting the down arrow and seeing it moved often caused me to scroll past the artist/song I was looking for.
Phone/Bluetooth:
I never got in the phone app directly after the first few times. As hitting the phone button on the radio stops any music from playing before you dial, and once you do press this button you have to exit the radio app and relaunch the music app from your iPhone. For instance, if I'm listening to pandora and hit the "Home" button, pandora continues to play as expected, but once I press phone, before I have even decided who to dial the music stops, so it is silent until I find the contact and dial them, hang up, exit the app, and relaunch pandora. The workaround is to use your phone to scroll through your contacts and dial. This pauses the music only when you start the actual call, and resumes it as soon as it is over. The phone interface is also very slow. You have to use a button to scroll through contacts one page at a time, which takes 4-5 seconds to switch pages. I ended up using the phone to place every call after trying it through the actual radio. The bluetooth works OK. Most everyone I talked to asked me if I was on speakerphone as they could hear ample amounts of background noise. Also every call I placed that was over 8-9 minutes developed a serious echo, sometimes with a 1-2 second lag. I speculate this was due to the processor falling behind but am unsure.
Individual apps:
Next I'll go over individual apps. This was the most exciting thing about the radio as it makes it ever expanding as more apps come to support it. One needs to remember that the radio doesn't really run any apps, it just offers a second display for, and a way of interacting with, apps on your iPhone. Most of the complaints about the apps have to do with the responsiveness of the radio, not really the app as when I used them without the radio, all the interface challenges went away. The phone plays more of a critical role in controlling the radio than I hoped. Things such as switching apps, entering a destination in the GPS, or looking in your ohone book without killing the music has to be done on the phone. Also the reviewer that noted you can't use more than one app at once was partially mistaken. For instance I can start pandora music, then switch to motionx drive and the pandora music still plays, but to do anything other than change the track, I have to close motionx and open pandora from the phone itself.
Pioneer App Radio App This appears to be more of a "proof of concept" app than anything useful. First the vehicle has to be in park to use it. It allows you to access your iPhone calendar, Photo's, Google maps, as well as launch the supported apps on the device. There is really no use I could find for it, doing all the mentioned was much faster and easier using the iPhone. The reviewer who said this app must be running was mistaken. All supported apps can be launched directly from the iphone without ever using it.
Pandora This is probably the most polished app currently available on the device. I had very little issues with this app, other than the slowness of the interface.
MotionX Drive This app is handy, but the radio offers little more than a remote display for the GPS. The only functions you can do on the radio are resizing and changing the orientation on the map (using buttons, not multi-touch like on the iPhone). All other input had to be done via the phone, a fact that could arguably be more dangerous than using the radio. No multitouch moving or resizing of the map as in other apps. There was little difference noted in position accusation time between the phone being plugged in and not. For that reason I am unsure if the GPS antenna was helping much. Although skies were clear, it could have shown its usefulness during an overcast day.
INRIX Traffic A pretty useful app, it supports multi touch and moving of the map as it does on the iphone. Although extreme slowness was noted here as well.
Netflix/Hulu Both worked as you would expect if you plugged your phone into a monitor. The radio only acts as a remote monitor for viewing video, all control is on the phone for both apps. The vehicle has to be in park to use them.
rdio Did not use, can't offer review.
In conclusion the idea was solid and I feel could still be a good one. However, the software and performance issues were too much for me to overcome right now. I would strongly caution anyone who was thinking about buying this. That was the reason for the long review I did is had I known all the above, I would not have bought the radio.
Samsung PN60E550 60-Inch 1080p 600Hz 3D Slim Plasma HDTV (Black)
I am very pleased so far with this TV. I have bought several large flat panel TVs over the last few years and this one I am really pleased. I have been pleased with Samsung in general and only buy Samsung now for displays/TVs at this point (have 4 large screen TVs and 5 monitors in my house). As others have mentioned, it is a new model for this year and really packs a ton of features in for the price. I love plasma (over LED and LCD) and was really surprised how the weight has come down. The picture is great. One feature I really wanted to make sure I got was the ethernet input because with more and more stuff moving to internet, I felt it would be a good idea to have. I am finishing a basement and have the opportunity to run the ethernet right to where i will put this tv. Don't get me wrong, the built in WIFI works perfectly too, I just wanted to have this option too and many other models don't have this. One thing I was not aware of is that it doesn't have a VGA input. I was planning on using that to hook up a computer. For me its not a big deal as I can use HDMI, but thought I would mention as I didn't notice that before ordering. Overall I think this is a great TV and a great deal would definitely recommend and I am seriously considering buying another one for another room (yes, I have been told I have a problem with buying too many TVs).
UPDATE (4/15/12) After several days of usage, I noticed a buzzing sound when sitting in just the right (or wrong depending on how you look at it) place. Sitting directly in front and about 8 feet away I noticed a pretty load buzzing sound. If I moved closer or to the side I did not really notice it. (I couldn't really try moving back based on the way the room is where I had it). I actually wasn't sure what it was at first and I turned everything down and could still here it. I then traced it to the back of the TV and sure enough I could tell it was coming from the TV. I took the TV back because of this I am not willing to live with that. I really like the TV and its features otherwise, so I ordered another one and am awaiting delivery from Amazon tomorrow. I did some research and it seems this "buzzing" issue has been experienced by other people on a variety of Samsung plasmas, but I'm hoping its just luck of the draw and I get one that doesn't do it this next time. I have two other Samsung plasmas in my house already (older models) and have never had any issues. I'll post an update when I find out if this new one does the same thing.
UPDATE (5/5/12) So I received the new TV from Amazon and it works perfectly. No buzzing sound with this one. So I'm back to being very pleased. As I mentioned in my initial post, I was seriously considering purchasing another one and in fact I just placed that order tonight. Here's hoping I get one without the buzzing issue again because its really a great TV for the money.
UPDATE (4/15/12) After several days of usage, I noticed a buzzing sound when sitting in just the right (or wrong depending on how you look at it) place. Sitting directly in front and about 8 feet away I noticed a pretty load buzzing sound. If I moved closer or to the side I did not really notice it. (I couldn't really try moving back based on the way the room is where I had it). I actually wasn't sure what it was at first and I turned everything down and could still here it. I then traced it to the back of the TV and sure enough I could tell it was coming from the TV. I took the TV back because of this I am not willing to live with that. I really like the TV and its features otherwise, so I ordered another one and am awaiting delivery from Amazon tomorrow. I did some research and it seems this "buzzing" issue has been experienced by other people on a variety of Samsung plasmas, but I'm hoping its just luck of the draw and I get one that doesn't do it this next time. I have two other Samsung plasmas in my house already (older models) and have never had any issues. I'll post an update when I find out if this new one does the same thing.
UPDATE (5/5/12) So I received the new TV from Amazon and it works perfectly. No buzzing sound with this one. So I'm back to being very pleased. As I mentioned in my initial post, I was seriously considering purchasing another one and in fact I just placed that order tonight. Here's hoping I get one without the buzzing issue again because its really a great TV for the money.
Olympus VF-4 ViewFinder (Black)
List Price: $279.99
Sale Price: $279.00
Today's Bonus: $0.99 Off
I have had both the VF-2 and VF-3 for my Olympus M43s, and have also been using Panasonic M43 cameras with integrated viewfinders for a while (GH2; GH3; even have used the LVF-2 on a GX1). In past, I have preferred the Panasonic viewfinders, simply because they have a larger magnification/larger view than the Olympus versions, and are easier to see. However, the VF-4 changes all that....
Very simply, this is the best EVF that M43s cameras have ever had. It has a huge field of view, the colors are bright and accurate (Both of which were a huge letdown on the GH3, by the way) and it seems to be very responsive. In addition, it has a handy locking mechanism, so you can leave it on the camera and not worry about it getting accidentally knocked off (which was a problem with my VF-2). The optics are excellent, too, with no blurring of sides or edges as you move your eye or head relative to the viewfinder.
In terms of size...it's a little bigger than the VF-2, but it's not huge, and it is quite light in weight.
I can't tell you how well the automatic eye sensor switch works, since I do not have the E-P5 (which is the only camera that the automatic eye sensor works with right now). However, this works the same way as the two earlier EVFs in that respect on anything other than the EM5; and that is you do have to push a button on the EVF to activate it. The button is in an easy to access spot on the viewfinder, so that's not a big deal, though.
If you have been thinking about getting an external viewfinder for your EPL or EPM series PEN, this is definitely the one to get. It changes the diminutive EPM2 into something that behaves like a much larger camera in terms of how easy image composition is when it is on. It also helps stabilize the camera when you hold it up to your eye, rather than out at arm's length....And the image rendition in this EVF is truly excellent.
One other thing....you MUST download and install the latest firmware update from Olympus for your PEN to recognize this EVF. (The only camera that does not need the update is the EP5). It only took a couple of minutes (although the instructions are a little confusing... just remember that once you have connected the camera to the computer, and the rear screen of the camera says "storage", you MUST click the OK button (in the middle of the thumbwheel on the back of the camera) before the computer will recognize the camera and start the update. If you do not do that, the computer will not find the camera and will keep giving you an error message.)
Dell Inspiron Mini 10 10.1-Inch Obsidian Black Netbook
Note: I use computers for my work but don't pay much attention to details about them. I'm sometimes willfully ignorant of the details of my work computers, so this review (for better or worse) will not be a super technical one focusing on specifications and related details. I wanted a simple computer to use outside of work, and that's what I got here. I received this Dell Netbook a few days ago and wanted to share my initial impressions of it.
I do a great deal of writing for my job and need to have frequent email access. I have a Dell Notebook but find that it's a bit of a hassle hauling it around anywhere, so it ends up staying at home most of the time. When I saw this Dell's Netbook on sale, I thought it might be ideal for my needs. In particular, I wanted something very lightweight that would allow me to access the web, answer email, access PDF documents, and edit documents. This Dell does all that and much more.
My job buys all my computers (the last computer I purchased myself was a Commodore 64 when I was a kid!), so I was a bit nervous purchasing it. I checked out reviews here and elsewhere and they seemed to indicate that the Dell Netbook would work well for my needs. However, I was concerned by some accounts of netbooks being slower than laptops and having many of other deficits. Fortunately, my concerns were unfounded (it isn`t slow and I have low needs for extensive computer memory anyway). I've never had to unpack a computer before (the IT people at my job have that honor), but it couldn't have been easier. I was literally using my new Netbook within minutes. Everything was preloaded and ready for use.
I was hoping that it would come with Microsoft Word, but it instead includes Microsoft Works Word Processor, which I`d never used before. When I tried to open a Word document from my email, I was prompted to download Word Viewer. The two programs are compatible, but it is a bit of a hassle converting documents back and forth. Otherwise, I'm extremely pleased with my purchase. The Netbook is not slow in accessing the net even with numerous programs open at the same time. It is super lightweight -not much bigger or heavier than a large hardback book. The battery in the back does stick out a bit, although that actually helps make it more stable on a flat surface. Even straight out of the box, the battery lasted well over 5 hours. Other features include a webcam, adobe, media player, explorer -all the standard items you'd expect. As I mentioned, I don't pay much attention to computer specifications and whether it has this feature or not. I simply don't use my computers for anything too complicated. However, for what I need, this Dell Netbook more than exceeds my expectations. The Netbook's portability make it ideal for carrying it around and travel. I think it would also be a great starter computer for kids and teens.
I do a great deal of writing for my job and need to have frequent email access. I have a Dell Notebook but find that it's a bit of a hassle hauling it around anywhere, so it ends up staying at home most of the time. When I saw this Dell's Netbook on sale, I thought it might be ideal for my needs. In particular, I wanted something very lightweight that would allow me to access the web, answer email, access PDF documents, and edit documents. This Dell does all that and much more.
My job buys all my computers (the last computer I purchased myself was a Commodore 64 when I was a kid!), so I was a bit nervous purchasing it. I checked out reviews here and elsewhere and they seemed to indicate that the Dell Netbook would work well for my needs. However, I was concerned by some accounts of netbooks being slower than laptops and having many of other deficits. Fortunately, my concerns were unfounded (it isn`t slow and I have low needs for extensive computer memory anyway). I've never had to unpack a computer before (the IT people at my job have that honor), but it couldn't have been easier. I was literally using my new Netbook within minutes. Everything was preloaded and ready for use.
I was hoping that it would come with Microsoft Word, but it instead includes Microsoft Works Word Processor, which I`d never used before. When I tried to open a Word document from my email, I was prompted to download Word Viewer. The two programs are compatible, but it is a bit of a hassle converting documents back and forth. Otherwise, I'm extremely pleased with my purchase. The Netbook is not slow in accessing the net even with numerous programs open at the same time. It is super lightweight -not much bigger or heavier than a large hardback book. The battery in the back does stick out a bit, although that actually helps make it more stable on a flat surface. Even straight out of the box, the battery lasted well over 5 hours. Other features include a webcam, adobe, media player, explorer -all the standard items you'd expect. As I mentioned, I don't pay much attention to computer specifications and whether it has this feature or not. I simply don't use my computers for anything too complicated. However, for what I need, this Dell Netbook more than exceeds my expectations. The Netbook's portability make it ideal for carrying it around and travel. I think it would also be a great starter computer for kids and teens.
Apple iMac MC812LL/A 21.5-Inch Desktop (OLD VERSION)
My old PC was over 4 years old and just not keeping up any more. I didn't consider getting a Mac until I'd kicked around the idea of learning iOS programming which requires OSX. After looking at the prices of these computers I balked, I could build a bleeding edge "Hackintosh" for what they were asking and still have money left over! A little research into installing OSX onto a non-Apple machine nipped that in the bud, it seems more headache than it's worth. So I sucked it up and bought an iMac and wow am I glad I did. The specs may not be top of the line, but everything else about this computer is!
First, the hardware. The screen is the most obviously amazing thing here, it makes the very nice Viewsonic monitors on my Windows box look washed out and blurry in comparison. Colors are vibrant, text is crisp, pixels are nearly invisible. If you're deciding between this and the larger iMacs, the 21" looks huge on my desk and I can't imagine how monstrous the 27" would be! Processing power is also stellar, it's been able to take everything I've thrown at it so far whether it's games or video stuff or anything else. The Magic Mouse is an unexpected surprise, I never thought I'd be impressed by a mouse but this little thing is extremely cool gestures and scrolling without wheels and buttons hasn't gotten old yet.
The software is excellent as well. I've been a Windows guy as long as I've been a computer user and I took to OSX immediately, as though I'd been an old pro. It's a cliche with Apple stuff but really It Just Works. It is rock solid too, despite my blind Mac-newbie messing around I've only gotten it to crash once and it was totally my fault. 3rd party software is plentiful and many Windows apps and games are available for OSX as well, don't look only in the Mac App Store though, better prices can often be found in other app stores (Steam, for example) or from a developer's own web site. Upgrading to Lion was dead easy but give it a couple hours after Lion's done installing, it reindexes all your files and the computer runs kind of slow while this is going on.
I've only had this computer a week so I know I've barely scratched the surface, but already this iMac has transformed a life long devout Windows guy into one of those insufferable Mac people. It's every bit as easy to set up and use and just as well designed as Macs are reputed to be. If you're thinking about switching, go ahead and do it, you'll be glad you did!
First, the hardware. The screen is the most obviously amazing thing here, it makes the very nice Viewsonic monitors on my Windows box look washed out and blurry in comparison. Colors are vibrant, text is crisp, pixels are nearly invisible. If you're deciding between this and the larger iMacs, the 21" looks huge on my desk and I can't imagine how monstrous the 27" would be! Processing power is also stellar, it's been able to take everything I've thrown at it so far whether it's games or video stuff or anything else. The Magic Mouse is an unexpected surprise, I never thought I'd be impressed by a mouse but this little thing is extremely cool gestures and scrolling without wheels and buttons hasn't gotten old yet.
The software is excellent as well. I've been a Windows guy as long as I've been a computer user and I took to OSX immediately, as though I'd been an old pro. It's a cliche with Apple stuff but really It Just Works. It is rock solid too, despite my blind Mac-newbie messing around I've only gotten it to crash once and it was totally my fault. 3rd party software is plentiful and many Windows apps and games are available for OSX as well, don't look only in the Mac App Store though, better prices can often be found in other app stores (Steam, for example) or from a developer's own web site. Upgrading to Lion was dead easy but give it a couple hours after Lion's done installing, it reindexes all your files and the computer runs kind of slow while this is going on.
I've only had this computer a week so I know I've barely scratched the surface, but already this iMac has transformed a life long devout Windows guy into one of those insufferable Mac people. It's every bit as easy to set up and use and just as well designed as Macs are reputed to be. If you're thinking about switching, go ahead and do it, you'll be glad you did!
Toshiba HD-A1 HD-DVD Player
Being the first to market in the High Definition DVD Player area, with Blu-ray right on its tail, id have to say its one amazing box. I started with last samurai regular dvd popped it in and wow was a standard DVD simply AMAZING, the upconvert in this box is the best ive seen. I then followed up by putting in the HDDVD version of Last Samurai and I was definately more pleased, stuff that was blotchy and pixelated no longer is so, most notable when standing or sitting close to an LCD TV the quality is noticably better. The price is a bit steep, but then again the first DVD Players were quite pricey as well. The prices for the HDDVDs are nice compared to costs for other new media standards such as the UMD Disc in fact about the same price as UMD Disc. The only cons I would have about this player is it takes REALLY LONG startup once turned on and HDDVD can take some time to get going and the thing is HUGE! It wont fit in most setups!
Nikon 1 V2 Digital Camera Body with 10-30mm VR Lens (White)
I love my new camera Nikon. This package with the two lenses, the filters, the legs, control remote and other accessories is such a great deal. Service and shipping was very fast. Package came before expected day. Thank you very much.
Sony STR-DN1010 7.1-Channel A/V Receiver (Old Version)
Introduction:
So, I finally found myself in a position to upgrade my home audio. For many years I used and rather enjoyed my 5 dic DVD changing home theater in a box (Sony DAV-HDX500/i BRAVIA Home Theater System) but still didn't feel like I was getting the full audio experience out of my movies and music. Since I recently purchased a new 3D TV Samsung UN55C7000 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV (Black) and I already had a PlayStation 3 160 GB I figured my best option was to find an A/V receiver that would make the most of the 3D Blu-Ray functionality of the PS3 and the Samsung UN55C7000. After much research, and slowly piecing together a 7.1 collection of quality speakers, I decided to take a gamble and purchase the Sony STR-DN1010.
Initial Setup:
When the STR-DN1010 arrived via UPS I was excited. Upon unboxing, I immediately noticed the sleek and contemporary design and was pleased that it went so well with the decor in the family room. Having already run the speaker wires all I needed to do was; connect the wires to the appropriate receiver ports; connect the PS3, DVR/cable box, and TV; and plug the receiver's power in.
I open the user manual and it takes you through the usual inital setup steps I previously accomplished, so I flip to the speaker calibration section. Included in the box is a Auto-Calibration microphone which works surprisingly well. All I needed to do was plug it into the front of the receiver and follow the steps in the manual. This is where it gets a little complicated. I wanted to manually adjust my speaker but was having trouble navigating the on-screen GUI (graphical user interface). Response from the GUI had slight latency issues (as in it wasn't a 1:1 response from the remote commands). The manual seems to be made for above average tech consumer but I managed to figured most of it out and everything worked flawlessly.
Audio and Video Performance:
After everything was tweaked to my liking I first tested the audio performance from the cable box. Sound was great for the most part but after cycling through the numerous sound modes I noticed that in Sports mode audio sounds like someone speaking into a plastic tube, this was a minor complaint. Sports in general look and sound phenominal.
Next I tested Blu-Ray performance via the PS3. I checked the audio quality using The Matrix Blu-Ray on the scene where Neo and Trinity break into the building where the agents have Morpheus held captive. From the booming shotgun fire to the loud thud of guards getting kicked to the high twinkling of expended shells hitting the floor, I was in awe of the clarity of sound not to mention the crisp quality of video. Next I checked out the 3D video quality of Despicable Me 3D. Absolute perfection I couldnt find a thing to complain about here.
Since I had a Sony TDM-IP1 Digital Media Port iPod Dock from my previous home theater in a box I connected it to the receiver and plopped my ipod onto it to test my digital audio collection. Since I like The Roots (hip hop band) and they use live instrumentation in most of their music, I decided to use the album "How I Got Over" as my test material. Bass guitars sounded smooth and organic, percussion was precise and thumping, and vocal sounded live. Basically it all sounded like I was right in the studio with the artists. Great reproduction from the receiver, once again no real complaints here.
Conclusion:
In closing, this A/V receiever was everything I was looking for. I purchased an open box item here on Amazon so I only paid a little over $300 USD for it with free super saver shipping. Considering the price and performance I got this receiver, I feel like I got a hell of a deal. As far as gripes and complaints they're minor. The plastic speaker terminals used to connect the speaker wires to the receiver are a little cheap but sturdy enough to get the job done. I suggest you buy banana plugs to offset this. Another drawback is the lack of HDMI inputs this receiver has compared to comparable receivers of other brands (this has 4 in and 1 out, most others have 6 HDMI inputs). And lastly, not so much a problem for me but if you dont have a Sony Ipod dock you have to shell out roughly another $100 just to get on screen control of your Ipod through the receiver. Of course, you could always just use a 3.5mm audio cable to connect your ipod/mp3 player but you miss out on the on screen control. The manual requires a Rosetta Stone to decipher it, nuff said. I hope this review was helpful and if it was please vote up for me. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
7.1 Home Theater Speakers:
-Sony SS-CN5000 Dual 5.25" Center Channel Speaker (each, black)
-Sony SSF-7000 Floor-Standing 4-way Speaker with 8" Woofer (Pair)
-Sony SS-B3000 Bookshelf Speakers with 8-Inch Woofer (Pair, Black)
-Sony SS-B1000 5 1/8-Inch Bookshelf Speakers (Pair)
-Sony SA-W2500 Performance Line 100 Watt Subwoofer
By the way, check out the images above to get an idea of the STR-DN1010's scale
So, I finally found myself in a position to upgrade my home audio. For many years I used and rather enjoyed my 5 dic DVD changing home theater in a box (Sony DAV-HDX500/i BRAVIA Home Theater System) but still didn't feel like I was getting the full audio experience out of my movies and music. Since I recently purchased a new 3D TV Samsung UN55C7000 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV (Black) and I already had a PlayStation 3 160 GB I figured my best option was to find an A/V receiver that would make the most of the 3D Blu-Ray functionality of the PS3 and the Samsung UN55C7000. After much research, and slowly piecing together a 7.1 collection of quality speakers, I decided to take a gamble and purchase the Sony STR-DN1010.
Initial Setup:
When the STR-DN1010 arrived via UPS I was excited. Upon unboxing, I immediately noticed the sleek and contemporary design and was pleased that it went so well with the decor in the family room. Having already run the speaker wires all I needed to do was; connect the wires to the appropriate receiver ports; connect the PS3, DVR/cable box, and TV; and plug the receiver's power in.
I open the user manual and it takes you through the usual inital setup steps I previously accomplished, so I flip to the speaker calibration section. Included in the box is a Auto-Calibration microphone which works surprisingly well. All I needed to do was plug it into the front of the receiver and follow the steps in the manual. This is where it gets a little complicated. I wanted to manually adjust my speaker but was having trouble navigating the on-screen GUI (graphical user interface). Response from the GUI had slight latency issues (as in it wasn't a 1:1 response from the remote commands). The manual seems to be made for above average tech consumer but I managed to figured most of it out and everything worked flawlessly.
Audio and Video Performance:
After everything was tweaked to my liking I first tested the audio performance from the cable box. Sound was great for the most part but after cycling through the numerous sound modes I noticed that in Sports mode audio sounds like someone speaking into a plastic tube, this was a minor complaint. Sports in general look and sound phenominal.
Next I tested Blu-Ray performance via the PS3. I checked the audio quality using The Matrix Blu-Ray on the scene where Neo and Trinity break into the building where the agents have Morpheus held captive. From the booming shotgun fire to the loud thud of guards getting kicked to the high twinkling of expended shells hitting the floor, I was in awe of the clarity of sound not to mention the crisp quality of video. Next I checked out the 3D video quality of Despicable Me 3D. Absolute perfection I couldnt find a thing to complain about here.
Since I had a Sony TDM-IP1 Digital Media Port iPod Dock from my previous home theater in a box I connected it to the receiver and plopped my ipod onto it to test my digital audio collection. Since I like The Roots (hip hop band) and they use live instrumentation in most of their music, I decided to use the album "How I Got Over" as my test material. Bass guitars sounded smooth and organic, percussion was precise and thumping, and vocal sounded live. Basically it all sounded like I was right in the studio with the artists. Great reproduction from the receiver, once again no real complaints here.
Conclusion:
In closing, this A/V receiever was everything I was looking for. I purchased an open box item here on Amazon so I only paid a little over $300 USD for it with free super saver shipping. Considering the price and performance I got this receiver, I feel like I got a hell of a deal. As far as gripes and complaints they're minor. The plastic speaker terminals used to connect the speaker wires to the receiver are a little cheap but sturdy enough to get the job done. I suggest you buy banana plugs to offset this. Another drawback is the lack of HDMI inputs this receiver has compared to comparable receivers of other brands (this has 4 in and 1 out, most others have 6 HDMI inputs). And lastly, not so much a problem for me but if you dont have a Sony Ipod dock you have to shell out roughly another $100 just to get on screen control of your Ipod through the receiver. Of course, you could always just use a 3.5mm audio cable to connect your ipod/mp3 player but you miss out on the on screen control. The manual requires a Rosetta Stone to decipher it, nuff said. I hope this review was helpful and if it was please vote up for me. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
7.1 Home Theater Speakers:
-Sony SS-CN5000 Dual 5.25" Center Channel Speaker (each, black)
-Sony SSF-7000 Floor-Standing 4-way Speaker with 8" Woofer (Pair)
-Sony SS-B3000 Bookshelf Speakers with 8-Inch Woofer (Pair, Black)
-Sony SS-B1000 5 1/8-Inch Bookshelf Speakers (Pair)
-Sony SA-W2500 Performance Line 100 Watt Subwoofer
By the way, check out the images above to get an idea of the STR-DN1010's scale
Revo R16DVR4-2T 16 Channel Digital Video Recorder with 0. 12
List Price: $649.99
Sale Price: $601.99
Today's Bonus: 7% Off
This system is extremely easy to use and has an Iphone app so you can watch your cameras live anywhere! The instructions help get you set up and the customer service from Revo is great. Would definitely recommend this product to anyone looking for an easy to set up security system.
Nikon Coolpix P90 12.1MP Digital Camera with 24x Wide Angle
As with all new electronic toys, I had to take this particular model for a test drive before wrapping it up as a gift for a family member who is absolutely sold on nothing else but point and shoot cameras. Myself owning several Nikon & Canon film/DSLR systems over the years, I have to admit that I've never been a huge fan of point and shoot cameras. Surprisingly I did find that the Nikon P90 was definitely worthy of a second look. By far, this camera is a step up over the much maligned Nikon P80.
Packed with a 24x optical zoom (26-624mm) lens, the 4 way Vibration Reduction system incorporates Optical Image Stabilization to an ISO capability of 6400. In Sport Continuous Scene Mode, the P90 is capable of 15fps high-speed shooting at up to 45 frames per burst. When shooting outdoors in various transitions I was pleasantly surprised that the P90 operated smoothly without the usual demons associated with the older P80 system. It delivered an array of great outdoor photographs in both auto, sports and manual modes that required absolutely no editing.
Shooting indoors can be another story. Like all point and shoots the P90 does have its limitations in low light conditions. For me the long shutter lag in between shots is annoying. If users want to shoot in auto mode alone and don't have the time or patience to work the settings for indoor shots, this camera is probably not for you. However, the P90 can be tweaked to deliver indoor photographs.
The bottom line is taking the time to know the camera and making the proper settings. A basic fix is the VR (Vibration Reduction) feature. This should be activated, especially indoors. For those that insist on shooting in auto mode and in low light situations, the noise gremlins are indeed going to be noticeable due to a higher preset ISO. This will undoubtedly lead to dark and low quality photographs. To alleviate that scenario I suggest that if auto is the preference, try shooting in a stationary, programmed auto mode.
Another unique add on is the 3" tilting LCD screen. The LCD screen has a protective anti-glare coating. The tilted screen is a nice tool especially for shooting in the prone position. I only question the durability of the extension arm over time. Add in the Best Shot Selector (BSS),Red-Eye, Smile and Blink Proof features and you have the whole package.
In video mode, average quality is produced at 24 frames per second at 16:9 aspect ratio. HD would have been a sweet addition. As with all new digital cameras it comes down to memory card speed and top shelf batteries. Use of no name batteries can easily short out the system or leak. I recommend that buyers spend the extra bucks on SDHC cards and a durable tripod. The Nikon Coolpix P90 comes packed with (1) EN/EL5 Li-ion rechargeable battery, battery charger, USB cable, audio/video cable, strap, lens cap, one year warranty and software cd.
Even with its limitations indoors, seasoned point and shoot owners will undoubtedly enjoy all the bells and whistles that are packed on to this camera. As with all point and shoots the bottom line is convenience. Overall, for the price tag the Nikon P90 brings a lot to the table.
Packed with a 24x optical zoom (26-624mm) lens, the 4 way Vibration Reduction system incorporates Optical Image Stabilization to an ISO capability of 6400. In Sport Continuous Scene Mode, the P90 is capable of 15fps high-speed shooting at up to 45 frames per burst. When shooting outdoors in various transitions I was pleasantly surprised that the P90 operated smoothly without the usual demons associated with the older P80 system. It delivered an array of great outdoor photographs in both auto, sports and manual modes that required absolutely no editing.
Shooting indoors can be another story. Like all point and shoots the P90 does have its limitations in low light conditions. For me the long shutter lag in between shots is annoying. If users want to shoot in auto mode alone and don't have the time or patience to work the settings for indoor shots, this camera is probably not for you. However, the P90 can be tweaked to deliver indoor photographs.
The bottom line is taking the time to know the camera and making the proper settings. A basic fix is the VR (Vibration Reduction) feature. This should be activated, especially indoors. For those that insist on shooting in auto mode and in low light situations, the noise gremlins are indeed going to be noticeable due to a higher preset ISO. This will undoubtedly lead to dark and low quality photographs. To alleviate that scenario I suggest that if auto is the preference, try shooting in a stationary, programmed auto mode.
Another unique add on is the 3" tilting LCD screen. The LCD screen has a protective anti-glare coating. The tilted screen is a nice tool especially for shooting in the prone position. I only question the durability of the extension arm over time. Add in the Best Shot Selector (BSS),Red-Eye, Smile and Blink Proof features and you have the whole package.
In video mode, average quality is produced at 24 frames per second at 16:9 aspect ratio. HD would have been a sweet addition. As with all new digital cameras it comes down to memory card speed and top shelf batteries. Use of no name batteries can easily short out the system or leak. I recommend that buyers spend the extra bucks on SDHC cards and a durable tripod. The Nikon Coolpix P90 comes packed with (1) EN/EL5 Li-ion rechargeable battery, battery charger, USB cable, audio/video cable, strap, lens cap, one year warranty and software cd.
Even with its limitations indoors, seasoned point and shoot owners will undoubtedly enjoy all the bells and whistles that are packed on to this camera. As with all point and shoots the bottom line is convenience. Overall, for the price tag the Nikon P90 brings a lot to the table.
Nikon COOLPIX AW100 16 MP CMOS Waterproof Digital Camera
List Price: $299.00
Sale Price: $249.99
Today's Bonus: 16% Off
I've been looking at waterproof and tough camera for over a year now... and I eventually chose this one!
About me: I'm a techie, over 20 years in photography (started early), played with very many DSLR and compact cameras. I buy best-of-breed and I'm not very brand loyal (SLR I've used/owned include: Leica, Nikon, Pentax, Canon; Compact camera I've used/own: Canon, Panasonic, Olympus, and now Nikon).
I did a lot of research (including Canon, Pentax, Olympus) and eventually narrowed down to: Panasonic TS3 (aka FT3 in Europe), Nikon AW100, Sony TX10
** Sony TX10 I love its image sensor, its rugged yet sleek ultra compactness. Unfortunately the lack of GPS killed it. For an all-weather sports camera, you expect to travel everywhere and often in areas you find difficult to mark on Google Maps.
** Panasonic TS3 vs Nikon AW100 There are many forum that compare the specs of these two cameras so I won't bore you. Both have great specs for a rugged compact; and both have similar setbacks (e.g. no RAW or manual controls, but don't forget they are not suppose to be high-end compact cameras)
Panasonic TS3/FT3 is one of my final 2 because:
1. Panasonic makes exceptional compact cameras (well-designed, and they're heavily invested in compact cameras, including their m4/3).
Nikon's compacts are hit or miss, and more miss actually, when compared to Panasonic or Canon seems lagging behind.
2. Panasonic's TS3 is the third generation of rugged compacts... so Panasonic must have refined it and nailed everything.
Nikon has no rugged compacts and AW100 is the first risky!
3. Panasonic seems to produce very good underwater images (e.g. fishes, corals) seem more natural straight off camera.
Nikon seem to require you to set to underwater mode to ensure it corrects the color hues and color balance.
4. Panasonic has a tough, metal (and seemingly more durable) feel, but that also (unfortunately) makes it heavier!.
Nikon has an aluminum-like faceplate that gives color, but overall seem to be a tough lump of plastic.
Nikon AW100 ultimately won me over because:
I'm a risk-taker, and take the path less traveled (or camera less proven). It's got great specs like the Panny, PLUS some advantages:
1. Lightweight For traveling, hiking, water sports, having a light camera is good. The plastic looks tough and durable.
2. Greater ISO range with ISO 3200 I can take photos in darker situations than with a Panny
3. Screen is larger and higher res 460k instead of Panny's 230k means I an see more and clearer (especially sports can be lots of misses)
4. Image is higher res can be good or bad (I hate large files), but for sports, allows me more flexibility to crop and still retain enough resolution
5. Action button this sounds gimmicky, but it actually works! It serves as a large button for GPS tracking, and changing modes without having to fiddle with buttons
6. Video format I'll save the technie talks, but safe to say, it's Apple-friendly (I use both iMac and PC), high def (1080p) at lower file size.
7. Stereo sound useful in videos where you're filming cyclist/athletes zooming past and creates more realistic feel
Additional bonus that I found very useful in practice as a sports/travel camera:
8. Clock It's clock can synchronize with your location (so don't need to worry about adjusting the clock while traveling internationally
9. GPS it actually works! It can log your route at intervals for period of 6 72 hrs, embed POI info, and select different levels of details
10. VIdeo HS high-frame rate slow motion video are possible with this little camera. Initially, it sounded silly but as a sports and all-weather camera, I can certainly see great uses for this feature.
11. Movie light This gives additional light to dark subject at close distance when its very dark
12. Smile trigger Kids love this... We use this instead of self-timer so that when we take a family photo, the camera detects a smile and clicks it for us.
Don't get me wrong, I'm NOT saying NIKON AW100 is BETTER THAN Panasonic TS3. It's just better for my use (light to carry around in bag or even board shorts, versatile and travels to different country in sea, rain, mud etc). Honestly, I'm just pleasantly surprised Nikon can get so much right this time!
*Added tip: I bought this case and find its a good snug fit Lowepro Dublin 20 Slim Profile Pouches for Cameras and Compact Video Cameras (Black/Bordeaux Red)... I posted some pics here to let you see the fit.
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See the pics yourself. I've uploaded few pics intentionally provided them straight out of camera no photoshop.
* PANORAMA Quick and easy... no cropping/aligning. Just swing your camera slowly (~5sec) from one left to right or vice versa. Auto-stitched.
* SNORKELING Tried "underwater" and auto modes. Both work well. I did some injustice to the camera as I wasn't stable swept by current and the fishes were all over me
* CLOSE-UP See the white flower and aphid closeup. All handheld, Auto mode, Auto flash. You can go as close as about 1cm or closer.
* DYNAMIC RANGE See the pelican photo. Backlight but still some details on the flying birds. Camera is fast/easy. I just picked up the camera and shoot.
Pls click "Was this Helpful Yes/No" so I know whether it helps in your decision making, and if it does, it can help more people. (I'll post updates soon and refine this review I get more use out of it). Good luck!
Geovision GV-1480A 16 Channel PC DVR Video Capture Card, 480
There are MANY cards like this out there, The difference, the customer service... They are RIGHT THERE, This card works great and the customer service set the standard for what every one should be.
Sony Alpha A65 SLT-A65VK SLT-A65VL A65VK SLTA65 24.3 MP
The Sony 65 Bundle is excellent with only one exception. The second battery, a Vivitar imitation, jams in the camera. Other than that, it works well, as advertised. Also, I purchased David Busch's book on the camera a few weeks before I placedf my order for the A65. This gave me the time and insights to work the camera the first day I received it without the frustration of ignorance. Of course, Amazon did a superb job of responding to my questions and efficiency of delivery.
LG 500G Prepaid Phone (Tracfone)
I hate cell phones. In my opinion, long distance communication is best done via a land line (Limited Mobility? Oh, the humanity!) or a computer through e-mail, IM, or social networking sites. So if you're like me, you want a cell phone that you won't be using that often (business, emergencies, maybe even time-to-time socially), that you won't cry over if it is broken or stolen, and, most of all, MUST BE CHEAP. This product is very reasonably priced (7/2011: 22 + ns on Amazon, slightly more at a retail store), the value of the minutes is among the best for a prepaid cell phone, and the cell phone itself is pretty sweet. Buy it, carry it around with you or leave it in your car, toss it around, buy one for your ten year old to teach them about conservation, whatever.
Especially with Tracfone, double minutes are a necessity. Don't get a Tracfone without it. In fact, there's a version of this phone with triple minutes. It's something like 90 bucks extra but depending on how much you use your phone, you may want to look into it. Best value I figure is the 200 minutes purchase. After double minutes and a promo code (promo code book included with purchase, by the way), you'll get approximately 450 minutes. After taxes and everything, I calculated that each unit costs around 9 cents. Better than what Net10 offers. Higher minute packages may have better value, but if you have to make those kinds of purchases on a regular basis, you might as well look into a phone with a contract. Functionally, this item works pretty much in the same way you'd typically expect a prepaid phone to work: the number of units per minute (1:1) for a call is rounded up, whether you were talking for two seconds or 59.999 seconds; texts are .3 units, probably the best value you can find in a prepaid; the browser is lame and should be used only in emergencies, and is .5 units to start and .5 units for every minute in the browser.
As for the phone itself, I like it. A lot. But first, the three things which bother me the most about this phone MUST have the most elaboration, to let you know what you're getting into.
1. Text Previews: This is nothing new. Tracfone seems to utilize a tactic in which you cannot see from whom you are receiving a text. Is it from a colleague? Is it from a new number? Is it spam? You can't tell. All they provide you before you open it is the first few characters of the text which was sent. Can't blame them, really. Their texts are so cheap, they have to make certain that you at least open every single one you get.
2. The Browser Button: This is the most common problem I've found in all of the reviews I've read. Not only is the browser button a big soft key which you also use as the "Back" key, but it's also placed right next to the "Pwr/End" key. Key lock MUST BE ACTIVATED ON THIS PHONE, or you'll wind up punching this button while slipping the phone into your pocket and wasting a LOT of units. Horrible. You'll be pressing this button a couple of times when you do not want to. Bam. Half a unit expended. If you hit the "End" key quick enough, you might avoid it. Invariably, though, you will be wasting money thanks to this little baby. This, too, is suspected to be a ploy to cheat you out of your hard-purchased units. Frankly, I think it was just a stupid human factors mistake made on someone's part. It's really the worst aspect of this phone and it could have all been avoided if only the phone had...
3. Personalizability: I can change the background and ringtones, okay, fine. I CANNOT change what the soft key buttons do. If I could change the Browser Button to, say, a Camera Button, this would be the God of all Prepaid Phones. Unfortunately, we're stuck with a shortcut to a horrible, useless browser and guessing where the shortcut key to the half-decent camera is (tip: it's "Left" on the Navigation Key).
That's all the bad stuff, though! Let's talk about the good stuff. Remember, this is a prepaid phone. I'm matching it up to other prepaid phones I've seen before.
Light
Great-looking
Great battery life
SD card slot
Good camera
Excellent keypad (see below)
Volume is on-par
Full of other useful functions (such as games, mp3 player, and calendar with event planning!)
The keys are small, yet are very easy to master (and they have a wonderful response), even if you have big fingers. I do not know the threshold between comfort and frustration; all I know is that if small keys have been an insane problem for you in the past, you may want to find a demo of this phone to check it out first.
This phone is worth it. You can laugh at the poor souls who have sold themselves into $600+ a year contracts while you thriftily expend $15 $20 a month for a phone with nearly the exact same features. The difference could help you pay for a netbook, which more than makes up for any deficiencies you may find in the cell phone (and which is also a great selling point when you're negotiating with your aforementioned ten year old).
Just get it. The only time you'll regret it is when you hit that stupid Browser Button.
Edit: 8/4/2011
The phone charges with a micro USB cable. (There -isa difference between micro USB and mini USB.) These cables are cheap from Amazon. You can have one shipped to you for about two bucks. I'd recommend getting a couple and a USB car charger, which, depending on the quality, should set you back around five to ten bucks. Being able to charge the phone from a computer is a great feature, but you may also be wondering what kind of data you can transfer between the phone and the computer. The answer is nothing -if you don't have a micro SDHC card (4gb SanDisk w/ adapter is seven bucks). With the card installed, connecting the phone to the computer should both charge the phone and allow you to change the contents of the SDHC card. No special software should be required. The reason I'm bringing this up now is that lately I've been having issues with this feature. It started to work, but connecting the phone with the card installed to my computer now brings up a hardware failure notice. This is a minor issue, but an inconvenience nonetheless. I have to open up the back of the cell phone, take out the battery, remove the card, place the card into the adapter, and connect the card to my computer that way. That's the only issue I've had with this phone so far. I'd still have bought this phone if I knew it had this issue, however. I will update if I find a resolution to this issue.
Some other information. I mentioned getting a car charger, but you may never need it. I'm on day five without charging my phone, and it's still got half battery life. And yes, I have been using it. This totally makes up for the connectivity issue, and then some. Also, as far as adding things to the phone, buying the SDHC card has been a good idea. There's plenty of tiny extras for the phone you can find online. Ringtones do not need to be in a special format, mp3 will work. If you do a search for games for this phone, they're everywhere. I download mine from Mobile Heart. (You can play Civilization! I love this game.)
So, about a month in, I've found one setback and a couple of really big pluses. Rating still stands at five stars.
Edit: 8/27/2011
Still working great. The phone averages about four days on the battery without charge. (Compare this with maybe two days for a smart phone.) Also, I obtained a Bluetooth device (Rocketfish Rf-Mrbtad Micro Bluetooth Adapter, $11). File transfers are a lot easier, and it's nice not to have to worry about cords and stuff. A little bit slower, but it makes up for the problems with USB cable connectivity. Still the best prepaid phone I've ever owned. I think this will be the last edit until I stop using the phone. Rating still stands at five stars.
Especially with Tracfone, double minutes are a necessity. Don't get a Tracfone without it. In fact, there's a version of this phone with triple minutes. It's something like 90 bucks extra but depending on how much you use your phone, you may want to look into it. Best value I figure is the 200 minutes purchase. After double minutes and a promo code (promo code book included with purchase, by the way), you'll get approximately 450 minutes. After taxes and everything, I calculated that each unit costs around 9 cents. Better than what Net10 offers. Higher minute packages may have better value, but if you have to make those kinds of purchases on a regular basis, you might as well look into a phone with a contract. Functionally, this item works pretty much in the same way you'd typically expect a prepaid phone to work: the number of units per minute (1:1) for a call is rounded up, whether you were talking for two seconds or 59.999 seconds; texts are .3 units, probably the best value you can find in a prepaid; the browser is lame and should be used only in emergencies, and is .5 units to start and .5 units for every minute in the browser.
As for the phone itself, I like it. A lot. But first, the three things which bother me the most about this phone MUST have the most elaboration, to let you know what you're getting into.
1. Text Previews: This is nothing new. Tracfone seems to utilize a tactic in which you cannot see from whom you are receiving a text. Is it from a colleague? Is it from a new number? Is it spam? You can't tell. All they provide you before you open it is the first few characters of the text which was sent. Can't blame them, really. Their texts are so cheap, they have to make certain that you at least open every single one you get.
2. The Browser Button: This is the most common problem I've found in all of the reviews I've read. Not only is the browser button a big soft key which you also use as the "Back" key, but it's also placed right next to the "Pwr/End" key. Key lock MUST BE ACTIVATED ON THIS PHONE, or you'll wind up punching this button while slipping the phone into your pocket and wasting a LOT of units. Horrible. You'll be pressing this button a couple of times when you do not want to. Bam. Half a unit expended. If you hit the "End" key quick enough, you might avoid it. Invariably, though, you will be wasting money thanks to this little baby. This, too, is suspected to be a ploy to cheat you out of your hard-purchased units. Frankly, I think it was just a stupid human factors mistake made on someone's part. It's really the worst aspect of this phone and it could have all been avoided if only the phone had...
3. Personalizability: I can change the background and ringtones, okay, fine. I CANNOT change what the soft key buttons do. If I could change the Browser Button to, say, a Camera Button, this would be the God of all Prepaid Phones. Unfortunately, we're stuck with a shortcut to a horrible, useless browser and guessing where the shortcut key to the half-decent camera is (tip: it's "Left" on the Navigation Key).
That's all the bad stuff, though! Let's talk about the good stuff. Remember, this is a prepaid phone. I'm matching it up to other prepaid phones I've seen before.
Light
Great-looking
Great battery life
SD card slot
Good camera
Excellent keypad (see below)
Volume is on-par
Full of other useful functions (such as games, mp3 player, and calendar with event planning!)
The keys are small, yet are very easy to master (and they have a wonderful response), even if you have big fingers. I do not know the threshold between comfort and frustration; all I know is that if small keys have been an insane problem for you in the past, you may want to find a demo of this phone to check it out first.
This phone is worth it. You can laugh at the poor souls who have sold themselves into $600+ a year contracts while you thriftily expend $15 $20 a month for a phone with nearly the exact same features. The difference could help you pay for a netbook, which more than makes up for any deficiencies you may find in the cell phone (and which is also a great selling point when you're negotiating with your aforementioned ten year old).
Just get it. The only time you'll regret it is when you hit that stupid Browser Button.
Edit: 8/4/2011
The phone charges with a micro USB cable. (There -isa difference between micro USB and mini USB.) These cables are cheap from Amazon. You can have one shipped to you for about two bucks. I'd recommend getting a couple and a USB car charger, which, depending on the quality, should set you back around five to ten bucks. Being able to charge the phone from a computer is a great feature, but you may also be wondering what kind of data you can transfer between the phone and the computer. The answer is nothing -if you don't have a micro SDHC card (4gb SanDisk w/ adapter is seven bucks). With the card installed, connecting the phone to the computer should both charge the phone and allow you to change the contents of the SDHC card. No special software should be required. The reason I'm bringing this up now is that lately I've been having issues with this feature. It started to work, but connecting the phone with the card installed to my computer now brings up a hardware failure notice. This is a minor issue, but an inconvenience nonetheless. I have to open up the back of the cell phone, take out the battery, remove the card, place the card into the adapter, and connect the card to my computer that way. That's the only issue I've had with this phone so far. I'd still have bought this phone if I knew it had this issue, however. I will update if I find a resolution to this issue.
Some other information. I mentioned getting a car charger, but you may never need it. I'm on day five without charging my phone, and it's still got half battery life. And yes, I have been using it. This totally makes up for the connectivity issue, and then some. Also, as far as adding things to the phone, buying the SDHC card has been a good idea. There's plenty of tiny extras for the phone you can find online. Ringtones do not need to be in a special format, mp3 will work. If you do a search for games for this phone, they're everywhere. I download mine from Mobile Heart. (You can play Civilization! I love this game.)
So, about a month in, I've found one setback and a couple of really big pluses. Rating still stands at five stars.
Edit: 8/27/2011
Still working great. The phone averages about four days on the battery without charge. (Compare this with maybe two days for a smart phone.) Also, I obtained a Bluetooth device (Rocketfish Rf-Mrbtad Micro Bluetooth Adapter, $11). File transfers are a lot easier, and it's nice not to have to worry about cords and stuff. A little bit slower, but it makes up for the problems with USB cable connectivity. Still the best prepaid phone I've ever owned. I think this will be the last edit until I stop using the phone. Rating still stands at five stars.