Nokia 5800 XpressMusic Unlocked Phone 3G, 3.2 MP Camera, GPS, Wi-Fi, MicroSD Slot--International Version with No Warranty (Red) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I just got a hold of this 5800 Xpress Music.
The price is unbeatable. You'll keep hearing this line about the price, and when you get a hold of it, you'll agree.
This is the phone with the most complete set of features I have ever wanted.
The device feels solid and ready for some hard knocks, but a little bulky.
The GUI felt awkward at first, I did not expect the need to "double tap" each icon to start an app.
It's not quite "touch" sensitive, but "press" sensitive. This proves to be an advantage, since I'm more in control when I use the device on a bus, train, boat or tuk-tuk (a 3 wheel vehicle, with 2 stroke engine, sort of a "Thai Model-T" seen all over Bangkok).
The switch between portrait and landscape mode, is actually much simpler and quite natural once I got the hold of it.
I set up access to my GMAIL account within 2 mins.
Messaging App, Options->Settings->Email, say "Yes" to Define Mailbox, Enter Email Address, Password, choose POP3 or IMAP4, and I'm connected to my GMail Account!
You can choose the best way you see fit to enter text
1. Handwriting recognition
Took 5 minutes to get used to it. I don't quite like writing in block letters, but the 5800 handled fast writing quite ok. I'm overly critical of all current handwriting recognition products, since they don't even come close to the Newton, way back when I could expect my own handwriting to be recognized.
2. Small QWERTY keyboard
Most typically used in portrait mode but much more readable than WinMobile keyboards
3. Full QWERTY keyboard
It felt more stable than the iPhone QWERTY keyboard. I prefer to "press" the keyboard as is needed with the 5800 XpressMusic. I don't like the iPhone QWERTY key since it's too sensitive to touch and I can't type when I'm on the move. I've never been able to get used to the Blackberry or E71 style full QWERTY keyboard.
The 5800 XpressMusic full QWERTY keyboard switches to landscape mode and feels almost right that I have to use 2 thumbs to reach all the keys...almost like 2 hand typing.
4. Alphanumeric Keypad...just what you'd expect on any Nokia S60 phone. Includes T9. Just need to press the keypad, so avoids the overly sensitive touch when typing.There's a really cool driving game that shows the 5800 XpressMusic sensitivity to turns. You literally hold the phone with both hands and "steer" the car!
The RealPlayer is much improved, allowing me to play more types of VDO format files. Quite useful to get the nice video podcasts downloaded and find that they are actually viewable on the device.
The Music Player is the same. Sound quality is really good through the speakers.
The Media Gallery is a little static, with all files arranged as tiles. The N95 Media Gallery would be a nice touch.
You will soon see many useful applications on Nokia's range of "touch" handsets.
This device requires developers to publish a Symbian sdk5 version of their application.
We tested a few apps released for Symbian sdk3 devices (N-Series and E-Series mainly), and they almost always worked without any changes.
This is an amazing new device which shows why Nokia dominates the mobile phone market with a big choice of innovative designs and experiences suitable for each individual user.

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Sony VAIO Lifestyle VGN-P688E/R 8-Inch Laptop - Red Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Maybe I got a fluke, but Sony's so-called "full laptop" computer in an 8" form factor is like trying to run Vista on your mom's old P3. Seriously, this thing absolutely crawls. All this would be acceptable were it not for the very mediocre battery life (forget 4 hours, I couldn't even manage 2 with moderately heavy use), when any other netbook (that's right, netbook) for well under half the price outperforms it in battery life AND performance. Ironic; the 1.33Ghz processor really is a step down from the 1.66Ghz Atoms in netbooks, despite what I've been told to the contrary about the different "architecture."
But that's just on the hardware front. It powers on fast enough, but right from the get-go you're slammed with loads of bloatware and tons of programs that are slow to load into memory, one after the other (that's right, it's not even a dual core). These can be uninstalled--though not cleanly, as they leave some registry junk data behind. But there's little that can be done about yet another software-related problem: drivers. The video driver on here is one of the worst experiences I've had to date with video displays. HD video was an absolute disaster, even though the chipset (google "Poulsbo" or GMA500) claims it to be able to decode 720p HD video. So when I tried to play a simple HQ youtube vid (not even HD) and met with stuttering far worse than my friend's Asus Eee PC, which cost about 350, I was understandably upset. As for the faster disk drive with the SSD, this may be true. But when you can't run even basic productivity apps at full speed, any HD speed increase was unnoticeable. My Eee for instance has a conventional "slow" HD but gets the job done (except for copying files) much more quickly.
A lot of this might be Vista's fault. But before you think of downgrading to the faster, lighter XP, let me warn you--you'll have even more issues with Sony's drivers. Linux? Forget about it; Intel's Poulsbo drivers are in a pitiful state there too. When the most appealing attribute of the system--the hi-res screen, mind you--is nearly unusable with any other options, one can't help but feel a bit ripped off. The webcam's quality isn't very good (the Eee wins again), and the WWan (mobile broadband) is locked to Verizon, so don't think about other companies unless you "unlock" the chip: more time and trouble. The wireless-N support is supposed to be great, but it was dodgy on my home network (maybe it was just my unit or config...or vista, but again, my other devices worked fine). They keyboard and ergonomics are fine, but again, the only good words for this unit, for this price, are surface-deep.
Parting advice: the reviews on this "Lifestyle PC" are low for good reason. I really wish I'd seen Amazon's reviews earlier. (This unit wasn't from Amazon but from Sony themselves).

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Epson Artisan 700 Photo All-in-One Printer (Black) (C11CA30201) Review

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(More customer reviews)I like the printer, and I would recommend it. My only real complaint is the total cost of ownership is high. Order a set of ink at $60 when you order the printer, because within a couple weeks of starting it up, you'll need to replace them.
Pros:
1. Instructions were great for wireless install.
2. Prints quality is good.
3. Machine looks great.
4. The printer has never failed to print.
Cons:
1. 6 individual ink cartridges at $10 each, or $15 each for high capacity.
2. The printer's initial startup uses about 1/2 of the ink that ships with the printer. This is explained in the manual.
3. There is no information on the difference between the high capacity ink cartridges and the standard.
4. I don't think you'll find aftermarket Epson ink like you can with some brands.
5. Sometimes the printing takes a couple minutes to get started.
6. I get a lot of error messages, mostly "The printer has detected some print head nozzles are clogged. To help with the nozzle recovery please wait 6 hours. Then try printing again." Helpdesk's suggestion was that I go into the menu and turn off the print nozzle check. That is an odd solution, but the printer continues to print fine.
7. With the number of print errors I get, and the time it takes to start printing (sometimes), I've never felt totally comfortable with the printer. But helpdesk was responsive, and I've got the box if I need to send it back to Epson.


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Printer, ARTISAN 700, ALL-IN-ONE,

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Dell Latitude ATG D630 Notebbok Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been using a Dell T630 for the past 3 days, 8 hours a day while undertaking some intensive training class. I am not going to enumerate the published specs for this machine but, instead I will run the specs against what I perceive as its usability and how that correlates to the price.
It's probably fair to state that there is little remarkable about this machine. So, here they are, my observations:
- Most of the basic featuresc found on cheaper models are found in the T630 as well.
- Some features found in cheaper models, such as biometric (fingerprint) authentication are not supported.
- Max resolution is 1440x900
- Small 60-80GB hard drive - I can't see how equipping a $2000 laptop with a $50 hard drive can be possibly justified (for our class purposes, an installation that included Windows XP, Firefox and some VMWare filled up the disk, leaving only 1GB free).
- Keybord is below average, "molasses" feel, need to strike the keys hard for a keystroke to register.
- Same as above for the mouse button emulators, only worse.
- 4 USB ports (that's a good thing), 2 in the back and to on the right.
- Heavy.
I award this machine 3 stars only because I am ignoring the outrageous posted price because prices can and do change. So, price not considered, it's an average, unremarkable machine. I can tolerate it for another day or 2 of training but, if this was my office laptop, the size of the hard drive and the subpar keyboard would proably have me petition my IT department for a replacement.
Of course, using it with a docking station (and it DOES have docking capabilities) would take care of the keyboard issue but the minuscule hard drive would still be a concern.

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Sony 15.5" Vaio VPCEB3TFX/T Intel Core i3 Laptop 4GB Notebook 500GB Computer PC Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great laptop for the price. It's fast, the picture is clear and I love the number key pad on the right side. My only complaint was the sound. There isn't much volume and the sound was weak and tinny. That was easily fixed with a $29.00 Gigaware speaker I bought at Radio Shack that sits on top of your open laptop. The sound is incredible for $30 and it plugs in with a USB cord. I would recommend this computer and this speaker.

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Archos 5 500 GB Internet Tablet with Android Review

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(More customer reviews)I just got my new Android 5 500GB direct from Archos yesterday and its quite a beauty. I'm upgrading from my old Archos 5 250GB, so that will be my primary point of comparison. I also have the following to compare to: iPod Touch 64GB, Archos 605, Walkman X, Samsung P2, and a host of other MP3 players large and small.
Given that my iPod Touch upgrade this year was less than astounding, I pretty much figured that this upgrade for Archos would be similarly understated. Mainly I just wanted the extra hard drive so I could backup all my laptops onto my music player. I was wrong! The new Android version seems to have a whole new feel both in form factor and the new software. I had heard that Archos was having problems with the software, but they seem to have ironed most of them out as of 1.1 firmware release. I did update my firmware immediately, and the process was quite smooth.
I'm going to rate this player on my absolute scale. I will also be making notes on the value of the upgrade from my old Archos 5. Note: I mostly use this as a media center to play music and video; secondarily as a backup drive.
Let's get to it then, these are the things I love about my new Android:
1) 500GB -- totally awesome amount of disk, I can now put just about every digital file I own on the Archos.
2) Android interface -- the overall feel of the software interface has definitively improved with the integration of Android. Effects are crisper, the esthetics are cleaner, things seem to happen faster. I especially like how easy it is to access the most recently played song or video from the main screen, pops up with a little thumbnail that you tap on and voila, resumes right where you left off!
3) Apps -- with Android we now have access to some serious app selection. Of course, nobody compares to the Apple App Store, but this comes the closest.
4) Weight -- this actually feels lighter to me than my 250GB.
5) Dock/DVR -- this popped right into my old 5 DVR and started playing right away. I still think this is the best DVR/Player combination available of all the MP3 players.
6) Video/Hi Def -- of the players I have owned, this has the best, biggest, and highest resolution screen.
7) Portrait/Landscape -- Archos has borrowed the iPhone trick of rotating the display according to orientation. I guess they have an accelerometer in there now, I dunno. Still, its fun to see this feature on an Archos. Its a lot easier to navigate playlists in portrait mode.
8) Easy and regular firmware updates -- with a WiFi connection, the firmware updates are easily performed on the unit itself. That's the easiest system I've seen of all my players. One thing I've learned about Archos over the years, they will put out a steady stream of firmware updates.
9) WMV/MTP mode-- very smooth interface to Windows for either Media Monkey or Windows Media Player.
10) Dedicated volume button -- power and volume buttons have been conveniently located onto the top edge. This is actually much easier to use when it is docked on the DVR (which is where mine spends most of its life!).
11) Sound quality is quite good, sounds great through my Klipsch speakers and seems to have more oomph than my other players.
12) WiFi/Browser -- has a good browser and WiFi connection has worked well for me. I think the keyboard is better than the Touch's, although Safari is probably the slightly superior browser. The bigger screen also helps for browsing. Overall I'm inclined to give the Archos the top ranking for browsers.
13) I just discovered Twidroid, one of many apps pre-loaded, allows me to check my Twitter in a really nice format -- love it!
14) Portability -- well there's only so much portability that can be expected with a screen and hard drive this large. This new design is smoother and rounder so its a little more comfortable in a pocket. It is very easy to carry around as a handheld device, fits nicely in my hand as I stroll about the house trying out all of the Android Apps! In any case, this is not as portable as a Touch but I think its pretty good for a small computer -- which is basically what this is.
15) No extra plug ins needed (so far!). Always in the past I've laid out another $40 for additional Archos plugins to play iPod format music and other video formats. So far I haven't had to do that -- thank you Archos :)
16) Archos will stand behind their product. I've had to send in a couple of Archos units over the years and they have always been happy to either repair or replace the unit without quibbling about it, as long as its under warranty. Note: it did take two weeks to get my unit back!
17) Multi threading: now I show my engineer/geek side. This baby can do a bunch of different stuff at the same time, unlike the iPhone/Touch which can really only do one thing at a time. The Android can be doing other stuff while you are listening music. I love the little bar on the top that you can pull down and switch to any other task that is running.
18) Built-in kickstand, very nice feature.
19) Stylus friendly touch screen -- sometimes you just get tired of trying to type a touchscreen keyboard with fat fingers! In general, this is one of my favorite touch screens. Most of the other touch screens, including iPod/iPhone, are capacitance which means stylus won't work
20) Micro USB cable plug-in: finally a standardized USB plug and you can have it resting on its kickstand while plugged in :)
Given that the Archos tops the class in several categories, and continues to be the best 500GB 5 inch screen player available I give it about a 4.7 stars out of 5 (round to 5). There are a few things I'm less than thrilled about:
1) Update: I believe you can now format your drive in a Windows friendly format on 1.7.96 version of firmware. External hard drive EXT3 -- as I understand it, Archos changed to the EXT3 hard drive format for reasons of speed and reliability. The result for me is that I can no longer simply select hard drive MSC mode, plug the Archos into a Windows machine and expect to access the drive. You have to install an Ext3 driver such as EXT2 IFS on your Windows PC. Once I did that I was able to access the hard drive and backup files to my hearts content.
2) The playlist interface didn't get much of an upgrade and its still kind of clunky. I want to simply tap my playlist and it starts playing. Often times I have to do a couple of extra taps to get the thing playing.
3) We lost the dedicated play button and removable battery a while back -- but I still miss them both! None of my favorite touch screen players has either of these features. I'm also missing the brown metallic color and the rubbery backside.
4) Finding a case for this baby is no easy trick. You're not going to find one at the local Best Buy I'm afraid. In the past I've resorted to ordering my Archos cases from European companies like I-nique and Noreve. This is generally true of any player that is not an iPod or a Zune.
5) As always with Archos, you must remember that you are dealing with a French based company. This means that they don't always provide the best support/service/upgrades to us Americans.
6) Lets face it, Archos is always playing catch up. Some of the new features aren't fully functional yet. I do have faith that Archos will fix all the little glitches with things like GPS over the course of the next 6 months. The Apps available are currently a bit limited. I expect this will improve over the coming months.
7) Keep in mind that this is not a unit for the faint of heart. This is more for the hobbyist who wants a cutting edge experience that may take some messing around to get it just the way you want it. If you want something easy that requires minimum effort then iPods are going to be more your cup of tea.
For me this is still the best player of its class -- that class being large hard drive, big screen PMP players with other fun features. Android makes for some fun possibilities, and overall I'm impressed with this as an upgrade. Once again, if you don't mind a smaller screen and you love apps I suggest you get an iPod Touch. If what you care about most is sound quality you may want to get a Walkman X. For me those are your top 3 touch screen players, it just depends on what you care about the most.
Note: 10-23-2009; I upgraded to firmware version 1.2.03 which fixes some App, Browser, and YouTube issues. Apps do seem happier now, upgrade process was very smooth. Still happily listening to tunes for about 8 hours a day with no problems :)
Update 11-7-2009: I've been running version 1.2.15 with a host of bug fixes and the unit does seem more stable in general now. Wifi is working better and USB connection seems more reliable.
Update 11-23-2009: Upgrade to firmware v 1.3.07 -- a long list of bug fixes including a few improvements that I had hoped for to control the scanning of multimedia files/ ArcLibrary. Got an AppsLib update which seems to work more reliably. There seem to be a lot more apps available now (300 ish) in AppsLib. Just keeps getting better and better! Still is playing music day in and day out with no problems and I'm backing up 2 laptops worth of files onto my 5 IT.
Update 12-18-2009: I've been on firmware 1.4.16 for over a week now. Lots of little fixes, seems even more stable now.
Update 2-11-2010: Firmware 1.7.33 (Android Donut) upgrade. The upgrade was a bit of work, I ended up reformatting the drive and starting anew. However, power saving seems to work a lot better and I haven't seen it reset itself for quite a while now. This seems to be the most solid release yet!
Update 4-8-2010: Firmware...Read more›

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ARCHOS, award-winning for its constant technology innovation, now introduces its new ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet. This product combines all the multimedia know-how that ARCHOS is famous for, with the ANDROID operating system. It offers you an uncompromised Internet, Media and TV experience in a customizable interface. In perpetual evolution with the continuous arrival of new applications, you can personalize your ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet to perfectly reflect your tastes and needs.


HD Multimedia
Brilliant 5-inch Touchscreen The ARCHOS 5 features an 800 pixel-wide 5-inch touchscreen, an ultra thin design, and an accelerometer for portrait or landscape viewing. Whether enjoying media yourself or sharing with friends, it delivers outstanding image quality.
HD Video Formats Don't compromise--the ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet is able to handle the widest range of video formats, even at HD 720p resolution (H.264 HD, MPEG-4 HD, and WMV HD5).
Your Music Everywhere Enjoy more music formats directly on your device (MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, AAC+, FLAC and OGG Vorbis). In addition, the unique ARCHOS music browsing system allows you to create your playlists without using a PC. Who needs a tuner? Just plug your ARCHOS 5 into amplified speakers and you're all set.
Experience Your Photos Browse through your photos with a simple flick of your finger or play a slideshow with music and transition effects. The high resolution screen is great for zooming in on details.
Take It All With a 500 GB Hard Drive, you won't waste time choosing what files to bring along--take your entire media library with you.

Internet
Fast & Convenient Web Surfing The ARCHOS 5 lets you easily surf the Web. With a Wi-Fi connection (802.11 b/g/n) and the new OMAP3440 processor running at 800 MHz, you get quick and responsive Internet browsing just like on a laptop, without the endless waits for page loads. Enjoy the Web in full width thanks to the 800 pixel wide screen, with no need to zoom in or out.
3.5 G Mobile Phone Connection If you own a standard mobile phone equipped with 3.5 G & Bluetooth technology, simply pair it up to your ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet via Bluetooth. This will give you easy access to Internet directly on your device anytime and anywhere.
Web TV and Web Radio In less than 3 clicks, you can access nearly 1,000 Web TV channels, over 10,000 Web radio stations, and 100,000 podcasts. There's no downloading wait time. Radio and TV start streaming directly from a worldwide list of traditional and independent radio and TV stations.
Media Club The Media Club remains the easiest way to get video and music content on the go. With an even richer library with new partners and some of the biggest industry names, you'll discover a large library of movies, documentaries, music albums, and games. Buy or rent your entertainment in a couple of clicks and start watching it on your ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet.

GPS
Full-Featured GPS Whether you are walking or driving, you will always find your destination with the on-board GPS. The GPS includes voice assistance, points of interest, fast multiple-route calculations, and car/pedestrian/adventure modes based on the latest maps from Tele Atlas with 3D landmarks.
You can go to your account at anytime on the ARCHOS website and purchase the available maps or cities.
3D Photo-Realistic City Navigation Find your way around cities in 3D Photo Realistic mode. With multi-angle views and four zoom levels, you'll be able to recognize places as if you had taken your own photos from the sky. This is ideal when walking and visiting large cities in the US (available Q1 2010).
Free 7-Day Trial Try the GPS for 7 days free of charge.

TV
HD TV-Out With the Optional DVR Station or HDMI Mini Dock Turn your TV into a real web-connected multimedia platform. Enjoy all the ARCHOS functions on the big screen of your living room. Watch your movies in HD (720p), listen to your music, share your high resolution pictures, play games or surf the Web.
Record your favorite programs with the Optional DVR Station With the optional DVR Station, you have the perfect match for your ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet at home. Record TV shows and movies in one step using with the included remote control. Then you can enjoy your recording at home on your wide-screen TV or in the palm of your hand when you are out.

Applications

Ready to go with pre-installed applications Enjoy a selection of fun and practical applications for daily use right out of the box:
eBuddy IM: for instant messaging The multi-platform instant messaging application. Chat from one place to all your friends on the various platforms. Supports MSN, Yahoo, Gtalk, Facebook, ICQ, MySpace and AIM (AOL)
DroidIn: for connecting to LinkedIn Connect to your LinkedIn account to exchange information, ideas and opportunities. Stay informed about your contacts and industry. Find the people & knowledge you need to achieve your goals. Control your career online.
Twitroid: for instant micro-blogging Twitroid is the industry-standard Twitter client for the Android platform. Easily access the famous free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables you to send and read tweets, publish short URLs and pictures.
Deezer: for music streaming Enjoy 35 free web radio stations and the SmartRadio directly on your ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet.
Dailymotion: for viewing and sharing videos Browse videos by searching tags, channels or user-created groups.
QuickPedia: for access to Wikipedia Access to the free web-based and collaborative encyclopedia.
ThinkFree Mobile: for viewing Office documents This application allows you to view, edit and create Microsoft Office 97/2000/XP/2003/2007 Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF documents. You will get a free update before year-end allowing you to also edit and create documents.
E-mail & contacts Stay in contact by using the full integrated Email and contacts applications.
Moov: toggles easily between your apps Moov wraps up your search needs all in one place, so you can quickly toggle between the product's contacts, Google, Wikipedia and the remaining Applications on your product.
CraigsPhone: for access to online classified advertisements CraigsPhone is a centralized network of online communities, featuring free online classified advertisements � with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, r�sum�s, and discussion forums.
High Paying Jobs: for access to a list of jobs (US & Canada only) Browse through jobs lists directly on the Product. Search over 2 million jobs from all the leading jobsites.

Add-ons
DVR Station This accessory allows you to record TV, play video back to your TV and charge your ARCHOS. Recording your favorite programs has never been so easy. You can also surf the Web or stream web video to your TV while comfortably laid back on your couch using the included remote control as a keyboard and mouse pointer.
DVR Snap-on Use our DVR Snap-on to record from almost any audio or video analog source when you are on the move.
Mini Dock Transfer your files directly from USB keys, digital cameras, or other portable media players. Quickly charge your ARCHOS with the included charger/adapter. Play video out to your TV with video output in high quality S-Video or standard quality composite.
HDMI Mini Dock Optimize TV playback with HDMI output quality. Transfer your files directly from USB keys, digital cameras, or other portable media players from the standard USB port. Quickly charge your ARCHOS with the included charger/adapter.
Battery Dock Transfer your files directly from USB sticks, digital cameras, or other portable media players. Quickly charge your ARCHOS with the included charger/adapter and get extended playback with the built-in backup battery. Play video out to your TV with video output in high quality S-Video or standard quality composite.

What's in the Box ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet, headphones, Standard USB cable, DVR Station adapter, Quick Start Guide (QSG), legal and safety notice.

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Nokia N97 Mini 8GB Multimedia Smartphone Cherry Black Unlocked Import Review

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(More customer reviews)Bought this phone recently, and found it to be overpriced and tacky. The touch screen is unpredictable, and you'll find yourself preferring the qwerty keyboard. This can be a bit awkward because it is not quick access.
The applications are best installed on the E:\ drive or other external memory, because the phone's internal memory (C:\) is extremely limited. The phone hangs often if you so much as install one extra application onto C:\
The GPS works quite nicely even though it is slow.
Music doesn't sound great on the inbuilt speakers, and there are not many equalizer options.
Video tends to freeze and the free movies on this phone have license issues and you'll not be able to use them after 2 months.
Managing contacts is a bit difficult and you'll find yourself struggling to synchronize across applications. The ovi suite doesn't help in a big way.
The camera pictures are grainy. The flash works quite nicely.
The internet browsing is difficult on this phone, and jumping to hyperlinks on a particular page is like playing a video game.
The help file is written for Nokia N97 and most of the help topics are not applicable to the mini. Ex: Music transmitter via FM.
Support: Please think carefully before buying a Nokia product. There is NO SUPPORT. It is Nokia's way or the highway. This is what I meant by saying be prepared. Buy the phone knowing that Nokia will not support in any way. They'll tell you what's under warranty/what's

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Acer Aspire One AOD150-1165 10.1-Inch Sapphire Blue Netbook - 6.5 Hour Battery Life Review

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(More customer reviews)I ordered my Acer Aspire One 10.1 Netbook (AOD150-1165) on Feb 28, 2009 from Amazon. Item shipped on March 2nd and arrived on March 14.
When I ordered only Sapphire Blue color was available but I am happy with Sapphire Blue. It looks very attractive. I would normally order either white or black model but I am glad they were not available :) The only thing I can complain is that it easily gets finger marks so I try not to touch the shiny surfaces.
When you unpack the box and hold it on your hand, you will realise how light this is (especially if you have been lugging a 17" laptop) This is very transportable and ideal for those small airplane tray tables (or your lap)
The 1.6Ghz N270 Intel Atom processor is a single core processor but it is pretty snappy and certainly more than enough for most office type usage. The Netbook ships with Windows XP Home w/SP3 installed instead of Vista so to me it feels as responsive as (or better than) a Core 2 Duo based laptop running Vista.
The unit is rather quiet. The fan or hard disk noise is minimal. The fan does not kick in often during normal use. It might be more active with some heavy CPU/HD activity tasks.
The screen is 1024x600 CrystalBright (shiny) type LCD but very comfortable to read under various light conditions. There is an integrated 0.3M megapixel (640x480) webcam and microphone embedded in the screen frame. Ideal to use a video phone/conferencing software like Skype, etc. BTW, to gain some vertical space on desktop, you might want to set Windows XP taskbar to auto-hide and pop-up when you move the cursor to the edge of the screen.
The keyboard is actually pretty well designed. Unlike some models from competitors, the shift, control, alt, tab, enter, backspace keys are all in the right places. Initially, I found the keys a bit small but after a few days of use, you get used to and avoid hitting two keys. The arrow keys could have been a bit bigger as there is room along the lower right side of the keyboard.
The touchpad on this model is made by Synaptics and is pretty configurable. Like everything else it is a bit small but works acceptably well. It would have been better if it was made wider. Touchpad buttons is another story. They are correctly placed below the touchpad but instead of using two independent buttons the designers chose to use one bar over the two buttons. This made the buttons much harder to press. I would have preferred two independent buttons. I think this is the biggest complaint about the design of this netbook. Nevertheless, the buttons do get softer over time. I have softened the buttons out by pressing both ends of the button bar at the same time repeatedly. I do this a number of times before using the laptop each day. So, it is not that hopeless.
Well, I do try to get myself used to build-in keyboard and mouse but those that are doing extensive work can still attach a regular USB keyboard and a USB mouse. For example, Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 is a perfect match.
Alternatively, you can tap on the touchpad instead of pressing the buttons. The synaptics touchpad is pretty configurable. You can configure a corner of the touchpad for right button and anywhere else would be left button.
The speakers for this netbook is under it. They are pretty loud and sound quality is pretty decent. However, since the speaker openings are underside of the netbook, if you are holding it on a soft surface such as carpet or bed the sound can get muffled as the openings will be blocked. It's not a very good idea to keep it on the soft surfaces for a long time anyway as this will block the fan vents as well and cause the netbook to overheat.
There is 1GB RAM memory on DDR2 SODIMM module installed (mine was made by Samsung). There is no on-board soldered memory (the description on Amazon is incorrect and is referring to older 8.9" model). The memory is easily upgradable to 2GB by replacing the SODIMM module. I upgraded the memory on 10.1" Aspire One to 2GB by installing a "Mushkin 2GB 200-Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Laptop Memory - Retail" module (Mushkin part #991618). It works great! Please note that this module has CAS4 (4-4-4-12) timing instead of more common CAS5 (5-5-5-16). In other words, it is slightly faster memory as it has less wait states :)
The hard disk is a Hitachi HTS543216L9A300, 160GB 2.5" 5400rpm, Serial ATA, 8MB Cache disk. It's pretty quiet. I think there is plenty of space for most applications. If you need more you can attach an external USB hard drive or the hard disk itself can be upgraded almost as easily as the RAM memory.
The wireless chip (AR5007EG) is made by Atheros and supports 802.11b/g. The range is decent enough. I had no issues connecting to my home WiFi Access Point, at work or other free public hotspots. I used wifi at Starbucks, Barnes and Noble Bookstore and McDonald's among others (I get free WiFi at these locations since I have AT&T DSL). However, some users are reporting that they have some issues. The Atheros driver installed by default is old (version 7.6.0.260). The latest I have found for the AR5007EG wifi chipset is version 7.6.1.244 (dated 2/25/2009) and I believe might solve issues that some people are experiencing. (As a convenience, I've provided instructions at the bottom of this review for access to updated drivers) The device properties indicate that the WiFi chip is setup for maximum power saving. By the way, just like RAM and HDD, the wireless module is also accessible. Who knows, someone (or Acer) would come up with an replacement module for 802.11n or a Bluetooth+WiFi combo.
There is no build-in bluetooth capability. If you need to interface with Bluetooth devices you will need to buy a USB adapter such as Cirago Bluetooth BTA3210 v2.1 EDR Class 2 Micro Bluetooth Adapter or you can get a combo with a bluetooth mouse such as Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse for Notebooks (Black) Update: Apparently, Acer Aspire One AOD150 models build for some Asian markets do come with build-in Bluetooth. It's a pity Bluetooth is not included for American version. :(
Like many other early adopters, the laptop arrived with Panasonic Built 5800mAh, 59W battery. It lasts 7-8hrs under normal office type work with Wi-Fi enabled. This is a bigger capacity battery than it would ship normally (4400mAh, also 6-cell) but most everyone got the larger one so far.
There are 3x USB 2.0 ports, 1x 10/100 Ethernet port, 1x VGA external monitor port and a single Multi-format flash memory card reader/writer (again, Amazon's description is incorrect about 2nd SD card slot). There are also a headphone and external microphone jacks and a Kensington style lock slot.
There is also a slot for 3G SIM chip beside the battery. My netbook did have the slot but no 3G hardware in there to accept the SIM card. Presumably some models will be equipped to have 3G wireless capability.
Unlike 8.9" predecessor, this 10.1 model did not come with a case. I picked a Neoprene sleeve from a local store that is designed for an 11" laptop (Sony VAIO 11.1-Inch Neoprene protection case). Please note that with 6-cell battery the width of the netbook is about 8.5". So, most 10" cases with width around 7-8" will either not fit or will require signficant stretching so choose your case accordingly. Actually, I personally use two cases. The neoprene sleeve goes inside a larger 12-13" laptop bag with enough storage pockets for the charger and other cables. When I go out to a cafe, I only take the netbook in sleeve and leave the rest in the car.
The netbook also does not come with system recovery disks. There is a Acer recovery utility pre-installed that will generate your recovery disks for you. You should do this as soon as possible. You never know when you will need them. You will need a USB attached CD/DVD writer and some recordable media (6 CD-Rs for System Recovery + 2 for Apps and Drivers, OR alternatively 2 DVD-R for Recovery + 1 DVD-R for Apps and Drivers). I've purchased a NU Slim USB External SuperMulti Drive DVD Burner ESW860 and worked for me well. It's slim enough to carry along with your netbook and you can watch DVDs if you like. You should be able to use it on any other laptop or desktop computer with USB 2.0 interface. Update: You can also order a set of recover CDs directly from Acer for $20. You need to go to Acer Support Website www.acerpanam.com and click on US on the map and select "eRecovery CD Purchase" link. It will verify the serial number of your netbook first.
Besides Windows XP Home, there is MS Works, a trial version of Microsoft Office 2007, a 30-day version of McAfee anti-virus suite and a couple other trialware installed. These can be uninstalled from Control Panel easily if desired (or needed).
Overall, I am very satisfied with it and highly recommend it. Obviously, I cannot talk about Customer Support/Service as I did not need to use the service. If your aim is to run your usual applications and surf the net with a decent screen size, this is the right one.
------
Update: Updating Atheros AR5007EG WiFi driver:
You can download version 7.6.1.244 (2/25/2009) driver free from Softpedia. Go to drivers.softpedia.com and enter AR5007EG at the top search box. Download the zip file (ar5_ar9_7.6.1.244.zip) and unzip it. Then go to Install_CD sub-folder and run setup.exe. When prompted choose to upgrade the driver. It's simple and painless... If you are still having problems after driver update, change the channel of your AP/Router. There may be high interference from a nearby wifi router/access point. Good luck!


Click Here to see more reviews about: Acer Aspire One AOD150-1165 10.1-Inch Sapphire Blue Netbook - 6.5 Hour Battery Life

Building on its line of popular Aspire One netbooks, Acer makes it even easier to stay productive while on the go with the larger 10.1-inch screen of the Aspire One AOD150-1165. A great choice for students as well as business travelers who like to travel light, the affordable Acer Aspire One weighs just under 3 pounds and has a 6-cell battery that provides up to 5 hours of battery life for extended use and productivity when away from an AC outlet. Designed especially for mobile devices, the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor uses a brand new design structure new hafnium-infused circuitry, which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors to conserve energy
Offering a cool deep blue chassis, the netbook's smooth surface is comfortable to touch, and it's accented with distinctive details, such as the attractive orange hinge ring. You'll be able to easily video chat wherever you roam thanks to the Crystal Eye webcam integrated into the LCD's bezel, delivering smooth video streaming and high quality images even in low-light situations. And the built-in digital microphone delivers superior voice quality keeping background noise level low and minimizing echoes.

Packed with roomy 160 GB hard drive--great for storing a mobile digital audio and video library--this Aspire One also features 1 GB of installed RAM (2 GB maximum), 54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g), multi-format memory card reader, multiple USB ports, and built-in email, web browsing, and digital media applications.

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

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

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

Memory The 1 GB of installed RAM (512 MB onboard memory and one 512 MB DIMM, 533 MHz) can be expanded to a maximum of 1.5 GB of RAM,

Screen, Video and Audio The 10.1-inch screen has a WSVGA resolution (1024 x 600) and support for up a 262K color depth. Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, which uses shared video memory with the main memory. Acer's CrystalBrite display technology guarantees the best possible visual experience by preventing the diffusion of surrounding light and internal ray. Compared to normal TFT LCDs, Acer CrystalBrite technology is able to read color coordinates more accurately, thus minimizing distortion and creating high-fidelity colors in all environments.

This notebook includes an integrated audio card with Microsoft DirectSound compatibility, and it includes two stereo speakers.

Connectivity This Acer Aspire One notebook has an integrated 54g wireless LAN (Acer InviLink) that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks and offers Acer's SignalUp technology for enhanced antenna efficiency. It has has one dedicated SD memory card slot as well as a second multi-in-one card reader that's compatible with five different types of memory cards--Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO and xD-Picture Card--for maximum flexibility. The ability to have both a multi-in-1 card reader and a SD card reader at the same time allows you to download photos from the multi-in-1 to share with others and store to the SD card as an internal storage device simultaneously. Here's the full list of ports and external connections:

3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
Multi-in-one card reader supports Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), Reduced Size MultiMedia (RS-MMC), Memory Stick/Memory Stick PRO, and XD Picture Cards
1 VGA monitor port
1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
RJ-45 port for 10/100 Fast Ethernet connection
Kensington lock slot

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

Operating System and Software

Windows XP Home with Service Pack 3 (SP3)
Acer eRecovery Management; Acer Launch Manager; Adobe REader; McAfee Internet Security Suite; Microsoft Office 2007 (Trial)

Dimensions and Weight This netbook measures 10.2 x 7.28 x 1.31 inches (WxDxH) and weighs 2.95 pounds.

What's in the Box This package contains the Acer Aspire One notebook PC (AOA150-1635), rechargeable 6-cell lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a limited warranty for parts and labor for one year from date of purchase.

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Sony DCRTRV950 MiniDV Digital Camcorder Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)great camcorder. the 3CCDs really make a difference in video quality in my opinion. unfortunately, you pay for this quality!
pros:
- as expected from a 3CCD camcorder, the trv-950 delivers excellent video quality - colors are reproduced accurately.
- 1 megapixel still capability.
- miniDV media is widely supported.
- 12X optical zoom!
- steady shot optical stabilization system works well.
- ability to record mpeg videos directly to memory stick.
- progressive shutter system.
- offers color bars and zebra striping.
- the 3.5" LCD screen is great.
- built-in flash for stills.
- built-in mic does a good job picking up sound from the target, not the operator.
- great connectivity options: firewire, USB, S-video, headphone, mic input, etc.
- buttons along the left side and back of the camera body control essential camera functions (manual settings for focus, white balance, audio level, shutter speed, and special lighting situations) so you won't need to dive into menus for these commonly used capabilities.
- side-mounted cassette means you can change tapes while the camcorder is mounted on a tripod.
- low motor noise.
- intelligent accessory shoe - very useful if you use the appropriate accessories.
- allows a great deal of manual control.
cons:
- no built in video light but you can get a video light for less about fifty bucks.
- you could do better on the still photo department. for example, sony's trv80 and trv70 have 2 megapixel capability while panasonic's pv-dv953 delivers 3 megapixel stills.
- as with most sony products, you pay a premium, pushing up the price.
- don't expect miracles from 1 megapixel stills.
- not as compact as i would like. dimensions are 4"H x 3-3/4"W x 8"D, weighing 2.4 lbs.
- the included 8MB memory stick is unacceptable. be prepared to shell out more money for at least a 32MB or bigger memory stick.
- does not have a NightShot mode (although i'm not a big fan of this feature).
- MPEG movies saved to Memory Stick are much darker than the same scene recorded to a miniDV tape.
- noticeable shutter lag for still captures.
- bluetooth communication requires optional purchases = more $$.
- touchscreen menu system is not intuitive.
this is great camcorder if you are looking for a 3CCD system. it sits atop sony's prosumer line. the competition is catching up though so make sure you also consider the panasonic pv-dv953. peace.

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Near the top of Sony's line of MiniDV camcorders stands the DCR-TRV950, the successor to the wildly popular TRV900. Packed with features such as the CCDs, 12x optical zoom, pop-up flash, manual and automatic controls, and a large 3.5-inch LCD screen, aspiring moviemakers find a true performance camcorder at an agreeable price.
Lens The lens boasts three separate CCD sensors, with each one dedicated to capturing a certain hue of the image. That means sharper imaging, 530 lines of resolution, with colors that are true to life. The SteadyShot function stabilizes the picture and reduces camera shake. The TRV950's optical zoom magnifies up to 12 times, which is enough for most purposes. Turn on the digital zoom, which electronically magnifies the optical image, and reach up to 150x.
Digital Stills Digital stills can be stored on a Memory Stick that works independently from the DV tape system. The camera performs with 1-megapixel resolution, making it capable of sharp images that are up to 1,152 x 864 pixels in size. When you need more light for your photos there is a built-in flash unit that can pop up. The camera can also shoot in MPEG movie mode, storing 320 x 240 videos onto the memory stick.
Inputs and Outputs The TRV950 is equipped with the standard DV IEEE 1394 port (also known as FireWire) for a super-fast, lossless connection to a PC or other DV machines. The USB connection is used to transfer digital photos and MPEG movies, while the innovative wireless Bluetooth capability adds network connectivity. The traditional S-video and RCA connections are also provided for direct viewing on a television or VHS dubbing.
The DCR-TRV950 comes with one 8 MB Memory Stick. Memory Sticks are reusable, but if you tend to take a lot of digital images, then you'll want a bigger card.
MiniDV Format MiniDV digital technology delivers clear, sharp video with over 500 lines of horizontal resolution--far superior to the 240 lines of resolution offered by 8mm camcorders. You'll also get minimal color noise interference for a more stable picture.
You'll also get excellent sound quality, recorded in either 12-bit or 16-bit audio recording modes.

16-bit audio includes on set of stereo audio tracks to produce CD-quality sound.
12-bit audio utilizes two sets of audio tracks so you can easily add background music or commentary into your videos while maintaining the existing soundtrack.

This is all delivered on a cassette that's 1/12th the size of a standard VHS tape. A MiniDV tape offers digital recording time of two full hours--20 times the capacity of a CD.

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SpeechMike Air 3000 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This microphone is a joke. I bought this expecting it to work with the built-in Bluetooth on my laptop for use with Dragon. It does NOT work with the built-in Bluetooth, but requires a stupid dongle hanging off your USB port! That means every time I move my laptop, I risk breaking the dongle or have to disconnect it.
Worse, the dongle is tied to only 1 instance of the software, so you can't even share this microphone with more than 1 computer!
Returned this immediately upon finding this out. Shame on you, Philips. You need to make a true Bluetooth dictation microphone that will work with any Bluetooth computer, not this joke.

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Sangean WFR-1 WIFI Internet Radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)An internet radio opens up an almost overwhelming number of broadcast streams and for someone like me, who enjoys classical music, there is a wonderful choice of commercial free stations worldwide. I own (or have owned) a number of internet radios;a Slim Devices Squeezebox(!), a Roku Soundbridge R1000, a Revo Pico portable, a Receiva AE and a Sangean WFR-20, but the new Sangean WFR-20 is almost the best of the bunch (I will explain why it is not unequivocally the best in a minute!).
The Sangean WFR-1 is beautifully finished with a polished wooden case, an array of controls on the front panel, including on/off, volume and equalizer (tone control). They are not particularly intuitive but better than the single knob on the WFR-20. There is also a substantial and full function remote control, resembling that of the Roku, rather than the credit-card sized devices that come with Pico and the WFR-20. The amber display is larger than those found on any other set but the Roku (more about this later).
Set-up was very easy (I use an ethernet wired connection to my router but it works with my wi-fi network) and it was playing within a few minutes of unpacking. There is also an FM tuner with a separate antenna. Sound is excellent and far superior to any of the other sets I have owned except Roku, which is almost as good. For this unit, Sangean has gone to Frontier Silicon rather than to Receiva for their streams. Nevertheless, there is an abundance of stations, including Real format so I can get all the BBC channels (a big negative with Roku). There is little delay in receiving streams after switching on and Frontier has a good website where you can set up favorites and add new stations. Playing stored music from my computer via Windows Media Player has been easy and more consistent than with the WFR-20 or AE.
Now for the downside. Despite a larger display that claims to offer four lines of text, there is no control for format (as Roku provides) or for brightness (which the WFR-20 offers). Most frustrating is that Frontier do not stream program information with the station! There is plenty of room for this on the display and such information on content is invaluable because some stations do not provide this audibly; the WFR-20 does this well because it uses the Receiva streams but it would require reprogramming of software by Frontier to have this on the WFR-1. Frontier tell me it is being discussed but they have no plans for implementation! Surprisingly, Sangean, although the 800lb gorilla here, do not seem inclined to pressure Frontier. I have had several conversations with the amiable Selwyn, whom you reach quite easily when you call up technical support at Sangean, and he agrees totally with me and suggests that I contact Frontier (which I did) or write a review to make this point - which I am doing!
So in summary, this is an excellent product with great acoustic performance but marred by small, but irritating, shortcomings in the display. As a result, I gave it 3 stars rather than 5.

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Pioneer AVIC-Z1 - Navigation system with DVD player, LCD monitor and radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this unit here at Amazon.com, and then had it installed at a major appliance center. The major appliance center had free installation with the purchase of this unit, but I saved enough money buying it here at Amazon, to where I came out ahead by having to pay for the installation.
This unit made quite an impression on the technicians, who all said that they want to get one for their vehicle.
It fit PERFECTLY in my Ford F-150 double din. Looks great.
I have already paired my cell phone via bluetooth with the unit. You have to buy the accessory for the bluetooth, which is well worth the money. When I get a call, it turns down the music, and the caller id comes up on the screen. You then just answer. You also have a phonebook on the screen, which uploaded right from my blackberry. This accessory is a must.
I also got the iPOD adapter. This accessory is a HUGE MUST. It sounds absolutely unbelieveable. However, this is one of the few negative things I have to say. Although it does have a search function, it requires a lot of scrolling. Also, if you decide you don't want the song selected, it then reverts back to the beginning of the list, even if you were in the "n's", for example. Pioneer needs to make it easier to select groups and songs in the iPOD. Still, do not pass on the accessory.....the techs also loved it. I had them place the cord in the glovebox, which worked out very well.
As far as navigation, the display is beautiful. That extra half inch of display (this is 7" vs the tpical 6.5") makes a BIG impact. Navigation is easy, and there is a pleasant female voice to guide you on approaching turns. I have owned to Garmin GPSs, which are good products, but this is better because of the guages that pinpoint the approaching turn.
The voice commands are very cool, but I am just learning them now. It works well from what I have seen.
My 2005 Ford F-150 had an upgraded sound system with sub-woofer, and they were able to hook into this. The quality of music in changing to the Avic-Z1 just DOUBLED easily. I actually sat in my driveway last night listening to my iPOD, amazed at how clean the system sounded. Honestly, it sounds like I got a whole new high end speaker package. This unit is ready for either SIRIUS or XM, which I passed on because with 5000 songs in my iPOD, just don't feel like I need it.
The DVD picture is awesome, and with the newly improved sound, it is like being in a theater.
I had to take one star off just for the iPOD issues, and the fact that they need to improve the iPOD menu. Maybe they can do that via a software upgrade. I also had to give it only four stars because of their governors on the video and other functions. In order to watch video, the emergency brake has to be set. I am told there used to be a way around this, but now there is an internal gyroscope that is tough to bypass. Boooooo!! What if my passenger wants to watch video? I also have to set the brake to enter an address for navigation. I guess I can understand they don't want people inputting info when driving, but I wish it was not there.
I highly recommend this unit, and do not regret it at all.

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ASUS N61JQ-A1 16-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Dark Brown) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Just got this. Looked at it for a few days on [...] to get detailed specs and customer reviews before purchasing. I only bought it on amazon because the next day shipping was cheaper (about $[...]) and the computer itself was $[...] less on amazon.
Haven't pushed the pedal to the metal as far as ram, HDD, and CPU go. There is an overclocking speed (called Turbo Boost) that is automatic. With windows 7 (instaleld) the Turbo Boost app lets you see the CPU ramping up. It shows that the CPU rutinely goes up to 2.6 Ghz when opening an application (not very intensive work) so I am not sure how accurate the gadget is, but we'll see. When compared to what else is out there, this coputer has much more for your money and is actually cheaper than many laptops with less power/graphics capability/coolness. Look at the prices at Best Buy for an Core i3 laptop. They are nearly $1000 and don't have as much ram, video memory, or upgrade potential. This is a Core i7, much more powerful and is less than alot of the laptops out there. Plus, Asus has a 1 year accidental warranty. Tops!
Pros:
-Amazon said it would be Brown, mine was black when I got it. Brown is ugly anyway!
- You can create a recovery DVD to fix everything in the event you scrw something up. Also, has a bootup recovery option built in, so even if you don;t have the disks, it can be recovered.
- 1 year replacement/repair "i dropped it in a pool" warranty.
-Shipping. For the price of the computer, get the 30.00 next day. I order by 3:00PM on thursday and had the computer booted up at 3:15PM friday.
-Nice looking computer. Great sound. Great price. (You can get a lesser model without the i7 CPU from Best Buy for 999.00)
-USB 3.0 is nice touch. Cool touchpad with "gesture" recognition.
-I like the screen. The resolution is said to be a little low/poor for the machine, but I do not yet find it to be a problem. You can zoom in and out using the touchpad and gestureing, so if the icons look to big/small, you can change it up without messing with screen resolution. Basically, you can keep it in 1377x768 mode. HD screen looks good to me. Bright too.
-HDMI output! You can hook this thing up to your big ass HD flat screen.
- With Windows 7, some "gadgets" aka iphone style "apps" that can be installed to the desktop require 32bit. This computer has the 64bit Windows 7 so you have to do some playin around to get those gadgets to work. Pandora is one of those. However, you can have a applet for Pandor Radio on the desktop without needing an open internet explorer window. Cool!
- POwer saving one-touch button. NOt sure how effcient it is yet.
- So far, Windows 7 is not that bad. Yet. :)CONS:
- A lot of "bloatware" on this baby. You have to sort throught it all and see what you like/don;t like and uninstall whatever you can live without.
- At initial boot up, 80 processes running! Ouch. 33% of RAM in use. That's over a Gig. Trim down the fat and you should be good.
-The first time I launched the "See how cool this Asus computer is" demo, I needed to lower the volume. Whn I did so, the computer locked up, blaring a annoying sound. I had to hold th epower button for 4 sec to turn off manually. Not cool. After that though, all seems cool.
- The keyboard is a little cheap, has some play to it. Go to Best BUy and type on one of their floor models to see if it is bad for you or not. Not a deal breaker for me, but kinda lame. The "full size keyboard is not true, it is laptop sized with a number padd on the right. The arrow keys (if you play games or use spreadsheets) are small and you can easily miss them and hit the 0 or control key.
- With Windows 7, some "gadgets" aka iphone style "apps" that can be installed to the desktop require 32bit. This computer has the 64bit Windows 7 so you have to do some playin around to get those gadgets to work. Pandora is one of those. However, you can have a applet for Pandor Radio on the desktop without needing an open internet explorer window. Cool!
- A lot of Asus "this and that" programs to deal with. I uninstalled half of them.
BOTTOM LINE:
Buy it. Remove what you don't like. Great deal. If you were going to spend 800, drop an extra 2 bills and get this one. If you were going to spend 1200, save you money and get yourself a case for this one once you buy it.

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JVC KW-AVX800 7-inch In-dash Multimedia System Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this unit specifically because I wanted certain functions. After extensive research, I found that this device said in the product specs that it would do everything I wanted. While technically true, it performed so poorly in some areas that I in the end was disappointed. I have now tried several units trying to get these functions, including this unit. Ultimately, I returned this unit, though because it was not good enough at all of the things I wanted it to do. If you do not care about some of the things I do (or you care about other things - for example, for me DVD playback was irrelevant, so I did not even try this out), the unit might be fine for you.
Keep in mind, in order to do a lot of these things, you need to buy a separate breakout box or adapter that is not included in the price. Here is a list of what I wanted it to do & how it did:
1.Bluetooth integration. Fantastic. Best voice dial integration on any product I tried. There is a dedicated hard button to turn on voice dial that can be accessed no matter what mode the unit is in. Call quality was also good. It also accessed and played in a very good quality my music on my bluetooth smartphone. Truly, best in breed, and if all you care about is bluetooth integration, then this unit is for you.
2.Ipod integration. Not so good. Although the unit is touch screen, instead of listing items on the screen and letting you touch them to select, it instead only goes through one item in a menu tree at a time & then you have to hit an "enter" button that is not marked as enter. It looks like they took a non-touch screen interface & used it in this unit instead of writing one to take advantage of the touch screen capabilities. Worse, it sometimes looses time scyc with my latest generation ipod (I tried both a new 8 gb nano and a new 80 gb classic & had the same problems). Basically, the time would come up with "00:00" quite often, and then stay there. Because the unit continually thinks you are at the beginning of a track, it will not let you rewind. This can be a problem with books on tape or podcasts. This happened at least a few times per week. My installer said JVC was aware of this problem.
3.XM integration. OK but not great. It suffers from the same annoying lack full touch screen integration that exists for ipod, albeit to a much lesser extent. You can, for example, select a preset by touching the channel. However, my xm presets would often disappear from the preset list. What I mean is that the slot for the preset would be there, but the channel name would be missing. This happened almost daily. My installer said JVC was aware of this problem.
4.Control of unit from factory redundant controls on steering wheel. Poor. I wanted to be able to control basic functions on the unit from the factory steering wheel controls so I would not have to take my eyes off the road. Sometimes it worked, sometimes (often) it did not. Volume down refused to work most of the time.
In the end, item 1 was great, item 2 was below average, item 3 was OK, and item 4 was poor. On balance, not good enough for me to keep.


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Rand McNally 528881469 7-inch Intelliroute TND 700 Truck GPS Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Well as one of the first to get this I figured I'd give a review. The screen is great. It's pretty clear and seems tough enough not to need a screen protector. The plastic that was on the screen out-of-the-box left glue residue which was a pain to remove. It comes with a stylus that works great but navigating around with your finger is easy and works just fine. I usually just have to tap it with the back of my finger. When you get it, charge it for a few hours before you use it at all. I'm not sure if my over sized good laptop even was charging it. So use the wall outlet. It comes with nice cables for both wall outlet and 12 volt, as well as a good usb cable. The supplied mount is excellent and easy to use. No tools required. The screen part snaps into another flat part on the mount and you have to make sure it's clicked in all the way or it will drop out.. AFTER IT IS FULLY CHARGED, plug it in the pc and get your first free lifetime update. The software loads fine and tries to start up each time you use the computer. I stopped that and made a shortcut to start it myself. There are no options I saw to disable it from auto starting... I used ccleaner/tools/startup to disable it. The program DOES use a lot of resources when running, but you only need to update once in a while.
My first drive with it was Tampa to El Paso. It saves my height, width, weight and hazmat class. I was hauling hazmat. It gave a killer route that would have saved time but I had to alter it for the company fuel stops and routes. It tells you everything you need to know. Where travel centers are and what they have, scales and weigh stations and much more which can all be symbols on the map if you wish. YAY now i don't have to buy an iphone. Some stuff in the manual says parts are for future use so I'm guessing the updates are going to give even more. You can manually adjust the zoom. The automatic screen zooming works great. One time it was dark and cloudy with a cool looking sky and I looked at my screen and saw the exact same thing as I approached a ramp. You can save all your addresses and stops and put notes in them for phone numbers and gate codes etc. Then make groups (folders) for your addresses so you can find them even quicker. I sat there for 9 hours like a jerk and typed in all the company terminals and drop yards. It was fun. I'm saving each new stop now with notes too.
Once the GPS kinda got confused and mixed up my current rout with a completed one. It may have been my fault but I don't think so. I just restarted it real quick and it worked fine again.
I also used it in my car. It's easy to switch between truck and car mode. I drive a medium large car and the 7 inch unit was a bit to big and did obstruct my view a little.
The voice is fine and easy to adjust. The thing is nice and it works good. The traffic and road updates for life. I don't have to use internet or buy a netbook (with gps) and software... I'm happy I got it. I don't get lost anymore.
I like the TND 700. I'd just like to tell Rand Mcnally that since we spent as much on this as for a laptop, please make this the best and keep updates and innovations coming to us for the next few years at least. I'm kinda expecting you to make the software on the unit and on the TND DOCK (pc software) a bit better. I'd also like to be able to set up routes INTERSTATE to INTERSTATE to INTERSTATE to FINAL in order to comply with company route solutions. Sometimes we can't take all those better routes the unit suggests. You can make this worthy of five stars with just a little more effort. Well, I gotta haul A$$. Joe

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Like its award-winning predecessor, the IntelliRoute TND 500, the Rand McNally IntelliRoute TND 700 GPS device gives truckers much more than just maps and navigation. It offers detailed information about truck stops, rest areas, weigh stations and other points of interest for truckers, as well as tools to help drivers estimate the profitability of a route. And with its seven-inch screen and high-definition display, the IntelliRoute TND 700 redefines readability and usability. Other exclusive features include an oversized stylus, larger buttons, a louder speaker, and tools like a calendar and notepad to help professional drivers complete their routes with greater ease and efficiency.
Large, Seven-Inch Display and Powerful Speaker The IntelliRoute TND 700 sets itself apart from other GPS devices with its large, seven-inch, high-definition screen, over-sized buttons, and stylus--all of which are designed specifically for a truck cab. And unlike GPS devices designed for passenger cars, this truck navigation unit has a speaker that is twice as powerful as typical car speakers, amplifying the sound above cab noise so spoken directions come through loud and clear.
35-Percent More Truck-Route Information Even before your truck has started, you can determine the best route to take by entering your truck's length, width, weight, height, and HazMat information. The IntelliRoute TND 700 has 35-percent more truck routing information than other GPS units. Enter as many as 10 stops and use the device's preferences tools to pass up tolls and construction without missing weigh stations, rest areas, or repair services. Connect the included USB cable to a Windows-compatible computer with internet connection for free updates including road construction.
The IntelliRoute TND 700 provides turn-by-turn directions with spoken street names. The patented Smart-Time feature calculates the local time as well as the time at your destination--handy when traveling across multiple time zones.
Included in the IntelliRoute TND 700 is searchable truck-stop information from The Trucker's Friend National Truck Stop Directory. You can find the nearest truck stop or search more than 70 amenities like showers, restaurants, Wi-Fi, and more!
Customized Trucker Business Tools Loaded with all of the innovative tools featured in the IntelliRoute TND 500, the IntelliRoute TND 700 introduces more tools vital for truckers. A new calendar feature helps you keep track of important appointments and dates. Also, you can keep all of your reminders and notes together in the same place with the handy notepad feature.
Drivers can reduce time-consuming manual calculations with the IntelliRoute TND 700. Drivers can track miles driven in every U.S. state or Canadian province for organized bookkeeping and fuel-tax reporting. User-set timers and logs keep track of driving time and time on duty.
The IntelliRoute TND 700 was designed to partner with America's #1 trucker's atlas. Drivers can cross-reference to the page and grid of the Rand McNally Motor Carriers' Road Atlas.
The Quick Planner tool helps determine the profitability of routes. A commercial-grade address book organizes thousands of entries, and allows you to group them the way that works best for you.
With so many helpful tools, off-duty truckers may find themselves switching the IntelliRoute TND 700 to car mode and bringing it along for family trips.
The IntelliRoute TND 700 is backed by a one-year parts-and-labor warranty.
What's in the Box IntelliRoute TND 700, windshield mount, truck charger with extended length cable, 120/240V home charger, quick start guide, and USB cable.

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MSI GT725-074US 17-Inch Laptop Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have had this laptop for a couple of weeks now, and I can only say that it is honestly the best laptop I have ever owned. I have owned several before - including some Apple iBooks - but I can see myself using this laptop as my only and main computer for quite some time.
The video card is superb, and every game that I have played through it: Runes of Magic, TF2 - and they both run at the highest setting, with everything maxed. This laptop blows away my desktop - and it's large enough to replace the desktop and be your main rig.
This laptop is huge, and for some that might be a low point - if so, you probably are not in the market for a laptop like this anyways. This laptop put performance and functionality over portability. You should also be aware, the battery does not sit flush with the back, it has about a 1 inch lip that protrudes from the back.
Some positive of this laptop are:
1. Beautiful huge screen that shows vibrant colors and contrast
2. Full keyboard (and numberpad)
3. Plethora of ports: SD/MMC, USB 2.0, IE1394, Esata, HDMI!
4. Great speakers for a laptop
5. Very fast performance
6. The ability to play just about any game on the market now
7. Good power management tools
8. Comes with a good backpack to carry it in.
Some areas that people may not like are:
1. Vista 32 bit is installed - NOT 64 bit like we would all like
2. Protruding battery
3. Right side shift key is very small to make room for keypad
4. Heavy!
I'm very happy with this laptop and would recommend it to anyone who is in the market for a large, big screened laptop that will play games decently. If you are a hardcore FPS fan and need the hotest thing out, look towards Asus' new SLi laptop. You will play around $1,000 more then this one though.

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The MSI GT725-074US notebook PC features an enormous 17-inch LCD monitor for your viewing pleasure, providing the ultimate in realism whether you are playing games or watching a DVD. It's also equipped with the ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphic card (built-in 512 MB VRAM), exclusive MSI vivid image enhancement technology, and the latest Intel Centrino 2 processor. MSI's exclusive Turbo Drive Engine Technology allows you to overclock the GT725 (while in AC power mode) with just a touch of the turbo button located above the keyboard. And the unique ECO Engine power management function helps extend the battery running time while performing different tasks, and you can easily switch between five different modes--Gaming, Movie, Presentation, Office, and Turbo Battery (minimizing battery power consumption).
The GT725's body is surrounded by MSI's flame design, symbolizing the essence of speed. MSI has also selected aluminum as the base for the exterior and added metallic thread accents to the cover, giving it an outstanding sense of fashion. It includes MSI's aerodynamic touchpad design with a simple black mirror plate to accentuate its slickness.
This gaming/multimedia laptop is equipped with the theater-class bass speakers and four track audio recognized by Dolby Surround Sound. The bass speakers can provide the most realistic audio, and the speakers feature a metallic polishing process that accentuate the futuristic styling of the 3D speaker pores. Additionally, the embedded high performance subwoofer's design at the bottom of the computer can create shocking low-end effects.
It's powered by the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processor--with Centrino 2 technology--which boosts speed, reduces power requirements, and saves on battery life. The 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 includes a quick 1066 MHz front-side bus and 3 MB of L2 cache, providing an optimized, multithreaded architecture for improved multimedia and multitasking performance.
Other features include a 320 GB hard drive (with fast 7200 RPM speed), 4 GB of installed RAM (maximum capacity), DVD±RW drive (which also burns CDs), Draft-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n), Gigabit Ethernet, 2-megapixel webcam for video chatting, an eSATA/USB combo port, Dolby Digital Live surround sound via two integrated speakers, multi-format memory card reader, and pre-installed Windows Vista Home Premium operating system.
The Basics
Processor: Experience improved energy efficiency, expanded wireless connectivity, and amazing battery life with the 45nm Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 processor featuring Intel Centrino 2 technology. This processor has a 2.4 GHz processor speed, super-sized 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and a extra-large 3 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)
Formerly codenamed Montevina, Intel Centrino 2 processor technology improves upon every facet of a laptop's main features, including performance and battery life via new processors and chipsets, faster draft 802.11n wireless, and new business-class manageability capabilities. The new hafnium-infused circuitry--which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors--conserves even more energy, giving you more time away from the wall outlet.
The Intel Core 2 Duo processor has two computational execution cores in a single processor, providing greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no significant increase in power consumption. It's optimized for multitasking and it can run multiple demanding applications--such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications--while downloading music or running virus-scanning security programs in the background.

Hard Drive: The large 320 GB Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive (with a fast 7200 RPM speed--usually found in desktops) offers a wealth of storage space, perfect for storing a vast multimedia collection or for editing digital video. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to Firewire and USB 2.0.

Memory: The 4 GB of installed RAM (PC6400, 2 x 2 GB) maximizes the capacity of this notebook, and it also offers an ultra-fast 800 MHz speed.

DVD/CD Drive: The dual-layer DVD drive is compatible with a wide range of formats, including both DVD+RW and DVD-RW discs, CD-RW discs, and dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can hold up to 8.5 GB of data--great for backing up your MP3 collection or your most important documents. It features the following speeds: 4x for DVD+R DL, 4x for DVD-R DL, 8x for both single layer DVD±R, 8x for single layer DVD+RW, 6x for single layer DVD-RW, 5x for DVD-RAM, and 24x/16x for CD-R/RW. It reads DVD-ROM discs at 8x and CD-ROMs at 24x.

Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a 104-key keyboard--with 10-keypad on the side--and electro-static two-button touchpad.
Screen, Video & Audio This notebook has a 17-inch TFT display with a resolution of 1680 x 1050 pixels (native 720p for high-definition viewing) and a 16:10 aspect ratio. MSI's exclusive VIVID LCD technology is able to display signals for a better richness in colors, and you can even detect in the presence of the finest details. Video is powered by the ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics card, which provides 512 MB dedicated graphics memory and up to 3579 MB as allocated by the Windows Vista operating system. ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series GPUs bring the power of graphics "supercomputing" to gamers, setting a new standard for visual computing. With up to 1.2 teraFLOPS on tap, the TeraScale graphics engine delivers an immersive, cinematic gaming experience. Enhanced anti-aliasing (AA) and anisotropic filtering create striking graphics with unparalleled realism so you can max out the settings of the most demanding next-generation games or revitalize your favorite titles. You'll also be able to watch Blu-ray movies and play HD content with incredible visual fidelity and take your experience to another level with new multimedia capabilities. Sophisticated new features within ATI Avivo HD technology give you the freedom and flexibility to edit videos quickly and convert them to H.264 and MPEG-2 formats 1.8x faster than real-time.
This laptop also has an integrated Intel High Definition Audio card with Dolby Digital Live, which provides real-time encoding technology that converts any audio signal into a Dolby Digital bitstream for transport and playback through a home theater system. It provides Dolby Digital (5.1-channel surround sound) during movie playback and gameplay, immersing players in high-quality surround sound that puts them at the center of the action
Networking, Connectivity & Expansion Be ready for the next platform in wireless connectivity with the integrated quad-mode Intel Wireless 5100AGN Wi-Fi chip. Based on the draft 802.11n Wi-Fi specification, it offers up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range as existing 802.11g wireless. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found in home routers and Wi-Fi hotspots) as well as 802.11a networks (which has a higher throughput, but more limited range--great for closed office environments). The Bluetooth connectivity (version 2.1 + EDR) enables you to communicate and synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as PDAs and cell phones.
It also includes a next-generation ExpressCard card slot (though no PCMCIA card slot), which lets you take advantage of thinner, faster, and lighter expansion cards for even more advanced wireless, networking, storage, and security features.
It comes with an HDMI video output, which extends full 1080p support to HD displays as well as provides uncompressed digital audio and video via a single cable. Here's the full list of connection options:
3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players (including 1 eSATA/USB combo port)
1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
1 ExpressCard slot
Digital video out: HDMI
Analog video out: VGA
1 headphone jack
1 microphone jack
RJ-45 port for 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet connection
56K modem port (V.90)
4-in-1 memory card reader (Secure Digital, MultiMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO)

Operating System Windows Vista Home Premium with SP1 is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi-Fi.
Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.
Dimensions & Weight This notebook measures 15.56 x 10.95 x 1.4 inches (WxDxH) and weighs 7.05 pounds.
Power It's powered by a 9-cell rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which has a battery life of up to 1.5 hours (depending on usage.
What's in the Box This package contains the MSI GT725-074US notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a limited warranty for parts and labor for one year from date of purchase.

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