Showing posts with label best buy olympus digital voice recorder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label best buy olympus digital voice recorder. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

GE 87673 4-Feet A Plug to A Plug HDMI Cable, Braided

GE 87673 4-Feet A Plug to A Plug HDMI Cable, BraidedWhat can I say I have monster and GE HDMI cables and both works the same. There is no difference between these two brands only the price. This cable is well made and I am sure it will last for a long time. So if you want a good quality cable buy this. And save money.

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Monday, October 20, 2014

Sony DCR-DVD7 DVD Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom

Sony DCR-DVD7 DVD Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical ZoomReview for the Sony DCR-DVD7.

Last week I found myself about 2000 miles from home and needed an easy to use, lightweight, and small camcorder. I found the DCR-DVD7 and decided to try it. It worked well for my needs except in the area of digital stills.

I noticed this camera at first because of its shape. It looks like a digital camera not a camcorder. It is small enough (if you have big pockets) to fit into your pocket.

The camera is very easy to use and even has an Easy button to make taking video a snap.

Pros

The pluses of this camera are that it is small and takes acceptable video. Has a good feel and form factor. The camera has quick and smooth focus. It turns on and is ready to shoot in a very short time even for a DVD based camcorder. All the I/O ports work good (USB and Video-out). It has a nice bright LCD display. It can take literally thousands of digital images. When you finish shooting video, you have a ready-made DVD to show friends and family. You also have a long lasting archive of your images that you can edit later.

Cons

For me the biggest downside of this camera is that it takes terrible digital still images. The pictures have visible pixels and the color is not as rich as with Sony still cameras. A unit of this price should take at least acceptable still images. Some of the pictures I took with the camera look worse than the old Apple Quick-take cameras of 10 years ago could produce. The camera has no Firewire port. As an Apple computer user, this camera is unfriendly when it comes to editing-no Apple supported software and it is a difficult task to put your video into iMovie for editing. For all these lacking areas it is a bit pricey.

(Comments: JUST IN CASE SOMEBODY FROM SONY READS THIS STUFF This camera has a great form factor and has huge potential. IF it had a headphone out-jack, you could have a portable DVD player and MP3 Player that could be watched/listened to on a plane or any other type of trip. IF it took better digital, stills it would be good buy because it could replace a digital camera and camcorder. Some other reviews I have read criticize this unit because of the video quality of this unit but I found it to be acceptable for home use. Great concept I wish that Sony would make some small improvements and this unit could be a fantastic product. )

Conclusion

Overall, if you need an easy to use camcorder that is small this camera would be a good choice. (DVD archiving is also a big plus for those who shoot video but do not always edit it right away.) If you are looking for great quality images and size does not matter look elsewhere.

I'd like to share the reasons why I bought this camera and strongly recommend it:

1. Innovative design and size. I absolutely love the design and compact size of this camera. As any other innovative products, the form factor of this camera received mixed reviews. I think it is perfect, I have no problem handling and holding the camera when filming. You have to give credit to Sony: there is no other DVD camcorder in the market this compact, even after a year in the market.

2. Media support. This should be the number one criteria when buying a DVD camcorder. I have read several reviews from other DVD camcorders complaining about issues finalizing the discs or playing them on standard DVD players. I have had no issues whatsoever with discs burned with this camera, and finalizing the discs is a very smooth process: one click and a few minutes. This camera supports DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD+RW. Most DVD players will play all of these formats. The DVD+RW format allows you to view the disc in most DVD players without finalizing the disc, while the DVD-RW format allows you to edit and delete scenes from the disc when used in VR format (though this format is typically supported by DVD recorders only); both rewritable formats can be formatted and reused as many times as you'd like. Note that the capacity of the discs is 30 minutes in SP mode (or 60 in LP mode); this is a limitation of the size of the discs, not the camera. You can buy double-sided discs which will allow you to record 60 minutes in SP mode, but you have to manually swap the disc, so it is equivalent to using 2 different discs.

3. It's a Sony camcorder. I have to mention that I have not owned other brand of camcorders, just because I've been extremely satisfied with Sony camcorders. They not only have a cool design, but they are also the best in terms of ease of use and reliability. I cannot vouch for the quality of this camcorder yet, but I expect this to last, it seems well built. It also comes with a Carl-Zeiss lens, which are among the best in the market.

4. Other nice features worth mentioning:

* USB cable allows you to copy any or all of the recorded scenes to your computer, even if the disc hasn't been finalized.

* Almost all the functionality is driven by the touch panel, and the main menu is programmable which allows you to add only the features you use the most.

OK, so this camera is not perfect, it has some areas for improvement:

1. If you are buying this camcorder to take still pictures as well as recording video, this is not your camera. The resolution of the stills is only 640x480 (less than 1MP), the quality is so poor that it is not even worth using it for stills.

2. Poor low-light filming and no NightShot feature included.

3. No upgradeability, because of its compact size there is not a lot of room for attaching typical add-ons: microphone, flash, or headphones (though you can use an adapter on the A/V cable). The battery provided lasts for about 90 minutes, however you can buy a larger battery, the NP-FA70 which will lasts up to 180 minutes.

4. At the original MSRP of $699, this camera is expensive, if you pay less than $500 for this camcorder, you are getting a good deal. If you're willing to pay over $600 for this camcorder and you're not crazy about its design/size, you might be better off buying the DCR-DVD203, at least you'll get a 1MP digital camera.

Buy Sony DCR-DVD7 DVD Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom Now

We needed an easy to use, lightweight, quality video camcorder that anyone could use. The Sony DCR-DVD7 is GREAT. Worked excellent on vacation, our beach video images are excellent the "EASY BUTTON" makes the whole experience of shooting video a snap. When we reviewed the video the quality was surprising very good for the price of this camcorder. We have a JVC camcorder that we paid double the price for which I find difficult/complicated and too heavy to use.

NOTE: The DVD7 is so easy to use for example; I was holding one dog (7 month old wiggly puppy)in one arm, and using our DVD7 with the other hand to capture our other dog playing tag with a sand crab, and the video images turned out steady, focused, and clear.

As for digital still images I did not purchase this device for still images. If all I wanted was still images, I would use a disposable camera for on the beach, and our Sony digial camera for other times.

Now for the software: easy and fun to use.

**Battery really does last a full hour! And I was using it for video, and play-back of the video, not still pictures.

Overall impression: I wanted a point & shoot camcorder with great video images. Here is all you do: insert the DVD, turn on the power, touch the "EASY Button", and shoot. If you want a lightweight, easy to use, excellent video images, and a battery that lasts a full hour, the DCR-DVD7 is exactly all these things.

Read Best Reviews of Sony DCR-DVD7 DVD Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom Here

I've been using this for about 2 weeks now and I love it! It is very user friendly with touch-screen controls. I only wish the DVDs could last longer than a half hour, but for the size of this model I can over look that.

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The video is great. Even at the LP setting the quality is good. Being able to put 5,100 stills on one DVD is great. I always carry one DVD for video and another for stills.

Small, compact and easy to use. What more could you want?

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Hauppauge Broadway-HD TV Tuner and Streaming Device for Apple iPad, Android Tablets, Computers, and

Hauppauge Broadway-HD TV Tuner and Streaming Device for Apple iPad, Android Tablets, Computers, and Smartphones - BlackI purchased the Hauppauge Broadway for my son for Christmas. We followed the installation guide exactly and got the box up and running on the home network via wi-fi; however, it would not work over the internet or iphone 3G. Calls and emails to Hauppauge's tech support were useless. After a lot of Google searching, I figured out the problem. Some ISPs (internet service providers), especially for residential customers, will block ports. In order for the Broadway to be fully functional requires that port 80 be forwarded to the local IP of the box. In my situation, I had to upgrade my monthly internet service plan and modem. I then had to log in to my internet account and reconfigure the setting to open port 80. I double checked my router to be sure that I had properly forwarded the port. I then used a free internet port checker to confirm that the port was open. Finally, the Broadway sent the live signal to my son's iphone via the 3G. This took several days to figure it all out. Overall, the product itself is great. My only worry is that my son will try to watch live tv while he is in class! One word of caution, be sure that your cell phone wireless account has an unlimited data plan. From what I have learned, streaming the live tv can eat up data like crazy.

I bought this for what is refereed as "place shifting", I have my cable box in another room and want to watch TV on my main PC, Laptop, and Android phone. It does this fairly well, but not perfectly.

On a fast Ethernet connection, it works really well, on wifi, only smaller resolutions look good, meaning wireless laptopfair, Android phone fantastic.

The instructions stink! I configure IT hardware for a living, It still took two hours of trial and error to get it working the way I wanted. If you just accept the defaults, you will not have this device performing to it's full potential.

This product is sold overseas by PCTV Systems, I do not know if Hauppauge has a interest in this company, or is just licensing this product from them, but they are a much better source of information. I additionally emailed Hauppauge support some technical questions and have not received a response yet, not even an automated "we REALLY care".

The overseas version lists two tuners, the Hauppauge US version only has one, and only one user can access the device at a time.

Is this better then the Sling Box, Avermedia's products or the Volkano blast, I do not know, but I have been very happy with Hauppauge in the past, time will tell if they continue to develop and support this product. As of right now, I am left wondering.

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I've been using the Broadway HD for three weeks as of Feb. 22 2013. Despite some negative reviews, I took a chance and ordered the unit, but took care in unpacking it it in case I needed to return it. I was pleased to find that the negativity was unfounded, but the buyer should be aware that the device serves a limited function, which it does well.

First: it is designed primarily to accept input from an antenna, although it does accept SD input from a cable box. It turns out that most cable boxes have only one HD output, which usually goes to the television or DVR, so I'm not sure if it would be fair to fault the unit for not having HD input. In my case, I send the antenna signal to a pre-amp, and then I use a splitter to send separate signals to the Broadway and the television.

Second: The unit serves only one user at a time, so it isn't going to provide multiple channels to several simultaneous users. The unit provides HD live tv to a computer, tablet, or smart phone.

Third: It connects to a computer or router through WI-FI, direct ethernet connection, or ethernet over power line adapter. I've tried the WIFI and power line methods, both of which give me a 15 mbps connection that delivers HD to my iPad.

I haven't tried connecting over the internet to watch my local channels from a remote location. I have no doubt that it would work, but I haven't felt the need for it yet. It has been winter while I've owned the unit, so I haven't used it outdoors yet, but I expect it to work there also.

The iPad app is a little quirky: I can only get it into fullscreen mode when I rotate the iPad to portrait mode, but I can then rotate back to landscape and watch in widescreen. Also, pinching in leaves fullscreen mode, but pinching out does not enter fullscreen mode. It took some experimenting to figure that out, and I was ready to return the unit if I couldn't solve those problems.

For me, the Broadway has provided mobile live HD tv, which is what I was looking for when I bought it, so I am happy with it.

Read Best Reviews of Hauppauge Broadway-HD TV Tuner and Streaming Device for Apple iPad, Android Tablets, Computers, and Here

I bought this product in February. I read 'working Mom's review and made sure port 80 open. It is also important to have the model number of your cable/satellite box as you will need it during setup so correct drivers can be downloaded. You also need the correct cables, S-Video and audio as they are not included. I followed the instructions that came with the box. I did not care for the layout of the instructions but I found them clear. This is not a plug and play device, it takes time to setup but the box worked for me right away. **Note: on iPhone and iPad the privacy setting in Safari cannot be set or it will not work** Broadway can also be viewed on the computer. I also attached an antenna to watch local stations in case satellite goes down in bad weather. I have been able to watch TV anywhere I go and that includes across the country. If you have 3 or 4G you can watch TV without wireless connection. If you have a limited data plan this may not be advisable. I have recommended this product to others who also love it. We have different cable and satellite boxes and it works. The only thing I disliked was having to enter all the stations into the program--the local stations scan automatically.

Update -2013Our router and providers antennae were fighthing each other which kept knocking us offline. Providers made antennae primary which caused Broadway to stop working. I called Wireless provider and they could not fix problem. While technician here I called Hauppauge support and together they fixed the issue by changing port number in wireless providers system to 7799. We use Broadway all the time.

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First review I've ever written and boy was I excited to get this product. It has a fairly small form factor and I was hoping to finally find a solution other than using iRecord iRecord PRO Personal Media Recorder. Now don't get me wrong the iRecord is a great product and does a good job in capturing the signal from you digital cable box then recording it on a USB device. The problem is around scheduling the recording which takes more time than its worth. So I decided to try to find new products that would allow me to capture my cable's channel, record on a USB or SDHD card and take it when I hit the road.

So set up was relatively easy but the box didn't have either a composite or s-video cable, for the price this really should be included. So after finding a S-video cable and about 20 minutes later, viola, the iPad was getting a connection from my cable box through the wifi. I tried to record a program from my iPad, and the signal froze, the unit also locked up. The power button on the front wouldn't power the unit down so I unplugged the unit and waited. Since I work in technology I am use to buggy hardware and software, so I decided to give this little box another shot. After the 4th time I returned it back to Amazon and purchased a different unit from a different manufacturer.

To be fair to Hauppauge, I have other products that they sell and have been very happy with them. This one totally missed the mark, it is poorly designed, feels cheap in my hands, the cords that are included are cheap, the ir blaster in particular and the software doesn't work. Also the UI of the software is totally useless and poorly designed. I never contacted Hauppauge's technical support but after the really crappy performance right out of the box, I wouldn't recommend this product to anyone.

Hopefully the next rev of this product will be better and more reliable. I did find something that work and will be writing a review on this later.

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Saturday, September 6, 2014

Lexar Media 128 MB Memory Stick

Lexar Media 128 MB Memory StickOkay, here's the dish for one thing, yours truly here is a Sony Snob. Yes, and proud of it. When I buy, I usually buy Sony and stick with it. However, I am happy to report that this Lexar Media Stick is just as good as its Sony counterpart. I have had no problems or errors, and the price makes this a great opportunity purchase. In this case, there's no need to spend extra money on the Sony Brand Memory Stick This Lexar is great and does the trick. You won't notice a difference between its performance and that of its higher priced Sony brand issue. I recommend this item wholeheartedly and have purchased it myself (I use it with a Sony CyberShot P52).

Lexar has always been the Cadillac of 3rd party memory as far as I am concerned. Yes, not all manufacturers are created equal! (See how you feel when you discover the mfgr. "Compatibility List" for your application!!) I've used their CF, SM and now MS (Memory Stick) memory with nary a problem over the years. You might pay a premium for a high quality product, but in this case you get what you pay for.

What is especially interesting with MS, is they are competing with the "creator" of the format Sony. Lexar is cheaper than Sony. Most people reading this will be asking "Should I just play it safe and buy Sony for more $$$??" The only difference I've found is that Lexar doesn't support their new proprietary music format something that limits what you can do with your own music. Hardly an advance, if you ask me!

I am using Lexar MS 128k (2 sticks) on my Sony Clie T665C PDA and Viking IntelliFlash 6-in-1 Memory Reader.

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I own two memory sticks, one Sony, one Lexar. There is no discernable difference in speed or reliability. My suggestion is to purchase whichever one costs less and that typically is the Lexar.

Read Best Reviews of Lexar Media 128 MB Memory Stick Here

and found to have *exactly* the same write time as the Sony. My experience with these same write tests on CompacFlash & SmartMedia cards, which show rather marked differences from brand to brand but little variance among cards from the same manufacturer, indeed suggests that Lexar is the original manufacturer for Sony. Think of the Lexar then as an off-label or generic equivalent to the Sony, made on the same assembly line but offered at a lower price.

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I am very glad that I bought this memory stick because the 8mb memory stick that came with my camera was a big laugh. Fortunately I had a 32mb memory stick from the camera I was upgrading from...but still that could only hold 20 shots at maximum resolution. Now with the 128mb memory stick, I can get a bit over 80 shots at max resolution (3.3 megapixel).

HOWEVER; be advised that if you are upgrading from a 32 to 128 which is 4 times the storage amount, it will take longer to format, and you will notice more delay insofar as image writing and image previewing (ie. after taking a shot and going to the preview mode to see the last picture you took, it was almost instantaneous with the 32mb memory stick, but now with the 128mb stick, you click on the preview mode and nothing happens until after about 1-2 seconds, then you get the preview...). If you are upgrading from a 64mb stick, the delay probably won't be as noticeable. This is the only reason why I gave it 4 stars, I was hoping for the same quick performance as my 32mb stick...so it was a little bit of a let-down. Will I return it? No way, this is still the best buy for a memory stick!

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Thursday, September 4, 2014

Olympus VN-240 Digital Voice Recorder

Olympus VN-240 Digital Voice RecorderFunctional, but no USB capability. It is exactly as described, so no fault there. Will probably give it away, as I now have another Olympus (WS-802) with the USB function.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

10FT IEEE 1394 6P/4P Firewire Cable UL

10FT IEEE 1394 6P/4P Firewire Cable ULI received the cable promptly from Ucable without any hassles. The cable was exactly what I was expecting and performed without issues. Thanks Amazon and Ucable for your help getting what I needed quickly.

Saturday, July 5, 2014

Sony CCDTRV57 8mm Camcorder

Sony CCDTRV57 8mm CamcorderThis is a very good camcorder! You really can't go wrong with this one. Its very easy to use and no setup is required. The batteries last forever (well maybe not forever) and you can get alot done with out having to recharge. It has a wonderful steady shot feature which removes some of the shaking your hands make when you are shooting. It also has other great features. It has a 20x optical zoom (the lens actually moving) and a 360x digital zoom (the camera enlarging the picture), It is Control-L (LANC)compatible (which is similar to Panasonics 5-pin control system), so you can edit directly from the camcorder (if you plan on using a computer to edit), an LCD is attached to the side (you know, the screen that pops out), but it also has one of Sony's best features, the 0 LUX Nightshot. This enables you to film in TOTAL darkness. Its a wonderful feature. This camera is alot of fun, its light weight, and has rather good quality (but is nothing compared to MiniDV or Digital8). If you want a good 8mm camera, and don't want to sell the farm, this is it. If you want really good quality and want to edit on your new iMac, get a MiniDV camera or a Digital8. Keep in mind, you can still edit on a computer using a video capture card (a new one is comming out soon from 3dfx www.3dfx.com). So this is a purchase you shall benefit from. I STRONGLY suggest this purchase.

This is the first camcorder I purchased for making home movies of my son and other family events. I agonized over format and decided to go with 8mm over a digital product. My reason for this decision was cost, and the reality that the only thing this would be used for is casual taping.

So far the camera works perfectly. The battery system is very good and does not suffer from the memory problem that nickel-cadmium batters have. It charges quickly and lasts for quite a long time if you use the flip out screen conservatively. The night vision system is really cool and works via an infrared beam. You can record in total darkness and make your oun BLAIR WITCH PROJECT! I have not experimented with all the features offered but will slowly explore these over time. For a basic camera you cannot go wrong with this unit and I recommend to anyone looking for a sold 8mm camera to record family and friends.

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Picture quality is good, loud & sensitive mono sound, easy and not too heavy (about 2 lbs with battery), not too big size for travelling (about 4.5 x 5 x 11 inches). STANDARD BATTERY that came with this camera works 2 hours for B&W viewfinder recording 50 minutes with color LCD recording. If you play black a lot on the LCD (I like to do that), this battery will last about 30 minutes, charging time is about 1 hour. Option batteries are available, and I think I should have one.

Night shot and super night shot movies is just like in a horror movies, every things look faded-green or B&W and people has silver eyes, well, at least I can see the objects (I shot in total darkness). The battery consuming is higher with the night shorts. By the way that tiny built-in light is useless. Remote seems to be useful for the play back only, hardly used at all. I love the multivotage adapter that came with the camera, I wish Sony adds the PAL playback too incase of travelling to Europe and Asia (Hitachi has this feature).

Photo effects are not very useful but programe AE are good and easy, however the icons of programe AE are very tiny, quite difficult to figure out what programes am I on (my eyes are getting old). Every one looks good on that small color LCD, however in the strong day light it is very difficult to see that screen, the manual recommend to use the B&W viewfinder instead. Multilanguage titles with custom setting options.

If you live a hi-tech life, do not buy this cam. because the output is only A/V (2 jacks), no s-video connection, so it's not working with my TV-video capture card in the computer (I use Avermedia product), I heard that it might work on pinnacle system, but did not try it yet. I think I might be able to connect it through the VCR which has A/V connector and can be connected to my TV card, however this attempt hasn't been succesful.

The accesories price are quite expensive (i.e. separate battery chargers, spare batteries, filters, car battery adapter) espectially if you buy them direct from sony....

Read Best Reviews of Sony CCDTRV57 8mm Camcorder Here

This is a great camcorder for starters. The Night Shot (witch is really infared) is one of the best things Sony could of put on Thier camcorders. The remote is nice when you are watching the viedo ar tape recording it so you don't have to get up. The 2.5 in. LCD I could live without because it dosent have that very good of clarity. The only real diffrence that it has between digital camcorder is it's abilty to do computer editing and the abilty of being a digital camera, anyways the quality of the digital camera feature is really poor. Steady shot is a good feature for amature camera people. The thing that really took me in suprise is the top notch zoom which is top of the line when I wrote this. All in all it is a good camera for a good price.

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I just received this today and I'm very excited about this camera. It comes complete with bag (in primary colors), strap for camera, A/V cable, remote, batteries for remote, AC adaptor, and rechargable battery pack. Only thing you need to buy is the 8mm tape. Well worth the money considering you don't have to buy the extras. This camera will help make some memorable holiday moments last forever.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Nokia 6126 Unlocked Cell Phone with Camera, Media Player, MicroSD Slot--U.S. Version with Warranty

Nokia 6126 Unlocked Cell Phone with Camera, Media Player, MicroSD Slot--U.S. Version with WarrantyThe Nokia 6126 Pros:

texting on keypad is fast

external screen is bright and large

keys are slightly raised for good tactile feel

Excellent Internal Screen resolution and color depth.

Press button to open

Slim enough to shirt pocket

Reliable on call signal

Music player can be used while multi-tasking other phone operations without slowing down software.

When using headphones with a Nokia adapter, audio quality is very good.

Micro SD slot under back cover, where you don't have to remove the battery.

Pairs well with Bluetooth devices

Fast power up and power down times

Nokia 6126 Cons:

poor placement of exterior, volume power camera rocker buttons, not tactile enough to feel, you have to visually find them most of the times.

Needs a side access for micro SD card

no back light timer adjustment

Battery talk time and standby time is not good.

Navigation speed through menu is just O.K. Faster than Motorola, slower than Samsung.

Speaker phone audio quality is not as good as with other phones. (High frequency audio drop off) Speaker volume is just O.K.

Ear piece volume is slightly low, and needs to be centered just in the right spot over ear canal to hear.

Camera photo quality is not good, (video noise)

Using the low light option seems to reduce video noise at the expense of slow shutter speed.

Still image color is not accurate.

Can't categorize music play lists

I received this phone from my brother (he used to work for Nokia in Texas) because my other phone broke (nokia 6102i) and my contract with Cingular was for another year (yeah, it sucks).

Background: I was not eligible for the upgrade yet, so that meant I had to purchase a phone at retail price (without the contract) which would have run up upwards of $300 and more. So I got this phone (unlocked) as a gift, and the switch-over was relatively easy and trouble-free. I copied my address book from the 6102i onto the SIM card, and when I moved the SIM card to the 6126, the address book was there (taa-daa!). What I was not able to move were the photos I snapped with the old phone. Those I had to send via email, which I saved onto a microSD card and then was able to move to the 6126 (it has a microSD slot, which read the 1Gb card easily).

Features: I have always liked Nokia. This phone is no exception (except one which I will discuss later). It is a clam (ie. flip) phone and is almost as slim as (but slightly lighter than) my Motorola RAZR. I like the menu layout of the Nokia. The camera is up to 1.3 Megapixel resolution (settings of 1,024x1,280, 960x1,290, 600x800, 480x640, 240x320, and 120x160). The photos are decent in daylight, but not too great in poorly-lit areas (but that goes for every camera phone I've ever encountered).

I like the black and silver coloring. No external antenna (sweet). The button on the side to open it is extra (not necessary). The internal display is nice and large, and colorful. I like the navigation keypad. The textured covering on the rear flap is different (I like it, and is about 50-50 with my friends).

There were plenty of hands-free features. There's a speakerphone, which is loud enough to be used outside, Bluetooth for connecting to a headset or for sending files, as well as voice dialing and commands. There is POP3 and IMAP4 e-mail support, audio messaging for sending voicemails directly to another cell phone, and USB cable support (I haven't used this yet).

There is a large 1,000-contact phone book has room in each entry for five phone numbers, e-mail and Web addresses, a job title and a company name, work and home street addresses, a birth date, etc. The SIM card can hold an additional 250 names. Other extras include standard stuff: vibrate mode, text and multimedia messaging, calculator, voice recorder, a calendar with reminders, notepad, stopwatch, and an alarm clock.

Hands-free features were plentiful, as well. There's full Bluetooth for connecting to a headset or for sending files, plus voice dialing and commands and a speakerphone. For hard-core emailers, there is also POP3 and IMAP4 e-mail support.

I tested the quad-band GSM phone in San Francisco/Bay Area using my existing Cingular wireless service. I got the same quality as the old Nokia 6102i phone. Call quality was decent.

Now, for the negatives. A minor drawback with the design is that the MicroSD card slot is located behind the battery cover. Although, you don't need to remove the battery itself, but you do need to remove the cover. My other beef is with the battery life. The 6126 has a rated talk time of 3.4 hours and a promised standby time of 10 days. When I maxed out the talk time, I got about 3.5 to 3.75 hours talk-time (impressive). Because I am always on the phone, it is hard to guage the standby time. However, when I paired and activated the Bluetooth, and connected with a Nokia BH-900 earpiece (By the way, the BH-900 earpiece is sub-standard compared to the Motorola HS850, but that is another review altogether) that is when I got a feeling about the battery life in standby. For half a day of minimal use (20 min max), and standby the rest of the day my battery is now at 20-25% capacity. When I turned off Bluetooth, I was able to go a full day with some use and still have over 50% battery capacity. So it seems that when the Bluetooth feature is activated it is eating up more battery juice (which makes sense). I have yet to find a control that tells the phone to automatically turn off Bluetooth when there is no active device around.

Conclusion: The Nokia 6126 is a nice phone with many features. I only gate it 4-stars because of the battery life. This is a must, especially for a frequent traveler (like me) or those who use the phone/Bluetooth earpiece a lot. Nokia has to improve on the battery life, and this is easily done with a patch to automatically turn off Bluetooth when there are no Bluetooth devices around.

Buy Nokia 6126 Unlocked Cell Phone with Camera, Media Player, MicroSD Slot--U.S. Version with Warranty Now

I am a bit of a phone nut and love Nokia products. After using a Nokia 6230b with Cingular in Detroit and Virgin Mobile in England for over 2 years, I decided, now that Nokia offers a quad-band phone, it was time to upgrade.

Phone arrived on time and seemed like a very quality piece. Beautiful screen, well put together, etc. I used it for a few days and a few charging cycles. Here is what I found:

-Very poor battery life. I could not go a whole day on a charge with heavy use

-Very poor call quality. I could not carry on a converstation with people as the sound would cut in and out, ever with a full signal. I swapped my SIM back to my old 6230b and everything was fine.

-You need to position the phone just right on your ear or you cannot hear the caller on the other end at all.

-I learned that I really do not like flip phone (why are most phone flip anyways?)

-Don't really like the ultra small signal and battery meters

-I like Nokia's original test message input interface better than the new setup on 6126

So, I returned the phone. Amazon was great to work with and I got a credit quickly. I will buy from them again.

Yes, it is possible that my phone was faulty handset, causing the bad call quality but I did not want to go through the hassel of getting another one. Plus, some of the other negative told me it is not the phone for me.

Plus, the whole experience reminded me that the candy bar 6230b is one of Nokia's best phone ever (just needs quad-band)...

Now I just need to search for a quad-band candy bar Nokia to replace the 6230b...eventually.... Maybe a Nokia E50...

Read Best Reviews of Nokia 6126 Unlocked Cell Phone with Camera, Media Player, MicroSD Slot--U.S. Version with Warranty Here

Got the phone brand new for like $180. It's just sweet.

It's stylish (It does look way better than it appearred in the default image.)

It's powerful (Web surfing, built-in MP3 player-very good quality).

It's handy (You can sync with your computer and get the images, tones, wallpapers, screensavers, etc. for free. Unlike many other phones which bound to the carrier, only allow you to purchase them from the carrier with outrageous price).

The price is high. But it well-worth it. It's a quad-band. It's great for international travelers. You aint bound by any 2-year lengthy contract (ones that if you terminated, they would charge you like 200 bucks as for T-Mobile). Unlocked phones are pay-as-you-go phones. No more future fees.

Some people complain about poor battery life. I think they should change the battery. Chances are theirs may be defective.

Hmm, anything else? Oh yeah, this phone is not a everyone-has-one kind of phone like the Motorola RAVZ, so enjoy being cool.

Very good reception. I always have 5-bar signal.

Very good voice quality. You don't even have to use the speakerphone because the normal mode is loud enough.

The phone is a decent-budget one considered it's for high-end users phone. Among its family, the 6131 is better (only radio feature added, no more no less), but the radio is ridiculously expensive, you'll have to pay like 40 bucks more (for what? a radio? Hello?). The 6133, as everyone know, is a disaster because it's crippled by T-Mobile. The 6126 is a no-brainer.

And last but not least. It's a Nokia.

Want Nokia 6126 Unlocked Cell Phone with Camera, Media Player, MicroSD Slot--U.S. Version with Warranty Discount?

First off I really like my new phone, but it did take a while to get used to after having Motorola's for the last 4 years. Battery life is the universal complaint and the reason for 4 stars.

Cingular and AT&T customers be forwarned, the company does not like that you can buy unlocked phones. Customer service stinks. I could not send multimedia messages and was informed since I did not buy from them, they could do nothing. And that my phone was junk, send it back and buy from them. I had researched this phone to make sure it was compatable in my area and was sold here also( for $50 to $100 more) and was unlocked.

Thanks to an AMAZON rep. I was referred to the Nokia website and I had my phone running in less than a minute! Thank you amazon. and Nokia website is great also! Cingular-GET OVER IT! This is one of many reasons I will never renew a contract with your company.

I am a work from home mother of 2. Not too tech savvy, but am trying to keep up. Love to text and MM message. But mainly got phone for camera and are satisfied.

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Sony HDRFX1000 High Definition MiniDV Handycam Camcorder

Sony HDRFX1000 High Definition MiniDV Handycam CamcorderI purchaized FX1000 form Amazon two months ago to videotape theatrical performances at home. I have chosen it because of good low light specification (1.5Lux) and made the right choice. With correct manual settings (most important maximum gain

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Olympus VN3100 Digital Voice Recorder

Olympus VN3100 Digital Voice RecorderWhen I went out shopping for a voice recorder I didn't want one that had fancy lights, did backflips, had a taser built in (though that would be cool ;) I just wanted a voice recorder so I wouldn't forget my thoughts during the day. I have a very bad memory and I knew that if I could speak my thoughts rather than writing them I could remember much more of what I wanted to remember.

So I started here at Amazon. The reason I started at Amazon was because they have the widest selection of anything anywhere. (in my own personal opinion) After looking at a few different ones I decided an Olympus would be my best bet. I have always had a great time with Olympus and have never ever had a problem with it. I was not disappointed!

The device itself weighs in just about 65 grams and is 4x1.5x11/16 (LengthxWidthxDepth in inches) It is literally palm sized and fits comfortably in my hand (though I have a bigger hand than most people) It has an internal mic and speaker both of which are adequate for any atomsphere. Most audio-philes would not be happy with the sound quality but be not discouraged, it records clearly anything that is spoken. In the Menu it also gives a choice of recording in high or low mic, as well as sound quality of XHQ, HQ, SP, and LP. It also sports a mic and headphone port for you to use external equipment with it.

The interface is very easy to use and fairly intuitive. There is a hold switch on the left side for locking it and turning it off, a battery charge level in the upper right hand corner, and an easy to read lcd screen. It has four folders (A,B,C,D) for easy organization and each recording records the date and time when it was recorded.When in hold the only thing that it'll show if you press any button is the date and time. (it can show 24 clock as well)

This unit does not sport a usb port for connection to your computer (hence the pc absent from the model number) and actually comes in a silver finish not the blue one. One thing that irked me but is not much of a problem was that it has a strap hole but does not come with a strap. It is an accessory that can be bought from Olympus.

All in all this is a wonderful product and is actually fairly cheap for the features that it packs. For those with bad memory it is a life saver as well. I would recommend this product to anyone who wants to record anything from thoughts to speechs.

I tried to save a few bucks and bought the VN3100. It is doing a great job for me. I have no complaints on the quality of the unit, hence my rating of 4 stars.

I am using it simply for reminders throughout the day. Its much easier to record my thoughts than trying to remember them all. I am an architect and many ideas come and go during the day. The VN3100 is excellent for quick capture.

My regret was triggered by several recordings I made of my two boys (2 and 5 years old). We have been playing around and I have several recordings now that I would love to save. Without any way to download the files to my PC, they will need to remain on my recorder forever.

I recommend that anyone considering the VN3100 upgrade to a recorder with a download feature. You never know what you will record that you will want to keep forever.

Buy Olympus VN3100 Digital Voice Recorder Now

I've had this recorder for a number of months now, and I'm using it to recorder interviews that I am using for my thesis. While the recording quality itself is fairly good, I am extremely irritated that the buttons themselves aren't really set up very well. For example, I am transcribing the interviews, and so I am constantly replaying parts of the recording. If you don't press the button exactly in the right spot, you end up, instead of forwarding backward or ahead, going all the way to the beginning of the track and losing your spot. For obvious reasons, this can be extremely infuriating. I've had it do this a good 20 times at least, and then have to try to find where I was. It's caused a loss of efficiency that I think is unacceptable.

So, if you don't mind inefficiency and having to spend a lot of time forwarding and going back and subsequently losing your spot, then it's great.

Read Best Reviews of Olympus VN3100 Digital Voice Recorder Here

Chris provides a very useful review, which gave me the confidence to order a couple of these recorders for mental notetaking. i too need a digital short term memory

like Chris, the reviewer, i just want a vanilla digital voice recorder without all the undelivered promises of the higher end machines. i've bought and returned a couple of other higher end recorders and i'm ready to settle for a lot less.

most importantly, this recorder is so much easier to learn how to use than the others.

now, my major problem is to remember: 1. to have the recorder with me and 2. to use it before the target thought vaporizes into thin air.

recording fleeting thoughts is a lot like taking photographs of UFOs.

and you certainly cannot beat amazon's price on this unit !!!!!!!!

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i never owned a digital recorder, but was pleasantly surprised by this product's 1) price 2) ease of use 3) amt of recordable hrs 4) folder system 5) size (tiny!). i don't have a basis of comparison but i am very happy with the purchase, and use it a lot.

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Wednesday, May 28, 2014

SmartMedia 16MB Digital Flash Memory Card

SmartMedia 16MB Digital Flash Memory CardThe memory card works great!!!!! Thank you so much! I am very happy with my purchase. Have a nice day!! :-)

I bought this media card to test an old digital camera, an Olympus C-720, and it works perfectly. More of a toy device these days, but fun to test old electronics.

Product was made in Japan.

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hard to write superlatives as this is merely a storage device. but it works as expected and for that, I'm well satisfied.

Read Best Reviews of SmartMedia 16MB Digital Flash Memory Card Here

Friday, May 9, 2014

New 4 Channel Embedded Linux US411ZS D1 H.264 Network DVR With 500GB Hard Drive, Real time True Tri

New 4 Channel Embedded Linux US411ZS D1 H.264 Network DVR With 500GB Hard Drive, Real time True Triplex with built web server for remote viewing and operation, backup and operation 4CH DVR 480FPS SATA readyI am mildly computer saavy, and this product seemed fairly easy to setup. I wasn't getting a video, and once I contacted the seller, they set me up with amazing customer service. He walked me through everything, and we realized that my cameras came unplugged. Loving the quality and the help!!!! Very satisfied!!!

I initially had a kguard dvr and camera set and the quality was pretty bad on the recorded and streaming video. I took those cameras and put them on this dvr and it was night and day. Crank up all the quality settings and bask in the glory of this thing. It's got all kinds of great configuration options and the motion masking tool is easy to use. My only complaint is that the hard drive was not well secured inside the unit. Other than that it's an incredible deal. I'm going to pair it with some even better cameras and really go nuts.

Buy New 4 Channel Embedded Linux US411ZS D1 H.264 Network DVR With 500GB Hard Drive, Real time True Tri Now

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Sharx Security VIPcella-IR SCNC2700 Wifi Wireless b/g/n IP network camera with MicroSD DVR and True

Sharx Security VIPcella-IR SCNC2700 Wifi Wireless b/g/n IP network camera with MicroSD DVR and True Day/Night vision1st, the setup:

It took me less than 30min to get it to work on my local network.

About 30 more minutes to set up remotely, with DDNS. Besides, it was the 1st DDNS I ever set up.

And I'm just an average computer guy.

Conclusion: Easy to set up.

Edit:

Setting up email server and ftp server was a bit more of a pain, since the format to be used is very strict. It's still doable for average users. But the result is great. The many options give so much control over the camera, such as setting up the number of pictures sent by emails or to the ftp server once motion has been detected. It's also possible to set up a time interval during which one can deactivate the motion detection alarm, to avoid receiving too much emails or pictures.

2nd, the camera itself:

Produced a very sharp image with just the right luminosity when viewed on my local network.

The fps slowed down a bit when viewed on a remote network.

The night mode is just great. The infrared LEDs are really bright, which gives an excellent picture in pitch dark.

There is also a Moon Light mode, which works best at very low brightness, and improve the picture by increasing the light sensibility, while decrease the FPS. I was told about that feature by the customer service.

Conclusion: Does what's it supposed to do, and even better than that.

3rd, the customer service:

I'm always reluctant to contact CS, but I gave it a shot, and it was so worth it.

When I asked questions, the agent always gave me relevant and practical answers, while offering additional tips related to my questions. (Moon Light mode, using an ac power surge to turn off the camera when I was looking for a software-oriented method, and how I could get a IR illuminator pointing at the ceiling to be able to use the night-mode without turning on the red LEDs)

Conclusion: highly recommended product!

Problem: this is the first ip camera I buy, and I'm afraid I may be disappointed with any model I buy in the future compared to this one.

Note:

The camera is connected to a pretty slow wifi connection (90kbytes/sc), and remotely accessed from a faster connection (about 500kbytes/sc), which may explain the decrease in fps..

The camera arrived and I had it working on my network within half an hour, despite the fact that I have a 5 year old Lynksys router that required a little more manual work than normal. I'm also a Mac user, and this proved no handicap.

My neighbor, who owns a Logitech system, oohs and ahhs about the video quality. I like the fact that I can put it in DVR mode using the microSD chip and not worry about keeping a computer on.

On the second day, I set up web streaming. This was slightly confusing at times, but I kept plowing through and with just a little trial and error got it all working within 45 minutes.

In the end I never did need Sharx Tech support, so I can't comment on it, but the setup is really not bad at all, imo.

Really, the only problem I had was that I originally ordered a 32GB microSD card. I learned later that 16GB is the largest it supports. So I had to wait for the replacement card to arrive to get the built in DVR working.

Bottom line is I'm very pleased.

Buy Sharx Security VIPcella-IR SCNC2700 Wifi Wireless b/g/n IP network camera with MicroSD DVR and True Now

I had purchased an older version of this camera in 2010 from amazon.com. It was easy enough to set up however, accessing it remotely from your iphone or from another computer outside your wifi network can be a challenge. And this is where great after sales service comes in handy because the manufacturer's tech department will email or call you persistently just to make sure that you got everything done.

But it doesn't end there. I lost my manual after I moved a few months ago. The warranty has expired as well as the phone support and when I called them for instructions on how to set up the remote access, I admitted that I lost my manual. And they did an amazing thing. The tech support confirmed that indeed my warranty has ended but they will send me, by PRIORITY MAIL AT THEIR EXPENSE A NEW MANUAL. Further, they asked me to coordinate with them to ensure that I am able to set up my remote access correctly.

I have never heard of this kind of outstanding service from any other tech company these guys are passionate about supporting their customers. I'm a corporate trainer and I run service excellence programs and I always start off my workshops with an anecdote about a true example of excellent service I've always chosen some Malcolm Baldridge awardee but going forward I will always be talking about Sharx and their cameras.

Oh and by the way, the product is excellent. I'm always out of town, and the longest I've been out is 5 months and the camera works without fail clear, sharp and the alarm system works (it starts taking pictures every second once it detects movement and stores it in the SD card and for good measure starts emailing you the pictures in case the intruders decide to tamper with the camera).

I kept it in my closet for close to a year since I have been travelling yet this morning when I plugged it in, it powered right up and picture was clear as the first day I got it. Brilliant little camera made by brilliant folks.

Read Best Reviews of Sharx Security VIPcella-IR SCNC2700 Wifi Wireless b/g/n IP network camera with MicroSD DVR and True Here

This is a very clever gadget... an impressive product.

Very good image quality for a security camera, including the night vision, and going IP/wireless is a great way to avoid having to drill through walls and run wires throughout your house. It works as advertised to access via the Internet through a web browser, tablet or smartphone (in my case, an iPad and iPhone.) Only caveat is I haven't been able to access the camera through our company's network, which I believe is due to the corporate firewall something to keep in mind if that's how you plan to monitor the camera while at work.

What really impressed me are the additional features. Video recording with a Micro SD card works perfectly, generating a series of 10-minute long Quicktime files. Depending on image resolution, it's no problem to record continuously for 3-7 days with a 16GB card. But to save disk space and to avoid having to wade through days' worth of files, the camera also has the ability to record only when its internal motion sensor is tripped. My favorite feature is that the camera also can, when the motion sensor is tripped, instantly email me a series of still JPEG's with the image of whatever tripped the alarm, and it works flawlessly. All of these recording and email functions are user-customizable with a wide variety of settings.

An important warning: setup of this camera is not trivial, on the contrary it is quite complex. Be ready to devote several hours to it, going slowly through the user manual and calling on Sharx tech support if necessary. If you are impatient about setup or leery of diving into the details of your router's programming, this is not the device for you. But if you're willing to give it some time and effort, the manual is outstanding very thorough and accurate and the phone tech support is great as well; you're talking to a true expert on the camera rather than someone overseas reading a script. 30 minutes of phone tech support per camera is included.

All in all, I am extremely satisfied with this camera and think it is more than a fair value for the price.

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I ran into some trouble, on a Saturday afternoon, because of my complex office network, and emailed tech support, who was in NH. That person spent the rest of the day, until 11 at night, walking me through the setup. It would not normally be this hard, but it turned out I had some unusual issues, which (s)he finally tracked down. It only took me 15 minutes to set up a second camera.

I have never received such comprehensive, accurate, and unrelenting support for a product, ever. Just amazing.

Good quality video and audio, automatic emails and saving to flash memory, available on any device anywhere in the world. The setup can easily be changed remotely. An in-depth printed (!) manual. What's not to like?

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Friday, April 4, 2014

Coby 4 GB Flash Video MP3 Player with Touchscreen and FM Radio (Red)

Coby 4 GB Flash Video MP3 Player with Touchscreen and FM Radio
  • 4 GB capacity for storage of up to 1,000 songs, 3,500 photos, or 4 hours of video
  • 8 hours of music playback on a single charge
  • 2-inch color TFT LCD display with 176 x 220 pixel resolution
  • Supports MP3, WMA, and WAV audio files; AVI video files; JPEG images; TXT text files
  • One-year limited warranty

I recently ordered this product off of Amazon and I am extremely satisfied.

First I will give you a run down of what equipment I use this with. My laptop (Entertainment HP, 2GB RAM, with Vista), my surround sound (Phillips Hi-Def), my Sony PS3 (not the PS3 itself, but the charger for the controllers), car stereo, & iHome speakers.

When I was browsing potential MP3 Players my main concern was playlists and if the player could hold up under pressure (aka being on my arm while jogging, being dropped, and tossed around in general).

I have put songs on it (mostly MP3 & WMA format) from Windows Media Player on my laptop. In order to create playlists, I first put them as a list in Windows Media Player and then right clicked on the list in order to send it to the player. All of the songs were in the exact order I put them in (in the past I had experienced a problem with the MP3 Player jumbling things)! The menu is easily to scroll through using the navigational keys. The player also remembers where you left off in a song and in a list. If I turn it off during the middle of the song all I have to do is scroll to "Now Playing" in the menu to pickup where I left off. It came with a disc to install it, but all I had to do was hook it up to my laptop with the usb cord. No installation was necessary (although my computer did have me name it). No additional software was necessary. Windows Media Player was enough. I have not found a way to delete songs off of the player without hooking it up to the computer, but this is not a huge deal for me since everything else is perfect.

The volume goes up to 31. I generally do not put it over 16 or 17, which is plenty. The battery life has varied some. I think this has to do with the days when I am constantly scrolling through songs as opposed to days where I select my list and let it play. This makes it generally 7 to 10 hours, respectively.

It holds up while I am jogging. I always prefer to purchase electronics that can take some abuse since I am clumsy. This player has held up under my treatment (which is saying a lot)!

To charge it I did not purchase a charger. I use the charger I bought for the PS3 controllers. It works just fine and does not take forever to charge. I also like that there are no batteries I have to replace.

I also hook the player up to iHome speakers so I can "jam out" when I am doing laundry or some other house chore. It also works well with the surround sound system I have. All I have to do is plug it in with the usb cord.

I highly reccomend this MP3 player if you're looking for something that works with the rest of your electronics. In the past I have purchased players that have had serious compatability issues and it drove me nuts trying to figure out how to use them. Next I am going to purchase one for my nine year old. He already can use it perfectly! So, if you're looking for compatability, user-friendly features, and durability, look no further!

Update as of 10/4/08

I dropped the mp3 player off the upstairs deck at my house and thought I broke it, but luckily there is a reset button on the lower back of the player. You have to use a small point (I used a thumb tack) to press the button. It was a total life saver.

Update as of 1/8/09

I noticed when I was updating the playlists that the playlists already on the player that had less than 18 songs on them were jumbled. All of the playlists in which I had placed 18 or more songs on them remained perfect and in the order I had originally specified.

PS. I would highly advise buying different headphones.

Update as of 1/1/2011

After almost 4 yrs (I wrote this review awhile after starting to use it) it's time to purchase another one. I used it for, on average, about four or five hours per day (sometimes more). The hold button no longer works without having to tape it down. It is difficult to add/delete playlists without having to hit the reset button on the back a couple times.

Buy Coby 4 GB Flash Video MP3 Player with Touchscreen and FM Radio (Red) Now

This is a fantastic product! It's about the size of an Apple Nano (the older one); holds a tremendous amount of media; is very durable; and costs about 1/3 of the cost of a Nano. The best part is not having to mess with the

I purchased this to replace my last Coby mp3 player. Coby is a gem in the rough. Many people don't know about this company. They put out a quality product at a much more reasonable price.

There are only two small down-sides. You can't delete the file from the unit. You have to plug it into a computer. Also, the controls take a little getting used to. Even though it has a circle, it doesn't have the feature of scrolling by tracing the circle with your thumb as Apple does.

Transferring files is very easy. You can either use software like Windows Media Player, or open the files yourself to give complete control. You can't as easily do this with Apple. The battery lasts a long time as well. The best part is you don't have to mess with proprietary software with Apple that restricts your capabilities to add music for a cheaper price than iTunes.

Read Best Reviews of Coby 4 GB Flash Video MP3 Player with Touchscreen and FM Radio (Red) Here

I just received mine today and it was just what I expected.

As the reviewer before me said, it's got lots of space and great

battery life.

The buttons look like they light up blue, but mine's are actually a pale green, it's little and has a really nice, sleek look to it. The box came with the USB cable, head phones, a little CD for converting Videos, manual, a card for 50 free songs, and a soft little cloth to keep it shiny since it does smudge easily. The keys are sensitive but easy enough to work.

I am very glad I took the chance to buy it, I wanted something that wasn't an iPod and this was great, just as good with half the price and twice the space, with nothing like iTunes to have to download.

And no I dont work for the company, I just really liked the player ^-^

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This player is pretty nice. It holds a ton of songs. The headphones that come with it are not that great though. And it comes with a card for fifty free downloads, but it's one of those deals that you have to sign up for a membership and cancel it later. One bad thing about the player is that you have to hook it up to the computer to delete files from it. one previous review said the player doesn't pick up where it left off, but it does. if you turn it off then back on just select now playing and it starts exactly where you stopped it. Good buy for this price.

I recieved my coby mp3 player yesterday. It was so easy to put music on, i took it out of the box and plugged it into the computer and 5 minutes later i had tons of songs on it. Its's an amazing little product and i would recommend it to anyone that doesn't want to pay a whole lot. The touch pad is really neat, and is easy to navigate. And someone before me said i think, that the mp3 player doesn't play the song from where you left off... well it worked for me this morning which was surprising, because this is the first mp3 player that has done it for me.

The only thing that i dont like is that some of the wma songs won't download onto the player but other than that i give this player 2 thumbs up :)

Friday, March 28, 2014

Flylink 16GB Popular HD 1080P Night Vision Recording Waterproof Watch

Flylink 16GB Popular HD 1080P Night Vision Recording Waterproof WatchThe company is useless. As everyone, the instruction is translated on Google, and they printed it. Their products are very cheaply made but they want to sell it directly in US market through Amazon and make the direct profit. But, their product does not stand up to the US market standard, and specially not having office or support in US. The worst part you cannot return their products for a refund. The pictures look great, but their product actually only suitable for the dollar store. Amazon should let all these factories sell their crap to US customers....

great watch, the night vision is not that good its not like the night vision displayed on the box

although it does not really matter , the night vision is good in close range , it has like a purple glow

as if a light is coming out of the watch but you cannot see with your eye.... the quality of day recording is great,

although it only records in 20 minute intervals , you can probably make 8 20 minute videos before the battery wastes

in turn i recommend a 16 or 8 gb one, there is a 32gb but for that one is better off using it as a usb for file transfers. the downside of it is that its confusing to know that its turned off or on.

at times

but i think that its still a good watch, its good if police harass you or to record a conversation etc

Buy Flylink 16GB Popular HD 1080P Night Vision Recording Waterproof Watch Now

I have purchased other video watches, and this one by far has the quality build, and stealthness needed to made it useful. I purchased this watch and was hesitant at the time because of all the bad reviews. I can assure you that this watch will do exactly what it says it will do. The night vision puts a purple glow on the video, where it does make easier to view night time video. The only thing I don't like is, I cant fix the time to read correctly. Other than that its a solid product!

Read Best Reviews of Flylink 16GB Popular HD 1080P Night Vision Recording Waterproof Watch Here

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Pioneer DV-393-S Progressive Scan DVD Player with Div-X

Pioneer DV-393-S Progressive Scan DVD Player with Div-X
  • Plays all versions of DivX® video (including DivX® 6) with standard playback of DivX® media files
  • PureCinema 2
  • 3 Progressive Scan and 12-bit/108MHz DAC (for Progressive Scan Video Output) for high-resolution video
  • Advanced GUI and Disc Navigator for ease-of-use and disc browsing
  • Virtual Surround and 24-bit/96kHz Audio DAC for Superb Sound Quality

My reason for purchase. Watching Region 2 DVD's encoded with European PAL format on a US NTSC TV. For less than $100 this item saves having to hack your existing region locked DVD player AND purchasing a $250 PAL to NTSC converter.

The unit does EXACTLY what is claimed. NO fuss and NO bother. Wide range of features allows you to fine tune sound and picture very easily which overcomes problems reducing PAL's inherent higher resolution to the lower NTSC resolution. There are almost no artefacts on picture as a result of this process you might equate the result of the conversion to looking like a small amount of film grain but only on large uniform picture areas of tone and colour. In detailed areas there is no discernable loss of quality.

I possibly had LESS difficulty in set up because I was using an HDTV which accepts Progressive Scan signal thru the composite video cables (which potentially gives the best result). If your TV specification is less then it pays to read the well featured manual as to how to set up for your TV. However by default the unit should work for most TV's straight out the box you can tuneup for even better results if your TV allows by following the well written manual.

There is one potential issue in setup regarding playing non-NTSC disks which my Amazon seller bargain offers had made a point of covering with a photocopy of the relevant page of the manual enlarged and attached to the unit I'm sure it saves them support calls but it was a nice touch and my unit was up and running in less than 5 minutes as a result.

Other reviews of this unit on the web state that the unit is prone to breakdown. It is so hard to figure the context of those reviews (hundreds of others perform satisfactorly and so go unsung? Every unit breaks down?) but for less than $100 this is a great buy.

The Amazon listing of this unit is not clear as to model number at time of writing review (May 20, 2005) the actual model number of the unit received was a Pioneer DV373 and not the lesser 272.

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I am in the United States (DVD Region 1 NTSC) and since I have recently become interested in Region 2 PAL DVD's (think the recent Jane Eyre starring Toby Stephens) I ordered the Pioneer DV-393-S Multi-Zone Region Free DVD Player from Amazon. It came new in a sealed box in about 4 days to me here on the West Coast (which surprised me, as I half expected it to have been opened and hacked in some way in order for it to be able to play PAL).

I was worried about this, because I am NOT the technical type and feared lots of button-pushing to make things work (I can barely program my VCR) but when I hooked it up it played BOTH the UK Jane Eyre (which is a PAL Region 2 DVD disk) and another PAL Region 2 DVD disk that I have RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX with no problems whatsoever, no messing about, no hacking -no nothing! Plug it in, put in the PAL DVD and it plays flawlessly on my NTSC television! Heaven!

I really couldn't believe it would be this easy, so, as a test, I re-connected my old Sony DVD player (thinking that the Sony might play it just fine too), put in the PAL disk and the Sony player could NOT play it. Gave an error message that it was the wrong region.

So what this tells me is that the Pioneer not only will play region 2 disks, but that it also must have some kind of internal programming that converts the PAL (UK) to NTSC (US) because the frame rates are different between the two.

I chose the Pioneer over the other (and some quite a bit less expensive region-free players advertised on Amazon) because the Pioneer had all of the bells and whistles I was used to, and then some: Dolby Digital Surround output, DTS Surround output (to my compatible stereo receiver); it plays .avi disks (which my son at film school uses to record his work to send to me), CD's, Video CD's the list goes on and on! The Pioneer has really excellent user-friendly on-screen menus to navigate, which are used to tweak various audio and video settings. These menus work flawlessly with the provided remote.

I am hearing impaired, and I was delighted to find out after I received the player that it has a setting (that I did not read about in the original advertising) that accentuates dialog. This seems to work really well I am now able to listen to my surround system (before I had to always use headphones) without the dialog being lost "behind" the music.

All in all I am COMPLETELY AND ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED with this player!!!

It works *exactly* as advertised.

Well, I must be off now again to Amazon UK to get some more of those wonderful BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)films. Region 2/PAL DVD's are no longer an obstacle for me!!

Ta! :-)

Read Best Reviews of Pioneer DV-393-S Progressive Scan DVD Player with Div-X Here

I love this player. I've only had it a couple of months, so I can't speak to its longevity and reliability, but for a pretty low price you're getting a lot of capabilities. First of all, it plays Video CDs better than any player I've ever had. I've had a lot of problems with skipping and stopping not on this player. Also, I put my first British DVD in it yesterday and it played perfectly with no setting adjustments couldn't even tell there was any special multi-regional functionality involved. It remembers the last several DVDs or VCD you've played, so that if you eject it (accidentally or on purpose), it'll pick right back up where you stopped. It seems to be a great player, and I'm very pleased with it.

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First off, everything that has been said about this DVD player is spot-on. Multi-region code free is a great asset to have. So does the memory playback that automatically resumes from where you left off (watching DVDs). One particular feature is the widescreen setting (which my previous 2 DVD players don't have) that automatically plays a movie in its full screen aspect ration on a widescreen TV.

Unfortunately, I can only delight in this unit for 2 days. It is too sensitive to Progressive setting (when not properly wired to a TV with Progressive scan feature). This causes the DVD player to display a green discoloring on the screen that, despite every step taken per the manual to resolve, cannot go away. Even after setting the unit back to Interlace, the discoloring does not go away. If anything, it got worse. By the next day, discolorings of blue and red become evident. (N.B. According to the unit manual, if the TV does not support Progressive Scan, the screen will not display video. It does not turn green!)

To make matters worse, the DV-383S' warranty does not extend to American consumers. American warranties are only valid for 'Region 1' only products. So for the DV-383-S, the product description's claim that "if your DVD player ever becomes defective we will fix it for free" is false. According to Pionner Customer Service, the only option is to buy a brand-new unit (because the repair costs exceed the price of the DVD player itself; replacement is not even an option). But that's the risk you take when you buy a multi-system DVD player.

I had heard nothing but excellent word-of-mouth of Pioneer products. This is my first Pioneer DVD player. For it to malfunction as it did after two days is a great disappointment. However, it has not shaken my confidence in Pioneer. Just only the DV-383-S models.

Very happy with this DVD player. Sets up in a snap, and played my PAL DVD's without a hitch. Just remember to set it to NTSC for your American TV, and you shouldn't have a problem.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Quantum FX AM FM SW 1-9 11 Band Radio Cassette Recorder With USB - Quantum FX J101U

Quantum FX AM FM SW 1-9 11 Band Radio Cassette Recorder With USB - Quantum FX J101UThough it's not mentioned anywhere the USB, SD, and cassette deck are all in stereo. The FM however is not. The tape deck records in stereo as well (though there is only one built in microphone so that's mono, of course).

The sound can be a bit on the shrill side, but the good news is that it has a tone knob that takes the edge off quite a bit. Because of that it's not bad. Of course at this price it's not exactly going to be top notch high fidelity, but for what it is it's just fine.

SD and USB slots:

The most basic of functions is the name of the game here. It has buttons for next track, previous track, and play/pause. That's it. Of course there's no screen.

it does NOT scan through a track when you hold down the "next" or "prev" buttons. It does remember the last track plaid and will start back on that track after you turn it off or switch to another function however it starts at the beginning of the track.

It is HCSD (more than 2GB) compatible.

The tuner:

The tuner is a bit better than the other Quatum FX, Supersonic, etcetera radios of this type and class that I've tried, though not top notch. The FM is quite sensitive and selective (perhaps a touch better than average), MW/AM performance is about average, and the SW bands are about what you would expect from something in this price class, if not a bit better.

Cassette deck:

It runs at the correct speed and stays there, the head azimuth is spot on, and surprisingly enough the built in microphone is reasonably sensitive yet pics up very little noise from the deck itself. It will record from the SD and USB slots in stereo. The quality of the recordings is about average for an auto level control deck.

The fast forward and rewind buttons do not function as cue and review (you can't hear the tape go backward or forwards).

Lights?

*laughs* Yes, it has flashing lights. No, they do not change by/with whatever you're playing.

All in all for the price it's fun and it does what it should.

Runs on 6 D cells, 9V barrel plug, or AC power (switchable 110/220 volts).

This unit has a lot of things it can do , you might ask does this unit do them well . I have always found out especially in some cheaper radios that they make allowances in manufacturing them . Here are some differences I have noticed !

S.W Bands

3.5mhz to 4.5mhz 75 meter band } There is not much to listen to here .

4.5mhz to 5.6mhz 60 meter band

5.6mhz to 6.7mhz 49 meter band

7.4mhz to 8.9mhz meter band not known } Not world band segment

10.2mhz to 11.5mhz meter band not known} Not world band segment

12.1mhz to 13.6mhz meter band not known} Not world band segment

13.7mhz to 14.5mhz meter band not known} Not world band segment

15.0mhz to 17.0mhz 19 meter band

20.8mhz to 22.9mhz 13 meter band } There is not much to listen to here .

A.M F.M Radio

These international world meter bands are all off frequency so you might get a O.K radio . When you get this in your hands what can you really receive other then A.M and F.M Radio stations ? The other functions work as advertised !

I have also bought a amount of the Quantum FX model J-112 Radios which I also reviewed , the J-112 radio I like a lot . The frequency is off quite a bit , but this is a continuous frequency not separate ones like the Quantum J-101U radio . So I am giving the reader an idea about this radio J-101U ! I gave this radio 2 stars because of all it does in this one package !

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Sorry to say we sent this product back, it wasn't what my husband were looking for, It wouldn't pickup on the reado. and it just didn't work like he thought it would.thank you SG

Read Best Reviews of Quantum FX AM FM SW 1-9 11 Band Radio Cassette Recorder With USB - Quantum FX J101U Here

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Toshiba HD-A20 1080p HD DVD Player

Toshiba HD-A20 1080p HD DVD Player
  • HD DVD, DVD, and CD Playback
  • Supports next-generation formats: Dolby Digital Plus, DTS HD, and Dolby TrueHD
  • High definition 720p, 1080i, and 1080p resolution

In the UK this player is known as the EP10 just to confuse things but here is my review of it anyway:

For the last two years, I have made do with my Denon 1920 upscaling DVD player, on a Pioneer 436 43" Plasma TV. The upscaling provided on normal DVDs from this player is very good, indeed. However, I was now ready to take the step to an HD player proper.

I have watched the Blue Ray vs HD DVD struggle from the sidelines. At the moment, Blue Ray seems to be out in front. However, I would summarise my doubts about that format into as follows:

There are some very poor reports about the quality and playback of some early Blue Ray machines so far. What I have seen in reviews is pretty poor to put it mildly.... HD DVD on the other hand seems to be getting the thumbs up from both professional reviewers and consumers. That said I have viewed playback on both formats and would struggle to find a difference.

Blue Ray has more storage data space on its disks than HD and has been labelled the superior format as a result. However, this also makes it the more expensive format, and despite recent price cutting, is still more expensive than HD price wise for both machines and disks. Despite having a slightly smaller storage capacity than Blue Ray, the HD disk can still store much more data than a normal DVD and being a cheaper format than Blue Ray, will give it one hell of an advantage as prices are slashed. Indeed, this is now starting to happen. In a price cutting war, these cheaper overheads could well be the difference between success and failure.

Blue Ray disks do not seem to have the "extras" that you can find on HD Disks. Blue Ray will apparently have this problem until problems with the format are ironed out.

It would seem that Walmart have signalled their intention to back HD by Christmas this year in their stores and with up to 40% of the US DVD market, this has devasting implications for Blu-Ray. Linking with the above, Toshiba have licenced the HD DVD format to Chinese producers who will it would seem be making 2 million HD DVD players for Walmart.

Lastly while the major studios are either split on each format or like Warner Bros, backing both formats, a certain company called Microsoft has backed HD against Blue Ray. Indeed, the latest Xbox machines all have HD DVD player capability.

I have waited for the next generation HD players before making a move for one and have elected to go for the Toshiba EP10 (A20). This is a mid range player in between the Toshiba E1 and the Toshiba XE1, and has been available here in the UK since May 2007. The EP10 (A20) has an all important advantage over the Toshiba E1, it has a 1080p facility whereas its smaller brother only goes up to 720p. Therefore, having an EP10 (A20) will give you the ability to play 1080p if you have a TV that supports that format, or are planning to get one in future.

My current TV supports up to 720p and 1080i. I therefore set the EP10 to playback at 1080i... and the result is a simply superb picture. Just look at the Universal logo in true HD instead of an upscaled picture and you will see what I mean. The 1080i picture in true HD is simply superb and is better full stop than upscaled 1080i, even from a machine as good as the Denon 1920. The picture that I get from the Toshiba EP10 (A20) when playing an HD DVD is the best picture that I have ever achieved on my 43" Plasma TV. There is no blurring or distortion, focus is pin sharp and light and black are both superbly realised. King Kong, The Chronicles Of Riddick, and Pitch Black are simply superb, and I am seeing detail on them that simply was not there before.

The EP10(A20)upscales normal DVDs well but is only slightly ahead of the Denon 1920 when it comes to upscaling though.

The machine is easy to operate and set up. A tip if you are plugging it into a home cinema, remember to set the Input Jack to Bitmap on the player's Sound Menu during set up. Otherwise you will not get multichannel sound. If your AV amp supports HDMI then you can simply plug an HDMI cable between that and your machine. If your AV Amp does not have an HDMI connection, then it will be via a Digital Optical cable. Strangely the Toshiba EP10 (A20) does not have a Coaxial Digital Input plug and you can only use an Optical cable to link up to a non HDMI AV amp.

My only moans about the EP10 (A20)is firstly the approximately 30 seconds that it takes to load up a DVD. Secondly, while HD DVDs are Region free, the EP10 will only play Region 2 normal DVDs. So a multi Region code will be needed if you have normal DVDs from other regions.

To sum up though this is a superb machine which gives pictures of incredible clarity and this is on 1080i. I can only wonder how much better 1080p will look on this machine, albeit you will need a screen size of 40" plus to be able to notice the difference, I would think.

It is great to be able to keep the old DVD collection and just add new HD DVDs where necessary.

On the strength of this mid range HD player, I think that HD seems to be proving itself the better format and once prices really fall, should start to pull the rug from underneath Blue Ray.

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I'm very happy with this in all respects. I had returned an HD-A2 already, as it would hang sometimes when changing layers on dual layer SD (standard) DVDs. The A20 does sometimes have a perceptible "glitch" when changing layers, but no more than that. My impression is that the 1080p picture looks better than the A2's 1080i did, but that might just be wishful thinking. Obviously, as with and HD-DVD player, you'll get a little better ("lossless") audio if you have an HDMI-equipped receiver, but I'm happy to use optical digital cables for now and upgrade in a couple years.

One thing I strongly suggest, though, is that you attach this to the internet using the ethernet port in the back. If you aren't wired for ethernet, consider setting up a wireless bridge (or "gaming adapter"). Updates for the player AND for some of the HDDVD titles (!) are available for automatic download if you're hooked up.

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba HD-A20 1080p HD DVD Player Here

This is my second HD DVD player. When I saw the 8 free hd dvd deal, I decided to get the better version and use the other one for the bedroom. The quality is still as great, if not better for 1080p. The process to firmware upgrade (menu selection and agreement screens) seems to load faster than the HD-A2. Overall, it still promises the great image and sound for HD DVD for a low price!

Note of caution. If you own a 720p/1080i TV, do not bother with the HD-A20 unless you plan to upgrade your TV to 1080p within 1-2 years. Why? Because the HD-A2 does as great a job for a 720p/1080i TV for even lower cost! If you have a 1080p TV that does great interlacing, and you want to go for the low cost alternative, this will do a great job considering the next firmware upgrade will allow 1080p24. But if you still think it's expensive, then go with the HD-A2. Even though it outputs 1080i at most, your 1080p TV should be able to turn the 1080i signal into near 1080p imaging so you cannot really tell the difference between to two. Either way, HD-A2 or HD-A20 is the way to go for low budget, high value, high definition enjoyment!

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I recently purchased the A20 through Amazon. Even though I took the super savings shipping, it arrived in 3 days. The packaging was done well, and inside was heavy brown paper for additional safety.

With all HD products, setup is extremely important. For the most benefit of this product, you MUST use an HDMI cable and a 1080P television. Toshiba makes another product for the 720P/1080I televisions that is a bit cheaper.

For my setup, I am using a monster HDMI cable connected to a 46" Sony Bravia XBR2 HDTV (1080P). I am also using an optical cable connected to a Dennon receiver for 7.1 surround sound. As a side note, the sound will play through both the HDMI and optical output at the same time, so no switching is necessary. However if you are playing through your receiver, turn the TV volume off so as to not interfere with you higher quality surround sound system.

High Def Disks: I will start of the review by saying "WOW". The picture is simply outstanding. I am extremely pleased by the quality of the image. The HD is truly superior to standard dvds. From color to depth to sound, all areas are dramatically increased in quality. For the people that say their $33 dvd players are just as good, I just shake my head. They either have the wrong TV or connections or glasses. The difference is amazing, and can only be appreciated by actually viewing it. The sound quality in particular is really demonstrated on high def. With the increased storage space, there is more room for surround encoding, and if your receiver can accept dolby plus or DTS or TrueHD, then you are in for a spectacular treat. The "turn that down" fights have already started at my house.

Comparison to Blu-Ray: I also own a Playstation 3. I have compared the A20 to it. Both units produce extremely high quality images and sound. And if you can afford both, you owe it to yourself to do so. I can say that there is a very small difference between their quality, and this is more based on the discs rather than the players. Some movies are made with higher quality masters or better transference methods, or have a higher quality sound encoding. This is true for both systems, so each will have a couple of movies that look better on it, than the other. There really is no going wrong here!

Standard Def: This is the real reason that I purchased the system. I wanted to get an upscaling dvd player for my 500+ dvd collection. I had originally decided on the Oppo 841 (an excellent player and reviewed as one of the best upscalers in the mass market category). Those $100 dollar upscalers give an ok picture, certainly better than regular dvd progressive scan, but they are limited. The Oppo player comes in at $230 (worth every penny), but the A20 was for sale on Amazon for $310. The A20 also has a special offer for 5 free HD-DVDs (about $100 if purchased). Since the A20 got good reviews for its upscaling, it was a no brainer. Good upscaling, opening up the ability for HD, and free movies to offset the price of a quality upscaling dvd player, I was hooked. How happy I am too! The quality of the upscale is so good, I am watching movies I don't even like because of how great they look. Although the upscaling can't achieve true HD, it is amazingly close. Sounds great also.

Comparison to other players. In addition to having a PS3 and the Toshiba HD-A20 hooked up to my TV, I also have a gaming computer attached (3.4 gHertz HT with 2g ram and 512mb g-force 7850 graphics set at 1920 X 1080 resolution). Now here, the A20 really shines. Although the PS3 is an amazing machine, it currently does not upconvert. So it was no comparison. Where I was suprized, was that my 4K worth of gaming computer did not look as good as the A20. I really expected that with the power of a computer and graphics card, that they would have been closer, however I was wrong. The A20 looked much better, and seemed more vibrant. The A20's sound was far superior to the computers (playing through the same denon receiver). Over all, the A20 wins hands down.

The downside. The machine has one flaw. It is slow. It takes about 30-45 seconds from power up to disc menu. Really not a problem because you have to get the popcorn anyhow, but needs to be mentioned. It is also slow for upgrading. If you attach it to a LAN, you can get firmware upgrades (and also online contect about the program your watching). This feature is great and was easy to set up. However, it was very slow, and there is little indication that it is working. It took about 30 minutes for the firmware upgrade (this was its first one though) and the last step took so long, I thought it had encoutered an error. It did not, but it made me nervous. Just set it to go, and leave for a while, it will be done when you come back.

I can heartily recommend the Toshiba HD-A20 1080P HD-DVD/Upconverting player. HD-DVD looks great, and your DVD collection will be brought back to life.

Thank you for reading my review

Several weeks later:

Just wanted to update my review in saying that the PS3 now does upscaling with the version 1.93 update.

WOW! I just got this machine plus monster HDMI cables four days ago to accompany my new Sharp Aquos 42" 1080p LCD TV and it is an awesome combination. There is no need for me to ever go back to a movie theater again. Picture quality means everything to me and this machine delivers. Let's start with SD-DVDs. When I bought my Aquos two weeks ago, I began to watch Flags of Our Fathers using a regular DVD player and noticed that the pixels and little squares were very evident on the picture. It was really annoying, to the point that I felt it was better to watch SD DVDs on my regular old tube TV. Then, I figured that I should try this machine. I went and bought it, came home, put in the same Flags of our Fathers SD-DVD in and "poof" it was magic. No pixelation, no squares, just sheer magic. Then, I bought "Unforgiven" in HD-DVD, and I am still recovering from the shocking experience of Clint Eastwood shotting at me. The only comment that I have is that this machine takes a relatively long time to boot up and to open the tray. The first time I tried, I had to wait for so long, that I thought it was broken. But once you understand that this is the way it was meant to work, then it is very easy to dismiss and not worry about it.