PTC 10 ft High Speed HDMI 1.3 Category 2 Certified WHITE Cable w/Ferrite Cores (Gold Plated Connect

the hdmi cable was very easy to install. i needed the cable to be white to be less visible on the wall. i am very pleased with it's performance. shipping was fast. thank you Amazon.

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Movie Edit Pro 17 Plus

• MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 17 Plus is the fastest version of Movie Edit Pro yet,
• With improved preview performance, loading times, and optimized PC performance
• The world's first consumer 3D editor for stereoscopic 3D cameras, or two cameras used in conjunction to create 3D effects in an anaglyph view
• 99 tracks, MultiCam editing, travel route animation, and much more; more than 1000 special effects, cinematic transitions and templates included
• Supports all common video sources including HDV and AVCHD camcorders;
• And integrated synthesizers
• Multi-channel surround sound with Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator, Audio Mastering Suite to enhance your audio, beat recognition tools,

I haven't used this software long, but I come from Sony Vegas and once you learn the typical ins and outs of video editing software, you can get around any software. I primarily got MEP 17HD because it works with the file format of my new Kodak Zi8that being .mov files, not to mention it handles the HD resolutions of those files. Sony Vegas has problems doing so. Granted, I'm on an older version of Vegas. But I'm on a current version of Sound Forge from Sony and it too can't open .mov files. And if you need to work with MP4 files in either app, it's going to cost you money for the plugin. Not so with Movie Edit Pro! Mpeg4 and mpeg2 plugs activate FREE in MEP. That's pretty substantial considering Vegas is hundreds and MEP is NOT.

Early on, I love what I see. It's very impressive how much is packed into this softwarevery impressive. The range of file support is excellentall of them as far as I can see. Even VOB files [VCR to DVD in combo burners], which I've had to re-encode third party to work with onced pulled off the dvd, are supported in MEP. File supportexcellent. Excellent amount of effects and transistions. Tons more than I've had and many are unique. The audio side is excellent too, automatically recognizing all of my thrid party plugins from Waves and Sony, which are DX. It handles VST no problem as well. Nice mixer too. Nice layout as well. Everything is pretty typical in terms of how you use it. There are some differences between software, but it's not all too hard to figure out how titles are handled, or how transition are handled, or how effects are tweaked and automated. A little trying, a little manual reading, and if you know video editing software, you're moving right along.

Things you MUST do after installing the software, [which can take a while so be patient]-

Under the help menu, update the software. There's quite a line up of updates to bring in. Not that I noticed problems right out of the box, but update the software. Manditory.

Go into settings and tweak settings that you need to help things run smoothly for your PC. You can adjust the preview window resolution, as well as cache options for smooth playback.

I have the minimum required pc recommendedactually less on my laptop, at the moment. It hurts. Have a newer dual core at least, if you're gonna do extensive editing and make longer movies. Managing vieo files is a bear on processing power. Don't expect smooth sailing on a marginal pc.

All things considered, this software looks and handles fantasic. Even video screen capture is a huge plus for me. The only thing I don't plan on using is 3D, but THAT'S in there too! For short bucks you can be right up there with the expensive programs. In fact, take the savings and invest in a new pc if your movie making needs are serious. Even if you're just a hobbyist and have a HD pocket cam and you want some real horse power to make pro results, this software fits the bill. Magixyou have a new fan!! Thank you!

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I have a high end Sony video camera that does HD 24mbps/dolby 5.1 and boy oh boy does that test almost EVERY product ive tested over the past 3 weeks !! I tested them all, Corel, Pinnacle, Nero, Cyberlink, Vegas/DVD architect etc and when burning to bluray there are always issues let alone hideous learning curves. I single out Sony Vegas DVD Architect as the most difficult software to learn and use. Sony used to have a program called Click to Disk that worked well, but the new versions are but a shadow of the former program.

All I wanted was 1080i 24mbps Video/dolby 5.1 and slideshows (with random transitions) with a Bluray menu.

I could not believe that no one has the problems solved I saw everything from stuttery video/audio sych issues to crashing without notice (and Im using a quad core i7 with 8GB RAM)

That is until I tested Movie Edit Pro 17 Plus HD.

It is simply the ONLY product that works and is straight forward to use Well done and HIGHLY recomended !!!

it is also the best program for random transitions between pics on a slideshow :)

Only one issue when you are working with Dolby 5.1 surround you MUST reveal all the audio channels or it will be encoded as stereo (this should have been HIGHLIGHTED in the manual also this is relevant for smart copy option where the files are meant to be untouched) Magix needs to make this MUCH clearer in the manual)

Read Best Reviews of Movie Edit Pro 17 Plus Here

This is a real solid and robust program. That being said it will take some time and a lot of reading to really get the benefits. I have used a few other basic programs that were easy to get going with but without all the features of 17 plus.

Not sure this is really for beginners as it is not intuitive.

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Magix is a company whose software I've purchased for years. For a fraction of the cost of better known brands, I get topflight programs that would normally cost me four to five times more if I'd gone with the usual suspects as far as multimedia platforms.

One of Magix's hallmarks is their video editing suites. Movie Edit Pro 17 HD has raised the bar so high, it's into the stratosphere. For everything you get in MEP 17, you'd be paying at least a grand or more as this is a professional movie creation program featuring a mindboggling array of special features. It's so complete, it would last a decade. Besides Dolby Digital 5.1, 3-D abilities are part of the package. Magix even includes nifty glasses.

While the abilities and functions are dense, Movie Edit Pro 17 is easy to use as long as you follow the instructions. There are plenty of tutorials as well as very innovative video instructions that are part of the customary help file. Sometimes it's best to have a visual demonstration and Magix shrewdly provides that.

I've been able to do everything from preserve deteriorating videotapes to put together dazzling music videos, all within the same program. Movie Edit Pro has the capacity to export in every format imaginable. Even Blu-ray is covered. It's like Magix set about to create the ultimate professional movie software and made no concessions for home users aside from ease of use. Magix thought of everything when they incepted Movie Edit Pro 17. I can't imagine what 18 would include, if they ever get around to offering it as they've come up with a sweeping winner.

The display screens are rich and vivid. The multitudes of functions are astounding. You can professionally mix audio, removing hissing and cleaning signals. I've owned this for months and am still discovering the full range of capacities in Magix's Movie Edit Pro 17.

Yet, I have to come back to the price. It's so low, it's almost obscene, but you won't hear me complaining. Magix consistently offers top of the line products that are an amazing bargain. There's great pride in their wares, evidenced by extensive and well written instructions as well as bountiful updates.

I've used every video editing suite imaginable from a variety of manufacturers. None of them hold a candle to the strength, power and affordability of Magix's latest homerun: Movie Edit Pro 17 HD. It's as good as it gets, so please get it if you need to make great video on your computer.

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I bought this because it's the only video editing software I could find that would let you adjust each color (red, green, blue) individually. It's a bit clumsy interface wise, but there are an unbelievable number of options in this software. My biggest grip is that it takes FOREVER to render a video. I've got a phenom x4 processor and 4 gb of ram but it takes more than an HOUR to render a 10 minute (YES an HOUR for TEN MINUTES). So 4 stars instead of 5.

GS2000 FULL HD Car DVR 1080P 1.5" LCD Display 5MP Car DVR Camera Recorder Extend to 32GB TF Card

• Watch video while make video recording in driving. Support on-spot play back
• 1920x1080P FULL HD high quality resolution
• Advanced H.264 video compression technology
• Support HDMI high quality video transmission
• 5 resolution forms can be changed for video recording.

I bought this to record my driving just in the case I get ticketed for an offense I did not commit. Very easy to setup, and the suction cup sticks very strongly to the windshield. It comes off also with very little effort.

I used this for 2 weeks and the video was very good. You can mute the sound if not, it will record everything you talk in the car so be careful what you say with this one recording :)

I returned this product after 2-3 weeks for 1 reason: I park my car outside, and do not want to take a chance of some burglar breaking my windshield to steal this I had to remove it every night before I go to bed, but it is too hard to remember every night. Hence I returned it.

If you are someone that parks the car inside the garage, or does not worry about someone stealing electronics from your car, I strongly advise buying this.

** There is no GPS nor speed sensor in this. Just records the video **

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quality is really good. i done my search before buying it, and its worth it. Menu is very easy, easy to set up and use. Good quality even in the night.

GE 24202 10-Feet A Plug to A Plug HDMI Cable, Black/White

Fabulous quality, unbeatable pricing. The whole family noticed the difference between the stock issue Time Warner Cable and the GE Pro Series 24202 HDMI Cable. Thanks

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Sony HDR-CX210 High Definition Handycam 5.3 MP Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom (Black) (2012 Model)

Let me start off by saying this review is 100% my personal opinion and not fact. I am not a videographer or anything of the like, just an average consumer, looking for a nice video camera.

Look & Feel

The first thing that struck me about the camera is the weight (or lack of it). The camera is very light almost to the point of feeling kinda plasticky (like a TV remote.) I suppose it could be a good thing for some but I prefer my electronics to have a bit of weight to them. I like the look of the camera it is very sleek and clean. The chrome accents really pop and look great.

Video Editing & Conversion

The video editing is very easy and if you opt to store your data on an SD card it is a very quick process. The default folder structure is very easy to navigate to find the files and transfer them to your computer. The camera also has an attached USB cord in the handle so you don't need and additional cords to retrieve your videos/pictures.

Battery Life & Other Features

Battery life is OK not great, not bad just OK. On the highest video quality setting you will get about 120 minutes of filming which seems about right.

My biggest gripe about this camera is there is no power button. The camera automatically turns on and off when you open or close the screen. It is nice because you probably won't need the camera on with the screen closed but I would prefer a power button anyways. There is a switch to open/close the lens cover though which is good thing. The camera also has several different video settings sports, indoor, ect. The camera does a pretty good job of automatically switching between them (if you have that feature on) and generally looks good in them.

Video Quality & Lens

The auto stabilization feature does its job well and it makes the video look significantly smoother. Shooting varies depending on light conditions. Daylight and outdoor look great, very crisp but it's indoors that's my problem. Filming indoor with decent light is extremely grainy. There is a lot of noise in the video; this isn't a complete surprise but a bit disappointing considering the specs given and the alleged low light features.

Using the low light setting just makes things grainy almost to the point of being unwatchable.

As I have used the camera more I will update my review, also if you have any questions please feel free to ask. I will answer as best I can.

Even though I am a bit disappointed in the indoor shooting quality I do like quite a bit about the camera. It is still pretty nice in the sub $400.00 range.

I recently purchased this after reading the mostly great reviews of this camcorder, the Sony HDR-CX210. I love everything about it (price, size, weight, ease of use) but I am very disappointed with the video quality which to me, is the most important aspect when buying an *HD* camcorder.

There are four video quality settings. I first recorded a short video in the standard mode which is the third best mode, then plugged the camera directly into my 50" HD plasma TV for playback via the included HDMI cable. The video resolution was very, very grainy/pixely. I was expecting at least DVD quality video (not Blu-ray) or something close to it, but it was not even close. I then tried the same test in the second best quality mode and the video was hardly any better. I then tried in the best video quality mode and there was a slight improvement, but still noticeable grainy and still not close to DVD quality.

I am returning this camcorder to try Sony's next model up, the HDR-CX260V for $115 more. Looking at the specs on Sony's website, the effective picture resolution of the Sony HDR-CX210 is 1310K pixels and the HDR-CX260V is 2230K. I'm hoping the extra $115 will get me to the video quality I'm expecting from an HD camcorder.

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The Sony HDR-CX210 is Sony's lowest high definition model. It is also the lowest model with a touch screen. You turn on the camera by opening the video screen. There is no on/off button. It focuses very well even in low light. I have found that it will take about 90 minutes of HD video in the HQ mode which is not the highest resoloution. Which is good since the battery that comes with it is only good for 90 minutes and they recommend that doing any playback be done with the power cord attached. In the High definition HQ setting, it uses about 9Mb per second of video. It transfers the videos to your computer quite fast, and will even burn it to DVD with the software you download. But you cannot use these DVD's in a DVD player unless you first convert it to the .mpg format with some other software first. I guess that and the batteries capacity are my only gripes. On the positive side, I really like the size & weight of the camcorder. Its quick startup time and the sharp focusing of this model.

Read Best Reviews of Sony HDR-CX210 High Definition Handycam 5.3 MP Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom (Black) (2012 Model) Here

It's got a good sensor, Exmor R but that's about it. Compared to previous model HDR-CX110 this camera has many things that are actually much worse and a big downgrade. For once they have the same Exmor R sensor so low light is great. This one however has a terrible screen and the angle views are really bad. HDR-CX110 had an excellent screen that showed the picture you were recording like in real life. I guess Sony tried to cut costs and put a terrible screen on it. Another bad thing is Zoom noise. It wasn't an issue on 110 but here it is actually pretty loud and you will hear it when you're zooming. I'm returning this camera and would suggest to anyone if you can find HDR-CX110 online to buy that one instead because it's much better than this.

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I recently purchased Sony camcorder model no.HDR-CX210 from Amazon.Have always been in awe of Sony products because of their quality and reputation.I only gave this camcorder four stars instead of five because of the screen.In bright sunlight it is near impossible to see.Picture quality is very sharp as is the color. I feel Sony could and should do better. Lloyd Barnett.

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RCA TH1814 4 GB MP3 PLAYER WITH FLIP-OUT USB & DISPLAY

I have owned several sets (50+)of mp3 players. mostly from philips and sony. I need something that can accept aaa battery for a simple reason, I travel a lot. When I am in a foreign country, aaa battery can be found fairly quickly. This is not the case with li-ion battery since most foreign country I have been to use different voltage and outlet than the USA.

I bought 2 of these and so far I am impressed with the sound quality (I used SkullCandy noise isolating earbuds & toss away these stock earbuds).

Sony DVD-R 16X 4.7GB (3-Pack)

I bought this media, but in the 10-pack (cheaper that way).

I burned it in my generic DVD player, and have had absolutely

no problems. My sister can't play them in her DVD player,

but it's an older model that doesn't play any recordable

media (DVD-R or DVD+R). But at home, in my 3 players and

my computer, they play perfectly. I suspect that the other

reviewer that had such trouble with it was doing something

wrong.

I bought this Sony media because I thought it would be the most compatible with my Sony DRU-530A burner. Unfortunately, every single DVD-R in the pack could not be read by any DVD burner. Please stay away from Sony DVD-R, buy Memorex instead.

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I wanted to make a back-up recovery DVD for my entire computer. These DVD's worked out just fine. I only used them for information (recovery media), not for viewing/audio. It took me awhile to figure out which type of disks I should use, since folks have different uses for them. But for back-up computer recovery storage, these work fine.

Read Best Reviews of Sony DVD-R 16X 4.7GB (3-Pack) Here

I bought these in the 25 pack spindle. Seven of the 25 are unusable because they appear "non-blank". One other is not recognized by the burner. I have never had this problem with Memorex.

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Creative Labs Vado HD Pocket Video Camcorder 3rd Generation,120 Minutes (Black) - NEWEST MODEL

Vado is my favorite brand when it comes to pocket size "HD" camcorders, even at 720p and 30 fps the 2nd generation was one of my favorite for its crisp frames, very wide lens, and color contrast. I was very glad to hear that the 3rd generation came out (due to some issues with the low sound quality, over-saturated colors, over-exposure of sky and other little nuances with the 2nd generation). Then i saw this... (!)

The 3rd gen. Vado HD has half the memory (4GB) and as such can only record 1 hour of HD+ footage (as opposed to 2 hrs with the 2nd gen). And it still comes with no external memory slot. The nice matte, scratch resistant and fingerprint free finish is now gone. And the buttons that were previously neatly located and easy to press and navigate are now a touch-sensitive surface that you can easily brush (thus press) and not ever realize it. Still the camera does not have optical zoom (understandable for its size), still no image stabilization (still ok since at that price range, most digital-IS does nothing and optics take space) but still no 60fps or 1080p settings much un-like most of its competition. In addition, the memory is now cut in half and there is no way to add more!

The addition of motion detection is a 'fun' feature, but i don't see when mainstream users would take advantage of that.

Personally i would -muchrather see a timelapse feature (like the Samsung pocket cameras have), which is great for sky-scapes.

Alternatively, the ability to double as a web camera (like the Sony Webbie) would also be good and perhaps useful.

The 3rd gen also takes pictures, which (even at 1280x720) is a minor plus due to their low quality and the fact that you can always take frames out of video files and use them as pictures that's what the Vado's software does anyway.

The manual light-adjusting setting works pretty fine, but i always have to be careful not to touch the buttons and activate them by accident.

Color-wise, the 3rg gen seems closer to reality, without over-saturating reds/greens that much. As a result the video looks more natural but also not as lively or vivid as the 2nd gen. I guess that is a matter of personal preference.

When it comes to sound, the 3rd gen seems slightly louder, but it also comes with an external mic input for more demanding users or situations. I think that's a great addition over the previous model.

Finally, when it comes to the crispness of each frame of the film, some was unfortunately lost. This is sad, because the previous Vado still has the sharpest video-frames i have seen coming out of any pocket size camera i have ever used (which includes Sony, Kodak, Samsung, and Aiptek). I have a lot of side-by-side footage comparing the Sony, Samsung, and both versions of the Vado HD, it is all on YouTube, if you are interested, let me know.

--Video comparison: This model (3rd gen) on the left, Previous model (2nd gen) on the right. For the same video with much better detail and clarity, watch the original on yougube at:

So, overall, we had a pretty great 2nd gen. Vado HD.. and instead of adding a much needed memory card slot, and perhaps adding a color option (i.e. vivid vs. normal) to give the user a change to choose whether high color saturation is desired or not, or maybe add a 60fps or 1080p setting.. we got a 4GB / 1 hour / glossy / colorful camera that can detect motion!!

My suggestions to Creative: Drop the internal memory all together (if some is needed for usb connection/drivers/codec/etc, just use that much), ADD a micro-SD memory card reader, add manual controls for saturation/contrast/light, keep the external mic and HDMI out, keep the replaceable battery, and do not downgrade the currently high data-rate of more than 4Mbps @ HD and more than 8Mbps @ HD+ (which is great to be able to record at these high bit rates and imo larger files with quality are better than small useless ones, we can always compress later)

Offered to me for free by Amazon Vine, this is the first such product I have ever owned. Years ago, I took many home movies on film with 8mm silent, Super-8 silent, and Super-8 sound being the types I used, and then later I went to a JVC GR-SZ9 Super VHS camcorder. However, several years ago, I lost interest in video tape and I stopped taking home movies.

Fast forward to now: we have a granddaughter of whom we'd like to have some videos; I had been investigating various camcorders but had not yet made a decision.

Amazon Vine, with this Creative Labs Vado HD 3rd Generation Pocket Video Camcorder, 120 Minutes (Black) NEWEST MODEL, made it for me.

I received the unit yesterday and, per the instructions, I charged the battery. Now the instruction say to insert the battery into the camcorder and attach the camcorder to a USB port on your computer. I wanted to see if there was an alternate method of charging the battery and there is! You need only attach the camcorder (with the battery inserted) to a Creative Labs Battery Charger for Vado and Vado HD Camcorders or similar and plug the adapter into a wall socket. This is quite advantageous.

Amazon offers a spare battery [Creative Labs Rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery for Vado HD Camcorder] and external chargers, one for the home and one for the car [Creative Labs Vado HD 720p Pocket Video Camcorder 6 Feet USB Extention Cable, Car Charger, Travel Charger], thereby offering the option of having two batteries using one while keeping the other one charged. That will be quite a convenience and you'll never run out of power. Amazon also offers several carrying cases for this unit (one is even waterproof), including this Creative Labs Vado VF0570APS Pocket Video Camera Mesh Pouch (Silver), the one I bought. The prices for these accessories, as well as several other useful accessories offered by Amazon, are quite reasonable.

I want to emphasize the fact that the battery is easily removable and replaceable. This is a rare thing in this age of built-in non-replaceable (except by the factory at a very high price) batteries and, for me, is a distinct advantage.

I was a bit worried that the camcorder might not work with my computer; it is configured to work with either Windows (XP SP2, Vista, or 7) as well as Mac but I use the Ubuntu Linux operating system on my computer.

I need not have worried. The camcorder works perfectly in conjunction with my computer and it will obviously work well with yours, regardless of your operating system. And transferring a video or picture file from the unit to your computer is a snap!

Thus far I have had only enough time to try the cam minimally. I have tried all three video settings HD+ and HD (both are configured to produce MP4 files with AAC+ sound and the video in both is 1280 x 720) and VGA, which also produces MP4/AAC+ files with the video is formatted at 640 x 480 (ideal for e-mailing and for posting to YouTube, etc.). I did send via e-mail a VGA video [33 seconds, 8.9 MB] to my son (who lives across the country in California) and he said the video was fine though there was some "snow" in the picture (I had sent him a video of our latest snowstorm! ... ;-) ... just to bring back to him some "fond memories" he always hated shoveling snow!).

The picture quality in all three settings is excellent. (My son was actually quite amazed at the quality of the video I had sent him and remember that this was taken at VGA, the lowest quality setting.) I believe that any purchaser will be surprised and VERY pleased with the results this camcorder supplies. I am!

Sound recording, being somewhat more problematic, is good if care is taken; an external microphone, which this unit can accommodate, would greatly improve the sound quality but at a price, of course both the cost of the microphone as well as the cost in portability and ease of use.

I think that, for most people, the built-in microphone will suffice.

It is very easy to convert MP4 files to the Audio_TS and Video_TS files used on DVDs and I plan to make DVDs from the videos I take with this camcorder.

I also tried taking a still picture. It turned out quite nicely though not as good as that which can be obtained with a dedicated digital camera.

Nonetheless, taking into consideration its size (tiny), weight (next-to-nothing), ease of use (REALLY easy!), and the relative high quality of the videos and pictures it produces, this camcorder is a definite winner.

Frankly, as I'm sure you are aware and as I indicated, it is not going to replace an elaborate dedicated video camcorder or a dedicated digital camera (especially a DSLR or Micro Four-Thirds model) for certain applications but, with its portability and ease of use and the fact that you can take it everywhere you go, this unit will be available to you when you might not be carrying one of those more elaborate cameras. Plus it "boots up" VERY fast (and can be set to turn on even faster, if you wish) so you will never miss a shot. The videos and pictures it produces are far better than anything that I have seen produced by a cell-phone. It even features a standard tripod mount!

Is there anything I would like to see changed? Yes I wish Creative would introduce a model which had NO internal memory and used an SD or similar card. The user of such a product would essentially have "unlimited" room to take video (imagine using a 32 GB card!) and would not have to transfer files to a computer or external hard drive (and delete them from an internal memory) nearly as often.

But that is really a minor point. Given this camcorder's wonderful attributes (including its obvious superb construction quality which includes its lens and LCD screen), I can give it NO LESS than five stars as well as my highest recommendation possible.

==================================================================================================================================

Update: April 12, 2010

Last night, using my ASUS Eee PC 1000 10-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 40 GB Solid State Drive, 20 GB Eee Storage, Linux, 6 Cell Battery) Fine Ebony (no longer available) in conjunction with my Western Digital WD Elements 320 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive WDBAAR3200ABK-NESN (Black) (on which I store my videos), I projected a three-minute video of our granddaughter (taken in a supermarket) onto a 110" (diagonal) screen, using my PT-AE4000U LCD XGA 16:9 1600 Lumens HDmi Svid 16.1LBS Hdtv Projector. (On Friday I had received a VGA cable which allowed me to connect my computer to the projector.) I ran the sound from the computer into my Yamaha RX-Z9 AV receiver 7.1 channel. The projected picture was absolutely clear and sharp with almost perfect exposure (the first 5 or 10 seconds were too 'red,' as I described in a comment, but the color quickly settled down) and the sound was excellent.

I took the video using the middle video setting (720p). I had converted the MP4 file the camcorder produces to an AVI file but this would make no difference to the quality of the projected image. (One of these days I suppose I should try the higher 720p HD setting.)

Both my wife and I were really astounded that is the only word I can use at the quality of the image and sound we were seeing on our screen.

We both HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this product. I'm quite certain that anyone who buys one will be REALLY pleased.

==================================================================================================================================

Update: July 14, 2010

Having owned this Creative Labs Vado HD Pocket Video Camcorder 3rd Generation,120 Minutes (Black) NEWEST MODEL and the Kodak PlaySport (Zx3) HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera (Black) NEWEST MODEL and using them side-by-side, overall I now prefer this Creative one. It is just as easy to use as the Kodak, its images, at 720p, appear to be as good as Kodak's 1080p images, at least on our 110" screen, and the Creative's battery lasts much longer. Even though the Kodak can hold, with a 16GB SD card, much more video than the Creative, its battery runs out before you can take even a fraction of what the card can hold.

Neither camcorder is perfect and I could be happy with either. I think most people would feel the same. But, having had and extensively using both, overall I prefer the Creative.

As always, it's your call. Thank you for reading this and I hope it has been of some help to you.

==================================================================================================================================

Update: August 26, 2010

We just returned home from a four and one-half week vacation in which we drove across the country and back, taking two different routes. We had with us both this camcorder as well as our Kodak PlaySport (Zx3) HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera (Black) NEWEST MODEL.

I had charged both of my batteries I had bought a spare and, during that time, I needed only to swap batteries once (and did not charge them until we got home). We took about four hours of video (transferring them to a netbook computer every day).

Frankly, we never used the Kodak at all; I am very disappointed with its battery life. This Creative one, on the other hand, offers excellent battery life and, if it's not quite as convenient to use as the Kodak nor can it hold as much video as can the 16 GiB card I have in the Kodak, the battery life is really the most important factor for me, at least on an extended trip.

The videos that both camcorders produce is amazing but this one also takes fantastic and I mean FANTASTIC! video in very low-light settings, something the Kodak is unable to do nearly as well. (This Creative Labs Vado has a very fast f2.0 lens.)

Though the Kodak model has much to recommend it (especially for use at the shore or in inclement weather), I find that I personally favor this Creative model and I recommend it to all. Thank you again for reading this.

==================================================================================================================================

Update: November 13, 2010

A reader of this review asked, in a Comment, whether this camcorder has a wrist strap or a means for attaching one. It DOES have a place to attach a wrist strap though Creative certainly doesn't make it obvious or supply, in the documentation, any indication of this ability. Nor does Creative make or sell an appropriate wrist strap. An owner will have to take the unit to a craft store and see if a suitable one can be had there. I discovered this information while I was browsing Creative's web site.

==================================================================================================================================

Update: July 9, 2011

Though I own two other pocket video camcorders, this one remains my "go-to" camcorder. It is easy to use, reliable, offers superb battery life, and it takes good videos! I couldn't ask for much more.

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I am not one to typically write a review of a product (this is my first)... but the Vado made me do it! After having spent time with the Flip HD cam, i was ready to give up on the mini/micro HD market, because the quality (sound and video) was so poor. I assumed that would be the case for all similar products. But a friend convinced me to give the Vado a shot, and I was immediately impressed. I love the fact that it takes both static pictures and video. This is a great fix for all of the woes of packing bulky equipment and accessories to memorialize trips and vacations. Now you only have to have room in your pocket. And the quality is outstanding! I am definitely a fan, and am going to look into other products that Creative Labs develops... because we should all experience this type of happiness with all of our electronics.

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I own both a 3rd generation Creative Labs Vado HD and 2nd generation Flip MinoHD so this is my review and comparison of the two side by side.

*Size / Weight Comparison*

The Flip and the Vado are almost identical in size. The only difference is that the flip is about a quarter inch longer and the Vado is about a quarter inch wider. Both camcorders seem to weigh just about the same. The screen size of both camcorders is exactly 2 inches, which is measured diagonally.

*Accessories Included*

Neither the Flip or the Vado come with a charging cable that allow you to charge them by plugging them into any outlet however you can charge them by plugging them into any USB port whether it by on your PC, PS3 or even your TV if it has USB ports on it.

Neither the Flip or the Vado come with the HDMI connector that is needed to play video on your TV. You will need to purchase the connector separately but both the Flip and the Vado have HDMI output on them so you can plug the HDMI connector right into them and plug in the other end to your TV for quick and easy viewing.

The Flip comes with a carry pouch that that will keep it nice and clean and might keep it from getting scratched but it will not protect it from damage due to falling or moisture. The Vado doesn't come with a case at all.

*Recording Time / Battery Life*

Both have recording time of 120 minutes. The Flip has a built-in internal battery that can't be changed. This could be a bad thing if the battery goes bad the whole camcorder is no good. The Vado has a removable battery that can be replaced if needed. The Vado seems to hold a charge much better than the Flip as well. I noticed that both were fully charged and stored for about 1 week and the Vado still has a full charge but the Flip has about 2/3 charge left.

*Picture Quality*

Both offer high resolution 720p and the picture quality is impressive. Both lack any compensation to adjust for hand movement. There is only a slight difference in the picture quality between the Flip and the Vado. The Flip seems to have a slightly brighter and more brilliant picture.

*Tripod Mount*

Both have the option to be mounted to a tripod

I love both the Vado and the Flip and it would be difficult to pick a favorite. The performance of both is very similar, they have mostly the same options and they are usually about the same price. I like the physical appearance of the Flip better than the Vado. I like the video software better that comes with the Vado than the Flip. My only problem with the Flip is that you can't replace the battery if it goes bad.

I would feel very comfortable recommending either the Vado or the Flip to anyone at this point. If my opinion changes in the future then I will update my review.

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I owned the first generation of this camera, so when the lcd broke on the other one after an accident, I was pretty confident that I would love this one as well. Not so.

The worst problem is the addition of the touch sensitive controls. It's very easy to accidentally push any of the buttons. I'd read about this in reviews before I got the camera, but it ended up being way worse of a problem than I expected. The only actual button on the back of the camera is the record button, and it must be way too easy to press as well, because in the short time that I owned it I recorded well over 3 hours of footage from my pocket. This even after I turned it off and disabled the quick record option. Call me old fashioned, but I think you should be able to put a "pocket camera" in your pocket. Also, I never had this problem with the first generation. Let me also say that I was really disappointed that they cut the amount memory in half from the first generation of this camera, and still without adding the option for a micro-sd slot to add anymore memory. Lastly, it may be a bit superficial, but they changed the wonderful mat finish of the first generation to a glossy finish on this one, and it's covered in fingerprints after only a couple minutes use. Plus, the new design on the front of the camera is just plain ugly.

On the plus side, the video quality is pretty good for the price range and given that it's a pocket camera. It definitely captured the colors well and in stunning resolution (though I would love to see them add options for 60fps and better image stabilization). The sound quality is about what you would expect (not so bad), but I love the addition of a microphone jack (for using an external mic instead of the built-in) and I wish I could've tried this out! Also, they added the option to choose your exposure level with this generation, which made me very happy, because the first generation definitely needed it, and so this camera works much better in lower light. Not great, mind you, but better. The added option to to take pictures instead of video was also a nice surprise, and the pictures came out pretty well as long as you could hold the camera relatively still and choose the correct exposure amount.

Overall, I was very unhappy with this camera. Mine ended up having some sort of issue, so luckily I was able to send it back and get a full refund; I would not have been happy had I been stuck with this one. I was happy with the video quality, and some of the new options were a step in the right direction, but creative definitely took a number of missteps with this camera that make it almost unusable. The biggest drawbacks of this camera were definitely the addition of touch sensitive buttons and the cameras tendency to record while in your pocket. Creative has definitely fallen behind the pocket camera market, and I do hope they step it up and come out with a camera that can compete a little better. At this point, I'm probably going to be getting the Kodak Zi8 instead.

MXL Studio1-USB USB Desktop Recording Kit

• Frequency response is 40Hz to 20kHz, sampling rate is 44.1kHz and 48kHz
• No special drivers required, Mac and PC compatible
• Includes USB cable, desktop stand and carrying case
• No Special Drivers Required
• Mac and PC Compatible
• Frequency Response: 40Hz to 20kHz; Sampling Rate: 44.1kHz and 48kHz; Inlcudes USB cable, desktop stand and carrying case
• No Special Drivers Required; Mac and PC Compatible

If you're looking for a good sounding microphone that is far superior to any standard PC microphone, this is a good choice. However, the most unique feature that set's this microphone apart the headphone jack is a real disappointment. It is *NOT* a realtime feed from the mic. Rather, the headphone jack is the output of a USB sound card that is integrated into the Microphone. There is significant latency between the microphone input and the audio output, so much that it really is useless as a recording monitor. This feature doesn't allow this microphone to be distinguished from any other USB condenser mic that lacks an audio output.

The headphone jack is possibly useful for setting levels, etc., when you're working with a PC that lacks a sound card, or need to have the microphone a significant distance from your p.c. or laptop. If you have a long USB cable and need to roam, maybe the headphone jack is useful.

There are many good points about this mic recording is warm and full sounding; you do get that 'NPR' sound. While the mount is light, it's adequate. The 10' USB cable is quite generous, and the hard plastic case has pre-cut foam and is a nice touch.

Overall, I am satisfied with the product, but I am disappointed that the promising feature the headphone jack for real-time monitoring, is not what it is implied to be. It is a USB sound card and suffers all of the latency of your internal sound card.

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I'm disappointed. I'd read good editorial reviews about it on other sites, but neglected to read the user reviews here on Amazon -the latency issue with the headphone jack would have been a deal-breaker for me. The sound quality of the mic itself is nice for the price, but I found there was a background hiss possibly due to the inexpensive USB interface; I've noticed the same problem with other sub-$100 USB interfaces, and suspect they all use the same chip/circuitry. Acceptable for podcasting, interviews, etc. in the field where the built-in USB interface is less cumbersome, but not for serious voice work in a home studio. You will definitely want a shock mount if using a floor mic stand, as it's very susceptible to picking up stand thumps.

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This microphone is as described, and I highly recommend it for the home-studio enthusiast. It was completely "plug & play" on my XP laptop and I was recording immediately with no hang-ups or need for extra hardware drivers. The mic picks up high and low frequencies nicely, but I recommend buying a windscreen to cut down on "Ppops." The carrying case is durable and the foam inlay protects all the components in seperate compartments. A well-designed package, overall.MXL Studio 1 USB Microphone with Headohone Jack, Desktop Stand, USB Cable, and Carrying Case

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Here is my review.

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This microphone is very easy to use (just plug and go!). Some of the extras that come with it are not the greatest including the desktop stand which is pretty cheap and so small that it isn't even that practical. The microphone itself, though, works fine and is worth it for the money if you aren't looking to record at a very high level. I used it to record voice overs for a play and it worked just fine.

Sony RDR-GX300 DVD Recorder

• Universal DVD-R/DVD-RW, DVD+R/+RW recorder and player
• Records up to 5 hours of audio/video content per single-sided 4.7 GB DVD
• Precision Cinema Progressive with Pixel-by-Pixel I/P Conversion produces seamless, flicker-free images on high-definition and HD-ready TVs
• Front-panel audio/video input provides simple connection to camcorders or other devices
• Simplified timer recording through VCR Plus+ electronic program guide

I had the Sony RDR-GX300 DVD recorder set up in less than half an hour. The remote control is fairly user-friendly, but there is one aspect that is not mentioned in the user manual. There is a panel at the bottom of the remote control which you must slide towards you to reveal the buttons for recording. Most user manuals for electronic products are disorganized and this is no exception. The DVD recorder itself is excellent. I purchased a Philips DVDR985A DVD recorder last year which has a few features that the Sony RDR-GX300 doesn't have. However, the RDR-GX300 is the best choice especially since all Philips DVD recorder suffer from DISC ERROR and DISC WARNING problems no matter which brand of blank DVD media is used. I use Verbatim DataLife Plus DVD+RW blank media with both the Sony and the Philips, and I've had no problems with the Sony RDR-GX300. Here are the pros and cons of this unit:

===============

PROS

===============

The RDR-GX300 can record on all four DVD formats: DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD+RW. I use DVD+RW because it is the most versatile and doesn't require finalization which takes several minutes on the other formats. Also, rewritable disks can be rewritten about 1,000 times.

Recording modes on the Sony RDR-GX300:

HQ = 1 hour

HSP = 1.5 hours

SP = 2 hours

LP = 3 hours

EP = 4 hours

SLP = 6 hours

The extended modes do not display much pixellation compared to the Philips DVDR985A. Sony's video capabilities have always been superb in all of their products.

After pressing the Record button, the RDR-GX300 starts recording immediately. The Philips DVDR985A takes a full second. If either unit has been idle for half an hour or more, they go into sleep mode, so pressing the Record button results in the recording starting 5 seconds later. Therefore, if the unit has been idle with a blank disk already inserted, you may want to eject the disk and insert it again so that there isn't a 5-second delay when you press Record.

The Sony RDR-GX300 automatically titles each recording with the name of the TV show or movie that was recorded. This is a big time saver. The maximum length of a title name is 64 characters. All alphanumeric and punctuation characters are allowed, as well as math and financial symbols such as the British pound and the Japanese yen.

There is an infrared device that extends over the top of the cable box and attaches by cord to the back of the DVD recorder. It allows the DVD recorder's remote control to change the channels on the cable box. It also allows timer recordings on different channels without user intervention on the cable box. During the initial setup, you'll need to enter the code of your cable box that is found in a chart in the back of the user manual.

VCR+ can be used if desired for timer recordings.

Timer recordings will be made regardless of whether or not the DVD recorder is on or off when the timer recording is scheduled to start. Also, if there is not enough room on a disk for a scheduled timer recording, the DVD recorder will automatically adjust the recording mode (SP, LP, EP, etc) so that the entire program will be recorded. And finally, you can extend the duration of a timer recording after it has already started (in case you made a mistake in setting the ending time).

You can fast-forward and fast-rewind at various speeds and each frame is played just like a VCR does. This is not the case with the Philips DVDR985A which doesn't play all frames in fast-forward, so the display jumps from scene to scene.

You can move frame by frame through a recording either forward or reverse. The Philips DVDR985A only goes frame by frame forward, not reverse.

As an option, chapter markers can be added automatically every 6 or 15 minutes during a recording.

Commercials can be edited from a recording on a DVD+RW disk, and they won't appear when played on another DVD player. Simply select Frame A and Frame B, and everything between those two frames will be deleted. This isn't possible with DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD+R. You can erase a block of video on a DVD-RW disk in VR mode, but you can only play the disk on this unit. That's why I always stick with DVD+RW.

You can play the beginning of a recording while it is still recording. This is called Chasing Playback. However, this function doesn't work on 1x-speed DVD-RW or in HQ or HSP recording modes.

You can play a previous recording while recording something else. However, this function doesn't work on 1x-speed DVD-RW or in HQ or HSP recording modes.

===============

CONS

===============

Some operations take a little longer than on other DVD recorders. For example, after inserting a formatted DVD+RW disk, you have to wait 21 seconds for the unit to read the disk even if it's empty. If the disk is not formatted, you have to wait an additional 1 minute and 27 seconds to format it. Therefore, if you insert an unformatted DVD+RW disk, you have to wait a total of 1 minute and 48 seconds to start recording. I format all of my DVD+RW disks ahead of time so that I can start recording 21 seconds after inserting the disk. Also, if you eject a DVD+RW disk after adding, deleting, or editing a title, you have to wait 35 seconds before the disk ejects because the unit has to update the disk. Keep this in mind if you want to record two movies back to back. You'll need a couple of minutes between movies. You won't run into the formatting delay with DVD-RW, but DVD-RW requires finalization which takes several minutes.

When a disk is formatted, the RDR-GX300 displays "Formatting" in a large white rectangle that covers half of the TV screen. The rectangle should be smaller so that you can watch the TV while the disk is formatting.

The Sony RDR-GX300 cannot split a recording into two separate titles on a DVD+RW disk. The Philips DVDR985A allows you to easily split a title. Why would you want to split a title? If you record a Star Trek marathon, you want to split the episodes into separate titles. Sony definitely needs to add this feature for DVD+RW disks.

There are no thumbnail images for each title on a DVD+RW disk -only on a DVD-RW disk in VR mode which means you can only play it on this unit. The Philips DVDR985A assigns a default thumbnail image to each title on a DVD+RW disk; you can change the thumbnail images later and they will appear in the title menu when played on other DVD players. Sony definitely needs to add thumbnail images to DVD+RW disks.

The title list (i.e., the list of recordings) doesn't show the length in time of the recording. The title list shows the date that each recording was made, but it only shows the month and day, not the year.

It would be nice if the remote control had a button to toggle between uppercase and lowercase characters when entering a title name.

You cannot manually add chapter markers to DVD+RW. They can only be added to a DVD-RW disk in VR mode which means that the disk can only be played on this unit.

The front panel doesn't display the recording mode (SP, LP, EP, etc). You always need to check it after you insert a disk so that you don't accidentally record a 3-hour movie in 2-hour mode and lose part of the movie.

The front panel should permanently display the most severe error that occurred during formatting or recording. If you're not watching the TV when the error occurs, you won't know that an error occurred. This is true with some other DVD recorders as well.

There is no i.LINK (FireWire) interface to connect to camcorders. The Sony RDR-GX7 has this feature.

There is no hard disk. The Sony RDR-HX900 will be released in November or December with a 160GB hard disk as well as an i.LINK (FireWire) interface, but it will have a hefty price tag.

========================================

All in all, the Sony RDR-GX300 is an excellent DVD recorder, and my Philips DVD recorder is now collecting dust in the basement. I'll never buy another Philips product. Hopefully Sony will address some of the things that I've mentioned above. Nevertheless, the RDR-GX300 is top-of-the-line with great video and no problems whatsoever in recording. If you want to look at any of the manuals for Sony DVD recorders, go to www.sonystyle.com and click on Customer Support, then Product Support Site, then Documentation, and then enter the model number.

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Contrary to the production description, the Sony RDR-GX300 DVD recorder does not have an i.LINK interface for one-touch transfer from camcorders. The Sony RDR-GX7 does have an i.LINK interface. By the way, Sony plans to release the RDR-HX900 DVD recorder in November 2004. This will be the best DVD recorder on the market because it will have a 160-gigabyte hard disk, an i.LINK interface, and it will support DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, and DVD+RW. (...)

Philips and Sony are the major manufacturers of DVD recorders that support DVD+RW. Unfortunately Philips is having a lot of problems with their entire line of DVD recorders. You can read the reviews yourself. I made the mistake of buying the Philips DVDR985 instead of waiting for Sony. I will stick with Sony from now on.

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Before purchasing the Sony RDR-GX300 I had owned the Phillips DVDR75 and Panasonic DMR-E100HS . Both these units were top of the line when purchased. The Sony unit is by far the superior product.

The Phillips was very cheaply made, unreliable e and had a difficult and confusing user interface. It also was very particular about the brands of DVD it recorded on, resulting in a significant amount of trial and error and wasted discs. In addition the Technical Support was terrible, the wait was long and the technicians were not knowledgable about the product.

The Panasonic is an excellent machine. The ease of use is excellent and clear even for a novice. The hard drive is huge and the quality of the recording, particularly in HQ mode is quite good. The major issue with the Panasonic machine is the fact that it is limited to recording only DVD-R and DVD-RAM formats. The absence of DVD-RW writing can be limiting because the DVD-RAM can be played back on very few DVD players.If you want to play your recorded discs on a player other than the one you recorded on this can be a significant drawback. In addition the unit was moderately particular about the brands of discs it recorded on. For example it did not record or recognize Memorex discs, which was the brand recommended to me when I purchased it.

The Sony unit is totally versatile. It can play and record in DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW and DVD+RW formats. When finalized the RW discs can play in any DVD player (certainly newer one, older players sometimes have difficulty playing recorded discs, even if the format is compatible). It records and plays back every brand of disc I have tried, including the ones Ieft over after being rejected by the other machines.

The ease of use is fantastic. I would describe the user interface as elegant in it's simplicity and design. The processes of setting up, formatting, editing and finalizing the recordings are clearly laid out and easy to follow. The graphics are simple, straightfoward and uncluttered.

The only thing lacking on this unit is a hard drive, which can function like a PVR (like TiVo or ReplayTV). Sony is about to introduce the RDR-HX900 which does include the hard drive, but is $1000 list price. Whether the difference is worth it depends upon your individual needs.

Overall my opinion is that this is the best DVD Recorder produced up to this time. I couldn't be happier with it.

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I purchased this model about 3 months ago and have quickly become a DVDR guru. I could not be any happier with absolutely no problems and more than I expected from the recorder. As a beginner here are my thoughts on the negative aspects that a newcomer should know.

When recording your backup DVD originals to DVD+/-R you should invest in a digital video stabilizer (I believe the same is true for copying your old VHS tapes but I have not tried to record from this medium yet. The recorder records from point A to point B it will not "copy" a disk like a CD burner. It records just like a VCR you have to start and stop it where you want it.

Other comments:

1. You have options to record at different speeds/quality levels (similar to a VCR).

2. There are three different input connecitions on this model which come in handy although the front connection seems to be a mono only connection.

3. The "tools" menu is somewhat awkward and about the only thing I referred to the manual for was to set the clock much more difficult than most other functions but isn't that standard on these "high-tech" machines?

4. I have not lost a single disk to errors I've recorded well over 50 disks.

5. I looked for a machine that was capable of recording DVD to DVD, VHS to DVD, Hi-8 to DVD (camcorder), TV to DVD, and DVR to DVD. This machine does all but you will have to purchase a digital video stabilizer for a couple of the recording options.

6. I did not use I-link thing for the cable box channel changer thingamajig. Too technical for me but I have a DVR w/ its own remote. Works fine without the doohicky.

7. It Plays DVD's! we have an older DVD player with many flaws. As a stand alone player it has great functions for our upgrade.

8. It plays CD's! another great option as our shelf CD player no longer works (been through about 4 shelf systems and they all lost the CD players like clockwork) our DVD player is hooked up to a shelf system.

9. all of the controls on the panel and around the DVDR are all relevant and I can operate the recording/playing w/o the remote control if I ever lose it. (I lose the remote about twice a week).

10. It's a sexy looking machine.

I've been using this recorder for several months, and I can say that I really have no cons to speak about. It records multi-format disks, has cable box control and the picture looks great. The fast/reverse modes work really well and slow motion looks good.

A word of caution about Sony's later model (RDR-GX315): It does not have cable box control and does not have an S-video input on the rear panel only the front. To me, these are glaring omissions. Since I like these features in the GX300, I will be buying a second unit like this instead of opting for the GX315.

Hewlett Packard Jornada 548 Color Pocket PC

I have had my Jornada for a month now and I have been nothing but pleased. It has exceeded my every expectation. The color (12-bit) is wonderful, the sound from the built-in speaker (and headphones) is surprisingly good, and the functionality is astounding. Make no mistake, you are not buying an organizer --you are buying a COMPUTER. 133 mhz processer, 12-bit color, 32 mb of ram --is it just me, or wasn't that a top-of-the-line desktop computer 5 yrs ago?

Well, I won't go into the basics -other reviewers have done a good job doing so --let me focus on other areas.

Buying extra memory is a must if you download a lot (MP3s or books). (I filled up my memory within 2 weeks after downloading 9 books, 2 songs, and 5 extra games... Books seem to be 500k to 1 mb, MP3s are 4-6MB and games are less than 1MB) I'd recommend going with the maximum upgrade of 128 MB flash-card --you could put 2 hours of MP3s on that card! This is great if you always wanted an MP3 player, as I did, now I can just roll the functionality of my Jornada into my portable music station.

For downloading books I recommend checking out the great FREE selection on Amazon.com. (Another good place is, egads!, Barnes and Nobles.com) There are some great books just worth keeping in the memory in case you are stuck somewhere with time on your hands.

I highly recommend getting the FREE Pocket PC expansion pack offered by Microsoft --it contains some games (Chess is great, Hearts is great, Pac Man is alright --but is meant to be played with a joystick), but more importantly, offers a lot of other great software, free. There is a "paint" program -it offers simple drawing in many colors (but no paintbrush or sprayer), the e-book reader program (allows you to display e-books), a great "slide-shower" program (I put family pictures in here in 5 minutes) --there is a full screen mode which allows you to page-through slides, and is really impressive. There is even an ADOBE ACROBAT reader --quite amazing, though I wonder how documents will look on a small screen.

The best thing about the Jornada is that it is very intuitive. The internal file system is set up just like your home PC -with a version of "explorer". This allows you to open an "explorer" menu (when your Jornada is "synched" with your computer). The advantage of this is you can just open folders on your big computer's screen and drag and drop PHOTOS, E-BOOKS, MP3s, and M-PEGS just as easy as that. One of my best comments about this product is that I didn't need the instruction manual.

Other highlights --the COMPLETE synchronization with Microsoft's products is absolutely wonderful. Outlook is FULLY synched --alerts, contacts, and tasks to remember are added to your home computer (after you've added them to your Jornada). (By the way, you receive the FULL version of Outlook 2000 for free when you purchase your Jornada). Word and Excel allow you to open e-mail attachments as well as create new documents. Microsoft Money requires a separate purchase of Money 2000 (or newer) and is really cool. It keeps your whole checkbook, basic stock information, and lists of Payees and Expense categories available at your fingertips.

The Jornada can be extensively customized, I found THAT very attractive --a variety of sound, backlight, password, and hotkey settings can be changed quickly from the internal menus.

Surprisingly, the calculator is one "widget" that I've used more than anything else. It really feels natural, and gets a LOT of use in restaurants...

The weight is nothing you can't handle, but is noticeable --it is heavier than it looks, and I wouldn't want to put it into a shirt pocket, or try to squeeze it into a pair of jeans. If you drop it on a hard surface, good luck, because it looks like it'd shatter --it is heavy.

The cover is very nice. It is sleek metal, which is great protection. One drawback is that it is not something that is easily removed (though you can --with care), and doesn't move back more than 90 degrees when opened.

I like the stylus. It is very easy to pull out and use, and stores very well.

The best program is the built-in "NOTE taker" function. You write on the screen and your strokes are captured exactly as written--no "graffiti" or "keboard" needed here (though these ARE an option). This is the fastest way to take notes --basically just drawing on a touch-pad. Also, another neat function is that you can press the red button on the side and RECORD voice messages that are saved with specific notes--really cool! You can even record messages when the machine is off --just press the button and you can record for as long as you have memory!

Every morning I plug it in and it automatically downloads 500 web pages for view later --it takes less than 5 minutes on a 28.8 modem. This is the best part --I was astounded how fun it was to read news on the metro on my handheld. (Every time you "synch" outdated web pages are deleted, and new ones stored).

Go to Avantgo.com, and you can choose a variety of web sites to be AUTOMATICALLY downloaded to your Pocket PC --this is just the ultimate in usefulness. I entered my zipcode and now articles are more relevent to me. Just an example --I said I wanted to see Hollywood.com, and now I get all the movie summaries, locations, and movie times downloaded to my Pocket PC --no more looking through the paper... You can download book reviews, news, business, sports, and weather. You can also get ALL of your articles on your MY YAHOO site (if you have one) --this was a REAL plus. The New York times offers a LOT of features, as does MSN.

One last thing --you can download MAPS -this blew my mind -there were maps of all major cities available --you just drag and drop the ones you want onto your Pocket PC. When viewing a map, just click on the spot you want to see, and you can zoom in. You can get to individual streets, and it looks stunning in color --I really love this feature. No more carrying outsized maps with me (and looking like a tourist) when I'm in the city. Wonderful!

More to say, but not today. I am one satisfied customer. A purchase for someone who wants more than just an organizer... a LOT more.

Having had extensive experience with both WinCE and Palm handheld devices, I have to say that in the past I continued to lean heavily toward Palm -not because it offered anything particularly cooler or better, just that it met my requirements: 1) must be stable hardware & software; 2) battery had to last up to 8 hours at a time; 3) had to have applications that met my needs (now and in the future!); and 4) it had to be "sexy" (yes, I'll admit I'm shallow). To date, WinCE handhelds & palm-helds have had a hard time making inroads in my mind on several of these key requirements.

My new HP Jornada 548 Pocket PC has changed everything for me. The color is sharp and clean (yes, even with the notorious 12-bit vs. the advertised 16-bit technology), the software seems to be extremely stable, and the look of it is way sexier than even the Palm V! But probably the biggest change is the software availability that comes with the Pocket PC and from 3rd party developers. Including Pocket Word, Excel, Money, AvantGo (can't live without it!), Pocket IE, Reader (I'm in the first half of "Timeline"), and support for POP3/IMAP4 email in addition to the included Outlook Inbox -and still leaving me nearly all 32MB of memory I started with is AWESOME!

Notice my focus on applications? That's no coincidence ... a palm-held PC has become more and more important to me, and it MUST do more than just show my contacts and appointments (something I hear a bit too much from other Palm users). My Pocket PC has become an integral part of my computing day; and will continue to be even more important over the next few years. So having top-notch applications available that are fast, user-friendly (still getting used to the new spot for "Start"), and seamlessly integrated with my desktop PC counterparts is critically important for me.

My heartfelt congratulations & thanks to the teams at HP and Microsoft ... way to go!

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The Jornada 548 is not perfect, but for me its the best mix of features so far.

I've had several color palm-sized Windows CE and Pocket PCs. I've had 2 Casio Cassiopeia E-105's, a Compaq Aero 1520, and a Cassiopeia E-10 and A-11. I've also looked at the Compaq iPaq.

The iPaq is fast and light and its display is easily visible outdoors. But once you add a CompactFlash card sleeve it's bulky. And you still need a case to protect the screen, adding further bulk. (Screen protection is important to me because I've broken the display on my Cassiopeia E-10 twice!)

The HP Jornada 548 has a built-in metal screen protector and CompactFlash slot, and a metal case. It looks sleek and its display is very nice indoors (but hard to see outdoors). Since I need screen protection and I always use a CompactFlash memory card, it's the perfect Pocket PC for me.

A word about Pocket PCs vs. Palms: If all you need is an electronic organizer, a Palm is sufficient. It's easy to use, it's convenient, and its organizer functions are simple. But look at one of the Pocket PCs if you need an organizer that's FULLY compatible with Microsoft Outlook (including all contact information fields). Look at a Pocket PC if you want the power of a multimedia PC that you can carry in your pocket. To me there is no question the Pocket PC is the right choice for me. It won't be for everyone.

You can get a color Pocket PC for not much more than the color Palm IIIc. If monochrome is enough for you, the Compaq Aero 1550 Pocket PC is thin and sleek. It's in the same price range as a good Palm, and it's more capable.

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Notwithstanding that the ipaq has 206 mhz vs the HP's 133, that the ipaq's TFT LCD screen is a little sharper outside, that the ipaq can take PC cards and flash cards (with the help of add-on jackets) vs the HP that can only take flash cards, that the ipaq weighs 6.3oz vs the HP that weighs 9.1oz, that the ipaq's has a 12 hour Lithium Polymer battery vs Hp's 8 hour Lithium Ion battery, and that the ipaq has wireless capabilities, I would still, and without hesitation, choose the HP Jornada 548!

Why? Because of the following1. the HP looks and feels better (good old HP quality) 2. the HP, being slightly heavier, and together with rubber linings along the sides, fits snugly and safely into your hand 3. the ipaq's silver/aluminium finish looks cheaper than HP's black finish 4. the record button on the ipaq is reputed to be badly placed 5. the ipaq's internal housing for the stylus could become troublesome 6. the HP comes with a 'built-in' hard cover for the screen essential for a PDA 7. the HP's flash-slot is integrated much easier than carting extra jackets around 8. the shape and size of the AC adapter for the HP is far superior to that of the ipaq compaq have forgotten that the whole motivation of having a PDA is its size defeated if you need a briefcase to carry the AC adapter! 9. both do the same tasks, one slightly quicker, but the difference is academic; 10. the ipaq's jackets (pc cards and flash) do not clip in tight this could lead to the PDA sliding out and ending up under feet is it worth the risk? 11. the plastic wallet that comes with the ipaq does not close properly another potential disaster So hardware spec-wise the ipaq wins hand down but quality, finish, appeal and design awards must go to the HP my ultimate choice.

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I love my Pocket PC. I use this thing more than any device I have ever owned. From the moment it arrived it became much more than a gadget. I have owned lots of gadgets, including the palm. They were great to carry around and show off but the pocket PC is the most useful thing I have ever owned. Here is an example of how I use it through out my day. 5:00 AM: Wake up to the alarm. It plenty loud enough to rouse even me. 7:00 AM: Listen to MP3,s or sometimes audio books on my drive to work.

8:00 AM: Pop it in the cradle and sync with my Outlook at work. All my email, Calendar, task, web pages, files, etc... 9:00 AM: go to daily morning meeting with nothing but my Pocket PC. I have all my status reports in MS word. When we discuss an email someone sent out with an attached excel spreadsheet I just open it on my pocket PC and review. I open up the note pad and take notes through out the meeting.Oh yea, sometimes I get bored and play games with the sound off. It look like I am taking notes. 10:00 AM and throughout the day it goes with me to all meetings. Taking notes on it is a breeze. It is as close to actual writing as you can get. 12:00 Noon: Take it to lunch. If I am alone I read through the days news on Pocket Internet Explorer. Its updates every time I sync so I always have the latest news and movietimes, weather, etc...If it is a business luncheon I exchange contact info with partners and clients via infrared. I can exchange even with Palm owners thanks to Peacemaker. 6:30 PM: Go home and listen to MP3's on the way. 8:30 PM: Read books using the MS Reader. So far I have read. Tom Sawyer, Timeline, Fredrick Douglas, a good portion of the bible, part of the Koran, Thus spake Zarathustra' Albert Einstein's Quotes, Shakespeare's Sonnets and Digital Times.

I own the Jornado and it is in my mind the best. The Ipaq and Casio are great in many respects but no one beats the form factor, styling and slickness of the Jornado

Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-150MCE Personal Video Recorder (1042)

This is among the least expensive hardware capture cards on the market (if not THE least expensive). The video quality, performance, and usuability are great with or without Windows MCE. I happen to use this card on my XP Home system and did not have any problems during installation or otherwise.

This is a "Hardware-based" capture card. Which means that the card comes with hardware onboard that handles all of the processing to convert your TV signal to a file on your computer. Software-based cards use your CPU for this. The advantage is that with a hardware based card you can actually use your computer while recording as the CPU usage is minimal (I actually don't see any CPU usage on my machine), compared to a software card which uses almost all of your CPU. This also means that you can use an older or slower computer to watch/record TV without suffering any performance issues. In the past, software cards were much cheaper than hardware, but Hauppauge's line has brought the cost down so that now there really isnt a reason to choose anything but a hardware card.

The MCE version of Hauppauge's PVR-150 differs from the "regular" non-MCE version because it does NOT come with *ANY* software other than drivers and it adds an FM radio tuner. The regular version comes with a remote and software to control the PVR-150, but no FM radio. There is only one TV tuner so you can only watch or record one channel at a time.

Since the 150MCE doesn't come with any software, you will have to control it with another program. Windows MCE can do this, but if you have XP Home or Pro you will need to use 3rd party software like BeyondTV and SageTV, or free ones like the open source MediaPortal. Since the card outputs MPEG2, you need to have installed a DVD player like Intervideo WinDVD or Cyberlink PowerDVD in order to watch TV (decode MPEG2). If you have an Nvidia card, you can use Nvidia's PureVideo Decoder which gives probably the nicest picture. Note that decoding (watching TV or your recorded movies) does take up some CPU, about 10% on my computer. If your computer came with a DVD player or burner you likely already have this software. And if not, most DVD burners come with it, so if you don't already have one you can get a DVD burner for around $50 and get the software thrown in.

For those with quality issues, check with the software you are using and try to increase the bitrate. This will lead to less "artifacts" (looks like a bad JPG), and smoother video. Obviously the filesize will increase per recording, but hard drives are so cheap now that you can afford to get a bigger drive to accomodate. You will have to adjust the settings to find what is an acceptable compromise between filesize and quality. Just for reference, I usually record with a variable bitrate with an average of 5000 and a max of 6000 which lets me fit about 2hrs on a DVD. In your decoding software adjusting the interlace method also gives good results (choose from bob, weave, or both). I rank the decoding software as Nvidia PureVideo, WinDVD, PowerDVD from best to worst as far as quality goes, but it is really a matter of personal taste.

Other options to consider are obviously the regular PVR-150 which adds software and a remote (but you lose the FM radio), and the PVR-500 which comes in both regular and MCE versions as well. The PVR-500 has two tuners so you can watch one program and record another or record two shows at the same time which is very nice. Just like the PVR-150MCE, the PVR-500MCE comes without software or remote control, but adds an FM radio. FYI, the PVR-500 is essentially two PVR-150 tuners on the same board, so quality is the same. There is also a low-profile version of this card.

I'm using the pvr 150mce with my home-built computer with p4 3.0, ati radeon 9600, win xp mce 2005. i connected my analog cable TV signal into the pvr 150 ... and i could not get a picture. then i went to the hauppauge website to download the latest driver (which has support for win mce). then there was an error saying that i didn't have the dvd decoder software. i downloaded power dvd 5 and windvd 6 to see which offered better picture quality. finally, i could watch tv and play dvds on the computer. windvd 6 gave better quality, making the picture quality about the same as cable tv on a regular tv.

in summary, if you don't mind tinkering a bit (eg, downloading drivers and installing new software), you'll be very happy with the end result. i also have tivo downstairs with a regular tv. mce 2005 is very slick, in some ways the menus and interface is slicker than tivo. however, tivo is still a bit more user friendly. for example, when fast forwarding past commercials, then hitting play, tivo will automatically start playing at a point several seconds before you stopped fast forward, knowing that people will overshoot the commercial. mce 2005 doesn't have this important feature.

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PROS:

Installed under Windows XP MCE in less than 10 minutes.

Picture quality is pretty good (using S-Video feed from my satellite set-top box).

Drivers installed with no problem at all and I was able to pause live tv as well as record TV programs.

CONS:

As an audio fanatic, I hold great value to good quality of sound and unfortunately, this is where this card failed my criteria.

As a satellite subscriber, all my audio is wired with optical cables and coax cables. This guarantee the delivery of digital audio accross the entire system as satellite is 100% digital.

for some reason this card (and actually all TV cards) offers 2 RCA inputs for audio. This means that whatever you record is converted to 2 analog channels NO DOLBY DIGITAL

I wonder why they are not using the audio card on the pc as a resource for the audio. most pc's today comes with digital audio input.

CONCLUSION:

While I would love to see TV cards with digital audio input I think for this price this card is an excellent value.

There's another detailed review by "Harvey Ramos" named: "Great Low Cost Option, November 1, 2005" that you may want to read as well.

P.S: This is the Windows XP Media Center Edition version of the card. You must have all your hardware (video card, CPU, Remote control etc..) supported by Windows XP MCE, otherwise this card will not work correctly.

Also this version comes with no remote control (the assumption is that you already have one) and a fairly simple installation guide.

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If you run linux and want to use this card... google for IVTV and enjoy. This card in addition to MediaMVP make for a media center of unparalled quality.

Have fun.

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I bought this card as the second card on my MythTV. This card works very well in Linux Fedora Core 5. It doesn't have a remote control. If you want a remote control with the card you will have to buy the full version of the card. This card is meant to be used for Windows MCE and for this reason doesn't have a remote included.

Cisco-Linksys Media Hub (Without Drive, NMH300)

• View and listen to your digital memories on any PC, laptop, or TV1 in the house
• Access your digital music library, photos and videos throughout your home
• Remotely access your pictures, music, and videos from anywhere in the world through an Internet browser2
• Two empty hard drive bays and two USB ports let you add storage as your collection grows
• Media Importer feature helps import media files to the Media Hub from your computer

The product has firmware issues that Linksys is not willing to work on because the product has not been well accepted in the market place. The second level support will basically tell you that there is no plan to work on any issues with this unit because it is not selling as expected. I would never buy another product from Linksys because of that attitude. I think that if you release a product to the market it is your's to support. Forcing the customer to first do marketing research to determine market acceptance is not good business. If you are going to use this as a simple NAS device it's fine but don't expect any other support beyond that from Linksys in a timely manner.

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I am using the Media Hub more as NAS storage than an actual Media Hub. I have been running the box for over a month with no issues. IT was very easy to configure and access. The built-in FTP server is especially handy and performance is very good.

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Product works as described. You can use it as a "cloud" storage device and access all your information from the web. You can use it as a "NAS" storage device and access at high speed across your network. You can use it as a RAID in mirror or RAID w/o mirroring. Works reliably although a-bit complicated to set up.

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I've been using the NMH300 for a while, as a RAID-1 configuration (mirroring). Last week, one of the disks crashed. My surprised was: the other disk, the good one, that was supposed to have an exact copy of the data, was empty unbelievable I lost almost 1TB of 10 years of personal data should I do?

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We have been using this unit for about a year now. We configured 2x 2TB WD20EARS hard drives in it and configure it as RAID 1 (mirror) so keep a backup of all our digital photos, music and movies.

The first improvement over the unit we were using before was the improved access speed. We have it installed on out home network that we upgraded to a 1Gbps using Netgear Gigabit switches and CAT6 cable. Now we can access the content from any computer in the house very quickly.

The unit is very quiet even when it is reading/writing to disk. In this aspect it is way better than the NAS200 we had before.

The iTunes server works really well. We can access the music and videos in this unit from any computer running iTunes, including an AppleTV (but not so lucky with the iPad, at least with the firmware released by the time I am writing this).

I have only one complain regarding the setup and it is that it took for the software a long while to detect the unit and without this step you can't continue the setup. For the rest, this is a very solid unit. We have used it for one year without turning it off and it is available 24/7 every time we have needed it.

On the down side, if you were looking at creating access accounts with privacy settings for each member of the family to have individual/private back ups and files, I haven't been able to do it. I stopped looking for it as well. I only found that the unit has one user and 2 passwords depending on the type of access allowed (1 star less for that). If you don't care about this, this is your unit.

Inland Headset 6000 with Bass Boost adjustable headband includes in-line volume control

The headset itself is nice. Audio Quality is decent for the price point. The problem is their darned strain reliefs. They chewed up the cable such that 2 months after purchase the bass boost was shorting out and causing the USB plug to overheat. Then 3 months after purchase, the microphone started shorting, and now, 4 months after purchase, the left speaker is shorting out. There's better ear pieces for the same price-point out there and they're not going to start shorting out on you 3-or-so months after purchase.

This is the 4th Inland Bass 6000 Headset that I am buying, but not because I had issues with it, on the contrary. I had to buy another for my son since he took a liking to the "bass effects" for his music, games and movies. I also use it for music, games and movies since it does not disturb anyone when you have to play it loud.

The problems with my 1st and 3rd was my computer rear USB ports are used up and I have to use the front USB ports. The computer is on the floor so whenever someone passes by, they accidentally kick the cable with the bass boost connection. The result is a broken USB connector.

I have upgraded my computer system which has more USB ports and finally learned my lesson.

Inland Bass 6000 PROS:

1. Flexible headset for easy fit;

2. Flexible microphone that flexes in almost any direction;

3. Nice soft leather finish that gives it the expensive feel;

4. Is better than a Creative 'Fatal1ty' gaming headset that I bought after the 1st USB broke;

5. Great audio (treble and bass) for the above-mentioned entertainment;

5. The headset actually vibrates on your ears, so I keep one off my ear;

6. If this becomes an issue, you can switch from "bass boost" to stereo.

CONS:

1. If its a warm day, your ears will sweat a lot;

2. The extra long cable for the audio gets in the way, but can be managed by using cable managers.

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