Sylvania SDVD9004 9-Inch Swivel Screen Portable DVD Player with Splitter + 2 Earphones, Car Bag/Kit

• 9 Inch LCD swivel screen, portable DVD player
• Includes 2 x earphones and splitter, car bag/kit, remote control, ac/dc adapter - perfect for automobiles or homes!
• Plays DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW, VCD, S-VCD, CD, MP3, MPEG4, WMA, JPEG
• Built-in rechargeable battery, stereo speakers
• SD, MMC Card reader, USB port to play all your digital media files

The swivel option is cool. The only reason I do not give this a better review is because the battery life is relatively short. You are lucky if it lasts two hours.

Other than that I like the fact that it plays multiple formats. That is the reason i picked this particular player.

After one year this player stopped playing the dvds consistently. I purchased the Hiteker tvdvd combo and it works great.

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Very satisfied with the DVD player, serves the purpose. The carrier bag which came with it absolutely useless. Wish they reduce the price by a few bucks and stop supplying that bag or add a few bucks and provide a quality one. I had to purchase another bag.

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Got this for my daughter for Christmas. I love the USB option. But the USB won't stay in. She hasn't even had it for even a month and now the DVD stopped working. It says no disc or it starts to play and freezes. Complete waste of time and money.

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I bought this for my husband and he loves it. He loves the tilt of the screen and the sound is awesome. Thanks so much for the quick service.

Product is extremely light which makes for easy traveling... comes with the AC adaptor so it can be charged in the vehicle as well as home. Kids are loving it!

Honeywell Ademco V20P60RFPK Vista 20 Panel Wireless Kit

I bought this kit for a new installation in my house. I went the self-install route and purchased a plethora of entry, motion, and glass break sensors from amazon and other places online.

Quick summary: I like this alarm panel. It has been around forever and has plenty of sensors and extensions available. For example, I have it plugged into my z-wave home automation system via a third-party product called the ad2usb. WThe options presented to the installer/user shows the appreciation for the risks and use cases addressed by panel. My dog hated the keypad sounds at first but has since gotten used to the the sounds. The panel works but this is my first experience in physical security systems so I don't have anything to offer in the way of technical comparison. I'm giving this 4 out of 5 because the hardware is way, way over priced.

1 what comes in the box?

Basically you're getting the Honeywell/Ademco 20P panel's:

a. metal enclosure, circuit board, transformer

b. siren

c. keypad 6160rf

d. motion sensor (passive infrared)

Benefit of this kit everything you need to get started. The 6160RF is particularly nice since you can now extend it via wireless sensors without having to purchase a transmitter/receiver separately.

Drawback not enough to do anything useful yet (but it is a start!)

2what will I need?

You're going to need a bunch more sensors. Personally I went with 1*Honeywell/Ademco 5816 wireless sensors for each door and openable window. Then I added audio-based glass break sensors the Honeywell/Ademco 5816. I have too many animals over 80 pounds so I can't do PIR motion sensors, hence the 5816s to detect glass breaks.

Oh and time and patience. You're going to need a lot of time and patience when it comes to programming the alarm. I'm now up to 24 wireless sensors added to my panel and I'm getting quite good at adding new ones but it was a struggle at first. If you're going the DIY route check out all the DIY alarm forums. Some have FAQs put together for these panels.

3 home automation?

This panel and hardware line has been around for decades. That means there are tons of extensions. I have mine connected to my z-wave system (Vera Lite) via ad2usb. It is kinda slick. Enter the correct PIN on my front door's deadbolt (Schlage) and the alarm is disarmed; no need to enter the same PIN at the deadbolt and inside at a panel. I can also arm and disarm it remotely using this system. You can get cellular boards (2G/3G/4G), ethernet boards, serial boards, etc and, with the right hardware and effort, you can control this from any typical operating system like OS X, Windows, Linux, BSD, etc.

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VideoSecu 2 Pack 100 Feet Camera Video Power Extension Cables with 2 of 12V DC 500mA Power Supplies

Good value but make sure to support it well as I made a mistake and the BNC ends were overly strained, causing them to fail. (looked fine but broken wire inside) I had to repair.

price was great compared to local stores, delivery was fast I would definitely use this vendor again

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Sony ICD-BX112M 2GB Digital IC Voice Recorder with Mic

I BOUGHT IT FOR MY DAUGHTER WHO LIKES IT VERY MUCH. SHE USES IT TO RECORD LECTURES AT COLLEGE. SHE HAS

A COCHLEAR IMPLANT WHICH WORKS VERY WELL BUT DOES NOT CAPTURE ENOUGH OF THE SPEECH IN THE CLASSROOM. THE SONY RECORDS MORE OF THE SPEECH SOUNDS WHICH SHE LISTENS TO GET ALL OF THE LECTURE. SHE HAS HAD IT FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS NOW AND IT CONTINUES TO PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT BACKUP TO THE CLASSROOM LECTURES.

New-Sony radio walkman - SRF-59SILVER

This is the 2nd one i have had and works great when i take my morning walk.Just don't drop it. Dropped last one and it met its maker.

This VERY fine little portable radio comes with a BIG clip on it's backside . I fasten it to the outside of my cargo or short pants when walking . I walk eighty minutes , four days a week . The radio has a little switch for sensitivity that lets you choose local or dx ? I don't know what dx is , but i get a good boost from it . I've used my unit since early Febuary . I live in a little town north of Orlando , Florida . The other day , i was about a third of the way into my walk when HEAVY , HEAVY rain started hitting me and my little Sony buddy . I put the radio in my cargo pants pocket , turned it off and put the earphones around my neck . It rained SUPER hard for , like , twenty minutes . When the rain stopped , i was totally soaked . I took off and rung out my tee shirt . Just then , the radio flew out and struck the concrete . The radio was soaked already . To my utter surprise , the radio was in perfect condition . Several minutes later , i slipped on the headset and turned on the radio . It played flawlessly . I got home and removed the battery and set all the gear in front of a fan . Today , in bright , sunny skies , the radio continued to play like a true champion . You gotta hand it to the Japanese . You also gotta hand it to any retailer who will sell you this little jewel , if you're looking . UPDATE (Thursday 9-13-12) 6:21 p.m. Emerging from the Summer rains (got rained on a couple more times HARD) . Still in GREAT working order . Rinse , Repeat!!!!

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It does not bring in the station good. MY husband wants to know why I bought it for him .he llikes to listen to certain stations when he walks and he can't.

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Like the radio. Good hearing quality. Use this radio when riding my bike and working out on the treadmill machine.

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Within 6 months, two of them broke so not very good product. Sound on it good but product has to last longer than a few months.

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Palm LifeDrive Mobile Manager

I got the Lifedrive one week ago to replace a sony Clie. The following comments are based on one week experience.

Pros:

1. New lifedrive manager software which in most cases obviate the need for hotsync. This is truly revolutionary.

2. Larger hard drive. Finally we are catching up with the rest of the world. You may be able to replace your iPod mini with this more versatile handheld.

3. Good voice recorder. I just got back from a meeting and recorded one whole days worth of talks from the back of a room with 60 people and record quality was quite good and no software bugs were noticed. In addition to the time allocated under your voice memo section, you can directly record to your hard drive allowing you to record more stuff.

4. This machine can store an enormous number of powerpoint presentations. This is a big plus for if you do any teaching e.g. quick review of a topic with a med student before a surgery.

5. Nice metallic finish. Looks better than cheap looking T5.

Cons:

1. Poor battery life. After a whole day of heavy use, the battery dies without warning.

2. Repeated powering down of the hard drive causing a few second delay in opening new applications. Annoying as hell!!!

3. No way to customize turning off the screen after a short period of inactivity. If you play chess on this machine, it becomes annoying. By the way, Hiarcs chess engine runs quite well on this machine(Downloadable for 39.99).

4. Adobe reader formats most documents well, but some with complex formatting turn into incomprehensible amorphous text.

5. Price. I don't understand why a piece of cheap looking electronics made in china should cost this much money.

6. No integrated cell phone or camera.

7. Some applications don't run on this device. I signed up for audible.com membership to get a $100 rebate. But so far I have been unable to make the audible manager recognize this device and download audiobooks to this device.

8. It is very disappointing palm decided to put the cheaper and slower WiFi. I suspect their next device will have the faster version.

9. Size. More bulky than other palm handhelds. Not a true shirt pocket device.

10. No headphone provided. Why can't they throw in a $10 headphone for this $499 device. I am using my old sony clie headphones which works fine.

Overall, 4 stars. I am sure I will find a lot more annoying problems as I use it more.

I've had my Lifedrive for about 3 mos. now and have been very pleased with it. There seems to be quite a few negative reviews about the Lifedrive so I was a little wary at first. Many of the complaints seemed to stem from running older Palm software that didn't operate on the new Palm OS or from people who weren't used to using Palm PDA's. Although Palms are very easy and intuitive to use I think the Lifedrive is a little more complex due to the integrated hard drive, which at first doesn't seem integrated at all.

I didn't reuse any of my older Palm OS software which must have spared me from some of the re-starts and lock-ups some people experienced. Once my unit was charged I started with a new user name (so a new synch profile is created) and then immediately installed the 2.0 software update. I've only had 2 restarts on the device since I started using it, but I use it quite a lot. One restart was apparently due to a poor wireless connection and another I think was caused by Versamail while downloading an e-mail with an attachment. Other than that the device has been very stable and the restarts haven't been repeated.

At first I wasn't very pleased with the new Graffiti II but now that I'm used to it I'll concede that maybe it is an improvement over the older version. Handwriting recognition on Palms has always seemed far superior than on Pocket PC's to me and the Lifedrive's no exception.

Some reviewers have mentioned a "lag" problem when starting a new program. I was a little worried about this before I purchased the Lifedrive after reading it in several reviews. However, I tested a couple of Lifedrives first at electronic stores and didn't really notice any lagging or hesitating. It might have been 3rd party software issues as I haven't noticed this problem-and I'm very impatient.

www.palmfocus.com has a list of Palm software rated for compatability with the Lifedrive. Before installing older Palm OS software it would be a good idea to check this list rather than struggle with your device. (Any software written for the new OS isn't an issue as far as I know.)

Pros:

+Wireless works well and connects easily.

+Being able to store, view and edit MS Word and Excel in their native format is a plus. (no conversion step as on Pocket PC)

+Store tons of videos, music and photos and take it with you everywhere.

+Synchrone entire folders from your desktop computer (Only folders on the root drive of your device can be synchronized so nested folders won't be synchronized unless you spread them out in the root directory of the drive. This will change the folder heirarchy on your device but not your desktop if you want to keep all the folders synchronized)

+The USB synchronization and connection has been flawless. (This hasn't been my experience with Pocket PC's)

+Very powerful yet elegant PDA!

Cons:

-Battery consumption high when using wireless. Don't leave on any longer than you have to.

-It's a little big and bulky to hang on to compared to older Palm PDA's. (Wish it had a place for a lanyard)

-Working with other applications while listing to music causes interuptions in the music playback.

-Versamail synch setup didn't go very easily for me. Make sure your default e-mail profile on your desktop is Outlook before you even get started with mail sync setup.

I've installed Dataviz Smartlist which is an excellent and fairly sophisticated database application which can sync with Microsoft Access. It works very well on the Lifedrive.

Also installed Mapopolis and it also works well. You must install maps to RAM or on a SD card and not the hard drive.

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I had the pleasure of reading some of your reviews, and quite frankly, I don't know if I should feel fortunate or laughing out loud, not to be rude, but literally, given that there is absolutely nothing wrong with mine.

After you received your LifeDrive, the unit turned on ok, the jacks don't fall out, the screen is not scratch etc, then, folks, there is nothing wrong with your unit. I can say with 99% confident that it is all software related.

Here's some advices for you that might help:

1). You should not use the operating software come with the CD; instead, you should download the latest version from the Palm site. And you should install the update 2.0. Then you need to know how the unit works, there are two storage areas in the unit, the internal memory and your 4 GB hard drive. You need to understand how backup works, and how to backup your cache as well as the files in the hard drive. Use Drive mode to backup your hard drive to your pc, and resync often for backing up the other portion. There is no need to use LifeDrive manager come with the CD.

2). You must have some sort of Uninstall software installed in your unit, because chances are you will installed something and want to get rid of it. I am using Uninstall Manager from Palm, and it works great. Oh, and for the one who complaints about the unit turned itself off after 3 minutes of inactivity ... There are softwares to prevent that, check the web.

Now here is the truth. This unit by itself may be over-priced; however, the synergy this unit can provide after you cleverly match it with well chosen softwares will give you a return on investment that is completely unmatched even at 2 to 3 times their combined price point. It's like having an assistant working for you 24/7 and you pay him/her 50 cents a day.

My LifeDrive is a powerful breast after I mate it with the following personally chosen softwares: Uninstall Manager, DateBk5, ShadowPlan, DayNotez, Supernames 2.0, Repligo PDF Mobilizer. Doc to Go 8.0, SmartList to Go, MyBible, etc. You get the point. (alternatively, you can replaced Datebk5 with Agendus, and Supernames with Beyond Contact, ShadowPlan with ListPro, or Life Balance etc). I don't play games, watch videos, or listen to mp3, but you can if you like.

I have not had one single reset that I am not aware of. Perhaps the only down side is that the unit does take an extra second to load, but after a while, I hardly notice it. It doesn't have a camera which some of you might prefer. Other than this, great unit.

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I purchased this in june and had to return it. I use it as a physician and have had a Tungsten C, and Visor and Palm V, each of which represented continuous improvement in speed and usability. The lifedrive was so slow switching between applications, up to 2 minutes and usually thirty to 90 seconds that I couldn't function. Also the programs I used ran more slowly (10-20 seconds for steps that were instantaneous before) than before or than on the T|X with which I have replaced it . Iuse a prescription program and it links to epocrates which meant every time it would take several minutes to perform a task that took 10-20 seconds previously.

On the plus side the multimedia and PIM functions worked well if you waited for them to start. It has a sharp screen and pictures. The dictaion feature was great.

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I purchased a Life Drive PDA because of the large memory capacity. I upgraded from Sony Clie. I have been unable to get any help from Palm, since my Life Drive crashed after a long holiday weekend. I guess the battery ran down and it will not recharge. A $500 device that is now useless. I have now returned to using my Sony Clie which continues to work. If I were you I would think twice about buying such an expensive PDA that does not contain replaceable batteries. Take a look at Palms website where they tell their customers that sending the device back could cost you more than the amount it would cost to buy another. "Let the buyer beware!"

Sony DCR-SR85 1MP 60GB Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom

I just received this camcorder (DCR-SR85) and I am very happy with it! It is so small & lightwieght, plus it takes fantastic videos. The videos download very quickly with the included software, and are crisp and clear as any DVD movie that I have (standard definition). I stuggled with all the choices out there, but I am very satified with this product. I use it mostly to document procedures for work, but it is great for home movies also. I think it would be nice to have a larger mega-pixel camera in it (only 1 meg) since it is so small it could easily replace my digital camera also! I also purchased the extended warranty from Sony for only 89.00 (3 years), and an extra battery. This one is a keeper!

This is a great camcorder. Having the video written to disk is great. We've had DVD camcorders and watched an entire day's filming at WDW wasted when the DVD wasn't readable when we got back from vacation.

My wife likes using an eye view finder, but this camcorder does not have that. I have glasses so I've always opened it up and viewed it that way while filming. She also doesn't like the fact that you have to open the lens cap by hand, as it doesn't open automatically like our previous DVD camcorder.

We bought this particular model for the 25x Optical zoom, and that works great. The included software is awesome too.

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This is my first camcorder and I selected this after a careful study of exisiting models across various brands like panasonic, jvc, canon. This was fitting my budget with lots of required specifications. I did go to nearest electronics shop and had a look at it before ordering it and comparing it other models. I used it extensively in my recent trip to smokies and it was fantastic. Lots of space..I need not bother about space. Four days of usage and I was hardly using 10 gb out of 60 gb. Clarity was good. Wish I could explore all the features of it. I would recommend this to any new comers into the camcorder world.

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I took my family to Hawaii and didn't want to haul around my old bulky Panosonic camcorder. So I was looking for something small and affordable (the trip already took most of my savings!) and found this on Amazon for under $450. I'm no expert with camcorders and I don't want to be. I just want to point and shoot great video for the memories. So I did a lot of homework by reading reviews. Also, Sony seems to be the professional choice. So based on rave reviews, I picked the Sony DCR-SR85 Handycam and it turned out to be just what I needed. I like the size as it fits right into my hand and is hardly noticable. The video and sound quality was beautiful, and the ease of use was so SIMPLE. Having a harddrive was really nice since I was accumstomed to changing those lousy tapes. With 60 GB I'll never run out of space.

Not everything is perfect, so my only problems or concerns are: 1) I can't help but jiggle the camera while fumbling to find the zoom button or the button to turn the camera off. This will probably improve as I get better coordinated. 2) The screen is very difficult to see in bright sunlight, so without a viewfinder you have to point and hope. 3) The camera doesn't automatically shut off when you close the screen. So a couple of times I THOUGHT I hit the off button and closed the screen but ended up with 30 minutes of my shoes, the dashboard and very boring conversation. But it was easy to delete. 4) The battery that comes with the camera is whimpy, so spend another $70 and get a 4 hour battery. Use the whimpy one for backup emergency. 5) The 1MP photo quality is garbage. But why buy a camcorder for photos when you can get a fabulous Cannon 8MP Powershot for only $150?

All in all, I love this camera and recommend it highly.

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I purchased this product to replace my broken T1, which was sufficient for me to capture photos and video clips for my baby's growth. After very long research, and debating on another DC or Camcorder, I picked this one based on Amazon's reviews, and more likely, hoped the 1M still shot capability would be good enough, and also utilize the hybrid feature of this machine for my just-bought 4GB MS. Unfortunately, other than the compact sze of this camcorder, nothing was really pleased me: no view finder, just-so so video quality (unless in bright light or outdoor, which I don't use that much), very poor (soft) still image, the photo button will not aid to a stable picture, no snap shot feature during taping, hybrid function does not help a lot, because the 60GB HDD is larger enough for my applications, no thumbnail available for video clips (wondering why the format is different from T1); after all, the price is too high, even for a SONY! Good parts: video clip size is small, comparing to CANON, night shot mode is sharp! and Amazon has a pretty good service system, I've got full refund and bought a CANON SD1100IS instead, and loved it so far. so maybe in the couple of year, another camcorder, but HD for sure.

Intel Pocket PC Camera, CS-630

I wasn't ready to take the leap and get a mega-pixel camera because of the cost and the fact that 90% of the time I would just shrink the pictures down to post on the web anyway.

For what it is, it's pretty good. It's a nice webcam for connecting directly to your PC. It's a convenient camera to carry around with you and take lots of reasonably good pictures. The software that comes with it is nice and works from within my image editing software so I can download, edit, and save very easily. The size is just right for slipping in a pocket and it's survived a number of minor drops intact. This is definitely not a high-end camera, but if you just want something to take pictures to post on the web and work as a direct-connect webcam it's a good deal. Battery life is good and it uses Alkaline batteries. I'd rather have the option of rechargable batteries charged via the USB cable, but that isn't available. The one thing that really bothers me is the button. It's kind of hard to push down and when it finally gives, it tends to jerk the camera a little. If I'm not careful to keep it steady, this results in a blurred shot.

Pros: Good battery life. Enough memory for 128 pictures. Adjustable focus for close-up objects. Shoots 10-second video clips away from PC. Shoots nice higher-res videos when connected to a PC. USB interface with slick software. Timer mode so you can set it down, click the button, and get into the shot

Cons: Cannot upgrade memory. No screen to view/delete pictures. Not Windows 2000 compatible a beta driver is available to download pictures, but it cannot clear pictures from the camera's memory! Video limited to low-res 10 second clips. Low-light pictures do not come out well and it doesn't have a flash. Can only adjust focus when it's connected to a computer

Keep your eye out for rebates. CompUSA recently had a MAJOR price break on these things.

My roommate and I bought this camera about six months ago, and it is one of the most-used and most-enjoyed items in our apartment. It doesn't use up any film, so we never think twice about grabbing the camera when we go somewhere with friends.

Though it has no flash or zoom capabilities, it takes large, clear pictures even when used portably. The video it takes when it is not connected to the computer is a bit lacking because it comes out so small, but it is still useful for some things -I took it on a roller coaster last week and videotaped the ride at 60 miles per hour!

As for the video taken while the camera is hooked up to the computer, it is sharp and good quality when there is plenty of natural light, but at night, even with all the lights on, it has a lot of trouble detecting motion and the video tends to be slow and choppy.

The cute little camera is very durable--we know because we have dropped it countless times and it has never malfunctioned. battery compartment does accidentally come open sometimes, causing the batteries to scatter all over the ground, but the pictures already taken still remain in its memory, so it is really more of a nuisance than a problem.

It comes with its own software which works well for organizing and editing the pictures, but its movie making software doesn't have many features, so it's better to use the movie maker that comes with Windows or a professional one. The pictures it takes come in .jpg format, and the videos come in .avi format, so they're perfectly compatible with other viewing and editing programs.

All things considered, we are very happy we have this little camera; I would recommend it to anyone who wishes to have fun with unlimited pictures and video, though those with concerns about very high-quality video might do better to seek out more expensive digital equipment.

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best value for your money? probably. i've had it for about 3 months now and have not had any problems. the camera is advertised as being able to take 128 pictures at 640x480 but having have taken it on vacation, it took a good 165 before being full. the remote video at 320x240 is okay, light permitting, but for 129 bucks, i'm not really asking for all that much. attatched video and macro lens are REALLY impressive and the software is really consumer friendly. If people are having all of these problems with it, i'm assuming that they are running an OS that is not compatible (ie W2000). I'm running it on 98 and am having no problems whatsoever. Only drawbacks are that it has no flash and no remote audio, but if you know that going into it, its really not a dissapointment. Great pocket cam. Takes really good pictures and has a great supplementary software package.

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I found the packaging for this camera very misleading. The "2 minutes" of video can only be used in 10-second clips. The video does not have sound. The quality of the video is less than expected (even for the price of the camera).

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this camera is good for the price i paid. it serves both purposes reasonably well, though to get good picture quality we need to take pictures in bright light. no flash is a major disadvatage to this camera. software that comes with this is easy to install and easy to use. i could get 120 pictures of good quality out of this camera at a stretch. looks cute and fits easily in the pocket.

Apple iPod 40 GB White M9245LL/A (3rd Generation) OLD MODEL

• 40 GB model holds up to 10,000 songs; supports MP3, AAC, WAV, MP3 VBR, Audible (6), and AIFF formats
• Mac and Windows compatible; FireWire and USB 2.0 interface for fastest digital transfer available
• Included docking station makes charging and synching easy
• More than 8 hour battery life on a 3 hour charge (1-hour fast charge to 80% capacity)
• Features redesigned and backlit navigation; includes dock, wired remote control, earbud headphones, carrying case, and AC adapter

I've owned all three 40GB players available today: Creative Zen, RCA Lyra, Apple iPod. This is the review I wish I had read before I started shopping. It was a originally more comprehensive but I had to trim it to 1000 words.



For the most part, the Creative Zen has the best features of the three, as well as the best price. It sounds like a no brainer except for the fact that these things break like crazy! If you read some of the other reviews on here, you'll see a few people mention that their headphone jack shorted out when they dropped the player....well mine shorted out while the player was sitting on my desk not moving at all. I don't know a single person who bought one of these players and didn't have their headphone jack malfunction! Many reviewers suggest buying an extended warranty because of this problem. I would most definitely agree with them on that one, but personally I don't have the patience to wait a few weeks every time the player decides to stop working. Those warrantees are supposed to be purchased just in case something goes wrong; not because something most likely will! The Lyra from the moment it came out of the box to the moment it stopped working for no apparent reason, four hours later, was on the whole a piece of junk. That said...on to the comparisons.



PRICE: As just about every anti-iPod reviewer mentions, THE IPOD IS MORE EXPENSIVE AND DOES PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING. The iPod is basically the BMW of mp3 players...the other mp3 player work like, and cost about as much as a Kia. They all do basically the same thing, but the cheaper ones are cheaper for a reason!



SIZE: All three players are smaller than a walkman, so it's kind of silly to even discuss this, but it seems to be a hot topic in the other reviews. From largest to smallest the players are ranked as follows: Lyra, Zen, iPod. The Lyra is the only one of the three which will not fit easily in your pocket. It is the widest /longest /heaviest of the bunch, and personally, I hated the way it felt in my hand. The Zen and the iPod were both a pleasure to hold.



CONTROLS/NAVIGATION: iPod gets first place here simple because it's touch sensitive navigation wheel allows you to get from the first album in your collection to the last in seconds and it stops on a dime anywhere in between. The Zen's controls are very good however it takes longer to scroll through your entire collection and when it really starts moving fast, it continues scrolling after you release the button sometimes skipping past another 50-75 albums! The Lyra had decent navigation, but the buttons had to be pushed more than once before they responded almost half of the time! The Zen and the iPod can be operated easily with one hand.



PLAYLISTS/SONG RATING: The Zen wins here without a doubt. It is the only one of the three where you can create, edit (even while it's playing) and SAVE multiple play lists on the player itself without connecting it to a computer. The iPod allows you to make ONE play list on the fly, which cannot be edited or saved.



The Lyra allows you to tag songs you like or don't like and it makes play lists of each...yes, it makes a playlist of songs that you tell it you DO NOT LIKE...if that doesn't explain what's wrong with this product, nothing will! The iPod allows you to rate songs 1-5 stars on the player, and then make a play list automatically based on those ratings when connected to a computer.



BATTERY: Again, Zen is the winner here. Not only does it offer a battery that lasts 14 hours instead of iPod and Lyra's 8 hour batt. it is also the only player of the three where you can remove and replace the battery when it deteriorates with age as all rechargeables do. It should be noted that the battery times I listed are the official times given by the manufacturers. The Zen actually lasts about 10 hours the other two go between 5 and 6 before needing a charge.



SCREEN: The Zen not only has the biggest screen of the bunch, it also scrolls the album title in the directory screen allowing you to see the whole thing instead of just the first few words.



TRANSFER TO PLAYER: All three units use USB 2.0, the iPod also can be used with Firewire.



TRANSFER FROM PLAYER: The Zen allows you to transfer music freely from your player to any computer loaded with it's software. The iPod does not allow this however third party software that can be purchased and used to pull songs from the iPod. In all honest, the Lyra broke before I could find out if you can pull songs off of it.



SOFTWARE: iTunes is easy to use and offers tons of ways to organize your music. Creative Media Manager takes a lot of getting used to but is decent once you figure it out. Musicmatch, which comes with the Lyra is garbage. It`s slow, difficult to figure out at times, and constantly badgers you to buy the upgrade to its premium version.



EXTRAS: The only one that actually has extra features is the iPod which comes loaded with 4 different games, the ability to read text documents that are stored on the hard drive on the player's screen, a date book, and an address book. The Lyra's ONLY advantage over the other players is the fact that it comes with a complete car kit (charger/tape adapter)....which is pretty nice, but useless when the player turns itself into a paperweight after just a few hours. All three players come with a case....iPod's is the only one which does not give you access to the player's controls when it's in the case.



Hope this helped.

Buy Apple iPod 40 GB White M9245LL/A (3rd Generation) OLD MODEL Now

The iPod is awesome. That's a fact. So let me dwell on some practical advice here:

1. Instead of this item, buy the newer version of the Apple iPod 40gb (manufacturer cat no. M9268LL/A). The new version costs the same (as of October 2004) but has 12 hours of play instead of 8 hours. They look the same with similar description so BE SURE TO LOOK AT THE CAT NO.

2. Most likely you'll need a carrying case. Budget that in. The Apple one is nice but is around $50.

3. If you import a lot of CDs, your desktop or laptop might not have enough space on the hard drive. We're talking 40gb here! A good solution is to buy an additional hard drive. This can also serve as a backup (it's very depressing to import CD after CD and then have your hard drive crash...).

4. A very cost effective way to get an extra hard drive is to shop at your local computer store (e.g. CompUSA), look for the ATA drive that's on sale this week, and then, if you have a laptop, also get the "enclosure" that makes it into an external USB 2.0 drive. I just got a 160gb Seagate drive + the enclosure for around (...). Also great for backup of your music + pictures + hard drive etc.

Read Best Reviews of Apple iPod 40 GB White M9245LL/A (3rd Generation) OLD MODEL Here

Update: It went dead, probably because of a really bad power surge here, and Apple replaced it without questions in 72 hours. Nice work! My original review is appended. ****************************************************************

In what has to be the slickest execution of a new piece of hardware yet, this Apple-linked but PC-compatible product will make all portable music players obsolete in no time flat. I have been following trends in this area for a long time, and my last big MP3 player investment was in a SONICblue Jukebox. Wow, how fast things evolve! That machine, cutting edge 2 years ago, had a 6 gig hard drive and allowed only for rather slow uploading of music through its balky software interface via a USB 1.0. In addition, its organizational abilities were limited.

The iPod is about 1/10 the size of the old Jukebox, absolutely ultra high tech looking, with backlighting that awes and controls that work intuitively, and it uploads easily through a firewire or a USB 2.0 (optional) connection.

Music can be categorized and recalled quickly, with the scroll control making it all simple to access.

Sound quality is awesome, its earbuds light years ahead of anything similar. Capacity is incredible in the 40 gig model, holding 10,000 songs!(the 10 gig unit will hold 2500 songs, 15 gig unit will hold 3,700 songs, the 30 gig unit about twice that number). Battery life (6-8 hours when fully charged) is just fine. The (optional only in the 10 gig model, included with the others) cradle will recharge and synch the unit to your PC, but I bought the optional car charger for longer road trips. I also bought the FM transmitter that attaches neatly to the unit and allows you to play the iPod through your stereo sans wires, though the cassette adapter works better for that purpose.

A word about Apple's customer service: WOW! I ordered my unit on a Sunday, with the additional $19 for custom engraving on its silver back. In an hour I got an email that my order was being processed, and in 6 hours I got an email that it had shipped! The email included a tracking link, and I watched it move from Taiwan across the world in 2 days. I got it on Tuesday evening (!) and it was factory sealed/shrink wrapped and in fine condition. When I opened it (even the packaging is high tech) and took it out of its protective inner wrapper, I was delighted to find the engraving was there and was done just perfectly.

If delivering a great product and offering perfect service is to be lauded, Apple must be given the highest kudos possible.

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The iPod is one of the first Apple products I have ever purchased...before the iPod the only apple product that I had the displeasure of using was QuickTime. However, with the extremely favorable reactions that the iPod recevied from many different magazines I went out to a store and decided to at least give it a shot. I fell in love instantly with its ease of use and look.

So I purchased the 40 GB model. The first thing I noticed about the product was its rather...unique packaging. After finally realzing how to open it and finding the rather small unit I followed the directions located in the iPod manual and connected it up to my PC. Installation was anything but easy. The software automatically overwrote a newer version of MusicMatch jukebox and any time I tried to open MusicMatch it only would crash on me. Thus, I was forced to uninstall Music Match completely download a new version off the internet and install it. Once this was completed I succeeded in getting the iPod connected successfully and working properly. However, using Musicmatch to transfer files to iPod was a horrible experience in general.

Via a tip from a magazine I installed Apple iTunes which is now available for the Pc and found an excellent very fast product which worked with the iPod flawlessly. If not for iTunes exteremly excellent intergration with the iPod it is quite likely I would have returned the unit however iTunes completely changed my opinion of the iPod and made it actually a pleasure to use.

The actual iPod unit itself is very nice. A exteremly stylish exterior and very easy to use controls and designs make it a pleasure to hold and use. Except for the fact that it can get dirty very easily there is almost no trouble at all in transporting it around. I have gone over quite a few bumpy roads and some quick jogging and found there to be absolutely no skipping even after a 10 minute+ exposure to conditions that make my Sony CD player skip like crazy.

The only problem I really experienced in the use of the product was the lack of ability to create and SAVE a playlist directly from the unit. For example you can select and browse through all your songs and make a temporary playlist using the iPod itself. However, in order to save a playlist it is required that you use iTunes or Musicmatch and import it in that fashion. This can be quite annoying when you are like me and like to make many playlists on the fly corresponding to your emotions. However, this is a small problem when looked at regarding the rest of the unit.

One other small qualm I had was that I have quite a few WAV files that are themselves compressed in mpeg layer 2 format within the WAV format. These files do not play properly on the iPod so if you have a lot of these for some reason (I do) be prepared for lots of converting.

The last issue I had with the iPod was that it only contains 1 Dock connector to firewire plug and this plug is required to both dock the iPod to a computer and also to connect the iPod to an AC socket. If another Firewire plug was connected it would be quite nice.

All in all I was pleasently surprised with the iPod in general. The player works quite well. My main tip to other users is to not even bother with the Music Match jukebox and instead download the new Windows version of iTunes available on Apple's website.

My iPod is the single most-used gadget I own BAR NONE! iPods work with both Macs and Windows machines.

Plug your iPod into your computer and almost instantly every song on your computer is sucked onto the iPod for transport anywhere. The iPod has the capacity to hold every song I own (my entire CD collection and it's a big collection)! I now carry EVERY CD I OWN around with me in a gadget that's smaller than a pack of cards. And best of all, it will play them THROUGH MY CAR'S STEREO SYSTEM, THROUGH ANY HOME (or office) STEREO SYSTEM, or, of course, through earbuds while exercising, hiking, etc. All with remarkably high quality. When I play the iPod through my home stereo, I cannot distinguish the reproduction quality from that of the source CD itself hence, I have not touched a CD since I got my iPod (except to load it onto my computer).

The iPod is the kind of product that puts a human face on technological advancement ... and it's smiling!

Logitech Keyboard Controller for Logitech Revue and Google TV

• Compatible with Google TV systems, including Logitech Revue
• Comfortable, compact keyboard searches content from the Web, your TV programming, and more
• Navigates the Web and moves easily through menus with touch pad and directional-pad
• Entertainment-system controls like Play, Pause, Rewind, and Fast Forward
• Connects to your TV with 2.4GHz wireless technology

I bought this to use with my Sony Google TV. The remote that came with the tv works pretty good but I wanted something with a larger keyboard and an easier to use mouse.

This Logitech keyboard works great although getting it to work with the Sony TV was a little tricky. The keyboard includes a small USB receiver. I first plugged the USB receiver into one of the USB slots on the Sony TV and tried to pair the keyboard to the tv. That did not work. Here's the solution I found that did work.

Before using the keyboard with the tv you need to plug the USB receiver into your computer, Mac or PC, and download the install software. The printed directions give you the website address. After you run the software and configure the keyboard to pair with the receiver you can then remove the receiver from the computer's USB input and put it into one of the Sony TVs USB inputs. Turn the keyboard power switch on and it should work.

The usability of the Logitech keyboard is similar to the smaller Sony remote with most of the same functions and buttons. The layout is just different. Takes a little getting used to. The biggest improvement is the larger easier to use keyboard and the mouse pad is a bit more responsive to touch.

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Works perfect out of the box. Ultra thin... ultra light... The perfect size for a coffe table and Logitech quality.

I was very hesitant to purchase it because it lacks F keys and some keys are not mapped (or show a different symbol) that a standard keyboard. I did a lot of comparison, provably over 20 ~ 30 models reviewed before purchase.

I just kept coming back to this one because of size and logitech quality.

(I have over 10 Logitech product thus far more if you count the ones at work).

There are some keys that you will not be able to use for an HTPC, like record, forward and specific keys for the Google Review.

But right out of the box 90% of all keys work as they should with no drivers under Windows 7.

Odd keys are:

* Search (Lupe) is the Windows Key.

* Home key launches Internet Explorer.

* Back key previous screen (either IE or Windows Explorer or within context of what you are doing)

* OK/Enter or OK (inside arrows) is Enter.

* FN + Left Mouse click is Right Mouse click... (Wish there was a button for it !)

I could get a key mapper free application available on the web at several locations to actually make use of the few keys that do not work, but I do not need it at this time.

If in doubt go to YouTube.com for some reviews (I did) or to the Logitech forums... there is a lot of infomation there like how to enable the finger tap in the mouse pad (like a laptop) by pressing:

CTRL + SHIFT + FN + Page UP to enable it or CTRL + SHIFT + FN + Page Down to disable it.

You can adjust the mouse speed with the Windows mouse setting and you do not need to load Setpoint Drivers (there are none... doubt they'll ever make some).

Once you get use to the odd keys, you'll just fly around with it.

(I configured all the HTPC shared drives (lots of windows and right clicks) in no time.

Works great for Gaming in most games.

Very happy with purchase.

Read Best Reviews of Logitech Keyboard Controller for Logitech Revue and Google TV Here

Update: Right Click works as long as you hold the FN button. Also Windows 7 interprets the search key as the Windows key. The Play/Stop/Pause key as far as I can tell does the same thing regardless of FN. None of the FN number keys at the top are recongnized either. The back button next to the arrow keys doesn't work. But again without setpoint options I didn't expect them to work. Here's to hopeing logitech will provide that functionality. It is still a great product for an htpc and would definitly recommend it. 5 stars as soon as setpoint works.

Works great with Windows 7 and XBMC. Not sure if the live version of XBMC has drivers for it though. Touchpad works as expected however I cant find the right click =/ As of yet the logitech software doesn't have options to customize the keys but i'm sure that will come. The guide button brings up the windows media center.

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I've just received this product today, so I can't tell about long term durability. I've purchased it for my sony google tv. Initially when I connected the unifying receiver to my google tv, there was no response. Then I called Logitech customer care, and after waiting for 15 minutes I got someone. He asked me a few questions, but failed to give any answer.He told me to contact with Sony customer care. Being disappointed I called sony. I reached them without much delay. The person in customer care told me it should be plug and play and there might be some problem with the keyboard. I was pretty much sure that I am going to return the keyboard.

Then just for checking the keyboard I connected it with my laptop, download the software and it was working fine. I really liked the smoothness of the keys. Then I detached the unifying receiver from my laptop and connect it in my google tv. Oh my god, it started working. I don't know the the technical details, so it seems totally weird to me.

If you are layman like me and want to connect the keyboard with Sony Google tv, I suggest following steps:

1. First connect the keyboard with your PC.

2. Download the software from [ ... ], based on your operating system

3. Install the software and make sure the keyboard working for your PC perfectly.

4. Then detach the small unifying receiver from your PC and attach it to the USB port of your Sony Google TV.

Hope it will work perfectly.

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Almost perfect for HTPC.

Pros:

on/off switch on the keyboard. battery saver.

uses 2 AA batteries. Do not have to worry about built-in rechargable battery fading over time.

small, elegant, sturdy built.

trackpad works very well.

keys have great feel for typing.

WIRELESS RANGE is excellent. I used the wired extension to place the wireless USB plug on top on my HTPC, facing forward. I sit 20 feet away, and absolutely no problems with the trackpad or any of the keys.

Cons:

keys are not backlit

not specifically made for HTPC. some media keys do not work as they are intended

no F-keys.

no dedicated RIGHT mouse button. The Function + left mouse click works fine enough, but still...

the price. $99 is a little high considering that my entire HTPC built is a shade under $800

** If Logitech ever gets around to making another version of this keyboard specifically for HTPC...with backlit keys, I would definitely buy(again).

Bottom Line: Best HTPC keyboard I've tried: taking into consideration portability, built-quality, functionality, and wireless range.

Samsung HMX-U20 Ultra-Compact Full-HD Camcorder (Black)

I purchased this May 28th, on sale for $170. I did not purchase a memory card as I had a 2 gig SD card at home and wasn't sure that I would be keeping this camera. I charged the battery, put in my memory card and went out in the yard and shot some video and some still photos. It was a bright sunny day. I hooked up the camera to my 50 inch plasma TV with the included composite video cable and looked at the photos, which were really great quality and detail. I was pleasantly surprised that they were the equal of my Olympus 10 mega pixel digital still camera. Next I looked at the video that I shot at 1080P and heard this clicking noise throughout the video. My commentary was recorded just fine but the clicking was a deal breaker. The video quality was also not what I expected for the 1080 P setting. I loaded the CD into my PC and started to read the manual. As another reviewer noted you must us HC SD memory or data will be lost while the memory is trying to keep up with the high data rate of this camera. That night I bought a recommended SDHC card and put it in the camera. The next day I went to a WWII era air show and brought the camera. I shot about 40 minutes of video at 720P 60 frames per second and about 24 photos at the 10 mega pixel setting. There were lots of action videos as the old fighters streaked overhead as well as some newer jets. I hooked up the camera to the plasma TV and viewed the photos, which were really sharp and clear with great detail. You could read the serial number and min/max blade pitch on one of the props. This is using a low quality composite video cable between the camera and TV. The videos were terrific and no clicking noise. The use of the correct memory card improved all the quality levels of the photos and videos. My family was impressed that this small package could do so much. I next loaded the software on my PC and transferring the videos and photos was simple and the while not a high end package there is more than enough functionality to edit the videos, convert them to other formats and upload them to different online services. The only thing missing is the ability to burn them to a DVD, which I can do with Nero. On Memorial Day I went to the Daytona Prototype races at Lime Rock Park and shot a lot more video and photos. All came out terrific. I will purchase a monopod as it is difficult to hold this small camera steady for a long period of time. I will also be purchasing the optional HDMI cable to further improve the quality of the image when watching on my 50 inch plasma. This camera is a keeper and the quality is outstanding. I've shown the results to others with Flips or RCA and they rated the quality of the Samsung output to be superior.

I am surprised by the early negative reviews. I never owned a pocket HD cam before (like the Flip Mino, Creative Vado, or Kodak Zi6) though I've seen them compared online (Tekzilla), so when I pre-ordered this camera I had a good idea of what I would be getting. I've had it for 3 days now and it is exactly what I expected it to be for the price and size. It is not a replacement for larger, heavier higher-end digital SLRs or camcorders with better lenses and imaging chips. It's a convenient, cell phone sized FunCam. The smaller size and lighter weight means it's harder to keep steady, a reported problem with all the pocket HD cams. Another known problem is they don't do low light well. This camera is no exception.

Pros:

I found the 1080/30p video quite good outdoors in daylight, again considering the size of the chip and the quality of the lens you can expect at this price.

The Smart Auto feature does a surprisingly good job of detecting what you're shooting and adjusting accordingly. Hold the camera close to an object and it automatically goes into macro mode. Shoot a back-lit subject and it automatically goes into Backlight mode. It does have an Action mode for fast moving subjects but I haven't had it activated yet so I'm not sure how well it works to smooth out camera shake, if that's even what it's supposed to do. (There is no camera shake correction feature in the included software as another reviewed suggested.) I suspect Action mode may just increase shutter speed to minimize subject blur and not be an image stabilization feature. At any rate, this is a consumer point and shoot camera. These modes are not manually adjustable.

I've tried the time-lapse feature (the main reason I bought this camera) and it works very well, though I'd prefer more choices like 2 and 3 frames per second.

The 3x optical zoom works better than digital zooming though it does dim the image on the LCD screen when you zoom in.

It has a user replaceable rechargeable battery.

It uses SD cards you can swap out for more recording time.

The included video and picture editing software is basic but works and the fact it's included on the camera is very convenient. You can also install it onto your PC if you like. I have higher end programs so I won't be using it but it's always there if you need it away from home.

My cons would be:

1 The lens does not have a cover and I have already smudged it a couple of times. A sliding door or even lens cap seems like a no-brainer but there isn't one. To be clear, the actual lens is deep inside the camera and there is a protective piece of glass (or plastic) over it. I did clean the smudges off the glass with a photo lens cloth with no problem. The other pocket HD cams don't seem to have lens covers either.

2 The still photos are not great. Much better than what my 2 megapixel Razr phone can do but obviously far below what my 8 megapixel Canon Rebel XT can deliver. It's not just the pixels; it's the lens and chip that make a quality image. This cam is not good for important photos and, again, the pictures are much better with a lot of light. With moving video images the grain is not as apparent.

3 I'm not crazy about the USB dongle all these pocket cams have but I understand its convenience. An additional USB port would have been nice.

Other than that I am pleased with the purchase. My camera does not exhibit any of the mechanical noises during recording others mentioned. The only noise is when you use the zoom, as with every camera. You can even set it to mute audio recording during zooming if you like.

Of note, this camera will not take a Compact Flash card and if you're buying an SDHC card for this camera Samsung recommends only three brands: Panasonic, SanDisc, and Toshiba. Other cards are not guaranteed to work. They also recommend a card with a transfer speed of at least 5MB/sec for video recording. It can take up to a 32GB capacity card. That's approximately 225 minutes of 1080/30P recording.

Buy Samsung HMX-U20 Ultra-Compact Full-HD Camcorder (Black) Now

I suffered from the flip's limited storage (8GB) and short battery life.. So, I switched to the Samsung HMX-20 for the following reasons:

1) SDHC support: I have a couple of 16GB cards that I take with me when traveling; a computer is not needed.

2) Full HD.

3) Can be charged with bundled electric charger or when plugged to USB.

Cons:

1) Poor low-light performance

Read Best Reviews of Samsung HMX-U20 Ultra-Compact Full-HD Camcorder (Black) Here

I would say.. not bad...Here is the pictures I took under different kind of condition-. All are shut in SMART/AUTO mode and there is not much night view cause it doesn't work well without enough lighting. I don't expect 170USD could have a professional sharp quality. But this one is compact and light, easy to carry on.

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Yes, you need a steady hand for all video recording. Just because you stink at taking video doesn't mean it's the camera's fault. Videographers all over spend lots of money on stabilizing equipment for the already skilled hands and already top of the line cameras. This camcorder takes great video, especially in proper lighting. Outside video has amazing rich detail and the TIME LAPSE feature is incredible. A+ product.

RCA VR5320R 1GB Digital Voice Recorder

Bought this recorder for work to record one-on-one research interviews. PROS: very portable, inexpensive, sensitive mic, great editing capabilities, playback is good with decent volume. CONS: not very user-friendly; USB port is poorly designed. I bought this device for the easy USB transfer of files, but the port is at the top of the recorder and the batteries are at the bottom. This forces the weight to bear down on the port, which is bad for both machines and also means the connection goes in and out. I had to find something to prop it up so it could hold the connection. This port would be better placed in the middle on the side of the recorder so the weight is more evenly distributed. I downloaded my files once successfully (though I fought with it), but the second time I used it, the recorder became corrupted and now it won't work in any machine and I can't get my files off of it. If uploading files is important to you, I would recommend a recorder that can receive a USB or that has a removable memory card.

I bought this recorder 2 days before my classes started on amazon prime. Based on the one review that someone posted on here I was hesitant to purchase it but I bought it anyway and it works great! It picks up every little sound. During 1 of my lectures, the machine that the janitor uses to clean the floor was making a lot of noise and when I played back the lecture I could hear the mop machine going off as well as hear my professor close the door. The only thing I don't like about this recorder is that I find this recorder hard to operate. Its not hard to operate the record button and do the playback for the recording but trying to get to the folders is the hard part. The directions aren't really clear to me but I will figure out. The real cool thing about this recorder is that its small and it has a pop up USB port that u could just stick into the computer. I like playing with the button to push it up. LOL

Buy RCA VR5320R 1GB Digital Voice Recorder Now

I bought this RCA VR5320R-A unit because of the price. I liked the included USB port.

Here is what is wrong with this unit:

* The audio files play in a format called .VOC. That means you can't replay it in Windows Media Player, and there is no point to uploading or emailing the file to someone else since they probably won't have the proprietary software

* You can't change the name of the file within the program itself, you have to open up the drive letter, and change it there

* If you downloaded the audio file to your computer, maybe your Desktop or a file folder, you can't drag and drop the file into the RCA program. You have to open up the program then search for the drive the audio file is on. Also, there is no way to look for the file on the "Desktop," as "Desktop" is not an option, only C Drive, D Drive, etc.

* Battery life on this thing sucks. Goes dead in a few hours

* It is very difficult to set the date and time if you don't do it correctly when you put in fresh batteries. Even if you remove the batteries, and re-insert them, that doesn't mean you will be able to reset the date and time

After much research and frustration, I just ended up buying a Sony recorder for around the same price. Much more well designed and practical... and it plays in Windows Media Player because it records in MP3 format.

Read Best Reviews of RCA VR5320R 1GB Digital Voice Recorder Here

I attend a lot of investment related seminars. I need a voice recorder for seminar recording purpose. Besides the requirement of good voice recording quality, I have following additional mandatory requirements:

(1) the capability of downloading the recorded voices into PC for archiving,

(2) the recorded files must be in a format that can be listened, edited by main-stream software tools. I do not want files in proprietary formats. And I don't want to install any vendor provided special software.

This RCA VR532R digital voice recorder meets all my requirements.

Pro:

a) Low cost. I haven't been able to find another one that is cheaper.

b) Great Portability: The recorder size is small. It's easy to carry around.

c) Nice voice recording quality. I can not say it has the best voice recording quality to record life music performance. But for recording conversation from seminars, it's good.

d) The recorded voice files can be easily copied and past to PC, without the need of installing any additional software. All I need is just the window explorer.

e) It has 3 recording quality modes. By selecting the HQ (high quality) recording mode, it saves files in WAV format. The WV format is one of the main-stream audio formats. Virtually all main-stream software tools takes this format. And it is one of the native format that window supports (without the need of installing additional software).

The package comes with RCA's own software CD. But I don't bother to install any software from the included CD.

Some people complain about the placement of the included USB. I don't know why, and I don't see anything wrong about how the USB connector is placed.

Some people complain that the device is still draining battery when it is in OFF mode. The recorder need power to drive it's internal clock. So, it can put correct date/time to index the recorded files. If you don't care about the correct date/time setting, you can just remove the battery when you don't use it.

All in all, this voice recorder fits my need well and I am very happy with the price. Great Value.

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...and I am the right person. I used to record voice/guitar demos on a handheld cassette before finally shopping around for the perfect digital recorder. After much comparison and a couple false starts, this is the model I settled on and I have to say, I'm very happy with it.

The recording quality is fine [I record on the highest-quality, still more than enough hours of recording time, like 35!]and nice and loud. The controls are completely easy with nothing in a weird place, no odd functionality. It's light as a feather, too. And the added USB port is the clincher. Sure it's a wee bit awkward if plugging into a desktop tower, but not too much, and it's fine with a laptop. No file-type headaches, no software, just simple, intuitive and convenient as hell.

I agree that having the clock running all the time is a waste, but so far it hasn't been a noticeable drain on the battery. If so, that would be the device's only flaw, though it would be a significant one. But as of this moment, I love this thing.

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Olympus DS71 Digital Voice Recorder 4GB (DS-71)

Works great as a recorder.

Unexpected benefit: I use this as an Audible.com audio book player and love it.

For audio books, it works far better than the Ipod because you can listen to multiple books at one time, with a bookmark in each.

This model is very easy to use and operates nearly identically to the DS-50, which keeps the learning curve low for those who are upgrading.

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Olympus markets this device as a professional dictation device, which apparently justifies the high price. However, it lacks the most basic file editing functions of append, overwrite, insert, partial delete. It's a nice recorder but not a dictating machine. If you make a mistake on a recording you have to start over.

Read Best Reviews of Olympus DS71 Digital Voice Recorder 4GB (DS-71) Here

DS71 IS THE BEST VOICE RECORDER I EVER HAD BIG MEMORY WITH SPEAKER PHONE . THIS UNIT HAS GREAT QUALITY

I GIVE IT 5 STAR TO THIS RECORDER

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This is a handy item for recording just about any kind of situation. I am a court videographer and take a feed out of my mixer into the Olympus so I can have an audio recording just like on the video. I can download the mp3 into my PC and e-mail it to a court reporter without any hassle. It is small enought to carry in my pocket and the mic that comes with it is also very sensitive, however, I can remove it and plug into my mixer and get the audio exactly how it sounds on the video. Downloading is simple, the unit is very easy to use and will record an enormous amount of data. I usually download right away so it is unlikely that I would ever fill it up. It is made of plastic and feels cheap for the money, but I don't intend to abuse it and the recording quality is fantastic. I recieved the Olympus Digital Recorder very quickly and would purchase again from this company.

Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-Ray Disc Player

• Plays high-def Blu-Ray discs with 5 times resolution of standard DVDs; measures 16.9 x 3.1 x 12.8 inches (WxHxD)
• Backwards compatible with current DVD and CD formats; upconverts DVD movie discs to near high-definition
• Includes 11-in-2 multi-format memory card slot; provides playback of MP3 and high-resolution JPEG files
• Connections: 1 composite, 1 S-Video, 1 component, 1 HDMI
• Built-in decoders for Dolby Digital/Digital Plus/DTS; coaxial and optical digital audio outputs

I purchased this blu-ray player the day they came out and ended up having to switch it out three times to get one that worked. The first one had a bad drive motor, the second a loose component connector and the third worked but still locked up frequently. The picture quality is only slightly better than many of the "upconversion" dvd players on the market. One reviewer stated that Underworld Evolution and T2 are stunning. While I will admit Underworld looks good, although the regular dvd is not that far behind it in picture quality, T2 has a DTS sound glitch that makes it skip on this player and overall the picture is not much better that the ultimate version out for half the price on regular dvd. The discs at this point are not worth the money, poor transfers overall and few or no special features. Save your money.

Buy Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-Ray Disc Player Now

So much has been said and written about Blu-ray. So it was with much excitement that I unwrapped my brand new Samsung BD-P1000 on launch day.

Yet, after a weekend during which I tested four Blu-ray movies, as well as several standard DVDs, I couldn't help but be disappointed. In short, one expects this next-generation format to provide spectacular improvements over regular DVD. But, in truth, the differences are so slight that it makes me doubt the format's worth as a movie medium in its early stages.

I'll discuss several things in this review: Aesthetics, ease-of-use, picture and sound quality. (Just so you know, my equipment: A Panasonic plasma television with a resolution of 1024-by-768, as well as an Onkyo 5.1 surround audio system. I connected the player to my television using its HDMI output and optical audio input. I toggled between resolutions of both 1080i and 720p.)

First, aesthetics. Photos don't convey just how pretty this thing is. Its front side has a glassy appearance and looks every bit the high end machine it is. The remote is standard black plastic, fine. When the player is on, its front power button, disc door and circle of manual controls glow a bright neon blue -lights that could prove a distraction for some.

Second, ease-of-use. Yes, the rumors are true. The player takes about 20 seconds to power up. Blu-ray movies take an additional 20 seconds to boot up. A little annoying, sure. But the wait times are hardly cataclysmic and should not be considered a deal breaker. Standard DVDs, by the way, load quicker.

In the back are all the expected inputs: HDMI, component, S-Video and composite video inputs; coaxial and optical outputs. The machine also has analog 5.1 outputs for those of you who can take advantage of such connections (and the sterling uncompressed audio quality those links provide.)

Third, picture quality. I tested four movies on my machine -XXX, 50 First Dates, Underworld: Evolution and House of Flying Daggers. To hear boosters tell it, Blu-ray's ace in the hole is its picture quality. After all, the player can deliver a full 1080p picture, a resolution up to five times as good as standard DVDs.

Indeed, the picture does look sharp. But, as we all know, so do standard DVDs, especially on a good DVD player with upconversion capabilities. My eyes saw this: With the exception of a few scenes here and there, each film looked about the same as a regular DVD might look played on a good system.

Perhaps the problem is the source material itself, as some early professional reviews have indicated. A few scenes appeared downright grainy. Of the four movies I watched, 50 First Dates looked the best, with its sunny-day colors and clarity. The first few minutes of Underworld also offer promise as to what Blu-ray might deliver down the road (The movie's first scene is a close-up of a vampire's face -the detail of which is truly stunning.)

Standard DVDs, meantime, look very sharp, displaying images equivalent to what a good DVD player might provide. Yet, switching between the Blu-ray movies and standard DVDs drove home the point: The difference in quality just isn't that spectacular, at least with the initial roster of Blu-ray titles.

Finally, sound. Each Blu-ray disc is encoded with both traditional Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, an uncompressed PCM 5.1 track and other assorted language tracks. Alas, my older surround system is unable to take advantage of the uncompressed sound. Early reviews laud that track for its quality. For my part, the regular Dolby 5.1 sounded like, well, regular Dolby 5.1 -good but about the same as on a standard DVD.

In conclusion, as much as I hate to say it, the BD-P1000 experience was underwhelming. Really. Maybe my humble home theater system is simply incapable of unleashing the full power of Blu-ray. I haven't seen Blu-ray movies displayed on a 1080p television, nor have I heard the uncompressed audio quality.

More likely, most of you out there are like me: A home theater amateur intrigued by Blu-ray, yet hesitant about making the investment because of the lukewarm early reviews. My advice: Given its price tag, the lack of content out there and the negligible differences in quality compared with standard DVDs, I'd advise waiting. My hope is that Blu-ray will, indeed, show its true colors one day. Today is not that day.

Read Best Reviews of Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-Ray Disc Player Here

Over here in Australia, I have just paid for one of the first units to ht the stores and i am absoloutley over the moon with the result. Despite Samsung's suggestion that it would only play region "B" (Australian) discs, it plays all blu-ray discs that I can get my hands on including region "A" (USA and Canada), and I am rapidly building up my library from Amazon.com. The picture is superb, "Under Siege" for example has been rehashed to high def and the picture is just unbelieveable, but you must have a high definition TV to get the result required otherwise don't waste your money. The unit also plays all region 4 discs and all burnt copies including dual layer. Best investment I have made in years.

Ray Duncan

Cairns Australia

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Robert Says:

"Can't explain some of the poor reviews other than maybe some people don't know how to properly setup the player."

Robert, Maybe you do not understand the Blu Ray format and how little this player delivers compared to what the Blu Ray format is supposed to deliver. Also, you have not even ackowledged the possible softening bug, although I believe that is a spin from Sony to try and save face from the poor Samsung player *and* the poor initial releases from Sony and Lions Gate. Read the hundreads of reviews that concur that the inital wave of Blu Ray titles as well as the Samsung player itself are a horrible value for the money and of poor quality, NOTHING TO DO WITH SETUP. I reviewed the SAMSUNG on the $10,000 Ruby projector and Stewart filmscreen Studiotek. Everything was properly calibrated using HDMI. Other outputs were also tested. The Samsung is a poor performer and is a completely Generic unit.

Robert Says:

"If you use Standard DVD's and you hookup the system using composite or Y/C connections, the piture will obviously not look as good. For optimum results you need to use HDMI connection, which looks incredible."

NOT TRUE. Even using a reference 1080p system as noted above, the images of the Samsung are substandard however, that is partly due to the poor quality Sony Blu Ray releases and partly the Samsung player.

Robert Says:

"Go to a Best Buy and see it in action and you WILL see the difference. I was leaning toward the Sony player, but it won't be out for a few more weeks and this player has a card reader which the Sony lacks. Being a person who works with video everyday, I can tell you this is one Awesome system. I wonder if the negative comments are coming from the HD-DVD camp???"

Sounds like a Best Buy pitch to me. Are you related to Best Buy? If you read my review of the Toshiba HD-A1, I slammed the A-1 HD-DVD player with a similar review, just check my reviews.

In summary:

1) The Samsung is flimsy with poor build quality for a $1,000.00 player.

2) The Samsung may have a bug contributing to softened pitcure quality.

3) The upconversion of standard DVD's of the Samsung player was inferior to that of the Toshiba HD-A1 HD-DVD player.

4) No 480i output over HDMI, which is important to those who want to use superior upscaling of external video processors. Very easy to provide, yet overlooked carelessly by Samsung.

5) No 1080p24, 1080p24sf, and 1080p48 output options (in addition to 1080i60 and 1080p60). This player is essentially a 1080i player with a cheap deinterlacer to provide 1080p60. The native 1080p output options should be provided (1080p24).

6) No DD True HD nor DTS Master HD

7) No HDMI 1.3 ... The PS3 will have HDMI 1.3 and will be a lot cheaper.

8) Blu Ray movies are currently terrible single layer 25 GB and using MPEG-2 as well as uncompressed PCM: this is not what Blu Ray should stand for. Blu Ray is supposed to be about using the advanced video codecs: VC-1/MPEG-4 AVC as well as the advanced audio codecs: DD True HD and DTS MAster HD.

9) Even if number 8 happens, there will still be no advantage over HD-DVD unless 50 GB BDROM comes to market.

Right now, I wouldn't touch Blu Ray with a 10 foot pole, especially for the high cost. However, if the laundry list noted above is addressed, Blu Ray may become a superior format. Currently, The Samsung player and initial Blu Ray movies are a TERRIBLE VALUE with poor performance for the money. I highly recommend people not buy into these formats until they deliver on all of the items mentioned above.

No reason to buy any of these early players, especially when the movies give us no reason to do so... Blu Ray can go take a flying leap until the above criteria are met.

1) 50 GB discs available for movies

2) Blu Ray players with 480i output over HDMI

3) 1080p24, 1080p24sf, and 1080p48 output options (in addition to 1080i60 and 1080p60)

4) VC-1/MPEG-4 AVC

5) 5.1 DD True HD or 5.1 DTS Master HD

6) HDMI 1.3

No reason to buy any of these early players, especially when the movies give us no reason to do so... Blu Ray can go take a flying leap until the above criteria are met.

It seems that a lot has been said already.

Since I purchased my HD ready set 5yrs ago, I have been consistantly disappointed with the quality of HD that I've been able to get at home on it. You know how it is, it just never looks as good as it does on the showroom floor... Well, this is what my HD Ready set has been waiting for. Iam fairly certain that an HD-DVD player would look just as good, but have no home experience with one to say.

If you have a sense for new technology that would most likely be the wave of the future, then you'll love this. I was considering waiting till the release of the Sony model which is continually being pushed back. When Samsung released a firmware upgrade for this player that was easily applied by the consumer, well it made a huge plus for me. Add to that, that dispite what it says in the manual, it will play the DVD+R format. Add additionally the suport for popular memory card media even if it's unnecessary, how can you beat it.

Ok, so Iam an early adopter... Technologically speaking, if the HD-DVD camp wins the format war, a BluRay player could probably be modified firmwarewise to play HD-DVDs. It wouldn't shock me if they do it anyway sometime in the future, just because they can. HD-DVD players on the other could not be modified anywise to play a BluRay if the trend goes that way.

The only downside to BluRay is the price IMO... The BluRay camp needs to figure this out soon and start dropping the prices down comparable to HD-DVD and get more product out on the store shelves before this superior format goes the way of the DiVX player.

Xitel INport Deluxe

I love the InPort Deluxe. Set up was a glitch-free breeze, and the included software (LP Recorder, DeClick, LP Ripper) work exactly like I'd hoped. Pretty intuitive, not too many parameters and options to cause confusion. Sounds very nice, probably better than the original record once you declick it.

The DeClick program does indeed work very well. I prefer to set the LP Recorder level manually, rather than using the Auto Level feature. This is because when listening to an LP MP3 file next to a CD MP3 file on my MP3 player, the Auto Level record feature causes the LP files to be a little softer than the CD files. Setting the LP Recorder level manually to "39" creates LP MP3's that are the same volume as CD MP3's for me. I detect no clipping using this record level.

Although I have 1400 CD's, I still have 700 LP's. A significant portion of my LP's are still not available on CD. I'm tired of waiting for the record companies. This product allows me to bring my remaining LP collection into the 21st Century. I'm now having lots of fun with this product, listening to my LP's at the gym on my MP3 player, and burning them onto CD's for the car.

InPort Deluxe met all of my requirements, exceeded my expectations, and I would recommend it to anyone who still has a pile of vinyl or cassettes.

I bought this elsewhere but checked after I bought it on Amazon for opinions before I opened the package. I need to transfer a large collection of 45 and 33 RPM records to CD's. I am using a Technics turntable and a Steinberg preamp to feed the unit. It works great!! As for the software it does a good job of recording, cleaning up the noise and clicks and ripping to individual tracks. I have run the software on Windows XP Pro and currently am running it under the Vista Operating System. Everything is compatible and works fine. The documentation is fine and I was up and running in 20 minutes.

I would recommend this product without reservation.

Buy Xitel INport Deluxe Now

I set up my Xitel Inport Deluxe (received as a gift) yesterday and recorded and saved a recording of a two sided LP record. The process went very smoothly after in initial learning period and I got no errors at any point. The software that comes with the Inport does exactly what it is supposed to do if one follows the documentation carefully. I was especially impressed with the ability to remove pops and clicks (present with most older LP records) from the recorded wav files. The most difficult part of the process is learning to use the feature which splits the large single wav file into separate recorded tracks which correspond to the songs on the LP. Once I understood that it went smoothly.

The most time consuming part of the whole process is simply recording the whole LP record side which obviously must be played from beginning to end while Inport records. Once that's done, processing of the file, removing pops and clicks, and splitting and finally renaming tracks into the original song titles went pretty fast. Those tracks of course can be saved on your hard drive and, if you wish, burned to a CD-ROM (using other software supplied by the user) which I did.

Finally I can permanently preserve some really old jazz and classical recordings that probably are no longer available anywhere. I'm REALLY impressed with the Inport Deluxe Kit!

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Update after re-booting my computer, for some reason this thing now works great! I still re-clean the files with the MAGIX software, but the sound quality is near CD quality. Still an extra step, but WOW!!! I Highly recommend this product!!!

For the last 2 years I have used MAGIX Audio lab to record my extensive vinyl collection into mp3's. But when I saw this product, I thought it might be better than the MAGIX solution. The MAGIX product allows you to clean and master the files before exporting as mp3's or to a CD. That's a double-edged sword; if you tamper with the files too much you lose quality.

I thought this product, with its promise of 1-click cleaning would be my answer. The product was up and running very quickly, and I chose a relatively old album to test. The album was not in excellent condition, but was far from terrible.

The recording was smooth; however, the de-clicking software (Wave corrector) only removed a small portion of the vinyl noise. So, I tried again, using a more sensitive setting. Still, the recording sounds just like the album clicks, pops and all. NOT what I would call a "CD Quality" version, as promised on the box.

I like the INPort device, however. It allows you to bypass your computer's sound card, which does give you a more faithful representation of the recording. For that purpose alone I am giving it 3 stars.

I had to use my MAGIX software to re-clean the WAV file before I could export it. One additional step, but at least the recording came out sounding crisp and clean.

If you are a discerning listener and audiophile, this product is not for you. This will not really make your vinyl sound CD quality. Sorry, but it doesn't deliver on that promise...

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I purchased this for the sole purpose of transfering tapes onto cds. The tapes are roughly 25 years old and are of artists that are not considered mainstream so finding cds of these groups are very hard to find. Having played with the program a few times I got the hang of it and the three steps are easy to do. The cd I just burned sounded great and a family member couldn't believe that it was a copy from a tape.

There is a two things laptops owners should know before purchasing this. I found this information in the troubleshooting section.

1. No other programs should be running and that includes virus checking programs. (This effects the data flow)

2. The data flow can be severely effected by the power management of the CPU.

I didn't read the manual to the end. So the first time I used the program I found that there was a humming sound in the background of the recording. When I used the de-click program it found over 200,000 clicks. After reading over the troubleshooting guide I realized that those two things may have affected the recording. After turning off the virus protection program (wasn't connected to the internet) and adjusting the power management I re-recorded the tape and didn't hear the humming like I did before and the de-click program only found like 8,000 clicks. Even though the number of clicks were high it clean it up nicely. Overall it is a good program to use and will be well used.

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