Showing posts with label olympus digital voice recorder vn-3100pc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label olympus digital voice recorder vn-3100pc. Show all posts

Friday, October 31, 2014

Sylvania 9-Inch Swivel Screen Portable DVD/CD/MP3 Player with 5 Hour Built-In Rechargeable Battery,

Sylvania 9-Inch Swivel Screen Portable DVD/CD/MP3 Player with 5 Hour Built-In Rechargeable Battery, USB/SD Card Reader, AC/DC Adapter
  • 5 Hour extended battery life, Play your digital media via built in USB/SD Card reader
  • 9 Inch LCD Swivel Screen, portable DVD player;
  • Plays DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW, VCD, S-VCD, CD, MP3, MPEG4, WMA, JPEG
  • Includes stereo earphones, remote control, stereo audio output, AC and car adapter, user manual
  • Easy to use straps attach screens to headrest

I bought this player specifically because it said that you could put MP4 files (itunes videos) on a flash drive and play them on this unit. It DOES NOT play MP4 files, only WMV. Don't make the same mistake I did.

However, I kept it because it is a nice, functional player with lots of extras.

Buy Sylvania 9-Inch Swivel Screen Portable DVD/CD/MP3 Player with 5 Hour Built-In Rechargeable Battery, Now

Plays great, sound could be louder.

Love the USB port and Memory insert

Still learning about other features.

Still I'm happy

Read Best Reviews of Sylvania 9-Inch Swivel Screen Portable DVD/CD/MP3 Player with 5 Hour Built-In Rechargeable Battery, Here

I just purchased this dvd player for my daughter, it is pretty good the only thing is the accessory it came with I find the bag is to cheap one of the cords is to short and the volume is not loud enough.

Want Sylvania 9-Inch Swivel Screen Portable DVD/CD/MP3 Player with 5 Hour Built-In Rechargeable Battery, Discount?

For he price this lil player is great. Folds nicley into a tablet style screen. Has good display and the sound is decent. Would give it a 5 star but the case that it comes with is very cheap. Ripped it beyond use first time I hooked it up. Otherthan that great product.

This is the first time I've ever bought anything used online. I must say that I am QUITE PLEASED with this. As promised

it plays like new and continues to do so months after purchase and constant use. KUDOS!

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Sprint PCS SCP200SILVER Sanyo Flip Phone with voice-activated dialing (silver)

Sprint PCS SCP200SILVER Sanyo Flip Phone with voice-activated dialingIt's got great reception. My husband has a phone that cost twice as much and his reception is hopeless, when out we use mine the most. I also use the alarm clock a lot when away from home, it's good not having to take an extra alarm clock. My son keeps getting hold of it and treats it roughly but its quite strong, despite being dropped and thrown several times it still works fine. Finally, the texting is great and easy to use. The only thing I am not sure about is the internet function, it seems to take ages to get on the net and I find it difficult to navigate -but then I don't really need it on the phone as we have it at home.

Overall this phone is highly recommended.

This phone doesn't have many special features such as a camera or web access, but if all you're looking for is a phone to make phone calls (or text messages) with, then this is the phone for you. It gets great reception-compared to my last phone which cost three times more than this one. I just wanted a phone that got great service and this is the one, so I traded in my camera phone for this one.

Buy Sprint PCS SCP200SILVER Sanyo Flip Phone with voice-activated dialing (silver) Now

i own this phone and the charger dont work right my phone beeped at me after 3 months and is in for service and has no games

Read Best Reviews of Sprint PCS SCP200SILVER Sanyo Flip Phone with voice-activated dialing (silver) Here

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Crosley CR247-PA Composer CD Recorder (Paprika)

Crosley CR247-PA Composer CD Recorder
  • CD recorder
  • AM/FM radio
  • Turntable
  • Cassette player
  • Paprika finish

I sat down to listen to the first CD played on our new Crosley CR247. Halfway through the last song, the music stopped. I pressed "open" CD compartment with no result. I pressed "power off" with no result. Then I smelled hot melting plastic and smoke started coming out the top of the unit. I yelled frantically for my husband to unplug the unit and get it out before a fire started. It was lucky we were right there at the time it overheated. We returned it the next day. When they say it burns CDs, they really mean it! I e-mailed Crosley to report the overheating and possible fire hazard, but haven't heard from them yet.

Buy Crosley CR247-PA Composer CD Recorder (Paprika) Now

Was excited to find an item of this nature. Miss old records and still had stuff on cassette tape that I couldn't listen to with the disappearance of the car and home tape deck. Item looked beautiful and fit into my antique decor. Overall sound quality not bad and I was totally satisfied with it. Nice that CD burner is built in, but one small problem in that system records each side of tape as a single track to the CD...so no forwarding to next song, just to next "side" of tape (Track 01 was 33.2 minutes long once recorded). Major problem was high-pitched humming sound that came from console when power was off, but still plugged into wall socket. Was much more than background noise, could even hear above television at regular volume. Very annoying. Was very disappointed when I had to return the item because of that electric-current hum.

Read Best Reviews of Crosley CR247-PA Composer CD Recorder (Paprika) Here

I had seen this product for awhile and asked for it for my birthday. The first one that came only had music coming out of one speaker when I played a tape and recorded a tape to cd. Amazon sent us a new one after my wife wrote to returns. The second one would stop recording a tape to cd at any time. When a tape would get burned to cd the music was fine for my car. I'm hoping a third one will be the charm. Can't wait to find out.

Want Crosley CR247-PA Composer CD Recorder (Paprika) Discount?

After burning one of my favorite tapes onto a CD I discovered, that I can only play CD in the CR247. If this is the case, what good is the machine? I wonder if I am skipping a step or doing something wrong?

This stereo does an excellent job and I am enjoying making C.D.s from my albums.

The sound quality is great and I'm glad they came up with this idea.

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Olympus TP-7 Telephone pick up

Olympus TP-7 Telephone pick upi needed to record a cell phone conversation and this was the absolute cheapest way to do it. the earpiece has a microphone on the opposite side that records what is being said by whomever you're talking to, plus your voice (a bit louder). i bought it friday and it got to my house by monday. amazing.

one thing: this mic doesn't have its own power source, so whatever recording device you plug it into must be able to supply power. i used an olympus VN-2100 digital recorder and it worked almost flawlessly. i say almost because the mic doesn't record in stereo, it records in mono. but the record volume is loud and comes out very very clear even if the earpiece/mic isn't right on top of the phone receiver.

you will not be able to do this any better for the money. a lot of online spy shops are charging $200 or more for this same function. i got this mic (which will record cell phone and land line conversations) plus a digital recorder for under $50.

I'm a writer, and I spent way too much time trying to find a good solution for recording phone calls -everything from Skype to Radio Shack gadgets that had to get connected through an analog phone. When I ordered this, I was actually stunned with how simply it works, and how well. I use it with my cell or home phones and it does the job perfectly. It's one of those things that seems so simple, you wonder why no one else came up with this solution sooner. I can't recommend this highly enough.

Buy Olympus TP-7 Telephone pick up Now

I bought this to use with the Olympus DS series recorders, but it should work with most recorders that have inputs. It does come with adapters for mono, stereo, and mini-jack, and, of course you can buy additional adapters...

The phone recording works fine. Have confidence that it's working and remember to keep your own voice low to keep more of a balance in the recording. Sometimes, too, the playback on the computer turns out to be more balanced and better sounding than the sound on the device's own speaker.

And, as a bonus, you may want to use this mic for interviews rather than the tie-clip mic or the RS29. With the TP7 in your ear, it records people speaking next to you, or, across from you, very well.

Bottom line, if I only bought one accessory for recording with a DS recorder, this might be my first and only pick.

If it had a "pause" feature, I'd bump my review from four stars to six....

Read Best Reviews of Olympus TP-7 Telephone pick up Here



Bottom line: the recording quality is certainly servicable. Play the video for a recording sample (using a TASCAM PR-10 Portable Digital Audio Recorder (Black)) and learn about an unadvertized use.

BTW, I feel that honest, effective reviews take the place of first-hand experiences that are lacking in online shopping. I've always appreciated the help I've gotten from other reviewers and continue to return the favor as best as I can. If you thought this review was helpful please let me know by clicking on "Yes" button where it asks. If there was anything you thought was lacking or unclear leave a comment and I'll do what I can to fix it.

BTW, I feel that honest, effective reviews, accompanied by detailed videos, can take the place of first-hand experiences that are often lacking in online shopping. I've always appreciated the help I've received from other reviewers and try to return the favor as best as I can. I hope you found this review helpful and the video at least entertaining. If there was anything you thought was lacking or unclear leave a comment and I'll do what I can to fix it.

Want Olympus TP-7 Telephone pick up Discount?

This microphone seems well made, despite being inexpensive, and the sound quality is good. But there are disadvantages. First, you have to wear it in your ear as you talk. That's awkward for me. I can feel it between the phone and my ear and it gets in the way, sonically -you don't hear as well with it in. Worse, it records my voice much more loudly than the person at the other end of the line.

So, yes, it works, and yes, I can get used to it, but it's not an ideal solution.

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Visual Land V-Core 4 GB MP5/2.8-Inch Widescreen/MicroSD (Stainless Steel)

Visual Land V-Core 4 GB MP5/2.8-Inch Widescreen/MicroSD
  • 2.8-Inch Color TFT 16:9 Widescreen Display
  • Video Support: FLV, RM, RV, AVI / Audio Support: MP3, WMA, RA, WAV
  • Stainless Steel Exterior
  • Expandable MicroSD Card Slot and Built-In Speaker
  • Picture Viewer, FM Radio, Voice Recorder and E-book Reader

This player rivals in looks, feel, and features, other much more expensive brand names. Here are my notes:

1. First out of the box impression is very good. It feels pretty solid in your hand as the sides are made of metal. Nice change from the all light weight plastic players out there.

It comes with:

very small headphones, ear-buds type, (and a pair of replacement protective covers for the ear-buds).

USB cable, used to transfer the files and to charge the battery!

Power adapter for charging the battery from the power outlet.

A protective pouch to carry it around.

A user manual printed and one as a pdf file already in the memory.

Overall a 5-star out of the box experience.

2. Connecting to computer and loading songs went smooth without any problems. No need for the instructions manual.

Once plugged in the USB port it was recognized as an USB external storage device. As such no other software is needed. You just copy and paste any files you would like to the drive, create folders, etc.

Also, the player is charging the battery through the USB cable while plugged in to any computer.

No problems there at all on connectivity and compatibility, again a 5-star experience.

3. Play back music and video.

It has a built in speaker but if you expect anything significant from it you would be disappointed as it is very small and the quality of the sound is very low.

At best I used it merely to confirm that the player is... playing.

However the quality of the music on headphones is excellent, comparable with any iPOD.

The video quality is surprisingly good. The truth is the display is pretty small, but how could a little player have a larger display? :-)

The display is pretty much as large as the face of the player.

Colors are nice, but in bright light outside the display is hard to see (just like the other players I've seen).

Overall the play back quality and experience is about 4-5 stars.

4. The controls are not quite as straight forward as one would expect.

I would say some are a little weird. For example if you are looking at the song list and pick one, I would expect when I push the play button to start playing that song. You have to push the "Menu" button, then you can see all the detailed info about the song and that is where you can push play to start the song. Also only now the "Volume" button is activated and after you push it you can use the Left/Right buttons to adjust the play back volume.

Overall I would say that the controls are a little awkward.

One actual problem that I found was the "Power" switch, which is obvious that does not cut the power to the player as one would think.

When plugged in to the computer, the "Power" switch does nothing and makes no difference if it is on or off. Also, after copying new songs to the memory, the player will not see them right away. You have to disconnect from the computer and turn the power off, wait a few seconds and then turn back on.

Only then will it update the play list.

So for controls and functionality I would give it a 3 4 stars.

5. Other features:

I really like the power adapter for charging the battery. It is very small, works at 120 and 220V, and you plug in it the same USB cable to charge the player.

I like that it has a built in microphone so you can record on it too, it has a radio, and a text reader for e-books (it does not read pdf, just text files).

I like that it has a micro-SD card slot (supports up to 4GB of memory on the micro-SD card). I am not sure if it supports the micro-SDHD card.

One disappointment I had was that it does not read "mpg" files, which is the format in which I happen to have many video files.

Perhaps a future upgrade might add this capability.

For these other features and extras I would give it another 4 points.

I looked for other similar players and they all were much more expensive and usually offer fewer features.

I think the V-Core offers all that you would expect from a mp3 player and much more, at a very reasonable price, which makes it a very good value.

Overall the score adds up to about 4.5 stars, and because it is made in China and I have no reliability info on it, I choose to score it 4-stars rather than 5.

(If you don't find this review useful, please leave a comment why, so I may improve in the future. Thank you)

Buy Visual Land V-Core 4 GB MP5/2.8-Inch Widescreen/MicroSD (Stainless Steel) Now

The battery was defective and charge was not staying.Also the controls on the equipment is not easy to handle.Voice recording quality was very poor. I returned the item and will not recommend this though it is cheap.

Read Best Reviews of Visual Land V-Core 4 GB MP5/2.8-Inch Widescreen/MicroSD (Stainless Steel) Here

I was actually looking at this product on another website and then found out it was cheaper here on Amazon. For the price I couldn't resist. The product is actually pretty good being in this price range and the only complaint I have is that not all avi files work. A little conversion and that can be solved. Another one is that the player is a bit loud with the headphones plugged in but getting a set of headphones with their own volume on them can solve that as well. The battery life is pretty good and Its great to listen to my mp3s, watch videos, and have plenty of space with the included SD slot for more space options. The radio didn't work fairly well but I blame that on my current location haha. I'm really impressed with the speakers on this thing, with the added 3D effect, it can really fill the room with audio or the movie you're watching.

Want Visual Land V-Core 4 GB MP5/2.8-Inch Widescreen/MicroSD (Stainless Steel) Discount?

Works good, but buttons are small, labels hard to see and takes a quite of time to get used to

I purchased one of this and within a week it stopped working, I had to pay $200 to them for a replacement, within a week it went bad to. They sent me a third and it will not work at all. They are very slow on the customer service response time. I would not recommend getting one of these.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Philips CDR770BK CD Recorder

Philips CDR770BK  CD Recorder
  • CD-R (write once) and CD-RW (rewritable) compatible
  • CD Text and text-entry capable
  • Coaxial and optical digital inputs
  • Recording-balance adjustment
  • 99-track programming

I made my purchase based on the reviews posted here, and I wound up with the first truly bad electronics purchase I've made in 40 years. I hate this machine. OK, as others have noticed, the sound quality is fine. (I should hope so, we're copying digitally!)

The instruction manual is virtually useless. The main control,. the jog shuttle, is a real pain to use. Many functions are only on the remote, so should you misplace it, you're up a creek.

The auto track setting is TOO long. It's the rare CD that has the required 1.7 second spaces between for the AutoTrack function to work, so you often wind up with CDs with songs clumped in threes and fours, or even no separated tracks at all. Resetting to manual is not only awkward and confusing (and not helped by the instructions), this means you wind up having to babysit your recordings and putting the track separations in.

Worst of all, if you don't finalize your CD at the time of recording and take it out of the machine, or if you simply forget, or put it off to later, you can't go back and do it. The machine keeps telling you there is no disc. There is nothing in the instructions that forewarns you of this, nor is there any direction of any way to override this. This means wasted time and wasted money on blank CDs that you can't do anything with, not to mention SERIOUS aggravation if you've just spent seventy four minutes clicking spaces in for records you've recorded.

My advice? Shop around. Get the facts before you make a four hundred dollar investment. You've been forewarned about a couple of major flaws!

Buy Philips CDR770BK CD Recorder Now

I've had two CD burners in my lifetime, the first was a Pioneer, and frankly, out of the two, I like this one a lot better. My band and I made a demo CD, and we sold it to one of our friends. I came to his apartment one day, and he had it on. Our songs were so clear, it was unbelieveable. I asked if he had a new stereo, and he answered it was the same one (he is notorious for picking out bad equipment). It must be the burner, I thought. Today, I can mix and burn my own CDs, and take them to clubs, and the audio will just be unbelievable. The mixes are easy to stop, unlike some stereos, and you can easily turn up one instrument and turn down another. A good item, with wonderful sound.

Read Best Reviews of Philips CDR770BK CD Recorder Here

I had only one problem with this Philips CD Recorder that I wish that they could put a track increment button on the CD Recorder because if you lose the remote control you can't change tracks manually on analog recordings. I thought CD Recording was very hard to do, but Philips made a very easy to use CD Recorder. I highly recommend this CD Recorder if you are beginning to do CD Recording.

Want Philips CDR770BK CD Recorder Discount?

Somehow the 2.5 seconds delay for track switching was the decision of some Exec. that never recorded a tune, songs clumped together is what you get if you don't sit thru the recording session with the remote in hand for 74 min. The "disk error" in middle of the recording with no apparent reason is another pain, when this happens you can trash the disk because it's useless (can't finalize or continue recording). I've played around with it enough so if one way of recording doesn't work I try another till I get it to do what I want, but nevertheless it's frustrating at times. Really overpriced and not easy to use for any first timer. But once the bugs are known I still got some excellent sounding CD's done from all sources. LP's, Old Cassettes, etc... Nobody mentioned in these reviews but some of the CD's tend to skip for no apparent reason, never in the same place. Has anyone else had this problem?

RFinal note do your Research or wait for the 5th or 6th Generation Burners.

i got the phillips recorder 3 days ago.i was thrilled.one day after having it the sound when i played a disc was all distorted..awful sounding.after turning it off for a minutes it went away.then i recorded a song in fast speed..after playing the disc i noticed the sound on the recorded cd was all distorted on the last track..so i wasted 74 minutes on junk.then today i returned it ......came home plugged it in and the tray on the right side will not open,no matter what i do..i called the philips 800 help line they told me to return it...AGAIN!!!!!!!!if this doesnt make you decide not to waste your money i dont know what will.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Acumen Disc 1 to 3 Target DVD CD Disc Recorder Duplicator Machine with Sony Writers Burners Drives

Acumen Disc 1 to 3 Target DVD CD Disc Recorder Duplicator Machine with Sony Writers Burners DrivesI like the product. My disappointment is, that from my understanding of the description, I thought it was a combination recorder and duplicator. I was thinking that I would be able to connect it to our tuner and record the spiritual address during church services and make duplicates of the recorded CD to distribute to the congregants upon request. Otherwise, I like the speed and clarity it duplicates pre-recorded Cds placed in it.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Olympus KA-333 Compaticord, Connects Earphone or Headphone Jack Output to Mic Input Jack

Olympus KA-333 Compaticord, Connects Earphone or Headphone Jack Output to Mic Input JackI bought this to transfer my phone recordings from my Olympus VN-7000 digital recorder to my WD external hard drive.

My Steps:

1. I just connect one end of the cable to the microphone of my digital recorder and the other end to the speaker of my laptop.

2. I use the free software version of Audacity to transfer my recording (press the record button on the digital recorder & click the record icon in Audacity menu--and voila!)

3. Once my recording is complete, I just choose from the Audacity software to save it as a ".wav" file, and I save it to my external hard drive.

I have an Olympus LS-7, a hand-held digital recorder capable of recording two channels in high quality audio formats. It has built-in stereo mics, but I wanted to record a direct feed from my performance mixer and the only external input jack takes microphone-level signals.

This cable allowed me to directly connect the line-level outputs from my mixer to the microphone-leve inputs on my digital recorder.

The only problem is that, being black like all my other cables, it's hard to pick out from the crowd. I'm going to have to figure out a good way to label it as a special cable so I don't lose it among all my others.

Buy Olympus KA-333 Compaticord, Connects Earphone or Headphone Jack Output to Mic Input Jack Now

I own an Olympus DM 420 digital voice recorder. Before buying this KA 333 connection cord I wanted to be sure that it would do the job of recording files to and from the voice recorder. Olympus tech support says that it will. I will now buy the cord and give it a try. After I use the cord, I plan to review for you how the product actually preforms in real life.

I've written below the information that I got from . I found this information in the FAQ section for their DS-2 model. I called the company and clarified that the KA 333 cord would accomplish the same function for the DM-420 and DM-520 models. Tech support said yes it would.

FAQ Is it possible to transfer recordings from other electronic audio devices using a connecting cord?

Audio recordings can be transferred to and from the DS-2, (DM-420, DM 520 and possibly other models,) by connecting to the other device with the KA333 Connecting Cord. The cord has 3.5mm male plugs at each end. To export from the voice recorder, plug one end of the cord into the voice recorder EAR jack and the other end into the receiving devices MIC jack. To import into the voice recorder, plug one end of the cord into the MIC jack, and the other end into the sending devices' earphone jack.

Read Best Reviews of Olympus KA-333 Compaticord, Connects Earphone or Headphone Jack Output to Mic Input Jack Here

I needed the cord right away, within a day or so. It came a day before I needed it and yet I was sure it would arrive much later. Fast, Excellent service. I will use them again as needed.

Want Olympus KA-333 Compaticord, Connects Earphone or Headphone Jack Output to Mic Input Jack Discount?

Monday, June 16, 2014

Motorola RIZR Z3 Unlocked Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--International

Motorola RIZR Z3 Unlocked Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--International Version with No WarrantyAs a long-time owner of Sony Ericsson and Nokia phones; I was a bit hesitant to buy any phone outside of those two familiar brands, but after my last phone got lost, I needed a replacement and needed a good phone fast.

You know know Motorola's popular Razr line dominated 2006 and is still a strong contender for 2007, so with that popularity, it seems the company is not going to venture too far from a line that really sky-rocketed them to the No. 1 spot. From the Razr came the new Krzr and Rizr line and so we will pick on the Rizr at this time.

I have had the phone for 3 days know, and I am really impressed with this little thing. The hardest thing for me was just geting use to the Motorola interface (this is my very first Motorola); but besides that, it had all the features I craved...

P..R..O..S......

1) WORLD PHONE Baby I love Ericsson phones, but they are usually tri-band phones...I needed a quad band phone with all the travelings and phone calls I make, and I knew Motorola is very consistent with this modality.

2)CAMERA & VIDEO basedtelephone I love to take pics and I love recording capabilities on my cell phones, so when I found that this nifty devide has a 2MP camera and an un-timed video recorder (both of which can be accessed with a dedicated button), I was very thrilled..It has full-fledged camera and video options, so you'd never need to carry a separate camera or video camera when you have this phone

3)MP3 Player I already have a dedicated music player, but it is nice to have the option to load as much as 40-50 songs on this phone ( with its included 128MB micro-SD card).

4) Great battery management You'd think with a gadget that boasts to be a phone, MP3 player, video and camera will die in few hours right...wrong..I have only charged it once (I love having my phone fully charged before I leave the house) and it is really good with its battery management ( definately squashed my last cell phone which boasted all the same features Sony Ericsson K700i)

5) EXPANDIBLE The phone only has around 24MB of memory, but with the included 128MB card, and the ability to upgrade the phone yourself and get a 2GB card, there is virtually no way to ever really run out of space

6) STEREO Bluetooth HEADSET anyone? Ok...so I havent purchased it yet, but because this is a Music player phone and because it does have Bluetooth, you can buy a Bluetooth stereo headset so that you can jam to your music and be totally wireless...NiCE!!

7) Perfect for NON-FLIP Lovers I have a thing for bar/candy bar phones...I never cared for flip phones, so this is a real treat for both the lovers of flip phones and those of us who still like the European-type non-flip phones...

ALSO, voice recordings & voice note-talking capabilites, JAVA-enabled, standard productivity suite (Calendar, Alarm, World clock), Instant Messaging ( if you are on the T-Mobile network), Ability to use your MP3s as your own ringtones...

C..O..N..S......

1) What? No Infraread Although I will miss having the IrDA technology, everything seems to be moving to a Bluetooth connectivity world, so I am not too sad about it.

2) No FM Tuner I didnt really need this feature on a phone, but I did have it on my last cell phone and it was great to have. This phone's other features do make the lack of a FM tuner bareable though, so its all good.

that's it...I am really enjoying this phone. I am glad I got it. Thanks T-mobile. LOL

Let me know if you have any questions or want to know anything else about this wonderful product!

Motorola RIZR

First blush, day 1: Attractive phone, feels good & sturdy in the hand, buttons are very responsive, slide function is easy to use and graceful, GUI is not exactly pretty but mostly very intuitive. Rather well put together phone.

Why'd I get this phone: quad band, Bluetooth, good camera, a music player (or two actually, confusing) which seemed decent in the store. And because it was NOT a flip phone (which I loath), Tmo didn't have a decent candy bar (which I love), and ... it was not a Samsung (take that for what it's worth).

Pros:

1. Great camera compared to what I've had (SE T610, Samsung T809) with very strong flash, actually, it's like a flash light. Can I smart button this function anyone?

2. So far, reception is pretty good, antenna stronger than my old & beat up SE t610, and comparable to my Samsung t809 (which broke), but sometimes the call is scratchy or does that computer reverberation like sound (which I've never experienced on my other phones).

3. iTap text message entry is pretty impressive/smart (this is my first Motorola phone). I'm not sure of how it is implemented on other Motorolas but I like it on this one. I miss a few choices of T9 on my SE t610 (w/ Tmo) but iTap is cool.

Cons:

1. No timer or stopwatch

2. No analog clock option (but Moto if you're going to design one, make it look like the Nokia analog clock for the 6133 or the s60 menubar clock)

3. No mirror on the back for self pics like many Sony-Ericsson bar phones have

4. Placement of memory card: buy yourself surgical tweezers or hemostats to get this sucker out

5. Mac/Bluetooth/iSync: iSync does not work for me despite having first dl'd an iSync plug in which purports to doing so. With my Samsung this made me irate, but Moto has a good track record with iSync support so I'm waiting.

6. Headset has better mic, so others hear me better even than when I'm using the phone regularly. BUT, there's often (65% of the time) a buzz that either I can hear, or both my caller and I can hear.

7. Cannot access full menu when on a call, only some menu functions (but not text or call recording)

8. Cannot record calls

9. Some functions & settings hard to find (or completely lost)

Tmo has crippled this phone in some ways:

1. no MotoReader like the Moto site for the product says (which opens MS docs)

2. the option to save text messages to the SIM card has been removed. Tmo support says they can't control this. Moto says Tmo has removed it and thus controls that aspect.

3. cannot install Java apps like the Moto site says.

What? I thought this was MY phone now. Silly consumer, Deutsch Telecom owns it.

Comments:

1. screen is tiny compared to others, but still is very resolute and pleasant to look at

2. camera is great, doesn't have as many fun options as my old Samsung t809 (which I really didn't like but which did have lots of ways to play with your pics when taking them like comic bubbles etc)

3. my RIZR was set to display only SIM card contacts when I first got it from Tmo which frustrated me for a while since the phone kept telling me that the newly BT transferred contact was "outside current view"

4. I have decided to keep the phone with Tmo despite the drawbacks I've listed.

After long term use:

1. key pad lost responsiveness, would not enter some numbers, some numbers would enter two or three times, scrool pad lost sensitivity on one side.

2. after moving on to other phones, the features i miss are

flash light (simple feature, but once gone is missed)

iTap. going back to t9 is painful now! iTap took a little adjustment but once adjusted is far superior

Buy Motorola RIZR Z3 Unlocked Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--International Now

Ok so I have the a Unlocked Black Rizr I got off of ebay since amazon is still so high. That will probably drop before too long. But keep in mind amazon has warranties and protection compared to the hassles ebay can ensue. So heres my take on it after a couple weeks.

The good and bad of this sweet phone!

1: Mp3 player. I love having this in my phone! I have a separate one but

this is so much better if you just want to pack light. The interface isn't the best on the media player but its bearable. It allows playlists and sorts by artist, album, and song. Only thing that really bugs me is no link to the now playing. It has one when you just let it play but once you leave that screen your s.o.l. Overall decent though, however you can't do other things and keep the music playing. You can suspend it, but that still pauses the playback. You can also add a 2gb microsd card to really make it worth while. Just make sure you have a card reader to speed transfers to the card.

2. Bluetooth/Stereo Bluetooth: Whooh, this may be my favorite new gadget! listening wireless like never before. I have a Motorola S9 headset and a SonyEricson. The S9 really makes me never want to use wired headphones again. However, the sonys are more comfortable but you have something hanging down still. I love both though. Definitely worth the money. Just hope you have gotten used to pairing headsets. Sometimes the phone likes to play games with me and make me repair them. Especially if you switch headsets a lot. Also, you can use the bluetooth and the motorola software to backup your contacts, make ringtones, and sync calendars with your computer. You just have to get the software.(I suggest checking forums for it but you can always be honest and actually buy it and keep motorola in business.) The software is nice but beware paying much for it. Theres many other ways to do the same thing. Thats all for that.

3. Camera: I love having the camera but beware its not going to blow your mind or anything. Good lighting though so it will get decent pics when you want it to. So generally it serves its purpose of getting you a pic in the spur of the moment. The video camera is awesome however. You get a clear picture with as much recording time as you memory can hold. SO you can catch not just that one moment but the whole thing. Just don't think the 2 mega-pixel camera will look as good as the a good digital one.

4. Ok here's a few little random things: Expect moto menus. Not a whole lot has changed here however the voice dialing on mine was like the British version. Just a couple more weeks and I'll have my accent perfect to use this feature. Hopefully =). The amazon versions are probably more the american version than mine. A drawback to ebay but hey it proves this is truly a world phone. I'm using t-mobile and get good reception pretty much everywhere. Battery works good I usually charge it like every other night or so depending how much I listen to the mp3 player. Good battery life considering all thats packed in it. Screen is good. Would recommend a screen protector to keep it looking good.

Overall, I'm very happy with it. It works great as a phone or mp3 player or camera. Just watch the price. Thats the only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars. Also, get the black or red. The blue is sadly, real ugly.

Oh almost forgot, make sure you go to carriers website and get the download for the internet browser. Internet won't work without it. At least, not with t-mobile. Found it in faqs for phones not purchased through t-mobile. Don't worry, its free to download.

Read Best Reviews of Motorola RIZR Z3 Unlocked Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--International Here

PLUSES:

Looks futuristic, up to date, cool. Menu is easy to navigate through, phone is pretty user friendly. Great display and graphics. Cool ring tones and backgrounds. 2megapixel camera, light. Good reception.

MINUSES:

Here is what I just don't get: Sony Ericsson has this and I think it is one of the most useful features. This phone nor any of the other motorola one I know does not have the ability to light up the main display when a button is pressed. When the screen goes blank, you have to press something for it to light up, but any button you press will perform that button's command. If you press any button on a Sony Ericsson while the screen is black, it first goes to the main screen. This is VERY inconvenient. If you are on a call, the screen goes black, so if you want to check how many minutes you've been on the call, or see what number it is, or what time it is, you can't, unless you press a command key, in which case you'll end up in that command. Sucks. Also, the speaker is shoddy, sometimes it just breaks up and sounds muffled, as well as the ear phone. I don't think the people on the other line sound as clear as they should, I often find myself asking them to repeat thmselves, but not on my Sony Ericsson. The picture quality is OK, not good, not great.

Bottom Line: Cool, but far from great. A few tweaks to the interface would make this phone much better, but Motorola just didn't hit the mark yet.

Want Motorola RIZR Z3 Unlocked Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--International Discount?

I have had my RIZR from T-Mobile for a few weeks now after switching from Verizon. I was originally considering the Nokia 5300. But when I compared the 2 phones side by side, the RIZR seemed more solid, more durable and less flimsy than the Nokia 5300. So I chose the RIZR and I could not be happier. The phone is easy to program and a breeze to use. The display is bright, clear and very easy to read (even without my bifocals!). So far the sound quality and reception have been outstanding. The best feature for me is the mp3 player. With my new RIZR I can transfer mp3 songs directly from my computer to my phone with a simple drag and drop (the 128 MB card is not very large, but enough for my needs). I can then select the songs to act as ringtones. Being able to assign a song/ringtone to a certain phone number is a really cool feature, at least for me.

The mp3 player included with the phone is very easy to use too.

My only "minor" gripe is the screen goes black during calls. But I found pressing the volume up button, which displays the volume screen temporarily, brings the main screen back fast enough for me.

All in all a great phone and highly recommended.

Save 69% Off

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Sangean America WR-3 Digital AM/FM/CD/SD/USB MP3 Table Top Radio (Black)

Sangean America WR-3 Digital AM/FM/CD/SD/USB MP3 Table Top RadioAfter much deliberation, and as much research as the Internet would afford me, I decided to buy this radio and try it firsthand. As always, I felt safer buying from Amazon because of their fair return policy and outstanding reputation. I knew I was going into this somewhat blindly because there are precious few reviews of this piece anywhere online, and even fewer by real folks like me.

Anyway, I got the product yesterday and test drove it in depth last night. Its first impression is an excellent one. The substantial heft and gorgeous "piano" finish would probably sell a ton of these radios if they were more readily available in stores. Set up was expectedly simple, and the user's manual wasn't needed until later on. Personally, I liked the metal, telescoping antenna mounted on the rear of the unit (where, by the way, you'll find a clean array of additional I/O plugs and the "3-D" sound selector. From every angle, this is a beautiful radio.

The first thing I did after plugging it in, was check a few local FM stations. They all came in very well, which was no surprise given Sangean's radio heritage. Be certain of one thing about this unit: it is a radio first, and then a CD player, audio file player, etc. The RDS feature was a novelty, but not as intuitive or lavish as I was hoping for. I'm not entirely familiar with what RDS normally provides on most equipment, though, and I don't fault this unit for anything in that respect.

It wasn't until I put in the first CD (a standard "red book" audio CD) that I experienced that all-too-familiar consumer electronics letdown. It didn't play. The unit acknowledged that it read the CD and recognized how many tracks were on it, etc. But I could not get it to play any of it. The CD was not suspect; in fact, I deliberately started with a CD that was playable on every piece of CD equipment I've owned. Subsequent discs, however, did work, and apparently with no further problems.

It was while I was waiting for the first CD to play that I removed a promotional sticker the factory had stuck on the front of the unit (advertising what types of media it can play). Where every other manufacturer I've seen has used a static-cling or no-residue adhesive to make sure the sticker comes off cleanly, such was not the case on this radio. The sticker came off with much effort and left behind quite a bit of very stubborn adhesive. This might've been negligible had this radio not been so beautifully finished, and the sticker not been put in so prominent a spot on the front. While this had no bearing on the player's performance, this was pretty disappointing to me.

In playing with the sound options--the part of this unit I had the most interest in and curiosity about--I ultimately realized that even the fine design and speaker capabilities of this radio/CD player are limited by the direction of the speakers and bass firing. In a very specific listening zone, this sounds pretty good. And by specific I mean, I found that directly facing the speakers from a distance of about 6 feet, with some peripheral area to either side, was ideal. Step much further outside this cone of sound, and the overall listening experience is compromised significantly (though the 3-D sound effect lessens the degradation a bit). This is more a limitation imposed by the direction of the speakers, and not by the design or components. But it's reason enough in my opinion to consider a radio/CD player with detachable speakers, unless you're using this on a nightstand or a very small room.

The USB and SD card input options are really fun novelties, and I wish more manufacturers would get hip to this simple technology. But in the end, when you have a unit that already plays MP3 CDs, these additional formats aren't as needed.

In the end, after only a day, I'm sending it back for a refund because of the fickle CD player issue. I'd rather not take my chances on this one. In a nutshell:

Pros:

-product feel and look

-simple set-up and easily moved

-excellent radio capability

-clean inputs and outputs on the back

-telescoping FM antenna

-full function remote

-SD card and USB drive options

Cons:

-Small "ideal listening zone"

-Unnecessarily bright display

Too bad these aren't in your local store where you can play around with them in advance. Hope this helps.

Originally I had been eyeing the Tivoli radio brand because of their tuning sensitivity. I listen to late night AM radio and unfortunately most radio manufacturers produce poor quality radio receivers nowadays; from what I read on HD radio it didn't sound that beneficial to me, signals are said to cover less territory. I also wanted a CD player which meant the Tivoli would come in three pieces too large for my night stand and I assumed it would not play MP3's because the literature made no mention. To top it off I felt the Tivoli was too expensive so I searched for other makes and found the Sangean. Surprisingly, I could find only one professional and one personal review which made me cautious why so little mention/notice? I am also leery of professional reviews as many times they won't say anything negative about a product due to advertising relationships.

After reading the reviews and specs, and finding a refurbished unit, I took the risk and made the purchased. What a pleasant surprise. The radio has a nice gloss black finish and is heavy, actually nicer than the pictures. Sound quality was better than expected even to my audiophile ears. I download favorite Internet radio MP3 interviews and load them to a USB thumb drive which plugs into the front of the Sangean. Control is mostly made from a thin card-like remote control. I highly recommend the item.

ImprovementsSome notes on what I thought could be changed or didn't like but is true with most table top radios these days: blue lit display will dim but is still too bright, wish it had the option to turn off altogether. I think the USB slot should be in the rear of the radio so the cable or drive isn't hanging out front. I don't particularly like being dependant on the remote control, just in case it gets lost. It would be nice to have controls all on the unit. No battery back-up for presets and clock. If you lose power, guess what? You lose clock time, radio presets, and the clock alarm. So, if you set the alarm, lose power in the middle of the night, you might be late for work. Not too smart. Needs a battery backup. One other comment Sangean makes an interesting wireless Internet radio. I would have been tempted to purchase that if it had all the other features of the WR-3. Why not combine Internet radio with AM/FM CD USB?

Buy Sangean America WR-3 Digital AM/FM/CD/SD/USB MP3 Table Top Radio (Black) Now

I bought this radio for my kitchen, which is a high traffic, high use area. It has great sound but the features are the real sell. I was frustrated because most everything out there was focused on the iPod which I will never own. Also, most of the CD players will play mp3s but not wma format. My collection of thousands of songs are wma. This radio plays mp3 and wma formats from 3 different sources (USB drive, SD card or CD). It also has an aux jack so I can plug my (non-iPod) player in. Now, my kids and I can each have our own music on whatever media we like and just plug it in. On top of all this, it has RDS (Radio Data System) that tells you the names of songs and groups from radio stations that participate. I have always loved this feature on my car radio.

Now for the downside. All the functionality is on the remote. All you can do from the radio is power and volume. I would have liked a little more functionality available on the radio. Also, there does not seem to be a way to make it so the RDS display is the default. I have to hit the mode button when I switch to a station that supplies RDS. This radio is a little pricey but well worth it and much less expensive than the Bose Wave radio that has nowhere near the features.

Read Best Reviews of Sangean America WR-3 Digital AM/FM/CD/SD/USB MP3 Table Top Radio (Black) Here

My wife and I recently decided to rearrange our living room. Part of the problem was a large entertainment center full of audio components and flanked by two large floor speakers that dominated a complete wall. This made it tough to arrange things how we wanted. The solution was to lose the entertainment center, upgrade to a wall-mounted flat screen television and replace the stack of component audio gear with something simple, self-contained and compact. I had originally planned to replace this "mission control" audio gear with a Bose Wave radio, having marveled at the nice sound from one owned by a friend some years ago. Upon researching the available choices among the competition, I discovered the Sangean WR-3. I suspect Sangean is virtually unknown to most folks. Sangean has long manufactured portable shortwave radios with which I'm well familiar. I also purchased a Sangean WFT-1 wifi internet radio last year and was very impressed with the quality of this product. This afternoon, I received my new WR-3 from Amazon and quickly unpacked and set it up for a test run. This product is quick and intuitive to setup and didn't require any help from the owner's manual. I was completely astounded by the "presence" of sound from this relatively small box. The only similar product I had to compare it to is a friend's Bose Wave radio. Both have fine sounding full audio, but the Sangean has a "3D" switch on the rear panel that when enabled, made a profound difference in stereo separation. It's uncanny how the sound of this product emulates that of a much larger system with much larger speakers. The Sangean WR-3 has separate bass & treble controls which are lacking on my friend's Wave radio. Bass response is strong but not "boomy" and obnoxious. The WR-3 is quite loud at full volume too and has a complete lack of distortion. So, are there competing products that sound better? There may well be, but the WR-3 must certainly rank among the best. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed in the way it sounds. Indeed I suspect most users will be just as astounded as I.

The other thing that struck me is the obvious look and feel of a quality product. It's quite an attractive piece with it's highly polished black plastic case and fabric-covered speakers. The display is bright and automatically dims itself after a short time after the last button is pressed. Still, the blue illuminated ring around the volume control and the display backlight remain on even when the radio is off. "Off" therefore may be more accurately described as "standby". For those intending to use the WR-3 as an alarm clock/radio, the constant display illumination may be an issue. Another quirk is that the RDS function of FM reception must be manually enabled by a button press on the remote before it displays artist/song, etc. The included telescopic FM whip antenna works well in my suburban home and I found the tuner to be quite sensitive and selective. AM reception sounds great as well. This model is one of the few that features a real internal ferrite loop antenna for the AM (MW) band. The ferrite MW antenna design performs far better than the plastic-frame wire loop external antenna supplied with nearly all competitor's radios. In fact, the provided antennas became one of the key features that prompted my choice of the WR-3 over the competition. The downside of a built-in ferrite AM antenna is that they are quite directional and may require that the entire radio be rotated for best reception of weaker AM stations depending on the direction from which the signal arrives relative to the radio. For me, this was only a problem with very weak AM stations located well beyond a reasonable listening distance. It's simply much cleaner to have the antennas built into the case than to have unsightly external antennas and their connecting wires. The telescopic FM antenna provided with the WR-3 may be extended just enough to offer good reception in metro areas and may be rotated to hide it if desired. Fully extended, the telescopic whip enabled good reception of normally weak stations well beyond their intended listening area. The FM telescopic antenna provided simply screws onto the 75-ohm type-F connector on the back panel, so a much more substantial external antenna may be used for rural area users in tough reception areas. The tuner itself is most certainly well designed and capable of good performance of weak signals with a suitable antenna. CD performance is excellent with a motorized disc transport mechanism that operates just like an automobile CD player. The WR-3 features an auxiliary audio input jack mounted where it belongs on the rear panel. I connected the auxiliary input to my Sangean WFT-1 wifi internet radio with excellent performance. The combined package is still compact and quite an entertainment package! The 1/8" (3.5mm) auxiliary jack may be driven by audio from a myriad of sources such as a multi-CD changer, portable audio player, etc. A press of a button on the included remote control selects the auxiliary input and the volume is adjusted normally with the large front-panel volume control or by the remote. Incidentally, nearly all functions and features of the WR-3 are controlled by the remote control. The radio itself has controls only for power on/off, volume and CD eject. This may be an issue with some users but appears most of the competing models are designed similarly. The thin-profile remote control included with the WR-3 is comprehensive with all control buttons intuitively layed out.

Overall, the WR-3 is a well-made, visually attractive product that features outstanding sound. It's a great option for those like me who prefer a simple self-contained audio system that compares favorably with the average component system yet doesn't take over the room. There are some very nice competing products from the likes of Bose, Polk Audio, Cambridge Soundworks, Tivoli, Yamaha, etc but the Sangean WR-3 compares very favorably yet is among the lowest priced. It includes some design elements of the best competing models the provided antennas being one most noteworthy. It will be interesting to see if Sangean offers a future version that integrates wifi internet radio reception with AM/FM & CD audio into a single unit. In my opinion, the WR-3 leads the pack where value is a fundamental criterion.

Want Sangean America WR-3 Digital AM/FM/CD/SD/USB MP3 Table Top Radio (Black) Discount?

No problem with reception or sound quality, those were excellent as other reviewer's have stated. The remote as noted by others is required to do anything at all, and if anything the flimsy feel is worse than others have stated. Worse yet is that one large volume knob in front of the unit, this thing overall is built like a tank, but that knob in front feels like it will break off very quickly.

We still would have kept it even with these flaws, but the video display went to all exclamation marks after only about a week or so of use, seems to me like it burned out because it was very bright, abnormally bright from an electronics design point of view. Something voltage or current wise is not calibrated correctly there, I suspect.

It's like, they were 88% done making a really great product, and cheapened out on the last few details, and compromised the whole thing. We sent ours back for a refund, and Amazon return policy is NOT that easy, major pain shipping back because the original box they used to ship to me fell apart.

Save 31% Off

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Canon PowerShot A1300 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 5x Digital Image Stabilized Zoom 28mm Wide-Angle

Canon PowerShot A1300 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 5x Digital Image Stabilized Zoom 28mm Wide-Angle Lens and 720p HD Video RecordingAs a full time professional photographer for 15 yrs. now retired, I was dissapointed not to find a quality pocket camera with an

optical viewfinder, until now. I consider this a critical part of any camera that is not an SLR. LCD screens should not be the only

finder on a camera. I have been using the A1300 for a few weeks now. It has performed perfectly in a great variety of situations

and lighting conditions in both auto & program modes. The viewfinder tracks with the optical 5X tele. very well. Am very serprised

at how good the 20X digital zoom & stabilization are.The LCD is bright and adjustable. In the real world of point & shoot photography, not lab tests, this ultra compact took really good photos! Very happy it uses AA cells. I use Ni.Mh rechargeables &

always have extra Alkalines along.

. Batt. life has been good. This is the easiest, most fun and now my go to camera. The A1300 is a

Very well thought out and executed point & shoot camera. Thanks Canon for making something we really need at a very

affordable price!

I purchased this camera as a replacement for my Nikon Coolpix that quit working after less than two years and probably less than five-hundred pictures. I use this camera when I am backpacking as it is very lightweight and uses standard AA batteries. My first experience was this month on a fifty mile hike of the Foothill Trail in South Carolina. There are many waterfalls and beautiful views and I wanted to take some great pictures. I was extremely happy with the results. I returned home with about sixty photos and loaded them to Picassa with the idea of editing and correcting any problems before sharing them with friends and family. None of the sixty needed any retouching. They were perfect both in exposure and color rendetion. Some of the pictures were taken at night of my campfire with the camera set on the A (automatic) position. They were great.

As usual, buying through Amazon was a perfect transaction.

Buy Canon PowerShot A1300 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 5x Digital Image Stabilized Zoom 28mm Wide-Angle Now

For background: we've had a Canon A20, with a magnificent 2 Megapixels (grin), for the last 10 years. One was stolen in airport baggage (my stupidity for packing it). I was thankfully able to buy a replacement A20 on e-Bay. So we have been quite content for about 10 years. This A20 has been bulletproof, you might say. Fast Forward to 2012. My spouse wanted a smaller, lighter camera--No problem...

...But I wanted an optical viewfinder--BIG problem; hardly anyone makes them any more. Thank you Canon, for still providing this feature.

For those of you wondering what is this -an optical viewfinder? It is simply a camera that you place up against your cheek, and perhaps use the zoom buttons, to compose the picture. This is how you used to do it with film cameras, before LCD screens were even invented. Single-Lens-Reflex (SLR) cameras, that cost vastly more, use this method, although with vastly improved optics. The alternative is to hold your (non-viewfinder) camera out at arm's length. Which results in:

-Get out your glasses, cuz you can't see enough detail on the toy screen.

-Then, when you finally see your pix, you realize that your cam is unsupported--this will cause BLUR. So you have to take another...

-Then, you hit your forehead with your fist (in anguish) as you realize that the sun is shining so strongly that you cannot see anything on the little screen at all.

Then, you retire to the bar and regret not buying a camera with an optical viewfinder. Get 'em while they last. For the price of a bottle of Champagne, you could have bought this camera. Attention: you can still use the LCD screen at arm's length on this camera if you wanna.

The other reviews are great; I wanted to call out great emphasis on the viewfinder. Sports and wildlife photographers rely on such viewfinders, since they can track, zoom, and compose a shot (in a fraction of a second) which would be impossible with an LCD display.

For those of you thinking of using a cellphone or an i-Pad for photography, fuhgettaboudit. Their pix are horribly granulated (few pixels & small sensors), and as with any handheld, the blurring is atrocious. I know; I've tried. Try not to shame yourself by sharing such pictures.

This camera is magnificent. Over the years I have done darkroom film development, printed enlargements from the negatives, carried camera bags full of changeable lenses for my SLR, had slide projectors; now this is all I need. I can't imagine spending money on a more expensive camera, unless you want to move up to a nice SLR, but that will be bulky and heavy. This cam is 6oz, versus 12.5 for my beloved old A20.

I find that most of my relatives and friends take lots of pictures (be it on a cellphone or camera) and then never DO ANYTHING with them. They are not shared with anyone, and mostly just sit on chips or CDs in drawers. So it is worthwhile to point out that this camera includes Canon's album software; the chip pops out for easy unloading (or use the cable connector)--to help us get organized.

If you would like a case for this, consider the "Lowepro Tahoe 10 Digital Camera Bag (various colors)" which is a softcase. I've done trial fits at Beste Buye and it works fine. I ended up buying the Kodak "Essentials" hard case. The Case Logic units that I tried were a tad too small.

A final word on chargers and batteries. There is no charger. This cam uses two AA batteries; if you need them they are globally available from Topeka to Taipei to Tuscany. If you buy a charger camera, consider: You have one more charger to carry. You already have phone chargers, GPS chargers, Blackberry/i-Pad/PC chargers. Some have two different cables: one 12-volt for a car, and one 120-volt for the wall. Does your cam charger work on dual-voltage 120/220? If not you will need to buy a second one (220v) at great expense for overseas travel. Not to mention another prong-converter for when you finally travel overseas. Ugh. [But do see notes on rechargeables in the Comments On This Review, below]

Shopping notes: This camera does NOT come with a memory card (but does have batteries). Amazon has a good 4GB SD card for about $6. Add it to your shopping cart. When checking out, do NOT buy either of these things with 1-Click, or you will lose free shipping. Add them to the cart, then go to checkout, then change the shipping method to "free shipping", then complete.

Please comment if you have issues and I will try to address them. Cheers y'all.

xxx ooo xxx

PS. For me the image size is important for some of my software (it probably won't matter to most people) so just be aware: The A1300 can be set to take 640x480, 1600x1200, or any of 3 even larger formats. My old A20 could take 1024x768 format, but that is not available on the A1300.

Read Best Reviews of Canon PowerShot A1300 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 5x Digital Image Stabilized Zoom 28mm Wide-Angle Here

Canon A1300 Sure Shot

Pros Has an optical viewfinder !! a must have in bright sunlight

Uses two AA batteries !! can buy at almost any store

Confortable in your hand and fits nicely in shirt pocket or purse

Takes a very good still photo

Takes a very good HD Video with good single audio (non-stereo)

Can also take a fairly good standard video with single audio good for saving SD Card space

Audio sounds fairly good when having to video in gusty wind conditions as compared to some other brand cameras

Very easy to use and easy to switch back and forth from Auto to Low Light, etc and easy to switch back and forth from flash and no flash

Video button on back is separate from the still shot button on topI like that because I take mostly videos

Very good camera for the price

Cons The videos and still photos are occasionally very blurry and non-usable as though the auto focus has failed

( I just turn the camera off and start over again (reboot) and then it is fine )

The optical viewfinder does not show the zoom in/out when videoing but the the LCD does show the zoom in/out while videoing

Does not come with an SD Card Camera does not have any internal memory so you must buy an SD card

Standard AA batteries last only about one hour when videoing I recommend using the rechargeable batteries to save money

Conclusion I like this camera and I would give this camera at least a four star if it were not for the above listed cons This camera is an

inexpensive point and shoot pocket camera and I recommend this camera.

Want Canon PowerShot A1300 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 5x Digital Image Stabilized Zoom 28mm Wide-Angle Discount?

Smal portable camera east to operate even without reading a manual if you are used to digital camera, excellet picture quality, even when in moving car the stabilty is supurb. Zoom is good except the last 6x zoom which is digital once it hits the limit of the optical zoom the digital is almost worthless. However for fast snap shots on the fly it's a nice working camera and the price is about right. This was used to replace a Pentax digital camera. The pentax would not accept the 64 gig flash disk but the A1300 does. Easy to handle comfortable to hold and like that it's not just another sqware box. Night flash works good and face detecton is nice too. would buy another one.

After haveing this camera for a short time have found that the memory card and battery has issues. Buyer beware of this issue you will try to take a picture and it dies out have tried new batteris and everything sending it to factoy for repair

Friday, May 9, 2014

REVO 16 Channel Indoor/Outdoor Video Security System with DVR, Monitor and 8 Security Cameras

REVO 16 Channel Indoor/Outdoor Video Security System with DVR, Monitor and 8 Security Camerasreally like my Revo Security system. Like that it scans and records everything going on around and inside our Home and garage.

Don't like to have to reset the cameras following a rain storm, also when it rains the color is really bad.

This was an excellent purchase. Pictures are clear, was easy to set up. I can view my whole surroundings. The only drawback is that the remote does not seem to work. I may be doing something wrong, if anyone that has this same systems can let me know how the remote is supposed to work i.e. is it supposed to shut off the monitor?

Also, how do you set up the remote excess i.e. viewing from offsight computer or smart phone?

Buy REVO 16 Channel Indoor/Outdoor Video Security System with DVR, Monitor and 8 Security Cameras Now

Stay away... Poor support and proprietary system meaning you have to use there software to view over the internet. I have this system and I hate the fact that I can't use any android app have to use there's and it's no good. There are better free one out there but they will not work with there system.

There are better and cheaper system out there. I am looking for a new unit now because my REVO will no longer work.

Read Best Reviews of REVO 16 Channel Indoor/Outdoor Video Security System with DVR, Monitor and 8 Security Cameras Here

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

VideoSecu Fake Bullet Dummy Imitation Security Camera Simulated Decoy Infrared IR LED Camera with B

VideoSecu Fake Bullet Dummy Imitation Security Camera Simulated Decoy Infrared IR LED Camera with Blinking Light WL4Modern IP/network security cameras are white, and in the case of bullet cameras, slim. Most of the fake cameras are silver, which at this point is 1980's retro and not a viable ruse for home use. This fake camera is white, slim, a modern ergo design and has realistic looking LED bulbs surrounding the lens... all tell tail signs of a real IP camera being sold today. Spend the few extra dollars and get a fake camera that actually looks like a modern IP camera, because IT geeks and well researched criminals can tell the difference!

Save 62% Off

Sunday, March 23, 2014

T-300L+DCGO: Extendable Twist and Lock Handheld Monopod for GoPro Hero Hero2 Hero 3 camera

T-300L+DCGO: Extendable Twist and Lock Handheld Monopod for GoPro Hero Hero2 Hero 3 cameraThe components are mostly plastic. As you can see from the pictures, there is not a "clip-in" / "clip-out" option. You can only "screw on" the go pro unit. Right out of the box i am able to extend and lock into place by turning the stem to the left. There are grooves in the stem to help it lock into place by rotating.

I'm not sure how well this would hold up underwater, but its not bad for the price.

With the weight of a hero on it, this thing does not stay extended anymore. At first it did stay extended, however, after maybe 10 or so use, the telescoping handle wouldn't stay extended. I made a commend to the seller, no answer. Worst way to spend $30.00+!!!

Buy T-300L+DCGO: Extendable Twist and Lock Handheld Monopod for GoPro Hero Hero2 Hero 3 camera Now

Its a good product for basic usages. Works and functions well for your normal everyday pictures or taking videos. Its lightweight and locks fairly well into place. One thing I was not anticipating was the entire handle being plastic and not real sturdy. I would recommend this handle if you are using it for simple pics or videos but if you plan on using it for shooting something where you will be moving around this might not be the choice for you.

Read Best Reviews of T-300L+DCGO: Extendable Twist and Lock Handheld Monopod for GoPro Hero Hero2 Hero 3 camera Here

Works really well! I've been following people for a skate video all week, and I love it! Well built indeed!

Want T-300L+DCGO: Extendable Twist and Lock Handheld Monopod for GoPro Hero Hero2 Hero 3 camera Discount?

Very good product for the price. will be able to use it for snorkeling or out videoing with my go pro

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Samsung DVD-HD931 HDTV Converter Progressive-Scan DVD Player

Samsung DVD-HD931 HDTV Converter Progressive-Scan DVD Player
  • Progressive-scan DVD player with DVI digital output and upconversion of DVD signals to 1080i/720p
  • Compatible with DVD, picture CD, JPEG CD, MP3, and WMA CD-R/CD-RW media
  • 480p progressive-scan video output
  • Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel digital outputs (coaxial, optical); 3-D Sound simulated surround for stereo speakers
  • Slim profile, titanium hot-stamp finish

Hopefully you're reading this review to try and find out whether the HD quality DVI output is really that good.

If you're in a hurry, I'll summarize by saying that it really is the best quality video output that you can get today from a DVD player. But it would not make sense to leave it at that, especially when the other DVD players cost at least a 100 bucks less. I for one decided to do a test. I compared this Samsung HD931 player against a Sony DVP-NS725P (in my opinion, one of the best less-expensive, non-DVI output players). I chose the Sony because it's one of the few progressive scan players that have a 12-bit 108MHz Video DAC (Digital to Analog converter) most others have a 10-bit 54MHz Video DAC. As I write this review, the Samsung cost around $229 while the Sony cost around $129.

So how did these 2 players compare? First off, I chose the best video output from each player. Obviously for the Samsung HD931, this is the DVI output (and I ran it at 720p as well as 1080i). As for the Sony NS725P, it was the component output running at 480p. Also, I tested with many DVD movies, not just one. And finally, my TV is a 50" Samsung DLP HDTV great TV, but with such large and high clarity TVs you tend to notice any artifact, noise, etc. So the input to this TV is important (that's what got me started on this quest for a good DVD player in the first place!). The bottom line is this: With most DVDs (such as 'Finding Nemo', 'Indiana Jones', etc.), I noticed a difference the Samsung HD931 produced a picture that was better than the Sony NS725P. But how much better exactly? Well, I wish I had a tool for measuring that, but I don't. So with my human perception I'd say that on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best), the Samsung HD931 scored a 9 while the Sony NS725P scored a close 8. When the DVD movie was of low quality (such as a backup of a movie), the score was even at around 7 each. In other words, there seemed to be no difference in the case of low quality DVDs (surprising, I'd have thought the Samsung would have done better here).

I don't want to make this review too big, so I'll summarize the pros and cons of this Samsung HD931 player.

Pros:

1) Definitely high quality DVI output I used the DVI cable that came with the box. No noise problems, no setup problems, nothing. You do have to remember to select 480p or 720p or 1080i. I seemed to get the best picture with 720p, but 1080i seemed almost the same really.

2) DVI cable was included I'm mentioning this again because it is a big deal, given how expensive these cables can be. However, I noticed that some boxes at Best Buy said 'DVI cable included', while some did NOT. So, do all HD931 boxes include the cable? I don't know.

Cons:

1) The price it really has to come down.

2) The remote. Others have said it too it really has very small range. If you're more than 6 feet way, you'll have problems. Also, there's only one Fast Fordward (>>) button that doubles as chapter forward as well as fast forward. If you press it once, it goes to the next chapter. If you press and hold, it'll fast forward. Same thing for Rewind (search backwards). Not a good design.

3) The blue lights Yes, that's plural. There are 2 big, annoying ones. When the unit is in standby, the round knob all the way in the left lights up. This is the smaller of the 2 lights. When you power up, the big round knob all the way to the right (jog dial) lights up. This one is more annoying since it's big and very bright. You can only make the display dim, but not either of these 2 lights.

4) Audio output not that great I hooked up the optical digital out to my Denon Receiver. The bass was sub-par. The surround sound channels seemed weaker too. When I hooked up the Sony player (NS725P) with the exact same receiver settings, the sound was awesome. Of course, the Sony player is noted for it's high quality sound output. So maybe that's more of a statement for the Sony player than for this Samsung player.

5) Lack of special features E.g. The Sony player can remember the location of the last 5 DVD movies you've played. This Samsung player didn't seem to always remember even the most recent one I was playing. Also, you cannot make any picture adjustments (noise filtering, film mode, cinema mode, etc.) All these and more were available with the Sony NS725P that cost much less.

To summarize (again) this Samsung HD931 is capable of producing one of the best quality pictures using the DVI output. But for all the lack of features described above, I would not recommend buying it. Especially if the price stays so much higher than the other players which certainly do a good job with Video as well (not as good, but close enough). I ended up returning the Samsung HD931 and keeping the Sony DVP-NS725P. I plan to buy a good quality VCR with the $100 I saved.

Buy Samsung DVD-HD931 HDTV Converter Progressive-Scan DVD Player Now

As a home theater design professional, I must share with all of you that this DVD player has reached hieghts which we have only dreamed of. First of all, you MUST use the DVI-D connection to gain all the benefits of having this payer upconvert your 480 signal to either 720p or 1080i. Each HD television is very different and odds are, if you have a tube or big screen, you will be forced to use the 1080i scaling rate. At this rate, the player does a very nice job I must say. However, for those of you who own a plasma or DMD TV, the 720P scaler is Insanely good and makes this player shine. At even $300 list, just BUY IT!

Read Best Reviews of Samsung DVD-HD931 HDTV Converter Progressive-Scan DVD Player Here

I have this DVD players married to a Samsung DLP Television connected via a DVI Cable. The picture is stunning. Re-watched the Matrix and Gladiator, saw detail that was not apparent on a normal (non-progressive) DVD player. This is the closest thing I have seen to film. When the source is purely digital such as "Finding Nemo", the picture quality is actually better then at the theatre! The only reason I don't give 5 stars is the cheap remote.

Want Samsung DVD-HD931 HDTV Converter Progressive-Scan DVD Player Discount?

I've been using the HD931 for a little over a week, connected to a 50" Samsung DLP HDTV (HLN507W outstanding TV!!). Quality of the output is excellent, both video and audio. Menus and options are pretty complete; no complaints there.

The big problem is the remote. It's bad enough that you often have to press buttons *hard* to get a response. Worse, though, is the general design and layout. For example, the same button is used to move to the next chapter (press once) and to scan forward (press and hold; after 2 sec, the player starts to go 2x, then 4x, 8x, etc., and you *try* to release when you get to the scan speed you wanted). One slip and you end up skipping to the next chapter when you only wanted to scan ahead a bit. Of course, there are buttons to skip back or ahead by 10 secs, but these are nowhere near the normal forward and back buttons! Neither is the Step button. Speaking of which, unless I've missed something, you can only step forward, not back; a limitation I would not expect from a player in this price range. And I've saved the worst for last: the Eject button (the LAST thing you want to hit inadvertently) is just above (and easily mistaken for) the "Chapter/Scan forward" button (probably the most used button during casual viewing). Can't tell you how many times I've popped the dang disk out when I just wanted to skip a bit, and had to sit through all of the FBI warnings and intro material before navigating back to where I was. The designers of this remote need to be sent back to Ergonomics 101.

All that aside, the remote is something you can learn to live with; push Play, put down the remote, and enjoy. 4 stars out of 5.

I just purchased the DVD931 about 2 weeks ago, and I must say I've been very pleased with it.

Firstly, I've read some of the negative commments regarding this player, and some points have validity. The player doees have "slow" response at times and tends to not have that "pinpoint" remote control (i.e. fast forward, slow motion, etc) that one would expect from a top-line player. The remote is rather plain, but I've programmed my T.V. remote to perform most functions. This is not a real problem, more cosmetic. Also, the system works extremely well when combined with top-line compatible equipment (i.e. LCD TV, Monster DVI cable, etc), and slightly above average with standard displays, etc.

Now for the positives: I have my 931 attached to a 50" Panasonic LCD HDTV Monitor with Monster DVI cable (standard cable goodnot GREAT) and digital optical output to a 7.1 Harman Kardon AVR525. Holy smokeI've rented DVD after DVD to test both video and audio (from Nemo to T3 to Lords to Star Wars to Fast/Furious), and the system has not faltered once. Stunningly bright, clean video signal in 1080i output (can see individual spider hairs in Arachnophobia)No breakdown in resolution or "lag" in display during high action scenes. If original film is somewhat grainy (i.e. Scarface, Godfather...), you will see subtle grain depending on how it was digitally remastered.

OverallIf you have a quality HDCP TV with DVI input, spend a little on higher quality connections and attach to a home theater systemyou will smile at the results. If you don't, you may be disappointed and frustrated with the performance at this price. Hope this is helpfulGood Viewing to All....

Saturday, February 15, 2014

SMARTY BX1500 (Plus) BX1000 (Plus) Power Cable Hard Wire for Smart Black Box Car Drive Recorder

SMARTY BX1500 BX1000 Power Cable Hard Wire for Smart Black Box Car Drive Recorder
  • SMARTY STRAIGHT POWER CABLE HARD WIRE
  • FOR BX1500 (Plus) or BX1000 (Plus)
  • STRAIGHT WIRE WITH FUSE CONNECTION
  • SMARTY OEM ACCESSORY
  • Length: approx 9 feet (274 cm)

It was a pleasure to install my BX1500 dashcam with this power cord. It is fairly heavy duty without the bulk. It literally took me 5 minutes to run this across the top of the windshield under the trim, down the driver's side windshield trim and into the fuse block area. Just had to buy an ATM minifuse adapter Amazon sells them, but it was easier to buy one at a local Auto Zone store (In fact, it was actually less expensive, even with tax) Simply used the adapter to piggy back onto the Radio Fuse in the fuse block, so the dash cam is only supplied power when the car ignition is on.

Buy SMARTY BX1500 (Plus) BX1000 (Plus) Power Cable Hard Wire for Smart Black Box Car Drive Recorder Now

Looks like a quality product. Easier to buy than make. I like it. Will probable buy another if need

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Panasonic DVD-S47S Progressive Scan DVD Player

Panasonic DVD-S47S Progressive Scan DVD Player
  • Single-disc progressive-scan DVD player; measures 16.9 x 2.1 x 9.8 inches (W x H x D)
  • Compatible with DVD-Audio, DVD-Video, DVD-RAM/R, CD, CD-R/RW, WMA, MP3, and JPEG
  • Depth Enhancer noise reduction; slim profile
  • Outputs: composite, component, S-video, and coaxial and digital audio
  • Advanced Virtual surround sound for enhanced 2-speaker sound; built-in Dolby Digital/DTS decoding

Only two years ago a player like this would cost $300. Especially with features like DVD Audio & Progressive scan. Now it sells for less than $100.00. For the price you can not beat this player. It has more features and better overall quality than most players in this price range. Believe it or not, at $100, this DVD Player is currently the PANASONIC "top of the line" single disc player. That alone says it all about how far DVD players have come!

The new Panasonic DVD S47s features Advanced Progressive Scan. With a compatible TV, this really makes the video quality much better. I really like the sleek slim profile ,and the clear display. It gives a choice of time elapsed , or time remaining. The DVD players on screen display gives all the information needed for sound and picture settings. For those who don't like letterboxing ,the Panasonic S47 has several zoom features to eliminate the black bars. It worked very well. But it is not a feature I like to use. I tested the S47 on a big screen TV. I compared it to the new $200 JVC 510 DVD player. I tried several different types of dvd movies.The Panasonic had clearly the best quality picture and best features.

The S47 had a very sharp , clear picture using the 'dynamic" picture setting. If you are the type who likes to "tweak" your picture and sound. The S-47 has many choices to choose from. There are individual picture settings for color, sharpness, gamma ,brightness and contrast,noise reduction. They all work well. Once you have the patience to see what settings work best for each DVD. There also also several automatic presets for the picture quality. The one that worked best for me is the Dynamic setting. This setting automatically gives just the right amount of boost to the brightness,contrast,& sharpness.I found that setting worked best with my 35" RCA Television using the S-VIDEO output. Some picture and sounds settings work better than the others. It really depends how you have the DVD Player connected. If you are not the type to play with the advanced features. You could just set the player to the Dynamic setting and sit back and enjoy. Based on Quality and features, this is by far the best DVD player available at this price.

In the back, the DVD-S47S has optical and coaxial digital outputs for Dolby Digital/DTS/PCM ,One set of A/V outputs (composite video, S-video, and 480i/480p component video).

The Advanced Virtual surround sound for enhanced 2-speaker sound worked well using just the televisons speakers.There are also audio remaster settings that really make audio CD's sound better.

Disk compatibility was perfect.It played DVD-Rs,-RWs,+Rs,+RWs, DVD-RAM, DVD-Audio ,CD-R/RWs. It is only one of two DVD players available that plays DVD-RAM disks. It also has the HiMat file compatibility feature, which makes reading digital photo and music files easier. The Panasonic worked fine with all of my digital image files and cd music disks. There's even a very convenient thumbnail browser for viewing JPEG images. The Panasonic DVD S 47 is totally compatible with nearly every recordable disk format and media type. If you want a high quality,low priced player that can play any type of disc.

Then the PANASONIC DVD-S47S is your best choice!

Buy Panasonic DVD-S47S Progressive Scan DVD Player Now

For under $100 you cannot beat this player. It is superior to the models available at the store for the same price such as the S27 but it also has S video and optical inputs. I tested the S25 on my Panasonic LCD TV after viewing DVDs on my non progressive scan Sony player. I saw differences in all three. The S47 had the clearest picture. You must change the setting to 480P from the defaul 480I. Also you can set the DVD to cinema mode, adjust what type of TV (LCD widescreen for example) and I got a perfect picture. Check it out.

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic DVD-S47S Progressive Scan DVD Player Here

Currently, I own a couple Sony DVD players, but I also respect the Panasonic brand a lot. I've owned a lot of electronics by Panasonic and I've been very satisfied. The reviewers that like to use scare tactics in order to get ppl away from buying Panasonic are complete idiots. The fact is, as far as DVD players are concerned Sony & Panasonic are the 2 top brands for fewest repair history according to consumer reports. Panasonic's are generally the better value cuz Sony often likes to overprice their gear. This model was even just rated the #1 overall single disc model (see Dec. 04 issue pg.25). It achieved an overall score in the "excellent" range and their top marks in tests for picture quality & ease of use. It's an incredible value and ppl looking for a quality inexpensive player should definitely consider it.

Want Panasonic DVD-S47S Progressive Scan DVD Player Discount?

I purchased the Panasonic DVD-F87 player in part because the literature said is played MP3 files. Unfortunately, the player inserted an audible blip between many of the MP3 songs, so I returned it and got the Panasonic S47 model. It had the same problem. MP3 discs that played fine on several computer drives, a Sony DVD player and a Phillips portable CD player would hiccup between songs on the Panasonic. Panasonic denied they had a problem, but one of their repair facilities told me that Panasonic's MP3 reader has a bug in their software and Panasonic has not provided a fix (as of September 2004). So, if MP3 playback is important to you, steer away from Panasonic players.

Panasonisc four about the past 3 or 4 years has lead the way in single disc dvd players the dvd-s47s is no diffrent,as always you get the best picture you can get from a dvd player,and it sounds great to.One of the best features though is how easy it is to navigate settings during movie playback or any disc playback.Look as for the reviewer who said dont buy becouse panasonic motors run out quick,if you read all my reviews you'll see ive been following Panasonic dvd for a long time some of my players are 4 years old they still work fine!As for the reviewer who talks about the angle icon always on when another audio option is available,i'd like to know what the hell he's talking about i DONT belive he does. I dont mean to be bitter about this but to give this player 1 star really dumbfounds me please dont review products if you dont understand them,sorry.