Showing posts with label electronic handheld games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label electronic handheld games. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

rooCASE Dual-View Multi Angle (Black) Folio Case Cover for Barnes Noble Nook HD 7 Tablet (Support Au

rooCASE Dual-View Multi Angle Folio Case Cover for Barnes Noble Nook HD 7 TabletWell made,great design super price. It's very sturdy and fits my Nook perfectly. Being able to prop it up in 2 positions while it stays secured makes it very functional. The description doesn't mention that it has a magnetic strip to keep it closed and it works quite well. Like bang for your buck? This is one of those times.

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Sunday, September 21, 2014

Konica Minolta Magicolor 1690MF Multifunction Color Laser Printer

Konica Minolta Magicolor 1690MF Multifunction Color Laser Printer
  • The Konica Minolta magicolor 1690MF is compact footprint of 16.0"W x 16.9"D x 17"H is perfect for desktop use and it features an easy to read display for intuitive operation.
  • The magicolor 1690MF outputs original prints at speeds up to 20 ppm B&W and 5 ppm color and accommodates a monthly duty cycle of 35,000 prints.
  • Replacing toner cartridges is simple with the full front access panel on your magicolor 1690MF.
  • Toner yields up to 2,500 pages per cartridge.
  • Copy, scan and fax multiple documents with ease using the automatic document feeder, accommodates 35 sheets of paper at a time.

On the positive side, it prints very quickly in black, a little slower in color (it's a four-pass CMYK printer, meaning it prints Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black in individual runs or passes) but the quality of the color images are fantastic and are only limited by the quality of paper used. It scans acceptably well, not spectacular, but more than well enough for my needs. Haven't tried the fax portion and don't foresee doing so.

There are only two negatives that I've found: the machine is noisy even when not in use; it has a loud cooling fan that will run for a long time (more than 20 minutes); and it's shipped with what seems like only a few drops of black toner. If you buy this printer and plan to do any amount of printing right away, you need to get more black toner, pronto. The toner cartridge that came with it lasted less than a week with moderate usage.

So far I like it and would recommend it. The printer part of it gets five stars, the scanner four stars. The other qualities--noise, set up, features--bring the overall rating to four stars.

Buy Konica Minolta Magicolor 1690MF Multifunction Color Laser Printer Now

I've had this printer for several months and would overall rate it as mediocre, but the base machine now sells for ~$250 online so you get what you pay for. Compared to prior Brother lasers, the KM is very noisy, slow, counter-intuitive to set up, crippled in a Mac OS 10.6 environment, and has largely dismal support online and by phone. So, be certain you're willing to accept these trade-offs in return for decent color prints, adequate scans, and OK faxes. Otherwise, pay a few hundred dollars more for a more user-friendly machine.

As others have noted, a set of OEM toner replacements costs more than the entire printer, so this is the Gillette model: give away the razors but make your profit on the supplies. Refilled toner cartridges are about half the cost of OEM and available online; refill kits, if you want to put up with the mess, could drop the costs further. One particularly annoying feature is that it's virtually impossible to cancel a print job using the buttons on the front. If there's a printing error in one document of twenty, the only to stop the machine from spitting out garbled pages filled with costly toner is to power it down and then hit the Cancel button repeated as it powers back up. I've called customer support from time to time and finally figured out that they do have some good reps who can be very helpful, so if you get a bozo, just politely thank him for his efforts and call back on the same number. It usually takes 4-5 calls in a row to find an experienced tech but it's worth the effort: they will know the limitations of the machine, which helps you avoid trying to find a workaround for inherent problems in the hardware or software.

As a color laser printer alone, I would rate the quality of the images as good. I run a small business and print 80% B&W and 20% color so this machine is adequate for my needs. In fact, I used the driver features to set up different virtual printers [B&W draft quality, color draft quality, B&W hi res, color hi res] and find that for most tasks the draft quality is indistinguishable visually from the hi res setting. I presume this is saving significant toner costs, as it did on my Brother machines, but it's possible that the reason is that this software feature doesn't do much. You probably would want to use hi res for photo images.

I've read the user manual ten times and it is really marginal: sometimes confusing, lacking in depth, and almost useless in trouble shooting. Combined with the poor customer support, this means you are pretty much on your own in figuring how to set up this machine. Fortunately, my Mac OS 10.6 software had no trouble recognizing this printer via USB connection, and then my Time Machine network recognized it too. I also figured out how to have Windows XP in a virtual environment recognize the print function if I hook it up to a USB port on my MacBook Pro. I gave up on net printing after wasting a few hours although I have implemented this on other printers without such hassles.

As a Mac user, the greatest drawback is that despite over a year of misleading sales as a "Mac Compatible" system, KM has still not released scan or fax drivers for OS 10.6. In other words, this printer is only compatible with outdated Mac OS: none of the other "multifunction" features work with Snow Leopard. I did finally figure out how to save manual scans to a USB stick using the port on the front of the machine, but after two scans is saves them skewed about 30 degrees. I'm assuming this is a hardware defect but the quality of the scans is low enough I will probably use my trusty Brother machine for scanning and faxing.

I did install the duplex adapter that also required adding a large capacity paper tray. It seems to work but the large capacity tray makes the scanner bed so high up I had to move it off of my desk to a lower table nearby. Paper handling features are rudimentary: it will not accept 8.5 x 14 or sizes smaller than a personal envelope. So, I use my trusty Brother to print deposit slips and scan or print legal-sized documents.

In summary, the KM 1690MF is the least expensive color laser printer available because it has a number of limitations. But, if you are on a tight budget and don't print many pages per month, it could fill the bill if you use Windows or an outmoded Mac OS.

Read Best Reviews of Konica Minolta Magicolor 1690MF Multifunction Color Laser Printer Here

We use this printer in our little design office, to supplement the ultra-high-quality (and ultra slow and expensive) prints from our ink-jet printer. I bought this printer to offer speed and economy for daily printing. The prints are surprisingly good, and fast enough to be a welcome relief from that ink-jet printer!

There is a bit of fan noise at times, and scanning over the network can be a little slow at the higher resolutions. But overall we are extremely happy with the printer. We've been cranking out full color prints of renderings and drawings, and there are no signs that we are running out of toner. We still don't use if for our final, photographic-quality high-gloss presentations, but we use if for all our daily stuff and interim client reviews.

Want Konica Minolta Magicolor 1690MF Multifunction Color Laser Printer Discount?

I bought this printer after much searching of all the brand names I could find. In total blind faith, I decided on this one. It seemed to have the least service problems opposed to the best features. As laser printers were never meant to produce quality photos, this printer does quite nicely for occasional medium grade photos and oustanding for my original purpose...color printed illustrations and reams of notes for my anatomy and microbiology classes.I am deeply satisfied with this printer for this purpose.

As for problems, the first page I tried to print, the paper jammed, my fault for not putting in the paper right (I was in a hurry). Also, the fuser is faulty (and they are sending me a new one at no charge) leaving a mark across two lines on the paper. It doesn't affect my notes and color diagram, but still, it's new and shouldn't do that.

I have had no other problems and Minolta is being wonderful about all my idiots issues. They were endlessly patient when, after two months and 764 pages later, I had to replace the sample toners. They lasted much longer than they were supposed to, but I set my dpi settings at 600 x 600. I still had very good quality results at that setting.They worked with me for over an hour, walking me through the installation.

All in all, I would definitely buy this product again and will endlessly recommend it to all my friends!

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Overall really nice laser printer for the price and functionality. The only one out there that I can see. However if you own a Mac which is a lot of us... there is only USB scanning using Image Capture, meaning no network scanning like there is from the PC driver.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Brother P-Touch PT-18R Rechargeable Labeling System

Brother P-Touch PT-18R Rechargeable Labeling System
  • Rechargeable desktop labeler with handheld convenience
  • Remove from cradle for on-site labeling
  • Connects to PC for special labeling products
  • Graphical, 15-character by 2-line LCD display
  • Easy one-key access for templates and symbols

I've owned a Brother PConly labeler for a few years now, but I ended up not using it much after the initial play period. The problem is, if you have to sit down and fire up your PC and the software (no matter how intuitive and sexy), it's just easier to use a pen, or nothing at all for that matter! After I read that David Allen, the author of Getting Things Done, concurred, I looked again for a more "ready when you are" tool. I highly recommend that you check out Brother's website; they have a nifty comparison feature that you can customize per model and feature and produce a PDF at the end great for your final decision process. For me, size and an auto cutter were the main features I was looking for, and that eventually lead me to this device, the little-reviewed 18R.

This particular unit is 2-3 times smaller in volume than all its brothers (non-intended pun here), thanks to its rechargeable battery. I was resisting this rechargeable business at first, because it implies frequent use (like a cell phone or laptop), but I warmed up to it. The price difference isn't that great (~$20 compared to a slightly lesser unit, the price of 8 good rechargeable AAs actually), plus it turned out that the little beast can go up to six months of occasional use without recharging, which is very impressive in my book. The NiMh cell is custom and labeled "Brother 18R"; hopefully there will be replacements in a couple of years when it finally gives out. I especially like the fact that this unit stores extremely well in addition to it being small: unlike the desktop models which sit flat on your desk and awkwardly occupy a lot of space no matter where you place them, this one actually goes into your library like a book, or upright into a corner of your desk drawer or file folder.

The auto cutter lives up to its name, so much better than manual. It cuts off the tape lead so you don't have to keep scissors around (you may find that funny, but re-cutting labels was standard procedure with my other labeler!). My favorite is the "chain mode". Here, you essentially delay your latest print in favor of a more efficient use of tape material. For example, if you enter "January", "February" and "March" and hit Print every time, the "March" label remains in the unit until you print something else or change your mind and hit the "scissors" button. This should address most people's issues with the wasted tape; it's as good as it gets with this system.

The device is very easy to use: while you type your text, it tells you how long your label is going to be. If you select borders, etc. the graphical display shows you the styles, and if you desire you can hit the preview button to get a WYSIWYG representation before printing. There are also a few "layouts" available, for example fixed-length (for your file folders), or two-line printing with different font sizes on each line (I find these particularly useful to label my Nalgene bottles with the content plus my name underneath). Unfortunately, the chain print mode (see above) doesn't work with those handy layouts; it always cuts off about 1/2" of empty tape. But I can live with it.

My minor gripe with this device is the low-contrast, non-backlit display (hey, since I'm running on rechargeables, I could justify the energy needs of a backlight). Also, the latch that closes the cassette department doesn't seem solid to me: a tiny plastic thing, similar to the one that broke on my other labeler. While I'm whining, I'd also like 360 dpi resolution for that really industrial look, but those printers are currently much more expensive (or PConly, which to me is now useless).

Still, this is the most useful, featurerich, and compact labeler that I've ever used, so 4 stars are deserved. Hope it helped in your quest to label those sock drawers :)

Buy Brother P-Touch PT-18R Rechargeable Labeling System Now

This unit is great! It's small, rechargeable, connects to the computer, has many useful formatting modes when you are using it away from the computer, and has an auto-cut function. It also has a chain printing mode that wastes very little tape. This mode selection is remembered until you change it again, no fiddling with settings each time.

The only (minor) complaint is that the charging dock does not have a USB port, so you have to manually plug it into your computer when you set it on the charger. And it's a little pricey, but if you use any P-Touch unit more than occasionally, then the cost of the tape will quickly overwhelm the differences in price between this unit and less expensive ones. And this one is nicer.

Read Best Reviews of Brother P-Touch PT-18R Rechargeable Labeling System Here

This system fits nicely in the hands. It holds a charge a long time. I owned another brother product. The batteries did not last long. I purchased the AC adapter which was about the same price as the Labeler. Then I was limited by the cord

This cord-free version with long battery life is great. And means that I can take the labeler to whereever the project is. It automatically cuts so there is an even border on each side of the label. I purchased this because it has the ability to connect to a PC via USB port, though I have not used that feature yet.

It seemed like I went through the tape that came with the system quickly. It may have been shorter (like a sample) I am on my second cartridge and it seems to be lasting a long time.

My only comment is that I think the borders on each side are long--forcing you to use more tape than necessary. But this seems to be how they all work, so I still rate it 5 stars.

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I'm a long time user of the P-Touch system. My first was the PT310, which worked great. But with 6 AA batteries, as most of the other units have, it was a bit heavy. This unit is lighter, but not by much. The battery weighs a bit, but they didn't cheap out and use NiCad, they made it a mercury-free Ni-MH. That's much much much better, both from an environmental perspective and usability (no memory effects, partial charges ok, and much longer life cycle) thanks Brother!

The unit has an excellent feel in the hands and great QWERTY layout and other button layout you couldn't improve on that very much. As far as features, pretty excellent, and certainly more than i'll ever need if you include the PC-based part. So my concerns are somewhat minor this unit is great but here goes:

1) Brother absolutely should have designed the charger to work on the USB port. You cant charge as quickly, but that gives you a far better place to park the unit, and at least gives you the option to be un-tethered from yet another AC outlet.

2) when you print each label, even with the feed options minimized, there is about an ince of lost tape with each label. I can be less in the chain setting, so there is a workaround. I thijnk that they've found a way to minimize it in this unit,but they could do better. Overall, it is still better handled than my earlier unit.

3) Brother really should improve the resolution of both the print and the screen. That would not be hard, and an otherwise excellent product could be even better.

4) the number of symbols inherent in the unit is far less than my earlier model. Yes, you can import images from your pc, but most folks are like me we will generally just use whats in the unit. Please add more images Brother! My last unit had a movie icon, great for labeling DVD's at a rental and now i can no longer match my older labels since they dropped that and a number of fairly obvious user friendly labels.

5) Great to have 4 fonts in the unit six would've been better esp on a $120 unit like this.

6) Brother should have done a better design job with the charging base. It certainly should be more compact taller if needed, but the flared edges just take up too much space my desk/office space is precious and they could still make a good looking base (which could charge from either PC/USB or AC) which has a smaller footprint.

7) Small issue the blue font special characters above the keyboard are hard to see and too small so for example, its hard to find the comma "," in low light situations. Those characters should be darker/more prominent.

Otherwise, i'm very happy with this unit. Hope to have it for years to come.

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This is my first labeler.

I kept seeing them in places like Home Depot and Staples, but I know retailers want to sell me what's most profitable for them rather than what I need.

So I went to the Brother website where they have an interview process telling you what to buy based on your anticipated usage. The PT-18R came up on top.

I was excited about this because I'm all for recharging rather than using and replacing batteries. I liked the option to plug in to an socket for straight electricity too. The length of the power cord is long enough so I don't feel restricted. I use a Mac, so the interface with a PC was meaningless to me and I won't ever use it.

When I first opened the box and followed the setup instructions, I noticed the battery is not Lithium-ion(Lion) but Nickel Metal Hydride(NiMH). Lion is state of the art and is unhampered by battery memory problems, so you can run it down and recharge at will. NiMH is last generation battery technology and while robust in terms of holding a charge, a NiMH battery will wear out sooner and may or may not have memory problems. Lion is more expensive than NiMH.

The book says to be prepared to replace the NiMH battery when it won't hold a charge anymore, or about a year. It also says the battery will lose it's charge if the labeler doesn't live in the recharger. So I'm prepared to buy a new battery from time to time, but nowhere on the Brother website is a referral to a retail outlet where a replacement battery may be purchased. And when I Googled PT-18R Battery, nothing came up . My hope is the battery is generic and someplace like Radio Shack will help me later on, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Wish me luck.

The interface works, but is clunky. Remember when the OS on a PC was MS-DOS? That's what this is like. After I got the hang of the file hierarchy with the operating manual at close hand, things became intuitive and I was able to edit and print labels in a smooth work flow.

I'm impressed with the variety of formats this labeler will render and I admit I'll never use them all. The PT-18R will do everything you want at home, and most everything around a business on up to barcodes, etc. I read in a previous review here someone was critical of the amount of tape used per label. This is easily adjusted in the setup menu before a specific labeling task. The operating manuel is complete, easy to understand, and covers everything about getting the most out of the machine. Use it.

The print quality is superb. The adhesive available on the tapes you can buy come in regular and extra strength, or two times the regular. I find if you're going to label anything other than file folders or paper based surfaces indoors, get the extra strength. Be prepared to get a head cleaning tape, especially if you use the extra strength tape a lot. The selection of tapes is the greatest in the 1/2 in. variety, so I recommend you start there and branch out into the other widths as the need arises.

TIP: It comes with a sample cartridge. Use it to experiment with what you're going to label before you go to the real tape you're going to use for the final application...cuts down on waste.

Also, DO NOT BUY TAPES IN A RETAIL STORE. Buy them either here at Amazon or online at any of the several P-Touch label vendors for half of what you'd pay at, say, Staples. Tapes are expensive and that's how Brother makes their money, not on the cost of the labeler itself.

At what I paid here at Amazon with free shipping, I got the street price going rate. So far I'd say PT-18R is worth the extra money over the cheaper models because it does exactly what I want it to do in the manner in which I want to do it. This represents value to me, but might not to you. Your call.

The PT-18R is an interesting mix of serious capability, especially to those of you who want to interface with a PC, and dated technology. There's no doubt it will be discontinued within two years (go to the Brother website and look at the long list of discontinued models) and replaced by units using Lion power. But I don't care. By then I will have labeled everything in sight. Get one.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

LG_VX8700 with 2.0 Megapixel- Camera, - Bluetooth Capable - 1XEVDO CDMA 2000 for Verizon Network (No

LG_VX8700 with 2.0 Megapixel- Camera, - Bluetooth Capable - 1XEVDO CDMA 2000 for Verizon Network
  • Add to your Verizon Contract or A P E X GLOBAL WIRELESS Americas Choice 3G Monthly Plan Account
  • Top Quality Cell Phone Satisfaction 100% Guaranted
  • # Sleek, slim clamshell design with a brushed metal finish # Integrated 2.0-megapixel camera and camcorder able to capture video clips or still pictures at camera resolutions up to 1600 x 1200 px, with options including Night Mode, Self Timer, White Balance, Shutter Sound, and Photometry and color effects such as Sepia, Black & White, Normal, Negative and Aqua
  • # WAP 2.0 compliant browser with EV-DO for high-speed data transmission including VCAST video and music on-demand # Bluetooth Profiles Supported are: headset, hands-free, dial-up networking, serial port, advanced audio distribution (Stereo headset support), file transfer, audio/video remote control, object push profiles for vCard & vCal, Phone Book Access, Basic Printing, and Basic Imaging. (It does not support ALL Bluetooth OBEX profiles)
  • # Expandable microSD memory port (capable of reading up to 2 GB) # Optional Location Based Services such as VZ Navigator, Chaperone Child & Chaperone Parent

i ordered this as a replacement phone. I have the same kind and wanted one that didn't have issues. But what i got was one with more problems. Not happy and was lead to think it worked.

Buy LG_VX8700 with 2.0 Megapixel- Camera, - Bluetooth Capable - 1XEVDO CDMA 2000 for Verizon Network (No Now

I ordered this phone from Amazon to replace an old flip phone that broke. Great sleek design and nice interface. Only downsides so far are that it only saves 50 text messages in your inbox at a time without an sd card, and that Verizon has tried to charge me for using Backup Assistant. The phone, however, is a solid basic phone, no frills.

Read Best Reviews of LG_VX8700 with 2.0 Megapixel- Camera, - Bluetooth Capable - 1XEVDO CDMA 2000 for Verizon Network (No Here

The first phone I received had a problem in that I could hear whoever I was calling, but they couldn't hear me. So I contacted the vendor and he sent another unit right out which works well enough. I say well enough because, through no fault of the vendor, Verizon changed its Get It Now feature in March 2011 and as a result, I can neither purchase new ringtones nor get the Backup Assistant for my phone.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Stylus for HP iPAQ 200/210/211/212/214 Series

Stylus for HP iPAQ 200/210/211/212/214 SeriesThe original stylus broke apart at the top where the metal shaft meets the plastic. I ordered this replacement and it also broke soon after I began using it. Perhaps I'm too heavy-handed? The problem seems to be the weakness of the plastic piece. I then used a small drill bit and reamed out the plastic in the metal shaft and drilled a small hole in the plastic top. I measured and cut a short straight piece out of a metal clothes hanger and glued it into the shaft and top piece. This fix is working well.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

rooCase Apple MacBook Pro MB990LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop Carrying Case - Black Deluxe Bag

rooCase Apple MacBook Pro MB990LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop Carrying Case - Black Deluxe BagRooCases are an excellent value, they are well made and have lots of features (pockets/strap/design/etc). I have recommended them to all my friends.

I purchased this bag on ebay from eBags' store for ~$26.50 including free shipping.

This is a GREAT baghigh quality nylon, well put together and very light. It holds a 13" macbook pro snuggly, will hold standard sized paper, and is rigid enough to protect both. I can't believe this bag is as inexpensive as it is, and it comes with a lifetime warranty!

The only thing I could want would be a little bit more space inside to hold more stuffbut of course it would be heavier then. Overall an amazing bag. The next nicest bag would be a Tumi that I was eyeing for $175. :)

Edit: after using this bag for a few weeks, the only complaint that I now have is that the adjustable shoulder strap, which is easy to adjust, also easily unadjusts on its own. Every few days, I have to re-tighten the strap to my desired length. Still very satisfied with this bag overall.

Edit #2: the strap on this bag is awful. Frays and basically falls apart after a few weeks-months of use. Luckily the item comes with a limited lifetime warranty. I emailed them and they had a replacement strap to me in no time. However, replacement strap also of same poor quality. I ended up replacing it with a strap from another messenger bag. Strap aside though, the build quality of this bag continues to be very good.

Buy rooCase Apple MacBook Pro MB990LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop Carrying Case - Black Deluxe Bag Now

The bag is compact with enough padding to protect the macbook. However, the long handles reduces the elegant look.

Read Best Reviews of rooCase Apple MacBook Pro MB990LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop Carrying Case - Black Deluxe Bag Here

This case is really nice. It fits my 13.3" hp laptop perfectly and has plenty of padding. I am able to fit the charger in the front pouch along with my wireless mouse without it getting too bulky. Overall this case is lightweight and roomy while keeping the entire package nice and small...exactly what I wanted.

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This is a great carrying case. Not as cool as the 11" version wtih orange accent and ipod pocket but a very nice case.

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Thursday, May 8, 2014

HP ScanJet C9861A XPA PS/2 Scanner Transparency Adapter for 4400 / 5400 series scanners

HP ScanJet C9861A XPA PS/2 Scanner Transparency Adapter for 4400 / 5400 series scanners
  • The HP ScanJet transparency adapter works with the 4400 and 5400 series scanners to create electronic files from transparent originals such as 35mm slides and negatives.
  • Connects to back of scanner

Amazon asked me to review this even though I doubt anyone will read it since the item is made for products that became extinct back in the Jurassic era slides and photo negatives. This was for my 12-year-old scanner. I have a new scanner (which is also a fax, printer, copier) and they don't even make an adapter for slides and negatives, so I was pleased when I found a replacement for my broken Scanner Transparency Adapter. Turns out it wasn't broken, I was just using it wrong, although not in a way that is documented, so now I have two. At fifteen bucks I wasn't going to waste time and postage returning it and the 3rd party did such a good job of sending it, I would have felt bad taking advantage of the 30-day return policy since it was my error. Anyway this is the way to go if you have old slides or negatives and want to digitize them.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Acase Capacitive Stylus Pen Combo (Twist Style) for Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy, Blackberry Playbook

Acase Capacitive Stylus Pen Combo for Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy, Blackberry Playbook
  • Works on any capacitive touch screen
  • Built in pen allows for easy paper note taking
  • Twist style convenience
  • Great for the times you can't or don't want to use your fingers
  • Avaliable in Black and White

I know there are many who completely dismiss the use of a stylus and will only use a finger to manipulate a device, but I enjoy the option. I've got large hands and while the iPad has a large enough screen to be useful, touch typing on a smartphone is not always easy. Even on an iPad, when more accuracy is needed, a stylus works better for me. I'm also afraid I have not completely given up on paper-based forms and documents and always need to have a pen handy. I looked for a stylus that combined a capacitive rubber tip (the foam types such as Pogo just don't feel right to me) with a ballpoint pen. The Kensington comes close, as does the other Acase combo, but both suffer from a pen-cap that, once removed for writing, won't fit over the other end for temporarily storage. I can't just ditch the cap either, since the clip is attached to it and without the clip it won't stay in place in my pocket, not to mention that the pen would be exposed and subject to marking anything it came in contact with.

This Acase twist-style combo stulus/pen seems to have gotten it right. It uses a "Cross" type mechanism to expose the pen, with the capacitive-rubber end always exposed and accessible. The pen refills are Cross-type also, so quality refills are readily available, although the one that came pre-installed has worked well. The stylus works just fine. I find it a lot more accurate than my finger. Time will tell how durable the rubber tip is, but it seems ok so far. Using it as a pen also works well. It is heavy enough and long enough to feel like a normal pen. The only drawback I would have is that the Acase logo is a little too prominently plastered on the side of the pen. I would prefer a plain barrel and not have to always advertise for a company, but that's just me.

Buy Acase Capacitive Stylus Pen Combo (Twist Style) for Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy, Blackberry Playbook Now

We decided to try out 5 stylus in the office and between us, all 4 preferred this one over all of the rest. It has the best contact response with the screen ie. you can lightly "drag" it across the screen and it will mark on the iPad. With all of the others, you had to "press" to get a mark. Not having to press GREATLY reduces hand stress and fatigue. It's also very handy having a real pen on hand as well.

We do wish that it had a Tether. That would make for the perfect option.

These are the other ones that we tested:

rooCASE Capacitive Stylus for Apple iPad (Red)

Kensington 2nd Generation Apple iPad 1 and 2 / iPhone / iPod / Motorola Xoom Tablet / Galaxy / Blackberry Playbook Virtuoso Touch Screen Stylus and Pen (Black) Newest Model

TouchTec® II Capacitive iPad Stylus and Ball Point Pen for Apple iPad 2, iPhone 4 and Droid Phones 7mm (Black)

AYL (TM) Newest Generation Slim Capacitive iPad Stylus with 1 YR Warranty (Metallic Silver)

Read Best Reviews of Acase Capacitive Stylus Pen Combo (Twist Style) for Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy, Blackberry Playbook Here

Both the capacitive tip and the pen work flawlessly. The pen is very high quality. It never blotches at the tip like some cheap ballpoints do and so far has not leaked.

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It works as advertised. I wish the technology would advance so there could be thinner "nibs" for finer writing & drawing. The response on the tablet requires slower than normal movement. Maybe that's the tablet's fault??? I just got a stylus from Stylus-R-Us which cost $25. It has better response but still, the line is not as fine as I would like.

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I should have looked at the product better, I was expecting a twist at the bottom to produce either a pen or stylus. In reality the stylus is on the other end it is far from a fine point. Will be looking elsewhere for a capacitive stylus with a fine tip.

~Jeff Hoogland

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Le Pan II 9.7" 8 GB Tablet with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich

Le Pan II 9.7' 8 GB Tablet with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich
  • Android 4.04 Ice Cream Sandwich with 1.2 GHz dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor
  • 9.7 inch HD LED touchscreen display
  • 8 GB (expandable up to 32 GB)
  • Front-facing camera with microphone
  • Wifi 802.11 b/g/n,1 Year Parts and labor warranty

UPDATE 26 NOV 2012: Please note that the following review was for the Le Pan I and NOT the Le Pan II. Due to circumstances not under my control this review may actually appear under the latest Le Pan II which appears to be a good upgrade but I've never used it I am still happily using the first version tablet (Le Pan I) acquired in June, 2011 (so durability is good).

IMPORTANT UPDATE 11/30/2011: Please read B. Brinton's Amazon review (can't give the URL but it's one of the two star reviews here) regarding inability to update to new operating system. I stand by my original review as to the quality of the tablet, but recommend that you check out Brinton's review before actually buying.

Before I even start, I absolutely LOVE my Le Pan tablet. It's a blast to use, has a lot of upside for the things I want to do with it, and has a definite "wow" factor with bystanders. Typical quotes are, "wow," and "I want one" and "that is so cool!" This could be said about a lot of the better tablets (e.g., iPad) that have nice, high def, shiny screens showing video, but I appreciated the coveting looks (and I let people play with it extensively and had trouble getting it back a couple times).

I have never used a tablet (well, 10 minutes goofing with an iPad in the Apple Store a year ago) and have never used anything with the Android operating system.

A lot of my "cons" are probably pertinent to a lot of similar pieces of hardware, as well as shortcomings of the Android OS as it is currently implemented, rather than unique to the Le Pan.

I would NOT recommend this for someone looking for a turnkey, works perfectly out of the box solution. You will need either some experience, or a strong nerd compulsion (or a little of both). You'll have to overcome quirks of the hardware and software.

First, the "bad."

The power button sucks. After four days I STILL fumble with that sucker.

The fingerprints on the screen drive me nuts. I think it's worse in a tablet with a large screen than on an Android or Iphone with smaller screens. I'm already carrying around a microfiber cleaning cloth. A definite hazard of this entire class of machine. You might want to invest in some wet-dry LCD screen wipes for when you want to get it in pristine condition before you show off in front of the boss (e.g., Audiovox Surface SURF402 Wet/Dry Screen Wipes). Think of it as detailing your tablet.

Saying the speakers are "tinny" might be generous and there is absolutely no recognizable bass component. I'm ready to get a bluetooth headphone for this immediately.

Can't run Hulu to watch TV (yet) the hardware is probably perfectly capable, but Hulu sees "Android mobile device" and just serves up an annoying message. However YouTube (included app) looks and works better than I have ever seen it.

It's heavier than I thought, but not that bad. It's about the same weight as an iPad. I found that holding it in one hand I would cramp up after a couple of minutes. It is light enough to cradle, and propping it up on an ample paunch while in bed was ok. Sitting down with tablet on lap, no problem.

Next, the "weird."

The onboard camera only shoots pictures in a mirror mode (i.e., titles of books are reversed like in a mirror). In using Skype I found that for this version of Android, video calling is not supported. Otherwise, Skype works quite nicely on this platform.

In certain network environments (I'm on a University network half the time) you can easily purchase apps via the included Android Market, but downloading wouldn't commence probably some security feature of our network. Using my home wifi connection (DSL via AT&T) I had no problems downloading and installing Skype and some other navigation based stuff.

The included browser can't handle Ebsco databases (if that means anything to you). The browser handles most websites well, and the large screen means you don't need to access the specially configured mobile sites, which are still a lot cleaner. I ran this on our library catalog and most of our databases with no problem, but the Ebsco ones didn't allow any search entry. Weird. (NOTE ADDED June 2, 2011: Just installed the Opera Mobile Web Browser ver. 11 from the Apps for Android store on Amazon and the Ebsco databases work just fine).

Finally, the "good."

The screen is awesome (except in daylight where it is useless). Use this indoors, not at the beach.

The response time is lightning fast. Apps come up fast and operate fast. Scrolling, screen switching, etc. is ultra-smooth.

In the right network environment, getting, installing, and using apps is trivial.

The integration with web based Google apps is seamless. I didn't even notice my calendar and contacts were downloaded and synchronized (and continue to be synchronized). A very cool thing I discovered this morning was that when I was out of wifi range (on my bus and train commute) I could still do my Gmail offline. The Gmail app downloads and caches your email so you can use it offline, including replying to messages. The next time you get a wifi connection, synchronization will send all pending messages, and download new ones this was all done while sitting in my backback.

The GPS is useful, but not yet a substitute for a good stand-alone unit (I'm a TomTom user). But the connection to Google Maps is very cool. You have to wrestle to find it, but once you get into street view, it's obvious that high def simulated 3d is designed for tablets with big shiny screens. I'm still struggling with the interface (I think the GPS keeps wanting to tether me to Missouri), but I've taken friends to Florence and Rome on this tablet, and the fast and seamless "look around" on a tablet is very, very, nice.

Photos and video on this screen are gorgeous, without question. I haven't read anything yet that contests that I vouch for the visual impressiveness as well. Again, the screen WILL get covered in finger smudges, and if you're in any kind of daylight you're out of luck seeing anything.

So, take this review in stride. Think of my comments as caveats and warnings, and whether or not they're deal breakers is up to you and what you need. I'm not sure there is any tablet that can satisfy all the myriad details wanted by end users. I give this four stars for being an impressive work with some upside potential with upgrades (video calling with Skype, Hulu compatibility). Read the specs and decide if things like not having video output is important, or not.

ADDED June 2, 2011: To watch movies you might have to convert them to an appropriate format (and/or download some other video software). I've been able to take video and using VLC (free and available on PCs and Macs) and convert to MP4 format then view with no problem. Also, because of movie sizes, you're likely going to need to buy a bigger micro SD chip (or two). I have some DVDs from Orlando (wife and kids swimming with the dolphins) and was able to extract the unprotected "VOB" files. I converted to a couple of formats but the MP4 format seemed to universally work. Again, this is one of those areas you need a bit of a nerd compulsion to work out.

Regarding using wet/dry pads to clean the screen. Almost all of the standard pads should work fine, but in most cases you're going to waste a lot of pad. I've taken to opening the pouches and cutting the wet AND dry pads in half. Then I stuff them back in the pouches and fold it over to preserve the dampness. You can probably clean the screen 3 to 4 times with one set of pads (experiment on your own).

UPDATE AFTER SIX WEEKS (added July 15, 2011): I'm hooked. Durable, dependable, and now I've modded it with all sorts of useful and fun apps (hint: Amazon apps store gives a free app a day SUCH A DEAL!!!). I've been using for six weeks without a hitch and this has become my "go to" device for browsing the net and wasting time (playing games). Power button still sucks, but I've gotten used to the fingerprints.

UPDATE AFTER SEVEN MONTHS (added January 11, 2012): Le Pan has now come out with a successor, the Le Pan II, so this will be my final update. I received my Le Pan in early June, 2011. As of this date my TC970 is still running strong with no quirks or hardware faults whatsoever. Anecdote is not evidence, but my personal experience continues to be positive with this tablet. I even loaned it to my son for a couple of weeks as he took it to Budapest, Prague, and Vienna. Toting it around Europe in a backpack for two weeks, and it's back home, still humming along perfectly. This is still one fine machine.

Buy Le Pan II 9.7" 8 GB Tablet with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich Now



Update 4 August: ICS has been released and it is working very well. Flash support on chrome is giving me some trouble, but Dolphin browser still has it working fine. ICS is nice and runs a bit smoother. I cannot get the HDMI mirroring to work (and now have the official Le Pan cable for it) so if that is important wait on the upgrade. I am really enjoying ICS far more than I thought I would. I remade the attached video in a streamlined format with ICS and it is on youtube, just search "le pan ice cream sandwich" and I think it comes up. Since I think they still ship with Honeycomb I am leaving the old video up for now.

Update 23 May: I am still very pleased with my tablet. I have had almost no problems, and the few I have had were fixed with a reset. I leave my tablet on all the time. All the time. The total time it has spent physically off since I got in Jan is less than 3 days. I still have good battery life and things are great. Quick note since this generation of tablets is being replaced by newer models(transformer prime, Ipad 3, etc). You can now find comparable tablets with good options in the ballpark of this price. Part of my emphatic nature of recommending this tablet originally was that all comparable tablets at the time were $400 or more. Le Pan II is still certainly a contender. One advantage this tablet still has is being nearly the only Android tablet of 4:3 ratio. I find that very comfortable for web browsing. If that is not a big deal you could probably get a Xoom or some such that is comparable and possibly better depending on the price, though most are refurbs versus Le Pan being for a new unit. I still recommend this tablet, but the progression of technology marches on. Also if you have a Roku and get an android device check out Gregg Reno's apps for Roku; Juice for Roku is the app I use second most. It is only beaten out by the browser on my tablet. I have a surround sound system and now my tablet is graphical radio control; it is awesome for anyone with a lot of mp3s.

Video:

In my video I show basic functions, google applications, amazon applications, built in camera, music and video demos. Much of the bullet list of pros and cons are still best seen in the review below. It ran kind of long, so I cut it back for amazon's requirements. Sorry again for the length of it and my written review, but there is so much to say about this tablet. I very much hope it helps people make informed decisions.

**Also the tablet accesses Google Play (my video was before the switch when it was Android Market, but it still allows access to all the Google apps and markets).

Original review:

Let me start by saying that I purchased the TC970 (previous model) back in October, and after 2 months was excited about the Le Pan II. I have had the Le Pan II for a few hours and am really enjoying it already. Originally I was wary about the unknown company, but took a chance. It was the best move I have ever made since I got a reliable Ipad quality device at a fraction of the price. I shall comment more on that in the company section.

Basics:

**Pros:

It has a nice professional build and feels solid, no cheap plastic feel here. All quality.

Fast processor, boots in about 30 seconds, quick start on apps, and can run many with no problems.

It has a 4:3 aspect ratio like the Ipad, which I find more comfortable for web browsing than the 16:9 tablets.

Fully functioning android market.

Youtube app works great.

Syncs with Gmail just fine.

Beautiful high definition screen.

Full Flash support.

Sensitive screen with good response on keyboard, I can type about 30 words per minute on the tablet (~90 on a real keyboard) and it keeps up just fine (my speed is going up as I get used to the onscreen keyboard).

No problems with Wifi, good signal.

Good accelerometer, can use it to play games easily and works well with google sky map.

Decent microphone with wide pick up (I use a frequency analyzing program).

**Cons:

Proprietary 30 pin connector, but it comes with a USB connection and charger (so only kind of annoying).

No USB ports, do not get keyboards that connect through USB (it does support Bluetooth so you can get accessories, but only with Bluetooth).

No rear camera (no big deal to me, I have a digital camera anyway), and front facing camera is only 2MP.

**Notes:

The speakers are above average for portable devices (almost no portable devices have good speakers since good bass usually needs larger speakers). These are pretty good overall, but for audio excellence in any portable device you need a good pair of headphones.

I have not tried to connect this tablet to my TV with HDMI, I still need to get the adapter, but will update after I try. It does not come with the connector initially (at this time anyway).

I expect it will function similar to the TC970, so the battery life should hold for about 7 hours even with constant video use. I almost never turned my old one off, just sleep mode. It can run for days easily in sleep mode. With intermittent use I would only charge every 3 days or so and expect the Le Pan II to perform about the same.

Cases: I use an off-brand case designed for the HP touchpad (HHI HP TouchPad Folio Flip Case with Muti-Function Stand Purple (Package include a HandHelditems Sketch Stylus Pen)), and it works well. I had to cut it a little to use the camera and access volume, and I have to remove it from the case to charge it. However, I got the Targus Truss Case/Stand for HP TouchPad THZ07202US (Black/Gray) for my mother and this will fit the Le Pan II (identical size to the TC970) perfectly and allow easy access to all ports. In general you can use any case designed for Ipad or Touchpad, but may need to cut a little free for all the ports to be open.

Interface:

**Pros:

Latest OS (honeycomb with possible upgrade to ICS)

Runs all online video well. My main problem with the last version was that I could not watch amazon prime videos on it. Partly it was the hardware, and partly android 2.2. This tablet runs amazon streaming just fine, as well as Blip.tv, and comedy central's videos (just the few I have tested). I do not have Netflix, but the reviews of the last tablet (TC970) said that it worked fine with the Netflix app and I expect this one will too.

**Cons:

None really. I got used to the simplicity of Froyo, so Honeycomb is proving challenging to adapt to, but I still figured everything I wanted to do out within an hour or so of playing with it.

Tying into the last point, the previous version the TC970 may be a little easier for the non-technical people to use. My parents can use Android 2.2 with little trouble, but I think it would be tougher for them to use Honeycomb. I got this one to try amazon streaming (which worked) but the TC970 was easy to use and could do almost everything. If ease of use is a priority, you might consider the 970. I might change my mind as I get more used to Honeycomb though, it might just seem more confusing having gotten used to one and having to switch.

**The Company Le Pan:

Like I said above, I have had the TC970 for over 2 months. I take it everywhere and love it. The new Le Pan II is replacing it, and my mom is getting my old one. In the months of using the TC970 I can count the number of resets I had to do on one hand. I had one booting issue over Christmas weekend. Tech support for Le Pan opened again on Tuesday morning. By 9am on Tuesday I got a response to my email for tech support and opened a ticket. By the end of the day I had my tablet up and running again. I was impressed with the professional and attentive support I got from Le Pan. My father's and brother's tablets (also TC970s) have had no tech problems at all.

tl,dr: This is an excellent tablet with top end specs and abilities. It has played every online video I can throw at it well (including Amazon Prime streaming). Do not be frightened of the unknown company, I was at first, but the products are great and I have first hand experience with tech support and it was more than adequate. I cannot recommend this or the previous TC970 enough, especially at the price.

The battery life on the original 970 is better than this one (expected since this has twice the processor power), but this one is still what they quote. Good 7 hours of straight use off of a single charge. It loses about 1% per hour while asleep.

Finally, on the video. I can run every video I have tried, except Hulu. Hulu identifies the device as mobile and will not let you play anything (I think this is something on Hulu's end). I was able to watch Hulu on my old 970 indirectly with Playon, but it requires you to have a computer running the software nearby. It worked fine though, and I could watch regular Hulu (I do not have Plus to test). Trying on the 979 it seems to crash when I start the video, I expect it is an issue in Playon's app though, and will follow up with them. Thus far Hulu is the only online video I can not get to work on the Le Pan II, and that is because it just blocks any mobile device it seems.

Read Best Reviews of Le Pan II 9.7" 8 GB Tablet with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich Here

The Le Pan TC970 is an excellent Android tablet, I am honestly thrilled with it. It's extremely responsive, never once did I have an issue with it slowing down no matter how many other things were going on. I'm thoroughly enjoying the TC970, and I think you will as well.

Aesthetically the TC970 is very pleasing and stylish looking, it's also thin and lightweight. The build quality is excellent, it's a solidly made tablet on par with those much more expensive.

I've had the pleasure of testing both the Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy Tab, and I have to say I like the Le Pan TC970 much better overall. The TC970 doesn't have a Tegra in it but from what I've seen it doesn't need it, it's more than capable a handling anything you can throw at it in terms of apps, games or videos or anything else. I was truly surprised that the 1Ghz CPU could handle everything I threw at it.

The most surprising or actually amazing thing is the battery life, no joke here I got over eight hours use while doing a mixture of playing games and browsing the web. I even left I on just sitting and overnight and still had battery left to use it.

The TC970 isn't without its problems though, but they're small and not deal breakers. I don't care for the Apple-like USB connection at all, I would have rather seen a standard micro-USB or even mini-USB connector. The screen is very glossy causing reflections in the correct light and after a few hours of use you'll find the accumulated fingerprints very annoying.

The built-in memory is rather small, yes you can put a larger microSD card in it but I would also like to see more built-in memory.

The build quality is excellent, but the back is rather slippery honestly, I would have liked it to be more rubberized of textured for a better grip.

The other small issue the limited video support, it can't play basic WMV or Divx files.

Yes it's running Android 2.2, some people might think that's old and ask why not Gingerbread or Honeycomb. I thought the same thing so I asked them and they told me to expect an update last quarter of 2011 with Ice Cream Sandwich, they told me they decided to skip Gingerbread and Honeycomb and wait until the next major Android release.

The camera shows things mirrored or backwards, a major update is supposed to be released any day now to fix it. I got no real explanation as to why the camera was that way in the first place though.

The pros and cons are listed below and it might look like a lot of cons but they're small, and not exactly bad things really.

Lastly I should mention the price, it's very low for a tablet of this caliber and quality. It's nice to see something this nice at a low price.

Pros:

+Amazing battery life

+Very responsive touch screen

+Does work in bright light

+Fast and responsive overall

+Low price compared to other tablets

+Simple to use

+Excellent design and construction

+Aesthetically pleasing

+Viewing from most any angle

Cons:

-Proprietary connector

-Screen attracts fingerprints

-Glossy screen

-Small built-in memory

-Back is rather slippery

-Can't use in direct sunlight

-Limited video formats

-Camera is backwards

Want Le Pan II 9.7" 8 GB Tablet with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich Discount?

I got this tablet back in September and was initially fairly impressed. It looked pretty good, seemed to have a good build quality, had fairly fluid graphics and ran on Android. Plus, even though it was inexpensive, its memory was expandable to 32GB through the micro SD. I talked with their customer service folks before buying, and they explained that although the camera wouldn't actually work with video chat for the time-being, when the new Android OS (4.0) came out it would be able to [Note: I've since been corrected that there is other software and other ways of doing video chat]. As I started to use it I realized that Android 2.2 (aka froyo) is really mainly designed for cell-phones rather than tablets. It doesn't use the screen space very well, doesn't support split pane gmail, and is incompatible with a number of apps you'd would hope to be able to use on your tablet (although I managed to find others that still did most of what I was looking for, it was a pain--particularly given that it was a new product). I also noticed that although my wifi connection was fairly stable at home, it was extremely unstable with my school's enterprise wifi network--a big deal for me since I had bought it mainly for school use. Still, I figured that as soon as I would be able to upgrade to Android 4.0 (ice cream sandwich), the rest of its functionality would be restored.

Google released the source code for Android 4.0 (ICS) 2 days ago (Monday 11/14/11). I called Le Pan about the wifi issue today and confirmed that it was probably because of the old OS. I asked when I'd be able to upgrade the OS, and they said that their engineering folks were now saying it would be impossible to upgrade, but that they'd be coming out with a new tablet next year that would support it. I would be stuck with my current OS. I explained how limited the functionality was and how I wouldn't have bought it if they hadn't reassured me that it would soon have the fully functioning OS and asked for a refund. They said they couldn't offer a refund unless it was broken in some way (as opposed to intrinsically broken). Fortunately, after talking with the folks at Amazon they are refunding it (way to pull through, Amazon!).

I realize that for some of you this wouldn't be a deal-breaker and am giving it two-stars because it does work for some things. But for those hoping for a cheaper (slightly slower) iPad alternative, I'd say this isn't the android you're looking for.

[Note: I realize that I could root it and install a slightly newer OS, but that would void the warranty, and it would ultimately be a dead-end--it would never get to 4.0 or beyond.]

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I was very exited about my Le Pan tablet at first, things were going well. Then I woke up one morning and the screen was dark. I pressed the power button. Nothing. I pressed the reset button, it comes on and boots to the Le Pan logo screen and stays there. I Press the power button, nothing. I press the reset button again and it boots to the Le Pan logo screen and stays there.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

What now? I'm a week past the point were I can return it to Amazon. I contact Le Pan. They tell me a few things to try. I try them. No joy. Then they give me an RMA. Immediately I became anxious. I don't even know who these people are. What if I never get my tablet back. I keep trying to get it to work. Nothing. Finally I boxed it and sent it out via Fedex, which I had to pay for.

Guess what? It's been almost 2 months and I'm still waiting. OMG! How many times do I have to learn this lesson! Never go cheap!

Basically, I'm in a black hole without an inkling of when I'm going to see light again. They won't even give me hope! Here's Le Pan's last message to me:

"Hello XXXX,

Unfortunately we are backed up with RMAs at the moment.

Your unit is being processed at this time, though I am unable to give you an estimated day on which we will be able to ship out. We will however, update you with a tracking number when we are shipping the unit back to you. We will move as quickly as possible to get your unit shipped out.

Thank you for your patience and we understand that this can be a frustrating process."

Hmmm...Apparently I have allot of company in this black hole, even though I can't see them. So yeah it's half the price of the iPad, but half of nothing is nothing. I hope yours never breaks.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

CF 4GB MEMORY CARD for Canon EOS-Digital Rebel XT DIGITAL CAMERA - 4 GB

CF 4GB MEMORY CARD for Canon EOS-Digital Rebel XT DIGITAL CAMERA - 4 GB
  • Capacity: 4GB
  • Type: Compact Flash (CF) Memory Card
  • For Digital Cameras
  • Handhelds and all other devices with a CompactFlash slot

My cf card by dane-electric was mony well spent and the product does what it stated in the amazon.com shopping list. My pics came out wonderful. I would definitely buy this product again. Thank you.

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The card arrived earlier than I expected in perfect condition. I was able to take so many pictures on my trip to Ireland without fear of running out of memory!

Read Best Reviews of CF 4GB MEMORY CARD for Canon EOS-Digital Rebel XT DIGITAL CAMERA - 4 GB Here

Model number for cameras were the same except for the XT. The cameras use different cards so I had ordered the wrong one.I had to request return authorization and reorder.

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The memory card works excellent, pictures are sharp and look so much better than with the old memory card. Taking photos are fun again.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

BoxWave Capacitive Huawei Mercury Styra (Jet Black)

BoxWave Capacitive Huawei Mercury StyraI would have continued to use this except for the fact that the case that I bought just fit the phone and not the phone with the flexiskin on it. Well made, fit well, and durable.

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Friday, January 24, 2014

Fluke Networks LinkRunner AT 2000 Extended Test Kit (LRAT-2000-KIT)

Fluke Networks LinkRunner AT 2000 Extended Test Kit
  • Completed test kit to solve network connectivity problems
  • Fast answers: AutoTest accurately identifies network problems in 10 seconds
  • Verify connections at 10M/100M/1G on copper and fiber: Instantly verify link status, connection type, and signal strength
  • Nearest switch and VLAN information: Displays the VLAN and nearest switch model, slot and port
  • TruePower PoE testing: Quickly validate PoE performance by drawing actual power up to the 802.3at standard 25.5W

For the price, in a large company or large location this can be a very useful tool. I only started using the tool and basically only use the Automatic functionality, but even with that, it's very easy to verify connectivity to DNS servers, DHCP server is responding properly, the name of the network switch you're connecting to, what port you're on, which VLAN, as well as the basics like cable length, etc.

For those in complex networking envrionments there may be limitations that need further investigation if you validate DHCP and clients by MAC, with a certificate, etc. it may not be as quick & easy to use, but for me, at the price, even the basics that are provided so quickly is a great time saver and money saver when it comes to troubleshooting.

For sites that have remote network administration this can be even more helpful for "hands and eyes" or desktop support on site who needs to help support the remote networking team.

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Thursday, January 2, 2014

BoxWave Capacitive LG Mystique Styra (Jet Black)

BoxWave Capacitive LG Mystique Styra
  • Works on all capacitive touch screens
  • Integrated and capped pen, perfect for taking paper notes
  • Conveniently designed in pen form, perfect for carrying around
  • Durable construction
  • Perfect for cold days when you don't want to remove your gloves

Might be a little bit pricier than the others styluses, but it works great and the pen writes really well. Its also pretty solid and has a nice bit of weight to it so it doesn't feel like you're writing with some light weight cheap pen. It's also about a quarter inch longer than the Targus stylus and I think it's more slick too. Definitely worth it and a must have if you like drawing apps or if you want to keep your screen clean and free of dirty fingerprints.

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Thursday, December 26, 2013

Genius TwinWheel F1 Vibration Feedback F1 Racing Wheel for PS2 and PC

Genius TwinWheel F1 Vibration Feedback F1 Racing Wheel for PS2 and PC
  • Compatible with PS2/PC gaming system
  • Vibration Feedback function lets you feel all the bumps, swerves and crashes just as in real life! (may vary based on game setting)
  • D-pad included for directional controls in action driving games
  • 4 secondary action buttons at the front panel for horn or view change, like a real driving experience
  • Shift gears easily with two wheel-mounted paddles
  • C-clamp fit most tables and desks
  • Lap Attachment included, easy to assemble and enjoy comfortable driving from your favorite couch or chair
  • Suction cups provide the best stability

Few reviews commented on what you actually get with this wheel, so I will go into detail. If you don't want to spend $130+ on a wheel, and are mainly interested in arcade racing, this is about your only option. But I think if you read on, you'll find it's a great option. When I initially looked at this wheel, I had some fears about it due to some of the poor reviews. None of my fears came true.

The wheel came with gas/brake pedals, desk clamp, lap attachments, user manual, and software drivers. The software is good for win7/vista/XP/ME/2000 with support for 32 or 64 bit. It installed quickly and my system (win xp) recognized it immediately.

I'm using this wheel to race old need for speed titles. All of these games, (NFS 3 Hot Pursuit, NFS High Stakes, NFS Porsche Unleashed, and NFS Hot Pursuit 2) work just fine, feedback and all. (However, when I first installed it and began playing NFS HP 2, the feedback didn't work. I played an older NFS title and that seemed to jog the feedback into action. It's worked on every game ever since). Although HP 2 didn't recognize the wheel, I was able to map the controls under options easily.

A lot of reviewers complained about how small the wheel is. It's not as small as they make it out to be, I have very large hands and it feels really comfortable. In fact I think it's size is a bonus, I clamp it to my desk and it doesn't block my view of the monitor. It took no time to get used to, in fact I came in first place on my very first race with it! It has shifting levers, which although you can't map them for the gas or brakes like some wheels, they work great for shifting. People also complained about the gas/brake pedals being too small/too close together. Although they are somewhat small and close together, I had no problems with them whatsoever. My floor is smooth tile and they hardly moved at all on me.

There are some very minor complaints I have about it. For me, the D-pad didn't work with these games I'm playing. Also, the cable leading from the gas/brake pedals is not super long, so you can forget trying to route it behind your desk, it pretty much just reaches up directly to the wheel with a little slack. However, the cables in general were a bonus for me because there aren't that many of them. There is no power supply, it gets power from the USB. Just two cables and it's pretty neat on your desk.

The wheel has ten buttons available, plus the shifters, plus the d-pad, and they are all easily reached. Some people complained about the sensitivity of the wheel, I didn't find it to be overly sensitive, it felt natural. There is a pretty good turn radius on it and it feels like you are actually driving! I quickly became lost in the game and never felt like I had to struggle against any aspect of the wheel or pedals. Overall, for your money, you can't go wrong with this wheel!

*Update 10/10/2011* I recently built a new computer that has Windows 7 32 bit home premium on it. When I tried to install my steering wheel on it, I got an error "device will not start". It looked like it had successfully loaded the driver, but there was some other problem and it wouldn't work. I updated windows and also tried downloading the driver directly from the Kye website all to no avail. After weeks of scratching my head I contacted the Kye support via email. It's been about two months now and I have still not heard anything from them, so I might deduct one star from my rating for their crappy customer support. However, I was able to solve my problem on my own. I had been plugging my steering wheel into either a USB 3.0 jack or a USB hub. Neither of those options will work with this steering wheel, it has to be plugged directly into a USB 2.0 jack. That's a little inconvenient for me because all of those jacks on my computer are in the rear i/o panel. However, I still love this steering wheel, despite all the trouble I had setting it up, now it works again and I'm in business! Also, the feedback works for me on Windows 7, I noticed some people claimed that it would not work must be the games they are trying to play. I'm playing the new Need For Speed Hot Pursuit. The feedback is a little subdued, I would like it a little stronger, but it's ok. Also, the D-pad is working for me in this game. The steering is a little sensitive, but after playing for a longer time I quickly got used to it so no problems there. Overall, I'm still happy with this wheel!

Buy Genius TwinWheel F1 Vibration Feedback F1 Racing Wheel for PS2 and PC Now

I currently only own one PC driving game, and that is 18 Wheels of Steel American Long Haul. From the time I first opened the box, I have enjoyed this wheel. At first, I was not sure if I should buy this wheel because of some of the negative reviews, such as the one saying the wheel was barely larger than an XBox controller. Now notice, it you didn't have an XBox, you wouldn't know the actual dimensions, and that is why I will provide the dimensions so you know exactly what you are getting.

The diameter (directly across the center) of the wheel is approximately 8 1/2 inches, which is smaller than other racing wheels, but it's still comfortable and easy to maneuver. (Remember, I use this on 18 WOS which is a simulator game, not some high-speed racing game, so this review may not be accurate for racing games.) The base of the wheel is small (base = 7" x 5"), but that is kind of good if you have a cluttered desk like me! The wheel also comes with an attachment so you can set the wheel directly on your lap (probably if you play PS2 and aren't at a desk). I have not used this attachment, but it looks comfortable.

The pedals are approximately 7 1/2 inches wide (each pedal being about 3"). These are kind of small for being pedals, but I have had no problems so far. (Once again, I don't have to switch pedals quickly while racing because I don't play racing games.) One small downside is that the pedals sometimes move around on the ground, but I also use the pedals on smooth vinyl flooring. If you have carpet, or kind of rough tile, they should stay stationary.

The desk clamp works very well. The wheel stays sturdy and doesn't move around on the desk. The clamp should be able to fit on a desk up to 2" width.

This product comes with the necessary device driver to use the wheel on your PC. *HOWEVER, it appears this driver has no support for Windows 7. Now don't get all worried thinking you can't use this wheel with Windows 7. All this means is that the wheel will NOT vibrate if you use Windows 7. Otherwise, the wheel works perfectly fine.

Another downside is that the wheel only turns 90 degrees in each direction. I don't find that as a problem with my simulator games, however, it might be a nuisance if you're playing racing games trying to fly around corners.

Overall, this is a great wheel for PC (I cannot give you a review for the PS2 because I do not own a PS2). It has its little problems here and there, but they're hardly noticeable. So, if you're just looking for an inexpensive PC wheel, I would highly suggest this!

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This pc Wheel is better than you would expect the vibration feature is what pushes over the top of the other 30 dollar pc wheels(can also be played with ps2)this is a great wheel its pedals are a little small same goes for the wheel but after a few runs with this wheel it wont bother you at all.

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First I will explain my system. It's a brand new, custom built Intel 2500K with Windows 7 64 Bit and it includes a 6950 graphics card with 3 monitors attached in and Eyefinity set-up. I am not a gamer myself, but I like to demo the system and show others how to build them. Because of this, I have been buying some older, and newer games and attachments to see how well they all play together.

The Twin Wheel F1 arrived quickly. I attached it first, then installed the CD as it states to do. It seemed to install fine. There were no errors in Windows System Device Manager. I also now had two icons on my desktop One Called "Play 32Bit Games!" and another called "Play 64Bit Games!". I have no clue what they are for because there was no comment on them in the skimpy instructions. Nor on the website, or explained in any on-line searches.

I did NOT see anything "alive" on the Wheel, even though there's an LED, so I just figured I'd try Dirt 3. No signs of life and the wheels buttons controlled nothing. I got all the way to the race, and nothing..... I had to use the Keyboard to get there. I thought maybe it was a controller setting, so I tried to select the wheel. Nothing. I then tried to map the keys to the wheel. Nothing again.

I moved the connector to ANOTHER USB port, just for the heck of it. Now I see a RED LED on the front. YAY! I went through it all again to try Dirt 3. I did get somewhere this time, but the only thing I could even map in the controller settings section were the pedals. Steering didn't work at all. I was depressed now. But at least I saw some life.

I ended up trying a lot of things but to no avail. Things like;

* Download driver from Genius

* Removing and re-installing driver in different order

* Try Different ports (INCLUDING USB 3.0, front ports)

* Pressing ALL the buttons for maybe some MODE change.

* Different driving games that may be more compatible.

* Holy water sprinkled on top (not really, but just about everything else)

After hours of frustration, and trying to find solutions on-line (which I didn't), I decided to try a replacement. After all, others had said it worked for them.

Amazon was amazing. Cross-shipped my replacement and made the whole process wicked easy. This was first REAL problem in MANY purchases and they took care of me. Kudo's again to Amazon.

The second one arrived faster than the first. I connected it and went into Dirt 3 to try and race again.....

One thing I did along the way, but I am not sure if it had an effect, was that I pressed and held the Mode Button. WOW!!! It blinked a number of times... Was it a sign?

Darn it. STILL Stuck at the gate. Oh, wait!!! I had to re-map the Controls to the Keyboard again? Yes!!! I was able to Map to the Steering this time, and I was able to actually race. YAY again!!!

Now, I'm not so sure the first one I received was defective, although I could never re-map the steering on it.

So, this one is working. But, NOT TOTALLY. Not the feedback. I am going to try the different versions (32Bit Vs 64Bit) and see if they affect it. I did try both versions to see if they affected the mapping of the keys to steering, and neither seemed to be a problem. I also think there' a large lag while driving. I think that's just poor software design.

Here's some things about the wheel, and a 1 to 10 rating on each. Just My SIMPLE, newbie opinion. All I have to compare against is Microsoft's xBox Wireless Controllers and the xBox Wireless Steering wheel. I didn't feel I could afford the Higher end steering wheels, but after this, it's probably worth it, just to avoid the frustration and disappointment.

8 Feel I think it's an awesome feeling game wheel. 100x closer to real than Microsoft's "thing" and cheaper too. I didn't find it too small, but I did find it a little too close to the table when I screwed it down.

10 Cables Length was perfect for me, but I would have liked another foot from pedal to wheel.

10 Hardware design For this price it has EVERYTHING there control-wise. I think it's well laid out. The pedals are decent, and don't slip on a carpet. The wheel seemed solid while turning. Nice placement on the buttons. To bad the software didn't let you use the buttons....

6 Response I attribute this to the software. The Hardware relays signals, but how to process them is up to the software. I noticed a lag when using this compared to the Microsoft Controllers, and they are wireless, which to me would add a delay compared to direct wired. So, I think it can only be the way the signals are processed and passed to the game.

5 Installation It seemed simple, but without a test program to verify it works it really is confusing. A simple test to acknowledge each control should be simple to write for a company that designs a product and expects to sell it. I really think it's in the software that these people fail BIG TIME!

2 USE It's basically a failure. And I feel it's all software related, which means it SHOULD be fixable, but it hasn't been. USB is a standard. The hardware is there. The signals are there. It all shows signs of life. It's how the software gets that information and processes it, and passes it on that this device fails.

0 Software Driver This is the stuff running in the background. Hidden, but most important. The Drivers fail to support all functions and it looks like they haven't even attempted to update or fix them in years. The parts that DID work were laggy and you had to go out of your way to use them. This is current, from their site *Driver updated 2007/02/09*

0 Diagnostics This device has NO diagnostics that I could see. No way to tell if the device was connected or working. Terrible. So many man-hours wasted that could have been avoided with tool showing a devices basic operation. Unacceptable In My Opinion.

Bottom line. If you have a 5 year old, or older system still playing OLD games, This MIGHT work. But for anything relatively new, this will be a frustrating and time-consuming purchase. The Hardware team excelled while the Software team has failed. It's not too late to fix, but will they? The driver on the site is dated 2007/02/09. 5 1/2 years old, and no Update? No Solutions? This device has been around a while, and there's still no simple test to check it? No solution to use it. I'd recommend everyone not buy it. Not until they support what they sell....

I think this steering wheel is physically near perfect for even twice the price. But if what you want is a steering wheel that's "Plug n Play" and compatible with today's 32 and 64 bit games? Sorry, This isn't it.

I apologize to Amazon for them having to send me two of these. They really should remove it from being for sale here until this company creates a product that does what it's states it can. Otherwise, they are just losing money on returns.

Just My Opinion.

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Bought this wheel and pedals while my son was visiting, and boy did we ever get my money's worth out of it! We had a blast playing all his driving games on the PS2. And the USB connection, well, I've got to get the PC set back up in my new office room, but I'm dying to put it to the PC game test... but in the meantime, I've played more PS2 lately than anytime since getting home from overseas. (Soldiers play a LOT of games on off-duty time!)

Loved it, even considered buying a second one so we could go head to head on even terms... oh well... maybe for Christmas.

Protective Decal Skin Sticker for AT&T Pantech P7000 Impact case cover Impact-240

Protective Decal Skin Sticker for AT&T Pantech P7000 Impact case cover Impact-240
  • A revolutionary way to customize your device with Supper durable Ultra high gloss finish vinyl skin & High resolution digital printing with photo quality!
  • Precision cut to fit your device, scratch resistant protective shields with high-quality vinyl.
  • Supper easy to apply, with EASY Apply technology feature air bubble FREE in the application.
  • Non permanent adhesive allow easy peel off & leave NO sticky residue behind.
  • Thin enough to maintain compatibility with most accessories; tough enough to absorb the minor abuse from daily use.

My daughter loves this, it is very durable and very pretty. I am so happy with this purchase! I would definitely order from this merchant again.

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I purchased two of these about 6 months ago when I first got my new Pantech phone. I was looking for something inexpensive to cover up ALL THAT PINK. This was a gorgeous alternative and it's had many compliments. Only issue I've had is the stickers tend to wrinkle a bit around some of the curvy contours, but it hasn't been enough that the sticker tears or comes loose. I bought two, expecting that it wouldn't last long and I'd need a backup. I tend to shove my phone in my purse full of other stuffkeys, hairbrushes, makeup, etc. so scratching damage is usually a given with my phones. This sticker has held up better than expensive rubber covers I've purchased for other phones in the past! It's been several months now and I'm still on the first sticker. I would highly recommend if you're looking for an inexpensive way to update your look. Or if you get bored easily and want to change the look often, I noticed they come in TONS of different styles and colors. This Japanese theme is very pretty without being overly flashy or glitter-girly.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Adaptor, Blue Tooth, Epson

Adaptor, Blue Tooth, EpsonThis item is listed as compatible with an Epson R300m printer but it is NOT. Per the Epson manual, part no. C12C824142 is required; the item listed for sale is part no. C12C824383. The latter does not bend as the one photo shows; the one that shows the adapter with a flip end is the 4142 but what is being sold is the 4383 which does not possess a flip end. I purchased the 4383 based on a web search and didn't note carefully the difference in part numbers. Even searching for the 4142 brings you to the 4383 which is somewhat deceptive unless you've researched the proper part no. for the R300M since the 4383 description says it is compatible.

I was so excited to finally get my bluetooth adapter to enable me to print wirelessly to my epson Picture Mate. Boy was I disappointed! It takes 20 MINUTES to print a single picture compared to less than 2 minutes with the USB cable. I have a brand new Dell laptop that has plenty of memory and RAM, so that is not the issue as the owners manuel suggests. I would NOT recommend this product. I am sending it back and will say goodbye to wireless photo printing.

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Warning, the product pictured, that is compatible with the Epson R300, is NOT the product that is available. When you go to purchase, the model number will change slightly. The new version will not work with the same printers as the old version.

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The description of this item does not include the Epson models that it is compatible with. So if you order it blindly, you may find out it doesn't work with the printer you bought.

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I completely disagree with previous comments. I have an Epson R320 Printer and a relatively new notebook. When I found out Epson phased out this printer and adapter, I was happy to still find one available. It's a great printer with lots of life in it and now that its wireless it will be great for a lot longer. I experience NO DELAY when sending file/images to print, it's about a 10 second pause or less, which is about the same when using my USB. Price is great other sites listed for $80+ for same adapter.

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Thursday, November 28, 2013

Stanley Bostitch 02210 - Electric Stapler with Anti-Jam Mechanism, 20-Sheet Capacity, Black

Stanley Bostitch 02210 - Electric Stapler with Anti-Jam Mechanism, 20-Sheet Capacity, BlackThe stapler is made well and was a fair price. The older model of the same stapler worked a little better. The only bummer is that sometimes when you put the paper in it doesnt click right away. Its heavy duty and can staple lots of paper with no problem but sometimes you need to hold it with two hands. I would buy it again though. Works good 90% of the time.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

iGo Pocket Speaker for Portable Listening

iGo Pocket Speaker for Portable Listening
  • A portable speaker that delivers great sound on the go
  • Connects easily to MP3 players, smartphones, handheld gaming devices, and computers
  • Requires 2AAA batteries for hours of sound (batteries not included)

Uses low-capacity AAA batteries, not AA batteries as adverstised. Has 10" audio cord with standard stereo plug and on/off switch, no volume control. Does not pass through the audio when the switch is off. Works fine as a monitor for my TASCAM DP-008 8-Track Digital Portastudio, but I would have passed on this if the correct battery size was given. Amazon bears exclusive blame for the mix-up.

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