Pantone Color Cue 2, Color Matching

• HANDHELD TOOL

Pantone Color Cue 2, Color Matching This is a designer's dream. You just place it over the wall color or printed piece and the pantone/ rgb/cmyk color number shows up in the window. This one works great! Takes the guessing work out of finding the right color.

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Identifying and communicating color just got two times easier. The PANTONE Color Cue2 combines two PANTONE Libraries in one device. Place the Color Cue2 on any surface and it instantly reads the color and identifies the closest PANTONE Color. Cross-match between PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM and the PANTONE TEXTILE Color System for fashion and home or architecture and interiors. Get the CMYK, sRGB, HTML and L a b values of these PANTONE Colors.

Read Best Reviews of Pantone Color Cue 2, Color Matching Here

The first one I received was DOA. It was replaced very quickly by Amazon.com, and the second one at least turned on. However, after using it for just a few minutes, I've discovered that it will turn itself off at random. It seems to be very poorly made.

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Im very impressed with the quality and ease of use. Its a must have product for any serious color matching assignment.

Archos 5 32 GB Internet Tablet with Android

• 32GB capacity for up to 9,500 songs, 25 movies, and 320,000 photos
• 10 hours of audio or 4 hours of video on a single charge
• 4.8-inch TFT LCD touchscreen display with 800 x 480 pixel resolution and 16 million colors
• Supports MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, AAC+, FLAC, and OGG Vorbis audio formats; MPEG-4
• One-year limited warranty

I have to say that I went against my gut when purchasing this device, as it looked really nice, and really, I wanted it for watching movies, listening to music and checking the internet quickly when I am on the run in airports.

The movie portion worked really well. For that, I give this device 5 STARS...I actually downloaded movies to my Amazon Unbox, then hooked up the Archos and bam, instantly on my new Archos 5 (well, after the movie downloaded to my unbox in 1.5 hours).

The music portion also works flawlessly. Not really any hiccups there, and the sound was good, but could be better. For that, I would give it 4 stars...

SO FAR SO GOOD RIGHT?

WRONG

First, I had the reset this device 5 times in 2 days because it just plain froze up. I would get multiple error messages when I was connected to internet, dropping the connection frequently (and yeah, I'm pretty skilled at making that work). TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE.

And I don't want to hear how a simple patch or download will fix this issue. If it doesn't work out of the box, than DON'T SHIP IT!! I've been reading that apparently, Archos is getting slammed with this stuff after only a week.

FOR THAT, it gets 1 STAR and should get ZERO stars!!

Second, the Appslib was never installed on this device. I called customer service, was talking to someone in 5 minutes, who then put me on hold for 45 MINUTES!! After 45 minutes (I only stayed on hold that long cause I was watching NFL game so I had nothing else to really attend to at the time), the phone rang for 10 more minutes, and then, line went dead. PATHETIC!!!!

I am reading that some software update added actually might have been the reason for the Appslib to never appear, and if you look at Amazon site, they pulled the 160GB version.

For that, I give it NEGATIVE STARS...TERRIBLE service and TERRIBLE that this device did not come preloaded as advertised.

I am sending it back and will use my Toshiba Netbook to watch movies on the plane rides for now. I'm really disappointed. The device itself was really nice and sleek looking. The interface was nice.

The resistive keyboard was kind of annoying as it took a pretty good finger press to make it respond, but worked well enough. I learned to type pretty well on it in 2 days.

I'm ANNOYED!!!

I would have bought the ZuneHD but the screen is too small for movies, as well as the Ipod touch..

I'm now considering the Viliv ex70 as I've heard great things and it's gotten favorable reviews.

I've read Archos history but wanted this device to work...The Android platform has a lot of potential and anything google touches pretty much works as advertised.

Now, I'll have to shop around a little.

I can tell you one thing...unless people start giving this device 4-5 stars when the bugs are worked out, I'll never buy another thing from this company.

EDIT TO REVIEW:

I have downloaded a new firmware update and the device is no longer needing to be reset constantly. It also does not lag any longer and seems a little more snappy and responsive. I'm going to hold on to it for now and see how this plays out over the next 3 weeks. I'm actually flying to CA for a sales meeting next week and so it'll be tested well. If I find it is just needing more debugging it's going back and I'll also update again.

I have 2 movies that I just loaded to it from Unbox. Wolverine and The Dark Knight...Both look very good, although I'd love to get my hands on a HD version of these movies to push to the device.

I'm nervous, however, to buy the HD plugin because I've read somewhere that it does not work or does not read that you have purchased it.

One last thing:

I also just read now that on the Viliv you can actually run Windows 7. It has a camera, and if that is the case, you can snap photos and then ink on them which I do when I'm on job sites taking photos and marking up buildings and plans. That seems practical to me. However, it's expensive (around $800-$900) and this device would be GREAT if these bugs go away.

Let me also so, GET THE 32GB NOT THE 160GB model. The 32GB runs SSD and it very snappy. It's also half the weight and thin.

I'd say it's as thin as my wife's iphone and as heavy as holding a large starbucks coffee. It's light and thin.

I have yet to try the GPS software but plan on downloading it from the disk provided to get the 7 day trial out of it. I'd LOVE that to work. Has a lot of potential when the 3D maps are available for the US in 2nd quarter of 2010.

BEWARE, not matter how much you want something...BEWARE

UPDATE #2: Done with it. It is going back NOW. I did the firmware update and it did NOTHING to help this machine. At first it appeared to make the system work faster, but then, it has frozen up 2 more times. Furthermore, I tried to install the GPS 7 day trial using the disk and the device again froze up. Sorry, but I cannot believe that these people would let these go out the door KNOWING it has issues. How the hell can they NOT know? If everyone here but one person has given this thing pretty poor marks, are they only using fully functional and perfectly tested devices?

Literally, look at the reviews and you will see what I am talking about. It's amazing to me that a company would do this. Yes, large companies have devices that periodically are returned defective. But at the rate that these people are getting complaints, you have to wonder how this could go on for the period of time that it has.

So, Archos will never get another dime from me, unless of course they come out with a fully functional non brick like device that people are raving about. I believe my next device will be a Viliv. I have read review after review on those devices and they are almost all positive. The machines perform the way they were intended to, unlike this one.

And it's too bad...this is such a nice looking and feeling device. The screen is nice, it feels really easy to use in the hand...It's a shame it just does not perform.

Buy Archos 5 32 GB Internet Tablet with Android Now

Just don't buy this product. It's a simple as that.

Mine never really worked.

Despite buying the optional HD video software, the device isn't able to play HD (720) content properly. I constantly have a/v out-of-sync problems. The video lags the audio. All the time. Then you pause, resume playing and it's ok for 5 minutes but then it drifts out of sync again.

Accessing the microsd card is a disaster. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. You need to keep on inserting and removing the card.

The battery doesn't even last an hour if you are playing videos

The device gets extremely warm (so warm that it is uncomfortable in your hands)

But what's worst is that you are on your own if you buy this. Archos support doesn't exist!

My device had all these problems. I logged tickets with their support and nobody *ever* bothered to respond. Then one day my Archos just stopped working completely. The screen would just flicker and never turn on.

So I wrote a letter to the CEO or Archos and returned this awfully engineered piece of hardware to them. All I got back is a standard letter telling me my warranty has expired (which for the record isn't true) and an offer to repair my Archos 5 for 148 EUROs.

Stay away from Archos.

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update 10/20/10:

save your money i have had to have this device replaced or repaired no less than 5 times so far, and likely more than that. in all honesty, most of the time it had to be replaced b/c their support people sent me back units that were either wrong (they replaced it once with the older archos 5 model, rather than android, in a folgers-esque "lets see if he notices" moment), or because they sent me back a unit that was defective in an all new way than the device it was replacing.

due to their rediculously poor support (being without my device for weeks on end is bad support in my opinion) and treatment of their customers, i just cant recommend any of their products anymore. its like they dont QA them at all, and they make no effort to foster any customer good will.

below is my original review, if only to contrast exactly how much my view of this company and device has changed.

-----------------------------------------------

This is a great device with a few minor interface issues and bugs. im not going to write a thesis on this, so ill just boil it down. just to let you know, ive previously owned an archos 604wifi and an archos av420.

the pros:

the interface is very slick, it takes some getting used to but once you do it is great! its MUCH tighter than any apple product in the way the interface works seamlessly throughout the entire experience despite what application you are using.

set up was very simple, streaming from either web radio, pandora, or my personal network (all via wifi) was amazing. surprisingly the battery life doesnt seem terrible either. i havent done any strenuous tests yet, but i used the device last night constantly streaming web radio via wifi, connected to bluetooth devices, and with the screen on and active while i was browsing the net a bit (looking thru applications to add) for 2 or 3 consecutive hours last night, and only seemed to use 1/3 of the battery.

its more intelligent than previous versions, letting me know why certain files i have wont play on this during the transfer process. it offered to still let me copy them across for storage, but said i wouldnt be able to play them with the device. previously it would copy them, let me add them into the playlist, then bail-out of playback whenever it came across it, which was very annoying since i tend to make big playlists and use shuffle.

built in fm transmitter! FINALLY! ive been waiting for them to put this into (or at least attached to) the device themselves for a long time basically since i bought the fm receiver for the av420 /thinking/ it was a transmitter. ;) sadly i havent figured out how to get this working just yet, but i havent had alot of time to play with it in the car (thats my after-work project today).

i havent had the chance to play with the GPS yet, but making this all inclusive like that is a great idea, i hope its executed well (however i havent heard good things about teleatlas).

the cons:

its ALOT thicker than it appears on the web probably dictated by hard drive size, but its basically as thick as my 604wifi. the web image was very misleading, i was expecting something much thinner.

i dont get why all the applications use the accelerometer to change orientation, but the home menu's dont? seems like a silly oversight.

it seems a little laggy, and its hung a number of times to the point that ive had to force-reboot it. im really hoping for a system update to fix this stability issue.

text entry boxes are a little odd, you cant easily click and drag to highlight parts of text to delete or edit. hoping a system update fixes this.

im pretty good with tech toys, but i have not been able to get this thing to "tether" to my phone yet. it seems to pair with phone, but my phone says there are no available services on the archos that its interested in so it never "connects". not quite sure whats going on here.

not a real con but since i am a previous owner it was a little hard to get used to: you cant choose to add an entire folder of songs to a playlist when creating them on the device anymore. at first i thought they were forcing me to add one song at a time, but its not as bad as that: what they do is make you enter the directory you want to add, choose any song and click to add it to the playlist from the menu. once you do it opens another small menu asking if you want to add just that track or all the tracks in that directory. its mildly annoying b/c it requires a few extra steps for something that seems really basic: they could have just let me add the directory and automated that functionality. im really hoping a system update fixes this as well.

booting up doesnt seem to be any better than it had been on the 604 (which was noticably longer than the 420 had been). however it does have a "stand-by" mode that appears to use no battery life and boots up in seconds. not quite sure if this really is a con since they seem to have provided a solution that is great, which is why its last. ;)

Summary:

great device, some bugs but very small and easy to overlook so far, and they should be easily fixed (hopefully quickly). im REALLY excited for this product and hope to see archos throwing its continued support behind it.

sorry, i guess that was alot longer than i hoped or expected.

Want Archos 5 32 GB Internet Tablet with Android Discount?

Well Despite all the reviews, I decided to order the Archos 5 160GB version. I was a little worried about what I would encounter, however there worries would soon transition from worried to eased.

The make of this device is very solid and it is a little big for the pocket, but it's manageable. This device would be significantly useful for people on the go as it allows you to bring a large amount of media with you all in a neat little tablet that can handle HD output (Given some videos are going to be laggy, but this is normal for most hand held devices as they do not have the rendering capabilities that of a computer does). However to deal with this, Archos is trying to maintain regular updates. Just recently they released 2 updates for the Archos 5. If you go to the main Archos site, which is at you can look at the updates that have been released for the device. It turns out that with each update they are trying to clean up the HD output given the limitations of the hardware also they are working on another update which is called doughnut, which is version 1.6 android, I believe (which will hopefully include the android market!! :)). This device also has a TON of space.

With all this space it can have other uses as well. I, Personally, have a large collection of books and music, I used this device as a backup of all my files so that in the event that anything happens to my main machine, I will always have the files I prioritized. Another neat little thing that the Archos 5 can do is it can read PDFs and Office Files, which is nice if you ever have to edit your office files on the go. With the amount of area that is displayed by the screen, it allows for a very nice and ease of reading. At times I can find myself reading a book on it and reading it with ease with the large screen, as well as the capabilities of the software to handle PDFs. One thing to be noted by this is the fact that due to the hardware constraint, it will have to load each page after you read about half of your current page and half of the next page in order to have it load the next page. This is done to save space and maintain its longevity due to its hardware constraints. However, the transitions is very fast, shouldn't be a pain, although a very minor annoyance. One thing I should note is that some people have claimed that some videos are not able to play, although I have yet to encounter this issue.

I feel that I got a huge bargain on this device. Given its updates and overall capabilities as not only an internet tablet but also its media playback along with its touchscreen capabilities (which is acceptable, in practicality -Make sure that you configure the touchscreen when it seems to not be functioning properly) it almost feels like a steal. To sum up the review I'm going to make a list of pros and cons.

Pros

Large beautiful screen

Touch Screen

Variety of Media playback capabilities

Made with Android OS (very stable)

Can be used as a PDF Reader as well as do MORE

Has GPS capabilities

Lots of applications -AppsLib (And much more will come when android market is finally released -although there is a way to get market on it with a little trick-but it does not include all the times that are in the CURRENT market, its a makeshift to get it to work AND Google applications be installed using this little trick, Google "Android Market on Archos 5 Internet Tablet")

Lasts a good amount of time

Easy to use

------------------------

Cons

No android 2.0 (yet..?)

Charging is somewhat slow (it will lose charge [when plugged in via DC-IN USB to MiniUSB] when transferring files to it, do it in chunks to deal with this issue, although you'll still lose battery life)

Somewhat laggy Video playback (should be remedied somewhat with updates)

Locks up sometimes (this was in the past, however with the new update they released I haven't seen it happen..yet?)

LONG start up time (use standby)

I hope this review helps you guys decide on buying one :)

There is one sure fire way you can guarantee to reduce your technology options, and that is to irresponsibly slam everything that's not an Apple product. There are companies out there, (like Archos), that are trying to give you options. It's not easy to do. It takes a lot of money, and there will inevitably be hiccups and bugs. But people are so spoiled and impatient these days, they are willing to sell their souls to one company for a few pieces of MAC crack. Their loss.

Now to the Archos: I purchased the original Archos 5 a couple weeks ago, and while I found that device intriguing, the fact it used a hard drive (250GB) for storage, and made unsettling clicks and pops from time to time, made me paranoid enough to return it and order the FLASH Memory 32GB Android version instead. Also, the Opera browser on the older unit did reset often while surfing for no apparent reason. But it did work, and in full screen mode...and I could play my videos FROM my computer which my wife's Itouch couldn't...well, touch. It did everything her's did, just not as well. In fact, using it as a book reader was pretty much a joke. The biggest shortfall was the way fonts were rendered in every application. They just looked cruddy compared to the Itouch.

Well, I scoured reviews from all over the web to see if I could find a comparison between the old and new Archos from someone who owned both. I couldn't really, and what little I did find in comparison went pretty much like, "The new Android is OK, but not so much different from the first version in the end"

Now I know there are those like me out there that want to know if the upgrade is worth it.

Listen up. This is like the jump from a Yugo to a Cadillac. This device rocks! If I were to rate the original, I'd give it a "3"...this one gets an "8"

The web browsing experience is probably the most shocking. I have never seen a full sized computer load and display web pages faster. The rendering is beautiful. Ever bit as crisp and lovely as the Ipod. All in full screen spender! The scroll is not quite as fluid as the Ipod, but Archos is almost there. The sheer amount of additional real estate makes up for anything else.

Bottom line: Archos brought the web browser light years ahead from the previous model.

Media: (Video, Music, Photos) are all pretty much unchanged and for good reason: They were fine the way they were.

Bottom line: Media experience is the same as it was. Nice music player, nice photo viewer, and by far the most awesome video playback no one, not Apple, not Microsoft, not anyone can match.

Touch Screen: Many people seem to have a lot of complaints about the resistive touch screen. Yes, it takes a little more pressure than the Ipod's capacitive screen, but I know people that have complained of those screens getting less responsive over time. The Archos screen is fine after you learn how to use it (and really, even before) Women will love it because it works especially well and is perfectly suited to using a fingernail where capcitive may not work as well via that method.

Applications: This is where Archos with Android is I guarantee you making Apple very nervous. Are they there yet? No. Are they gaining fast? You bet. Every day more apps appear.

Bottom line: There's a new kid in town. A bigger, better looking, and soon to be better all around, kid.

Other features like FM receiver (Pod don't got it) FM transmitter (Pod don't got it) GPS! (guess what? Pod don't got it) and I could go on and on about what my wife's Ipod CANT do that the Archos can.

Darn, but it hangs occasionally, or maybe a screen will freeze once in a while. Get the torches!!! Burn them out!!!! Archos must die!!!! We demand PERFECTION!!!!

If I had a nickle for every time EVERY ONE of you people's computers hung or froze or what not. Why aren't you throwing THEM in the trash? Huh?

I am not in love with Archos, nor do I hate Apple. The Itouch is a very classy machine that does what it does just about as well as it can be done. But it is not without it's faults. You don't really own it, Apple does. Why can't you see it like a hard drive? Why do I have to have their software on my computer to use it? Why have they banned Flash? Why do they mess with your legally purchased music and lock it down like it's in Fort Knox?

I feel like Archos sold me their device and by doing so signed ownership over to me. They don't restrict what I can do with it. They don't tell me to load anything on my computer to use it. They offer an infinitely more versatile device. Yes, with that sort of versatility and complexity there are bound to be snags. They are working on them.

Archos 5 was the crude foundation.

Archos 5 Android is the real deal.

SetWear Radio Chest Pack (9x8.5") - Black

Working on film sets I hated wearing a tool belt. It would always give you the plumber look. This chest pack frees up your waste. The best part is that you can wear your set radio without having the annoying headpiece in your ear. That in and of itself is worth the price.

Standard HX850s Handheld VHF w/ GPS

• STANDARD HX850S VHF HAND HELD DSC WITH GPS

This is a truly excellent hand-held DSC marine radio. It really has a lot going for it, although it is not perfect.

The outstanding attribute of this radio is that it supports Digital Signal Calling (DSC). This feature provides two major benefits:

1) it supports DSC distress calling ("the red button") which is a valuable safety feature. Essentially, the radio puts out an automatic distress call which includes the GPS coordinates of the radio.

2) DSC communications. Basically this allows your radio to call a specific other DSC-equipped vessel or radio by means of a digital packet signal sent on channel 70. If the digital call is received by the station being called, the radios automatically (or with user intervention, depending on which option is selected) then switch to a voice channel such as channel 69 for the conversation. This is a really nice feature that will become more and more common and essential as more vessels become equipped with DSC. This will inevitably occur since FCC regulations require all new marine radios to be so equipped.

There are other DSC features such as group calling and the ability to poll another DSC radio's GPS location.

For DSC to work the user must have an MMSI number. These are free and easy to get from the BOATS US website.

This radio is very easy to program. Within 30 minutes of opening the box, I had programmed in all of my friends' DSC numbers and figured out pretty much all of the functions of the radio. This required only occasional reference to the manual. Mostly the menus are clear and intuitive, and even have prompts contained within the menu. Most users will never need the manual after a little familiarization. If you are familiar with Vertex Standard radios, the learning curve is even quicker as the menus are very similar even as between Handy-talkies and console radios. I found almost all of the menus and front panel controls to be intuitive, not requiring the manual at all.

This radio has a built-in 12 channel GPS. It works fine and provides the user with location, Speed Over Ground (SOG) and Course Over Ground (COG). Regrettably, the GPS does not provide for programming in waypoint locations. This is unfortunate because it would have been very easy for Vertex Standard to have included this function. This would have made this radio an excellent backup for navigation. It is still a useful accessory for navigation, but less so for the lack of waypoints. You can use the radio as a compass and speedometer, and to identify the vessel's location, but that's about it for navigation.

The radio itself is very sturdily-built and is both submersible and designed to float if dropped in the water. Nice! It comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, a wall charger, and a cigarette-lighter connector that allows the radio to recharge (via the charging cradle) from a 12V cigarette lighter instead of a 120VAC plug. This is useful on boats that may not have AC power. There are numerous desirable unsupplied accessories, the most useful being a spare Li-Ion battery, a battery pack that accommodates AA batteries (a very useful thing to have in a pinch) and two different speaker-mics.

A few dings. The lack of waypoints in the GPS is unfortunate. Also, the GPS readout is in very small letters; users who require reading glasses may need them to view the GPS output. The radio accommodates 24 MMSI numbers--more would have been better.

Despite the few shortcomings that I report in this review, this radio is deserving of a five-star rating. Right now this one is among the very best marine HTs on the market and it gives a lot of bang for the buck. Highly recommended. RJB.

Buy Standard HX850s Handheld VHF w/ GPS Now

I have a 32' sailboat with the latest Standard Horizon vhf radio with AIS. I also bought this radio this spring as an essential backup. I use it in the dinghy and for those occasions when the other radio is not available. I have also in the past lent my "spare" to those who lost their own VHF. I readily recommend it to those who chose only one VHF on board.

This is a substantial upgrade from my earlier handheld. The GPS is quick and accurate, and with the DSC capacity and the ability to input your MMSI, gives you the ability to let the Coast Guard and others know where you are in case of emergency, or disclose your location to your friends. It floats, always a nice feature. It has scan and other programmable features. You don't need a PhD to use it, but it would hurt if you want to know everything that it can do. It is perfect for the ditch bag. The new programming requires entry of the MMSI twice, so you avoid the "two strikes and you're out" of the earlier models.

The battery feature is a bit different than my earlier SH portables and it does not accommodate AA batteries, but the battery life is good, you can charge from AC or DC and most importantly, when you need it, it works. Power and range are terrific.

I can only guess that Standard Horizon has another top-of-the-line model coming, because this was financially well out of reach until this Spring. It has become very affordable and a great value. Grab one while you can.

Read Best Reviews of Standard HX850s Handheld VHF w/ GPS Here

This handheld floating VHF radio from Standard Horizon's offering, seems to be a good Portable VHF radio. Time will tell, I have only listened to a Scan in my office at this time. It has the necessary features for the small boater. Good price from Amazon. And backed if it does go bad.

Want Standard HX850s Handheld VHF w/ GPS Discount?

I purchased an HX850S radio in March of 2009. The features of this radio are perfect as a backup handheld for a boat with a standard rig or for having aboard your dinghy. The Digital Select Calling feature with GPS coordinates is something you will want in any emergency situation. And it floats. (The latest model is the HX851).

I never had the opportunity to test or rely on its waterproof feature until last month (Nov 2012) when I took a wave into my dinghy while at a beach. The HX850S was floating in the wash when I got back in the dinghy. Unfortunately, the radio stopped working and upon close inspection, I found the case was cracked near one of the screws on the back.

I contacted customer service mentioning that I understood that there had been an early manufacturing problem with some of these radios that led to a cracked case that allowed water to render the radio unusable. The three year warranty on the radio had expired earlier this year, but they said that they would repair the radio for free. I just got the radio back and it functions again!!!

Obviously, Standard Horizon stands behind their products and cares about their customers what a great company (and the HX850S is a great radio)!

It floats, it has DCS. The batteries last a reasonable time. The size is right.

For the price I don't think it can be beat.

-Sven

LapWorks - Tablet Handler Strap & Desk Mount

• A one-piece hand-held holder for your tablet that prevents hand fatigue
• Tablet Handler accommodates Kindle-sized tablets up to 10.1" tablets
• Swiveling hub rotates 360° for switching from portrait to landscape
• Adjustable Velcro strap accommodates most hand sizes left or right handed
• Elastic ears are super strong silicone elastomer, UV inhibited won't crack, tear or break

After two broken Kindles, I bought this as a gift to make the reader more secure while working out. With the pivoting and tilting base it is easily readable while on the exercise machine and far more secure than just setting it on top of the control panel. The handler strap fits the new small kindles all the way up to my son's 10 inch tablet with no problem. The handler snaps securely onto the base which I've attached to the exerciser. Great Product, Excellent customer service.

Buy LapWorks - Tablet Handler Strap & Desk Mount Now

3/20/2013 Bought this 4 months ago and had one of the long clear straps break. Disappointing, but the positive is that customer service immediately mailed out a new set of both long and short straps. Got them within 4 days or so just by emailing the 'contact seller' link on my original order. So awesome customer responsiveness! Good job.

And I hope this isn't a product pattern of tearing strips.

I like this. It's a good basic solution for my Samsung Series 7 Slate Samsung Series 7 XE700T1A-A02US 11.6-Inch Slate (128GB, Win 7 Home Premium). I think it's a bit longer than the iPads at about 11.66" x 7.25". This grip fits it nonetheless.

What surprised me was that I actually find the stand the part of the setup I appreciate most. It raises the tablet closer to eye level on my desk and the swivel is nice. I keep the strap portion on my unit all the time and it does make it easier to grasp.

Downside is simply that even with the grip it can get heavy reading in bed. So it does have comfort limits.

Grip adds safety to my handling of the tablet, keeps me from dropping it, and the straps can be adjusted to miss the the one USB port on the tablet enough not to be a problem.

So I like it, don't love it.

Read Best Reviews of LapWorks - Tablet Handler Strap & Desk Mount Here

After trying 4 or 5 different stands, this one fills the bill. Rotates from landscape and back flawlessly. Great angle adjustment.

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Just received minds today and it works great! I would recommend this product to anyone with a iPad tablet or any tablet.

Save 25% Off

I just call it The Grip. It is awesome if you have Apps that have buttons to enter info. I use it to stat volleyball matches while I'm coaching. Because I have the iPad1, this is the only unit that would work with it and have a grip that rotates. I have the stand and a bluetoothed keyboard; so it is my "computer", too. It is invaluable in a coaching situation, and it's inexpensive. Bob vbne1?

Sony Xperia Ion Leather Case - Flip Top Type (Red) - LT28i - PDair

The case would've been awesome it fits perfectly and the color's pretty nice. The cover takes a little getting used to though, at first it was irritating, but it does give your screen added protection when you're not using it.

The item shipped from China, so the delivery itself took very long (which I understood). But my biggest problem was the fact that it was delivered to me waaay later than the original delivery date on the page. Based on the original delivery date when I ordered the item, I should've gotten this case around the same time I got my new phone, but I got this item more than one month after I got this phone. I had to purchase another case just to make sure my phone was protected.

EaseDeal Retractable USB Sync / Charge Cable for HP iPAQ rx3115

buy it through amazon and save! i paid 4.99 for this cable. the disributor's site charges twice that. the only caveat is that, either way, it'll take about 7 10 days to get it!

rooCASE Smart Case (Brown) Leather Cover for Apple iPad 2 (Built-in Magnet Sleep and Awake Function)

• Smart Case Leather Cover for Apple iPad 2. (iPad 2 Not Included)
• Plush Top Grain Leather with Soft Microfiber Interior.
• Front Cover Folds into Keyboard and Video Stand.
• Magnetic Flap Closure that Wake / Sleep iPad 2.
• A MUST Have for all Apple iPad 2 Owners!! Available in Black, Brown, Magenta and Red. Search: rooCASE iPad 2 Smart Case

The case looks awesome, fits well and doesn't hide the home button..Provides good coverage front and back and has magnetic close cover on front with auto poweroff on screen just like the apple case..

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I was looking for a case for my iPad 2 that would protect it better and also take advantage of the SmartCover technology. While this does both, I find the magnets are not strong enough to keep it closed and reliably trigger the on/off function. Otherwise a great case.

DURAGADGET Genuine Black Leather Case / Stand For Sony PRS-650 Reader Touch Edition

• Soft genuine leather outer gives tactile and aesthetic appeal and protects your Sony Reader whilst the PU Leather intererior adds strength and durability to the case
• Cut outs for all controls, no need to remove your Reader to use it, all buttons and connectors are exposed.
• Built in multi angle stand function allows you to read at your preferred angle without having to hold the device, ideal for the train, dining table or on your lap.
• Covered by DURAGADGET's no quibble returns policy if your not 100% delighted with the case.

One of the only drawbacks of going with a Sony Reader instead of a Kindle or a Nook is that the aftermarket has a dearth of products for them. Enter Duragadget's case / stand / thingamajig for the PRS-650. The leather is of a good quality. While it could probably be thinner if the padding was left out, it's not so thick as to make the case awkward to carry or heavy to hold. Since it's there to help protect the reader from bumps and bruises (a good thing for those of us who travel a lot for work), I can't complain. The magnets of "locking flap", for lack of a better term, do a good job of keeping things closed and when flipped in between the flap and the back of the case keeps the flap attached to the back of the reader, keeps the flap in place whist in the reading position. The multi-position kick stand works quite well. Great for reading in a restaurant. Again, a great thing for those of us who travel a lot for work. All in all, a quality product more than well worth the price.

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Protective Vinyl Skin Decal Sticker for Apple iPod Touch 2G 3G 2nd 3rd Generation 8GB 16GB 32GB - Ho

• Add style to your 2nd or 3rd Generation (2G/3G) iPod Touch
• Bonus! Free matching wallpaper
• Quick and easy to apply
• Removable, no sticky mess guaranteed!
• Compatible with all iPod accessories (iTrip, the Dock, Speaker Systems, etc.)

We weren't sure what to expect buying this, thought it was going to be a "sleeve" of some sort to slip over the ipod. It isn't, it's simply a decorative sticker. Two stickers, actually, one for back and one for front. Unlike the implication of the picture, the stickers do not cover the screen (that would be absurd). It does not include a screen protector.

The stickers must be applied with care to make them 'straight'...they don't cover ALL of the visible exterior, so if they aren't straight, it shows.

My son enjoys having the coolest looking ipod on the block, thus the stars. however I had been hoping for something protective which this is not. I suppose it protects against scratches, but not against dings, water, drops, etc. (I use an Otterbox for my own for this purpose, but my son doesn't think that's cool looking enough.) We have not tried removing the stickers but they don't seem very "removable" to me unless I were to get at it with rubbing alcohol.

It's cheap, so probably worth what you pay for it, but just understand what you are getting: iPod/iPhone shaped stickers.

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V CAST (VCast) VERIZON WIRELESS ESSENTIALS KIT USB DATA CABLE FOR LG PHONES CE110, CG180, CU515, CU5

• This USB Charging Data Cable provides the ability to connect your phone to your computer with your software
• Cable also allows access to features such as Phonebook, Internet, Music, Ringtones, MP3, Calendar, etc as long as your phone and software support that feature.
• Use your phone as a high speed modem and access Internet to check email, etc. (consult your carrier for this service)
• Advanced charging regulation of this cable is controlled equally by the phone and computer. This means an accurate digitial charge without overcharging.

Received this sooner than I expected and works even better than I hoped it would. I downloaded ringtones for my husbands lg vx8700 phone. This worked like a champ. Would recommend not only buying it but the seller as well.

Sony CLIE PEG-T615C/S Handheld (Silver)

• Slim design--only .50 inches thick--with 16 MB of RAM and 4 MB of flash ROM
• Bright, high-resolution TFT color display
• Jog Dial navigator allows you to access phone numbers, notes, and more while keeping your other hand free
• Synchronize with your PC using included HotSync cradle; compatible with Windows PCs
• Expandable viaoptional Memory Stick cards

T615C Review

I have had a Sony Clie T615C for a week now, and here are my impressions and some considerations for potential buyers.

PROS

The T615C has a great screen. Text and other fine details are crisp and easy to see thanks to the 320x320 resolution (four times the pixels of the typical 160x160). Photographs are particularly stunning on this display, and you can fit much more text on the screen (with proper application support). Having experienced the higher resolution, I would never go back to the lower resolution of other PDAs.

The beautiful slim design (only half an inch thick) makes the T615C very easy to fit into pockets and other confined spaces. Also, the unit feels very sturdy and well-built.

The Jog Dial and Back button are great enhancements that all PDAs should have. Once you start using them, they will make navigation through programs much easier. (I believe that these are currently only available on Sony Clie models like the T615C.)

The 16 MB of RAM is much more than enough for most users; I have about a dozen programs installed, plus a full dictionary, and have only used about half the space. Also, inexpensive Memory Sticks can give you even more room.

The included application bundle is quite comprehensive, with a photo viewer, paint program, games, and more. Especially valuable for Microsoft Office users is a full version of Documents To Go 4.0. (Note that some of the included programs are demos only.)

MIDI music clips on the T615C sound great and make for fun alarm sounds.

CONS

Colors on the screen tend to be a bit washed out and muddy (not fully saturated). For example, the red on a T615C screen is not as "vibrant" as the red on a computer monitor. This appears to be a function of using the backlight, since the colors are much better when viewing the T615C screen in direct sunlight (of course, you will almost always be using the backlight). This issue is not important unless you need perfect color reproduction for some reason.

Some T615C units seems to have brighter screens that others, due to manufacturing inconsistencies. Nevertheless, unless you compare the screen side by side with other units, you probably won't notice it.

There is no way to charge the T615 without using the cradle, which is a bit cumbersome to carry around. There is a small AC adapter, which connects to the cradle, and a USB cable to connect the cradle to your computer, which results in a big jumble of wires. If you do a lot of traveling, I recommend investing in a travel charger.

It is unfortunate that Sony is calling the T615C a "personal entertainment organizer" since I find it to be better-suited for everyday business / personal management tasks, not entertainment. This model is not well-suited for playing action games, since the application buttons and the scroll button are somewhat small. Also, it does not play MP3s without a special accessory. If these things are important to you, look elsewhere. Note that *stylus-based* games look great, sound great, and play great on the T615C.

There are not many third-party accessories (e.g. keyboards) for the T615C... yet. This situation will get better over time. Also, though Memory Sticks are great for storage, the MS interface has not been widely adopted for implementing add-on peripherals, like a GPS receiver. If accessories are important to you, you should consider a Palm or Handspring model instead. (Though remember that accessories do detract from the portability of a PDA, particularly a slim model like the T615C.)

ADVICE

Before you buy, visit a local retailer to see the T615C in action, especially its amazing screen.

If you purchase the T615C, I strongly recommend getting a screen protector at the same time. A protector is a thin plastic film that is laid on the screen to protect it from scratches. Though you may be able to keep away bigger scratches by handling the unit carefully, it is possible for dust to get caught under the stylus and scratch the screen slightly during normal use. Check online for PDA screen protector manufacturers.

I also recommend getting a case, though this is not as important as the screen protector. You can get a hard case, pouch, or belt clip case, depending on your needs. There are not a large number of case options for the T615C, but enough to satisfy just about anyone.

If you are on a budget, you can get the T415 for about half the price. It does not have a color screen, and has only 8 MB of RAM, but it is even thinner than the T615C and has all of the other features.

For more buying information and advice for the T615C and other Clie models, I have found the Clie Source web site to be an excellent resource. (Amazon does not want URLs posted in reviews, so check a search engine for the URL.)

In summary, I highly recommend the T615C for anyone who wants a great PDA, but who doesn't need a lot of add-ons or entertainment functions. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Buy Sony CLIE PEG-T615C/S Handheld (Silver) Now

Sony has a winner in the Sony PEG T615C. 16MB of onboard memory, with external memory expandable up to 128MB with a memory stick (...), high resolution 320x320 screen (twice as sharp as the Palm m505 or the Handspring Visor Platinum), and the thinnest form factor out there. The Clie has surprising heft for its size; it feels reassuringly solid, like it was machined out of a solid ingot of aluminum. The digitizer works great, and the ousnd fetures are an added bonus. I work in a hospital, and the added memory is very helpful: I use a dictionary, drug guide, emergency reference and two other reference titles and I still have 8MB free space on the internal memory. PLUS I have 150+ photos on my memory stick, along with a few movie titles. Also, using Sony's MS Autorun, the Clie will run programs that are split between the internal memory and the Memory Stick.

Since the Clie is now in a new form factor (the T series versus the N series), this leads to its one failing: lack of accessories. No wireless (or wired!) modem, only one case style available, and the audio adapter and camera. Once more accessories become available, the Clie will be a runaway winner

Read Best Reviews of Sony CLIE PEG-T615C/S Handheld (Silver) Here

If you are even thinking of buying anything else,you should seriously reconsider. The Clie T615 (hereafter known as Clie)has everything anyone would need in a handheld. Extreame resolution and double the colors of even a GBA make viewing photos, playing games, reading e-books, and many other miselanious activities a breeze. The Sound quality is unbelievably amazing so you can listen to all your tunes without an MP3 accessory (which you can also purchace if you want an mp3...). 16 meg of internal memory raises it above most palms and visors (which are 8mb). The Jogdialer and the back button are great so you can select and run applications,scroll down in e books, and view pictures one handedly. One unfortunate problem sony has failed to comprehend is that if you were left handed, you would hold the clie in your right hand while writing with your left but the jogdialer and back button are on the opposite side... If your right handed, dont worry about it. The infared port is mostlikely the best thing on the entire system. You can play games, exchange programs, and even turn your Clie into a remote control for your TV. Battery life seems fair untill you recharge it a few times then it will last for about 10-12 hrs strait. Movies are great on the Clie and if you have a movie file on your PC you want ot watch on your Clie You can format it to be compaable with the added on software. One thing that any owner of any handheld will definately need is a memory stick. If you have games, MP3s, photos, e-books or any other extras you will probly want a memory stick to increase your space. This is a great Item and I suggest it to anyone who is even remotely thinking about purchasing a handheld. Even if you have another handheld you should still get this. PS The Clie also comes with a leather screen cover and it's made of Titanium not plastic like palms and Visors. Comes with a cradle instead of a cable too.

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I have used four other Palm OS based systems, the V, Vx, IIIc, and 505. I consider myself a power user I have several megabytes of documents on my palm, as well as some large spreadsheets, an automatic time zone changer for my trips, etc. However, I don't use email, modems, or other accessories (other than a travel kit, which is available) for my palms. So, since the closest comparable model is the 505 (and that's what model my CLIE is replacing) , how do they stack up?

1. Memory the 505 comes with 8MB, the CLIE with 16MB. Easy win.

2. Speed while I don't know the chips inside them, the time they take to recalculate a given spreadsheet of mine is the same. Tie.

3. Bat Life The 505 seems to have a slight edge in this regard, if only because it is almost mandatory to use the backlight on the CLIE... which brings me to 4,

4. Display The CLIE has double the resolution, an adjustable backlight that even on the dimmest setting puts the 505 to shame. Hands down the CLIE's display is the best I have seen, and finally makes it worthwhile to put photos on your handheld! With the backlight off, the 505 has a slight edge, but both are pretty terrible with the backlight off.

5. Size This is the reason I picked up the CLIE 615. It is the same thickness, slightly lighter, a bit taller but a bit narrower than the 505 (heck, read the dimensions). For those of you who like to keep their handheld as light and small as possible, the CLIE 615 will not dissapoint.

6. Extras The CLIE has the jog dial and back button, trying to make it as one handed as possible, with no comparible feature on the 505. While sometimes it is useful, it is not all that important. The CLIE comes with a good bundle of software, and seems to be built quite solidly.

In sum, the CLIE 615 is great. It does just about everything you would want a handheld to do execpt for built in internet access, which is what the Palm 705 seems to be designed for. I highly recommend it!

I received the T615C as a birthday gift last month, to replace my aging Palm ... I've been using Palm devices for about five years now, and so I've come to store my entire life on them...The new T615C has 16MB of internal memory -huge considering the small size of Palm OS applications and records -and I picked up a 64MB Memory Stick...Even after putting things like Avantgo on there, it will be hard to fill 80MB in the absence of MP3 playback. One nifty thing: I was able to take a stick full of pictures from my friend's Sony Mavica camera, and view them immediately on the Clié. Sony is the master of centralization, having put Memory Stick slots in all of their major electronics products except the PlayStation 2. Using MS Import, the Clié in its cradle appears like a hard drive in Windows XP, letting me transfer files to and from the Memory Stick very quickly and easily.

The unit is about as large as my old Palm III, and feels about as heavy. The aluminum casing is very stylish and rugged; while the small labels on the back suffer a bit from traveling around in my pocket unprotected, the unit itself feels very solid. It comes with a simple flip cover that flops around a bit, but can be unlatched from the back. I think I'll get a hard case for it, when one comes out. The whole thing weighs about five ounces, and I carry it around in my hip pocket with my wallet, or my jacket pocket easily.

The screen is a transflective color LCD similar to that used in the Game Boy Advance. The screen is impossible to read indoors without using the backlight, but with the backlight it is gorgeous. The colors skew blue a little bit, but aside from that it is excellent for viewing photographs. Sony has once again stressed multimedia for their organizers: the Address book lets you put a small Print Club-sized thumbnail image beside the name, which links to a full-screen image. The included PictureGear Lite software is a bit clunky, but it gets the job done in converting images to fit on the device. Images are stored with very little compression, but you can use third-party apps like AcidImage and FireViewer to view larger JPEG files. I have several subway maps on my Memory Stick, for example. One other nifty trick: you can "retouch" photos by loading them in "CLIE Paint" on the handheld, adding thought bubbles and drawing fake beards on them. Nice touch.

Three weaknesses exist for me with the PEG-T615C. First of all, since the T-series (along with the PEG-T415) is so new, there are very few accessories for it. My old Palm...assories, such as my GoType! Keyboard, are useless with it. This isn't a big problem, since I didn't use the keyboard quite that often. Second, the battery life is limited. The Memory Stick drains the battery particularly quickly, as does the backlight. While I haven't ridden the battery down to zero, I find it necessary to drop it in the cradle for a full charge every day. I've traveled with it for weekends without a problem, using it lightly as with any Palm OS device. Lastly, most people have a beef with the buttons on the front. While the application buttons (Date Book, Address Book, To Do List, and Memo Pad) have a nice solid feel to them, the up/down rocker switch is damn near impossible to press. Fortunately, Sony included a jog dial and a Back button on the side, which can be used in lieu of the up/down rocker and Applications silkscreen button in most applications.

A small sun icon in the corner of the silkscreen can be used to adjust brightness of the backlight, a nice touch. Finally, in another traditionally Japanese way, a small hook on the side lets you attach a little lanyard to the side as you would with a mobile phone. Unfortunately, such lanyards are hard to come by in the U.S.

I received the Clié as a gift, so I can't comment on whether it's worth the money... Or, if you're feeling like a new color PDA, splurge. The high-res display is breathtaking, and if you already own a Mavica you can shuttle the Memory Stick back and forth between the camera and PDA. All in all, a very cool PDA.

TaoTronics TT-MK001 Mini Portable 2.4GHz Wireless Fly Air Mouse Keyboard Remote Control for Mini PC

Just plugged it into my windows box and it works great. I think I need to calibrate the sensitivity, but the driver just auto installed. I'm eager to see how it works with my android mini PC if it ever gets here.

Very effective, good-looking. I am very satisfied with the product.

I recommend it for its functionality.

Full trade my expectations, interesting purchase.

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I got this to log in and check the IP of my Raspberry Pi when I move it from network to network. After that I usually VNC in. The mouse feature works better than I had expected with a very accurate gyroscopic input. I may buy another to use for presentations. So far the initial batteries I installed are still working. I'd say it's been more than two months.

Not for touch typing.

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Delivery was fast, unfortunately wasn't able to use this keyboard with our 3D internet compatible LG TV. I ordered this keyboard because it showed up on Amazon when I entered: "Keyboard for LG Smart TV", and one of the pictures showed our exact TV screen. However, the TV gave me a message that it "does not recognize this USB device".

Although I could not get the actual product to work, I am giving 5 stars, because the customer service of Sunvalleytek (and Amazon) was excellent. Sunvalleytek initiated a refund immediately, and sent me a label for free return shipping via UPS. I will certainly call upon them again for any future electronic needs!

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HP iPAQ hx2415 Pocket PC

• Intel PXA270 Processor 520 MHz
• Integrated WiFi (802.11b) and Bluetooth wireless technology
• Integrated Compact Flash type II (CF) and Secure Digital (SDIO) slots
• HP ProtectTools secured by CREDANT Technologies security application
• 3.5" transflective TFT QVGA with 64K color LED backlight display, landscape and portrait display modes

The iPaq hx2415 is my second PDA. It is replacing my slower, but still fully functional Compaq iPaq 3635, one of the original iPaqs. I loved it and used it daily for everything from productivity to entertainment. My review is going to be more of a comparison between the two devices.

Expansion/Memory Cards:

The hx2415 is awesome! It's everything I had in the 3635 and so much more. Because my 3635 did not have any built-in expansion card slots, I had the compact flash expansion sleeve, which added bulk and took away from the slim, ergonomic style. In searching for a new PDA, one of my main requirements is that it would have to take compact flash cards natively, without an attachment. There are others on the market, however, I never had any problems out of my Compaq so I wanted to stick with the HP/Compaq brand. Not only does the hx2415 take the compact flash, it also takes the secure digital (SD) cards as well! Great job on providing multiple expansion slots HP.

Display:

I have been doing research and looking at the newer PDAs for about six months. The vast improvement in the displays just blew my 3635 out of the water. The colors are brighter, sharper and much more crisp on the hx2415 and the newer PDAs. Without a doubt, it was much easier on the eyes, even with the screen protector that I put on, right out of the box.

Battery:

I bought my 3635 new in the summer of 2001. I replaced the battery myself with a high-capacity battery. The original was down to about 20 minutes of good usage per full charge! :( After the new battery, I could go for a week and a half with more than my normal daily usage and the backlight on! Having said that, the standard battery of the hx2415 doesn't compare, which is why I'm getting the high-capacity battery for it as well. I love the fact that it is removable and I don't need any tools to replace it.

Design:

When the iPaq was first introduced, it's radical style was on the cutting edge. One of the main reasons I bought it is because it was unlike any other PDA at the time. It made all the Palm devices look like standard calculators. I loved the placement and functions of the buttons. They were all right where they needed to be. On the hx2415, it's even better because the buttons are designed so that it is not as easy to accidentally press one of the buttons, especially the voice recorder.

Networking:

Aside from infrared on the 3635, in order to do any type of networking with my iPaq, I needed to get add-on cards, which I didn't want to do. The hx2415 takes care of all of your networking needs from infrared, to Wi-Fi, to Bluetooth. It has it all.

Applications:

HP has included great applications that I found were very easy to use. I guess being a previous owner of an iPaq helped too. But it won't be a problem for those just buying their first PDA either.

Sound:

This is probably the only thing that I wish would have been better on the hx2415. The sound is not what I'm used to on my 3635. The speaker was a lot bigger and produced a much louder sound. I very rarely had the volume maxed on it. With the hx2415, the volume is all the way up all the time.

Overall I am smitten with my new iPaq. I paid over $500 for my 3635 brand new (with cradle, charger, case, and expansion sleeve). I found this hx2415 for $370.00. What a deal! I couldn't be happier.

One thing I would like to mention, which isn't a problem with the iPaq as much as it is a problem with the PocketPC interface. I recommend you get a third-party management utility, such as Wisbar. It makes using the iPaq so much easier and fun. One thing I dislike (and probably most PPC users do as well) is that when you open an application, such as Pocket Word, there is an 'X' button to close the application. However, the 'X' button is more like a 'Minimize' button because the program is still active. You have to navigate through the settings control panel and close it from the running programs in the Memory task panel. So much of a hassle. But not with Wisbar. You'll be glad you did!

I'm sure I'm leaving some other great features out, but these are what really drove me to buy the hx2415. Hope it helps you in your search!

Buy HP iPAQ hx2415 Pocket PC Now

After my Visor Edge died on me suddenly, I was considering buying another palm device, but I decided to try my first Pocket PC because of the ability to create and edit files created in Microsoft apps like Word and Excel. The other features interested me as well such as Windows Media Player, Bluetooth, expansion slots etc. Not to mention, it looks so good (even better in your hand).

I have been using my iPaq for over a week now, and I am loving it. Who needs to carry around an iPod when u have an iPaq. If u need hours of music, simply use a high capacity SD memory card and you are in hog heaven. Bluetooth works excellently. I have used it synchronize information with my PC and transfer files with my T610 cell phone. I have not had a chance to use WiFi as yet.

My friends and coworkers are all drooling over my iPaq. While I was researching which model to purchase, a coworker tried to convince me that a notebook was the way to go. I listed to her attentively and purchased the iPAQ hx2415. She quickly changed her mind when I started showing her the features the little iPaq had. Her exact words were, "It's like a notebook...just smaller and cuter!" The clarity of the screen, processing speed, and functionality blew her away, in fact, right now she is considering buying herself an iPaq because she is tired of carrying around her notebook.

The device itself feels very good in hand, this is aided by the rubberized side grips. It is slightly heavier than my old Visor Edge, but I don't mind. The things I am doing now on it, were only a dream with the Edge.

The only complaint I have is that the X button does not close apps, but minimizes them. Once you get used to that it is ok. To date, I have had no lockups. I have never had to reset the device. According to my research, lockups are usually caused by too many programs running in the background, which brings me back to my complaint, the X button. There is an iTask button that is used to close applications, but it would be better if the X button did what X buttons are supposed to do close applications.

Also, help could have been better when it comes to the actual applications, although they are similar to the versions we are accustomed to in Windows.

As I am on the topic of applications, this device came with a nice selection of programs, plus the companion CD has more software, even though many of them are trial versions.

In conclusion, I am pleased with the iPAQ hx2415. I did alot of research on it, and so far, it has exceeded my expectations. My life now has order again and more music. I have found my new friend.

Read Best Reviews of HP iPAQ hx2415 Pocket PC Here

I got to try the various handhelds of friends and family over the years, but I never really felt the need for one. But in the last few years they've become much more than glorified clip boards. I have both a Windows XP PC and an older Mac at home, and it occurred to me that I could get by with just one PC, since my wife and I usually just check e-mail and surf the Internet anyway. The thought of checking my e-mail while soaking in the hot tub in our back yard had immense appeal too!

The latest models have tons of features, though they are still stripped-down versions of full PCs. On the plus side this makes them much simpler to operate. On the down side you have to be careful not to lose content in the files you synchronize through your handheld due to the different versions of software on your handheld and your PC. And there's obviously not nearly as much software written for handhelds as for PCs.

At first I really wanted a Blackberry, as it combines a handheld with a cell phone, but I had just bought a new cell phone with contract and didn't want to waste that money. Plus, the Blackberry really needs a wireless broadband Internet service to be useful... and that's usually $50-60 a month. And since I already have DSL at home, and T1 or whatever at work, I couldn't see spending more money for yet another fast connection service. I did have to shell out $59 for a wireless Linksys DSL router so my iPaq could use my DSL connection, but it works much better than the wired one I used to have (the old Linksys constantly needed to be rebooted).

The HP iPaq hx2415 is what I ended up buying, partly because it appeared to have all of the features I wanted, and because of HP's good reputation. And price is now below $300!

Mine came with just Windows Mobile 2003, but even with the $35 the Windows Mobile 5.0 upgrade CD cost me, I was well ahead on price as these are on sale often now. I decided not to install Mobile 5.0 yet, as I wanted to test the older software first for various reasons. While I like Mobile 2003, there are some shortcomings, the major ones being:

1. Mobile 2003 doesn't seem to support nested folders (at least I haven't figured out how to view them). This is also true if you synchronize your Explorer favorites. The nested folders of favorites aren't viewable, and don't get transferred to your other PC; you need to place them only one level deep, no folders inside of other folders.

2. Mobile 2003 doesn't retain all of your files and settings in the event of your battery completely dying or being removed.

3. The 2003 version of Pocket Excel doesn't support charts. Fortunately I knew this before I bought it, or I might have lost the charts in some Excel spreadsheets I synchronize with my PCs at home and work. As a work-around I have the "convert files" setting unchecked. But that means I can't edit Excel charts on my iPaq until I upgrade to Mobile 5.0.

These things are all improved in Mobile 5.0 (at least 2 and 3 are), so I highly recommend getting Mobile 5.0.

I usually read the manuals (yeah; I must be the only guy who does!), but this iPaq was so easy to work with right out of the box, that I was surfing the web literally within 10 minutes! Both my PCs are now synchronized with my iPaq and the e-mail server at work, and setup for this was incredibly easy (Note: I made sure to *not" convert files when synchronizing, so as not to lose charts in Excel due to the older version of Pocket Excel on the iPaq).

OK, the iPaq itself:

I love that it boots in about 2 seconds, instead of the 2 minutes my PCs take to boot! I can instantly access my synchronized e-mail by hitting one button (holding it down brings up my Wi-Fi settings); another button brings up my calendar (holding this button changes between landscape and portrait modes on the big display); another brings up my contacts. A button on the side brings up my notes; I love that! I usually just type in a quick note, but if I hold that button down, it brings up notes, then starts voice recording; great for when I don't have two hands free!

The stylus and handwriting recognition work well, but I usually use the screen keyboard, though it's slower than typing. I may invest in the $45 thumb keyboard some day.

The iPaq body is OK looking, and comfortable enough, but nothing spectacular. But it *is* small, light, and rugged; I dropped mine once with no problems. (I have a hard time believing the other reviewer set theirs down one evening and that the display cracked overnight while it was just sitting there; I'd talk to their janitors or kids!). I have plenty of memory for what I'm doing, but it's upgradeable if I need more. Flash cards are so cheap now anyway.

So, for this first-timer, this handheld has sold me on the concept. I definitely recommend it!

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This is my 4th PDA, and I have had it for about a year now. My first 2 was Palm devices first a Palm IIIx and then a Vx. I loved the Vx for its small size, but after it died, I decided to go with a PocketPC for some of the features it offered. I got an iPAQ 3955 which I like alot, but the size was hard to get used to after the Vx. I still used it pretty heavily, and after 2 years I found I needed a device with built in WiFi, as the PPC2003 upgrade wouldn't let me use my WiFI card anymore. So last February I upgraded to the 2415. I liked the smaller size of the unit over the 3955, and it functioned well at first. However, in the past few months, I found there are times I try to turn the unit on, and nothing happens. Apparently, the battery will run down while it is off, and after charging, it is back to factory settings, having lost all applications and records. Even though there is a backup battery in it, it doesn't seem to have done anything to maintain my data. This has happened a few times in the past several weeks to the point where it has been too much of a hassle to keep reinstalling the applications (and digging out reg. codes to reregister the programs). I have found that I barely use it anymore, but not for a lack of wanting to use a PDA. I'd rate this at 2.5 stars since it functioned well for a while, and only recently became virtually useless. I am now looking at going back to a Palm device if I can find one that suits my needs.

I purchased my HP2415 about a year ago. It worked fine for about 6 months. Then one day I took it out of my briefcase and tried to turn it on, nothing. I tried a soft-reset, nothing. So I plugged it into the cradle and found the main battery had been drained and the back-up never kicked in. Apparently it had turned itself on in my briefcase.

So had to do a full reset and software install.

Then it happend again a week later, same symptoms. So I called the HP people and they had me send it back to them. In about a week they sent it back to me and claimed it was fixed the next day it did it again.

So I sent it back again they "fixed" it agian. 1 week after getting it back it did it again. I called HP and asked to have it replaced, they said no. The best they could offer was to "fix" it again.

I am going back to Palm.

Acer AME600-UR368 Desktop (Black)

• 3rd Generation Intel Core i5-3330 processor 3.0GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 Technology up to 3.2GHz (6MB Total Cache)
• 8GB DDR3
• 1 TB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
• Intel HD Graphics
• Windows 8

The wireless card and antenna were defective and computer had to be shipped to the company in Texas for repairs. Working OK now.

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I ordered this item with the sole intention of upgrading the video card. The bios is really crappy and does not have the option to disable the on board video card. Now if a manufacturer leaves that out of a bios, you'd think that at least it will shut off on it's own automatically but this was not the case. Installing a new power supply and video card caused a conflict and the monitor would not register a signal. I troubleshooted the graphics card with another desktop I have and it is working well. Once I was able to detect the problem, I called Acer customer service.

Acer technical support is crap. It's probably outsourced to India. They didn't know anything and suggested I contact a "local technician". I asked if there was a bios update but they told me there was none and that I had to "unlock the bios physically". I asked if there was a jumper setting or something else on the motherboard to "unlock the bios" but just kept referring me to a local technician.

** NoteI was able to access the bios and make changes within the bios. The problem I had was that there was no way to disable to on board graphics card.

Bottom Line If you're planning to purchase this for the sole purpose of using it as is with no upgrades, it may be an OK deal. Anything else, save yourself the headache, time, and frustration.

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Windows 8 boot time seems fast. It takes about 54 seconds from the time I turn it on, to the the time the desktop appears with my icons. I like the speed of the wireless card connection to my Verizon hot spot. I like the 45 degree USB/audio jack/mic jack/card reader on the top and up front.With the Intel I5, 1TB HD, and 8 GB RAM fir a reasonable price ($490), I'll give it 5 stars. Thanks Amazon and Acer!!

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I bought this computer for my grandsons and they love it. I bought them an Acer desktop last year and they wanted another Acer this year. It's got plenty of memory and a fast hard drive plus it had Windows 8. Acer makes a very good product for the money. I was also pleased with delivery time and everything arrived in perfect condition.

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I've used a lap top my entire life so this is my first desktop. What a difference ! It's speedy and holds a lot of memory. I had no issues with set up and its running like a charm. It took a few days to get use to Windows 8 (coming from XP & 7) but 8 is better.... excel is the worst where they changed stuff around but word is the same from what I can tell. Adapt and overcome is what I say..... go for 8 !

GreatShield Chalkee Kids Stylus for Kindle Fire (all models), Blue

I bought the Chalkee Stylus in pink, so this review for blue doesn't show that my Purchase is Verified by Amazon. You can look at my review for GreatShield Chalkee Kids Stylus for Kindle Fire (all models), Pink to see that I did purchase it.

The Chalkee Stylus is for adults too. I am an adult with hand problems.

I can rarely hold anything in a "pencil-grip" with the pencil, pen, crayon, or stylus going between my fingers. I can easily use the Chalkee while holding it in a "stabbing" grip such as a young child would use for coloring with a crayon (especially on walls!).

I can't grip anything tightly, yet the Chalkee works well for me in a loose grip.

In My Artwork

For any stylus currently on the market, the way to draw fine lines is to use a drawing app. I use the Chalkee Stylus with an app called "Paint Joy" by Bejoy Mobile Paint Joy Movie Your Drawing

"Paint Joy is free (as of February 2013). You can use it on Kindle Fire and on other Android devices.

Go to the Amazon Store called Apps for Android in order to see other apps for drawing, some free. Personally, I like Paint Joy the best. I am able to choose from a wide selection of lines and then tailor the thickness and how opaque the line will be from the software. Remember, no matter which stylus you use, you are going to get the same line you choose. When the software is controlling the thickness of the line, the Chalkee performs fine.

While Playing Games

With the Chalkee stylus, I play games on my Kindle Fire and on my NOOK Tablet: Match 3 games such as Treasures of Montezuma 2 Lite by Big Fish Games; card games such as Hearts and Solitaire; and Memory/Concentration games.

I'm not very interested in Angry Birds, but I can easily play it with the Chalkee stylus.

Many Hidden Object games and many Mahjong games are not well-suited to Tablets due to the small screen and due to the software of games not offering the selection of line thickness that Paint Joy does for my artwork.

My Confession: Please don't give in to temptation the way that I sometimes do and stay too long at the fair, so to speak.

Take frequent breaks from using any tapping, swiping, or other motions with your hands whether with a stylus or with your fingers and thumbs. Even perfect hands, even very young hands can ache, hurt sharply the way a nerve hurts, swell, become stiff by staying too long at the tablet (or cellphone or ereader or other device) without frequent breaks.

PRICE: I've had my Chalkee Stylus for several months, using it many hours during a week, including to turn pages in ebooks I'm reading.

I have accidentally dropped it from a height of 4 feet or more on to carpet and tile about once a week. I have dropped it out of my car on to a parking lot a few times. I have dropped it on to tables and desks and counters.

Not a scratch or dent, no damage to the tip either.

IF I hadn't needed the extra size and lightness of the Chalkee, then I would have bought any old inexpensive stylus and held it in a pencil-grip and saved some money for other things. But I am just thankful that the Chalkee stylus is available and doesn't cost more. I consider any purchase over USD$20 as "Would I rather have pizza delivered?" As much as I love pizza deliveries, I will give up however many I need to when it comes time to buy another Chalkee stylus.

rooCASE Ultra Mini Capacitive (Red) Stylus for Palm Pixe / Pixe Plus / Pre / Pre Plus

• Non-OEM Stylus for Palm Pixe / Pixe Plus / Pre / Pre Plus
• Ultra Responsive Capacitive Stylus that Works with All Touch Screen
• Lightweight Aluminum Pen Body that Weighs in at 0.2 OZ. Stylus Length: 48mm.
• Conevenient Cap Attachment to 3.5mm Audio Jack.
• Available in Black, Silver and Red. Search: rooCASE Ultra Mini Capacitive Stylus Pixe

It works! I've bought several that didn't even though I was told they should. This one is small and convenient, and it plugs into the headphone jack securely.

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Body Glove Posh Snap-On Cover for Samsung Intensity SCH-U450

• Body Glove Posh Pink Snap On Cover for Samsung U450 Intensity (#9141801)

I was a big hit when I bought this for my 12 year-old daughter. The colors are so much better in person. It has a nice texture that keeps you from dropping it. It snapped on well and has not come off.

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This did not fit my phone well at all. Thought body glove logo would ensure good quality. Very unhappy with this product fit

SanDisk SDDR-88-A15 8-in-1 USB 2.0 Hi-speed Reader (Retail Package)

• USB 2.0 enabled
• Includes docking cradle
• Requires no drivers
• Stylish Design
• Backward compatible with USB 1.1

In my opinion this is the best memory card reader you could get. The price at Amazon is a good deal, plus with the free shipping you won't make a mistake. Here is the summary:

Pros:

1. It looks elegant. The colour combination of silver and black makes it look like a serious tool you could display even in an office environment.

2. Comes with a bonus stand to enable the display at an upright position. Saves space in a cluttered environment.

3. Comes with another USB cable to you could position it horizontally (flat) on a table. You will have to keep the stand, in this case.

4. USB 2.0 speed which means faster transfer speed.

5. No drivers needed if you use the latest Windows XP or Mac OS X operating system. I use the Mac and there is nothing to install.

6. 8 in 1 memory card reader. Try finding that in othe products at that price and design. You connect as much memory cards that could fill the slot and they will appear individually in your desktop. This means you can transfer files between memory cards without having to transfer and use your desktop as a holding place.

7. Each slot has its own individual lights to indicate correct installation and file activity transfer.

8. Light and portable.

Cons:

1. Light plastic construction. Feels fragile, but I guess SanDisk knows better on making it sturdy.

2. The cable for the bonus stand is long, but the extra cable supplied to lay the product flat is short and I mean short! This is a plus for those who bring this with their portable computers and don't need the extra long cable. A big minus for those who wish to forego the stand, but decide to use with their desktop on a desk. You will need to connect it to a hub if your USB plug is nowhere close.

All in all a great buy for the price.

Buy SanDisk SDDR-88-A15 8-in-1 USB 2.0 Hi-speed Reader (Retail Package) Now

In regard to some earlier posts in reference to their computers freezing up I maybe able to shed some light of the subject. When I bought the San Disk 8-in-1 Card Reader it installed with no problemo under my Windows XP [built] system.

I started having problems as soon as I inserted cards for the device to read. My screen would blank out and my computer would re-boot. Everytime I tried to insert and use a Secure Digital [SD] or Compact Flash {CF} card I would get the same result over and over with a black screen and re-boot.

So I called San Disk for tech support and they asked me if I had Norton AntiVirus installed on my machine. I said that I did and they said that more than likely I needed to disable a "scan removable media" option from Norton AntiVirus. I unchecked this option and sure enough the San Disk card reader works without a hitch. What is happening [according to San Disk] is that Norton AntiVirus is looking to scan your card slots/ports for viruses when you mount a card into one of the slots and that can cause various PC machines to CRASH!

Now because I have Norton SystemWorks 2003 [with Antivirus] on my machine, I can take you through the steps. But if you have a stand-alone version of Norton AntiVirus your menu navigation may be different but I'm sure you can burrow through the options and follow me with my demostration below:

First, launch Norton SystemWorks and wait for the Norton SystemWorks pop-up menu to appear.

Second, at the top on the horizontal menu click the big yellow "Options" button and from the mini pulldown menu you want to select "Norton AntiVirus".

Third, a "Norton AntiVirus Options" dialog box will appear. On the left hand side at the very top of the vertical navigation menu pane click on "Auto-Protect" and under its pulldown menu choose "Advanced".

Fourth, to the right of the navigation menu pane you will see a sub-heading called "What activities to monitor when using floppy disks". Under that UNCHECK "SCAN ALL REMOVABLE MEDIA FOR BOOT VIRUSES EVERYTIME IT IS MOUNTED". Click "OK" to exit the dialog box and close the previous one under that, too.

Once the above option is UNCHECKED, then this may solve your crashing/freezing up problem. If it does then that's great! But be CAUTIOUS now because you have disabled auto-protect for removable media. This means that you must be careful that your media cards are VIRUS FREE when you insert them into the card reader. So be warned when borrowing your friend's or family's cards and can't verify what content is on them.

I hope this helps someone.

ROD

Read Best Reviews of SanDisk SDDR-88-A15 8-in-1 USB 2.0 Hi-speed Reader (Retail Package) Here

This is definately a must have item if you take a lot of digital pictures with your camera. I like it so much that I bought one for a friend.

I currently run Windows XP.

Pros-

1. Lightening quick speedsI am a big big fan of USB 2.0 technology. The transfer speeds are just awesome. I have a built in CF reader in my multifunction printer. It takes about 5 minutes for the transfer, while it only takes approx. 45 secs for the same transfer with this Sandisk Reader. Just make sure that your USB ports are 2.0 compatible.

2. It's capable of reading a number of types of memory.

3. sleek design.

Cons-

1. quite possibly cost. I am sure that many of you will think that it is not worth the additional bux and that is probably what you are contemplating the most. "Do I really went to spend money on an item that would be nice to have, but something that I really dont need?"

If you take a decent amount of digital pictures, then get it. This is one item where I have not had any buyer's remorse. It's a great product that delivers as promised.

2. As with any other USB peripheral, you have to "remove the Hardware" before pulling the plug out of the port. The icon is on your desktop, on the lower right hand side of your screen.

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You really can't go wrong with this reader. There are no other readers on the market that can compete with its capabilities, its quality and its price.

I have had it for a year and I use it at home, at work or when I am traveling.

What I like:

1Portable light sturdy construction. I use it to move large files of data on a CF memory without carrying a laptop.

2Fast data transfer with USB 2.0 connection.

3Easy to install. Plug and play with Windows 2000 or XP (I have not tried other operating systems)

4Stands vertically or horizontally. I was afraid it might not be stable when standing vertically, I was proven wrong. It is very stable even when you are installing/removing memory cartridges; non-slip rubber is used to prevent sliding.

5Reads 8 different memory media. I can use my camera's CF memory, my other camera's memory stick and my Palm's SD memory all with the same device.

7Elegant black and silver design that looks great on any desk.

8Each slot has its own LED (small light) which indicates that the memory media has been inserted properly.

The only drawback:

1It comes with 2 cables, one for the vertical position and one for the horizontal position. The cable for the horizontal position is really short.

I have an Olympus C2500L camera which I like except for the fact that it doesn't have a highspeed PC connection...I had to download pictures using the SLOW serial cable (10MB of pictures took ~20 minutes). I finally bought this reader and I love it, now 10MB is less than 10 seconds.

Installation was a breeze. The installation software even informed me that the USB port I plugged into couldn't supply enough power for the reader and then identified which port I should use (I'd plugged into a 1 to 4 USB splitter which can't give it the juice it needs).

Some people complain about not being able to recognize the removable drive identifiers. When you plug a card into the reader, the drive identifier in your 'My Computer' window changes shape and lights up with small red indicator. So if you're only plugging in 1 memory card at a time, there's no guessing (it's a little more difficult when working with multiple cards at once).

The unit is:

Stable on the desk.

Takes up very little room

Reads just about every memory media

Is easy to install

Working flawlessly

Only costs about $20

You can't miss!