Showing posts with label handheld gps units. Show all posts
Showing posts with label handheld gps units. Show all posts

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Aleratec 300116 16x LightScribe V1.2 Duplicator Grade Rainbow DVD+R (100-Pack)

Aleratec 300116 16x LightScribe V1.2 Duplicator Grade Rainbow DVD+R
  • Compatible with LightScribe Direct Disc Labeling DVD/CD Duplicators, Recorders and Publishing Systems
  • Burn your data. Flip the disc. Burn a label directly onto your disc
  • No ink. No smudging. No Peeling. LightScribe labels are laser-etched using the same LightScribe-enabled drive that burns your data.
  • 20 each of Blue, Orange, Yellow, Green and Red color backgrounds

This product arrived in the time specified. Packaging was appropriate.

The videos recorded on this DVD (using DVD Studio Pro on Mac Pro) were less than perfect. On playback, there were random instances (about 12 or 15 in a 1+ hour movie) of small colored pixel groups flashed on the television screen which did not appear in the movie when it was created or played using Final Cut Pro and DVD Studio Pro. I have burned movies to other brands of DVDs without this happening. The sound was not affected.

When I tried to print (using Acoustica CD/DVD Label Maker on HP DV6000 laptop) the Lightscribe label on these colored DVD disks, I kept getting error messages and a link to download an update for the Lightscribe driver from HP's web site. HP's web site stated to only use gold/bronze Lightscribe disks. Uh oh. The update was installed but did not solve the problem. At this point I was contemplating having to return the rainbow colored DVDs.

I went to Lightscribe's web site and downloaded their drivers. Problem solved. The Lightscribe labels printed without error and the print quality was excellent.

I can live with the small pixel groups flashing on the screen for this project, but some projects must have perfect video recordings, and I'm not sure this brand can deliver consistently in that regard.

The imperfect quality of the video recording brought down this rating.

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Wednesday, October 1, 2014

VEC CM-1000 Omni-Directional Stereo Conference Microphone 3.5mm CM1000

VEC CM-1000 Omni-Directional Stereo Conference Microphone 3.5mm CM1000We have used the mic with a hand-held voice recorder for recording boardroom meetings several times and it has worked great so far.

I spoke to a couple of salespeople at companies that sell recording equipment for lawyers and courtrooms. They recommended these microphones. They are noise cancelling mikes and come with a 5' cord. They are ruggedly built with a non-skid rubber mat under them. They are also electret mikes so they need to be connected to an input that has Plug In Power capability, otherwise you will probably need a preamp or separate plug in power source. But otherwise they do not require any external power input. Many of the Olympus digital recorders have Plug In Power input compatibility and these should work well with them. They work well with my Olympus DM-620. They are daisy-chainable right out of the box. That means that if you want to use more that one mike, you can plug one into another in a chain, and plug the cord on the last one into the mike input of your recorder without have to use a mixer or adapter plug. I think there is a practical limit to the number of mikes you can daisy chain and I recall reading some comment online cautioning against trying to connect more than 5 or 6 in a chain, but I don't know. Since the mikes draw power from your recorder, you may want to connect your recorder to an AC Adapter while recording to make sure you don't run the batteries out while recording. I will use 3 of these mikes for taking depositions. After testing 2 mikes chained together against the internal mikes on my recorder, I found them to be great at capturing voice without picking up a lot of background noise. You could of course rely on your recorder's internal mikes for recording small meetings, but if you use multiple mikes, you can reduce the problem of some voices being louder than others depending on how far away they are from your digital recorder. This is what I like about using these mikes -by having multiple mikes near each speaker, the sound level of each voice is better balanced. Another consideration in my choosing these mikes was the fact that they are unobtrusive, as opposed to typical shotgun mikes on stands. The result is that the speaker forgets they are there and is more comfortable with the setting. One reminder -on most digital recorders, when an external mike is plugged into the unit, the internal mikes are disabled, so you can't use one CM-1000 mike alongside your internal mikes. This means that you will want to consider buying at least two of these mikes for conference recording.

Buy VEC CM-1000 Omni-Directional Stereo Conference Microphone 3.5mm CM1000 Now

The signal from the microphone was very low and there was lots of noise even though we connected the mic to a camcorder with phantom power.

Read Best Reviews of VEC CM-1000 Omni-Directional Stereo Conference Microphone 3.5mm CM1000 Here

Good design (small and innocuous), good reception (picks up soft voices around the table). It'll work nicely for recording our meetings.

Want VEC CM-1000 Omni-Directional Stereo Conference Microphone 3.5mm CM1000 Discount?

This microphone was great for the three months that it worked. Very short life span. Certainly not worth the money!

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Sunday, September 28, 2014

BoxWave Capacitive Dell Streak Pro D43 Stylus (Lunar Blue)

BoxWave Capacitive Dell Streak Pro D43 Stylus
  • Works on all capacitive touch screens
  • Conveniently designed in pen form, perfect for carrying around
  • Durable construction
  • Perfect for cold days when you don't want to remove your gloves
  • Available in Jet Black, Metallic Silver, Crimson Red, Lunar Blue, or Bold Orange color

Aluminum case with plastic screen cover provides great protection against bumps and scrapes. The Shadow fits snugly into the case, maybe a bit too snugly so be careful when trying to extract it. The aluminum case interferes with the GSM radio, bluetooth and wi-fi seem to be unaffected (but they are short range). If you have no service you can gain up to a 2 bar increase in service by removing it from the case, but if you are indoors like I usually am I just use a desk phone or wait until I'm back outside.

If you want the best protection against your clumsiness and if you keep your Shadow in your pocket with your keys you will need this case.

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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.

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Everlite USB Converter

Everlite USB ConverterWorks great if you hiking, backpacking, or just traveling on foot. A must have for your survival gear. I bought one and sent it to my friend who is serving in the middle east. Comes in very handy.

rooCASE ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1001P-PU17-BK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook Carrying Bag (Classic Series - Da

rooCASE ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1001P-PU17-BK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook Carrying BagCase color and style exactly as described. Has plenty of room for storing cord, and thin spiral notebook. Very lightweight, and holds the netbook nicely. Has enough padding to protect without being bulky.

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Sunday, August 10, 2014

PDair Ultra Clear Screen Protector for Nokia E7-00

PDair Ultra Clear Screen Protector for Nokia E7-00I strongly recommend it in order to protect your new toy.

But it's not easy to install. You have to be careful in order to avoid bubbles.

Although it's difficult to install, it's really a good product.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

PDair P01 Black Leather Case for Nokia E7-00

PDair P01 Black Leather Case for Nokia E7-00This case is very good. High quality, well done, and perfectly fits my Nokia E7.

Earlier I have purchased vertical leather case by Cellet which was described as designed for Nokia E7 but in fact was too small to fit. This one from PDair is an excellent product. Belt clips is very solid and holds well.

This case is not as cheap as many others, but it's worth every penny.

This keeps Nokia-E7 very well. I am glad I found this product. I certainly recommend this product. It also fits my pocket and it does not show out much. I like it.

Buy PDair P01 Black Leather Case for Nokia E7-00 Now

I ordered this case with this seller, and it was shipped from Hong Kong, from some seller who declared it with 8 Dollars as a gift to me. Interesting. I filed a claim with this seller, because this is not acceptable. Plus the case that I received is in bad condition, smells horrible and does not fit the phone for what I ordered it.

Now, they want me to ship it back at my own costs. Cheaters. Do NOT order from this seller. My serious advice. I hope Amazon takes care of this ! I am so upset !

As for the case itself, it is too small for the phone and the phone needs to be squeezed in. If my phone rings, I would not be able to get it out without picking up/hanging up the phone. Either I was sent the wrong item or who knows what. But this was the biggest mistake of purchase I ever made on Amazon.

Read Best Reviews of PDair P01 Black Leather Case for Nokia E7-00 Here

I believe it's one of the better cases out there for the Nokia E7 phone. Previously owned a "flip" case where the phone snapped into the holder and you just flipped open the cover to reveal the phone. However, these added to the already big size of the phone and made it difficult to hold when you slid open the keypad to text. This case held the phone quite nice and when you tool out the phone you had access to all the features of the phone without being hampered by the case.

Want PDair P01 Black Leather Case for Nokia E7-00 Discount?

Monday, July 7, 2014

Crystal Clear Hard Protector Cover Case for Sprint / Alltel Palm Treo Pro 850 + Neckstrap

Crystal Clear Hard Protector Cover Case for Sprint / Alltel Palm Treo Pro 850 + Neckstrap
  • Sleek and stylish design Palm Treo Pro 850 Hard Case gives your phone a new look.
  • Featuring durable plastic construction to ensures the long life of your phone.
  • It protects your phone while provides a comfortable sensation in your hand and a no-slip grip.
  • It is compatible with Palm Treo Pro 850

This clear, hard plastic case is stylish and protective. The great look of the Treo Pro is not obstructed.

Buy Crystal Clear Hard Protector Cover Case for Sprint / Alltel Palm Treo Pro 850 + Neckstrap Now

The plastic does not fit on the phone correctly, its too small. I had to remove the cover to restart my phone two days after i put it on and it broke. Don't buy this product!

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Sandisk Sansa View 8gb 16gb Flexible Soft Silicone Skin Case - Black

Sandisk Sansa View 8gb 16gb Flexible Soft Silicone Skin Case - Black
  • (Non OEM) Soft Silicone Skin
  • Soft Silicone Skin Case Is Extremely Durable and Provides a Soft Comfortable Grip
  • Compatible With Creative Sandisk Sansa View ONLY (MP3 Player Not Included)

So many choices to choose regarding a sleeve,case,jacket or whatever you want to call it for mp3 players. I found that this skin case is a perfect fit on the Sandisk Sansa View player. (I have the 8 gig version)

Very happy with this purchase.

Buy Sandisk Sansa View 8gb 16gb Flexible Soft Silicone Skin Case - Black Now

I just purchased this for my Sansa View and it torn the first day! I have another Sansa, the 4gb e260, and I purchased a (premium) skin for it and it is a much thicker material, which has lasted 2 years now and shows no signs of failure.

I will be looking for a replacement skin for my Sansa View, but I won't be purchasing this product again.

Read Best Reviews of Sandisk Sansa View 8gb 16gb Flexible Soft Silicone Skin Case - Black Here

This case does a really good job of protecting the Sansa View, and it fits really well. There are cutouts for all the buttons, the headphone jack and the USB port. There's no cutout for the microSD card, but that's a good thing because you don't want to bump it accidentally and have the card fall out.

However, be careful if you use the armband! The silicone material is very thin and soft, which feels great but it tears easily. I run with my View, and I used the armband with the case for about three months before the armband tore right through the case. The extra movement generated by my running somehow caused the armband to bunch up under the silicone case, and the View wound up flopping around, eventually generating enough force that the armband tore itself out of the case, rendering the armband useless. I was able to fix it with duct tape, but I wish I'd gotten a case made out of a more sturdy material.

Want Sandisk Sansa View 8gb 16gb Flexible Soft Silicone Skin Case - Black Discount?

This is an excellent product. It holds a lot of books and loads very quickly. The refurbished View I purchased malfunctioned soon after I received it. I sent it back to SanDisk and they replaced it with a new one. I am extremely pleased with the purchase.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Purple TPU Silicone Case Cover For Apple iPad 2

Purple TPU Silicone Case Cover For Apple iPad 2
  • Superior protection from scratches and dust
  • Prevents everyday finger and oil prints
  • Stretchy, silicone material to resist moisture
  • Full functionality while in case

This product was timely received as I just received my IPAD and wanted to protect it. Thank you for offering this IPAD case at a price that one can afford. Keep up the high quality.

Thank you,

Debbie Dragon

(727) 393-8080

Buy Purple TPU Silicone Case Cover For Apple iPad 2 Now

Bought this cover for my daughter's i-pad...fits great, looks good, easy to install. Protects the corners, while looking stylish.

The only downside is that it can be slipped off, doesn't fall off, but can be slipped off if someone is not careful.

Daughter loves it and Mom is happy also!

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Chapin 61900 Tree/Turf Pro Commercial Backpack Sprayer SS Wand, 4-Gallon

Chapin 61900 Tree/Turf Pro Commercial Backpack Sprayer SS Wand, 4-GallonI bought this unit based on the good reviews of it. While it seems to be a fairly well built system, in my two uses of it, it has leaked both times! The first time I put a gallon of weed killer in it. About halfway through my spraying session I started feeling small drips on the back of my legs (wearing shorts). My wife was out in the yard too, so I asked her to take a look at it while I was still wearing it. She thought it was probably just condensation, so I kept going. While taking it off, the sprayer hose was fairly wet, so I decided it must have leaked a little.

The next time I used it I filled it with 3 gallons of weed killer. This time about 20 minutes into using it not only did I feel liquid running down the back of my legs again, I felt the waist band getting wet in back, and there was a significant amount of liquid running down the hose. I took the unit off and saw that there was a steady drip coming our of the bottom of the tank. In looking at it closer, it appears that the plastic clamp that wraps around the neck of the tank doesn't clamp adequately. By this time I have weed killer running all over the place including on my shirt, my shorts, the garage floor, etc. I plan to try to replace the cheap plastic clamp with a metal hose clamp, but you shouldn't have to do that, especially with the "pro" model.

While a back-pack sprayer is a very convenient way to spray, the big downside is that if it leaks, it's going to be running down both your back and the sprayer hose. I really don't like the idea of weed-killer getting all over me!!

If it wasn't for the leaking problem I would really like it.

This sprayer is of commercial quality! I have only used it a couple times so far but it only takes a few pumps of the handle to keep constant pressure. It is so much easier than the carry type sprayers I have had before it. I would recommend this sprayer to anyone who does much spraying at all, you will not regret getting one of these!

Buy Chapin 61900 Tree/Turf Pro Commercial Backpack Sprayer SS Wand, 4-Gallon Now

I have 40 acres so I need a dependable sprayer, and this one has not let me down.

Read Best Reviews of Chapin 61900 Tree/Turf Pro Commercial Backpack Sprayer SS Wand, 4-Gallon Here

I'm just a regular homeowner trying to keep my lawn (about 8K sq. ft.) green and weed free. Up until now, I have been using a hand-held sprayer that I purchased on Amazon. It has worked quite well. However, pumping consisted of taking the tank off my shoulder, pumping it up on the ground until it reached proper pressure, then putting it back on. Spray and repeat that every couple of minutes for an hour... It also came with a flimsy strap that cuts into your shoulder almost immediately.

ENTER the Chapin Backpack sprayer! What a breeze this thing is compared to the hand-held. The back-pack style harness is a total back saver. I no longer get the customary back/neck/shoulder aches and pains trying to over compensate for a 3 gallon container on one shoulder. Also, the Chapin hand pump is almost effortless. It is way less laborious than my previous sprayer. Also, since you don't have to remove the pack, it has the advantage of being capable of continuous spray, as you add pressure while you dispense.

The Chapin 61900 Backpack sprayer has turned the business of applying herbicides to my lawn from a chore into a reasonably therapeutic activity.

PS I have not experienced any leakage issues that I have read about in some of these other reviews. Although, admittedly, I do not expose mine to the same strenuous conditions as others probably do. Also, mine arrived with a nice scratch on the pressure gauge. I called Chapin, and they sent another one out immediately (no questions and free of charge). I had a whole new handle/gauge assembly within a matter of days. The company stands behind their product. Great (responsive) company and a great product!

Want Chapin 61900 Tree/Turf Pro Commercial Backpack Sprayer SS Wand, 4-Gallon Discount?

Used commercially. I've ran 10+ full loads with very little issues. Very easy to disassemble/reassemble. Made in U.S.A. of domestic and foreign parts.

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Tuesday, March 4, 2014

rooCASE 3n1 Dual-View Multi Angle (Magenta) Folio Case Cover / Capacitive Stylus / 2Pack Anti-Glare

rooCASE 3n1 Dual-View Multi Angle Folio Case Cover / Capacitive Stylus / 2Pack Anti-Glare Screen Protector for Samsung GALAXY Tab 7.0 PLUS Tablet / Samsung GALAXY Tab 2 7.0
  • Dual-View Multi Angle Leather Cover for Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 / 7.0 Plus (Compatible with Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 / 7.0 PLUS - Please See Product Image Between Tab 7 vs 7.0 PLUS)
  • Premium PU Leather with Micro Suede Interior. Detachable Inner Sleeve for Handheld Operation; Sleeve Reattaches to Folio by Velcro for Landscape or Portrait viewing.
  • 3 Grooves for Multi-Angle Viewing . Magnetic Flap Closure. Access to All Ports and Controls.
  • rooCASE Ultra Responsive Capacitive Stylus: Weighs: 0.4oz Length: 114mm, 3.5mm Audio Jack Attachment. rooCASE 2-Pack Anti-Glare Screen Protector.
  • A MUST Have for all Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Owners!! Available in Black, Magenta and Red. Search: rooCASE Galaxy Tab 2 Dual-View

The screen protector that came in this bundle negatively impacts the display-instead of incredibly sharp and clear the screen has a textured overlay look. It doesn't block visibility, but what is the point of having a fabulous screen if you put something on it that makes it so-so.

I like the look of the case and it is good for protection but it doesn't stand up very well. It only has small ridges on the flap to stand it up and if you bump it at all it flattens.

Liked that the stylus has a cord with an end that plugs into the headphone jack so I can keep track of it better.

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Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Lexerd - TDS Nomad TrueVue Anti-glare PDA Screen Protector (Dual Pack Bundle)

Lexerd - TDS Nomad TrueVue Anti-glare PDA Screen Protector
  • Ultra Thin
  • Anti-glare
  • Guarantee To Preserve Original Color Tones
  • Heat, Water Resistance, Against Scratches and Shields Damage
  • Not Interfere with Touch screen Technology

Great product. At first I thought it was a little short, but then realized I had the protector pushed under the frame a bit. Air bubbles are a little tricky to get out, but I've never been good with that.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Dyslexia Reading Pen - Topscan Text Scanner & Text Reader, Scan Text the Computer Will Read It, Text

Dyslexia Reading Pen - Topscan Text Scanner & Text Reader, Scan Text the Computer Will Read It, Text Will Be Editable After the Scan.
  • Easily captures text from paper and transfers it directly into the computer
  • edit the text. this unit works with any application you have on the PC
  • Using advanced OCR software, our products can capture and copy rows of text and send the data directly into any Windows application
  • Our products can incorporate just about any text-to-speech , you scan and the computer will speak the text
  • workes with all windows opration systems including the new Windows 7

I have had this pen scanner for about one year now and use it frequently to copy text as I read it. I immediately use Zotero (or Endnote if that is more familiar) to insert the bibliography. This is useful for insertion into my thesis, or I would need to type everything. The only glitches I had were in the beginning to install it took a while to figure out, but I asked for some help from customer services and they were great and helped no problem. Yes, it took time to get the scanning process right I use a ruler and have perfected the art of gliding the pen over the words. I silence my speakers = dont use the "read-back" option as it is monotonous and does not pronounce the words well, so it is a bit off-putting. BUT all in all a great item!

Buy Dyslexia Reading Pen - Topscan Text Scanner & Text Reader, Scan Text the Computer Will Read It, Text Now

This was an amazing purchase! Don't get me wrong, there is room for improvement, but I had about a thousand pages that had highlighted passages that were needed for an open book exam. It took a good few days but I would never have been able to type it in anywhere near that time. Overall I am very happy with the scanner.

Read Best Reviews of Dyslexia Reading Pen - Topscan Text Scanner & Text Reader, Scan Text the Computer Will Read It, Text Here

The Pen Scanner works as advertised. I use it for pasting quotes from books into my research papers. It works best if you put a ruler under the line you are scanning, to keep the scanner on track. Without a ruler, it still works, but accuracy is better with a ruler. The customer service for this product has been fantastic. A poor quality photocopy doesn't scan as well (no surprise). When working in low light, if you find the plastic tip too bright for your eyes (compared with the light in the room), the vertical side of the plastic tip can be covered with a piece of post-it.

Want Dyslexia Reading Pen - Topscan Text Scanner & Text Reader, Scan Text the Computer Will Read It, Text Discount?

I'm a lawyer and frequently have to quote printed text. This thing is perfect for short passages, so I can avoid the hassle of having to scan, OCR then copy and paste. I love that it's portable so I can take it into libraries and document rooms with me (along with a laptop -no in-device memory).

As other reviewers have noted, it's not great with poor quality print or unorthodox fonts.

Overall, a great product that I use all the time.

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This sounded like such a great product, I was very excited to order it. Once I got it, I felt like I really got ripped off. The packaging was very cheap, not even sealed,and the pen itself looked like it should have retailed for about $19.99. It completely fell apart yesterday and I had to put it back together. If this is a genuine product, it's really sad. I feel duped for paying almost $100.00 for it. I am in college and thought this would really help me out, but it's almost more pain than it's worth. The red light that goes onto your page when you are scanning is so bright, it fries your eyeballs. Then, the scanning... it just puts in random things and I spend more time fixing it than if I would have just typed it in the first place. I'm sure there are much better scanners out there. Keep looking.....

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Aten CE750 USB Console Extender with RS232 and audio - 1Computer(s) - 1, 1 Local User(s), Remote Use

Aten CE750 USB Console Extender with RS232 and audio - 1Computer(s) - 1, 1 Local User(s), Remote User(s) - HD-15 Video, DB-25 SerialThis is great if you want to move your workstation away where the physical computer and its noisy fans and hard drives are located. Alternatively this is great if you need to physically secure and lock the computer away from public access.

Video quality seems very nice. I've been using it at 1280x1024 over a 100 meter cable and see no video problems. Framerate, color depth, and clarity is unaffected since this uses analog transmission and not digital re-encoding as other KVM-over-IP devices may do.

With the audio, when amplification on remote speaker volume is turned up you can hear faint noise when the mouse is moved. I can work around this by reducing my remote speaker volume and instead turn up the soundcard volume output instead. However, this indicates that there is not perfect elimination of signal interference.

If you have an extended keyboard or mouse with extra media buttons or navigation buttons, be aware that they may not be supported and will have no effect. The product manual mentions this limitation.

I also tried plugging a USB hub and other devices into the remote USB ports, but devices other than mouse and keyboard do not appear to be supported--this is fine since the manufacturer does not claim otherwise, but just don't expect to be able to use other USB devices.

Despite these limitations, this is a great device for remotely locating your keyboard, mouse, monitor and audio away from the computer.

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Sunday, November 10, 2013

Airlink IP Camera (AICN1777W)

Airlink IP Camera
  • MPEG4 & MJPEG dual codec; High-quality Day & Night vision with Infrared LEDs; Built-in Pan/Tilt device for wide-angle surveillance
  • Supports remote surveillance on computers over the Internet or on 3G mobile handheld devices; Supports NAS recording, FTP uploading and email alerts
  • 2-Way Audio streaming; GPIO connector allows the camera to connect with a variety of external alarm sensor device (In) and controlling device (Out)
  • USB connector for saving images directly into USB devices; Motion Detection with 2 Adjustable Windows
  • Powerful application software "Airlink101 UltraView" manages up to 32 Cameras simultaneously; Supports IEEE802.11b/g/n with WPA and WPA2 security

Let me start by saying that I would rate this product as ZERO stars if I could. The camera overall is fair at best. For $150 bucks I expected more. I bought it to record my new house being built as I wanted to take a picture every 5 minutes and save it off to a USB storage drive. It has a USB port so this seems logical, right? WRONG. After getting bad information from Airlink's support staff, it was determined that this feature/functionality was not available. Fine, should have looked into that before purchasing.

So I was just snapping a picture every hour or so and saving it to my iPhone UNTIL ... I upgraded to IOS6! Now the app (SKYIPCAM) is completely useless and crashes as soon as you try and view your camera! The whole world knows IOS6 is coming but the answer I get back from their TERRIBLE customer support staff (based out of India) is "oh sorry, our vendor is from India and they won't give us an ETA for a fix". WHAT? A TERRIBLE COMPANY and TERRIBLE SUPPORT OF THEIR PRODUCTS!!

Will never buy from this company again and will never recommend them to a friend.

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I have actually had this camera for a while now. It's the coolest thing since it is interactive. With the new IPhone app, I can see and hear what's going on at home from anywhere in the world. You will need to set up your router with port forwarding and such, but once it's connected it is great. I took off just one star because I wish the quality was just a little better, but it works as advertised.

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I have worked all day trying to get this camera to work. I have called tech support and left a message, and I have sent email to support.

I can set up the camera, but I can't set it for remote viewing. What good is it without that? Also, the iPad app does not work, it will not connect with the camera.

So far, I am very disappointed all around.

I finally got it to work. I got on the phone with tech support. However, each time you reset your modem, you have to enter a new IP address into the camera software. So, during my last trip, a storm killed the power to my modem, and when it came back up, I had to reset the IP address. I had to be at home in order to do that, so I lost my camera for the second half of my trip. Once it is connected, it works fine. Even though I like it, it is hard to set up. I added one star to cover my ignorance.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Scrabble SCR-228 Players Dictionary

Scrabble SCR-228  Players Dictionary
  • Based on Merriam-Websters book, The Official SCRABBLE Players Dictionary, Fourth Edition (OSPD4)
  • Features more than 100,000 two-to-eight letter words that are acceptable under the rules of the SCRABBLE Brand Crossword Game
  • Main dictionary entries include a brief definition, a part-of-speech label, and inflected forms for fast, easy word validation
  • Phonetic Spell Correction
  • Build words from your letter tiles

(The 5 star rating is based on the assumption that you're a Scrabble player; this product wouldn't be very useful to non-players.)

This is an electronic version of the Official Scrabble Player's Dictionary 4th Edition (OSPD4), with some features that make it much more valuable than the print edition. It's more compact, and it is a lot faster to look up a disputed word than flipping through the book. It also has a few games to help sharpen your word skills and a "build" function that lets you enter your rack and get a list of all the words that can be formed from those letters, highest-scoring to lowest-scoring.

But what really makes this more valuable than the print version is a neat undocumented feature. As you may know, the OSPD4 says on the cover "Endorsed by the National Scrabble Association for recreational and school use." That's right, the "Official Scrabble Player's Dictionary" is not really official. For club and tournament play they use the "Official Tournament and Club Word List" (OTCWL or OWL2). This is because as of OSPD3 a lot of "offensive" words (cuss words, ethnic slurs) were removed from the dictionary. These words are still permitted in tournament play. You won't find this in the instructions, but you can turn the SRC-228 into an OWL2 dictionary by doing the following: at the "Ready" prompt, type in **otcwl and press "Enter." The "Ready" prompt will be replaced with "Search OTCW List" and you will now be able to check a lot of new words. It will only give a definition for the OSPD4 words, but it will say "Correct Word" for the OWL2 words. These words will also show up on your "Build" list. Besides the naughty words, OWL2 also adds a lot of words that are trademarks such as "Kleenex" and "Aqualung." This feature will stay in effect until you change the batteries or disable it. **otcwl acts as a toggle, so if don't want the kids to have access to these words, just enter it again and it reverts to OSPD4.

Note that like the printed version, the electronic version only contains words up to 8 letters in length (with the exception of inflected forms of those words). So a correct word like "submariner" would not be found in it. You'll need an extra dictionary if someone plays a bigger word. (This doesn't happen that often.)

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Scrabble SCR-228 Players Dictionary

Franklin used to make a electronic Scrabble dictionary (based on the third edition of the official printed dictionary) that was the size of a credit card, easy to use and read, and could "travel" with little hassle due to its size. No more. They still make the model SCR-226 which is identical in appearance to the SCR-228 but also is based on the OLDER edition. Search the boxes in vain for the small print that explains the differences between 226 and 228. The SCR-228 is updated to the fourth edition. It's still easy to use, but the much larger letters, ironically, are a bit harder to read due to the huge display. Works fine, but why not continue to make a smaller, cheaper, just-as-good version?

Read Best Reviews of Scrabble SCR-228 Players Dictionary Here

You can tell this model from the 226 by a slightly different color pattern and perhaps a little bit more readable screen.

But the big difference in this machine is that tho it has given us qi and za to use, it has taken away a lot of the old staples. What it has taken out is all the words that you would look up as a kid that were "naughty" and all the terms that were in the old dictionaries that had "offensive term" behind it.

But overall, it is an improvement in programability from the first credit card dictionary tho I have to say I miss the size and feel of the old ones.

Al

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This is pretty awesome. It has several functions and if you're either an avid player or encouraging growth of vocabulary in another (like your kid) it's well worth the price.

One of the more impressive features is that it can tell you possible plays provided what's on the board and the letters you have. Really good way to learn new words.

Technology rocks.

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To begin with, it should be realized that this is not a general purpose dictionary; it's specifically designed for Scrabble players. That's why all the definitions of each word are not given.

As noted in Steve Keeley's very helpful review, it can be converted to the Official Word List -the unexpurgated one -and it can be used to find all possible official words in any rack. The word games that are included are fun to play, too.

There is a useful feature that's not in the printed instructions, but appears by pressing the HELP button when defining words. To scroll to the right to see the entire definition, it's not necessary to hold down the right arrow; just press ENTER again and the scrolling is done automatically.

The four AAA batteries that are required are not included, so it's a good idea to have them ready, as well as a small Phillips screwdriver, which you'll need to take the cover off the battery compartment. There's no need to put the screw back on when you replace the cover; it will be secure enough without it. In fact, once you get the cover off -which can be a struggle -you might want to put it back by pressing it down just enough to hear a click; it will save you a lot of trouble later. Once you get that done you'll be free to enjoy this device without any further difficulties.

Peel off the horizontal strip with the word CHAMPION on it; now the display is unobstructed. But don't try to remove the square piece of plastic

that covers the entire device -its function is to protect against wear and smudges.

To conclude: I highly recommend the Franklin 228 for Scrabble® players.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 AM3+ AMD 990FX SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard

ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 AM3+ AMD 990FX SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
  • Win8 Support Ready - Upgraded Hardware and Native BIOS Support, with 2 second Fast Boot.
  • Dual Intelligent Processors 3 - New DIGI+ Power Control, with DRAM and CPU Power, and SMART DIGI+ Key
  • Network iControl - Real-time network bandwidth control application that easily allowing users to prioritize bandwidth to different applications.
  • Remote GO!- Simple Solution provides Seamless Wireless Enjoyment, turning the Smart Handhelds into your best home entertainment console.
  • USB 3.0 Boost-Set USB 3.0 devices into 3 modes: Normal, Turbo, UASP to improve overall read/write performance instantaneously

I used this board in a recent build with an FX-8320, 16gb 1600, gtx 560 and Windows 8. So far the build has been very low drama and everything has worked perfectly. Do make sure to update the bios using the usb flash back feature before you start assembly as my board came with a bios 4 editions old and I bet yours will too (The bios flashback feature is a great selling point by the way).

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I bought this motherboard because it is ready for 8 core processors out of the box and it works brilliantly

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The first board that I got ran fine, but the sound card was DOA. Amazon easily shipped a new one to me that day, and within 3 days I had my second board. The new one worked beautifully and has been working beautifully ever since. The BIOS is lovely, and the temperatures of the board never exceed 40c. I am very happy with the purchase.

However, the board doesn't recognize Corsair Vengeance Ram as having 1866 as it's default frequency, and it is running it at 1600. When I first installed the board I could manually set the ram to 1866 but it caused instabilities, and after a BIOS update the 1866 option on my ram disappeared, and I can now only go to 2000+. This is probably just the RAM itself, and I am not blaming the board for it. I guess the lesson to be learned is to make sure the RAM is on the list of approved RAM models.

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I bought this for an upgrade I've been planning over the last several months. It's been a week since I've owned the board and so far everything about it is well. got it paired up with a FX-8350 and a GTX 560 Ti, and Windows 8/Ubuntu 12.04 dual boot. This is also my first experience with a UEFI bios, which I have come to like after tinkering with.

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This board and its components went together easier than any install I've had to do in the past. The manual was actually written in English by someone who knew English.

There are only two quibbles. The board has 6 SATA ports but comes with 4 cables. Two of the ports are something special and they will require some special set up and I'm not quite sure what that is about.

The board comes with a mounting kit already in place for just snapping the stock ADM heatsink/fan in place.

This hits the sweet spots for the money USB3, DDR3 to 1866GHz, SATA 6/GB.

The back panel is without a doubt the best. It isn't just a flimsy foil like one normally gets. It clipped in positively and there are labels on it. Quite nicely done.

If a friend asked I'd tell them this would be a good board for them.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Toshiba e310 Pocket PC

Toshiba e310 Pocket PC
  • Lightweight, ultra-thin Pocket PC loaded with productivity and entertainment applications
  • Expandable via built-in Secure Digital (SD) slot
  • 32 MB RAM and 32 MB ROM ; 206 MHz Intel StrongARM 32-bit RISC processor
  • 240 x 320 pixel TFT LCD screen displays more than 64,000 colors
  • What's in the box: Toshiba e310, USB cradle, AC adapter, stylus, soft slipcase, quick-start card, and warranty card

As a former Handspring Visor Prism user (and a Palm OS enthusiast), I was a little more than hesitant to switch to a Pocket PC with the inferior Pocket Windows OS. After using the dazzling, new Toshiba E310 Pocket PC for about a week now, however, I have been converted, and will never go back to my clunky Visor Prism. The E310 satisifes all my PDA needs and is lightweight enough to carry in my pocket.

Pros:

1) The E310 is very lightweight yet feels sturdy.

2) The E310 has the one of the best color screens I have seen on a PDA. It is very bright and easy to read in any lighting. Where the Visor Prism's screen washes out in daylight making it barely readable, the screen of the E310 is readable in a brightly lit room or outside in the sunlight.

3) Data syncs easily with Outlook 2002 (included on the CD) as well as with Word and Excel.

4) The included MS Reader and Media Player allows me to read books easily and listen to MP3's which I have stored on a 64 mg SD or MMC card (not included). The headphone jack converts the E310 into a very nice MP3 player with excellent sound. (With the Visor Prism, I had to buy a separate Minijam MP3 module which made the Prism heavier and more clumsy looking.)

Cons:

1) The E310 utilizes the Pocket PC Windows OS which I still feel is inferior to Palm OS. There is no way to close a program without going to settings.

2) The colors of pictures (jpegs) loaded onto the E310 don't seem as sharp or crisp as those viewed on the Visor Prism.

3) Headphones and SD or MMC cards must be purchased separately and there is no expansion except for 1 SD slot.

4) Wireless possibilities seem limited right now as there is no expansion slot for a wireless modem (Toshiba does have a Bluetooth card, however, that will enable you to wirelessly connect to your cellphone for internet and email access.)

On the whole, I was quite impressed with the E310. I love using it and feel it is the best PDA i have owned up to this point. Toshiba has successfully integrated form with function. Although I felt that I would never give up on the Palm OS, I have quickly acclamated to the new OS.

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Because of my job and my personal interest, I've had my share of PDAs. I'm not kidding, but I've owned (or currently own) the following PDAs since 1994: HP 100LX, HP 200LX, HP 320LX, Palm Pilot 1000, 5000, Palm Professional, Palm III, Palm V, Palm IIIc, 2xPalm VII, Palm m100, iPAQ 3630, and now the Toshiba e310.

I started out with a DOS based handheld, then switched over to Palm-OS based PDA for about 5 years. For the past 2 years, I've been using the Compaq iPAQ Pocket PC. It has been working well for me, but I've always disliked the iPAQ 3600and 3800-series for several reasons:

1. It's rather large and heavy, when compared to most Palm-based PDAs.

2. (3600-only) It has no expansion capability except for adding the sleeve, which makes the unit even larger. (3800 has SD built-in).

3. The notorious problem of dust getting under the screen, which is lit by the side-light

4. The screen is bright, but has always been somewhat "milky", or cloudy.

5. The infamous stylus latch is always broken

So it's blessing in diguise that my wife broke the screen of my iPAQ a few weeks ago. It gave me an opportunity to re-evaluate the current Pocket PC market. After researching, I purchased the Toshiba e310 and have been using it for about two weeks.

To put it simply, I love the Toshiba e310. I would venture to say that it's the best PDA I've ever owned. It's not perfect, but it's the best PDA for me at least.

Before I purchased the e310, I looked for a iPAQ/e310 comparison review, but couldn't find it anywhere. Since there are many great general Pro/Con comparisons here at epinions as well as other sites, I'll focus on how this unit compares with the Compaq 3600/3800 series for those who is thinking about switching.

1. Size, weight, and form-factor: The Toshiba e310 is very thin. It's currently the thinest and lightest Pocket PC on the market. At 4.9 oz, it weights the same as a Palm m515 and the Clie 615 (both color). After carrying the iPAQ 3600 for 2 years, this is a very welcomed change.

2. Screen: While it's not as large, the color LCD on the e310 is visibly brighter and clearer than the iPAQ (I can still do a A/B comparison). It also doesn't have the nasty problem of dust getting trapped under the screen that iPAQ is notorious for.

3. Expandability: The e310 does come with a SD slot and there is no way to add a CF slot. After owning the iPAQ for 2 years and having all kinds of CF/PCMCIA accessories (wifi, wireless modem, memory card, GPS, etc), I can say with 100% certainty that I will not need anything other than memory expansion capability in a PDA. This may not be the case with you, so if you need to use CF accessories, look elsewhere. Currently there is only limited SDIO accessories available (memory and BlueTooth), but there will be more available in the future.

The iPAQ 3800-series also has a SD slot built into the PDA itself (not the 3600-series), and it has the capability to take CF and PCMCIA accessories with optional sleeves.

4. Battery Life: Somehow the little unit out lasts my iPAQ by quite a bit. I read a lot of ebooks on my PDA, so I usually have to recharge my iPAQ several times a day (say, 100% to 65% after a 1 hour, especially with a CF memory card installed). With the e310, I find it lasts a lot longer (say 100% to 85% after 1 hour, even with a SD memory card installed).

5. ...

Overall, I love e310's form-factor, screen, battery life, and price. I would highly recommend it to anybody who is looking for a Pocket PC.

(We'll save the Palm OS vs. Pocket PC debate for another day).

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba e310 Pocket PC Here

Toshiba makes its entry to the general market with the e-310 PDA. It is a good entry.

I say to the general market because the previous model the E-570 was only a limited release, however the 310 is a nifty little device at a good price.

A thin lightweight design and a low price gives it a good start. It comes with a built in voice recorder, 32m ram and a good chunck of useful microsoft software.

A one year limited warranty and 90 days free tech support are standard equiptment. The support is 24/7 and in addition to telephone support includes e-mail and chat support, they also have an advanced support group available M-F till 8 p.m. eastern.

It is a handy little device, it has one significant advantage over the 570. The hard reset on the 570 involved using the stylis and hitting the power button, on the 310 the hard reset is totally independant of the soft reset, (bottom of the device). Another good thing about this PDA is the Lithium Ion Battery that unlike others doesn't have a "memory" which can decrease the strength of the charge.

Little things to remember, The battery button needs to be to the left or the device won't charge, (to the right creates the hard reset) Don't hook up the device until both active sync and outlook 2002 are installed (the quick start card vs the manual is a little unclear here).

My favorite use of the device is as an extra internet connection at work, it has a better speaker than my PC and leaves me with one less window to keep open.

A good device for the price and a good first offering into the PDA market for the general public. Definately worth a look.

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The biggest selling point of the e310 (besides its competitive price) is its thin factor. At .47 inches, this is the thinnest Pocket PC, and compares well with Palm-powered PDAs. It's also the lightest. The length, however, is the longest of all Pocket PC PDAs, and Toshiba disappoints us by not including a larger display than the same 3.5" LCD used by other Pocket PC 2002 PDAs.

The e310 looks pretty sleek, albeit a bit too large due to the elongated shape. But it's something you'd be proud to whip out on a subway or train and show it to the passengers next to you. The buttons, including the D-pad, are a bit too small for my taste, and the D-pad feels a bit flimsy. It's not clear whether the D-pad works in all 8 directions. One big letdown is the continued presence of the audio pop that comes up every time with a new track in Windows Media Player.

The screen is so-so. It has the same resolution and color depth as all Pocket PC devices, but does not look as good as the nice display on the iPaq. In fact, the frontlight is quite uneven, and there is a slight bluish tint. Some people say the colors also look "milky." I don't have good eyes for colors, so I can't comment on that. I do wish Toshiba made the screen better, at least on par with the iPaq.

The e310 comes with a non-user replaceable LiIon battery that lasts about 4 hours with the frontlight set to "medium bright" and an SD card loaded. Without the SD card the battery life seems to almost double -but since the e310 comes with only 32MB of internal RAM (which Pocket PC 2002 OS uses for both running programs and storing files), an SD is a must-have if you want to store digital music and other multimedia content. It would have been nice for Toshiba to include a CF slot; but given the thin factor, that would have been too much to ask for. (It would also have shortened the battery life.)

Unlike the previous Toshiba, the e310 has a jog dial on the side. I never found the jog dial quite useful, because, let's face it, there isn't much you can do with just one hand, without using the stylus. But I guess some people like it.

The e310 is a sophisticated device and I have only touched on some of its major features. There's a lot more to explore, and let me emphasize that I do like it's thinness and light weight and generally pleasing styling. If you don't need to wait for the upcoming Xscale Pocket PCs (which will be out any time now), the e310 is a definitely worthy of a look.

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I'm a long time PDA user (starting with the original Sharp Wizards in the early '90s) and have been using a Casio E-100 (running WinCE) for several years. While still fond of my trusty old E-100, I found it was just too heavy to lug around in my pocket so I finally decided to upgrade to a new PDA running the latest PocketPC OS. I looked at the HP and Compaq units...then I saw the Toshiba e310 and was instantly impressed by its small size and light weight. Yipee! I could finally carry around my PDA without looking as if there was a brick in my pocket.

The price of this slick little unit is an added bonus nearly [price] less than most other PocketPC units so I bought one and it's been my daily companion ever since. Here are a few of my observations after about 2 months use:

PROS:

1) Lightweight Being able to inconspicuously carry your PDA with you everywhere is the whole point of having a PDA, and the e310 is easily the smallest PocketPC available at the moment.

2) Solid Construction With an aluminum body, the e310 feels very well built. There is no flexing or fiddly plastic bits, though the stylus is rather small and fits loosely in the silo.

3) SD Expansion slot Yes, a CF card would have been ideal, but no doubt size constraints forced Toshiba to use an SD card instead. However, it does make adding memory easy and inexpensive (though I've yet to fill the onboard 32KB).

4) PocketPC 2002 Microsoft has really refined the OS and the e310 is both fast and easy to use. There is also plenty of high quality third party software available on the 'net. (My favorites are ListPro, eWallet, and WIS Bar.)

5) Syncing with your PC ActiveSync works flawlessly over a USB port, and you can choose to sync with Outlook, Money, and selected files (such as Word and Excel files or other supported apps).

CONS:

1) LCD display Dimmer and less contrasty than my Casio E-100, but a big advantage is that the e310 is readable in sunlight, so this is a fair compromise.

2) Wireless connectivity The e310 is not an ideal choice if you must have wireless access since only Bluetooth is available on the SD format.

I highly recommend the e310 to anyone looking for a powerful, versatile, and fun PDA that is easy on your pocket AND your pocketbook.