Showing posts with label latest handheld gaming consoles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label latest handheld gaming consoles. Show all posts

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Saitek PH06 Cyborg Speedlink Portable 5.1 USB Headset

Saitek PH06 Cyborg Speedlink Portable 5.1 USB Headset
  • Headset with 5.1 Digital Sound
  • Three drivers per ear
  • USB Connection
  • Also connects to 3.5 mm sources for stereo playback

I saw this gaming headset advertised in a PC Gamer magazine and have been interested in purchasing ever since. I ended up buying these for Christmas and just received them today. I was a bit concerned prior to buying because of the one review that was already posted on here, but I decided to take a risk and try it for myself.

The headset is NOT as small as the previous reviewer would have you believe. I compared it to my previous headset (the Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000) and found them to be almost the same exact size--in fact, this Saitek set seems to be a BIT wider on the head. This set doesn't press against the sides of my head as much as the Microsoft headset did, which is a huge positive.

The Saitek has three input plugs: one USB and two analog (one for mic and one for headphones). The USB is only necessary if you want to use the 5.1 surround feature; otherwise, for normal stereo listening you can just plug the analog plug into your headphone jack in your soundcard. What isn't made clear is the microphone connection--the microphone DOES work through the USB connection, so the analog plug for the mic is only necessary if you're using the stereo analog plug for the headphones (you can't listen in stereo through USB connection).

Installing on Windows Vista seemed smooth. I plugged the USB cord and Vista installed the headset without ever prompting for a disc or saying that correct drivers couldn't be found. However, just to be safe, I ended up using the included software and reinstalled.

Your experience might be different, but be warned that when the headset first installed on my system, the volume defaulted to maximum level--so do as the manual advises and press the Volume (-) button until the volume is all the way down...it'll save your ears.

First I tried listening to music using the headset through the USB connection. The music sounded very nice and crisp, and the bass sounds quite good for a headset. The sound configuration tool that gets placed in your system tray is moderately helpful--it allows you to choose different equalizer settings (the Soft-Rock preset sounded best to me) and the number of speaker channels you want to hear (2, 4, 6 or 8).

The fact that this headset boasts TRUE 5.1 surround sound (as opposed to virtual surround) was one of the reasons I was interested in this headset. To be honest, I don't hear a major difference between this 5.1 and virtual surround. The rear channels just sound dampened and softer as opposed to coming from behind. With mini-speakers placed in the headset earpieces, you'd think it would be more effective than that. However, since this headset didn't cost more than virtual surround headsets, I wasn't too upset.

The "removable boom microphone" is only decent. The sound quality is not nearly as good as the sound I had with my Microsoft LifeChat headset. In fact, I had a lot of trouble getting the microphone to work at all for awhile. I ended up disabling the microphone input from my default sound device (Soundblaster X-Fi card), which isn't an intuitive thing to do. Because the microphone is removable, it works through an analog plug connection, which is THE reason why the sound quality of the microphone is so poor compared to the all-digital LifeChat headset I had before.

Overall, this is a nice headset. Music and audio SOUND fantastic, but the microphone is sub-standard compared to all-digital headsets out there. Set-up seemed a bit more tedious than it should've been, and the included instructions are poor. The Saitek website has no support for this headset yet, so if you get frustrated, you'll probably be more likely to return this set than keep on trying to get support.

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I ordered this headset in order to see if the reviews are as bad as they seem and I have to admit, they're on target as this headset was an extreme showdown.

Saitek has lived up to its name as a low priced alternative to just about any external PC component like keyboards, audio devices, mice and such. It's also become synonymous with unreliable as they are cheap. As I received the package, I held it, shaking it briefly and lightly like a child at Christmas would when trying to determine its not-so eerie contents only to hear a super faint rattle. "Good!" I thought as I figured that was the sound of loosely packed manuals and other accessories.

I broke into a frenzy trying to find a reasonable way to open this box and opted for the usual box cutter. The tape soon fell as it was unable to defend itself from the onslaught of my brief and carefully made swipes. I soon unearthed the headset box from its Amazon container and lifted it. The packaging itself was partially falling apart, bent, and well held together by several upon several of those nameless clear sticker circles clearly designed to contain such a monstrous beast. Because of this I imagined my younger years when I tried to build everything with duct-tape, including a rocket and even a car wash to a car for those who were extremely pressed for time.

After I disengaged from reminiscing of my past I took apart the packaging until I was able to hold the headset in my sausage finger lined hands. As I traced over its refines like a set of mandibles attached to a millipede looking for a weak spot amongst it's prey, many thoughts filled my mind: Elegant, amazing, solid, magical, and awe-inspiring were far from the list. Instead I thought rickety, clunky, and that if I were to touch the wrong spot it would catch fire like the Ford Pinto when rear-ended.

Being a man of risk I put away my box of fears and whipped out its cabling. As I put the mic on I could hear a distinct rattling noise. It turns out something was loose in the right ear, tilting it one way made a dull cheap clacking noise when tilted fully on its side and then again when fully flipped to the other side, much like you would hear in the finest of Playskool science labs, designed to get children accustomed to the uncomfortably deep tissue massages you get for free when going through the TSA.

Eventually I slipped both ear pieces on.. or should I say Christmas ornament equipped audio mocking machines only to hear a dull off tone of magical mis-conveyance. The other ear, the one with the especially enhanced clacker sounded like the most extreme kazoo band trying to recreate the finest in Electro-Swing. This went on for a while, song by song until I had enough and was convinced that I was not man enough to handle this dangerous recluse.

Only one thing filled the destiny for that evening and that was to carefully, while highly intoxicated, put everything back together and return it with my condolences in hopes this headset can find a person of sheer steroidal-abuse manliness in order to fully enjoy such an extreme gaming experience.

Read Best Reviews of Saitek PH06 Cyborg Speedlink Portable 5.1 USB Headset Here



If you're looking for a pair of headphones that will only last you a month and a half before breaking, then you should buy these.

These sit on my desk and stay in one spot plugged into my computer all the time. They haven't received any rough treatment. And I payed special care with this pair to remove them with both hands, as my previous Creative Labs HS-980 Fatal1ty Professional Series MKII Gaming Headset (Black) broke (after EIGHT months; NOT one and a half) on the wishbone ear support on the left.

Before I go on, let me say the sound quality is actually pretty good, the surround sound, while not as good as having actual speakers positioned around the room, is good, and the mike works absolutely great. This is the only reason I've given it two stars instead of one, as the build quality is extremely poor (read: absolute junk).

So, first, they broke on the left earphone pivot about a month after I got them. I super-glued it back together and went on with my life, slightly disappointed.

NOW, they've just broken (split) down the entire left headband sizing part. The plastic split apart from the top where the metal goes in ALL the way down to the bottom to just above where I super-glued it before. I've submitted a picture as well so you can see where it broke.

I might be able to superglue or wrap it in duck tape to fix it (yet again! edit: i superglued it, but now the left earphone doesn't swivel), but I should not have to. The sound part of the headphones is (at this time) still working well. Which, isn't very helpful if you can't wear them because they're in pieces.

If I could go back and do it all over again, I'd spend an extra $20 and get something else.

Want Saitek PH06 Cyborg Speedlink Portable 5.1 USB Headset Discount?

the Cyborg 5.1 USB headset is great, there are only 2 things I found annoying with it and that was that at the beginning there was a weird static sound, but I looked on google and saw that the settings had to be changed sometimes, so I played around with the different volumes and the static is now gone, and they do start to hurt the ears after about 5-6 hours of wearing them, but a quick repositioning will help with that. In the end its a great buy, the sound quality is amazing, and the program is easy to use and understand. Of course the best part is being able to rip out the mic when your raging and throw it across the room without damaging it since it is supposed to come out.

This is a great product for about two weeks. That's when, if you actually use it for a mobile headset, it breaks.

I need something that I can put in my backpack and take on the road and not have it fall apart and this is not it.

If you are looking for a headset for home use, this might work, the sound was good, but if you plan to fold it up in its case, plan of replacing it in less than a month.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Palm Tungsten E2 Battery Replacement Kit with Installation Video, Tools, and Extended Life Battery.

Palm Tungsten E2 Battery Replacement Kit with Installation Video, Tools, and Extended Life Battery.
  • Guaranteed for One Full Year
  • High Capacity 900 mAh 3.7V Battery
  • Revives Your Palm E2
  • Comes with Tools and Video Instructions
  • Kit Includes Everything You Need to Revive Your Palm Tungsten E2 PDA

the battery works great , the screwdriver tool was supposed to be a number 4 torx not a number 5 torx.

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Battery worked for a while then the whole unit stopped turning on .I dont know whether it was related to the batttery or not.

Read Best Reviews of Palm Tungsten E2 Battery Replacement Kit with Installation Video, Tools, and Extended Life Battery. Here

But the Palm never turned on even after charging for 24 hours. I suspect a faulty battery. Palm worked before the original battery died last summer.

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Thank you! It was very easy to change the battery by following the directions.

I was really panicking when my battery showed signs of failure. My PDA is my favorite --better than any other device, including the iphone.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

YOOBAO Genuine Leather Case For Samsung Galaxy P1000 P1010 by Koolertron

YOOBAO Genuine Leather Case For Samsung Galaxy P1000 P1010 by Koolertron
  • Long lasting Premium Genuine leather, Completely interior and exterior with soft real leather
  • Ultra High Quality Construction and stitching
  • Book style leather case, elegant and attractive
  • Designed with a kickstand to prop up your Galaxy when you read ebooks, watch movies or presentations
  • Cut outs allow access to Charging Port and Speakers, Headphones Jack and Volume can be accessed while in case

This was not quite what I was looking for, however, I am now very happy with it. It is difficult to find a case for a Samsung tab p1010 wi fii only at a reasonable cost. This fits perfectly and I feel confident that it is safe. Doesn't fall out. I was looking for a case that would fold in three so I could easily take pictures. This doesn't but its ok. The security of knowing that my tab will not fall out or get broken far out weights the minor problem of folding into threes.

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Wednesday, September 17, 2014

BoxWave Cowon D2 ClearTouch Anti-Glare Screen Protector (Single Pack)

BoxWave Cowon D2 ClearTouch Anti-Glare Screen Protector
  • Award Winning Anti-Glare Cowon D2 Screen Protector
  • Dust Repelling
  • Bubble-free Application
  • Fingerprint Free
  • Sized to specifically fit the Cowon D2

I've been using the Clear touch for over 1 year now. The screen is just as sensitive with protector as without it. This screen protects my mp3 player and I recommend this product.

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Saturday, August 30, 2014

Zoom 3035 PCI Express Data/Fax Modem - PCI Express - 1 x RJ-11 Phone Line - 56 Kbps

Zoom 3035 PCI Express Data/Fax Modem - PCI Express - 1 x RJ-11 Phone Line - 56 Kbps
  • The Model 3035 PCI Express Modem is an internal faxmodem which connects to a Windows computer through a PCI Express slot.
  • The Model 3035 has complete regulatory compliance in 70 countries.
  • It has also been tested as qualified for regulatory approval in another 26 countries, but with additional licensing fees required for full approval.
  • The Model 3035 is fully compatible with all features of the V.92/V.44 international standards and will also communicate at V. 90 and slower speeds.

There are as of today very few PCI E 1x modems. This one fit the bill for the HP computer that I bought that does not include a Modem, HP did not offer one. This one works fine. The caveat is that the seller that Amazon move me to did not respond to my question about compatibility with Windows 7 64 bit. Fourtuantely, Zoom does have a driver on line to achieve this.

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The modem works fine as a fax modem, but despite the verbiage in the user manual: "You must have Call Waiting/Caller ID

(Type 2 Caller ID) service from your telephone company to use the modem's Call Waiting/Caller ID feature," be advised that per technical support, the modem does NOT support caller ID. They say "It has never had the capability to support caller ID."

Read Best Reviews of Zoom 3035 PCI Express Data/Fax Modem - PCI Express - 1 x RJ-11 Phone Line - 56 Kbps Here

Ordered and installed this modem for a client who bought a new HP computer and still needs dialup internet. Easy install, it just flat worked I would buy again if I ever need a pci-e modem.

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Some people had trouble with drivers but mine installed under Win7 64-bit native drivers and seems to work just fine.

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This is an EXCELLENT modem!! FWIW, I contacted Zoom about including a half-height bracket, which they are looking into, since a lot of PC's today only take the half-height cards. Otherwise, you have to use it without the bracket.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Cisco AIR-LAP1041N-A-K9 Aironet 1040 Series Access Point

Cisco AIR-LAP1041N-A-K9 Aironet 1040 Series Access Point
  • Building on the Cisco Aironet heritage of RF excellence, the 1140 Series delivers industry-leading performance for secure and reliable wireless connections.
  • BandSelect improves 5-GHz client connections in mixed client environments

This is a great wireless acees point. Not sure why people buy Cisco gear without know what it is. Please note this unit needs to have a wireless controller, that is why LAP is in the model number!!!! Not sure why people buying this device and then complan after the fact that it needs the controller.

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I picked up a couple of these on an ebay auction, and installed one onto the POE port on my Cisco ASA that I use for a gateway on my home network. Holy moly, is this thing rock solid, with insane range and coverage. I am very very impressed, of course it is the better part of a grand, so you would expect it to be good!

A note for everyone who complains about not knowing that this particular one requires a separate Wireless Lan Controller that is what the LAP in the model number stands for. For heavens sake, check cisco.com before you buy any of these things they are not cheap so don't be lazy and then blame Amazon's information.

Oh, one small issue, they ship with IOS 12.3. I noticed that I was unable to establish PPTP tunnels when connected to Wireless. If you are doing this, you need to upgrade your IOS to 12.4(23) I think, it is listed in the release notes as fixing the PPTP problem.

Read Best Reviews of Cisco AIR-LAP1041N-A-K9 Aironet 1040 Series Access Point Here

Don't try this if you're in a hurry to order. The LAP is NOT the AP version. You'll need to have a controller to manage this AP. I am certain it's a great AP...I have 16 more to configure for another client...with the WLC.

The only thing I'd change was my ordering of a dual band (A/B) AP instead of a single band which can support better range and throughput in the A/N space than it's single band counterpart.

These APs are a really good tool for a budget WLAN set up. I prefer the much more costly 3600 series LAPs but they are stratospheric in price so there's really not a fair comparison in function/capabilities.

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My school purchased one of these Cisco 1041 access points to be a part of our new wireless network. For most of our building we installed the Cisco Aironet 1140 Series AIR-AP1142N-x-K9 802.11a/g/n 2x3:2 MIMO Standalone Wireless Access Point AP and converted them to controller based devices. All of them work great with our Cisco Wireless controller. This one covers a classroom that is in a remote part of our building with no access points nearby. It is exactly what we needed in this situation.

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-= UPDATE =-

The easiest way to make this device work in standalone is to purchase it pre-configured for standalone by referencing the model #'s on this page:It _IS POSSIBLE_ to make this device work in Standalone mode if you have already figured out the hard way that it won't work as is. However, you have to have a CCO login which can be obtained here:Then download c1140-k9w7-tar.124-25d.JA.tar (or newer) from cisco's website. I believe any file named *.JA.tar is the Standalone Ios...don't quote me though.

Then follow the instructions from this post to install the downloaded IOS:-= End Update =-

I purchased this unit and the description doesn't mention the requirement of a Cisco WLC (Wireless Lan Controller). Unfortunately, a WLC capable of running this unit is just as expensive (or quite a bit more!) as this access point.

It has been hinted that this unit can be upgraded to a standalone IOS, but all the documentation I can find to do this doesn't work.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

PDair V01 Black Leather Case for Nokia 808 PureView

PDair V01 Black Leather Case for Nokia 808 PureViewGood aquisition, nice handmade product. I just would like to point out that the Nokia 808 pureview fits perfecty in it, however, if you use one of those gel covers, it will fit like a tight shoe, but, yes , it does fit. If you use a hand strap, remove it, phone and strap won't fit together unless you leave the strap out of the case passing it through an open space at the bottom of PDair V01, to do this, you will need a tool. You won't be able to pass it through the open space using only your fingers. To use your phone, you will have necessarily to remove it out of the case. I recommend that you check the other PDair versions to find the one that suits you better. Anyway, I like it. Greetings from Brazil.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

rooCASE Neoprene Super Bubble Sleeve Case for Acer Aspire Timeline AS1810T-8638 11.6-Inch (Black / O

rooCASE Neoprene Super Bubble Sleeve Case for Acer Aspire Timeline AS1810T-8638 11.6-InchCase fits Acer Aspire TimelineX 1830T-6651 perfectly. Nice padding, not too big, and has room for a mouse, power supply, and a few SD cards in front pouch. Very happy!

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Monday, May 19, 2014

Leapfrog Leapster Learning Game: Creature Create

Leapfrog Leapster Learning Game: Creature CreateThis game is great! Both my 2 (almost 3 year old) and my 5 1/2 year old sons LOVE this game and they can both do it. They often feud over this one and we have had to resort to major turn taking over this game. It is great as it teaches lots of cool stuff, plus they can really enjoy just being goofy and creative making all sorts of different creatures! This game is #1 at our house!

This game was good. I had bought it for my at the time 2 1/2 year old daughter. She is very bright and catches on to things quickly. This game amazed me what it taught her. I have personally played it and find it kind of fun. I am not quite sure the object of the game. I think it is to decorate the monster's house how you like it. The thing that is challenging is that you have to put shapes together in a certain way to make each and every thing. Like for instance the house. There are triangles, squares, hectagon, etc that go together into the shape of a big triangle. After putting the house together you get to design the outside, like color it or put patterns on it. Then you go inside and create the rooms by putting shapes together again. While you are making the items for inside the house it says the shape of each block. It gets more challenging as you increase the level for the child. You eventually have to start turning and flipping pieces with more sides to them to make it fit. There are timed games etc. Overall this game definitely does offer something for your children that the other games do not for the age group.

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It's nothing special my 5 y.o played it for a day or so and then put it aside for good. The game may be of certain interest for younger kids, perhaps, 4 y.o. Graphics are pretty much standard and of a good quality.

Read Best Reviews of Leapfrog Leapster Learning Game: Creature Create Here

I was pleased to find that my 4 year old likes this game and plays it often. It's interesting and there are lots of things to create and do in this game. I like it because its not annoying or violent and it lets her use her imagination.

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Our four year old loves this game! He especially enjoys putting together the puzzles of the creatures and creating the different creatures. He also enjoys building the creatures homes. I would recommend this toy.

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Thursday, April 24, 2014

Zoom 5341 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem 5341J

Zoom 5341 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem 5341J
  • The Zoom 5341J DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem plugs into an Ethernet port of any Windows computer, Mac computer, wired router, or wireless router.
  • Download speed is up to 343 Mbps. Upload speed is up to 143 Mbps. Actual speed also depends on your cable modem service.
  • Works with all US cable modem services, including DOCSIS 3.0, 2.0, and 1.1 services. Supports IPv6 and IPv4 for powerful, flexible network addressing.
  • CableLabs certified. Also certified for North American safety, FCC 15B, RoHS, Comcast, Cox, and others.

I had opportunity to test two different cable modems on Comcast business service. One was Motorola SB6121 and the other Zoom 5341. Both are DOCSIS 3.0, which is required for high speed cable service. Comcast tech support was not thrilled about Zoom while they praised Motorola SurfBoard high. As it turned out, average Comcast technician, who suppose to activate the modem, has a trouble with the Zoom serial number.

My configuration of Comcast service in this case is 2 times 50 Mb/s download and 10 Mb/s upload speed. This service supposes to supply over 1000 users with Internet access, load balance mode. First line was activated with Zoom modem and everything went well for several days. To the second line I attached Motorola modem; Comcast managed to deactivate Zoom modem on the first line in process, though. Initial test of Motorola showed expected values in download and upload speeds. However, with network connected to it, Motorola download speed didn't reach more than 10 Mb/s download with upload of 2 Mb/s. After 24 hours of 1000 people complaining, Comcast Technician came to check the installation and re-activate Zoom modem. Test of Motorola modem with a single laptop connected didn't show any abnormality: Download and upload speed were at nominal values. Since I couldn't put in place my load balancer yet, I switched the network to the Zoom modem and made 1000 surfers happy again. In a couple of days my load balance configuration should go live, using one Motorola and one Zoom modem. I intend to update this review with the result of Motorola performance in this configuration, for potential buyers interested in the Motorola SB6121.

Well, I decided to buy Comcast Internet service for home and I didn't have dilemma which modem to chose; Zoom it is. I ordered on-site installation because my cable coax had to be replaced and expecting confusion with Zoom serial number (that happened as expected, too). Anyway, Comcast got it online and my modem is happily blinking, ever after (two weeks in service). The one ordered here has slightly different housing than the first one I dealt with (bought at Microcenter); I assume that Zoom made a change in design and this one does not get as warm (as the other one).

Price difference between Zoom and Motorola on Amazon is not worth mentioning; while Motorola is a big name in communication equipment I felt more comfortable for going with Zoom this time.

**** UPDATE ****

After year in service at home, this modem had 100% uptime no glitches whatsoever. I cancelled my service with Comcast few days ago; price for my service went higher than I find justified. I signed up with WOW and transferred this modem to the new service no problems.

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I used this to replace an old Docsis 2.0 Motorola SBG900.

The SBG900 worked well enough until I purchased a Logitech Revue, which has issues with the SBG900, such as dropping connections which required a reboot of the router, among other things.

After doing my research, I found that the Zoom 5341J was Comcast compatible and capable of connecting to 8 download channels and 4 upload channels, compared to the much more common 4Down x 4Up configuration. Keep in mind that the Zoom 5341(with no J at the end) is a 4x4 configuration.

The Zoom 5341 is a modem only, not having a wireless router embedded like the SBG900, but I already had a Linksys WRT54G router, which I had already pulled out to try and rectify my problems with the Logitech Revue. The SBG900 kept dropping the wired connection to the Linksys though... The Zoom 5350 is compatible with Comcast and has the same specs as the 5341J, but also has a wireless router and 4 wired ports as well. I considered it, but decided to go with seperate pieces for modem and router duty.

The evening that the Zoom 5341J arrived, I installed it in place of the SBG900, and plugged my laptop in. Once it had established a connection, the Comcast device activation page came up in my browser, and I was able to switch the activation from the SBG900 to the Zoom 5341J in minutes, with no need for phone calls to support.

The configuration of the Zoom 5341J is very simple, and I made no changes to the default configuration. I did check the connections, and found that I had 8 download connections and 2 upload connections. It appears that Comcast in my area will only provide 2 upload connections.

I plugged the Linksys WRT54G in and had WiFi a minute later. I found average speeds to be about the same as before, but peak speeds to be about 30% faster, and this resulted in snappier browser performance, and quicker starting of streaming video. I also have found that the connection is more robust, as I have not been getting the rebuffering and disconnects streaming video that I was getting with the SBG900.

My problems with the Logitech Revue have also been solved, and the Zoom 5341J has not been dropping the wired connection to the Linksys WRT54G. That, combined with the performance enhancements, has left me very happy.

Read Best Reviews of Zoom 5341 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem 5341J Here

I would have given this modem 5 stars, but the first one I received was DOA. I couldn't get anything but the power light to come on. The second one worked perfectly, and I can tell it's faster. Speedtest dot net had me at about 6 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up with the RCA DOCSIS 2.0 modem Comcast provided, and with this one I'm getting 26 Mbps down and 6 Mbps up. I can't believe I put up with that so long! It's funny too that Comcast was harassing people who own their equipment to upgrade to DOCSIS 3.0, but never bothered to mention a need to upgrade to those who lease their modems.

So far I'm happy with this modem, and would recommend it to those who use Comcast. Just remember give the full model 5341J and to speak slow, and repeat yourself when giving them the MAC ID. The call center is overseas, and there is a BIG language barrier. It took a few times to get the information across. Also, If you purchase this item from Modem Land, make sure it's the one that is full filled by Amazon (which is covered by Amazon's return policy). Modem Land's direct return policy is horrible, and would leave you responsible for return shipping, and a possible 15% restocking fee.

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I've recently purchased this modem to replace the one I rented from Comcast for $7/month. The modem is affordable and definitely worth the price -the modem rental savings will pay for this one in less than a year. I did not really have any issues with the modem I rented from Comcast, just wanted to cut another recurring fee. This modem did the job for me.

DESCRIPTION

The modem itself is pretty compact and lightweight in a nice small box. It works great and my internet speed is same or faster than before. The indicator lights on the front work fine. Although the manufacturer says that the upstream (US) and downstream (DS) channel LED indicators should be solid green they may not be nor necessarily have to be. It depends on the cable provider's system. Mine are solid blue, but that's just fine. So don't let that alarm you unless you can't connect to the internet. I'm very pleased with this product.

INSTALLATION

Before installing the modem, you should write down the modem name, model number, MAC address and the serial number from the back -you'll need them later. Installation was very simple, it's a matter of attaching the coax cable, the power cord and the Ethernet connection to the router. Once connected, you just call your cable provider and ask them to update their records with the information for the new modem. Typically, they'll need just the modem model number and the MAC address, but it can vary from provider to provider. They should update this while you're on the phone with them and they'll reset the modem to connect and you're in business.

MODEM vs. MODEM + ROUTER COMBO

One last note -if you're deciding between a plain cable modem and a modem/router combo then I'd recommend going with the plain modem. The combos are certainly appealing since you get two things in a single box and have fewer cords and power adapters to worry about. But from performance point of view, in a combo box you typically get a great modem, but a mediocre router. You're much better served by getting a well-performing model for each piece of your home network. I've got a NETGEAR N600 Wireless-N Dual Band Router WNDR3400 that works great. And now I've added a good cable modem to go with it.

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While looking to rid myself of Comcast's rental (which I had shamefully paid for so many years), I read reviews here and decided on 5341J. All DOCSIS 3.0 models are priced similarly, but this one has that little advantage of potentially bonding 8 channels downstream instead of the normal 4. (Not that Comcast will allow you without your arm and leg.) Besides, the Cisco/Linksys model that I was actually looking to buy was too unproven, and Motorola's was, eh, SurfBored. But the deciding factor is the overwhelmingly positive experience shared here. The same positive experience that I am going to share.

So I got my Zoom, hooked the cables up, and ventured to the Web. Initially, Comcast's self-service activation had a problem (that the machine could not define) with my unit even though all lights were up correctly. Dreading to stay on the phone listening to elevator music, I opted to "Chat with an online expert." (Via the very modem connection.)

The agent asked me to read the MAC address even though their system should able to identify based on the chatting session, and added this unit to my account. (See the package picture for how to locate it.) Then told me that "I sent it a signal but it cannot receive." The "advice" for me? "Find a replacement device." Really? I had already viewed my unit's status Web page and determined that the device was working perfectly. I insisted to try again. Comcast or the agent failed again. Anywhere I browse landed on Comcast's activation page. "Find a replacement device." I gently suggested that the device couldn't possibly be defective because I was able to ping any Internet server (beside the fact that the very device was used in the chat). "I understand. But my advice is for you to find a replacement device."

Thanks but no thanks. After more than half an hour in live chat, I went back to the self-service page, and tried once more myself. Bling! No more problems. In less than 10 minutes I was online. All my Internet-dependent thingies including phone adapter and wireless router work perfectly with 5341J. So do not listen to any Comcast trained monkey who tells you that your 5341J will not work, especially if you can already go to their activation page. They just want to chain you to their aged rental unit. (Or they may have a plan to sell you their stock Motorola junk.)

In my side-by-side tests, Zoom 5341J is consistently faster than the Comcast rental (Motorola SB5101, which uses DOCSIS 2.0), both downstream and upstream. The speed difference is marginal not because 5341J is incapable, but because Comcast is throttling my speed to my pay level. ("Performance", I think, at 20Mbps, although I am able to get over 27Mbps with 5341J.)

The main body of 5341J is about the same size as SB5101's, but more elegantly designed. (Note the current Amazon picture shows a 5341H that has a curved front. This is an older model with only 4-channel bonding.) It has four rubber feet to stand flat, or you can use the shipped plastic stand to raise it upright, or you can mount it on the wall using the mount holes in its belly. (I had initially struggled to figure out the modem stand. So hope my upright pictures can save you from this trouble. It's a shame that neither the manual nor Zoom's Web site illustrates these features.) The power supply sports a newer slim design that easily fits in a single slot on a typical power bar. It looks day and night compared with SB5101's clumsy old design. (But the latter comes with a super long power cable. Not necessarily a plus but sometimes can be helpful.) The quick start guide is adequate (not that I needed it). But 5341J has the most bizarrely coded Web interface that I have seen in any such devices. Well, most people will never need to use this, so this defect has little impact.

Bottom line: Zoom 5341J is an solid, elegant product that is a perfect replacement for your cable co rental. (Yes it is said to be certified with all U.S. providers and many in other countries.) In addition to a nice upgrade to DOCSIS 3.0 (and gigabit Ethernet you'll need it if you pay their top rate), I am looking to recover the $80 that I paid last week (not sure why Amazon prices fluctuate as much as $10 in one week) in less than one year if I stick with Comcast not that I have many choices. Do not let your cable co deceive you.

A final word? Do not buy a modem/wireless router combo. Wireless technology is evolving quickly, while your cable co will work very hard to make DOCSIS a stale standard. You don't want to get stuck when your neighbour has that shiny new wireless toy.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Cables4PC New 3.5mm Female to 2.5mm Male headphone earphone adapter for PDA MP3 MP4 Cell Phone

Cables4PC New 3.5mm Female to 2.5mm Male headphone earphone adapter for PDA MP3 MP4 Cell Phone
  • This adapter allows you to plug standard (3.5 mm) stereo headphones into the smaller output on these device
  • Enable your headset to use a standard headphone jack to get full stereo sound
  • Work with all your audio devices, including: iPODs, Cellphone, PDAm MP3, MP4, Discman, Walkman

Although I received this product in a very timely manner, it does not work properly. When hooked into my cell phone and then with normal 3.5mm headphones connected to it, the adapter seems to only carry the sound through the right side. I tried a couple different headphones with the same result. The male portion of the objects seems to be a little to small for the phone, while the female portion seems to be too big for the 3.5mm headphones. I will be returning this if possible.

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Did not fit in small space of phone which gave it a bad connection.

Would not stay in phone unless you held it in place.

Not good for small phones.

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This product was not the right size that I thought it was going to be, therefore it is useless to me.

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This product fit the description and allowed me to use my headphones on my cellphone for a fraction of the price it would have cost me to buy headphones from Verizon.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Acer Aspire V3-551-8469 15.6-Inch Laptop (Midnight Black)

Acer Aspire V3-551-8469 15.6-Inch Laptop
  • AMD A-Series Quad-Core A8-4500M 1.9 GHz (4 MB Cache)
  • 4 GB SDRAM
  • 500 GB 5400 rpm Hard Drive
  • 15.6-Inch Screen, AMD Radeon? HD 7640G Graphics
  • Windows 8, 5-hour battery life

"Long and dark, shiny and black ... open up your engines, let `em roar, tearin' up the highway like a big old dinosaur!" said Springsteen about Cadillac Ranch, and the same could be said of this four hundred dollar laptop from Acer. I got it as a desktop replacement to run Windows 8 as well as indie PC games, and I think it's going to work out fine.

It's a big, heavy, shiny black plastic thing, portable but not light. Hinges and latch move well. The screen is bright and sharp, with adequate but not great viewing angles. I wouldn't mind watching a movie on this screen, but it would be difficult to share it with someone else given these viewing angles. I suppose you could consider this a privacy feature. The chiclet style keyboard has full size keys with good tactile feedback and an intelligent layout. The full-size number keys are particularly welcome. I wish it were backlit but that's something for a higher-end machine. Functions such as media playback, volume control, and brightness control require two hands -one to press the function key on the left side, and another to press the desired action. Not optimal but fair enough considering the price.

There's a webcam with microphone and a "Dolby Home Theater" speaker grille up front, both of which work as expected. The large trackpad is off center with the screen but lines up nicely with the keyboard, and is responsive to touch. The trackpad buttons are easy to hit with your thumbs. Up front is an SD card slot, which SHOT THE COVER ACROSS THE ROOM when I tapped it to eject it. Be careful with your photos when loading them onto this machine!

Ports on the left side of the machine: Power (where it should be, near the recessed power button), gigabit ethernet, a large exhaust vent, a full size VGA port, HDMI out, USB 3.0, microphone, and headphone jacks. Ports on the right side: Kensington security slot (I wonder about its usefulness given the plasticy feel of the machine), a pop-out DVD tray, and two USB 2.0 slots, unfortunately right where a right-handed person would want to use a plug-in mouse.

Wifi-N is superfast, the 500GB hard drive speed is a bit pokey but acceptable, system boot speed is quick, and graphics performance is wonderful for the price. A8 Vision from AMD is considered the budget gamer card of choice, and it does not disappoint. I threw every 3D game from my Steam collection at it, and the only title that required me to turn down the graphical detail was Star Wars: The Old Republic, and then only down halfway while running at full resolution.

The system ships with Windows 8, which is a mixed bag -check the reviews elsewhere for that. It's as schizophrenic as they say, but it's probably going to get better with software updates. The Acer suite of pre-installed software is innocuous and easy to remove.

Verdict? If you want an inexpensive laptop that can play games and run Windows 8, this is certainly worth a look.

UPDATE: I've added some new hardware to this machine. It's no longer a four hundred dollar laptop, but know this: the machine can take 16GB of 1600MHz DDR3 RAM (despite the manufacturer saying it maxes out at 8GB), which bumps the Windows memory rating up to 7. Add a solid state hard drive and the storage i/o rating goes up to 8. Both upgrades, especially the SSD, really make this machine /sing/.

UPDATE #2: The Wifi driver is inexplicably set to power down by default, which explains the unreliability some people have reported. Solving this problem requires you to simply uncheck the box in the wireless network interface Properties pane.

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I have an older Acer laptop, and it's served me well for about the past 5 years. My wife was finally up for having one of her own. We wanted state-of-the-art, but didn't have an exorbitant budget.

I was hesitant about Windows 8, but she loves it! We're learning through trial and error what programs work with Windows 8 (LibreOffice won't install, yet OpenOffice will).

Still, a real good laptop.

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I owned 2 Acer Aspires previously. The last one was fully loaded and more then I ever needed, picked it up for around $500. Well it officially was laid to rest last night but the hard drive was still good. I went to Compusa and found this Acer. Another great deal on a BEAST of a computer. I paid $450 ($50 mail in rebate) so $400 after rebate. I have been playing on it for a good 2 hours and love, love, love how fast this system is. I am a big movie downloader and with a 500gig HD this puppy takes whatever I throw at it with ease. Again I am a dedicated Acer customer, its my 3rd laptop in many years and again......great product! Good work Acer!!!

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I've spent a few days with this laptop and I absolutely love it. Though it has shortcomings, the outstanding price/performance far outweighs them. I could throw a slew of benchmarks at you that I've done on this laptop, however, that would do little to represent real world performance. I'll try and keep this as short as I can.

Right off the bat I should say that I upgraded to 8 GB of RAM. There are two RAM slots and you can throw up to two 8gb SODIMMs in this thing for a total of 16gb if you'd like. Although, I would recommend just 8gb. If you want to optimize your graphics performance (which uses the system RAM) spend a little extra and get memory clocked at 1600mhz. I always recommend G.Skill memory products and after installing 8gb of it into this laptop, (for gaming) I jumped an entire preset up in most games, sometimes two presets. I mention this right away because I want to make it clear that upgrading the RAM in this machine will make it shine.

The included HDD is 5400rpm. It's passable, but will slow down loading for larger programs where a lot of data is involved like Photoshop, video editing software, and games. I wouldn't necessarily recommend an upgrade to an SSD unless you want to put up the cash for a high capacity drive. I'd stay away from 7200 rpm HDDs unless you want to cut your battery by 20% or if battery capacity isn't important to you.

Speaking of battery life, It's alright. It's average for it's class, getting around 4 hours on a full charge more if you conserve with no audio, video, or heavy use. Less if you are doing any gaming while not plugged in. Keep screen brightness down for best results.

The keyboard is fine. It's comfortable to type on and the trackpad is well positioned and sized. My only gripe with input devices is the keyboard not being backlit. The numberpad is a nice touch also.

The screen, while average resolution, is pretty nice. Color reproduction isn't very good (for all you artists), however text is very readable and the display generally looks great in most lighting conditions. The viewing angles are just okay, but some may consider that a positive for privacy.

The speakers are above average for laptops in this class, however nothing amazing. The sound is clear and gets fairly loud. However, as is a problem with most laptops, bass is almost non-existent.

Enough ports to get the job done, and USB 3.0 is a nice touch, albeit a little anemic at a single port.

Windows 8 is okay. I'm sure that it will only get better with time, but I've encountered many bugs with the OS so far that have almost made me switch to 7. After getting them fixed though, I'm pleased with how the OS works. The learning curve can be steep if you're used to 7 and not prone to picking things up quickly. Microsoft took 8 out of the oven before it was done, but it's really close to being a great operating system.

A quick note on upgrading. Everything is easily accessible via a removable hatch under the unit towards the front. Good call, Acer.

The processor, while not as powerful per core as a lowly Sandy Bridge Core i3, is actually quite speedy with four cores and "turbo core". I've had no bottlenecks with everyday use and gaming. The only situation where the AMD silicon has let me down is multimedia editing. Photo and video editing is clearly this CPUs shortcoming. While not terrible, the i3 outclasses it by at least 10% under full load. The Intel architecture is simply better and more efficient. Don't let this hold you back from purchasing this if you're on the cusp however. I, myself, am a photographer and use have used this in the field on numerous occasions to great effect.

As I said right off the bat, the graphics performance can be greatly improved with an upgrade to the RAM, as the integrated solution uses the onboard RAM as VRAM. For you gamers on a budget, this is a great buy! But, you should manage your expectations. This is a laptop. The hardware is specifically designed to work with a 1366x786 res screen. If you plan on hooking this up to a 1080p display, remember you might need to back off on the post processing a bit. While I don't have specific benchmarks as I couldn't get my license of FRAPS to play nice with Windows 8, here are a few games and basic presets this machine is capable of with the specified RAM upgrade: Fallout 3 High (Barely Playable on Ultra) , SW:TOR Medium , Skyrim High , Borderlands 2 Medium , Saint Row/Third High , Portal 2 MAX.

I hope this review was helpful. I highly recommend this laptop for almost anyone. With or without a few hardware upgrades, it is worth every bit of the price tag and more.

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In a house with over a half dozen computers (iMacs to full blown gaming rigs), two laptops and a few tablets, weaklings are quickly discarded. This little rig runs great, is more than capable of casual gaming, holds a charge and is very easy to get used to. Windows 8 is still a bit frustrating, but we're getting there. Got the Logitech T650 with it, and the two work together perfectly. Learning gestures is something completely new, and is much harder for me than my 9 y/o son who this laptop was bought for. He had limited exposure to Win7, so is taking to Win8 like a duck to water, and once you get over the appearance differences, there is a familiar interface underneath, so I can make adjustments and set some things up for him. The smaller working area of the touchpad is a benefit to his small hands, but often makes my old hands feel like clumsy hams on ropes, and using Win7 since beta, every day, on many different PCs significantly steepened my learning curve for 8. I'll keep Win7 on my workhorse rigs, but for younger, more permeable minds, Win8 really is very slick and works in a fairly obvious fashion.

The laptop itself is very functional, looks great (but is a fingerprint magnet), and so far has no heat issues. Everything works as it should, software installs and uninstalls without a hitch, and there doesn't appear to be an overabundance of bloatware pre-installed. The first couple of hours, as usual, were uninstalling all the "free" junk, setting up his user account, syncing with apps I already had from G Play and Amazon that were compatible, getting a good AV, virtual disk and network/file explorer installed, a media suite (we have a media server for all the household devices and as it has to be cross-platform, no PC will natively be able to play the files), set up his email and online accounts, and he was off to the races.

It is all plastic, so time will tell if will hold up, but at this price point, we're not expecting a tank. Have not found any "quirks" like a few of our other laptops have had (Toshiba in particular), and so far, it is reasonably fast, runs like a little top, and is remarkably unremarkable in that it just does what you want it to do without any quibbling. I don't know what else one could ask for without spending a LOT more. Retina? No. Server? No. Tournament FPS gaming rig? Not quite. But for a student/gamer/netizen/app junky on a budget? Perfect.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Pink Tranquility Design Skin Decal Sticker for Verizon Blitz

Pink Tranquility Design Skin Decal Sticker for Verizon Blitz
  • Pink Tranquility art-quality design.
  • Decal sticker covers both front and back of your Verizon Blitz.
  • Comes with matching wallpaper for a finished picture on the front.
  • Thick vinyl helps protect your device from minor abuse of your phone??s finish.
  • Easy to apply and easy to remove.

I bought this skin for my Blitz phone. The coverage of the phone by the skin seemed a little skimpy. I ended up putting the skin on my black rubberized case, which looked okay. But I don't know that I would recommend this product to a friend. When placed directly on the phone, it just didn't look right (although it does fit it). Also, there is no real benefit to the phone as far as protection, you still need a real case for that.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

GTMax Purple Premium Leather Multi-Angle Rotating Folio Cover Case with Built-in Stand + Bluetooth W

GTMax Purple Premium Leather Multi-Angle Rotating Folio Cover Case with Built-in Stand + Bluetooth Wireless Mini Keyboard + LCD Screen Protector + Universal Stylus + Mini Brush for Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF201 10.1-Inch TabletThis item arrived a day earlier than anticipated. It was pretty sturdy, looked nice, and fit my Asus Transformer 10 inch tablet great! The only problem is that the headphone jack doesn't have a hole in the case. Also, FYI, if you're expecting a large keyboard, don't. It was about 4 inches wide. But it still does the trick. In fact, it's easier to carry around in your pocket and just pull out when you have a lot to type, whereas the other blue-tooth keyboards out there are pretty heavy.

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Saturday, March 1, 2014

Premium Transparent Hard Plastic Snap-on Skin Case for the HTC Droid Eris 6200 - Clear

Premium Transparent Hard Plastic Snap-on Skin Case for the HTC Droid Eris 6200 - Clear
  • Premium-grade hard designer case for HTC Eris 6200
  • Custom fit case with openings to access all buttons
  • Easy snap on hard case to help prevent scratches, chips and dirt
  • It molds perfectly to device's shape to highlight its beauty
  • Special clear color, spice up your phone!

I love this case it doesn't look like my phone is covered, it's incognito. It's fun wen you want to have a serious cover while on the train or business meeting.

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My sister thought it was perfect. She needed something for when her children would get her phone and when they throw it on the ground, the phone wouldn't fall apart.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Ion iTYPE ITD02 Bluetooth Keyboard for Smart Phones and PDAs

Ion iTYPE ITD02 Bluetooth Keyboard for Smart Phones and PDAs
  • Physical QWERTY keyboard allows for faster, accurate text input than touch screen devices
  • Totally Wireless, no cables or docks needed.
  • Works with Apps, Email, Calendars, Web Browsers and more
  • Rechargeable Lithium Ion battery provides 80 hours of continuous use on a single charge
  • Includes phone stand and carrying case

I bought this phone at the same time as my sister, as we both found it for a good deal. She has an iPhone 4GS, I've got a Motorola Atrix 2 Android.

The keyboard works well for her. Apparently the only issues she had were some shortcuts not mapping properly, but normal functionality was maintained. As the original ad I had found for the keyboard listed Android as a supported OS, I figured I shouldn't have any issues.

I tried hooking up the keyboard to my phone in several different ways, all unsuccessfully, before calling Ion's tech support (their website is ionaudio.com). My phone could see the device but couldn't pair, and the instructions merely said to "enter the code", which was dreadfully uninformative, as it didn't say what the code was. Tech Guy informs me that a popup should appear when aattempting to pair that said what the PIN was; but, as nothing was appearing saying a magical PIN, Tech Guy says I "must have a non-supported platform". Oh, cool. So what do I do, send it back? "Um, yeah, I guess." Thanks, Tech Guy.

So I try connecting on my spouse's Samsung Galaxy S-II (Skyrocket). It connects and voila! A pin code! So, after trial and error, I type the code in on the keyboard itself and push "enter", and hooray! Connection successful, at last!

... But (as I quickly discover) you can't type anything anywhere. Apparently, even if you *do* manage to find an Android phone that you can connect to, you can't actually *use* the keyboard. Android doesn't support bluetooth keyboards at all. ... Yeah. Brilliant.

After all of this, I finally found a review () of the keyboard that says they couldn't get it to work with an Android. ... Wish I could have found that review when I *initially* researched the keyboard. So I'm making this one for you. Hope this helps someone else.

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I bought this item, and found it does exactly work just fine. I have a Samsung Galaxy S 2, it took a few minutes to pair, but worked just fine. The short-cuts and all. I don't know why the other review guy couldn't get it to work.

I just didn't like using it. It was too small for me, and I had no use for it.

Friday, February 14, 2014

rooCASE Tablet Carrying Bag for Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1-Inch Tablet - Classic Series Dark Blue / Bla

rooCASE Tablet Carrying Bag for Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1-Inch Tablet - Classic Series Dark Blue / Black
  • Non-OEM Case for Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1-Inch Tablet
  • Padded tablet compartment with Velcro retaining strap (Netbook NOT included)
  • Large accessory pocket for power brick, cords and mouse.
  • Interior storage pockets for netcard, SD cards, magazine and cellphone. Padded interior dividers for customization. Adjustable padded shoulder strap.
  • Available in Black, Dark Blue and Red. Search: rooCASE Classic Tablet Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1-Inch Tablet

i like the case for most of what i am doing. the only thing i dont like about the case is that i cant put of full piece of paper in it without bending the corners. i was hoping that a full sheet of paper could go in and not have to worry about it messing up the paper but it just barely doesnt fit. but for the case and pockets its nice for everything else. no complaints about the product i bought.

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I bought this bag for my tablet and it is a perfect match. I am very satisfied with the design and the fabric is great. There are many compartments to store accessories or other stuff.

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I bought this for my husband to carry his netbook and Kindle in.....it fits everything without being too big and bulky! Great price.

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This is perfect for my Galaxy Samsung tablet. I love it! It was as described and shopped fast. Thank it!

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This carrying bag is absolutely perfect! The pouch on the front is plenty big enough for the charger and my mi-fi. It also has some pockets on the inside for memory cards and pens and so forth. Well worth the money, and it wasn't that much money!

Friday, February 7, 2014

Texas Instruments Voyage 200 Calculator

Texas Instruments Voyage 200 Calculator
  • QWERTY keyboard for typing
  • Large easy-to-ready 128 x 240 pixel LCD
  • Preloaded with popular applications, including The Geometer's Sketchpad
  • Accepts StudyCards for history, foreign language, English, and more
  • Numeric and symbolic equations; factor, solve, differentiate, integrate

The actual calculator itself is stunningly powerful. It is faster than the TI-92, the full keyboard makes it easier to work with than the TI-89, and the ability to solve, factor, work with imaginary numbers, give exact answers, as well as do all of these things symbolically, plus the amazing applications included (a version of Geometer's sketchpad!), make this the best calculator made by TI.

Just beware that some standardized tests and some teachers will not let you use this calculator.

The biggest drawback is the documentation that is supposed to help you utilize the power of this calculator. There really isn't any. There's a short manual that's included in the box, but it only gives you the broad overview of how to put the batteries in and how to turn it on and off.

To find any information on how to, say, type something in that you want to factor, you have to load up the cd-rom, and hunt around on that thing to find the information you want.

Why don't they include all of this documentation along with the calculator in an actual book form? (Okay, so I know the answer to that it saves money for them.)

It's a huge hassle if I'm at class, or work and want to be able to use some function, I have to wait to figure it out until I can get home and load up the cd-rom, find the right page, etc....not to mention that the documentation on the CD-rom isn't that helpful either. There's lots of discussion of stuff, but it is very hard to understand.

A great calculator, but awful documentation that makes learning how to use all of its powerful functions frustrating and annoying.

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Plain and simple, I love calculators. Yes, I have both Matlab and Mathematica running on my multiprocessor workstation but calculators have always had a special place in my heart. Since high school, I've firmly been in the HP camp and like many, I think the HP41C remains one of the finest calculators ever made. But the HP legacy started its sad decline with the 28C and the bottom fell out with the HP48G, perhaps the worst calculator HP has ever made. (It literally can take seconds to add two numbers... what could they have been thinking?)

All of that being said, I decided to venture into the TI camp, if only because they still take calculators seriously. I was dubious, however, because their machines seem designed for high school students rather than professional scientists/engineers, and this is reflected in the lack of high-end software packages available for them. Nonetheless, I don't think since the HP41 line have any calculators attracted so much interest or had so large a community built around them as have the recent TIs.

The Voyage 200 is something of a tour de force. It is based on the Motorola 68000, the same processor found in the original Macintosh and many other popular computers. It is programmable both in TI Basic and in 68000 assembly, the latter of which has lead to a rather impressive library of available games and applications that all run amazingly quickly given their platform. This whole software world is somewhat muddled by the fact that TI has released a series of operating system upgrades and patches for this calculator and wading the compatibility waters is very confusing for the uninitiated. (For example, for HP aficianados, it is quite possible to run an extremely well done RPN interface on this calculator, but it requires that you find & download both the RPN assembly program and HW2 AMS 2 TSR support (h220xTSR) if you're using the latest version of the operating system, AMS 2.09. When was the last time you worried about what operating system your calculator was running??)

Another troublesome point about this calculator is the documentation is shockingly bad. Really, it is just plain awful. It comes with a thin, almost useless manual, and you'll have to read through 20+ pages just to find out how to add 1+1. Haven't they ever heard of a "getting started quickly" guide? There are several hundred pages of manuals on CD and on the web, but in general, there are written very poorly indeed. Coming from the world of professionally written documentation for systems like Mathematica and Matlab, I realize just how lucky we are that those companies take documentation very seriously and write far simpler manuals for much more complex systems.

All in all, however, I think the Voyage 200 is the best thing going in the calculator world today. It's wonderful to once again have a calculator whose capabilities are as much fun to discover as it is to use. I doubt I'll ever find time for assembly programming on this beast, but it warms my heart to know that I could.

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My first graphing calculator was a TI-83 Plus. What a fantastic calculator! Its ease of use is a real credit to its designers. The TI-89 is more difficult to use than the TI-83, but its not too unnecessarily hard, especially considering its advanced features.

The Voyage 200, however, is a real pain in the you know what. Not only is the Voyage absent a printed manual--this may be the new cost-cutting norm for TI products--but the electronic copy is hard to use. Instead of putting all the main information in one manual like the TI-83, the Voyage 200 design team spread its manual out across 28 individual PDF files, making it nearly impossible to print out a hard copy for reference when you're away from your PC. TI could argue that it was necessary considering the large volume of information, but after perusing the PDFs--replete with numerous examples of duplicated information--I'm sure it was really about a large lack of effort.

With that scolding of the manual designers out of the way, let me say that the features of this calculator are really quite good. When it comes to graphing calculators, TI really does make the best. If you are considering the most powerful graphing calculator on the market right now, it would come down to the TI-89 or this TI Voyage 200. The Voyage 200 is suppossed to be backwards compatible with the TI-89, but I've already found programs that run fine on the 89 but won't run on the 200--I can't understand why since they both use the same Motorola 68000 processor. Personally, if I had it do over again, I'd probably pick the TI-89 because its more traditionally styled case is less conspicuous, its features are easier to use, and it's manual is better written and available in hard copy. But if you want a tiny built-in QWERTY keyboard, a slightly bigger screen, more flash memory, and are not bothered by difficult documentation, then the Voyage 200 is probably your best choice.

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Recently received my Voyage 200, and am very pleased with the unit itself. As others have commented, the lack of a decent printed manual is a drawback.

Knowing that the TI-89 Titanium is functionally almost identical to the Voyage 200, I called Texas Instruments and ordered a TI-89 manual. Customer service was very friendly, the manual was cheap ($4.95 + s/h), and it arrived quickly.

TI really should package this manual with the Voyage 200, and maybe they'll start doing it in the future. In the meantime, if you're getting a Voyage 200, just order an 89 manual from TI.

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If anyone shows me a calculator who can take more than the 500th power of 2 without scientific notation and rounding -whole number displayed i will buy that calculator.And the Voyage can pass that, depends on memory available. This thing insane to say the least. Do not buy it unless you are a math or physics or related major. Its over kill for trig or algebra. This thing does miracle in my labs for both chem and physics; and in multivariable calculus and differential equations and linear algebra courses it will give you what no book can: answers to every problem. It is so easy to check yourself with this. Thats why its called PLTPersonal Learning Tool. It has everything. The fact that it is a TI and succesor to the 92 Plus speaks for itself. Any HP is a spec of dust compared to this.

I should point out that the Voyage 200 is an upgrade on the 92 plus. Thats why theres no printed manual. Uses same manual as TI 89. But if you go to [websit]you will find alot of stuff on using it.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

MANHATTAN 80-in-1 Slim Multi-Card Reader/Writer (100762)

MANHATTAN 80-in-1 Slim Multi-Card Reader/Writer
  • Easily access media and manage content almost anywhere
  • Includes slot-to-slot read/write/copy and USB mass storage capabilities
  • Compatible with CompactFlash, Microdrive, Magicstor, Memory Stick, MagicGate, SecureDigital, MultiMedia, XD and TransFlash, no power supplies or adapters required
  • Supports automatic card detection and data transfer speeds up to 480 Mbps
  • Eliminates need for direct connection of media device to save battery power

I just bought a 32GB A-Data 533x card (Microcenter) and after putting almost 2.5-hours of video on the card Sunday from the Sony HVR-MRC1 recording unit on of my FX1000s it then took an agonizing 8+ hours (dunno for sure, I went to bed) to download the video using a 23-in-one card reader from Kingwin which up until then had been very fast for me. I hadn't really taken much of a look at the XX-in-one listings but I now am guessing that this represents the number of drivers in the firmware to handle various cards.

Once I had this Manhattan card reader (got it at Microcenter Thursday) I tested the download with the same files which I kept on the card until I had this figured. I ordered a couple readers from Amazon to check out. Now, with the 80-in-one Manhattan unit the download times were a shade more than 15 minutes for the near 2.5 hours of recorded HDV video.

This could have been really ugly. Cheers for this new card reader.

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Initial Review (used for two weeks)

Overall, I really like the size and compactness of this item, but have had some difficulties with what seems to be overheating, causing issues with reading the card. Details Below:

Pros: Compact Size, Easy to connect cards, quick file transfer, very versatile

I purchased this to take with me on destination shoots, so having a small reader that could accommodate CF cards was the goal. Of every item I could find, this seemed to be the best, with integrated cord and slim size. It's a little longer than some of my other card readers, but its about half the width and 2/3rds of the height.

Cons: Materials feel a bit cheap, Card reading issue on Windows 7

I just recently took this on a trip to Nova Scotia. After the first day of shooting, I began downloading the photos from our shoots to our netbook (Dell Inspirion Dou running Windows 7 Premium). The first card (CF 16GB Kingston) took fine and quickly downloaded about 3GB of photos. Then I put in the second card (CF 8GB Kingston) and it began to transfer, but would then give me errors (not recognizing a card was in the slot half way through transfer, or very sluggishly seeing the card). I let the device sit unconnected for about 20 minutes and tried again with partial success. After going through this process several times, I was able to download the full 3GB of data from the card. I think this was an overheating problem, as the reader did get pretty hot.

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This is a great card reader. No problems so far, but one computer wants me to download or look for a disk with some driver, the other computer does not. Both running XP. So there must be some missing driver on this other computer, that is not the card readers fault. I use it to transfer video and picture files from the computer to my game player and use it with my N-BOX multimedia player. I use a 4 port usb hub, in the nbox, and then this is in one hub. I have 3 usb sticks, two 8gb, one 4gb, and then two 8gb microSD cards in this. Plus a 2gb SD in the SD card slot on the NBOX. So that is 38gb total!!! Very happy with this card reader!

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I have had this for close to a year now. I have only used SD cards in it, but so far it has not disappointed. It was plug and play and has always worked great.

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UPSHOT: this unit is too narrow to stand up properly. In XP, it is NOT recognized stably, maybe for that reason; its too-short cord puts torque on the reader, and that makes XP recognize then de-recognize the drives. The problem is solved if I use my AmazonBasics USB (meter-long) extension cord. Or, if I plug the unit into an external USB hub. In short, something must be between the reader and the computer, modulating whatever is coming from the cord in the reader. And the reader, has to be propped up so it won't fall over. If all those conditions are met, the reader works. So this is a basic housing design flaw someone should have noticed, prior to manufacture. However, at least for the SD and micro-SD cards I tested, it works when connected to an external hub or AmazonBasics meter-long USB extender.

Another annoyance: FRUSTRATING PACKAGING: This reader's package required me cut into its middle, since it was too hard to cut anywhere else -so I cut out part of the manual, too.

So three stars, as it does work, but -2 for housing instability and too-short cord which makes XP think it needs a driver to read. It will NOT lie straight or insert easily into a netbook, on its own. I don't know if any brand of USB extension cord will work. I do know that AmazonBasics solved the recognition problem both for this reader, and for a SimpleTech external hard drive XP kept having problems 'seeing'. So that implies there is something special about AmazonBasics cords.

Thus with the extension, I could finally position the reader upright, but of course you have to move the reader, pick it up: to figure out and insert, what card to put into what slot. Which, I was only able to do, because I attached the reader to the USB extension cord. But at least it works.

It registers with four drives. It's a pistol to figure out which card goes into which slot, and how to plug that card in; be VERY careful. Another pistol, to figure out which drive is considered the one reading the disk inserted. But, at least it works.

So note to manufacturer: change the housing so that all slots are on TOP, not on the side. Then it will be stable. And, make a better cord that has tested on netbooks, since you're catering to the computer traveller. So the unit either should be made wider in a stand-up position; or, make disc slots on top, not sides.