Samsung GT-P3100 Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 review, Android tablets on sale, Video

Let me share my impressions from the buy. My birthday approaching I was well aware that most of the gifts will be in cash form, so I began to look for something I 'll love. Like many of my friends, I had the idea to buy me an e-book. After visiting some forums I began to realize that I can add a bit of money and buy a tablet, a cheap and simple one. I was looking, looking, and looking for it until I thought, Why a simple tablet, if there is only Wi-Fi on it, which I won't be able to use while on the road (my husband and I love to travel in our car)? And then I decided to pay a little more and get more functions.

My husband said that there have to be two cameras, and we bought a 3 Qoo. We returned it. The screen was dim, dark, and it was slow. It was made of some cheap plastic, and cameras could not even stand for 0.3 MP.

My hubby added some funds and said, Go for the Galaxy. And we bought it. After holding it in my hands for 5 minutes I no longer wanted anything else!

As for the specs:

1. Display Size: 7 "capacitive multi-touch.  I am very glad I did not buy a 10-inch. I can not imagine how I would drag it along, and this baby may slide even in a small handbag. 2 7.0 is great during the long car rides, for me personally, it's larger than the cellphone, and more convenient, but at the same time is compact!
2. Resolution: 600 * 1024 (perfect for this display)
3. PLS Matrix (nice quality, with excellent viewing angle, high-grade alternative to IPS, but a cheaper version)
4. Operating System: Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). I have become accustomed to it and even enjoy it now
5. Storage: 8GB memory, the user can use only 4.5 GB, the rest is taken up by software. Movies, books and music have to be stored on a 32 GB flash drive. But if you're not going to run a lot of games and applications, the 8 GB memory will be enough 
6. 2 cameras: a front-facing 0.3-megapixel camera and a 3-megapixel back camera. The front one is very, very mediocre, and the back one is average. Good photographs only in good light. No flash, no autofocus, too. But I was particularly surprised to shoot panoramas with just one click, unlike my Canon camera
7. Built-in speakers, stereo, a decent sound
8. GSM, 3G, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS. Everything works perfectly, connects in seconds. By the way, the tab let's you easily call or send sms, which enhances its functionality
9. Automatic screen orientation in all 4 directions is quick. The running tasks are not affected
10. Support for microSD, microSDHC memory cards (which is standard, it is convenient)
11. A 3.5 mm headphone jack sits on top, it is useful
12. Battery capacity 4000 mAh (not enough, but as I set the screen not be to very bright, visibility is maintained and the battery saved, in plus I periodically clean the Task Manager. I use it for about 5-6 hours, and I think it is OK, as a more capacious battery would be heavier
13. Weight: 345 g (12.17 oz). The tab is sooo light, I freely hold it with one hand and the weight does not bother. With the case it is certainly heavier.
14. Screen capture can be done at any time by clicking on the button next to the menu, it is convenient
15. Google play - a lot of free and paid,  interesting and not applications for all tastes
16. Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 read all the formats that were on my memory card
17. Good audio and video player. HD videos are played without problems

Notes, calculator, books, world clock app, weather, alarm clock, photo editor, video editor, Youtube, and a lot of everything. All fast and easy !!!! In general I am very happy with the machine !!! Thanks to my husband!

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 review on video:

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 images:

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 review, Android tablets on sale

Discount: LED monitors on sale, cheap monitors: LG, Viewsonic

Discounted LED monitors on sale, LG monitor on sale, Viewsonic monitor on sale, cheaper now

LG E2290V-SN on sale

LG E2290V-SN 21.5-Inch Premium Super Slim Widescreen LED LCD Monitor - Metal.
Discount: LG monitor on sale, $150 off.                  

Viewsonic VX2450WM-LED on sale

Viewsonic VX2450WM-LED on sale 24-Inch (23.6-Inch Vis) Widescreen LED Monitor with Full HD 1080p and Speakers - Black
Discount: Viewsonic monitor on sale, $180 off.        

Viewsonic VX2453MH on sale

Viewsonic VX2453MH-LED 24-Inch Ultra-thin Widescreen LED Monitor - Black
 Discount: Viewsonic monitor on sale, $150 off.        


Discounted LED monitors on sale, cheaper now

Fujifilm X-Pro 1 sale review, Fujifilm X-Pro1 Camera photos

Fujifilm X-Pro 1 16MP Digital Camera

Fujifilm X-Pro 1 16MP Digital Camera with APS-C X-Trans CMOS Sensor
2012 review by Brian:

I have an X-pro1 with the 35mm/f1.4 lens. (I live in Canada, and ordered it from Japan.)

Here are my overall first impressions:

If I had to sum it up, I'd say it's not perfect, but for me it's the closest thing to the ideal camera that I've found.

THE GOOD

- Image quality is beyond reproach - in terms of colour rendering, highlight/shadow detail, sharpness, quality of the bokeh.
- Feels very solid; excellent build quality
- It looks better in person than in the pictures I had seen of it
- Controls are big and easy to operate, even with gloves on
- Shutter sound is very soft & quiet
- Viewfinder is fantastic

OVERALL PERFORMANCE & SIZE

- In terms of performance, I'll compare it to the Panasonic GF1 /w 20mm pancake, as it's a camera I'm very familiar with. While the camera isn't aimed at exactly the same market, both cameras fit into a similar category - they're both alternatives to DSLRs that aim at providing excellent image quality and handling, with less bulk and weight. And many photographers fell in love with the GF1 / 20mm combo.

- Focus speed: In my experience, the X-Pro1 autofocus speed and reliability is very similar to the the GF1. While I haven't done millisecond timing to compare them, I can say that they feel about the same in autofocus performance. So, while a good DSLR can outperform both cameras for fast action focussing, the autofocus performance is more than adequate for most other types of photography.

- Operational speed: No major issues here - startup time is definitely less than a second, and I haven't even turned on the "quick start" mode. You can shoot quickly, and there's no delay before you can take more shots in either single or burst modes. Again, very similar to the GF1.

- Size and weight: The X-Pro1 is obviously bigger than the GF1. I'd describe it as somewhere between the GF1 and a DSLR in size. In terms of subjective impression, the X-Pro1 isn't quite as small and innocent looking as the GF1. Depending on who you are, this may be a good thing or a bad thing. The GF1 has the edge if you want the camera to be small, discrete and non-intimidating, while the X-Pro1 is a little more substantial in keeping with its professional target market. But what really matters when it comes to always having the camera with you, is its weight. The X-Pro1 manages to feel solid, while not feeling overly heavy. Unlike a DSLR, I wouldn't hesitate to carry the X-Pro1 around all day, although the GF1 still has the edge in portability and ability to tuck it into a jacket pocket. From my brief experience with the X100, I'd put it somewhere between the two in this regard, but closer to the GF1.

- Manual focus: Very similar to the manual focus-by-wire of the GF1 / 20mm combo. It's not ridiculously slow as I've heard the X100 was, but I'd still prefer direct mechanical manual focus.

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

- If there's just one thing I'd ask for in a firmware update, it would be a central magnified area to aid manual focus. While you can magnify the whole screen by pressing the "command dial", this is an extra step, and awkwardly takes you away from seeing the overall composition. Panasonic has gotten this right in some of their recent mirrorless cameras. I know some people like Sony's focus peaking, and while that too would do the job, I find it ugly and suspect that Sony's patents might make it hard for Fujifilm to copy this.

- While aperture ring has a great feel to it, actual aperture adjustment lags. This is manifest when viewing the aperture number through the viewfinder while turning the dial, and in terms of actual aperture adjustment in DOF preview mode

- Autofocus, while not loud, also isn't silent as I'd wish it would be.

- There is no option to visually preview exposure when setting shutter speed manually

- I like the film simulation bracketing, as an option to record both a colour and black-and-white version, for easy comparison of black-and-white vs colour shots right off the bat on the computer. This mode allows you to choose which 3 film simulations you want to record, but it has a couple drawbacks. One is that it will always give you 3 versions - no options for just 2 for instance. Also, unlike single or burst mode, the camera locks up and doesn't let you take another shot until it finishes writing.

- Exposure compensation dial does nothing after you've engaged AE lock.

- It would be nice to have some confirmation that the exposure compensation dial is centered. Ideally, there would be something to let you tell physically, perhaps with a bump/indent on the dial, and different feeling to the click when it returns to the 0-location, so that you can confirm without looking. Also, it would be nice if the exposure compensation indicator in the viewfinder changed color when centered, to again let you quicly confirm when it's centered.

- The "command dial" does nothing when in the menus and other situations where it would be nice to have an alternative to pressing the arrow buttons.

Pentacon camera with Zeiss lenses, Pentacon camera

1950's Pentacon camera with Zeiss lenses

Sony SLT A65 photo camera, Sony SLT a-65 pics

• 24.3Mp APS-C Sensor
• OLED Viewfinder
• 3.0" Swivel LCD Screen
• 1080 HD Movie Capture
• SteadyShot INSIDE Stabilization

Ricoh GRD IV, Ricoh GR-D 4 camera

HP Photosmart 7510 on sale, Printer HP Photosmart 7510 All-in-One with Fax

HP Photosmart 7510 All-in-One with Fax Printer

Sale: $70.00 off (35%) ISO Speed: Up to 13.5 ppm black, Up to 9 ppm color Scan Resolution: Up to 1200 x 2400 dpi; Scan Type: Flatbed, ADF Copy Resolution: Up to 600 dpi (black graphics & text); Max No of Copies: Up to 99

Works Perfectly with iMac/Lion, iPad, iPhone
By LDB (FL)

1. Small footprint with top-loader
2. Cool iPhone 3GS-like touch pad with apps
3. Easy, easy, easy, and quick to set up with iMac/Lion (No need to use the enclosed HP setup disk--just download the drivers from Lion and off you go in a few minutes)
4. Quiet operations, quick page/photo print speed with excellent quality
5. Sleek black form-factor
6. Wireless b/g/n
7. ePrint--very cool feature. Print photos to your printer from anywhere via your own personal ePrint email address
8. Print directly from iPhone/iPad no additional app needed)
9. eFax service--no telephone line needed to send or receive a fax
10. Affordable: Excellent performance with many exciting bells& whistles

CANON EOS-1DX, Canon EOS-1D X 18.1MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera

CANON EOS-1DX, Canon EOS-1D X 18.1MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera

Reviews Canon PowerShot A490 Sale, Canon PowerShot A490 10.0 MP Digital Camera

Reviews Canon PowerShot A490 Sale, 10.0 MP Digital Camera with 3.3x Optical Zoom and 2.5-Inch LCD

Save: $40.00 (40%)

* 10.0 megapixels and 3.3x optical zoom make picture taking a snap * Smart AUTO intelligently selects from 13 predefined shooting situations; Low Light mode enables great shots in dim lighting * Large, clear 2.5-inch LCD * AA battery power enables you to easily power up on the go * Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)

Canon PowerShot A490 REVIEWS:

By Stacey

This review is from: Canon PowerShot A490 10.0 MP Digital Camera with 3.3x Optical Zoom and 2.5-Inch LCD (Electronics)

Pros: light weight, easy to use, great detail in photos FOR THE PRICE. i'm comparing this to other cameras at this price, and i bought this on Amazon for $49.99, and i dont think i could have gotten a better deal. bear in mind i have only had this camera for a week so far, but i stil love it. i think it is great, i'm saving my money to buy a nice dslr, so to use this in the meantime is great, it is perfect.

Cons: there was a couple things, you do have to be extreeemely still if theres a slow shutter speed, which is typical of most cameras, but just saying, with this camera, pictures with the flash don't look as great as the ones without. another thing, it randomly turns off when i am reviewing pictures and it is at the beginning / end of the list. i thought that was really strange, and its been doing that since out of the box, not sure if i should call someone about that.

all in all, if you're short on cash and want a decent camera, this one is decent, and good for casual use. i would definitely recommend it.

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

By Dan
This review is from: Canon PowerShot A490 10.0 MP Digital Camera with 3.3x Optical Zoom and 2.5-Inch LCD (Electronics)

I have to say this before anything else - this is a $100 camera. You get what you pay for.

The good:
It's 10M Pixels
It's $100.
Takes nice pictures (in good light).
AA batteries.
Fits in my hand very well.
The "Auto" mode makes it easy.

The bad:
Cheap construction (to the point of damaging Canon's reputation of quality products in my opinion).
No image stabilization (but.... it is a $100 camera...)
**"Charging the flash"... This is an approx 5-10 second delay every time you want to take a picture. It may not sound like that much time, but it gets real annoying real quick.

Bottom line:
It takes pictures. It takes nice pictures. They get a little grainy and colors get a little off at low light. But in good light, it makes good picts. But the delay between pictures, mostly from the "Charging the flash" message, is just too much of an annoyance for me. Which is a shame, because this is a decent little camera otherwise. But, it's annoying enough that I wouldn't recommend purchasing this camera (unless your patiences exceeds mine).

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

By

AGnagmeoln

This review is from: Canon PowerShot A490 10.0 MP Digital Camera with 3.3x Optical Zoom and 2.5-Inch LCD (Electronics)

The Canon A490 has been a pleasure to get to use. For a camera under $90.00, the image quality is good and the video quality holds its own as well.

The camera's image quality varies. The image quality is much better outdoors than indoors. Outside the camera takes fairly high quality pictures. Macro shots are excellent and portraits are very great as well. The image quality indoors is still good for an entry level camera but does tend to get grainier (as expected) when there is little light. The screen displays a much grainier picture indoors than what it actually takes which turns out to be a nice surprise.

The flash indoors is essentially useless. It tends to wash everything out and overall just isn't worth having on. I'd save the battery and just hold your hand still and you should get enough light to take a decent picture.

I was very impressed with the video on the camera. This was one of the main points when it came to choosing this camera. The video isn't ready for the big screen but at 480x640, it's good enough to record events of all types. Again, the video is much better outside than inside. The camera also has no limit on how long it will record video for. If you have an 8GB card, it can record 8GB without having to record in portions. You must use the software provided to convert the raw video into a format that regular programs such as Window's Media Player, can preview them.

The modes are somewhat helpful. I tend to stay on soley auto mode which is what these entry level cameras are really made for. Action shots (outdoors) turn out surprisingly quite well!

The camera's 2.5 inch screen is big enough to preview the pictures you've taken comfortably but I would still recommend seeing them on your monitor. The camera comes with a lot of software; although, it is aimed more for beginners. The battery life isn't great with cheap batteries or the ones provided. I'd recommend going out and spending $10.00 on a double A battery charger so the hassle of constantly buying more batteries is eliminated.

Overall I am very pleased with this camera. My ratings are only applicable in comparison to other point and shoot cameras in this price range. The quality doesn't stand up to a DSLR but it makes for an amazing starter camera or a camera for an aging relative who isn't interested in all the bells and whistles!

Reviews: Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H70 on Sale, Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H70 16.1 MP Digital Still Camera with 10x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom G Lens and 3.0-inch LC

Reviews: Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H70 on Sale 16.1 MP Digital Still Camera with 10x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom G Lens and 3.0-inch LCD (Black Bundle)

Amazon Sale: $30.99 (13%) off

PCconnectionexpress price: $189.95

• Special kit includes a 4 GB SD memory card and protective carrying case
• 10x optical zoom in a compact camera body
• Capture breathtaking images in Sweep Panorama mode
• Capture your videos in HD Movie mode (720p)
• 25mm wide angle lens; Optical SteadyShot image stabilization

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H70 Reviews :

By oumom09

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H70 16.1 MP Digital Still Camera with 10x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom G Lens and 3.0-inch LCD (Black Bundle) (Electronics)

My husband bought me this camera for mother's day and it is absolute amazing! Even he really got into taking pictures with it because of it's good picture quality. It is worth the money and even better then some cameras over $200!! I have a 2-year-old who is always going, and it takes pictures of her going and going with no problems. Used it on an 18 hour road trip worked well driving, still, in the dark and in the day light. When the camera focus's on something it choose the right camera setting and takes a wonderful picture about 85% of the time there is still the 15% of the time when you might have to retake the picture.

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

By Jim

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H70 16.1 MP Digital Still Camera with 10x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom G Lens and 3.0-inch LCD (Black) (Electronics)

Worth the money!

There are only two minor problems that I found, easily fixable:

1) There is a tiny bit of stretching at the corners of pictures. As an example I took a picture of my girlfriend standing in front of the Eiffel tower. She wanted the entire tower in the picture, so I basically had to take the picture looking straight up (we were at the base). When I tilted the camera so that just her upper body was in the picture, her face stretched. This is due to the fact that the camera has a wide angle lens.
If you want to take pictures and focus on a person's face, it works great! But if there face is the size of a pinky nail and is located in one of the corners of the lcd screen (and therefore the lens) expect stretching. I'm sure most people won't find this to be a problem anyway. To fix my picture I just had my girlfriend get closer to the camera, fixed everything.

2) Night shots aren't the best, but for a point-and-shoot, there pretty damn good. The first ones weren't always clear, so just press the delete button and try again.

Overall, this camera is a steal. The smart camera function works really well and it is a 16 mega pixel camera... for $200! I got it. I love it. Don't second guess yourself! Get this camera!

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

By sherman
Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H70 16.1 MP Digital Still Camera with 10x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom G Lens and 3.0-inch LCD (Blue) (Electronics)

I bought this as a gift for my mom to replace her nice, but bulky digital SLR. Her requirements were the camera must take excellent pictures, be user friendly or intuitive, and also be easy to grasp and hold while taking a photo.

The Sony DSC-H70 passed all three by me, and more importantly by my technologically declined mom.

The 10x optical zoom on the camera is sweet, while it isn't as flawless as the alpha models lenses or carl zeiss lenses it comes really close. It has a very high-quality lens and internal components. For the price/quality tradeoff I think this camera beats out all camera's under $300 currently on the market. I think the 16 MP is probably overkill, but it doesn't seem to sacrifice image richness so the more the merrier. Also, the blue color looks classy.

A huge selling point is the smart design of the camera. It has a groove for your thumb on the back, and the front has a slightly raised and concave area opposite of the lens side to grip. With the really thin cameras it seems people end up pinching the edges or hold the camera in an awkward position. You can grip this with a more natural grasp which helps keep the camera steady (although it does have a really good image stabilizer on it).

I was instantly a fan of the option for the auto setting that takes two shots at slightly different settings when light conditions are low or there is abnormal backlight conditions. When I tested it under a variety of poor light conditions one of the two pictures always turned out great (the other was good too, but one was just more ideal). That feature alone is worth buying the camera for. Saves a ton of time knowing you'll have a good snapshot when light conditions are less than ideal. The smile recognizer actually does work well and I can see it coming in handy quite often. The panorama setting works better than any camera I've seen to date. I weebled and wobbled the camera on purpose and the panorama still would turn out really well.

Those are the main items noticeably better than other digital point-and-shoots. It does come with an digital instruction manual on the camera if your curious about what something is when you are away from home.

I've been playing with my FujiFilm 3D camera recently, which if you are a photography geek I recommend scoping out. I went with 3D over high-quality 2D, but after seeing this in action I'm seriously considering the H70. Before this I was eyeing the alpha line (a55) from sony, which is an amazing camera in its own right.

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

By H. Fink

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H70 16.1 MP Digital Still Camera with 10x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom G Lens and 3.0-inch LCD (Black) (Electronics)

This is my 3rd Sony camera and like the others it takes great pictures. What I mainly like about the camera is the SteadyShot stabilization and the Active mode that is available for videos. Other cameras usually only have an electronic stabilization which doesn't really do anything. Sony's actually physically moves the sensor. Getting up in years, my hands are not as steady as they used to be and at full zoom, taking a picture or video with other cameras at full zoom is very jumpy. Another cool feature is the Sweep Panorama which creates some great shots. Unfortunately the only way I have found to view them in sweep mode is using the included PMB software. Viewing them in a slideshow only gives a static image though. All-in-all, you can't go wrong with this camera.

PRO's - Steadyshot, great pictures. zoom range
CON's - Zoom noise is very prevalent in videos

Reviews: Canon PowerShot A3000 IS sale: 170 USD OFF, Canon PowerShot A3000IS

Reviews: Canon PowerShot A3000 IS sale. 10 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD

Canon PowerShot A3000 IS Sale: $170.99 (68%) OFF at AMAZON.com

• 10.0 megapixels, 4x optical zoom, and built-in Optical Image Stabilizer
• Lithium-ion battery makes the camera lighter and offers an easy alternative to recharge
• New scene modes, including Super Vivid and Poster Effect; Smart Auto selects from 18 predefined shooting situations
• Large, bright 2.7-inch LCD
• Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)

Canon PowerShot A3000IS Reviews:

By 35-year Technology Consumer "8-tracks to 802.11" (Mid Atlantic, USA)

Canon PowerShot A3000IS 10 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Electronics)

With the current Amazon sales price, you can't hardly go wrong with this point and shoot.

Depending on how you count, the A3000 IS offers up to 18 separate shooting modes, including video recording (.avi format). The 2.7 inch LED display screen is bright and viewable in even in direct sunlight. This camera is light and generally intuitive to operate. Still image quality was fine, and will provide enough resolution to print to 8" x 10" without loss of fidelity (the online description claims 13" x 9", but I could not test that large with my printer). Video is standard definition, and when used indoor, you can expect significant noise/graininess in the .avi output files. This still may be preferable to carrying a second video capture device if video is not your primary interest.

I did not install the included utility software that came with camera. Two separate Windows 7 machines (a latptop and desktop) immediately recognized it, and I was able to transfer and delete images and videos without removing the SD card. The user guide indicates that video transfer, metadata and image orientation can all experience difficulty if the Canon software isn't used, but I experienced none of these.

I didn't discover any show-stopping issues with this camera, and at the current discounted price, it's an excellent value. Why 4 stars? Three main reasons:
(1) No included user guide. You must either copy this (.pdf file) from the utility CD or download from Canon's site. Sorry: a printed full user guide should ship with the camera. And, the .pdf version should have included color (present only to differentiate labels for the two models of camera the guide is written for).
(2) No SD memory card included. I'm lucky to have some extras around. If you gave this as a gift to somebody without one...the joy would be delayed until the next trip to a brick and mortar store. Even if it were a low capacity one, a memory card should have shipped with camera.
(3) Proprietary form factor battery charger. Going on the road? Make sure you take it with you. While I'm sure this was a choice made to accommodate the camera's thin profile, the use of CRV or AA batteries would have been more user-friendly. The user manual indicates it will take approximately 230 pictures between charges. If you're taking a lot...that's not going to get through many shooting sessions. Aftermarket batteries are available on Amazon for less than 10 bucks; you might want to consider buying one or two and keeping them charged.

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

By H. kim "newamazonfan" (nyc, usa)

Canon PowerShot A3000IS 10 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Electronics)

Got the camera one week ago and already had one problem. After taking about 200 pics (for work indoors), the camera stopped working. The screen went white and could not take any more pics. Took out the battery and hoped this would reset the camera but nothing. Was on the way home to return the camera and decided to try one more time to see if it works. It started up and for the past 4 days, no problems. I am debating whether to return or not so I am keeping the box and all packaging in case it happens again. The pics don't look great on the camera screen but when I downloaded them onto my computer, the pics were fine. I am not a professional and for $150, the quality of the pics are more than good enough. Praying the problem was a one time glitch.... If it does break down, I will definitely let everyone know so they will be aware of this issue.

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

By Ricky

Review: Canon PowerShot A3000IS 10 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Electronics)

This ultra light weight digital camera has anything you would ever want for every day digital photography. It is light-weight,slim, has features that other digital camera's do not have such as auto red eye correction when taking pictures.

The camera has an amazing macro-focus so than digital pictures look more professional, an addition to that the camera is pretty easy to use, like all cameras, it comes with a usb, strap, and sometimes with a bag.

I have been through at least 4 cameras. This would have to be the best through them all. In order I went through kodak,sony, cannon, and this is the camera I am on. If you have red eye in all of your pictures like I do. I would recommend this camera for you since it corrects it once you have taken the picture.

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

By HappyME "Hold fast that which is good... (Maine USA)

Canon PowerShot A3000IS 10 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Electronics)

Okay for the price... This is a rather nice little point-and-shoot and an decent value. BUT! There just is no excuse for not having a view finder. I know the low end p&s cameras don't any more but they should. I found I could adjust to shooting indoors and in high definition settings. But outdoors with a nondescript background, I can't find my subject. It's hit or miss on getting those shots and I hate that.

I do like the image stabilization and lithium battery. My previous camera for this application took super shots and had excellent image stabilization. But it was an "A" model that required AA batteries. Not only was it heavy but it was constantly "hungry".

I would keep this except that even being a good deal, it's money I feel I've wasted. If I can't use the camera for all-around casual work, it's just not a bargain at all.

If, at some point, I can afford a small Canon camera that does have a view finder, I'll certainly take a close look. Meanwhile, I'll stick with my A570 and lesson learned.

Canon PowerShot A3000 IS Sale: $170.99 (68%) OFF at AMAZON.com

Seagate Expansion 640 GB ST906404EXA101-RK Reviews, Sale: 25 USD OFF, Portable External Hard Drive

Seagate Expansion 640 GB ST906404EXA101-RK Reviews, Sale: 25 USD OFF, Portable External Hard Drive

Seagate Expansion 640 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive ST906404EXA101-RK
by Seagate
You Save: $24.04 (23%)

• The drive is powered from the USB cable, so there is no need for an external power supply.
• Plus, it is automatically recognized by Window operating system, so there is no software to install and nothing to configure.
• Saving files is easy too, just drag-and-drop.It's not just easy to use, but it's fast and energy efficient too.

REVIEWS:

The simple, no-frills drive everyone is looking for (but bulky), By Orrie "Orrie" (Pennsylvania) Seagate Expansion 750 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive ST907504EXA101-RK (Electronics) Pros: * Fast * Easy to use (plug it in, let Windows do its thing, go to town) * No extraneous software, security partition nonsense, etc. * Nice, tiny cable Cons: * Awful bulky, won't fit in most cases * No included backup software (that's okay, there are plenty of freeware options) * Fingerprint magnet Pretty good, overall. The important features (useability, reliability, performance) are spot-on; everything else is minor.

Yes, I'm using this with both Macs AND PC's,
By Speedway Girl "Speedway Girl" (Upstate New York, USA)
Seagate Expansion 750 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive ST907504EXA101-RK (Electronics)
Out of the box, no, I could not use this drive with my Mac. The drive is formatted in NTFS. Without installing additional software on your Mac, it won't write to NTFS. No worries. The afternoon I received it, I used the Seagate Disc Wizard (available on their website) to reformat the drive in FAT32 to be able to read and write with both OS's AND be visible on my PS3, WD Live Plus HD and Seagate Free Agent Theater HD. Not a problem since.

That said, it is SOOO nice to have a 750GB drive that does not require a power cable. I have gone through three (two Lacie and one Seagate) drives that were 3.5" drives that required external power. They are just too fragile for my crazy home, I guess.

So far this drive seems wonderful!


Good, but customer service sucks, By Dave (Boston, Ma)
Seagate Expansion 250 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive ST902504EXA101-RK
I got the 250 GB version for music and photos (you know, the important stuff in life). I plugged it in and the little green light showing it was running came on. I went to find the device but it wasn't there. I had this problem before with an ipod and knew all I needed to do was change the drive to something that wasn't being used but for the life of me, couldn't remember how! So I went to the website to see if I could find out how to change it. Of course, no. And of course there was no owner's manual so I then went about trying to find a number to contact customer service. It took me over 20 minutes (!!!!) to find and fill out a form before I could finally get a phone number to them. Once on the phone they were helpful and courteous, but for it to take such a longtime to get to a human being was awful! If you have this problem, here's how to fix it without wanting to toss your computer through a window (I have Windows XP Professional, may be different if you're using a different operating system):

Right click on "My Computer"
Select "Manage"
Select "Disk Management"
Change the drive to something not being used and it should show up

Outside of the awful website and lack of an owner's manual, the product itself has been operating fine and I have no complaints.


Nice drive,
By tideguy
Seagate Expansion 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive ST905004EXA101-RK (Electronics)
Just what I wanted: plug & play, no hassles.

Came ready to use on my xp systems. Quiet, cool, and much faster than I expected. I also have an older drive in a Vantec enclosure which works well, but this thing easily leaves it in the dust. Coulda paid a little more & gotten more capacity, but this has a 2yr warranty vs 1yr on higher capacity drives. I know Seagate makes quality drives and will stand behind its warranty, and for the forseeable future this is all I'll really need.

Has a small green LED that lights on drive activity, goes out when USB is unplugged. Since Seagate has incorporated a nice power management scheme, I just leave the power connected while it sleeps. When I plug the USB cable in to something, it wakes up in a few seconds and is ready to transfer files.

Only reason I don't give this top rating is, the connectors (usb and power) are cheap and I had a little trouble getting them inserted properly in the beginning. But this is a minor disadvantage to a nice drive. I'm happy with my purchase.


Excellent product for such a low price, December 3, 2010
By penguin
Seagate Expansion 640 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive ST906404EXA101-RK (Personal Computers)
Firstly, I purchased it to back up my research files.

Advantages: Easy to install initial software, very cool design, low price

Disadvantages: Larger than western digital models

After purchasing it, I noticed same deal for WD. I thought returning it back and buying WD, however after seeing the design I really liked it. Compared to standard rectangle design of WD, it really beats WD with its cool design.

I definitely recommend it.


Reliable, August 13, 2010
By M.G. \
Seagate Expansion 750 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive ST907504EXA101-RK (Electronics)
I've used this drive before, and so far it has been reliable (I'm using a 9 year-old computer, with WinXP). So far it's been great for my primary use of it, which is simple drag-n-drop data backup. It's certainly better than the 1TB+ drives I've used-- seemingly regardless of the manufacturer, very high capacity drives seem to be less reliable overall.

I ordered this one drive (in stock) with one other very common item (also in stock). Amazon has estimated that it will take a week to send out (4 days so far). This possibility of poor service is something one might want to take into consideration if you're in an emergency situation and need extra capacity quickly. This poor service on Amazon's part did not figure into my starred review; I ranked it purely on the basis of previous experience with the drive's performance.


My First External Hard Drive, September 18, 2010
By jodett - Seagate Expansion 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive ST905004EXA101-RK (Electronics)
I did quite a bit of research before purchasing the Seagate Expansion 500. Ultimately, I trusted Seagate brand the most and had an idea of necessary storage space necessary and price I was willing to spend. This item fit my criteria best.

When I received the product, I was impressed by how small it is. I really hoped it would simple to install and intuitive to use, as this is my first external hard drive. In my mind, I envisioned connecting the Expansion to my computer, being prompted by new hardware on my desktop, easy install and then drag-and-drop of files. Unfortunately, it wasn't that simple. First, I was prompted to register the product, which was fine. Then, I didn't know what to do next - there were no instructions or prompts. I pulled up iTunes to begin selecting files to drop into the Expansion, but there was no where to drag them to. It wasn't easy to figure out by any means. Alas, I played around a bit and searched for instructions online and figured it out. Once I knew where to select files and where to find the right place to drag files I was set. It's pretty simple now and the Expansion is perfectly portable.

Overall, I'm happy with the purchase and the product. I'd definitely recommend it, though I'd hope Seagate could improve the installation and set-up process.

Panasonic VIERA X1 TC-L26X1 Reviews, 720p LCD HDTV

Included universal iPod dock - enjoy music, videos and photos on your VIERA HDTV

VIERA Image Viewer lets you share your digital photos with friends and family directly from SD cards

VIERA Link lets you control your compatible Panasonic DVD recorder, Blu-ray Disc player, home theater sound system and HD camcorder, all with a single remote and helpful on-screen menus

TC-L26X1 has two HDMI inputs and PC input

TC L26X1 REVIEWS: P. Ritzen (Weimar, TX) At Amazon price, you simply can't do better than this. Once i attached the stand and hooked up her Wii, XBOX 360 and Logitech Z-5500, i turned it on and blew through the initial setup in a matter of seconds. We purchased an official Nintendo Wii component cable and it looks great on this TV, running at 480P. Since the wife's 360 is an Arcade version, it does have HDMI out but it came with a regular Composite AV cable which doesn't have the Optical out on the dongle so i pulled an HDMI cable out of my Onkyo HT-S6200 to see if the 360's sound would pass through to the TV set, and what do you know? It actually does! So now she has her Wii connected to the TC-L26X1 through Component + RCA Stereo, her XBOX 360 with an HDMI cable and a single Optical cable from the TV to the Logitech Z-5500, and it all looks and sounds fantastic. I can't say anything about the actual TV sound because whenever i buy a new LCD TV, the first thing i do is disable the internal speakers. PROS - Beautiful, vibrant and very crisp video from digital (XBOX 360 @ 720P) as well as an analog (Nintendo Wii @ 480P) signals. - Easy to use remote, quick and easy initial setup and a complete and easy to navigate OSD User Interface. - Accepts sound through HDMI, and passes it through to the optical out so cables can be kept to a minimum. - The price, even at $299 it's still a great deal.

CONS
- Only one Component input.
- Attaching the stand requires either a Phillips screwdriver with magnetic tip or a pair of needle-nose pliers.

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

Jim B. (SFO, Ca)
TC-L26X1 has a great picture, easy to use. Things that make me give it 4 instead of 5 stars:

Stand installation. There are four phillips screws that affixes the stand to the screen. This would be simple enough, but the screws need to set in recesses of about 1 1/4", and the recesses don't guide the screw. I did it by lightly taping the screw to the screwdriver tip and guiding it blindly straight down until I could feel the screw engage.

Outputs. The only audio output is an optical, so if you want to run sound through an older A/V system with RCA inputs only, you're out of luck.

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

L. LaFranca (NY, NY)
You won't find this product any cheaper than here. For $289.99, it is a STEAL! I've had it for a week already and let me tell you how amazing this product is! It is easy to use, easy to configure. The picture and sound are great!

My favorite feature about TC-L26X1 is that they give you an ipod dock with it. This ipod dock can be used to play music, photos and.... MOVIES! You can convert your DVDs into .AVIs and easilly watch them on your ipod dock onto your TV! The quality is amazing and you won't be dissapointed.

The only downside is that it takes about 5 seconds to turn on the TV after the button is pressed. But aside from that, TC-L26X1 is a GREAT product!

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

TrailWinds "tbb" (NW Arkansas)

Had been thinking it was getting time to transition from my old television set to digital LCD.
Since this was my first experience and exposure to one of these, I will not calim to be an authority on too many details. TC-L26X1 came up on the Gold-box deals at a price which beat pretty much everything else I'd seen available, and one I was willing to invest in for my first 'go'.

The picture quality truly is quite the improvement over non-digital/LCD, and well worth it. Sometimes I sort of shake my head in a double-take because the definition or quality is so ....real. You know, kind of like coming into sudden tight, clean focus over the Grand Canyon at the perfect time of day, or, maybe, (contrasting this to my old tv) the sun suddenly bursting through the clouds after a totally over-cast day, and bringing everything to 'light'.

I like the iPod feature because I purchase a number of movies through iTunes an sometimes would like to enjoy them on a larger screen.

The only negative I have on TC-L26X1 is that it seems to have a lag-time of coming on after you power it up. The wait-time reminds me of our old tvs of the 1960s. But I can live with it. The rest of the advantages are well worth the wait. I am very happy with this purchase.

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

Customer (Washington, DC United States)

TC-L26X1 is overall a nice TV in its price range, we paid 260 the day after Christmas. We returned the same TV earlier, which we paid 300 because we decided to get Sony but saw attractive price so bought it again. Anyway, it has all those qualities mentioned by other reviewers. Just wanted to add about analog audio output. Amazon described "Analog Audio Output: Yes" under Product Features and Technical Details but it is not true. There is no analog audio output, it has only one audio output and which is digital. You will need adapter like this Digital Audio To Analog Audio Converter and y-cable like this 2 x RCA Male / 1 x 3.5mm Stereo Female, Y-Cable, 6 inch. Adapter comes with toslink (optical cable) so you don't need to buy one. I checked brand name TVs from manufacturers websites and all TC-L26X1 come with digital audio output. This feature will not matter for most people but a big matter for us who live in small apartment and wanted TV in every room and wanted to watch in high volume, especially at nights.

PS: DirectTV remote-control code for this TV is 10650.

PS2: This TV is assembled in Mexico (in case you don't like made in China).

PS3: I was thinking of these: TVs Sylvania LC321SSX 32-Inch HD Flat Panel LCD TV and Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-L32S1 32-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV, which have headphone jack but both won't fit in the place we wanted to put a new TV.
TC-L26X1

Panasonic TC L26X1 Reviews, TC-L26X1 Reviews, TCL26X1 Sale: $260 OFF , 26 Inch 720p LCD HDTV

Panasonic VIERA X1 Series TC-L26X1 Reviews, Sale: $260 OFF (50%), 26 Inch 720p LCD HDTV

Included universal iPod dock - enjoy music, videos and photos on your VIERA HDTV

VIERA Image Viewer lets you share your digital photos with friends and family directly from SD cards

VIERA Link lets you control your compatible Panasonic DVD recorder, Blu-ray Disc player, home theater sound system and HD camcorder, all with a single remote and helpful on-screen menus

TC-L26X1 has two HDMI inputs and PC input

TC L26X1 REVIEWS: P. Ritzen (Weimar, TX) At Amazon price, you simply can't do better than this. Once i attached the stand and hooked up her Wii, XBOX 360 and Logitech Z-5500, i turned it on and blew through the initial setup in a matter of seconds. We purchased an official Nintendo Wii component cable and it looks great on this TV, running at 480P. Since the wife's 360 is an Arcade version, it does have HDMI out but it came with a regular Composite AV cable which doesn't have the Optical out on the dongle so i pulled an HDMI cable out of my Onkyo HT-S6200 to see if the 360's sound would pass through to the TV set, and what do you know? It actually does! So now she has her Wii connected to the TC-L26X1 through Component + RCA Stereo, her XBOX 360 with an HDMI cable and a single Optical cable from the TV to the Logitech Z-5500, and it all looks and sounds fantastic. I can't say anything about the actual TV sound because whenever i buy a new LCD TV, the first thing i do is disable the internal speakers. PROS - Beautiful, vibrant and very crisp video from digital (XBOX 360 @ 720P) as well as an analog (Nintendo Wii @ 480P) signals. - Easy to use remote, quick and easy initial setup and a complete and easy to navigate OSD User Interface. - Accepts sound through HDMI, and passes it through to the optical out so cables can be kept to a minimum. - The price, even at $299 it's still a great deal. CONS - Only one Component input. - Attaching the stand requires either a Phillips screwdriver with magnetic tip or a pair of needle-nose pliers. ------------------

Jim B. (SFO, Ca)
TC-L26X1 has a great picture, easy to use. Things that make me give it 4 instead of 5 stars:

Stand installation. There are four phillips screws that affixes the stand to the screen. This would be simple enough, but the screws need to set in recesses of about 1 1/4", and the recesses don't guide the screw. I did it by lightly taping the screw to the screwdriver tip and guiding it blindly straight down until I could feel the screw engage.

Outputs. The only audio output is an optical, so if you want to run sound through an older A/V system with RCA inputs only, you're out of luck.

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

L. LaFranca (NY, NY)
You won't find this product any cheaper than here. For $289.99, it is a STEAL! I've had it for a week already and let me tell you how amazing this product is! It is easy to use, easy to configure. The picture and sound are great!

My favorite feature about TC-L26X1 is that they give you an ipod dock with it. This ipod dock can be used to play music, photos and.... MOVIES! You can convert your DVDs into .AVIs and easilly watch them on your ipod dock onto your TV! The quality is amazing and you won't be dissapointed.

The only downside is that it takes about 5 seconds to turn on the TV after the button is pressed. But aside from that, TC-L26X1 is a GREAT product!

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

TrailWinds "tbb" (NW Arkansas)

Had been thinking it was getting time to transition from my old television set to digital LCD.
Since this was my first experience and exposure to one of these, I will not calim to be an authority on too many details. TC-L26X1 came up on the Gold-box deals at a price which beat pretty much everything else I'd seen available, and one I was willing to invest in for my first 'go'.

The picture quality truly is quite the improvement over non-digital/LCD, and well worth it. Sometimes I sort of shake my head in a double-take because the definition or quality is so ....real. You know, kind of like coming into sudden tight, clean focus over the Grand Canyon at the perfect time of day, or, maybe, (contrasting this to my old tv) the sun suddenly bursting through the clouds after a totally over-cast day, and bringing everything to 'light'.

I like the iPod feature because I purchase a number of movies through iTunes an sometimes would like to enjoy them on a larger screen.

The only negative I have on TC-L26X1 is that it seems to have a lag-time of coming on after you power it up. The wait-time reminds me of our old tvs of the 1960s. But I can live with it. The rest of the advantages are well worth the wait. I am very happy with this purchase.

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

Customer (Washington, DC United States)

TC-L26X1 is overall a nice TV in its price range, we paid 260 the day after Christmas. We returned the same TV earlier, which we paid 300 because we decided to get Sony but saw attractive price so bought it again. Anyway, it has all those qualities mentioned by other reviewers. Just wanted to add about analog audio output. Amazon described "Analog Audio Output: Yes" under Product Features and Technical Details but it is not true. There is no analog audio output, it has only one audio output and which is digital. You will need adapter like this Digital Audio To Analog Audio Converter and y-cable like this 2 x RCA Male / 1 x 3.5mm Stereo Female, Y-Cable, 6 inch. Adapter comes with toslink (optical cable) so you don't need to buy one. I checked brand name TVs from manufacturers websites and all TC-L26X1 come with digital audio output. This feature will not matter for most people but a big matter for us who live in small apartment and wanted TV in every room and wanted to watch in high volume, especially at nights.

PS: DirectTV remote-control code for this TV is 10650.

PS2: This TV is assembled in Mexico (in case you don't like made in China).

PS3: I was thinking of these: TVs Sylvania LC321SSX 32-Inch HD Flat Panel LCD TV and Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-L32S1 32-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV, which have headphone jack but both won't fit in the place we wanted to put a new TV.
TC-L26X1

Reviews: Bluetooth Headset: Plantronics Voyager 510, Sale: 63% off

Bluetooth Headset: Plantronics Voyager 510, Bluetooth Headset Sale: 63% off

Ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details
Save: $63.46 (63%)

• Windsmart Technology allows you to seamlessly switch between two Bluetooth® devices
• Noise-canceling microphone for superior sound quality
• Up to 6 hours talk time and up to 100 hours standby time
• One-touch call answer/end, last number redial and voice activated dialing
• Compatible with Bluetooth devices supporting the headset or hands-free profile

REVIEWS: Review By Doug (Salem, OR USA) - I use this headset with a Blackberry 7100. Overall it is a good headset. Although not louder than other headsets, having earpieces that partially insert in the ear canal makes the volume more effective. The mic picks up your voice well while screening background noise pretty effectively. However, the mic is very sensitive to wind noise...we're talking slight breeze here. The foam cover helps a little bit, but not enough. This makes it difficult to use outside. I typically have to duck into the nearest building when I'm trying to talk on the sidewalk. The fit is good, although it is a two handed task getting it on correctly. Glasses interfere with the fit due to the over-the-ear design, so it takes a little work to get the two to cooperate...usually moving the temple arm of your glasses up out of the way, seating the headset and then putting the temple arm back on your ear in a not-so-comfortable position. It has a descent set of controls, but unfortunately they're not always user friendly.

As other reviewers point out, the connect/disconnect button is at the center of the ear piece at the base of the mic arm. Having it up against something solid makes it easy to push with one finger...no fumbling with the mic arm trying to squeeze a button. Down side is if the headset doesn't fit snugly in your ear, you have a tendancy to push it in and sometimes hit the disconnect button. The solution is to use an ear piece that fits snug or grab the mic arm to push in on it.

On big weakness of this headset design is the multi-function power switch. As one other reviewer pointed out, you really have to remove the headset to use it. This isn't a big deal when turning the headset on or off due to its auto-standy feature (which is nice), but this switch also controls the volume and mute. Attempting to use these features when wearing the headset is usually unsuccessful because the switch is so small it's hard to find and there's little or no tactile feedback. If you do manage to find and manipulate it, the headset usually becomes dislodged from your ear and you have to refit it. I've just resorted to using the volume and mute control on my phone.

The auto-standby feature automatically puts the headset in standby mode to preserve the battery when not in use for ? minutes. When a call comes in, it activates by sounding a tone to alert you to the call which you can answer by pushing the connect button. This feature is not unique to this headset.

Last negative is I sometimes get clicking noises in the headset. I don't know if this is the phone or the headset, but it can be very irritating especially if you need the volume up loud to overcome background noise. However, I have experienced the same thing, but worse, with other BT headsets, e.g. Motorola.

Having pointed out all the negatives, I've tried both the Motorola 850 and 500 and this Plantronics peforms better for less money.

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

By S. B. Gould (Mid West, USA) - This is my second BlueTooth headset, after a Jabra, and is a definite improvement. Crystal clear sound, good range and is very comfortable to wear. Has quite stellar sound cancellation too.

I am not a big fan of devices which stick in your ear canal and the Voyager uses a different approach with various size foam pads that rest against the opening in your ear, but not in it.

Other reviewers have made comment about the size of the power button. Yes, it is small and odd-shaped, but who cares? It's easy enough to use unless you have very odd shaped hands and no thumb.

Now to the issue of battery life. Plantronics claim days, other users have reported hours of life. I believe I have figured out why this occurs. I use this headset with a Nokia 6600 and found that if you terminate the call with the phone instead of the headset, the headset remains connected to the phone via BlueTooth, draining the battery even when not on a call. If you terminate a call with the button on the headset, it will break the BlueTooth connection with the phone (after a couple of minutes) and you will get the days of battery life Plantronics claim. To remake the connection, you have to press the button on the side of the headset - the connection may take several seconds to hook up. Not sure if this is a bug with the BlueTooth protocol, the phone, or the headset. Personally, I have found that BlueTooth is not a very well implemented protocol by most manufacturers.

In summary, well worth buying, especially at the bargain prices it is currently being offered at.

HP KQ 246 AA Reviews, Webcam Sale 51%, HP KQ246AA 8.0MP

HP KQ 246 AA Reviews, Webcam Sale $25.59 (51%), HP KQ246AA 8.0MP

Up to 8-Megapixel still image capture with software interpolation.

1.3-Megapixel sensor with Autofocus in a small form factor webcam.
Certified high-speed USB 2.0: take full advantage of your broadband access and enjoy up to 30 frames per second for smooth and natural body motion.

Integrated wide angle microphone capture your voice from any position.
Tilt and Pan: easily adjust your webcam to let you show what you want while maintaining a stable connection to your monitor.

REVIEWS: L. Mulkern (Portland, OR United States) This is a great value if you want to communicate with friends and family, but if you are looking to make videos to post on youtube or something I suggest finding a webcam with better picture quality, because it's no better than the basic built-in webcams that laptops are now coming with. Picture quality is decent, but it comes out very grainy. Don't be fooled by the "8 megapixels", quality doesn't improve with higher resolution, the pictures are just a bigger size. The video is always VGA quality (460x680), and pictures I've taken with higher resolution are still very grainy. The software is easy to install, doesn't slow down my computer at all, and has some fun features and add-ons. you can adjust the color balance, saturation, contrast, etc, and also broadcast seasonal frames or put your head on funny characters.

The camera itself kind of balances on the top of my screen. At first I wanted to return it but after learning how to adjust it to fit on my screen I decided it was ok to keep. I wish it clipped on so was more secure, but as long as the laptop is stationary, the camera stays in place. It's trickier to use when I have the computer on my lap and I'm moving it around (so that's a minus on the portability factor). I like that the camera can pan around both up and down and side to side. The built-in mic works well.

I use this with Skype on a 3yr old Toshiba laptop w/ Windows XP daily, and I think it's at an excellent price through Amazon right now. Due to the less than perfect picture quality and the fact that the camera stand doesn't stay secure, I'm rating it four stars

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

Mr Mac "Caller" (Virginia USA)

I use this until with my XP Home Edition LT. The camera works as advertised. I haven't had any problems with it. I think the software is awful and really doesn't do anything to control the unit. XP Home will reject it occasionally as an unknown even though it was working fine before the last shut down. I haven't had any mounting problems on my LT although the cord is a little stiff. It works well with Skype. I'm thinking it's more AIM software than this unit for it's really jerky using AIM. The built in Mic works great! If you're using it to talk to friends and family, I don't think you can beat it for the price. I would recommend it for that purpose.

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

E. Estrada "Single Dad of 4" (Peoria, AZ)This is my first webcam for home use. I bought it for 2 reasons. One I have a HP computer, monitor and speakers--so it all matches and it fits perfectly on my monitor. Two it has a built in micro phone. All of it made sweeter because it was the best price of other products in the same catagory.

As for picture quality, we have direct 100 Mbps internet line at work to transmit and the quality of the picture (including choppiness) is the same and work has top of the line vidcams.

Since it was my first webcam I had to figure out how to get link with the internet, but that's common when you get a new piece of hardware. It took me about half an hour to get it to work and then chatted with my friend in another state. Picture quality and sound quality is good.

I have windows Vista, so I get the warning window saying HP application for the webcam is not operating when I log in to my account for the first time after computer is turned on for the day, but that is the only negative I have to say. You can turn on this webcam from the buttons on top of the unit so you don't have to have desktop icons if you don't want them.

The unit has a motion detector. I guess that is for keeping tabs on your children, nanny, house keeper, or cleaning service without them knowing. But as a security cam it would be useless--the thief that broke into your home will steal the recording unit hard drive, your computer! Ha Ha! My home was broken into last year and the computer I am writing this review on is an insurance replacement--having your home broken into sucks..so I can kid and laugh about!

Axion AXN 8701 REVIEWS, Axion AXN-8701 Sale: 20% OFF 7-Inch LCD TV

Axion AXN 8701 REVIEWS, Axion AXN-8701 on Sale, 7-Inch Handheld LCD TV, Built-In Tune

Save: $25.51 (20%)

7-Inch widescreen LCD portable handheld TV Built-in NTSC/ATSC tuner for both analog and digital channels Built-in antenna allows for easy repositioning for better reception A/V input for external audio/video sources Includes AC adaptor, instruction manual, remote control, external antenna, car adapter, and A/V cables

Axion AXN-8701 REVIEWS:

By packhawk (Minnesota)
I bought this unit to replace an old black and white emergency TV. I plan to use this while I exercise and for travel. I have only used it a day, but am so far very impressed. Plugged it in to charge the battery and turned it on and it started scanning for channels. It gets all the channels that my big TV with a converter box gets. I have not yet even had to use the external antenna, the built in antenna is working great for me. The reception is great, all over my house, but I do live close to a major metropolitan area. (The analog signals it picks up are a bit fuzzy, but the digital are great.) If you are having trouble with the reception, don't blame this TV, blame your location and weak digital signals from the TV stations.

I love the portability of the unit. While watching a game, I can take it into any room of my house and I look forward to taking it outside to watch TV on my patio. The unit itself seems well-built and sturdy. I like the fold-out stand in the back and it has a tripod mount on the bottom. I have not yet tested the battery life, but the 100 minutes as advertised in the manual seems quite reasonable. Note, the car charger does not charge the battery.

As much as I like the TV, I can't give it five stars for these minor issues. I wish the options on the remote, such as the guide, where available from the unit's menu controls. The antenna is not adjustable toward the front, only side to side or back. And as others have noted, I wish the remote had volume adjustment, but it does have a mute. The unit does have brightness adjustment, but not color. A carrying case, or some type of screen protector, would be a nice addition. Would also like to see a foldable handle or something to make it easier to carry. I also have to knock the instruction manual for all its typos. Finally, I think it seems a bit expensive, just for a little TV.

If you are in the market for a portable digital TV, this one should work for you until other options become available. And again, don't blame this TV for the limitations of digital TV if you are having reception trouble. Any station that is fuzzy in analog will be all or nothing with digital.

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

By Frazier Douglass "Avid Camper" (Madison, AL)
I bought this portable TV as a replacement for an old analog TV that I used when camping. After unpacking the TV, I was able to quickly read the instructions, review basic functions, scan for chanels, and watch programs. The color and clarity of digital broadcasts were outstanding; the picture quality of analog broadcasts was acceptable; the remote was easy to use; the speakers were acceptable; the compact external antenna works reasonably well; and TV controls were user friendly. It also has a convenient ear phone jack for improved sound quality.

Overall, I would rate the TV very high but I noted three limitations. The first and most troublesome limitation is station reception. Reception of digital broadcast signals is much more sensitive than reception of old analog signals. When I first scanned for stations, I was seated in a bay window dining area of my brick home. In this position, I was unable to lock onto several local stations with broadcast towers within 25 miles. I bought an external antenna from Radio Shack, but the antenna did not significantly improve reception. Then I decided to try the TV outside on my deck. In this location, channel reception was much better. Apparently the house structure (brick?) interferes with signal reception. Hopefully, reception will be ok in most campgrounds.

The second limitation of this TV is that it does not operate with disposable batteries. When electricity is unavailable, you use the internal rechargable battery that reportedly lasts about 2 hours. My past experience with such batteries leads me to believe that the length of charge will get significantly shorter after a few uses. Thus, I probably will not be able to watch very long in campsites with no electricity. Unfortunately, we must live with this limitation because there are no small portable digital TVs on the market at the present time that operate on disposable batteries.

The final limitation is a minor one. Although it is designed to accept a screw in platform or tripod, no such stabilizing device was included in the package. The TV is sold literally as a hand-held TV. Fortunately, the platform for my old analog TV fit perfectly and I am now able to set the TV on a table top or on the floor or my tent and watch hands free TV.

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By jr_Tech (Portland OR)
I ordered this TV from Amazon to be used on rooftops and in attics to adjust TV antennas for optimum over-the-air reception of DTV channels. Very few battery operated DTV portables are available at this time, and this appeared to be the best choice. The problem is, this TV is *too* cute, and as soon as I had opened the box I heard "oh what a cute TV, it's PERFECT for the kitchen!" ARRGH! foiled again!

Indeed, the set is perfect for the Kitchen, and 12 miles from the transmitters, we receive all of the local channels with the supplied antenna stuck (magnetic base) to the refrigerator. Works GREAT!

I don't miss remote volume control (there is a mute), but am surprised that the remote does not have a "last channel" button! This oversight cost this fine set one star in my rating.