Wednesday, 30 March 2011

carbon monoxide alarm - carbon monoxide detectors, carbon monoxide alarm


We bought this CO Alarm after we had a CO incident. Our neighbor is a fire fighter and recommended a unit with a digital display.



This unit was out of the box and in use in about 5 minutes.



All Kidde CO Alarms are UL Listed and other brands are not. Google "UL Listing" to find out more about this established testing lab. Some states mandate consumers have UL Listed smoke and CO Alarms. Retailers can sell non-UL Listed products so watch your state codes or you may be liable. Kidde KN-COPP-B-LS Nighthawk Carbon Monoxide Alarm, Battery Operated with Digital Display

My gas furnace is over 20 years old. Still works fine but I was advised to make sure I had CO monitors. My furnace guy specifically recommended Nighthawk as the most accurate.He said they were more expensive but much more reliable and estimated cost at $40-$70. I looked at a couple of the "big box" stores and he was right. I typically hear about things other places, great recommendations and reviews on TV shpows, magazines etc. and then I check the price at Amazon. 98% of the time Amazon has a significantly better price plus lots more info and feedback that allows me to make an informed decision. Same here...this product was well reviewed and price could not be matched anywhere else. East setup for this product, loud but not annoying alarm, digital readout that I just glance at to know we're A-OK. Like the title says "Peace of mind".

Purchased for $28 at Home Depot.



Curious how long batteries last - it does have a "Lb" indicator though, like it's big brother ac powered model.



Just put it on a desk or dresser and you're ready to go.

This is easy to read, works as claims, and has a long battery life w/ a standard battery. The battery means it doesn't have to be near an outlet, which helps if you live in an old building. Of course it helps the environment to use rechargeable batteries.

This Carbon Monoxide detector has been extremely useful. It is accurate down to the nearest part per million and the digital display is great. It will quickly tell you the highest level it has reached. It takes 3 AA batteries. I kind of wish it had an A/C plug in, but without it, it's easy to put anywhere you want. I found that resetting it is very noisy, It's easier to take a battery out and put it back in to reset it quietly. I am very satisfied with the product. Best bang for your buck.



-Brian

I bought this unit to assist in determining if I had a CO issue on my boat - it did the job and saved me paying marine technician fees to assess the issue. It is easy to read, backlit for low light areas and holds both the peak value and shows current CO levels.



Excellent unit for the price - no complaints at all!

I purchased two of these to place in places that may have a carbon monoxide present, so far no sound from the units but they test OK. They were easy mount and don't look like something that is just added on. A good product. - Carbon Monoxide Detectors - Carbon Monoxide Alarm'


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Htc Thunderbolt - seidio, thunderbolt


I've been using this case now for a few days on my Thunderbolt. I really just got it for peace of mind, because before I had a case I was always having nightmares of the day my phone would slip from my hands onto some asphault and I'd be out several hundred bucks. This case has cured my paranoia.



It is a very solid case, and seems like it would do very well at protecting my Thunderbolt from damage should it get dropped or banged around, though fortunately that hasn't happened yet. All of the holes are lined up perfectly for easy access to the buttons/outputs/stand/etc.



Only negatives I have about it are that in the back part of the case, the spot where the two ends of the case snap in is kind of raised up and not completely flat against the phone. And also, I can't see any other viable options for cases for this phone at the minute, so they're able to get away charging a ton for what feels like (and probably is) just a piece of plastic that costs less than a dollar to make. It is still worth it to me though otherwise I wouldn't have bought it, and surely other cheaper options will come along as the Thunderbolt is still a relatively new device. Seidio Innocase II Surface Case for HTC ThunderBolt (Black)

I had bought one of the Verizon gel cases when buying my new thunderbolt. What a mistake! Immediately started looking around for other case options and I really wanted to get a hard case (so the phone wouldn't stick to my jean pocket). This one fits very well. Nice soft texture on a hard case, but doesn't get caught in the pocket. I recommend it for sure.

this case is great, the black has a nice hard but rubbery feel, almost a little softness to it also.

dust does not cling to it too much. pant fuzz is easy to blow off. durable and fits on the phone great.



take off the case when going back into cell phone store because nobody knows how to take it off the phone and they may damage it, luckily i swiped it out of the dudes hand and showed him how to do it correctly.



would def reccomend.

First off, let me say, the case itself is great. It does it's job well. Unfortunately, it does it's job too well. If you ever need to remove the case (as it is a 3 part layered case), then you're more likely to ruin the case or scratch the phone while removing it. I needed to remove the case to restart the phone and adjust/check the sim card, and in the process, it took me an hour trying to remove the last layer of the case. Please be aware of this before considering the purchase.

this is an awesome case, it does have a little play in the bottom half the the case which some complained about. but i folded some paper up and put it in the case and now the fitment is tight and better than ever. would deff recommend it.

Just bought a new thunderbolt, so naturally I was wanted a case to keep it looking new. Decided to go with this case due to the high praise, and I'm so glad that I did. This is a quality case! It fits the phone very snugly and just feels solid. The design of it allows for very easy access to all of the buttons and ports. I was particularly nervous that having it on might make pressing the power button difficult, but I'm pleased to say that this is not the case. On top of offering functional goodness I personally feel that it adds to the overall look of the phone and really helps it feel more durable in the hand. Some might be concerned about the case adding thickness to an already bulky phone, and although it does, I actually found this desirable as weird as that sounds.

I've been using this case for about a week now. I was searching for a case that added minimal bulk with maximum protection. I have to say this case does just that.



It fits the phone absolutely perfectly. The backside of the case is lined in velvet so it doesn't scratch the phone at all. The case itself is in 2 pieces. The top part covers about 3/4 of the phone and then the bottom part covers the other 1/4 and they each slide into each other with a tab type locking mechanism on the back. The overall result is a very sturdy connection.



The case fits the phone perfectly. Every button or connection is perfectly operable including the kickstand, I'm really impressed with the fit. The power button is a little harder to press with it on, but it is what it is and doesn't bother me. The case has a nice matte feel to it and provides a tab more grip that the Thunderbolt exterior itself. It doesn't attract dust or lint either which is nice. It doesn't add much bulk or weight to the phone but I also feel confident that it would stand up to a drop really well. It strikes a nice balance between bulk and protection.



The only thing preventing me from giving it 5 stars is the price. The product is great and I'll definitely remember Seidio for my next phone but $25 for a molded plastic case just seems excessive to me. - Htc - Seidio - Thunderbolt - Hard Case'


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Memory Stick Pro Duo - memory stick, cybershot


I was able to get this model a little early, and was excited to try it out in - what better city to test a camera? - Paris. The last Sony snapshot camera I used was on a trip in 2007, and I was so dissatisfied with that camera that I sold it immediately after returning home. I was eager to see if Sony had improved their entry level cameras, especially the picture quality. I shall post some pictures to offer examples up in the product details, but these will be reduced in size for posting.



Photo quality: My initial day out indicated that they have made dramatic improvements in both quality and speed. Photos in daylight were crisp and clear in just about every shot, and any that weren't were only because I was shooting poorly on purpose to test the photos. I was also quite happy with the quality of shots in low light and indoors, which is where I noticed the most improvement over past Sony low-end offerings. There was some blurring in darker situations, of course, but for the most part the software was able to produce images that are well balanced and low grain. The 14 megapixel feature is great - there are many photos I've been able to crop and retain quality, and photos of, say, a stone sarcophagus can be zoomed in upon when viewing images later to see very good detail.



I must also mention that the camera is very good at balancing photos. It almost always produces a picture with an appropriate contrast, and only in the worst cases did the image wash out in an area. For example, a shot of Joan of Arc (the statue, not the person) in Notre Dame came out very well even with a stained glass window in the background. The stained glass was bright but distinguishable, and the detail of the stone statue was clear and well balanced. Only in extreme cases - such as a shot of a black sculpture in the Louvre with a window behind it with blaring sunlight - did the camera fail to balance the image, but these are the kind of bad photography shots one would never expect a camera to take well.



Types of Photos: Like most all snapshot photos, this camera will perform best shooting still subjects with plenty of light. Moving objects didn't tend to blur, a problem I'd had with other cheap snapshot cameras, but the response time can make getting these shots difficult. Trying to capture a motorcycle passing an old church, my 7-10 attempts were mostly good photos, but getting the moving bike in the exact spot I wanted was nearly impossible.



Features: Overall, this camera lacks in features, although for most uses I found it sufficient, and at the price I didn't expect a lot of extras. The 4x zoom is relatively fast and easy to use, and about right for this type of camera. I was surprised there was no optical zoom given the high megapixels, but I can live with cropping on the computer. The panorama mode is nifty but not that useful - it works quite well in creating a long image, which of course will cause distortion in most cases. To use this feature, you set the mode and clich the shutter. The camera will prompt you to move it from left to right, and then it will generate the image (which is always impossible to see on the display owing to its shape.) Here I would have liked some add'l features - there is just 'one size' for panorama shots - you must sweep all the way across or the image will fail. This creates many shots that will need to be messed with on the computer later, which is okay but annoying. I was also disappointed panorama doesn't work in an up and down orientation - you always have to sweep the camera in the same manner. You can, of course, hold it sideways to create a vertical panorama, but I really wanted some vertical shots tqking advantage of a larger width. Still, panoramas of the Tour Eiffel allowed me to create some fun, unique shots of the full height of the structure. There are not many other features - just some rudimentary quality settings, face detection, etc. Some might want to move up to a camera with more features, but I actually appreciated this in a point and shoot camera.



Battery life: Here the camera could use some help. Perhaps I'm spoiled by my Apple products, but digital cameras have more or less remained stuck in 2002 concerning batteries. It's annoying to have a separate charger, and battery life isn't great. Three hours of shooting...granted, constant shooting...at St Denis drained it. Given how light and small it is, I'd fully support doubling the battery size to get twice the life. I'd also love for camera makers to start to move toward USB charging options.



I'd also love it if cameras would start incorporating some onboard space. It feels like the dark ages to have to buy a card. 2 - 4 gig of onboard memory with a card slot for expansion would be nice.



Overall, a great, small, fun camera that's easy to grab and go. I wish Sony would re-imagine some of the ways digital cameras work, perhaps taking some cues from iPods, especially regarding batteries, but for the price this nifty unit is great.



Pros: Excellent pics for camera in this price range, good color balance, good in darker spaces, a few fun features



Cons: Battery life could be better, charging options, not many features or in-camera editing options Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W530 14.1 MP Digital Still Camera with Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 4x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom Lens and 2.7-inch LCD (Black) - Cybershot - Memory Card - Memory Stick - 4gb'


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Kindle 2 Leather Cover - kindle accessory, cover


I was really hoping this cover was going to be "it" for me. I currently have the Patagonia cover (which I love) but wanted something a bit "nicer." I put my Kindle in this cover for 2 weeks and although it did not "crack" my Kindle, it certainly left deep scratches and knicks along the side where the hinges clipped into the Kindle. No one will see but me, but STILL! I was afraid over time it would damage it more. What drew me to this, was the elastic on the cover, which I did like. By the way, the Patagonia cover is the way to go when travelling. It is well padded, water resistant and fit into a carry-on nicely. I just ordered the M-Edge platform for my "nicer" cover...hopefully this one will be the one I am looking for. I would definitely NOT buy any cover with the hinges ever again. If you want to protect your Kindle, get a cover that holds it in with elastic edges. Kindle Leather Cover, Black (Fits 6" Display, 2nd Generation Kindle)

Just got the black one. I have an M-Edge Platform cover in 'sapphire'; wanted something a little more grownup in appearance for the commute, since I don't really use my booklight in transit.



For my purpose, this is the perfect cover. The overall styling with the pebbled leather gives it a 40's vintage appearance -- grown up and serious, but cool -- not corporate. The cover is pretty rigid. The little channel that holds the strap (which is like a bungee), works well to keep the strap neatly in place. This cover is exactly as I had imagined it would be: except that it's a little more padded, which makes it even better; and it's *very* lightweight. I just threw it onto the not-very-accurate kitchen scale. It weighs about 6-3/8 oz. (180g) -- even lighter than I'd expected; but it's still very slim despite having more padding than I'd expected. It is only very slightly larger in dimensions than the Kindle, and fits the middle pocket of my small messenger bag perfectly.



The lining is heathered charcoal, and is more synthetic flannel-like than suede-like. What's especially good about the color, is that it seems unlikely to show hand-grime over time. I like how it looks with the device, because it's closer in color to the words than it is to the page background.



As another reviewer noted, it would be difficult to mistake the back for the front. I agree with that statement. This cover does have the same hinge system as the original Amazon cover, and comes with an explicit warning not to lift the back cover. But this design also provides the means of preventing the famous 'evil accident', if one is conscientious about using the strap. The strap holds the cover closed firmly enough that if one does lift the back rather than the front, it doesn't really 'lift' independently; and if desired one can also read with the strap over the 'free' edge of the Kindle. It doesn't interfere with any buttons, and the tab situates perfectly as a place to rest one's thumb, if one happens to hold the device in one's right hand.



The *front* cover folds back neatly -- almost like reading without a cover, except that the device won't slide around.



The cover does have a strong chemical smell right now, as I expected it probably would coming right out of the box. I expect that to dissipate over time -- it's still quite new. I plan to leave it open to air out for a while and keep my nose *away*. I'm not worried about this.



Oh. And -- the packaging it came in is quite nice. I'd call it 'giftable', even. Harmonious with the original Kindle packaging.

The smell, the feel, the color, the strap I expected.

But this cover caused my Kindle to crack where the brackets attach to the kindle.

I've owned this cover for almost four months now and Amazon is replacing my Kindle because of this damage.

WARNING: this item will crash your Kindle. The metal hooks which slide into the side cause the Kindle to crash and reboot. When you leave the Kindle down then go to wake it up, instead of waking it reboots from scratch. As soon as you take your Kindle out of this cover, it behaves normally. I am returning the cover to Amazon: it's a real shame because I loved the cleanness of the attachment (no little straps over the corners of the Kindle) - but what an incredible design flaw. So the question is: why is it still on sale?! There are loads of 1 star reviews here and independent forums elsewhere full of people wondering what's wrong with their Kindles. Get it off the market until the metal hooks are replaced with ones which don't conduct electricity.

The cover is nice. When I made he purchase I was already worried about the hooks(hinges), i decided those "accidents were user caused." and ordered anyway. to my shock i noticed small cracks or indentations around the slots base from simply putting the cover on! I will be keeping an eye on them and see if they grow as it could simply be scratched paint(caused by the hinges) and an illusion. - Cover - Kindle 2 Case - Kindle Accessory - Leather Kindle Cover'


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Ipad Accessory - computer accessories, ipad


There are sooooo many options for iPad cases/sleeves that its overwhelming! I read...and researched...and got a headache! To make things more complicated, not all specify whether they are for iPad or iPad 2 or if another cover will fit along w/ this which was a mandatory feature I wanted.



I recently purchased the iPad 2 along w/ a smart cover, but there is no way a smart cover is enough protection when I want to transport my iPad 2 out of my house. After MANY hours of reading/researching all over the place, I decided to give this a try.



The price is VERY reasonable; the pics + description were most helpful; shipping was fast!



I really like this sleeve, altho I feel it is more of a case. It is soft sided w/ some padding, but no stiff support. It has dual opposing zippers, but they do not go all the way around the case, so the case does not open up fully = you have to slide iPad in and out instead of placing flat and then zipping. Not a problem for me, just didn't realize prior to purchasing. This fits my iPad 2 w/ smart cover very nicely. I also love the outer zippered pocket for me to carry my earbuds or charger or whatever I might want to take along. Neither the case nor the zipper pocket are large, so don't plan on packing a lot of extra stuff w/ this. Personally, I like this as I did not want a large case adding a lot of bulk to my iPad 2 - I mean, lets face it - part of the attraction of the iPad 2 is the slim, small size. Why would I want to ruin that by bulking it up?



The plum color is deep, rich, royal - LOVE it!



I must comment on the smell - there is a definite plastic smell upon opening. Might bother some, didn't really bother me since I had been forewarned and expected it (its not like a toxic green cloud is emanating from the thing) and over the past 48 hours, it has dissipated and now I only smell if I stick my nose right on the thing.



Bottom line - slim, attractive, inexpensive, highly functional protective case for my iPad 2 obtained thru an effortless transaction :) Belkin F8N277tt091 Pleated Sleeve for Apple iPad and iPad 2 (Perfect Plum)

The iPad sleeve is just as expected. Fits the iPad snugly and has room for cable in the outer pocket. Color is a pleasing dark eggplant with contrast light pink lining. There's enough padding to protect from being jostled in a backpack.

I originally ordered this sleeve when I realized the Apple case would not be shipping with my iPad, and I wanted it protected from day one. The sleeve is lightweight, good looking, a terrific designer color, and great quality. While it's everything I expected, I wish they'd make an alternate version that easily fit the Apple case (it fits but it's like putting a size 10 woman in a size 8 dress). It would also be nice to have a pouch for the wireless keyboard.

This is a nice iPad case.



Soft and poofy.



Protects your cool iPad.



The front pouch is handy for storing little accessories like headphones, power supply, camera adapter, sync cable, small cell phone, etc. No you cannot fit the bluetooth keyboard in there, it is too big to fit in there.



This case looks good and offers good, full protection for your expensive toy.



I do recommend it.

I just recently ordered the pleated sleeve for my Ipad 2 from Amazon and had it shipped to my Aunt in Las Vegas. She then sent the sleeve to me here in the Philippines. I was really excited to when it finally came only to be very disappointed when i saw the pleating was misaligned revealing the zipper and the shiny plastic it was mounted on. To make thing worse, the gap in between the pleating was not even. It is tapered from one end to the other (half an inch from one end narrowing to a quarter inch on the other end). From the photos on Amazon and on the Belkin website, the pleating should have been flush with no spaces in between. Apparently this was not an isolated case since there was also a review of the same model on youtube also with the misaligned pleating revealing the zipper. I would have liked to return it but the return shipping costs would be more than what I actually paid for the sleeve.

One of the problems that early adopters of new gadgets often face is lack of vast variety of accessories to protect their purchases. The same is true with the new iPad 2. Whereas Apple's own Smart Cover protects the front of the device, it is not sufficient enough to offer enough security when you carry the device in your backpack, bag, car, etc because it leaves everything else exposed for scratches, dents, and stains.



Belkin Pleated Sleeve for Apple iPad is a neat solution to the problem. Belkin is known for "much better than generic" quality, and this affordable product only proves that. For less than $20, your iPad will be protected much better than with Smart Cover (if you have both, it's even better). The material is soft, but seems durable, looks attractive, and has an extra pocket for the sync cable.



Price/Quality ratio considered, this product deserves 5 stars. - Ipad Case - Ipad - Ipad Accessory - Computer Accessories'


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Dysfunctional Family - texas chainsaw massacre, metal


I'll be honest, I have only heard 6 songs on it, and the first 5 songs I heard are kickass. As for the other one I heard, was piece of underproduced bull.

Laaz Rockit - Leatherface

Death Angel - Bored

Wrath - When Worlds Collide

Hurricane - Spark in my heart

Sacred Reich - One Nation

Wasted Youth - Gift Of Madness



The first 5 songs I have listed are awesome. As for Wasted Youth's gift of madness, that song SUCKS! But Wrath - When Worlds Collide in my opinion is the best song I have heard. Then again, Wrath happens to also be one of my favorite songs too, so ya. The other reviews I have read were mixed, saying that the album is disappointing, but like every soundtrack, there will always be a few good up numbers. From what I have heard, it's true. Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3

I give this album three stars because there's three good songs on it.

If you're a fan of Laaz Rockit then buy this album,that's why I bought it,it's worth it just because of Laaz Rockit,they do the song Leatherface which is one of their best songs.

Then you have Wrath on this album,I don't like Wrath but they do the song When Worlds Collide which is pretty good,they have one of the best riffs on this song that I have ever heard and then Sacred Reich-One Nation,which is an awesome song,that's also on this album. - Leatherface - Metal - Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Slasher Flicks'


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Usb Stick - usb flash drive, thumb drive


I recently purchased the 32 GB Patriot thumb drive and have been very happy with it. I work in video animation and web design and have found the drive to be very fast - even with large size file loads or loads with a large number of files. I've read some other complaints about the load speed of the drive but haven't noticed them myself. Perhaps the people complaining about the load speed weren't using a USB 2.0 port or they were simply being overly scientific about it.



Upon opening the drive from its packaging I inserted it into my USB drive right away and both my Vista machine and my Windows XP machine recognized it immediately. There was no formatting or configuration required. I'm not sure how it would react to a Mac.



My biggest concern with a drive like this is losing the cap. For example, if you put the drive on your keychain and stick it in your pocket the cap will eventually come off of the drive in your pocket, or while you take your keychain out of your pocket, or while the drive hangs from your vehicle's ignition. It's also common, at least for me, to forget where I put the caps. In consideration of a potential future lost cap I emailed the manufacturer's customer service department and asked them for extra caps and I received 2 additional caps about two weeks later free of charge. To me, that's customer service.



Overall the drive seems reasonably rugged. It's encased in rubber so I suspect that's what the manufacturer was going for. I'll modify this post if the drive ever craps out on me but for now I'm very satisfied with it - especially when compared to other thumb drives I've owned. Patriot Xporter XT Boost 16 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive PEF16GUSB

Bottom line: The Patriot Xporter XT Boost 16 GB is a good USB drive but far below the performance I expected. Its tests average slightly below a Class 8 flash drive or 50X.



I will update my review on the cap status in the future since most rubber caps loosen with age and this one is a pocket gripper. I may epoxy a little leash on it to the body.



Reading so many of these reviews does not help in purchase decisions. Frankly, they drive me nuts. "It was so fast!" "It was so much faster than my old drive!" "Some people are too scientific." "It booted immediately on my Windows... (version)/Mac [computer]." (Please do not take any of these comments as personal attacks on your reviews. I have been hammered in past professional writing to ensure I provide hard, substantive data for any statement I make.)



Can I please have objective data to assist in my purchase decision? The first thing I do is benchmark when I receive a flash drive or flash card. I have returned fakes, counterfeits, and below spec units. Formatting new drives appropriately upon receipt is a smart decision, since it removes any crapware from the manufacturer and any viruses a disgruntled employee could have placed. (Does anyone remember the WordPerfect employee who knew he was going to be fired back around 1990?) Although not a Mac user. I use flash drives for Windows Vista/7 and Linux OS purposes.



Flash "class" is based on write speed. I have included a conversion table toward the end of my review. I am sorry I forgot to specify sequential write testing for my benchmarks. To increase accuracy and reduce extraneous hardware reductions in test results, I do not use USB extension cables and clean format the flash for each test. Here are some hard data for you on the 16 GB Patriot XT Boost I received from Amazon:



Flash Drive/Card Tester 1.16.1

Patriot Memory, PMAP, PMAP 1234; 15271 MB

00:01:30.99 - -------------------------------- New test process started --------------------------------

00:01:31.03 - Started "Writing test data" for drive F: 15271MB, ", Patriot Memory, PMAP, PMAP1234", 512b

00:41:11.94 - Completed "Writing test data" for drive F: 15271MB, ", Patriot Memory, PMAP, PMAP1234", 512b

00:41:11.94 - Tested total 15271.999MB in 0:39:40 with 6.424MB/s (**Class 6**)

00:41:11.94 - Total write errors: Fatal=0, Recoverable=0

00:41:11.95 - Started "Reading and comparing data" for drive F: 15271MB, ", Patriot Memory, PMAP, PMAP1234", 512b

00:52:27.89 - Completed "Reading and comparing data" for drive F: 15271MB, ", Patriot Memory, PMAP, PMAP1234", 512b

00:52:27.91 - Tested total 15271.999MB in 0:11:15 with 22.608 MB/s

00:52:27.91 - Total errors: Read fatal=0, Read recoverable=0; Write fatal=0, Write recoverable=0; Comparsion=0



H2testw Results

Warning: Only 15255 of 15256 MByte tested.

Test finished without errors.

You can now delete the test files *.h2w or verify them again.

Writing speed: 8.01 MByte/s (**Class 8**)

Reading speed: 24.5 MByte/s

H2testw v1.4



Checkflash 1.16.1

Four sector errors in last block of flash, 2nd Pass: No errors (I did a second pass since the first showed physical errors and it could have been caused by factors outside of the flash, which it was.)

1 Cycle Test, 1:25:44 elapsed

Read: 26.92, 25.50 MB/s

Write: 8.15, 8.12 MB/s (**Class 8**)



Conversion Chart

Class 2 - 16Mbps - 2MBps - 13X

Class 4 - 32Mbps - 4MBps - 27X

Class 6 - 48Mbps - 6MBps - 40X

Class 8 - 64Mbps - 8MBps - 53X

Class 10 - 80Mbps - 10MBps - 67X



Thank you for reading my review. I hope it helps you. Please approve or disapprove so I know if I should continue writing and submitting results from this several hour process for future drive or card purchases.

I own a few of these, I find I need alot of portable space but I dont want to carry around an ext HDD. The drive is soooooo fast. Before this I owned a corsair voyager 16gb which was just way way too slow, this drive reminds me of my old lexar lightning. Well worth the price.

I bought this to help back up photos on trips. Works great. Relatively fast and was pleased with the transfer speed. I like the rubber housing.



Pros: Fast. Reliable. Small. Lightweight. Rubber housing semi-weather proof and feels fairly durable.



Cons: Only one small complaint. It would be nice if the cap was attached by a small rubber strip to keep the unit together as one piece. Otherwise you have to slide it on the back of the drive or set it aside which is easy to loose if you don't pay atttention. - 16gb - Usb Flash Drive - Patriot - Thumb Drive'


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Photography Lenses Camera - photography, image stabilization


After exhaustive research on many lens, I finally decided to plunk down the $500+ (at the time this was written) to purchase this lens. It may not be the best on the market but it compliments my Nikon 18-70mm DX lens nicely. I was looking towards Nikon's 18-200mm DX lens, however; the price pushed me to choose this one (as it was nearly half the price and my two lens can nearly cover all the range of the one 18-200mm).



QUALITY/WEIGHT:



build quality is cheap yet sturdy... the plastic is a little chinky but cuts down on the weight. My Nikon D200 has no problem handling the lens weight, however; I have heard (unconfirmed) reports that this lens is a little heavy for the lighter cameras (D80, D70, D40, ETC). The Ring Connector is metal and has a rubber gasket on the outside so as to provide minor protection (for the lens mount) from the elements.



You also have to keep this in mind, when discussing weight, quality & price; the bulk of the price of this lens is going into the glass elements (all 17 elements of them). It gets expensive when you place that many high-quality optics into a tube. I'm really not that surprised a the price, although $400 price-range would probably be more suitable for this lens



FOCUSING/LENS ATTRIBUTES:



Focusing can be quite fast... at times. You'll find, at the Max 300mm focal range, that the lens has a pretty hard time auto-focusing in on a subject. At times it would focus pretty quick, at the 300mm range, while at others it cannot focus at all. You can get around this quirk by bringing the subject into near focus (manually) then letting the auto-focus take over; it works every time. I find this focus problem disappointing especially given the price of this lens.



The quality of the Bokeh (Out of focus areas of the photograph) is very nice and pleasing. The images are sharp, vignetting (dark areas in the corner of your photos) is hard to find and lens flare rarely a problem.



VIBRATION STABILIZATION:



All I can say is that it works... it can come in handy. It's not going to stop the image guaranteed for you; it's only meant to slow down the rate at which the camera moves (vibration from holding). You can notice the difference; with it off you'll see that the image (at say 300mm) really bouncing around; then you flick on VR. It takes a sec or two but then the image smooths out, it still wobbles around, but much more slowly.



With VR enabled, you can usually go 2-3 (sometimes 4) stops down, then what you'd normally be able to do when hand holding.



THE "SHOCK" TEST:



I haven't "shock tested" my lens yet (IE dropped it) but I have heard (again unconfirmed reports here) that it holds up pretty well to a drop... although I would never recommend testing that out.



IMPORTANT NOTE:



The 70-300mm range should be noted: Although the lens states that it is a 70-300mm zoom, this lens was intended for a 35mm camera or full-frame CCD/CMOS sensor Digital Camera. All (or at least the majority) of Nikon's DSLR (D200, D80, ETC) are NOT Full-Frame sensors. They are approximately 1.5x factor of a full-frame sensor (due to the smaller sensor size).



What does this all mean?



Well it's simple, since this is a 35mm lens and not a DX lens (ie built to account for the 1.5x factor in most nikon digitals) you have to apply the 1.5x conversion. This means that the Nikon 70-300mm on a Nikon DSLR will give an apparent zoom equivalent to a 105-450mm lens. I actually do not mind this apparent zoom and this should also cut down on vignetting; as what the lens projects onto the sensor is larger then the area of the sensor itself. In short: parts of the image spills over the sensor, since this lens was meant to project onto a full-frame sensor/35mm film.



CONCLUSION:



Pros:

Pleasing Bokeh

Fast Auto-Focus (when working properly)

Vignetting is minimal

Image Stabilization (VR)

Flare is minimal

1.5x factor (105-450mm) makes for nice zoom

Colors are very good



CONS:

Plastic Casing

Near Inability to Auto-Focus at 300mm range

Price (even though it is cheaper then the 18-200mm DX)

1.5x factor (105-450mm) might make it more zoom then you need

Lens could be faster (F/4 would have been nice)



I love this lens, even for it's quirks, however; you may want to wait till it drops in price a little more (it falls almost bi-weekly). It may not be the fastest on the market, but it's size, optics, image quality and VR make this a must have lens for Serious Nikon users! Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Nikkor Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

Never has my opinion of a lens changed so dramatically or so quickly as in the case of this 70-300mm VR from Nikon. My first copy, owned about a year ago, was utterly mediocre in nearly every way. It was fuzzy at 300mm, no better than reasonably sharp under 200mm, gave nice colors and decent focus performance but was no fun to use thanks to its sticky zoom ring and "hidden" focus ring.



I reviewed that lens, giving it three stars, warning that it was likely a below-average copy but that buyers should be aware that variations exist and to be sure to test a lens like this before purchase.



With that bit of history, the performance of my second copy of this lens, purchased a few weeks ago now, has stunned me. It has prompted me to sell my 80-400mm VR zoom (also an excellent lens, but less sharp, heavier and much more expensive) and has matched in most ways the performance of various pro Nikon zooms I've owned. Even at 300mm, where it is weakest, it equals at f/5.6 the sharpness of the Nikon 300mm f/4 AF at f/4, while improving on that lens' color rendition and thus exceeding it in terms of overall image quality at all apertures.



How's that for an encore?



I've had no choice but to radically alter my review. (Reader comments below as of today (1/28/10), apply to the first (three star) version of the review, and the caution that one must be aware of sample variability is as important as ever). I've decided to re-write my review based solely on the performance of my second sample, under the assumption that the second sample is representative and the first not.



The lens still has some "handling" issues that stem from its nature as a consumer-oriented lens, and it is still a "slow" lens, with a maximum aperture of f/4.5 - f/5.6 - although f/5.6 at 300mm still implies a light-transmissive opening of about 54mm, nearly as large as that of an 85mm f/1.4 (61mm). There is simply no way the lens could be faster without also making it larger, heavier and much more expensive - and such lenses already exist.



Build quality is good consumer-grade, meaning metal where necessary, plastic elsewhere, likely little or no weather-sealing and not designed to endure rough handling. That's fine - another design choice that has benefits for size, weight and cost. Not quite so fine is the still-sticky zoom ring, which takes just enough effort to turn that near 300mm your subject will tend to jump around, maybe right out of the frame, as the hand holding the lens works in opposition to the hand holding the camera. Even worse in my opinion is the lack of a smooth, front-mounted focus ring, which I find fairly important in a long zoom. Notice that all the professional lenses have the focus ring in front of the zoom ring and usually larger than the zoom ring, so that small tweaks to focus are done easily and naturally with the photographer's hands in the shooting position. The small, hidden focus ring on the 70-300 is unlikely to be used except when setting up shots of still subjects on a tripod, and that's a shame because the lens is actually even better suited to other uses.



Those deficiencies are tolerable, though, because the 70-300 VR just about re-writes the book on image quality for consumer zooms in its range. It's not just a matter of acuity, although acuity is excellent: like many of Nikon's best lenses, the 70-300VR's images exceed the level of quality implied by formal tests of it. These formal tests, and most reviews, independently consider the various easily-measurable aspects of lens performance - acuity, aberrations of various types, perhaps (though usually cursorily) color rendition; and then attempt to grade the lens based on some rational summation of its good and bad qualities. What is usually missed is that the perception of sharpness and of image quality relies on a much less linear and not easily definable combination of a lens' optical qualities. The real performance of a lens can be more than the simple sum of its parts, or it can be less - and the perception of quality and sharpness in different lenses' images can vary quite a bit between lenses that have similar measurable capabilities.



Whatever the explanation, the 70-300 VR is a genuinely excellent lens in terms of image quality. Even in comparison to some of the best and most expensive professional lenses I've used, the 70-300 VR more than holds its own. Between 70mm and 200mm, I don't believe I have ever used a significantly sharper lens. Some might have an edge at one setting or another, but overall, within that range, I would put the 70-300VR up against any Nikon or third-party f/2.8 professional zoom and challenge anybody to see a difference in the resulting image. If there is one, my guess is that it would probably be in the 70-300's favor, because although most of these lenses are similar in terms of acuity once f/4.5 is reached, they vary in their rendition of color, and in that area the 70-300 excels.



To be sure, the 70-300 is not likely to produce a BETTER image at f/5.6, say, than one of Nikon's top pro zooms at the same aperture: those lenses are excellent, as well. But neither will the more expensive lens produce a better image, at least not without opening it up and taking advantage of its expensive larger aperture, which the 70-300 lacks. That is one trick that the 70-300 VR can not match, and probably the only reason for most people to consider paying up for the more expensive alternatives.



Towards 300mm the performance of the 70-300 VR drops off slightly - but only slightly. It's still worthy of superlatives, because it manages to almost match the performance of Nikon's 300mm primes in terms of pure acuity while retaining the outstanding color rendition and small-scale contrast that gives its images the snap and pop that distinguishes them from those of lesser lenses. Not only do I not hesitate to use this lens at 300mm, I do it at every opportunity. I know the images I get will look just as good, in any non-trivial way, as those at shorter focal lengths or made with any other lens I've had the opportunity to use. That's a giant leap away from what I said about the first sample of this lens I owned, by the way: watch those sample variations!



I now give this lens a five star rating. Despite its minor issues with feel and handling, it offers such exceedingly good performance, and is so impressively superior to any of its competition within its price and focal length range, that I can not give it any less. It becomes for me, along with the 16-85mm VR, the 85mm f/1.4 and a couple of others, one of the few standout lenses that I will always be happy to have on my camera, confident that any just about any photograph taken with them will have first-rate, no-excuses image quality that for practical purposes could not have been exceeded. Remember, though, that my initial review of this lens gave it three stars. That is a BIG difference between samples: take care to ensure that you get a good one. If you do, it won't disappoint.



Notes:



VR - This lens has Nikon's VR vibration reduction system. It is very good. Although not the upgraded VR implementation later introduced as VRII, this lens' VR does seem to offer subjectively improved VR performance than some early iterations of the VR technology, such as that found on the 70-200mm VRI and 80-400mm VR lenses; and it also seems to me to be a step more advanced than the VR found on some of the lower-cost lenses, notably the 55-200mm and 18-105mm VR lenses. As to VR itself, any variety, the secret is long-since out: it's a revelation. Don't even consider buying a lens in this range without VR unless you have a specialized use in mind that doesn't require it. That might include tripod-only use or sports photography. VR makes a lens like this easily hand-holdable in normal lighting conditions, and hand-holdable in low light with some care. That by itself is a revolutionary improvement in the accessibility of telephoto photography to photographers at every level, and also to the quality of the resulting images. Anybody who grew up using non-VR telephoto lenses knows you're almost always on the margins of camera shake when using them, often having to chuck three out of every four photos to get one good one. VR cures that completely.



Focusing - Fast and accurate. Nikon's top-level pro AF-S lenses have exceedingly quick, snappy focusing, and the 70-300 doesn't quite match them, but it is generally only one full step behind - a fraction longer to lock on; still quick. It is much quicker than the other consumer-grade AF-S lenses and also faster than the older screw-drive pro lenses, even on a pro body (with a couple of exceptions, perhaps). Out beyond 200mm it does drop off, as less light is reaching the focus sensors and the acuity has dropped a bit. For tracking motion out beyond 200mm, it will not come close to matching the pro lenses. In these cases I find the quickest way to lock focus is to back off the zoom, lock on, and then re-zoom. Cumbersome, unfortunately.



Bokeh - Quite good with this lens, a surprising deviation from most of Nikon's consumer lenses. It is better to my eyes than that of any of the lenses mentioned below except the 70-200 VR and possibly the 300mm lenses. Bokeh is important in a lens like this: at 300mm, even with an f/5.6 max aperture, it's easy to generate a great deal of background blur. That produced by the 70-300 VR is smooth, not likely to be distracting and adds to my confidence in recommending it vs. more expensive, professional zooms.



Vs. 80-400mm VR - The 80-400 VR is a great lens, but it is a full technological generation behind the 70-300 VR. It is a pro-level lens in terms of feel and build quality, and it is nicer to use. It produces beautiful, sharp, contrasty images that are in general difficult to tell apart from those of the 70-300 VR. When you look closely, the 70-300 is the sharper of the two, by a fair margin. It is also lighter and easier to carry, and much less expensive, and it offers decidedly better AF performance thanks to its very good AF-S focusing system. To my eyes, the 80-400 VR matches the 70-300 VR's excellent, snappy, contrasty color rendition, or at least the difference is too close to call.



Vs. f/2.8 70-200/80-200 Zooms - The 70-300 VR has better VR than the original 70-200 VR, and if it doesn't quite match it for pure optical acuity when formally tested, it certainly seemed to match it in my use. The 70-200 VR is a VERY good lens, at least for DX, but unless you need the f/2.8 maximum aperture and are willing to carry it around (not a small issue), the 70-300 VR is in my opinion its equal, even looking closely. Older lenses like the 80-200 AF-S and 80-200 AF-D are excellent lenses as well, but they lack VR, are not sharper than the 70-300, and they are still heavier and more expensive. The catch is that these lenses are the only way to get the fast f/2.8 aperture that really is critical for many types of photography. That, and their superior build quality, is in my opinion their only advantage.



Vs 70-300 AF-D and 70-300G - The AF-D lens is a good lens, half the price of this VR version, but I don't think it's quite half the lens: the VR is substantially better in every important way. The AF-G version is one of the few Nikon lenses that is actually fairly poor in terms of optical performance. If cost or size is an issue I would forgo both of these for the 55-200 VR, which is a very good lens: smaller, sharper, and it has VR.



Vs. 55-200 VR - I love the 55-200 VR, and for many photographers it will be a better choice than the 70-300 VR. The 70-300 is definitely the better lens: better focusing, better VR, sharper (though the 55-200 is sharp, as well) and with visibly better, contrastier colors. But the 55-200 is much smaller, much less expensive, and surprisingly close in performance. Unless the difference in price is of little importance to you; or if you prefer smaller, unobtrusive lenses that still manage do their job exceedingly well, consider the 55-200 VR instead. The 55-200 has poor bokeh, which might rule it out for some, and it is a DX-only lens, which rules it out for film and FX users.



Vs 300mm f/2.8 AF-S II - I'm joking, right? Well, nobody is going to consider these lenses as alternatives to one another. You spend several thousand dollars on a 300/2.8 lens because you need the f/2.8 max aperture, and the 70-300 doesn't have that. Just as a matter of pure interest, though, at f/5.6 or f/8 I could not tell the difference between these two lenses in terms of sharpness, and I found the 300/2.8 couldn't match the 70-300 VR for color rendition. I spent a fair amount of time comparing the 70-300 VR, the 300mm f/4 and the 300mm f/2.8, and at f/5.6 the 70-300 was my pick. (I've since gotten rid of the f/2.8, though not due to the comparison with the 70-300 VR). - Lens - Image Stabilization - Nikon - Photography'


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Memory Stick - flash drive, 4gb


I was apprehensive when I read all the reviews about U3. I simply wanted a reliable storage device and nothing else. As soon as I connected the usb drive, I removed the U3 launchpad and technology. It took a total of 1 minute and it was done. No more U3 and I have an excellent 4 GB drive for 23 bucks. Same drive sells at retail for over 40. I run windows xp and it was no problem at all to remove the U3. I can see how it may look overwhelming with all the programs/apps, but one or two clicks of a button and it was gone. I highly recommend this drive to anyone looking for a place to store music, docs, pictures, etc.... SanDisk Cruzer Micro 4 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive SDCZ6-4096-A11

...don't listen to the negative reviews for this product. SanDisk makes a great product, every time. I use nothing but SanDisk for my flash drive/memory card needs because quite frankly, other companies don't make reliable products. The software issues with this device are not even a problem if you simply UNINSTALL the U3 software. Once you do that, it's treated as a mass storage device just like anything else. There is no law written down that you need to use software on a device just because it came with it. Using the Windows explorer to manage your files is easier and more effective anyway.

I have a SanDisk Cruzer U3 drive and it works great. I purchased another with 4 GB to use solely as for ReadyBoost on my Vista computer. Installation was a no-brainer and it immediately offered me an option to use it for ReadyBoost and to apportion the 4 GB between the normal Cruzer US functions and ReadyBoost. I chose to used the majority for ReadyBoost and have been rewarded with better performance. I keep it installed permanently. I'd recommend it highly.

I've been using this drive for about a month now. I carry it in my pocket every day, it's survived well so far. The case is a bit scuffed, but that's it. The retractable USB connector still slides smoothly and locks into place. I've used it with PCs, Macs, and Linux - no problems with any of these. Speed is acceptable, I've played video files off it with no problem. The drive itself is excellent.



Now, for the downside - the U3 software. It's a good idea - gives you a way to carry your own apps with you. Unfortunately, it's a less than good implementation. It autostarts *every* time you insert the drive into a windows computer. On a mac it shows up as a useless CD-Rom drive. I used it for a while - it was nice to have my own browser with my own bookmarks, but it was randomly causing issues with the security profiles on some computers. So I uninstalled it and installed Portable Apps instead - free software that does the same thing, but better.



I recommend this drive, but I also recommend you remove the U3 software first thing. It wil require a PC, clicking through a few "are you sure" screens, and downloading a program, but its worth it.

Warning: Don't install the "update" because it will erase all of your data! I have been using the Cruzer thumb drive for some time. I have never liked it because it installs software on my computer without my permission (is that legal?). I usually have other copies of the data on my thumb drive, but recently a hard drive failed at work so I used my SanDisk thumb drive to back up some important data. Then today when I plugged the thumb drive into my desktop at home, I was prompted to update the software (called LaunchPad I think). I clicked OK. I was looking for some kind of warning to back up data or close all programs or whatever (as is standard). I didn't see any warnings -- just a license agreement. I clicked OK on the license agreement. It immediately started the "update," but the status said "formatting drive." I tried to not freak out. Surely they would not be deleting all of my data with no warning? Surely they could not be reformatting the drive? There is software on there! But when the "update" was complete, I checked and sure enough, the drive was entirely wiped clean! All my files, folders, programs -- everything. GONE! WITH NO WARNING! I couldn't believe it! Is it legal to do this? If it is, it shouldn't be! This is outrageous! I didn't have any other copy of a lot of that data! I called SanDisk, they immediately knew what I was talking about (I'm sure this is happening to lots of other people). They refused to take financial or legal responsibility for their actions. They didn't care about my lost data. No apology. All they would do is refer me to a company, LC Technologies, for data recovery. And get this, they are "partnering" with LC Technologies to offer a "discount" on data recovery. They even have a big link with a special discount code on the Support page for this thumb drive (but no warning about having your data hosed if you install the update). I'll bet you that they are getting a kickback from LC Technologies for sending so much business their way. How evil is that!?!? Not only is SanDisk deliberately deleting data, and not taking responsibility, they are benefitting from it financially at well! This is truly wrong, truly outrageous. I'm going to try to find a class action lawsuit to join.



PLEASE, do yourself a favor, DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT!!! - Flash Drive - Thumb Drive - 4gb - Sandisk'


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Memory Card - class 10, memory card


I purchased this for use with my new Canon T2i. I use it primarily for shooting full resolution 1080p video, although I shoot stills as well.



The camera choked on the class 4 chip that I originally purchased, but with this one, it is amazing. I can shoot rapidfire 18 megapixel stills (I've tested it up to 30+ shots in a row), and there is no lag. I've never had an error when shooting hi-def video.



Highly recommended! I'm buying another one. Transcend 16 GB Class 10 SDHC Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC10E

I bought this card for my Canon T1i. The card I had been using before ordering this one was a Kingston Class 6 micro sd card and it worked well enough for the type of shooting I did. Class 6 was the card speed that Canon recommended when I bought my T1i (Class 10 cards were not yet available) and it seemed fast enough for the way I used my camera - isolated single photos taken at Medium (8 MP) or Large (15 MP) jpg settings and 1280 x 720 video. And while I ocassionally took continuous photos, I had never much exceeded 5-10 photos in a row and had never run into a problem with my Class 6 card.



When I first saw the Class 10 cards I did some experiments with my camera. How many continuous Large photos could I take before the camera slowed down? It turned out to be about 30. And how many RAW photos could I take before the camera slowed down? It turned out to be about 9. SInce I did not generally take any photos in RAW and never needed more than about 10 continuous photos at Large, the Class 6 card seemed more than sufficient for my needs. But I wondered about the speed of the Class 10 cards enough that I finally bought one.



It turns out that the Class 10 card is sufficiently fast that there does not seem to be a reasonable upper limit on single Large photos. I have taken 60 on continuous without an issue. And although I still cannot take more than 9 RAW photos on continuous with the Class 10 card, when I am finished taking those photos the camera no longer displays a Wait - writing pictures screen. The RAW photos get written from the built-in memory to the card so quickly that the camera does not need to display the Wait screen.



So this card is fast! Given the way I take photos this purchase was unnecessary, but still I am glad I bought it. I know I will not run into a situation where speed is an issue with this card.

I will be writing this review for both SanDisk Extreme SDHC class 10 8gb and Transcend SDHC class 10 16gb.



I bought SanDisk class 10 and Transcend class 10 for my new Panasonic LX5. I got both card because no one really did a comparison with a compact camera and I was just going crazy trying to see if there is any big difference between the 2 cards.



SanDisk Extreme package box indicated it's water proof, x-ray proof, shock proof, temperature proof. I am not ready to spend $50 to see if it really stand up to it's words. And I don't think normal people would go through the extreme condition in taking pictures or videos.



Cut the story short, I really want to see if there is any difference in writing performance between the 2 cards in a compact camera. There is a continuous burst mode in LX5 and the manual indicated it is only limited by the condition of picture environment and performance of the SD card. Within the mode there are 2 different settings:1) speed priority or 2) picture/quality priority. The shutter speed is much faster with speed priority compare to picture priority.



I first formatted both cards out of box then put each card in series of test(3 rounds each setting for each card) shooting at the same object under same lighting condition. The results:

Speed Priority:

SanDisk Class 10 8gb

22-33 shots before camera stopped to allow the card to catch up with writing.



Transcend Class 10 16gb

22-24 shots before camera stopped to allow the card to catch up with writing.



Picture priority

SanDisk Class 10 8gb

34-46 shots before camera stopped



Transcend Class 10 16gb

27-33 shots before camera stopped





It seems that at a higher shutter speed, both cards performed very similar under the same shooting condition. But at a slower shutter speed the SanDisk definitely out perform Transcend. I hope this little experiment satisfied anyone with curiosity like me. Transcend definitely is a bargain with 16gb and almost half of the price compare to SanDisk. But I am going to use SanDisk Extreme as my primary card and Transcend as backup or on a second camera to ensure i would not miss any shots.

OK. this card was around $47 for a class 10 16gb. The other card i bought was a Sandisk class 10 8gb for the around same price. I did a 10 sec stop watch test on both cards with my Rebel T1i on raw and the Sandisk was only faster by 1 shot in a 10 sec burst. to me it seems trivial to pay 47 bucks for a Sandisk 8gig when you can get 16 gigs for the same price. yes i know, the Sandisk is good for arctic and desert temperatures... but i live in western NY... not Antarctica or the Sahara. If your looking for a good card, with more gigs for your buck, the Transcend is well worth it. - Sdhc - Memory Card - Sd Card - Class 10'


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Bath Scale - affordable, bath scale


I just got this scale to replace an older digital scale that broke, and I'm very impressed.



To weigh yourself, you step on the scale, wait about 3-4 seconds for the scale to stabilize, and look at the reading. The weight is easy to read -- large numerals with a backlight. The only drawback of the backlight is that it will increase battery usage. You have a choice of units -- pounds, kilograms, or stones.



The scale itself is very sleek and low profile. It's 11.8 inches (width) x 11.7 inches. Some scales (both digital and analog) make a clunking sound as you step on, but this is totally silent.



Like most digital scales, it has to be placed on a hard surface such as tile or wood.



Some digital scales have a "fake repeatability." That is, if you weigh yourself, and then hold a small weight and step on again, it gives exactly the same value. This scale doesn't have this undesirable feature. If you hold a small weight, it gives an honest result.



I measured the variability of nine readings. The range (max minus min) was 0.4 pounds, and the standard deviation was 0.12 pounds. This is excellent, and much better than my previous scale.



I think that the absolute reading is very close to correct, but I haven't had a chance yet to compare this scale to the one at my doctor's office.



The instructions warn that the glass surface is slippery when wet. It's not a scale you want to use after stepping out of the shower or bath.



Update January 2011:



After 18 months (and one battery change), it's still working perfectly, but I want to add one more point that other reviewers have mentioned. You do need to remain very still after you get on the scale; otherwise the reading may not lock. To make it work, I stand still for about 5 or 6 seconds. Just stand still and look straight ahead; don't look down at the scale until this time has passed. Occasionally the first reading fails. In that case, step off, wait for the display to go off, and get on again. If the first try fails, the second one almost always succeeds. A person with a balance problem, however, would have difficulty getting a good reading.



I've confirmed that this scale displays a weight extremely close to the one at my doctor's office. (There's no guarantee, of course, that other scales of this model will be equally accurate.)

Just bought this scale & am already packing it back up to return to Amazon for a refund.



I unpacked it, removed the battery strip, set it to pounds & tried it out as soon as UPS delivered it.



The first number showed a 5lb difference from my old scale, but since I could get three different numbers when weighing three times in succession on that scale I assumed it was just that the My Weigh was accurate.



Not so much.



The next time I got on I was holding a 5lb bag of flour...and it gave me the exact same number as before.



I tried this same process using my hand weights, but the My Weigh scale could not read the weight difference accurately.



When I added a 3lb weight it showed a difference of 1lb.



When I added 6lbs the My Weigh showed a number 4lbs less than the original number.



Yes, I had this scale on an even, hard surface.



If a scale cannot accurately gauge the difference of adding or removing small amounts of weight...then it is nothing but a dust collector.



Back to Amazon it goes & the search for a new, accurate scale continues.

I am so happy with this item that it has prompted me to write my first amazon review. I looked at scales for hours, and I decided to buy this one based off of the reviews. The first surprise was how nice this thing looks. The pictures don't do this thing justice! It just flat out looks better in person than it does in the pictures. I was not expecting this to be so sleek! It is about as thin as a couple of magazines stacked on top of each other (maybe thinner) and it has a very attractive glass surface. The next surprise was how accurate this thing is. I get very consistent readings. Last night I decided to do a little experiment. I weighed myself 3 or 4 times in a row and got 188.0 every time. I went into the kitchen and drank a glass of water. I then immediately weighed myself again and got a reading of 188.8. Thats good enough for me! The only con I can think of is not that big of a deal: you have to be pretty still while you weigh yourself to get the scale to lock in on your weight. If you were thinking about getting this scale - I say go for it!

This is the best scale we've ever had. Was very inexpensive. It is stylish, and works well. You simply set kilo or pounds, place on a hard surface, and step on. If you move it (significantly) you have to reset it because it senses the surface and calculates weight based on the set. It does not sense anything under 10 lbs, and only holds the display for 10 seconds, then automatically shuts of, so you would have to get back on if you missed the weight. That might be a little confusing for some children or first time users. I have tried stepping all over the scale to see if it gives a different weight for different foot placement, but it seems to be the same everywhere. I have also picked up objects that weigh a few ounces to see if it is actually accurate ...and it is! This is a hundred times better than our options at the local stores (in it's price range). - Digital - Bath Scale - Affordable - Weighing Scale'


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Dvd Media - dvd media, dvdplusr


I've used to have good success over the years with Verbatim quality and they used to be worth the extra few dollars. Sadly this is no longer the case, you may need to look elsewhere, I am disappointed.



This purchase from November 2010 shows the discs are now made in India, so even though they have the same product code as the ones that used to be made in Singapore or Taiwan, they are not up to the same standard.



They have a very heavy chemical "stink" to them. The few discs I have leftover from the previous Verbatim purchase have no such smell.



During burning, there are several "pauses", even at only 8x - again, only on the ones from India and not Singapore/Taiwan, with the same burner.



"Disc Quality" scan by Nero CD-DVD Speed shows many more errors on the India made discs vs Singapore/Taiwan discs.



So perhaps Verbatim sold off the rights to use their name for another manufacturer or perhaps the India factory is not up to par, but I am upset that I wasted money and trust on this purchase. Verbatim 95098 4.7 GB up to16x Branded Recordable Disc DVD+R (100 Disc Spindle)

Having brought approximately 5 or 6 hundred of these disks and in all that time only finding 1 of them to be bad; it is easy to recommend them. I have purchased many different brands before and none of them can compare. Buy these!

EDIT: This review applies to Verbatim 95098 specifically!



Bearing in mind that some media and some optical drives just do not get along, I would say that these discs (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corp.) are the closest in quality to the cream of the crop (Taiyo Yuden) that I have come across.



The thing to remember when buying blank DVD media is that brand name means little: you want a good manufacturer. For instance, I have burned some TDK media for a friend and noticed that one batch was manufactured by Ritek and another by CMC Magnetics.



I strongly suggest checking this page before you buy:



[...]



Be sure to check out the freeware tool DVD Identifier, as well, so you know who is manufacturing your media:



[...]





Hope this helps to cut back on "coasters!"



EDIT February 2011: Not sure why Amazon removed my links to websites that review and rate CD/DVD/BD media after they had been up for quite some time. I suppose a quick Googling will suffice....

I haven't written a review on Amazon in years, but I want to for this product because I am so disappointed in it and I want to corroborate what others have said about the "Made in India" discs.



I've had great luck with Verbatim media in the past; I've burned many DVD-Rs, CD-Rs, and Dual Layer DVD+Rs--and I've had virtually 100% success with them. I also have burned a few other brands (Maxell, Sony, a few Memorex) and have had very good results with them as well.



I was sure these (16x DVD+R) would be of great quality like the others, but these are honestly the worst discs I've ever used.



I haven't even finished this spindle (I have around 15 or so left), but I have already had about 20 bad discs. They seem to burn OK, but then cannot be read. I tested the bad discs in multiple players, so the players cannot be blamed. I use a good quality burner (Lite-On), use good software (K3b or GnomeBaker), burn at half the rated speed (8x for these 16x discs), and other discs (including other Verbatim products) *after* these ones have worked fine--so in my opinion, this particular media is the problem.



In fairness, the majority of these discs have actually been successfully burned. However, even if every remaining disc is good, this spindle will have a failure rate of 20%, and that is way too high. It's a waste of resources, time, and money.

Exactly which brand/maker of DVD+Rs works best for you depends on your DVD drive. I know from many reviews that Verbatim DVD+R 8x and DVD+R 16x work wonderfully with NEC 35xx drives; I have been using that combo for 1.5 years now and never had a single coaster or issue reading the data back in.

I've purchased things from Amazon before but I read some reviews about packaging and Amazon's practice of sticking air pillows on the sides instead of using peanuts underneath (the old fashioned way). As a result, many Amazon customers have reported getting spindles with a few cracked discs on top due to corner impacts during shipping! AMAZON SHOULD NOT SKIMP ON THE QUALITY OF PACKAGING IF IT WANTS TO KEEP CUSTOMERS! Some items are just too delicate to use a air pillow on the side.



I wound up buying them from Newegg instead who has a very high, well respected reputation, free shipping, and was selling the spindle for the exact same price. You just have to pay a little tax. The extra tax was worth it knowing the ITEM IS PACKAGED BETTER. A shipping box filled with a generous amount of peanuts, and the spindle buried inside. That means Newegg cares more too as far as I'm concerned. You can collect the extra peanuts in a big trash bag to use when you ship your own packages.



By the way, my Panasonic DVD recorder and LG Burner read and burn the Verbatims perfectly. - Dvd R - Dvdplusr - Dvd Media - Blank Dvd Media'


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Ipod Headphones - earbud headphones, ipod headphones


This pair has already stopped working, and I've had to buy a better pair of a different brand in the store. If you only need to use earbuds for a week, then these are it, but they don't last for any longer than that. Stereo Earbud Headphone for Apple iPod Touch 1st 2nd 3rd Gen, iPod Nano iPod mini/ iPod video/ iPod shuffle

I purchased a stereo earbud headphone for Apple iPod Touch 1st, 2nd, 3rd, iPod nano, and iPod mini. I receive the headphones on June 10, 2010. It is June 11, 2010, and I have used the headphone for only one day. The 3.5 mm headphone jack has pulled out, and the right ear bud has come apart.

I love the earphones that came with my nano. When they finally died, I went online, saw this product, and I naively thought I was getting a steal; apple iPod earphones for a couple of bucks. I ordered two pairs.



I was wrong. The sound quality is poor... somewhat muffled, though not as poor as some I've heard. They need to be treated like royalty or they'll break. The only reason I'm rating this 3 stars is because I should have known it was too good to be true.

These headphones are complete knockoffs of the Apple iPod headphones. They are made of cheap plastic and sound quality is terrible. Their photos are MISLEADING!! The phones in the photo are absolutely nothing like the ones you will receive. STAY AWAY! - Ipod Earbuds - Earphones - Ipod Headphones - Earbud Headphones'


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