Tuesday, 7 June 2011

External Hard Drive


I stumbled upon this card after I could not get the cheaper and SATA6- equipped Asus U3S6 to work. Unlike the Asus, this Buffalo is tiny, fits into a PCIEx1 - slot, and runs completely cool despite the fact that it requires extra power from a floppy- type connector. An included Y- cable lets you siphon off a SATA power connector instead.



The driver from the CD installs a NEC USB3 hub - I don't mind the rebranding, as NEC means more to me than Buffalo - and it all works just like it should, plug & play, even under the elderly Win XP. Buffalo Technology DriveStation SuperSpeed USB 3.0 PCI Express 2-Port Interface Card IFC-PCIE2U3

I installed this USB 3.0 card on my Win7 64 system and it works flawlessly together with the Buffalo USB 3.0 drive station. Average file copy speed is 94 Mb/sec with a 12 ft. cable, this is awesome to say at least.

I recommend Buffalo's USB 3.0 PCI-E card over the Asus U3S6 Asus U3S6 True USB 3.0 & True SATA 6Gb/s Support Motherboard, at least for Dell desktops. I purchased the Asus U3S6 and it was only slightly better than USB 2.0, peaking around 24 MB/s. I have an older system, a Dell XPS 420, so it isn't going to be as fast as the best out there. However, the Buffalo card is peaking around 75 MB/s (I posted a pic above), 3x faster than the Asus card. I think I read that the Buffalo driver utilizes RAM to increase read/write speed, but I doubt that fully explains the 3x increase over the Asus card. I think that the Asus just doesn't play nice with my older system.



Another reason to avoid the Asus U3S6 is that it has a bad driver that crashes many systems/motherboards. There is a review that mentions this on the Asus U3S6 Amazon page. I wrote a review myself to warn others, but Amazon didn't/wouldn't post it. When I first loaded the drivers for the Asus card, it froze my system. I had no other choice but to do a forced-reboot. Then neither of my SATA drives were recognized by the system. The crash was caused by the AHCI driver for the e-SATA port on the Asus card. If you have a Dell, and you insist on getting the Asus USB 3.0 card, beward of the AHCI driver. I was able to do a System Restore, which got rid of the AHCI driver. After the recovery, I only loaded the Asus USB 3.0 driver. This went much better. However, as I mentioned above, the performance of the Asus card was only slightly better than my USB 2.0 ports, peaking at 24MB/s. The USB 3.0 drive was the same for both. They were both tested within a week of each other.

This card is a great performer at a great price. I posted a photo (in the item photos) of my speed test results with this card. The card has operated flawlessly so far. Installing the card (and included drivers) was pretty straight forward.



My setup includes:

Asus P5Q-E motherboard

Card in a PCIe 2.0 x16 slot (x16 unnecessary, but all I have open)

Card is driving an Iomega eGo USB 3.0 external HDD

Connected with a USB 3.0 cable



Results:

-Average Read Transfer Rate: 101.3 MB/s

-Burst Transfer Rate: 173.4 MB/s

-Real World: It took 1hr to copy 150GB of (fragmented) data from my internal HDD

(I expect that this was limited mostly by my internal HDD)



For comparison, I ran two similar tests: one using a USB 2.0 cable in the USB 3.0 port; and another using a USB 3.0 cable but in a USB 2.0 port. The results of both were much worse:

-Average Read Transfer Rate: 38.2 MB/s

-Burst Transfer Rate: 38.7 MB/s



Conclusion: While I haven't seen any product out there that actually comes close to the 'theoretical' speed of USB 3.0, this card is still performing 2.6+ times faster than USB 2.0 in my system.

(Just make sure you use a USB 3.0 cable!)

Short and sweet



Drivers loaded correctly and show up in device manager with no conflicts.

USB 2.0 devices are recognized by the Buffalo USB IFC-PCIE2U3 3.0 port when plugged into it.

USB 3.0 devices however are not recognized by the Buffalo USB IFC-PCIE2U3 3.0 port.



Buffalo Tech support baffled...might be defective? Might be drivers?

Note: The latest drivers available for this card from the Buffalo Technology website are dated Dec 18 2009.



It may work fine on your computer.



For me..I had to return it.



Note: My system is running Windows 7 x64...i7-2600 (Sandy Bridge)

I recently purchased a 1 TB Seagate Freeagent Goflex hard drive with a USB 3 adaptor base. I have a recently purchased Gateway SX2850-01 running 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium. I copied a 9+ GB video file to it using a USB 2 port and it took 7 minutes 4 secs. I then purchased this Buffalo Technology USB 3.0 adaptor card. During HW installation the power connector had me worried for a moment because I hadn't seen this type of connector before. I had to unplug the power connector from the DVD player and insert the new power adaptor since there were no spare power connections in my computer but it wasn't difficult. Then I powered up and installed the driver. I deleted the file previously copied and then copied it over again using the new USB 3.0 adaptor and the copy time was 1 minute and 36 seconds. I repeated the test on the other USB 3.0 port on the Buffalo card with the same timing results and then repeated it from a USB 2 port also with the same time of 7+ minutes. Everything worked as expected and I'm going to appreciate the ~4X speed advantage.'


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External Hard Drive External Hard Drive

Lifetime Warranty


I was debating on whether to purchase a new set or just the batteries that all went at the same time (left in a hot shed for over a month)but decided to save some $$ and just buy the batteries. I've had the set for over 5 years and am still happy with it. The new batteries are working great. Ridgid 130254003 18-Volt NiCad MAX Battery

The batteries came in a very short time. They arrived in good condition. One battery would not connect to my drill, but after examining it I found a strip of plastic that didn't come off when taken out of the mold. After removing the small plastic strip it worked great. Very good service.

IF YOUR THINKING OF BUYING RIGID, DONT! AFTER THE ORIGINAL BATTERIES GO OUT GETTING ANYTHING THAT WILL HOLD A CHARGE IS IMPOSSIBLE. I BOUGHT TWO OF THESE FROM THE SELLER AND I CANT USE A SAW OR SAWZAW FOR MORE THAN 5 MINUTES AND IT JUST KILLS A FULLY CHARGED BATTERY. DONT GO THROUGH THE HEADACHES I HAVE, STAY AWAY FROM RIGID! I HAVE A MAKITA SET THAT IS NIGHT AND DAY COMPARED TO THE RIGID.

The battery quit working after using it for about the fifth time. It worked great until it suddenly stopped. I am pretty rough on tools but I tried to do the right thing and contact the seller before leaving a comment and never heard anything back!

I finally replaced the old batteries for my Ridgid tool set and it's very nice to have full power again. Not only do the new batteries hold a charge as they should, they're noticably more powerfull than the old ones.

I work with my battery drill and impact driver almost every day, and it really puts a smile on my face to have new cells. I looked at changing over to lithium, but they're almost $100 each. Fresh NiCads are right.

Got two of these and they just don't work. The charger is good and the drill is good because I have other batteries but the ones that I got from Amazon never worked. And them having an 85% refund policy ended up making me lose money. Not happy at all.'


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Lifetime Warranty Lifetime Warranty Lifetime Warranty

Wireless Speakers - ipod docking station, ipod speakers


I really struggled with deciding on the "right" iPhone dock for me. I considered the Bose SoundDock II and the SoundDock 10 and yes, they have outstanding sound quality but I just wasn't ready to fork over $300 and $600 respectively. I also considered the Bowers and Wilkins Zeppelin and didn't purchase for the same reason. With that being said, I continued to search and happened upon the "Sony Air" concept at Best Buy. I plugged in my iPhone and loved the sound. Since this unit has a separate wireless sub-woofer, you get the benefit of a full sound experience! The highs are very crisp and the bass provides the missing link that completes the experience. The sound quality is amazing and when compared to the SoundDock II, the Sony wins without question.



Another advantage over the Bose is the fact that you can expand this system by purchasing additional wireless speakers(up to 8) for other rooms in your home. This is a feature that's not available from the Bose offerings.



Overall, for about 1/2 the price of the entry level Bose (SoundDock II), Sony offers an outstanding package that delivers a very satisfying sound experience. Highly recommended!



Good luck with your purchase!



BTW, for those of you who have the iPhone 4, you don't have to remove your bumper to dock your phone! Sony Docking System for iPod with Wireless Subwoofer (Black)

This has excellent sound reproduction from my iPod. Was impressed when lifting it out of the carton: it is solid, hefty. Not a "cheap piece of plastic". Love the wireless factor and was relieved/thrilled that there is no interference with the other wireless electronics in the house.



I could not be more pleased...especially since it took me a ton of searching to find this. So grateful for the first reviewer's comments, which motivated me to give this a try. And, he/she is so "on the nose"...even compared to the over-priced Bose products...even after shopping (and almost buying) at the Bose outlet store, I am extremely pleased with this Sony product.



I bought mine from Circuit City--because they offered free shipping.

I have been looking for a docking system for my iphone 4 for a while. Seriously thinking of the Bose system. Searched Amazon and came across this Sony product. I was a little skeptical at first but decided to give it a try based on the review of the product. It turned out to be one of the best electronic item I ever bought. The price is right. The system is compact, elegant design, and the sound is above and beyond my expectation. I did not use the two adapter pieces since I have the case on my iphone. Very happy.

I spent a bit of time reviewing and listening to various docking stations before making this purchase. I was leaning toward buying a Bose system. My daughter has one for her iPhone and really likes it. However, after setting up this Sony system, I honestly prefer the sound of the Sony.



Pros:

*Overall sound is very good.

*The price point of $146.00 make this a killer system for the money.

*The overall system appearance is nice. It looks solid.

*The subwoofer does it's job well. Helps fill our family room with sound. It has settings of its own to help fine tune the sound for your room.

*The FM radio with 20 programmable presets is a nice feature. We are using it more than I thought we would.

*The remote works well. Routinely use it at 15-20 foot from the docking station.

*System setup is very easy.

*The system is wireless which allows you to place the speakers where ever it works best for the room. I have not experienced any interferences yet with the wireless connection.

*You can add additional wireless speakers if you wish for a reasonable price.



Cons:

*The docking connection itself could be a bit more robust. My iPod can be wiggled after it is seated. Does not produce a negative effect with the sound, but the rest of the system is so well designed......



Both my wife and I are very pleased with this system and would recommend it to our friends.



Good luck with your purchasing decision.

Wanted to make everyone aware that when iphone is connected to the unit, wireless network is disabled on the iphone. Therefore, if you were planning to stream the music over the WiFi connection, it will not work. It will have to be done via the 3G. Otherwise, great unit.

The Sony Docking station system is a pleasant surprise on so many levels! First of all, the nearly overnight FREE Christmas week delivery still has me completely flabbergasted! But you want to hear about the product.



I am a very picky sound equipment purchaser. Having owned a live music venue for 2.5 years and operated massive sound systems designed to host large bands and satisfy 400-500 music fans, I know what sounds good and what doesn't. Listening to my music on "tinny" weak speakers that rattle with every deep bass note is like listening to fingernails on a chalk board. I want a full 3-dimensional sound with deep bass and full highs. I will not accept tweeters that whistle and pierce my brain with shrill squeaks and call that treble. I will not stand for a sub-woofer that cannot produce a deep, quality, resonating bass to fill out the music. I want to feel the bass, rather then hear it. Bass is there to give depth and tone to music. And the highs are there to help you hear the vocals and the finer notes of your favorite instrument, not to make you cringe in pain.



In order to attain the ideal acoustic experience from any sound system, you need quality parts. The box that encases the speakers is nearly as, if not more important then the quality of the speakers themselves. You need a sub-woofer that can handle low ohm transmission without rattling and this entails a quality bass box to properly vent the compressed air from behind the woofer and allow it to flex and pump with the music. The tweeters must have a large range if you're not going to have separate mid-level speakers. The tweeters in a compact system like this Sony Docking station must pick up the extra slack that mids would normally fulfill. That's not an easy accomplishment, but Sony has pulled it off.



I must say, that I was dead set on getting the Bose Sounddock, but the price was hurting me. I knew that Bose would not disappoint, they are experts in acoustic genius for small home products like this, but the nearly $300 price tag was making me really doubt that decision. My in-laws have the Bose Acoustic Wave and it no doubt amazes everyone with the quality of sound that can be produced in such a small package, so I am sure their Sounddock product is similar. But thank goodness for Amazon suggesting alternate products after I added the Bose to my cart, I stumbled across this wonderful product from Sony! Why it never came up in my searches prior to nearly purchasing the Bose is a mystery to me, but at least I found it before it was too late!



Sony has performed a miracle with this little product! As stated in other reviews it is amazingly stout. You pull the components out of the box and you know you're holding a quality product in your hands. The boxes are built with heavy, quality wood, they are not flimsy light plastic components at all. Literally within 60 seconds we had the docking station set up and playing our streaming internet music from Pandora through my wife's iPhone and we all sat in amazement! For HALF the price of the Bose, we had landed the perfect mastery of acoustic engineering in a quality built and fairly priced product from Sony! AMAZING!!



We set the docking station on our bar top and the bass box was neatly tucked away behind a plant in the other corner of the room. Now we could stand in the middle of our dining room and hear that wonderful 3-dimensional surround-like sound that we would have only expected from a much more expensive multi-speaker setup. Bose cannot touch this product because of the S-Air capabilities of the Sony alone, not to mention the acoustic quality. I have not heard the Bose, but just by the very fact that the Sony has a bass box that can be placed across the room makes it deliver a full room sound that no single component system could touch. My wife can now enjoy her Christmas music in full hi-fi quality and my daughter has been dancing in the kitchen ever since we pulled it out of the box. The whole family is enjoying this. It is more then enough power to fill our kitchen, dining room, and living room (we have an open plan, so all three rooms are open and connected to each other). We may add additional speakers in the future (another thing Bose can't do for you), but for now we are just LOVING IT!! I can even feel the bass from this system upstairs in our master bedroom. What a joy!



It is no exaggeration to state that you have never heard your music sound this good before. The highs are crisp and full without crackling or squeaking, you can hear every undulation of the lead singer's voice and every guitar string picked...as if the band is sitting right in front of you. The mids are well rounded and seem to come from all sides as if you have a multi-speaker surround sound system. They provide body and depth to the music. And of course the ingenious bass box is over there pulling the weight of sub-woofers three times it's size. Not overwhelming you with annoying pounding, not shaking your curtains or threatening to rupture your ear drums, but most definitely letting you know it's there by rounding out the acoustic experience perfectly with the deep tones and rhythm that makes you tap your toes with the beat. What an amazing experience for the price!!



PROS:



- PRICE, PRICE, PRICE!!! Half the price of the Bose and barely more expensive then the extremely lower quality competitors.

- QUALITY BUILD - the speaker boxes, iPod connector, buttons/controls, remote, etc. are all top notch quality parts. very sturdy and nice looking

- SOUND QUALITY - absolutely perfect, full, rich sound that will fill multiple rooms. No rattles, squeaks, or weakness at any spectrum. Your music has never sounded this good!!

- S-AIR wireless speakers! How cool is that! You just drop the unit and it's bass box anywhere in the room and no ugly wires to connect. Also can expand to more speakers later for very reasonable prices

- REMOTE CONTROL - What a handy extra bonus. I didn't even have a remote on my list of desired features, it's just an awesome extra!

- FEATURES - the station charges your iPod/iPhone while in use so you can use it forever, we can finally stream internet music through our iPhones, additional inputs for other devices, etc., etc.



CONS:



- I can't think of one single thing wrong with this product except for the fact that I nearly bought something way more expensive without finding this gem. They need to market better! - Ipod Docking Station - Iphone Dock - Ipod Dock - Ipod Speakers'


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Sdhc - all in one usb card reader, sd card reader


Don't buy this card reader, it DOES NOT read SDHC or MicroSDHC cards as advertised by Sony in their spec sheets. Here's the actual chat session from my contact with Sony Tech support:



Lori: Ok what can I help you with?



John: Hi. I have a MRW62E flash card reader that doesn't want to recognize microsdhc cards... can you help?



Lori: Do you have any other cards you can try?



John: Yes, it works fine with cf cards, memory stik pro, sd, sdhc, and microsd cards (all of which I have and use regularly... but it doesn't recognize microsdhc cards, I have tried 3 of them... the microsdhc cards work fine in their devices, but the sony card reader doesn't recognize them... your pdf spec document for this unit says it should recognize sdhc cards up to 8 gb, and that it will work mith microsd and microsdhc cards with an adapter.



Lori: It is not a guarantee that the drive will work with all memory cards.



John: Is that your best answer? Your specs says it works with microsdhc cards, it doesn't say it works with SOME microsdhc cards... Kingston and Sandisk represent 80% of the microsdhc cards manufacturered, your reader works with neither... seems like you could come up with a better answer than that, that's a cop out.



Lori: It says that right in the operating instructions.



Lori: That there is no guarantee it will work with every card.



John: So your device won't work with 80% of the cards on the market that it says it is supposed to work with?



John: Are you even bothering to search your knowledge base for this device to see if there is a solution?



Lori: If the drive will read a bunch of other cards but not this one, then it is not a drive issue.



John: Are you even bothering to search your knowledge base for this device to see if there is a solution?



Lori: There is no knowledge base for this.





A follow up Phone call to Sony Tech support yielded the same result. Except they wanted $19.95 to provide any further tech support. They said the device was only guaranteed 1 year, and since I was out beyond 1 year, I had to pay $19.95 for any tech support. I said the device costs $19.95, this is ridiculous! She said 'That's the way it is.'



I bought Sony because I thought they would provide good support, better than the generics, but I was wrong. I won't buy Sony again. Sony 12-in-1 USB 2.0 Flash Memory Card Reader MRW62E/T1/181

I've owned an earlier version of this reader for several years and it's worked very well, and been very helpful.



However, the description here in Amazon didn't include the cards this device supports, and after much digging we found a list that reported this specific model supports xD cards for Olympus and Pentax digital cameras, among many others.



After I sent it as a gift for a new Olympus camera owner, he finds out it does NOT support xD -- and had to go through the hassle of sending it back.



TO AMAZON: one of the ESSENTIAL elements needed in card reader descriptions is WHICH CARDS THE DEVICE SUPPORTS... and that it be ACCURATE.

Just wanted to let folks know that this unit requires adaptors in order to read "Memory Stick Micro" ("M2"), microSD Caard, microSDHC Card, or MMCmicro.



I had purchased because I had lost all of those pesky little adapters and wanted an easy card reader solution.

This was not it.

BEFORE YOU BUY THIS PRODUCT!



From the manual I found online, here's the list of supported cards for this device (if your card has an asterisk and number after it, be sure to check the footnotes at the end...)



"Memory Stick" media

* "Memory Stick" (without MagicGate)

* "MagicGate Memory Stick"

* "Memory Stick" (with MagicGate) *1

* "Memory Stick Duo" (without MagicGate)

* "MagicGate Memory Stick Duo"

* "Memory Stick Duo" (with MagicGate) *1

* "Memory Stick PRO" *1

* "Memory Stick PRO Duo" *1

* "Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo" *1

* "Memory Stick Micro" ("M2") *1*2*3



SD memory cards

* SD Memory Card

* SDHCTM Memory Card

* miniSDTM Card

* miniSDHCTM Card

* microSDTM Card *3

* microSDHCTM Card *3



Other memory cards

* MultiMediaCard

* RS-MMC

* MMCplus

* MMCmobile

* MMCmicro *3



*1 4-bit parallel data transfer is supported. It, however, varies depending on each medium how long it takes to read/write data.

*2 "M2" is an abbreviation of "Memory Stick Micro". In this document, hereinafter, the abbreviation "M2" is used.

*3 With adaptor (not supplied) only.

Reads my older CF, Memory Stick Pro, etc. cards just fine, but fails to read my newer 8GB Sandisk Ultra Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo. I've used this product for several years without problems, but I guess the newer high density cards are showing this product to be long in the tooth. - All In One Usb Card Reader - Camera Accessories - Multi-card Reader - Sd Card Reader'


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Great Shredder - shredder, good product


I bought this shredder because it had decent reviews, and was small and white (read: blends in with decor so my wife would let me keep it out in plain view).



This is a super light duty shredder. It doesn't make confetti cuts, just turns the paper into long strips. As a result, it isn't as secure and take up a lot of space in the bucket, so you have to empty often. But my biggest complaint is obviously that it broke the first day I had it. I would have been more upset except that I hadn't thrown away the packaging yet so it made it easy to return. So I was very disappointed and can't recommend a product that broke on day one, but Amazon was great about their return policy as usual.



I purchased a Fellowes DM12c as a replacement, which is more expensive and heavier duty. I really like the Fellowes shredder and it was worth the extra money. The way it sounds when this baby devours documents is like the purr of exhaust on a vette or porsche - very satisfying. Aurora AS810SD 8-Sheet Strip-Cut Paper/CD/Credit Card Shredder with Basket

Great buy. Grab it before its out of stock. I did couple of searches for a good Shreder and found that all of them with all shredding capabilities are almost for 50 bucks.

I found this and read all the reviews and got this product. Am using this since couple of months and found it great with No trouble at all.



Adavantages:

1] Shreds almost 8 to 10 pages simultaneously.

2] Also easily shreds unopened envelops which contains the dummy plastic credit cards.

3] Shreds CD/DVD into 4 to 6 pieces. One at a time.

4] Shreds Credit Cards. One at a time.

5] Shreds Stapled bunch of papers.

6] All this for a price 29.99 bucks is a WORTH.



Cons:

1] CD/DVD is cut into couple of pieces. So if its your personal CD/DVD you might need to shred the shreded peices too.

2] Same goes with important credit cards.

3] But no worries its just an extra additional one time effort. Grab it :).





Overall its awesome and I found no real cons. in it. Its a shredder with all features at a price of only paper shredder from many other brands. So, close your eyes and grab it.

This is a great shredder for the home, and for the price. If the basket is too small for the shredding job you're doing, an attached extension on the side of the shredder just pulls out, and you can just place the shredder over the larger basket, I find the 13 gal. kitchen-size wastebasket works great. Buy it. You won't be disappointed.

First, the most important thing: I never put more than 6 sheets through this at a time (it says it can handle eight). I used it only for home shredding: old bank statements and so forth, so it was really only lightly used. In other words, this is not a case of someone buying a low-end shredder and complaining if it breaks when trying to shove 84 pages through it at once.



The nitty gritty is this: After perhaps 100 total sheets of paper over the course of a few weeks, it just quit working. Reverse setting still works, but that's hardly helpful since reverse doesn't shred. Having seen all the great reviews, I'm very disappointed in this product. Note: this does not do "confetti" or "cross cut" shredding: it shreds things into long strips. Additionally, the CD "shredder" did not actually shred or even break the CD, but rather, simply engraved scratches on it. I could have done that with a utility knife without bothering with a shredder.



In summary: Not recommended.

This little baby is a great asset for anyone intent on keeping their personal identity theirs. It works great with the minor drawback of it's size. If you have a lot of shredding to do the basket is small and you will need to empty it often, otherwise, it is easy to work and does what it was advertized to do.

The shredded cuts are rather large. If this product would shred 8 sheets, it would have to be 8 sheets of onion skin paper. It has a difficult time doing 5 sheets. I put in an old credit card & the shredder began to smell hot. This product is good for very small projects only.

I had another shredder that sat on top of a tall kitchen basket for about 10 years. It finally died. It cost me about $30. So, I go this one. One review said that it had a handle that would extend so you could place it on a tall trash basket. I did that but the arm is not made well, very flimsy, and it totally snapped off. I was forced into using the basket it came with which is really too small and I have to keep dumping the paper. It shreds good but I wouldn't try more than 5 sheets at a time. I haven't tried the CD or credit card shredders yet so I don't know if they function well or not.

If you're looking for a home shredder that will do the job without costing you an arm and a leg, this is definetly it! If the wastebasket that comes with the shredder is "too small" for your use, simply apply "common sense" by putting the shredder over a larger wastebasket! Ignore all of these ho-hum reviews gripping about the wastebasket size by describing it as a "little shredder" that does "small jobs" which require "frequent emptying". Nonsense! The moment mine arrived, I took it out of the box, disgarded it's wastebasket and put the shredder over my larger wastebasket then began shredding! The shredder works fine! It's quiet and adequate for home use. For commercial use, go elsewhere. No problems here what-so-ever. Love it! - Shredders - Cross Cut Shredder - Shredder - Good Product'


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Hot Pot Express - tea kettle, hot water


I love this little pot! It boils water and cooks everything very fast!! I have one at home and one for my travels. This little hot pot is terrific when one is away from home and has no kitchen. The non-stick bottom makes this pot a breeze to clean up! I have dietary restrictions and can not go out and "grab a bite" like most other people, when I am not near my house. I especially recommend this pot to anyone who may suffer the same problem as me. I would be lost without this pot, when I need to be away from home. :-)


At my workplace we have no hot water dispenser. Before this, I was resorting to microwaving a mug of hot water. I was recommended this device as a tool for shaving, but I found that it got the water a little too hot for my shaving needs. I took it into work and have been loving the thing ever since. In the time it takes me to clean a spoon in the sink and get yogurt out of the fridge, the water is hot enough for tea. The exterior stays quite cool and can be picked up and touched immediately even when the water inside is scalding hot. I've even boiled milk, water, and black tea together in this unit without problems. Cleans quite easily.


I bought one of these close to ten years ago and it's still going strong, though I've taken it on three cross-country trips, countless weekend getaways and even to Guatemala.



Why? First, I don't like using hotel/motel coffee units -- who knows how clean their innards are? This holds more liquid, is easy to clean, and I know where it's been!



Second, it's useful for more than just heating water. I once took my daughter to a nice Disneyland hotel for four days, and did all our cooking in this little pot because food was so pricey. I heated soup, ramen, veggies, all kinds of things... and we actually ate well (though simply) the whole time.



Other reviewers have noted that it doesn't have auto shut-off. That's a good point, and it's a bit of a pain, particularly when you're as forgetful as I am. But the water always boils loudly enough that I hear it. Could be a problem in everyday use if you are wandering from room to room; fine for a motel.



The flip side is being able to adjust the heat level, which I don't think you could do if the unit shut off automatically. I've found that VERY handy for things that need a gentle heat, and use that feature a lot.



Power cord is frustratingly short, but necessarily so for safety reasons.



Naturally, anything that holds 32 oz. of water is a little bulky, but when I put it in my suitcase I just jam socks and breakables into it, so it ends up taking less room than you'd think. You can snap the top off, which is also a help when packing it. It's fairly lightweight.



The reason I'm back at this page is that my daughter just went to college and took the pot with her. I need a replacement for my travels without her! I was amazed to find the same pot is still being sold after all these years. That's probably a good sign about its quality in an era when things get redesigned every year.



At this price, if it lasted a year or two of steady use, I think I'd still be happy.


Rival 4071-WN 32-Ounce Hot Pot Express


Great for cooking soups, noodles, vegetables, and much more. The Hot Pot boils water up to 60% faster than a microwave and it's easy to clean non-stick cooking surface.

- Electric Kettle - Hot Water - Boil Water - Electric Tea Kettle - Tea Kettle'


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Made In Italy - high quality suit, darya trading


After buying this same suit in navy first, I can truely say this suit is a super deal. The fit of these suits are nice. They seem to make you look slimmer. The material is pretty damn good. It does not seem to wrinkle badly. Modern Suit Signature Collection Italian Fit Mens Suit Merino Wool 140s Peak Lapel Two Button Jacket Hand Pick Stitching Flat Front Pants Modern Business Suit Black Stripe (46 Regular)

It is a gamble purchasing suits online without feeling the fabric or trying on the jacket, but I went ahead with the purchase based on Darya Trading's description. The peak Lapel Black suit was shipped on time and fits nicely in my wardrobe. The fabric is wool without a shinny look/feel and is conservative enough for funerals, yet hip enough for a night out on the town. This is my 2nd suit purchase from Darya and both suits have exceeded my expectations. I can't wait for the tan lien to come in a 42L.

Nice looking suit. It has stripes but they are very subtle and are basically not visible in indoor lighting. This has peaked lapels and stitching around the edges, which could be good or bad depending on your preference. Quality of the material is good. Well worth the money I paid.

I was very skeptical of all the good reviews I was reading, both about the quality of the suits and the legitimacy of the seller, but it's true. The suit is very nicely made and the seller was great to work with. This is one of two suits I bought and I couldn't ask for more. This is as good a value as you'll find. - Valentino Made In Italy - Darya Trading - Highly Recommended - High Quality Suit'


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Made In Italy - high quality suit, darya trading highly recommended Made In Italy - high quality suit, darya trading

Digital Camera Case - sd cards, digital camera case


BOTTOM LINE:



With each generation, Canon makes the ELPH series easier to use and still get great results. Like it's predecessors, this one fits easily into your pocket (or the case I recommend toward the end of this review). That point alone may make this the best camera you own; having a $5k DSLR doesn't do you much good if you left it home because it wasn't worth the effort to lug it along.



However, unlike many other small cameras, this one does not sacrifice either features or quality. Well, it does give up on any reasonable manual control, things like setting shutter speed, lens aperture, ISO. What access you do have to that level of control is buried deep inside menus. It took Canon a while to realize that for most of us, if we wanted to fool with that kind of thing on a regular basis, we would be using a different camera. This camera is designed to leverage convenience over extreme control or nth degree quality.



DETAILS:



It is a small camera and carries with it the baggage that comes with the convenience of having to carry so little baggage. (sorry, couldn't resist) None of the issues raised, given that they comes as part of the convenience trade-off made me consider anything other than the 5-star rating this camera deserves.



One issue with all small cameras is the built-in flash. They are all underpowered and create red eye. Both problems are caused by the need to keep the camera small; the flash needs to be small and positioned close to the lens. Canon addresses it by putting in some really good noise reduction so you (actually the camera) can shoot at a relatively high ISO in low light allowing for a faster shutter speed. The result is an image that is both low noise and not blurry. And the best part is the camera takes care of all that so you don't have to. As a result you can take pictures in a well lit room without having to use the flash at all.



- The shutter response, as with any small digital camera for less that $500, is a bit slow for effectively capturing children and pets. The trick for doing that is to either have a great sense of timing and a shutter that reacts instantly or a reasonably fast ( > 4x / sec ) burst mode. This camera has neither.



Some other suggestions that apply:



Normally at this point I would put in some details about manually setting ISO or selecting a color space. However, for this camera it just isn't relevant. You are buying this camera because you want to take great pictures without having to worry about that stuff. If you do want to "take your photography to the next level then a great resource is the Confessions of a Compact Camera Shooter: Get Professional Quality Photos with Your Compact Camera.



Finally, I've found the Caselogic QPB-1 Compact Digital Camera Case (Black/Gray) is just the right size for this camera. It's semi-rigid so you get a fair amount of protection but doesn't add a lot of bulk. It's made even better by using one of these, Nite Ize SB1-2PK-01 Size-1 S-Biner, Black, 2-Pack, to secure it to a belt loop. Canon PowerShot ELPH 100 HS 12 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 4X Optical Zoom (Grey)

Just received my Canon ELPH 100 HS {orange} and I absolutely love it. The camera boots up almost instantly. Installed a 16GB SDHC class 10 card and now have 5000+ 12MB photo capacity or 60 minutes for HD video. The image stabilization at max digital zoom 4X4/16x works great! The camera easily fits in my pocket and is very light @ ~5 ounces.



The Canon's Digic 4 processor & CMOS sensor make this camera truly point and shoot. By default it automatically selects the light level, shaking, target focus, shutter speed, flash/noflash and ISO to pick the optimal scene type. Perfect pictures virtually every time when button is correctly pressed 1/2 way (1) before fully in (2) for photo shot. But be sure to get a class 10 card for the best video.



The only 2 minor problems I believe are:

1) It comes with a 700 mAh 3.7 Volt battery instead of the 1400 mAh 3.7 OEM version which doubles it run-time for 230 photos to almost 500 pictures per charge. This is easily fixed when ordering additional batteries just get the larger mAh capacity ones.

2) The CameraWindow transfer software doesn't automatically delete pictures after they are transferred. Some people like this as not to delete photos improperly transferred.(I do not). Some camera blogs suggest a quick format after transfer is the way to quickly delete photos/video after successful transfer.



However, this is the best point and shoot camera I have used and I still think it's a 5 star camera @ $199 MSRP.

I normally use a Nikon D50 which takes great photos, Im no professional but really enjoy taking pictures of my toddler. Well he broke my Nikon and I sent to see if it could be fixed but wanted to point and shoot because they come in really handy! I reviewed what felt like a million cameras, I touched them and felt them and shot pictures with them and hated every single one! I hadnt seen this one online (cause there werent any reviews) but I went to Shutterbug and they had it, I tried it out and loved it! I've had it for a few weeks and I use it everyday! Pictures always turn out amazing! Our house kinda has crappy lighting and its a major problem with pictures, this camera takes the best pictures by far! (not super grainy looking like others) I also wanted to camera that shoots video. I dont use it to shoot professional quality video but Im impressed! Alot better then my last point and shoot. Also my video does autofocus on video mode, so the other viewer might have had a faulty one cause mine does great. I wasnt looking to spend $200 but I'd do it again in a heart beat!



Pros:

powers on so quick

Picture quality

Picture speed (amazing)

low light pictures

video!



Cons:

....nada - Digital Camera Case - Sd Cards'


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Ipad Car Charger - iphone, car chargers


I don't know what the other poster was charging but it wasn't an Ipad. You plug this in, it says "not charging". The only thing this would charge is an Ipod. Spending 4 dollars I'm not going to return because its not worth my time, but what makes me angry is when vendors will do anything to make money, which includes lying. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY unless you want an Ipod charger Oriongadgets Car Charger for Apple iPad (White)

I agree with the other gents post that the only thing this will charge is an IPOD not An IPAD

The ad is deceiving they Leeds you to believe so they can get the sale I hope others find this helpful

Yours truly disappointed x2

The charger is NOT 10W charger as vendor would like to suggest. It only charges ipad while ipad is in the "sleep mode." Even in this mode, the rate of charging is VERY slow. I did a test - it took 50 mins to bump ipad battery by 5%. If you want to use this charge in the car (which is the whole point), you will need keep this charger on for MANY hours in order to produce reasonable amount of power for your ipad. Vendor did responded to my request but I think vendor should do a better job to descrove the item accurately.

after buying this, and getting a not charging MSG, I called AppleSupport, they verified there is no car charger that currently works for iPad. Try original chgr with a 115V DC to AC inverter in car. this works fine.

Here's another real world review: this is crap! False advertising. It'll trickle charge an iPad, but only if the device is off. You can't use this to power an iPad. At any price, this is a rip off. These people are scamming you. DON'T BUY! - Ipad - Car Chargers - Iphone - Ipad Accessory'


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ipad Ipad Car Charger - iphone, car chargers

Hanging Folders - office supplies, hanging folders


And that, my well respected amazon reviewers, is a very good thing. No mishaps on this order. Size, colors, and ability to hang just as described. Sometimes the tried and true is all I want and that is what I got. As to the thinness of the folders themselves, perhaps these are slightly thinner than a previous batch I used, it is almost a non issue but since I compared both, side to side, must admit the ones before where just a bit thicker. Does that matter to the big scheme of things? In this case, no. 4 Stars for Smead Hanging File Folders, Letter Size, 1/5 Cut Tab, Assorted Colors, 25 Per Box (64059). Smead Hanging File Folders, Letter Size, 1/5 Cut Tab, Assorted Colors, 25 Per Box (64059)

Didn't get the colors I had expected on these. The picture and description lead me to believe that the "bright" more vibrant variety of the folders would be delivered - the lime green, bright pink, etc. Not so. The ones I received were the plain red, green, blue, yellow, and orange. It may seem picky, but when you base your filing on a specific set of colors, it's diappointing none the less.



Still good quality folders, just not what I had expected.

I needed more folders and bought these on amazon because of the low price and free shipping. I probably would not have chosen colored folders, but whatever. High quality folders WITH inserting tabs (not all options come with the tabs so be careful). Very happy. - File Folders - Office Supplies - Hanging Folders'


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Ipod Touch 4g Case - ipod touch case, accessories


So, yeah, like a lot of people have said, this case doesn't really fit. It's definitely a bit too large and doesn't stay in place if it's in your pocket. Another result of the loose fit is that it makes it more difficult to press the power and volume buttons effectively. Also, although the connectors, speaker, and camera are all accessible, the thin strip of rubber along the bottom is incredibly flimsy and doesn't stay in place very well. So, this case works perfectly fine if your iPod will be laying flat on a table all day, but that's about it.



So, yeah, seeing as I only paid a dollar for this (plus S&H), I can't really say that I'm surprised. But to describe this case as "premium" is to display either an extreme lack of comprehension of the English language, or a willingness to lie about your product to make a quick buck. Premium Black Soft Gel Silicone Skin Case Cover for Apple iPod Touch 4G, 4th Generation, 4th Gen

I just received the ordered cover...perfect shape and solid quality although the color is more or less TRANSPARENT instead of BLACK. IMHO looks even better in transparent so I am perfectly happy. Just 4 stars for the fact the the info on the color is incorrect.

Great cover - protects all the corners and the back from scratches, keeps iPod from slipping, easy to put on and it stays on well. No cover for front - need to buy screen protector separately, but quite inexpensive - less than half most other similar covers. I was pleasantly surprised. Would definitely recommend.

Pros:

- Price. Under $3 for an iPod Touch case? You'd have to dish out three times as much as a retailer for something of comparable quality.

- Grips well to flat surfaces. Good for browsing the web or app store with the device on a table.



Cons:

- Quality. The rubber isn't exactly outstanding; there's a molding line that goes round the edges of the case, which makes it less pleasant to hold. Also, the sides of the case bulge out slightly, which takes away from the look of the unit.

- Lint pickup. If you're planning on putting your iPod in your pocket at all, be prepared for lint and fuzz sticking to the case. The feeling of the case declines with the more lint that sticks to it

- Though it fits fairly well, the case can become dislodged if pushed on properly. Usually when this happens, it's the last thing you want to deal with.



Overall, I'd recommend either a higher end rubber case or, better yet, a hard case for your iPod Touch 4th Gen. I ordered this one so I'd have a case on hand when I bought my iPod. It has given me time to seek out something better. And believe me, almost anything would be better. Don't buy this unless you're in my situation or you want a cheap backup case.

We bought 2 of these case covers for our new Ipod just in case there was wear and tear after a while on one of them. My husband put one of the skins on and later that day took his Ipod out of his pocket and there was already a small tear on the case. We expected this to happen eventually... but not right away. The is a very cheap product so I guess you get what you're paying for.

Certainly at this price point, you have to expect that you're going to get what you paid for. I knew this coming in. So, my expectations were low....and I wasn't disappointed. This case is really pretty crappy. You will NOT want to keep this as your permanent solution on your new, expensive iPod. To call this a 'Premium' case is very misleading. It should be called 'As Basic and Cheap as possible' Soft Black Gel Silicone Skin Case. The seams and cuts are all jaggedy. The case is flimsy and loose.



If you're going for something temporary until something better comes along..may I suggest some of the cheap TPU type cases. They are tougher, fit snugger, and are not dust magnets like this material.

I recently got a ipod touch and was very excited. I bought one of those transparent screen cover to protect the front of the ipod and figured that I also need something to protect the back. Therefore, I bought this piece of junk.



Problems with the cover:

1. Way too loose, it doesn't stay on the ipod when you put it in your pocket.

2. It interferes with typing. When I tried to type anything, the cursor will jump all over the place. I have take off the cover whenever I need to type anything.

3. The cover collects dust too easily.



Basically, the cover needs to be taken off the ipod when you need to use it. It comes off easily when you aren't using it. What I do all the time is to put it back on. Terrible. - Ipod Touch 4g - Accessories - Ipod Touch 4th Generation - Ipod Touch Case'


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6th Generation - nano, apple


The iPod Nano update on September 1, 2010 is arguably the most dramatic since the iPod Nano moniker was introduced by Apple five years ago.



Several colors are being offered in both 8 GB & 16 GB capacities.



More than an update, this is a new product that simply retains the iPod Nano name. It gains a significant feature, but loses several others.



The big deal is the touch interface on the newest iPod Nano. iPod Nano users will now be "touching," their music as iPod Touch and iPhone users have before them. The click wheel is gone. To find your music, you select a category from the Nano's menu such as "Playlists," or "Artists," and select from there. Less convenient or more convenient than a click wheel? Honestly, about equal. The screen is indeed small, but not unusable.



FM Radio has been retained as well as the Fitness aspects with the ability to use Nike + or simply the built in pedometer. However, the form factor will be a major benefit for those working out with the Nano. The previous Nano required an armband to keep it on you while working out, jogging, or the like. Not always comfortable, an additional expense, etc. However, with this new small, square form factor that need is gone. Now, we can simply "clip," the Nano onto us, with the built in clip, and run to our listening content. A bigger deal than you might think.



The downside? Features have been removed from Nano. The screen is much smaller than the previous generation. Therefore, playback of video content from iTunes is gone. Nano no longer plays video, which was a feature added three years ago. Secondly, last year, Nano added a small video camera to record low quality video, which could be played back on the Nano's screen or synced with iTunes and viewed on your computer. That feature is gone too. The device is too small now for a camera or to watch video. This new generation iPod Nano has many exciting new features, but buyers must be aware that it is no longer a video player. It is something new. Those wishing to play video on an iPod must choose an iPod Touch.



My opinion on this change? Honestly, did I ever watch video on the iPod Nano's screen? No. For me, while they kept trying to make the screen larger, it was simply too small to enjoy more than a once a year video. Likewise, the camera was simply not high enough quality to keep yourself entertained by using on a regular basis. It became a feature unused by many.



The iPod Nano has changed and gone back to being an exceptional music player. There is nothing here you do not need to enjoy music. However, the display and touch interface brings the 21st century "touch," that Apple has made so popular to a more affordable device. The touch function will be limited here to simply selecting songs or bringing up the clock, but nevertheless, touch has made its way to the Nano.



I'm most thankful that the Nano has indeed retained the DOCK CONNECTOR. The dock connector is key to use with iPod accessories such as docks, speaker docks, and built in car iPod connectors. The nano is so diminutive that if you plug it into the factory iPod kit of an automobile, the cable's dock connector will look nearly bigger than the Nano itself. Not a negative, just amusing. Nevertheless, the dock connector is there, and you will be able to use the device in such applications, and that was a significant decision by Apple. Users want and need the dock connector. It is there on this iPod Nano, but still missing from the Shuffle due to its even more diminutive size.



This 16 GB version is the largest size Apple offers in the Nano. It offers no additional functionality over the 8GB, but features twice the storage. Choose the one best for you. 16 GB is great if you have a large music collection. We should all remember though that with Nano no longer doing Video or Storing Pictures, the storage is exclusively for music. This makes 8 GB and 16 GB more appropriate size offerings as music takes up much less storage than video.



Overall, Apple has removed video (both playback and recording) from this iPod Nano. However, it's an equalling good music player. Navigation of music is now completed via touch, which works effectively despite the small screen. It's really hard to believe so much can fit into such a small device and I believe everyone will be a bit shocked when they open up the Nano the first time and see it's size yet primary function as an effective music player retained. The newest Nano brings a nearly Shuffle like size, but yet retains the functionality (touch, clip, dock connector) that serious music lovers and those who use the Nano while working out, demand. Apple iPod nano 8 GB Graphite (6th Generation) NEWEST MODEL

But it's not a Nano. Once you get that, the rest is easy. It's also a bit of a mixed bag.



**UPDATE** Apple, apparently in response to complaints, has released a Version 1.1 Software Update that



1) Now allows users to turn the Nano COMPLETELY OFF by holding down the Wake/Sleep button for several seconds. No more 'it only goes to sleep'.



2) Sets the Wake/Sleep button as a 'Next Song' button- double-click it to advance through your songs or radio station presets (that's default; it can be set to Play/Pause on double-click instead, or you can turn off double-click functionality altogether).



This change should improve the Nano's battery life as well- from awful to merely BAD- as you'll be less dependent on the power-gobbling touchscreen to advance songs/stations.



Due to these improvements, I'm provisionally upping my review rating to three stars (battery life and pricing/value-for-money remain issues). End Update. ***



A lot of ppl are confused about the radical re-invention of the Nano, not realizing that the Nano is, essentially, dead. The Nano's mission was to be a compact iPod that still did some higher-end stuff such as video and picture-taking- a nice portable 'media' player. No more.



The new Nano, aka Super Shuffle, is focused on a different task entirely, and much the same one as the regular Shuffle- the gym. To that end, Apple radically reduced the size and gave it an integrated clip a la the regular Shuffle. It is now 'wearable', aka the 'Shuffle with a screen' that some have wanted for a long time.



The downside is that others loved the 'true' Nano, and now they can't have one, unless they go running for the old 5th gen models before they're gone. Some will wonder why it was an 'either/or' thing for Apple, i.e. couldn't the Super Shuffle and 'true Nano' exist side-by-side?



Others will say the Super Shuffle is inadequate even for the gym. "I don't want to look at a SCREEN to switch songs or change the volume. Lame!", they'll say.



To be fair though, you usually don't HAVE to look at the screen, because



- The Super Shuffle has physical volume buttons. They're small, but still easy to use. And as of Software Update 1.1, you can now double-click the Wake/Sleep button to advance songs- a MUCH needed improvement.

- It has the 'Shake To Shuffle' feature- literally shake it to shuffle to another song. But, as implemented, STS is inconvenient to use- see notes @end of review.

- It supports VoiceOver. But to use *all* VO features requires the Apple Earphones With Remote & Mic, which are NOT included (Apple either wants another $30, or still hasn't solved the sweat/moisture issues those 'phones have had in the past).



So, some issues aside, the 6G Nano/SS now works fine in its role as a 'gym' Shuffle with a screen.



Features-wise, it does photo-viewing (but not taking), audiobooks, podcasts (minus any video), voice memos (w/the optional 'phones w/Remote & Mic), is a pedometer, and does FM radio besides. And radio stations do sound surprisingly clear in any halfway decent reception area. Even low-power college stations usually come in clean- a big plus, since they often have more innovative music programming than commercial FM.



It also retains the 30-pin dock connector, so you have access to the universe of iPod accessories - for some examples, see 'iPod Nano 6G Docking Options' on YouTube. This is all well and good.



So MY BEEF with the Super Shuffle isn't that it killed the 'true' Nano (enough demand = they'll bring it back), but rather the level of 'milking it' Apple's decided to go with here. While I own & use one, it just isn't worth an additional $100+ MORE than a regular Shuffle.



They do much the same thing, after all- the features it adds to the Shuffle are fairly minor (for example, ever try to get consistent FM reception inside a large concrete building, aka your typical gym? Best be near a window.)



Sure, you get the touchscreen, which is sharp/clear, fun to use, and almost eerily resistant to smudges/fingerprints (nice). But said T-screen is also *really* small - going larger would've made it less 'wearable' - which compromises readability/ease-of-use. Worst of all, it scarfs WAY too much battery juice (see notes @end of review).



It does give you 6GB more storage than the Shuffle (though that cost Apple < $10 to put in there). But a 'gym' Shuffle doesn't really need to hold 2,000 songs (4,000 if you opt for the 16GB), nor does the tiny screen lend itself well to navving through all that. The capacity and price points are Nano legacies, but as we know, this ain't a Nano.



All in all, the advantages don't add up to the price charged, in terms of value provided. You can buy THREE regular Shuffles for the same money.



Now, a 4GB model for $99-$129 would've made sense. Hitting that price point next time would be great, as that's about what a 'Super Shuffle' is really worth.



Here's hoping we see that *and* a new 'true' Nano once the 7th gen rolls around. Sure, a Shuffle with a screen is COOL- just not cool enough to justify shelling out $150-180 (as I found out).



I do want to dig ya Super Shuffle, but the pricing/value-for-money is your Kryptonite. =[



Also, as mentioned, the battery life is very 'touchy' (see notes below) and pretty disappointing, and there's a few minor bugs & interface issues (also see below).



Update: Got bit by a bug (on 1.0 Software). My Nano would endlessly loop the same song over and over. A 'Restore to Factory Settings' fixed it, but still... strange.

_________________



Note #1 (Colors): If you buy online, be aware that the casing colors are more muted than they appear in pics. The blue Nano, for example, is a smoky, very pale blue in person. The exception is the Product Red model (which is Apple Store-only): it's a VERY vivid red in real life. But the other, more understated colors aren't bad, and are arguably more 'grown up'.



Note #2 (Battery Life): The batt life on the 6G Nano is VERY dependent on how much you use the touchscreen. Playing around with it a lot- which is EXACTLY what you'll do when you first get one- just KILLS the batt juice. No way around it: the touchscreen, while fun, is also a HUGE BATTERY HOG. =[



The screen sleep behavior worsens the problem, by keeping the screen lit for far too long after a touch. This is NOT changeable in Settings either. WTH?



Thus, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND putting the screen to sleep MANUALLY via the Wake/Sleep button EVERY time you're done touchscreening- don't let the screen turn itself off, it's VERY SLOW to do so. Your battery life will thank you.



Btw, Apple's claimed 'UP TO 24 hours of battery life' apparently refers to just playing music, with no screen usage. That's NOT realistic, since you DO have to use the screen for some things. Be especially careful with the touchscreen radio tuner, as taking too much time looking for that 'perfect' station is just. pure. battery. kryptonite. (Tip: Set up your radio presets early. Turn off Live Pause too- some ppl report batt life issues w/it).



For myself, doing 90-minute workouts with a mix of radio/regular music, I take 25-30% off the battery on avg - so about 5-6 hrs of battery life, real-world. The 1.1 Software Update may up this a bit, as you can then just use the button to advance songs. Be aware that the Battery Life icon is VERY schizo- 1st usage after a charge may read as taking almost NOTHING off the battery, while a similar but later use can read as taking HALF the battery. Bottom line: You'll be recharging frequently. Reducing Screen Brightness may help slightly.



Note #3 (Bugs, Interface issues): i.e. 'Things I hope Apple fixes in a Software Update'.



- In low-but-usable radio signal areas, you'll get lots of erroneous 'No Radio Signal- Please plug in headphones' messages. I get these WITH my headphones plugged in, listening to a station that's coming in a bit quietly but just fine. =[



- MANY ppl blamed the poor battery life on the fact that you couldn't manually turn the Nano completely OFF (it'd Sleep instead). This is fixed in the 1.1 Software Update, but, as you know by now, it's the TOUCHSCREEN that's the true batt life culprit. =[



- If you set the text to 'White on Black' in Accessibility (which improves contrast/readability/looks cool), all icons & wallpapers get turned into strange photo negatives of themselves. Whaaa? If this is an OS limitation, then at least provide 'negative' wallpapers & icons that look good with the feature turned on.



- The Battery Life meter and Time should be visible on ALL screens (such as 'Now Playing'). Having to nav back or 'hold down to jump to Home screen' is annoying/slow, and wastes power.



- As mentioned, the backlight power-saving needs a lotta work.



- The 'Shake To Shuffle' feature bears rethinking. First off, it's iffy 'til you figure out the technique- 2 short, FAST shakes in any direction, *with the screen ON* (1 can work, but the % is lower).



Many gym ppl/runners won't like this, though. They'll wish STS worked with the screen OFF, so they can just reach over & shake without having to do a no-look Wake/Sleep button jab. Apple's worried about accidental triggerings, but you'd like to see a better solution than this.



But Apple does deserve props and thanks for the 1.1 Software Update. Hopefully even more Nano-love is upcoming, beginning with better power-saving.



Note #4 (Protecting Your Hearing): Volume Limit in Settings is your friend. Correct procedure: Set your max volume limit w/it while in a QUIET room. At the gym, noisy treadmills/equipment can easily make you crank your volume to the point of causing permanent hearing damage, given enough exposure time. Volume Limit is a hearing-saver. Use it. - 6th Generation - Ipod - Apple - Nano'


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Panasonic Pocket Radio - radio, am-fm


This little gem reminded me how much I appreciate clean, straightforward design. Panasonic has done a marvelous job in recreating the classic "transistor radio" which fits perfectly in your hand. It's controlled by the three standard radio controls: (1) an off/volume wheel, (2) a tuning wheel, and (3) an AM/FM band slider. There's also a headphone jack, a telescoping antenna and a carrying strap. The sound from the tiny speaker is surprisingly good, and it can be heard from the next room at half volume.I bought one of these rather than paying money to MLB to hear baseball on the web. The reception is just fine in my basement apartment, which is more than I can say for my cellphone. And unlike the transistor radios of yore, it runs on two AA batteries. Panasonic RF-P50 Pocket AM/FM Radio, Silver

I remembered transistor radios from when i was a kid and this one does not disappoint. Outside raking leaves on a Saturday evening, there's a game on the radio, there's nothing like it. Time seems to slow down and for a bit. . . life is simpler and happier than it had been. Or on a hot Saturday afternoon, my wife and I may sit out on the patio with some beverages, she'll read and I'll stare off into space while I listen to the gentle ebb and flow of the play by play of a local baseball game. This one has great sound and tunes in very well. Batteries are very long lived in it. And for the price? Can you beat it? Slow down once in a while and be transported to the Saturday afternoon you imagined you'd have when you were a kid. Forget about things for a while. When it comes to unwinding, this is your ticket to sanity.

I have been looking around for some pocket radios to keep in the house in case of an emergency. I found some by other companies but were too expensive. The Panasonic is great! The reception is very clear on both am/fm. I didn't even need to put up the antenna. I bought 3 of these little babies, one for myself, one for my husband, and one for our 'Emergency Go Bag'.

I recently purchased the Panasonic RF-P50 because I was in need of a portable radio that has a built in speaker. I have discovered that this is hard to come by in a brick and mortar store. So I did a little search on Amazon.com and came across this product.



I also own its direct competitor - the Sony ICF-S10MK2.



The Panasonic radio is great because I can carry it around anywhere and always have music with me where ever I go. I especially like to use it in hotel rooms when I go on trips, but it's also nice to have in order to listen to music in all of the rooms of my apartment.



The Panasonic RF-P50 has a telescoping antenna which can be swiveled back and forth, and on/off/volume switch, band selector, and tuning dial. The speaker measures at 2 and a half inches.



I live in a basement apartment, so it is not always easy to get a fantastic signal. I have discovered that this radio pulls in all the major FM stations quite easily - although sometimes I have to fiddle with the tuning and antenna to get a good reception.



The few local AM stations can be pulled in as well.



The appearance of this radio is quite nice. It appears that Panasonic has taken some time into building a radio that is pleasing to the eye. It's a pocket radio with a nice contemporary look. The radio frequencies are listed on the unit quite clearly - much bigger than what I've seen on similar units from other companies. Also the tuning light, which lets you know when you've locked on to a strong station just right, is bright and easy to see.



This Panasonic pocket radio comes with a wrist strap. This is one of my only gripes. I wish it came with both a wrist strap and a belt clip. Another nice feature that would make this radio better is if one could remove both the wrist strap and belt clip.



How does it sound? Keep in mind, it's a pocket radio, you're not going to get huge sound as you would with a stereo system. However, for its tiny size, the speaker sounds surprisingly good. The sound quality sounds clear, but not too tinny. I've ehard models with much harsher sound. Also don't expect glass shattering bass, you won't find it here. But as I said, for its size, it has a pleasant sound.



In comparing this model to the Sony competitor, I notice a few things.



1. I like the appearance of the Panasonic model over the Sony model. I just feel that the Panasonic model looks nicer.



2. In terms of when I'm holding both radios in my hands, the Sony model seems to have a better build quality (harder plastic, less flimsy feel to the radio). However, I've had the Panasonic model for a while and have had no issues with its build quality. Of course, I'm very careful with my electronics, I don't abuse them.



3. Both models seem about equal in terms of receiving FM signal. Both models pull in the local stations quite easily. The Sony model seems to have a slight advantage in pulling in the slightly weaker stations but this could be due in part to the fact that its antenna is longer.



4. AM reception on the Sony is much better than the Panasonic. It seems to be able to pull in the stations with more clarity. But again, the Panasonic radio can pull in the strong local AM stations just fine.



5. To my ears, both of these models sound exactly the same. Sound quality of music/talk shows sound the same with both units.



NOTE: People should note that the headphone jack on both of these models are in mono only. This means that when you plug stereo headphones in either model, you'll only get sound in one side of the headphones. Please bear in mind that this does not mean the radio is broken. These units were designed this way.



The Bottom Line: I definitely consider the Panasonic RF-P50 a steal at ten bucks. It's a small sized radio that you can carry with you anywhere to listen to music, or get the latest news. Both the Sony and Panasonic models are what I consider to be excellent deals. I prefer the Panasonic over the Sony model though.



For most cases I'd recommend the Panasonic model. But if you're looking for slightly better build quality and better AM reception, then I'd recommend the Sony model. Of course get the Sony model if you prefer its appearance over the Panasonic model. - Am-fm - Radio - Panasonic Radio - Portable Radio'


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