Guy Low Price Electronic

Wednesday, 5 November 2008

Wireless Pc Headset - bluetooth headset, telephone headset

Pros:

Great sound

Comfortable Headset

People report it sounds great on their end

Good battery life (for the month I had it)

SoSos:

the noise cancellation didn't cancel noise (but do any of them really?)

The software driver for the headset is convenient, but only because configuring through the LCD is laborious.

Cons:

The LCD touchscreen is nifty, but it takes longer to change settings than on the 9350.

The mute is hard to reliably hit

slight background hiss With the volume up high

Overall:

I've returned the 9470 because of the two cons mentioned above. It just isn't living up to being the "next great thing". Hunting for the mute was the biggest pain (See below). Though my upgrade to the 9470 proved unsatisfying, I've just placed an order for a fresh 9350... "ol' trusty". Both of these headsets are better than anything else I've seen, but the older 9350 still beats the shinier 9470.

Background:

I've been a big fan of Netcom/Jabra headsets since I bought the 9350 a few years back. I am on the phone 9+ hours a day sometimes for my job so I want something crisp, clear, with good range, and a long battery life. Years of daily use took it's toll on the 9350 and it was time to replace it. The bells and whistles of the 9470 looked great. LCD screen, noise cancellation... It was the next step in evolution. The battery isn't swappable, but I hoped the slightly longer battery life would defer the need.

Setup wasn't too bad. And the headset was definitely as comfortable as my 9350. All in all, it's a solid product with good sound in and out, but it doesn't outshine the 9350 like I'd hoped. The noise cancellation it touts doesn't seem to cancel anything: music, other conversations, dogs barking... it's all still there. Granted, it was there with the 9350 too, so this was a wash. The volume couldn't get as loud as the 9350 either (I like the phone audio loud), but that was a minor nit.

Another minor annoyance was the background hiss... as I like my audio loud, turning it up provided a background hiss that wasn't a huge problem but in pauses between speakers it was noticable and slightly distracting.

The biggest issue for me was the mute button. On the 9350, it's a physical button on the back of the headset. So you know when you push it. That's good. With the 9470, the volume and mute are driven by touching the touch sensitive part of the earpiece (the extension of the boom that covers the ear directly). Turning mute on/off is done by doubletapping the center of that strip. However, in the month I used the headset, I never could reliably find the spot. I hop in and out of mute semi-regularly while I walk or open the fridge. Having to stand there tapping on my ear over and over looking for the sweet-spot got pretty frustrating.

This is also where I'd like to recommend to Jabra that they add a tiny red "mute" LED onto the boom that can be seen out of the corner of the eye. Having to wait for the 10sec repeating mute-beep to be 100% sure you're in mute is as annoying on the 9470 as it is on the 9350.

I still recommend the Jabra line over all the others for having the most advanced and comfortable headsets out there. They can't be beaten. but unless you desperately need the bluetooth capabilities of the 9470 (I didn't), then I think you're better off with the Jabra 9350 than the Jabra 9470. Jabra Pro 9470 1.9G Trilink Sys Trilink Pcusb Phone Mobile

I wear a headset for hours at a time in my home office. It's usually for business calls using my landline deskphone, skype (internet "soft phone"), or my iPhone. For quite a while I've used a Plantronics headset that only worked with my landline phone, and occasionally struggled with bluetooth headsets for my laptop and iPhone. These bluetooth headsets generally reduced the sound quality.

Versatility --

With the Jabra Pro 9470, I can now switch seamlessly between my deskphone, my computer, and my iPhone. If I get a call on my deskphone, I just have to pick up the headset from its base, and lift the deskphone receiver handset off the hook, and the Jabra headset jumps to work. Same thing if I get a call to my iPhone. Just pick the headset off its charging base, and it jumps to work. I leave my computer audio in/out settings on the Jabra 9470, and since it supports wideband audio, I can use the headset for just about any kind of audio content. And it uses DECT 6 for the wireless connection between base and headset, which doesn't interfere with any other wireless connections that may be in use around the computer or the house.

Sound quality --

The earpiece speaker is excellent, and has good volume range control. The mic is also very good. Setting the mic volume uses a clever idea: the base touchscreen walks you through calling a friend and having them tell you how it sounds while you make your adjustments, though I'm not sure why you can't do this while on a regular call. I work in a quiet setting, so it's hard to tell how well it would blank out extraneous background noise.

Mac compatible --

I have a MacBook Pro, and really struggled to find definitive reviews about using this headset with a Mac. It comes with PC software but not Mac. Not seeing any "Windows only" messages, I took a chance and ordered it anyway. Turns out the Mac "just finds it" as a USB headset, and I can go to the System Preferences > Audio control panel to select it for the computer speaker and/or microphone. My iPhone connects to it via Bluetooth. And the deskphone connects by plugging the deskphone's handset cord into the back of the Jabra 9470.

The installation wasn't completely intuitive, but I fiddled with it till it worked with all three inputs. Definitely worth the effort. I'm now ordering the GN 1000 handset lifter for those times when I'm wandering around my house while wearing the headset, and want to answer a call on the deskphone.

I just can't get over how much more versatile this headset is than the one I had before. - Telephone Headset - Jabra - Bluetooth Headset - Wireless Pc Headset'

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finish nailers - finish nailers

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I bought this tool to replace my old Paslode finish nailer. I was first skeptical about the magazine and housing being all plastic and almost bought another brand that still used aluminium. It has held up, but the tool is taller than the old one and does not seem to have enough power. I have also had several driver blades break in only three months. I will put this one on the shelf and either look for a used old Paslode model or switch brands completely. Paslode T250S 501680 16 Gauge Straight Finish Nailer

Used a paslode for years. Went to another brand in a 15 gauge. forgot how much I missed paslode you can shoot howe casing without changing guns. The inside bead you use a 18 gauge or crown stapler usually. The only draw back it does'nt hold as well as a 15 gauge, just criss cross nails on crown. I have had this gun over 2 years without a problem. It is light, well balanced no complaints.I have a home improvement company and this is my favorite gun.They still make the best framer to. - Finish Nailers'

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Surfcasting - fishing, surfcasting

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I was an average surf caster,until I bought an old copy of John Holden's book Long Distance Casting. I studied that method, but couldn't get the hang of it. Then came Ron Arra and Curt Garfield's Ultimate Guide to Surfcasting. One can make the analogy between the Wright brothers airplane and a modern aircraft with the Holden book and the Arra-Garfield product.Ron Arra goes into great detail about position, form,and posture,all necessary to achieve significantly greater casting distance.He also recommends rods and reels which I have found to be the best one can obtain. Aside from these considerations, the book is as easy as it is enjoyable to read. The Ultimate Guide to Surfcasting

Hopefully, Ron Arra will write another book with more competent guidance. He is a great surfcaster and fisherman, but there are problems with this disappointing book. The main shortcoming is dreadful illustration -- the pictures reproduced on cheap paper are photographed from the wrong perspective with the wrong lighting. The drawings are sparse. You simply cannot see the fishing rod and line position that are the subjects and purpose of the illustrations. Because the book is billed as "Complete Instructions for Longer Casting..." you would expect an A-B-C guide to surfcasting. Other useful information may be ferreted out of what reads more like edited taped interviews of fishing advice and yarns illustrating how to fish. That is not all bad -- you may learn a few tricks as you re-read this opposite-of-a-textbook. If one looks beyond the sparse drawings and bad pictures, one can garner some good tips that may come in handy. Two things learned from reading the book over and over, trying to absorb the wisdom therein: you can cast very far if you know what you are doing, and the Eastern Seaboard has some great surf fishing. I am in in the Pacific Northwest where surf fishing mostly results in tasty perch. I was hoping I might find some wisdom that would reveal there are bigger fish that prey on those perch in that very same surf. This is an East Coast book that needs serious revision. This is a little weird as Lamiglas in Western Washington State makes a terrific line of Ron Arra rods. They need to buy him a Washington fishing license and finance a few months of surf fishing research. I believe there is a hidden fishery that Ron Arra could uncover.

Reading the reviews before I received the book, I had plans of returning it unopened. Well curiosity got to me and I opened it and read quickly through it. #1 the print and pictures are too small. #2 the pictures are in black and white . #3..the book appears to be written in the 1950's. Read all the reviews here..and you'll know what you are getting!....The only plus thing is the reduction in the price..I would say the 12.00 price from amazon saves this purchase from being a total disaster. Don't get expressed shipping since it will make the total purchase price 23.00 which is too much for this book..

The Ultimate Guide to Surfcasting is a WINNER!It is very informative and covers all aspects of surfcasting and much more! The illustrations and step-by-step photographs are extremely helpful and the Tips chapter is priceless. I also find the Stan Gibbs: Still the Master, Tune Up for More Distance, Taking Care of Your Gear and Yourself chapters good read and refreshing!This is probably one of the best fishing books I've read in a long time and I highly recommend it for those who thinks know it all! Thank you Ron Arra and Curt Garfield for their dedication and knowledge sharing.CONGRATULATIONS and GOOD FISHING!Alberto Knieaka: "Crazy" Alberto

I am always searching for something, anything that will allow me to improve my techniques when it comes to fishing, I found it with this book. This book helped me to understand and build stronger casting techniques and now I feel a lot more comfortable surfcasting. I also had a lot of questions on what gear to use and this book includes a section with excellent examples of gear choices and how to set them and a real eye opener on how to tune your reels to keep their performance smooth.The knowlege that Ron Arra has shared in this book will definitely increase your confidence and distance in the surf. Thank you Ron Arra and Curt Garfield for taking the time to introduce this great piece of work into the sportsmans world!

Ron Arra and Curt Garfield have teamed up to put everything you need to know about surfcasting in to this short and tightly written book. It has improved my ability to reach out and connect with striped bass and blue fish. I bought my copy last winter and will be buying two more as stocking stuffers for my sons. Both like to fish, but never have tried surf fishing. I'm a contributing editor for Nor'east Saltwater Magazine and read just about everything published on saltwater fishing on the east coast of the US. This book is outstanding! The first five chapters alone are worth the price of admission.Bob Creeden, Athens, NY

As an avid surfcaster, this is a very informative book for both the novice and seasoned veteran, especially if you are interested in improving your overall casting distance. The illustrations detail different methods of attaining distance to where you can reach the fish. The book also tells you about how to set up your gear for this type of casting and how to maintain it so that it is working properly. I found it to be easy reading not technical to the point where it slowed you down, and with the soft cover version, you can take it down to the beach while you pratice, to make sure that you are doing everything in proper order so that you can get the distance you desire. Overall I felt this book to be outstanding and a must for every surf fishermans library.

The Ultimate Guide to Surfcasting contains chapters on techniques, equipment, rigging, fly casting for distance, proper presentation of lures and baits, a chapter on Stan Gibbs and "Starting youngsters off right" just to name a few. Mr. Arra covered all the bases with this one. I couldn't recommend this book more!!!Every surfcaster should read this book due to its great information on many important aspects that are needed be a better fisherman. The Ultimate Guide to Surfcasting is bound to be an instant classic. - Fly Fishing - Surfcasting - Fishing'

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France - france

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My family and I just returned from our two week trip to France and Italy. Before we left, I searched around for a few weeks before I committed to buying some good converters for us to bring.

One of the most important things I learned in this process was that not all chargers and electronic products can handle the 240 volts of power that the plugs in Europe put out. For example, my Nintendo DS charger can handle anywhere from 110-240 volts, but my digital camera battery charger can only handle the 110. To check for this information, look on the back of your chargers and in the manuals of your appliances. There should be a little box of details that will tell you how many volts it can handle.

If all of your appliances can handle 240, you don't need to buy a step-down converter like this one. However, if you can't find that information or the appliance says otherwise, DON'T RISK IT. BUY A STEP-DOWN CONVERTER.

Yes, step-down converters are bigger. This one that I'm reviewing weighs 7 pounds. And yes, they're more expensive, but just think about it this way:

It's better to spend $40 now on a full step-down converter and to sacrifice a little room in your luggage than to spend $5 for one of the tiny non-steps, plug in your iPod, fry it, and have to spend $200 in the long run to replace it. (Just an example. :D)

Also, another thing to check is how many watts your converter/transformer can handle versus how many watts your appliance uses.

This converter was perfect. We bought two of them, and with them we used two different hair straighteners, three different camera battery chargers, iPod chargers, and a Nintendo DS charger, and it worked great. Like I said before, it's bulky at 7 pounds, but this does exactly what you need it to do, and does it very well.

A final note on using it, too--make sure you shove the prongs ALL THE WAY INTO THE WALL. It fits in there nice and tight. :D SIMRAN Step Down Transformer THG-500 - Transformer - AC 220/230 V - 500 Watt

I bought this to take back to use in Thailand for my keyboard. Whoops, I found out it was only a one-way transformer, useful only in 220 volt countries (to step down to 110). Actually, that is implied in the name of the product, so I should have read more carefully. So, I have to bring this one to Thailand and bring back the one I bought over here, which is two-way and thus twice as useful. Just a matter of attaching a receptacle on each side -- why didn't they do that!! Buyer beware.

This transformer does a great job. I used it on a trip overseas with an air mattress I bought for my aunt as a gift. It worked great, we had no problems at all. If you're looking for a good powerful transformer for your item, this is the one. It is a bit bulky at around 7 lbs, but definitely worth taking it along and worth the extra money. - France'

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Image Stabilization

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The Canon A1200 has the features which we value most and as such, is our favorite digital camera. In particular,

* It can take wide angle photos - the equivalent of 28mm on the older film SLR's

* It uses 2 AA batteries which is great - especially when traveling overseas. In the past, we encountered too many occasions when a battery became exhausted in the middle of the day or could not be recharged at night. This was especially true when traveling overseas. So now we only consider cameras which use AA batteries because they can be purchased almost anywhere.

* It takes HD video.

* Its size is compact and can easily fit in a pocket or purse. Years ago, I enjoyed taking photos with SLR's and wore out 3 of them (the film versions). However, I missed many shots on vacation because I did not want to carry an SLR everywhere I went. The compact size of the A1200 allows us to carry it everywhere with ease. And it takes high quality photos.

* This camera does not offer as many options as some others. However, it gives you the options people use most of the time. I do not miss the other ones.

There are a few negatives. Cords to connect the camera to a TV or DVD recorder are sold separately. And it is difficult to force the camera to flash - it wants you to choose the mode and it will decide whether to use the flash. Also, this camera does not have the option to merge 2 or 3 shots into a panoramic picture. And it does not zoom in as close as some other cameras. All that said, we shopped around a lot and, in our opinion, the A1200 has the best combination of features and size. Canon Powershot A1200 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom (Silver)

I bought the Canon A1200 because I wanted a small point and shoot that I could take everywhere with me. Other selling points were the optical viewfinder which I don't really use much, as well as the AA batteries. I use Sanyo Eneloops in this camera and they work great. I don't know how many pictures I can take with them on a single charge because I end up recharging them before they die completely.

The biggest surprise for me has been how well this camera does in low lighting. I have sometimes had trouble with getting good exposures in the dim lighting in my house but not with this camera. The sensor seems to be tuned for low light performance and it is a consistent performer for birthday parties or just taking snapshots of my kids.

I uploaded a few of the artistic shots I've made with this camera and I can say that the A1200 has exceeded all of my expectations for a point and shoot camera at this price range. It is a great performer and with a little effort it will take great images. I've messed around with some of the preset options and they help a little bit, but the auto setting works well if you don't want to fiddle with things. Also, the Discreet Mode is great! I accidentally took a picture with auto-flash and interrupted a speaker, so now I always use this mode to disable the focus light and flash when needed.

On a final note, I bought a Lowepro Volta case and it's a perfect fit, though there is no room for spare batteries. I just wanted a slim package that I can fit in my pocket. It's a bit bulky but not an inconvenience. I highly recommend this camera if you are on a budget and want a solid performer at the hundred dollar price range.

Like it's Powershot siblings, the Canon A1200 is a heck of a nice piece of equipment for shooting nature close-ups. I've taken this camera out twice now, and so far it has taken wonderful photos. I've posted some samples from a single hike.

Although the A1200 can't squeeze in on a subject as closely as the A480 (one of my all-time favorite cameras), this new Canon camera is capable of focusing just an inch and a half away from the subject in "Macro" mode. I usually carry one or two Pentax DLSR cameras as I hike through miles of woodland trails every weekend, and although they're great cameras, they simply can't beat Canon Powershots for capturing the tiniest nature subjects, in my opinion. If a subject is smaller than a quarter, out come the Powershots.

This camera takes photos that easily match or beat the quality of images you'll find in typical nature guides by Peterson or Simon & Schuster. Spend a year on the trail with it, and you could easily have a full set of quality publishable photos. Unlike more expensive point-and-shoots or DSLRs, this Powershot doesn't have camera raw or enough pixels to fill a wall, but the image quality and output is suitable for small posters, so who cares? Frankly, counting pixels and foaming over camera raw are not admirable traits, and neither of those things produces good pictures.

Image noise seems to be a bit improved since the A480s and A490s came out, especially when shooting in lower light. This camera has 12 versus 10 megapixels of its predecessors, so in theory you can get a larger photo now and still retain sharpness and detail. The controls will be familiar to anyone who has used a Canon point-and-shoot. I like the general layout of buttons compared to other brands, but that may be just because I'm more familiar with Canon. The A1200 has a viewfinder, which I'll never use because the thing is usually shooting photos right on the ground, and although I like the outdoors, I'm not sticking my face in the dirt and squinting through a viewfinder when I don't have to. The LCD screen is good enough. I've banged and tortured the daylights out of one A480 and killed another one after multiple assaults due to clumsiness. So far, this camera has taken a little knocking around without a complaint.

The A1200 shoots HD video, which isn't nearly as good as even an inexpensive video camera, but nonetheless I was surprised that the movies looked as good as they did. When shooting video, you'll get the best results if you stabilize the camera on a tripod, the back of a chair, a railing, or tree branch, depending on where you are. Video compression is a little cleaner that way, and you can avoid making people sick from zinging the camera around like a roller coaster.

Here are some tips for taking good close-up nature photos with this camera. I usually shoot with the dial in "P" mode. Most importantly, always remember to set the camera on "Macro" (the flower icon button). That allows it to focus as close as 1.5 inches away. Since the camera resets when you turn it off, Arggh!, you have to turn "Macro" on each time you restart it. On this camera, macro focus becomes dysfunctional if you zoom in, so keep it zoomed all the way out. Next, go into the menu and change the general settings. AF Frame should be "Center" so you can pick the point to focus on, AF Frame Size should be "Small" so it doesn't get confused as to where it should focus, and the Digital Zoom is garbage and should be banished forever. Unlike the "Macro" setting, these settings will NOT go away when you turn the camera off, fortunately. Since this is not an image-stabilized camera model, find some way to keep it still when shooting. When you're focused on a close-up subject, even a tiny movement is enough to blur your photo. To keep my camera still, I swear by a monopod with an adjustable pivoting head. Basically it's a one-legged tripod. A monopod can remove the worst of your hand jitters, and it doesn't even need to be extended to the ground -- just having your camera mounted to a stick helps stabilize your shot. Practice photographing coins or small subjects in your yard to get a feeling for macro photography. You'll notice that the area of sharpest focus is not as deep as it is when subjects are father away. You have to make deliberate choices on the point of sharpest focus. Check the photos on a computer if possible, so you can really see how well you're doing. And finally, shoot a million pictures. This is the digital age. You don't have to pay for dud prints any more. Be vicious when culling out the duds, because believe me, nobody wants to see 75 views of the same buttercup flower.'

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Wood Turning

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Like many, I have looked closly at photographs in other books and tried to read between the lines and comprehend what the author is trying to expain; doing my best to figure out how it was done and why it was being done. With just over a year of turning under my belt it was nice to come across this book. It explains various mounting methods for spindles, bowls, and hollow turnings, including the differences between spindle mounting centers, store bought chucks, homemade jamb chucks, face plate mountings, and vaccuum clamping (including making modifications for current vaccuum systems to use with lathes not covered by the vaccuum manufaturer). Also included are several styles of steady rests for bowls, spindles, goblets, and other turnings. Well worth the money! Fixtures and Chucks for Woodturning: Everything You Need to Know to Secure Wood on Your Lathe

This should the second book in any turner's collection. Dr. Green does a fantastic job describing the various ways to make stuff on the lathe. The illustrations are top-notch and the directions are astute. This books provides lots of how-to. How to make a goblet with a long thin cylinder connecting the base to the vessel, how-to make your own vacuum chucks, how to place a bowl on a vacuum chuck so it is aligned. The book justly deserves my 5 star review. (BTW- the first book should either be a Richard Raffan or David Ellsworth intro to turning book.)'

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Replacement Battery - laptop batteries, dell

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These batteries are a little lighter and a little lower rated than the ones from Dell, but from a cost-benefit perspective, they are 3-4 times better. I got two for much less than half the cost of one from Dell. Now I have 6-8 hours of useful time and some redundancy if one of them goes bad.

For me, this is a no brainer. NW Battery for Dell Inspiron 6000 9300 9400 e1705 D5318

When I seen how cheap this battery was I didn't think it was true. After reading some of the reviews I was a little worried that it wasn't going to be that great. Then I finally got it in the mail and was so happy that I have a battery again. It's has pretty good battery life afterward not having a battery for a year. So, I'm happy to say this is worth the money.

I ordered this product thinking that lets take a Risk because it was cheap compared to other Batteries. When i plugged in the Laptop it ran contunuously for 2 hours as I expected. Now its almost a month and still running fine...

Its really a nice product.

Helped out a friend to get this replacement battery and so far so good. There is no issues that I could tell. It fits perfectly and has a good charge. The battery wasn't completely recognized since the battery LED no longer worked with the new battery.

I followed all instructions for charging. Unfortunately, it would not hold the charge. I returned it for a refund. Some people seem to have good luck with these batteries and some people appear to have experiences similar to mine. So, over all, it looks a little hit-or-miss.

Received this battery with quick shipping from amazon, however, the battery did not fit my Dell Inspirion E1705 compartment very easily, it took several tries to get it to fit. Charged the battery and after 18 hours it hit 62% charged and never went passed this capacity reading. After one charge I would have expected a full 100% reading. Sending this one back. Oh, and it is not by Dell as is implied. - Dell Inspiron - Laptop Batteries - Replacement Battery - Dell'

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