Roku - netflix streaming, wireless

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We were a longtime Dish Network customer paying $80 a month for video service. While we had no complaints about Dish, we decided this past summer to take the plunge into internet video to see if we could save some dollars. My family was shocked the day I unplugged all of the Dish receivers and sent them back to Dish Network. "What are we going to watch?" "What about my favorite shows?"



As a 3 HDTV family and not knowing the best hardware option to use, we decided to try a selection of devices. For our main living room TV, we purchased a Roku device. For the den, we used our Wii and for the master bedroom a Sony Blu Ray Internet DVD player.



For content, we have moved our NetFlix usage from DVDs in the mail to internet streaming. We also installed playon.tv on our PC for access to Hulu (primarily), CBS (Survivor and Amazing Race) and Comedy Channel. Both NetFlix and Playon streaming to all of the devices we use work fine. This includes the Roku via playon, despite reports that Roku pulled the plug on playon (continues to work fine to this day).



We also purchased Comcast Basic (Limited) Cable ($14) for local news and sports. This is the plan that just uses the cable, no digital cable boxes required, allowing us to wire cable to all of our TV's. What Comcast will not tell you is with HDTV's we get full HD channels for ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS, CBS, etc. without having to purchase a digital plan or rent their digital boxes.



Comparing the Roku, Wii and Sony Internet DVD devices, we like the Roku the best of the three. In fact, we just installed a second Roku, moving the Wii back to a game system. The reason was primarily ease of use. Some of the reasons include the following:

- Roku Remote is the simplest to use than the Wii and Sony remotes with fewer and easier to understand buttons

- Roku provides access to NetFlix suggested titles and search. This is also available for the Wii but not the Sony Internet DVD player

- The Roku seems to do a better job at buffering the streaming content resulting in less video interuptions



In conclusion, we have a better video experience today than when we were paying $80 for Dish. Netflix gives us access to movies and past seasons of TV shows. Playon with Hulu gives us DVR access to all of the latest TV shows, we love the Hulu favorites Queue and the emails letting us know the latest episodes are in the queue.



Outside of our internet connection (need 2MBPS or more) which we already had in place, our total internet video monthly fees are $12.95 for NetFlix and $14 for Basic (Limited) Comcast Cable. A great savings with a better video experience. Roku 2050X XD Streaming Player 1080p

One can make a good case that with Roku you really don't need cable or satellite TV. With a $10 monthly subscription to Netflix you can get more movies than you have time for over the internet at the time that you want to see them. I doubt that one movie that TCM shows is not available this way.



You can listen to almost any radio station in the country free, meeting your needs if you like any particular kind of music or listen to talk radio, sports, etc.



You can watch Youtube clips on your big TV as well and can send the sound to your stereo system, home theater nowadays.



There are lots of other specialized sites, both free and by subscription, that are available. I like Pub-D-Hub which has movies in the public domain for free, many are poor but others can be quite good, I had never seen a picture with legendary Lillian Gish before.



Roku is a winner.

I've owned my Roku for 10 months. I'm sorry that that one person had a bad experience. I, myself, have had great experience with their customer service. Wow, last month, when my wifi went out on my old player, the guy trouble shooted it (even though I had told him that I had already done every trouble shoot 19 times), and then he gave me the needed number to write down on the return label and mailed me a box to send it back to them for free. I didn't have to collect a bunch of paperwork and (receipts and stuff) like most other companies require for a full refund. Just the player and the remote! My brand new Roku arrived within the week.

I have never regretted buying this player. Now it's even $40.00 less than I originally paid for it. It's a fricken steal if you ask me. Not only do you get your movies mailed to you from Netflix, but you get to watch, from the comfort of any room you decide to put the thing in, all the tv shows and kids shows and movies and free music and OMG the list goes on and on. Ren and Stimpy, 30 Rock, Lie to Me, Spongebob, on and on and on. The kids love it. When I'm bored at night, I get a huge list of choices to entertain me and I really couldn't live without this cute little tiny machine. I HIGHLY recommend!!

During the setup procedure Roku informs you that to establish your free account, you must provide them with a credit card number (or paypal). If you don't comply, you can't use the Roku. This information had to be intentionally omitted from every detailed description I read on Amazon and elsewhere. I wondered how I had missed this in the user reviews. I scanned them again and was surprised to find only a couple of other reviewers who were displeased with this requirement. I am returning the Roku and ordering a Panasonic bluray player with internet capability built in. Funny how that dvd player can stream Netflix to you without a Panasonic account. - Netflix Streaming - Wireless - Netflix - Amazon Video On Demand'

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Ethernet Adapter - slingbox, ethernet adapter

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I have had my home network on Slinglinks for a couple of years. Slingbox, Slingcatcher on my bedroom TV (don't have to pay the satellite company extra), wired internet in the garage where the wireless won't reach, as well as TV on an old laptop from the Slingbox, all very easy to set up. Sling makes stuff that just works, always easy to set up, and you don't have to be an IT geek to do it. I purchased this new Slinglink because I dropped one on a hard floor from about 4 feet while re-arranging some TV/DVD equipment, and it wouldn't work afterward. Yes, I tried smacking it again - no dice. But it was a good thing, because the new Slinglink Turbo is faster, and this was the connection to my Slingbox - eliminated the occasional stutter I had seen on my Slingcatcher-linked TV.



If you are interested in powerline networking in your home, go with Sling equipment. SlingLink TURBO W1 Ethernet over Power Adapter

I purchased this for the pc in a room that I didn't want to run an ethernet cable to and the pc was an older pc for my kids so it didn't have a USB 2.0 port to work with a wireless device. This adapter works great and is truly plug and play. I already had one to connect my 2 DishNetwork DVR receivers to, so I knew it would be pretty good. Keep in mind that if you are new to using HomeLink devices you will need to purchase at least 2 initially, one for your device and one to connect to your router, unless you have DishNetwork receivers which have the capability built into the receiver and all you will need is one to connect to your router.

I have cable and didn't want to run 100ft. Bought and used the slinglink turbo w1 for dishnetwork hidepth receiver through my electricity and it works! Just plug it into an outlet near your link and plug it in.

This Slinglinck Turbo Ethernet Adapter was just what I needed. Although my wireless internet worked well for my den computer desktop and the laptop in most of the house, it was not strong enough to be accessed by my new Blueray Sony Wireless DVD player, which was also in the den. A Slinglink W1 had been installed at the N-router in the office to the house wiring, and simply installing this second unit from the house wiring to the Blueray Sony player in the den, worked great. Internet functions work well, with direct viewing from Netflix on demand.

Talk about easy setup. Plug one in to the router, the other to my DVR and that's it. You're online. I'm watching on demand & netflix. It's secure, fast & simple. The price of a wireless router without the headache or security issues.

I was skeptical that this would work here in our home but when I read the instructions it really is just a "plug and play" item. Since I have Dish network my box automatically recognized it after I reset my connection settings and I was done. Very easy to install. I am glad they came out with this because otherwise we would be having wires all over the place to hook up our box. Love that it goes through the electricity plug than phone cord.

This is a great product, easy to setup and use. Makes getting internet in your home anywhere, without using wireless. Dish network use this for there satellite receivers. If you don't want to run wires to get internet anywhere in your house, this is the easy way. Highly recommend.

I used my Slinglink for about 3 years until last week the receiver stopped working. I use it to connect my Tivo to the network and I find it much more reliable from the wireless option. I called Sling support to see if I can buy only the receiver because the transmitter seems to be working just fine, they were totally unhelpful and all they tried to do it sell me another SlingLink unit (both transmitter and receiver for over $100). When I asked about the W1, they said that it is not 'belong' to Sling, (It is sling technology, but they are not getting the money out of it) and didn't want to help or say if it might work or not with my existing transmitter. I ordered the W1 anyway, plugged it in and it works just fine, no setup, no nothing. Shame on Sling! (The company and support). And no. I don't have dish networks.

I have a section in my living room where my laptop does not get the wireless signal reliably. A couple of these Slinglink Turbo W1 adapters gave me a wired Ethernet connection. Extremely easy to setup, shows up as a 100 MB connection in my laptop. I just wish it had a bypass electric connection as well, I do lose two electric sockets because of the couple of these adapters that I have :-) - Slingbox - Slingbox Pro - Slingbox Solo - Ethernet Adapter'

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Manduka Yoga Mat - manduka, manduka yoga mat

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I obsessed about whether to purchase the regular size Manduka or the longer 85" model. I am only 5'9" tall and was told by almost everyone that unless you are 6' tall or over you don't need the longer mat. Besides, the longer model is "so" heavy. As usual, I went my own way and purchased the longer mat and am glad I did. I love the longer mat. First of all, when I am completely stretched out on my stomach, my entire body is on the mat, face, hands and feet--not on the floor. I like the balanced feeling of every part of me being on the mat. Also, when I do my various asanas, I can now start in different spots on the mat and therefore put less wear and tear on the same spots. Second, I am afraid I don't understand the "weight" issue? The 71 inch model weighs 6.5 pounds, this one weights 9 pounds. For me that's not much of a difference, especially since I am only carrying the mat from the parking lot to the yoga room, not backpacking across India. Most of the time the mat is at home anyway.



As far as the Manduka mat in general, I have used two other mats and this one provides a lot more support. I find it to be very dense and firm, with just enough tactile feeling. And, the mat does not move around on me. I really like that. My yoga teacher said this was the best mat around.I am glad I listened to her sage advice.



Joe Drew (Kent, Ohio) Manduka BlackMatPRO 85-Inch Yoga and Pilates Mat

$85 for a yoga mat? Like most of you, I had the same reaction, but it is one of the best investments I've ever made. Yeah, it's a lot of money, but the best always is -- and this mat is clearly the best. That's why your instructor uses one. You won't believe how much better your poses and jump-backs will be until you try it on this extremely supportive surface. It's well padded, but firm -- never squishy -- so your stability is excellent; and its surface relies on texture, not stickiness, to ensure superb grip, even when sweaty.



I also highly recommend the 85-inch length. I am not a tall person (at 5' 10", I am exactly average), but I love the extra length. I no longer ever find myself having to readjust a pose because I didn't start in exactly the right spot on the mat. It is a bit heavier (9 lbs.), but so what. It's exercise.



Now let me make a case for why this mat is actually a good value:



I have only been practicing yoga for a year (three 1-hour classes a week), and in that time I have purchased two mats for $30 each. One I've already worn out (material broke down from use) and the second one is on its way to wearing out. If I buy a third $30 mat I am now up to $90 in just over a year. The Manduka mat will last a lifetime and will make your practices better. And at $85, it's cheaper than any single club in my golf bag (and I carry 14 of those). So my opinion is: suck it up and spend the money. It only hurts for a minute and you'll forget all about it the first time you step onto this mat!

When I used lighter, less dense mats they would sometimes bunch up or move around during flowing vinyasa practice. If my toe caught the mat, the edge would flip over and require adjustment. Also, they did not cushion very well. In addition, lesser mats wore out quickly and had to be replaced. When doing poses like the side-arm balance, my foot would slip off the end of the regular length mat and I would fall out of the pose.



With the extra-long manduka mat, none of these issues is a problem. The mat is solid and dense, and stays put on the floor no matter what I do. It cushions really well, but because it is so dense it is no problem to balance or move on the mat (not mushy). I have used these mats intensively for several years and they still look great. Durability is outstanding, and they show no signs of wearing out. The extra length allows me to move with confidence, knowing I won't run out of room or slip off the mat. An additional benefit of the long mat is that it allows you to change your starting position on the mat somewhat, so that the small area worn by your feet is not the same every practice. In other words, you can spread the wear over a larger area to make it last even longer. The surface is plenty sticky for normal yoga, and if you do a hot yoga class or sweat a lot you will likely want to have a towel anyway. No complaints about stickiness.



As for weight, it seems that if you are big enough to need an extra-long mat you are probably strong enough to carry it around. It's not heavy, it's the best yoga mat I've ever used.

I'm 6'6" 225 lbs. and have been doing yoga for a few years. This mat is nice and long as well as a little wider and thicker than the standard mat. Yes it's heavier than a standard mat and I found it to be unpleasantly slippery at first, but I recommend it highly. If you ever find yourself stacking one mat on top of another to get the padding you need, or running out of room on your mat, then please buy this mat now and you will thank yourself later.



Pros: Longer, thicker, wider



Cons: A bit expensive (I think it's worth it), slippery at first (goes away after a few classes).



NOTE: You might want to periodically roll the mat from a different end to get rid of the teacher-tripping curl that develops over time.

Depending who you are (and perhaps more appropriately, how much you sweat), this mat may be the best thing or the worst. On the plus side, this mat is the most durable and stable of any mat I have tried, and I have been doing yoga for many years. Also, the bigger version at 85 inches gives you more room to work than almost any other mat on the market. Once you scrub the mat down with soap and water after you first get it (see other reviews), this mat is also sticky WHEN DRY. However, if you sweat and get the mat wet at all, it becomes VERY slippery. This has really been a problem for more rigorous vinyasa flows. You can buy a sticky towel to put on top of the mat to stop the slipping, but buying a towel for another $45 is hard to stomach after paying almost $100 for this mat. If you sweat, I would highly recommend the Jade yoga mats instead. They remain sticky when wet, but are less durable than the Manduka. Namaste. - Manduka Yoga Mat - Manduka - Power Yoga - Ashtanga'

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Hp Printer Ink - hp02, inkjet

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Been using the HP02 inks for about a year and they have all been great (as expected). Just started using the HP 02XL inks this past month and am equally satisfied. Standard B&W text is crisp and the photos I print have that extra "pop" on the page. I have never used non-OEM inks and never will. I also like the fact that I can go to HP's web site and print off shipping labels to return the spent cartridges back to HP for "free". Original HP 02XL Cyan Ink Cartridge in Retail Packaging

As always and with almost all printer manufacturers they ink cartridges is where they take your money away. Hope to find some economical refill kit before I go broke. As always is practically cheaper to purchase an all-new printer instead of the consumables. Nothing wrong with the individual suppliers of Amazon for this items, the problem is the manufacturers.

This xl ink is great! I have purchased these cartridges before and they really do last. The price on amazon you can not beat it. It cost more to purchase the regular cartridges in the store and they do not last. I will keep purchasing these from amazon!!!

couldn't be more pleased at the money i just saved - i used to go to Staples to buy this and it's like half price here! They really get you with the inks b/c they never tell you HOW MUCH is in them. Some have very little in them- they try to trick you to tell you by saying how many pages you'll print with it- but do they tell you HOW MUCH FRICKIN INK IS IN THE CONTAINER?- NO! Go to best buy, or office max and see for yourself! But, this is a great buy and it is genuine ink. Don't get teh cheap stuff- it isn't the same in my opinion. - Hp Printer Ink - Hp02 - Inkjet'

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Cybershot - memory card, memory stick

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I purchased this for my son's psp. It was alot less expensive than some of the other brands but works perfectly. Bulk packaging isn't a bad thing, that simply means that they were purchased in a large quantity rather than individually. This card came in a reusable hard plastic case with a lable stuck on it. If Amazon says it new, then it is new. I have been a loyal Amazon shopper for many years now and have never been diappointed with their service. I recommend this card to anyone who doesn't want to pay over $40 for a card just to stick in a video game. Works well and is a great value! SanDisk 8GB Memory Stick Pro Duo Card (SDMSPD-8192)

I got myself a psp recently (which is why I purchased this memory card) and it works perfectly. Other companies and stores are selling the very same article for twice or three times the price, (which I think is pretty pathetic, but...) mine works just fine. The only minor complaint I have is the memory... it says 8gb but it's actually got close to 7.7 gb.. which is still pretty close. Overall, I am extremely satisfied with it.

I bought this memory card and it turned out to be an ultra 2 15mb/s 8gb sandisk memory card pro duo instead of just a regular memory stick which is fine with me, overall this product works perfectly for my psp and seems like it will last a while.

I think there's not too much to say about this memory card. It works well, it's fast enough for using with a PSP or a point & shoot camera and it's highly reliable as every product Sandisk sells.



I highly recommend this memory card for anyone who's looking for reliable and fast portable storage.

I was a little worried i was going to receive a fake one, but it turned out to be real and it says magic gate supported on my psp! so i am very happy and the shipping was extremely fast! came in a day early. I only gave it 4/5 stars because i recieved a black one instead of the blue one in the photo. - 8gb - Cybershot - Memory Stick - Memory Card'

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Wireless Router - linux, router

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This wireless router, besides supporting Linux firmware, is a tested and true wireless router with 802.11 b and g support. It supports WPA, WPA2 and the older WEP encryption schemes. In addition, it has a built-in firewall, MAC address filtering, and supports access policies (such as "don't allow FTP connections to this computer on Sundays").



When I installed this wireless router, setup was very straightforward (I did not use the Setup Wizard because it didn't work for me). I changed the IP address range (because the DSL modem uses the 192.168.1 address space), set the administrator password, chose a name for the Wireless network, enabled WPA2 encryption and picked a passphrase.



After that, I connected my laptop to the router right away, and received an excellent signal and throughput of 100 KB/sec (for comparison, my DSL connection maintains a throughput of 300 KB/sec when I connect straight to the DSL modem).



I've been using the router for several months now, and have not had any dropped connections (my older Netgear router dropped connections fairly frequently and did not support the newer WPA encryption scheme) and have consistent throughput. The router has been running constantly for these past few months.



For the real tech-heads, this router has customized Linux firmware available from third parties. I haven't tried this firmware, since the base Linksys firmware more than meets my needs.



Finally, good security practices are to: Change the administrator password, disable Universal Plug and Play, disable Remote administrative access, use a unique name for the access point, and if the network is only for a small number of personal devices (i.e. a laptop you own), enable MAC address filtering. A MAC address uniquely identifies a network card, so this only allows certain computers to access the network. Cisco-Linksys WRT54GL Wireless-G Broadband Router (Compatible with Linux)

I've bought close to a dozen of the earlier versions of these routers (WRT54G v2-v4) over the past few years as well as recommended them to my friends, and the ability to update and upgrade the flash memory with modified open source software is the reason why these routers deserve a wonderful reputation.



The modified software versions, such as HyperWRT and OpenWRT, Sveasoft, etc. have over the years provided capabilities that Linksys themselves didn't put in the box on their own, such as having routers that link up over the wireless connection, or routers that can work well in P2P applications with hundreds of active connections. Some of these features made it back into Linksys's official codebase over the years, helping to make this a Truly Great Product.



Linksys has chosen to eviscerate the memory of the latest version (v5) of the WRT54G to make it cheaper. This latest version doesn't have Linux inside and as others have reported isn't nearly as stable as earlier versions, nor is it in any condition to have the open source community help Linksys fix the problems. If you want The Little Blue Box That Could, you now have to buy the WRT54GL.

This new "L" model has the same Flash and RAM capacities as the older WRT54G models that ran Linux, and thus will support freely and commercially available third-party Linux-based firmware upgrades (voiding the warranty, of course).



Some background and history can be found here:



LinkSys courts Linux hackers with WRT54G"L"

http://linuxdevices.com/news/NS4729641740.html



LinkSys also offers a WRT54GS "speedboaster" model that uses channel bonding with I believe both A and G signals, to realize faster throughput in some use cases. Some older WRT54GS models were available with 8MB of Flash and 32MB of RAM, while current models have 4/16, and thus will also support fancy firmware upgrades, such as those from http://www.dd-wrt.com/, http://www.sveasoft.com/, http://sputnik.com, and so on. These firmwares offer things like optimization for VoWiFi (voice-over-wifi), integration with Radius authentication, bridging, etc, etc, etc.



Techie knitty-gritty on all the various permutations, serial number sequences, and so forth can be found at James Depew's unofficial LinkSysInfo.org site.

I bought this router about 3 weeks ago to upgrade my Linksys BEFW11S4 802.11b router. The main thing I was looking for is the stability. So far, this router has been perfect, it hasn't dropped the connection yet. It also appears this router has much better range than my previous router. The product comes with a CD which has the installation guide on it. As usual, it's not well written.



Update:

It has been more than 3 months since I set up this router and I haven't had any problem. - 8/16/06



Update:

This router has been in operation for 7 months and hasn't had any problem at all. Not even a single reboot. - 1/16/07 - Linux - Router - Linksys - Dd-wrt'

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Gps Watch - timex, heart rate monitor

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The watch standing alone is a great item. I love the customization and all the great things this watch is able to do. However, knowing now that it'll cost me $120/year just to view the data from my workouts I would not have purchased this watch. When you upload the data to the website Training Peaks, it is clunky and difficult to navigate. The lack of customization in your personal account completely contrasts with the way in which this watch works. You are able to use a free account to view your data, but this is almost useless because any of the important data you would want to track is only available in the premium account for $120/year. I had owned the Suunto T6C and even though it was not GPS it had a much better interface and way more data I could track - there was no website to go to. All in all I am very disappointed that I spent all this money just to have a mileage counter on my wrist. Timex Global Trainer Speed and Distance with Heart Rate GPS Watch

First let me say that I'm a seasoned triathlete (3 IM's) and I also have the Garmin 405. While the 405 has been a great watch, the shortcomings it has is that I can't swim with it, and when I work out and it's humid, sweat can find it's way to the bezel and it'll start beeping like mad. That is what prompted me to get the Global Trainer. I can swim with the watch, and don't have to worry about it going beeping crazy.



Few points on each watch:

Global Trainer:

-The functionality is great, and I can set up each sport with a variety of data, ultimately splitting the screen into 1,2,3, or 4 pieces of data like heart rate, pace, distance...

-It's fairly easy to use on the fly. Tracking splits, or going from a bike to a run is very easy

-It's comfortable for being such a huge watch

-Acquiring the satellites was relatively quick

-The display doesn't look very polished. When in time mode (non-gps) it's like looking at a stop watch.

-Downloading data to a PC is a joke. It's fickle, and even when you have the device agent up, and the watch connected, it's a trial in patience. This is where the 405 beats the Global Trainer hands down. The Garmin will transfer data automatically, and do it without having to connect the watch to a cable.

-Included software with the Timex is functionally minimal. You can pay $19.99 a month for a "enhanced" version of the training center, where Garmin will give you much of the same functionality for free.



Overall, the Timex is a huge disappointment. My recommendation would be wait for a future version where they have the kinks worked out, and don't nickle and dime you to see your training data after you've already plopped down a few hundred dollars.

The specs of the watch are really good, but it is when you start using it that one realizes that the Timex Global Trainer does not perform to expectations.



Firstly, the GPS in the watch, although it uses the same chip as that of the Garmin Forerunner, the performance in the Timex Global Trainer is extremely inaccurate. i.e. it takes an average of 5-7min to lock the satellites, unlike other devices, which can lock satellites in matter of seconds. Also, once a session is recorded and loaded onto a map (such as Google Maps), one can appreciate that the tracking of the device is very inaccurate. I have seen distance reading erros of up to 12% (e.g. you run 10miles and the watch says you have run 8.8miles!!) , which is very very bad. Other GPS watches only have a 2% error max accuracy (i.e. Garmin). I have checked this issue on the internet and other user reviews on Timex's Global Trainer GPS show this same issue. I have sent the watch to Timex, got it replaced for a new one, and the same issue persists. Timex hasn't got a solution to this.



Secondly, the workout data downloaded from the watch to the PC is proprietary and can only be used on the TrainingPeaks website. Forget about exporting you data to other better and cheaper websites such as MapMyRun or WorkOutLog. This wouldn't be a problem if TrainingPeaks had a good system, but it is slow and in many occasions it won't load 100% of the workout information (plenty of software improvement is needed on their side). TrainingPeaks has a cost of c. $20/month, while other websites only cost $20/year. The Free version of TrainingPeaks won't show you all of the information from your watch (e.g. HR zones, Cadence Zones, Power Zones, etc).



Conclusion: The GPS is a no go. On a spec basis the watch is not that expensive against competitors but if you include the cost of the software to visualize your workouts you need to add $+120/year, and thats another no go. I have bought the Garmin Forerunner 310xt, Garmin is better value for money and you are not stuck with proprietary software that doesn't work!

Had a 305, a 405 and now this Timmex Ironman GPS. I have worn the 405 and this watch together on long runs at the same time. I have also ran with this watch while my friend was wearing his 305. The GPS of this watch is very accurate and over 12 miles i found less than a .1 mile difference from the 405 and about a quarter mile from the 305. I have worn this watch in a marathon and it logged 26.3 miles. My 405 would commonly log 26.5 in marathons. I do agree it can be finnicky on downloading to computer. However the program that comes with the watch, without purchasing the extra features shows me a map and seems fine to me. It logs my minutes fine, my averages fine and like the 305 allows 4 displays at once. I also have had no problem finding a gps signal, nor have i lost a signal in one single race. It is definitely more reliable than the 405 which has frozen up on occasion and has become locked in jumping back and forth between different functions. The 405 is not nearly as reliable, but the size is great.



Likes of the timex GPS. NOTE, i wear these watches in Marathons.



Great 4 display

Accurate GPS

Easy to operate



Cons, bigger than 405



Overall, functionality of 305 is #1 but very bulky, Timex is a close second to the 305 on functionality and slightly smaller. the 405 comes in third. 405 Locks up, finicky when wet or sweating. Overall timex is king. Maybe the 410 will step in and change it all, we shall see. - Running - Timex - Heart Rate Monitor - Gps Watch'

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Usb Wall Charger - ac adapters, charger

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This adapter only provides 300ma output per port. That's not enough for a lot of modern devices. That's probably why some reviews that say it doesn't work. It just doesn't have enough power to get the job done. Not so good for a 4-port device you are looking to depend on for travel. 4-Port Wall to USB Travel Adapter Charger for Cell Phone, Mp3 Player or Other USB Powered Devices - Fold-up/Flip-down AC Prongs for Convenient Storage

Unit lights up, but if it's producing any charge, none of the devices I've connected know it.



If you need a white box with a blinking blue light, then this is the product for you. If you want something that will actually charge a device, look elsewhere.

Ordered 2 chargers, when I open the package, both were in ziplock bags and when I picked it up it had something rattling inside them, like a loose screw. Feels cheap and AC prongs sticks...I know it's made in China but common. Looks used and not brand new. Returning for a refund.

I bought this for travel, along with four 18" micro-usb cables from Monoprice. I travel with a lot of devices that charge via micro usb (Plantronics headset, Kindle, iPhone battery "backpacks", and a Verizon MiFi). This wall unit works great for charging up these devices--except for the Mifi, which needs more electricity than this adapter provides to charge while on. So I have been using my iPhone charger for the MiFi.



The only complaint I have is that the "fold up" plug is very cheaply made--it is hard to tuck away the plug prongs. It's nowhere as smooth as what Apple provides.



But, this is small and does what it says it does. And it's easy to tuck away in a suit case or carry-on.

I am surprised that i have not seen another item like this. Since most of the new hand held tech products are charged by usb it would make sense to have multiple usb ports in one device so you can charge everything from one location. The day after I got this in the mail it became very useful. I had a group of people over and we were all able to charge our phones from one wall socket.

4-Port Wall to USB Travel Adapter Charger for Cell Phone, Mp3 Player or Other USB Powered Devices - Fold-up/Flip-down AC Prongs for Convenient Storage. I have to use my electronics in bed...this 4- port adaptor is such a help

To me...it let's me use my iPod and iPad at the same time...it is convenient and has performed flawlessly...I can download songs

on my iPad (100's)...then I can connect my iPod and my iPad...then I can check one against the other...from my bed I am able to read both devices and weed out my absolute favorite for my iPod...when I am forced to go to my computer for syncing, most of

my work is done...a very helpful tool for the healthy and the not so strong.

Exactly as described - love the 4 ports! One thing is each port is only 500mAh output so not too hire powered which is fine for me because I am charging my phone, my roommates phone, and iPods.



Excited to never have to look for a free USB port again!

With almost all electronics coming with USB cords for charging this is a device that's long overdue. Unlike some of the other reviewers I have not had any problems with it so far. I really like the profile of it, it's incredibly slim and thus doesn't cover more than one outlet like most other adapters do. I bought this along with extra cables for my IPhone, and several mini-usb and micro-usb cables so that I don't have to move my cables all the time I plugged this in beside my bed where I already have multiple things plugged in and didn't have any more outlets so this fit the bill perfectly. I can charge my IPhone, my Desire and my bluetooth all at once and I still have one port open if need be and I may add another micro usb for my wife's phone. It's worked really great for me and I've had it almost a week now.

If it quits working sometime in the next couple months I will definitely update my review. If it lasts over a year I'd say it was worth the $15. Time will tell.

I am in sales and bought this so that I would not have to travel with multiple chargers. So far it has been great. I can charge my Droid X, Verizon MiFi, Jawbone earpiece and Android tablet and only use one outlet. I now can tuck this and the 4 USB cables into the zipper pocket of my portfolio for my tablet and many times leave the laptop at home. I saw other reviews saying that it would not work but so far mine has been great. - Charger - Travel - Ac Adapters - Ipod Charger'

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Wireless Security Systems

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Hi everyone, i ordered the Skylink SC-100W (newer model) and received mine 2 days ago. I set it up yesterday. Since the system comes pre-set it only took me 30 minutes. The only thing i had to change was the passcode. The motion detector alone would have been enough for me as that thing is as sharp as a needle. Since i have no pets and no kids i have mine on high and it's great. The window/door sensors took a bit of playing around with but they're working fine (for now). I have my alarm on "Chime" mode because the siren is extremely loud, my ears were ringing all night after i had tested it. However i have great comfort knowing i can use the panic button on my keychain to activate the siren if i feel i'm in danger. It's so loud that my neighbours will hear it and will be calling 911 in no time. I had the alarm on all night and had no false alarms. It has only been 1 night but i am very happy with the system. I'm told this a newer model, i'm not quite sure how it differs from the Skylink SC 100 Deluxe Kit. If anybody could tell me the difference that would be great. All in all i'm very happy with the system and i'm giving it 4 stars because of how sharp the motion sensor is and because the siren is extremely loud. I sleep well at night....very well. Skylink SC-100W Security System

I've had my system for 6 months and just replaced the batteries in the motion detectors. I assume that using better quality batteries than those provided will mean changing them closer to once a year. Not bad at all, given that I don't have to run any wires to these locations.



I opted not to use the window/door sensors, as they look somewhat tacky in my opinion. Instead, I got a couple extra motion detectors to provide complete coverage of my house. The sensors are somewhat adjustable. On the default setting, they do pick up my 4 pound dog.



In the past 6 months, I haven't had any false alarms where I couldn't determine the cause. There have been several days where I forgot to disengage the system and walked right through the motion detection field. Obviously, I can't blame that on the system.



Overall, I'd say this is an amazing system for the price. The control pad looks kinda cheap, so I didn't prominently display it in my house. It is in a closet. The motion detectors are very small and unobtrusive. I've told family and friends that I have the alarm system and most of them didn't have any idea, as the detectors blend in very well.'

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kindle 3 covers - kindle 3, kindle 3 cover

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This kindle cover fits my Kindle 3 perfectly and securely. The cover holds the kindle very securely and covers all four corners, yet it is easy to remove and insert the kindle from the case. There is a band that keeps the cover closed tightly instead of a snap like other brands/models. I like this because I can flip the front cover completely back and read by holding with one hand on either side of the kindle without anything in the way. The color of the front cover is the darker color in the middle area on the picture shown. The lighter color is inside and the darker outside. These covers are convenient, secure, stylish, and you can't beat the price! I love mine. Green mCover® Leather Folio Cover Case for Amazon Kindle 3 (Fits 6" Display, built-in inner pocket)

Item shipped very fast and came together with the Kindle I ordered at the same time, so no complaints there. When I got it I noticed several glue stains that are very noticeable and would not come off. I got in the meantime 2 emails from ipearl-inc and answered them indicating the problem, nobody ever answered.

The cover itself is ok, it holds the Kindle fine and it's not too bulky, but the quality is mid to low... and so far the experience with the seller has been weird (very fast to answer to a bad review or send an email but never contacted us back)...Let's see what's next.

Had my Kindle 3 since September 2010 and hunted high and low for decent cover without killing the bank. Sure Kate Spade and Cole Haan covers look great but why go overboard? I'm very much against spending additional for what I consider an annoyance. A previous cover from another brand costing $29.99 was returned because the "leather" was really substandard. I bought this at $13.95 in the apple green color. The leather has a good "hand" -- hey, I expected less but was pleasantly surprised. I really like the rigid (keeps its shape) leather corner brackets on this model that keeps my Kindle from shifting. It looks a lot better than other brands that use elastic corner brackets. The price just went down to $9.99 so even better. You won't be sorry, I'm not. mCover rocks my Kindle.

I have been searching for kindle cover for quite a long time now, I wanted to get something inexpensive with good-quality leather, which would also look neat and protect my kindle.I got this one in apple green color when the price went down to $9.99, so I was quite lucky.



here is what I loved about mCover:

--leather corner brackets on this cover- looks much better than those elastic corner bands on more expensive covers and won't let my kindle drop down;

--stichs are very neat- no signs of glue or whatsover;

--inner pocket -very useful, you can keep your money, credit card there, which makes it even more handy

--the elastic band and the lid-- you can totall bend over to back and fix with the band in order to hold it in one hand easily while reading

-- available in so many colors, i m sure it would suit anybody's preference..



would recommend to anyone, especially students like me who would be just happy to save on a worthy thing!

So I am looking for an inexpensive cover that will be used on a gift-Kindle for my mother, and I come across this little beauty. First off, it's better than described. The color is brilliant - exactly what I was looking for. The bright green will make her Kindle easy for her to find, and, hey, I like the color a lot anyway. The little inside pocket is just right to tuck in a credit card or a few bills when you don't want to carry a wallet. I actually like the construction of the rubber band that slips around the case; it lies in a groove that makes the whole case flat and sleek. I thought at first that the groove might present a problem when trying to fiddle the rubber band out, but not so. So now I am off trying to get another case for my older Kindle 2...that's how much I love this thing. And for about $10, there is nothing wrong, but everything right with it.

I was quite pleasantly surprised by the mCover Leather Folio. I was looking for a cheap cover to protect my Kindle while I waited for one of the more expensive covers to go on sale. I'm so satisfied with this product that I probably won't be buying that other cover.



The mCover Leather Folio is well constructed. I wasn't expecting it too be as sturdy as it is. The leather corner brackets seem to hold my Kindle in place securely and they look much nicer than the elastic that some other covers use. There is a groove on the front cover that allows an elastic strip to hold everything firmly in place when the cover is closed. The elastic can also be used to hold the front cover back for easy one-handed reading.



Overall, this cover gets a big thumbs up from me. I would definitely recommend this to someone looking for a more affordable alternative to the $35+ covers. - Kindle Accessory - Kindle 3 Cover - Kindle 3 Covers - Kindle 3'

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Organic Food - snacks, raw foods

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I bought one box each of the raspberry/chocolate and hazelnut/chocolate bars looking for a healthy aternative to the grocery store granola bars that contain high fructose corn syrup. Somehow, I thought they would have a granola bar type of texture, but they aren't even close. My first reaction was that they had an unpleasant smell and funny aftertaste - but that was my first reaction to beer, too, and I managed to get over that. They are definitely an adult, acquired-taste kind of snack. Now I look forward to having one as a mid-afternoon snack, depending on what I've already eaten or plan to eat that day, because they are a fairly high calorie (276), high fat (15g) little treat. Probably their best contribution to one's overall diet is the protein (7 grams or 13% DV). Raw Revolution Organic Live Food Bars, Coconut and Chocolate, 2.2-Ounce Bars (Pack of 12)

I've tried most of the organic bars on the market to date. I consider the "Organic Food Bar" brand to be the gold standard, and I've enjoyed them for years. The Raw Revolution bars are proving to be just as good, and they are considerably cheaper. At the moment, Amazon is tied for the cheapest price I've seen for Organic Food Bars: 0.97 cents/ounce.

Amazon has the cheapest price I've seen for Raw Revolution bars: 0.60 cents/ounce! That is over a 30% difference. Its 1.31 for a 2.2 oz bar. Retail is 1.99/bar; and that is what they are on the Raw Revolution website, too.



I love the taste; it had not occurred to me that some folks wouldn't like them until I read some of the reviews here. Then again, it is easy for me to learn to like foods that are healthy. Both of these bar lines seem high in fat to me (my dieting Mom won't eat them), but it is all healthy fat. I would like to see more of a Zone diet ratio (more protein). They could have a bit less sweet for my taste, but that goes for every bar I've ever tried.



Its funny (and makes so much sense) that Raw Revolution has so many chocolate flavors. Also, the Raw Revolution folks I met at the Outdoor Retailer show were some of the nicest folks; very liberal with their samples, too ;-).



I wish that health food stores (and online merchants) would post the price per ounce for the plethora of bars that are out there. Maybe they don't want to draw attention to how expensive many of these products are! I am very resistant to paying over a dollar an ounce for bars, especially when these all organic, high quality bars are less than that.



So the dollar an ounce limit for a 2.4 ounce bar is $2.40; for a 2.2 ounce bar it is $2.20, and so forth.



For good bars that are only .41/ounce on Amazon, you can't beat Clif bars, 70% organic; a good staple. Probably the healthiest food at 7-11, if you're hungry and stuck. Clif Builder bars (chocolate) are good too; more of a "normal" chocolate crunchy bar.

Cheers!

Wasatch Bill

The 'Spirulina & Cashew' bar is yet another great flavor option in the 'Raw Revolution' product line. First of all, as a bar competing against all others in the crowded 'energy/health' bar segment, it is excellent. Secondly, as a spirulina bar, it is clearly the best I have tried because it has a clean, fresh, and pleasantly subtle spirulina taste that is not overwhelming, plus it does not have the gritty texture commonly found in other spirulina bars. And, like the other 'Raw Revolution' bars, the 'Spirulina & Cashew' flavor has the right amount of sweetness.

These bars are quite good actually. They are chocolatey and you can taste the coconut and nuts, but they are not sickeningly sweet like most coconut & chocolate bars. Plus they are moist and the size of the bar is just right. If you are expecting a candy bar type item you will be disappointed - this is not dipped in chocolate, rather the chocolate is mixed right in. But if you're looking for a healthy snack that energizes you without the sugar burnout you get from other 'energy' bars then these are worth a try. I am quite pleased with them and am going to order some more.

The ingredients are what attracted me, raw and natural. However, I found them too sweet and they contain too much fat. "Good" fat, but made them too rich for me, I could only eat a few bites at a time...



I much prefer Vega Bars. They are 100% raw and are more functional, have sprouted flax, hemp protein, wheat grass, sprouted mung bean. They taste great also. [..]

These are really tasty! Don't let the green color fool you...I haven't had a snack as tasty in as long as I can remember. I keep these in my glove box for snacks. They are very filling-most times I can't finish the entire bar.

This is by far my favorite of the all the raw foods bars I've tried. The coconut-cashew dominate most of the flavor and texture of this delicious, rich and unbelievably nutritious bar. I had to keep reminding myself that it's organic, vegan, and raw, because it sure doesn't taste like what you'd expect something in that class of food to taste like! Don't pass on this bar whether you're into raw food or not. Superb.

Someone I trust recommended these bars ... then I saw the reviews here so was expecting them to be good.



When they arrived they were green and at that point I expected them to taste like grass, alfalfa or something worse.



I was shocked ... they were delicious.



Now I am anxious to get my other 2 boxes and I am back to reorder all of the others I missed.



Linda

I don't know what the GI is for these bars, but they really manage to keep me full for hours. I split one for breakfast and a snack a few hours later, and it does the trick. When I start my day off with a Luna bar, i am hungry just an hour later. They are sweetenned with Agave nectar which does not affect your blood sugar as much as sugar, nothing artificial and everything organic and raw makes these actually good for you! They do taste a lot like figs and cashew butter, which might turn some people off but I think its delicious! Raspberry Chocolate flavor is amazing too. Calorie count is 276, which is fine for breakfast and lunch combined. - Raw Foods - Organic - Snacks - Gluten Free'

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Mini Camcorder - video, camcorder

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Small, light, very easy to use, usefull to get picture and video on the go.

So good image with good light, poor in the dark. It is not a HD Cam.

The bundle software to edit video is lite version.

Bottonline Its really very good stuff for the price, a gift. Coby 2-Inch TFT LCD SNAPP Pocket Camcorder/Camera CAM4505BLK (Black)

I recently purchase these pocket camcorder, it comes with all it says, it has pros and cons.

pros: cheap, easy to use, very easy to upload, good for sports.

cons: don't have a flash, low resolution, the charge is only by the PC, I cant recharge by itself.

Camera is great for kids, period!! Quality is not the greatest but it will do for a child who I don't have to worry about breaking this because it was pretty cheap. get the 8gb card though for sure otherwise no recording time.

From the packaging it looks very nice. By no means does it look like the super expensive cameras but it seems like a perfect fit for my stepdad's hunting trips. I also purchased a memory card as it says there is not much memory included on the camera itself. Hopefully it works well too...

Look, this is not what most people would call five star material. But I paid the same amount for it then I do for a ride to the airport here in NYC (airtrain $5, LIRR $9).



$14, you have a functional video camera and phone for throw-away purposes that works like a charm. And has SD compability, which means cheap storage is around the corner at your local computer shop, I'm using a 4gb I picked up for $5.99 on sale.



$20 total expenditure, originally for the Bring Your Own Big Wheel Races in S.F.C., I wanted something I wouldn't care about if one of my spectacular crashes resulted in its ultimate demise as a device.



So It's Five Stars, because I don't have a single complaint for what my 20 spot got me. Anyone complaining or assigning low stars or value here either suffers from utopian delusions, or is just plain a jerk. It's $14, what do you really expect? This exceeds every expectation I had (to the tune of I would have been happy with just a simple 320x240 VGA camcord, SVGA with bountiful options and camera mode, etc. was beyond the pale).



Somewhere, deep inside my consciousness is a little creeping doubt - how can this possibly be so cheap? Where is the hidden environmental cost we are all paying so that individually I am not.



Again, this is not high quality, this is high quality of value derived.



Compatibility notes: no problems in Windows 7, XP, and Linux using an Ubuntu Derivative. Your mileage may vary.

Doesn't come with the memory card, but records fine once you add an SD card. The software that comes with it (muvee 6.0) pretty much just adds some graphics in a few predetermined templates; pretty useless. Worth $30, not a penny more.

My 5 year old and 4 year old love taking pictures so we bought them their own camera's for Christmas when these were on a really good sale. They are not the best camera in the world you have to hold really still to take a picture so it is not blurry but its teaching my kids how to do so. :) They have enjoyed them and it has been fun to see what they take pictures of. We have two files on our computer for them to put their pictures in. I gave it three stars because as far a camera for a little kid its great to learn and play around with but for an adult wanting something quick and simple I would not recommend this. It can also do video's which the kids really like also they are always pretending to be a reporter. :) - Camcorder - Video'

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High Definition - 1080p, high definition

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I bought mine from Buydig when they had it for $399.99 with a coupon code and free shipping last month. I am using it as a computer monitor and as a secondary TV at home. Instead of writing in paragraph, I will just enumerate the things I wanted to say...



As a Computer Monitor:



1. It has a native mode, but it will leave about an inch of space/border, from the side and 1/2 inch on the top and bottom. The quality is super crisp! Just like a CRT (with 1080p PC mode on)!

2. Natural mode will stretch it out and leave about a 1/4 inch on each side. and it's still pretty crisp.

3. There is an option in this tv called 1080p PC mode, which makes the letters very crisp and clear. You will need to enable it to make the letters not look distorted or fuzzy.

4. To get to the 1080p computer mode, go to menu > picture settings > noise reduction > turn on 1080p PC mode.

5. by default, it is extremely bright as a computer monitor, so lessen the back light.

6. NO DEAD PIXELS!!!!!

7. Using the 15-pin computer plug, max resolution possible is 1360x 768, and instead of native mode, it has a dot by dot mode (which is essentially native mode.)dot by dot mode will leave a hefty border on the tv which is about 3 inch on the top and bottom and about 5 inches per side. Although the text is as clear as it any CRTs out there, losing about 40% of your monitor's real estate isn't that great. Also in PC ode, you can't change the picture settings.

8. I have been able to use audio over HDMI using an ATI card (4670)

9. To avoid screen tearing when playing PC games, make sure v-sync is turned on your PC.



As a TV:



1. switching through channels is painless, not like some other brands that I've tried, this takes less than a second to load to the other channel. There is a slight delay when switching through HDMI and cable or HDMI to another HDMI which is only about a second.

2. very crisp picture and superb colors. The black levels are one of the best I've seen. and this is coming from a former plasma TV user.

3. The sound is pretty decent. Don't expect heavy bass. no tv has that. that's what home theatre set ups are for.

4. The remote is solid, not fancy. no problems picking up the signal.

5. has a usb port that can play music and pictures.

6. NO DEAD PIXELS!!!!!!

7. I have my Dynalight function off so I can't comment on it.



Power consumption (using a P3 Watt meter)

off

>1 W (about .3 W for me)

on Sports mode (torch mode)

~95 W

on Standard

~59 W

on movie mode

~55 W

on PC mode (using the 15 pin VGA)

~54 W

on preference (it seems to be on Sports mode by default)

~95 W



As I've said, it is very bright to use as a computer monitor so what I did was I went on movie mode and customized it by putting contrast and brightness @ 50 and put the backlight @ 0 (yes I put it @ ZERO!) if it's too dark for you put it around backlight 10.

With backlight at zero, the Power Consumption is @ 36 W. Backlight @ 10 is about 43 W.

The unit on standard mode, is a little warm to the touch when you feel the back panel but it doesn't heat up the room at all.

I haven't tested it on input lag but from what I can see, it's pretty good. Game mode helps a lot.



EDIT!!!

being an ATI user, never had the chance to test this TV with an NVidia card. It seems with Nvidia, native mode works perfectly, with all the TV's screen real estate being used. on other modes though, the NVidia chip was actually a little big since the display also had the overscan. It seems ATI chips natively shrink their TV output. Toshiba 32E200U 32-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV (Black Gloss)

I was a little leery of ordering this new 2010 model that didn't yet have full specifications or other product information available. If it was any brand other than Toshiba, which I've had great experiences with, I would have waited or moved to a different product.



Anyway, I'm glad I did order this model 32E200U TV. Ordered from Amazon for a great price, it arrive in three days, in perfect packaging and brought right to my door by my friendly UPS driver. Unpacking and "assembly" was a snap - there really isn't much to do other than attach the stand, connect the cables, install the remote batteries, and turn it on. It asked a few simple set-up questions, scanned all my cable channels (finding some I didn't know I had access to), and was ready to go. The remote is super clear and simple to use, everything works, and the picture is great. Black is truely black, color is well balanaced, the image is bright, people and their clothes are their correct colors, and the sound is really quite good. We have a standard 480i cable connection, a 1080i upconverted DVD, laptop streaming NexFlix, and bluray. All work perfectly and switching between inputs is seemless. It has plenty of HDMI inputs (4) in addition to analog, digital, and cable.



Can't say much else, other that to strongly recommend this product. Buy it, you'll like everything about it. - 1080p - 120hz - High Definition - 32 Inch Lcd'

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