Guy Low Price Electronic: 11 Sept 2011

Sunday 11 September 2011

Miniplug To Rca Adapter

For those who are not sure what this product does...it connects a single headphone jack (found on portable audio equipment) to right/left audio jack connectors on an audio receiver. So if your looking to hook up say your mp3 player or portable cd player to the receiver of your home stereo system look no further, you've found the right product.

I use this Belkin splitter to attach my muvo (mp3 flash player) and ,sometimes, my mp3 portable iriver cd player to my stereo system. Works great. I don't have a problem with the connection being loose, but I don't have an ipod to test this out with. My mp3 cd players and the few flash mp3 players I've tried work fine with this. Belkin, as usual, offers a quality product.

Cheap, works well, recommended. Belkin Audio Y Cable Splitter 1-Mini Plug/2-RCA Plugs (6ft)

I purchased this splitter because I have tv shows on my laptop that I would rather watch on my 42'' Plasma HDTV, and unfortunately S-video cables don't transmit sound as well as video. So I bought this, plugged it into the headphone jack on my laptop and into the Audio inputs on my tv, and low and behold it worked like a charm! Finally I don't have to watch on a big screen while listening to the speakers on my laptop...

Don't let them fool you.

I love those endearing geeks at the Apple store as much as the next guy, but- I swear- they'll look you straight in the eye and try to convince you that you need to spend lots of cash if you want to play your iPod through your stereo.

And you do need to play your iPod through your stereo. Once you've gotten into the spirit of things, once you've spent those lonely hours crafting your playlists, you can't go back to shuffling CDs for your guests. At this point I have my "Warming Up" playlist, which transitions to the "Early Happening" list, then "Now We're Cooking" and finally the "Cooling Down" playlist. I even got carried away and made my Shiva playlist. In the completely unexpected and unfortunate event of my premature death ["God forbid! Khas Vesholem!" then spitting three times], please check my iPod for a list to play on shuffle mode during the nights of intense mourning. Enjoy the tunes. Some are meant to tug at the heart strings but others are a rollicking good time. Turn to each other and remark on what a shame it is, "of all people, Marc would have enjoyed this the most."

I got off topic there, sorry, but the point is, you need these cords to play your iPod or MP3 player through your stereo, but that's all you need. Now I know there are audiophiles out there who will argue the importance of spending a lot more money on a product that is better sound quality. I have a buddy who talks about this stuff all the time. He told me that, even the overtones that are out of the range of human hearing need to be transmitted faithfully because your body can feel the difference in the vibrations. He said it with such authority that I believed him. You know the type. He takes over the bar at parties because he knows the exact right way to mix drinks. He can talk endlessly about barbecue sauce. But, one day, he told me he really likes that really insipid James Blunt song. He even argued that it was well written. I try not to be judgmental but I just can't take him seriously anymore. Anyway, I don't get worked up about sound quality. It wasn't that long ago that we all listened to music on tapes with that hissing background noise, or listened to LPs with their pops and scratches, and it was fine. Just tune into the music and don't worry about the other stuff, take some breaths, work on your radical acceptance skills and you should be okay.

Cable works great and the length is just right for what I intended to use it for. With most cable purchases, it is strongly recommended that the buyer know exactly what length is needed. Too long and it gets bulky and cumbersome, not to mention it doesn't look great to have cables tangled everywhere. Too short and you'll be buying yet another cable.

I found this cable to be really useful for connecting my PC to a home theater TV system. Most PC's come with the standard DVI port and that hooks up to a flat-screen via a DVI/HDMI connector. HDMI can transmit/receive both digital video and audio. Unfortunately, the PC DVI port only transmits digital video.

This cable will solve that conundrum by allowing the audio from the PC to go to a home theater system that has the Red/White (also called the L/R or R/L, I don't recall) port to be connected. Just hook up the black 3.5 mm jack to the PC audio-out and the Red/White to the sound system and the connection's done.

Some work on the home theater or flat-screen settings may need to happen. This does take some thinking of and visualisation of the setup to be done, preferably before any work's done. Once it's done, you've got an internet TV setup w/o buying any special electronics besides the PC, flat-screen and maybe the home theater sound system.'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Headphone Jack - accessories, iphone adapter

Visit Store Now !!

When I updated my iPhone 3G S case from a simple rubber case to a Speck Products CandyShell Case for iPhone 3G, 3G S (Black/Gray), my 3rd party headphones would no longer fit tightly into the iPhone jack as the opening in the Speck case was too small for the plug. This adapter solves that problem perfectly due to the very narrow plug on the male end.

The connections on both ends of the adapter are very snug.

Thus far I have noticed no negative affects from using this adapter. I have experienced no sound drop-outs or distortions of any kind. My only issue is that when I remove the adapter from iPhone, I do get a rather loud pop through my speakers, even if nothing is playing at the time. But, that is a minor issue for sure.

Given the VERY inexpensive price for this adapter (a similar adapter at RadioShack cost me $9.99) it is cheap enough to replace a couple times a year without too much complaint... And, despite its low cost, it doesn't feel cheap at all. Highly recommended. Headphone Adapter for Apple iPhone Recessed Jack, 3.5mm Male Female Extension Plug - White

The product description is inaccurate. I selected it because the original iPhone has a recessed headphone jack, unlike later models. This causes a problem for third-party headphone plugs, which are too wide for the narrow recessed area which leads to the jack.

Because this item DOES NOT FIT in this narrow opening, I was unable to use it. My time and money were wasted on this product. I cannot use my third-party headphones with my iPhone. I must use the poor-quality Apple earbuds, or buy another adapter which actually works.

If it had been accurately described, I would not have purchased it!

I order three of these at the same time and all three are worthless. Two of the connectors sounded like crap with volume reduced at least 50% and not in stereo. The third did not work at ALL!

So, three up and three down. Avoid this product and or seller.

If you're looking for a headphone adapter only, this is fine, although it appears a little flimsy. However, although it implies in the description that it carries the microphone signal, this is NOT the case. The precise wording is: "Allows the adapter to be used with stereo headphones that also have integrated microphone functionality". So, yes, you can use it with such headphones, but not for the "microphone functionality". See more details in a previous review (Won't fit 1st gen iPhone and Can't make calls, July 22, 2010 By F Shopper).

This adapter works great on my iPhone4 with Apple bumper case. The male section has three rings and a tip for a total of four conductors and that's what you want for an iPhone4. The white color matches Apple's while cord on their supplied headphones. The male sleeve is small enough to fit in the Apple bumper case. I've just had these for a few days so I can't yet comment on the durability.

Description says it carries the microphone signal. Description also says it has a Stereo Socket. These are contradictory statements: Stereo + mic requires a 4 pole plug and Stereo only uses a 3 pole plug. Can't both be true.

I bought the black version, Headphone Adapter for Apple iPhone Recessed Jack, 3.5mm Male Female Extension Plug - Black trusting in the description that it would carry the mic signal into my 1st gen iPhone. Turns out the Stereo Socket description must be correct because it will not carry the mic signal into the iPhone.

And to boot, the plug molding is TOO WIDE, DOES NOT FIT into the recessed jack of my 1st gen iPhone. Only after paring it down with a knife, did I find out that it didn't even carry the mic signal.

MediaMart sells another adaptor, Headphone Adapter for Apple iPhone Recessed Jack, 3.5mm Male Female Extension Plug - Black with identical item name. It's tech description is almost identical except it says that it has 4 pole connectors at both ends. Assuming that description is correct, I would have bought that product if the two products had been correctly described.

This product Headphone Adapter for Apple iPhone Recessed Jack, 3.5mm Male Female Extension Plug - White: Technical Details

Comes in both Midnight Black and Cloud White, and is a 4.5-inch length

Allows the adapter to be used with stereo headphones that also have integrated microphone functionality

Made and designed to work seamlessly with the Apple iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3G S

Cable Length: 4.5-inches / 11.43 cm Output: 3.5 mm Stereo Socket

Made with quality and precision by yooZoo. - Iphone Adapter - Iphone - Headphone Jack - Accessories'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Labeling System Tapes - labeling tapes, labeling

Visit Store Now !!

I have used several Brother label makers, all of which use the TZ series tapes. Of those tapes, my two favorite are black on white in this width and the 3/8" width. I prefer the 1/2" width for hanging file folders because the label fits nicely on the tab. I like the 3/8" width (TZ-221) for use with manila folders because the narrower width positions closer to the edge of the tab.

There is also a 1/2" tape that is black on clear. However, the clear tapes also show any dirt or debris that might be trapped behind the tape. Thus, if you are in an environment that has even a small amount of dirt or other contamination, it may be readily visible against a light background after the tape is positioned.

One other caution regarding these tapes; the backing can be difficult to remove. The newer tape cartridges have a split backing that is easier to remove than the original single piece backing. Even so, a certain amount of manual dexterity is required to remove the backing.

UPDATE: Since the time I originally wrote this review, Brother has modified the backing to be in two pieces, making the backing easier to remove. However, the individual backing pieces can be a pain to throw away because they like to stick to just about everything through static electricity.

This tape adheres readily; the print is nicely defined and has a high contrast. The tape can be slightly difficult to handle. Overall, this tape is very useful in a variety of applications and one of my two favorite label maker tapes. Brother 26.2-Foot Black on White 1/2-Inch Labeling Tape (TZ231)

Update 03-14-2010: These tapes can get pricy. Buying three or four tapes can add up to more than the cost of the printer. This is how I deal with it. Order three or more online at Amazon. Remember, these labels help you organize your life and or business and or customers and I have come to believe the value of this outweighs the cost by a long shot. White on Black is the best as I have tried Black on Clear but if the surface is dark then you can't read the label. I have used Whit on black but the letters are not as clear - the advantage is it looks classier then the white labels.

Three years ago I purchased Brother ptouch PT-1950 (there is an update to this model which is even better) for about $72.00. It is larger and heavier but you get much better results than the smaller brother PT-1180 which I bought around 2002 and replaced the cutter a couple of years ago. The PT-1950 has USB and I recommend downloading the update drivers and free software from Brother because it lets you get more out of the tape reviewed here because you can print 3 lines instead of 2 and any font installed on your computer as well as many types of boarders. You can even save the labels you make and open them later to reprint. Once you go the USB route and see how nicely you can arrange your labels it is HARD to go back to the little handheld units.

Review Starts Here:

This is the classic black letters on white tape.

The magic: the tape is separated from the backing in the label printer then the letters are burned with a thermal print head from the inside of the tape then it is stuck back down the backing and comes out of the machine. This is why the letters cannot be wiped off even with alcohol or other cleaners.

Black letters on white works on all surfaces. I have used black letters on clear backing which looks nice but requires the label be stuck on a light surface. If surface is dark it is hard to see the label. Black on white is also the cheapest most common tape.

Brother's price is on the high side and I don't know of any generic aftermarket tapes. Amazons price is about the best I have found and I trust Amazon.

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

TIP: Buy three tapes at a time so I don't run out and it makes the cost easier if you take your lumps in one shot! If you buy the tapes one at a time you will be reluctant to use them when you need them.

TIP2: Ways I use brother tapes:

On the ends of power cords (like the type that comes with typical wireless router). By labeling them it make it easy to relocate cords or pack up and move or if a power pack gets separated from what it belongs to it is easy to match up.

Car: I label the date and miles I last changed the air filter, fuel filter, or battery, etc. These labels will last for years in your engine compartment!

Customers: sadly I used to label computers with a magic marker! Yuk! Labels look very professional. I also add notes such as "be sure to remove cable x before y" etc.

My "P3 International P4460 Kill A Watt EZ Electricity Usage Monitor" that I bought on Amazon this summer. I put a label on it that says something like push "up" 3 times to show Watts (which is the only function I use). I also measured every electronic thing in my house and put a brother label on it that showed the power use when off/on and idle if that applies.

I labeled my brother CX4800 computer printer with the info for the generic ink cartridges - Amazon!

I will label a flashlight what bulb type PR-xx and where to buy it. I label hard drives with the size, data I bought it etc so I can see that without removing it to read the label. If it's for a customer I record the date installed.

There's a million uses for these labels and the make your life more organized and better (The bible says God is not a god of chaos - Amen!) - Brother - Labeling - Labeling Tape - Labeling Tapes'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Blueberries - cereal, breakfast

Visit Store Now !!

Because of mutliple food allergies I seek out simple breakfast cereals with minimal added ingredients. For a sweetened rice cereal with added fruit, this is an excellent choice. It is low in fat and low in sodium and of course gluten free with 120 calories, 100 mg sodium, and 1 g fiber per 1 cup serving. The cereal itself has a nice crunchy texture. I eat mine with Rice Dream rice milk and thoroughly enjoy the dried fruit pieces.Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice with Mixed Berries, Gluten Free, 10-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6)

Ingredients: organic brown rice, organic brown rice syrup, honey, freeze dried blueberries, freeze dried raspberries, freeze dried strawberries, sea salt, natural flavor.

I have been purchasing this prodcut from Amazon.com for several years and their packaging and shipping of this product has improved so there is little crushing of the cereal boxes in shipment now (some of my early shipment configurations left the boxes distressed). Amazon's price is hard to beat and the service is always fast and reliable.

I thought it would be bland, but not so! Very tasty cereal... comparable to rice krispies, with freeze dried fruit in it... my only issue is the generic labeled 'natural flavors' in it... i have been hearing that manufacturers have been hiding behind that label & putting all sorts of undesirable things in our foods.. but since its 'natural'.. we don't know what exactly it IS in our food. hmmmmmmm.....

plus, there isn't a whole lot of fruit in the box. Some bowls have only a couple pieces in them.. :(

and, the fruit isnt organic, so to say that the cereal is 'organic' is slightly misleading. Still, i like it overall!

I'm not used to gluten free, brown rice cereals but have been trying to incorporate them into my diet because of stomach problems. I didn't like this that much and won't repurchase. I detected a light, bitter aftertaste and the berries literally gagged me. I like chewy berries in my cereal, not extreme dried to the point of crunch/dissolve and they were a touch sour on some and overpowering in taste. Yuck. The sweetness was so miniscule I ended up adding more sugar. Really wasn't for me and just my personal opinion.

As we all know, gluten free food is sometimes horrible! Not this cereal. It's very good. Love the dried fruit, I just wish there was more of it. The crispy rice even snap, crackle and pops! You'll like this cereal. - Blueberries - Dairy-free - Organic - Cereal - Celiac - Breakfast'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Ryobi 12 Volt Battery Charger - poor design, ryobi 12 volt

Visit Store Now !!

I was very disappointed with the Ryobi batteries that came with my portable drill. Whenever I really needed to use it I found the battery completly dead. It would take all day to recharge it and then it would only hold the charge for a few hours. The same happened with the other battery that came with the unit. It's too bad that a lousy battery ruined a nice Ryobi product. Ryobi 1311148 12V NiCd Battery Pack for HP1202M and SA120

I've tried for years to keep batteries and chargers working for the Ryobi drill, but to no avail.

Finally trashed the Ryobi and went with a Dewalt and "what a difference."

Sell or trash your Ryobi system and go with a real, trouble-free cordless drill.

This is a product that I will never purchase again. I firrst thought it was my charger and after purchasing the charger found out that it was the battery. After purchasing a new battery and conditioning it for 4 days thought all was good. Went to use the drill yesterday no power and as of now have it on a charger. The battery is not charging!!!!!!

I would NEVER buy another Ryobi product!!!!

Bought a Ryobi SA-120 drill with two batteries included in case. Both batteries failed to hold a charge after about 6 months of very light duty use. Charged the batteries overnight and they went dead after about 10 minutes of drilling. Went out, bought another Ryobi battery and sent previous two to the e-waste center. This new battery was properly charged up and removed from drill housing when not in use. These Ryobi batteries will actually drain on their own within a few days. Back to the charger for another eight hour charge. The battery is acceptable if you remove it it from the drill and keep it on the charger full time. This is ridiculous. I have a $10.00 no-name lithium ion drill/driver from Costco that never seems to run down on power. These Ni-cad battery tools are on the same path to extinction like the dinosaur. My next drill/driver will be a Makita DF330W with the keyless chuck. Ryobi's Ni-cad powered tools are a complete waste of time and money. Makita's Lithium-ion powered tools are the way to go. A little more expensive but worth it in the long run.

I have two tools that use this 12v battery which is the only reason I even considered buying another one after the first two batteries that came with the tools all failed to hold a charge. I might as well have flushed the money down the toilet...the 12V battery I just bought is no better than the other ones. It won't hold a charge for more than a day and then it goes south. Frankly I think I would be money ahead if I just threw the tools away (I thought about giving them away but why dump this junk on someone else?)

...this is a discontinued battery pack, so maybe they've been sitting on the shelf for several years?

My original battery pack is 5 years old, holds very little juice. So I bought this replacement pack on Amazon. The brand new pack (out of the box, charged overnight) performs barely better than my 5-year battery.

I let them charge for 10 hours (as instructed) before initial use. The first use I was doing some fairly light work installing a door frame. They were completely dead within 20 minutes.

Ironically, I have a 9 volt Makita cordless drill that went dead at the same time as my Ryobi. I decided to buy new batteries for the Ryobi (not the Makita) because it's 12 volt. But (get this).... the Makita was purchased in 1997! And it was remanufactured! So the Makita batteries lasted 13 years. I don't even know how to begin understanding the different quality in batteries.

I've read that you should zap/recharge NiCad - perhaps someone out there who has done this can share your experience. But I'm sorry I blew $25 in this battery pack - I should have put the money towards a new cordless drill.

There are no good chargers available for this battery...so you get stuck with a useless commodity. What good is it without being able to charge the battery? It makes it a decent paper weight....but useless in any tool you may have. - Poor Design - Ryobi 12 Volt Battery Charger - Cordless - Ryobi 12 Volt'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Kindle Reading Light - book light, kindle book light

Visit Store Now !!

I ordered this booklight with a reasonable amount of skepticism. In my past experience, booklights have been bulky, clunky, heavy, and they all seem to drain their batteries really quickly. However, this is far from the case with the stylish and small Verso. Good things come in sleek packages. The design of the product fits right in with the style of the Kindle.

First of all, the Verso is compact. It's small enough to fold up and easily fit into your purse or pocket. Second, it clips onto my Kindle with ease, and works even with the leather case I have. The design of the Verso clip is done in such a way that it conforms to the shape of your Kindle. Third, the Verso is extremely lightweight. It doesn't weigh down the Kindle, and the responsive bendable arm makes comfortable adjustment a cinch. You also don't need to have it directly over the Kindle to give you enough light while reading.

Which brings me to my final and perhaps most important point: the Verso is BRIGHT. But not 'ah! there's glare on my screen!' bright. It gives the perfect amount of natural looking light that is easy on the eyes. It also comes with two spare replaceable batteries, but I honestly can't imagine using those anytime soon. I've been using the Verso with my Kindle every night since I purchased it, and it shows no signs of fading.

With these awesome features and ease of use, the Verso was a strong contender when I was shopping for booklights. The $19.99 price just sealed the deal. Overall, it's a fantastic product for the money, and I would highly recommend it to those looking for a little e-book illumination. Verso Clip-On Reading Light for Kindle (Graphite) [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]

I have been a long time Kindle owner and have tried a bunch of different lights. I love this one. It is nice and small, very bright and light weight. The clip fits perfectly on the Kindle frame and also works great on my Kindle cover. Most importantly, there is no problem with glare like I have experienced with the other lights.

Light is bright and excellent illumination for the Kindle screen! If you don't travel a great deal, it's a delight for sleepers who have reading spouses! Have only rated it a 3-star because of a battery compartment design issue. We travel a great deal and there is no case nor protection for the on/off switch. Therefore, the light inadvertently gets turned on while in the bag, then has no battery life left when needed. To get around this problem, we must remove the batteries after each use and then re-install, which is time consuming and awkward. Please re-think the design and give us something more travel friendly.

I got this for my husband to go with his new Kindle and he is pleased. The light is sufficiently bright (at least for reading the Kindle) and the clip is small enough that there is no danger of clipping on the screen and causing any damage. It would have been nice if it had two light levels like some other models, but I felt the smaller clip was more important.

I bought my first Kindle in late November, I disregarded reviews and bought the Kindle Lighted Leather Cover. The light is horrible, bottom half of the screen isn't lit well at all! So, looking to get better lighting...I researched options on Amazon and saw Amazon Reviewer/Shopper Erin Cormier's video review of the Versa Clip-On Light. Her video showed all of the features and convinced me to buy the Versa Clip-on Light.

As Ms. Cormier's video shows, this light clips on the top or side without covering the screen. It is very flexible so I can shift it depending on where I am reading.

Two unexpected benefits. First, I can leave the light clipped to the Kindle and bend it across the top of the closed case...I don't have to take it on and off as I expected. Second, the light came with extra batteries!

There is a reason this light keeps selling out. Don't waste money on a lighted cover, get this light instead!

I have tried a number of Kindle book lights and this one is by far the best. It is light weight and clips easily onto my Kindle both with the cover on and with the cover off. The neck is the perfect length - not too long to be awkward to use and difficult to store and just long enough to allow light to shed over the full screen. Best of all, the light is bright, yet doesn't create glare or shadows. I can comfortably read in a dark room. Finally a well designed, practical and effective light for the Kindle!

This is an excellent light for the Kindle.

I'm a long time Kindle user and read by booklight most nights. I've had a few different lights and this one is by far the best. Its solid and fits well. Very bright (brighter than other lights I've used) but no glare. Everything I need in a Kindle light.

I just got this light for my Kindle, and I love it! The light is very bright, especially considering its size. It provides a nice amount of light without glare (even in the dark). It is lightweight, and it clips on to my Kindle case without adding a lot of extra bulk. The compact size makes it easy to take with you anywhere. The extra batteries were also a nice bonus! - Kindle Book Light - Book Light - Kindle Accessory - Ebook Light'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Earbud Headphones - earbuds, coby

Visit Store Now !!

I purchased these headphones and the JBuds headphones at the same time, just so I could compare the two. (I figured I could keep the one I don't like when the other ones go bad...) They both had very good reviews, and these (the Coby's) were 1/3 of the price, so I was kind of hoping they'd turn out to be better than the JBuds. But I was wrong. You really do get what you pay for, I guess. The Coby's were fine, don't get me wrong. But you could hear a noticeable difference between the sound quality in the JBuds and in the Coby's, and the sound in the JBuds was without a doubt more clear and more crisp. The Coby's also had problems with staying in my ear. Finally, the JBuds come with 3 different sizes; the Coby's only have one size.

Spend the extra $10. Go with the JBuds. Coby CVE92 Isolation Stereo Earphones

I've used plenty of earphones in my day. I've used headphones, I've had the ones shaped like circles that you have to stick in your ear (with our without that piece that wraps around your ears), and I've used big MONSTER headphones that look like those ones that plane traffic engineers use.

Never have I had a pair of earphones that are as comfortable as these. Many times, you get those earphones that you stick in your ear and they are VERY uncomfortable. Not so with these. They are so gentle. Comfort aside, these earphones are EXCELLENT. I can't hear a thing when I have them both on (which I think is a BIG PLUS). And the sound quality is excellent.

And you just can't beat the price for earphones of this size and quality. I highly recommend them.

I gave this product 4 stars cause I rated the product based on price/value, product quality and sound quality. Based upon all these I believe for $10 after shipping, you just can not beat the sound of these earphones. Yes, they are bass heavy and tend to muddy the overall sound spectrum a bit because of this fact, but it is easily overcome with an EQ setting on the ipod. The sound seems tight and crisp to me listening to pop, rock and some jazz on a EQ setting of treble booster. I couldnt listen to it at full volume to see where I could head distortion in lower or higher freq. The cable lanyard going into the buds seems kind of fragile. The silicon tips feel much cheaper that the tips on my Sennheiser CX-300's. Yet, these babies play the music on my ipod much louder than the CX-300's and do not seem to distort as easy as the CX-300s in the lower freq from what I have seen. Bottom line-5 stars = price/value, 4 stars = product quality and 4 stars = sound quality. If you are rough on earphones, keep your $10. But, if you are looking for a replacement earphone for your ipod and you are on a tight budget and arent an audiophilist, these may be for you.

As a regular I-Pod user, I've never been that unhappy with the standard Apple I-Pod earbuds -- they don't sit terribly well in the ear, but I find the sound and design to be adequate. I've wondered if there is a low-cost alternative, and my wife doesn't like them because they are too big and uncomfortable.

Here is a review of five low-priced alternatives bought on Amazon in March 2010. The story in a nutshell -- all the $8-$10 earbuds are a slight step up from the Apple buds, all the $6 earbuds are a big step down.

JBuds Hi-Fi Noise-Reducing Ear Buds (Black) (paid ten dollars) (Four stars)

Positives: Good sound, decent comfort, long cord

Negatives: Too long cord, no "slider"

A very solid sound -- much like the Apple buds. These are a great low-cost in-ear alternative to the Apple buds. The sound balance is similar to the Apple's, but a bit crisper and clearer, perhaps due more to the in-ear design than the actual technology. The JBuds ship with three sizes of silicone ear-inserts for different size ears, though I personally find the fit to be awkward and a bit slippery (see SkullCandy review below). A 54" cord was the longest of the ones I tested, and arguably too long. Also, there is no "slider" on the cord to hold the buds together when you are storing them (A very nice feature of the standard Apple buds and others).

Skullcandy INK'D Earbuds (White) (paid ten dollars) (Four stars)

Positives: Great bass, very comfortable, long cord

Negatives: Too much bass, line-rustle noise in cord

How it is possible to get so much bass into a tiny and cheap earbud I cannot imagine, but there it is. Really impressive, but it's actually a bit too much bass -- the balance is off. If you are listening to bass heavy music, it's overwhelming -- I had to try to adjust the EQ on the I-Pod to bring it down, and even then a bit too heavy. The sound is not mushy or distorted, just like the equalizer is shifted too much. These in-ears come with three sizes of silicone ear-inserts for different size ears, and I find the fit to be great. A long 52" cord, with a "slider" to hold the buds together when storing. A BIG concern -- there's a fair amount of cord-noise that rides in the line -- if the cord is brushing against your shirt or jacket when moving, you hear the rustling right in your ear. I've had worse cases of this in the past, but it is very noticeable in these, and makes them less ideal for walking or moving situations. (Is this a problem with all in-ear buds that have a snug fit?)

Sony MDR-E818LP Fontopia Ear-Bud Headphones with Acoustic Twin Turbo Circuit (paid eight dollars) (Three stars)

Positives: Good sound

Negatives: Even bigger than Apple buds, poor packaging, short cord

To my ear, the Sony's had the best sound of the five low-cost buds I tried -- a solid step up from the Apple buds, for people who don't like the in-ear style of bud. But a note of caution -- these are slightly *bigger* than Apple earbuds, even without the foam covering. In my ear, the foam cover makes them comfortable enough, but they are rather large. At the same time, the Sony Fontopia has an unusually short 40" cord (even shorter than the Apple 45" that bothers some people), but it's plenty long for typical uses (walking, etc.). There is no "slider" to hold the earbuds together when storing, which is a feature I like on the Apple buds. I have one big beef with these though -- the earbuds have a thin foam cover over the speaker that helps it hold in your ear more firmly and comfortably. I have no problem with that, but you have to put the foam pads on yourself, and it's very difficult. I ended up tearing one of them before I could even try them out. It's very frustrating to buy a new product that breaks before you can even use it. These deserve four start on performance, but gotta ding them on the design and packaging.

Panasonic RP-HV21Portable EarDrops Earbud Headphones (Black) (paid six-dollars) (one star)

Positives: None

Negatives: Huge earbud, terrible sound

I liked the look of these when I got them out of the package, but they are a bigger and worse alternative to the standard Apple earbuds. A very "tinny" and shallow sound compared with others at the same price point. They're too big for comfort in my ear, though that's always a personal consideration -- these Panasonics are larger than the Apple buds and equally hard surface.These Panasonics are about the same size as the Sony MDR-E818LP Fontopia earbuds, but those have a foam pad that helps hold them in and provide a little comfort. the "Clip" feature on these (the two buds can clip together, or clip to clothing or cords when not in use) is nice, but doesn't override all the performance downsides. I'm tossing them -- way worse than the basic Apple buds.

Coby CVE92 Isolation Stereo Earphones (paid six dollars) (one-star)

Positives: None

Negatives: terrible sound

These are cheap and I like the packaging (just in a plastic ziplock, not clamshells and fluff), but the performance is simply substandard for the pricerange, These Coby's have a very muffled sound, and don't come with different size silicone ear inserts (most people know these really aren't one-size-fits-all). I'm tossing them -- way worse than the basic Apple buds. - Headphones - Cheap - Earbuds - Coby'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Memory Card Adapters - cell phone memory, micro sdhc

Visit Store Now !!

This 8 GB micro SD card is excellent. Not much else you can say. I paid for the item, it shipped and I got it. It works on my Sansa Fuze 8 GB MP3 Player and now I have 16 GB total. It comes with a standard SD-Card adapter so you can plug it into a camera or laptop, etc.

The price was right but the shipping was insane to Canada for an item that weighs less than 1 lb with packing material . That is my only complaint and that is on the side of the seller.

Thank you! SanDisk microSDHC 8GB Card with SD Adapter (SDSDQ-8192)

At first it didn't work in my Blackberry 8320 but after a little research I realized that I just needed to update the software to the newer version which supports cards up to 32Gb.

I wanted the card to hold music and photo's and it has done a prefect job. For $21 delivered you cannot go wrong.

I read a lot of reviews about items that come listed as "Bulk Package" and I have to say that so far I have no complaints.

First of all, the brand is SanDisk which is very well known. It's not something that's never been heard of. It's 8GB and has an adapter. How can you really go wrong? This item is so versatile.

I'm using mine in my Blackberry and even though it reads it as only a 4GB, I haven't had any problems. I have been told that this happens a lot in phones. They see it only as a certain amount that the company has 'maxed' on the device (probably because an 8GB didn't exist when it was manufactured), but I've loaded all kinds of photos and music onto it and have had no problems. If all else fails, I know that I can load the micro card into the adapter and use it in my camera. So, really...it's a win-win situation no matter what.

Definitely a good buy.

Gotta love how technology doubles every couple of years. These things just keep getting smaller, faster, higher capcity. Not to mention the cost has come down a lot on all this flash memory stuff. Why get a gig card when you can have eight?! It's cheap! Go ahead, you know you want to.

this was the best deal ive got in awhile! my phone company (starts with A and ends with T) wanted $54.00 for this card and adapter! it is the same brand and same model number. shame on them and good for amazon for charging reasonable rates. card works great in my samsung impression, and adapter works with my dell and hp computers.

I recently purchased this card for my Samsung Behold. It has worked really well and I have had no problems so far. The 8gb has been enough space for my music, photos, and videos. And the adapter was a nice bonus making it easy to swap files between my phone and laptop.

It's a great deal and works well in my Sansa Fuze. Holds like 80 hours of music at high quality. The adpator is handy too.

Might not be the fastest (speed rating is 2) but for my need it's fine and was one of the cheapest I could find. It arrived in 4 days

The card I received was a pretty blatant fake. Even if I didn't have a real sandisk 4gb microsd card to compare it to the bad ink job on the face of the card (some numbers/letters are incomplete) and the incorrect labeling of the size are pretty good indicators. For what it's worth, the card I received was actually 8 gb, but it reads so slowly I can barely get things to recognize it half the time, even after formatting it. If you just need a card to hold data for storage and don't care at all about potential read speed problems, this is probably a decent deal for you, otherwise I'd recommend you steer clear.

The product was shipped quickly and I received it promptly too but it wasn't the same as advertised. Instead of a sandisk micro sd card I got a hitachi card. The add on adapter was of very cheap quality too. - Micro Sd - 8gb Sdhc - Micro Sdhc - Cell Phone Memory'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Floppy Drive - external floppy drive, floppy drive

Visit Store Now !!

I needed a replacement 3.5" drive. My drive stopped working about a year ago. I had no need for it. I was looking through some boxes & found 35 Kodak Picture Discs from the middle 90's to around 2000. So I needed a quality but inexpensive machine. Very easy plug n play USB connection. 3 of my discs would not play, but I think that was due to the way I storred them. If you need a drive to look at some old stuff, this is for you. Some new computers don't even have a 3.5" drive. Also remember to transfer those pictures from the 3.5" discs to CD-rom or DVD's. Slim Design USB External Floppy Disk Drive 1.44 MB FDD 3.5 Inchs

Folks, it's a $14 USB floppy drive - it works... it's a bit slow (all floppy drive are!!!) It does the job, it came w/i a week, I've used it for what I needed and I'll put it in a drawer and break it out the next time I need to pull data from a 10+ year old 3.5" floppy disk.

If you haven't used a floppy drive in a while this thing is going to seem SLOW... but they were slow 10 years ago.

I bought 7 of these for work purposes. 2 of the USB cords came out of the box defective, 3 quit working after the 1st week. NOT good odds for buying 7 and ONLY 2 left. Save your $ and DO NOT buy this brand as they are CHEAP!!

I purchase to attempt to transfer to CD since current unit does not have floppy

drive. I had put embroidary patterns on floppies when my wife got Embroidary machine and these patterns I saved as her choices. on floppies. I have not yet been able to solve accomplishing this as info provided with unit was not worth much as to help. If some one is around that can put instructions in laymen terms so I can get patterns on CDs thank you.

Bud Moulton

I have compact presario with XP - Usb Floppy Drive - Floppy Drive - External Floppy Drive'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Sony Alarm Clock Radio - sony alarm clock radio, battery backup

Visit Store Now !!

This clock radio shares an obvious family resemblance to its highly successful predecessor, the Sony ICF-C218 Automatic Time Set Clock Radio (Black): 90% of the buttons and functions of the earlier version are implemented and placed identically in the newer model. The buttons and their labeling are so intuitive that a manual is hardly needed (but helpful for the Sleep and Time Zone buttons). The ICF-C318 possesses four new buttons, switches and controls and a feature that make it a more desirable model than the earlier one: a 3-level brightness button, a two-level buzzer volume switch, a second alarm mode rotary switch, a second alarm time setting control, and most importantly, the 'No Power No Problem' feature means the alarm will still sound even if the AC power is off when the alarm was set to ring. The efficacy of those new contols and feature were assessed.

The brightness control was a feature requested by many users of the ICF-C218 who complained it was too bright in a darkened room. There is no doubt that the display of the newer ICF-C318 can be set to be very dim (thus pleasing insomniacs bothered by the 'nighlight effect') but at its brightest setting it is still too dim to be seen clearly in a brightly lit room. The alarm buzzer is not really a buzzer, its a peeper and the two level slide control has little noticeable effect on volume - its just not very loud either way. When ignored the alarm peeps more frequently. If you need a really loud alarm, you will be safer using the radio alarm rather than the buzzer. The rotary switches to set alarm mode (off, buzzer, radio) are improved in that the indicator on the switch is a larger, more visible groove than the the tiny, hard-to-see pit of the earlier model. The alarm time set knobs allow a new time to be set very quickly and easily; they are just a little clunkier looking than the sleek recessed toggle control of the earler model. The 'No Power No Problem' feature is the best new feature for this unit that sets it apart from the ICF-C218. I expect my alarm clock to work at a very high level of reliability, a power outage is no excuse for failure of that function. In this regard, the ICF-C318 performs as expected, but the ICF-C218 fails miserably. If the alarm mode is set to radio and the AC power is off when the alarm should ring, the ICF-C318 uses the buzzer (peeper) alarm instead; the buzzer probably drains less energy from the tiny backup battery than the radio.

The radio portion of this clock radio performs adequately. The sound can be quite clear for a strong station but it is obviously not high fidelity. The radio portion of this unit is just gravy - the alarm and clock function are the only real crucial parts to me. It seems to keep good time. I synchronised it with an atomic clock initially and a week later see no difference between the two when they were compared again. Clock time is maintained by a Li wafer battery even when the AC power is off; I don't know why they didn't use a more common, cheaper, higher capacity backup battery like an AA. The clock will perform automatic advance and setback of the time for regions that follow daylight savings time. Fortunately, this feature can be disabled for regions like the state of Arizona that do not use DST. By comparison, Emerson clock radios that have 'SmartSet' are crippled - DST advance and setback cannot be disabled.

How about aesthetics? In my opinion the earlier version's (ICF-C218) simpler shape and flat faceplate were snappier looking. The rounded faceplate and rear of the newer ICF-C318 seem less attractive. But its easy to dismiss the skin-deep homeliness when the other good features of the ICF-C318 are considered. The ICF-C318 comes in a white case and a black case version (complete Sony model numbers ICF-C318/WC and ICF-C318/BC respectively). This review applies to both color models because they are functionally identical. Although I don't normally like white appliances, it is a little bit easier to read the black button labels on the white case than the white button labels on the black case.

It took a while for me to understand that with this clock there is both a manual and an automated way to spring clock time forward for Daylight Saving Time and to 'fall back' when Standard Time resumes. These two mechanisms don't always play nice together and that can lead to confusion. Well, at least it confused me. I should also point out that the instructions that came with the clock just discuss US Time Zones which have designated DST start/stop dates at least until 2015, and spring forward and fall back at 2AM. In other parts of the world, the designated DST dates and times often differ from the US so it is unlikely that the automated DST adjustment of this clock will be of any use (except in Canada). So where you don't fall into a US time zone, the automatic DST adjustment should be disabled; just remember to use the manual method on the appropriate date. And of course if you live in a part of the US (like Arizona) where DST is not observed, the automatic DST adjustment should likewise be disabled.

I have concluded that the Time Zone setting has no effect on anything including automatic DST adjustment. I can only envision one situation where it would matter or be helpful to set or adjust the Time Zone: if you take the alarm clock with you when you travel and in your travels you cross time zone boundaries. Adjusting the Time Zone allows the clock time to be altered in 1 hour increments without having to go through the Clock button to manually reset the time. Its easy to set the Time Zone, so why don't you set it for your zone anyway?

I will spare you some of the trial and error I went through to try to figure out how DST was implemented and if it worked correctly on this clock. DST adjustments are explained in the manual that came with the clock but those explanations didn't go quite far enough. I wanted to understand it so I could set this up for my mom and know exactly what would happen when DST started and stopped. Maybe my explanation will help you.

Before you start, use the Snooze button to verify the year, month and day. If incorrect, then set using the Clock button.

To Disable Automatic DST Adjustment For Places That Don't Observe DST

Hold down the DST button until 'Aut' then 'OFF' appear, then release. If 'Aut' then 'On' appear, release the DST button then press and hold it again to display 'Aut' then 'OFF' and release the DST button. If the DST LED is illuminated on the front of the clock, press the DST button momentarily: this will have the effect of extinguishing the DST LED and setting back the time 1 hour. If the time is incorrect, find a good reference time source and use the Clock and + - buttons to adjust. So now you are good to go in places like Arizona that don't observe DST. Put some clear tape across the Time Zone and DST buttons so you won't be inadvertantly adjusting them as you are stabbing for the Alarm Reset button in the dark.

To Manually Invoke DST Adjustment

First, make sure you have disabled automatic DST adjustment by holding down the DST button to get Aut' then 'OFF' in the display. To 'spring forward' the clock, momentarily press the DST button. This will illuminate the DST LED and set the clock ahead 1 hour. To 'fall back' momentarily press the DST button. This will extinguish the DST LED and set the clock back 1 hour. By this method you can easily compensate for DST changes in locations other than the US where the date or time for DST start/end are different from the US.

Automatic DST Adjustment

If you live in a US time zone where DST is implemented, the automatic DST adjustment of this clock is handy. It's handy because you don't have to remember to do it and because it's easier than manually changing the time on your clock. To enable automatic DST adjustment, hold down the DST button until 'Aut' then 'On' appear, then release. If 'Aut' then 'OFF' appear, release the button and repeat to display 'Aut' then 'On' and release the DST button. If the date is within the range for DST, then the DST LED illuminates. If the date is within the range for Standard Time, then the DST LED is extinguished. If automatic DST adjustment is on, then at 2 AM on March 9, 2008 for example the clock suddenly jumped forward to display 3 AM and the DST LED became illuminated.

Future Proof Automatic DST Adjustment?

I set the clock ahead to March 8, 2015 and verified that it 'sprung forward' at 2 AM like it should. Without checking the years between 2008 and 2015, I assume the clock would also apply and remove DST on the appropriate date for those years. So the automated DST adjustment of this clock is probably good for at least the next seven years unless DST gets discontinued or altered by Congress before then. Sony ICF-C318 Automatic Time Set Clock Radio with Dual Alarm (Black) - Dual Alarm Clock - Alarm Clock - Battery Backup - Sony Alarm Clock Radio'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Apple Ipad - silicone, case

Visit Store Now !!

It's cheap but doesn't fit very well. The flaps around the front come off easily. I'm not using it anymore, got to be to much of an irritation. Makes it a little more grippy. Cheap price. I wouldn't recommend it. I guess I'll prolly buy the apple case.

This case is excellent for the amount of money it costs. It fits well around the Ipad although the edge flaps in front of the Ipad do flip up occasionally. The material is pretty thin, so it won't provide the best protection, only to scratches. the case does have a good grippy feeling that silicone cases usually give but the back curves a little bit and made it a little uncomfortable for me but not too much to the point where it bothers me. Excellent case if you're looking for just a wrap for the ipad to prevent scratches and to make the ipad a little grippy.

OK, so I bought a crystal clear case before this one and it was a little too hard. I wanted something to offer a little protection and make the Ipad easier to hold. Well this does neither. It makes it much more slippery, think silicone baking sheet or a silpat. It fits so poorly and the sides are so weak if you accidentally grab it wrong on the side its going down. So while being cheap, I thought it was worth a chance, It wasn't. I will go back to my hard case least it fits.

what I received didn't match the picture shown for this item, picture shows wide side and they are actually very narrow. picture shows very black skin , what I receive is a clear smoke color.

This is becoming a real problem on Amazon that they don't seem to care about( I have complained several times) and I am starting to buy less

online as I can't trust what I will get is what what shown. For online shopping you only have the picture to go by and if you can trust that then the experience becomes a bad one. I know amazon will say you can ship it back and get a refund but for many items shipping it back and the time it would take to do is not worth it. Perhaps this is what Amazon and the sellers are counting on, I stop shopping on Ebay for this reason.

I bought it because it was really cheap and I wanted something, anything to protect my brand new iPad. It is a very simple rubber case, but it does fit nicely around the iPad. No, it's not going to give it much protection from falling or anything like that, but it does protect the back from scratches, etc. It's a little slippery to hold. Has a cutout for the Apple logo in back, and for all the ports of the iPad. I think it was worth buying. - Silicone - Skins - Apple Ipad - Case'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Cable Management - home theater, cable organizer

Visit Store Now !!

Look closely at the pictures, the product is very good quality but it needs to be stated that the 110V side only works with a deep style wire box and the A/V side will not work with any box. So to mount this item to the wall correctly, the installer needs to use a deep wall box for the electrical side and ten take a open frame style style mount for the A/V side. Such an animal does not exist, so the best you can do will be to take a double gang deep wire box and cut away most of the back side on the A/V side. Definitely a headache maker.

But the benefits of eliminating 4 connections and 2 extra wires per connection more than make up for the headache once it had been figured out. Otherwise, it looks good and the piece is actually pretty good quality. DataComm 45-0021-WH Recessed Low Voltage Cable Plate with Recessed Power (White)

This product is a perfect solution for keeping wiring hidden behind a flat screen TV. It is high quality

plastic. Be aware however that it will only fit into a sigle gang box, the data portion is open to the

drywall.

I was hoping to get a plug that was not recessed but this looks good and works well, since it stays hidden the looks are not really an issue. One is placed at the TV height at the mount, the other is down low. The low one I placed upside down and it worked better for me, I can run a few cords with ease and now have power for my TV and other toys.

Be aware, this will give you headaches when you try to install it on drywall.The holes on the power outlet side are way to close to back profile.In other words the edge of the cut out in the wall is 4 mm (5/32 inch)away from the mounting hole, no way to be able to use a screw. - Plasma - Cable Organizer - Lcd - Home Theater'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Wireless Router - 80211n, router

Visit Store Now !!

First off, the really tough thing about wireless routers is that your performance can vary dramatically from someone elses. Whether its your hardware, your software, spyware, configuration of your house, your ISP, what type of cordless phone you use, or a myriad of other things, your experience may be entirely different from your best friend's. So, this isn't so much a review of the router as it is a review of my experience with it.

The Good

This router has all of the bells and whistles with the exception of dual band broadcasting. QoS, WISH, VPN, Port Forwarding, all levels of security, etc. It has Gigabit wired ports. You cannot get anything more elsewhere without doubling the price. It is all packaged within an attractive set up that provides hope that this will be your last router for quite some time. Set up is easy and straight forward. And, most importantly, you literally cannot get a faster router when within 30 feet.

The Bad

I really wanted to keep this router but I couldn't. My main problem was heat. After a few hours of use (just being on at all), this router was almost too hot to touch. I actually exchanged it figuring it must be a bad router but the new one was the same way. And, more importantly, when it got hot, I got intermittent lag via my wire machine on my internet traffic. Games that played flawlessly on my old Buffalo router started lagging; video started stuttering; downloads started pausing. Diagnosed it with my ISP as being on my side of their modem. When my old router was plugged in, all problems went away. D-Link tried to help me but there was a language barrier and no matter what we did with QoS and WISH, it didn't go away. I had to return the router.

The Ugly

FYI: Blue lights are pretty but REALLY bright. Seriously, you could read by them.

Like I said, I really wanted to keep it but I had to replace it instead. Your experience may vary so I would encourage you to try it because it is a very feature-rich router. Just keep your old one handy just in case.

P.S. Owned it for three weeks before returning it. D-Link DIR-655 Extreme N Gigabit Wireless Router

Im sitting on this thing right now. Man oh man...im getting a "very good" signal where my connection used to be dropping...

I used to have a few problems with WiFi. The first problem was obviously the range...as I said a few moments ago, the DIR-655 fixed that...I mean, even though it claims 6x range, but I was going to be happy with just a 25% improvement...I seriously think that this router increased my range 50-75%!

I used to always be frustrated with the lack of settings in many routers. Some would have QoS (Quality of Service...something that can prioritize important internet activity like Voice Over IP...internet phone) but it didnt really work. Some would be lacking in semi-advanced routing features...others would barely have any non-novice features at all...This one has plenty of options for the advanced user to have a lot of fun screwing with settings. The most beautiful thing about it though, is that there is a wizard in the interface so that even the most novice of users can set up a great network with strong security. It also has context sensitive online help...what that is, is when you are trying to adjust settings and you dont know what something means, there is a little help button right there that you can click to get an explanation right then and there! Its kinda like the Yin-Yang of routers...

I want to mention that I have been looking at draft-N routers for a few weeks now and have been reading the reviews. The reason that I am writing this review is that it was so hard for me to find a good review on this router. Cnet doesnt even have an official review (as of 2/13/07) but it does have very positive user comments. From my homework though, (user reviews, and more importantly official reviews from Cnet, engadget, etc) every Draft-N wireless router has some kind of problem. Some dont work well in environments with more than a couple neighboring networks, some dont have good throughput, and some dont have better range. Again, I didn't want to buy this one because I couldn't find any solid review on it. After going through a couple of different Draft-N routers, Let me help you out. This is the one.

BTW...im not running an "N" wireless adapter...this thing even increases the range of "B" and "G" signals. GREAT JOB D-LINK!

Very satisfied. Smaller than expected. Fast enough to play HD-DVDs wirelessly to my notebook (Dell Inspiron E1505, 802.11BGN, 945GM, Core Duo (2) 2GHz, Vista Premium, Arcsoft Digital Theater, D-Link DNS-323 NAS). Great speed and coverage. Also handles HDTV perfectly via HDHomeRun device.

Don't forget to upgrade firmware.

Update 11-Nov-2007: This router may be my biggest gadget surprise this year. It continues to perform better than expected, completely solving all past wireless issues and handling all tasks such as streaming HD-DVD.

Update 7-Apr-2011: Another reviewer reports that the device's adapter is no longer dual voltage. References to voltage have been removed? Interested in a versatile travel router? I recommend TRENDnet 300Mbps Wireless-N Travel Router Kit TEW-654TR (Black). It's wireless, remarkably small, 100-240 volts, has an Ethernet port. - Wireless N - Router - 80211n - D-link'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information