Guy Low Price Electronic

Tuesday, 10 August 2010

File Pockets - project folders, avery

Its just a folder? are you kidding. No, its an INDESTRUCTIBLE folder. The material these are made is a semi rigid poly propolene that does NOT bend, hence none of your papers will ever bend. I have some hat I have used all throughout college, and I am VERY rough on my stuff. These are the bomb Avery® Translucent Two-Pocket Folder 47811, Blue

I wasn't going to review this, after all, what can you say - it's a plastic folder, 2 pockets, and with a business card holder. I prefer them to manilla folders because they last better and I like that they are slightly transparent because you know what sort of papers are inside. It's not as thin/flimsy as other plastic folders I have bought and while the plastic is slightly more slippery than cardboard, things stay inside if you hold it correctly. It's lived in my son's backpack since September and seems to be living up to the task, hasn't torn or split yet and papers stay where they should. - Project Folders - Plastic Folders - Avery'

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Dragon Naturallyspeaki - speech recognition, voice recognition

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The progress in speech recognition over the years has been mind boggling. 1995 was when I first started using IBM Via Voice and you had to speak each word distinctly. Original Dragon product was called Dragon Dictate and then they changed it to Dragon Naturally Speaking in 1997 and I have been using it ever since, faithfully upgrading to each new version. At that time when you called technical support you could even talk to Dr. Janet Baker, the inventor of the speech recognition and founder of Dragon.

With version 4 they started Dragon Naturally Speaking Medical and that helped in that medical terminology was already included albeit several folds the cost of the regular professional Dragon Naturally Speaking.

Each version has improved the accuracy and they have not made the product unduly complicated or cluttered, as is the usual tendency with software upgrades. Version 11 of Dragon is slower and needs more resources, I could not run it in Windows 7 under Fusion and have to use it in Windows 7 under Bootcamp on Mac. The speech recognition accuracy is almost 97% in this version: it still stumbles on small words like two, to, too, 2; of, off; and, on; for, per etc. But upgrading from Dragon version 10, the improvement is accuracy is noticeable enough to make this upgrade worthwhile. Although program gives you the option of adding punctuation automatically, in my experience it does not work well and you are better off dictating punctuation. Tutorial videos that come with the program and on their Nuance web site are very helpful. In the past it really helped that you could print the commands and pin the sheet on the wall so you could reference them while dictating: not in this version, they do not give you the option of printing commands. But at least it was a pleasant surprise to see that Nuance has not ruined Dragon 11 like their other product Paperport 12.

Sitting in front of your computer screen you say "Search Hardware Compatibility on Nuance" - and out pop the results of your search in front of your eyes. The program will open your browser, search Google and bring the results on Nuance web site on your screen. For sure, you will be wowed!

Since it is going to be a while before the Dragon medical comes out, I decided to buy Dragon Naturally Speaking Premium 11 Bluetooth which comes with PLANTRONIC Calisto Headset with USB Dongle - 81493-02. For general dictation the accuracy is fantastic. By letting the program scan my previous documents, I have been able to add a lot of medical terminology and save money by finding no need to purchase medical version when it comes out.

Previously they did not allow the option of using different accents in Dragon Medical but in this basic premium version you can and that has also helped improve the accuracy of speech recognition. So by selecting the Indian accent and adding medical vocabulary manually by scanning my documents, I have not only improved the accuracy but also saved money.

I purchased Dragon Naturally Speaking Premium 11 Bluetooth and the Calisto headset that came with it works really well. Although Dragon Naturally Speaking Premium 11 with Digital Recorder comes with Philips LFH0662/00 Digital Voice Tracer 0662 , if you look at Nuance web site for accuracy of different recorders under "Hardware Compatibility" Sony ICD-MX20 Memory Stick Pro Duo Digital Voice Recorder is the only recorder that gets 6 stars and I have been using it with Dragon.

Nuance's marketing department is very lazy and they use the same cookie cutter boilerplate text for all the different Dragon Naturally Speaking product lines without differentiating them but if you search "Feature Matrix" on their web site you can find the differences in different lines. The very basic Dragon Naturally Speaking Home 11 cannot be used with a recorder, has limited correction playback ability, and does not share vocabulary with different audio input sources. Then they also describe Dragon Naturally "Professional" version which does not show up on Amazon, as of September 2010, but has the ability to record macros and programming VBA scripts. Most users will need Dragon Naturally Speaking Premium 11. The premium version has text expanding commands, for example you can add a command to insert your full address when you say "home address". I still cannot figure out whether Dragon Naturally Speaking Premium 11 Student Edition has any less features or just a cheaper version of Dragon Naturally Speaking Premium 11. Looks like anyone can order it and you do not have to be a student. Nuance does not even give you the specifics of Digital Voice Recorder and Bluetooth versions in the product descriptions. What sluggard's?

The technical support from Nuance stinks - almost non-existent. If you run into any technical problems, you are much better off searching it on Google and using the expertise of other users in different forums. Don't expect any technical support from Nuance. Even their web site is disorganized and cluttered. They have all the information available on their web site, but just not obvious. Sometimes you have to search Google to find information on Nuance web site. Thankfully they appear to have some wiser voices in Dragon product development which are keeping their eye on the ball and have prevented Nuance from messing up the speech recognition accuracy and user interface of Dragon, so far. Another annoying thing they have started in this version is the pop up ads from software updater hounding you to buy their program Paperport 12.

For getting speech into the software, you have lot of different options that include corded and cordless headsets and microphones and recorders including PDA's. The whole list of voice capturing products is on Nuance's web site under "Hardware Compatibility" and they rate each one of them for voice recognition accuracy by number of Dragon's. Sony ICD-MX20DR9 32MB Flash-Based Digital Voice Recorder has the highest number of six Dragons. But following are what they sell and recommend and have good voice recognition fidelity:

A). Calisto Pro Bluetooth headset which comes with this version of Dragon Naturally Speaking Premium 11 Bluetooth. But you can also buy it separately. In my experience it has the best speech recognition fidelity of all the microphones I have used, including Andrea. Purchasing Calisto Bluetooth as a part of this Dragon 11 Bluetooth version is a lot better deal that buying the two separately.

B). Philips SpeechMike - SpeechMike Air 3010 which is a wireless microphone but more expensive or Philips SpeechMike Pro Plus 5276 USB which has a cord. Advantage is the programmable buttons. I used it in QuickBooks Pro 2009 because the buttons could be customized for commands like next field, tab, correct, delete line, etc. But voice recognition accuracy is not as good as Calisto.

C). Dictaphone PowerMic II Nuance-Dictaphone that works with Dragon and they sold it previously only with their Medical and Legal versions. SpeechMike and Dictaphone recorders give you the ability to pause, play, fast forward and customize buttons for different commands. SpeechMike (and Dictaphone) are useful if you are going to use speech recognition in programs other than word processing or plain documents.

D). Voice recorders like Sony ICD-MX20, Philips Digital Tracer and numerous others which you can find by searching "Hardware Compatibility" on Nuance web site.

In last 10 years I have mostly dictated on recorders and then done the corrections at the end of the day in Dragon software. Real time correction can be time consuming and interrupt the flow of work; depending upon your line of work and accent too. Until now, I used SpeechMike 5276 for Dragon speech recognition in specialized software like Quickbooks, Quicken etc. mainly because it has programmable buttons - for example you can program a button to insert Ctrl-Delete at the same time. I am not sure if Philips SpeechMike makes you more efficient and productive than Bluetooth headset but it certainly is lot more expensive. Now that speech accuracy has improved with the Calisto Bluetooth headset included in this version and the corrections do not take as much time, I have been dictating real time instead of using a recorder.

If you need to write a lot in your work e.g. journalist, lawyers, doctors, students, or for other projects, then you will not go wrong with this Dragon 11 Bluetooth version. It has the best speech recognition accuracy of all the microphones and will save you a lot of keyboard input and time. Dragon NaturallySpeaking Premium 11 Bluetooth - Speech Recognition - Voice Recognition - Nuance - Dragon Naturallyspeaki'

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Zippered Bags - tool bags, accessory bag

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I liked these so much I purchased a 2nd set. I use them for everything but tools. With the colors I know what is in them without opening them up. I use one to carry my medical supplies another for personal belonging, shaver and supplies and I use the bright orange one for carrying my GPS unit, cell phone and wallet so I did not have to leave them in the car. The bags are strong canvas with a strong metal zipper. Klein Tool 5140 4-piece Set of Canvas Zipper Bags

I like the Different colors to help with realizing what's inside them. Only wrench I can't fit in them is my 1" Open End Craftsmen wrench, so they are of very good size, and of high quality. They should last me a long time.

These bags are amazing, and far bigger than I was expecting, so check the measurements. I use them for storing small tools, paintbrushes, even pens, pencils etc. Planning to order more in the future, and one or two of the bigger Klein tool bags for storing bigger tools. I like to refinish furniture, but I also like that area to look as neat and livable as the rest of my home, and these bags are perfect. Perhaps this shouldn't matter but they also look great and I like the colors, especially the orange.

These are heavy duty canvass bags. I have about 8 of them now. Ive been using them for storing tools and storing electronic cords during motorcycle trips. Ive had this set of bags for years, using them in my work vehicle and besides being dirty, theyre working like new. Heavy duty canvass with heavy duty zippers.

So far, everythinh I had brouth from Amazon, was delivered accurately and in good shape.

I may pay a little more with shipping, but in the end,it was well worth it.

I am Field Service Eng. and those bags are a "home" for my tools.

Klein products are allways reliable and sturdy.

These top quality canvas storage bags are ideal for transporting tools, accessories,

or small parts. They are made of tough canvas, with a brass zipper which also has an

good sized handle. I am using all four of these bags within my tool box, and I find

their quality hard to beat. Looking for quality? Choose Klein. - Accessory Bag - Tool Bags'

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Pre Accessories - touchstone, palm

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My wife and I upgraded our Sprint phones to Palm Pixis in late 2009. A month or so after that the magnet (which holds the recharger flap closed) in my Palm Pixi backing cover fell out. I then purchased two touchtone cover upgrades for myself (black) and my wife (pink) at Palm's website. The touchtone back covers seem to be better than the stock back covers in that they seem more rigid/rugged and the dimpled backs make gripping easier (and visually look nice). However, within one week the magnet had fallen out of my new touchtone recharger flap leaving the recharging flap to "dangle it the wind". A week later my wife's pink touchtone cover also lost the magnet in the flap. Whatever glue Palm is using for the magnet just isn't working...batting .000 (0/3) in my experience.

If the recharger flap magnets did not fall out I would give this 4 or 5 stars because I think the cover is good build quality and I like the concept of being able to change out colors or worn covers. But, since I am 0 for 3 on magnet durability I have to give this 2 stars for now. I will try and reglue my magnet and see how that works out. Palm Pixi Touchstone Cover (Cover)

This is a very cool product. It's really convenient to just put your phone on top of the touchstone charger and have it charge without having to plug anything else in! The case also looks very cool, with the textured back instead of the flat black of the original. HOWEVER, the magnet problem that everyone else is writing about is completely true. When I read them, I thought those might be the exceptions, but lo and behold, a couple days later, my magnet fell right out. Really inconvenient. Now I have to try to glue the thing back on, which is lame. Yes, I know you won't need the plug too often if you're using the touchstone charger, but sometimes you still want to transfer files from a computer or whatnot. Either way, the magnet should not come out THAT easily. Very poor quality feature on an otherwise neat gadget.

I'm not sure whether it was this particular product, but the design of this case is flawed. I bought this one to replace the original one which broke in the same way. The side flap to insert the battery charger is held with a magnet. Within a week, the magnet came unglued from the case and now the flap annoyingly hangs open.

I think this is a design flaw with the case, not the seller.

This is great, if you are using the Touchstone charging dock. If you are not using the Touchstone charging dock, get a less expensive back. All the people stating that the magnet falls out of the USB port cover are not using the Touchstone. If they were they would not have to open the USB port cover. All that being said, you should get the Touchstone. It is the greatest product ever.

This backing is very nice... until the tiny magnet that holds the charging port flap shut comes off, which only took 2 days for me. Nice concept, everything else about the product is nice but the constantly open flap is very irritating, especially when you consider that I replaced the original factory''Palm'' backing because of quality issues as well.

UPDATE* The rest of the case is now peeling back away fromt the plastic. What a piece of garbage.

this item is compatible with the palm pre/pixi touchstone. it's a little more durable and rugged than the one that comes with the pixi. it was easy to put on the phone. I like that it's slightly textured. my only complaint about it, is that palm has not released it in other colors yet, so if you bought a case in color, but you want to use the touchstone dock, then you have to switch the back covers again. I think eventually it will come out in a variety of colors, but its still looks stunning in black. it works well, i like it a lot!

I have had both the original blue (non-Touchstone) cover and a black Touchstone cover for almost a year now. I have not had any trouble at all with either the magnet falling off nor the case warping for either of these covers. What I have had trouble with is getting the Touchstone charging system to work. It worked fine for a couple of weeks, and then gradually got less and less reliable. I had to take the phone off the Touchstone and put it back on several times before it would start charging. If I did not watch it to make sure it was really charging, the next morning I would find that it had not charged at all. Finally I concluded that it was less trouble to just charge the phone via USB cable and forget about the Touchstone. (Yes, I know that the Touchstone has to be used with the Touchstone cover in order to work.) I have no idea whether it was the Touchstone or the Touchstone cover that was defective. Too bad, because I really loved the Touchstone system when I could get it to work.

I bought this case because I was disappointed with the durability of the regular, rubberized back the phone came with. While this one if much more sleek and nicer to hold, the magnetic cover for the charging port lasted less than a month before it came off. The cover no longer stays closed. Hopefully an easy fix with some super glue, but not very encouraging.

This review has nothing to do with the seller. My product was delivered on time and in the condition it was stated to have been in. The product however is garbage. The whole reason i needed to replace the cover to my palm pixi was because the charger jack cover was broken. I would say within a week it was broken again in the same fashion as the one i needed to replace. The magnet that holds the flap to the phone broke off of the flap and now the flap just hangs there uselessly. I would not suggest anyone get this phone. There is absolutely nothing worthwhile about this product. - Palm - Chargers - Touchstone - Covers'

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Point And Shoot

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...is one you'll have with you. The nice thing about the Canon ELPH series is they easily fit into your pocket, are well built/designed, don't cost a lot, come with a boatload of features, and take great pictures. The SD1300, the latest in the ELPH line continues in that tradition, adding considerable additional sophistication and sacrificing some useful functionality in the interest of cutting cost.

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

- Many of the functions are only accessible through menus, sometimes several levels deep. The good new is the Automatic and scene modes are pretty good (as long as you spend a few minutes reviewing what they really do). This camera is not intended to be used in aperture or shutter priority, let alone full manual.

- The battery life might be shorter than you expect. That's a trade-off for having a camera that's small and light; you get a battery that is small and light. One thing you can do is get a spare battery. That is good advice for any camera. Another thing that will help is to keep the display off as much as possible. That means using the monitor as little as possible. The "sad" part is that Canon chose to drop the optical viewfinder in this model. That means a camera that is simpler and less expensive to make but will go through batteries quicker because you must use the display when taking picture.

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

Some other suggestions that apply:

- Use the lowest ISO available given your requirement for either aperture or shutter speed. To avoid getting technical, higher ISO always introduces higher noise. At issue is when it becomes noticeable. In newer dSLR cameras you can get over 1000, maybe well over depending on the camera, before the noise becomes noticeable. For this camera keeping it at or below 200 is a good idea.

- Don't use in-camera sharpening. Digital pictures will almost always benefit from sharpening but you are better off doing it with a photo editing program. Computer-based algorithms tend to be more sophisticated and you can better judge the results on your monitor as opposed to the camera LCD.

- If you want more vivid colors and have the choice use sRGB instead of Adobe RGB. While you get fewer colors they are distributed over a wider range. They are also render better on computer monitors, many commercial labs, and any other place your pictures are likely to show up.

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

BTW, I feel that honest, effective reviews can take the place of first-hand experiences that are lacking in online shopping. I've always appreciated the help I've received from other reviewers and work hard to return the favor as best as I can. I hope you found this review helpful and if there was anything you thought was lacking or unclear leave a comment and I'll do what I can to fix it. Canon PowerShot SD1300IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Blue)

I will try to share some things I have discovered about this camera, these are just my thoughts, I hope they might be of help .

Some things I am compairing to a canon SD1200 and the SD940, SD1400.

I do not use the viedo enough to judge that part of the cameras.

** No SD memory card included with this camera **, see below

* Some will miss the eye viewfinder that the SD1200 has.

* Some will miss the HD 720p in the movie mode that the SD940,SD1400 has, The SD1300 has 640x480 at 30fps like the canon SD1200, G11 and S90.

* The SD1300 has ( no optical zoom while recording video ) just digital zoom.

* There is a date feature on the SD1300, see below

* The flat button arangement is the same as the SD1200 all but the (( Power Button )) on top is larger and easier to turn on and off, I like that ( but be careful ) it does not come on in your pocket, purse or in your soft camera case.

* I have not had any trouble using any of the buttons even with my big old hands. The flat buttons on the SD1300 are a ( tad larger than on the SD940 and SD1400 ).

* The menu screens are large and very easy to read and use.*

* You get a 2.7inch very clear LCD screen that has a (very good and wide viewing angle in all directions).

Note > when your LCD screen is set to a lower brightness you can push and hold down the display button for 1 second and it will go to the brightest setting and do that again and it will go back to the lower setting...

A 28mm x 112mm lens, a little better than the 35 x 105 on the SD1200 ( But no view finder on the SD1300 ).

* The SD1300 is very easy to use and small enough to carry every place you go for those spontaneous grand kid pictures like the SD 1200 was .

Just a very good basic camera.

* I like that the mic for the video is in the front of the camera instead of being on the top (where I put my finger) like the canon SD970 and others, it picks up less finger movement noise being in the front.

** Timing and Performance** ( Using program mode )> Very fast start up time of just over 1 sec.

I can not tell any difference in shot to shot or flash shot to shot times between the SD1300 and the SD1200 using them in the program mode, which is ( 2secs with out the flash ), and 3 to 4secs with the flash on, (( up to 6secs for full flash recharge )).

(Update > Some of review sites(C-NET) are getting around 2.7 to 3 seconds for the SD1300 between shots with out the flash so I grabed the two cameras and tryed the two again(SD1300 SD1200) with and with out the flash on and I had the same results both ways, ((I used program mode)) both times and they would focus and recharge the flash evenly also...)

Shutter lag is good for a canon point and shoot but if you ( pre focus ) that will help even more. To pre focas > > Push shutter button down half way untill camera beeps and green square apears on LCD screen,picture should be clearly in focas at this point, if not let up on the shutter button and repeat the steps again. these steps will also help take a good clear (in focas) picture, just something for you to try if your having trouble getting your picture.

I never tested the continuous shooting( but see my battery test) but canon says it is 0.9 per sec where the sd 1200 is 1.4 shots per sec, if that is important to you. UPDATE > The 1200 does seem to be faster, quicker than the 1300 in continuous mode, how much I dont know but you can tell the difference...

* (Battery) I did test the battery (NB-6L same battery as SD1200) by using continuous shooting mode ( with the flash on ) and got well over 400 pictures and it was taking ( 1 picture every 2 seconds or less in the continuous mode( flash on ) if that helps you out on the continuous shooting part, and when I turned the flash off it seemed to do prety good coming from a newer small canon point and shoot world.

* (Battery life). In real life I get around 300 or more pictures with some of them using the flash, your still need a second battery for a backup.

* The battery has a little larger capacity at 1000mAh in the SD1300, were as the canon SD940 and the SD1400 is a smaller capacity at 760mAh if that matters to you.

** A nice backup battery is a (power2000) for canon NB-6L (1200mAh)$19.00. I have used them for years.

I really like the battery charger that comes with the camera, it is small and charges quickley, about one and a half hours the very first charge and then one hour or less there after...

Some set back the brightness of the LCD a couple of notches to save some battery. I think your new battery will do better after the first couple of charges.

* 10/30/2010 At the Columbus zoo we shot 350 pictures and a lot of them with flash on with one charge...

** Very good image quality keeping the iso at 200 and below.

I am getting about the same image quality as the SD 1200 which is very good for this small size point and shoot camera.

* As point and shoots get better we often try and compare them to digital SLRs ( speed,noise, ISOs, picture quality ) but because of the point and shoots very small sensors and craming all those mega pixels into them it is just asking to much of the little cameras....

Fewer pixels mean there's more room on the sensor and the individual pixels can be made larger to gather more light, making the camera better able to record low-noise images in low-light situations.

This is just me, but I like using the program mode and 100,200iso best and I try not to use the auto mode indoors ((auto works good outdoors in good light though, Lighting is everything. Indoors alot of times auto seems to want to use a (very high iso)(and sometimes no flash) to get low light photos, but this just results in more noise, which makes your pictures look noisy grainy or snowy looking on larger prints,(or the yellow tint that some are talking about).

* I use program mode and set the iso indoors to (( 100iso ))in good light conditions or ( 200 iso ) in poorer light indoors for the best image quality indoors with out all noise in the picture. Again auto does good outdoors in good light but keep your eye on the iso in auto indoors...

* Portrait mode does better indoors than auto in keeping the iso down. It uses 200iso and below. not bad...

*They also have taken away the supper fine quality option for the last couple of years , you just have fine and normal now, I miss the supper fine option...

The more I use this camera the more I find myself useing ( 100iso in program mode ) in good light conditions indoors or outdoors). Again indoors you might have to use 200 to get the picture you like...

** Just a side note, before judgeing the camera and your picture quality on your computer or camera screen get some pictures printed out, why I say this I thought the pictures that I took at the rest home were just ok, but I took them to the store and had 8 by 10s made and they look so so much better, you can see these pictures on this site under (view and share images on the SD1300s home page). I wish you could see the printed ones...

* A lot of the review sites blow there pictures way up and look for defects, your likely to only make 5x7 or 8x10s and not see (what they see).

If you are going to make larger prints or need a better (low light camera) and still stay in a point and shoot you could go with a canon S90, S95 or the bigger G11, G12, but (much more money I know)! Just keep the iso down at 200 and below and you will do fine...)

* The SD1300 seems to have a nice sharp lens even at the telephoto end of the zoom.

Highlights sometimes tend to blow out in very bright sun (direct light source) as with all small cameras(small sensor) this size, you can see this in some of the pictures I posted on this sight for the 1300. ( But to be fair my G11 does this also ).

I do not use I-Contrast in the program mode while shooting, some times in play back I will try it but I am not a big fan of it even then, it will brighten the picture up in dark areas but seems to increase the noise a little, again this is just me alot of people seem to like it and have good luck with it see what you think...

In auto mode you have no controll of I-Contrast and can not turn it off or on...

* I just realy like the colors in the pictures that the canon cameras produce, again thats just me thinking out loud.

Not much problem with red eye in pictures useing the SD1300 unless in a very dim lit room and there are some times when it can not modify or fix it in red-eye correction,

I have many small newer canon cameras and it is no worse or better with red eye than the rest of my newer cameras with red eye correction.

The SD1300 has a touch more style, larger LCD and a little more virsatle lens than the SD1200, but the 1200 is also a very good camera.

The SD1300 does have a weak battery door cover like the SD1200.

*No Memory card * You do not get a (SD Memory Card) with the camera, they just do not include a card anymore, just be aware so you won't be with out one.

A 4gb card ( class 4 or class 6 ) would be a good place to start (if your going to use the movie mode any at all ).

You could get by with a 2gb ( which is good for about 632 pictures ) if not using the video mode much.

A 4gig SD card would be good for 1,231 pictures.

* If your new to this digital camera stuff remember to low level format the SD card first thing.

( Save your pictures first, doing this will also erase all your pictures. )

* I have used the SD1300 for about 12 months now and is holding up very well.

* There is a date feature on the SD1300, it shows up on the right side at the bottom of the picture.

You can see it when reviewing the photo...

Push menu button and scroll down, it is the very last idem there, You have 3 choices,(off), (date), (date and time)...

When you go to take your picture your screen will have the word (DATE) on the screen above the iso reading, right side at bottom so you will know it is on...

* I carry my camera in a little phone case that has a belt clip not a loop for fast & easy on and off the belt.

* OK, your right I could lose it that way...

I definitely recommend picking up a small camera case for protection, watch out for cases using velco,the velco likes to grab ahold of you camera strap and not let go.

I also like theLowepro Apex 20 AW (Black) CASE it has room for spare battery, sd card cable, cleaning cloth). It has a little rain coat also. Good for hikers and backpackers.

The Lowepro Napoli 20 case is very nice but no room for spare battery on this one and could let dust in case, not fully inclosed.

** Casecrown ( SD1300IS 12 MP Digital Camera Carrying CaseCrown Black ) < I like these alot > Canon PowerShot SD1300IS 12 MP Digital Camera Carrying CaseCrown Compact Travel Case (Black)

Canon PowerShot SD1300IS 12 MP Digital Camera Carrying CaseCrown Compact Travel Case (Crimson) < < See my reviews on these if you have the time > >CaseCrown Protective Compact Travel Camera Case (Grey) for Canon PowerShot SD1300IS 12 MP Digital Camera

Be carefull of some of the canon cases, the metal magnet catch on the flap might or could scratch the cameras LCD screen takeing it out or puting it in the case (just my thoughts).. I am sure alot people like them and have good luck with them, this is just my opinion, The canon case I have (Canon PSC-55 Deluxe Leather Compact Case) has no room for a spare sd card or spare battery if that would help you any.

These are very nice and roomy cases, with alot of storage > Case Logic DCB-302 Compact Camera Case (Black)

Case Logic DCB-302 Compact Camera Case (Gray)

One more case to look at Case Logic QPB-201 EVA Molded Compact Camera Case (Black) Only one zipper on this one and xtra battery seems to slide out of case a tad to freely .

* In the menu mode I set the I S mode to continous.

The display overlay to grid lines(the grid lines help me take straighter pictures, you may use it for the 1/3 rule also).

I set review to 2seconds,

AF-assist beam to on,

Review info to off,

Lens retract to 0 seconds.

White ballance to auto, if this would be of any help to you.

I like using continuous shooting mode alot also.

I like to set the AF (auto focas) frame

to center (some times) instead of face AiAF and just shoot (focas) on what ever that I am shooting , this is found in the main menu setting, Again this is just me dont take this advice to the bank but check it out if you want or have the time...

I posted some pictures on this site ( see > View and share related images on main page ) for the SD1300, to give you some idea about how your pictures would look (color - sharpness - moving shots - iso noise in pictures - zooms - modes - cropped pictures), if that would help.

* Please look at everybodys pictures to see what you think before you buy the SD1300.

(( Please if mine pictures are not helpful vote them down and I will delete those, I need to delete a lot of them, please help me out here, Thanks...)

If you have any questions I will try to answer them the best I can, no camera is perfect...well not many.

My favorite SD point & shoot was a canon SD550, SD850, SD880, I thought the SD1100 and SD870 were very good looking cameras but never had a chance to use one of them, what was your fav canon SD...

I mostly take pictures of bear in the Smokey Mountians (CADES COVE) and love chaseing the grand kids around taking their pictures. ( And this year the Outter Banks NC ).

Update 2/3/2011 > The new replacement camera for the SD1300 is being called a Canon PowerShot ELPH 100 HS 12 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 4X Optical Zoom (Grey)

Comes in 5 colors (Blue, Silver, Grey, Pink and Orange)

Note one of many changes is that they did change the battery used to a NB-4L 760mAh from the NB-6L 1000mAh battery if that would be any of help.

Many other interesting changes also,some are good and some not so good , Alot of bells and whistles on this one, check it out...'

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Rechargeable Batteries - 18v battery, battery

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Part to answer the earlier reviews , when I researched this battery when DeWalt announced it, the FAQ at that time stated " these batteries have the same amp hour rating as our Ni-Cad XRP packs, they will NOT give you longer run time in the tool vs. a new XRP ni-cad battery. The advantages they offer are increased lifespan (2000 charge cycles for lithium ion vs. ~800 for ni-cad or less if you abuse them, lighter weight, and longer "hold" time - if you charge this battery and not use it for a month it will still be charged, ni-cad will be near dead from internal losses which is common to all ni-cad batteries.

When I first got these batteries I was a little dismayed at the mismatch at the old tools bases, as I used them more over the last year I started to appreciate the different shape as a quick way to identify the "good batteries", one year and hundreds of charges later I love these batteries, in the drill you won't notice a huge difference, but in the higher draw tools like the circular saw and angle grinder the Lithium batteries give you full performance from the full charge of the battery, with ni-cad you get a few good cuts with the saw and then you have to slow down because the saw is slowing down, with the lithium you get full rpms throughout the charge of the battery until at the very end the battery protection kicks in and shuts the tool down. This is to prevent the user from discharging the battery to the point that it damages the battery (idiot proofing), which would seriously reduce the life span. DEWALT DC9180 18 -Volt Lithium-Ion Battery Pack

I'm a sheet metal worker, (tin knocker)if you will and I've got no regrets about this batteries. Yeah it doesn't match the shape at the bottom of the old batteries but it is lighter an actually last me longer than my old ones . Now if how it looks is what worries you and not how it works,then maybe this isn't for you. Lets face it , is a tool not fashion... I personally bought the impact driver cause my job requires a lot of screwing of sheet metal screws on 24 to 18 gauge steel and these batteries last me about four days without the need for another charge...compare that to maybe two full days with the regular ones, that's a long time if you count that we hold almost everything with screws... so we screw all day basically and, yeah, the don't warn you when they are about to "die" but that is a good thing cause you always work with the full power of the tool or no power at all. I know I killed an old battery just trying to get the last little juice off of it and when I tried to charge it again, it wouldn't. So this feature actually doesn't let me burn it to death. It works with all my 18v tools; my recip. saw, my spot light, my fluorescent light, my hammer drill driver, my jigsaw, and my double cut shears... hope this helps in your decision...

I love this battery and the fact that DeWalt made it compatible with nearly all of their other 18v tools. That alone should earn it a place in the power-tool hall of fame, if there is such a place.

The price gave me sticker shock, but I also know a bit about what goes in a lithium battery - it's not cheap, not to mention that it needs active electronics for care & feeding of the cells if I'm not mistaken.

Speaking of which:

BATTERY-SAVING TIP: Keep your Forward/Reverse switch in the middle OFF position to prevent accidentally draining the battery if the trigger presses something in your toolbox.

If you already have DeWalt 18v tools (and you got out of the stock market before it tanked), this addition is a no-brainer. Yes, the aesthetics of the old/new socket-battery-mating aren't perfect, but then, the lithium batteries are totally different batteries. What's important to me is that it works - and in that, it excels (so far... I haven't had 'em long enough for any of 'em to fail)

I've posted a few reveiws about batteries from Dewalt and other manufacturers, so after having a couple of these new 'nano' batteries for a while now, I think I can post an honest review.

They are very good batteries, but you have to know what you expect out of them.

Runtime between charges is about the same as the XRP dewalt nicad battery. When we use this battery on the same job as an xrp nicad, they hold a charge for 'about' the same time.

The strength of this battery is the longevity of it. An average xrp nicad dewalt battery will last us almost a year before we have to buy a new one (used almost every day). Our crew bought a set of Makita Lithium batteries and tools, and they only lasted us 4-6 months before needing to get replaced. However, these new dewalt batteries are almost 1 and a half years old and still running strong.

So from our experience, you won't get any more 'run time' before needing to charge this battery than you do out of the old fashioned XRP batteries, but you will more than make up the extra money on these batteris in overall 'long term' battery life over the XRP nicads, and they last a LOT longer before needing to be replaced compare the the Makita lxt batteries.

I almost never review products, but this battery from DeWALT inspired me. I have used their products for years and loved the longevity and reliability... however their batteries have never impressed me.

The battery runs at full power and lasts until the last drop.

You can swap it between almost any of their 18v tools.

With the old NiCad batteries if you left it sitting for a few days between uses you would have to recharge the batter before use. This is not true with their lithium battery you can leave it sitting for weeks and it will still be as fully charged as it was when you left it.

I have been using these with my other DeWALT tools for months now only had to recharge the battery 3 times

I am able to use my impact hammer 6hrs without stopping.

I would defiantly recommend this battery to anyone who uses a DeWALT product. - 18v - 18v Battery - Lithium-ion - Battery'

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Made In Italy 2 Button Suit

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I think they are very good suits, worth the price.I bought two suits for my husband,we are satisfied with them. But there's a little point to remind other customs, it is the size of the suits is a little bigger than some others, I think it's American style, so when I bought 42R for my husband who is 6 ft. and 185 pounds, there is a little bit bigger, then I exchaged to 40R Gino Valentino Made in Italy Mens Suit 3 Button 2pc Canvas Front Jacket Italian Suit Australian Merino Wool / Silk 150s Charcoal Gray Stripe (38 Regular)

The quality of the fabric and the exceptional attention to detail still amaze me with this suit. I was VERY hesitant to buy a suit online, but the reviews and the low price made me figure, why not try. I cannot explain how much nicer this suit is than I imagined. It's as nice and in some ways nicer than my Brooks Brothers suit. The only downside I'd say is that it is a very boxy cut, and if you have an athletic figure you're going to have to get the jacket tailored a fair amount to get it to look it's best. But $80 tailoring still makes this suit a steal for what you're getting. I ended up buying 4 more suits from the same manufacturer since this one was so nice and the other 4 are fantastic as well.

I'm 5 ft 5 tall and 170 lbs in weight, C:38 and W:34. I ordered 40R and everything fits perfectly except like other reviews said: it was a bit snug in the crotch region and the trousers was a tad longer than I thought, needs hemming.

Overall, the quality is great for a 200$ suit; I have nothing to complaint about.

I've never bought online, and I've been skeptical about some of thee reviews, but for $200 bucks it was a gamble worth taking. So....if your the type of guy who shops for suits in Men's Warehouse or Joseph A Banks, this suit will definitely exceed your expectations by far. The one thing you need to know is because of the cut of the suit- it's tighter than the normal American suit in the crotchal region. The lining of the suit jacket is impressive, although I'm far from an expert. Customer service seems very solid too.

A friend of mine and I were at Jos A Bank a couple of days back and were shown some $2000-3000 suit with the usual pitch of buy one get other half and 60-70% off deals. I was just browsing Amazon and stumbled upon Darya Trading's Gino valentino designer suits. Ordered a 40R for a friend who is getting married in a couple of weeks and a 44L for myself that fits like a glove. Will definitely order more products from Darya Trading. Also ordered a two button black wool & silk suit for a friend. Extremely satisfied customers. Keep up the good work.

I give it a 2 star only to catch people's attention. I bought this suit mainly because of the excellent reviews. However, I truly believe some of the reviews were written by seller. The labeled retail price is totally misleading. The suit should be priced around $200-$300 if it is sold in local store. So internet price of ~$150 totally matches what you pay for. Don't expect to get a great bargain. Overall, I don't regret to make the purchase. The material is decent and lining is not bad. Comparing it to my Nordstrom suit (On sale for $300), the difference is subtle. Of course, the more expensive one does have better quality. So, I would say it is a good buy for the price. But again don't have too high an expectation so you don't get disappointed.

What can I say. It was a nice suit and how can you beat the price.

Please note that you will need alterations to get the perfect fit since no suit off a rack is going to fit everyone so please be prepared to pay a tailor for hemming and such

I bought it with some apprehension and was thinking it would be junk. Boy was pleasenlty pleased! I will second the fact that this suit is easily worth 5 times what I paid. The material is top shelf and the workmanship excellent. I will be buying a few more of them in different colors!'

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