Steelseries - steelseries, mouse pads

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This is my first SteelSeries (AKA Icemat) mouse pad. SteelSeries makes a variety of mouse pads and this is one of the few they make that is made of cloth.



I was fed up and sick and tired of my laser mouse making my wooden desks dirty, so I decided I DO need a mouse pad. After curiously researching about top of the line mouse pads (just to see if there were such a thing) the SteelSeries brand came up and I became very much interested.



Despite its name, the Qck Mini is a little bigger than your average "freebie" mouse pad most people use. I was willing to go with one of their more expensive hard options (aluminum, glass, et cetera) but because they only sell them in large sizes, I decided to settle on the cloth version.



The mouse pad comes rolled up in a tube. It takes about a day or so of use to get the pad fully flat because of that, but it's really not a big deal or anything to worry over. The mouse pad is extremely nice to look at in person because of the uniform jet black in contrast with SteelSeries serious white logo. Makes a great complement to your overall computer setup if looks are at all a factor.



I use the Logitech G9 Laser Mouse in conjunction with the mouse pad and it glides left to right, top to bottom, very well. The pad is just a tad small so sometimes I have to pick up the mouse and place it on the other side when I'm moving across large screens but it's really rare. The size is fine for your everyday needs, but for those working on really big screens you may want to go with a bigger pad. I chose the Mini because my setup is a small desk for a tiny 11.1" laptop so I couldn't afford the extra room nor really needed it for the screen size.



The pad does collect some dust and particles fairly frequently but all you have to really do is wipe across with your hands every once in a while and you got yourself a clean pad again.



I'm very happy with my SteelSeries mousepad and look forward to trying out their more expensive options down the road (some sell for upwards of $50!). I purchased it directly from the company in Denmark. I consider this a top of the line mousepad for its class and size, and I love how it looks. Recommended for those who want a small and sexy mouse pad with no worry about your mouse going crazy on you or losing any control. But is it worth the extra money compared to your generic 99 cent mouse pad? Probably not for most people; but hey, what's an extra $10 extra or so for this bad boy? I'd buy it again. SteelSeries QcK Mini Gaming Mouse Pad (Black)

The QcK Mini provides a good gaming surface for the money. However, there are some issues you must consider before purchase.



I game at relatively low sensitivity, and I don't have a lot of desk real estate. The size of the QcK Mini (about the size of a generic pad) is good for people who have desks that dont offer alot of room, or don't necessarily need a giant pad but still want a quality gaming surface.



The pad functions well. With the textured cloth surface, mouse-work is generally responsive and smooth. The styling is minimalist and black which I appreciate. Considering the price is less than many other gaming pads (which can reach $30+), I would say it is generally a good bargain.



While the surface itself is good, the bottom of the pad slides around too much. I have a laminate wood computer desk and my Keyboard/mouse are above elbow level. The pad is very light and the bottom is not quite sticky enough. These factors combined mean it just doesn't stay put. I am constantly having to readjust the pad during or after sessions, which is not good during intense gameplay.



Another thing you may be put off by is the lack of wrist rest, but I think those just get in the way. I cannot remark on it's durability, having it only for a week.



I doubt I will buy another due to my particular setup, but if your desk is more textured then perhaps it will serve you better.



Pros: Good price for a gaming pad. Smooth response from the surface.



Cons: The pad is too light and the bottom rubber doesn't stick well enough.



Verdict: With the right setup, this pad can be a low cost gaming alternative to your generic mousepad. However, if your desk is laminate or anything else relatively slippery, I suggest looking elsewhere unless you prefer to readjust your pad every 15 minutes.

The mousepad arrives in a small stylish package. As you can see the mousepad arrives rolled up, contrary to hard plastic mousepads this cloth mousepad is very flexible.





The mousepad's front is made out of black cloth material and features a small SteelSeries logo in the bottom left corner. The mousepad's size should be perfect for most people, it's not too small but not too big either.





The base of the SteelSeries QcK is made out of rubber and this works really well, while testing the QcK the mousepad never slipped away.





The mousepad is a bit thicker than most plastic mousepads but it's still pretty thin. If you prefer a thicker mousepad you should consider the QcK heavy which features a thickness of 6mm instead of 2mm.





The Good Stuff

- One of the better cloth mousepads available on the market.

- Slightly more comfortable than plastic mousepad.

- Cheap.

- Mousepad doesn't slip away.

- Very flexible

-does NOT curl up, layed flat on first opening



The Bad Stuff

- Tracking isn't as accurate as on plastic mousepads

- Less durable than a plastic mousepad

If you need a (cheap) mousepad, then don't hesitate to buy this one. It's not like I've owned some super expensive mousepads, but this one is simply better than all the other mousepads that I've bought (I've owned from "gel" types to some plastic-y surface ones). It makes the movement a smooth, flowing breeze and it simply makes the mouse a joy to use. Even if you found the mouse uncomfortable to use before, this mousepad might make you see the mouse otherwise. So before you change your mouse, you might want to consider buying this mousepad instead.



This mousepad is a "mini" size, but it was bigger than I expected. To me, it's about "average" in size. This mousepad comes rolled up, but I had no problem with it since the material is cloth and not like rubber. You probably won't find any trouble straightening it up by putting it on a straight, smooth surfaced desk. I had no trouble using it straight away.



My Razer Imperator mouse had trouble tracking a black "gel" type mousepad, but this one has no problems. I highly recommend it to anyone who needs a mousepad. If this mousepad wears out then I'll probably buy it again. Plus it's only like $7-$10! It just goes to show that you don't need to buy some super expensive mousepad to get a top-quality mousepad experience. Something about this mousepad just screams "professional" and "gamer-quality".



Sorry, but I feel stupid for reading all the negative reviews and buying some other mousepad instead. I should have just bought this one sooner. - Steelseries - Mouse Pads - Gaming Mouse Pad - Mousepad'

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Latest Generation Extended Warranties

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amazon's service net EW policy DOES NOT necessarily mail someone a new kindle before asking for the damaged one back. everyone really does need to read all that fine print on these contracts. for example: service net specifically says, 'We will replace the original purchased Product specified on your Amazon.com order with a new or REFURBISHED [my emphasis] unit, provided such replacement is authorized and necessitated by Product operational or mecanical failure during normal usage...You must obtain authorization prior to the receipt of a replacement Product by calling 1-877-441-3836...You will be REQUIRED to provide a credit card to secure the return of Your failed Product. If you do not return the failed Product within a reasonable time period (which will be communicated to you at the time of your claim, your credit card will be charged for the replacement unit. Once authorization is obtained, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO RETURN THE PRODUCT USING A PREPAID SHIPPING LABEL PROVIDED BY US. At Our determination, You will receive a replacement Product of like grade and quality...We reserve the right to replace the Product with a remanufactured or refurbished Product.'



for ADH (accidental damage from handling) issues: service net says, 'ADH only covers operational or mechanical failure caused by an accident from handling and does not include protection against theft, mysterious disappearance, misplacement, viruses, reckless, abusive, willful or intentional conduct..., cosmetic damage and/or other damage that does not affect the unit functionality, damage caused during shipment between You and Our service providers and ANY OTHER LIMITATIONS LISTED IN THE LIMITATIONS OF COVERAGE SECTION. (there's lot of goodies there, so plz read that section)...



plz note that if you purchase the square trade EW (extended warranty, pronounced EWWWW) for your kindle (which is actually $39.99, only $10 cheaper than the service net policy), and you submit a claim for accidental damage (the operative word here after all is 'accidental' since both policies have disclaimers regarding 'reckless, abusive, willful or intentional conduct...cosmetic damage, etc.'), YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO PAY A $50 DEDUCTABLE. add that on to the $40 bucks you parted with for the EW and you have half the price of the kindle 3. also, square trade says, 'If protective items such as covers, carrying cases or pouches, etc., were provided OR MADE AVAILABLE FOR USE WITH PRODUCT, it is expected that You will continually use these product accessories for protection against damage to the product. Abuse is defined as Your intentional non-utilization of protective items during product use...Any resultant damage from this type of treatment in NOT covered by the ADH progam.'



so, gentle readers, it all comes down to that customer service rep that takes your call or handles your claim online.



you can expect your claim to service net to result in this: 'The use of this coverage (ADH) REQUIRES AN EXPLANATION OF WHERE AND WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AS WELL AS A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTUAL EVENT. FALIURE TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION WILL RESULT IN CLAIM DENIAL.' period, case closed.



be careful with your kindle, use a case or protective pouch, and keep your $40 or $50 bucks to buy new reading material or save up for the next generation. dealing with these EW claims will be frustrating at the very least. kudoos to those above who escaped the pain. 2-Year Extended Warranty for Kindle (6" Display, Free 3G + Wi-Fi, Latest Generation), U.S. customers only

In this writers humble opinion, and that of nationally recognized and syndicated consumer advocate Clarke Howard-- as well as Consumers Report-- this is a bad deal for you and totally unnecessary. First of all, IT IS NOT a complete 2 year extended warranty. Read the text carefully. They clearly say in print that it is only in effect AFTER your normal 1 year warranty that comes with the product. So, it is actually only a 1 year extended warranty for a mfg. defective product for $49 dollars. NOT a good deal on a quality product.

Now, with that said, if you are a person who breaks everything you lay your hands on and are prone to dropping things out of your hands ( you admit you are a clumsy person!) then this might be a good thing for you. For most of us however, this is too expensive to make it a good deal. If they offered it at $19.95, it might be something to consider. Maybe.

Consumer advocates say to carefully limit your extended warranty purchases to big-ticket items.

When one buys a quality product (like my Kindle--love it!)you will rarely need to even glance at these profit-making offers. Spend your money elsewhere.

Bought a Gen2 Kindle for my wife (she loves it) WITH an extended warranty ("EW"), on which I based my rating, but to be completely accurate, its true rating won't be known unless and until I ever have to make a claim. I have on order a Gen3 for my daughter and am debating (with myself) whether to order an EW for her Kindle. My general feeling about insurance (I know, I know, an EW isn't insurance, but I think the decision making factors are the same for both) is that one ought to insure only those risks one can't afford to assume. In other words, if you happen to be Bill Gates you don't have to insure your $20+ million house because if it burns down you can afford to replace it. Insurance is always a bad deal because (1) the premium is based on risk of loss, which the insurance company knows very precisely; (2) the premium includes its cost of doing business; and (3) the premium includes its profit. Therefore, the premium cost is greater than the risk of loss and you should not buy insurance if you can afford to shell out the cost of buying a new Gen3 should it break or be damaged.



So, for $50 you/I get "protection" (I'll use that word to avoid the "not insurance" argument) only for the second year, since the first year is covered by the warranty, plus Accidental Damage for two years. And keep in mind that the EW doesn't seem to include loss or theft, and only includes one battery replacement. For that you/I would be paying MORE THAN 25% OF THE COST OF THE GEN3 KINDLE!!!! Are one out of every 3 or 4 Gen3 Kindles going to break in the second year or be damaged in the first two years? That seems extremely unlikely to me and, since I can afford another $180 if I lose my "bet," I have made up my mind, as I write this, not to buy the EW and I will insure it myself. (I can call it insurance if I want to because I am the one insuring it. I can call it anything I want to, including "covering my own bet."



I have had the EW item in and out of my cart for a while due to my indecision, but I am now going to remove it permanently. Even if I have to buy a new one within the next two years, I think I will have won the "probability game," and I would not be surprised if a Gen4, at a lower price, will be available by the latter part of the two year period if I do have to buy a new one.



Thanks for helping me make up my mind.



BTW, in case you're wondering why I don't have an eReader, it's because I listen to audiobooks when I commute. I found it difficult to read and drive at the same time.'

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Fast And Furious - vin diesel, action

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After three high-octane rides on the street racing scene, the fourth film in the "The Fast and the Furious" series features a departure from the flashy, overblown colors, obvious CGI-enhancement, and at times over-the-top stunts of the previous two films. With "Fast & Furious" the series returns to its roots with a grittier, more realistic leaning tone and reunites the primary players from the original film's cast of gearheads for more high speed mayhem.



"Fast & Furious" finds Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) continuing his lawless ways in the Dominican Republic alongside his girlfriend Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and a new crew of velocity addicted miscreants. When the law begins to close in on Dom and his crew, difficult choices are made, plans are put into motion, and a life is lost. All of this forces Dom to return to his native Los Angeles on a quest for answers and to ultimately deal with those responsible. While back in town, Dom is reunited, albeit begrudgingly, with his former friend Brian O'Connor (Paul Walker), who once again finds he is torn between doing what he desires most or following the letter of the law he's sworn to uphold.



With the slightly weaker feel of the previous two films in the series, I was kind of unsure of how good this fourth attempt would prove to be, regardless of the fact that many of the original film's cast members were reprising their roles eight years later. After seeing "Fast & Furious" over the weekend, I can honestly say that any misgivings I had regarding the film were easily blown away by the sheer entertainment value and superiority exuded by this film over anything included in the previous two films.



Besides the original film's primary cast returning to the series that made them stars, the writer and director duo of Chris Morgan and Justin Lin ("The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift") make their return to the series with a much more polished final product than what had been featured in their previous effort. The screenplay is a much more complex work than one may expect from this type of movie. Screenwriter Chris Morgan ups the stakes for all the players, delivering several twists along the way, and some very sharply written dialogue, all of which makes for a thoroughly entertaining ride from start to finish. The story really seems to focus on resolving storylines begun in the first movie, and creating a stronger link between all of the other movies in the series, especially "Tokyo Drift" (which has always felt a little bit like an outcast in the franchise). As a fan of the series, I believe that this film's more mature storyline and well-written dialogue showcases the time and effort that Chris Morgan put into this film, and the work definitely pays off by rewarding longtime fans of the franchise by interconnecting each of the films, while not alienating any newcomers.



Director Justin Lin shows an even steadier hand when it came to helming his second effort in the series. Even though Justin proved quite capable in capturing the high speeds and general fast-paced nature of the series with "Tokyo Drift", his work here is stronger even if it is with a little less flashiness. By approaching the film more in the vein of the original's look and tone, Lin imbues "Fast & Furious" with a grittier nature that cements its close ties to the aforementioned, along with having the slight feel of an urban crime drama (albeit without the same level of intensity inherent in most of those films). If there are to be any more films in this series, then I believe that the powers-that-be may have found a valuable asset in this director, and one that they should use whenever possible to maintain consistency between the installments (something this series has previously lacked).



As I've mentioned a couple of times already, the cast for this film features many returning members from the original film. Let's begin with one of the biggest breakout stars of the original, Vin Diesel ("A Man Apart"). In his reprisal as Dom Toretto, Vin gives one of the best performances of his career, if not his best yet (easily rivaling his work in "A Man Apart" or "Find Me Guilty"). In this film, Diesel is given more opportunity to explore Dom, whether it is his passion for the various facets of his life, personal loss, the issue of trust, or merely the unbridled fury that we had only heard mention of in the first film. Here we are presented with a much more layered and developed anti-hero than had been previously established, and one who is more weathered and world-weary from all of the experiences he has endured whether good or bad. If there are still some detractors of Vin's work out there, then the combination of his movies mentioned above should help convince them to the contrary, so long as they ignore his misfire with the dismal "Babylon A.D.".



Alongside Vin is Paul Walker as the other main lead for this installment. This film also marks Walker's second reprisal as the lead in this series, as Paul was the only main cast member to return for the initial sequel "2 Fast 2 Furious". To be fair, Vin has also appeared in the series three times, although his second appearance was just a cameo in the final moments of "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift". But I digress, now back to Paul Walker's performance as one-time ex-law man turned outlaw turned active FBI agent Brian O'Connor. It's a rather convoluted series of events that comprise O'Connor's storyline through the series, but it works. In the first film, Paul gave a fairly solid, if not flawed performance, which he proceeded to follow-up with a decidedly more surfer-esque, flat and stilted performance, replete with more "Yo's", "Bro's", and "Check it's" than one would care to count. Paul's third stint in the series, much like Vin's return, makes for his best performance of the series, not to mention his entire career. I used to think that he was one of those actors that merely skated by on his looks and onscreen charm, with very little acting talent holding it all together. With his performance here he is much more reserved and believable, even intense at times, to the point that one wonders if there may be hope for Paul's career as a serious actor yet. Gone are the various surfer boy idioms, replaced by a much more mature character who is still trying desperately to atone for past mistakes.



The final two returning characters are the two important female roles of Mia and Letty (Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez respectively). Both of these characters suffered from very little development in their first outing, a problem that has now been rectified by this film. The character of Mia is given a very emotional arc to go through over the course of the film as she is forced to deal with the return of her former lover and betrayer of her family, Brian O'Connor. Jordana proves with her more developed role and character arc that she has the acting chops necessary to handle more of the story should the occasion call for it, something that future writers of the series may want to take note of should her character make any more return appearances. Michelle Rodriguez has proven in numerous movies and on TV's "Lost" that she is a very capable actress, but in this series she has yet to really be all that important or necessary for that matter. In the first film she was merely Dom's girlfriend and not all that interesting beyond that; however, in this story her character is central to the film's main plotline. I have to admit that while I wasn't all that enthralled by Michelle's character in the original film, she definitely proved more interesting in this one, and was much more enjoyable to watch as she really seemed to be having a good time in the role.



Lastly, we have one key newcomer to the franchise. Actor John Ortiz ("Aliens Vs Predator: Requiem") plays a man named Campos whose job is to find and recruit drivers to smuggle drugs for a very powerful Mexican cartel. I haven't seen John in any kind of tough guy roles, mostly because I haven't seen too many movies he's appeared in, but I have to say he was very convincing in the role. He portrayed the character with a subtle hint of menace, never really overdoing it just keeping an obvious air about him that this guy is not one to be trifled with. While he wasn't given an incredible amount of screen time, what he is given John makes the most of. John delivers a strong antagonist that could have ended up being just another stock character, but became something a little more developed thanks to his work in the role.



"Fast & Furious" is by far the best of the sequels in the series, and easily rivals the original film, possibly even surpasses it. This is all due to a much tighter and more developed story, the best acting in the entire series, and a much more grounded sense of reality than the previous two films boasted. If you've been a fan of the series or have simply become disappointed by the direction it's taken in the previous sequels, then this is the movie to see as it undoubtedly kicks the franchise back into high gear.



As a side note, it's important to know that "Fast & Furious" occurs prior to the events shown in the third film, "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift".



"Fast & Furious" is rated PG-13 for violence, language, and sexuality. Fast & Furious (2009) - Adventure - Action - Fast And Furious - Vin Diesel'

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Inkjet - hp, inkjet

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

While I'm very happy with the quality of the text and photo printouts of my C7250, I'm very disappointed in the waste of color inks when printing in just black and white. I print in black and white 98% of the time, yet I've had to replace the Magenta and Yellow ink cartridges almost as often as the black. This tells me that even though I've selected "grayscale, Black Ink Only" in my printer settings, the HP printer is still using Magenta and Yellow. I found this to be such a waste that I decided to buy a Brother HL-2270DW Wireless Laser Printer to offset the cost. My Brother HL-2270DW costs me less than 2 cents per page of B&W text.

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

I have never been let down by products bought from Amazon.com. That was true until I received the HP02 cartridge. As soon I installed the cartridge into the printer, I printed out a document that required only black ink. The document came out with a mixture of bluesh-pinkesh and black lettering. I ran the "Clean Printhead" feature of the machine and its result was a disaster. The coloring and patterns that were supposed to be the result of the cleaning were random at best and some colors were not present. As soon as I looked "under the hood" of the printer, I realized that the Magenta color (the color just installed) was all over the carriage and sides of printer. I honestly don't know what went wrong, as I installed the cartridge the same way as I have for the past year, but what I know is that my printer now is not working properly. The printout is in random colors and unacceptable. I would like to believe that this is a one time incident caused by a defective cartridge, but I am inclined to believe that this was not a brand new cartridge but a refurbished/recycled one. I requested a full refund from Amazon.com. - Inkjet - Hp'

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Memory Card - 8gb, digital camera

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I bought this because I shared one SONY Memory Stick Pro Duo between my CyberShot and PSP. I put this PRO HG DUO card in my PSP. It does seem like it saves files quicker. In the PSP game BEATERATOR, I'm able to save my songs almost twice as fast. There's a lot of room (8 gig). I can probably store a couple of movies on there - haven't tried it yet though. Seemed like a good deal too. I got this for 27 bucks - and it arrived within the week. Sony 8 GB PRO-HG Duo HX Memory Stick MSHX8A (Black)

I bought this product to put in my Sony 40GB handcam. The plan on using it to store still pictures on it. I have already taken a few still shots with the writting to memory is exceptionally quick. That is the main reason why I decided to go with the Pro-HG Duo HX Stick.

This product arrived promptly, packaged efficiently, and works perfectly. This is a great price on a memory stick and is perfect for someone who has bought their first digital camera and is on a budget. Highly recommended

Sony should have recognize this little memory card as its absolute low end and included it in their PSP by default. The Pro HG Duo is borderline fast enough for most games (or parts of some games), but anything slower is junk, frankly. Also 8 GB is almost too small. It has room enough for two full-length downloaded movies and two fullsize downloaded games, and that's it. Also, download speeds from Playstation Store will be tedious at best; e.g. GTA Chinatown Wars will take about 4 hours to download, while GTA Vice City Stories will be slow to download far beyond aggravation -- be sure to plug your PSP into AC outlet, your battery will die before it's half done. - Sony - 8gb - Digital Camera - Memory Stick'

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memory stick

Wireless N Router

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Well, now having the need for a wireless N network I did a bit of research into which router I should buy. After reading so many positive reviews, I kept teetering on whether or not I should try this one out... especially since I hadn't heard of the company and the price point was so low. Eventually I figured "what could it hurt" and ordered it. I immediately got an email from the company thanking me for the order which included the support information if needed. That was a nice touch.



The bottom line is that I'm VERY glad I ordered this. Set up was a breeze if you follow the very simple instructions to the letter. I was up and running in minutes.



My other concern was how well it would sing with my Cisco Wireless N Bridge(The Cisco-Linksys WET610N Dual-Band Wireless-N Gaming and Video Adapter)in my living room which is notoriously finicky with non-Cisco product integration. I'm very pleased to report that it immediately started communicating once set up, and has been rock solid for 3 days streaming Hi Def 720p and 1080p video. The signal strength is fantastic and has out performed other routers I have owned in the past. Time will tell how it holds up over the long run. I will update this post if anything goes awry.



Finally as icing on the cake, the router just looks cool. Thats always a happy bonus!



The only negative I could find is that the tech support line isn't 24 hours. Seeing as how I didn't need it, I suppose that really isn't a negative in the truest sense.



I'm a heavy Amazon user who doesn't even write reviews yet felt compelled to for this gem. A Great product, at a great price, and easy set up. Who could ask for more? Medialink - Wireless N Router - 802.11n - 150 Mbps - 2.4 Ghz - NEW Design w/ Internal Antenna

I have to admit I was nervous about buying something that doesn't have a huge name behind it. I've dealt with plenty of routers in my time and some of them are so confusing to configure, and caused so many headaches. When I opened the box I was greeted by a small, light-weight, sleek looking box...I have to say that I was really excited about the internal antenna, those old parallel antenna were the worst thing to look at. Being the typical computer guy I am I didn't really read through the directions, I just grabbed it and plugged it in. I reset the modem, then reset the router (by power cycling, not the reset button on the back) and.......it worked. I logged into the web interface and set up the Wifi security, grabbed my laptop to connect to it and.....it worked.



The wireless N is a thing of beauty for someone that has been stuck with G for so long, it's fast and has great coverage, I was able to get a stronger signal outside than before.



The web interface is very nicely laid out and there are a ton of features



Pros:

Quick setup

very nice looking

lights are not too bright, even though there are a lot of them

internal antenna

affordable





Cons:

no Gig ports

included cat5 cable could be a little longer.



things to note:

I didn't use the included setup disc

I have cable internet and use an older Linksys cable modem.

I was a little hesitant to order this router since there was no other review, but the price was lower than other wireless G routers, so I thought I would give this N router a try. So far, I am glad I did. I am writing this review from my laptop using the wireless connection right now.



PROS:

-Price (paid $[...] on 10/2/2010)

-Easy setup. The wired connection was instant, all I had to do was plug the cables. The wireless connection was also a breeze and took two minutes with the included CD wizard.

-Speed! My local network connection is 100Mbps, so I selected this router which is slightly faster (150Mbps wireless / 100Mbps wired) in order to avoid bottlenecks. I am getting download speeds ~0.9 MBytes / second wired and ~ 1.1MBbytes / second wireless with this router, i.e. as fast as I was getting when plugged directly to the network.

-Streams movies without problems.



CONS:

No problems so far. If you like solving problems you may be disappointed.



I have had this router for less than a day, which is not long enough to know if it is stable, but so far so good. I have not tried VOIP yet, but I will update if any problems arise.



UPDATE: VOIP works without problems too. I have had the router for 5 days and still no problems. It performs so well, I have almost forgotten it is there.

As a networking/server techy geek type I thought that the over emphasis on following directions was a little much and I felt a little like there might be something new that I would miss if I treated this like any other router but fortunately that was a misconception.



This sucker is almost as sexy as it looks in the pics. It works exactly as you'd expect. It performs better than one might hope.



If you're using a cable modem definitely don't forget to reboot it disconnected & give it a chance to get fully "booted" and running before plugging in & starting up the router but...



Though the web based interface isn't too overly fancy: this is a great router that just plain works and has all the features a geek wants with the ease of use of a router anyone can use while being exactly what it should be, set it & forget it.



It's sad that these days the over priced, less reliable routers are so popular. Even as a geek I don't want to reinstall my own OS on these things. I want all of my equipment online. I don't want a router I can install linux on, I want one with a "louder" signal in my apartment than all of my neighbors poorly configured, channel hogging routers.



My two iPhones, iPad, desktop, server, friend's smartphones, laptop, xBox, printer and everything else can FINALLY all play nice on the same network without having to mess with wifi settings or reset the router.



I've only had it for a week but if it lasts longer performing like this than any of these more expensive & less reliable name-brand junk routers I'll stick with this brand.



Side-note: A bandwidth test from my iPhone while on this router performed over 1Mbit/s faster than previously and almost as much faster than my high-end commercial hardware based wifi network at the office.



To recap: I hope this has a long MTBF because I'm happy, regaining my sanity and saved critical dollars at the perfect price of about $40.'

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Wireless N Router

Forerunner 405 - garmin 405, gps watch

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Update: after two months of using the 405, I have some additional observations. Based on my experiences, I would lower the star rating to 3 stars. The decrease in rating is due to incredibly poor software and support from Garmin. The hardware is still extremely impressive, despite the software failings.



Software and Support:



The Garmin Connect (which allows you to track your training progress) is nothing more than a beta with limited functionality and slow response times. Moreover, it is still very buggy. The software which automatically uploads the computer data to Garmin Connect just suddenly stopped working a month ago.



Hold times to get in touch with Garmin telephone support is 45 minutes. Email support is terrible - it has taken a full MONTH to have two email exchanges with support. All this and the problem has not been fixed.



Moreover, the software is poorly designed. You have to constantly monitor Garmin's website for software updates (there is no "Check for Update" feature). If a problem occurs in the software, there are no features to aid in resolving the problem.



Hardware:



First impressions: the form factor is nice, but you need to be aware that the watch is somewhat "thick". If you are wearing a button down shirt, the 405 will not fit comfortably under a sleeve cuff. However, looking at it from above, it looks like a normal watch. Wearing it while running will probably not draw a second look from other runners. This is also a downside since you want people to notice your shiny new 405.



Setup - this took only a few minutes and was very easy. TThe 405 walks you through a brief tutorial. Overall, setup was very easy.



Navigation - this takes a few minutes to get the hang of. Once you have the buttons down, it is quite easy to navigate. The sensitivity of the touch bezel is adjustable for your taste. I've played with the 305 in the store and the 405 actually seems more intuitive to navigate.



Initial lock - finding the satellites takes a few minutes the first time. It will lock on much faster if you are not moving. Subsequent times to find the satellites was much quicker.



Use - After you have turned on the GPS and gotten a lock, all you need to do is press start to begin your workout. It was very easy to use. I basically forgot about it while I was running other than to check my pace every mile or so. Kept a lock the entire time (keep in mind this was in Chicago's Lincoln Park - roughly 2/3rds of the sky is clear (except for trees) so achieving constant lock-on should not be a problem for any GPS. I have not tested this downtown).



For those worried about water resistance, my first usage of my 405 was in the pouring rain. It didn't seem to notice (or care) about the rain. It can handle a good amount of water without issue.



Syncing - you need to download the software from Garmin (it's actually a web plug in). However, the manual was clearly rushed out the door. Not only does it contain typos (at one point it refers to the wrong step) but it is not clear from the manual that you need to download the USB drivers. DO NOT put the ANT USB key into the computer until you have downloaded the specific ANT drivers from Garmin (so you have to download two different pieces of software - the plugin and the USB driver). If you plug the ANT key into the computer w/o the Garmin USB driver, Windows will find what it thinks is the correct driver (which is the wrong driver). The syncing will not work if you do this. Just a heads up.



I wish I owned a 305 to compare it to. In the Garmin store, the 405 did not see that much smaller than the 305, although the 405 was clearly more elegant. Functionally, I hear that they are extremely similar. You just need to personally evaluate whether the 405 is really worth the increased cost over the 205/305. Personally, I plan on keeping the 405.



Battery Life - After playing with it for 30 minutes, taking it on an hour's run and syncing it with my computer, it only used 12% of the battery life. Garmin Forerunner 405 Water Resistant Running GPS With USB ANT Stick (Black)

I previously owned a Forerunner 201 and my husband runs with a 205. What I really like about the 405 is how quickly it finds the satellites and is ready for a run. I also haven't had any issues with reception, which I often had with my 201.



Unfortunately, that's about the only thing that's improved with the 405 in my eyes. Here are my main issues with it:



- There's no way to turn it off. Sure, it goes into a "power save" mode. In this mode, the battery lasts about a week. You're completely draining the battery every week when you could only be using the battery for an hour or so several times a week. Each time a rechargable battery is discharged and recharged, it uses up a cycle of the battery and there are only so many cycles a battery can go through. At this rate, the battery is going to get used up really quickly. This is poor design. (Or perhaps they're hoping to capitalize on the revenue from people having to replace their batteries more often...)



- If you have small wrists, the watchband is too large and can be uncomfortable. I preferred the velcro strap on the 201. The 205/305 models also have the option to purchase a more comfortable strap that fits small wrists better. I contacted Garmin and there is no such option for the 405.



- The touch bezel is overly sensitive. Yes, you can adjust the sensitivity, but then once you do, it's nearly impossible to use it while running because it's not sensitive enough. There's no happy medium. Sorry Garmin, but old-fashioned buttons work better for pushing during activity. I'm constantly accidently getting into "virtual partner" mode while I'm trying to push the lap button.



- The low battery indicator obscures the entire screen. I did an entire run the other day with text that said "LOW BATTERY" across the entire display. I knew the battery was low, but I wanted to see how my run was going anyway! I can't find any way to dismiss this warning. It also obscures all menus (when not in training mode). It's very annoying because the device has at least 30-40 minutes of charge left after this indicator appears, but it renders the unit nearly inoperable for it's last 30-40 minutes before the battery dies.



- The computer sync only works with PC. With Mac market share growing by leaps and bounds, it's very surprising when companies don't come out with simultaneous platform support. Shame on you, Garmin. The website does indicate that support is coming "Fall 2008." I guess we'll see. (EDIT: I've been informed that this model now syncs with Mac, which is great! I ended up returning this product so I cannot speak to how that works.)



I really wish I'd just stuck with my 201. I feel like this upgrade was a waste of money. - Garmin 405 - Gps Watch - Watches - Garmin'

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