Features

• 5.1 speaker system with 4 satellite speakers, center speaker, subwoofer, and Digital SoundTouch control center
• Connects to PCs, DVD players, CD players, portable MP3 players, and game consoles
• Digital SoundTouch unit controls volume, surround sound effects, and more
• Supports Dolby Digital, DTS, DTS 96/24, and Dolby Pro Logic
• 505 watts total system power (62 watts x 4, plus 69-watt center speaker and 188-watt subwoofer)

Amazon.com Product Description

The 20 GB Archos Pocket Video Recorder AV420 is the ultimate handheld digital video recorder that offers TV recording and a portable home entertainment center in one pocket-sized device. Watch videos and view photos on the large color LCD screen, listen to and record music, and transfer photos from your digital camera and data files from your PC. It features a TV Cradle, an external speaker for enjoying music and video without headphones, and a built-in Compact Flash reader for transferring photos directly from digital cameras.

The AV420 has a 20 GB hard drive, which can record up to 80 hours of video content from a TV, VCR, or cable/satellite receiver using the TV cradle. It plays MP3 and WMA digital audio files (included protected files) as well as WAV audio.

Once the TV Cradle is connected to a TV, VCR or cable/satellite receiver, you won't have to reconnect the cables again--just dock the AV420 and you're ready. The Recording Scheduler directly controls the tuner inside your VCR or cable/satellite receiver to automatically adjust the channel and record based on the time and duration of the schedule. The Scheduler will also synchronize with Yahoo TV Guide (where available) from the Internet so you can prepare your recordings for the week or month in advance.

What's in the Box
Archos AV 420, TV cradle with audio/video connections, remote control with 2 AA batteries, protective case, USB 2.0 cable, stereo headphone, manual, AC adapter/charger with US/UK/EU plug ... Read more

Features

• Archos 500619 AV420 20 GB Video Player / Recorder and MP3 Jukebox Player
• Record your favorite video programs--up to 80 hours on 20 GB hard drive
• Connects to TVs, VCRs, and cable/satellite receivers
• Watch video on 3.8-inch LCD screen
• Store and play MP3, WMA, and WAV digital audio files

Features

• 7.1 megapixel CCD and wide-angle 28-100mm, 3.6x optical zoom lens
• 13 Shooting Modes, including enhanced VGA Movie Mode
• Exclusive Canon image processor and iSAPS technology for faster processing and excellent image quality
• New print/Share Button for easy direct printing and downloads
• New Macro Mode that lets you shoot less than 2 inches from your subject

Features

• ARM processor powered by Palm OS 5
• Integrated Que technology, with GARMIN GPS and mapping software
• Speaker for voice-guidance commands, MP3 player, and message playback
• Voice recorder for making memos, quick notes, and messages on the fly
• What's in the box: iQue 3600, protective display cover, metal stylus, USB HotSync cradle, A/C power/charging adapter, quick start guide, CD-ROM with manual, choice of MapSource configuration, and automobile navigational system

Reviews (2)

Impressed
If you are looking for an excellent palm-pilot with a GPS add-on, this is probably not for you. It is not designed to be an outstanding palm. If you are looking for a GPS based nagivational aide with some palm capabilities, then this is excellent.

The time to acquire satelites varies quite dramatically, but it does. I have even managed to track my location whiles flying. The location and airspeed were dead on, but the elevation of 50 ft seemed to be a bit low, considering that we were at 29,000 ft.

Quick to re-calculate if you get off route. It has been accurate, with 1 exception. In Boulder Colorade (despite the basemap and detailed map being loaded, it couldn't find all the streets, and had me displayed in the middle of a lake once.

All in all I am very satisfied with this product.

Great navigation PDA, but stopped working in first month...
As a GPS junkie, I appreciate just how slick this navigation PDA is. The detailed City Select mapsets that come with the PDA are very detailed, and give you voice guided turn-by-turn directions anywhere you want to go. Add a SD memory card and you have more than enough memory to hold all the maps you need plus MP3's and other Palm applications as well. The only drawback, and it's a biggie, is that after 3 weeks my IQUE 3600 has completely stopped working. Garmin has asked me to mail it back to them (at my expense) to be repaired (at their expense). Maybe it's just a bit of bad luck with my particular unit. If navigation was all this unit did it would be worth the money (it costs 1/3 of similar non-portable in dash vehicle nav systems with similar capabilities), but it is also a great PDA and MP3 player as well. If it continues working after Garmin fixes it, I wouldn't hesitate to reccommend it to anyone. ... Read more

Features

• Internet-sharing Router, 4-port Switch, and Wireless-G (802.11g) Access Point
• Protects all wireless transmissions with 128-bit encryption
• New SpeedBooster technology increases wireless network performance by up to 35 percent
• Industry-leading Parental Control capability, Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and 802.1x
• Shares Internet connection and other resources with Ethernet wired, 802.11g, 802.11b, and SpeedBooster devices

Reviews (28)

Installation for dummies
Decided to go wireless. Reviews sounded great! How hard can this be. I am a Test Pilot, so this should be no challenge. We also ordered the wireless WPC54GS notebook card to go with the router. My son, being a typical 20 year old know-it-all decides to configure the notebook card first (against my wishes). Every time we put the card in the notebook, it locked up. The Linksys tech support people said "oh yeah", you need to download new drivers! The ones on the CD ROM won't work. OK, back to my original idea, lets do the router first. Put in the CD ROM, followed instructions and WA LA. We were on the net (hard wired) through our cable modem in less than 5 minutes!!! My recommendation on the WRT54GS - BUY IT (but DO NOT let your know-it-all teenager or 20 year old, install it. Do it yourself). One major problem! Back to the notebook card. The second Linksys tech support person told us "the card is bad, send it back to Amazon.com to have it tested" What??? How can this be??? The dang card is brand new!!! Lets try other options. Card still locks up computer! Third Linksys tech support person helped, but the computer still locks up on start-up. WOW the card is bad! Amazon.com, you guys are great! Within 5 minutes we had the return information, and about 10 minutes later we were notified by email that another card would be sent out tomorrow. Great!!!
Ok lets review - Buy the WRT54GS router!
DO NOT buy the WPC54GS notebook card - even the Linksys tech support people seem to think it is junk. I guess the quality control guy in that department is always out to lunch!
Read all the reviews that are shown on Amazon.com under each piece of equipment. There are some very good tips there that you will not learn from the installation information (like turn off the Windows XP fire wall before you start installation or you will get a lot of nasty windows "Hey idiot, you can't do that" messages.
AMAZON.COM You guys are great as usual. We also ordered our print server this morning. Keep up the good work.
Linksys - You guys have a lot of work to do. First thing I would do is fire the Notebook card quality control guy.

Excellent Product
Having read all the reviews for this product, including some not so favorable, I decided to upgrade my wired router to wireless.

Setup couldn't have been more straightforward. I didn't use the setup CD, but followed the setup guide. Within ten minutes, I was connected. The router is connected to a custom built P4 and my laptop is a Sony Vaio. I used the Linksys WPC45GS to connect my laptop to the network, another easy and flawless install.

After the initial install of the router, it is strongly suggested you do the following:

- Change the SSID
- Disable SSID broadcast
- Change password for admin access
- Enable MAC filtering
- Change SSID often
- Use highest encryption possible
- Change encryption keys often

For me, this router has been working flawlessly for the last week. Installation and configuration was simple. With my laptop, I can go anywhere in my 1800 sq ft. home and get a strong signal with no dropouts.

Excellent product. Highly recommended.

excellent product
no problems so far with 1 airport extreme card and one linksys PCI 802.11g on a win xp box. using stock firmware.

worked well immediately, is fast, and stable.

avoid the d-link pci card, had problems with this router.

Not dual-voltage -- don't buy if you live overseas
Don't bother reading this if you live in the States or Canada, but if you are one of the many Americans stationed overseas who buy electronics online, you might benefit from my frustrating experience.

When the router arrived, I read the box very closely; even though every other piece of computer equipment I've purchased in the last few years has been dual-voltage, I wanted to make sure this one was, too. The box doesn't specify the input power requirements, but it does say "For all EU countries" and specifically refers to using it in France and Italy. So I logically assumed that I would indeed be able to use this product in Europe without needing a transformer.

But no. The power adapter is 120V only. I've been trying for over a month to get Linksys to send me a 220V-compatible adapter -- I know they make them; Linksys is worldwide. But every call and email I've sent (and there have been many, to the UK and Germany as well as to the States' outsourced customer service locations) has only resulted in being told to call someone else. Customers can request a replacement power adapter from the Linksys website; I did that, specifying the 220V version, and was sent another 120V one (incidentally, I had to have it sent to my parents, who forwarded it to me, as Linksys refuses to ship to APO addresses). I guess the good people at Linksys thought I didn't know what I wanted.

So -- I can't evaluate the product itself because I haven't used it yet. But the customer service has been extremely disappointing.

If the router doesn't work, you are out of luck
I bought a Linksys router in October 2003, and still have not gotten it to work wirelessly. The box did not include the installation CD, and I was told by Linksys that I could BUY one if I wanted. I have emailed, faxed, wrote, and of course called, with no help. I have asked for an RMA, and was told "I think that has something to do with returning the product". Linksys tech support is terrible. Buy at your own risk. ... Read more

Product Description

The compact DiMAGE Z5 is an all-round digital camera that offers a built-in 12x optical Mega Zoom lens, Konica Minolta's proprietary Anti-Shake System, 5.0-megapixel CCD, fast overall response including Rapid autofocusing (AF), and a large 2.0-inch LCD screen for easy viewing. All of these features combined, these features ensure that photographers won't miss a photo opportunity and that the subjects of their photos are big, beautiful, and shake-free. An ideal companion for travel photography as well as everyday picture taking, photographers will appreciate the versatility of this digital camera. With the camera's built-in 12x optical zoom lens and Konica Minolta's innovative Anti-Shake technology, even novice photographers can easily capture clear, sharp detailed views of the world around them. To ensure that photographers don't miss their shot, the Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 has a Rapid AF that's the one of the fastest autofocus for digital cameras with predictive focus control. Focusing in a mere 0.2 second (approximately) at wide angle and only 0.3 second (approximately) at telephoto, it's ideal for capturing any subject, moving or still. DiMAGE Z5 Highlights 12x optical Mega Zoom and 4x digital zoom for 48x total zoom; complemented with CCD-shift Anti-Shake System Fastest-in-class Rapid AF with Predictive Focus Control (As Nov 2004 - based on Konica-Minolta Tests) High-quality pictures with 5.0-megapixel CCD, Konica Minolta GT APO lens ... Read more

Features

• Large 2.0-inch LCD; macro mode for shooting subjects as close as 1 centimeter
• Stores images on SD cards; powered by 4 AA batteries (alkaline or Ni-MH)
• 5 MP CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 13 x 17-inch prints
• Amazing 12x optical Mega Zoom with Anti-Shake technology allows you to shoot at speed 4 to 8 times longer with clear results
• Rapid AF focuses in approximately 0.2 second in wide angle and 0.3 second in telephoto

Reviews (3)

Disappointed
I have an old Olympus 2.1 megapixel C-2100. It had a built in stabilization just like this Minolta Z5. Unfortunately, the built-in stabilizer option is about the only plus I can find for this Minolta.

My pictures that I take using my 2.1 megapixel Olympus are night and day more vibrant in color than the ones taken with the Minolta.

We are returning this camera to get our money back. We were excited about the stabilization feature, as it is a hard feature to find in a camera, but if it sacrifices picture quality, then it is not worth it.

Very nice mid-range camera
To start off, let me say that I'm a neophyte digital camera user, so my review will be based on someone with little experience.

That being said, the Z5 has been a pleasure to use.The ergonnomics are excellent, even for my big hands.The buttons are oriented very well for the left hand, so that you can virtually use this camera one-handed.Outdoor photos with good ambient light are very nice, and the 12x zoom makes it icing on the cake.The autofocus works very fast even on very distant objects.I didn't notice any excessive graininess or noise in outdoor photos, and the colors of the photos didn't look off to my eyes.However, if you shoot a moving subject, I found that it's wise to turn off the anti-shake, otherwise the picture will come out blurry, even if you manage to focus lock the subject (I tried this with flying birds).

The EVF viewer is okay, but not great.It's very grainy and there's a significant amount of lag.Because of this and the fact that the EVF momentarily blacks out while taking a pic, don't use it for moving subjects.In contrast, I found the 2" LCD screen to be very nice, with good contrast, brightness, refresh and resolution.

The main reason I knocked the camera down to 4 stars was its relatively poor indoor or low-light performance, with what seemed to me to be a weak flash.Even with longer exposure times and a tripod mount, I noticed a fair bit of noise in the pictures.And the flash, though rated out to 7' didn't seem to be enough to do the job, even on the slow flash.There was however no problem with redeye that I noticed.

What makes this camera truly awesome though (and a big reason I purchased it) is for its movie mode.Oddly, the movie mode seems to do better in low light situations than still photos.It does have some trouble focusing if you pan around too much or too fast, but otherwise, capturing video at 640x480@30fps with sound for as long as you have memory is great.And being able to zoom in this mode is a very nice feature, not to mention that the anti-shake feature works in this mode as well.The end result is SVHS quality video without too many shakes that looks really nice.

The battery life seems good to me, though I have little comparisons to make.It's also nice that the camera uses standard AA batteries so in a pinch, you can throw in some alkaline or lithium batteries.

This is more like it
I've gone with every version of the Sony Mavica for my digital pics over the years but with my son turning one I needed a camera that would get clear shots when he was moving fast.

The hardest thing to find was something that had a powerful optical zoom (Sony spoiled me with 16x), and tho I have two fine camcorders it is nice to have video recording that does zooms and stabilization during vid recording (again, Sony has always done zoom/stabilization in it's video capture but most cameras don't).

After much research and coming very close to buying the Panasonic Lumix (very nice camera but terrible viewscreen) and the Kodak (no stabilization and required to use that silly dock) I noticed the Z5 had a bigger viewscreen than the older Z3.

Looking closer and seeing the 12x optical and the video recording that not only does zoom and stabilization but also 640x480 at 30fps (Mavica does only 15 second 320x240) and the deal was done.I bought a 1GB SanDisk Ultra2 (60x) sd card which allows up to 350 highest res pictures (and/or up to 28 minutes of wonderful stutter-free video) and now I am taking shots of my little moving target with no more blurring results.

My wife isn't into tweaking any camera and the controls are great, a little more complicated than the Mavica but not by much.Really it's point & shoot ease with only having to know four other buttons (one to switch between playback and "record", the toggle to go back and forth between stored images, a dedicated delete button to get rid of ones you don't like and the shutter button.If you are into doing more then there's a lot more on the camera from macros to in-camera video editing and on and on.

I know that most people don't buy a still camera for video and so I have to stress that the stills are blowing me away ... but also mention that if you do care about the video option then consider that the reason I only gave the unit a 4 is that the videos are Quicktimes.If you're a Windows person then you'll have to pay Apple (the real monopolist of PCs) $30 for a copy of QuickTime Pro to convert them to AVI and then use Microsoft's free Media Encoder or the consumer-grade freebie "Windows Movie Maker" to convert the AVIs to WMV format for best viewing in Media Player or use the AVIs in Pinnacle Studio 9 to make DVDs (why the heck don't cameras just record to WMV?This Quicktime default is so old fashioned).The quality of the videos IS good enough for your DVDs.

Aside from the video conversion pain, as a still camera This is the one.
... Read more

Product Description

The Sony VGN-T250P/L helps you stay productive while on the go with lightweight, portable features - an upgraded processor, DVD burner, long battery life, integrated wireless LAN and bluetooth and a unique, compact design.The T250P/L is the perfect companion for people on the go. With Intel Centrino Mobile Technology, integrated wireless LAN, integrated bluetooth and enhanced performance, this T250P/L is a small, light, yet powerful notebook. Stay connected through any of the thousands of HotSpots around the country. Burn and watch DVDs like never before with the 10.6" widescreen display with XBRITE Technology. Images and graphics will be sharp and crisp. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

PowerShot Pro 1 gives you the creative performance of a high-end SLR camera with the digital capability and ease of use inherent to the PowerShot line. The camera's 8 Megapixel CCD captures life to the extent that even prints of 8" x 10" or larger are highly detailed and gorgeously colored.

L Lens

	Lens construction: aspherical lens in blue, UD lens and fluorite in purple

The PowerShot Pro1 incorporates Canon's top-of-the-line lens, the L Lens, legendary among professional photographers. Driven by an Ultrasonic Motor, the super-fast 28-200mm (35mm equivalent) f/2.4-3.5 lens uses fluorite and UD (Ultra-low dispersion) glass for clear, sharp image delineation with an absolute minimum in chromatic aberration. Also incorporated is an Aspherical lens, precision-manufactured to within 0.1 microns, which corrects spherical aberrations and curvilinear distortion while keeping the zoom lens compact.

Shooting modes for all occasions
PowerShot Pro1 offers shooting modes (see below) for every situation and level of photographic experience. Photo Effects in Vivid Color, Neutral Color, Low Sharpening, Sepia, Black & White and Custom are also available, boosting the artistry of your shots instantly.

Three light-metering modes deliver precise exposure: evaluative metering, center-weighted average metering and spot metering, which lets you measure exposure at the chosen AF point or the center of the frame for an exceptional level of control. And the camera's innovative FlexiZone AF/AE system lets you move the AF point around the frame to focus on off-center subjects without reframing the shot, and connects the AF point to the exposure system when the camera is in spot metering mode.

Modes

• Custom: Control and store 2 sets of parameters to your exact preferences
• Auto: Concentrate on your composition while the camera manages all the technical work.
• Portrait: A larger aperture ensures a well-focused subject and beautiful background blur.
• Landscape: A smaller aperture is perfect for capturing sweeping vistas
• Night Scene: Background exposure and slow-sync flash light tricky night shots perfectly.
• Shutter Speed Priority: Select from a wide range of shutter speeds while the camera sets an appropriate aperture.
• Stitch Assist: Easily create precisely aligned panoramas. Stitch Assist even lets you confirm the next image to shoot on the LCD monitor or electronic viewfinder while you’re shooting the current image.
• Movie: Create movie clips with audio and enjoy a broad range of resolution choices: high-resolution VGA (up to 30 sec.) or long-play QVGA and QQVGA (up to 3 minutes). Unwanted scenes can be deleted during playback.
• Program: Set almost all parameters yourself, while the camera selects aperture and shutter speed.

Advanced Digital Imaging Technology

Canon's exclusive DIGIC Imaging Processor revolutionizes how you shoot digital by allowing the camera to process images faster and improving the accuracy of the autofocus. DIGIC also reduces the effects on noise in your images. iSAPS Technology is an entirely new scene-recognition technology developed for digital cameras by Canon. Using an internal database of thousands of different photos, iSAPS works with the fast DIGIC Imaging Processor to improve focus speed and accuracy, as well as exposure and white balance.

The components of photographic space that are precision captured by DIGIC

Incredible Up-close shots
Super Macro Mode: The PowerShot Pro1 features a standard macro function that allows you to shoot clearly at just 4" from your subject. It also incorporates a new Super Macro Mode that takes you in even closer. Position your subject as little as 1/2" from the tip of the lens and capture a full 8 megapixels of astonishingly close detail.

Bigger, Sharper, Vari-angle LCD monitor

With a comfortable, ergonomic grip and natural inline layout of key elements, PowerShot Pro1 is designed with the photographer in mind. The camera features a swiveling 2.0-inch Vari-angle LCD monitor that offers the highest resolution in its class at 235,000 pixels. The electronic viewfinder offers the same sharp resolution, and both keep pace with the high-speed zoom for seamless, responsive shooting. Information in the large display panel is always clear and visible and the panel can be illuminated at the push of a button. The mode dial is located for easy viewing during operation, and a main switch takes you quickly from shooting to playback mode.

Capture extremely fast-moving subjects
Speeding objects are fair game with a high-precision shutter drive that reaches a maximum speed of 1/4000 sec. (or you can shoot for up to 15 seconds in low light). Two continuous shooting modes capture high-impact images at any pace: standard (1 image per second) or high-speed (2.5 images per second).

Shoot high-quality movies with sound
High-quality movie clips with audio capture all the action. The PowerShot Pro1 offers several resolution choices: high-resolution VGA (up to 30 sec.), or long-play QVGA and QQVGA (up to 3 minutes). Delete unwanted scenes during playback.

Bracketing
Bracketing lets you capture 3 exposures with one shot, setting a range between ±2 stops at 1/3-stop increments. A major advantage to digital is the ability to switch ISO ratings without worrying about switching film rolls. PowerShot Pro1 offers instant access to ISO equivalents of 50, 100, 200 and 400.

Easy Connectivity

• To printers: The camera connects directly to a wide range of Canon Card Photo Printers and Canon Direct Photo Printers for a world of printing options: credit card-size, 4" x 6", 5" x 7", letter-size (8.5" x 11"), 11" x 13", labels, and much more, all without your computer. While Canon printers will deliver the highest quality prints from your PowerShot Pro1, the camera is equipped with PictBridge compatibility to ensure smooth connections to other manufacturers’ printers as well.
• To PCs and Macs: PowerShot Pro 1 comes complete with Canon’s own Digital Camera Solution Disk and proven third-party software:
  • ZoomBrowser EX (Win)/ImageBrowser (Mac): A user-friendly program that lets you quickly and easily connect, manage files and view images.
  • PhotoRecord (Win): Create exciting photo layouts for personal or business use, putting text anywhere on the page. Includes Exif support for enhanced color accuracy and detail.
  • PhotoStitch (Win/Mac): Join sequential shots to create seamless, perfectly aligned vertical, horizontal, 2x2 panoramas or 360° panorama movies.
  • TWAIN Driver/WIA Driver (Win): Allows your computer to recognize your camera and integrate well with third-party software.
  • ArcSoft Camera Suite (Win/Mac): Crop, enlarge and retouch photos and video clips like a pro.
  • Apple QuickTime (Win): Makes playing back your video clips fun and easy.

What's in the Box
This package contains the PowerShot Pro1 digital camera, 64 MB CompactFlash card, lens hood (LH-DC10), battery pack (BP-511A), battery charger (CB-5L), wireless controller (WL-DC100), USB and A/V cables, lens cap, and neck strap. The supplied software on the CD-ROM includes browsing and printing software ZoomBrowser EX (Windows) and ImageBrowser (Mac). Other software includes PhotoStitch, plus photo and movie manipulation software ArcSoft PhotoStudio and VideoImpression.

... Read more

Features

• 8-megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 16-by-22-inch enlargements
• Canon 7x optical L-series zoom lens
• 2-inch LCD screen; movie mode; 1.2-inch macro mode; PictBridge compatible
• Store images on Compact Flash Type I or II cards (64 MB card included)
• Powered by Rechargeable lithium ion battery (BP-511A) (included with charger)

Reviews (22)

Not *quite* as good as I expected...
I'm a fairly inexperienced camera user, and this is my second digital. My previous camera was a Canon Powershot A80, which did everything exactly as expected, and is great for the money.

I waited excitedly for months to get my hands on this camera, and, as a whole, the camera is exceptional. Image quality is great. It's also very responsive, and super easy to use (for a manual cam). You just can't beat the swivel LCD screen, (super) macro mode, and 8mp resolution.

There are, however, some things which should be mentioned:

-High noise at ISO over 200 (camera does 50/100/200/400)
-Autofocus very sluggish, making it hard to catch action shots
-Made to hold with right hand, in which it fits nicely. On the left side, however, there is no "comfortable" spot to hold the camera. Not ergonomically correct. Even bizarre. I usually just "rest" it on my hand.
-No AF assist light for focusing in low light/night time situations. This is truely bizarre, as my A80 ($300 camera) has one built in, and it works great! Seems like a ridiculous oversight...
-Alot of buttons on a small camera. Fingers may cramp.

By no means is the camera "junk", and I've enjoyed it thus far, but felt it necessary to mention these problems for others to consider.

The best of the 8 megapixel digicams
The Powershot Pro1 is the best all-around 8 megapixel digicam. It is compact (unlike the Olympus 8080, Sony F828, and Konica Minolta A2); has a fast 28-200 lens (Olympus only goes to 140mm equivalent, Nikon doesn't allow wide angle); and allows for fine adjustment of focal length (Olympus and Nikon use a crude zoom lever that makes it difficult to zoom exactly as you want to). An additional important point is that the Powershot can actually be used in RAW mode: the Olympus, Sony, and Nikon cameras lock-up for a while after taking a picture in RAW mode (this means the camera is not usable for up to 12 seconds after a RAW picture is taken).

Perhaps the closest competitor to the Powershot Pro1 is the Konica Minolta A2, but the A2 has an old lens design that lacks the resolution of the Powershot Pro1, and the A2 is much bigger, lacks the high resolution LCD screen on the Pro1, and has limited movement of its LCD screen. The A2 has a very high resolution viewfinder, but with a good LCD screen (like the Pro1), using a viewfinder is not preferable (for me at least). The A2 also has been noted in online reviews to have quality control problems.

Comparisons aside, some reviewers here have suggested that the Pro1 has "slow" autofocus and that the LCD screen freezes for a moment as the autofocus operates. The conclusion given is that the Pro1 is therefore difficult to use with moving subjects. The difficulty, however, is primarily with photographic technique rather than the camera's autofocus system. Because of the sensor size and lens design, the Pro1 has a large depth of field, meaning that subjects will appear in focus over a fairly large distance. Even at the telephoto end, the depth of field for a portrait (e.g. 100mm) at f/4.5 will be sufficient that you can pre-focus the lens and follow a moving subject easily. The shutter response is very very fast when the lens is already at its focus point. This is a standard technique often overlooked by people who never used a manual focus camera. And this technique is far better than relying on the autofocus system in any of the 8 megapixel cameras: none of them is faster than intelligent pre-focusing! The Pro1 makes this even easier by allowing the user to store a focus distance in the Custom1 and Custom2 settings.

This is a terrific camera. No camera is perfect, but the Pro1 makes the best compromises in its class.

And for those worried about image noise when looking at photos magnified on screen: this is eliminated from actual prints using any of several noise reduction software packages. Don't be afraid to use 400 speed on the Pro1, put the file through good noise reduction software, and print it. The result will still be very nice.

Very good for most people
As a botanist/ecologist/photographer I do a great deal of plant photography. I have used Canon products for years and swear by them and rarely at them. The Pro1, though, leaves a lot to be desired for my purposes. The EOS 10D does far better even with lower resolution. The Pro1, for the purposes I need, is not very suitable. (See my review of the PowerShot S1 IS).
But as a photgrapher who has been published around the world, mostly medium and large format photographs, I think for most people the Pro1 would be a very good choice. It has excellent construction and the image quality is superb with very true color, much better than most. If you don't want to mess with RAW image processing, you can photograph using the Super high resolution Large (gives you a JPG image) and get excellent results that compare very favorably with RAW processing and none of the fiddling with RAW. The availability of a 28mm equivalent wide angle is also very nice and not all that common.
The sharpest aperature to use is f5.6 or f6.3. The images are just a hair softer at larger or smaller apertures. Even the digital zoom will produce a pretty decent image at 14x, but gets worse at maximum digital zoom. Usually digital zoom is pretty worthless, but when you start with 8 megapixels you can still end up with a suitable pixel count after all the digital footwork that goes on in the camera. But generally you are still further ahead shooting at maximum optical zoom (no digital) and cropping, if you don't mind some additional digital manipulation antics to improve things.
So, all in all, I highly recommend this camera to anyone who needs high resolution and compact size. It is a good buy. But for really good macro photography I recommend a digital SLR and a top notch macro lens. If you only do a little macro work and are not real fussy about having razor sharp images then this camera will do fine. Sometimes it would almost match the 10D, but not quite. For all other uses, the camera is great.

Excellent, with a couple of minor flaws
This is my 3rd Canon Digital camera - Powershot G2 and G3 were the previous ones. Took 20,000 pics with them.

Things I love about the Powershot Pro1:
-takes excellent macro (close-up) photos. The clarity is incredible, especially when using the "Super Macro" mode.
-Color is exccellent.
-Moveable LCD panel on back. I take mostly nature shots - closeups. This allows me to take photos from positions I could never get into without the moveable panel. Shoot from under flowers, raise the camera up to shoot down onto flowers that are above my head, etc.
-battery life is superb - about 400-600 or more photos per charge.
-the 7x zoom is awesome. From 30 feet I can take a photo of a 2" diameter flower and see the details of the flower in the resulting pic.
-Many advanced features. READ THE MANUAL! You won't discover this camera's full potential until you do.

Drawbacks:
-The first Pro1 I got had dust and fibers INSIDE the lens. I was able to trade it for another one 2 weeks later after I discovered the flaw - the dust and fibers were only visible when examining the lens in sunlight. One of the replacement camera they were going to give me also had dust inside the lens.
-This second unit I had became defective after 2 weeks. The zoom lens started moving in and out with jerks - sticking. So now I am on my 3rd Pro1 unit. Hopefully the problems with the prior ones are not typical!!
-Slow focussing and composition, as mentioned in other reviews. Not as much of a problem for me, as I do mostly plant photos. But it has caused me to miss butterfly shots.
-The lens cap is a pain to put on and remove. A simple push-on one would've been MUCH better. And I am wondering if the necessary action of squeezing the two little tabs all the time caused the failure of my 2nd unit (lens movement sticking - this action may be always pushing the lens from side to side, and cause the mechanism to wear prematurely?
-Have to watch exposures. I find my photos are often overexposed. I have learned the conditions under which this happens, and have learned to compensate for it (which is easy to do). But this was an issue with the G2 & G3 also.
-Regular macro mode is poor at auto-focussing. However, the "Super-Macro" mode is VERY good at auto-focussing.

So far, I HIGHLY recommend this camera. I have taken 4000 pics with it in the 40 days I have had a Pro1, and I like it a lot.
It has very advanced features, and even has more features than the Rebel. For example, you can select center-spot metering - can't do that on the Rebel except in Manual mode (if I recall correctly). It is "pseudo-SLR" in that the vewfinder displays the same info as the LCD panel. The zoom is excellent, although some people don't like the "zoom-by-wire" aspect of it.

Superb, but beware if you're looking for Point and Shoot.
Having never owned a high-end camera I was a little intimidated by the various offerings on the market. I wanted a camera that I could use as a point and shoot and would also allow me to become a bit more "creative" with my photography. I started my research from scratch and had no preference regarding manufacturers, mega pixels, lenses, etc. I read every professional review and consumer review that I could find. I finally narrowed my selection down to two models. The Konica Minolta Dimage A2 and the Canon PowerShot Pro 1.

I made a point of visiting my local camera shop so I could get a hands on look at the various options, feel and performance of each camera. The salesman was a Minolta aficionado and tried steering me towards the A2 by quoting a multitude of statistics (many of which were erroneous or existed on both cameras). After holding the PowerShot and playing with it a while, I selected the Canon as my future camera and set about purchasing one.

I must say that I'm ecstatic with my decision. The camera weight and size is perfect as is the performance. During my research I came across two items which I have verified as areas of concern: 1) The camera has difficulty focusing in low light. This often includes indoor environments with 60w - 100w lighting nearby. I have overcome this by reading up on photographic techniques and how to manipulate a camera to obtain the shot I'm looking for. Took me a while to conquer something more than the Auto setting, but I'm doing it now and the low-light focus is no longer a problem. 2) Shutter lag seems long. In Auto mode, this is a definite problem if you're shooting any kind of action. Once again, photographic techniques have all but eliminated the shutter lag. Using the custom settings I have reduced the shutter lag to a point that it's no longer an issue. I simply make the camera do what I want rather that giving it complete control.

Over all, the PowerShot Pro 1 is superb. It's size, weight and performance are excellent and the options available are surprising. If you're looking for a camera that will do it all for you, beware of this one due to the low-light focus issue and shutter lag. If you're willing to take control of the camera, I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Features

• Ultra fast up to 9 Mb/sec data transfer rate
• Small size
• Holds up to 100 high resolution images
• Works with any CompactFlash enabled device
• High-density flash memory and optimized controller technology lets you save large image files faster

Reviews (14)

Great card!
Bought one of these cards and I love it. I have a Canon 300d/Digital Rebel.

I originally used a Canon 32MB card which performed horribly. It would take on average 10 seconds to write one JPG at the highest resolution.

With the 512MB Ultra II card it takes from 1-2 seconds to write the same image. It also allows you to shoot continuous shots longer.

With 6+ Megapixels--I think the 512MB card is the perfect size for a full day of shooting. I can get about 165-170 shots on a card. I am glad I did not get the 256MB card.

Lastly, it also allows quicker image previewing from the camera, flipping between images is so so much faster. I think the extra money for this card is well worth it.

Got mine from Amazon. 60X write, 66X read.
I pre-ordered this item from Amazon. Apparently, there was an initial delay with Amazon's supply, but I just got mine. With a price like this and free shipping (which, despite being "Super Saver," was speedy as usual), I have no complaints.

Works fine so far, and the capacity boost over my old 64MB card has me almost giddy: The "pictures remaining" counter on my 3MP camera jumped from about 40 to over 300.

Helpful info: The manufacturer's "X" speed rating equivalent, which isn't easy to find online, is 60X write and 66X read.

Amazon can't deliver
I ordered this before tax day in April and I am now told that I won't see it until August. Amazon has blown past expected delivery dates several time so far, so I have no reason think that they will meet the August date. Order this product only if you never want to receive it.

Works fine - but not from Amazon
I have two of these, one in a Canon Powershot S500 and the other in a Powershot S1 IS and both work fine. No problems at all.

The ordering issue was something else, eventually I gave up on Amazon's extended and extending delivery times and bought them on Ebay for $10 more. I buy a lot of gear from Amazon and I was disappointed this time, but that's one in a hundred where they have totally failed my expectations, not bad overall.

It's a fast memory card, it works, it's available on Ebay. What else is there to say?

Worth the premium for high end cameras!
I've seen some comments about this card not being worth the extra premium, but those users did not have a professional or pro-sumer level camera. It is worth it to me because of two advantages over 'standard' comapct flash cards:
******Upload Speed*******
Upload (or Read) speeds with a USB 2.0 card reader will definitely be faster with this card. A full card will take just a few minutes to download to my PC while my old 128 MB standard Lexar card takes LONGER to complete! I can only imagine how much longer 512 MB would take on a regular card. Still, it may not be enough to justify the extra cost if that's your only advantage.
******Write Speed******
Here's the real advantage and cost justification: I have a Nikon D70 and can shoot continuously until the card is FULL. I cannot do this with other cards I've tried. They always fill the buffer up, and I have to wait. If getting shots without worry of waiting to take the next one (even in sub-second waits), this is a perfect choice. There won't be a just-missed shot because your camera and card are feverishly trying to write data. Again, users of consumer grade cameras will not notice a big difference in write speeds, if at all. I also have a Nikon Coolpix 995, and the difference in write speeds is completely transparent.
******Conclusion******
The price premium for this card is very much similar to other premium items on the market. If you have a car that normally takes 87 Octane gas and sees no improvement with putting in 93, it isn't worth the higher price for the premium fuel. The same goes with this card -- if your camera can take advantage of the much improved writes speeds, this is one of the best choices. If it can't, then definitely buy the standard card and save some cash. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Brother MFC-8840DN multifunction laser printer offers fast printing, up to 21 ppm (draft); crisp resolution, up to 2,400 x 600 dpi; plus great copy, scan, and fax performance. A complete range of easy-to-use front-mounted controls facilitateseasy walk-up single-job use, while Ethernet connectivity accommodates workgroup sharing.

With versatile paper handling, the MFC-8840DN performs two-in-one and four-in-one copying, automatic duplexing, poster copying, and reduction/enlargement options from 25% to 400% in 1% increments. It also has a 50-sheet ADF for even greater convenience.

The MFC-8840DN offers your choice of Ethernet (10/100BaseTX), USB (2.0), and parallel connectivity, and is PC and Mac compatible.Fax features include a built-in 33.6 Kbps modem, 300 speed dial locations, 40 one-touch dialing locations, and more.The MFC-8840DN also allows access via PC fax interface.

What's in the Box
MFC-8840DN, ADF, power cable, AC power adapter, Quick Reference Guide, CD (software), warranty information ... Read more

Features

• Multifunction office machine, prints, copies, scans, and faxes
• Up to 21 ppm printing and copying; up to 2,400 x 600 dpi print resolution
• 33.6 Kbps fax modem, 300 speed dial locations, 600 page memory
• Includes 50-sheet ADF; 32 MB memory, expandable to 160 MB
• Parallel, USB, and Ethernet interfaces; PC and Mac compatible

Features

• Compatible with all iPods that utilize a Dock Connector including the iPod Mini
• Digital FM tuner with programmable station presets.
• 3 programmable “favorite station” preset buttons and easy-to-read, dimmable LED display.
• Full FM tuning capability for clear sound anywhere*.
• Smart Digital Charging for fast charges; maximizes battery life.

Product Description

Archos (500698) AV4100 Pocket Video Recorder ... Read more

Features

• Play MP3, WMA (including protected files) and WAV music files
• Record up to 400 hours of TV programs and video content from a TV, VCR, cable, or satellite receiver using the TV cradle
• Program recordings using the Recording Scheduler, which directly controls the VCR or set-top box tuner
• Store and watch between up to 200 full-length movies
• Enjoy up to 4.5 hours of video playback on the color LCD while on the go

Reviews (5)

Freezing continously
Just bought the AV4100 last week and it keeps on freezing. First only when connecting/disconnecting the USB however now also using the cradle to connect to the TV/DVD. Keep on formatting harddisk which does not solve the issue. Downloaded and installed the latest firmware, no result. If Archos doesn;t come up with a proper solution soon I'll return the unit to the store without even bothering further. Lost 100 hours.....

Not bad.
First off, let me start by stating that I am not rich.This was a major purchase for me.As a college student, I really had serious reservations about spending so much on an mp3 player and video recorder.But after having spent money on an ipod (which ended up flaking out on me after a few months) and an iriver h320 (which I do love, but I can't get its data file to update with my ibook and have a "tremendously" difficult time getting my ibook to recognize the iriver h320 as so many others have and not being successsful to get linux to recognize it without a lot of late nights), I decided to purchase the av4100.I didn't get the av420, since I have about 15G of music on my ibook.I didn't get the av480, since there are concerns in the reviews about the hard drive itself. I must say that the av4100 has been worth the price.I do have issues with navigating through the folders and files, but I think those issues will go away once I'm comfortable with the buttons.The av4100 is easily recognized by my ibook.I haven't tried it on a linux box yet.I have used the video recorder.It's awesome.I think the av4100 is well-built and well-designed.The only drawback is that it does not play mpeg4 files.I had to convert all my music files to mp3s.Very annoying.But overall, I'm happy with my very pricy purchase.I can see that this device will bring me lots of happiness.

Everything I had expected it to be...
I have had my Archos AV4100 (100 GB version) for about a week now, and I must say, it is wonderful! Before purchasing it, I read many many reviews both on Amazon and on the WWW. Some of the reviews were really good and others reported problems such as frequent freezing, bad sound quality, etc, etc. However, I must say, I am very pleased with my purchase; and believe me, I put a lot of thought into it (5 monthes of thinking to be exact). It is a rather large investment, but I must say, it is worth it. And here is why:

- The setup was a no brainer. You plug it into your computer with the USB and the computer will automatically detect your new hardware and install all the needed software and drivers (since they're all in the ARCHOS device).

- The TV/VCR/DVD recording setup and usage is really simple. However, if your DVD is copyright protected, you'll only be able to play it back on the LCD (it won't play on your TV or on your computer).

- The sound quality is fine. The speaker can become really squeaky and coarse if you put it up really loud, but in general, the sound is not bad at all.

- I haven't really used the photo-viewing ability, but so far, with the sample pictures that comes with the device, the photoviewer works fine.

- The music player is really cool. The interface is exceptional and if you play on shuffle, it'll display what the next song in queue is. The only disappointment that I have with the music player is the playlist. It was a little confusing at first to set up a playlist and even after I made one, it didn't show up when I wanted it to. But after a little playing around, I figured everything out.

- Lastly, I did have a freezing problem the 2nd day I had the device, but the manual (you can find it online) explained how to troubleshoot the problem, and after updating the OS (all new firmware can be downloaded through the Archos website for free), I didn't have that problem again.

Thus, the Archos AV4100 is a great device and I definitely recommend it to anyone; it is well worth the price. Plus, I would get the 100GB version, because 20GB is just not enough when you're talking about videos that take up about 4GB each, and I wouldn't get the 80GB one because apparently it has some more flaws than it should. Also, is you want this for entertainment purposes, the 100GB model is the one for you.

The Archos PMA430 (the palm pilot-ish/video/mp3/picture player/viewer thing) is a great innovation but it is really slow and there are still a lot of bugs with the software and stuff. I was gonna buy the PMA430, but after seeing the video on this site (http://www.archosfans.com), I realized that the palm functions of the PMA430 weren't that great at all. So if you really really want a palm pilot and an PMP/PVP all in one device, wait a while and see what else comes onto the market later on in the year. But if you want a stellar PVP NOW, Archos AV4100 is the one for you.

Oh and the PSP is a mere TOY compared to the AV4100. Don't even try to put these two devices on the same spectrum! The PSP only comes with a 32MB internal memory, which means you can't put anything on it and to view movies on it, you have to buy those little disks that the player reads, which is costly and such a hassle to carry around if you're travelling. The Archos is so much better. That is unless you're a serious gamer.

Excellent product!
I agree!Fast USB, video support for AVI's (I've already ripped several of my as yet unwatched DVDs to it for watching on the subway), records my favorite shows (Medium, American Idol, Stargate SG-1/Atlantis, Battlestar Galactica) directly to hard drive for later viewing, great video quality, great picture support (jpg, gif, etc.), wonderful full sound for movies and MP3s (not tinny or tiny like my other MP3 player), 100G allows to be used as a portable hard drive for my work files. Screen brightness is great. Was also worried about the quality probs I read about earlier but no such problem now it appears. I've ordered an additional power supply for the office, special standup carrying case, and remote/FM recorder. Definitely highly recommended -- it's my new travelling companion! (BTW, just picked up sony noise cancelling headphones for that theater feel on the noisy trains.) Terence

Archos AV4100 - Excellent Product
Wow is what I say!I got my unit about a week ago, and have been having a blast with it!It beats the socks off my Creative 60G MP3 player in many ways:

- It plays video!
- It's 100G instead of 60G
- Its USB 2.0 connection is MUCH faster than the Creative (I can send over a whole album in a few seconds)
- The unit's interface is easy to use and navigate
- It plays video!
- The audio and video sound is much better, richer (there's a bass boost that's really good)
- Its video is GREAT (I've ripped and loaded several of my DVDs to it and they play really well with good color and sound)
- The screen is bright (even in the middle setting it's bright enough for everyday use)
- It records my fave TV shows to take with me on my subway ride
- Did I mention that it plays video!
- The resume function works great (I can stop a video or song in mid-stream when, say, lunch is over, and then pick back up on my way home; I can even set up bookmarks in different files to jump to that part of the file)
- It acts like a hard drive so I can use SecondCopy to autosync my music and videos without having to launch WMP, MMJB, etc. (except for a few DRM files I have, then I have to use WMP)
- All the previous quality issues I've read about with the Archos products seem to have been fixed

Highly, HIGHLY recommended! ... Read more

Product Description

The Acer AL1912 19-inch LCD monitor produces sharp, realistic images that are easy on the eyes and make computing a pleasure. ... Read more

Features

• Incredibly thin! Sleekest design to fit perfectly in your pocket, on yourbackpack, in your armband.
• Directly record music from your cd player or other audiosource with Line in
• Built in voice recorder Record up to 16hrs of lectures or quick notes.
• USB 2.0 USB 2.0 for faster music transfer
• Sports armband and carrying case with belt clip. With skip-free playback and sports armband, the MuVo MicroN200 is perfect for the active lifestyle

Features

• 1GB maximum storage capacity
• Designed to support read and write speeds of 80 Mbps on high speed enabled devices
• Operating temperature range of -13? F to 185? F allows greater durability
• Backwards compatible with devices that use Memory Stick(R) PRO Duo media
• Included adaptor allows compatibility with Memory Stick(R) PRO media enabled devices

Amazon.com Product Description

ViewSonic's NextVision N3200w 32-inch LCD television features powerful image-enhancing technologies for stunning TV and video entertainment, including compatibility with high-definition picture sources from your DTV receiver or personal computer. Intense colors, high-contrast images, native 1,280 x 768 resolution, and powerful onboard speakers with virtual surround sound capability will immerse you in the action. There's even a front-panel digital media reader so you can view your favorite digital photos.

The N3200w offers a direct-digital DVI (Digital Visual Interface) with HDCP (high-definition content protection), ensuring long-term compatibility with evolving HD technology. Video games and movies come to life with the set's super-fast 18 ms response time, which produces smooth motion video. A high brightness LCD panel, 600:1 contrast ratio, and 170-degree horizontal and vertical viewing angles combine to further enhance the overall visual experience.

LCD screens offer a number of benefits over CRT monitors and televisions, including general ease of use, freedom from eye strain (no screen flickering or radiation emissions), quiet operation (no high-pitch "flyback" noise, an issue with CRT TVs), accurate image geometry (no curvature distortion or susceptibility to magnetic interference from, say, speakers), long screen life (with no risk of image burn-in), space savings, and light weight/easy positioning. They also tend to be cheaper and, to some eyes, slightly more natural looking than their plasma flat-panel counterparts, which usually "spec" higher (higher brightness, higher contrast ratio).

The N3200w also performs 3:2 pulldown detection and reversal. DVD mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; reverse 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture.

The N3200w's integrated NTSC tuner grants convenient off-air reception of standard-definition programs, while its powerful audio system (12 watts per channel x 2) sports a dedicated subwoofer output for use with an optional powered subwoofer to enhance bass frequencies in all your programs.

Compatible with analog and digital PC and Macintosh computer systems, the television also offers component-, composite-, and S-video input connections, as well as the DVI terminal mentioned above. Full, single-tuner picture-in-picture and split-screen functions let you preview 2 video inputs simultaneously. The set comes with a matching 51-key remote control and can be easily attached to a wall using an optional mounting kit.

What's in the Box
TV, detachable table stand, remote control, remote batteries, a user's manual, and warranty information. ... Read more

Features

• 32-inch widescreen flat-panel LCD TV with 1,280 x 768 native pixel resolution; inches (W x H x D)
• DVI and high-definition component-video inputs accepts high-definition video signals; PC input (15-pin D-Sub) lets you use the set as a monitor
• High 600:1 contrast ratio, 550 cd/m2 brightness
• Compatible with CF, MS, SM and SD/MMC memory cards for viewing your favorite digital photos in high resolution
• Built-in stereo speakers powered by 12 watts per channel x 2; subwoofer output lets you enhance bass frequencies with a stand-alone sub

Product Description

The Forerunner 301 is the next exciting addition to the Forerunner lineup. This product will take the training experience of the Forerunner 201 to the next level by integrating a continuous heart rate monitor. Why is heart rate so important? Simply put, heart rate can be used as a measurement of exercise intensity and an accurate way to gauge performance. The Forerunner 301 is the only 2-piece system that offers a heart rate monitor and GPS to provide instant speed, distance and pace data. There's no calibration required, and the 301 can be used for multiple sports, like cycling, cross country skiing and more. Itis a powerful training tool for those interested in losing weight, improving fitness, reaching peak athletic performance, or just improving health to reduce heart-related problems.Having the ability to analyze workout data is an important tool in reaching one's fitness goals. That's why the Forerunner 301 comes with the Garmin Training Center? software, which allows users to download workout data to their PC for a detailed analysis. Or, create workouts on the PC and transfer them to the 301.Like the Forerunner 201, the 301 also doubles as a basic navigator.Users can mark their starting point as a specific location, see their current position on the plotter display, and follow an electronic breadcrumb trail back to their starting point.Sh. Wt.4 lbs ... Read more

Features

• Up to 14 hours of battery life / rechargeable lithium-ion battery (charger included)
• Water resistant, IEC 60529, IPX7 (Submersible to 1 meter @ 30 minutes)
• Continuously monitors heart rate, speed, distance, pace, and calories
• USB interface allows for fast data transfer to the computer
• Built-in GPS receiver provides highly accurate data; no calibration required

Reviews (9)

Good idea, bad implementation.
The concept of the Garmin 301 is a slam-dunk. This is the setup everyone should want. To have the accuracy of a GPS with a host of computing power, and a good hart rate monitor. This configuration could provide everything folks could want with just two components. Unfortunately that's all the good news that their is. The fact is that the Garmin 301 does not work. I think Garmin has tried too hard to cost reduce the product and as a result nothing works very well and some things do not work at all. The hart rate monitor sometimes works and other times not at all or read rates that are way off. I found out from a tech. at Garmin that Garmin does not even make the hart rate monitor. They get an inexpensive one made for them by an over seas company. The GPS is so poor that I did not know anyone even makes one that is so inaccurate. I have a 5 year old hand held Garmin GPS that works much better then the new one in the 301! The software that comes with the unit is so lame that you can not even print your workout graph. The fact is that if you purchase this package you will get something that will not provide useful data. After getting my unit and seeing how bad the data was I started looking around in the forms on the web and sure enough I found lots and lots of people finding the same thing. Do not take my word for it, check around on the web yourself.
Good idea but very poor implementation.
Oh well.

Good tool, not completely accurate
I dont like that you cant print your results from the workout from the software. The device isnt completely accurate on distance. Close, but not precise.

If you accept this then the Garmin 301 Forerunner is a great tool for excersize. The workout partner feature I use alot. You set your pace and the display shows you a partner keeping that exact pace. It then lets you know how far ahead or behind you are. It has high and low alarms for your pace as well as heart rates. You can easily customize your workout by workout time, pace or distance.

It will lose signal if you go under large trees or underpasses. I recently did a half marathon and lost signal when I went under the bridges. This caused a discrepancy in the overall distance.

The software lets you trend your data (distance, pace and heart rate) on overlapped or seperate displays.

I do like the Forerunner. Its just a training aide and does a good job at that.

If you are particular about your information being very accurate then you should get a different product.

Because of these slight inaccuracies it loses one star with me. Its still worth a solid 4 stars.

ok but not very accurate
I bought the 201 and sold after it consistently reported a 8 mile run as a 6 mile run -- it couldn't extrapolate the distance when the signal is lost in a tree-lined neighborhood.
I have been using the 301 for the last 2 months. I like the integration with the heart monitor and the training software.
The heart monitor will spike randomly at 240bpm -- the software
doesn't seem to be able to throw those outliers out.
The GPS tends to overestimate distance -- I'm not sure how that is possible unless it is fooled by the arm swings.
Another reviewer said it could be .01 to .02 miles off per mile -- that adds up to 1/2 mile in a 26 mile marathon.
The pace readout is inaccurate even with the extra smoothing set. When shifting from walking to running, it will read a 7:44 pace even when our faster runner is running a 10 minute pace.
How is that possible to average faster than the real pace?
I got no answer from online technical support; I haven't tried the phone yet.
I'll keep the 301; it is better than a pedometer and still useful as training tool as it keeps training of mileage and calories, more or less. I'm not sure it's worth the 200 plus dollars.

A Little Gem
I have had this Forerunner 301 for a week now and it works flawlessly. I take walks on a trail that's approximately 1 mile every day and have done so prior to the purchase of the Forerunner for almost 2 years. I know the exact distance of the trail because they have signs that indicate the distance traveled along the trail. The past week I've been walking and running on the trail and almost every time the distance traveled was the same. You get instances where it's off by 0.01or 0.02 miles but that's as bad as it gets. Some will complain about this but, let's be honest, this is a tool and tools are never perfect. If you find it annoying that it's of by 0.01 or 0.02 miles then compensate for it.

I have used the heart monitor twice and it works as expected. One thing I don't like about it is the fact that you have to strap it to your chest. Perhaps that's the best way to get accurate reading but I would have preferred an arm band, wrist, or even finger type of device.

The navigation feature is not complicated nor is it complex. It's pretty much a waypoint based mapping. Basically, you set points along your trail rout and it will mark those points on your map. You can use the way points to navigate the map. The navigation map allows you to zoom in up to 20ft on your rout.

Customization is one area I would like to see improvements. You can only have one screen that's customizable. Personally, I'd like to see as many stats as possible. I can't complain though because you can always change the sports type and get a different customized screen for each sport.

You might have noticed that all the images of the device don't show someone wearing it. This is because the sucker is a bit blocky. Don't fret though, it's not enormous and the features its packing can't be had with a smaller sized device.

The good:
* Features, features, features.
* Accuracy.
* Heart rate monitor.
* Usability.
* Calories burned information.
* Elevation information.
* Workout history.
* Battery Life.

The bad:
* Bit oversized.
* Needs more customizable screens.
* Signal acquisition takes a few minutes sometimes (I live in Seattle and its cloudy sometimes).
* Doesn't work indoors (for me at least and that's not what I bought it for).

Great Unit - Poor Software
This unit is great at capturing all of the data I want to look at, but the training software leaves much to be desired. The data by themselves don't mean anything without the ability to do quality analysis. The included software was basic at best. Even the free MotionBased.com platform that is suggested seems a weak bridge. So far, the best software I have found to analyze actions sports is by a Finnish company called FRWD http://www.frwd.fi/static.php. If Garmin could put together something like this, this product would be amazing! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Garmin's eTrex Vista GPS receiver is smaller than its popular eMaps, but far more powerful. The Vista offers more memory, more features, and more convenience than any other GPS hardware in this price range.

Don't be fooled by the product's small screen. Although smaller than the display used in products like the eMap, it has a higher resolution, letting it show more information more crisply. Small text can be difficult to read from a distance, but there are "big number" options available to make important data like your speed easy to read.

It's this configurability that makes the eTrex Vista so special.

	 
Map page (shown with optional MapSource topo detail).

You can easily set it up to suit your needs, regardless of the situation. Menu choices are highlighted and confirmed with a small joystick near the top of the unit, providing an elegant interface for navigating a formidable amount of options. Our only complaint is that the joystick used to access all the product's features is offset to the left, making it nearly impossible to control using only your right hand. When the joystick is held in your left hand, however, every control is within easy reach of your left thumb, freeing your right hand to hold a flashlight, walking stick, lantern, or anything else.

This GPS unit's diminutive size and weight, not to mention its rugged design, make it an ideal hiking companion. It's waterproof in up to 3 feet of water for 30 minutes and is generously coated with shock-absorbing rubber. The barometric altimeter keeps a historical record of your ascents and descents, graphing elevation changes so you can easily track your progress.

	 
Elevation page

The ability to store waypoints, points of interest, routes, and other information means you can blaze your own trail and always find your way back to camp.

Best of all, 24 MB of internal memory makes it possible to store an enormous amount of data from Garmin's optional MapSource CDs, turning the eTrex Vista into an interactive road atlas. The memory isn't expandable, but 24 MB is enough to store street-level data for entire states in some cases.

A serial cable is included for transferring the maps from your PC to the GPS unit, but it's terribly slow. A USB connector, sold separately, transfers data in a fraction of the time.

The eTrex Vista was very accurate in testing, especially in a car on the open road. Accuracy diminished somewhat when the device was used in heavy tree cover or a dense urban area, but not enough that you're ever going to get lost or miss an exit. Used side-by-side with an eMap, the eTrex Vista kept up in update speed while displaying even more information on the moving map than the eMap did, cementing its position as perhaps the best all-around handheld GPS unit money can buy. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Small and light without sacrificing features
• 24 MB of integrated memory stores reams of detailed maps
• High-resolution screen displays sharp text legible even at extremely small sizes

Cons:

• Can't be used one-handed when held in the right hand
• Smaller display is hard to read from a distance, as when the device is placed on a dashboard

Features

• Global positioning system (GPS) receiver with barometric altimeter, electronic compass, and Americas base map
• Store more maps and different types of data (marine, roads, and more) with 24 MB of storage; PC cable included
• Accuracy to less than 3 meters with WAAS correction data
• High-resolution liquid-crystal display for easy reading
• Compatible with optional Garmin MapSource software; includes serial PC interface

Reviews (75)

Better Than I Thought
I'd like to start this review by saying that I'm a Registered Maine Hunting Guide with years of expirience navigating in the back country and plenty of expirience using different brands of GPSs. That said, I nearly didn't buy this GPS after reading some of the reviews for it, I'm glad I did.
I recently returned from a 2 week hunting excursion in Northern Maine in unfamiliar territory. The Vista greatly aided me in knowing exactly where I was at all times. I purchased the Map Source Topo program for it and loaded my maps. I had room for all of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire in it. While all the newer logging roads weren't on the map, a lot of them were.
The electronic compass is a neat feature and saves you from getting out your regular compass when orienting yourself, but I do like a regular compass better.
As I was all ready familiar with Garmin GPSs, this GPS was very easy for me to use. To many convienient features to list. This GPS did everything I wanted it to and then some. Battery life was exceptable and the only time I had any problem with reception was during a heavy snow storm while in fairly heavy tree cover.
A friend of mine has the Garmin Legend GPS and while it is less money he was only able to load about half of the state on it. So for more money and features the Vista is the way to go.
The small "shirt pocket" size, the topo map and all the other great features make this a "Must Have" for any back country traveler.
If you're looking for a GPS to use in your vehicle, pick a different model, the small size of this unit that makes it great for hand held use makes it to small to use effectively in your vehicle.
All in all this GPS is great in my opinion, it is absolutely perfect for me and my uses. Great quality, easy to use, convienient features, small size, fast updates. Have I left any thing out? If you're a hunter, hiker or back country traveler this is the GPS for you.

Not very useful.
I ordered this GPS unit for a trip out west to several National Parks. I also ordered the very expensive National Parks West maps from Garmin. I downloaded the maps for several of the parks I was to visit, so that I would get detailed trail maps once I got there. Once at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, I went to use my eTrex Vista with the "detailed" map and all I got was a rough location of the city I was near. Clearly the detailed map did not download properly, or when I entered map info for one park it overwrote the information I downloaded for other parks. The only park listed was the last park I downloaded and I never ended up going to that park, so my purchase was a complete waste of money. If you are completely incapable of reading a map, perhaps this unit can be of use to you driving down the road, of course it barely receives a signal from within a car, you have to get out and hold the unit if there are any trees or buildings around. The screen is also too small and not in color, and the batteries don't last long enough. I have stock in Garmin, so I suppose I should not bad mouth them too much, but if I could return this unit to Amazon, I would.

GARMIN HAS GOOD RECEPTION
I own 3 GPS receivers and I will say Garmin did an excellent job. The receiver is much more sensitive to satellite signals than my other GPSs. Just don't expect too much from this small unit with tiny screen and very slow CPU for screen refresh. It will drive you nuts to use it for street navigation. It is suitable for back trailing in the mountains. For street navigate, I strongly suggest that you hook this unit up with a laptop but make sure that GPS is set to NMEA and the software GPS setting is also correct. Conclusion, don't street navigate with this unit alone and don't buy a no brand GPS under $90 because you will not be happy with the reception.

Eddy

A poor offering by Garmin
This expensive (for gps units) includes the PC Cable but DOES NOT include the ability to comunicate with your PC. After waiting 17 minutes for customer service I was told that I had to purchase a $29 software to be able to download my waypoints to my computer. I don't need extra maps - I only want to download my waypoints.

In the waypoint view - over half of the display is the flag symbol and the co-ordinates are so small as to be practically useless in the field.

This is my fifth Garmin product and in the past have been happy with the performance. I give this a 1 as it is little better than a $99 unit.

Great GPS Unit And A Great Price!
Another reviewer here said it best: don't let the misleading negative reviews of this product prevent you from taking a good look at the Garmin eTrex Vista. (Honestly, what are some of these people wanting to do with a GPS device? Fix a waypoint on a specific part of a cow patty in a farmer's field somewhere?)

This is the first GPS handheld I've purchased after carefully reviewing other models from other brands at a local store with true "hands on" comparisons. I thought the Garmin products were by far the most intuitive and user-friendly of the GPS handhelds I played with. Great features and an excellent value for the money. (...)

Looking at the less expensive eTrex Legend and the Vista and wondering which to buy? Well, the Legend is great but it lacks the Vista's electromagnetic
compass or air-pressure altitude indicator if that is important to you. It also has much less memory capacity (8MB) for storing detailed Mapsource maps.

I have loaded my Vista with topo maps from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont and it took up all 24MB of memory (of course, it really is a lot of detail we're talking about here). I would think that the memory capacity of the Legend could be a significant limitation if you are looking at getting into extra topo or metro guide maps. If you have no use for extra maps or an electromagnetic
compass and altimeter, then the Legend might be the way to go.

Personally, I think the Vista represents a better overall value for the dollar.

Ignore the naysayers and compare the GPS units for yourself. I'm very happy with the Vista and would have made the same purchase if I had to do it all over again. ... Read more