Amazon.com Product Description

TiVo's Series2 DVR delivers plenty of recording capacity in addition to offeringentertainment services like digital music, digital photos, remote scheduling,and hassle-free favorites recording. All this and the famed luxury of being ableto pause and view instant replays of live television, too.
TiVo DVRs record television programming directly to an onboard digital ATA/IDEhard drive, eliminating the hassles of videotape (imprecise tape searching, headcleaning, steadily degrading picture, fuzzy sound, etc.). This Series2 TiVo, modelTDC540040, offers 40 GB storage for up to 40 hours of recording time in TiVo'sbest-looking chassis yet.

The Series2 has 2 USB ports, offering people with home networks the ability to stream photos and music to their TiVo, or send programs from one TiVo to another. This connectivityalso lets TiVo subscribers access exciting entertainment services throughthe TiVo Home Media Features, which consists of the TiVo Digital MusicPlayer, TiVo Digital Photo Viewer, and Multi-Room Viewing. The TiVo Digital Music Player lets you enjoy your computer's MP3 collectionthrough your home entertainment sound system. Access and control yourentire digital music collection via your TV; shuffle your music libraryby artist, album, or type of music; and create a custom playlist on yourcomputer or use third-party software to develop playlists for every mood. The TiVo Digital Photo Viewer accesses digital photos stored on yourcomputer and showcases them on your TV. View photo albums and slideshowson your TV screen, easily navigate, search, and view your computer's entiredigital photo library, play and control slideshows of photo albums, anduse the remote control to select and view individual photos.

TiVo's Series2 DVR allows users to view photosand listen to music stored on their computer or other peripheral device.

With the Multi-Room Viewing feature, userscan pause live TV and resume viewing in another room.

Multi-Room Viewing is designed for households with two Series2 DVRs andallows you to record a show on one DVR and send it to another if yourkids are watching in the living room, say, and you're watching in thebedroom. You can also start a program on one DVR and pick up where youleft off on your other DVR, as well as access the Now Playing list ofa connected Series2 DVR at any time. You can also find and schedule recordings even when you're away fromhome. With Online Scheduling, you'll have the freedom to schedule programsfrom anywhere you have a computer with an Internet connection. Just signin to TiVo Central Online to access the same recording options you haveat home. The Series2 DVR is compatible with virtually every television available.It also works with VCRs, TV antennas, cable systems, and satellite systems.A patented universal remote control simplifies program recording and controlsmultiple TiVos within the home (2 devices can share your existing phoneline). Connections include: 3 video inputs and outputs (S-video, composite-video,and RF coaxial), 1 set of stereo RCA analog audio inputs, and 2 sets ofstereo audio outputs.

TiVo subscribers can pay $12.95 per month or a one-time product lifetime feeof $299. Other benefits of TiVo service include but are by no means limitedto: Season Pass (TiVo automatically finds and records every episode of a seriesall season long, even if the network schedule changes), WishList (TiVo findsand records programs that feature your favorite actor, director, team, or eventopic), Smart Recording (TiVo detects line-up changes for you and suggests programsto match your interests, if desired), and Showcases (exclusive entertainmentplus recording shortcuts from some of the most popular networks on TV). Youcan even train TiVo to autorecord more shows you'll love when you use the ThumbsUp and Thumbs Down buttons on the supplied remote. Parental controls let youlock channels or set ratings limits based on content.

What's in the Box
TiVo DVR, user's manual, 1 stereo analog audio/video interconnect, 1 RJ-11 phone"Y" splitter, 1 dual IR blaster cable, 1 AC power cord, one 25-footRJ-11 telephone cable, 2 AA batteries, 1 RG-6 coaxial cable, 1 DB-9 serial cable,a user's manual, and warranty information. ... Read more

Features

• Up to 40 hours of digital audio/video recording capacity (NTSC); works with antenna, cable, digital cable, satellite, and combinations
• 2 USB ports offer broadband connectivity and the ability to stream digital music and photos from a computer to TiVo
• TiVo service includes Season Pass, WishList, program guide, digital music, digital photos, and online scheduling
• Everything required for installation is supplied; subscription to TiVo service is additional requirement
• Measures 15 x 3 x 11.5 inches (W x H x D)

Amazon.com Product Description

Deftly balancing size, features, quality, style, and price, Sony's high-definition-ready KV-32HS420 32-inch FD (flat display) Trinitron WEGA television is a technical marvel. The set offers analog and digital high-definition inputs, great audio features, and a suite of picture-enhancing technologies. Whether you're watching VHS tapes, DVDs, or high-definition (480p, 720p, 1080i) broadcasts, your programs will look breathtakingly good.

The set's standard 4:3 aspect ratio, Hi-Scan 1080i display, and picture-improvement circuitry let you view a mix of source signals at high resolutions, up to 1080i. DRC--Digital Reality Creation MultiFunction circuitry--upconverts standard interlaced (480i) video sources to 960i or progressive-scan 480p, while inputs as high-quality as 720p (720 lines, progressively scanned) are upsampled to full 1080i. Because DRC processes video signals in real time, it creates an image with 4 times the density of the original signal.

Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p and 720p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. The set's auto 16:9 enhanced mode detects anamorphically encoded widescreen program sources and offers full picture resolution on the video program, wasting none of its usable lines of resolution on the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen.

The KV-32HS420's high-voltage regulator maintains consistent image size, despite variations in brightness during scene changes and channel changes, while magnetic quadra-pole technology reduces "beam spot" distortion and improves corner-to-corner focus and picture sharpness.

ClearEdge VM wideband velocity modulation improves the definition at picture edges, creating sharper images by slowing the CRT (cathode-ray tube) beam's horizontal scanning during demanding work--say, when rendering transitions from light to dark parts of an image--and speeding it up when scanning easily rendered sections, like broad dark areas. The set's 3D digital comb filter compares each horizontal scanning line with the lines above and below it, as well as with the corresponding lines on previous and subsequent video frames. This results in higher horizontal resolution, higher vertical resolution, and reduced video noise.

The KV-32HS420 also employs CineMotion Reverse 3-2 PullDown technology (often called 3:2 pulldown), a handy feature for watching progressive-scan movies in their native 24-frame format. Digital video mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture.

Finally, Dynamic Focus circuitry automatically adjusts the picture during each scanning line for consistent corner-to-corner sharpness.

Two high-definition component-video inputs grant optimum connection with a DTV decoder and progressive-scan DVD player, while standard composite- and S-video inputs accommodate all DVD players. The set's HDMI interface provides a digital connection with your DTV receiver. HDMI supports standard-definition (SD), enhanced definition (ED), or high-definition (HD) video, plus multi-channel digital audio--all using a single cable.

Choose between rear AV inputs and a set of front AV inputs for extra convenience. A rear AV output offers a switchable fixed- and variable-level analog audio output for hookup with a surround receiver or integrated amplifier.

The set features stereo speakers (with 10 watts per channel) and BBE sound enhancement. You can label the set's video inputs and channels for easy selection. If you don't have Dolby Pro Logic processing or a surround speaker system, the TV's SRS TruSurround will simulate surround sound through any 2 speakers.

Other video technologies include auto white balance, Dynamic Picture Processor circuitry, Trinitone color temperature control, and vertical aperture compensation. An optional accessory for the set is the Sony audio/video cabinet SU-32HX1.

What's in the Box
TV, remote control (RM-Y197), 2 AA batteries, a user's manual, warranty information. ... Read more

Features

• 32-inch Hi-Scan FD Trinitron WEGA television with standard 4:3 aspect ratio; 35.38 x 27.5 x 23.5 inches (W x H x D)
• Offers analog and digital (HDMI) high-definition inputs and a wealth of picture-enhancing technologies
• High-voltage regulator maintains consistent image size, despite variations in brightness during scene changes and channel changes
• CineMotion Reverse 3:2 pulldown technology lets you watch progressive-scan movies in their native 24-frame format
• Stereo speakers with 10 watts per channel; SRS TruSurround simulated surround sound and BBE sound enhancement

Amazon.com Product Description

Nikon's exciting, advanced 5.1-megapixel Nikon Coolpix 5400 digital camera adds a new dimension to the popular Coolpix line of digital cameras and combines a host of enhanced features and design elements. With superior 4x Zoom-Nikkor ED optics, wide-angle coverage and the exclusive new Best Shot Selector (BSS) feature, the Nikon Coolpix 5400 provides the ideal tool for digital photographers who are serious about the art of photography. The durable and lightweight Nikon Coolpix 5400 is the perfect tool to enhance any advanced photographer's creative imagination.

Optics and Resolution
The Coolpix 5400 uses a 5.1 effective-megapixel CCD to capture images at a maximum native resolution of 2,592 x 1,944 pixels. This allows for clear printouts up to 20x30 inches in size. The camera incorporates a wide angle Zoom-Nikkor lens with a maximum optical zoom of 4x coupled with a stepless 4x digital zoom for a 16x total zoom. The lens contains nine elements in eight groups, with the Zoom-Nikkor lens using Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) glass and two aspherical lenses completing the setup. With a focal length range of 5.8 mm to 24mm, the 4x optical zoom is equivalent to a 28-116mm lens on a 35mm camera.

The camera has fifteen preset shooting modes for easily shooting portraits, panoramas, landscapes, and many more. Users can select center-weighted, spot, AF spot, or a special 256-segment matrix metering mode in conjunction with TTL white balance to provide incredible exposure and color balance. Shutter speeds vary from 1/4000 second to ten minutes, making it possible to capture a wide variety of shots, and the Ultra Macro Mode allows for close-ups from a range of .4-inches.

Storage and Transfer
The 5400 stores images on either Type I or Type II CompactFlash cards and is compatible with 512 MB and 1GB MicroDrives. Shots are stored in either uncompressed TIFF-RGB format or compressed JPEG format. The camera uses a USB 1.1 interface and also outputs (selectable) NTSC or PAL video.

Movie Mode
It is possible to capture 70 seconds of video with audio using the 640 x 480 TV mode, or 180 seconds of video with audio using the 320 x 240 Small Movie mode.

More Features
It's always easy to get the perfect pictures thanks to the 5400's Best Shot Selector. In this mode the camera snaps five consecutive shots, analyzes them, and saves only the best of the bunch based on several selection parameters. A similar Auto Exposure Best Shot Selector mode does the same thing by comparing the tonal range and gradation of five consecutive shots snapped in quick succession. All the other pictures are then discarded to conserve storage space. All this is made possible by the camera's integrated 64 MB buffer that can quickly store several shots without committing them to the slower CompactFlash card.

Other features include:

• Advanced flash modes including Rear Curtain Sync and Repeating flash
• Record up to three minutes of QuickTime video with audio
• Hot shoe for adding powered accessories

Power and Size
An included rechargeable Li-ion EN-EL1 battery powers the camera for up to 110 minutes when using the LCD monitor. The camera measures 4.3-inches by 2.9-inches by 2.7-inches and weighs 11.3 ounces without the batteries and storage media.

What's in the Box
The 5400 comes with a lens cap, camera strap, AV cable, Nikon Coolpix Starter Memory Card, USB cable, rechargeable Li-ion battery, external battery charger, and a Nikon View software CD-ROM. ... Read more

Features

• 5 megapixel sensor (2592 x 1944 pixels) for enlargements up to 20 x 30 inches
• 4x optical plus 4x digital (16x total) zoom lens with autofocus
• Fully-articulating 1.5" LCD; shutter speeds from 1/4,000 second up to 10 minutes; 256-segment matrix metering
• Includes 16 MB CompactFlash card; compatible with MicroDrives
• Powered by rechargeable lithium-ion battery(EN-EL1, included); connects to PCs and Macs via USB 1.1

Reviews (23)

solid 5MP camera with 4x zoom, but compare vs competition
the nikon coolpix 5400 is a solid 5MP, 4x zoom camera with a strong feature set. but it has a few shortcomings so make sure to consider its competition.

pros:
- 5MP and 4x optical zoom.
- good color response, average resolution for 5MP.
- photos have very low noise.
- allows a great deal of manual control.
- macro mode better than most.
- low redeye occurrence.
- virtually free of chromatic aberrations.
- shadow highlights maintained.
- timed exposures up to 10 minutes.
- expandable with a boatload of lenses, flashes, and other accessories from nikon.
- wider lens than most.
- supports CF card types I and II.
- flip-out LCD display - protects LCD when not in use.
- high resolution LCD with anti-reflective coating that actually works.
- very comfortable to hold with a deep hand grip made of soft rubber.
- compact body feels solid.
- reprogrammable FUNC button, and initial record menu.
- above average battery life (i still recommend getting a spare though).

cons:
- some lens distortion, especially at maximum zoom.
- images occasionally appear soft around corners.
- slow response interface, non-intuitive menus.
- no AF assist light - very puzzling why nikon doesn't provide this.
- to add insult to injury, this camera has a hard time focusing in low light so an AF assist light would really come in handy.
- average auto focus speed.
- buffering issue? the camera locks towards the end of write process.
- slow CF write speed / processing.
- you're on your own when using manual focus - it doesn't show focus distance.
- LCD smaller than competition.
- RAW mode not supported.
- flimsy cover for CF slot.
- no live histogram in record mode.
- no support for external Speedlight features such as AF assist or flash zoom.
- connectivity options all over the place rather than in a central location.
- uses proprietary battery so make sure you add some $$ to your budget to get a spare.
- the supplied 16MB CF card is inadequate - again, more $$ for more memory.

the coolpix 5400 is a solid camera from nikon with a very strong feature set. it will produce very good pics in point and shoot mode but still has full manual control if you want to be more creative with your shots. i've given this a 4-star rating because of two important factors for me: the lack of an AF assist light and the dead time at the end of write process. i would suggest that you consider the canon g5 and the sony dsc-v1 before committing to the nikon 5400.

i hope this helps with your buying decision. peace.

Nikon's Coolpix 5400 is full of Great Features
Finally decided to get the Nikon 5400 from Amazon at the regular Nikon suggested price, because I have grown to trust Amazon, and my impression is that the "lower priced" 5400's out there are mostly gray market. This made-in-Japan wonder, has not let me down. Have been using the 5400 about 10 days now. I took camera and manual up to a lean-to in the Adirondacks for an overnight, and had a great time trying the various features. I took pictures in the deep forest in a misty rain, using a Leki Photo walking stick as a monopod and got great results. I set the white balance for "cloudy" and colors were rendered accurately. Subsequently, on a clear day in the shade, with white balance set to "shade", greens were nice and warm - not blue as with slide film (unless you put on a filter.) You can even bring along a piece of white paper, aim the camera at it, and set the white balance precisely for any lighting situation. I have methodically plodded through the manual, and pleasant surprises abound. The camera is a joy to use, controls are well deployed. And with battery, it only weighs 13 oz - a backpacker's dream camera, with 28 - 116 zoom. This is possibly the only 5 MP camera on the market with a 28mm equivalent wide angle lens integral to the camera. In macro, it will focus as close as 1/2 inch! If you are into scenics and nature, this is the camera to own. The only down side so far is the viewfinder (the glass one you look through) which has a somewhat restricted view.

A Pro's camera
Having had some doubt about the ability to get high performance from a digital camera (below stratospheric costs), I decide to try the Nikon 5400. It has delivered consistent, fine images and allows many pre-set modes to shoot as well as manual control. A top piece of equipment with Nikon know-how.

Powerful Camera in a Compact Size
This camera measures roughly 4"x3"x2.5". It weighs 0.8 lbs with the battery. As I am 200 lb size man, this camera definitely is compact for me.
The camera is powerful. It has a wide angle lens, standard. The optical zoom is 4x. Shutter speeds range from 10 mins (bulb) to 1/8000 sec (ultra high speed); but, 97% of my shooting uses 1/8 sec to 1/700 sec shutter speeds. f/ values range from 2.8 to 8.0 (8.0 reached at 4x zoom). In 1600x1200 jpg fine picture mode, it can snap 7 frames in 2.7 sec (high speed continuous), or 54 frames in 33.5 sec (low speed continuous). For faster continuous shooting, I recommend using the QuickTime movie mode (includes sound), rather than the ultra high speed continuous mode. The movie mode is 15 fps, 3 mins max at 320x240 pixels or 70 secs max at 640x480 pixels. You can combine and edit the movie clips, using QuickTime Pro software ($30 extra).
The camera can be used in fully auto mode, or for the best pictures, you will want to go to the fully manual mode ( this will be a learning experience for the novice). Also, available, if you need extra high quality pictures (better than jpg), you can use the TIFF 2,592x1,944 pixel mode (5 mega-pixels is also available for the jpg images).
The color accuracy of this camera is very high. While photo editing the pictures, I seldom need more than one click of adjustment to achieve perfect color, and half the time , zero adjustment is needed.
Auto focus will be 97-100% accurate in average or bright light, but if the light is very dim, then the auto focus quits working. Also, the natural focus of the lens tends to be soft, so that a setting of high image sharpening, + contrast, and +1 color saturation is recommended. The lens has rather low chromatic and linear aberration.
The auto ISO sensitivity and the auto white balance of the camera is generally very good , so no manual adjustment is needed or recommended. Image "noise" is almost zero at ISO's of 50 to 150.
The monitor measures 1 1/4" x 7/8" , 1.5" diagonally. It is easy to see the image in bright sunlight, and has good resolution at 134,000 pixels. The monitor is big enough for me - I am nearsighted, but a lot of people would prefer the 1.8" size monitor.
I can't give this camera a 5 star rating, because, then you would have to give the professional league cameras a 6 star rating. But, for its size and weight, Nikon has made a very powerful camera.

Doesn't deserve to be called a Nikon
In recent weeks, I put many hours into researching the pros and cons of particular prosumer cameras; finally I settled on the 5400, a camera that was to be an upgrade from my three-and-a-half-year-old Nikon Coolpix 990. The old 990 had proved to be a dependable workhorse; other than some self-inflicted problems that occurred after I spilled some sugary soda on it (I had to have it professionally cleaned to the tune of $200!), it never let me down. Still, I'm getting more serious about my photography, and wanted something with better resolution and more advanced options.

I had been really looking forward to receiving the 5400 and was predisposed to liking the camera a lot. In reality, I soured on the thing within 72 hours.

First of all, BELIEVE what camera cognoscenti say about the inability of the 5400 to autofocus in low-light conditions. What I hadn't understood until I was shooting with the camera is that 'low light' doesn't necessarily refer to broom closets or dinners by candlelight. I was snapping pics of my two-year-old in the living room today, on a sunny afternoon, with the blinds mostly open. Half the time, I couldn't get the camera to lock no matter what. Moving to the hallway, where there's only indirect light sthat streams in from the living room and dining room, effectively rendered the camera inoperable. I encountered no such problems outside, so if the great outdoors is where you do all your shooting, the 5400 may be for you.

Except for one other thing -- and this is a biggie. What absolutely DESTROYS this camera's performance is its pathetic color accuracy. Maybe I got a lemon -- I find it hard to believe that Nikon, the top-of-the heap manufacturer of pro-quality imaging equipment, would release a model that is so wildly off in how the internal chip processes color. But at least with the specimen I have, all the colors come out hyped. I photographed a still life that included some salmon-colored paper; it acquired a distinct, troublesome reddish tint in the picture I took with the 5400. This is a CRITICAL area for any camera; if it doesn't render reds and pinks accurately, it's an almost useless tool, as Caucasian faces, especially, will look ruddy and unappealing. And my 5400 has trouble with other hues, too, first turning a purplish blue shirt into a something much more like ROYAL blue, then pulling the exact same feat with a baby blue yogurt lid in another still life. It makes no sense to me either, but there it is.

I spent HOURS tweaking white balance and playing with the camera's saturation settings, all to little avail. Was the 5400's (too-small) display at fault, perhaps, as opposed to its internal color-rendering chip? I wish. After transferring the pictures to my Mac G4 and opening them in Photoshop 7, the same problems were immediately evident on the big monitor. To a degree, the 'off' colors can be corrected in Photoshop, of course. But sorry Nikon, I'm not prepared to do that kind of digital cosmetic surgery on virtually every picture I take.

My old Nikon 990 has better color accuracy by a mile; so does a more recent four-megapixel Canon A70 point-and-shoot that a friend was using to photograph the same test scenes on which I trained the 5400.

I should note that I am not a professional photographer, and that I'm probably much more forgiving of mild deviations in color and sharpness than a pro lensman would be. But the problems I mentioned are far from mild. They were, in fact, easily picked up and commented on by my wife, who is supremely uninterested in tweaky, geeky stuff, and who would presumably be happy with an old Kodak Brownie if it took halfway decent pictures.

I still give the 5400 two stars because the macro pictures it takes are nothing short of astounding (if you can forget about the patently incorrect colors for a moment). A picture of the engraving inside a ring brought out awesome detail, even specks of dust and scratches that were hard to pick up with the naked eye. A photo of a piece of transparent sticky tape I'd pulled off an envelope showed paper fibers in such detail, it seemed that by zooming in just one step further, actual atoms would appear in the image...

Still, all told, I'm sorely disappointed, and so this camera is going back to Amazon for a refund. Guess I'll be trying out the twice-as-expensive Nikon D-70 next, hopefully with much better results. ... Read more

Features

• Wheel tilts for side to side scrolling, clicks to zoom
• Universal page forward/back buttons
• Comfortable rubber grip for optimum control
• Backlit media control buttons, plus one-touch media player access
• Controls MediaLife software, and most other media players

Amazon.com Product Description

Now you can give as good as you get: Sylvania's DVR90VE dual-recording combination DVD recorder and VCR lets you copy VHS tapes to DVD and DVDs to VHS tapes at the touch of a button (except where prohibited by copy-protection technology). Record your favorite television shows and treasured home videos to either videocassette or high-quality, long-lasting DVD-R (write-once) and DVD-RW (rewriteable) discs.

The recorder's built-in NTSC TV tuner and onscreen user interface permits up to eight timer recordings over a one-year period, with its six DVD recording speeds providing between one hour and an amazing 10 hours of content on each single-sided 4.7 GB recordable DVD. You can even select and compile the best footage to commit to disc: the recorder's handy editing features include auto playlist creation, project titling, title deletion and editing, and scene deletion.

The DVR90VE's versatile playback features include progressive-scan video outputs and support of MP3 CDs so you can easily shift your digital music enjoyment from the den to the living room. A variety of video and audio inputs--including front-panel composite- and S-video connections for fast, temporary hookups--grant connection to virtually all televisions and home theater components.

Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the DVR90VE's DVD player stands ready to deliver the full playback potential of your DVDs. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts.

What's in the Box
DVD dual recorder, a remote control, remote batteries, audio/video cables, and a user's manual. ... Read more

Features

• DVD player/recorder with built-in 4-head, hi-fi VCR; 8-event, 1-year programming for DVD-Rs/DVD-RWs or VHS tape
• Copy tape to disc or disc to tape (except where copy-prohibited)
• Composite-video, RF, and S-video inputs
• Progressive-scan output for seamless, flicker-free images on high-definition and HD-ready TVs
• Plays MP3 CDs, video mode DVD-Rs and DVD-RWs

Reviews (5)

I added a $19.99 Monitor to my Sylvania DVR 90VE
July 16-18, 2004

I JUST received the Sylvania DVR90VE and I have already tranfered four of over 100 vhs recordings, we made over the last 40+ years.

My old vhs tapes hold about 6 hours of recording each. I have now used the Sylvania DVR90V for over 24 hours of transfering (4)without any problems so far.

I will ONLY use the Sylvania DVR90VE for transfering my VHS tapes to DVD's

I will NOT hook the Sylvania DVR90VE to any off the air (TV). That is why I ordered(from "Amazon")the Coby CX-TV6 5-Inch Black & White TV With AM/FM Radio for $19.99, soley to use as a monitor for my Sylvania DVR90VE,which works perfectly monitoring my transfering of my VHS tapes to DVD.

All the accessories included with the $19.99 Coby CX-TV6,(from Amazon) was all that was required to make both units compatable.

I use my other (Panasonic) dvd/vhs recorder (from Amazon) for recording directly from my satelite TV reception as well as general viewing. This prevents tying up my primary (viewing)TV for the Sylvania DVR90VE.

Hopefully, "Amazon" will be able to offer an extended warranty (for a fee) just for the DVR90E or can REFER a reputable extended warranty service for the DVR90E.

Update: 7/19/2004

"Amazon" came through again,they offered and I purchased (today)the "Two Year Audio-Video Service Plan for components priced between $200-$499.99" for only $24.99, offered (via "Amazon) by "N.E.W. Customer Service Companies, Inc."

Joe

Interested To DVD
I really am sometimes very interested in DVD recorders, but I really don't always seem to know everytime which ones are the best ones. Whether it is the kind of format that needs to be recorded, or the kind of compatability that is needed for these devices. I'm really more interested in DVD Recorder / VCR combos, largely because it is a bit cheaper. Otherwise, you'd have to spend an extra $130 to your DVD recorder already to copy from VHS tapes to DVD. I definitely was relieved to find affordable DVD Recorder / VCR combos right now than a year or two ago, when they didn't have the option of combining the 2. Sylvania definitely knows that, with one of the very DVD Recorder / VCR combos out there. It arguably is a good deal, when others can't cut the mustard these days.

The Sylvania DVR90VE, is a remarkable DVD Recorder / VCR combo, that works like the others, at a great price. Here, there are some advantages with some disadvantages to the mix with all of these combos. The DVD Recorder has two options to record, VR mode for people who are new to the method of DVD recording, and DVD Video mode, which doesn't offer any protection from recording on DVD that the VR mode has. It can record several different modes from 1 hour recording on DVD, to 10 Hour DVD recording on one disc. The recording modes work very well, but it does have a few problems, the longer it is recorded onto DVD, the mixed the quality is. Another disadvatage to this DVD recorder, is that is only is able to play DVD's, audio and MP3 CD's, and the DVD-R/RW discs, like most of these kind of recorders. It doesn't have the playback, or ability to record on the DVD+R/RW discs, or the DVD-RAM discs. Still, that doesn't make much of a difference anyway to the playback. The playback of these DVD-R/RW recorded discs work great, with beautiful picture and sound quality for easy recordings.

All in all, the Sylvania DVR90VE is a great DVD Recorder. I strongly suggest you get this, if you can't afford any other DVD Recorders, without losing the VCR usage. It works very well, and it is well worth the price. I just don't know why other places besides Amazon.com don't have this unit. Hopefully, other places will get this DVD Recorder / VCR combo soon. It just is great.

Super Value
This was one where I was hoping for the best but a bit dubious of what I might end up with at this price. As it turns out I was very pleasantly surprised. Easy to use with clear instructions, I was dubbing home videos to dvd 15-20 minutes out of the box. Easy hook up with digital/HD cable involved. High quality DVD picture, both playing and recording (dubbing from VCR or recording from TV). VCR portion does a nice job too. The copies and recordings I have made using DVD-R media work perfectly on 3 different DVD players in my house (each a different brand at a different price point bought at different times), so compatability doesn't seem to be an issue. I would have to say that the quality I got was much more than I expected for the money.

Great value and easy to use
I must admit that I'm mechanically reclined when it comes to this stuff, but this was a piece of cake to set up and use. I had this hooked up, programmed and in use in a span of 45 minutes. I have already transfered several VHS programes to DVD and it was so easy that I thought I had done something wrong. I have very many VHS tapes to protect and this recorder will make it very easy to preserve them on DVD. Finally, before buying this, the lowest price I had seen was about 500.00. So I saved money and actually use it. You can't ask for much more than that.

Best Value for the money
Copies tapes with the touch of one button to Disc. I can put up to (5) 2 hour vhs tapes on to one disc and save money and my valuable home movie collection of my children. The menu is easy to use, as I only have to press one of 4 arrow buttons and then hit enter to record and set up timer record programming. The picture on screen display is simple to understand and the record and sound quality are excellent. I was told by a salesperson at a giant electronics retailer this unit is made by the same company making Hitachi , Phillips and Sharp units , selling for much more. Lowest price Ive found. Thanks for the great buy Amazon. ... Read more

Amazon Product Description

The Basics
It was just a few years ago that true micro-notebooks were little more than glorified calculators. But times change and Sony's innovative VAIO VGN-T140P/L proves that a three lb. notebook no larger than a traditional pad of paper can indeed deliver adequate power and connectivity for the majority of typical mobile tasks. Differing from the otherwise identical VAIO VGN-T140P/L by virtue of its enhanced operating system (Windows XP Professional rather than Windows XP Home), the VAIO VGN-T140P/L isn't an ideal unit for demanding business and power users or sophisticated 3D gamers. It is, however, perfect for anyone who frequently hauls their notebook with them to remote un-plugged environments and engages in comparatively basic tasks such as word processing, data gathering, finances, contact management and email/Internet sessions. Stunningly portable, extremely battery efficient and more potent than the vast majority of past or present micro-notebooks, the not inexpensive VAIO VGN-T140P/L is a miniature dynamo.

Hard Disk
The system features a 40 GB hard disk. In a time when some notebooks offer hard drives of 100 GB and more, 40 GB may not seem overly generous. However, in the rarified, miniscule world of ultra-compact notebooks, 40 GB of storage space is indeed a sizable amount. Though you likely won't have enough room for a library of space-gobbling video files, the unit will store a typical number of mobile apps and user-created files and a few tunes too.

Optical Drive
An optical drive is essential in today's computing environment. A "CD-ROM" drive allows you to install CD-based applications and play music CDs. A "CD-RW" drive adds CD "burning", so you can also backup your important files to long-lasting discs and create personalized music CDs. With a DVD-ROM drive you can watch DVD movies.

Audio
The unit is equipped with two miniature stereo speakers, a mini microphone jack and a stereo mini headphone jack.

Keyboard and Controls
You'll control your notebook via an 83-key keyboard and standard electro-static touch pad.

Connectivity and Expansion
The VAIO VGN-T140P/L offers an assortment of ways to keep in touch, including a 56K modem for low-speed dial-up Internet and email access, a 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX Ethernet port for high-speed wired network and Internet, and an integrated Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection (802.11b/g) for cord-free e-communication at home, at the office or on the road via a local public hotspot. Other key amenities include two high-speed USB 2.0 ports for plug and play devices such as external drives and digital cameras, an IEEE 1394 FireWire port (commonly used for quick data uploads from digital camcorders), and a PC Card Slot for one type I or type II card with CardBus support..

Operating System and Software
Sony will preinstall one of today's most advanced operating systems, Microsoft's Windows XP Professional Edition. Other applications include productivity and word processing software and Sony's typically ample array of music, video and digital photo utilities and editing packages.

Dimensions and Weight Many of today's most powerful notebooks are also the largest, weighing ten or twelve lbs or more and therefore too big and cumbersome for extensive, continuous traveling. These are often referred to as "desktop replacements". On the other extreme are "thin and lights" or "ultra-portables", super-miniaturized units that typically aren't as powerful as their larger brethren but weigh as little as two or three lbs. and will often fit comfortably inside a large purse. The VAIO VGN-T140P/L is exceptionally small and comfortable at a mere 3.1 lbs and just 10.1 by 8.1 by 1.0 - 1.3 inches (depending on configuration).

Power
The unit is equipped with a Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery that delivers up to 5.5 hours (with standard battery) and 6.0 to 11.0 hours (with a large capacity battery). These are exceptional figures in today's notebook world. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Delivering top-notch performance and high resolution at an affordable price, the Nikon D70 digital SLR offers easy-to-use yet powerful features to a wide range of users--from novices to serious and experienced photo enthusiasts. Its DX format 6.1-effective megapixel CCD sensor is optimized to deliver images with excellent sharpness and clarity, and it's compatible with Nikon's DX Nikkor lenses.

Optics and Resolution
The D70 incorporates a next-generation 6.1-effective megapixel DX format CCD image sensor that produces 3008 x 2000-pixel images, and is optimized to deliver a wide dynamic range and superbly sharp details. It als has 2240 x 1488 and 1504 x 1000 resolution modes.

Nikon programmed the D70's advanced system LSI processor for improved performance to produce vivid colors and clarity, optimized auto white balance, auto tone and color control, and to run real-time processes that diminish digital noise in long exposure shots for cleaner overall results.

More Features
The Nikon D70 has been designed to offer faster operation at nearly every level of performance, with the camera ready to shoot the instant it's turned on. Compressed NEF (RAW) files are processed and stored exponentially faster, making shooting in compressed NEF mode easier and more convenient than ever. It can shoot a rapid 3 frames per second for a continuous burst of 144 pictures (using the JPEG Normal/Large setting and a 256 MB CompactFlash card) due to improved buffer memory handling, faster image processing, increased memory card access speed, and greater system bus bandwidth.

Other features include:

• Built-in Speedlight flash with auto pop-up
• 1/8000 second shutter speed and a synch speed of 1/500 second for flash
• Auto modes include Portrait, Landscape, Close-Up, Sports, Night Portrait, and Night Landscape
• 25 Custom Settings allow you to personalize the operation of your D70 to match your shooting style or the demands of different shooting conditions
• Shoot in any lighting environment with the D70's built-in creative lighting system and 3D Color Matrix meter with 1,005-pixel RGB Sensor
• The D70 displays menus with simple or detailed information on a 1.8-inch LCD viewing screen
• Choose from a variety of file formats, including Nikon's RAW mode (NEF), TIFF, JPEG formats or Nikon's exclusive compressed JPEG + NEF combination
• ISO standard hot-shoe with safety lock
• Optical viewfinder features high magnification, diopter correction, complete info display, and On-Demand grid lines to aid in composition
• High-speed, high precision 5-area AF system with predictive focus tracking and Lock-on ensures quick response and sharp focus

Power and Size
The camera is powered by a rechargeable lithium-Ion battery pack (EN-EL3, included) or three CR2 lithium batteries (with supplied MS-D70 battery holder). It measures 5.5 x 4.4 x 3.1 inches and weighs 21 ounces (camera body only without batteries).

What's in the Box
This package includes the Nikon D70 camera body, strap, body cap, eyepiece cap, LCD monitor cover, USB and A/V cables, rechargeable lithium-ion battery (EN-EL3), battery charger (MH-18), CR2 battery holder (MS-D70), and Picture Project CD-ROM. Optional accessories include: Rechargeable Li-ion Battery (EN-EL3), Multi Charger (MH-19), Quick Charger (MH-18), AC Adapter (EH-5), Speedlight SB-800/600, Nikon Capture 4 (ver.4.1) Software, Semi-Soft Case (CF-D7)0, Remote Controller (ML-L3). ... Read more

Features

• Image sizes to 3008 x 2000 pixels
• Up to 1/8000 second shutter speed -- synch speed of 1/500 second for flash
• Flexible Digital Vari-Program modes include Portrait, Landscape, Close-Up, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Landscape & Auto
• File formats include Nikon's RAW mode (NEF), JPEG formats or exclusive compressed JPEG & NEF combination
• Built-in creative lighting system and 3D Color Matrix Meter enable effective shooting in any lighting environment

Reviews (14)

Destined to become a Nikon Legend
I have been a Nikon user for over 20 years, and owned at least six different bodies and lots of lenses. My all time favorite is the FM2N. Why Nikon? It's the lenses! Nikon seems to understand this is the main selling point of their system. SO they have never changed the F lens mount. You can use older manual focus AI and AIS lenses on the D70. The bad news: The meter won't work. However on a digital SLR, the LCD confirmation mitigates this since you can check your exposures. You could also use a handheld light light meter. More good news: depth of field preview works with AI and AIS lenses! So I've been having a great time using my manual lenses on the D70. This camera is really a winner and costs no more than some of the ridiculous "prosumer" digicams out there. It's far more versatile.

It's easy to use-if you've used another digicam or even a recent Nikon 35mm SLR. The fact that I've been able to figure out most settings necessary without even cracking the manual is impressive.
The flash syncs at 1/500! This makes for some really creative fill flash outdoors or in the studio. All necessary settings are within easy reach, and no stupid five click deep menus for stuff like ISO. All the important stuff like ISO, Metering pattern, Exposure modes, White Balance, etc. have a dedicated button right on the body. No fumbling to change stuff while shooting.

Shutterlag is virtually non-existent. It's almost as good as my FM2N. But face it, if you want zero shutter lag then get a manual 35mm camera! However with the D70, you will not notice it.

The Lens-the kit lens is a 18-70mm (27 to 105mm). It's pretty good, and the color has that gorgeous Nikon hue. It's bright for a zoom. A lot of people are criticizing this lens unjustly. It does have a lot of barrel distortion on the wide end, but for landscapes you'd never know. It's got a very good wide angle range for a digital lens. It's a great value, and way better than any junk Sigma puts out.

ViewFinder-Some have slammed the viewfinder. It does take a little getting used to, like looking down a long dark corridor at first. But it's just as bright as any AF SLR once you get used to it. I think Nikon designed it this way to get people used to the CCD aspect ratio. It's kind of like watching a DVD in letterbox format. Good news: the viewfinder has a diopter for eyeglass wearers.

Picture Quality-This is where the rubber meets the road. At all ISO settings, the images are superb. Colors are saturated and lifelike, with the "Nikon Pop". They remind me of a good ISO 100 slide film like Kodak E100G, or Fujichrome Velvia 100. Best of all, the grain is very low, even ISO 1600 is not bad when printed to 8 x10. This is a huge advance over my older Canon G2 digital. Like I said, think ISO 100 slide film.

This is destined to be one of Nikon's legends, like the N8008, N90, FM2N, etc. You get a lot of value for your money, much more than the Canon Digital Rebel. A lot of pros are buying D70s for backup, and the Press Photographers Association of Japan just picked the D70 as new camera of the year! What else could you ask for? This is a top drawer camera with a great lens.

Ape finds mysterious monolith and . . .
No kidding, I'm almost a raw amateur. I put down photography 20 years ago and finally decided to buy another camera - I knew it'd be digital, hardly anyone talks about film these days - so I started looking around the very day the D70 came out. Knew nothing about it, only that I couldn't find one at five different stores I stopped at in the Boston area. One look at the specs and the price, though, and I knew a fixed lense digicam was a serious waste of money for a compromise.
Bought the camera with the 18-70mm lense as well as a 70-300mm zoom I needed for flexibility. Looked at the manual. White balance? What's that?
Took the camera out to a nearby lake. What pictures! Razor sharp. First vari-setting I tried I could see the needles in the tops of evergreens fifty feet away on the LCD screen. Bright display, fast starting, good viewfinder. Been learning its foibles ever since.
Comments: In bright sunlight there's a necessity to back off the ISO, white balance or exposure; but on the other end of the scale, I've taken images at 8:30 p.m., no flash, and liked the mood the camera captured.
Yes, incredibly flexible. I like to shoot close-ups of swamp plants 20 feet away. The 18-70mm seems to shoot a sharper picture, and the zoom leaves blur around the edges when I push its limits, but I'm really pleased with how handy this camera is, quick, adaptable, easy to use, high visibility.
Problems: No handgrip available, I have to make one. Also (maybe it's my big hands) the on-camera adjustment for shutter and aperture, done while focusing through the lense, seem a little difficult to adjust to. No biggies, considering everything else.
Seriously, I'm still marveling at my good luck! What a piece of technology!

Shutter Lag?? Not Hardly!
Lets get to the main point of buying a DSLR - I wanted fast & sharp results with versatility included. This is what I wanted and this is what I got! The price couldn't get much cheaper or it'd be an absolute steal (not that it already isn't). I feel like a real professional just HOLDING the D70. Truth is, I wouldn't give up this baby for the world. Digital SLR's are so much better than some cheap point and shoot restraintive camera. Break free and buy a D70! Look at the flawless reviews, try it out, and see for yourself. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!

Best color accuracy ever
Pros: All the advantages of a D-SLR (fast ISO speed, super-low noise, wide range of aperture and shutter speeds, versatility, huge buffer, compatibility with high-speed cards, etc.); unmatchable color accuracy and brilliance; beautiful style, battery life (After I took 500 regular photos and 20 flash photos, the battery still showed full. Nikon¡¦s claim that the battery can last 2,000 photos may not be too far from truth); reasonable price.

Cons: The camera has a few minor annoyances, but the most horrible thing about this camera which may apply to all other D-SLRs is the dust problem. Knowing that D-SLR is very vulnerable to dust, I never took off the lens (included in the kit) after I first mounted it on the camera. Yet, the dust still somehow managed to get into the low-pass of the CCD anyway, though I have strictly followed the professional standards in avoiding dust from getting into the camera. After less than two months of use, I found a few consistent light dots on bright areas of the photos such as the blue sky. However, I was delighted to find cleaning the CCD is not as difficult as I first thought. Just strictly follow what the manual says and it took me less than 2 minutes to get the dust off the CCD, though I couldn¡¦t see with my eye any dust on the CCD itself. I hope Nikon can make better seals around the lens¡¦ mount in its next version of affordable D-SLR or enable the camera to clean its CCD like Canon 10D or Olympus E-1.

Here comes the death of 35 mm film!
Well, I have 26 years of serious experience in film photography. Last years I switched to "digital darkroom" and used to scan 35mm film with dedicated film scanner. The modern films (especially Fuji Astia 100F) give you far more detail (even in 35 mm format) than "six miserable megapixels" could handle. Because of that, I was not in the rush to switch to dSLR. But I've compared a few digital cameras, applying my own standards and quality expectations. Prosumer models were frustrating because of noise and slow performance. I liked the "bold" feeling of images produced by Pentax *istD, but the resolution was far below expectations (many prosumer cameras give you more detail). And the Nikon D70 finally seduced me! The resolution is really high, for the megapixel count, and the color is neutral, with "cold and digital" feeling (not as "live" as one of Pentax *istD or Fuji S2 Pro), but this is really a subtle thing. What is really amazing is the speed of performance: D70 takes the shot almost instantly and in the next fraction of a second you can see the result on LCD display! Even at ISO-1600, the noise was lower than I could imagine, so this level of sensitivity is not "just there" but is really usable, for extream conditions. However, I would use the lowest ISO when possible. The camera is is FAT-32-aware, so I enjoy the ability to use a 4 Gig microdrive, which can store almost 400 pictures in RAW format or countless thousands of jpegs. As to file formats, I was not impressed by jpeg compression in this camera, even in "fine" setting, but this may be a result of my "puristic" standards. However, when I converted a couple of RAW files in my Photoshop CS, the conclusion was like this: "Hmmm... I can work with that!". This camera will make me forget about 35 mm film. However, it does not substitute film completely (the resolution for big enlargements is still low, and the dynamic range is still narrow). So, I will use the combination of medium format Penatx 67 II for "seroius" landscaping/portrature and Nikon D70 for action shots and experimentation. I give 5 stars to D70 not because it would satisfy all my photography needs but because of amazing value for money it offers today. ... Read more

Features

• 1,280 x 1,024 resolution, 0.264 mm dot pitch
• Wide 160-degree horizontal viewing
• 300 nits of brightness, 600:1 contrast ratio
• 12 ms response time; MagicTune and MagicBright functions
• PC, Mac, Sun Microsystems compatible; 3-year warranty

Amazon.com Product Description

The Garmin GPSMAP 60C is full of features that are only found on the newest generation GPS handheld units. It's not enough to only have color displays anymore. Garmin knows this and they upped the ante on this lightweight, rugged, waterproof unit, offering a 256-color, highly reflective display that provides easy viewing in almost any lighting condition, including sunlit conditions. This transreflective TFT, 2.6" diagonal screen provides excellent viewing while maximizing your battery life (up to thirty hours with typical use).

The WAAS GPS receiver has an accuracy of ten feet in North America. With the fifty reversible routes, 10,000 track points and 1000 waypoints, you're sure to have enough tools to find your way. With the faster processor, the GPS unit provides quick auto routing, turn-by-run directions and audio alerts when using optional MapSource software. There are 56 MB of internal memory for storing additional map detail. Downloading information is quick using the USB or serial port interfaces. Using the dedicated serial port, navigation instructions can be shared with repeaters, plotters and autopilots. The four position rocker pad and dedicated high-use buttons make navigating through the unit's features easy, even when those fingers are cold or wet.

Finally, the GPSMAP 60C is packed with some extra fun features. An integrated outdoor calendar provides ideal hunting and fishing times, plus moon rise/set/location information. There is a dedicated geocaching mode for those of you into the hot, GPS community treasure hunt game. Finally, there are indoor/outdoor GPS games to help you and your friends enjoy the outdoors.

The WAAS difference

100 meters: Accuracy of the original GPS system, which was subject to accuracy degradation under the government-imposed Selective Availability (SA) program. 15 meters: Typical GPS position accuracy without SA. 3-5 meters: Typical differential GPS (DGPS) position accuracy. Less than 3 meters: Typical WAAS position accuracy.

WAAS is a system of satellites and ground stations that provide GPS signal corrections, giving you even better position accuracy. How much better? Try an average of up to five times better. A WAAS-capable receiver can give you a position accuracy of better than three meters 95 percent of the time. And you don't have to purchase additional receiving equipment or pay service fees to utilize WAAS.

How it Works
WAAS consists of approximately 25 ground reference stations positioned across the United States that monitor GPS satellite data. Two master stations, located on either coast, collect data from the reference stations and create a GPS correction message. This correction accounts for GPS satellite orbit and clock drift plus signal delays caused by the atmosphere and ionosphere. The corrected differential message is then broadcast through one of two geostationary satellites, or satellites with a fixed position over the equator. The information is compatible with the basic GPS signal structure, which means any WAAS-enabled GPS receiver can read the signal.

Who benefits from WAAS?
Currently, WAAS satellite coverage is only available in North America. There are no ground reference stations in South America, so even though GPS users there can receive WAAS, the signal has not been corrected and thus would not improve the accuracy of their unit. For some users in the U.S., the position of the satellites over the equator makes it difficult to receive the signals when trees or mountains obstruct the view of the horizon. WAAS signal reception is ideal for open land and marine applications. WAAS provides extended coverage both inland and offshore compared to the land-based DGPS (differential GPS) system. Another benefit of WAAS is that it does not require additional receiving equipment, while DGPS does.

What's in the Box
GPSMAP 60C, PC/USB cable, lanyard, belt clip, manual and a one year warranty. ... Read more

Features

• Sunlight-readable, transreflective TFT display
• Integrated outdoor calendar
• Geolocation games, including geocaching mode
• Waterproof in one meter of water for up to thirty minutes (IPX-7 standards)
• 30-hour battery life (uses 2 AA batteries); includes serial and USB interfaces

Amazon.com Product Description

Optics and Resolution
Featuring a 5-megapixel CCD sensor, the DMC-FZ20K delivers a wide range of detail and color with images up to 2560 x 1920 pixels--enough information to make photo-quality prints up to 13 by 17 inches. Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 12x zoom lens, with 3 aspheric elements, combines comfortably small size with superb image rendering. By combining with a 4x digital zoom, users will have an equivalence of a 48x zoom lens in a very compact body, though users should note that digital zoom degrades picture quality.

Movie Mode and Audio
The DMC-FZ20K lets you shoot QuickTime Motion JPEG video at resolutions up to 320 x 240 pixels with sound. The amount of video you can capture is limited by space on the memory card; you'll fit more at low quality (10 frames-per-second) than at high quality (30 frames-per-second). The movies aren't camcorder quality, but they're fun and convenient, and they're perfect as e-mail attachments. You can also record audio comments, up to five seconds in length, for your still pictures.

More Features

• Flip Animation: Allows you to create your own frame-by-frame animations.
• Unlimited Consecutive Shooting: Allows consecutive shooting up to the capacity of the SD memory card.
• Two-inch diagonal polycrystalline TFT LCD display (130k pixels)
• Hot shoe for external flash attachment
• Mega Burst Shooting Mode: Shoot up to seven images at three or two frames-per-second in standard resolution, or up to four images in fine resolution. This option is designed to provide you with the best selection of photos during action, such as a sporting event.

Storage and Transfer
Images and video are stored on Secure Digital (SD) memory cards. A 16 MB SD card is included. Files can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via USB connectivity, which means it can be connected to any USB-based Windows 98/Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.

Printing
This camera supports thePictBridgestandard. PictBridge is a technology that lets you transfer pictures from a digital camera to a compatible printer, without a PC or image-editing software. Because PictBridge is an industry standard, users can connect PictBridge-compatible devices made by many different manufacturers. Learn more about PictBridge.

Power and Size
The camera is powered by lithium-ion battery pack (included with charger). It measures 3.43 by 5.02 by 4.18 inches and weighs 1.14 pounds.

What's in the Box
DMC-FZ20K digital camera, battery charger, battery pack, 16MB SD memory card, lens cap, lens hood with adaptor, A/V and USB cables, strap, and CD-ROM ... Read more

Features

• 5-megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 13-by-17-inch enlargements
• Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 12x zoom lens combines with 4x digital zoom for 48x total zoom
• MEGA optical image stabilizer; 2-inch TFT LCD screen; PictBridge Compatible
• Store images on Secure Digital (SD) memory card (16 MB SD card included)
• Powered by lithium-ion battery pack (included with charger)

Product Description

Archos (500595) PMA430 Pocket Media Assistant ... Read more

Features

• Features built-in 802.11b WiFi to browse the Internet and access e-mails from any wireless hotspot
• Includes personal information manager software offering a selection of applications such as an address book, agenda, calendar, PC synchronization and PDF viewer
• Record, playback, and store up to 120 hours of video
• Record, Listen and store more than 6500 songs or 650 CDs
• Transfer, View and store up to 300,000 Photos

Reviews (5)

Best MP3 player, and plays and records movies and way more.
The PMA430 is the size of a PDA but a little thicker.Not much though.It has a nice big screen, so the bigger size is worth it.And this is the only PDA you can buy at the moment with a 30 Gig hard drive.And the only PDA with built in video recording.So you can get videos on it without a computer.That makes things much eaasier.

It has Wi-Fi, which I have used at my home to surf the internet from any where in my house.And I have connected to my companies Wi-Fi network at work.

It is seen as a hard drive when you connect it with USB.So you can just drop files, liekl say MP3 fiels on it.And once you have MP3s on it, it will create playlists automatically for them.So it is very easy to play music.Movies are very easy to play too.And it automatically puts bookmarks in movies to mark your last position.Great if you want to watch a two hour movie but only have say fifteen minuites at a time.

It also has built in photo viewer.I tried it with my 6.3 megapixel photos straight from my camera.No problem, and I didn't have to resize them.

Also it has a USB host port.That means that if your camera supports it you can plug your camera directly into the PMA430 and download pictures directly into it.Great for vacations.Not only can you view pictures this way, but you can store them, so you don't need to bring five memory cards for the trip...

And since it is a USB host port, if your camera doesn't support it, just connect a USB card reader and put your cameras card in that.Not only that but USB keyboards can be plugged into it.Now you don't needa special keyboard for your PDA.Just so you don't get confused, there are two USB ports, one is USB host (like the one on your computer) and one is regular USB 2.0 (like on your camera)

It also has the usual Contacts, calendar, to do, calculator, email, etc.And it can sync to Outlook.(I haven't used that though since I don't use Outlook).

It comes with several games.And it can play the Morphun game standard for more games.And I expect mroe games will come otu for this, it is running a Linux version afterall.Since i mentioned it, soon they will release the software developers kit so that any one can create programs for it.

As for video recording,w ell it comes with a dockign cradle.You can put teh PMA430 in it at 60 degree or 90 degree angle.The cradle has video and audio in and out and even has s-video in.Adn it has a IR Port on the front.The PMA ships with a big full size (TV style) remote control.Oh, did I mention the PMA430 can display on the TV?It can display full screen.So you can sit on the couch and watch a video fromt he PMA430.And the PMA430 can play and record at better then TV quality.I think 720 or 740 by something.Or of course you can go lower in resolution.

You can also set up delayed recordings.So at 8PM you can record channel 13.And it has a IR blaster.With that you can set it so that at 8PM it changes the cable box or satelite dish or VCR, to change to channel 13.And of course once you have it, you cna fast forward through comercials.

You can buy a travel AV cable.This is the audio video cable only, without the docking station.This is made for when you travel so you don't need to carry much to view on TV.But with it you can also carry a small camera that runs off a 9 volt battery and turn the PMA430 into a camcorder.Soemone already did it at Cebit.Here is a link - www.i4u.com/article3032.html

The built in Opera web browser is good for surfing the web.It will even format teh web page so it is single column so that you don't need to scroll sideways on the web page, just scroll down.adn it will change text size easily.You can switch between two sizes.

Oh, and the unit is multitasking.That means you can listen to music and type a document.Or listen to music and view photos. etc.

I have seen some say well this is just a PDA with a hard drive.They don't know about many of the other features.This does so much, I am sure I have forgotten some things.

Any way, my review, well I love this thing.It does so much.In fatc I seems to learn new things it can do every day.For example just today i learned that the USB host port can supply power.Some one is using it to power one of those SIIG FM transmitters.So now he can listen to his MP3s on his stereo and he doesn't need extra batteries or DC power in the car.Gee maybe I will plug in a USB fan for the hot summer months.

OK, now for the negative things.This is a small computer with a hard drive.As such sometimes you have to wait for it to read things off the hard drive.Just like with my desktop.Also the unti is new and has some bugs in it.But I expect that will smooth out a lot with firmware.In fact one small problem I reported, they have said is fixed in the next firmware.But I haven't had that many problems.And as is I love it.This is a pocket PC, no er, pocket Tivo, no its a camcorder(just need a cheap camera, see ebay), no game boy, no its ....

Great, but some drawbacks
Negatives -Script -hand writing recognition - is poor at best.
Touch function seems to work sometime and not work others, have not found a work around and have had to reboot several times.
Ads say 120 hours of video, haven't done this yet, but from direct downloads of movies from DVD player to PMA 430, have17 movies on PMA, with roughly 65% disk space used. Believe to achieve 120 hours have to download movies to computer and then recompress using MPEG4 compression.
On video player, left sidebar different from rest of machine, should be on right.
Find that MUTE button works sometimes after shutdown and restart, other doesn't work and have to reset it.
Touch interfacing seems to be clutzy.
Owner's manuals less than informative... obviously written by an engineer and then translated to English.
Accessories shipping from Archos is pricey
Many of items above can be fixed with firmware updates.
Cables are like an octopus-too many- bought the traveling attachment to overcome this.
POSITIVES:This is an amazing device for the size.I looked at the AV420 and waited for the PMA 400/430 to come out.I have enjoyed using it...
WiFi and internet easy to set up andgood, PDA functions basic, very basic. Transfer of files from PC easy.
Battery life not yet tested.
For those that want to keep movies handy and for travel, this is a great device.
Would make this a really super device with small video camera.

Almost Perfect
FIRST LOOK: GOOD
That aside, I am quite pleased with this device.Right out of the box the weigh and construction of it felt right; some might find the 9.9 oz weight a bit hefty, but I prefer sturdiness over a light, plastic casing.And it looks sharp too, though I wish Archos would leave its 1970's tech school logo behind once and for all.

SET-UP: GOOD
Setting the device up was easier than I anticipated, though the amount of wires involved along with the stiff docking cable to power/connect the PMA430 to the dock were bothersome, though all work well.I have average to good skill with Audio/Video hook-ups and it took me only 15 minutes to get the device running and ready to record.However, there are some rather odd quirks that keep me from giving this a GREAT rating (for instance, resetting the time/date is a major hassel, and for no aparent reason)

VIDEO RECORDING: GREAT
My friend Michael has been eager to get his massive Dr. Who collection off VHS tape and into a digital format, so we started playing with the PMA430 there.The set-up was easy after the initial one and we were recording within minutes.And even though there is a natural less then DVD quality about recording from tape, I was still very impressed with both the picture and sound that it captured from my VCR.We soon switched to digital cable as the recording media and were left with a DVD quality recording of the Simpsons.So far, so good...

NOTE:For whatever reason (read: to avoid crippling lawsuits), Archos has decided that once programming has been recorded onto your device, that is the end of the line.No burning movies to DVD.No transferring files onto a laptop or sharing with your friends.That is fair; intellectual property rights do need to be protected, but it is still bothersome to those of us who just want to back up some of our legitimate purchases.

PDA FUNCTIONALITY: FAIR
Now, not everything is good about this device.The PDA functionality is awkward at best, slow and unresponsive at its worst.The lag time between clicking an icon and the activation of the program (or even the expanding of a simple file tree) is slow and arduous.I must have clicked through a dozen applications because I though the screen had not registered my tapping. Also, the writing capture (when the PDA screen actually translates letters you are jotting down) is so poor it is nearly unusable.Maybe this will change with a Firmware update.Right now, I just use the integrated keyboard, or the optional rubber USB keyboard that you can roll up and tuck away when finished.

UPDATE:Okay, I have had a little more time with the device and gotten somewhat used to its speed, and it is reacting much better now, so no more "POOR" rating.However, it is still a very clumsy, unintuitive PDA design.

MP3 PLAYER: GOOD
Simple and functional, complete with an equalizer (though a rather anemic one with only 5 sliders) and functionality that will automatically index your songs according to author, song title, genre, etc.This works well, but is nowhere as functional as a flywheel on an iPod, but still easy enough to use.I was also surprised to see that on legitimate MP3s you are frequently show the album cover along with the song. That's a nice little touch.

SOUND: FAIR
The small front speaker is laughable at best.I cannot imagine anytime where it would be used, as it would annoy both the user and anyone around him with its mono, tinny sound.The sound improves greatly when headphones are used, and the ones that come with the PMA430 are good enough, if a tad uncomfortable.

WIRELESS: GOOD
This was one of the nicest functions about the device.I already have a wireless network at home and locking into the signal was quick and painless.The PMA430 uses an Opera browser for surfing the internet and Microsoft Outlook for email.Again, both were easy to get set-up and running within 15 minutes.There is also support for wireless access through a cellular provider, but I have not tried that out yet.

PHOTOS: FAIR
Eh...I mean, its there.You can look at photos, even display them on another TV screen.However, any television that is capable of making digital photographs not look like crap probably has a memory card slot anyway.And just viewed on the PMA430, pictures just look okay.And I don't take a lot of pictures, nor do any of my friends.So, moving on...

BATTERY LIFE: GOOD
Decent.I am getting about 8-9 hours out of it purely as a MP3 player, and about half that if I am using the video playback or browsing the web (anything that involves the screen being on, really).

SYNCHING: FAIR
A few problems here that were not helped much by the grossly inadequate PMA430 User's Guide, but I eventually stumbled my way through it.The PMA430 comes with a 2.0 USB hub, allowing me to quickly transcribe all my MP3s, video clips and pictures onto the device.With a few free downloads you can even have the device synch with your desktop copy of Outlook.There is an infrared port to beam informant, but sadly no Bluetooth support, which eliminates such novelties as wireless headphones and some advanced networking.Drat.

Other problems with synching are minor but truly annoying.Every time I synch, the date and time change buy a few weeks/hours or more.I have no idea why this happens.Also, the Archos is supposed to work in synch with Yahoo! TV to allow you to set a schedule to record your shows.I am beginning to believe that there is actually no way to make this work.

SOFTWARE: GOOD
The software that comes with the PMA430 are useable enough, but I am eager to see what new titles will be released, and if there will be a Firmware update to handle some of the outstanding bugs I have noticed with the PDA functionality.

Amazing!
The box says PMA430, but the unit says PMA400.Whatever you call it, it's amazing.It's extremely easy to hook up to the cable box and record TV shows.The quality is surprising.Also, no problems using the USB to download the shows to my computer and watch them using realplayer.Amazon shipped mine 2/23 and I got it the next day.Haven't encountered any problems yet!

Well worth the price
I have had the PMA400 (Amazon calls it PMA430) for about a week.It does what the manufacturer claims really well.I was able to connect to the internet, record form the tv (sattelite reciever), load and play mp3s, use the PDA functions, send email, store tons of files, etc.

The PMA 430 is the swiss army knife of MP3\video players.

The video display is very clean, smooth, and clear.

The USB connection used to connect with the pc worked great. I was able to connect to my pc and exchange files with no problems.

Battery life is exceptional - about 10-12 hours of mp3 play with out needing to recharge.

I was also able to use the infrared port to exchange files from my pc.

With the other USB port, the host port, you can attach a digital camera (to download pictures directly from the camera), keyboard, memmory card reader, etc directly into the PMA430.Keep in mind that not all products will be able to work with the PMA430, via the USB host port, since it uses Linux.You will need to find the appropiate drivers. Also keep in mind that it uses a mobile version of Linux, and not the full blown operatingsystem.

Overall the product met my expectations, but did run into some problem using the host port feature.I am happy with my purchase. ... Read more

Features

• High Speed USB 2.0
• Stylish, clear overmold casing with brilliant blue LED
• 2 Year warranty
• 512 MB Memory Capacity
• Compatible with Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP and Mac OS 9.1, OS X 10 and above

Reviews (3)

Sometimes They Get it Right
Whoever designed this thing was thinking. Given what's likely to happen to these things in use, I think Sandisk hit the nail on the head. A metal device with a clear plastic overshell. It's small, and it will hold a ton of pictures or files, whatever you need to drag around. I could put this on my keychain and not have to worry about it breaking. If this device is as good as the other Sandisk flash products I have from an operating perspective, this will be a real winner for them.

Nice job Sandisk....

If you need or want a USB flash drive, get this one...

Small and solid
Sandisk's site claims you only need drivers for 98SE. I have only used it on XP and a co-worker's 2000 Pro. It plugs in and works the first time without a reboot. Sandisk claims Windows ME will also use it without drivers.

The loop-hook is metal inside the slightly soft plastic covering, so it's not going to break. You are far more likely to break the included string lanyard or plastic quick-disconnect hook for the included necklace. Put this on something with a good metal ring and it's not going to break and fall off.

The Blue LED is bright, and stays on when idle (in the computer, see below re: MP3 Companion). That helps you remember to take it with you. It blinks when read/write operations are happening, reminding you not to pull it out until it's done. There is a note in the included quick-start guide about which operating systems you should use the "remove device" tool with.

The MP3 Companion works well, I gave it 4 our of 5 stars. The blue LED is only on when the player reads in the whole track as it starts to play it, otherwise it's off to conserve the AAA battery's life.

Small & Rugged - Perfect for the keychain
All guys have a minimal set of items that are always with them, for me these are: keys, wallet, glasses, and cell phone. Since the number of items in the set is directly proportional to the comlexity of a guy's life, adding an item to the list requires life-altering benefits in return. For example, adding a wedding ring brings with it a wife, 2.7 kids, and one more anniversary date to remember. As convenient an USB drive may be, it doesn't meet the requirement to become a "minimal set item".

So I took a look at the existing 4 items and determined that my keychain is the thing that can be "enhanced" with a USB drive, and for that the small and rugged Micro Cruzer is the best choice out there. At just over 2" long, it is only slightly longer than a standard house key, and that length includes the integrated key chain ring. Combined with .75" width and .3" thickness, it is one of the smallest USB drives you can find on the market.

You can find smaller USB drives out there, but they are simply too fragile. The Cruzer Micro has a brushed stainless clam shell steel body that extends from the keychain ring to the USB connector in one continuous and seamless slab. And over this steel body is a thick plastic jacket that has a slight rubbery texture to it. Two USB connector covers are included, a thick one and a slim one - choose your level of protection. The thick one pretty much sleeves the entire drive and make it impervious to anything this side of tank treads.

Add to this tidy and tough package the speed of USB 2.0, 512MB of storage, and a very bright blue status LED, it's a complete package that simply outdoes any other USB drive out there, including the Cruzer Titanium, which incidentally looks more like a mini cigar sleeve than a proper USB drive. Dont be a poser - be a guy - buy the Cruzer Micro. ... Read more

Features

• Includes stereo earphones, 1 AAA battery, belt clip, CD software
• Plays MP3, WMA, and WMA DRM
• Stores over 4 hours/60 songs of MP3; 8 hours/120 songs of WMA music
• Digital FM tuner with 20 preset stations
• Compatible with Windows 98SE, 2000, ME, XP; Mac OS 9.2x+, 10.1.2+

Features

• iPod radio accessory
• Easy to install and use
• Over 100 stations
• Very compact size
• No signal drift

Reviews (2)

Nothing to write home about
this product offers poor quality sound

Beyond Cool
The fact that this transmitter allowed me to choose from more than four channels was what caught my attention. Living and working in the NYC metropolitan area, I knew that there are very few, if any, channels that would be clear enough to use a transmitter successfully, so a transmitter that gave me a wide spectrum of channels to choose from was in order.

This thing works! I use it on a channel on which I get a faint to medium signal and it completely overrides that signal. It's easy to use. It's incredibly sexy - not clunky or awkward looking at all (it completely fits the profile of the mini). It gets attention from everyone because it's just so cool. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Philips 17PF8946 17-inch HDTV-ready flat-panel LCD TV is more than just great looks. The perfect size for a small space, the 3.1-inch-thick display provides an excellent audio/visual experience with features like Crystal Clear III, Active Control, Virtual Dolby Surround, and unique flat speakers. It even has a built-in FM radio tuner so you can listen to all your favorite radio channels, and up to 40 station presets make sure you tune in fast.

The high-definition (HD tuner not included), 1,280 x 768 WXGA LCD panel uses the latest panel technology, such as Philips' proprietary Crystal Clear package of innovations featuring a 3D digital comb filter (eliminates dot crawl and color bleeding, enhancing fine detail, cleaning up image outlines, and removing most extraneous colors), Dynamic Contrast for deep blacks and pure whites, and green and blue color enhancement. The high 400:1 contrast ratio gives you better subtle color details and the ability to see the picture in bright light conditions, and the 25-millisecond response time means it's capable of handling fast-moving action without image blur or lag.

Active Control delivers the best picture setting, any time, from any source. The incoming signal is automatically analyzed and key picture settings, like sharpness, color, and contrast, are adjusted. The 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio is the best for viewing HDTV and DVDs so you can have a more realistic cinema experience, but the TV has zoom modes for viewing 4:3 analog broadcast TV and pan-and-scan-formatted video.

Built-in flat speakers (4 watts per channel) sit on either side of the active-matrix TFT LCD, giving you full stereo sound without needing to connect to an external speaker system. Virtual Dolby Surround sound support simulates cinema surround sound effects without the need for rear speakers. Philips' Smart Listening auto volume leveling eliminates drastic volume spikes while changing channels or when channels go to a commercial break.

Other features include fantastic 176-degree horizontal and vertical viewing angles, 100 preset channels, Autostore for easy tuning, Auto Picture (five modes give you picture settings for different types of programming), Auto Sound (four modes to tailor the TV sound to enhance what you're watching), multilanguage onscreen display, sleep timer, integrated NTSC tuner and RF jack for terrestrial reception, ergonomic remote control, and an antireflective screen.

Want to do more than just watch TV? The 17PF8946 has an FM antenna connector for getting better reception, a rear composite input, and a component input that helps minimize digital and line-scan artifacts during DVD playback. And, because the TV is progressive scan, it can take advantage of the more filmlike images produced by progressive-scan DVD players. It has a VGA input too, which receives the signal from your PC so you can use it as a TV and a PC monitor. A set of side jacks has a composite A/V input with S-video, a mini headphone jack, and an audio in for using the TV's speakers with your PC.

What's in the Box
17-inch HD-ready LCD TV, stand, remote control, 2 AA batteries, user's manual. ... Read more

Features

• 17-inch HD-ready 16:9 aspect-ratio flat-panel LCD television with 1,280 x 768 resolution; measures 20.4 x 11.9 x 3.1 inches (W x H x D)
• 3D digital comb filter helps eliminate dot crawl and color bleed; 25 ms response time handles fast-moving action without image blur
• Progressive-scan screen for more filmlike images; Dynamic Contrast for deep blacks and pure whites; 400:1 contrast ratio
• Component, composite, and S-video inputs and a VGA connector for use as a TV or PC monitor
• 4-watt-per-channel flat-panel stereo speakers with Virtual Dolby support for simulated surround sound; Smart Listening eliminates volume spikes; built-in FM tuner

Product Description

Includes Panasonic KX-TG5433M Three-Handset Cordless Phone and Digital Answering System Charging bases for 2nd and 3rd handsets Phone cord Belt clip Batteries for each handset. ... Read more

Features

• 50-station phonebook shared among handsets
• 3 handsets, 2 remote charger stands, downloadable ringtones
• 5.8 GHz digital spread spectrum signal
• Digital answering system on base unit
• Supports caller ID/call waiting, 50-call memory

Reviews (4)

Excellent Phone
I spent quite a large amount of time researching cordless phones before deciding to purchase this unit.There have been many complaints about Panasonic's slightly older lines of 2.4 and 5.8 GHz phones.However, this phone appears to be of an entirely different desgin as evidenced by the slimmer handset form factor.I have had this phone for a few weeks and have not run into any performance issues.

While the phone suffers from a few minor flaws such as having to pay to download ring tones on each handset and having handsets register missed calls when another handset is used to answer the phone, these types of issues are pretty much omnipresent in the current generation of multihandest/expandable handset phone systems.

This product is not perfect but seems much more reliable and than many of the other top of the line phone systems out there.I highly reccomend this product!

Love this phone!
This is the third time I have bought a phone system with one base and multiple handsets, and this is the best one I have used so far.The reasons range from trivial (I like the sounds of the ring tones), to significant (you can use multiple handsets at once).

The two most important features for me before purchase were:

1) 5.8 Ghz spread spectrum.My old phone was a 2.4 Ghz, and it would occasionally interfere with my wireless computer network.It was very annoying.My moving to a phone that uses a different frequency range, the problem is completely avoided.

2) The ability to use multiple handsets at the same time.Another phone I previously had would not let two handsets talk in the same conversation at the same time.This was just miserable.This phone lets you do this without any problems.

After purchase, I found that it had some other amazing features:

1) Each phone has a unique ID, and you can conference between the handsets.With the range this phone has, my wife and I now carry them around outside (we have a 3 acre yard) and use them to talk to each other.

2) The phone has an AMAZING speakerphone capability on each handset!This was not on my radar at all, but it is really useful.

3) When playing back messages it has recorded, it shows you the caller ID entry for the message.Really nice touch.

4) While I don't know much about it yet, I can apparently keep the numbers in the phone's phonebook in sync with those stored in Outlook in my computer.I can also download new ringtones, but that's not so importent to me.More info on this is available at www.openlcr.com.

The ONLY annoying thing about this phone is that when you answer a call on one handset, the other two handsets register it as a 'missed call' in the caller ID list.I considered rating it 4 stars for this, but once you get used to it, the rest of the features more than make up for it.

Almost perfect
This phone has all the features anyone could possibly need. It's also relatively easy to figure out, since the interace is similar to your average cell phone's menu-style interface. One thing I was surprised by though, is if you pay to download a ringtone, you only get it on ONE of the handsets! You have to pay 3 times to put the same ring tone on all the handsets. I got burned by this, and it's why I'm giving it 4 stars.

Simply the BEST
Save your time, and your money...this is the phone you want. I have tried them all, and Panasonics last for years and never let us down.We use this system on our Voip, Packet 8 service and it works perfectly.It is so loaded with handy and useful features, that we are spoiled by it.We rush to answer the phone as this is such a pleasure to use.Panasonic really outdid themselves with the 5433, we just love it.You enter all your phone numbers in one handset and it will copy them over to the other two handsets for you...one at a time or all at once, truly a neat feature. You set the time on one set, any one you like, and the other two handsets pick it up automatically.Did I mention we are happy? ... Read more

Features

• 4 GB model holds up to 1,000 songs; supports MP3, AAC, WAV, MP3 VBR, Audible (6), and AIFF formats
• Mac and Windows compatible; FireWire and USB 2.0 interface for fastest digital transfer available
• 1.67 inch (diagonal) backlit screen displays full song names and more
• More than 8 hour battery life on a 3 hour charge (1-hour fast charge to 80% capacity)
• Comes with earbud headphones, belt clip, AC adapter, FireWire cable, and USB 2.0 cable

Reviews (192)

Small in Size not in Functionality
The iPod mini is built from the ground up as a portable device for people with fast-paced lives. It's small and lightweight physical dimensions are perfectly suited to be being placed in a pants or shirt pocket without being a burden.

But don't let its light weight fool you into thinking the iPod mini is a pushover. The 4GB hard drive (3.7 GB actual) can hold about 1,000 songs - enough to last almost three full days. The installed software includes four games; calendar; notepad; contact database; clock; backlight with timer; alarm clock; and the abilities to customize the main menu; create playlists; and rate songs. All this is in addition to being able to be used as an external hard drive.

However, the most revolutionary aspect of the iPod mini (aside from it's size and weight) is its control interface. Incorporating the 'Menu', 'Pause/Play', 'Forward' and 'Back' buttons directly to the touch sensitive scroll wheel not only creates simplicity from a design standpoint, but form a user one as well. Accessing these controls is a breeze. Thankfully the touch wheel is designed well enough that accidental pressing of a control is unlikely to occur since you have to press down a bit to activate the button. I'd actually like to see the entire iPod line adopt this interface.

Some people complain that the iPod mini is only slightly cheaper than the 20 GB iPod and offers a lot less storage space. But what you loose in storage space you gain in portability. It is also important to consider that compared to other players of its size and weight, the iPod mini offers much more storage space, many more features, and a better music jukebox in iTunes 4.0.

I want to carry the most music I can in the smallest possible device that offers the best interface and features. For me, that device is unquestionably the iPod mini. If you have similar demands of a portable music device, the iPod mini is sure to become a permanent accessory to your lifestyle.

Small But Powerful
The iPod mini is built from the ground up as a portable device for people with fast-paced lives. It's small and lightweight physical dimensions are perfectly suited to be being placed in a pants or shirt pocket without being a burden.

But don't let its light weight fool you into thinking the iPod mini is a pushover. The 4GB hard drive (3.7 GB actual) can hold about 1,000 songs - enough to last almost three full days. The installed software includes four games; a calendar; a notepad; a contact database; a clock; backlight with timer; an alarm clock; and the abilities to customize the main menu; create playlists; and rate songs. All this is in addition to being able to be used as an external hard drive!

However, the most revolutionary aspect of the iPod mini (aside from it's size and weight) is its control interface. Incorporating the 'Menu', 'Pause/Play', 'Forward' and 'Back' buttons directly to the touch sensitive scroll wheel not only creates simplicity from a design standpoint, but form a user one as well. Accessing these controls is a breeze. Thankfully the touch wheel is designed well enough that accidental pressing of a control is unlikely to occur since you have to press down a bit to activate the button. I'd actually like to see the entire iPod line adopt this interface.

Some people complain that the iPod mini is only slightly cheaper than the 20 GB iPod and offers a lot less storage space. But what you loose in storage space you gain in portability. It is also important to consider that compared to other players of its size and weight, the iPod mini offers much more storage space, many more features, and a better music jukebox in iTunes 4.0.

I want to carry the most music I can in the smallest possible device that offers the best interface and features. For me, that device is unquestionably the iPod mini. If you have similar demands of a portable music device, the iPod mini is sure to become a permanent accessory to your lifestyle.

The Greatest Invention Known to man
3 months ago i reccieved my Ipod mini.I was in a waiting list since March. Since ive laid eyes on it has changed my life. I love it to death i wouldnt change it for the world its small,sturdy,and has great sound.I always get complements on it.I dont know how would my life be with out it.The price is good for it it holds only 1,000 songs for 50 bucks more u get 5,000. I just love it its money well spent.

Funky Color...great price...
I could care less about the price, I am so typical...I was ready to purchase a 40GB! This product is excellent. When I purchased the green mini iPod, it was 3 days before my mom's birthday. In the house...we have seperate computers, I felt bad that she had to lug around a CD player on her arm, that I bought her a pink mini iPod. She was so so SO excited, she ripped the box open, charged it, then installed the software on her computer...3 weeks later...she still loves it, she jogs, runs, and hikes with it on her arm, one day...she even ran in the house telling me to log onto Target.com (We mostly buy all our electronics, furniture, and stuff like that from Target.com) to write a "divine" review, well...here I am. This product is excellent, fun, and holds about 1,000 songs, she has her 80's playlist, I have my rock playlist. (When buying this item...if you are a early morning/late night jogger, purcase the armband, it'll come in handy)

One Punk Rock Kid

one of my wishs
When i first laid my eyes on that hot pink ipod i was shoked.
i ran over to my mom and told her about the wonder thing i have judt seen "whats that" she repilad that as i pointed to the ipod.
it really nice but we dont have the money for that right.
Some day i hope that someone will suprise me. ... Read more

Features

• Rapid-charging base station makes sure the mouse is always ready, and the lithium-ion battery never needs replacing
• Universal page forward and back, plus an application switch that quickly moves between open windows
• Wheel tilts for side-to-side scrolling
• Cruise Control rocker for speed-scrolling up and down, and zoom with a click of the wheel
• Compatible with Windows 98, 2000, Me, XP, and Macintosh OS X and higher

Features

• 10" color 180° rotating widescreen LCD screen
• Rechargeable lithium ion battery
• DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD, MP3, CD-R, CD-RW, VCD, MP3 and JPEG image compatibility
• Analog audio output and optical digital audio outputs
• Slim credit card-size remote control

Amazon Product Description

Video enthusiasts, get ready. Logitech's new QuickCam Pro 4000 was made just foryou. Combining a digital zoom, built-in microphone, and high-quality VGA CCD sensor,the QuickCam Pro 4000 lets you express your creativity like a pro.

Now you can create amazing videos and shoot 1.3-megapixel still photos with ease.Or add live video to Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Messenger, and AIM while you chat.You can also make live video calls, set up a video monitoring system, or sendphotos and video with your e-mail. Enhance the way you communicate and animateyour life.

Add live video to your favorite instant messenger:MSN Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), Yahoo! Messenger, and WindowsMessenger

Product Features Enjoy 640x480 video resolution with the advanced VGA CCD sensor andhigh-quality 1.3 megapixel photo resolution Zoom in or out, even pan and tilt to get the right shot Add live video to your favorite instant messenger: MSN Messenger,AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), Yahoo! Messenger, and WindowsMessenger Send live video to mobile phones with Logitech Mobile Video Create movies like a pro with studio-quality video editing software Compatible with USB 2.0 and 1.1 Set it up on any monitor QuickCam Pro 4000's bonus clip makes it simple to use with any flat panelmonitor. The flexible back lets you shape it to match your monitor's profile.Or use the camera with its base on any flat surface. Send video greetings instantly Record a video to congratulate your friend on her new promotion. Justclick your mouse once to send her a video e-mail. Isn't that simple?

Automaticface-tracking follows your actions! It's easy to stay the center of attention during your video IM or videocalling session. It automatically zooms in and follows your movements. Chat face-to-face online Video-chat with your best friend or relative using your instant messengerservice. The built-in mic lets you express yourself. The Creative Way to Get Closer Add live video to your favorite instant messenger: MSN Messenger,AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), Yahoo! Messenger,and Windows Messenger Shoot 1.3 megapixel photos and high-quality videos Edit movies and photos with studio-quality software Make live video calls Email video and photos easily Get closer with a digital zoom Conduct online video conferences and calls using Windows Messengeror Microsoft NetMeeting Speak your mind with the built-in microphone Add video to your eBay auctions with SpotLife VideoSnap Create fun animated films Create web albums, broadcast live video and audio, and set up a webcam 2-year limited hardware warranty Compatible with Windows 98, 2000, Me, and XP, and Mac OS 9.04 and9.1.

 

Product Specifications

• Video capture: Up to 640 x 480 pixels (VGA CCD)
• Still image capture: Up to 1280 x 960 pixels, 1.3 megapixels
• Frame rate: Up to 30 frames per second (with recommended system)

Included Software

• FREE Logitech IM Video Companion
• Live video-enabled Yahoo! Messenger
• One-click video e-mail software
• Video broadcasting software
• Web album creator software
• Web camera software
• Motion detection software
• Animation software

Features

• 640 x 480 video resolution and 1280 x 960 photo resolution
• Built-in microphone
• USB 1.1 interface
• Includes a full suite of camera utility software
• Compatible with Windows 98, 2000, Me, and XP; Mac OS X 10.1.5 to 10.2.6

Reviews (110)

AWESOME CAMMIN!
A totally awesome and quite an impressive webcam with face-tracking, digital zoom and built-in microphone - all with an extremely affordable price. Super easy to install (especially with XP) and user-friendly software package. I'm told that the detail, image clarity and overall quality online is spectacular. People often ask me what type of web camera I am using and I always tell. So, I know that this camera sells itself.

I'm sold on Logitech for a long time because of this camera! I've tried three other manufacturer's webcams and have been consistently disappointed with driver updates for operating systems and compatibility with online messengers. The Logitech QuickCam Pro 4000 works great with ALL of my instant messengers and online chat plug ins!

Works Great on MY PC, ok on my MAC
To date this is the best of 3 web cams I've used. I bought this and the Isight at the same time, ended up returning the Isight because we elected to use the PC for our web cam machine.

Note: I only use this as a web-cam for communication, I don't use any of the other software that comes with it.

The camera setup is fairly well though out. I really like the fact they give you two stands, one for a CRT and one for an LCD.

Installation of the software on an old PIII dell under windows 2000 went pretty much by the book. My only complaint was that it took a rather long time to install the software. Once installed it detected the camera and all was well.

I do photography as a hobby and compared to still cameras or even conventional video cameras the image quality was lacking, but you have to remeber what this device is for. The auto white balance worked pretty good, way out performing my Isight. I haven't messed with the face tracking software, I figure thats just a problem waiting to happen.

It plugged and worked (video wise) with my Mac and PC. I had some issues with getting the audio to work with my mac and Ivisit but I didn't really pay attention since I wasn't planning on using it for the Mac anyway.

On the PC it works fine, does an ok image, recognized by Yahoo IM and Ivisit.

Because of the pull of the cable getting it pointed in just the right direction is sometimes problematic.

All in all I am happy with it. It does its job well.

LOVE IT LOVE IT
Finally I got the 4000 pro and watch a 5000 will come out LOL Either way this cam rocks! I made a ton of videos right away and pics with ease. I love this cam! The picture is so clear and the mic is very good. I recommend!

AWESOME WEBCAM!
I had an IBM, Then an IBOT, Then a Tracker Robotic Cam Pod that I paid over 200 dollars for and it never worked right! The company gave me the run around for 2 years. I finally gave up! A Logitech 3000 was attached to the robotic piece of garbage. So I used that cam for the past 2 years. The picture started to get grainy and there was no way of making it clearer anymore. I ran this camera non stop 24 hours a day pretty much for 2 years. So I decided it was time for a new cam! I love Logitech webcams and I was more then happy at how easy this was to install over all the other cams I pulled my hair out over. Plus the software is AMAZING! I started making video's and sending them everywhere. I think all webcams have a short life. After experimenting with my own and seeing my friend's. This is a great bang for your buck. I totally recommend this cam!

The little camera that could, can and does!
This is one of Logitech's better bang-for-the-buck inventions.

Automatically, it zooms in or out on you, as if another person is filming you. Sound is good, not the best, but very, very clear and audible. Picture is superb.

Have fun gabbing online face-to-face with other web cam nuts, or enjoy filming yourself talking to yourself. Fun and affordable. ... Read more