This product was pretty cheap so I wasn't sure if I would like it once it came. I never realized how much I needed a stand for my ipad. The cord isn't very long, but I almost never use it anyway.
Showing posts with label handheld tablet pc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label handheld tablet pc. Show all posts
Ipega USB Charging Stand Holder For Apple iPad / iPad 2
This product was pretty cheap so I wasn't sure if I would like it once it came. I never realized how much I needed a stand for my ipad. The cord isn't very long, but I almost never use it anyway.
PalmOne IIIe Handheld
Unlike people who were "already happy" with their bulky organizers before purchasing this product, I had been wanting a Palm for quite some time. Therefore, the expectation bar was raised.Now that I have the product, the bar was met! Some questions you may have about Palms:
1. How do I enter data? One of three easy ways: with a small pen which you use to write directly into the Palm Pilot; with a pop-up keyboard; or you can enter information on your computer and download it onto your Palm Pilot.
2. Is it hard to learn? The thing I found most amazing about this is how easy you can learn it. Usually something as robust as this product has a high-learning curve. However, that is not the case here.
3. Can you play games on it? Hey admit it, we all thought it was pretty cool when we found out we can play games on it. I have about 12 games on mine (and it takes up hardly any space at all). Now all those boring lines at the bank, airports, and sitting in doctor office waiting rooms are but a memory. ;-)
4.This one is cheaper than the others, should I buy an expensive one? That is up to you. I personally don't need to store 1,500 appointments, 6000 phone numbers, etc. I'm just a guy who likes to have things organized. This product does that and lots more. I think that one of the top-dollar ones would be overkill (at least for me it would).
5. What's the coolest thing about the product? I personally like the fact that there are literally hundreds of thousands of *FREE* programs that you can download onto the Palm Pilot.
If you are the type of person who likes to control his or her scene, I strongly urge you to purchase this product.
The sturdy unit easily slips into a pocket. The screen is sharp, and the adjustable contrast and backlighting options make it readable in most light levels, although it can be tough to achieve a balance in low light conditions. Two AAA batteries power it for a surprising amount of time (but extensive use of the backlight feature drains them fairly rapidly). File management through the palm OS is easily configurable, and the unit is very responsive. The Graffiti writing system can be learned quickly, and the on screen keyboard and number pad are readily accessible for those tricky characters.
I wasn't organized prior to receiving this device as a gift, and I must admit that I'm still not. The included address book is very usable, and the ability to beam "business cards" to other palm pilot devices via infrared makes it easy to record and keep track of colleagues' contact information. The day planning software, with it's configurable alarms and repeat dates is also very handy. The Palm Desktop and Hotsync software intelligently backs up data and files from the handheld unit, and schedules entered on your computer through the software are automatically updated on the device. Macintosh users take note, the included hotsync cradle terminates in PC cords, so you'll need to by the adapter to convert to Macintosh serial or the USB kit for newer Macs (both should be available on Amazon.com). If your machine is IrDA compliant, you can hotsync via infrared, but you will need to get some preliminary files on the unit through a cradle hotsync or beaming to do so.
One of the strong points of the whole Palm line of PDAs is the overwhelming number of third party applications (shareware, freeware, and high powered commercial programs with trial periods) that are available online through a variety of web sites. These files range from classic board games to old books in a Palm document format to graphics and spreadsheet programs. Free online services, such as AvantGo, even download user selectable web pages to the unit upon hotsync for review on the bus or while waiting in a line.
To learn of the variety of tasks that this device can perform, I encourage new users to check out online resources and books such as David Pogue's "Palm Pilot: the Ultimate Guide. (2nd Edition)" The book includes a Macintosh/Windows/Linux CD-ROM loaded with software for the Palm, and even though many of the programs have newer versions available, the breadth of the material covered in the text (and links to the software developer's websites on the CD-ROM) make it a worth while purchase.
Those interested in protecting their investment may want to investigate the reasonably priced extended warranty options available directly from Palm Computing (including a screen replacement program and a one year extension of the warranty).
Although I will likely upgrade to a unit with more memory for storing programs and files in the future, the Palm IIIe has served me well. Overall, this device is an incredible value for its price!I have heard a lot of people tell me not to get a Palm IIIe because it is not the smallest Palm model out there. . . This is a straw-man argument. I got a Palm IIIe and it is GREAT. 2MB or memory is not much for my desktop, I have 256 MB of RAM and 30 gigs of HD, but for my Palm Pilot, this is more than I will ever need! Don't waist your money on more expensive models, unless you are planning to write a dissertation on your palm pilot, and a lot more, it will hold it all with PLENTY to spare. As far as size, it is the exact size as most other palm models, and it is VERY portable. Someone said that it is visible in a sport coat, well they need to trim down a few pounds then, or buy a coat that fits. Not only do I keep mine in a sport coat pocket, I keep it in the smaller pocket on the inside left of most of my coats. I wear a 39 Long so the pockets are smaller than most coats anyway, and trust me, you can't see or feel it. The Palm IIIe is a Great buy, and a heck of a Palm Pilot, no upgrade is needed, unless you want to connect to the web with no wires, then get the Palm Vii and pay $44 a month. Hope this was helpful.
Read Best Reviews of PalmOne IIIe Handheld Here
I agree that the IIIe is a good value. The built-in applications are both easy to use and flexible. It is simple, for example, to display all your memos, or just those to do with work, or just those to do with personal matters.I found the display plenty easy to read, and the software set up quickly on the computer. I found its handwriting language easy to learn. You do need to make sure, however, that you have a spare serial port on your computer; I had to install a new one, and that turned out to be a pain (so much for Plug and Play). I have had some problem using the synchonization eith Netscape e-mail; I needed a new MAPI32.DLL file, and the synchonization isn't set up well for using multiple Netscape configurations.
There's plenty of software out there for purchase or simply for the downloading. I found a very handling shopping-list program that I wouldn't do without now, and I'm trying out a checkbook program. But my favorite toy so far is AvantGo Web browsing software. It really does work. And games play reasonably well -my kids keep wanting to play them. But don't expect the crisp, active-matrix game display of a device made for that purpose.
The 2 megabytes of RAM seems to be plenty. Even after loading the IIIe up with e-mail and AvantGo (half a megabyte including downloaded Web pages) I still have nearly half the memory left.
The IIIe won't upgrade, but from what I've seen most of the software out there will run on 2.0 (my IIIe has 3.1). By the time I need an upgrade it will probably be time to buy a new organizer anyway.
The main negative is the outrageous price for peripherals. A modem and keyboard together cost more than the unit itself.
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I usually don't like PDAs, because I remember all the appointments and I use my cellular to store phone numbers, that's why I only bought a IIIe. I figured if I don't like it, I'll be able to sell it quick. Well, now I can't live without it ;) Not only do I have all my phone numbers and adresses on it, but the programs you can download are so many and most of them are freeware, I now use my Palm IIIe all the time. I don't think I'll let it go, I would prefer to keep it and buy another Palm with more memories, but not right now, I'm using only half the memory of my Palm right now, I still have time ;) And now lots of my friends are going to follow me and buy a Palm :)Save 32% Off
Le Pan II 9.7" 8 GB Tablet with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program UPDATE 26 NOV 2012: Please note that the following review was for the Le Pan I and NOT the Le Pan II. Due to circumstances not under my control this review may actually appear under the latest Le Pan II which appears to be a good upgrade but I've never used it I am still happily using the first version tablet (Le Pan I) acquired in June, 2011 (so durability is good).IMPORTANT UPDATE 11/30/2011: Please read B. Brinton's Amazon review (can't give the URL but it's one of the two star reviews here) regarding inability to update to new operating system. I stand by my original review as to the quality of the tablet, but recommend that you check out Brinton's review before actually buying.
Before I even start, I absolutely LOVE my Le Pan tablet. It's a blast to use, has a lot of upside for the things I want to do with it, and has a definite "wow" factor with bystanders. Typical quotes are, "wow," and "I want one" and "that is so cool!" This could be said about a lot of the better tablets (e.g., iPad) that have nice, high def, shiny screens showing video, but I appreciated the coveting looks (and I let people play with it extensively and had trouble getting it back a couple times).
I have never used a tablet (well, 10 minutes goofing with an iPad in the Apple Store a year ago) and have never used anything with the Android operating system.
A lot of my "cons" are probably pertinent to a lot of similar pieces of hardware, as well as shortcomings of the Android OS as it is currently implemented, rather than unique to the Le Pan.
I would NOT recommend this for someone looking for a turnkey, works perfectly out of the box solution. You will need either some experience, or a strong nerd compulsion (or a little of both). You'll have to overcome quirks of the hardware and software.
First, the "bad."
The power button sucks. After four days I STILL fumble with that sucker.
The fingerprints on the screen drive me nuts. I think it's worse in a tablet with a large screen than on an Android or Iphone with smaller screens. I'm already carrying around a microfiber cleaning cloth. A definite hazard of this entire class of machine. You might want to invest in some wet-dry LCD screen wipes for when you want to get it in pristine condition before you show off in front of the boss (e.g., Audiovox Surface SURF402 Wet/Dry Screen Wipes). Think of it as detailing your tablet.
Saying the speakers are "tinny" might be generous and there is absolutely no recognizable bass component. I'm ready to get a bluetooth headphone for this immediately.
Can't run Hulu to watch TV (yet) the hardware is probably perfectly capable, but Hulu sees "Android mobile device" and just serves up an annoying message. However YouTube (included app) looks and works better than I have ever seen it.
It's heavier than I thought, but not that bad. It's about the same weight as an iPad. I found that holding it in one hand I would cramp up after a couple of minutes. It is light enough to cradle, and propping it up on an ample paunch while in bed was ok. Sitting down with tablet on lap, no problem.
Next, the "weird."
The onboard camera only shoots pictures in a mirror mode (i.e., titles of books are reversed like in a mirror). In using Skype I found that for this version of Android, video calling is not supported. Otherwise, Skype works quite nicely on this platform.
In certain network environments (I'm on a University network half the time) you can easily purchase apps via the included Android Market, but downloading wouldn't commence probably some security feature of our network. Using my home wifi connection (DSL via AT&T) I had no problems downloading and installing Skype and some other navigation based stuff.
The included browser can't handle Ebsco databases (if that means anything to you). The browser handles most websites well, and the large screen means you don't need to access the specially configured mobile sites, which are still a lot cleaner. I ran this on our library catalog and most of our databases with no problem, but the Ebsco ones didn't allow any search entry. Weird. (NOTE ADDED June 2, 2011: Just installed the Opera Mobile Web Browser ver. 11 from the Apps for Android store on Amazon and the Ebsco databases work just fine).
Finally, the "good."
The screen is awesome (except in daylight where it is useless). Use this indoors, not at the beach.
The response time is lightning fast. Apps come up fast and operate fast. Scrolling, screen switching, etc. is ultra-smooth.
In the right network environment, getting, installing, and using apps is trivial.
The integration with web based Google apps is seamless. I didn't even notice my calendar and contacts were downloaded and synchronized (and continue to be synchronized). A very cool thing I discovered this morning was that when I was out of wifi range (on my bus and train commute) I could still do my Gmail offline. The Gmail app downloads and caches your email so you can use it offline, including replying to messages. The next time you get a wifi connection, synchronization will send all pending messages, and download new ones this was all done while sitting in my backback.
The GPS is useful, but not yet a substitute for a good stand-alone unit (I'm a TomTom user). But the connection to Google Maps is very cool. You have to wrestle to find it, but once you get into street view, it's obvious that high def simulated 3d is designed for tablets with big shiny screens. I'm still struggling with the interface (I think the GPS keeps wanting to tether me to Missouri), but I've taken friends to Florence and Rome on this tablet, and the fast and seamless "look around" on a tablet is very, very, nice.
Photos and video on this screen are gorgeous, without question. I haven't read anything yet that contests that I vouch for the visual impressiveness as well. Again, the screen WILL get covered in finger smudges, and if you're in any kind of daylight you're out of luck seeing anything.
So, take this review in stride. Think of my comments as caveats and warnings, and whether or not they're deal breakers is up to you and what you need. I'm not sure there is any tablet that can satisfy all the myriad details wanted by end users. I give this four stars for being an impressive work with some upside potential with upgrades (video calling with Skype, Hulu compatibility). Read the specs and decide if things like not having video output is important, or not.
ADDED June 2, 2011: To watch movies you might have to convert them to an appropriate format (and/or download some other video software). I've been able to take video and using VLC (free and available on PCs and Macs) and convert to MP4 format then view with no problem. Also, because of movie sizes, you're likely going to need to buy a bigger micro SD chip (or two). I have some DVDs from Orlando (wife and kids swimming with the dolphins) and was able to extract the unprotected "VOB" files. I converted to a couple of formats but the MP4 format seemed to universally work. Again, this is one of those areas you need a bit of a nerd compulsion to work out.
Regarding using wet/dry pads to clean the screen. Almost all of the standard pads should work fine, but in most cases you're going to waste a lot of pad. I've taken to opening the pouches and cutting the wet AND dry pads in half. Then I stuff them back in the pouches and fold it over to preserve the dampness. You can probably clean the screen 3 to 4 times with one set of pads (experiment on your own).
UPDATE AFTER SIX WEEKS (added July 15, 2011): I'm hooked. Durable, dependable, and now I've modded it with all sorts of useful and fun apps (hint: Amazon apps store gives a free app a day SUCH A DEAL!!!). I've been using for six weeks without a hitch and this has become my "go to" device for browsing the net and wasting time (playing games). Power button still sucks, but I've gotten used to the fingerprints.
UPDATE AFTER SEVEN MONTHS (added January 11, 2012): Le Pan has now come out with a successor, the Le Pan II, so this will be my final update. I received my Le Pan in early June, 2011. As of this date my TC970 is still running strong with no quirks or hardware faults whatsoever. Anecdote is not evidence, but my personal experience continues to be positive with this tablet. I even loaned it to my son for a couple of weeks as he took it to Budapest, Prague, and Vienna. Toting it around Europe in a backpack for two weeks, and it's back home, still humming along perfectly. This is still one fine machine.
Update 4 August: ICS has been released and it is working very well. Flash support on chrome is giving me some trouble, but Dolphin browser still has it working fine. ICS is nice and runs a bit smoother. I cannot get the HDMI mirroring to work (and now have the official Le Pan cable for it) so if that is important wait on the upgrade. I am really enjoying ICS far more than I thought I would. I remade the attached video in a streamlined format with ICS and it is on youtube, just search "le pan ice cream sandwich" and I think it comes up. Since I think they still ship with Honeycomb I am leaving the old video up for now.
Update 23 May: I am still very pleased with my tablet. I have had almost no problems, and the few I have had were fixed with a reset. I leave my tablet on all the time. All the time. The total time it has spent physically off since I got in Jan is less than 3 days. I still have good battery life and things are great. Quick note since this generation of tablets is being replaced by newer models(transformer prime, Ipad 3, etc). You can now find comparable tablets with good options in the ballpark of this price. Part of my emphatic nature of recommending this tablet originally was that all comparable tablets at the time were $400 or more. Le Pan II is still certainly a contender. One advantage this tablet still has is being nearly the only Android tablet of 4:3 ratio. I find that very comfortable for web browsing. If that is not a big deal you could probably get a Xoom or some such that is comparable and possibly better depending on the price, though most are refurbs versus Le Pan being for a new unit. I still recommend this tablet, but the progression of technology marches on. Also if you have a Roku and get an android device check out Gregg Reno's apps for Roku; Juice for Roku is the app I use second most. It is only beaten out by the browser on my tablet. I have a surround sound system and now my tablet is graphical radio control; it is awesome for anyone with a lot of mp3s.
Video:
In my video I show basic functions, google applications, amazon applications, built in camera, music and video demos. Much of the bullet list of pros and cons are still best seen in the review below. It ran kind of long, so I cut it back for amazon's requirements. Sorry again for the length of it and my written review, but there is so much to say about this tablet. I very much hope it helps people make informed decisions.
**Also the tablet accesses Google Play (my video was before the switch when it was Android Market, but it still allows access to all the Google apps and markets).
Original review:
Let me start by saying that I purchased the TC970 (previous model) back in October, and after 2 months was excited about the Le Pan II. I have had the Le Pan II for a few hours and am really enjoying it already. Originally I was wary about the unknown company, but took a chance. It was the best move I have ever made since I got a reliable Ipad quality device at a fraction of the price. I shall comment more on that in the company section.
Basics:
**Pros:
It has a nice professional build and feels solid, no cheap plastic feel here. All quality.
Fast processor, boots in about 30 seconds, quick start on apps, and can run many with no problems.
It has a 4:3 aspect ratio like the Ipad, which I find more comfortable for web browsing than the 16:9 tablets.
Fully functioning android market.
Youtube app works great.
Syncs with Gmail just fine.
Beautiful high definition screen.
Full Flash support.
Sensitive screen with good response on keyboard, I can type about 30 words per minute on the tablet (~90 on a real keyboard) and it keeps up just fine (my speed is going up as I get used to the onscreen keyboard).
No problems with Wifi, good signal.
Good accelerometer, can use it to play games easily and works well with google sky map.
Decent microphone with wide pick up (I use a frequency analyzing program).
**Cons:
Proprietary 30 pin connector, but it comes with a USB connection and charger (so only kind of annoying).
No USB ports, do not get keyboards that connect through USB (it does support Bluetooth so you can get accessories, but only with Bluetooth).
No rear camera (no big deal to me, I have a digital camera anyway), and front facing camera is only 2MP.
**Notes:
The speakers are above average for portable devices (almost no portable devices have good speakers since good bass usually needs larger speakers). These are pretty good overall, but for audio excellence in any portable device you need a good pair of headphones.
I have not tried to connect this tablet to my TV with HDMI, I still need to get the adapter, but will update after I try. It does not come with the connector initially (at this time anyway).
I expect it will function similar to the TC970, so the battery life should hold for about 7 hours even with constant video use. I almost never turned my old one off, just sleep mode. It can run for days easily in sleep mode. With intermittent use I would only charge every 3 days or so and expect the Le Pan II to perform about the same.
Cases: I use an off-brand case designed for the HP touchpad (HHI HP TouchPad Folio Flip Case with Muti-Function Stand Purple (Package include a HandHelditems Sketch Stylus Pen)), and it works well. I had to cut it a little to use the camera and access volume, and I have to remove it from the case to charge it. However, I got the Targus Truss Case/Stand for HP TouchPad THZ07202US (Black/Gray) for my mother and this will fit the Le Pan II (identical size to the TC970) perfectly and allow easy access to all ports. In general you can use any case designed for Ipad or Touchpad, but may need to cut a little free for all the ports to be open.
Interface:
**Pros:
Latest OS (honeycomb with possible upgrade to ICS)
Runs all online video well. My main problem with the last version was that I could not watch amazon prime videos on it. Partly it was the hardware, and partly android 2.2. This tablet runs amazon streaming just fine, as well as Blip.tv, and comedy central's videos (just the few I have tested). I do not have Netflix, but the reviews of the last tablet (TC970) said that it worked fine with the Netflix app and I expect this one will too.
**Cons:
None really. I got used to the simplicity of Froyo, so Honeycomb is proving challenging to adapt to, but I still figured everything I wanted to do out within an hour or so of playing with it.
Tying into the last point, the previous version the TC970 may be a little easier for the non-technical people to use. My parents can use Android 2.2 with little trouble, but I think it would be tougher for them to use Honeycomb. I got this one to try amazon streaming (which worked) but the TC970 was easy to use and could do almost everything. If ease of use is a priority, you might consider the 970. I might change my mind as I get more used to Honeycomb though, it might just seem more confusing having gotten used to one and having to switch.
**The Company Le Pan:
Like I said above, I have had the TC970 for over 2 months. I take it everywhere and love it. The new Le Pan II is replacing it, and my mom is getting my old one. In the months of using the TC970 I can count the number of resets I had to do on one hand. I had one booting issue over Christmas weekend. Tech support for Le Pan opened again on Tuesday morning. By 9am on Tuesday I got a response to my email for tech support and opened a ticket. By the end of the day I had my tablet up and running again. I was impressed with the professional and attentive support I got from Le Pan. My father's and brother's tablets (also TC970s) have had no tech problems at all.
tl,dr: This is an excellent tablet with top end specs and abilities. It has played every online video I can throw at it well (including Amazon Prime streaming). Do not be frightened of the unknown company, I was at first, but the products are great and I have first hand experience with tech support and it was more than adequate. I cannot recommend this or the previous TC970 enough, especially at the price.
The battery life on the original 970 is better than this one (expected since this has twice the processor power), but this one is still what they quote. Good 7 hours of straight use off of a single charge. It loses about 1% per hour while asleep.
Finally, on the video. I can run every video I have tried, except Hulu. Hulu identifies the device as mobile and will not let you play anything (I think this is something on Hulu's end). I was able to watch Hulu on my old 970 indirectly with Playon, but it requires you to have a computer running the software nearby. It worked fine though, and I could watch regular Hulu (I do not have Plus to test). Trying on the 979 it seems to crash when I start the video, I expect it is an issue in Playon's app though, and will follow up with them. Thus far Hulu is the only online video I can not get to work on the Le Pan II, and that is because it just blocks any mobile device it seems.
Buy Le Pan II 9.7" 8 GB Tablet with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich Now
The Le Pan TC970 is an excellent Android tablet, I am honestly thrilled with it. It's extremely responsive, never once did I have an issue with it slowing down no matter how many other things were going on. I'm thoroughly enjoying the TC970, and I think you will as well.Aesthetically the TC970 is very pleasing and stylish looking, it's also thin and lightweight. The build quality is excellent, it's a solidly made tablet on par with those much more expensive.
I've had the pleasure of testing both the Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy Tab, and I have to say I like the Le Pan TC970 much better overall. The TC970 doesn't have a Tegra in it but from what I've seen it doesn't need it, it's more than capable a handling anything you can throw at it in terms of apps, games or videos or anything else. I was truly surprised that the 1Ghz CPU could handle everything I threw at it.
The most surprising or actually amazing thing is the battery life, no joke here I got over eight hours use while doing a mixture of playing games and browsing the web. I even left I on just sitting and overnight and still had battery left to use it.
The TC970 isn't without its problems though, but they're small and not deal breakers. I don't care for the Apple-like USB connection at all, I would have rather seen a standard micro-USB or even mini-USB connector. The screen is very glossy causing reflections in the correct light and after a few hours of use you'll find the accumulated fingerprints very annoying.
The built-in memory is rather small, yes you can put a larger microSD card in it but I would also like to see more built-in memory.
The build quality is excellent, but the back is rather slippery honestly, I would have liked it to be more rubberized of textured for a better grip.
The other small issue the limited video support, it can't play basic WMV or Divx files.
Yes it's running Android 2.2, some people might think that's old and ask why not Gingerbread or Honeycomb. I thought the same thing so I asked them and they told me to expect an update last quarter of 2011 with Ice Cream Sandwich, they told me they decided to skip Gingerbread and Honeycomb and wait until the next major Android release.
The camera shows things mirrored or backwards, a major update is supposed to be released any day now to fix it. I got no real explanation as to why the camera was that way in the first place though.
The pros and cons are listed below and it might look like a lot of cons but they're small, and not exactly bad things really.
Lastly I should mention the price, it's very low for a tablet of this caliber and quality. It's nice to see something this nice at a low price.
Pros:
+Amazing battery life
+Very responsive touch screen
+Does work in bright light
+Fast and responsive overall
+Low price compared to other tablets
+Simple to use
+Excellent design and construction
+Aesthetically pleasing
+Viewing from most any angle
Cons:
-Proprietary connector
-Screen attracts fingerprints
-Glossy screen
-Small built-in memory
-Back is rather slippery
-Can't use in direct sunlight
-Limited video formats
-Camera is backwards
Read Best Reviews of Le Pan II 9.7" 8 GB Tablet with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich Here
I got this tablet back in September and was initially fairly impressed. It looked pretty good, seemed to have a good build quality, had fairly fluid graphics and ran on Android. Plus, even though it was inexpensive, its memory was expandable to 32GB through the micro SD. I talked with their customer service folks before buying, and they explained that although the camera wouldn't actually work with video chat for the time-being, when the new Android OS (4.0) came out it would be able to [Note: I've since been corrected that there is other software and other ways of doing video chat]. As I started to use it I realized that Android 2.2 (aka froyo) is really mainly designed for cell-phones rather than tablets. It doesn't use the screen space very well, doesn't support split pane gmail, and is incompatible with a number of apps you'd would hope to be able to use on your tablet (although I managed to find others that still did most of what I was looking for, it was a pain--particularly given that it was a new product). I also noticed that although my wifi connection was fairly stable at home, it was extremely unstable with my school's enterprise wifi network--a big deal for me since I had bought it mainly for school use. Still, I figured that as soon as I would be able to upgrade to Android 4.0 (ice cream sandwich), the rest of its functionality would be restored.Google released the source code for Android 4.0 (ICS) 2 days ago (Monday 11/14/11). I called Le Pan about the wifi issue today and confirmed that it was probably because of the old OS. I asked when I'd be able to upgrade the OS, and they said that their engineering folks were now saying it would be impossible to upgrade, but that they'd be coming out with a new tablet next year that would support it. I would be stuck with my current OS. I explained how limited the functionality was and how I wouldn't have bought it if they hadn't reassured me that it would soon have the fully functioning OS and asked for a refund. They said they couldn't offer a refund unless it was broken in some way (as opposed to intrinsically broken). Fortunately, after talking with the folks at Amazon they are refunding it (way to pull through, Amazon!).
I realize that for some of you this wouldn't be a deal-breaker and am giving it two-stars because it does work for some things. But for those hoping for a cheaper (slightly slower) iPad alternative, I'd say this isn't the android you're looking for.
[Note: I realize that I could root it and install a slightly newer OS, but that would void the warranty, and it would ultimately be a dead-end--it would never get to 4.0 or beyond.]
Want Le Pan II 9.7" 8 GB Tablet with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich Discount?
I was very exited about my Le Pan tablet at first, things were going well. Then I woke up one morning and the screen was dark. I pressed the power button. Nothing. I pressed the reset button, it comes on and boots to the Le Pan logo screen and stays there. I Press the power button, nothing. I press the reset button again and it boots to the Le Pan logo screen and stays there.Wash, rinse, repeat.
What now? I'm a week past the point were I can return it to Amazon. I contact Le Pan. They tell me a few things to try. I try them. No joy. Then they give me an RMA. Immediately I became anxious. I don't even know who these people are. What if I never get my tablet back. I keep trying to get it to work. Nothing. Finally I boxed it and sent it out via Fedex, which I had to pay for.
Guess what? It's been almost 2 months and I'm still waiting. OMG! How many times do I have to learn this lesson! Never go cheap!
Basically, I'm in a black hole without an inkling of when I'm going to see light again. They won't even give me hope! Here's Le Pan's last message to me:
"Hello XXXX,
Unfortunately we are backed up with RMAs at the moment.
Your unit is being processed at this time, though I am unable to give you an estimated day on which we will be able to ship out. We will however, update you with a tracking number when we are shipping the unit back to you. We will move as quickly as possible to get your unit shipped out.
Thank you for your patience and we understand that this can be a frustrating process."
Hmmm...Apparently I have allot of company in this black hole, even though I can't see them. So yeah it's half the price of the iPad, but half of nothing is nothing. I hope yours never breaks.
Save 44% Off
PDair BX1 Black Leather Case for Nintendo 3DS LL / XL
This case holds your 3ds XL in place very well and you don't have to take off the case to play your 3ds XL. I love this case. I finally found the case I will be keeping for some time now.
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This case is well built only that it does not completely cover the 3ds but it does protect it from some falls and provides a good grip when playing with the case, in the picture it shows the 3ds being held by small rectangles and yes they are covered in leather so it doesnt scratch your 3ds, this case looks and feels like it can last a good while.Read Best Reviews of PDair BX1 Black Leather Case for Nintendo 3DS LL / XL Here
Epson LabelWorks Standard LC Tape Cartridge ~3/4-Inch Gold on Black (LC-5BKP9)
This fits perfectly with the EPSON LW-400 label paper (which I also love). It is basic white tape. Easy to peel and place labels on surfaces. The ink does not smudge at all. I have labeled quite a few things already and there is still plenty of tape left. No problems here!
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I use these at my coffee shop for price labelss on fridge shelves and snack bins. Easy to install, and will print many labels. Lots of color and size options.Had a Brother & Dymo Label maker before the Epson. The tape was impossible to peel the backing off of. Especially for a guy with no nails to work with.The Epson is great. The tape is split in the middle. All you have to do is fold over and peel off each side. Despite the backing coming off so easily, the tape sticks much better to all surfaces.
It's pricey, but all label tape is. This stuff is the best we've tried. It's also super easy to load, just snaps right in.
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I Love my Epson LabelWorks Printer and this tape works great. No problems! Will order again when I run out.
Smallest Bluetooth 2.0 Adapter Dongle (Vista/Windows XP Compatible)
I bought 2 of these looking at the price being so good but shipping costs brought 2 of these up to over 10$ but i bought them anyways after seeing peoples sucsess storys. Bad choice. This bluetooth adapter would work great if it wasnt tied to Bluesiols Drivers. You can get this dongle to work for standard bluetooth devices like file transfers without installing the software but anything involving sound coming out through the bluetooth adapter into your bluetooth headset forget it. This device manufacture using bluesiol was a big mistake. I tried installing the bluesiol software on the disc on my brand spanking new 1500$ computer with windows 7 and it crashed my computer with the blue screen of death! You can imagine my anger after having this happen. I uninstalled the bluesiol software and did a system restore to fix the blue screen problem. then i went to bluesiols website and tried to install the newest software, With support for windows 7. It recognized the dongle after a restart and i was finally able to use my bluetooth headset after 4 hours of troubleshooting!(Or so i thought,) I started talking to my friends on skype and 2 minutes later the headset disconnected from the dongle. Going into bluesiol and telling it to reconnect gave me various messages, like there is no bluetooth dongle installed, and the bluetooth service isnt running, and the headset isnt responding. My headset is fine as it connects to my Macbook. So it is the hardware and software, after more troubleshooting(1 hour later) I was able to connect again and hear and speak to my friends. YAY!(or so i thought) Once again 2 minutes later the dongle just wasnt installed or recognized. figures. I have yet to try this on linux, or on my imac that doesnt have bluetooth. I will edit this review once ive tested it.(EVEN THOUGH I BOUGHT THE DONGLE TO USE ON WINDOWS TO PLAY GAMES AND TALK TO FRIENDS!) Well if i could of there would probably be a lot of profanity in this review to the seller and the manufacture. Just to let them know that. Bottom Line: If your using it for data transfer and thats it dont install the software and wala it works. If you are using it for connecting a bluetooth headset steer away from this device. It doesnt even serve as a good paperweight. It cannot do anything right.EDIT: It is not recognized on a mac. Figures.
Note that it's also possible that the issue I'm experiencing is a software rather than a hardware issue, but given that I'm unable to install the necessary drivers for support of my device, I assume it's a hardware incompatibility.
Edit 12/29/09: I received my new adapter and confirmed that the problems I was experiencing were hardware related this device either does not support A2DP, or simply doesn't support audio devices at all. Audio devices you pair with your computer will appear as installed devices, but will not be available to Windows as playback devices, so you won't get any sound from them.
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The hardware is cheap feeling.However the REAL con is the SOFTWARE. No driver support outside of bluesoleil. Ever heard of it? I hope not because god its a headache. Not only is it NOT FREE (yeah seriously, essentially a TRIAL edition driver...) but it's awful clunky and doesn't let you fully utilize your device. So in the end, you'll end up paying more for the crappy software, crappy support, and weak hardware.
Save your money and buy a linksys etc. Not to mention this device's bluetooth class is the short choppy range type. You could step up a class in the 20 dollar range and have something that has 3-5 times the range.
DO NOT BOTHER WITH THIS PIECE OF ... HARDWARE.
I hope Bluesoleil honestly goes out of business for the gimmick scam. It's disenfranchising the wonderful thing bluetooth could be. I'll be doing my best to get a return. Wish me luck.
Read Best Reviews of Smallest Bluetooth 2.0 Adapter Dongle (Vista/Windows XP Compatible) Here
No drivers with mine supposed to use the generic drivers according to the sales folks and they know nothing beyond plug and play... here is how to make it work on XP SP3 and Microsoft BT mouse.Uninstall any other bluetooth drivers and installations if you have had any other devices installed. Then plug this little flea in and once it says it is up and running you have to then change some service settings. FUN!!!!
press WIN+R type "services.msc
scroll to "Bluetooth Support Service" and double click
Make sure it is set to Automatic on the first tab then click on the "Log On" tab.
Select "Local System account" and also the check box below that (Allow service....)
Restart the service by going back to the first tab and clicking stop, then start.
Remove and reinsert the dongle (in a different port will sometimes help) then try to pair again using 0000 as the vendor provided pass code (if you are using a microsoft BT mouse or something similar)
That should work... I got the info here -
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I use Linux as my primary operating system (Fedora 14) and after plugging in the Bluetooth Adapter to an available USB port, the device worked great. I was able to transfer files from my phone to my computer and vice-versa; the drivers must have been included with the operating system. As far as Bluetooth headsets/speakers, I really don't know. Overall this is great for Linux, I'm sure Ubuntu supports it as well.Save 78% Off
Barnes & Noble NOOK COLOR eBook Reader Tablet Silicone Skin Case Gel Cover- Black + Fishbond keycha
This definitely A GOOD CASE! It can be used for both, Nook Color or Nook Tablet. My Nook Tablet fits perfectly in the case, the only flaw of the case I'd have to say is it attracts a lot of dust but other than that its a good buy. Very accessible and responsive with the keys, usb cord etc.
It will not protect it from drops or falls from any significant height! If you want that, get the Gumdrop case.Like all other silicone skins, this one attracts dust like nobody's business.
You can always wash it to remove the dust, or use a microfiber cloth.
It fits my Nook Color perfectly, with cutouts for the earphone jack, speaker, and charging socket.
The silicone is thinner over the power and volume buttons, making them easy to push.
Glad I chose this one...
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ASUS UL20A-A1 12.1-Inch Netbook Carrying Bag Case (Classic Series - Dark Blue / Black)
I am using this case for a 12" HP Elite 2530p laptop. The laptop just fits inside the case but leaves very little room for anything else. The outside pocket will hold a small mouse and headphones or a paperback book.
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I used this case for my Asus 1215B. The netbook fit snugly in the case that came with a shoulder strap that I never used. There are sleeves/pockets within the case for storage in addition to the outer pocket. The outside pocket will fit the power accoutrements, a mouse, and maybe a battery.All in all a nice case. I was looking for something hard-shell, but this was sufficient. Didn't get a change to test how water proof it may be...Really handsome and well finished case for a small netbook or an iPad. All accessories fit, including a couple of journals or files or writing pads. Shoulder strap included. Nice color--subtler than royal, not as dark as navy blue. Best case I've founds for the new compact electronics.This is a great case, and it perfectly fits my Asus 12-inch laptop. I didn't want a big carrying case, but did want space for the cables & battery pack which fit neatly in the side pocket. The optional shoulder strap is convenient too, though I haven't needed it as yet. The velcro straps hold the laptop secure inside the case, and since it's just the right fit, the laptop has no room to shift around inside the case. All in all, a great little bag!
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BLUE Durable Premium Travel Hard Nylon Carrying Case For Motorola Zoom Tablet (Compatible with All
case is just fine. It has a velcro-close elastic band on one side to hold your tablet, the other side has a net cover to hold accessories. The only down-side is the smell very chemical, and it stays on and on inside the case.Save 53% Off
Brother Mobile Portable Printer Pocket Jet 3 Plus
I got this Pentax printer for my recent 2 week trip to the UK. The Pocketjet3 Plus works like a charm. The print quality is decent, but I recommend setting it to the darkest setting because the default setting is usually too pale.I charged the battery before my trip, printed about 30 pages during the 2 weeks in London, and the battery still has more than 50% charge left 3 weeks later.
You'll probably get a few interested stares if you use this printer in a public setting. I got a lot of curious looks at the Red Carpet Lounge at United Airlines. People found it curious something that small can print 8-1/2" by 11" paper. The folks at airport security were also curious a printer can be that small, fitting into my backpack.
The printer comes with a nice carrying case. But I suggest buying a small USB retractable cable for the printer, so that the printer and the retractable cable can all fit nicely into the one carrying case. I used a retractable USB cable that I bought for my Sony PSP for the Pentax printer instead. The USB cable that comes with the Pentax is too long and big to fit into the case together with the printer.
The printer is a bit on the expensive side, but considering the benefits: super convenience, portability, small size, and no need for printer cartridges -you'll be proud of your purchase.
I am now concluding my three week trip and have used the printer almost every day. It really works. I recommend it highly. And I was impressed with the quick service turnaround by the company.
Buy Brother Mobile Portable Printer Pocket Jet 3 Plus Now
AN EXCELLENT COMPACT, USER FRIENDLY AND LIGHT WEIGHT PRINTER. EASY TO SET UP, GOOD PRINTING QUALITY, AND MAC COMPATIBLE. A MUST HAVE FOR ROAD WARRIORS.Read Best Reviews of Brother Mobile Portable Printer Pocket Jet 3 Plus Here
I've been using the PocketJet on the road now for 6 months or so and it has worked flawlessly. Though, know that this is not a plain paper printer. I thought for a while before I bought and so far I am not disappointed. It was very easy to set up and is simple to use.Pentax PocketJet 3 Plus 300-DPI Mobile Printer with Integrated USB/IrDAWant Brother Mobile Portable Printer Pocket Jet 3 Plus Discount?
I was pleased that the printer worked right away after installing the software. The print quality was quite good also. I previously ordered the Planon printer which worked ok from my BlackBerry (though only for email and photos but not web pages) but I was never able to get it to print from my laptop so I just returned it.
Sony Clie PEG-UX50 Handheld
I have had an older Sony Clie for a few years. I was thoroughly impressed with that one. It served me well. I then had to replace it, and was solidly leaning toward another Sony product. The features of the UX50 series impressed me very much. But it does have some shortcommings.Pros:
* Small size. Without a doubt, this is a great unit that fits nicely in my shirt pocket.
* Beautiful screen. It is clear and bright. It is a bit smaller than the older unit, but it is perfectly legible.
* Lots of internal memory. This means I can record a bunch of voice memo's or quick low-res pics from the built in camera w/o using a memory stick.
* Toolbar. There is a little toolbar along the side next to the silk to pull up commonly used features quickly. (like clock, speaker and memory stick media info)
* Built in Keyboard. I love it. It even has a backlight. Not too difficult to use, unlike smaller kbds on other units. The keys are slightly raised.
* Landscape working environment. The "silk" is along the side, and when not being used, the silk can be hidden giving an expanded screen to show text or other items in the silk area. This widescreen mode is a much more efficient use of screen real-estate.
* New handwriting recognition. Decuma is very natural, and has a very good recognition rate. But... see below...
* Rotate/Swivel screen. Use the unit as a micro-laptop, or as a micro-tablet.
* Bluetooth and WiFi. Very easy to setup and use.
Cons:
* This unit only works in landscape mode. I prefer holding the unit in my hand in portrait mode. There doesn't appear to be any setting in software to change this.
* The design favors wireless hotsync, since USB cable is very awkward to plug into side of unit. The cradle should provide the USB connection, and when inserted in the cradle, the USB connection is passed through the cradle (one less wire to insert)
* The battery life is terrible on the UX50 (even compared to the three year old unit I replaced). Perhaps the keyboard light uses up much more energy.
* The memory stick and stylus can come out too easily. I have nearly lost my stylus twice. The end of the memory stick protrudes just a bit too far, and can be easily unlocked.
* New Graffiti is difficult to get used to after a few years of proficiency with the old Graffiti. Some of the strokes are not as easy to use. Perhaps I'll get used to it, but my entry rate is significantly slower.
* Decuma takes up a large amount of screen space when used. There doesn't appear to be any way to shrink it. Also when in wide screen mode, decuma still only uses 2/3 of the screen (the rest of the screen is unusable)
* Decuma should be used in Portrait mode (replacing the Silk). This would free up more screen space, and would still be natural.
* The speaker mute feature should have a timeout, so I can mute for only 1/2 hour or so while in a meeting, but then get my audible alarms afterward.
* Cannot "type" special symbols from the keyboard. I use the bullet symbols all the time, but must enter them using graffiti.
I like the unit. Everybody I show it to is very impressed. The hardware is well designed. If they come out with software that fixes some of my above issues, then I would wholeheartedly recommend this above any thing else presently available.
Here are the positives:
I don't understand why so many people complain about the UX-50 only having a "landscape" screen option. I got used to using the landscape screen in no time. There are third-party programs you can download to convert some applications to portrait mode if you want, but I really didn't feel the need. Granted, the landscape screen means there's a lot of wasted space on the touchscreen, but I didn't have any problems using the screen as-is. I also think the screen size is AWESOME considering the features packed into this little gadget.
The functionality is, without a doubt, amazing. The UX-50 can replace your keychain digital camera, digital voice recorder, PDA, MP3 player AND you can check your e-mail with it! They managed to pack a lot of features into this little PDA.
Sound on the MP3 player is great. I have a Sony VAIO laptop that has a built-in Memory Stick port so it's really easy for me to put a ton of music onto my 512 MB stick and have music wherever I go. I have a Nomad MP3 player but I rarely use it because the UX-50's MP3 player is so easy to use.
The camera is great and takes good pictures in enough light. The zoom feature is neat.
The PDA functionality is exactly what you'd expect it works well. The UX-50 has enough internal memory for you to load lots of programs into it.
Negatives:
It took me a lot of tinkering and research to get the 802.11B wireless feature to work. Apparently there was some kind of problem with the wireless connection software in most UX-50s, and if yours has the problem you have to download a special program, called Mobile Manager, to get it to work correctly. Not that Sony tells you this I had to research it for myself on user bulletin boards. After a LOT of tweaking my wireless works sometimes. The mobile browser, NetFront, won't load graphics-heavy pages and is quick to give "insufficient memory" and timeout errors. Unfortunately there's no way to upgrade NetFront 3.0, which came with the UX-50, to NetFront 3.1.
Battery life truly does suck. I solved this by purchasing a third-party manufactured case and car kit off of eBay the case has a USB port integrated, so now I can plug the USB sync cable into the case's port and charge my Clie. The car kit consists of a USB cable and an adapter that fits my car's cigarette lighter. Now I can charge wherever I go, which helps greatly with the battery life issue. And I don't have to use the stupid "charging sled" to do it. Which brings me to my next point...
I would really like to know why Sony made a PDA that you can't charge with a USB cable. It seems ridiculous to me. Before I found the USB-port case I had to lug the stupid charger and sled around with me. The charger is bulky and the sled makes the UX-50 too thick to fit in a pocket or small purse. As it is, now I can't plug the UX-50 in and let it charge while I sync it throughout my workday, which is always what I've done with other PDAs. This was a really dumb design idea.
The only other negative thing is that some parts of the UX-50 feel flimsy I often feel like I am going to break the screen off rotating it back and forth, and the USB sync port has a small cover that feels like it could rip off at any time.
Overall, though, this is a great productivity tool and very nifty to carry around. It has a considerable "cool factor" and there's great functionality to boot. The negatives are bummers, but this thing is basically a mini laptop computer with a camera built in, so I don't expect everything to be perfect. I'm just bummed Sony's no longer going to be selling PDAs in the U.S. hopefully they will change their minds before my UX-50 dies or becomes obsolete.
Buy Sony Clie PEG-UX50 Handheld Now
I was one of the first to get on the Clie bandwagon, and I am continually impressed with each new Clie release. Sony has not let me down with the release of this new family of Clie.The good things:
Wi-Fi (and bluetooth)!!!! It is built in so I don't need to get a $200 component to take advantage of my wireless network at home, at work, and several other wireless enabled sites I frequently visit.
I like the wide-screen feature of this Palm. I haven't seen any software conflicts with this so far but it makes looking at movies a lot nicer.
As with all the other Clie's, the fantastic high-resolution screen. This is what sold me on the Clie's in the first place. My pictures look so good that I don't carry pictures in my wallet any more. I also love the fact you can read an eBook without any eye strain. Best of all, this screen looks great in ANY LIGHT!!! In Las Vegas, I can turn off the back-lite and read off of the sun's lights beautifully. It does not matter the lighting, I've never had a problem looking at this screen. The ability to swivel it around for use is pretty handy and has raised a few oh's and ah's among my friends. I like the fact that you just turn it around after using it to protect the screen. It feels better than one of those flimsy plastic covers on some other Clies and most other Palms.
The Internal memory on this is nice. It was especially annoying when I had to get a memory card to listen to music with my first Clie when I still had plenty of memory on the inside.
I love this keyboard. It is much easier to type on than earlier models. Warning: this is not a keyboard for taking extensive notes. Use your laptop or desktop for that. But jotting down a few notes or a quick meeting is quick and easy with this keyboard.
I love the more compact size. Yes, the screen is a bit smaller, but this is supposed to fit in your Palm afterall. I prefer the smaller size. When I need more real estate on my screen, I just turn on my laptop. The Palm computers were never meant to replace the laptop or desktop afterall.
Very light weight at just over 6 oz. Fanstastic!!!
I had a problem and called customer service. I had to send it in (that was bad, I missed it) but it came back quickly and in working order. Great job!!!
The Decent Things:
The .mp3 player. Why can't the volume be any louder. Yes, I know you just plug in some headphones or speakers to listen to it but sometimes I want to share a song or audio clip with a small group of people. Very annoying. I now turn to my laptop for that instead but the Palm would be more convenient. It is odd that the Palm has the quietest .mp3 volume but yet rocks the house with its midi and alarm sound files. Other than that, the portable .mp3 player is fantastic and very convenient and I would rather have this than any dedicated .mp3 player I've seen on the market. The only problem is that 128MB gets filled up fast. I would suggest a Memory Stick card reader... it is easier to get music on there than by using Clie's import program.
The buttons. I'll give them credit in that my first Clie, the NR70, had the buttons in the worst place. When you wanted to go to the address, notes, etc. you needed to lift the screen to reach them. It was very annoying. Now the quick-launch buttons are accessible even when the screen is swivelled. My complaint is that they are the wrong buttons!!! The four buttons on every Palm are Addresses (always use), Tasks (always use), DateBook (always use), and Notes (often use). Now we only have one of those, DateBook. The other two are nice... Internet and Email. And I know I can reprogram them to how I want them. But I use the other stuff more than the Internet and Email. If the DateBook button would at least toggle between the different applications.... oh, I don't know. I just wish they hadn't messed with that.
The camera. This was borderline descent and bad. The resolution is higher than my NR70 but it still isn't good enough to do anything good with it other than taking pictures of my contacts and including them in the address book. I would rather spend $100 less and use that $100 credit towards getting a decent camera. I bet you can get one at that amount at less than the extra $100 needed to get this one in the first place. Save the picture taking for a better device. Sony had a Clie with a 2MP camera built into it... what happened to that???
The Bad:
The price... OUCH!!! You can get a decent laptop for this amount.
But, I'll still give it the 5 stars because the Clie has always shown great and continuing innovation and because, overall, it truly is a great piece of (small) technology.
Read Best Reviews of Sony Clie PEG-UX50 Handheld Here
First came the laptops that aim at replacing the desktops. Now Sony is working hard at producing PDAs that strive to replace the notebooks. After spending a week with the UX50, I say their first try is a success, the high price aside.Let me first talk about the cons, so I can focus on the pros more.
The screen is quite small. It's 3.5 inches diagonal and packs a 320x480 resolution, (...) , which has a bigger screen. This reminds me of the slim VAIO notebooks: they feature 1280x1024 on a 10.4" screen. Ouch! If you are over age 50, forget this. You'll have a tough time making out the icons.
Battery life is also below average, when you have wi-fi or Bluetooth or both on. In fact if you use either one continuously, with backlight set to 3/4, you'll run out of juice in a little over an hour. Kinda scary. I wish Sony would give us a compact battery extender that uses NiMH batteries.
Price. Of course everybody thinks this is too expensive. It's expensive, but since it does everything you can imagine, it's cheap compared to notebook. So whether it's a good value comes down to whether you'll use it a lot. Of course, given the battery life problem... You see what I mean.
Now the pluses. There are tons of them.
First of all, this is a *very* stylish PDA. Pictures don't do it justice. You should go into a store (Staples, Circuit City, etc.) to check it out up close. The exterior design is excellent, with the right amount of curves and edges. It's also surprisingly lightweight. Not for your shirt pocket, of course, but jackets and pants should be ok, unless you wear jeans all the time. What really impresses me is how good the unit feels in my hands, even when I hold it with one hand and use the stylus with the other.
Performance is very good, too. You can play an MP3 in the background while doing other tasks and usually you won't notice any delays. Occasionally you do, but that hasn't happened to me often. Apps launch quickly. If you load JPEG files they display quickly, too, unlike on many Pocket PCs.
The keyboard is sweet. It has the usual Sony quirks, but it doesn't take long to get used to the keys. The dedicated numeric keys are at the top, where God intended them to be. Shift and Ctrl are sticky, so you need not hold them down to type. All in all the keyboard feels great and well spaced, and I can peck away in no time.
The wi-fi function works like a charm. I have Verizon DSL and they have installed lots of hotspots in Manhattan, free for customers. I instantly got wi-fi near a payphone near my office. I surfed for about 15 minutes sitting on the curbside and it never got dropped. Back at home, it works fine with my Microsoft AP. I'm very impressed. Bluetooth, on the other hand, is another matter. (...) The manual is very weak. (...)
I can't emphasize enough how great the keyboard is, and working in landscape mode (i.e., horizontal) is fabulous. You can browse the web and edit Office files with so much ease. You get multimedia as well. This is a very well put-together package.
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Over the past ten years I have had many abortive attempts with owning PDAs. I have a habit of using them intensely for two months and then totally losing enthusiasm. As a point of fact, I am convinced that ebay would not be the enterprise it is today had it not been for me littering its pages with my PDA divorces. Recently, after an admirably lengthy self imposed separation, I found myself in Comp USA with my AMEX card in hand.The Sony attracted me by its original design and multimedia features. It certainly is a revelation in terms of connectivity and web browsing. I also like the keyboard. However, let me tell you why I am returning it (despite the 15% open-box return charge) and going for a more traditionally designed HP. It is not a bad unit, I just feel that the high price suggests it is more special than it actually is:
The swivel screen concept should allow for a larger screen but this one is disappointingly about standard size for a PDA. The unit is slightly smaller but somewhat thicker than a standard PDA. Battery life is poor. My main issue, however, is the included software which does not contain the basics I would expect. No word processor, no spreadsheet and no outlook equivalent email program other than something which pops email. All these are available but, at this price, I would expect these included. I liked the sketchpad but, for some reason, it only operates on a reduced screen size. The camera is nice and I liked the zoom feature but it would be better with a higher resolution.
Looking at the prices of comparable units I feel that the $650 tag consumes about $350 for the vogue value of the undeniably neat mini-tablet design. It depends how much this means to you.
iHome Rechargeable Portable Mini Speaker with 3.5mm Headphone/Audio Jack, Black and Red
got the speaker the other day, worked fine, nice sound. did everything i wanted it to do. watched a whole movie and was on factory change and didn't need to charge it. So far very happy with it. i like the look of it. my music sounds great on it, watched a movie and listen to a whole album on it and didn't need to charge it. like i said, so far it's been great. i will update if things change. all in all its a great little speaker.
When I got the iK63 I immediately plugged it in to watch MI:3; the speaker sounded great, but 20min in it faded from the factory charge on the battery. To recharge the Li battery, it came with a micro-B to USB that plugs into the back of the speaker. Hmmm...that meant not plugging it in to use the battery of the Fire. I used the Fire's USB to AC adapter to recharge it, but that meant not charging my Fire. I really wish iHome would have packaged a AC adapter that had 2 usb ports for charging the speaker and the fire at the same time. It is also only 1 speaker and when you plug it in, the Fire's speakers turn off; making it a mono setup. The instructions suggest getting a 2nd speaker and you can daisy chain them to go back to a stereo setup; but I said, hell with that. Not gonna pay $60+ for stereo speakers that I will have to recharge each speaker individually, along with my fire. In defense of the product, the speaker did sound much better than the onboard speaker of the Fire. It just did not fulfill my wants and was too much of a hassle to deal with.
Back to using my Sennheiser HD 202 II Professional Headphones (Black).
Buy iHome Rechargeable Portable Mini Speaker with 3.5mm Headphone/Audio Jack, Black and Red Now
I bought this when on Gold Box sale, it's a bit pricey at the regular price. However, the build quality is good and this little speaker delivers.Now your expectations must be realistic. It is a single speaker (mono) in a very small size. It is very lightweight and portable. It looks nice. It has an audio out which is rare. So some nice touches, especially at this price. (Note you can chain two speakers for "simulated" stereo, but a single speaker is mono. Not a big deal for casual listening, but something to be aware of, especially as the specs in the product description are not clear on this.)
So how does it sound? Well, surprisingly good for its size and being a single speaker. These new small drivers are now showing up in lots of systems like this and they deliver pretty amazing sound for their size. In this case the amp has been "tweaked" for added bass response. Overall, it sounds good for casual, personal listening at normal volume levels. At very high volumes (and it can get surprisingly loud) it sounds a bit harsh to me, but at normal levels, fine. The bass response is adequate for music and the vocals (mid-range) and highs are there. This won't challenge your good stereo/audio system, but it will be pleasant for use with your Kindle Fire, ipod, mp3 player or other portable device (it will work with anything that has a 3.5mm headphone/audio output). So thumbs up for its intended purpose.
It comes with a special combined micro USB and audio cable for charging the internal battery and hooking up to the audio out of your device. I would have preferred a separate audio in jack and separate USB for charging, but that's a minor nit pick. (It would allow greater flexibility in use and most people aren't going to use the audio out provided anyway, so there's room for it. But again, not a big deal.) It has nice rubber feet on the bottom, a blue/red LED light on front for charging and power status, and an on/off switch in back.
I tried this out with my laptop/notebook and it worked very well. It's actually even better, as there the combined USB cable and audio cable makes more sense. However, you can also get stereo speakers for around the same price for laptops and their large size is not as much of an issue for this purpose. Still, this very compact lightweight speaker is an attractive option if you're really traveling light.
This is a solid, good value in a very light weight portable speaker. Perfect for it's intended purpose. It will be great for movies/video, audio books and music on the go.
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(Tip: Plug this in and charge the battery for 4 hours or so before use (or even overnight) to get maximum time from the internal battery in later use.)As far as quality goes, this little honey works exactly as advertised which is why I'm giving it five stars. However, when it comes to portability, I find earphones or ear buds much more convenient. When it comes to better sound, a Kindle Fire can be hooked up to any sound system with RCA input jacks using a 1/8" stereo plug to 2 RCA plug cable like this one, which I find much more convenient than constantly having to recharge the speaker. Frankly, if you don't have a problem with headphones or ear buds, you have a sound system with RCA input jacks, and you don't do a lot of travelling, then you may not have much use for this product. Verdict: This powered mini-speaker is a real humdinger, but it doesn't really fit my needs, so I decided I wanted my money back. Your mileage may vary.I use this speaker with my kindle when working on my Massage Therapy Clients. It works great the sound is very clear from such a small speaker.
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Acer Aspire V3-731-4649 17.3-Inch Laptop (Black)
I only owned Personal PC's until I purchased a Acer 11 inch "One" netbook for traveling and I was amazed at the picture quality and tthe prihe nice feel and the keyboard especially at that price. Lately my wife needed a laptop and so I decided on Acer again since I was so happy with the quality of my last Acer product. I got this for cheaper than most 15.6 computers cost without compromising any features. It is very fast, it is a breeze to set up, it has a lot of hard drive space, it has a full size keyboard with number keys on the right side. I'm glad I got the 17.3 screen mainly because if I want to stream anything you have a nice size picture and speaking of that the image quality is outstanding on this machine. The only thing I don't like about this laptop is the gloss black finish, be prepared to clean off fingerprints all of the time. That's the only thing I can find fault with but everything else about it I love.
-what it's not:--a gamer lacking newer i-3,5,7 and has integrated video.no solid state hard drive,no blue-ray,not a touch screen.
-what it is: --quick and responsive
--connection's are endless -I've connected wired and wireless printers,media server,tablet,plasma
tv,wireless mouse,Bluetooth speaker and still counting with out any problems,
--light for it's size
--the screen wow i watch a lot of movie's,tv,and play some games they all look great.
-the keyboard is responsive and the key's look awesome surrounded by brushed aluminum.
There are a couple of not so stellar feature's.the sound quality is not great [I've never really been impressed with laptop sound anyway] and the glossy finish,wile it's beautiful only last's until you touch it. also the touchpad's a little touchy[I use an external mouse] .
Now about windows 8, the jury is still out.fancy widgets and app's.I downloaded mozzilafirefox and found the more familiar os hidden right behind.still learning how to use but I see it's potential.
I love this computer,I love the price.
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bought this laptop after my hp g72 went dead, and i must say it was a great buy. windows 8 is good but takes getting used to, the shipping was great as usual from amazon. it worked great after the initial out of box setup. connected to my wifi easily and removing the bloatware was the sameRead Best Reviews of Acer Aspire V3-731-4649 17.3-Inch Laptop (Black) Here
A few glitches . . . . . Touch pad was a problem and had to download a new driver (an older driver than one on computer). At least I can type now without my cursor jumping all over the page! My touch pad is still not operating like i think it should. Sometimes I have to click numerous times to make it activate.When I opened my computer for the first time, one of the keys was loose. i was successful in attaching it back, but then the other day, a different key popped off. it wasn't so easy to reattach. I hope this isn't going to be an ongoing issue.
Also, The shiny black finish is not something I would ever consider again. It shows fingerprints and smudges really bad. The buff grey that I had before was so much better.
This is my 2nd Acer and If this one holds up like the last one, it will be great.
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The Acer laptop met all my expectations. The screen is very large and extremely clear and I liked the built-in wireless Wi-FI connectivity. I was totally unfamiliar with Windows 8, so that took some time to research on the web, but I found several sites that provided step-by-step instructions on how to use and revise the appearance and location for the apps on the menu screen. I've had the computer for two weeks and am very satisfied with everything. Even the Acer support line was very responsive. I have no regrets about this purchase.Save 1% Off
BoxWave PalmOne Treo 650 Styra - Ballpoint Pen - Stylus Replacement - Stylus Upgrade (Single Pack)
Love the concept, the product is great looking and very functional and shipped fast from the company, and worked for awhile, until the ink went dry; unfortunately most of the replacement cartrides went dry in a matter of days, very hard to find good replacements and they were very expensive also, sorry.Save 24% Off
Genius SlimStar 8000 2.4GHz Wireless Keyboard Combo
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I'm writing this review from all the way across the room with this fangled wireless Keyboard/Mouse setup from "Genius." So far I have to say I'm impressed. The range is obviously very good, with absolutely no errors in keystrokes. You hit the button, it shows up on the screen. No lag or missing keystrokes. As far as the quality of the keyboard goes, that's also impressive. It is lighweight, but sturdy, silent, good bounce back. I'm a pretty fast typist and actually find myself going even faster with this keyboard than my allegedly fancier one from Gateway. It feels good to the touch.The mouse is also nice. A good size that would fit any normal sized hand perfect. Clicks are firm and tight, stroller button works like a charm. There is an off switch on the mouse so as to not waste battery. There is not an off switch on the keyboard, I don't know if that's because keyboards don't waste batteries or simply because they didn't feel like adding one. If somebody knows the answer, maybe they could leave a comment? The mouse requires 2 AAA and the Keyboard 1 AAA. The batteries are included.
To get the wireless working you simply have to plug in a handy USB signal reader thing into a free USB slot. There's no software to download or install. After about 5 seconds the keyboard and mouse will start working. If they do not start working, remember to turn the mouse to the "on" position.
So overall, I'm a fan. I can't really comment on how long these guys are going to last (I've only been using them a few weeks but will update my review if they suddenly crash), and although I like the feel of them, they do seem to be fairly cheaply made. Anyway, for under $30, it's a hard deal to beat. I looked for something to critique everywhere I could and so far haven't encountered anything. As always, my reviews will be updated if I discover some sinister flaw I overlooked.
I've never had Genius products before, but I will always consider them now.
Highly recommend this product.
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I have had this keyboard/mouse for a little over two weeks and although I like the easy set-up and size, it was advertised as having laser printing on the keys that would stand up to heavy use. This unfortunately is not true. My letters are fading fast and blending into the black keys. This is one of the main reasons I purchased it. For the price it is not worth sending back, but I will buy a different brand and keep this one as a backup. Very disappointed!!!!!!Read Best Reviews of Genius SlimStar 8000 2.4GHz Wireless Keyboard Combo Here
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Well I had to think about the rating for this cause I couldn't use it right now. I bought and still own three computers in the last 10 years, all of them desktop units. The first was a Windows 98 based Dell Pentium 4, the second an XP based Dell XPS, and the current machine a Windows 7 based Dell Alienware machine. I have a very expensive gaming keyboard, with a built in color mini screen, lots of special macros and control keys. This keyboard and mouse worked fine on it, and I was surprised that the mouse was efficient enough to play Starcraft 2 without latency in movement. Unfortunately, it can't replace my gaming rig. The second machine died, and many attempt to revive it fully have failed, so I've decommissioned it. Surprisingly the first computer still works, but it's Windows 98 and is not supported by the keyboard and mouse duo.Still Win98 is old and I can't fault a new product for not supporting it. The price on these is amazing for what you get, and the 2.4 GHz is great to combat interferance problems. I had and still work with an old Microsoft wireless keyboard and mouse at work. It loses signal periodically, and once when in the test lab they were testing a number of telematic devices, every time they tranmitted, the reciever module would search for a new mouse and keyboard signal, what a pain. This doesn't happen with this duo, I'm definately going to keep it around for when I use a laptop. I hate those scratch pad mice, and a good feel keyboard is nice too, especially if you use a dock.
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The Genius wireless/keyboard set is a good compromise between utility, quality and price. Anyone who seeks simplicity and and a space/saving quality keyboard/mouse combo should be happy with the "SlimStar 8000" and I will explain why below.FEATURES THAT I LIKE
Space saving while still a near 'full size' keyboard is the main positive. At 16" by 4.5" and only about half an inch thick the keyboard leaves room for everything else on your desk and, being wireless, can be easily moved out of the way if needed. The keys are large enough to allow for comfortable typing.
Keyboard is actually good. I'm a fast touch typist and I found myself fast touch-typing away on this keyboard within minutes. I actually like its feel.
Sensitive 1200 dpi mouse. There's nothing special about the mouse: 2 buttons and the clickable scroll wheel other than it's extremely responsive and precise.
Ease of installation, batteries included. Once the (included) 3 AAA batteries are in place, 1 for keyboard, 2 for mouse and the USB receiver is plugged into your desktop/laptop USB port you are ready to go. All works perfectly, or it does on my Windows 7 laptop.
Clever design. As one who's spilled his fair share of coffee on his various keyboards I appreciate the 8 (counted them) water drill holes on the base that would at least partially mitigate such disasters.
Price, of course. It's quite a deal for a good keyboard/mouse combo.
THINGS NOT EVERYONE MAY LIKE
Mouse is small. 2" wide by 4" long, it works best if operated with small hands. I can still use it but an 8-10 yr. old should find this mouse ideal.
It's not clear whether the mouse on/off switch should be used to preserve battery life. I don't know for how long the battery in this mouse is going to last but, if it doesn't last 'for months' I will come back to this review and report my findings. For comparison sake I've been using a wireless Logitech mouse for more than six months now and it's still with the original battery.
Receiver is not 'nano' size. At almost 1" long, some laptop users may not something that long coming out of an USB port. Of course, not a problem if used with a desktop.
Narrow function keys. The upper row which includes Esc, the Fxx keys, PrtScr, Scroll, Pause and the speaker volume buttons are half size. Depending on how often you need to press F5 or F11 this may or may not be an issue.
MY RATING
I hesitated between 4 and 5 stars, with 5 stars meaning "I love it" because this is not a perfect product. But, the negatives listed above notwithstanding, it turns out that I actually love the "SlimStar 8000" (quite a name for a cheap keyboard). At this time I'm debating with myself whether I'm going to take it to my office or give it to our 8 yr. girl to use with her desktop. In the end... it's going to be her decision :).
Answering the question: knowing what I know today, would I buy the SlimStar 8000 if I needed a good wireless/mouse keyboard combo and price was a factor? The answer is yes so, 5 stars it is. A future downgrade is possible if battery life is not up to expectations.
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