Thought Out NAJA-KING-IT Flexible Steel Stand

After looking/trying to buy (always out of stock), I purchased this model (not quite like one made earlier). After making several adjustments to "fingers", and making note that phone will only fit correctly one way, it's been a wonderful addition to my Smartphone accessories. It's easy to adjust height, surface-level, around/on body, and angle of view. If you can find it, buy it!

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HQRP Battery for HP IPAQ Pocket PC 360136-001, 364401-002 Replacement plus HQRP Universal Screen Pr

• HQRP™ Replacement Battery plus HQRP LCD Screen Protector;
• Battery Voltage: 3.7 v; Capacity: 1600 mAh; Lithium-ion;
• These batteries have no memory effect so they can be recharged when needed without loss of capacity;
• 100% compatible with Original Battery and Charger device;
• 1 Year warranty!

Battery was an eact replacement for my handheld unit. While the technology has fallen from grace with the advent of smartphones, it still functions well and this battery gave it another life. Delivery was as described, and the product has functioned flawlessly since arrival.

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SanDisk Micro SD Memory Card w/ SD Adapter, 8GB

excellent product got exactly what was described and it even got here before the estimated arrival date. Amazon once again was an excellent experience all the way around. Who knew shopping in your underwear could be so much fun.

Well I bought 2 of these one for my phone and one for my video glasses. the cards work great. But the adapters are another story. Luckily I have some others that work fine.

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Great price on an 8gig microSD card. Order arrived well before the expected shipment date. Card is working well in my Android phone. The SD card came "formatted" but with a bunch of folders I didn't need, so I reformatted in my phone (not wanting to take any chances) and it's been working fine. 5 stars for the price as well as how fast the SD card arrived! :)

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Bought this memory card for a standard point an shoot. I received errors with it on day one. I reformatted the card several times but received the same results. I contacted the seller and he was nice enough to send another. Same results. Do not buy this if you plan on using it in a camera.

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The SanDisk Micro SD Memory Card w/SD Adapter, 8 GB is a great item.., i recommend to all that buy it with close eyes.

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eForCity Silicone Skin Case Compatible with Palm Pixi, Black

I wanted an inexpensive case that I could easily slip on and off. I just bought an inexpensive Pixi+ along with the Palm charger, so I wanted to be able to take the case off easily for charging and not pay a lot when it's an older, cheaper phone. So far so good. However, it's possible that it might stretch and no longer fit the phone as well. Other than that, it seems to protect the phone okay as opposed to not having a case.

I bought this case for my Palm Pixi Plus (AT&T version). It fits well. No complain. It can't be looked as good as other "high-end" and expensive cases, but for the price, it's good. Recommend!

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I bought this one after my other one pretty much broke. It wasn't as good as this one either. This fit the phone nicely, snug, and certainly provides very good protection for shock. Also works good as a non-slip case. Put in on the dash of the car and it won't slide around! Bottom line, I love it for the money. And it's easy to remove if you have to take the phone apart for any reason. You won't be dissapointed!

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Nothing exciting to say, but I've had this on my phone for four months now, and no problems. Fits, performs as expected, feels nice.

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This case is a great buy for a great price and when I got my pixi it was way too small so I got this case and it bulked it up fantastically also if you don't drop your phone from too high this will be more than enough for you.

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BoxWave Magellan RoadMate 2136T-LM ClearTouch Crystal Screen Protector - Premium Quality, Ultra Cry

Got this to cover the screen up so it won't get scatched works really good easy to put on thanks.

THIS IS JUST WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. IT FIT EXACTLY AS IT SAID IT WOULD. INSTRUCTIONS WERE CLEAR AND SIMPLE. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

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SanDisk USB CompactFlash and Secure Digital/MultiMedia Memory Card Reader

So two things happened that [were bad]:

1) I bought a laptop, not realizing that it didn't have a floppy drive.

2) My digital camera came with a secure digital card that was WAY too small to be useful (16MB), and I immediately replaced it with something practical. Now what to do with that tiny little card?

Needing a way to transfer files at home and at work, I bought this great little card reader. I love it!!

The set up was a little shaky; I couldn't get get it to work and it kept crashing my computer. After about 10 minutes of this, I put the card back in the camera, reformatted it, and PRESTO! Works great, and with XP required no set up software. I can hardly believe something this useful is also so [inexpensive]. I guess they figure they'll make money selling bigger cards.

I like the Sandisk 2 In 1 USB Reader for Compact Flash and Secure Digital cards. What can I say, it does what it supposed to do, and does it well.

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Tripp Lite B006-VUA4-K-R 4-Port KVM Switch with Audio, OSD and Peripheral Sharing

Features, lots. All kinds of configuration options. Seems to do everything reliably. Has rack mount ears you can attach and that makes it easy to screw it underneath a shelf so it isn't just flapping around. Comes with 4 cables but the longest is 6 feet and that's not as long as it sounds. I had to rearrange a couple CPUs to make it fit.

The bad thing. Video resolution and contrast is NOTICEABLY worse with the KVM installed and a lot worse than the Trendnet 2-port I'm replacing. Have not decided whether I want to return it yet. Too expensive to have that kind of problem with only 4 feet of cable.

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Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD Leather Case - Book Type (Black Crocodile Pattern) by PDair

I was excited I finally found the book type case for my phone. Do not get this. When it get warm your phone will fall out. There are no grips at the top to keep the phone from sliding out . It doesn't snap in like other book type cases, it slides in. It is a nice looking case. Also note that the seller is out of the country so it did take a few weeks for it to come

I really love this product it is just what I was looking for. When I ordered it I didn't realize it would take a couple a weeks to be delivered because it was coming from hing kong but the wait was worth it. It is really made very well and I would recommend it to anyone

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PalmOne Universal Essentials Kit (P10959U)

After reading so many negative reviews for the Tungsten E hard case, I began looking for other options. My search led me to this accessory pack, which does a decent job at a very affordable price.

The case is semi-rigid ballistic nylon with a nice quality zipper enclosure on three sides. My guess is that it would keep its contents safe from moderate shocks or compression (both flat and on the corners). It's also attractive in a low-profile sort of way. On the inside, there are slots for a few credit cards or ID badges as well as two smaller ones for Palm expansion cards. The only two drawbacks are that the case doesn't lie flat portfolio-style when opened (this may ease up with age) and the only method of securing your Palm to the case is an enclosed Velcro sticker. I've never been a fan of attaching sticky items onto electronics, although the case of my Tungsten E is so ugly I may break my policy.

The multi-function pen is not exactly as pictured it's much bigger than I expected and unfortunately too big to fit in the case. However, there's a lot of functionality in there: a black pen, a pink (!) highlighter, a mechanical pencil and a Palm Stylus. It's lightweight but almost to the point of feeling cheap and it rattles when you write with it. Plus, the method of selecting which point pops out is a little cumbersome and it's probably only a matter of time before I write on my Palm with highlighter. The packaging includes instructions for replacing the ink and pencil, so at least it promises life beyond the initial cartridges.

Finally, the screen protectors are just that. They work that's about all you can say. I expect that they'll keep me from freaking out when I inevitably highlight on my screen.

So, while the solutions are far from perfect, you'd be hard-pressed to find a package so all-encompassing or budget-conscious. A must-have for a new Palm user, student, etc.

I returned the Palm, so never used it. The items in the kit looked well made.

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2-in-1 Retractable USB Data Hotsync & Charging Cable for HTC T-mobile Mda, Dash, Wing, Cingular

I ordered this cord thinking that it would be a great space saver. Well after a few uses, the cord jamed and when I was trying to get it to retract it simply broke apart.... I still use the cord and I do like it, it just doesn't retract anymore....

I was very surprised that this worked perfectly with my 1TB WD Elements hard disk that uses only USB power.

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There isn't much to hope for this products. If they work, they are great... and that is it.

So, I give this one 5 stars. It just does its job!

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rooCASE Tablet Carrying Bag for Toshiba Thrive 10.1-Inch Android Tablet - Deluxe Series Red / Black

Purchased this bag for my Toshiba Thrive. Works perfectly for traveling or flying. Even with the charging cord and accessories the bag is comfortable to carry and will stow in the seat of an airplane.

My red case is terrific! I have a Toshiba thrive that I keep in a case with a keyboard. The thrive in its keyboard case fits nicely in the carrying case. There are pockets to stow other supplies such as all the cords, stylus, etc. The case has both a handle and a shoulder strap. Really nice, really red.

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Have Toshiba Thrive 10.1" that I wanted to carry with me. Use this as a purse/carrying bag. Holds everything I need.

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I purchased the red rooCASE Tablet Carrying Bag for my Toshiba Thrive. We have a protective case around the tablet so I was a little concerned that the tablet would fit in the bag. There was plenty of room! There are pockets galore and room for many more items including a place for pens. It is a perfect size for traveling or taking to work. I highly recommend this item.

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BoxWave Apple iPod touch Sketching Capacitive Stylus - Pencil-Shaped Apple iPod touch Capacitive To

When I received this stylus, I felt that it was too heavy and "clunky", especially for sketching; but after using it, I changed my mind. It is a very good stylus, a bit "sticky" for fine drawing but just fine for sketching and general navigation. Oddly, it is very good for game playing!

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rooCASE Super Bubble Neoprene (Orange / Black) Sleeve Case for Apple MacBook Air MC965LL/A MC966LL/

When I bought my Macbook, I wanted everything I could get that would keep it safe from me. I like the rooCASE very much. There are little cushioning bumps on the inside that act like bubble wrap but the outside is sleek and smooth as one would expect. The stretchy side pocket holds the cord just fine. I don't transport my laptop too much just yet but when I did take it on a road trip, I felt OK about the level of protection it provided. The ONLY thing I would like on this would be some sort of a handle as the neoprene is so smooth, it's a little hard to grip. That's really splitting hairs, though. Overall, I like this and would buy another.

Light weight, durable, bright orange. It really stands our and looks great. It also is the perfect amount of protection.

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Purple Zebra Strips Snap on Protective Cover Case for LG Extrovert VN271 + Microfiber Pouch Bag

My young daughter specifically asked for a purple zebra case, well this is all I could find that fit her phone. Great price great product and everyone is happy. It's even held up to a few drops.

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iKross Foldable Mini Stand + EveCase Black Folio PU Leather Stand Cover Case + Neoprene Zipper Pouc

There are no instructions to go with how to setup this mini keyboard. It comes with a small disk that won't even fit in a regular laptop. I;m not sure what I need to do with it. Everytime I try to connect to the keyboard it gives me a password number to put it but there is no where to put it in. Please help....

everything is great

the keyboard is a little smaller then i expected but works well and was ease to connect

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WolVol DARK BLUE 2.8" LCD Portable Game Console With AV-Out And TONS of Built-In Games, Game Disk I

I bought this game for my son an he haven't put it down yet he loves it and I can get more work done around the house this game really came in handy. It has a lot of games built in witha charger and cords to plug into the tv this is worth my money.

It is the first time I have seen a handheld game with so many games on one cartridge. It will be easy for my son to play.

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I bought this for my 7 year old grandson, and he absolutely loves it. It has tons of games, and he never gets bored with it. It has a lot of games on it, so we don't need to have to keep buying games.

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For the price, this is a fantastic game console, and my kids love it. This year, I'd say it was their favorite Christmas present. It has a nice variety of games (albeit pretty low-tech) and it's perfect for long trips in the car. Like most game consoles, the battery will run down pretty quickly, so it's worthwhile to charge it up wherever and whenever you can. It's also been smacked around a little on said car trips and it's holding up nicely, so it's practical and sturdy.

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Good console my son loved it. But needs to have more up to date games for the kids but over all a good investment for my son.

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2 Pieces KOZMICC Anti-Glare Screen Protector for Nook Tablet, Nook Color

The screen protector fits great on the nook Tablet and was easy to apply. I did get a few particles stuck and since the film is a bit thicker it made the resulting bubbles larger but I'll take a bit thicker screen protector and be more careful applying it instead of the alternative.

I really like the matte finish and look to the screen with this applied.

The biggest (only?) downside to this protector is that it makes the display look fuzzy and just out of focus. Another reviewer said that they stopped noticing after a while take the cover off and look at how crisp is looks without it. I don't think I'll get used to it, which is a shame because it's otherwise nice, has a good feel to it, and I love the matte finish I just wish it didn't have the slight cloudiness to it.

I had to purchase two of these because of my impatience with the first set. At first, I followed the directions up until it came to the actual application... where I completely screwed both up, ended up with no bubbles but gobs of dust under the protector. I ordered another one, cleaned the screen carefully and sat down at my kitchen table, then carefully and slowly followed the directions and applied the screen. No bubbles, no dust, and it protects the screen wonderfully on my nook tablet. It's especially great considering my five year old son loves to watch netflix on the tablet whenever I let him. I also checked the anti-glare capability by taking it outside and it did a great job of cutting down on the glare. A great buy at a great price!

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It fits my nook color perfect I love it! I received my order right on time, I'am so happy I purchased my screen protector here.

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The screen fits my Nook Color perfectly. You must follow the directions when applying and thank goodness the product came with two screen because the first one was my practice one. Take your time putting it on to avoid airbubbles and make sure no dust gets under it when applying as it will create a airbubble that you can not get out. Again if you follow the directions exactly there should be no problem.

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This worked great for me. It was easy to use and a good value for the money. I'm happy that it easily protects my daughter's Christmas gift...the Nook Tablet.

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Plantronics .Audio 628 Stereo USB Headset (.Audio 628)

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I use this headset for dictating with Dragon Naturally Speaking, and I am totally satisfied. It is comfortable to wear for long periods, and the accuracy is excellent. Highly recommended.

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program As economic headsets go, this one is defiantely a leader of the pack. Yes, there are nicer sounding and more comfortable ones out there, but not for anywhere near what these cost.

I use these for listening to music and watching TV shows on my computer. My kids use the heck out of them talking to their cousins via Skype.

The sound quality is good, better than I thought it would be actually. While they are not as good as some of the high end 'monitor' type headphones, these are likely better than what you are using now. The phone functions of the headset works easily and installation is almost thoughtless.

I have a big head (7 3/4 hat size), and these are comfortable on me. Not sure Id want to wear them all day, but I had no problem watching 2 hour movie with them on.

Overall, I can easily recomend these to anyone in the market for this type of product.

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Love this headset. It is very comfortable and the sound is great with Skype. Easy setup and works with skype immediately.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This is my first USB Headset and I like being able to listen to music through the USB drive although since just about every computer has a headphone jack it's not a completely necessary product for me. The sound seems fine although I'm not really an audiophile so I may be easily pleased. It's in the general design where things fall apart. I have three headphones at my desk; a cheap pair of Radio Shack headphones that wrap around the back of my head, a pair of Plantronics that my job gave me for phone calls and my new pair of Plantronics that I'm reviewing. This is a classic case of, 'what were they thinking???'. My Radio Shack headphones are very comfortable and unobtrusive sitting on my head. My old Plantronics wrap over the top of my head but they're rounded so the pressure of the headphones is diffused. The NEW Plantronics, by contrast, have a flat top so all the pressure sits on one small spot on the crown of my head. You would be surprised at how much pressure a lightweight pair of headphones can apply. The stupidity of this design decision is just beyond me. As I wear the headpiece I can't help but focus on that one small pressure point like a hard finger applying just a little bit of force down on my head. I could go into the other nice aspects of the headset but I can't possibly recommend them just because they are so bloody irritating to wear. I actually felt myself getting a mild headache even after I took them off. Bad bad bad decision.

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Best headset I have purchased in a very long time. For some reason these things are not made to last apparently, because I have gone through at least a dozen of headset/mic combo's within the last 2 years. So far the Plantronics headset sound quality is BY FAR SUPERIOR to any other brand. They even have the necessary bass. Cover over the ear area is really comfortable, as well as the adjustable head area, sits very comfortably on anyone. I am very pleased with this model. :D Was also the owner of the 626 model that was discontinued, also another very good one. 5 stars from me.

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VuPoint Magic Wand Portable Scanner with Auto-Feed Dock (White)

The PDS-ST450-VP portable scanner provides the best of both worlds: portability and the ability to produce high-quality scans. The scanner wand fits easily in a bag or purse and produces very good quality scans in short order.

As a stand-alone scanner, the wand scanner can produce images of 300, 600, and 900 dpi, in color or monochromatic images. Should higher-quality scans be desired, the scanner can be inserted into the accompanying auto-feed dock. The dock can scan up to 1200 dpi. Documents move smooth and straight through the auto-feeder, providing excellent quality scans.

While trialing the document feeder, I noted that the feeder may, if the document is slightly out of alignment, make short adjustments in the document's alignment before proceeding to scan it. Once it is aligned the document moves quickly and smoothly through the feeder.

The scanning width is 8.5 inches. The document feeder will accept documents and photos up to that width.

Scans are saved to a micro SD card, which is not included. Hint: buy a card at the same time you purchase this scanner. I forgot, and being a cheapskate I had to drive across town to get one at the lowest possible price. That took more time than it took the scanner to charge (it has rechargeable batteries), which was just slightly over an hour.

The package includes the wand scanner, the auto-feed dock, a small microfiber cleaning cloth, a small bag to hold the wand scanner, a USB cable, and a CD containing the ABBYY FineReader OCR software.

The quality of the scans is impressively good for such a small device. In just a few seconds one can scan a document, a page, a photograph, or even the wallpaper on the wall. The results can be saved as a .jpg or .pdf file.

There is a very brief learning curve for using the wand freehand you quickly learn how to roll the scanner at a steady rate (not too fast) and keep it straight for best results. The surface on which the document to be scanned is placed can affect the quality of the scan: I found out the hard way that the smoother the surface, the harder it is to move the scanner evenly and straight over the document without the document sliding on the surface. A glass desktop gave the worst results. An unfinished wood surface provided just enough grip to hold the document in place without slipping. Coated paper, such as magazine pages, will also be a little slicker and a little more prone to causing the scanner to slide slightly as compared to newsprint or standard printer paper.

For the light-to-moderate users this scanner is a top-notch pick. My only reservation has to do with uncertainty about what the lifespan of the document feeder dock will turn out to be. Even so, the sheer convenience of such a small and lightweight package (the wand: just over 6 ounces, the dock: not quite 1.5 lbs.) makes it an excellent choice when portability and a small desktop/luggage footprint are essential.

Used it first day opened box to scan over 140 photos at newly found cousin. I am not a gadget geek or techno geek, just a genealogy geek. The dock works great, it needs to be connected to a power source-computer or laptop or better yet the handy dandy USB adapter to electical outlet. So taking the dock and wand to a library or court house to do genealogy work will be easy, do not have to lug in a laptop. I plan on covering the box it came in with paper or fabric because it will keep it safe and has a handle for carrying! It is light weight. The wand is sturdy enough that scanning is easy and works over photos in mats, and works on rounded book pages (book pages that do not lay flat). (I used a pen type smaller wand years ago and found it terrible, scans all wiggly because of going too fast or too slow and difficult to have a steady scan due to size.) I was very happy to use this wand and have it scan beautifully the very first time. Quality great. When hooked up to computer just one push of the button and it opens MY PICTURES and ready to download, very quick. Can keep scanned photos on the microSDHC card or delete them. I scanned in color mode as I was scanning black and white and color photos. All were great: great color, black and white were great. Tried black and white in Mono mode did not see a difference. Scanned over 3 1/2 hours without running out of the charge. 43 MB used for all my photos. It says it scans fabric, I did scan a colorful mouse pad, it worked!

I bought mine through Sears as it came with a 16 GB microSDHC card and adapter/reader so it was ready to use right out of the box. (needs charging first-made cookies while charging). The adapter allows you to read the micro card out of the wand if so desired. I am very very happy with this product and highly recommend it to genealogists, I scanned photo front and back of photo with the writing information, sure beats writing it all down, saves much time. It is also a quick way to scan home photos for preservation and sharing as well.

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Although I now see it says the OCR software is only compatible with PC, i had looked at the System Requirements and saw it was Mac and ordered it thinking i could use the OCR software CD (which i had seen when scanning the rest of the info) to be able to edit docs scanned. However this is another example of Mac users being left out. The VuPoint rep i talked to said it was a corporate decision based on $ as there are more PC users than Mac. As a Mac user, It costs an additional $100 to get an Abbyy Mac version that would allow scanned document editing.

If all you want is the scanner, then no problem. I will send it back, and am disappointed about that as I really love the look and size and dock option and imagine the scanning is good based on other reviews.

One more complaint I have is that there is no 'tilt' or 'slight rotate' option for when a document is not scanned EXACTLY straight. i have only scanned one doc so far (got this today) and i did it using the dock. it looked like it went in straight, but the scan is crooked. the only way to now fix it is to hassle with putting it into another software program (like iPhoto) and doing the straightening there.

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Working in a busy office setting where we need to copy IDs and small pieces of identification, this tool saves us a lot of time. Very easy to use, feeding or scanning, and the different settings are useful. Only complaint is that the machine shuts off on its own from time to time, but never loses the data.

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Just what I needed. Could handle all my scanning sizes and weights. The paper guide is a plus. The wand is a plus. The docking station mode is a plus. Only negative was it took a bit of time for me to "get" the way it worked. Once done, my project of scanning photos from ancestors on down was a breeze. Images are saved on a Microsd chip which is "view-able" when in docking mode. There, you can edit and save elsewhere if need be. This is just the best device for gathering your lifetime of print photos and saving them for posterity.

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PalmOne Zire 72 Handheld

If you are debating between a pocket PC and a Palm, you might try downloading Palm's desktop software from the web. I was debating between a Dell and the Palm Zire 72, mostly because there seemed to be some rather negative reviews about the Palm on Amazon. What swayed me is that I love the Palm system, especially the desktop software.

Well, I got my Zire 72 and I love it. I now have a complete photo album, a voice recorder, a camera plus the usually Palm goodies. Instead of hauling around a bunch of very heavy dictionaries, I am now loading them onto the Palm. No, the camera isn't as good as my stand-a-long Kodak, but it is fine and handy to have. The quality of the voice recordings is excellent-far better than my two stand-a-lone digital recorders. The included documents-to-go program works well and I actually do find myself working of documents in places I would never haul my lap-top.

If you have an older Palm-my last one was an m105, I think you would be really surprised at how much more useful the newer high-res Palms are. For the price that Amazon is selling the Zire 72, it is rather an incredible package. I'm really happy I stuck with Palm.

After reading many reviews here at Amazon and at other opinion sites, I went ahead and gambled with the 72, considering most of the reviews were negative.

My reasoning for going ahead with the purchase was simply because for the money, no other Palm device came close to offering everything that the 72 did. Plus, most of the negative reviews were for cosmetic issues. And I have had two Palms in the past (an original Palm Pilot Pro and a Palm IIIx) and had great service from both.

For my job, the 72 has been better than I expected it could be. I can open, edit,even create Excel spreadsheets in native .xls format. I have purchased an app called Note Studio that is incredible at organizing notes and text files. I can take pictures and listen to mp3's along with using the traditional Palm apps (the agenda view for the calendar is great).

I have since added a WiFi card and when in the presence of a wireless network or a T-Mobile hotspot, I can browse the web, check my corporate email, etc. Like I said, it has exceeded my expectations.

A couple of notes... I notice that one reviewer said his never held a charge, even after the 3+ hours initial charging.

The recomended initial charging is at least 12 hours, not 3. And the intructions are emphatic on this point, saying that any less than a 12 hour initial charge willeffect the future performance and life of the battery. Mine could use better battery life, but I use it extensivley daily (3 4 hours) and I charge mine nightly and have never "run out" of charge. I think the average user using the 72 for contacts, reminders, planning, etc., will have no problem going three or four days on a charge.

I have had the device for almost two months now and I have had it freeze twice. Both times required a reset. Once I was editing a spreadsheets using the Documents to Go application while playing an MP3 in the background, and once I was setting up my WiFi card.

The reason for four stars and not five? The blue finish. This is supposedly some sort of new DuPont coating. It appears to be either too soft or simply doesn't adhere as needed to the smooth plastic underneath. I don't have a serious issue with it as I have been very careful, but i can see with even average use with no case, you would have an ugly Palm rather quickly. I have a piece of the blue coating around where the stylus goes in where mine has peeled.

The reason I didn't count off more for this is because you can virtualy solve it... buy the hard case from Palm. 29 bucks and the 72 fits perfectly and snuggly in foam supports and protects the looks. It still fits in a shirt pocket and even has a sliding cover on the rear that protects the camera lens. All ports and card slots are exposed so that you really never have to take it out of the case (I don't).

Don't be scared of the Palm Zire 72. Two suggestions...

Follow the instructions following battery charging EXACTLY and,

BUY THE HARD CASE. You won't regret your purchase.

Just opinions from an owner.

Buy PalmOne Zire 72 Handheld Now

The Zire 72 seems like such a great product. It has built-in bluetooth, USB, a camera, voice recorder, SD card slot, mp3 player, all the standard timeand contact-management utilities, and an extensive third-party development environment. For the most part it lives up to expectations.

HOWEVER, after using my Zire for a couple weeks I have to comment on a few problems I've run into...

First has got to be the -reallybad paint job which stared flaking off the very first day! Plan on spending a few extra bucks to get a "skin" when they come out (and they will, since -everyonewho buys a Zire 72 will need one). The paint is a sort of rubbery texture that I'm sure they put on to provide a better grip (which it does). Unfortunately it does not stick very well at all to the underlying surface. It is very easy to scrape it with just a fingernail to expose the underlying surface. It doesn't stop there either, because once dinged, the damage slowly spreads as the nearby paint continues to peel away, especially up near the top right where you're always rubbing against it to pull the stylus out.

Second is the awful camera performance. Actually, the camera itself seems to work ok, but the auto-exposure firmware really doesn't work well at all. If you take the time to manually adjust the settings (sunlight/incandescent/flourescent, low-light) and can wait a few moments for the camera software to catch up then you can get some decent pictures, indoors or out. If you don't, the results will be generally low-quality (over/underexposed, grainy, bad color, etc.).

Third is the marginal battery life. I can get through a whole day on a fully-charged battery, but only just. I'm concerned that as time goes by and the battery degrades that I'm going to have problems running out of power before the day is done. That would not be so bad if I chould just throw in another set of AAA cells, but that's not an option with the built-in battery on the Zire. If I forget to plug it in overnight I don't even get through my morning. Not good. Plan on carrying around the power adaptor with you for emergencies (or buying one for the office and one for home).

Next is the lack of a built-in file manager. I was able to get the "media" app on the palm to display some mpeg video clips I had made before purchasing the Zire. Encouraged by my success, I tried an avi and a Quicktime file. These transferred to the SD card I know because the available filespace went down but they did not show up in the "media" app. Ok, failed experiment, no big deal. However, they also are not visible in the main "delete" menu, or anywhere else I've checked. So it seems that if no app on the Zire recognizes a file, there appears to be no way to reclaim the space from within the palm short of reformatting the card and resyncing to recover your data! Bad user interface.

Also, speaking of cards, you -mustget a SD card if you plan on playing audio or video. The only exception is the built-in voice recorder, which will record to and play from the built-in RAM. The Realplayer audio player and the video capture feature of the camera on the other hand require a card to store data on.. you will not be able to use either feature without one.

I give the Zire 72 a 3-star rating as is, deducting 1 star each for the awful paint job and the user interface issues with file management and camera auto-exposure (non)functionality. With a hopefully forthcoming firmware update from PalmOne to address the softare issues, and a little work on my part stripping off the rest of the paint I think I might be inclined to bump that up to 4 stars.

If they had left off the paint entirely and fixed the software issues I would definitely be giving it a solid 4 stars, maybe even 4.5 (0.5 off for battery life).

Read Best Reviews of PalmOne Zire 72 Handheld Here

I'm thrilled that they've released this model (especially at this price!) While palm hasn't managed to get it "perfect" just yet, this model is a definite improvement over the Zire 71! If you're new to the Zire series, be sure to read the specs there's a ton of great features for this price!

For starters, there's a higher resolution on the built-in hidden camera. It's now up to 1.2 Megapixels, with automatic white control (which basically means that in most situations you don't need a flash!). It's not as high of a resolution as Sony's models, but still a definitely improvement. Of course bringing the photos to the desktop is very easy when you use the included Palm desktop software! Now with the addition of video it's even better!

Second is the redesign some reviewers of the Zire 71 called the unit "slippery", but I haven't had that problem with this model!

Third, is the BlueTooth. I've found it to be less easy to use than WiFi, which is popular with PocketPC and higher-end Palm models, but still very effective for accessing the internet. However, with WiFi you can't connect to the internet AND have a local network with other BlueTooth users so if there was only one technology to choose from BlueTooth is the one. I swear if this unit had WiFi I would have bought one for everyone I know! Also why it gets 4 out of 5 stars.

With this model they have included a conduit to sync with Outlook, which previously had to be purchased. That's a big draw, especially for multimedia-loving office workers!

They've also redesigned the model some, including removing the joystick. Some reviewers of the Zire 71 disliked the joystick because they felt it turned the unit on excessivily, but I loved (and will miss) the Joystick for playing the Sonic the Hedgehog game that was released for the Zire 71. I find that the directional button that palm has changed to can be clumsy for game-playing.

Two years ago I would have given this unit 5 stars, but Palm seems to always be slightly behind the times. Of course BlueTooth is a nice edition, and the redesigned packaging is also a note that Palm is paying attention. However, if they had added Wifi instead of BlueTooth I'm sure they would be selling a lot more of these. The camera resolution is less than the Sony Clie's, but still an overall improvement. The price is what makes it such a catch you get the basic functions of most high-end Palm Pilots, for half the cost. If you're into multimedia and contact management this is definitely the unit for you! It seriously makes contact management FUN!

Want PalmOne Zire 72 Handheld Discount?

Defending the Zire 72 Palm handheld.

I have a Zire 72, and I am convinced that it is an excellent PDA. However this particular Palm gets relatively bad reviews and bad ratings. This document will record each negative thing that I could find about this PDA and my response to these comments. Is the Zire 72 the best PDA for everyone from every walk of life? No, and it doesn't intend to be. But as for what it DOES intend to be, this Palm is one of the best, in my opinion.

Negative Comments:

1.) The Palm continually crashes.

Response: This does not necessarily have anything to do with the Zire 72. The Palm OS is not the most stable of all operating systems. Having said that, I can say with all certainty that my Zire 72 does not continually crash. This is the second Zire 72 that I have owned. The first one I owned I sold to my brother. Yes, it does continually crash. However, it is noteworthy that this Palm is over 3 years old, has been dropped several times, the speaker has been broken, it has been stepped on by the dog, and the battery has been severely abused.

2.) The paint peels off too easy.

Response: Yes, the first Zire 72's that came out had a blue rubber finish that did come off quiet easily. However, my Zire 72, as well as any Zire 72 made within the last year or so, will not have this problem, the Palm now has a different kind of paint, and it still looks the same. Also, Palm has come out with a special edition of the Zire 72 that has no paint and is silver like other PDA's such as the Tungsten E, E2 etc.

3.) Palm has bad service.

Response: This is a common objection to the Zire 72 and many other Palm handhelds. However, even if this allegation were true about Palm, it would have nothing to do with the Zire 72 itself (as well as any other Palm handheld). The Zire 72 could be the greatest PDA ever, and if someone drops it and it breaks, and Palm gives them a hard time about it, that is between Palm and them. I am not here to defend Palm as a company, only this particular handheld. I only mentioned this objection because it is so widely held among people who review the Zire 72. People will have a bad experience and give this Palm a 1-star rating which causes its average to go down. The Zire 72 doesn't have bad service, Palmone does.

4.) It's not very compatible with Windows XP

Response: This is simply not true as far as I know. I have Windows Xp and it works great with this PDA and the Hotsync software. Xp is very compatible with USB devices. This particular user may have just not known how to configure his system properly.

5.) Poor battery life

Response: Not really. Granted the Zire 72 doesn't have the best battery life out of all the PDAs, I have not had any problems with it in this respect. I will say that the Zire 72 has an extremely bright screen. If you turn down the brightness on this screen it will greatly increase the battery life. (NOTE: Even after turning the brightness on the screen to its lowest setting, the Zire 72 still has a brighter output than virtually any Sony Clie and many other PDA's).

6.) It is too delicate and there is no case to protect this unit.

Response: This is simply not true, yet it is still used to give this Palm bad ratings. Palm has made a wonderful hard case for this unit that they will include for free if you buy the Zire 72 through them. There is also a hard plastic clear case, and Rhinoskin has also recently come out with a case for this unit.

7.) The price is too high.

Response: Not by a long shot. Considering that this Palm has a camera, and Mp3 player, a voice recorder, Bluetooth, a 312Mhz processor, and a thin lightweight design it is not expensive at all compared to other PDA's with far less features. Actually, since this Palm is not all too popular, you can find it for even less. You can get a brand new Zire 72 for less than $200.

8.) It constantly losses all its data

Response: I have never had a problem with this. The only Zire 72 I've ever heard of loosing its data is my brothers that has been dropped, stepped on, is not totally functional and has had serious battery abuse. Allot times people using these kinds of arguments may not be telling the whole story...

9.) The camera is horrible

Response: This problem occurs when people buy a PDA with the preconceived idea that the camera feature is a replacement for a 5.1Mp digital camera. If they had owned PDA's with a camera function before, they would not be as disappointed. Yes, I do agree that the Clie has a better light filter or whatever you want to call it, however the Zire 72's camera can produce the 3rd highest resolution out of all PDA's I know of. However, regardless of what PDA you're buying, don't get one with a camera as a means of replacing a real camera. The Zire 72 has a 1.2 Mega-Pixel camera. The best camera on any PDA I know of is a Sony Clie with a 2.0 mega-pixel camera. Still, this will not replace the 7 and 8 mega-pixel cameras that are made solely for producing high quality photos.

10.) No Wifi

Response: This is true, of course this can be added on later via SD wireless card. While the Zire 72 does have built in Wifi, not many PDA's really did back when it came out, especially not any with all the other features the Zire 72 has. It does have Bluetooth however, which can also be used for Internet use.

11.) Lacks camera lens cover.

Response: All I can say is, I have owned Zire 72's for 3 years and I have never once gotten one scratch on the lens. The lens in recessed back into the device so it is not going to get scratched simply by laying it down. Besides, if you get the hard case for this Palm it solves the problem. This is something you are going to want to do if you get a Zire 72 anyways, or any PDA for that matter.

12.) Battery not user replaceable

Response: Palm has never made a PDA that has this feature, I have a hard time believing that they ever had any intention to. You cant blame the Zire 72 for something that all other handhelds made by Palm have in common with, but rather, you can blame Palm as a whole.

13.) SD card is recessed too far and is hard to get in and out.

Response: Again this is something that is common to many Palm handhelds. As opposed to the Sony Clie models whose memory stick protrude about 2mm out from the unit, Palm has decided to make the card slot on their units hold the card in deeper. This is something that you will get used to and something you must face regardless of what Palm you buy. If you decide to buy a Sony instead based on this issue, your faced with another problem. The cards on the Sony stick out too much. While they are easier to take in and out, you are always running the risk and banging it on something causing the card to be ejected, lost, or damaged.

14.) No attachable flip cover.

Response: Again this is something that all Palms have in common. People with these complaints are obviously those who have previously owned Sony PDA's. I personally find flip covers annoying, and took mine off back when I owned a Sony Clie. At any rate, as I've said before, you are going to want to buy the hard metal case that is compatible with the Zire 72, it will offer much more protection than any flip cover!

15.) One guy said, "The output signal from the headphone jack is *far* too loud. I have to set system sounds to "low" to get a volume that is bearable to my ears. I'd prefer a softer volume, though."

Response: This is why Palm has engineered this unit with the ability to lower the volume. This particular users preference is that the volume would be softer, which is fine, but why would you give the Zire 72 a negative mark for it because you had to go into the system to turn the volume down? The next person might prefer the volume to be louder, in which case he could turn UP the volume. I personally can hardly hear the system sound coming from the external speaker. I suppose it would be loud if you used headphones to listen to the beeps and ticks as you browse through system applications, but this would seem like a strange to do. However, no matter what your volume preference is, the Zire 72 is compatible either way...

16.) The headphone jack output produces a clearly audible background "hiss".

Response: This "hiss" is not audible while listening to Mp3's. I listen to my Zire 72's MP3 player every night and have been for 2 years. It's great. Yes you can hear a noise when there is no music and the headphones are plugged in, just like in many devices that use headphones. This sound ensure you that the headphones are in the device and are properly connected. Also might I add in defense of the MP3 player, Realone player is great! With the five-way directional pad you with switch through songs very quickly!

I think its funny to note that Cnet's review on the Zire 72 yielded a typically low rating among other handhelds they have reviewed before. Here are some things that where said:

THE GOOD THINGS:

Integrated 1.2-megapixel camera with video-record function,

Bluetooth,

Fast processor,

Multimedia support,

Robust software bundle,

Expansion slot,

THE BAD THINGS:

No Wi-Fi

Lacks camera lens cover

Battery not user-replaceable.

It appears that there are twice as many good things then bad things about the Zire 72 according to this review. And two of the bad things, especially the replaceable-battery issue I've already shown not to be serious things at all.

If you read through the review that Cnet has, you will find that the overwhelming testimony of the this PDA is positive, hardly anything bad is said about it, yet it only obtains a mere 6.8 rating. Lets look at another PDA that Cnet reviewed.

The Sony Clie TJ37. Here's what was said by Cnet:

THE GOOD THINGS:

Built-in Wi-Fi, (The Zire 72 does not have this, but it does have Bluetooth whereas the TJ37 does not.)

Integrated 310,000-pixel camera, (The Zire 72's camera is 1,200,000 pixel)

Fast processor, (The Zire 72's is faster)

MP3 and video playback, (The Zire 72 has this as well)

Slim form factor (As does the Zire 72)

The bad:

Comes with outdated Date Book and Address Book apps, (The Zire 72 does not)

No Bluetooth, (The Zire 72 does)

Dim screen, (The Zire 72 has one of the brightest screen I've ever seen)

Poor battery life, (The Zire 72 has fine battery life)

Lacks user-replaceable battery (Hardly any PDAs don't! That's what I've been saying!)

As opposed the 3 negative things Cnet wrote about the Zire 72 (two of which aren't very substantial) there are five negative things said about the TJ37, 4 of which are substantial in my opinion. You may think, "well maybe even though the TJ37 has more negative things, all of its positive things make up for it." I've already shown that the only thing the TJ37 has over the Zire 72 is Wifi, and that gets cancelled out with the Bluetooth anyway. What rating did Cnet give the TJ37? A 7.3. No it isn't a great deal higher than the Zire 72's rating but there is no reason why this PDA should have gotten a higher rating. I do not agree with the rating that Cnet gave to the Zire 72, and even if I did I would still expect to see that other PDA's rated to be rated by the same standard. Meaning the TJ37 would have something like a 6.4.

The Zire 72 is a very underrated Palm. The paint peeling issue just scared allot of people in my opinion and kind of ruined the market for this particular unit. Well spread the word! The paint-peeling problem has been dealt with! This unit is so fast, and you can practically work it with one hand. The five-way navigation pad is something that Palm has and Sony doesn't that really hurts for them. I think the Zire 72 accomplishes everything that it intends to, and if it weren't for all the false claims that have been made about it, there would be allot more people walking around with one.

Did I miss anything? Let me know!

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