Product Description

maximum resolution: 3200 x 6400 dpi * 48-bit color depth * scan up to twelve 35mm negative frames or 4 mounted slides at a time * FARE technology (Film Automatic Retouching and Enhancement) * high-speed USB 2.0 interface * ... Read more

Features

• Batch scanning of up to 12 35mm negatives
• High speed preview in about 2 seconds; USB 2.0
• Maximum 3,200 x 6,400 dpi resolution
• Sharp 48-bit color, 16-bit grayscale
• Supports medium format and 35mm transparencies or negatives

Reviews (24)

Fast and easy!
My husband and I were able to hook up our scanner and scan a about 20 photos all in less than 1 hour!I thought it would take me weeks to get through my pile of old photos but each photo only took seconds to scan. Also, contrary to the other reviews that I read, we found the scanner to be pretty quiet.I would definitely recommend this scanner!

Scanner I would recommend to anyone
First, I am not a professional artists or anyone who need scanner for professional works, so I don't know how this scanner will appeal to those kind of people. However, to 'normal' people like me, this scanner is definitely a worthy consideration.

I bought this scanner to replace my old Canon's N1220U; which still works fine, though. Although my old scanner is very nice for its slim size and no-mess connection(requires no external AC power), it is a bit noisy and way too slow.
8400F is definitely larger and thicker than my old one, so I had to rearrange my workstation setup. However, its performance was worth the labor. Its scan speed is very fast(scans a page letter size color document at 150~200dpi in a few seconds, while my old one takes around a minute for same document in same setting), and preview pops up in about 2 seconds as advertised.

Setup is simple; I mean, does anyone who cannot set this thing up really exist(unless software crashes)? Unwrap those tapes on scanner unit, plug the cable on the cover to the back of the unit, install the softwares you need(installation manual tells you to install softwares first for some reason), connect USB cable, connect power, done.

Among included softwares, I only use PhotoStudio; so I don't know about performance of other softwares. Instead of the pop-up scan manager which pops-up when 'scan' button on scanner unit is pressed, I use inquire function of PhotoStudio only because I am more familiar with this method; and I use Paint Shop Pro if I have to edit the images. One complaint: I don't know why this new version of PhotoStudio doesn't remember file format setting I used last time to save image. Old version which came with my old N1220U did have this function. Well, it is acceptable, though.



Problems:
- Scanner might crash with certain applications, but it rarely happened(happened to me only once so far) and never messed up system; although communication with scanner was disconnected and photostudio crashed and closed, everything worked fine once scanner was turned off and then on again. There was no more crash although I didn't close down any other applications running. Therefore I guess that the crash wans't really specifically because of scanner, but usual unstability of Window.

A big NO for $138 price tag
2 stars is the most appropriate rating for this scanner and let me tell you why.I bought this scanner because of the High rating from this Amazon site, but after trying all of its scanning functions, photo, 35mm negatives, and 35mm slides, (it has the adapter for medium film 120mm also) I would go for other scanner instead.First of all, I see the Contrast density of all 3 functions is not that good! Worse even comparing to my old-time scanner Epson Perfection 1260.And one thing that I hate is its Auto Correct/Adjustment feature.I don't know if you can disable it or not but I have not figured out yet!

Let's say, for example, if you have some typical daylight photos (shot in natural light which is bright enough for hand-held exposure.) The scanning will give you a very acceptable image. But if you scanning an artificial-light photo you see a lot of dead pixels at the low contrast area.Dead pixels I mean are blockly imaging areas which replace details of your photo.

This scanner is good enough for some typical works in the office, but it definitely is a NO for professional works.If you just need a scanner for your hardcopy photos, you canfind plenty scanners out there with a lower price.But if you choose this for your negatives and slides also, I recomment NOT.

Also, its software/application need more works to refine the features.

Wonderful choice
I have a large collection of old slides and photos which I wanted to digitize. Having used the Canoscan N650u without problem, the 8400f unit seemed a reasonable choice. I expected a utilitarian piece of equiptment but this this scanner is amazing!! It is incredibly fast and the results are excellent. It's "auto" mode is truly useful: an easy way to get lots of work done quickly. Most important is Canon tech help 800-828-4040. I did need them twice because my software skills are mediocre. Each time a live tech was on the phone in seconds (yes, seconds of waiting time). Because of this fabulous support I will never hesitate to buy a Canon product.

Excellent do everything scanner
This is an excellent scanner. In the last 6 weeks I have used it to scan slides, film, photographs and b&w documents. It has not disappointed me. Before I bought this scanner I consider the Epson 4800 and Microtek ScanMaker 400S. Both these scanners had higher resolution, but the reviews suggested each had significant problems, either with speed or software.

I bought the 8400F scanner primarily for its ability to scan slides to use in PowerPoint presentations. It does this with no problem. I've made prints from scanned slides and as long as the size is kept small the prints are fairly good. Expect to have to sharpen scans of slides to have them look their best. The resolution of the scanned slides is sufficiently high that sharpening is not a problem. Scanning slides is also relatively speedy. At the highest resolution it will automatically scan 4 slides in about 10 minutes.

The results of scanning color photographs are excellent. The colors are great and detail excellent. A little sharpening made the images look even better.

Black and white images/text also produce excellent scans. They are clear and crisp and make excellent copies. The ability to scan to a pdf and to add to pdf's, unlike Canon's earlier software, is a real plus. Be aware, however, that these pdf files can be large because even scanned text is consider an image.

In using and evaluating a scanner it is important to keep expectations reasonable, especially with respect to slides. Even using photographic techniques it is difficult to get great prints from slides, so don't expect the same quality from and inexpensive scanner. However, it is possible to get good, useable scans of slides.
... Read more

Product Description

AUTOCAD LT 2005 US CD 10U PK ... Read more

Features

• Instantly distribute multiple DWG files in a single step
• Easily create, plot, publish, and share 2D designs
• Boost productivity with streamlined plotting interface
• Create tables efficiently with a one-step process
• Better manage large groups of layers; easily control layer visibility

Product Description

680,000-pixel CCD * digital photo mode * digital photo resolution: 640 x 480 * MPEG Movie EX mode * compatible with Memory Stick Duo or Memory Stick PRO® Duo (available separately) * ... Read more

Features

• 680,000-pixel CCD
• digital photo mode
• digital photo resolution: 640 x 480
• MPEG Movie EX mode
• compatible with Memory Stick Duo or Memory Stick PRO® Duo (available separately)

Reviews (5)

great camera, but bad software/computer hook-up
This video camera works fine and is easy to operate.

Using the software and finding software that works with this camera is difficult.Tech support from Sony is very poor to help resolve these issues.

Ilink does not come with the camera.

Tania

Misleading
Pay attention to components that you'd expect but are not included. I'm a fan of Canon products, and have come to expect at least the minimal parts necc. to test and sample the gadget without additional parts purchase.

Nowhere on the box, nor in its instruction booklet, will it tell you that the package does not contain even a smallest of a Memory Stick PRO® Duonor a digital cassette to even test the unit. The box simply says "Memory Stick PRO® Duo."

Instruction booklet will simply tell you to place this here, plug that there, charge it this way, insert the Memory Stick PRO® Duo,without mentioning that certain parts would needed to have been purchased additionally and would not be found with the package.

A good option
I love this camcorder it has a great resolution video and easy to use,
the only thing is that mac users have to buy the iLink cable 4pin to 6pin.

Poor Video Quality - Great Audio - Very sleek design
Pros
- Very Sleek design - compact, stylish and menu through LCD touch panel
- Good audio quality

Cons
- For the price, poor video resolution - video looks edgy when dowloaded via iLink
- Not so good low light performance
- No small size memory card provided, no firewire cable and no video editing software

Great camera, especially for the price!
I almost purchased the 42 instead of the 32, but after checking them out at the store I decided on the 32.The Samsung 353 was also in the running but one look in the store and I knew Sony was the way to go.I am glad I decided on the 32 because the only real difference was the CCD, which is 340k instead of 680k effective.It turns out the 32 does such a good job with the 340k I can't tell the difference, and for $150 less.The other only real difference is the color viewfinder on the 42, but who uses a viewfinder anymore.It doesn't come with a firewire (iLink) cable so be prepared to purchase one, especially if you have a mac.I am happy with our choice and look forward to many edited videos to share with the family. ... Read more

Product Description

The Super Coolscan 5000 ED scanner is loaded with features and benefits designed for a wide range of users, including Applied Science Fiction's Digital ICE4 Advanced technology, Nikon's exclusive Scan Image Enhancer and other one-button-simple solutions. Coolscan scanners can help small or large businesses to streamline their operations and increase productivity while giving home users and hobbyists an affordable solution to revitalize, restore and save precious family memories. Despite the the way digital is dominating today's photography and printing markets, there are still an enormous amount of film images as well as a need for creating high-quality, versatile hi-resolution digital files. In American homes, literally millions of negatives and slides holding precious family memories are wasting away in shoeboxes and attics. A Nikon film scanner is an incredibly useful tool to help unlock the potential of an image and use the advantages of digital to bring that image to life. Greater Efficiency, Increased Profits - The Super Coolscan 5000 ED is designed with the needs of imaging professionals in mind, delivering 135/IX240 film scanning at an amazing 20 seconds per image (including image transfer to display) - at 4,000 dpi optical resolution. This, combined with a 16-bit A/D converter and 16-bit output channel, gives pros the speed and power they need to truly affect the scope of their business. ... Read more

Features

• USB interface, PC and Mac compatible
• 4,000 dpi optical resolution, 4.8 density
• 16-bit A/D conversion, 8 or 16-bit output
• Preview scans in 11 seconds, full scans as fast as 20 seconds
• Digital ICE4 Advanced suite of image correction technologies

Reviews (6)

Beware of Nikon Super CoolScan Slide Feeder
We purchased a Super Coolscan 5000 ED with SF-210 slide feeders, hoping to scan my parents' thousands of Kodak slides.The Super Coolscan worked flawlessly on single slides, but the SF-210 slide feeder simply could not scan more than 2 slides without jamming.

The instruction manual does say that the feeder basically works only with Fuji compatible slide mounts, and warns of problems with Kodak and other mounts - but it's buried in the middle of the manual and you don't find out until you've purchased the producdt.I have been unable to find those restrictions mentioned anywhere inthe literature.At nearly $400 per feeder, I would expect it to work - or at least have the sales literature mention its limitations.

I complained to Nikon, but never even received an email response.I will never buy a Nikon product again.

Good scanner but be aware
I've been doing this for some time and have Nikon gear top to bottom. I have the slide feeder and the negative adapter that lets you feed full strips into it. Both work well 90% of the time. I get mis-feeds on the slides from time to time.

You will get a bluish hue on your negatives. I have tried several films and they all yield the same problem. Expect to take some time in Photoshop to correct this problem. I am taking the advice of a poster to alter my color settings to compensate.

Here is the biggest issue with this scanner. PROPERLY exposed slides scan dark. This is with Fuji 50/100/400 and Kodak. This is a known issue and you will see dozens of posts all over about this problem. Flat and dark scans that need to have the analog gain pumped up to compensate. This throws off GEM and ROC and makes the software unusable. It also washes out detail and increases grain. I contacted Nikon and they stated that Fuji has a 4th layer of emulsion that impedes scans. This is not true for slides, there is no 4th layer. End conclusion, there is a problem with the scanner design. Nikon has failed to give a reason why this is occurring other then to point the finger at someone else. If it was just my problem, I would say it was something on my end, but there are dozens of people stating the same thing on many different photo boards.

ROC and GEM are "OK". I would scan clean unless there is an obvious problem with the neg/pos that needs to be addressed. Any time you alter grain or the physical layer of the film you are altering original quality. See what you have first before changing setting across the board.

If you have any questions about this, my AOL-AIM is above as my Amazon username. This would include Nikon if the finally have a reason WHY there are issues. Overall, it's a good scanner. I would buy it again, but at least I would know what to expect and not expect it all as advertised.

Works beautifully, although slower than you might expect
I am using this product almost exclusively for slide scanning, so my comments only apply to that aspect of this product.

If you are like me and wondering whether you should suffer through using a consumer level slide scanner or fork out the dough for this one, then the quality this produces when scanning dark slides should be enough to convince you alone.And that's just the beginning.I've used consumer level scanners before and no amount of tweaking or photoshop'ing can match the quality the Coolscan 5000 produces.For professionals, this is of course a no brainer, but for semi-professional folks like me, this is a major investment, and I needed some convincing that it would be worth it.I am now convinced.

Don't put too much stock into the scan times (and feed times for the sf-210 auto feeder).These times are without any Digital ICE, auto exposure, auto focus, etc.However, I have found if you do not use these features, you are wasting your time.After much tweaking to get all the settings such that the final result looked just like the original slide, I am looking at about 1 minute and 30 seconds per slide using the sf-210 (AMD 2.2 Ghz 1GB Ram, scanning at 2000 dpi)

I have found that without tweaking, you get a bluish hue (although a little less so for Kodachrome slides).I have turned red up +20 and blue down +20 (green at 0) and to me, this seems to give the best results (ymmv).

Use the digital ice features!!!They are simply amazing.The dust and scratch removal is phenomenal.The grain removal is also wonderful - and it keeps the picture sharp much more so than using a software filter like those found in Photoshop.Personally, I set the Digital ROC (color restoration and correction) to 0 because it is too unpredictable.

Lastly, use a bright, high quality LCD monitor!You would be amazed at the difference this can make when doing color matching, especially on dark pictures.I was astonished to see the difference.

When you take the above into consideration, this scanner is superb.Plan on spending a few hours getting your settings just right, but after that, sit back and enjoy.I've done 8x10 prints of my slides (scanned at 2000 dpi) that are just beautiful.It is near impossible to match the luminance and beauty of a projected slide, but the Coolscan 5000 does a darn good job.

An outstanding, if imperfect, scanner.
First of all, let me say I am a neophyte when it comes to scanning.My mother passed away recently and I wanted to go through my father's 20,000 slides and scan the best ones before they, as many before them, disappeared into the hands of one of my 7 other siblings never to be found again.

After culling my father's slides I ended up with about 750 I wanted to scan.After culling my own slides I ended up with another 200 slides.And after that I decided to go through my color negative collection and scan the best of those as well.A daunting project!But honestly well worth the effort.

Most of my father's slides are Kodachrome.Much has been written about the inability of this scanner to scan Kodachrome slides and said about ICE4 not working with Kodachrome.Well, I have some good news and some bad news.The ICE4 does work, however, inconstantly with Kodachrome slides producing unacceptable artifacts in about 5 - 10 percent of the slides.It is a hit or miss proposition.I scanned with ICE (not ICE4) always on and then rescanned if I encountered unacceptable artifacts.I did notice that the scanner ICE feature was stumped by old Kodachrome slides where subjects were wearing shirts with stripes.Those stripes were really butchered by the ICE feature.

The GEM ROC and DEE (the other stalwarts of the ICE4 other than ICE itself) work on Kodachrome slides as well, but I found that the results were unpredictable and that I could achieve better results myself in Photoshop far more quickly.The GEM ROC and DEE features simply took too long and slowed down the scanning unacceptably.The results, for me, were not worth the additional scanning time.

The good news:The scanner is fast and does produce wonderfulwonderful detailed scans, easily demonstrating the grain in the transparancies at 3000 and 4000 dpi.The Kodachrome slides were a challenge to the Dynamic Range of the scanner, but I believe that most of the detail in the shadows that is there was extracted.Unfortunately, Kodachrome, with all of its many attributes, does have substantial downsides including a very narrow exposure latitude and shadow detail is simply lacking.I think the scanner accurately reproduced the information including the colors on the Kodachrome slides, with perhaps a slight bluish cast noticed in some cases.

It wasn't until I was finished scanning all of the culled slides that I undertook to scan my select color negatives.And this scanner really came into its own scanning color negatives.Don't even TRY to scan color negatives without ICE because the results are unbelievably bad.Even pristine negatives have scratches and pit marks that magically are erased by the ICE feature.What a godsend.I only wish it had worked so flawlessly on the Kodachrome slides.The scanned color negatives were just beautiful with very accurate color rendition.But immediately I noticed much more grain in the color negatives (Royal Gold and Fuji Superia Gold) than in the scanned slides.

One note unrelated to the scanner itself.Until you've used a digital scanner to scan your color negatives you can't begin to realize how far superior Kodachrome, Provia, and Ektachrome slides are to color negatives insofar as capturing detail.Even the best color negatives have much more grain that Kodachrome.And the difference in color negatives is substantial too.

The included Nikon software worked fantastic for me.I downloaded a copy of VueScan which according to many reviews is superior to the Nikon software and found that for me the Nikon software was easier to work with and produced superior results.

The software did cause my computer to crash occasionally which was an aggravation, but a minor one when considered against its many attributes.

I can recommend this scanner without reservation.It is a phenomenal piece of equipment.

Best 35mm filmscanner under $50,000
The previous generation (CS IV and CS 4000) were hard to top, but Nikon did it yet again. Scans are smooth and gorgeous, color accuracy (provided your monitor is calibrated) is unrivaled and the updated ICE4 including DEE are a blessing. In fact the scans are so good that I have started to prefer CS5000 scans from well exposed Fuji Provia 100F or Astia 100F slides than images from a 6MP DSLR. Hard to believe but thats true.

Did I mention scanning speed ? I timed a 4000 DPI scan with digital ICE turned off, on a P4 2.6Ghz with 1 GB ram and USB2. It took 17 seconds from begining to end (excluding autofocus and auto exposure). Thats right. Actually three seconds faster than Nikon's claim of 20 sec. Beat that Minolta.

IMO the next step up can only be a $50K HowTek drum scanner ;) ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

You already love your iPod. But think how much better it would be if you had the ability to use it in the car. Monster Cable's iCarPlay wireless FM transmitter gives you just that: great sounding, wireless access to your entire multi-gigabyte collection of tunes, right through your car stere's FM radio. At the same time, the iCarPlay charges your iPod to keep the music playing.

Plug the iCarPlay's charger end into the 12-volt DC outlet (cigarette lighter) in your car and plug the other end into the dock connector on the bottom of your iPod. Select an FM station on the iCarPlay (choose from 88.1, 88.3, 88.5, 88.7, 88.9, 89.1, 89.3, or 89.5), and find the same station on your car stereo. Then pick your favorite song on your iPod and you're ready to roll. Your music transmits wirelessly to your car stereo using FM radio frequencies.

Monster Smart Digital Charging technology rapidly charges your iPod, then switches to a trickle charge to optimize its performance. You'll never have to worry about running out of power while using your iCarPlay wireless transmitter. ... Read more

Features

• Your music transmits wirelessly to your car stereo using Fm radio frequencies
• Monster Smart Digital Charging technology rapidly charges your iPod, and then switches to a trickle charge to optimize its performance
• Plug the iCarPlay Wireless charger end into the 12v outlet (cigarette lighter) in your car, and plug the other end into the dock connector on the bottom of your iPod
• Select an FM station on the iCarPlay Wireless, and find the same station on your car stereo
• Or pick your favorite song on your iPod, and you're ready to roll

Reviews (117)

Not too shabby...
This product is an extremely good idea.In fact, I wish that I could have selected 4.75 Stars.The iCarTrip could benefit greatly from the use of a bigger transmitter.I have to battle with a little bit of fuzz even when the selected station is 'blank.'It still sounds better than when I use my old tape adapter.I am not sure what is in it now, but increaseing the capacity a milliamp or two could really boost performance.

It is really easy to use, and I love the fact that I can keep my iPod charged all at the same time, It is really beneficial on a long road trip.Sure, the battery life says 12 hours, but that is without backlight functionality, and changing the songs frequently.Also, I do not have to bring my AC adapter on vacation... one less thing to leave in a hotel room.

Plus... more and more cars are coming out without a tape deck.The tape deck can be $225 more in some cases.$48.87 is a lot easier on the ol' wallet!

To conclude... Nice work!

(My apologies for typos)

ICarPlay
this transmitter works perfectly in my car. no fuzziness or anything, crystal clear sound. i absolutely love it, a great decision to play my mini in the car.

Just buy a tape adapter
Very poor sound quality.That's all there is to it.Great idea, but unless you are in an area with very few occupied stations, my bet is the sound quality will be very unsatisfactory.Buy a tape adapter, I use one now with great success, and if you need to charge your iPod while driving look into the iGo system or something like it.

Mixed results - not worth the money
I'm using iCarPlay in a 1998 Nissan Pathfinder. It works fairly well IF you're in an area where the radio station frequencies are not in use but if I turn on my AC, heater fan etc. I get annoying static sound. In some areas, clashing with radio stations is a big problem. Trying to switch to other frequencies while driving probably isn't the safest thing to do either. The "volume blast" when turning the car on, mentioned in other reviews, is also a major negative.
Overall, I just don't think it's worth the money or aggravation. Will probably return it and try a cassette adapter until a compatible, decent price system comes out to allow direct integration with my factory Bose car CD system.

Great accessory for all ipod lovers!!!!!
Very easy to use, I get great sound and you have 8 different stations to select from. It also has a great look, lights up in red so it's easy to see when driving at night! ... Read more

Product Description

records high-quality DVD-Video * records to mini DVD-Rs, DVD-RWs, and DVD+RWs * recording capacity of one disc: 20 minutes at HQ setting; 30 minutes at SP setting; 60 minutes at LP setting * digital photo mode * 2-1/2" color touchpanel LCD * variable-speed 10X Carl Zeiss® Vario-Tessar® optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 120X) * ... Read more

Features

• records high-quality DVD-Video
• records to mini DVD-Rs, DVD-RWs, and DVD+RWs
• recording capacity of one disc: 20 minutes at HQ setting; 30 minutes at SP setting; 60 minutes at LP setting
• digital photo mode
• 2-1/2" color touchpanel LCD

Reviews (3)

Easy to use; great size; quality results
The video is great.Even at the LP setting the quality is good.Being able to put 5,100 stills on one DVD is great.I always carry one DVD for video and another for stills.

Small, compact and easy to use.What more could you want?

Sony DCR-DVD7Excellent Video - Easy to use (point & shoot)
We needed an easy to use, lightweight, quality video camcorder that anyone could use.The Sony DCR-DVD7 is GREAT. Worked excellent on vacation, our beach video images are excellent - the "EASY BUTTON" makes the whole experience of shooting video a snap. When we reviewed the video the quality was surprising very good for the price of this camcorder.We have a JVC camcorder that we paid double the price for which I find difficult/complicated and too heavy to use.

NOTE: The DVD7 is so easy to use - for example; I was holding one dog (7 month old wiggly puppy)in one arm, and using our DVD7 with the other hand to capture our other dog playing tag with a sand crab, and the video images turned out steady, focused, and clear.

As for digital still images - I did not purchase this device for still images. If all I wanted was still images, I would use a disposable camera for on the beach, and our Sony digial camera for other times.

Now for the software: easy and fun to use.

**Battery - really does last a full hour! And I was using it for video, and play-back of the video, not still pictures.

Overall impression: I wanted a point & shoot camcorder with great video images. Here is all you do: insert the DVD, turn on the power, touch the "EASY Button", and shoot. If you want a lightweight, easy to use, excellent video images, and a battery that lasts a full hour, the DCR-DVD7 is exactly all these things.

Sony DCR-DVD7 - Nice size but missing a few features
Review for the Sony DCR-DVD7.

Last week I found myself about 2000 miles from home and needed an easy to use, lightweight, and small camcorder. I found the DCR-DVD7 and decided to try it. It worked well for my needs except in the area of digital stills.

I noticed this camera at first because of its shape. It looks like a digital camera - not a camcorder. It is small enough (if you have big pockets) to fit into your pocket.

The camera is very easy to use and even has an Easy button to make taking video a snap.

Pros

The pluses of this camera are that it is small and takes acceptable video. Has a good feel and form factor. The camera has quick and smooth focus. It turns on and is ready to shoot in a very short time even for a DVD based camcorder. All the I/O ports work good (USB and Video-out). It has a nice bright LCD display. It can take literally thousands of digital images. When you finish shooting video, you have a ready-made DVD to show friends and family. You also have a long lasting archive of your images that you can edit later.

Cons

For me the biggest downside of this camera is that it takes terrible digital still images. The pictures have visible pixels and the color is not as rich as with Sony still cameras. A unit of this price should take at least acceptable still images. Some of the pictures I took with the camera look worse than the old Apple Quick-take cameras of 10 years ago could produce. The camera has no Firewire port. As an Apple computer user, this camera is unfriendly when it comes to editing-no Apple supported software and it is a difficult task to put your video into iMovie for editing. For all these lacking areas it is a bit pricey.


(Comments: - JUST IN CASE SOMEBODY FROM SONY READS THIS STUFF - This camera has a great form factor and has huge potential. IF it had a headphone out-jack, you could have a portable DVD player and MP3 Player that could be watched/listened to on a plane or any other type of trip. IF it took better digital, stills it would be good buy because it could replace a digital camera and camcorder. Some other reviews I have read criticize this unit because of the video quality of this unit but I found it to be acceptable for home use. Great concept I wish that Sony would make some small improvements and this unit could be a fantastic product. )


Conclusion

Overall, if you need an easy to use camcorder that is small this camera would be a good choice. (DVD archiving is also a big plus for those who shoot video but do not always edit it right away.) If you are looking for great quality images and size does not matter look elsewhere. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Early Adopters Pick: August 2003. The first PDA to include integrated GPS technology.

With the power of Palm OS 5 and the dependability of Garmin GPS technology, this super PDA redefines multitasking. Its integrated software not only allows you to look up appointments and contacts, it also locates and routes you to them with voice-guidance commands. Feature highlights include: GPS receiver, MP3 player, voice recorder, infrared communication, and vibrating alarm.

GPS The differentiating feature of the iQue 3600 is its integrated GPS capabilities. Garmin's innovative Que technology delivers location awareness, electronic mapping, automatic route calculation, turn-by-turn voice guidance, and map data interface to the iQue 3600. Que technology enables users to see where they are, find a street address, know where the next turn is via visual and voice guidance, get back on track when they’ve strayed off course, and navigate efficiently to their desired destination. Detailed Mapping Users can choose a configurable basemap of North America, South America, Europe, or regions in the Pacific Rim, with generalized information on highways, major city streets, highway exit services, railways, rivers, lakes, and state, provincial, and national borders. The iQue also has the added benefit of detailed street information on the included MapSource® CD-ROM, giving users the capability of looking up restaurant addresses, hotels, local attractions, transportation hubs, emergency services, and much more. Once a desired point of interest is chosen, you have the capability to view more info or even show it on the map screen. The mapping capability of the iQue 3600 makes it a versatile companion for the international frequent flyer who travels, for instance, between New York and London or San Francisco and Hong Kong.

Customizable maps mean never getting lost again

Powerful Organization
The iQue 3600 is built around the Palm OS 5 platform and offers standard Palm applications, such as Address Book, Calculator, Date Book, Memo Pad, and To Do List. And there’s enough processing power to search large databases of stored information and to enhance display graphics with easy-to-read fonts and crisp electronic maps. There's also a voice recorder for making memos, quick notes, and messages. With 32 MB of built-in memory and an expansion slot, you can even store your favorite MP3s.

The flip-up GPS antenna

High-Tech Integration
One of the key benefits of technology integration on the iQue 3600 is its patent-pending contact-locator feature. Enabled by Garmin's Que technology, this feature connects the Palm Address Book and Date Book to the GPS electronic map to give the user the ability to navigate directly to a specific address within the user’s contact database.

System
The Garmin iQue 3600 features the new Motorola DragonBall MXL ARM9 microprocessor, and boasts 32 MB DRAM. This handheld is powered by Palm OS 5, which offers the processing power to take on the most demanding mobile computing tasks, together with advanced multimedia and the wireless connectivity and security that enterprises require.

Display
The iQue 3600 delivers brilliant images with its 2.16-by-3.24-inch display. It has a 16-bit color display with 320 x 480 pixel resolution.

Expansion
Expand your iQue 3600 via its Secure Digital slot.

Software
The iQue 3600 comes with the following Garmin Que applications: MP3, GPS Clock, Address Lookup, Electronic Mapping, Track Log, Trip Computer, Automatic Route Generation, and Turn-by-Turn Voice Guidance, as well as these Palm OS 5 applications: Address Book, Calculator, Date Book, Expense, Mail, Memo Pad, Palm Reader, and To Do List. In addition, it includes these third-party applications: Astraware Game Pack, Documents to Go, powerOne Personal Calculator, StarCaddy, SplashPhoto, and Vindigo.

The Nuts and Bolts

 

Included in the box
iQue 3600, protective display cover, metal stylus, USB HotSync cradle, A/C power/charging adapter, quick start guide, installation/application, CD-ROM with manual, and choice of MapSource configuration with full unlock certificate: either 1) North America City Select CD or Atlantic European City Select CD.

... Read more

Features

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

Reviews (159)

It is hard to deal with curstomer service
If you want to buy it, just hope it won't show "route calculation error".Here is the email I sent to them last year and I am still waiting for reply.

"Howdy!
I called two times hoping to find answers of "route calculation error".Unfortunately the problem still exists.
For the first time I used my new iQue 3600 during my trip to San Antonio, TX on August 6 to August 8, 2004.I was amazed at the functions the small one offered.It helped me a lot, especially in the downtown area.On my way back to home, the iQue stopped working and the "route calculation error" appeared on the screen.I had big trouble to find home back.
After I got home, I called tech support and after several attempts I was told to reload the map.After reloading the map, the route calculation error disappeared temporarily.
Today, August 24, I received my friend's new address and I couldn't route to her address and "route calculation error" appeared again.
Today's customer specialist, Doug, after several attempts, still suggested to reload the map.To me it is not an option anymore to solve the problem.I can not reload the map all the time, especially when I am away on road without my computer.If I knew that I would need to reload the map so often, I would not buy it in the first place.
Anyway you know your products better than me.I hope the problem can be solved quickly, otherwise I have to request the return of the product either to the store or to Garmin.
Thank you.
Feng Qin"

Good Product, but does have some faults.
I bought this unit several months ago in anticipation of trip to Italy because of the detailed maps available through Garman. Well, the street detail was breathtaking! Venice is a very complex city with alleys & tiny streets that are bunched together in an impossible maze. As long a I got a clear signal (a drawback of any GPS unit)I knew EXACTLY where I was. Walking directions were right on.
But, back stateside I started seeing some limitations with the unit: 1) Driving directions were not that great, taking you on round about routes in spite of requesting the least # of turns and/or highways (not side streets), 2) the battery life is terribly short and needs to be put back onto the cradle for re-charging, 3) it's a rather fragile unit - I'm somewhat of a klutz from time to time and have dropped the unit which then needed to be reset.
The PDA part of this unit was a welcome bonus. I purchased a 1GB memory card which gave me the maps I needed plus plenty of extra memory. I loaded Pocket Quicken on it which enables me to keep track of my personal finances away from my desktop. Overall - worth the investment.

Fantastic product
Really nice product and worth every cent.I own a Garmin StreetPilot and have used a Palm PDA so I found this really easy to use.The ability to drag maps around to find places is amazing.

The integrated PDA functionality really adds value.A must for anyone in sales that travels (you could actually know where your taxi is going and where to find dinner in any city).

If you are just doing navigation for your car you could just go with a StreetPilot - a bit easier to use.My third great GPS from Garmin.

PS. Some of my kids first words in the car "turn right daddy" - copying my nav systems audio - Dad's car talks!

User for 9 months
My 3600 GPS did not work the first time and was returned.After a new one was sent, it started working well.There are two detailed manuals which you should study (I downloaded and studied while I was waiting for delivery).For clarification on their 'too detailed instructions' I had to call their service about 5 times each spending 20 minutes on hold.Now that I have had it I can't do without.It is accurate 9 out of 10 new addresses I enter so don't trust it 100%.I use it everywhere (East coast and West coast).I use it to get to any new address and very valuable even trying to get out of a large parking lot after I arrive.After 3 months I started to use it to find shops and eatery while on the road.If you don't remember exactly a specific address, you can get there if you remember a store close by.The unit requires a soft reset every few weeks.The biggest plus is that you never lose your addresses because you sync it up with your home computer. There is a selection of 'fastest path or shortest distance' which could be confusing if selected wrong.I realize there are other GPS which are more costly, longer battery life with larger fonts but for the money it is the greatest product since the PC.

Excellent product and very useful.
I moved to a new city and bought this PDA upon my friends recommendation and I must say that I am very pleased with it. It has been of great help to me when I get lost or am exploring new areas of the city.

So far I have had no issues with it. I highly recommend this to anybody. The only thing I'd suggest is to get a car kit and antenna so that it does not attract prying eyes while driving. ... Read more

Product Description

Share your iPod mini MP3 collection with the world using the Griffin iTrip FM Transmitter that lets you play your iPod through any FM radio. The transmitter tunes to any FM frequency for the best possible performance and the battery-free design receives power directly from your iPod. It's great for listening to your iPod in the car. Includes CD-ROM and Quick Start Guide. ... Read more

Features

• FM transmitter designed to play iPod mini music through FM radios
• Tunes to any FM frequency for the best possible performance
• Battery-free design receives power from iPod itself
• Sleek, attractive housing fits seamlessly on top of iPod mini
• Compatible with iPod mini and full-sized iPods with dock connectors

Reviews (60)... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Sony's DSCM1 interestingly designed 5-megapixel digital camera is easy to use right out of the box--and extremely fast, too. The M1 is ready to shoot about as quickly as you can fold out its free-angle LCD, and its unique form factor--the camera looks like a winged robot or a small boomerang--captures subjects' attention immediately.

The M1's Twilight Portrait mode creates interesting effects. (See larger image.)

The M1's great features don't end with its fast start-up time, though; the pictures and video this camera takes are amazing. We put it through its paces in a variety of situations, from indoor evening parties to snowy outdoor activities and all sorts of cafes and museums in between, and almost without fail, the results were gorgeous. The camera's Twilight Portrait mode creates great effects by combining a flash with a long exposure time, and the Auto setting could be relied on to deal with even backlit or low-light scenes.

One of the M1's crisp, colorful images from the NYC installation of Christo's The Gates. (See larger image.)

The free-angle LCD, in addition to wowing photo subjects and passersby, is also useful for taking overhead or low-to-the-ground images, or for composing self-portraits. After swinging out the LCD to turn the camera on, the screen can be rotated approximately 270 degrees, making complex shooting situations a snap. In addition, at 2.5 inches, the LCD screen makes viewing images a real pleasure, and we were amazed at how often we found ourselves taking a friend's picture and then showing the friend every image we had stored on the memory card, or pulling out the camera to review images privately during a few minutes of down time.

The M1's interior shots from the new lobby of New York's Museum of Modern Art. (Click images for larger views.)

It is also worth noting that the M1's autofocus does an excellent job of quickly evaluating a scene and making relatively intelligent assumptions about the image subject. In the rare cases where edges or features in images were slightly fuzzy, it would've taken a poster-size print for the problem to really stand out. In all cases, the autofocus was quite fast, further contributing to an impressive recycle time between shots.

The areas in which the camera could have done slightly better were in a couple of the scene modes-- Landscape, for example, produced less stunning sunset images than the camera's Auto setting--and in transferring images to a computer. We found that images were less vibrant on the computer than on the M1's screen when transferred to a PC, using either the supplied Picture Package software or treating the camera as an external hard drive. However, it's easy to adjust them slightly using imaging software, and the muddiness did not occur at all when downloading the images to a Mac using iPhoto.

One further drawback is that while the camera body is quite sturdy, the memory card slot is exposed, meaning that taking photographs in inclement weather is an iffy proposition. Also, because the camera comprises three segments joined by hinges, it's got more seams for water and gunk to seep into than would a camera with a simpler construction. (It was not unusual for us to transport the camera in a pocket and pull it out to find that a stray piece of paper had lodged between the LCD and body.) A case would go a long way toward clearing this up, though. --Sarah Sternau

Pros

• It's fast
• Movie mode creates impressive MPEG4 video (with crisp audio) at a length limited only by available memory
• Unique form factor makes complex picture-taking situations easier

• Bulkier than many compact cameras currently available
• Memory card slot is exposed, making wet weather a concern
• Some downloading methods caused the images to lose vibrancy, necessitating simple touch-ups

Features

• Non-extending lens and Real Imaging Processor mean near instant startup and shutter release
• Supplied Cyber-shot Station makes camera-to-TV/PC connection quick and simple
• 5.1-megapixel sensor allows for photo-quality prints up to 13 by 17 inches
• Camera features 3x optical zoom in a unique vertical orientation
• Large 2.5-inch free-angle rotating LCD design makes viewing effortless

Reviews (16)

Perfect Blend of Pictures and Video
I just picked up the M1 and I love it!I was debating between this camera and Sony's other offering the Slim T7.The deciding factor for me was that I enjoy making home/vacation/special event videos and love video editing so being able to fit more video on a memory card with MP4 compression technology in the M1 won me over.

I've been playing around with the camera and the pictures turned out great.The pictures I post online look great and the pictures printed out (normal sized 4x6 for albums and frames) are as good as I can expect.

The software included (Picture Package) is pretty cool although the only feature I intend on and have been using is the mp4 to avi converter so that I can edit the videos I take using Microsoft Movie Maker 5 and Pinnacle Studio 9.Those and most programs won't work with MP4s so the conversion to avi is essential.

I have a Sony Mini DV Camcorder which is pretty small but its not exactly pocketsize so i'd rather not bring it around with me on an everday basis.The Mini DV Camcorder is fine for vacations or bigger events where i'll film hours of video.With the M1, I can put it in my pocket on everday situations or even little outings (dinner with friends / going to a basketball game / going to any event where lugging around a Camcorder would seem out of place).With the M1 i'll be able to take great quality pictures at the events and / or great videos of anything that might just pop up because you never know what'll happen! =]

A fine hybrid camera
There seem to be a lot of reviews complaining about blurry stills with this camera and lousy lighting on the videos. The latter is somewhat true, due to the tiny lens, video taken in low light, indoor situations are sub-par. Video taken outdoors is fantastic (much better than hi-8). I don't understand the complaints about the stills though. I replaced a fine Canon PowerShot s50 (gave it to my wife) and I can honestly say that the DSC-M1 takes as good and possibly even better stills. The colors are richer and I've had no problems with blur or fuzzy edges in any situations.

I've also read reviews that complain about the DSC-M1 not being pocket-size or compact enough and I'm wondering how tight their pants are??? This camera fits in my shirt, pants or jacket pocket quite comfortably.
I'd recommend this camera to anyone who wants a compact, high quality still camera with good (but, not great) video ability and can handle the $500-$600 price tag.

fairly good camera
This one replaced the DSCT-1 I had because the screen had cracked and the cost of repairs was equal to the cost of replacement.The other reviews of the M-1 are accurate.The major problem I found was the "upgrade" to MPEG4 videos.Yes, they are better, but they are, also, useless to send in e-mails because the recipents would have to have MPEG4 software in the computers to play them, and to quote another reviewer, "What's the point of shooting video if you can't e-mail it to friends&relatives."I preferred the T-1!

DSC-M1 Zoom Noise
This camera has a good combination of digital still and video. The Panasonic AV-100 does a better job on the video but doesn't even come close on the still. I would have given this camera a perfect score except for one very large gripe, if you zoom while shooting video, the noise from the zoom is very noticeable on playback.

Quality Camera
I have to agree with the guy that said read the manual . you need to keep in mind what you are trying to do with this camera when shooting . It Does take very clear pictures . I used to have the 3.2 sony cybershot . This camera is great !!! and user friendly both in shooting pictures and downloading . ... Read more

Product Description

print resolution: 600 x 600 dpi black; 4800 x 1200 dpi color * direct photo printing with PictBridge-compliant cameras * two-sided printing * ContrastPLUS 5-color ink system * print sizes: letter (8-1/2" x 11"), legal, 4" x 6", 5" x 7", envelope * ... Read more

Features

• USB and parallel interfaces; PC and Mac compatible
• Up to 4,800 x 1,200 dpi color resolution, 600 x 600 dpi black
• Up to 25 ppm black, 17 ppm color; 4-by-6-inch photo in about 36 seconds
• ContrastPLUS 5-color ink system; built-in two-sided printing
• Direct print port, PictBridge compatible

Reviews (74)

Did not work straight out of the box!!
Received this printer 6/6/2006.Brand new, straight out of the box it would not print due to a defective printer head.Called Canon immediately - they assured us they would send a new print head ASAP.Still nothing as of 6/14/2005 - turns out they have no printer heads available - but of course they will not take the product back.$$$ down the drain.Would be very, verycautious about Canon purchases in future!!

Affordable photo/all purpose printer
Pros:
- affordable especially with all the rebate savings.
- prints high quality photo.
- prints photo fast.default setting prints 4x6 in 45 sec.
- individual ink tanks lower ongoing cost
- easy photo print software is very easy to use
- paper can be autofed from tray

Cons:
- big and heavy

This is the one to get.
After my Epson Stylus Photo 820 robbed me of vast quantites of money, paper, and faith in humanity, I weep with joy every time I print something with the Canon iP4000. Firstly, it's so cheap that you can hardly go wrong, but it's so good that you'll never go wrong. The photo quality is wonderful, the ink cannisters are bottomless, and the duplex printing (it can print on both sides without you having to do anything) is a fantastic paper-saving feature. I'm very happy with it.

Don't Use With External Print Server !!!!!
This is probably a great printer - fast, brilliant output, quiet, great price, top notch review in PC Mag and C/Net and all sorts of other places.I will never get the opportunity to experience this brilliance however because this printer flat out don't work with with an external print server.

Since I have 3 PCs that my family and I need to print from, since the printer is in the basement and none of the computers are there, I use an HP JetDirect external print server, meaning I don't have to dedicate an extra machine to run everyone's printing through.HP practically invented the print server, and I've never had a problem with any other printer - usually Epson.

Canon tech support confirmed the printer is unsupported through a print server.They suggest the iP4000R with a wireless one built-in which I may buy and sell my HP print server on eBay or something.But the beauty of an external one is that I shouldn't have to spend extra to buy future printers with this capability.I did find some postings on newsgroups hinting that some people have been able to get this printer to work through a print server, but usually some capability was lost, some other printer's device driver had to be used, etc.and I don't think many people are willing to give up features.

In the end as more features are stuffed into these printers, my guess is that this specialization will obsolete a lot of the printer servers out there.

A great printer (okay, except maybe for shipping labels)
This is my fourth Canon printer, and generally I've been happy with all of them.Happier, on average, than I was with the three HPs.

I bought this one because, what with the cost of photo paper (and inks, though Canons tend to be a bit lower in this department), I was reluctant to print out my growing libarary of digital photos at less than optimum quality.I had a 2 1/2 year old Canon S520, which did well but was still noticeably below a good commercial 35 mm print.

Well, my wife needed a printer for her office at church, so she inherited the S520 and I sprung for the PIXMA.Good move.The photo quality is much better, now at least comparable to a 1-hour 35mm job.And, it's fast!A text page just blazes through.Not as razor sharp as my best HP, but you'd be hard pressed to notice without your nose down on it.

The up side of the Canon system is the permanent print head.You don't throw it away, which makes ink tanks cheaper.However, be aware it's not really the half price you might be hoping for.My best guess is that I'm going 70% the distance of an HP cartridge of same rated quanitity. But at closer to half the price, I'm still ahead of the game, so no complaints here.Also, you don't throw a whole color cartridge away when one color runs out.Makes sense.

Now, the down side is that, I assume, running ink through the same print head for years means you need an ink of greater fluidity so it is less likely to clog.And that is probably what makes it smeary for a bit longer as it dries. But with most office paper, you're fine in a few seconds, and with photos inside a minute or two. Thumbs off until then!

Bottom line: if you're printing lots of smooth-coated shipping labels, like our one-star reviewer, you should look elsewhere.The Canon method is not for you.But me, I'm still a happy Canon camper. ... Read more

Product Description

ultra-high memory capacity * includes Memory Stick PRO storage case * includes MSAC-M2 Memory Stick Duo media adapter * SDMI-compliant MagicGate encryption technology * warranty: 1 year * ... Read more

Features

• Designed to support read and write speeds of 80 Mbps on high speed enabled devices
• Backwards compatible with devices that use Memory Stick PRO Duo media
• Included adaptor allows compatibility with Memory Stick PRO media enabled devices
• Designed for high resolution compact digital cameras and compact portable audio devices

Reviews (2)

Fast, reliable
Yeap, this works really well with the Sony PSP.Out of the box, Windows reports this has 490MB available.This is due to the different ways storage manufacturers and Windows calculate capacity.In Windows, 1MB=1024KB, 1KB=1024B, whereas for storage manufacturers, 1MB=1,000,000B, so "512MB" is really less than that as calculated by Windows.

Most PSP games seem to use about 600KB - 800KB for user data storage.Most MP3 songs encoded at 128kbps bitrate come out to 1MB per minute.So if you have two games and use the rest of this Memory Stick only for MP3, you can hold about 122 songs.Not something to write home about, but you can always download your favorite tunes to the Memory Stick and play them when you take a respite from gaming.

It's difficult to say how much video you can hold, because that depends entirely on how you encode (bitrate, audio quality, etc.).As a rough rule of thumb, this card can hold about one hour of acceptable-quality video.

You can access this Memory Stick Duo card by either hooking up your PSP to your PC directly (using a $5 mini-B USB 2.0 cable), or using a USB reader.I use the Sony high-speed reader (model # MSAC-US30), which is super-reliable and super-fast.If you have a third-party reader or laptop that can only take the full-size Memory Stick -- "Memory Stick Duo" cards are less than 50% of the full-sized Memory Sticks -- this package comes with an adapter that turns the Memory Stick Duo into a full-sized Memory Stick.

Sandisk has a 1GB Memory Stick Duo card for about $125, which is also a good value.But in the past I had inconsistent reliablity experience with Sandisk products, so I much prefer using a Sony Memory Stick Duo.512MB is okay for now, but I think I'll need at least 1GB for the full PSP experience: one movie, a couple short videos, 30 or so of my favorite songs, and game data for a few games.I imagine it'll be another year before 2GB Memory Stick Duos come down to the $100 level.

Great product!
This Memory Stick is a great buy for use in the Sony PSP and has a capacity that can hold up to 180 5 MP digital Images, 500 Minutes of music (ATRAC3), and 230 Minutes of video (.MP4, QVGA)! This MS has a ton of space and will provide lots of storage space. ... Read more

Product Description

Once you gaze at the KDE42XBR950, it's hard to look away. Sony technology shines in the 42" high definition plasma screen. It's capable of displaying up to six times the detail of a standard TV and is beautifully framed with Sony's elegant floating glass panel design. ... Read more

Features

• CineMotion technology optimizes the appearance of movies
• Jaw-dropping picture enhancement with SONY WEGA Engine System
• Direct Digital Circuitry for a natural, rich image from any source
• Digital Reality Creation for amazing picture resolution
• Scalable side-by-side Picture-and-Picture windows with MID(R)X circuitry

Product Description

7.2-megapixel recording * Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar lens with 35mm equivalent of 34-136mm * 4X optical zoom (2X digital/8X total zoom with lower-res photos only) * 2.5-inch color LCD * JPEG options: resolution up to 3072 x 2304; 2592 x 1944; 2048 x 1536; 1280 x 960; 640 x 480 * ... Read more

Features

• Capable of recording images on to both Memory Stick PRO media and CompactFlash Type 1 media
• Powered by rechargeable InfoLithium battery; supplied AC-LS5 adapter/charger provides stable power for USB transfer
• 7.2-megapixel resolution for photo-quality 15-by-20-inch prints
• 4x optical zoom Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar lens
• Easy composition with 2.5-inch LCD monitor, the Hologram AF illuminator, multi-pattern measuring, and live histogram display

Reviews (15)

It is very good camera but has some limited
It is very nice camera just like a lot of people wrote. Here I only want to point out cons. in this camera as follow:
1. No wide angle option like canon s60, pro 1.
2. No good marco option ( minimum distance is 10cm, it ishard to shoot small object. but canon pro 1 has super marco so that you can shoot object as close as 2.4 cm).
3. Built-in flash is not very effective ( effective range is only less than 3 meters), fortunately, this has hot shoe but external flash is very pricy.
4. you need memory stick pro to use high qulity vedio. it is very costy.

Needed an upgrade
I just had a baby girl in January and of course want to take a million pictures of her growing up just as I did with my son.I still have the digital camera I bought before he was born and have been using it until my husband began pressuring me to buy a new camera.I didn't want to let go of my camera let me tell you!It is a Fuji FinePix 1.3 megapixel digital camera!Yeah, I know it is time to put it away.Anyway, we have been shopping for a new digital camera and I just loved the look and feel of the Sony V3.We actually went to a few stores and went back to look at the V3 about 3 times.Well, needless to say we just had to take it home.I've only had it a couple of days but the picture quality is great.I'm really excited to learn all of the functions on it and hopefully will take awesome pictures of my children.I know if I've had my Fuji for 5 years, this one should definitely last longer!

so far satisfied..
I have this a camera for about 3 months now. Enough time for me to say something. I'm a previous owner of point shoot camera. From 300, 640, 1, 3.2 mega pixel of various make & models (all ps). I have been to digital photo world since my first kid was 2, now she's 9. My main concern for a camera is the picture quality which is no doubt, this camera has clear sharp pictures. I don't care much about mega pixel. I've seen sharp and clear pictures taken with only 1 mp. I had mine set to 5 mp. This is not a pro or slr camera but picture quality is very close enough. Ergonomic, compactness beats the slr. Appertures, shutters, iso, focus can be adjusted manually just like the slr's.

These are the things I like with this camera, speed, you will be amazed how fast this camera responds between shoots, long battery life, we spend the whole day one of the amusement park here, did not bother changing my battery. most of my pictures taken with fill flash with the lcd monitor on. I got used to bring a couple of spare batteries. Dual media is great. I have 1 gig cf ultra and 1 gig ms pro loaded. I don't need to worry about running out of memories. Everything is great about this camera, my only complain is the on-board flash. It seems like you're getting enough light to a certain distance but this can be fix buy investing an external flash which I plan to buy in the future. (32 or 1000 ?) I don't know yet!

You will never go wrong with this camera. With this price, I paid more with my old sony 3.2 mp p-5 camera when they first came out.

The New Standard In Point and Shoot Digitals!!
I Own a Sony DSC-F828, and really wasn't looking for another camera, but the fact of the matter is that since the 828 is essentially a SLR camera, once you had the flash Etc. you got yourself one heavy piece of equipment!So seeing as we had a new baby coming along I found my self in the market for something lighter, but I was determined that it have as much of the power and capabilities as my 828.This was a tall order! The first camera wasn't a Sony at all it was the Canon G6 wich all in all was a fine camera and one I considered seriously until I saw the V3 on sony's web site. I sell camera's at BestBuy as one of my many jobs and I can tell you that that for every G6 we sell we sell 4 V3's heres why. First of all is the general design of the body, the G6 is essentially a box with a lens stuck on it! While the V3 is smaller and more contoured in shape and feel. One minus here, and I'm sure you've heard about this before... the eye piece on the V3 is poorly placed, and virtually useless, but with that big beautiful 2.5 LCD screen on the back you wont need it! As far as optics the G6 and V3 are just about dead even both having 4X optical, I give this one to Sony also because next to Canon I fell Ziess lenses are superior in optics and quality. (just an opinion) Next moving to flash ability, as far as on board flash this one goes to the Canon, the onboard with the V3 is useless for anything more than 5 or 6 feet away the Canon fared slightly better, both cameras equip with a hot shoe for an external flash, an when you slap the Sony X-32 flash on the V3 the results or nothing short of astounding again blowing the G6 out of the water! Another quick note on the V3 flash, if you plan on buying the V3's lense hood from Sony or here at Amazon include an external flash in your budjet! The hood does cause shadowing!! Word to the wise. As far as function the V3 has a extremely fast start up time, 1.1 or 1.3 seconds,The G6 was a little slower. Getting into speed hear me when I tell you this...if you want a camera faster than this you need to start looking at SLR's. This ain't no Nikon 2600 or a Canon A85, the V3 and G6 are both extremely fast cameras, again I found the V3 to be faster ( remember because of my job I get to do hands on comparisons) On virtually every other score I found the V3 to be the better of the two cameras heres a quick list of some of the biggest advantages the V3 has:
1.BIG LCD screen!! At last you can see what your shooting! Don't bother with the eye piece however, it just about useless!
2.Easy to read and navagate menus. If you want to start messing around with shutters and apatures this is your camera.The scene settings are great too, but I recomend using "P" mode for most of your picture taking! (just remember to have a tri-pod ready in low light!)
3. Video, video, video Sony is the undisputed king of on board digital camera video! Great sound, great Resolution It aint DVC, but it ain't bad either! You can get upto 44Minutes worth on a 1GB card (stick)! NO MORE CLIPS!!
4. Decent battery life. About 220 minutes per charge. Im not sure about the G6 (A friend of mine owns one, and he said he got about the same.)
5. Dual memory capability! A huge plus here! The ability to carry twice the memory ready and available right on the camera!Just flick the switch!If you are a volume picture taker this is a Gift from above for you. One minus however the V3 can't use Micro-Drives. (Maybe on next years model!?!?) The V4?
6. Picture. The V3 takes clearer shrper pictures than it's counterpart, bottom line. Not to mention the fact that you can crop your shots within the camera, and even select the resolution of the new image!! Fantastic! Beat the snot out of the G6 in ambient and low light settings. The G6 does have better ISO response, but not by enough for me to reccomend it over the V3.
7. A sane, Useful array of shutter speeds, and apature settings. I hate it when a camera addsa 40 or 60 second shutter delay, or a 1/2000 shutter speed, and then charges you 300 or 400 bucks for your trouble! Most mortal picture takers like you and me don't need these! (hell Im a professional photographer and I rarely do) the V3 shutter speeds range from 30 seconds all the way up to a scorching 1/1000, the apatures are set up likewise, It's a nice selection of speeds, allowing the use some really nice creativity options!
the apaturesThe Bottom Line, and what is it?
Sony has again set the new standard for so called point and shoot cameras, by increasing functionality and power while maintaining a compact size.Just search through Amazon here and you will be astounded at all the extra's available for this little camera! I like to call these new cameras Hybrids because they combine a little of both worlds. Sony proved they are the masters at this when they released the DSC-F828 which in my opinion is one of the most amazing digital cameras ever made! Tempramental but amazing! And that is where I can best describe the V3, It has many of the features and most of power of its predacessor (F-828) but is much more user friendly and tolerent of misgudgement on the photographers part. With the G6 like the 828 I found I have to work for great shots (not that I mind working) but with the V3 they just seemed to happen. The camera seems to act like an extension of yourself, and that is what any great camera should do. So to Sony I say Bravo again!! I bought one for my father, one for me and every damn accessory for it I can lay my hands on! If your ready this could be and will be the last digital camera you'll ever have to buy. To the Canon people out there don't get mad, the G6 is a fantastic camera in every sense of the words, but the V3 is an experience in photography not just another tool for taking snapshots!Sorry!
This is (if you'll excuse the pun) the best buy!

For those who are considering Canon G6
Do not buy Canon G6. Buy this one instead.I have done the research and paid the price for you.

When I buy cameras, the most important thing to me is picture quality.I have owned two digital cameras (3 MP and 5 MP, both are Sony) and I was upgrading to 7MP.

I narrowed my search to Sony V3 and Canon G6.I thought G6 may deliver better picture qualify because it has a bigger lens.I found out in a hard way that in this case, SIZE DOES NOT MATTER!

Here is the story:I bought a G6 about 3 months ago (at $599.99).I compared it side by side (same objects same conditions) with my 3MP Sony DS75 and astonishingly saw that my three-year-old Sony DS75 beat the G6 both in resolution and color of the pictures.I was very disappointed and decided to compare the G6 and V3.I brought my compact flash card to a local chain store that sells both the G6 and V3.The sales person was kind enough to let me take dozens of picture at the store using my compact flash card in both the G6 and V3. I compared the pictures at home.Every single shot (in door) by the V3 was better.

What about ourdoor pictures? I bought the V3.After coming home, I take many outdoor pictures using both the G6 and V3.Again, the V3 outdoor pictures have much better resolution and color.I was totally convinced that the G6 was just a piece of junk.

Another thing for the G6:It does not have date/time stamp unless you print in out in a Canon printer.Years from now, I don't want to check the time I create the picture file to figure out when the pictures were taken.If date/time stamp is important to you, another reason to forget about the G6.

I returned the G6 (paid 15% restock fee).I have taken over a thousand pictures with my V3 and I am very happy with it.Picture quality is much better with the V3.An excellent product. ... Read more

Product Description

Digital8 record/play, Hi8/8mm play only * digital photo mode * MPEG Movie EX mode * compatible with Memory Stick or Memory Stick PRO® (available separately) * 460,000-pixel CCD * 2-1/2" color touch-panel LCD * ... Read more

Features

• Backward compatible with 8mm, Hi8 and Digital8 video tapes
• Grow into digital video recording with a Digital8 Handycam camcorder that lets you watch all of your old analog video tapes in addition to filming new digital videos
• 1/6-inch CCD Imager with 460K effective pixels
• 20x optical zoom lens with 990x digital zoom
• 2.5-inches SwivelScreen touch panel LCD display

Reviews (2)

A versatile choice
If you're looking to make that digital transition from your old 8mm, this one gives you the best of both worlds at an affordable price.This camcorder allows you to digitize all of your old analog tapes.I figured that with all of the additional features it has compared to the TRV280, it was worth 50 more bucks to go with the TRV480.

But if you plan on converting your stack of 8mms, you'd better give yourself some time.Capturing video and burning a "VCD" is a slow process.Depending on the speed of your computer it will probably take several hours per tape.So far I have only tried it with the provided USB cable.I would consider going with another cable and maybe even some other software.I've only had the camera for a couple of days, and so far all I have used it for is converting.I'll update this review in the near future.

Camera is Nice, Software is Useless
I bought my Sony DCR-TRV480 a week ago, to replace a 9-year-old Sony Hi8 model.My primary requirements were for a model that would make it easy to capture aging 8mm tapes on DVD media, and provide 5-10 years of use for more family videos.My first reactions are that the camera will do the job, but that the provided DVD/VCD software is useless.I have not really tested the camera functions yet, beyond generating a few minutes of digital tape to play with for quality comparisons.Thus I must limit my thoughts to the software and the camera interface to my PC.[See my update below.]

My first goal was to capture some minutes of preexisting material on my PC to learn the process and explore the software.After diligently reading the manual, I discovered that to burn DVDs with the Sony software, you must own a Sony VIAO computer.Otherwise you are stuck with direct burning of VCDs, and that without any true editing capabilities.Further, Sony's software will only capture to MPEG-2 format with the use of a firewire/I-link/IEEE 1394 connection (not provided), and does not work with USB2.The direct VCD format is (I believe) MPEG-1.

That said, after an hour of reading and experimenting, I was able to burn a VCD from a preexisting tape using the provided USB2 cable.The process requires starting the application on the PC, then initiating the burn from the camera.(Be patient, it can take 20-40 seconds for the camera and software to shake hands and get to it.)Recording begins at the current location on the tape, puts in chapter marks at fixed (but configurable) time intervals, and quits when it sees a gap on the tape.The camera appears to be in control of the process.The manual does NOT say that the camera will refuse to start the process if you have not inserted a completely new CDR in your burner.It also automatically finishes the disk when blank tape is found, so you cannot add more segments to a half full disk.This will waste a lot of CD space if you have more than a few gaps on your original tapes (something I am very guilty of ;-)).After wasting 5-6 CDRs, I was pretty frustrated.The clincher was a number of computer lockups, apparently from some of the software failing to close when instructed to do so.(My OS is Win2K Pro on a new 2.8Ghz P4).

At this point, I was considering returning the camera.Luckily, my burner (from TDK) came with Roxio's DVDMax software, and I decided to see if it would do better.It did.I spent 5 minutes with the DVDMax tutorial, then set DVDMax to capture the USB2 input stream, and just hit play on the camera.Video worked on the first try, with Audio coming along when I realized that I was pointing the software at the wrong source.It was easy to capture segments, though the two devices are not linked at the control level, meaning that you have to start the camera playback and click the record button on the PC separately, the old fashioned way.The resulting quality from a variety of old tapes (standard 8mm, Hi8, new digital) is adequate for home movies, when set at 640x480 (I do not expect professional quality results, however much I would wish for them, especially with my older analog tapes).The Sony software limited me to a lower resolution when using the USP cable, though I should note that the manual suggests that higher quality is possible with a firewire connection.I am intending to test this in the next week or so, once I can buy the cable.I believe that DVDMax was able to get the higher 640x480 resolution through the USB cable, but I have not confirmed that at this writing.

After building a test movie with DVDMax, and checking it on the system in the living room, I deleted all of Sony's software, except the base driver, and will happily live without it.If you buy Sony, you will want to do the same, and use DVDMax or some other third party tool to capture, manage, and burn your movies on a PC.

UPDATE:I bought the Firewire cable (6 pin to 4 pin) and tested the capture system again with Roxio's DVD Builder.The camera and software linked up immediately, with the PC controlling the camera as needed.The camera delivered 720x480 frames with no problems, giving me a sample from a 15 year old standard 8mm tape, a newer Hi8 tape, and some Digital 8 footage taken with the new camera.Both the analog recordings were much better than the earlier test with the USB2 connection.The Digital 8 recording was excellent, though still not commercial quality.I expect I can get a further improvement on all my material if I get software with better rendering capabilities, which is the next purchase on my list.The Digital 8 recording also automatically separates out segments for editing with each record/standby transition you film, which is a nice feature for the future.The camera cannot do this for either analog format.

I have also been able to test the camera modestly.The zoom is better than my old camera, able to frame a large bird at 150 feet (optically, not digitally).Like all small camcorders, stability when zoomed in is a problem, but no worse than on our old camera.I do not like the zoom control:it is small and very sensitive.You use your right index finger to push/pull a small protruding control.With my large hands, I found it at the edge of awkward.A two-button design would have been much better.As for the rest, only time will tell. ... Read more

Features

• Includes DVD with Gwen interview, remix track, screen saver, and images; comes with certificate of limited-edition authenticity for collectors
• Exclusive design by Gwen Stefani; includes matching bag, shoulder strap, wrist strap, and charms designed by Stefani
• With 4.1 megapixel resolution, you can produce prints up to 11 x 17 inches
• Features a 3x Pentax optical zoom; record video clips with sound with MPEG movie mode
• HP's "Instant Share" feature allows you to send photos to e-mail addresses and online albums

Reviews (1)

cute camera...
pros: tons of great features (the panorama preview mode is awesome!), compact design, beautiful color scheme, cute camera bag, would make a great gift for first time camera users or gwen stefani fans!

cons: terrible audio quality. very terrible. in video and audio captures, an obvious hissing noise can be heard. when you are recording any audio, you have to really speak up loud, or else you can't hear anything at all (except hissing) when you play it back on the camera or after downloading it to your computer. my canon power shot a300 is 100x better then this camera's audio capabilities.

(...)

(the Harajuku Lovers camera is the exact same camera as HP's regular Photosmart R607 model) ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Kodak's top-of-the-line compact digital camera for 2004, the EasyShare DX7630 features a massive 6-megapixel resolution--good enough for print enlargements up to 30 x 40 inches. It also offers the professional quality Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon 3x optical zoom lens, Kodak's new Color Science image processor, an extra-large 2.2-inch indoor/outdoor LCD, movie mode with audio, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, 32 MB internal memory, and compatibility with SD and MCC memory cards.

The Kodak EasyShare DX7630 is made with a Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon 3x optical zoom lens and features multizone autofocus.

Optics and Resolution
The DX7630 has a 6-megapixel resolution for 2856 x 2142 images and photo enlargements up to 30 x 40 inches. Other resolution modes include 2856 x 1904 (5.4 MP, 3:2 aspect ratio), 2304 x 1728 (4 MP), 2048 x 1536 (3 MP), and 1496 x 1122 (1.7MP). The Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon 3x optical zoom lens is also supplemented by a 4x digital zoom, for a 12x total. Working with renowned German professional optics designer Schneider-Kreuznach, Kodak equipped the camera with an f2.8 to f8.0 aspheric lens to provide striking edge-to-edge brightness and sharpness across the frame.

Movie Mode
The DX7630 can capture full-motion video (20 frames per second at 320 x 240 pixels) with capacity dependent on available memory (32 MB internal memory included; additional memory may be added via the SD/MMC expansion slot). The DX7630's 32 MB memory will capture approximately 3.5 minutes of video.

More Features
The DX7630 camera's precision low-light auto-focus system combines rapid phase detection with highly accurate through the lens (TTL) contrast detection to sharply define a subject, even in almost complete darkness. Continuous auto-focus also delivers rapid click-to-capture (0.3 seconds). Selectable focus zones and exposure metering allow exacting control over each scene, while standard and fine JPEG compression settings give users more power over their file sizes and quality.

The camera's 16 scene modes help you get great pictures in a variety of shooting conditions.

The DX7630 camera offers automatic as well as fully manual controls, permitting independent aperture settings, shutter speed (1/1400 to 64 seconds), exposure compensation and automatic bracketing, and ISO equivalents. The camera also features aperture priority, shutter priority, program and custom modes, as well as 16 scene modes including sport, portrait, night, landscape, macro and automatic.

The Kodak EasyShare DX7630 features an exposure-bracketing function that automatically captures three images with user-selectable brackets.

Other features include:

• 2.2-inch high-resolution indoor/outdoor display that offers a fast magnification feature with zoom control, fast scroll through pictures, or view multi-up
• Real image optical viewfinder
• High performance flash detects backlit situations and triggers auto fill flash
• Continuous shooting and bracketing modes

Storage and Transfer
Images can be stored within the DX7630's 32 MB internal memory, or on optional Secure Digital (SD) or MultiMedia (MMC) memory cards. It connects to Macs and Windows-based PCs via USB 1.1 connectivity.

Sharing
With a touch of the red-jeweled Share button, you can store up to 200 pictures in an on-camera digital album. These pictures can then be shared anytime on the camera's large, 2.2-inch, high-resolution (153,000 pixels) indoor/outdoor LCD screen. The Share button also allows selection of photos for printing and even e-mailing, with up to 32 e-mail addresses stored in the camera's memory.

Kodak Color Science Image Processing Chip
Kodak's Color Science Image Processing Chip offers a new high-speed digital image processor, advanced algorithms, and hardware acceleration features that enable the DX7630 make simultaneous, split-second decisions to produce rich, vibrant, true-to-life colors in almost any lighting situation. Each time you click the shutter, the Kodak Color Science Chip performs an instantaneous and advanced analysis of collected scene data to identify and correct multiple factors that influence picture quality. Scene light source is detected and adjustments are made to capture bright whites and true, vivid colors under difficult lighting conditions--fluorescent, tungsten or daylight. Scene content is analyzed for luminance, focal distance, subject matter orientation and color to determine the correct exposure and capture the natural details, accurate flesh tones, and rich colors you see in your composition.

Power and Size
The DX7630 is powered by a proprietary rechargeable lithium-ion battery (1050 mAh), which can be charged via the included battery charger or an optional EasyShare Camera Dock. The KLIC-5001 battery can shoot approximately 350 images on one charge. The camera measures 4.0 x 2.7 x 1.6 inches and weighs 7.9 ounces without the battery.

What's in the Box
This package contains the Kodak EasyShare DX7630 digital camera, rechargeable lithium-ion battery (KLIC-5001), battery charger, USB and A/V cables, wrist strap, lens cap, and custom camera insert for optional EasyShare Camera and Printer Docks.

Like all EasyShare cameras, the DX7630 includes Kodak EasyShare software for Windows and Macintosh systems, providing effortless digital picture transfer, organization, basic editing, sharing and printing. The software's exclusive One Touch to Better Pictures feature--which takes advantage of proprietary color technologies developed by Kodak--helps Windows OS users get vibrant, true-to-life prints from home inkjet printers, while significantly reducing the trial, error and waste usually associated with home photo printing. ... Read more

Features

• Store images in 32MB of internal memory or on optional Secure Digital memory cards (memory card not included)
• Powered by rechargeable EasyShare lithium-ion battery (included with charger)
• 6.1-megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 14-by-19-inch enlargements
• Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon 3X optical zoom lens
• 2.2-inch display; movie mode with sound

Reviews (46)

Excellent Camera - For the Money
The Kodak EasyShare DX7630 is a perfect blend of features and ease-of-use. It's a great way to get 6 megapixels without spending a fortune. I bought the camera as my "serious" camera; but as time goes on and I want to upgrade, this camera can be my "glovebox" camera. I, personally, have not had any problems with quality. I admit that the battery compartment cover is a little cheap, but I wouldn't let that stop me from buying the camera. Worst case scenario is that the cover breaks, and you have to put a piece of tape on it. This is a great camera for the money. It takes great photos. My only complaint is that when you use the close-up setting, the actual framing of the photo is much different than what you see thru the viewfinder. But that problem is solved by using the LCD viewer instead, during those close-up photos.

I'm happy with mine. I'd buy the same camera again. Also, battery life is GREAT!

Good price, Great pictures. Well worth the $$
As an casual photographer, I had been using my old Ricoh, and unwilling to move into the land of digital.Along came this camera, and with 6 megapixels for $300, I couldn't resist trying it out.I haven't been disappointed yet.The pictures are AMAZING, both in color and clarity, the detail is sharp, crisp and true, and, with the huge screen, picture taking is a breeze.I've tried several of the various photo styles (night pictures, snow, active children, etc), and each time the pictures were beautiful. I haven't picked up my old favorite Ricoh in months.This camera even has features for more sophisticated photographers, none of which I am completely familiar with yet.However, for the everyday user, this camera is MORE than a bargain.

VERY MAD CUSTOMER. CHEAP Plastic BATTERY LOCK
Sure wish I would have found these reviews before I purchased this camera on 4-27-05. I have only used the camera once and yesterday I decided I should go ahead and re-charge the battery for an upcoming vacation. I opened up the battery door and the orange plastic battery lock was broken. THIS WAS THE FIRST time I had opened the battery compartment up since installing it!!!! I can't take it back to the store where I purchased it for replacement because it has been longer than 14 days. I am so mad especially since I leave for vacation on June 10th. Kodak customer service was closed for the holiday yesterday so I had to call today. I have to pay to ship it back to the company for repairs. They promise me it will be shipped back to me by June 10th but I have serious doubts!!!! I can't believe they are putting such a cheap plastic part. I'm sure that darn thing will break on me again. I'm always very careful with my cameras too. I was very careful when I put the battery in. This is RIDICULOUS!

Also a battery latch issue!! Stupid warenty
I thought I was the only one, seeing I only bought the camera a few months back it pains me to have such a small thing break. I looked up the warenty, which I still have the ability to use the one year one with the product. Only trouble is they charge you a large amount just to return the camera back to you and you must mail it to them in the first place to have it repaired! Cash out for postage to them and cash out to return!! What a great warenty, not! EDIT: I think I speak for all before me that its not the battery DOOR thats our issue, its the cheap and flmsy little PLASTIC orange lock that is breaking on everyone!! Ihave contacted a few local stores and asked if they have had many issues with this problem and the answer was a clear yes. OTHERWISE this camera is the best one out there, with ease of use at the top of my applaude list!! Clear HUGE pictures are great for large prints. BTW, the Video is 10 times better then the 4mp I had before it, also a kodak. Great sound and very clear video!

Best camera I have owned
Earlier this year I began looking around for a new digital camera to replace my 4 year old, 2MP camera.After finding this camera being offered on sale at a local retailer it was a deal that I could not pass up.Being able to print up to 20x30 and 30x40 pictures is a big difference to the 4x6 maximum quality I was getting from my old camera.Although the many features take some getting used to they come in handy.They have allowed me to get the best results with pictures shot in many differnt settings.The camera itself is small, sturdy and has easy to use buttons and dials.Also the menu for setting camera formats and features is easy to navigate.I have had my camera for two months now and have not had any problems with the battery latch.I am looking forward to taking this camera on summer vacation just to see the difference in quality compared to my older pictures.Great camera for the price. ... Read more

Product Description

The Satellite P35 is the ultimate gaming machine, loaded with the latest in everything, including a 17" WXGA display with TruBrite for the best in graphics. The 16: 9 aspect ratio makes it perfect for viewing wide-screen format movies!The Mobile Intel Pentium 4 Processor supports Hyper-Threading Technology, improving the performance of many applications. The ATI discreet graphics optimizes visuals without compromising system performance. The 17" diagonal wide-screen display is intensified with TruBrite technology, producing images so sharp they are mesmerizing from across the room. Harman Kardon speakers and SRS TruSurround XT technology create a rich, more immersive audio experience. And the sleek, ultra-cool chassis contains a massive hard drive that has plenty of room for your applications and files. With razor-sharp images, robust sound and intense power it all adds up to the ultimate gaming machine. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Backlight for LCD died after 6 months
At first I was fairly happy with the p35 Toshiba laptop.It does have a short battery life, that is for sure.About 2 hours.A little more if you are generous with the battery saving settings.My backlight has just gone out however.After checking reviews all day on the web, I can see now I'm in big trouble.It appears Toshiba doesn't offer much in customer service or servicing of their computer products.Hopefully they won't take months to repair my backlight with lots of hassles and repeated returns as I have seen many people write about.I'll update here later on my experience.Other than the backlight going out and the short battery life, the amount of software provided was nice and I liked the design.For the moment it is mostly acting as a paperweight on my desk until I get Toshiba to repair it.

Toshiba P35-6011 automatic Shutdown
I agree with William McMullin's review. Within the FIRST WEEK this computer began shutting down for NO reason. The battery and plug were fine. It was not the heat. The laptop was off ALL day and we turned it on and it immediately turned off. Interestingly it would only work when we switched the plug from one outlet to another.It would not work if it was not plugged in. As if switching the outlet was a reset. Not sure why this should matter. I am not sure if it is an adapter thing.

Very frustrating. If the problem is resolved I will pull write another review and let buyers on amazon know.

Power Problem
I bought 2 Toshiba laptops the last couple of months.The P35-S611 will just shut down periodically for no reason when plugged in to an A/C outlet with battery intact.It will reboot for a few seconds and then shut down again.

The other Toshiba, the Tecra A4, freezes up everytime you switch it from battery to power cord.Toshiba gave me a refund on this one.I'm still fighting for a refund on the P35.

Dont be fooled again from amazon geeks
I love this laptop!! I listened to other reviews regarding a Averatech tablet. I am stuck with that piece of junk!!I was dumb enough to read posts regarding how awesome that trash Averatech was..I use my laptop for work every day and night. I LOVE THIS TOSHIBA P35S611 LAPTOP! Yes its heavy but when you start using it the weight will overcome all of the other factors.If you have ever felt like you can trust someones post please take my advice ....Dont listen to the geek idiots who have nothing better to do than place posts regarding the items that mom and dad bought them. I am surprising myself that I am writing this now to tell other hard working over 40 people that really need a great laptop to buy this one. Try one at a local store you will see what I am talking about.... I use the blue tooth card along with my Treo 650 and my hp 450 cbi potable printer 10-15 hours a day..Good luck, dont get burned from any other child game playing idiots out there :)

What's next?
With in the first 3 weeks of owning my Toshiba, the performance was reduced to waiting 15 to 20 seconds for any program to open. With a gig of ram, it should have been zipping along. Durring the next week, the backlight on the LCD went out and had to be used via a external monitor. I was informed that it should take 5 to 10 business days for turn around. As it turned out, I was waiting 35 days for it to be returned. Upon recieving the computer from repair, the sound did not work. After installing the sound drivers with the help of the tech support, it was determined that it had to be shipped back for another repair. I was informed that Toshiba DOES NOT have a replacement or refund policy. I bought what I thought was a reliable computer. Not something that had to be sent back for repaires constantly.
I love the looks and layout of this unit but the performance leaves a lot to be desired. ... Read more

Product Description

print resolution: 4800 x 1200 dpi color and black * built-in memory card reader for direct printing (accepts CompactFlash®, Microdrive®, SmartMedia®, Memory Stick®, Memory Stick PRO, Secure Digital , MultiMediaCard; accepts xD-Picture Card, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Duo PRO and mini SD Cardwhen used with optional adapter) * 2-1/2" color LCD for viewing and editing images * direct photo printing with PictBridge-compliant cameras * print sizes: letter (8-1/2" x 11"), legal, credit card (approx. 3-3/8" x 2-1/8"), 4" x 6", 5" x 7", envelopes * ... Read more

Features

• Automatic 2-sided printing; 6 individual ink tanks
• USB interface, Direct Print Port, IrDA port; PC/Mac compatible
• Up to 4,800 x 1,200 dpi color, droplets as small as 2 picoliters
• Built-in 2.5-inch LCD to view, edit, and print, even from digital cameras
• Direct printing from memory cards and PictBridge-compatible cameras

Reviews (21)

get this printer!
My PIXMA ip6000d arrived yesterday, and I have only printed three photos so far--two from a digital camera and one from a scanned print.But I am ecstatic and amazed at the quality I see.These photos are better prints than I have received from photo labs recently!The clarity of one image of my pet cockatiel on my shoulder is so detailed, that the texture of my t-shirt fabric is visible!Absolutely astounding!

Two of the photos I've printed were both taken with a Canon digital camera, but the third was from a B&W print scanned to my computer, and I can't tell the difference from the scanned print-out to the original photograph.In this case, I feel that regardless of your brand of digital camera, quality will still be outstanding.

My plans are to use this printer specifically for photo printing, so right now, I can't speak for document quality, but if you're looking for a photo-only printer, go no further.I can't recommend this printer highly enough.

Forget Epsons!!
I've had many models of the Epsons in the past. Luckily, I purchased the additional warranty from the store I purchased them from. Within a few months, I was always bringing my Epson back to the store for malfunctions such as ink splattering, cranking noises, ink clogs, and the paper feed was just rediculous! Everytime, the store told me that I was able to just get a new printer from the shelf in exchange, and I always picked an Epson because of all the hype about how wonderful they are with photo printing, and how they're "supposedly" the best photo printers on the market. So with the last one, I decided to go with something other than Epson and came across this Canon. I couldn't be happier!!! Pictures turn out fantastic, its fast, color quality is faboulous, not noisey, and the ink doesn't clog or splatter. I love it so much that I purchased one for my mother so she can start printing.Overall, a fantastic printer!

Great printer!
I purchased this printer to use with my Kodak Easy Share camera back in November.I was surprised at the quality of the photos.I would recommend using Canon photo paper as the pictures looked the best on that.HP paper works well too.I also agree with the reviewer who said not to use Kodak photo paper with this printer.The pictures are very dull.I have printed more than 100 4 x 6 prints on this.Mostly, I print by inserting the memory card, but I've printed photos from the computer and directly from the camera.I couldn't see any difference in the quality. I printed an 8 x 10 print right from the memory card and was pleasantly surprised at the quality of that as well.I also like the fact that it has 6 ink tanks.I've just had to replace the two original photo inks, the regular inks are still going strong.Replacing one or two at a time is much easier on the pocket book!It is also nice to be able to print photos without having to power up the computer.Over all I'm very pleased with this printer and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys photography as a hobby.

Wow
I just got this printer, and so far I am very impressed.I have only printed from my camera's memory card (inserted into the printer) so far, and I am so impressed with the quality of the photos. They are beautiful and look just as good as lab prints. It is incredibly easy to edit or print different photo sizes -- all using only the printer.

Excellent Piece of Kit
I've owned this wonderful piece of kit for a few months now, and it still impresses me every time I use it.

It's always refreshing when something does the job first time, every time, without any fuss, bother or headache. It installed just fine; all instructions were clear, concise and easy to follow - even my mother could do it.

Operationally, it's nigh-on silent, which is a relief (the last printer I owned, even though inkjet, sounded more like a daisy wheel), and having the six cartridges saves a lot of waste. It does seem to get through them at a rate of knots though, which is the only fault I have with it - its draft mode just isn't draft enough (I tend to print a lot of posters, and need to get them just-so).

The quality of the prints is impressive, and for those that are concerned about printed photos versus real ones, don't be: printed photos don't bleed when wet, and the quality difference is almost impossible to distinguish (obviously, this is somewhat reliant on the quality of your camera). One tip though, don't use Kodak paper with this printer, the quality is terrible in comparison with other, cheaper, varieties.

The memory card reader is great too, and not only can you print directly from it (borderless too), but it appears as a drive in My Computer as well (which is handy for me, meaning I don't have to dig out the wires for the camera to be able to get at the photos).

Finally, the ability to print directly onto a CD sounds like a fad, but it's not. Being able to send professional-looking CDs/DVDs to friends, without having the effect ruined by handwritten labels is great. (I'm not aware of any limitation for priting in the US, this model was bought in the UK)

Overall, I can't recommend this enough. For what it does, it should be twice the price. ... Read more

Product Description

Make it worth watching with the incredible picture resolution of a Sony Hi-Scan TV. The KV-32HS420 32" FD Trinitron WEGA Hi-Scan TV features four times the picture resolution of a conventional TV, thanks to Sony's Digital Reality Creation MultiFunction Circuitry. Resolution is increased both vertically and horizontally, and the results are spectacular. CineMotion Reverse 3-2 Pulldown technology improves the look of older videos by preserving the integrity of the original film frames. Additional features include Speed Surf Channel Selection, V Chip Parental Control, and TruSurround SRS Audio. ... Read more

Features

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

Reviews (7)

Great choice for 4:3HD-Ready TV
This TV received some decent reviews online and I would recommend this system for those looking for a 4:3 HDTV. 90% of what I watch on TV is in the format of 4:3 and even thou widescreen looks great for Widescreen DVD and High definition I was unwilling to watch standard (SDTV) definition TV on a widescreen where you have to stretch and zoom the image which distorts the picture and makes images look shorter and fatter (very noticeable) or view the image with side bars (beware of screen burn in). When cable offers 40% widescreen and/or HD then I'll switch to widescreen but I don't see that happening soon, so don't believe all the hype about TV stations switching fast to this new format, that's years away. Personnally, I don't see that happening for at least another 7 yrs. Changing to this new format is extremely expensive for the stations and most people do not own widescreen TV's which will dictate how quickly these stations will transmit in widescreen. "Even Congress anticipates that viewers and broadcasters may not be ready for HDTV by 2006. Congress has made provisions that would extend the deadline in areas where fewer than 85 percent of TV households have HDTV sets or set-top converter boxes". Search online for statistics on the percentage of people who own HDTVs, pathetic now but it will get better, just moving way to slow.

1. Used Avia (DVD used to calibrate color, picture, etc.) for basic calibrations. Without this disk try setting the TV to PRO setting with the color turned down 1-4 notches to decrease the red push. Basic calibrations make a big difference in picture quality and I recommend using Avia which is easier for non-tech people.

2. Tip: If you have a progressive DVD player, compare the progressive setting on the DVD player to normal 480i(non-progressive) setting. You may find that the TV does a better job in upconverting the signal compared to the DVD. You may think that the DVD player would produce a better picture but that isn't always the case. Search online for more info, worked better for me.

3. I was concerned that all SDTV (Standard cable channels) would look bad on a HDTV. They do look bad on widescreen HDTV's due to the stretching and zooming done to fill the screen. I was happy to find out this wasn't the case for this TV. Some channels, especially local channels transmit a poor signal and this looks worse on this TV. Half the SDTV stations look the same compared to a regular Toshiba TV, some look better (like DVD quality). The HDTV stations look excellent (We subscibe to Time Warner), DVD's look great. Discovery HD looks awesome! Because of this I give a higher rating.

4. Tip: Some cable installers don't understand this TV. SDTV (Standard cable channels) are suppose to be in 4:3 format without having to zoom in which distorts the picture or having the image with bars all around it. He had no idea of what I was talking about and tried to convince me that this was the way the image is displayed. After he left I set it right but I can see how these TV's are set wrong from cable installers then reviewers are upset that 4:3 stations have a bar around the image. The cable box settings were set to video out to pass-thru, display set to 4:3TV, accept 480i & 1080i formats which corrected the display. Luckily I spent days researching this TV and knew his settings were wrong so I was able to correct it.

If widescreen is important to you then you should look at widescreen TV's. If you watch lots of widescreen DVDs then go widescreen. For me this was a great choice, I watch 1 DVD per week and use the TV's excellent zoom feature for HD programming to fill the screen. Sure it's heavy and curved on the top (center speaker fits OK, forget about putting a cable box on top unless you're good at balancing).

You should expect that SD channels will display 4:3 without zooming or bars. Widescreen DVD's look great on this TV but you'll have to put up with a top/bottom bar which can't be TV zoomed. True HD will display a top/bottom bar which may be TV zoomed to fill the screen. This is a true zoom which doesn't stretch the picture but expect a slight decrease in picture quality and part of the picture (left/right side) will be lost. Avoid the cable box zoom functions (bad) since this produces noticeably lower picture quality compared to the TV's zoom (which is pretty good). Cable stations that upconvert 480i programs to higher definition will have bars on all sides and I recommend the TV's zoom to fill the screen. You have lots of inputs and 4 color settings, and the true HDTV programming will be "Wow, that's amazing". So amazing that I'm starting to watch more programming about nature and scenic places in HD. How good is the picture? In real life my vision is not as good as the pictures I see on this HDTV, but I wear glasses. Just realized I need high definition glasses but they don't exist, no exaggeration. Some true HD programs will look better then others, some of the garbage HD upconverted programs will look worse then DVD quality. Overall, I'm happy with this purchase and wish I made the change sooner to HDTV, it's worth it. Since experiencing true HD programming it's hard to watch standard cable channels because the difference in picture quality is so extreme but we still have a long way to go before HD is the norm. Until then this is my pick for now.

Best picture for SDTV with HDTV capability for under $1000
I have spent the last two years looking at HDTV capable TVs. The technology is changing and the prices are dropping so much that you could literally spend thousands of dollars today and several months later you might see a better TV with a newer technology for a much lower price than what you just paid. Beyond the fact that the newest equipment is becoming yesterday's technology every few months, you also have to practically be a digital video display scientist to understand all these latest technologies.If you don't believe me then go ahead and try asking some questions at your favorite electronics and TV store and you will understand what I mean. What is an HDMI interface ? How is it different from a DVI interface ? What is 3:2 reverse pull down ?Can I watch SDTV (standard definition or NTSC standard) on a wide-screen HDTV ? Your mind will spin and you will become more confused as the questions go on and on as you realize that buying a TV has become a full time job in itself. To complicate things even worse is that the television stations, cable TV providers, and satellite TV companies keep delaying or changing their minds about how they want to offer HDTV. Do you want to pay extra for HD digital cable or satellite or are you happy with the limited but free over the air HD broadcasts ? Do you need a DVR ( digital video recorder) for HD ? Does your DVR support MPEG4 compression ? Get ready to spend $500-$1000 on the latest HDTV DVR receiver for your cable or satellite company only to have it become obsolete in a year or two. I do not want to write a technical essay on the details of what all this stuff means because after two years of studying it myself I am just beginning understand all this HDTV video mumbo jumbo.

The fact is that I became tired of waiting for HDTV broadcasts to take over, for the prices to drop, and for the confusion to end.I wanted a TV to replace my eighteen year old 27" Sony Trinitron which still works but its picture image quality is beginning to show its age.There are problems with most of the big screen HDTV technologies out there.Plasma TVs don't last, LCDs have poor contrast and ghosting, DLPs have the rainbow effect, LCoS (or JVC's D-ILA) is good but its very new and still too expensive.I want a high quality wide screen HDTV but I could not justify investing $3000 or more on becoming a beta tester for the latest technology while all these companies attempt to bring an HDTV to the market at an acceptable price.

This Sony KV-32HS420 32" HD-Ready TV was the answer to my two year HDTV shopping dillema.You can buy one of these impressive TV's for under $1000 or even as low as the $800 plus range if you look hard and work your salesman for a deal.The image quality is great for standard definition, great for high definition, it will display HDTV wide-screen signals with an approximate size of 28" diagonal image width (with the more acceptably annoying black bars above and below the picture image), it has a variety of inputs including one standard only, three S-Video with standard, two component video, and the latest digital HDMI output. It even has audio video outputs for your amplifier.On the video side it has 3D Digital comb filtering, Sony's Digital Reality Creation processors, progressive scan and 3:2 reverse pull-down technologies. What all this means is that you are able to view your SDTV where 90% of the programming is in normal 4:3 aspect ratio but with Sony's state of the art digital image enhancement processing, HDTV (with an add on HDTV digital receiver) and DVDs in 16:9 wide-screen mode, with most of the inputs and outputs you need to hook up your favorite DVD player, VCR, video games, cable and satellite box, etc.The picture quality is excellent and depends on your source.I recommend you use at least an s-video or component video cable to transfer the SDTV (NTSC) signal to the TV. As you would for any newer HDTV you buy expect to spend at least $150 for higher quality cables (monster cable is a good brand) although they are worth it.

There are some negatives to this TV. It's a big, heavy, bulky, older tube technology that we are all familiar with. It takes two strong men to move the entire 165 lbs. but its balanced well andlifting it was actually much easier than I expected. On the positive note this state of the art tube technology with all the latest Sony enhancements make your image near or sometimes even better than the $3000 plasma, LCD, DLP, and other newer technology TVs at less than one third of the price.If you can put up with the negatives this is the best 32" SDTV 4:3 aspect ratio picture with HDTV capability for under $1000 that you have ever seen.

PROS: Excellent picture quality for both standard definition TV (SDTV or NTSC), DVD, and for high definition broadcasts (HDTV with a needed HDTV receiver).A variety of inputs and outputs including the newest and most flexible HD digital input called HDMI. Great for playing Sony PS2, XBox, and GameCube video games in higher definition modes. A great value for the money compared to other HDTV solutions.Save your extra money for when the very large big flat screen HDTVs drop in price, really improve in quality, and the widescreen HDTV channels are the norm.

CONS: Heavy, bulky, difficult to move, a big strong TV stand is needed, uses more power while in use than more expensive flat screen HDTVs.Smaller viewable picture than most larger wide-screen HDTVs.Displays wide-screen with the familiar black bars in a slightly smaller size than a 30" wide-screen HDTV. You must purchase a separate over the air HDTV receiver or get an extra HDTV compatible box from your cable or satellite company to view HDTV broadcasts. Compared to the excellent picture image quality the sound of the dual ten watt stereo speakers is of a very moderate quality.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Besides its size an weight issues there are a number of other lesser annoyances that you run into with while setting up this TV such as a limited preferences menu compared to Sony's XBR series of TVs and a curved front top surface prevents you from being able to place a center channel speaker or cable box on top of the TV. If you are used to a smaller screen size and you currently have a bad NTSC signal or poor image quality you will see more distortion from a bad image source and it will be enhanced on this or any other larger screen television. I have a standard definition Dish Satellite w/DVR box with a Monster Cable 3 brand of S-Video cable and the image quality is excellent. You will also want to spend a few hours reading the manual and adjusting your brightness, sharpness, color levels, digital reality creation settings, etc. Test out using the different DRC Progressive, DRC Cinemotion, and Clear Edge modes to your liking. If you are using a satellite or digital cable TV service in standard definition use very high quality video S-Video or for DVDs or HDTV sources use component video interconnects between the receiver and this TV. I recommend the Monster Video 3, Z-300, Professional M series or an equivalent very high quality brand. This Sony TV shows the smallest details from your source signal including any signal interference distortion or artifacts that you never noticed before on your TV of a lesser image quality. For example if you happen to see a trail of square block image artifacts around any object that moves it may actually be an effect from the original digital video signal decompression process in your source signal. Properly setting the DRC modes such as Clear Edge and Progressive modes and using high quality cable interconnects can minimize this undesired effect. Give yourself a few days to adjust to the larger image of this TV and for the tube electronics to warm up and adjust to your particular signal source. You will find that the stereo sound quality is not great but not terrible and ultimately you may want a better external sound system to go along with that clear and sharp Sony Trinitron picture. If you have already committed to going with HDTV wide-screen programming and you don't mind spending $1500 or more then I recommend Sony's wide screen HDTV XBR series and for the larger flat screen HDTV technologiestake a look at the reasonably priced JVC D-ILA, Mitsubishi DLP, or the more expensive Sharp Aquos LCD.

The Bottom Line: Compared to the best of the expensive big wide screen HDTVs or the Sony XBR series of tube HDTVs I would give it Four Stars. But with all things considered I give it Five Stars since for under $1000 no other current television can come close to the combined SDTV and HDTV picture quality and the viewing flexibility in the normal 4:3 or widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio of this " Best of All Worlds " Sony 32" HDTV Ready television.

Great quality with an unbeatable price!
When I decided to purchase a new TV, I have done my research.I knew I wasn't ready to spend $2000 - $4000 on a plasma or LCD and yet, I wanted a TV with outstanding picture quality.
This TV offers the best features in its price range than any other HDTV.As a matter of fact, for merely $800 (at J&R) for a Sony TV, it beats the Panasonics, Toshibas, JVCs and Samsungs.The difference is quite obvious when you look at those TVs side by side in the store.
This TV offers additional input/outputs and is more than enough to hook up all my equipment.
The only downside is the weight, make sure you have at least 2 strong people carrying it to your TV stand.

Excellent HD Ready Television
Fantastic value for the quality and convenience of HD!Both my wife and I are not quite ready for a $4000 LCD television with a total surround sound system yet, so we decided upon this 32" gem.We are quite impressed with all the additional features this set has such as 4:3 pulldown, two HD inputs (for my XBOX and DVD player), and dual 10watt speakers that stimulate surround sound.The picture quality is unsurpasssed, even with other HDTV's standing side by side (Panasonic and Samsung).The on-screen menus are quite intuitive and easy to adjust.I highly reccomend this television.

Always 16x9 mode in 4x3 set
When the TV is on, it is always 16x9 screen. After you zoom it to full screen, image clarity suffers.To be worse, about 25% of the screen on both sides is cut off leaving 5 day weather forcast to 4 days.What is Sony thinking?Forcing people to buy 34hs420 for $500 more? ... Read more