Tagged Products - hd+black

Western Digital WD TV HD Media Player for Select USB Storage Devices

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Pure Digital Flip Video MinoHD Camcorder - Black

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than the earlier Ultra series Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (Black). And Mino also has 4GB capacity compared to 2GB of Ultra - although both take 60 minutes of video
-- Controls are super-easy, really child's play. A simple press of the big red button records video. The +/- signs operate the digital zoom and the left/right arrows scroll through videos. Touching the trash can button deletes a video. That's it!
-- Good performance in low light - although one wishes for some sort of extra light source sometimes, this camcorder performs above average in low light
-- Sound is good especially given the size. The sound syncs well with the picture too. The videos I shoot with my digital camera sometimes go out of sync but not with the flip.
-- Easily charged through your computer, has a Li-ion battery as opposed to the Flip Ultra that used 2 AA batteries
-- Creates MP4 video with good compression so the files are not huge, easy to load files into youtube or your computer. The upload feature seems to be faster than the previous Flip Ultra. Video uploads can be slow but Flip seems to make good time with its H.264 video and AAC sound compression which is stored as a MP4 file.
-- Software drivers are on the camcorder drive so you're good to go with any PC or MAC
-- Included Flipware can be used to edit/share/organize video files. I don't use it though, I just drag and drop the files to my computer, so easy
-- The camera is smooth and sleek and self-contained which makes it fairly rugged compared to the super sensitive traditional camcorders.
--Comes with a basic soft carrying pouch although you may prefer to buy a separate case.

Here's what I don't like:

-- Zoom is limited at 2X digital zoom. It's great for making videos of people right in front of you but if you're trying to record a performance from a distance prepare to be disappointed.
-- Given basic controls it's also difficult to zoom in as smoothly as my Sony MiniDV camcorder to capture people's facial expressions without noticeable camera shake and repositioning. I find Flip is best for mostly fixed focus videos.
-- Due to higher definition video, camera shake can also be more pronounced. A tripod or putting the camera on a flat surface will help minimize shake.
-- Li-ion battery replacement is only available through the Flip Support as of now, the earlier Ultra series used the widely available AA batteries
-- The 1.5" screen makes it difficult to see what you're recording at times. Since there is no tilt like traditional camcorders it is also not possible to hold the camera over your head and shoot something. Although FLIP says the screen is trans-reflective, it can be hard to see in bright sunlight.

Overall, I like this camcorder for its super sharp videos and ease of use. A high end camcorder may be nice for very special occasions but it's not possible to carry my bigger camcorder at all times. This camcorder is easy to take everywhere and takes videos with better resolution and smaller file sizes than any digital camera with the video function. It makes it that much easier to upload and share these videos with your friends and family.

I have found myself capturing more moments on video since I started using the Flip camcorders. These moments would have never got on video if I did not have the Flip camcorder which I could pull out and turn on in a few seconds!

Western Digital My Passport Essential 500GB External USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive - Midnight Black

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than the earlier Ultra series Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (Black). And Mino also has 4GB capacity compared to 2GB of Ultra - although both take 60 minutes of video

-- Controls are super-easy, really child's play. A simple press of the big red button records video. The +/- signs operate the digital zoom and the left/right arrows scroll through videos. Touching the trash can button deletes a video. That's it!

-- Good performance in low light - although one wishes for some sort of extra light source sometimes, this camcorder performs above average in low light

-- Sound is good especially given the size. The sound syncs well with the picture too. The videos I shoot with my digital camera sometimes go out of sync but not with the flip.

-- Easily charged through your computer, has a Li-ion battery as opposed to the Flip Ultra that used 2 AA batteries

-- Creates MP4 video with good compression so the files are not huge, easy to load files into youtube or your computer. The upload feature seems to be faster than the previous Flip Ultra. Video uploads can be slow but Flip seems to make good time with its H.264 video and AAC sound compression which is stored as a MP4 file.

-- Software drivers are on the camcorder drive so you're good to go with any PC or MAC

-- Included Flipware can be used to edit/share/organize video files. I don't use it though, I just drag and drop the files to my computer, so easy

-- The camera is smooth and sleek and self-contained which makes it fairly rugged compared to the super sensitive traditional camcorders.

--Comes with a basic soft carrying pouch although you may prefer to buy a separate case.



Here's what I don't like:



-- Zoom is limited at 2X digital zoom. It's great for making videos of people right in front of you but if you're trying to record a performance from a distance prepare to be disappointed.

-- Given basic controls it's also difficult to zoom in as smoothly as my Sony MiniDV camcorder to capture people's facial expressions without noticeable camera shake and repositioning. I find Flip is best for mostly fixed focus videos.

-- Due to higher definition video, camera shake can also be more pronounced. A tripod or putting the camera on a flat surface will help minimize shake.

-- Li-ion battery replacement is only available through the Flip Support as of now, the earlier Ultra series used the widely available AA batteries

-- The 1.5" screen makes it difficult to see what you're recording at times. Since there is no tilt like traditional camcorders it is also not possible to hold the camera over your head and shoot something. Although FLIP says the screen is trans-reflective, it can be hard to see in bright sunlight.



Overall, I like this camcorder for its super sharp videos and ease of use. A high end camcorder may be nice for very special occasions but it's not possible to carry my bigger camcorder at all times. This camcorder is easy to take everywhere and takes videos with better resolution and smaller file sizes than any digital camera with the video function. It makes it that much easier to upload and share these videos with your friends and family.



I have found myself capturing more moments on video since I started using the Flip camcorders. These moments would have never got on video if I did not have the Flip camcorder which I could pull out and turn on in a few seconds!

Toshiba PSLD8U-00G001 Satellite L355-S7831 17.0" Notebook

...

than the earlier Ultra series Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (Black). And Mino also has 4GB capacity compared to 2GB of Ultra - although both take 60 minutes of video


-- Controls are super-easy, really child's play. A simple press of the big red button records video. The +/- signs operate the digital zoom and the left/right arrows scroll through videos. Touching the trash can button deletes a video. That's it!


-- Good performance in low light - although one wishes for some sort of extra light source sometimes, this camcorder performs above average in low light


-- Sound is good especially given the size. The sound syncs well with the picture too. The videos I shoot with my digital camera sometimes go out of sync but not with the flip.


-- Easily charged through your computer, has a Li-ion battery as opposed to the Flip Ultra that used 2 AA batteries


-- Creates MP4 video with good compression so the files are not huge, easy to load files into youtube or your computer. The upload feature seems to be faster than the previous Flip Ultra. Video uploads can be slow but Flip seems to make good time with its H.264 video and AAC sound compression which is stored as a MP4 file.


-- Software drivers are on the camcorder drive so you're good to go with any PC or MAC


-- Included Flipware can be used to edit/share/organize video files. I don't use it though, I just drag and drop the files to my computer, so easy


-- The camera is smooth and sleek and self-contained which makes it fairly rugged compared to the super sensitive traditional camcorders.


--Comes with a basic soft carrying pouch although you may prefer to buy a separate case.





Here's what I don't like:





-- Zoom is limited at 2X digital zoom. It's great for making videos of people right in front of you but if you're trying to record a performance from a distance prepare to be disappointed.


-- Given basic controls it's also difficult to zoom in as smoothly as my Sony MiniDV camcorder to capture people's facial expressions without noticeable camera shake and repositioning. I find Flip is best for mostly fixed focus videos.


-- Due to higher definition video, camera shake can also be more pronounced. A tripod or putting the camera on a flat surface will help minimize shake.


-- Li-ion battery replacement is only available through the Flip Support as of now, the earlier Ultra series used the widely available AA batteries


-- The 1.5" screen makes it difficult to see what you're recording at times. Since there is no tilt like traditional camcorders it is also not possible to hold the camera over your head and shoot something. Although FLIP says the screen is trans-reflective, it can be hard to see in bright sunlight.





Overall, I like this camcorder for its super sharp videos and ease of use. A high end camcorder may be nice for very special occasions but it's not possible to carry my bigger camcorder at all times. This camcorder is easy to take everywhere and takes videos with better resolution and smaller file sizes than any digital camera with the video function. It makes it that much easier to upload and share these videos with your friends and family.





I have found myself capturing more moments on video since I started using the Flip camcorders. These moments would have never got on video if I did not have the Flip camcorder which I could pull out and turn on in a few seconds!

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28K 10-Megapixel Digital Camera - Black

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dollars into something that is noticeably less powerful and feature laden than today's units costing hundreds less, I might be kicking myself pretty hard.

This unit may be just a point and shoot but it has one of the best lenses available. It is almost comparable to an SLR in many respects. It shoots in RAW mode as well as offering one of the longest zooms in its class. I would have wished it offered a lower minimum ISO than 100 (my old Canon Powershot A610 compact offers a 50 setting) but with such a high quality CCD, the long zooming Leica lens and twice the megapixels of my old Canon it seemed a far trade off when all things were considered.

The features and modes are quite numerous and of very good quality. They do well to guide even the most inexperienced users to get some great shots in various situations. I have to especially praise the intelligent auto mode above all others when it comes to beginners' usage. The camera does a surprisingly effective job at recognizing the situations in which it finds itself. (One gripe I have with this setting however is that it doesn't allow you to shoot in RAW format - it's JPEG only - more on that later.) Being more of a photo geek than the average person, I use the manual setting most often; and it's a true manual setting rather than semi-manual like many other manufacturers offer. I have full control of everything just like on an SLR. One of the features I liked best while shooting in the manual mode is that the camera's metering is active and gives you feedback for the best setting. Say for example your shutter speed or your aperture needs to be raised or lowered - the camera's meter will show that as you're focusing. Following this electronic advice gives near perfect exposures every time; but you're still free to make your own creative judgments since it is a manual mode.

The menus are relatively easy to navigate considering the amount of settings and options available. I also really liked that I could choose between 4:3, 3:2, and 16:9 aspect ratios (SDTV, 35mm film, and widescreen TV respectively.) The HD video option is a nice little extra - but keep in mind you only get about eight minutes of video on that setting regardless of how large your memory card is. Then again I figure if shooting video is a priority you would buying a proper video camera. The image stabilization works very well as do the higher ISO settings should you find yourself wanting to take a shot in the dark without a tripod. Of course you shouldn't expect to make artist grade compositions in conditions like that, but if you need to snap a quick picture of something in low light it will serve you well. I'm actually excited to see what the future holds as technology improves upon the image stabilizing and the noise reduction at higher ISO speeds. Hopefully in a few years we will start to see models that shoot some very impressive images in low light conditions. As far as long shutter speeds if using a tripod, this unit offers up a full minute. I was able to take a close up shot of a rose last night in only the light of a waning moon, and it come out so bright I actually had to darken it a little in the post processing just because I wanted it to have a night time effect.

Physically speaking, this unit feels solid and employs good ergonomics. It is relatively lightweight but does pack some bulk and volume. (Don't expect to be pocketing this for everyday, everywhere random use - but that isn't the purpose of a superzoom or an SLR.) It fits nicely in the hands and has a very polished, professional appearance. Essentially it is a Panasonic SLR body with a fixed lens. Get yourself a nice bag and a few extras and you will have a very respectable hobbyist level outfit.

The superzoom (18x) is wonderful. Last night I took a picture of the moon and it came out very detailed and clear. It certainly helped that the lens is threaded for 46mm filters - allowing me to use a polarizer. The autofocus system also had no trouble at all which surprised me. I thought I was going to have to manually focus an object so far away and bright. I haven't yet been able to use the long zoom for things like bird photography but I have seen images taken by other users and it seems they are quite good.

But now the most important thing when it comes to investing in a camera like this: image quality. I hate having to say it, but I wasn't as impressed with the FZ28's JPEG images as I had hoped to be. I might have been spoiled by the super sharp, low noise imaging of my A610 at ISO 50, but for my money the FZ28 didn't measure up to that old Canon. The images were slightly soft, maybe a little jagged at close examination. Taking macro pictures of my corals, I noticed some artifacts that weren't present on the older images from my Canon. I was really hoping for tack-sharp details but didn't get them. The colors weren't as saturated as the Canon's, but at the same time many might welcome that fact because it gives greater post processing control, especially owing to the RAW format capability.

This is where the FZ28 really shines. After being a little disappointed in the JPEG processing (a bit too aggressive on noise reduction seems to be the problem making the images too soft) I tried the RAW format and started getting the results I wanted. Straight from the camera (SilkyPIX Developer comes with the package and does a decent job) the images were near perfect. Just a little bit of processing and then an export to either a TIFF (lossless) and/or JPEG (lossy) and I have some truly great pictures. RAW format will take up quite a bit of space on your memory card but these days memory is inexpensive so carrying a few 4g or 8g cards should not set you back too much, and considering the type of camera this is I'm assuming that anyone looking into its purchase would be concerned enough with the quality of their images that the extra investment is already being considered.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this unit to anyone looking to step up from their compact point and shoot digital camera to something a little more professional. While being a fixed lens unit and not entirely on par with the better SLR models, it certainly offers a very effective step in their direction for a far more reasonable price tag. Unless you're a professional or very advanced hobbyist who absolutely needs an SLR, this may be about one of the best camera choices on the market at this time. Naturally one can not future-proof themselves when it comes to digital technology, but the reasonable price of superzooms compared with SLRs makes a compelling case at this point in time. So until SLRs are closer to this price level (and they will be, albeit with more features, megapixels, and image quality than today's units) my advice is to go superzoom. Speaking for myself I would be a lot less disappointed to see something I bought for $300 or less go obsolete than I would something for which I paid upwards of $700. Canon and Nikon also have units in this class getting some great reviews. It's all a matter of choice I suppose. I went with a Panasonic, though I'm sure I would have been quite happy with the others as well.


Pros - Likely best lens quality in its class, 18x zoom, threads to use filters, great array of shooting modes, intelligent auto is wonderful for effortless use, manual mode offers full user control, great image quality in the RAW format, SilkyPIX included, professional look and feel. SLR-like capabilities at a point and shoot price point.

Cons - Noise reduction is a little too aggressive when it comes to in-camera image processing for JPEG format resulting in images that are a little soft and can appear a little frayed. No RAW format in auto mode. Some users may find the images less saturated than they would want. (But this is easily changed in post processing.)

ASUS EPC900HA-BLK006X Eee PC 900HA 8.9" Netbook - Black

...

dollars into something that is noticeably less powerful and feature laden than today's units costing hundreds less, I might be kicking myself pretty hard.



This unit may be just a point and shoot but it has one of the best lenses available. It is almost comparable to an SLR in many respects. It shoots in RAW mode as well as offering one of the longest zooms in its class. I would have wished it offered a lower minimum ISO than 100 (my old Canon Powershot A610 compact offers a 50 setting) but with such a high quality CCD, the long zooming Leica lens and twice the megapixels of my old Canon it seemed a far trade off when all things were considered.



The features and modes are quite numerous and of very good quality. They do well to guide even the most inexperienced users to get some great shots in various situations. I have to especially praise the intelligent auto mode above all others when it comes to beginners' usage. The camera does a surprisingly effective job at recognizing the situations in which it finds itself. (One gripe I have with this setting however is that it doesn't allow you to shoot in RAW format - it's JPEG only - more on that later.) Being more of a photo geek than the average person, I use the manual setting most often; and it's a true manual setting rather than semi-manual like many other manufacturers offer. I have full control of everything just like on an SLR. One of the features I liked best while shooting in the manual mode is that the camera's metering is active and gives you feedback for the best setting. Say for example your shutter speed or your aperture needs to be raised or lowered - the camera's meter will show that as you're focusing. Following this electronic advice gives near perfect exposures every time; but you're still free to make your own creative judgments since it is a manual mode.



The menus are relatively easy to navigate considering the amount of settings and options available. I also really liked that I could choose between 4:3, 3:2, and 16:9 aspect ratios (SDTV, 35mm film, and widescreen TV respectively.) The HD video option is a nice little extra - but keep in mind you only get about eight minutes of video on that setting regardless of how large your memory card is. Then again I figure if shooting video is a priority you would buying a proper video camera. The image stabilization works very well as do the higher ISO settings should you find yourself wanting to take a shot in the dark without a tripod. Of course you shouldn't expect to make artist grade compositions in conditions like that, but if you need to snap a quick picture of something in low light it will serve you well. I'm actually excited to see what the future holds as technology improves upon the image stabilizing and the noise reduction at higher ISO speeds. Hopefully in a few years we will start to see models that shoot some very impressive images in low light conditions. As far as long shutter speeds if using a tripod, this unit offers up a full minute. I was able to take a close up shot of a rose last night in only the light of a waning moon, and it come out so bright I actually had to darken it a little in the post processing just because I wanted it to have a night time effect.



Physically speaking, this unit feels solid and employs good ergonomics. It is relatively lightweight but does pack some bulk and volume. (Don't expect to be pocketing this for everyday, everywhere random use - but that isn't the purpose of a superzoom or an SLR.) It fits nicely in the hands and has a very polished, professional appearance. Essentially it is a Panasonic SLR body with a fixed lens. Get yourself a nice bag and a few extras and you will have a very respectable hobbyist level outfit.



The superzoom (18x) is wonderful. Last night I took a picture of the moon and it came out very detailed and clear. It certainly helped that the lens is threaded for 46mm filters - allowing me to use a polarizer. The autofocus system also had no trouble at all which surprised me. I thought I was going to have to manually focus an object so far away and bright. I haven't yet been able to use the long zoom for things like bird photography but I have seen images taken by other users and it seems they are quite good.



But now the most important thing when it comes to investing in a camera like this: image quality. I hate having to say it, but I wasn't as impressed with the FZ28's JPEG images as I had hoped to be. I might have been spoiled by the super sharp, low noise imaging of my A610 at ISO 50, but for my money the FZ28 didn't measure up to that old Canon. The images were slightly soft, maybe a little jagged at close examination. Taking macro pictures of my corals, I noticed some artifacts that weren't present on the older images from my Canon. I was really hoping for tack-sharp details but didn't get them. The colors weren't as saturated as the Canon's, but at the same time many might welcome that fact because it gives greater post processing control, especially owing to the RAW format capability.



This is where the FZ28 really shines. After being a little disappointed in the JPEG processing (a bit too aggressive on noise reduction seems to be the problem making the images too soft) I tried the RAW format and started getting the results I wanted. Straight from the camera (SilkyPIX Developer comes with the package and does a decent job) the images were near perfect. Just a little bit of processing and then an export to either a TIFF (lossless) and/or JPEG (lossy) and I have some truly great pictures. RAW format will take up quite a bit of space on your memory card but these days memory is inexpensive so carrying a few 4g or 8g cards should not set you back too much, and considering the type of camera this is I'm assuming that anyone looking into its purchase would be concerned enough with the quality of their images that the extra investment is already being considered.



In conclusion, I highly recommend this unit to anyone looking to step up from their compact point and shoot digital camera to something a little more professional. While being a fixed lens unit and not entirely on par with the better SLR models, it certainly offers a very effective step in their direction for a far more reasonable price tag. Unless you're a professional or very advanced hobbyist who absolutely needs an SLR, this may be about one of the best camera choices on the market at this time. Naturally one can not future-proof themselves when it comes to digital technology, but the reasonable price of superzooms compared with SLRs makes a compelling case at this point in time. So until SLRs are closer to this price level (and they will be, albeit with more features, megapixels, and image quality than today's units) my advice is to go superzoom. Speaking for myself I would be a lot less disappointed to see something I bought for $300 or less go obsolete than I would something for which I paid upwards of $700. Canon and Nikon also have units in this class getting some great reviews. It's all a matter of choice I suppose. I went with a Panasonic, though I'm sure I would have been quite happy with the others as well.





Pros - Likely best lens quality in its class, 18x zoom, threads to use filters, great array of shooting modes, intelligent auto is wonderful for effortless use, manual mode offers full user control, great image quality in the RAW format, SilkyPIX included, professional look and feel. SLR-like capabilities at a point and shoot price point.



Cons - Noise reduction is a little too aggressive when it comes to in-camera image processing for JPEG format resulting in images that are a little soft and can appear a little frayed. No RAW format in auto mode. Some users may find the images less saturated than they would want. (But this is easily changed in post processing.)

Samsung Blu-ray High-Definition Disc Player with 1080p Output

...

dollars into something that is noticeably less powerful and feature laden than today's units costing hundreds less, I might be kicking myself pretty hard.





This unit may be just a point and shoot but it has one of the best lenses available. It is almost comparable to an SLR in many respects. It shoots in RAW mode as well as offering one of the longest zooms in its class. I would have wished it offered a lower minimum ISO than 100 (my old Canon Powershot A610 compact offers a 50 setting) but with such a high quality CCD, the long zooming Leica lens and twice the megapixels of my old Canon it seemed a far trade off when all things were considered.





The features and modes are quite numerous and of very good quality. They do well to guide even the most inexperienced users to get some great shots in various situations. I have to especially praise the intelligent auto mode above all others when it comes to beginners' usage. The camera does a surprisingly effective job at recognizing the situations in which it finds itself. (One gripe I have with this setting however is that it doesn't allow you to shoot in RAW format - it's JPEG only - more on that later.) Being more of a photo geek than the average person, I use the manual setting most often; and it's a true manual setting rather than semi-manual like many other manufacturers offer. I have full control of everything just like on an SLR. One of the features I liked best while shooting in the manual mode is that the camera's metering is active and gives you feedback for the best setting. Say for example your shutter speed or your aperture needs to be raised or lowered - the camera's meter will show that as you're focusing. Following this electronic advice gives near perfect exposures every time; but you're still free to make your own creative judgments since it is a manual mode.





The menus are relatively easy to navigate considering the amount of settings and options available. I also really liked that I could choose between 4:3, 3:2, and 16:9 aspect ratios (SDTV, 35mm film, and widescreen TV respectively.) The HD video option is a nice little extra - but keep in mind you only get about eight minutes of video on that setting regardless of how large your memory card is. Then again I figure if shooting video is a priority you would buying a proper video camera. The image stabilization works very well as do the higher ISO settings should you find yourself wanting to take a shot in the dark without a tripod. Of course you shouldn't expect to make artist grade compositions in conditions like that, but if you need to snap a quick picture of something in low light it will serve you well. I'm actually excited to see what the future holds as technology improves upon the image stabilizing and the noise reduction at higher ISO speeds. Hopefully in a few years we will start to see models that shoot some very impressive images in low light conditions. As far as long shutter speeds if using a tripod, this unit offers up a full minute. I was able to take a close up shot of a rose last night in only the light of a waning moon, and it come out so bright I actually had to darken it a little in the post processing just because I wanted it to have a night time effect.





Physically speaking, this unit feels solid and employs good ergonomics. It is relatively lightweight but does pack some bulk and volume. (Don't expect to be pocketing this for everyday, everywhere random use - but that isn't the purpose of a superzoom or an SLR.) It fits nicely in the hands and has a very polished, professional appearance. Essentially it is a Panasonic SLR body with a fixed lens. Get yourself a nice bag and a few extras and you will have a very respectable hobbyist level outfit.





The superzoom (18x) is wonderful. Last night I took a picture of the moon and it came out very detailed and clear. It certainly helped that the lens is threaded for 46mm filters - allowing me to use a polarizer. The autofocus system also had no trouble at all which surprised me. I thought I was going to have to manually focus an object so far away and bright. I haven't yet been able to use the long zoom for things like bird photography but I have seen images taken by other users and it seems they are quite good.





But now the most important thing when it comes to investing in a camera like this: image quality. I hate having to say it, but I wasn't as impressed with the FZ28's JPEG images as I had hoped to be. I might have been spoiled by the super sharp, low noise imaging of my A610 at ISO 50, but for my money the FZ28 didn't measure up to that old Canon. The images were slightly soft, maybe a little jagged at close examination. Taking macro pictures of my corals, I noticed some artifacts that weren't present on the older images from my Canon. I was really hoping for tack-sharp details but didn't get them. The colors weren't as saturated as the Canon's, but at the same time many might welcome that fact because it gives greater post processing control, especially owing to the RAW format capability.





This is where the FZ28 really shines. After being a little disappointed in the JPEG processing (a bit too aggressive on noise reduction seems to be the problem making the images too soft) I tried the RAW format and started getting the results I wanted. Straight from the camera (SilkyPIX Developer comes with the package and does a decent job) the images were near perfect. Just a little bit of processing and then an export to either a TIFF (lossless) and/or JPEG (lossy) and I have some truly great pictures. RAW format will take up quite a bit of space on your memory card but these days memory is inexpensive so carrying a few 4g or 8g cards should not set you back too much, and considering the type of camera this is I'm assuming that anyone looking into its purchase would be concerned enough with the quality of their images that the extra investment is already being considered.





In conclusion, I highly recommend this unit to anyone looking to step up from their compact point and shoot digital camera to something a little more professional. While being a fixed lens unit and not entirely on par with the better SLR models, it certainly offers a very effective step in their direction for a far more reasonable price tag. Unless you're a professional or very advanced hobbyist who absolutely needs an SLR, this may be about one of the best camera choices on the market at this time. Naturally one can not future-proof themselves when it comes to digital technology, but the reasonable price of superzooms compared with SLRs makes a compelling case at this point in time. So until SLRs are closer to this price level (and they will be, albeit with more features, megapixels, and image quality than today's units) my advice is to go superzoom. Speaking for myself I would be a lot less disappointed to see something I bought for $300 or less go obsolete than I would something for which I paid upwards of $700. Canon and Nikon also have units in this class getting some great reviews. It's all a matter of choice I suppose. I went with a Panasonic, though I'm sure I would have been quite happy with the others as well.








Pros - Likely best lens quality in its class, 18x zoom, threads to use filters, great array of shooting modes, intelligent auto is wonderful for effortless use, manual mode offers full user control, great image quality in the RAW format, SilkyPIX included, professional look and feel. SLR-like capabilities at a point and shoot price point.





Cons - Noise reduction is a little too aggressive when it comes to in-camera image processing for JPEG format resulting in images that are a little soft and can appear a little frayed. No RAW format in auto mode. Some users may find the images less saturated than they would want. (But this is easily changed in post processing.)

Sony BRAVIA XBR 52" 1080p 120Hz Flat-Panel LCD HDTV

...

it on your TV stand, all in just a few minutes--and in perfect condition! Non-HD over the air broadcasts look fairly decent on it. Ordinary DVDs look excellent--even from an ordinary DVD player. It has a USB port so you can look at your digital photos on the big 52" screen, and believe me it makes them look fantastic--and huge! It's at its best when you watch Blu-Ray movies on it. They just look incredibly beautiful and the sound is gorgeous, even with just the onboard speakers. I can't wait to hear how it sounds with my new receiver and surround speakers! And it can play Master Audio disks. You can't go wrong with this TV. The price is right and it's worth every penny and then some. I love it! Thanks again to Amazon for a great product at a great price with super fast high quality free delivery!

Sharp 26" 720p Widescreen Flat-Panel LCD HDTV/DVD Combo

...

it on your TV stand, all in just a few minutes--and in perfect condition! Non-HD over the air broadcasts look fairly decent on it. Ordinary DVDs look excellent--even from an ordinary DVD player. It has a USB port so you can look at your digital photos on the big 52" screen, and believe me it makes them look fantastic--and huge! It's at its best when you watch Blu-Ray movies on it. They just look incredibly beautiful and the sound is gorgeous, even with just the onboard speakers. I can't wait to hear how it sounds with my new receiver and surround speakers! And it can play Master Audio disks. You can't go wrong with this TV. The price is right and it's worth every penny and then some. I love it! Thanks again to Amazon for a great product at a great price with super fast high quality free delivery!

Pure Digital Flip Video MinoHD Camcorder - Black

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it on your TV stand, all in just a few minutes--and in perfect condition! Non-HD over the air broadcasts look fairly decent on it. Ordinary DVDs look excellent--even from an ordinary DVD player. It has a USB port so you can look at your digital photos on the big 52" screen, and believe me it makes them look fantastic--and huge! It's at its best when you watch Blu-Ray movies on it. They just look incredibly beautiful and the sound is gorgeous, even with just the onboard speakers. I can't wait to hear how it sounds with my new receiver and surround speakers! And it can play Master Audio disks. You can't go wrong with this TV. The price is right and it's worth every penny and then some. I love it! Thanks again to Amazon for a great product at a great price with super fast high quality free delivery!

Samsung Blu-ray High-Definition Disc Player with 1080p Output

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it on your TV stand, all in just a few minutes--and in perfect condition! Non-HD over the air broadcasts look fairly decent on it. Ordinary DVDs look excellent--even from an ordinary DVD player. It has a USB port so you can look at your digital photos on the big 52" screen, and believe me it makes them look fantastic--and huge! It's at its best when you watch Blu-Ray movies on it. They just look incredibly beautiful and the sound is gorgeous, even with just the onboard speakers. I can't wait to hear how it sounds with my new receiver and surround speakers! And it can play Master Audio disks. You can't go wrong with this TV. The price is right and it's worth every penny and then some. I love it! Thanks again to Amazon for a great product at a great price with super fast high quality free delivery!

Samsung Blu-ray High-Definition Disc Player with 1080p Output

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it on your TV stand, all in just a few minutes--and in perfect condition! Non-HD over the air broadcasts look fairly decent on it. Ordinary DVDs look excellent--even from an ordinary DVD player. It has a USB port so you can look at your digital photos on the big 52" screen, and believe me it makes them look fantastic--and huge! It's at its best when you watch Blu-Ray movies on it. They just look incredibly beautiful and the sound is gorgeous, even with just the onboard speakers. I can't wait to hear how it sounds with my new receiver and surround speakers! And it can play Master Audio disks. You can't go wrong with this TV. The price is right and it's worth every penny and then some. I love it! Thanks again to Amazon for a great product at a great price with super fast high quality free delivery!

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28K 10-Megapixel Digital Camera - Black

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it on your TV stand, all in just a few minutes--and in perfect condition! Non-HD over the air broadcasts look fairly decent on it. Ordinary DVDs look excellent--even from an ordinary DVD player. It has a USB port so you can look at your digital photos on the big 52" screen, and believe me it makes them look fantastic--and huge! It's at its best when you watch Blu-Ray movies on it. They just look incredibly beautiful and the sound is gorgeous, even with just the onboard speakers. I can't wait to hear how it sounds with my new receiver and surround speakers! And it can play Master Audio disks. You can't go wrong with this TV. The price is right and it's worth every penny and then some. I love it! Thanks again to Amazon for a great product at a great price with super fast high quality free delivery!

20 TOC Widescreen LCD HDTV Rose Black

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it on your TV stand, all in just a few minutes--and in perfect condition! Non-HD over the air broadcasts look fairly decent on it. Ordinary DVDs look excellent--even from an ordinary DVD player. It has a USB port so you can look at your digital photos on the big 52" screen, and believe me it makes them look fantastic--and huge! It's at its best when you watch Blu-Ray movies on it. They just look incredibly beautiful and the sound is gorgeous, even with just the onboard speakers. I can't wait to hear how it sounds with my new receiver and surround speakers! And it can play Master Audio disks. You can't go wrong with this TV. The price is right and it's worth every penny and then some. I love it! Thanks again to Amazon for a great product at a great price with super fast high quality free delivery!

Pure Digital Flip Video MinoHD Camcorder - Black

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it on your TV stand, all in just a few minutes--and in perfect condition! Non-HD over the air broadcasts look fairly decent on it. Ordinary DVDs look excellent--even from an ordinary DVD player. It has a USB port so you can look at your digital photos on the big 52" screen, and believe me it makes them look fantastic--and huge! It's at its best when you watch Blu-Ray movies on it. They just look incredibly beautiful and the sound is gorgeous, even with just the onboard speakers. I can't wait to hear how it sounds with my new receiver and surround speakers! And it can play Master Audio disks. You can't go wrong with this TV. The price is right and it's worth every penny and then some. I love it! Thanks again to Amazon for a great product at a great price with super fast high quality free delivery!

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28K 10-Megapixel Digital Camera - Black

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it on your TV stand, all in just a few minutes--and in perfect condition! Non-HD over the air broadcasts look fairly decent on it. Ordinary DVDs look excellent--even from an ordinary DVD player. It has a USB port so you can look at your digital photos on the big 52" screen, and believe me it makes them look fantastic--and huge! It's at its best when you watch Blu-Ray movies on it. They just look incredibly beautiful and the sound is gorgeous, even with just the onboard speakers. I can't wait to hear how it sounds with my new receiver and surround speakers! And it can play Master Audio disks. You can't go wrong with this TV. The price is right and it's worth every penny and then some. I love it! Thanks again to Amazon for a great product at a great price with super fast high quality free delivery!

ASUS EPC900HA-BLK006X Eee PC 900HA 8.9" Netbook - Black

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graphics memory.

I installed some developer tools (not VS yet) and a virtual machine (VirtualBox) with Linux installed as a guest OS. Concurrently running a few of these things has so far not shown any issues. Launching programs is as fast as any other system I use. I've never been a touchpad fan but on this small platform I found that it works pretty well, moving around the smaller screen faster than other platforms.

Overall, I find this thing to be great fun, especially for the price!

ASUS EPC900HA-BLK006X Eee PC 900HA 8.9" Netbook - Black

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I don't care if I'm carrying it. Above 2lbs I start to notice it. By 3lbs, it's just a small laptop. If weight is not a major consideration, don't get a 9" netbook. Get a 10", not because of the screen size, but because of...

(2) size of the keyboard: the 900HA's keyboard is tiny! You can find the actual specs on the web. Many people take an instant dislike to it. Many have trouble typing on it. The keyboards on the 10" netbooks are slightly smaller than standard, but not noticeably so. If weight weren't a major consideration, I'd have opted for a 10" machine. To be honest, if I don't adjust within the next week, I may abandon the 900HA for a 1000H.

(3) the configuration of the keyboard: This is subtle but can drive you crazy if you use more than one notebook. In part because they have no dedicated keypad, notebooks have a Function (Fn) key which works as a second shift key to allow keypad functions to be assigned to other keys and some control functions (brighten screen, mute, toggle wireless,...) to be assigned to the function (F1-F12) keys. Some companies (Asus and Dell) order the bottom row of keys from the left as Ctrl, Fn, Windows, Alt,... Other companies (MSI, Lenovo) swap the Ctrl and Fn keys so that the order is Fn, Ctrl, Windows, Alt,... The Fn key is configured in the BIOS, so key swapping utilities are no use here. If you are used to one type of keyboard (in my case, I've been using Dells ever since there were laptops), using the other type occasionally can be maddening. When I'm asked for a netbook recommendation, the first thing I ask is what kind of keyboard the person might be accustomed to. (Forget the Dell Mini Inspiron! Even F1-F10 do not have dedicated keys! They've been mapped to other keys through the Fn key. F11 [toggle to maximize your Firefox panel by eliminating menu bars] and F12 are missing completely!)

So, there you have it. Choose a 10" netbook unless weight is an issue and pick the manufacturer and model depending on how you might want your keyboard configured.

Other 900HA fun facts!

(1) There have been a lot of complaints about the space bar failing to record keystrokes. For that reason, this is my second 900HA. The first one missed spaces. This one seems better, but not perfect. There appears to be no rhyme or reason to it as both of my 900HAs came from the same dealer within 2 days of each other so, presumably, were from the same lot. If your space bar seems flaky, it's probably not you.

(2) There are no lights to indicate the status of CapsLock, NumLock, and ScrLock. Many (including me) have downloaded and installed the Microsoft keyboard driver. The Wireless 2000 configuration seems to be the model of choice. It causes a status balloon to appear for a few seconds when one of the keys is pressed.

(3) The 900HA is shipped with its 160 GB drive partitioned into two 80GB drivess (C: and D:). This is easily remedied with the free partition manager from Easus (no relation to Asus from what I can tell). Simply delete the D partition and drag the graphic representing the C partition to take up the freed up space. DO NOT DELETE any partition other than D as the others contain the system restore software! When I had to return my first 900HA, system restore reformatted everything, which was comforting because I had entered a bit of personal information into some applications before realizing the problem was with the computer and not my typing!

(4) The Elantech touchpad uses multifinger control. Scrolling, for example, is accomplished not by dragging a single finger on the edge of the trackpad but by dragging two fingers vertically anywhere on the trackpad. It doesn't scroll well in Firefox. The trick is to go into Elantech/Options/Tapping and uncheck the "Disable while typing" box. Then, it will work fine. You may even want to slow the speed! I find that I have a hard time stopping if I drag, but everything works the way it should if I rock my fingers vertically instead.

I'm giving the 900HA 5 stars because its problems appear to be inherent in a small keyboard. However, if a small keyboard is not for you, you will give the 900HA ZERO stars and be miserable. If time is not an issue, the ideal solution may be to wait for the next wave of netbooks that promise to get 10" machines down to the weight of the current 9"ers.

Canon VIXIA 2.96MP High-Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 2.7" Widescreen LCD Monitor - Black

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Th build wuality on this camera is SUBSTANTIALLY better than the lower end cameras like the aforementioned ZR930. No problems at all with this camera--it has worked perfectly right out of the box and looks and feel more solid in your hands. You are really holding a serious machine.

REALLY great picture quality. My rough estimate is better than broadcast tv and pretty close to cable HD channels and DVD quality. Very good audio with the built in mic. Includes a microphone input to add an external mic. MUCH better lower light performance than my ZR930. Normal room lighting is good enough to get decent video. Better lighting results is crisp video with great color.

Lots of picture setting that I have not even begun to investigate yet. A camera that is great to turn on and shoot, with alot of options to play with down the road!

Very happy with this camera. I find it to be light and comfortable to use. Small enough so that it fits right in a large jacket pocket.

Nothing bad to say.