Asin: B00006B975

Editorial Review

It takes two hands to hold Sony's new DSC-F717, which you'll need to use all the many features packed into this digital camera. The F717 captures images at up to 5.2-megapixel resolution--2,560 by 1,920 pixels--which allows for prints of 11 by 14 inches or even greater.

Images are crisp, colorful, and deep with detail. With USB 2.0 support, transfers to the PC zipped by and can be set to dispatch automatically. The large, autofocus Carl Zeiss lens zooms optically at 5x, with another 2x in digital mode. Atop the lens, the automatic flash pops open when needed. It also performs preflash metering and corrects the amount of light sent to create shots with the best possible exposure.

This aids the NightFraming mode, which incorporates the camera's NightShot infrared technology, and can help with taking optimal shots in low-light or no-light situations. If you've never used an infrared viewer before, you'll be impressed by the additional photo opportunities it provides, like snapping shots of teenagers stealing your jack-o'-lanterns and catching them orange-handed.

NightShot can also be used with the camera's movie-capturing mode. The audiovisual movies can be played back full screen with the HQX mode; we played our movie at 1,280 x 1,024 and could only find minor pixilation around the edges.

Video size is limited only by the capacity of the Sony Memory Stick inside the camera. The F717 ships with a 32 MB stick, so an upgrade to a larger size is recommended. It comes with a shoulder strap, but we also recommend buying a case to protect your investment. Not a camera for beginners, the F717 does everything you'd expect from a high-end digital camera. --J. Curtis

Pros:

• 5-megapixel resolution with 5x optical zoom
• NightShot infrared mode is quite handy
• Multiple modes, including movies with audio

Cons:

• Not compact

Features

• Professional-quality High-Definition DV camcorder and still camera with1.18-megapixel progressive scan CCD
• 10x optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 200x) with Picture Stabilizer for shooting without blur from camera motion when zoomed
• 3.5-inch rotating color polycrystalline silicon LCD and color LCD viewfinder
• Info-Shoe for a variety of optional attachments such as an Auto Light, Video Flash, or Stereo Zoom Mic
• BN-V428U 2800 mAh, high-capacity, rechargeable battery pack

Reviews (1)

If you have an HDTV, you need this camcorder!!!!
This is the first camcorder I have ever used that looks good on an HDTV. No... Let me correct that. It looks great!!!

Have you ever wondered why a normal camcorder looks so bad on an HDTV? It's because an HDTV is very high resolution. When you connect a traditional camcorder (even a Mini DV), the TV sees a much smaller, comparatively low resolution picture and must scale it (digitally enlarge it) to fit the screen. It doesn't matter if you have a $400 low end cam or a $4000 high end cam... Scaling the picture on virtually any HDTV will ruin your camcorder picture.

JVC solved this on the GR-HD1 with the world's first consumer HD camcorder. Basically, it's the first consumer camcorder ever that makes a picture which correctly fits a widescreen HDTV. It records a picture with 720 x 1280 dots, compared with 480 x 720 dots for a normal camcorder.

The result? The detail & resolution is simply phennominal! The colors look great! The video is much more appealing to watch in widescreen because it more closely matches your natural field of vision.

The only thing you need to be careful of is the frame rate. This shoots 720/30P. What that means is it takes video at 30 frames per second. As a result, if the camera uses too fast of a shutter speed you may see a "jitter" in things that move on-screen. The fix is really easy: Simply take the camcorder out of the "auto" mode and lock in a 1/30th of a second shutter speed. This eliminates the vast majority of the jitter. What you are left with is a superb high resolution video with a subtle "film-like" quality.

You don't have to be Stephen Speilberg to appreciate this. This is the ideal camcorder for any type of family video. Think about the great stuff happening today that you'll want to be able to watch 10-20 years from now, and still be happy with the quality.

Editorial Review

Early Adopters Pick: May 2003. This is the first DVD player with a built-in hard drive recorder, allowing you to record all your favorite shows onto digital disk as well as watch DVDs.

Talk about "all in one"--the Panasonic DMR-E80HS not only records DVDs and stores more than 100 hours of audio/video programming on its built-in memory; it's also a progressive-scan DVD player (for use with high-definition or HD-ready TVs) that also handles your DVDs, CDs, and MP3 recordable discs. With the DMR-E80HS's 80 GB hard drive, it provides up to 104 hours of recording time, plus up to 6 hours on a removable 4.7 GB DVD-RAM disc (in Extended Play mode in each case). The DMR-E80HS offers the flexibility of recording on both DVD-RAM--perfect for instant chapter access and for multiple rerecordings--as well as DVD-R, widely regarded as the most widely compatible of the many DVD formats (great for sharing camcorder footage with loved ones).

Panasonic's Time Slip feature lets you use your DVD recorder like a personal video recorder, or PVR. Because of DVD-RAM's extremely fast transfer rate, you can view the recorded portion of an ongoing program from the beginning, while still recording the program in progress. In addition to recording new video content, the DMR-E80HS lets you transfer your favorite VHS recordings to durable, space-saving discs. Personal movie libraries and family videos can be archived, preserved, and easily cataloged and accessed. Picture-enhancing technologies include 3D noise reduction, block noise reduction, and mosquito noise reduction.

Reviews (8)

Like driving BMW
Like it or not, I've used Windows/PC for the past 12 years. Macintosh occasionally appealed to me, but I didn't get it partly because it's expensive, partly because of compatibility. At work and at home, I owned: Dell Inspiron, Thinkpad, Dell/HP Desktops, running Windows 98/2000/XP. Also I tinkered with Sun workstations running UNIX (I'm an EE guy and have a respect for UNIX).
After 12 years of Microsoft (and blue screens), I made a bold switch to Apple Powerbook 15" with 1.5GHz/512RAM/80Gb, and I'm so happy with this system that even 5 stars are not high enough.

- The sleek aluminum chassis and the wide screen generate Wow! effect.
- This 15" machine is lighter than my old Dell laptop.
- It's very quiet during operation, but the bottom side may occasionally become hot.
- The keyboard has a good depth and touch, and the backlit keyboard is simply cool.
- Using the built-in microphone, you can play the bundled 3-D chess game via OS X's voice-recognition. Isn't that futuristic?

About software compatibility (from EE guy's viewpoint):
- MS Office 2004 for Mac became my favorite patch of programs. Even better than the XP version - a very important factor in my decision to switch.
- Math tools, especially Mathematica 5 and Matlab, run well on Mac.
- Favorite design tools, Adobe Photoshop and Carrara 3, work well. After all, Mac was built for them.

- There are tons of open source programs you can use: GIMP, A/G BLAST, ...
- Some layout and CAD tools are not compatible. I have to use old PC. For those number-crunching jobs, however, I don't use laptop anyhow.

As much as I enjoy steering this elegant silver machine, I love to navigate through the Mac OS X. As Sun's Bill Joy said during an interview, "Mac OS X is rock solid". I like the idea of using UNIX commands on my Mac, although I can do everything with the user-friendly Mac interface.

Yes, Powerbook is more expensive compared with Dell and other PCs, but you get what you pay for: top-quality components, futuristic functionality, eye-catching design, and the enormous joy of owning a rock-solid elegant machine (like BMW!). You'll definitely like this one!

concerning double-memory promotion
Hi,

If you are considering to purchase this PB because of Amazon.com's recent (as of 6/29/04) free double-memory promotion. Be aware! This configuration of PB comes with two DIMM slots already filled with two 256MB modules, and there is no open slot left. So, even if you get another 512MB memory module for free, in order for you to add it, you will need to remove one of those pre-installed 256 MB modules. So, that means instead of having 1 GB memory that you are dreaming about, you will only be able to upgrade it to 768 MB, which is not bad. In fact, that is how much I have for my iMac at home running OS X 10.3 Panther. In the end, you will have an extra 256 MB module.

Anyway, I just wanted to bring this to your attention.

Very happy customer
I have to say I am glad I waited for this generation of the G4 powerbook. It has been said in reviews that the most significant new feature of this laptop is it's lack of problem exhibited in many of the previous generations of the g4 powerbook. I must agree. The powerbook is very refined and the technology is perfectly combined with the operating system. It does everything with grace.

BTW, I reccomend the Appld bluetooth mouse and keyboard. They are an flawless pair.

Reviews (34)

Excellent Editing Very Good Output
I've used Adobe Premiere in the past, excellent but too expensive, I tried Ulead what a horrible experience, pinnacle reviews said crash after crash. Based on the reputation of Video Vegas I gave this product a try and it is really excellent.

I've used it so far to create 2 online projects for work documenting team meetings and posting the video online. It's easy to work with different pieces of the timeline and then output them in an appropriate format like Windows Media 9.
Excellent integration with external codecs - quicktime, wmv, mpeg1 and 2, and real video. The only drawbacks I've found so far are no control over the output only fixed templates. For example if you wanted to fine tune the audio bit rate, SB will not let you do that. Oh well I guess it is an entry level package. Secondly, the outputted MPEG is a little bit halo prone. It's supposed to be main concept encoder, but since you are not allowed to tune it at all, there's no way to fix it.

Lastly the NTSC mpeg2 video it creates is actually non-compliant for DVD production, since it only supports mpeg audio. In the US you really should output either PCM or AC3 Stereo. Neither of those are an option. I've filed a bug against Sony, but they have not responded. If sony would allow a little more control over the output I would definitely give this package 5 stars.

First the pros: excellent stability, very easy to use capture, good editing capability, easy to generate output.
Cons: lack of control over output.

Great Editing, but buy another DVD authoring program.
I suppose that, considering the whole package, I shouldn't give Screenblast 5 stars, but the editing functions are that good. I've used other programs, but only Screenblast gives me the kind of precision editing I needed. And only Screenblast gives me truly professional-looking titling functions. After many frustrating hours trying to get Pinnacle to work, Screenblast was a pure joy from beginning to end.

The down side is that for DVD authoring, it provides a separate program, Sonic MyDVD. MyDVD worked once for me, and produced good results. But when I went back and wanted to make a second DVD from exactly the same project, MyDVD reported that my video files were incompatible. Looking at other people's comments, it's apparent that MyDVD is an albatross around the neck of Screenblast.

Just install the Screenblast portion of the software to do your editing and get a different product to do your DVD authoring. It's worth it.

Features

• 8-in-1 Card Reader -- Accepts most major memory-card format
• Dual-option Backup -- Protects your data in automatic and manual modes
• USB 2.0 Hub with 2 ports, one front mounted, for easy connection of multiple USB peripherals
• Front-mounted power switch -- Includes Safe Shutdown feature
• Read Seek Time (Average) 8.9 milliseconds

Asin: B0001NA13M
Sales Rank: 11577
Subjects:  1. Hard Drives (Drive)    2. Internal   

Features

• This complete resiurce features over three hours of multimedia tutorials, covering every subject for beginning or advanced users
• Understand the basics of music theory -- song structure, arrangement, transitionsand more are fully covered
• Get step-by-step instructions on every aspect of Reason 2.0 - build percussion loops, write synth basslines, and learn about synthesis
• Work with new graintable synthesis options, advanced sampling and pro sequencer tools
• Open up a tremendous range of musical possibilities for yourself with this helpful tutorial!

Asin: B000084VGP
Sales Rank: 976
Subjects:  1. Computer software (programs)    2. Training (Lessons)    3. Tutorials    4. Instruction (Instructional)    5. Utilities    6. Maintenance    7. Diagnostics (Diagnostic)   

Features

• 40 GB model holds up to 10,000 songs; supports MP3, AAC, WAV, MP3 VBR, Audible (6), and AIFF formats
• Mac and Windows compatible; FireWire and USB 2.0 interface for fastest digital transfer available
• Included docking station makes charging and synching easy
• More than 8 hour battery life on a 3 hour charge (1-hour fast charge to 80% capacity)
• Features redesigned and backlit navigation; includes dock, wired remote control, earbud headphones, carrying case, and AC adapter

Reviews (131)

Steve Jobs wants you to be cool!
Apple's always at the top of their game - whatever game that is - and this top of the line iPod is no exception. Let's pause a moment for the analysis:

40 GB. That's roughly 40,000 megabytes. Using today's AAC or mp3 music encoding technology, a 72 minute album rarely consumes more than 80 megabytes - even at near-CD quality. What does that mean to you? Yeah, you did the math right - 500 albums. You could sit there and play music 24/7 for nearly a month without repeating. Or head down to your local club and be DJ for the night - just slip the iPod out of your pocket and plug into the sound system!

OK, so it'll hold all your music. But what the numbers don't tell you is that it holds your music in STYLE. About the size of a stack of 8 credit cards, and only a trifle heavier, this'll fit on your belt, in your sleeve, in your backpack's cellphone pocket, in your purse, or wherever else you want to put it with no hassle. The controls lock so jostling around doesn't accidently push buttons. And what cool buttons they are - the 'scrollwheel pad' and no-click touchbuttons make for an easy, fun and durable interface.

Also, the thing just looks darn cool - with its white front, silver back, and little backlit screen, it's got instant 'bling bling' credibility, day or night.

It comes with everything you need - belt clip, earbuds, dock to recharge the battery and transfer music over from your Firewire- or USB 2.0-equipped computer. But I'd recommend two additions: first, the optional FireWire cable makes this into a portable 40G hard drive, highly useful in today's information age. (I carry a copy of the human genome around on mine.) Second, ditch the included headphones and grab a pair of the Sony neodymium-magnet earbuds, model #MDR-EX70LP. They transform your iPod from merely great to INSANELY great.

Cool tunes to ya, my friend!

Undeserved Hype: Why Not Someone Else (with Cheaper Prices)?
Ok. I'm going to keep this simple. The iPod is a very nice player with great features- but I really think there are much better alternatives. Lets compare the Dell DJ 20GB model and the 20GB iPod. 1st there is the $150 price difference favoring the Dell.Then there's compatibilty with the Windows WMA format, which allows nearly 2x the storage space for similar quality songs. Or Dell's 250% better battery life? Or Dell's built in voice recorder? I have both products and am much happier overall with the Dell. The 2 stars are based on camparison on other products. Here's some info:

Dell- Pros
Cheaper, Better compression, More compatibilty, More battery life, Intuitive controls, Better data file tansfer, Durable
Cons
Larger, Lacks docking station, lacks Alarm Clock feature

iPod- Pros
Smaller, Better transfer software, Plays games?!?!?!
Cons
Easily scartchable back surface,Expensive, Windows Problems, No WMA files

For ALL Windows users- "Dude, you're gettin' a Dell."

Mac users, you gotta switch.

Editorial Review

The Bose 3-2-1 DVD home entertainment system offers superb sound, elegance, and simplicity in an advanced home-audio setup. The system comes with a central DVD/CD media center, a pair of shelf speakers, a powered Acoustimass module (subwoofer), and everything you need to hook it all up with ease. Using Bose proprietary signal-processing technology, the 3-2-1 system provides improved spaciousness from stereo recordings and bold movie effects from Dolby Digital surround-encoded materials. Yet its few parts require little labor to set up, so you can enjoy your new system's performance right away.

The DVD/CD player plays your DVD-Video movies and CD-based music,including MP3 files written to recordable CD-R or CD-RW. Disc featuresinclude repeat and random play, DVD parental controls, forward andreverse chapter/track skip, and scanning within tracks.

The supplied shelf speakers employ Bose's Articulated Array system witha patented driver configuration to provide clear, lifelike sound and aneven sound coverage not always possible with conventional designs. Thistechnology reduces acoustical dead spots and lets you hear the fullfrequency range of music and speech from small and unobtrusive speakers.

In the Bose Acoustimass module, 2 downward-firing drivers give youpowerful performance for the lowest audible notes and effects. Andproprietary Bose technology ensures that you hear with clarity theproper balance of deep lows from all channels for music and movies. Hide the module almost anywhere, even behind furniture, and all the sound seems to come from the small cube speaker arrays.

Other features include AM/FM tuning with 50 preset stations (25 FM, 25AM), a sleep timer (1 to 90 minutes), and console input jacks forconnecting other source components (such as a VCR, DSS, CD changer, ortape deck).

What's in the Box
An integrated AM/FM tuner and DVD/CD player in a small console, 2 shelf speakers with rubber feet, floorstanding Acoustimass module (subwoofer) with rubber feet, AM/FM antennas, a module cable, a system speaker cable, a composite-video cable, a stereo analog audio interconnect (red/white RCA), infrared remote control, remote batteries, an AC power cord, a user's manual, a quick-setup guide, and warranty information.

Editorial Review

The ETX-125EC permits a broad range of astronomical study. In deep space, the ETX-125EC's larger aperture enables the observation of galaxies and nebulae in much wider extension and permits the resolution of celestial objects as faint as magnitude 12.5. The entire Messier listing of 110 objects is now not only visible, but, in addition, every object takes on a readily discernible structure. The Autostar controller turns the ETX-125EC into an automatic celestial object-locating system.

The UHTC Difference

Each time light encounters a mirror (above) or lens (below), some light is lost. In the case of a lens, light is lost at both the entrance to and exit from the lens. UHTC dramatically decreases this light loss.

Image brightness in a telescope is crucially dependent on the reflectivity of the telescope's mirrors and on the transmission of its lenses. Neither of these processes, mirror-reflectivity or lens-transmission, is, however, perfect; light loss occurs in each instance where light is reflected or transmitted. Uncoated glass, for example, reflects about 4% of the light impacting it; in the case of an uncoated lens 4% of the light is lost at entrance to and at exit from the lens, for a total light loss of about 8%. Meade standard mirror and lens coatings equal or exceed the reflectivity and transmission, respectively, of virtually any optical coatings currently offered in the commercial telescope industry.

Ultra-High Transmission coatings (UHTC), recently developed at the Meade Irvine coatings facility, however, have permitted the vacuum-deposition of a series of exotic optical coatings precisely tuned to optimize the visual, photographic, and CCD imaging performance of Meade telescopes. This telescope includes primary and secondary mirrors coated with aluminum enhanced with a complex stack of multi-layer coatings of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide. The thickness of each coating layer is precisely controlled to within 1% of optimal thickness. The result is a dramatic increase in mirror reflectivity across the entire visible spectrum; at the important hydrogen-alpha wavelength of 656nm. - the predominant wavelength of emission nebulae -- reflectivity is increased from 89% to over 97%.

This telescope presents dramatically brighter images on the full range of celestial objects — from emission and planetary nebulae such as M8, M20, and M57 to star clusters and galaxies such as M3, M13, and M101. Observations of the Moon and planets, since they are observed in reflected (white) sunlight, benefit in image brightness from the full spectrum of increased transmission.

And more

The computer-driven Autostar controller makes it easy to find 30,000 celestial objects.

Just plug the Autostar into the telescope's HBX port in place of the standard-equipment electronic controller, do a quick telescope alignment, and you're ready to observe any object in the Autostar's 30,000-object database.

ETX optical systems include a Maksutov meniscus corrector lens of Grade-A BK7 optical glass. High-transmission magnesium fluoride (MgF2) coatings on both sides of the correcting lens, as well as aluminum-silicon monoxide coatings on the primary and secondary mirrors, are provided as standard equipment. Use the standard pushbutton electronic controller at any of four dual-axis speeds: 8x sidereal for image centering in the main telescope at high power; 32x for image centering at lower powers or for pushbutton object tracking in the altazimuth mode; slow mode for image centering in the viewfinder or for terrestrial tracking of nature and sightseeing; or medium speed for fast slewing across the sky. The observer can instantly select any of these speeds simply by depressing the speed button on the controller.

The telescope’s ultraportable design allows the viewer to view from any flat surface, be it a window sill, car hood, or picnic table. The optional tripod can raise the telescope to any comfortable height.

The Nuts and Bolts

1. Eyepiece 2. Viewfinder 3. Eyepiece Holder Thumbscrew - Tightens the eyepiece in place. 4. 90° Eyepiece Holder - Holds the eyepiece upright for easy viewing. 5. Optical Tube - The main optical component that gathers the light from distant objects and brings this light to a focus for examination with the eyepiece. 6. Vertical Lock - Controls the manual vertical movement of the telescope. 7. Fork Arms - Hold the optical tube in place. 8. Focus Knob - Moves the telescope’s optical tube in a finely-controlled motion to achieve precise image focus. 9. Horizontal Lock - Controls the manual horizontal rotation of the telescope. 10. Computer Control Panel A. ON/OFF Switch. B. Auxiliary Ports - Provide connection for current and future Meade accessories. C. Handbox (HBX) Port - for the Electronic Controller or the optional Autostar handbox. D. The 12v connector, designed to accept an external power supply such as the optional AC Adapter or Power Cord. E. LED power indicator light. 11. Base Housing - Supports the telescope for placement on a flat, level surface, such as a tabletop or optional tripod. 12. Holes for Optional Tripod - See your tripod’s instruction sheet for mounting information. 13. Right Ascension (R.A.) Setting Circle. 14. Flip-Mirror and Flip-Mirror Control Knobs - ETX telescopes include an internal mirror. With the flipmirror control in the "up" position, light is diverted to the eyepiece. With the flipmirror control in the "down" position, as shown in Fig. 2b, light proceeds straight out the photo port for photography. 15. Photo Port - Attach any 35mm camera with a removable lens to this port using an optional adapter. 16. Declination Setting Circle (on left fork arm). 17. Viewfinder Alignment Screws - adjust these screws to align the viewfinder. 18. Viewfinder Alignment Bracket. 19. Dust Cap 20. Battery Compartment (not shown, underneath base).

.