Features

• Feature upgrades from previous version include new Click Wheel, slimmer case, and easier navigation
• Comes with earbud headphones, AC adapter, FireWire cable, USB 2.0 cable, and dock
• 40 GB model holds up to 10,000 songs; supports AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 (32 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible, AIFF, Apple Lossless and WAV
• Up to 12 hours battery life when fully charged (typically 4 hours); fast-charge in as little as 2 hours
• Mac OS X or Windows 2000 and XP compatible; FireWire and USB 2.0 interface for fastest digital transfer available

Reviews (86)

UGH
I got my ipod for Christmas.. Had a waranty.. Untill I had to get a new one, since the hardrive stopped working for some random reason. And today, my new replaced Ipod that I've only had for 2 weeks just broke like my old 40 GB. If I were you, I'd get the 20, or 30, or something more modern. Horrible battery life also. Oh well, it's only my opinion.

Thinking about buying an IPOD for use on a Windows machine?
First, check the user forums on the MAC website.Look at the comments from users of ITunes who've tried to use recent upgrades.
Second, try to find customer support.

(...and I haven't even mentioned the terrible battery.I have a 40 gig, and I rarely can get more than 4 hours of play-time from a charge.)

Editorial Review

The Pioneer DVR-810H comes loaded with TiVo basic service--no startup costs, no monthly fees--as well as a spacious, 80 GB hard drive. But wait: it's also a full-featured DVD recorder and DVD player compatible with MP3 files on recordable CDs and with the latest high-definition and HD-ready televisions. The DVR-810H lets you control your live TV viewing, manage your broadcast recordings, and even archive your VHS cassettes and camcorder tapes to durable DVDs playable in most DVD players.

Setup is simple, and finding and scheduling your favorite shows is a breeze. The DVR-810H's built-in hard drive stores up to 80 hours of material for short-term storage and viewing. Record off the air, from cable or satellite, or from your home movies. Have your way with live television by pausing it, reversing it, and playing it in slow motion. You can even watch a recorded program from the beginning, while the recorder simultaneously finishes storing that very recording. The DVD recorder comes equipped with a 181-channel cable TV tuner for instant one-touch recording to the hard drive.

When you find yourself with a recording you want to watch again, you can keep it on the hard drive or simply burn it to a DVD-R (permanent, can't be erased) or DVD-RW (can be erased or written over many times). The DVR-810H features up to 18x record speed, so you'll be able to bounce a one-hour program to DVD in basic EP quality in just over three minutes. You can even record content to the hard drive while copying different content from the hard drive to a DVD.

The DVR-810H also features PureCinema 3:2 Progressive Scan for a filmlike presentation when watching movies. DVD mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24-frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. (You'll need an HD-ready TV to appreciate this feature.)

The unit is equipped to let you transfer old video content to long-lasting DVD-R or DVD-RW discs to preserve them for future generations. DVD-R discs are best for archiving because they are write-once discs and cannot be accidentally erased. Once you've loaded your content to the hard drive, you'll be able to edit it before burning it to DVD. The newly created DVD-R can be played back on most other home and portable DVD players, as well as DVD-ROM computer drives.

You get a pair of audio/video inputs (composite- and S-video with stereo analog audio), and two sets of left/right analog-audio outputs channel audio to Dolby Pro Logic receivers and stereo televisions. Both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the player's digital-audio output (Toslink optical) for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver. An RF coaxial AV input and output help you interface with older TVs, VCRs, and cable boxes.

Features

• Requires subscription to Ceiva Network--low monthly and yearly rates available
• Receives and displays a digital photo slide show without a computer
• Receiver receives 50% more pictures each night than the previous model--up to 30 at a time
• An ideal gift for even the most non-technical parents, grandparents or friends
• Order prints of favorite photos through the mail simply by pressing “Order Print” button on Receiver

Reviews (66)

Grandparents LOVE it!
I bought 2 of these frames at Christmas 2004 for both sets of grandparents.I set up one of the frames myself (easy-to-follow instructions), and my parents set up the other without any problems.Now, I send pictures to both frames at the same time, and receive constant rave reviews from both sets of grandparents about how much they enjoy their new pictures.My parents have even remarked that everyone who visits them is intrigued by the frame and asks where they can buy one.

I don't think the monthly fee of $6.95 is unreasonable, although I do wish that they offered a reduced rate for multiple frame subscribers.

Overall, however, I have not found a product that better addresses the needs of sons/daughters looking to send photos easily to parents/grandparents who may not be as technically astute.

Was Happy -- I am no Longer
I have been a Ceiva subscriber for several years.For some reason, Ceiva decided this year that one month before my annual renewal date they would delete one of my photos and replace it with an advertisement indicating that my subscription is up for renewal.The message indicates that I can remove it by either manually deleting it or renewing. Though I delete this message every day, it comes back the next.It seems as though Ceiva has taken the position that it is acceptable to co-opt some of the limited space on your frame in order to force you into renewing early.If you don't mind this intrusion, Ceiva is for you. I, however, will be looking for a frame that does not require a subscription service.

Editorial Review

The amazing Wine Wizard bottle opener eliminates the anxiety of opening wine at a table full of guests. This ingenious tool neatly extracts both traditional and synthetic corks without spewing cork particles on the table or in a guest’s glass.

The opener’s 6-1/2-by-5-1/4-inch oval base has a rubber, suction bottom that sturdily adheres to any surface--to activate, simply depress the lever on back of the Wine Wizard. Wine bottles sit atop the base on an anti-slip cushion, while a key halfway up the Wizard body loosens the neck to adjust the opener to any bottle height. From there, opening is easy. Simply hold the neck of the bottle between the grips and lift the handle to lower the worm into the cork. Pull the handle down again to extract the cork, loosen the grips, and--voila!To remove the cork from the worm, just lift and lower the handle one more time while holding the cork between the grips.

Reviews (6)

Super Quiet - Super Fast - Super System
This computer is so quiet, you have to check it to see if it is still running. I am an daily Photoshop user since 1987, and a loyal Mac user since 1984 (I've worked for Apple, IBM and Motorola). This system is so fast, it will keep up with everything you can throw at it in Photoshop CS2 - no delays - just instant filtering. The last Photoshop job I did (resizing and filtering 96 photos), I could really see the time saved using this computer - about 30% over my older G4 - which spells productivity. I ordered this system as a reconditioned unit for $2299 from the Apple Store with free shipping (53 lbs), and got a free upgrade from the 160G to 250G Hard Disk and Tiger DVD in the box - both were unexpected, plus a full warranty just like a new system. The system appears to be brand new, probably an open box or returned system. I added 2G more RAM for $200 for 2.5G total. Some reviewers have been critical about the lack of ports on the G5 systems (if that is all they can find at fault), but if you need more ports, you can easily add in a 3 USB 2.0/2 Firewire PCI card from IOGear for only $38, or a 4 port USB 2.0 PCI card for about $20 - so stop whining about ports. The rear Firewire 800 port really screams with my LaCie Firewire Backup Drive, which is another reason to upgrade to the G5. Unlike the new 2.7GHz system (only 8% faster for $3000), the 2.5GHz system comes with one ADC and one DVI port on the 9600XT video card, plus a DVI to VGA adapter in the box. The new G5 systems don't support ADC without having to buy a $99 DVI-ADC adapter, which is messy to hook up, requiring a power supply. One more reason for buying the older 2.5GHz model if you own an older ADC LCD display (clear plastic model). Overall, I am very impressed with this 2.5GHz MP system, and can see this system lasting many years. XBench speed score is a fast 252.

After almost a year with this machine...
I've been a Mac user for nearly 20 years. In May of 2004 I upgraded from a 450 MHz G4 (512 MB RAM) to a dual 2.0 GHz G5 (1GB RAM, two 250 GB hard drives). The machine I bought was defective-all nine fans were going full blast all the time. The operating system and software worked fine, but the tower was intolerably loud (it really sounds like a car the way the fans fire up). I spent about 45 minutes on the phone with Apple tech support. The fellow I spoke to was helpful and friendly until he misguided me about pressing a tiny button in the innards of the machine too many times (it's been a year, I don't remember what exactly this little button resets). He instantly became accusatory, telling me I didn't follow his direction and refused to discuss it. He basically told me my computer was hosed and that I may have voided the warranty; I should bring it in to be serviced and not turn it on again. The guy really turned into a jerk. I suppose he was just trying to cover his ass.

I turned the machine back on and it ran just as before. Fine, but loud. I took my machine to the Apple Store in San Francisco for diagnosis, and they confirmed there was a "thermal" problem. I was a part-time student at the time, bought the machine through school and though it was eligible for replacement, I couldn't exchange it directly through the Apple Store. Fortunately, in the time it took Apple and my school to acknowledge that I had a defective computer Apple announced the dual 2.5 GHz, so I was given the option of a partial refund, since the dual 2.0 GHz had gone down in price, or a free upgrade to the dual 2.5 GHz. I went for top-of-the line in the first place (with a 23" Cinema Display HD) with the idea that I wouldn't be buying another computer for a good number of years. I had to wait about four months for the dual 2.5 GHz after they were announced (they let me keep the defective one in the meantime), but it was definitely worth the wait. And this is exactly what anyone should expect after dropping $5,000 + (with the display and software).

The dual 2.5 GHz runs amazingly quiet (when it really needs to think, the fans fire up, but they typically aren't audible for long). The increase in speed (for me) was amazing. The applications I use most often are: FileMaker Developer 7 , Omni Graffle 3, Virtual PC 7 (for testing), Dreamweaver MX 2004 along with Apple's standard mail, text and web browser apps. I'm also increasingly using Final Cut Pro HD, which I think you'd only really want to run on a machine this fast. With the occasional exception of Excel, I don't have a need for Microsoft apps.

The G5 is on nearly 100% of the time, since I sometimes need to access it remotely, and yes, it's crashed a few times, but this is really quite rare. Tip: I've found the best way to tell if a Mac has crashed or is just frozen is to set the clock in the menu bar to display the time with seconds. If the clock has stopped ticking altogether, it's a good indicator that the system has crashed. Otherwise, it's just frozen, so tricking around with it (force-quitting applications or putting it to sleep and waking it back up), tend to bring it back to life. Again, this sort of behavior is rare and, as such, acceptable for me.

For PC users considering a G5, I have this to say: I've always been a Mac user, and I've always, always complained when I've had to use a PC. I'm not snobby about it; I'm just accustomed to very well-designed and integrated products (I drive a Porsche 993, and I'm as passionate about its design, especially its clever temperature controls and cruise control). That said, using VPC (Virtual PC) on my G5 has really given me a different perspective on Windows. I actually LIKE using Windows...as long as it's on my G5. This is largely because of my Apple keyboard and the 23" display, which just make for a better Windows experience. You can run VPC to take over your whole display, or run it within a window as if it were any other app on your Mac. I have a Microsoft 5-button, scrolling optical mouse that I've had for over 5 years (it's great). Right-clicking works without installing any drivers, in both Mac OS X and Virtual PC. I use Windows 2000 Pro, and my colleagues would be surprised to hear I'm actually looking forward to upgrading to XP. Windows isn't as zippy as running it on a top-of-the-line PC, I suppose, and it hangs here and there, but for my purposes it works perfectly. I don't think it's a great idea to run Windows in VPC as your "primary" OS, but for seasoned Windows folks who are looking to make a transition to the Mac and still want to jump back to familiar territory, I'd certainly recommend this hardware/software combo. VPC (to which I've dedicated 512K, or half of my G5's physical RAM) can be a memory hog, slowing everything down on my Mac, so if you plan to use it regularly, I'd recommend more than 1GB RAM. A couple of cool things about VPC: You can run multiple Windows OS's at the same time (I've seen, but not experienced this). You can "pause" a Windows OS so it doesn't hog memory. You can also "save" a Windows state when you quit VPC, so that when you start it up, everything is right where you left it. After too many frustrating visits to my dad's to"fix" his Windows problems, the Mac should be a compelling option for PC users. Virtual PC on this machine makes it especially so.

Bottom line: An excellent system. Advice: If you can, buy directly from an Apple Store; they're far more willing to offer support than if you buy elsewhere and bring your issues in to the store. If you buy an Apple product elsewhere to save money or support a local vendor, know that that can become a support barrier Apple will hide behind (I wish, like Bose, they'd just support their damn products wherever you purchase...it was a hassle for me). Also, don't expect, but do LOOK for problems right away, within the first two weeks. Apple is notorious for not admitting there's something wrong even when it's a known issue (like the fans on the first machine I ordered), and even then they're very reluctant to replace a product outright unless you hound them. It's easy enough to find other people with similar problems in forums and such. I'm a little bitter about my customer support experience, but in the end they got it right. I think the majority of real Apple customers don't have to experience this. I bought 3-year AppleCare, and so far, fortunately, have not had the cause to use it. I believe Apple should stand behind its products without having to purchase additional support, but Murphy's Law guided my judgment there. In any case, I'd highly recommend this machine to anyone who is considering it.

Asin: B00004Z8I9
Sales Rank: 123557
Subjects:  1. Data Switch (Switches)    2. Accessories (Accessory)   

Features

• Ultra-realistic EAX 4.0 ADVANCED HD Effects
• Studio Quality Audigy2 ZS External I/O Hub
• Superior Fidelity 24-bit ADVANCED HD Audio
• THX Certified Sound Card for Cinematic Audio
• Advanced Resolution 24-bit DVD-Audio Playback

Reviews (6)

Great Sound Card, Poor Music File Format
This sound card puts out great sound, much better than Windows Media Player or any other Player I've tried.It has many Audio adjustments so you can have your own sound studio.

The Black Box that comes with it seems like overkill and I think most people do not even need it. This obviously adds to the cost.

This could probably be rated 5 stars except for the Music File Format.I't's poor compared to the Windows Media Player

Hmmm...
It is not up to the expectation of that I have thought about this hardware but i will watch over this slowly.

Features

• Removable/rechargeable batterand integrated keyboard
• Integrated Bluetooth
• Slim, sleek, and affordable
• Dazzling Transflective TFT color with LED backlight display
• Pocket versions of familiar applications like Outlook, Word, and Excel

Reviews (35)

Really good, haven'tfound the perfect PDA yet, but close
If it could do more screens in landscape, especially the internet, it would be a a 10 (out of 5 starts. I like the combination of a useable keyboard and stylus, the battery ife is very long. I don't need a camera. The screen can always be bigger and better, but I was happy with it for business and intrenet use, I'd still have it someone didn'swipe it. I'm likely to buy another one.

Response to previous comments on screen issues...
I took my ipaq to Guatemala and S. Mexico for several months, and after regular usage, and normal precautions against impact, etc., with the factory-issued case, my screen was still intact and remains perfectly fine.

I imagine that there might have been a batch or two that had a flaw. The ipaq color screens are designed like the colorscreens of many comparable color screen products.

I don't feel the screen is a downfall of this product. In fact, it is the primary reason why I chose this product: the resolution, the size, the color.

Features

• Easily shut down virtual PC and relaunch right where it left off
• G5 support; simple, intuitive installation process; use PC and Mac peripherals
• Access PC-only software, files, networks, and devices with your Mac
• Zero-configuration printing; better graphics handling; expanded preferences
• Cut and paste between platforms; share folders and other media between platforms

Reviews (2)

A Big Disappointment
When I upgraded from Mac OS 9.2 to OS 10 with the purchase of my new laptop I was very excited to go from Virtual PC 4.2 to the new 7.0 Home edition. I'd rather have my 4.2 back. Aside from the fact that it is incredibly slow, I have had to remove & reinstall it 4 times due to gliches of an unknown origin that I couldn't fix. Microsoft is no help what so ever unless I want to pay their exorbitant fees for support. There is no free support even for newly received products. If there was another product on the market that could replace this I would buy it instead. At this point I feel like I would rather have purchased a PC than to have to deal with this frustration.

Editorial Review

This portable, handheld scanner provides a wide range of time-saving conveniences. With up to 1,000 characters recognized per second, the IRIS Pen II Executive Scanner is suited for rapid scanning of small samples of text or for taking notes and scanning tables. It can also scan directly into any Windows or Mac application starting at the position of the cursor. Plus, the text-to-speech option lets you hear what you scan, and in a relatively natural voice.

The IRIS Pen II recognizes data on many types of documents, reading 6 to 22 point size fonts with text, numbers, handwritten numbers, and bar codes, as well as reading dot-matrix letters. It supports foreign language uses (up to 56 languages) and is programmable, letting you define two functions that are triggered by single and double clicks (tab, enter, space).

The Pen II provides improved image stability at varying speeds and offers gray scale document recognition. Additional features include left-to-right and right-to-left scanning, central line tracking, multiline mode, recognition of wavy or distorted characters, a line skew tolerance of 10 percent with a word slope tolerance of 20 percent, clear scanning of inverse text (white letters on dark background), and automatic input of tables (like invoices and price lists) into your database or spreadsheet. The idle mode reduces power consumption.