Reviews (27)

Most value packed Apple
Let us raise the glass: long live the G3 processor, for it is dead. Apple's iBook was the last holdout to G4 processor. It is G3 no more.

Despite some rumors, iBook's G4 processor is a true G4 processor with Altivec fully on-board. While it runs slower (800 MHz vs. 1 GHz) and features smaller L2 cache (256 KB vs. 512 KB) than 12" PowerBook, it comes remarkable close in most performance parameters. They share the same 133 MHz front-side bus and PC2100 (266 MHz) DDR SDRAM.

Even their feature sets come remarkably close. Both sport sharp 12.1" 1024-by-768 LCD, 256 MB memory and 32 MB graphics memory, FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 ports, and 100/10 fast Ethernet. Both lack the PC Card (PCMCIA) slot but can accommodate AirPort Extreme wireless network.

Other than faster G4 processor, just about the only reasons to consider 12" PowerBook are:
- Larger memory capacity on the PowerBook (1.25 GB vs. 640 MB)
- Larger hard disk (40 GB vs. 30 GB)
- PowerBook can drive an external display (dual display) up to 2048-by-1536 via DVI port; iBook can only mirror up to 1024-by-768 via VGA port
- SuperDrive (DVD burner) is optional on PowerBook; it is not available on iBook
- Bluetooth is standard on PowerBook; it is optional (built-to-order) on iBook
- Marginally faster GeForce FX 5200 graphics card on PowerBook (vs. Radeon 9200 on iBook)
- PowerBook is slightly lighter (4.6 lbs vs. 4.9 lbs) and slightly smaller (10.9-by-8.6-by-1.18 inches vs. 11.2-by-9.1-by-1.35 inches)
- You like the PowerBook's anodized aluminum allow chassis better

There are sufficient reasons to get the iBook instead:
- Costs almost 50% less
- It is not dramatically slower
- Longer battery life (up to 6 hours vs. 5 hours)
- Polycarbonate plastic chassis is more scratch proof and offer better wireless network (AirPort Extreme) reception

How is the iBook in itself? For a little over a grand, you get a beautifully designed notebook (similar to iPod) packed with features: combo CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive, optional 802.11g AirPort Extreme wireless network, beautiful LCD, sensible keyboard layout, snappy performance under included Mac OS X Panther 10.3 -- all in very portable form factor. This little book represents a serious bang for the buck.

Pros:
- Very high bang for the buck: good performance and high in features
- Looks beautiful
- Includes almost everything an average computer user needs
- Very portable and durable
- Fantastic wireless reception

Cons:
- Cannot drive external display higher than 1024-by-768 resolution
- To get built-in Bluetooth, you must order from Apple (built-to-order option) -- unlike the AirPort Extreme, you cannot add it later on
- Standard 256 MB memory is based on two 128 MB RAM modules. To add more memory later on, you will need to toss out one of the memory modules (the other memory module is soldered onto the motherboard)

Great Notebook
I am giving this 4 stars instead of 5, because 800MHz is acceptable to most users, but 1GHz would have been nice. The 800MHz G4 is still much faster than last year's 900MHz G3 model, and Panther is slightly faster. I have a 733MHz G4 tower, so this is a slight speed increase for me.

I am so glad I got the 12" screen over the 14". Everyone I asked recommended the 12" over the 14". It's easier to carry, lighter, easy to sit on your lap with, and you don't feel the need to buy a huge case to carry it around in. Both the 12" and 14" have 1024x768 displays, the 12" is just denser, about 96 dpi, about the same resolution as my 23" Apple LCD. Text is sharp and clear and very readable. Both models have the same sized keyboards. No burned out pixels on either LCD!

Wireless networking to my G4 tower was easy to setup, and very fast.

The built in DVD player is also fun, although headphones or external speakers make the experience much more enjoyable - most laptops suffer from small speakers.

Recommended Options: Get the 512M RAM upgrade card (about $125) which maxes the iBook out at 640Megs, and the Airport Extreme card ($99). Wireless internet is happening all over, in many hotels and restaurants. If you travel, consider adding some good Ear Buds if you use it to watch movies on or listen to music.

This is my 5th Apple laptop, dating back to 1992, and by far the best one to date.

Old and slow
Look I love Macs but an 800MHz G4? It's just too slow to run modern software. The basic design of this CPU is almost 10 years old!! Most upper-end new software isn't rated to run on it.

Reviews (36)

Fan-Freakin'-Tastic!
As a 20-year PC user (my first computer was a pre-8088 luggable), I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I got my PowerBook. I'm not a switcher, and I'm certainly not a fanboy, but I love this machine. It's fast. The graphics look great. The machine's design is wonderful: the backlit keyboard, the glowing apple on the lid, even the power cord balances form and function nicely.

There are a few areas that have room for improvement. For instance, the computer didn't come with an operator's manual. Granted, it's the trend lately to not include manuals with computer products, but I could have used one (if for no other reason than to determine what the hotkey represented by what looks like a down-escalator is (trial and error reveals it to be the option/alt key)). Fortunately there are a lot of good third-party manuals and tech magazines to fill the need. Likewise, there are manufacturers of multi-button mice that work with the Mac; still I fail to see the advantage to the one-button touchpad, splitting the button in two would have made the PowerBook near perfect.

After a couple decades it's nice to have an easily transportable computer again. The 15-inch color screen is a vast improvement over my old luggable's 4-inch amber monochrome screen. The weight and battery life are equally impressive (considering the PC ran on power cord only any battery life would be an improvement, but 3.5+ hours for word processing is wonderful). I still like my desktop PC, but as I overcome the learning curve I expect I'll like my PowerBook even more.

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!

Reviews (16)

I'm happy...
I've been using IBM-compatible systems since committing to the platform in the Apple II days. After one too many (pick one: crashes / blue screens / errors), I decided to take the plunge on my latest replacement. I have never been as pleased with a new computer purchase. At first I was apprehensive, thinking that you could never get anything done with a 1GHz processor. Well, things are a little different in the Mac world. This is as fast (or at least I can't tell a difference) as my 2.4GHz Dell. I did get 1 gig of RAM. One of the reasons I needed a new computer was that my PC did not have a DVD burner. Within hours I was editing movies and burning DVDs. The interface is great (I'm also using Windows XP on another computer, and it is LAME compared to Panther). I love the Expose feature. Windows users will think it is the coolest thing. Switching users is effortless. I have since added an external LaCie 200GB HD, effortlessly, and and am using the iSight. The iSight works fantastic with other Mac users, but is very sluggish with PC users so far (that's with Yahoo! Instant Messenger, AOL has a beta coming out that may fix it, but I haven't tried it yet). iTunes is awesome, you can listen to radio, download, organize, and burn without even thinking about it.
All in all, I am very pleased. I actually enjoy using my cumputer again, and am eyeing the G5 as a replacement for my last PC (you know, "more power").

Excellent choice for digital music/photo/video work
I've been using my new iMac with the 17" screen and 1.25 ghz G4 processor for digital photography, video and music. I am extremely pleased with it! Much of the credit goes to the software included with the computer (iPhoto, iMovie, and iTunes, respectively), which makes it easy to get started in digital photograpy, video and music. The hardware doesn't hurt either - it has a large and vivid flat-panel screen, and a built-in DVD burner for creating DVDs of your favorite digital videos. The small but unique speakers sound great, too. The iMac has been "plug-and-play" with my Kodak digital camera, Sony camcorder, and HP printer - no drivers or software installation required! One tip: choose an iMac with the larger 17" screen over the 15" model - it makes a big difference when working with digital photos and videos. Are there any weaknesses? Not really - some may say it's more expensive than computers running Windows, but I think the iMac delivers great value considering the excellent software included with it.

Great for seniors
I'm retired and I while I wanted to get email I did not want to learn about computers. I bought an i-Mac because I heard they were good for novices and they were right! My grandson hates it because he can't play his games... one more reason I love it! :^)

So I think this is perfect for retired people who don't need all the latest gizmos but just want to write letters and send email. Of courrse all the ladies in my golf circle think it's darling and I think it's just really cute. In fact I am trying to get my husband to paint it pink!

Features

• 900MHz Frontside Bus
• 160GB Serial ATA Hard Drive
• SuperDrive - 4x DVD-R / 8x DVD Read / 16x CD-R / 10x CD-RW / 32x CD Read
• NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra graphics with 64MB of DDR memory
• 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet

Reviews (12)

The fastest computer that I've ever operated.
I'll grant you, I am Macintosh through and through. I started working on a little SE at Kinko's back in 1985. Over the years, I've kept up to date fairly well. My iMac sits proudly on my desk at home. I carry my iBook when I need the portability. Up until about two weeks ago, I was working off a G4 that was starting to show it's age. I recently upgraded to the new G5. Wow!

This machine is everything it's promoted to be, and that's without full OS or software support of the 64 bit processor. My work has me dealing with large Photoshop files quite a bit. The G4 used to strain just to open them. Now, I can open, make a minor change, and be done before they would have been opened on the old machine.

Whether it's software or OS related, there seems to be a bit of issue going between OS X (10.2.7) programs and Quark XPress 4.1 (under Classic environment). But that's a minor issue that I can live with. Especially once I upgrade a few programs and minimize the need for Classic.

Just so you know... The overall size is about 10% larger than the G4 it replaced. I wasn't quite prepared for that. Also, when the cooling fans come on, you hear about it. And, the caps lock (on) diode is hard to see on the streamlined keyboard. The mouse also seems to be more sensitive than before.

Some People don't deserve quality!
Based on the review "Lame Duck" I think that the writer is a "Lame Brain".. I have operated a small business for the past 12 years with nearly all Mac's, and have never needed to take a Mac to a service technician.. This new G5 is the fastest and easiest machine to use yet.. For the record, we still have a 10 year old Quad 610 Mac for accounting that has never needed service, aside for adding some memory and a larger hard drive which any 4th grader could do..

The office presently has 5 Mac's and one Windows XP machine.. The Windows machine which is only handling faxes and UPS software requires more maintenance restarts to keep it working than all the Mac's combined! We have one Mac that is 3 years old, that we use as a server for all the sales machines.. It runs 24-7, and has not been turned off for the past 6 months, and then only because we needed to move it, and blow out a hand full of dust.. Frankly I am in business to sell other products, and can't afford to be bothered with the high maintenance required by the popular neighborhood machines.. Perhaps the writer of "Lame Duck" should actually try a Mac..

Features

• MX Optical Engine and Fast RF cordless technology deliver greater mouse accuracy and control on more surfaces than ever before
• Comfortable, contoured mouse shape fits snugly in right hand
• Ultra-flat, Zero-Degree Tilt keyboard design looks great and feels even better
• Customizable keys and mouse buttons let you control multimedia and give you fast access to applications and commands
• Compatible with Windows 98, NT 4.0, 2000, Me, and XP or Mac OS X

Reviews (66)

Wireless has it's place...
I must say, this is a very slick set. The keyboard has a great feel and the wrist rest they give you really does help (if you have room). I previously owned a similar Logitech wired keyboard and mouse, which (unfortunately) broke due to excessive spilling of various liquids directly into the keys (the wired mouse still works). It did, however, have excellent drainage, so I decided to give them another shot, and splurged on the wireless.

I have been using the product for about 6 months now, and the keyboard is only on its second charge (using NiMH AA batteries). Kudos to Logitech on this one.

The mouse, on the other hand, seems to need a charge every few days. I am a college student, and I probably sit at my computer more than 6 hours a day. Even so, it's a bit of a pain when the red light starts blinking and you know you'll have to stop working soon to let it charge (thank god they give you a cradle!). I've had to go searching for an open computer lab on a few occasions because of imminent deadlines and a dead mouse. If you work at your computer in large blocks of time, you'll have to remember to put it on the cradle at the end of the day, or you'll be forced to wait for it to charge or find another mouse.

Ignoring these problems, it's a great mouse. I really appreciate the scroll buttons which will scroll through a 100+ page paper in a few seconds if you hold them down.

Another problem with this set is in the range: It only works within about 10 feet of the cradle, which only has a 3 foot cord. Why make a wireless keyboard that is still tethered by such a short range? The base is connected to wall power, so it's not limited by USB power capability, and thus has the potential for fairly high gain. I don't understand why the range is so short. This combo would be such a dynamite product if I could plop down on my couch in the SAME ROOM and play video games on my television. I can't. Makes me angry!! I've been considering buying an extension cable for the reciever, but I can't bring myself to buy an extension cable for a wireless keyboard!!

As far as doing it's job as a regular keyboard sitting on the desk, it's not too bad. Sometimes, though, it seems like it has a mind of its own, and will start missing letters I type. The mouse will also skip around from time to time. Mysteriously enough, it always goes back to normal when I move either item from the desk to my lap. This is puzzling, but probably has something to do with Interference. Not acceptable, in my opinion, seeing as it's inevitably going to be used near many electronic devices (computer, monitor, speakers).

Now that I'm finished pointing out weaknesses, I do have a friend with the exact same keyboard who hasn't had any problems with it. Also, I mentioned before that my last keyboard died due to spillage. This one won't suffer the same fate, simply because it is an independant unit which can be easily moved out of harm's way, unlike the wired version.

There are a lot of extra buttons and knobs on the keyboard. The only ones I personally use are the media controls, which are quite handy. Particularly useful is the rotating volume knob, for quick changes. The rest of the buttons I could live without.

Upshot: A good keyboard in spirit, but poorly executed. I just fail to see the point in spending all this money on a wireless keyboard which really doesn't do much more than its wired counterpart.

Addendum:

I realized later that the keyboard's strange behavior was being caused by the USB hub it was plugged into. After this was corrected, the keyboard works fine!

Only one snag
I've only been using the keyboard and mouse for a couple of days, but am pretty happy so far. My MX 700 isn't having any trouble on a semi-glossy table top and the range is nice. So far, the only problems have been these:

1. After installing software from included CD-ROM, mouse stopped working (I assume an issue with microsoft mouse driver or old mouseware compatibility, not sure). I restored my setting and downloaded the newest mouseware from logitech indivually and it worked fine.

2. F11 and F12 keys are supposed to go to "My Pictures," and "My Music" respectively, but they are instead linked to "Owner's Pictures," and "Owner's Music." Running XP with different users, I want the F11 and F12 keys to be user specific. I have contacted Logitech and will update if the problem is solved (I have downloaded the most recent i-Touch software).

Overall, a very nice product so far. Even if the F11/F12 doesn't straighten out, I would probably only drop to 4 1/2 stars. Nice design and functionality. The mouse is ultra usable in that all 8 buttons are useful.

*****UPDATE--Problem worked out. Under configure for F key, had to choose "open folder" and another pull-down appears to let you browse what you would like to link to an F key. Also, logitech customer service was surprisingly friendly and useful.

Nice stuff but poorly designed
I decided to get the MX duo after reading all the good reviews here because I was looking for a nice wireless combo but after a few weeks it's proven to be somewhat of a let down. Here's the lowdown:

Good:
* The keyboard has a decent feel to it, and the mouse has no noticeable lag.
* Rechargeable mouse battery
* Some of the shortcut keys on the keyboard are nice. The only ones I use are the volume control and mute which are very nice to have at your fingertips.

Bad:
* All the other keyboard shortcuts which I never use. It makes the keyboard much bigger than I'd need. I hardly ever listen to CDs, the controls for which take the entire top center of the keyboard. Then theres a bunch of other garbage like search, shopping, favorites, webcam, etc which I've never touched.
* There is no indicator light on the keyboard for when you have caps / numlock on which is VERY annoying. There are, however, indicators on the recharger but it's way in the corner of my desk (they say it should be kept 3 feet from all other electronic devices). Any place I put it still makes it exceptionally aggravating to have to look over to see if I've accidently hit caps lock. Supposedly the software has some kind of indication that pops up on the screen, but I opted not to install the software because I didn't want all the stupid stuff they bundle with it. How hard is it just to keep the lights on the keyboard itself? If it aint broken...
* The battery life for the mouse seems to be about 4-5 days. But the worst part is, unlike mice with cord chargers, you can't use the mouse while it's charging because it's sitting the in base station. So you're SOL if your mouse dies while you're working. Keep your old one handy if you buy this set.
* I keep accidently hitting the "back" navigation button on the mouse which gets annoying too. It's big and right where your thumb can accidently press it.
* The mouse speed takes a while to get used to. Changing my mouse settings either makes it a little too fast or a little to slow.

Features

• Small size with superior capacity and performance
• Easy installation
• Doesn’t require an external power supply
• No drivers to install -- just plug it in and use it
• Great performance for data-intensive applications and huge files

Asin: B00009WO5M
Sales Rank: 3510
Subjects:  1. Hard Drives (Drive)    2. External   

Features

• 3.2 megapixel sensor captures enough detail to create photo-quality 8 x 10 prints and medium-quality prints up to 11 x 14
• 3x optical zoom and 3.2x digital zoom (9.6x total)
• Up to 3 minutes of video with sound; manual, aperture and shutter priority exposure modes
• Compatible with CompactFlash Type I cards; 16 MB card included
• Powered by 4 AA batteries (alkalines included); connects to PCs and Macs via USB 1.1

Reviews (208)

This Camera ROCKS!!!!!!
While [the price] still isn't "chump change" to me, it is a bargain for this camera.
When you open the box and take the camera out, you're surprised at how small it is but then, you're surprised by how solid and natural it feels in your hand. Even though the body is plastic, it has a sturdy feel to it unlike some other cameras in this price range.

Once it's in your hands, you pop in the 4 AA batteries, the compact flash card and, away you go. Put it in AUTO mode and you have a nice 3MP point and shoot camera that responds very well to varying light conditions and circumstances.

In other modes you have control over; white balance, exposure compensation, Drive (Single shot, continuous shooting, self-timer), ISO speed, Light Metering, Image Quality and Photo Effect (Off, vivid color, neutral color, low sharpening, sepia, black & white) The other modes are:

P-this mode is the same as AUTO but you have control over the above mentioned options.

Av-Aperture Priority, you set the f-stop, the camera sets the shutter speed.

Tv-Shutter Priority, you set the shutter speed, the camera sets the f-stop

M-full manual, you have control over shutter speed, aperture, flash output, and focus.

In addition to that, there's six other modes; Slow Shutter, Fast Shutter, Landscape, Night Scene and, Portrait. In these modes, the camera sets shutter and aperture to the appropriate settings for each situation. Also included is a Stitch mode which lets you take a series of photos and then combine with the software for a panoramic effect.
The last mode on the camera is Movie Mode. In Movie Mode, you can record at 3 resolutions; 640 X 480, 320 x 240, and 160 x 120. In the largest format you can record for 30 seconds and, in the other two formats, you can record approx. 3 minutes. Movies are recorded with sound in the AVI format but unfortunately, you can not use the zoom while filming in this mode.

Performance

When you power the camera up, it takes about 3 seconds to warm up before it's ready to shoot. Once it's ready, you push the shutter down halfway to lock the autofocus and then depress the shutter fully. Now you have a pic! You can review it on the LCD if you want any where from 2 to 10 seconds. The LCD screen measures 1.5 inches and fairly clear and easy to see but it would have been nice to control the brightness.
Next move inside to take some flash pictures. Here you'll use the autofocus illuminator to help the camera focus in low light. There's a small orange light on the front of the camera under the flash, when you focus, it comes on to make it easier for the camera to focus. This eliminates the long focus times that some other camera have in these situations if they can even focus at all. Also inside, you'll appreciate the fact that Canon put a decent flash on this little guy. It has a working distance of about 13 feet at the wide angle setting.
Picture Quality is very good. Pictures come out sharp with accurate color tones. I do get red-eye sometimes in indoor shots but, not always and, not to the point that I would consider unacceptable. I have yet to have any incidences of "purple fringing"

Software, etc.

Canon supplies you with two software applications. One their own and the other is ArcSoft's. Both applications are good for basic image editing but, if you want something more you'll likely pick up Photoshop.
Downloading photo's is pretty straight forward once the software is installed. Hook up the computer with the supplied cable to a USB port, turn it on and your computer (PC) will either open the appropriate program or, you'll have to. Once the program is open, pick the images you want and, hit File, Transfer. That's about it. You can also view images, and movies on a TV with the supplied cable.
The only other things in the box (aside from the manual) are a 16MB Compact Flash card and, 4 AA batteries. In the highest resolution, you'll get 8 pictures on this card so, you'll probably want to purchase another one soon. The 4AA batteries will last about 100 pics so, consider purchasing some high capacity rechargeables also. The batteries and the CF card will set you back [some $$] but, you'll thank yourself later. I would recommend these for anyone purchasing a digital camera.

Just what I was looking for - 3MP & runs on AA cells
The A70 is just what you need if you are looking for a 3 megapixel camera that runs on AA cells. The AA cells add bulk, but I didn't want a camera dependent on a finicky and expensive to replace proprietary battery and charger. To avoid spending a fortune on alkalines it's advisable to invest in at least a couple sets of NiMh's and a charger. I can get about 45 min operation with the LCD display on and a set of 1800 mah NiMh cells - estimate only about double that with alkalines - but LOTS longer life with the display off and the camera auto-power-off enabled. In an emergency I can just crack open a pack of alkalines.

Warning - no low battery indicator!

You will also may need a larger CF card if you plan on more than day-tripping with the camera at higher resolutions. It's about 17 shots per 32 MB card at full-res, LOTS more at lower res.

Beautiful pictures though - as some reviewers have pointed out Canon pix are a little "soft" on some subjects, but this is a matter of taste and can be adjusted in software. Flash pictures have tended to be a little washed out but I haven't decided yet whether it's any worse than other point and shoot cameras I have used. I have had fairly good luck with the autofocus in darkish locations, even with the AF assist beam turned off - hint - my technique is to shoot at wide angles with flash so the depth of field is better and focus isn't as critical.

All in all, I couldn't imagine a more suitable point and shoot camera for my needs, although I'm still keeping the analog A-1 around for wet weather conditions.

A Bargain! Buy it while it's still available!
This is my first digital camera and I absolutely love it. I am a computer guy myself, so the basic come a little easier to me than others but even my wife (not so much the computer person) is able to use it without reserve and she prefers it better than our still camera.

The shooting modes are easily accessible on the top dial. You can switch from AUTO, to camcorder, to action shots within seconds. I can get 137 pix out of one 128mb card. The battery life is great. I DEFINITELY recommend rechargables!

There are a couple little *quirks* about it like the fact that there are two menus which can be a pain if you know you saw a feature somewhere but don't remember exactly which menu had it. Plus I can't figure out a way to get a date on the print. It may be there but then I'd have to read the manual :-)

Features

• Sleek, compact MiniDV camcorder and digital still camera with 1-megapixel CCD
• 12x optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 150x) with Super SteadyShot image stabilizer
• 3.5-inch rotating LCD and color viewfinder
• Low-light recording settings, Bluetooth connectivity, and intelligent accessory shoe
• NP-FM50 InfoLithium Rechargeable Battery

Reviews (4)

Incredible Camera
We bought this camera in the summer of 2003 to replace our older video camera and have had a great experience. The video quality is excellent. The color is superb. Great audio quality. The video records at more lines of resolution than current televisions use, so I have no doubt that the quality will still look great after high definition televisions dominate the home television market.

Recently, my 4 megapixel digital camera needed to be sent in for repairs ... it is not a Sony :( ... We were upset as we did not think we would be able to print pictures until it returned...we decided to test printing out the Sony TRV950 digital pictures...we were amazed that we were able to print out wonderful quality pictures (3x5). So, we have been very impressed with a feature we never intended to use.

The features included on the camera are great...but two that stand out in my opinion are the super steady shot to help get rid of the "jiggle" and the auto white balance...the best I've seen.

This camera does cost more than other consumer level cameras, but the value is well worth it in my opinion. We bought it to take good video of our baby growing up...we are convinced that this is, by far, the best option and we will never regret spending the extra money.

We purchased a 3 Watt light attachment, a 256MB memory stick card, and an additional M71D battery (250 minutes). I would strongly recommend these accessories.

3CCD, professional quality camcorder - but you pay for it!
great camcorder. the 3CCDs really make a difference in video quality in my opinion. unfortunately, you pay for this quality!

pros:
- as expected from a 3CCD camcorder, the trv-950 delivers excellent video quality - colors are reproduced accurately.
- 1 megapixel still capability.
- miniDV media is widely supported.
- 12X optical zoom!
- steady shot optical stabilization system works well.
- ability to record mpeg videos directly to memory stick.
- progressive shutter system.
- offers color bars and zebra striping.
- the 3.5" LCD screen is great.
- built-in flash for stills.
- built-in mic does a good job picking up sound from the target, not the operator.
- great connectivity options: firewire, USB, S-video, headphone, mic input, etc.
- buttons along the left side and back of the camera body control essential camera functions (manual settings for focus, white balance, audio level, shutter speed, and special lighting situations) so you won't need to dive into menus for these commonly used capabilities.
- side-mounted cassette means you can change tapes while the camcorder is mounted on a tripod.
- low motor noise.
- intelligent accessory shoe - very useful if you use the appropriate accessories.
- allows a great deal of manual control.

cons:
- no built in video light but you can get a video light for less about fifty bucks.
- you could do better on the still photo department. for example, sony's trv80 and trv70 have 2 megapixel capability while panasonic's pv-dv953 delivers 3 megapixel stills.
- as with most sony products, you pay a premium, pushing up the price.
- don't expect miracles from 1 megapixel stills.
- not as compact as i would like. dimensions are 4"H x 3-3/4"W x 8"D, weighing 2.4 lbs.
- the included 8MB memory stick is unacceptable. be prepared to shell out more money for at least a 32MB or bigger memory stick.
- does not have a NightShot mode (although i'm not a big fan of this feature).
- MPEG movies saved to Memory Stick are much darker than the same scene recorded to a miniDV tape.
- noticeable shutter lag for still captures.
- bluetooth communication requires optional purchases = more $$.
- touchscreen menu system is not intuitive.

this is great camcorder if you are looking for a 3CCD system. it sits atop sony's prosumer line. the competition is catching up though so make sure you also consider the panasonic pv-dv953. peace.

The Comparison between the TRV50 and the TRV950
Pros: Compact three-CCD camera; large, readable flip-out screen; one-megapixel still-image capture; clean, clear video images.

Cons: Poor low-light sensitivity; low-capacity Memory Stick supplied; stills require more light than video; Bluetooth communication requires optional purchases.

Reviews (25)

Could have been much more
I use Word and Entourage, every single day. I use PowerPoint at least once a week. I use Excel about once every month. I must use this suite for the interaction I need with PC users, but I am not a happy camper. This program is pretty, and it has some nice features, but, overall, it's mediocre. At times, it's downright bad.

Entourage is the worst of the programs in this suite. The freebie Mac Mail program has the most incredible junk mail filter I've yet used. It does nearly everything that Entourage does as far as making it easy to drop pictures or attachments into email. No, it doesn't have its own Calendar, but I don't use one of those things anyway. The Entourage calendar is a pain to deal with, anyway. It doesn't lay out well, and it doesn't account for schedules like mine. I have no use for it. Entourage also doesn't have a feature to just receive mail. No, one must send AND receive, at the same time, or just Send. Maybe I don't want to send mail just yet. Sheesh. Even MacMail lets you just Get Mail, without sending.

In Newsgroups, Entourage doesn't offer a preference to view only subscribed newsgroups for a particular server. No, I must go to the server, then go to View--Subscribed only. What a pain.

Where Entourage really messes up is its junk mail filter. It consistently lists valid mail as Junk Mail. Much of the time, anything from Apple comes in as Junk Mail. If Mac Mail mistakenly attributes an email after its "learning" phase, correcting it is a breeze: Click on Junk/Not Junk. The program REMEMBERS how to classify mail from the sender after that. To make the same change in Entourage, you have to add the sender to your address book. Maybe I don't want Apple in my address book, hogging up useless space. Why can't Entourage just REMEMBER that mail from that address isn't junk mail??? If I can ever get Mac Mail to connect to my college newsgroups (it's being temperamental about this ONE thing), Entourage is HISTORY.

If that's not bad enough, Entourage [alters] information I cut and paste into its standard text window from Word. Information I get from PC Outlook Express users who cut and paste from Word likewise gets jumbled when it gets to me. This program is a horrible mess.

Word has its quirks as well. Several times, I've been working on a document, I try to save it, then the Save window DISAPPEARS. I can't do anything with the document after that. I can't close it. I can't cut and paste the info into a new document. The doc window just sits there, taking up space. I usually have to quit or force quit to get rid of it. Sometimes, I'm lucky and autosave/autorecover save all my changes to a doc...but sometimes I'm not lucky. Sometimes I lose whole paragraphs of data. Most annoying, and Microsoft tech help is no help at all, as usual.

Word also has a nasty habit of changing the format of whole selections of text when cutting and pasting. I'll format all of a document to say, Verdana 12, and here comes a pasted selection in TimesRoman 12, or 10 or who knows what. I've changed my styles, font preferences, everything that remotely refers to fonts in any preference window anywhere--and it still does this.

Typical of all MS products, this monster known as Office has a really hard time remembering personal preferences for any of the programs, especially font settings in PowerPoint. I keep setting certain things, and Office blithely resets it to what it wants me to have, not what I want. This is like living with my mother.

Finding how to make certain settings in Office is a chore in itself. I don't like it when Word uses AutoType to input information from my address book for me, or when it tries to input a date. My work isn't oriented toward that, so this is most annoying. The place to set this preference isn't under Finder-->Preferences (where it logically belongs), it's under Tools-->Auto Correct-->AutoType. Brilliant. If I turn off my computer, my setting for this changes, according to Microsoft's whim.

If I could, I would junk this program.

The Common Review of Microsoft Office v.X, pt 2
Word
As you might expect, Word is the heart and soul of Office. If you didnÕt need a better word processor, the rest probably wouldnÕt matter too much. Most of the improvements that will matter to me were here.

Being able to strip out the format structure of a document that doesnÕt look or play right by using Clear Formatting is a big help. No matter how cross-platform a program tries to be, sometimes it just doesnÕt do what you want or expect! Being able to start from scratch is a big help. Vast improvements were made in the Data Merge (what used to known as Mail Merge) features. Ever since Word 3, IÕve always thought doing a mail merge in Word was a nightmare. Now with the advent of Entourage (first added to Office for Macintosh in version 2001) and the revamping of the Data Merge feature, Microsoft says itÕs now possible to do a mail merge in as few as 10 steps, over the 50 and up it took in Word 98.

Word has added transparency capabilities (based on the same OS X Quartz 2-D engine that Excel and PowerPoint do) into itÕs drawing feature, so it is moving farther into the realms of page layout programs with graphic functions. Web functions have become more and more integrated into other programs of late, and Word is no stranger to them. Taking two seemingly distant features, namely picture importing and text bullets, Word now lets you make custom graphic bullets, and treats them like regular bullets in documents with bullet lists. How cool it that!

A real world feature that means a lot to me is WordÕs continued backward and cross-platform compatibility. Multi-platform companies usually donÕt convert all at once, and there is almost no way to know what a person at another company has in terms of what version of Word. Microsoft has added a new function called Compatibility to WordÕs Preferences in the File Menu. Somewhat different to the save format feature, Compatibility will actually disable features that do not exits in earlier versions of Word. When you save down a document to a different format, you used to get a message saying that certain features in your document may not be available in that format, but doesnÕt tell you which ones. Now you donÕt need to worry about that, since you took care of that by telling Word which version you wanted to be compatible with up front. If you ainÕt got it, you ainÕt gonna loose it! COOL!

KudosÕ and bugaboos
One thing that always drove me nuts about Office 98 is that dialogue boxes of similar functions didnÕt even come close to looking the same between the various programs. DidnÕt these people EVER talk to each other. So far, I havenÕt seen that problem in Office v.X. The menu bar icons are consistent throughout each program, adding to the unified feel of it, rather then making it seem like four programs packaged under one heading.

No more Office Manager. Thank you É thank youÉ THANK YOU!

Entourage canÕt import from the OS X Address Book. But then the Address Book canÕt export either, so I guess it all works out.

Word has a Normal template that lets you pre-assign formatting like font face, size, document margins and the like. Why canÕt we have one like that in Excel. At least for font face, size and things like that.

None of the Office programs have the Spelling/Grammar checker as a default icon in the toolbar. You have to go to the arrow to the right of the Help button to get it. Adding it is no big deal, but come on!

Custom header/footer information doesnÕt seem to work too well in Excel when sending the spreadsheet to an Excel 98 user. It creates an out of memory error. DoesnÕt seem to matter whether the document was saved as an Excel workbook or in the more universal Excel 97-2002, X 5.0 & 95 format. The custom header/footer feature in Word appears to work OK in saved down documents.

Various reports have mentioned bugs in Office v.X attributing them to fonts, or other Value Pack items. Some have mentioned issues with QuickTime plug-ins with browsers or the OS X native version (beta) of RoxioÕs Toast CD burning software. Be cautious when adding things from the Value Pack. If you do them a few at a time, it wonÕt be so hard to track them down if you run into problems.

Overall
By the very nature that you have OS X means you are willing to go out onto the thin ice for a while. So belly up to the bar and get this program. End of story.

Reviews (2)

$35 support from day one
Purchasers of Word X for Mac should be aware that Micrososft does not warranty their product. I purchased Word X software from Amazon about a month ago and had problems with printing out a document. On seeking help from Microsoft I was told that Microsoft does not warranty Word for Mac and that a minimum thirty-five dollar fee would be required for their help.

Editorial Review

Keynote, Apple’s answer to Microsoft’s PowerPoint presentation software, has the limited feature set of a first offering but makes a good-looking show out of the gate.

Users accustomed to PowerPoint’s robust array of clip art, pre-populated themes, and pre-set transitions will be disappointed with Keynote’s small offering of pre-fabricated elements. However, they won’t be able to find fault with the visual quality of the elements that Keynote does include; any of the tasteful Keynote themes, detachable chart elements, or cinematic slide transitions would easily stand out against their PowerPoint counterparts.

Keynote’s interface is fairly similar to PowerPoint, although there are some differences. As with PowerPoint you can setup and see the progress of your slide show in a vertical panel on the left. Most of the formatting controls are in a control box called the "inspector"--whether building a chart, making a graphic twirl, or mandating the transition between two slides, you are mostly using the inspectors’ controls rather than dropdown menus or key commands to get things done. In addition to being able to animate imported graphics, audio and movie files can be played within a slide, though these multimedia effects will not run across multiple slides.

What will have to wait for the next version are comprehensive chart creation and exporting capabilities. Currently Keynote provides nine beautiful chart styles to choose from, but getting data into these pre-populated formats can be tedious. Users may find it easier to construct their more complicated charts outside the program, and import them as pre-made images into the slideshow.And, though you can export Keynote presentations to QuickTime and to PowerPoint, there is no Keynote-to-HTML conversion as yet. --Elizabeth Aoki

Reviews (2)

One of the easiest and most useful programs I've ever used
As a former software quality assurance tester for a major software company I have to say that this is arguably the easiest and most useful program I have ever used.

Through the years I've had to dabble with Photoshop, Quark, PageMaker and FileMaker. The companies that make these titles like us to think that their programs are easy to use. Well, they need to send some folks over to Omni Group to learn how it's really done.

I've never been able to just sit down and intutiively know how to operate software such as this. OmniGraffle has been the exception. Within minutes I had created a flow chart of ideas that was close to perfect. I didn't even need to look at the directions. Speaking of which, the small manual for this program looks like a booklet made by Dorling-Kindersley. You can't get any more user friendly than that.

If you work with ideas and concepts - creative writing, marketing, politics, business, nonprofits. speech writing, education, etc. - you will find this software useful. It will allow you to easily and succinctly present these ideas to others or just for your own personal use.

Omni Group has a demo version of this software which allows users to have up to 20 graphic items in their document. This might sound like a lot, but it isn't. If you're serious about using the software you'll definitely want to purchase it.

Reason alone to buy a Mac? Maybe.
This remarkable program astonishes people. It may be the finest software I have ever used--and I've used more than my share. OmniGraffle is designed to create visual representations of data, from time lines, to flow charts, to electronic diagrams, to office lay-outs, and much, much more. But this sterile list hardly does justice to the amazing flexibility and ease of use of this program. Everything from object fill, to line width, to line features, to labelling, to color, to fonts, to page lay-out are so feature rich, so user friendly as to put any competitors to rest. There certainly is nothing even close to this software in the Windows world. (If you are using something like Visio for these tasks, you are in the stone-age.) I wish I could include a sample document to illustrate what this program can do. But, since I can't, go to OmniGroup's web site (www.omnigroup.com) to check out their examples.

Editorial Review

OmniGraffle is an easy-to-use diagramming tool designed to help business, technical, and home users organize ideas and data. The winner of two 2002 Apple Design Awards, OmniGraffle helps users draw out anything that can be represented by symbols and lines: flow charts, org charts, network diagrams, family trees, project processes, office layouts, and much more.

Features

• An award-winning, twisted, sci-fi story, filled with complex characters and cunning enemies
• Fight on foot, in vehicles, in the air, and beneath the surface of an orbiting alien ring
• Intense 16-player, online PC/Mac battles; new weapons, maps, and vehicles
• Increased precision of obliterating the Covenant swarms with a mouse and keyboard
• Play as a single-player or take the battle online with gamers all over the world

Reviews (27)

Things to know before you buy Halo for the Mac!!
To play Mac Halo you need two things:
1. An unbelievably fast computer (preferably with an ATI Radeon 9600 card or newer)
2. An unbelievably fast internet connection

Anything less will lag you out and frustrate you. Especially if you're used to the lag-free world of Xbox Halo. Yes, this game has some steep requirements to get it to play smoothly. (The proper video card alone costs more than an entire xbox console and Halo game combined.)

Halo on the Mac is fun, of course Halo in any carnation is fun, but Mac Halo does have it's downsides - especially when compared to the console version.

Halo Mac does not support FSAA (full screen anti-alliasing) which means the graphics have bitmapped edges that are coarse. Xbox Halo does support FSAA.

Halo Mac does not currently support gamepad use. The PC version of Halo does, but Mac does not. So you'll need to be quite familiar with mouse/keyboard play.

The weapon attributes in Halo Mac are not exact to weapon attributes in Xbox version. Below is a list of how the weapons differ from the Xbox version:

PISTOL - Target reticle is way too large - which is annoying, it has a shorter range and it's weaker than the xbox pistol.
ASSAULT RIFLE - Much weaker than xbox version
GRENADES - They don't throw as far as xbox version, you have to look up much higher in order to throw farther
ROCKET LAUNCHER - weaker

The only weapons that seem unchanged are the alien weapons, the shotgun and the sniper rifle.

Halo on the Mac seems less competitive, most servers are filled with noobs who do nothing but team kill. It's hard to find a good CTF or slayer game. The browser for finding servers lacks interface options. No chat rooms, no server invites, etc. It is possible to find a good server with good players, but you'll have to be patient.

Halo Mac doesn't allow for co-op playing in the regular game mode unlike in the xbox version. This time, you'll have to go it alone.

Some of the mulitplayer maps you've come to love have been altered slightly. Sidewinder for example - the teleporter in the roof section of the bases now is a two-way porter. Meaning you can go through it and come back through it. This changes things dramatically for CTF strategy on this level.

Too many vehicles:
Some levels, in default mode, include new vehicles as well as the old vehicles. Everywhere you look there are vehicles. Blood Gulch starts to look like a parking lot. It's a little ridiculous. Thankfully you can create your own games and specify how many vehicles you want.

NOW FOR THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT HALO MAC...

The reason I bought this game was to play on the new multiplayer maps. There are 6 brand new maps (along with all your favorite maps from the xbox version). The maps are:

-Death Island
-Ice Fields
-Timberland
-Gephyrophobia
-Danger Canyon
-Infinity

Of these new maps Death Island and Danger Canyon are my favorites. All the maps are really cool and provide for the development of new strategies and tactics to make the most out of them. I have not been disappointed with any of these levels and you won't be either.

New weapons:
There are 2 new weapons in Halo Mac, and they are both pretty cool.
Flame Thrower - fun weapon to use, good for guarding a flag with
Fuel Rod Gun - almost as powerful as a rocket launcher, except with rapid fire - deadly weapon

New vehicles:
-Wart Hog with a Rocket Turret
I still like the orginal warthog better (don't worry, it's in this game too.) This new Hog has a rocket turret, but the rocket shoots really slowly.
-Banshee
Halo Mac allows you to fly the Banshee, a Covenant ship from the single player game. The Banshee is a tough nut to crack when one is attacking you. This is a favorite vehicle for new players because they can take off and avoid death more easily.

Easier multiplayer access. Halo Mac allows you to hop into games with other players quickly and easily without having to hook up 6 xboxes to each other or without having to play online via XBconnect or Gamespy. However, the lag can be intolerable if your computer isn't up to snuff. I like that I can now get into games quickly.

Overall: Halo Mac is a great game and certainly better than most games out there. The new multiplayer maps alone are worth the purchase. Halo xbox LAN games are still the best for insane multiplayer, but Halo Mac is pretty good and really fun too. Halo Mac is a good appetizer until the main course...Halo 2...hits shelves this Spring.

Good and Bad
Well, I was quite honestly expecting more. But then again, it is Microsoft... The story mode is fun for awhile, but the multiplayer never gets old, that is if you actually find a good server that does lag too much and doesn't have too many 13-year-old kids shooting teammates. On my dual 1.42GHz MDD G4 with 512 and an ATI Radeon 9000 Pro card, the framerate still dips down to unplayable levels. Unreal 2003 looks much more detailed and I have never had the framerate slow down, even online. It's still fun to play though. If you're a Halo fan and don't have an XBOX, think about the purchase, but only if you have a FAST Mac.

I can run it on my iBook
I don't get why everyone can't seem to run Halo very well on all these high end machines. I can run the single player without lag on low/medium graphics on my 800MHz G3 640MB RAM. I can even run the multiplayer on medium/high graphics. I can run it better than my roomates 2GHz pc. I guess you just have to fool around with the settings and find the one that works.

Features

• This self-contained studio system features all the tools needed to create amazing audio with a number of effects and perfect production
• Work with a world of synths, drum machines, loops and more from the Create menu
• Add dozens of samplers & compressors to the mix and use them all at once -- they're automatically patched into the mixer
• Use Reason as a sequencer -- process audio output with plug-in effects and mix it with tracks on your hard drive
• Pick up right where you left off -- Reason stores not just a song or sample, but the complete setup you were using while composing it

Reviews (6)

What a virtual studio should be like
Reason 2.5 is the most intuitive music composition software available, particularly due to the fact that it emulates music hardware rather than work like software. Those who are familiar with such hardware will recognize many of the tools: mixer, samplers, synths, drum machine, and effects devices. You can organize these devices on a virtual rack. Press the Tab key and it flips to the back of the rack, showing all the inputs/outputs, gates and cables, as if you were looking at the back of actual hardware. Simply amazing.

When one can buy Reason for less than $400, it's hard to justify the hardware route costing perhaps ten grand (FYI: an even better bargain is the Reason 2.5 / M-Audio Ozone keyboard package for around $430). In other words, the program is tremendous value for money, and combined with Pro Tools, has the potential to produce professional-quality sound. Furthermore, Reason allows the user to focus on making music, rather than wasting time moving around hardware and physically reconnecting them. You can test various ideas quickly (e.g. try out different effects) since you can hook up devices without leaving your seat.

Reason also has a great sequencer, which logically converts the temporal nature of music into visual, spatial data. The sequencer should therefore be readily accessible for people who have basic experience with graphics software (e.g. Illustrator, CAD) and easy to learn for those who don't.

The one thing you can't do with Reason is take samples/loops from existing songs. For instance, I can't lift a section off a Metallica guitar solo or Mozart string quartet or whatever and create a new pattern from that. To do this, you need ReCycle, another software product from Propellerhead.

The manual that comes with the software isn't great, but it's enough to get you started and overcome the not-so-steep learning curve to start making songs. Actually, this is the first of a few learning curves and down the road one should invest in a real manual to help refine the sound. As Reason has so many possibilities, it's best to concentrate on the song and sounds you want to make rather than get bogged down by the endless combinations of devices and control settings. After all, you probably wouldn't be considering this product if you didn't have a few specific musical ideas stuck in your head.

Versatile Music Composition Tool
What is Reason? It's a software replica of a recording studio that includes mixers, samplers, synths, and a plethora of effects devices. It's a processor hog, so be sure you get the fastest computer you can afford to run this bugger. It's easy to use, intuitive, and the sounds are first class. The users manual could stand some improvement, but there are books out there that can help. It is worth noting that the learning curve is shortened considerably if you've worked in a "real" recording studio environment, and you probably won't plumb all the depths of this versatile software without a little but of real world experience.

Features

• Control the parameters of any soft synth
• This software takes you deeper into the capabilities of your music
• It also gives you greater freedom when you're on stage
• Program your drums in real-time
• Input & output for up to 16 different MIDI channels

Asin: B00006I5HL
Sales Rank: 12969
Subjects:  1. Multimedia Cable (Cables)    2. Accessories (Accessory)   

Features

• MIDISPORT 2x2 is a multi-port MIDI interface for USB-equipped PC and Apple computers
• MIDISPORT's high-speed USB (Universal Serial Bus) connection to the computer assures reliable, immediate MIDI transfers
• Installation is a breeze -- no computer disassembly, no jumpers to set, no I/O Addresses, IRQ's or DMA channels to configure
• Expansion is just as easy -- just plug in additional MIDISPORT units for more MIDI ports
• 2-in-2 out MIDI Interface (32x32 MIDI channels)

Reviews (1)

Features

• 20 GB model holds up to 5,000 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 (180)

Simply AWESOME!
This is great. Now I have two of them. I bought one of the original 5 GB models and thought at that time they were expensive, but soon found out that even the smaller model would keep as many songs as I would ever want for a business flight.

I realized the iPod was so much more when I had disk problems on my Macintosh. Luckily I had a backup copy of my OS on it and used it to boot my machine. I was back in the saddle in a minute, and in fact, I accidentally continued to use the iPod as the startup disk for that whole session while working on huge graphics files!

The iPod can be used to transfer files from work to home and vice versa. Contacts and calenders make it easy to keep track of things without a PDA (even though you can't add anything without using a PC/Mac). I have used both iPods with an old Pentium III PC and the music transfer is smooth as silk. I did a lot of shopping this time around and the other players out there just don't have what it takes. Either the controls are in goofy places or the software isn't intuitive. While you CAN learn to use anything, why should it be a pain?

I now have one of the 20 GB models and can store large presentations on it when I travel, and since they usually have a PC at the other end, I can leave my laptop at home and am much happier not having to lug that around.

PC and Mac users will benefit from this device, especially if you are innovative, or you happen to find innovative software which is widely available and cheap or free. One example is: Before my flight, I can download newsbites and sports scores and quickly transfer it to the iPod for a diversion at the airport or on the flight. For the person visiting family, you can bring along the latest digital pics, long lost recipes, etc. and transfer/print them when you get there. (My parents don't do email that well)

While the iPod isn't a PDA, it has many of those functions and is a lot more fun. Most importantly, the iPod is an AWESOME and versatile music player.

Nice piece of machinery!
This is possibly the neatest piece of consumer electronics I've bought in a long time. First, the design and packaging: sleek and smooth. Apple once again leads the way in hardware design. Operating the iPod is intuitive; I was able to get mine running in about 10 seconds flat. Navigation thought the OS is easy and intuitive, and selecting music is a snap.

Apple has just released iTunes for Windows, but is not currently shipping same with iPods. Do yourself a giant favor: after buying your iPod, go to Apple.com and download iTunes before you go any further. It's free and is about 14 MB. This program is much more intuitive than RealJukebox (previously used to sync tunes for Windows machines) and, obviously, is designed to work with the iPod. It also offers the much-vaunted iTunes Library, where any song there may be purchased for a nominal sum, as well as many streaming Internet radio stations.

Battery life is not quite what it should be. For reasons unknown to me, syncing with the PC uses up a phenomenal amount of battery power. I ran down my batteries twice while syncing my entire MP3 collection (over 1400) with my iPod when I first got it. The answer, of course, seems to be to have a FireWire port so you can charge while syncing. With normal listening use, I seem to get about 4-5 hours per charge, which isn't too bad.

If you intend to rip your CD collection to your Pod, be warned: the default rip format is AAC, which makes for much larger files than MP3s (albeit with better quality). This will eat up hard disk space on your own PC like no one's business. It seems to run about 100MB per disk, plus or minus. Therefore, ripping 5 disks to the Pod has taken up about 500 MB on my hard drive - no good. I suppose I can live with removing the source files from the PC as long as they stay on the Pod.

The 20 GB model comes with a lot of interesting extras: a carrying case, a pouch to hold your charger and other extraneous cables, a charging/syncing dock, a remote control, and extra foam covers for the earpieces (which slip off very easily). It is true, as other reviewers have mentioned, that it does NOT come with a USB cable - so if you do not have a FireWire port, either buy one or purchase the optional combination FireWire/USB cable to plug into the dock. (And if you don't have USB, you are in big trouble anyway.)

Perfect Digital Music Player
Simply the best MP3 player made in yet. Beats anything by IRiver, Creative, Dell or any company.

Apple has created the sleekest product in electronics history. Its a sweet shiny white and chrome machine that fits in the palm in your hand. There are absolutely no buttons to press on an iPod, everything is touch-enabled which is much much better and easier to navigate. You won't have to worry about buttons wearing away over time. Plus, its design is so damn cool its not funny.

The 20GB model is not a great as a deal as the 40 but its still better than the 15GB because it comes with an inline remote control and an iPod dock (very necessary).

You must install iTunes in order to use iPod. Nevertheless, iTunes is the best music player for the PC yet. 100x better than Windows Media Player, and nearly 1000x times better than the old school WinAmp. iTunes has better playlists, better methods of organizing music, and a much much more simpler design than anything out. iTunes is as a sleek program as the iPod is an MP3 player.

Why is iPod so expensive? Its because of its near CD sound quality. All the non Apple MP3 players tend to distort music quality to a VERY noticeable level. Do not choose to buy one of those 60GB MP3 players for like $200, they have horrible sound quality and klunky design.

Why did I give this product 4 stars? Its only because Apple's iPods cannot hold a charge after near 18 months of use. Meaning you need to get the ENTIRE IPOD replaced by apple, for $100. However, you can get the extended warranty from the AppleCare Protection Plan and it'll cover you for 24 months, which is a good deal. Don't hold out because of this tho, because if you're buying such a product, you should take care of it.

Features

• Exchange files or play multiplayer games at data transfer rates of up to 54 Mbps
• Compatible with the industry-standard 802.11b wireless networking protocol
• Range of up to 50 feet at 54 Mbps and up to 150 feet at 11 Mbps
• Supports USB or Ethernet wireless printer sharing
• 128-bit WEP encryption for secure connections

Reviews (17)

Share broadband between Mac & PC
It hurt to pay so much, but I had the feeling that getting the Airport Extreme Base Station would save me time and headaches when trying to share broadband between a PC and Mac.

I was successful with this platform/OS/equipment combination:
Apple M8930LL/A Airport Extreme Base Station
Mac: OS 10.1.5, Apple Airport Card
PC: Win2000 Pro, NetGear MA101 Wireless USB Adapter

Plugged an ISP-provided DSL modem into the Base Station and configured the Base Station using the Mac. (Had no success with Apple's Airport Admin config software for the PC.)

Then plugged in the NetGear MA101 on the PC, installed the software from CD, and configured the settings to match the Mac security.

I got strong signal strength and throughput from both the NetGear MA101 and the Airport Card in a three story house.
40-bit WEP works fine. 128-bit is occasionally a little buggy on the PC, requiring me to temporarily reset both platforms to 40-bit.

Haven't tried setting up file sharing yet, but will attempt the USB printer connection on the Base Station. (Caution, check Apple.com/airport for list if approved USB printers that will work with the Base Station. Also, this USB printer feature supposedly requires the Mac to run OS 10.2.3+)

I wish the Airport Base Station manual had more scenario details and suggestions how to tailor your WAN configuration. I spent a lot of time searching the Apple BBS regarding questions I think should have been covered in the manual.

Overall, the Airport Extreme Base Station is a thing of beauty to look at, relatively easy to configure -- but I'm scared to death of someone knocking it to the floor.

Wireless Internet as a Fashion Statement
Apple makes cool stuff, no doubt about it. But one of their coolest products is the Airport Extreme system of wireless internet.

Using the Airport Extreme Base Station, in addition to an Airport Extreme reception card in your computer, you can move all around your home or office without the messy clutter of ethernet cables or connection equipment.

Setup is a snap using the included instructions. Within minutes you'll be surfing the web and accessing data wirelessly.

The only setback is the relative sensitivity of the Airport system. It doesn't like being near other computer components or going through walls. But, when push comes to shove, the unit does its job.

Features

• Exchange files or play multiplayer games at data transfer rates of up to 54 Mbps
• Compatible with the industry-standard 802.11b wireless networking protocol
• Range of up to 50 feet at 54 Mbps and up to 150 feet at 11 Mbps
• Join any of the thousands of Wi-Fi certified 802.11b wireless "hot spots" that are currently running in coffeehouses, bookstores, and airports
• 128-bit WEP encryption for secure connections

Reviews (17)

Apple quality comes through again!
My experience with the AirPort Extreme card has simply reaffirmed my faith in Apple. I literally popped the card into my PowerBook (this took all of a minute or two) and when I restarted my computer it was asking to connect to my wireless network. It couldn't get any easier. Reception is great and I've not experienced any of the problems some other Aluminum PowerBook owners have with reception. At the same time I installed this, I also installed a Microsoft wireless card on my girlfriend's Toshiba laptop. It took a good 3-4 hours to get that connected to the network due to driver issues, etc.. If you've got an AirPort Extreme-capable Mac, don't even consider using a PC Card for wireless. This card is the way to go!

Incredibly easy to install and get going!
I bought this card for my iBook, and a regular Airport card for my G4 desktop. The cards install in a snap, following the directions at the Apple website (go to Support, they have pictures, and it's truly EASY.) I ran the Airport Setup Assistant (which comes on new Macs, or you can download from apple.com), and I was online wirelessly in less than fifteen minutes.

I run my desktop and the iBook off the Airport Extreme base station, and my husband was able to get a compatible card for his PC laptop and connect it to the network easily, too. And the network's password-protected, so we don't worry about someone else signing on and having access to our computers. It's wonderful for us both to be able to be on the internet at the same time, from anywhere in the house, with no perceptible slowdowns in speed.

Can't recommend the cards (and the base station) highly enough. They're incredibly simple and offer you tons of freedom. If you're debating whether the card is compatible with your Mac (you'll need either a regular Airport card or Airport Extreme), there's a list on the Apple website that's very easy to locate in the support area. Both computers using Airport cards and those using Airport Extreme cards can connect using the Airport Extreme base station.