by: Richard J Runion
You have three basic options, with respect to the type of multimedia player to buy. There is a player that comes with a hard disc for program storage, another that uses flash memory (memory sticks, flash cards, etc.) and yet another using standard CD format with storage of music in mp3 or other compressed formats.
Features, design, usability and battery life differ with each manufacturer. Before you zero in the model you want, consider the pros and cons of every product.
Your selection is likely to be affected by developments in the availability of online music and video programming. The ability of your multimedia player to share different media formats and protection will matter, too.
Go for a multi-dimensional portable video player, if you plan to watch movies or TV while traveling. Apart from playing music and video, it allows you to view digital photos. Features like recording video from VCR or TV are present in some models.
The Archos 604 measures 5.1 x 3 x 0.65 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 9.05 ounces. It is equipped with a 4.3 inch LCD 480x272 pixel/16-million-color screen to insure a quality image; the 30 GB hard drive enables storage of up to 40 movies. Your TV will facilitate high resolution play back, of up to 720 x 576 DVD.
Archos 604 enables you to record from your TV or other video sources, such as a DVD player, VCR, or camcorder, in MPEG-4 format. Audio recording (PCM or ADPCM WAV) on this multi-media player is very effective. Use Archos 604 as a camcorder; just connect it to a digital camera using the DVR travel adapter.
Apart from about 40 movies, you can store 15,000 songs or 300,000 photos on the 30 GB hard drive. You can use different format such as MP3, WAV, WMA and WMA files. You can also view formats like JPEG, BMP, and PNG.
If you want net access, opt for the Archos 604 WiFi model which comes with a built-in Opera browser and allows you to surf the net, and browse your email. Archos podcatcher software captures audio and video podcasts without having to use a PC.
The battery comes with music playback time of up to 16 hours, and video playback time of up to 5 hours. Archos offers one warranty.
The complete package consists of Archos 604 portable media player and recorder, headphones, dedicated USB 2.0 cable, DVR station adapter, pouch, quick-start guide, legal and safety notices.
On the flipside, reading web files on the relatively small screen may prove a bit difficult; you can connect it to your TV screen. Memory is limited to 30GB, and you may require external memory devices to augment it. The package comes very few free accessories.
Overall, I do endorse Archos 604 as a good buy.
About The Author
Richard J. Runion is the President of Geostar Publishing & Services LLC. Rich loves net research & blogging. His new blog on Archos 604 multimedia player is fast becoming popular, as it is comprehensive and well-researched. Read his blog at: http://www.archos604review.com
Creative Zen Microphoto 8gb Review
by: John Applin
This device was recommended to me by a friend, this is an ipod like device that can store up to 8gb of mp3's as well as photos.
Creative have been manufacturing alternatives to Apple ipods for a while now and this model, the Creative Zen Microphoto, is sold to directly compete with the Apple ipod photo (although the ipod photo comes with a 60gb hard drive).
On first appearances the Zen Microphoto feels well built and sturdy, most of Creative's lineup seem to be built to a high standard which is what you'd expect from any device which costs a significant amount of money. One thing that usually lets devices like this down is the quality of the earphones. A lot of thought usually goes into the device and the bundled earphones seem like they were thought of at the last minute. This isn’t the case with the Creative Zen Microphoto however, the earphones feel quality, fit comfortably in the ear, and actually produce a decent sound. One thing that would have been a nice feature is in-line volume controls for volume and track navigation. As it stands you have to root around in your pocket, fish out the Zen, then activate the controls before you can perform any of these tasks, which would become annoying if you were riding a bike or jogging while listening to your music.
Since you have to use the main controls on the Zen you'd expect them to be easy to use, for some reason though Creative have opted for a control panel which consists of 4 touch buttons and a touch slider. You have to tap the buttons or the slider in order to activate the device, then use the slider to navigate through the track listings and menus. Once into the menu function it is self explanatory and easy to navigate, with a nice bright display which is clear and easy to read. What I found in my experience was that the slider was oversensitive and the 4 touch buttons were undersensitive, this proved a little infuriating. One thing I did notice is that there was no stop button, only play and pause. What I think would have been a better option would have been to use simple click buttons for the controls and a classic volume wheel instead of a slider. I can see what creative have tried to do in choosing the buttons and the slider that they have, in trying to keep the lines and style of the device simple, but in doing so have made the zen more difficult to use and ultimately lets the device down.
An aspect that I think Creative needs to seriously look at is when you switch to viewing photos on the zen, the music stops. Quite why this happens I'm not sure but I think this is something that will frustrate a lot of people.
When switching on the Creative Zen Microphoto the edge around front face of the device lights up to compliment the buttons and really does look good.
Creative's choice of navigation buttons for the Zen become evident when switched on as the whole package has a quite a stylish look when illuminated.
The Zen Microphoto comes with a USB lead to connect to a PC, this allows for the easy transfer of music and photos onto the Zen as well as being able to use the Zen as a portable USB storage device for other files which is quite handy. The 8gb hard drive size means there should be sufficient space for most people to carry around their entire music collection.
Conclusion
Good Points Stylish, easy menu navigation, good sound quality, excellent build quality, 8gb hard drive
Bad Points No in line volume control or navigation, poor navigation controls, inability to view photos while listening to music.
John's Reviews rating: 6/10
About The Author
John Applin
John's Reviews
For more reviews, how to's, technical help go to http://www.johnsreviews.com
This device was recommended to me by a friend, this is an ipod like device that can store up to 8gb of mp3's as well as photos.
Creative have been manufacturing alternatives to Apple ipods for a while now and this model, the Creative Zen Microphoto, is sold to directly compete with the Apple ipod photo (although the ipod photo comes with a 60gb hard drive).
On first appearances the Zen Microphoto feels well built and sturdy, most of Creative's lineup seem to be built to a high standard which is what you'd expect from any device which costs a significant amount of money. One thing that usually lets devices like this down is the quality of the earphones. A lot of thought usually goes into the device and the bundled earphones seem like they were thought of at the last minute. This isn’t the case with the Creative Zen Microphoto however, the earphones feel quality, fit comfortably in the ear, and actually produce a decent sound. One thing that would have been a nice feature is in-line volume controls for volume and track navigation. As it stands you have to root around in your pocket, fish out the Zen, then activate the controls before you can perform any of these tasks, which would become annoying if you were riding a bike or jogging while listening to your music.
Since you have to use the main controls on the Zen you'd expect them to be easy to use, for some reason though Creative have opted for a control panel which consists of 4 touch buttons and a touch slider. You have to tap the buttons or the slider in order to activate the device, then use the slider to navigate through the track listings and menus. Once into the menu function it is self explanatory and easy to navigate, with a nice bright display which is clear and easy to read. What I found in my experience was that the slider was oversensitive and the 4 touch buttons were undersensitive, this proved a little infuriating. One thing I did notice is that there was no stop button, only play and pause. What I think would have been a better option would have been to use simple click buttons for the controls and a classic volume wheel instead of a slider. I can see what creative have tried to do in choosing the buttons and the slider that they have, in trying to keep the lines and style of the device simple, but in doing so have made the zen more difficult to use and ultimately lets the device down.
An aspect that I think Creative needs to seriously look at is when you switch to viewing photos on the zen, the music stops. Quite why this happens I'm not sure but I think this is something that will frustrate a lot of people.
When switching on the Creative Zen Microphoto the edge around front face of the device lights up to compliment the buttons and really does look good.
Creative's choice of navigation buttons for the Zen become evident when switched on as the whole package has a quite a stylish look when illuminated.
The Zen Microphoto comes with a USB lead to connect to a PC, this allows for the easy transfer of music and photos onto the Zen as well as being able to use the Zen as a portable USB storage device for other files which is quite handy. The 8gb hard drive size means there should be sufficient space for most people to carry around their entire music collection.
Conclusion
Good Points Stylish, easy menu navigation, good sound quality, excellent build quality, 8gb hard drive
Bad Points No in line volume control or navigation, poor navigation controls, inability to view photos while listening to music.
John's Reviews rating: 6/10
About The Author
John Applin
John's Reviews
For more reviews, how to's, technical help go to http://www.johnsreviews.com
Vizio VX32L 32" LCD HDTV Review
by: Kyle Hahn
The Vizio 32" LCD HDTV cost around $500 or so, depending on where you buy it. I bought mine from Sam’s Club at around $520. I also purchased the wallmount for it. This is my first HDTV LCD TV that I have ever owned and I love it. It has dual HDMI output connections as well as VGA output connection to hook it to your PC or what not. I have hooked this up to my PC via DVI connection and the quality isn’t as good as I thought it would be, but still very good. If you get the perfect resolution set for this TV it would look flawless, especially with HDMI. The max resolution for the Vizio 32" is 1366 x 768 resolution. The HDMI cables run about $100, thats why I have not hooked this up via HDMI yet.
I currently have Dishnetwork (Non-HD) connected to my TV. If you are far away the TV looks EXCELLENT. When you get closer is when you start to see more of the pixels, but this is obviously caused by not having DishNetwork HD, and HDMI cables hooked up. My personal opinion on this TV is that for the price, you can not beat $500 for a 32" Hi-Definition TV. The TV has the capability to remove the base to allow mounthing on the wall. There are about 10 screws or so to fully mounth this TV to the wall. It was not much of a task at all. Pretty simple.
Here is a bit more information about what Outputs/Inputs the TV provides as well as size information:
Inputs
RF (F Connector for internal tuner): 1
HDMI with HDCP: 2
Analog Stereo Audio for HDMI Inputs: 1
Component YPbPr plus Stereo Audio: 2
Composite Video: 2
S-Video plus Stereo Audio: 1
Computer RGB plus Stereo Audio: 1
Service Port: 1
Outputs
Analog Audio out (RCA): 1
5.1 SPDIF Digital Optical Audio: 1
Headphone (Stereo Mini-Jack): 0
Dimensions
Carton: 35" W x 28" H x 14.2" D
Net: 31.4" W x 23.3" H x 10.4" D
Without Stand: 31.4" W x 22.1" H x 3.9" D
Certifications: CSA, CSA-US FCC Class B, IC, BETS-7
I would HIGHLY recommend the Vizio 32" VX32L HDTV to any one wanting to purchase a HD LCD TV.
About The Author
Kyle Hahn
Kyle's Blog
http://www.kylehahn.net
The Vizio 32" LCD HDTV cost around $500 or so, depending on where you buy it. I bought mine from Sam’s Club at around $520. I also purchased the wallmount for it. This is my first HDTV LCD TV that I have ever owned and I love it. It has dual HDMI output connections as well as VGA output connection to hook it to your PC or what not. I have hooked this up to my PC via DVI connection and the quality isn’t as good as I thought it would be, but still very good. If you get the perfect resolution set for this TV it would look flawless, especially with HDMI. The max resolution for the Vizio 32" is 1366 x 768 resolution. The HDMI cables run about $100, thats why I have not hooked this up via HDMI yet.
I currently have Dishnetwork (Non-HD) connected to my TV. If you are far away the TV looks EXCELLENT. When you get closer is when you start to see more of the pixels, but this is obviously caused by not having DishNetwork HD, and HDMI cables hooked up. My personal opinion on this TV is that for the price, you can not beat $500 for a 32" Hi-Definition TV. The TV has the capability to remove the base to allow mounthing on the wall. There are about 10 screws or so to fully mounth this TV to the wall. It was not much of a task at all. Pretty simple.
Here is a bit more information about what Outputs/Inputs the TV provides as well as size information:
Inputs
RF (F Connector for internal tuner): 1
HDMI with HDCP: 2
Analog Stereo Audio for HDMI Inputs: 1
Component YPbPr plus Stereo Audio: 2
Composite Video: 2
S-Video plus Stereo Audio: 1
Computer RGB plus Stereo Audio: 1
Service Port: 1
Outputs
Analog Audio out (RCA): 1
5.1 SPDIF Digital Optical Audio: 1
Headphone (Stereo Mini-Jack): 0
Dimensions
Carton: 35" W x 28" H x 14.2" D
Net: 31.4" W x 23.3" H x 10.4" D
Without Stand: 31.4" W x 22.1" H x 3.9" D
Certifications: CSA, CSA-US FCC Class B, IC, BETS-7
I would HIGHLY recommend the Vizio 32" VX32L HDTV to any one wanting to purchase a HD LCD TV.
About The Author
Kyle Hahn
Kyle's Blog
http://www.kylehahn.net
Electronic Graphic Organizers for Brainstorming
by: Ajeet Khurana
The teachers of the world invariably stay away from technology when it comes to teaching their students. They had to stay extremely organized in order to produce easy to understand graphs, charts, and other forms of graphic learning material. If a graph got messed up during an exercise or lecture, they were out of luck and had to move on and start again on a fresh sheet. Now, that isn't the case anymore. New electronic graphic organizers are available which make life much easier for teachers and help students to learn far more effectively.
SmartDraw Electronic Graphic Organizer
SmartDraw has a new piece of software that offers full capability for teachers who have little idea of the computer. Instead of just going along with the old, bland templates of the past, teachers can now create graphic organizers with this software. They can take previous examples and make the necessary modifications in order to ensure that their students get the point.
This product is one of the most revolutionary ones on the market because of some of its teacher-friendly functions. They get to choose from more than one hundred of what SmartDraw refers to as "SmartTemplates", which are specially designed applications that can be changed and quickly saved by a teacher. In addition to that, the product is easily obtainable. With a quick download, you will have the software. After that, you will be on your way to creating top notch applications for teaching and presentations using this software.
MatchWare Open Mind 2
Also taking the electronic market by storm is MatchWare, who has introduced its new Open Mind 2 organizing product. This software is a professional looking mind mapping application that enables you to create your own professional looking presentations with a lot of ease. With this new software, ideas can be turned into great looking graphic presentations in the matter of a little while. That flexibility and quickness is important for those people that do not have too many spare minutes.
This product has drawn rave reviews from many of the customers who have had a chance to get their hands on it. It allows for quick use and it one of the easiest systems to follow. Because it is fully compatible with Microsoft Windows and it has full integration properties, there should be no problem getting it up and running. The only problem with this product is figuring out which of the many applications to use. From the mind mapping software to the time table making ability, there is always a new feature to try out.
Just like other electronic graphic organizers, MatchWare Open Mind 2 can be quickly downloaded on the Internet with little trouble. This means that you can be creating great looking documents not too long after you bring home the product.
Tinderbox
For those folks that want a highly functional piece of software that is both powerful and easy to use, Tinderbox is a great option. When compared to the other programs on the market, this one is extremely deep and has a lot of capability. Though it may not be as flashy as some of its competitors, this piece of software is a stolid worker if you want your job done. Regardless of what kind of graphic presentation that you need to put together, there is an application within Tinderbox that will help you create it.
Tinderbox prides itself on providing products that are easy to use and state of the art. The product comes with a great deal of assistance in case you happen to run into any snags along the way. Because of the depth and overall capability of the application, you might end up having some questions about various features. That is all right, as there is included a help section which should give you your answers.
Tinderbox also claims that its product is one of the fastest on the market. There are features included in this product that make it very easy to get work done quickly. You won't be waiting around when you see that some work must get done.
These three products are some of the top electronic organizers on the web today. Each one offers something that is unique and can help bring something special to any presentation. When you are looking to get across a point involving some data, how do you achieve that then through visual, good looking presentation material? With a lightning quick download of any of these products, you can be on the way to creating terrific presentations that will surprise even you. Regardless of whether you are teaching English to a bunch of 7th graders or presenting a business proposal to a set of new clients, you will find great use in these products.
About The Author
Ajeet Khurana
Did you know that graphic organisers are effective tools. Visit http://www.graphic.org/ And did you know that graphic organizers at http://www.graphic.org/goindex.html also make an effective brainstorming web at http://www.graphic.org/brainst.html
The teachers of the world invariably stay away from technology when it comes to teaching their students. They had to stay extremely organized in order to produce easy to understand graphs, charts, and other forms of graphic learning material. If a graph got messed up during an exercise or lecture, they were out of luck and had to move on and start again on a fresh sheet. Now, that isn't the case anymore. New electronic graphic organizers are available which make life much easier for teachers and help students to learn far more effectively.
SmartDraw Electronic Graphic Organizer
SmartDraw has a new piece of software that offers full capability for teachers who have little idea of the computer. Instead of just going along with the old, bland templates of the past, teachers can now create graphic organizers with this software. They can take previous examples and make the necessary modifications in order to ensure that their students get the point.
This product is one of the most revolutionary ones on the market because of some of its teacher-friendly functions. They get to choose from more than one hundred of what SmartDraw refers to as "SmartTemplates", which are specially designed applications that can be changed and quickly saved by a teacher. In addition to that, the product is easily obtainable. With a quick download, you will have the software. After that, you will be on your way to creating top notch applications for teaching and presentations using this software.
MatchWare Open Mind 2
Also taking the electronic market by storm is MatchWare, who has introduced its new Open Mind 2 organizing product. This software is a professional looking mind mapping application that enables you to create your own professional looking presentations with a lot of ease. With this new software, ideas can be turned into great looking graphic presentations in the matter of a little while. That flexibility and quickness is important for those people that do not have too many spare minutes.
This product has drawn rave reviews from many of the customers who have had a chance to get their hands on it. It allows for quick use and it one of the easiest systems to follow. Because it is fully compatible with Microsoft Windows and it has full integration properties, there should be no problem getting it up and running. The only problem with this product is figuring out which of the many applications to use. From the mind mapping software to the time table making ability, there is always a new feature to try out.
Just like other electronic graphic organizers, MatchWare Open Mind 2 can be quickly downloaded on the Internet with little trouble. This means that you can be creating great looking documents not too long after you bring home the product.
Tinderbox
For those folks that want a highly functional piece of software that is both powerful and easy to use, Tinderbox is a great option. When compared to the other programs on the market, this one is extremely deep and has a lot of capability. Though it may not be as flashy as some of its competitors, this piece of software is a stolid worker if you want your job done. Regardless of what kind of graphic presentation that you need to put together, there is an application within Tinderbox that will help you create it.
Tinderbox prides itself on providing products that are easy to use and state of the art. The product comes with a great deal of assistance in case you happen to run into any snags along the way. Because of the depth and overall capability of the application, you might end up having some questions about various features. That is all right, as there is included a help section which should give you your answers.
Tinderbox also claims that its product is one of the fastest on the market. There are features included in this product that make it very easy to get work done quickly. You won't be waiting around when you see that some work must get done.
These three products are some of the top electronic organizers on the web today. Each one offers something that is unique and can help bring something special to any presentation. When you are looking to get across a point involving some data, how do you achieve that then through visual, good looking presentation material? With a lightning quick download of any of these products, you can be on the way to creating terrific presentations that will surprise even you. Regardless of whether you are teaching English to a bunch of 7th graders or presenting a business proposal to a set of new clients, you will find great use in these products.
About The Author
Ajeet Khurana
Did you know that graphic organisers are effective tools. Visit http://www.graphic.org/ And did you know that graphic organizers at http://www.graphic.org/goindex.html also make an effective brainstorming web at http://www.graphic.org/brainst.html
TomTom ONE GPS Review
by: Kyle Hahn
I had recently purchased a TomTom ONE GPS Systems for my car. Here is my own opinion/review of this product. First off this system came with a 1GB memory stick for your applications and maps. The TomTom One GPS System was around $349 at Best Buy. I love this device because you can mount it in your vehicle as well as carry it around wheverer you go. It usually connects to about 8 out of 12 satellites available. I have had this device for about a year now and it has only got me lost twice, but that might be because I’m always to lazy to update it.
The other day my buddy was in my car, and he had the urge to try to hooked up his Bluetooth cell phone to my TomTom ONE GPS to see if it would give us weather, traffic reports, etc. It indeed gave us weather reports, but we could not get the traffic reports to work. It would come up with a green button in the top right hand corner but never notified us of anything else, so we weren’t sure if it was even working or not.
The TomTom ONE GPS also has a option for “Night Colors”, which is great in my opinion. I mean who wants a bright light glaring in the face from the GPS? Night mode changes all map colors to darker colors so you can still see them at night but they don’t blind you while you are trying to drive. I have noticed that the TomTom ONE GPS, has a option for TomTom Plus Services. I guess you can pay $15.00 a month or so and receive instant map updates as well as POI(Point of Interest) updates from this service. I personally am not in the car enough to pay for it, but some people may desire to have this.
In a nutshell, I think the TomTom ONE GPS Navigation System is well worth the money. I just recently moved to Florida and have no clue where I am going. The TomTom saves me from having to ask people where to go or to get on Google Maps everytime I want to get somewhere.
About The Author
Kyle Hahn
Kyle's Blog
http://www.kylehahn.net
I had recently purchased a TomTom ONE GPS Systems for my car. Here is my own opinion/review of this product. First off this system came with a 1GB memory stick for your applications and maps. The TomTom One GPS System was around $349 at Best Buy. I love this device because you can mount it in your vehicle as well as carry it around wheverer you go. It usually connects to about 8 out of 12 satellites available. I have had this device for about a year now and it has only got me lost twice, but that might be because I’m always to lazy to update it.
The other day my buddy was in my car, and he had the urge to try to hooked up his Bluetooth cell phone to my TomTom ONE GPS to see if it would give us weather, traffic reports, etc. It indeed gave us weather reports, but we could not get the traffic reports to work. It would come up with a green button in the top right hand corner but never notified us of anything else, so we weren’t sure if it was even working or not.
The TomTom ONE GPS also has a option for “Night Colors”, which is great in my opinion. I mean who wants a bright light glaring in the face from the GPS? Night mode changes all map colors to darker colors so you can still see them at night but they don’t blind you while you are trying to drive. I have noticed that the TomTom ONE GPS, has a option for TomTom Plus Services. I guess you can pay $15.00 a month or so and receive instant map updates as well as POI(Point of Interest) updates from this service. I personally am not in the car enough to pay for it, but some people may desire to have this.
In a nutshell, I think the TomTom ONE GPS Navigation System is well worth the money. I just recently moved to Florida and have no clue where I am going. The TomTom saves me from having to ask people where to go or to get on Google Maps everytime I want to get somewhere.
About The Author
Kyle Hahn
Kyle's Blog
http://www.kylehahn.net
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