ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1005PE-MU17-WT 10.1-Inch White Netbook (Up to 11 Hours of Battery Life) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I tend to think of myself as very methodical when it comes to electronics purchases, and my netbook purchase was no exception. I wanted great construction, performance, battery life, and value. That's a lot to ask for anything. But here is why I picked the 1005PE-MU17. For reference, here are the other considerations that I had in mind before I settled on the 1005PE-MU17.
1) Asus 1005PE-PU17 ($372)
2) HP 5102 ($400+)
3) Toshiba NB305-410 ($400)
Construction:
I'll admit it, the HP 5102 and Toshiba NB305 are better constructed. The 1005PE-PU17 has the same construction as this one. However, that doesn't mean this netbook's construction is poor in any sense. It feels solid throughout, the screen isn't flimsy, and the keystrokes are crisp. I don't really have a problem typing on the keyboard, but the right shift key will take some time to get used to (not that I use it that often anyway). It is light, and the screen is beautiful for its size. At full power, the graphics on screen are very crisp, I always love gloss screens, because they play videos and so much better. A BIG part of the reason I went with the 1005PE-MU17 over the 1005PE-PU17 is the color choice. The 1005PE-PU17 has only gloss black and gloss blue finishes. I saw these netbooks with dirty fingerprints at the store, and it really takes a lot away from your netbook. By trying to get those fingerprints off, you get more on, and it's really just an endless uphill battle. You can't win. This was enough to warrant me from getting the 1005PE-PU17 series. Luckily, the 1005PE-MU17's 11 hour battery life (as opposed to the 14 hour battery life in the 1005PE-PU17) suits me, and I can live without the bluetooth that the PU17 series adds. The gloss white finish is beautiful, and you can't notice fingerprints on any of the white parts. It's also very attractive, giving off kind of an ipod-esque feel. Get the gloss white, you'll be happy you did.
Performance:
It's great. In all test reviews I read (a lot) the 1005PE series beats out the Toshiba and the HP series netbooks. All were equipped with the new N450 Atoms. While only very marginally, real performance gains are to be had. An attractive feature however, is the Asus ExpressGate. It boots up almost instantly into this mini OS and from there you can chat or surf the web. It's simple and easy. Mouse controls feel slightly different in this Expressgate configuration, but you get used to it. Also, reviews indicated that the HP 5102 tended to get a bit hot and the fan made audible noise in quiet rooms. This is great for libraries, and the fan goes, but you really can't hear it. I've found no hot spots either. So it performs better and runs cool? Yes it does, and extremely well.
Battery Life:
One of the biggest points of owning a netbook is battery life. You want a small computer you can use everywhere, but you shouldn't have to carry a charger everywhere you go. Can you imagine if you needed to carry around your battery charger everywhere you went with your cell phone? No, and it's great that for this netbook, you don't have to. A full charge, under reasonable conditions (not a fully lit screen or super high performance mode) should last you all day. No need to visit an outlet or hunt for one in a crowded coffee shop. Whether it's school or work or simply going to Starbucks for the day to read, you can stay connected without having to lug around the charger. That is one of the biggest benefits of the new N450 Atom processor. You can look forward to nearly 11 hours. I could have gotten the 1005PE-PU17 with the 14 hour battery, which is great in itself, but I knew the fingerprints would have driven me crazy. With the 1005PE-MU17 and its 11 hour battery life, it is nearly as good, but you don't have to be committed into an insane asylum after constantly fighting off the fingerprint smudges. And if anyone wants to know, the charger is tiny anyway, nothing near what my full size notebook needs. So even if you do have to carry it, you can throw it into your purse or backpack and its minimal anyway. Big plus!
Value:
At around $320-$330, this netbook is a steal for this value. While the other netbooks have slightly better construction materials, they don't really beat this one in performance (other than the 1005PE-PU17, but like I said....FINGERPRINTS). This is the core netbook that all netbooks on the market try to beat. And everyone knows it. Asus is still king of the netbook market bar none.
Final Thoughts:
I really wanted the 1005PE-PU17 because it had even better battery life and the extra bluetooth , but I couldn't find anything but that fingerprint attracting gloss black and gloss blue in the US. Those colors are not designed for function, they're designed for PR photos. It looks attractive and all when it's new and untouched, but in actual execution it's not so great. Go check any of the gloss options at retail stores, you'll see what I mean. I don't know who decides on the colors, but there needs to be more options other than that. I wish I wish I wish. But, the 1005PE-MU17 stepped it up with its beautiful gloss white finish, excellent performance, and great battery life. I know there's people out there who are in the same dilemma about the fingerprints, and this netbook is your answer. Get it and be merry.


Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1005PE-MU17-WT 10.1-Inch White Netbook (Up to 11 Hours of Battery Life)

Eee PC 1005PE-M The 10.1-inch Eee PC 1005PE-M Seashell with Windows 7 Starter shines as the ideal Eee PC for the traveler looking for outstanding wireless connectivity and efficient Eee PC performance. Thanks to ASUS' exclusive Super Hybrid Engine (SHE), you can take this mobile phenom wherever you choose and enjoy up to an incredible 11 hours of unplugged freedom.* The Eee PC 1005PE-M is encased in a smooth pearlescent shell that captivates onlookers and features the next generation Intel Atom N450 processor for outstanding battery life. Plus, it gives you extended comfort with a chiclet keyboard, large palm-rest, and multi-touch trackpad. For more convenience, the Eee PC 1005PE has hotkeys placed above the keyboard – granting you quick access to Wi-Fi and control of the ASUS Super Hybrid Engine that instantly optimizes system performance for the task at hand. Throw in a generous 250GB hard drive with 500GB of ASUS WebStorage** and you get the ability to store, share, and access your important data anytime, anywhere. ASUS worked closely to make your Windows 7 experience better with groundbreaking utilities such as FastBoot and LocalMe. With ASUS FastBoot technology, this Windows 7-enabled Eee PC starts up fast so you wait less and do more. LocalMe is a GPS-like application that when connected to the internet provides easy access to local areas and gets you where you want to be. Miles ahead of its competition, the Eee PC 1005PE-M provides unsurpassed battery life and superior portability that liberates you from wall chargers and brings you into the next generation of mobility.


Key Features

Up to 11 hours of unplugged all-day computing to go further than ever before* (Learn more)
ASUS Super Hybrid Engine (SHE) innovatively saves battery life and boosts performance (Learn more)
Intel Atom N450 processor is now even more power efficient in combination with ASUS SHE
750GB Hybrid Storage for convenient storage on-the-go 250GB HDD + 500GB ASUS WebStorage** (Learn more)
10.1-inch LED-backlit Color-shine display uses less energy for longer use (Learn more)
92-percent full-size chiclet keyboard for a comfortable and precise typing experience (Learn more)
Multi-touch trackpad for intuitive and quick control (Learn more)
Stunning looks and convenient mobility with seashell design weighing a mere 2.8 lbs
1GB system memory (easily upgradable to 2GB)
High speed Wi-Fi networking (802.11 b/g/n @ 2.4GHz) for wire-free mobility (Learn more)
Windows 7 Starter for the most reliable and simplest Windows operating system to date (Learn more)
Integrated webcam and digital microphone for video/voice conversations with your friends and family
F9 easy recovery for convenient and easy system reinstallation (Learn more)
Warranty: 1 year global warranty and 30-day Flawless Display Guarantee: If a single bright dot is found, a free panel replacement is guaranteed within 30 days of original purchase

Learn More
Get up to an Amazing 11 Hours of Battery Life
Get the Big Picture in a Small Frame
Strikingly Comfortable. Perfectly Concise.
Easy Connectivity
Even More Storage
Quick Recovery with Just One Key
Eee PC with Windows 7 –Life Made Easier
A Brand that Sparked a Revolution - The First Netbook
Customer Warranty –The Industry's Most Complete Netbook Care Package
1 year global warranty
6 months battery warranty
30-Day Flawless Display Guarantee: If you discover one defective bright dot within 30 days of purchase, ASUS will replace the panel at no cost
Free one-way standard shipping
24/7 tech support
What's in the Box
Eee PC 1005PE-M Seashell (White)
Power Adapter †
User Manual
Warranty Card
Specifications
Operating System: Windows 7 Starter
Display: 10.1-inch LED-Backlit Display (1024 x 600) with Color Shine glossy finish
Intel CPU: Intel Atom N450
Wireless Data Network: 802.11b/g/n (@ 2.4GHz)
Memory: 1GB (upgradeable to 2GB)
Hybrid Storage: 250GB HDD + 500GB ASUS WebStorage
Camera: 0.3M Pixels
Audio: Stereo Speakers, High-Definition Audio CODEC, Built-in digital microphone
Storage Cards: 2-in-1 MMC, SD(SDHC) flash card slot
Input/Output: 1 x VGA connector, 3 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x LAN RJ-45, 2 x audio jacks: Headphone & Mic-in
Battery: Up to 11 hours Li-Ion battery *
Dimensions: 10.31 (W) x 7.01 (D) x 1.02~1.44 (H) inches
Weight: 2.80 lbs (with battery)
Color: White * Operation lifetime subject to product model, normal usage conditions and configurations. For more information, please visit http://eeepc.asus.com/global/computing.html. The estimated maximum battery life in Windows 7 is measured with MobileMark 2007. ** ASUS WebStorage is a complimentary trial service for 1 year after registration. Actual storage capacity varies by model. † To recharge using the AC power adapter, power plug must be fully pushed into the power socket on the Eee PC until it clicks firmly into place. Note: This Eee PC features a glossy finish chassis. Reflections in photos may vary. Color of the chassis is single-toned. All specifications and terms are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers on selected models. Products may not be available in all markets. Product may not be exactly as shown in images.

Click here for more information about ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1005PE-MU17-WT 10.1-Inch White Netbook (Up to 11 Hours of Battery Life)

Read More...

Toshiba Mini NB205-N210 (NB200 series) 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - 9 Hour Battery Life Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)UPDATE:
Just in case you decide to order a case for this netbook, keep in mind that the dimensions in the Amazon description or Toshiba's website (10.4 x 7.6 x 1.27 inches) are the dimensions of this netbook WITHOUT the 6-cell battery. If you look at the side-view photo in the Amazon description area (the one with the 7.6" measurement right below it), you'll see it's pictured without the battery. I just measured mine and with the 6-cell battery protruding from the back, it's actually 10.4 x 8.4 x 1.27 so many of the cases you find on Amazon made for 10" netbooks may not fit the NB205 with the 6-cell battery. Okay that's it for my update... read on for my original review...
----------
I just received my Toshiba NB205 yesterday and after spending many hours "playing" with it, I can easily say that, hands down, it is the BEST Netbook on the market today!
At the end of next week, I'll be traveling overseas and I wanted a small and lightweight laptop that I would be able to use to watch movies on the plane, transfer vacation photos and videos to, and use the internet for researching stuff from my hotel room. I currently own a 15" Macbook Pro but decided I didn't want to take it with me since it's a bit bigger & heavier and I can't afford to lose it. That's when I began researching these Atom-based Netbooks.
When I started researching, the Toshiba NB205 had not yet been released but there were still many netbook models out there by other manufacturers. I had originally considered the Samsung NC10, Acer Aspire One AOD250, Asus 1000HE, and Lenovo S10 as they all were pretty much equipped with similar configurations (Atom N270/N280 1.6 or 1.66Ghz cpu, 10" screen, 1GB ram, 160GB HD, 6-cell Li-Ion battery, Windows XP Home) and priced in the $350-400 price range. I won't go into too much detail about what I liked or didn't like about the other products but I had pretty much narrowed it down to either the Samsung NC10 or the Acer AOD250. Then I came across a pre-release review from Laptop Magazine on the Toshiba and decided to wait on my netbook. It was definitely worth the wait considering this is the first netbook I've come across that actually had noticeable differentiating features. When you compare all the others, it's kind of hard to choose from one over the other because they're all so similar!
The 4 biggest selling points on this Toshiba NB205 that had me wait for it was the 9-hour battery life, the look & feel of the keyboard, the size of the trackpad & buttons, and the overall aesthetics of it.
The whole point of buying a laptop this small and compact is for its portability factor. When you have to lug a brick-based AC adapter with you in fear the battery in your laptop won't last as long as you need it, it sure interferes with how portable carrying a laptop really is. A 9-hour lithium-ion battery will definitely solve that problem. Most of you are probably wondering how realistic that 9-hour rating really is... Let me just reassure you all, the battery life is GOOD! I brought it to a full charge, then unplugged it from the adapter and watched two movies on it (more on the movie playback capabilities later) and did 4 hours worth of web surfing afterwards -- all off the power from the battery on a single charge! You students out there can now bring it to all your classes and not have to look for a wall outlet! Oh, btw, I had the screen brightness set to 1/2 (level 4 brightness setting) and turned off the Bluetooth.
Netbooks are known for smaller keyboards and even worse, SMALL trackpads and trackpad button(s). In addition to the smaller size, many of the netbooks I saw in person at my local Fry's Electronics had very "cheapy"-feeling keyboards -- they just felt real fragile compared to the keyboard on my Macbook Pro. Enter the Toshiba NB205. Finally, a netbook that has a keyboard with keys that had the look and feel of a Mac keyboard and a robustly solid build to it. In addition to the look and feel, the keys were also pretty darn close in width to my Mac keyboard (both my Macbook Pro's keyboard, and my desktop Mac's keyboard). I'll try to post some comparison photos on Amazon this weekend for all those interested. The trackpad and buttons on the NB205 is also the biggest I've seen in the netbook category. Toshiba did a tremendous job in getting this right. Most of the other netbooks had really small trackpads and little miniature trackpad button(s) that felt real flimsy. Another feature that I like with the trackpad that's not stated anywhere is that the very right edge of the trackpad can be used for scrolling web pages or other documents (similar to the one on the Samsung NC10). This feature is not obvious as there are no arrow indicators like there is on the NC10 but it does support it!
I won't go into the aesthetics of this unit since you can pretty much see how amazing this netbook looks from the Amazon photos (I'll also add my own photos this weekend so you can get a better feel for the size, etc.) but let me now shift focus on using it.
Although I upgraded the memory on the unit to 2GB (I installed the Crucial 2GB 200-pin SODIMM DDR2 PC2-6400 800MHz Memory Module and it works great with the NB205!), all the testing I performed and am about to describe was done with the stock 1GB memory.
The very first thing I wanted to make sure this unit can do is play back, at the very least, DVD-quality movies (i.e. 480P movies (720x480 resolution)). One thing I'd HIGHLY recommend everyone who's interested in watching movies on their netbook do is download the FREE media player called VLC (Google "download vlc"). VLC is very lightweight and will play back movies a lot smoother than Quicktime or Windows Media Player; and given the inherently slower speeds of these Intel Atom processors compared to the Intel Core 2 Duo processors, using the VLC media player is your best bet. Using a free program called "Handbrake", one can convert their Bluray or DVD movies to AVC/h.264-encoded movies, which is what I used to convert some of my Bluray collection into a format that can be played-back on my NB205. Since it's out of the scope of this review and would require a tutorial guide of its own, I won't be able to explain how you would go about converting your Bluray or DVD movies. Anyhow, I first converted my Bluray edition of Valkyrie to a 720x480 resolution with a conservative 864kbs bitrate. The NB205 had NO PROBLEMS playing it back... It played back with very smooth video and the audio was synced up perfectly throughout the entire movie. So I decided to convert the movie again.... this time, using more aggressive settings... I converted it to a resolution of 1024x600 (since this is the native resolution of the NB205's screen) and a 2048kbps bitrate. Again, the NB205 was able to play the movie without a hitch. I didn't bother trying to convert the movie to 720P since the native resolution of the screen is only 1024x600 (it would be equivilent to 600P but 600P is not a standard). If you're planning to watch movies on the NB205 with someone else, you'll be happy to know that watching it from a 45 degree angle is very acceptible. Beyond the 45 degree angle, you won't be able to really see much so don't expect to have more than 3 people watching from it (why would you have more than 2 or 3 people watching off a 10" screen anyways!?).
Given it's capability to playback movies very smoothly, anything else I was going to throw at it would be child's play. Anyhow, I was reading that this laptop does get hot but after playing back two movies on it, it was not unbearable when resting it on my lap. So it doesn't seem like overheating problems will be too much of a concern for this laptop (but only long-term usage can really confirm this).
Another cool feature the NB205 sports that I'm not sure is available on all the other competitor models is a built-in accelerometer. It works the same way as the iPhone accelerometer but it's in the NB205 purely to detect if the laptop is about to take a fall. When it detects motion, it quickly moves the hard drive heads away from the hard drive to prevent any mishaps in case the hard drive is currently reading from or writing to the hard disks. Using a Toshiba software utility that's installed from the factory, you can change the sensitiviy threshold of the accelerometer or turn it off altogether.
There are obviously a lot more features that the NB205 comes with but I'm not going to explain each one simply because they're self-explanatory (such as bluetooth, wifi, etc.) but you can find out more about those features in Amazon's description of this product.
One final note before I conclude my review... Toshiba released two main models of the NB205 on the same day... the NB205-N310/311/312/313 (which is the model I have -- the NB205-N310/BN to be exact) and the NB205-N210. I think if you want to save $50, the NB205-210 would be a good choice as well -- provided you don't need Bluetooth or the Mac-style "chiclet" keyboard. For the extra $50, though, you also get the much sleeker, unique Toshiba-styling of the NB205-N31X series.
So if you're in the market for a very portable laptop, and you're considering a 10"-based netbook, the Toshiba NB205 is packed with features, enclosed around a very aesthetically pleasing body, and is very competitively priced!!!


Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba Mini NB205-N210 (NB200 series) 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - 9 Hour Battery Life

Small enough to throw in a purse or bag, the affordable, super-compact 10.1-inch Toshiba mini NB205 netbook--which weighs just under 3 pounds--is designed with smart features like a full-sized keyboard and touchpad, long battery life, USB Sleep-and-Charge ports and a hard drive impact sensor that protects your data. You'll also get excellent battery life with the included six-cell battery that provides up to 9 hours of battery power--enabling you to go through an entire day of school, work or errands without worrying about a recharge.
Created especially for mobile devices, Intels 1.6 GHz Atom N280 processor uses an innovative design structure and hafnium-infused circuitry that helps reduce electrical current leakage in transistors--which means longer battery life when you're on the go. It also includes the Intel 945GSE graphics chipset, which provides browsing the internet, emailing, running basic PC applications and enjoying online digital media.

This model of the Toshiba mini NB205 (NB205-N210) has a brilliant high-gloss Fusion Finish in Black Onyx, and it features a 160 GB hard disk drive, 1 GB of RAM (upgradeable to 2 GB), 54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g), Fast Ethernet, and a Secure Digital memory card slot. It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop.



Key Features
10.1-inch LED backlit widescreen display (1024 x 600-pixel resolution) provides richer colors and clearer definition--perfect for browsing the internet
1.66 GHz Intel Atom N280 processor combines performance and efficiency to explore the Internet and stay connected while mobile (Learn more)
160 GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 RPM) with an impact sensor that helps safeguard your data by "parking" the hard drive heads in the event of a drop or sudden movement. (Learn more)
1 GB of RAM (800 MHz; 1 memory slot; upgradeable to 2 GB)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator GMA950 with up to 251 MB of dynamically allocated shared graphics memory
Webcam (0.3 megapixels) integrated into the bezel for easy video chats and teleconferencing
Three USB Sleep-and-Charge ports allow you to charge your mobile phone and other devices even when the notebook is asleep or off.
Full-sized keyboard (85 keys)
Integrated Wi-Fi networking (802.11b.g) so you can communicate, browse and share while on the move
Fast Ethernet wired networking (10/100)
Built-in mono speaker
Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system
Up to 9 hours of battery life from included 6-cell battery
Dimensions: 10.4 x 7.6 x 1.27 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 2.93 pounds
Environmentally focused with RoHS compatibility (reducing its environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances), Energy Star 5.0 compliant, and EPEAT Gold compliant
Warranty: 1 year warranty with international limited warranty coverage

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion This Toshiba mini NB205 notebook has an integrated 54g wireless LAN (Atheros) that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks, and it offers the following ports:

3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
Analog video output: 1 VGA
Memory card reader compatible with Secure Digital (SD), Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC), and MultiMediaCard (MMC)
1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack
10/100 Fast Ethernet

What's in the box This package contains the Toshiba mini NB205-N210 netbook, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions.

It also comes with the following software: Norton Internet Security 2009, Microsoft Works 9, Windows Media Player, Google Toolbar, Toshiba PC Health Monitor

Learn More
Power-Sipping Processor The Intel Atom processor uses a design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and it uses just 2.5 watts of power--less than 1/10 of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor--for excellent battery management. This 1.66 GHz Atom N280 processor also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data).


Hard Drive Protection While the highly portable nature of mini-notebooks exposes them to the knocks and bumps that are an inevitable feature of life on the move, the Toshiba mini NB205 features a 3D-accelerometer monitoring system that detects freefalls, shocks and vibrations and protects the integrated HDD to secure against the loss of any personal data.

Click here for more information about Toshiba Mini NB205-N210 (NB200 series) 10.1-Inch Black Netbook - 9 Hour Battery Life

Read More...

Skullcandy G.I. S6GIBX-WG Gaming Headphones with Mic for Xbox (White/Green) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was excited about this one. It is a discontinued model and does not include the extra head band or ear pieces like the Skullcandy SMLWBX-34 Combat G.I. SGS 360 Boom Mic for Xbox and I dont understand why it cost more. This was my first headset of this kind so I didnt know what to expect. I bought for usage in COD MW2 online multiplayer gameplay. It does give you a slight edge when it comes to being able to hear anyone moving around you but you will only be able to tell the direction of the sounds with little precision...plenty of which I thought the money I paid for this would buy me! Here are some more things about this set:
A major problem was that the plug did not fit the xbox 360 COD MW2 edition controller and no kind of adapter was included. I had to run out to buy one. Why market it towards the XBOX 360 if it doesnt even fit the controllers huh?Less expensive turtle beach sets are amplified and this one is not but it cost more regardless.
The sound is good
The boom mic is made of metal so its an upgrade from the plastic one on the Xbox communicator and it does not rotate 180 degrees like the original one for the xbox does but it does hold its shape better. No idea why that was relevant but I put it in here anyway.
The styling and design is nice and what you would expect from a Skullcandy. It borrows the green and white color scheme of the xbox 360. The set feels good in your hands, it has some heft to it and it feels well made and solid.
I would not recommend anyone buy this set because there are other skullcandy sets as well as other sets with similar specs that cost less. I am satisfied but not happy and I am considering buying another set from another maker.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Skullcandy G.I. S6GIBX-WG Gaming Headphones with Mic for Xbox (White/Green)

Get 37% OFF

Click here for more information about Skullcandy G.I. S6GIBX-WG Gaming Headphones with Mic for Xbox (White/Green)

Read More...

Skullcandy (Product Out Of Date, Newer Version Available) GI PS3 Gaming Headphone with Boom Mic S6GIB3-BR (Black/Red) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I had purchased these for my PS3 about two months ago. Over all they are a fine product. For Sixty bones you can't beat it. But if I had to pay 90 I think I might be inclined to go for Trittons 5.1 head sets. But for stereo head sets they are great and the mic works great.(I read a review that said the opposite) Comfort the are good for about 30 to 45 minutes, then my large ears need a break. My biggest complaint is the Game/mic volume controls. They are hard to read to see witch one is witch. On top of that to turn up game volume you scroll up on one side and the mic(players) volume you scroll down. Hard to do that on the fly. Bottom line if you don't want a ear piece and don't want to spend 100 bones+ look for these sweet things on deal and pick you up some!
p.s. They work for your pc too!


Click Here to see more reviews about: Skullcandy (Product Out Of Date, Newer Version Available) GI PS3 Gaming Headphone with Boom Mic S6GIB3-BR (Black/Red)

Get 42% OFF

Click here for more information about Skullcandy (Product Out Of Date, Newer Version Available) GI PS3 Gaming Headphone with Boom Mic S6GIB3-BR (Black/Red)

Read More...

KB Covers ClearSkin Ultra-Clear Keyboard Cover for MacBook/Air/Pro (Unibody) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Just got this in the mail today and am typing on it now. This skin ROCKS. It feels sturdy for me and not stiff as the other reviews say. The keys fit well and I have a 2010 13" MacBook Pro. The set is really clear as my keys still look black and not creamy. There are two minor qualms though. One is that it is a little too close of a fit as previous keyboard skins would extend to the edge of the "dip" on the keyboard while this one ends closely to the keys. Another is the blatant "KB Covers" decal on the space bar. I wish they were more subtle with the location of it but due to the closeness of the skin it won't go anywhere else. But regardless this is a great keyboard skin and I am very pleased with my purchase. The keyboard remains its color and the feel is great!

Click Here to see more reviews about: KB Covers ClearSkin Ultra-Clear Keyboard Cover for MacBook/Air/Pro (Unibody)

Get 20% OFF

Click here for more information about KB Covers ClearSkin Ultra-Clear Keyboard Cover for MacBook/Air/Pro (Unibody)

Read More...

15.4" MacBook Pro Intel Core i7 2.66GHz, 8GB RAM, 500GB 7200rpm Hard Drive, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M, SuperDrive, Aluminum unibody, Hi-Res Glossy Widescreen Display Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Thanks a lot for your timely delivery of my notebook.
I works and looks great.

Click Here to see more reviews about: 15.4" MacBook Pro Intel Core i7 2.66GHz, 8GB RAM, 500GB 7200rpm Hard Drive, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M, SuperDrive, Aluminum unibody, Hi-Res Glossy Widescreen Display

Click here for more information about 15.4" MacBook Pro Intel Core i7 2.66GHz, 8GB RAM, 500GB 7200rpm Hard Drive, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M, SuperDrive, Aluminum unibody, Hi-Res Glossy Widescreen Display

Read More...

Speck Products MacBook Pro 17-Inch Aluminum Unibody/Black Keyboard See Through Satin Soft Touch Hard Shell Case (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I think this is more of an appearance customization product than an actual protection product. Other than preventing the surface from getting scratched, this doesn't actually protect it from bumps or falls or anything like that. Having said that, I think it does a good job in the appearance department. For those who want to be a little different, you can make your MacBook Pro look not like just another MacBook Pro (unless this case becomes so popular to the point of everybody having it). This is also great if you are one of those people who like to stick stickers on the laptop since you can just buy a new case if it all gets too messy.
Some people said the fit is not that great but I found the actual size pretty accurate. The small plastic parts that keep the case latched to the laptop do look scary small and feels like they could break any time but they didn't so far for the couple of months I had it and I didn't take it on and off that many times. Since the Unibody has no mechanical lock to open and close the top like the old body rather you have to forcefully pull the flap out, those who do it by pulling the edge might find the case sometimes can come off. But if you put your finger tips or nails deeper into the slot and actually pull the edge of the screen and not the cover this is not a problem.
I don't know about the other colors, but the black version even though it says "see through" it doesn't at all show anything through. It's just completely matte black (which I like). But anything that lights up like the Apple logo or battery indicator lights just shows through it which is a really cool effect. (in my case I customized it to show my company logo).
My biggest complaints are price and weight. At the time I got it the price was still a little too steep for just a piece of plastic that sticks to the outside of a laptop in my opinion. I also noticed a significant increase in the weight in the Laptop after installing this. This could be because the Macbook Pro is pretty light to begin with but some people might find the coolness factor not worth the extra pounds you have to lag around. In fact the hinge of the screen felt like it was struggling to keep the top in place because the lid is now heavier. I also don't like the big speck logo embossed on the corner but at least it's not that prominent.
Overall I'm happey with it but you should know what to expect before buying it.
Checkout the customer pictures I uploaded of the case I have.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Speck Products MacBook Pro 17-Inch Aluminum Unibody/Black Keyboard See Through Satin Soft Touch Hard Shell Case (Black)

Get 27% OFF

Click here for more information about Speck Products MacBook Pro 17-Inch Aluminum Unibody/Black Keyboard See Through Satin Soft Touch Hard Shell Case (Black)

Read More...

iPearl 13.3" mCover Hard Shell Case for MacBook A1181 (Aqua) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I just received the Aqua iPearl mCover(TM) today for my 13.3" Macbook. So far I like it quite a bit. The Aqua blue is very cute and I like the fact that it's only $19 bucks compared to $39 bucks and higher. The built-in retractable feet are a nice feature to this cover, but the only flaw on mine is the right retractable foot squeaks and acts as if it's on too tight. Im also glad to have full access to all the ports and DVD slot. I would recommend this cover to a student like me looking for a good protection case for there expensive Macbook.

Click Here to see more reviews about: iPearl 13.3" mCover Hard Shell Case for MacBook A1181 (Aqua)

Get 47% OFF

Click here for more information about iPearl 13.3" mCover Hard Shell Case for MacBook A1181 (Aqua)

Read More...

Nokia E71 Unlocked Phone with 3.2 MP Camera, 3G, Media Player, GPS Navigation, Free Voice Navigation, Wi-Fi, and MicroSD Slot--U.S. Version with Warranty (Gray) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)first a comparison to the e61i: i had both the e61 and e61i and this is a major improvement over both. the form factor is incredible as it is only 10mm thin, much narrower than its predecessors, and feels very solid and sleek with its all metal body. the phone is just beautiful to look at. nokia has improved its processor greatly and the phone has almost no wait time with all its functions now. when i went back to use the e61i, it was unbearably slow compared to the e71. the keypad on the e71, although a little cramped, feels good on the fingers. one of my biggest complaints about the e61i was that earphone speaker was hard to hear out of, but the e71's narrower body and seemingly louder speaker solves the problem. the e71 has also added a microUSB port, and 2.5mm earphone jack. in terms of software, the e71 has an updated symbian os that includes some additional features and programs that were pleasant to see. the biggest program improvements for me was the updated organizer and the shortcut key options. for all e61 and e61i users out there, the e71 is a must update to nokia's wonderful line of phones.
comparison to competitors: function-wise, it has all the features blackberry's and the iphone 3g have. however, the e71 is much smaller than both (just put the e71 side to side with the blackberry curve and the iphone and they both look like monsters compared to the e71). i have no complaints with the 3g and 3.5g (umts/hsdpa), and I'm not sure what the other reviewer was talking about-- it must be a network/area dependent problem. i live in the SF bay area and i almost always connect to the 3.5g network with att and the internet is extremely fast, comparable to web browsing on a computer with broadband cable access. i really dont like the all touch screen of the iphone, so i would never consider it. i was debating between the curve and e71, but e71 beats it in both function and form-factor. the e71 has a umts/hsdpa, 3mp camera, and better battery life. all the rest (OS mainly) is just up to personal preference.
concluding remarks: if you ask "why should I get the e71", i would answer with these points based on what "I" feel is most important:
- very fast 3G capability
- excellent size, feel, and look,
- speedy processor with no lag in navigation
- improved OS and great computer connection software (nokia pc suite)
- long battery life
- 3MP camera with flash
- comes with carrying case, carrying strap, stereo earphones, and data cable
- and lastly, did i mention that this is the most beautiful i have ever seen? see one for yourself (i know its hard b/c they dont really have them in stores) and you will love the look and feel of it.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Nokia E71 Unlocked Phone with 3.2 MP Camera, 3G, Media Player, GPS Navigation, Free Voice Navigation, Wi-Fi, and MicroSD Slot--U.S. Version with Warranty (Gray)

The latest email-optimized device from the Nokia E-series, the sleek and slender Nokia E71 makes it easy to stay on top of your email inbox with a full QWERTY keyboard and support for corporate communication via Microsoft Exchange. It's ready to run on 3G networks in the U.S. (850/1900 MHz UMTS/HSDPA), enabling fast downloads and streaming multimedia while on the go. It also includes integrated Wi-Fi connectivity (802.11b/g) for accessing open networks at work, at home, and on the road from a variety of wireless hotspots.
Other features include a 3.2-megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth for hands-free devices and stereo music streaming, MicroSD memory expansion (up to 8 GB), built-in A-GPS and Nokia Maps application, and up to 10.5 hours of talk time on standard GSM networks.

Free Ovi Maps Navigation With its integrated GPS sensor and the newest edition of Ovi Maps (full version pre-loaded on this phone or available as a free download from nokia.com/maps), you'll enjoy all essential car and pedestrian navigation features as well as the ability to use navigation features even when not connected to a cellular network--great for extending battery life and saving on international roaming charges. Features include turn-by-turn voice guidance, over 6,000 3D landmarks in over 200 cities for quick recognition of the landscape around you, access to Lonely Planet travel guides, and detailed maps for over 180 countries (see more details below). You'll also be able to keep moving in the right direction with the integrated electronic compass.

Unlocked Phone This U.S version of the unlocked Nokia E71 can be used with a GSM network service provider, and it provides quad-band connectivity (850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz). It does not come with a SIM card, and it requires that you provide a SIM card for usage with your selected service provider. This phone comes with a full manufacturer's warranty.

Additionally, this phone can be paired with 850/1900 MHz UMTS/HSDPA 3G networks in the United States. When paired with a compatible 3G network, you'll enjoy a high-speed connection offering a variety of feature-rich wireless services--from data connectivity to your office to multimedia streaming, and be able to take advantage of simultaneous voice and data services. In areas in the U.S. not served by a 3G network, or in foreign territories, you'll continue to receive data service via the EDGE network (depending on network compatibility).

Phone Features With a stainless steel case, etched graphics, and cool metallic finish, the Nokia E71 is as stylish as it is functional. It's complemented by a 2.4-inch LCD screen with a 320 x 240-pixel resolution and support for 16 million colors. The full QWERTY keyboard makes it easy to compose and respond to email with just one hand. It features intelligent input with auto-completion, auto-correction, and learning capability for fast and error-free typing. The E71 also offers two customizable Home Screen views with active stand-by plug-ins, and application shortcuts for fast and easy switching between business and personal modes. This phone has 110 MB of internal memory which can be expanded via optional MicroSD memory cards (up to 8 GB in size).

The Nokia E71 comes fully equipped for easy-to-install and easy-to-use professional and personal email. People who use Microsoft Exchange at work can access their email using the Mail for Exchange mobile email client, which comes pre-loaded. You'll enjoy reliable real-time access to your email, calendar, contacts, and tasks, and be able to download attachments like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or PDF files directly to the device.

The Nokia E71 also supports email accounts from more than a thousand Internet service providers (ISPs) around the world, as well as Gmail, Yahoo! mail, and Hotmail. Additionally, it supports the Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email solution, as well as third party email solutions like System Seven and Visto Mobile.

In addition to serving entrepreneurs and smaller businesses, the Nokia E71 comes fully equipped with a robust suite of enterprise grade features, including built-in encryption functionality for both the device memory and the memory card. The phone also includes integrated mobile VPN support that gives mobile professionals access to their company intranet, and device lock and wipe to protect corporate information.

This phone provides Bluetooth version 2.0 wireless connectivity with Enhanced Data Rate (EDR), and includes profiles for the communication headset, hands-free car kits, and sharing of contacts and calendar events. With the A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones.

The 3.2-megapixel camera offers a wealth of high-end photography features, including autofocus, a digital zoom, LED flash, white balance modes, center-weighted auto exposure, multiple scene modes, and a self timer. The phone's main camera can also capture video clips up to 320 x 240 pixels (at 15 frames per second) at up to 1 hour in length, and it offers several adjustments including scene and white balance. Additionally, the E71 has a secondary, lower resolution camera on the front (QCIF resolution, 128 x 96) that can be used for making video calls (requires compatible network).

Take your media with you when you're out on the go. With the built-in RealPlayer software, you can stream and download your favorite content onto the phone, giving you access to the latest news, sports, and entertainment updates. Or sync up with your PC and play the music and movies stored on your hard drive. It's compatible with a wide variety of digital audio formats (including MP3, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, abd WMA). You can listen to your favorite radio programs via the integrated FM radio, and the Visual Radio feature lets you see information about songs or artists.

View web pages as they were originally intended with the integrated Nokia Web Browser, which enables you to zoom out to a full screen view of the entire page using the Mini Map feature. Find the section you want and then zoom in to the content you need. The text instantly adjusts to the size of your screen. The browser also keeps a history of your browsing so you can quickly get back to where you started.

The integrated A-GPS and preinstalled Nokia Maps help you explore and locate new places, whether in another country or just around the corner. With access to more than 15 million points of interest, you can locate and navigate to the most interesting sights, bars or restaurants wherever you are. You can also send map excerpts and routes to friends by MMS, or save map screen shots to the gallery.

Other features include:

Advanced contacts database: Multiple number and e-mail details per contact, contacts with images
Speaker dependent and speaker independent voice dialling
Voice recorder
2.5 mm Nokia AV connector
Up to 18 hours of music playback
Synchronize music with Windows Media Player
Streaming media (audio - .rm, .eAAC+; video - .3gp, mp4, .rm)
Email protocols: IMAP, POP, SMTP; IMAP IDLE support
Messaging: SMS, MMS (distribution lists for messaging; text-to-speech message reader)
Infrared and USB connectivity
Support for local and remote SyncML synchronization, iSync, Intellisync, ActiveSync
Organization tools: Alarm clock, calendar, to-do list, active notes
Flash Lite 3.0 and Java MIDP 2.0
Bluetooth version 2.0 with the following profiles: A2DP (stereo music streaming), AVRC (remote control), HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets), BIP (for sending images to another device), DUN (dial-up networking), FTP (file transfer), OPP (object push for business cards, calendar items, and pictures)

Built for Messaging, Inside and Out Enjoy full access to business and personal email, even when you're away from your desk. Nokia E71 includes an improved email application that offers impressive new features, and reduces the number of clicks needed to perform common tasks. The Nokia E71 includes an enhanced email setup Wizard that helps configure your email accounts. You can set up most popular Internet email (IMAP/POP protocols) accounts in just a few clicks. Business email (e.g., Mail for Exchange) can also be set up if additional details are entered.

Chat with friends and colleagues on the move with instant messaging applications such as Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo! GO, just like you would on your computer. The first thing you need to do is install Messenger, which is free of charge, and available via download: Select Menu > Download! > Windows Live.

Home Screen Keep the information and features that are important to you at your fingertips. You can define two separate Home screens for different purposes, such as one Home screen for work and another for free time. Your personal Home screen can contain shortcuts to leisure features such as your personal email, FM radio, MP3 player, and camera. To change from one home screen to another, scroll to the Switch Mode shortcut and press the scroll key.

There are three different areas on the Home screen: an application area that provides shortcuts to your favorite applications, an information area that lets you know about events such as upcoming calendar entries, and a notification area that alerts you to events such as missed calls.



One-Handed Typing The new narrow design of the Nokia E71 makes one-handed typing possible. Every key on the device is reachable with one hand, and the intelligent user interface allows for key functions to be preformed with one hand. It features intelligent technology for text recognition, which can be enabled by the user. The technology is the QWERTY version of technology found on other Nokia devices. It features auto completion, auto correction, and the ability to learn. Open a new message and type "Thnks." The missing letter is filled in: "Thanks."

The Nokia E71 also features long press capabilities. You can type numbers or other characters behind the "Fn" key by simply long pressing the corresponding key. For instance, long pressing the "R" key to type the number "1."



Vital Statistics The Nokia E71 weighs 4.44 ounces and measures 4.49 x 2.24 x 0.39 inches. Its 1500 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 10.5 hours of talk time on GSM networks (4.5 hours on 3G networks), and up to 17 days (400+ hours) of standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies as well as U.S. 3G networks (850/1900 MHz UMTS/HSDPA).

What's in the Box Nokia E71, battery (BP-4L), charger (AC-5U), connectivity cable (CA-101), headset (HS-47), E-series lanyard, E-series pouch, user guide, quick start guide, and other documentation



Learn More
Free Worldwide Walk and Drive Navigation Nokia now offers its Ovi Maps walk and drive navigation application free across the globe. Drivers receive turn-by-turn voice guidance including lane assistance, traffic information (in 10 countries including the U.S.), and safety camera and speed warnings, while pedestrians will be guided on shortcuts through parks and pedestrian-only zones in over 100 cities across the globe. Unlike other mobile navigation mapping solutions, Ovi Maps works offline--no cellular service is required.
At no extra cost, the new Ovi Maps for mobile feature provides:

Maps for over 180 countries and free map updates
Drive and Walk navigation available in over 70 countries with real-time voice guidance
My Position enables you to find your current location easier and faster than ever.
New one box search for quicker access to finding places and addresses.
Save your favorite places and routes, then synchronize them with your Ovi account over the air.
Car navigation with voice and visual instructions, lane assistance and speed limit information. Now with text-to-speech voice guidance.
Pedestrian navigation with routing through pedestrian zones and shortcuts, pathways through parks, buildings, stairways, and plazas. Now also with text-to-speech voice guidance.
Get real-time weather information including a 5-day forecast for your current location, or any found via search.
Lonely Planet and Michelin offer you dynamic access to the best and most relevant editorial travel content for over 1000 destinations. Find thousands of listings for sights, restaurants, hotels, shops, nightlife, and more. Look these places up on the map and get to them with Walk and Drive navigation.
Discover the events happening nearby your location on the map, or any place found via search.
Share your location on Facebook so your friends will know where you are, and what you are up to (finish by adding a photo).

No Hidden Costs The new version of Ovi Maps comes with all the maps and high-end, car grade navigation features you need for free, and is yours to keep for the life of the smartphone. No additional licenses are needed for extra countries or regions, or services like traffic information or city guides. Data charges from network operators may apply.

Voice Guidance and Traffic Information Turn-by-turn, voice guided navigation comes free for both drivers and pedestrians. For drivers this includes lane assistance, traffic information, safety camera, and speed warnings. For pedestrians, this includes shortcuts through parks and pedestrian-only zones for over 100 cities around the world, including 6,000 3D landmarks in over 200 cities to help you find exactly where you are.

Unique Hybrid Technology Ovi Maps is built on an advanced technology called hybrid vector maps. Vector maps are high quality but less data intensive, and allow you to continue to navigate even if you lose your network connection. This means that maps downloaded or updated across a network connection are about half the size of bulky bitmaps used by other mobile map providers. The hybrid technology ensures that, unlike other providers, any downloaded map data is stored on the device for future use.

No Network Connection Required When Navigating Avoid expensive, battery-draining network connections with Nokia's unique hybrid technology. Maps can be pre-loaded on to your Nokia smartphone so you can set Ovi Maps to offline mode, saving battery power, and the navigation system will still work. This is particularly useful for those worried about data connection costs when travelling abroad, or when you are travelling through areas with little or no network coverage.

Best Global Coverage You take your mobile with you wherever you go in the world so, as standard, voice guided navigation for both pedestrians and drivers is available for 74 countries in 46 different languages and there are maps for over 180 countries. This gives you the best maps with the largest global coverage for free.

Technical Specifications
Music playback file formats: AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MP3, AMR-NB, WMA
FM radio 87.5-108 MHz with RDS support
Video playback file formats: .mp4, AVC/H.264, .wmv, RV, Flash Video, H.263/3GPP
Video streaming: .mp4, AVC/H.264, .wmv, RV, Flash Video, H.263/3GPP
Video recording file formats: .mp4 - default (VGA, QVGA) or .3gp (QCIF for MMS)
3.5 mm Nokia audio connector
Micro-USB connector supports charging; USB PictBridge printing
Bluetooth 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)
UPnP support
Support for PC synchronization with Nokia PC Suite 7.1 (preinstalled) and Nokia Ovi Suite
E-mail supported protocols: IMAP4 (with idle), Nokia Messaging, Microsoft ActiveSync, POP3, SMTP
Support for Nokia Messaging service, Mail for Exchange, Lotus Notes Traveler

Get 47% OFF

Click here for more information about Nokia E71 Unlocked Phone with 3.2 MP Camera, 3G, Media Player, GPS Navigation, Free Voice Navigation, Wi-Fi, and MicroSD Slot--U.S. Version with Warranty (Gray)

Read More...

HP W2007 20-inch Widescreen Flat Panel LCD Monitor Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This monitor is my first LCD and was an upgrade to a ViewSonic 17". I cannot get over how beautiful the colors and picture are. I find myself loading up old games and DVDs just to examine the quality.
It does not come with a DVI cable which I could not find any indication of on the box itself. Also, the information listed here on Amazon under "Technical Details" and "Product Description" differs in regards to the supported resolution. The "Technical Details" are correct. The suggested resolution is 1680 x 1050 and not 1440 x 900. I suspect the smaller resolution is probably correct for the 19" w1907 model.
I did not have a DVI cable already, so at first connected it using the included 15 pin cable and was very impressed on first use. Then I managed to get a DVI-D M/M cable and was even more impressed at the gorgeous picture quality. Definitely worth the extra purchase of a DVI cable. Just don't buy one at a local store where they go for upwards of 50 bucks. Amazon is a wonderful and very affordable alternative.
Mainly my experience with this monitor is in a Windows XP SP2 environment, although I do have a dual boot with Mandriva Linux. The printed instructions that came with the hardware were limited to a simplistic poster which was clear enough and the Windows software installation from the included CD went quickly and flawlessly. Getting the monitor setup in the Linux environment, however, was a bit of a chore and I still have yet to get it do display in the maximum resolution of 1680 x 1050. But that is probably more related to my own challenges using Linux.
I highly recommend this product. The widescreen aspect is outstanding for DVDs and iTunes videos. World of Warcraft never looked so beautiful on my system. In fact it's performed beautifully for every game I've thrown at it so far: WoW, Quake3, BF1942, BF2. Couldn't be happier. Except with maybe a 30". ;)

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP W2007 20-inch Widescreen Flat Panel LCD Monitor

Click here for more information about HP W2007 20-inch Widescreen Flat Panel LCD Monitor

Read More...

MiniPro 2.5-inch FireWire 800/400, USB External Hard Drive Enclosure (12.5mm, 9.5mm) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Though pricey, you get what you pay for in this enclosure. The all aluminum construction means the enclosure has a nice heft and rigid feel to it that cheaper plastic enclosures can't compare to. Heat dissipation is great because of the all aluminum construction, which means your hard drive will last longer. The Oxford 934 chipset means that connections are reliable and transfer speeds are very quick, especially utilizing one of the two Firewire 800 ports. The hard drive is secured to the enclosure by 4 screws and makes it feel like one solid piece of kit. You get 1 Firewire 400, 2 Firewire 800 and one mini USB 2.0 port, plus a useful on/off toggle switch and a power input.
The enclosure does not come with a power supply (which as this price, it should). It does come with a power cable that connects to two USB ports if you need the extra juice as well as a similar cable that connects from the mini USB enclosure port to two USB ports on your computer. What impressed me, though, were the included Firewire 400 and 800 cables that are thick heavy duty quality cables. I have had no issues powering my drive on any Mac just using the Firewire bus. Another great feature of the enclosure is that it accepts standard 9.5mm drives as well as the higher capacity 12.5mm drives that so far go up to 1TB. I'm not sure if the higher capacity drives require more juice and cannot be driven by a standard USB bus, but the having the option is great to future proof the enclosure.
All in all, a quality enclosure that I would happily purchase again.

Click Here to see more reviews about: MiniPro 2.5-inch FireWire 800/400, USB External Hard Drive Enclosure (12.5mm, 9.5mm)

Click here for more information about MiniPro 2.5-inch FireWire 800/400, USB External Hard Drive Enclosure (12.5mm, 9.5mm)

Read More...

Apple iMac MC510LL/A 27-Inch Desktop Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First things first: the iMac offered on this page has the dual-core Intel Core i3 processor. A configuration with a quad-core i5 processor is also sold by Amazon. In addition, an even more powerful quad-core processor, the i7, is available as a build-to-order option from the online Apple Store. Be sure you're looking at the configuration you want. Apple makes four 27" Aluminum iMac processor setups in all: an i3, two with the i5, and an i7 (see the Comments on this review for a link to Apple's official tech specs).Now then, on with the show. Many reviewers of the previous release of the 27" Aluminum iMac have already discussed the essential hardware and software features. So, rather than repeating stuff that has already been said, I am going to focus this review on my experience of upgrading from a G4 igloo iMac that was running System 10.5.8 .
Migration Assistant
*I used a Firewire 400 to Firewire 800 cable to move the contents of my old computer to the new machine with Migration Assistant.
*The process was virtually seamless, with only a few minor adjustments necessary to the transferred data. Only four applications required reinstallation: ClamXav, iTunes (due to the Soundflower plugin--in any case, no music was lost or damaged), Microsoft Expression Media 2, and a Juniper Networks remote access program (part of a corporate telecommuting package).
*Rules for Little Snitch, a third party utility, need to be reestablished.
*Customized preferences for Spotlight must be reentered.
Magic Mouse
*iMacs now come with a wireless mouse as standard equipment. The Magic Mouse is a vast improvement over the Apple Mouse (aka Mighty Mouse) because it doesn't have a roller ball that eventually stops working. In fact, there aren't any external moving parts on the Magic Mouse, other than the on/off switch.
*Exposé and Dashboard functions are now on the top row of the keyboard, not on mouse buttons.
*If you're interested in the new Magic Trackpad, you'll have to order it separately. It doesn't come as standard equipment right now.
Keyboard
*The chiclet style keys took me a little while to get used to, but now I prefer them to traditional "long stroke" keys.
*For some reason, Apple has made a compact laptop keyboard the standard iMac keyboard (Steve Jobs must be nostalgic for the original 1984 Mac keyboard). Anybody who relies on Page keys for navigation or on a numeric keypad for data entry is out of luck.
*An extended keyboard with Home/Pg Up/Pg Dn/Delete keys and a number pad is available as a build-to-order option, along with additional memory and other treats, at the online Apple Store.
Audio System
*Optical digital audio input and output requires cables or cable adapters with 3.5mm plugs. Standard size TOSLINK connectors won't work. Also, digital audio I/O is run through the microphone and headphone ports. It is consequently impossible to use headphones or an external mic when the computer is setup for optical digital audio use.
*The speakers are a weak point in the design. They are small, underpowered, and sound tinny. I think the igloo iMacs had much better sound. If I recall correctly, they had a specially tuned amplifier--plus the speakers were fairly large and were not built into the computer housing. Users who use their iMac as their main music source or who work with music and sound will want to buy a separate pair of speakers.
Using the computer: screen, fan noise, heat, Rosetta
*This iMac is all about the gigantic 27" screen. It's incredibly sharp and bright, with better-than-HD resolution. Excel users will love being able to see columns A-AE and rows 1-95 all at once at 100% zoom. No more wasting time scrolling around and splitting windows. Photos, movies, and graphics all look absolutely fabulous.
*I initially thought I would hate the glossy finish on the screen, especially after seeing how much glare demo models at the Apple Store showed. But, as it turns out, the shiny glass isn't distracting at all in my home office. That said, anybody who hasn't ever seen a glossy screen computer in person should go check one out before placing an order.
*Something that I miss from my igloo iMac is the ability to move the screen both from left to right (x-axis) and up and down (y-axis). Aluminum iMac screens can only be swiveled up and down, in a fairly limited range.
*Under most conditions, the computer runs very quietly. Fan noise is normally inaudible.
*The top of the computer can become noticeably hot to the touch. Not hot enough to cook the proverbial egg, but definitely warmer than most other electronic devices (except for the original PlayStation3, otherwise known as the Sony Spaceheater).
*PowerPC applications run well under Rosetta. Once it is downloaded automatically, upon demand, it runs invisibly.Bottom line: it's the screen, the SCREEN, THE SCREEN!! Massive amounts of screen real estate, combined with fast performance, make the 27" Aluminum iMac a true joy to use for both work and play. One star penalty for not making an extended keyboard standard and for the terrible built-in sound system.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Apple iMac MC510LL/A 27-Inch Desktop


The new iMac is the ultimate all-in-one computer. Its Intel Core i3 processor features an advanced architecture and set new benchmarks for iMac performance. And fast discrete graphics processors now come standard in every iMac. The 27-inch widescreen display is perfect for HD video, and the Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Mouse keep your desktop tidy.
The 27-inch iMac features a brilliant LED-backlit, edge-to-edge glass display (see larger image).

Get 8% OFF

Click here for more information about Apple iMac MC510LL/A 27-Inch Desktop

Read More...

DeLorme Earthmate GPS LT-20 2008 U.S.A./Canada Map DVD-ROM (Windows) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have this product, and Amazon is wrong in its description.
I have tried to contact Amazon but they will not listen.
THIS product does NOT come with Street Atlas USA 2008 PLUS; it comes with Street Atlas 2008. The PLUS software has a database of 150 million phone listings (imagine drive through Bethesda MD and your realize you have lost your contacts and need an eye doctor. PLUS software will help you find one with a phone number.)
The software that comes with this product does not have 150 million phone listings.
The software that comes with the more expensive Earthmate GPS BT-20 2008 IS Street Atlas USA 2008 PLUS with the 150 million phone listings.
(Isn't it sad we have to correct Amazon product desciptions by writing a review instead of by contacting someone by email?)

Click Here to see more reviews about: DeLorme Earthmate GPS LT-20 2008 U.S.A./Canada Map DVD-ROM (Windows)

Earthmate GPS LT-20 & Street Atlas USA 2008 Bundle Goes Wherever You Go Unlike expensive built-in devices, this GPS can go in any car your own, rentals on trips, new or old because it connects to your existing laptop PC The GPS Leader Loaded with innovative GPS features including voice commands, spoken directions, automatic back-on-track re-routing, & mobile map colors Produced by DeLorme Mapmakers Not licensed from 3rd party companies, the updated maps and 4 million places of interest are produced by experienced mapmakers here at DeLorme. Includes customer revisions Before you go from your laptop or desktop PC Route Planning Powerful Searching Printing and Sharing Suggested Uses: Vacation planning Business trip planning House-hunting trips College visits Motorcoach and truck travel On-the-go with the Earthmate GPS LT-20 Up-to-date Maps Voice Commands and Spoken Directions Useful Travel Information Suggested Uses: Explore Americas back roads Create address-to-address routes among your business appointments Plan for emergency evacuations and avoid frustrating traffic backups Find last-minute lodging and food in unfamiliar places Part number: 31329

Click here for more information about DeLorme Earthmate GPS LT-20 2008 U.S.A./Canada Map DVD-ROM (Windows)

Read More...

XGear Shadow Premium Carbon Protection for 13-Inch MacBook Unibody Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)i bought this shell after seeing my friends "speck" shell. i was expecting something along those lines, e.g. a hard, snap on, rigid shell. when this item arrived, i was disappointed. it is merely a cheap plastic case wrapped in vinyl that looks like carbon fiber. not at all worth the price. due to its construction, it acts as an insulator on the unibody macbook pro which causes my $1700 laptop to run way hotter than it ever should. the snap-on tabs are very shoddy and do not hold well, also this shell makes the macbook way bigger and bulkier than i ever imagined it could.
conclusion: save yourself $30 and buy a speck shell, i know i will be purchasing one.

Click Here to see more reviews about: XGear Shadow Premium Carbon Protection for 13-Inch MacBook Unibody

Get 26% OFF

Click here for more information about XGear Shadow Premium Carbon Protection for 13-Inch MacBook Unibody

Read More...

Lite-On 4X SATA Blu-ray ROM Drive IHOS104-06 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this for the first PC I built. Very easy installation. This drive is a great bang for your buck.
The only word of caution, this is the OEM version of the drive. It does not come with the Serial ATA cable needed to connect to your motherboard. Luckily my motherboard came with extra cables but that is something to consider when purchasing. But you can get a 18in SATA cable on amazon for a couple dollars so it's not a big deal.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Lite-On 4X SATA Blu-ray ROM Drive IHOS104-06

Get 25% OFF

Click here for more information about Lite-On 4X SATA Blu-ray ROM Drive IHOS104-06

Read More...

Toshiba Mini NB205-N310/BN 10.1-Inch Sable Brown Netbook - 9 Hour Battery Life Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)UPDATE:
Just in case you decide to order a case for this netbook, keep in mind that the dimensions in the Amazon description or Toshiba's website (10.4 x 7.6 x 1.27 inches) are the dimensions of this netbook WITHOUT the 6-cell battery. If you look at the side-view photo in the Amazon description area (the one with the 7.6" measurement right below it), you'll see it's pictured without the battery. I just measured mine and with the 6-cell battery protruding from the back, it's actually 10.4 x 8.4 x 1.27 so many of the cases you find on Amazon made for 10" netbooks may not fit the NB205 with the 6-cell battery. Okay that's it for my update... read on for my original review...
----------
I just received my Toshiba NB205 yesterday and after spending many hours "playing" with it, I can easily say that, hands down, it is the BEST Netbook on the market today!
At the end of next week, I'll be traveling overseas and I wanted a small and lightweight laptop that I would be able to use to watch movies on the plane, transfer vacation photos and videos to, and use the internet for researching stuff from my hotel room. I currently own a 15" Macbook Pro but decided I didn't want to take it with me since it's a bit bigger & heavier and I can't afford to lose it. That's when I began researching these Atom-based Netbooks.
When I started researching, the Toshiba NB205 had not yet been released but there were still many netbook models out there by other manufacturers. I had originally considered the Samsung NC10, Acer Aspire One AOD250, Asus 1000HE, and Lenovo S10 as they all were pretty much equipped with similar configurations (Atom N270/N280 1.6 or 1.66Ghz cpu, 10" screen, 1GB ram, 160GB HD, 6-cell Li-Ion battery, Windows XP Home) and priced in the $350-400 price range. I won't go into too much detail about what I liked or didn't like about the other products but I had pretty much narrowed it down to either the Samsung NC10 or the Acer AOD250. Then I came across a pre-release review from Laptop Magazine on the Toshiba and decided to wait on my netbook. It was definitely worth the wait considering this is the first netbook I've come across that actually had noticeable differentiating features. When you compare all the others, it's kind of hard to choose from one over the other because they're all so similar!
The 4 biggest selling points on this Toshiba NB205 that had me wait for it was the 9-hour battery life, the look & feel of the keyboard, the size of the trackpad & buttons, and the overall aesthetics of it.
The whole point of buying a laptop this small and compact is for its portability factor. When you have to lug a brick-based AC adapter with you in fear the battery in your laptop won't last as long as you need it, it sure interferes with how portable carrying a laptop really is. A 9-hour lithium-ion battery will definitely solve that problem. Most of you are probably wondering how realistic that 9-hour rating really is... Let me just reassure you all, the battery life is GOOD! I brought it to a full charge, then unplugged it from the adapter and watched two movies on it (more on the movie playback capabilities later) and did 4 hours worth of web surfing afterwards -- all off the power from the battery on a single charge! You students out there can now bring it to all your classes and not have to look for a wall outlet! Oh, btw, I had the screen brightness set to 1/2 (level 4 brightness setting) and turned off the Bluetooth.
Netbooks are known for smaller keyboards and even worse, SMALL trackpads and trackpad button(s). In addition to the smaller size, many of the netbooks I saw in person at my local Fry's Electronics had very "cheapy"-feeling keyboards -- they just felt real fragile compared to the keyboard on my Macbook Pro. Enter the Toshiba NB205. Finally, a netbook that has a keyboard with keys that had the look and feel of a Mac keyboard and a robustly solid build to it. In addition to the look and feel, the keys were also pretty darn close in width to my Mac keyboard (both my Macbook Pro's keyboard, and my desktop Mac's keyboard). I'll try to post some comparison photos on Amazon this weekend for all those interested. The trackpad and buttons on the NB205 is also the biggest I've seen in the netbook category. Toshiba did a tremendous job in getting this right. Most of the other netbooks had really small trackpads and little miniature trackpad button(s) that felt real flimsy. Another feature that I like with the trackpad that's not stated anywhere is that the very right edge of the trackpad can be used for scrolling web pages or other documents (similar to the one on the Samsung NC10). This feature is not obvious as there are no arrow indicators like there is on the NC10 but it does support it!
I won't go into the aesthetics of this unit since you can pretty much see how amazing this netbook looks from the Amazon photos (I'll also add my own photos this weekend so you can get a better feel for the size, etc.) but let me now shift focus on using it.
Although I upgraded the memory on the unit to 2GB (I installed the Crucial 2GB 200-pin SODIMM DDR2 PC2-6400 800MHz Memory Module and it works great with the NB205!), all the testing I performed and am about to describe was done with the stock 1GB memory.
The very first thing I wanted to make sure this unit can do is play back, at the very least, DVD-quality movies (i.e. 480P movies (720x480 resolution)). One thing I'd HIGHLY recommend everyone who's interested in watching movies on their netbook do is download the FREE media player called VLC (Google "download vlc"). VLC is very lightweight and will play back movies a lot smoother than Quicktime or Windows Media Player; and given the inherently slower speeds of these Intel Atom processors compared to the Intel Core 2 Duo processors, using the VLC media player is your best bet. Using a free program called "Handbrake", one can convert their Bluray or DVD movies to AVC/h.264-encoded movies, which is what I used to convert some of my Bluray collection into a format that can be played-back on my NB205. Since it's out of the scope of this review and would require a tutorial guide of its own, I won't be able to explain how you would go about converting your Bluray or DVD movies. Anyhow, I first converted my Bluray edition of Valkyrie to a 720x480 resolution with a conservative 864kbs bitrate. The NB205 had NO PROBLEMS playing it back... It played back with very smooth video and the audio was synced up perfectly throughout the entire movie. So I decided to convert the movie again.... this time, using more aggressive settings... I converted it to a resolution of 1024x600 (since this is the native resolution of the NB205's screen) and a 2048kbps bitrate. Again, the NB205 was able to play the movie without a hitch. I didn't bother trying to convert the movie to 720P since the native resolution of the screen is only 1024x600 (it would be equivilent to 600P but 600P is not a standard). If you're planning to watch movies on the NB205 with someone else, you'll be happy to know that watching it from a 45 degree angle is very acceptible. Beyond the 45 degree angle, you won't be able to really see much so don't expect to have more than 3 people watching from it (why would you have more than 2 or 3 people watching off a 10" screen anyways!?).
Given it's capability to playback movies very smoothly, anything else I was going to throw at it would be child's play. Anyhow, I was reading that this laptop does get hot but after playing back two movies on it, it was not unbearable when resting it on my lap. So it doesn't seem like overheating problems will be too much of a concern for this laptop (but only long-term usage can really confirm this).
Another cool feature the NB205 sports that I'm not sure is available on all the other competitor models is a built-in accelerometer. It works the same way as the iPhone accelerometer but it's in the NB205 purely to detect if the laptop is about to take a fall. When it detects motion, it quickly moves the hard drive heads away from the hard drive to prevent any mishaps in case the hard drive is currently reading from or writing to the hard disks. Using a Toshiba software utility that's installed from the factory, you can change the sensitiviy threshold of the accelerometer or turn it off altogether.
There are obviously a lot more features that the NB205 comes with but I'm not going to explain each one simply because they're self-explanatory (such as bluetooth, wifi, etc.) but you can find out more about those features in Amazon's description of this product.
One final note before I conclude my review... Toshiba released two main models of the NB205 on the same day... the NB205-N310/311/312/313 (which is the model I have -- the NB205-N310/BN to be exact) and the NB205-N210. I think if you want to save $50, the NB205-210 would be a good choice as well -- provided you don't need Bluetooth or the Mac-style "chiclet" keyboard. For the extra $50, though, you also get the much sleeker, unique Toshiba-styling of the NB205-N31X series.
So if you're in the market for a very portable laptop, and you're considering a 10"-based netbook, the Toshiba NB205 is packed with features, enclosed around a very aesthetically pleasing body, and is very competitively priced!!!


Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba Mini NB205-N310/BN 10.1-Inch Sable Brown Netbook - 9 Hour Battery Life

Small enough to throw in a purse or bag, the affordable, super-compact 10.1-inch Toshiba mini NB205 netbook--which weighs just under 3 pounds--is designed with smart features like a full-sized keyboard and touchpad, long battery life, USB Sleep-and-Charge ports and a hard drive impact sensor that protects your data. You'll also get excellent battery life with the included six-cell battery that provides up to 9 hours of battery power--enabling you to go through an entire day of school, work or errands without worrying about a recharge.
Created especially for mobile devices, Intels 1.6 GHz Atom N280 processor uses an innovative design structure and hafnium-infused circuitry that helps reduce electrical current leakage in transistors--which means longer battery life when you're on the go. It also includes the Intel 945GSE graphics chipset, which provides browsing the internet, emailing, running basic PC applications and enjoying online digital media.

This model of the Toshiba mini NB205 (NB205-N310/BN) has a distinctively styled cover in Sable Brown, which is accented by a textured finish with a Matrix pattern. It features a 160 GB hard disk drive, 1 GB of RAM (upgradeable to 2 GB), 54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g), Bluetooth connectivity, Fast Ethernet, and a Secure Digital memory card slot. It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop.



Key Features
10.1-inch LED backlit widescreen display (1024 x 600-pixel resolution) provides richer colors and clearer definition--perfect for browsing the internet
1.66 GHz Intel Atom N280 processor combines performance and efficiency to explore the Internet and stay connected while mobile (Learn more)
160 GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 RPM) with an impact sensor that helps safeguard your data by "parking" the hard drive heads in the event of a drop or sudden movement. (Learn more)
1 GB of RAM (800 MHz; 1 memory slot; upgradeable to 2 GB)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator GMA950 with up to 251 MB of dynamically allocated shared graphics memory
Webcam (0.3 megapixels) integrated into the bezel for easy video chats and teleconferencing
Three USB Sleep-and-Charge ports allow you to charge your mobile phone and other devices even when the notebook is asleep or off.
Full-sized keyboard (85 keys)
Integrated Wi-Fi networking (802.11b.g) so you can communicate, browse and share while on the move
Bluetooth connectivity for syncing smartphones and using headphone for online video chats and Internet telephony.
Fast Ethernet wired networking (10/100)
Built-in mono speaker
Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system
Up to 9 hours of battery life from included 6-cell battery
Dimensions: 10.4 x 7.6 x 1.27 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 2.93 pounds
Environmentally focused with RoHS compatibility (reducing its environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances), Energy Star 5.0 compliant, and EPEAT Gold compliant
Warranty: 1 year warranty with international limited warranty coverage

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion This Toshiba mini NB205 notebook has an integrated 54g wireless LAN (Atheros) that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks as well as Bluetooth connectivity (version 2.1 + EDR), which enables you to communicate and synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as PDAs and mobile phones. It offers the following ports:

3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
Analog video output: 1 VGA
Memory card reader compatible with Secure Digital (SD), Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC), and MultiMediaCard (MMC)
1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack
10/100 Fast Ethernet

What's in the box This package contains the Toshiba mini NB205-N310/BN netbook, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions.

It also comes with the following software: Norton Internet Security 2009, Microsoft Works 9, Windows Media Player, Google Toolbar, Toshiba PC Health Monitor

NOTE: The NB205-N310/BN belongs to the NB200 series. It will state this on the box.



Learn More
Power-Sipping Processor The Intel Atom processor uses a design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and it uses just 2.5 watts of power--less than 1/10 of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor--for excellent battery management. This 1.66 GHz Atom N280 processor also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data).


Hard Drive Protection While the highly portable nature of mini-notebooks exposes them to the knocks and bumps that are an inevitable feature of life on the move, the Toshiba mini NB205 features a 3D-accelerometer monitoring system that detects freefalls, shocks and vibrations and protects the integrated HDD to secure against the loss of any personal data.

Click here for more information about Toshiba Mini NB205-N310/BN 10.1-Inch Sable Brown Netbook - 9 Hour Battery Life

Read More...

Iomega eGo Mac Edition 320 GB USB 2.0/FireWire 400/800 Portable External Hard Drive 34649 (Midnight Blue) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I got this portable hard drive recently to use for Time Machine with my MacBook Pro. Some notes and observations so far:
1) First off, the hard drive's ruby red color is not as bright as the Amazon photo. It's a darker red, which I prefer.
2) As with most portable hard drives, it is very quiet. Sitting a foot or two away from it, you should barely hear it, if at all.
3) This hard drive does not spin down after a certain amount of inactivity (unlike, for instance, a WD Passport, which spins down after 10 minutes or so of inactivity). You may or may not prefer this, depending on what you use it for. I use mine as a Time Machine, which backs up my hard drive every hour. I prefer the fact that it doesn't keep spinning down and spinning back up every hour (many argue that this is worse for a hard drive than simply leaving it on all the time, but there are varying opinions on this).
4) I wouldn't say the hard drive runs hot. It feels warm to the touch when idling all day like mine. However it may get hot if being used for constant data access. The only time it has felt somewhat hot is when I did the initial ~200GB backup of my hard drive.
5) This hard drive works well for daisy chaining. I have it connected to my MBP via Firewire 800, and I have a Firewire 400 external hard drive connected to the Iomega. NOTE: If you have the Iomega connected to your computer via USB, you cannot daisy chain a Firewire device.
6) Size-wise, it is a bit bigger than my (USB-only) WD Passport but it is still fairly compact.
7) The exterior feels like plastic, but the box says that the case is made from aluminum, so I'll trust that it is.
8) The light on the back of the drive is VERY bright. It actually projects light onto my wall. The color of the light may vary. I bought two of these drives from two different Best Buys... One has a blue light, the other has a white light. Either way, I found the light to be pretty annoying, so I simply covered it up with a small piece of black electrical tape. Works well.
9) Comes with a USB cable, Firewire 400 cable, and Firewire 800 cable.
10) One review noted: "No on-off switch, drive does not stop when computer sleeps, does not stop when computer turned off!". As far as bus-powered 2.5" portable hard drives go, I have not seen any with an on-off switch, although some may exist. If you want that, you will probably want to go with a 3.5" external desktop drive. HOWEVER, I think it is important to note that the Iomega WILL power down when the computer is sleeping or shut off. I was worried when I read this review because I thought the drive would keep spinning when I put my computer to sleep, but this is not the case. The only thing that stays on is the light. It will only turn off when you unplug the drive from the computer.
Overall, this drive works perfectly as a Time Machine. It is fast, small, quiet, not too hot, and unobtrusive. After the initial backup, you should barely notice successive backups (unless they are really big ones). The price is also great for a portable hard drive with three different connectivity options. The only thing I can't review is hard drive longevity... Only time will tell. Here's hoping that it lasts for a long time.--UPDATE February 5, 2010--
Hard drive is still working extremely well for me as a Time Machine. A few new notes and observations:
1) A lot of people have been reporting that the top of their cases are detaching, which is pretty discouraging. I've been lucky, as the only problem I've had is that one of the front corners has come up about 1-2 millimeters. However, the top of the case is still in place and secure for the most part. I bought another one of these hard drives for my father, and the top of his case has not detached at all. I should note that I leave my hard drive on all day and sometimes overnight, whereas my father only turns his on every once in a while (when he turns his computer on), but it is generally turned off. I did buy my hard drives from Best Buy... Perhaps they received a shipment of units that were of better quality than what Amazon received?
2) This is a strange one... My hard drive runs SIGNIFICANTLY cooler than when I first got it. It hardly feels warm at all, even though it's spinning away all day. I don't really understand why, but I can't complain.
3) My thanks to A.W. Jester for pointing out that you must register online to get the 3 year warranty. I had missed this at first!
This product seems pretty hit-or-miss based on the workmanship. On the one hand, I'd have a hard time recommending it based on the other reviews I've read. On the other hand, I would recommend it based on my own experience. It's a great value for the price if you're lucky enough to get a good one.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Iomega eGo Mac Edition 320 GB USB 2.0/FireWire 400/800 Portable External Hard Drive 34649 (Midnight Blue)

Great aluminum design and multiple connections too! With one FireWire 800 port, one FireWire 400 port, and one USB 2.0 port, the Iomega eGo Portable Hard Drive offers triple interface versatility for Mac users and a stylish design. These drives are formatted HFS+ for a great out-of-box experience. Plus, the Iomega Drop Guard feature protects the drive when dropped up to 51" (40% above the industry average!). EMC Retrospect, QuikProtect, and MozyHome Online backup software is included with purchase. Available in Ruby Red, Alpine White and Midnight Blue in up to 500GB capacity (capacities vary per color).

Click here for more information about Iomega eGo Mac Edition 320 GB USB 2.0/FireWire 400/800 Portable External Hard Drive 34649 (Midnight Blue)

Read More...