Microsoft LifeCam - Review
May 13, 2008 | 2 Comments
One of the greatest gadgets ever invented for a PC is the attachable camera. The Microsoft LifeCam
While newer computers have built-in cameras and speakerphones, the Microsoft LifeCam
Not only is the Microsoft LifeCam great for home businesses wherein video conferencing is a necessity, but in a general sense having the ability to communicate with family and friends offers a unique experience for those who find that Instant Messaging and Emails do not quite express one’s true feelings. With the Microsoft LifeCam, you can view the person with whom you are communicating just as if they were in the room with you. It removes all doubt as to what most emails or IM’s may try to communicate.
The Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000
The Microsoft LifeCam features the following:
- Superior video quality and high definition still photos
- Automatic face tracking software
- Crystal-clear audio with built-in microphone
- Video effects let you express yourself during chats
- Optimized for Windows Live; Windows Live Call Button, LifeCam Dashboard, and One-Touch Blogging
- Model number: 68A-00001
- Video resolution: 640 x 480 pixels
- Photo resolution: 1.3 megapixels (1280 x 960 pixels interpolated
- Video: 30 fps
- Connectivity: USB
- Microphone: Built-in unidirectional microphone
- Instant messenger compatibility: All leading instant messaging software
- Pan, tilt, zoom control: Supported
- Cable length: 6 feet
- Take instant messaging with friends and family to new levels of sight and sound. Hear sounds and voices as if they were in the room with you.
- See clear live video images and experience a new dimension in communication. The LifeCam VX-3000 is optimized for use with Microsoft Windows Live Messenger, so you can share life as it happens.
- Easily start a video chat by pressing the Windows Live Call Button, and clicking an Online Contact. Crystal-clear video conversation is now possible with more than 200 million contacts in nearly every country in the world.
- Get vivid high-quality still images, even in low light.
- Hear your friends and family as if they were in the room with you.
- The built-in unidirectional microphone automatically picks up your voice with remarkable clarity-there’s no more hassling with separate devices.
- Long, flexible cable gives you more room to move.
- Surprise your friends with cool video effects, accessible right from the Windows Live Messenger Window LifeCams capture life at 30 frames per second, which means the video images you see are smooth and seamless System.
- Requirements - Windows XP Pro, Home, Media Center Edition, Tablet PC Edition, 300 MB of available hard disk space, an available universal serial bus (USB) 1.1 or 2.0 (recommended) port.
Where to purchase or seek additional information:
Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000
Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital Elph Camera - Review
May 12, 2008 | 2 Comments
The Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital Elph Camera
Another aspect of this camera that consumers are raving about is the compact design, ease of use, and video components. In fact, if you are an eBay seller the Canon PowerShot digital camera affords you the opportunity to display pictures that are clear and crisp. Providing pictures with the utmost clarity can make all the difference when selling items on eBay.
In addition, taking videos on the Canon PowerShot allows you to utilize three different resolutions which can also be edited and you can add your own commentary as well. Or, if you prefer, you can create a slide show for family and friends. Canon PowerShot is perfect for graduation ceremonies, weddings and just about any occasion.
Pictures are worth a thousand words. It’s no wonder that consumers have touted the Canon PowerShot
The Canon PowerShot SD1000 offers the following features:
- 7.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 15 x 20-inch prints
- DIGIC III Image Processor; Face Detection Technology and Red-eye Correction
- Vivid, high-resolution 2.5-inch PureColor LCD
- 17 Shooting modes, including 8 Special Scene modes
- ISO 1600 and High ISO Auto settings
- Type of camera: Compact digital still camera with built-in flash, 3x optical/4x digital
- Digital zoom: 4x
- Focusing range: Normal: 1.0 feet/30 centimeters to infinity; macro: 1.2 inches to 1.6 feet/3 to 50 centimeters (wide), 1.0 to 1.6 feet/30 to 50 centimeters (telephoto); digital macro: 1.2 to 3.9 inches/3 to 10 centimeters (wide)
- Autofocus system: TTL autofocus
- Viewfinder: Real-image optical zoom viewfinder
- LCD monitor: 2.5-inch low-temperature polycrystalline silicon TFT color LCD brightness adjustment: 15 levels
- LCD pixels: Approximately 230,000 pixels
- White Balance control: Auto, Preset (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H), Custom
- Built-in flash: Auto, Auto w/ Red-eye Reduction, Auto w/ Slow Synchro, Flash On, Flash On w/ Red-eye Reduction, Flash On w/ Slow Synchro, Flash Off
- Shooting modes: Auto, Camera M, Portrait, Special Scene (Foliage, Snow, Beach, Fireworks, Aquarium, Underwater, Indoor, Kids and Pets), Night Snapshot, Color Accent, Color Swap, Digital Macro, Stitch Assist, Movie
- Continuous shooting: Approximately 1.7 frames per second (fps)
- Storage media: SD memory card, SDHC memory card, MultiMediaCard
- JPEG compression mode: Still image: Exif 2.2 (JPEG); movie: AVI (image: Motion JPEG; audio: WAVE (monaural))
- Playback modes File: Still image: Single, Magnification (approximately 2x to 10x), Jump, Auto Rotate, Rotate, Resume, My Category, Histogram, Index (9 thumbnails), Sound Memos, Sound Recorder, Slide Show, Red-eye Correction; Movie: Normal Playback, Special Playback, Auto Rotate, Resume
- Video out: NTSC/PAL
- Power source: 1. rechargeable lithium battery NB-4L; 2. AC adapter kit ACK-DC10
- What’s in the box: Canon PowerShot SD1000 digital camera, lithium battery pack NB-4L, battery charger CB-2LV, SD memory card SDC-32M, wrist strap WS-DC2, Digital Camera Solution CD-ROM, USB interface cable IFC-400PCU, AV cable AVC-DC300
- Compatible with Windows Vista
Where to purchase or seek additional information:
Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital Elph Camera
Kindle: Amazon’s Wireless Reading Device - Review
May 12, 2008 | 1 Comment
In the world of books, first came hardcover, soft cover, books on tape, and ebooks. Well, get ready because Amazon has just released its new Kindle
According to Amazon, “We designed Kindle
“Kindle is also easy on the fingertips. It never becomes hot and is designed for ambidextrous use so both “lefties” and “righties” can read comfortably at any angle for long periods of time. We deliver your content using our own wireless delivery system, Amazon Whispernet. Unlike WiFi, you’ll never need to locate a hotspot. There are no confusing service plans, yearly contracts, or monthly wireless bills—we take care of the hassles so you can just read.”
If you are an avid reader, you will love the Kindle
In addition, not only will you be able to access any book by entering the name on the Kindle
The Kindle’s features include:
- Revolutionary electronic-paper display provides a sharp, high-resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper.
- Simple to use: no computer, no cables, no syncing.
- Wireless connectivity enables you to shop the Kindle Store directly from your Kindle—whether you’re in the back of a taxi, at the airport, or in bed.
- Buy a book and it is auto-delivered wirelessly in less than one minute.
- More than 115,000 books available, including more than 100 of 112 current New York Times® Best Sellers.
- New York Times® Best Sellers and New Releases $9.99, unless marked otherwise.
- Free book samples. Download and read first chapters for free before you decide to buy.
- Top U.S. newspapers including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post; top magazines including TIME, Atlantic Monthly, and Forbes—all auto-delivered wirelessly.
- Top international newspapers from France, Germany, and Ireland; Le Monde, Frankfurter Allgemeine, and The Irish Times—all auto-delivered wirelessly.
- More than 300 top blogs from the worlds of business, technology, sports, entertainment, and politics, including BoingBoing, Slashdot, TechCrunch, ESPN’s Bill Simmons, The Onion, Michelle Malkin, and The Huffington Post—all updated wirelessly throughout the day.
- Lighter and thinner than a typical paperback; weighs only 10.3 ounces.
- Holds over 200 titles.
- Long battery life. Leave wireless on and recharge approximately every other day. Turn wireless off and read for a week or more before recharging. Fully recharges in 2 hours.
- Unlike WiFi, Kindle utilizes the same high-speed data network (EVDO) as advanced cell phones—so you never have to locate a hotspot.
- No monthly wireless bills, service plans, or commitments—we take care of the wireless delivery so you can simply click, buy, and read.
- Includes free wireless access to the planet’s most exhaustive and up-to-date encyclopedia—Wikipedia.org.
- Email your Word documents and pictures (.JPG, .GIF, .BMP, .PNG) to Kindle for easy on-the-go viewing.
- Included in the box: Kindle wireless reader, Book cover, Power adapter, USB 2.0 cable
Where to purchase or seek additional information:
Kindle: Amazon’s Wireless Reading Device
Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder - Review
May 11, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Consumers who have purchased this video camcorder have touted the Flip as one that is easy it is to use, offers quality video, and is so compact it can fit in one’s pocket. Available in black and white, the Flip Video Ultra
Easy to use, the Flip Video Camcorder has a start/stop red button for easy filming; let’s you know how much time you have to record; has a zoom in/zoom out below the red button, and has a built-in microphone for commentary. The playback feature only requires one button as well.
The best feature of the Flip Video is that you can connect the Flip to your PC via a USB port, which is available on the camcorder, and upload videos for future viewing. The Flip Video Software is included and is easy to install.
With dimensions of 4.17 x 2.16 x 1.25 inches, the Flip Video Ultra
The Flip Video features include:
- Simple to use, pocket-sized camcorder with one-touch recording and digital zoom
- Holds 60 minutes of full VGA-quality video on 2GB of built-in memory; no tapes or additional memory cards required
- Convenient USB arm plugs directly into your computer for easy viewing and sharing
- Built-in software lets you easily e-mail videos, upload to YouTube and AOL, and capture still photos from video
- Watch videos instantly on TV with included cable
- Screen size: 1.5 inches (diagonal)
- Screen resolution: 528 x 132 pixels
- Screen type: Transflective TFT (for bright daylight)
- Resolution: 640 x 480
- Low-light sensitivity: Very high sensitivity (>2.0V/lux-sec)
- Video compression: Pure Digital Video Engine 2.0
- Frame rate: 30 frames per second (constant)
- Video format: Advanced Profile MPEG4 AVI
- Auto White Balance and autoexposure: Auto-adaptive white/black balance and exposure (Next generation–improving color fidelity, exposure control, and dynamic range)
- Lens type: Fixed focus (0.8 meters to infinity)
- Zoom: Smooth multi-step 2x digital
- Interface: 8 buttons (Power, Play, Delete, Record, and 4-way navigation)
- Time from power-up to record: Less than 3 seconds
- Clip length: Minimum of 1 second, maximum of 60 minutes
- Power Saver (auto shut-down): Yes
- Delete All function: Yes
- Play All function: Yes
- Set date/time function: Yes
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 4.17 x 2.16 x 1.25 inches
- PC connection: Built-in flip-out USB arm (up to USB 2.0 speed)
- Speaker: Built-in speaker
- Microphone: Built-in wide range microphone (improved sensitivity and accuracy)
- TV out: NTSC (cable included)
- DVD processing: Pure Digital DVD processing (nationwide retail service)
- Supported battery types: 2 x AA batteries (1.5-volt AA alkaline, Energizer e2 Lithium, 1.2-volt NiMH rechargeable)
- Battery life: Improved battery life: up to 2.5 hours with 2 x AA Alkaline batteries; up to 6.5 hours with 2 x AA Energizer e2 batteries; battery life may vary between batteries and use pattern
- Tripod mount: Yes
- Supported operating systems: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OSX
- Minimum system requirements (Windows): Intel Pentium 4 2.0 GHz computer with at least 512MB of RAM, Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista, SVGA display monitor (1024 x 768) and video card, Windows Media Player 9.0, Microsoft DirectX 9.0
- Minimum system requirements (Mac OSX): PowerPC G4 1.0 GHz, Intel Core with at least 512 MB of RAM, Mac OS X 10.3.9, SVGA display (1024 x 768) monitor and video card, QuickTime 7 or later
- Auto start: Windows: yes; Mac OSX: no
- Online sharing (may require download of latest version of Flip Video software): Unlimited private sharing; video greeting cards; upload to YouTube (public and private); upload to AOL Video (public and private); prepare for web publishing (any other site)
- Video editing: Video truncation (set start/end points); compose a new Movie Mix (including 6 movie styles)
- Snap still photo from video: Yes (VGA still photo)
- File management: Play, Copy/Move, Delete, Rename, Archive on PC
- Software update: Check for updates online (automatic and on demand)
- What’s in the box: Flip Video Ultra 30-minute camcorder, carrying pouch, wrist strap, video out cable
Where to purchase or seek additional information:
Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder
Apple 16 GB iPod Touch - Review
March 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Product Name:
Apple 16 GB iPod Touch
Submitted By:
Anonymous
Rating: 7
Description:
This MP3 has all the convenience of a large screen and the capability to play all your music, see your videos and pictures. Plus this iPod also has web page capabilities and wireless networking.
Review:
This iPod is the first I have ever owned. I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I decided to try this but wouldn’t be without it now.
I really like the slim feature of this iPod. I can carry it with me anywhere and don’t have to worry about it being big or bulky. That’s a plus in my fast paced world. I don’t have room or time for anything I really have to fumble with to get in and out of my backpack. Plus the screen is scratch resistant.
This iPod is so easy to use even for me. I don’t have a clue what I’m doing when it comes to these electronic gadgets. I usually fumble through or ask one of my well versed kids how it works. This iPod was simple for me to learn and use. I was amazed at how fast I picked up on it.
I also like the high quality screen. It’s slim, but large enough to make watching my videos and TV shows easy and fun. Seeing the music displays so easily makes it a lot more fun than I would have thought too.
It also has internet capabilities. I really like that. It can be kind of slow but with a little patience it gets you where you want to go and I like that. It doesn’t replace my desktop as far as searching but in a pinch away from home it does everything I need it to do.
The memory capacity is great on this iPod. It holds everything I need and more. I couldn’t ask for a better piece of technology. If you’re looking for an iPod that is slim, easy to understand and use and has the capabilities to do just about anything you want from an iPod I would suggest this one. It makes a great gift too - I bought one for my husband for Christmas and he loves it.
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