Customer Reviews

I have searched for the computer (whether custom built or prebuilt) for 3 months. This one kept coming back to the top of the list again and again.

First, you need to know that Gateway and Acer are basically the same company, you find Acer all over the documentation from the box, to the documents to the computer itself.

If there was anything else I’d have wanted, it would be wireless connection – this does not have it, but there are many routers with USB hubs to server that purpose.

I agree with everyone, it is super quiet, occasionally when a drive cycles, you hear it, but otherwise you are pressed to know it is even on. I chose to turn off the Red accent lighting, I think it a little gimmicky.

My concerns over previous computers were many, I wanted something that HDMI connected to my HDTV without going through DVI’s etc.. I think the Blueray player a nice feature although I likely won’t use it except as a second drive which is always nice.

I watch a lot of TV shows streamed on the web (Hulu, Fancast, all the network stations) and wanted smooth frame rate – well I sure got it, as well as FLAWLESS 1080P content streaming on Youtube. Nothing ever appears below a 30 plus frame rate, so smooth is a mild word for the output.

On to gaming, I bought Crysis considering it is a benchmark on nearly any review site and at max res with EVERYTHING turned on, it is 100% a kickass experience.

I also am into video editing, a major factor in buying a machine – I bought Magix Movie Pro 16 and work at light speed with my Flip Cams 720p footage, I haven’t tried anything higher res, but I feel secure it will handle it equally as well.

At $1425 or so, I don’t think anything touches it. I customized a few computers online with the same specs. and every one came in around $1900 or more. A big plus is the 750 watt power supply, a lot of companies will give you the 1gig video card, but they don’t offer anything over 500 watts.

So, I’m doing everything that I want a computer to do, the I7 with 9gigs RAM flies, the multi-threading and everything just passes stuff around lightning fast. The 1.5 terra-drive should last most people a long long time and 10 USB ports comes in handy, no need for hubs to slow you down.

Oh, the SD card reader is the HCSD reader, so I have 16gig SD cards and use it to move about 14 movies around my different machines – handy.

You are not likely to find a better PC for your money, but it is performance is where we all draw the line and this machine delivers. To do it over again, I would and that is the ultimate compliment to any purchase.

Oh… NOTE: this computer comes in its original box, it is NOT packaged in a discrete box. UPS tried to deliver it, but since I was not home, they weren’t about to leave a box showing a monster gaming machine on the step. I drove the 10 miles to pick it up at UPS when the truck returned that night to their hub. So be there for it, or you may need to take a ride.

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Up for Review: Vizio M260VA LED LCD TV. The latest innovations in the digital HDTV technology have never been confined to size. The pioneers of the small size HDTV technology, Vizio, comes up with its latest dynamic model called the Vizio M260VA. This small size HDTV possesses all the features that a full size HDTV should have. Vizio has pioneered the use of LEDs in very small size HDTVs. Therefore this model is one of the first small sized HDTV to have full LED technology.

The edge lit LED technology has the features to block the light escaping away in between the pixels. Thus by getting blacker blacks and whiter whites, the viewer gets a very near to plasma screen experience. The Razor thin profile of this HDTV makes it visually more appealing. The width of this HDTV is only 0.75 inches. This makes this HDTV as one of the slimmest HDTVs ever. It has a dynamic contrast ratio of 20,000:1. This gives a better viewing experience to the eyes of the connoisseur. This digital LED LCD HDTV comes with an USB plug-in playback function through which you can view your favorite photos as slideshows.

Vizio M260VA Features and Specifications Review:

• Size: 26″
• Native Panel Resolution: 1366 x 768 pixels
• Dynamic Contrast Ratio: 20,000：1
• Brightness: 400 nits
• Response Time: 8ms
• Viewable Angle: 178/178 degrees (horizontal/vertical)
• Pixel/Dot Pitch: 0.421mm (H) x 0.421mm (V)
• SRS TruSurround HD™: Yes
• SRS TruVolume™: Yes
• Exceeds Energy Star 4.0
• HDMI Ports with HD: 2(USB port available)
• Panel Lamp Life: 30,000 hours
• Refresh Rate: 60Hz
• LED technology: Yes- edge lit

The native resolution of this HDTV is 1366 by 768 pixels which is pretty standard for a HDTV of its size and thus enabling the viewer to watch very high quality digital HD videos. The brightness of this model is high as 400 nits. With a response time of 8ms, this small HDTV makes it possible to watch flicker free and nonstop high definition movies. The audio features of this TV include the new SRS TruVolume and SRS TruSurround, the products of the SRS labs. One of the goals of SRS is to reduce fluctuations in noise from movies and commercials. It sounds like a great idea but many Vizio customers report turning it off because of its failure to properly work.

The new Digital Ambient Light Sensing Technology provided in this model auto detects the lighting conditions of the room and sets the color and brightness level automatically. This feature frees the user from the hassles of manual color and brightness adjustments. This model follows the Energy Star 4.0 conventions which makes this HDTV as the most economical one. Due to its VESA wall mountable feature this HDTV can virtually be fitted anywhere ranging from your kitchen to the dorm. This model is completely mercury free and thus it’s called an ECO HD.

This model is currently priced at $399.99 and it comes with one year parts warranty and labor free lifetime technical support.

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I received the DD750X as a Christmas present. Today, I watched the DVD twice, then read the instruction book before sharpening my entire high speed drill bit set (3/32″ through 1/2″). Next, I sharpened three carbide tipped bits (3/16″, 1/4″, 3/8″), then I tried grinding a split point on one of the larger HSS bits. The DD750X worked flawlessly as advertised. I tested one of the newly sharpened drill bits by drilling through some 1/4″ thick cold rolled steel bar. The bit drilled through the CRS effortlessly with two nice continuous chips. This was with the 118 degree point angle and standard relief angle.

Next, I re-sharpened a 7/16″ drill bit with the split point and I did not experience any difficulty aligning the drill point on this bit as others have mentioned here. The back grind did not seemed to infere with the alignment procedure.

The Drill Doctor does what it says, sharpens your drill bits, and in a way that is rather ingenious. This company has taken its knowledge of sharpening from its manufacturing floor experience and brought it to the home workshop at a very reasonable cost. This machine works wonderfully, and the accompanying instructional DVD is quite good. Having sharp drill bits makes working a pleasure – and it’s safer to work.

I did observe that on some of the smaller bits (ie. around 1/8″ and smaller), that the relief angle visually appeared to be too shallow. Definitely much shallower than on the larger diameter bits. So, I tried re-grinding a few of the smaller bits with an increased relief angle by adjusting the alignment guide one notch in the +ve direction as described on page 23 of the manual. That worked perfectly and visually increased the relief angle as described in the manual.

I dropped and broke an older model and couldn’t find parts (hint there)so I bought a new Drill Doctor. It came with the hardest, stiffest electric cord; absolute piece of shee-shee! I can’t put the tool any further than 2 feet from an outlet because the cord will not relax. The cord actually pulls the tool across my steel topped bench. I warmed it up but it never went slack! The memory in the snake-like cord makes it almost impossible to return the tool to the storage case. A very bad place to economize quality. I relish some stifness in my life but not in my Drill Doctor cord! I will replace the cord so I can enjoy the tool. The DVD instructions send me to the manual for “further instructions”; duh?

I plan to utilize the Drill doctor dd750x ability to grind a 135 degree angle for drilling stainless steel and I am pleased that this option is available. The only thing that surprised me is the relative coarseness of the ground tip on the drill bits. I get a much smoother finish on my drill bits when sharpening them by hand even on the coarse wheel of my pedestal grinder.

I have been sharpening drill bits by hand for 25+ years, but I could never get the consistency with an exact 118 degree drill point angle and perfect relief angles that I can achieve on the DD750X. Also, the DD750X sharpens bits in a fraction of the time that it would take me to do it by hand, as I would ususally take several passes by hand before I would get a reasonably symetrical drill point angle and a good relief angle. The only time I will go back to hand sharpening is when I break a break or chip a bit and need to get remove a lot of material. The DD750X takes forever to remove large amounts of material. In these cases, i will get it close by hand and then use the DD750X to finish grinding the tip.

I am thoroughly impressed with the DD750X snd would highly recommend this unit. The price on Amazon was much better than I could purchase locally.
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I bought this Makita lxt211 set in January 2010 and use at least one tool every week. I am very satisfied with the quality of these tools and highly recommend them to anyone that needs to get any work done around the house.

These tools are some of the nicest 18 Volt cordless tools that I have ever seen. The weight is pefect. Dewalt should take a few lessons from Makita. The value in this 7- piece kit is spot on. Home Depot gets $379.00 plus tax for the impact driver and drill alone……You get all of this for $629.00 and two day free shipping if you are prime, that is a deal in my opinion. As far as the packaging is concerned it was the worst I have ever received without the items being damaged. For starters the box looks like it was left out in the rain…..Not good when you are buying power tools. That being said it appears that everything in the box was dry. Also the box had been opened and retaped up with tape that read Makita. All I know is I was sold NEW tools not Re-furbished and I better not find out any different. Other than that I loved doing business with Amazon. This was my first purchase and I was really pleased with everything from inital purchase, to tracking, to on-time-delivery.

The Batteries – The batteries last a long time between recharges and charge very quickly.

The Drill – Small, lightweight, and powerful. I also have the larger BHP454 but like the one that comes with this set much better because it’s smaller size and lower weight make it much easier to handle.

Impact Driver – I have only used it once or twice – but since it is compact it probably would be good in tight spaces. The drill has a hammer setting so I usually just use it instead.

Circular Saw – Fairly average. Works about the same as others I have used.

Reciprocating Saw – This tool is great. I use it all the time to cut up branches. I’m not sure how I lived without one of these in the past. It can also cut metal, but I find the Angle Grinder works better for that.

Angle Grinder – Probably the best tool in the set. How I managed to live my entire life without one before I’ll never know. It is great for cutting through metal and if you buy a sanding attachment for $10 it will sand quicker than almost anything else I have used. I love this tool.

Radio – The radio has an input jack for an IPod. It isn’t really loud outside, but works pretty well indoors. I didn’t really think I would use it much, but I actually use it fairly often.

Flashlight – Makita probably just throws it in to make the set seem larger (7 pieces not 6). The first week I got the set I dropped it and the bulb broke. They should replace this light with a Cree LED light instead. Not a very good flashlight – but really, who cares about that…

The bag looks really nice – but I don’t use Makita td090dw it at all
- so no comment on that.

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Purchased as a replacement for an ancient chain drive opener that couldn’t be adapted for safety stop. Surprisingly easy to install–when I saw all the pieces I was a little concerned but the directions were very thorough and full of “if…then” branches that covered every issue, like solid door vs. panels, what if a door spring is in the way, what if you can’t fit the far end of it onto the wall and need to use the ceiling, etc. There’s a helpline # Chamberlain wd822kd in there but I didn’t have to call it. Once in place, it’s noticeably quieter than the old one and it lets you turn the lights on separately from running the motor, which is a huge improvement in my garage. The big wall button lights up so you can find it in the dark. So…things to watch for to improve your experience…1) You may need to purchase hardware to fasten it to the ceiling and the door. Carriage bolts are good for the door since they end up fastened inside and out. Lag screws are good for walls and ceilings. Short hex bolts with nuts and lock washers to join bracket pieces. 2) Get a good hacksaw blade. 3) Buy some “angle iron,” which is those long pieces of metal that look like an “L” from the side and have lots of holes you can use for fasteners.

I installed this opener yesterday to replace a screw drive Genie that was 16 years old. The Genie worked well for many years except it had the older and far less secure wireless technology and was very noisy. I never liked the screw drive unit. During the winter the screw and trolley system gets stiff and the opener really struggles. During the summer the greese on the screw liquifies and then drips on the vehicles. The main advantage of screw drive is simplicity. The screw is driven directly by the motor so there are far fewer moving parts. This is the only advantage in my view.

This Chamberlain pd752d opener uses the new rolling code technology and the belt drive system means it is very quiet. Everything I needed to complete the installation was included in the box. It took me about 4.5 hours to install it. This included the time to remove the Genie, read the directions, install everything, and then make the appropriate adjustments. The remote controls are small and light. I think most of the time spent was trying to understand the directions, the pictures, and finding the right parts. The installation is relatively simple and well designed, but it takes time anyway for first time installers. I suspect an experienced installer would get the job done in 90 minutes or less.

The outdoor wireless remote keypad works great and seems to be made much better than the one I had for my Genie that never worked quite right.

The wireless remotes that come with the unit are preprogrammed for the unit. If you want to link other remotes, such as your automobile’s remote control, then you must go through a programming sequence. It is not difficult, but having a helper during this step is helpful as you have to press the learn button the opener and then press the remote button in the auto within 30 seconds. This is not as easy as you might think.
Maybe a 6 or 8 foot piece to reinforce the door and then another to cut up to make your own ceiling brackets. 4) A stepladder is a must for holding the motor up while you attach it to the ceiling–consider using a helper too. 5) Unfold the box and a few other empty boxes and place them on the garage floor all along the path of the device and especially under the motor–that will prevent scratches while you work. 6) A 2 x 4 board, which you can use a) to measure the gap between door top and opener track b) to test the safety reverse feature and c) as a crosspiece if you need to attach something at a right angle to the beams or studs. 7) You’ll need two ordinary 100 Watt light bulbs–difficult to ship those inside it without them busting so I was ok with that.

I am very happy with this product and would purchase it again.

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How is the Makita 2012NB planer?

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The Milwaukee M18 2-tool combo kit includes the Milwaukee M18 lithium-ion 1/2-inch compact drill/driver, M18 lithium-ion 1/4-inch hex compact impact and convenient contractor bag.

Examples of innovation include the Milwaukee 4-pole frameless motor, lightweight durability, built-in LED lights, battery fuel gauges and variable speed triggers.

When you need power, precision and superior performance in an ultraefficient package, you can’t afford to buy anything but HEAVY DUTY. Backed by the confidence of a 5-year warranty, the M18 2-tool combo kit is the essential tool arsenal for the enduring professional.

Features, Benefits & Applications

The Milwaukee M18 lithium-ion 2-tool combo kit gives you a double dose of power for the essential package for the most difficult jobs.

The Milwaukee M18 Lithium-Ion Compact Drill Driver is the most powerful tool in its class with 400 in./lbs of torque. With over 100% more grip for bit retention than other leading brands, plus more run-time and impressive compact size and weight, the M18 lithium-ion high-performance drill driver minimizes downtime and worker fatigue.

Featuring adjustable speeds ranging from high speed RPM of 1-1,800 and low speed RPM of 0-450, the M18 lithium-ion compact drill driver allows you to apply concentrated power for accuracy and professional results. The M18 drill driver also has 24 clutch settings, weighs 5.3 pounds and includes a side handle for compactness, comfort and control.

The Milwaukee M18 lithium-ion compact drill driver offers endless applications including running wire, drilling metal to run conduit, conduit clamps, running copper pipe, Pex, anchoring pipe hangers, running pipe through wood, setting duct anchors, drilling pilot holes ductwork, fastening duct and general fastening.

The Milwaukee M18 1/4-Inch Hex Compact Impact Driver is the fastest, strongest and longest running in its class. With pinpoint illumination, one-handed bit-loading and more than 70% faster speed than the nearest competitor; the Milwaukee 1/4″ Hex Impact Driver makes this the smartest and easiest choice. With two times longer run-time and 1,400 in./lbs of torque, the Milwaukee M18 1/4-inch hex compact impact driver provides extreme durability and extended power, and features a variable speed trigger to accurately control the 0-2,200 RPM. Additionally, the driver features 0-3,200 IPM and 4-pole frameless motor, maximizing efficiency, run-time and torque.

The Milwaukee M18 1/4-inch hex compact impact driver weighs a mere 3.5 pounds and is 5-3/4 inches, making it compact, yet extremely powerful. Other features include a battery fuel gauge, which displays remaining run-time, and a bright LED light for pinpoint illumination on dark jobsites.

The Milwaukee M18 1/4-inch hex compact impact driver has a variety of applications including fastening hex self-tapping sheet metal screws, 5/8-inch and 3/4-inch pipe couplings, outlet boxes, panel boxes, conduit clamps, pipe hangers, pipe clamps, switch plates and general fastening.

Milwaukee LITHIUM-ION Battery
Milwaukee is the leader in lithium-ion technology, launching the first Li-ion System in 2005 and the first backward compatible Li-ion in 2006. Perfecting the formula in 2008, Milwaukee’s lithium-ion batteries are 65% lighter, 50% smaller and store more than 30% more power than “compact” NiCd batteries. They also feature a fuel gauge that lets you know when to recharge, reducing downtime.

Select M18 models feature the 18-volt XC high-capacity lithium-ion battery pack that offers increased run-time with 40% less weight than an 18-volt NiCd battery. Featuring Milwaukee’s digital power management to help ensure optimal battery life and run-time, the 18-volt XC high-capacity lithium-ion battery pack protects the battery and tool during the toughest jobsite application.

To combat on-site problems like bent/broken terminals, damaged clips and broken welds caused by use and abuse, Milwaukee lithium-ion batteries are equipped with recessed terminals, slide pack dual clips and over-molded housing, and integrated welded frame and cell separators.

About Milwaukee Tool
Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation, a Brookfield, Wisconsin-based subsidiary of Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. (TTI) (HKEx stock code: 669, ADR symbol: TTNDY) is an industry leading manufacturer and marketer of professional and industrial heavy-duty portable corded and cordless power tools, accessories and safety equipment. Products include the legendary Sawzall® recip saws, V28™ and V18™ lithium-ion cordless tools, Hole-Hawg® drills, portable band saws, circular saws, driver drills, hammer drills, rotary hammers, pneumatic nailers, grinders, sanders and the new Trade Titan™ series of heavy-duty work carts and accessories.

Product Description
Milwaukee 2691-22 M18 LITHIUM-ION Cordless 2-Tool Combo Kit with Carrying Case

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I actually love this tool until last month. I used it lightly on various tasks from cutting, grinding, polishing ( very handy for Harley owners BTW ) and even for drilling.
This has been a really handy tool to have being a cordless model until it just decided to QUIT WORKING? turned off while doing some work and it is through, it will not work at all? It had about 3/4 charge and I believe the battery has just come apart inside because it will not charge now either – really weird as it was not dropped or anything I just turned it off and now it is a really expensive paper weight?
I love Dremel products but I think there is a reason this particular model was not out long.

I am not able to determine if the charging adaptor is suitable for 110V – 240V. I live in a country that operates 240V. Can I get confirmation on the voltage for the Mains charging adaptor.

The Dremel is a terrific tool to keep handy. This specific model has all the power you need in a cordless Dremel. It easy handled all the tasks I have asked it to do, including cutting plywood with an attachment I purchased separately.Have not use this tool much since it’s a spare unit but it feels solid and strong enough to handle minor tasks ,especially when you’re away from AC outlet ! My main concern is about the Lithium Ion battery can be able to hold the charge while in storage ! With the sale price and most of positive reviews before purchase ,i am happy with the unit !

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Recent advances in digital technology are bringing the realm of James Bond’s gadgetry into the homes of ordinary citizens. One of the coolest pieces of gear is the biometric gun safe. If you own a small arm, you want to keep it securely locked away so that children and strangers cannot gain access to it. As well, you want to be able to open the safe immediately if needed.

These biometric gun safes will securely store any valuable, and they are uniquely suited to safe firearm storage. In the unlikely event that you actually need your pistol, you want it fast. The time lost in fumbling with a traditional safe lock could cost you precious seconds. With an ordinary safe, you would need to turn on a light to see the dial. With a fingerprint safe, there is no need to turn on a light. A touch of a button illuminates the fingerprint sensor, making it quick and easy to open the safe. You simply press your thumb to the sensor for one second and the door pops open.

The installation process is simple and straightforward. A biometric safe installs between standard 16″ on-center wood studs. With no exposed screw holes to be drilled, this safe is designed to thwart attempts by would-be thieves to break in. These safes can be concealed behind a picture frame for added security.
Several fingerprints can be programmed in to the biometric gun safe so the safe will recognize several fingerprints and/or several authorized users. In a typical use case, you may not remember which thumb you programmed, so to be sure you will get your gun immediately, why not program the safe to open for either thumb?

A traditional dial and tumbler safe would require memorizing a combination. If you ever lost or forgot that combination, you’d need to call a locksmith to open the safe. A biometric gun safe takes the memory work out of the equation. If you’re wondering about how it’s powered, a long lasting replaceable battery takes care of that. Optionally, the safe can be connected to an external DC power supply.

Let’s hope you never need your gun. That’s just a bad scenario. However, if you ever do, locking it in a biometric gun safe is a much better plan than storing it in a conventional safe, or even worse, not locking it up at all.

Buy Gunsafe : Gunvault GV1000D-DLX | Gunvault GV2000C-STD | Gunvault mvb500

I really did my homework in choosing a fitness watch with heart rate monitor. I ordered competing models from Garmin, Timex, Polar, and Suunto, to look them over closely and compare. Then I sent them all back but this one.

Someone pointed out that this Garmin watch is a little on the clunky side – that’s true. I have a small wrist,and the watch part of it is long and flat and doesn’t really fit nicely. But no matter – with the band strapped tight, it stays put, and it’s not so huge that people would say “What’s that thing on her wrist?” It still looks like a watch. A funky sort of a watch maybe, but not a television set or anything.

I think you need to decide if you want GPS or not. I decided that yes, I really wanted GPS to measure my distance, because I run and jog and hike and travel quite a bit, so my routes are always changing. In my ideal world, I’d be able to pop up a map on my PC and see my route, and have a table showing all my workouts and how many miles they total, in running, biking, etc. I could finally answer the folks at the running store when they ask how many miles are on my running shoes.

I ended up with this Garmin, far and away the best choice for just what I wanted. All the other GPS solutions were separate strap-on-the-arm ones that contain AAA batteries that need to be replaced every 12 hours of operation – ouch, costly. Even with rechargables, it would be a hassle to be always taking them out, plugging them into the charger, putting them back in the arm-band-GPS unit. The watch on those other devices was just a receiver for the arm-unit. Granted, it meant that their watches could be a little smaller … I really liked the design of the Timex the best, and the Polar was small too. But who wants to carry a clunky thing around their arm? That’s one more thing to pack or lose, more batteries to buy and fuss with, more parts to break… forget it.

I also was swayed heavily by the Garmin software and tight integration with the PC and mapping software. None of the other brands, as of this writing (January 2010) had anything near as easy. Polar excels at fitness tracking, but not the mapping part. Timex and others require third-party mapping solutions that you have to manually upload and integrate with. Only Garmin had a simple plug-and-play solution. Plug in their little included USB “ANT Stick” (like a little thumb drive), and bring the watch near, and it automatically receives the data the watch stored from your workouts, loads it into your Garmin fitness/mapping program, and you can see all your stats and your routes etc.

I also liked that this unit is one of the few that tracks altitude, so you know not only how many miles, but how much total up and down you went (cumulative). It can display the data on a chart with any paramets you set, for example you can see the actual altitudes of your run along your route. That is so cool!

Other people trashed this unit because the bezel-touch operation is a hassle. One guy made the point that he just locks the screen into a view before his run starts, so he doesn’t hassle with the touch thing going haywire. That is the perfect solution, and it’s what I did too.

So with this Garmin watch, you only have to remember two pieces: the watch, and the charger. The charger clips right onto the watch to rejuice the battery inside. It ships with conversion plugs for international outlets.

Here’s a tip that isn’t written anywhere: the GPS can be turned on or off. With the GPS on all the time, the watch will run out of juice after about 8 hours and will need to be recharged. With the GPS off, it lasts… I’m guessing at least a week (I haven’t let it go that far). It works like a normal watch, tells date and time, etc. Heart rate monitor. Etc.

I was worried that this watch wouldn’t work if you, say, went out in the morning for a hike, stopped for lunch, continued hiking… 8 hours wouldn’t be enough. The simple solution is to turn off GPS when you don’t need it, and your battery will last as long as you need it.

So, if you can afford it, this one is the only way to go, if you want GPS. I’ve had it a month, after handling all the others, reading their manuals, etc., and settling on this one. I’m super happy with it and love Garmin. Next generation will be even better, when they fix the bezel issue and get the watch to be even more watch-looking, but this is miles ahead of the competition as is. 

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Software upgrades are important

Garmin has had serious software problems that are remedied with their software upgrades. The upgrade is very time consuming (let it run before bedtime as I did and this is not a problem). After the upgrade, the GSP device functions as it should and I believe you will not be plagued with the problems you can read on some reviews.

One BIG tip. Before your vacation take the time to setup every point of destination you will be wanting or possibly wanting to visit. The software Garmin has written will sort those points of interest in order of closest to farthest all the while you are on vacation, so finding a venue is very easy. Do this and you will not spend one minute fiddeling with the software on the Garmin. Just poke your location and the Garmin will take you there. The Garmin was used in Ireland and England for two weeks and did not have a single problem and I was very thankful that these points of interest were already recorded.

If I would rate anything lower than five stars, it would be the pedestrian mode. (Automobile mode is very good) We did not use it too much, but you must continue to shut off the Garmin when you are not looking at the city maps, or you will be left with dead batteries. This is not good unless you can find you way back to the hotel yourself, otherwise you will be ‘lost’. We were able to walk Dublin for hours using this method, however the battery was ‘going out’ as we neared the hotel.

Simply put, don’t expect the published 3 hours battery life use unless you don’t touch the screen while the garmin is off charge. Sliding the maps around to allow you to look at details of where you are consumes a lot of cpu usage and subsequently a lot power. All together I don’t think the Garmin was on for more than 30-45 minutes. That is how much difference it makes. I never just locked the screen and left it on to test the actual battery life. Because public GPS is only accurate to +- 20 feet (combined error of 40 feet) at intersections with many roads coming together you are really forced to zoom in and out to figure out where actually you must go. After walking for 50 feet you will know you turned the wrong way, but it gets frustrating to keep backtracking. And therein lies the problem with locking the screen and following the map.

I believe this problem would be inherent with all GPS devices. Converting Map details into pictures takes a lot of compute power and there is not much that can be done about that.

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So far, I like the Garmin nüvi 1300LM 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

I’m a newbie to the GPS world. As a local professional truck driver, I finally decided instead of purchasing maps for areas I’m unfamilar with, I’d spring for a GPS unit.

Why a Garmin? Well, I narrowed it down to between a Garmin and a TomTom. I actually was leaning towards the TomTom XXL 540TM 5-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator (Lifetime Traffic & Maps Edition) until I learned that the Garmin units do a much better job at finding addresses the likes of N1234 W9876 Booneyville Rd. There are GPS units available for truckers, however, the price tag is a bit north of my budget. Since I’m generally familiar with the roads I travel on, I decided to stick with a lower-priced model and download POI’s (Points-of-Interest) associated with the trucking community such as low bridges, truck stops, etc. The lifetime maps bundled into this unit was the deal-maker for me. I plan on keeping this unit for a long time (got a 2-year accident replacement plan on it).

I purchased the unit yesterday and my family and I have used it for shopping purposes yesterday and today. We sure had a chuckle when we switched the unit’s voice to German and tried to follow the directions. Anyway, here’s the skinny on the 1300 LM.

20-seconds after switching the unit on, you’re ready to choose either “Where to?” (getting/typing directions) or “View Map” (to see where you are). The touch screen is nice–it responds well to your touches. Of course, if you’re not use to a touch screen (or have fat fingers), it may take a while for you to get comfortable with it. The screen is bright enough–even in direct sunlight (keep in mind that most screens wash out a bit in direct sunlight). You can manually control screen brightness or have the nuvi 1300LM adjust it automatically for you. Volume control in an automobile is more than adequate. We had the radio on mid-way and could still hear the text-to-speech instructions clearly at 80% of the volume.

Actual navigation was impressive. Then again, I’m new to the GPS world. The GPS navigation tried to steer us on a different route a few times (we knew the shorter route) but quickly recalculated the route after giving up on the route it wanted to take us (even though we had the “faster time” option selected). The 4.3-inch screen is fine for viewing. While a 5-inch screen would probably be beneficial for driving an 18-wheeler or RV, I’m sure I won’t have any problems with the 4.3-inch screen.

After giving it a spin straight-out-of-the-box, I later downloaded both software updates and map updates at [...] using “myDashboard”. I had 4-6 successive software updates (why can’t they bundle them as one?) followed by a map update. The entire process took somewhere between 4-5 hours on a DSL line. Not a big deal since I knew it would take some time to get the latest updates. By the way, Garmin has included a mini-USB cord to connect the 1300LM to your computer. The sales technician sold me a cord (which I returned) because he wasn’t aware that Garmin has decided to start including the cord with certain (or all) GPS units.

My family doesn’t plan on using the cityXplorer feature (fee-based) to navigate various cities by foot. However, eventually, we like to tour Washington, DC by walking and the Nuvi 1300LM presumably would be handy to have for that trip.

In summary, if you don’t need bluetooth in your GPS unit (I’ve heard volume levels are very iffy in GPS bluetooth units) and you don’t rely on traffic updates a lot (traffic is a hit/miss type of thing with a GPS unit from what I can determine), the Garmin Nuvi 1300LM just may be the unit you’re looking for.

If warranted, I’ll update this post after I’ve used the 1300LM in my big-rig.

P.S. The Garmin Portable Friction Mount (bean-bag) works great. Keep in mind that the cord from your cigarette lighter plugs into the garmin unit itself rather than the mount. Over time, I can see how that connection could become compromised with repeated plug-in/plug-out action. However, the mount itself seems very stable in warm weather. I would guess it will also do fine in colder weather.

More : Garmin GPS 76CSX | Garmin  1300LM | Garmin 1350LMT | Garmin 3750 | Garmin  2360LMT | Garmin  2360LT |

Sunforce 39126 Solar Power Kit

It was merely an attempt to use an eye catching headline

The Sunforce 39126 panels are installed on my garage roof, wired in to a battery bank and inverter which primarily functions as a very large (4KW) uninterruptible power supply for the house. So far, everything is working fine. They keep the batteries topped off without using power from the grid.
Like most manufacturer”s specs, the 60 watt claim is hard to realize. The Sunforce 39126 current output is about 3.2 amps under bright sun, which yields only about 45 watts into a 12 volt gel cell battery at 14.2 volts. The panels can output about 20 volts which would indeed yield 60 watts, but not while connected with the included charge controller. A MPPT controller would achieve 60 watts, however.
The included controller is acceptable in that it works as advertised. One good thing about it is that it does not shunt the panels when the battery is charged, it actually opens the circuit, which means the excess panel output would be available for other uses. I intend to build another device for charging another set of batteries after the primary set is charged.

The included Sunforce Products inverter works, but I did not use it in the system. Instead, I”ll just keep it around for a portable inverter.
Also, I did not use the PVC pipe stand included with the system, instead mounting the panels directly to the roof.
The kit did include a variety of connectors allowing use with cigarette lighter plugs and jacks, alligator clips, and hardwire, but the charge controller is only usable if hardwired. I strongly recommend the charge controller be used, as the panels can easily overcharge most any 12 volt battery if a charge controller is not wired in.

We bought Sunforce 39126 a few months ago. We live in Phoenix, AZ (“Valley of the Sun”), so this has plenty of opportunity to work. We have the Sunforce Solar plugged into 2 marine batteries (like car batteries, but bigger), and we have an inverter connected to those. The inverter is in the house, and the batteries are outside. The wire goes through the wall. We plug things into the inverter.

These Electric Solar Panels were easy to put together. You have to buy the batteries, but this came with everything else.

I can run my laptop all day, as well as recharge the cell phones and Wii remotes. My husband can also run his laptop. If we only get on the laptops after work, we can run them well into the night. I”ve had to switch to grid power a couple of times if I”ve used my laptop all day, but I”ve never had to switch over if I”ve only used it during the evening. (This doesn”t count the few rainy days we”ve had. Yes, once in a while it rains in Phoenix.)

This is a great Sunforce 39126 solar panel set, and it”s very good for starting out and learning about solar power. It”s inexpensive enough to set up and charge all your rechargeable stuff whenever you need it, as long as you live in a fairly sunny area.

Oh, as an experiment, I plugged the vacuum cleaner into the inverter, and so maybe its not the complete Solar Energy Panel soluttion.

You may not get off the grid with this Sunforce 39126 set-up, but you”ll save yourself a few bucks a month. And you get to be smug whenever anyone talks about going green. “Well of course, our solar array has lowered our carbon footprint considerabley. Shall we go for an organic smoothie now?”

More : Sunforce 44444 | sunforce 50044 | Sunforce 39126

I bought one of Weller wes51 about 5 years ago. It worked fine and all of a sudden it stopped. Doing trouble shooting told me that the printed circuit board was bad. Rather than try to repair it, I went to several sites looking for a new one. Amazon had the best price and as a bonus, the shipping was for free. It was a no-brainer. I ordered the item and it came in two days. Was exactly as I ordered. I was very pleased. Now, I am back in business. This unit is just remarkable in my opinion. The temp control is great when considering sensitive components and different types of solder. The stand is good to. I’ve used this now for a few months and it’s the best iron I have ever owned. It seems so well made that I hope I can give it to one of my kids someday. The only thing that was challenging when using this product was desoldering on my Imac circuit board. I hear that they use a solder with a higher melting point (lead-free silver solder?) and the iron just barely melted it. Everything turned out OK, but I felt I was lingering a little too long with the iron on the board to desolder those leads. I’m certain this is not a flaw with the soldering station, but it may be relevant to those who might need a bit more oomph from their iron. It did flow the Super Solder very well and easily, however. For perspective, I am not an electronics professional, just an intermittent electronics hobbyist. Over the years, however, I gained considerable experience soldering – having built ham radio gear, repairing televisions and radios, and most recently building a tube-based guitar amplifier. I should Weller wesd51 have plunked down the money for one these soldering stations years ago because it eliminates the need for multiple irons and it made me better at soldering due to the good ergonomics of this iron.

More Usefull Link : Leatherman 830684 | Leatherman Charge TTi | Ramsond rmm4

I decided to try this Cobra cpi 1575 product out because it was the only one reviewed extensively and was fairly inexpensive. Well I now know why. Before I begin I would like to state that Amazon is amazing. Throughout this entire ordeal they overnighted the products to me. “COBRA AND THE CHEAP CHINESE CRAP BEING SENT OVER” are the ones to blame for this problem. I have had to return three of these and have since switched products. The first one I received the USB port didn’t work so I sent it back. Received the second one two days later (Amazon being great) the voltage output was 95 way below the +- 10% of 120 allowed, and as stated elsewhere the wattage indicator didn’t work. Sent the second one back and received it two days later (Amazon again) and tested the voltage this one output 85 volts which is completely unacceptable, and to top it off the wattage indicator still didn’t work. I don’t know about other reviewers but if something doesn’t work (wattage indicator) I’m not happy. I pay good money for this piece of crap and I expect it to work. Amazon is now giving me a refund and I am purchasing a PowerDrive 1500, because it has been recommended to me by Truckers and is sold at most truck stops. Cobra cpi 2575 has no quality control and nobody expects anything good from China. Stay away from this product it will give you nothing but headaches and it still won’t work. Keep buying from Amazon though. Absolutely no compalints with this inverter. After I installed it and turned it on, nothing happened. I have two other inverters of inferior quality to the Cobra and their fans run from the moment you turn them on until you turn them off. Also you can use this with Toro 38361. The Cobra only runs its fan when the draw is sufficient to heat up the unit. I haven’t heard the fan run since I bought it. Strongly recommend the Cobra brand inverter.