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TomTom XL 335T Review

For someone who is deeply immersed in technology professionally, I still shun things for as long as possible. It became apparent that I needed something to prevent me from taking long printouts of directions with me for business travel. This was on a great Cyber Monday sale, so I bought it. I didn’t do a lot of research, but many of my coworkers have a GPS, and I hear their complaints.

The number one thing commented on for this GPS – if you miss a turn or intentionally go a different direction, it does not constantly yell “recalculating” at you. It just makes adjustments.

Overall, I’m happy with it. It’s fairly easy to use, although the keyboard doesn’t always recognize what I press (and I don’t have fat fingers). Traffic is great for some cities – amazingly it didn’t work at all in Kansas City in March of 2011. And it doesn’t have much (if any) info on roads that are not state or interstate freeways. Some highways come through, depending on the state. And my frustration in traffic is so much less when i have an idea of how much I will be delayed. I get a lot less worried when I know I’m going to be about 5 minutes late instead of having no clue what was happening. The estimated time of arrival has been disturbingly accurate.

The map corrections and sharing is wonderful. Most of the errors I have found are in newly developed areas where roads haven’t yet been built, or places where there has been recent construction that changed things. Highway entrances seems to be a common error in Colorado (but we have a LOT happening in the Metro area with construction).

The most annoying thing I have discovered is that when you have had a dramatic change in location while the power is off (on a plane, or you turn it off on the way home from somewhere because you know where you are going), then it can take a LONG time to find a satellite. I’ve waited for 10 minutes before, and that’s after the update that TomTom provided to speed up the process.

Of note – getting a dashboard mount that is portable is difficult. The screen sits pretty low, so any bean bags often sit too high to allow you to mount the screen. And the suction on this device is not fond of cold weather. I’ve found that if it’s less than 40 degrees, a slight bump in the road will cause it to come off the mount.

Nuvi 3490lmt
Nuvi 50lm
Nuvi 2595lmt
Nuvi 40lm
Nuvi 2555lmt
Nuvi 2495lmt
HP Touchpad Sale

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LG Infinia 47LW6500 Review

The LG LED TV does not have enhanced speed/refresh rates with the picture image. The picture refresh rate is the standard 60 MHz like just about every TV out there in marketland. This TV mumbo jumbo is for the purpose of misleading you into buying the set thinking it will have a four times sharper image. Wait, the picture clarity is fantastic, brilliant, vivid, excellently superb.
The 2D to 3D conversion is another overstatement. This TV may be able to convert 2D to 3D but the studios who make the DVD can not do it in this time frame. The LG can render 3D to 2D easily.

This LED is lighter than the older plasma and LCD TVs. This makes for easier installation. One needs a screw driver, not even a Philip’s if one is not around, a bed to attach the base to the screen. Voila! Just sit it on its on stand on something. Placing it on a wall is bad taste from a decorator’s perspective and eliminates the set’s mobility.

The tuner is excellent for gathering channels. The interface is pretty much simple and intuitive.

The 3D is excellent. And will continue to be even better with future releases of titles because the DVD makers will have had more experience with making 3D (exaggerated perspective) films. The passive glasses are the same you get at the cinema. So replacements are cheap. The picture quality of the passive 3D Glasses is about the same as shutter glasses with a slight nod to the shutter glasses.

Manual controls have been eliminated with this model which is stupidity and plain cheapness. They should have let the manual controls on the TV set but wanted to squeeze out every penny of profit, shortchanging the end consumer. If you loose the remote you may have a disabled TV for awhile till you find the remote granting is not broken or find a replacement at Radio Shack.

Yes, Virginia the old red/blue 3D glasses work almost as well.

The volume is pathetically weak/low. Don’t know if it is my particular set or the whole run. Returned a lot of stuff and I don’t want to wear my welcome out with amazon.com. If I didn’t return some big ticket items before I would have likely returned this LG LED 3D TV because I am a senior whose hearing is somewhat impaired.

The price by amazon.com is light years better than everyone else with free delivery.

Am not an employee of amazon.com. I know not a soul at amazon.com.

Pioneer Vsx-53
Pioneer Vsx-52
Sony XBR65HX929
Samsung UN55D8000 Price
Samsung UN60D8000 black friday
Black friday Samsung UN55D7000
Sony VPLHW30AES
LG 55lw5300
JVC JLC32BC3000

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Sharp LC40LE830U Quattron a good deal

I bought one on clearance for $600.

First the pros:

120Hz is fantastic. I love watching movies, and while I know a film’s FPS (24) isn’t as fluid, for some reason the “home video” fluid look that 120Hz is proving isn’t as off-putting as I had originally thought.

LED backlighting – saves 40~50% in energy costs compared to a CCFL-backlit LCD. And should last far longer.

Detail – images are crisp and a number of settings can smooth jagged edges (QuadPixel), add sharpness, clear up DVD compression artifacting (“noise reduction”) to an extent, etc.

Weight – for being 40″, this weighs less than my 32″ CCFL set. :)

Price. I wouldn’t pay $1200 for this model, not when one gets stuck pixels out of the box. (But no dead pixels were found, and those typically can’t be fixed.)

digital audio pass-through, to make connecting a Blu-ray player’s own digital output port unnecessary. Especially when one has 3 HDMI devices that would make use of the external Dolby 5.1 receiver!

Cons:

Unlike the composite, VGA, and other inputs, the HDMI ports are put on the left side – making cable organization more difficult, and with cables sticking out beyond the front edge, L-shaped adapters would be needed for ideal organization… unless you like seeing cables everywhere…

Once color is calibrated, everything looks great. Out of the box, depending on mode, there’s a blue tint or a yellow tint. I also found that disabling ‘extended color’ yields a more accurate color gamut, though I won’t deny enabling the extended mode really adds vibrancy to outdoor settings. Skin tones do end up being a tad oversaturated with it enabled, though.

The integrated speakers produce a good range (bass/treble/midtones), but even at top volume it’s fairly quiet.

For an-originally $1200 set, there should be no pixels. Why no QC from the manufacturer? As a customer, I feel less than cozy about this trend.

Angled viewing – straight-on is good, but at steep angles (e.g. 45 degrees) there’s some color fading, but no color-shift is noted. The panel used is probably a VA panel. IPS is best, but I’ve read companies that use TN panels. Definitely wouldn’t pay even $300 for one of those.)

Sadly the unit I bought was the last model available and contains 2 stuck pixels (white, blue-white), for which I am looking at possible options without having to return it as I really do like this model. But only when I use the TV as a monitor do these pixels stand out, and that’s only if I have a dark background. (If companies did their own QC, imagine how much time customers AND stores would save due to less processing costs and time…)

Uneven backlighting – this is inevitable for any TV or monitor, but once you see it, you can’t un-see it. I can handle edge bleed, but the unit I set up has a couple of rounded lit areas toward the left/middle that should remain dark. It’s only noticeable in movies involving outer space or totally dark rooms, but still – the lack of QC at the factory is pretty depressing, and that’s the ultimate point to my gripes about backlighting and stuck pixels. If the company does a good job, the store and customers don’t have to go through extra rigamarole and hassle.

All in all, it’s a good buy for $650 – the competition doesn’t really compare; the features in this model make it too good a value. Just spend time to calibrate it, and if you do see dead pixels or find too much unevenness to the backlighting, weigh the pros and cons of getting an exchange.

Will I buy Sharp again? Probably. Worse brands to exist, but the lack of QC is worrisome.

Canon sx150
Seiki lc40g81
Westinghouse vr6025z

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TomTom XXL 540TM My last GPS

Got my TomTom XXL 540 LMT yesterday. Till now, better than what I expected at this price! Recommended!

Delivery: I choose 2 day shipping and it actually came the very next day!

In the box: everything you need EXCEPT the case

All I did: read the manual, Switch on the device, plug the USB, Install TomTom Home, create TomTom account,Install updates(map,gpsfix,security camera etc), disconnect USB(USING THE DISCONNECT OPTION in TomTom Home), reconnect device and open TomTom Home, Activate promotion/activation code, disconnect USB again, set preferences, set current time, set home address and that’s it…ready to go.

All I didn’t: I didn’t face any issue! I didn’t regret that I didn’t get a garmin. I didn’t do anything like delete stuff or anything funny with the memory card, didn’t fiddle with the USB cable while it is connected to PC, didn’t try any weird stuff to test the limit of the device…all i did was plug in the USB and follow simple instructions!

Features: Loads of it! IQ, Help, lane assist, clear vocal instructions,easy-to-use, good display….even shows your car speed vs speed limit along with the obvious things like time/distance to destination etc!

Mount: You can fix it both on windshield and dashboard. The suction cup is way better than the stock suction cup I have seen some people use with other GPS devices.

Touchscreen: At par with any other touchscreen I used.

Experience: Gave it a test drive ….doing exactly what it is supposed to do:show you the way with proper lane directions. QC passed!

Appreciate your patience!

Garmin 2595LMT
Garmin 50LM
Garmin 2455LMT
Garmin 3490LMT
Garmin 2555LMT
Garmin 40LM
Garmin 2475LT
Garmin 3450
Garmin 2495LMT
Garmin 2455LT
Garmin 3450LM
Magellan 9165T

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The Tamron 200-500 Review – A Super Telephoto Lens

The Tamron 200-500 is a lightweight and powerful high-magnification zoom that offers amazing value. For the money, it’s hard to imagine how you’d find a better, more satisfying lens for your long-distance shots.

There’s no more economical way to capture faraway subjects in professional quality images than with the Tamron 200-500 lens.

This telephoto zoom lens offers a 200 to 500 mm focal length with internal focusing and low dispersion — meaning this lens specially designed to be less likely than some to break a beam of light into multiple colors, ruining the focus. It features f/5-6.3 maximum aperture.

The Tamron 200-500 attaches via a Canon SLR AF mount.

Sports and nature photographers should be especially interested in this lens because it makes distant objects springs into focus as well as any powerful zoom on the market. Still, the lens is both compact and lightweight.

The Tamron 200-500 compresses the background into the main subject, lessening the apparent distance between the objects. That gives a professional-quality image of distant objects — even of subjects farther away than the eye can see.

The manufacturer has optimized this lens for digital image capturing by applying multiple coatings that make sure the image remains true across the whole field. And you can still use this lens with 35 mm film as well. These upgrades improve film captures too.

The Tamron 200-500 is part of the company’s Super Performance series of top-notch lenses made to professional standards. That means every lens in this series is some of this maker’s best work, assuring you of a quality product every time.

It isn’t uncommon for shooters to have problems with super-zoom telephoto lenses like the Tamron 200-500, but those can almost always be chalked up to operator error. When you fill about two-thirds of the image with your subject and focus on the actual subject rather than the area around it, you’ll get superb results every time.

Most users recommend using a tripod with zoom lenses, but this lightweight model is easy to hold even without support. For even more stability when you’re repeatedly snapping in the same area, add a simple monopod. It’s a small investment that saves your shoulders and sharpens your images. A monopod or tripod is especially useful when shooting at dusk or in other low-light conditions where exposure is longer.

When you combine your good photography skills with the advanced features of this product, you get results that are professional quality at a price that’s truly unbeatable. While there are other zooms in the same price range, there’s nothing else of the same quality at this price point.

Many photographers amass huge collections of equipment looking for the right pieces for the best shots while others with budget issues must settle for only a few select accessories.

A dream product for photographers of all types who insist on taking great shots, the Tamron 200-500 offers a combination of quality, professionalism and value that satisfies every kind of photographer.

Do you think this is the perfect lens for you?

I know it can be hard choosing the perfect lens for your camera. You can spend hours researching and still end up buying the wrong lens. Even worse, you could waste a lot of money and time in the end.

 

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Greenworks 26032 Electric Snow Thrower review

It took a little while to receive our GreenWorks snow thrower but it was well worth it. (Was out of stock at the time and right before x-mas)
I did a little happy dance when UPS dropped it off today since it was supposed to snow bad later this afternoon/evening. I live in West Valley, Utah so we get a ton of snow here and I hate shoveling since my back is bad. Assembly was easy. Took 10 minutes at most and I was ready to go! We’ve had 5 inches (and still counting) and I was super stoked to try out my new toy! Works amazingly! My husband and I were fighting over who got to try it first. The cord was a little weird but we just walked behind each other holding it just in case.
Here are what I think are the pros and cons.
PROS -
It’s electric and totally green so no maintaining it after winter.
Sounds just like a vacuum. Very quiet
Throws really well in wet heavy snow.
Got right down to the pavement where we haven’t driven on.

CONS-
It doesn’t get where your car has already drove on down to the pavement
Trying to not trip over the cord

I live in Ohio, last week we got a ton of snow. I purchased this machine to clean up between the visits of the snow plow and to clean the path to my house. Delivery was fast, assembly was easy and materials are fair for the price. I only found some issues with the assembly quality, with some plastic not fitting right. Loosed some screws and easily everything fitted right. The machine is light and easy to use. I bought a Snow Joe Ultra 622U1 13 Amp Electric Snow Thrower last year, but ended up returning it when it started falling apart after a couple of snow falls (luckily I bought that one at Costco). This one has already survived unharmed two big snow falls. The bigger wheels and the lever you get with the angle of the handle help a lot to get perfect maneuverability.
We’ll see how it handles wetter, heavier snow, but so far very happy with it.
It looks (and certainly is) more robust than the Snow Joe.
A good buy if you need a light snow blower.

Update: A couple of months passed and we had some snow since then. Still working no problem, although it won’t throw the snow as far as promised (maybe around 10ft.. tried with different angles for the discharge, but not much improvement). Still, is mostly enough for my driveway. Being electric, it’s so easy to use that I would not mind even cleaning 1 inch of snow.

More : Greenworks 26032 | Snow joe sj620 | Poulan pro 961820003 | Worx wg650 | Snow joe sj621 | Powerland pdst24

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Fujifilm FinePix HS20 review

Fujifilm has made no major style statement this year, as the HS20 EXR has the same basic body and lens as the original HS10. It does, however, have a screen definition of 460,000 dots, which should make lining up shots a whole lot more enjoyable.

The HS20 EXR is equipped with the new backlit 16-Megapixel CMOS sensor. It’s also been treated to Fuji’s custom pixel fusing function for increasing the sensitivity, and an additional mode for increasing the dynamic range—hence the appearance of ‘EXR’ in the product name. In fact, Fuji’s EXR functions were previously only seen in cameras equipped with the Super CCD sensor Fujifilm made itself, which has now been ditched by the manufacturer.

The exact origins of the CMOS sensor are unclear. The tech specs quote a 1/2″ sensor, which would make the HS20 something of an exception, along with the new Fuji F-series models. However, the quoted conversion between equivalent focal length and actual focal length is exactly the same as in the HS10, which had a 1/2.3″ sensor. What’s more, the minimum actual focal length of the F550 EXR and F500 EXR, also presented this morning, is different to that of the HS20 EXR (4.4 mm compared with 4.2 mm), in spite of that fact that the minimum equivalent focal length is quoted as 24 mm in all three cameras. In theory, at least, this points to different sized sensors.

In any case, the HS20 EXR has the same basic functions as the F550 EXR and F500 EXR, including a 30 fps Full HD video mode with stereo sound, high-speed video of up to 320 fps (low resolution), a burst mode of 8 fps, etc.

The HS20 brings TTL metering to flash units hooked up to the hot-shoe (the HS10 only synced them and settings were controlled separately), as well as compatibility with a remote control. Both of these new features should appeal to the expert users the camera is clearly aimed at.

Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR key features:

  • All-new 16 megapixel EXR CMOS sensor
  • 30x optical zoom covering 24 – 720 mm (35 mm equivalent)
  • 3.0 inch LCD with 460,000 pixel and new Rich User Interface using Vector fonts and graphics
  • Advanced anti-blur technology
  • 1600% wide dynamic range
  • Full resolution high speed shooting at 8 fps, high speed movie capture at up to 320 fps (320 x 112 pixels)
  • Longer battery life (up to 350 frames, with 4-AA alkaline batteries)
  • Electronic level function
  • Raw file format
  • Full HD movie capture using H.264 (MOV) format
  • New EXR Auto mode featuring 27 scenes
  • Colour fringing reduction and corner sharpness improvement
  • Film simulation modes
  • Quick start mode
  • Motion Panorama 360 mode
  • TTL flash control with optional external flashes
  • Lens hood included (excluding China model)
  • Photobook Assist function

More : Fujifilm hs20 | Fujifilm f550exr | Canon xa10 | Garmin 2460lmt

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Guide to Image & Paper Sizes – What works best for framing?

You have purchased a wonderful photo printer that can create beautiful images – now you must decide what size image you’d like to print and what size paper to print it on.  The sizing depends on what you intend to do with the finished print. Let’s look at some options – and the trade-offs – for printing images on various paper sizes. Keep in mind that if you plan to sell your images, many customers prefer that the external mat size is a standard picture frame size such as 11×14, 16×20, or 18×24 so they are not forced into a custom frame shop.

13×19 Printer Paper – Framing Options

Aside from roll or special panoramic sheet paper, the largest common paper size is 13×19 inches. The simplest option is to use the entire sheet and print a 13×19 image. If you have an SLR, which normally has an image aspect ratio of 3:2, this is a convenient size because it requires almost no cropping. An un-cropped 3:2 image printed on 13×19 paper will only lose one-half inch of the image. (In other words, the un-cropped image would measure 13×19.5 inches.)

Another excellent image size for 13×19 paper is 12×18. This size creates its own border, which is advantageous because some printers are not able to print full borderless on all papers. The borders on the paper can be used for the artist’s signature, or as a mounting aid utilizing photo corners. (The corners can be concealed with a mat.)

The 13×19 and 12×18 are not standard picture frame sizes. However, some specialty companies such as Frame Destination Inc. do offer inexpensive, ready-made frames in these sizes. These frames are inexpensive for two reasons: They do not contain a mat and they use less expensive non-archival components. Another advantage to these frames is that they typically require no mounting. You simply slip the paper into the frame and you’re done. In the case of the 13×19 picture frame, you don’t even need to trim the paper.

Some photographers prefer using a mat board with their prints. Although mat boards with 12×18 and 13×19 openings are is not readily available, specialty companies like Frame Destination Inc. offer mats with openings in these sizes. An 18×24 standard frame size with mat is ideal for these image sizes. With the 18×24 the 12×18 will have an even three-inch mat border surrounding the image, and the 13×19 will have an even 2.5 inch mat border.

Compact cameras such as Canon PowerShot and the Nikon Coolpix, and SLRs such as the Olympus E-400 use the 4:3 aspect ratio size, which is perfect for 12×16 prints. Although this picture frame size is not nearly as common as 11×14 or 16×20, it is still a standard frame size.

Although a 10×15 print would normally be done on smaller paper, think BIG and print a 10×15 centered image onto 13×19 paper. You get free a white border, and if placed in a 13×19 frame, the result will be a 1.5-inch top and bottom border, and two-inch side border. A 9×15 image can also be printed onto 13×19 paper, and with a little cropping you can achieve an even two-inch border surrounding the image.

Summary of Options for 13×19 Paper

Paper Size: 13×19

Standard Frame Sizes: 12×16

Non-standard frame Sizes: 12×18, 13×19

Standard Matted Frame Size: 18×24

Recommended Image Sizes: 10×15, 12×16, 12×18, 13×19

17×22 Printer Paper – Framing Options

17×22 is a new common paper size for 17-inch printers such as Epson Stylus Pro 3800 and Canon iPF5000. This is ideal for 16×20 images, which have an infinite selection of matted and un-matted frames. Unfortunately, 16×20 is neither a 3:2 nor 4:3 ratio; 16×24 is the 3:2 ratio but can only be printed on 17-inch roll paper.

Summary of Options for 17×22

Paper Size: 17×22

Standard Frame Sizes: 16×20

Non-standard frame Sizes: 17×22

Standard Matted Frame Size: 20×24, 22×28

Recommended Image Sizes: 16×20, 17×22

11×17 and 11×16.5 Printer Paper – Framing Options

These paper sizes are good choices for 3:2 and 4:3 aspect ratio images. The 11×17 is close to the 3:2 image ratio. It can be matted to the standard 18×24 frame size, which creates an even 3.5-inch border around the image. Another interesting option with these two paper sizes is to print an image as 6×9 and then crop the paper to fit in an 11×14 picture frame. The result will be an even 2.5-inch white paper border surrounding the image.

Summary of Options for 11×17 and 11×16.5 Paper

Paper Size: 11×17, 11×16.5

Standard Frame Sizes: 11×14, 9×12

Non-standard frame Sizes: 11×17

Standard Matted Frame Size: 16×20, 20×24

Recommended Image Sizes: 6×9, 8×12, 9×12, 10×13, 10×15, 11×14, 11×17

8.5×11 Printer Paper – Framing Options

Although 8×10 paper is available, 8.5×11 is a common paper size. Most 8.5×11 frames are designed for certificates rather that photos, although some specialty frame shops do offer 8.5×11 picture frames.

Summary of Options for 8.5×11 Paper

Paper Size: 8.5×11

Standard Frame Sizes: 8×10, 8.5×11

Non-standard frame Sizes: 8.5×11 (non-certificate frames less common)

Standard Matted Frame Size: 9×12, 11×14, 16×20

Recommended Image Sizes: 6×9, 8×10, 8.5×11

Glossary of Terms

Standard Frame Size – a picture frame size that is readily available in most retail stores carrying picture frames.

Non-Standard Frame Size – a picture frame size that is not available in most retail stores, but can be found at specialty picture framing stores like Frame Destination, Inc. Frame selection for this size will be limited in comparison to standard frame sizes.

Standard Matted Frame Size – a picture frame size that uses a picture frame mat. The borders of the mat combined with the image size result in a standard picture frame size. (For example, 12×18 image with three-inch mat border along the top, sides and bottom of the image results in an 18×24 inch picture frame size.)

Aspect ratio – ratio of the width of the image to the height of the image.

Due to customer demand (and an example of us listening to our customers), Frame Destination has returned two sizes that were dropped when we switched to the new website:

12.5×15 frame size for 8.5×11 and 17×23 frame size for 13×19 images.

Frame Destination added lots of new sizes. We now have more than 80 mat and 60 frame sizes. You can find a summary of all sizes (including the new ones) on this page:

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Anchor Hocking 1-Gallon Heritage Hill Jar with Glass Lid

I bought three of these canisters in the 1 gallon size and another one in a smaller size. I use them on my countertop for two kinds of flour and two kinds of sugar. I searched all over to find a canister that could hold an entire 5 lb. bag of flour, and the 1 gallon size does. These canisters look lovely on my counter.

Pros

Holds an entire bag of flour or sugar
Attractive
Mouth is wide enough to easily scoop with a measuring cup
Glass, not plastic (I don’t like storing food in plastic if I can help it)
Inexpensive

Cons

No gasket; not airtight
Highly breakable

I would not have thought it was possible to break these very easily, as they seem to be very thick, but I was removing the lid from one of them, knocked it against the mouth of the canister, and sent tiny shards of glass spraying all over my counter and into my sugar. As it was impossible to tell which were grains of sugar and which were pieces of glass, I had to dump the whole thing. I know this was my mistake and not the fault of the product (it IS glass after all, which I am fully aware of) but just be extra careful not to knock the lid against the jar. I really wish they had plastic or rubber gaskets to make them airtight. I use up my flour and sugar quite quickly, but I can see how it might be an issue for someone who takes more than 2-3 weeks to use a full bag of flour. You could always lay a piece of plastic wrap over the opening before fitting the lid into place to keep things fresh.

Jars apothecary

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Bluechart Americas For Garmin Review

This CD-ROM allows you to put the world’s best cartography directly on your GPSMAP 76, GPSMAP 162, and GPSMAP 168, eTrex Legend, Vista and GPS V.MapSource BlueChart CD Rom’s by Garmin are available for 3 different Zones: Americas, Atlantic, and Pacific. With the purchase of a BlueChart CD Rom, you will acess to ONE region of coverage within that Zone. Each Blue Chart Region Unlock Certificate allows you to gain access to ONE additional coverage area. The CD has the same features as the pre-programmed charts as well as real-time track plotting on PC. The large coverage area mirrors that of the pre-programmed charts.Complementing Garmin’s new line of handheld mapping units and marine chartplotters, BlueChart cartography is designed to provide interactive viewing of detailed nautical chart data. BlueChart provides navigators with innovative object oriented cartography. Descriptive details for features typically found on nautical charts can easily be viewed with a simple key press. Cursor movements over the chart provide descriptions for contour depth, chart number, navaid name, and much, much more. When displayed on a Garmin chartplotter, BlueChart offers you a paper chart-like appearance. This data will include shaded depth contours, inter-tidal zones, spot soundings, wrecks, navaids, port plans, restricted areas, cable areas, anchorages and more. Additionally, BlueChart includes chart numbers, name, scales, revision dates and Notice to Mariner dates. BlueChart offers detailed paper chart-like, vector cartography in large coverage areas so choosing your desired region is easy.
Garmin’s exclusive line of BlueChart marine cartography products is designed to provide interactive viewing of detailed nautical chart data. These detailed electronic nautical charts look just like paper charts when displayed on your Garmin chart plotter. Descriptive details for features typically found on nautical charts can easily be viewed with a simple key press. Cursor movements over the chart provide descriptions for contour depths, chart number, navaid name, and much more. BlueChart data includes shaded depth contours, intertidal zones, spot soundings, wrecks, navaids, port plans, restricted areas, cable areas, anchorages, and more. Additionally, BlueCharts include information from the paper chart used in the digitization process, such as chart number, name, scale, revision date, and Notice-to-Mariners date. Three MapSource BlueChart CD-ROMs are available: Americas, Atlantic, and Pacific. The Atlantic CD-ROM covers Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. One CD-ROM contains BlueChart data for an entire region. MapSource BlueChart is a Microsoft Windows-based program that uses Garmin Unlock technology, allowing you to use one coverage area from the CD-ROM when initially purchased and to purchase additional coverage areas. Internet access is recommended for the unlock process. Compatible products include these Garmin marine chart plotters: GPSMAP 176, GPSMAP 176C, GPSMAP 182, GPSMAP 188 Sounder, GPSMAP 232, GPSMAP 238 Sounder, GPSMAP 2006, and the GPSMAP 2010. BlueChart CD-ROMs are also compatible with Garmin GPS receivers that accept map data, including the GPSMAP 76, eTrex Vista, and eTrex Legend.

You can read more Bluechart Americas

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Wristwatch Review: Armitron Men’s Chronograph Square Black Digital Sport Watch

The Armitron Men’s Square Black Digital Sport Watch (408115BLK) doesn’t have a camera, or a phone, or a memory bank, or an MP3 player, an onboard video game system, an apps library, or a wireless connection.

However, the watch face is angled at about 10-degrees towards the wearer. That angle, a stainless steel bezel and back, and a completely smooth exterior make all the difference. This watch is perfectly appropriate for the business casual office, but looks like it would be equally at home on the set of Star Trek, Space 1999, or Battlestar Galactica.

While a 10-degree tilt in the watch face does not sound like much, when combined with time digits that are 1 centimeter tall, this Armitron digital watch design allows wearers to tell the time while their wrist sits level on a desk, keyboard, or conference room table. Those poor souls trapped in interminable meetings can finally tell when their meeting ends without obviously looking at their watches and without pulling out cell phones, or booting up laptops.

Beyond the tilted face, the top of the case (or bezel) is made of stainless steel and set into black plastic material. Turning the watch over, the back is also stainless steel. When combined with a black rubber watch band, this Armitron Men’s Chronograph Square Digital Sport Watch has a black and stainless color combination that fits in well with the recent trend towards stainless kitchen appliances and car interiors. While this Armitron digital watch has buttons in the traditional A,B,C, and D positions of most digital watches, the buttons are recessed so that they are completely flush with the case. Ultimately, the result is a very modern and futuristic design. Sitting side by side with my Square-Faced Mossimo Watch in my Joan Rivers Watch Box Organizer, the completely smooth character of the Armitron Squared Faced Digital looks like modern art

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AVermedia Key Micro (1280) PC/Mac to TV Scan Converter

Overview

Affordable PC/Mac-to-TV conversion at less than $100. Thanks to the AVerKey® iMicro, you can easily project any computer application onto a big screen TV or save it into a VCR. Start a business presentation, create training tapes, display animations, play games or surf the Internet on a big TV Screen in seconds. AVerMedia AVerKey® iMicro supports resolutions up to 1280 x 1024 for both PC and Mac. It comes with Touch-Button control panel, zoom and pan, picture positioning and much more.

Features

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  • » Underscan/Overscan (underscan up to 1280 x 1024)

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Traditional Hanukkah Foods (How to Feel Good About Eating Fried Foods)

Modern nutritional advice recommends avoiding fried food. Although I am a proponent of Jewish healthy eating, for one week a year I make an exception. Yes, I am referring to Hanukkah (aka Hanukah, Hannuka or Chanuka) or the fried food festival. Hannukah is different to many of the other Jewish festivals in that there are no restrictions on food preparation or cooking during the holiday. It is a holiday when family can get together without the pressure of preparing food in advance; which is a good thing because fried food tastes bests when it is served fresh!

Hannukah is the Jewish festival of lights and celebrates the rededication of the second temple, and the miracle of a small amount of olive oil lasting for 8 days. To commemorate the miracle, candles or oil lamps are lit for 8 days. Every home has a Hannukia and candles are lit each day starting with one on the first night and finishing with 8 candles on the eighth day. Due to the proximity of Hannukah to Christmas, some traditions have been adopted such as decorating the house, and giving large gifts. The main Hanukkah traditions are eating foods that are fried in oil, and playing with a dreidle (4 sided spinning top).

Traditional Hannukah foods include potato latkes and donuts. Latkes, which are not dissimilar to potato rosti, are enjoyed with a variety of condiments ranging from apple sauce and sour cream to cinnamon and sugar. In recent years different latke versions have become popular; sweet potato latkes, zucchini fritters, kohlorabi and carrot rosti, you are only limited by the vegetables you have on hand. Latkes are delicious served fresh – every year after lighting the Hanukkah candles I prepare different latkes, which we enjoy whilst spinning the dreidle. Latkes can also be prepared in advance and reheated, and can be baked for a healthier treat.

The other traditional Hanukkah food is donuts. These are commercially available with an astounding array of wonderful fillings and toppings. If you are lucky you will be able to find small donuts, as a large donut contains at least 300calories and ~16g of fat, which is equivalent to a small healthy meal. Even home made donuts are calorific, but they have the advantage of having been prepared at home with you knowing exactly what ingredients went into them, and they can be made as small (or large) as you like. In addition, you can fill them with whatever you like, and can enjoy them fresh. I usually make donuts with a mixture of whole wheat and white flour, use very little sugar in the dough, low fat milk and fry in canola oil. If I fill them with jam I use no-added sugar 100% fruit jam. Whilst these are not low-fat or healthy, they are better than anything you can find commercially. If you want something even healthier, try baking your donuts instead of frying them, but remember Hannukah is all about the miracle of oil!

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Cyber Monday Deals 2010

The retail industry has tagged today “Cyber Monday.” Like the term “Black Friday,” which describes the Friday after Thanksgiving, Cyber Monday refers to the Monday three days later. Just as Black Friday is considered the biggest traditional shopping day, Cyber Monday is supposed to see a significant spike in online sales.

The description “Black Friday” has been around a long time and was named to mark the day that retailers become profitable, moving on their balance sheets from the red into the black.

The National Retail Federation’s Shop.org division made up the idea of Cyber Monday to generate media coverage for their online retailers. The scheme worked. The mainstream media picked up the story and reported Cyber Monday as if the name had been around for years. Retailers are often trying to create the next big thing by generating media hype and exaggerating existing trends.

Not that the trend wasn’t there. The first year it was claimed that traffic was up 35 percent on retail websites. Since then, sales on Cyber Monday appear to be diminishing. According to comScore, a marketing research company, in 2006 online spending jumped 25 percent. But in 2007 it was up 21 percent, 2008 up 15 percent and last year only up 5 percent.

Mondays historically have been the best shopping day of the week for Internet retailers. Originally, many Americans only had access to a high-speed Internet connection at work, so the Monday shopping frenzy was a wave of pent-up demand from the weekend. Now that we can shop on our smartphones waiting for our friends Thursday evening at the coffee shop, Mondays have lost their importance.

On the calendar, Cyber Monday isn’t even in the top-10 online shopping days. Those occur between Dec. 5-15. This year Dec. 13 marks the start of the last week when procrastinators can still make their purchases and leave enough time for online retailers to ship the items. Shoppers keep pushing the day back as they have grown more confident their packages will arrive before Christmas. So, at least for a few more days, you can hit the snooze button on your Christmas shopping.

Cyber Monday was a brilliant idea to promote online shopping and jump-start the online shopping season by a few weeks from its actual peak. Having found that a longer holiday season translates into bigger profits, retailers like to extend every holiday season. The holiday season is now a four-month blast of marketing genius. Thanksgivoween and Hanukwansmas extend clear through the entire month of Septoctnocember.

Online sales and services will continue to compete with brick-and-mortar companies. The best firms offer both, leveraging what they have physically and multiplying it manifold through their online presence. Some sales and services can’t be accomplished effectively online, but many can. A business in Charlottesville, Va., has lower overhead and expenses than its online competition in California or New York. And sometimes a small city like Charlottesville can only support certain businesses if they can sell to the world.

Toys and video games show the most increase in online sales during the holiday season, followed by consumer electronics, computer hardware and software, jewelry, gourmet food, furniture and home decor.

According to Experian Hitwise, an online competitive intelligence service, the top-10 retail websites are Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, Target, JC Penney, QVC.com, Sears, Macy’s, BestBuy, Overstock.com and Toys ‘R’ Us. Amazon’s share was by far the largest with 14 percent of the sales traffic.

You might think these Internet retailers would be great investment opportunities, and you would be right. Collectively they have been averaging 4.90 percent over the S&P 500 for the year ending Oct. 31, 2010. Half have underperformed the market with the other half overperforming. But two of them have wildly overperformed, pulling the average up. Amazon.com appreciated 39.1 percent and Macy’s appreciated 36.1 percent since last year. The worst performers were Overstock.com, down 13.8 percent and JC Penney, down 12.7 percent.

Take advantage of their low prices, and moderate your spending this holiday season. Stay on track with your savings.

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Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q890 Laptop Reviews

A test of Toshiba’s service with incredible results!

I got my Toshiba X505-Q880 in April and love it (as per my previous review). My wife used it and fell in love too, so we bought the newest iteration, the X505-Q890! The processor is a minor upgrade, but the rest of the computer is the same.

For the 5 hours it ran, it was her dream machine. Then, with a flash, the LCD’s lights went out. Either the cables came loose, the lights for the display went out or the power board for the lights went bad, but the result was the same: No video. The Toshiba help desk was thorough and worked with me and her, providing appropriate interaction for each of us based on our individual technical knowledge.

As the computer was so new, the technician decided a whole new computer was in order. He transferred us to a sales representative who got us a return label via email for an overnight return, with an overnight return shipment. Mind you, I originally selected UPS ground, so the FedEx overnight service was a welcome upgrade.

While I was disappointed that we got a computer with a bad LCD, it gave us an opportunity to see Toshiba’s service first hand. If you have your model number, serial number, and provide detail of the symptoms of your problem, Toshiba will take very good care of you.

And yes, when it’s running, the X505-X890 is every bit of a powerhouse gaming/graphics computer you would ever want, overpowering machines from Alienware and iBUYPOWER that are twice the price. Again, if you could have factory installed upgrades to the processor and Solid-State hard drive, it would be nice, but you simply can’t get a better deal at this price.

More : Qosmio X505-Q887 | Satellite L675-S7018Acer  AS5734Z-4836 | Acer  AS7745G-6572 | ASUS G73JH-B1 | Aspire AS5251-1513 | HP W2338H

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