Tech, Sci-Fi, & Random Bits

It's Been A Rough Year!

2010-03-26T16:09:00.000-07:00

Well... 2010 started off in a very rough way, but that being said, I am getting caught up on things now and will start posting reviews again.

My Review of Roku HD-XR Player

2009-12-15T13:20:00.001-08:00

Originally submitted at Roku

Extended range wireless (WiFi N) delivers the best quality video virtually anywhere in your home.

My Favorite Thing, EVER! Very Highly Rec

By Chillnhill from South Central PA on 12/15/2009

Pros: Compact, Great value, High quality picture, Easy to set up, Video selection, Built in Wi-Fi, Easy to use

Best Uses: Primary TV, Living room, Bedroom

Describe Yourself: Power User, Technophile, Movie buff, Home entertainment enthusiast, Netflix fan

The Roku is almost certainly one of the best purchases I have ever made. If you know what this does and have been on the fence, just buy it now. You will not be disappointed. This is one of the few pieces of technology that worked exactly as advertised, with no issues or problems experienced with installation or use. For those that need more information, read on:

This very small device enables content streaming to your TV from the Internet and works over your home wired Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection. There are several versions of the Roku devices that all provide the same basic functionality, but I bought the Roku HD-XR because I plan to upgrade to a dual-band "N" wireless router in the near future.

Installation was unbelievably easy: unboxed, connected it to my HDTV HDMI Cable, used the on-screen menus to configure the Wi-Fi (with WEP), the Roku "phoned home" (connected to the Roku site) and updated it's firmware. After it reset itself and came back up, the installation was basically over except for adding the "channels" I wanted (all under 15 minutes).

The image and audio quality of the streamed content is nothing short of amazing, and also plays flawlessly. This was somewhat surprising to me since my unit is installed fairly far from the wireless router and only gets "fair" signal strength.

Adding and configuring the channels involves following the TV on-screen prompts (to generate codes) and using a PC to register at the appropriate website. I was able to quickly add Amazon On-Demand (giving me access to the content I had bought in the past), my Netflix account, my on-line social and photo accounts (including Facebook Photo, Flickr, and Frame Channel which gave me access to my existing photos), and several other very cool channels that provide everything from technical blog casts (Mediafly and Revison3) to streaming music (Pandora). A visit to the Roku Channel page is worthwhile to see exactly what is available. I should mention that all of the TV On-Screen entries were made using the included remote control, which is incredibly simplistic and intuitive. The only problem I encountered during the whole process was on adding the Facebook Photo channel, and that was because the Roku presented a code that was all in uppercase and the Facebook page wanted it in lowercase (a very minor annoyance).

I have already turned off my cable TV (one month's savings more than paid for the Roku) since we get the major broadcast stations. The Roku more than fills in the gap of video on demand type services with it's easy integration to Netflix and Amazon. It is so good and easy to use I am seriously considering getting one for my technically challenged mother.

(legalese)

Taking a Break!

2009-10-29T19:07:00.000-07:00

Well, haven't had any new toys to review in the last few days but expects some in shortly!

Review: Anime Studio Debut 6

2009-10-24T10:59:00.000-07:00

Anime Studio Debut 6 is a very good animation application that gives you a lot of power if you are willing to spend the time to learn the software. There is a bit of learning curve that is only marginally assisted by the included PDF tutorial, but I was able to get the basics after a few hours of playing with it.

We wanted to add animations in our instructional videos to highlight key points, so needed the software to support video and picture "backgrounds". I have added a short video test clip to the review to show a basic star animation interacting with me. The Chromakey "Green Screen" and background were first rendered in Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 Platinum Pro Pack and then imported into Anime Studio Debut 6 where the Star animation was added. The animation part took roughly 15 minutes to setup and about 5 minutes to render on my fairly powerful 64 bit Vista Compaq laptop.

The use of virtual "bones" that can be embedded into drawings or imported picture objects and used to bend and warp the shapes makes the animations fairly easy once you get the hang of manipulating the strength and range settings. I did have some difficulties mastering the included freehand drawing tools, but it is easy enough to import and use objects created in other programs.

This is a fairly powerful program that is geared to the beginner through intermediate level user. It is also a great value for the price. Now that I have the basics down and I have shown my son (13) how it works, he is starting to use it as has taken to it faster than I did, which means we will have to buy another copy for his computer soon.

Recommended!

MSRP: $49.99
Amazon: $24.99

My Amazon Review: Anime Studio Debut 6

Review: Polaroid PoGo Printer

2009-10-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

This is a very handy little gadget that is a lot of fun at parties and events! The Polaroid PoGo is a little battery powered (rechargeable) printer that makes fairly good quality 2"x3" photos, with removable backing allowing them to be used as stickers. The prints take about a minute to print and come out completely dry and ready to handle. The printer did crop off the edges of my image so it's a good idea to make sure your subject is firmly in the center of the picture.

This printer is not designed to be connected to a computer, but rather uses BlueTooth from your cell phone (I didn't test this) or PictBridge when connected via USB to your digital camera (which is how I use it). Since this printer is so small, and runs on battery power, I can just pocket the fully charged printer, my camera, and my USB cable, and I'm a walking photo lab. Note that the USB cable is not included, but that is ok for me since my camera uses a proprietary cable.

So, this rates very high for convenience and ease of use but a little lower for picture quality.

Recommended!

MSRP: $49.99
Amazon: $47.89

My Amazon Review: Polaroid PoGo Printer

Review: Day by Day Armageddon

2009-10-19T05:29:00.000-07:00

I am a zombie and apocalypse survivor story fan, so this book was a dead on hit for me (no pun intended). This engaging story is presented in diary form, with mostly short entries in the beginning and somewhat longer ones towards the end as the story unfolds. We never learn the name of the military officer who kept the journal, but it starts just before the zombie plague spreads and ends somewhat abruptly (leaving a clear place for the sequel, which is due in mid-2010).

This was a fairly quick read and I finished it in one sitting. I liked the journal format as it made the story move very quickly, but at times it felt like I was reading the "Cliff Notes" of a more in-depth book. This didn't detract much for me, but my wife wanted more detail.

This is a good fit for fans of the genre and even contains a few surprises for hard core zombie fans.

Highly Recommended!

MSRP: $15.00
Amazon: $9.99 (Kindle Download)

My Amazon Review: Day by Day Armageddon

Review: Kensington 33374 Wireless Presenter

2009-10-18T07:10:00.000-07:00

Great Presentation Aid - Highly Recommended!

The Kensington 33374 Wireless Presenter is exactly what I was looking for to untether me from my PC while giving PowerPoint presentations. I give quite a few presentations in both my "day job" and as an instructor in my wife's small business and I like to walk around when talking. This handy device is so easy to install (just plug in the USB dongle, windows did the rest) and use that I didn't even have to read the directions to get it working.

The small unit fits comfortably in my medium sized hands and all four buttons are in easy thumbing position. The top button with the laser symbol can be used to start the presentation (it works like the "F5" key in any application) and also activates the fairly bright red laser pointer, the two middle buttons advance or backup the presentation (the "Page Down" and "Page Up" keys), and the bottom button "Blanks" the presentation (the "b" key). The range is very good and easily covers the room sizes I typically work in.

I like that the USB connector is stored inside the body of the device and it shuts off the unit when inserted. It also uses standard AAA batteries and includes 2 Energizers to get you started right away.

This is a well designed and easy to use tool that does exactly what I want it to do - Highly Recommended!

MSRP: $49.99
Amazon: $35.24

My Amazon Review: Kensington 33374 Wireless Presenter

Review: Zombieland - Movie Review

2009-10-15T17:01:00.000-07:00

Very Different Type of Zombie Movie - Recommended!

Zombieland was much better than I expected from viewing the trailers. This movie had plenty of gore (which doesn't bother me), a lot of comedy, and, most importantly, a lot of zombie killing action!

The real surprise is the how well Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg worked together on the screen. I love zombie movies, but generally don't like anything Woody Harrelson is in. Woody plays the perfect socially inept heavy to Jesse's blundering geek, and it really brought a lot to the movie.

No plot spoilers from me; the movie follows what is possibly the last non-zombie humans in North America after a case of "Mad Cow" disease jumps into humans and quickly spreads to the whole population. While I can't easily imagine zombie cows rampaging through major cities, it seems to work differently in humans.

There are quite a few laugh out loud moments and a few good scares, but this is mostly a buddy film from start to finish and it works very well!

Recommended for fans of the genre.

CEO "Groks" My Requirements

2009-10-14T18:09:00.000-07:00

It's fun to note when a word from a Sci-Fi novel becomes so firmly part of English that a room full of Senior Vice Presidents don't bat an eye when the CEO of a serious Telecom Access Provider says he "Groks" our requirements.

For those that don't get the reference: Stranger in a Strange Land

"Grok means to understand so thoroughly that the observer becomes a part of the observed—to merge, blend, intermarry, lose identity in group experience. It means almost everything that we mean by religion, philosophy, and science—and it means as little to us (because of our Earthly assumptions) as color means to a blind man."

Review: PaperShow Starter Kit

2009-10-13T13:39:00.000-07:00

PaperShow is an innovative and useful device that gives you the ability to make interactive Whiteboard and PowerPoint presentations. The Starter Kit includes everything needed to get up and running and includes: Digital Pen, USB Key (Bluetooth and 256mb Flash Drive), Proprietary A4 Size Note Pad - 48 Sheets, Proprietary Standard Size (8.5"x11") Printer Paper - 30 Sheets, Notebook to carry printed presentations, various accessories (battery, carrying case, 3 pen refills, customizable color rings, printer feed stickers, and quick start instructions).

I give a lot of presentations and PowerPoint based training, so I was really excited when this very cool gadget came in. Here are my observations -

Setup:
Unpacking - The packaging was very slick looking, but getting everything out of the various plastic clamshells (especially the USB Key) was a bit of a challenge.

Installation - All of the software is contained on the USB Key, which is very cool. I did have trouble with my first attempt to install the device on my 64 bit Vista laptop and had no luck reaching the PaperShow tech support (no phone number, just able to post a question after registering on the web site). I then successfully installed it using a regular Vista (32 bit) desktop and was able to then use it on the original laptop without any problems (likely because the software also runs from USB Key). It did connect back to the PaperShow site over my Internet connection during the installation process.

Usage:
The two main modes are -
"Whiteboard" - Using paper from the Proprietary Note Pad, you can draw freehand with the pen and, using the control icons printed on the right side of the paper, you can change the line size and color, and draw perfect Arrows, Ovals (circles), and Rectangles (squares). You can also virtually erase anything you draw off the screen, but since it is actually written on the page this can be confusing when it starts to get cluttered.

"Presentation" - This allows a MS PowerPoint presentation to be imported in to the PaperShow format and gives you the option to save onto the Flash Drive. Once the presentation is imported, the program will ask you if you want to print it on the PaperShow proprietary paper. When running the presentation it works just like the "Whiteboard" mode, adding the ability to navigate through the presentation using the control icons on the right side of the paper. This mode also supports sound and video embedded in the presentation, which was very useful for me.

* One note on a very practical use of this tool, I work from home most of the time and do a lot of online collaboration sessions with other engineers. Both modes work very well when you are "sharing" your desktop.

Pros:
+ Works very well, once installed
+ Software is self contained on USB Key (you can use it on almost any XP\Vista PC)
+ USB Key is also 256mb Flash Drive (which allows your presentation to be carried with you)
+ Sessions can be saved and exported for sharing, including in Adobe PDF format
+ Very fun to use (we have our PC connected to our large HD TV, so "Pictionary" is a lot of fun)

Cons:
- Presentation Mode requires MS PowerPoint format files, however there are now several programs that can save in the PowerPoint format, including "OpenOffice" which is free (just search for it)
- Proprietary note pad and printer paper required - I bought PaperShow 8.5 x 11 Inches Interactive Printer Paper (200 Sheets, 90 Grams) and CNS SERVICES 010102 8.5"x11" Papershow Notepad right away in case they become hard to find in the future (ie. if the company no longer makes it, for whatever reason)
- Bulky Pen, likely unavoidable due to the embedded optics that read the position on the paper
- USB Key cap doesn't store on the USB Key when removed, I stick it back in the case but am sure it will get lost sooner or later
- Tech Support (at the time of this review) is hard to reach and has not responded to my first installation problem (will update this review if\when they do)
- No Mac support, not a serious issue for me but a lot of the sites I visit are Mac only so I still have to bring my laptop to use it

Miscellaneous:
* Printer Stickers seems to be mostly undocumented, but are very useful for ensuring that you will always remember which way to feed the paper (you might mess up one before figuring it out)
* Carrying Case is plastic and very bulky, but does the job
* Plastic Binder for the printed presentations is just OK, nothing special but also does the job

Helpful Hint: Import two copies of your presentation, one with every slide and one with only the slides that you plan to write on, and only print the latter on the proprietary paper. This is easier than trying to select the right ones in the print dialog and you can still use the navigation icons to move through the presentations and can still draw on any "slide" by using a blank sheet of the proprietary paper.

Recommended, with the caveats listed above. This kit is perfect for those who love gadgets (including me), and works very well once it gets installed.

4/5 Stars

MSRP: $199.00
Amazon: $179.98

My Amazon Review: PaperShow Starter Kit

Note: I was given this product to review through the Amazon Vine program.

Review: Stargate Universe (SGU)

2009-10-12T05:11:00.000-07:00

The two-part inaugural episode of Stargate Universe (SGU) was a very good opener for what I hope will be another long running Stargate series. While I found the opening pace a bit too forced (but necessary to get things moving along), the episode wasted no time before beginning the action. There are also a lot of very good computer generated graphics that are to the standards set in the original Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis (another series canceled too soon).

The main characters are a mixed assortment of soldiers and civilians (including scientists, IOA officials, politicians, etc) that no one would have selected to work together for a long duration mission, unfortunately for them (fortunately for us) they are thrown together through events that take place in the first episode. The main characters, a scientist with dubious motives for his actions, a computer nerd, a young Lieutenant, and a senator's daughter, are all very strong and there is a lot potential for great drama. I'm not sure if the senator's daughter is going to be a love interest for the Lieutenant or the nerd, but it might be an interesting love triangle.

This show has a lot of potential and I look forward to the rest of the season!

Highly Recommended!

You can watch the first episode (both parts) for free at Amazon:
Stargate Universe

Old News, But Still Cool - Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

2009-10-09T18:43:00.000-07:00

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is very cool!

Review: Fuji FinePix F70EXR Digital Camera

2009-10-08T15:49:00.000-07:00

The FujiFilm F70EXR follows in the footsteps of the fantastic Fuji FinePix F200EXR as a very compact camera that packs a lot of advanced features into a "Point & Shoot" format camera body. The F70EXR is somewhat less expensive than the F200EXR, having a slightly lower resolution (10MP vs 12MP), a smaller LCD (2.7" vs 3"), and a few less shooting mode options. That being said, the F70EXR also has several improvements over the F200EXR, including double the optical Zoom (10x vs 5x), an improved Auto ERX mode and two new shooting modes (see below), and the ability to zoom while shooting video.

This is somewhat of a lengthy review, so I will summarize my findings here:

The F70EXR is a very powerful and feature rich "Point & Shoot" style camera that can be made to perform well for almost any application. The Auto Modes are very accurate and will almost always produce a good picture. In the manual Modes the user has more control over the settings, but the results are almost always impressive. This camera has a lot of advanced features and often takes better pictures than our much more expensive dSLR camera. The only weak area is in the Movie Mode, which is only VGA quality but does at least allow for zooming while filming (see video and review below).

Now for my overview and full review:

The F70EXR has many advanced features, including -
* 10 Megapixel Super CCD EXR Sensor
* 2.7" LCD Screen
* Wide Angle (27 mm) through 10x Optical Zoom (270 mm)
* Image Stabilization
* Wide Range of Preconfigured Modes (see below)
* Face Recognition with automatic in camera Red Eye Removal
* Support for SD and SDHC cards
* Includes 47 meg of internal memory, which is about 30 pictures in the highest resolution mode
* Long lasting Lithium Ion Rechargeable Battery (NP-50)

What's in the Box -
* F70EXR Camera
* Lithium Ion Rechargeable Battery (initial charge took just under 2 hours)
* Home Battery Charger
* Wrist Strap
* Proprietary USB Cable
* Video Cable (standard video/audio only)
* Printed Basic Manual Booklet (in several languages)
* CD with Owner's Manual (Full) in PDF
* CD with FinePixViewer Software (not bad image management, basic editing, and linking to Fuji web content)
* Plastic Sleeve for Battery Storage
* Miscellaneous Warrantee and Warning Pages

The Controls on the small camera body are generally well placed and easy to use, with a "rose" type interface for selecting and navigating the many menu options, selecting Flash, Macro, Self Timer, Delete, and Exposure Compensation settings. In addition to the Power Button, there are also four small buttons for selecting Play Back, Photo Mode (F), Face Recognition and Red Eye Removal, and Display.

The Photo Mode (F) sets several options that will affect your pictures, like ISO, Image Size, Image Quality (jpeg compression, I turned mine from the default "Normal" to "Fine") , and Film Simulation.

The numerous shooting modes are accessed through the Dial and include:
* "Auto" (Red Camera Icon) mode allows the F70EXR to be used as a "Point & Shoot" and usually produces truly outstanding quality pictures
* EXR Mode (EXR Icon, White Letters with Red Background)
- HR Mode (Resolution Priority), produces very crisp detail of intricate subjects and is useful in product photography - The Camera will display HR when in this mode.
- SN Mode (High Sensitivity & Low Noise), produces low-light shots with minimal noise - The Camera will display SN when in this mode.
- DR Mode (D-Range Priority), takes two pictures and merges them in-camera to provide great detail in highlights and low lights. - The camera will display DR when in this mode.
* Auto EXR Mode, tries to select between several presets (many found in the SP Mode, see below). This is a big improvement over the same mode on the F200EXR and is a good default for the camera. You can still use the regular "Auto" mode or manually set the SP mode when you have time to set up the camera.
* Program (P) and Manual (M) modes are standard modes enabling the user to set Shutter/Aperture priority or to take full control of settings, respectively
* Natural (N) is an interesting option for capturing images with the natural scene lighting
* Natural + Flash (N+ Lightning Bolt Icon) option takes two pictures, one as the "Natural" mode and another with the flash, to ensure a good picture is captured.
* Movie Mode (Movie Camera Icon) is a really useful video (with audio) clip capture mode that allows for 320 or 640 resolution at 30 Frames/Second. The clips are saved in standard AVI format and are decent enough for YouTube. Fuji listened to the consumers so now you can use Zoom while filming, but it does re-auto focus and the motor sound is picked up when changing.
* Scene Position (SP) Mode allows you to select between 15 presets, including:
- Pro Focus, Pro Low-Light, Portrait, Portrait Enhancer, Landscape, Sport, Night, Night (Tripod), Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Party, Flower, and Text
- The Pro Focus and Pro Low-Light Modes are new features that allows for soft background portraits and low noise, high detail pictures in low light, respectively. While these will work free hand, I recommend using a tripod and turning off Image Stabilization since the camera take multiple pictures and combines them in camera to make these effects.

There are far too many options and combinations to cover much more deeply, so I'll wrap this up with my major likes and dislikes:

Likes -
+ Great Point & Shoot "Auto" Mode takes impressive 10 MP pictures
+ Very low "Shutter Lag", even when not pre-focused
+ Impressive Wide Angle and 10x Optical Zoom Lens, but controls can be a little "spongy"
+ Clear description of Shooting Modes displayed on LCD when changing dial settings
+ Fantastic EXR Modes allow for capturing outstanding pictures that would have been unusable with lesser cameras
+ Outstanding "Super Intelligent Flash" produces great illuminated scenes without washing out the subject, a feature that is very useful in Macro Mode which we use heavily for our business product photography needs
+ Accurate Face Recognition with automatic in-camera Red Eye Reduction - This feature assures people are in focus, helps with in-camera Slide Show playback, and can automatically remove Red Eye. It is also very cool to watch it work!
+ Ability to Zoom while filming in Movie Mode, but motor noise can be heard on video
+ Large ISO range of 100 to 12800 - I manually limit mine to 800 or lower most of the time
+ Lots of user selectable options - Spending a little time reading the Owner's Manual is a good investment to learn about all of the features packed into this camera.

Dislikes -
- Steep Learning Curve (reading the Owner's Manual is absolutely required to take full advantage of all the features this camera offers)
- No Remote Control - this is important to us since we take product pictures, our workaround is to use the Self Timer
- Movie Mode Zoom - a nice feature but the camera can be slow to refocus and the motor noise is recorded
- No HD video - not too important for me since we have HD camcorders

Like the more expensive F200EXR, this is a very powerful camera that can be made to outperform almost any other consumer grade camera currently on the market if you spend a little time reading the Owner's Manual and do a little experimenting with the extensive options. We have been able to take absolutely beautiful pictures in the standard "Auto" mode and have produced some photos that we would not have been able capture, because of tricky lighting, by using the EXR modes.

The F70EXR is "Highly Recommended"! This is an easy choice for those in need of the advanced features and functionality this camera delivers in a very compact Point & Shoot form factor, 5 out of 5 Stars!

MSRP: $279.95
Amazon: $236.87

My Amazon Review: Fuji FinePix F70EXR

Note: I was given this camera through the Amazon Vine program

Review: Zombocalypse Now -

2009-10-08T07:03:00.000-07:00

"Zombocalypse Now" is a "choose your own adventure" style book that literally had me laughing out loud at the creative and often somewhat absurd imagery that Matt Youngmark skillfully painted in this very entertaining book. I should point out that I was predisposed to like the book because, 1) Zombies are cool! 2) Pick-A-Path... er..."Chooseomatic" ... books were very popular way back when I was in school, and 3) Who wouldn't want to be pink stuffed bunny with dubious morals and weak social skills?

There really isn't any way to ruin the plot of the book since there are 112 (according to the cover) different possible endings, and I experienced 6 of them on my way to hitting on one of the 7 possible (perhaps more, as also hinted on the cover) solutions that don't involve you becoming dead in one of several colorful and creative ways. Of course most of the book involves you dodging various zombies and trying to get yourself out of this mess, all the while dealing with the fact that you are indeed a pink stuffed bunny. I also really liked how you can actually use some of the information you learn on the paths that lead to death on your next trip through the book. The illustrations throughout the book are well done and are often amusing as well.

I would have tried a few more paths, choosing different options to see where that would take me, but my son took the book away because he wanted to give it try. I will likely pick this up several more times to see if the other 6 successful paths are as fun as the one I found.

Highly Recommended!

5/5 Stars

MSRP: $14.95
Amazon: $13.45

My Amazon Review: Zombocalypse Now

Note: I was given a copy of this book by the autor.

Review: Netgear Rangemax WNDR3700 Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router

2009-10-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

Fast and Easy - Highly Recommended!, October 7, 2009

The Netgear Rangemax WNDR3700 Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router is a well made and good looking feature rich device. It was also amazingly easy to install and setup using the included utility that provided step-by-step animated instructions. The process was very straight forward and I was able to have the Netgear router up and running in less than 10 minutes, seamlessly replacing my aging Linksys wireless router.

We have a lot of networked devices in our shop, including 3 wired PCs, 3 wireless laptops (two 802.11g and one "N"), a Linksys hub, 2 wired laser printers, and 1 wireless (802.11g) All-In-One printer. In addition we also hold training and workshops that run over several days and our customers often wanted to jump on our wireless network, something which we often allowed by giving them our WEP Key, but unfortunately that also gave them access to our network devices. The WNDT3700 has a lot of advanced features that made significant improvements to my network performance and security, including:

+ 4 Gigabit Ethernet Ports - Each port can auto "downspeed" to as well to support older Ethernet cards.

+ Dual Band Wireless - Supports "legacy" 802.11a,g and the newer "N" (very fast indeed) with much better range than my Linksys router.

+ Support for Wireless Guest Network - Easy to setup and control access, we use this as a courtesy to our customers in our shop when we hold classes and only give them access out to the Internet, protecting our internal network.

+ USB Drive Support - Works very well! We now have a networked 2TB RAID drive that is accessible from all of our shop PCs, it was easy to setup using the utility included on the CD that helps you map the drive. We now store all of our critical files and photos on the network drive. No complaints at all on the speed and performance with retrieving even the largest files.

+ Broadband Usage Meter - Useful to monitor your traffic volume to\from your ISP, which is important if you push a lot of multimedia files over a provider that has a monthly usage cap (like Comcast). This seems to be fairly accurate from my casual observations.

There are a few features that I don't expect to use (QoS, WPS, etc) but all of the functions I configured worked correctly right out of the box, which is perhaps a first for me and a welcome change over previous network device installations.

Overall, I am very pleased with the ease of use and performance of this wireless router! Highly Recommended!

5/5 Stars

MSRP: $189.99
Amazon: $159.99

My Amazon Review: Netgear WNDR3700

Note: I was given this to review as part of the Amazon Vine program

New Router and Hard Drive Installation

2009-10-07T04:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a busy day, technology wise, for me. I installed a new NETGEAR RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router and a new networked RAID hard drive. I love that MOST of the new products are becoming easier to install and manufactures seem to working hard to improve the end user experience.

Look for my reviews on these two products soon!

New FTC Rules For Reviewers

2009-10-05T17:17:00.000-07:00

There are new rules for those providing on-line reviews regarding those who have been paid or received free products:

New Rules

FTC announcement:

FTC Announcement

Now I spend a lot of money on electronics and books, but I also get a lot of free electronics and books from Amazon, publishers, and manufactures. The new rules will not take affect until December 1, 2009 but it is a good idea so I will start from this point to indicate what products I have been given to review. I never have rated a product higher than it deserves regardless of if I bought it or it was given to me.

Review: EyeClops BioniCam Video Microscope

2009-10-05T15:24:00.000-07:00

The "EyeClops BioniCam Video Microscope" is a very fun and functional portable microscope. For the very low price this can be found for on Amazon, it is a true value. The best feature is that the unit is self contained, so it does not need to be directly connected to a computer or to a TV (it can be via the included cable).

Pictures are saved as ".jpg" to a 32mb USB drive (included) that can be connected directly into the computer's USB port.

The unit feels fairly flimsy, so care should be taken when focusing or changing the magnification.

When looking for subjects, flat objects work best at higher magnifications.

Remember that this is a low cost toy, not an expensive scientific device. When used correctly, children will have a lot of fun and perhaps this will even spark an interest in science.

Overall, we are very pleased with the performance, quality, and price of the EyeClops Video Microscope. Recommended!

4/5 Stars

MSRP: $79.99
Amazon: $54.95 (but can be found cheaper)

My Amazon Review: EyeClops BioniCam

Review: Fuji FinePix F200EXR Digital Camera

2009-10-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

The FujiFilm F200EXR is a very compact camera that packs a lot of advanced features into a "Point & Shoot" format camera body. This camera is capable of taking outstanding photos in all of it's modes, including the "Auto" Mode for everyday picture taking (not to be confused with "Auto EXR Mode", see below). We are avid photographers and own several other digital cameras, including Point & Shoot, Compact, and a dSLR that we use for family photos and taking product pictures for our small business.

This is somewhat of a lengthy review, so I will summarize my findings here:

If you are looking for a "Point & Shoot" camera for taking the occasional casual picture, this camera is probably overkill for your needs and you would be better off with a less expensive alternative. That being said, if you are looking for a very powerful, feature rich camera that can be made to perform well in almost any setting and for any application, all in a very small "Point & Shoot" format, then this camera is well worth the investment! This camera packs more features and often takes better pictures than our much more expensive dSLR camera.

Now for my overview and full review:

The F200EXR is truly packed with many top of the line features, including -
* 12 Megapixel Super CCD EXR Sensor
* 3" LCD Screen
* Wide Angle (28 mm) through 5x Optical Zoom (140 mm)
* Dual Image Stabilization
* Wide Range of Preconfigured Modes (see below)
* Face Recognition with automatic in camera Red Eye Removal (works well!)
* Support for SD, SDHC, and xD cards
* Includes 48 meg of internal memory, enough space for about 10 pictures in the highest quality mode
* Long lasting Lithium Ion Rechargeable Battery (NP-50)

What's in the Box -
* F200EXR Camera
* Lithium Ion Rechargeable Battery (initial charge took just under 2 hours)
* Home Battery Charger
* Wrist Strap
* Proprietary USB/Video Cable (standard video/audio only, a HD cable is available but not included)
* Printed Basic Manual Booklet (in several languages)
* CD with Owner's Manual (Full) in PDF
* CD with FinePixViewer Software (not bad image management, basic editing, and linking to Fuji web content)
* Plastic Sleeve for Battery Storage
* Miscellaneous Warrantee and Warning Pages

The Controls on the small camera body are generally well placed and easy to use, with a "rose" type interface for selecting and navigating the many menu options, selecting Flash, Macro, Self Timer, Delete, and Exposure Compensation settings. In addition to the Power Button, there are also four small buttons for selecting Playback, Photo Mode (F), Face Recognition and Red Eye Removal, and Display.

Pressing and holding the Playback button while the camera is off will turn on the camera and allow for viewing your pictures without extending the lens.

The Photo Mode (F) sets many options that will affect your pictures, like ISO, Dynamic Range, Image Size, Image Quality (jpeg compression, I turned mine from the default "Normal" to "Fine"), White Balance, and Film Simulation. Interestingly enough, this important mode is not covered in any detail in the printed "Basic Manual" so you must look at the Owner's Manual on the CD or download it from the Fuji web site.

The numerous shooting modes are accessed through the Dial and include:
* "Auto" (Red Camera Icon) mode allows the F200EXR to be used as a "Point & Shoot" and usually produces truly outstanding quality pictures
* EXR Mode (EXR Icon, White Letters with Red Background) -
- Fine Capture Mode (High Resolution), produces very crisp detail of intricate subjects and is useful in product photography - The Camera will display HR when in this mode.
- Pixel Fusion Mode (High Sensitivity and Low Noise), produces low-light shots with minimal noise - The Camera will display SN when in this mode.
- Dual Capture (Wide Dynamic Range), takes two pictures and merges them in-camera to provide great detail in highlights and low lights. - The camera will display DR when in this mode.
- Auto EXR Mode, tries to select between several presets (many found in the SP Mode, see below). This is very Hit & Miss, as the camera will "hunt" around a lot - I will avoid using this mode and use the regular "Auto" mode or manually set the SP mode when possible.
* Program (P) and Manual (M) modes are standard modes enabling the user to set Shutter/Aperture priority or to take full control of settings, respectively
* Natural (N) is an interesting option for capturing images with the natural scene lighting
* Natural + Flash (N+ Lightning Bolt Icon) option takes two pictures, one as the "Natural" mode and another with the flash, to ensure a good picture is captured.
* Movie Mode (Movie Camera Icon) is a really useful video (with audio) clip capture mode that allows for 320 or 640 resolution at 30 Frames/Second. The clips are saved in standard AVI format and are surprisingly good! The one main complaint is that you cannot use Zoom while filming, so you must select the Zoom you want before starting.
* Scene Position (SP) Mode allows you to select between 15 presets, including:
- Portrait, Portrait Enhancer, Landscape, Sport, Night, Night (Tripod), Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Underwater (for use with the optional Underwater Case, this camera is not waterproof), Museum (turns off sound, flash, and Focus Assist Light), Party, Flower, and Text

There are far too many options and combinations to cover much more deeply, so I'll wrap this up with my major likes and dislikes:

Likes -
* Great Point & Shoot "Auto" Mode takes impressive 12 MP pictures (file size is roughly 4.3 MB in Large 4:3/Fine resolution)
* Very low "Shutter Lag", even when not pre-focused
* Impressive Wide Angle and 5x Optical Zoom Lens
* Clear description of Shooting Modes displayed on LCD when changing dial settings
* Fantastic EXR Modes allow for capturing outstanding pictures that would have been unusable with lesser cameras. In particular, the Pixel Fusion (SN) and Dual Capture (DR) modes are very useful for solving difficult photography problems.
* Outstanding "Super Intelligent Flash" produces great illuminated scenes without washing out the subject, a feature that is very useful in Macro Mode which we use heavily for our business product photography needs.
* Accurate Face Recognition with automatic in-camera Red Eye Reduction - This feature assures people are in focus, helps with in-camera Slide Show playback, and can automatically remove Red Eye. It is also very cool to watch it work!
* Large ISO range of 100 to 12800, without much noise or grain when using SN mode
* Decent battery life of about 180 - 200 or so shots without flash, drops fairly quickly if flash is used a lot. I recommend buying an extra battery or two.
* Lots of user selectable options - Spending a little time reading the Owner's Manual is a good investment to learn about all of the features packed into this camera.

Dislikes -
* Steep Learning Curve (reading the Owner's Manual is absolutely required to take full advantage of all the features this camera offers)
* Auto EXR Mode is really "Hit or Miss", we will not be using this option as the camera makes a lot of noise and does not always select an appropriate mode.
* No Zooming while filming in Movie Mode
* No Remote Control
* HD Cable is not included

This is a very powerful camera that can be made to outperform almost any other consumer grade camera currently on the market if you spend a little time reading the Owner's Manual and do a little experimenting with the extensive options.

We have been able to take absolutely beautiful pictures in the standard "Auto" mode and have produced some photos that we would not have been able capture, because of tricky lighting, by using the EXR modes. We will likely make the F200EXR our primary camera for taking our business product pictures (using the EXR "Fine Capture" mode), as the results are truly outstanding!

The F200EXR is "Highly Recommended"! The positive elements of this camera significantly outweigh the few negative items, making this an easy choice for those in need of the advanced features and functionality this camera delivers in a very compact Point & Shoot form factor, 5 out of 5 Stars!

5/5 Stars

MSRP: $399.95
Amazon: $328.80

My Amazon Review: F200EXR

Note: This product was given to me through the Amazon Vine Program.

About My Reviews

2009-10-05T05:29:00.000-07:00

Before June of 2008, most of the reviews I wrote were for random products and books that were either very good (so I wanted to tell the world) or very bad (so I wanted to warn the world), but then in mid-2008 I was invited to join the Amazon.com Vine program.

Amazon Vine is a program where publishers and manufactures pay for the right to ship free products to a specific demographic of proven reviewers in the hopes of increasing the buzz, usually before the product is released to the general public. These prereleases might be in the form of an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), in the case of a book, or the actual product in the case of software or electronics.

After joining the Vine program, I became somewhat obsessed with reviewing just about everything that we use in our house and business. I now have over 1,200 reviews on Amazon (and a handful elsewhere), with some of them also being video reviews. Many of my Amazon reviews are "duplicates" since there are often multiple listing for the same products, just with different colors or perhaps from different vendors (there were about 50 for the "Bongo Bag" alone), but a rough guess puts my individual reviews at about 850 - 900 or so.

So all of this being said, I know the burning question most of you will have, "How do I join the Vine program?" Well... Vine is by invitation only, but to see if you might have missed the email invite from Amazon you can check at this web page:

Amazon Vine

Good luck!

Review: Flip Ultra Camcorder

2009-10-04T18:24:00.000-07:00

I was given an Ultra Flip for Christmas 1997 after telling my wife we needed a smaller Camcorder. We make instructional videos for our business, but only had very hi-end equipment (Cannon GL2) that is not very practical for "everyday" use. Enter this little wonder!

Pros:
- VERY small
- Very easy to setup (plug and play)
- Very good picture/movie quality (was shocked at how good)
- Good battery life
- Very easy to use "in the field" (one button record/stop)
- Very inexpensive
- All software is contained "in camera" (a very cool feature)
- YouTube integration is cool

Average:
- Required software upgrade out of the box
- OK low/bright light images

Cons:
- No optical zoom (would have increased price :-)
- Tripod mount is located on battery cover
- Upgrade process is a little cumbersome
- Inluded software a little hard to work with at first
- No removable media (a SD slot would have been nice)

So, if you want an inexpensive, use "everyday" type pocket camcorder with really good picture quality, this camera is for you!

5/5 Stars

MSRP: $ N/A
Amazon: $169.99

My Amazon Review: Flip Ultra

Review: Jazz DV151 Pocket Camcorder

2009-10-04T15:44:00.000-07:00

We found the "Jazz DV151" pocket camcorder at one of the big box stores for somewhat less than the current retail price on Amazon. At roughly 1/2 to 1/3rd the price of the Flip Ultra, it seemed to be worth the risk of buying it as a backup pocket camcorder. Here are my observations:

Pros:
* Acceptable video quality *FOR THE PRICE* - it is only 320x240, not even VGA (the Flip wins hands down)
* Very good microphone - this was real surprise, the microphone is more sensitive than the Flip
* Has built in USB connector - Like the Flip, but only USB 1.1
* Comes with a USB extension cable!
* Works as a SD card reader when connected to PC via USB (see above)
* Has Video Out - can be connected to a TV for playback, cables included
* 1.5" LCD screen can rotate for convenient viewing while self recording (the Flip cannot)
* Saves files in AVI format - No conversion needed

Cons:
* Low video quality - it is 320x240 (but again good for the price)
* Does not come with any memory - You must buy a SD card (up to 2GB) before using

Misc:
* Uses 2 AA batteries (not included)

So for a really inexpensive camcorder, with YouTube usable quality, this is a fairly good option. For use in any meaningful way, not so much.

3/5 Stars

MSRP: $ N/A
Street Price: $30 - $50

My Amazon Review: Jazz DV151

Review: Joby Gorillapod Go-Go Mini-Tripod

2009-10-04T15:17:00.000-07:00

The Joby Gorillapod Go-Go! "Mobile Entertainment Kit" is a very versatile tripod that allows for attaching almost any hand held device in unique positions.

Pros:
Very Versatile Mounting System
Unique Positioning Capabilities
1 Year Warranty

Cons:
Do Not Exceed Weight Limits
Do Not Force Joints

Conclusion:
Does What It Claims To Do! Could be a little sturdier, so 4 out of 5 stars.

Recommended!

MSRP: $34.95
Amazon: $22.26

My Amazon Review: Joby Go-Go

Note: This product was given to me through the Amazon Vine Program.

Welcome!

2009-10-04T14:54:00.000-07:00

I really love to write reviews on a wide range of technology, books, and household items. Most of my reviews go to Amazon.com, but a few others are scattered around.

If you have any questions about any of the products I review, feel free to contact me at the email address in my profile.