TeckoGecko

eBook readers for Pandigital Novel

2011-06-04T06:25:00.000-07:00

After I successfully installed the Android version of the Pandigital Novel firmware, I have been really enjoying this device. I just don't particularly like the pre-installed Barnes & Noble app. It does not have a way to open files on the SD card without first going through a lengthy import process. Plus, the fonts don't look all that great.Now, as you may or may not know, Pandigital Novel uses

Pandigital Novel firmware update problem solved

2011-04-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

When I first got the Pandigital Novel (2gb black model) it came with a notice in the package advising the user to upgrade the firmware. I went to the website and downloaded the required updated program, followed the steps and discovered that no matter what I do the firmware version remains the same. It almost looked as if something was wrong with the device. When Pandigital came out with a new

Toshiba 40FT1U review and manual

2011-01-01T05:30:00.000-08:00

Just got a new Toshiba 40FT1U at Costco. An excellent 40'' 1080p set! I liked the picture quality the most out of a number of comparable TVs. There is only one feature that this TV does not have, but I must admit that it's more a legacy device issue than anything else. There is no coaxial audio out, only optical. Probably fine for most modern home theaters, but not for mine. This means that I

Pandigital Novel black and white -- review and manuals

2010-12-28T06:08:00.000-08:00

First of all, the black and white models of Pandigital Novel are not the same device. When given a choice, go for the white one. It has better hardware and a newer Android version.I happen to have a black version. My first impression was not so great. Since I wanted an ebook reader primarily to read public domain versions of old books in PDF format, this was my first test. I loaded a file and

iPod Classic white screen

2010-10-19T08:34:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I turned on my iPod Classic 160gb and all I saw was a white screen. This is a common problem, I believe. The usual solutions are resetting the device and restoring it to factory settings. Neither one worked. Curiously, the iPod still played music. Someone suggested that running down the battery could fix the problem. Well, that's not so easy. Even after the device no longer had

Philips DCM109/37 Cube Micro Music System Dock for iPod/iPhone

2010-08-20T16:20:00.000-07:00

Just bought a Philips Cube DCM109/37, primarily to use with iPods and iPhones. I am no audiophile, but to my taste the sound coming out of these speakers is very satisfactory. Bass, high frequencies, clarity, volume - I am actually quite impressed. The iPod dock is a little bit strange. Instead of a bunch of inserts to match every model of iPods and iPhones ever made, this model has a little

How can I make sure that UPS delivers my packages to the right address?

2010-06-22T06:58:00.000-07:00

What's the fun of online shopping if your packages never arrive?I have had many instances when UPS incorrectly delivered my packages. The reason is the driver's lack of attention. Even though my street is well marked they miss a turn and end up on a street that has exactly the same name, except it's a Road, not a Street. I assume they have GPS, they simply don't use it. Here is what I did. Amazon

iPhone text editors

2010-04-22T15:55:00.000-07:00

It is apparent that serious software developers do not consider worth their effort to create full-featured applications for iPhone or iPod Touch. Otherwise it is impossible to explain the absence of some very basic programs such as a well designed word processor for iPhone. Everything that I was able to find is very rudimentary. After some searching I zeroed in on three apps that I like. One

Under-cabinet radio with iPod dock: Hamilton Beach

2010-04-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

Hamilton Beach UTC (HU384SA) is a good example of how unexpected a relatively simple device can turn out to be in terms of its features. I am used to the iPod dock that came with my Philips home theater, so I thought that something that is actually built with a dedicated iPod dock would have similar functions. Not so fast. Turns out, you cannot navigate the iPod from this under-cabinet device. No

iPhone battery problem (and solution)

2010-02-01T16:01:00.000-08:00

When my iPhone's battary totally died (partially because I wanted to run it down, as often recommend) I charged it to 100%. To my great surprise, only a few hours later, without much use, the battary was down to 65%! I charged it again, but it started to leak juice again. I keep all battary-intensive tasks at a minimum, but I checked and rechecked the setting several times. Nothing!Here is how I

iPad picture (the real deal), price and specs

2010-01-27T10:20:00.000-08:00

Well, here it is. iPad.Can't say that I am disappointed, because I did not expect much. It is too big to carry around. A stay-at-home device for me, because my commute is too rough. It beats Amazon Kindle, but I don't like Kindle for all the same reasons. It is really strange to see that they are showing us all those subway maps on the iPad. Maybe Steve Jobs travels first class on the subway?OK,

Best case for iPod -- what to consider

2010-01-19T11:26:00.000-08:00

When I was exclusively using an old iPod Photo I liked a leather flip case. One майор inconvenience was that when the case's flap was difficult to open because the audio cable went right through it. And of course, it was impossible to put the iPod on the dock without taking it out of the case first. So, when I started looking for a case for iPod Classic, I decided to get a leather case, but the

Toshiba 40RV525R Manual

2010-01-17T16:24:00.000-08:00

Toshiba 40RV525R is the most recent incarnation of an LCD TV whose manufacturers believe it to be of utmost importance to make sure that viewers not even for a second forget the brand of their television. As a result, the front panel of 40RV525R features an LED "Toshiba" logo. In a sharp departure from Vizio, however, this light can be turned off in the menu, as described on page 30 of the

Chinon AVi - iPod Docking System with LCD (review + manual)

2010-01-13T06:40:00.000-08:00

Chinon AVi packs a lot at a very attractive price of $199. It's an iPod dock, an alarm, an FM radio and a 7 inch Digital TV. In my opinion, a perfect thing for the kitchen. Or is it?Now, keep in mind that recently Apple made it impossible to use third-party cables to connect iPods to television sets. You would have to pay $40 just for a set of composite or component cables at an Apple store.

Fuji S1500FD manual

2010-01-10T12:10:00.000-08:00

The Fuji S1500 continues the "tradition" of Fuji 1000. This may very well be my next camera. As usual, one thing I can get for free is the manual, even though it eventually comes in the box.Fuji S1500 manual

Comcast's new DTA box and standard QAM channels

2010-01-08T07:24:00.000-08:00

When during the time of last year's government mandated switch to digital broadcasting Comcast assured its customers that there is nothing to worry about as long as you have cable -- well, that was not entirely truthful. Just a few months later Comcast customers were forced to aquire inconvenient digital to analog boxes. As of now, in most locations you can no longer watch "high channels" without

eBooks on iPhone: my ultimate (for now) solution

2010-01-02T05:59:00.000-08:00

It took me several days to figure out just the right combination of ebook reading software on my iPhone. It seems that at the moment no app of this kind can perform all functions that I find absolutely necessary. Namely, I want to be able to read fb2 books and they must be very well organized on the device with multiple nesting folders. GoodReader (presently $1 at the app store) works very well

Best place to shop for an iPhone case.

2009-12-28T14:02:00.000-08:00

Best place to buy a case for an iPhone?It does not matter how much you spent (and were willing to spend) on an iPhone. You still should not overpay for iPhone accessories. The best place to look at a wide assortment of cases is your local Apple store, but everything there is extremely overpriced. You may find what you like and then hit the web in order to find a better deal. But instead you can

iPhone vs. iPod

2009-12-27T04:25:00.000-08:00

It happened so that I had to upgrade a great deal of my electronics all at the same time -- needed a better phone service, my laptop nearly broke and my iPod's hard drive became too small to handle my file collection. After much going back and fourth I decided that there is simply no way for me not to have both a 160 gb iPod and an iPhone. Here are the reasons:Of course, the capacity. I envision

Cool-er ebook reader

2009-10-25T12:05:00.000-07:00

There are strong indications that the ebook market is about to explode. One of the early examples of this will be the yet unreleased British device called Cool-er. It has great options for international users, SD-expansion (rated at 4 gb), good selection of supported file formats and the ebook store that promises to be more reasonable and "better-stocked" e-store. The manual for Cool-er is

Windows 7 worries gone - proof of purchase worked like magic

2009-10-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

When I got a new Toshiba laptop at Costco it did not occur to me that in order to get my free copy of Windows 7 I will have to keep the original receipt. Usually, a UPC code is enough, right? Especially with Costco, because they never even need receipts if you bring anything back. Everything is in the system! So, I was a little worried when I found out that Toshiba wants you to scan the sales

Panasonic TC-37LZ800 and Panasonic TC-32LZ800 manuals

2009-02-01T13:54:00.000-08:00

Not only reviews, but personal experience have convinced me that Panasonic is currently perhaps the most reliable televisions in both plasma and LCD categories. I have seen a good number of commercial projects where Panasonic was the brand of choice. It is, of course, my tradition to make manuals easily available for every piece of electronics that comes to my attention.Panasonic TC-37LZ800 and

Sylvania LC321SS9 - a review

2009-01-17T14:49:00.000-08:00

Just bought Sylvania LC321SS9 at Costco at a ridiculous price of $399. As always with Costco, I don't care if it breaks within the next two years - their warranty covers it all. It does, however, seems like a nice unit. I always compare the picture screen at the store and this one looked very nice, comparable to Sharp, in my opinion. Costco had a Vizio for $389, but the notorious Vizio power

Samsung BlackJack II (i617) Review and User Manual (PDF)

2008-12-31T07:53:00.000-08:00

I am switching from T-Mobile to AT&T Wireless. As a result my T-Mobile MDA will no longer work. Of course, I am fully aware that it is possible to "upgrade" the firmware, essentially unlocking this phone. Still, with so many options available from ATT&T, why not get a cheap and comparable phone from them and then decide if it is worth trying to unlock the old one?After much speculation, I have

Loading mp3's onto sansa fuze

2008-12-29T17:43:00.000-08:00

I gotta admit, as much as I dislike iTunes for its sluggishness and lack of control, it is the most reliable way of loading mp3 onto a player I have seen so far. It is only too bad that iTunes cannot be used with other devices. I have been thus far unable to find a good way of putting mp3 files onto Sansa players. Rhapsody used to crash all the time, the Yahoo player crashed as well plus had some

Sylvania NB500SL9 1080p Blu-Ray Player with HDMI Cable: Review and Manual

2008-12-27T09:47:00.000-08:00

Just got a Sylvania NB500SL9 1080p Blu-Ray Player. It came with a high quality HDMI Cable, which is still not to be taken for granted. The price was right - $150 at Costco. At this point in time this is an excellent price and this purchase allowed me to cross over into the world of HD movies. Now I don't have to think twice about buying a movie. I just get the Blu-ray version!Even on a 1080i

Sansa Fuze vs. Sansa e280

2008-12-23T07:33:00.000-08:00

Just because you already have a Sansa mp3 player with 8 gb of memory it does not mean that you cannot have a better one with just as much memory! There have really been some improvements introduced in Sansa Fuze. Just a few quick notes:Sansa Fuze has a better feel to it. It's thinner and has a nice back on it.The on is also a switch instead of a button. I like that.There's a "home" button.

Sony DAV-HDX277WC, DAV-HDX279W, DAV-HDX576WF surround home theaters: PDF Manual

2008-12-22T12:19:00.000-08:00

In terms of pure design, I must admit that the high-rising front and rear speakers on a lot of current home theater systems do not make me very happy. I checked the instructions manual in order to see if it is possible to make the appearance of these towers less obnoxious. It looks like all you can do is to adjust the mounting rod to make it shorter. But the good news is that these speakers are

Sansa Fuze manual

2008-12-22T08:17:00.000-08:00

The absolute best retail price I was able to find for Sansa Fuze was $60 (Costco). The sale lasted a few days, but it give a good indication of what kind of prices you should expect after Christmas. Anyway, I have snatched two Fuzes! The burden of giving mp3 players as gifts to people who are not technologically sophisticated is that you have to load them up with music. It's not easy, but I will

Vizio power light

2008-12-15T08:18:00.000-08:00

Vizio TVs have a very obnoxious feature. On the front panel there is an LED light in form of the brand's logo: Vizio. When the TV is off this light is orange, and it turns green when the set is on. It is astonishing that some people actually like this feature, according to some reviews. What is the point of this? So we accidently don't forget the brand of the TV we are watching? I have searched

Sharp LC-32SB21U, Vizio VO32LF and VO37LF

2008-12-12T06:29:00.000-08:00

The old TV set in the living room is on its last legs! The picture keeps collapsing into a bright, colorful yet very thin line. Some gentle banging on the side of the television temporarily fixes the problem, but is this exercise of strength even safe? Time to look for a new LCD TV!I said this many times and I will say it again. There is no better place for getting a TV than Costco. They hand

Sony Reader PRS-700 product manual (user's guide)

2008-12-05T13:32:00.000-08:00

For some reason, it was very difficult to find this manual:Sony Reader PRS-700 product manual (user's guide)The device looks OK, but I have not found any major improvements yet. Well, touchscreen is nice, but this is not so crucial for me.

Sony BDP-S350 and Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray players: Manuals

2008-12-05T12:57:00.000-08:00

After using a few similar pieces of equipment most people don't really need a manual to figure out how to approach a new TV, DVD or a digital camera. But whenever something new, like blue-ray systems is rolled out it is a wise move to have a look at the manuals. After all, consider the fact that a manual is something you can have for free before you even buy the product (which is when you get the

Ebook reader: Devices you should not overlook

2008-10-13T14:51:00.000-07:00

Ebook readers are becoming more and more popular, with Amazon's Kindle being a major driving force. Really, can there be any better advertisement for the concept of a small device specifically meant to replace traditional paper books than a prominent permanent ad on the main page of the biggest retailer on the planet? I had my own share of encounters with ebook readers, but overtime I realized

Sony Digital e-Book Reader: PRS 505. Revew, specs and a solution for the lack of Unicode support

2008-08-07T07:26:00.000-07:00

Just got a Sony Reader (PRS 505) from Amazon!ReviewFirst of all, I did not realize that the reader already came with a jacket. It was not very clearly stated. So, I actually ordered an executive brown leather jacket for extra $25.It took about 40 minutes for the initial charging during which PRS 505 is completely unresponsive. Then I powered it up. Very impressive! The text has very good

Sony Bravia DAV HDX-274 home theater system

2008-06-02T07:15:00.000-07:00

I may never be able to figure out the schemes and patterns that various manufacturers use in order to keep customers of such stores as Costco and BJ's uninformed about the actual models of TVs and home theaters they are selling through these distributors and how they compare to the rest of the crowd. It seems to me though that Sony Bravia DAV HDX-274 is very similar to Sony Bravia DAV HDX-275,

Digital tv converter coupons -- good reasons to get one

2008-05-27T11:36:00.000-07:00

I requested two $40 digital converter coupons! Why not? Well, receiving the coupons cost me nothing. I have cable, but it would be nice to have at least one DTV converter box. There are some channels that you can only get over the air, but one very specific reason why I decided to go for these coupons is this: I have a portable DVD player with AV-in. Sometimes I go on vacation to a place where

What is Blue-Ray Disc Matching? Sony HT-SS2000.

2008-05-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

I you happen to leisurely search the web for an inexpensive Blue-ray disc player chances are you will come across an attractively priced ($400) unit called Sony HT-SS2000 - Blu-ray Disc Matching Component Home Theater System. Unless you do your homework you may end up with a decent home theater system, but without a Blue-ray player. How is that possible you may ask? Well, quite simply, just

Pillow Remote Control

2008-05-27T06:48:00.000-07:00

Pillow Remote ControlI guess, I just don't understand something. Well, apart from the $100+ price tag. I thought it should be possible in this day and age to have a pillow that is somehow capable of reading one's thoughts and change the channels accordingly. Ok, maybe not. But what's wrong with good old voice recognition? Is sowing remotes into furniture really the best we can do? I got ideas

Philips HTS3544 home theater and the iPod dock

2008-05-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

Here is one feature that may seem insignificant to someone, but for me, as an avid iPod user, it is quite important. Whenever I plug in my iPod to the computer with a USB cord (to charge, to update or to simply play the content) the iPod "forgets" the exact place where it was before the connection had been established. This is quite a nuisance, because I often listen to audio books and long

Home electirc generator for a home theater?

2008-05-23T08:29:00.000-07:00

Let's imagine the unimaginable. You are at your home, quietly enjoying the newest installment of Hollywood magic on your big screen TV. Why, of course, you also have a home theater system and the sound is just out of this world. Well, I guess it has all been rather imaginable up to this point. Now, let's throw in the unexpected. Nothing catastrophic, but simply something unpleasant. A hurricane,

Portable ebook reader

2008-05-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

OK, I am officially looking for a portable ebook reader! I definitely want an e ink based device, because I already have a very good smartphone that works fine for me. So, the biggest selling points for me would be:a larger screen than a PDA type readerability to read image-based PDF fileswide range of supported ebook formats, both commercial and free. Plain TXT is a must!the device must support

Best Digital Cameras

2008-05-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

This is a very colorful representation of brand popularity at http://digital-photography-school.com.Clearly, Nikon and Canon are the most popular. One must keep in mind that (for better or worse) this graph represents the likes and dislikes of professional photographers, and probably indicates their preferences as far as high-end digital cameras.

Sony Mini Laptop/Palmtop/Whatever you call it -- VAIO® UX Micro PC

2008-05-19T06:21:00.000-07:00

Sony used to have a very attractive line of PDA-devices, which they discontinued along with many other manufacturers. Smartphones have largely replaced the need for these little computer wannabes. VAIO® UX Micro PC has some remnants of the old Sony design. The big difference: this little laptop/palmtop device actually runs Windows Vista! Here are the specs:lightning-fast, full-functioning PC

Playstation 3 Manual

2008-05-19T03:59:00.000-07:00

As I looked for a Playstation 3 on eBay, I was greatly surprised that one would ever sell ANYTHING there without a manual. Some people get nervous when they consider the prospects of dealing with electronic equipment without proper instructions. And sometimes they are right...Playstation 3 manual (20 gb model)

A little Sharp SH12U tip

2008-05-09T07:58:00.000-07:00

When I pop in a DVD I usually immediately have to look for the TV remote, so I can change the input to HDMI. Well, Sharp SH12U has buttons on the top right side (hidden by the front panel). The right most button is power, and the button next to it is INPUT. This button is round to the touch, so you can be easily assured that you are not pressing the POWER button. A little time saver, because the

Choosing a Home Theater System

2008-05-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

Watching movies is a neat escape from the stressful lifestyle we live in. Watching movies in a wide screen and surround sound take you far away and into the movie scene you are watching. You watch it as if you were there in the movie scene. Of late, we can only experience this escape in a cinema. However, modern technology may be able to provide this same sight and sound experience right in your

More on the Bose Noise Canceling

2008-05-01T18:17:00.000-07:00

Noise Canceling Headset Works by Reducing Low Frequencies A very tiring aspect to using a headset is the continual background noises that interrupt the listening experience and very often the background noises are louder than one would expect. Most people may have tried ear plugs which may help in feeling less irritation but a high tech solution seems more appropriate; and that is the

Onkyo Introduced New Budget Home Theater

2008-04-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

This just in!http://news.digitaltrends.com/news/story/16431/onkyo_intros_new_budget_home_theater_setsHT-S4100 and HT-S3100 will cost $479 and $379 respectively.In case someone does not know, Onkyo is a very good brand when it comes to home theaters. Apparently, they finally decided to capitalize on their growing reputation.Leading the group of new systems is the HT-S5100, offering 7.1 channel

Panasonic SC-BT100 Blue-ray Home Theater System

2008-04-18T06:32:00.000-07:00

Panasonic SC-BT100 Blue-ray Home Theater SystemAs it often happens, one starts with a simple question: "Does this sort of thing actually exist?"In this case, the likelihood that someone already started making Blue-ray home theaters at an affordable price was fairly high. Indeed, here it is:The price tag of this SC-BT100 is going to be just under $1000:http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9906766-7.

Bionic marvel: what do Bose Wave systems and whooper swans have in common?

2008-04-10T08:14:00.000-07:00

If you ever saw Bose infomercials about their Wave music systems you probably remember the well-illustrated explanations of how the Waveguide system actually works. To summarize these principles, I will use a few quotes from the company’s site:“They realized that by mounting a loudspeaker in a tube, the motion of the loudspeaker would act as a waveguide, effectively transforming a small amount of

Panasonic DMC-FX33 - more impressions

2008-03-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

My Panasonic DMC-FX33 had its first field test and it is quite remarkable. Most of all, I am happy with the quality of video recording. I have had cameras that claimed to record mpg videos for at least six years, but not actually produced good enough quality. This Lumix creates excellent QuickTime movies. The motion is captured extremely well. I truly have no reason to have a camcorder, other

Philips HTS3544 power problem

2008-03-11T06:29:00.000-07:00

ProblemI have heard before that Philips HTS3544 can experience some sort of power problem, but I was yet to encounter it. So, it happened! Came home from a brief trip and the unit would not turn on. The red indicator was red, but the receiver was not responsive to either the power button or the remote. Two factors may have contributed to this:There was a power outage the day before I left. I did

What puts 'home theater' into 'home theater system'?

2008-03-04T12:10:00.000-08:00

A little bit of semantics, the way I see it. After I installed Philips HTS3544 one thing became quite clear to me. Yes, I do love the sound, the woofers and all. But I understood that the HTS3544 (or what have you) is only the 'system' and the home theater is the actual space where you install it. In other words, the room where you install the unit has to mimic a real theater. This includes, the

Panasonic DMC-FX33 digital camera manual and specs

2008-03-01T17:37:00.000-08:00

Panasonic DMC-FX33Just bought this one at Costco at $199 - a very nice deal. I will have to write a lot more about it. More precisely, it's a DMC-FX33K, the K must stand for black, just as DMC-FX33A is blue (aquamarine?) and DMC-FX33S is silver.First impressions: very conveniently sized, nice rubbery surfaces. A quality video mode and anti-blur mode are very promising. You have to take out the

Panasonic SC-PT753 Home Theater System Review + Manual

2008-02-27T06:31:00.000-08:00

Panasonic SC-PT753 Home Theater System, 900 Watt, with 5-DVD ChangerPros:Does 1080p conversionWireless rear speakersXM radio readyiPod dock that can charge iPods.Multiroom wireless capability with an optional SH-FX85 unitDialog enhancer mode makes it easier to follow movie dialogs.Cons:Does not play DiVx moviesThe wireless rear speakers setup is somewhat cumbersomeNo digital input (you will not

Sony KDL32SL130 TV

2008-02-24T13:35:00.000-08:00

Sony KDL32SL130 32" LCD TVHere is a good tip. I believe that the unit that Costco sell as Sony KDL32SL130 is actually a Sony model found at other stores under the name of 32S3000. This is a familiar Costco tactic. They assume that customers might as well rely upon Costco to do product research. And it most cases it works out well. I did own a TV purchased at Costco. It broke before the extended

Sony Bravia DAV-HDX501W home theater review + manual

2008-02-23T16:37:00.000-08:00

Sony DAV-HDX501W Bravia 5-Disc Home TheaterThis is a Sony Home theater I would recommend if you need a digital input (I do), and can swing over $500 (I don't).Pros:Digital input portWireless speaker connectivityUpconverts to 1080pMicrophone calibrationCons:No Blueray capabilityMaybe, instead of 1080 conversion you should wait for Blueray-based home theaters to be perfected?Here is the manual for

Sony BRAVIA DAVHDX265 home theater review + manual

2008-02-22T07:04:00.000-08:00

Sony BRAVIA DAV-HDX265 home theater Pros:AffordableThe sound receives good to great reviews.Convenient automatic calibration through a microphoneYou can change the brightness of the front panel (through the System menu) - a very nice feature if you keep this unit in the bedroom, let's say.Parental control can be set for up to 40 discs.Digital media port for connecting a portable audio device or

Olympus Stylus 820 Digital Camera - Manual and specs

2008-02-18T07:01:00.000-08:00

A superb camera, except for one thing: image quality. I have read reviews about the bad quality of pictures taken by this camera and my personal experience from playing with it is just the same. Weather resistance is a big feature on many Olympus Styluses. Image Stabilization is a perfect feature to go with a slightly above average 5x optical zoom. I can only hope that Olympus will manage to

Sony Cybershot DSCW80 - one sweet deal at Staples

2008-02-17T12:45:00.000-08:00

$130 after savings. Would have gotten it, but they were out of stock, even at "the other store". No rain check either. Really disappointing.The camera is around $170 at Target, on sale. Unfortunately, I could not find a working model at stores. I did own at least two Cybershots and they held up pretty well. Only had a problem with the zoom mechanism. This model is only slightly heavier that

Nikon Coolpix s10 digital camera manual and specs

2008-02-17T05:24:00.000-08:00

Some people advise against having too much zoom in a camera. My question is: how can you have too much zoom? Nikon s10 is a slightly older model, only 6 megapixels. Truly, though, this is enough, especially if you can zoom in at 10x.Here is the manual:http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/manuals/noprint/S10_en_noprint.pdfAmazing 10x Optical Zoom-Nikkor Glass Lens that fits in your pocketVibration

Nikon Coolpix s51 digital camera manual

2008-02-15T17:29:00.000-08:00

Here it is! Why do they make it so complicated to get to these? What's more interesting, 'to protect against copyright infringement', Nikon is reluctant to make printable versions of the S51 (as well as other products, I assume) available. So, you have to read this one off the screen.Nikon Coolpix s51 digital camera manualBy the way, in order to remember this camera's model when I saw it at the

Can't listen to AM radio on my Philips HTS3544!

2008-02-14T20:04:00.000-08:00

That's right. AM radio stations disappeared. I cannot tune in to a single one now. I don't understand how this can happen. I believe, the antenna for AM reception is inside the unit. Maybe, using an external antenna would help. FM reception still works just fine. I am quite puzzled. Naturally, once you can no longer to listen to AM radio, AM radio is precisely what you want to listen to all day

40" BRAVIA XBR manual

2008-02-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

One day I will be fortunate enough to see my old TV in the living room will enter eternity - I am already seeing signs of aging... When that bitter sweet day arrives my only consolation will be in upgrading to something... well... worth upgrading to. In fact, I am willing to sacrifice a pretty nice entertainment center presently housing the TV in the living room.For years, Sony was known among

Sharp TV remote speed dial of sorts.

2008-01-29T08:29:00.000-08:00

I discovered that when my TV is switched to input 4 (HDMI cable from the home theater) or, I am sure, any other input, in order to get back to the TV channels I only have to punch in the channel number or use one of the predefined colorful channel buttons (A,B,C,D). It remains to be checked if it is somehow possible to assign the HDMI input to one of those buttons.

A problem with Philips HTS3544

2008-01-25T06:08:00.000-08:00

As I watched "The Tudors" last night on DVD, I was wondering why on earth they decided to shoot Episode VIII in full screen format, as opposed to wide 16:9. Turns out, the settings on my Philips HTS3544 became reset for no good reason. I had to change the setting for the output TV from 4:3 to 16:9. I only got around to changing a few other settings that I had previously customized. At least I did

Download any free DVD from Netflix?

2008-01-24T10:21:00.000-08:00

My coworker was involved in a study that Netflix carried out some time ago. Apparently, the plan is to make set-top boxed that would be able to play DVDs and also download them from Netflix. This is probably the same idea as AppleTV which failed, to the best of my knowledge, but it is only a matter of time for this idea to work well.

Audio lag problems unnoticed before

2008-01-19T05:20:00.000-08:00

Here is an odd thing. Ever since I have installed my Philips HTS3544 and discovered that the digital audio from TV broadcasts needs to be synced with the video I started to notice that the audio lag is present in many programs even when I simply view them on my Sharp SH12U. Even on the analog channels! There is a chance that somehow this is a problem with the television, but I don't think so.

Next stop: Canon SD750

2008-01-16T17:03:00.000-08:00

This camera gets amazing reviews. If I ever could ever convince myself that it is OK to own a camera that does not use regular AA/AAA batteries... I have a suspicion that rechargeable batteries are better for the environment. But what is better for sanity? When my camera dies on me I can put fresh batteries in. End of problem. Anyway, what really surprised me (unless I became misled) is the fact

Audio lag fixed. Sort of.

2008-01-06T13:11:00.000-08:00

I find the documentation for my home theater a little confusing. Nevertheless, I discovered that I just have to press the Audio Sync button on the remote and then use the volume control on the remote to change the delay value. Here is something important that I can no longer verify. It seems as if this value is set to something other than 0 (zero) by default. Probably 100, right in the middle.

HDMI cable - cheap and dirty

2008-01-01T19:14:00.000-08:00

My Sharp LCD does is only a 26 inch unit, so I do not really gain much in terms of quality because of using the upconversion feature in the home theater. However, it was nice to get rid of a bunch of wires! It has been noted by many that retail stores are running a very successful scam, selling HDMI cables for no less that $30-$40. I got mine at Buy.com. It's a 6 inch Belkin cable, which means

Digital audio sync problem

2007-12-30T05:17:00.000-08:00

This is not necessarily a problem with my HTS3544, but this issue somewhat limits the use for digital audio inputs - the video signal is not synced with the digital audio. My Philips home theater has a sync setting, but I am not sure if it is only meant to be active while playing DVDs. I think that the TV should have some syncing mechanism. What's worse, it appears that the amount of correction

Philips HTS3544 home theater

2007-12-26T16:54:00.000-08:00

And finally the quest is over! I have a home theater. Philips HTS3544! The manual is both for Philips HTS3544 and HTS3555. I have not idea what the difference between the models is. I connected the digital audio out from my TV. Bear in mind, that digital out is only possible for digital channels. This means that I get true Dolby sound for a good number of channels. The sound is amazing. I never

DAVHDX265 - no digital audio in either.

2007-12-19T10:41:00.000-08:00

I understand how a lower model of the Bravia home theater line does not have digital in. As it turns out, DAVHDX265 does not have it either. It also makes me wonder why Costco carries the lowest model of the line, but that's a different story altogether. Really, is it that unreasonable to expect a digital audio port in a home theater system? I could have gotten a Philips HTS3151D for $90 as an

Insignia NS-H2002 home theater

2007-12-15T17:03:00.000-08:00

This home theater does not have a digital in, so I am not interested in it per se. But it is crazy cheap at $69. It might not be as powerful, but the my interest in it is entirely of a different sort. Suppose, one even knew that this system is prone to breaking and developing all sorts of problems. Still, wouldn't this be the case when getting an extended warranty actually be a good idea? With a

DAVHDZ235 vs. Philips HTS3555

2007-12-15T05:22:00.000-08:00

To my great dissatisfaction, it turned out that Sony Bravia DAVHDZ235 does not have a digital in. I don't know why I assumed that it would. It seems as if Philips is more digitally diligent. Their HTS3555/37 has a DTS and Dolby Digital Decoder. And the speakers are not as huge as on some other models, and the main unit is somewhat slim.It also has a MP3 line-in and a USB port. It does

DAV-HDZ235 upconversion

2007-12-10T13:12:00.000-08:00

As it turns out, DAV-HDZ235 does upscaling to 720p/1080i. Suddenly, this model is becoming a lot more appealing :) This feature is not mentioned on a few sites where they sell this model. And Costo price is still unbeatable - about $50 below competition. Also (well, I am new to this home theater world...) it comes with a microphone. When connected and placed in the exact location where you expect

Nintendo DS Lite coupons - one sweet deal

2007-12-08T17:48:00.000-08:00

You can't have too many Nintendo DS's in the house, really. Someone is using one, the other just got accidentally washed in the laundry... Microcenter is still running what I consider a fantastic deal on DS. Get the console for a regular price ($130) and get 2 coupons for free games worth $30 each. The first coupon is good in December, the other one - in January. I already used the first coupon -

Sony Bravia DAVHDZ235 home theater and Sharp SH12U

2007-12-08T14:03:00.000-08:00

Here is one thing to consider when choosing the size of your new TV. A bigger TV, especially if we're talking smaller sets, will be very likely to have more connections. I learned this the hard way. My Sharp SH12U, even though the screen size is quite sufficient for me, does not have an analog audio out jack. It only has digital audio out with Dolby or PCM. Because digital channels that I get

KLH SBHT 6W 6-Piece 550-Watt Micro Home Theater

2007-11-29T16:21:00.001-08:00

KLH SBHT 6W 6-Piece 550-Watt Micro Home Theater1 subwoofer, 2 front-channel speakers, 2 rear-channel speakers, 1 center-channel speaker, and speaker wire. This product should be available under $200!Really cool design. It would be great to be able to turn the speakers in any direction. I actually have a KLH TV/DVD combo and it has served me well.

Sansa e280 microSD issue

2007-11-29T15:18:00.000-08:00

So, Sansa e280, an 8gb mp3 player with FM and video really really was only $80 at Costco for a few days! There is only one major inconvenience, as in the previous versions. When you start the device with the microSD card inserted, it has to "refresh the database" which takes up to a minute. Apparently, this problem is difficult to solve. Also, a few mp3s failed to transfer to the new Sansa,

Sansa e280 and High Capacity SD cards

2007-11-22T14:41:00.000-08:00

My MDA smartphone refuses to see 4gb memory cards. Apparently, I am lucky to be able to se 2gb cards... Is Sansa e280capable of using 2gb, 4gb and 8 gb micro SD cards in its expansion slots? I hope to find out soon enough!

Sansa e280, Sansa and Rhapsody, Sansa and SD

2007-11-20T18:16:00.000-08:00

Apparently, Costco has a pretty sweet deal on Sansa e280... I really like this line even though I had a few problems with e200. Rhapsody, shipped with Sansa devices, is not the most reliable piece of software out there. I eventually switched to MusicMatch, recently rebranded by Yahoo. Even this one refused to deal with legitimately purchased songs. I still prefer having CDs and ripping them.

Largest LCD TV in existence (from Sharp)?

2007-11-18T13:57:00.000-08:00

I found some news articles from 2004 about Sharp developing a 65-inch Aquos - the largest LCD to date. Sure enough, three years later the model is available for purchase - LC-65D64U. Apparently, that's how long it takes. The price tag on this LCD monster is about

Good tip for Aquos buyers

2007-11-14T18:53:00.000-08:00

It seems as if some store like to carry the same models as everybody else, but they want their customers to be unable to compare their prices and the prices that the competition has to offer. Perhaps as a side effect or possibly even deliberately, these stores deprive customers of the ability to find reviews of the products they are planning to purchase. For instance:It is believed that the

MediaSmart LCDs note

2007-11-14T09:54:00.000-08:00

After reading some reviews about the MediaSmart models I began to think that this kind of technology only works as well as your WiFi. So, I checked to see if these TVs actually have regular network jacks. They do!

WiFi in a television set? HP SL4778N , HP SL4778N

2007-11-13T12:50:00.000-08:00

HP SL4278N 42-inch MediaSmart High-Definition 1080p LCD TVHP SL4778N 47-inch MediaSmart High-Definition 1080p LCD TVThis LCD TV has 3 HDMI inputs, but only one Antenna/Cable in. This deeply bothers me, because it means that TV manufacturers not exactly interested in providing us with viewing options. I would much prefer using cable for analog, and antenna for digital channels. Or combine them, if

Quest for a home theater

2007-11-10T19:39:00.000-08:00

As I wrote previously about my Sharp SH12U, the volume level is just not sufficient, and I expect that on a hot summer day the air-conditioner will likely make it very difficult for me to hear anything coming out of the television. This is especially true for QAM cable channels. Analog ones are a little louder.A simple solution to this problem would be a home theater. Simple, but not inexpensive!

Panasonic's portable GPS

2007-11-09T12:52:00.000-08:00

Panasonic's Strada CN-GP5OU is the newest portable GPS available. 5" Widescreen LCD Monitor, GPS Assist, Bluetooth Hands-Free Calling... You can get a GPS for a lot less these days. The big plus (no pun intended) on this one is a bigger LCD screen. There is also an SD card slot. You can apparently use this device as an extremely overpriced picture frame, since it can be easily taken off the

Sharp Aquos vs. SH12U

2007-11-08T07:31:00.000-08:00

The irony of watching commercials about television sets ON a television set never escaped me. When I see commercials about Sharp Aquos (D62U series), those TVs sure look awesome. They look awesome ON my Sharp SH12U! The quality of the picture of SH12U is so great that I honestly cannot see too many improvements when I compare the too in person. In theory, I know that Aquos should have an improved

Sharp SH12U

2007-10-19T06:56:00.000-07:00

This is a 26-incher. They seem to be sold at Costco and similar places. When I compared it to a similar Westinghouse the difference in the quality was quite visible to me. I've read that Westinghouse keeps their prices low because the brand is now owned by an LCD manufacturer. Well, I did not like the quality of the LCD. At the store, while the demo HDTV signal was displayed I could see the

New distance

2007-10-18T16:55:00.001-07:00

There is no debate whether cell phones make us more connected in a technological sense of the word. However, interpersonal connections are affected by cell phones in strange and interesting ways. Yes, it is certainly priceless to be able to get a hold of our friends and family any time, anywhere (as long as they keep their phones on and charged, darn it). But let's look at the limitations of '

Cell phones in restaurants?

2007-10-18T13:39:00.001-07:00

People should be discouraged from using cell-phones in restaurants that find it inappropriate to have their patrons needlessly disturbed. I am far from suggesting a complete ban. Rather it seems as if establishments should make their own choices. I know a couple of restaurants where the atmosphere is such that one could care less (and it is so noisy there that you could not use a phone anyway).

Official TV

2007-10-18T07:33:00.000-07:00

As it stands now, if I am not mistaken, Sony is the official TV of NFL, and Sharp is the official TV of MLB. What should one choose? I am partial to both sports. Baseball, however, lasts longer. Sounds like a better investment.

new TV or a vacation?

2007-10-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

Here is one way to look at it. A new LCD TV will last for years. A vacation will only last a week or so.Here is another way to look at it. A good LCD TV will last many years. A good vacation will last forever...

LCD myth confirmed

2007-10-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

I just realized the reason why my TV died two months before the two-year Costco warranty was due to expires. It is often thought that home appliances and electronic devices, LCD TVs not excluding, are programmed to die after two years of service. The trick is that I got mine as a floor model, so it probably had worked for a few months prior to its demise. So, I consider the myth about cheap LCD

My cheap LCD story

2007-10-16T15:43:00.000-07:00

This is totally inspirational and uplifting. At the time when cheap LCD TVs are getting cheaper and cheaper it appears as if I was able to snatch the ultimate cheap TV. A free one. That's right. Zero dollars. The downside is that I had to return it. Well, here is what happened. Almost two years ago I got a little 19" Proview LCD. It did not even have a HDTV tuner, which was eventually rectified

Civil War music

2004-10-19T09:02:00.000-07:00

Here is a little story that fell through the cracks. It's been syndicated by AP, but I saw it at CNN:http://cnn.com/2007/US/09/29/civilwar.bands.ap/index.html?iref=newssearch"With darkness settling over the battlefield and soldiers bedding down for the night, the familiar lyrics rose -- music and voices blending from both Union and Confederate camps."You get the picture. It was disappointing to