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CORSAIR XMS3 DHX 4GB 2 X 2GB PC3-10666 1333MHz 240-pin DDR3 CL9 Dual Channel Desktop Memory Kit – TW3X4G1333C9DHX Description:

Sporting Corsair’s signature fin memory heat sink and patented heat-removing printed circuit board design, the XMS3 DHX products feature DDR3 performance while promoting increased stability. DHX technology allows this memory to have superior thermal characteristics to enable it to run cooler than a module with stamped or mesh heat spreaders. The result is enabled superior reliability, stability and performance capability.The TW3X4G1333C9DHX is a 4096MByte matched pair of DDR3 SDRAM DIMMs built using Corsair’s high performance heat sink with Dual-Path Heat Xchange (DHX) technology. This part delivers outstanding performance in the dual-channel DDR3-based motherboards. It has been tested extensively in popular DDR3 motherboards to ensure compatibility and performance at its rated speed. This memory has been verified to operate at 1333MHz at the low latencies of 9-9-9-24.

• Brand: Corsair
• Model: TW3X4G1333C9DHX
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .39″ h x .39″ w x .39″ l, .0 pounds

Features

• Sold Individually

Customer Reviews:

wow
great memory, stable, but i’m running at stock 1333mhz, all in all great memory, i use to be a kingston brand, then i changed to pny, now corsair, my favorite so far is the corsair, love the heat spreaders, awsome, will buy again, great shipping

No complaints. Very satisfied.
Part of my first build. The 4 gigs went into my Gigabyte AM3 MA790GPT-UD3H m/b. Very stable. Best value for the $$. May get 2 more sticks soon.

good RAM
This is good fast RAM memory. Put this in a new build and works great. I got this from Amazon, because they were alot cheaper than the place I was ordering the rest of my stuff from for the build.

SanDisk Sansa Clip+ 8 GB MP3 Player Black Description:

The Sansa Clip+ MP3 player gives you more to enjoy.  Enjoy up to 2,000 songs†† with an 8GB* player, FM radio, long-life battery and voice recorder. PLUS now even more! Expand your enjoyment when you add in preloaded content cards** into the new memory card slot, including slotRadio™ and slotMusic™ cards**. Or, save your own music, podcasts, and audio books onto a microSD™/microSDHC™ memory card** to expand your play.It’s brought to you by SanDisk with awesome sound to enjoy your music. Just clip it on and enjoy more music with an incredible 15 hours† battery-fueled fun. See what you’re listening to with the bright, easy-to-read screen and intuitively searchable menus. Color your world in red, blue or sleek black undertones.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20 in Consumer Electronics
• Color: Sleek black
• Brand: SanDisk
• Model: SDMX18R-008GK-A57
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .60″ h x 1.36″ w x 2.16″ l, .5 pounds

Features

• Store up to 2000 songs
• Memory card slot for pre-loaded cards
• Digital FM tuner with 40 presets
• Rechargeable battery lasts up to 15 hours
• Built-in clip for easy carrying

Customer Reviews:

The Clip+ does everything it needs to, and nothing it doesn’t.
I owned the first generation clip, and the new 8gb clip+ retains everything that was great about the first while adding all around refinements.

Pros:
- Overall build quality has improved, but especially with the clip mechanism.
- Files on MicroSD integrate seemlessly with the on board memory.
- The volume and power buttons have more ergonomic placement on the device.
- Sound quality remains great.
- Audiobook files can be sped up slightly to save some “reading” time.
- The interface is a little smoother and nicer to move through.
- The square trackpad makes it easier to navigate without looking at the player. (good for runners)

Cons:
- No cap on the MicroSD slot, so that could potentially get dirty.

If you don’t need gimmicks such as touch screens and web browsers, then this player is quite possibly the best on the market for value, size, and quality. The Clip+ is definitely worth the few extra bucks over what the first gen clip is selling for now.

UPDATE: Having used the product for a while the one thing I’m disappointed with is battery life. The meter drains down to 50% at the expected pace, and then goes from 50% to 0 quite fast. I haven’t timed it but i’m sure the battery life (using all default settings) is quite less than the advertised 14-15 hours.

Excellently small, infinitely expandable
I’ve been very pleased with this small wonder, it is about 1/2 the size of your average portable mp3/video player with an LCD screen, but the OLED screen on the Clip+ is still very readable and easily navigable. I’ve paired my player with a 16GB MicroSDHC card, giving me enough room for my entire mp3 collection in a player the size of a matchbook.

The player itself is very lightweight, but feels very firm gripped in your hand, and the buttons have a very solid feel when pressed. The clip is non-removable, but probably not a breakage concern like the previous Clip.

Some technical observations:

The Clip+ plays back OGG Vorbis tracks completely gapless. It does not play back mp3 files encoded with LAME gapless (but the gap is extremely small).

The off-pitch playback issues of the original Clip (songs used to play at the wrong speed) are fixed in the Clip+.

Battery life is around the advertised 15 hours. It’s not amazing (it trades battery life to have the screen and the slot), but it does last a week of casual listening.

Sound quality is outstanding, better than I ever expected from such an inexpensive player.

FLICKER WARNING: the OLED screen is crisp, but due to how the technology works, the screen must be refreshed like a CRT. Thus, if the refresh rate is too slow, flicker is visible (to those who are sensitive). The refresh rate of the Clip+ screen is very low, and people sensitive to it (including myself) can see flicker.

Thoroughly Impressed
I am very impressed with this device. I needed something small and light so that I could use it while running or biking, and I couldn’t ask for a better product.
Before coming across this, I had purchased the new iPod shuffle, which looks cool and is incredible small, but that is where the pros end for that device. I immediately returned the shuffle when I realized I couldn’t use my Shure 530′s with them (wtf?).
Then I found out about this awesome player. It obviously fits my need for a small, light player, and the fact that it clips easily and securely to a shirt is great. Now, in order for it to earn a five star rating, it needed to do a lot more than just clip to my shirt, and it far exceeded my expectations:
- Sound Quality: I am amazed at how much better this sounds than my iPod classic. The bass reproduction is the most noticeable difference. Hip Hop and electronic music was always lacking in the bass presence with my old iPod, even when paired with some great headphones. There is no issue with this device. The bass does not sound over bloated or artificial in any way, just clear, bold bass as it sounds out of a home theatre or car. Sound Quality is absolutely top notch. Be sure to rip your music using high quality settings, because the difference is definitely noticeable between highly compressed files and larger ones. Lossless files sound amazing.
- Durablility: Can’t speak on this yet. I’ve only had it for a week. But it seems pretty well built. The only issue is the lack of covering for the micro SD slot. This seems to be the weakpoint and I expect problems with reading micro SD cards before the player itself has any problems
- Battery Life: No complaints here. I took it with me out of town last weekend and still haven’t had to charge it. It’s got about 50% charge after many hours of listening. This will definitely suffice for me.
- Ease of use: Nothing major enough here to cause me to rate it less than 5. It’s not as easy to navigate as an ipod, but the value and other considerations make this easy to overlook.

Overall: I really love this product. At only $70, it is a low risk buy that will definitely prove its value in spades. With 32 gb cards on the horizon (c’mon san disk! Hurry up with em!), you can potentially have a 40 gig player the size of a box of matches. This thing is cool.

From the Manufacturer
There’s so much more to love when you play with a SanDisk Sansa Clip+ MP3 player. With eight gigabytes of storage, this tiny player lets you listen to up to 2000 songs in stunning audio quality. It boasts a wide array of outstanding features, including an FM radio, long-life battery, and integrated voice recorder. And with its expandable memory card slot, you can add pre-loaded microSD, slotRadio or slotMusic cards, so you can listen to your favorite music, podcasts and audio books without having to access a computer or wait for downloads.

SanDisk Clip+ MP3 Player At-a-Glance: Easy — Large OLED screen makes it easy to choose songs and playlists. Tiny — Ultra-compact design with integrated clip makes it easy to take everywhere you want to go. Expandable — In addition to the internal storage, a memory slot lets you add a microSD, microSDHC, slotMusic, or slotRadio card for more music options.

An expansion card slot lets you easily add more music. (Blue version shown.) View larger.

The Sansa Clip+ MP3 Player plays MP3, WMA, secure WMA, Audible, Ogg Vorbis, and FLAC music files. View larger.

Tiny MP3 Player with Big Sound
Brought to you by SanDisk, the global leader in flash memory cards, the Sansa Clip+ MP3 player offers distinctively big sound and a wide array of features packed into a tiny, ultra-compact design.

The Sansa Clip+ MP3 player, recipient of an August 2009 CNET Editors’ Choice award, is built to bring your music to life. The player features solid-state flash memory for skip-free playback, making it ideal for working out with, and with MP3 quality for a rich, full-bodied sound. Whether you’re a jazz aficionado or a classic rocker, the Sansa Clip+ MP3 player will ensure that your music comes through loudly and clearly.

The Sansa Clip+ MP3 player supports the most popular audio formats, including MP3, WMA, secure WMA, Audible, Ogg Vorbis, and FLAC.

Expandable Memory Slot for slotMusic and slotRadio Cards
Thanks to the Sansa Clip+ MP3 player’s expandable memory card slot, you don’t have to rely on your computer or the Internet to listen to the music you love. Simply insert a preloaded microSD or microSDHC card, and you’ll be ready to play music, podcasts, or audio books in seconds–with no waiting for downloads and no computer required.

You can also use the memory slot to add slotMusic or slotRadio cards for even more music options. slotMusic and slotRadio cards let you instantly enjoy your favorite music without being dependent on a computer or Internet access.

slotMusic cards include a full album of your favorite artist and have plenty more room to add music from your own music library. Simply choose your favorite artist and slotMusic cards will give it to you straight from the package to your eardrums.

And with select slotRadio cards, you’ll get 1,000 songs‡ preloaded onto a card. Each card features handcrafted playlists and hundreds of artists from top music charts. Whether you want Rock, Hip-hop, Country — there’s a slotRadio card that will get you movin’ and groovin’.

(Note: microSD, microSDHC, slotMusic, and slotRadio cards are sold separately. Visit sandisk.com for details about slotMusic and slotRadio cards.)

The Clip+ comes in three colors. (Click your favorite.)

Just Clip and Go
Everything about the Sansa Clip+ MP3 player is designed with your active lifestyle in mind. About the size of a matchbox, it weighs less than an ounce and features an integrated clip that secures firmly to your clothing for easy, hands-free portability, making it the ideal MP3 player to take on your morning runs or afternoon workouts.

A large, bright, easy-to-read OLED screen and searchable menus make it easy to choose playlists or songs, while the long-life rechargeable battery offers up to 15 hours† of continuous playback.

In addition to all the great digital music features, the Sansa Clip+ MP3 player includes an integrated digital FM tuner with 40 presets for listening to sports, talk radio, or your favorite music stations at the gym. It also has a built-in microphone for recording your latest and greatest thoughts on the go.

The Sansa Clip+ MP3 player is backed by a limited one-year warranty.

What’s in the Box
Sansa Clip+ MP3 player, USB 2.0 transfer cable, earphones, and quick-start guide.

Sansa Clip+ MP3 Player Capacity CAPACITY 8 GB* Up to 2000 songs** Based on 3.5 minute songs 4 GB* (Black, Blue, Red) Up to 1000 songs** Based on 3.5 minute songs 2 GB* Up to 500 songs** Based on 3.5 minute songs * 1 gigabyte (GB) = 1 billion bytes. Some capacity not available for data storage. ** Approximations: results will vary based on file size, resokution, compression, bit rate, content, host device, pre-loaded files and other factors. See www.sandisk.com

† Based on continuous playback at 128kbps MP3; actual life and performance may vary depending upon usage and settings; battery not replaceable.
‡ These slotRadio cards contain songs pre-programmed in music playlists for unlimited playback with slotRadio card compatible devices only. Visit slotRadio.com for slotRadio compatible devices. Much like radio, these songs are played in sequence and cannot be rewound or re-arranged, yet individual songs can be skipped as often as you want. Song and playlist files cannot be copied or viewed (for example on a PC).

NETGEAR WNR2000 Wireless-N Router Description:

Netgear Wireless-N Router

• Brand: Netgear
• Model: WNR2000-100NAS
• Format: CD
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 8.98″ h x 10.24″ w x 2.56″ l, 1.65 pounds
• CPU: PowerPC G4 2.1 GHz
• Memory: 2000MB SDRAM
• Hard Disk: 1GB
• Processors: 1

Features

• Wireless-N router offers significant speed and performance improvements over Wireless-G
• Simple and secure way to share your high-speed Internet connection
• Works with older Wireless-G devices and new Wireless-N devices
• Push ‘N’ Connect features simplifies set-up process; no need to remember complicated security keys or passwords
• Measures 7 x 5.1 x 1.4 inches (HxWxD); one-year warranty

Customer Reviews:

An Experienced, but Unfussy, User’s Initial Opinion
I picked up this router for two reasons: (1) I wanted to upgrade from my Wireless-G to Wireless-N (draft), to make file transfers faster between my computers; (2) I wanted to give whichever router I liked less to my parents, so I could have wifi there when I visit them. My existing router was a Linksys WRT54GS, which had good wireless-G speeds (I couldn’t complain) and excellent uptime, stability, and reliability. It’s main drawback is that the firmware doesn’t have some features I want, such as the ability to set stable IP addresses to my PCs, and it can’t be flashed to Tomato or DD-WRT. When I received the router, I decided to replace it, without using the Windows-based setup wizard (networking equipment shouldn’t requires Windows), and set it up in the manner of an advanced router user.

First Impressions/Hardware Impressions
This router looks very nice. The lines are clean (there is no external antenna). The plastic is shiny. The lights on the front are stylish. The only thing I didn’t like was that the manual said that the unit MUST be used in the vertical position, due to concerns about operating temperature (and probably the internal antenna, too). This is fine and all, but I liked the ability of the Linksys and other routers I’ve owned to be wall-mounted or positioned horizontally. The router is set up thoughtfully, and I like the on/off switch; I’ve never seen one on a router before, and I don’t intend to use it, but it’s nice to be able to turn off a piece of electronic equipment for a change! The packaging was spartan, sensible, and minimal, which I liked.

Initial Setup
The router comes with a CD with a Windows-based setup wizard. As a Mac and Linux user, this made me a bit nervous. Netgear seems to understand this, and helpfully point you toward the help files on the CD-ROM, which in turn point you toward “manual” setup instructions. The instructions were clear, concise, and had clear illustrations. They are minimal, however. They don’t outline the capabilities of the router’s firmware, which I was very curious about.

Firmware
As far as my Internet research told me, open-source, third-party firmware such as DD-WRT is not compatible with this router. I would love to run alternate firmware on my old Linksys router, but the version I have (version 5 of WRT54GS) doesn’t support it. Fortunately for me, this router’s firmware has a lot more functionality. Using the manual setup instructions, I found I could connect to the router using the address [...] instead of its IP address, which I thought was a nice touch. (Routers like this one have a web interface, which lets you adjust all available settings from one of your PCs.) The firmware presents you with a three-pane interface. The right-hand pane is context-sensitive help for each function. The contextual help is pretty useful, actually, for intermediate-to-advanced users. Most home users wouldn’t look at it, I don’t think. Anyway, the first time you connect to the router, it automatically checks for firmware update–a good feature. The best feature of this router, to an advanced user with a home network set up, is IP address reversation: You can force the router to give the same IP address to each of your computers, every time they connect. This is great for home servers, and is so easy to set up on this router, as compared to setting up static IPs on each computer. The router also has Quality of Service (QoS) features, which allow you to shape how much bandwidth is used for internet, voice, instant messaging, video games, and so on. Personally, I don’t use this, but I would have loved it back when I was a VoIP customer. There are, of course, many features that I consider standard, such as DHCP and port forwarding. All in all, I was impressed with the stock firmware and don’t feel a need to replace it.

Speed
Large (1 GB+) file transfers between my wired Linux server and my wireless-N MacBook are faster than with my old wireless-G router. I’m happy. I can’t compare it to other wireless-N routers, though. As for Internet speed, it certainly seems snappy, though it could just be my imagination. I am not sure if it is any faster than my wireless-G router was; if anything, my cable modem is slower than this router can handle, so I didn’t expect much change.

What I Didn’t Test
I’m an advanced user, and don’t mind setting up the wireless network and security myself, through the firmware. Therefore, I didn’t test the WiFi Protected Setup feature. I didn’t test the wireless range because I have a rather small apartment and it isn’t an issue I’m concerned with. I didn’t get Quality of Service because I tend to use the Internet for only one thing at a time. I’ve only had it for a short time, so I cannot comment on stability or robustness.

Remember To
If you buy this router, remember to set a new password for it, set up Wifi security, and change the SSID (the network name) so you can easily identify it!

Verdict
I really like this router’s firmware features, and think that I will hold onto it, and pass my Wireless-G router on to my parents. I’m a little concerned about the stability issues that other reviewers mentioned, so I’m going to dock the router one star for now, and revise my review (if I’m allowed to) in several months or so.

Not the best in performance, but it works for the price.
Everytime I purchase a product, my biggest concern will always be – does it work as advertised? And if it doesn’t, how does the company (including customer support) address the issues? I would advise that before you buy one, to check not only customer reviews but also their feedback in dealing with the company’s customer support area. Of course you cannot please every customer and not everyone has the same technical aptitude in using a product, but reading reviews regarding reliability of the product itself and how the company is addressing it in general is always a great idea.

For the physical look of the product, I’m happy with the direction Netgear is going – a slim, vertical product like a book-end rather than the usual horizontal arrangement where you end up stacking all other components on top of each other. This design is smarter for a product that has no external antenna.

(As comparison, I have been using an Apple AirPort Extreme router also with an internal antenna and I elevate it on higher ground in order to get better coverage across the home. Although I have had no problems with the wireless coverage of the Apple Base Station, I would assume this uses a lot more power to provide a stronger signal).

With Netgear WNR2000, the vertical setup allows a bit more wireless coverage and hopefully less power. Case in point the product has gone green as well and even includes a power switch.

Anyway, the router comes with the power supply, a snap-on stand for that vertical arrangement, an ethernet cable to get you hooked up to your modem, and a CD that contains the Smart Wizard installer for Windows users.

Rather than the usual generic blinking lights, the front display has an etched out graphic from top to bottom indicating that there is power, an internet connection has been established, a wireless connection has been established, a wired ethernet port is connected, and a WPS-capable device is connected.

The back panel has (again from top to bottom) a reset switch, the four ethernet ports (LAN), a ethernet WAN port to connect to the modem, a power button to finally allow you to shut down completely the device, and the power outlet.

It takes minutes to set up and connect especially if you’ve opted to use the Smart Wizard installation CD. Otherwise, from a Mac user perspective it’s easy to get up and running by connecting to the router via your favourite browser (Safari, Firefox, etc). You simply enter the supplied user name and generic password (change the password so no one can hack into your system and change the settings soon enough).

Once inside, the router checks for updated firmware (which I strongly suggest getting the latest) and after an update you can now continue to adjust settings as needed. If you don’t know what settings to use, I would suggest the default first until you know how to enhance performance or fix a problem.

PROS:

1. Easy set up and configuration right out of the box
2. Sleek, simple and elegant design
3. Respectable price to obtain Wireless-N performance
4. No protruding and unsightly plastic antenna sticking out that looks like an old TV box
5. Automatic Firmware upgrade checking
6. Energy Star Partner / Netgear Green product

CONS:

1. 2 internal antennas (versus 8 internal antennas for the RangeMax line)
2. NO GIGABIT wired ethernet connection. For a little bit more, you can get the WNR3500 with greater wireless coverage and faster wired speed (if your computer supports it, of course)
3. Hit and miss quality and longevity per user feedback here and elsewhere
4. Hit and miss customer support including attitude and price for after-sales warranty service
5. Should already be half-price due to the existence of a better Netgear RangeMax product line
6. A wireless printer support via USB port would be nice

BOTTOMLINE:

If you’re only just investing in a Wireless-N router, I would get the RangeMax WNR3500 version for just a little bit more. If you’re shady about reliability and customer service, I would look into Belkin reliability as well. Another more expensive option, I haven’t actually had any problem with my Apple AirPort Extreme even including my patronizing their previous units. Reliability, longevity and customer support is on par with a company that cares as well as protects their product and its image. (Your mileage will of course vary depending on the customer personnel handling your call that day).

For overall reliability and product longevity, I would honestly recommend an Apple Extreme Base Station. However, for a solid PC user who constantly is on the edge of technology and tweaks the performance then a Netgear or Belkin is best.

As for this Netgear WNR2000, if this is within your budget and intend to operate it on a relatively small or wide-open space then I can’t argue with the price.

I would actually give 2 stars for an average feature and performance including a poor and outdated 10/100 ethernet feature as well as no wireless USB printer port. But the neat design, energy-efficiency and nice front-panel markings I bump it up to 3 stars overall.

Good basic wireless router
I tested the Netgear WNR 2000 router on this setup:
iMac G4, system 10.4.11 (wired)
Safari 3.1.2 web browser
DSL broadband
—
iPod Touch, first generation (wireless)
PlayStation 3 (wired & wireless)
Sony Vaio laptop (wired)
Apple iBook laptop (wireless)

Setup:
*Setup and configuration on my iMac was fairly easy, even though the Netgear setup Wizard is not available for Macs. All I had to do was insert the “Start Here” CD-ROM and click on an HTML document. After that, I followed the basic step-by-step setup instructions by accessing the router through a web browser.

*However, a key thing that made setting up the router simple was that I already had my computer configured to use a wired DSL router. Somebody setting up a router and a network for the first time might need more help, especially Mac specific help, than the CD-ROM offers.

Pros:
*The router is quite compact and doesn’t have any external antennas.

*The power adapter is Energy Star certified and has a slim profile. Anybody using a plug strip will appreciate the adapter’s small footprint.

*Each time the router is turned on, it automatically checks for firmware updates.

*All the critical information for running the router is printed on the back panel (MAC address, default login name and password, security PIN). The back panel also has a power on/off button, which is an unusual–and appreciated–feature for a router.

*According to the Shields Up firewall checking website (grc.com), the built-in firewall is set to complete stealth mode by default.

*Most of the instruction screens that are part of the web browser-based configuration function are clearly written and easy to understand.

Cons:
*The Ethernet ports do not support gigabit Ethernet.

*There isn’t any way to change the login name used to configure the router (it is easy to change the password, however).

*It took me some trial-and-error to figure out how to restrict wireless access to the router using MAC addresses. Neither the documentation nor the web browser interface help screens were much help.

*The status lights glow either amber or green. Unfortunately, the amber color can be difficult to distinguish from the green without looking closely at the router.

Operation:
*No problems with the wired connections to my DSL modem, desktop computer, PS3, and obsolete Sony laptop.

*No problems with the wireless connections to my iPod, PS3, and an old iBook. I surfed the Web and used various web applications on the iPod and iBook. On the PS3, I did some downloads from the PlayStation Store and played Resistance 2, Pure, and Burnout Paradise online.

*I live in a densely populated area (both people and WiFi networks) and the router seems to be effective at both avoiding interference and maintaining contact with whatever is connected to it. However, I don’t know how well the router would perform in a multiple story house or apartment.

Bottom line: The Netgear WNR 2000 is a good router for basic WiFi connections. If you are a Mac owner and don’t feel comfortable setting things up without some handholding, you might want to consider an Apple Airport instead. Also, power users who do a lot of video streaming, connect multiple computers to WiFi, require gigabit Ethernet ports, or want an extremely strong signal with maximum range may want to consider Netgear’s RangeMax routers.

——
Update (January 2010): I am now using this router with an i7 iMac running system 10.6.2 without any problems.

Amazon.com Product Description
Amazon.com Product Description The NETGEAR WNR2000 Wireless-N Router, featuring the new 802.11n, or Wireless-N, standard, offers range and performance that is superior to previous generation 802.11g routers. When used with RangeMax Wireless-N adapters and Wireless-N devices, this router will significantly boost the speed and performance of your wireless network. And because it’s backwards compatible with Wireless-G standards, you can continue to use your existing Wireless-G devices.

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The NETGEAR WNR2000 Wireless-N Router: Provides blazing fast Wireless-N networks. Is backwards compatible with older Wireless-G networks. Has push-button connectivity. Automatically configures your router for virtually all ISP connections.

Connecting securely to the network is as easy as pushing a button. View larger.

With four ethernet ports, you can connect with and without wires. View larger.

Easy Set-Up with Push ‘N’ Connect
Setting up and connecting to the WNR2000 couldn’t be easier. The router comes with a Smart Wizard installation CD that vastly simplifies the initial set-up process by automatically detecting and configuring your router for virtually all ISP connections.

Once your network is set up, the router’s “Push ‘N’ Connect” feature takes over. To add a new computer to your network, you simply push a button on the router, and the router connects automatically and securely. This means that the days of having to remember complicated security keys and passwords are over. (This feature requires the use of compatible NETGEAR wireless adapters such as the NETGEAR WN111, WNDA3100, or WG111.)

The router has four Ethernet ports for wired connections. It also automatically checks and upgrades to the latest software, so you’ll always be certain it’s up-to-date and offering optimal performance.

Smart and Green Design
The router has an elegant and clean design, relying on internal antennas that offer maximum range without detracting from its streamlined look. An on/off switch lets you turn off the router when it’s not in use. Energy Star compliant, the WNR2000 is stingy in its power use, and with packaging that’s made of 80-percent recycled materials, it’s as green as it gets.

High-Class Security Keeps Your Info Safe
The WNR2000 Wireless-N Router offers strong, double firewall protection that includes network address translation (NAT) to keep you network hidden from outside users, and stateful packet inspection (SPI) firewall to deny outside requests for personal information.

Other security measures include denial-of-service (DoS) attack prevention, intrusion detection and prevention (IDS), and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA2-PSK, WPA-PSK). The router offers both 64-bit and 128-bit encryption as well as a wireless access control that identifies authorized wireless network devices connected to your network.

For parental peace of mind, there are several options designed to keep your kids safe, including URL content filtering, time-based usage controls, and “trusted user” controls. The router’s remote management controls make it easy to keep your kids online and protected.

NOTE: To achieve maximum speed and performance, NETGEAR recommends the use of the following Wireless-N adapters: RangeMax Wireless-N Laptop Adapter (WN511B), RangeMax Wireless-N PCI Adapter (WN311B), RangeMax Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter (WN111).

The NETGEAR WNR2000 Wireless-N Router measures 7 x 5.1 x 1.4 inches (HxWxD) and comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.

What’s in the Box
Wireless-N router, stand, Ethernet cable, setup CD, power adapter, warranty/support information card.

Hitachi 500GB Travelstar SATA 7200 RPM Laptop Internal Hard Drive HD20500IDK/7K – Retail Description:

Award winning high performance and capacity Travelstar 2.5-inch hard drive is the perfect solution to boost the speed and storage capacity of your computer system

• Brand: Hitachi
• Model: HD20500IDK/7K
• Dimensions: 8.00″ h x 2.25″ w x 2.50″ l, .70 pounds
• Memory: 128000MB DRAM
• Hard Disk: 500GB
• Processors: 1
• Native resolution: 640×480
• Display size: 669.2913385827

Features

• Boost performance and increase the capacity of your laptop
• Advanced power-saving technology helps your laptop last longer between charges
• Proven 4th generation technology for rock solid reliability
• Exceptional protection against bumps and rough handling
• Full replacement, worry-free limited warranty

Customer Reviews:

Awesome
You will not find a better laptop hard drive for your money.

Keep in mind that most (if not all) laptops will require the 2.5″ size. Drives 3.5″ are usually meant for desptops. Factor in that this runs at 7200 rpms and has 500gb capacity it’s currently the best laptop replacement drive out there for the sub $80 price range.

PROs:
(1) The only alternative to Seagate’s 500gb 7200rpm model embarassment (AFAIK). Western Digital does not make a 2.5″ 500gb 7200rpm drive at the time of this review.
(2) Will fit my macbook pro.
(3) Does indeed have 16mb cache (memory buffer) – putting this in here as one reviewer [...] was complaining that this has no cache. It does. Look at the hitachi website product descriptor if you must.

Cons:
(1) Really can’t think of any.

Fastest 2.5″ 500GB Hard Drive Available-80MB/sec Average Speed Across The Volume!
Hitachi HD’s always deliver amazing performance, and this Retail Boxed 2.5″ 7200RPM 500GB SATA II notebook drive does not disappoint! Using HD Tune Pro 3.50 I charted my example from more than 100MB/sec (Actual 108MB/sec) for the highest speed it reads to a low of just less than 50MB/sec, for an average across the volume of 80.5MB/sec. That makes this HD the fastest 2.5″ notebook 7200RPM HD I’ve ever tested, and I’ve tested a bunch of them–all good mind you, but this Hitachi 16mb Cache 7200RPM 500GB SATA II HD is simply the King of the Hill @ 80.5MB/sec average speed across the whole volume…just incredible!

I have uploaded the image of that performance here at Amazon.com so you can see it for yourselves, because it should be seen to be believed, and I’ve done that for all of you to see just how good this HD really is. The seek speed is 17.9MB.sec across the volume, which does *not* beat a Western Digital Scorpio Black 7200RPM 320GB HD, but it has less area to cover in terms of overall size, and it is a good 15-20MB/sec slower overall than the Hitachi is, @ just over 64/MB/sec for its top speed.

The other nice characteristic of Hitachi notebook HD’s is their acoustical noise, or rather a lack of it, and this HD doesn’t disappoint there either, as it’s virtually silent as it goes about it business, reading and writing in my Asus UL30Vt-X1 13.3″ notebook. In fact I cannot hear a thing from the Hitachi HD, it’s that silent, doesn’t make even a whirring noise, just is silent as can be for a HD…so Kudos for Hitachi Global Storage for making this the best 7200RPM 2.5″ HD in the world today.

I can’t stress enough how good this retail boxed HD really is, but with 16GB Cache and a fast 7200RPM speed, it really makes mincemeat out of any reading or writing assignment. And it’s a nice package, the retail box itself, of course! There’s the HD which is mounted inside the box in its special carrier, to prevent damage inside the box during shipping, and it’s also wrapped up in a special “Moisture Proof” Electro-static Bag, which has a big packet of anti-static Silica Gel inside the bag, so Hitachi is taking no chances with the shipment of their precious HD’s.

I always prefer buying a Retail Boxed HD also, because human hands don’t touch them, they are always secure inside of their boxes in their special carrier assemblies, and this box and packaging is no doubt one of the best in that regard. It comes with a Seal across the top tab and flap, so you can be certain that nobody has opened the HD up and tampered with it, changed it, or stolen it! So that’s a good thing too, the Retail Box of this HD itself.

With an average speed of more than 80MB/sec across the volume according to my testing, and a Burst Speed of more than 145 MB/sec, I have never seen a 2.5″ notebook HD perform like this, other than a WD Raptor 10K Enterprise HD, of course…one of those will outperform this HD, but that is about it! And that HD is NOT a 9.5mm form factor so it won’t fit in a notebook anyway.

This is, at this time, the fastest 2.5″ notebook 7200RPM HD in the world bar none, and you can buy it here at Amazon.com in its Retail Box, secure and safe in there away from human tampering and screw-ups, and bad packaging, all of the good reasons to always purchase HD’s in retail boxes if possible, so there you go!

I give the Hitachi 500GB SATA II 7200RPM 16MB Cache HD my solid 5-Stars Endorsement and approval, and recommend it over any and all other choices, Seagate, Western Digital, whatever the other choices are they are no match for this HD. This is the best, Hitachi GST’s premiere 500GB 2.5″ SATA II HD, and you can get it here at Amazon.com for a pittance, and have the best of all worlds: speed, big size, and the security of knowing it’s going to come to you in a Retail Box, not a loose packed HD which can get into all kinds of trouble and problems being shipped–not this one!

Quiet Acoustics, Large Capacity and High data throughput
I primarily purchased the Travelstar(tm) 7K500 due to my concern of the high oscillation level of the OEM supplied 7200 RPM WD 160GB (including the upgraded WD 320GB 7200 RPM drive) in my Dell D Series Latitude. The WD’s are quality products (fast, and reliable data transfer); however, the design of the Latitude D Series lacks any HD carriage dampening (HD mounts directly to the notebook chassis and SATA connector w/o shock/vibration dampers). As an Engineer, I was greatly concerned on the long-term effect of rotational resonance which could result in premature component failure). After reading positive comments on the Hitachi 7200 RPM 500GB drive, my hope was that the Hitachi would mitigate the poor Latitude H/D carriage design. The results after installing the Hitachi are superb. I highly recommend this quality product.

Samsung PN42C450 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV Black Description:

Get a true cinematic experience without going to the cinema with a Samsung plasma HDTV. This Samsung PN42C450, with Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio makes sure every frame is saturated with dense, rich color. Samsung is also ENERGY STAR compliant so you are assured that your 42 -inch plasma HDTV is helping the environment by using less enery while saving you money.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #166 in Consumer Electronics
• Color: Black
• Brand: Samsung
• Model: PN42C450
• Dimensions: 27.40″ h x 40.60″ w x 11.20″ l, 43.00 pounds
• Display size: 42

Features

• An unparalleled Mega Dynamic Contrast ratio brings together the deepest blacks and brightest whites
• Offers crisp, clear Plasma HD action in every frame.
• Get crisp, clear digital-quality sound via advanced SRS technology
• Supports multichannel sound (MTS)and second audio program (SAP) with 181-channel capacity
• Enhances dark areas, sharpens the picture, speeds up the image processing response and enhances the sounds of your games

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic set!
Just received the TV today! It arrived a day early, which was a pleasant surprise. Once I fired it up, I was ecstatic with this set. The quality is amazing for the price, the picture blows away a top of the line 42″ 1080p LCD display that I’ve seen. Deep rich colors, high contrast, fluid motion…there is nothing not to like! Streamed Spartacus off Netflix, and compared to my old little 22″ LCD it really came to life.(Even if the writing is really bad)

It was able to find some basic cable channels in HD, which is awesome, and Modern Warfare 2 looks simply astounding (again, much better than on aforementioned 42″ and 22″ LCDs.)

The sound is decent, it’s actually better than I was expecting. It’s obviously no Home Theatre, but I was impressed. It’s got a few connections which aren’t listed on Amazon…the 3 HDMI, 1 PC, 1 USB, 1 Component, 1 Dual Component/Composite, Audio In 1/8″, Audio Out 1/8″, Optical out, and cable. The menu is very easy to navigate and adjust, and in it you can turn off it’s startup/shut down sound if you find it irritating. It’s kinda soothing though.

One negative I’ve found is that the audio running out isn’t controlled by the televisions volume, I guess that’s pretty standard, but it means my cheap computer speakers aren’t much good. (No remote) Also when installing the base stand it felt like I was about to destroy the thread on the screws that are used…They aren’t easy to get in there!

It’s very elegant, and looks great in my living room. It’s not super bright, which I love (LCD panels hurt my eyes after a while) All in all, for the money it’s a fantastic TV. I was looking for quality, affordability, and style.

Amazing TV
I am truly impressed with this TV. I have been researching LCD and Plasmas for a little while and found this to be the best HDTV for the price. I had a chance to check it out at a local retailer beforehand and compared to other TVs in the store this one completely stood out. Picture was MUCH better than the 1080 models which were more than twice the price. The Sony next to it showed people with grey suits while this one had deep black and vibrant color. The specs (2million:1 contrast, 600hz) blow away anything I could find in this range and the picture is simply fantastic. Plus you can’t beat this price!

I ordered this TV on a Tuesday night, received it on Thursday and the guy brought it to my door(4th floor walkup in NYC). I guess Beach Camera should receive the credit there.

Set it up and the TV was able to find a bunch of HD channels and channels I didn’t have before, so that’s a big plus. I have to say, like the other review, installing the stand was a pain in the ass. I don’t think the screw holes were completely drilled out, but I managed.

Sound is great, no buzzing or anything. It is very sleek and stylish and makes my living room look great. Menu is very easy to navigate and viewing pictures with a card reader or USB is a snap. Just plug it in and you have many options for slideshows with music and other options. PC input also very simple to hook up.

You will not be disappointed. Especially with the free shipping, no tax (for me at least) and the great amazon price, this HDTV cannot be beat!

Nice
This set replaces a 50″ Sony LCD projection HDTV that fell victim to the blue dots of death. It’s hooked up to a Motorola HD DVR set top box through HDMI. It’s been an adjustment going down to 42″ from 50″ but it’s getting easier. The picture on HD channels is excellent and standard def channels look a lot better than they did on the Sony. The set itself is beautiful and looks great in our living room. The sound is good and there’s no buzzing.

The only issues that I have noticed with this TV are the screw holes used for attaching the stand and room brightness. There’s no excuse for the poor job Samsung did with not properly threading the ten holes on the stand. As for the brightness of the room, this TV performs better in darker rooms. We’ve got heavy blinds that block out a lot of light so it’s not that big of a deal for us. If you can’t control the lighting in the room that you plan on using this set in, then you should probably look at another set.

I gave the whole 1080p vs 720p a lot of thought before purchasing this set. I shouldn’t have bothered-it’s just marketing hype, in my opinion. All I can say is that the picture’s better than the one I got on the Sony. And getting it for $539 makes it that much better. Oh, and don’t forget the SquareTrade three year warranty for $47…

From the Manufacturer
(March 2010)
The new PN42C450 PDP flat panel HDTV by Samsung offers great value and features smartly wrapped in an attractive and accented “piano key black” cabinet. Add 600 Hz subfield motion technology, 3 advanced HDMI inputs that feature our Anynet+ (CEC standard) technology making system control of your DVD or Blu-ray Disc player a one-touch operation. New for 2010, all of Samsung’s plasmas feature our new E3-panel single filter design that delivers improved performance, meets the new ENERGY STAR power consumption specifications, and eliminates off-angle blur making the sharpest of details like scrolling text easier to see and read. Experience the performance of Samsung’s new 42-inch plasma HDTV that’s both easy on the wallet and the environment.

Key Features

• Screen Size: 42 inches
• 600 Hz subfield motion: Offers crisp, clear Plasma HD action in every frame.
• E3-panel single filter design delivers improved performance in the areas of color saturation, contrast and energy efficiency.
• Mega Dynamic Contrast ratio: An unparalleled Mega Dynamic Contrast ratio brings together the deepest blacks and brightest whites.
  
• Response time: A fast .001ms response time optomizes fast motion video content.
  
• Built-in digital tuner: no external box needed.
• Exceeds ENERGY STAR Standards: PDP Energy saving, up to 43% less than our similar 2009 Plasma TV in standard mode.
• Clear Image Panel: Samsung’s new single-filter clear panel design eliminates the off-angle reflections that cause picture blurring of images
  and details. Images and text look great straight on or at any angle.
• ConnectShare JPEG: Connect a thumb drive or digital camera quickly and easily. Userfriendly interface allows access to videos, music playlists and pictures via the remote.
• Game Mode: Enhances dark areas, sharpens the picture, speeds up the image processing response and enhances the sounds of your games. Picture and sound quality optimized for the special needs of gaming systems at the touch of a button.
• 10 Watts x 2 audio power stereo broadcast reception: Supports multichannel sound (MTS)and second audio program (SAP) with 181-channel capacity.
• SRS TruSurround HD: Get crisp, clear digital-quality sound via advanced SRS technology.
• Warranty: 1-year parts and 1-year labor warranty (90-days parts and labor for commercial use), with in-home service, backed by Samsung
  toll-free support.
  

Connections

• HDMI: 3
• USB: 1
• PC Input: 1

Dimensions

• TV without stand: 40.6 x 24.8 x 2.7 inches (WxHxD); 38.6 pounds
• TV with stand: 40.6 x 27.7 x 11.2 inches (WxHxD); 43.0 pounds
• What size TV should you get?

Which Size HDTV is Right for My Room?

With standard-definition TVs, the rule used to be that viewers would feel comfortable watching a set from a distance of 3 to 6 times the screen size in inches. With HDTV, the resolution is so much better that you can sit closer to a larger TV without noticing the pixels. So with HDTVs, the rule tends to be you can sit anywhere from 1.5 to 3 times the screen size (in inches) for the best experience. If you know the size of the room you have already, where you want to sit, and where your new HDTV should go once you get it, you can figure out the size HDTV you should get. Minimum size = Viewing distance/3 Maximum size=Viewing distance/1.5

Kensington SlimBlade Notebook Wireless Mouse with Nano Receiver Description:

This is the laser mouse that’s on the move. Pack it up and hit the road. Now there’s a precision laser mouse that travels well and is ready when you are. With a nano receiver that doesn’t need to be unplugged from your notebook and a comfortable thin design, the Kensington SlimBlade(TM) Mouse with Nano Receiver is always ready to work. Lasor sensor gives you precise control over more surfaces and extends battery life. PC and Mac compatible. Up to 6 months of battery life.

• Brand: Kensington
• Model: K72334US
• Platform: Windows
• Format: CD
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 8.10″ h x 2.10″ w x 6.10″ l, .75 pounds

Features

• Plug-and-stay nano receiver is so small you plug it in once, and never have to worry about it again
• Thin profile design fits in your hand as well as your travel bag
• 4-way tilt scroll wheel
• Plug n’ play operation and On/off switch
• Low-battery indicator

Customer Reviews:

Small with great trackability
I’ve been using a few logitech wireless mice and this is my first non-logictech. I’m mostly satisfied.
PROS:
1) slim and fits nicely into a laptop bag.
2) takes AAA batteries, not AA. Many new small mice now take AA, which make them so heavy.
3) lasts 3+ months using rechargable batteries, also has low battery indicator
4) tracks all surfurce well, even shinny surface and uneven surface. My logitech mice don’t do well at all on such surface and I have to use mouse pad for them. I don’t like using mouse pads. This Kensington can go everywhere without a mouse pad. This item makes it 4 star instead of 3.

CONS:
1) the buttons and roller are a little bit harder than logitech. I slightly prefer the logitech’s touch.
2) the ergonomic issue people are complaining is 70% true. If you are used to a fat mouse, this one will feel strange. However, if you like to lay your hand flat, it’ll be comfortable enough. I like using it on my bed or sofa curshion and just relax my hand on it. The relatively hard buttons make it harder to press with your hand laying flat, but it’s still not too bad.

Kensington SlimBlade Notebook Wireless Mouse
I absolutely love this mouse. Can’t get my hands off of it.
Its very small and goes perfectly with my slim laptop.
Even though it is very small, it does not hurt the hard or wrist after awhile like other mice. because it is very flat and almost level with the surface.

Good Mouse. Only One Problem
I bought this mouse from Kensington because I had been using an earlier model mouse of theirs which had a couple of cons but otherwise worked beautifully. If fact I used it for probably 4 years before finally upgrading to this one. I upgraded because this mouse was too was heavy, using two AA batteries and two, because the long USB cable and large receiver(which was about half the size of the mouse). The size of the nano receiver and how light this mouse is are two of the things I love the most.

PROS:
1. Unlike other reviewers I actually like the form factor. It took a little getting used to but I found that it forced me to actually relax my hand rather than requiring more of a grip with other mice(larger form factor also = more weight). I often work long hours and don’t find it to be a problem. With other heavier mice my hand and wrist would eventually become fatigued.
2. No mouse pad required. I just slide it across a smooth IKEA desk which actually requires less overall effort on my part because I am not fighting working against the friction of a mouse pad. It even works on the arm of a leather chair I like to park myself in in my living room.

CONS:
1. The mouse died after about 6 months(similar to another reviewer). I am prone to drop things(this mouse being one of them several times) so I am not sure how much I contributed to its’ demise. I like this mouse enough that I am going to give it one more shot and buy a new one. I have been holding off for the last couple of months but have been missing it so much I don’t want to wait any longer. I will update this review if the new one dies which would definitely be a big disappointment. Otherwise my take on it is that every manufacturer puts out some lemons. Think laptops and Windows ME or Vista.

Unlike other reviewers I don’t find tracking to be a problem. One reviewer noted that the tracking was too fast. That is why there are preferences for a mouse where you can adjust the tracking to a speed that works for you.

From the Cataloger
The laser mouse that’s on the move
Pack it up and hit the road. Now there’s a precision laser mouse that travels well and is ready when you are. With a nano receiver that doesn’t need to be unplugged from your notebook and a comfortable slim design, the Kensington SlimBlade™ Mouse with Nano Receiver is always ready to work.

2.4 GHz reliability
The nano plug and stay receiver works at an interference-free 2.4GHz for reliable control. The Kensington SlimBlade™ Mouse is a premium quality mouse that’s perfect for the traveling executive.
 
What’s inside the box

• Kensington SlimBlade Mouse with Nano Receiver
• 2 AAA batteries
• Warranty information card

Feature and Benefits

• Plug-and-stay nano receiver is so small you plug it in once, and never have to worry about it again
• Laser sensor gives you precise control on more surfaces and extends battery life
• Thin profile design fits in your hand as well as your travel bag
• 4-way tilt scroll wheel
• Laser sensor for tracking on more surfaces
• On/off switch
• Low-battery indicator

Technical Specs

• High precision laser sensor
• 2.4 GHz wireless
• Up to 6 mo. battery life
• PC and Mac compatible
• Plug-n-play

Altec Lansing iMT620 inMotion Classic Portable iPod Dock with Rechargeable Battery and FM Tuner Description:

• Color: Black
• Brand: Altec Lansing
• Model: iMT620
• Dimensions: 6.00″ h x 13.00″ w x 2.50″ l, 2.00 pounds

Features

• Compatibility: iPod mini; iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G; iPod classic 4G, 5G, 5.5G, 6G; iPod touch 1G, 2G; iPhone, iPhone 3G
• Two 3-inch, full-range neodymium drivers and DSP technology for room-filling sound
• Rechargeable battery, handle that doubles as stand, and remote cubby for total portability
• Digital FM radio with 4 station presets; high-contrast LCD for radio or iPod info
• Auxiliary input for connecting external audio devices

Customer Reviews:

Not necessarily an upgrade
I have both the 620 and its predecessor the 600. Let me start with what they both share:

-Sound quality is good. No popping or cracks with iPods or Aux attachments. Radio pickup is very good.
-The range of sound goes from very soft to very loud in good step increments. I was very pleased with the range.
-There are only 4 radio presets on both models
-All the typical navigation controls are there, except for a way to easily “jump to next album/artist”. There is a fast forward, but its use for scanning to next FM station is touchy.
-They work great with the iPod classic, however, both have extreme difficulty with the iPod Touch (2nd Gen 8GB). They wouldn’t always play, and if you switched source and came back, or if the Touch timed out and turned itself off, they weren’t able to pick up playing again. If you try to manually do it with the Touch, it plays from the Touch speaker even though it’s in the dock. The Touch also doesn’t sit well on the dock due to its thin size.
-The cords are both are 6 feet.
-Neither has an AM tuner.

What I like about each compared to the other:

600 – Has the stronger remote. I can use it from 20ft away no problem. The 620′s remote is very spotty even at 6ft range. The remotes, however, are compatible with both units.
620 – Has menu navigation on its remote so it is in theory easy to navigate artists, however you really need to see your iPod screen to do this, which if you’re using the remote you’d think you’d be too far away to see (but since the 620 remote is awful you’re probably right up close trying to get it to work anyway)
620 – Better antenna, it’s got more range of motion, the 600′s just sticks out the side. Can make a big difference for picking up weak stations, but for stronger radio signals no big deal.
600 – Stores the remote better, it slides behind two clasps locking it in place more securely than the 620′s which just slides down. The 600′s storage space is also covered when the unit is closed up, where as you’ll probably lose the 620′s remote if the unit is ever not upright in transit.
600 – Has a taller but less deep footprint than the 620. This is really a tossup unless you have a particular space in mind where yours will live.
600 – Better out-of-use battery life. I charged both units to full and then let them sit for two weeks. The 600 was at 80% and the 620 at about 60%.
620 – Less electrical interference. Having both units side by side, tuned to the same FM station, the 620 was still virtually clear, but the 600 was staticky.

Overall I prefer the 600, the lack of strength in the remote control for the 620 was the single most annoying problem. Plus given the drastically different prices of the two models and their equivalent sound quality and features, it’s hard to justify buying the 620 unless the better electrical interference resistance is something you’ll especially need.

Brilliant re-engineering of an already outstanding product.
When you have a product as strong as the Altec Lansing inMotion iM600 USB-Charging Portable Speaker System with FM Receiver for iPod (Black) you’ll be forgiven, particularly in a niche market such as this, for leaving well enough alone and letting a good thing ride in the marketplace. Instead, Altec Lansing has clearly listened to those who bought the iM600, and re-engineered the product as the iMT620 addressing virtually all the concerns, while also raising the bar where there were few if any complaints.

Right out of the box, in contrast to the 600, the 620 is a sleeker unit. Gone is the high gloss black bezel that looked great but would forever show fingerprints around the buttons. While the 620 weighs in a scant 6 ounces heavier than the 600, it has a lower profile than its predecessor by nearly two inches. Portability is clearly one of the areas of improvement, as the 620 is now supported by its own full-width handle, a feature the 600 lacked, as it was supported on a hinge by the part of the device that served as the dock. Which is to say that when you plugged your iPod or iPhone into the 600, and sat it down on an uneven surface, the iPod could move and bump up against the front face of the 600. The dock in the 620 is set into a fixed recess, meaning once your iPod/iPhone is in place, it’s secure. Another obvious change is the antenna — the 620′s extends nearly a foot higher and is of much sturdier construction, which translates (from my own experience) to much crisper, sharper, and clearer reception from local radio stations.

Much can be said about the audio quality, but subjectivity and a lack of a baseline make it difficult to be precise. As a starting point, I will say that the sound quality (given the small size of the device) is exceptional for both the 600 and the 620. That said, the 620 is audibly superior by a perceptible margin on a number of fronts. Deeper is the base, less tinny is the overall sound, more natural are the vocals. Again, however, it’s important to note that these aren’t slights towards the 600, but rather areas in which the 620 has improved upon what’s already good in the previous model. You’re not going to close your eyes and confuse the audio for something that would come out of a pair of Martin Logan speakers hooked up to a top-end tuner and amp; what you are going to get is sound quality that will very likely exceed your expectations based on the size of the unit. You just don’t expect that depth and range of sound from such a small device. I set the 600 and the 620 side by side, and played different types of music through each in a direct comparison. Andrea Bocelli, Wu-Tang Clan, Nine Inch Nails, The Doors — each (while offering very different ‘needs’ for play-back) performed well on the 600, but on the 620 sounded more ‘natural,’ for lack of a better word.

The remote, a feature largely ignored on my 600, may be one of the best improvements. No longer do you have to use the iPhone/iPod itself to find the song you want, the remote is complete with menu controls, and you can control the music storage device from a distance right on its own screen. Obviously this is a bigger deal for those devices (like the iPhone 3G/3Gs) that have larger screens, but it is highly convenient.

Depending on the volume, the internal lithium battery will hold a full charge for about 5 hours. While it will not charge your iPhone/iPod while running on batteries (this is simply a matter of voltage), you really wouldn’t want it to anyway, as that would dramatically reduce the play life of the device off-power.

I have few complaints, and those that I do have are minor. First, there are little adapters that click into place on the port so that the slim body of an Apple iPod nano 8 GB Black (4th Generation) NEWEST MODEL (for example) will be as properly supported as a full-sized iPhone 3G/3Gs. Once that particular adapter clicks into place, it’s not the easiest or quickest thing to remove. As my wife has a Nano, and I have a 3Gs, and we’ll use each device in the 620 at different times, we’re going to have to figure out the best way to handle that, one that doesn’t involve prying it out with the tip of a knife. Perhaps we’re just over-looking something obvious. Another wish is that you could pre-set radio stations, but that is the weakest of concerns, given how quick and easy I found it to hop back and forth between them.

Wrapping up, the iMT620 has greatly improved upon the iM600. Enough so, that for many it may well be worth the upgrade even if you already own the latter. For those interested in a docking/charging/external speaker/FM radio solution for the iPod/iPhone, I really don’t know that you can do better at present. Light, attractive, convenient, feature-rich, outstanding depth and quality of sound given the size; it really is a nearly-ideal option, and one that I will be enthusiastically recommending to friends and family.

Perfect for your desk, the kitchen counter, bedroom — or take it to a small gathering to rock out or relax with some cool jazz
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2241LSQ65Z714 The iMT620 works perfectly with both my iPhone and my iPod. My video review runs through most of the details — one thing I left out is that if you have your Bluetooth earpiece handy, it automatically pauses during a song and allows you to take the call. When you hang-up, the music kicks back in. A very nice feature!

From the Manufacturer
The Altec Lansing iMT620 inMotion Classic is a “Works with iPhone” and “Made for iPod” certified portable stereo system that includes a digital FM radio. Altec Lansing created the first portable iPod speaker and continues to push the standard with the iMT620, with special attention given to its portability, audio performance, and iPhone compatibility.

The iMT620 inMotion Classic Offers: iPhone and iPod compatibility Lightweight and compact size for travel Rechargeable battery Powerful, crystal-clear sound FM radio tuner Full-featured remote control

The iMT620 inMotion Classic is “Works with iPhone” certified and includes a full-navigation remote that lets you browse your iPhone’s playlist. View larger.

A high-contrast LCD lets you view your song details from afar. View larger.

Innovative handle gives you the portability you need and doubles as a kickstand. View larger.

A New Standard in Portable Audio
The versatile iMT620 is designed for extreme portability, letting you take your music anywhere. Compact and lightweight, the iMT620 folds to the size of a small, flat book to pack away.

The innovative handle is more than just a handle and serves three important roles: to swing up for grab-and-go transport, to swing back as a stand to securely kickback the speaker system, and to swing under in a “stowed” position. This stowed position electronically prohibits the system from turning ON and draining the on-board rechargeable Lithium-ion battery.

Satisfying Stereo Sound
Naturally, you’ll want to bring your tunes on the road only if they sound good. The iMT620 delivers. It features Altec Lansing’s Audio Alignment™ craftsmanship that precisely balances the key audio components — the drivers, the enclosure and the electronics. This sonic balance is especially important for great audio in a compact system.

Expanded Sound Stage technology enhances the stereo listening experience by widening the sound field at the touch of a button. Custom-built, dual three-inch neodymium drivers throw out rich, crystal-clear audio with the quality that Altec Lansing fans have come to expect.

Digital FM Tuner
The iMT620′s digital FM radio tuner provides another entertainment source. The beauty of the FM radio is that it makes the iMT620 a valuable audio asset at all times, even when your iPhone or iPod is not handy. The four FM station presets let you keep your favorite radio stations ready to play.

iPhone Compatible
The “Works with iPhone” certification means that the iMT620 is engineered to be immune from GSM signals, therefore preventing the speakers from picking up that pesky interference buzz from the iPhone or other mobile devices. The music pauses and resumes play before and after taking a voice call without ever switching the iPhone to airplane mode. This lets you experience pure audio, and nothing more!

Full-navigation Remote Control
The iMT620 offers the most full-featured remote control in its class. In addition to the standard controls, the remote provides full menu navigation for your iPhone or iPod, allowing you to browse artists, songs and playlists directly from the remote. The high-contrast LCD display on the iMT620 always tells you the song details from afar.

The iMT620 is covered by a one-year limited warranty.

What’s in the Box
Altec Lansing iMT620 inMotion Classic stereo speaker system, remote control, AC power adapter, Apple universal well inserts, and quick connect instructions.

What Critics Are Saying About the Altec Lansing iMT620 inMotion Classic:

“[...]the audio is nicely balanced and clear and doesn’t disappoint compared to Altec’s previous inMotion models. It’s ideal for a cubicle or home office, bedroom, kitchen, or garage–its lightness, portability, and small footprint make it a versatile player.” –Aric Annear, End User

Sirius SUBX2 Speaker Dock Audio System for Dock and Play Radios Product: Sirius SUBX2 Speaker Dock Audio System for Dock and Play Radios Lowest Price! List Price: $129.99 Amazon Price: $75.70 Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price Add to cart to see low price@ Availability: In Stock Usually ships in 24 Hours Free Shipping Available

Compare Prices on Sirius SUBX2 Speaker Dock Audio System for Dock and Play Radios

New! Sirius Speaker Dock Audio System for Dock & Play Radios

• Brand: Sirius Satellite Radio
• Model: SUBX2
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 8.00″ h x 6.00″ w x 14.00″ l, 11.00 pounds

Features

• SUBX2 compatible with SP5, ST5/4/3, SV5/4/3 (not compatible with SP4/3)

Sirius SUBX2 boom box
Bought this item to go with a Sirius Sportster 5. Easy to use. Sound is good. I have used it in the car while traveling as well as inside my house. Works well as long as the antenna is positioned near a window or on the dash. (Antenna cable has plenty of length.) This product has met my expectations/needs.

Love it
The price was better on Amazon. I bought for my Sirus so that I would be able to get maximum use of my subscription. Great sound, great reception, couldn’t be easier to use.

Great Accessory
Apart from the limitations inherent in satellite radio (signal strength and antenna placement) this is a good little boom box. Easily portable, light in weight, and visually not too clunky looking. The sound is very good. I’ve not tried it with batteries yet, so I can’t speak to the duration of operation on batteries alone. Ideally, the box would have a longer power cord. In all, a good addition to my home electronics.

Sony MDR-V6 Monitor Series Headphones with CCAW Voice Coil Product: Buy Sony MDR-V6 Monitor Series Headphones with CCAW Voice Coil At Amazon! List Price: $109.99 Amazon Price: $69.99 Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price Add to cart to see low price@ Availability: In Stock Usually ships in 24 Hours Free Shipping Available

Compare Prices on Sony MDR-V6 Monitor Series Headphones with CCAW Voice Coil

Step up to a higher level of quality sound. The MDRV6 headphones boost a 40 MM Diameter Driver for Deep, Accurate Bass, a flexible folding design for easy portability and a very comfortable fit. PRODUCT FEATURES: 40 MM Diameter Driver for Deep, Accurate Bass; Circum-Aural Design Reduces Outside Noise; Folding Design for Easy Portability; Oxygen-Free Copper Litz Cord for Low Noise; Stereo UniMatch Plug for Indoor and Outdoor Use; Wide, Padded Headband for Long-Lasting Comfort.

• Brand: Sony
• Model: MDRV6
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 3.50″ h x 6.50″ w x 8.70″ l, 1.20 pounds

Features

• A headset system designed for audio professionals
• 40 mm drivers deliver accurate sound throughout the frequency range
• Circum-aural design keeps ears comfortable
• Reduces noise from the outside world
• Copper-Clad Aluminum Wire (CCAW) Voice Coil enhances movement of PET diaphragm

Owner since 1992
I bought these headphones in 1992, and unlike most of the rest of the stuff I squandered my money on back then, these were and continue to be the real deal.

My earpads have flaked off their coating like everyone else. But no need to buy new phones, you can order the earpads from sony.com or some specialty audio stores:

MDR-V6/MDR-7506 Ear Pad
PART: X-2113-124-1
PRICE: $6.00 (US)

A Classic
I can’t recall how long I’ve owned my MDR-V6 phones, but it’s easily been ten years. The sound is excellent, virtually uncolored, and unlike other top of the line headphones like Sennheiser’s (which are VERY nice and well over $150.00) these sound as good used with a portable CD player as with a well powered home system.

It was time to replace them since the cord is finally shorting too much to ignore any longer and my ears are always covered with black stuff and foam from the disintergrating earcups. I asked around and a colleague who is the audio technician on a popular TV show told me without hesitation, these are the ones to buy. It’s what he uses on the set and at home. I’m glad Sony still makes ‘em. Maybe I should buy another pair for ten years down the road…

My favorite headphones
The Sony MDR-V6s were the first really good headphones I owned. After about 15 years of use, the foam padding was a bit run down. After doing the exhaustive search for the best headphones, I bought a pair of Sennheiser HD580s (I also own Etymotic ER-4Ps). Comparing the HD580 to my MDR-V6s, I would say that the MDR-V6s are better for two reasons. 1. The MDR-V6s are more comfortable to wear for long periods of time, and 2. The MDR-V6s have a telephone-like cord, which is easier to deal with than the straight HD580 cord. The sound quality was very good on both headphones, and about equal. I ended up buying new foam pads for my 15-year-old MDR-V6s, which made them feel like brand new headphones. I also bought a second pair of MDR-V6s, and shelved the HD580s for now.

Do not buy the MDR-600s by mistake. I have never used them, but I have read numerous reviews that state that the MDR-600s are inferior to the MDR-V6s. You can still buy the MDR-V6s, but they are harder to find. I bought mine at millionbuy because Amazon did not have them in stock. For some reason, the MDR-V6 product name at Amazon magically changed to MDR-600, even though it is an entirely different product. I am not sure why this happened.

The audioreview Web site has a great collection of headphone reviews.

Western Digital My Book World Edition 1 TB Network Attached Storage WDH1NC10000N White Description:

Simplified set up and best-in-class performance make My Bookq World Edition Home Network Storage the easy choice for centralizing data and backing up your home computers. Connect the drive to your network router and you¿re up and running in minutes. Use the included back up software to protect your family¿s PCs with automatic and continuous backup plans. Store all your digital media in one central location so everyone in the family can have access to it. Compatible with both Mac and Windows files.

• Size: 1 TB
• Color: White
• Brand: Western Digital
• Model: WDH1NC10000N
• Dimensions: 6.81″ h x 2.28″ w x 5.78″ l, 2.41 pounds
• Hard Disk: 1TB

Features

• Automatic and continuous backup for all the computers on your network
• Centralize all your family’s digital content
• Best-in-class performance cutting-edge technologies to deliver high performance read and write speeds ideal for the most demanding users.
• Built-in media server for streaming music, photos and movies to any DLNA certified multimedia device
• iTunes server support Centralize your music collection and stream to a Mac or Windows PC using iTunes software

Customer Reviews:

As good as it can be
When I saw this, I got pretty excited because I’d been looking for these features and they all came together in one drive.

Setup: The setup was easy and quick. Not a lengthy user manual but enough to get you going and more info on the disc. It asks for a driver update when introduced to new machines but I haven’t seen a need for it after connecting through Windows Network (although it works with Macs as well, not just Windows). I haven’t done much with the remote access but it looks easy to use so far.

Capabilities: It does everything I needed (i.e. let me get to my music, movies and pictures in one place). I watch a lot of downloaded movies on my Xbox 360 so it’s nice to be able to put them on the big screen in the living room or open one from a laptop in bed without having to move the file or drive or have it take up space on both machines.

One of the big pluses beyond having your music/ movies available from any computer in the house is that you also improve your computers by freeing up that space – especially with desktops. I used to have gigabytes full of music on my desktop and laptop but now I have a lot more free space on my desktop so I don’t need a new internal drive for that to keep it fresh.

Performance: It runs on ethernet and wifi so be careful with reviews on speed. USB connections run about the same on every machine but networking depends on your computer, your wifi standard and your router. If you have a fast machine, a good router and preferably N-WiFi, you’ll get good speed. Of course, ethernet connection is really fast but I use wireless N and it’s not quite the same but it gets the job done. Speed is only an issue for large file transfer but not actual usage. I haven’t seen any hiccups streaming and watching movies (~700MB each) or listening to music.

Price: Some of my friends have NAS systems that house up to 8TB and run about $1,000+ but I’m not there yet. This one is great for the money – especially considering the price of a 1TB alone and the additional features.

Improvements: I wish file transfers were a little faster – I know that that depends on my router and computer as much as the drive, but you can’t blame a guy for wanting a little more!

The write up covers a lot of the specs and details on what it can/can’t do. This is just my view of the product. Hope it helps!

Easy to Set Up & Painless Backup in Background
Just plug in this drive to the power outlet and your router and it shows up as network drive on all the network computers and even in iTunes. On Windows it shows 3 folders: Public, Download & Configuration and on Mac the only first two. I have not been able to create custom folders yet and may have to dig the manual on how to do that. So far, I have also not been able to figure out how to secure the back up data.

The backup software worked well on Mac. It automatically backs up in the background like Time Machine. But this drive does not work with Time Machine itself on Mac. Apple technical support informed me that Time Machine works with USB drives and the only network drive Time machine works with is Time Capsule!

On Windows, the software is so painfully slow that I gave up and have not been able to test it yet. Neither have I tested the remote access through Mionet. The hard drive goes to sleep if it is not used for a while and disconnects from the network. Then you have to turn it off and on again to connect to the network.

You can also attach a USB drive to MyBook drive’s USB port to extend storage. But this drive itself does not work as a USB drive. Overall, it works well as Network Attached Storage.

UPDATE 5/16/2009: I downloaded the latest version of WD Anywhere Bckup for Windows and it is much faster and works really well. But you cannot customize backup. You can specify what files you want to back up, like Word document, Excel spreadsheet etc. but it won’t let you backup custom folders that are not part of My Documents.

6/14/2009: I have still not been able to secure the data, create custom folders or customize the backup and if anyone knows how to do that, I will appreciate your comments. But I have tried remote access on Mionet and it works. Again, you cannot selectively provide remote access to specific folders. Basic Mionet access is included with the drive, but Mionet keeps on annoyingly nagging you to pay for premium access.

Suprisingly versatile
I bought this expecting just a simple, no-frills NAS device, but WDC really packed a lot of functionality into this thing. You can access your files via HTTP, FTP, CIFS (Windows shares), or SFTP, it comes with media server software (“TwonkyMedia”) built in, and best of all, it gives you full access via SSH to the Linux-based OS running under the hood. The amount of tinkering potential this little thing has is a power user’s dream.

From the Manufacturer