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Archive for November, 2008

The Samsung PN50A550 50 inch TV is one of Samsung’s bestselling plasma televisions. Besides the excellent image and sound quality, the PN50A550 has some cool design features as well. There is a nice flat pedestal with swivel capability and hidden speakers. If you are looking for a great hdtv for watching movies, playing games or showing digital pictures, this just may be the one your were after. Of course, you’ll have a better idea of the features and capabitlities after you watch the informative review of the Samsung PN50A550 50″ below.

Samsung PN50A550 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Review

When choosing an HDTV there are quite a few things to consider before buying. Some of the biggest things to look at are image quality, and cost. The Samsung PN50A550 scores well in both areas. It is also important to look at the brand and its history. Samsung has been a very respect TV maker for many years and is one of the best in my opinion, so that definitely gives more to this television.

First is image quality. All TVs have a maximum resolution that they can display, this particular TV can display 1080p resolution, or full HD. There is no higher resolution available from any TV right now so obviously this is the best the market has to offer. Not only is this HDTV capable of the highest resolution available, but it also has some of the most accurate colors of any HDTV.

Samsung PN50A550 50 Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

Some other important things to include are all the additional features included with a TV. This particular TV includes multiple input types, making it easy to connect anything you want to your TV. This TV has 2 full sets of component inputs, which are great for video game systems or DVD players. It also includes 3HDMI inputs which are also great for DVD players, cable boxes, and other accessories. There are also quite a few standard connectors present on this, and all TVs.

One of the biggest downfalls of this TV is the screen reflectivity. Although Samsung says this TV includes their “Filter Bright Anti Reflective Technology” it still has quite a bit of screen glare. Obviously there are times when this can be a really big downfall, while at other times it might not even be noticeable. As well as glare issues this TV has trouble with providing full, deep dark colors. This TV does have a high contrast ratio, making the dark colors better than most other plasma TVs, but it is far from the best.

Perhaps the biggest thing to consider with this TV is that it is a plasma HDTV rather than an LCD. Plasma TVs are slightly older technology, though they do still provide some of the best image quality of all TVs. Because it is a plasma screen it does have many advantages, such as better viewing angles and more color depth, though it also has disadvantages like possibly shorter lifespan and more power usage.

Overall the Samsung PN50A550 is a great television, so it all just comes down to price. This TV usually sells around $1,700-$2,100 making it competitive in prices for both LCD and Plasma screens of the same size. Obviously each TV will have its own set of good and bad features, and it is important to look at all aspects before buying. Taking all aspects of this TV into perspective the price is very good for what it offers and I would give this TV a 8/10 based on performance and price. If it wasn’t for the glare issues this TV would be almost perfect, and for the price, you just can’t beat this TV. The author is a regular contributor to Best Plasma TV.

Watch Product Reviews did a survey of prices for the Samsung PN50A550. This plasma HDTV ws priced between $1399.99 and $3000. We did find one location that was more than $200 below the lowest price. Where was it? It should come as no surpirse that the best deal was at Amazon.

Acess the best deal on the Samsung PN50A550 50 Inche 1080p Plasma HDTV.


The HP 2133 HR922UT mini notebook has received excellent ratings and is a best selling computer that ranks in the top ten. The 2133 features an 8.9-inch scratch-resistant display and weighs only 2.8 pounds. It includes 512 MB of installed RAM (2 GB maximum), 54g Wi-Fi connectivity (802.11b/g), lightning quick Gigabit Ethernet, VGA webcam built into the screen’s bezel for video chats, and up to 2.25 hours of battery life.

Due to its size, the keyboard on the HP2133 is only 92% of regular size. It takes a little time to get used to but many user hardly notice the difference. This is an excellent second (or third) computer to be used when you are on the go. The hard drive is small with only 4GB of flash memory. You can choose a larger hard drive.

Excellent HP 2133 Review by Linux Journal

HP 2133 Mini-Note – Small Is Big

HP has managed to enter the netbook market with their HP 2133 mini-note model. It has the potential to be one of the most successful mini laptops on the market, with an 8.9″ screen and 1280×768 resolution, massive keyboard (92% of the size of a standard notebook), wifi and bluetooth and finished in brushed aluminium, it is a recipe for a serious contender to already established netbooks, selling for slightly more than the leading Asus Eee PC 901 at around £350.

Unlike other models which seem somewhat “toy-like” in comparison, the 2133 is designed for durability with an attractive brushed aluminium top and magnesium alloy chassis. A scratch resistant screen ‘using an innovative treatment on the top surface of the notebook’s LCD display’ further boosts robustness, although it has been know for people to find this “treatment” too reflective, particularly outdoors which leads to poor overall viewing quality.

The reinforced frame does take the overall size and weight notably higher than other similar sized netbooks, to 1.27kg compared with 0.99kg for the Acer Aspire One and Asus Eee PC 900, and 1.1 kg for the newer Asus Eee PC 901 – these are however tiny differences.
You can find the 2133 mini-note with a SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop, Windows Vista and XP, although most models available are the Linux and Vista Business edition.

A welcome bonus with the bigger mini-note is the large interface. HP states that the keyboard is “92% full size” which is a far cry from competing models. The touchpad is reasonable, and in an effort to optimize space, the mouse buttons are located on the sides; similar to the Acer Aspire One. I found this somewhat clumsy, but considering the trade off for the larger keyboard, it does seem to be a better model out, especially for typing.

It does however have hopeless CPU performance and battery life (for the 3-cell version, as little as one and a half hours!) which really undermines the superb features on the model. The HP 2133 mini-note has a ridiculous boot-up time, as long as one and a half minutes (as apposed to 20 seconds boot-up from cold on the Eee PC 901).

There is also the question of whether you could “upgrade” to a 10 inch mini laptop given the overall bulkiness of the mini-note compared with other 8.9 inchers. The marginally bigger Asus Eee PC 1000 could be more productive. Yes, it’s slightly larger in all dimensions, but it has the added benefit of 8 hours battery life and vastly improved performance. Equally, the MSI Wind, another 10 incher could also be considered.

In conclusion, there are many nice features of the HP 2133 mini-note, the keyboard, the smarter look and feel, high resolution screen and good connectivity. Still, the poor performance and battery life will forever hinder the user. In general, the mini-note is good buy if you’re not running demanding programs (for example, word processing in which case the large keyboard will lend itself handy) but otherwise, the Acer or Asus is the way to go.

But all is not lost! HP is launching an updated mini laptop trio, under the HP mini 1000 brand. Promising improved performance from an Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor, both 8.9 and 10.2 inch screens and testing the MacBook Air at less than an inch thick, weighing nearer 1 kilo. There’s little news on improved battery life, but I suspect some enhancements will appear when it comes out in the UK in January 2009. But it’s already in the States retailing at $399, and has its own mini site

Ed Fry owns http://www.mini-laptops-and-notebooks.com/index.html – The dedicated website to mini laptops and notebooks

After carefully researching prices on the HR922UT model at over a dozen electronics stores, we found the best price at Amazon.com. Visit Amazon for the best deal on the HP 2133.


27
Nov

Garmin 60CSX GPS Review

Posted by William in GPS Reviews

The Garmin 60CSX handheld GPS navigation system has become popular among motorcycle enthusiasts, hunters, hikers, backpackers, campers and many others. Customers have given the 60 CSX excellent ratings and reviews. The information below will give you an idea of the style and features of this handheld Garmin.

Choosing Maps and Adding Routes in the 60CSX

Best Handheld GPS Units for Geocaching Part 1 – Garmin Gmaps 60CSX

Do you want to know that you have a GPS you can be certain will lead you to different caches, under different conditions, … and then home again? A GPS you can set and forget? A GPS you are confident will keep you and your co-hunting friends and family safe?

If so, Garmin Gmaps 60CSx is an important GPS to consider for geocaching.

Why?

Because it does all this:

  • It is phenomenally sensitive and remains locked unto satellite signals even under tree cover, even under cloud cover.
  • It is super accurate. Full stop.
  • It has a map screen so you can easily see where you are relative to everything else.
  • You can read the screen clearly in bright sunlight.
  • It’s small.
  • It’s light.
  • It can take being bounced around – which it will be, of course.
  • It’s waterproof.
  • You can programme in up to 20 routes.
  • You can save up to 1000 waypoints (reference points to keep you on track)
  • You can save your track unto the memory card. Keep it secure, even if you switch off.
  • Afterwards you can download the data and analyse your hunt – to share your glory with all and sundry, or improve your game.
  • It’s batteries last a long time.
  • It’s ultra easy to use.

How to Set Up the 60CSX in Car for Navigation

So your Garmin Gmaps 60CSx makes it possible for you to simply load up your cache positions for the day, and head off for a day of fun and games. Easy as pie.

That’s why Garmin Gmaps 60CSx could be one of the best handheld GPS units for geocaching.

For a quick and extremely easy way to assess other GPS and decide for yourself which are the best handheld GPS units for geocaching, just go to http://www.squidoo.com/BestGeocachingGPS

Garmin 60CSX GPS Review by a Motorcycle Enthusiast

The GPSMAP 60CSx is a refreshing upgrade of the GPSMAP 60CS, one of the most popular Garmin’s models for outdoor and marine use. This unit features a removable microSD card for detailed mapping memory and a waterproof, rugged housing. The microSD card slot is located inside the waterproof battery compartment. Users can load map data and transfer routes and waypoints through the unit’s fast USB connection.In addition, this unit features a new, highly sensitive GPS receiver that acquires satellites faster and lets users track their location in challenging conditions, such as heavy foliage or deep canyons. The GPSMAP 60CSx also incorporates a barometric altimeter for extremely accurate elevation data and an electronic compass that displays an accurate heading while standing still.Considered the mainstay among serious outdoor enthusiasts, the GPSMAP 60CSx offers a large color TFT display and turn-by-turn routing capability. The unit comes with a blank 64 MB microSD card.

We compared the major electronics stores and found that Amazon.com offers the best price on this handheld GPS. Get your Garmin 60CSX today.