The first thing to be noticed of this camera is its very convenient size, in spite of being able to hold AA batteries in it. This makes it easy to handle and carry around and also doesn’t pose a problem with the batteries while on the go, as they can be replaced anytime. Also, the size of the display screen is large, which makes it easy to view the pictures taken. The 12 mega pixel capacity gives the pictures great clarity and comparable to those taken by a professional camera. One feature that most of the other cameras of this class don’t have is the optical viewfinder. But this camera has it in addition to the display screen and makes it very convenient for the user. It also has the video recording option in it with satisfactory exposure and speed. The camera also comes in various colors which makes it even more attractive.

The camera has a motion stabilizer, and this makes it easy to focus on the object and take a clear picture. There is one special feature in this camera called the pets and kids option of taking pictures. As both are very unstable, the device takes maximum care in stabilizing them while shooting. The automatic settings that come with the camera are very good and suitable to take pictures almost anytime and anywhere without changing the mode. The software that comes with the device is also very friendly, just like the camera itself. There are also options of tagging the pictures and using a touch-up feature on the pictures using this software, apart from a slide show application it offers.

Canon has always been a leading manufacturer of very good cameras and this piece is no exception. But a major drawback of this device is its battery usage. The camera makes use of batteries really fast and is very disappointing. The shutter lag and the lag between pictures is very slow and that makes it very inconvenient to shoot moving objects. The ISO of the camera is not changeable and it sometimes repeatedly shuts itself off. The auto focus sometimes does not focus on the intended object and that brings a kind of a blur to the picture. The battery and memory card compartment is not of good quality and sometimes doesn’t open up too.

The Canon PowerShot A1100IS is a very satisfactory camera as far as the functionality is concerned for non-professional photographers. It basically does what it is made for. There are a few cons, though, but keeping in view the price it asks for, it is a good, recommended product.

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Firstly, the basic functionality expected from the device has been improvised greatly. The sync time to the satellite is now pretty reasonable with a minute or so. The GPS performance is found to be good even in the woods and few other areas where reception usually poses a problem. The tracking is much better than the previous model, and more importantly it is consistent. The distance measuring and lap average pace calculation is very satisfactory in it. The heart rate monitor of this model comes with a new sensor that’s more comfortable and flexible. The date offered by this monitor is also more reliable. Unlike the previous model, the heart rate strap is flexible rubber on either side of the face and is very comfortable and well designed.

The display quality is really good and has one appealing feature. The data presented on various pages can be user customized. There are a number of data fields, say forty or so, from which the user can choose to be on the display screen. Heart rate, distance, current pace, average run pace and average lap pace are a few of them. Also, there are three different screens the user can toggle between while using the device and choose to display different information on each of them. The workout data can then be uploaded to the computer from the device so that the user can keep track of his/her performance. The PC software that comes with the device too is very user friendly and very transparent.

Though there are very few drawbacks to this device, it is important to know what they are, so that it becomes easy for the customer to decide how important they are in deciding whether to go for the device or not. Firstly, there have been reports of a few cases of erroneous point-in-time (instantaneous) pace measurement. The customers say that the data varies significantly during a run. The battery life of the product is not satisfactory, which is close to around two and a half hours and there are a few pages on the display where the battery life indicator does not show. The device is not waterproof too, which makes it vulnerable o weather conditions. It is not very convenient while biking as a bike mount is not included.

The bottom line is that the Garmin Forerunner 305 is very much improved from its earlier version and is a must have for workout freaks interested in keeping track of their performance accurately.

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The Apple iPod Nano (5th generation) is the latest in the market ready to offer loads of entertainment as apple has always been doing. It is small, light and packed with new features. This particular product has the capability to raise the bar, while setting standards. This device has a larger screen and makes video watching a pleasure. Also the screen is crisp and clear with awesome clarity. The latest nano is so light and compact that the user can tuck it in any pocket or clip it to the belt or wristband. One more noticeable feature is that the unit has a tiny speaker in it. Audio, video and recording can be audible to a small group.

The best thing about the nano is that it has a radio, a video camera and a pedometer. It also has the digital recording feature with a satisfactory microphone. To listen to the radio, the user needs to have the earphones as the signal receiver is embedded in it. There is the option of live pause on the radio which makes it even more convenient. It is also possible to tag songs on this ipod and there is an application that displays the title and the artist of the track before playing. The video camera quality is very satisfactory and also includes options for shooting like cyborg, security cam, sepia, etc. Syncing is never a problem with the device as all files can be downloaded from the itunes library without any difficulty.

The first downside of the device is that a charger is not included in the price. All that is given is a USB cable that can be connected to the computer to charge the ipod, which makes it inconvenient to charge while traveling. A charger is available, though, if purchased separately. The radio channel selection is also difficult as the user has to go through the pain of scrolling through all the channels in order to select one. It would have been better if there was an auto scan option. The video camera can be used only to take videos without the option of zoom and it does not take pictures. Also, the headphone jack is at the bottom of the device while most of the users prefer it on the top.

In summary, Apple iPod Nano is not at all a revolutionary product when compared to the earlier versions. But still it’s a nice gadget, slim, stylish, light and compact at a fairly reasonable price.

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One of the many appealing features of this product is the text-to-speech feature which allows the unit to speak aloud the name of the street one is turning on to, along with the distance and direction, which can be very useful in urban areas. The ease of use of this product of great importance, as there is no need for a person to read the manual to operate it (even for a person who hates to operate electronics). The Garmin website allows the user to download new voices for the text-to-speech feature and also update it with new maps and firmware and this website too, is very user friendly. It has the auto up-scale feature in it, i.e if the map is set to a fairly small scale to see a large portion of the route, the unit automatically scales the map larger to give more detail of a turn, as the user approaches it.

There is an SD card slot that can be inserted in the Nuvi, which can be used to add new maps and keep it updated. The 4.3 inch wide screen has amazing clarity and does not lose its clarity when the user uses Polaroid sunglasses. There’s the detour option in this GPS that comes very handy when the user needs alternative routes and avoid certain points in the route, if he/she is aware before hand that there is a construction going on in that particular route or something else. In case the user misses a turn and goes in the wrong direction, it automatically recalculates the new route that has to be followed within seconds.

The battery life is as promised by the company. It can go for 2 hours straight without losing a single green bar. Moreover, the battery life can be extended by lowering the brightness level o the minimum acceptable. The size is one more feature in favor of the product. Its sleek design allows portability and therefore is easy to carry even in ones pocket. The Points Of Interest (POI) available in this gadget are plenty and the ease of access of these points is also very good.

The satellite acquisition is not up to the mark in the Nuvi. It may not receive signals to recognize the current location when the unit is switched on in a few cases, and sometimes may lose signal in the middle of a journey. There are a few locations that are not recognized by the system too and this is considered a major drawback for the product. The documentation is another letdown for the Garmin Nuvi 260W. Apart from the quick start manual, there is no additional information, even on the Garmin website, on how to use the device to get additional features to work.

These drawbacks are very minute and not true always when compared to what the gadget has to offer on the whole. So it is a highly reliable and recommended product.

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The upgrade of the Ultra model over the Mino is that it is added with an HMDI output. It has a larger screen when compared to the Mino, which is attributed to the overall increase in the size of the camcorder. Though it is larger than the Mino, it is not bulky, but is pocket able and is of a comfortable size. The battery life too is longer than the earlier model and other camcorders in this price range. The camera controls are very easy and basic to operate. Any commoner could use it without any difficulty. The colors on the screen of the Ultra are more vibrant, which is an added advantage. The camcorder comes with a rechargeable AA battery pack, but it is also possible to us regular AA batteries. This makes it a really convenient device as the batteries can be replaced if they are completely discharged on a tour and if extra batteries are available. There is no need of a USB cable for this camcorder. There is a latch to slide on the left that makes the USB connection pop up.

The sound quality on the Ultra is also very much pleasing along with the video. The ease of sharing the videos shot on this camera is very appreciable, as the software that comes with the device makes it easy to email videos to anyone and everyone, or to upload it to a website. It has an extra 4 GB of memory when compared to the Mino too. The video recording limit is 120 minutes, which is more than enough for a non-professional. It’s the best buy for recording videos at parties and family gatherings.

The zoom available in this camcorder is only 2X. So it is not considered an ideal product for filming very far objects or concerts. It is ideal only for shooting in daylight and okay for indoor shooting if there is adequate lighting. But the video gets grainy in low/dim light. The other downside of the device is that it has to be held steadily in order to shoot clearly. A slight shake can make the video a bad quality one. There are also a few complaints that the battery doesn’t get charged fully and shows a message that the battery is heated and hence charging has been paused. There is also a poor response from the customer care when enquired about this problem. Maybe the manufacturers need to concentrate more on these areas, in order to make it more pleasing.

The Flip Ultra is a very attractive product for what the customer actually pays for it. It is basically a non-professional and easy to use camera. The best product for users who need what it exactly offers, in its price range.

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The major difference that could be noticed between the iPod Touch 32 GB and the earlier version is its processor speed. All the applications, games and web surfing among others have shown considerable difference in the speed. It also can give the user the best audio-visual experience. The display screen is very clear and bright and can be judged while watching videos and playing games with high-end graphics.

The app store is an added advantage as there are many applications that can be downloaded for free, and there are others for a minimal cost. The web browser (safari) is the best one can get on a portable device as it does not crash or get slow. Its super fast and smooth, so there’s no need to carry a net book for browsing when there is the ipod touch. It has skype in it too, making it easy to communicate with people anywhere around the world. An interesting feature of this ipod is the voice control function. It allows the user to control the ipod using his/her voice, instead of taking it from the pocket and operating whenever desired. When the user says “next”, ‘shuffle’, or “pause”, the iPod automatically goes to the next song, shuffles the songs present, and pauses the present song respectively. This feature is very useful in gyms and while driving.

Though the iPod Touch has so many attractive features, there are a few drawbacks too. Firstly, it isn’t considered much of an upgrade over the 2nd Generation iPod, as it does not include camera/OLED, GPS, etc. Also, radio is not available in the 3G version which disappoints a lot of potential customers. The sync of notes is not possible like music and videos from the computer. Wireless sync of music and videos is not possible as there is no Bluetooth option. There is some hardware that is not yet activated, like N wireless and FM transmitter, which is pretty annoying. The battery life is not as good as expected, which is about 30 hours of playback time.

Finally, it’s an amazing entertainment device with loads of features and a world class touch interface. The 3G model and the extra storage space is worth the cost. There are (slightly) negative aspects of the iPod though, but nothing’s perfect, right! With all it has to offer, it’s the best deal one could get in the area of music players/iPods.

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One might expect to read e-books on the kindle that are already there in the computer by just transferring them to the kindle, but there’s a lot more to it that just that. Content can be downloaded directly from amazon.com or any other website as it can access wireless internet with Sprint broadband coverage. The best thing is to have all kinds of books, notes, journals any other kind of reading material right in ones palm, because no one knows when you might be in need of what.. There are even options to highlight a particular text, add a note at any intended point, and take the help of the dictionary which is there right at the bottom, when there’s any help needed with unfamiliar words.

One major drawback of reading from the computer is that the screen is backlit and can cause headaches when read on a continuous basis. But the kindle’s screen is not backlit and hence one can read from it just like a book. The cable used to charge it is the same used to connect it to the computer, which is very convenient. There’s even the text to speech feature in this gadget which makes it really attractive for those who cant stop reading while doing other work. It also has built-in speakers that are really loud and impressive. Its physical features too are appealing as its sleek and compact body makes it easy to hold.

The gadget can be considered a boon to older people who have strong ties to their habit of reading and never get enough of it. It has memory equal to a ton books and can be a great gift to retired people.

Coming to the cons of the kindle, there are quite a few features that customers find disappointing and expect improvisation. There are complaints that the “table of contents” is non-functional, which can be very frustrating as the reader may not be able to jump ahead or back from one chapter to the other. There is no option of having an SD card inserted in the gadget which makes it limited to the memory it already holds.

The battery is not user-replaceable. This means the kindle has to be sent back to amazon if there’s a need to change the battery. Though the screen can be an advantage when compared to computer screen during the day, it is impossible to read from the kindle during night/in the dark, as the screen uses natural light and is not backlit.

Finally, the price is considered a bit more than what it deserves for a big lot of the customers, as it does not include a case and has a warranty of only 1 year. Extended warranty is available, though for an extra cost.

Ultimately, it is for the customer to decide between the pros and cons, and decide for themselves what to outweigh.

Click Here to Buy the Kindle Wireless Reading Device (6″ Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation)