BestSeller

Apple Magic Mouse

2009-11-04T22:16:00.001-07:00

Apple Magic Mouse

Other products by Apple

4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews) | More about this product

List Price: ~~$69.99~~

Price: $69.00 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details

You Save: $0.99 (1%)

In stock on November 7, 2009.
Order it now.

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

With Magic Mouse, Apple has brought Multi-Touch technology to the desktop mouse, giving you a new and more intuitive way to interact with your computer. Just as with iPhone, iPod touch, and MacBook Pro, the Bluetooth Magic Mouse adds gestures and swipes to the usual clicks to bring more functionality and help you get more done with less effort.

Apple Magic Mouse
At a Glance:

Multi-Touch technology enables swipes and gestures.
Laser technology for accurate tracking on nearly any surface.
Bluetooth for simple setup.
Stunning ambidextrous design.

Beautiful Design with Seamless Multi-Touch Surface
One look at Magic Mouse and you'll know it's something special that only Apple could dream up. With a low-profile design and seamless top shell, you'll marvel at this beautiful mouse and its smooth, buttonless appearance.

It's not all looks, though. Once you touch it, you'll appreciate how good it feels in your hand. And the magic really begins when you start using it. The Multi-Touch surface covers the entire top of the mouse, and the mouse itself is the button. Scroll in any direction with one finger, swipe through web pages and photos with two, and click and double-click anywhere. Inside Magic Mouse is a chip that tells it exactly what you want to do. Which means Magic Mouse won’t confuse a scroll with a swipe. It even knows when you’re just resting your hand on it.

Laser-Tracking Engine
Magic Mouse uses powerful laser tracking that’s far more sensitive and responsive on more surfaces than traditional optical tracking. That means it tracks with precision on nearly every surface - whether it’s a table at your favorite cafe or the desk in your home office - without the need for a mousepad.

Wireless Convenience with Easy Bluetooth Setup
Magic Mouse connects wirelessly to your Mac via Bluetooth, so there’s no wire or separate adapter to worry about. Pair Magic Mouse with your Bluetooth-enabled Mac and enjoy a reliable and secure connection up to 33 feet away. When you combine Magic Mouse with the Apple Wireless Keyboard, you create a workspace free of annoying cables.

And because Magic Mouse is wireless, it can venture beyond the confines of your desk. A quick flick of the on/off switch helps conserve battery power while Magic Mouse is tucked in your bag. Even when it’s on, Magic Mouse manages power efficiently, by detecting periods of inactivity automatically.

Make One Great Gesture After Another
Multi-Touch technology on the iPhone and iPod touch introduced a breakthrough way to interact with your content. Magic Mouse, with its Multi-Touch surface, does the same thing for your Mac. When you use gestures, it’s as if you’re touching what’s on your screen. For instance, swiping through web pages in Safari gives you the feeling of flicking through pages in a magazine. And scrolling with Magic Mouse isn’t your everyday scrolling. It supports momentum scrolling (similar to iPhone and iPod touch), where the scrolling speed is dictated by how fast or slowly you perform the gesture.

Give It Your Personal Touch
Maybe you want scrolling but don’t want swiping. Or two-button clicking instead of one. Whatever the case, Magic Mouse works the way you want it to work. All you do is go to the Magic Mouse preference pane in System Preferences to enable or disable features.

The ambidextrous design of Magic Mouse means it fits comfortably in your right hand if you’re a righty or in your left hand if you’re a lefty. And left-handers can easily swap left and right button functionality using System Preferences.

System Requirements

Bluetooth-enabled Mac computer
Mac OS X v10.5.8 or later with Wireless Mouse Software Update 1.0
Existing keyboard and mouse for setup

Multi-Touch technology lets you use gestures and swipes directly on the mouse surface.

Product Description

It began with iPhone. Then came iPod touch. Then MacBook Pro. Intuitive, smart, dynamic. Multi-Touch technology introduced a remarkably better way to interact with your portable devices - all using gestures. Now we've reached another milestone by bringing gestures to the desktop with a mouse that's unlike anything ever before. It's called Magic Mouse. It's the world's first Multi-Touch mouse. And while it comes standard with every new iMac, you can also add it to any Bluetooth-enabled Mac for a Multi-Touch makeover.

WebStore Powered by Amazon: Reliable - Secure - Powerful - Simple

2009-09-16T13:17:00.001-06:00

WebStore by Amazon provides you with a branded e-commerce site backed by the support, selection and expertise of Amazon. You can feel confident knowing that your WebStore is going to be up and running when your customers come clicking. Better yet, WebStore is easy to set up and comes with a number of great marketing features so you can start selling in minutes! Learn more about owning your own WebStore.

Reliable

Your WebStore by Amazon is backed by the same technology that powers Amazon.com. You'll know that your store will always be up when customers are ready to shop!

Secure

With WebStore by Amazon, you're protected by Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee. Your WebStore comes equipped with a secure checkout using Amazon's fraud protection technology. As a merchant, you receive added credibility and shoppers feel more comfortable purchasing from your online store. You can finally Sell Online with confidence.

Powerful

WebStore by Amazon is unlike any other online store provider out there - after all, it's powered by Amazon's expert marketing features. You have access to effective marketing features like product recommendations, customer reviews, and recently viewed items for your own store. Take a look at our Online Store Feature Tour to see all the great tools available!

Simple

Setting up your online store doesn't need to be difficult. WebStore by Amazon gives you the ability to set up shop in literally 1 click! With 1-Click WebStore feature, you're able to start selling in minutes. You're also provided with a multitude of easy-to-use design templates and marketing features. Find out how to Start an Online Business today.

Not only is WebStore by Amazon effective, it's affordable! and you get multiple online stores. Sign up now, check out our WebStore Pricing for more information.

Apple iPod touch 8 GB

2009-09-01T00:53:00.001-06:00

Apple iPod touch 8 GB

Mfr. Part#: MB528LL/A

Price $299.99

Technical Details

This player is the iPod touch, not the Apple iPhone
8 GB capacity for 1,750 songs, 10,000 photos, or 10 hours of video
Up to 36 hours of music playback or 6 hours of video playback when fully charged
3.5-inch widescreen multi-touch display with 480-by-320-pixel resolution
Supported audio formats: AAC, Protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible, Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV; supported video formats: H.264, MPEG-4; supported image file types: JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PSD (Mac only), and PNG

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The iPod touch has always been an amazing iPod. And with its groundbreaking technologies--including a Multi-Touch screen, the accelerometer, and 3D graphics--and access to hundreds of games, iPod touch puts an amazing gaming experience in the palm of your hand. It comes in 8 GB, 16 GB, and 32 GB models with new volume controls and a built-in speaker. Play hours of music. Create a Genius Playlist of songs that go great together. Watch a movie. Surf the web. View rich HTML email. Find your location and get directions with Google Maps. Browse YouTube videos. And shop the App Store for games and applications.

Millions of songs, thousands of videos, hundreds of games.Click to enlarge.

Music
Music on iPod touch not only sounds amazing, it looks amazing, too.

Touch Your Music
Remember what it felt like to flip through your CD or record collection? Cover Flow brings that feeling back. Just turn iPod touch on its side and flick through your music to find the album you want to hear. Tap the cover to flip it over and display a track list. Tap again to start the music. Even view the lyrics while you're listening.

A Musical Genius
Say you're listening to a song you really like and want to hear other tracks that go great with it. The new Genius feature finds the songs in your library that go great together and makes a Genius Playlist for you. You can listen to the playlist right away, save it for later, or even refresh it and give it another go. Count on Genius to create a mix you wouldn't have thought of yourself.

Fill It Up
Fill up your iPod touch with audio and video from your iTunes library. All you have to do is choose the playlists, videos, and other content you want to sync, and iTunes does the rest.

The iPod touch feels even better in your hand, thanks to the stunningly thin, contoured enclosure made of polished stainless steel.

Just turn iPod touch on its side and flick through your music to find the album you want to hear. Click to enlarge.

Carry hours of video with you, and watch it on a crisp, clear 3.5-inch widescreen color display.

Movies and TV Shows
Movies and TV shows have never looked this good on a portable device.

Everything's a Must-see
Carry hours of video with you, and watch it on a crisp, clear 3.5-inch widescreen color display. Need ideas? From Hollywood blockbusters to independent favorites, there's something for everyone at the iTunes Store. Download and watch movies with a few clicks. Prefer TV shows? Buy a single episode or an entire season's worth all at once.

In Control
While watching your video, tap the display to bring up the onscreen controls. You can play/pause, view by chapter, and adjust the volume. You also can use the new volume controls on the left side of iPod touch. Want to switch between widescreen and full screen? Simply tap the display twice.

Sync and Go
Need some entertainment for your next flight or road trip? With iTunes on your Mac or PC, you can sit at your computer and choose the movies and TV shows you want to sync to your iPod touch.

Games
With its groundbreaking technologies, iPod touch puts an amazing gaming experience in the palm of your hand.

Get in the Game
Developers all over the world are creating exciting games unlike anything you've ever seen on an iPod or mobile device. Many games come alive with stunning 3D graphics and immerse you in the action with the advanced technologies in iPod touch. There's even a built-in speaker, so you can hear all the action.

Fingertip Control
Many games for iPod touch use Multi-Touch to give you precise, fingertip control over game elements. Use your finger to drag your pieces around the board in chess or dice games. Or pinch to enlarge or shrink your view, rotate your character left or right, or just tap to make a selection.

Tilt, Turn, and Go
The built-in accelerometer actually responds to your movements, so you can tilt and turn your iPod touch to control the action. It's perfect for racing games--where your entire iPod touch acts as a steering wheel--and for tap-and-tilt games like Super Monkey Ball, in which your character rolls to your movements.

The App Store
Even if games aren't your thing, there's an iPod touch application for you. Thousands of applications in almost every category--entertainment, social networking, sports, photography, reference, and travel--are a tap away at the App Store.

Developers all over the world are creating exciting games unlike anything you've ever seen on an iPod or mobile device. Click to enlarge.

The built-in wireless capability in iPod touch gives you access to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, where you can choose from millions of songs with a tap.

iPod touch features Safari, the most advanced web browser ever on a portable device.

iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store

Discover new music anywhere.

Buy on the Fly
The built-in wireless capability in iPod touch gives you access

to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, where you can choose from millions of songs with a tap. Browse New Releases, What's Hot, and Genres. Take a look at Top Songs and Top Albums. Or find exactly what you're looking for with a quick search. Play a 30-second preview of any song, then tap once to buy it. Your music starts downloading instantly, and you can keep tabs on its progress by tapping the Downloads button.

Sync it Back
When you connect iPod touch to your computer, the music you bought on-the-go syncs to your iTunes library. If you've partially downloaded a song to iPod touch, your computer completes the download automatically.

iPod touch at Starbucks
If you have an iPod touch, an iPhone, or a computer with the latest version of iTunes, you get free Wi-Fi access to the iTunes Store and to Starbucks' Now Playing content. Stroll into a participating Starbucks, and you're connected automatically.

Home Screen
Get instant access to whatever you need on your iPod touch.

Customize Your Home Screen
Arrange the icons on your Home screen any way you want. Even move them to another Home screen. Create up to nine Home screens for quick access to the games and applications you download from the App Store and to your Safari Web Clips.

Go Home
No matter where you are on iPod touch, you can press the Home button to return to the Home screen. You can go back to what you were doing at any time.

Add Apps, Web Clips, and More
Whenever you download an application from the App Store, a new icon appears on your Home screen. And if you check the same websites every day, just create Web Clips and you can access the sites directly from your Home screen with a single tap. Not happy with how they're organized? Reorder them any way you want by dragging them around the screen.

Safari
iPod touch features Safari, the most advanced web browser ever on a portable device.

Browse Anywhere
The iPod touch is the only iPod with 802.11b/g wireless access to the web. Whenever you're connected via Wi-Fi, you can access your favorite websites to read news, check scores, pay bills, and go shopping.

Search and Find
iPod touch syncs your bookmarks from your PC or Mac, so you can access favorite sites quickly. It has Google and Yahoo! search built in, so it's easy to find what you're looking for on the web.

Zoom with a View
Get a closer look at any web page by zooming in and out with a tap or a pinch of the Multi-Touch display. View websites in portrait or landscape. Rotate iPod touch 90 degrees and the website rotates, too.

Clip it.
If you check a website frequently--a favorite newspaper, blog, or sports site--why not create a Home screen icon for it? Make Web Clips with Safari, and your favorite sites are always just a tap away.

Email on iPod touch looks and works just like email on your computer.

When you're connected via Wi-Fi, you can get directions, find local businesses, and check traffic with Maps.

Mail
Email on iPod touch looks and works just like email on your computer.

See it All
iPod touch supports rich HTML email, so images and photos appear alongside text. And you see email attachments in their original formats, not stripped-down versions. Rotate, zoom, and pan in more than a dozen standard file and image formats, including PDF; Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; and iWork.

Access it All
Access your email from popular providers--including MobileMe, Microsoft Exchange, Yahoo! Mail, Google Gmail, and AOL--and most industry-standard IMAP and POP mail systems.

Send Fast
iPod touch recognizes email addresses in different applications. If you run across an email address on a web page or a map listing, for example, just tap it; iPod touch opens a new message and addresses it for you.

Type Smart
With its built-in dictionary, the intelligent iPod touch keyboard predicts and suggests words as you type, making it fast and easy to write email.

Maps
When you're connected via Wi-Fi, you can get directions, find local businesses, and check traffic.

Find Yourself
iPod touch finds your location using known Wi-Fi hotspots. It also finds points of interest by keyword: Search for "coffee" and iPod touch shows you every cafe nearby.

Get Directions
Just type in an address and get directions from wherever you are. View a list of turn-by-turn directions, or see a highlighted map route. You also can mark specific locations and find the best route between them.

Enjoy the View
Just like Google Maps on your computer, Maps on iPod touch lets you switch between views of Google map data, satellite images, and a hybrid of both. Multi-Touch makes the difference. Tap to zoom, pan, and change your view on the move.

See Traffic
Maps on iPod touch shows you live traffic information, indicating traffic speed along your route in easy-to-read green, red, and yellow highlights.

Love to watch the latest YouTube videos? iPod touch gives you all the fun of the web's best videos--pocket-size.

iPod touch uses iTunes to sync photos you have in iPhoto on a Mac or Adobe Photoshop Elements and Adobe Photoshop Album on a PC.

Keep your schedule at your fingertips with iPod touch.

Build your contacts list on your Mac with Address Book or on your PC with Microsoft Outlook, then sync everything to your iPod touch using iTunes.

YouTube
Love to watch the latest YouTube videos? iPod touch gives you all the fun of the web's best videos--pocket-size.

Share from Anywhere
Email your favorite videos to your favorite people. Tap "Share" on any YouTube video

detail page, and iPod touch creates an email with the video link already in it.

Watch What You Want
Explore Featured, Most Viewed, Most Recent, and Top Rated videos. Or search for the video you want with a keyword search. Once you find what you're looking for, bookmark it to watch later.

Photos
Carry up to 25,000 of your favorite photos everywhere.

Share Photos
Show thousands of photos from the palm of your hand. Flick to scroll through thumbnails. Tap to view full screen. Rotate to see a photo in landscape. Pinch to zoom in or out. Play slideshows, complete with music and transitions. Email a photo to a friend, set it as your wallpaper, or share it in a MobileMe Gallery.

Save Photos
If you receive a great image in an email, save it to your photo library on iPod touch. Once there, it acts just like any other photo. You can set it as your wallpaper, share it on the web, or pass it on.

Sync Photos
iPod touch uses iTunes to sync photos you have in iPhoto on a Mac or Adobe Photoshop Elements and Adobe Photoshop Album on a PC. Just choose which photos or albums to sync to your iPod touch, then you can look at them--and share them--anywhere you go.

Calendar
With iPod touch, it's easy to make plans and stay on schedule.

Add Events
Keep your schedule at your fingertips with iPod touch. Add events to your calendar. Set a custom alert. Write a note or two. Manage multiple color-coded calendars. And do it all with just a few taps.

Stay in Sync
Connect iPod touch to your computer, and the events that you've created on-the-go automatically sync to Microsoft Outlook on a PC or iCal on a Mac. And all the events you've added on your computer sync to iPod touch.

Three Ways to View
iPod touch gives you three ways to view your calendars. List view shows you all your appointments in the coming days as a comprehensive list, which you can scroll up and down. Day view displays one day's worth of appointments visually. And Month view offers an at-a-glance look at an entire month.

Contacts
Put names, email addresses, phone numbers, and more at your fingertips.

Make Contact
Build your contacts list on your Mac with Address Book or on your PC with Microsoft Outlook, then sync everything to your iPod touch using iTunes. You also can add contact information directly to your iPod touch from maps, web pages, and email. Next time you sync, your computer is updated, too.

Search Contacts
If you have a lot of contacts, a quick search shows you a list of matching names. Or you can scroll up and down your entire list to find the right contact. Want to send them an email? Just tap an email address and the Mail application opens automatically.

Organized by Groups
If you keep your contacts organized into groups--such as co-workers, friends, family, and so on--iPod touch will, too. And iPod touch can hold more than just names, email addresses, and phone numbers. You also can track birthdays, websites, nicknames, and notes.

Stocks, Weather, and Notes
Stay on top of it all.

Check Stocks
Stocks on iPod touch shows you performance information for any stock you choose. When you want more details about a stock's performance, tap the Y! for instant access to Yahoo! Finance.

Get Weather
Check worldwide weather at home or away. Add the cities you want, then flick back and forth to get six-day forecasts for each. Tap the Y! to open a Yahoo! city guide that shows you what's happening, rain or shine.

Take Notes
Forget the pen and paper. Use Notes on iPod touch to write yourself a quick note and keep important information on hand. There's even a built-in email function that lets you send notes to yourself or others.

Calculator
iPod touch's calculator helps you settle the restaurant bill or keep track of your budget.

Calculate Simply
When you tap the Calculator icon, iPod touch shows you a simple application with addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and memory functions. Use it just as you would a pocket calculator.

Calculate Scientifically
Your simple calculator doubles as a sophisticated scientific calculator. Just rotate it to landscape to access dozens of functions for solving complex science and math problems.

iPod touch now includes built-in Nike + iPod support.

Nike + iPod
Get the most out of your workout.

Tune Your Run
iPod touch now includes built-in Nike + iPod support. Just slip the Nike + iPod Sensor (available separately) into your Nike+ shoe and start your run. The sensor communicates wirelessly with your iPod touch, tracking your time, distance, and calories burned. It even gives you voice feedback on your progress.

Tune Your Cardio Workout
This feature also works with new cardio equipment available in many fitness centers. Just look for treadmills, ellipticals, stair steppers, and stationary bikes that are Nike + iPod compatible.

Sync with Nikeplus.com
When you get back to your computer, sync your iPod touch via iTunes and transfer your exercise data to nikeplus.com, where you can track your workouts, set goals, and challenge friends.

Multi-Touch
iPod touch features the same revolutionary interface as iPhone.

Glide, Flick, Pinch
Built to take full advantage of the large 3.5-inch display, the Multi-Touch touchscreen interface lets you control everything using only your fingers. So you can glide through albums with Cover Flow, flick through photos and enlarge them with a pinch, zoom in and out on a section of a web page, and control game elements precisely.

How it Works
The Multi-Touch display layers a protective shield over a capacitive panel that senses your touch using electrical fields. It then transmits that information to the LCD screen below it. iPod touch software enables the flick, tap, and pinch.

Type with the Touchscreen Keyboard
iPod touch features an intelligent touchscreen keyboard perfect for browsing the web in Safari, getting directions on a map, searching for videos on YouTube, finding music on the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, or adding new contacts. It analyzes keystrokes to suggest words as you type and correct spelling errors automatically. And because it's software based, it changes its keys to support typing in multiple languages.

iPod touch locates nearby wireless hotspots, including protected networks.

Accelerometer
iPod touch responds to motion using a built-in accelerometer.

Responds to Movement
iPod touch detects when you rotate it from portrait to landscape, then automatically changes the contents of the display. So you immediately see the entire width of a web page, view a photo in its proper aspect ratio, or control a game using only your movements.

How it Works
The accelerometer inside iPod touch uses three elements: a silicon mass, a set of silicon springs, and an electrical current. The silicon springs measure the position of the silicon mass using the electrical current. Rotating iPod touch causes a fluctuation in the electrical current passing through the silicon springs. The accelerometer registers these fluctuations and tells iPod touch to adjust the display accordingly.

Perfect for Gaming
Accelerometer technology really shines when you play games because it immerses you in the action. It's perfect for racing games--where your entire iPod touch acts as a steering wheel--and for tap-and-tilt games like Super Monkey Ball, in which your character responds to your every movement.

Wireless
Connect iPod touch to the Internet anywhere there's a wireless network.

Connect Automatically
iPod touch locates nearby wireless hotspots, including protected networks. If you've never used a particular network, it asks you to enter a password the first time, and it remembers the password from then on. So the next time you're within range, it connects automatically.

Surf's Up
Now you can send email from a coffee shop. Surf the web at the airport. Shop for games from your couch. Browse, buy, and download music from the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at select Starbucks locations or other wireless hotspots in your area.

Read Kindle Books on the iPod touch

Read Kindle books on your iPod touch.

No Kindle required.
Get the best reading experience available on your iPhone or iPod touch.
No Kindle required.
Access your Kindle books even if you don't have your Kindle with you.
Automatically synchronizes your last page read between devices with Amazon Whispersync.
Adjust the text size, add bookmarks, and view the annotations you created on your Kindle.
Don't have a Kindle? Get yours here.

Shop for Books on the Kindle Store on Your iPod touch

Buy a book from the Kindle Store, optimized for Safari, on your iPod touch or iPhone and get it auto-delivered wirelessly.
Search and browse more than 275,000 books, including more than 107 of 112 New York Timesbestsellers.
Find New York Times bestsellers and new releases for $9.99, unless marked otherwise.
Get free book samples; read the first chapter for free before you decide to buy.
Books you purchase also can be read on a Kindle.
Kindle newspapers, magazines, and blogs are not currently available on the iPod touch or iPhone.

What's in the Box
iPod touch 8 GB, earphones, USB 2.0 cable, dock adapter, polishing cloth, quick start guide

Credit By: Amazon.com

You Are My Life by Michael Jackson

2009-07-13T10:57:00.001-06:00

You Are My Life
by Michael Jackson
From the Album Invincible

Price: $0.99

Original Release Date: October 30, 2001

Format: MP3, 256 kbps — plays on iPod® and all MP3 players

Once all alone
I was lost in a world of strangers
No one to trust
On my own, I was lonely
You suddenly appeared
It was cloudy before but now it’s clear
You took away the fear
You brought me back to life
[CHORUS]
You are the sun
You make me shine
Or more like the stars
That twinkle at night
You are the moon
That glows in my heart
You’re my daytime my nighttime
My world
You’re my life
Now I wake up everyday
With this smile upon my face
No more tears, no more pain
‘Cause you love me
You help me understand
That love is the answer to all that I am
And I’m a better man
You taught me by sharing your live
[CHORUS]
You gave me strength
When I wasn’t strong
You gave me hope when all hope is lost
You opened my eyes when I couldn’t see
Love was always here waiting for me

Apple MB991LL/A

2009-07-01T19:15:00.001-06:00

MacBook Pro 13.3" Core 2 Duo 2.53GHz 4GB 250GB SD nVidia 9400M

Mfr. Part#: MB991LL/A

Price: $1,499

Product Details

2.53GHz Intel Intel Core 2 Duo / 4GB DDR3 SDRAM / 250GB Hard Drive / SuperDrive DVD±RW/CD-RW
13.3in 1280 x 800 Display / NVIDIA GeForce 9400M / IEEE 802.11n (draft), Bluetooth 2.1 EDR, Gigabit Ethernet
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard / 4.5lb(s) / 1 Year Warranty

It’s all about performance. If you want enhanced pro features, a breakthrough built-in battery, and a brilliant display, you want the all-new MacBook Pro.
Every new MacBook Pro features a breakthrough, long-lasting battery that delivers up to 7 hours of wireless productivity on a single charge (8 hours on the 17-inch MacBook Pro) and can be recharged up to 1000 times - nearly three times the lifespan of typical notebook batteries. The new LED-backlit display has a 60 percent greater color gamut than that of previous generations, giving you richer, more vibrant colors. Advanced nVidia graphics processors make it the perfect solution for the latest 3D games and graphics-intensive applications. And with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors, it’s the most powerful Mac notebook ever. All in a precision aluminum unibody enclosure that’s less than an inch thin.

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Bare Escentuals bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation

2009-06-30T03:32:00.001-06:00

Bare Escentuals bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation

Price: $25.00

Product Description
What it is:A mineral-based foundation that gives flawless coverage.What it does:Made of only pure, crushed minerals from the earth, bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation looks like a powder, feels like a cream, and buffs on like silk, giving skin a natural luminosity while feeling as if you are not wearing any makeup at all.What else you need to know: The coverage is complete and is free of preservatives, talc, oil, waxes, fragrances, and other chemicals that can irritate skin and cause breakouts. Size: 0.3 oz

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	$25.00	$5.95	$30.95
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	$27.00	Free Shipping World Wide	$27.00

Apple MacBook Pro MB990LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop

2009-06-29T04:19:00.001-06:00

Model: MB991LL/A: $1,494.00MB990LL/A: $1,159.30

List Price:$1,199.00

Price: $1,159.30

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description
Featuring a precision unibody enclosure crafted from a single block of aluminum, the MacBook Pro is thinner and lighter than its predecessor as well as stronger and more durable. But Apple didn't stop innovating with the body's design. The MacBook Pro also includes a new 13-inch, LED-backlit glass display (instead of an LCD panel) as well as a glass trackpad that doesn't include a button (for larger tracking area) that features Apple's Multi-Touch technology.

The 13-inch unibody MacBook Pro (see larger version).

This 13-inch MacBook Pro (model MB990LL/A) also now includes Apple's innovative built-in notebook battery for up to 7 hours of wireless productivity on a single charge without adding thickness, weight or cost. Using Adaptive Charging and advanced chemistry first introduced with the 17-inch MacBook Pro the built-in battery delivers up to 1000 recharges before it reaches 80 percent of its original capacity--nearly three times the lifespan of conventional batteries.

Under the hood, the MacBook Pro is powered by a powerful 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (with 3 MB L2 cache and 1066 MHz front-side bus), which runs applications faster and more efficiently as well as helps to reduce power requirements and save on battery life. And video is powered by the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics processor, which provides an outstanding everyday graphics experience with up to a 5x performance boost.

Other hardware features include a 160 GB hard drive, 2 GB of installed RAM (which can be upgraded to 8 GB), an 8x combo Superdrive (for burning dual-layer DVDs as well as CDs), built-in Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), FireWire 800 port, Mini DisplayPort video output (for DVI and VGA connections), and a Secure Digital card slot for easy access to digital photos and audio stored on SD and MMC memory cards.

It comes pre-loaded with Apple's Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system, and is ready to run the Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard operating system. It also comes with the iLife '09 suite of applications, including iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband, and iTunes.

The Unibody MacBook Pro Design
Traditionally notebooks are made from multiple parts. With the MacBook Pro all of those parts with just one part--the breakthrough unibody enclosure. Every MacBook Pro starts its life as a single block of aluminum, which is precisely machined into the basic unibody design. Another pass and the unibody takes shape. Another, and the integrated keyboard emerges. When you pick up a new MacBook Pro, you immediately notice the entire enclosure is thinner and lighter. And it feels strong and durable--perfect for life inside (and outside) your briefcase or backpack.

Off-the-shelf lithium-ion cells come in fixed, cylindrical shapes. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is powered by custom-made, ultrathin lithium-polymer batteries.

The standard aluminum electro-static trackpad has been replaced with a new glass Multi-Touch trackpad, which provides 40 percent more tracking area than before. Use two fingers to scroll up and down a page. Pinch to zoom in and out. Rotate an image with your fingertips. Swipe with three fingers to flip through your photo libraries. Swipe with four fingers to show your desktop, view all open windows, or switch applications. The entire trackpad surface is also a button, allowing you to both track and click virtually anywhere on the trackpad. And you can easily enable multiple virtual buttons in software, such as right-clicking.

The keyboard has also been improved, with the rigid aluminum keyboard webbing cut precisely to hold the keys, which are curved to perfectly fit fingers. And it's illuminated, so when you're in low-light settings, such as airplanes or conference rooms, you can always see what you're typing.

The 13-inch display is made of edge-to-edge, uninterrupted glass for a smooth, seamless surface and features LED backlighting for brilliant instant-on performance that uses up to 30 percent less energy than its predecessor. The ultra-thin displays provide crisp images and vivid colors which are ideal for viewing photos and movies

Long-Lasting Battery
The 13-inch MacBook Pro now includes a newly engineered lithium-polymer battery that that lasts up to 7 hours on a single charge thanks to advanced chemistry, intelligent monitoring of the system and battery, and Adaptive Charging technology. The battery is built right into the computer, eliminating the space-consuming mechanisms and housings that standard removable batteries require. This non-removable battery also provides a longer battery lifespan of up to 1000 recharges--meaning fewer depleted batteries and less waste, which is better for the environment.

Giving it a lifespan of up to 1000 recharges required breakthroughs in battery technology. Apple electro-chemists developed advanced chemistry that maintains the battery's charging capabilities longer than ever. And while most notebooks wear down their batteries by charging them at a constant rate, the 13-inch MacBook Pro takes a different approach. Using an Apple-developed technology called Adaptive Charging, a microchip on the battery constantly communicates with the computer to determine the optimal way to charge its cells, adjusting the current up and down depending on a variety of conditions. Combined, these advancements offer a dramatic improvement in battery lifespan: more than three times the lifespan of typical notebook batteries--up to five years.

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
Experience improved energy efficiency, expanded wireless connectivity, and amazing battery life with the 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which has a super-fast 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and an large 3 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

The hafnium-infused circuitry--which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors--conserves even more energy, giving you more time away from the wall outlet. With 3 MB of shared L2 cache, data and instructions can be kept close to the two processor cores, greatly increasing performance and allowing the entire system to work more efficiently. And, because the processor cores share the L2 cache, either can use the entire amount if the other happens to be idle.

Video Processing & Output
The MacBook Pro delivers both powerful graphics performance and long battery life via the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics processor, which provides an outstanding everyday graphics experience with up to a 5x performance boost. Power your way through the latest 3D games--including Call of Duty and Quake--and enjoy improved graphics performance with iWork '09, iLife '09, and everything you do in Mac OS X. The power-saving NVIDIA integrated graphics processor also keeps you up and running throughout the day, with up to 7 hours of battery life.

The MacBook Pro includes a next generation Mini DisplayPort, which delivers a pure digital signal that can drive up to a 30-inch widescreen display. The Mini DisplayPort is ultra-compact at just 10 percent the size of a full DVI connector, and is compatible with Apple's 24-inch Cinema Display. Adapters are also available for using VGA, DVI/HDMI and Dual-Link DVI displays

Hard Drive and Memory
The 160 GB Serial-ATA (SATA) hard drive (5400 RPM) quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to USB 2.0. The 2 GB of PC3-8500 DDR2 RAM (two SO-DIMMs of 1024 MB) has an industry-leading 1066 MHz speed, and the RAM capacity can be increased to 8 GB.

Wireless Connectivity
The built-in 802.11n wireless networking provides up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g, but it's also backward-compatible with 802.11a/b/g routers, enabling you to communicate with the a wide variety of Wi-Fi resources. It works seamlessly with the new AirPort Extreme with 802.11n. Use the built-in Bluetooth wireless technology to connect to your PDA or cell phone, synchronize addresses, or download pictures from your cell phone. You can also use a wireless headset for iChat audio chats and VoIP calls as well as quickly share files with a colleague.

Video Conferencing with Built-in iSight
Artfully placed in the glass display is an iSight camera, which enables easy video conferencing as well as allows you to snap pictures of yourself and create video podcasts. Using the iChat AV application, video conferencing is integrated into your iChat buddy list, so initiating a video conference is a breeze. iChat also lets you hold audio chats with up to 10 people and provides high-quality audio compression and full-duplex sound so conversation can flow naturally. For video podcasting, you can record a short clip using the iSight camera, then use iWeb to create a video blog entry or post your GarageBand-recorded podcast.

Other Features

Two USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps), one FireWire 800 (up to 800 Mbps), SD card slot
Mini DisplayPort compatible with DVI, VGA, and dual-link DVI connectors (all optional)
Dual display and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 2560 by 1600 pixels on an external display, both at millions of colors
8x slot-loading SuperDrive with the following write speeds: 8x DVD±R; 4x DVD±R DL (double layer); 4x DVD±RW; 24x CD-R; 10x CD-RW
Built-in full-size backlit keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys (inverted "T" arrangement)
Internal omnidirectional microphone and built-in speakers
Combined optical digital output/headphone out with selectable analog audio line in (minijack)
Kensington lock slot
Measures 12.78 x 8.94 x 0.95 inches (WxDxH) and weighs 4.5 pounds (including battery)

Environmental Considerations
Apple has worked hard to eliminate many of the toxins that are a common part of computer manufacturing. Apple engineers removed the majority of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from circuit boards, internal cables, connectors, insulators, adhesives, and more in the MacBook Pro.

Because Apple makes both the hardware and the software for the MacBook, they're designed to work together to produce a smarter product that uses less electricity. For instance, to reduce energy consumption, the hard drive spins down automatically when inactive. MacBook Air also decides which processor--CPU or GPU--is best suited to efficiently perform a task. The LED-backlit display in the MacBook Pro is another feature that plays an important part in conserving energy, consuming 30 percent less power than conventional LCD displays. And the display is designed to dim when you enter a darkened room.

The MacBook Pro meets the stringent low power requirements set by the EPA, giving it ENERGY STAR certification. MacBook also meets the latest efficiency requirements of ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Specification for Computers before its July 2009 effective date.

The MacBook Pro has also earned the highest rating of EPEAT Gold. The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, or EPEAT, evaluates the environmental impact of a product based on how recyclable it is, how much energy it uses, and how it's designed and manufactured.

Preloaded with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, you'll enjoy enhanced productivity and a clutter-free desktop (thanks to the the redesigned 3D Dock with Stacks).

Preloaded with Leopard and iLife '09
This MacBook Air is pre-loaded with the Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system--and it's ready to run the Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard operating system, which is scheduled to be released in September, 2009. Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard introduced a bevy of innovations--over 300 new features--including:

Time Machine, an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac
A redesigned Finder that lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs
Quick Look, a new way to instantly see files without opening an application
Spaces, an intuitive new feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them
A brand new desktop with Stacks, a new way to easily access files from the Dock
Major enhancements to Mail and iChat

Leopard's desktop includes the redesigned 3D Dock with Stacks, a new way to organize files for quick and easy access with just one click. Leopard automatically places web, email and other downloads in a Downloads stack to maintain a clutter-free desktop, and you can instantly fan the contents of this and other Stacks into an elegant arc right from the Dock. The updated Finder includes Cover Flow and a new sidebar with a dramatically simplified way to search for, browse and copy content from any PC or Mac on a local network.

Time Machine lets you easily back up all of the data on your Mac, find lost files and even restore all of the software on their Mac. With just a one-click setup, Time Machine automatically keeps an up-to-date copy of everything on the Mac. In the event a file is lost, you can search back through time to find deleted files, applications, photos and other digital media and then instantly restore the file.

It also comes with the iLife '09 suite of applications that make it easy to live the digital life. Use iPhoto to share entire high-res photo albums with anyone who's got an email address. Record your own songs and podcasts with GarageBand. Break into indie filmmaking with iMovie and iDVD. Then take all the stuff you made on your MacBook and share it on the web in one click with iWeb.

Included Software
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard (includes iTunes, Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, Xcode Developer Tools)

iLife '09 (includes iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand)

What's in the Box
MacBook Pro, display cleaning cloth, 60W MagSafe Power Adapter, AC wall plug, power cord, install/restore DVDs, printed and electronic documentation
Product Description
MacBook Pro brings high performance and precision design to everyone. Every new MacBook Pro features a breakthrough, long-lasting battery that delivers up to 7 hours of wireless productivity on a single charge and can be recharged up to 1000 timesâ€”nearly three times the lifespan of typical notebook batteries. The new LED-backlit display has a 60 percent greater color gamut than that of previous generations, giving you richer, more vibrant colors. Every MacBook Pro features the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics processor, which provides an outstanding graphics experience for everyday tasks. Power your way through the latest 3D gamesâ€”including Call of Duty and Quakeâ€”and enjoy improved graphics performance with iWork, iLife, and everything you do in Mac OS X. And with the latest 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, itâ€™s the most powerful Mac notebook ever. All in a precision aluminum unibody enclosure thatâ€™s less than an inch thin.

Xbox 360 Live 1600 Points

2009-06-14T07:14:00.003-06:00

Xbox 360 Live 1600 Points
From Microsoft Software

Price: $19.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.

Ready to Get Code Now.

Sold by Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: To use this code, you need an Xbox 360 console connected to broadband Internet. You also need to accept the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use.

Product Description

The Xbox Live 1,600 Points Card keeps your gaming experience updated and unique. Access content exclusive to Xbox by exchanging 1,600 points in the Xbox Live Marketplace. Try out new games with free demos and trailers and expand your games with free and premium content. Check out regularly updated and evolving online events like Game with Fame, Mystery Gamer, Xbox Live Calendar, and more.

Product Details

Brand: Microsoft
Model: 882224092098
Released on: 2006-06-15
Platform: Xbox 360
Dimensions: 1.00" h x .10" w x 7.40" l, 2.00 pounds
Online Game Code: Currently, this item is available only to customers located in the United States and who have a U.S. billing address.

Customer Reviews

More points
Well, i don't remember how many of this i bought so far, but there are so many good things to download at xbox live, that i'll keep buying it.

Isnt much to review
You peel off the strip covering the code, enter the code in the marketplace, and your points are added. There isnt anything special here, the same goes for the 4000 points.

Good Value
Purchased 1600 ms pts for a few add ons. Cheaper than the local store. Good value.

How It Works: Networking

2009-03-28T22:41:00.007-06:00

The "How it Works" series returns with the installment every laptop owner fears: networking. Should notebook users care about having an Ethernet jack? What type of Wi-Fi connections are more reliable? Is Bluetooth a good idea or not? We answer these questions and more.
Here we are at the belated part ten of the "How it Works" series. We've come a long way, but we're not done yet. While we've covered most of the major components in the notebook -- including a couple you may not have even been aware of -- there's still a couple stops left to make on this journey. This particular stop is one I've been dreading even more than the last one: networking.
The fact is that networking on computers in general is oftentimes the kind of hell that you would want to punish your misbehaving child with. While Microsoft has made steps forward with each new incarnation of its Windows operating system towards making networking easier to setup and run -- and Windows 7 promises only to continue that trend -- networking is still capable of being an enormous chore.
Anecdotally, I used to work in a local county IT department when I was in junior college. The IT professionals I worked with really know their stuff. They know hardware and they know how to code. That said, I spoke to someone with more experience with wireless networking than me and we both arrived at the same conclusion: you can do everything right and still have problems with wireless. It's the nature of the beast.

The good news for anyone reading this is that I'm not going to talk about how to set up a network -- wireless or otherwise. I am going to talk about the hardware that facilitates it, and at least hopefully point you in the direction of hardware that will make networking at least marginally easier.

HOW IT WORKS: NETWORKING

Pretty much every modern notebook and netbook comes equipped with a wireless networking adaptor and a wired networking jack ... and Bluetooth is materializing more and more frequently today. I want to focus more on the essential networking and less on Bluetooth, which handles peripherals more than actual computer-to-co

mputer or computer-to-internet communication.

The nice thing about networking is that standards are for the most part kept in line and fairly simple. Th

e really nice thing is that, when purchasing a notebook, this isn't something you even have to actually concern yourself with (Bluetooth notwithstanding). Outside of 802.11a wireless (to be discussed later), subsequent wireless versions are backwards compatible with one another.
Now, as far as technical details are concerned, this article will be a bit more spare than the other ones, offering only the details you need to understand why your wireless connection keeps dropping.
I should point out that a term you're often going to hear associated with networking is "LAN," which means Local Area Network. Its wireless equivalent is the creatively named "WLAN," and if you can't figure out that the "W" stands for "wirless" you may want to stop reading now. Another term worth throwing out there is "PAN

," or Personal Area Network, which is used for technology like Bluetooth and refers to the peripherals (mice, speakers, keyboards, etc.) you've networked together.
It's also important to mention that all these networking standards run at all kinds of different speeds, but devices only operate at the speed of the slowest device they're connected to. If your router isn't gigabit but your Ethernet jack can operate at that speed, your connection will run at the highest speed the router supports. Likewise, if your wireless adaptor supports wireless-n but your router only goes up to wireless-g, the ada

ptor will only run in "g" mode while connected to that router.
And finally, since this is often your internet connection, you should know that if you have a good, solid connection to the network (particularly if you're wired), your machine will seldom if ever throttle the speed of your internet connection. Since all of these standards are measured in Mbps, you should know that even the slowest standard in modern use, wireless-b, runs at 11Mbps at full speed. Few if any internet conn

ections can saturate that much bandwidth.

ETHERNET: WIRED NETWORKING

Wired networking currently has three speeds it can operate at: 10Mbps (10 Megabits per second), 100Mbps, and 1000Mbps (or Gigabit as it's commonly referred to). All of these operate out of the same type of jack, commonly dubbed RJ45. This jack is also called the Ethernet jack. This has been the common interface for broadband internet services for a decade now to connect to cable modems, DSL modems, and the like.
Wired networking is generally preferable t

o wireless simply because it doesn't have the same drawbacks that wireless does: interference, interoperating standards, security, and having to deal with other nearby wireless networks. It tends to be much more stable and far less likely to drop connection.
However, ju

st to prove how much of a pain even wired networking can be, getting two computers to talk to each other over this type of network can be a bit of a chore. First, unlike wireless networking, you'll generally need a router or network hub to connect the two. This is because of the way the cables themselves are designed, however you can buy something called a "crossover cable" to directly link two computers. This is without getting into workgroups and the other nonsense you may have to go through to get the comput

ers talking and sharing files.

Still, if your laptop is going to be stationary or you just need the best connection you can get, a wired connection is the way to go.

WI-FI: WIRELESS NETWORKING

Wireless networ

king has essentially four standards: 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n, and these standards materialized in that order. 802.11a has largely fallen out of favor, at least with consumers, and "b" and "g" are not backwards comp

atible with it while "n" is. In the process you may hear abo

ut networking pro

ducts that offer "Super G" or "MIMO" and so on; "Super G" is utterly irrelevant while "MIMO" just means "multiple-input multiple-output," essentially ganging connections to form one faster connection.

The speeds these standards operate at are as follo

ws: wireless-a operates at 54Mbps, wireless-b operates at 11Mbps, wireless-g operates at 54Mbps, and wireless-n operates at 300Mbps. Wireless-b was able to supplant the much faster "a" in the market due to having generally better wireless range while being less expensive. That said, while the "b" and "g" networking standards oper

ate in t

he 2.4GHz radio bandwidth range, "a" operates in the 5GHz range, and "n" can operate in either one. The 5GHz range tends to be less cluttered, reducing interference from other networks and from household devices.
When you purchase a notebook, it usually tells you which of these wireless standards the notebook supports. Wireless-n still isn't a ratified standard, but with even Intel jumping on board and offering it standard in their curren

t generation wireless hardware, it might as well be treated as such.

Security is a major issue with wireless networking, and

most manufacturers ship their routers secured now. While I don't want to get into how to secure your wireless network (a subject for another article), I feel compelled to mention that public, unsecured networks are good for general websurfing but strongly ill-advised for handling any kind of important or sensitive material, and

may open your computer to unwanted intrusion if it's not at least password-sec

ured. I've seen people check their bank accounts on these networks and honestly, I wouldn't advise it. All it takes is one well-informed but morally flexible geek on the network to make your life a hell.
The other cons

istent issue I've found with wireless networking is the general lack of stability. In the building I presently live in, which is a nest of townhouses rife with wireless networks, a wireless connection can be unstable. This can be remedied somewhat by carefully choosing which channel your router is set to broadcast on, but it's a problem that most of you are going to have to deal with at some point. Wireless connections can be an

d often are flaky, especially on larger, public (and unsecured) networks.

If you want to mitigate these issues, consider standardizing on wireless-n in your home and using the 5GHz range instead of 2.4GHz. Wireless-n isn't overwhelmingly common yet, and is less prone to interference.

Finally, it's worth noting that wireless netwo

rking can substantially reduce your battery life. Though modern wireless cards (especially Intel's) can mitigate this greatly, it still requires power to operate, especially if you're constantly downloading and uploading large amounts of data. If you're not using your wireless while operating on the battery, every laptop comes with a method (either a physical switch or a Fn key combination) to disable it. This will actually physically disable the wireless card and prevent it from drawing power. Windows Vista also offers you a way to control the amount of power your wireless consumes in the "Power Options," but keep in mind that if you set the power management to be too aggressive, it can impede your wireless performance to the point where you may not even be able to connect.

BLUETOOTH
Bluetooth is much more common for the folks that use it to connect their headsets to their phones, but Bluetooth and the proper software can be used to connect all kinds of stuff to your computer. My last laptop had internal Bluetooth that I'd switch on to use a wireless Bluetooth mouse - no dongle required! Likewise, if you have the software from your phone's manufacturer, you can theoretically use your computer to connect to your phone and manage your phonebook, ringtones, and so on.
Bluetooth toggles on and off in laptops the same way regular Wi-Fi does, and has multiple standards with version numbers; newer versions are backwards compatible. There's also EDR, or Enhanced Data Rate, and this is common in internal laptop Bluetooth modules. Ultimately, however, Bluetooth is best used for these peripheral purposes and not for networking computers. Its range can be somewhat limited, and bandwidth tops out at just 3Mbps.

I've found in my experience that Bluetooth peripherals tend to be a bit more reliable and responsive than standard wireless peripherals (keyboards and mice). This is purely anecdotal and can be taken with a grain of salt, but I've found my Bluetooth mouse to often provide better range and performance than the standard RF wireless mouse I use with my desktop (which starts having fits when the receiver is more than four inches away).

Experience with Bluetooth power consumption can be hard to find on the internet, but I've found that even with an external USB Bluetooth adaptor plugged into my laptop, it really doesn't draw a whole lot, generally less than conventional Wi-Fi.

CONCLUSION
First, as far as brands go, laptops with Intel processors almost always have Intel wireless hardware, and to me that's a good thing. I'm often disappointed Intel's wireless isn't available in desktops as I've had such consistently good experiences with them. If a laptop is marketed as a Centrino or Centrino 2, you can be certain that the wireless is Intel. And if you're custom ordering a machine, it may be in your best interests to fork out the (usually) ten extra bucks to get the Intel.

Other manufacturers of laptop wireless are Broadcom, Atheros, and Ralink, and these are all essentially pretty reliable, though drivers for these can often be much harder to for the do-it-yourself user to track down.

As far as Bluetooth goes, brand isn't really an issue, and the only question is going to be whether you want it or not. Frankly I'd rather have it, as it's usually a cheap add-on when ordering a laptop. USB Bluetooth adaptors are also pretty inexpensive (I got mine for $15).

In all this, I'm sure I've probably filled you with the same kind of unspeakable dread I often experience having to deal with setting up and troubleshooting networks. The truth is that for you, the consumer, manufacturers have come a long way towards making these things at least a little easier, oftentimes having simple wizards you can walk through to set up your wireless network. Likewise, these different standards and so on can often be considered essentially minutiae for what you're going to do with your laptop. The wired Ethernet jack certainly isn't likely to vanish from modern laptops anytime soon, as wireless still doesn't offer enough to warrant its disappearance. If you want to operate as stress-free as possible and you own one of those ten pound behemoths (or are looking to buy one), wired networking may offer the piece of mind you're looking for.

But clearly wireless isn't so bad that no one's using it.

COMING UP: PERIPHERALS
Our next stop is one down an easier street when I discuss peripherals and specifically all the crap you can plug into all those ports on your shiny new laptop. Ever wonder what a FireWire port is supposed to do? Curious about eSATA? All this and more, next time!

Credit by Dustin Sklavos

T-Mobile G1 Phone with Google, Black (T-Mobile)

2009-01-18T03:11:00.009-07:00

T-Mobile G1 Phone with Google, Black (T-Mobile)

List Price: $399.99
Price: $179.99
(when purchased with new service plan)
You Save: $220.00 (55%) Free Two-Day Shipping.

Product Features and Technical Details

Product Features
* Google Android OS-powered smartphone in black with slide-out keyboard--compatible with T-Mobile's 3G network (available in select markets)
* Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth for handsfree calls; 3-megapixel still camera; MicroSD expansion; push email from Google Gmail plus instant messaging services
* T-Mobile's MyFaves service provides unlimited calling to your five most called contacts; access to Android Market for downloading applications
* Up to 5 hours of talk time, up to 130 hours (5.4 days) of standby time
* Includes: handset, battery, charger, 1 GB MicroSD card, USB cable, wired stereo handsfree headset, user manual

Dimensions
* Size (LWH): 4.66 inches, 2.2 inches, 0.6 inches
* Weight: 5.6 ounces

Product Features
* Network Compatibility: GSM

Product Description
The long-awaited T-Mobile G1 smartphone combines full touchscreen functionality and a QWERTY keyboard with a mobile Web experience that includes many Google tools you've come to rely on with your PC, including Google Maps Street View Gmail, and one-touch Google search. It's also the first phone to be powered by Google's new open-source Android operating system, which offers an intuitive interface easily customizable home screen. You can also purchase optional software via the Android Market to personalize your G1 with a variety of software applications like games, social networking, and on-the-go shopping.

Just tap the screen and go with access to all your favorite Google tools.
In addition to a vibrantly colorful 3.2-inch touchscreen, the G1's hinged screen slides open to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard and closes to prevent accidental dialing. It runs on T-Mobile's new and growing 3G network, and also offers Wi-Fi connectivity for surfing the web on your wireless network or at hotspots as well as Bluetooth for handsfree communication. Other features include a 3-megapixel camera for still photos, a digital audio player (and easy access to Amazon's MP3 store), an included 1 GB MicroSD memory card, and up to 5 hours of talk time.

T-Mobile Service
The T-Mobile G1 operates on GSM 850/900/1800/1900 networks and is compatible with T-Mobile's UMTS/HSDPA 3G network, which operates on the 1700/2100 MHz AWS spectrum. T-Mobile is currently rolling out its 3G network, and it expects by year's end that its high-speed data network will be available in those cities where a majority of its subscribers currently use data services. In those areas where 3G is not available, the phone will access data using T-Mobile's EDGE network, which is fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services (with average data speeds between 75-135Kbps). This phone is designed to automatically connect to the best available network (3G or GSM/GPRS/EDGE) to provide faster data speeds when accessing the Web or downloading content from the T-Mobile t-zones content portal.

Call your favorite people with T-Mobile's myFaves service, which allows you to call up to five of your most common contacts--on any network, even landlines--without using any of your minutes. You'll also get free domestic long distance and no digital roaming charges anywhere across the US on all calls. (All myFaves plans require a two-year contract.) Learn more about myFaves from T-Mobile.

Android OS and Market
The T-Mobile G1 with Google is the first phone to run on the Android operating system, which provides easy access to a wide assortment of messaging tools and Google apps. Additionally, this open source OS empowers developers to to create and offer applications that add value to the G1. The G1's Home screen (seen at right) is your starting point for using all the applications on your phone. You can customize your Home screen to display applications, shortcuts, and widgets.

Just drag and drop any of your favorite applications, photos, or folders onto your home screen for quick access to what you use all the time (see larger version).
The Android Market hosts a wide variety of unique applications, and with the G1's one-click access to it you can find and download a wide range of innovative software applications--from games to social networking and on-the-go shopping--to personalize your phone. Some examples of applications include:

* With the comparative shopping ShopSavvy application, you can scan the UPC code of a product with your phone's camera while shopping, and instantly compare prices from online merchants and nearby local stores.
* Ecorio was developed to help people keep track of their daily travels and view what their carbon footprint looks like. With access to tips and tricks, Ecorio allows you to record the steps you take throughout their day to help offset your impact on the environment.
* BreadCrumbz enables you to create a step-by-step visual map using photos. Create your own routes, share them with friends or with the world.

Additionally, the T-Mobile G1 comes pre-loaded with a new application developed by Amazon.com that provides easy access to the Amazon MP3 digital music download store with more than 6 million DRM-free MP3 tracks. You'll be able to search, sample, purchase and download music from Amazon MP3 directly to the G1 (downloading music from Amazon MP3 using the T-Mobile G1 requires a Wi-Fi connection; searching, sampling and purchasing music can be done anywhere with a cellular connection).

Phone Features
The T-Mobile G1's vibrant, high-quality screen slides open to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard, great for communicating with friends online or using the phone's email, IM and mobile messaging capabilities. As another option for accessing the device, the T-Mobile G1 comes equipped with a convenient trackball for more precise, one-handed navigation. The 3.2-inch touchscreen has a 320 x 480-pixel resolution and a 65K color depth. The T-Mobile G1's touchscreen interface is unique, providing you with a more customizable, interactive touch experience. For example, you can set a signature gesture to unlock the screen (there are 30 million possible combinations). There are also different taps for different types of commands--for example, you can use a short touch to launch an application, or a long press on any screen will give you additional options, similar to that of a right click on a mouse.

The phone has an internal 192 MB RAM/256 MB ROM memory, and it's expandable via optional MicroSD memory cards up to 8 GB in size (a 1 GB MicroSD card comes with the phone).

The hinged screen slides open to reveal keypad and closes to prevent accidental dialing.
With one-click contextual search, you can search for relevant information in a flash with a touch of a finger. A full HTML Web browser allows users to see any Web page the way it was designed to be seen, and then easily zoom in to expand any section by simply tapping on the screen. Built-in support for YouTube allows you to enjoy YouTube's originally-created content, easily navigate through YouTube's familiar video browsing categories or search for specific videos.

With Google Maps, Google's groundbreaking maps service, you can instantly view maps and satellite imagery, as well as find local business and get driving directions, all from the phone's easy-to-use touch interface. The T-Mobile G1 also includes Google Maps Street View, enabling you to explore cities at street-level virtually while on the go. Without taking a step, you can tour a far-away place as if they were there--standing on the street corner. Even better, the Google Maps feature syncs with a built-in compass on the phone--an industry first--to allow you to view locations and navigate 360 degrees by simply moving the phone with their hand.

Use the G1's 3G and Wi-Fi connection to attach and share pictures over email and MMS or download music from your favorite web sites, as well as upload and post pictures to your personal blog.

The G1 features a rich HTML email client, which seamlessly syncs your email, calendar and contacts from Gmail as well as most other POP3 or IMAP email services. The Gmail application provides features such as conversation view, spam filtering, search, and labels that Gmail users enjoy on their computer while offering new features such as integration with the phone's contact list. And it multitasks, so you can read a Web page while also downloading your email in the background.

It also combines Instant Messaging support for Google Talk, as well as AOL, Yahoo! Messenger and Windows Live Messenger in the U.S., and IM presence allows you to see whether your friends are online, offline, away. The G1 also supports advanced text messaging features, enabling you to easily flag, delete or move groups of messages and keep track of group conversations through threaded text messaging. The Google Calendar app on the G1 syncs with the Web-based version, so any event that you add to your phone will show up on the Web-based Google Calendar (and vice versa).

Other features include:

* 3-megapixel camera with autofocus for still photos (no video recording)
* Digital audio player with four categories (Artists, Albums, Songs, and Playlists) and support for MP3, M4A (iTunes AAC, DRM-free), AMR, WMA (8), WAF, and OGG Vorbis
* Use digital audio songs as ringtone
* Bluetooth version 2.0+EDR with the following profiles: HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets)
* Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g)
* Messaging: email (IMAP/POP3/SMTP), instant messaging, SMS text, MMS photo
* Voice-recognition
* USB 2.0 connectivity with USB mass storage capability

Vital Statistics
The T-Mobile G1 with Google weighs 5.6 ounces and measures 4.6 x 2.2 x 0.7 inches. Its 1150 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5 hours of talk time, and up to 130 hours (5+ days) of standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies as well as the 1700/2100 MHz HSDPA 3G frequencies.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do you have to have a Google account to use T-Mobile G1?
A: Yes, customers must log into the phone using a Google account login when they first use the device. Once you do log into T-Mobile G1 using a Google account, your Gmail and Google Calendar will all sync to your phone providing secure, up-to-date access to your personal information. If you don't already have an account, the startup process will walk you through creating one. Creating a Google account is free.

Q: Do customers need a voice and/or data plan to use T-Mobile G1?
A: Yes, when you purchase T-Mobile G1, you must add one of two T-Mobile G1-specific data plans to their account. This is similar to other all-in-one devices we offer like the T-Mobile Sidekick or the T-Mobile Shadow. Customers must also have a voice plan.

Q: Is the G1 compatible with your HotSpot @Home service?
A: No. Unlimited HotSpot Calling (formerly named T-Mobile HotSpot @Home) is not included in the T-Mobile G1, although the device can browse the Web over high-speed wireless connections including Wi-Fi and our 3G network.

Q: Are there any advantages to using Gmail on the device versus another type of personal (POP3 or IMAP) account?
A: Yes. After first logging into their Google account, you will have all your Gmail, Google Contacts, Calendar and Talk data automatically synchronize with the phone. Anything you do on the phone with these products will seconds later become available on the computer and vice versa. If you were to ever lose their phone, their information will still be available and seamlessly synchronize with a replacement G1. You will also benefit from push email and calendar alerts (this is also available for the multi-headed email client). Finally, Gmail's contacts are synchronized automatically with the phone's contact list.

Q: What is the "search from everywhere" feature?
A: "Search from everywhere" provides customers the ability to do contextual searches. T-Mobile G1 has a hard key on the QWERTY keyboard that you can touch in order to start a search within any application you are in. For example, if you are in your contact list and hit the search key, the device will search your contact list. If you are in your email and you hit the search key, the device will search your email. You can also start a search within each application through a search option within the application.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Excellent Google Smart Phone, Good General Smart Phone, December 30, 2008
======================================
Summary [7.5 out of 10]
======================================

The T-Mobile G1 is an excellent "first-mover" Android-based phone from T-Mobile and is truly a "Google Phone". If you are already have most of your life on Google through one of their many handy and free services (Gmail, Contacts, Calendar, Talk, Picasaweb, etc.) the G1 is going to be a dream device for you. If you don't make use of the Gmail services or have most of your life scattered across many different services, the G1 will be an OK phone for you, but we'd suggest also looking at a BlackBerry or iPhone as well as there are some things those phones do better than the G1.

======================================
The Great
======================================
* Call-quality (both receiving and sending) is very nice. People I spoke too (in an A/B comparison between iPhone) said that the iPhone sounded just like a typical crappy cell phone and the G1 sounded like I was on my office phone. I also felt the volume of the G1 was louder when talking to people making it a bit easier for me to hear them.
* Google services integration is awesome. It's completely seamless, syncs over-the-air regardless of the data connection you have, seems to sync frequently so your contacts, calendar, email and IM are all always synced up. Also the synchronization is bi-directional, you don't have a "Read only" copy on the G1... you can change anything you want and see it synced right back to Google.
* Having a keyboard is very handy. The non-super-techy types that I lent the phone to for a few hours all commented that the physical keyboard felt and "made more sense" than a virtual on-screen keyboard to them like the iPhone or BlackBerry Storm.
* The trackball is much handier to have for selection than I anticipated. Also it's position on the phone is perfect for both landscape and portrait use. I was surprised (in landscape mode) how my thumb naturally fell right ontop of the trackball, making it much easier to navigate the screen without lifting my hand off the keyboard to press something.
* Micro-SD support - including the new 16GB cards that were released recently.
* Voice dialing - How does the iPhone still not have this. I also found the accuracy excellent, pretty much on par with what my BlackBerry had. I also noticed when you have multiple numbers for a single person, even though the voice-dialing result screen shows you all their numbers, it always puts the one you wanted as the first item, so it's easy to execute. Unfortunately if you like to drive with your phone in your pocket and call people, this might be an extra step some folks don't want.
* Back Button - Similar to the BlackBerry OS, the "Back" button always does what you think it should. If you read an email, and jump into a browser to check a link and click a YouTube link to watch a video... the "Back" button will move you backward through those contexts back to the original email as you keep hitting it. This has always driven me nuts on the iPhone - you have to go back to the home screen first, then back into whatever it was that you were doing.
* EDGE data performance seemed snappy on the phone. While browsing is certainly still just as slow as you would expect, the Chrome-based browser performed well and the background-sending/receiving of data in every other app gave an excellent user experience. Coming from a 1st Gen iPhone on an EDGE network, I was used to much longer lag related to data operations (like Maps or Email) so it did seem a hair more performant - or maybe just designed in a more streamlined flow, it's hard to say.
* Mobile YouTube was easy to use and looked great on the little screen. Playback started quickly and the interface was easy to use - I find the iPhone interface a bit too constrained.
* Basic UI for the Android apps on the G1 were very intuitive; I didn't find myself pointing out UI oddities left and right as I tend to do, everything just did what I expected it to and menu items were right where I thought they would be.
* Universal notification bar across the top of the screen became a huge "must have" for me. Going back to the iPhone is going to be painful after this (and dealing with multiple overlapping dialog boxes). Any time anything happens on the phone that you have notifications setup for (IM, Email, SMS, etc.) a notification icon is added to the bar that you can drag-down with your finger any time to view the contents of. It makes multi-tasking possible where as the iPhone is a single-context device.
* Operating system updates are downloaded over-the-air and you are prompted to install them seamlessly at your discretion. This is both over EDGE as well as 3G.

======================================
The Good
======================================

* Build quality was more solid than I expected. I expected the whole phone to be that "plastic cell phone feel", but the top sliding piece that has the screen in it is actually a solid feeling piece of metal with the glass-esque screen connected to a plastic body.
* The Android UI is a lot more polished and "sexy" looking than I thought it would be. It's not quite like the iPhone, but sexier than BlackBerry OS on the Curve or Pearl (I haven't spent enough time with the Storm or Bold to compare, but at first glance I'd say it's a bit nicer).
* We found most all of the Android applications and system design to be intuitive and flow nicely.
* It is nice to have a "Menu" button again. I got used to it on my BlackBerry as a source of secondary operations that you may want in any application, and missed it on my iPhone -- sometimes feeling like functionality was trimmed to far in the name of a "simple interface".
* The slide-out mechanism for the G1's screen is much sturdier than I thought it would be. I don't forsee this breaking down over time as it has a smooth operation to it and held firmly in place with two guiding pieces. It's also got a good amount of spring-tension to make the operation feel stiff/firm and not flimsy or chinsey.
* Replaceable battery - slide the back cover off and you are all set. You can replace the battery yourself. None of this Apple-crap where you send your device in for "service" to get the battery replaced.

======================================
The Bad
======================================

* Form factor is large enough to consider this a "large" phone. The iPhone was a big phone, but skinny enough you didn't really notice it. The G1 is about 30-40% thicker feeling than the iPhone, so in your pocket, you absolutely notice it. I'd say if you are used to wearing tight jeans, trying to shove this down in a pocket and dig it out is going to be more of a pain then something more streamlined like an iPhone.
* Backlighting of all the keys (keyboard and main face buttons) is dim, uneven and times out quickly so it's easy to loose your orientation when ready before hitting another key. This is really annoying in normal-room-lighting, because the backlighting will always kick in (no sensor) causing the white lettering on the keys to almost become the same color as the key itself, so you suddenly cannot read the keys until the backlighting turns off or you hold the keyboard at an angle so you can read it. This an odd (and annoying) side effect of "all-the-time" backlighting that I had never experienced before on another device.
* Main face-buttons are all the same size, feel and are flush with the face so you cannot navigate them in the dark. You usually have to do something like hit "Menu" or roll the control ball to get the "back lighting" to wake up, then press the button you want.
* Screen display quality is slightly less fidelity than the iPhone (very minor). It's hard to tell, but none of us were "struck" by the beauty of the screen clarity, resolution or brightness unlike (for example) some of the recent BlackBerry Storm reviews that actually called out how nice the screen was. If the iPhone is just fine for you, and you don't need a noticeably improved screen, then this won't matter at all. Just pointing out that there isn't any improvement here.
* The touch-screen performance felt about 15% less accurate than the iPhone. Meaning you had to press a bit harder something or press it a few times before it "clicked", quick clicks with the finger or some slides didn't register right at first. This didn't happen often and for the most part the touch screen was just fine, no usability impact -- it's just that we did notice a hair of a difference in what would be interpreted as "accuracy" of the touch screen.
o ADDENDUM: As one of the viewers on our G1 video review pointed out, the less screen sensitivity was likely due to the protective film we left over the screen. A lot of folks still use screen protectors, so this point could still be important for them, but we wanted to make that clarification. With the screen protector off, the touch screen performance would be expected to be on par with the iPhone.
* From time to time we noticed the OS lag after a button push by up to 6 secs before responding. We've seen this on the iPhone as well (and BlackBerry), but on the G1 the pauses seemed more pronounced.
* No standard headphone jack. There is only the Mini-USB connection at the bottom of the phone or the choice of a Bluetooth headset - Unfortunately because of the poor battery life, we don't think a Bluetooth headset for the purpose of audio is a good choice here.
* The connection mechanism for the entire back plate of the phone (that pulls off like opening a clam) isn't as secure as you might like it. If you dropped this phone I could certainly see the back plate popping off and the battery falling out. A more purposeful latch would have been nice.

======================================
The Ugly
======================================

* Battery life is bad without WiFi and pure crap with it turned on. Overall, about 1/3 the life of my 1st Gen iPhone and on the verge of what I would consider "Something you should really consider if battery life is important". You are going to be plugging this in every night on easy use and if you are a mobile warrior type (few hours of calling a day, lots of map lookups, email, sms, IM'ing, etc.) you are going to need to have this plugged in during the day as well so as not to have it run out on you in the field. This bothered us.

======================================
Conclusion [7.5 out of 10]
======================================

The T-Mobile G1 doesn't seem to have flaws necessarily, more like shortcomings. Depending on the type of user you are, the G1 can be a dream-come-true device (Google-Services-dependent) or a disappointment (Media/Application-heavy user coming from iPhone); it just depends on what you need.

The T-Mobile G1 is a great first-attempt at a phone, but it's still just that: a 1st attempt.

The device itself and Android operating system felt and operated well, but you couldn't help but notice shortcomings in certain places (as noted above in the Bad/Ugly lists) that would all probably be fixed by more time in the oven. We fully expect to see a T-Mobile G2 (or whatever you want to call it) with a seriously refined Android experience and tweaked hardware provide an awesome smart-phone experience -- just right now with the G1, your happiness with it will depend entirely on how you want to use it.

Great Phone, December 24, 2008
Having had this phone since the launch in September 2008, I have to say that I am hooked to Android. I have been with T-Mobile for a while now and they've been one of the best providers for me. The customer service is amazing. I have owned the T-Mobile MDA and an unlocked first generation iPhone on T-Mobile network, and G1 is the best of those 3 phones IMO.

Now about the G1: I had been looking forward to the first Android phone ever since OHA was announced in late 2007, and the G1 has met (if not exceeded) every single thing I had come to expect from Google and Open Source community. Android, as the phone operating system, is rock solid with great features and extremely easy to use. Android Market (equivalent of the Apple App Store on the iPhone) is already full of great applications to cater to many tasks that you might want to add to your phone. Games such as PACMAN, Divide and Conquer, Hold'em and applications such as AK Notepad, Compass, Sky Map, ShopSavvy, TuneWiki, iMeem, Video Player are some of my favorites. There is also a service named Voxofon Call Router which lets you make long distance international calls by dialing the number directly and it does the rest. Their rates are very competitive and quality is one of the best I've seen.

And of course, default included applications such as Maps, Browser, GMail, IM and Calendar are awesome and I use them all the time. I had debated about getting the data plan, because I have not had one for a while now, but Android makes it totally worth it. The G1 has almost become my inseparable companion wherever I go. And the most important aspect of a PDA phone, the phone, itself is great. Call quality is the clearest I've seen until now, speakerphone is pretty loud as well, contact management and auto-sync with GMail contacts is great.

The hardware is very solid too. The phone itself feels very well built in the hand and the back has a "matte" like finish, which enhances the grip on the phone. Sliding mechanism is unique and works very well. A real physical keyboard is awesome, esp for people who IM/Text a lot.

And as everything in the world, nothing is perfect. Few cons I've noticed until now: -
1. Not very satisfactory battery life. If you do not use any data services and use the phone just for calls, battery lasts about 36 hours, but with any sort of data usage on the phone (which is the whole point of a PDA phone), the battery would barely last you through the day. Keeping one charger each at home and office comes in handy. GPS drains the battery pretty quickly too.
2. T-Mobile 3G network is not available at many places still.
3. Not very pretty! I guess that lies in the eyes of the beholder (or beer holder?).

Reviews : Garmin GXM30 XM Satellite Antenna

2009-01-16T20:58:00.007-07:00

Garmin GXM30 XM Satellite Antenna
Description: Garmin's GXM 30 smart antenna works with your compatible Garmin navigator to deliver XM Satellite Radio and XM's NavTraffic service. Along with your standard navigation functions, you'll get the endless variety XM has to offer, plus up-to-the-minute information on traffic flow along your programmed route. The GXM 30 processes all XM signals, and sends the finished product to your Garmin navigator.

Garmin GXM-30 (XM Satellite Radio Accessory)

Strengths: Receives strong signal, Seamless functionality with compatible Garmin GPS's
Weaknesses: Price; Physically larger that a typical XM antennae
Summary: I use the GXM 30 with a Zumo 550 on my motorcycle. It works well and the addition of NavTraffic makes the complete system awesome. Be aware that the GXM 30 is not just an antennae but a completely self contained XM receiver (Hence the large price and size). Your XM subscription is attached to the GXM-30 not the GPS head unit, so if you use the GPS unit in multiple vehicles you'll have to move the GXM-30 as well to receive XM and NavTraffic.

All in One

Strengths: Sensitive antenna
Weaknesses: Large size
Summary: My GXM30 is connected to a Kenwood KNA-510. I'd subscribed to XM radio and XM traffic/weather. Everything was super easy to install. Just plug in the mini usb plug and that's it. No other wires to run! It' also amazing that the receiver is located under my dash and still able to get a signal from my garage! If you have a Garmin or Kenwood product that compatible with the GMX30, get it.

Buyer's Guide GPS recievers

2009-01-14T20:45:00.004-07:00

GPS

By Leif Pettersen

You'll never have to ask for directions again. Since it was introduced to the public in 2000, GPS has quickly moved from a hush-hush national defense resource to being a multi-faceted part of our everyday lives. This dizzyingly complex system, involving 30 medium Earth orbit satellites and an annual maintenance budget of $750 million, has been boiled down to one of the easiest to use and most versatile new gadgets on the consumer market. GPS is widely used to assist in aviation, map-making, and land surveying, and a variety of scientific and commercial uses, in addition to getting you to the dentist with a minimum of wrong turns.

Types of GPS

With GPS receiver chips as small as 15x17 millimeters and thinner than a match-head (not including antennae), these tiny bundles of navigational joy can be secreted into just about anything, including cars, boats, PDAs, cell phones, watches and those mysterious little strips in the new $20 bills (just kidding). That said, for the purposes of this article, we will only focus on the portable, stand-alone GPS units.

Key Features

* Standard Features. These devices come with a host of standard features, including driving instructions, point-of-interest databases containing airports, hospitals, hotels, dining options, shopping, gas stations and ATMs - which can be priceless when you're traveling - and an address book. Most units can calculate routes based on fastest time, shortest distance, least or most use of freeways and toll-free roads. Multi-stop trip planners are less common, but a nice touch. Some GPS units will also have settings for pedestrian, bicycle and bus modes.

* Voice-Guided Driving Directions. While this is also invariably a standard feature, the newer text-to-speech technology is not. This feature announces actual street names rather than generic instructions, like "turn right in 0.5 miles." These audible directions even recalculate and correct when you miss a turn.

* Maps. Virtually all GPS units come pre-loaded with detailed 2D (and sometimes 3D) maps of North America. Maps from other countries can be easily downloaded and installed.

* Where Am I/Help Me. Keep an eye out for units with one-touch "Where Am I?" and "Help Me" buttons. "Where Am I?" gives you the street you're on and the nearest cross streets, which can be really handy if you're giving directions to a tow truck or trying to rendezvous with someone. "Help Me" will tell you where to find the nearest police station, hospital or car service station.

* Currency/Measurement Converter/Calculator. International travelers will find these features handy when you're visiting several countries in a short period of time.

* Language Translator. This feature allows you to translate words and entire phrases in Spanish, French, Portuguese, German and more. With an extra accessory (usually sold separately) you can choose from a list of categories like recreation, food and drink, accommodations and transportation and have the translation displayed in text form or even spoken using a text-to-speech interface.

* Bluetooth. The top-end GPS units are integrated with Bluetooth which, when paired with a Bluetooth-compatible phone, allows you to make and answer calls from the GPS device. This is especially cool when used in tandem with a point-of-interest feature, allowing a one touch phone call for whatever destination you're looking up.

* Multimedia Player. Many GPS units now come with a small multimedia suite, including an MP3 player, audio book player and picture viewer. Some come with as much as one gigabyte of memory set aside for these features.

* Traffic and Weather Alerts. The high-end models will have extra bells and whistles like real-time traffic and weather alerts (with subscription fee).

* Vehicle Mount/Cigarette Lighter Power Adapter. These accessories should be a given at this stage, but it's best to check that your model has them included. Avoid the permanent mounts (i.e., glue-like adhesive) in favor of a window suction base so you can use the unit in multiple vehicles and/or rental cars.

* External Volume Control. After all the other tech crammed onto these units, external volume control, or any volume control come to that, should be a no-brainer. Not so. This can be especially perturbing when you're trying to hear voice-guided driving directions in noisy environments.

How to Choose

Depending on where you aim on the tech scale, some GPS units come packing less-than-stout receiver chips that will falter or completely fail when you find yourself in obscured locations like tunnels, parking ramps, in deep jungle foliage or an in an urban jungle of skyscrapers.

Display quality also varies. Ideally, aim for a large, color screen that's readable from indirect angles and in bright sunlight.

Onboard map quality varies between manufacturers. Some come with excellent street-level maps included; others require you to download these at an additional price.

Battery life is pretty static in these units with a few rare exceptions on the high-end models. They should all have rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and perform similarly, with a dramatic drop in performance when the multimedia features are in regular use or the screen brightness is set to maximum.

Garmin GXM30 XM Satellite Antenna for GPSMap 376C, 7200 and 7500 (010-00423-00)

2009-01-14T03:36:00.004-07:00

Garmin GXM30 XM Satellite Antenna for GPSMap 376C, 7200 and 7500 (010-00423-00)

List Price: $267.84

Price: $197.79

You Save: $70.05 (26%)

FREE with Super Saver Shipping

Product Features and Technical DetailsProduct Features

* Compact, all-in-one XM satellite antenna for select Garmin GPS navigators

* Processes XM traffic, weather, and satellite radio services and sends to GPS display

* Requires XM NavTraffic, WX Weather, or satellite radio subscription for use

* Compatible with select GPSMap, StreetPilot, and zumo GPS receivers

* Measures roughly 3 inches in diameter; weighs 0.55 pounds; 1-year warranty

Technical Details

Brand Name: Garmin

Model: GXM 30 device_type: GPS antenna

Product Description

Product DescriptionThe compact, all-in-one GXM 30 delivers XM satellite weather, traffic, and radio to your compatible Garmin GPS navigator. With the GXM 30 and a subscription to one of XM's satellite services, you can check the weather, avoid traffic backups, or listen to commercial-free radio while driving with your navigator in tow. Setting up the GXM 30 is quick and easy: simply position the antenna where it has a clear view of the sky and connect it directly to the USB port on your GPS receiver. Once you've chosen the XM subscription that best fits your needs, you'll start receiving XM satellite services immediately.

The type of information you receive depends on your subscription package. XM NavTraffic notifies you of accidents, road construction, and weather-related traffic delays before you encounter them, and then offers an alternate route on your GPS. XM WX Weather, meanwhile, brings real-time animated weather data directly to your screen, letting you steer clear of bad weather or choose a less snowy mountain pass, for instance. Finally, XM satellite radio offers dozens of commercial-free music, talk, sports, and news stations--one for virtually every genre in existence. The GXM 30, which measures roughly 3 inches in diameter, fits the following Garmin navigators: the GPSMap 376C, GPSMap 378, GPSMap 478, GVN 52, StreetPilot 2820, StreetPilot 7200, StreetPilot 7500, StreetPilot 2730, and zumo 550. It's also backed by a one-year warranty.
What's in the BoxGXM30 satellite antenna, user's manual.

Product Description

GXM 30 XM smart antenna delivers XM Satellite Radio, NavTraffic and Weather services to your compatible Garmin. Roughly 3 inches in diameter, the GXM 30 processes all XM information and sends the finished data to your unit for display. The GXM 30 requires a XM Satellite subscription(s). Traffic services are available only in select cities where XM Nav Traffic coverage exists.

Product Description

The addition of XM Traffic, Weather and Radio services to your compatible Garmin makes driving with GPS essential, even if you know where you're going. With an optional subscription to XM NavTraffic, your Garmin notifies you of accidents, road construction, and weather-related traffic delays before they are encountered, and then offers an alternate route. XM WX Weather brings real-time, animated weather data directly to your unit, so you can steer clear of bad weather. Add XM Satellite Radio to the mix for hours of commercial-free listening enjoyment. XM reception requires this portable antenna s a subscription to XM service. The type of information GXM 30 provides to your unit, depends on your XM subscription package. Garmin's GXM30 XM satellite module is the best way to receive traffic, weather and radio feeds, through your car stereo. This smart antenna processes all the XM information it receives and sends the finished data to your unit for display.

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Reviews : Garmin GXM30 XM Satellite Antenna

Buyer's Guide GPS recievers

Garmin GXM30 XM Satellite Antenna for GPSMap 376C, 7200 and 7500 (010-00423-00)

Xbox 360 Live 1600 Points
From Microsoft Software