APPLE M9244LL/A 20GB iPod
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $549.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• AAC -16 to 320 Kbps / MP3 -32 to 320 Kbps
• Contact List, To-Do List, & Calculator
• Up to 25 minutes of skip protection
• Over 8 hours of battery life
• LED Display Backlight

Reviews (218)

shamelessly flawed
This is a potentially great product that's on the market despite being shamelessly flawed. I bought an ipod, but found that customer support was expensive and useless; I use it for jogging and basically the battery gets me through only one workout before it needs recharging; iTunes, which is the only way to get songs onto the iPod, is terribly limited. Most of all though, it's the battery that makes me resent Apple most. They're making a fortune selling something that (surely they know) is terribly flawed. It also makes you feel disgusted with the mass media, which is pushing this product because it's "cool," without paying to attention to whether it actually works.

Died after 1 year and 8 months.
I used to love my ipod,but the fact that it recently died on me after a year and 8 months of use has left me with a very bad taste in my mouth. The most painful aspect is that I did not abuse it or use it heavily. The apple store guy at the genius bar informed me that a replacement would cost $250. Better than paying full price, but I am utterly disenchanted and will not pay for another ipod given my experience. Sorry Apple, you got to do better on the reliabilty issue before I even consider another ipod.

GREAT THING TO HAVE
Ipod is definatly better than CDs, I love it! I downloaded all
my favorite songs on the Itunes music store and on my cds and then downloaded them to the Ipod. I like it because it never skips, I can walk around with it everywhere. I take it everywhere
and is fun to take everywhere. I own it and keep it in my room
and play it sometimes when I want more music. I am gonna try it
for the car sometime to see how it works in the car, especially
when I'm on the road. It is definatly so much better than CDs.
I've downloaded more than 150 songs on Itunes on my computer.
Great item. ... Read more

Asin: B0000CEORU
Sales Rank: 8600
Subjects:  1. Portable Audio    2. MP3 MP 3 Player    3. Jukebox    4. MP3 Player (MP 3)    5. Apple    6. (Mac)    7. (Macintosh)    8. Gigabyte    9. 10GB    10. 10 GB   

Belkin Auto Kit for iPod
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $39.99 -- our price: $28.35
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Fully compatible with third-generation Apple iPods, Belkin's auto kit saves batteries by connecting your iPod to your car's DC power source. The kit even includes an exclusive Belkin cable that charges your iPod right from your car's cigarette lighter. The auto kit also provides an adjustable amplifier and .125-inch analog audio-output so you can play your iPod through your car stereo or other audio equipment when using a cassette audio adapter or FM transmitter (not included). An illuminated LED indicator lets you know when your auto kit is properly connected to the power source. Belkin has engineered the unit with a replaceable safety fuse to protect the iPod from potentially damaging spikes or short circuits. ... Read more

Features

• Replaceable safety fuse to protect from potentially damaging spikes or short circuits
• Manages excess cord easily with convenient strap
• Connects iPod device to car's cigarette lighter
• .125-inch audio-out jack lets you play the iPod through your car stereo (requires optional cassette adapter or FM transmitter)
• Locks securely to iPod with dock connector

Reviews (31)

Still happy after several weeks of use
I am using this cable with a 20GB click wheel iPod in a 2004 Nissan Quest minivan.I plug a standard audio cable into the headphone jack of the Auto Kit, and connect it to the auxiliary inputs of the DVD player under the passenger seat.The sound quality is very good, and the Auto Kit cable works well routed through the TuneDock cradle in the driver's seat cup holder.I have no complaints about the Belkin Auto Kit so far.One nice bonus feature that I did not expect:when I shut the car off, the iPod automatically pauses.That way I do not have to remember to pause it myself, or miss part of a song while the car is not running.I believe it works this way because the power socket I am using is turned off when the van is not running.To sum it up, I recommend this cable, especially if you use it with the TuneDock cradle also made by Belkin.

GREAT!!!but ONE drawback
I've found this to be one of the best accessories that I've purchased for my iPod mini. It works extremely well and for you people that have more than one item to plug into your cigarette lighter (i.e. radar detector), you can go to Target or an auto parts store to purchase a splitter for about 5 bucks. I've experienced no loss of performance from having both the iPod and my radar detector plugged into the lighter at the same time.

The only drawback that I've experienced becomes advice to the new purchaser of this item. Although it has been said that the battery cannot develop "battery memory" I found that my battery had lost some of it's life. I had been automatically plugging in my mini everytime I got in the car, even when the battery had only been used for about an hour. My battery now lasts for about 4-5 hours of playtime. I HIGHLY recommend that you do not use this device until your battery is almost depleted of it's charge, as this item charges the battery while you use it. I'll be replacing the battery shortly, and I now I know that I do not have to "freak" about having enough playing time and plan to follow my own advice !!

Not a good fit for my BMW 325iX

I've have two bad things and one good thing to say about this product:

1) The plug is not a tight fit in my car's cigarette lighter (BMW 325iX) ... as such my iPod turns off everytime the adapter is bumped, which is very annoying.

2) There is a high-pitched whining noise when I accelerate ... I've read that I can fix this by purchasing some additional parts, but please I shouldn't have to do that.

3) The volume control / line out is a very nice feature ... without it the signal from the headphone jack is too weak and makes switching between my iPod and the radio dangerous (i.e. too loud), however with it the volumes are more similar ... nice.

So overall I'm in the process of debating if I can deal with the bad in order to have the good.Bottom-line is that there is room in this market for a better product, but for now ... ?
... Read more

Asin: B00009KAPX
Subjects:  1. Portable Audio    2. MP3 MP 3 Player    3. Mac Macintosh Machintosh Apple    4. Power Cable (Cables)    5. Multimedia Cable (Cables)    6. F8V7058-APL, F8V7058    7. Accessories (Accesssory)    8. Battery (Batteries)    9. Accessories (Accessory)   

The Animatrix
Director: Mahiro Maeda, Peter Chung, Takeshi Koike, Kôji Morimoto, Shinichirô Watanabe, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Andy Jones (VI)
Average Customer Review:
DVD (14 September, 2004)
list price: $19.96 -- our price: $15.97
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Matrix writer-directors Larry and Andy Wachowski commissioned sevenartists from Japan, America and Korea to make nine short films set in theworld of their feature trilogy. Some of the top anime directors contributedto this anthology, including Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Ninja Scroll), KojiMorimoto (Robot Carnival), andShinchiro Watanabe (CowboyBebop). Some of the films tie directly into the narrative of the live-action movies. Drawn in a style reminiscent of Jean "Moebius" Giraud, MahiroMaeda's The Second Renaissance (Part I & Part II) depicts thehuman-machine wars that caused the enslavement of humanity and the creationof the Matrix. The duel between two flamboyantly costumed Kabuki warriors inKawajiri's Program is an expanded version of the cybernetic trainingNeo (Keanu Reeves) undergoes in the first Matrix film. Watanabe evokesthe look of old newspaper photographs in A Detective Story, whichfalls outside the storyline of the features. Fast-paced, violent and grim,The Animatrix is an uneven but intriguing compilation that representsa new level in the ongoing cross-pollination between Japanese animation andAmerican live action. (Not rated, suitable for ages 16 and older: considerableviolence, violence against women, grotesque imagery, brief nudity, alcoholuse) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Features

• Animated
• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Widescreen
• Dolby

Reviews (317)

Heavy Metal 205
Finally the ground breaking movie Heavy Metal has a sequel worthy of it.

Gross collection of movies conjured of shamless promotion

Everyone who isn't a mad-mad "MAXTRIX" fan knows that the two movies of 2003: "Reloaded" and "Revolutions" were just ways to scrounge up more money because I qoute I heard one the producers that work with the two brothers who made up this movie series, they made the two movies and Animatrix because "they knew the first one made money, and there was doubt in their minds that these follow ups were going to do the same." In short: the didn't care about a plot, character development, or anything else that makes a movie worth looking at over two times. And Considering that I'm no fan of the Matrix, I had no particular reason to believe that this assortment of cartoons done in the animatrix was any better than Reloaded and Revolutions. I had enough dignity to swallow my pride and rent this DVD, since my hunches aren't always right.


To make a long story short only three out eight the movies on the animatrix DVD are worth watching and those were: "The final flight of the Oirsis" (an explanation to what Niobe was talking about in the game enter the maxtrix, using the animation from the final fantasy movie), "Beyond", and "A detective story", mostly because they go more hand-in-hand with the Matrix than the others.


While the second renaissance explained what happened to the humans and how they became under the grasp of the machines it really just felt lame and really didn't reveal anything no one already knew about. The rest, kid's story, world Record, matriculated, and program are a hodgepodge of cartoons that really didn't feel as though it had anything to with Matrix, just a bunch of fillers for the DVD.



The art in the cartoons range from semi-good to absolute bad (take Kid's story, the second renaissance and World Record for example), and the stories are sometimes too flaky to take seriously (The second Renaissance, Matriculated, and Program).



The content is a basis of blood, gore, adult language, disturbing scenes and sexual content and situations making me wonder why this wasn't labled with a "R" rating. Because we all know Anime is all about blood gore, violence, sexual content, and disturbing images (nods head); YEAH RIGHT and my name is Linsdey Lohan, the smoker with bad skin.


The special features on the disk are commentary from the directors on several of the movies, a documentary on the history of anime that's not really informative and shamelessly promotes old Anime like "Grave of firelies" "Akira", "Ghost in a shell", and "Astro boy." They even had the nerve to go and call Japan Post-Apocalyptic because they were hit with the nuclar bomb in WWII, when in truth they're not. There's also an enter the Matrix trailer but that game sucked so badly I'm not even sure why they put it on the DVD aside from shameless promotion of their Maxtrix Products.



All in all, by far the best movie on here is "the final flight of the Oiris," [despite its corny dialogue] while the others which are basically moderate to watch are poorly executed plans in a motion picture format.------ [A 3 out of 5.]

Use your illusion
This collection of nine animated films (actually eight, one arbitrarily divided into two parts) inspired by THE MATRIX (1999) explores aspects of Matrix-mythology glossed over in the feature films. The First, "Final Flight of the Osiris," played briefly in theaters shortly before THE MATRIX RELOADED (2003) opened. Animated in the photo-realistic style of 2001's FINAL FANTASY: THE SPIRITS WITHIN and written by the Wachowski brothers, "Osiris" follows the ship's last doomed mission. Its crew, Jue and Thadeus (Voices of Pamela Segall and Kevin Micheal Richardson), are the first to spot the drilling machine and the sentinel army that threaten Zion in RELOADED, and Jue makes a daring leap into the Matrix to deliver a warning.
"The Second Renaissance, Parts I and II," also written by the Wachowskis, constitute a prequel to both MATRIX features. The conceit: We're viewing Zion historical file 12-1, which chronicles the rise of the machines, from their earliest, mindless incarnations to the sensational murder trial of B166-ER, the first android to kill its master, and the founding of the machine nation Zero-one. Persecuted by a coalition of fearful human nations, the citizens of Zero-one fight back; in a last ditch effort, humanity blots out the sun in hopes of starving the machines of solar energy. But they compensate, eventually enslaving their former human masters.
In "Kid's Story," alienated hacker Micheal Popper (Clayton Watson) gets a call from Neo (Keanu Reeves) and makes a perilous escape from the Matrix.
"Program" follows Cis (Hedy Burress) as she participates in a favorite fight simulation set in feudal Japan. But her training partner, Duo (Phil LaMarr), has made a deal to return to the Matrix; Cis can join him or die.
"World Record." the least attractivly animated film in the group, chronicles the unusual awakening of Dan Davis (Victor Williams), an Olymic caliber runner who pushes himself beyond the bounds of human endurance and creates a rip in the veil of the Matrix.
In the spooky "Beyond," teenage Yoko (Hedy Buress) tracks her cat, Yuki, to a local "Haunted House" where neighborhood kids have discovered the laws of nature don't apply. Cans float in midair, a broken light bulb appears and diappears in a flash of light, youngsters turn cartwheels in the air and drift to earth like feathers. They're experiencing a glitch in the Matrix, and debuggers are on their way to fix it. Writor-director Koji Morimoto's haunting short story offers a genuinely different view of the world of THE MATRIX, from its old-fashioned Japanese architecture to its quizzical ending.
The B&W film noir pastiche "A Detective Story" reaches back to Trinity's (Carrie-Anne Moss) pre-Neo life as a super hacker, and follows the efforts of a hardboiled dick (James Arnold Taylor) to track her down.
Finally, in "Matriculated," human revolutionaries try to convert machines to their cause by creating a Matrix of their own. Though the premise is clever, writor-director Peter Chung ("Aeon Flux") get bogged down in psycheldelic images that make the film look like a Frutopia commercial.
MATRIX completists (Including me) will revel in the films' interlocking stories and animation buffs will appreciate the range of talent the Wachoskis brought to bear on these shorts, including noted anime directors Yoshiaki Kawajiri (VAMPIRE HUNTERD: BLOODLUST) and Shinichiro Wantabe (COWBOY BEBOP). ... Read more

Asin: B00008LDPU

PNY Optima Series 512 MB DIMM PC2700 DDR Memory Upgrade
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $169.99 -- our price: $50.34
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Lifetime Warranty
• Free 24-Hour Technical Support
• Easy to Install
• Built to Intel Specifications

Reviews (5)

Take your own risk with PNY memory stick
I received it within 24 hours of my purchase and appreciate for quick free shipment from amazon. However, when I installed it into the PC that stopped working right now, I did not see anything on the monitor. I had previous memory installation experience and it was easy. The memory was in the right place with the tabs/nothces were put together so it was placed correctly. I rebooted the PC but nothing happened. I tried 3 times without any success. At that time, I had noticed that that memory stick was very hot. Then I called to PNY tech support # provided on the package and that person told me that that memory I received from amazon was defective and return to amazon. It was OK to return the item but I could not reboot my PC. He told me to removed the battery from PC and unplugged it for 2+ hours to reset it. I waited 3 hours and put everything back and turn it on. Nothing happened. I called again to PNY tech support and waited 45min and they suddenly cut the line. I tried again and waited another 45 min and they cut the line again (I heard the ringing tone, then suddenly the line was cut off -- twice!!). I cannot wait another hour to be cut off again. It seemed like they are avoiding my call and they already knew that new PNY memory caused my other memory sticked burned. I saw little burned on (gold edges of the sticks) both my old memory stick and new PNY I purchased from amazon. My PC was not only unimproved with this new PNY memory, but I also lost my existing good memory stick (125MB). This meory stick is pretty expensive and I chose brand name expecting for better quality as well as improvement for my PC but now, I even lost my good one and cannot use my PC. You can't tell any difference for this PNY stick until you actually installed into your PC. Don't buy PNY for their quality uncontrolled and poor thech support. The automated voice will tell you check the problems in their website. How one can check when the PC was not working?? You have to wait hours to pass automated voices to get live support and wait more hours to get the live person if you're lucky. They don't hesitate to cut off your line anytime. Amazon should have negative stars and this PNY deserves neg stars.

Update: my PC is not working anymore and not repairable. PNY tech support supervisor told me he had to deal with a couple of similar problems per month (imagine how many people suffer the same problem with PNY's defective items) and nobody got compensation according to PNY policy. Never buy PNY products!!

Lifetime Warranty, Stable RAM, decent price
I am comparing the PNY 512MB PC2700 module with the Crucial PC2100 256MB modules (x2).

In terms of performance, they're comparable. I recall PC2700 as not being much faster than PC2100, but the PNY RAM cannot tolerate aggressive memory timing or overclocking.
I had to use the Auto/SPD timing settings in order for it to run properly.

The RAM is very stable otherwise and since there is a lifetime warranty, you can't beat this package at the current price.

Crucial is the other major competitor and while their RAM can tolerate overclocking and aggressive timing, my experience is that they do not tolerate it for long and soon start to give PFN CORRUPT LIST, IRQL Less than or Equal, Page Fault in Non Paged Area, and other BSOD messages.

I ended up going with the PNY because it was about ten bux less than Crucial.

Excellent Memory
I started off with one stick of 512, and I eventually bought three more seeing how stable this memory was. I'm using this memory in an Asus P4C800 Deluxe motherboard, with a 3.2 P4. Since it's been installed, I have yet to crash. I was also able to remain stable while over-clocking my chip up to 3.89mhz.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Asin: B00008AYBE
Sales Rank: 11777
Subjects:  1. 512MB    2. 512 MB    3. Megabyte    4. Memory    5. Computer   

Dark Age of Camelot: Trials of Atlantis Expansion Pack
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (28 October, 2003)
list price: $29.99 -- our price: $29.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Master Levels teaches your character new abilities, spells, combat styles, and more
• Expansion pack for the award-winning Dark Age of Camelot
• Explore the mostly underwater lost civilization of Atlantis
• The three Realms, Hibernia, Midgard, and Albion, must uncover the power left in the ruins
• All new underwater areas, effects, dungeons, and exploration capabilities

Reviews (88)

This expansion damaged the game
I've played DAoC since it's release.i had a great time - original RVR was a lot of fun, and my friends and i could always find a new distraction to keep us occupied.trials of atlantis, coupled with the updated new frontiers ruined DAoC.atlantis is centered around gaining artifacts, earned through absolutely tedious encounters that often require several groups of players.then, you still need to collect three scrolls to activate the artifact - these drop randomly from some creatures, calling for camping toa mobs endlessly.some of these artifacts are so overpowered that they've made players who don't get them obsolete.also, player crafted armor and particularly weapons have taken a serious blow.they can't compete with the perks on toa drops and artifacts.this expansion has pushed many original players, like myself, to walk away.

A good, but misguided expansion
When the TOA expansion came out, it suffered from its share of bugs and balance issues. Many of these have been fixed. It is attractive and fun, with many quests, artifact mobs, and other challenges. The problem is, its a high level pve expansion in a game that appeals mainly to a PVP audience. PVP lovers usually hate the "repetition" (leveling treadmill, etc) of PVE. And to compete effectively in PVP you are pretty much forced to complete the Master Levels and acquire the Artifacts that are introduced in the expansion.

So if you like PvE, this is good fun. If you are like most folks that play DAOC for the PVP, you will agree that this was a misguided expansion.

Time Sink
PvE Expansion for a game wich end game is PvP. Great Idea Mythic.

... Read more

Asin: B0000BXIAJ
Sales Rank: 1124
Subjects:  1. Computer Games    2. Strategy (Strategic)    3. Fantasy    4. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)    5. Havas   

The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat : And Other Clinical Tales
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (02 April, 1998)
list price: $14.00 -- our price: $11.20
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (69)

To challenge our assumptions on the limits of mankind
I've never read a book like it, but I hope to find many more. Whether I was to love this book rested on maybe three things: I wanted a sensitive and humble genius of an author who could thoroughly amuse me with exceptionally amazing stories. Because Sacks succeeded at this, it will remain one of my favourite books of all time. In 'The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat', Sacks gives account after account of the various people he works with as a neurologist; and behind every one of his patients is a story to challenge some of your deepest assumptions on the limits of mankind. By way of a simple example, if a great many autistic people - having never been instructed in maths - can intuitively grasp this subject at a level to challenge computers, what does this say about mankind's innate mathematical abilities? Maybe our schooling in maths should be more a matter of reminding us than of teaching us, therefore. Anyway, these were the kinds of questions that awoke in my mind as I read this gem of a book, but because this is precisely the reason that I enjoyed it so much, I have given you perhaps the least fascinating example that you might discover the more touching gems for yourself. (Oh, and be careful, therefore, of reviews that might give too much away in these respects and thus spoil some of the surprises for you.) Anyway, you will enjoy the explanation that Sacks offers for an otherwise highly intelligent and respectable man who can mistake his own wife for a hat, but there are many other stories of note, and this book could well develop in you a new fascination for the human brain and mind. I can label it as nothing less than a must read.

Lovely Book
After reading this book I have become a big fan of Dr Oliver Sacks. Hats off to him for showing such a remarkable involvement and empathy in his patients.

This book is about people who suffer from neurological deficiencies, who are considered not normal by people like us. It has three sections: 'Losses', 'Excesses' and 'The world of simple'. The strange title comes from a story where a fine gentleman, a distinguished musician has difficulty seeing faces or scenes as a whole. Read on to see how he mistook his wife.... There are eight other narratives in this section. People touched upon here have lost use of some essential faculty, so the title 'Losses'. And read on, one can even lose the sense of ones body and may feel that the legs or the feet are not there unless one actually sees it! Scary to say the least!

In the second section people may have too much of some faculty, but can that ever be a problem? You bet it can be. There is a lady in her late eighties starts behaving out of character, almost like a teen-ager and then she knew something is wrong. Ten more ways to get victim of excesses, ten more fascinating

Finally there is the world of simple who may actually be geniuses at certain activities like numbers or drawing (Remember `Trainman' an Oscar winning movie where a simple person was a mathematical genius? There are two real people who are as brilliant). And around this with the expert care they can build satisfying lives.

Though the whole book talks about people who are in some sense not normal as we define it but they are beautiful people with enriching lives. This great doctor has brought it out so well in this book that I plan to read all the books.

Touching, Inspiring, Phenomenal
I'm currently a student in a master's level degree program for occupational therapy at the University of Missouri, and one of my professors recommended that I look at this book to see the "human" side of neurological disorders.It's hard to find any "case studies" that aren't straight clinical reporting on the part of the clinician, but this book shines with empathy and compassion.The reader truly sees that individuals with neurological disturbances are not just diagnosis/es - these individuals are human beings.

This book inspired me to choose to do one of my clinical rotations in a traumatic brain injury rehab hospital, and I now know exactly what I want to do career-wise after I graduate.
... Read more

Isbn: 0684853949
Sales Rank: 1060
Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. Clinical Psychology    3. General    4. Health/Fitness    5. Nervous system    6. Neurology    7. Neurology - General    8. Psychology    9. Literary Criticism & Collections / General   

Canon XL1S MiniDV Digital Camcorder
Average Customer Review:
Electronics (08 August, 2001)
list price: $4,999.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Small enough to carry around and costing not much more than a top-of-the-line consumer camcorder, the XL1S produces such high-quality results that it is sure to be the top choice for many independent filmmakers who demand full features and controls. Like its predecessor, the XL1, this camera uses three separate 270,000 pixel CCDs (one for each primary color) for the best picture quality. The XL1S records digital audio, with two channels of 16 bit/48 KHz sound or four channels of 12 bit/32 KHz sound. The body is based on a magnesium-alloy frame for maximum durability. It ships with a 16x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilization, but is also compatible with other XL camcorder lenses. With an optional adapter, you can use Canon EF (EOS) still-camera lenses--some of which also feature optical image stabilization.

The electronics of the XL1S have many advanced features, including a number of programmed AE modes, as well as both shutter and aperture priority modes. There are two different auto modes, one of which allows you to adjust any setting manually, if you want, and the other, which adjusts every setting automatically and lets you adjust nothing. A spotlight mode automatically compensates for difficulties when shooting a subject bathed in a spotlight. The computer-shooting mode gets rid of monitor flicker that happens when shooting a computer screen. There are also three different shooting modes: normal movie, digital photo, and frame movie. Normal movie mode is for any time you want to shoot video footage. Digital-photo mode records a still image for six seconds on the MiniDV tape and also captures any accompanying audio for a commentary track. The frame movie mode records 30 noninterlaced still images per second, instead of capturing 60 fps interlaced images. This mode isn't intended to be used for shooting video (playback may not look completely smooth). Rather, frame movie mode should be used as a burst, or continuous, shooting mode, like you'd find on a still camera.

The XL1S offers many new and updated features over the XL1. There is a 16:9 shooting mode where electronic lines draw are displayed through the viewfinder so you can compose your shots flexibly for later conversion to HDTV, where 16:9 is the standard. SMPTE color bars help establish a proper color reference for shooting and editing. Interval recording lets you shoot time-elapsed motion video with intervals from 30 seconds to 10 minutes. Zebra patterns help you determine overexposed areas in your shot so you can adjust the aperture and shutter accordingly.

Digital Video Format and IEEE 1394

The XL1S is a consummate professional creation tool that supports the established industry standards, MiniDV and IEEE 1394. Support of these standards make the XL1S a flexible video creation tool that interoperates with standard DV equipment and computer editing systems as accorded by engineering, scientific and broadcast communities.

DV Format Technology and Its Advantages

The MiniDV format supported by the XL1S delivers more than 500 lines of horizontal resolution -- a 25% improvement over analog systems. The DV format allows for near lossless transfer within digital editing environments for faster creation, increased productivity and improved production quality of final prints.

IEEE 1394 (DV Terminal)

The XL1S comes standard with a DV terminal that conforms to IEEE 1394 for digital transfer of video and sound, in addition to regular video and audio outputs. The IEEE 1394 (also known as FireWire®) standard allows editing, copying and recording of digital video over a single cable. This transfer format affords improved image and sound quality and is virtually free from generation loss.

The 3 CCD System

The XL1S maximizes the capability of the DV format by using a 3 CCD (charge-coupled device) system with a separate CCD for each primary color (red, green, blue). A beam-splitting prism separates light passing through the lens into individual color components and each is sent to its own CCD. Compared to a single CCD, the 3 CCD system achieves outstanding detail with highly accurate color reproduction suitable for the demands of high-end video production - wide dynamic range, low color noise, high-contrast detail, natural color resolution and low-aliasing. The 3 CCD system also makes advanced Pixel Shift (for increased image quality) and Low Light Recording (for increased flexibility) possible.

The three CCD image sensors in the XL1S, each with 270,000 pixels, were specifically designed to capture as much image detail as possible and for shooting under extremely low light conditions. The size of each pixel is 72 square microns - 150% larger than the pixel-size on comparable DV models. The result is an approximate 4 dB improvement in sensitivity. This improved sensitivity means that each CCD can capture more information at all light ranges. In super low light, the XL1S still captures crisp and clear digital data. Under extremely bright conditions, the Pixel Shift capabilities of the XL1S greatly reduces vertical white streaks and smears, making it a consummate field recording device for all conditions.

Because human eyes see green more clearly and readily, the green component of a video signal contains 60% of the picture detail whereas the red and blue components together comprise the remaining 40%. With the advanced Pixel Shift on the XL1S, the green CCD is physically shifted the equivalent distance of 1/2 pixel horizontally from the red and blue CCD, and the green signal is electronically shifted 1/2 pixel vertically. This shifting of the green CCD increases the sampling points, resulting in a system that is comparable to 410,000 pixel CCD systems in terms of resolution. With a larger pixel size and the process of Pixel Shift, the Canon XL1S gives wider dynamic range, better low light recording, reduced vertical smears, and high quality still images without sacrificing the highest resolution DV available.

Audio and Video Inputs and Outputs

The XL1S offers a plethora of means by which to get audio and video in and out of the camcorder. The XL1S is designed to handle two types of analog video input and output: using audio/video cables (composite) or S-video. There are four audio inputs and outputs. All connections are on the camera body.

What's in the Box

• XL1S Camera
• Zoom Lens 16x XL 5.5-88 mm IS
• BP-930 Battery Pack
• CA-910 Compact Power Adapter
• DC-900 DC Coupler
• SS-1000 Shoulder Strap
• WL-D32000 Wireless Controller
• SP-100 Shoulder Pad
• S-150 S-video Cable
• STV-150 Stereo Video Cable
• Lens Hood

... Read more

Features

• NTSC
• Three shooting modes: Normal Movie, Digital Photo Mode, and the cinema-like Frame Movie Mode and shoot in 16:9
• Record for up to 90 minutes on one battery charge
• Professional-quality MiniDV camcorder and still camera with 3 CCD lens
• 16x optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 320x) and image stabilizer
• Interchangeable lens system--can use Canon EOS lenses with optional adapter

Reviews (19)

great camcorder
i am currently in high school, in the media tech department. we do the school news, and produce some films. we currently have 3 kinds of camcorders, the sony dsr200, sony dsr300, and the canon xl1. most of the class perfers the xl1 for many reasons.
it is definately the easiest to use, it is very light weight, and has many options that other cameras just dont have. it has a firewire port directly on it to help get onto computers, though there are other ways.

i have personally used this camcorder, and i must agree, it is a wonderful piece of technology. a few months ago i had bought one of the new Sony handycams that burns to miniDVD, and i had nothing but disappointment, now i am looking into an XL1 of my own, because i know how to use it, it is easy to learn how to use, and there is so much more that you can do with it then most camcorders. if you are looking for something professional, and yet decent in price, you might want to consider the canon xl1

Canon XL1s - Be Wary of Service & Waranty
Canon still seems to have problems with it's lenses and how they interface with its electronic components, which means a blurry picture.For Canadians, there is only 1 service department in Calgary, while customer service is in Ontario.Imagine the bills trying to track down your camera over 2 provinces.Canon has somehow managed to keep this issue under wraps but it is a good idea to investigate where your nearest service department is and what kind of return time you can expect on repairs.The XL delivers great shots and definately looks the part, which can be important, but if it's not in your hands then it won't do much good.

Good Enough
As of now, the XL1S is a little outdated by some other cameras that are on the market, but the end product has very desirable results. I have used cameras like the Panasonic DVX-100, and the XL1 will suit your needs at least 90% of the time that the DVX will. There is no LCD screen, but the viewfinder does sort of double as one and the overall shape of the XL1 makes it unwieldy at times, and more convenient at other times.

Overall, if you have the chance to get this camera, then go for it if something like the DVX is out of reach. The XL2 is coming out soon apparently, which will probably drop the price of this camera and it would be a great opportunity for people on a smaller budget to pick up a camera that is capable of cinema quality pictures.
... Read more

Asin: B00005NKXS
Subjects:  1. Camcorder (Camcorders)   

Adobe Premiere 7.0 [Replaced by Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5]
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM
list price: $699.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Real-time editing
• Multiple, nestable timelines
• Advanced color correction
• Enhanced audio editing
• Customizable keyboard shortcuts

Reviews (9)

Beastly (in the good way)
This is a awsome video editing program.\
Very stable, never crashes, and i'v had it for a while.
Its got tons of features and it will take a while to learn all of them, but you can make basic videos by the 2nd day.It reguires a hefty computer, i have a P4 @ 2.4 gigahertz, a lighting fast motherboard, 700 something ram and the program is still asking for more.Dont get me mistaken, it still runs fine, just to get the very very best performance you will need like to gigs of Ram and a 3.2 ghz processor.

From a Complete Editting Newbie
I'm fairly computer literate, and bought this software following a friend's recommendation.

I did so about a month after buying my first camcorder, a DV one to be precise. So I think you can take it as read that I knew pretty much nothing going into this - hey, I like flashing the cash!

To be brutally honest, when I first got started with PremierPro I found it pretty daunting, given the sheer volume of possibility it conveys. After a few tips from my friend however I began to experiment once I'd mastered the basics.

I tell you now - if you have a DV camera and make home movies, BUY THIS SOFTWARE!! Never again will your relatives & friends yawn at the bad shots, poor sound quality, bare monotony and dullness of the usual family video.

This software makes me look like I know what I'm doing. I made the mistake when I first used my new camera by making use of the cool effects on it, but realised quickly that there was no need, because I could simply add them later with PremierPro.

To those above who mentioned having difficulty using this, put the manual aside and just experiment! Drag & drop and right-click your way to editting heaven.

I strongly recommend this product to anyone interested in making home movies, not just the Danny Boyles of this world (who used this software to make 28 Days Later!).

Advanced video editing
Adobe Premiere is an advanced peice of video editing software. As with most adobe products, the interface is not intuitive and takes time to learn...but it's worth it. Several users have commented about the manual, but I think that the best way to learn anything on computers, ADobe Premiere included, is to teach yourself. You may have to spend a couple hours figuring it out (or, depending on your experience, a couple months...) but when you learn the things you will be able to do are very advanced. ... Read more

Asin: B0000AJXWP
Sales Rank: 4312
Subjects:  1. Computer software (programs)    2. Graphics    3. Multimedia    4. Edit (Editing)    5. Mac Macintosh Machintosh Apple    6. Video    7. Editing    8. Music    9. audio    10. Encoding   

Dark Side of the Moon 30th Anniversary Edition
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 March, 2003)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $13.49
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Dark Side of the Moon, originally released in 1973, is one of those albums that is discovered anew by each generation of rock listeners. This complex, often psychedelic music works very well because Pink Floyd doesn't rush anything; the songs are mainly slow to mid-tempo, with attention paid throughout to musical texture and mood. The sound effects on songs like "On the Run," "Time" and especially "Money" (with sampled sounds of clinking coins and cash registers turned into rhythmic accompaniment) are impressive, especially when we remember that 1973 was before the advent of digital recording techniques. This is probably Pink Floyd's best-known work, and it's an excellent place to start if you're new to the band. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Features

• Hybrid SACD

Reviews (268)

Confession is good for the soul
So here I go. This album has been overplayed in my opinion. Most of the songs I'm tired of hearing except for one. That song is "Us And Them". I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing that song. I remember the first time I heard the song; it was Memorial Day weekend, 1981. I was 13 at the time, and was out riding my bike it was Saturday night, and I heard this song, and I was aroused. I wanted to ride home, and ask my parents if I could ride down to the fish hatcheries by the Deleware River; there was this girl who was 14 at the time, and I wanted to go walking by the river with her. However, my father had to work from Midnight to 8:00 in the morning, and this was 10:00 at night, and about 4 miles away from my house, and so there was no way my parents would let me go. I've held onto this for 24 years, and I want to finally release this. "Pat if you're out there I want you to know that I really liked you back then. I know I showed the opposite, and I really am sorry, and regret not having told you back then."


danrh@cfl.rr.com

Buy it for the SACD, not the CD tracks
Another customer comments that this remaster does not stand up against the original Harvest UK CD issue. I have not heard that, but I do own the original US CD issue, the 20th anniversary US issue, the Mobile Fidelity gold CD, and a number of LPs, including a French pressing from a pre-Wall "complete" box set. Until I heard this, the best-sounding version I'd heard was a Japanese Mobile Fidelity pressing played on a world-class turntable in an incredible stereo system. Stunning.

It's true that the standard-CD version of the album presented here on the 30th anniversary reissue is overly compressed and hyped in the treble and not what I would call faithful to my conception of what the master tape sounds (or ought to sound) like.

But the SACD tracks! It's a completely different program. It is far and away the most lucid, dynamic incarnation I've heard, open and airy and simply *clear* beyond my dreaming. The bass tones in the opening of "Time" explode from the speakers with an authority I've heard only in listening to SACD material on terrific systems. It's not at all about *quantity* of bass. It's not boomy. There's simply an ease and richness in the sound of the bass that I can only compare to the sound of a plucked string from an electric bass guitar emanating from a great bass amp.

If you already own this album on CD and you don't have an SACD player, you may want to consider sticking with the version you have. But if you're set up to appreciate Super Audio CD and you like or think you might like this album, this disc is a must-have. Especially at this price! (And it is indeed *The* Dark Side of the Moon, contrary to what another has opined below.)

an all time classic
the dark side of the moon was amongst the greatest rock albums ever made along with the wall and this contains my favourite songs money,us and them and money.very very highly recommended.five stars. ... Read more

Asin: B00008CLOA
Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. England    3. Pop    4. Prog-Rock/Art Rock    5. Psychedelic    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Synthesizer   

Subliminal Sandwich
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (04 June, 1996)
list price: $19.98
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (24)

Yeah... wooo...
I remember back in '96 I saw this CD in a Columbia House catalog and decided to give it a try. I liked the name, what can I say. I bought it, listened to it a few spins, decided I liked it, but that was that. Fast forward a few years, when in high school art class I throw this in my discman and finally start realizing what's going on. This is a lot... murky bass, ephemeral sounds just drifting in the background. Some subterranean hip hop, dub/jungle/toasting cut ups (which would be fully realized during the In Dub CD), organic rusty sounds everywhere. And this is just the first CD. Basically, a culmination of their rougher, earlier sound with the grooves of Satyricon. Top notch.
Then you get to CD two. The night to CD1's day. I can't sum this stuff into words. It's what techno music should have become. It's vicious, entrancing, LONG, rough. Analog squelches and bass are the order here. There's so many moments to choose from here. The spacious, deep space groove of "Mad Bomber/The Woods". The crushing, slow building "The Utterer", the trip hop freakouts of "United Nations, Etc" and "Plexus", and the multiple buildup/breakdowns of "Electric People". I mean, it took me forever to notice the grungy sound that carries the song around 4 minutes in is actually a distorted clarinet solo. It's just filled with little things like that. It's really one of the few electronic CDs around which betray it's electronic roots to come across feeling completely natural. More than a sum of it's parts.
As you can tell, I like CD two the best, but both CDs are completely f***ing awesome. It all depends on your tastes. But, it's a damn good buy and one of the most original CDs I've ever heard.

The Real Prime Audio Soup
After 19 years of existence, I have finally decided that my favorite album is "The Best of Roy Orbinson" by Roy Orbinson.Ha!
No seriously, it is Meat Beat Manifesto's acid drenched "Subliminal Sandwich". This CD would've really worked well with the title "Prime Audio Soup", for that is the only way I can describe this CD (well not so much Disc1, but definitly Disc2)
Disc one is absolutly jam packed with 18 songs,every one carving it's own niche in the CD, and not a single one is boring. Each song retains MBM's signature sound, while representing a different side of it. So many subgenres are represented on this album that it is downright daunting to analyze and describe what they all are. Just listen to the samples and you will know what I'm saying. Simply fantastic, absorbing, and oddly emotional.

Somehow, by some weird act of fate, Disc Two absolutly trumps Disc One, and with only 10 songs. This CD is why I'm writting this review in the first place. Each song has an extreme volume of euphoric sound pulsing in-and-out of earshot. How Mr. Dangers
managed to make real audio soup I will never know. I'm just glad that he did in the first place.
To all you pyschonaughts out there (and you know who you are), this CD will suck you into worlds otherwise inconceivable for the sober mind. It sounds like an acid trip, as in how you would hear normal music on acid, without the acid (Get it?Got It?Good!). On acid (or you're
hallucinogen of choice) this CD is utterly absorbing all of the way through, but espescially so on tracks 7 through 10. All in all great while sober (both Cds), but unbelievably fantastic while tripping. Buy it now, so that the CD will not disapeer due to low sales. This masterwork must be preserved.

...and now for something completly different.
The first time I heard this album, it was at a local library. Someone was playing it over the public C.D. player, and I went over to find out what it was. The listener checked it out and never returned it, so I went out and bought it. Later, after I bought it, it was stolen from me, so I bought another copy.Needless to say, this is one of my favorite albums. This was also the first Meat Beat Manifesto album I heard. When I listened to some his older stuff, I was suprised at how different it sounds compoared to "Subliminal Sandwich". I think this album provides a nice change in the electronic, dare I say techno, genre. Something nice and different, but you can still dance to it. ... Read more

Asin: B000001Y28
Sales Rank: 58873
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Drukqs
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (23 October, 2001)
list price: $19.98 -- our price: $19.98
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Often proclaimed as electronica's one true genius, Richard James, a.k.a. Aphex Twin, returns with a double CD that showcases his cleverness as well as his inevitable inscrutability. Still, amid macabre birthday songs, unsettling screams, and other bizarre touches, Drukqs offers the most technically accomplished and beautiful tracks of Aphex Twin's career. Every aspect of the Aphex brain is on display here, from stark pieces performed on sampled piano and zither to Squarepusher-styled drum & bass implosions, all informed by that peculiar Aphex treatment of bittersweet melody and unparalleled programming. For an artist once engrossed in homages to his dead twin brother and grotesque videos, Drukqs shows James getting by purely on music alone.

"Mt. Saint Michel Mix" starts as maddening drum & bass, but is soon transfixed by glowing tones, hand drums, and police sirens. "Vordhosbn" is all acid beats and mad synths matched with fart-bombs and haunted cries. "54 Cymru Beats" sounds more like the tweaked-out, goofball techno of Wagon Christ than Aphex, while "Taking Control" goes metaphysical with cerebral synth-drums and muddled vocals. If Drukqs is the result of medication James has been imbibing during his three-year hiatus, then this is indeed better living through chemistry. Regardless, his music is still as beautiful and frothy as ever. --Ken Micallef ... Read more

Features

• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (142)

ohhh richard.....
Well....what can i say about this?Where to start?First off let me tell you that this is a killer album,far better then the ''new'' analord series.Far better produced then everything what he made after this.And far better then any squarepusher album to date...I really don't have any standout tracks because there all pretty good but i should name one and that's ''mt saint michel'' that track is brutal indeed,showing richard's soft AND hard side in one track....stunning...so i probebly should give it 5 stars,but i'm not because i like'd some of his earlyer work better though...This is actually NOT the place to start for the beginning aphex listener.

Best So Far
I think this album stand out over his "best of" ambient collections. It's two discs of abstract ambient and electronic masterpieces, a very good introduction to Aphex Twin that would appeal to listeners and fans of any genre.

My introduction to Aphex Twin
I can't say I think much of the name IDM, otherwise known as Intelligent Dance Music. Firstly, calling a genre of music intelligent is somewhat pretentious. Secondly, I'd hardly call this dance music by any stretch of the imagination. That said, I'm a progressive rock fan, prog rock being music with an equally pretentious name and also being quite far from what rock is in the first place, so who am I to talk?

I suppose you could say that if I am a virgin to IDM, or indeed electronic music in general (beyond the useless boring dog turd you hear in the charts), then Aphex Twin is kinda like my first kiss. Well, my first kiss that involved a grope. I mostly listen to heavy metal and prog rock whilst dabbling in all sorts of other things, and now its electronica's turn. (Of course, that's a huge generalisation since electronic music is just as a broad a term as rock music, but I'm new to this so work with me.) Its certainly far and beyond your average annoying trendy "phat beats bruv" type stuff that you hear in mainstream dance clubs as far as musical merit goes, but seems to avoid veering off into unlistenable noise in the name of experimentation.

You'll notice that there are no real song titles, just gibberish. I can only guess this is because Drukqs was intended to be listened to as one. From what I can gather from the attitudes towards electronic music, people seem to want a catchy song they can dance to. And from what I can gather from Aphex Twin (and presumably artists like him), he is challenging that attitude. These aren't some beats to listen to when you're full of substances in a club. These tracks are pieces of music that ask for (and deserve) your attention. To be listened to at home by yourself. Or maybe I'm just reading to much into it.

Some of the music here is hard (though not on the same level as Come To Daddy, the first track I ever heard by Aphex Twin) whilst other tracks are softer more brooding pieces. Throughout it all there is a lot of changing drums. The drum patterns here are often changing, and sometimes become the focal point of the track. There are also quiet tracks devoid of any percussion. Quiet, touching pieces that can stir up emotions and once again demonstrate a huge departure from the cliches that people outside of electronic music have about it.

If you like it wierd, unconventional and dark then Drukqs is the album for you. ... Read more

Asin: B00005QD9N
Subjects:  1. Ambient Techno    2. Drill'n'bass    3. Electronica    4. Experimental Jungle    5. Experimental Techno    6. Pop    7. Rock   

Working With Sound
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (09 March, 1999)
list price: $15.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (5)

working with sound, indeed!
i've never bothered to review an album on here before, but this disc is special and worthy of as much praise as it can get.

i've long been a drum and bass fan, but have moved more towards trip-hop as of late.this cd is the perfect blend of chilled-out beats, odd samples and awesome production.the cd isn't mixed, but the track separation is better in a way, as each track is different in its own way.this record is far better than ninja tune or ltj bukem -type tracks.

if you're lookin for something to cruise to and blast your system, look harder towards "at close range" by ak1200 (or similar); but if you're looking for something to chill / nod off / dream to, this is the best you can get.

Super-hip
Hive is a fantastic musician. I heard Devious Methods before this and it blew my mind, really got me into drumnbass and hiphop. Finally I did my homework and got this cd, and I am very pleased. Most of the tracks are superjazzy, not a lot of boom-boom-krack stuff goin on... He changes the melody and beat up a lot, which is always nice. Very good instrumental hiphop. This album sounds a lot like DJ Shadow's work, but with a helluva lot more evil-genius behind it.

Shadowesque laid back beats
Reminiscent of DJ Shadow's Pre-Emptive Strike and Endtroducing. Not quite up there with the sweeping majesty of Endtroducing, but Hive definitely makes inroads into the multilayered soundscapes that make Shadow's releasesso awe inspiring.

Laid back beats with a jazzy overtone, this is acomplex and interesting listen, that grows on you as you listen more andmore. Quite darkin places, but ultimately funky and relaxing.

I wouldrecommend it to anyone that likes any of the DJ Shadow / DJ Cam ilk. Aworthy addition - put it on and nod your head to the mellow beats ... Read more

Asin: B00000I83A
Sales Rank: 128059
Subjects:  1. Jungle/Drum'n'bass    2. Pop    3. Rap & Hip-Hop   

Bible of Dreams
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (15 July, 1997)
list price: $15.98 -- our price: $13.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (73)

A great album
A great album there isn't a fill in track anywhere on this cd. This was the first Juno reactor album I brought after hearing their work in the Matrix trilogy and a few other movies. A album I would recommend to anybody to purchase be you a trance lover or not (and I aren't) and wish to add a good record to your collection

Bible Of Dreams
Bible Of Dreams was, in my opinion, one of their more mediocre albums if you compare the measurments on Odyssey or looking back on Beyond The Infinite.I thought it had a weak entrance (Jardin De Cecile) to give you a any motivation to journey through the rest of the album (that's what I'm looking forward to in their new album [Labyrinth], or so I've read with the reviews on Metropolis Records).Conga Gury and God Is God were on the same levels as Jardin with more light and layed back jungle and industrial beats with some weak rythems.Swamp Thing, Haguya Hime, and Children Of The Night were the three highlights in my opinion.Swamp Thing, include the title as well, gave the song a purpose as it was more darker track with its dangerous beats and ex-haunting tunes...eventually breaking into low guitar chords.The other two along the same lines as well.High Energy Protons (Orion Mix) was a weak ending...they should've ended with a remix of Pistolero or something.Don't get me wrong, Bible Of Dreams is still a must-own after their two previous albums, Transmissions and Beyond The Infinite.That's my review, thanks!

Hmmm...
It's a good album alright... but some stuff just isn't so great..

Jardin de Cecile - Starts off with a lush pad, that reminds me of Forest Temple from Zelda: Ocarina of Time, then the beat comes in and drives the song into tribal mode where metallic bongos fill in.

Conga Fury - Another tribal song incorporating live congas and a lovely female vocal drone. It's a bit too long though.

God is God - Beware! people say this song is great, although it isn't really that great at all. Sure its got all the Middle Eastern stuff, but its way too repetetive.

Komit - This is like Watkins travelling back to the days of Transmissions. This song is a nice piece of techno that sometimes slips into drum n bass with hypersynths.

Swamp Thing - Not really impressed by all the guitar in this track but the congas/bongos are good.

Kaguya Hime - I really like this track. Some may say its plain and stupid, but I say its its simple and clever. Nice acidy bass and metallic drums.

Children of the Night - Ugh! Worst song! totally ruins the album im sorry to say.

Shark - Very mellow down tempo ambient. It features some Vangelis style brass synth.

High Energy Protons (Orion Mix) - This doesnt sound as full as the original because it doesnt have many effects and things like that. Doesn;t live up to the original at all.

Im giving this album 4 stars because its a great album but a few songs kind of ruin the whole thing. ... Read more

Asin: B000003RHN
Sales Rank: 10820
Subjects:  1. Dance Music    2. Pop   

Mushroom Jazz, Vol. 3
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (20 March, 2001)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Continuing the highly popular Mushroom Jazz series, Mark Farina goes for late-night purple velvet and downtempo 2 a.m. atmospheres on this third installment, resulting in an electronic release for lounge lizards the world over. A basic hip-hop loop is the canvas throughout this 19-track mix, and on it Farina paints a series of smooth, sometimes shady but always sassy portraits that result in a thoroughly credible, electronically glazed slow-jam record. Opening with the wholly seductive cruise control of "California Sauce" byKing Kooba, Farina goes on to introduce the silky-smooth, French lounge of Raw Instinct's "De la Bass," the late-night Manhattan flavors of Herb Alpert's "Flirtation," and the warm Philadelphia evening breeze of Slide Five's "Streamline." In deftly fusing jazz and hip-hop with downtempo beats, Farina has produced a mix that works for thoughtful driving, romantic evenings, and hip soirées. --Steffan Chirazi ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Smooth
One of my absolute favourites right now!

Stay away from the first in this series of four. The rest are superb...

The best of the MJ collection
This one says it best - a triptifying blend of jazz, soul, and R&B elements.I am amazed this is being mixed - it sounds studio-edited - but it really doesn't matter either way.Stick in the player and chill, man.

So Lovely.
DJ Mark Farina did a wonderful job with this third compilation of jazzy hip-hop tracks. It's such a delight to listen to and it easily floats from one song to the next, and all the tracks are good. I find myself playing it over and over, it's impossible for me to get tired of this album. It offers a wide variety of tempos but it's mainly an album one would play for any type of activity, such as: Cruising in your car at night, cleaning the kitchen, just kicking back in your recliner chair and meditating, or simply providing chilled out background music for a party. You can't go wrong with buying this volume, there is something for everybody on this, trust me. ... Read more

Asin: B00005A0JR
Subjects:  1. Club/Dance    2. Dance Music    3. Funky Breaks    4. House    5. Pop    6. Trip-Hop   

Nude Dimensions: Naked Music, Vol. 1 - The Petalpusher Session Mixed By Miguel 'Migs'
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (02 October, 2001)
list price: $17.98 -- our price: $14.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (16)

Metro Gnome
Man, do you MEN need to have $ex with a metronome? If that's workin' for y'all better than Cialis, then by all means, get this CD. Me, I'd be smashing the cd player during foreplay. Monotonous, but sexy. Gimme Barry White instead. Now that's nekkid muzak. Uh-hmmm.

A worthy addition to your dance music collection
Miguel Migs has put together a very good dance mix CD.It has the generally high quality that we have all come to expect from him and, of course, Naked Music.I have to stop just short of giving this a perfect 5-star rating because it's not as consistently excellent as Miguel's superior effort, Nude Tempo I.Although I listen to this CD often (almost every day), I often find myself skipping past certain tracks, especially track 5.Nonetheless, if you like dance music with a sophisticated feel to it, you can't go wrong with this CD.

THREE DIMENSIONAL NUDE DIMENSIONS!!!
The Nude Dimension series has got to be the hottest and most sought after dance CD on the market today!It's easy to say that with the mix of smooth house grooves and incredible vocals from the likes of Li'sha and Janet Rushmore!If you're a club head, DJ or just like good house music with sass-appeal, this is the CD for you! ... Read more

Asin: B00005Q6MR
Sales Rank: 7118
Subjects:  1. Club/Dance    2. Dance    3. Dance Music    4. Downbeat    5. House    6. Illbient    7. Jazz-House    8. Pop    9. Progressive House    10. V/a Compilations   

Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 July, 1991)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Among Thelonious Monk's long stays at New York's legendary Five Spot was a six-month period in 1957 with possibly his most brilliant band, with John Coltrane finding fuel in Monk's music for his harmonic explorations. The quartet only recorded three studio tracks: a sublime reading of Monk's ballad "Ruby, My Dear"; a loping version of "Nutty"; and a stunning version of "Trinkle Tinkle" on which Trane's tenor mirrors Monk's piano part. The CD is completed with outtakes from an octet session that joined Coltrane and Coleman Hawkins and an extended solo version of "Functional." --Stuart Broomer ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Jazz Greatness
On this CD you will witness the meeting of two great jazz musicians who create some timeless music with loads of class and sophistication. Much has already been said about this CD on here, but all you need to know it that it's great.

TWO GIANTS
TO EVERY LOVER OF ZAZZ YOU MUST HAVE THIS FAMOUS RECORDING.IT WILL MAKE YOU A JAZZ LOVER.

Playfully Brilliant
When two of the greatest jazz musicians of all time get together, one would expect nothing less than sheer brilliance. This album delivers. There is a wonderful playfulness to this album that makes it one of my favorites. ... Read more

Asin: B000000Y2F
Subjects:  1. Bop    2. Jazz    3. Pop   

Incunabula
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 February, 1994)
list price: $15.98 -- our price: $14.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Although Autechre's Sean Booth and Rob Brown are firmly rooted in the British hip-hop and electro scenes of the early 1980s, their music is experimental, mathematical, and precise; electro is used merely as a starting point for further exploration of synthetic sounds. On Incunabula, their contribution to Warp's Artificial Intelligence series, the roots of their sound are laid bare. Electro beats are tranquilized and obscured, shifted into alternate time signatures, and used as anchors for repetitive synth hooks and dense layers of effects, resulting in a sound that is exquisitely cold and mechanical. The title, which means "beginning," couldn't be more appropriate: as the years passed, Autechre's music became more dense and oblique; hence, a quick listen to "Incunabula" is essential to decoding the plot. --Matthew Corwine ... Read more

Reviews (53)

An essential to anyone's electronica collection
Electronica has got a bad rep for being unemotional and annoying. Autechre is one of those groups/artists which shatters that stereotype with rythmic, intelligent, and beautiful electronica music (the others that I am aware of that are GREAT are Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada, and Squarepusher). Autechre's music may not be extremely easy to listen to, but after you listen to any of their albums 2 or 3 times you relize just how beautiful and flowing it is. In my opinion, Incunabula represents the pinnacle of Autechre's music. Unlike many of their other music, Incunabula is filled with old-school electronica sounds, which is why some people say it sounds out-dated or simple, but in all it is a reason why it is so great. Incunabula's music relies more on percussion and hip-hop beats, which is different but gives the album a sound that is actually rare. As with most of Autechre's music, Incunabula is very mathematical, and its beats are perfectly synchronized. At first, it does sound like it was put together with elementary software using old, out-dated sounds. But once you get used to the album, you see the hidden beauty. Every song in this album has its own characteristic, but all are great. The only song I really grown to enjoy is Bronchus 2.
1. Kalpol Introl- 8/10- Probably the most inriguing sounding song of the album. It doesnt rely on the hip-hop percussion beats like the rest of the songs do, as it uses the strange flowing sounds that are more common in electronica today. The thing is it just drags on without getting somewhere significant. Great sounding in the beginning though.
2. Bike- 9/10- This song sets the ambient/hip-hop beats that are common throughout the album. Not the most entertaining song of the album, but is very good nonetheless.
3. Autriche- 9/10- Probably the most ambient song of the album; it is soft, fairly slow, but has the catchy percussion in the backround. Has plenty of weird ambient noises in the backround, but its all the better for it. Sounds out-dated compared to Aphex Twin's [On #1]- which was made in 1993.
4. Bronchus 2- 5/10- To me, its the weak-point of the album. It's definatly the most abstract of the bunch. I am usually able to appreciate abstract ambient electronica a lot more than this...
5. Basscadet- 9.5/10- Picks the beat and noise level up a notch, but keeps the ambient attitude. It is a lot more catchy, but just as intellectual and mathematical as the rest. I can imagine that some people may not like it because it doesnt go where some of the other songs go; kind of like Kalpol Introl, but not to as big of an extent. In my opinion its a great song.
6. Eggshell- 10/10- Take the best qualities of this album and mix them together, and you get this song. Along with 444, it is my favorite. 9 minutes may seem way too long for any song to last, but once you appreciate this kind of music you'll enjoy every second of this song. Very few, if none at all, can make an old-school song like this and make it an enjoyable and memorable experience out of it.
7. Doctrine- 9/10- One of the stranger songs of this album. It takes a more violent and harsh sound and mixes it in with the old-school electronica sound that flourishes in Incunabula. Fortunatly its a great mix, and is a great song.
8. Maetl- 10/10- Similiar to Eggshell, it takes ambient and intelligent techno and blends them together. Great song.
9. Windwind- 9/10- Definatly the ambient song of the album. It stretches over 11 minutes in length, but just like Eggshell it makes good use of that time. Windwind sounds quite like those from Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient albums. It is long and flowing, and evolves at a slow but noticeable pace.
10. Lowride- 10/10- The most hip-hop sounding song of the group. Has a great beat but retains the mathematical aspect of Autechre's music, and also retains their sense of artistry. One of the best songs of the album.
11. 444- 11/10- Another ambient-sounding song, very broad and flowing. But unlike Windwind, 444 is extremely involving, and is one of those songs that let's your mind free to expand and explore. Probably my favorite song of the album. Doesnt sound as out-dated, as it is very complex. It may take a few times of listening to it to grasp it's greatness, but once you explore the depths of sound that makes up the structure of this song, you will experience one of the greatest electronica songs ever made (in my opinion). Once again, it sounds like a song made by Aphex Twin but with an Autechre-twist. Magnificent blend.

Overall, Incunabula is a must-have for those who listen to electronica history. It is an album that will show you just how far electronica has evolved since it's release over 10 years ago, but it will show you just how beautiful it is for it. In my opinion, it is Autechre's finest work of art and is one of the greatest electronica albums ever released. Go ahead, expand your mind and try it out.

'Cradle': And What a Long, Strange Trip it's Been...
Released with virtually no fanfare or hype in 1993, Autechre's full length debut *Incunabla* is now considered the watershed pinpoint of early experimental electronica, `pure' IDM ambient at its finest.Sheffield natives Rob Brown and Sean Booth, childhood hip-hop aficionados and graffiti artists, began with this album a career trajectory in sonic manipulation that, in reflection, is as baffling as it is monumentus, the scope of which must be calculated in non-verbal experience, rather than the usual superlative expressionism (though we try, we really do...). *Incunabula*, Latin for `cradle' or `origin', is a fitting title for this sublime gem; when directly compared to Autchre's more recent releases like *Confield*, very little similarity can be discerned, at least superficially.But when taken in context, record to record, a journey of mind-boggling proportions unfolds, and the seeds of Autechre's eventual exploration of chaos-within-order sound structure can be found on this, the `birth' record, by far the most accessible and least-demanding work of Ae's oeuvre...and, consequently, considered by many as their best.

Whichever Autechre you prefer - order or chaos - *Incunabula* stands as one of the catchiest `cold' albums in existence.The gray tones of the cover visually distinguish the overall color-scheme of the entire album: in the mind's eye, I am constantly reminded of overcast skies, windswept mountains clad in ice; dull chrome and greasy steel; the pall of industrial fumigation and the necroshine of a neon-drenched cityscape.Fans of Autechre often describe this music as the closest aural equivalent to the Song of Machines, all clicks and bleeps and grinding gears, mathematical equations hardwired into sonic representation.There is very little ~human~ element to Ae's music, and yet, therein lies the source of its beguiling mystique: music like this could never find an adequate genesis with organic instruments. *Incunabula*, and especially *Tri Repatae++* and *Confield*, is the soundtrack of our 21st century tekgnosis: a cybernetic evolution of communication: the future, now.

In hindsight, *Incunabula* is perhaps Autechre's most shallow album; but `shallow' is a deceptive term, for the depths of even this birth-record cannot be fully grasped in the first, or even tenth, listen.Tiny, pivotal details surface with constant re-examination, and it blows my mind that this was made by two guys in their early twenties.I also find *Incunabula* to be Ae's most ~fluid~ record: each song flows into the next, there is virtually no filler, and the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts.The sonic palate is consistent throughout - chattering breakbeat percussion, supplemented by deep bass currents, are gradually overlaid with Eno-ish synth tones and garnished with precise effects; hooks appear, anchoring the ear, then either attain climatic denouement (as in `Eggshell') or else morph/contort/ and/or drift away in the stormfront haze.Most effectively, the overall soothing consistency of the album is punctured at strategic points, giving a whiplash snap to the ambient flow, such as the opening snarl of `Doctrine' after the aforementioned glide of `Eggshell', or the smarmy hip-hop parody of `Lowride' on the whispering tail of `Windwind's' devastating death-fugue.Other highlights include the almost-giddy `Bike', its shimmering melodies augmented by melancholic growls; the meticulous drive of `Basscadet', its harsh effects-rhythms and moody ambience giving us a brief taste of Autechre's future releases; and finally `444', the closing epic, wherein the evanescence and subtle brutality that has preceded find culmination - truly, a paean to the lonely, disconnected nature of cyberspace and its plugged-in denizens.

Or, to use an organic metaphor, *Incunabula* is the soundscape of winter, of earth subsumed by a cold, crystalline surface of snow, nature buried under Melville's terrifying whiteness - the abyss codified and, at least in this record, made palatable.Initiates into IDM should start here, then progress with the warmer *Amber* (autumn) and *Tri Repatae++*, Autechre's indisputable mechanistic magna opus.I personally like both of those albums more than *Incunabula* - concepts introduced here are simultaneously built upon and deconstructed - but neither are as accessible or as wistfully poignant - in an innocent sort of way - as this birth-record, the first step of a long and perilous journey from order into chaos.

Highly recommended for adventurous ears

Dissapointed; maybe it's just not was I expected
I was dissapointed with my first few listens of this album.I was expecting something more industrial and less atmospheric, but I guess that just happens sometimes when one is trying to discover new artists.My expectations aside...

I thought this sounded a little elementary--like it could have been done with a cheesy PC program with a name like "Techno Maker."I just wasn't impressed with the sounds of the album--there was a lack of texture and depth, and some of the layers didn't seem to be timed well.

I don't know, maybe it's just me...but I'd go with Aphex Twin's Ambient Works if this sort of thing is your bag. ... Read more

Asin: B000003RG9
Subjects:  1. Ambient Techno    2. Dance Music    3. IDM    4. Pop   

Music Has the Right to Children
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (22 September, 1998)
list price: $11.98
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Like dust motes dancing in hazy afternoon sunlight, the compositions of Scottish duo Boards of Canada seduce listeners by illuminating almost imperceptible elements flitting through the cluttered cosmos. Though their saturated hip-hop beats and deployment of timbres as tactile textures recalls Autechre, Boards of Canada are distinguished by sweet melodies and a fondness for using vaguely familiar sounds outside of Western harmonic tradition--snippets of party conversations, bouncing Ping-Pong balls--to function as emotional triggers. Despite its sonic watercolor washes and childlike exclamations of "I love you" ("The Color of the Fire"), Music Has the Right to Children is not some yellowing document scribbled by glassy-eyed, loved-up rave casualties. This exemplary, evocative recording almost hovers above any fixed point on the time line of pop-music history. --Kurt B. Reighley ... Read more

Reviews (150)

Recorded Nostolgia
When this album came out, I purchased it on a whim. I had no idea who the Boards of Canada were. I listened to it on the way home, and loved it, but didn't hold it up to my then favorite Plaid. Over time, it grew and grew on me. Then Geogaddi came out. It was a little more dark, and I loved it, but not as much as Music has the right... Later, after my appreciation of the Boards of Canada set in fully, I bought Twoism, Hi Scores, and Peel Sessions. Then it hit me. I hold almost every record to the standard of Music has the right... Not just Boards of Canada records, but everything. I don't think I'll ever hear an album as full of character as this, and that is fine by me. I love this record. It is my desert island mix.

gotta love the short bits
it's like.......the same sound is repeating over & over again and you still love it... no.
it's like.......you're lost in a huge forrest but you don't wanna find your way out... no no no no.
it's like......."oh my god, it's full of stars"...

Stunningly Beautiful Music
Boards of Canada is the Pink Floyd of the new millenium, and Music Has the Right to Children is its Dark Side of the Moon (which would make Geogaddi its Wish You Were Here, I suppose). Tragically, no one has heard of BoC save for a devoted core of fans. If you're reading this, you are already a fan, or you soon will be. Spread the word. ... Read more

Asin: B000009VOM
Subjects:  1. Ambient Techno    2. Electronica    3. IDM    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Scotland    7. Trip-Hop   

Deep Forest
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (14 December, 1993)
list price: $17.98
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

The primordial unknown--or the modern urban dweller's impressions thereof--has long been a staple of New Age music. So it was only a matter of time before some studio whiz got the notion to take the translation process one step further and bring that atmosphere to the dance floor. It's definitely authentic--the creators studied and borrowed genuine chants from African tribes--but just as importantly, it's remarkably seductive. The chart-topping signature song, "Sweet Lullaby," is indicative of what's going on in the grooves of the other nine tracks; ambient house beats burble pastorally while "multi-culti" samples ebb and flow gracefully, even romantically, through the mix. -- David Sprague ... Read more

Features

• Extra tracks

Reviews (46)

Hey, it is what it is
Smooth like that whole early 90s ethno thing, and eminently listenable for chilled out background music a la Enigma and Brian Eno.

New Age is bad jazz? OK, then jazz must be bad classical.

Big deal...
I read all these all these enthusiastic reviews and wonder how many have actually heard of, or heard youssou N dour, king sonny aide or david rudder. Even bob marley or peter tosh? I don't know i just think that if you want to listen to third world music you don't need a white western interpreter which is what these guys are a pair of white dudes from france not an african group as one person suggested. The idea is nice and a bit patronizing but i have always thought of new age as bad jazz. Don't get me wrong this debut album is nice to listen to and to dance to most of the time. The fact that they contribute some of their royalties to these native peoples is a nice touch also. The pygmy recordings sound like babies and the drumming is mediocre. I just don't find this mesmorizing the same way i fine coltrane's "love supreme".

Eco music that celebrates the natural sounds of a low tech culture might not need to be so heavily electronic. But deep forest is. Is a real forest full of synth sounds? Again nothing wrong with it but next time try listening to real third world musians playing THEIR own music.

outer space
this music will transport you to another planet-whether your tastes might be the dead, or house music. some of th