Reviews (12)

i love this computer
i'm fourteen and my family has had macs since the first one sold. i bought this laptop around a month ago and am amazed. there is absolutly nothing about it that i do not like. so far the only problem i have had is tiny. when burning cds, the computer tends to get hot, and loud. i would reccommend this laptop for anyone who can afford the rather steep price.

Review from the converted
I've been a Windows/Unix user all my life. This is my first Mac and I love it.

Pros :
- Mac OS X is way more stable than any Microsoft Windows available
- Did you know that Mac OS X is UNIX-based? I love real unix shell.
- Light & small
- Slot-loading optical drive is better than the regular one, IMO
- Wi-Fi 802.11b/g + bluetooth now included
- über-long battery life. My 5-month old battery lasts about 3 hours when I'm just browsing the web (wifi-on, bluetooth-on)
- not likely to get infected by virus/malware/spyware.
- iLife suite included
- supports dual display - I use this PB as a desktop replacement
- high quality soundcard - i've seen some PC laptop that has crappy soundcard. It's bad to the point that your MP3 sound really bad

Cons :
- Admit it, there are less software for Mac OS X. Make sure that you know everything you need has Mac version available. Don't depend on Virtual PC. It's tad slow on this 1.33GHz cpu.
- Software running on Mac is not as optimized as it should.
- This is the cheapest powerbook available. It's LCD screen isn't as good as 15"/17" ones. It's acceptable, reliable but you cannot expect something as good as
- 256 meg of ram is NOT enough for you to run regular software smoothly. Consider adding at least another 256.
- internal fan is sometime annoying when you do heavy graphics/calculation. You cannot watch DVD fullscreen without headphone. It's THAT noisy.

Features

• Up to 4,800 x 1,200 dpi color, droplets as small as 2 picoliters
• Direct photo printing from PictBridge-compatible cameras
• True borderless photo printing in 3 sizes
• USB 2.0, IrDA, and direct port interfaces; optional Bluetooth
• 1-year warranty with Instant Exchange

Reviews (10)

Canon i80 - Continuing A Tradition Of Fine Printers.
I've owned several Canon portable printers in the past, including the Canon BJC-70, the BJC-80, and two Apple StyleWriter 2200's (BJC-70 bearing the Apple logo). I've also owned several portable printers made by other companies, none really as satisfying as the Canon printers.

I'm now using the Canon i80 (HP zd7000 & Windows XP). This printer clearly evolved from those earlier Canon printers, improving in some ways and not in others. On the positive side, print quality and speed is roughly on par with many desktop printers within this price range. Canon has also greatly reduced, and perhaps even elininated, the problem of the ink jets drying and clogging between print jobs (on earlier BJC models, the ink jets would dry out if the printer wasn't used for a week or so). And, unlike the i70, this printer comes with the multi-voltage power supply needed by international travelers.

Other things have not improved. Like those earlier printers, the i80 suffers from paper feed problems, ranging from paper not feeding at all (unless forced), to multiple sheets of paper feeding at the same time, to paper not feeding straight. Of course, this is more pronounced with very thin or very thick paper (thick envelopes are especially troublesome, often only solved by sharply creasing the envelope edges before using). All this is more of a nuisance than a serious problem, so should not automatically rule out this printer from purchase consideration. It doesn't happen all the time, or even most of the time, and can be reduced with experience.

The price continues to be high, especially with accessories often included with other portable printers (cables, battery attachments, batteries, and so on). If on-site portable printing is truly needed, requiring the purchase of accessories, I would have to recommend another printer with built-in battery. However, if one only needs to easily move a printer between hotel rooms, business meetings, or offices, the performance and convenience of the i80 wins out.

Some things are a mixed bag. The case design of the i80 has improved over earlier Canon models. The paper holder/cover now completely covers the printer, protecting it from dirt/dust or while packed in a bag. However, at the same time, Canon switched that case from a neutral near-black to an oddball copper/tan color which doesn't match any computer I've ever seen. Of course, this doesn't really affect performance, but it is distractingly noticable.

Finally, some things have gotten worse compared to earlier models. The i80 does not properly print some web pages in Internet Explorer without an external plug-in (Easy Web Print), which adds another IE toolbar complete with bright red Canon logo and buttons not matching other toolbar icons. Without this plug-in, the right side of some web pages are cut off. Canon either needs to reduce the intrusiveness of this plug-in or integrate this capability into the print driver as other companies do (the three other printers I now own handle these same web pages properly without a plug-in). Luckily, printing everything else with the i80 is entirely painless.

In conclusion, all portable printers are a compromise offering portable convenience with some inconveniences. The Canon i80 is no exception. However, the inconveniences associated with the i80 are minor, easily outstripped by overall convenience and performance. As such, I can comfortably recommend this printer to any fellow road warrier.

This is a great little printer!
I would recommend this printer to anyone who is looking for the convenience of having a good quality printer for trips when there is a need to work in a hotel room. The printer is small and compact and actually performs better than expected; it prints remarkable fast. The only challenge I find is periodically more than one piece of paper comes through the printer at the same time.

Editorial Review

Features

• New Scene Modes including Digital Macro Mode to widen shooting capabilities
• Print/Share button for effortless one-touch direct printing and downloads
• The ultra-sleek, ultra-slim Canon PowerShot SD300 delivers 4.0 megapixels of resolution--enough to make photo-quality 11-by-15-inch enlargements
• New large 2.0-inch LCD screen for easy image preview and playback
• First in the PowerShot line to use a DIGIC II Image Processor for even faster processing speed, excellent image quality, and crisp vibrant colors

Reviews (52)

4.5 stars for a superior camera
This is my fourth digital camera in the last twelve months. I am constantly buying new ones in the $300-500 price range and selling them on eBay once they've revealed their flaws to me. Without a doubt, this is the best one I've had and I think it'll stick around for a while. What's good about it:
1. size and style are great; there is nothing that can be improved upon here;
2. the LCD is a nice size without sacrificing the viewfinder;
3. the controls are very easy to access and understand. Though I prefer the point-and-shoot method, I find myself dabbling with the controls a lot and I take better pictures because of it;
4. the time it takes between opening the camera and taking a photo is almost instantaneous. There's no warmup period. Likewise, taking several pictures rapidly is a breeze, no lag time at all;
5. in general, the camera is simple to use. Someone with no experience could pick this up and use immediately; and
6. I wish more cameras would use plain ole AA batteries, but since that's probably never going to happen, Canon's li-on battery is adequate. It lasts a decent amount of time and charges very quickly. The charger is improved in this line from the S410, which was somewhat bigger and more awkward.

And what I don't like:
1. pictures indoors or after dusk just don't turn out that well, regardless of using the nighttime/indoor settings on the camera. I think that the flash is adequate but after all my digital camera trading, have found this to be a universal weakness. It's annoying;
2. no meter for the battery. You get about five pictures once the indicator tells you the battery is on the way out. It's something a lot of people have complained about and doesn't seem like a tough thing for Canon to fix; and
3. the software that comes with the camera is junk. I hate it. I recommend downloading Picasa, which is fabulous, and free.

As for the LCD cracking, that really sucks and I hope it doesn't happen to me. The obvious answer is to pick up a case and cart it around in that. I haven't had any experience with redeye-no more than expected, anyway-or purple fringing. For the price and portability factors, the SD300 can't be beat.

Too fragile - avoid.
I strongly recommend not buying this camera. What you get in features, you lose in robustness. The battery cover is plastic and flimsy. The worst is the large LCD screen - there is absolutely *no* protection against minor knocks. My screen cracked after two weeks and I honestly have no idea how it happened (and have to pay big money for repairs)

I wish there would be a digital camera that is as robust and well designedas my iPod....

Editorial Review

PalmOne stretches the possibilities with the Tungsten T5, the first handheld from PalmOne to utilize flash memory. In addition to a groundbreaking 256 MB of memory, the sleek, slim Tungsten T5 features a high-resolution 320 x 480-pixel screen, a fast 416 MHz Intel Xscale processor, Bluetooth wireless connectivity, and a Secure Digital memory card expansion slot. And, of course, the Tungsten T5 features PalmOne's suite of information management applications, the ability to edit Word- and Excel-compatible files, and synchronization with Microsoft Outlook (Windows only).

See a detailed diagram of the PalmOne Tungsten T5's features

Internal Flash Memory Built for today's mobile professional, the Tungsten T5's 256 MB of memory actually provides 215 MB of user-available memory (55 MB for built-in applications and 160 MB of internal flash drive memory). Connect it to your PC or Mac and use it as you would a USB flash memory drive to transfer data and multimedia files from work to home. To access files stored on the handheld, simply select Drive Mode on the handheld and plug the included HotSync cable into a USB port. To add files, just drag and drop them from your PC desktop to the new File Transfer application (installed with Palm Desktop; Windows only). A live desktop window gives you instant access to data and information stored on the handheld's internal drive--without the need for synchronizing the handheld to move files.

Multimedia
The included RealPlayer for Palm OS enables you to listen to MP3s stored on optional expansion cards via the built-in speaker on the Tungsten T5 or, for stereo sound, on optional stereo headphones or ear buds. The updated Media application lets you view (and show off) transferred photos and videos.

Display
Unlike the Tungsten T3, which required you to slide the handheld's bottom open to activate the screen's landscape mode, the Tungsten T5's screen offers widescreen viewing at all times. The bright 320 x 480 transreflective TFT color display supports more than 65,000 colors. You can easily switch between portrait and landscape view, as well as open an active input area at the bottom of the screen.

Connectivity and Expansion
With built-in wireless Bluetooth connectivity, you can synchronize the Tungsten T5 with a Bluetooth-enabled computer from across the room (within a range of 10 meters, or approximately 30 feet). But that's just the start. Using a compatible Bluetooth-enabled phone, you can send and receive e-mail and connect to the Web, send multimedia (MMS) or text (SMS) messages, and even automatically dial any number in your handheld's Contact's application. You can also synchronize data the "old-fashioned" way via the USB connection at the base of the handheld.

The Tungsten T5 uses MultiMedia Card and Secure Digital expansion cards, which instantly add software applications, additional memory, large databases, and more without taking up built-in memory space.

Operating System and Software
Veteran Palm OS handheld users will immediately notice the new Favorites view, which provides easy access to applications, files, and folders. The installed Palm OS 5.4 also introduces the Files application, which enables easy navigation among folders and files. It uses the intuitive and easy-to-learn Graffiti 2 writing software to input data into the handheld (as well as an on-screen keyboard). Windows users can synchronize their calendar, contacts, tasks, and notes with Microsoft Outlook. The Palm OS features the following organizer applications:

• Contacts: Lets you store several addresses for each contact, and with new fields for more phone numbers, multiple e-mail addresses, instant messenger IDs, and Web sites.
• Calendar: Use the new Agenda view to see upcoming calendar events, tasks due, and important e-mail, and color-code your events to provide an easy way to reference your calendar in the Agenda, Day, Week, and Month views. Take more notes, or synchronize more details from your desktop, in the larger Memos and Notes fields.
• Tasks: Use tasks with alarms and repeating tasks to set reminders for important commients.

What's in the Box
This package contains the Tungsten T5 handheld, a built-in rechargeable battery, a carrying case, a USB HotSync cable, a power cable, a stylus, a CD-ROM with Palm Desktop 4.1 software for Windows and Mac (as well as bonus software), and a printed Getting Started guide.

Tech Talk: Flash Memory
Flash memory, a form of electronic memory, is used for easy and safe information storage. Its low power consumption and light weight make flash memory ideal for mobile devices. In addition, flash memory holds information without a charge or power, just like a memory card saves pictures when not connected to a digital camera. The flash memory in the Tungsten T5 handheld will maintain its data even when power is exhausted. Simply charge the handheld again and the data is there.

Editorial Review

Microsoft Office v. X is a fully native program designed specifically for Mac OS X that harnesses the power of Office, the simplicity of Macintosh, and the stability of Unix. Office v. X has been completely redesigned with a fresh new Aqua interface. Office v. X supports all Mac OS X features and technologies, and has Mac-only features like Formatting Palette, Microsoft Word Data Merge Manager, Microsoft Excel List Manager, and Microsoft PowerPoint Movies. Office v. X includes Microsoft Word X, Excel X, PowerPoint X, and Entourage X, for Mac.

The modern user interface within Office v. X has been completely redesigned to include a bold new Aqua visual appearance--a perfect representation of what an application running on the new Mac OS X should look and feel like. Communication is a snap. E-mail is made even easier in Entourage X by allowing connections to Microsoft Exchange servers, Hotmail, and Mac.com so users can more efficiently manage e-mail online and off. With the integrated and improved Entourage calendar, you can easily organize your schedule and set reminders for important events and projects.

Office v. X is compatible with Office 2001 for Mac, Office 98 Macintosh Edition, Office for Microsoft Windows, AppleWorks 6, and FileMaker Pro 5.5., so you can share files with anyone, whether they use a Mac or a PC. Keep track of contacts with the comprehensive Address Book, which stores all of your contact information and lets you locate an address on a map or find driving directions from Expedia.com. Improved task reporting, calendar functions, and international time zone adjustments make time management even easier. Easily access customizable templates for résumés, catalogs, newsletters, calendars, and more from the Project Gallery. The Clip Art Gallery, including hundreds of images, provides tools to make working with graphics quick and easy.