Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless Router
Average Customer Review:
Electronics (22 September, 2002)
list price: $79.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

The Microsoft wireless router is the ideal central access point for your wireless network. Connect multiple computers to a single broadband connection. Roam your house or office with the freedom and mobility of a Wi-Fi equipped laptop computer, share files and printers with all the other computers on the network, or play games with multiple players on the Internet and within your own network.

Features include an easy-to-use setup wizard, designed to make connecting your computers together easier. The router comes with strong security features, including a built-in firewall, Network Address Translation (NAT), and access control lists. The 4-port router easily connects to your network with universal plug and play for functionality such as voice messaging, video messaging, and games. You can also monitor your network status easily with Microsoft broadband network utility.

Included in the box with this wireless router are a stand (detachable), power supply cable, Ethernet cable, startup guide, user's guide, setup CD-ROM, and a blank floppy disk.

System requirements include: a computer with a network adapter to configure the router, an external broadband (cable, DSL, or other) modem with Ethernet port (not compatible with dial-up modems), Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or Netscape Navigator 4.7 or later to view and use the management tools, and an available 120 V AC power outlet.

Additional requirements include: a computer running Windows 98, 98 SE, Me, 2000 Professional, XP Professional, or XP Home Edition, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or later(setup will install Internet Explorer 6.0 browser components, if necessary, but will not displace your primary browser), 28 MB of available hard disk space if you already have Internet Explorer 5.5 or 6.0 (132 MB of available hard disk space if you are installing Internet Explorer for the first time), a 4x or faster CD-ROM drive, and a VGA or higher resolution monitor.

Note: Not all Internet service providers (ISPs) allow the sharing of a broadband connection. Please check with your ISP. ... Read more

Features

• Toll-free product support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Easy-to-use Setup Wizard
• Strong security features, including a built-in firewall, Network Address Translation (NAT), and default 128-bit wireless security (WEP)
• Universal Plug and Play for seamless UPnP applications, such as voice messaging, video messaging, and games
• Broadband Network Utility for easy monitoring of your network status

Reviews (79)

Nothing but junk
I purchased this router a few weeks ago, and it
never did work. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
I sent emails to Amazon, and the person I bought it
from. They didn't even have the courtesy to reply.
Don't think I'll do business with either one again.

Going on for one and half year
I am writing this after using this product for around two years. Excellent product. My Inspiron 8100 has Microsoft's wireless card and PC has D-Link DWL-122. No problem and no downtime at all ( sometimes for months I don't have to touch my router ) . Have been running 128-bit encryption all the way. I was also able to connect to the router running RedHat 9.0 and Fedora 3.0. Overall A+ rating.

Great Router But Had Few Problems
This Router Was a Great Buy I Bought Another one later on it worked so great. Micorsoft Made A Great Router But I Have Had A Few Problems And I HAd To Call Microsoft Support A Few Times But In The End It All Has Worked Out And Because I Had Those Problems I Give IT A 4 ... Read more

Asin: B00006IJO4

Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless USB Adapter
Average Customer Review:
Electronics (22 September, 2002)
list price: $69.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

The Microsoft wireless USB adapter makes it easy to securely add any computer with a powered USB port to your 802.11b wireless network. Share a broadband connection by connecting to a base station, share files and printers with other computers on your network, or play games with multiple players on the Internet.

The wireless USB adapter comes with an easy-to-use setup wizard, designed to make connecting your computers together easier. It has strong security features, including 128-bit wireless WEP security, and support for 802.1x standards. The Microsoft broadband network utility makes it easy to monitor your network status.

Included with the wireless USB adapter are an adjustable antenna and attached cable and setup CD-ROM, as well as a startup guide and a user's guide.

System requirements include: a computer with an available USB 1.0 or later, full-speed compliant high-power port, and a Wireless Base Station (sold separately) or other 802.11b/Wi-Fi device or network, as well as a computer running Windows 98, 98 SE, Me, 2000 Professional, XP Home or Professional edition; Internet Explorer 5.0 or later (setup will install Internet Explorer 6.0 browser components, if necessary, but will not displace your primary browser); 28 MB of available hard disk space if you already have Internet Explorer 5.5 or 6.0 (132 MB of available hard disk space if you are installing Internet Explorer for the first time); a 4x or faster CD-ROM drive, and a VGA or higher-resolution monitor. ... Read more

Features

• Easy-to-use Setup Wizard
• Strong security features, including 128-bit wireless security (WEP) and support for 802.11b standards
• Broadband Network Utility for easy monitoring of your network status
• Connects to a computer through its USB port
• Toll-free product support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Reviews (22)

Great Product
I purshased this USB adapter to my computer to connect with my home network and it has worked great.I was interested in finding if the wireless network would work as well as a wired network and I amquite happy with its performance.

Simple and Reliable
The MN-510 is an easy way to connect your remote PCs easily and without wires to your home network. The install wizard basically guides you through the install and connectivity with the base station is great. One nice thing about this adaper as compared to some slot-style B & G adapters is that the 510 allows you to move the unit because of the USB cable, thus taking advantage of the best position for signal strength. I've installed 6 of these and all in all a great product.

Solid performance
I have had the Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless USB Adapter for almost a year and it has given me surprisingly little trouble. The setup can be a little tricky for computer novices and when there is a problem with the network, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact source of the error. However, the quality of the connection that it receives from the base station is excellent and it works well through doors and walls. ... Read more

Asin: B00006IJO6

Linksys BEFCMU10 EtherFast Cable Modem
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $99.99 -- our price: $66.49
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Fully compatible with Linksys routers to connect multiple computers to broadband internet
• USB or Ethernet connection
• Up to 42 Mbps download speeds, 10 Mbps upload
• "Always On" connection; no more busy signals or timeouts
• Vertical footprint makes positioning easy

Reviews (157)

Worst buy ever!!
This modem is a piece of crap.I have comcast as my ISP and with this modem, I have to reset the modem at least once everyday.I used to lease a sb5100 , had no such problems.I wouldn't recommend this modem to anyonem, get a sb5100.

if the lights are on, the internet works
I got the BEFCMU10 solely because of the promotion going on when I was ready to switch to HSI.I've used it with three operating systems--Windows ME, Windows XP, and Slackware (linux).Installation was perfect on both XP and Slackware.ME gave me a bit of trouble with the driver (this is usual for my ME, at least--that's why I run Slackware on that machine now), but it wasn't too bad.Just walked through the driver installation process a couple of times and then it took.I've used it with the USB connection the most, simply because that's the cable I had handy when I was setting it up, but I've recently hooked it up via Ethernet, and it works fine, too.I haven't noticed any difference in speeds either up or down since changing to Ethernet.The modem's been reliable--the only connection problems I've ever had were my ISP's fault, not the equipment's.

A GREAT PRODUCT!
I have an RCA cable modem with RCN as my ISP.A great service which I highly recommend. Needing to setup wireless at home, I bought the Linksys G-Router after purchasing an hp laptop. I got it to work with no problem but then I experienced frequent bandwidth loss and constant connectivity issues with the other pc's on my network.I wrongly thought that it was the router.Fool that I was! After countless attempts at recycling the modem and WPA keys etc., I finally figured out that the modem could not support the wireless router. I also discovered the modem had a short, plus RCA no longer carried it and the thing was ugly, taking up space.

I've since gotten the Linksys Modem (BEFCMU10) and stacked it with the WRT54G router and it works fantastic!!!Be sure to call your ISP with the modem's MAC address and/or serial# to get online.YOU WON'T get connected otherwise. My ISP had me up and running within 5 minutes.Also some ISP's give you a discount if you supply your own modem.Check it out. ... Read more

Asin: B00005T6GZ
Sales Rank: 1549
Subjects:  1. External Modem (Modems)    2. Modem, Modems    3. Mac Macintosh Machintosh Apple    4. Linksys   

Panasonic SL-SX420 CD/MP3 Player with Headphones (Metallic finish)
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $49.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Enjoy music with the freedom that comes from MP3 CD playback, extended battery life, and high-powered anti-skip technology. Panasonic's exclusive No-Skip technology helps prevent interruptions from jostling during active use. No Skip's unique construction uses rubber brushings to absorb shock, while an anti-skip mechanism and an anti-skip digital servo further prevent read errors. A 48-second memory reserve provides added back up.

Now, battery changes will be fewer and farther between thanks to Panasonic's PowerLast high-efficiency power system, which combines an efficient motor with low-load circuitry for playback time of up to 48 hours on two AA batteries (during MP3 playback). CD playback abilities include 24-track random-access programming; repeat and resume (which picks up where the unit left off when last stopped); and skip/search and memory/recall. A hold switch prevents accidental starting, stopping, or track skipping during use or transport. The unit boasts a thin design with operation keys and LCD laid out logically on its top cover. ... Read more

Features

• Thin, round-form design for optimal portability with round LCD on player lid
• Plays standard CD, audio CD-R, audio CD-RW, and MP3/WMA CD (does not read ID3 tags)
• Hold prevents unintended commands (play, stop, etc.) and resume picks up exactly where the player left off
• Includes stylish over-ear headphones
• Up to 48 hours of MP3 playback from 2 AA batteries (not included)

Reviews (70)

Good, can be better for the price
It is good considering the price I paid for it. It can play WMAs as well. Thats the best part of the player. Chaning tracks and albums are easy. Headset is good.

The worst thing about the player is the battery consumption. Citizen CD190 uses two AA fully charged batteries for almost whole day, but this one uses it in just about 4 hours. The other thing is it has no ID3 support, so its kind of difficult to find out which track you are listening to.

Anyway, its good for its price tag.

not at all worth the price
I bought this in November of last year. It worked perfectly at first, but three months after, it started skipping. I dropped it at one point, and the lid popped open and the cd went flying. I use the player on my commute on the bus to and from work, which lasts about an hour, and it ate its way through a set of AA's within two days. It also skips something terrible if held vertically, or bumped hard enough.


I had another Panasonic with a 40-second skip protection, and that lasted me four years before it finally gave out. Too bad they don't make the model anymore, or I would have purchased another instead of this terrible player.

Great all around CD player
Panasonic really knew what they were doing when they came up with this little gadget. I have had alomst no problems whatsoever with this item. It has a few minor drawbacks but what product doesn't.

Pros: Anti-skip works perfeclty, plays MP3's well when put on disk in as a music file, romote control saves buttons on player itself and it has many features to enhance your listening experience.

Cons: Goes through batteries fairy quickly, especially on MP3 mode and the speakers are not super well equiped for loud listening.

Overall, this MP3/CD player is a great value and probably works as well or better than others that you would be likely to pay twice as much for. ... Read more

Asin: B00008IP5O
Subjects:  1. shock wave, slsx420, 420, slsx-420, x420    2. mp-3, mp3/cd, cd with mp3, mp3 with cd    3. Portable Compact Disc Player (Personal CD)    4. Portable Audio    5. MP3 MP 3 Player    6. CD (Compact Disc) Players combo (combination)   

BOSE(R) QCZ/GB Triport Headphone
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $149.00
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Bose's most affordable headphones are designed to prove that high-performance sound can come in a lightweight package (just five-ounces, including ear cords). The Bose TriPort glacier-blue headphones deliver the full spectrum of your music, whether you're plugged into a computer or on the go with a portable media player. Their ergonomic design keeps them remarkably comfortable and lightweight, even as proprietary Bose headphone technology conveys the rich acoustical landscape of your music.

Bose's acoustic equalization techniques aim to deliver the rich nuances of your music--details that conventional headphones often lose. The TriPort headphone technology faithfully reproduces deep, full low notes without requiring the artificial bass-boost function found on many portable players.

Based on the results of decades of audio research and headphone acoustical study, Bose identified ways in which normal listener sound perception changes when people wear headphones. That led to the development of Bose's proprietary acoustic equalization techniques, which have fine-tuned the frequency response of the TriPort headphones for exceptional performance.

The headphones' soft ear cushions gently fit around your ear for comfortable listening. A thin, adjustable headband offers several head-size settings, and the earcups swivel for a better fit. The headphones include a generous, five-foot extension cable and a handy carrying pouch.

What's in the Box
Headphones, an extension headphone cord, a .25-inch stereo adapter, a headphone plug, a user's manual, a warranty card, and a drawstring carry bag. ... Read more

Features

• TriPort headphone technology delivers deep, full bass response for exceptional personal listening using a smaller driver
• Acoustic equalization
• Adjustable headband provides a snug fit with several settings for a wide variety of head sizes
• 5 Foot long cable for added freedom of movement
• Can connect to portable or your home system

Reviews (56)

Good, but read this for a better alternative
The Bose Triports sound very good, but I will try to convince you to check out the Sennheiser HD 485 headphones instead.

First, Amazon is selling the Sennheisers for about half the price as the Bose Triports.

Second, while the Bose do sound very good, the Sennheiser phones sound better.In my research, I found many reviews that said the Sennheisers are the best sounding phones under $250, and I concur.

Third, the build quality of the Sennheisers is FAR superior to the Bose Triports.The plug, cord, ear pads, and headband are all significantly sturdier.The Bose has a cheap headband that probably won't last a year.The Bose cord is super skinny and therefore easily prone to shorts.The Sennheisers have a thicker cord that is much less likely to develop a short, but if it does, these phones are designed so that the user can easily replace the cord.If the Bose cord develops a short, you'll have to send it back to the manufacturer, wait 3-4 weeks, and pay for labor as well as the cord.

The only advantage of the Bose Triports is their light weight:they weigh 2 ounces less than the Sennheisers.But at 7.5 ounces, the Sennheisers are still extremely light compared to most headphones, and you can wear them for hours without any fatigue.

Please do yourself a favor and consider the Sennheiser HD 485 headphones at half the price of these Bose Triports.

Fragile Like Eggshells !!
I wanted a better set of headphones, so I purchased a set of Bose Tri-Port headphones at the Best Buy store in Sioux Falls, SD. The sound the Tri-Ports produced was very good, but they only lasted about four months until late one night the left ear cup literally fell apart in my hands. My electronic equipment is very important to me, I do not treat it rough or abuse it in any way, the Tri-Ports just disintegrated. My first warning should have been the broken Bose display headphones at the Best Buy store, because mine fell apart in exactly the same spot where they were broken. On the positive side, the people at the Bose store at the Mall of America were great, they replaced the Tri-Ports with no questions asked even though I did not buy the headphones in their store. In fact, I used the old Tri-Ports as a down payment on the Bose Quiet Comfort 2 headphones. I really love the sound the Quiet Comfort 2's produce, but you know what ? I recently noticed a piece of plastic broken out of the left head band support -- Uh Oh !! Bose headphones produce very good sound, but they are fragile like eggshells.

Criminally overpriced - please audition other gear!
Well, you may not necessarily believe that, with all the hype that surrounds Bose, these headphones would be anything other than stellar. They are, unfortunately, very subpar. In truth, these are rather cheap headphones, utilizing very light construction with a predominance of plastics, and very cheap diaphragm materials. The "Tri-Port" technology is nothing more than a plastic shield over the diaphragm with three asymmetrical cutouts that capture the sound at different parts along the diaphragm. I suppose that this does help in making a very cheap diaphragm sound better, but it is not a substitute for better materials and higher-quality construction. I expect the Triports cost no more than $20 to make.

Many consumers walk into the local Best Buy, try these headphones out, say "hey, they're great!" and walk home with a brand new pair. Why is that? Because most people haven't heard higher-quality systems, and compared to what is commonly available at Best Buy, yes, these are a notch above. However, there are several things you should know:

1) There are much better sounding headphones that are much cheaper.

2) The Triports are defective. The headband design is very flimsy, and is almost guaranteed to break after several months of use. I several friends who own these, and their headbands ALL broke after a few weeks.

3) Most of the phones to which these are compared are really terrible. The Sony MDR-V700, against which the Triports are often compared, is a very poor quality phone that isn't designed for home use - it's designed to offer DJ's lots of bass without any regard for detail and clarity. Saying that the Triports are better than the V700's isn't saying much at all.

I don't want to tell you that you're all wrong and that I'm all right. I want to say this: use your own ears. Audition real, high-end headphones before you spend $130 or whatever on these, and then decide for yourself what you want to buy. You owe it to yourself to get the best when spending this much money.

Here are a few models that I urge you to look at instead of these:

1) Sennheiser HD555, 590, 595, and 280 Pro. The HD580, 600, and 650 receive a lot of well-deserved praise, but they need expensive amplification in order to shine, and are in a different league that the Triports, hence, comparing them directly is unfair.
2) Sony MDR-V6. Not the MDR-V600! These are very different phones. The MDR-V6 is an older, discontinued model with different drivers that sounds fantastic, unlike the V600, which is very subpar.
3) Grado SR-60, SR-80, SR-225. All Grado headphones sound exceptional. The SR-60, at $69, will blow the Triports out of the water.
4) Audio-Technica ATH-A500, A700, and A900. These are exceptional Japanese headphones. They're hard to find in the US, but online you can definitely buy them. They compete directly against the Triports, and offer stunning sound quality for the money. They're also very well built and reliable, if slightly bulky.
5) If you can, listen to a Stax system. Granted, these systems cost as much as $3,000 for the headphones alone, but this will tell you what a hi-fi pair of headphones SHOULD sound like. Stax headphones are some of the best.

For portable headphones that will be used with mp3 players, I suggest that you look at:

Etymotic Research ER-4P, ER-6i; Shure e2c, e3c, e4c, and e5c; Westone UM2; Sharp MD-33; Sony MDR-EX51 and EX71; Audio-Technica ATH-CM7 and CM7ti; Koss KSC-35, KSC-75, and PortaPro; Sennheiser HD-25, PX-100 and PX-200; and last of all, Stax SR-001 Mk II, which while hard to find and expensive ($239 Japanese street price), is the best sounding portable available, period (and is the only portable electrostatic headphone in the world). Keep in mind that it needs a mini-to-mini interconnect, since it requires the use of an amplifier (which is included).

Use your own ears! I've told you where to start research. Please take the time and finish it. You will be rewarded with a quality product, and you will be grateful for the time that you spent researching the information.

For questions, please look at www.head-fi.org. It is an excellent source of information on anything and everything headphone-related.

I sincerely hope this helps. ... Read more

Asin: B00006LK1O
Subjects:  1. Headphones    2. Accessories (Accesssory)    3. Headphones (Headphone, Head Phones, Phone)