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David U.

David U.

Joined on 12/25/07

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 6
Most Favorable Review

Wonderful, small camera

FUJIFILM Z100fd Silver 8.0 MP 5X Optical Zoom Digital Camera
FUJIFILM Z100fd Silver 8.0 MP 5X Optical Zoom Digital Camera

Pros: Small, solid, reasonably light, and nothing sticks out of the front of the camera, even when zooming in/out. 8 MP and 5X zoom are really good for a camera this small and sturdy. I bought this to replace a 4-year-old Casio Exilim EX-S100. By comparison, the pictures are really clear, the focus and flash recharge are super quick, and the menus generally make sense. Dual optical image stabilization in this size & for this price is fantastic.

Cons: The lens is too high and close to the edge, so it gets covered by fingertips too easily. The controls for switching between auto flash, no flash, and redeye flash were initially confusing.

Overall Review: The pictures are clear and sharp with great color balance. This thing works wonders in point-and-shoot mode.

11/10/2008
Most Critical Review

Doesn't entirely suck

PLANTRONICS Over-The-Ear Bluetooth Headset w/ Noise-Cancelling Microphone / Multipoint / Up to 8 Hours Talk Time (Voyager 520)
PLANTRONICS Over-The-Ear Bluetooth Headset w/ Noise-Cancelling Microphone / Multipoint / Up to 8 Hours Talk Time (Voyager 520)

Pros: Reasonable price. Claims to support multiple devices, although I haven't tested that yet. Noise canceling mic produces reasonable sound quality while driving.

Cons: One size fits most earpiece flat out won't work for some people. For me, it's functional but not at all comfortable, so there's no way I can wear it all day. Earpiece is not user-replaceable. If it gets damaged or dirty, or just doesn't fit you well, you're out of luck. USB charging cable is sold separately for $15 instead of being included in the box.

Overall Review: The reviews on this headset imply that it works well for many people. But it doesn't work for me. Going forward, I'll stick to headsets with replaceable eartips.

Solid

ASUS M4A785TD-M EVO AM3 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
ASUS M4A785TD-M EVO AM3 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

Pros: Good price. Solid performance. Zero headaches. Enables overclocking. Integrated everything, so it makes a good foundation for a basic system. AM3 socket provides access to a wide range of processors at a wide range of prices.

Cons: Not surprisingly, integrated video performance is very weak. It's good enough to get a 4.1 from Windows 7, so it's fine for basic computing, web browsing, email, documents, spreadsheets, etc. But don't try to use it for any gaming. Also, having only four memory slots is very limiting.

Overall Review: Great foundation for a value-priced system. Also fine as the start of a system that will change over time. I started with a Phenom II X2, 4GB of RAM and the integrated video. A year later, I'm ready to move to a Phenom II X4 and add a video card.

Free memory

DOLICA 2GBWB10189 2-in-1 2GB SD Card & Small Case Bundle
DOLICA 2GBWB10189 2-in-1 2GB SD Card & Small Case Bundle

Pros: I got this for free with a Fujifilm FS100 camera. The 2GB SD card works fine, and it was free, so that's great.

Cons: The case is too bulky and seems mighty cheap.

Overall Review: I wouldn't buy this bundle, but getting it free was really cool.

11/10/2008

Great upgrade

Crucial 1GB DDR 333 (PC 2700) Desktop Memory Model CT12864Z335
Crucial 1GB DDR 333 (PC 2700) Desktop Memory Model CT12864Z335

Pros: Fast and cheap, exactly what I needed to upgrade a 5-year old PC with a P4B533 motherboard.

Cons: I should have upgraded the memory years ago.

11/10/2008

Great product

D-Link DSL-2640B ADSL2/2+ Modem with Wireless Router 24Mbps Downstream, 3.5Mbps Upstream ADSL Port (RJ-11) 4 x 10/100 Ethernet Port (RJ-45) ADSL Standards: Multi-mode  Full-rate ANSI T1.413 Issue 2  ITU-T G.992.1 (G.dmt) Annex A/C/I  ITU-T
D-Link DSL-2640B ADSL2/2+ Modem with Wireless Router 24Mbps Downstream, 3.5Mbps Upstream ADSL Port (RJ-11) 4 x 10/100 Ethernet Port (RJ-45) ADSL Standards: Multi-mode Full-rate ANSI T1.413 Issue 2 ITU-T G.992.1 (G.dmt) Annex A/C/I ITU-T

Pros: Detailed WAN diagnostic info. Supports mixed WPA/WPA-2 security, which helps when dealing with a mix of new and old client machines. Two WLAN segments - normal and guest.

Cons: No DHCP reservations.

Overall Review: Way better than the Motorola 2210 modem I was using. Replacing modem plus router with a single unit reduced latency by 1 ms and boosted download throughput from 2.4 to 2.5 Mbps.