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Wesley S.

Wesley S.

Joined on 11/22/03

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 3
Most Favorable Review

You get what you pay for.

HP CW450A Black 12.1 MP 4X Optical Zoom 29mm Wide Angle Digital Camera
HP CW450A Black 12.1 MP 4X Optical Zoom 29mm Wide Angle Digital Camera

Pros: I needed a cheap, easy to use camera to take photos of stationary objects with acceptable results and that's what I got. Taking pictures is simple and there are many settings available to tweak if so desired. Pictures are very easy to transfer to a PC (Windows 7) and there is no need to install additional software (the included CD merely contains a picture editing program and the manual). Picture quality is decent; sharp and colors are fairly accurate, but keep in mind that this is a low-end camera so don't expect perfection.

Cons: The included batteries only lasted about 40 photos before they became unusable. I say 'unusable' and not 'dead' because according to the camera the batteries are still two-thirds charged (they do indeed work just fine in other devices), and while the camera could still be used to review photos, attempting to actually take a photo would cause the camera to shut down immediately. I replaced them with some rechargeable batteries (rated at 2000 mAh) and these batteries have taken around 100 photos so far and are still going strong.

Overall Review: You won't be taking photos for National Geographic with this camera, but it is a perfectly serviceable camera for less ambitious uses. It has all the basic features you'd expect from a camera in this price-range and it doesn't really have any glaring faults. Just make sure you have some decent batteries available.

11/26/2010
Most Critical Review

Good while they last.

Rosewill RHTS-12008 - Premium Passive Noise Isolating Metal Earbuds with Gold-Plated 3.5mm Connector
Rosewill RHTS-12008 - Premium Passive Noise Isolating Metal Earbuds with Gold-Plated 3.5mm Connector

Pros: Gives an initial impression of a solid, quality product with the metal ear bud housings and the braided cable. Audio output sounds quite nice and the ear buds are very comfortable to wear. The braided cable does a very nice job of staying straight and untangled.

Cons: When things brushes against the cable (ie your clothes), the sound travels up the cable and into your ear. Not really a problem when using these while sitting down, but not so great if you're using them while being active. Build quality also turns out to be rather disappointing. I purchased these in February 2013. In March 2014, exactly one month after the warranty had expired, the silver section of the right ear bud simply fell off and separated from the black section, severing the connecting wires in the process. Judging from some of the other reviews here, I was lucky to have them last this long, but if they had to fail, I would have preferred them to fail while under warranty!

Overall Review: I used these ear buds at my desktop PC and for that purpose they served me well (while they lasted). I would not suggest these for anyone who needs ear buds for jogging or going to the gym. Build quality is questionable. While some of the materials are nice, there is a real issue with the ear bud housings falling apart and rendering themselves useless.

Westinghouse 22" WSXGA LCD Monitor 5 ms D-Sub, DVI-D LCM-22w3
Westinghouse 22" WSXGA LCD Monitor 5 ms D-Sub, DVI-D LCM-22w3

Pros: Contrast and response time are both very good, playing fast paced games (such as first person shooters) and watching movies results in good color reproduction and little to no ghosting. After experiencing the luxury of a widescreen, it's difficult to go back! Westinghouse likes to tout their DayBright antiglare coating which gives "perfect viewing in any light." While I wouldn't call it perfect, it really does help when working on a sunny day. If the sun is out, it's okay for me to leave the blinds open! Very attractive, slim bezel. I especially like how Westinghouse has chosen to keep the built-in speakers hidden behind the screen. Not so good for the sound (I suggest using your own speakers/headphones anyways), but makes the monitor look great! Stand is simple but gets the job done, and I have seen no dead pixels in any of the three different monitors I have gone through. Yes three, read on for why...

Cons: The major problem with the LCM-22w3 is the backlight. The backlight appears to be strongest at the bottom of the screen, gradually fading in strength towards the top of the screen. The difference in brightness is not huge, but if you look for it you will notice it. I initially did not notice until I happened to have the same window opened twice; one at the top of the screen and one on the bottom, the difference in brightness is obvious. I have exchanged the monitor twice, and all three monitors have exhibited the exact same behavior. Again, the difference in brightness isn't huge, watching movies you won't even notice. Playing games however, if you take the time to look for it (especially in a first person shooter), you will notice it. Not a true 8-bit panel, so if you need absolute color accuracy, or are bothered by occasional color banding, look elsewhere.

Overall Review: The LCM-22w3 does a lot of things right, and if you can get it for a cheap price it's an acceptable way to step up to a widescreen. Just be sure to take its problems into consideration before making your purchase.

12/10/2007