Tech n Roll

Since 2006 I have owned a D200 for serious shooting situations and I got a D40 in early ‘07 for everyday shots (an awesome camera - I give it SIX stars! - a whole separate review is needed!), and after hearing about the D300 release in late 2007 I debated over whether to get one. I was really happy with my D200, which I took on some overseas trips and it performed perfectly. After demo-ing a D300 in stores and reading some online reviews, I decided to take the plunge. It was a big investment but now I have no regrets - if not for the entire package, then for one thing: COLOR! Or one more thing: what Nikon calls ‘Active D-Lighting’ (translation: a significant change in the processor’s realistic rendition of contrast, highlights, shadows, etc. - the entire package of “TONE”). Also - can an LCD rear-screen get any better than this?? In Jim Cramer-parlance I have to say that this model is definitely “best of breed”. (more…)

I have owned several Canon A series, Canon SD series, the Canon S series and also the S2/S3 IS. So here’s the skinny as an amateur user. (more…)

I’m a long time TomTom user, and I bought this GPS for my wife because it is small, simple, and inexpensive. We’ve been very pleased! The SIRF star III GPS chipset is incredible! It was able to lock onto 8 satellites from INDOORS! My TomTom GPS receiver is lucky to find 4 signals in the backyard with a clear sky. The NAVTEQ maps used by Magellan are much more accurate in the U.S. than the outdated TeleAtlas maps in my TomTom. I used both devices to search for 5 random addresses from my address book — all of which are at least 5 years old. The Magellan found them all flawlessly — even those with re-mapped zip codes in mid-2006! The TomTom found 1 of the 5, got me close to a second, and didn’t have a clue about the street names in the other three. (Incidentally, TomTom won’t provide me with a map update because they dropped support for my device, which is only 3 years old!) (more…)

When I received the 720 from Amazon, I was impressed with the packaging. It was boxed and padded quite well and arrived in excellent condition. Before doing anything I decide to read the Quick Start Guide, a dark gray pamphlet included in the 720 box. It advised me to charge the unit at least 2 hours before proceeding. So without even turning the unit on I plugged the base unit into a USB port on my computer. This base unit is used, via the USB, to connect to the computer as well as recharging. My regret here was that I would not be able to recharge the unit in my house unless the computer is on. (more…)

First I should say that I do field/mobile recordings of jazz and classical groups, lugging heavy road cases, cables and stands to various venues in order to do CD recordings of the concerts. I am also a professional musician, and frequently wish to record rehearsals and informal performances for self-evaluation later on. I formerly used a small Sony DAT-Man recorder for this with a Radio Shack battery powered stereo mic, but both died and it was time for a replacement using the latest technology. Enter the M-Audio Microtrack 24/96… (more…)

The Nikon D80, destined to replace the popular D70 series, is a great camera for Nikon fans who wish to upgrade from their D50s, 70s or 100s. It’s also attractive enough to maybe get a few people to jump ship! (more…)

Upgrading from an old GPS that I used when riding my bike around town (the Garmin GPS III Plus), this was a world of difference. First of all the size is that of a PDA which is compact enough to carry in your pocket and walk around with it. It comes with a leather case, USB connection, AC and DC cords and a Garmin Travel module from Fodor. It has an internal Lithium battery that cannot be changed by the user. The only external control is a power switch which turns on the unit, toggles between FM and internal speaker, and decreases the light intensity. Everything is operated through a touch screen. I highly recommend a screen protector before operation. (more…)

I’ve owned 5 different kinds of iPods, as well as the original Zune, and I must say, that this product is by far the best of the group. I spent the day trying to return my iPod Classic (80GB)so that I could get my hands on one of these—and I had to look just about everywhere in town to find one. (more…)

It has been a very long time since I have had so much fun with a smartphone. In fact I would include Palms, Jornadas, and the much missed and lamented Newton to the mix The BlackBerry 8320 was amazingly easy to get up and running with PocketMac. This isn’t always the case with some other BB’s. I was particularly pleased to discover that OperaMini installed and performed flawlessly. There has been much talk on various boards claiming that T-Mobile has deliberately set their phones so that they won’t run third party apps. My experience says otherwise. (more…)

I have never used blackberry before this one. I was looking for a cellphone with multimedia capabilities and with which I can check my email. BB Pearl fit that profile very well. I did read some reviews before getting it. Most of the reviews were very positive with one concern that was raised in some reviews that voice quality was not as good as reviewers expected. It was a concern to me but I thought that I could always return it if I noticed voice problems. (more…)