Apple Reviews

A truly unique monitor for your PC. It's almost like a mini IMAX experience. Having the 16:9 ratio brings another dimension to your web browsing, game playing and--oh, your work too. Have only tried Flight Simulator 2002, game wise, on it and you feel like you ARE the pilot in the real thing. As for web browsing, there is no such thing as having to "scroll" right to see the whole page even with your favorites opened, and if you use the "link" bar get ready to add another 1/2 dozen to it. I'm sure the future of LCD's will certainly move to this format, as we see this is the direction which TV's are moving. With Sony being one of the first to offer this format, I'm sure the competition will be close behind, but will need to run to match the performance of this monitor. Only wished I had one at work too! It helps to have a high performance computer and video card to bring out the best in this monitor.

Worth every penny. The visual quality is actually greater than the previous CRTs i have owned, and (rare for an LCD) the refresh rate is surprisingly high. Has plenty of inputs on the back, which I have used to connect my computer, vcr, dvd player, and gaming console.

Some may whine about the lack of a TV tuner, but it's actually a good thing: dishing out the extra $40 for one in turn allows you to use plenty of amazing software otherwise unavailable, such as that at dscaler.org, which allows you to view the tv signal in progressive scan (incredibly high quality).

To top it off, widescreen in windows is REALLY awesome. my only warning is, for any lcd monitor purchase, find a retailer that has a good trade-in policy for dead pixels. A+

This has been the best investment for computer gaming. After building a new speedy system from scratch, I was tired of my old CRT monitor. I had heard that the LCD monitors were slower for gaming and was reluctant to invest in one. I was gladly mistaken. The picture, razor sharp text, clarity, vibrant color and high definition are a gamer's dream come true. I LOVE this monitor. It's been worth every dollar. I'm on-line now more than ever. I watch this monitor more than my T.V.

I can safely give this monitor 5 stars because of its price and clarity of the picture it produces. The main thing that brought me to buying this monitor was the "Perfect Flat" in it's title. A flat screen is definitely important to me. But, there is still a curve to the actual display, albeit slight, but it's not what i was expecting. And there is deceptive layer of glass in front of the screen that actually IS flat. So when your monitor is off, you'll think it will display perfectly flat but it's not.

That being said, this is still an excellent monitor that i wish was "Perfectly Flat" - oh well atleast my TV is "Perfectly Flat!"

This moniter is incredable. Huge spread in resolutions, can go all the way up to the incredible resolution of 2048X1536! Thats the equivelant of a photo from a 3.1 megapixel camera. Of course it only supports 60 herts refresh rate at that resolution, making it mostly uselss, but its still great to view photos from my digital camera on it. It will also disply 32 bit color on all resolutions, and at 1600X1200 its suppports 75 htz which looks great. All in all I am very impressed with the specs especially for the $$$$ I bought it at.

I just bought this monitor last week and it's incredible. It did, however, take a lot of time tweeking it, but it was worth it. Crisp clear text, great color, and great refresh rates make it well worth the money. I ordered it from Dell.com, paid a little more then here, but I got free shipping so it ended up being cheaper. And, Dell had it on my doorstep in less then 24 hours! Can't beat that! I knew nothing about monitors when I first started to look, and I read everything I could. I concluded that this, for the price, was the best out there. Much better then the old one I had. If you're a gamer (like me) this is the monitor to get.

Highly recommended. The installation was simple. XP detected the drivers and set it up instantly. Was able to hook up external hard drive without any problems. Even comes with software to create your own digital movies. Learning the software is not as easy as installing the PCI card.
Overall, very satisfied with this product.

.. This was a synch to install in my XP, 2.4ghz, P4. Once in the slot, it loaded itself up, bypassing the usual Wizard. ... I began converting analog 8 mm to digital files for editing, right off the bat. The software that came with it is clunky, taking time to get a handle on. But it produced beautiful avi and quicktime files, once I figured things out. The wma files weren't so great, but that's probably the price you pay for squeezing down a 3 minute clip for e-mail. Other files can be produced too, with the software. Am very pleased.

I'm using Windows XP on a 1.8ghz P4

XP detected it immediatley upon boot up. My JVC Mini-DV was also detected right away when I plugged in the firewire cable.

I also purchased the 6 foot firewire cable. I would suggest not getting a cable any shorter than 6'

If you plan on tranferring your video to VCD, you may want to invest in a good video editing program like Adobe Premiere.

I used the Windows Video Maker to capture the video and Nero Burning Rom to make the VCD. It looked "OK" on the TV.

I will be investing in some video software soon

This is a great unit for backups and read/write data. The throughput is one of the best I've seen for removable storage devices. The only wait time is at the disk spin boot up/down. Make sure you set your preferences for no spin down if you access the Jaz often.

I've had mine over a year and it hasn't given me any problems. The disks perform flawlessly - they should at the premium price. I use it for file and application backups - both PC (98/NT) and Mac. I haven't had any problems with read/write transfer. If you do any video or animation - this is a must buy, unless you intend to lug around an external harddrive. Personally, I've had great product experiences with all 'external' Iomega products. Internal products are another story...

My only pet peave is the mega thick cord if you go SCSI. 1) Because the standard cord that it ships with, it limits the places you can place your drive - especially if you have no case cover. 2) It is a true struggle to wrestle it gently without tearing out your scsi card + your other daisy chained peripherals.

The price for this unit is very good - however, I've seen 1gig Jaz for around $100 refurbished. Be wary though, I've seen the 1 gigs in many repair shops (I'm unsure of what the symptoms are though). Also, watch out for the transformer - there was a recall about a year ago on the units catching fire; check Iomega's site for this info.

This piece of equipment is a MUST... Not only is it an integral part of my system now and with the "traveler" it is totaly portable from one place to another without having to have a SCSI interface available... ;-)

As always Iomega has the best products. They always make a reliable product. They have great support for their products and this is no exception.

This is an extremely fast 2GB drive that is faster than 90% hard drives out there.

I used to use a mouse until one day at work my Mac took a nose-dive and I was forced to use a co-worker's Mac while my machine was being repaired. My co-worker was on vacation, so I was at his desk for 3 days. He had this trackball connected to his Mac and I felt like a new baby calf trying out new legs.

I was so used to my mouse, I felt like I had just gotten my hand for Christmas and didn't know how to use it. After just one day of using it, however, I was hooked. When my Mac was repaired, I stayed at my co-worker's desk until he came back from vacation, just so I could use his trackball and I asked my boss to order one for me as well.

No more mousepads, no more picking up and moving a mouse when you run out of cord and/or desk-space, and a trackball carefully designed to fit a normal adult human hand with ease.

The trackball is easy to clean and there is never any skipping on the rollers - the friction of the ball against the metal rollers is superb. The buttons are angled at such a way, they are almost a pleasure to click. I have never had wrist discomfort using this model.

The MouseWorks software that comes with the trackball allows you to program the 4 buttons to do different functions and you can even program "chords"... that is the action that happens when you click 2 buttons at once.

It is truly a shame that Kensington did not port this same exact model to USB for modern users and instead fell in love with the shiny colored plastic with poor traction on the rollers.

You can acquire an ADB to USB adapter that will allow you to use this on newer Macs or even PCs. The Kensington Mouseworks software is available for older Macs and newer Macs, as well as PCs.

If you have an old beige Mac you're using as a fax server or for another task, this model trackball is a joy to use.

For those using a newer Mac without an ADB port, you will have to buy a separate adapter to use this mouse with your computer.

I have had the original expert mouse for a long time and it is much eaiser to use than a normal mouse. I would not buy it though if you play a lot of games becuase it is hard to move very fast to certin but is great for regular use. Buy it!

I've used a Kensington TurboMouse for a solid decade, and I use my computer 4-5 hours per day, so I can recommend it with confidence.

The first one I bought lasted nine years. The fat ball and easy-to-click, naturally positioned buttons were a welcome relief from the Macintosh mice of the early 90's. User definable functions such as right button and chord (clicking both buttons at once) made the TurboMouse even more functional than a mouse. Heavily weighted with non-skid pads, it sits in about 1/2 the space of a mousepad. It gives a feeling of sturdiness and absolute precise control over your cursoring. And it's easy to clean; the ball falls out when you turn it over.

When mine started to go on the blink after 9 years, I ordered another - the 4-button model you see here, compatible with Kensington's latest software. Then I got up the courage to peel the sticker off the bottom. Lo and behold, the rollers were visible! And you would not believe the brown gunge that was accumulated in there. After I cleaned that out, the 9-year-old trackball was again functioning perfectly. What a service record!

I do recommend a foam wrist support with this, although it is much easier on the old carpal tunnel than a standard mouse. Gamers beware: you may discover trouble with using the button definitions with such games as Myth and Starcraft; to be quite precise, these used to work on my old PowerMac 7300, but no longer work on the ADB port of my Yikes! B&W G3. But I don't care about that very much; it's a great product and I'd buy a third in a heartbeat.

I'm quite pleased with this scanner. The scanner is fast and the digital ICE does a nice job in removing dust specs. I use it mainly to scan my 6x6 color negatives. When I use the scanner firewire connection with two different XP PCs it is not a simple "plug and play" operation. I have to go through an involved turn-on sequence to get the scanner to work with the PC. The exact sequence differs between both PCs. Others on the Yahoo Minolta Multi Pro Scanner Group have reported this same problem with firewire and XP. I now use the scanner scsi interface with a fast scsi or an ultra scsi card in both PCs and it always works as long as I power the scanner on first and wait for it to settle down before powering on the PC. The scan time is the same with firewire or scsi. 35mm scans look great, but medium format scans are somewhat grainy. It's like color prints made on a condenser enlarger instead of a diffusion enlarger.

After confirming that the Minolta Dimage Scan Multi Pro film scanner works wonderfully with color film, I thought I'd branch out. I soon discovered that the Minolta also works superbly for both my 1) black & white and 2) underwater photography.

For black & white photos, I use Kodak's black & white film for color print (C-41) processing, the film recommended for use in the Minolta film scanner (due to limitations in how the Applied Science Fiction image enhancing software works). The results, nevertheless, were fantastic.

The images were sharp -- with tremendous amounts of detail in both the highlights and the shadows. And digitizing them allowed me to use my PC to control the tonal range better than I ever could using a professional print service or my own home darkroom. Shooting -- and printing -- b&w photos has never been more satisfying. For once, I really felt like Ansel Adams!

For underwater photography, I use Canon's A-1, a very affordable autofocus camera that's good down to 11 feet -- a sufficient depth for snorkeling or taking photos of my kids swimming below-the-surface in the pool.

When I scanned some kids-playing-underwater shots into the Minolta, I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw the results. The original photos (from the photo lab) were very bluish, as would be expected. But the prints made from the Minolta-scanned images had flesh tones and bathing suits that looked as natural and as colorful as if the photos had been taken on land! It was truly amazing. It made me immediately want to go out and enroll in scuba diving lessons -- to take underwater photos of very colorful fish. Jacques Cousteau, here I come!

In both cases -- for b&w and underwater photography -- the Minolta allowed me to create the most sensational images I've ever authored in either medium.

The Minolta Dimage Scan Multi Pro film scanner continues to delightfully expand my photographic horizons. I'm sure it can easily do the same for you.

Being an avid film photographer, I wanted to make beautiful 8 x 10 enlargements -- from film -- rather than from digital. The Minolta Dimage Scan Multi Pro film scanner (along with my home PC and printer) has enabled me to do just that. I couldn't be happier!

The enlargements I've made (using the scanned images of my 35 mm negatives) are just phenomenal! Not only are they sharp and crisp -- but the Minolta brings out all of the shadow detail normally lost in the typical prints one gets back from a regular photo finisher. Pictures that I would've normally dismissed as being "too dark" now come alive with color and detail -- just as I remembered the original scene to be.

I once read that 35 mm film contains between 11 and 13 megapixels of information -- which is far in excess of the capacity available in today's most advanced digital cameras. After seeing the photos created by my Minolta film scanner -- I have no doubt that this comparison is absolutely true.

The enlargements I've made using my Minolta film scanner are vastly superior to my previous efforts:

- Using a digital camera -- where the color range and image resolution are definitely inferior.
- Making professional enlargements from my 35 mm film -- which doesn't adequately bring out the shadow detail (without dodging and burning) since the process isn't digital.

As background, I selected the Minolta Scan Multi Pro since it was the only film scanner that I found which could do all of the following:

1) Accept both 35 mm and 120/220 (medium format) size film.
2) Scan up to 4,800 dpi for higher resolution.
3) Connect via Firewire (as a faster option than USB), which I have on my Sony Vaio (desktop) computer.
4) Scan using Digital ICE, ROC and GEM (from Applied Science Fiction), which removes dust and scratches, and restores and adjusts the color automatically.
5) Is Windows XP compatible (which many film scanners, particularly the older models, aren't).

The Minolta software that came with the unit was very easy to load. And the screen interface is very intuitive.

The Minolta program is intended for scanning images only -- and opens as an import into Photoshop and Photoshop Elements (which I use), and other major photo editing programs. Since all of the retouching takes place in the host photo editing program, this allows the Minolta scanning software to be much simpler -- and much more reliable.

There is an index scanning feature (at lower resolution) which provides for fast (initial) image viewing. Photo uploads -- at the highest 4,800 dpi setting with all of the filters turned on -- takes about five minutes. (I drink coffee while I'm waiting.) And the photos, once captured, normally require only minimal retouching or color adjustment (if at all).

Since I shoot mainly with zoom lenses (and without a tripod), I was also worried that my 35 mm negatives woudn't be sufficiently sharp for making nice 8 x 10's. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to discover the following:

- That my 35 mm photos had much more resolution than I ever knew existed (particularly in the shadows and fine details).
- That I didn't need to change my equipment (to fixed focal length lenses) or use a tripod to make sharp pictures.
- And, most importantly, that I didn't need to buy an expensive higher-megapixel digital camera to make excellent 8 x 10 enlargements.

The level of detail (and drama) that I now see in my scenics and portraits is truly exceptional! I couldn't be more satisfied.

Granted, this Minolta Multi Scan Pro isn't cheap. And a less expensive film scanner can probably be had, especially if one can do without some of the options listed above (in particular, the 120/220 film capability, the faster Firewire connection, or the 4,800 dpi).

I love, however, that my photo albums are now filled with page-after-page of beautiful -- and richly detailed -- 8 x 10 blow-ups. And I'm even happier knowing that I can continue to shoot using the highest resolution photo medium yet available today. Film!

Get a Minolta Multi Scan Pro film scanner -- and discover just how good your 35 mm pictures really are! You'll be truly amazed!

I strongly recommend this display. NEC makes wonderful displays, and this one is worth every penny. The price Amazon gave me was very competitive, and I had already checked out 5 other online stores. The screen is extremely reflection-free due to the 100% flat screen and proprietory glass screen treatment. That means no reflection from surrounding/overhead lights - and thats a good thing for designers who work with color. The dot pitch is .25, big-assed resolutions with my nVidia 64MB card, so you get very sharp images. Refresh rates are great, and I dont feel fatigue in the eyes even after working long hours on it.
Its not a very "cool" cabinet, but isnt bad either. Its a heavy monster weighing in at 50 lbs, but has a petite footprint. It even has sRGB support, not to mention all the regular featuers such as on-screen controls. The package didnt have a driver CD, but downloading one from the internet was a breeze (nec.com). I use this with Dell, XP and it works great.
Now for the best part. Ordering through Amazon.com was a dream. The site is great, and addressed all my questions from the very start. Customer Services is absolutely incredible, they won my heart. They are most courteous and professional people to do business with. I strongly recommend you buy from Amazon. I know I always will.

The NEC MultiSync FE950+ has a beautiful display and text at higher resolutions is very crisp and clear. At higher resolutions, the text grows fuzzy at 85Hz, but clears up at 75Hz. This monitor is fantastic for gamers as it increased my 3DMark2001 Benchmark Test score by over 100 points. Whether used for games, movies, or just regular computing, this monitor provides an excellent, crisp, display for almost any user.

The NEC FE950+BLK is a striking addition to any desktop's decor, having a small footprint for such a large picture, and the black case... mmm. Beyond the aesthetic appeal of the case and slim, ergonomic design there are details like the cables in the rear (being installed vertically) which save a couple of inches of space behind the monitor... and keep cables from being smashed against a wall, etc.
OK. The picture. Wow, what a picture it is. Crisp, clear, bright, and very nice contrast. THIS is why people seek after flat screen monitors. The colors on-screen are some of the nicest I have seen, being true-to-life colors, which is important to me as a designer. This monitor will push higher resolutions than most in it's class, and it does so with ease. Viewing for hours on end is easy on the eyes, too. What a pleasure.
There are two extremely faint lines on the screen (I dare you to look) from the support wires for the aperture grill that are barely visible. IF you notice these, you can easily get used to, and forget all about them. They certainly are not a distraction and as I mentioned, are barely visible.
This is a keeper. All in all, I am very impressed - and this after trying several monitors first. My wife's NEC FE950 is what turned me on to this one. A nice little investment that I can only think of replacing one day in the future with the NEC 1250+BK, the 21" big brother to the FE950.
Highly Recommended.

This huge monitor is superb if you have room for it.

I actually have the version which has a USB hub built-in (model P817).

To get the best results from this monitor, certainly use an advanced (latest/greatest) video card. I'm using a Voodoo 3 3000 AGP video card (16MB high-speed SDRAM AGP 2x)... and there are even mightier cards on the market now.

The USB ports on the side of the monitor are extremely convenient. There are four ports, which are a lot easier to access than the ports on the back of the computer. The necessary cables are included for PC and Mac connections. Understand that this monitor connects using the "traditional" graphics cable (included/attached). If you get the P817 which has the USB hub -- there is a cable included which connects the hub to your USB port on the back of your computer.

I'm so much more productive with this 21-inch screen since I can see more info on the screen at once. And the resolution is great, with a high refresh-rate which is greater on the eyes.

The on-screen controls are a great help also.

I love this monitor - and haven't had any problems whatsoever in the 8 months since I purchased it.

i checked out viewsonic's website and the specs there reflect the latest model. the most notable difference is that the max resolution is now 1800x1440. the viewsonic csr told me that this model is the only one that has shipped for the past year, so trust viewsonic's specs and not the ones listed here.

We bought 5 on these monitors. They all worked fine out of the box. One appeared to have problems; however it turned out to be the high-resolution card that was not on the Compaq approved list. Replaced the card and Tada.

The P810-3 has the same front-end buttons found on the E771. And the viewable area may be 20 inches but there is no annoying black border.

Most of the time these monitors are being used for Pro-E and Auto Cad. But when no one is looking we use the monitors for System Admin. You can pull up four screens viewable at once. One can be programming, while the other can be the results a third screen for monitoring and a fourth for communications.

Six Months now and no problems. We will buy more.

I get this monitor at 29th of April 2004. This's my first LCD monitor. I mean that i begin to use them for long time. At me first look i can give fine mark. But time of pixels regeneration is 30 ms. And when I'm scroll i must to close my eyes. :)
For work - it's good monitor. For gamers i advice to take tube-monitor.

I received the VE 155b as a gift last summer, have been very happy with it, although I would have preferred the white color version (VE 155), since my PC is white. But the black is good 'cause it doesn't get dirty :-) (how common is it that you see a dirty white monitor that looks gray?). This lcd is very user friendly, has sharp pictures and perfectly flat screen, superb brightness, all in such a compact thin piece. ViewSonic also provide 24 hour support when I had questions. I have no negative say about it.

Bought this monitor about 6 months ago to replace a junky "Cornea". This is my first Viewsonic, and it shows me what this name means! The first thing I want to mention is: after reading so much about LCDs, I had expected at least 1 or 2 dead pixels, but this one has NOT A SINGLE DEAD PIXEL. I don't know if I am lucky, or most of Viewsonic have no dead pixels. The screen is the brightest I have ever seen, I have to adjust the brightness to a very low level sometimes. Graphics and texts are very clear. The colors are excellent, and installation and settings very easy. It is very sleek, occupying little room on the desk. It is also very light, 11 lbs including all accessories and box, making such an easy job to move around. So far, after 6 months, I am complete satisfied, and will probably stick with Viewsonic in future: the name matters (don't even mention "Cornea" to me). I have only one tiny point to "complain" about" the buttons are somewhat too close to each other, so that sometimes you could press the wrong button. I'm very glad for my choice, and it's the first one I would recommend to anyone who's shopping for a 15" LCD.

This is an excellent monitor with super crisp text and outstanding graphics. If those are your uses, you'll be very happy with it. However, if you are a gamer...or have kids who play games...I was happier with my old 19" CRT. I think you would be too. Although game graphics are great, fast movement results in blurred images. I bought this monitor specifically because I had read reviews stating that this was not a problem with this monitor...but it is. Not an overwhelming problem, just a little disappointment.

I've had the VG175 17.4" LCD monitor for about a year now, having bought it when it was more $, and I couldn't be happier with it. It's footprint (and weight) is nothing compared to the 19" CRT that it replaced, and I like the picture much better. The viewable area is HUGE. No more eyestrain from staring at the CRT either. It was a relative snap to set up, and the display is crystal clear. The swivel adjust is a nice plus. I know someone who owns the VE-150 15" LCD and there is no comparison between the two. This monitor puts it to shame. ... Highly recommended.

Bought this monitor six months ago, when it was more money, and I still do not regret it. This ViewSonic is outstanding. I watch DVDs, my MPEG movies, and digital pics with exceptional clarity. My brother, the computer nerd, was so impressed, he too, bought the LCD flatscreen; actually said I made a good choice. For my needs (fyi: I use this for creating my own webpage, graphics, sending MPEG movies & digital pics...the creative side of my brain, and excel, but I am far from a computer wizard), I required a monitor w/a large screen, takes up very little space, beautiful resolution, and clear type (in some monitors the actual type is hard to read, not as bold as this monitor). This ViewSonic delivers. For me, a must-have.