Notebook Reviews

This performed as wonderfully as other reviewers describe -- until I came close to filling it. Then it would not format via camera or computers. Of course, this occurred a week out of warranty. Lesson: I shall now exercise every bit of memory as soon as I receive it -- fill it fast or slow with data. That applies to all sizes and speeds of course.

I just received a SanDisk 512MB Ultra II Secure Digital card and did a quick & dirty performance comparison with the non-ultra SanDisk SD card. If you just want the results, then go to the bottom of the review. For the more inquisitive, here is my test configuration:

linux-2.4.22 (with ehci to enable usb2.0) connected to . . .
usb2.0 hub connected to . . .
SanDisk SDDR-88 usb2.0 memory card reader

commands for the write test:
- mount -o noatime,sync /dev/sda1 /flash_memory
- cat testfile > /dev/null
- time cp tesfile /flash_memory

The first command forces any writes to the flash_memory to happen immediately, so there is no caching going on. The second command reads through the ~50MB testfile and caches it into memory (no need to access the hard disk). The third command actually copies the test file to the memory card and times it.

commands for the read test:
- umount /flash_memory
- mount -o noatime,sync /dev/sda1 /flash_memory
- time cp /flash_memory/testfile /dev/null

The first command unmounts the flash memory and clears the cache. The second command mounts the flash memory so the computer can access its files. The third command actually copies the file, which must be read directly from the card because we cleared the cache, and times the copy.

The read and writes tests were performed multiple times, and the results varied little between iterations. The 512MB card was completely empty, and the 256MB card had a small 3MB file.

The SanDisk Ultra II card turned in some impressive numbers:
writes: 4.95MB/sec (5048.2KB/sec)
reads: 8.19MB/sec (8389.96KB/sec)

For comparison, here are the numbers for the SanDisk 256MB non-ultra card:
writes: 0.86MB/sec (876.44KB/sec)
reads: 1.53MB/sec (1570.69KB/sec)

If you need performance, then the SanDisk Ultra II series is the way to go. The Ultra II reads and writes more than five times as fast as the plain-vanilla SanDisk secure digital card. In my case, I will be using the card to store MP3 files for a portable audio device, and waiting around while moving MP3s is not how I want to spend my time. So, I bought the Ultra II. Your needs may vary. Buy accordingly.

Also, I realize that other manufactures market "high-performance" memory cards, but since I don't own one, I can't recommend/jeer them here.

I just bought this thing from Amazon and all I can say

is WOW!!!!

This is probably the best purchase I have ever made.

This thing is everything I ever expected and more!! It's

very easy to use as well!

I have bought other brands before, and this one just

blows everything else out of the water! I have to say,

everyone out there who is thinking of buying this, stop

thinking. I bought it and I am extremely happy with it

the moment I powered this thing on. YOU ABSOLUTELY

POSITIVELY CANNOT GO WRONG WITH THIS PURCHASE! I

GUARANTEE IT!!!

i tested this set by myself it was great in dealing with graphics programs and movies. it has one of the larger Hard disks available for a laptop in the same rank and price. with the sony technolgoies in screens it has the best screen resolution i have seen for a laptop..

Lots of useful features sold me on this machine over Dell or Compaq - built-in CDRW and network connection are great. I can pull files off my old desktop unit and burn them to CD. The DVD drive is great. I was shocked by the quality of the picture. It is great. Of course, the sound isn't the best. Good price, too.

I have been using this laptop for about 8 months now, and it hasn't once disappointed me. I push computers to the limit and this Vaio has taken everything I've thrown at it. I've left it running for weeks at a time with the processor usage at 100% (I run SETI) and there's been no problems with overheating. The only gripe I have is the battery life is only about an hour and a half, which isn't much when compared with other laptops I've used such as Dell and Gateway.

I ordered this case because I wanted something to hold and protect my Palm IIIc. This is a professional looking case: real leather, with room for ID & business cards, and has sufficient padding to protect my Palm should I ever drop it. I have stopped using my wallet, and instead put my money, ID, credit cards, etc. in this case.

The self-locking closure (listed in the product description) is not what I expected: I expected either a snap of some sort, or a magnetic-type closure. The strap used to close the case merely fits through the loop on the front; there is no snap or anything to hold it closed. So it doesn't stay as securely closed as I had hoped it would.

I do like the fact that there is a pocket for my Palm. I shopped for a while before I decided to purchase this case instead of one which only used velcro to hold the Palm in. Also, my Palm is just a tiny bit too large to fit comfortably in the pocket. Width-wise, it's fine, but it's a little too long, so that I don't have really easy access to the top of my Palm Screen. It's easy to get my Palm in & out to Sync it. While this case has room for a pen and your stylus, I find that I can only use the stylus holder, because if I put a pen in it too, the case doesn't close very well.

Overall, I'm satisfied with this case--it's not great, and it's not bad.

I just want to know if the sumdex leather deluxe pda wallet can hold the psion revo

I recently compared many brands and styles while looking for a larger CD case for my collection. I ended up deciding on this one, as it seemed preferable to all other options I've looked at. The "pages" hold 92 CDs, and there are an additional 8 slots inside the front cover, making for a total capacity of 100. The clear plastic makes it easy to quickly flip through and find what you're looking for, and yet the slots are still sturdy enough to hold the CDs in place and afford some protection - I've seen other cases that are so flimsy the CDs will just fall right out of their slots at the slightest disturbance. And for its large storage capacity, this case is still of a size that lends itself to portability - whereas the models that hold 128+ CDs begin to get rather ungainly. The handle on the spine is also nice, making it easy to carry. I would highly recommend this product.

This cd case is an excellent companion in the car, and it is the best i have found that holds 92 cd's. Although it is a little bulky, it can always be set in the backseat or in a closet. If you have a large cd collection, case logic is definitly your best bet.

I bought this bag to hold a Sony DCTRV103 handycam. It has two velcro-fastened, padded dividers inside, but the camera takes up the entire space, so I have no use for them. I also carry the camera's power adaptor and AC cable, it's remote control, a couple of tapes, a 12-foot extension cord, and a handheld audio cassette recorder with is power adaptor. All this puts some strain on the bag's stitching, and it even did some small damage to the outer pocket zipper. All in all, it's a good bag, but its probably meant more for the DV-type camcorders, because they are a somewhat smaller than the Sony Handicam Hi8 series. Just make sure that everything you think you might need to carry for a shoot will fit comfortably, meaning without scratching or having to force zippers closed.

I used this case for the Canon Pro70 digital camera. It held the camera, the flash unit, the CF card reader, and battery charger very comfortably. At one point I was also carrying a USB hub, but not anymore. The bag went with me everywhere, it was sturdy, and protected my camera well. I've been all over the country with it and it has held up well.

it is a very good idea to use disc instead of the expensive compactflash card. It may be a great product 2 years ago. but now: 1. 40M is too small for new compactflash card 2. no USB support, that is, slow slow downloading. 3. its price is too high.

So you've met up with your coworker(s) at the meeting location. You're all carrying your Win 98 or Win 2K portables and each of you has a PowerPoint presentation. You want to get them onto on system for the presentation session but they're all larger than 10 megabytes. No one is a PC rocket scientist. What do you do? Sound familiar? This Iomega drive will rescue you elegantly. If I used it for no other purpose it is worth it for transferring large files between systems while on the road. It also provides for backup copies of that trip's critical files. Need it once and not have it and you'll give yourself a mighty dope slap once you see how easy it is to solve these problems.

I had seen this item elsewhere described as the MacAlly Icepad. Amazon's price was good. And the item was just what I wanted it to be. Lightweight, sturdy enough, able to fold fairly flat and slip inside my computer bag. Sets the laptop at an angle allowing air to circulate beneath the bottom. It still gets a little warm, but nowhere near as much as when I use the laptop without it. The rubbery surface on both sides keeps the computer in place on the Icepad and also steadies them both on your lap or in bed. Something else I really like is the elevation the angle gives the keyboard. Not only does it keep the iBook from overheating, it gives a more comfortable typing position, whether on a desk or on my lap. My iBook has a 14" screen. The Icepad is perfectly adequate for that.

I am very happy with this device. My computer does slide a bit when I am lazily lying in bed, using my 12" PowerBook, which isn't really heavy, but I like the cooling feature. My computer still gets warm, but it's better than before.

This case is small, snug, secure and comfortable. I've had 3 diifferent cases for my Axim since I bought it 2 years ago and this is by far the best. The only thing negative that I can say about it is that some sites state that you can actually dock the unit to the cradle with the case on. That is not the case, and I would not try forcing it either. Other than that, I think it's great!

Good fit and protection. I think the Axim is a little big to hang on the hip so I don't use the belt clip (it is removable - so no problem.)

It's totally effective. It buckles to your belt, makes for sturdy protection, and keeps the weight out of your pockets. But it's quite bulky. You can feel it when you sit (and I'm a thin guy), especially if you have one of the long clies. You can fix this problem by moving the clie to your side but that makes it a little harder to reach. You also have to slide your seatbelt underneath it because the belt pushes down uncomfortably. Finally the buckle locks the pouch onto your belt can be stubborn. But it still does the job pretty well, just a few bugs.

After trying hard cases, I decided to give this a try. The hard cases will protect your pda but if you are like me you tend to put them in your shirt pocket and if you have a job that requires bending over--crash.

It does make you look kind of geeky to have your pda strapped to your side. However, it eliminated my falling PDA situation.

The material is a nice, firm, dark color. The sides are a strechy material which allows for a tight fit. The inside is a nylon material for scratch reduction. The clip has buttons on the bottom so it will give way if it gets caught. I have noticed that it does not get in the way of sitting, etc.

This is not a hard case so don't get it for drop protection.

There is also a pocket for memory sticks.

Pros: High-res 15" display (1400x1050), standard-sized keys, Memory Stick slot, ample RAM (512MB).

Cons: Bulky, heavy, short battery life (2 hours tops), all plastic, no Infra-red port, bulky and heavy A/C adapter.

This laptop is fairly reliable and performs well - good graphics, great sound, pretty tough. There are a few minor glitches that have been there from day 1 - in particular there is a problem with the Mobility Raedon driver that no one can fix. But all the problems are mere inconveniences, nothing that will stop you from doing what you need to do.