Microsoft Zune

Several months ago, I signed up at club.live.com. Club Live is an on-line search club that has interesting brain games that offer tickets as points for winning games. I like the crossword puzzles, which give 25 tickets per win. 800 games later, I had accumulated 20,000 tickets. I was actually playing for an X-Box 360 which was 35,000 tickets, but they sold out. So, I cashed out for a Microsoft Zune. It arrived in the mail yesterday.

My son and I eagerly opened the box to see what was inside. The packaging is interesting, if not confusing. there is a box that slides into a box cover. When the inner box is removed, there is a storage compartment that opens from the top, where the disc and flimsy manuals are stored. The other side of the box opens to reveal the Zune in the middle, with a smaller compartment to either side of the Zune, one containing ear phones, the other a USB cable for transferring data and charging the Zune.

I removed the disc and placed it into the D: drive and waited for the software to load. I proceeded to read the instructions, only to find that you get two pamphlets...the first is a quick-start guide that basically walks you through set-up using drawings and simple instructions. The other pamphlet talks about the battery, protecting your ears and the one year warranty that comes with the Zune. There were no instructions for actually transferring music from your PC to the Zune. However, there WAS a telephone number for Customer Support, appropriately, 1-800-GET-ZUNE.

I read bruguru's article on the Zune, and he obviously understands about ripping CD's, and must understand how to transfer these files without looking. I guess I could have asked him, too! I have never used this type of equipment or software (please don't use the word dinosaur), so I resorted to calling customer service. They must get a lot of idiot's like me on the phone because the lady at customer service was extremely pleasant. I am so used to number trees and rude customer service reps, that I have to say she really surprised me. She patiently walked me through the (in hindsight, ridiculously easy) steps for moving the files into the Zune directories, and then Syncing the device, so that the directories load onto the Zune. She also took the time to register my Zune for warranty purposes. I should also note that the Zune software sort of explains how to upload songs to your Zune, but if you haven't done it before, or don't understand how to sync, will seem like Greek. I don't have a Palm Pilot or any other device, so this was a learning experience for me. AND, it wasn't that hard. Customer Service for Microsoft Zune scores large.

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Fellowes Shredder

To introduce you to the importance of owning a shredder, let me cover a few important points before moving on to the product review. Financial Crimes Fraud accounts for five percent of the Gross Domestic Product in the United States every year. The primary ways that an individuals identity becomes compromised are through Skimming, Hacking, Phishing and Pharming. Skimming requires the complicity of an individual at the point of sale. This individual moves your credit card over a "reader" while processing the card through the system at the store or restaurant you are visiting. This reader is a small device that captures your information for transfer to a PC at a later time. Hacking is not as complicated as it may seem. This happens when a criminal hacks the point of sale terminal at a business, capturing any financial information that is transmitted via that terminal. In this manner, it does not require any complicity of an employee of that business. The business normally will not even know that their terminal has been compromised. Anyone reading this article has probably been targeted by Phishing. This is one of those emails that tells you that you need to update your account information at E-Bay or Bank X. If you click on the hyper-link in the email, it will take you to a site that resembles the official website for the financial institution...however it is a scam site with a URL that does not match your banks web address. This website asks you to input your password, at which time you have compromised your account. Hint: Never click the URL in an email to get to any of your accounts...visit the website directly. Also, your bank will never ask you to click a URL in an e-mail to begin with. Pharming is accomplished by Domain Spoofing, which is difficult to get around...you are unknowingly redirected to a spoof website. These types of attacks are aimed at the domain itself, and are usually spotted quickly by the financial institution. Finally, the low tech approach to identity theft...dumpster diving. This may also be done by stealing from your mailbox. Dumpster diving is nothing more than picking through your garbage searching for financial information. You might be surprised how much information about yourself you put in the trash. Protect yourself by ensuring that none of this information is usable.

My Past Experience with Fellowes
Along with this shredder, I have also owned the Fellowes 300, which is an expandable shredder that adjusts to fit a wastebasket of your choosing. The wastebasket does not come with the shredder. I also currently own a PS30, which (like the 300) is a ribbon-style shredder. These shredders are effective shredders, although ribbons are still capable of being reconstructed. The objective here is to make it more trouble than it's worth. These ribbon shredders both have worn down over the years, and no longer shred as effectively as they did initially. I imagine the blades become dull from all of the paper. These blades are contained within the unit and are difficult to get to, although they may have a device that can sharpen the blades. I don't know how much that would cost, but considering these shredders are inexpensive, it may not be worth your while to even try. I have not tried to find a way to sharpen them, opting instead to purchase a new one, and using the old ones as a backup.

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Polaroid I531 Digital Camera

My son plays pee-wee football. Last year, I used a work camera to take pictures at the games. This season, I decided to buy a cheap digital camera to record his games. While visiting Wal-mart, I stopped by the Electronics Department and scoped out the cameras. I wanted an inexpensive camera that was compact, so I could carry it up and down the sidelines with me, or stick in my pocket if needed.

I noticed the Polaroid I531 which was priced at $89.00. I see that it is available through Epinions partners for $69.00 currently. The on-line price is a good deal, I checked just before Christmas, and the price at Wal-Mart is still $89.00. My rating of this camera is based on the purchase point, and not the overall photographic abilities. Professional cameras can be very expensive. This camera is for personal use, and was purchased for it's cost, size and zoom features.

When I opened the box, I found that there were some extra pieces. Open further inspection, I discovered that there are three different face plates that can be installed on this camera. That indicates to me that this camera is intended to be marketed toward young people. I kept the faceplate that was on it when it came...that doesn't matter to me. The box also contained a USB bridge for downloading photos to your computer. I purchased a memory card for my camera, which can also install pictures directly to my computer, so I haven't used the bridge at all.

Most of the cameras in this price range had 3.0 Mexapixels. The Polaroid I531 is slightly superior in that area, delivering 5.0 megapixels in the same price range. If you go up another fifty to a hundred dollars in price, you can find newer camera models with even more megapixels. 5.0 megapixels serves my purpose just fine. The camera I had last year had a 12X zoom, which was pure optic zoom. This camera comes with 12X zoom also, but the zoom is divided...3X optical zoom and 4X digital zoom. What that means is that you are basically stuck with 3X zoom, but are using the same zoom feature that you would use on your PC to zoom in closer on the action. The advantage of having it built into the camera is that you can better frame your subject matter from a distance, as well as capturing the image without requiring further manipulation. Most cameras in this price range are also delivering 3X optical zoom, but none of the others had the built in digital zoom. I actually like this feature. One thing I would note...from a 12X optical zoom, to a split zoom feature, there is a substantial difference in the quality of the photos. This camera delivers a much less desirable end product than the optical zoom.

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I have owned the Emerson 32 Inch LCD televisionfor more than a year. I shelled out approximately five hundred dollars purchasing this television from Wal-Mart. I have had ample opportunity to experience the quality of sound and picture that this television produces and have been very satisfied with both. This television has a 1366 X 768 resolution which is not the current top of the line (1080p fits that bill). However, with a digital converter box and high end cables, the programs I have watched in high definition on this television have produced a phenomenal picture quality.

My assessment of the Emerson television begins with the only negative that I have experienced, which is warm up time. I remember my grandmother’s old television back in the 1970s. It would slowly warm up, with a small dot of color in the middle of the screen the only indication that the television was actually turned on (along with the crackle sound it made when you pulled the "on" knob). This television has a remarkable pause after it is turned on. For some reason it takes eight to ten seconds for the screen to display an image after the power button is selected. There is a red LED light at the bottom of the television that turns green indicating you successfully powered up the television, so at least there is a visible indication that the remote control is working or within range. The delay seems a bit excessive and is longer than the two flat panel LCD televisions I own which are inferior in picture and sound quality compared to the Emerson.

The warm up time for the Emerson LC320EM9is a minor set-back. The picture quality in high definition far outweighs this minor shortcoming. Although the picture quality is not the highest available, it is superior enough to normal broadcasting to make it difficult to distinguish from a higher quality broadcast. I have seen the high definition DVD’s playing at the electronics store on 1080p televisions and find myself wondering if they are selling snake oil. My naked eye cannot distinguish any difference in the quality. It is possible that on a 32 inch television, this difference would not be as evident as it would on a larger screen. However, it is a 32 inch television I am reviewing, so compared to other televisions of equal size, I believe the picture quality exceeds my own standards and appears to be as good as any other comparable television that has the 1080p technology. The television advertises Clear PIX technology, and a 3D Digital Comb filter. I don’t know what that means in technical terms, but can articulate it in layman’s terms. The picture quality when combined with high definition broadcasting, receiver and cables equals an exceptional picture quality as good as anything I have seen in the store.

The sound quality of my Vizio 32 inch LCD television is severely lacking. I am contemplating the addition of a surround sound system to that television just to allow me to hear it. With the Emerson LC320EM9, I seldom have to adjust the sound beyond the halfway point. I have placed my Vizio television on 100 (the highest setting) and still struggled to hear. The Emerson produces clear sound that is easy for me to hear without adjusting the television into the upper range which is impressive for the dual 5 watt speakers. When this television is broadcasting music, the sound is clear and crisp. My Vizio has a tendency towards tinniness the higher the volume is adjusted. Thankfully, there is no noticeable distortion in the Emerson when adjusted to higher levels.

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Dell Latitude D430 Laptop

My last laptop was a Dell Latitude C840. The C840 is a heavy duty laptop that I abused thoroughly. It was bulky, heavy and durable. I like the fact that it survived three impacts with the floor before succumbing to a final blow that separated the monitor portion of the laptop from the keyboard. That final straw put me in the market for a new laptop. As hard as I can be on a computer when I travel, there were some things I didn’t like about the bulkier C840. Aside from the weight, the size was not very useful on an airplane. The small travel trays on the back of each seat barely have room for a calculator, never mind a laptop. When deciding on my new laptop I decided to focus on size and weight instead of durability. I found the perfect match with the Dell Latitude D430.

The Dell Latitude D430 is a lightweight laptop, weighing in at approximately three pounds. Double that if you include the docking station, which is also compact and portable. The smallish 12.1 inch WXGA monitor screen is surrounded by a thin border that barely exceeds a half inch at the thickest point. This keeps the laptop compact, with overall dimensions of 11.6 inches wide, 8.25 inches tall and an inch thick. The carrying case provides ample room for the power cord, laptop and docking station with plenty of room for other accessories or paperwork, if needed. The Dell Latitude D430 docking station is called a media base due to the fact that it has a DVD player built into it. When attached to the media base, the entire profile remains tight with less than an inch of additional width added by the media base.

The Dell Latitude D430 has a decent package. The unit contains an Intel Core 2 Duo processor that operates at 533 MHz. It has a 2 MB Smart L2 Cache. The Duo Processors operate at 1.2 GHz (U7600) and 1.06 (U7500) GHz respectively. The Solo Processor (U1400) operates at 1.2 GHz. I do not engage in any on-line gaming or graphic intensive endeavors with my laptop, so it is difficult to talk about speed in comparison to hard-core gamers. My use primarily revolves around spreadsheets (which are often very large), power point (which sometimes includes video) and internet. When browsing internet sites with obnoxiously numerous videos and sound, I have not encountered any slow-downs. The processors seem to be able to handle my moderate use effectively. The manufacturer’s description of this laptop’s capacity exceeds my ability to explain it thoroughly, so for those who understand numbers: The Chipset is an Intel 945GMS with Intel onboard graphics. The memory has a minimum 1 GB DDR2 single channel shared 533 MHz with a maximum 2 GB DDR2 single channel shared 533 MHz.

Full Review of Dell Latitude D430

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