Customer Reviews
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Nikon Coolpix S70 12.1MP Digital Camera
The coolpix S70 from Nikon seems to be having more haters than lovers and this maybe partly due to the fact that it is a bit different from most other basic point and shoot digital cameras and so the users may find it difficult to use it or may not be aware of making use of it efficiently, and partly due to the flaws present in the camera itself. The fact that it comes from a very respectable brand in the field of photography has always raised high expectations from this device. It can be considered as an experimental model from the manufacturer if the users do not find it attractive.
The first noticeable feature of the device is that it has a 3.5 inch wide OLED touch screen and this can prove to be both, an advantage and a disadvantage for the camera. The overall look of the camera is great as it holds a touch screen which is highly responsive. The process of turning the camera on is very easy with this unit as it is efficiently designed in this aspect. The touch screen also makes it easy to change the setting within no time. The focus of the camera can be changed by touching where the object to be focused is on the screen and this is a very convenient feature for the user. The screen clarity and visibility is excellent even in brightly lit surroundings.
The menus of the camera are well organized and controlling them with the touch screen is a pleasure. There are a few basic retouch options present in the camera itself and the user can crop and retouch them with the minimum effort. The auto mode of the camera is suitable for most of the situations and is hence advantageous for those who are not professionals at taking decent pictures. The pictures taken are saved on an SD card and since they are almost a universal storage medium for cameras, which is an advantage. The body of the camera is made of metal and also comes in a number of attractive colors letting the user have a wide range of choice. The 12 MP, the 3.5 inch OLED touch screen and the 5X wide angle optical vibration reduction all are a nice combination of features for a point and shoot unit.
There is one basic disadvantage to the unit and that is the most basic functionality expected out of any camera too. Though the unit boasts of several interesting features that are packed in a single place, the results of the camera are not satisfactory and the pictures seem to be of low quality. This is not acceptable because what ultimately matters is the picture quality and if this is not perfect, the features of the camera do not have any use. Also, the touch screen of the device is very responsive and sensitive and this sensitivity can be a disadvantage too. The screen covers almost the entire area on the back of the unit and makes I difficult for the user to hold the camera without touching somewhere on the screen. This can change the settings or take a picture accidentally, which can be quite disturbing.
Finally, the price of the camera is not justified by the poor picture quality though it has many interesting features.
TomTom ONE 130 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
The Tom Tom One 130 GPS navigator does the basic job of being an aid to the driver and assist in routing on a satisfactory basis as it does not include any of the high end features which are normally seen in GPS units of a much higher price. If the user does not need any of those features then this unit seems to be reliable, offering consistent service with an appreciable ease of use and a portable design.
To start with, this is an entry level model with basic features, found very useful especially for those using a GPS for the first time. The slim design of the unit is very attractive as it can easily fit in a shirt pocket and hence is also possible to use it as a handheld GPS apart from using it while driving. There are many settings on the unit that can be customized according to the user’s choice and is very easy to use. The unit comes with a well designed suction cup for mounting and is very easy to mount and take it off. The time estimates given by the device are very accurate and the voice is clearly audible. It also has a feature called link volume to speed which is very smart on the device’s part.
There is a choice of voices in the device itself and does not need the user to go online for this purpose. The points of Interest database is pretty large and it almost instantly recalculates the route when the driver deviates. The updated version of the software is available online, free of cost and the user gets a free map database update if attempted within the first thirty days of ownership. The device displays the current speed of the vehicle, the speed limit of the current road and also displays the speed in red if it is considerably above the limit. There is a part called help me in the menu which is very useful in case the driver is doubtful about the situation. The itinerary can be planned with more than one stop, which is not possible in similar models. The real time zoom is attractive and there is a separate database of emergency contacts like hospitals, police etc.
A few users have seen that even the latest version of the map does not show areas that have come up within the last three years. The feature of speaking street names is not included in the unit and it is very useful to take the right turn. There have been problems with the satellite reception as the unit gets old and it is not easy to connect to the internet as the user does not get an external plug that has to be used to charge it from an outlet. The memory capacity of the GPS is less and with the basic information it is already full leaving no room for updates and other applications. The directions given by the device can sometimes be misleading and the screen size is small compared to many other alternatives. The screen also seems to be made of plastic unlike its competitors and hence is unattractive.
Though the unit seems to be doing fine with the basic functionality, there are serious errors in its maps and unless changes are made to it, it does not really serve its purpose well.
Nikon Coolpix L20 10MP Digital Camera
Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder
The HF200 camcorder of the Vixia series by Canon is a promising unit just like most of the gadgets by Canon and is good for recording videos of ay type using the features present in the device. It’s a reliable product as its functionality is known to be dependable for producing high quality videos. It can be used very easily to take videos both indoors and outdoors with High Definition quality. It is portable like most other camcorders of the same brand and those of other brands and can be used for various purposes like shooting weddings, concerts etc.
The major advantage of the camcorder is that it has an optical zoom capacity of 15X which is very much useful while taking videos from a large distance from the object. The video quality is not compromised when the zoom is used to the maximum and that is indeed a surprise when compared to other similar camcorders. The videos taken using the device are a pleasure to watch even on LCD televisions as large as fifty inches. The camcorder is compact in size and the build quality of the device too is far better than whet one can expect for a camcorder of this price. The optical image stabilizer functions really well and eliminates the blur that usually results due to shaky hands. The software that comes with the device is very basic and hence is user friendly. There would be no problem transferring videos and editing them to a certain extent using this software.
The stereo microphone that is built n the device is capable of picking up even the slightest sound efficiently. The device easily fits in the palm of the user due to the ergonomic design and is also light weight leaving the users hand strain free while holding it continuously. The manual focus of the device is satisfactory and the exposure control also works well. It has a digital zoom of 300X along with an optical zoom of 15X. The price of the camcorder is almost half of the other camcorders that have half of the zooming capacity of this camcorder. This makes the device a winner when compared o the alternate models.
The camera could have a wider angle recording capability if allowed and this would improve the performance of the device. The recording quality is not good in low light, just like most other camcorders, but the users wish the unit would be different from them in this aspect. The accompanying software is not efficient and cannot do any job other than just transfer the videos though a few basic editing options are also included. The record button of the camcorder is not efficiently designed and is difficult to use. There is no stand alone battery charger included in the box and the device only recognizes class 4 and 6 of higher end SD cards.
The unit is good for taking HD videos anywhere and everywhere and since I comes from Canon, the service is undoubtedly the best.
Magellan RoadMate 1400 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
If basic navigation without any additional features that may pose a problem with the actual functionality of the device is what the user is in search of, then he cannot go wrong with the roadmate 1400 by Magellan. It is the simplest of GPS units available and it is obviously very easy to set up and use. It can be a promising unit for starters as it can easily become a part of their traveling and always be there at their service.
First, the 4.3 inch screen is what catches the eye of most of the users as it is really wide and bright with attractive colors. The unit on the whole is small, thin and very light. The screen also changes color at night making it easy for the user to view it without any strain. It is easy to set the unit up un the dash board and is also fairly easy as far as the operation is concerned. The display is good and the unit gives reliable and easy to follow driving directions. The satellite reception is fast and can calculate directions almost instantly as soon as the destination address is given using the touch screen of the device. It can store the destinations in its memory and has a huge database of several categories of points of interest.
There is a side map that is always shown on one side of the screen, so that the driver knows in advance what’s going to come next so that he could be prepared. There is a bell that rings when a turn has to be taken and so the user is not confused whether to take a turn or not. The routes are very accurate and there is an option of selecting the fastest or shortest trip. The detour is done really fast and the points of interest can be made use of when the exact street address is not known, or when in an unknown area. Multi point routing is also present in this device and the volume is pretty high, clearly audible with the radio on. Getting latest updates of the map from Magellan website is a very easy task.
The voice of the GPS is not found to be pleasing to many users as it is a bit mechanical and not natural. It does not have the capability to receive live traffic updates so rerouting cannot be done automatically without taking the user to the point where the problem is on the route. The battery life of the device is not found to be satisfactory and there is no charger that comes with the device that can be used with a computer, apart from the car charger. In order to get the unit going, it has to be continuously connected to the car battery while traveling. There is also no pedestrian mode in the GPS making it difficult for walking tours of the visiting cities.
All in all, it is a wonderful GPS with very reliable basic functionality and does not include any bells and whistles, making it simple to use, just for the purpose.
Fujifilm FinePix J28 10.2MP Digital Camera
The J series of finepix cameras by Fujifilm belong to one of the latest products by the manufacturer in terms of a budget camera without having to compromise on the quality of pictures and video. The point and shoot cameras by Fuji are well known for their portable size, ease of use and reliability. For a non professional photographer not interested in knowing about every minute detail of taking breath-taking photos, this camera is more than sufficient.
A very appreciable feature present in this model and not in any other is the scene recognition. While most cameras require the user to set the suitable mode while taking pictures, this one automatically comes out of the auto mode into the apt one out of the six available and takes pictures of high quality. Face recognition is also very useful in making sure the exposure and focus are well adjusted according to the subject being photographed. It may not get the complex shots with on a satisfactory level but is very good for everyday use to take regular pictures in normal light. The LCD screen of the camera is large making it a pleasure to view the pictures on the camera itself.
The startup is very fast and comes very handy when a shot has to be taken immediately without prior notice. The image stabilization too works fine to give a blur free image. The interface of the camera is also really good and comes at an entry level price, which is the most attractive feature of all. The camera makes use of a lithium ion battery that contributes to its sleek design making it a portable device, as easy as carrying a mobile phone. The battery is very light and compact, and can even remain charged for up to eighteen months when not in use. An ISO of 1600 is another distinguishing feature of this point and shoot camera. There is also a self timer in this camera making it easy to take shots with no one’s assistance. Even if the user does not understand this very simple device, there is always an even user friendly manual that explains everything in detail.
The first drawback of this camera is that it does not have a viewfinder, which can make it quite difficult to shoot on brighter days. The capturing capability of the device, though is better than many other alternatives does not do the job in true 16:9 resulting in a not so clear image when viewed on flat screen televisions. The mode of macro is not up to the mark and the lens mechanism is a bit noisy. The zoom is also found to be a bit slow during both, shooting and playback. Though the usage of a lithium ion battery is an advantage when it comes to the size of the unit, it can be considered a disadvantage as it has to be regularly charged instead of making use of replaceable batteries.
It is said that you get what you pay for, but this product in fact offers a lot more than that. It is the best device for beginners who can later jump to more complex cameras and for those who need one everyday.
Senseo SL7810/65 Single-Serve Gourmet Coffee Machine
