Showing posts with label 2009 amazon frustration-fre e packaging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2009 amazon frustration-fre e packaging. Show all posts

4/26/2011

Garmin nuvi 1350 Series 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator Review

Garmin nuvi 1350 Series 4.3 inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Overall, I am very satisfied with the Garmin nuvi 1350 but I do have a couple of minor complaints.

First of all, I do recommend that owners/potential buyers visit the Garmin web site to read through all of the product information and to review the FAQs.Some folks have made an issue of Garmin not including the USB cable with the device but this did not matter to me.The required cable is a standard type "A" to mini "B" USB cable.Many other devices use this same cable and I already own a couple of them.(I also heard that if you contact Garmin customer service, they may send you a cable at no charge.)Other reasons to visit the Garmin site:to register the product, to download the full PDF manual and to install the "my Garmin Agent Plugin" for web updates.

Next, my quibbles:
When the 1350 is plugged into a charging device (PC or vehicle), there is no way to determine when the unit is fully charged.This is very inconvenient.To view the charge level, you have to unplug the device and turn it on.Only then can you see the battery level.According to the Garmin FAQs, charge time is about 4 hours using the vehicle cable and 8 hours using the PC cable.
One of the features of the 1350 is the speed limit display.However, I find this to be of limited value.The speed display is frequently 5 to 10 mph too high compared with the actual posted speeds on the roads being traveled.As a result, this throws off the estimated destination arrival time.

Finally, why I am impressed:
When driving with the 1350, I never had any doubt where I was at any given time and I never had any doubt what my next maneuver would be (and isn't this the bottom line of any GPS?).The voice commands have plenty of volume, are easy to understand and they also give you adequate lead time for upcoming turns.The commands will also repeat but the voice is not annoying.Several times, I deliberately missed a turn to test how the 1350 would respond.It quickly calculated a revised route based on my current location.
I also found the screen to be clear and easy to see while driving (in bright sun, shade and at night).
The full manual states that a PDA type stylus can be used for the touch screen.I found this to be convenient (I'm actually using a stylus from a Nintendo DS.)While you can certainly use your finger on the screen, this will leave fingerprints and smudges on the screen.

Other notes:
I have the 1350 sitting on my dash with the Garmin "Portable Friction Mount" - highly recommended.
My 1350 came with a free case - the Caselogic MGPS-2.This case adequately protects the 1350 when it's not being used.

Overall, this has been a great purchase for my business travels and I would rate the unit as four and a half stars.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin nuvi 1350 Series 4.3 Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator

Product Description:
Amazon.com Product DescriptionThe Garmin 1350 GPS navigator features a widescreen, ultra-slim design (approximately 25% thinner than previous models), enhanced user interface, ecoRoute, public transit mode, and text-to-speech on all models. The nuvi 1300 series are the first nuvi devices to offer pedestrian navigation capability enabled through optional CityXplorer maps, which are available for select tourist destinations in North America and Europe and can easily be downloaded directly to the nuvi. The nuvi's enhanced user interface features improved graphics and a new slide control for menu operation, while ecoRoute suggests fuel-efficient routes to save drivers money and fuel. Also, Garmin's new public transit mode allows you to navigate using buses, tramway, metro, and suburban rail systems. Pre-loaded with City Navigator North America NT.
An ultra-thin GPS navigator with great Garmin features like CityXplorer and ecoRoute. Click to enlarge.


Just over a half-inch thick with a 4.3-inch widescreen display. Click to enlarge.


Easy-to-use touchscreen interface. Click to enlarge.


Garmin greets you with two simple questions: "Where to?" and "View Map." This screen is central to every navigation function and route-planning tool. Simply plug and play. Click to enlarge.


The device announces the name of exits and streets so you never have to take your eyes off the road. Click to enlarge.


Lane assist guides you to the correct lane for an approaching turn or exit, making unfamiliar intersections and exits easy to navigate. Click to enlarge.


Thin New Design
The nuvi units are just over a half-inch thick and weigh only 5.7 ounces, which means they'll fit easily into your pocket and can be taken just about anywhere.


See More
With nuvi 1300's widescreen display, you'll always get the big picture. View map detail, driving directions, photos, and more in bright, brilliant color. Its sunlight-readable, 4.3-inch display is easy to read--from any direction.


Easy-to-Use Touchscreen Interface
One of Garmin's core beliefs is to continually enhance the simplicity of the user experience. The nuvi on-screen menus are logically arranged, with clearly labeled, colorful icons, making it easy to enter data and get to the information you need quickly.


Navigate with Ease
nuvi 1350 comes ready to go right out of the box, with pre-loaded City Navigator North America NT street maps and millions of points of interest (POIs), such as hotels, restaurants, fuel stations, ATMs, and more, with map data provided by NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping. Enter a destination on the touchscreen, and nuvi takes you there with 2-D or 3-D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. Text to speech enhances standard sat-nav voice guidance by speaking the names of places and roads. It even announces the name of exits and streets so you never have to take your eyes off the road. In addition, nuvi 1350 accepts custom points of interest, such as school zones and safety cameras, and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs.


Travel North America
With nearly 6 million points of interest and detailed road coverage for the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, City Navigator North America NT delivers all the data you need to navigate North America.


    Displays nearly 6 million points of interest--hotels, restaurants, parking, entertainment, fuel, shopping, and more.
    Includes highways, interstates, business, and residential roads in metropolitan and rural areas.
    Includes such detailed information as turn restrictions, roundabout guidance, speed categories, and other navigation features.
    Gives turn-by-turn directions on your compatible Garmin device.
    Includes postal code support for Canada.
    Contains traffic data for compatible Garmin devices that use traffic receivers.
    Enhances pronunciation data for compatible Garmin devices that speak street names (example: "Turn right on Main Street").

Know the Lane Before It's Too Late
No more guessing which lane you need to be in to make an upcoming turn. Lane assist guides you to the correct lane for an approaching turn or exit, making unfamiliar intersections and exits easy to navigate. It realistically displays road signs and junctions on your route along with arrows that indicate the proper lane for navigation.


Pedestrian Navigation
With the Public Transit feature, you can navigate using buses, tramway, metro, and suburban rail systems with optional CityXplorer content. Downloadable CityXplorer data and city guides are available for purchase and download from garmin.com for many cities.


Where Am I?
Keep track of yourself and your car with nuvi 1350. Just tap "Where Am I?" to find the closest hospitals, police stations, fuel stations, nearest address, and intersection. Also see your exact latitude and longitude coordinates. The nuvi 1350 even remembers where you parked. It automatically marks your position when you remove it from the windshield mount, so you can navigate with nuvi on foot and find your way back to your vehicle. Perfect for unfamiliar spots and crowded lots, such as amusement parks, stadiums, and malls.


HotFix Satellite Prediction
Garmin's HotFix capability automatically calculates and stores satellite locations, greatly reducing satellite acquisition time so that you can turn the unit on and get going. With HotFix, your nuvi remembers the position of all satellites it is tracking when you turn it off, and calculates their movements in order to predict where they should be the next time you turn it on. HotFix can predict satellite positions for up to three days after the device was last turned off.


ecoRoute
With this feature, drivers can view suggestions for fuel-efficient navigation, conserving both money and fuel:


    Save Gas and Money--Now more than ever, we're all looking for ways to conserve both money and fuel. Whether we're taking fewer trips or carpooling with family and friends, saving resources is a top priority. It was that thinking that led to the creation of ecoRoute--Garmin's free software update for compatible nuvi products that allows you to find more fuel-efficient routes when navigating and even track their fuel usage. With ecoRoute, you may be able to save gas and money by adopting smarter driving habits.

    Select Fuel-efficient Routes--With ecoRoute, you have a "less fuel" option as a routing preference. When selected, nuvi will determine if more fuel-efficient routes exist based upon road speed data and vehicle acceleration data for a given route.

    Get Fuel and Mileage Reports--Through ecoRoute's Fuel Report and Mileage Report, you can focus on your habits even when you're not behind the wheel. Fuel Report tracks fuel usage over time, and Mileage Report monitors mileage and fuel usage on a per-trip basis. In addition, Mileage Report makes it easy for business travelers to keep track of distance traveled for company reimbursements. You'll have a detailed report for each trip and the miles driven. You also can customize your nuvi by entering your car's fuel economy and the current price of gas.

MSN Direct Compatible
Add the GDB 55 receiver for MSN Direct. With dynamic content from MSN Direct, you can avoid traffic backups when you travel with your compatible Garmin device. MSN Direct broadcasts traffic data to your GPS navigator so you can find the best route through traffic, check traffic flow, and receive accident warnings.


Avoid Traffic Tie-ups by Adding the GTM 25
The GTM 25 provides North America traffic information to compatible Garmin GPS navigators. Using this data, your device alerts you to local traffic tie-ups and displays current traffic levels. The receiver also acts as an in-vehicle power charger. Traffic provided by NAVTEQ Traffic.
Navigate by Photo with Garmin Connect Photos.


Search for locations on Google Maps or Mapquest, then transfer the addresses directly to your Garmin GPS navigator.




Navigate by Photo with Garmin Connect Photos
Using Garmin's Connect Photos Web site, you can choose from millions of geo-located photos provided by Google's Panoramio photo-sharing community and download them to the nuvi for a richer navigation experience using pictures as a guide.


    Choose from Panoramio's collection of photos from around the world.
    Easy-to-use interface displays photos on Google Maps.
    Search for photos by location name or map area boundary.
    Transfer photos directly from Garmin Connect to device with the Garmin Communicator.
    View photos in Google Earth.
    Supports Internet Explorer 6+, Firefox 2+, and Safari 3+ on Windows and Mac.

Take It with You
The nuvi 1350 sports a sleek, slim design and fits comfortably in your pocket or purse. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or foot.


Additional Features

    Speed limit indicator--unit displays speed limits for most major roads
    DEM maps show you shaded terrain contours at zoom levels of five miles and above.
    Auto time zone automatically adjusts your time zone while navigating.
    Trip computer records mileage, max speed, total time, and more.
    Built-in travel kit includes such features as picture viewer, world clock, currency and measurement converters, and calculator.
    microSD memory card expansion slot allows for optional mapping and data storage.
    Includes Garmin Lock anti-theft feature.
    Configurable vehicle icons allows users to select fun, customized car-shaped icons; download additional choices from www.garmingarage.com.
    Offers a 3-D mapping perspective or 2-D overhead view.
    Unit dimensions: 4.8"W x 2.9"H x 0.6"D; Weight: 5.7 ounces
    Built-in lithium-ion battery lasts up to four hours, depending on usage.
    Includes sturdy suction cup mount that allows for easy adjustment and quick release.
    Simplified PC connectivity, using USB mass storage, access either the microSD card slot or the unit's internal memory directly from your PC desktop.
    POI loader program lets you set up proximity alerts for school zones, create custom POIs, and more.




What's in the Box
nuvi 1350 preloaded with City Navigator North America NT, Vehicle suction cup mount, Vehicle power cable, Dashboard disc, Quick start manual


Visit Garmin.com to get the latest firmware updates for your nuvi to keep it current and performing at its best.

Which nuvi is Best for You?

Note: All nuvis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations.
Device

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2/08/2011

Power Line 0900-66 200-Watt Coffee Cup Inverter with USB Charging Port and Two Outlets Review

Power Line 0900-66 200-Watt Coffee Cup Inverter with USB Charging Port and Two Outlets
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This little guy is GREAT. The shape allows it to sit in your cup holder out of the way unlike the bigger odd-shaped ones that fly all over the place while you're driving.

This device is perfect for road trips. It handled my laptop and cell phone charger at the same time, and the USB port let me charge my iPod too. The plug fit just fine, and the low-power alarm is quite effective.

The only bummer is when you have a real cup of coffee and no where to put it...

Click Here to see more reviews about: Power Line 0900-66 200-Watt Coffee Cup Inverter with USB Charging Port and Two Outlets

Product Description:
200w Coffee Cup Inverter with USB charge port provides 3 power outlets for your vehicle: Two 120v AC outlets and 1 USB charging port.The unique cup design fits standard auto cup holders.Powers TVs as large as 27", laptops, portable printers, iPods, SmartPhones and much more..from your vehicle.

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2/01/2011

Pioneer GEX-XMP3 Portable XM Satellite Radio Receiver w/ Home Kit Review

Pioneer GEX-XMP3 Portable XM Satellite Radio Receiver w/ Home Kit
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought an Xmp3 player from Amazon about a week ago. I have to write that it became almost difficult to buy one because I read all manner of both rave and poor reviews. In the end I took a leap of faith and bought one despite identifying with some poor reviewers. The principle poor I read here was absolutely wrong and I want to address that here because the leap of faith I took was in deciding that the poor review was written by someone who likely didn't know how to operate the device.

The poor review stated that you had to view all the channels and could not save favorites so that you could easily go to the channels you like easily. Frankly I couldn't believe that, bought one anyway, and found the feature the review stated was not there in all of 5 seconds. And I am first-time XM device owner and subscriber.

So I want to accomplish two things in this small review. I want to say if you are too stupid to use the device, don't bother writing a review about it. You scare me and anyone else looking for credible information on a device. I just can't stand it when write bad reviews with less then all the facts. This rotten reviewer could have spent a few seconds with the device without even reading the manual and found the settings. It's right on the menu and so I am lead to believe this person has some ax to grind because no one is that stupid to miss the feature.

I do have some complaints, but for the most part, anyone would like this device.

The xmp3 has a very simple menu system on the device itself. You start off by being able to see all channels in a long list or seeing them by group. Once you find a channel you like, click options, then click Add to Favorites. It's so simple I don't know how one bad reviewer missed it. There is a paper channel guide sitting on top of the manual too. So if you just want to type in a channel, like 129, just press the keypad button and type it in. So in just 2 steps you are into whatever channel you want. I know CNN is 122, so I can go to my favorites, or just punch it in. I can't see how to make that any easier.

Someone here mentioned signal problems. I very much want to cover this because that also scared me. I live in San Francisco. And I take public transportation all the time. Buses, BART, I walk, etc. Some city streets allow just2-way traffic. One lane for cars in each direction. If I walk on those narrow streets with 2 to 3 story houses on both sides, then the signal cuts out. If I want on wider streets, it's fine. And there are two kinds of signals. Terrestrial and Satellite. You can get one or the other, or both. And there is a setting in the options that shows you both signals while the music or news plays. So you will see how little signal you need to get the programming. Unlike regular radio, a limited signal does not mean poor quality. It's all you need to get the full experience. It's digital, so it's perfect or it's not. It doesn't need full strength to get a perfect audio output. This is important. Now, the Xmp3 came with a home kit, and I bought an extra one for work. I didn't have to mount the antenna outside at all. Just place it on a window ledge and watch the antenna signal. Aim it around and watch the signal response. It's stupid-easy. I did the same thing at my office. So when I am home or at the office, I plug the xmp3 into the doc, which is already plugged into the external antenna and I get great audio. It comes with a remote control with every home kit. A pair of self powered $20 speakers is all you need to use these with the home kits. It works fantastically and you need only the one device.

Some wondered if you can truly record more than one station at a time. Yes, you can. Keep this in mind because it's important and I'll explain why in the next paragraph where I explain the battery issues also raised in review.

Some complain the battery only lasts for 4 to 5 hours in live mode. First, live means you are listening to Xmradio live, and not recorded. The XMP3 player can play MP3s, WAVs, and recorded XM radio, plus live XM Radio. There is an easy way to extend the use of the radio to meet anyone's enjoyment needs. I have owned 5 iPods, 4 Zunes, 3 Zen Players, and 2 Rios, plus a Sansa. I have listened to over 200 audible books. I listen to podcasts more than anyone I ever met. I've been listening to portable audio for over a decade. So Xmp3 has a lot to live up to. I'm just as tough on a device as anyone else.

I want to give a quick example of how I use it and you can apply this to the battery issue. Because my method solves all the problems of battery, signal, etc in my opinion. So open those eyes wider and pay attention. The reality that this records 5 stations at once is the key. In the morning before the New York Stock Exchange Opening bell, I am up and getting ready for work. I record CNN, Bloomberg, and CNBC at the same time for about an hour. I can mostly listen to one of those live as I get ready for work, but the other 2 are recorded at the same time. When I hit the street to take my bus, I listen to the other recorded programs to avoid any signal issues. The information is still fresh, and I get no signal problem as I did record this while the unit is mounted into the external antenna. Playing back recorded programming, audible books, or mp3s makes the battery last 16 hours. So my point is, when you are listening to something live take the opportunity to record other stations so you maximize your listening time. It's easy, and it works well. And you get to use the device all day. Again at 4:00PM at work I set it to record the stations I want for an hour. So that at 5:00PM when I leave, I am listening to recorded shows from 1 hour ago and again, little battery drain, and no signal problems on the way home because it's recorded playback. What's the difference in listening to 1 hour ago programming? In fact, it's better. Let me explain why. When you record a channel for 60 minutes or more and then play it back, you can skip ads as easily as you can hit the "Next" button. The recorded shows are divided up by every change. If a ad comes up, it's considered a segment which can be skipped in playback. So when I listen to record news, I can quickly listen to the news by skipping ads. And it's even easier than a tivo! Just one tap of skip, skips one ad. If there are 3 ads in a row, you can skip 1, 2, and 3 times to skip all three ads. Easy as pie and you'll love it. So believe me, you want to take advantage of recorded shows when you go for a walk. You skip the bull, get perfect audio, and can listen just like live or skip ads. Up to you.

So I have to say, in terms of the device itself, it's a 5 star device. After reading poor reviews, I'm glad I tried it anyway. If you are on the fence, go for it. You will see as I have see that the device is fantastic. That's where the rave reviews come from. Those are from those folks that have a brain in their head and don't have some ax to grind.

Now I do have gripes, but they have to do with the XM2Go Music software. This software is not a music manager as you might think. It should not be compared to iTunes or Media Monkey, because it's honestly not a music manager at all. It's more of an upload tool to upload mp3s or WAV files to the device. Read on...

I thought the XM2GO app would be a full music manager, but rather what it does is allow you to easily setup a program record time if that's what you want. You can use it to upload music to your SD card. But the best way to do this is by organizing what you want to upload to the device into a single folder before you upload it. If you already have a full music collection on your hard drive that is stored in the file system by artist and you want a small subset of favorite tunes, you're going to go crazy with XM2GO because you will have to pick one by each song using a director tool in XM2GO to hand pick each song and choose upload. It's insanely stupid.

I use Media Monkey instead of iTunes. And in Media Monkey, I can take my favorites playlist and sent a copy of the songs in that playlist to a folder on my desktop in Windows. Then I use XM2GO to upload the contents of that single folder to the SD card. This gives me my favorite MP3s on the XMP3. I find this the fastest, easiest way to deal with the extremely lousy XM2GO software, which didn't even come with my player. I had to download it. The one real complaint I have with the XMP3 player is not with the device. It's with the Music app from XP / Pioneer. These two companies absolutely blew it on the software. You can work around this as I said, but it would have been great to have a more full-featured music app so that you can easily manage podcasts and mp3 playlists on the device. The way it's done now makes me want to visit with Pioneer and XM and slap these stupid programmers. I don't know why it is so hard for these companies to see what needs to be done to make something simple and enjoyable to use. It's as if they have no brains in their skulls, and know that's not true. It's not a show-stopper. I'd buy the device all over again even knowing what I know now.

You can add audible content to the Xmp3, but not on the SD card. It goes on the devices built in memory. And recorded XM radio also goes on the device memory. So the SD card is truly good for MP3s and WAV files.

Now a few other points for first -time XM people. If you use the web app to play content online you can click a button and buy the song from Amazon. I love this feature. So listening via a laptop over the internet is a good idea and can help you discover new songs to buy. BUT! And I mean BUT, some stations are not available online. No Bloomberg or CNBC for example. Don't count on every station being there exactly the same way as on the device. Because of this, I strongly recommend getting a home kit for your home and office. If you just think it through a little you'll find that the battery, being mobile, etc are all not a real problem. Even for those walking around dense cities as I am.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Pioneer GEX-XMP3 Portable XM Satellite Radio Receiver w/ Home Kit

Product Description:
Record What You Love, Listen When You Want! Introducing the Pioneer GEX-XMP3 Portable XM Satellite Radio with MP3. Providing you with the best of both worlds.
With the XMp3, the Music Never Stops
Loved that song, really want to hear it again? Miss that MLB play or joke on one of the comedy channels? Pause and replay it. Know you'll miss the game? Record it and play it again the next day, or on the drive home. In the car with your kids? Listen to 20 on 20 or XMKiDs while simultaneously recording the game, your favorite show, or the station you can't get enough of to listen later.



Live XM: Enjoy over 170 channels of music and exclusive content.




The NEW XMp3 offers:

    More ways than ever to record up to 100 of your favorite XM programming
    Automatic Recording: 15 - 30 hours
    Multi Channel Record up to five channels at the same time
    DVR like feature pause and replay 30 minutes of live XM
    Smaller and lighter form factor
    Larger and more vibrant color display
    Improved User Interface and track wheel
    Micro SD Slot! The XMp3 is microSDHC compliant and works with standard or high capacity microSD cards (up to 8GB).
    New Exclusive XM2go Music Manager compatible with XMp3 and backward compatible with Inno, Helix, Nexus, and SkyFi3

Record up to 75 hours of programs or 10 Hours of songs.


Compact and easy to cary at only 3.1 ounces.


Live XM

    Enjoy over 170 channels of music, sports, news, talk, entertainment, and exclusive content
    Set up to 99 Favorite Channels
    TuneSelect: Be alerted when your favorite artists or songs are playing on any XM channel
    XM Programming Guide: See the best of XM and choose to be alerted when it is playing or schedule to record it
Recording

    More ways than ever to record up to 100 your favorite XM programs -- automatic, scheduled, one touch -- and save time by recording up to 5 channels at the same time
    One-Touch Recording of up to 10 Hours of Individual Songs
    Schedule Recordings of up to 75 Hours of Your Favorite XM Programs
    Automatic Recording of up to 15 - 30 Hours of Your Favorite XM Channels
    Save Time -- Record up to 5 Channels at the Same Time
MP3
Enjoy your personal music collection (MP3 and WMA files) collection with the micro SD card slot. Compatible with standard or high capacity microSD cards, the XMp3 is microSDHC compliant.
XM2go Music Manager

    Schedule Recordings of up to 75 hours of your Favorite XM Programs
    Manage your music: Create and modify playlists of your own MP3 collection or your XM recordings
    Online Programming Guide: Discover new music by seeing what's playing on XM for the next week
    Bookmark and purchase songs from compatible online music services including Napster
    Purchase and listen to your favorite audio books from Audible.com/xm

Other Key Features:
GameSelect: Be alerted when your favorite sports teams are on any XM channel Info Extras: Keep track of selected sports scores and stocks


What's in the Box
GEX-XMP3 Portable XM Satellite Radio with MP3, wireless remote control, headphones, operation manual, warranty sheet



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1/30/2011

Coby CA-745 Wireless FM Car Transmitter with Digital Display and DC Car Cigarette Lighter Adapter Review

Coby CA-745 Wireless FM Car Transmitter with Digital Display and DC Car Cigarette Lighter Adapter
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The Coby-745 is in my opinion, the all-around best buy in the wireless FM car transmitter market. At $17.99 on Amazon, it is roughly half the price of most of it's competitors, but what's amazing is that it provides additional features! The cap on the built in car charger flips off to reveal a spot for another charging plug (like for a cell phone for example). The springs hold the device in tightly while in use and the charger unit is hinged to the transmitter, providing for a 360 degree+ rotation of the unit. The light up screen in blue shows the full frequency channels you can select from with the lighted dial, in increments of 0.1 MHz.

This unit doesn't just look pretty and have nice features, it also performs extremely well. On a 40 minute commute through back roads, highway and city, the unit didn't lose signal once and I heard ZERO interference, yes, that's right, none! Compare that to other reviews.

Downsides? All the downsides are common to most other transmitters: it doesn't have an on/off button, so you have to unplug the unit if you want it to stop drawing power. To get the sound just right, you have to crank the treble on your car stereo a tad (although this just may be a personal preference). And, you have to crank the volume on your mp3 player and/or stereo (and remember to turn the volumes back down when you use your stereo or mp3 player without the transmitter or else risk blowing out your eardrums). There was some static noise when handling the unit initially although I found this went away quickly as the static charge (coming from the user) dispersed.

The sound quality amazes me- very near CD quality sound- and I was very pleased there was no interference- in the 40 minutes driving, I never had to switch channels. As long as it holds up, I don't plan on switching transmitters anytime soon either. The Coby-745 rocks.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Coby CA-745 Wireless FM Car Transmitter with Digital Display and DC Car Cigarette Lighter Adapter

Product Description:
Coby Wireless Car FM Transmitter with Digital Display Transmits Music Wirelessly from Audio Devices over FM Frequency

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12/14/2010

Garmin nuvi Vehicle Power Cable Review

Garmin nuvi Vehicle Power Cable
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
When I purchased a Nuvi 760 this item was shown as frequently purchased with it.Unfortunately it is not compatable and cost me to return as it was my error.Power connections were not visable so how is a person to know if the adapter will work with the GPS?Guess you learn the hard way.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Garmin nuvi Vehicle Power Cable

Product Description:
With the Garmin 010-10723-06 Cigarette Lighter for the Nuvi 300/350/310/360 you can save your battery. Just plug it into any standard cigarette lighter receptacle to power or recharge the internal battery of your Garmin Nuvi 300, 350, 310 and 360.

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12/01/2010

Tekkeon TekCharge Mobile Power and Battery Charger Review

Tekkeon TekCharge Mobile Power and Battery Charger
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I've been using this for several months, and more than once it has paid for itself. It is small, lightweight, and has done everything I need it to.

I get several full phone recharges out of a set of four AA batteries, as compared to about one 85% charge from the Eveready? Energizer? Energi To Go™ Instant Cell Phone Chargers charger (although I suspect that the energizer was eating my batteries if I left them in there for more than a day.)

This unit does not discharge batteries no longer how long you leave them in there, so pairing it up with low self-discharge batteries is beneficial. You'll forget you have it until you need it!VIDEO REVIEW TRANSCRIPT:

This is the TekCharge MP1550 mobile power supply and battery charger. This unit allows you to transfer power from standard AA batteries to USB power, and also will allow you to charge rechargeable AA batteries From USB power in an emergency.
This allows you to carry emergency power for cellphones, mp3 players, or anything else which can be charged from a USB port or cable. The maximum output voltage is 5v. You can use either standard alkaline AAs, or use rechargeables to power the unit.
The device is very small and compact, only a little larger than the batteries it contains.

The device comes with a charging cable and several interchangeable tips. The retractable cable on mine arrived frayed to the point where I don't think I could depend on it to work when I need it to.You can see the stray wires poking out from the wire sheath. I could have returned the unit, but I've never had good luck with "one size fits all" cables, and therefore probably wouldn't use it anyway.I bought the cables I need from my favorite auction website.For me, a six inch USB to mini-USB cable will do 85% of what I bought the unit for.A Standard USB A to B cable will do everything else.
The unit outputs power through a standard 5V USB plug. Any device I can think of with a USB charger can be plugged in and receive power through this port. There is an "ON/OFF" switch next to the plug, which controls whether a device is receiving power.There are also several indicator lights on the front of the unit which show how much power is left in the batteries.
The unit will run off of either 2 or 4 AA batteries.I would recommend using four whenever possible, as the lower discharge rate on each battery will mean you get more total power from each cell, as compared to using two at a time.However, it is nice to know that if I need to scavenge two batteries from the charger in an emergency, I will still be able to recharge my phone using the other two cells.
Beside the output USB Jack is a mini-USB Jack labeled "5V in". This is the jack which you can use to charge rechargeable batteries without removing them from the unit.The manual states that the unit will fully charge two batteries in three hours, or four batteries in six hours. It also strongly recommends to recharge batteries only when they are completely empty, so the charging function shouldn't be used to "top off" batteries which are only partially discharged.
I use low-self-discharge batteries, and use a separate Lacrosse BC-900 series charger to keep my batteries well maintained.
The Tekcharge unit does not appear to drain the batteries when it is not in use, which the "energizer" brand AA recharger seemed to do. Also, I get more power out of each cell as a result of the lower discharge rate associated with drawing the power from four cells instead of two.The battery compartment is also much easier to open than the energizer model, which often got stuck or jammed.However, to open the battery compartment you have to push down on the lever next to the USB jack. This is not indicated on the unit, although the manual does clearly state it.
Overall, I am extremely pleased with this unit. It does exactly what it advertised, and feels well built.Again, the cable arrived frayed from the factory, but I would have thrown it away even if it was in good condition. However, for those who prefer playing with interchangeable heads, it would have been an issue.I am pretty confident that it was an isolated problem, and I'll bet customer service would have replaced it had I felt the need to contact them over it.
I keep this unit in my backpack, and it's nice to know that I have two weeks or more of power for my cell phone if I get stuck somewhere without my charger, along with a means of recharging batteries away from home.

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Product Description:
TekCharge MP1550 takes advantage of AA batteries to provide emergency power to popular mobile phones, plus many more small portable devices. Because TekCharge uses alkaline or rechargeable AA batteries, you'll never be without power again--even on the road. TekCharge also doubles as a battery charger for your rechargeable AA batteries, so you can stay green while staying charged.
TekCharge charges and powers portable devices--anywhere, anytime--making it a versatile solution for the power needs of most of your mobile products, on the road, and at home. Often, portable devices are in need of recharging after a few hours of use. With TekCharge, you can enjoy hours of extended play time on your mobile phones, smart phones, PDAs, iPhone, iPods and MP3 players, portable CD players, Bluetooth headsets, and other small portable electronic products.
TekCharge connects to your device in two ways: First, you can use an adapter to connect to your device; or second, you can use your USB device cable, bypassing the need for an extra adapter. The device also features a voltage regulator so it won't harm your device or its battery.TekCharge comes with a handy tote, plus seven adapter tips for connection to:

    Blackberry (mini USB)
    LG mobile phones
    Motorola mobile phones (mini USB)
    Nokia mobile phones
    Samsung mobile phones
    Sony Ericsson mobile phones
    iPod/iPhone (using your own iPod USB cable)

Add-on adapters are also available for Bluetooth headsets, other mobile phones, MP3 players, PDAs, portable games, and portable media players.
Approximate Charge for Common Devices

Portable DevicePower on the Go Mobile phones 12 hours of talk time Smart phones 8 hours of talk time PDAs 5 hrs Portable media players 5 hours of playback Bluetooth headsets 50 hours of talk time MP3 players 28 hours of audio playback iPhone28 hours of audio playback,
8 hours of video playback iPod touch 32 hours of audio playback,
11 hours of video playback iPod classic 118 hours of audio playback,
20 hours of video playback Zune 125 hours of audio playback,
17 hours of video playback
*Hours shown are approximate and will vary depending on connected device.
What's in the Box
TekCharge MP1550, Retractable input/output cable, Universal adapter kit (7 tips), User guide

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