SanDisk Sansa Clip+ 8 GB MP3 Player (Black) Review. The Sansa Clip+ MP3 player gives you more to enjoy. Enjoy up to 2,000 songs†† with an 8GB* player, FM radio, long-life battery and voice recorder. PLUS now even more! Expand your enjoyment when you add in preloaded content cards** into the new memory card slot, including slotRadio™ and slotMusic™ cards**. Or, save your own music, podcasts, and audio books onto a microSD™/microSDHC™ memory card** to expand your play.It’s brought to you by SanDisk with awesome sound to enjoy your music. Just clip it on and enjoy more music with an incredible 15 hours† battery-fueled fun. See what you’re listening to with the bright, easy-to-read screen and intuitively searchable menus. Color your world in red, blue or sleek black undertones....

 "Great upgrade to an already great budget player" 2009-09-09
By musicfan (Somerville, MA USA)

If all you are looking for is a great sounding, small, cheap mp3 player with a display and expandability options, then the clip + is your best choice. This is very similar to the old clip with the following major differences:



- two minor button placement changes (improvement)

- UI is a bit smoother (menus scroll now)

- volume normalizing/gain

- micro-SD slot for up to 16 added gigs (which is huge)

- a little thicker, probably due to SD support

- clip is no longer removable (depending on your preference, this is a good or bad thing-guess you could just rip it off and file it down if you wanted to)



As always, it sounds great and blows away the iPod Shuffle in terms of value. So light and small--great for the gym. If you need your mp3 player to play games, surf the internet or serve double purpose as a grocery list, then this isn't for you, but if you're on a budget or just need something that plays music and does so well, this is the one.

 "Really nice technical improvements, but didn't need to "fix" the outside of it." 2009-09-20
By Pramod Agrawal

So recently, because I love my Sansa Clip so much for exercising, and I thought I could use one more, I picked one of these up at Bestbuy. I have used it for about a week so I can't say anything about the longetivity of the new Clip Plus, but I can tell you about everything else. First I will give you the cons since there is only one and that is also only about preference. I personally LOVED the sleek look of the original sansa clip, but that has been replaced with a sort of glittery finish on the front. That is about it and to add to this, everything else from the outside such as the plastic used has been revamped to feel better in your hands and is just overall better quality. Now on to the most important part, the features. The main thing that sets this apart from the original clip is the addition of a microSD card slot. This can take up to a 32gb microSD card, so if you were to pair one with this, you could potentially get a 36(!)gb memory for this puny little item. That is the next thing I will get into, the size. If you haven't ever heard about the original sansa clip, basically, Sandisk designed this line of Sansa for portability and mainly for exercise. It feels really good in the hand and the non removable clip on the back can clip on to virtually anything. Next is the display. The menu remains much of the same, but Sansa also added slotRadio compatibility and a nicer flow to menu if you're into that. Finally we'll go to the placement of the buttons. On the old sansa clip, there was a button the side for power and hold, but a lot of clip owners including me found that uncomfortable. To cope with this, Sandisk put the power button on the top and put the hold funtion to holding the home button for about 3 seconds. So overall, this is a fantastic MP3 player in any category, but if you are in the market for one for the gym, pass up the Ipod Shuffle for 79$ with no screen and counter-intuitiveness(in my opinion) and get this really nice compact MP3 player for only 50$ for the 4gb, 40$ for the 2gb and 70$ for the 8gb. Thank you and I hope this review helps.

 "Excellently small, infinitely expandable" 2009-09-24
By Defaultluser

I've been very pleased with this small wonder, it is about 1/2 the size of your average portable mp3/video player with an LCD screen, but the OLED screen on the Clip+ is still very readable and easily navigable. I've paired my player with a 16GB MicroSDHC card, giving me enough room for my entire mp3 collection in a player the size of a matchbook.



The player itself is very lightweight, but feels very firm gripped in your hand, and the buttons have a very solid feel when pressed. The clip is non-removable, but probably not a breakage concern like the previous Clip.



Some technical observations:



The Clip+ plays back OGG Vorbis tracks completely gapless. It does not play back mp3 files encoded with LAME gapless (but the gap is extremely small).



The off-pitch playback issues of the original Clip (songs used to play at the wrong speed) are fixed in the Clip+.



Battery life is around the advertised 15 hours. It's not amazing (it trades battery life to have the screen and the slot), but it does last a week of casual listening.



Sound quality is outstanding, better than I ever expected from such an inexpensive player.



FLICKER WARNING: the OLED screen is crisp, but due to how the technology works, the screen must be refreshed like a CRT. Thus, if the refresh rate is too slow, flicker is visible (to those who are sensitive). The refresh rate of the Clip+ screen is very low, and people sensitive to it (including myself) can see flicker.

 "Good improvements on orginal Clip" 2009-09-08
By Ross A. Seymour (La Crosse, WI United States)

The title says is all: Clip +. It is really the first generation of the Clip plus a few well thought out design and firmware changes.



The volume control is now on the opposite side, the side with the usb plug rather than the headphone. With right-angle headphone plugs, you needed to swing the headphone plug out of the way to use the volume control on the old Clip.



The on/off switch is now on the top instead of the left side (where the volume control now is). I often needed to turn off my Clip while under a shirt and not looking at it. I actually turned it off only about half the time because of slide switch. Now there's simply a button on the top. The hold button, which used to be on the on/off switch, is now activated by holding down the menu button. Since I rarely used the hold button I can't say whether this is an improvement.



The clip on the back is a big design change. The clip, for better or worse, is no longer detachable. Personally, I liked being able to detach it if I was using velcro rather the clip to attach to something, like a bag. That being said the new clip is sleeker. Closer to the back of the body and a bit wider. The clip now has a ridge at the end of the clip as opposed to the circle of the old Clip. It seems to hold on just as well.



The square controls (as opposed to the former round controls) doesn't make much of a difference. If you are using the controls by feeling rather than seeing, the square may make it a bit easier to know where you are at on the controls.



Otherwise it is the same size and all. My old Clip silicone case fits it OK, but I will get a new case when they come out.



Inside there are some firmware changes. Included now is a menu item for Slot Player chips (a soon-to-be obsolete format if I've ever seen one). The menus slide rather than jump, giving it a smoother look (I guess). In the old Clip, when you pressed the center button while a track was playing, it went to a visualization, then a listing of the current track playing. Obviously a redundancy. Now, it show info on the next track to play, instead of the current one. Other changes had already been incorporated in firmware updates for the original Clip.



One new function is the replay gain function. Very useful if you shuffle songs. This allows music to play back at about the same volume without you, the listener, having to actually change the volume. It works by adding a bit of instruction to each music file with information about how loud or soft the track is and then the volume of the player adjusts accordingly. Whether your tracks have replay gain information on them depends on how you got them. Many media players, like Media Monkey, can read the tracks and add this information.



One further note on the replay gain function. It should be set to song if you are on shuffle. Also the pregain is set a bit low. If you find yourself fiddling with the volume, increase the replay gain setting to 6 or 9.



The manual says it has gapless play. I believe you need to rip your tracks as gapless for this to work. Many standard mp3 converters don't do this, but maybe it is more prevalent for AAC (iTunes).



The best for last: a micro card slot. This allows you to add capacity to the player (currently the limit is 16gb with larger cards on the horizon), well above the 4gb that it comes with. If you have gone lossless (I use FLAC) then you know that extra file space is a big plus. With only FLAC files, the 4gb player holds about nine hours of music (probably five times more with normal MP3 files). This is fine by me but if I'm going on a trip then having the expansion capacity will be a big plus.



Sound quality wise, it sounds about the same to me, compared with the old Clip. Which means it sounds great, amped or not. Some have noted a fuller, warmer, louder sound, but my old ears can't pick that out.



Why people don't use these by the droves at the gym is beyond me. I still see very few of these players down at the Y, while I see all manner of big iPods. This little machine is perfect for the gym or any on-the-go activity.

 "WAAAAAAY better than the shuffle, iPods inhale profusely in comparision" 2009-10-25
By Robert E. Mcalister (Jacksonville, FL, USA)

This is the perfect mp3 player. The fact that you can expand the memory to 18+ GB with an inexpensive microSD card??? holy cow. I used my wife's iPod shuffle before this, and there is no comparision, really. Except that this is 20-30% cheaper, and 1000% better. This has a built in customizable equalizer, something which the ipod did not. It has a screen similar to many expensive ipods that help you navigate the simple menus, although it does not play video ( I don't watch video when I work out, run, or mow the lawn). Battery life is great, and this isn't much larger than the shuffle. Clips on in the same fashion, weighs just as much, and the sound quality is phenomenal. It is a USB plug and play, so you can just drop and drag files to it. SOOOOO easy. No proprietary garbage software to use, like i-tunes. There is an option to sync playlists and things with Windows Media Player, but I haven't, and won't care to try. I just load all my favorite songs and randomly play the music. And now with Windows 7..hehe...Mac will dwindle back to fan-boy status and they'll have to start making cheaper, less proprietary hardware and software, or they will never survive. I'm Robert, and I'm a PC :)

Motorola Droid OEM Window Mount - Only for the First Generation Motorola Droid Review. The Motorola DROID Car Mount attaches to your windshield or dash via suction and lets you position your phone for easy viewing and access. Works great with your phone's navigation app or find out who's calling hands-free. Quick release and attach. Includes a rapid car charger cigarette light adapter to keep your phone powered while in the car. Compatible with Motorola DROID....

 "Great product" 2009-12-31
By Terry M. Anderson

When attached to the windshield I experienced some vibration at highway speeds that made the screen very difficult to read. However, I attached it to the dash (using the included suction/sticky pad) and have not had any issues with vibration since. The phone is very easy to get in and out of the cradle, but is held firmly in place while locked in.



The magnetic sensor in the phone automatically detects that the phone is in the car dock and brings up the GPS navigation without having to touch a single button. The cradle still allows for use of the 3.5mm headphone jack as well as the charging slot, making it great for use as a "satellite" radio (Streaming Pandora or Slacker) and GPS unit all in one.



The unit can be adjusted to be used from pretty much any angle or mounting point. The twist clamps used to lock in the angles are very secure and do not move about once tightened.



Very good buy, do not hesitate.

 "The Right Car Dock for the Job" 2010-02-03
By Andrew Koester

I've been a victim of 3rd party accessories. I'm rather leery of window mounts in general, but since this is an OEM Motorola product built just for the Droid, there really was no way I could go wrong. The price of $30 was a little hard to swallow at the Verizon store, but once I got it mounted (it comes with a regular suction mount, as well as a stick mount for putting it on your dashboard) in my window I found just why you go and buy original accessories. Since it's built for the Droid, my Droid of course fits perfect. I was rather happy to find that it's very easy to get the phone in and out, without the risk of scratching at the casing, and it's also easy to plug in the headphone jack as well as the power charger, not to mention use the buttons on the device. I leave the mount in my window, and slip the phone in place when I need to use it for Navigation, which sends it in to Car Dock mode, providing an easy menu for operating the phone when it's docked, providing easy access to your contacts, Google Navigation, and voice command. I was also rather happy that it's very easy to adjust the face position of the phone, but it stays in place, a big bonus to anyone who's had to deal with touchy mounts that either just fall over or won't move unless you adjust the dial. Even though it's a little pricey, I'd still recommend anyone with a Droid just get this dock off the bat.

 "Misleading description, but great item." 2010-02-18
By D. Kim (Chicago, IL USA)

While the dock itself is just as good as you can expect, mine did not come with the car charger. Mine was purchased from Amazon.com and not a third party or associate seller. Buyer beware!!!



On to the review!

The unit itself is made of a beefy nylon. Far better than the cheaper window units I'm used to. The suction cup seems to be well engineered. I've had problems with inexpensive units where the cup separates from the base itself.



As for the phone cradle itself, it's well made. The phone definitely clicks into it. If you don't hear the click, then it's not fully seated. It's very possible for the clip to hold the phone seemingly securely via friction, but don't be fooled. The first bump, and your phone will fall out.



The only niggling point is that the phone cradle covers the camera. That's unfortunate. Layar's or another virtual augmentation app while driving would have been cool. Nothing a little drilling can't fix but unfortunate since it'll weaken one of the corner supports.



The box itself came with the window mount unit, an alcohol wipe, and a flat rigid plastic disc that can be affixed to your dash with supplied double sided foam tape. The window arm then suction's itself to the smooth side of the disc. I thought that was a nice touch.



I'm happy I bought the window mount, kind of bummed I didn't get the charger though.

 "Great Mount" 2010-03-06
By M. Deschaine

I ordered this and it arrived in a few days. I opened the package and it came with a few parts to put together, I was dash mounting this so I used all the parts. I cleaned off the dash with the supplied alcohol pad and stuck the sticky base on and it went right on fast. I then mounted the holder and I had a few problems getting it to stick correctly, but when I did get it it went right on. I snapped the actual phone holder onto the base and stuck the droid in. It went right in and immediately went into car mode. The face was sliding and dipping all over the place until I realized I had to tighten it all with the knobs and when I did the thing was perfect.



Some people are saying they got one without the car charger but mine did come with the rapid car charger but I don't think I would ever use it. I have a USB splitter I use in my lighter than I can plug pretty much anything into that has a USB connection and the splitter has 2 slots. I would call and say it didn't come with a charger if you need it and I am sure you can get one.



Overall I highly recommend this mount, I am not disappointed.

 "Works great!" 2010-06-07
By T. Lee (PA)

I bought this for my husband's Droid. He originally bought a non-OEM dash mount that wasn't very good at all. This suctions quite well to the windshield and adjusts very smoothly and easily. He wasn't so big into suction mounts, but he is sold on this one!



I feel like I'm playing World of Warcraft, because this is definitely an epic mount!!!!

Logitech Wireless Performance Mouse MX for PC and Mac Review. Performance mouse MX wireless...

 "Reluctantly Switched From Bluetooth" 2009-08-30
By Cornwallis Alabaster Cuspidor, III (but you can call me Sprinkles) (Atlanta, GA)

I was very resistant to buy this mouse because I have only bought Bluetooth mice since 2002. But mouse manufacturers are clueless to our needs and so I was forced to switch.



And man am I glad I did.



This mouse is worth it to overlook the ultra-tiny receiver. It is oh so smooth and uncommonly comfortable. I bought the Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 8000 about three weeks ago and my forearm and hand have been aching ever since. It was the first non-ergonomic mouse, designed to be symmetrical for both right and left handed users, that I have used in many years and using it was downright painful. I also have the inappropriately named Apple Mighty Mouse which suffers from the same design flaw. The Performance MX, by comparison, puts very little strain on my hand and arm, and the groove where my thumb sits not only feels terrific, it also provides greater control. I will never buy a symmetrical mouse again.



The kit that comes with it is smart and useful. The recharging cable is Micro-USB so when the mouse battery dies, you just plug one end into your mouse and the other into your computer, and use it like a corded mouse while it charges. Also, it comes with a Wall-to-USB adapter so you can charge the mouse in the wall if you don't have an extra USB slot available. This means I can still use the mouse while it is charging from the computer or the wall. Very handy! My previous mice had charging stands and if the battery died, I couldn't use them again until they charged. Logitech also included a USB extension cable to help desktop users reposition the USB receiver and a handy little bag to hold the power plug and cords for us notebook users. All in all, a very thoughtful kit!



I am using this with a MacBook Pro and it had 3-button functionality right out of the gate without installing drivers. The USB receiver itself is very small. It's even smaller than the magsafe power adapter head. Time will tell if I can safely keep it in the notebook while I place the computer in and out of it's neoprene sleeve, but I don't anticipate this being a problem.



Do I wish this was a bluetooth mouse? Absolutely. But it is more comfortable than any Bluetooth mouse on the market, it moves the pointer with more fluidity, smoothness, and accuracy than any Bluetooth mouse on the market, and as much as I have enjoyed not dealing with receivers over the past 7 years... the total package provided by this mouse more than makes up for the fact that it isn't Bluetooth.



I highly recommend it.

 "This Mouse is a Delight" 2009-08-30
By Jack Puglis (Parsippany, NJ)

I'm used to being disappointed by products after reading the advertising hype. Not so with this mouse--I'm very happy that I spent the money that I did to buy it. I've used it every day for several hours for a week now and I like it better as time goes on.



Ergonomics: The mouse is very comfortable and well-designed. My previous mouse had forward & back buttons near the thumb area, but they were so close to where my thumb was positioned that I would often hit one when first grasping the mouse. The thumb-rest on this mouse is very well-designed; it's easier to hold & control the mouse because the grip is so much surer.



Zoom, Forward & Back Buttons: These three buttons are located a bit above the thumb rest and are very intuitive. The zoom button is just above your thumb, but far enough that I don't accidentally press it. When I do use it, the wheel increases or decreases the size of the image. Hit it again, and the zoom mode goes off, but nicely leaves the image at the size that you set it so you can continue working.



The Forward and Back buttons are above the zoom button and I found them comfortably placed to access when I wanted them but not get in the way when I didn't. They work well--it's usually easier to hit the back button than move the mouse to the left arrow in my browser.



Scroll Wheel: Here, the mouse pleasantly surprised me with its "hyper-scroll" feature. I expected a slightly enhanced scrolling capability--after all, when marketing people write "hyper," meaning super-duper and extreme to the max, they usually mean that this version works properly where their previous product was buggy. OK, I'm cynical. This feature is a true improvement. When you press a release button that is conveniently located slightly behind the scroll wheel, it frees the scroll wheel to spin, enabling you to scroll through pages very fast. When you touch the wheel to stop it from spinning, the scrolling stops instantaneously. You can simply push the release button again and you're back to "click" scrolling.



Slightly Strange Software: The software that comes in the package on a CD enables you to adjust certain mouse settings to suit your own preferences. However, you must go into the Control Panel / Mouse application to set things like the number of lines per wheel "click," the "double-click speed," and the pointer image (I like a large black arrow because of vision problems). I would have expected an integrated suite of software that handled all of these things, or at least advice from the manufacturer that informed me that certain mouse settings had to be made in the control panel.



Other Stuff: Simple things enhance this mouse, like very low-friction feet. All of my previous mice were harder to move on the desk or table surface and therefore harder to control. The only alternative that I could think of was to go into the control panel and set the "mouse speed" slower than it was when I was doing any kind of fine work. With this mouse, the low-friction feet make it much easier to make fine movements with the pointer, and in general make the mouse more pleasant to use.



Speaking of friction, the mouse has rubberized pads on the right and left sides, making for a non-slip grip, unlike my previous mouse, which was clearly molded from recycled potato peels or something. The serious point is that I haven't yet found my fingers slipping when accessing any button.



Overall Comfort: A harder-to-define characteristic is how the mouse feels overall. I find my hand and arm less tired, and the grip feels natural to me--it is shaped correctly to my hand. Previous mice, like the piece of... well, let's say "low-priced" mouse that Dell supplied with my computer, forced my hand to conform to the mouse. The result is a feeling of "rightness" when I first take hold of this device.



Battery Recharge: Logitec thought through this one very nicely. I've had the mouse for a week and charged when I first got it. It's been on all this time. BTW, the mouse actually has an "on-off" switch. After I pulled the mouse out of its box, I charged it while I was using it by simply connecting the mini-USB connector to the wall charger. It was then similar to using a wired mouse while it was charging. Logitec also supplies a USB cable so you can charge the mouse from any of your computer's USB ports. No putting the mouse into a cradle to recharge, which prevents you from using the computer.



Receiver Extender Cable (USB): None of Logitec's literature and no review that I've found properly states the simple reason for this cable: when you have problems with erratic pointer movements because of interference, too great a distance from the mouse to the receiver or obstructions between them, this cable enables you to move the receiver closer to the mouse. This gives you a so-called "inverse square-law" advantage in signal strength: for example, at half of the distance between the mouse and the receiver, the mouse's transmitted signal strength is four times higher at the receiver.



I paid $99 for this mouse at Best Buy in NJ. I think that this is a case where paying more gets you more. This mouse is a great product and I recommend it.

 "The Best Ergonomic Mouse with Sanyo eneloop Rechargeable Battery that works on any surfaces including Glass." 2009-12-12
By C. Law

I am a big fan of Logitech product. I would say the Logitech has the best for ergonomic designs for any mice. With the Darkfield technology, Logitech has implemented the microscope technology into a portable mouse that works on any surfaces. Yes! It does work on glass table, smooth reflective material, mirror, and magazine with plastic cover. None of the optical mice technology even Microsoft's Blu Track is as good as Darkfield.



I upgraded the mouse from Revolution MX to Performance MX. The differences are categorized below :



Ergonomics:

Performance MX has a thicker body and a narrower back compare to Revolution MX. This is suitable even medium and small palm size people. I think Performance MX wins!



Back and Forth buttons:

If you use a lot of back and forth button on your mouse, the traveling distance for the thumb on the Revolution MX is shorter than Performance MX. It doesn't really bother me much but I need some time to get use to. Revolution MX wins slightly.



Thumb Scroll is removed:

A lot of people have complained that the thumb scroll on the Revolution MX is useless, while I think it is quit useful when I set it to control the volume on my PC. The thumb scroll requires me to move my thumb to reach it but I find that compromise okay because I do not have a chance to accidentally press the thumb scroll when I move the mouse around. Logitech removes that thumb scroll on Performance MX. I miss that on the Performance MX. When Logitech removes the thumb wheel at least they should add 3 buttons somewhere on the Performance. Sorry, Revolution MX is slightly better on the number of buttons.



Missing Smart Hyper-scrolling from Revolution MX but added analog tilt:

Performance MX is lacking the electro-mechanical control to automatically switch the scroll between hyper-scroll and regular scroll. The Performance MX has a manual hyper-scroll switch in place of the Revolution MX search button. I feel disappointed about the Performance MX lacking a smart hyper-scroll wheel. To compensate that, Logitech introduces the analog tilt wheel where you can now tilt more to speed up the horizontal scroll speed when working on Excel Spreadsheets. Since vertical scroll is needed more often than horizontal scroll, Revolution MX wins definitely.



Rechargeable using micro USB:

Performance MX does not need an AC charging cradle. It can be charged using micro USB so you can use it while charging at the same time! It also comes with a AC to USB wall charger to charge the mouse. I think Performance MX is definitely the most comfortable mouse to travel without worrying about the battery! Performance MX Wins all the way! This is one of the most important feature to me for travelling. There is a catch though. The USB cable does not do data transfer for the mouse, so you still need the Unify transceiver to use the mouse. That means you need to occupy two USB ports for charging and using.



Included the best removable Sanyo eneloop 2000 mAh Ni-MH Rechargeable AA Battery:

Most people complain about a non-removable rechargeable battery in Revolution MX. Performance MX comes with the best Ni-MH battery. A lot of reviewers forgot or didn't even know Sanyo's eneloop Ni-MH battery self discharges at a very slow rate. A fully charged eneloop battery can maintain 90% of the charge even after 12 months! While other brands of Ni-MH batteries self discharges to 50% after 4 months in room temperature. The storage time for eneloop therefore is the longest in the Market of Ni-MH. eneloop also supports more than 1000 charge cycles. A 2000 mAh Ni-MH battery by Sanyo in Performance MX can last around a week on average depending on the daily usage.

I have to give kudos to Logitech to decide to go for Sanyo's eneloop battery. Because Ni-MH rechargeable batteries can be purchased everywhere. They are also economical. Moreover, any types of AA alkaline battery also work perfectly on Performance MX but make sure you don't charge the non rechargeable alkaline batteries, otherwise it might explode and damage the Performance MX!!! The removable rechargeable AA battery and USB charging feature have topped any Logitech wireless products I've ever used. PERFORMANCE MX wins!!



Logitech Unifying Technology:

Logitech does not want to pay for Bluetooth licensing fee, so they have developed their own Bluetooth-like technology that works for all future Logitech products that support Unifying wireless transmission. I personally think that Unifying technology is easier to use and has really quick response compare to Bluetooth devices. With only a size of a penny, the Unifying USB transceiver is able to connect several mice and keyboards at a time after paring using the Unifying software in Windows or Mac. Once you have paired the Keyboard and Mouse to the USB transceiver, you can immediately use it on any operating system. It worked on my Linux, mac and windows 7 without installing any drivers. It also works on my BIOS of my motherboard. However, if you want to use all the features and re-map the buttons, you have to install the Logitech Setpoint software.

Please note that any Logitech products that do not have Unifying technology are not compatible with the new transceiver, so don't complain that you can't use your old Revolution MX with the new Unifying USB transceiver. Performance MX is the way to go. I would love to marry Logitech products using Unifying!



Inside the traveling bag there are:

- AC to USB wall charger 110 - 220V

- Micro USB cable

- Extension Cable





Conclusion:

If you have never owned a Revolution MX and would like the most comfortable mouse on the market that works on any surfaces including glass table, want to combine with any type of Logitech keyboard or mouse using a unifying transceiver, able to charge the mouse with USB while using it, like excellent battery life with Sanyo eneloop, enjoy replaceable Ni-MH or non-rechargeable AA battery, then get Performance MX.

If you don't really care and can tolerate a limited size mouse pad, non-universal larger USB dongle, non removable rechargeable battery, no USB charging, get revolution MX while you can ONLY at clearance price.

 "Corrects the MX Revolution's deficiencies (and then some)." 2009-09-13
By Premiata Forneria Marconi (Columbus, OH)

I've owned a number of Logitech mice -- among others, I've owned the G5, the G9, the VX Nano, the MX1000, the MX Revolution, and now, the Performance Mouse MX. I believe I'm qualified to pass judgment on Logitech's newest pointing device, the Performance Mouse MX.



For starters, the Performance Mouse MX ("PMMX") improves upon the MX Revolution's ("MXR") somewhat kludgy mechanism for switching the scrollwheel from a freewheeling mode to a clicky "detent" mode. Where the MXR required the user to firmly press on the scrollwheel to change modes (often resulting in the mouse generating a scrollwheel button-press event rather than changing the scrollwheel mode), the PMMX uses a button just behind the scrollwheel to switch between those two modes. This is a far less frustrating method, and is also better implemented than the G9 mouse's bottom-mounted mode change button which required that the mouse be turned over to switch modes.



The PMMX also improves upon the MXR's charging design considerably. While the MXR required you to put the mouse in the charging cradle to recharge its battery -- thus rendering the mouse unusable for the duration of the recharge cycle -- the PMMX can be recharged on the fly while the mouse is in use by attaching a micro-USB cable to the front of the mouse and plugging that cable either into a powered USB port or into the back of an included AC-to-5V USB adapter. While Logitech's charging solution isn't nearly as elegant as Microsoft's implementation on their Sidewinder X8 (which uses a thin wire with a magnetized "charging paddle" which grips the front end of the mouse fairly tightly), it is equally as functional and is a quantum leap over the MXR's charging cradle.



Additionally, I could detect no discernable "wireless lag" between the mouse and the PC. The MX1000 had considerable lag as well as occasional glitches in how it interacted with the OS (sometimes resulting in the mouse tracking over only part of the desktop); the MXR still had some lag, enough to make it difficult to play certain "twitch" games (first-person shooters, for the most part), but no show-stopping tracking issues. Also, the PMMX seems to track more smoothly across all the surfaces I've tested it on (wood, cloth, mousepad, glass tabletop, glass patio door) than the MXR ever did; the MXR won't track reliably across glass on its best day, while the PMMX seems to be surface-agnostic, as it tracks equally reliably across every surface I've tested.



All in all, the Performance Mouse MX is a worthy successor to the MX Revolution, and would also serve well as a wireless gaming mouse. Its few flaws are outweighed by its improvements on its predecessor. I heartily recommend it.

 "The best mouse I have ever owned, and I've owned a lot!" 2009-09-11
By J. Huff (USA)

MY FAVORITE FEATURES:



-Comfortable for LONG periods even though I am much more sensitive to repetitive stress from mice. I have never felt any discomfort with this mouse!



-Rechargeable and replaceable battery



-Superb tracking and features



-The added treat that it seems to have its own mouse acceleration algorithm in OS X, replacing, at least for itself, the (in my opinion) horrible, mud-like, mouse cursor acceleration that is unchangeable in the Mac OS X operating system. (I love everything about my mac but that horrible mouse acceleration!)



Other thoughts:



There is not a single negative thing I could say about this mouse. The only nitpick I can bring up is that I have to use a receiver, which means it takes up one of the only two USB ports on my macbook when I use it. Small price to pay! And if you have three or more USB ports on your laptop, or are using it exclusively on a desktop, this is a non-issue. Of course, giving me a receiver means that I can switch it between computers that don't have bluetooth easily, which is wonderful.



I'm one of those gadget nuts that just owns too many of nearly any computer peripheral. I have had three different tablets, and bought a large variety of mice and game controllers, and I can say with no hesitation that this is the best mouse I have ever owned. I bought the mouse after thinking about how cool the Darkfield technology was, and wanting to try the scrolling thing in the real world. I expected it to perform very well for games, but to give my wrists a hard time just like every other mouse I have owned, (vertical, slanted or horizontal). I have issues with repetitive stress, and basically every mouse I have used has caused me discomfort of one kind or another while using it. This has always been my gripe with performance mice: they look great, and track great, but they ultimately are poorly designed as far as ergonomics go. NOT so with this mouse! It is ergonomic AND has superior performance. It even increased my score and accuracy in UT3 and Quake 3!



I have used this mouse at work, and in games, and in not ideal computer use conditions, and my wrist has not acted up at all, despite long gaming sessions. I am surprised and tickled. I am sure I am going to buy another of these mice so that I can keep one at home and not have to keep moving this one around. I take it with me everywhere now.



If you can afford it, buy it! You won't regret it!

Logitech M305 Wireless Mouse (Silver) Review. Logitech Wireless Mouse M305 offers exceptional comfort and cordless convenience with it's ergonomically designed soft rubber grip and the Plug-and-Forget Nano-receiver....

 "Works" 2009-12-15
By Matthew Brooks (Hoover, AL United States)

I actually bought this elsewhere, got a nice price on it. I would never consider a long-receiver USB-type wireless mouse for a laptop. I can just see them getting hooked and broken over and over, so it was important to have a tiny receiver like this. I admit I've not tested the range. I have not tested the battery life (only a few days old). However, this thing's receiver is awesome; I know it will not break due to its small stature.



The mouse itself was found fine on Windows Start 7 and also XP Home edition on two computers. It's a bit more sensitive than my older USB plug in mouse so I pulled down the pointer speed in control panel.



I generally dislike mouses/mice (?) of this shape as it is stub-nosed and quite tall. That is my main complaint about it but I knew that going in so I cannot ding it a star and it is otherwise a large enough mouse not to frustrate my hands--it is not a tiny, pitiful "laptop"-sized mouse.



It has a button on the bottom to turn it off. If left on the red tracking light underneath is constantly shining, but I intend never to turn it off as I think that light pulls very little power (I hope) and it ensures quick wake ups. Wakeup time is about a second if the mouse has been left for a while--this won't bother you. Responsively it seems fine. I've not tried it with gaming. I hear that USB-based wireless mouses are a touch faster than bluetooth, for what it's worth.



It takes a single AA battery (comes with a duracell), which means replacements should be most readily available and an AA vs AAA or 2XAAA ensures decent battery life without spending any kind of real money on battery replacements. I imagine it would work with a rechargeable nimh but I have not tried it.



As I will use this mouse every day, if I do not come in to update this review in the future you can rest assured that I either got run over by a truck or the mouse continues to work as stated.



EDIT: Feb 9/10. The battery died on this a couple of days go, so with pretty regular use (3-4 hours/day) and never turning the thing off it got about 6 weeks, which I think is certainly acceptable.

 "Great so far." 2009-12-30
By Bill (Richmond, VA)

I have only had this 1 hr., but it's great so far. I have tested it on three different computers (3 yr. old Dell Insipron w/ Vista, 2 yr. old Dell Inspiron w/ Vista and new Acer netbook w/ XP. Just plug and play with all three. Gotta love the tiny USB receiver (can't break off). The size is on the smallish side but seems fine for me and the wife. It works on our shiney wood desk and jeans; haven't tested anything else. It worked from about 4 ft. with the receiver on the the far side of the computer. (If I am any further than that I can't see the screen anyway; heck who am I kidding, I couldn't see the screen from there.)



I looked at the Microsoft 4000 which is a little bigger and feels a little nicer to me, but I got the M305 because I'm cheap and it was on sale for $10 less.



Update 3/1/10: Still works great. We took a three week trip with the laptop and it was really convenient to just leave the receiver in place when packing up the laptop.

 "INCREDIBLE WIRELESS MOUSE!" 2010-03-11
By L. Esp.. (LAS VEGAS, NV United States)

I own three of the Logitech M305 wireless mouse...One in each laptop...I just leave the very tiny USB transmitter in the USB port of the laptop..It is so small, it will not move around in the port like the longer transmitters..This mouse has an easy off an on switch...They are available with cool graphics too...They are compatible with XP Vista and 7 and you can use them on jeans, a blanket, or really any surface with NO sluggish drag...I love this product

 "Great on its own" 2010-07-18
By Amanda Richards (Georgetown, Guyana)

Pros:



1. Easy set up. Turn on machine, Insert battery (included), plug in receiver, turn on and go.

2. Comes with one AA battery, tiny USB receiver and instructions in English.

3. Slider on the bottom opens front casing to insert battery, similar to the V220, except that the battery direction is much more clearly marked.

4. Easy on/off slider also on bottom.

5. Handy storage space for receiver inside battery compartment.

6. Small and portable

7. Wicked cool pattern, matching wireless K250 keyboard.

8. Indicator light for low battery situations.



Cons:



1. May be a bit small for large hands

2. Pretty basic in functions (but has everything most people will ever need)

3. Receiver is NOT a unifying receiver.

4. Battery cover a little tricky to remove without practice.



Summary:



A compact, basic, portable, easy to set-up wireless mouse ideal for laptops. Combines the size and design of the V220 mouse and the USB storage compartment of the VX Nano Laser mouse.





Addendum:



This is billed as being paired with the Wireless Keyboard K250, so I'm reviewing them as a matched twosome.



Pros:



1. They make a handsome couple



Cons:



1. They don't get along and are headed for divorce court, because they don't have a unifying receiver in common.



Notes:



After driving myself crazy for a few minutes, and downloading unnecessary software, I discovered that the M305 mouse does not have what it takes to work with the unifying receiver, and therefore you'll need to plug in BOTH receivers to make the mouse and keyboard work.



Apparently you'll need the M705, Performance Mouse MX or Anywhere Mouse MX if you prefer having only one receiver for both mouse and keyboard.









Amanda Richards, July 17, 2010

 "THIS IS A LOT OF MOUSE FOR VERY LITTLE MONEY...Relatively speaking, of course." 2010-09-22
By D. Blankenship (The Ozarks)

I have been using Logitech products for quite a number of years now and have yet to be in the least dissatisfied with any item. This mouse, the Logitech M305 Wireless Mouse is no different. It does precisely the job I paid for it.

This is a workhorse. There is nothing particular fancy about it; it simply works the way it is suppose to work, and works well.



The design fits my hand perfectly and is quite comfortable. The plug-in nano-receiver is quite small. I use this particular mouse on my lap top; the one I travel with and do my work on the job with. The nano-receiver is plugged into the SBU port (I am currently using a Dell Inspiration which is several years old) and that is where it stays. I need not worry about removing it constantly. As the receiver is quite small, there is little to no chance of it being broken or accidently chipped off despite the fact that my lap top takes quite a beating.



This mouse uses a single AA Battery. I have been using this since last December 2009 pretty constantly and have had only one need for a battery change. I always carry a couple of extra AA Batteries with me as I despise using the computers touch pad for the type of work I do.



The scroll function works quite well but if you are looking for the superfast scroll feature you need to look at another model. I personally don't need or want that particular feature. I have tried using this mouse on just about every surface you can imagine from desk top, to my leg, to the floor and everything between. It always works and works smoothly



Please do take note. This is not a high tech mouse of the sort a serious gamer would be happy with. I handle the ones my grandsons have on their computers and they are in a world of their own with adjustable weight, high speed this and that's and to be quite frank, I am sort of afraid to touch the things for fear of having my hand either being evaporated or transported into another dimension. No, this is a work horse of a mouse with limited features; which is precisely what I needed and wanted.



Set up was absolutely nothing. No programs were needed, not down loads were needed. You just plug in the little bitty chip thing and you are ready to go.



The price here is quite easy on the pocket, something I loved about it, and you actually get quite a bit for your money, something which is becoming quite rare now days.



I have absolutely nothing to complain about in reference to this product.



Don Blankenship

The Ozarks

MacBook Pro 13-inch 2.4GHz Review. Carved from a single block of aluminum, the MacBook Pro is a true engineering achievement. Its patented unibody enclosure is the product of precise machining. The new energy-efficient architecture in the MacBook Pro, gives you dramatically longer battery life. On a single charge, the battery in the new 13-inch MacBook Pro lasts up to 10 hours, and you’ll get up to 1000 full charge and discharge cycles — that’s nearly three times the lifespan of typical notebook batteries. MacBook Pro gives you more options for high-performance graphics, starting with the new NVIDIA GeForce 320M integrated graphics processor in the 13-inch model. It’s up to 80 percent faster than the previous generation and is even more energy-efficient for everyday tasks like writing email and surfing the web. Every MacBook Pro has a pristine LED-backlit display with wide-angle viewing and a color gamut usually seen only on a desktop display. So whether you’re watching a movie or making one, you’ve got...

 "13' Macbook Pro" 2010-04-16
By R. Cosby

i just picked one of these up and I love it. I have read reviews complaining that Apple did not try to cram an i5 or larger CPU into this 13 inch machine. True, the chose to use the Core 2 Duo but that's not all bad. This is a stable, cool running, capable processor. The machine now includes 4 G of ram and a much improved video card from the previous version. I use this mostly for work where stability, battery life, portability, and longevity are the most important things to me. I rarely play games. I wouldn't use a portable for video work when I have a desktop available. I run office applications, safari, email, ever note, and skype. It all works great. The machine feels substantial in my hands. Pick it up and try to twist it. It is perfectly rigid. My Toshiba feels like the battery would fall out if I twisted a bit more. This one feels well built. I especially like the backlit keyboard.

 "Another great machine from Apple" 2010-04-17
By nutjob

This is my umpteenth Mac and as usual, it's a very satisfying purchase. Although the styling of this laptop, with the dark hinge and keyboard isn't quite my cup of tea (and is a matter of taste), this machine is far and away the most solidly built. It feels like it would stop a bullet, and it probably could. It's reassuring rigidity gives it a feeling of quality and sturdiness second to none. For someone who man handles his laptop all day every day, this is very important.



To be seen over the next months and years is if the reliability of the machine is as good as its build quality.



One final, off-topic note on delivery: Amazon service has been excellent. Yes, their systems are not perfect, but their customer service has made up for it. I originally got an inexplicable delivery date, but a call fixed that.

 "Went Mac and NEVER going back..." 2010-04-26
By El Coti (Ohio)

I never write reviews. NEVER. But this is something that just has to be reviewed because everyone should have one of these. It's a little long but I feel that this has to be said. If I can't convince you, go to the store and mess around with one if you'd like. Better yet, read all the reviews. They all can't be wrong.



I've been a windows user for all my life. The experience has been great all the way through XP. With all the negativity surrounding Vista, I decided not to persue it. I've had relatively little problems with windows honestly except dealing with all the problems I deal with on a daily basis (Help Desk Tech). If there's anything that I feel like touching least when I come home, it was my XP machine.



Why did I go Mac? I've seen the hundreds of things that can go wrong with Windows. I've heard all the complaints about Vista. Haven't played much with 7 but just messing around with it @ Best Buy I thought, "Yea maybe it's better than Vista but it's pretty much the SAME OLD WINDOWS when it comes down to it." I'm deploying soon and I had a 17" Dell Inspirion 1705 Windows XP machine (See how long that is? I am happy to say that when someone asks me what I'm rollin with, I reply, "13-inch MacBook Pro" A lot shorter but that's besides the point). Anyways, the screen is HUGE and there was no way I'm taking that tank with me over there. WAY to heavy and WAY to bulky! So I was in the market for a Laptop that was at most 14". When it comes to electronics, I research a ton.



What was the first thing I typed up when I was looking for a new PC?



"What is the best brand of laptops (Windows)?"



Yea that didn't help any. I got "HP is the best!" Then I got "HP is the worse!" So it was a lot of mixed reviews for mostly all of them. So I thought that I'd venture into Mac since I've never owned one. Went to the site and it gave me 2 options: Macbook and Macbook Pro. I opted for the Macbook Pro because 1) I wanted 4GB of RAM (I read it just works better all around) and 2) I wanted an SD slot. There are other reasons why Macbook Pro is nicer but I'll get into that later.



What was my only doubt before buying Mac? What if I need Office? Well there's bootcamp. I'll tell you what, so far I've had no use for Windows yet (waiting to see how Office for Mac 2011 is before I decide). So I did it and let me tell you, I've never had more fun messing with a computer than I've had with my Mac. Ok enough ranting, what do I like? What don't I like?



Pros:

+Great design- A reason to get Macbook Pro over Macbook: the construction. All PCs=Plastic



+OS is so easy- Navigating through my files couldn't be easier. No more "Well that file is in c:\windows\localprofile\temp\settings\...ETC" It's all simple to find (It also helps using Spotlight)



+Dashboard and Expose- Widgets + Easy way to find what you have open = FUN



+iLife- Bottom like, iPhoto and iMovie BLOW AWAY windows standard photoviewer and windows movie maker (garbage, cheap)



+ The touchpad- It's more than just being big, it's amazing. The gestures make the experience so much easier and fun. Want to scroll down? Place to fingers on the pad and swipe down. There are others but hard to explain ;)



+ It's just flat out fun to use- Windows just started getting dull for me. Mac is fresh and exciting. When you buy a car do you want to get a transportation (PC) or do you want to get something that you enjoy driving (MAC)? I enjoy driving Mac everyday.



Cons:

- Adjusting: It's difficult adjusting using windows all my life. But apple has set up many videos online to help you along. Thanks!



- The little things I was used to: again goes back to adjusting to a new OS. Alt+F4 is now Command+W. Gotta get used to it. No biggie.



Honestly, maybe I'm being biased (sue me) but I can't find a lot of cons yet as I'm still very new to this.



Bottom Line: You want a mac. Start a new adventure in your life. It's not too late. Mac will make your life easier in ways you couldn't imagine.



And hey, you might just have a little fun while you're at it ;)

 "Pleasantly Surprised." 2010-04-20
By techside (Philly, PA)

This is my first mac notebook. I bought a mac mini last year and just love it. I ended up hooking it to the television as a home theater PC and found myself in need of a computer at times when the mac mini was acting as TV. I was upgrading from a 2004 dell laptop to this and I'm just noticing some things that I'd like to point out if you have never had a mac laptop.

Built in webcam that acts as an ambient light sensor when it gets brighter/darker in the room.

Backlit keys.

Touchpad/trackpad gestures that can be real time savers compared to a full keyboard (& i am a keyboard fanatic)

I have not messed with it yet, but I think you can talk to a macbook too and it will launch applications or do things (my friends do that)

The magsafe power adapter is like a magnet connection so if you kick the cord you won't break anything, it will just pop out.



Overall, I like it. It's fairly light. I wanted something light with good battery life. I knew I was happy with the graphics card on the mini so I shouldn't be let down here either since this is an improvement on that. I have to question whether I will use the cd drive very much, but I guess it's cool if I need to rip a cd to iTunes. When I had this on today at work next to my dell and external monitor I could only notice how dingy/brown their screens look in comparison. The colors on this screen are really great. The keyboard has a nice tactile feel to it as well, I really never miss a beat with this thing. The firewire connection was useful to transfer my settings from the mac mini as well.

 "13" MacBook Pro" 2010-04-17
By J. Stacks (Arkansas, USA)

I am extremely satisfied with my new MacBook - glad I waited for the 2010 model. For those concerned about processor speed, the Core 2 Duo processor works very well - no need for the i5/i7. Battery life is great and the bottom of the computer stays cool to the touch - much cooler than my old HP laptop. Display looks great as well. The touchpad works very well - very similar to the iPhone touchscreen. Wish I would not have waited so long to switch to a Mac.



Edit: Just thought I'd share that full startup, not just wake from sleep, takes less than fifteen seconds and full shutdown takes less than five - much faster than any Windows PC I've had.



On the subject of shipping, I originally placed my order on Tuesday (4/13/2010) and received an email on 4/16 with a projected delivery date of 4/20. Being curious, I decided to check the delivery date for a new order placed on 4/16. The projected delivery date for an order placed on 4/16 was 4/17, so I canceled my original order and placed a new one at about 3:30 pm. UPS delivered the computer at 9 this morning - great turnaround time. Overall, I am very pleased with my MacBook and with Amazon.

Verso Clip-On Reading Light for Kindle (White) Review. The Verso Clip Light attaches perfectly to your Kindle or Kindle cover. It casts an even pool of LED light without any “hot spots” that can accelerate eye fatigue. Reflection or glare from the screen can easily be eliminated by adjusting the flexible neck. Certified Frustration-Free Packaging Amazon.com has certified this product's packaging is Frustration-Free. A Frustration-Free Package is easy-to-open and comes without excess packaging materials such as hard plastic "clamshell" casings, plastic bindings, and wire ties. It is exactly the same as a traditionally packaged product--we've just streamlined the packaging to be opened without the use of a box cutter or knife and will protect your product just as well as traditional packaging during shipping. Products with Frustration-Free Packaging can frequently be shipped in their own boxes, without the need for an additional shipping box. Learn more....

 "Love my Verso light for Kindle!" 2010-08-20
By Erin Cormier (United States)

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1VROG9TZ9TS77 I love seeing other's video reviews and find them really helpful. I needed a book light for night reading with my Kindle and relied on fellow Amazon buyer's personal reviews to make my selection. I ended up purchasing the Verso light for Kindle and was really happy with, so here's my review.......

 "Excellent Kindle Light !!" 2010-06-18
By SRH

I have been a long time Kindle owner and have tried a bunch of different lights. I love this one. It is nice and small, very bright and light weight. The clip fits perfectly on the Kindle frame and also works great on my Kindle cover. Most importantly, there is no problem with glare like I have experienced with the other lights.

 "Verso + Style = Versatile." 2010-07-20
By Stephen Black (Los Angeles, CA)

I ordered this booklight with a reasonable amount of skepticism. In my past experience, booklights have been bulky, clunky, heavy, and they all seem to drain their batteries really quickly. However, this is far from the case with the stylish and small Verso. Good things come in sleek packages. The design of the product fits right in with the style of the Kindle.



First of all, the Verso is compact. It's small enough to fold up and easily fit into your purse or pocket. Second, it clips onto my Kindle with ease, and works even with the leather case I have. The design of the Verso clip is done in such a way that it conforms to the shape of your Kindle. Third, the Verso is extremely lightweight. It doesn't weigh down the Kindle, and the responsive bendable arm makes comfortable adjustment a cinch. You also don't need to have it directly over the Kindle to give you enough light while reading.



Which brings me to my final and perhaps most important point: the Verso is BRIGHT. But not 'ah! there's glare on my screen!' bright. It gives the perfect amount of natural looking light that is easy on the eyes. It also comes with two spare replaceable batteries, but I honestly can't imagine using those anytime soon. I've been using the Verso with my Kindle every night since I purchased it, and it shows no signs of fading.



With these awesome features and ease of use, the Verso was a strong contender when I was shopping for booklights. The $19.99 price just sealed the deal. Overall, it's a fantastic product for the money, and I would highly recommend it to those looking for a little e-book illumination.

 "Perfect Kindle book light!" 2010-07-18
By F. Shifman (Boston, MA)

I have tried a number of Kindle book lights and this one is by far the best. It is light weight and clips easily onto my Kindle both with the cover on and with the cover off. The neck is the perfect length - not too long to be awkward to use and difficult to store and just long enough to allow light to shed over the full screen. Best of all, the light is bright, yet doesn't create glare or shadows. I can comfortably read in a dark room. Finally a well designed, practical and effective light for the Kindle!

 "Excellent light, nice and bright." 2010-07-20
By DCB

This is an excellent light for the Kindle.



I'm a long time Kindle user and read by booklight most nights. I've had a few different lights and this one is by far the best. Its solid and fits well. Very bright (brighter than other lights I've used) but no glare. Everything I need in a Kindle light.

Cyber Acoustics Portable Digital Docking Speaker for iPod (Black) Review. Black Portable Digital Ipod Docking Spkr Sys Batt Or Ac Power...

 "Superlative sound and convenience, but no remote switch." 2008-07-25
By Samuel Chell (Kenosha,, WI United States)

[Update: In answer to some questions, this stereo has a conventional audio input, so you can easily use it with sound sources other than an iPod. As someone has observed, the Cyber Acoustic web page claims the Nano 3g can't be charged by the CA-421 dock. Au contraire! When using electrical power and the included dock adapter, I had no difficulty charging a Nano 3g with this CA-421 dock. In fact, contrary to the company's description, it did the same with a Classic and the Touch (I don't own an iPhone, though.) Since writing the following, I've "gone through" other speakers, including the most popular rechargeable Altec Lansing and Logitech, both of which balk at playing the newest Touch. This inexpensive iRhythms model actually sounds competitive and continues to be the only portable I can depend on (no doubt due to the well-constructed adapters and the provision for using regular AA alkalines). As for the outdoors volume limitation, even the very pricey, much lauded Tivoli iPal falls flat on its face when used outside. These battery-operated machines simply are not backyard party animals. Finally, these are far and away the best labeled and designed adapters I've seen.]



After becoming attached to a JBL Micro, I decided I could use another, more affordable version. The Cyber Acoustics dock-speaker seemed like a worthy candidate, especially at a half to two-thirds the price of the JBL. Frankly, I wasn't expecting a unit as good as the vaunted JBL but was willing to sacrifice some quality to save a few bucks.



Surprise. If anything, the Cyber Acoustics sounds better than the On Stage Micro! Tastes will vary, but the CA-421 is slightly warmer, has deeper and fuller bass, and is less inclined to distort when playing files recorded excessively "hot." The Micro is a bit more crisp-sounding with a slight edge in treble frequencies (as noticed while comparing the drum's hi-hats and ride cymbals on the two units). I'm finding the Cyber Acoustics unit "wears" better for extending listening stretches.



Aside from the sound of the two units, the Cyber Acoustics-421 will seem agreeably light and trim--unless you've owned a JBL Micro, which wins on style points (the impressiveness of the Micro's sound is partly due to its coming from such a tiny saucer). The JBL also gets points for finishing touches and detailing--the look and feel are less "plastic" (even though, unlike the boxed CA, it comes sealed in virtually impenetrable plastic laminate). Also, the JBL's carrying bag is supple and cushioned (with interior pockets and velcro straps to keep Micro, iPod, and cords tightly and neatly packed); the CA's is basically a functional "sack." On the other hand, the Cyber Acoustics has clearer labeling of the plastic inserts for adapting different iPod models; the JBL comes with the inserts, but the user has to pick the right one through trial and error.



Even if the cost of the two units were the same, the CA-461 would still be competitive, if for sound alone. Perhaps the most compelling reason to go with the JBL in that case is its inclusion of a remote--admittedly handy for starting, stopping, and changing tunes when the speaker is on the other side of the room. But even without the remote, I doubt you'll find a better value in an iPod dock-speaker than this little Cyber Acoustics overachiever.



Finally, give the Cyber Acoustics people credit for making the power adapter light and compact, easily deployed whenever the user wishes to save on batteries (I returned a JBL On Stage II because the power adapter was practically the size and weight of a small boat anchor, making it clumsy for use even with some electrical installations.)

 "Looks good, sounds great, does all that is required" 2008-03-21
By Craig Weems (Houston, TX USA)

I was looking for something cheap to listen to podcasts while I was working in the garage. This thing plays loudly with no apparent distortion. Very well designed with digital volume control. Recharged my iTouch in less than an hour. At the present it has adapters for all iPods regardless of what the descriptions may say. Had I paid twice as much I would have still regarded it as a bargain.

 "Fab little speakers" 2007-03-28
By sandy see (Atlanta, GA USA)

These speakers have great sound for their size. If you're looking to spend this amount on speakers, then they are great. I listen to dance music when I'm travelling and the sound is good when it's played reasonably loud. My only (small) complaint is that I have a white iPod and only black speakers are available. But apart from that, I'm really happy with these.

 "Finally, a no hassle electronic" 2008-04-28
By Monica T. Uruchurtu (Bedford, MA)

This is exactly what I was looking for. I wanted something small, w/ good sound and portable. This docking station delivers. The sound quality is great considering how small it is. Of course to much of anything is bad, so if you decide to turn it all the way up, you may blow the speakers. I don't think it was made to serenade the whole neighborhood. It fits all IPODS, even the Iphone, and the best is that is doubles as a charger.

Some things to keep in mind. It does not have controls on it (only for volume) so most controlling (skipping, repeating, searching, sound) is done from your IPOD. This could be a good or bad thing, depending on what your wants are. Also, it has great sound, but again, this is used more for a small area, like a dining or kitchen or garage area. Not for music heard all over the house. For that you may want to consider buying a stereo system w/ a docking station. Also, it comes w/ no remote. This didn't bother me, but keep in mind that you have to walk over to it to change settings, songs, etc. A little exercise never hurt anyone! Finally, the speakers don't carry. If you've ever had a Bose, the speakers are constructed around the docking stations allowing them to carry sound further. Not this one. For example, I had the docking station in the kitchen and as soon as I went to the next room, the sound was muffled a bit by the wall. Really not a big deal because it satisfied my needs in the end, but if you are looking for projection, check out a stereo system instead.

All in all, this satisfied my need for a docking station and I'd buy it again any time of the week and twice on Sunday. The price was great, the quality is great and the docking station is simple, problem free--perfect for an electronically challenged person like myself ;)!

Monica

 "For the money it can not be beaten!!" 2008-05-28
By John H. Andrews (Texas)

I have never written a review before simply because I have not bought anything that knocked my socks off as this product did. Yes you can pay $150 or $200 more and get a better sounding unit but for $38 this unit is fantastic.I have this unit sitting on my work desk at home and have purchased another to put in the kitchen for when I cook. I bought a Memorex cd microsystem dock that has a cd player built in for $129 from Target and this unit sounds better.I don't know if I should be happy that I found a good deal or pissed that I bought the Memorex. 2 limitations... prob not meant for more than 1 room sound wise and does not charge 3rd Gen I-pod.