Oct
29
New Technology Will Benefit Blind College Students
October 29, 2010 | | Leave a Comment
According to a press release on Newswise.com, researchers at the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute have received a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant is to be used to adapt a technology created by a company called Livescribe so that it is useful to students who are blind. The technology will be developed into a “Smartpen” and will also have a paper component that will work with touch. This will enable students who are blind to “see” graphs and charts. The researchers are Andy Van Schaack, who is a lecturer in Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development and Joshua Miele, who is with the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute. Joshua Miele is blind .
Van Schaack is the also the senior science adviser for Livescribe. He states that courses such as science, technology, engineering and math (also known as STEM courses), are all ones that are taught with the emphasis being on charts, graphs, and diagrams. Van Schaack states that this fact creates a “significant disadvantage” to students who are blind. According to Van Schaack, their goal is to provide blind students with a technology to remedy this issue with a product that is “low-cost, portable and easy to use”.
Van Schaack says, “…a visually impaired psychology student could learn neuroanatomy by exploring a diagram of the brain, with each lobe, gyros and sulcus’s name spoken as the smartpen touches it”.
The technology will work by translating written images through a camera located in the pen. It will read the dots on the paper. According to the press release, this pen and the paper component will be much more cost effective than previous technology. The technology will incorporate a Sewell Raised Line Drawing Kit. The Sewell Raised Line Drawing Kit is a technology that creates Braille type drawings on mylar when the student writes on the film.
This new product is similar to the technology in a laptop, according to Van Schaack. He states that the difference is that this product will get its data from writing instead of from the keyboard and mouse. One of the applications will be that students can take handwritten notes in outline form and then use the audio portion of the pen to fill in the blanks as they are reviewing their notes.
The product will be in stores in early 2008 and is expected to be less than $200. The paper component, which will be the Livescribe interactive notebooks will also be available from college bookstores and will be priced comparably to other college notebooks.
Schaack’s hope is that this product will open up ” a new world of possibilities” for the visually impaired.
Sources Used:
Newswise.com
New Smartpen and Paper to Help Teach Blind College Students
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/535846/
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Oct
26
Apple Cider Vinegar is Not Always the Wonder Cure People Say it Is
October 26, 2010 | | Leave a Comment
Apple Cider Vinegar is touted in many places as an amazing health cure-all. It’s named as a high-cholesterol reducer, it’s supposed to be great for your skin, it cleans out your body, it’s anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial and it stops colds dead. So, having been feeling run down for a few months I thought I’d try it. Couldn’t hurt right? Well, think again.
I’m definitely the type of person who tries alternative therapies, so from what I’m about to say, don’t presume I’m against alternative therapies. I’m not. I’ve had great results with Panthothenic Acid for Acne and turmeric for curing migraines. My experience with Apple Cider Vinegar however was not one of these great experiences.
I started out by buying the non-pasteurized, organic Apple Cider Vinegar that all supporters recommend. At $4 a bottle, it’s pretty expensive, especially as each bottle will only be enough for about 4 days. That’s $30 a month, as expensive as some medications. But, I took it home and started on the regime I had read about on several internet websites.
I began with two tablespoons of vinegar, mixed with water and some bicarbonate of soda. The bicarbonate of soda helps neutralize the acid and makes it less likely to destroy the enamel on your teeth, a common complaint of people who have drunk vinegar for years. I drank this mixture twice a day as suggested.
After three days of drinking the mixture, I noticed my skin was starting to break out. Now, as I’ve never had a breakout in more than seven years, I thought this was odd. I also noticed my stomach was becoming bloated and feeling very tender. Most importantly, I hadn’t had a bowel movement in almost three days. As I’m normally a very regular person and have not had one day in my entire life where I was constipated, the only cause of this had to be the Apple Cider Vinegar.
On day four, my skin was decidedly worse than it had been in seven years and my constipation was now so bad I was forced to go out and buy a laxative. I was also starting to feel nauseous. At this point, I reduced the Apple Cider Vinegar I was taking to only 1 tablespoon twice a day. I noticed absolutely no difference on how I felt except that my constipation was not as bad.
On day six, still feeling heavy, bloated and constipated and still taking the laxative, I stopped taking the vinegar completely. Two days later, my bathroom habits were completely back to normal. I felt lighter, less nauseous, my stomach wasn’t bloated and my skin was starting to clear up. From just my one week of consuming the drink, it became obvious to me that Apple Cider Vinegar isn’t for everybody. For me, it created problems I didn’t have before but didn’t improve any of the minor problems I had had.
I haven’t drunk Apple Cider Vinegar since, and I doubt I ever will. It is however great as a detergent for cleaning things. My coffee maker and tile floors have never looked cleaner.
More here: Ivans Weblog
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Oct
26
LG 20.5 Cu. Ft. Bottom Freezer Refrigerator, Model LFX21960: Appliance Review
October 26, 2010 | | Leave a Comment
Sony BRAVIA KDL 22BX20D 55 cm online shop
The LG HDTV Refrigerator (Model LSC27991) dazzled the Macon audience of Oprah’s ‘Favorite Things 2007′ episode. With all the bells and whistles and a price tag of almost $4000, it’s little wonder Oprah’s audience was impressed. Advertised as the most expensive gift ever featured on ‘Favorite Things’, Oprah introduced the product saying, “When I saw this, I knew it was a show stopper!”
Perhaps you’d like to upgrade to one of those fabulous LG appliances but you don’t have $4,000 to spend on a refrigerator. There is another great option: the LG Side by Side Refrigerator (Model LSC26905). If you can live without the HDTV and Weather and Info Center, the LSC26905 retails for a little over $1000, and you still get a lot at a quarter of the price.
Contemporary Styling of the LG Side by Side Refrigerator
The Titanium finish on the LG LSC26905TT gives the refrigerator the look of brushed stainless steel while minimizing finger prints. It’s digital panel and arched tubular handles give it a contemporary look. Esthetically, the only disadvantage lies in its dimensions. Transitioning from a GE Profile refrigerator, I had grown accustomed to a refrigerator that sat almost flush with kitchen cabinetry. LG does offer counter depth refrigerators, but basic models will retail for twice as much as the LSC26905. We opted to pay less for more interior space.
Storage Space in the LG Side by Side Refrigerator
The storage space within the LSC26905 is pretty standard, with movable shelves, two crispers and snack bin. However, there are two upgrades over my old side by side refrigerator: 1) the three gallon door bins that will hold 2-liter bottles, pitchers, and gallon milk jugs 2) and the storage plus shelf above the ice bin in the freezer-the perfect place to tuck a gallon of ice cream.
Digital Interface of the LG Side by Side Refrigerator
I have to admit the digital interface in the LSC26905 made me a little nervous. Temperature controls are located on the outside of the refrigerator in the same panel as the through-the-door water and ice dispenser. Seven electronic sensors monitor internal temperature. We opted to buy the extended warranty to cover any digital issues that may arise. Of course the exterior digital interface makes it easier for children to access. The LCS26905 does include a locking feature. Although it is located within reach of my three-year-old, the button needs to be held for three seconds before it deactivates. I suspect it won’t be long before she figures that out.
In My Opinion
Overall, the LG LCS26905 Side by Side Refrigerator is an economical way to give your home the same updated look as the LG HDTV Refrigerator featured on Oprah’s ‘Favorite Things’, at a fraction of the cost. I’m quite pleased with mine.
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Oct
22
The 5 Most Hated Features of the iPad’s Safari Browser That’ll Drive You Mad
October 22, 2010 | | Leave a Comment
Soligor Zwischenringsatz DG AF 12/20/36 Nikon AF D
Wildlife Safari, located at 1790 Safari Rd Winston, OR 97460, offers residents of the Pacific Northwest a glimpse of the African safari without having to travel thousand of miles. The park is built on over 600 acres of woodland and grassland. The safari is meant to driven through in a car. The Wildlife Safari is open year-round, every day but Christmas Day. The park is open from 9AM to 5PM daily except during the winter when it is open from 10AM to 4PM daily.
There are animals from all over the world at the Wildlife Safari. The park specifically focuses on animals from Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The African animals that can be found at the safari are: African Elephant, African Lion, Cape Eland, Damara Zebra, Gemsbok, Giraffe, Guinea Fowl, Hippo, Nyala, Ostrich, Southern White Rhino, Waterbuck, Watusi Cattle, and Wildebeest. The animals from North and South America at the park are: Bald Eagle, Bison, Black Bear, Black Tailed Deer, Brown Bear, California Ground Squirrel, Canada Goose, Guanaco, Roosevelt Elk, Sandhill Crane, and Wild Turkey. The animals from Asia at the Wildlife Safari are: Aoudad, Bactrian Camel, Black Buck, Cheetah, East African Crowned Crane, Egyptian Goose, Emu, Mute Swan, Nilgai, Rhea, Sarus Crane, Siberian Tiger, Sika Deer, Tibetan Yak, and White Fallow Deer.
Safari Village allows visitors to have a close-up view of some of the animals. Park patrons can grab a bite to eat at the White Rhino Restaurant. Souvenirs can be bought at the Casbah Gift Shop. There are camel rides, train rides and elephant rides available at the park.
Prices include two drive-thru adventures, entrance into the village and all shows. The summer admission rates are $17.50 for adults, $14.50 for seniors, and $11.50 for kids 4 to 12 years old. The off season rates are $14.50 for adults, $11.50 for seniors, and $8.50 for kids 4 to 12 years old. There are various membership programs available which all offer free admissions for various amounts of people, depending on the program selected.
Included in the admission price of Wildlife Safari are entertaining shows. One of the shows is The Scoop on Poop, which is a play off of the television program CSI. The Creature Scat Investigation team looks at poop samples and tells the audience about the animal that left the sample and the type of things the animal ate. The show discusses the connections between animals and their habitat and diet. Another show at the park is Click and Reward which is all about animal training and the benefits of training animals.
Wildlife Safari has an education program that works with local schools and organizations to provide information about animals. There is an Outreach program where the park will bring animals out to a school or organization that is unable to visit the park. The Ambassador program is for teens aged 13 to 17. After applying and being accepted, Ambassadors go through a training process. They then become volunteers at the park.
The park has 5 classes for homeschooling groups covering the subjects of Classifications and Adaptations, Habitats and Conservation, Scientific Inquiry, Animal Care and Training, and Career Discovery. Wildlife Safari offers ZooSchool which is a field trip program for school groups. After learning about the different species students get a chance to see the animals close up and even touch them. There is a Job Shadowing program which allows students to see what working with animals is like. During spring break and in the summer Wildlife Safari offers 3 day long day camps. The camps are split into two ages groups: 4-7 and 7-12. The classes cover the topics of Classification and Adaptation, Conservation, Animal Care, and Colors and Camouflage. Campers will get to participate in games, hikes, stories, crafts, and animal encounters.
Wildlife Safari has many special activities available for an extra change. Some events are suitable for children as well as adults and some are only for adults. Camp Tiki is an overnight camping event with the elephants. Elephant Encounter allows guests to pet and feed the elephants and also includes an educational program about the elephants. Elephant Trek involves feeding and petting the elephants and also allows guests to walk through the Asia section of the park which can normally only be driven through. Lion Feeding includes an educational program about lions as well as letting guests feed the lions. Bear feeding can also be added to this event. Cheetah Encounter introduces guests to a baby cheetah and the Anatolian Shepard dog that watches over her. An educational program about how the dogs protect cheetahs in the wild is included. Giraffe Feeding allows guest to meet and feed the giraffes in the park. Half Day With A Ranger involves following one of the park’s workers as they go through their day. Guests get to see what taking care of animals is like.
If you like animals, Winston, OR is definitely the place for you. Go have some fun at Wildlife Safari!
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Oct
21
October 21, 2010 | Tagged flickr, images, last days, Photos, pictures, pix photos | Leave a Comment
I made some shots in the last couple of weeks – please tell me when you like them:
Tell me if you like them – i love to discuss the photos with you! And support my: MFC J615W – Multifunktion (Faxgerät/Kopierer/Drucker/Scanner) – Farb kaufen
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Oct
20
How I’m Going to Accomplish My New Year’s Resolution of Getting in Shape
October 20, 2010 | Tagged flickr, images, last days, Photos, pictures, pix photos | Leave a Comment
I made some Images in the last weeks – please tell me when you like them:
Tell me if you like them – i love to discuss the photos with you! And support my: Olympus E-620 SLR-Digitalkamera (12 Megapixel, Bildstabilisator, Live View, Art Filter) Kit inkl. Batteriegriff, 14-42mm & 40-150mm Objektive
(Tuesday) March 4, 2008
For the first time in weeks, it is comfortable enough outside to leave my jacket at home. I have my 15 month old with me, and he is wearing a long sleeved shirt but that is enough. It is really nice out!
I am taking my 12 year old stepdaughter out to the mall to play a game of mini golf. It turns out the mini golf place is not open on Mondays or Tuesdays. While we’re there, however, I am so swept away with what seems to be the changing of the seasons that I can not resist the temptation to seek out a pair of comfortable sandals which I put on immediately after purchasing.
We come back home and I am so happy to be wearing sandals that I don’t want to take them off, but I leave them by the door to put on the next morning. If it is nice again like this, I may take my 15 month old son out for a walk and down to the playground. These thoughts are still going through my mind as I fall asleep.
(Wednesday) March 5, 2008
The sun shines through my window and I wake up with a smile on my face. I am very excited about winters end, and plans for the day involving swings and slides. After cheerfully serving up a breakfast of bananas and dry cereal to my son, I am placing the dishes in the sink when I get my first real glance for the day out the window.
It is a really beautiful sight. The trees and grass are sparkling in the sunlight like diamonds. There is no snow on the ground… just ice. To give you an estimate, there is about an inch and a half of ice covering everything. Though it has warmed up a bit, my plans are definitely ruined. The barely worn sandals will have to wait, the playground and walk will have to wait… spring will have to wait.
Surprisingly I am handling myself pretty well for an extremely dissapointed pregnant woman who only wants winter to be over with already! The beauty of the ice may be what is balancing my reactions right now, but by the end of the day I am feeling like summer will never come and that is an idea I am not ready to make peace with.
(Thursday) March 6, 2005
All of the ice has melted, and it is warm enough for to leave jackets at home again. However, it is too muddy for sandals and it is too muddy for the playground. With a cheerful 15 month old strapped into a carseat, the hubby and I are taking a road trip to pay off a traffic fine of his in a town we used to live in over an hour away. It’s a good day for this drive, and both of our windows are halway down at 50 mph with no complaints of chill.
It might be simply relative, but the icy chill of yesterday seems like a foreign memory. Spring has definitely arrived and it’s about time!
We end the day by breaking out the grill and having a cookout, followed by a small bonfire. The only thing missing is s’mores. Images of fishing and outdoor time with my growing son dance through my mind as I drift off to sleep.
(Friday) March 7, 2008
It is warm again!
Windows are left down for the drive to the grocery store. It is still too muddy to wear my new sandals again (yet) but the windows of my van stay down for the trip to the grocery store.
All day long I am happy about spring finally arriving and wrapping it’s warm arms around us after another long New York winter. I ignore everybody who mentions an expected snowstorm. They are all crazy! Winter is finally over, why can’t they just accept that?
I seem to have forgotten that New York is different. Here, the four seasons are: Winter, Still Winter, Almost Winter, and Construction.
When we get back, it is still nice out. I had been planning a spaggetti dinner for tonight, but now I am thinking that another cookout would be nice. Perhaps I will run down to the store to pick up some graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate bars. I forgot to grab milk anyways, and I am too eager to see my son eating his first smore. Why wait? It’s finally spring!
Only 10 minutes have passed since I walked through the door and unpacked the groceries I did remember to grab. Only 10 minutes. I haven’t even had the chance to take off my boots yet. Actually, I was going to leave them on so I could pick up a few things for the cookout I was so hopeful about.
All hope is gone. Those crazy people had believed the weatherman and now the curse was real. From the kitchen window, I couldn’t even see the van that I intended to take to the store. This is what we call ‘white out condition’. Snow, and lots of it, was coming down, coming quickly, and coming hard. It was like winter knew that somebody had thought it had left and had to quickly return.
Well, another spaggetti dinner was delicous and satisfying, but not enough so to distract anyone from the 6 to 8 inches of snow that is expected to blanket the muddy spring ground. It;s as if time works in reverse, but only when you want it to go forward. Well, dear readers, I have some good advice. If you like snow… seek counseling. There is a reason people move to Florida.
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Oct
20
A Guide to Some Really Stupid and Strange iPod Accessories
October 20, 2010 | | Leave a Comment
There are a plethora of iPod accessories on the market, and a great deal of them are innovative and awesome. Of course, not all of them can be winners, and not every iPod product put out on the market is useful to the traditional iPod owner. Companies keep churning out these eccentricities, and not all of them are spectacular ideas. Here are some of the stranger iPod accessories on the market today.
iFrogz Tadpole
If you feel the need to share your iPod with your toddler for some odd reason, iFrogz has you covered with their Tadpole iPod case. This child-resistant accessory is shaped like a steering wheel and perfectly encases and protects your iPod when it’s in the hands of your spawn. They bill it as a great option for mothers and fathers on the go; you strap some headphones on your baby and put on a kids’ movie from the iTunes movie store. Of course, the point can be made that kids of the young age that the Tadpole’s geared to shouldn’t be wearing headphones, even with a volume limit, since their little eardrums are still developing. That’s a decision that’s left to the parent; iFrogz simply provides the case and a hefty disclaimer.
Griffin’s iBeam
Ever be listening to some awesome tunes on your iPod and thought, “Wow, if only this iPod was a laser pointer, this would be perfect!” Well, the people at Griffin technology thought that at some point, and designed the iBeams, two accessories that can turn your iPod into either a laser pointer or a flashlight. An odd idea, and completely not worth $20 if you’ve got a Wal-Mart around, where you can buy a better flashlight and a better laser pointer for under 10 bucks.
iLounge
There are quite a few reasons you shouldn’t have your iPod anywhere near your toilet, but if you must, the iLounge is your best bet. It holds your toilet paper and your iPod (don’t get them mixed up) and gives some basic operation buttons on its surface so you don’t have to touch your iPod directly without washing your hands. I’d recommend listening to something with a lot of bass to make your bathroom listening experience as pleasant and, uh, smooth as possible.
Levi’s Redwire iPod Jeans
Question: what makes you look like more of a tool than spending from $50-200 on a pair of jeans? Answer: spending that significant amount of dough on unnecessarily iPod compatible jeans. Levis designed these pants with an extra compartment for your iPod; great if you want to advertise to criminals that you’ve got an iPod AND a lot of disposable income.
iPod Thong
Okay, okay, I know the iPod’s sleek design is often described as “sexy,” but this is going a bit too far. The iPod thong is a $35 case that makes your iPod nano look slutty, and if that’s really, really what you want to spend your money on, Fommymusic.com is happy to take it from you. The worst part is, it’s not even a very protective case.
They’re going to keep making weird iPod accessories until people stop buying them, and that’s not looking like it’s going to happen anytime soon. All of these products are frankly pretty stupid, except for certain niche markets, and apparently those markets create enough demand to keep the silliness coming. It’s an advantage of the iPod, in a way; nobody’s making a thong case for any of Creative’s mp3 players, and they’re not going to start. Rejoice, then, iPod people: your stupid, stupid wants are always going to be filled by these companies.
Provided, of course, you’re willing to pay ridiculous amounts for the privilege.
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Oct
19
October 19, 2010 | Tagged flickr, Fotos, images, last days, pics, pix photos | Leave a Comment
I taken Pics in the last days – please tell me if you think they are good:
Tell me if you like them – i love to discuss the photos with you! And support my: USB 3.0 GTS POWER Black Edition AMD Phenom II X4 965 (4x 3.40 GHz AM3) – 1000GB HDD SATA-II – NVIDIA GTS450 1024MB GDDR5 – 4,00GB RAM DDR-3 1600 – 24x MULTI DUAL LAYER DVD Bre
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Oct
17
2010 NEC Championship Predictions
October 17, 2010 | | Leave a Comment
Topfield TF 5200 PVR C Kabel Twin
The Associated Press reports that NEC Corporation, a Japan based Information Technologies Company, has decorated a pink laptop with Hello Kitty, Japan’s famous cat. This was done in an effort to attract more working women. Shinya Hashizume, the company’s spokesman, said that they are hoping to attract women with the product since PC users are mostly men.
The Laptop was developed with the help of Sanrio Co., the creator of Hello Kitty. Dubbed as the La Vie G Hello Kitty Model, the laptop features Hello Kitty with a pink bow and crown in the middle, surrounded by four hearts on top of the notebook, all decorated with 299 Swarovski crystals from Austria.
Hello Kitty’s History
Hello Kitty is a fictional character in Japan created by the Sanrio co. in 1974. She appeared in the US in 1983 as US children’s ambassador for UNICEF. Hello Kitty’s rise to prominence in the US came in the late 1990s when celebrities like Mariah Carey adopted her as a fashion statement. Hello Kitty now adorns every product imaginable from stationery, stickers, jewelry, purses, posters, cosmetics, food, computers, cars, and even passenger jets. Products featuring Hello Kitty can also be found almost anywhere.
Appearance in laptops
This is not the first time that Hello Kitty has been featured in a notebook. In 2006, Epson, another Japanese company, featured her in their Epson Endeavor NA101 notebooks, 20 of the lovely cat’s mug were on the cover of the laptop. This Hello Kitty Endeavor laptop has a 1.06 Ghz Celeron M 42 processor, 512MB of RAM, a 12.1 inch display, DVD-ROM / CD-RW drive, 40GB hard drive, has 3 x USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, IEEE 1394, and runs on Windows XP Home Edition.
The La Vie G Specs
On the other hand, the La Vie G Hello Kitty has a Windows Vista operating system, 100 GB hard disk drive, 1 GB of memory, and is powered with a 1.4 GHZ AMD Mobile Sempron 3400 processor. It also has ATI Radeon Xpress 1100 graphics, DVD super drive, a card reader, and a 1280 x 800 WXGA display. It weighs around 3.3 kg and measures 360×260×36.6~48mm. The La Vie G went on sale last Wednesday with a price tag of $1,650. It is only available through internet order in Japan.
Other characters in laptops
Other characters also featured in other notebooks are some Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, and Tinkerbelle. They appeared also on Epson’s NT2800 and NT3500 Endeavor series.
SOURCE:
Yuri Kageyama, NEC releases pink Hello Kitty laptop, Associated Press. URL (http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=hello+kitty&yhdr_submit_button=Web+Search&fr=ush-news)
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Oct
17
Review of Fujitsu MH380 Pinetrail Netbook
October 17, 2010 | | Leave a Comment
The tide has turned! Computer users now realize a high-performance notebook can replace that oversized desktop PC, without sacrificing power, storage and other features you want. Fujitsu sent us the LifeBook N6200 for review purposes, and it’s sweet.
After a short while, you find you won’t miss the desktop PC at all. The display is sharp, the processing power keeps up with whatever you throw at it, and you have hard disk storage galore.
It’s not the lightest notebook (almost 10 pounds), but if you keep it mostly on your desk, who cares? Let’s see what’s under the hood, for you geeks out there.
The N6200 features the latest Intel Pentium M Processor, which offers desktop-like performance and extended battery life. The latter is important if you’re a road warrior. But many buyers of this notebook will use it on AC power most of the time. Our unit had the model 750 (1.86 GHz, with 2 MB L2 cache).
How about the display? You get wonderful image quality with a 17-inch (diagonal) Crystal View display. It’s reportedly 40 percent brighter than a standard TFT screen (but we didn’t verify this). Fujitsu says the display doubles the standard contrast ratio up to 400:1, so we’ll take their word for it. We suffered no eye strain after hours of the N6200 usage.
The video controller is an ATI Mobility Radeon x600 with 128 MB of dedicated video memory. It supports multi-displays, and uses less power. It offers maximum display resolution of 1440×900 and 16 million colors. It supports an external monitor up to 1600×1200 resolution.
Web surfing and networking is a snap. The N6200 notebook comes standard with a modem and LAN. So it’s ready to go with dial-up (boo!) or broadband DSL or cable modem. We didn’t use either, instead opting for faster Wi-Fi to connect. One of the best things about wireless is that free Wi-Fi networks are popping up all over. We were able to connect to one from home (although connection was spotty at times). But hey, it was free.
The notebook offers a built-in antenna and Intel PRO/Wireless in tri-mode (802.11a/b/g). This simply means three different channels, with b (11 Mbps) and g (a lightning-fast 54 Mbps) the most popular right now. Don’t expect those exact speeds, however.
Remember, here are two factors involved with Wi-Fi connections: signal strength and signal quality. You can have excellent signal quality, but if the strength is too low, you won’t connect. It’s similar to excellent water coming through your pipes, but the water pressure goes down to a drip. You can’t fill up a glass that way! The solution to not connecting? Move your laptop around in your home or office, go outside, or down the block. Keep moving until you find a good signal.
Memory options are excellent. Our unit came with 1 GB of memory! But you can upgrade to 2 GB if you want it. At least 512 MB of system memory is required for the TV tuner option, which did come with this unit. The TV tuner not allows you to watch television, you can record programs to the hard drive (like Tivo) or to a DVD. You can also transfer VHS tapes to the notebook, for conversion to DVD. The tuner includes a remote, which you can use without booting up the notebook. The remote also works with DVDs and CDs.
Speaking of DVDs, the note came with Dual-layer DVD+R technology. Why is that good? It provides the ability to record up to 8.5 GB of data (about double the standard DVD’s 4.7 GB). So one side of a DVD+R disc will hold up to 4 hours of DVD-quality video or 16 hours of VHS-quality video. Dual-layer discs can be read on DVD players designed for single-layer discs. The drive also reads/writes CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW and DVD RAM discs.
If you have experienced tinny sound on a notebook before, forget about it! The N6200 has the best sound quality we’ve ever heard from a notebook. That’s because it has superb stereo speakers and a sub-woofer. While watching TV via the tuner, we were amazed at the sound quality. At times the sound seemed to be coming from external speakers across the room (but they didn’t exist).
The notebook has Dolby Headphone too. This is a new signal-processing system that lets you experience authentic surround sound over convention stereo headphones. This is not hype; it really works. With my Panasonic XBS headphones, I was blown away by the sound quality.
When playing multi-channel DVD movies, you hear Virtual 5.1 digital surround sound effects, like you hear in a movie theater.
Some other reviewers have pointed out the awkwardness of the N6200 keyboard. What Fujitsu did was to make the numeric keyboard full-size (rather than the squeezed version you usually get). This caused the QWERTY keyboard to move to the left (a bit off-center). After using it for awhile, we found no problem getting used to it.
Since you are likely to use the N6200 for your full-time PC, go for the best hard drive. This unit came with 200 GB (actually two 100 GB, 4200 rpm drives). So you have a C: and a D: drive.
There are other drive configurations available.
This notebook has more ports than the South Pacific! They include four USB 2.0 ports, an S-Video port, an IEEE 1394 (4 pin), plus headphone, optical digital (SPDIF), audio-out and microphone line-in jacks. You also get one Type I/II PC card slot, media slot (for Memory Stick, Memory Stick PR, Secure Digital (SD) card and xD Picture Card), and one ExpressCard slot. ExpressCards, smaller than PC cards are relatively new. We’ve never used one, however.
Those who opt for Microsoft Windows XP Professional (XP Home is available) get Norton AntiVirus 2005, Fujitsu HotKey Utility, Intervideo WinDVD4, LifeBook Application Panel, Microsoft Works, Adobe Acrobat Reader and Quicken New User Edition 2005. Microsoft Office Small Business is optional. Depending upon your system’s configuration, you get Sonic RecordNow and/or Intervideo WinDVD Creator. With the TV tuner option: InterVideo WinDVR and Fujitsu Instant MyMedia.
The review unit may not be the one with the configurations you want. So all LifeBook notebooks can be ordered exactly as you want it. There’s a one-year international limited warranty, three-year international limited warranty on select corporate configurations. And 24/7 tech support and Premium Care service plans are available.
So what’s the damage for all this? At the time the review was completed, this particular unit was going for $2399 at www.shopfujitsu.com. That may seem high, but it’s not considering what you are getting. You may also call 1-800-FUJITSU for more information.
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