Jabra Releases Two New Headsets: M5390 & BT530 USB

It looks like the Bluetooth headset market has piqued. or at least is the case for Jabra.  Today they released two new Bluetooth headsets, the BT530 and M5390 (pictured above), which aren’t bad looking, but are pretty unremarkable. Feature run down just below.

Jabra M5390 USB

• Up to 200 foot range
• Up to 6 hours talk time, 60 hours standby time
• Plug-and-play Bluetooth connectivity to PC or VoIP
• Comes with Jabra PC Suite with e-hook functionality for Microsoft Office Communicator, Skype and Cisco IP Communicator
• Wideband audio and noise cancelling microphone
• True wideband sound quality
• Two wearing styles (earhook and headband)
• Retails price - $191
• Available January, 2009

Jabra BT530 USB

• Pairs with 8 devices
• Plug-and-play Bluetooth adapter for PC applications and soft-phones
• Includes Jabra PC Suite with VoIP functionality for Skype, Cisco and Microsoft Office Communicator
• Third generation ear gel design available in three sizes and can be worn with or without the earhook for maximum individualized comfort
• The 0.35 ounce headset allows for up to 5.5 hours of talk time, up to 250 hours of standby time, and has a maximum range of 33 feet
• Retails price - $129
• Currently shipping 

A Good Christmas Gift – The Sony MDR-NC500D Digital Noise Canceling Headphones

As Christmas season is approaching we all are looking for the perfect gift to offer to our families and friends. Depending on what their preferences are, it is always possible thanks to nowadays technologyto satisfy their wants. There is indeed a wide variety from which we can choose, but we need to keep in mind whether the gift we offer is something of value and importance for further use. For family members and friends who like listening to music a lot and who travel quite often, the Sony MDR-NC500D Digital Noise Canceling Headphones can be a useful and good Christmas gift. 

As it is known, Sony is not a stranger when it comes to the market of headphones, and the MDR-NC500D Digital Noise Canceling Headphones is just a confirmation of their innovation techniques in this certain field. The Digital Noise Canceling Headphones offer a high-quality structure, many features, and a good-quality sound. Overall, these headphones have some imperfections but they do offer a considerable advantage of eliminating up to 99% of the unwanted external noise. It would be a good acquisition for people that get easily distracted by the external noise, as well as for those that travel a lot and experience stress because of the outside noise. 

When it comes to the design of the headphones, it is clear that they were manufactured for the standard ear, therefore some may find it uncomfortable. The headphones are well-made, coming equipped with an adjustable band that is padded at the top for a maximum comfort one can get. 

The Sony MDR-NC500D Digital Noise Canceling Headphones present a number of important features such as the audio input analysis key, the monitor button for muting playback, and the button for turning the headphones on. A clear advantage of these headphones is the fact that they come equipped with a built-in rechargeable battery as well as an extra cord with a battery pack that allows the usage of two AA batteries. The option of using AC power is also provided as a power adaptor is also included. 

It is important to not outlook the most important feature of this product by Sony that being the noise-cancellation function. The way it functions effectively is that it uses the feedback type noise canceling (the microphone is positioned close to the ear rather than on the outside of the earcup), option that lets the item better analyze the sounds that actually will come straight at the eardrum. The headphones employ a digital equalizer in combination with a software engine that leads to the cancellation of the outside noise and the decrease of the stress placed on the ears. The Sony MDR-NC500D Headphones react and adjust to various environments, such as airplanes, trains, or office environments, which all produce specific noises. 

Among some of the disadvantages that these headphones demonstrate are the impossibility to turn off completely the noise cancellation, the poorly designed monitoring attribute, as well as the quite high price of 400$, that might be a bit too high for a Christmas gift. But if capable of affording such the price, the advantages one will receive with the purchase of the Sony MDR-NC500D Digital Noise Canceling Headphones will outnumber the disadvantages and let one enjoy the music you are listening to without the external annoying sound. 

Nokia releases firmware v12.043 for N96 smartphone

robably the time for only big releases, so people could feel themselves free to choose New Year presents for their friend and relatives, but it is also the good time for manufacturers nevertheless to get busy with what was not perfect thru the past year. The case in which we are mentioning it is the latest Nokia N96 firmware update v12.043 available from today's morning December 08. And it is a good move from Nokia I suppose, because even within a few hours from the moment after first lucky N96 users have installed v12.043 to it, the web started filling up with positive comments. Well done for Nokia as it may now expect better profits from smartphones in the "hot" season of winter. So, let's see what N96 firmware v12.043 is all about.

First of all mind you that the latest N96 v12.043 firmware is not up to bring too many of new features. As we started with Nokia was not perfect with its flagman N96 model, now is a good time to fix it along with many other Nokia devices which get their firmware updates regularly. That is exactly the way it should be and it doesn't mean that Nokia puts up for sale underfulfilled gadgets. In the meanwhile, the updated devices show a bit more of what was expected, not only patches for obvious bloopers. More concrete on N96 with v12.043, it now has: cameraperformance update. It shows in less motion blur and color bloom effect.Bluetooth and Wi-Fi have enhanced interoperability. Messaging fix doesn't alter SMS text into MMS if case when the SMS was sent to more than 20 numbers. With an additional download, compatibility with Nokia Email service is available. And, except for fixing crushing applications, many more changes in screen settings, themes and ringtones, etc.

Overall firmware v12.043 made N96 faster and more reliable with plus 45 free MB RAM after boot. The updating pack has 120 MB at Nokia official web site, or over-the-air it would be only 3 MB.

ore security with BlackLine GPS Seeker

Those that own a car understand the importance of a good security systemthat will guarantee that their vehicle is safe. There are many options up to date that offer their services of protecting your car from being stolen. BlackLine GPS introduced recently their new innovation the Seeker, a device not a lot larger by size than a car remote key, which persistently monitors the automatically configured GPS security perimeter. 

The way it functions seems to be effective and easy to understand: when an unauthorized person moves the vehicle outside the established perimeter, the device instantly notifies the owner through SMS or email and sends an alert to the BlackLine Recovery Service, initiating a recovery process. It is curious to notice that during these procedures, BlackLine works in collaboration with the local authority to succeed in recovering the missing vehicle and to catch the thief. 

For owners that some times forget where they have parked their cars, this device can be a real time-saver, as it can help them track the location of their vehicles via their cell phones or by using the BlackLine’s website. The future owners of Seeker will have the option to track their family members in case of an emergency and not only, by using real-time and scheduled GPS tracking. 

The device comes along with a key fob that the owner carries with him. It allows the owner to arm and disarm the device’s security function. When the owner approaches the established perimeter, it automatically disarms, opposed to when the owner leaves the perimeter, Seeker appoints an armed security mode. 

Another characteristic included is the fact that the Seeker allows you to share your location with others, so that the people you are sharing this information with know where you currently are and where you have been. This alternative is especially useful when traveling in a group of vehicles, it being essential to know each vehicle’s location. 

Seeker requires a two-wire connection, being compatible with 12VDC and 24VDC power systems. The Seeker can report on the car’s battery level to the owner by use of mobile phone and emails. A useful tool of the Seeker consists in the fact that in case the power supply is disconnected, it switches automatically to the internal battery that lasts two days and which is rechargeable, at the same time letting the owner know about the upcoming issue. 

For all car-owners that think it would be a good feature for their vehicle, keep your eyes on the market as the BlackLine GPS Seeker is coming out in the beginning of the year. 

Neuros OSD Media Recorder – storage of all your media

Probably all of us have a collection of movies that we prefer the most and that we keep hoping that nothing will ever happen to them. The problem in some cases is that many of our favorite movies come in different formats. Neuros OSD Media Recorder is a useful gadget for all those that keep movies in a mix of DVDs, online, video cameras and probably on VHS tapes as well, since this gadget allows archiving the collection of all your movies. 

The benefit of archiving all your movies is a measure of precaution of your DVD set being stolen or lost and the other outstanding benefit is the possibility of watching one movie on a variety of different mediums. This gadget automatically encodes video and audio for such devices as laptops, iPods, iPhone, andSmartphones. Another noticeable feature of Neuros OSD Media Recorder is the option of transforming the Gallic SECAM format into MPEG4. 

It is possible to store and play files by using media cards or by using a USB external hard drive plugged into the OSD. The most prominent feature of Neuros OSD is the richness of ports and the open-source firmware. Purchasing the device, it gives you analog video and audio input and output, Ethernet, USB, infrared, two card slots to accommodate CF and SD/MS/MMC cards, and also including is a universal full-function remote control. 

Other features that need to be taken into consideration are the timed recording feature permitting one to schedule recordings in advance, the network attached storage functionality, and the option of searching for and watching YouTube videos on the TV. 

This gadget will allow you to convert digital pictures into mobile-friendly sizes for a better photo album portability. Some other characteristics that may be of good use are the customizable slide shows and the IR Blaster in order to control your set-top box. 

The use of this gadget seems to be quite easy, so there is no such requirement to be technology savvy. Neuros OSD Media Recorder may be a valuable Christmasgift, as Christmas is one of those times of the year when we search throughout our collection of movies to pick a good one to watch with the entire family. 

Sony Handycam HDR-SR11 60GB Hard Drive Camcorder

• Avg User Rating

  
  14 User Reviews

• Price Range

  $735.00 - $1099.99 
  (13 sellers)

Creative Technology Vado HD Pocket Video CAM

Creative's high-definition pocket camcorder impresses with its features and performance.

The newest addition to the ever-expanding mini-camcorder market is the Creative Labs Vado HD, a $230 pocket camcorder that can record 720p high-definition video. While it isn't quite as compact as Pure Digital's Flip Mino HD and won't win any awards for its ordinary looks, the Vado HD gets high marks thanks to its solid video quality and feature set.

The Vado HD certainly won't incite drooling; its design, which resembles that of an MP3 player at first glance, is rather pedestrian. But it also has a lot to like. Measuring 3.9 by 2.2 by 0.6 inches, the Vado HD is only a hair larger than the Flip Mino HD, making it very pocket-friendly. The Vado HD's large, 2-inch, 680-by-240-pixel display does a great job of previewing video, too, though it is a little hard to see in sunlight.

The Vado HD can output through RCA jacks, as well as HDMI--it even comes with an HDMI cable (but no RCA cable). Also, like many other pocket camcorders, the Vado HD has an integrated USB connector that you plug into a PC to offload your footage and charge the camcorder. As a result, you don't need to carry a USB cable around, though a USB extension cable is bundled with the unit.

Using the Vado HD is straightforward, as it has a mere seven buttons for controlling recording and playback. I found the physical buttons to be better than the Flip Mino HD's touch-sensitive controls, since the Vado HD's buttons aren't as easy to press accidentally. Unfortunately, the four-way rocker button provided less-than-ideal clicking action, especially for the zoom-in/zoom-out controls.

The Vado HD records to AVI video using the H.264 codec. The camcorder works with Windows XP and Vista, as well as with Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later. The integrated 8GB of storage holds up to 2 hours of 720p high-def video in HD+ mode (higher bit rate), up to 4 hours of footage in HD mode (still 720p video, but at a lower bit rate), and up to 8 hours of standard-definition VGA (640 by 480 resolution) video. For my testing, I mainly used the HD+ mode. While the 2-hour battery life is a bit short considering the Vado HD's recording capacity, the battery is user-replaceable, so you can carry an extra battery along and swap it in when necessary.

Creative bundles its VadoCentral software for transferring videos to your computer, managing them, and uploading them to YouTube or other video services, but the software is only for Windows. If you're a Mac user, you'll have to drag videos off the camcorder and onto your hard drive manually, and you'll have to download the Perian codec pack for QuickTime (version 1.1.2 or newer) to actually watch any videos.

Overall, the Vado HD did a pretty good job recording video in my tests. Its white balance is good enough to avoid the dreaded yellow tint, and it handles moving between different lighting conditions well; when I did that, the camcorder adjusted in less than a second. I did find the video a little grainy and pixelated, however, and sometimes I saw a slight "jelly effect" when recording shaky video (for example, recording while walking). Like some other pocket camcorders, the Vado HD struggles on close-ups and features only 2X zoom. But by and large, in comparison with similar products, there's little to complain about.

The Vado HD is a pretty slick package. It lacks the sex appeal of some other camcorders in its class, such as the Flip Mino series, and it lacks a Mac-compatible video-management app. Nevertheless, good overall image quality, a user-replaceable battery, and other niceties make the Vado HD an attention-worthy option for a pocketable HD camcorder.

Livescribe Pulse Smartpen

Pen with digital capabilities is a truly innovative and fun way to take notes and record audio.

Livescribe's Pulse "smartpen" is part pen, part voice recorder, and part nothing you've ever seen before. Remember Picture Pages? If not, watch this YouTube clip, and then imagine Livescribe's Pulse as the Picture Pages pen on a combination of steroids, hallucinogens, and time-travel pills. It's fun to use, and it could prove to be a groundbreaking, useful tool for students, meeting-hoppers, and journalists.

• Would You Buy This?

• 122Yes
• 32No

Livescribe Pulse Smartpen Test Scores

• Overall93

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In Video: LiveScribe Digital Pen Talks Back

This isn't the first digital pen we've reviewed, but it is definitely the most advanced. (so far, at least; we haven't reviewed Adapx's Capturx pen ($350), which integrates fully withMicrosoft OneNote, AutoCAD, and mapping software). It's also reasonably priced compared with the competition: At $150 for the Pulse with 1GB of audio/data storage and $200 for the 2GB version, the device costs only a bit more than the Iogear Mobile Digital Scribe ($130) but features a lot more functionality.

The Mobile Digital Scribe and the Livescribe Pulse are actually entirely different animals. Iogear's pen focuses solely on capturing handwritten notes and converting them to standard keyboard text, while Livescribe's Pulse records sounds (your voice, or that of a lecturer, say) through integrated stereo microphones and then creates audio notes that it "ties" to your written notes. The Pulse also lets you view handwritten notes on a computer interface, but it doesn't provide a way to convert those notes to plain text.

Unlike Iogear's Mobile Digital Scribe, the Pulse has a built-in OLED display that's about 2 inches long and displays one line of text. The Pulse also has a speaker and a 2.5mm headphone jack (earbuds come with the device). In spite of all those features, the Pulse is only slightly thicker than the average writing instrument, about the size and thickness of a Sharpie marker.

The Pulse requires special notebooks and ink cartridges. One notebook and three ink cartridges come packaged with the pen (a four-pack of replacement notebooks is available for $20 through Livescribe's Web site; ink-cartridge refills cost $6 for a five-pack). The notebook paper has barely noticeable dot patterns that provide a grid for the pen to reference. An infrared receiver in the tip of the pen recognizes unique dot patterns on sections of each piece of paper; this allows the pen to "jump" to specific moments in your note-taking history and play back lecture audio or any voice notes recorded at that time.

The IR/dotted-paper combo is the secret to navigating the pen's menus and adjusting its settings, as well. The notebooks have various tools printed on the inside cover. One is a printed calculator; tapping the buttons on the page makes the answer appear on the pen's screen. The page also includes various menu options for the pen, such as the screen's brightness controller, a lefty/righty selector, and the microphone sensitivity controls.

At the bottom of every notebook page, you can find additional navigation controls: audio controls, playback speed settings, bookmark selectors, a menu-navigation interface (which lets you select recordings for playback on the pen), and record/pause/play buttons. Using printed patterns in the notebook to control the pen's features takes a bit of learning, but figuring it out is easy after about 5 to 10 minutes of use. Following that, all you have to do is write. To record voice notes or lecture audio while you write, you tap the printed 'record' button at the bottom of your sheet of paper. When you're done recording, you tap 'stop'. The Pulse records audio with surprising clarity and directional precision; the pen's on-board microphones performed well in my tests.

Livescribe provides two ways to play back notes. The more straightforward way is to tap the printed crosshair pattern at the bottom of each page (Livescribe calls it the Nav Plus interface), which brings up the menu on the pen's OLED screen. You then tap the vertical and horizontal arrows on the Nav Plus crosshairs to navigate the pen's menu, where you can select the day and time of audio to play back.

The second, far cooler way to play back audio involves tapping on written notes in your notebook; when you do so, you can hear the audio that was recorded at the exact moment you wrote those notes. This is an extremely useful feature for shorthand notes and interviews, where you might not remember (or be able to decipher) what you or the other person really meant when you wrote your conversation down.

Another nifty feature becomes available when you've plugged the pen into your computer via the included USB dock. The bundled Livescribe Desktop software, which you install on your Windows XP or Vista machine (but not a Mac), offers an easy-to-use interface for managing your written notes and audio recordings. Once you plug your pen into its USB cradle and connect it to your PC, you can see a page-by-page archive of your notes. From there you can use the desktop app to listen to and manage your voice recordings and upload snapshots of your handwritten notes to Livescribe's online service, where you can share them and access them remotely. The software is well designed and intuitive, but it lacks an optical character recognition mode to convert your handwriting to text.

As good as the Pulse's pen-to-PC interaction is, you still need the external dock to connect the pen to the computer. A direct USB port on the pen would be great, but that's a really small nitpick given how much the pen already does.

The Pulse has other features that are extremely gimmicky but fun to play with. For example, a "Paper Piano" mode lets you draw an eight-key piano in your notebook and play it by tapping your pen on the keys. Silly and somewhat useless, but a good time, especially if you need to keep your kids quiet and entertained for a few minutes.

Also random are the two short "movies" that you can watch on the pen's minuscule monochrome display. Watching a movie on a pen definitely falls short of an IMAX experience, but since the movies are on the pen, I might as well review them: The plot lines, dialogue, and character development are mediocre at best. I recommend waiting until both on-pen films come out on DVD, and then refraining from renting them.

Does the Livescribe Pulse have limited appeal? Definitely. But if you're a starving student, a roving journalist, or just a gadget freak, you owe yourself at least a few minutes with this pen. It's an innovative and useful way to record and navigate lecture notes, interview dialogue, and your own audio recordings.

Apple iPod Touch

The second-generation iPod Touch adds speaker and volume controls--and delivers one of the most polished media players available at a lower price.

With its latest iteration of the iPod Touch, Apple has added two highly coveted features--external volume controls and a speaker--and lowered prices, too. However, the Touch's physical changes are incremental, and they don't bring the device up to the level of its sibling, the iPhone 3G.

To be sure, the lower prices make the Touch a more attractive purchase than before, coming in at $229 for 8GB (previously $299), $299 for 16GB, and $399 for 32GB (down from $499). The prices are more in line with what Apple and AT&T charge for the iPhone 3G: $199 for 8GB, and $299 for 16GB. (You don't have to pay a monthly fee to use the Touch, though.) While the amount is still more than what you might pay for competing media players, you get more with the Touch, too.

Let's begin with what stays the same. This version of the Touch continues to share many characteristics with the first-generation Touch and with the iPhone 3G. All have a bright, gorgeous, 3.5-inch, wide-screen multitouch display with 480-by-320-pixel resolution at 163 pixels per inch. All have 802.11b/g wireless support. And all sport the same operating system software that allows for easy navigation, a host of useful apps (Safari Web browser, calendar, e-mail, contacts, Google Maps, YouTube, weather, clock with multiple alarms and stopwatch, ordinary and scientific calculators, and notepad), and the ability to expand your device through Apple's App Store.

Playing music remains a breeze. Press the home button below the display to activate the screen, and then selectMusic from the dedicated buttons along the bottom of the screen. In vertical view, the music's cover art dominates the display; orient the player horizontally, and it switches to Cover Flow view, which lets you page through the cover art as if you were viewing a flip book.

In addition to easily setting playlists on the fly, you can now use the new Genius autoplaylist creation feature directly from the Touch. First you must enable this feature oniTunes 8; but once enabled, it makes creating a playlist from songs in your music library a snap. Genius won't work for every song--for example, if the song is not on iTunes' radar, or it lacks complete ID3 tags--but the feature is certainly a convenient, almost category-focused addition to the iPod Touch's repertoire.

Audio sounds adequate through the included earbuds, but you may want to consider upgrading, either to Apple's forthcoming, step-up $80 earphones or to a high-quality pair from a third-party vendor. The earphone jack remains at the bottom of the Touch, just as on the first-gen model; that's in contrast, oddly enough, to the iPhone 3G, which places the jack at the upper left of the unit.

You have good reason to upgrade your headphones: According to our tests, the second-generation iPod Touch improves its audio output dramatically, jumping up a notch to receive a rating of Superior on the PC World Test Center's suite of audio tests. The Touch, together with its new Nano sibling, are our new leaders in our audio output results.

According to Apple, the new Touch's battery life is significantly better for music playback: 36 hours, as compared with 22 hours for the first-generation model. Video playback is only a bit improved over the previous model, rated for 6 hours versus 5.

The Touch's physical design is slightly altered. The original model measured 4.3 inches tall by 2.4 inches wide and 0.33 inches deep; the new edition retains the height and width but shrinks the depth by a barely perceptible 0.03 of an inch (or half a millimeter). The new Touch is a smidgen lighter than the old, coming in at 4.05 ounces versus the first gen's weight of 4.2 ounces.

Leading the new hardware features for the Touch are the external volume controls. The rocker-like buttons are positioned along the upper-left side of the Touch, just as they are on the iPhone 3G. On this device, however, the buttons are made of a sharp, inexpensive-feeling black plastic. Though they're a welcome addition, I wish they better matched the overall feel of the metallic Touch. (Another button gripe: The home button feels chintzy when pressed, as it makes a clicking noise. The iPhone 3G's button operates far more smoothly, with no noise.)

The second-generation Touch also adds a speaker to the base of the unit, much like the iPhone 3G. But, again, the Touch is subpar in comparison: The sound is tinny and thin next to the audio emanating from the iPhone 3G; whether that is due to the iPhone 3G's differing construction (the iPhone has a plastic back, and is slightly deeper than the Touch) or owing to the speaker itself is unknown.

The third new hardware feature sees the integration of the Nike + iPod software and receiver (for capturing your movement data) into the Touch itself. Simply add the extra-cost Nike + iPod Sensor for your shoe, and the Touch becomes an appealing workout companion.

Still missing from the Touch are an integrated camera and GPS--both features found on the iPhone 3G. Also, it still lacks a voice recorder (a feature added back to the new iPod Nano) and--like all iPods--an FM tuner, although you can download apps (some at extra cost) to fill the voice-recording void and to gain Internet radio support (when you're connected over Wi-Fi).

Arguably, beyond the price drop, the big news about the Touch has nothing to do with the hardware and everything to do with the continuing evolution of the App Store, which offers plenty of games (700 and counting) among its arsenal. With the addition of games, the Touch widens its position as an entertainment platform.

The Touch remains a tremendous and innovative device, with enticing features, unparalleled ease of use, and plenty of expandability through the App Store. As attractive as it is, though, I still believe it has room to improve. New features coupled with lower prices increase the second-generation model's appeal, but this version of the Touch doesn't supply enough incentive for existing owners to upgrade.

pandigital 15-INCH Digital Photo Frame

The good:With its large, 15-inch screen and relatively inexpensive price tag, this Pandigital should garner a lot of attention. Its 1024x768-pixel resolution, memory card slots, 256MB of built-in flash memory, USB connectivity for thumbdrives, and direct connection to a computer give it plenty of versatility. It also comes with a remote control and a second faceplate, so you can tailor it to your decor.

The bad:Numerous AVI and MPEG videos that we created with digital still cameras wouldn't play on the frame, and the built-in speakers are tinny, so you shouldn't count on it to listen to music, but it'll do in a pinch.

The bottom line:The Pandigital is nice for displaying your photos, but you shouldn't count on it for video playback.

Specifications:Device type: Digital photo frame; Display type: LCD 15 in - Color; PC interfaces: USB; See full specs

CNET editors' review

• Reviewed by: Philip Ryan
• Reviewed on: 07/26/2007

Unless you've been tracking the rise of digital photo frames, you probably haven't heard of Pandigital. The company has been around since 1998, but since digital frames haven't really come into their own until the last couple of years, the brand is only now building some recognition. Among the company's 2007 introductions is the 15-inch Digital Photo Frame (aka PAN-150B). Its 1024x768-pixel LCD screen gives it a 4:3 aspect ratio. This makes it more conducive to displaying photos than the wide-screen aspect ratio frames that have been popping up from some companies, and it also has enough pixels to deliver a pleasing amount of sharpness even if you're viewing from only a couple of feet away. More encouraging than that is the quality of the image, which is quite good for a digital photo frame of this size and price.

Like some other frames, this Pandigital comes with an extra bezel, so you can change the color of the frame to match your room. In this case, the frame comes with a black wood bezel preinstalled and you can switch it out by removing four large flat-head screws that hold it in place. Keyhole slots on the back let you mount the frame on the wall and are arranged in a standard VESA(75mm x 75mm) pattern, so you can use a proper mount should the mood strike you. We were surprised at how heavy the frame is, so if you do plan to wall mount, you should consider a real mount instead of just using screws.

Setup is pretty simple if you plan to set the frame on a table. The adjustable stand slides into a slot on the back of the unit that has a few click stops to let you set the angle of the screen. You may have to play with the angle a bit, since there is a second piece of plexiglass in front of the screen that can create a bit of glare depending on the room you use it in. If you want to set the frame vertically, instead of the horizontal default, things get tricky. You'll have to remove the plate with the slot for the stand, which attaches with four thumbscrews, and turn it 90 degrees so it'll accept the stand. However, you'll also have to rotate your images manually, either in the frame or in photo-editing software, so they display properly. I'd just stick to setting the frame up horizontally.

The silliest part of setup is connecting the power supply. You have to remove a panel on the back of the frame that is held in place by a tiny Phillips-head screw. I can't figure out why they chose to do this, since they easily could have designed a cover that uses thumbscrews or just clicks into place like so many millions of battery door covers on portable devices.

On the left side of the frame there's a memory card reader that lets you use images, video, or MP3 audio files stored on memory cards. You'll find slots for SD/SDHC, MMC, Compact Flash, xD, and Memory Stick/MS Duo cards. There's also a standard-size USB port that accepts thumbdrives, as well as a mini USB jack for use with the included USB cable, so you can download files from your computer into the frame's 256MB of internal flash memory. You can also very easily copy images from memory cards to the internal memory, though the frame doesn't automatically size the images down, so you should size the images yourself using image-editing software to match the 1024x768-pixel array of the screen. This ensures optimum display quality, and maximizes the number of images that you can fit in the frame's memory. The frame will scale your images down to fit the frame's screen, so if your files are larger, they should still display properly, without cropping.

Mio Moov 310 GPS

Despite its simplicity, this Moov is a great buy as an entry-level GPS device.

The $250 Mio Moov 310 lacks many of the extras that you'll find on higher-end GPS devices such as the Dash Express, Garmin Nuvi 680, and TomTom Go 720, but this unit is a good buy as an entry-level navigation system.

The Moov comes with only the basics, making for painless and straightforward setup. Along with the unit, you get an in-car charger, a car mount, a USB cable for connecting to a PC, an FM antenna for traffic information, and a software and documentation CD. Although it's inexpensive, the Moov doesn't look or feel cheap; it's much sleeker than similar-size GPS units such as the LG LN790. Its bright 4.3-inch-wide touch screen is easy to see while driving.

Mio gets its mapping information from Tele Atlas, and, for the most part, the turn-by-turn directions the device provided were accurate in my testing. Once, when I drove across the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, the unit seemed to think that I was driving on a street below the bridge--or perhaps that I had plunged into the water. Other than that, though, the Moov 310 always seemed to know where I was and how to get where I needed to go. And even in a city of complicated streets like San Francisco, the GPS didn't send me the wrong way down a one-way lane.

Using the Moov's Points of Interest feature, I was able to locate parks, museums, banks, and gas stations. I did experience a noticeable lag when I was searching for a point of interest; and when I set the device to take me to a nearby convenience store, it told me the store was on my left when in reality it was on my right. Still, it got me there just fine.

Another minor glitch: Occasionally when I pressed an option in the Moov's main menu--specifically one for changing audio preferences--I would hear a beep signaling that I had pressed the button, but nothing would happen. When I pressed the button a second time, however, the unit recognized my selection. Again, this was only a slight inconvenience.

Mio's Moov 310 offers real-time traffic updates (free for the first year). Though not as sophisticated as a comparable feature on the Dash Express, the traffic-alert information on the 310 is incredibly useful. On the other hand, the last thing I need to run in my vehicle is another antenna--so I would have preferred to have the FM antenna for traffic data built in to the GPS unit itself.

The Mio Moov 310 lacks premium features such as Bluetooth connectivity, FM transmission to your car stereo, Wi-Fi connectivity, or the ability to change the GPS voice into something more entertaining (that of Darth Vader, say). However, if all you need is reliable GPS--with traffic information as an added bonus--this is one of the best units you can buy for its price.