Shure SE210 Sound Isolating Earphone - Black Lowest Price!

August 6th, 2010 by boston3547870

Shure SE210 Sound Isolating Earphone - Black

Shure SE210 Sound Isolating Earphone - Black Lowest Price!

Compare & Purchase Shure SE210 Sound Isolating Earphone - Black at Amazon by clicking here!

List Price: $149.99

Amazon Price: $99.95

Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

Shure SE210 Sound Isolating Earphone - Black Description:

Hi-Definition MicroSpeaker for Optmized Audio, Sound Isolating Design Blocks Outside Noise, Fit Kit for Superior Fid and Comfort, Comes with a Two Year Limited Manufactures Warranty, Superior Sound Quality, Modular Cable Design

  • Color: Black
  • Brand: Shure
  • Model: SE210-A-K
  • Dimensions: 14.00″ h x 1.00″ w x 1.00″ l, 1.20 pounds

Features

  • Hi-Definition sound with bright highs and extra detail
  • Hi-Definition MicroSpeaker delivers wider range and more clarity and detail than standard earbuds
  • Sound Isolation Technology reduces background noise better than noise-cancelling headphones, without batteries or added hiss
  • Deluxe Fit Kit including a selection of interchangeable sleeves for personalized, comfortable fit; 3′ extension cable; carrying case
  • Modular Cable Design lets users choose different cable lengths to suit different music player locations (armband, pocket etc.)

Customer Reviews:

Great sound but you have to learn how to wear them first5
I’m a former audio engineer (cool job but hard to make any ‘real’ money) so as you might suspect I’m pretty discriminating when it comes to gear. Shure has long been a big name in pro audio, their SM57 and SM58 microphones are industry standards so it was only natural that I selected Shure when I decided to go for a pair of high end buds. Understand that these are NOT just a “pop them in and go” pair of phones like the kind that came with your MP3 player. You have to learn how to wear them and most people will probably experience some discomfort until you get used to them. This type of sound isolating earphone has to go DEEP into your ear canal to work properly. If you don’t get the fit just right, you won’t experience the rich sound including good (but not “in your face”) bass that this pair of cans is capable of delivering. Getting the fit right and achieving a nice tight seal is absolutely critical. If you don’t get it right these will sound like an old AM radio. Fortunately, Shure includes an very complete fit kit which includes several different types of sleeves in different sizes. After much experimentation I found the medium black foam sleeves (which were installed by default) worked the best. The characteristics of this foam are very unique. It compresses easily but is slow to return to shape. This is EXACTLY what is needed to get a good seal. To “install” the buds in your ears you first squeeze the foam between your fingers to compress it then you quickly insert the earphone in your ear and hold it there for about 10-15 seconds until the foam expands and forms a good seal. You’ll find it’s easier to put them in one at a time. You know if you did it right when you can no longer hear much (if any) ambient room noise. Try holding a conversation with someone who’s about 10 feet away. If you CAN’T, then you’ve got a good seal. This takes some practice. You may have to try putting them in several times to achieve a good seal. Once you do, you’ll immediately notice the rich warm sound these phones are capable of producing. So the bottom line here is that it takes some extra effort and time to get the most of this product but once you get over the learning curve I believe you’ll agree that Shure has created another precision piece of audio gear worthy of your consideration.

Great earphones4
I have had these earphones for 6 days now and I have to say I’ve been extremely impressed with the sound quality. At first I was a bit disappointed, but once I got the fit right and figured out how to insert them correctly they really improved to the point that they now sound amazing (it took about a day to get them fitted correctly).

As far as the fitting process goes, I ended up having to use the smallest sized inserts - I couldn’t even get the medium size inserted at all. Now that I’ve found the right position in my ear, they stay in place very firmly and are comfortable enough to wear all day long. The mistake I made at first was just trying to jam them in as far as them would go, but I discovered that I have to push them in and then angle them up slightly into my ear canal to get the best sound. Before I made that discovery I was ready to return them because I wasn’t impressed at all.

I wasn’t sure how well the sound isolation would work, but I’ve found that they shut everything out almost completely. I have also found that I need to turn the volume down to about half of what I was previously used to - which I’m sure is a good thing. I’ve had people talking to me and I didn’t even realize it with the music playing on level 8 out of 25.

Although these earphones are great overall, I have run into a few irritating problems that some people may want to consider.

At first glance, the cable splitting in half seems like it would be a great idea. Unfortunately, it causes a some unexpected issues:
1) It is difficult to just wrap the cord around your MP3 player because there is about a 3″ section of the cable that doesn’t bend (where the top section attaches to the extension).
2) When I’m working out, the break in the cable crosses directly over the heart rate monitor that I wear. There appears to be some electrical interference from the cable at that point because the heart rate monitor immediately starts registering 200 beats/minute. Any other point in the cable doesn’t cause that issue, but I’ve had to run it behind me while working out to avoid this. I’m tall (about 6′7″), so it’s possible that other people won’t run into this issue as long as the break in the cable doesn’t cross on top of the heart rate monitor.

The second issue is the stiffness of the cable where it wraps around the ear. This might improve over time, but currently it seems like it occasionally wants to flop over the side of the ear because it is too stiff. It helps to adjust the slider on the cord - but it doesn’t completely resolve the issue. This really isn’t that big of a deal, but I thought I should at least mention it.

Overall, I’m happy that I bought these. I’m not an audio pro, so I don’t have a lot of experience in this area, but these are the best sounding headphones that I personally have ever owned.

A good compromise between price and audio quality4
I don’t have the vocabulary or technical knowledge to be considered an audiophile, but I am very, very particular about my audio, moreso than the average person I would imagine. I’ve owned everything from Bose to Ultimate Ears to Bang&Olufsen to Sennheiser and Sony. I recently purchased the SE210 recently as an upgrade from the Shure E2. I wasn’t completely satisfied with the E2 (E2C.) The SE210 is a much easier fit than the E2, the process of inserting them is easier and they seem to stay in the ear better. Indeed, Shure ear phones, to me, fit better and isolate noise much better than other in-ear-canal earphones (like Ultimate Ears.) The sound is very crisp and clear, the level of detail is excellent, and the bass is not as heavy. I use these walking outside, on the rapid transit train, in the airport, and on planes, and these are amazing at enhancing the listening experience in noisy areas. If you listen to a lot of hip-hop or like a lot of bass, you might want to consider Ultimate Ears Super-Fi 5 Extra Bass or the Shure E2 model, which is much “bassier.” Techno and mainstream pop sound particularly good, I should note. Although you can go up in price with this brand (or others) and get better audio (some of the earphones have tuned ports or multiple drivers) I found this is one of the best combinations of price and sound quality. Granted, these are still expensive, but if you’re a music lover, it will be a worthy investment.

***Edit 07/07/07 ***

I thought I’d add a warning about the cable design, which is one very short cable that plugs into (a perfect iPod at the waist-size) a longer cable. It is VERY EASY for the two cables to come undone…I’d noticed it before, but one particular time, I was wearing/storing them around my neck and shoulders and I ended up LOSING the ear phones. (I still have the longer cable.) For most people, I don’t think this will be a problem, but if you are absent-minded, or often in a hurry, like I am, you might regret it.

Also, as a side note, I went back to my Shure E2C after losing the Shure SE210, and while I still feel the SE210 is an impressive sound, and that the E2C overcompensates with too much bass, but now that I use the iPod’s EQ (bass reducer) it isn’t so bad. The E2C is not nearly as detailed or clear and the highs and mids aren’t as great, but I’d really have to say the deciding factor might be the music you listen to most. In most genres the SE210 wins by a landslide. Other genres, like indie/alternative/rock (which didn’t have enough “weight,” it sounded clear, but flimsy on the SE210) and hip hop (I’m not a basshead, but the bass on the SE210 is rather light) I would say, for my taste, the E2C comes out the winner.

I still think the Shure SE210 are a fantastic set of earphones, but with the cable issue (for me, at least) and the price difference, and after “rediscovering” some of my other headphones/earphones, I probably won’t be buying them again.

Buy HP G60-630US 15.6-Inch Laptop Black At Amazon!

August 6th, 2010 by boston3547870

HP G60-630US 15.6-Inch Laptop Black. HP G60-630US 15.6-Inch Laptop Black

Product: Buy HP G60-630US 15.6-Inch Laptop Black At Amazon!

List Price: $836.00

Amazon Price: $529.00
Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price

Add to cart to see low price@CHADPRODUCTTILE

Availability: In Stock

Usually ships in 24 Hours

Free Shipping Available

Compare Prices on HP G60-630US 15.6-Inch Laptop Black

For those who want to connect and manage everyday computing tasks with an elegantly minimalist notebook, the HP G60 series Notebook PC delivers balanced mainstream performance at a great value. Powered by Intel processor and graphics technologies, the G60 includes essential features to enhance your PC experience and life.

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #28 in Personal Computers
  • Color: Black
  • Brand: Hewlett-Packard
  • Model: WA573UA#ABA
  • Dimensions: 1.38″ h x 9.90″ w x 14.88″ l, 6.57 pounds
  • CPU: Pentium 2.2 GHz
  • Memory: 3MB PC 2100 DDR Memory
  • Hard Disk: 320GB
  • Processors: 2
  • Display size: 15.6

Features

  • Intel Pentium Dual Core Processor T4400 (2.2 GHz, 1 MB L2 Cache, 800 MHz FSB)
  • 3GB DDR2 System Memory (2 DIMM) (expandable to 4 GB)
  • 320GB (5400RPM) Hard Drive (SATA), LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support
  • Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, * Up to 3.75 Hours of Battery Life
  • 15.6″ Diagonal High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1366×768),
  • Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500M (shared) with up to 1309MB total available graphics memory

Fantastic5
This laptop worked perfectly right out of the box! I had absolutely no problems setting this machine up or in getting it to connect to my network. It does everything that it was advertised as being able to do. Even the built in webcam works great. If there is even a single negative , it’s that it comes with a lot of superfluous HP software. Other than that, I am incredibly pleased with this laptop.

Great laptop for everyday use - battery could be longer lasting5
Overall, I’m very happy with this laptop. Works great, is fast, clear picture, and love the Windows 7 vs. my old Vista. Only gripe is the battery lasts under 2 hours with normal use - not the 3.75 hours listed. We keep ours plugged in mostly, and use on the go as necessary. Would buy similar one again, just upgrade the battery.

Awesome!! HP Notebook5
I have only had this laptop for a week and so far it has been working very nicely. I have always been an HP fan so I love it even more. I love the look and feel. The graphics is wonderful and the brightview screen enhances the colors. All the features makes it very exciting to use and I love the fact that it has a built in webcam and wireless network ready. I have also notice that it is not a noisy machine in which is a plus…..thanks its wonderful!

Microsoft Office Access 2007 Inside Out Microsoft Office Access Inside Out Discount.

August 6th, 2010 by boston3547870

Microsoft Office Access 2007 Inside Out Microsoft Office Access Inside Out

Microsoft Office Access 2007 Inside Out Microsoft Office Access Inside Out Discount.

Compare & Purchase Microsoft Office Access 2007 Inside Out Microsoft Office Access Inside Out at Amazon by clicking here!

List Price: $49.99

Amazon Price: $31.49

Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

Microsoft Office Access 2007 Inside Out Microsoft Office Access Inside Out Description:

Learn everything you need to know for working with Microsoft® Office Access 2007–from the inside out! This book packs hundreds of time-saving solutions, troubleshooting tips, and workarounds for using Office Access 2007–all in concise, fast-answer format. Whether you are upgrading from Office 97 or Office 2003, you’ll be able to dig in to the work-ready resources that help you take your Access 2007 experience to the next level. This information-packed complete reference shows you how to get the most out of Access 2007 and find out what’s new. You will learn how to design more-efficient databases, streamline data entry, find the information you need, and work with tools to produce effective forms, reports, and queries. In addition, you’ll begin to explore strategies for database design and advanced table design. Plus, you’ll get an easy-to-use companion CD packed with custom resources and a fully searchable eBook. With INSIDE OUT, you get all muscle and no fluff!

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #3519 in Books
  • Brand: Microsoft
  • Published on: 2007-04-11
  • Platform: No Operating System
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: 4.85 pounds
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 1488 pages

Customer Reviews:

Comprehensive Presentation on 2007 ACCESS5
This book is valuable to the beginnner and the expert developer. If you’re a beginner, it presents ACCESS 2007 in a step-by-step manner so that you can quickly be using the software. If you’ve used previous versions of ACCESS, this book identifies the differences (some are improvements, some are still waiting to be “characterized” in my mind ) between the previous versions and this new version; as a developer, this was very useful for me to quickly learn of what’s new and how it’s new.

Lots of sample databases…and code…and tips/tricks… and a PDF version of the book with extra chapters on the accompanying CD.

The style is similar to those in John’s previous books, so you’ll like this one if you’ve read the earlier ones. Definitely worth the money…the first time you need to learn “how do I do this?”, it’ll pay for itself in the time it would take you to learn “by trial and error”.

Excellent Book5
If your looking for a comprehensive training guide, this is your book! I have had no experience with access before this book, but I was asked to do a project in access, and this book brought me from being utterly confused to having a very solid knowledge of the program. I update this review as I progress through the book. I am now roughly 1000 pages into the book, and I have not been disappointed yet, very easy to read, and very hands on, the quality is consistent as you go on through the chapters, it’s very rare to find a spelling error or reference error(although there are a few.)

A good introductory guide to Access 20075
Access 2007 introduces a significantly steeper learning curve that the previous two versions, with a raft of complex GUI changes and a radically ramped navigation system. This is an excellent book to get familiar with these new features, and the additional CD ROM provides a superb resource with a substantial amount of extra material not in the book itself.

I would like to have seen fewer chapters on subjects such as introducing VBA (reiterating conditional loops - excuse the pun - really isn’t necessary anymore), and a little more on good database design conventions and ways to tackle medium to large-sized projects. Having said that, it’s well pitched to cover the questions from the majority of its audience.

I’ve grown to be quite fond of the Microsoft Publishing line of titles, in that the quality of the content is very consistent and I’ve yet to find a single technical error. The “Please Buy Microsoft” subliminal messages are not as chokingly omnipresent in recent editions either. Overall, this is a great way to spend $30 and feel somewhat grounded after a couple of days work.

From the Publisher
Key Book Benefits:

-Discover what’s new in Microsoft Access 2007
-Award-winning INSIDE OUT format makes hundreds of tips, tricks, and workarounds easy to find and easy to use
-Drills into the most-used features and functions in Access, delivering comprehensive details–but no fluff–in a single volume
-Learn how to develop a database design strategy, create relationships on multiple fields, add indexes, and explore advanced table design
-Includes a companion CD with customer resources, eBooks, and more

About the Author
John Viescas is the author of numerous books, including Microsoft Office Access 2003 Inside Out, Building Microsoft Access Applications and the coauthor of SQL Queries for Mere Mortals. He has written numerous articles for technical publications and has lectured at conferences and user group meetings around the world. He has been recognized as a Most Valuable Professional every year since 1993 by Microsoft Product Support Services for his assistance on public support forums.

Jeff Conrad has written and assisted with technical articles on Access and created several Access add-ins given freely to the Access community. Jeff maintains a Web site with a wealth of information and resource links for those needing guidance with Access. He has been awarded Microsoft’s Most Valuable Professional award for his continual involvement with the online Access community. He is very active in the Microsoft-sponsored Access public newsgroups and several other online forums where he is best known as the Access Junkie. In addition to his full time work, Jeff also creates Access database solutions for small businesses.

Texas Instruments BA II Plus Professional Financial Calculator Sale-$39.99!

August 5th, 2010 by boston3547870

Texas Instruments BA II Plus Professional Financial Calculator

Texas Instruments BA II Plus Professional Financial Calculator Sale-$39.99!

Compare & Purchase Texas Instruments BA II Plus Professional Financial Calculator at Amazon by clicking here!

List Price: $49.99

Amazon Price: $39.99

Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

Texas Instruments BA II Plus Professional Financial Calculator Description:

Time/value of money. Mark up/down. Amortization. Interest rate conversion. Cash flow (NPV,IRR). One variable statistic. Linear regression. Date calculations. Cost/sell margins. Leather case includes. Manufacturer’s 1 year warranty.

  • Color: SILVER
  • Brand: Texas Instruments
  • Model: BA II PLUS PRO
  • Platform: Windows
  • Format: CD
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: .35″ h x 2.44″ w x 3.70″ l, .37 pounds

Features

  • Easy-to-read 10-digit display, 10-number memory
  • Comfortable firm-touch keypad

Customer Reviews:

Hit the ball out of the park5
Finally! This is a superb upgrade to TI’s previous BA II product. I hated the previous model with a passion given the near “touchless” keypad (allowing for frustrating key entry). THIS is the calculator that I would want to use for the CFA exam (did I mention how much I HATED the previous TI BA calculator??).

For those thinking of the HP12C line, I had a 12C for many years and loved it. However, after it got ruined due to a playful two year old, I bought a new one and found it cheaply made compared to the one I bought in the 80’s (very disappointing) and have since abandoned using it. Interestingly, I found the following calculation example from a review of the HP 12C Platinum edition to be very interesting: “If possible, I would suggest that potential users and buyers try this data set on both the 12C and 12cP before buying. Clear register. Find [i] after input [PMT]=-1458;[FV]=0,[n]=84,[PV]=103600. The HP12C would take 20 seconds “running” while the HP12cP would take about 30 seconds to give the same answer [i]=0.4059!”

How long for the BA II Plus Professional? I timed it at about one second.

As calculators go, this is a mighty sweet device — especially given the clear HP-like display viewable at all angles!! Count me as a definite TI BA II convert!

Easily better than ANY current HP–and 1/2 the price!5
Have been a stalwart HP financial calculator user for over two decades…started with an HP41 in college with financial templates. I always admired HPs for the durable build, ease-of-use (once you got over the RPN hurdle) and displays. I finally needed to replace my over decade old HP 12C and the newer HPs simply do not impress me. Cheaper (as in WAY cheaper!) build…the HPs that came from Malaysia were fantastic calculators…solid keystrokes, superior grade of plastics, the whole nine yards. The newer HPs are made of a plastic that is a giant step backwards. The keys are now laughable, no ‘HP Feel’ to them at all.

I took all of this in and thought to myself, ‘I guess everything is getting cheaper, nowadays…’. Then I ran a NPV calculation at the store and was downright shocked to see it ran slower than my old HP. The one thing I thought MIGHT save the purchase (i.e. cheaper plastic but faster processor) didn’t happen. I tried all of the newer HPs…the one display model of the OLDER HP12 (the non-Platinum model and still made in Malaysia) definitely runs TVM calculations quicker. This is NOT how to impress old bankers with a new product.

Time to check out the Texas Instruments BA II Plus Professional. At first glance, to an old HP user, I thought it really LOOKED TI-ish; that is to say, very non-HP. But upon pressing a key or two, I was impressed that TI at least made an attempt at obtaining the old ‘HP Feel’ to their keys. Not as ‘pretty’ as HP’s angled keys, but good tactile feedback and get this: If you’ll hold up the TI BA II PP horizontally and sight down the keys, you’ll see they are actually angled! Nice touch, TI.

Nicely laid out TVM section (my only reason for owning a financial calculator, thus supremely important to me) and intuitive to boot. Speed of calculation simply SMOKES current HPs…there is absolutely NO CONTEST. A complex Internal Rate of Return took two to three seconds. TI hasn’t been simply sitting around and ‘repackaging’ anything; whatever is under the hood of this calculator is current and fast.

The rest of the calculator is nicely laid out…keys are pretty much TI convention, which to me is different. I miss a prominent ENTER key.

Likes: I like TI’s ‘CHAIN’ calculation mode. It’s similar to RPN without the ENTER keystroke. Remember this if this is your first financial calculator: Most financial calculations are run in CHAIN or RPN mode (and, sadly, no, the TI doesn’t support TRUE RPN), not the Algebraic Operation System (AOS). To TI’s credit, the calculator defaults to CHAIN calculation (for newbies, this just means that the calculator runs the operation AS IT IS ENTERED; NOT following Algebraic heirarchy of operations). But it is nice that TI recognizes how financial people enter calculations and, unlike other TI calculators, AOS is NOT the default entry mode.

Love the fact that the compounding rate is defaulted to 1, not 12 (HPs always default to 12). Love the fact that interest is always entered as a whole interest number (it divides it for you, automatically). Good, not great, manual. Battery access is very easy. Quality looks genuinely good, but time will be the only final arbiter on this one, but the product appears to be (in my highest compliment) equal to older HPs in every respect.

Dislikes? Quibbling ones to be sure, but the compounding rate mentioned above is a pain to get too; I must have looked 30 minutes in the manual to finally find it (hint: you have to use the Down Arrow key to roll through a series of selections to get it…and it’s NOT the first choice). Wish for (on all financial calculators, not just TI) normal AA or AAA batteries…why the manufacturers have to insist on the round, hearing aid style battery is beyond me. I mean, really, how big is a AAA battery?

Wish TI would step up to the plate and offer some mortgage/realty functions in a financial calculator without forcing a user to own 2 calculators. Wish it were programmable, which is just a follow-on to the mortgage/realty/specialized functions.

If TI offered this same model with enhanced functions, programmability and a normal battery, HP could give up the calculator market.

As it stands, a worthy heir to the older HP calculators. I’m sorry to see HP cheapen the product so badly, but TI will gain market share on this one. A solid keeper.

Great product, cheap case4
OPENING NOTES:
Just to clarify, this is a financial calculator, essentially the same calculator as the “Texas Instruments BA II Plus Advanced Financial Calculator” but with a cosmetic make-over.

PROS:
- Very attractive appearance.
- Nice “firm-touch” keypad.
- A couple of additional functions (compared to the BA II Plus Advanced).

CONS:
- Leatherette soft case instead of hard case.
- Approx. $21 more (at time of writing) than BA II Plus Advanced.

REVIEW:
This is a very nice calculator. It is full-featured financial calculator with an attractive appearance. The brushed metal face has a polished metal inset to highlight the primary financial function buttons. I like the button layout (which is the same on both the Professional and Advanced models), and preferred it over that of the HP 10bII financial calculator, which I thought had poorly-marked non-financial functions.

The calculator has a solid feel that is consistent with its metal look, and that is further reinforced by the “firm-touch” keypad. Personally, I like the feel of the firm-touch keys and prefer it over a regular keypad, as is found on the BA II Plus Advanced.

My one complaint about the BA II Plus Professional (and the reason I rated it as 4 stars instead of 5) is that it has a soft case instead of a hard case. While the soft case will help protect from superficial marring, it won’t protect the calculator from impact or pressure damage, or from accidentally pressing buttons (such as “On”) when carrying it. For the extra $21 more than the Advanced model, it would be nice if the Professional model came with a case that will actually protect it.

SUMMARY:
- If you plan to keep your financial calculator around for a while or will use it a lot, and want something nice, then I would recommend this calculator. (I basically think of it as an investment in something I will continue to use for several years.)

- If you think you would prefer a more firm-feeling keypad, then I would recommend this calculator.

- If you are just buying a financial calculator for a finance class and don’t plan on getting much use out of it afterward, and don’t need the additional functions of the Professional version (which are advertised as being “Net Future Value (NFV), Modified Internal Rate of Return (MIRR), Modified Duration, Payback, and Discount Payback”), then I would recommend saving some bucks and getting the Advanced model of the BA II Plus.

Amazon.com Product Description
The BA II Plus Professional calculator features all the great features of its predecessor while packing in even more time-saving functions to make short work of complex equations. It’s an ideal choice for entry level and advanced finance, accounting, economics, investment, statistics, and other business classes. It’s also a great choice to bring to the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam. Along with the standard capabilities of time-value-of-money, accrued interest, amortization, cost-sell-margin, and depreciation calculations, users can calculate more advanced business and finance related issues. It will handle net future value (NFV), modified internal rate of return (MIRR), modified duration, payback, discount payback, and more. Its rugged metal exterior, firm-touch keypad and anti-slip rubber feet make it ideal for anyone in accounting, economics, investing, statistics, and related businesses. It also comes with a black protective case.

Netgear Rangemax WNDR3700 Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router Black Sale-$148.33!

August 5th, 2010 by boston3547870

Netgear Rangemax WNDR3700 Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router Black. Netgear Rangemax WNDR3700 Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router Black

Product: Netgear Rangemax WNDR3700 Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router Black Sale-$148.33!

List Price: $189.99

Amazon Price: $148.33
Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price

Add to cart to see low price@CHADPRODUCTITLE

Availability: In Stock

Usually ships in 24 Hours

Free Shipping Available

Compare Prices on Netgear Rangemax WNDR3700 Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router Black

The NETGEAR RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router delivers the ultimate in wireless performance for home and small business networking. With twice the available bandwidth, separate wireless-N access points for media and data, and four Gigabit Ethernet ports, you enjoy more reliable connections, faster wireless, and maximum wired speeds— ideal for connecting multiple computers running multiple applications. The Dual Band Gigabit Router manages network traffic too, so there’s less lag in streaming, VoIP, and other critical tasks. Centralizing an external storage device and file sharing is easy. Just connect your USB storage device to the router, and every computer on your network can easily exchange media, documents, music, and more.

  • Color: Black
  • Brand: Netgear
  • Model: WNDR3700
  • Original language: English
  • Dimensions: 2.56″ h x 9.84″ w x 11.61″ l, 1.10 pounds
  • CPU: PowerPC G4 2.1 GHz
  • Memory: 2000MB SDRAM
  • Hard Disk: 1GB
  • Processors: 1

Features

  • Dual-band Wireless-N router provides outstanding speed and performance for serious gamers, enthusiasts, and small businesses
  • Simultaneous operation on 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz frequencies for combined 600 Mbps speed
  • Powerful 680 MHz 32-bit processor
  • Four Gigabit Ethernet ports; USB 2.0 port for adding external storage
  • Device measures 8.8 x 1.2 x 6.0 inches (WxHxD)

NETGEAR RANGEMAX WNDR3700 - Fast, easy-to-use and rock solid5
This router is fast, easy to set-up and smartly engineered. Although this is a high-end feature-rich consumer router, out of the box, I had this running in just a few minutes. Using the simple color-coded 1-2-3 step setup process, an expert, or a novice, can have this router up and running very quickly.

Modifying the two dual band networks for different names and passwords is straight forward, and I preferred to do it manually. After logging into the firmware, the screens are divided into three panels. The left panel is the list of the feature sets, such as “wireless settings,” or “guest network” settings; the middle panel has the pick list of options for the feature set; and the right panel on the screen explains, in the easiest of terms, what the features and options mean. There is little need to refer to the product manual or other help. Everything is in one place, and in the right place.

I attained maximum speeds with each of the dual bands when my laptops were in close proximity to the router. My throughput on the 5 Ghertz band using the “n” protocol was a blazing 300 Mbps. With my previous router, I was never able to achieve anything faster than 130 Mbps. As is the case with the 5 Ghertz channel, this speed drops off quickly as I moved my laptop away from the router. By 30 feet, I was down to 100 Mbps a second, but still relatively fast when compared to the legacy “g” speeds. On the 2.4 Ghertz band, using the “g” protocol, I saw very little degradation within 50 feet of the router.

I streamed a Netflix movie to an HD television flawlessly through a Toshiba laptop and an HDMI cable. There was no stutter in the picture, and the picture quality was excellent. Unlike past video streaming, I did not experience a dropped picture while waiting for the video buffer to reload.

I connected a USB disk drive to the router and shared it among three laptops without incident. I established read and read/write passwords for various file folders on the disk drive. I also made the drive available for access through the Internet, and again this process was straightforward in creating. I plan on backing up the three laptops to the USB drive on the router, as well as sharing photos and other files with family and friends by having them access the password protected IP address of my new network-based disk drive.

In total, you can establish four networks on this router. One for each of the dual bands, and two more as guest networks for each of the dual bands as well. The guest networks are nice as they can completely isolate guests from accessing sensitive information on other PCs or devices on the network. (Or you can open up the guest networks to everything on the network.)

Some other features worth noting are the automatic checking for firmware updates every time you log into the router; the “traffic meter” that shows daily, weekly and monthly internet usage that can be configured to throttle it; and the ability to backup personalized firmware settings in case of an emergency restore. With regard to the latter, it would be nice to also get a saved PDF file of what the settings are for each of the backed-up firmware configurations.

The Netgear WNDR3700 replaced two Linksys routers that I had connected together to essentially create a “dual band” environment. One was an older “g” unit, while the other was a newer “n” router. Together they got the job done in a mixed environment of video and Internet surfing. But the WNDR3700 takes routing to a newer level, with faster processors driving the dual bands to faster speeds and better range; and a big feature set that is easy to use, understand and configure.

SIX-MONTH UPDATE - This router has been powered up constantly for six months now, and it continues to run flawlessly. During this time, two firmware updates have been automatically flagged and applied without incident.

I use many of the key features of this router across the three laptops that are connected wirelessly to the dual bands. Video streaming from Netflix and other Internet sites continues to work smoothly.

Being able to connect a USB disk drive to the router has become a heavily-used feature. The router-based disk drive is the central location for backing up the data from the three laptops. I can backup these laptops locally, or from anywhere using the Internet. When traveling with a camera and a laptop, I am able to easily backup digital pictures to the router’s USB disk drive. It is another way to save and protect files when away.

This router is my third, and best to date.

Feature rich, high-performance wireless router4
This high-end wireless router by Netgear is well-designed and comes with a lot of features out of the box. I loved the ability to skip the “insert this CD rom in your computer” installation for dummies method and go straight to the web GUI to set it up. The feature I was most interested in is the USB storage sharing. This feature allows you to plug in any external USB drive, and then share it over the network. This was a convenient target for pushing automatic backups to. If our computer’s hard drive catches on fire, I still have backups that I’ve saved on the USB drive attached to this router. Unfortunately, I ran into a bug when trying out this feature. Netgear support was helpful, however, and helped me get it working in a day.

Pros:

- Feature rich, high-performance.
- Nice vertical stand included.
- USB storage feature turns your external drive into a network share.
- Comes with QoS (a must for VOIP), dynamic DNS, firewall, features.
- Easy to upgrade the firmware and it will automatically check for updates.
- Good documentation.
- Dead-simple installation and you can skip the Insert This CD-ROM install method.
- Ability to set up “guest” network with separate settings in addition to your main network.

Cons:
- Traffic bandwidth monitoring is rudimentary. It is actually very good for an off-the shelf router, but I’m spoiled by my home router which runs Tomato firmware: it has pretty graphs.
- USB storage feature needs work. You can only use your router’s admin password to protect your shares. Configuring settings with Google Chrome or non-firefox, non-IE browsers may silently fail (as it did for me). The workaround is to reapply settings with IE or Firefox.

All in all a very solid product. I give it 4.5 stars, as I wasted time chasing down the Chrome/Web GUI bug. I have no doubt this will become a 5-star product as Netgear pushes out new firmware updates.

Netgear Rangemax WNDR3700 Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router5
Have been running a D-Link DGL-4300 for several years with good results. Needed a replacement with more speed and processing power to handle multi-media, large LAN file transfers and N wireless services.

Tried the D-Link DIR-825, but undocumented MAC address restrictions killed the deal. The router would not accept a non-zero value for the first two characters of the WAN MAC address.

Looked at the Linksys WRT-610N, but was concerned with past Linksys product performance.

Purchased the Netgear WNDR3700 which was getting very good reviews and selling out quickly after release.

Configuration was a breeze with typical Netgear menus. LAN and WiFI speed are excellent.

The DLNA USB device option works great, streaming pictures to our LAN connected Samsung TV.

Guest WiFi access with LAN restrictions makes sharing with guests or visiting family easy.

There have been no issues using Vonage VoIP and transferring large amounts of data at the same time. QOS settings are available in the WNDR3700, but I’m not currently using it. Even with QOS and rules active, the DGL-4300 would sometimes cause the VoIP to stutter during large transfers.

Port Address Translation (PAT) is not available. This makes it difficult to access multiple Port 80 LAN devices from the WAN side.

I rate the unit 4.5+ stars. PAT would have made it a five.

HP Pavilion DV6-2162NR 15.6-Inch Black Laptop–Up to 4.25 Hours of Battery Life-Retail $1,007.00! Sale Only $649.99!

August 5th, 2010 by boston3547870

HP Pavilion DV6-2162NR 15.6-Inch Black Laptop--Up to 4.25 Hours of Battery Life. HP Pavilion DV6-2162NR 15.6-Inch Black Laptop–Up to 4.25 Hours of Battery Life

Product: HP Pavilion DV6-2162NR 15.6-Inch Black Laptop–Up to 4.25 Hours of Battery Life-Retail $1,007.00! Sale Only $649.99!

List Price: $1,007.00

Amazon Price: $649.99
Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price

Add to cart to see low price@CHADPRODUCTITLE

Availability: In Stock

Usually ships in 24 Hours

Free Shipping Available

Compare Prices on HP Pavilion DV6-2162NR 15.6-Inch Black Laptop–Up to 4.25 Hours of Battery Life

For those who want an all-in-one performance notebook with rich multimedia features, the HP Pavilion dv6 Entertainment series delivers mobile performance that looks as great as it runs. Powered by the latest processor and graphics technologies, it deliver the features you need to support your digital lifestyle.

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #2 in Personal Computers
  • Color: Black
  • Brand: Hewlett-Packard
  • Model: WH202UA#ABA
  • Dimensions: 1.33″ h x 10.15″ w x 14.90″ l, 6.34 pounds
  • CPU: Intel Core i3 2.26 GHz
  • Hard Disk: 500GB
  • Battery type: Lithium Ion
  • Display size: 15.6

Features

  • Intel Core i3-350M processor (2.26 GHz, 3MB L3 Cache)
  • 4GB DDR3 System Memory (2 DIMM) (expandable to 8 GB)
  • 500GB (7200RPM) Hard Drive (SATA), SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support
  • Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, * Up to 4.25 Hours of Battery Life
  • 15.6″ Diagonal High-Definition LED HP BrightView Display (1366×768), Intel HD Graphics with up to 1696MB Total Available Graphics Memory

Relieved and Extremely Pleased5
I bought this HP for my wife to replace her 3 year old Toshiba. It’s 100% her computer but she places everything technical in our lives on me and then holds me accountable for its performance. My wife is brutal on electronics and her laptop is no exception. The Toshiba had a VERY hard life and ticked along perfectly until the past few months. After wasting $200 on a failed repair (hard drive) I decided it was cheaper to replace it than to nurse it along. I initially went shopping for another Toshiba and frankly, I feel like I would be writing a 5 star review for a Toshiba if it hadn’t come down to a $150 price difference. I was able to use the competing Toshiba at a retailer, but when I went to Amazon I found this HP. Nearly identical in performance and appearance; aside from a couple of keyboard control features they were the same.

I bought the HP, Amazon shipped it FedEX and it arrived to Fairbanks Alaska in less than 48 hours (used standard shipping, nothing special). She loves it, charged it up and it performs flawlessly and much better than my 8 month old Dell XPS (Argh, never again…long story). I have not attempted to load Office 2007 yet, but suspect from my research on 64 bit systems, it will work fine. Neither one of us cares for the bubble scheme and thinks it detracts from the professional look of the rest of the finish (petty, I know).

The mouse pad works perfectly and I particularly like the keyboard layout and feel of the keys. I REALLY like the number pad without having to buy a 17+ inch system which is of course standard now.

4 USB ports, 1 HDMI output, a great LCD screen and Graphics card…zero to complain about. Oh, and Windows 7 works very well.

I’ll report back if it doesn’t hold up to the flagrant neglect my wife typically inflicts on her electronics, but as of for now she is rightfully treating like a shiny new sports car!

Excellent Midrange Laptop with power, speed, and flexibility; perfect!5
Alright, so I’m 26 and a student, and I had been making due with a old Dell Dimension for the last 3 years, so hopelessly out of date that I wont spare you the details. I needed an upgrade and wanted a laptop in the $600-800 range that had a speedy processor, ability to handle videos of all types smoothly (esp. HD), enough RAM to multi-task with heavy programs and not break a sweat, lots of slots USB and otherwise and 500 gigs of space. When I saw the specs on this Pavillion it met all my qualifications, with good battery life for my traveling (I go from FL to NY often) and a nice look and smooth functionality/keyboard to boot.
Obviously, buying a laptop is not a light consideration, especially when you have been working toward it for a while like me. So naturally upon booting up I immediately put it through the ringer. I loaded a printer, scanner and second monitor into the USBs, then used Nero to burn a DVD while watching Futurama on the monitor and Inglorious Basterds playing in 1080p on the main screen. Additionally I had iTunes doing a mass conversion while scanning some images in the background, with BitTorrent and Limerwire downloading and WinAVI converter making a .VOB as well. I had NO problems whatsoever = no lag, no image interlacing, no errors or delays in the converting/burning, no internet problems, no scanning issues or anything. That immediately sold it for me; if it can handle all the tasks I use most frequently all at once and look terrific doing it, who am I to complain?
4 GB of RAM is plenty, and though I prefer AMD in general the Intel i3 chipset is powerful and well worth it over Core Duo processors. Everything looks gorgeous, especially vivid colors in HD - South Park is a good example. The HDMI exporting is wonderful and looks great on my big screen. I’m never a big fan of proprietary software, but HP has a number of useful programs on here. The Mediasmart app is really good for HD, much better than Media Player in my estimation. The IDT sound options are terrific, especially for creating an artificial depth of field out of tiny Altec Lansing speakers - not bad themselves, by the way. The pad is great, with a scroll bar built in, the keyboard is big and has a number pad, a mic jack and two headphone jacks are in the front, and it’s not too heavy either - I mean I could go on and on but you get the point. The only thing remotely disappointing was the webcam but honestly I don’t care about it one iota.
This machine is sleek, speedy and strong with lots of options and will definitely be in use for a long time for me at least. Highly recommended.

Happy so far…5
Well I just got my notebook in the mail today but so far I am very happy. I like Windows 7, and the webcam works great. I used it to talk with my family and my kids had a lot of fun using the special effects with the webcam when we were using Skype. The system starts up fast which is a really good thing even after loading all my stuff to the notebook I had it all done in a few hours. I did a lot of research before I purchased this and for the price you can’t go wrong.

Duracell Coppertop AAA 20 Count Pack-Retail $17.99! Sale Only $10.50!

August 4th, 2010 by boston3547870

Duracell Coppertop AAA 20 Count Pack

Duracell Coppertop AAA 20 Count Pack-Retail $17.99! Sale Only $10.50!

Compare & Purchase Duracell Coppertop AAA 20 Count Pack at Amazon by clicking here!

List Price: $17.99

Amazon Price: $10.50

Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

Duracell Coppertop AAA 20 Count Pack Description:

Duracell is the World’s No. 1 Brand - performance guaranteed! Duracell Coppertop delivers long-lasting, efficient and reliable power in popular battery powered devices such as: toys, Wii remotes, portable gaming systems, smoke alarms, clocks and radios.

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #80 in Health and Beauty
  • Brand: Duracell
  • Model: MN2400B20
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: 4.00″ h x 5.00″ w x 6.00″ l, .61 pounds

Features

  • Duracell is the World’s No. 1 Brand - Based on Nielsen Worldwide sales data 2007-2008
  • Made in the USA
  • Mercury Free

Customer Reviews:

great batteries5
Duracell batteries arrived promptly in perfect shape, and of course are excellent batteries. Since you probably use as many as we do, try a subscription and get the best possible deal.

Great price on great batteries5
These come in at about 50 cents a battery. That is a really good deal. The batteries themselves are standard Duracell Coppertop - the ones you know and trust. The package has 20 batteries, but does not re-close easily to hold the extra batteries once you use a few. There is no integral battery tester.

Great!5
Great price, as always great battery. Nice to have them shipped automatically and get a discount to boot!

Targus Zip-Thru Traditional Case for 16 Inch Laptops TBC023US Black Discount.

August 4th, 2010 by boston3547870

Targus Zip-Thru Traditional Case for 16 Inch Laptops TBC023US Black. Targus Zip-Thru Traditional Case for 16 Inch Laptops TBC023US Black

Product: Targus Zip-Thru Traditional Case for 16 Inch Laptops TBC023US Black Discount.

List Price: $49.99

Amazon Price: $39.76
Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price

Add to cart to see low price@CHADPRODUCTITLE

Availability: In Stock

Usually ships in 24 Hours

Free Shipping Available

Compare Prices on Targus Zip-Thru Traditional Case for 16 Inch Laptops TBC023US Black

The Targus Zip-Thru 15.4-inch Traditional laptop case is designed to help you clear airport security without removing your laptop from your case. The results are: Quicker airport processing; Reduced risk of laptop loss, theft, or damage; greater privacy and security. This 15.4-Inch clamshell case splits down the middle, isolating the laptop on one side to allow for clear x-ray scanning. The Zip-Thru Traditional case is lightweight and includes a removable, adjustable, padded shoulder strap, a carry handle, and a trolley strap for attachment to rolling luggage. In addition, the case includes a spacious exterior file pocket with phone sleeve, pen loops and key clip, and interior pockets with room for files, mobile accessories, business cards and more.

  • Color: Black
  • Brand: Targus
  • Model: TBC023US
  • Format: CD
  • Dimensions: 3.25″ h x 13.00″ w x 16.25″ l, 3.00 pounds

Features

  • Checkpoint-Friendly Split design separates laptop from accessories, to allow clear x-ray scanning
  • Screen Size Designed to fit 15.4-inch widescreen laptops
  • Protection Padded laptop section
  • Organization Spacious exterior file pocket with phone sleeve, pen loops and key clip, and interior pockets with room for files
  • Ergonomics Includes a removable, adjustable padded shoulder strap, a carry handle, and a trolley strap for attachment to rolling luggage

A nice ’subdued’ laptop bag4
My primary concern when buying a laptop bag or case is that it protect the laptop. Second, that it doesn’t look like ‘thief bate.’ This Targus bag meets both of those criteria. It’s a nice subdued looking bag, modern enough with clean lines, but not glamorous in a way that will attract attention. It’s a professional bag, with adequate storage options for your peripherals (mouse, charger, pens, paper, etc). The quality of the build is better than average if not perfect. I would have liked a heavier gauge zipper, since those always seem to be the first thing to go on the bags I’ve owned in the past. I also would have liked a thicker, longer shoulder pad. The attached pad is barely adequate for a large man.

The storage compartments are laid out logically and the bag clam-shells to allow easy security check pass through at the airport.

Overall I’m quite pleased with the bag, especially since it matches the color of my new Dell Studio 15 notebook.

For the price, this is a great option.

*****UPDATE 02/26/2010*****

The foam padded shoulder strap of the bag failed a few weeks ago. The stitching along one seam came out and with it the interior foam. I contacted Targus through their web-page to see about getting a replacement. They contacted me back within hours, and sent me a shipping notice for the replacement strap the next day. The new strap arrived and is actually better than the original (leather pad vs. vinyl). I am extremely impressed with both the promptness of Targus’ communication and with the ease of requesting support through their webpage. I was expecting a headache to get a new shoulder strap and instead it was remarkably easy. I’ll be giving them more business in the future knowing that: A. they stand behind their products, and B. they are very quick in assisting the customer. Well done Targus!

Great looking case!5
This laptop case was purchased for my son-in-law as a Christmas gift. He has a very casual case and needed one that looked more professional to bring to meetings, etc.
He was very please with it. I thought it looked as though I had paid a lot more for it than I did, so I was pleased also. One more thing — the case is advertised for a 15.4″ laptop, but it will actually fit up to a 16″ laptop according to the packaging information. So if you have a little bigger laptop, but not a 17″, it will fit perfectly. Hope this helps.

Great laptop case5
I love this laptop case. I had bought the same one at Best Buy for $20.00 more than it cost on Amazon (which I promptly took back and then purchased online). It’s sturdy and has room for everything I need. I had a more expensive, stylish women’s case that didn’t hold up. This bag is very functional and reliable.

Universal Samsung ML-1610D2, ML-2010D3, SCX-4521D3 ML1610D2, ML2010D3, SCX4521D3 Compatible 3,000 Yield Black Toner Cartridge Lowest Price!

August 4th, 2010 by boston3547870

Universal Samsung ML-1610D2, ML-2010D3, SCX-4521D3 ML1610D2, ML2010D3, SCX4521D3 Compatible 3,000 Yield Black Toner Cartridge

Universal Samsung ML-1610D2, ML-2010D3, SCX-4521D3 ML1610D2, ML2010D3, SCX4521D3 Compatible 3,000 Yield Black Toner Cartridge Lowest Price!

Compare & Purchase Universal Samsung ML-1610D2, ML-2010D3, SCX-4521D3 ML1610D2, ML2010D3, SCX4521D3 Compatible 3,000 Yield Black Toner Cartridge at Amazon by clicking here!

List Price: $88.99

Amazon Price: $25.88

Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

Universal Samsung ML-1610D2, ML-2010D3, SCX-4521D3 ML1610D2, ML2010D3, SCX4521D3 Compatible 3,000 Yield Black Toner Cartridge Description:

General features:Brand SAMSUNGType CompatibleCapacity 3000 YieldColor BlackQuantity 1 PackSupported Models:SAMSUNG ML 2510SAMSUNG ML 2570SAMSUNG ML 2571N

  • Size: Each
  • Color: Black
  • Brand: Compatible/Remanufactured Toner
  • Model: ML-2010D3
  • Dimensions: 3.00 pounds

Features

  • Type Compatible
  • Capacity 3000 Yield
  • Color Black
  • Quantity 1 Pack

Customer Reviews:

Works Great5
I’ve had the toner for several weeks now and everything is in working order. I’m in the process of starting up and running my own small business and needed toner to make flyers and cards to hand out to people. I was originally worried that maybe a cheaper toner would be of a lesser quality. I assure anyone who is debating between this and Samsung’s pricey version, go with this. I will buy from them soon again.

Vertical Stripe1
After reading the reviews, I was hoping for a product that wasn’t defective in any way. But, as is the case when taking advantage of deals like this, I apparently got a bad apple.

The toner went in the printer and began working immediately, producing clear and dark print. But it was also printing a vertical stripe down the right edge of the page that when touched turns your fingers black. I thought it might eventually fade away, but so far it has not.

Looks like I’ll have to find a better deal on one of these, disappointing considering the money spent on the toner + shipping.

Works on Samsung ML-25105
This Toner works well with Samsung ML-2510 Laser Printer ….
Suppose to last for 3000 pages …. No where near that yet….

Very fast shipping …..

Very Happy with it all …. Price, Shipping, easy Shopping

Buy Jabra EXTREME Bluetooth Headset At Amazon!

August 3rd, 2010 by boston3547870

Jabra EXTREME Bluetooth Headset. Jabra EXTREME Bluetooth Headset

Product: Buy Jabra EXTREME Bluetooth Headset At Amazon!

List Price: $79.99

Amazon Price: $61.17
Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price

Add to cart to see low price@CHADPRODUCTITLE

Availability: In Stock

Usually ships in 24 Hours

Free Shipping Available

Compare Prices on Jabra EXTREME Bluetooth Headset

Office, car, street - the best noise cancellation anytime, anywhere. Building upon Jabra’s renowned noise cancellation technology, Jabra EXTREME utilizes Noise Blackout Extreme, which significnatly enhances its dual microphone system. This is supported by the new advanced automatic volume control which automatically adjusts to the environment and your conversation. These developments have led Jabra EXTREME to be twice as effective in noisy environments (by 24db) than the original Noise Blackout. What will further amaze you is the voice quality; while Jabra EXTREME eliminates ambient noise, it retains natural sounding voice on both ends of the line ensuring your converation is full of life rather than a robotic exchange of words.

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #452 in Cell Phone Accessories
  • Brand: Jabra
  • Model: EXTREME
  • Original language: English
  • Dimensions: 7.24″ h x 1.97″ w x 3.75″ l, .32 pounds

Features

  • Ultimate-fit Eargels and optional earhook provide all day comfort
  • Multiuse allows you to connect to two devices at the same time
  • Adjusts volume automatically
  • 5½ hours talk time and up to 10.5 days standby time
  • Includes car charger

Good Enough4
The last two Bluetooth headsets that I used were the Plantronics Discovery 925 and Plantronics Discovery 975. They were my favorite headsets among the many I have used since I started wearing them in 2005. Unfortunately, I gave the 925 to my father and my 975 had to be sent in for warranty service. When Amazon offered the Jabra Extreme for me to review, I jumped hard and fast. Would it be an acceptable temporary solution until I got my 975 back, or would it be something else?

PROS:
- Attractive design
- Diminutive size
- Good sound quality
- Good noise cancellation
- Dedicated power switch
- Great range
- Multipoint & A2DP compatibility
- Multiuse (connect 2 devices at the same time)
- FANTASTIC accessories included
- Comfortable fit (for me)
- Fair battery life (5.5 hours talk/10.5 standby)
- Multiple charging options
- Great value for price point

CONS:
- Volume buttons a bit tiny
- May not be comfortable for some ears
- AC charger cord length is extremely short

The unheralded Jabra EXTREME has hit one out of the park folks. Not only did I find it to be a good solution while I waited for my Plantronics Discovery 975 to come back from service, but I think the 975 may just end up becoming my backup headset. The Jabra EXTREME is very similar to the Jabra BT 530 but the EXTREME has improved noise cancellation, Multipoint, Multiuse, Acoustic Shock Protection, and A2DP music streaming. In fact, if you look at the back of the EXTREME headset, you’ll see the BT530 model # imprinted on it. Make no mistake though, the EXTREME is significantly improved.

PAIRING
The EXTREME goes into pairing mode the first time it is turned on and my Motorola Droid found it quickly and paired without having to enter a code.

FIT
If you have read my other Bluetooth headset reviews, you know that fit is a HUGE deal for me. The EXTREME admirably attempts to accommodate most users by providing a couple of ear hook sizes, a normal ear gel and also what Jabra calls, Ultimate-fit ear gels. Plantronics has a similar ear gel technology and I have to admit that Plantronics’ implementation is more comfortable and fits better. After trying different combinations of ear gels and hooks, I ended up just using the normal ear gel without the hooks. It is secure enough that I could probably go jogging with it and not fall out. It’s not quite as comfortable as the Plantronics Discovery 925/975, but definitely good enough for at least an hour of continuous use.

STYLE
Though the EXTREME probably won’t win any style awards, I find it to be very attractive. The design is subdued and the gunmetal gray front looks sharp. Also, since the headset isn’t very large, it will probably attract less attention to the fact that you are wearing a Bluetooth headset. I used to think that the Plantronics Discovery 925/975 looked very stylish and I thought I looked ok while wearing them until I started watching “24″ Season 8. Everyone in CTU wears the Discovery 975 and well, I think they all look ridiculous.

CALL & MUSIC QUALITY
Jabra has finally decided to use dual mics in their noise cancellation technology, similar to how Plantronics and Aliph have. Jabra calls theirs, Noise Blackout EXTREME. And like Plantronics’ AudioIQ2, it works. It cancels out background noise very well so that the person on the other end of the call can hear you clearly. The EXTREME also automatically adjusts the volume of the call so that in noisy environments, you can hear the caller more clearly. To protect your ears against sudden loud noises, it also has what they call, Acoustic Shock Protection. A welcome feature addition to the EXTREME is support for A2DP which allows you to listen to music from your device via the headset. It’s in mono, so it doesn’t sound great, but it is certainly good enough for casual music listening, NPR and for podcasts.

BATTERY & CHARGING
The battery life is about average for a modern Bluetooth headset and it takes 2 hours to fully charge. I found that it came almost fully charged however and only needed about 15 minutes to charge the first time. I was ecstatic with the charging options included with the Jabra EXTREME. It comes with a USB car charger and includes a detachable piece that you can use to plug the headset into and charge it through ANY powered USB port. So, you could be charging your headset on the way to work in your car and finish charging it in your office from your laptop. Awesome! I am baffled by the short cord on the AC charger though. I’m guessing they shortened it thinking most people charge their headsets from a counter-top wall outlet, but I don’t. My chargers are usually on the floor behind my desk. Lucky for me, since the headset uses a micro-USB port, I use my Motorola Droid’s charger at my desk to charge both.

BUTTONS
A welcome feature on the Jabra EXTREME is a dedicated power switch. I have never had a headset that paired as quickly as the EXTREME. Whenever I flip the power switch on, my Droid pairs within 5 seconds. It also has an answer/end button and a volume up and a volume down button. The volume buttons are rather small, but you get used to them. Also, when you aren’t on a call, if you push either of the volume buttons, it acts as a battery life indicator. Green means 1-4.5 hours of talk time remaining, yellow means 10 minutes to 1 hour of time remaining, and red means less than 10 minutes of talk time remaining.

SUMMARY
I was never a fan of Jabra Bluetooth headsets until now. Most never fit well or were comfortable. Jabra has finally made one that is reasonably comfortable to use, though they could do even better. The call quality, advanced noise cancellation, charging options and very low MSRP, make the Jabra EXTREME an amazing value and my choice for use in the car.

Jabra excellent5
I love it so far, it’s a lot smaller than expected which is great. Clear sound great for listen to iPhone. Charger is also great, love the short cord, because I can plug into outlet and lay Bluetooth right on the charger or use ear hook to hook on charger wire. Excellent produce. Thanks. High rating.

Not only an impressive headset - but also an impressive array of included accessories5
I’m no fan of Bluetooth headsets - but I’ve managed to become the kind of person that only uses my headset when I need it, so you won’t find me walking through the mall or airport with my headset on, waiting for a call.

The Jabra EXTREME has a lot to live up to, especially with its name and list of features. Thankfully it delivers - sound quality on both ends of the call is exceptional. The noise blocking features really do cancel out quite a lot of background noise, without reducing call quality too much.

One of the best parts of this headset is the included assortment of accessories. Included in the box is a car charger, USB adapter, wall adapter and some replacement ear hooks.

This headset makes it an easy choice to skip those $100 “fashion headsets” and go for something reliable and affordable - good job Jabra!