Racing has never felt so real! Hold on tight as you hug corner after corner, skid through the sand, or trade paint with rival cars chasing for position — the wireless steering wheel simulates all the resistance and force, immersing you in a relentless and unparalleled racing experience. Featuring sleek design and cutting edge technology like dual Rumble motors and powerful Force Feedback, the Xbox 360 Wireless Steering Wheel is a masterpiece of form and function.
Here’s Xbox 360 racing wheel video demo on Forza Motorsport 2
This Xbox 360 steering wheel kept me playing Forza 2 for hours! I am an ‘old school’ gamer and I could never get the hang of using a joystick to drive. Keep in mind that this is the ‘re-released’ version of the Xbox360 Wireless Steering Wheel and thus it only includes a demo of Forza 2. The older models were recalled by Microsoft, so beware of used ones.
First things first, the box that this wheel comes in is HUGE! The upside to the large box is that everything is put together and all you need to do is unpack the wheel and pedals and plug them together. You are going to want to plug the wheel into the wall and use the full feedback features. I don’t think too many people are going to spend this kind of money on a steering wheel to sit on a chair and play with the wheel on their lap ‘wirelessly’. The benefit of the wireless part is that you don’t need to worry about using up a USB port on the front of you Xbox360 to plug this in. Connecting is easy, push the sync button on your console and on the wheel. Like magic they each recognize each other and you are in business. After plugging the foot pedals into the wheel via a little cable that looks like a telephone wire you are set to race. Feedback on Forza 2 was amazing! Understeer, bumps, warning strips, you feel everything.
Pros:
Top notch feel and finish, no corners cut on cheap plastic or details.
Works right out of the box. No drivers to fumble with.
Feedback (while connected to power source) is excellent.
Clamping system is easy to understand and use.
Doesn’t tie up a spot on your Xbox 360’s USB ports.
Cons:
Minor - you need to find suitable table/surface to mount this on. It is heavy!
Minor - clamping system is excellent, however, after a long race it may move and need re-adjusting.
Conclusion:
Spend a few extra bucks and buy this steering wheel. I think the smiles that you will get from finding out how much fun racing games can be with this setup will be worth every penny!
The iPod Touch is the ultimate hand-held multimedia player from Apple. With Cover Flow on Apple iPod touch 16GB, you can flick through your songs to find the favorite single you want to listen. And when you do, a quick tap of the cover flips it over to display a track list. Another tap starts the music.
Multi-touch interface
The revolutionary technology that made iPhone a hit is now on iPod touch.
Exquisite 3.5-inch widescreen display
Touch your music in Cover Flow and watch videos on a stunning, widescreen display.
Wi-Fi web browsing
Browse the web with Safari (Apple’s unique web browser) and watch videos from YouTube.com on the first-ever Wi-Fi iPod.
Download Songs from iTunes
Search, preview, and buy songs from the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store on iPod touch.
“Slick and entertaining, but know what you are getting…”
Apple iPod Touch 16GB is a fabulous piece of technology and integrates very smoothly with my iMac and iTunes. Others have already covered many Pros and Cons but there are a few things that are worth considering before buying.
1. PRICE — Others have “complained” about iPod touch 16GB price. This IS NOT food, water or shelter; it is a discretionary purchase. It represents excellent value IMHO in comparison to other similar devices.
2. INTERNET — The wireless internet is surprisingly functional once you are used to some of the quirks and limitations. For example, you can currently only watch video from internet sites supported by Quicktime (Apple’s streaming video player). Some websites (like AOL) don’t seem to load very efficiently and navigating sites with crowded page content can be trying.
3. USEFULNESS — This is NOT a PDA though it can serve as one in a limited spaces with some creative thinking. For example you can create “notes” in iCal or you can (assuming a wireless conection is presented) send yourself an e-mail if you need to type something in so you remember it. If you NEED a PDA, get the iPhone instead.
4. iPod Touch vs iPhone — I opted for this because I don’t need a PDA and my current cell plan fits my needs. Remember the iPhone is a touch device and I’m guessing most people don’t wash their hands every time prior to use. Now you are putting those germs right up to your ear. Think about using an iPhone after shaking hands with “Joe” who doesn’t wash his hands after…well, you get the idea.
5. SIZE — It’s thin, but not small. If you primarily listen to music, stick with the iPod Nano. Once it is in sleep mode you can’t change settings without activating it. I use my iPod nano for walks and I can adjust it right in my pocket (volume especially).
Canon PowerShot A 720IS 8MP Digital Camera with 6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
The Canon PowerShot A 720IS is the quintessential A-Series digital camera in a popular line that matches high-end image quality with enjoyment, easy-to-use features that deliver splendid cost performance. Top-notch specs include 8-megapixel resolution and a long 6x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer Technology for sharp and clear images throughout the zoom range. Powershot A720IS’s DIGIC III Image Processor presents advanced Face Detection Technology and Red-eye Correction for brilliant images. Even expand your creative possibilities with wide-angle and telephoto converter lenses.
Example photos taken with Canon Powershot A 720IS Here is Canon Powershot A720 IS video review
I’ve bought the Canon PowerShot A720IS for about a month now and took several pictures in various conditions. So I feel ready to give a detailed review of this camera. My primary profession is engineer and I’m starting out in amateur photography. I needed something with enough non-automatic controls so that I can apply what I’ve learned in photography course. But I wasn’t willing to pay too much on a full dSLR + lenses (yet). Plus I like the portability of a compact camera. I’ve read a lot of published online reviews of Powershot A720 IS and a few others in its class at the time of purchase. Here are some of my thoughts on each area of Canon A720 IS that other reviewers may not have covered.
Size & Looks:
Not as small as the ultra-compacts, but it’s very difficult to find one smaller with all the manual controls that Canon A-series Power shot cameras offer. Having aperture and shutter priority modes and a wide enough ISO range (80 - 1600) is a must for more creative shooting. If all you shoot is in auto mode (or scene mode), then there are other cameras that are sleeker & smaller (such as the SD-series). I personally prefer a darker color, silver on an obviously plastic body is a pet peeve of mine in all electronics these days. Just a matter of personal taste. I wished the camera was slightly smaller & lighter. The main weight should just be a high quality glass lens, everything else can be electronics & plastic. A lot of pros like the Canon G-series because of the solid metal frames. But that’s mainly because in the dSLR world, everything weighs a lot more. In a portable digital camera I want portability. Unlike shrinking cell phones & MP3 players these days, the big lens (& preferably bigger sensor size) should be the limiting factor for cameras. I want lenses big enough to let in sufficient light at the largest zoom and also not suffer from barrel distortion and other abnormalities. Another reason why I didn’t go with ultra-compacts that have prism-folding optics.
8 Megapixels:
This is on the low end for currently introduced new digital cameras. But it’s more than I (or most people) need. 8MP is enough for all but poster-sized enlargements. Higher megapixels have problems such as denser sensors that have more noise and less dynamic range, also requiring more memory/disk space for storage. More camera buyers should be informed that high megapixels does not mean better picture quality, and actually introduces new problems.
Zoom: Canon Powershot A 720IS has 6x Optical zoom. I was tried to get the new Powershot SX100 with 10x optical zoom. But I would have to sacrifice the A720’s optical viewfinder and a bit smaller size. Also from an earlier Kodak Easyshare Z712 (12x optical zoom) I owned and sold, the greater zoom capacities was not as appealing as it seemed at first due to a number of reasons such as hand shake (even with IS), a bit less optical sharpness at all zoom levels, and the added bulk. 6x optical zoom is good enough for 95% of the shooting I do without reducing size and image quality.
Optical Image Stabilization:
A very important feature in digital cameras these days, especially with a small lens that could always use more light. I can take hand-held pictures about 2-3 stops slower than without, which means the shutter speed can go as low as 1/10 sec in wide angle without blurring the pictures (while keeping ISO low for less noise). IS is even more important when zoomed in at 6x in all but the sunniest outdoor conditions, again this is limited by the small optical lens. The more zoomed in, the smaller the aperture, and less light hitting the sensor, so the camera needs a slower shutter speed to expose the picture properly (which means steady hands or tripod), this is compounded by the higher sensitivity to hand shake when zoomed in.
Optical Viewfinder:
Optical viewfinders are rare among cameras in this class from other brands. Thanks to Canon for including it. The benefits of a viewfinder include being able frame and shoot in sunny conditions that would wash out the LCD display. Also once I have the settings set, I can just turn off the LCD and shoot through the viewfinder for framing to conserve battery power (up to 4x as many pictures taken per set of batteries, 900+ on NiMH) The viewfinder is about 80% of the full image frame, so there’s enough buffer for framing error so you can crop digitally later on a PC. The viewfinder is slightly offset from the sensor so it’s less reliable for short-range shooting and definitely not recommended for macro shooting. The Canon A 720 IS doesn’t have a swivel LCD display, but I prefer it since it only adds cost and bulk to a camera. LCDs today have enough wide-angle viewing so they’re still usable if I want to shoot from way above or below eye level.
AA Batteries:
This was a very important factor in my decision when shopping for a digital camera. I preferred standard batteries because I can find them easily when I’m traveling at any convenient store. The Powershot A720 IS also takes rechargeable NiMH AA cells for everyday use (more environmental, and also more capacity than AA alkalines). The CIPA rating for battery use is about 140 pictures on alkalines and 400 with NiMH. You may get more if you don’t use flash and zoom every other shot. I seem to get a lot more shots since I shoot using just the optical viewfinder often, and not much flash. Some cameras (such as my former Kodak Easy share Z712 IS) may imply on paper that it can use AA alkaline and NiMH batteries, but they weren’t really designed to conserve power. Faster performance usually means having motors and electronics that run at higher power, thus depleting batteries quicker. The Canon A 720IS actually can use AA alkalines efficiently.
Macro:
The Canon Powershot A 720IS is way ahead of the competition in that you can focus on objects as close as 1 cm (that’s less than half an inch in front of the lens!). Also one of the few benefits of having a smaller CCD sensor is that you get more Depth of View (DOF) for macro subjects compared to dSLRs.)
Fine tuning:
Custom white balance for odd indoor lighting conditions. In-camera adjustment to contrast, sharpness, and noise reduction. I prefer to keep these settings at a minimum so that the original image is captured with the most detail (in-camera contrast and sharpness boosting actually destroys detail). If need to, I can always adjust the image on a PC afterwards, but the more detail I can capture in the beginning, the more I have to work with in post-processing.
Some of the issues with this camera that I didn’t like are:
Small sensor & noise:
This is probably the biggest shortcoming that I see in the Canon A720 IS. But the only other viable option is to go the dSLR route and that means spending at least 3x as much (not including additional lenses and associated equipment.) The CCD sensor is only 1/2.5 inch diagonal, this is a very small area for 8 Megapixels. Basically at this point in digital sensor technology, cramming more megapixels into a small area results in less dynamic range (difference between lightest and darkest colors), and noise at anything higher than ISO 200 (which is needed for low-light shooting). I would have preferred a 1/1.8 inch sensor or larger. I get around it by shooting ISO 1600 when I absolutely need to (very dim scenes where flash washes out the background, or the subjects are beyond the reach of flash) and using computer software to reduce the noise afterwards. The results are usable for small prints. Also noteworthy is Cannon uses little on-camera noise reduction compared to other manufacturers (a user-selectable setting would be nicer). Which is good, because noise-reduction is a fine delicate process that must balance reducing noise at the expense of reducing clarity too. A process that I would much prefer to do on a full PC with more processing power and updated software than the one included in a camera that has less processing power and is not easily updated.
Flash recycle times:
Some other people have complained about how long it takes for the flash to recycle after use (it’s about 4-6 seconds). The main problem I see here is that the LCD screen goes blank during this time, and I would have preferred that the the LCD be in review mode or something useful so it doesn’t SEEM as long. From a technical point of view, I can see how this could be due to using alkaline batteries that provide low power, and to charge the flash safely without depleting the battery too fast with high current. Think of sipping water through a small straw versus a fat pipe. My previous Kodak Easyshare Z712 had fast recharge time, but it consumed batteries like crazy. So I prefer Canon’s approach, with some slight tweaking.
Actually a better workaround to this is to use an external camera flash. On camera flash is poor because it dulls and flattens pictures, produces red-eye, and makes the background too dim. I ordered a cheap wireless optically triggered slave flash (around $20). (Canon produces a more expensive one that’s more compatible in auto modes). Basically it’s a wireless flash that fires when another camera flashes in the vicinity. One caveat is that most slave flashes (unless specifically stated) will trigger with digital camera’s auto exposure and red-eye pre-flashes. These flashes confuse the slave flashes to fire prematurely. The Powershot A720IS’s manual mode comes to the rescue again. In manual mode, I can turn down the on-camera flash and the pre-flash off, relying on one or more external camera flashes to light the subject and give depth to my images. So for me the on-camera flash gets very little use.
Histogram not live:
The histogram (and flashing blown highlights) is a very important feature for setting the proper exposure manually in the digital world. It allows consistent picture to picture exposure. Otherwise the exposure is set automatically depending on whether the camera scene has a bright spot or not (e.g. noticeable when you shoot with the sky in one frame and another without.) The Canon A720 IS displays a histogram in review mode and when holding the shutter button in single-shot mode. But a live histogram would’ve been better so that I can adjust aperture/shutter/ISO and see how it affects the scene. Apparently a live histogram is possible with the CHDK firmware mod on older DIGIC II based cameras (A720IS uses DIGIC III, so no mod is available currently).
Other minor gripes:
Video (up to 640×480 30 frames per second) does not use the modern MPEG4 compression algorithm, so only allows up to 60 minuites worth of video with 4 GB of memory. Also the optical zoom is disabled when shooting video (supposedly to prevent the motor noise being picked up). I would have preferred the camera allowing this and I can either process it out of the video later with software rather than having to stop recording, zoom to a new angle, and then resume recording. I haven’t recorded a lot of video, but one option would be to set the optical zoom to a close enough range, and then while recording, use the digital zoom for better composition. But zooming in digitally seems to just blow up the pixels instead of increasing resolution. If video performance is important, then I would look elsewhere, or get a dedicated video camera that has a lot more zoom and recording time. What is nice is the continuous image stabilization of the Powershot A 720IS while recording video, it makes everything look like it was shot professionally on a Hollywood movie camera cart.
No adjustment for LCD brightness. Even though I shoot with optical viewfinder mostly, sometimes I have to use the LCD and would prefer to set the brightness to low or high depending on need for battery conservation or in bright environments.
Some minor color fringing at the corners in contrasty scenes when zoomed in maximum. Not much worse than other digital cameras though.
As you can see, I’m starting to get very picky about the camera. Overall it takes perfect pictures and at a great price. I did a lot of research and the longer I use the camera, the more I’m pleased with how much I got for the money. It’s more of a camera for those who like to play with settings so their pictures stand out. If you rely on automatic modes, then another camera may serve you better (I can’t speak much for it since I don’t use auto often except at social events when I hand it to someone else to take a snapshot while I’m in the picture.) Relying too much on auto modes can give unpredictable results (usually the case when pictures are blurry, or too dark/bright), but I blame that on the auto mode computer, and partially the user, not the overall camera.
Xbox 360 Wireless Steering Wheel
The 
