Acer Aspire One AO722-0473 11.6-Inch HD Netbook (Espresso Black)

This 11.6" 1.0Ghz [1.33 turbo] netbook packs a punch for its size and low power consumption. The AMD C-60 mobile dual core processor runs well enough to play videos without skipping and efficiently enough to stay charged for as much as 7 hours. I opted for this model over the earlier 722-454 version for several reasons: its dual core processor, 2GB of RAM installed/ upgradable to 4GB, and 320GB hard drive.
If you're still not sold on a netbook over a tablet or standard laptop read on.
Tablets are still recreational devices, fun, chic in cafes, but they're still mostly for playing games and looking busier than you actually are. They have a few practical features, but all require a keyboard, which is an extra expense, and conveniently included with a netbook! If you do a lot of writing, typing, or work related proposals and editing, the DataViz optional word processor for Android tablets won't replace MS Office. It has limited functionality and frequently crashes without auto-saving.

If you're thinking about an iPad or AirBook, remember, you're buying into a complete product line of computers, music, videos and applications which are virtually useless on non-Apple devices. If you buy one Apple product, you have to buy them all. This is great for some, but expensive for most.
As I said, if you're comparing this netbook to a traditional laptop, this model doesn't require you to make a lot of sacrifices in your performance expectations. Just remember, netbooks don't have CD/DVD drives, no 10-key, and smaller screens. One complaint I have with this model is that it's missing a built-in bluetooth antenna. Irritating, but easily remedied with a low-profile USB dongle in one of the three available USB ports, which is more than on most netbooks. I would recommend spending the extra $25 to upgrade the RAM to 4GB when you purchase it. It's very easy to install yourself--no under the keyboard poking around required.

There's a single philip's head screw in the middle of the bottom plate, unscrew it, slide forward and you'll find the single DIMM looking right at you. Anybody who played with shape blocks as a kid can figure it out. All in all, this is a good buy for 329.99. It's cheaper than most tablets and standard laptops and you can use it for actual work out of the box, no extra $50 keyboards required. Please reply if you have any other questions I can answer.

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Acer Aspire One AOD257-13685 10.1-Inch Netbook (Espresso Black)

Netbooks have never really thrilled me mainly because of processor limitations and cramped keyboards but I decided to give the Acer D257 a shot mainly because my local Walmart was pushing the out the door for less than $230 to make room for a new supply coming in (odd since mine is date stamped for less than a month ago).
From the outside first appearances will tell you it's a netbook just like any of the others out there, but looks are deceiving.
Your first hint that something is different is in the top lid design. What appears to be a ripple design is actually embossed and can be felt when running your hand over it. For those of you that like to put cover stickers on top, you can kiss that idea goodbye.
Most will immediately notice the weight, or lack thereof. With the 3 cell battery installed my postal meter shows it coming in at 2 pounds, 3 ounces. Add another 8 ounces if you opt for the 6 cell battery (and you probably will, more on that later).
You've seen the specs before -- 1.66 Intel Atom processor, 1GB RAM, VGA port, card reader, 10.1 inch TFT screen, Windows 7 Starter, 3 USB ports, blah, blah.
Again this is deceiving but even I didn't spot the differences until I started using it. The first difference is the DDR3 1GHz RAM. Most other units tone down their RAM to either 800HMz DDR2 or use slower DDR3 variations.

And this does show in performance, but it's still a little light. 2GB is more appropriate but I'll discuss that issue later. Due to issues with upgrading RAM I went ahead and installed a 4GB flash card in the slot and told Windows to use it as extra RAM.
Overall, RAM usage stayed in the 60 to 70% range when surfing and/or watching videos. This doesn't leave much horsepower for anything else but what else do you plan to do on such a small unit?
The second obvious difference is the processor. Yes, it's an Atom dual core, but it also appears to support hyperthreading, something that is usually lacking. I discovered this upon installing the desktop widget that monitors the CPU. Instead of showing dual cores, it shows a quad core setup. This means it rarely pegs 50% CPU usage and is usually down in the low 20% for most work.
As an experiment I installed Corel WordPerfect and Dragon Naturally Speaking. The latter program is famous for making computers with low specs cry uncle and I added Corel just so Dragon would open it, too (thereby creating a double whammy stress on resources). My previous netbook would give up an die about the time I opened Dragon.

This Acer didn't. Dragon and Corel opened up just fine and, in fact, I'm using both right now to dictate this review.
As for video playback I received another pleasant surprise with this unit. My previous netbook couldn't and wouldn't play any video above 240p and was choppy at that level.
Although this unit defaults to 360p you can go ahead and crank it up to 720p without hesitation or stuttering. Rather impressive, although the Windows score is rated at 2.0 because it lacks 3D and some video support (those in the know ignore this figure anyway).
As for speed, it's just as quick as my Lenovo laptop with 7 Professional and 8GB RAM, but Starter undoubtedly has something to do with this. Without all that extra Aero jazz and background interference, Starter is bound to be a little quicker.
Oddly, it does boot to a usable desktop within 1.5 minutes or less, about half a minute quicker than my Lenovo.
But speed and video capability do come at a price. Battery life is somewhat abysmal, especially with the 3 cell battery. It can and does conk out after about 2.5 to 3 hours and the purported claims of 4 hours must be at idle while doing nothing; however, my 6 cell battery returns nearly 8 hours of time on a charge. The really adventurous can get a 9 cell battery that alleges 12 hours of use but also adds nearly another pound to the package.
For those opting to travel with the plug keep in mind that Acer still uses the standard power cord and users have to attach the power plug assembly for their country. In the U.S. this is a standard two prong connector but using one power cord with different connectors means extra bulk. In fact, the power assembly weighs nearly 3 times as much as the battery and could easily be smaller.

Users wanting something different can also find versions running MeeGo Linux or Android along with Windows but I haven't been able to get more than one OS to run at any given time. Most in the U.S. at this time appear to be Windows based although EBay does have a few international versions with different OS.
Also, contrary to belief, Starter is not completely stripped. It does come with Windows Media Player (some reviewers state it doesn't) and you can open more than 3 programs at once (that was an old MS limitation). True, you can't change the desktop background but I'm usually busy doing other things to look.
So, cutting to the chase here are the good points:
* Lightweight. Sub 3 pounds with 6 cell battery and barely over 2 with standard 3 cell
* Thin. I swear it can't be more than an inch thick
* 250GB HDD instead of the usual 160GB
* Oddly quiet. I have to strain to hear the fan running most of the time. Usually netbooks are noisy and even the HDD is quiet in this unit
* Wireless includes N. Most stop at G.
* It can sense with the power connector is loose and will beep to let you know it's not connected all the way (but only if the connector is still making partial contact).
* Dual core processor with hyperthreading is unique. Most stop with just the dual core and leave it at that
* DDR3 RAM, although limited to 1GB, is sufficient for the tasks I've put it through
* Unique cover design
* Solid construction with no creaking or cracking and limited screen flex
* Decent performance, especially video
* Cheap compared to tablets that are taking over the market. $240 for an ultraportable is nearly unheard of and a similar computer just 10 years ago from Dell or the like would have set you back $2,000.
* Keyboard that is actually pleasurable to use. I rarely had a mistype.

* Mouse/trackpad with the same pinch and squeeze features found on Apples. At least Acer got away from previous designs with the buttons on the side. While these finger movements may seem minor, they do come in handy for when screen print is small.
Not everything is perfect and there are flaws:
* Bottom firing speakers mean tinny and muffled sound
* Even Acer is confused with this model. The website states it's a single core model when it's actually dual core (and, yes, I did get the right model variation).
* No HDMI port for those desiring such nor is there Bluetooth capability
* Changing RAM or hard drive requires the removal of 6 screws on the bottom (2 of which are covered by the rubber feet), removal of the keyboard, yet another 6 screws and a metal plate. Screw any of these up and you're out of luck.
* Quirky battery life, at least with 3 cell. Prone to dropping a half hour after just a couple minutes use so it's really difficult to gauge when you need to find an outlet or call it quits.
* The two right side USB ports and next to each other. Fat dongles need not apply
* Surefire fingerprint magnet on the cover although keyboard surfaces are roughly finished
* Incredible amount of bloatware including anti-virus and Microsoft Office trials plus 22 Acer games that had to be removed.
* My unit is date stamped June, 2011 (the 19th to be exact) and today is the 12th of July so why did I already have over 250MB of updates waiting in the pipes?
* Watching videos turns up the heat to the point the bottom is really hot. Since most of the vents are bottom firing you can see where this presents problems. Adding the bulk of the 6 cell battery elevated the rear end and kept the heat done somewhat.
Overall, I give this unit a high rating but those interested might want to act quickly. Netbooks are a dying breed and may be replaced by tablets in the near future (might also explain with the prices are dropping, too).

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ASUS Taichi 21-DH71 11.6-Inch Convertible Touch Ultrabook

Notebook? Check. Tablet? Check. One of the most innovative PCs on the market? Check, check and check!!!
The TAICHI is designed to echo what we all sense and know about our world. It is multi-faceted, with two display panels transforming into multiple distinct usage modes to help achieve a balance of happiness and growth. It has power and speed to maintain a smooth fusion of notebook and tablet elements. The TAICHI is a device for many roles, many places, and any time. It transitions between modes effortlessly, guaranteeing you a flowing experience as natural as life itself.
ASUS TAICHI, the perfect combination of Tablet and Notebook.

ASUS is a global technology leader who focuses on the mastery of innovation and design perfection. Today, it is the world's #1 manufacturer of motherboards and is one of world's top PC brands. With customers' need in the forefront, ASUS embodies the passion to create products that truly enhance the computing experience. Not only does design matter, ASUS products are also strictly quality tested to surpass industry standards, surviving multiple drop tests, hinge tests cycles and LCD pressure tests to name a few, ensuring that every ASUS product you buy will be one of your best investments.
ASUS PCs finish near or at the top of the industry's reliability rankings survey after survey.1
Known for their unmatched reliability, ASUS products clearly offers you peace of mind and quality you can trust. Using only premium materials, ASUS aims to break the industry mold and deliver a product that is truly incredible.
This notebook is backed by the industry's most comprehensive coverage:
1-Year International Warranty 30-Day Flawless Display GuaranteeFree 2-way standard shipping24/7 Technical Support
1-Year Accidental Damage Protection
Covers accidental drops, spills, power surges and fire damage for the first year. For more information, visit http://completewarranty.asus.com

ASUS TAICHI VIP Support* Exclusive VIP Support for your ASUS TAICHI: 1-866-455-2787Available 24/7English Speaking Only
*Exclusive support for your ASUS TAICHI notebook ONLY. Contact availability subject to change at any time without prior notification. Closed in observance of major national holidays.

1st 11.6" Dual Screen Notebook and Tablet CombinationInstant Sharing with Multiple Screen Modes : Notebook, Tablet, Mirror, and Dual ScreensFull HD IPS panel and 178o wide-viewing angle2-Second Resume and up to 2-Week Standby TimeSuperior Sound with Exclusive SonicMaster Technology by Bang & Olufsen ICEpower®Backlit Keyboard Automatically Adjusts the Backlight Brightness to SuitUSB 3.0 for faster data transfer ratesIncludes a 256GB Solid State Drive BT 4.0 for faster data rate and lower power consumptionUSB Charger+ for more convenient device chargingDual Band WIFI & Intel WIDI supportStylus pen convenient for notes & detail sketchColor & Decoration: Frameless Glare type Tablet with Silver Aluminum FrameProcessor: Intel® Core i7-3517UOperating System: Windows 8 (64bit)On board Memory: 4GBMemory Slot: N/ASystem memory: N/AMaximum Memory: 4GBStorage: 256GB SSDSSD Cache: NADisplay: 11.6" Dual LED-backlit TFT LCD display resolution: FHD 1920x1080/FHD1920x1080/16:9) display type: typical 280nits/250nits 25ms response time NTSC: 72%External video: HDMI 1.4Display Modes: VGA max. 2048*1536 @85Hz refresh rateVideo Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000Video memory: N/AVideo Camera: HD + 5M Pixel dual Camera (720p video recording)Optical Drive: N/ABuilt-in TV-Tuner: N/AFinger Print: N/AWireless: 802.11agn+Bluetooth 4.0 (Dual band)3G: N/ALAN: 10/100 MbpsCard Reader: N/AUSB Port: 2x USB 3.0Interface: 1x Headphone-out & Audio-in Combo Jack
1x micro HDMI
1x mini VGA
1x Screen A lock BottomAudio: Built-in speaker, Built-in microphone, Built-in array microphone,Bang & Olufsen ICEpower®, Sonic Master Technology Weight (lbs.): 2.2 (Without Battery)
2.8 (With 6 cell battery)Dimension (in): 12 (W) x 7.83(D) x .2 ~ .7 (H)AC Adapter: 45W AC Adapter: Output: 19V DC, 2.37A, 45W: Input: 100~240V AC 50/60Hz universalBattery: 35WHrs, 3200mAh,3S2P, 6-cell Li-ion Battery packKeyboard Type: Illuminated Chiclet Keyboard
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Wacom Bamboo Capture Pen and Touch Tablet (CTH470)

Notice: The following review is based on using a 2009 white Macbook. The issues that I note with various touch input methods all worked fine with a friend's Macbook Air- except "natural" scrolling, which is still messed up as explained lower in the review. I assume then that if you have a Mac that natively accepts four-finger input via its trackpad that the touch input gestures of the Wacom Bamboo will work fine for you as well. (My computer natively only supports two-finger gestures, though the tablet augments that significantly to three and most of the four-fingered gestures.)

Review:
The hardware looks nicer than it does on the box (the box is darker and more muted than the product), but not quite the same coloration as is on Amazon's site or Wacom's site. In the online pictures it looks as if the buttons on the tablet are light grey/silverish, but they're definitively black in real life. The tablet's color online appears quite white, especially on the drawing surface, but it's grey. It looks like it'll blend in perfectly next to a Macbook Pro or Macbook Air. It's rather elegant.

The four buttons are interestingly not flat. Those little flavor indents in the picture are actual indents. Its a nice design touch, and actually kind of begs you to touch it more.

I was concerned about the newer "paperlike" feel that Wacom has updated all of its products to have, but it feels good. I actually liked the smooth plastic textureless gliding of my last tablet, and still might a little bit more, but I can already tell that this tablet's texture is entirely decent and I'll adapt to it rather painlessly.
It feels good on the fingers. Might not be as smooth as Apple's glasslike surfaces, but it's analogous to the trackpads Apple used before switching to glass.
Everything is responsive. The rotate feature can get a little weird with the pinch/zoom feature, not really knowing which one to apply, so I turned the rotate feature off in preferences. Oh- preferences for touch motions can't be configured in an "I want this to do X" sort of way. They have their intrinsic attributes and can only be toggled on and off.

It does a really good job at distinguishing between what I intend to be an input with my fingers or my pen. So if I lay my hand on it to use the pen- no problem, it gets it. You don't have to worry about toggling the finger-touch on and off.

Oh, by the way- there is approximately an inch's worth of margin on the top, right, and bottom of the usable tablet area. It appears to be quite a large surface, but a decent portion of that does nothing. I'm just eyeing it, but it looks like 6" x 4" worth of usable space, which doesn't sound like much to someone that hasn't used one, but I find to be a quite preferable size. I'd actually rather use a smaller tablet than larger. It's just a preference on how much you like to move as you draw- large sweeping strokes of the arm, or smaller subtler strokes of the wrist.

You might be surprised (as I was) to realize the pen doesn't have an eraser (as my previous, lesser Wacom tablet did).
I'm pretty sure you can't replace the pen with a better one as the driver software doesn't have any indication of the pen having an eraser end.
Honestly, not that big of a dilemma to me. You can program one of your six buttons (4 on the tablet, 2 on the pen) to switch to eraser tool if you want it anyway.

Four months in, my tablet stopped accepting input correctly and I contacted Wacom. The interaction with the customer service representative went very smoothly- no stupid questions asked (if you've ever talked to AT&T, you know what I mean). He sent me a pen immediately. (I did have to send him a copy of my receipt, via email- so hold on to those.) Three days later, it arrived and it works flawlessly. Pretty sure I have to send my old pen back on my dime, though. Oh, well. I'm still very pleased it wasn't the tablet itself that stopped working correctly.

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When this tablet first came out, the driver software was a big issue for Lion compatibility. It has since (mostly) been fixed. The one extremely glaring flaw that still exists has to do with two finger scrolling. Wacom gives you two options: Natural and Standard. Standard is what is default on all Macs prior to OS X Lion- you move your fingers up, the page goes up. Move them left, it goes left.
Natural is, I presume, supposed to be what OS X Lion has as default scrolling functionality- similar to the iPad. You move your fingers up, the page goes down. Move them right, the page goes left. It's supposed to replicate dragging the page with your finger itself. Unfortunately, Wacom got it wrong in a really weird way - the left and right scrolling is identical to Standard mode. So you move your fingers up to scroll down, and left to scroll... left. Inversion-fail.

The four-finger swipe between spaces also exists in the preference pane, but doesn't work at all for me. Pity.

I'm sure they'll get around to fixing these oversights at some point. Ultimately though, the touch functionality that does exist makes this the most convenient line of Wacom tablets to use by far. Weighing this tablet with the current pro tablet - Intuos 4, I would probably choose this one for 9/10 tasks. Concept art and high quality painting or sketching would be the only project I'd prefer an Intuos 4 on at this point in time, due to the pen tilt functionality and extra pressure sensitivity.

The following issues with the driver software were fixed on Jan. 3rd, 2012. Check out Wacom's page to update your driver, and be pleased with the fact that your tablet is now very similar to an Apple Magic Trackpad, except with slightly less responsiveness and pen control:

a) Pinch/zoom had you pinching to make something bigger (while it oddly shows the zoom out magnifying glass) and vis versa.
b) The three-finger forward and back gestures were swapped, so Back is swipe right instead of left.
c) The four-finger gestures to show the desktop and to show Mission Control didn't work.
d) The left/right four-finger gesture didn't switch Spaces/fullscreen applications. Instead it brought up the Command + Tab application switcher panel.
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Wacom has only allowed the keys and pen buttons for Bamboo tablets to be configured Globally, so you cannot create specific key commands per application.
Because this functionality is entirely software driven, it's omission is merely to provide an extra distinguishing factor between their consumer and pro lineups. If you want application specific button-mapping, you'll have to pay more for an Intuos 5 (available now at Wacom's page, probably shortly on amazon).

The Intuos 5 also boasts tilt/rotational pen controls, double the pressure sensitivity, a more ergonomic pen with an eraser, and more quick-access-buttons.

The button-mapping, by the way, can make your workflow considerably faster. It's a pity the drivers force you to reprogram your hot keys every time you want to switch applications though, especially since it's an unnecessary handicap.

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The included CD stated on its packaging that it came with Corel Painter Essentials. It doesn't. It doesn't state that it does on the outside packaging or on any of the websites I've seen. It did get my hopes up for a second seeing that my disc claimed it did though. :P
And for some reason Autodesk SketchBook wouldn't install on my system. Don't know why.

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Altogether- I like it, I'd recommend it, and it's got more bells and whistles than the last tablet I had. It remains to be seen how the tablet itself will hold up over the years. Due to the precedence of quality set by Wacom in the past, I would have assumed nothing other than rugged durability, but with my pen giving out after only 4 months, I'm a little more hesitant.

If you've never owned a tablet before, trust me. Tablets are amazing. They'll change the way you use your computer forever- for the better.

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Grace Digital ECOXGEAR ECOXBT Rugged and Waterproof Wireless Bluetooth Speaker (Orange)

 

If you enjoy your music wherever you go then Grace Digital's ECOXGEAR line of products is the choice for you. Looking for a wireless Bluetooth speaker system then the ECOXBT is your perfect portable solution. The ECOXBT wirelessly connects to your smartphone, tablet, or laptop providing a rugged and waterproof mobile Bluetooth speaker and speakerphone solution. The ECOXBT is not just water resistant but actually 100% waterproof. So don't worry if it gets knocked in the pool, falls off the boat, drops into the river, lake or ocean. It even floats! An Aux-in jack on the back of the unit provides the option to physically connect any iPhone, smartphone, mp3 player or any audio source with an audio out jack.

There is really no place that the ECOXBT speaker will not go. Take it to the beach, hiking and backpacking, or on your camping or boating trip. If you can get there, the ECOXBT will be there with you. The ECOXBT features Bluetooth EDR 2.1 that delivers audio wirelessly to the two built-in full-range stereo speakers and microphone, allowing you to listen to your favorite tunes or take a phone call, wherever you are.

Take the ECOXBT anywhere: the beach, hiking, backpacking, camping or boating. View larger

The ECOXBT will additionally play music from non-Bluetooth-enabled portable devices via the 1/8" (3.5mm) auxiliary in jack located on the rear of the ECOXBT. The Aux-in jack connects your audio source to the full-range stereo speakers. (Note: the ECOXBT's phone function is not active when your device is only connected via the Aux-in jack.)

The rugged industrial design protects the built-in speakers from the elements when you're outdoors. The polycarbonate outer shell and rubber over mold make the ECOXBT waterproof and shock resistant while the black stainless steel speaker grill cover protects the speaker cones from damage.

The ECOXBT comes with a carabineer to clip on to your backpack to keep your hands free. Clip the case to the top of your tent, to a tree while sitting by the camp fire, or basically wherever you can click it.

The ECOXBT runs on a built-in rechargeable Lithium 1800mAh battery, as well as on the included USB to AC power adapter. The rechargeable battery provides over 10 hours of listening at average volume, and fully recharges in only 2 hours. Top panel LED indicators share information about power status, Bluetooth pairing, and charging status.

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SONOS BRIDGE Instant Set-up Solution for SONOS Wireless Network (BR100)

A few months ago, I decided to upgrade my music system. I began looking at CD "jukeboxes" that could load my entire collection. Along the way, I discovered the world of wireless music systems, and began researching them. Sonos seemed to be well-received, so I finally made the decision to purchase a ZoneBridge and a ZonePlayer 120. This setup has fulfilled every expectation I had for a new music system, and more. It's an easy and pleasant way to listen to music you already own, and to discover new music.
Below is my review of all the main benefits I see to this amazing system.
1. System Setup
Sonos offers many hardware options, but they all have a few things in common. A Sonos ZoneBridge connects to your computer - it "indexes" music on your hard drive and connects to the Internet for music services (more on that later), then it beams all this to a ZonePlayer, which is hooked up to speakers somewhere else in your home. It creates a wireless network dedicated just to music and does not interfere with other wireless devices. You can add more ZonePlayers, and they all pick up the same wireless signal and allow you to listen to your collection in multiple locations throughout your home.
The ZonePlayer 120 has standard jacks for directly connecting speakers. You can also hook up an ethernet cable, if you want to stream music through a wire instead of using the wireless signal. Finally, the ZonePlayer 120 allows you to connect an analog device using standard RCA cables. For my setup, I just hooked up two speakers.
To get ready for this system, you must rip all your physical CDs into a music library. This is the most time-consuming part of the process. But there is nothing unusual here. You can use iTunes to rip CDs into your library, just as you normally would. To get the best sound quality from the Sonos system, you should rip everything using "Apple lossless" format (instead of MP3). This is really easy to do in iTunes. Lossless is not required (you can use MP3s if you want) , but it's better because you'll get CD-quality sound.
After you rip all your CDs into an iTunes library, you run the Sonos "Desktop Controller," which comes free with Sonos systems. This is one of the easiest and most intuitive software applications I've ever used. Just tell it to set up your music library. It finds your iTunes collection and "indexes" it in the Sonos system. Depending on the size of your collection, this may take a little while. With my collection of about 400 CDs, indexing takes about three minutes.
After that, there is an automated process where the software "locates" your ZoneBridge and ZonePlayer. On your computer screen, it literally shows a picture of the devices with arrows pointing at the buttons you need to press. In less than five minutes (seriously) the Sonos Desktop Controller can have the whole system done and ready to go.
Other than that, you just decide whether you want to use one of Sonos' remote controllers, or get the free Sonos app which runs on the iPhone or iPod Touch. I use the free app, and it it works great: I turn on the iPod Touch, click the "Sonos" icon, then scan my entire music collection and play anything, within a few seconds.
2. The Listening Experience
Of course, easy set up does not matter if the system doesn't sound good. Well, Sonos sounds great. The music that plays through the ZonePlayer is CD quality (remember to rip in Apple lossless format). It's as simple as that.
There is about a three-second wait time when you first click on the icon on your controller, as the Sonos systems starts up. But after that, you can run through your collection without delay. I like how my music collection is suddenly organized alphabetically by artist, album, or track names. If you're like me and have a large collection, this indexing of your music is itself a great improvement over looking through hundreds of CDs for the one you want! Of course, the accuracy of your index relies on the album and artist data you provide when ripping your CDs into your iTunes library.
Once the music starts to play, it just works. I've never had interruptions due to wireless connection problems. While the music plays, you see album artwork on your controller, plus the standard play/pause/forward/rewind functions we're all accustomed to. You can also create playlists.
3. Music Discovery
Of course, having your entire music collection easily accessible is great. But the Sonos system goes much further. I was pleasantly surprised after I started using my Sonos system to see some excellent music discovery options I had not known about before.
Through the Sonos system, you can access Pandora (the free Internet radio service) and play it through your stereo speakers.
You can also access radio stations from around the world and play them live over your stereo system. I've enjoyed cruising my local radio stations, or stations from around the world. You can find stations in obvious places like the US, Europe, Africa, and South America. But you can also find them in remote areas of the South Pacific, Asia, Antarctica (I'm not kidding), and places you may have never heard of before. It seems as though almost every corner of the globe is represented in this system. If you find a station you like, you can bookmark it as a favorite. It is important to point out that when you play a radio station through this system, it is not a canned pre-recorded program. You're hearing the actual broadcast, exactly as it would be heard by a "regular" radio.
You can also take out a subscription to an online music service. I chose Napster for $60/year. At any time, in about a minute or so, I can locate artists, albums, or tracks and play them on my stereo system. The sound quality of Napster is not quite the same level as the lossless files ripped from my CD collection, but it's very good. You can bookmark your favorite albums or artists to play them easily each time you start the Sonos system. Napster even has some interesting spoken-word "albums" like poetry readings and stories. You cannot create CDs from Napster music, but I use it all the time to hear enough to decide if I want to buy the actual CD, which I then rip into my library.
There are numerous other music services available through the Sonos system. All of them show up right on the main menu of your controller.
4. Product Support
The Sonos system often feels overwhelming when you're first looking into it. When I began reading about it, I was confused about all the different ZonePlayers, could not tell what I really needed, and did not know about the sound quality of the equipment. For me, it was great having the Sonos user forum, a group of customers helping each other. There are a lot of patient people there who are willing to help you understand what the Sonos system is all about. After purchasing the system, you may have a question or two about options and possibilities, and the user forum is great for all of this.
5. Conclusion
As you can see, I'm a big fan of what Sonos has done with their music system. It really has opened up all kinds of listening possibilities. I can play music easily and at high quality levels, and I even see my own collection better now - sometimes noticing CDs and songs I had forgotten about!
I recommend this system strongly to people who want to modernize their music library but keep the same music quality they are accustomed to with CDs.

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Creative D100 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker (Black)

I've owned the Creative D100 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker for two months (paid $78.47). I'm very pleased. The sound quality is excellent for this type of speaker. The volume is loud enough to completely fill a room or a small outdoor area (e.g., patio). I've enjoyed it on the beach and found quality does not suffer much at high volumes.
Like with any small speaker, if you crank it to max volume, there is some distortion on bass-heavy songs. But the distortion is slight, and the bass sounds great if you have the volume appropriately set for the type of audio you are streaming.
On that note, there is no remote. The only way to control the volume is the `volume up' and `volume down' buttons on the front of the speaker or directly from streaming device ONLY IF it allows it. That is, my iPhone (3G - iOS 3.1.3) CANNOT change the speaker's volume while streaming, but my laptop can. In my use, I have not needed a remote. Usually I directly set the speaker's volume for the environment (e.g., bathroom, patio) and forget it. No remote also means you must control the streaming media from your device. There are no media control buttons on the speaker.
There is an auxiliary input on the back of the speaker, if you want to hook up a non-bluetooth device, or maybe just to save battery by not using Bluetooth.
Pairing with Bluetooth-capable devices (in my case, iPhone 3G and HP laptop) is simple and quick.
Battery life (four AA) is excellent. It is so long I cannot even put an estimate in terms of hours. It also came with an AC adapter, but I have never used it. The battery compartment is underneath the speaker.
The speaker is fairly small and very light. I actually carry it from room-to-room to enjoy while I am doing chores.
My only concern with the speaker is the build quality. The plastic casing is sturdy, but the front face of the speaker (surrounding the name plate and volume controls) is made of cloth. The cloth is spongy, but I am worried that it will inevitably tear with my heavy use of the speaker. There is no travel case included with the speaker.
Looking for a portable Bluetooth wireless speaker, I also considered the Logitech Z515 ($90, smaller and cloth-free). I've never used that Logitech speaker, but I ultimately chose the Creative D100 based on superior reviews for sound quality and bass quality. Look into both. There are good reviews for them and a comparison on CNET, if you want more information.
On the front of the speaker:
Volume up button
Volume down button
Bluetooth connect button
On the back of the speaker:
Power (on/off) switch
Aux input
5V AC adapter input
Underneath the speaker:
Battery compartment (four AA)

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