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Intel WiFi/Wimax 5350 mini-PCI card 802.11a/b/g/n & 802.16
I bought this product in early 2009 when it was still in "Engineering" test mode from an overseas seller for my Dell Latitude. It replaced the standard Intel mini-PCI card. I have loved the card ever since I got it. Dell even had a 3rd antenna connector inside my Latitude for the card even though my laptop is from mid 2006 (they must have been anticipating something like this).
While it has taken some time for Intel's drivers to come-out (that are stable) and improve them, it will pickup 802.11n signals from far away with the laptops built in antenna's. The speed is incredibly fast.
I have not been able to get the WiMax capability of the card working yet, as I understand that it only works in the 2.5GHz range, but it would be nice to see it when it is finally working or I can scan the freq range for signals. I don't know if there will be special setting needed for each WiMax installation or not. TDS does have an Alvarion 2.5-2.6GHz WiMax 802.16e network running around my area in Madison, WI currently, but I never pickup anything. After speaking with TDS, they told me that they did not support the "mobile" capabilities in the city yet. As I believe that encryption they are using is restricting the card any ability to recognize their network anywhere in the city.
Overall, I would recommend the card. I did not pay the ~$75 that is being asked for here, as I found it for around $35. Mine came with 3 extra antenna's for the laptop, in case it didn't have them already installed. But it will most likely become a standard card on new laptops in 2010.
Amazon.com Product Description
If you are ready to step onto the track at Daytona, you are ready for the V4. Using Microsoft's popular DirectX technology, InterAct has gone the next step in creating the best force feedback product on the market.
The V4 makes you feel like your on the road, it's great.
Force Feedback in that past has always come at a steep price, I've seen wheels for $50-$100 more that don't feel as good as this one. It's easy to program and the customer support people really know how to step you through any rough spots or questions that you might have. If I could rate this product higher I would, but without a doubt, take it from me, there isn't a better product like it for the price anywhere.
No support - Zero Stars
InterAct released this product shortly before windows XP took over the world. They never had any plans of releasing XP drivers. The wheel is useless if you have a new computer. InterAct's customer support in non-existant. Beware of any thing from InterAct.
InterAct V4 not so great
I have had the wheel for some time now (1 yr) and havn't been too impressed with it. It seemed to work OK for NFSIII Hot Pursuit (which it came with), but I have had no end of problems getting it to work with Monaco Grand Prix Racing Simulation 2. In Monaco, the pedals don't work, you are either wide open throttle, or hammering the brakes. Because of this, I can not comment on the steering response (it is difficut to tell when you wheels are always spinning or locked). No other racing games yet, but I'm looking for a good one. This wheel seems to be getting varried reviews, some love it and others hate it (complaints of delayed response). Look closely into this one before you purchace it.
From the Manufacturer
DVD and video playback software for enjoying crystal-clear, smooth playback of your standard and High-Def video and audio. Whether you're a movie buff, frequent flyer, or just like to watch video clips, WinDVD 8 gives you the best digital-entertainment experience.
Features:
Spellbinding Video and Audio Quality
The latest in video formats: play HD or standard-definition video encoded in any of a range of formats, recorded from HDTV, camcorder, or downloaded from the Web.
Retruned - did not work with my setup
Returned software as it crashed my computer several times before I uninstalled it.
I ran SATA RAID Verion 1 hard drives Mirror on an AMD 2500+ cpu. Software worked intermitantly. This software is likely in big trouble.I have since donated this computer and upgraded to Vista Home Premeium. Vista has what initially appears to be a very nice DVD decoder/viewer included.
First return with Amazon was smooth with account credit posted
difficult installation and support
first of all the installation asks for a serial number that you have to get from corel with your proof of purchase from amazon. than you have to email this proof to an address that does not exist. then make a phone call and wait on line for 12 minutes. Then creat an account online where you need your SERIAL NUMBER (which you dont have) in order to set up the account in order to send the email requesting help. Then wait for 24 hours for a reply. Mean while I am wasting my life away putting up with this nonsense. No I take that back I will throw this cd (WinDVD Gold 8) in the trash, and use another product.
WinDVD 8 does not work properly on Windows Vista
WinDVD 8 has many problems on Windows Vista despite claims by its maker that it is compatible. If you run Vista, do not buy WinDVD.
You will find that the boxed retail version crashes when playing mpeg files. The download version behaves differently but fails to play audio when playing MPEG files (as opposed to DVDs).
Support from Corel/Ulead/Intervideo effectively does not exist. The software patch available from Corel fails to install properly. Also, they will not honor returns on the retail product.
If you still want to try this product, definitely do not buy the retail version. They offer a free trial download. Maybe it will work better for you. As for me, money down the drain.
Iracing rocks
I would like to say that I joined Iracing about a year ago and for myself, this IS the best simulation of racing I have been a part of in a 6 years of sim racing. Laser scanned cars and tracks, competition and racing REAL racers like Dale Earnhardt Jr. is great. You can even see every race Dale Jr has ever raced and when he raced it.
What really makes me continue my journey with Iracing is the constant improvement and that they actually care and listen to their customers. This is already the best sim to date, but it will remain that way by bringing out new cars and tracks plus always improving the service in any positive way that is possible. Anyone looking for a true sim racing experience, its just a no brainer to give Iracing a shot. You will not be disappointed.
The one year option is the cheapest option. Along with a 1 year option, you receive 60 dollars in Iracing credit to use towards the purchase of cars and tracks that you may purchase to add to the default inventory that you get when you sign up.
The best racing simulation EVER!
iRacing is by far the best and most accurate racing simulation I have ever tried. The best part has to be the laser scanned tracks. The tracks are accurate to within 1mm of the real world track. Every bump, dip, crack, building, wall, etc is modeled. Bumpy tracks like Daytona and Atlanta are extremely fun to race on. The track and car feels very alive compared to past racing sims.
The other thing that is so much better than other sims is the organized competition within iRacing. There are many series to choose from. There is an iRating which determines your skill level and a Safety Rating which determines how safe you are on the track. These 2 things have to be one of the most important features of iRacing. Races are split into groups depending on your iRating. This way you are always grouped with people of a similar skill level. The Safety Rating also helps to make people drive within their limits and not cause an abundance of crashes. Both the iRating and Safety Rating work very well.
There are also a ton of stats available through iRacing which can be filtered and sorted for race results, series standings, qualifying results, driver ratings, time trials, etc.
The updating process through iRacing is also the most painless I've ever seen in a racing sim. If updates are available the website will notify you and you are taken to a page that lists all the available updates. Select the updates you want to install, click OK, bang--updated. Its that simple. Updates come very often too.. its not like other sims where the developers release a patch or two and their done. iRacing is constantly releasing updates to their simulation software and adding new web enhancements every few weeks.
I would have gave iRacing 5 stars but there are a few things that I think still need improved upon. I will list them in the cons below.
Pros:
- Extremely accurate cars and tracks
- Engine sounds are very good
- Every race counts toward series championship standings
- Graphics are very detailed, car and track textures are absolutely stunning
- Love all of the stats available
- Safety Rating and iRating are one of the best additions to a modern racing sim to date
Cons:
- Race lengths in higher level series are a little too long. Some races can last almost 90 minutes.
- Limited scheduling for upper level series. This may go away in the future as more and more people move up.
- Body damage modeling is not very accurate at all. The body crumples up much too easy, like tin foil. No aero-effects on body damage right now either.
Go for it! You owe it to yourself to give it a try.
If you're looking to have a great experience with online racing, and you want to know what a track truly looks like from the cockpit, then this is for you. Many would say it's pricey, but you really do get what you pay for.
Anyone who has been involved in online gaming knows that there are a few things that can ruin the whole experience. In online racing you have those that come in, wreck everyone, laugh, and leave. Well, with the iRacing (FIRST) sanctioning body, this problem has been removed. People here are friendly, respectful (for the most part), and the staff take their role of creating a "professional" environment seriously.
As for the graphics, you won't find much better. Although this is a bit of a subjective topic, there is probably a unanimous agreement that the tracks are spot-on accurate. The signage, bumps, curbs, and marks have been laser scanned and digitized to create the most realistic experience out there. These are not created in someone's home office based on info off the web. These look and feel realistic!
The physics of the cars are incredible; however, they're not exactly like driving a real car. We're never going to be able to feel the g-forces or true feedback from a brake pedal, so there is a bit of unrealisticness (is that a word) here. However, you will have a tough time ever playing one of your boxed up simulators again after this. Their press reports say that their cars' physics are perfect, but I've never seen that statement from a pro driver...it only is said through their press releases. Still, you won't be disappointed.
The competition is where you're going to truly start seeing the major difference between this and other sims. This is not a CD that comes to you in the mail, you install it, and that's what you run offline with. Everything is run via a web-based console which fires up a program on your machine. You can run all the solo practice sessions, or solo time trials that you want, but you must be connected to the web. If you want to run a qualifying or race session, you will be on track with other real-life people. There are no computer AI cars. You will grow to absolutely love this!
Don't worry about not knowing which server to connect to anymore. These servers are ALL run from iRacing's service. You simply say you want to race, and when the race begins, you are grouped with others at your ability (iRating) level. Sometimes you will be the leader of the pack, and others you will be pushing hard to keep up. Every session is a learning experience.
The only reason I couldn't give this 5 stars, as bad as I wanted to, was because of this final (and sometimes the best) quality. This product is constantly under development. It is constantly being improved. Major enhancements come every 3 months at the end of each full season. Minor enhancements come at fairly regular intervals. Tracks are constantly being added, and tweaks to the competition are always under consideration.
Because of this, sometimes the product feels unfinished; it is, and always will be. This, at times, can become frustrating when you see a problem and there are so many solutions proposed in the forums, but new problems sometimes are created. However, the staff is there! The forums have not been left behind by the creators. If you type a post, they will read it, and often respond.
Your voice matters here! You're buying more than a game. You're buying an experience unlike any other online game you've been a part of. If you're a racing fan, you owe it to yourself to at least give this a try!
From the Manufacturer
ECTACO iTranslate Voice Translator uses the most revolutionary software technology, which allows you to naturally speak phrases in English, and immediately produces live pronunciation in the target language, substituting interpreters and foreign language phrase books. You may also select a text line on your display to obtain its voiced translation. ECTACO iTranslate Voice Translator is powered by the state-of-the-art speech recognition engine (Lingvobit TM) and contains over 2,825 of the most commonly used phrases per language, satisfying most demanding language communication needs. iTranslate generates voice translation of your English speech simultaneously.
Bidirectional dictionaries deliver the word translation of over 400,000 words and expressions for each language including idioms, medical, technical, legal, and business terms. ECTACO iTranslate includes Bidirectional dictionaries of English and one of the target languages. An English word can be instantly translated into the language of your choice. Bidirectional dictionary also allows you to input foreign characters in order to translate foreign words into English.
Voice-to-voice translation technology for:
Disappointed
Advertised to voice translate on Palm OS system as well as pocket PC but the voice to voice translation only works on the pocket PC (too bad I own the palm!) Otherwise, all you get is a talking dictionary (not impressed). I wanted a voice-operated translator, I got a dictionary.
Amazon.com Product Description
The most popular word puzzle game in newspapers comes to the PC. Jumble is the ideal way to take a break--a fast, challenging solitaire puzzle to leave open on the desktop and play for quick diversion. Jumble features five different games for crossword-puzzle fans, kids, and Jumble fans who want something different. With a colorful, retro-style interface, colorful puzzles, and the famous Jumble cartoons, Jumble is word puzzle fun for everyone!
Every word has its own meaning/
Having enjoyed word jumble puzzles along with crosswords all of my life I bought this game as a pleasant diversion to enjoy while on the computer to lighten up the time spent on line. I was pleasantly suprised with the game Jumble. While I admit to enjoying the crosswords the best, the jumbled puzzles were also quite a challenge. The graphics as well as the music added to the challenge of the game. Also the childrens version that is included was quite enjoyable to my child. All in all this game is well worth your money.
Haunted Island
My favorite computer game as a kid! My brother got me a copy recently (I'm in college now!) and I still get it out to play when I need a break :)
Great blend of all 4th grade subjects, with the choice of leveling the hardness up or down. Games range from digging up treasure and keeping it away from pirates using geography knowledge, uncovering mummies via history, laying vampires to rest using multiplication and division, and a lot more. However, if your kids are scared of ghosts and witches (hence the "haunted island" name), you may want to check out a cheerier subject matter for a game.
Highly recommended!