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This year, with Canon's release of the A570IS, I decided to upgrade, driven by the addition of optical image stabilization (IS). While the IS is impressive, I was surprised by other improvements that Canon has made. Image noise levels are significantly lower and more controlled for higher ISO captures. The Digic III processor seems to make more intelligent decisions about lighting and flash exposure, especially when its face recognition is engaged. Add a dramatically better quality LCD screen, slightly higher 7.1MP resolution, improved case, and support of high capacity SD cards, and I doubt I'll need to upgrade any time soon.

Like the A540, the A570IS is for me a perfect balance of size, speed, and photo quality. The A570IS is the same physical size as the A540. It's small enough to fit in a coat pocket or small belt case yet uses 2 AA batteries.

Like the A540, overall processing speed is very fast unless you're taking flash pictures (and then you should expect about 4-6 seconds between flashes depending on battery level and what flash strength the camera selected). Note that flash time is significantly better with high-capacity rechargeable NiMh batteries than with standard AAs. And, unlike some other cameras I have tried, the speed of the user interface (especially during playback) is very fast.

Picture quality in general is excellent, even in low light situations. Noise at higher ISO is significantly more controlled than the A540, perhaps a benefit of the new 7.1MP CCD and the Digic III image processor. According to the documentation, noise reduction is applied at slow shutter speeds of 1.3 seconds or greater, and this can slightly slow down shot-to-shot time. There is no option to disable or adjust the noise processing, but in my experience the results are very good. When noise reduction is applied, there is a slight loss of detail compared to the A540, but the results are noticeably better on the A570IS with its built-in noise reduction than post-processing noise on pictures taken with the A540.

In my own head-to-head comparisons between the A570IS and A540, the A570IS has better light metering and noticeably sharper detail on indoor shots without a flash (especially when image stabilization is engaged). The A570IS does favor slightly higher ISO in auto modes than the A540, giving generally better results without a flash. However, when taking close-up pictures with a flash, the A570IS doesn't seem to select anything lower then ISO 200, sometimes requiring a manual ISO override in Program mode.

The A570IS offers a new ISO 1600 mode, but I'm not quite sold on it. Without a tripod, under low light conditions, ISO 1600 does offer the opportunity for blur-free photographs not possible with ISO 800. But the level of noise and artifacts from the noise processing don't give a very usable picture.

The A570IS raises the bar with optical image stabilization, which only works when the camera is held horizontally. One of the biggest limitations of consumer digital cameras is the need to hold the camera steady to get a clear shot. At higher zooms and in night shots this problem can be compounded. I've taken a number of shots with and without IS, and it is useful but not a "magic bullet" for poor shots. Small details like far-away signs at night become clear when the IS is engaged. You can set the IS to run continuously during preview, only when the shutter is released (slightly lower battery drain), only on vertical movement (better for objects that are moving horizontally), or disabled (I have yet to find a reason to do so). And, unlike many cameras I've seen, the IS works in video capture mode.

Like the A540, the A570IS offers full manual controls. With the A570IS, Canon adds two more modes (Kids & Pets and Indoor) to the mode selector wheel (instead of having to find them on the Special Scene menu). The A570IS also adds a new Aquarium scene mode, while removing the useless Color Swap and Color Accent modes. Canon has also removed the "My Camera" customization menu (for changing the startup picture and various sounds) which I never used on my A540.

Although I never expected to use it, the movie mode is excellent. It's still not a replacement for a dedicated camcorder. But I have used it on a number of occasions to capture audio and video when a picture just won't do. Standard movie mode is 640x480 (VGA) quality at 30fps, but you can raise the capture to 60 fps at 320x240, or lower it to 15fps at 160x120. The A570 can now capture video up to 1 hour or 4GB whichever comes first. Video files are very large (around 1.9MB/second at 30fps) but they compress extremely well with QuickTime Pro's MPEG4 codec.

With the A570IS, Canon also addressed some of my minor complaints about the A540. Most notably, the LCD screen is much higher quality and higher resolution. The case plastics seem more solid, the small rubber door covering the USB - A/V - power ports pivots open from the side not the top, and the handle area no longer has a chrome insert which had a tendency to fall off. The ring that covers the conversion lens adapter mount has a chrome trim, making the camera more attractive but at least on my A570IS it is more difficult to remove than the A540.

Once again, I looked at the Canon A710IS which offers a 6x optical zoom, but has the same 7.1MP sensor, optical image stabilization and user interface with the older Digic II image processor. In the end, after trying both cameras in the store, I again settled on the A570IS. The A710IS is noticeably larger (about 0.25 inches wider and slightly taller), and the more complicated lens takes longer to startup and to zoom. Both cameras have a limited number of stops in their zoom range, but this is noticeable on the 6x of the A710IS where it is not noticeable in the 4x of the A570IS. For me, the larger size wasn't worth the extra zoom. And the benefits of Digic III are impressive.

In summary, Canon A570IS Pros:
- 7.1 megapixel sensor, 4x optical zoom
- ISO 80 to 1600
- optical image stabilization for higher ISO or zoom, even during video capture
- optical viewfinder for shooting with the LCD off
- full manual controls (shutter priority, appeture priority, full manual)
- preset and custom white balance control
- outstanding photo quality, even in relatively low light (good color balance, very low noise at higher ISOs, almost non-existent chromatic aberation)
- Digic III processor offers face detection, makes more intelligent decisions on exposure, and flash levels
- very good results from built-in noise reduction for slow shutter speeds of 1.3 seconds or greater
- very fast startup and shot-to-shot speed (flash not withstanding)
- excellent and speedy auto-focus even in low light (although the AF assist light can slow this down)
- orientation sensor recognizes if you have rotated the camera to take a shot
- flash adjusts angle based on wide-telephoto zoom
- built-in red eye reduction during playback lets you select an area to remove red eye and save as new or overwrite the existing image
- surprisingly usable movie mode
- outstanding user interface: options are well laid out and easy to locate, very well thought-out record and playback options
- extremely fast user interface and playback performance, even zooming in on photos
- high resolution LCD screen
- well built case, very comfortable grip
- uses SD cards and supports high-capacity SDHC (takes advantage of high-speed SD)
- uses 2 AA batteries (at least 2500 mAh NiMh rechargeable recommended)
- very good battery life (approx 400 shots on 2 rechargeable NiMh AA, with the display on)
- replaceable lithium battery protects settings when changing batteries
- supports optional high-power flash, conversion lenses and underwater case

Cons (to me, all very minor):
- flash recharge time is acceptable but not great (4 - 6 seconds between shots using NiMh batteries)
- preview display blanks while flash recharges
- Auto ISO for indoor flash close-up pictures doesn't seem to select below ISO 200; you can force ISO 100 in Program or manual modes
- ISO 1600 is of questionable real-world use because of noise and artifacts from noise reduction
- noise reduction cannot be adjusted or disabled
- it is possible to insert the SD card upside down and you don't realize until you try to close the cover (would be easy to break the cover if you force this)
- the markings for the battery orientation are difficult to read
- no RAW image support, but you can select from 3 different compression ratios for image quality
- bundled 16MB card is useless - buy a 2GB card

TIPS :
1) make sure you do a low-level format before you use your SD card in this camera, even if you had formatted it for another Canon camera. It makes a significant difference in shot-to-shot speed
2) always use high-capacity (2500 mAh or greater) NiMh rechargeable batteries - the flash recharge time is much improved (though still 4-6 seconds)
3) for indoor flash close-up shots, may need to override ISO to 100 for better quality
4) for outdoor shots in bright sun, setting exposure -2/3 gives better control of bright areas
5) if you use the conversion lens adapter, don't plan on using the built-in flash which is partially obscured by the adapter. I haven't tried it, but would expect the external flash to not have this problem.

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For stunning photography with point and shoot ease, look no further than Canon’s EOS Rebel XSi. The EOS Rebel XSi brings staggering technological innovation to the masses. It features Canon’s EOS Integrated Cleaning System, Live View Function, a powerful DIGIC III Image Processor, plus a new 12.2-megapixel CMOS sensor and is available in a kit with the new EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens with Optical Image Stabilizer. The EOS Rebel XSi’s refined, ergonomic design includes a new 3.0-inch LCD monitor, compatibility with SD and SDHC memory cards and new accessories that enhance every aspect of the photographic experience.

Canon EOS Rebel XSi Highlights

New Technology for Outstanding Images

12.2-megapixel APS-C Size CMOS sensorNew Canon 12.2-megapixel CMOS sensor and DIGIC III image processor Canon's CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) sensor captures images with exceptional clarity and tonal range, and offers the most pixels in its class. It offers many of the same new technologies to maximize each pixel's light gathering efficiency that were first seen with the professional EOS-1D Mark III model. It's an APS-C size sensor (22.2 x 14.8mm), and there's an effective 1.6x increase in the lens’s marked focal length when attached. Canon’s DIGIC III Image Processor dramatically enhances image quality and speeds up all camera operations for intuitive operation. It works in concert with the EOS Rebel XSi’s sensor to achieve unprecedented levels of performance in all lighting situations.

14-bit A/D converter With the EOS Rebel XSi, analog to digital signal conversion is executed by a 14-bit processor, which generates digital data with incredibly smooth tones. Formerly a feature only present in top-of-the-line pro digital SLR cameras, the 14-bit conversion gives incredibly smooth transitions from light to dark colors, with far less risk of "banding." A sky at sunset is a perfect example. With this rich 14-bit gradation the EOS Rebel XSi offers RAW images of the highest quality that can be processed with Canon’s Digital Photo Professional software. Even JPEG files, which are always finished at 8-bits per channel, use the full 14-bit conversion initially to generate the best possible color and tonal detail. Another huge benefit of the 14-bit conversion is the Highlight Tone Priority option, which allows critical shooters to increase the level of detail in bright areas of a scene up to one stop, without affecting overall exposure.

Auto Optimization The EOS Rebel XSi’s Auto Optimization is yet another image-quality tool that comes to the rescue in tricky lighting conditions. It can actually lighten dark areas of a scene while ensuring that bright areas maintain tonal detail. It's now available in all shooting modes, including P, Tv, Av, and Manual.

DIGIC III image processor Developed to maximize performance between the capture and recording stages of digital photography, the EOS Rebel XSi’s latest-generation DIGIC III Image Processor works in concert with Canon’s CMOS sensor to achieve even higher levels of performance. The entire electronic system is totally redesigned, giving the camera its incredible combination of speed and image quality. Digital noise is significantly reduced in shadow areas, and color reproduction is superior.

Speedy, Precise Operation

Excellent performance with 3.5 fps continuous shooting, up to 53 full-resolution JPEGs or 6 RAW images in a burst The EOS Rebel XSi operates with such effortless speed that operation is nothing short of intuitive. With instant startup times, speedy autofocus and minimal shutter lag, the EOS Rebel XSi is one of the fastest cameras available today. It can shoot up to 3.5 frames per second, in bursts of 53 JPEGs or 6 RAW files, so you’ll never, ever, miss a shot.

See the image in large LCD with Live View Function The EOS Rebel XSi has a huge, bright 3.0-inch TFT LCD monitor with 230,000 pixels and a viewing angle of 170 degrees. It’s perfect for Live View composition or viewing camera settings like AF, ISO, Metering, AF Point selection and flash options. And the maximum brightness of the EOS Rebel XSi LCD monitor is about 30-percent greater than its predecessor, which is a big benefit when you're using the camera in bright sunlight.

Live View Function Live View Function enables you to view your subjects directly on the huge 3.0-inch LCD monitor. It's easy to magnify any part of the scene 5x or 10x for precise manual focus. And now, there are two ways to use Autofocus along with Live View Function in the EOS Rebel XSi. You can even choose a grid overlay, perfect for keeping straight lines in your subject straight in your pictures. In the studio, Live View Function can be used remotely via a computer through the EOS Rebel XSi’s USB connection.

Fast 9-point AF system, and two types of AF during Live View Function The EOS Rebel XSi has a high-precision 9-point wide area AF sensor for fast, accurate focus even in dim lighting. It has a number of focus modes, including One-Shot AF, AI Focus AF, AI Servo AF and Manual. In Live View Function, the EOS Rebel XSi has two AF modes: Quick mode, which uses the camera's standard 9-point AF system, and Live mode, which is a contrast-based AF system that reads the sharpness of subjects right from the imaging sensor, and can be overridden by pressing the AF mode selection button. A familiar feature in PowerShot cameras, Live mode AF uses similar technologies to achieve focus, while Quick mode is more appropriate for capturing action or for shooting in low light.

Compatible with compact SD and SDHC memory cards The EOS Rebel XSi is the first EOS Digital SLR camera to use popular SD and SDHC memory cards only. Compact, inexpensive and available in increasingly large capacities, SD and SDHC memory cards are a perfect complement to the EOS Rebel XSi’s compact and lightweight body design.

Advanced Features for Advanced Photography

New advanced features include spot metering, external flash settings on the camera’s menu, and a new higher-magnification viewfinder The EOS Rebel XSi’s 35-zone evaluative metering system with improved white balance analyzes light based on each zone in the viewing area, enabling the camera to choose the overall best exposure for the entire scene. It now features a spot meter, which reads a tiny area (about 4 percent) of the picture for extremely precise metering. It also provides Center-weighted average metering and partial metering for accurate exposure no matter the situation. The EOS Rebel XSi also has an improved, high magnification viewfinder that provides a larger overall view, and increased brightness and clarity. And the EOS Rebel XSi has a Display-Off sensor that automatically turns the LCD monitor off whenever the camera is at the photographer's eye. All relevant shooting information, including ISO, is displayed right in the viewfinder so it’s easy to change settings without moving the camera away from the eye.

EOS Integrated Cleaning System Photographers who must change lenses in dusty environments will find the advanced Canon EOS Integrated Cleaning System a tremendous time saver. Dust that settles on the sensor surface is removed using ultrasonic vibration. This Self Cleaning Sensor Unit routine is automatically activated whenever the camera is powered on or off. (It can also be manually activated.) A special collar positioned around the sensor collects the loosened dust. Dust particles can also be automatically removed via software. By shooting a plain white subject, the photographer can acquire dust position data that is transmitted along with the image (whether JPEG or RAW). Canon Digital Photo Professional (DPP) version 3.3 or later software can be used to manually or automatically erase the dust spots. It's not one feature, it's a built-in system to minimize the effect of dust in high-resolution digital images.

Self Cleaning Sensor Unit A key element of minimizing dust is preventing it from clinging to the front surface of the imaging sensor. To combat against this, the EOS Rebel XSi features a Canon-designed Self Cleaning Sensor Unit. The low-pass filter at the front of the sensor shakes off dust automatically with ultrasonic vibrations, removing dust from the sensor assembly. The EOS Rebel XSi has a new coating on the front surface of the low-pass filter, to increase its resistance to dust sticking to the sensor.

Dust Delete Data Detection Dust that may still remain on the front of the sensor can also be erased with software included in Digital Photo Professional (DPP) Version 3.3 or later software. A simple test shot of a plain, white object can be taken, using a menu setting. This Dust Delete Data image is analyzed in-camera, and the location and size of any remaining dust is added to any subsequent pictures taken. This data is transmitted along with the image, whether JPEG or RAW, and can be either manually or automatically erased in Canon’s DPP version 3.3 and later software. This added software option ensures the cleanest possible image, perfect for printing or archiving.

Picture Style settings With the EOS Rebel XSi’s Picture Style technology, photographers can change the look of their digital photographs. Color, saturation, sharpness and contrast settings create noticeable variation in the saved image. Changing a Picture Style setting is almost like a 35mm film user switching from one type of color film to another. In addition to six preset Picture Style settings, Canon offers additional downloadable "Picture Style Files," that can be installed into your camera for even more imaging options at your fingertips.

Highlight Tone Priority This vital Custom Function lets photographers get even better detail in bright highlights, even in contrasty lighting conditions. It’s beneficial for nearly any type of picture, from mid-day shots on a safari to portraits in sunlight, where a user may encounter bright highlight areas where he or she wants to preserve details. Finally, there’s no impact on the camera’s shooting speed or burst rate when Highlight Tone Priority is engaged. It takes full advantage of the EOS Rebel XSi's new 14-bit per channel conversion, meaning there are 16,384 distinct colors from darkest to lightest in each color channel.

Shooting and Sharing Made Easy

Includes EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Image Stabilizer lens The Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens features the wide-angle to mid-range zoom flexibility of its non-IS predecessor with the significant advantage of Canon's true optical, lens-shift image stabilization system that yields up to a full four stops of image-shake correction.

Fully compatible with over 60 EF/EF-S Lenses and a wide range of EOS System accessories EOS Rebel XSi is compatible with all Canon lenses in the EF and EF-S lineup, ranging from ultra-wide angle to super telephoto lenses. Canon lenses employ advanced optical expertise and micron-precision engineering to deliver unprecedented performance in all facets of the photographic process. Special optical technologies, such as Aspherical, ultra-low dispersion, or fluorite elements are featured in the universally acclaimed L Series lenses, and Canon's Optical Image Stabilizer technology are featured in select lenses to minimize the effect of camera shake. Through Canon lenses, photographers can truly maximize the quality and liberating performance of the EOS Rebel XSi.

Flash Photography The EOS Rebel XSi features the acclaimed E-TTL II flash metering system. With any of the flashes in the EX Speedlite line, E-TTL II provides reliable flash output whether shooting fill-in flash pictures in sunlight, or using flash in total darkness. With E-TTL II, the exact same 35-zone metering sensor used for measuring ambient light is also used for flash metering -- giving even finer metering command of the image area. If you prefer a broader area for flash metering, there's a menu setting to change to "Average" flash metering, where the entire 35-zone area is measured evenly for flash exposure.

The Canon Speedlite 430EX is the ideal step-up accessory for powerful flash shooting with the EOS Rebel XSi. It has excellent flash power (maximum guide number of 141 ft./43m at ISO 100), and is the perfect way to get great flash pictures when you can't get right up to the subject. The 430EX is also great for bounce flash, with its tilting and swiveling flash head. It automatically zooms the flash head to cover lenses ranging from 16mm up to 105mm or longer with the EOS Rebel XSi. Of course, it works with the camera to provide full E-TTL II automatic flash exposure. And the 430EX has a powerful AF-assist beam, which allows the camera to autofocus even in total darkness on subjects as far as 32 ft. from the camera.

Included Software

Canon EOS Digital Solution Disk (Version 17.0) The EOS Rebel XSi comes bundled with an updated Canon EOS Digital Solution Disk, which features powerful software programs designed to extend the EOS experience to the computer. These include Canon's ZoomBrowser EX for Windows (Version 6.1), ImageBrowser for Macintosh OS X (Version 6.1), Digital Photo Professional (Version 3.3), the totally new Picture Style Editor (Version 1.0), Canon’s EOS Utility (Version 2.2), RAW Image Task (Version 2.8), PhotoStitch, and PTP TWAIN Driver. Each application is designed to perfect the captured images and streamline the digital workflow. ZoomBrowser EX v.6.1 and Digital Photo Professional v.3.3 for Windows are compatible with the new Windows Vista operating system.

Digital Photo Professional (Version 3.3) is an image processing program that enables high-speed RAW image processing, high-speed previewing for real-time image adjustment and support for sRGB, Adobe RGB and Wide Gamut RGB color spaces. Because it’s CMS (Color Management System) compatible, Digital Photo Professional allows for easy image layout and printing in Adobe RGB in conjunction with Easy-PhotoPrint and PictBridge printers. It also features the Dust Delete Data Detection tool for cleaner images.

EOS Utility (Version 2.3) for Macintosh or Windows handles the connection between the camera and computer, whenever they’re connected via USB. It allows remote controlled shooting from the computer, handles downloading of images from the camera to the computer, and allows seamless linking to either Canon’s ZoomBrowser/ImageBrowser or Digital Photo Professional software once images have been copied to the hard drive. Furthermore, it’s used to upload settings back into a USB-connected camera.

ZoomBrowser EX (Version 6.1) for Windows and ImageBrowser (Version 6.1) for Mac OS X are the easy, user-friendly options for viewing and editing of JPEG and even RAW image files. Both allow viewing of numerous types of images including finished TIFF and BMP files. Both also have a variety of search options for finding images, allow re-naming of single images or batches of files, and offer a variety of options for printing without using a separate image-editing program.

RAW Image Task (Version 2.8) for Windows/Macintosh This software is an integrated component of ZoomBrowser EX (Windows) or ImageBrowser (Mac). It allows processing of RAW images from EOS cameras, including the new EOS Rebel XSi, with a variety of adjustment possibilities. These options, as well as the overall color, contrast and "look" of RAW Image Task, closely mimic the characteristics of Canon’s in-camera JPEG processing.

What's in the Box

Canon Rebel XSi camera, EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Image Stabilizer lens, rechargeable battery pack and charger, USB and video cables, a neckstrap, an EOS Solutions Disk CD, and a 1-year Canon U.S.A., Inc. limited warranty

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1,407 of 1,426 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A camera that's powerful and a great value, March 5, 2008 This review is from: Canon PowerShot A590IS 8MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Electronics) I own a DSLR and consider myself a photography enthusiast. I wanted a small compact camera with me when I don't want to lug around my DSLR + lenses and equipment. After a previous good experience with the Canon A720 IS, the new A590 IS seemed like a good choice. Since I'm an advanced photographer, I'll focus on the advanced features of this camera. The auto modes work as well as any other camera in its class, but the extensive manual features is what sets apart the Canon A series. What I like about the camera:

+ Compact, stylish. It's smaller than older A Powershots, and the dark grey color gives it a seriousness compared to the typical bright silver finish.

+ Image stabilization works very well, it allows me to take blur-free photos 2-3 stops below the recommended shutter speed, that means at 35-50mm f2.8 1/10 sec shots are CONSISTENTLY possible indoors without using flash.

+ Good image quality. Expected from Canon, but even better is adjustable contrast, saturation, and sharpness settings, along with the typical JPG compression and resolution sizes.

+ Fast and responsive. I was surprised how responsive this camera is even compared with my DSLR. Shutter lag is very low for a compact digicam, and when I pre-focus with manual focus, it's even faster.

+ Manual modes. Aperture priority and shutter priority are great, the M mode is even better than other A Powershots such as the A720 because now there's a light meter on the right side that adjusts live based on what the camera thinks is the optimal exposure setting. And you can adjust aperture/shutter speed and see how it affects the final exposure. Ideally a live histogram would be even better, but this is very handy.

+ Manual focus. Although the LCD resolution is not good enough, even with the point zoom option, manual focus helps in close-up work and pre-focusing for action or creative photography.

+ Manual flash modes. In addition to automatic flash. The manual flash allows me to adjust the flash power in 3 levels, and prevents a pre-flash. This last part is important for using a remote optical slave flash. I can basically take professional looking studio pictures with this camera with my external flash equipment.

+ Optical viewfinder. I don't use this much yet, but can come in handy in bright sunlight conditions, or when battery conservation is needed.

+ Battery performance seems improved over previous A powershots too. The official specs give it 220 shots on regular alkalines and 500 on rechargeable NiMHs. Good news is they use common AA batteries that you can buy anywhere instead of proprietary models with specific chargers.

Now the negatives. I hope Canon can improve these aspects in their future models.

- Slow flash recycle times. This is to be expected from a camera that takes AA batteries. Would be nice if the LCD didn't blank out after a full flash discharge. Not a big deal since I use an external flash anyway, and the camera's flash is manually set to medium output as trigger (so recharge is faster). I would not want to give up the AA battery convenience for a faster flash recycle time though.

- Higher resolution LCD. The 2.5" 115k resolution LCD is ok for framing and casual browsing, but higher resolution would be nice.

-Live histogram while shooting. This feature is available when reviewing a photo, but not live. Other manufacturers have implemented this, and Canon should also, especially since the unofficial CHDK software mod allows such a feature.

- Larger aperture would be nice. Such as f/2.0 (instead of f/2.6) at the wide end, and f/4.0 (instead of f/5.5) at the telephoto end. That way a lower (& less noisy) ISO can be used in dim conditions or when fast shutter speeds are needed to freeze action. All the electronics in the world can't replace a good large lens. Also allows more creative depth of field control.

- A wider wideangle would be nice, 28mm instead of 35mm (35mm equiv). I'd rather see a wider wideangle than a longer zoom.

- Video feature is not ideal. Optical zoom is not available during recording of video. And the more efficient MPEG4 compression is not used, so video files tend to be large. Also noticed at 640x480 resolution, the highest fps is now 20 instead of 30 from other A models. A definite step backwards.

- Noise at higher ISOs. This is due to the smaller sensor on compact cameras. But 8 MP is probably the most pixels that can be crammed into a small 1/2.5" sensor. I'd rather have a cleaner picture at 6-7 MP than a noisy 8 MP picture. And if in-camera noise reduction is used, I'd like to see an adjustable setting for how much is being applied.

- And if I were to be really critical: There's no indicator of what optical zoom level I'm at. Slight image noise is noticeable even at ISO 80 when I zoom in really close on a monitor view. When at the widest angle & aperture, there's slight barrel distortion and blurriness on the corners. Not many compact cameras can do better in terms of image quality, but I'm pointing them out here because even though this camera beats most of the competition, it still has room for improvement.

So overall it's a great camera for the price. Offering great image quality with the auto settings for the casual user, but also a powerful set of features for the more advanced photographer.

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452 of 463 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Hard to beat, March 10, 2008 This review is from: Canon PowerShot A590IS 8MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Electronics) These PowerShot "A" cameras are Canon's attempt to deliver the quality and features of its more expensive PowerShot "G" and PowerShot Pro "S" lines (such as full zoom lenses) at a budget price. The results are pretty good. (How do I know? Because I've actually gotten to use all of these cameras. I earn my living at Walt Disney World writing a travel guide, and nearly every day guests ask me to take photos of them with their own cameras, which most often are Canon PowerShots.)

Here's my opinion of the top-selling "A" series cameras:

A580. This 2008 model is an A590IS (see below) without image stabilization and with semi-automatic instead of manual controls. I'd spend the extra bucks for the A590IS, because those two features can make quite a difference.

A650 IS. You can do a lot with this sweet little camera, though it may be more than you need. It has a flip-out LCD panel and the option of manual controls. The shots I've seen from this model look great. Keep your ISO under 800 and you won't get any noise.

A720 IS. This fully-loaded 2007 model has all the toys, including a 6x zoom (35mm film equivalent of 35-210mm), image stabilization, adjustable flash power and optional second-curtain flash. This last feature means you can make the flash fire at the end of a long exposure, instead of the beginning, so moving subjects streak into focus instead of out.

A470. This 2008 camera is great for kids or anyone just looking for a good basic camera. It includes Canon's face detection technology and has a zoom lens, 14 shooting modes and the ability to set exposure compensation, ISO and white balance manually. Plus it looks great, and is a good bargain.

Finally, the A590IS (the camera on this page) is a 2008 upgrade to an older model, the A570IS. The face detection system works a little better than the one on its predecessor, and the new model is slightly rounder and easier to grip. I personally like that it has automatic and manual controls, though I haven't seen anyone using the manual set yet. Overall this camera is a fine performer, a great bargain and I think the best buy of the bunch. I bought one for myself.

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233 of 236 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the extra $30 over the A570is with mostly same or better features, March 20, 2008 This review is from: Canon PowerShot A590IS 8MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Electronics) Pros:
The A590IS is the best point and shoot under $200 today (closer to $155 most places). I own an SD600 and my wife, friend, and father (all different people mind you!) own A570IS's. The A590IS is the new version of the A570IS, 2007's best selling camera. Generally, see the rave reviews of the A570IS if you want to know the major pros and cons (in summary: Image Stabilization is amazing, noise is limited, features of all there including manual controls [though no auto-bracketing which no other cameras at this price point have regardless], final picture quality is superior to all other brands at this price point and type, [i.e., point-and-shoot], good size). Rather, here I'll address the main improvements over the A570IS (which is about $30 cheaper):

(1) The A590IS has 8mp vs. 7mp on the A570IS (negligible difference)

(2) The A590IS is slightly faster between non-flash shots BUT slightly SLOWER before the first shot can be taken and slower between shots where flash is used (less than .5 second difference according to CNet)

(3) It's charcoal/gray - minor change from silver, but I like it a lot.

(4) It's "rounder" on the edges but no less stable in your hand, neither camera is too slippery like other overly polished cameras (also, no finger smudges as a result).

(5) There is sometimes increased noise with higher MP cameras, this is NOT the case here - noise levels are similar.

(6) there are some minor additional shooting modes and improvements to other shooting

Cons:
The only change that is not an improvement is the lowering of the frames per second in the video mode.
A570IS: 640x480 = 30fps --- 320x240 = 60fps
A590IS: 640x480 = 20fps --- 320x240 = 30fps

Frankly, this is a bummer and cannon should correct it with firmware ASAP; however, the lower FPS is still quiet good, but this was a pointless change that is not appreciated -- the reality is that most people don't use video often and those who do will see a minimal difference ... if you're paying that much attention to the video you may be more interested in a different camera or a video camera.

Conclusion:
This will be the best selling camera of 2008 and it's a VERY safe purchase you won't regret (unless it gives you such a new found love for photography that suddenly you wish you had a Canon S5 or G7 ... which are more than twice as expensive!).

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Embrace the Forbidden
What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?  This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.  Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.
Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

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I was born on the island of Kauai, in the Hawaiian Islands in 1949, the last born child in a Portuguese family of four children. In 1952 we moved to California to the town of San Leandro across the bay from San Francisco. A lot of people claim they were a sensitive child, but I grew up thinking that the world around me was not real, and I lived my life as if I were a stranger to it.

I dabbled with writing when I was young, but lacked the spark to think I might be able to do it reasonably well or that something might come of it. Life went on. I have spent that life selling cars for a living. I got married and raised two children. Then one day in the late 80's, almost out of nowhere, I began writing "A Matter of Time".

My goal in writing has always been to create a thing of beauty. Even though many of my stories are dark, I have attempted to infuse in them a sense of wonder in this mysterious world. And with the writing I was no longer a stranger to life. Through the power of words, I was alive at last.

It is my hope that you read and enjoy my writing. It is up to you to decide if it is worthy. All I can tell you is that my heart and soul are in it--for good or for bad.

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Werewolves hunt on the streets of London for the first time in 100 years.
Their are looking for the traitor's heir.

Yesterday Ashley Hawthorne was an ordinary fifteen year old girl worrying about boys, grades, and fitting in at a new school.
Today her world has been ripped out from under her feet and suddenly she's anything but ordinary. She's the traitor's heir.

It begins with the reading of her aunt's will, and the curious bequest: a key and a business card with the address 723 Clerkenwell Rise printed on it. It ends with her running for her life.

PRAISE FOR TRAITOR'S HEIR

"Traitor's Heir" is a breathless romp of a story, weaving myth and mystery with the darkest colors of a magical London. You'll be holding your breath to see why Ashley Hawthorne's aunt left her a dangerous legacy, and to find out if those trying to protect her can defeat an enemy she doesn't know exists! This is an outstanding urban fantasy with steampunk touches. Wonderful read!"
Louise Marley, author of Mozart's Blood.

"Savile’s writing is achingly beautiful and sweeps the reader away into a fantastic world they'll never want to leave. The story grips you by the throat and doesn’t let go, leaving you hungry for more. The author mixes political intrigue and epic fantasy in a coming-of-age story that will leave readers desperate to know how it’s all going to turn out for the young heroine and the assassin sent to hunt her down. This is a classic in the making." Debbie Viguie, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Wicked Series and the new Crusade series.

"Savile's newest work symbolizes the spirit of Young Adult adventure reading! Bold and unexpected - Moonland Diaries is a thrilling read for everyone who needs a break from the mundane. Savile proves he can write anything he wishes." Ashley Knight, author of Fins & Fathom

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steven Savile has been writing for a long time. He has written stories for popular tv shows including Doctor Who, Torchwood, Primeval and Stargate as well as his own worlds. His books are published all across the world, and he has been a bestseller in the United Kingdom twice and in Italy and Germany once.

He has also won a few awards, including most recently the Best Young Adult Novel category in the 2010 Scribe Awards given out by the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers for his Primeval novel, Shadow of the Jaguar. Sony Entertainment in the United States recently bought the rights to turn one of his worlds into an exciting new big budget television show. He loves tv and books and music, and refuses to grow up. He went to a school in London just like Ashley's.

www.stevensavile.com

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Erik James is a Software Engineer and IT consultant. Since he was a teenager, he has been fascinated by the science fiction, detective novels and other fantastic stories. Now as an adult, he "engineers" his dreams come true.

"Ninety to Nothing" (with Michael W. Roberts) is Erik's debut in the short fiction stories field, and his solo-effort "Redress" was released soon afterwards.

Erik has several more stories in the works, and many of his ideas are based on real life experiences. Erik strives to give his readers positive, amazing stories with every effort.

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"Ninety to Nothing" is the story of a car crash involving a police officer and a man who just finished the paperwork for his divorce. In the immediate aftermath of the life-threatening crash, both men have the opportunity to examine the purpose of their lives. Just when they think they have figured out the way they ought to live, they are abruptly given the chance to see life from each other’s perspective. If both men survive, they will be able to bring a newfound wisdom to the rest of their days.

The tale is an emotional story, fraught with the realities that make life simultaneously difficult and rewarding. Readers will be challenged to determine the true cause of the wreck: fatigue, alcohol, or something else? 16 pages.

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Pricing information not available. Following immediately after the events in H.E.R.O. - Metamorphosis, Lance, Stephanie and Rael continue learning and developing their powers. A kidnapping leads them to become involved in the discovery of a new black market involving the capture and sale of supers. Other heroes become involved as some are kidnapped, others attempt to find and free them, and yet others stop crimes and a fire that occur along the way.

A failed attempt to rescue some of the victims leads the group to bring in more established heroes in the form of Gatecrasher and Hellshock, and new hero Firebane joins the team in a final bid to save the victims before they can be auctioned off.

H.E.R.O. - New Markets is a novel set in the H.E.R.O. universe. It explores the powers, life and interpersonal relationships in a way rarely seen in comic books or movies. It is a full-length novel of approximately 125,800 words.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Very gripping story, keeps you wanting more!, November 1, 2011 This review is from: H.E.R.O. - New Markets (Kindle Edition) I really enjoyed the second H.E.R.O book, very gripping story. Remembering the characters from the first, we follow them in another slew of superhero adventures, and also experience the pains and struggles they have trying to continue with their old non-superhero lives, and realizing that being a superhero is harder than it looks. I am looking forward to book 3 of the H.E.R.O collection. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you? 

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars New Markets - New Favorite!, October 19, 2011 This review is from: H.E.R.O. - New Markets (Kindle Edition) The author takes the reader back into the world of the supers, re-introducing the main characters from the first book in the series. New Markets presents further character development as well as an interesting look into the possibilities of super powers. Mr. Rau manages to again combine fast paced action countered with dialogue and events that add to the storyline rather than just "filling space". Obviously well thought-out, the story flows well and is easy to read as well as entertaining. This book will have you alternately on edge, laughing and shaking your head over the acts and antics of the characters. Along the way new characters are introduced at a satisfying pace without being overwhelming, leaving you looking forward in anticipation to the next one. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you? 
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Pricing information not available. Publication Date: February 22, 2012 United we stand … divided we fall.

The cunning and powerful Mogritas and his allies, like a pride of ferocious lions, maneuver and toy with the citizens of Mother, before moving in for the kill.

Scattered across not one, but two worlds, Jenni and her classmates struggle to reunite for a final battle against the centuries-old shapeshifter. Can they band together in time? Or will old frictions and new threats tear them, and their adopted world, apart?

Ruin or salvation, the answers lie in Mother’s Heart.

There are no customer reviews yet. Amazon now allows customers to upload product video reviews. Use a webcam or video camera to record and upload reviews to Amazon. if (typeof uet == 'function') { uet('cf'); } if(typeof window.amznJQ != 'undefined') {amznJQ.completedStage('amznJQ.criticalFeature');} var msg = document.getElementById('sitbUnsupportedBrowserMessage'); if (msg) { msg.style.display = 'block'; var reftagImage = new Image(); reftagImage.src = '/gp/search-inside/reftag/ref=rdr_bar_nobrowser'; } Alan Tucker, author of the Mother-Earth Series of books, is a dad, a graphic designer, and a soccer coach. Mostly in that order. He's had a lifelong adoration of books, beginning with Encyclopedia Brown, progressing through Alan Dean Foster's Flinx, and continuing on with the likes of Jim Butcher, Rachel Caine and Naomi Novik, to name a few.

Visit the main website at www.mother-earthseries.com for more information about the books. View maps, watch trailers, see reviews and much more!

Recently, Mr. Tucker also put together a soccer coaching guide for parents and those new to the sport. A Newbie Soccer Parent's Guide to Coaching is available in ebook format and contains a wealth of information, tips, and games to use for coaching youth soccer players.

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Lexxie's not a deviant. She just has a deviant's imagination and a desire to entertain readers with her words. Add the two together and you get darkly erotic romances with a twist of horror, sci-fi and the paranormal.

When she's not submerged in the worlds she creates, Lexxie's life revolves around her family, a husband who thinks she's insane, a pony-sized mutt who thinks he's a lapdog, two yabbies hell-bent on destroying their tank and her daughters, who both utterly captured her heart and changed her life forever.

Contact Lexxie at lexxie@lexxiecouper.com, follow her on Twitter http://twitter.com/lexxie_couper or visit her at www.lexxiecouper.com where she occasionally makes a fool of herself on her blog.

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In the fall of 1846, when José Rodriquez turns twelve, his papa says next spring he must help tame Rancho Grande's wild colts. He knew this day would come. For on the Alta California rancho, being a vaquero and training horses was his family's tradition. Vaqueros' horsemanship and roping skills were legendary and their lives full of danger. Many vaqueros had been killed or crippled while riding the mustangs. Did he have enough courage to ride the wild ones and measure up to his papa's expectations?

Worried, José decides only luck will help him be fearless enough to ride the wild colts, luck he will get from a pair of silver spurs and chaps made from a brave bull's hide. But he has no money. How can he buy silver spurs? Then the Mexican-American war starts. And a few days before Christmas, Colonel John C. Fremont's battalion camps on Rancho Grande and everything changes.

Based on true events, Spurs for José brims with action and excitement as a young vaquero goes on an unforgettable adventure.

About the Author: Wanda Snow Porter

Wanda Snow Porter grew up in a small town on the central California coast riding horseback on land once part of the old Mexican ranchos. An avid horsewoman, she learned the vaquero way of riding and training horses and earned a Bronze Medal Rider Award from the United States Dressage Federation. As a docent for Dana Adobe, she uses her knowledge of horses and history to help school children visiting the old adobe experience what life was like for vaqueros who lived and worked on an early California rancho. Wanda is the author and illustrator of the Burro Picture Book Series published by Dana Adobe Nipomo Amigos.

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iPhone 4 Anti-Glare, Anti-Scratch, Anti-Fingerprint - Matte Finishing Screen Protector (Wireless Phone Accessory) I like to buy the best products out there, which normally means I buy the more expensive items. But come on, this is a piece of plastic to protect my iPhone 4 screen. I have only bought a screen protector once before, for my toddler's iTouch, and had bubbles all over the screen. So I thought these screen protectors were all garbage. But after getting a big scare by accidentally putting my iphone in my pocket with my car keys, and getting a very light scratch on my screen, I thought I'd give these screen protectors another try.

And again, I thought I'd try some of the cheapest at Amazon, because, well, it's just a piece of plastic. If I was wrong, I was only out a buck or so, and could then go and buy the expensive screen protectors. But this time, I researched around and read some blogs, and found out dust is the culprit for bubbles. Taking that advice, I followed the directions and was able to put the screen protectors on 2 iPhones bubble-free! Here's what I did:

1. I chose my desk as the place to do the application. I wiped it down with an all-purpose cleaner, then wiped it down with a damp wash-cloth. I also did this during the day, with bright sunlight coming into the room. Do not try this at night, I don't think it shows all the dust hitting the screen.
2. Turn off your iPhone. You want to make sure the screen stays black, it's much easier seeing dust.
3. I then used another damp wash-cloth (if you squeeze it and water comes out, it's too wet. It needs to be barely damp), and wiped down my iPhone, front and back.
4. Then I got the little piece of cloth that shipped with the screen protectors and wiped the screen down until it was as clean as I could get it.
5. The iPhone was laid down on the damp cloth so it wouldn't rock and slide as i was applying the screen protector.
6. Peel off "Side 1", and start by lining up the camera hole and the ear hole. Then slowly lay down the rest of the protector on the screen, making sure no bubbles form as you go. You will get some, but if you do it right, they will only be near the edges.
7. Once it's laid down, then take a fingernail and apply gentle pressure from the center of the screen towards the edge. Basically driving the bubble out from underneath the screen protector.
8. The last step, peel off "Side 2".
9. Done!

Should only take about 5-10 mins. But it's so worth it. I bought the matte version of these and it's a nice improvement.

So my initial assessment that screen protectors are garbage is wrong, my technique at applying the screen protectors was garbage. A little bit of homework on the Internet, dust control, and I got a quality result. I highly recommend these screen protectors from this seller. I'd buy them again!

CLICK HERE for detail information

SUMMARY
1. Cellular 5 Star cables are the best and indistinguishable from my genuine Apple iPhone cables.
2. Importer520 is acceptable, but slightly inferior to Cellular 5 Star with some cosmetic blemishes. The cable length is made out of a high quality material.
3. Niceeshop is acceptable, but the cable length is not as supple as the Cellular 5 Star or Importer520.
4. C and J Accessories, although it qualifies for Amazon Prime, has its iPhone connector end as larger than the authentic one with a cheaper cable length material.
5. I would avoid Item44Less because of the rigid plastic cable material that does not bend and keeps the angular bent formation from its coiled position during shipping. The cable length material is the lowest quality (i.e. most plastic like) compared to the above four competitors.

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140 of 165 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Wireless, No Rumble, but Light with Tilt Sensors, November 18, 2006 This review is from: PlayStation 3 Wireless Sixaxis Controller (Video Game) The PlayStation 3 controller has gotten a lot of press because of its lack of vibration. However, it is wireless, extremely light, and has tilt sensors in it. This seems a great trade-off during gameplay.

First, let's get through the "bad" that many people have gotten upset about. They took out the rumble controller from the PS3 controller. This was for legal reasons - a company which developed that rumble technology took issue with Sony using it. Some people feel it really affects gameplay not to have that rumbling.

I have to admit that I am VERY happy, personally, that the rumbling is gone. I always turned off the rumble in games where I could. I am on my computer pretty much 24 hours a day, and if I play a game with rumble on, it *kills* my wrists. If you're a rumble fan, this is a decision you'll have to make for yourself.

Now, to the good parts of the controller. First, they all come wireless for the PS3. I *love* love wireless. Wires cause huge clutter in our living room, with all our systems and equipment. You only have to plug the controller in to power it up. It's a regular USB power-up so you can use your iPod's plug (assuming you have an iPod) or plug it into your computer or XBox 360 or anything else with a USB on it. That is to say, you don't have to power it up from your PS3 if you don't want to for some reason.

Next, it is super light! I imagine this is because it doesn't have to hold the motors that cause rumbling. I really appreciate the lightness. You might not notice if you only play a game for an hour or two, but if you're doing marathon sessions of multiple hours, the weight of the controller really does begin to matter.

Just like the Wii controllers, this controller has a tilt sensor in it. It actually knows when you tilt and turn the controller, or shake it. Depending on the game, you can use those tilts to look around or to shake off an enemy. That really gives you much more interactivity with the game, much more than button pushing.

The general controller shape is exactly the same as the PS2 controller. You have a pair of shoulder buttons on each side, two joysticks, four buttons on the right and four directional buttons on the left. There's a PS button in the center, just like there's an XBox button in the middle of the Xbox 360 controller. Also, there are four lights on the unit, to let you know if this controller is #1, #2, #3 or #4 if you are playing multi-player games.

The center PS button lets you turn the unit on and off, which is great if your console is off in a shelf or corner of the room.

In general, I think they did a great job with the PS3 basic controllers. The main console sale both for 20 and 60 comes only with one controller - so be sure to get yourself a second one!

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars It'll do for now..., December 30, 2006 This review is from: PlayStation 3 Wireless Sixaxis Controller (Video Game) Sony's controller has it's good and bad. Good news first, one thing I like about it is the super light weight...by far the lightest controller I've ever owned. It also is now wireless. You can also turn on and off the console with the "PS" button in the middle. One of the best features is the new SIXAXIS motion feature. It makes game playing interesting. For example, you can literally steer your motor vehicle by moving the pad left, right, up or down in the game Motorstorm (demo). We'll see how developers will use this feature in future games...but so far so good!

There are drawbacks to the controller. For one, there is a usb cord that comes with the system and controller...what's disappointing is that the usb cord is so short maybe about only 5 feet long. I'm not sure if they include they usb cord if you buy the pad individually. However, I guess Sony expects gamers to sit right up to the tv when playing or charging the controller because of the short cord. I had to add an extension since I am about 10 feet away. But you won't use the cord so much because it charges pretty quick and battery lasts a long time before it needs charging...maybe up to 30 hours?

Another negative is that the L2 and R2 buttons feel awkward. Sony tried to make this into "triggers" but still keeping it's controller pad form, causes strains with some games. For example playing Need for Speed Carbon and holding the R2 trigger all the time, your fingers will slip when it gets moist. The least Sony could of done was make the buttons more rubbery for more grip or design the trigger so your fingers won't be slipping off the button.

Other than that, the controller is pretty simple and with the motion sensor makes it different from the past ones. I would of still preferred the "boomerang" type controller they had in mind, but the SIXAXIS isn't too bad of a deal....

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43 of 53 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars The new exception, January 25, 2007 This review is from: PlayStation 3 Wireless Sixaxis Controller (Video Game) Here's a wireless controller that doesn't feature vibration feedback. That's a first. Both Microsoft and Nintendo have made vibration standard on there controllers. What Sony does different is add motion control. Actually the controller can sense six different movements. Although this is not a feature that really sells me. I was skeptical of this pad because of what was missing. And using the Dual Shock controller for nearly ten years I knew what to expect. Finally getting my hands on one of these I was able to tell all the differences. For one Sony has made it much easier for people to not have to get up every time they want to turn the PS3 on or off. That is what the PS button is for. Secondly they have changed the L2/R2 buttons and made them triggers. These triggers take getting used to. Generally the L2/R2 or what was referred to as shoulder buttons were rarely used. Except maybe in a shooting game. Now these triggers have a starring role in racing games. For many years I have been accoustomed to the X button representing throttle. Now it's R2 in many racing games. After using this paddle for several hours I have realized how much more I enjoy it. It's is quite light. Only a few ounces and makes it easy to use for hours at a time. I have also noticed how well the battery stays charged. Even after five days and twenty plus hours of use it still has two thirds battery power. I have used the 360 controller and the Wii mote and have found this is the most comfortable to me. Right now vibration doesn't make much of a difference for me and motion control is useless. I just enjoy the feel and really that's what's important when playing games for hours. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you? 
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I approve this remote control, September 19, 2008 This review is from: Sony PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Disc Remote (Video Game) I did not think I needed yet another remote control because I thought the six-axis had everything it needed for movie playing on the PS3 and, yet, I bought one. There were 2 initial reasons:

- my wife was missing a 'magic wand' shaped remote for playing movies

- Amazon had it at a great price in one of them lightning deals

I ended up using it myself and, in fact, using it for more than just movie playing - see below.

But, let's do a quick inventory of features:

= It's blue-tooth enabled and, therefore, it's not taking any ports on your PS3. This is probably important for anyone who has a "2-USB ports console".

= It's wand-shaped, allowing the non-gamers to control their movie-watching activities while holding a familiar-shaped device in their hand.

= It maps ALL the six-axis buttons and performs everything a six-axis would do, except for the joystick features of R3 and L3 (but you do have the push-down or 'click' abilities for them).

= 2 AA battery powered (still with the original Sony batteries after 4 months of use)

= Includes additional buttons that the movie-only users would expect on a remote such as:

+ a number pad

+ eject

+ red, green, blue, yellow buttons

+ play, stop, pause

+ slow(step), scan(left/right), prev/next

+ display, top menu, pop up menu, return

+ subtitles, angle, audio

What is interesting about this remote is that you can use it for much more than movie-playing. Given that it has all the six-axis buttons, guess what? You can use it, and I do use it to:

- surf the web

- play music

- shop at the PSN store

- play certain games such as Sudoku

- turn the PS3 on/off when your six-axis controllers are in the charger and I am playing GT5 that is using a racing wheel

And, yes, you CAN turn the PS3 on and off with this remote. Turning it on is easy - you simply press the PlayStation button and the PS3 turns itself on. To turn it off, you either go as far to the left on the X-bar and all the way up and press Enter (the turn-off PlayStation icon will be highlighted) or you simply hold the PlayStation button pressed for a few seconds and then select 'yes' and press the X button a couple of times.

Overall: I am happy with this peripheral. Yes, it's one more remote control but it's a pretty good one, for the reasons I stated above.

_______________________________

Notes - Aug 29, 2009, after 16 months of use

I find that I'm using the remote more and more, not only for playing movies but for navigating the XMB and at the PSN Store, also when playing music or slideshows. Due to its very convenient arrows wheel with an 'enter' button in the middle, navigating the PS3 and doing just about anything other than playing games is a lot easier than using the PS3 game controller. Unlike the controller which normally requires two hands to hold, this is basically a one-hand operation where you hold the remote in one hand and operate the wheel with your thumb. And because it's Bluetooth, not IR (Infrared), you don't even need to point it at the PS3.

And, one word on battery life. After about 15-16 months of operation, this is probably the third set of batteries so I'd estimate battery life to be about 4-6 months. Not too bad.

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220 of 268 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Great Start but Missing Some Features, March 21, 2007 This review is from: Sony PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Disc Remote (Video Game) Most PS3 owners enjoy not only the gaming abilities of their system, but also the built in Blu-Ray DVD player. The Sony remote control accessory lets you play those movies with great ease.

The remote combines the regular buttons of our other DVD players with the funky look of the PS3. You have a red, green, blue and yellow button - labelled with their color names! You also get a circle, X, square and triangle to do a few things like brinigng up the options and back choices.

The main buttons - play, stop, forward, back - are laid out reasonably nicely at the bottom of the remote with large buttons. There are small buttons up on top for the number keys, and a very tiny eject button.

Missing completely is a power button!! You have to hit the PS button in the center and go through the regular PS3 menus to get the power to turn off. In fact, while I was writing this review, I accidentally hit a button on the remote and the PS3 turned on. We were watching regular TV, so now I have to wait until our show is over, switch over to the PS3 and use the buttons to turn the system back off again. That doesn't make much sense at all to me.

Also, on our Oppo DVD remote, the buttons glow which makes it REALLY nice to use in the dark or dim light that most people watch movies in. This unit is completely black with black buttons. This makes it pretty much useless in low light conditions until you memorize all of the button locations. You would think by now that remote control makers would have their buttons backlit or at least glow-in-the-dark to handle this.

The unit takes two AA batteries which makes it a bit heavy, but certainly within the normal range of remotes.

It's easy enough to sync up the remote with the PS3. It's bluetooth powered, so you go into the PS3 menu and use the options there to indicate you have a new remote. Note that the base level PS3 will not handle this - you have to have a connection to the internet from your PS3 and run an update routine. If you don't have an internet connection for your PS3, you have to create an update CD on your PC to do this update.

Well recommended - but it really could be much better to be great.

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269 of 331 people found the following review helpful: 2.0 out of 5 stars "Stop" Button Should Be Labeled "Ruin My Evening", April 6, 2010 This review is from: Sony PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Disc Remote (Video Game) If you want to pause your movie, you hit "Pause". If you want to start your movie again, you hit "Play". But between the "Pause" and "Play" buttons is "Stop". Here Be Dragons.

"Stop" means it. "Stop" doesn't just stop the video from playing, it quits out of the Blu-Ray player and returns you all the way to the root PS3 menu. To start watching your disk again you need to select the Blu-Ray disk again, wait for it to boot up, wade through whatever previews and coming attractions are on the disk, re-enable the correct subtitles and menu settings, wait for the various FBI and MPAA warnings, locate the place where it stopped playing, and then resume watching. Hitting "Stop" whether you wanted to or not means you're going to spend at least the next five minutes not watching your movie.

The "Stop" button is so big and so centrally located that I can't count the number of times I've hit it in error, either by poking at "Pause" or "Play" in my darkened living room or by sitting on the controller. It's gone from being an occasionally frustrating surprise, to being an infuriatingly common blunder, all the way around to being some sort of perverse comic relief. "What happened? Why did the movie just stop? Did you hit the STOP button by accident again? You did? THE REMOTE GOT US AGAIN. WE HATE YOU, REMOTE."

There are three ways that Sony could solve this problem.

- They could re-label the button "Ruin My Evening", and replace the pushbutton with one of those covered safety switches that are used in military cockpits to arm weapons. A button with consequences this significant needs to be clearly marked with a protective cover that you have to move aside, so that there's no way you'll end up pushing it by accident without understanding what it's going to actually do.

- They could just remove the "Stop" button entirely. Nobody would miss it. There's already a "Pause" button if you need to take a break. There's a "Top Menu" button to return you to the top menu. There's a "PS3" button to pop up the media bar (with an option to quit the player), and an "Eject" button that also quits the player while ejecting the disk. There is nothing that the "Stop" button should do that another button isn't already doing.

- They could make the "Stop" button just return the user to the top level Blu Ray menu, and not quit out of the entire player. They could also make "Play" the opposite of "Stop", where "Play" returns you to playing what "Stop" stopped you from playing.

Apart from the "Stop" button this would be a completely fine remote with a four or five star review. It's well built, it runs for weeks or months without batteries, and because it's Bluetooth (not IR) it doesn't need to be pointed at the player with line-of-sight to work. It's like a well-built Mercedes, with an extra pedal between the gas and brake that makes all four wheels fall off. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT.

Update: It's actually pretty easy to remove the stop button yourself. Undo the screw on the underside at the bottom of the remote and carefully pry the upper and lower halves apart. Under the rubber buttons there's a layer of conducting pads, a plastic spacer layer, and the circuit board. You can either use a hobby knife to cut out the conducting pad that triggers the stop, or you can put tape over the circuit board contact to render the stop button mercifully unusable.

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Peliculas Online

To add, correct, or read more Book Extras for H.E.R.O. - Dark Research , visit Shelfari, an Amazon.com company.

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Peliculas Online

Long overdue a holiday, and envious of his friend's new life in the sun, Dave reckons that a trip to Florida is just what's needed to get his own life back on track.

So, with a handful of dollars, and an invitation from his friend, Tony, Dave flies out of London, to the Sunshine State, where Tony says life is just GREAT.

But all is not well in the land of oranges and alligators, and when Tony discovers that his wife has been unfaithful, Dave comes to the rescue of his old friend, and thinks that it's time for Tony to forget the American dream,and return to England...

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Peliculas Online

The H.E.R.O. series continues after the events of H.E.R.O. - New Markets. This short novel follows the lives of three newly empowered Supers:

Diva: A former model, she is struggling to learn the ropes as a new member of the H.E.R.O. organization.
Chrome: As her life shatters from the devastating change into one of the most powerful brick superhumans in Metrocity, she must learn how to cope with the terrifying realities of no longer being human.
Gravitix: His story unfolds as he makes a decision for or against the use of power for easy gain and evil.

Through their trials, a strange mutant uses her charm and wiles in an attempt to corrupt the new supers and aid her in freeing the bloodthirsty mutant followers she lost in H.E.R.O. - Metamorphosis.

The story brings back many familiar faces from the first two novels in the series as we again interact with Psystar, Spartan, Black Tiger, Gatecrasher, Psycom and Silverlash.

The H.E.R.O. Universe is a new world of heroes and villains. As a novel-based story forum, it allows for deeper character development than that of a comic book or graphic novel based story. Each novel in the series follows the perspective of several heroes - or villains - in their lives and schemes.

The common super types include Psychics, Blasters, Bricks and Mutants, although some crossover occurs in unusual individuals. Psychics generally gain mental powers, such as telepathy, telekinesis, or emotional powers. Blasters have the ability to generate or control an element or waveform, such as light, electricity, or heat. Bricks are the strongmen of the world, having massive strength and bodies that can sustain immense damage. Mutants appear less human in appearance due to the addition of blades, tentacles, fins, wings, tails, and more to their bodies, and are between a brick and the others in physical strength.

The other novels in the series include H.E.R.O. - Metamorphosis (Book 1), H.E.R.O. - New Markets (Book 2), and H.E.R.O. - Dark Research (Book 4, coming soon). As an ongoing series, each novel stands alone. However, many of the characters in Metrocity do make recurring appearances and the history of the world does build with each novel.

H.E.R.O. - Rise and Fall is a short novel of approximately 53,000 words. Please visit the author's website for more information on characters and character images. (http://www.kevinrau.com)

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Peliculas Online

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Peliculas Online

I purchased this controller today and I knew the only way to properly road-test it was on the game that made the Dualshock famous, Metal Gear Solid. After booting up the game, I walked down the hallway and got spotted by a guard. As he shouted, "WHO'S THAT?" the controller jumped in my hand - and I knew this was a smart purchase. As the guards shot at me, I felt the feedback of the bullets, just as I had 10 years ago on my Sony Playstation.

I picked out another old school Playstation game, Tenchu: Stealth Assassins. From Ayame's blades to Rikimaru's sword, each sword swipe and jump had excellent feedback.

Okay, so my Playstation games worked out. But what about my Playstation 2 library?

I popped in God of War, knowing I had to feel the swing of the Blades of Chaos. The controller vibrations felt a little lighter here, but the vibrations still occurred at the appropriate times.

Then I chose Incredible Hulk Ultimate Destruction. Who better to test a vibration controller than the Sultan of Smash? All the power jumps and smashes had the vibrations intact, but they still felt a little on the light side.

All right, so far I was two for two with my Playstation and Playstation 2 test subjects. But what about my Playstation 3 games? Could I possibly hit a trifecta?

I put in Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and I decided to jump right into a heated firefight. The controller gave me feedback while shooting weapons and getting hit by enemy fire, but I knew my purchase was justified when Drake was near death: I FELT THE DUALSHOCK 3 PULSING IN SYNCH WITH DRAKE'S HEARTBEAT. It's one thing to hear that noise and know he's near death, it's quite another to feel the pulse in my own hands.

Okay, so the feedback on the older games was there, but a little lighter than I remember. The reason? Well, when I decided to go wireless on my Playstation 2 system, I bought a Logitec Dualshock controller. It turns out, that controller takes two "AA" batteries, and the vibration motors inside the controller handles are slightly larger than the ones in the Dualshock 3. That's where I felt the difference.

The Dualshock 3 vibrations may be slightly less than the Logitec controller, but it doesn't require the purchase of batteries.
The Dualshock 3 may be slightly heavier than the SixAxis, but it doesn't take up any extra space at all.

Sure, the price is about $15 more than the SixAxis, but it's a worthy upgrade for the Playstation 3 gamer who kicks it old school as well as new school. The only other drawback is the lack of an additional USB cable - but we can use the one that came with the system itself.

So what's the final verdict?

Order it, plug it in, charge it up, and get ready for the inevitable downloads from the Playstation Store to make the older PS3 games Dualshock 3 compatible.

I wouldn't recommend a feedback peripheral without providing my own feedback...

Enjoy!

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The story starts off more like a movie. On this quest you are accompanied by an attractive documentarian Elena and of course your comrade Sullie. What sets Uncharted apart from some many games is the cinematic approach is so seemless it makes it hard to seperate gameplay from movie watching. As your journey progresses you begin to realize you have many enemies. It seems Sullie doesn't live the cleanest life and borrowing money from a bad guy doesn't help. So now the bad guys are out to collect the debt by finding El Dorado. Although it becomes apparent that El Dorado is not a city of gold but a man of gold.

Without getting too much into the story it will definately leave you filling your aderaline need. The gameplay is incredible in this game. The enemy A.I. starts off slow and quickly progresses as you get further into this game. Enemies will actually out manuever you. If you don't plan out your attacks well you will find yourself dead. Although the battles are not the only thing you face in this game there are a number of puzzles that are not overlly difficult. What I do enjoy about this game is that it has a hint option. You can use it to help you in confusing spots. Although if you are more hardcore you will probably leave this option off. There are four difficulty levels and the toughest option is locked until you beat the game on hard. What is a first for a PS3 game is the reward system that is being used. There are 60 treasures that can be found througout your journey. On top of that there are objectives that you can try to complete. Some are simple like killing a certain amount of enemies with one of your weapons and others are more complex like getting a certain amount of stealth kills.

The visuals in this game are stunning and some of the best I have ever seen. What is good to watch is the incredible amount of detail put into everything. The jungle environments are lush and beautiful and the water effects are some of the best ever. Sometimes it is enjoyable just to stand and enjoy the beauty of the environment. Tree branches sway, clouds move, and leaves fly all over the place. This is as close to reality as I have seen.

If you own a PS3 this game is a must buy. To say the least it is one of the best games available on any console. The storyline is enjoyable and reminiscent of many great adventure movies. Uncharted sets a new bar on next gen games and hopefully others will follow with this excellent quality. If you like action and adventure and don't mind being the star of a playable movie then Uncharted should be on your list.

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To start with, the PS3, like the XBox 360, supports full high definition. The Wii only supports a lower resolution. Since the Wii has a much lower price tag, that is a fair trade-off for people with a tighter budget. Gamers for whom a very high level of graphic detail is important will have to pony up for that ability.

Along the same lines, the XBox 360 supports the HD format of high definition DVDs for movies, while the PS3 supports the Blu-ray format. If you haven't been following the whole format war for high definition DVDs, I have several articles on the topic on my gaming site. In short it's like the VHS/Beta wars when the VCR first came out. Is one better than the other? Will one format win out as the sole survivor? There's no way to tell. People will argue vehemently that one is better than the other. From a gaming point of view, the PS3 has the Blu-ray BUILT IN meaning every game can have 50 GIGS worth of game information. Think MASSIVELY huge maps, types of characters, etc. The XBox 360 only uses "regular" DVDs as its base game holder, which is about 7 GIG. That is much smaller. You can buy an add-on HD DVD unit for about $100 (shop around - they're there at that price) but the storage is still smaller than Blu-ray - about 30 gig.

People will argue about graphics until they're blue :) A lot of this comes down to how a specific game company *uses* the ability of the system. Looking at graphics on a tetris-like game will be much different than viewing the graphics of Oblivion or Gears of War. I found 360 graphics amazing on Oblivion. I equally found the PS3 graphics quite impressive on Genji's cut scenes (no enemy crabs in sight). Since both are high definition, I think that both have the same potential in real life terms. Both really shine in terms of fluid motion, precise detail and realism. I've seen it on both systems, on certain games. I've also seen junky graphics on both systems. Both are much better than the Wii.

How about sound? All of these can plug into your stereo system. My boyfriend and I are both musicians. We have decibel meters and other sound-sensing tools. All three systems can create amazingly complex sounds, music, and in general a "gaming environment". Again I think it comes down to specific game makers, how they choose to use or not use that ability. It also comes down to how much you the gamer spent on your stereo system :)

Speaking of sound, I do have to comment that our 360 is quite loud when it runs, despite our many attempts to help it be quieter. The PS3 right out of the box is MUCH quieter. Score 1 point for the PS3.

On the general operating system for the units, all three consoles are going for more of a "general use entertainment system" presentation. The XBox has customizeable tabs that let you download new games, manage your environment and so on. The Wii also has channels that let you organize your gaming world. The PS3 has an interface almost exactly like that of the PSP, complete with cool drifting smoke waves in the background. You choose which area you want to work on - game, music, internet connection etc., and drop down to alter whatever feature you're interested in.

So on to the on-line aspect, which most gamers are now fully interested in. Where the XBox 360 makes you buy an external connector for wireless, the PS3 has that built-in on the 60 gig model. The 20 gig model still requires an external connector (these run about $100). All will let you plug in a cable if you're still running a wired household.

[UPDATED JUNE 2007] Back during launch, people thought 20 gig was great and that 60 gig was overkill for a gaming system. After all, the XBox 360 had 20 gig as their top end. Now, only a few months later, Sony has discontinued their 20 gig as "too small". XBox has the Elite model with 120 gig. The difference is as that gamers are converting their focus from audio storage to video storage, and high def video at that. People are downloading and enjoying movies and TV shows on their consoles. It's something to consider, if you will be doing that with your console.

How does the online world work on the PS3? The XBox definitely has the advantage here. Until this generation, *only* the XBox had a thriving community in their live world. The XBox 360 connected right into that XBox Live world, and they boast a *huge* community of gamers who actively gain points, play online and form virtual worlds. The PS3 and Wii both have to play catch-up at this point. Even if they have better interfaces, it's a matter of converting over all those players who have clans, familiarity and high point collections on the XBox world. Imagine if a new MMORPG came out right now that had fantastic graphics. Sure it might be wonderful - but will you really get all 800 trillion WOW players to drop their world and characters and friends to convert, especially if it costs more? It'll be a hard, slow sell.

My summary? I definitely think all three have great games and that all three are worth owning. Of course I'm in a position that I *can* afford all three, which many people are not in. For example, I *love* the Zelda series, and I *love* the Final Fantasy series. I would be hard put to tell a person "you need to get Zelda instead of Final Fantasy". I would want the person to have both, because both are great for different reasons. If you really truly can only save up for one of the three consoles, it isn't going to come down to which console is "best" for all players in some sort of a global way. It is going to come down to which console is best for YOU based on your specific gaming style.

If you're on a really tight budget and just want something better than the previous generation, go for a Wii. It's cheap, the graphics are better, and the remotes are great fun. It has Zelda :) If you have a larger budget and really want the high definition, you're now choosing between the 360 and the PS3. You really do have to look at the specifics of each, and think seriously about your gaming style, to see which matches you best. If I were to make a flip summarization, if you really love online gameplay, I'd go with the XBox 360. Its years of head-start really give it a robust environment here. If you are looking for more of a home-based one-machine media center for your MPs3, photos and huge world gameplay, I'd go with the PS3. It definitely has the advantage on large scale games.

Feel free to email me if you have more specific questions, or for screenshots, graphic descriptions, or interface information on any of the three systems.

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75 of 86 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Even if it isn't true... $40 PS3, January 16, 2011 This review is from: PlayStation 3 60GB System (Video Game) If this isn't true, amazon will definitely honor a refund. I just talked to customer support and they told me that if this is a mistake, I will be able to withdraw my order. Thank you Shehini from customer support!!!! Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you? 

49 of 55 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars PS3 Exceeds Expectations, December 27, 2006 This review is from: PlayStation 3 60GB System (Video Game) After months of mulling it over, I decided to go with a PS3 over an XBox 360 or a Nintendo Wii. The reasons that I did so were as follows:

First, the PS3 is technically superior and more powerful than either the 360 or the Wii. Because of that, there is nothing that the 360 or Wii can do that the PS3 cannot do. And all of the advantages for the 360 (better game lineup and networking) or for the Wii (novel game play) could be overcome by the PS3 given the right amount of time (the PS3 game lineup for next year looks impressive, the networking should improve and the EyeToy coming for PS3 should counter the Wii's advantage).

Second, the PS3 60 GB gives you more for your dollars (even though it will take 600 of them) than the other systems. It includes a BluRay player, a 60 GB hard drive, a memory card reader and WiFi networking. If you tried to build an XBox 360 with the same specifications, it would end up costing you $300 more than the PS3. And the Wii is incapable of meeting these specifications.

Third, the PS3 is reverse compatible with most PS2 games - preventing my PS2 library from becoming obsolete overnight.

That said, when I bought the system, I was a bit apprehensive given all of the criticisms that I had heard here and elsewhere. I did have high hopes for the system given its specifications but was afraid of buying the next NeoGeo. After a couple of days of playing, I can say that my expectations have been exceeded and my fears have proven to be unfounded.

I have had the system set up and playing for two days (not continuously of course) on a Samsung 720p/1080i 50" plasma screen with an HDMI hook-up. (Note: There is NO need to buy an HDMI cable over $20. Sony and Monster will try to sell you HDMI cables for almost $100. HDMI relies on a digital signal - either you get it or you don't. I bought a $9 cable from an online retailer and have been doing quite well with it.)

I have played Resistance, Fight Night, the Grand Turismo Demo, the Genji demo and the MotorStorm demo. I have used the WiFi connection to play online as well.

The system has its pros and cons - but the pros far outweigh the cons.

Pros:

- Breathtaking next-gen graphics. The Grand Turismo High Definition demo shows off the power of the PS3. When playing GTHD, you almost forget that you are watching a computer animation - the cars and track look entirely lifelike (the spectators not so much). Fight Night shows off impressive flesh reconstructions, lighting and details (e.g. the sweat on a fighter's face, the skin ripples on a knockout punch).

- Hassle free wireless networking. There have been some drops - but for the most part, the WiFi keeps us downloading and gaming as much as we need it. It provides a web interface and easy access to the PlayStation store and other PS3 users.

- Peripheral possibilities. With four USB hookups in the front, the possibilities are many - including a PS3 EyeToy and SingStar game.

- An impressive 2007 lineup with Tom Clancy's Vegas, Assassin's Creed, Metal Gear Solid 4, Grand Theft Auto and a variety of other games coming out, the future for the PS3 is bright.

- Extensive hard drive space. There is no need to skimp on demos or downloads.

- BluRay player opens up next gen DVD to our home theater system.

- SIXAXIS controllers open up the possibility of a fusion of traditional gaming with motion sensitive gaming.

Cons

- Surfing the web with the PS3 WiFi connection is an exercise in frustration. I don't plan to surf the web on the PS3 anyway and this is more of an annoyance than anything else because the network and PlayStation store run quite smoothly on WiFi.

- The smooth, plastic casing is a fingerprint and dust magnet. (Really not a big deal at all).

Overall, the PS3 is a solid system with spectacular potential in the hands of the right software developers. It only gets 4 stars for fun (as opposed to 5 overall) right now because of the limited game lineup (which may not be fair since this is a review of the console and not the lineup - but a console is nothing without its playable games) - but with time, those 4 stars should become 5.

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