
Thursday, October 9, 2014
WennoW Aftermarket Car Adapter for Philips Ay4197 Car Dc Charger for PET9402 PET9422 PET7422 PET740

Sunday, October 5, 2014
INSTEN Micro-5 Pin Retractable Car Charger, Black

Sunday, September 28, 2014
Motorola S10-HD BlueTooth Headset Standard Red LED Wall / AC / Home Charger!

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Still Working Barely, Started Malfunctioning within the first month, but is still hanging on,it's a gamble to get it functioningIt was a replacement for a damaged charger. Worked like the original with no problems at all. I would buy it again.
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Monday, September 8, 2014
GOOGLE Nexus 7 Elite GTR Series Combo Pack Car Charger + Home Wall Charger

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Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Belkin Car Charger with 8-Pin Lightning Cable for Apple iPhone 5, iPad (4th Gen), iPad mini, iPod t

Cons: abit pricey at $35.00
Pros: Comes with a lightning cable, that works with otterbox, Cable is good quality also
Fast 2.1 Amp chargerI purchased this from the local Apple store after checking Amazon and finding that the prices were identical. At some point I assume the Amazon price will come down since this seems expensive for such a simple device, but high prices seem to be typical for these iPhone accessories, particularly when the products are new.
Advantages:
the charger and cable are separate, which is a big plus in my opinion. This means that:
---you can use the charger for any other device that uses a USB cable
---you now have another USB to lightning cable, if needed to connect your device to a computer for example
sufficient power output (2.1 amp) for both iPhone and iPad (the iPad and certain other products require a higher power output than the iPhone, some products can't handle both)
green LED illuminates when plugged into car to show that power is being supplied
quality of the charger and cable is very good solidly made, looks good
the lightning plug fits into the phone or iPad and clears the case easily (I have a Speck case on my iPhone 5). The lightning plug is slightly larger than the Apple manufactured plug on cables provided by Apple, as the other reviewer has noted, but not so much that it should result in any interference issues.
Disadvantages:
somewhat expensive
seems to be available in black only, so if you want to have the same white as other accessories, I don't think that is available (yet)
the green LED is much brighter than necessary
The only reason I give this 4 rather than 5 stars is the price. In every other aspect this does the job perfectly, and the disadvantages (other than price) that I've listed are very minor ones.
Currently there are not many choices that I am aware of for a lightning car adaptor. The Apple store carried this product as well as a similar product from one other manufacturer, and there is also another Belkin car charger that does not have the cable and charger separate. I decided to get this model for the reasons stated above, and am happy with my choice.I have an iPhone 5, and plain and simple this puppy works. I have a Ballistic case for the iPhone, and the plug has no issue connecting though the opening of that case (the opening at the bottom of the case is about 1/4 inch wide, or about 6 mm).
The green light is quite green and bright at night. But you know what...? Just turn the plug away from you so that the USB cable blocks the light. Problem solved. Sure, your passenger might get blinded, but that's the price they pay for you to drive.
So while this isn't the cheapest option, you do get the adapter AND a cable, and the cable works. So all in all, not a bad deal.Great design, nice long cord, ability to charge any USB, bright green light let's you know to unplug it, BUT my daughter and I have purchased 3 between us and every one of them has lasted less than 3-4 months!
Plus, they just doubled the price! DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS ONE, ESPECIALLY NOT AT TWICE THE PRICE!
Belkin used to make great products. Perhaps it's the sellers, I don't know, but I'm disgusted. I really love this car charger, and love the fact that it has a long, straight cord and not some curly-wrapped cord that catches on everything. It appears well-built and I also use it for my iPad in the house, by unplugging it and using it in my iPhone jack, or via USB on my computer. Typical solid Belkin construction, with a solid, expensive feel makes this a winner.
Monday, August 4, 2014
SODIAL(TM) 3.1A Dual USB Car Charger Adapter for iPad iPad2 iPhone iPod (White)

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Friday, July 11, 2014
Car Charger for Pantech Link II P5000
Sunday, June 29, 2014
GTMax Black Car Charger Adapter for Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 P1000 / 8.9 Inch P7310 / 10.1 Inch / Galax

Update: The picture on Amazon now accurately depicts the charger. The seller did refund my money after ealizing their mistake.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Griffin RoadTrip FM Transmitter with SmartScan for iPod

- Compatibility: iPod touch, iPod nano 3rd generation, iPod classic, iPod with video,iPod nano 2nd generation
- Charge your player while listening to music through your car's stereo system
- SmartScan technology finds, memorizes, and selects the three clearest radio frequencies with the touch of a button
- The flexible steel neck and model-specific adapters create a custom-install look
- Built-in antenna and SmartSound Plus technology ensure clear sound
On the FM transmitter box, push the middle button (Function) and then press and hold the "Mode" button (the right one) for approximately 10 seconds. When you let go you will see a menu for "Us" "Eu" "Ja", select the middle button, "Eu". Let the device sit for a few seconds until it goes back to the main screen, then tune your radio and the transmitter to 87.7 87.9! Now you can use the device on the frequencies that will rarely give you interference (I have the best luck in St. Louis with 87.7).
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I have been looking for a car charger that will also work for the iPhone 3g that is FM transmitter, Dock/Holder all in one. Read all kinds of reviews on all kinds of sites.. THIS ONE I FINALLY TRIED AND WORKS AWESOME. you will however see the apple nag screen that it is not designed for use with this device but just click ignore and off you go.Sound quality is very good
Easy to use
Charging is Fast
Has swivle neck so i can put phone in portrait mode
THIS IS THE ONE TO GET IF YOU HAVE iPhone 3G.
Read Best Reviews of Griffin RoadTrip FM Transmitter with SmartScan for iPod Here
I know this type of device is known for having problems. Sometimes it's the product itself and sometimes it's the car you put it in. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the Griffin Roadtrip with Smartscan. I bought one for my wife. She uses it in a 2002 Nissan Altima with no complaint. On that basis I figured I would try it in my Dodge Dakota. Again, it works great. We live in the Atlanta area and I drive all over, north and east of the city. I am able to leave it set on one of the channels the device itself chose. 90% of the time I hear no interference. The rest of the time there is occasional hissing and, rarely, there is a big swoosh of noise, but only for a couple seconds. We are very satisfied with this product. We have tried some other brands and have not found one this good.Want Griffin RoadTrip FM Transmitter with SmartScan for iPod Discount?
I had been searching for a long time for a decent FM tuner that works with the iPhone 3G. I've tried numerous different products, but couldn't find one that provided a strong enough signal and managed to charge my iPhone 3G. It looks like this product does the trick. Well, it does the trick if you do the trick.First, before purchasing this product, make sure that your car stereo can tune to 87.7 or lower. The lower the better. Then, set the device to European mode: hit the "Function" button, then hold "Mode" for 10 seconds. Finally, select EU instead of US as the location. This allows you to set the device to transmit on frequencies like 87.7 which contain no radio stations in the United States. Now, plug your phone in, tune your radio to 87.7 and you should be jamming to tunes in no time. You'll only need to do this once.
One of the nicest features of this transmitter is that it has a semi-rigid arm for holding the iPhone/iPod, allowing you position it so you get optimal reception on your radio. Then it just stays there. Much better than other adapters that sit loose. Also, contrary to what I read before purchasing this, the transmitter does not shut off in EU mode when not in iPod mode. I had no problem listening to Pandora over 3G on a recent 150 mile drive. Although, you'll still get the periodic GSM "chirp/buzz", but that's an artifact of GSM and inherent to most GSM phones when not in airplane mode.
Of course, it's not all rosy with this device. It takes a second to start when the power is applied, so I get a brief moment of static on the radio when I first start my car. Secondly, the volume levels output are much lower than what we get over radio -on my Mazda 3 we can listen to normal radio at volume level 7, but for the transmitter we need volume level 13 or 14. Finally, the plate that holds the phone/ipod in place blocks part of the home button on the iPhone. Not a huge deal, but kinda annoying. Finally, expect to run into standard FM transmitter problems -your signal may go wacky in tunnels as a result of other signals bouncing around. In my experience this happens reliably in one major tunnel in Pittsburgh, but not in the other major tunnel.
In any case, I've tried out about seven or eight different FM transmitters and this is the first one that I've been happy with. If you don't want to open up your dash to add in an aux line for your iPhone/iPod, this is a good solution.To get nice and clear sound, switch the device into the European mode and tune it to 87.7. It works fine as long as you listen to your iTunes music. A problem appears when you try to listen Internet radios like Pandora. Some weird European regulation says that you can't transmit continuously while not playing music (iPhone doesn't think it's playing music when it's not in the iPod mode) and the device stops transmitting after approximately 20 seconds. Pain in the butt since it doesn't happen in the US mode.
Anyway RoadTrip is great for your iTunes music, just make sure it's in the EU mode and tune your radio to 87.7. Living in a big city (Houston, TX) I rarely get any interference.
Best transmitter for iPhone on the market for sure (tried a few returned all). Go for it.
Friday, May 2, 2014
Brand New Premium Cell Phone Car Charger Adapter for TracFone LG 505c ( Cosmos Touch VN270 )
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
TomTom ONE USB Battery Charger

- Works from any standard electric outlet at home, at work, or in hotel rooms
- Offers the freedom and convenience of charging while away from your vehicle
- Recharges the TomTom ONE's lithium ion battery via built-in USB port
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Three battery charging scenarios:1. The included USB cable for downloading from computer will "trickle" charge device's battery if the device is turned off while attached to computer (explained on P9 as Note of Quick Start Guide). Takes about one hour to fully charge.
2. Included USB cable for car use will do the absolutely identical thing as the USC computer cable as explained above.
3. Optional wall outlet charger not required if one does not need to quick charge device. Advantage of using supplied USB cable with computer is to first hook up to TomTom Home to check for downloadable updates and then tunoff to trickle charge device as needed.
I don't think TomTom is being deceptive about the need to buy their wall outlet charger. One has to read the Quick Startup Guide, which is that a guide, and then download and carefully read the User Manual that is available from TomTom Home. It is more detailed on the operation of the device. On p6 of the Quick Start Guide under the header "Troubleshootiong" is clearly states , "Always make sure that you are using the latest version of the TomTom application on your One XL...see TomTom Home on page 9."
One has to read the instructions to be smarter that the equipment one uses.
Read Best Reviews of TomTom ONE USB Battery Charger Here
This charger works. It charges faster than if you were using the USB from the computer. I like how it has interchangable pins for if you want to take your TomTom overseas and charge it while on vacation.Want TomTom ONE USB Battery Charger Discount?
After purchasing a TomTom One I noticed it has a feature for walk routes, I thought it would be something I would never use and didn't think twice about it.Well, it just shows you how wrong first impressions can be.
I was recently on vacation in Los Angeles (South Pasadena to be exact) visiting filming locations from the first Halloween film (1978). I had researched all the info online then programmed the locations as "Favorites" into my TomTom One. This way I could quickly find an address I wanted to see rather than type out the city, street, and house number.
Arriving in South Pasadena I realized alot of the filming locations were very close together. I decided to walk the route because it was a lot quicker avoiding traffic, street lights, one way streets...etc.. It was also nice to enjoy the California sunshine.
Because I had used the TomTom Home Charger the night before in my hotel room my TomTom One had a full charge. This was very convenient because I could simply take the unit with me and have my entire route with all my favorites with me on foot. It was like having my very own tour guide telling me right where to go.
Anyone who will be using their TomTom One outside a vehicle should look into this product.The one disadvantage of the TomTom ONE is that its battery life is only 2 hours, so it's important you have a car charger and/or home charger to power the device up when not in use. The USB cable provided with your device can also charge it, but it'll take ALOT longer to charge. It's better to have this home charger handy!
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Wagan EL2205 Elite 2000 Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter

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This review is based on 2 of the Wagan Pure SineWave inverters, the 2000 watt version Wagan EL2205 Elite 2000 Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter and the 1500 watt version Wagan EL2204 Elite 1500W DC to AC Pure Sine Inverter.I originally bought the 2000 watt version for use full time in my motorhome
( ). It worked great and powered everything but the air conditioner computer, microwave, vacuum cleaner, TV, refrigerator, power tools, you name it. I liked the remote keyfob for on/off control and the display alternating between battery voltage and power drawn. However, after a year it failed. I opened it up to see if there was anything obviously wrong with it like a fuse or pregnant capacitor. Nothing obvious, but I did discover that a cooked trace on the circuit board had been repaired with a short length of wire. I assume this had to be done at the factory, since I had bought the inverter new.
However, I did like the Wagan inverter so I bought the 1500 watt version to replace it. I liked it just as well, until it too failed after 1 year. One year is all I seemed to get out of the Wagans.
Now, I am using a Cobra 1500 watt modified sine wave inverter Cobra CPI 1575 1500 Watt 12 Volt DC to 120 Volt AC Power Inverter that I have had for 5 years and I am quite happy with it. I don't think I'll buy another Wagan inverter.
oh, one more thing for you ham radio operators, I found the Wagan PSW inverters to be very RF noisy especially on 40 meters and 15 meters.
Read Best Reviews of Wagan EL2205 Elite 2000 Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter Here
I have used this inverter in my truck to run my fridge and my microwave. I had a cheaper inverter and I noticed that the clock on the microwave would lose time. Also the fridge always was on the warm order so I think the power was low. I don`t run the truck at night now and the batteries are still strong now. I would tell people to get one of these.Want Wagan EL2205 Elite 2000 Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter Discount?
Inverter works as advertised but only 2 15 amp plugs are available. Do not know about the usb adapter wasn't what I was looking for anyway. This unit 700 sollars at other web sites I looked at so definitly a bargain from heartland.Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Instapark® NEW All Black 10W High-Efficiency Mono-Crystalline Solar Panel

I started off by buying one of those 1.8W solar "trickle" chargers, which will not produce enough current to keep my battery charged all the time. I measured the 10W setup today, which is a mid-December sunny day in northern California. Around solar noon I got 250mA, which is a bit less than half of what this panel can do. Keep in mind that the panel was also at about a 45 degree angle to the sun, which will also reduce its power output. I really need 130-150mA for a few hours a day to keep the battery charged. Having that extra 100mA will hopefully bring my battery to a full charge over the course of a few days. My battery was down to 11.87V late last night when I hooked the panel up. By lunchtime the next day, the voltage was 12.2V. My dinky 1.8W only managed to keep the voltage around 12V over several days, which meant it was struggling to keep up at best.
The panel seems fairly well made, but it arrived with some silicone residue that wasn't cleaned off at the factory. There was also a bit of a stain on the aluminum frame. Now, I didn't buy the panel for it's dashing good looks, but it would be nice if they were a bit more careful during assembly. All the tabbing on the solar cells looks to be fairly well done. The clear encapsulating silicone was free of any bubbles. The panel uses the typical "frosted" glass found on many flat panels. It seems like the most critical stuff is reasonably well done. The excessive residue on the panel and the crooked label on the back do bring back the cheapness of this item. Keep in mind i've spent four years working in solar, at a variety of companies. None of them let a panel out the door in the condition this one is in. In all fairness, none of my former employers made $40 panels either. For the money, this seems OK to me. If I wanted high quality, this isn't it. This panel is going to spend its time inside a vehicle, so it won't see the crazy weather, dust, and rain an outdoor solar panel would.
The junction box is easy to open, so that you can replace the short wire fairly easily. It will take a decent soldering iron to desolder the wires, but I managed with my 50W bench top solder station. I ended up putting a 10ft section of 18g a wire so that I had enough to put the panel in the back window of my car if need be. Yes, i could have spliced the wires, but this was a "cleaner" look to my new solar charger.
Overall, this is a good buy for someone needing a low-power panel for keeping a small/mid battery charged. When buying a solar panel, take what you think you need and double it. Unless you're using a two-axis solar tracker and a inverter or charge controller with MPPT, you will not get the claimed power from the panel. For most small installations, it's cheaper to buy more solar panel than worry about some of the other technologies that can squeeze the extra wattage. If you're putting in hundreds of watts or more, then investing in better equipment would be a good choice financially.
Love this solar panel, puts anywhere from 9(low light) to 15 and maybe more volts.
I have heard the cables connected to these panels called "flimsy" what I like is the sleeve that comes on it. In the back there is a little compartment where the soldered connections are made, the cables come out the back, I pushed/wiggled the sleeve inside the box closer to the soldered ends and now the sleeve is taking the pressure if the cable is tugged rather then the soldered connections.
Would buy again, probably will but bigger :)
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Great product for the price and size!!!I installed this on my RV roof A/C and it works better than advertised. It kicked out 19.6V. My RV batteries will always be full when pulled out of storage.
Read Best Reviews of Instapark® NEW All Black 10W High-Efficiency Mono-Crystalline Solar Panel Here
I was considering this and the Ramsond 10 Watt Solar Panel. I bought this over the Ramsond as a misspec (somewhere) indicated this was thinner and would pack smaller in a Jamboree Duffel (see below). Amazon has correct (if not updated) dimensions.My application is "Simple Cell Solar" for the 2013 National Jamboree. The goal is full cell charges nightly with a day or twos reserve for my Razr Maxx and my son's iPhone 5
Testing Configuration:
-Instapark® NEW All Black 10W High-Efficiency Mono-Crystalline Solar Panel
-ExcessUPS APC Smart UPS Back-UPS BK BP CS RBC 2 RBC2 New Replacement Battery Cartridge UPS Battery Pack
-1N5822 40V 3A Blocking Diode (only need 1)
-"Watt's Up" RC Watt Meter & Power Analyzer WU100 Version 2 (for measurements ; not needed for deployment)
In full sun I'm maxing at 7.3 Watts at about 14V . Note that you won't see 10 Watts without MPP charger as maximum power is specified at 17 or 18 volts. This deployment (and anything similar) will voltage/current balance to the battery. This isn't a limitation of this cell but I'm pointing out what you can realistically expect without a very fancy MPPT charger.
Advantages:
Good quality construction (but check your caulking as others needed to)
Appears to meet rated specs (and note real-life derating without MPPT devices)
Disadvantages:
Doesn't include blocking diode. Your battery will discharge (at some rate) through the cell at night and on overcast days. Pretty much any charge controller will eliminate this need if you go that route.
Wire sheath wasn't under the strain relief bracket inside the junction. Easy to fix but you should check this.
It's Black. Solar panels become less efficient when hot which is why all panels (except for the cells) aren't black. This one is. Impact? I haven't computed it; may not be enough non-cell black space to worry.
Required some cleanup with alcohol; caulk bits/handling on glass and on two opposing corners. No biggie but it looked dirty.
Corner miter edges had sharp edges knocked off (good) but not finished/re-finished. Sharpie. No biggie but a detail.
Overall I think it's a great value; I think the Ramsond is probably comparable; I wish it (they) had the blocking diode as too many people "try solar" and have issues and a blocking diode helps fool proof them (and is necessary for direct battery hookup).
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The panel is used to maintain charged batteries that power my HAM radio station when we have an outage, especially during an Emergency. It works well for me.Sunday, February 9, 2014
Garmin Nuvi 1100 GPS Navigation System 3.5-inch Touchscreen

- Nuvi 1100 has a 3.5 screen and can provide turn by turn directions.
- 3.5-inch touchscreen and has a battery life that can last up to 4 hours.
- FM traffic and MSN direct
- This USB mass storage device is compatible with Windows® XP or newer and Mac® OS X 10.4 or later.
As for maps they are not complete. Functional for 2 years business location or middle school (built in 1958) could not be found with both C320 and nuvi 1100 but anyway data base and reception of nuvi is better than c320. The voice on nuvi 1100 loud and clear like on c320 not robotic like on nuvi 255. I set it at 40% to not shout suddenly through music on radio. Nuvi 1100 does not have lane assistance or text to speech but it tells and shows arrows where to turn. You can choose on main screen time or distance remaining to destination or hit speed icon to see all at the time it records your trip's time distance how much left or you've passed and so on).
Instruction (Garmin web site) says that a speed limit icon should appear on screen at the major roadways. But I never saw it neither when I was driving at 101 -highway nor at El Camino Real(CA). How much major they must be?! Well some people's reviews says such an icon signs are not accurate (+5-10 mph) so, better watch for sings on the roads than trust navigators' one. Well anyway I tried couple more locations and nuvi 1100 took me exactly from A to B. Screen of 1100 is much clear than TomTom or Magelan have. Top screen (when you on trip) shows arrow icon where to turn with mileage left to that turn and, next street Name to turn at (there is no current street, well less confusions). You can hit arrow icon to make it repeat where you gotta turn if you missed verbal direction at first time. You can hit street Name bar and see list of turns with streets Names and mileage to that.
There is bunch of text menu and speak languages (if you prefer your native one), there is a micro SD slot for JPEG viewing. There is not MP3player or audio plug but who needs it in the car? Everyone has a stereo. As for accessories I got bracket, suction cup with base (self adhesive on one side) and car charger. Manual says you can plug 1100 to PC USB for charge (means standard 500mA USB power). So I used for first charging Motorola RAZR cell phone wall adapter (for 4 hours) and regular mini USB to USB cable (not included) for maps update (took me about 45 minutes). So you don't need special accessories for that. In fact mini USB to USB cable connected to PC will charge your GPS. Just make sure you plugged to power supplied USB (not all PC USB supplied with power, some of them are just for data transfer). Connect GPS to computer. GPS will show picture of connection then press GPS power button to turn it off and look at the screen. The note like: "Now battery is charging" will appear for couple seconds. Then wait four hours (if it's a first charging) and unplug.
I picked this model because others had problems with shout down and rebooting a lot like: nuvi 1300-1350, 1390, 1450, some models 285 and 205. With 265 and 1300 people had problems like getting lost.
I have my StreetPilot c320 for 5 years now and it never let me down except temporary loosing satellite reception.
I hope very much that 1100 won't let me down too.
PS I would not advise to buy refurbished. Your Amazon warranty won't be granted on it and you have a big risk to loose whole thing by saving couple bucks .
Six month later:
The GPS still works great. I recently went to Yosemity National Park, CA. The GPS never lost reception in the woods or in the bottom of the canyon. I never was there before. So I entered Yosemity Gift Shop address and navigator had no problems to find it even inside of the park and bring me there.
Buy Garmin Nuvi 1100 GPS Navigation System 3.5-inch Touchscreen Now
I purchased this reasonably priced unit today after having many difficulties with a more expensive Tom Tom which was out of warranty by 9 months and started malfunctioning. I paid 3 times the cost of this unit when I purchased that one. I can not recommend Tom Tom.I can recommend this Nuvi 1100. It works very well. The interface is better.
It does not have all the bells and whistles of more expensive units. You can not make a bluetooth call on it with your cell phone. You can not check weather or get live traffic updates.
It is small which I think is good. It is easy to operate also. I would recommend this purchase if you need a simple easy to operate GPS unit.
Read Best Reviews of Garmin Nuvi 1100 GPS Navigation System 3.5-inch Touchscreen Here
This cannot get any easier. Right out of the package it worked like a dream. Once satellite acquisition was made it was able to place me and give me directions to the place I wanted to go. I think this is a great product for the price. Nice entry GPS system. The only problem is the updates for it take a long time. Otherwise it is great. Enjoy!Want Garmin Nuvi 1100 GPS Navigation System 3.5-inch Touchscreen Discount?
I bought this Nuvi at Wal-Mart (WM) to replace one that failed after ~1.3 years of use. After only 3 weeks, the 1100's touch screen began failing intermittently, which was the same problem I had with the old Nuvi. I tried to return it to WM on day 33, but was told they only warranted my Garmins for 30 days, and that they had recently reduced their in-store warrantee to 15 days on Garmins. Garmin's quality must be falling off significantly for WM to cut their in-store warrantee in half. Too bad, I've had a Nuvi 265T for over 2 years with no trouble and love it.BOTTOM LINE: Don't buy the Garmin 1100 and think twice about buying any Garmin. Don't buy from Wal-Mart; in-store warrantee is too short.This is my first automotive GPS unit.
It has a 3.5" screen, bicycle and pedestrian modes, and lifetime maps. The cheapest lifetime map equivalent at the warehouse store was about 30 percent more. I read that the smaller units are a little easier to carry around, and we'll be in Seattle soon, on foot for part of the time, and I also want to stick this thing on my bike at some point, which I can do with pedestrian and bicycle mode.
I hooked it up this morning. It came with a window mount and a dash mount. On the way back from dropping my daughter off at Space Camp it told me to head north which is counterintuitive, so I ignored it. Later in the day after picking up my daughter at the same location, we decided to follow the GPS and it took me home on an alternate route, which saved me a mile, a bunch of red lights, and about three minutes. It would have been faster but the GPS didn't know about the construction.
It also has a feature called Ecoroute, where you input your city and highway MPG and gas prices, and it measures how efficiently you drive and grades you for the day. Not as cool as a full-on aftermarket mileage computer, but still pretty cool, as I tend to spend a lot of time on long trips mentally calculating my MPG over and over. It lets you input gallons, distance driven and cost of gas at each fill up. I love this.
Monday, January 27, 2014
EnercellTM 90W Portable AC Power Inverter

- Continuous AC power: 90W
- Peak power: 180W for one cycle
- Output voltage: 115VAC RMS +/-10VAC, 5VDC +/-0.25VDC
- Output frequency: 60Hz +/-3Hz
- No-load current draw: 0.5A
This device, about half the size and weight of a brick, contains a 14.8V 000mAh lithium battery and an 90W inverter. The inverter can be powered off the internal battery or external 12VDC source. The internal battery theoretically has a 56watt*hour capacity but in practice about 40Watt*hours makes it through the inverter. On the internal battery, run time is about 12 hours with no load, 1:50 with a 19W load (digital oscilloscopeRigol DS1052E 50 MHz Digital Oscilloscope with 2 channels plus USB storage and connectivity and 1 GSa/sec sampling with switching supply), and an estimated 25minutes with a 90W load. To estimate runtime, divide 40Watt*hours by the sum of the average power consumption in watts of the device to be powered and 3.3watts internal waste. Use a Kill-A-Watt meter ($25) to measure the average power consumption of devices which may be lower than the worst case values on nameplate. BTW, the Kill-A-Watt P3 International P4400 Kill A Watt Electricity Usage MonitorP3 International P4460 Kill A Watt EZ Electricity Usage MonitorP3 International P4480 Kill A Watt Electricity Usage Monitor with Electronic Graphic Timer displays "dC" instead of roughly 60Hz when connected to the output of the Enercell.
It is generally a mistake to use an inverter to power low power devices when running off local battery. The low efficiency of the inverter and AC supply combined is perhaps 60% compared to about 87% with a 12V car charger/adapter and the quiescent current when the load is not drawing power is around 3.5-25W for the inverter/ac supply vs about 0.035W for the adapter. AC powered devices are also often less efficient. It was a mistake not to include a 12V power outlet on this device. USB port is only rated for 500mA and does not have a separate power switch meaning you are wasting 3.3W instead of 0.035W. This device should have been built with a metal case/passive cooling instead of a power sucking fan. The fan uses relatively low power, sounds like it has poor quality bearings, and runs whenever the inverter/usb is on or whenever connected to an external power source. Because the life expectancy of the fan is poor, this might not last long use as a UPS for your DSL/cable modem.
With an external $80 26pound U1 size 12V 35Ahsealed lead acid deep cycle battery Lead Acid Battery(and separate charger or solar panels) run time can be extended about 10fold. A 20W solar panel ($60) LiteFuze® 20W Mono-crystalline Solar Panel 20 Watt High-Efficiency Durable Heavy Duty Long Lasting Frame could recharge this device in about 1 day, although the specs don't say if the "12V" input will withstand the 20V open circuit voltage of a "12V" solar panel. And it certainly doesn't claim to have maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) or it might be a good match for a small solar panel. The Li-Ion battery back inside is worth about $50 but has about 1/10th the capacity of a heavier and larger $80 sealed deep cycle lead acid battery (smaller than average car battery). Since the enercell is Li-Ion and doesn't bring out the battery connections, you can't just add a battery and expect this device to keep it topped off.
BTW, the internal battery pack should be charged at least once a month due to internal leakage if you want it to have juice when you need it; for maximum shelf life, though, when not needed to be ready it is best to store at 40% charge.
Run a piece of AC powered test equipment such as a digital oscilloscope without cords or available ac power. Run a 6W netbook for about 4 hours (netbook battery will run 4-10hours). Or run it in car or on emergency battery at lower efficiency if you neglected to buy the car charger. Laptop maybe an hour, if that. High powered desktop computer, not at all. Power out, phone lines up, netbook charged but you didn't buy a 12V adapter for your DSL modem? Run it for a few hours on this device to get disaster info. Maybe run your wireless router, too, halving the runtime. Run a 27W Razor 23" LED backlit LCD 1080P HDTV for about 1.3 hours, long enough to catch a newscast in an emergency, if you don't have a battery operated TV. Don't try to run your 50" TV; it will probably overload this device. My HLT71 battery operated TV draws about 8W when not trying to charge internal battery) so it could run almost 4 hours extra. Maybe you forgot to upgrade your battery operated TV to work with digital TV and need to power your converter box. Maybe you need to fire up your AC powered CB or ham radio (QRP) base station long enough to get out a distress call. You aren't going to cook, heat or cool your house, do your laundry, or keep your food refrigerated (you might run a 50W thermoelectric cooler for about 45minutes but those need to run close to 24hours/day to keep food cold). You might run a clip on fan for a couple hours. You aren't going to run power tools. You can charge your cell phone but there are more efficient ways to do that. Slow chargers would be particularly inefficient with this device. You didn't think about emergencies when you bought your AC only weather radio? Well, you can run it off this device long enough to check the forecast but you can't run it 24hours/day to monitor for alerts (without inefficient use of external battery). Run your AC powered AM/FM or Shortwave radio for a bit if you don't have a battery powered one. It doesn't have a built in flashlight. Run a 16W compact fluorescent for about 2 hours. You can loan a little power to your neighbor or bring a little inside from your car. I would not plan on using this device as the primary way to run anything in an emergency but it can be useful for those things that slipped through the cracks in your planning.
This is a cute little device that didn't have great bang for the buck or capacity as a serious source of emergency power, particularly with the design flaws and inadequate documentation, at its retail price (particularly in a bad economy) but at closeout prices is a good deal. Add to that the product packaging and documentation which fails to tell you what you needed to know, for the few people who even knew it existed during the short stay on retail shelves, so people would be reluctant to shell out $100 for enough units to keep it in production. Less power than a jump start pack with inverter, 12VDC, and USB outlets but originally in the same price range, though smaller and lighter you pay a premium for the small size.Xantrex XPower Powerpack 600HD Portable Power SourceCobra CJIC 350 500 Amp Portable Jump-Start/Air Compressor with A/C and D/C Power OutletsEnergizer 84020 12V All-In-One Jump-Start System with Built-In Air Compressor and Power Inverter Those devices would have similar considerations, however, and should be evaluated for battery capacity, efficiency, and quiescent power consumption.
Buy EnercellTM 90W Portable AC Power Inverter Now
This is a very handy power source for running any AC device within the 90W capacity limit. It integrates a lithium battery with the small AC inverter in one small package. It has a cooling fan so there is some ambient noise. I use this device to power a pair of Audioengine2 powered speakers (which are remarkable in themselves) so my application is noise sensitive. I house the inverter inside a softpack carrier wish is used to carry the speakers and this pretty well baffles the noise. Could be used to provide extra power to laptops as well. The Enercell can be recharged from a 12-volt cigarette lighter or from a 120-volt wall outlet.Just bought another one under $10. What a steal for a portable 120 vac or USB source.
Read Best Reviews of EnercellTM 90W Portable AC Power Inverter Here
I must say I'm very happy with the price! At less than $10, it is cheaper than most inverter on the market, yet it doubles as a batter back up as well as an inverter. I've just received the product and did some short test, so far I'm happy. Will know more once I go on a trip to Florida. I plan to use it as the inverter in the car and as power backup for my laptops and ipads.Now, a few things I wasn't happy: the picture on amazon made it look much smaller than it is. The real thing is very thick, almost like a cube. Also, although the fan noise is not very loud, it is the whiny type that can be annoying. Hopefully with music on, it won't be too much trouble.This llittle fella was the answer to a prayer. I needed to video record a special concert that lasted four hours. I recorded the sound on a separate device so the few parts to assemble the better.. The max batteries for the Canon camera only last 100 min. so I would have needed 3 @ $137.00 each. I discovered this unit which allowed me to plug the AC adapter for the camera in and record the entire night. It was incredible!! I have since done the same thing for another concert and it seems to last about 320-340 minutes. I have also powered my laptop for an additional 2½ hours when necessary.. I have already bought 2 more.Great it came on time it also works perfect if no need a portable charger get this brand very very good
Sirius One SV1 Satellite Radio with Car Kit

- Plug-and-play Sirius satellite radio receiver with car kit for easy vehicle installation
- Offers access to more than 130 digital-quality music, sports, entertainment, and talk streams
- Built-in FM transmitter; alternate suction cup mount and dash/visor mount
- 1-line, 12-character dot matrix display with 180-degree inversion option
- Measures 2.75 x 0.94 x 4.5 inches (W x H x D); 1-year warranty
First of all, price-wise it cannot be beat. It includes everything you need to use it in your car (mounting bracket, power cable that plugs into the car lighter, antenna, remote control). At this time there doesn't seem to be a home kit for it. That was not a deal breaker for me since I was planning to really only listen to it in the car anyway. Plus, when you joing Sirius you can listen to all the music channels online.
Though this is a simple unit, it does include some nice features. There are presets that work great. You can set the display to show the channel you are on or have it scroll to tell you the artist and title of the song that is playing.
It has a built-in transmitter that transmits over the car's FM radio on an unused channel. This has worked great for me and I think the sound is very good. I did need to change the FM channel it was transmitting to (easy to change and you can have up to five presets for this as well) once or twice but once I found a truly open station it was crystal clear. It should be noted that I live in LA which is a very crowded radio market. Still I was able to find a clear FM slot to tune the Sirius radio's transmitter to. If you are not in a major market that should not be a problem at all, and really wasn't that big of a deal for me here in LA.
I think it is a sharp little unit and very solid. I am happy with it and if you are looking for a nice, low price unit this is a great choice. I am also very happy with the Sirius service. The music channels are great and I enjoy the sports and talk radio.
Buy Sirius One SV1 Satellite Radio with Car Kit Now
First off, this thing is $30 right off the rack. It's not like you buying a Marantz here, so stay real in your expectations. I have it in my car and it works fine. I had many of the same station bleeding problems others have, but they tell you right in the packaging that just using the FM transmitter is the worst way to use it. What I think everyone who has problems with it needs is a part sold through Sirius called an FM Direct adapter. I got one at Circuit City for $20. Since I'm not too mechanically inclined, I went ahead and let Circuit City install it, too, for $59. It now works perfectly. They mounted it on the windshield of my car (where you might have a parking sticker)and it has maybe an inch or two of wiring exposed. I'm not shilling for Circuit City. Go where you like or do it yourself, but the installers there suggested this simple solution and it now works great. And yeah, okay, I paid for the install so technically it was more than 20 bucks, but you get the idea. Oh, by the way, it can be hard to read on a bright day....I'll agree with that.Read Best Reviews of Sirius One SV1 Satellite Radio with Car Kit Here
Nice and small (about the size of a pack of cigarettes) and comes with everything you need to install yourself. Sound quality via the FM transmitter is decent, though far from being outstanding. The unit does get quite warm which I've heard is normal. Reception (in Los Angeles)has been excellent. Price is right as well, a welcome compromise from having to shell out well over a hundred bucks for an in-dash unit. The best part: being able to once again listen to Howard in the morning.Want Sirius One SV1 Satellite Radio with Car Kit Discount?
Great little thing can't really beat the price. Yes, on some of the units the presets are not kept when you turn it off and it reverts back to 184 when you turn it back on. Before going thru with the return & exchange hassle please try this: Unplug and put back all cables going to the unit; go in your account at the Sirius website and in the "Services" section click on your ESN. Once you are in "Service Details" click "Re-Send Activation Signal". Make sure the unit reads "Updating". When it is finished you should be able to keep your presets and the last station before turn off. It really did work for me, hopefully it will for you too :) Good luck!I bought this with low expectations. Others had said it was hard to read, and that the FM transmitter was no good. Well, the thing works great and the FM transmitter worked like a charm in my VW, but the screen is REALLY hard to read. Blue is just not a good color to try to see during the day.. At night it is great -doesn't match the VW blue guages exactly but looks good.The satellite radio itself and the FM transmitter sounded great. The unit does get a little hot, but I had it in a very enclosed area.
I didn't think I'd care than it was a one line display, but it really does hinder you from "channel surfing" -you have to repeatedly switch between showing CHANNEL NAME, ARTIST, and SONG or you can have it scroll.
Overall, I still like this radio best out of Sirius' lineup -it is small, fits great it my little cubby below the radio, and works well. I just wish it was easier to read during the day. Setting presets for FM, and setting your favorite stations makes it easy to still use it during the day, just realize the limitations!
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
GTMax Black 3.5mm FM Transmitter Car Charger for Verizon LG Revolution

Buy GTMax Black 3.5mm FM Transmitter Car Charger for Verizon LG Revolution Now
I have an LG Revolution. The only thing I have found as a con to this FM transmitter is that with my cover and extended battery on my phone its hard to get my phone to fit in the adjustable arms that hold the phone in place. That's it! Basically its my fault it doesn't fit, because its made to fit the LG revolution with a normal battery and my phone cover is kind of thick.I read one of the other reviews. That person said you can't turn it on your off. I DID. Just push the quick set button on top and it turns off. Hold it down for a second or 2 and it turns on. The gooseneck turned in all directions and stayed there for me. It never moved or flopped over. The LG revolution with extended battery is a pretty heavy phone overall so I don't understand why it fell over for other people.
Once I finally found an empty radio station the sound quality was amazing! Better than a regular radio station sounds. I am so glad I bought this!!!! It is exactly what I was looking for (a phone charger/dock that plugs into the cig lighter). I spent the same amount for a dock at a store and all it did was hold my phone up and hung off of my air vent. So for this product to be the same price I find it to be a bonus that it's an FM transmitter and that it doesn't fall over every time I turn my car while driving.
Read Best Reviews of GTMax Black 3.5mm FM Transmitter Car Charger for Verizon LG Revolution Here
Over all this is a good unit. I use it in two cars. One car the radio antenna is up front and the unit works well, it plays through the speakers with little to no distortion. My other car the the antenna is on the trunk and the signal from the unit is too weak to produce a quality sound. It does fit securely in the lighter socket and holds the phone well. Also I'm somewhat of a neat freak so the gaggle of wires hanging from the device is kinda annoying. So my conclusion is that it well worth the money in the right vehicle.Want GTMax Black 3.5mm FM Transmitter Car Charger for Verizon LG Revolution Discount?
The product was as advertised, arrived when stated and works like a charm, I would definitely recommend this company to my friends and relatives.Sunday, December 15, 2013
Samsung Galaxy Note (GT-N7000) Mobile Smartphone (Tangle Free) Retractable Car Charger Adapter

Monday, December 2, 2013
Stanley DPS109 Digital Portable Power Station

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This thing cranked a car with a dead battery once for me. After that it just did not have enough power for the job. I used it to pump up a few tires (that were soft, not flat) and now it barely does that.Now after using it 5 or 6 times, I have it on the charger and it won't go past 11.3 volts.
This unit was a replacement for another Stanley jump box that also failed after a month. Don't waste your money on this it will let you down.
BTW, the jump box I owned previously jumped dozens of cars and lasted for several years! It was a generic unit I bought on sale for $20! I am wishing I had not left it in the back of some car I worked on.
Read Best Reviews of Stanley DPS109 Digital Portable Power Station Here
Overall I like it, documentation is sparse, LCD readout is very nice, my main complaint it it does not come with a 12V adaptor so it can be charged form a car 12V outlet.Want Stanley DPS109 Digital Portable Power Station Discount?
This thing didn't hold a charge, the digital readout didn't work and it overheated so fast the 120AC outlet was useless.DO NOT BUY! YOU CAN NOT RETURN IF IT IS A PIECE OF CRAP!
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Arkon TT221-USB 12V Lighter Socket Mount with Integrated Mini USB Power for TomTom GPS

- Includes custom fit adapter plates for ALL TomTom GPS Devices except TomTom GO2405 and 2505
- Plugs into all vehicle 12V power socket and installs easily with no tools required
- Provides Power to TomTom GPS Device without the need for power chordNOT compatible with Traffic enabled GPS
- Swivel and Tilt adjustments for the perfect viewing angle
- Compact portable design