As a longstanding contender for best worldwide PC manufacturer, ASUS have decided to focus some of their energy on breaking into the ever-growing tablet industry. Wielding some rather interesting and innovative results with the Transformer Prime, ASUS have created a very nice tablet device with a lot of versatility.

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ASUS Transformer Prime TF201

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF201 Pros and Cons

Pros

• Fast. With its Quad-core processor, the Transformer Prime is the fastest Android based tablet yet. Running the new Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS, which is a huge improvement over its predecessor, the tablet matches the speeds of the iPad 2, without any delays.
• Impressive Display. High resolution and vibrant colors make this thing really shine, as well as an ideal device for watching videos. HDMI output is also a plus.
• Responsive Touch. Excellent touch response allows for smooth operation.
• SD Card. Removable storage is a handy option to have.
• Battery Life. Though still not quite as good as the iPad 2, the Transformer Prime comes awfully close.
• Docking Station. Though not a requirement, the dock allows for normal laptop style functionality.

Cons

• At this point, none.

Cost-wise, the Transformer Prime is value for money, with a retail price just under that of the iPad 2. Naturally, with its release, previous models are now going on sale, so if you are okay with something not quite as impressive the option is there. However, the Transformer Prime is such a significant step up from older tablets that I would have to guide anyone looking to buy an Android tablet in its direction.

The ASUS Transformer Prime is the tablet that Android fans have been waiting for; a worthy alternative to the Apple iPad 2. ASUS have produced a very powerful piece of hardware that, when used with Android’s new and improved Ice Cream Sandwich OS, outperforms most tablets in most regards. It is certainly the best Android tablet that we have seen thus far and for that reason it gets a five star rating.

The new Fujifilm X-Pro1 is Fuji’s latest addition to its strong line of digital cameras. Geared towards both professionals and enthusiasts, the X-Pro1 is in fact Fuji’s first interchangeable lens camera in over half a decade, with an attractive retro style and good functionality. Capturing amazing high quality, high resolution pictures with the utilization of Fuji’s newly developed X-Trans CMOS sensor, the X-Pro1 should appeal to professional and semi-professional photographers alike.

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Fujifilm X-Pro 1 16MP Digital Camera

Fujifilm X-Pro1 Pros and Cons

Let’s explore more features by jumping right into a review of some of the pros and cons of this device:

Fujifilm X-Pro1 Pros

• Picture Quality. Fuji’s X-Trans CMOS sensor provides resolution exceeding that of full frame sensor, and with new color filter array and interchangeable lenses, the results are truly stunning.
• Hybrid Viewfinder. Allows for even further control, with both optical and electronic viewfinder modes providing distinct benefits when used as a guide.
• Quick and Intuitive Functionality. The overall operation of the camera is very fluid and there are no delays.
• Retro Style. This camera just looks good.

Fujifilm X-Pro1 Cons

• Price. Whether you buy this from a store or online, the X-Pro1 will cost you a pretty penny.

In this case, however, the price is ultimately a reflection of the quality and rating of the camera. Of course, if you can get in on some sort of early bird sale, all the better. The X-Pro1 certainly delivers and is the camera that many folks have been waiting for from Fuji. It is an interesting market that Fuji has honed in on as well, targeting both professionals and semi-professionals alike. For a lot of folks, including DSLR owners, it will make for an ideal upgrade.

Fuji have really outdone themselves this time with the release of the highly anticipated Fujifilm X-Pro1. Despite its price tag, the camera can be thought of as a direct response to what so many photographers have been asking for since the release of the X100. Whether you are a professional photographer or enthusiast, the Fujifilm X-Pro1 is the complete package.

With the ever-increasing number of portable devices on the market these days, it can be a difficult task to differentiate between devices, let alone decide which one is best suited to your needs. This is not a ‘how to buy’ guide, designed to sway you into purchasing a particular device. There are too many great options out there for anyone to be able to say that a single device is better than all of the others. This guide is intended to aid you in determining what is what in the realm of portable tablets, e-readers, and laptops, and to help anyone planning to buy a new tablet make a properly informed decision.

Amazon Kindle Fire

Tablet Buying Guide – Tablet vs. Laptop

The battle of tablet vs. laptop is in full motion, with proponents on either side claiming superiority. The truth is both devices are similar in more ways than not, with only one major difference: laptops make use of a keyboard and mouse, whereas tablets operate via touchscreen. As someone whose work involves a lot of typing, a laptop is most suited to my needs much of the time; however, the portability and ease of functionality of the tablet make it an ideal device to read and surf the net on, particularly when on the move.

ASUS Transformer Prime

Tablet Buying Guide – Tablet vs. eReader

As for tablet vs. ereader, the differences are a bit subtler. Physically they are much the same, with the main difference being versatility. E-readers are solely for reading ebooks and documents, whereas tablets are more multipurpose but may sacrifice battery life as a result.

Let’s review a few tablet pros and cons and take a look at some of the things to consider before buying one of these gizmos.

Tablet Buying Guide – Screen Size and Weight

Apple’s original iPad, the first proper tablet device marketed as such, set many standards which manufacturers still adhere to today. The 9-10 inch screen was one such standard, which is considered large, albeit typical, for tablets these days. Tablets also commonly come in a range of smaller sizes, so it is important to decide how much work and display space you require. For instance, Samsung produces the Galaxy in 4 different sizes – 7, 7.7, 8.9, and 10.1 inches. Naturally, the larger the screen, the easier it is to multitask, as well as use the touchscreen keyboard which may be required for some applications. Large screen size may result in a heavier tablet, however, so it is key to find a balance that works for you.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus

Tablet Buying Guide – Operating System and Compatibility

There are various operating systems used by different tablets, which have their own individual pros and cons. The iPad runs iOS which is by far the most stable tablet operating system thus far. It supports a range of applications, filetypes, and can be used with both PC and Mac computers. Variations of the Android operating system, common to most other tablet devices, are also very versatile; however, functionality is not quite on par with the iPad in terms of smoothness and compatibility. That’s not to say that Android does not provide a plethora of features and useful options, because these tablets certainly have a lot to offer. Filetype compatibility wise, Android also rates up there with the best of them.

Apple iPad 2

Tablet Buying Guide – 3G and/or Wi-Fi?

Most, if not all, 3G enabled devices will also offer Wi-Fi support, but not all Wi-Fi devices are 3G capable. Many people will have no real need for the roaming benefits of 3G, as convenient as they may be, and people living in countries without 3G technology will have no other option but to go for a Wi-Fi only device. With home Wi-Fi networks and numerous hotspots, including every café and McDonalds in the city, connecting to the internet with a Wi-Fi only device is never too difficult. However, if you absolutely need to be connected at all times, perhaps for work related reasons, or you at least prefer to have the option, a 3G enabled tablet would be the way to go.

Acer Iconia Tablet

Tablet Buying Guide – Storage Space

If you decide that an e-reader is more your style, storage space is not quite so crucial as ebooks and documents are generally quite small in size. For those who want to listen to music, watch videos and even download things online, a tablet would be the ideal way to go, with hard disk space to store files then becoming an issue. There are tablets out there with hard drives ranging from 1GB to 500GB, but one shouldn’t get too caught up in the ‘space wars’, as it is incredibly easy to transfer files to and from most tablets via computer. Typically, you would load your tablet with any music, videos, and documents you might need before leaving home.

Blackberry Playbook 7-Inch Tablet

Tablet Buying Guide – Battery Life

One of the most crucial things to consider when purchasing any sort of portable device is, of course, battery life; the longer, the better. E-readers are excellent in this regard, particularly the virtual-ink Amazon kindles, which remain operable on a single charge for weeks. As for tablets, the multimedia enhancements sacrifice a lot of battery life to give you that vivid HD picture and sound. It needs to be mentioned that the iPad is a clear winner in this respect, with a very good power rating and efficient sleep and hibernation options.

Tablet Buying Guide – Miscellaneous Features

Other features like USB and SD Card capability, something the Motorola XOOM and Samsung Galaxy provide which the Apple iPad does not, as well as HDMI and TV and external monitor output options may also weigh into your decision. Again, too many of these additional features can have a compromising effect on battery life, so be weary of devices that cram in every single little component.

MOTOROLA XOOM Android Tablet

The price of a device does not necessarily reflect its quality, but it will, however, play an important role in most people’s choice. Those wondering where to buy cheap tablets should keep in mind things like warranty, especially when ordering from abroad, as without a guarantee or means to repair, a faulty device becomes nothing more than a paperweight. For those with the patience who don’t require the very latest toys, a good time to pick up tablets on sale is just before the release of next generation devices.

Ultimately, the device which best suits you depends entirely on what you will be using it for. Laptops are more productive, in a sense, and are perhaps better machines to work on. Pure e-readers are perfect for reading books, comics, and various documents but little else. In the end, tablets are not particularly serious devices and seem to be more about having a bit of fun. You can read with them, watch videos, listen to music, surf the net, as well as play games and run a host of downloadable applications. It is the convenience factor which makes the tablet appealing, as well as growing societal norms revolving around its use; a way to use a computer anytime and anywhere, without giving people the impression that you’re using a computer.

Trade In Wii for PS3 or Xbox 360

Click here to get this deal!

It’s very simple to trade in Wii for PS3, and faster than people would expect.  It works like this:

• Go to the special Amazon.com page to trade in your Wii console.  Fill out the details about your Wii’s condition, model and other details.  Pick how you want to ship the console in (there is an option to use UPS drop-off for free).
• In a few days when your console has arrived and been accepted you will receive a gift card worth up to $70 (based on the exact condition and model of your WII console) to Amazon.com
• You’ll also get a $50 bonus credit to your Amazon.com account which is good for purchasing a new Xbox 360 or PS3 console from Amazon.com!

When you trade in Wii for PS3 or Xbox 360 you could get up to $120 off the price of these top of the line consoles.  You could even use this credit to get the  Kinect or PS3 Move bundles.  With up to $120 off, combined with Amazon’s low prices you could end up having the new Xbox 360 for only $79.99 or a PS3 for as little as $129.99! You’ll never find a better deal that that anywhere!

This is a limited time only deal and the trade-in must be received and accepted by January 31^st, 2012 so act fast!  After approval, the $50 bonus credit expires March 31^st, 2012.

Click here to get this deal!

HP Pavilion HPE h8-1120

HP Pavilion HPE h8-1120 Review

The HP Pavilion HPE h8-1120 is the latest in HP’s line of high-performance Desktop PCs. With all of the features you expect from a top-of-the-line desktop computer, the Pavilion HPE h8-1120packs quite a punch, easily handling even the most demanding and resource intensive software programs.

Taking a look at some of the specifications of the Pavilion HPE h8-1120, we see that HP have gone for the Intel Processor, Windows 7 and NVIDIA Graphics card – a proven-to-work combination for a Desktop PC. The processor is top grade – a second generation Intel i7-2600; very suited for multitasking, making use of Intel’s unique Hyper-Threading technology. To take advantage of the fast processor speed, HP have fitted the unit with 8GB of PC3-10600 DDR3 RAM, which should be more than enough for most users, but is upgradable to a maximum of 32GB in the case that you need more. The onboard hard drive is a 1TB SATA – plenty of space for large programs and to store downloads, and the computer naturally has an optical DVD burner as well as Bluetooth and Wireless LAN capability. As for the operating system, the Pavilion HPE h8-1120 comes with Windows 7 Home Premium pre-installed.

Turning now to the graphics card, which deserves a review of its own – the NVIDIA GeForce GT 530, with a whopping 2GB of DDR3 dedicated memory, makes this machine an ideal choice for both multimedia professionals and gamers. First-person shooter games, in particular, are often incredibly graphic-intensive, with highly detailed worlds and character models. The GeForce GT 530 should allow gamers to run the most recent games on high detail settings, and will handle slightly older games with ease. Additionally, it has an HDMI output for use with other devices.

HP Pavilion HPE h8-1120 Pros and Cons

Let’s go through some of the pros and cons of this machine.

Pros:

• Speed and Performance. With a multi-core Intel i7 processor and 8GB of DDR3 RAM, this thing flies most of the time, taking on everyday desktop tasks without even breaking a sweat.
• Hard drive space. New PC’s will often come with just satisfactory hard drive space. With a terabyte at your disposal from the get go, you won’t be needing to upgrade storage space any time soon.
• Graphics. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 530 guarantees excellent graphics display, including fast rendering speeds and smooth motion transitions.
• Preloaded OS and Software. Having Windows 7 along with proper drives and software pre-installed by HP is a time saver and will ensure that everything works as it should.

Cons:

• Preloaded OS. Though it has its benefits, having Windows 7 Home Premium pre-installed naturally impacts the sale price of the machine. Some folks will already own a copy of Windows or an alternate OS, and have no need for the pre-installed copy.
• No Blu-Ray Support.

Multimedia professionals, including musicians, video editors, and animators will certainly appreciate the speed and natural multitasking functionality of the Pavilion HPE h8-1120. Rendering time is the issue, and so long as you’re using the right software, the multiple cores of the i7 processor will fire away to reduce this time significantly. Another thing to consider is HP’s reputation for good customer service and low waiting times, should you need someone to guide you through any troubleshooting.

All things considered, for a machine of this rating, the HP Pavilion HPE h8-1120 is a great buy. At under a grand, you’d have a hard time finding a better all-in-one machine for the price.

Nikon D4

Nikon D4 Review

The D4 is Nikon’s latest DSLR Camera, somewhat similar to the Nikon D3S, but with a host of new features. The Nikon D4 release comes two years after the release of the D3S, which (along with the Nikon D3) had already proven to be a popular choice for both professional photographers and casual camera users alike. However, in addition to new features, Nikon have significantly improved upon existing ones, making the Nikon D4specs alone, rather impressive.

Firstly, the D4 now sports a 16.2 Megapixel CMOS Sensor, a significant improvement over the D3S’s 12.1 Megapixels. This allows for some exceptionally crisp image capturing, and with Nikon’s new EXPEED3 image processor technology you can shoot clear and precise still shots up to 11 fps. Another reason to buy the D4 over previous models is its ability to shoot full High Definition 1080p video. That’s some seriously high resolution, broadcast quality video, cropped at cinema standard 16:9 aspect ratio and available in a choice of formats. The results are nothing short of phenomenal. As with the D3S, the D4 has a built-in monaural microphone, but this time Nikon have provided the option to attach an external stereo microphone for added clarity and spatial dynamics. There are both CF and XQD removable memory card slots to store photos and videos, and the D4 can also be used with Nikon’s WT-5A Wireless Transmitter for super easy file transfers.

Nikon D4 Pros and Cons

So, let us recap and review some of the pros and cons of the Nikon D4.

Nikon D4 Pros:

• Accuracy. Ideal for capturing fast-motion action.
• Image quality and resolution. 16.2 Megapixel images make for beautiful, well defined photographs in all environments and light conditions.
• HD Video capability. Video is in full 1080p HD and the quality is spectacular.
• Stereo Audio capability. Having the option to record audio in high-quality stereo makes the D4 broadcast-ready in all aspects.
• Miscellaneous functionality improvements. With the D4, Nikon has truly perfected the operation and features which were present in the D3S, making for an easier to use, well-tuned powerhouse of a DSLR camera.

Nikon D4 Cons:

• Battery life. Not necessarily a con; however, the added functionality has naturally affected the power rating of the D4, with the battery life being not quite as good as that of the D3S.

Having said that, a bit of battery life is definitely a worthwhile sacrifice for the D4’s much improved functionality and features. Much of the time with new cameras, improvements over previous models are not really significant enough to warrant the sale of an entirely new device. In other words, manufacturers tweak a few options here and there, and essentially release the same camera but with a different name and a deceptively thicker guide. This, however, is not the case with the Nikon D4, which is noticeably superior to its predecessors after only a short amount of use.

The Nikon D4 is an excellent option for anyone with a serious interest in photography. Fans of the previous D3S will undoubtedly appreciate what Nikon have done with the D4; and, if you can afford the price, I would certainly recommend the upgrade. The added features and improved image quality are well worth it.

Other Nikon D4 resources:

• The official Nikon D4 web page – NikonUSA.com
• Nikon D4 Overview by dpreview.com

Amazon’s Kindle Fire

Amazon Kindle Fire Review

Amazon Kindles have always been a popular choice in the tablet department. Unlike other more multi-purpose tablets, the original Amazon Kindles were geared specifically towards readers of e-books, making use of virtual ink technology to render the pages in a somewhat novel way. Of course, you can still read e-books with the new Amazon Kindle Fire, but additional capability puts this Kindle more in line to rival other popular tablet style devices like the Apple iPad 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab, and BlackBerry PlayBook.

So, what’s new to justify the sale of this reincarnation of the Kindle? The first, most obvious difference between the Kindle Fire and previous models is the switch from black and white virtual ink to full color. The Kindle Fire allows for music and video playback as well as web browsing and app use, and the ability to read a diverse range of document filetypes is a plus. All of this additional functionality unfortunately comes at the price of battery life, with the Kindle Fire’s battery lasting approximately 7-8 hours, as opposed to the older Kindles which would run off a battery charge for weeks, sometimes months. Still, comparing the power rating to other tablets with similar features to the Kindle Fire, a 7-8 hour battery life is certainly reasonable. As for storage space, the Amazon guide states that the Kindle Fire has 8GB to store files and downloads; however, in terms of actual usable space, this is more like 6-7GB. The Kindle Fire also synchs with Amazon’s cloud service and sports a 7-Inch touchscreen.

Amazon Kindle Fire Pros and Cons

Time to review some of the pros and cons.

Amazon Kindle Fire Pros:

• Full Color. Realistic color representation, crisp image, videos look great.
• Video and Music support. Buy videos and music from Amazon or play your own digital files.
• Filetype support. You no longer have to spend any time converting unsupported filetypes to read on your Kindle.
• Amazon Cloud synchronization. Free 5GB online storage, upgradable.
• Price. Very affordable, you can buy one of these for just under $200.

Amazon Kindle Fire Cons:

• Screen reflectivity. Although it’s fine for normal use, the screen of the Kindle Fire is quite reflective in sunlight. This was never a problem with virtual ink Kindles.
• Storage space. Perfectly adequate for storing e-books and documents; however, when it comes to larger video files, 7GB leaves something to be desired.
• No external volume control.

The screen reflectivity issue is common to most tablets on the market, and is only a problem if you intend to use the device outdoors in bright sunlight. The older virtual ink Kindles are far superior in their non-reflectivity and usable in the brightest light, at any angle. So, if it’s a pure e-reader that you’re looking for, to use in all environments and lighting conditions, a standard Kindle may be more suited to your needs. On the other hand, the Kindle Fire has a lot of great extra features.

For its price, the Amazon Kindle Fire is value for money. As an all-purpose multimedia device, it isn’t quite up there with the more expensive tablets like the iPad and Android OS equivalents, but as an affordable all-in-one e-book reader with some nice added benefits, it certainly pulls its weight.

Garmin nüvi 40LM

Garmin nüvi 40LM Review

The nüvi 40LM is a new portable GPS Navigator by Garmin, providing an easy to follow, straightforward navigational guide system for all drivers. The Garmin nüvi 40LMboasts a very nice 4.3-Inch touchscreen display, will speak street names and directions in a choice of voices, has a speed limit indicator to keep you safe and within the speed limit at all times, and offers free lifetime map updates.

The first thing that drew my attention to the nüvi 40LM, besides the sale price, was the display and look of the navigation software: minimal, yet clear and relevant. The roads are all very visible, clearly defined and named, unlike some GPS systems that display too narrow roads and often attempt to fit too much on the screen at once. The dashboard screen information of the nüvi 40LM is also quite useful. The road speed limit and current vehicle speed meters are incredibly handy to have at all times, and the upcoming turn indicator is a plus. One of the real standout features of the nüvi 40LM is the ‘lane assist /junction view’ option which does a pretty good job ensuring that you’re in the correct lane and know exactly what you are getting into when approaching unfamiliar intersections or exits. The trip computer will record and store all kinds of information about your journey and the voice directions are also right on cue, clearly pronounced and can be turned up as loud as you need them. I imagine this could be very important to somebody with either a convertible or reduced hearing.

Garmin nüvi 40LM Pros and Cons

Now to review some of the pros and cons:

Garmin nüvi 40LM Pros:

• Display. A well-designed interface with clearly marked roads and some useful onscreen options, make for effective and uncomplicated use.
• Lane Assist + Junction View Feature. The nüvi will preempt any complicated junctions, with a clear display of the upcoming intersection and a warning as to which lane you should approach from. Never worry about missing a turn or exit by being in the wrong lane again.
• Voice prompts. Not too early or too late, clear and audible sound.
• Free lifetime map updates.

Garmin nüvi 40LM Cons:

• Recalculated routes occasionally delayed. When you deviate from a pre-calculated or specified route, occasionally the nüvi will experience a slight delay before noticing and recalculating a new route for you to follow.
• No audio output. As good as the onboard sound is, an audio output is still a useful option to have.

The map and software updates are a great benefit, and are released by Garmin every quarter. As for the recalculated route delay hiccup, I’m not sure if this due to the area in which the nüvi was in use or if it’s a software issue. It has never really been a problem, as usually the nüvi 40LM is pretty instant with its calculations. I will be keeping an eye out for an update from Garmin which will hopefully sort this out.

All things considered, I would give the Garmin nüvi 40LM a four star rating. Overall, it is a very good GPS navigator with a lot of handy functions, a nice minimal design and just enough information to be really useful on a journey without overcomplicating things. If you’re looking to buy an affordable GPS device, the nüvi 40LM is certainly value for money.

More Garmin nüvi 40LM Reviews:

• Garmin nüvi 40LM Consumer Review posted at Amazon.com
• Garmin nüvi 40LM Reviews posted at eBay.com

LG 42LV4400 HDTV

LG 42LV4400 HDTV Review

Something that Korea seems to be particularly good at is building televisions. LG was originally a plastics company, later producing South Korea’s first ever radio, and after much tinkering and reverse engineering, with many Korean companies in the 80’s using goods by foreign brands as a guide, LG found themselves expanding in practically all directions.They are now one of the leading manufacturers of high quality consumer electronics worldwide. Staying true to their reputation, LG have recently released the impressive LG 42LV4400 42-inch HD Television. With full HD 1080p definition and utilizing LG’s signature LED technology, the LG 42LV4400 delivers a crystal clear picture, bright and vibrant colors and has a great energy rating to boot.

I’d seen these previously in the store and thought that the picture quality looked pretty good. A few weeks later a friend of mine decided to buy one specifically to watch a stack of Blu-ray discs he’d just picked up. So we made a weekend of it. I must say, as much as I love my LED HDTV, the picture quality of the LG 42LV4400 blew me away. For stationary shots, there was no real discernable difference, but when it comes to displaying fast moving objects: sports players, race cars, Tom Cruise – this thing really does shine. This is due to LG’s TruMotion 120Hz refresh rate technology, which essentially eliminates the blur that you experience with less capable televisions. Another thing I really like about LG televisions is their power saving options, allowing you to adjust the screen brightness to not only save power, but also best suit the brightness of the room.

LG 42LV4400 HDTV Pros and Cons

Let’s review some of the pros and cons:

LG 42LV4400 Pros:

• Picture quality. Full 1080p High Definition LED display with a superb picture, particularly when it comes to displaying fast-moving action.
• Energy efficient. Cut down on your electricity bill with the easy-to-use energy saving feature.
• Price. Very affordable, going for almost half of the price of similar televisions. And that’s before the sale discounts!

LG 42LV4400 Cons:

• Inbuilt speakers. When using the television without an amp and solely relying on the inbuilt speakers, the sound is pretty dreadful. For most people this won’t be an issue, however, as it is standard practice to hook your television up to an amplifier or existing sound system.
• USB capability. Though it does support USB 2.0 connections, the USB filetype support is unfortunately rather limited compared to other models.

A lot of avid movie downloaders will already be using some sort of external file player, in which case they will be able to connect said player to the 42LV4400 via HDMI. If, however, you are specifically looking for a television that will play a range of filetypes via the television’s own USB port, then you will want to look elsewhere. That said, for everything else: Blu-ray discs, game consoles, cable television, or any device with an HDMI, RCA or Component output, the LG 42LV4400 is a real steal.

At some point in the future, there will be no discernable differences between televisions at all. The picture quality will be absolutely flawless and the technology perfected and common to all brands and models. LG are just about there.

More LG 42LV4400 reviews:

• LG 42LV4400 Consumer Reviews posted at Amazon.com

GoPro HD Hero2 Outdoor Edition

GoPro HD Hero2 Outdoor Edition Review

One of the most portable and durable cameras of its kind, ideal for extreme sports aficionados and videographers on the move, the new GoPro HD Hero2 is designed specifically for those conditions which standard cameras simply can’t handle and situations in which they become an inconvenience. Capturing images of up to 11 Megapixels and video at a resolution of 1080p, the Hero2makes for a fine standalone portable camera, but really shines when utilizing the protective enclosure and camera mounts. With these, the camera can be attached to just about anything, allowing for the most incredible perspectives as well as safe exposure to some of the harshest environments and conditions that cameras have ever been subject to.

If you walk into a store and compare the GoPro Hero2 with the original GoPro Hero, the first thing you will notice is that from the outside they look very similar. This isn’t a bad thing; in fact, the enclosure of the original Hero will fit the Hero2 nicely. The differences between the cameras in image and video quality, however, are undeniable, with the Hero2 capturing much sharper pictures than anything previous models are capable of. It also has a great slow motion option, with which you can shoot standard definition video at a rate of 120 frames per second – ideal for capturing fast moving objects and other subtleties in motion. As for the camera mounts, they are very sturdy and the adhesive will stick to just about all surfaces, so you can rest assured that the camera won’t come flying off when you attach it to your bike helmet or the wing of a plane.

GoPro HD Hero2 Outdoor Edition Pros and Cons

So, let’s review some of the pros and cons of this device:

Pros:

• Image and video quality. Pictures and videos look great. High resolution, HDMI support, slow motion capability. All good things.
• Compact and lightweight. Take this thing anywhere, on its own or with a few provided extras. It barely takes up any space and doesn’t weight much, which is crucial if you’re going to attach it to your head. No sore necks!
• Intuitive design. The Hero2 is so much easier to use than the Hero1, with LED record lights on all sides of the camera this time, both natural sound mode and high wind audio options, and the LCD display is much easier to understand, utilizing simple icons as opposed to numeric codes.
• Extras. All kinds of mounts and bits and pieces to help you attach the camera to different things and surfaces.

Cons:

• Battery life. Unfortunately, one of the things GoPro have not improved upon since the original Hero is the battery life, which is approximately 2 and a half hours.
• Underwater blur issues. Although the Hero2 comes with a host of extras, avoiding blurring when shooting underwater may require looking for add-ons elsewhere, as the provided tools do not do a particularly good job.

Personally, I have never had to shoot continuously for 2 and a half hours, and easily circumvent the battery life issue by keeping a couple extra batteries on hand during longer shoots. However, I can certainly think of situations in which having to replace a battery every few hours may present some problems. Nonetheless, for most folks this will remain a slight inconvenience; when you do have a fully charged battery the Hero2 performs flawlessly. You could attach one of these to the heel of a rodeo bull and be confident that it would capture every cowboy kicking moment without a single error.

With the original GoPro Hero on minor sale, I would still guide those interested to buy the Hero2. The price is quite reasonable and it is undoubtedly a superior camera in almost every respect. Despite the few minor setbacks mentioned, I give the GoPro Hero2 a five star rating.

More GoPro HD Hero2 Outdoor Edition reviews:

• GoPro HD Hero2 Consumer Reviews posted at Amazon.com.
• GoPro HD HERO2 reviews posted at eBay.com.