Reviews by chenyecaa

chenyecaa says "Really Terrific" about Garmin - Nuvi 360 GPS Device

chenyecaa — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:46:52 GMT

I had never owned a GPS unit before, but on a shuttle trip to the airport the driver had a Garmin unit, and I was surprised to find that even from a couple rows back I could still see the screen clearly. So I did a little research and got the Nuvi 360 for two reasons in particular: (1) it reads street names aloud, and (2) the Bluetooth connection to the phone (here in California, it's about to become state law that drivers must use a hands-free device with their cellphones, and I didn't have one).

It doesn't take long to learn that probably any GPS unit is going to have certain problems. For example, with LA's horrible freeway traffic I have the Nuvi set to avoid freeways; but certain streets that I consider surface roads are considered highways by the Nuvi (Santa Monica Blvd. is part of Route 66, for example). The better I know the area I'm driving in, the more often I see how the Nuvi isn't terribly smart about finding a really optimal route. But of course that's the sort of situation......

chenyecaa says "Not Impressed with Wii Remote" about Nintendo Wii Console

chenyecaa — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:44:34 GMT

Nintendo has made a mistake on not improving the graphics and processing capability in the Wii. However we haven't seen any groundbreaking games that change the game play experience in any of the new, next generation systems. Nintendo is betting that the change won't be graphical but instead based on new peripherals such as the motion sensing Wii remote.

This remote shows ingenuity, but is not as impressive as one would think. It doesn't seem that the Wii Remote senses true 3d motion. What is meant by that (Check my Amazon profile because I discuss it on my website.) is when you swing it doesn't record the 3d position of your arm, instead it just records the swing as a slash motion in most games. That is so that when you swing you sword in Zelda: Twilight Princess the character (Link) just swings his sword. It is not like you are involved in a 3d sword battle. FPS shooters are another area where a standard controller is needed. It is too difficult to navigate the area.

The system does has......

chenyecaa says "Best of all possible worlds" about Blackberry - Pearl Smartphone Cell Phone

chenyecaa — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:42:47 GMT

I think the Pearl is terrific. I was so hooked by the description that I went out and bought it on the first day it came out and have been enjoying it for a week now. Having used a 7100 for the past three years I have always disliked the size; too big to comfortably fit in your pocket and annoying (not to mention geeky) to clip to your belt loop. At last, a Blackberry with a reasonable form-factor! I immediately bought a 1GB microSD to put in it and am thinking of it as a day-to-day ipod replacement. Finally I can go on a short trip and bring a single device for communication and entertainment.

Agree with the other reviewer that the speaker phone is not the best quality but with the other advantages (size, style, color, audio/video/camera, email, calendar, etc.) I find it hard to knock the experience. Best phone I have ever had....

chenyecaa says "The only thing that matters is what you believe" about The Da Vinci Code

chenyecaa — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:40:21 GMT

The Da Vinci Code is a movie that has been the object of critics' scorn since Cannes. Therefore when I went in my expectations were quite low. I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed this intellectual treasure hunt. Action sequences boldly intertwine with quieter scenes where codes and symbols are being deciphered to lead to the next clue. At times we get the back story of what has happened to a persecuted religious sect through out the ages. The flashbacks to ancient Rome are brief but beautiful. In addition there are some gorgeous locations for filming, among them the Louvre and Rosslyn.

Hanks and Tautou perform like the pros that they are--it is interesting that two actors known for their whimsical charms were cast in such serious roles. Generally actors starring in thrillers will be those known for their laconic delivery and quietly passionate intensity. However, Tom Hanks was playing a professor of symbology and as such he did a fine job.

The supporting cast reads like a list of international......

chenyecaa says "Great player for downloaded music" about SanDisk - Sansa View MP3 Player

chenyecaa — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:37:47 GMT

If you like things simple and you download most of you music, this player if for you! This player is easy to use. It's battery life is good (uses one AAA). It is easy to navigate without needing to look at it (like if you have it in your shirt pocket). Has lots of features to play with. It does its job well. Plenty of volume. It displays small pictures too! I have checked SanDisk's web site for any firmware or driver updates and there are zero available. Everything is current as of this review....