Canon PowerShot SX110 Digital Camera

In case anyone reading my blog (if there is anyone) wants a good, decent digital camera, I am selling mine. I'm an eBay seller/buyer as well as have a PayPal account and have been for quite some time. So, you can trust me, honest! I'm going to post on Craigslist as well and then maybe, eventually, eBay if no offers. If all else fails, I'll give it to my father-in-law or hock it at the pawn shop. LOL!

Anyways here is the low down:

I purchased this thing about two years ago, give or take a few months. I wanted a good point-and-shoot digital camera with an optical zoom greater the 3x. I researched for a couple of weeks or so by checking all the different web sites like CNET reviews and DPReview. I also looked at stores like Walmart, NewEgg, Buy.com and Amazon (basically those stores that carried the SX110 at the time) to check the reviews of other purchasers. After much deliberation, I decided on the PowerShot SX110. Of course, I got it way cheaper than probably most people at the time except for those that did their due diligence in price comparison like I did. I probably paid $50-$75 cheaper than the average MSRP.

Once I got it, I was excited to put it into action. It took a little getting used to because I'm used to a compact point-and-shoot where the flash would usually automatically flash/not flash. With the SX110, you had to flip the flash up to use it otherwise it wouldn't flash. Not a big deal once I got used to it but something I wasn't prepared for having to do. Not an issue, just something I noticed.

The camera takes great shots. It's a 9MP camera and it doesn't disappoint. The zoom is awesome as well. The 10x puts you right up to the action even though you may be sitting in the nose bleed section. The camera works well except for between shots. Once I took a shot, it took anywhere from 2-5 seconds before I'd see the LCD screen light back up letting me know it was ready to take another shot. That's not a big deal except for those times you try to catch candid moments and multiple "quick" shots will be necessary to hopefully catch one good shot. I know it's not a DSLR but my little compact Canon point-and-shoot takes pictures almost one after the other.

I played with a lot of the different modes just to see how they worked. All seemed to work well. I didn't ever use the continuous shooting, or what I call burst, mode to see if the camera was ready quicker to take multiple pictures. I don't know why but I guess it never crossed my mind.

Like a lot of the reviews say on Amazon, the battery life of this little powerhouse sucks! It uses two AA batteries which is nice because you can occasionally get a 40-50pk at Fry's or MicroCenter for around $10. The bad thing is that sometimes I'd put in newly purchased batteries and after about 5-10 minutes of shooting with the flash the LCD would say, "Low Battery". I'd be like, "WTF?" At first, thought it was because I would buy these 40pks and the batteries may have sat too long and gotten old. That's why I said, "newly purchased" to show that I did try to troubleshoot this issue. I didn't ever try NiCad AAs but I've heard that sometimes they work differently, better, than regular drain and trash batteries.

The pictures below show that the camera still works: pic 1 shows the LCD works; pic 2 shows the lens works; pic 3 shows the pristine front exterior of camera; pic 4 shows the pristine back exterior of camera.



Just so we are clear, there is nothing wrong with this camera. The reasons I am trying to sell is because (1) I just use my smaller compact 99% of the time since it fits way better inside a front jean pocket and (2) I wanted to be able to take a camera into the Stars or Mavs games to take pictures from the stratosphere in the American Airlines Center but I haven't been to but one or two games since purchasing this camera so it really hasn't been used for it's main purposes.

Click here for the official Product Page.

CyberpowerPC from NewEgg

On Tuesday, 9/29/09, I purchased a new desktop from NewEgg. It was delivered on Friday, 10/2/09. So far, I must say that I'm quite impressed with the service/shipping of NewEgg.

I didn't need a new desktop but I this one to replace (or compliment as they still function) two home-built machines that I put together about 5+ years ago. I figured that any PC that I purchased would be 5-10 times better than what I have because they've made such strides over the years since I built mine. My old PCs are exact in specs. I used an ASUS motherboard, 2 gigs of ram, AMD AthlonXP processors, 128MB ATI Radeon vid cards, my own WinXP Pro (2) operating system, some leftover CD burners that I later upgraded to DVD burners, etc. You get the picture...anything bought today will pretty much be faster than what I have...although they work with everything I currently play and use them for.

Anyway, the PC that I purchased was a CyberpowerPC. I can't say I've really heard of the Cyberpower brand but that doesn't mean too much. I researched quite a bit Of brands and waited for some time before purchasing. I initially looked at another brand that was on a really good sale. I saw it on SlickDeals. I can't remember the brand but I thought about it too damn long. You know, "Do I really need it? Is it really a good deal? How about I just upgrade some parts to my old machines. Do I really need it?" On and on and on. It lasted about an hour and then I decided to go for it and the "in-stock" status changed to "This item is temporarily out of stock." WTF?

So, with further research, I found the CyberpowerPC at NewEgg. I read the reviews there and other places before making my final decision. Once I was satisfied, I purchased because I didn't want to miss out on a good deal again. I didn't need a monitor as I have three 19" LCD monitors that work just fine and they were free. Maybe eventually I'll upgrade a bigger monitor but we'll have to see what the need will be later on.

So far, I think the new PC is speedy. It's only got one DVD burner and one 500GB hard drive but I will remedy that soon. I have two DVD and 2 CD burners in my old machine but I think I will just transfer one of the DVD burners to the new machine. I also have some extra older IDE (PATA?) drives at 120GB and 160GB that I may add to the new machine. I'm not totally positive on that as I can get a 500GB SATA drive for about $60 these days and there are like eight SATA ports on this motherboard. It does have the IDE slot which is convenient but I'm not sure I am still in the need of 120-160GBs of space. With so many different machines for the wife, kids and myself, backing up to a 120GB hard drive is not feasible unless I'm using it for one person which in itself is not feasible.

The things I don't like about this PC so far are minimal but noticeable and maybe fixable. I don't know why at this time but the power supply seems to be louder than the reviewers stated. I haven't checked it out thoroughly (at all...yet) but it could be anything from where I have it sitting to a vibration issue to ???. I just haven't taken the time to investigate yet because I've been loading it up with Office 2007, Firefox, Eraser, Replicator, Revo Uninstaller, and other programs.

I did run into an issue with an older game: Medal of Honor Allied Assault: Spearhead. I just installed it a few nights ago. I updated the game with it's required patches and quite a few downloaded maps. I started the game and it when through the initial loading screen and then I get the message about the program failing to start properly. It shuts down and Windows looks for a solution. No solution is found and so I'm stuck at this time not knowing what's wrong. I did take the time to Google the issue and some people have gotten it to work in various ways. I will try again when I have time but this is obviously a Vista problem as I've never had issue on my XP machines. It pisses me off because I think the programs should run without issue but who am I to criticize those that make software that isn't easily compatible with future upgrades. Again, I'm not sure what the culprit is but when I get around to it in the next few days or so, I will completely uninstall and retry. If I still have issue, I may just keep MOHAA:SH on my XP machine and play from there which sort of defeats the purpose of a new machine, right?! Oh well.

Another issue that is Vista related, is file/folder sharing. It's not easily done in Vista. Well, it may be easy for those who are "Vista experts" but for me who just started using Vista back in April and is probably not too invested in learning it because Windows 7 is on the breakout, it is annoying...no, it's fucking annoying! I have turned off password protected sharing thinking it would be easier. I right-click on the folder I want to share and click SHARE. I go through the steps of adding a user...one already on the machine as it hates me when I try to add someone not on the machine. Actually, I tried adding a name that is not a user on the machine and it pops up another window. I haven't fully read and comprehended what this window is asking because I got frustrated thinking this should be way easier and just closed it. I will try to pay more attention next time. Anyway, I have also right-clicked on the folder to share and selected PROPERTIES. In the properties box, I select the SHARING tab and create a name for the folder ending with the dollar sign ($ - although I'm not sure if this is still required for the 'secret' folder sharing). On this same tab, I add permissions for a user account on the machine and off with the same outcome as before. I then go on another XP and Vista machine and try to access that folder through the network. I got it to work on 2 out of 3 folders for the Vista machine and 1 out of 3 (I only tried one) on the XP machine. I don't know for sure why the 3rd folder is inaccessible other than maybe because it's not under one of the three folders of DOCUMENTS, MUSIC, or VIDEOS in Vista. I just don't think it should be this hard and involved to share a fucking folder on my own internal network. Again, it could be that I'm pretty much a Vista virgin but if I'm having troubles, just think of the people that are really ignorant to technology since I consider myself as a power user (maybe more) but I also know how to Google for solutions or troubleshoot on my own. I just loved the convenience in XP of right-clicking the folder, selecting share, check two boxes, name the folder mydocs$, then OK or APPLY. B a.m! Done! Lickity split!

I really like the machine overall so far. I haven't done a whole lot with it. I have burned a DVD (my own copy for testing), downloaded files via uTorrent, and watched a few DVD, AVI, MPEG, MP4 movies via WMP and VLC. I've done a few other things like installing/using Picasa3, Media Monkey but when I have a new laptop, netbook, reloading the older XP machine (2 down to 1), and a new desktop, I don't always get to put a whole lot of time into one thing for an extended amount of time. I have to multitask and sometimes it's only 2-3 or 3-4 things at a time or just one. With work, family and school, it's tough to find the "Jay time."

Oh yeah, the mouse and keyboard that come with it is functional although there aren't any hot keys to mute or adjust volume, to control media, or whatever. They are basically for input only. The included video handles dual monitor just fine. Now, it doesn't do the SLI (I think) handling but it allows you to extend your desktop without issue. I don't need this functionality but it has been nice when I am watching a movie in the VLC player and then I surf the web or whatever on the other screen. The 500GB hard drive is small compared to other newer machines but it's not like I can't get a 640GB, 750GB, 1TB drive for $100 or less these days if need be. I do have a 640GB SATA drive that I will probably add as an extra drive and down the road a 1TB as I need more room for backups from the many machines I previously mentioned. I also removed the cover/door to the disk drives as it was a pain in the ass to have to open it and close it and open it and close it to put in a CD/DVD. It does detract from the sleekness of the tower but I'm more about convenience and ease...if you haven't already gotten that.

And that's my basic review of the CyberpowerPC Gamer Ultra 2012. I've included some unboxing photos just for the hell of it. I swear I turned the ones that needed it in Picasa (and saved changes) but for some reason they uploaded in their original format. I think it still works though.

Writing product review at Newegg.com

I purchased a product the other day from NewEgg and thought, "Hey, I purchased something else from NewEgg a few months ago. I should write a review.

The item I purchased was the Samsung N110 netbook. I didn't get to use it for a few weeks or so after initial delivery because I didn't tell the wife. So, I had to sneak around with it to get it setup and such. I know that's wrong but she would have been okay with it anyway...maybe. LOL!

So anyhow, I started writing the review, even completed it and hit SUBMIT. And, this is the message that I got (inset pic, you'll need to click on it to zoom).

I thought it was funny because I don't recall typing any offensive words. It highlighted the infringing term: "eBay." After further and deeper reading and understanding of the "agreement," I saw that it said something about no inappropriate language AND posting of it's competitor's.

So my assumption is that eBay is fierce competitor for NewEgg. Or is it a profanity...in some circles?

Anyway, just thought it was interesting.

MSI Wind U100-641US

I've been wanting to purchase a netbook for some time now. I have researched and researched for days, even weeks, on end. I've spent an hour or two walking around my local Best Buy and BestBuy.com contemplating and looking which one I like, has the best reviews and a decent price. I've read the many reviews at CNET, BestBuy.com, and other laptop reviewing websites. So, I narrowed down my options to the MSI Wind U100-641US, Acer Aspire One, or the Asus EEE 1000HE.

All of them had good options and were overall decently rated on similar and different factors but I went with the...

It just seemed like the better option based on the reviews by the professionals and users. I'm not dogging the Acer or the Asus because they were right there, neck and neck, with the Wind but seeing and handling the products (Asus and MSI, anyway) at the local Best Buy store helped make my decision. I didn't physically handle an Acer but the reviews were a tad lower compared to the Asus and MSI so I figured it wouldn't be one I would look into getting.

I got this puppy on Sunday, April 5^th. It started up right out of the box. I didn't read any manuals or such before turning it on. It might have helped as when you turn it on it gives you a couple of options. I'm doing this from memory but I think the two options said something like "hit [some F key] to reload" and "hit [some F key] for boot options." I just glanced and hit the key to reload which I think wasn't the thing to do. It booted up and gave me the step-by-steps for XP after what I assumed was the installing of Windows XP Home.

After all the initial formalities of setting up user name, not registering with Microsoft at this time, etc., I was able to see the desktop and get things rolling. It found my wireless network while I was in the garage (I was sitting on a new patio chair I had just gotten from Home Depot) because I unloaded the chair in the garage but couldn't wait to get going and playing with the computer. Anyway, the point of that is that my wireless is up on the second floor and I was in the garage at the back of the backyard. I would say it's about 100-150 feet...not sure as I'm not good with sight distance...but it didn't have any connection issues.

After connecting to the web, I downloaded all the available Windows updates. I uninstalled the trial version of Office 2007 and installed my own version. It didn't come with virus protection so I installed Microsoft Forefront and ran updates for it. I installed Firefox as I am semi-biased to it even though some web things STILL don't work with it. I'm sure there will be more updates needed for things like Java, Flash, etc., and I will install them as the need arises.

My main concern with the MSI Wind was whether or not the windows for whatever programs would lag in open time. So far the only issue I've noticed is when I first open IE7 after reboot. When I click on the IE icon, it takes a few seconds for my home page (which is just Google). I can close the browser after this initial opening and then reopen and the home page shows pretty close to immediately. I don't know why this occurs but, as we all know, it could be just IE more than the computer itself. When using Firefox, I don't recall any issues at all with the same default home page of Google.

I've opened Word and Excel without issue. I have practice typing and all within these two programs without issue. I'm not familiar with Office 2007 as I'm using Office XP at work and I have Office 2003 on my Toshiba laptop. Things seem to run and work fine.

I haven't had too many issues with the keyboard. It's not so much the keyboard itself as it is that I work on a particular layout with my Toshiba and a desktop. The Toshiba key layout is very similar to the MSI Wind except for a few exceptions and a glaring one. The comma, period and ramp keys are smaller on the Wind because I guess someone decided that those keys are the least likely to be missed, the least used, or the most reasonable to be resized. I don't know the reasons why but I think some other accommodations could have been considered. It's not a huge deal and will take some getting used to but what keyboard doesn't these days...I'm typing on a "wave"-type keyboard right now at work and it took some getting used to when first got it. In fact, I screw up typing sometimes when I go home and use my "straight" keyboard because the keys are place slight different especially buttons like PageUp, PageDown, Delete, Home and End.

The glaring issue with the keyboard is the placement of the left Ctrl key and the Fn key. I have these keys on my Toshiba laptop and the Ctrl key is the last key on the bottom row of keys with the Fn key directly to the right of it. On the Wind, the Fn key is the outermost key with the Ctrl key to the right of it. If the designers would have thought about it more, they would have realized that the Ctrl key is used more (well in my case and my wife's case) way more than the Fn key is used, especially in touch-typing situations. Most of the time that I use the Fn key I am using one figure on one hand to hit it and then one finger on another hand to hit the corresponding key. I used the Ctrl key all the time with touch-typing for things like Ctrl+Shift+Left or Right arrow to highlight and delete or format selected text. I also use Ctrl+Home or End to go to the top or bottom of Word or Excel files. I just don't see where they thought the Fn on the outer rim would be better especially on a keyboard that isn't 100% but more like 93% (I think).

Another issue (although not a biggie) is that I am a touch pad scroller. I love the fact that I don't have to click and hold the scroll bars on a document, web page or whatever to go from top to bottom and occasionally left to right. My wife doesn't see this as an issue as she has never used this functionality. This can be easily overcome by using a mini mouse that has a scroll wheel. Not ideal but it does make it easier for me to scroll.

The mouse buttons are a little tricky to get used to for someone who has been using a larger laptop with larger mouse buttons. The are tiny comparatively, as they should be, sometimes I hit the middle of the uni-button or the wrong side of it or miss them entirely but again, I believe that's just because I've never used anything smaller than a 13.3" laptop before and the buttons on that were still fairly good sized. I think the placement of mouse buttons are still better than on the HP Mini 1000 (although it wasn't in my top three). If I recall, the HP Mini 1000 has the left mouse button on the left of the touch pad and the right mouse on the right. It wouldn't be a deal breaker for me but the placement is still a little awkward...like the Ctrl and Fn keys on the Wind. We all can deal with little things when we have to. The mouse buttons seem more sturdy than those on the Asus which seemed like they were made from a recycled aluminum can and easily breakable or bendable.

The screen is pretty good. It's smaller than my Toshiba but functions and looks just as good. I was able to compare this to the Asus at Best Buy and found that I liked the Wind much better. I didn't play with it too much but I think the Asus had the same resolution but the icons seemed bigger than the Wind.

That's about my extent of using this little guy as my wife has taken it over. My initial thoughts about purchasing this were to have a very portable "laptop" for me while I kept the powerhouse laptop at home, at my desk, or in my backpack. I was getting tired of lugging my Toshiba to class along with my no-reason-for-being-so-thick class books. It cause so much weight and stress on my bag that I have to use a paper clip to hold the zipper shut. Partly this is because the backpack is very used and is like fifteen years old but mostly because the books, laptop and essentials are bulky and stretch the zipper to its limit. So, that was my initial reasoning...ME!

Then I started thinking about the wife. She has a Toshiba too but hardly takes it anywhere. Why, I don't know because what else is the point of getting a laptop? Women, go figure! So, I thought maybe this little bugger would be small enough and yet functional enough for her to be a little more portable with her work and such. It would also make buying this an easier sell if I got her on board versus her thinking I just wanted another "toy."

She then came up with the idea of her using it for a bit and seeing how it works. If she liked it, then we would get one each for our two kids. WTF? I went from buying one for me to making this a possible family affair! It did sound like a reasonable idea even with the economy in the shitter but I was still a little hesitant. Portability for my wife to do email, Powerpoint, Word, Excel, and Internet would be acceptable on this but what if the kids didn't find it powerful enough to handle what they wanted it for...which what that is I really didn't know.

I know my kids like to play flash-based web games online. They type stories for their school work. They create drawings in Paint and flier-type things in Publisher. Sometimes they create videos on their digital cameras and try to make videos in Movie Maker but most of the time it isn't stuff that requires a powerful laptop/computer. I have them an old, old Sony Vaio 14" that they use right now but it's so old that it takes so long for some things to load up that they would much rather just not use it at all. But then they get that it takes patience and they'll wait and will be able to enjoy the laptop and whatever they are doing on it. They don't really load any games from a CD onto it although they did in the past and the most recent is they like Roller Coaster Tycoon which isn't graphic or processor intensive.

As mentioned, my wife has been using it since after I got all the updates and some other software loaded. I've teased her about returning it just to be sure she likes it. She says, "I love it. It's so easy to just put in my purse(bag) and take it with me. So far it works for everything I've needed it." She too hates the placement of the Ctrl and Fn keys as well as a few issues with the shrunken comma, period and slash keys even with her "womanly" fingers.

My oldest kid says, "It's pretty good." While the youngest said, "It's awesome. I want one now!" I told the oldest if it was just "pretty good" then why get one? It was responded by a "No, I want one! I just don't know how much I'd use it." What kind of kid says that about a new 'toy'?

So, the verdict is still out on whether or not I like it completely or not. I assume the more I am able to use it the more I can give my final decision. My main reservation is that I will be giving up power for ultraportability. That's not so much of a bad thing because I will always have my desktop and maybe even a newer laptop (my current one is two maybe three years old...I can't remember which for sure). The problem arises for me at the times when I may need or want that higher end power but I will be stuck with the limited strength of the netbook. Again, not a huge occurring problem but the future is cloudy, ever changing it is.

I have been looking at the powerful, well-rated Asus G50Vt-X5 over at Best Buy. It's also gotten good ratings at CNET and other laptop review sites. The cover is a little outlandish and the flashing LEDs may be an occasional nuisance but I think the power and semi-portability could be worth it. It will be way faster than my current Toshiba and it's about the same size. The only thing I don't like is the built-in number pad, while could be useful, pushes the keys slightly to the left so typing on this bad boy would be a little askew. I'm not sure how much I would like or want to deal with that but it seems like a pretty decent computer price and power-wise. We'll wait a little longer and see I guess. A new laptop is not a necessity as I still have my old one and it still is under my service agreement which I've used a few times to get my money's worth. Furthermore, the economy blows donkey dicks and it may not be a good time to spend a grand or two on a couple of new computers (notebook and netbook). Sometimes I like to take a chance but other times not so much. As mentioned, we'll have to see.

Finally, I really do like the idea of ultraportability and will probably eventually get me a netbook. It may or may not be the MSI Wind. I have been looking at the Samsung N110 for many reasons so it may be the netbook purchase for my using. As in all things, we'll have to wait and see. I am getting antsy though...very, very antsy!

Just in case you are wondering, here are pictures of all the netbooks and one notebook I referenced in this post:

Smokey John's - Dallas (Gaston Ave)

Went to eat at Smokey John's off Gaston Ave and Haskell or Hall or some street there.

This is their two-plate meal w/two veggies. I had sliced beef and chopped pork, baked beans and boiled cabbage with unsweetened tea for about $11.

The meat was a tad dry. The baked beans had to have come out of a can. The cabbage was no different than when I do it at home but mine is better (and cheaper).

FINAL VERDICT: Pass. I've had better for less and all-you-can-eat for about the same cost. I'm not saying it sucked but I live closer to Baker's Ribs on Greenville and their meat is less dry, their sauce is not as watery and it cost about the same. So convenience will win out between the two. I had never been to Smokey John's and wanted to try it. I'd go again if I'm in the area but won't make the drive just to go. If you are interested, they are only open from 10-4 Mon-Fri.



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Buchanan's Fair Park Flea Market in Dallas

The father-in-law wanted to check out the Buchanan's Fair Park Flea Market. He moved back in town for a few weeks ago from Springfield, IL and already he's wanting to hit the flea markets like back in the little town of Pawnee, IL just outside of Springfield.

He heard about the Fair Park Market from someone in the 'home' he now lives in. I also read an article (here) at DallasNews.com about what a big deal it was going to be.

Take it from me when I say, "PASS!" I expected a little more than I saw. It's basically Grandma and Grandpa's or Little Redneck Annie's attic/barn clean-out.

I did see some things that brought back childhood memories because I played or seen or someone in my family had these items but in no way would I want to purchase them twenty years later! There was overpriced jewelry, watches, knick-knacks, clothing, toys, knives and really just plain JUNK! I mean why would I want to buy a knife for $5-$10 at this shit hole when I can get a brand new one at Target, Walmart, Sports Authority or just about anywhere for about $10-$20 but it's new and will come with some sort of limited warranty.

I really think Billy Ray and Bobby Sue should just burn all this shit on their little farm to keep them warm through the next winter.

If I heard it right, Fair Park charges these people $85 for an area in this building. It takes a lot of selling and buying junk at $1-$5 to just break even.

I'm telling you folks, do not waste your time at this place. I can say that I went and it was something new but I'm trying to help you out here...especially since they charge people a $3/adult cover to get into see all the junk. We thought it was free but little did we know.

We chalked it up to experience and hopefully my $9 will help spur someone's economy.

Flashlights

I think I have a flashlight fetish but I'm not sure. I've been looking for that one (or two) good flashlight that I can have for a long time and just replace the batteries. In the past I didn't want to spend a lot of money, greater than $10, but I've decided that if it is a quality light that will last me through the years then it might just be worth it for a few dollars more.

So, I purchased this one flashlight (no pic) from Target, I think, that cost me something like $30. Yes, I know. I can't believe I paid that much either. I told you, if it was worth it I would do it. I think this flashlight brand was Nova. It's got a metal housing, about 4-5 inches long, and a single, powerful LED. It is a pretty bright light which was way cool. After prolonged same-session use, the housing does get warm...almost hot...to the touch. I used this light, and still have it, but I found that the powerful light drains the batteries a little quicker than I would like. Couple that with the fact that the battery type used is a lithium 'camera' battery (6-volt, I think). This particular battery costs something like $15 for a two-pack or $9 for a single. Not the costs and reusability I was looking for. So, I kept the light but I used it very sparingly.

So, my flashlight fetish had to look for cheaper alternatives.

A couple of weeks ago I purchased a couple of flashlights to "test" from Home Depot. The two flashlights pictured below. I don't remember the exact price at this time but I think my receipt total was like $40. As you can see, I didn't cut huge holes in the packaging nor did I removed the batteries that came with the flashlights just in case they became 'returnable.'

First of all, I am pretty stoked that they take AAA batteries. These are a dime a dozen and are way more economical than the camera batteries.

The Coast brand flashlight has five white LEDs in a circular pattern around one red LED. It's a silver aluminum housing that is supposed to be waterproof and shock resistant. It's got two switches: one for the white LEDs and one for the red LEDs. The packaging says the lighting is the power of 100 lumens. I'm assuming that's the white LEDs. I'm not exactly sure what the 100 lumens power level is but I did use the light in dark closet during the day and night as well as taking it outside at night. I was not disappointed. It wasn't super bright but I really wasn't expecting it to be so since it's such a small form factor. I was able to get a good read on objects in the dark closet without issue. Outside at night, I was able to see things very well within 10-20 feet and pretty good for 20-30 feet. It did light up things beyond that but some things may not have been completely distinguishable depending on size. I did take it at night with me while walking my dog and the light did reflect off a stop sign about 100 yards or so -- the red and white lights. I believe this is part of the selling point of this flashlight as it could be seen from long distance, up to something like two miles I think. Anyway, I carry it with me in my backpack at work, school, and just with me at other times because you never know when you might need a flashlight.

The Husky brand flashlight is a 3-watt LED (1). It's got a metal housing as well. It's slightly thicker and longer than the Coast light. The packaging says up to 145 lumens. I've kind of tested this light in the same manner as the Coast light. It definitely is brighter and has a narrower beam than the Coast light. To shorten my review, you can add about 10-20 feet to each of the break downs I used for the Coast light. I didn't measure exactly but the distance is greater as it's a more condensed, narrower beam. It has the same selling point of being able to be seen from a long distance, which it does. I found it a little more rugged and sturdy, which to me meant it could be used as a protective item to whack someone on the head with.

All in all, I am pleased with my purchases so far. I don't know what will happen when or if I need to change the LED because they aren't exactly like regular bulbs. Hopefully I won't have to worry about it for a long while. The packages say 100,000 hours which roughly translates into 4,166 days or 11 years.

I guess that's a wrap on the review of these 2-3 flashlights. I still have my trusty 12-inch Maglite but the light quality is way different and definitely not as bright. The 12" Maglite does a great job at doubling as a club, if needed.

Updated: The first light I mentioned was the X0³ model of the INOVA brand.