Music : The Essential Ravi Shankar |
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Rating: - * Great ... Play it in the background while entertaining, cleaning the house or just relaxing. Plug it into your MP3 and create your own little sanctuary. Namasté. Rating: - * Listen to the CD before you buy ... One should listen to this CD before considering a purchase. Historical perspectives are interesting for intellectuals and historians, but it doesn't make the music any more than it is. As a world music fan of 30 odd years I would say this one is 'lame', so buyer beware. Rating: - * An essential introduction to a master musician ... Other reviewers here have noted that, if all you want is one CD of Ravi Shankar's music, this 2-CD set ought to do the trick. It also works as a good capsule introduction to Ravi-ji and his music; Disc One is a more pure distillation of Hindustani music, where Disc Two gives the listener a sampling of his collaborations with Western artists, all of whom seem to have had a good grasp on what was needed to make the collaborations work (not always the case with cross-cultural experiments). Another bonus is that many of these tracks are not as readily available as one might like (I've yet to find a copy of the Chappaqua soundtrack anywhere), so their inclusion here is all the more welcomed. It is also helpful if one does not wish to buy every CD of Ravi-ji's music currently available; as it was, I already owned 4 or 5 of the Angel/EMI remasters (most of which are not covered by this compilation, making it, and them, more worthwhile). However, if you are as musically adventurous as I am, you'll start here and scour the world music bins of every record shop you can find to track down other Ravi Shankar albums. Other Ravi Shankar titles I would recommend include Three Ragas (1956), Improvisations (1962; includes variations on the music he recorded as the soundtrack to the Indian film "Pather Panchali"), A Morning Raga/An Evening Raga (1968), East Meets West (1970; his collaboration with Yehudi Menuhin), and Inside the Kremlin (1988; a brilliant collaboration with classical musicians from Russia). Rating: - * if you were to only have one ... If you were to only have one CD of Ravi Shankar's... this would be the one to have. I have several, and have been a fan of Indian Music since my introduction to the sound via the Beatles' Norwegian Wood (1965). These discs in "The Essential" span works throughout the life-to-date of the Master Musician. From his virtuosic days when he rose to be the best Sitarist in the World, to later compositions and collaborations with very notable Western Musicians and Western modes. Rating: - * A Journey to India by Sitar lesson ... A great addition to your world music collection. This is a masterpiece of the Sitar maestro, Ravi Shankar, definitly worth your time and money. All in one classic Indian/ Hindi music, ranging from basic and yet elegant Sitar notes to sizziling ones with Tabla. You'll be literally amazed by the master fingers running through those Sitar's 20 strings all at once by a legendary Ravi Shankar. Again, this is a significant collection to all world music lovers. Must Have ! |


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![]() The device sports a handy MP3 player, letting you play songs stored on SD memory cards. |
In addition, you can easily look-up and dial numbers from your personalized phone book or from your phone's call history log. Don't know the phone number for your destination? Simply find and dial it from nüvi's database of more than six million points of interest -- including hotels, restaurants, stores, and attractions.
Navigation and Entertainment with Ease
For starters, the nüvi 360 includes a high-sensitivity integrated GPS receiver that offers exceptional performance and reception. The unit's flip-up antenna includes an MCX-type connector for optional external GPS antenna connection. Preloaded software features maps of Europe or North America, and it includes automatic routing, 2D or 3D map perspective, turn-by-turn voice directions that speak street names, and a fingertip touch screen interface -- making navigation as easy as it gets.
But navigation is just the beginning. Like the nüvi 350, the nüvi 360 also includes many entertainment and travel tools including an MP3 player, audio book player, JPEG picture viewer, travel alarm, and currency converters.
The nüvi 360 features a bright, 2.8 x 2.1-inch TFT display with white backlight for easy readability. At 3.87 x 2.91 x 0.87-inches (WxHxD) and just 5.1 ounces, the unit is small enough to be placed on the dashboard with the included suction mount, or into your pocket for easy transportability. The unit also features Garmin Lock -- an advanced anti-theft feature that disables the unit from performing any functions until you type in a specific four-digit PIN or take the unit to a predetermined location. A built-in lithium ion battery will give you up to eight hours of power, and an included 12/24 volt adapter cable will let you run the navigator off your vehicle's power. An AC battery charger is also included.
A built-in Travel Kit that includes sample MP3s and audio books will get you started with entertainment, and with the unit's SD memory card expansion slot you can add optional software, such as language and travel guides. A USB port is also included for loading and updating data.
What's in the Box
Gamin nüvi 360, Preloaded City Navigator NT North America or Europe (full coverage), vehicle suction cup mount, AC charger, 12/24 volt adapter cable, dashboard disk, USB interface cable, carrying case, owner's manual, and quick reference guide.

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Speaking of keeping you safe, the nüvi 680 lets you make hands-free calls so you can talk freely during your worry-free driving. By integrating Bluetooth wireless technology with a built-in microphone and speaker, you can pair your nüvi with any compatible Bluetooth phone and talk hands-free while staying focused on the road. You no longer have to fumble with your phone's handset to answer a call or dial a number, just tap the 680's screen and you're instantly connected. And with 1-touch dialing for your POIs, you can quickly and conveniently call ahead to make reservations or get needed information.
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![]() You can also use the mini-USB port for tranferring files directly to the memory card. |
In additional to all this functionality, the nüvi 680 includes many must-have entertainment and travel tools such as an MP3 player, an audio book player (subscription to Audible.com required), and a JPEG picture viewer so you can take your favorite music and pictures with you wherever you go. This unit also features a world travel clock with time zones, a currency converter, a measurement converter, and a calculator so that wherever you travel it will be easy to know what you are getting and keep track of your costs. The MP3 player lets you browse music by artist, album, and/or song, while the optional audio books may be purchased from Audible.com which features over 70,000 hours of audio programs. What's more, the nüvi 680 allows further customization via optional software such as a travel guide, savings programs and language translation on plug-and-play SD cards for all your travel needs.
The Garmin nüvi 680 comes with a built-in, high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver, and lets you view and operate it via its bright, LCD TFT touch-screen, wide-screen display that measures 4.3 inches (diagonal) and has a resolution of 480 x 272 pixels with 64,000 colors and a white backlight. As a whole, the nüvi 680 measures 4.9 x 2.9 x 0.9 inches (W x H x D), and weighs only 6.2 ounces for easy portability. This unit provides you with from three to seven hours of battery life (depending on use) via its rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and comes with Garmin Lock, which is an anti-theft feature to protect your investment. While you can add software via the SD card slot, the Garmin nüvi 680 also lets you interface via high-speed USB for loading data, though users should note that, like most USB mass storage devices, this unit is not compatible with Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows Me.
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