Guy Low Price Electronic: 25 Oct 2008

Saturday, 25 October 2008

Battery Packs - 18v, dewalt

I build decks for a living and this is my second 1/4 inch Dewalt Impact Driver. I didn't think I could love a tool more than my first impact driver. Was I wrong! This is absolutely the greatest tool made for people who drive a lot of screws. There is virtually no hand torque compared to using a regular drill-driver, the impact mechanism does all the work for you. Second, the small size and lightweight won't wear out your arm from a day of driving hundreds of screws. The Nano battery is so light that when I first picked one up, I thought it must be a dislay dummy battery. Dewalt claims this battery has the same work rating as the NiCad battery but it sure seems to last much longer to me. If you drive lots and lots of screws, or just want a very lightweight driver, give this tool serious consideration. Yeah it is pricey, but for dedicated screw driving it can't be beat.

Some people have complained about the shutdown feature on the Nano battery. The battery shuts down when it reaches a certain discharge level to protect it from being drained too far, which is evidently not good for a lithium battery. I happen to love this feature for a couple reasons. One, it delivers nearly full power right up to shutdown. And as I stated above, this battery seems to last much longer than my NiCad batteries. By shutting down, it makes me avoid something we all do with NiCad when they run down, using the drill like a screwdriver to drive those last couple screws before changing the battery. This practice is very hard on the driver motor. Second, I believe this feature will result in longer battery life with more charge cycles because I will be charging the battery at the same level each time. One of the reasons for premature NiCad battery failure is inconsistent charging cycles, i.e. charging it when half dead one time and completely dead the next.

As for the fit of the new battery on older tools, who cares what it looks like? I don't want Dewalt making a battery bigger and heavier just for cosmetic reasons. I am glad this new Nano battery is more compact. I use my tools daily and size matters, the smaller and lighter the better. DEWALT DC827KL 18-Volt 1/4-inch Lithium Ion Impact Driver Kit with NANO Technology

this is a great tool made better. It will out drive and drill any of my regular drills with power to spare. This new Nano tech tool is even better due to the bright light that lights up the work. I used it the other day hanging some undercab lights and the bright light made finding the mounting hole a breeze. I gave my older model to my son because I liked this one so much better. The new lithium batteries sure made the weight easier to lug around. I can't say much about how long they last but I will be replacing my old ones with these new ones as they wear out!

I've been comparing this driver against the Milwaukee 2650, the Makita BTD141, the Ridged R8823, the Bosch 23618 Impactor and other drivers. All these drivers are excellent tools and I'd be happy with any of them.

To my amazement, one of the fastest drivers during my brief testing was the lightest weight driver which was the Dewalt DC827KL. This driver only weighed 2 pounds 2 ounces without a battery on my scale. And even though this driver specs out at 1,330in-lbs of torque (less than some of the other tools), it had no trouble breaking loose nuts torqued down well beyond this torque limit. And this driver is blazing FAST!

Just because a tool is rated at a given torque spec doesn't mean you'll have that much torque available at the bit or at all RPM's. The engineers behind this tool have done an incredible job of putting the torque to work to maximize its throughput because this tool out-drove all the other tools I tested it against in terms of speed.

And the battery technology behind the nano batteries from A123 systems is second to none. These nano batteries may not have the most amp hours when compared to some competing products, but amp hours don't tell the whole story. It's just a measure of capacity and doesn't tell you how much amperage can be dumped at a given instant or how long it can sustain dumping that much amperage, or how much capacity is lost after 1,000 charges or how much capacity is lost after a given period of time, etc, etc, etc. These nano-phosphate batteries from A123 systems that are used by Dewalt clearly stand above the other lithium ion chemistries currently being used by other cordless power-tool companies for several reasons including...

* They can provide much more amperage than other chemistries (Lithium Manganese, etc). When the tool needs its juice to drive hard as its being used under heavy load, these nano-phosphate batteries can supply a greater amount of sustained amperage to the components that need it where as other Lithium Ion battery chemistries such as from Moli Energy (Lithium Manganese) can't give the tool as much sustained amperage as the nano-phosphate batteries can. And this is one of the reasons why Dewalts tools work so well with these new nano-phosphate batteries.

* These nano-phosphate batteries have a much flatter self-discharge rate over time. In other words, you will not lose much capacity with these batteries compared to the batteries used by other cordless power tool companies.

* They offer a much higher cycle life when compared to the batteries used by other cordless power tool companies. If you're also a techno-geek, then look at the technical data (especially the charts) from the different battery manufactures that are being used in various cordless power tools and it will truly be an eye opening experience. These nano-phosphate batteries can be charged a heck of a lot more times than the other brands of batteries and they lose a heck of a lot less capacity over time and cycles than the other brands of lithium ion batteries. For instance, at a discharge rate of about 3 amps at 25c, the Lithium Manganese based batteries lose about 23% of their rated capacity after 300 cycles. But Dewalt's nano-phosphate based batteries from A123 systems only lose about 12% of their capacity after 1,000 cycles!

* And then there are issues regarding safety, durability, damage from overcharging, etc. And the nano-phosphate battery stands on top again as a safer battery technology in terms of storage, fire, etc, and it can withstand overcharging better than other chemistries which have been known to burst into flames due to issues with cell imbalance / overcharging.

Dewalt's nano-phosphate battery might not have as much amp hour capacity as other brands of batteries, but it sure does have some serious advantages that allows their tools to perform very well under load and with good value to the people who put these tools to serious heavy duty work on a daily basis. These new nano-phosphate batteries will bring new life to your older tools and the newer tools designed around these batteries will perform better than ever.

The DC827KL sure is a great driver, but it wouldn't be as good without the nano-phosphate battery. It would be interesting to see how Milwaukee's new 2650 or another brand of impact driver would perform with this battery technology. But Dewalt has it and it's a must have for the professional who earns his paycheck from using his tools. - Dewalt - 18v - Battery Packs - Lithium-ion'

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Pittsburgh Steelers - steelers, pittsburgh

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Bought this for my husband for Christmas. It was shipped before the deadline. I was very happy with the way it looks and the NFL packaging. I was thinking that it was going to be heavier though. After seeing this I'm going to get the in laws one for their teams. I would definatly recommend this for anyone. NFL Pittsburgh Steelers Garden Gnomes

I had given gnomes to a group of friends as gifts. One had an unfortunate incident and broke so I order 1 addition to replace. I ordered the one pictured, which had a fatter face and orange feet. Instead, I received a totally different gnome with a thinner face, grey feet, and it was SIGNIFICANTLY smaller and lighter. I am extremely disappointed that the item I received is NOT what is pictured.

product showed up broken and you can tell it was broke before they shipped it because there were no pieces any where in the box. plus its so poorly made when we were setting it in our garden into soft dirt part of the foot broke off. the shell is so paper thin. only good thing is the accuracy of the seahawks logo.

Although I was hoping it would be bigger and made of plaster it wasn't. For some reason none of the reviews I saw or the description told me how tall it is. It is about fourteen inches tall or so. and plastic. But it is very cool to have. I like it.

Adorable gnome, one item I can guarantee a lot of Steelers fans don't own YET. When I saw the gnome I had to have it to add to my collection of Steelers stuff. The detail on the little guy is great. I agree with the other reviewers, if he was just a little bigger. I've received a lot of compliments on how unique and cute he is. Right now he hangs out on my kitchen bar. But, when football season rolls around he'll be sitting next to me on the couch as we root for our black and gold! - Steelers - Gnomes - Gardening - Pittsburgh'

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The Lion King - disney, cgi

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I love these glasses! For one, when I bought the VIZIO E3D420VX 42 Inch Class Theater 3D LCD HDTV with VIZIO Internet Apps, it came with 2 pairs of glasses--this pair and a "standard" pair. This pair (which, when it came with my TV, is called the premium pair) just fit great and feel extremely comfortable. They're plenty big for those of us who wear prescription glasses, and I mean big in a good way. They go over your glasses nearly perfectly so (unlike realD theater glasses) you can rarely physically tell that you've got 2 pairs of glasses on. And when you're not wearing prescription glasses, they feel fine too. In fact they're so light that when just wearing the 3D glasses it doesn't feel like you're wearing anything at all.

Second, I love that I can take these to the theater so I don't have to wear the realD glasses--which are always too tight and stiff to comfortably wear over my prescription glasses. I took these Vizio glasses when I went to see Pirates 4 and they worked PERFECTLY.

I'll be buying a couple sets of these for friends and family, which seems insane because I could probably buy 3 sets of these for LESS than the Active shutter glasses! Hah! I haven't tried active shutter glasses, and I don't think I'd want to based on what I've heard. Maybe active-shutter are full HD but honestly, the (passive) theater 3D by Vizio doesn't seem any less HD than a typical Blu Ray. So far I've watched the following 3D movies with these glasses on the TV I linked, and they look full HD (even if they aren't technically at full HD): Avatar and Tangled [which are the best], Tron Legacy, Bolt, Drive Angry [a lot better than I imagined in 3D], Piranha [horrible 3D conversion but still looked crystal clear], Despicable Me, and Green Hornet. My grandparents were amazed, saying "wow!" and "oh my gosh, this is so cool!" over and over again. They're in their 70s!!

I'm pretty convince that even when glasses-free 3D comes out, I'll still be pleased with this current setup--at least until I can afford the glasses-free. These glasses are a lot less bothersome than I had originally anticipated.

Let's say that you're reading this, thinking about getting a Vizio Theater 3D TV. Maybe you're on the fence, maybe you aren't convinced, maybe you're unsure of the tech. My advice: don't be, it looks amazing! But even if you decide against the TV, get these glasses if you tend to see lots of 3D movies at the cinema. You'll be happier than wearing those annoying, pinching 3D realD glasses. Vizio XPG202 Theater 3D™ Eyewear –(Pack of 2)

These glasses look like regular sunglasses, the disign is very nice and they are lightweight and confortable to wear. The 3D on the 65" Vizio XVT3D650SV is incredible, the best i have seen in any 3D TV. This two-pack comes with two convenient microfiber bags. Excellent value package!!!!

hey the life is not perfect, of course this tecnology is not full HD but this tipe dont kill your eyes, and you realy can enjoy 3D. no more headaches. no more a 10 pounds glasses, no more 170$ dollars.

I wanted to experience a 3d movie without the added faults found in "free" glassed given out at theaters and these surpass satisfaction. I actually went to see Thor in 3D and almost walked out due to the glasses that I used that were free. Later that night I bought the Vizio from Amazon and have been very pleased. I take my new glasses all the time and I never have to worry about glare and scratches. Highly recommend.

After buying a Vizio television, I was delighted to find these Vizio 3D glasses. I read the reviews and decided this would be an affordable option for our grandchildren to watch 3D movies.

After spending two hours with tech support with Vizio, one specialist finally told me that these glasses only work with one of the Vizio televisions. I had to return the glasses and order rechargeable, much more expensive glasses for the 3D movies.

Look very carefully before ordering these. Most Vizio televisions require the more expensive glasses. - Animation - Disney - Cgi - Blu-ray'

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Hand Saws - hand saw, hand tools

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These little handsaws cut like lightening, hard to believe. I put one in the survival kit and you could buid a log cabin with one of these if you were dumped in the woods! Much cheaper and easier to use than some of those toy survival saws that are $50. I have an old one that has seen 10 years of abuse around the house and yard and it was getting dull. I use for trimming branches, pine trees, apricot trees, bamboo and whatever else pops up around the house, sawing a 2 x 4 or root cutting when removing a plant. When you do not want to drag out the electric power saws this is the one.

A good tool with an unbelievable ability to saw wooden material quickly. Probably not for those fine trim jobs but this thing eats wood like a beaver. Stanley 15-579 15-Inch 9 Points Per Inch SharpTooth Fast Cutting Saw

I originally purchased this STANLEY SAW to use to cut some low-hanging branches off a tree in the backyard. The saws of my dad's were all rusted and I came across this saw for around $10. Besides the limb-cuttings, I have used it to cut several small trees, to cut through a 1x4", and to cut through some scraps of luan. After all that use, the teeth have remained sharp and clean. I'm looking forward to using this saw for a long time. It's a good hand, inexpensive handsaw. - Hand Tools - Handsaws - Hand Saws - Hand Saw'

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Home Office - pencil, broken

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I just love this mechanical pencil. I'm really a "pen" kind of person but needed some pencils for homework, and this mechanical pencil is the best. Super comfy and writes well.

However, the tiny tip where the lead comes through clearly has a design flaw. That tiny little barrel keeps falling off (or, more accurately, this has been my experience with four different ComfortMates so far). I figured out how to glue that piece into place; since gluing it on all of my pencils, none has fallen off and the pencils have been perfectly operational (i.e. that little barrel no longer falls off and the lead doesn't break anymore). So, gluing that little tip turns a decent mechanical pencil into a perfect one.

Re: pencil lead replacement. You just pull off the eraser and dump a new piece of lead into the barrel. Very straightforward.

Re: replacement erasers. My local office supply store sells replacements for this pencil, which is where I got mine. Paper Mate Comfortmate Ultra 0.7mm Mechanical Pencil Starter Set(1738796), Assorted

This pencil, in a word, is crap. As it has been written previously, the tip on the pencil is prone to coming out, the "chrome" is plastic, and the eraser is not exactly commonplace to replace. It can be fixed with a little superglue, however for roughly the same amount you can go with another pencil that uses metal, doesn't break, and is easier to find erasers for such as the Pentel Quicker Clicker. You shouldn't have to fix something in order for it to work when the retail is under $4. When the tip breaks off (and it will), your lead is exposed more and will break much easier. This is akin to a cell phone that doesn't make phone calls. Regardless of the feel of the rubber, or any other aspect, if it's primary purpose is to write why bother with buying it if it doesn't.

The pencils are very comfortable and easy to write with, but I can't find replacement erasers that fit. The Pentel brand sells a version that is just slightly too large, and I'm afraid to buy the Papermate refills online because I'm afraid they'll be too large (I bought a Pentel version but they don't fit). I don't want to spend 5 more dollars on more erasers that I can't use. The next time I buy mechanical pencils, I will make sure it is a brand that sells replacement erasers.

I recieved this two piece pencil set the other day and one is already broken.

The silver tip at the end (not the screw on piece)that extends as you press to get more lead simply fell out.

I tried to put it back in but it just fell out again. I have tried using the pencil w/out it but the lead just snaps off. Worthless! Paper Mate Comfortmate Ultra 0.7mm Mechanical Pencil Starter Set(1738796), Assorted

I must first admit that I have not used a mechanical pencil prior to this one for several years. To my recollection, previous experiences were not particularly pleasant, and I used mechanical pencils more out of convenience compared to regular pencils (and only when I needed a pencil) than anything else.

I desired to try one again, and picked this out more or less at random. I was very pleasantly surprised. This pencil is very easy to write with, does not require much pressure from your wrist to make a solid mark on the paper, and is a smoother writing implement than any other pencil I can remember using.

Very satisfied.

While the Paper Mate ComfortMate® Ultra mechanical pencils are comfortable, come in a two pack, are reasonably priced and have additional lead and erasers, they are seriously flawed. I have bought two sets of these and ALL of them lost their metal tip (which holds the lead in place)! Trying to put the tip back on may work for awhile, but it will eventually come off again (and they are easy to lose). Trying to contact Paper Mate on their website ended with an error after entering in my comment...lovely. - Pencil - Broken - Best Mechanical Pencil - Office Supplies'

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Xm Satellite Radio

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I'll start with my short satellite radio history. I've had XM radio for about six months now. My first radio was an XpressR, which was very good and had lots of bells and whistles, but definitely showed its design roots in the early 2000's and was slow to navigate. Some jerk broke into my car and took that one. I replaced it with the XpressRC, which was a nice update to the XpressR, and much faster, but I kept having a problem where it would regularly lose all my presets and settings, so I returned it and replaced it with the XM OnyX.

I decided not to go with the SkyDock because while it is a cool idea, one thing I love about satellite radio is not having the need to hook my iPhone/iPod up every time I get in the car to have some tunes. With a regular XM radio, I get in the car and drive and I don't need to do anything else. Wanting to try a newer model radio model instead, I went with the XM OnyX. I could barely find any reviews or anything online, so it was kind of a shot in the dark.

The OnyX is a solid radio with a nice design. I'd say it is more attractively designed and has better build quality than my two preceding radios. It comes with some color accent rings you can swap out, which is an interesting idea, but the color choices are only glossy black, matte silverish-white and matte blue. I wish there was a glossy red in there, but really even having that choice is a unique idea I shouldn't complain about. The display is full color, however instead of seeing full-color channel logos and graphics, the only color you see is the background and text colors. While it is much more minimalist than the XpressRC, I will go out on a limb to say that I prefer the solid color background of the OnyX to the unnecessary flashiness of the XpressRC. Having the blue or red background looks really nice while in use in my VW Rabbit. Combine this with the design of the radio and it is a very attractive aesthetic upgrade for my car as opposed to the eye sores some other satellite radios can be.

Navigation is quick and simple. Up and down buttons change the channels while left and right flip through the categories. You have ten one-button presets. The only unneccessary button for me is the FM button because I use auxiliary input. I have always preferred a less-is-more approach to electronics, so I appreciate a design that isn't littered with buttons and functions that you don't use often.

Sound quality seems loud and clear. The aux signal is noticably louder than my Xpress radios. When I flip back and forth between XM and FM, the volume seems about the same, which wasn't true with my previous radios.

When comparing this radio to the Xpress's, I have to bring up the lack of bells and whistles. This radio is more basic. It does not have artist/sports alerts which were convenient on the Xpress's. There are less display options, but the display is well laid out and is safe to view while driving (enough info, but not too much). There is no live pause or any buffer to rewind through-- I never really made good use of that feature on my Xpress's. There are no stock quotes or sports scores, which is fine because that is what my iPhone is for. It does not come with a remote which I don't care at all about because I use it in the car and just use the online streaming at home. So really of all those things, the only thing I would have liked to have seen in the OnyX would have been the artist/sports alerts.

All in all, the XM OnyX is a solidly designed and attractive XM radio that I would recommend to anyone who wants to experience XM in their car. It is not the flashiest radio, and will not blow you away with features, but it is probably the best basic car radio that Sirius XM produces. XM XDNX1V1 Onyx Dock-and-Play Radio with Car Kit (Black)

Overall: 4/5 stars

Build quality: 4/5

Installation: 5/5 (YMMV)

Operation of device: 3/5

Features on device: 2.5/5

"Bang for buck": 4.5/5

Sound quality: 3.5/5

(Read near the end of my review to find out how to possibly save extra costs on XM subscription.)

What I was looking for with XM radio:

I wanted to get into XM radio with minimal dent on my wallet.

If you are looking for a nice cost efficient way to get into XM radio, this is probably the only option to get you XM in your car within less than a hundred bucks (before adding fees for starting XM subscription for a year). It sounds like a lot when you calculate out the fees - purchase a XM device + set up XM subscription (+ applicable tax/royalty fees/start up fee) BUT considering the opposite end of the spectrum - purchase a stereo deck with XM features from a professional installer, I'm sure the cost could've been easily been upwards to 300-400 dollars *just for the device change* at a stereo shop!

Device is small and light - size of an index card if you held about a half inch of them. The device feels very light but solid. The feel of the buttons are slightly more stiff than I'd hope but overall amount of pressure to get a button pushed seems slightly more than I'd want for a small device. Build of cradle is tough and I like the minimal design of the cradle as it compliments the device very well. The attaching and detaching is fairly quick for the device. The display is very simple, not too flashy (shows a plain color background, station name, artist and song title) and not too flashy on the features (channel up/down, presets, and flip through channels by genre type, instant switch to traffic/weather station).

Installation:

Car installation on my Lexus IS250 is a cinch(non evasive, just jam wires in cracks), but instructions of installation leave a bit up to the installer to decide details. I was pretty distraught when I was trying to imagine the amount of work I had to do to get the anntanea wire snaked through not to mention the audio and car adapter cords. But it turned out the setup was fairly quick and only took a little over an hour as I spent some extra time making sure the wires were tucked away. On my Lexus IS250, I had no problems getting the wires tucked into the cracks/crevices and did not have to rip, tear or drill any holes. This process did not leave any damage to my car at all!

The extra time you put into hiding the wires under the lining/cracks, the more it pays off! I was able to hide almost all of the wiring, with exception to the part that traces up to the back of the unit.

My decision to XM was simple:

I'm too lazy to make music for myself (dusty ipod), I always wanted *fresh content*, but I hate the regular radio for 3 reasons 1)commercials 2)lack of variety 3)poor sound quality/static

This is the option for you if you're in the same boat as me. Willing to spend a bit more for fresh music content, but looking for cheaper

alternative to more expensive avenues to get XM, and looking for quick results.

Sound quality:

A bit lacking on this part unfortunately. I have a very nice sound system and the clarity of the system can pick up the flaws in lower sampling rates (mp3s sound like they are missing something, while playing audio CDs have a full body sound and a clarity that can't be matched by anything less than a 256kbps mp3 file). The sound quality, though the bands on the bass and treble are clear, I can tell the quality is kin to that of 160kbps mp3s, not really getting to that 256 kbps level unfortunately. It matches quality, of say, something like the streaming music from Pandora - as you turn it up, you may notice it is slightly lacking in that "punch". I believe this is not a fault of the device but the actual stream of the music from the satellite. If anyone can chime in about this, it may be helpful to know if this is true?

Cost of new XM subscription:

So after I installed the device, I knew from prior research that the cost was about thirteen dollars a month for the full package (minus Sirius channels), but if I prepaid for a year or two it would be as low as ten dollars (which is the same month-to-month price for the package that only allows you to have music. I did a happen-chance search online for keywords like "XM promo" or "XM subscription discount" and found out people were getting huge discounts! For some people, a normal subscription cost of a hundred thirty dollars, was haggled down to eighty eight dollars! This is because there is a seventy seven dollar promo that XM customer service reps know about...its called the "half off a year subscription promo" - but this actually is a little less than half. Keep in mind it finally does come out a little more, the rep tacked on a music royalty fee of ten dollars, so final price for a year came out to eightyseven dollars. In any case, if you are starting a new subscription, I HIGHLY recommend you call in, rather than doing a new subscription online (they probably won't offer something like this). Also, my rep. didn't tell me that I could get this discount until I gave her the device unit's ID code and my personal info (name, address, number). Oh and I talked to another friend today, and it turns out there is also a even sweeter deal, if you are a continuing subscriber, a couple weeks before the subscription expires, you can call in and ask for the twenty dollars for five months deal, apparently this is the greatest discount you can ask for - it comes out to four dollars a month!

As I mentioned before, this device definitely exceeded my expections and I am very pleased with the overall process to get me plugged into the XM world.

***Update: After 1 week of use - I stand by the rating I give for audio quality - It is acceptable, better than radio and good enough but not really exceptional quality. Some stations not as good as others, clarity in treble seems to be lacking more than the body of bass. I hear subtle, slight distortion in treble and some mids (overall sounds a little flat). I noticed this morning something I didn't notice before: Outside interference! The device (or 3.5 aux audio cord) was picking up some interference: I turned the station to channel zero, which is completely silent, and I can hear the interference very clearly. I also noticed when I rev up my car's rpms, the interference is picked up and carries through as well. Its like a high pitch swirling sound at some varying frequencies. Its not completely noticeable but this morning, I could definitely hear it clearly (something I haven't heard before with about its past 15 uses. I tried turning off the unit and undocking and after I put it back on, the interference was still there. After I turned off my unit *and car*, and started it again to see if it came back, and it finally was gone for the most part. Itt was significantly reduced but at volume at 100% on channel 0 (silence), I could still hear it faintly. It could have been an isolated incident, I am not sure what would cause it to happen? I am guessing the audio cord is picking this up so I decided to spend 7 bucks (final price) on a 3' shielded audio cord which I found at this company called West Florida Components (cheapest I could find it). I hope this resolves this interference issue - I will post results once I test it next week or two.'

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Recumbent Bike - schwinn, schwinn 240

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After months of trying to decide if we should buy an exercise bike, we finally bit the bullet. We went right down to Dick's sporting goods and even though they didn't have one on display, they did have one int he back. We bought the Schwinn 240 due to it being one of the newest models. Some of the things we really liked better were minor, but made the difference to us. The number of different programs were higher than the other models. Being able to remember a user's information was also a huge positive from other models where every time a different user uses the equipment you have to reset all your information. The cup holder not being under the seat but on the console made more sense and having the basket to store magazines and things just seemed neater. It took about 1.5 hours to assemble. Hint: A couple of the parts were already on the bike which was confusing when comparing to the parts list. The model is nice looking, smaller than our elliptical and easy to move around with the wheels. I haven't had it long enough yet to know how it will hold up, but it's very sturdy, very quiet and seems like it will last for a long time. Schwinn 240 Recumbent Exercise Bike

OVERVIEW: The Schwinn 240 is an excellent recumbent exercise bike. My remarks address problems with shipping and assembly.

FREE SHIPPING VIA PILOT: It works, but, as other reviewers have elaborated, has snags. I ordered the Schwinn 240 on 11/22. Its delivery originated in Hayward CA, 26 miles south of my home. The bike was shipped 11/23 to Phoenix AZ, apparently because Pilot is headquartered there. The bike was shipped back to Hayward, arriving 11/27, with the box damaged in transit. Delivery was scheduled 11/30 for 1:59:48 PM. The bike finally arrived about 7:30PM 11/30. Damage was only to the box.

INSTRUCTION BOOKLETS:

(1) The printed materials supplied are in English and French. Supposedly instructions in Spanish are available from Schwinn's website but I could not locate them. Register the bike on Schwinn's website in the Customer Service section.

(2) The printed assembly and use booklets are 5.5x8.5 inches (WxL) and are printed on high quality glossy paper that may well outlast the bike. Pictures in the assembly booklet are small, only about 40% of the page; about 60% of each page is blank! The small pictures and minuscule labels are hard to read, so get out your magnifying glass. Schwinn should take a cue from IKEA, which has instructions with large diagrams printed on cheap 8.5x11-inch paper. I assembled the bike using a magnifying glass, repeatedly cursing Schwinn.

(3) But here is the solution that I found *after* assembling the bike and on starting to peruse the equally hard-to-read use manual. Go to Schwinn's website and download the PDFs of the assembly and use manuals (these PDFs are also available on this Amazon page!). The pages will print out on 8.5x11-inch paper with larger diagrams and print (closer to IKEA quality). The written instructions are in English (front) and French (back), so just print out the language needed.

(4) Schwinn's written instructions (both English and French) are woefully inadequate. Hence I offer some detailed elaborations for assembly:

TIME REQUIRED: At least an hour to unpack the parts, organize them, clean up, and recycle the waste. Roughly two hours to assemble the bike properly plus a bit more time to make personal adjustments (seat, pedal straps, console, etc.) on the assembled bike.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY POINTS:

(1) The screws, washers, and other small parts come attached to two pieces of cardboard, the parts held in place by blister plastic. Carefully remove the parts and organize them in the same layout as on the cardboard. Do not discard the cardboard until after the bike is assembled.

(2) Before each assembly step doublecheck diagrams so that you do not install a part backwards or upside down.

(3) When connecting two parts carefully align screws with screw holes, finger tighten, and then tool-tighten alternate holes to avoid torquing a part (that is, as one would alternately tighten lug nuts when replacing a flat tire on a vehicle).

(4) Tighten screws in a clockwise and loosen counterclockwise, or remember the ditty: Righty tighty, lefty loosey.

EXPANDED ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS:

(1) Attach stabilizers to main frame: This step is easier with a second person helping to align parts. The larger stabilizer goes in the rear, the smaller one, with wheels forward, goes in the front. Record the model and serial number from the bottom of the rear stabilizer before installation.

(2) Attach side handlebars to seat frame: This step is fairly clear, though it is awkward to juggle the parts being attached. The silver heart-rate-sensors should face up.

(3) Attach seat pads to seat frame assembly: This is also a juggling step for one person. The seat back has eight holes for the four screws. There is no explanation in the assembly manual but presumably the lower set of holes is for persons of average height whereas the upper set of holes is for very tall persons.

(4) Slide seat assembly onto seat rail: An insert requires that the seat assembly (item 13) held in place by seven screws (these are loosely tightened) be first removed,

(5) Connect heart rate cable to seat assembly: A simple step.

(6) Install seat rail bracket: Note the proper orientation of seat bracket (item 10).

(7) Install seat assembly to frame assembly: This step is easier with a second person helping to align parts. The seat bracket (item 10) goes inside the seat tube. It may have arrived temporarily but improperly installed outside the tube. The electronic cable should be completely inserted in the rear seat tube to avoid crimping the cable.

(8) Install console mast to frame assembly: Be sure the cables are properly oriented and not inverted. Male prongs couple to female receptacles; note the tabs for orientation and push with lots of force to couple securely. I found it useful to tie a string to the handlebar ends of the cables in case they fall into the console tube (item 14) during its insertion into the flywheel base. It is easier to insert (loosely tighten) the two side screws first and then the two front screws because the latter might fall inadvertently into the chamber, in which case their retrieval would be tedious. In inserting the four rubber caps do not over-push them into the aforenoted chamber but carefully with a screwdriver put the inner flange of the rubber cap inside the hole.

(9) Attach upright handlebar to console mast: be sure the handlebars are properly centered on the stem; otherwise the plastic cap (item 9) will not fit properly.

(10) Attach console bracket to console mast: Stick the cables through the console bracket; remove any string. The hex bolt (item 3) and nut (item K) go through the lower pivot holes. Use the two tools depicted to tighten the hex bolt and nut so that the bracket pivots freely. The carriage bolt (item F) and plastic knob (item M) go through the upper adjustable arc opening.

(11) Connect console cables to console: Note orientation of the tabs being connecting. Be sure the cables are securely attached,

(12) Attach console to console bracket: Don't waste time looking for the four screws. They are attached to the rear of the console and require removal before the required attachment.

(13) Install pedals on crank arms: The petals and straps are labeled left (L) or right (R). Note that the left pedal is tightened counterclockwise (not the usual clockwise to tighten). The logo on the strap goes on top with the larger number of holes toward the outside. Depending on storage, one or both straps may be curved the opposite wrong way; beware.

(14) Connect power cord: A simple step.

(15) Attach water bottle holder to console mast: Watch orientation of parts: black piece outside with the two large holder arms facing up; red piece inside with bottom support facing down.

(XX) Final adjustments: Doublecheck that all screws and bolts are adequately tightened. Remove the protective film from the console and sides of the flywheel container. Level bike. Adjust seat and pedal straps. Finally adjust tilt of console for maximum legibility (in my case tilted all the way forward). Program console (see use manual, which also needs more detailed instructions). WARNING: Do NOT unplug the power cord (the transformer stays warm--an energy vampire!) or else your saved settings will be lost. It would be nice if the bike had a memory feature to preserve settings as do digital cameras and other electronic devices. - Schwinn - Schwinn 240 - Exercise Bike - Recumbent Exercise Bike'

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Historical Fiction - fiction, literature

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I love the game so I couldn't resist buying the book. I'm sad to say that I am thus far disappointed in the book. I think the idea of a book or series of books based on the characters is a great idea, but maybe a different author would have been better. One of the things that first made me stop and say "really? did he really just use that phrase?" was the line in which the main character and his older brother are racing along the rooftops, and the older brother says to Ezio, "you went past me like greased lightening". Now I'm no author, but I'm pretty sure that they didn't use the phrase "greased lightening in renaissance Italy. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure they didn't. That coupled with a few of the character names, which sounded to me like the author just made them up by adding the letter o onto the end of them, well basically it just got to the point where I had to put the book down and walk away.

Great idea, bad execution. Assassin's Creed: Renaissance (Assassin's Creed (Unnumbered))

Synopsis: Assassin's Creed: Renaissance is a novel based on the Assassin's Creed II computer game, however unlike in the game, the present day is not included, it is set only in the 15th century.

I often find myself watching the introductions to computer games and thinking 'wow that looks like such a great story!' only to then totally loose interest once the actual game starts. I thought that a book version of a game would be my kind of thing. I expected it to be quite trashy but still good. Sadly, I was mistaken. I almost always finish books, even if I'm not really enjoying them I usually still push through, but this one i had to let go. I forced myself through the first 150 pages or so (complaining loudly all the way through on my facebook updates) and then skipped ahead to the final chapter. After finishing I thought thank god I didn't force myself through the rest, that was one awful ending.

It's got a great idea, alot of adventure and a mystery which seems as though it should be enthralling, however this book is just written really poorly. It is basically one gigantic synopsis, one event after another. If I had to sum it up I would explain it like this (without giving away the plot) :

'First, he went to his house and blah blah blah. Then, he went to the river and saw a guy and said 'blah blah blah'. Then, he met his girlfriend. Then, he went back to his house. Then......' I'm sure you get my drift. The dialogue is really stilted, alot like the dialogue in computer games. I'm thinking that this book is supposed to be written for an upper primary school audience, but some of the language is very crude so that can't be right. I think that if you were a 15 year old boy who hates reading, this would be the book for you. I'm reminded of Derek Zoolander: 'It's a book for kids who can't read good (really really good looking male model pout).'

I can't believe I've actually given a book one star, but there you go, I hated it.

I just finished the entire book and thoroughly enjoyed it. At first, my opinion was a little mixed because of how close the novel followed the game: sometimes down to exact quotations. But ultimately I enjoyed the rendering. The author also included the "bonus chapters" of the game with nearly stunning accuracy. My only real complaint is that the author specifically left out the "modern day" portion of the story of the game. It made the novel as a whole easier to understand, and appreciate Ezio`s story, but I was dissappointed. However, I was overall pleased, and would recommend picking it up.

Books based on video games usually fall into two categories, great and awful. Books that're basically a verbatim screenplay of otherwise great video games instead fall into awful and preferably burnable. Assassins Creed: Renaissance is taken almost word for word from the fantastic game that its based off of, with a rather glaring exception, that Desmond and Abstergo are not part of the actual story. While I can appreciate the attempt to not have to worry about juggling the two storylines and the Animus, its like having a heart and no lungs. Also injected is this sense of "past lives", which is so glossed on as to be easily laughable. Add in ridiculous plot points and attempts to work the games tutorial into the story only serve to further poison what is already an awful book.

Assassin's Creed is my all-time favourite game series; I am enthralled by it! Sadly, right now I moved to te U.S. (I am not originally from here) and thus I had to leave my Xbox behind; well it actually belongs to my brother. My point is, while I am saving up for a new Xbox and to buy the Assassin's Creed games again, reading this novel and the one from Brotherhood has been what has saved me from going insane. I don't know why several people haven't liked it. I had no problems whatsoever with the author's style, and actually this novel helped me to better comprehend what went on in ACII because honestly some assassinations had me a bit confused and happened so fast that I didn't understand who I was killing or why.

Great purchase, and I am currently reading Brotherhood! :)

Insieme per la vittoria! :D

I understand that this is a book about a video game, but have a little more respect for your audience. If you can't manage that, at least have some respect for yourself (to the author). Your name is on the front cover and at some point an editor should have taken you aside and pointed out the irony of the assassination you were performing against your good name. *Phew*...now that I've got that out, here's what I didn't like about the book.

The protagonist, Ezio, never escapes his adolescent view of the world. Sure, he goes from the privileged, devil-may-care, lifestyle of a rich bankers son to a celibate assassin, but his outlook on life never shifts to one of maturity. The book pretends to be a coming of age story, where the son takes his father's mantle and continues a secret family tradition. Instead, Ezio just comes across as an angry 13 year old. He broods, he pouts, he lashes out at those who injured him...yawn. Adding insult to injury is the way the author just 'gives it away'. There is no suspense in this book...none. On one page we find out that there is some new mystery Ezio must unravel and on the very next page, the secret is revealed with all the art and sophistication of a sledge hammer. How in the heck do you take incredible ingredients like Renaissance Italy, secret societies from the Crusades, revenge, and love and write a book that stinks like the fart of a drunken Beagle? Boooooo! - Historical Fiction - Fiction - Literature - Ubisoft'

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Excercise Equipment

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There's a lot of good reasons to choose resistance bands to exercise...

-good for home workouts

-great for traveling (some gyms in hotels are just pitiful); these are very portable

-great to use with exercise videos (a lot of ex. DVD's have you use bands)

What will they do for you?

-tone your muscles

-help you burn a few calories

-make your muscles stronger

-make your bones more dense

Why choose these particular ones?

-they're pretty sturdy

-come with a door attachment

-exercise charts included

-most find the handles comfortable

-offer different bands with varying levels of difficulty

-reasonably priced

Disadvantages?

-if you look like the incredible Hulk, you're probably not going to get enough of a workout

-some might find them hard to work with

-some might not like the "feel" of them as they do an exercise

All-in-all they're a great exercise tool to use to help you get in shape, prevent injuries, or even rehabilitate one (you see these in physical therapy clinics a lot). And don't forget, once you get comfortable using a given color, move up to the next harder band if you want to keep getting stronger. Also recommend Treat Your Own Tennis Elbow if tennis elbow is interfering with your workouts. SPRI ES501R Xertube Resistance Band with Door Attachment

This product is amazing. I recently did 5 weeks of bootcamp and we used these resistance tubes every time for biceps, chest, back and shoulders. Its amazing how effective these are and all the time you are just using your body weight. You can make it as easy or as difficult as you want. I had to get them. The green one was a little too light for me and the blue one is a little too tight for a beginner woman. Best part is you can take this lightweight exercise gear anywhere you want and have a good muscle toning workout. Think you can google up the different exercises you can do with these. Plus for the price, it is so cheap, you dont even need to think twice.

SPRI ES501R Xertube Resistance Band with Door Attachment and Exercise Charts (Red, Medium)SPRI ES502R Xertube Resistance Band with Door Attachment and Exercise Charts (Blue, Heavy)SPRI ES503R Xertube Resistance Band with Door Attachment and Exercise Charts (Purple, Very Heavy)

Although I haven't found much wrong with the band itself (beside the fact that the resistance is lighter than I had expected), the term "door attachment" is somewhat misleading. What you're given is a strap; on one side, there is a loop to pull the band through, and one the other, is what I can only really describe as a small nub.

It makes sense that for such a low price, one shouldn't expect something that actually firmly attaches to the door, so I do not fault them for what it is, but, a word of caution: absolutely make sure that the door closes completely, and cannot be pulled open without twisting the handle.

I used my band probably ten times, and when I decided that I needed to move further back to create more resistance while doing pull-up simulation exercises (lateral pull-downs), I was shocked to watch the door open and see the band and door attachment flying toward me.

Yes, the door attachment hit me right below my neck AND square in the kisser; the band hit me in the chest. After crying like a little girl and icing my swollen lips and the definite outline of the band on my chest, I realized it wasn't that bad (I was mostly shocked), but it really could have been, had it hit me in the eye, etc.

I'm sure I sound like an idiot, but heed my warning. I thought my door was securely closed, but boy did I learn the hard way.

I've worked out at home for years, but only recently have I begun incorporating exercise bands into my strength training. I've had a few flat-type bands that have wound up getting worn and snapped over time, so I wanted to invest in a higher-quality band. Happily, this SPRI tubing perfectly fit the bill WITHOUT breaking the band! This is a very sturdy, very versatile little piece of exercise equipment. You can use it to replace weights in your usual workouts, which allows you to work your muscles in some new and unique ways (refer to the included exercise chart for ideas). When at home, you can actually use the tubing WITH your weights to add greater resistance throughout the entire muscle movement, OR you can pack your tubing with you when traveling--so light and convenient! Finally, the included door attachment is easy to use and allows you to perform an even greater variety of exercises. I wasn't sure which strength tubing to purchase, but I am an intermediate to advanced exerciser, and the medium (red) is perfect for me, as it is easy to adjust for either more or less resistance when needed. Highly recommended!

I bought these bands so that I could strength train for swimming. I am blown away at how exhausting and challenging the resistance is. I experienced tremendous burn and muscle fatigue. I highly recommend the tube for supplemental training if you are not able to get in the water to swim. My strength in the water has increased noticably. I am a true believer in this product.

I've not used other tubes, but I'm happy with this one. Seems well made, I like the handles. I've seen others in stores that cost more and don't look as good. I'm no athlete, but I wouldn't order a tube with less resistance.

I recently received my SPRI Xertube Resistance Band and so far it is everything it claims to be. The product is very well made and is just like the ones I use at the gym. There's a lot of choice out there when it comes to resistance bands, but I believe that you cannot go far wrong with SPRI. Time will tell how long they last, but considering they're relatively inexpensive, I'm not too worried.

The packaging describes the red bands to be of medium resistance and for people who are moderately fit to fit. My guess is that they're pretty good for most people. If you need more resistance, try the blue (heavy) or the purple (very heavy) bands. If you need less resistance, try the green (light) or the yellow (very light).

Note that the handles are plastic. As an alternative, you might want to consider this product that has foam, rather than plastic, handles, but does not appear to include the door attachment: "SPRI XT-MU Xertube with Padded Foam Handles - Medium Resistance".'

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Home Improvement Emergency Preparedness

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DeWalt's description of these glasses is accurate. Lightweight protection that wraps around the head is more than just comfortable--it's easy to forget that you are wearing them. These glasses shield the eyes from anything that might fly off a chain, blade or bit. They don't fog up like goggles, and their flexibility gives a snug fit that feels custom-made. They even go a long way in protecting the eyes from airborne dust. Good looking, too. (If they were tinted, you could wear them to the beach).

For outdoors and in and to have a pair always handy, I am ordering more of these. [User note: these are not designed to be worn over eye glasses.] Dewalt DPG54-1C Protector Clear High Performance Lightweight Protective Safety Glasses with Wraparound Frame

I bought these for my husband, whose safety glasses were getting pretty scratched up and looked cheesy, also. (Also I needed to spend $3 more to get free shipping. Check out the Amazon Anonymous discussion group. I am not addicted to Amazon--I can quit shopping at Amazon anytime I want. I just don't want to)

These glasses, according to my dh, are lightweight and comfortable to wear. He came into the house from the garage wearing them just a little while ago--he forgot he was wearing them.

They don't look extremely dorky. Best of all, they will protect my dh's beautiful brown eyes. A small price to pay for safety glasses. He likes the name brand, too.

Glasses in OEM packaging and were in great shape. I found them to be lacking in coverage when I wore them while cutting with my circular saw. Within five minutes of wearing them I got a piece of sawdust in my eye. The glasses just don't seem to come down far enough to prevent sawdust coming off the blade of my saw from going between the bottom of the glasses and my cheek. Maybe because its a wormdrive so the blade being on the left puts my body in just the wrong spot..I don't know the answer. The optics are fine and the fit is great. Very light-weight, they don't fog up and they don't slip. They protect well in virtually all other tasks like sanding, cutting with a jig saw, routering etc. It seems to be only an issue when I use the circular saw without a fence and need to pay very close attention to make sure the blade follows the line I have marked. I am give them three stars for making them sleek-looking at the expense of adequate coverage.

WHY I BOUGHT THESE: We moved into a new house, complete with big yard, and recently I tried my hand at weed whacking for the first time ever, without safety glasses. Within the first minute of weed whacking, I got pegged in the face with a flying bit of blackberry vine. Fortunately, it hit me in the forehead instead of the eye, but still, it was evident that I couldn't do yard work without safety glasses. I ordered two pairs of these Dewalt safety glasses in clear, and put off yard work until they arrived in the mail.

HOW THESE FIT: As a woman, these fit me. Yes, they *look* like they're on the large side on me, but they're not outrageously oversized on me. Although, I'm 5'9" with an average size head, and so can't speak for those 5' tall with smaller heads (though I imagine they'd still work for those women too). My husband is 6'8", so he has a far larger cranium than the average person, and these fit him too, though they look a bit more fitted on him than they do me.

HOW THESE FEEL: I went for another round of weed whacking and am happy to say that I forgot I was wearing these. Very clear, lightweight and comfortable, which makes it easy to want to wear these when I need to. It was warm and I got a little sweaty, but these didn't slide off my nose, even though I was always looking down. And they kept those flying bits of weeds and blackberry vine from hitting my eyes, so I'm happy!

These can't be beat, especially for the price.

Even though they come in a protective package, both lenses are scuffed and scratched where the lenses begin to bend around the temples. I cannot see the scrathes in my field of view, so I will still use them. For the price they aren't worth sending back. I'm just really disappointed that a company like Dewalt cant make a package that will hold the glasses still and protected inside its own protective package. With this packaging, the glasses are allowed to just bounce around inside. On a good note, they are light and comfortable. I dont recommend these for shipping, buy them in a store where you can inspect them first. I hope that helps you.

Most of the safety glasses I have used including safety goggles generally have distortion that make them difficult to focus on fine work and equally difficult to wear for any length of time.

I use a good pair of wrap around bicycling sunglasses when I am cutting wood or using power tools in bright sunlight. Nothing worse than having flying sawdust or dirt hit you in the eye. For dim light or using my miter saw inside my garage, especially when the weather is poor, I have been looking for glasses with excellent clarity that fit as well as my cycling glasses.

These glasses have excellent clarity, are very comfortable and look purdy hot if I say so myself. The rim design makes it easy to move them, wedge them on my head or around my neck. I'll need to use them more to see how well they survive repeated clean up.

Geez, for $4, I couldn't come close in the stores. This was a great purchase.'

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