Monday, 23 February 2009
Color Coded Paper Organizing - folder accessories, office supplies
These folders are nice but I find it difficult to offer some unique insight in a review. They are your typical ready tab folders with the same quality and look of most others on the market. They are colorful and reasonably durable, but nothing special. The $7.50 price tag for 20 makes them worthy of 4 stars but if your local store has a better bargain on alternatives, I would go with it. There simply isn't anything worth paying extra for in these folders. I like them and will use them but when buying again, the best price will win out so it may or may not be these again. Pendaflex Ready Tab, 1/5 Cut, Assorted Colors, 20 Per Box (42891) - Durable - Office Supplies - Pendaflex - Folder Accessories'
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First Person Shooter - playstation 3, playstation move
I picked this up a week ago at a Game Stop, I really like it so far. It's for sure the best of the PSMove shooting peripherals I have ever seen or used, mainly because of the fact the Move actually plugs in to a mini USB on the Sharpshooter remapping the "hard to reach" buttons to easy to reach location, it all works very well for what it is.
I have tested as many games as I could, Killzone 3, awesome once I tuned it in to my personal preferences, it did take me a while to get all the sensitivities right. One thing I noticed was that the adjustable stock got in the way often during turning, in fact I would remove it all together if I could and I may one day if it really bothers me, I just don't want to have to take it apart.
Dead Space Extraction works amazing with the Sharpshooter, it feels really good, no complaints for that game, well maybe except for the weight, if starts to feel a bit heavy after a while, but that's to be said for all games using the Sharpshooter I guess.
Works well as you would expect for The Shoot and, Time Crisis: Razing Storm, they are a bit more basic though.
I Haven't tried MAG or RE5(as I don't have them) but I'm sure it's fine, and probably works better then any other Move housing.
One thing they should have added was a mini USB port some place on the gun, so you could charge the Move as you play, also I might rap some hockey tape around the handle, it seems a bit weak and may feel more comfortable if I do.
And now for my biggest complaint of all, I'm sure it will be on every ones mind in future reviews. When the move vibrates it rattles the Sharpshooter like crazy, at first I thought it wasn't plugged in right. Nope it's loose'ish in the housing, I can disable the vibration function in controller options. It's ridiculous I really shouldn't have to turn off the vibe to accommodate for the Sharpshooter. I solved it for now but putting foam and double sided tape under the move cap of the Sharpshooter, it works and you don't see it.
Oh and it comes with 3 different sets of stickers to stick on the Sharpshooter, depending on your preference.
Killzone 3 Helgast
Killzone 3 ISA
SOCOM 4
--------------------------------------
Update 02/28/11
After using the Sharpshooter for a little while (daily) I found no other issues at all, and I'm learning to like the ajustable stock, But I still wish you could remove it sometimes.
Also I FINALLY found some good KZ3 settings.
I'm using (in multiplayer) '0'/'0' dead zone, '0' sensitivity and '30' turn speed You may want to turn up the turn speed once you get used to it, if feels as close as I could get it to the Dual Shock 3 PlayStation Move Sharp Shooter
** att: lazy people, scroll to the bottom for a Pros/Cons breakdown :) **
I've used this through two full campaigns of Killzone 3 ("Already?!" yep.)
The gun itself is made of a high-quality ABS plastic. There is no creaking or bending of any kind. It's a really well-constructed accessory, externally. There is a little bit of stock wobble but it goes unnoticed during play. The Move controller fits snug and tightly in it's housing. It's vibration function can be felt strongly throughout the controller without buzzing or rattling, which is surprising. In terms of build, the one thing I wish they'd improved is the navigation controller foregrip. It doesn't fit in as snuggly as the Move controller, so there is a tiny bit of movement and play there.
Playing through the first time in 3D with the SharpShooter while on my feet provided a level of immerson that I've never experienced before. And it is absolutely, without a doubt, an "experience." For me personally, it made the campaign a lot more satisfying. It's one of the most fun gaming moments I've ever had, I can't say enough about it.
That's not to say the experience was perfect. Having used the Move and Nav controller extensively in MAG, RE5, and then the KZ3 beta, I'll say using the system with the SharpShooter is actually a whole different animal. It took me a few hours to get used to this new kind of play in terms of targeting and navigation of the levels, though certainly not a fault of the controller, of course. It took quite a while to calibrate the sharpshooter initally and adjust the settings to where I felt they were perfect (I've found that my SharpShooter settings are much different than my regular Move settings). And still it takes 2-4 tries to calibrate to get it right. It's only a minute or two, but it's something that takes seconds with just the Move and Nav. But once it's dialed in, it's accuracy in unparalleled (but that's due the move controller itself).
There are a couple of other things that irked me during the game. The main issue for me is that after some cutsenes, I would have to recalibrate the controller. I get to a cutsene and, when going back in play mode, my reticle would be off. Just an inch or so, but enough to be annoying. This happened twice during both my 1st and 2nd play-throughs at different times. I've just sat through an incredible action-packed cinema and I'm ready to get back in their and kick some [donkey] only to have to stop and recalibrate. It's not enought to ruin the whole deal, but it's understandably a little frustrating when it happens.
Secondly, and this is probably just me, I think the pump-action reload function is a little too sensitive. You only need to move it back 1/3 if the way before it engages the reload animation. There were times when I'd be in a heavy fire fight and I'm trying to return fire to an enemy when I'd accidently trigger the reload animation and get lit up and killed. Since I much prefer to slap the button on the magazine to reload, It'd be nice if you could turn that function off.
Despite some of the minor flaws it may have, the SharpShooter made the campaign a much richer and rewarding affair. I can say that I'll only used the SharpShooter during campaign replays.
Now, I'm a strong supporter of the Move for competitive multiplayer. For me it's a much better way to play. It's accuracy is phenomenal. It greatly outperforms the DualShock, in my opinion. I haven't played much of KZ3 multiplayer yet, but when the Beta ended, my K/D ratio was over 2:1 with anywhere from 40-60 kills per warzone match. I love it. Having said that, the SharpShooter is more than a little impractical for competitive online play. Using it to play against Veteran or Elite difficulty AI "bots" in the campaign is one thing, but using it to navigate new maps against human players is something completely different. Though once I familiarize myself with the new maps' geography, I'll give it another try.
So quick break down:
** Too lazy to read the whole review? PROS / CONS: **
PROS:
* Very well contructed.
* Incredibly accurate.
* Helps provide previously unexperienced levels of immersion.
* Tons of fun to play with.
* Works well with MAG. (though pump-action & magazine reload buttons don't work)
* Works okay with Resident Evil 5.
* Works great with Dead Space Extraction.
CONS:
* Can take a couple minutes to calibrate perfectly
* May need recalibration during game.
* Nav Controller foregrip makes it easy to accidentally reload.
* Impractical for multiplayer. - Ps3 Accessory - Playstation Move - Playstation 3 - First Person Shooter'
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Desktop Speakers - portable, speakers
This is a solid-feeling, compact speaker that's easy to tuck away in a laptop case. The sound quality is very good, given its size, and function isn't harmed by form. The one caveat that isn't specifically addressed in the description is that this is a powered unit: you can run it from an iPad, for example (with the included cable), but power must be provided via the USB cable--either to an adjacent computer or laptop or via an USB outlet plug. A small, internal rechargeable battery would be nice for when you don't want to tether a bunch of cords, but for the price and quality, that's a minor complaint. (Silver Color) SimplyVibe SV-S550 Premium Portable Speakers w/ DSP Bass for iPod, iTouch, iPhone, Android Devices, MP3 Players, Laptops (Mac/ PC) and Portable Devices (Plug & Play USB powered)
I was tired of cords and wall warts when out doing presentations to small groups. After seeing a similar but more expensive unit that only connected via 3.5 mm plug and was powered by battery, I did a bit of research and found this more economical and more convenient unit. The single USB cable provides both power and sound connectivity. I plugged it into my Vista Business laptop and it just worked. The sound is good and the volume is equal to what I was getting from a set of computer speakers with a huge decrease in complexity. I am already carrying a short USB cable. Just what I was looking for, at a very good price.
These speakers sound really good! It's not a Bose sound system or anything close...but it sounds so much better than listening with just the phone speakers. This makes my phone much more useful around the house because I don't have to use my earbuds all the time. Very portable, comes with a carrying pouch. Worth the price!
I love this speaker system. It packs a lot of sound in a very small package, sounds very good, and has an impressive finish. I purchased it for my mother (who is not very tech savvy) and she has no problem using it. I have set up the speakers with an Apple Airport Express, and power them via an old USB phone charger rather than the supplied mini usb cable in order to leave her airport express' USB port available for her printer. This allows her to pipe music into her bedroom without having to purchase a stereo system or receiver which would be much more expensive, while still getting good sound.
One feature I discovered which is not advertised is that one can connect it to a pc or mac via the USB with out needing to connect the auto cable. On a pc, just plug it in and Windows 7 will find the appropriate drivers. On a mac, go to: System Preferences => Sound => Output and select "USB Sound Device", and you will be good to go.
I would pick a different speaker (SimplyVibe SV-S350PLUS), which I also own and have reviewed, for an IPad because it comes with a rechargable battery, since the IPad does not have a USB port to power these speakers.
Overall I'm very pleased with these speakers.
I bought this to use with my iPad and I love it. The sound quality is good, it can sit in front of the iPad without obstructing the screen, and it is very light and portable. I agree than an independent power source would be very nice, since I normally use the iPad away from my computer and the speakers on the iPad aren't nearly as good as this speaker. However, for the price, I give it high marks. I had no trouble with the audio connector as someone else reported - seems like that might have been a defective part.
Great little unit. The sound is pretty good ... but I would've loved more bass. More 'presence' ... but I guess this part of the limitation of size and design.
My problem with this unit comes in when you run your iPad or iPhone at full volume, and pull down the volume on the SimplyVibe ... then you run the risk of some kind of clipping happening to the sound; and it distorts the sound in an ugly way. It is predictable and repeatable.
The way around this of course, is to pull the volume down on the iPad / iPhone, and then ride the volume level on the SimplyVibe itself.
Strangely enough, full volume on the iPad / iPhone + full volume on the SimplyVibe doesn't distort. (It's just loud.) But now pull the volume down on the SimplyVibe and the sound is unlistenable.
Other than this quirk (which pulls down my rating for this item), it's a sweet little unit.
Nice unit. Bought to use with my iPad. Found that the plug that fits into the iPad was to small. Would not make connection and would come close to falling out of iPad. Returned to Amazon and they promply refunded my money. Took my iPad to an Apple Store and they checked the plug with other apple plugs and all worked good. I would say SimplyVibe has a problem. - Speakers - Portable - Computer Speakers - Laptop Speaker'
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Impact Driver - impact driver, drill
I've been using this kit heavily to finish a basement room. I did some shopping around originally to upgrade my old 9.6 V cordless. I had narrowed it down the Dewalt DC720KA, the Milwaukee 18v compact, or the BDF142 when I came upon this kit. I never used an impact driver before this, but I discovered all the pros now do their screw driving with these. I'm glad I decided to give it a try!
Impact Driver: I will never drive wood screws with a drill again! Significantly less pressure is required to keep the phillips bit in contact with the screw head. I've driven 3" wood screws all week and not a single stripped head. It can install a fastener in tight places where a drill or hammer/nail just can't go. Superior torque will bury the screw (head and all) as deep in the wood as you want to go. I will use this more than any other tool in the kit. It is a little beast!
Drill: Good combination of power and speed. Enough to push a 1 1/4" self feeding bit through 3 1/2" of pressure treated lumber the high torgue setting. 5/8" self feeding bits eat through studs in a flash on the high speed setting. It is light like a cordless tool should be, and has the best power/weight ratio of any cordless by far. It comes with a quality chuck and plenty of torque. I think the drill is slightly better than the compact 18v Milwaukee and just a shade behind the Dewalt DC720KA which are both fine products.
Light: Has four convenient head angle adjustments from 0 degrees to about 110 degrees and a strap for hanging. Not a primary reason to buy this kit, but it's come in really handy for me.
Kit positives: Nice compact case has room for drill bits and accessories. Batteries do charge in 15 minutes. These tools have serious power. The combo of the drill and impact driver is unbeatable at this price. You would spend twice this to get the equivalent from another manufacturer. All three of the tools are a pleasure to use. The led light on the drill and impact driver does come in handy when you are working in dark corners.
Kit negatives: Run time might not be enough for heavy duty users. Not a problem for me; quick charge time makes up for it. I can use the impact drive all day on two full battery charges. Most of the black on these tools is rubber except for the raised Makita logo, which is paint. I've jammed the impact driver into some tight places which has caused some of that paint to scratch off. You can buy belt clips for these tools off e-bay which is only a minor inconvenience.
Overall: Considering what you get for the price, this is a five star kit. Makita LCT300W 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 3-Piece Combo Kit
First off, I'm a professional fabricator, and i've been typically really hard on my tools, especially cordless tools, but these have far exceeded my expectations. I bought this setup when i was in a jam, my heavy duty 18v Milwuakee crapped out after only 2mos of service, and only a week back from its first warranty repair (I'm no longer a milwuakee fan, sadly). Well, needing to finish a project for monday, and stuck looking for a new driver/drill on a saturday night, I picked up the combo kit at a Home Depot minutes before closing, figuring it would get me through the project, and the impact driver might come in handy for some light duty projects later on.
Well I was amazed after working with these for 4 mos solid. So small yet so powerful, and far more rugged than i would have expected for their light weight and plastic-y feel. And wow, did i say they are small? I mean i can put the impact driver in the side pocket on my cargo shorts, or back pocket of my carhartts and comfortably climb a ladder like that. They seriously lighten my load when I'm lugging a bag of tools to a gig outside the shop, too.
The only drawback I've found is an entirely acceptable compromise for the light weight and easy handling, which is short battery life between charges. But Makita makes up for this by including a sophisticated and fast charger.
In short, this works really great for the sort of work that cordless tools do well for; tough intermittent tasks where access is tight. Sure it doesn't have all of the brawn of some of the full-size makita 18v line, but really when i need that sort of power, I'll want to be using something Pneumatic or AC-driven.
Buy it if you need a lightweight tool for intermittent use. If you need something to replace a corded/pneumatic tool out in the field, you might want to bump up to the full size (lxt) line.
Have had this kit for just under a year. The weight of the tools is phenomenal. Very light and excellent balance. The impact gun is pretty impressive. The drill, however, doesn't really have the ooomph I was hoping for. And if you are doing a lot of drilling, expect your batteries to get very hot, and also to take a very long time to cool down before the charger will start charging them. I've had these guns heat up quite a bit while under heavy use, so much so that I've had to put gloves on. This is drilling into steel, by the way. These are great guns for the price and the weight, but under heavy usage (I'm a scenic carpenter in the entertainment industry), the drill is less than impressive. And the clutch just died on it. I'm going to stick with Makita, but I'm going for the more powerful guns.
The new LiOn driver usually runs near two hundred by itself. Add the impact driver that goes for close to this price AND include the spotlight and you definitely have a winner.
I've used the driver myself and it is a joy to use. It is very lightweight and the batteries charge in 15 minutes. So even if I'm using the drill full time, I can't run out of juice.
Anyone as confused by the compact vs regular lithium technology in these Makita Drills as I was?
I have used both the compact and the LXT version of the Makita Lithium cordless tool sets. Mostly the impact driver and drill/driver. I am a electrical contractor and am pretty hard on my tools.
First both sets worked great. However, I did find that I spent considerable amount of time fetching new batteries with the compact version of the drills. I found this to be irritating, and prefered to use the LXT lithium drill as it lasted twice as long and had maybe just a little more UMMMPHHH to it.
One of my employees who has long struggled with tendonitis in his arm will use nothing else besides the compact version. It is about a pound lighter and it makes enough difference, of course he gets paid the same whether he changes the battery pack ten times a day or five.
Bottom line, both drills work very well. The compact is so light it makes it worth it for people doing lighter use, difficult position, or constant ladder work. But overall I would say it is better suited for the serious homeowner/weekend-warrior rather than the full time contractor. The regular LXT(non-compact) tools, although just a little heavier, are still much lighter than previous technologies and feel like a bag of feathers in comparison to a Dewault. They also lasted longer on a single charge(twice the storage capacity in the battery cells), which was the key selling point for me and the little extra power (insert Tim the toolman grunt here) was well worth it. Then again, if I am light duty user/homeowner and not using these tools daily, the compact version would certainly fit better into my budget and would still do everything I needed it too. - Drill - Impact Driver - Lithium-ion - 18 Volt'
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Hot Cougar Sex - posters, print
The poster was fairly inexpensive at Amazon (a local store was selling the same item for 4x the price!), but it's quality is great. The size actually pretty big, and the paper isn't thin. The colors are exactly as pictured. It's a classic poster for a great price! ENDLESS SUMMER - CLASSIC - 24x36 - ART PRINT Collections Poster Print, 24x36 Movie Poster Print, 24x36 - Posters - Art - Tree - Print'
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Helena Bonham Carter - british history, geoffrey rush
There always seems to come a time in every British actors career where they must play the role of a historical British monarch. Riding on the success of his career defining performance in "A Single Man" and sampling the glory of Best Actor nominations across the award circuits, Colin Firth comes storming back with another film, determined, this time, to take the all the prizes with him too. But is "The King's Speech" worth its pre-Oscar hype?
Set across the years between the First and Second World War, "The King's Speech" concentrates on the rise of King George VI (Firth) and his personal woes, including his infamous stammer and disdain for public speaking. Obviously being royalty, having an ability to engage the public in moving and inspirational speeches tends to be a necessity of the job. In attempting to overcome this disability, he's entrusted in the care of the eccentric and flamboyant speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush).
Over the course of the film, the two men of distinctly different social classes come to blows but ultimately forge a friendship which will last a lifetime.
Colin Firth's portrayal of George VI (or simply Bertie to his family and friends) was a fascinating insight into the king's troubled personal life. His tragic inability to speak, both in public and to his family, was also tender and, in a way, heart-warmingly humbling.
While Firth will deservedly get the plaudits for his regal starring role, it was Geoffrey Rush's witty, genuine, off-the-wall performance as Logue which personally blew me away, with immense comic timing and inability to be overwhelmed while in the presence of his most prestigious client.
The supporting cast was littered with enough real quality to make any award body take notice, and make most audiences marvel in delight.
The graceful and articulate Helen Bonham Carter gives a honest and loving performance as the late Queen Mother, Elizabeth.
Michael Gambon is sharp and somewhat intimidating as Bertie's father, King George V. Guy Pearce is arrogantly brilliant as Firth's brother and predecessor, King Edward VIII.
While the excellent Timothy Spall shone once again, in his second portrayal as the great Winston Churchill (his first was in October's god awful stop animation, Jackboots on Whitehall). It was also a pleasure to see the classy Jennifer Ehle - who starred opposite Firth in, perhaps, his most famous role as Mr Darcy in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice - as Lionel's wife.
Hooper should also be credited for making a visually engaging period drama, which never once felt tired or dull on the eyes, as a lot of these quintessentially British affairs can so often become.
The film's themes are also an uplifting and enjoyable treat for all; a story of friendship between essentially a prince and a pauper, a man's journey to overcome his own personal adversaries and become the king he was born to be.
Yes we won't lie, this isn't original by any means: these are classic tried and tested formulas that transcends cinema of the ages - but rarely to this level of detail and panache.
Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush's performances make "The King's Speech" an enthralling journey which is heart-warming, humorous and genuinely sincere.
Highly recommended.
Andrew Moore
**** 1/2 The King's Speech
THE KING'S SPEECH is one of those rare films that rely on the brilliance of the actors to bring a story/screenplay alive. But the success of this extraordinary film does not stop there. This re-telling of history as written by David Seidler and as directed with enormous sensitivity by Tom Hooper, as captured on film by cinematographer Danny Cohen glows as a background for some of the finest acting before the public today.
The film opens in 1925 as King George V (Michael Gambon) is beginning to fail, leaving the heir apparent to the throne at the time of his death to be Edward VIII (Guy Pearce), a man more concerned with love with the twice divorced Wallis Simpson (Eve Best) than he is with the Royal Lineage. Once the now senile George V dies, Edward VIII takes the throne but soon abdicates to marry Wallis. This passes the throne to the tender but severely stammering Prince Albert (Colin Firth), a man terrified of facing his beloved countrymen because of his speech defect - a defect that his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) has encouraged him to correct through a series of speech doctors. Elizabeth hears of Australian émigré Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), a poor wannabe actor who gained his knowledge for correcting speech defects teaching returning WW I victims in Australia. Prince Albert (Bertie) and Logue meet and begin therapy by Logue's tough rules before Albert takes the throne. Through a series of rigorous exercises and lessons Logue helps the Prince learn to speak, finally accompanying him to the throne as a speech therapist and giving Bertie (now known as King George VI) the courage and strength to rise to the occasion of leading England through WW II.
Though the above is a brief synopsis of the story, the real message of the film deals with the gradual building of a close friendship between Bertie and Logue - or between royalty and commoner. The manner in which Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush create this memorable relationship represents some of the finest acting in cinema history. The very large cast includes such luminaries as Claire Bloom as Queen Mary, Derek Jacobi as Archbishop Cosmo Lang, Jennifer Ehle as Logue's wife, Timothy Spall in a brilliant turn as Winston Churchill, Anthony Andrews as Stanley Baldwin, and Roger Parrott as Neville Chamberlain. Alexandre Desplat provides the original music allow heavy portions of Beethoven's 7th Symphony and Emperor Concerto (with Steven Osborne as piano soloist). This is a perfect film, well deserving to win the Oscars for every category for which it is nominated. Grady Harp, January 11 - British History - Helena Bonham Carter - Geoffrey Rush - England'
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Work Out - wrist weights, weights
I've used many brands and varying heaviness in weight of a variety of wrap weights aka ankle and wrist weights and this one meets or beats the others in quality and ease of use, is simply the best on the over 2.5 pound class and is my personal favorite :) Champion Reactor Wrist and Ankle Weights, 10-Pound (Pair)
Thankfully we are able to remove some of the weights... they are much heavier than anticipated. Unless you are a hardcore exerciser, you may want to opt for the 2 or 3 lb ankle weights which are cheaper. They are a good product though, no complaints.
These made in China ankle weights appear to be of good quality. The stitching is heavy duty and well done. The materials seem to be very good for this price range, meant to last.I would describe this product as ankle weights *only* since the velcro straps make them impossible to fully tighten around smaller wrists, like mine, and therefore they would tend to slip off.I've received the 9 pound pair and was concerned prior to arrival because nowhere on the internet could I find that the Reactor's had a zipper for removal of the weight packs. They do, and it's a metal zipper along with a medium duty lining. The packs are easy to remove from the pouches but are a little tricky to reinsert. Not a big deal however. I'd be careful opening and closing the zipper so not to pinch the top of the weight packs.The weight packs consist of small, flat metallic particles (probably lead) which are sewn inside an inner bag, and this bag is then contained in an outer, sewn, thick nylon (?) bag. The double bagging of the lead particles appears to be very durable. The particles flow and react very similar to sand. There's really no telling the difference.The two 1 1/8" velcro straps used to secure the weights around the ankles go all the way around and are firmly sewn to the product. They have strong, durable metal rings on the ends. With 2 weight packs tucked inside the pouches of the assembly instead of the full 5, the ankle weights can be snugged up around a 160 pound male (with average bone size). Using more weights only helps to keep the product snug; using only 1 weight doesn't allow for enough tightening of the straps, the very reason why these would not be recommended for wrist weights. 2) weights are a good amount to start working out with if you have decent leg muscles, good knees, and have already been working out somewhat.The packs are about as comfortable as you can get since they conform somewhat when pressed up against the ankles. Wearing shoes and a decent pair of calf-high socks are really a must when using the assembly, to further secure it from moving around and not chaffing your exposed skin.I've not worn the Reactor's enough to comment on on their durability. I'll try to update this review in a few months.I rate the product **** out of 5 because of the adjustability issue, and because it would be more comfortable if there were some padding included between the weights and the user. But overall, this is a great product and I recommend it to anyone searching for ankle weights. I would recommend however, that females consider a model with lesser weight (5 pounds and under) in consideration of this adjustability issue.TIP #1: Two weight packs in the Reactor amount to a little over 3.7 pounds (for the 9 pound version). They come with 5 packs each. If you've got fairly strong legs, using just two and walking about 1.5 miles will give you a decent workout until you've gotten stronger. It feels like the equivalent of walking with a 50 pound backpack (I know from experience).TIP #2: This is for the handy only! It requires some real work and modification (takes about an hour).If you really wanted, you can remove some of the particles from the packs to make them lighter. I've done this for better modulation. I now have weight packs where I can increase the total weight by as little as 3.2 ounces (.2 lb) instead of the 1.75 standard (unmodified) pound increase.An accurate digital scale is necessary for this procedure.Here's how to modify the weight packs:The weight packs are double bagged. First you cut, *width-wise*, across the top stitching (about 1/4 of way will suffice) of a weight pack. Note: This first cut is made just below the exposed stitching; the bottom of the back has stitching which is turned inward. This will expose the inner bag inside (which contains the metal particles) which can now be pulled out to work on. Now you simply cut a very small corner off (or make a very small hole near the top of the bag, just below the stitching) from the inner bag and, using the scale, pour out a measured amount out of the metal particles.Re-seal the inner bag by sewing it shut with some heavy duty thread. Do the same for the outer, nylon bag. Congratulations, you have now modified one bag! Repeat this process for the others.If you decide to do this, I recommend placing the modified end of the pack at the top of the assembly, nearest the zipper, when placing them inside the pouches, just to be safe.As a point of reference, I've modified my weight packs to the following:- 4 packs left at standard weight, 1.76 lb. each
- 2 packs at 1.50 lb. each
- 2 packs at 1.30 lb. each
- 2 packs at 1.10 lb. each
I have transformed my post 3 children body by walking a bridge while doing a rocky scene with my arms....started off with 1# wrist bands then got 4# hand weights but got tendonitis from the grip....searched everywhere for the perfect wrist weights that actually had enough weights and these are it! the weights are fully adjustable so adding or decreasing is easy. i am petite so they were a little loose around my wrists so i just wear terrycloth wrist sweatbands and strap them on backwards and they fit perfect! i highly suggest buying these.
It arrived on time and was well made. But I bought it for wrist more than ankle and it
does not stay put on smaller wrists and hands. It slips off. Its only for ankles or those with large wrists and hands. - Wrist Weights - Weights - Fitness - Exercise'
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Battery Aa Rechargeable - sony, nimh
This set includes 4 AA cells Made in Japan for Sony by Sanyo, as well as a timed charger, NOT a smart charger as its similar looking Sony variants. The Sony Power Charger can recharge 4 AAA or AA cells at a time. Unlike the Panasonic BQ-390 which I also used and reviewed, this Sony uses a timer to stop charging. The Panasonic BQ-390 has advanced circuitry inside to monitor charging through temperature, voltage drop, and the cell's internal resistance, so that you'll get more precise charging and less damage from overcharging of simpler chargers. Sony also offers a similarly advanced product, but this model is a cheaper timed model. It charges the 2100mAH cells for 8 hours straight, or 800 mAh AAA cells for 7 hours straight. If you charge a partially used cell, it will not detect when the cell reaches full charge, and might overcharge. It's best to charge a fully depleted cell with timed chargers. Sony Cycle Energy Power Charger with 4 2500 mAh AA Batteries
This is a timed charger, but well matched to the supplied 2100mAh NiMH batteries. The manual recommends charging after a full discharge, so it may overcharge your partially depleted cell or an older cell with lower capacity. As long as you recharge a fully empty, ~2100mAh cell, it shall be fine. The included cells, actually made by Sanyo-GE, are premium cells, and only surpassed by Sanyo's latest 2300mAh cells.
This was the best deal I found on rechargable NiHM batteries and that too these are made in Japan by Sony. It has a capacity of 2300mAh.
There is one problem with this. This charger does not automatically shut off when the batteries finish charging. So the first time I charged them, I kept waiting for the indicator to go off and I realized after 18 hrs that they are not going to go off.
So, though the batteries are good the charger is not. I would suggest people to go with another sony rechargable model that sells here for just a few dollars more.
These 2100mah Sony AA batteries and charger are the best I own. I have many different brands, Energizer, Kodak, Panasonic etc. and probably a 1/2 dozen chargers.As some may or may not know batteries that are "trickle or slow" charged will last a good bit longer. This charger takes about 6-7 hours before the full indicator light goes off. On quick charger 15-60 min ones they still fair well but of course not as nearly as long as slow charges.If you have a digital camera and are using disposable batteries this is a necessary cost saving purchase. So often in Camera reviews people complain "It eats batteries" It is best to have 2 to 3 extra sets and a set runs down - who cares! Throw them in the charger and switch sets.
This kit is exactly what I needed to keep my wife from throwing her camera in the junk drawer for good. The camera's flash would burn through the alkalines at a rediculous rate, and these Ni-MH power through hundreds of shots with ease. I'm really impressed - especially at the price.
I bought this without knowing what the charging time was. I took a risk since it was at an affordable price and found out to my dismay that the charging time is as follows:1-4 batteries:2100mAh Approx 7 hours 1700mAh Approx 6 hours 800mAh Approx 7 hours 700mAh Approx 6 hours I haven't used the product yet...I just got it today. I don't know. I might return it for the Kodak 1 hour charger one for the same price (18.99) but the deal is gone for this product, it's back to 19.99. Anyways...pretty fast shipping though =)
This is especially great for my digital camera, which uses it's batteries somewhat quickly. The worldwide voltage feature was a plus for me, but you'd think that they would also include worldwide socket adaptors and not just the two-pronged American?
SONY has updated this package ("Sony Cycle Energy Power Charger with 4 2500 mAh AA Batteries") recently. It now looks quite different from what was once shown on the Amazon product description page. For example, the old charger is silver in color, while the new charger is white. But beside colors, they looked almost identical, and even share the same model number (BCG34HLD). So is this really a new and improved model, or just a simple cosmetic update?
According to all the older Amazon spotlight reviews, the old model is a timer-based dumb charger. I'm happy to report that this is no longer the case. The new model is actually a 'smart' charger, meaning that it monitors each battery's voltage independently during charging, and stops when each cell is fully charged. In fact, it is very nicely designed for such a value-priced charger. Here are some things I like about this charger:
+ Charges 1-4 AA/AAA cells individually - no need to charge in pairs
+ Compact, one-piece design with fold-down AC plugs - no need for power cords or wall adapters.
+ Low-profile (just 1.1" thick) so it fits in camera bags easily.
+ Accepts 100-240V universal voltage.
+ Bad cell detection - indicator light flashes in case the resistance is too high (alkaline cell).
The average charging current is 360mA for each AA cell (actually 1.44A pulsed at 25% duty cycle), 140mA for AAA cell. That means it takes about 7-8 hours to fully recharge 2500mAh AA cells.
The included four SONY AA batteries, however, appear to be just the same old 2500mAh cells with a new shiny wrapper. This is very disappointing, because that means they will also suffer from rapid self-discharge problem after just a few cycles. So you always have to recharge those batteries the night before you need to use them (remember this is a slow charger). Keeping a set of batteries in the charger does not help, because this charger does not maintain a trickle charge after charging is done.
If you like this charger but don't want to take chances with those 2500mAh batteries, my recommendation is to get the "Sony Cycle Energy BCG34HLD4KN Power Charger with 4 Pre-Charged 2000 mAh AA Batteries" package instead. It contains the same BCG34HLD charger, but comes with four low-self-discharge cells similar to SANYO eneloop. It is even priced a few dollars lower as of this writing. - Sony - Battery Charger - Rechargeable Batteries - Nimh'
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Lamp Timer - lamp timer, light timer
This digital timer is the hands-down best among the many light timers on the market. Incredibly easy to program. Plugs into the lower socket of your wall outlet, leaving the upper socket free for something else. Best of all is the unadvertised feature: an internal battery to keep it on time during power outages. Don't know what makes it "CFL ready", but it's reassuring to know that is. Has a manual override by which you can turn it on when it's off, turn it off when it's on, and return it to your programmed settings. Has 24h option. Can be programmed for multiple off/on cycles per day. GE 15150 7-Day Plug-In Digital Timer
I found this at a great sale price ($6) at Home Depot - exactly what I was looking for. It has an outstanding set of timer features - very flexible in programming multiple on/off cycles that vary by day of week, weekdays together, weekend days together, or separate. There is also a button to overide the programmed settings and return to them - a very nice feature. Unfortunately after setting up a complex program of times I discovered that it would not turn on the device during the programmed times. After resetting it, I restudied the directions and set up a very simple program and the device still failed to turn on. It only worked in the non-programmed "On" mode! I took it back to exchange it but they were sold out. This would be an excellent product if it worked. I've found GE to be a very reliable company so I'll buy another one at some point.
This the second GE timer I've tried. Neither work. The first was a non digital simple timer that simply wouldn't turn on or off my appliance when it was set to. I returned it and bought this digital version thinking this is a no brainer but I was wrong there too. I set it exactly as the instructions were written and each time the time hits the mark that its supposed to turn on or off, the clock resets to 12:00 and all my programs are lost. I'm returning this one and never buying another GE.
PROS:
Small, compact, does not take up too much space at the outlet.
Has a built in clock and battery, so no need to reset if you have a power outage. A nice advantage over the mechanical timers.
CONS:
Tiny display is hard to read.
It's designed to go on the bottom of a two-outlet receptacle. This is a problem because a cord plugged into the top outlet will drape over the timer, making it nearly impossible to see the display. This is quite a nuisance if you want to manually turn it on/off
Setting the on/off times is manageable, but I wish it was easier.
I purchased two of these units, from the description looked like it would fit my needs. After spending an excessive amount of time on settings for time and programing I tried them and neither would work. Power remains on not matter which setting was used (on, auto, off). There is no contact information contained in the instructions so my only option is to return. The concept was great if it would work as advertised. The GE web site does not list this item nor will a search bring it up. - Light Timer - Programmable Timer - Lamp Timer'
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Surge Protector - very useful, cable organizers
Overpriced? You bet! While paying $30.00 for a cheap, plastic box seems like a huge waste of money, it's well worth it to clear up the spaghetti mess of cables that pile up under our desks, entertainment centers, etc. I bought $120 worth of these units and don't regret it at all.
All in all, the CableBox is just a great idea and, quite frankly, one I'd had myself years ago. Glad somebody finally put a product like this on the market. It's far better than trying to tie up the cables and make it look passable. Just hide the suckers! And if you're a Mac person, the boxes have an "Applesque" feel to them and go quite well with iMacs, MacBooks, etc. Bluelounge CableBox - Cable management box - black
This really cleaned up the space under my desk and eliminated all of the dust traps under there and made it a LOT easier to vacuum under there without sucking up any cords. It is well designed, but I'm not sure the high price is justified.
When I first received the product, I was surprised at the size as it seemed a bit large for what I needed. Silly me. Once I plugged in all of my devices into the power strip, three of which have large power blocks and long cords, everything fit just right. It's sturdy enough that I can place other peripherals on top of it such as my external hard drive. The only improvement I would make is to add rubber feet so it won't slip around. Yes, it is a bit pricey, but it will last you forever.
I keep my laptop on my kitchen counter, and between the power supply, USB hub, audio cables, and cables to connect to a second monitor, I had a giant nest of cables on display. I found this as a solution and and very pleased with the size of the box and it's ease of use as a cable clutter problem solver. There's plenty of room inside for a power strip and cables, and the size of the cord openings on the side allow for everything from small audio cables to larger HDMI and power cables. My only reason for a 4-star review is that the plastic of the box is a somewhat smoky-looking black, and not a high-gloss plastic such as the back of an iPhone 3GS or perhaps on the bezel of a TV. This would make the aesthetics more pleasing and make it seem like it's worth the relatively high cost.
I purchased this a number of years ago, which I wrote about: [...]. It's just a box with two holes in it, but it actually works and has survived two moves. The device comes with a bunch of tie twists or zip ties (forgot which) which you can do yourself a favor and throw away (mine are still taped to the cablebox), and instead get a bunch of CableBuddies or velcro zip ties.
Use this in places where you cannot hide the cabling. For instance, companies sell clamp-on or screw-mount cableways (or you can DIY a pegboard) and almost all power supplies have screw mounts for wall or desk mounting so you probably should use those over these on office desks and plain tables. Also, avoid this if you have only a few electronics since companies like Belkin make designer power supplies for hiding cables and a good set of CableBuddies will allow you to shorten and organize a few cables
However in places like exposed TV mount setups, kitchen offices, and the like, the cablebox really comes in handy if you have a lot of electornics. The box is quite big and needs to be for it to work well. If it is too big for you then that area would have been better served with cable ties and cord organizers.
The CableBox is both simple and thoughful which, in my opinion, is the hallmark for good design. I am docking a star because my white one yellowed over a number of years due to sun exposure and heat (of the power supplies). I'm docking another star for the value--I'd personally pay more with a higher quality plastic, or the price of these should be less so you can buy tons. If it were made in the USA, I'd understand the premium. Also be aware that since I wrote my review, these are also available in more colors than black and white and also in smaller sizes (though see the limited utility above). So consider those before purchasing. I do recommend these and the Bluelounge brand, so don't let my three stars discourage you from making a purchase (even this one). You are better with one of these organizing cable clutter than without.
I LOVE this box. In fact, I bought three of them and couldn't be happier. The rat's nest next to my printer is now hidden away in a neat white box. Sure, you have cables sticking out of either end, but the unsightly clutter is gone. After extensive research, this product seemed to be the best option for a residence, where you don't want to attach boxes to the walls or furniture. I wish I had found it years ago.
The design is clean and beautiful. The pieces fit together snugly. One is currently hiding a large surge protector, 9 cords and 3 power supplies. In my mind, the $30 is a bargain. Looking at that corner with its jumble of wires (even though all were neatly coiled and wrapped) caused a great deal of angst. (Yes, I know they have meds for that, thank you.) Now, everything in contained, and I'm no longer embarrassed to show people my home office, which is good since we're listing our home for sale and prospective buyers will be tromping through.
I was kinda wary about buying just a box for $25. The fact that with a Prime account I could get free two day shipping and it saved me the effort of few hours trip via public transit to Ikea for a similar item won me over. It's a sturdy box that the top isn't in danger of popping off if you have thick not easily bended cabling rolled up in it. The tangled web of cords was driving me batty just thinking about and now I can't stop peeking under the desk to admire the box.
It's a good buy if you either can't get to an Ikea or like me just can't be bothered. I don't regret the purchase in the least. - Organization - Surge Protector - Cable Organizers - Very Useful'
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