Guy Low Price Electronic: 15 Mar 2009

Sunday, 15 March 2009

Light Switch - motion-activate, hands free

This produce is great under normal circumstances. I have this installed in a pantry closet, the master closet, and in the laundry room. I would not recommend this for the garage unless you dont mind the lights turning on during the day when the garage is opened. Also, there is a setting for how long it stays on. If you put in a room you stay in for more than a few minutes, it will turn off after the set number of minutes. Mine are all set to 1 minute. However, I am in my closet sometimes for more than a minute and I have to walk back in front of the sensor for it to turn back on. That only happens about 1% of the time. The other 99% of the time it's great not having to worry about turning it on and off.

Here's the big flaw..... If your power goes out and comes back on, you will find that all of the lights connected to motion sensors in your house will be on. They will not turn off until you switch to off, then back to auto. If you go out of town for more than a couple days, it's probably wise to turn it from auto to off just in case your power cycles. (Unless you don't mind having your lights left on until you return). Leviton PR180-1LW Decora 500W Incandescent, 400VA, Passive Infrared Wall Switch Occupancy Sensor, Single Pole and 3-Way, White

This product has a much lower price than some of these switches because it fails to make it clear that it will NOT work with newer compact fluorescent bulbs (you will have horrible quirks if you try it). This can be worked around by adding an incandescent to the circuit this switch controls (if multiple bulbs). If you only have one light on the circuit (like a closet) you will have to just use an incandescent. That being said...

I noticed one reviewer mention if the power flashes off when it comes back on the lights will stay on and you will have to turn each switch on and off. I have not had this issue. When the power goes off and back on, the lights do come on but they go off at the interval you have them set at just as they would if motion had set them off.

I find the sensor on this switch is much better than others I've had experience with (certainly better than the GE). So long as you know upfront about the previously mentioned "catches", you can take advantage and get a good deal on a sensor switch.

I was suspicious of this item, at the price, but I bought two of them and they are both working well.

The handyman did not get the three-way wired right, so it is necessary to leave the toggle switch in the on position at the bottom of the stairs, but that's no problem. Sometimes the sensor even picks up the person at the bottom of the stairs. If not, just flip it off and back on once or twice and that triggers the light. Then leave it in the on position. The sensor will turn it off automatically.

If it lasts, it will have been a very good deal.

Works phantastic as a 1-way switch. But there are some minor issues when replacing a 3-way switch: There is an older and a newer version of the switch, but unfortunately the installation instructions were not updated and are not complete (when it comes to replacing a 3-way switch). Luckily the manufacturer's customer service quickly provided me with the instructions. However, I still couldn't get it to work the way it is supposed to (as many others according to some other internet forum). In my case the remaining conventional 3-way switch cannot trigger the light to come on which is fine as the sensor field is so big that it is no longer needed. If your 2 conventional 3-way switches are far apart from each other you can replace both by a Pir sensor switch.

I almost didn't buy this item because of a previous review stating that "it will NOT work with newer compact fluorescent bulbs". Well, I'm purchasing a new home so I decided to purchase three of these sensors. I installed one for the laundry room light fixture which has a "newer compact fluorescent bulb" and it works like a champ.

I don't know yet if it will have a negative effect on bulb's life, but it has been over a week since I installed it and it's working just fine.

"Your body heat turns it on"

The preceeding was brought to you by The Committee To Make People Go, "Hey, I Remember That!"

These sensors are built fairly cheaply and you get what you pay for. However, with judicious use, what you pay for might be exactly what you need. :)

1) These switches will NOT work with CFL's, with lamps using a GU-24 2-pin socket, with any variation of the GX-24 4-pin socket, or any modern (electronic ballast) fluorescent lights. They work with incandescent and halogen lights, as well as old magnetic ballast (T12) lights that are being phased out. I have not tried these switches with LED lights.

2) These seem to be of an older design than the manual-on IPP15 or the commercial-grade OSS10 switches. The light sensors stick out further from the wall, and the sensitivity and timeout controls are hidden behind the wallplate cover. The control gradations are not labeled (i.e. it's impossible to set the timeout to "exactly" 5 minutes, or light sensitivity to "exactly" 100 lumens). By contrast, the IPP15 has a nice timeout dial you can get to without removing the switch cover plate. :)

3) A pair of PR180's can be easily used in a 3-way circuit by following these instructions:

[...]

The setup is actually a dual-switch single-pole (the 3-way yellow wire is NOT used). The light stays on as long as EITHER switch has tripped, and not timed out. One BOTH switches time out, the light turns off. Works very well for hallways and stairways.

So, they're cheap, cheerful, they see me coming down the stairs from fifteen feet away, and you can stick a pair of them in a three-way circuit. Not bad for $20.

Note: Because these switches are auto-on, and have a permanent-on position, they are NOT California Title-24 compliant. The IPP15 is, but who wants to turn the lights on MANUALLY in the 21st century? :) - Light Switch - Motion-activate - Motion Sensor - Hands Free'

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Big Tire Inflator

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I got this inflator because of the digital display and automatic shut off.

Well, the unit does that and does it well. Actuall too well, as I cannot pump any balls with it, as it just shuts off itself a few seconds after the start.

It inflates tires well, but I noticed that it does not measure the pressure correctly. If you set it at 35PSI and check the pressure after inflating it would be in 38-40PSI range. I need to set it to lower settings to get the results right.

It inflates quickly and queitly, but cannot measure the pressure right and does not inflate balls. Slime 40022 Digital Compressor

So much better than my loud, rumbling old compressor! This product is lightweight, easy to use, quick and quiet. You start by plugging it in and attaching it to the tire. It will give you the current pressure reading. Then, hold a button for a few seconds and set the desired pressure. Press the power button and watch as the pressure reading increases as the tire inflates. When it reaches the pressure setting you chose, it shuts off. All in all, it probably didn't take more than 30 seconds to raise my pressure by 7 PSI.

I double-checked the reading using another digital tire gauge I have, and it was .5 PSI less -- this could have easily been due to air loss when removing the hose or inserting the gauge (or the gauge could be wrong). Either way, close enough.

The unit's housing allows you to store the hose and power cord inside, which is quite convenient. So far, I'm very happy with this -- it's nice to see an innovation in the lower end of the market for these products, as simple as it might be!

I'm really not a "car guy" or DIY type. The most advanced service I perform on my car is replacing wiper blades. I just wanted a simple compressor to keep my tires up to spec.

This model is very easy to use and adequately accurate. You just set it to the PSI you need and let it run. It shuts itself off when it's done, so you don't have to worry about over-inflating.

The only downside is that it can't plug into a standard outlet - you have to use the 12V "cigarette lighter" plug and plug it into your car. That's a plus if you're keeping this in the trunk for a roadside emergency, but it would be nice to plug it into a a regular outlet in the garage.

Works good. A lot faster than other 12V pumps I've used in the past. Took a minute or two to inflate my motorcycle tires from 22 to 36psi. Digital gauge and automatic shut off is very helpful. Highly recommend, after i showed this to my friends, they wanted to get their own.

UPDATE: Mine broke after less than 4 months of sporadic use. Pump won't turn on. Changing rating to 1 star.

Purchased this item in January (the 14th to be exact), used it once a week to top off a slow leaking tire, and it works very well. Fast forward less than 4 months (09 May) and the compressor is kaput. Opened it up to find a little metal arm holding a gear had broken and there was no way to fix it. Oh well, only paid $25 dollars for it, can't expect something that cheap to last forever. As I stated, this item did work very well, it filled the tire fairly quickly and the PSI readout was reasonable accurate.

I'll probably get a more expensive model next time, just so it will last more than a season.

Used once, day after purchase. The pressure indicator was accurate, but instead of turning off (as advertised) when it reached the PSI I'd preset, the pump kept running, but without raising the PSI number beyond what I'd set it at. After waiting 2 minutes or so, to confirm that it wasn't going to inflate further, I turned the pump off manually. When I checked the pressure with an accurate gauge, it was spot-on to my pre-set PSI. Go figger. Paid full price at Target. I've e-mailed Slime (wotta name, esp. if you don't know their original product) and am awaiting a response.

This inflator is good for the cheap price. It is very compact and the air hose and 12v connector are stored in its back. It is a little noisy but does the job. I think the pressure calibration is off. I plugged in the hose into the tire, turned the car key to accessories, connected the input into the car lighter switch and then set the pressure to 32PSI. It blinked a few seconds and then showed the existing pressure of 29PSI. When I turned the unit on, it immediately shut off. So, I had to set the pressure to 40PSI, and then turn it on for it to start working. The unit shows the PSI increasing as the tire is being inflated and I pressed the off button to stop. For the price, I am satisfied as it gets the job done and gives me peace of mind in making sure the tires are well inflated.

I had a similar product for years which wore out. This one is even better. Similar great features in a compact package. Looks more like an external hard disk than a compressor. Much faster than my old one, I think.

The only "trouble" I had was realizing that I needed to turn the ignition key to the "Accessories" position to get the compressor to work. (Per the instructions, do not start the engine, though.) As others have mentioned, this is a small unit but works quicker and quieter than older, bulkier portable compressors. I especially like the screw-on adapter because there's minimal loss of air from the tire, unlike the typical rotating clamp-on style. The digital readout and automatic shutoff are also welcome additions.'

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Ipod Charger - ipod charger, love it

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This charger sucks. I plugged it into my power strip and went to use my phone while it was charging. When I went to touch my screen to text somebody it selected somebody else down the list. I couldnt get my phone to select what I wanted. It's like it had a mind of its own. When I took my phone off the charger it immediately fixed the problem. It also made my touch lamp wig out and turn off and on by itself constantly while the phone was plugged in... And none of this ever happened with my apple charger. I figured out it was the actual wall unit, because the cord works fine in my computer. So I don't even use the wall unit anymore... Kind of a waste USB Cable + Wall Charger for Apple Iphone 3g Ipod Touch Nano

Recived product in great time. the wall charger did not work I ended up buying a wall charger at walmart. The cord that came with it works great.. only half of product worked I was disapointed in the quality of the product.

Bought this as an additional charger for my iphone, but when I connect it the phone gives a message that the charger is not supported and it does not charge the phone properly and seems to cause the phone to crash. Worse than useless

I purchased 2 of these adapters for my boyfriend and myself. They worked just as good as the one I originally received with my Iphone and Ipod. They are at a great low price so that when my pets chew on the new ones(cause they always do) I'll have no problem spending money on new one.

"The item arrived on time, so they deserve 1 star. However, the product did not work. It was useless! The chargers looked like ensembled by a 3 yr old, not sturdy and kind of "unsafe", if you kwim. We tried the wall and car charger with both, ipod and iphone. None would work. I knew it was cheap, but I never expected to get a defective/damage product. Not even worth to return." - Ipod Charger - Love It'

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Flex-shaft Kits - rotary tool, rotary tool accessories

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I am a new customer to Milescraft. I am also very happy with my decision to buy outside the Dremel-brand. As a long time Dremel-brand user, I finally switched to the Black and Decker RTX with rave results. I decided if there was this much of a huge quality difference in there tools, then I should try other brands accessories. I went on a limb and purchaced this shaft to replace my broken dremel-brand flex-shaft. I am also very happy in doing so. The dremel-brand has a louder operating noise and starts to bind at less of an angle. I also like the quick way you and replace tips on the Milescraft flex shaft.

You will be happy. Milescraft 1003 Flex Shaft for Rotary Tools

I have been searching all over for a flex shaft for the Black & Decker RTX rotary tool that I purchased. Based on the reviews for the Milescraft 1003, I figured I would give it a shot, it's only $19.99, right?! It was a GREAT purchase and has been working out perfect for my needs.

For other jewelry designers out there looking for a cheaper option than a Foredom, the B&D RTX rotary tool works great with this Milescraft 1003 flex shaft and fits just fine. Even on low speed, I am able to polish and smooth out burs easily.

I also purchased the Milescraft support arm to hang the rotary tool on, you really do need a support arm to get full use of your rotary tool.

I took the advice of another reviewer and purchased the 4485 Dremel tool Collet Nut Kit, as well as the Dremel bit set which ranges from 1/32" to 1/8". If you need to drill small holes into your jewelry pieces, this is the way to go. The Dremel 4485 collet set is fully compatible with the Milescraft flexshaft. I purchased both the collet and bit set at Lowe's and WalMart.

This is a great solid product for the money. I bought it as a shortcut to one of the hanging foot pedal operated numbers, but unfortunately, my cheap dremel clone doesn't have the power to run it. Make sure you're using a rotary tool with enough guts.

While it looks like its going to be the knock-off of the Dremel version, it is not. It has a couple of short comings over the Dremel.

1st its design does not allow for the use of the mini keyless chuck than used to come standard on the old Dremel tools and can still be ordered if you don't want to use the collets. I cut about 3/4" off the end to expose enough threads to use the keyless chuck.

2nd the interface between the flex shaft and the Dremel tool, while looks like it is the same as the Dremel one it isn't. Instead of mounting firmily to the tool, it simply gets chucked in and the interface area is exposed and not attached.

The method loosening the collet/chuck on the tool is nice because you don't a 2nd tool other than the collet wrench. And the overall quality of feel for the price is good.

While I'm keeping mine because all in all, it's not a bad tool. If I had do do it again I'd spend a few bucks more and get the Dremel.

Works "okay" but I have had and used better. I was using it to clean some small parts and re-shape a few plastic components for a chainsaw manifold. The part with the spring next to the tool gets really hot and actually burned my fingers to a point of blisters. It also started to melt the insulation that goes into the hand-held pat of the tool. Other than that, it works pretty good. Make sure you wear a thick glove when using it to prevent burns!

I read a few bad reviews of this product and should have listened. So much for bargain shopping.

I was concerned about using this with my RotoZip (30,000 RPM) so I called the manufacturer. They assured me that the product would do fine at this speed. So, I bought one.

The packaging was very clear about not over-bending the shaft, so I set up a straight line from my RotoZip.

Performance prior to the "implosion" was adequate; controllable but not particularly smooth.

After about 5 minutes' use and with about a half-second's warning, the shaft ate itself, breaking its attaching driveshaft, ripping out of the shaft sheathing, and obviously coming to an abrupt and final stop.

Attempting to examine the housing (near the shaft attachment point,) I burned my fingers from the built-up heat. I then noticed that the paint on the housing had blistered/peeled from the heat. Maybe there was a failed bearing in that part of the unit; I haven't been back downstairs.

I don't know if I received bad advice from the manufacturer or what, but I will be contacting them for resolution.

Simply you pay 20 dollars for something that would cost 40 in the store near you. I bought this shaft for using with my 39 dollars Black & Decker RTX-B 3 Speed RTX Rotary Tool. It is a little expensive, consider adding extra 10 dollars will give me another BDRT, but I think the price is pretty good anyway.

It works fine, but I did notice that a little power is scarified using this shaft. It worth the effort and the money anyway: much light weighted, much more control, much less hassle, much less vibration and extra. The built quality is also pretty good in my hand.

PS. This shaft will work on almost all rotary tools that has 1/8" hole in them.

This Flex Shaft is perfect for all the reasons you'd expect it to be. Because it mounts in the chuck on your rotary tool, it fits all makes and models of rotary tools - several of which I own. The most popular (and most expensive)requires a proprietary model costing three times as much. I bought this product as a replacement for one of those proprietary models, which broke after a few years of average service. Besides its low price and adaptability, the 'pull-back' chuck allows you to quickly and easily change bits without any tools.

With the Milescraft Flex Shaft, you'll save a few bucks, and get a tool that provides you all the reach and flexibility you need. - Rotary Tool Accessories - Dremel - Rotary Tool - Rotary Tools'

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Entertainment - magazine, modern tips

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Motor Trend is a rather good, well written car magazine for auto enthusiasts. The articles are timely and full of facts and opinions about cars, new hybrids and the like. The quality of the paper is quite good and the print is always easy to read as well.

The cover "story" makes for a big splash but it's not sensationalism: the magazine backs it all up with a beefy article exploring the car, SUV or other vehicle in detail. The articles are peppered with well shot photos that enhance your understanding of what the article is trying to tell the reader.

There are ads and articles for a diversity of people; this month's issue, for example, has an article on the latest Bentley coming out. I suppose that's for the rich. SMILE On the other hand, there is also an extensive review--with photos--of the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. I think it's great they cover cars for people in all income brackets.

Look for more interesting articles. They review a Land Rover's performance in Argentina where apparently the vehicle must REALLY climb steep hills; and they take a "first drive" look at the Mercedes-Benz SL63 There's even a brief article on GMC's Sierra's first HYBRID vehicle--excellent!

Of course, you were waiting for me to mention this--the magazine has ads. In fact, it has LOTS of ads. This is one time, however, when I didn't entirely mind seeing lots of advertisements in a magazine. These ads provide the reader with resources for tires, noise canceling Bluetooth headsets, automotive accessories like heavy duty, strong plastic mats for the floors of your vehicle, and more. That's useful for readers who want to keep current on the latest supplies for their cars and, in the case of the Bluetooth headsets, accessories to make traveling by car a much better experience for so many of us.

Overall, I like Motor Trend. It's not for everyone; but it's great in my book. I like the articles that enable me to keep my ear to the ground for new automotive developments; and the advertisements also keep me updated as well.

Great job, Motor Trend! Motor Trend (1-year auto-renewal)

Pros: Its cheap

Cons: Too many articles on high-end cars. Every month it seems like they re-review another Cadillac, or another Mercedes, or another Ferrari. Its very lacking in the economy car, and mid-size car categories. They tend to care little about value or fuel economy and too often leave out very common cars out of their comparison articles. They almost never go back and rereview a car they featured a few years back, which would be great to see how that car has held up after getting some miles on it. It totally lacks any mechanical articles, which would be nice once in awhile. All in all, I wouldn't subscribe if not for the ability to catch a good deal on it once in awhile (.50 cents an issue or less).

Not quite sure, but I think I started getting MT when I was fifteen or sixteen; thus, it's been a staple in my life for close to 45 years.

Because of this long association, I can wholeheartedly recommend the magazine for its coverage of the auto industry: developments, innovations, prices, and its history.

The photos of cars from all angles give the reader a great "look" of what he or she may be interested in purchasing.

The magazine has quality editorial content that is both informative and thought-provoking.

MT is the premier auto magazine on the market.

Motor Trend never fails to deliver. I like the fact that they cover such a wide variety of vehicles, everything from SUVs, CUVs, trucks, sportscars, import "tuners", sub-compacts, high-priced exotics, concepts and rumors. The news is fresh and accurate, the issues arrive on time, the mags are thick, pics are crisp, letters are interesting and articles provide usefull information.

Bottom-Line: In the final analysis I am glad I have once again decided to subscribe "Motor Trend Magazine."

Like most men in their twenties I was a car guy. I ate and drank the elixir of horsepower, torque, RPM's, wheel-base cockpit esthetics, and sheet metal. I could recite long lists of carlines and their varying specifications. I subscribed to and devoured all of the (four) the nation's most popular car magazines of the time: Car & Driver, Motor Trend, Road & Track, and the beauty queen of them all, Automobile Magazine. But as time and overseas assignments took my attention elsewhere, one-by-one my subscriptions lapsed and my car fetish all but died.

But now in the autumn of my life I have rekindled my love of cars, especially expensive high performance cars from well known and well respected nameplates we all know: Cadillac, BMW, Audi, Lexus, Lincoln, and of course Mercedes-Benz. So when it came time for my daughter annual fundraiser, I skipped the usual chocolate and wrapping paper and went straight for Automobile Magazine, a periodical is consider the premiere car rag.

But at the end of subscription period I let it lapse and moved instead to "Motor Trend Magazine" one of the premier car rags in the business. Published by Primedia in twelve monthly issues (subscription cost $12.00; $3.99 newsstand), this is not the "Motor Trend" of my early adulthood; the magazine is piled full of glossy, colorful, pictures and serious well written articles, car comparisons, and long-term road tests. Where once "Motor Trend" loved Detroit sheet metal almost exclusively, the magazine now has a more International flavor within its glossy well written pages.

"Motor Trend" is no longer content to cover the just American sheet metal, but reaches far-a-field to bring readers the normal, the exotic, and the really expensive from locations across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. And the magazine does this in a format that is easy to follow, well laid out, and extremely inviting.

For instance the June 2007 issue features the all new Lexus LS 600h L, the new high powered, hybrid from Toyota, as well as a comprehensive write-up on the Shelby Mustang GT500KR . Add to these two very well written and equally as comprehensive comparison article, entitled Crossover War, which sized up the: GMC Acadia, Acura MDX and Mazda CX-9. Another article along similar lines is entitled America's Best Handling Car compares 10 leading sports coupes including the Porsche 911 GTS, Chevrolet Corvette Z06, BMW 335i, Honda Civic Si, and Lotus Exige S among others. The comparison test is very broad and covers a wide-range of traditional performance parameters. No doubt those looking for any of these automobiles will find something to like about this article.

While "Motor Trend" does have more advertising than I would like, the magazine does keep it under control and the magazines content does not suffer unduly. Most of the magazine is still dedicated to substance; the articles are what make "Motor Trend Magazine" such a joy to read. The articles are well written, concise, and comprehensive. And although the writers fill the paragraphs with lexicon of the automobile industry, the prose never talks down to the reader, or looses my interest along the way.

Even some of the photographs in "Motor Trend" have a story to tell in the guise of in-depth exterior and mechanical analysis. In the final analysis I am glad I have once again decided to subscribe "Motor Trend Magazine." Within its glossy pages I have found a home, a resting place from which I can gleam my needed automotive knowledge. For me there is no other. - Magazine - Modern Tips'

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Art Photography - photography book, digital photography

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This is the best single volume on visual design and composition in years. Painters need a book this good. Freeman's earlier book from the 1980s, "Image," had long held the status, IMHO, of being the best single volume. His new book surpasses the older one by a significant margin.

Freeman is one of very few photographers, or artists of any ilk, who can articulate their art-related thoughts in concrete, accurate, analytical ways, and not in the jargon of so much of what is written about art that lacks any actual content. Not only is he an outstandingly gifted photographer, with dozens of books to his credit, but one who has mastered the grammar of images and is one of the few who can describe how and why visual phenomena work.

This is the most complete volume on this subject out there in terms of numbers of topics introduced and discussed at a reasonable length. It is also the most effective melding of the insights of current Gestalt perception theory with traditional design elements/principles in print. The first 60% of the book deals with the more concrete aspects of designing an image.

The last two chapters marry the other part of composing that is harder to articulate well: the message in a image, or the photographer's intent. Only in this book has an author attempted to define major categories of intent in making an image. And then categorizes the physical and mental aspects of how a photographer goes after, constructs, or recognizes an image - the process.

Throughout the discussions he introduces those aspects of digital imaging that a photographer can use to influence a picture's design. Perhaps the most powerful development is that digital in-camera and post processing technologies allow the photographer to apply to color images all those image control aspects formerly available only in the wet chemistry darkroom to monochrome images, as well as many more.

Make no mistake.... This is a book for readers. One cannot get all of this book's benefit from the illustrations alone, in the manner of so many "how-to" art and photography books these days that have pictures, but little text. But this is the book to which thoughtful photographers will return over and over for many years.

The only way it can be significantly better would be to have twice as many pages. It would make a wonderful textbook for any studio art, photography, art history, or art appreciation course in high school or college/university.

5 May 2009, update. The number of reviews, number of responses to reviews, and other sources of information indicate that this book is a certifiable best-seller among photography books. The response to this book indicates that there is a large market for information about the structure of images and for effective writing on that difficult, intangible interplay between design and content, or of structure and expression/message.

My hope is that Freeman and other capable author/photographers will publish books delving further into the composition problem. To date, the in-print situation is grim. This one, Mante's, and Hoffmann's books are about the only ones yet in English that deal with composing photographs at higher than the most elementary levels. Together these three books comprise quite a strong presentation at the intermediate level of image structure and of various approaches to imparting meaning and expression in one's images.

There is more, though, that can be said. To date there is no thorough look at the role of similarity and proportion in causing a viewer's eye to move through an image. That is to say, which characteristics among, shape, size, tone, color, direction, etc., assume priority in one's eye in which combinations, and how does proportionality, or violations thereof, work?

To date, this reviewer cannot find any published research that updates Alfred Yarbis's ground breaking insights into eye movement in images from the 1950s and 1960s. His work is quoted to this day as the definitive study in this field. His results seem to imply that many artists' assertions about the role of "leading lines" may be nothing but bunk.

Do light tones and bright colors really appear to project toward a viewer and darks recede? A Russian scientist has a considerable argument that, in fact, darks are what appears to "project" and lights recede. His work is not available in English.

Is the success or failure of an image still articulable only at the level of intangibles? At this point in the history of the arts and contributions from visual psychology and brain studies, one should be able to make specific assertions about structure and its role in the success or failure of carrying the artist's expression or meaning.

Unfortunately, there are very few artists or photographers who also write who can focus clearly enough on these nitty-gritty issues to make statements that have actual meaning. An inordinate percentage of writing about the arts still reduces to hand waving and ranting: always has, always will, it seems.

It is one of Freeman's gifts that he can write analytically and be a very successful, versatile artist. This book's success indicates that the demand is there for hard-hitting information on images. Three authors does not amount to much of a supply. The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos

Let me start by saying that even though I write photo books for a living (including The NEW Joy of Digital Photography (Lark Photography Book) and Exposure Photo Workshop: Develop Your Digital Photography Talent, I don't know Michael Freeman and have never communicated with him. That said, this is easily the best composition and design book that you'll find--and that goes for professionals as well as hobbyists. This is the first book, in fact, that I can recall that covers these topics with such depth and clarity of thought.

Freeman has long been one of my favorite photo book writers and this book continues his long streak of great reads (his other recent book, The Complete Guide to Digital Photography is also worth owning).I sometimes laugh at how extremely British his writing is, but it's just amusing, not distracting.

The main thing that I like about The Photographer's Eye is that Freeman approaches the subject from a very thoughtful perspective. While the book covers the basic elements (lines, shapes, dynamic tension, balance, etc.) he also talks at length about more emotionally-related issues: chiaroscuro and key, the search for order, reactive thought, etc. These are the concepts that more experienced photographers (and artists) find themselves confronting once they have a solid feel for design elements and construction.

I often find myself wondering if design is more of a thoughtful process or an instinctive one--and I think it's a combination of the two. In reading this book, in fact, I can see better the value in taking an objective and analytical look a how great compositions are made and how we can take scenes that we react to instinctively and find quick and useful ways to turn them into dynamic photos. Very often when you find a great subject you don't have the luxury of time to decide how to construct the image to "get" what you see.

That is the value of studying composition and image design: to prepare you to make fast decisions. If you are hiking in the deserts outside of Tucson, for example, and you come across a great potential silhouette of a saguaro cactus at sunset, you have only two or three minutes to organize the elments, choose the best viewpoint, the best lens and then make the exposure. It's tragic to spend day after day exploring for powerful images and then only come close.

Freeman's book is crammed with an extraordinary number of great photos with a vast emotional and geographic diversity. These are world-class images, not just "how-to" examples and it's hard to imagine one photographer coming up with all of these great photos. As I said, I write and illustrate photo books myself and I am awed at times by Freeman's proflific work.

If you're looking for a book on design, don't let $20 stand between you and all of this great knowledge and hundreds of fine examples (something I might say of my own book, as well!). Just buy the book--or ask you library to order it. - Composition - Photography Book - Digital Photography - Design'

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Suicide Girls - goth, erotica

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"Suicide Girls" started out as just a website to display creator Missy Suicide's "erotic photography." This is a different category than "porn," but I guess at some point it's splitting hairs. If we can place this DVD on a continuum with the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue or Maxim on one end and "Barely Legal" or "Shaved Asian" on the other, I suppose it would be closer to the former. Of Course, considering most of the Suicide Girls come from the punk subculture, complete with the tattoos and piercings to prove it, that would have to add to the kink factor somewhat. Then again, compared to the "Girls Gone Wild" franchise, SG has a far lower perv factor; i.e. you can watch this without feeling all icky afterward. You may want to put on actual porn, though, so that can be a strike against SG, even though that's hardly their fault. Heck, the girls themselves seem to have a bit more going on in their heads than the "Gone Wild" variety. Actually, in the interview segments that pepper the main attraction of the disc, they have precious little to say to prove this, but they just seem smarter. I mean, they HAVE to be smarter, don't they?

As for what you actually get for your hard earned perv budget, the main thing is a 94 minute "documentary" of the girls as they embark on a cross-country tour of burlesque shows, usually in venues normally reserved for music. Within that are profiles of the various girls on the tour: a short "interview" gives way to a short example of their stage routine (pasties and duct tape are involved) gives way to a filmed photo shoot (this time without the pasties and duct tape, thankyouverymuch). There's plenty of music to accompany the segments, not all of it punk. A complete listing in teeny-tiny print can be found underneath the disc's back cover. But wait, there's more! You can also watch the movie without the interview segments, which cuts down on the running time considerably. An interview with Missy is the closest you'll get to actual information here, as she discusses what she was trying to do with the site, which was present "real" girls of all shapes, sizes and body modifications in a "sexy" manner. Mind you, by all sizes they seem to run the gamut from thin to really thin, though at least none of them seem to have much interest in implants, which works for me.

The rest of the disc has some mildly fun outtakes and a music video by Probot featuring some Suicide Girls which is much better with the mute button. I guess if Missy is serious about expanding the franchise, we can expect calendars, books and, one would guess, "Toys." There's already a CD of some of the girl's favorite goth tunes, so I guess the sky's the limit.

So while you can expect to have fun with this, don't expect your life to be changed or anything. On the down side, this disc may cause a serious medical condition with the scientific name of "Blue Balls." Fortunately, there are all sorts of web sites where this can be cured. Or so I'm told. Suicide Girls - The First Tour

My fiancee and I rented this video because we have friends who are suicide girls who model for her artwork and she was hoping to find a few girls she could freeze frame and draw. I sat in because, well, why would any guy sit in on this? I love the female form, and I love it even more when it's tattooed. Let me start off by saying the special features are lacking. As a dvd this doesn't rate.

The tour featured The Suicide Girls, and BANDS. The bands are barely mentioned and never shown, except for a few snippits here and there. So if you saw the live show and are hoping to hear from a band you liked, don't hold your breath, they take no part in this DVD. If this is a docu about the tour they skipped a huge part of it.

I didn't find any of the women to be particularly attractive either. Short hair doesn't do it for me, so maybe I am bias against about 75% of the women featured, but even my fiancee agreed that none of the girls were anything to write home about. (She's an artsy everyone is beautiful in their own way type, so that is actually saying a lot). It also seemed like every time something slightly erotic or arousing would occur in the DVD something horrifying and disgusting would immediately follow. Public urination, talk of diarrhea and vomit, nose picking, it's all present and accounted for.

The girls all come off as extremely fake and way over the top. Pretty much all of them are more annoying than sexy at one time or another, or all the time. Things seem scripted and set up, and undoubtedly are. The pool scene for instance. A bunch of twenty something nude women waking up an entire hotel at some ungodly hour and hotel management doesn't call the cops immediately? I call shenanigans.

Now onto technical aspects. I could go on for days about what's wrong with the women of the film and not even scratch the surface, but I'll move on for sake of not making this a task to read. The camera man sucks. On all the photo shoots he is out of frame, out of focus, and seemingly out of his tree. If a girl is posing flipping the bird at the camera why is the wall behind her taking up so much of the screen that I can't even see her full hand? What's with all the ridiculous close ups? I'm not a dermatologist, I don't need to see an inch of skin zoomed all the way in on while yo pan past all the parts that nude models are supposed to display. It actually made me nauseous at points the way the camera would whip around erratically.

That sums up the major points, but on a personal level I would like to thank the Suicide Girls in this DVD for doing their best to make the rest of us heavily tattooed "alternative" people look extremely bad. We are not all like this. Get the DVD from Netflix if your really interested in seeing it, but you'd be better off spending the money on their ridiculous membership fee's if your looking for a skin show. - Erotica - Goth - Nude - Punk'

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Harry Potter Movie

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When all is said and done - when the eye candy special effects of Quidditch matches and fantastical creatures has been superseded by advances in technology in Hollywood blockbusters yet to come - it is the little moments that this viewer and his wife will return to.

When a friend one time bemoaned the fact that `Half-Blood Prince' gets bogged down in pointless hormonal teen-angst instead of getting on with the story, I smiled... and shook my head.

No, I said, that IS the story and it's what I love about the Harry Potter series: it never loses track of the characters. It never forgets that, when viewed as a whole, these eight movies are a story of growing up, of the transition from childhood to adulthood. Of love and friendship and death. Because without those little funny and touching moments between the characters - if all you want is for the movies to rush from one plot element to another - then all you're left with is plot... and no story. Remember: plot is what happens TO the characters; story is what happens AS A RESULT of the characters.

That's the real gorgeous beauty of these movies, and it's what will bring viewers back repeatedly to their DVD shelves. As Frodo said to Sam in `The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers': "What are we fighting for Sam?" "That's there's still some good in this world," Sam replies, "and that it's worth fighting for."

That's why you need those little indulgent moments, because without them it's just razzle-dazzle special effects and set-pieces. Harry and Ginny's first kiss: they're in the Room of Requirement and Ginny tells Harry to close his eyes while she hides Professor Snape's copy of Advanced Potion Making. And before Harry opens his eyes Ginny leans forward, kisses him and whispers, "That can stay hidden up here too, if you like." That, my fellow Muggles, is pure movie gold. That's what the characters are fighting for. Love. Yes, the PLOT concerns itself with good triumphing over evil, but that only comes to pass as a result of the STORY which is about friendship. Because that is something worth fighting for.

It's why the film adaptation of Philip Pullman's astonishing trilogy, `His Dark Materials', is an utter failure: `The Golden Compass' movie rushes from one plot element to another: and THEN we go here, and THEN we go there. Never slowing down to allow the characters TO BE characters. What are they fighting for? Well, nothing the viewer could care less about...

Ultimately, all of this success comes about because of the brilliant way in which the author J.K. Rowling has constructed her seven-volume storyline. See, `The Chronicles of Narnia' are good - very good - but in the end don't quite fully succeed, and this is because the author, C.S. Lewis, had never envisioned them as a series: `The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' was originally intended by the writer to be a one off. As thoroughly enjoyable as the three Narnia movies are, there is no through-story like Rowling's Harry-Voldermort. Indeed, over the course of the three Narnia movies even some of the Pevensie children themselves become side characters. And although that was entirely the point - part of the plot - in the end it harms the story. It dilutes what the characters are fighting for. It weakens its forcus.

Look at the Harry Potter series: viewed in hindsight it's not just the story of teenage friendships, for it also presents an astounding portrayal of one man coming to be viewed in the end entirely differently by the viewer. Professor Snape. What an astonishing character arc - and yet Rowling had it all there, right from the beginning: Snape using a counter-curse against Professor Quirrell to save Harry during the first movie's Quidditch match. Wait, isn't Snape the bad guy?! We're made to wonder, right from that first movie all the way through to the revelations of the eighth. `Narnia' has nothing on that. It's clear that Rowling has thought her seven-volume story through like a military operation: the first four books may have come out only a year apart, but the author had begun planning them seven years before the first one was ever published.

And the friendships, that's all there too. Look at the Ron-Hermione moments seeded throughout the entire movie series. Harry and Hermione are just good friends, thus all the unself-conscious hugs she gives him. Yet there is a physical tension - a conscious awareness of each other - between her and Ron. At the end of `Chamber of Secrets' Hermione flings her arms around Harry... but, both of them equally awkward and embarrassed, Ron and Hermione only shake hands. In `Prisoner of Askaban' during Hagrid's first lesson with Harry cautiously approaching Buckbeak, Herminone grabs Ron's hand, before quickly letting go, both of them looking around uncomfortably. All, finally, converging in Hermione's emotional outburst at the end of the Yule Ball in `Goblet of Fire' where (like a soul crying out `Look at me!') she says, "Next time there's a Ball, pluck up the courage to ask me before somebody else does - and not as a last resort!" And in another moment of movie gold, Harry and Hermione comforting each other on the steps in Hogwarts, unable to be with the one they want. "How does it feel, Harry, when you see Dean with Ginny?" After Hermione sends her bird charms crashing into the wall beside Ron and Ron flees, Harry replies, "It feels like this."

It's why `Half-Blood Prince' is one of my favourite instalments: not only is it the calm before the storm of the seventh and eighth movies but it allows the characters' friendships to come to fruition. `Half-Blood Prince' does not become sidetracked, far from it. You need that, because that is the story. It's what I love about it: yes, they're wizards and witches but the film makers never lose sight of the fact that they're also young adults going through the most important transitional period of their lives. These movies aren't about fantastical magical events inconveniently interrupted by mushy teenage moments. Instead they're precisely all about those ordinary, everyday teenage moments, played against the backdrop of incredible events. Those amazing events only occur at all because of who the characters are; it's only natural that the plot should play second to the story of their lives. Because they are what truly matters. Because they, as Sam would put it, "Are worth fighting for."

As if that wasn't enough, as if the story of Harry-Ron-Hermione (and, indeed, Snape) isn't in itself reason enough to revisit this whole series, Rowling has also given us an amazing supporting cast of characters. All too often in a series, all the characters outwith the main group rarely hold a reader's/viewer's attention for long. And yet Rowling has created not one single boring character, and what an amazing supporting cast they are: the Dursley, the Weasleys, the Malfoys, Hagrid, Dobby, Sirius, Bellatrix, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, and on and on. In fact, one of Rowling's most inspired moves, and certainly a wonderful way of keeping things fresh, was to continuously have a new colourful character each year as the Professor of the Dark Arts. Glideroy Lockhart, Remus Lupin, Mad-Eye Moody, Dolores Umbridge. Not to forget the delightful potions master from `Half-Blood Prince', Horace Slughorn, or the Professor of Divination, Trelawney. Then, too, you have the caretaker Argus Filch, the ghost Nearly Headless Nick. Well, you get the idea. Quidditch, the Ministry of Magic, the Dementors. The richness of the world Rowling has created is so rewarding that I can't ever imagine tiring of it.

Watching these characters - and, indeed, the actors - grow up before us is fascinating. I love the fact the first two movies are kids movies; there's no hint, really, of what lies ahead. Until, of course, you get to `Prisoner of Askaban'. Even the naysayer film critics sat up at that one and said, "Hey, hold on a minute..." From the fifth film onwards these were no longer merely kids' movies. It's what accounts for their immensely broad appeal: children will watch them for the action and special effects, teenagers and adults for the humour and the series' growing depth. Even the opening titles change as the story darkens: from bright gold in the first few movies to chipped and crumbling grey stone.

Viewed as one 1100+ minute über-movie the achievement is nothing short of remarkable.

Thank you, Rowling.

And thank you Warner Bros and the cast and crew for the ten-year visual journey of these marvellous books that you have taken my wife and I on. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2'

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Usb Power Adapter - usb adapter, usb

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I bought a couple of these for charging my Droid X and a Bluetooth headset at the same time. The phone's performance would drop dramatically while it was connected to this charger. So I grabbed my multimeter to check the charger's output. The +5VDC pin was putting out 5.15 volts which is well inside the 4.75-5.25 USB scecification so no trouble there. I noticed that they did have intact data pins so I checked them. Both of the data pins produced +2.54 V on both of the chargers I received. Different devices will deal with this voltage in different ways, but had I known I would never have plugged my phone into it. Too damn risky.

This is clearly a design flaw and an incredibly simple one at that, all they need to do is not hookup the data pins.

I wouldn't recommend these, but after disabling the data pins I am now using mine. AC to Dual Port USB Wall Charger

Product seems well made and appeared new on arrival. Item was purchased with the hopes of being able to charge 2 iPhone 4s at one time. As soon as the phone was attached it started to give a non-compatible accessory warning. Not sure if it is a voltage regulation issue or what. Seems like a good product, just can't use it for the iPhone 4.

I bought this item so I could charge my 3rd Gen iPod touch without having to plug it into my laptop or having to spend $30 on a genuine Apple one. I am happy with this one..it's cheap and it works...I really don't care about using namebrand stuff as long as the generic stuff works. I have no problems with compatibility with my iPod. I do not own an iPhone or an iPad so I cannot rate its compatibility with those items. Botton line...if you're looking for an inexpensive option to charge your iPod..go with this!

I bought 4 of these things to charge my Android and iPad at work and home and elsewhere. It won't charge the iPad! Android charges, but the iPad doesn't work. Very aggravating... I read another post stating iphone compatibility doesn't work as well. Also, they're rather large and bulky, kill a spot on my power strip.

I got this charger to charge my wife's and my phone at the same time so we didn't have to take to chargers when traveling. The charger does it's job but it's a little big. It takes up a lot of space in the surge protector barely leaving space for any other plugs. That also means that it's not the most compact device to travel with. That said, I'm satisfied with the quality and functionality of the product.

Alliteration aside, the title says it all.

When I first ordered the charger it never arrived (they seemed to hint at the fact that the address was the problem despite the fact that I have used the 'exact' same address for many deliveries). After filing a complaint they contacted me in a pretty prompt manner (one point in their favor at least) and asked for a 'valid' address which I gave them.

When I 'finally' got the charger, the SECOND time I tried to use it it started making poping sounds like a spark might jump from it at any minute, the power indicator light blinking on and off and finally going off! At this point after a lot of wiggling and plugging-unplugging-plugging BS it 'might' work but either way I'm pissed and disappointed and frankly I don't care to work with them any more to try and get a replacement. The cost isn't worth it anyway. I won't be buying from them again. :(

It charges my Droid and Zune HD but reduces the responsiveness of both devices. Causes my Droid to lag and does not allow any interaction with the Zune while plugged into the charger. I guess I should have just bought a dual charger that would have been more reliable. - Usb Power - Usb - Charger - Usb Adapter'

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