Friday, 5 March 2010
Engineering - physics, mac
First of all, let me say that this is a great game. It's loads of fun for the whole family to play, and it runs smoothly on even my older Mac G4.
That said. My whole family was stumped about what to do when plugging cords into machines in the game. If you've run out of plugs, the other end of the cord just floats there, and you cannot continue the game! Nowhere in the manual does it mention that you can give up on a cord by pressing the 'ESC' key. I suppose that's a good key to choose, and it makes sense, but they simply forgot to mention it in the manual, and we wasted a whole day trying to play the game and getting stuck over and over. Crazy Machines: The Wacky Contraptions Game
I am 8 years old and I got Crazy Machines for my Birthday. This is the best game in the world but if you don't like complicated things you won't this game. The four main things are fire, rope, electronics,and the next one I will let you discover. You can either build your own machine or you can figure out problems that may seem hard but after you've done them awhile they are easy. Some of the things that you can build with are boards, balls, robots, cannons, goo, blimps, cords, gravity controlers, scissors, tubes, and plants. Buy this game and have tons of fun!
This is an awesome, good, clean game that will provide hours and hours of entertainment. Remember Rube Goldberg? You can build Rube Goldberg-esque machines and put them into motion. You can also "solve" puzzles by figuring out what things to put where to make your crazy machine do something - like lighting a candle or launching a rocket.
Our kids also like to work together and also with their friends - not always something we see when they play on the computer - so it's great for families and friends to play all together. I like the way the people who made this smuggled the physics in there with the fun. How nice to see intelligence combined with real fun.
(We got this for our kids but we are having fun with it too.)
I have a fairly new Intel iMac and an older G4 Powerbook, and I was looking for games for my mechanically-inclined 5 year old son that would run on Macs. The game does run on both the Intel and G4 Mac, but crashes frequently - one learns to save "inventions" constantly to avoid losing a masterpiece. Also, the sound frequently stops and can't be restored unless you exit and restart the program. And, if that weren't enough, it becomes unbearably slow when you have more than 20 - 30 elements in your "inventions." I also have Parallels for the iMac which allows me to run Windows programs. The PC version would install but refused to run at all in Parallels. Needless to say, it's a very frustrating program, at least for Mac users. From these reviews it appears that some even some "real" PC/Windows users have similar problems. Apart from the Mac problems, the other weakness of the program is that there is very little help available and the (tiny) printed and electronic manuals are not particularly helpful, and there isn't much in the way of "getting started" or "hints." On the other hand, this is supposed to be a "figure it out yourself" type of game, so that's not a major problem.
Having said all that, the game itself is a blast, and my son loves building contraptions with building blocks of electricity (batteries, motors, generators, switches, etc.), fire, light, steam, bouncing balls, explosives, etc. (Think "Rube Goldberg" if that term means anything to you.) I see some resemblance to "real" contraptions I built (with considerably more risk...) as a youngster. The games are challenging, perhaps too challenging, even for adults. And it's technically accurate - for example, in a daisy-chain of light-bulbs and solar panels, each successive light in the chain will be dimmer than the previous one due to losses in transmission. For those to whom it matters, the First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics are not violated. (Suggestion to the authors: create a sequel program that allows one to build moving vehicles and obstacle courses based on these building blocks.)
Kids and adults love solving the puzzles. It is a great intro to basic physics (w/o your kids realizing it!) There are problems to solve and you have to place tools (pulleys, balls, dominoes, candles, etc.) in the right place in order for the goal to be accomplished. Our 5 year old needs help; our 8 year old plays alone. Our friends' teenagers enjoy it also.
This is an incredible piece of software. I don't know whether to label this entertainment or educational software. We gave it to our 10 year old at Christmas and he literally played it non-stop for days on end. It was so much fun, everyone in the family took a turn. I was impressed by how much our 10 year old learned by creating the fantastic machines with the software. The software starts the user out very slow, teaching the basics of gravity powered "devices", steam powered, electrically powered, etc. and then requires the user to create a machine (actually a "chain reaction of machines") to complete specific tasks. The tasks become increasingly harder and complex. You don't have to stay within the structured program, however, since the software allows you to freelance and create machines of your own just for fun. This is a well written software program and is tremendous value for the money. The software installed quickly and ran smoothly on our moderately equipped Dell desktop running Windows XP Home Edition.
First, as a present, this is a great gift! Whatever computer your recipiant has, this will run on it, so no worries there. Next, it is positive and fun for any age, or even a whole family to play. I would have loved to play something like this with my dad when I was little, or even with my friends, or by myself. Soon, I am even going to put this on my laptop so I can play during free time on the go or at work, or with my students at lunch as I am a teacher. I am almost sure whoever you buy it for will like it as a gift once they get into it and they will thank you for it! ... Take care, and good luck shopping.
p.s. great game, great gift - Kids - Mac - Physics - Puzzles'
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Stability Ball
I got this ball to use as a chair to bounce my baby while I am holding him and at the computer desk. I think it is excellent and has helped with better posture without any thought. I also end up doing some excerises on it, just because it is there. It does not have the ultra shiny surface as is noted in the picture. Also, it is a pretty standard size I believe and is not too tall for me. I can sit comfortably, with my knees at 90 degrees and I am 5'4". As for the reviewers that are not impressed with the pump: well, I don't care. I don't plan on deflating and inflating this thing again and again. TKO Anti Burst Fitness Stability Ball (65cm)
The ball makes a fantastic "active" office/computer chair, at an extremely affordable price. I'm on it 6-8 hrs/day, and my back and legs feel better than with any other office chair I've used. I'm never going back!
I purchased this 65mm TKO ball after seeing Spri balls promoted on tv as a good alternative for an office chair. I wasn't sure how much I'd like it, but wanted to make working at my desk more physical and for $15 it wasn't much of an investment - far cheaper than my leather chair. I've been sitting on the ball between four and six hours per day for two weeks now and it's holding up well. There hasn't been any leakage in that time and the ball is very stable to sit on. Even on a glossy tile floor, there's no fear of it rolling out from under me.
Sitting at a desk for long hours, my tailbone often gets sore, even with those u-shaped pillows, which isn't the case when sitting on the ball, nor is lower back pain an issue. I've found that sitting on the ball seems to promote proper posture or rather it discourages anything but. You can't sit on it lazily. Crouching will lead to upper back discomfort and possible neck soreness rather quickly. But, I guess that's why it's better for you, to make you use more muscles and make sitting more active. It might be best to ease into it, rather than going nearly cold turkey like I've been.
Regarding the complaints that a few others have had with the ball being smaller than advertised or lopsided, I believe that's a result of a failure to fully inflate the ball. The ball is made of very tough, but flexible material that I imagine would be a pain to fully inflate with the small hand-pump that's included. Even with an electric pump that we bought to inflate our portable matress, it took a good ten to 15 minutes to inflate to the 25" diameter recommended by the manufacture. The ball may appear fully inflated at only 21" diameter, but there will still be a few creases giving away that it's not. And, because you're not just filling the cavity with air, but also having to expand the strong rubber shell, that last 4" seemed to take as much time to inflate as the first 21", though I spent more time at the end measuring to ensure the ball didn't over-inflate, so the time could be deceptive. Once fully inflated, the ball doesn't appear remotely unbalanced or asymmetrical, nor was mine smaller than advertised.
If I can ever get conditioned to sitting up straight for long periods, this should prove a great investment. Regardless, for a ball this large and durable, $15 is a great value. compared to many others.
Update:
After months of use, I haven't needed to add more air, even once. I've used this ball as a chair, as an excercise component, and my neice and nephew have enjoyed putting it through a more vigorous testing of bouncing on it more abusively and it's still holding air extremely well. The upper back soreness I previously mentioned had less to do with posture and more to due with a 9000 mile motorcycle trip I took the year before. I've had minor upper-back problems, generated from my years in gymnastics and many more carrying heavy loads in construction. It seems it was past time for an alignment.
There's nothing wrong with this fitness ball except that it's NOT 65cm. It's 55cm. They should take out their tape measure. So, it's fine for smaller frames, but if you're looking for something larger, it's not your product. Of course, now I don't trust the advertising. I mean, this thing even says "65" on the ball and it's just wrong.
I purchased this ball for exercise. I'm a fairly large woman and was a little worried that it wouldn't support me. This worry was unfounded. It works wonderfully and I was surprised at the ease of the exercise and the type of workout it provided. Surprisingly, I really feel like it is a good workout. It's also fun to use along with music. I was disappointed in the pump which is the only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. I actually used an electric pump with mine so it wasn't an issue. If you are not very good at exercising, and not sure where to start, this is a great tool to get you started. I'm happy to say it's working for me. The ball also looked very much like the one pictured.
The ball seems like a very nice, high quality fitness ball, but TKO has an inventory problem -- as others have mentioned.
I ordered a 65cm ball. The box it came in says 65cm, the ball has a sticker on it that says 65cm, but I measured it after inflating and it's definitely NOT a 65cm ball: it's a 55cm ball, which is one size down. I've re-measured it several times to confirm, and will be returning the product since it's too small for me.
I'll find another vendor to order my 65cm ball from, since I can't trust TKO to send me the correct size next time, either. Definitely a disappointment.
The warmup chart that comes with the TKO Anti Burst Fitness Ball Set 65cm is wonderful. The chart provides numerous positions with a full range of motion for all the muscles and joints of the body. You feel comfortable with yourself--no exhaustion, no aches, no pinched nerves, no stiffness. This is a marvelous activity for any age or health level because the activities are low impact with individualized pacing. I've purchased one for myself and one for a friend who has osteoporosis. The quality of the ball is excellent, and the little pump that comes in the package is easy to use.'
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Kindle - kindle devices, drm
I was looking for a medal of Blessed Mary and stumbled upon this beautiful charm, I purchased it for my mother, when it arrived the next day, I couldn't believe how beautiful it really was, the portrait is almost real like, it is absolutely beautiful, Mom loved it! Beautiful 24k Gold Layered GL Spiritual Mary Portrait Round Laser Charm Necklace - 18" chain Lifetime Warranty! - E-reader - Drm - Ebook - Kindle Devices'
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Hanging Folders - file folders, hanging folders
And that, my well respected amazon reviewers, is a very good thing. No mishaps on this order. Size, colors, and ability to hang just as described. Sometimes the tried and true is all I want and that is what I got. As to the thinness of the folders themselves, perhaps these are slightly thinner than a previous batch I used, it is almost a non issue but since I compared both, side to side, must admit the ones before where just a bit thicker. Does that matter to the big scheme of things? In this case, no. 4 Stars for Smead Hanging File Folders, Letter Size, 1/5 Cut Tab, Assorted Colors, 25 Per Box (64059). Smead Hanging File Folders, Letter Size, 1/5 Cut Tab, Assorted Colors, 25 Per Box (64059)
Didn't get the colors I had expected on these. The picture and description lead me to believe that the "bright" more vibrant variety of the folders would be delivered - the lime green, bright pink, etc. Not so. The ones I received were the plain red, green, blue, yellow, and orange. It may seem picky, but when you base your filing on a specific set of colors, it's diappointing none the less.
Still good quality folders, just not what I had expected.
I needed more folders and bought these on amazon because of the low price and free shipping. I probably would not have chosen colored folders, but whatever. High quality folders WITH inserting tabs (not all options come with the tabs so be careful). Very happy. - File Folders - Office Supplies - Hanging Folders'
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2 0 Ab High Speed Certified Device Cable - printer cable, usb cables
If you have a computer, which you must have to be reading this review you might want to attach other things to it. Here are some things you can use this cable to attach to your computer AND transfer information:
A printer (what I use it for, AND it's been working very well and has a good length so I can move my printer around and set it up in different configurations)
A camera (digital)
A hard drive (portable)
A palm pilot
And so many other things!
Now here are some other things you could "attach" to your computer with this cable, but they wouldn't transfer any information and would only be for the sake of attaching them:
An apple
A head of lettuce
An Orange
A ball of mud
Nightsoil
and pretty much anything soft that you can push the smaller end into.
So, in conclusion you can have a cheap and reliable device that can hook into the computer you clearly have and use it to transfer information!
Sam StarTech 6-Feet USB 2.0 Certified A to B Cable - M/M (USB2HAB6)
It looks like a good deal to me that came with the printer at Amazon...I am not very knowledgeable about tech products, but I do remember that some printer cables looked quite expensive when I was looking around...it came very fast, works well, no problem.
Well I suppose thats why Circuit City has gone bankrupt! This cord fit my needs perfectly (for my printer) and literally cost 1/10th of the price. Dont ever buy a cord from an electronics store. You will be ripped off. Online is the only way!
I've had this cable for 3 years now, and it has never failed me. It was extremely inexpensive, shipped quickly, and I've never had a single issue with it (and I've used it very consistently over the last three years). It feels well-made, it wraps easily, it's just the right length, and it has always worked despite being plugged and unplugged, packed up, moved around, etc over the course of my college career.
This product gets the job done. Haven't had it for long, but I use it to connect to my Canon printer (which inexplicably comes without the cable) and I have had no issues so far. The best thing about the cable is the price. Don't pay ridiculous prices at a big box retailer when these cables are so cheap on Amazon. - Usb Cable - Printer Cable - Usb Cables - Usb'
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2 0 Ab High Speed Certified Device Cable - printer cable, usb cables usb cable 2 0 Ab High Speed Certified Device Cable - printer cable, usb cables
Side-cutting Pliers - side-cutting pliers, pliers
I have to start off by saying that these dykes took a while to break in. Luckily I remember a Klein Rep once say that sometimes due to manufacturing some cutters (individual basis only) can take longer to break in. I had to use these many times like I would my linemans to bang something just to get them to break in. Now that they have, like most of my klein tools, I have zero complaints. Product works great. Klein J2000-48 8-Inch Journeyman Diagonal Cutting Pliers, Blue and Black - Pliers - Klein Tools - Wire Cutters - Side-cutting Pliers'
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Fireplace Gloves - leather gloves, dutch oven
When we bought our new woodstove, I wanted some elbow length (for me, a woman) leather gloves to protect my hands and arms when I carried wood in, and again, when I added wood to the hot woodstove. No more burned forearms when I accidentally brush against the door frame of the stove!
I know they're supposed to be gloves for welders, but I can highly recommend them for any chore where you need complete protection of your hands & arms. US Forge 403 18-Inch Extra Length Welding Gloves
Picked up these gloves for my welding projects. They work great, very durable, and supple - easy to handle tools and smaller items.
The extra length is handy for keeping sparks and slag off the forearms.
The item arrived on time.
I would definately recommend these gloves and would purchase other items from U.S. Forge.
I bought these welding gloves, primarily based on everyone's glowing reviews of using them with a woodstove. I heat my home with my woodstove, I start it in November usually, and never have to start a new fire again until we're finished burning in late March usually. These gloves were purchased to replace a set of fireproof gloves which wore out in the fingers after about a burning season of use. The one thing I didn't like about the fireproof gloves was that they only came up to my mid-forearm. This meant that when I was loading my woodstove (insert), I frequently burn the top of my arm on the hot steel above. I was quite happy to read that these were longer.
The gloves smell of leather, they have a really nice feel on your bare hands. However, they can't handle the continuous heat of a woodstove. Maybe for a quick brush with a hot log, but I certainly wouldn't want to have to pick up a log that fell onto the hearth with these gloves. A task that I did once without any burns with my fireproof gloves. One of my firebricks fell down, along with a steel elbow that holds it in place. I had to let the stove burn out in order to replace the brick and plate because the gloves couldn't shield my hands from the heat. And they begin smoking after a short period of time being exposed to the internal stove heat. I'm sure that this is the oils in the leather burning off.
Overall, I'm happy with the quality gloves, I can't ding any stars for the heat resistance as they do what they're supposed to for welding I'm sure. Just buyer beware of intended use, and you might want to stick to real fire gloves if that is your primary intention.
I use these for grilling, and they're awesome. No burns, no singed knuckles, and they're thick enough to hold extremely hot stuff without getting burned. These gloves end a few inches shy of my elbows, so they're perfect.
Like some others, I bought these gloves for loading and adjusting a wood stove that gets extremely hot. These gloves are outstanding and offered at a great price. I'm 6'1" and the gloves come all the way up to my elbow. The actual glove part (hand) is apparently one size fits all, but I would say they are larger than an average extra large glove. The glove is insulated and the gauntlet part of the glove is lined. Extremely well made.
Bought a pair of these for my parents to use with their wood burning stove. They are perfect for this application having the extra length. After giving them as a Christmas present I have decided to buy another pair for myself too. Excellent quality leather and stitching. I was a little nervous about not being able to try them on before buying them but I'm completely satisfied and I'd definitely recommend this product. - Gloves - Personal Safety - Leather Gloves - Dutch Oven'
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Fireplace Gloves - leather gloves, dutch oven gloves Fireplace Gloves - leather gloves, dutch oven
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