Wednesday, 29 June 2011
Sony
I was able to get this model a little early, and was excited to try it out in - what better city to test a camera? - Paris. The last Sony snapshot camera I used was on a trip in 2007, and I was so dissatisfied with that camera that I sold it immediately after returning home. I was eager to see if Sony had improved their entry level cameras, especially the picture quality. I shall post some pictures to offer examples up in the product details, but these will be reduced in size for posting.
Photo quality: My initial day out indicated that they have made dramatic improvements in both quality and speed. Photos in daylight were crisp and clear in just about every shot, and any that weren't were only because I was shooting poorly on purpose to test the photos. I was also quite happy with the quality of shots in low light and indoors, which is where I noticed the most improvement over past Sony low-end offerings. There was some blurring in darker situations, of course, but for the most part the software was able to produce images that are well balanced and low grain. The 14 megapixel feature is great - there are many photos I've been able to crop and retain quality, and photos of, say, a stone sarcophagus can be zoomed in upon when viewing images later to see very good detail.
I must also mention that the camera is very good at balancing photos. It almost always produces a picture with an appropriate contrast, and only in the worst cases did the image wash out in an area. For example, a shot of Joan of Arc (the statue, not the person) in Notre Dame came out very well even with a stained glass window in the background. The stained glass was bright but distinguishable, and the detail of the stone statue was clear and well balanced. Only in extreme cases - such as a shot of a black sculpture in the Louvre with a window behind it with blaring sunlight - did the camera fail to balance the image, but these are the kind of bad photography shots one would never expect a camera to take well.
Types of Photos: Like most all snapshot photos, this camera will perform best shooting still subjects with plenty of light. Moving objects didn't tend to blur, a problem I'd had with other cheap snapshot cameras, but the response time can make getting these shots difficult. Trying to capture a motorcycle passing an old church, my 7-10 attempts were mostly good photos, but getting the moving bike in the exact spot I wanted was nearly impossible.
Features: Overall, this camera lacks in features, although for most uses I found it sufficient, and at the price I didn't expect a lot of extras. The 4x zoom is relatively fast and easy to use, and about right for this type of camera. I was surprised there was no optical zoom given the high megapixels, but I can live with cropping on the computer. The panorama mode is nifty but not that useful - it works quite well in creating a long image, which of course will cause distortion in most cases. To use this feature, you set the mode and clich the shutter. The camera will prompt you to move it from left to right, and then it will generate the image (which is always impossible to see on the display owing to its shape.) Here I would have liked some add'l features - there is just 'one size' for panorama shots - you must sweep all the way across or the image will fail. This creates many shots that will need to be messed with on the computer later, which is okay but annoying. I was also disappointed panorama doesn't work in an up and down orientation - you always have to sweep the camera in the same manner. You can, of course, hold it sideways to create a vertical panorama, but I really wanted some vertical shots tqking advantage of a larger width. Still, panoramas of the Tour Eiffel allowed me to create some fun, unique shots of the full height of the structure. There are not many other features - just some rudimentary quality settings, face detection, etc. Some might want to move up to a camera with more features, but I actually appreciated this in a point and shoot camera.
Battery life: Here the camera could use some help. Perhaps I'm spoiled by my Apple products, but digital cameras have more or less remained stuck in 2002 concerning batteries. It's annoying to have a separate charger, and battery life isn't great. Three hours of shooting...granted, constant shooting...at St Denis drained it. Given how light and small it is, I'd fully support doubling the battery size to get twice the life. I'd also love for camera makers to start to move toward USB charging options.
I'd also love it if cameras would start incorporating some onboard space. It feels like the dark ages to have to buy a card. 2 - 4 gig of onboard memory with a card slot for expansion would be nice.
Overall, a great, small, fun camera that's easy to grab and go. I wish Sony would re-imagine some of the ways digital cameras work, perhaps taking some cues from iPods, especially regarding batteries, but for the price this nifty unit is great.
Pros: Excellent pics for camera in this price range, good color balance, good in darker spaces, a few fun features
Cons: Battery life could be better, charging options, not many features or in-camera editing options Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W530 14.1 MP Digital Still Camera with Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 4x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom Lens and 2.7-inch LCD (Pink)
My family and I were going on a cruise in a limo for my grandparents' 50th anniversery. It was my first time in a limo let alone on a cruise and I was very excited! My sister had a digital camera and of course, I wanted one too. Not only for the vacation, but for other special memories too. So I was looking online and there it was! I knew it was the perfect one for me! It was PINK, it was a high yet affordable price, and it could hold many pictures without having to upload them. I came back and I had so much fun! My camera was loaded with pictures! I am never going to forget that cruise! This camera is very fast and extremely thin. I don't even know if it is in my hand half the time! I would recommend this to not only a friend but every friend and stranger I see. So get this camera and see for yourself how great it really is!'
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Reconditioned Tools - combo packs, air compressor
I purchased this reconditioned unit for a home workshop because it seemed like a good deal and was supposed to have been returned to new like condition by the manufacturer.
I recieved the compressor with three guns, brad, finish, and stapler.The brad and finish nailer fired once and jammed. (yes I used the correct nails and brads for each gun). The problem was that the internal driver pin that drives the nail or brad froze and could not be unjammed to allow more that one nailing at a time.
I contact Bostich and was refferred to a local tool repair company who refused to service the guns. I ended up sending the whole thing back to Amazon for a refund.
The only good thing about the purchase was that Amazon was prompt in giving the refund and din't charge return shipping.
The Bostich seemed like a good deal but was nothing but a hassle and I'm still looking for a good brad and finish nailer combo kit for my Home workshop. Factory-Reconditioned Bostitch U/CPACK300 3-Tool and Compressor Combo Kit
Overall, this is a nice product for the money.
It has some scraches but is almost new.
Compressor holds about 140 psi (advertised as 150 psi ) and works well with three guns provided.
Cons:
Shipping package was very poor.
No foam cushions for compressor and guns.
No accessories are provided (no oils and no sample nails)
I received the package today and it was damaged beyond repair which was evident as soon as I opened the box. The plastic handle was broken, the case on the compressor was broken, and there was absolutely no packing around the compressor or any of the tools to keep them from being broken. I have Grandkids who could have done a better job of packing. Now I have to wait to have it picked up and hope the replacement is OK. Its not the shippers fault as the packing was not done right.
Update- I received a replacement yesterday and it worked perfectly. The item is a really good buy, I just can't understand why it's not packaged so it won't be damaged in shipment. The nail guns had 1,000 fasteners with each of them, and they all worked fine as did the compressor itself. This is a good buy if you are willing to take a chance on getting it shipped without damage. Otherwise, spend a little extra and buy direct from the factory or local retailer. I already have a couple of projects planned where I'll really put it to the test.
Upon receiving my compressor I was relieved to see that it was well packed and the box was in great condition. When I went to try it out for the first time, I flipped the switch and was surprised that it did not turn on. I then looked at the pressure gauge and realized it was shipped it to me fully pressurized at 140 PSI. When I drained the pressure out of the tank about 1/3 of a cup of rusty water came out along with the air. I then pressurized the tank again and adjusted the pressure regulator valve to allow air to flow and noticed there was a hissing leak around the pressure regulator gauge. To fix this I had to remove the plastic cover, remove the gauge, put Teflon tape around the threads (there was none), then put everything back together. I fired it up one more time, adjusted the regulator gauge, and plugged in the supplied hose. Once again I hear a hissing sound! This time it was coming from the hose. There was a small puncture hole in the center of the hose. I threw away the supplied hose replaced it with one I had laying around and now FINALLY I have a functioning air compressor.
I was a little surprised when I opened the package; the tank was obviously used- it has paint overspray on the tank and the feet were dragged across concrete numerous times. On the plus side I received a brand new bag, a brand new hose, three brand new guns and a box of nails/staples for each gun. The compressor and guns work excellent and like new; a good product at a substantial discount over new. Very happy with this reconditioned product..
Packaging is not a strong point. Tool bag had a hole in it from rubbing against other contents in transit. Amazon has graciously offered me an acceptable adjustment for this defect. All other items were intact; oil and nails were included; appearance was very nice. Then I tried to start the compressor. NO GO.
Called the 800 number in the instructions, spoke with a very nice lady who gave me the location of their nearest repair facility, unfortunately thirty miles away. I called there, spoke with two very friendly people, and will be taking it there tomorrow. (2-2-10) I was told it should be a simple repair. If this is true, I will be very happy with this purchase and may change this review. I really don't want to return everything. Testing at the factory and packaging should be improved but value seems outstanding.
Update 2/15/10
Dropped off as planned on Feb 2. Was told it should be ready Feb 5 and I would be contacted. No call. Waited until 1:00 PM Feb 12 to call them; was passed around to three people, put on hold twice, and finally told it hadn't been looked at yet, but since I had called, it would be "moved to the front".
At about 2:00 PM I was left a message that it was ready to be picked up. Amazing that it took almost two weeks to do a five minute repair that would not have been necessary if they had started it at the factory; a repair that cost me four hours and 130 miles ($70.00+ at IRS rates)
Pros - Good price - adequate product - good Bostitch customer service
Cons - Bad quality control - Bad packaging - Pathetic repair center - purchase savings wasted on repairs
Extremely poor repair service has caused this low rating. The product seems fine if you live near a reliable repair center.
Add me to the list of people questioning the packaging procedures.
It arrived on my door stop and the box looked to be in good condition. there was a tear in the corrugated opening of the box were you would pick it up, but no obvious signs of distress. I had read about shipping damage, so I immediately opened and inspected the goods. the items were just placed in the box, loose. The tank Looked good. No scratches or dents as I pulled it out. One of the small screws on the handle had been torqued down too hard and had cracked the plastic housing on the handle. Maybe this is why it is reconditioned? The bag was next to the tank and it had the guns in it. they appear to be in excellent shape. and there were staples in the bag for each gun. Paper work for the tank and the guns were also included. No oil was included. Not a big deal since there were no instructions on what to do with it!
With everything out of the box, I checked the box once more for leftovers. that's when I saw the plastic handle and the 5" bolt. I traced the bolt to the plastic housing. Again, it looks to be stripped out when it was put together. The handle was what was left of the drain cock on the bottom of the tank. It had snapped off in shipping. Dang it! What a hassle for such stupid stuff. I can open it with pliers. maybe I can purchase a replacement handle. I want to use this thing, not waste a few weeks returning it and hoping for better luck.
The tank and the guns work well. I tested each to make sure before I decide what to do about the damage. The hose is pretty cheap, but it works. I ordered the Good Year replacement hose with the tank, but it hasn't arrived yet. For an additional [...], it's a deal. I got a solid 150 psi in the tank when I turned it on and the guns work great. Despite my shipping issues, I still feel this is a great deal.
About the shipping time, it was excellent. I ordered Sunday evening and was notified that it was shipped Tuesday evening and it was on my doorstep Wednesday morning. This was with the free shipping! Excellent service, though they did not ship the hose yet. I'm happy they split shipped to to get it here faster.
Just be aware that there is a chance for shipping damage. The items are just placed loose in a box. I know and appreciate that Amazon wants to reduce excess packaging, but a piece of styrofoam on the bottom of the box would have saved a lot more natural resources when you take into consideration of freight costs on the return and a new shipment. Green is great, but common sense is king! - Air Compressor - Nail Gun - Air Compressors - Combo Packs'
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Iphone 4g Cover - iphone 4, hard case
The reality of this case is:
+ it's hard so offers better protection for fragile iPhone
+ has a good solid feel once installed on iPhone
+ it has nice concept of replicating back of iPhone
- it's hard so it's a pain to put on / take off
- opening for camera and flash too small which reflects light back into lens causing washed out photos
- semi-transparent plastic sides make iPhone look less elegant once installed
Bottom line...I bought it..wanted to like it...but ended up not using it. Black Replicase Hard Crystal Air Jacket Case for AT&T iPhone 4 4G 16GB 32GB GSM
The case I received fits the phone so tightly that just slipping it on created white stress marks in the cheap plastic. The photos show one opening for the ringer/vibrate switch and the volume buttons, but mine had three separate holes so small as to be unuseable. That makes this case useless on my new iPhone 4 and will be returned. Save yourself the aggravation. The iPhone is an engineering marvel and a work of art--don't spoil it with this junky case. I replaced it with one that seems to be perfect: CaseCrown Metalic Slider Slim Case and gave it five stars.
First of all it not only helps protecting your phone but also does not spoil the beauty of the iPhone. Many in the market just make the phone look awkward. Back panel look very much like iPhone. Installation is pretty easy..just snaps with gentle press. Fits very well with the phone and you won't notice with one quick glance.
Good product, highly recommended.
The only drawback I've encountered is that it didn't protect the screen.
The border should be a little bit more high.
But besides that, the case is great, the volume and power holes are very good located and the appearance is very elegant.
I love this case, it exactly looks like original iPhone,I don't know about the drop protection.
But I love the looks and finish of the product. --(my updated review after 2 months) I was happy about this case, but I've to change my review on this case now. Because the look last only for a month, and quality is cheap, it's surface is scratched all over, and it broke in the corners and back side. I won't recommend this case. It lasted only 2months.
I generally dont like using a case for my phones but having close to dropping the phone a few times I decided to check for cases in stores and online. I am just amazed by how cool the case looks and it was an unbelievable deal and price from digiAids so buying it was a no brainer. Got this in the mail today and its fits well and looks better than I had thought. I am sure going to recommend this seller and the product to my friends. If you are looking for a hard case for your iPhone4 which will protect as well as wont make your phone look bulky this is it!
This case is very cheap. Once I placed the case on my phone I was not happy with the way it looked and felt. It is completely plastic and I had to almost break it to get it off. This cases is not worth your money. Spend a little more and get something more deserving to be placed on your Iphone.
P.S. Every other good review seems to be from the ones selling the case.
It was really cheap which was what drew me to it. When I first put it on it looked great. After the first day the back was already really scratched up. It scratches SUPER easily. The sides are clear and when they get damaged (even just a little) it turns this awful white color. Also, the case is incredibly slippery. The only reason the rating is so high is because of its price. - Good Value - Case - Hard Case - Iphone 4'
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3d Glasses - 3d movie glasses, anaglyph
I got the pair of glasses for myself to use on Mine craft since It supports 3D for it's own game.
Tried it out they took awhile to work at first since I never look at things in 3D besides 3D Movies today and I don't wear glasses.
So,My eye adjusted to the glasses to the point that I see the realist 3D for the game.
My eyes aren't hurting at all like most people say they do and then there it is 3D.
It's makes me feel like am in the game it's self.
For 5 Dollars that's really cheap for me and for what it's worth the glasses don't seem to be getting dirty at all with the dust in my room!
Over all I enjoy having buyed these cheap 3D glasses for red and blue 3D though for now 3D isn't everywhere just yet and 3D on Game consoles will be somewhat great to see in 3D! Red-blue / Cyan Anaglyph Simple style 3D Glasses 3D movie game
This item is very good for anaglyph 3D viewing and the glasses are durable. I have bought it for watching youtube 3d videos and video games for Playstation3. The product has very little of the "ghosting" effect common with red/blue glasses. Overall, I highly recommend this product.
I would recommend these to anyone who like watching 3D movie that don't need a prescription glasses (wear glasses on a regular bases). For those who where glasses, I recommend finding one of the flip-downs or clip-on 3d glasses.
I bought this to use on YouTube-3D and just like other reviewer's posted, it just does not work!
The colors are definitely off, ghosting effect is too obvious, etc. you can, but only barely, see the 3D effect!
(and that is regardless of color settings or monitor used, i tried many variations)
If you think that you can buy these glasses and watch 3D like the movies or even any 3D-TV then just don't. :)
IMO this is just a toy and not well made for that either.
~ my 2 cents.
The glasses are fine! I decided that the Nividia 3D option was far too expensive to implement (i.e new monitor, card and the glasses kit). So instead I bought these glasses, downloaded the drivers from IZ3d (the anaglyph is free!). I have been playing several games and there are some mild 3d effects and other times there are some truly 3d moments. I played Crysis and with some manual adjustments like increasing color saturation, brightness, gamma, and using their game profiles, it has added a dimensional thrill to all my games. In fact I can't go back to playing it without it. It's not perfect and games like the Half-Life series and Resident Evil 5 simply don't work very well. You'll also have to scale back some settings like anti-aliasing because the anaglyph processing definitely demands more out of your card. If you can find a good balance, can deal with hitting the focus shortcut key when it gets out of alignment, can deal with the limitations of anaglyph 3d, you can have a decent 3d experience. It is a pain to set up and experiment with initially but Dead Space 2 is certainly enhanced and floating out in space to align the arrays was a visual treat! Give it a try if you have at least a 5770 series or above ATI card and don't want to fork out a fortune for the Nvidia setup (although I might buy it one day). For now, it's been a cheap thrill!
Im not sure whether this technology just used to seem spectacular when i was a kid or if the colors are a bit off. slightly contrary to other negative reviews, I've found that the red color filter is not exactly on with any red/blue 3d images or videos on the internet; I tested them on 2 different monitors. This means that all images are eye straining and unclear, with video games, these would be useless. pretty sad for me :( ... But maybe i just wasnt prepared for the low quality of going 3d in such an easy/cheap way. and i get the feeling that all red/blue(cyan) 3d stuff (images, movies, games) have this "ghosting" effect to some degree, if so, they're ...ehem... BS
I picked these up because they weren't too expensive and I wanted to play around with some 3d youtube and test 3d vision. The red seems fine but the cyan is completly off and allows you to see both red and blue sides which caused me eye strain almost right away. As far as the quality, they seem pretty strong and sturdy, but that doesn't count for much if you cant use them.I got these because I was curious and they reviewed higher than the others, but They are almost unusable for me. - 3d Movie Glasses - Anaglyph - Red Cyan Glasses'
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Mens Watch - mens watch, tag watch
I have received my Tag Heuer watch within 4 days of ordering, although upon receipt I realised this reseller is not an official TAG Heuer partner which means they cannot issue me with an international warranty card, so that when I am in Europe or elsewhere in the world I will not be able to have my watch serviced.
Other than that I have had no problems at all with this reseller. TAG Heuer Men's WJF211A.BA0570 Link Automatic Watch
Amazon offers an excellent deal on this watch (compared to over 2k at local jewelry stores) and the quality of the watch is stunning. The sapphire crystal casts a dark blue glow over the face in direct sunlight so sometimes the dial looks dark blue and sometimes it looks black. The mini subdial is very stylish and I've gotten many compliments from people who have noticed it. It's a fitting watch for any occasion including everyday work as well as formal events or parties.
I bought this watch for my husband for Christmas and while I recognize that there may be teething issues out the box, he continuously has to wind this watch for continued operation. It would sometimes stop while he is wearing it which suggests that he his left hand has to be continuously active for the watch to continuously work. The longest the watch has operated without stopping is 2 days (taking it off at night). This should not be normal for a watch of this class. I am on the verge of returning it. Are we missing something here
Worn for 1 month now and I think it's great. It's just as pictured in every way. The band adjustment seemed unusual to many jewelers but the watch repair at Sears knew just how to do it. There's also a fine adjustment which is nice with a metal link band. Accuracy is a little fast which is normal until broken in.
I own this watch. Bought it less than two years ago at Bailey, Banks and Biddle before they closed. It can't keep time accurately. Originally it ran too fast. I sent it to Tag and it returned running slow. It now loses a minute per week and I have to keep resetting the time on a weekly basis. Today I received a call from Tag and she said that is their acceptable standard and I'm just going to have to live with it. For a watch with a retail value of $2500 that's not acceptable to me. I own other watches that keep time accurately. Some more expensive, some cheaper and I don't have this problem with any of them. This was my first Tag and it will be my last. Spend your money on something else.
I recently purchased this watch from [...] through amazon. I received it and it arrived as expected. I could not wait to get it sized and start wearing it. I have know worn the watch 5 days in a row and will set it in the morning and by the middle of the afternoon the watch is already running 20-30 minutes fast. Not hardly the type of time keeping that you would expect from such an expensive watch.
Really nice watch. Too bad service From Tag is horrible! I sent mine in for general maintenance and it came back not working. I was told they received it that way. They did not bother calling me to let me know and refuse to fix it. Truly unhappy. Guess i should have bought a Rolex.
I got the watch about 45 days ago and i like it. I wish the watch had a bigger face but it looks good. The second counter is cool. overall it s a great watch. Have worn it in the pool and in the ocean with no problems. The watch also looks good when wearing a suit at work. I would recomend this to anyone. - Mens Watch - Watches - Tag Watch'
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Ipod Speakers - ipod alarm clock, ipod speakers
I purchased this alarm clock for my 14 year old. We have tried numerous other alarm clocks for her, even the ones with the bells on top that clang. She has slept through them all, sometimes even when they go off for 30 minutes near her head. This year she started high school and has to get up much earlier. The iLuv has woken her up much more quickly than any other alarm clock! I no longer have to get up and drag her out of bed. I would recommend this for sound sleepers! iLuv iMM153BLU Dual Alarm Clock with Bed Shaker for your iPod - Blue
Here is the rundown:
Pros:
+Docked flawlessly with my iPod nano 5g.
+All buttons worked.
+Ability to have auxiliary input.
+Wake up bed shaker is a nice touch. (and it has a very long cord)
+Alarm is a beep that gets louder over time (and can be used in concordance with the bed shaker)
+Can customize both alarms to incorporate different alarm types (ie. Shaker and beep, shaker and playlist, etc)
Cons:
-Sound was absolutely unbearable with any bass (even with ipod EQ settings set to bass reducer)
-Wake up bed shaker is not as strong as I hoped it to be.
-Product "feels" cheap (thin plastic, cheap buttons).
-Time setting is clumsy and difficult, why not just have it sync to the atomic clock (my $15 walmart clock did that)
-There are two bass "holes" in the back that appear to do nothing (I don't hear anything coming from them)
-Many comparable docks have remotes included. This does not.
-The screen does not look like it does in the image. It has a bright blue backlight.
Bottom Line:
This is great if you want an alarm clock with multiple alarm features that will also charge your iPod. You should not get this if you want to listen to music on it.
Why I gave it 2 stars:
I got this so I could listen to my iPod while I go to sleep. The sound quality is so unbearable that I stopped using it. It still has nice alarm features, but is overpriced for what I wanted.
A great concept let down by a few design flaws.
My intent for buying a new alarm clock was two-fold:
1) To enable me to set an alarm which would wake me, without disturbing others
2) To have a way to dim the clock so it would not disturb my sleep with too much light in the room.
Having this connect to an iPod Nano was a bonus.
The first thing that impressed me from the specs on this alarm clock was the bed shaker. Now, take note, this says Bed Shaker - and it truly is. Anyone sleeping on the same matress will feel their skull vibrating almost as much as yours, even when you place the vibrating disc under your pillow. 9/10 points for effort - 4/10 points for implementation
The second thing that persuaded me to this model was that it appeared, from reading through the reviews that the brightness on the clock was settable from 0 (no backlight) to 9 (bright enough to read a book by). This seemed great as this would allow me to have the backlight off for sleeping and adjust it if/when I needed to read the clock... However, the implementation of this is a fatal flaw for me with this product. Let me explain in detail:
a) The brightness change requires you to set a new overall brightness level; so if you are at 0 you click the Dimmer/Snooze button and it goes to 1. To turn the light off you have to click the button another 9 times to cycle back to 0. This is awkward, though is way surpassed by the loud clicking made by the cheap switch which wakes anyone else not wearing earplugs...
b) Insult is added to injury with the design of the Dimmer/Snooze button. Imagine you're sleeping with the backlight off (Dimmer 0) and the alarm occurs - you hit the button to increase the brightness, but it's a joint-function Dimmer/Snooze button... So, the alarm snoozes - and no matter how many times you hit the dimmer/snooze button again, to turn the brightness up to see the time, nothing happens. It appears the the clock is in "alarm mode". The only way to see the clock is to fumble for the alarm off button, turn off the alarm permanently and then hit the Dimmer/Snooze button again to now increase the backlight on the clock to level 1.
I know, and apologise, if this appears like a rant - and maybe my unit is faulty as the Dimmer 1 setting is incredibly bright and disturbing to sleep.
On the brighter side. The iPod functionality works well, even on the new iPod nanos, and the speakers are ok - definitely not hi-fi, but for a bedside table to listen to music whilst reading a book, they are adequate.
Anyway, please take the review as is, and if you we looking to an alarm clock with similiar prerequisites steer clear of this one. I wish/hope that these flaws are corrected and welcome any feedback to highlight better alternatives.
Hope this helps,
I personally don't regret getting this alarm clock, there are some downsides but they are easily negligible.
Pros:
-The bedshaker and alarm is very effective
-The sound quality of the speakers is decent
-The time on the clock is clear
-The alarm clock is multipurpose, can serve as a speaker system for your laptop or computer if you desire
-The radio is pretty good, the antenna is small and can provide decent service
-You can change the brightness of the screen display
-iPods work in general, and this clock charges it
-You can use it without an AC adapter by batteries
-Snooze button is easy to access when you're dead asleep
Cons:
-It is confusing to use at first, you might adjust to the controls
-The buttons are very loud, so you might disturb the other person if you share your room
-iPhone 3G shows up as not compatible for some reason, but you can charge it perfectly
-May cause problems in your iPod if you use sleep
-Bit overpriced
In all, this alarm clock is good, but there are small things that can be fixed. It's a bit overpriced, but I really liked the design which brought me to buy it. Amazon has some of the price slashed then if you bought from the original company. - Ipod Speakers - Alarm Clock - Clock Radio - Ipod Alarm Clock'
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Resistance Training - strength training, bodybuilding
I can't tell you how many books I have looked at for weight training with weights, just to open them up and they are all gym related exercises on gym equipment at the gym. I guess its good if you have a gym membership, but the point of me looking for a book using handweights was because that was all I had at home, just hand weights. This book delivers. In a few moves, she uses a weight bench for positioning, but you can also use a chair or your coffee table or a step. She also has a section for using a stability ball. I don't have one but I plan on buying one.
This is a great book for people who only have hand weights and nothing else. The pictures show the moves well. Over all, good book for those of us with limited equipment but still want a good workout. 101 Ways to Work Out with Weights: Effective Exercises to Sculpt Your Body and Burn Fat!
Wow! I have been working out with dumbells off and on for 25 years. In the past, I relied on Joyce Vedral. Now I find myself with 75 pounds of extra weight from 4 pregnancies and over indulging, so I am back to weights and cardio. It has been a very difficult journey to find a new updated book that has strictly dumbell exercises. I just completed my second workout and I am so thrilled that I purchased this book (based on other reviews). The author has done a great job on creating a book that is easy to follow with good instructions and photos. The glossy pages are a must for workout books as well - thank you! The exercises are clearly numbered at the top corner so they are easy to find. She also gives several workout options for body parts as well as body types so that I can fit in any workout I want, follow it easily and get it done in a reasonable amount of time. As an OTR, I also appreciate the movements that not only required strength but balance, as this diminishes with age. I applaud the author and would highly recommend this book to anyone who exercises with dumbells and to all fitness levels.
I've read a lot of weight training books, and I think this may be one of the best. The photos are descriptive and the text is clear. You won't need a lot of equipment--dumbbells and possibly a bench or stability ball. There are a lot of exercises I haven't seen elsewhere, so you won't get bored easily. I do think some of the exercises labeled as "beginner" or "all levels" are more advanced beginner/intermediate, but use your discretion and do them with no weights or very light weights at first and you should be OK.
This book gives samples of exercises you can do without having to go to a gym. You will need a bench for some of the exercises which can be picked up at an inexpensive price. It is well written and informative especially for beginers. It targets every body part.
For people that like to go to the gym many of the exercises can be incorporated into a standard routine to give your muscles a change of pace. Changing your routine should be done periodically anyway. It is a great back to basics book. Will work for beginers as well as the advanced
I love the color illustrations, and the specific instructions on how to perform each exercise just below the pictures. With the other books I've tried, I have to constantly flip to a different page to read how to do the exercise correctly.
I really like the section that is broken down into specific exercises depending on how much time you have. While I thought some of the exercises labeled as 'beginner' were more intermediate or advanced, and vice versa, overall, I think it's an excellent book and I use it often.
I like that it offers suggestions for exercises for different body types - endomorph, ectomorph and mesomorph - that's really helpful. The exercises are described very well, photographs are great and it's easy to follow. Only suggestion would have been spiral binding.
I LOVE this book! It gives so many different workout options. I have never seen so many good ideas incorporated into one exercise book. It even gives recipe ideas for healthy eating. The illustrations are very helpful and it is very easy to interpret how to do each exercise correctly. I'm just a beginner but this is the right tool for advancing.
This book is really great. There are a ton of exercises broken down by body part that can perform in the privacy of your own home with very minimal equipment. It is clear, concise, informative and very well illustrated. I definitely recommend it.
I decided to purchase dumbbells instead of renewing my gym membership, so I was looking for fresh ideas for home workouts. This book has a lot of compound exercises that are great at breaking up the monotony of the usual sets. The challenge of learning new techniques brings such a breath of fresh air. I intend to buy her book of stability ball exercises as well since I've found this book so valuable. - Strength Training - Exercise - Weight Training - Bodybuilding'
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Lionhead Studios - black and white, great game
This expansion pack provides a few new items to build around your city and provides three more maps to conquer. If it weren't for the fact that Black & White 2 was so addictive to begin with, this would be a really disappointing product. If you're looking for skirmish or multiplayer action, this expansion is not for you. In fact, this expansion is probably only for the purely addicted players, and even then, it only amounts to a little over two hours' worth of play time.
As a side note, the custom maps that you can design with Lionhead's map editor or download from various fan sites do not work with this expansion, which means that you can use the new items in only the three maps provided with this expansion. Black & White 2: Battle of Gods Expansion Pack
As a fan of Black & White from the beginning, this was something I just had to have. The game plays pretty much like B&W2 except there is definitely a much darker feel to the expansion. A few new very cool miracles, and a few new cool buildings. About the buildings, you must be careful which ones you use as each has either a positive or negative effect on your alignment. For example, the hospital is a structure only a kind and caring god would build for his minions. It inevitably pulls your alignment toward the good and your villagers recover much quicker from fatigue, in turn giving you production boosts.
On the other hand, the abattoir is butcher's shop and helps to pull your alignment towards the darker end of the scale. For some reason the creators of the game felt that killing of animals for food was evil. I didn't get it. But anyway. If you build some of these, be sure to build a few animal pens close by for an unlimited source of meat for them to kill. Also, you must drop a few villagers in there. They will then become disciple butchers. Without butchers, a butcher shop has no production value whatsoever.
And while we are on the evil thing, let's talk about another new building: the blacksmith's. Thankfully, you do not have to drop villagers in a blacksmith shop to have disciple blacksmiths. The cool thing about them is the more you build (up to 10), the greater experience level each new army becomes. If I am playing with a more military approach, I like to build the armories, then go ahead and automatically drop 10 blacksmith foundations. Then each army is spawned with the highest experience rating. Unfortunately for good players, the blacksmith shops have a small draw on your alignment. I have noticed it's not too much to worry about. If you keep building wonderful things like signposts, flagpoles, hospitals, granaries, and dovecotes (a dove house in the middle of a village really helps boost happiness), your alignment will flow toward the good accordingly. But it you need super armies, who really cares about alignment, right?
I loved Black & White, I loved Black & White 2, and Battle of the Gods is the latest to make that very prestigious list. It does only offer three more lands to conquer, and one bonus level which I have yet to figure out how to access. It is well worth the money.
This expansion continues the story of the player's god against a new adversary, an Aztec god of death, rather than just angry tribal commanders. The game does not change from the original Black and White 2 all that much, aside from there being enhanced creature selection and ai, as well as a few new buildings and four *ahem* new maps. Although these maps are massive, there are still only four, one of which is used soley for a cinematic, leaves the player feeling cheated. However, the new god does provide a good challenge, because now you need to worry about him wandering around the map and harassing your town. Like the other reviews to this game, its easy enough to say that if your a fan of the series, as I am, you wont mind paying for this expansion, but in the back of my mind I know that this content could have EASILY been included with the first. - God Game - Great Game - Black And White - Pc Game'
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Articulating Wall Mount - tv wall mount, lcd wall mount
We have installed (2) of these mounts. (1) on a 26" LCD and (1) on a 32" LCD. Both installations were easy, with the product meeting expectations. The second mount we installed was missing a couple of minor parts so I sent a quick e-mail to Cheetah mounts. An hour later, I had the 2nd day air tracking number for the remaining parts. While it was frustrating to be missing the parts, I was amazed by the quick response. Cheetah Mounts ALAMLB LCD TV Wall Mount Bracket with Full Motion Swing Out Tilt and Swivel Articulating Arm
I like this mount. It is strong and holds a 30" TV no problem. The extension is very nice and the tilt helps with the glare from the dome light in the ceiling. It can turn all the way to the side and lets the TV face the kitchen counter. Our TV used the inside holes which are VESA 100 but it has wider holes as well so we could use it for a larger TV in the future. A torpedo shaped level comes with it which is now a nice addition to the tool drawer. Basically really liked it. The only issue is the TV being level. The TV tilts just slightly to the right. Enough to bother me. Only annoyance on an otherwise good product.
Update: I called Cheetah about the TV not being level. It turns out the screw behind the TV which controls the tilt Also allows the TV to twist a little. Now our TV is level!
We just mounted a 26" LCD and this mount worked perfectly. Well constructed and super easy to install. Before purchasing I called the company to verify the TV would work with this mount, I was only on hold for a few seconds before speaking with a rep who was more than helpful. I highly recommend, especially at this sale price.
I was trying to save some money on a wall mount and came across Cheatah Mounts which sells mounts that look like the ones you see at a store but waay cheaper. I was excited and ordered. Once delivered, I installed the mount (I have experience installing 3 mounts previously for various TVs). THIS IS THE WORST MOUNT I have ever installed. Installation was easy, but the metal arm sags away from the mount badly, making anything you mount on it crooked. I was really disappointed in this mount. The return policy does not cover shipping, so BUYER BEWARE. CHEETAH MOUNTS LCD TV ARTICULATING ARM WALL MOUNT FOR 23-37" DISPLAYS BLACK
UPDATED: - The company cantacted me by phone expressing their concern about the RMA I requested. The representative was extremely helpful and wanted me to know that it was most likely a manufactuing defect. They sent me the RMA number and shipping label and are giving me a full refund. I was very impressed with their reponsiveness and would consider purchasing from them again as I know that they seem to stand behind their products and have excellent support.
I can't imagine why anyone would rate this poorly. Those that do, are doing everyone else a disservice. I almost passed this one up because the poor reviews and low price made me apprehensive. This mount is well built, well packaged, attractive, easy to install, and how can you beat the price? I can only imagine that those who rated it poorly don't know what they're doing with tools and/or can't or won't follow instructions. For those that complained of insecure and sagging mounts, they probably know nothing about wall construction and didn't bother reading the instructions. YOU MUST INSTALL TO A WALL STUD OR MASONRY!!! For the other mounting complaints, I can only repeat, these people either failed to read the instructions or with no offense intended, are not mechanically inclined. You only have yourself to blame, not the manufacturer. If I ever need another, I will definitely buy this one again.
good price for this mount and is a decent deal. desc says "single stud mount" but mine apparently arrived only with the docs and h/w for installation in a concrete wall....nevertheless with some deck screws we solidly installed it into a stud anyway. mounted a 37" Vizio tv with no difficulty whatsoever. this is definitely strong enough for a 37 lcd w/o prob. seems to be decently made w/good enough materials for this type installation anyway. satisfied enough.
Bought the CHEETAH Articulating wall-mount arm for a 32" LCD TV. Before I mounted it to the wall, which was quite straight forward, I inspected it and checked it over. It seemed as if the arm movements were very tight and difficult, so I loosened the adjustment screws per the instructions. Part of the arm mechanism still seemed very tight and difficult. After installing the arm on the wall and attaching the TV to the arm, I still had difficulty making adjustments for the arm to move smoothly and freely. I never could could get it to the point where the arm moved smoothly. It bound up no matter how much I adjusted it, making it very difficult to move and swing the TV around. Bottom line - the articulating arm doesn't articulate very well at all. Now I have to go through the royal hassle of removing the TV from the wall mount, and removing the mount from the wall to send it back. The other problem I had was not being able to secure the mounting face plate ( the plate that attaches to the TV) adequately to the arm bracket. No matter how much I tightened the face plate bolt, it still moved, which put the TV out of level. This is one product I DO NOT recommend.
I'm using the Cheetah Mount for a 32 inch TV, I mounted it directly to a wall stud. It was easy to install, had all the hardware I needed to mount my Westinghouse TV and has a wide range of angle and pitch adjustment. It's an excellent product at an excellent price.
After a preparing the wall, and making holes and finally mounting the TV... Disappointment. Some reviews pointed the same issue with the slacking of the arm with the weight of the tv is a fact. I went by all the positive reviews but cheap is what we pay and crap is what you get I guess is the situation. The mount itself is sturdy but the weight of the TV, which I purchsed is M320NV weighs about 20lbs will cause it to lean fwd. After all the hardwork to put it up, was pretty disappointing. I suggest go with another product. After all said and done it isnt worth taking it back off to put a new mount, plus the holes you will need to patch up.... Suggest go with a little more reliable mount then this one. - Lcd Mount - Tilting Wall Mount - Tv Wall Mount - Lcd Wall Mount'
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Video Production
To start off, I'm writing this review solely from the perspective of someone using this to record footage from video game consoles (an Xbox 360, in my case), because that's why I bought it and that's all I've used it for so far.
Upon opening the box, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that there was a component cable included, a nice bonus. The first thing you'll notice is how light the device itself is. The all-plastic body and the lack of weight contribute to give it a slight cheap feeling, but this is not reflective of the overall quality of the device, as I'm about to explain.
The HD PVR has pass-through outputs, which means you can plug your console into the PVR and then the PVR into your TV (with the included component cable), eliminating the need to split the signal. I was a little bit worried about any input lag caused by the pass-through, but I was thankful to discover that there is absolutely none. The one downside of this, if any, is that the PVR has to be on for the pass-through outputs to work. It doesn't have to be recording and the software doesn't have to be open, so it's not that big of a deal, but it's just one more device that is sapping power.
After getting everything hooked up, you have to install the included software on whatever PC you're going to be using to record. The software installation was pain-free, although I recommend getting the latest driver updates from their website and the latest software updates through the software itself. Make sure that you do NOT lose the CD, as you can only download the driver from Hauppauge's website, not the included software. One of the downsides of the PVR is that only the included software and a small list of 3rd party software will work with the device. Luckily, this isn't that big of an issue as the included software works great, with minimal issues.
One of the great things about the HD PVR is that it does all of the H.264 encoding on the box itself. In other words, you won't need a high-end PC to record in HD because the HD PVR does all of the heavy processing. You will need a high-end PC to watch and edit HD video, however. Unless you're just archiving or using the PC as a storage device (and then accessing the recorded videos on your 360, for instance), you're going to want a high-end PC to edit and playback the video that you record. There's simply no getting around this: if you want to produce videos in HD, you're going to need the tools for it.
The preview window provides smooth, full-quality video. There is a significant amount of lag between the source and the software preview window, however. If you were hoping to sit at your PC and play by watching the preview window, you can forget it. The input lag will make it impossible.
Overall, the video and audio quality are excellent. This will produce video miles beyond any SDi capture card you have. The device will record in whatever format you input (1080i, 720p, etc.). I would recommend going with 720p over 1080i. The lack of interlacing outweighs the gain in resolution, in my opinion (unless you're taking a screenshot or taking video with little movement). It support frame rates up to 60fps, maybe beyond. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in 720p at 60fps looks absolutely beautiful. The device lets you change the bitrate from 1MBps to 13.5MBps, so you can increase the quality of the video and sacrifice a small file size, if you wish. I find 8MBps to be a good balance. It allows you to fit 1 - 1.5 hours into around 5GB, and it still provides video that's good enough for YouTube HD uploads and similar casual usage. If you're going for production-quality video with almost no compression artifacts, you can easily increase the bit rate, but you're going to pay for it in file size and the power it requires to process.
All video is encoded in H.264. The software lets you record in 3 container formats: .TS, which is a generic 'transport stream' compatible with many digital media players; .M2TS, which is compatible with the Sony Playstation 3; and .MP4, which is compatible with the Xbox 360. These are somewhat-confusingly labeled "AVCHD", "PlayStation 3", and "Xbox 360" in the software, respectively. It's important to note that *this has nothing to do with what you're recording from* - it only has bearing on what device you want to play back the recorded footage. The MP4 format will play back on an Xbox 360, while the other formats will not. I recommend choosing the format that works best with whatever software you're going to use to edit the video, or whatever device you plan on using to watch the video. Note that most software will be able to open/edit an MP4 file, while I've found less compatibility with the other formats. If you plan to burn footage to Blu-Ray disk, though, go with .TS, as it's the format used on Blu-Ray disks and so your video won't require any transcoding, which is very nice (you can burn a Blu-Ray disk in just a few minutes).
If you don't want your footage encoded in H.264, there is an included converter program that can convert to variety of formats, but I haven't tried it yet, so I can't tell you how well it works.
The only two minor issues that I've had have involved the software. Sometimes the capture program will not recognize the device, requiring you to unplug it from the computer and plug it back in, at which point it should work normally. It's not that big of an issue, and it may be specific to my computer, but it's worth noting.
Secondly, the included playback application, TotalMedia Theater, causes a hard reboot whenever I try to start it. This also isn't that big of a deal because there's lots of other software that can play back the recorded files. Based on searches in which I've found only a couple of mentions about the problem it appears to be a very rare issue, but it's still worth noting. (I'm using Vista 32-bit, for reference).
Overall, the HD PVR is great for recording footage from hi-def consoles like the 360 and PS3. It's easy to use, doesn't require an insanely powerful PC, and produces good-quality video and audio in a good format at a reasonable file-size. Although the price is a bit steep, it's worth it if you really want to record high-quality, high-definition game footage from your 360 or PS3. If you have any questions, feel free to post them in a response and I'll try to answer them as best as I can. Hauppauge 1212 HD-PVR High Definition Personal Video Recorder'
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Dvd Dual Layer Printable - verbatim, dvd dual layer
I do video for a living, and duplicate hundreds of DVDs. DVDs can be finicky (this word used alot, so be prepared) in the best of circumstances. Too many things can screw up a successful DVD burn. Even when the burn has executed "successfully", it may have flaws in it that make it unstable for playback in some DVD players, causing error messages and DVDs that won't play right or not play at all. Add to it DVD players that are finicky about playing DVDs with any imperfection and.. well.. you see what I mean. Double-layer discs are even more finicky all around, so you can't afford to use inferior discs.
That's why I ended up spending the extra money, again, for these Verbatim discs. I tried the Philips DVD+R DLs. They worked ok in my 8 year old Sony DVD player, but my finicky JVC standalone burner didn't like them. Playback would get blocky and stop working after 5 minutes of play. Then I had to reset the player to eject the disc! Imagine burning 500 of these and sending them out to customers. What were the chances of it happening to someone else?
There is a big difference in cost - Approximately 1.75/disc for Verbatim and .80/disc for Phillips. But again, a disc that doesn't play well isn't worth a dime. This is not the place to compromise, so stick with the best.
Also, found the best price for these discs right here on Amazon. Took about 6 days to arrive with free shipping, 3 days with regular postage. Verbatim 96862 8.5GB 8X DataLifePlus White Inkjet Printable DVD+R DL, 50 Disc Spindle
These Verbatim discs are of great quality. Ive tried many different brands such as Sony and Memorex. but Verbatim discs are great, these are the only discs that i have ever bought that i've never had a "bad burn" or a wasted disc. There is only one flaw the discs are too expensive but i guess you pay for what you get. id rather pay the money for discs that are guaranteed to work then waste money on discs that may make the picture choppy and in the the end i buy the verbatim discs anyway.
I have gone through 2 stacks of these and have had no burn or read problems with any of them. It is unusual to go through this many disks without generating at least a couple of "coasters" but so far they have all been good. I recommend these.
These Verbatim DVDs were able to flawlessly burn the exact same image files that had previously yielded multiple badly flawed recordings on other high-priced major-brand DVDs. I spent a lot of time reading reviews of Verbatim products all over the internet, and I have never found any complaints for this brand, only high praise. It's worth paying a bit extra for this brand's quality, especially where dual layer media is concerned, as they are more complicated. I do not work for Verbatim or any of its competitors, nor have I ever, nor do I even know anybody in that industry, so I'm not biased.
I used these discs in a tower duplicator burning 10 copies at a time, and I don't believe we lost any of the 100 discs due to a disc error (3 burner errors). The printable surface worked well with the disc printer, as well. This is as safe purchase for the price. It's a great benefit to be able to fit more data per disc while still delivering quality and printed surfaces.
I've purchased other brands of these discs only to have many of them fail and become coasters. In 3 spindles of these (150 discs) I've only ever had one fail. The inkjet printable side is absorbant quick drying and works very well with my printer.
The disc looks great an everything but man the reliability rate is terrible. I had more than 27 of the 50 disc failed on me... I bought these because the verbatim brand/name came with high remarks but after tested for myself I am going back to the cheaper memorex brand.
Great product just like the regular 4.7 gb DVDs of this type. If you have a reliable DVD writer these are tops. I have tried many, many brands of Dual-Layer DVDs and these are the most "coaster" free ones I have used. ANY problems I have ever had can be traced to the DVD reader/writer. My Mad Dog generic brand is the absolute tops at reading DVDs, but doesn't write them worth a darn. My Memorex has problems reading, but does a great job writing them. Go figure. Generally if the reader/writer "sees" the blank DVD it will write to it successfully, but not always. I have burned well over 500 DVDs and with single layer most any brand will do, but Verbatim is still tops in my book. - Dvd Dual Layer - Verbatim - Verbatim Dl Dvd - Dual Layer Dvd'
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Eneloop Power Pack - battery charger, eneloop
This new eneloop package (Sanyo Eneloop Ni-MH Charger and 8 Rechargeable AA and 4 Rechargeable AAA Batteries) contains 12 of the 2nd-gen eneloop cells, and the MQN06 4-cell charger. Note that unlike the previous eneloop Power Pack Kit, there are no C- and D-shell adapters in this package.
The rated capacities of those new eneloop cells are the same as that of original eneloop: 2000mAh for AA, 800 for AAA. All batteries are made in Japan. The charger is made in China.
I have tested 4 new eneloop AA cells, using my La Crosse BC-900 Battery Charger:
- Right out of the package, the average remaining charge is 1557mAh (min=1551, max=1564)
- After just one charge/discharge cycle, the average capacity rises to 2100mAh (min=2070, max=2130). This is 5% higher than the rated value!
Date code embossed on the AA cells is "10-04 0Y". I assume that means April 2010. Note that just like the old eneloop, the new ones are only charged to 75-80% when leaving factory.
According to the package and also Sanyo web site, the new eneloop is supposed to offer the following advantages over the original:
- "Holds charge up to 3 years" (85% after 1 year, 80% after 2, 75% after 3)
- "Recharge 1500x" (vs. "1000x" for original)
- "Suitable for temperature as low as -20 degree C" (vs. -10)
In real life, it is nearly impossible for the user to experience those benefits. If you recharge the new eneloop twice every week, it will take 15 years to reach 1500 cycles! Also the new self-discharge rate is not much different from that for the old eneloop (which claims 85% after 1 year, 80% after 2). So it is probably not worth paying an extra premium over the old eneloop, just for those perceived benefits.
However, there is one visible benefit for the new eneloop: it comes in different colors!
- The 8 AA cells consist of 4 light-blue and 4 dark-blue
- The 4 AAA cells consist of 2 light-green and 2 dark-green
This makes it easier for the new eneloop to be arranged in groups. For example, you may use one color group in your camera and another group as spare. Plus the new colors looked very nice, too.
The charger included in this package, on the other hand, is a big let-down. It is the same old Sanyo MQN06 which is slow and only charges in pairs. It is simply inexcusable that Sanyo continue to package their best rechargeable batteries with their worst charger. In my case, the price I paid (at a local warehouse Club) is cheaper than buying 12 new eneloop cells separately, so I just tell myself that the charger is thrown in for free. Otherwise I would subtract one star from the rating.
[Update July 29, 2010]
I have tested 4 new eneloop AAA cells, date code "10-05 0B":
- Average remaining charge out of package is 619mAh
- After two more charge/discharge cycles, the average capacity reached 830mAh.
That's what I like most about those eneloop cells (both new and old). They are highly consistent, and their measured capacities are usually higher than rated values.
[Upadte Nov 21, 2010]
Long term self-discharge data: I have tested a pair of new eneloop AA cell, after nearly 4 months (115 days) of storage. The average remaining charge is 89% of full capacity. This result is slightly better than that of the original eneloop, which usually reatins about 87% after three months. But the difference is within margin of error of my experiments. Sanyo Eneloop Ni-MH Charger and 8 Rechargeable AA and 4 Rechargeable AAA Batteries
I bought this for one reason alone: Classic style rechargeable batteries after a month or so, will discharge most of their charge! Requiring another recharging cycle, wasting your time, and increasing your power bill. It also made it impossible to have a spare fully charged and ready to go. I don't know how Sanyo did it, but I am glad they did. These are all high quality batteries, all 'Made in Japan', that look stylish [love the shades of blue] and work just as described.
A must buy for any household. I use them in wireless mouse, remotes, and my camera. You should too ~
This pack was created specifically for Costco stores, where it costs $25 (sometimes $21 on sale). You have to decide for yourself if the 50% markup is worth the convenience of not having to deal with Costco.
I bought two of this set to use in my Canon 580EX DSLR flash and Canon CP-E4 external flash power pack. The AA are blue and AAA are green, as these are the ones with 2000 cycle times with no hysteresis. I used 12 AA batteries for my flash system and the remaining cells to be used for other things like remote controls and wireless mice. I could not be more pleased. The flash recycle time is the fastest I've seen with any battery. This includes disposable alkaline lithium Energizer and Duracell AA cells. In one evening I was able to do nearly 600 flash shots without ever having to wait for the flash to recycle! I kept going, thinking "well, my flash may not fire this time since the batteries are loosing their charge." I knew the Eneloops would be better, but I didn't know it would be this much better. I wish I had gotten the Eneloops a couple of years ago. The charger does take several hours to recharge Eneloop cells and it would probably be best to get a high quality Maha PowerEx Charger like the C801D for a faster charge time. The great thing about the Eneloop batteries is that the voltage doesn't drop after several cycles of charge/discharge.
My only complaint is the packaging is so big and hard to open. Perhaps the packaging was intended for retail to prevent theft. - Eneloop - Nimh Batteries - Battery Charger - Aaa'
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Coconut Oil - nutiva, coconut
Nutiva's Organic coconut oil is the best I've found. I've tried several brands, but nothing tastes as clean and pure as this. There is a definite undertone of coconut, but I like the flavor, even when frying eggs or eating it on cinnamon raisin toast. I recently had bloodwork done and my HDL (the good cholesterol) was an impressive 77---anything over 39 is considered in range; over 50 is heart protective). I attribute this great HDL number to using only coconut oil, butter, and olive oil in my cooking & drinking green tea.
Amazon's Subscribe & Save offer is a great deal; I really like the 2 pack of these smaller (15 oz) jars. We're a small household and I like keeping one jar sealed while using the other. Keep in mind that coconut oil is different than other oils--it is solid at temperatures under 72, so it will look something like shortening in the wintertime. Still tastes great and is wonderful to use in all kinds of cooking.
One more important detail: this is an organic, COLD PRESSED coconut oil. Others may be organically grown, but I've found some brands are hydrogenated to make them solid at room temperature (I won't go into all the reasons this is not a "good thing"). Suffice it to say that any coconut oil you buy should be cold pressed (and that goes for your olive oil, as well). Google to find out why...
Happy eating!
This is a marvelous product with some interesting health benefits (google it up). You can use it in baking, frying, in sauces, for vegan raw pies, mix with chocolate for puddings, moisturize your hair or skin, soothe rough elbows, etc.
This melts really fast in a pan, so you don't need a high heat. I fry eggs in it, and the coconut taste is subtle. Any ethnic dish that requires sauteeing or saucing and can benefit from a fresh coconut flavor, this is useful. I've cooked meats in it, as well. If you hate the smell/taste of coconut, obviously, this is not for you.
This brand, Nutiva, is organic and virgin. It smells so good. And I have an old jar that I never finished (really big one), and nearly two years later, after sitting right by the stove, it still smells fresh, like Cuban coconut candy my mom used to make. Yes, solid and fresh and white and fragrant TWO YEARS LATER. This is a very stable product.
Recommended.
First things first: the flavour of this coconut oil is wonderful. Very clean on the tongue with just a slight back hint of coconut flavour. YES, this WILL slightly flavour some of your dishes to taste faintly of coconut if the dish is not heavily spiced. When I use coconut oil in place of butter for many Ethiopian and Indian dishes, I don't really notice any coconut flavour--but these are heavily spiced cuisines and so the sheer level of spice involved will cover up the delicate coconut flavour of this oil. In baking, however, there is a wonderful little hint of it. When I've made cookies and cakes using this in place of shortening or butter, many people have commented that something felt different about the dessert, but they couldn't put their finger on it right away until I would suggest coconut. I say all of this, though, in case someone who absolutely HATES coconut is considering using coconut oil as a part of their diet. While it has many great health benefits, if you cannot stand the flavour of coconut in any shape or form, you probably will not enjoy this product. I personally enjoy the added depth and dimension is gives my food, as well as the fact it's cholesterol free.
If you're thinking this wouldn't taste like anything, then you're thinking of what is called "RBD coconut oil", that is to say, coconut oil which has been refined, bleached, and deodorised. This is not that product, and in my opinion, is far superior to any RBD coconut oil you could find.
Now, the health benefits. Coconut gets props for being cholesterol free. Many people want to downplay its wonderfulness by pointing out that it is loaded in saturated fats. However! The saturated fats found in coconut oil are mostly medium-chain fatty acids, which bind together to form medium-chain triglycerides. Medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs, are much easier for the body to break down and process than long-chain triglycerides, which are the saturated fats that are usually predominant in our diets. Because MCTs are so easily broken down in the body, they don't put a great strain on your pancreas or digestive system. Coconut oil is not a cure-all, however. It's not some miracle food (IMO), but I do think it should be seen as a healthy, viable alternative to butter and some cooking oils. Should it replace these other oils and butter outright? No, I don't think so. But I think it deserves a place of respect alongside your butter and olive oil in the kitchen.
I've been using this brand for a couple of years now. It has a light coconut hint at times. I use it for popping corn and I can't taste any coconut, other items like meats or veggies sometimes have a hint of coconut...it's not necessarily a bad thing.
I thought I would save washing a spoon each time I used this and put in a clear, plastic spoon (Kirkland brand) into the jar so I could reuse it. DON'T KEEP PLASTIC IN YOUR COCONUT OIL!!! About 1 week later I went to make popcorn and I pulled out the handle of the spoon with no bottom of the spoon to be found!!! The acid in the coconut oil will eat away at certain plastics! Had to throw the 1/2 full jar away! Lesson learned! Just reordered and went on subscribe and save. - Body Care - Moisturizer - Coconut - Nutiva - Cooking - Good Fats'
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