Wednesday, 26 October 2011

Mp3 Boombox


I resisted buying this product for a while due to lack of reviews, then I discovered it offers more than its competition so I took a chance. Hopefully this review answers similar questions for you too.



These multi-purpose devices are hard to find nowadays with all the iPod docking stations, or similar clones out there with a higher price tag. But this little machine is worth the price.



It's very compact (10 inches in length), so the picture is a bit deceiving. But that's not a bad thing.



It even comes with its own auxiliary cable, which is awesome because those little cables are a rip off when sold separately due to recent demand.



The sound is solid, but the speakers are not for music that demands a lot of bass. This is a great item for casual music, a healing practice with soothing music, or even little kids' music, but not rap or hip hop.



There is no headphone jack, but I don't see this as major set back (personally).



Overall, the device is deserving of 4 stars as a good compromise for what it offers, its price, and the limited selection of availability for something similar. Coby CXCD230BLK Portable CD Player with AM/FM Stereo and AUX-In Jack (Black)

My daughter is almost 2, and I wanted an inexpensive CD Player with an auxiliary input. We've only been using it about a week, but I have no complaints at all. It's compact, and it has repeat all or repeat only one song (which is perfect for her because there's one song she wants to listen to over and over). The cd player is not noisy, like some can be (the buzz when the cd spins). For the price, I'm very satisfied.

My husband and I play CD's at night as background music/white noise to help us sleep. We bought this CD player to replace one that broke. It plays music well, has repeat functionality, all the things we look for - but I do have one complaint. Once it reaches the end of the CD, the disc spins before playing again. Unfortunately, this "end of CD spin" is somewhat loud and squeaky. First time, I thought there was a mouse in the room. It's woken my husband up a couple of times during the night. With luck we'll get used to the noise and be able to sleep through it, but it's something folks should be aware of.

This is a very inexpensive player that does the job for us working outside. It plays CD and my wife's mp3. The speakers are small and sound quality is second rate, but that is not a concern as we are outside. My wife likes it as it is small and easy to carry around. I would have given 5 stars except the tuner is tiny and very difficult to get the proper radio station tuned in. For the price I couldn't beat it anywhere. I would like to add that it is a pleasure doing business with Amazon; they have never let me down even when I had a problem with an order. Thanks, Amazon!

Antenna broke the first time it was used. Tried to return but it says I'm outside my return window. I had put it up for a birthday present and did not open the box right away. I am extremely disappointed.'


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Headphones - ear buds, bose


If you need replacements these are great. They come in 3 sizes so you can try out all 3 and figure out what size is best for you. This allows you to have total comfort with your ear buds. I bought my headphones originally with whatever ear buds it had with it on ebay and now can get the right size for me. Replacement tips for Bose in-ear

Love my BOSE head phones, I just wish I wouldn't lose the ear buds so quickly. Almost wish they clicked onto the headphones better. But for the quality of sound that comes from these head phones its worth it!

I had lost one of the earbud covers from my Bose earbuds. These were exactly like the originals that came with my earbuds (SM, MD, LG). And they were a great price, much less than I was expecting to spend.

I purchased these JUST in time! After I bought these, I lost the bud to one of the ear phones and I was not happy! But because I had these as back up and they had just arrived two days before; I didn't miss a beat; literally! Thank you so much!

These things are a necessary pain as the ear phones will not fit properly without them. I am glad to find them somewhere although shipping was more than it should have been, in my mind for these little things.

I really love my Bose ear buds, but had lost the medium size covers that actually go in your ear. The Bose were expensive and sound fantastic and I didn't want to have to buy a whole new unit just because the little rubbery cover thing was gone. These replacement pieces are perfect and saved me a lot of cash. - Bose In-ear Headphones - Bose In-ear - Ear Buds - Bose'


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Headphones - ear buds, bose bose in-ear Headphones - ear buds, bose

British Metal - british metal, kashmir


This vaulting, lumbering tune is one of Zeppelin's most progressive songs which is enhanced by the longish 8.5 minute length. There are great, if understated, performances by all the musicians. The new digital remaster was much needed and is very well done. I really love the key changes and rhythmic syncopations mid-song, complete with mellotron and acoustic strings playing a haunting eastern harmony. I have never actually ferreted out the meaning of the lyrics, which again, suggests they were really trying to do a progressive rock tune. And they do it quite nicely. Kashmir (2007 Remastered)

I have always liked Led Zeppelin, it's more of remembering the late 60's when I was in college. Kashmir was one of my favorites. Young artists today are using this song in some of their compositions. I find that they are students of music and can recognize the "good stuff" - Classic Rock - British Metal - Rock - Kashmir'


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Signal Booster - signal booster, wireless n range extender


EnGenius ERB 9250 Range Expander

I feel it is necessary to give my review on the EnGenius ERB9250 2.4 GHZ 300 Mbps Wireless N Range Extender to help others like myself with bad wireless connections. 03-15-2011-update My Linksys WRT600N router blew the 2.4 Ghz circuit (5-6 years old), the 5.0 Ghz remained, but this is the signal that doesn't penetrate walls. I now have a new EnGenius ESR 9855G Wireless N, 2.4 Ghtz-only router. This is working fine. The remaining content is based on my Linksys WRT 600N wireless router. I have used in the past a Linksys WRE54G - G Range Expander b/g with a with a Linksys WRT54G router to the same location. I am currently running 300Mbps with an excellent signal. In the past my Linksys WRE 54 G range expander had a maximum 54 Mbps with a fair to poor signal strength, used in combination with the WRT600N router and a HP premium "N" adapter. This old setup ran typically 2-20 Mbps with a fair to poor signal.



I am technical average, below average or novice when it comes to wireless networking. After reading someone's comment maybe I'm an expert and just doesn't know it. I have spent hours enhancing locations, changing configurations, and praying for a decent signal. I have by pure accident discovered solutions to problems that no one ever addresses. I've come to the conclusion that the advanced techs out there work for the manufactures sales department and really don't understand wireless systems and their wireless routers. Very seldom can you actually talk with someone. If you do get a hold of someone, they seem to know a lot less than me, which is frightening.



I have a home office in a separate building from my home. The nearest exterior stucco wall to exterior stucco wall is 17 feet. I have my WRT600N (now ESR 9855G) wireless router in my family room which is a straight 49 feet from my EnGenius ERB9250 Range Expander in my office. The Range Expander is 7 feet from my computer. The signal is going through 3 walls with windows.



I am writing to help people like myself.



Number 1 -Important Things That All Web Sites Stress -you can just ignore. You REALLY DO NOT need to pay attention to: 1) line of sight (you shouldn't have obstacles) between the router and the range expander. They must be living in a tent, but I really don't know anyone that is so lucky as to not have obstacles i their way. DUMB LESSONS are important lessons or information I have learned creating a decent wireless network and is probably more information than what you need. DUMB MISTAKES are mistakes I made, but because of frustrations, and trying to think logically when I am tired and frustrated; these mistakes have eaten a tremendous amount of my time and were quite easy to fix.



Dumb Lesson #1 the 2.4 GHz setting is to broadcast all Wireless N, Wireless G, and Wireless B systems all at the same time on all this same frequency. REMEMBER THIS RANGE EXPANDER (WRT600N) IS USING ONLY THE 2.4GHz part of the Wireless Router, not the 5.0GHz. My new router only broadcasts in 2.4 GHz. I originally thought that 5.0 Ghz was only N systems, and 2.4 Ghz was only B or G systems, wrong. 2.4 can be for all three. A, B, G, and N are just standards. N is the most recent allowing higher transfer speeds and more unused frequencies. The frequencies are by far the most misunderstood.



Dumb lesson # 2, Misinformation is very prevalent even from known authorities. Just remember, this is part of the problem we all deal with and affects our judgment, when we try to make improvements to our wireless networks. The higher the frequency the more likely it will penetrate walls. This is the complete opposite from what all the wireless geeks say. 5.0 GHz will do better than 2.4GHz going through walls. This is straight from my engineer father-in law who helped put the lander on the moon. So ignore what is being said by so called experts, I am a wireless novice with real scientific information. 5.0 GHZ has less distortion from other electronic products in your home. Therefore it has a clearer less obstructed and distorted signal from other household devices. Items that can overlap the 2.4 GHz are: wireless telephones, remote controls, wireless game controls, microwaves, and many more. Ignore this concern. Using a wireless G router, my 2.4 GHz cordless phone blocked all wireless signals. I bought a new DECT 6.0 phone. No more problems. WHY 5.0 Ghz APPEEARS TO BE WORSE is that 5.0 Ghz takes an extremely large amount of power to go the same distance as 2.4GHz, which the best consumer wireless routers don't have. The router and adapters signals are really going around walls and through windows to best of their abilities. My need has been getting my wireless signal to a far distance with a decent signal and decent speed. The 2.4 GHz is the only way to go with the "N" standard setting allowing the faster transfer rates up to 300 Mbps and a much longer distance with a range expander. Maybe someday 5.0 Ghz wireless routers with be available with more power, but don't count on it with all the energy efficiency requirements.



For the WRT 600 N wireless router:

A) Get access to your router through the IP address using your web browser at 192.168.1.1, click on the "Wireless" button next to "Set Up" - Basic Wireless settings the 5.0 GHz setting the 3 bottom categories for Radio Band, Wide Channel, Standard channel set all of them to AUTO. The Basic Settings for the bottom 2.4 GHz are Standard 20 MHz, Auto, and Auto. Under the 5.0 GHz -Wireless Mode setting, set it to Wireless N, Network Name SSID to something similar to your original network you have chosen, such as Digital add underscore media so you know what name you are looking for "Digital_media" and your regular Network to "Digital".



B) Under 2.4 GHz set the Wireless Mode to "Mixed." "Mixed" allows everyone in your network to use your Wireless Network no matter what kind of adapter they have (a, b, g, and n) for their computer. This is probably the biggest mistake and most misunderstood setting.

Dumb lesson # 3, I learned that the Dual Wireless Adapters will LOOK FOR MORE THAN ONE NETWORK AT THE SAME TIME, hence the name DUAL.



C) You need to set up your wireless adapters that are dual G & N adapters on each computer to do just that, by going to Control Panel, "Network" or "Network and the Internet", you need to get into the network adapter setting. It is very easy in Windows XP and Windows 7, which is what I use. The web also has good details on doing this.



D) If you have a Wireless Router N router always use security at least WPA2-Personal and give each of your network users the password, set the encryption at "AES". It is easiest to use the same password for 5.0 GHz as well as 2.4GHz. Remember old "B and A" standard adapters don't allow encryption. If you are using Older Network Adapters in your network of computers you can't have a WEP or WPA security password. The old computers and adapters don't allow encryptions and won't be able to connect to you network. My new ESR 9855G router allows up to 4 accounts using the same setup and guest users. I enable an additional account with a simple password for my visiting clients and friends and then uncheck the additional account box when they leave so it doesn't disrupt the 4 users and 2 businesses at my home.



CONTINUEING

Dumb lesson #4, The real reason the N standard is important is the transfer rates and MIMO. MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) refers to the ability of 802.11n and similar technologies to coordinate multiple simultaneous radio signals. MIMO increases both the range and throughput of a wireless network.



Dumb Lesson # 5, My wife would come to visit in my home office (separate building) in the late morning to see how my day was going. When she left my wireless signal disappeared. I was beginning to think she was really from Venus. This went on for 2 months and had me totally baffled. Solution - when she came to visit me in the morning I had my sliding glass door closed to keep the heat in the office. In the late morning after warming up outside, she left my office by opening the sliding glass door and closing the screen door behind her and saying, "enjoy the nice weather outside." My wire screen door was blocking my signal. I went down to the hardware store and replaced my screen with a heavy duty pet screen material made of some tough durable synthetic rubber/fiberglass material and I had my solution and signal back. I also replaced 2 other screen doors in my house, because of this issue. The signal strength did improve significantly.



DUMB MISTAKES WHEN TIRED AND SETTING UP THIS WIRELESS RANGE EXTENDER

Dumb mistake #1, I tried to setup my Wireless ERB9250 Range Expander using the "Manual Configuration," I plugged the LAN connection into the back of the wireless router for a network connection. Then I tried to go to the ISP 192.168.1.2. Wrong you must plug it into the wired LAN connection in the back of your computer's wired LAN connection. I had to reread the booklet. The online booklet doesn't specify this.



Dumb mistake #2, When I resolved my dumb mistake #1, and plugged it into the LAN connection, I went to ISP 192.168.2 and it wouldn't connect. It just said Windows Internet Explorer connection is not available. After scratching my head a few minutes, it dawned on me that I had to connect to the wired LAN (Local Area Network), not the wireless LAN. So I disabled the wireless adapter and allowed the computer to connect to LAN with ISP 192.168.1.2 and then followed the directions in the booklet. Note: it may be easier to print out the setup booklet online at EnGenius web site than to read the small size 6 font in the booklet, especially at night (see the missing note on the online booklet - connect to the wired LAN on the COMPUTER.



Dumb mistake #3, After I disconnected the range expander from the back of the computer and relocated the ranger expander, I plugged in the device and the yellow LAN light didn't go on. Since in the past range expanders have not been fun to connect to for this beginner; I assumed that the settings didn't calibrate. The yellow LAN light was out. And to verify the setting were saved and working the yellow LAN light should be a steady yellow. Aha! the yellow LAN light was out, because it was not connected anymore to the LAN, but to the Wireless LAN. No wonder my wife kept telling me to get to bed, this was at 2:00 AM.



Dumb mistake #4, Don't ever remove your firewalls between the modem and the router or the router and your computer. I have had to remove myself the router and tie directly to the commercial modem (non-firewalled). It was necessary for as a result of a wired router failure. I was off the router for 1 day and night. That firewall had been protecting me from an ingenious high school computer nerd. Please note that the actual name I used was quite different. My virus protection including its firewall does nothing when you are on tied to open network. It didn't stop the high schooler from taking over my computer late one night. All my files and programs were deleted in the morning. My savior was a college educated computer tech (nerd). He recovered everything except 2 MS Excel files. He also discovered I aka the high schooler had sent out totally disgusting e-mails to my closest and best friends. My computer savior tracked down the high schooler's ISP (Internet Service Provider). His parents weren't happy when they received their disconnect notice. Just remember firewalls are needed, generally one from your virus program or Windows program, but not both. Two firewalls being used at the same time causes installation problems for programs. Something Norton, McAfee, and others don't discuss, the firewalls and virus programs will slow down you transfer rates significantly when you have average to weak signals. This is discussed very little on the Internet, but It Is a Substantial Loss Of transfer speeds. Before you resort to that tactic, buy this range extender. I am running Norton Internet Security on my new computer, and AVG internet Security on my other family's computers with my virus programs installed on my computer to firewall the router. My speed is still 300 Mbps and excellent signal.



The EnGenius ERB 9250 Range Expander is now connected to my 2.4 GHz signal under the wireless "N" standard with an excellent signal, and with a 300 Mbps download speed, I am really not sure what the upload speed is, but with my New HPE 480t, Intel 930 i7, 2.80 GHz processor, HP premium wireless adapter and 9 GB RAM it is screaming fast and my computer waits for web sites with slow download speeds. My wife's Dell Inspiron (6 years old) is using my old "N" adapter with 220 Mbps with a very good wireless signal (it is in our computer closet - 3 walls), my 2 daughters' lap tops a Dell (3 years old) and a HP (6 months old) they are maintaining 54 Mbps , excellent signals with their "G" adapters and all of us are online. 4-5-2011 I am maintaining 300 Mbps and an excellent signal with my new router and this range expander.



This range expander with the old router and new router are OUTSTANDING, Ease of installation is GOOD (compared to the lack of knowledge with my first range expander). Quality appears excellent, only time will tell. I would highly recommend this EnGenius ERB 9250 range expander to anyone that has been subject to my typical poor to weak signal, and an absolute max of 54 Mbps with an average of 12 Mbps and a fair to poor signal strength. I am thrilled so far with its outstanding performance.



NEW MODEM PROBLEM, issue resolved 03/21/2011 -- This is such a new issue that I doubt that anyone has heard about this. All cable companies and phone companies want you to rent a combination modem and wireless router combination from them. See below- my latest nightmare that almost did me in:



My wireless network went down when my WRT 600N router died. Unknown to me Charter Internet Service was upgrading their system to higher internet download speed at the same time. I installed my new ESR 9855G router and I didn't have an internet signal, but I could connect to my wireless network. I could connect WIRED to my modem and computer, NOT WIRED FROM MODEM TO ROUTER TO COMPUTER. 7 days of lost business, another wireless router purchased (2 total), a new modem from Charter, and Charter's technician's service call; nothing worked to fix my wireless internet connection. Just a quick side note, when you are connected wirelessly, make sure you have an internet connection also. Your router serves 2 separate and distinct functions.



Back to the internet for more research: Buried in a technical article about parameters for signal strength and distortion on cable and DSL signals was a vague mention of higher speed internet signals causing wireless routers to fail, because old version MODEMS create their own distortions resulting in a poor signal conversion for new high-tech wired and wireless routers. After begging and pleading with a service desk representative to receive a new state-of-the-art modem, who initially told me that the only had one kind of modem, she broke down a gave me a new out of the box modem, which Charter had just received. I did not exaggerate by begging and pleading. Returning home, I called the in the activation number and plugged in everything. I had wireless internet service immediately. This is after the visiting technician and three technicians at the technical department said that everything was fine (different days) as reported by the modem. They all insisted, "Modems don't have problems like this. They fail and you will know it." All signals were within parameters and tolerances. They themselves didn't realize that, when they are looking at their measurements, it is from the signal coming into the modem. Signal coming out of the modem are assumed to be the same. Company representative generally have no idea why, in this instance they changed modem manufacturers. Everyone including EnGenius technicians suggested I turn in the new wireless router for the third new router. By the way my new router the EnGenius ESR 9855G, has been working great. EnGenius was more than willing to help me obtain a new third router.



I truly hope this information helps. I had to do a lot of research on wireless networks for myself. I use it on 2 businesses. Wired systems are always recommended, but I would have had to run wires all around my property. I believe it is important to share and help each other. I have personally had very little beneficial help in frustrating computer problems and have been misdirected so many times. There is a huge lack of good quality correct information. If you find this to be inaccurate, please e-mail me. If you have a suggested web site to post this help information to help others, please let me know. I have been working on my distance issue since June 2006 until November 2010. I believe it is resolved completely, until the next new technological glitch.



Good Luck and have patience,



Bass Trout Master BassTroutMaster@gmail.com



P.S. I received some great feedback on my help. Thanks, but no, I'm a mortgage broker, not a computer tech. ERB9250 11N 300MB 11N Range Extender Removable Antenna 1 10/100 - Expander - Wireless N Range Extender - Signal Booster - Extender'


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Sound System - speakers, logitech


Just got my Z523's today. Quick shipment from Amazon, despite my using super saving shipment. First impressions: nice attention to detail: velcro wraps for all the cords. Sound is good, but VERY heavy on the base. Had to adjust it way down to sound good. The sub seems well put together. Watch out for the down firing speaker though. It is unprotected, and you could easily put your finger through it taking it out of the box. They should put a grill of some sort over it to protect it.



The biggest reason i bought these is that it was a good price, and it offered a seperate line in, so i could hook up an ipod without having to un-plug it from the computer. You would be surprised how hard this feature is to find in a ~$100 2.1 system.



Hopefully it will last a lot longer than my Klipsch Pro-Media's, which sounded great but needed to be repaired every year. I could have bought 3 sets of Z523s for the money I spent repairing my Promedias. Enough was enough.



Z523's = thumbs up! Logitech Speaker System Z523 with Subwoofer

I ordered these based on the generally positive reviews and had great expectations for them. I was replacing a pair of Cyber Acoustics speakers that cost much less than these, so surely these would sound better! In my opinion, they don't. In fact, I think they sound so bad that I was starting to wonder if I had done something wrong installing them, but it's pretty idiot-proof. I listened to numerous favorite songs, and was unable to find a comfortable bass level using the bass control knob. It's either waaaaay too much and rattles nearby items with the vibration, or nothing (same is true of the volume knob, by the way). The bass is not at all to my liking (and I do like bass), I suppose it may be good for explosions on games and movies and that sort of thing, but it's horrible for music and you'd be constantly adjusting the knob for different types of music. I also found the treble very poor, and the sound generally muddied and unbalanced. I tried to like these, I really did, especially since I hate the hassle of sending things back. These are going back. I reconnected my Cyber Acoustics. They're not great, but I like them much better than these. I may be the only one who thinks so here, but these are awful. Listen to them first before buying (and not just on explosions) and see if you agree

I will keep this short. If you like a lot of bass then you can't go wrong with this system.

The subwoofer delivers in this regard. The problem comes in the mid-range and non-existant high end.

This system do not have a tweeter only one small speaker for both mid-range and highs. And while

it does an acceptable job for mid-range it doesn't have any highs.



I tried using the software EQ to boost the highs but then mid-range got messed up...I couldn't get

it right. I eventually returned these for the Z520s. And while the bass is not there the sound

is much more balanced across a wide range of different material.



In summary, if you want a lot of bass get these. If you want an overall good sounding speaker

get the Z520.

There are several lengthy reviews on these speakers already, so I'll keep this short. I think the four and five star rated reviews are pretty much spot on. Yes, the woofer can easily overpower the desk speakers. That's why there's a separate volume control marked "bass". Look, this is not a home stereo system. It's a set of good quality computer speakers with a woofer footrest. By any measure, they're better than whatever came with your computer, and most likely better than whatever came with your TV. This is the 5th or 6th set of computer speakers I've bought over the last 25 years. They're the best thus far.

I didn't want to spend the extra coin for the z2300 set (which are amazing). When I compared the z523 to the z2300, I found the z523 has a slight dropoff in sound quality, but were still very good. The bass output is really strong. Highs are excellent. The midrange is where it's just a bit weak, and the only reason I give them 4 stars instead of 5. After listening to them for a couple of hours and using the RealTek mixer equalizing software that came with my motherboard, along with some tweaking of the positioning on my desk, I am completely satisfied with the speaker performance. The left/right desktop units are position sensitive because they have rear and front firing drivers. The good news is that this adds another possibility for adjustment.



Other pros: Speakers are a reasonable size. Controls are easy to use (power, volume, bass, line in and headphone jack all on right speaker). Subwoofer is really nice looking. RCA and DB9 cable connections, making it possible to extend the distance between the speakers and the subwoofer.



These are a great value when on sale. High quality 2.1 sound from your PC. - Speakers - Pc Speakers - Logitech - Subwoofer'


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Photography Equipment - lowepro, photography equipment


I have been using a Lowepro Micro Trekker 200 for the last several years. It's been a great bag and has held up very well. The problem is, it's just not comfortable enough to wear for an extended period of time. I usually set it down somewhere (leave it in the truck). The camera comes out and gets hung around my neck. If I need to switch lenses, I'm out of luck unless I walk back to where ever I set the bag down. I wanted something easy and comfortable that would allow me to carry just enough equipment to get the shots I wanted.



After doing a lot or research on line and in store, I found the Slingshot line of bags. I chose the 202 because it was the smallest bag that would fit my camera with a mid range lens attached. My go-to setup is a Nikon D5000 with the 16-85mm lens. As small as this combination is, it won't fit in the 100 series bag unless you detach the lens first. I chose the 202 over the 200 because the 202 has a strap to carry a tripod built on to the side of the back pack.



**Update 11/12/10 - I recently purchased a Nikon 70-300 mm VR lens. The lower camera portion of the 202 will fit the equivilent of 1 DSLR and up to 4 Nikon 70-300mm VR lenses and still have enough room for a charger & spare battery. (I know there is no reason to carry 4 of the same lenses. I share this because it gives you a maximum point of reference.) The 70-300 lens attached to the camera will fit comfortably. The other 3 will fit, but tightly. The equipment I use most often is a D5000 DSLR, 12-24mm, 16-85mm, 70-300mm, 35mm F1.8 and an SB800 flash. You can comfortably carry one DSLR, any 4 of the above, and a battery charger & spare battery in the lower portion of the bag. There are still front and top zipper pockets for other gear and/or your lunch. - End of update.**



I also bought the Lowepro Bottle Bag which I highly recommend. It attaches via built-in straps on the side or back of the slingshot. So now, I can even carry a drink. Lowepro sells a variety of accessories like the bottle bag that can attach to their camera bags.



From a pratical standpoint, the Slingshot series of bags allows a photographer a considerable amount of convenience and freedom. The bag is comfortable on your back. You can carry as much or as little equipment as you want. When you need it, the bags "slings" around to your front without taking it off your shoulder. You pull out your camera, take your shot, put the camera back, and move on hands free. With the bag in the front position, it even makes a steady spot to rest your arm/support the camera for those longer exposure shots. The Sling Shot even has a built-in all weather cover that you pull out to protect the back pack and your equipment in the event of rain or snow.



The one odd thing I found only affects you if you buy the bottle bag or some other accessory like I did. The only logical place to attach the bottle bag and be able to easily reach it, is on the same side where the tripod strap is. (The other side of the bag has the flap that opens to the camera.) If you do this, you can't carry both at the same time. You can attach the bottle bag to the front (back of the back pack when it's on your back), but you'll never reach your water bottle without taking the back pack off or "slinging" it around. This is not a problem or a design flaw. It is just something to be aware of if you take my advice and buy a bottle bag or other accessory.



The one complaint I have... The opening where the camera body sits is considerably wider than it needs to be. It turns into waisted space. Lowepro should come up with a use/design to take advantage of this wasted space. If they are reading my review, it would make a great spot to install a small compartment/wallet to hold spare batteries and a charger, add one more divder to hold something like lens hoods, or extend the existing divider so you could fit a longer zoom lens.



In the reseach I did, I couldn't find a better back pack. It is so near perfect that unless something better comes along, I have to give this bag a "highly recommended" to anyone considering it. I would happily buy it again. Lowepro SlingShot 202 AW

Bag looks really good but I had some concerns. I carry Nikon D90 along with two lenses 18-105mm and 70-300mm in it. You can fit the bigger lens 70-300mm in this bag only when it is attached to the camera. If you have 70-300mm lens, you need to think about this. Otherwise I don't have any complaints to it. You can carry all other accessories and have enough room for it. I gave it 3 stars because it doesn't allow me to carry my bigger lens separately. I want to carry my camera with 18-105 lens always on it and want to change to bigger lens when I needed.

I just received this bag today. I have a Canon 500D (Rebel T1i), 18-55mm, 55-250mm and 75-300mm lenses.



This bag has two compartments -



Bottom:



- Comfortably fits Camera and kit lens. There is some extra room at the end which can be adjusted using the velcro.

- Two additional compartments which can be used for lens / flash.



Top:



- This has enough space for small accessories like Valet, Point and Shoot Camera and Battery charger.

- There is a elastic strap in the top compartment to secure camera etc.



There are two small pockets outside, which can be used for storing battery, USB cable etc.



Notable features which everybody else mentioned:



- All weather cover hidden nicely.

- Tripod compartment which can be pulled only when required. A strap to secure the tripod.



Now you have idea about how much it can carry. It is obvious that its a small bag. The build quality is very nice and zippers, fabric gives you nice feel.



This bag is useful if you carry couple of lenses (kit + medium telescope) and a flash. Charger / Memory cards and other small accessories fit well and you're good to go. My 75-300mm lens fits there but its the largest it can handle. So if you intend to carry longer lenses then this bag is not for you.



Sling design is absolutely helpful and works perfectly for me.



Little expensive for size though. You get Kata 465i / 467i, Lowepro 202 AW / 302 AW which are bigger than this bag. Those are not very expensive as well.



Worth comparing your needs before buying this. - Lowepro - Sling Bag - Photography - Photography Equipment'


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Refrigerator Accessories - fridge filter, whirlpool water filter


I purchased Whirlpool filters (item 4396508) as shown in the photo and described in the description. I received generic Water Sentinel filters. Probably an honest mistake, but if I wanted generic filters, I would have ordered them. I will be returning them.

I don't know how this will compare to the REAL "Whirlpool" filter which I thought that I was getting! It says that it is made by Water Sentinel. That is not how it is presented so I am very disappointed.

Like some other reviewers recently, I did not receive a genuine Whirlpool filter as pictured in the description. I received a "Water Sentinel" brand filter. I does fit the refrigerator--mine takes the filter in the lower grille (but it's a Kenmore made by Whirlpool). However, it's not what I believed I was purchasing. The filter itself is very lightweight which makes me question if there's as much going on on the inside as there is in a genuine whirlpool filter. Yes, the price is cheap. No, I'm not going through the hassle of returning it. But buyer beware! :(

I just recieved another brand some after market not the item advertised as Whirlpool.This filter compared to Whirlppol is not the same if you shake it it has something inside that moves. It does not seem to be similar in quality. I do not know why this is not corrected yet on Amazon it still shows Whirlpool product and picture and you recieve a product as Water Sentinel. I did recieve a credit for the error after a few calls so customer service was okay.

Amazon makes it easy to replace these filters that are easy to forget when you are at Home Depot or any home store. The filters are easy to order, takes a couple of days to receive, no sales tax, free shipping, much cheaper, and no gasoline used or crowds to deal with. My water and ice taste great. Since I got my side by side ten years ago, I drink nothing but water and love the taste of good, clean water with all the chemicals and harmful junk filtered out. These filters are easy to install and ease my mind when I think of all the crap that is in the tap water. It is scary what is acceptable as far as water quality standards. I certainly do not want my family drinking unfiltered water. Anyway, got off on a tangent, but bottom line is I highly recommend this filter and the ease of obtaining them.

I'll keep this to the point:

- Ordered a three-pack of the product on this page

- Product arrived and was labeled "Whirlpool" on top and "Pur" on the bottom. It appeared to be genuine OEM

- Have changed out the water filter on this fridge over a dozen times previously with no issues

- Installed one and the water took on rotten eggs (hydrogen sulfide) smell

- Water had no such smell with the previous filters

- Thinking I had one bad unit, I installed another one form the 3-pack

- It too imparted the awful smell

- Removed filter completely, smell went away

- Returned this product for a refund

- Ordered PUR QTSS Whirlpool Quarter Turn Refrigerator Ice and Water Filter Cartridge and installed it... no bad smell - Water Filter For Refrigerator - Whirlpool Water Filter - Fridge Filter - 4396508'


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Happiness


Change Your Habits, Change Your Life will truly do what the title says. This book does not reveal any weight loss secret and doesn't miraculous present anything you haven't heard before or know is true ... but what is does is deliver the message in a practical way, as if it were presented by a true and trusted friend over the kitchen table. Danna gives real life information backed up by God's truth. For once I have read a book that not only enforces what I know is the right way to lose weight (eat less, move more, duh!), but gives direction on how to trust God to provide the transformation into knowing what to do and DOING IT! Change Your Habits, Change Your Life: A Proven Plan for Healthy Living

I ordered Danna Demetre's book after attending a Womens conference where she was the guest speaker. She is dynamic in her presentation and very motivating in her ability to spur us on in order to make changes in our life.



The biggest change in my life is knowing I am a child of GOD and from that flows how I think of myself based on what GOD says about me. We are what we think and Danna reminds us that healthy living both physically and spiritually is the key.



We learn how we can change our habits by changing our old "thought tapes". She has some very helpful guidelines to effectively change us for the better and more happier self GOD meant us to be.



I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for an effective way to change old habits.

I am almost done with my second time through Danna's book. The daily readings are encouraging, both spiritually and health-wise. Danna is very encouraging about celebrating every small victory and change because they truly add up to become lifestyle changes. I am exercising regularly, eating in a much more healthy and natural way, and encouraged to know and believe the truth about God and myself...the way to truly change and renew my mind. I highly recommend this book for anyone seeking to change unhealthy physical habits, as well as unhealthy thinking. I'm going to go through it a third time!'


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Soft Screen Diffuser


I can't believe what great lighting this little $13 gadget gives. It softens the light giving your subject a beautiful, even glow. I used it in total darkness to shoot a picture of a sleeping baby and the results were amazing... plus the baby wasn't affected by a bright flash in her face. The diffuser folds flat for storage. Don't be discouraged when you first receive it... yes, it feels flimsy in your hand but once you open it up and attach it to the flash unit it's stable. I would definitely buy this product again. Opteka SB-1 Mini Universal Studio Soft Box Flash Diffuser for Canon EOS, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Sony, Sigma, & Other External Flash Units

I ordered this diffuser very recently, and was anxious to try it out when it arrived. (Good delivery time, by the way.) I was very surprised to discover that the package contents did not match what was described on the package. The diffuser is supposed to strap onto the flash unit by first wrapping the flash head with a "friction band", and then the assembled (I assume by some method involving velcro) diffuser, which has had a velcro strap threaded thru loops on the diffuser, is placed over the friction strap and tightenes to hold the diffuser in place. These instructions are clearly printed and illustrated on the packaging.



Problems:

1. No loops on diffuser.

2. No friction strap.

3. No way to assemble the diffuser.

4. The only possible method of attaching this thing to the flash unit is by the supplied 4 velcro "loop" patches which are apparently to be somehow glued to the flash unit (of course, unacceptable!). These would be grabbed by "hook" patches heat-welded to the plastic. Of course, the loose patches had no means discoverable by which to adhere these to the flash unit, even if I had wanted to do so.

5. The diffuser face of the unit was marred by a large oval of welded plastic, which would certainly project artifacts on the subject being photographed. Not a good thing.

6. Even at the low $12.95 price this thing is way overpriced.



I of course returned this to Amazon the same day I received it. They handled the return very well and quickly. They are a quality concern, and I will certainly be dealing with them again.

This thing takes my picture from good to wow. I was realllllly surprised that it does so much. If you're on the fence about getting it, just get it. It's cheap enough that you won't really be out of any real money if you don't like it. Just a suggestion - I read the reviews before I bought it and went ahead and got some velcro before it came in. I attached the soft side of the velcro to my flash, the hooked part to the inside of the diffuser. That baby doesn't move an inch. I started doing club photographer recently and my photos look like I've been shooting in that environment for years... get it

The product pictures, and the packaging, show the diffuser held in place by a friction band or strap around the flash head. What I got instead was a bunch of velcro pieces that I'm supposed to peel and stick. So, not usable on multiple flashes, and this kind of tape invariably degenerates into a gooey mess after a year or two. It's going back.



If you don't care about that, well then I'm sure it works fine. It's just a piece of plastic.

I purchased this for a quick and easy flash diffuser and what I got was what I suspect to be a cheaply made knockoff. Notice the photos of the product, the description of how it's used - very simple. The Velcro band goes through the loops and your tighten it around the flash head. Well what I received has no Velcro strap and no tabs to even put a Velcro strap through. I have Velcro squares I am supposed to stick to my $500 flash and there is Velcro on the inside for me to "attach" them to. What I received was not only NOT what was pictured on the site (not Amazon's fault) but it wasn't even what was pictured on the packaging of the actual product! The instructions on the back still have the same directions of feeding the strap through the loops and tightening them, yet that isn't how the one inside the packaging is made to work. I was told to call 47th street photo and told them what the issue was, their only response was "they changed the design recently". Really? So if that is the case how come not only the photos on the site are still the same but the PACKAGING still shows the "older" version? Do you think a company would change the design but forget to change the photos and directions of the packaging to the new design? I highly doubt it. Something fishy is going on with these from this vendor, I hate to say it but maybe they are getting knock-offs made and putting them in the real packaging and just selling the unpackaged ones in their storefront... I hate to accuse but it seems like the only logical answer. Go to your local camera shop, I found the same exact thing I THOUGHT I was buying for $3 less than 47th St Photo was charging anyway.'


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Ipad 2 Leather - ipad 2 accessories, ipad 2 leather


It's not fancy nor expensive, but it's exactly what I wanted.



It protects my iPad 2 wonderfully, and it's a great fit. Both cameras, all controls, headphone jack and speaker are accounted for in the design, and I don't think I'll ever have to take it out of this well-designed case.



If you're like me and would rather buy a sensible case without paying the premium for an Apple logo, this is a good choice. CaseCrown Apple iPad 2 Bold Standby case (Black) for the Apple iPad 2 Wifi / 3G Model 16GB, 32GB, 64GB

Just received the Casecrown Apple IPad 2 case, and it is perfect for my Ipad 2. First off it fits like a glove, and has a very solid feel. It also turns on/off the IPad when you open and close it. I've tried several cases, including the colored cases that Apple sells, but if you are looking for real protection, your better off buying this case.

Let's put this to rest...The magnets in the cover do put the iPad 2 to sleep and wake it. That is the first thing I noticed. Don't believe me? Put a passlock on the the iPad and close the cover. Immediately open the cover, and the iPad requires you to enter the password since it was brought out of sleep.



For the case itself, it is a nicely engineered and functions as expected. No harsh smells either. I haven't found a case equal to this one in the same price range.



A+ for value. Now my $600 tool/toy can be safely transported and used.

Yoobao Executive Leather...188g....leather..........kickstand

CaseCrown Bold Standby.....226g....faux leather...kickstand

BearMotion Leather:...........291g....leather .........kickstand

SwitchEasy Canvas:...........392g...."canvas".......3 grooves



I've tested the 4 cases above with an iPad2. Each is a portfolio case. You can find reviews of each online. I found good video reviews of each except Bear.



Three of these are "kickstand" cases. That is, the cover folds back and slips into a notch (the "kickstand") which holds the cover in a certain way that creates a stand. One case (SwitchEasy) doesn't use the kickstand but instead has grooves on the inside cover which the side of the case can slide into to create a stand.



All cases had magnets on the cover that turned the iPad on/off. This function worked well with all of them. Also, none of them had any problem with the magnets turning the case off if you flipped the cover around back, as some of other cases do (I had the latest version of the Yoobao, which apparently fixed that problem in an earlier version).



The Bear Motion was my favorite. The review below goes from lightest to heaviest.



YOOBAO EXECUTIVE. A glove for the iPad that was just a bit too flimsy for me.

Pros:

Very light. By far the lightest. It is basically a thin leather glove that goes around the iPad, and then a thin leather portfolio cover. You barely noticed the extra weight/bulk.



Cons:

1. Though made well, I didn't think it lived up to the vaunted reports of "Yoobao quality" that some other reviewers mentioned. A few of the holes on top were slightly off, and I wasn't really impressed with the look of the black leather and the off-white stitching.

2. The kickstand worked, but not as well as the other two kickstand cases in this review. Because the Yoobao is so light and thin, the cover would slip out of the kickstand notch sometimes if you were moving it around in your lap or in bed. No problem of course if it was static, like on a table.

3. Most annoying to me, the cover magnets were not strong enough to keep the cover closed if you turned it upside down or just grabbed it to carry it a certain way. In other words, the flap would flap open, turning the thing on and then off again when it flapped closed. It seemed to do this every time I picked it up.

4. It offers only a very thin layer between your iPad and the outside world (not a con for me but perhaps for others). It's fine for walking into a meeting or putting in your briefcase. But if you were concerned about the iPad getting banged around and wanted serious protection, it's not the case for you (particularly with the flap issue noted above).



CASECROWN BOLD STANDBY - A well made faux leather case. My runner-up. It is very close in design to the Bear

Pros:

1. least expensive of the lot

2. well made, everything works.

3. second lightest, while giving almost as much protection as the heavier models. Indeed, I would say it's got the best weight and bulk of the 4.

4. faux leather is actually quite nice. Unless closely inspected, hard to tell it's not the real thing. It looks smart.



Cons:

1. The volume buttons are just a tad difficult to reach, you have to kind of push your way in there. (The Bear has a bit of this but it's so slight as not to be an issue.)

2. After handling the Bear leather case, you can kind of tell the CaseCrown is not real leather when it's in your hands. It's just something I noticed. You might not.

3. Perhaps because of its lighter weight and bulk, or its build quality, it's just a bit looser and flimsier than the Bear. This might not sound like much, but over time it started to annoy me. For instance, when you flipped the cover behind the iPad to hold it open, or when you put it in its kickstand to create a stand, the cover had a "looseness" not found in the heavier cases. That is, it would come off its stand, or would flop around a bit, or otherwise just feel a bit loose and cheap. Another minor example is that the cover, while it always worked to turn the iPad off when you closed it, sometimes didn't line up exactly with the edges of the screen the way it did with all the other cases. These examples may seem minor, and perhaps they are, but as I say, after experiencing the feel of the Bear - the looseness of the CaseCrown started to bug me.



BEAR MOTION LEATHER. A really well made leather case. My first choice. It is very close in design to the CaseCrown.

Pros:

1. To me, had the best overall "Feel". Fine leather and acceptable weight. The Bear is 100g heavier than the Yoobao, which to my hand felt acceptable. In contrast, the SwitchEasy is 100g heavier than the Bear and, again, to my taste, was just 100g too much - see discussion of SwitchEasy below). The CaseCrown is similar to the Bear but a bit lighter and cheaper (see below)

2. The case was sturdy and offered good protection all around. It of course offered more protection than the Yoobao. It also perhaps had a bit more than CaseCrown (because it was a bit thicker, but they were more or less comparable) and a bit less than SwitchEasy. It was light enough to carry into a meeting but sturdy enough to throw in a knapsack an feel it was secure.

3. The magnets work flawlessly, closed with a "snap" and kept it closed until you wanted to open it. Best magnets of the lot.

4. The stand worked very well. The best of the kickstand cases, probably because, again, the leather was thicker than with the other two and so everything just stayed in place a bit more.



Cons: All these "cons" are very much a matter of personal taste

1. It's probably about average weight for these things but just slightly heavier than I'd like. If I had my druthers, the weight and thinness of the CaseCrown would be what I wanted, coupled with the quality and sturdiness of the Bear.

2. It's the least "cool" looking of the 4 cases. It's just a conservative black leather case, with no real "flash". SwitchEasy is by far the coolest looking. The Yoobao might also be viewed by some as cool though I personally didn't like it so much. The CaseCrown and Bear are similar, but CC probably edges out the Bear in that the Bear is a bit thicker and boxier.

3. The leather covers almost all of the black borders of the screen. The other two kickstand cases left a bit more black exposed, which I preferred aesthetically, and the SwitchEasy leaves all of it showing (which, again, looks cool). I couldn't find anything functionally wrong with this. Although one reviewer mentioned that it might get in the way of certain programs where you had to swipe to the edge of the screen, I didn't have that experience.



SWITCHEASY CANVAS - A cool, innovative case but for me, a bit too much bulk.

Pros:

1. Exceptionally well made. The strongest and sturdiest of the bunch, probably offering the most protection.

3. The grooves worked well as a stand, though because I use the iPad a lot in bed and on the couch, I think I may prefer the kickstand system, though it really is a matter of taste.

2. To my eye, a very cool looking case, the coolest of the bunch. The "canvas" isn't canvas but some high tech material. The material and design were top notch. I also loved the way the iPad was held in the plastic shell backing so that - unlike the other three - the whole of the screen was uncovered (black border and all).



Cons:

1. Too heavy. This is of course a matter of taste. I tried it for days and really wanted to prefer it, but in the end the heaviness (and the cover issue discussed below) just started to get to me. As I mentioned above, it's just 100g heavier than the Bear but that was 100g too much. I'm a strong adult male. I carry around a laptop in my briefcase all the time. But I wanted my iPad light, and this just made it a bit too heavy for me.

2. Too bulky. Related to the above and, as above, a matter of taste. To me, just a bit too much thickness when you were actually holding it and, for instance, folding the flap back around behind it to work with the screen.

3. The cover. The cover has magnets, which worked fine, but it also has a curved extension that bends over the side and kind of clicks it closed. This extension bugged me. It didn't easily close. You kind of had to push and force it over the side (if you didn't do this, the magnets wouldn't connect and turn the thing off, and the cover would not be secured. I suspect it may have worn in over time, but I used it on and off for a week and it was always a bit of a chore to actually open and close the thing. This really got to be annoying, particularly compared to the others that so effortlessly opened and closed.

4. Since it uses a "groove" rather than "kickstand" design, you had to kind of pull part of the iPad off of the back base (where it was held by Velcro) to put it in the grooves and stand it up. Not a big deal but, again, just an added bit of work that the other cases didn't have. Over time, this annoyed me a bit.

5. I loved the material, but even with the black version that I had, I felt it might start showing stains, hand sweat, etc. over time in ways the leather and faux leather cases wouldn't. However, I'm not sure of this and so it may be an unfair comment.



SUMMATION:

I ended up taking the BearMotion because of build quality, functionality, hand feel and acceptable weight. I wish it had been slightly lighter and thinner (like the CaseCrown) while keeping its build quality/feel (which was better than the CaseCrown) - and of course if it looked a bit cooler -- but I felt for me it was the best of the lot. The CaseCrown was the runner up but ultimately, the feel and quality of the Bear won me over, beating out the slightly lighter, slightly trimmer, slightly cheaper, CaseCrown. The SwitchEasy is a great case, but just too big and bulky for me, and the cover clip bugged me. I didn't like the Yoobao's because it's overall look didn't work for me and, most importantly, the cover flap came open whenever it was tilted. The lightness was a great asset though and the protection it offered would have been enough for me if other factors had been more appealing.



Hope that helps! - Ipad 2 Leather - Apple Ipad 2 - Ipad 2 Accessories - Ipad 2 Case'


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Desktop Publishing


I have been using Microsoft Publisher for years having upgraded several times. But, Publisher is entirely limited by comparison to PagePlus and the price is right also by comparison. Much more flexible with far more opportunities for creativity. I was so impressed with this product I also purchased WebPlus which is one of the easiest editors to use and one of the most versatile. Serif PagePlus X4

I use PagePlus professionally, laying out books, book covers, and magazines. It is a fantastic program. The price can't be beat -- but it also does everything I need and is fast, so even if the price were much higher, I would still go with it for my professional work.



Whether you're laying out a newsletter, want to make cards for friends, or want to publish a book, this program handles it all. And it also will "port" its PDF files to the various formats professional presses use, as well as to a number of graphic bitmap formats for added flexibility.



Try it, you'll like it.

I have tried to use Paint shop pro, photoshop elements and I still keep going back to pageplus. I bought full verisons of both. The only time I use the others is after I have used Pageplus and need to do a small resize or to export in a different file. I don't have to spend time trying to find a book or a tutorial on how to work the darn thing. PLUS I'm a graphic designer and a mom. I don't have time to spend hours make a simple art card. Instead with page plus it only takes me 10 minutes! With photoshop and paint shop pro it takes me about 30 minutes to make one design..

If you hated it.. it's because you prefer photoshop's and paint shop pro's features. This is a better option for those who have a very small budget. To be a graphic designers doesn't require you to spend a ton of money on software and books.. it means designing while having a great time. Being stress free is a way of life and this software makes it super easy.

I purchased this software because I owned Art Explosion Publisher's Pro, and I noticed that it was almost identical. It is very similar to my old program but unfortunately, it doesn't support its files. Some of the problems I noticed with it is that it's not very intuitive, eventhough, it contained many of the features of Publisher's Pro. It doesn't come with its own clip art, so you have to buy it either from Serif (only offers British Clip Art) or from somewhere else. The photo optimizer and logo studio work very well, and I found them to be very easy to use. For the price, it offers a great many features and is well worth the investment, but I would highly recommend purchasing the PagePlusX4 Resource Guide.

First of all, the very best thing is that oh, be still my beating heart, this software comes with a printed manual in the box! That's so incredibly rare these days. I like printed manuals so much I've been known to print the PDFs that come with other software out to put in 3-ring binders so I can look up the help when the program's not working. So, kudos to Serif for getting the most important thing right.



The program itself is easy to use, especially if you're working with one of the templates that comes with it, but some of those templates are not easy to modify to suit your own purposes. That's my major gripe. Their book creation section is somewhat confusing, but in this case practice definitely makes perfect.



All in all, I'd say PagePlus X4 gives really good value for the money and would recommend it to any desktop publisher on a budget.

Have used various software programs like Pagemaker, Corel, etc. over the years, but needed new software with Windows 7 to create items for small business. PagePlus x4 has all that, including templates to get you started. Video tutorials helpful, but wish they had more and longer ones for new users. Tutorials are fast paced and geared more for experienced users. Like most new software, no manual came with it, but was able to download the PDF file from Serif website to refer to (manual sells for $40). For the price it's a great software to meet your graphic needs whether it be for business, school or fun. Recommend you buy or download the manual to refer to.

This software, I can safely say is the best investment that I have ever made concerning Desktop Publishing. It performs and performs and performs. The key to getting the most out of this software is to just start playing around with it. Make posters, logos, call cards and anything else you can think of just for fun! There are also loads of online tutorials available to get you up to speed quickly if you have never used a comprehensive desktop publishing program before. Once you start to get familiar with the software, then you can start the serious work.



What is also fantastic with this software is the value you get, first there is the CD-ROM with the program, but then there is also enclosed a Resource DVD with loads of pictures and clip art that can give you a headstart on giving your projects a professional finish. In addition to this there are numerous sample projects that have been pre-made. These can be edited to meet your personal requirements.



One thing to note when importing documents from another program is to import one type of content at a time, meaning: import text by itself first, then import pictures separately after etc. Do not attempt to take short-cuts when importing content, otherwise the quality of the finish may diminish.



In conclusion, I give this software a big thumbs UP!'


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Kitchen Gadgets - ice cube, silicone


Big cubes are the latest trend in high-end cocktail bars because of their slower melt rate (less surface area) and curious look. This is a great home version that produces gorgeous 2x2 cubes. It does take a bit more effort to extract the cubes from the rubbery silicone material than traditional trays -- you have to sort of stretch and push them out -- but for big cubes it's actually advantageous to carefully slide them out this way, rather than "cracking" them out and risking fractures. You'll get the hang of it.



The BIG problem I had with this initially was that the cubes produced white "floaties" in the drink that left a rather waxy residue on the glass(!). I'm not making this up! What the heck are those? I googled it and it appears that this is a problem that some people experience with silicone trays. The best theory I found was that it's related to the effect silicone has on freezing certain types of water, perhaps condensing minerals on the surface of the cubes. It's just a theory. But I figured out a workaround which I am happy to share with the internet via this amazon review. If you experience this, just RINSE the cubes briefly before you drop them in the drink, and it will wash off the white reside. All good! I love my big cubes now. Tovolo 80-5521 King Cube Jumbo-Size Silicone Ice-Cube Tray, Blue

We're cocktail nerds and have worked with the 4 cube size of this Tovolo king cube trays. As already noted, it's a bit of a fight getting the cubes out, but they are nice big cubes.



Our upgrade from this was to the big Beaba "cubes" which are actually cylinder sections with rounded bottoms. That makes them pop out a lot easier and the tray is lidded. Beaba thinks their tray is for freezing baby food, but we mixies know better.



We do recommend the smaller cubed Tovolo tray which freezes up fast and the cubes pop right out. In general, a brand we've liked; it'd be great to see them come up with a lidded tray with rounded "cubes" for easier removal.

I bought two of these trays mainly to freeze cooking liquids (stocks, broths, wines, etc....) and they work just fine. Each cube is a little more than a 1/3 cup which is a pretty convenient size. After they are frozen the cubes don't slide out like a conventional hard plastic tray, but it's not really hard to get them out. I guess if you have a severe case of arthritis or carpel tunnel it might be an issue, but for most I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult. If you need big cubes get these trays!

No kidding. I put a little bit of chili (not too chunky) etc in here, cover w/ saran wrap, freeze and then break out into a quart freezer bag. For lunch I can put a cube or two with some rice (etc) and fresh veggies. Nice little portion and it helps keep the other stuff cold until lunch time. This is nice for me because I don't always want the same food two days in a row.

1) I read about these in the WSJ



2) I made my purchase through Amazon. The reviews looked good but I did have to stop and thing about two reviews that said, "funny taste", and "hard to get cubes out".



3) I decided that it wasn't a ton of money so I took the plunge



4) Wow! The cubes melt VERY slowly. I cube is over an hour, two cubes last longer



5) No funny taste



6) I just push up the cube from the bottom of the tray



7) This product is a winner!

I bought two of these trays with some trepidation, because numerous people had complained about how difficult they were to fill and place in the fridge without making a mess and how difficult it was to work the cubes out of their containers when frozen.



Even though, when it comes to manual dexterity, I have always considered myself to have two left hands, I had zero problems. I found that if you hold one of these trays filled to the brim with water by the middle of the short ends, you can lift them into the ice cube tray of your fridge without spilling hardly a drop. I've done it about 10 times already. Either I've been struck with an episode of never-before-experienced grace and poise, or it just isn't that difficult.



I braced myself for having to wrestle the cubes out of their containers, just as numerous reviewers here prepared me for. Good golly, my cubes popped right out. In fact, it was far easier to remove cubes from this tray than from a standard ice cube tray where you have to run hot water over the bottom and twist the tray to loosen the cubes to get them out. With this tray, a little wriggling and they pop right out. No muss, no fuss.



The virtues of a 2-inch square ice cube are immediately apparent. It takes a good 2 hours to melt, so your drink gets watered down a lot less quickly. When you have company, it's much easier to fix mixed drinks with these large, easy-to-extract cubes than it is with cubes half the size that must be run under hot water to remove from their tray.



For a price of about $10, there's a lot to like about these trays, and not a heck of a lot that could go wrong.

My husband is comitted to huge ice cubes made with distilled water. They melt slower and don't dilute drinks. Also our local tap water is vile. These make a perfect size cube and you can empty all six into a ziplock baggie and toss in freezer ready to use. The hard part is filling and transfering to the freezer without spilling as the trays are somewhat floppy. I solved this by using a small plastic tray underneath which supports the Tovolo on the way to and into the freezer.

I make some of my baby's food and needed something better than a regular ice tray to freeze portions in. This is perfect! Instead of regular 1 oz per cube portions like a regular tray, I get 2-2.5 oz portions to freeze (I haven't measured it exactly), but it works well. After freezing the babyfood, I just pop it out and store it in ziplock baggies/containers. - Ice Cube - Baby Food - Silicone - Ice Cube Trays'


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Headphones - drbt50, bluetooth


These headphones do provide vastly superior sound quality to any of the other bluetooth headphones I've tried. This is understandable as there is almost a $100 difference between these and any other headset I've tried..

But that difference in price was more than worth it as I no longer feel as though I'm compromising sound quality and comfort.

Pros:

- I use them 7+ hours a day with little to no ear fatigue.

- Very clean sound with responsive bass. I listen mostly to electronic music with lots of bass and these do not leave me wanting. The difference between these and other headsets I've tried (some even wired) is huge.

- The battery easily lasts an entire work day without need for recharge. (the manual says the batteries will last ~17 hours of continual use and I don't doubt it)

- Replaceable battery! I haven't seen this in many bluetooth headsets. Although it is not designed such that the battery can be easily replaced, there are instructions in the manual should replacement become necessary.

- Pair with up to 8 bluetooth devices. Most headsets stop at 2 or 3.

- Easy to use controls. The control buttons are easily told apart by touch. (there's even a music folder navigation button for devices that support it)

- Effective PASSIVE noise cancellation. as in they're muffs. they just block out outside sound and block it well.

- Built-in mic of decent quality for voice calls.

- Works perfectly with my Samsung SPH-M620 (UpStage) cell phone.

though any cell phone with the A2DP and AVRCP bluetooth profiles should work fine.



Note to Mac users: OSX 10.4 does not natively support the A2DP bluetooth profile (though there is a hack to get it working) but 10.5 (Leopard) will, so you should be able to pair these to a mac running 10.5



I think Windows Vista does have built-in A2DP support. As long as your PC supports bluetooth, these should pair up just fine.



Cons:

- susceptible to interference from other electronic devices that operate in the 2.4Ghz wireless spectrum. (wireless internet, some wireless phones, and other bluetooth devices). Of course, no bluetooth headset is immune to this. There is no loss in sound quality, they may just cut out if interference is extreme.

- the fast forward/rewind switch is perhaps just a tad to easy to accidentally hit while going for the volume control.

- I'm getting a permanent groove in my hairdo.



If you're willing to drop a little extra, I believe these headphones will more than make up the difference. Sony DRBT50 Stereo Bluetooth Headset

I recently purchased a blue-tooth compatible pda phone. I know I had to immerse myself in the unit in order to fully use it. I ordered two headsets to use with my new phone, a Jawbone, and the Sony DRBT50's.



While the jawbone is probably one of the best of noise cancelling headsets out there, there's still occasional static and drop outs. I didn't really believe that A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) could really pass two channels of music to a pair of headsets without dropout and static.



I charged the units till the lights indicated full charge (about 2 hours) just like you have to do with any electronic before you play with it. The pairing was easy, exactly like every other blue-tooth pairing you've ever done. Next I put the headphone's on my head.



Let me tell you that while these units are comparatively large, they fold nicely and yet have some of the nicest and softest feeling padding around the cans I've ever felt. More like high end audiophile headphones then the usual blue tooth level consumer stuff. Adjust the fit, (stiff sliding shafts just like traditional headphones) and they felt comfortable enough to wear for hours.



I like the travel-ability of my Shure and Etymotic earbuds, they also sound great. I was often intrigued by the Bose (active) noise cancelling headphones but put off by the price and the generally flat reviews from serious music folks.



Next, I opened media player and hit play on one of my favorite songs. The sound was beautiful. Crisp highs, deep lows, and crystal clear. I ran through about 2 hours of music and couldn't find a song that wasn't truly impressive on these cans. I totally forgot about static and dropout, I never heard it once.



Finally, when getting ready for bed, I gave them a quick distance test. I set the player on my kitchen counter and walked about 20 feet to let the dogs out. Crystal clear all the way. I even stepped outside the door and the music played on. I had to walk an additional 8-10 feet outside before I got the music to start breaking up.



The DRBT50 controls are a bit hard to use until you get used to them. Next, back, volume up and down are the primary music controls. There's also a nice big button for use as a blue-tooth headset while on the phone. A small omnidirectional mice built nearly invisibly into the right can serves as a mic. While the phone call I placed with them was crystal clear, I felt that in loud conditions there might be quite a bit of noise for ht e person at the other end of the line to deal with.



If I lived in a place with a train commute, I'd get a blue-tooth 2 device and these cans. I've logged hundreds of thousands of miles with my ear buds, but my next trip, they'll stay home and these relatively compact (put your two fists together for a size approximation) yet beautiful sounding headphones will be with me.



I would recommend these unites to anybody. Most impressive wireless tech I've seen yet. - A2dp - Bluetooth - Wireless Headphones - Drbt50'


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