Guy Low Price Electronic: 29 Oct 2011

Saturday, 29 October 2011

Heart Monitor - exercise, fitness

I'd hoped that getting this new running gadget would encourage me to exercise more often. So far so good. I asked for this for Christmas and, well, it has accomplished it's primary function for me... I've been running almost every day since I got it. I was turned off by the gigantic size of some HRMs, and did not need something to keep track of splits as I run on my treadmill at home and the gym.

As a heart rate monitor, the functionality is pleasantly simple. It tracks your heart rate for the whole workout. You hit the big button to start, and it goes to work tracking the length of time, the average heartbeat, and the peak. While you are running, it displays your current heartbeat. That's it -- but sometimes it's better to keep it simple.

I should point out that, as a watch, the watch piece tells the time and date only. If you want/need splits and a stopwatch, you should look elsewhere.

Here's some other thoughts: I was worried that the strap would break but realized after a couple workouts that I was probably wearing it a little too tight. Since adjusting, it is much more comfortable, has not fallen off, and, as a guy, you *almost* forget that you have it on. My wife cracked up when I took my shirt off after a recent workout. She said that, from the back, it looked like I was wearing a bra (or Manzierre, or Bro, if you prefer).

I had no original intention of wearing it while NOT working out, but I've found it addictive, and have enjoyed observing how drinking a cup of coffee while sitting at my desk does raise my heart rate about 10-15 beats per minute on average. Also, as I've started to get in a little better shape over the last 3 weeks, I see that I have to run either farther or faster to get my heart rate up to certain thresholds. And, now my heart rate does not go up as high from merely climing the stairs at home. I believe that these insights, among others, are very encouraging for someone who is just getting back in shape. The encouragement aspect combined with the simplicity makes this a great starter heart rate monitor for anyone considering. Timex T5G941 Heart Rate Monitor Watch

My Timex Heart Monitor arrived today and, after a quick read of the enclosed instructions, I strapped on the watch and the sensor unit and headed for the Oz fitness center.

The Timex seemed to work perfectly. It was consistent first with my resting pulse rate. And at the gym the Star Trec Treadmill picked up the signal and registered the same as it did yesterday when I didn't have the Timex unit.

I'm 70 years old. It was really great to NOT have to grab the treadmill sensors with both hands to check my pulse while jogging 6+MPH. The new Star Trec treadmill picked up the Timex signal and displayed my heart rate so I didn't even have to look at the watch. Of course it comes in handy on the rowing machine and the torso machine, acting as an incentive to push to my maximum heart rate.

It may be that the watch battery (or more likely the sensor battery) will run down after a couple of months of daily use. I don't actually know how long the batteries will last or how resilient the unit is to abuse.

I hope it will outlast the cheap but comfortable plastic watch band. Now that I have used it once I don't want to jog, bicycle, or go the gym without it.

I wanted a heart rate monitor to use for general exercise and fitness. I bought four of the Timex monitors, one for myself and three for Christmas gifts. I have used mine several times and it works fine. The machines I use at my athletic club pick up the heart rate signal automatically so I can see the heart rate without looking at the watch. I wear the watch to record the length of the workout, the average heart rate, and the maximum. I like this amount of information; I don't want to download training information to a computer and I don't want calorie information since that would probably be inaccurate anyway; that is, you get the same calorie count for a 110 woman as a 230 pound man (me). There is a small exercise booklet that comes with the watch and monitor that gives some useful information to correlate your heart rate and length of workout with your fitness level. You can use this to calculate points for the workout and compare that with the range of points you should be accumulating every week for various activities like running a 10K or a marathon. Putting the monitor strap on is only a minor inconvenience. I have had no read-out problems. The wrist watch works as a watch when not showing heart rate. This is an excellent product for the price.

This is a very basic HRM

Pros

1. Simple to use

2. Works out of the box

3. user changeable batteries

4. INdiglo ---- to check reading in the dark

5. Has a stop watch

Cons

1. Stop watch starts as soon as you turn on HRM

2. You cannot use teh watch as a stop watch w/o the strap around your chest.

3. No split timing.

I had this HRM for about 2 months and it worked fine for during that time period. This is a low end HRM without a lot of features but it was all I really needed.

Recently, it has started to quit working during some workouts. During some runs when my heart rate is high (above 175) it just quits. Other days it seems to work fine. It is very annoying when it quits in the middle of a workout so you lose your time as well as the heart rate information. If it keeps acting up, I will probably return it to Timex. They charge a $7.00 postage and handling fee to return it.

I am very happy with my Timex heart-rate-monitor watch. I was considering a heart-rate watch that did not require a chest strap, but after a few visits to the health club, I realized that two fingers placed on a watch to get heart rate just couldn't do it. At my Bally's gym, there are several brand new $8,000 stair-climber and treadmill machines, with built in grips to measure heart rate. Yet even using these sophisticated hand grips, it takes sometimes 30 seconds for these multi-thousand-dollar machines to calculate and display my heart rate. That is with two sweaty hands and lots of contact on big metal plates. So my guess is that with a tiny watch and two dry fingers it would take even longer to get a heart rate. With this Timex watch, the elastic (back) and rubber (front) chest strap is comfortable and stays in place. Once it is on I don't feel it, and I forget completely about it. Then for the rest of the time I am wearing it, I have an accurate and immediate display of my heart rate on the watch, without ever having to touch the watch to see what my heart rate is. And all the machines at the gym marked "Polar" pick up on my chest strap radio transmissions and display my heart rate, even though the chest strap is Timex. Highly recommended. For the under-$40 price that I paid, I think this little gadget is terrific. - Heart Monitor Watch - Fitness - Heart Rate Monitor Watch - Exercise'

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Bomber Hat - cold weather accessories

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I try and avoid wearing this hat because I wont want to take it off. Its warm and nothing is wrong with it.

However weeks after I bought it I saw a hat just like this but it was ALL fur with little ears on it which I fell in love with, but didnt buy. So I was sad about that but I still love this hat.

Yep not much more to say but I love it. Faux Tweed Bomber Shell Aviator Hat - Dark Grey - Cold Weather Accessories'

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Garmin Nuvi 1350t - garmin, widescreen gps

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I like this gps, which was purchased (refurbished) through Amazon. I received this gps about two weeks ago and tested it last week on an 800 plus mile drive from Temecula,CA, to Felton,CA. I was unable to distinguish this gps from a new one, in appearance or in performance. The only reason for 4 stars rather than 5, was I was unable to have the lady "directeur" repeat instructions at will, which I was able to do with my previous Garmin. . The repeatability is not only good company, but important to this WW II veteran with noise damaged hearing. If there is a way to have her recite on request, I would appreciate the information. Thank you.

Jules Darras

P.S. Any and all comments are welcome and requested, please. JD Garmin nüvi 1350 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished)

I bought a refurbished Garmin 1350 from Amazon after reading about a number of problems people had with it shutting down and rebooting for no reason and losing the signal. I figured the refurbished model would be working correctly, which it is and it saved at least $50 off the price of a new item. Not bad. I have used this item for only a week on a number of short and long trips and it works great. I also purchased the friction mount which also works great, a slip case, a USB cable and a 96 cent A/C charger which was a bargin. The first thing after charging it to see if it worked, which it did, was to register the unit and download the new maps, which took about two hours. Addresses that I had tried to program before the download, that weren't there, were there after the download was installed. Now I knew the unit was working. The only probem is that it doesn't always give a turn that you expect it should show and gives you some other route to your final destination. However, when you turn onto the best road, from previous experience, it recomputes the route for you as you would normally take. Also, it doesn't show stores at the local shopping centers and malls for some reason, even though they have been there for many years. It would be nice if you could touch a road on the map with your finger to change your direction before you made that turn, much like changing your route on a Google Map. I guess no GPS allows this? The real test will come when I drive down to Tampa, FL in the near future. That was the main reason for buying this unit. If any problems come up on this trip I'll submit another review. In the meantime, you can't go wrong with a refurbished 1350 at such a low price.

Additional Review Update at 09/11/10: Some other information you might need: I did a Google Map for a new route from Atlantic City Airport to avoid the Garden State Parkway traffic going North on Labor Day. I found out that I could download the map into the 1350, but found out this doesn't work. All the download does is to give your starting and ending locations to the unit. The route is not stored at all, thereby giving you all kinds of "misdirections" to your final destination. A copy of the Google map and directions saved me from sitting in 15 miles of stop and go traffic on the Parkway on Labor Day. Don't bother with a Google Map download into your Garmin. Just print out the Google directions and follow them instead of the Garmin directions.

You would think that the unit would store a route that you always take instead of giving directions that you don't want to take. Again this is not the case. The unit continues to give "misdirections" and will constantly recalculate directions base on your turns. Garmin should change the processor program so it includes a learning mode. Maybe they can delete ten of the languages in the unit that you don't need in order to free up memory for a learning mode. I hate to see what happens on a really long trip where I have no clue regarding what roads to take. I guess a good backup is to print a set of Google Map directions to backup your Garmin route. So far the unit has worked well and I have not experienced any of the problems mentioned by those who purchased this unit previously. It looks like the "refurbishing" corrected the problems. Other than the annoying "misdiretions" I would not hesitate to reccommend this unit to those seeking to buy their first GPS device.

I tried to research the various GPS auto units and chose the Garmin nuvi 1350. Mainly because of the features I wanted and Garmin's reputation. So far I've not been disappointed. I had no problem buying a refurbished unit along with the three year warranty. The routing to my house is not the best but then we live in a rural area. In a strange location/city we will have to rely on the Garmin's directions. The 1350 has been easy to learn and use right out of the box. If you need the complete owners manual it's on line ready to download. I've emailed Garmin tech support several times and they have always answered within 2-3 days. Anyhow, I'm satisfied and would buy a 1350 again. - Garmin Nuvi - Garmin - Widescreen Gps - Portable Vehicle Gps'

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Childrens Headphones

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After researching headsets for my 5.5 yr old, I bought this set and the Griffin myphones. I thought we could compare them, and if we liked both, one set could be for my 17 month old, too. After two weeks, my 5 yr old and I both prefer this set. It has a wider adjustment range, (fits the toddler AND fits me, an avg.-headed woman, but doesn't fit larger-headed husband) The sound quality is excellent, the plastic seems durable and flexible, and should withstand moderately rough use.

The options for two ways of controlling volume is particularly nice, b/c my son mostly listens to audio books, but also listens to music sometimes. The flexibility is great, b/c other headsets "volume limiters" just lower the overall volume, thus causing the spoken word or quieter songs, soft music (esp. lullaby style music) to not get loud enough to hear.

Before purchasing this headset, I called Kidz Gear on the phone to ask specifically about the decibel restriction issue above. I was promptly answered by a friendly, polite man with plenty of good information and the willingness to explain it all. Customer service seemed excellent, should I need help in the future.

I am a research-nut and not very easy to please. Despite these qualities, I would buy this again and would recommend it to others. Kidz Gear Wired Headphones For Kids

This set is wonderful--best I've seen for little heads. It really does fit 2 year-olds (unlike most other "kid" headphones), and my 5 year-old loves them, as well (we are going to order a second pair). They are sturdy and comfortable, with padding around the ears. They could also fit older children until their ears started being closer to adult size (the padding is the only thing stopping these for working for an adult since the padding doesn't sit around the ear for adults, but ON parts of the ear--the headphones themselves are plenty big enough when you adjust them). Definitely worth $15-20 to not have headphones for trips that fall off or have to be fiddled with every 2 minutes.

I purchased these headphones for my 15 month old for plane trips since we travel quite a bit. They work perfectly for him to watch videos on my Ipod Nano, and he actually leaves them on! They're soft for his little ears, and they adjust to fit him perfectly. I also appreciate the volume control that prevents the sound from getting too loud (although I just adjust the sound on the ipod, and lock it so my toddler can't adjust the volume).

I would highly recommend these headphones to anyone looking for something to fit a young child. As far as durability goes, they have held together well, however, I've only had them for a couple of months, so I don't know the long-term durability.

My four year old needed headphones for his DVD player. Kid sized head phones seemed like the perfect thing.

They look great and are comfortable. The plush ear pads help block out ambient noise. The size is good.

My biggest problem is that the cords are so thin. For something designed for kids, they should have thicker, more durable cords. My son broke two sets of cords in a year. (I tried soldering it back together, but the wires are so thin, it didn't last long).

Bought this for my 4 (now 5) year old, fit and sound quality are excellent, only problem is the headset lost sound on left side after 4 months of use, looks like the contacts near the plug were worn out. I would expect a product for kids (specially so young) to be more durable.

Won't buy this again.

Edit:

Editing this post about a week after the original post, I have downgraded to one star just because I tried calling kidz gear (used their phone number on their website), there was no answer, I left a message, but I never got a call back.

Edit (November 2011):

Got a call back from Kidz gear, they were really great, they are sending a replacement. They said they have a lifetime warranty, and if it ever brakes again they will replace it at no cost.

Upgrading back to 5 stars :-)

These are wonderful because they adjust to fit a kids head but there is nothing small about the quality or sound. I love these things. They have lasted longer than any pair of headphones my kids have used.

These headphones were perfect for our 3-year old on a long airplane trip. They were easy to adjust and fit perfectly. They were not uncomfortable at all, and the the individual volume adjustment is perfect for watching DVDs when more than one headset is used to ensure their volume is not too high (as these headphones do a great job of blocking out external noise). Pair this up with the Sony DVPFX-930 9" DVD player and Case Logic PDVK-9 DVD case and you have a great travel set for the kids.

Only cons: be careful as the wire leaving the headset could be a little more sturdy.

** UPDATE BELOW REVIEW **

After watching my toddler struggle to keep adult headphones on their teeny little noggin', I decided a pair of headphones geared for children would be a wise investment. The Kidz Gear headphones were really only one of a few choices available on Amazon. I think I made the right choice, but beware of high volumes.

FIT & COMFORT

The most important feature of the Kidz Gear headphones is fit. It fits over my toddler's head and ears comfortably so that they can focus on the audio, rather than adjusting the headphones constantly. The fact that they fold up is very nice for storage and travel. The cord length is reasonable at 1.5 meters (just under 5 feet) but a coiled one may have been even more convenient. The headphones are easily adjustable for different size heads, though it won't fit mine.

AUDIO QUALITY

I'm sure most parents, like me, aren't concerned with the actual fidelity of the headphones but just to be thorough, these headphones don't sound that great. They sound about as good, or bad, depending on your point of view, as most headphones that are included with audio/video devices. The frequency range is 20 - 20K Hz, which is the audible range for most people. The inline volume control is convenient, but I am slightly concerned that my child will accidentally increase the volume at a much higher level than is safe. I just make sure that the device volume is set low enough that even at the highest level setting on the headphones won't be that high. From what I can gather, the maximum volume output is between 100dB-110dB. I've read that sustained exposure to sounds above 85db can lead to permanent hearing loss. As a comparison, an ambulance siren is rated at 120db. Basically, it just means that at full volume, these headphones can get loud enough to damage hearing, so be responsible and make sure that it is set low enough for safe usage. If you are overly concerned about this, then you may want to take a look at the Califone First Stereo Headphone Lightweight for Young Children.

SUMMARY

The Kidz Gear headphone is one of the best purchases I made for my toddler. They can now listen without fussing with them and as long as we are mindful of the volume, we know that they won't damage their precious little ears. I'd give them 5 stars if there was a volume limiter switch of some sort but for the price, it is a very good value.

** UPDATE 11/02/2010 **

Well it has been about a year and a half now and the Kidz Gear Wired Headphones are still going strong. We also graduated to using these in the car with a portable DVD player and they have held up nicely. It also appears now that some type of volume limiting cable is offered with the headphones, addressing the only concern I had. I'm not sure what this cable is or how it works, but I'm pleased that there is something to help keep our child's ears healthy. I can now confidently give them 5 stars.'

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Wireless Pc To Tv - wireless, wireless pc to tv

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I purchased the Warpia StreamHD after seeing the product at CES last week and I have been pleased with it's performance. Set up was not a problem on my Windows 7 system and making the initial connection was painless. There are so many solutions out there that are pushing streaming video but after doing some research and seeing some of the others in action, I am very happy with this choice. The price point was very reasonable and the lack of limitations on what can be sent to your TV were very compelling. As an example, I looked at the Intel WIDI solutions and for the money that you have to spend, the latency and lack of extend mode we show-stoppers for me.

I have had the Warpia unit for the past couple of days and am putting it through it's paces. I have streamed from a DVD without issue and I have been streaming movies from Netflix with great results. Every so often (very infrequently) there will be a little break up in the signal but I have realistic expectations for a wireless vidoe solution. If it was wired and I saw occasional break up, I would be concerned but with a wireless connection, its totally acceptable.

One other point about the Warpia unit that I like is it's ability to be set on the table top or mounted on the TV. My TV is sitting on a cabinet so the tabletop orientation works but down the road, we are planning to wall-mount the TV and it will be nice to have the Warpia out of the way.

I saw another post that said that they were seeing issues with the iPhone or iPod Touch in close proximity of the Warpia unit. No issues here. I am typing this review with an iPhone sitting next to me and a movie playing on my TV.

I will update this review as I get more experience with the unit but wanted to get a preliminary review out as I am very pleased with the product. Warpia StreamHD Wireless PC to TV Full 1080P

I have several Grandchildren who are constantly wanting to play on sites like Playhousedisney.com, PBSkids.org and Nickjr.com but they are always wanting to crowd around my laptop. This product is allowing me to put these sites on our TV in the family room and the kids love it! The noise in my house has dropped since getting it and I couldn't be happier. My husband set it up and just to make sure he had it right, he spoke to Warpia on the phone and they were very helpful.

My Setup:

Desktop is exactly 10 feet from the TV.

Core i7, SSD Hard Drive, 4Gig Ram, Nvidia GTX260 GPU, Windows 7 Home 64

I can use the StreamHD to duplicate either of my 2 monitors OR

I discovered I was able to use the TV as a 3rd monitor, which was a surprisingly useful feature.

TESTS:

Netflix Watch It Now: at full 1080p the frame-rate appeared to be at 15-20FPS but minimal lag and completely watchable.

Hulu: At full 1080p Hulu would stutter minutely but consistently every 2 seconds making the frame-rate feel like 10FPS.

At 1280x1024 The frame rate staying at a solid 20fps

Skype: Much to my surprise Skype ran quite well in 1080p. The audio and video always matched, the video quality was reduced but it felt as if, whatever call quality you were normally getting, over the StreamHD it dropped 1 bar of call quality which is far better than what I expected (stuttering, audio lag, and overall instability)

All in all this product works, but it's not a magic bullet. I would have liked flawless reproduction of my 1080p computer monitor placed on my TV, but this was certainly cheaper than buying a new computer for the TV.

I read the reviews before purchasing and most were positive but one was of concern because I use VLC to play many of my videos on ext hard discs and the reviewer said he could not get it to work with VLC media player.

After connecting everything and making the recommended adjustments for windows 7 I proceeded to check out what would and would not work.

The unit works great with VLC media player if you run it in mirror mode and tweak the video output of the player. I have discovered that Power Link DVD software works best for full screen playback of digital video media and has less problems with "fuzz" in the picture which happens with VLC.

I have just started using the product and am sure with a little tweaking on my computer I will get even better results than now. I have to say I am seriously impressed with the overall function in mirror mode since I can use my bluetooth keyboard and mouse to do everything on my tv screen and leave my computer closed and out of the way.

The only concern I have at the moment is the amount of heat produced by the unit with extended use. After about 2 hours the unit gets pretty warm but this is to be expected with the amount of processing involved for that length of time without a cooling method other than ambient air cooling.

Overall if you're looking for a way to eliminate wires running all over the place and decent functionality between your laptop and HDMI TV this is a product worth purchasing.

The benefits far outweigh the minor deficiencies.

I would also recommend using Cyberlink PowerDVD 10 for viewing video as it will play DVD, Blueray, and digital media. All of this will work in miror mode, including Blue Ray playback which is listed as one item that the unit isn't compatible with. Since the blue ray plays through the software and the unit is mirroring the computer screen you get to watch it from your computer to the TV like a normal DVD.

Also be prepared to do a little experimenting to get better results and don't rely on just plug and play. Plug and play works but for greater viewing quality some tweaking is necessary. - Hdtv - Wireless Pc To Tv - Pc To Tv - Wireless'

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Digital Camera Accessory - sd card, digital camera

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There are some things to consider before buying this particular card or any other 32gb SDHC card on the market:

1. This is NOT an ideal card for a digital SLR like a D80, D90, Rebel XT, etc... That is because it is a class 4 device. The class of a SDHC cards has to do with how fast they read and write files, not how much storage they have. For a digital SLR, you should purchase a class 6 SDHC card most of the time. Class 6 cards will allow you to take 'bursts' of photos and not be limited by the card's capacity to write them. Also class 4 cards are slower reading data, meaning they will take longer to upload files to your computer. Upload speed is convenient, especially when loading large batches of files.

2. This card has far more storage than most people will need for their digital camera. Unless you like to keep all your photos on a SDHC card and never move them to your computer, or are a high volume photographer, there is very little need for more than about 8gb of storage space for most caeras. The possible exception to this is if you have a professional SLR that shoots files in the 16-20mb range--but if you do, you'll likely want a class 6 card anyway. If all you intend to use this card for is a digital camera, save yourself a lot of money and buy a PNY 8GB SDHC Card. If you're worried about running out of space on a vacation, buy a few of them. Otherwise you run the risk of having 'all your eggs in one basket.' If one card fails, you lose all your pictures instead of only a portion of them.

This card is fantastic for use in a video camcorder capable of writing to an SDHC card. (Check with the manual first to insure that a class 4 card will be fast enough first). It is also perfect as extra storage for an ultra portable computer or net book like the Asus EEE pc. Another great application would be as added storage to a personal media player or MP3 player equipped with a SDHC slot such as the Cowon D2.

There are other good 32gb SDHC cards on the market, some at cheaper price points than the Kingston card. IMHO, brand matters very little with something like a SDHC card, since they all are made pretty much the same way. None of the brands currently offering them (Transcend, PNY, Kingston) have high fail rates with their other products, so I believe they are all pretty similar. What you decide to buy will depend on whether you trust a particular brand, or who has the lowest price. All of them will work equally well. Kingston 4 GB Class 4 SDHC Flash Memory Card SD4/4GBET

PREFACE:

I bought this card for extra disk space on my Asus EeePC netbook. I needed as much space as possible to supplement the very small SSD hard drive. I needed something with large capacity and relatively fast file transfer time.

PROS:

It shares the largest SD capacity on the market today with few others (Panasonic, Sandisk, and PNY) and is a quality name that I have had a good history with in the past. Its file transfer time is similar to the SSD drive in my machine so it basically acts as a second SSD for me at less than a quarter of the price!

CONS:

Its not the cheapest 32gb SD card(PNY) nor the fastest(Panasonic) but its good quality with a decent transfer rate.

CONCLUSION:

I'm very happy with its performance and capacity. I would like to see the price come down a bit, but that's the price of getting electronics of this caliber.

That's my input, take it or leave it :)

Excellent for the price. I give it a 4/5 because it performs slower than expected from a C4 SDHC card. I also have a Sandisk EIII 2GB. Although it doesn't have the class ratings because it's not SDHC, the Sandisk outperforms the Kingston in both read/write.

My test scenario: Using a Nikon D80 taking 6 shots continuously. The Kingston took considerably longer to write contents from the Nikon D80 buffer.

If you're looking for a high speed card in a similar scenario, then look elsewhere. However, if you want a good card and no particular need for speed, then I recommend getting.

I didnt realize how fast the point and shoot cameras are getting sooo many megapixels until I started looking for a good one for my mom... This card is no good for a 12 megapixel camera! It takes way too long to save each picture slowing down how fast you're able to take consecutive pictures! Go for the Sandisk extreme cards and dont look back!

I only have SLR cameras, and use the San Disk extreme cards because speed is crucial! Dont cheap out on a card after buying a nice camera, or you'll be sorry! Thats the first thing i noticed when showing her how to use her new Canon Point and Shoot camera is how SLOWWWWWWWW it took to save each photo before I could take another.. If waiting a few seconds between each picture is a non-issue, buy all means save some money and buy this card.

Bottom line: You're wasting your money buying this card to use in a high resolution point and shoot, which they all seem to be now days. Just too slow! - Sdhc - Kingston - Digital Camera - Sd Card'

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Boy Main Character - family, family friendly

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I grew up watching the Flipper TV series and it was always one of my favorites, so I couldn't wait to see the original movie that's humbly called "Flipper." It shows how Flipper earned his name and how he met his best friend named Sandy. I liked this movie, but I don't like it as much as I like "Flipper's New Adventure." You won't see Flipper make any rescues this first time around, and he doesn't have the same 'voice' as he has in the series, but you will see the smart dolphin do plenty of tricks and show that he had a huge brain even in his first outing. If you've ever liked the TV series or even if you haven't ever seen it, but you like dolphins or just good movies, I recommend getting "Flipper." It'd probably be especially good for kids of any age to watch, and possibly a good family movie. To make it short, it'd be a good buy. Flipper

The original Flipper movie is simple, and unpretentious tale that tickles the heartstrings. The story line is uncomplicated, with touches that keep it grounded in reality.Chuck Connors, best known for playing Lucas McCain on "The Rifleman" TV program, is once again cast as a strong father figure. Here he is Porter Ricks, a fisherman trying to eek out a living, and support his wife (Kathleen Maguire) and young son Sandy (Luke Halpin). Life is very hard, as after surviving a hurricane, Porter must leave his family to repair his boat damaged in the storm. While his father is away, Sandy is exploring the sea with some friends. A dolphin (Flipper), is shot with a spear by another boy in the party. The shooter is himself injured, and is taken away for medical attention. Sandy returns to the scene, with shotgun in hand, prepared to put the injured dolphin out of it's misery. Of course that can't happen, and Sandy brings the injured dolphin home.Flipper's recovery is a most miraculous one, but the real story deals with the relationship between father and son, and the growth of the young man. Sandy is a good kid, but not syrupy sweet. Ricks loves his son, but is determined to have him face the realities of life. Thanks to Flipper, both father and son learn some valuable lessons in life.The story of Flipper's origin, has a more serious tone than the TV program. Though it doesn't have a lot of warm and fuzzy moments, it is still fairly good family entertainment.

If you're looking for a wholesome adventure that the whole family can enjoy, then this is a good choice. The family portrayed here exhibits good family values--respect for each other and for authority, responsibility, and they even pray! I found nothing objectionable in this video for my 5-year-old and I'm not easy to please. I highly recommend this version over the more recent one.

My nine-year-old daughter and I both love dolphins. We very much enjoyed this movie. The part where Flipper displays his talents at performing tricks is particularly endearing. It was good to hear the Flipper theme song in its entirety. I recommend it highly for family viewing - much more than the newer Paul Hogan version.

The color was really good on this DVD, and the picture clear. Having grown up in south Florida, I can remember playing in many areas much like you see (except for maybe the scenes filmed in the bahamas). It's a good clean movie, with action and outdoor adventure. Now maybe they will release Gentle Ben on DVD?

I was a fan of the TV show and had not seen the original movie in many years. It's interesting to see how Sandy and Flipper become close friends in this nice little family movie. Chuck Conners plays 'Porter Ricks' in this film, but would be re-cast in the TV series and they would add another son. Another little gem I found in the bargain bin. The DVD transfer looks good.

Good clean fun. Hollywood has lost the art of film making over the last 40 years. This is an excellent step back in time for film buffs. A great and entertaining film for the whole family. The kids will go to sleep at night dreaming of sunny beaches and friendly animals after watching this, instead of wondering who will survive on "Survivor", or who's going to bomb what on "24". If your wondering what your kids should be watching it is this movie.

What can I say about Flipper? It's a great story and will warm your heart. Children love it and adults find themselves glued to the TV as well. Highly recommend to those who are tired of all these techno over the edge productions that really aren't suitable for the entire family. It's a classic and everyone should have this as a part of their media library.

Marcy Dixon - Family - Florida - Adventure - Family Friendly'

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Brita Water Pitcher Filter - filter, water filter

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The top of this pitcher is a bit fragile; if you drop it on a tile floor, it can break, or at least the small spout cover can break, so beware.The water does filter "slowly" but acceptable. I say "slowly" because the job of filtering water by gravity naturally takes some time. The water has to percolate down through the filter surface area; this just is a slow process without any help from positive or negative (vacuum) pressure.The pitcher holds 2 quarts. Frankly, if your water is bad-tasting, you will be filling this pitcher up many times a day. If that is the case, get an inline filter instead. This pitcher is ok for a small family, but for a large, water-drinking, Kool-aid making, tea drinking family you may need a lot more. We have one, and we use it a lot, so I have to say it's pretty good, overall. Brita 42412 Atlantis Water Pitcher

This filtration pitcher is the only one I have ever had, tried, or used. If you buy this you need to get the filters with the color indicator that tells you when to change it. I made the mistake of buying filters without it and after the filter has died, you can usually tell by the taste (which is really bad). this is a good price. it is very easy to fill. it takes a little while to filter the water, maybe a little longer than I would like. At my house, 8 cups of water is gone in no time though. If you have a family, it is probably smarter to buy a little bigger one. but the good thing is that it doesn't take up much room in the fridge and it is easy to pour.

This is a good alternative but has its drawbacks. I think a britta sink/faucet model would be more convenient but my faucet is not set up for one. The water from this pitcher tastes very good and I use it for my coffee which allows me to not buy filters for the pot...however.... a full pitcher is just under a full pot of coffee and the refilling of the britta is very slow. (The re-fill rate seems to decrease as the filter gets older) Something to consider if you will be bringing the pitcher to the dinner table for a family... You really cant pour it till its done filtering. The filters are fairly expensive but less than buying bottled water. I also find the pitcher to be a bit heavy and the lid delicate. altho it has not broken i can see that that might be a problem... This is a good alternative to a faucet model or bottled water but it isnt without its drawbacks.

Overall, we're very happy with the Brita Atlantis Pitcher. Also bought one for Mom. The only minor problem is is sometimes spills a little if you don't pour carefully. The water tastes great, and we use it all the time at home, now only using bottled water for on-the-go. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY UPGRADING TO THE BRITA DELUXE OR BRITA CHROME: The Brita Deluxe has an indicator light to signal you to change filters however it goes off after a set amount of time rather than the actual usage of the filter. I got one as a gift and prefer the standard model. The light just gets annoying, especially when you know you don't need to change the filter yet. The chrome model also has the annoying light and is more difficult to clean (my sister has it). If you have more than one person in the house, or if you drink a lot of water, I would suggest buying the larger size. Or you can do what we do. We bought another large refillable bottle that we keep filled with the filtered water while the Brita is doing its job.

You can often get great deals on the replacement filters if you keep your eyes open for sales, and it's definitely worth it to buy the 3 pack of filters.

Definitely rinse the filter twice before you use it.

Our family lived for many years in a Central American country where the water was iffy. We became Brita users then in the remote hope that it would keep some of the bad stuff our of our stomachs.

Now, living in Indianapolis where the water is pure but hard, we drink from water poured through the Brita Water Filtration Pitcher in order to filter out some of the minerals that make water 'hard'.

Although I am not persuaded that we have taken great scientific leaps forward towards water purity, my wife assures me that this is progress. Therefore, I try to drink water only out of the Brita.

I can say that it's not an inconvenient little contraption. It's easy both to fill the Pitcher and to pour from it, though you'll likely suffer a few wet countertops before you learn to wait for the water in the newly-filled pitcher to settle.

I am told by my devoted spouse that we are loyal Brita customers for the long haul. She knows about these things.

Do drink up.

I used to go through a case of bottled water in about 2 weeks, and it was getting expensive. A friend of mine had a Brita water filter, and after having some of the water from that I decided to buy one for myself. I have to say that I've had mine for little over a month and I have to say that I am really happy that I bought the this! The water tastes great, practically no difference from bottled water. The size is perfect for my mini fridge in my dorm room, and it fits right in the door. It is also easy to use as you just flip a part of the lid in the back and poor water directly into the reservoir (where the pre-filtered water sits before it is filtered). It doesn't take too long to filter the water, and I can usually fill the entire thing in about 5 minutes. You can then pour water directly from the Brita, making it very easy to use (it also doesn't look to bad either). In the entire time that I've had it I had one (literally one) black particle come from the filter, and it was easy to see and get rid of. As far as durability I dropped it once in the parking lot, and while the lid came up and bit and the filter popped out, there doesn't seem to be any damage to it and it works just fine. Overall I am very happy that I bought it, and I would highly recommend it! - Brita Water Pitcher - Brita - Filter - Water Filter'

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Baseball Movies Dvd - lori petty, bill pullman

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The 2-Disc DVD Special Edition of 1992's "A League Of Their Own" (released on April 20, 2004) scores a grand-slam on my DVD Scorecard. Sporting a fun array of bonus features, a beautiful anamorphically-enhanced widescreen picture, and very clever menu screens, this DVD version of this timeless motion picture is a winner all the way around.Although the film has a relatively-lengthy run time of 2 hours & 8 minutes, it never wears out its welcome or gets tiresome. The first-rate cast sees to that -- a cast that features the likes of Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna, Rosie O'Donnell, Lori Petty, and Jon Lovitz. Lovitz is fall-down hilarious as the scout who plucks Geena and Lori off of their Oregon farm to join the first professional girls' baseball league. He offers up one zinger after another during his short stint in this movie, such as his explanation to the other girls as to why he can't sign up second baseman Marla Hooch (who isn't likely to win the Miss America Pageant anytime soon) -- "You know General Omar Bradley? Well, there's too strong a resemblance."DVD Special Features for the 2-Disc "Special Edition" ..............>> A very nice 52-minute documentary on the making of the film, "Nine Memorable Innings", featuring new interviews with the cast and crew, and some behind-the-scenes footage.>> 15 Deleted Scenes. Many of these cut scenes flesh out some of the movie's shorter scenes. Some very interesting stuff here too. You can play each of these scenes separately, or via a "Play All" option. And these can be played with or without a "Director's Introduction" preceding each clip from Penny Marshall. Total run time: 36:02 with intros, or 32:39 without them. >> Commentary Track, with Director Penny Marshall and some of the cast members.>> 3 Trailers -- Including the excellent and funny trailer for this movie, plus bonus trailers for two other sports films ("Brian's Song" and "The Natural").>> Madonna Music Video -- "This Used To Be My Playground" (run time: 5:02).>> Cast & Crew Filmographies (text only).>> A French Language Track (in 2.0 Dolby Surround).>> English Subtitles. VIDEO -- The movie is presented on Disc #1 (which is dual-sided with no disc art), with Side A being the Widescreen (2.35:1 aspect ratio) version and Side B being a Full-Screen (1.33:1) Pan-and-Scan version. Now why anybody on the planet would prefer the Full-Screen (aka: "butchered all to hell") variant is beyond my comprehension. (Especially a super-wide 2.35:1 ratio film like this one, where, in the 1.33:1 version you're missing about 45% of the screen image at all times.) But, to each his own. IMO, however, the Widescreen is the ONLY way to go here (or with any other movie, for that matter).The Widescreen transfer here looks A-1. Very clear, no "jaggies" in the background that I could see, with great color.AUDIO -- The box shows a "4.0 Surround" English audio track. But my Player reads the sound as "3.1 Dolby Digital". Kind of strange, I thought. But, regardless of the individual number of discrete channels here, it sounds great. The previous DVD version of this movie was done in 2.0 Dolby Surround; and this SE is at least up to par with that older disc, IMO. MENUS -- A really well-done "baseball-themed" Menu design here. The "Scene Selection" screens are designed so that each scene choice looks like a baseball card, complete with an "AAGPBL" ("All-American Girls Professional Baseball League") logo in the corner. Also shown on each of the Chapter screens is a simulated "baseball card" featuring one of the "players" (or manager) that appears in the movie.The Main Menu for disc #2, which holds all the bonus material, is cleverly laid out to represent a page of a newspaper, with the menu choices integrated into the "headlines" of the paper. Very cool. As is the disc art for the second disc, which is made up to look like a baseball. This flick beckons to be viewed a minimum of once per year. And perhaps even more frequently thanks to this fine two-disc SE that is now available. It's a movie that is just plain fun to sit through. And that's not likely to change, even many years down the road. "A League Of Their Own" will remain in a class all its own for a long, long time to come. A League of Their Own (Special Edition)

Why is Geena Davis an Oscar-winner? Watch this flick; you won't need to ask that again. Her sensitive portrayal of Dottie Hinson highlights the many facets of Davis' talents as an actress. I loved watching a piece of history (however dramatized) which took place during my early childhood. Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell were surprisingly good as the loudmouth-but-secretly-caring-and-feeling Mae and Doris. You'll fall in love with Ann Cusack's "Shirley Baker", and poor, homely but super-star batter Marla Hooch is someone you just gotta root for. Tom Hanks gives us his usual fine performance as the arrogant, boozy and cynical (but in for some surprises) coach Jimmy Dugan. The chauvinistic/sexist way the female players were treated (professional baseball in a cocktail waitress costume!?) by management, the public and the press ("...after all, they're only girls.") will incense many viewers, but it's the way things actually were then. For the movie to be made any other way would be less than truth. The way that the real Dotties, Kits, Maes, Dorises and the others dealt with those attitudes surely contributed to social change and enlightenment about the abilities of the female half of our population. A compliment, also, to the casting people; where did they find the older look-alikes? Notably, Lynn Cartwright as "Older Dottie" and Eugenia McLin as "Older Ellen Sue". This movie is for everyone. Comedy with poignant drama. If you like teary endings, bring the Kleenex. The nostalgia scenes will start the flow. Great, great movie. - Baseball - Lori Petty - Geena Davis - Bill Pullman'

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Onkyo Receiver - receiver, onkyo

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Unlike a lot of CEs, Onkyo may have indavertantly cannibalized its own model lineup by pushing so much featureset into an entry level receiver that it might deter buyers from their higher end models. I recently did a thorough comparison of the Pioneer VSX-1020 and Denon AVR-791 and the Onkyo nudged out the Pioneer due to its beefier amp section and OSD capabilities. That said, I must caution users that its value is marred by what appears to be a bug with its ability to pass through HDMI video signals unmolested, even in "Through" modes. This bug manifests itself in two ways: 1. 24 bit sources (like cable hdtv) are upconverted to 30 bit when output on a display; AND 2. for some inexplicable reason, 1080p 24fps sources stutter intermittently as if a frame is dropped. The latter might be more noticeable to plasma owners whereas 120hz and 240hz LCDs might compensate for the frame stuttering with their interpolation software (ie the soap opera effect).

With that caveat, the Onkyo is a terrific performer offering strong power (power consumption is up from the 607 to a very grown up 756 watts), terrific flexibility (four speaker terminals can be assigned to wide, height or zone 2). The Denon is limited to merely 7 speaker terminals and the Pioneer has only a pair of assignable terminals. The Audyssey auto-callibration (2EQ) is a notch behind Denon, but the inclusion of Audyssey DSX (for wide arrangements) is a feature that the Denon does not offer. While it lacks the USB terminal for Ipod playback of the Pioneer and the Denon, it does offer a computer input which might resolve the HDMI handshake nightmare many face with htpcs.

Onkyo rather smartly included a fan atop of the receiver, which is silent and all but eliminates the historical Onkyo toaster oven effect.

I really enjoy this receiver, but found the HDMI video molestation issues to quite problematic and what mar an otherwise incredible buy. Hopefully Onkyo can issue a firmware update. Onkyo TX-SR608 7.2-Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black)

As others have said, the two 1 star reviews do not review this new Onkyo 608 (makes no sense to me).

Anyway, I absolutely love my new Onkyo 608. I never review stuff, but I wanted to give props to this receiver. I was debating between this one and the new Pioneer 1020. However, I've heard that the amps in the Pioneers don't compare to the amps in the Onkyos. Though I cannot verify the truth of this, I do believe that the amp in the Onkyo is of a very high quality. I have already noticed a tremendous amount of power increase over my previous Yamaha receiver (the model that was included with the Yamaha 390 HTIB). This puts out a lot more sound, and I absolutely love the ability to take advantage of HD audio. I noticed a huge fidelity difference in the compressed Dolby Digital track for Dark Knight and the Dolby True HD. The track was intended to include a lot of bass, and the HD includes all of it. The regular Dolby did not compare. Thus, HD audio is definitely worth having if you own a blu-ray player. Just like video quality (some transfers are better than others; aka reference quality), not all sound tracks will have a huge difference, but to me, it's still worth it. Back to the Onkyo: I love it. There are so many settings that you can tweak. If you like the ability to configure your equipment, you will love this receiver! You can also bi-amp with this receiver, which is nice if you don't have 7 speakers.

The Onkyo TX-SR608 is an amazing receiver for the cost. One of the best aspects of this receiver is the way it handles the volume control. First of all you can set the volume level that the receiver on turns on so you are not overwhelmed with a loud volume right away. Also you can set a maximum level so you don't accidentally turn the volume level too high. Audyssey Dynamic Volume is perfect when you don't want huge fluxuations in volume so that dialogue, music and surround effects don't drown each other out. This means you don't have to constantly turn volume up and down during a movie as it maintains a more consistant level of volume. In order to use Audyssey Dynamic Volume you MUST run Audyssey 2EQ Acoustic Room Correction first. Place included microphone on a cheap tripod for this; DO NOT HOLD IN YOUR HAND as I have read some have;this can have an adverse effect on sound output. Set the Dynamic Volume to the Compression Mode you want(Light, Medium, or Hesvy as Off is Default) set Re-EQ function to ON as well. The instruction manual is very detailed and easy to understand. Default setings are underlined in the instruction manual.

I really love Audyssey DSX it really gives a much fuller sound to the movie soundtrack. I use the front wide setup as opposed to the front height channels.

First and foremost, people that don't even own the "608" shouldn't even be posting here. Trying to compare the "608" that has a built in fan and the "606" that doesn't AND has the fact the "608" has 2x the amount of features is like apple and oranges. Enough said about that and onto a review by a person that actually owns the "608".... Pushes my polk audio speakers very very well (2 @ 70 monitors, 4 @ 50 monitors, 1 @ cs2 center, and powered psw505). Volume hardly goes past 1/2 way / 50,,, anymore and the neighbors start calling cops im sure.. Loads of options and can be tweeked untill you are blue in the face. Got sub set @ 80hz, front main 70's set @ 60hz, all 4 surround 50 speakers set @ 80hx THX, and cs2 center set @ 80hz THX. One really really nice thing about the onkyo 608 is how cool it is and stays @ room temp with the built in fan. I'm loving this receiver so far and would highly advise anyone to purchase without a 2nd thought. More receiver than I need with no need for seperate amp. - Hdmi - Onkyo - Thx - Receiver'

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Cross Training - stationary indoor bike, consumerism

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This is the latest addition to the home gym, living next to the Elliptical and Treadmill. I mostly got the upright bike to cross train, since my primary indoor exercise (until it gets back warm) is the treadmill. It's hard to improve if you are working the same muscles everytime, so that's where the bike comes in.

My first one came damaged, I usually ship stuff like this FedEx because UPS is too rough, but didn't. Anyways it's Amazon so they sent a replacement right away, I have never had a bad customer experience with Amazon. The replacement came FedEx and was in perfect shape.

Setup took a couple of hours, didn't really track exactly bus basically a Saturday morning. The directions are not great, but there is only one tricky piece which is the handlebar column and the electronics.

There are a couple other reviews about only working for people 5 foot 10, I am 5 foot 11, but there should be no problem for people much taller. I don't think they realize that there are 3 different adjustments, the front handlebar moves forward, the seat moves back and the seat moves up. The only obvious one is the seat moving up, so my guess is they had the other two in the default position. I think you could make the correct adjustments based on your physique to easily accommodate someone over 6 feet.

The workout is good, there are several different programs. I usually do more manual mode stuff so I can't comment to much on the programs. There is one that tries to keep a certain heartrate and adjusts resistance based on that which is nice. I will probably try the hill next to see how that does. The resistance levels are very good, I've never had a problem getting a hard workout.

I'm happy with this machine, the only con was I really could have gone with the higher end Schwinn which is made by the same company and save a little money, but Amazon was out of stock and I didn't want to wait. Overall very happy with the machine and the cross training it provides. Nautilus U514 Upright Exercise Bike

I read the reviews before I bought the product, and some people said the bike was too small for users over 5'9" tall or thereabouts, but others implie those people weren't using all three adjustments to configure the bike properly and that it would be fine

Well, I can confirm as a 6'0" male that the bike is too small for me. With the handlbars all the way forward, the seat all the way back, and the seat post raised to the highest position, my knees bump against the handlebars when I try to pedal. I gave it three stars because it seems solidly built, but either the design is flawed, or the description should note that taller users (or people with long legs) won't be able to make use of it.

Now after assembling the thing, I'm going to have to disassemble it and return it. The recumbant model shouldn't have the same problem, but it costs $100 more.

After reviewing a number of upright exercise bikes (Schwinn Active 10, 120, 140 Upright Series Upright Exercise Bikes)both on Amazon and at my local sporting good stores (Dick's, and Sears), I chose this bike for the following reasons:

- # of pre-loaded workout programs (11+ the ability to create custom ones),

- the look and feel,

- the display offered the ability to track time, interval time, RPM, watts, distance, pulse, speed, calories, resistance,

- the brand, and

- the Polar heart rate program.

The unit arrived quickly to my home and I was able to assemble it easily within 2 hours. The instructions were easy to read and had a reasonable level of detail. In all, not a bad experience with setting up the unit.

My wife, daughter and I have spent the past three days exercising on the unit and have found it satisfactory for someone no taller than 5'9". My wife's reaction was that the unit was smaller than she had anticipated, but found nonetheless, performed greater than expected. The unit gives one the ability to set up user profiles and I did find that this part of the documentation was not as detailed as it should be especially in terms of setting up custom workout programs. However, my daughter - 14 years old was able to within five minutes, navigate the menus to quickly start a work out.

At this point, I would recommend this product to a friend or colleague.

Amazingly quiet. Easy to set up. Easy to adjust. We had to wait for the crank arm/pedal which was defective however Nautilus replaced the items within 2 weeks. Most likely won't fit someone who is much over 5' 9" ish since the front post does not adjust higher, however all other seat, handlebar, seat post adjustments are easy to use and appreciated. Great price for a bike with polar built in as well.

We bought this bike in June 2010 for $449, so we haven't had it very long. We had researched a large number of bikes in the same class and choose this one because it seemed to best meet the needs of the whole family. My wife and I are both fairly athletic and wanted something that would enable us to get a good workout while at the same time not taking up a lot of space. We wanted something we could ride while watching television, so that we wouldn't be just sitting on the couch. This bike met or exceeded all of our expectations.

The Nautilus U514 exercise bike is a great looking bike with a compact footprint and a sturdy design. It has a nice display and is EXTREMELY QUIET! The inluded polar monitor is accurate and the computer's user interface is well done. There are larger and nicer user interfaces on more expensive machines, but the one on the U514 gets the job done.

Assembly is not too tough, my wife and I completed assembly in about 30 minutes. Some things were not exceptionally well explained, like the wiring connections of the computer through the mast... but overall the directions are decent, if a little terse. No tools are needed other than what comes in the package.

Some have expressed concerns about the ergonomics of this bike for tall people. I am 5'11" 205lbs and I have no problems. The bike is highly configurable, with adjustments in three axes on the seat and the handle bars "do adjust" in a diagonal plane toward or away from the user. I did not detect any odors and the packaging was well executed.

Bottom line, this bike appears to be a solid piece of exercise equipment with a quality design, and a very nice price. Check it out for yourself. - Consumerism - Cardio - Stationary Indoor Bike - Cons'

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Ipad 2 Screen Protector - ipad 2 screen protector, ipad 2 cases

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I read the first reveiw on this product and figured it couldnt be too difficult to modify this cover to also utilize the smart cover for the front of the ipad.

with the scissors on my swiss army knife it took me about 10 minutes. Dont use kitchen scissors unless they are small and have a sharp edge.

First measure up the two magnetic hinges and cut the approximate sized rectangles in the spalsh vapor cover. Note: you do need to cut out two equally sized rectangles and cut the rectangles all the way to the top edge(lip) of splash vapor cover in order for the magnetic hinges to fully connect to the ipad.

After cutting out the two rectangles I left my smart cover on the ipad and then put the ipad into the splash cover.

The top edge(lip) of the splash cover will actualy fit perfectly over the long magnetic bar between the two magnetic hinges on the smart cover.

10 minutes of work and now my ipad is protected on both sides. Worth the 20 bucks for sure. splash VAPOR Slim-Fit Flex Case for Apple iPad 2 2G 2nd Generation (CLEAR)

This case was EXACTLY what I was looking for :) I'm so happy with my purchase. It fits the ipad2 very snug and it looks great. The back also adds a nice touch with the contour and material changes. Overall very happy.

Thanks for the photos that show the mistakes of cutting too deep. I tried cutting in two attempts. First, I cut away the openings for the hinges as small as I could. Then I fitted the case with the Smart Cover carefully. But I couldn't push back the Smart Cover flat on the back of my iPad. The cuts were not deep enough. Next, since I could see through the hinges, I marked exactly how much more to cut off with a washable pen. Then I made cuts again. It worked! My cuts are a little uneven but that's hardly noticeable once everything was fitted together. I really like this clear slim cover. You can see through the Apple logo. I bought an iPad 2 because it is light, slim, and portable. I didn't like the idea of putting it in a bulky cover. My iPad 2 is white with a gray Smart Cover so this clear Splash back cover goes together beautifully. Some small suggestions:

1. Before cutting, mark "TOP" and "RIGHT" with small pieces of masking tape to avoid accidentally marking or cutting the wrong side. (You never know.)

2. Turn "OFF" iPad Cover Lock before cutting and fitting the case.

3. Do the work on a piece of nonskid rubber sheet so you don't accidentally let your iPad fly away while working!

4. For cutting lines, I poked holes with a very pointy sharp knife like dotted lines first and then I could cut sideways with a flat thin blade. Do it on an old magazine. (A pair of scissors didn't work for me; cuts were too small and the case is rather tough to cut with scissors.)

I hope this company will make pre-cut covers for iPads with Smart Covers!

So I am a not as bright as others who were able to make the adjustments with little trouble. I made the same mistake as JenD who posted the picture showing the 1/4" gaps in the back because I stupidly thought that people were cutting little rectangle windows. You do not do that. Cut from from the edge of the case in. It does fit well with the adjustments, but I cannot live with the gaps so I will probably get a new one. The reason for the 3 stars is because we should not have to make these adjustments. The manufacturer should make one to fit the smart cover!

Thanks to the other reviews I purchased it, used the pictures to make the simple modification and now I have back protection on my iPad 2 AND can use the smart cover. The smart cover is also more secure. I'm ordering another if they make them in red. The helpful customers have posted pictures of the modifications. It's best to use an exacto knife or sharp blade and make the cuts wide enough to accommodate the width of the primary magnets on the smart cover. Easy to do. Thanks Amazon reviewers and community. I have EXACTLY what I was looking for.

A tip for those making the "cut" modifications mentioned in other reviews: Use small wire cutters as your primary tool; the kind you might use for clipping plastic wire ties for example - not big ones.

These will enable you to make straight, even cuts for a more polished end result. Sawing with a razor, exacto, or repeated pinching & cutting with nail clippers will work, but not look nearly as good. So: Use small wires cutters.

You must cut notches from the edge to accommodate the two larger hinge parts of the SmartCover. The long, lower profile part of the hinge will be covered by the Flex Case.

All good when done!

Emboldened by reviews here, I bought one to modify to work with my smart cover. It took about half an hour to get the holes just right - I intentionally made them small and scaled up. The fit is great now. The cover itself is good. A bit thicker than I had anticipated. One drawback: when you prop up the ipad in landscape mode, it feels slightly less secure with the vapor cover on, like it might tilt. Good for now, better than no cover for the back, but once somebody designs a back cover that works naturally with the smart cover, I'll probably switch. - Ipad 2 Cover - Ipad 2 Screen Protector - Ipad 2 Accessories - Ipad 2 Cases'

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Smooth - nexus one, nice

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The instructions on back do not indicate which removable film to remove first. They are numbered (1) and (2), leading one to believe they should be removed in that order. BOTH say "remove before application". But anyone who has experience applying these films will know you pull off the 'backing' film first, and use the second one to help place the film, and after application pull off the 'top' film to expose the final surface. That didn't work here. I think the numbers were backward. This resulted in me putting the film down sticky side up, which caused bubbles. By the time I rectified this and flipped, it was now impossible to get a nice application done.

The company needs to revise its documentation, and probably supply a nice card to help with application and bubble removal. I used a credit card, but it didn't work as well as Boxwave protectors.

These just feel cheap, bubbly, and generally not good. 3 Pack of Premium Crystal Clear Screen Protectors for HTC Nexus One [Accessory Export Packaging]

I ordered these very shortly after I ordered my Nexus One last February and even now, almost a year later, people still can't tell that I have a screen protector on my phone. No bubbles, no scratches. They're very clear and don't make the screen look grainy like matte-finish protectors do.

Simple screen protectors for N1. They fit the screen exactly, though I would recommend an Invisible Shield or some other type of protector that you have to wet to put on - those provide more protection and I feel more confident with that on my Nexus.

I got this for my nexus one, and it works, it does what it suppose to do and on the cheap. you get 3 clear screen protectors in the pack, and i put it on with no bubbles at all, but however just like any other screen protector you do have to be gentle, if you mess up just pull off the whole thing off and do it again.

I ordered the 3-pack screen protectors for my new Nexus One, and they arrived without any issues! I've paid double the price for a single screen protector in the past for my old phone! I did have a few issues w/ air bubbles, but come on, that's the beauty of having more than one screen protectors! Bottom line, if you are in need of a few inexpensive screen protectors for your beautiful new Nexus One, these are definitely the way to go! - Nexus One - Smooth - Screen Protectors - Nice'

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