Guy Low Price Electronic: 26 Nov 2008

Wednesday, 26 November 2008

Bubble Wrap

I see another buyer had the same misrepresentation of goods with this seller: no dispenser box. I am sure Amazon will make it right. Sealed Air 88655 Sealed Air Recycled Barrier Bubble Wrap In Dispenser Box, 3/16", 12"x175ft. Quality Park Sealed Air Bubble Wrap in a Ready to Roll Dispenser Carton, 12 Inches x 175 feet (SEL88655)

First I bought a couple of these big rolls from Costco and was very happy with it. I found these at Amazon and thought it was the same thing but a lot cheaper. Totally different quality. I then went back to [...] and bought some more from them. Disappointed. I guess you get what you paid for.

The price was considerably lower than retail stores and other online stores and there was free shipping. So much so that I had my doubts, but in less than a week the product was delivered, just as it was advertised. Refreshing isn't it!

It's a lot of bubble wrap for a good price! Unfortunately the roll of bubble wrap just came in a plain cardboard box, no dispenser like the description indicated. And no indication of how many feet it is (though it does look like 175) or if it is in fact recycled.

This recycled bubble wrap is excellent. It was delivered very quickly, was in excellent condition as advertised, and was much, much less in cost than the exact same product at other retail stores. I am very pleased with the purchase!'

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Wine Refrigerator - wine refrigerator, wine cooler

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Whynter BR-125SD Beverage Refrigerator, Stainless Steel

We run a small cafe and were looking for a a couple of display fridges that we could use to retail sodas to go. This looked great in the pictures and turned out even nicer than expected. The description says 117 cans but we actually managed to squeeze in 118 cans into the fridge through a little clever positioning.

It took awhile to get cool, but got down to a very nice frosty level after running it overnight. The more you put in the longer it takes obviously. I noticed one of the units not getting as cold as our other units and realized that we placed it too close to the wall blocking the back ventilation. Moved it out a few inches and it worked as hoped. Another thing we realized about glass doors is that any direct sunlight will keep trap heat in the unit. That's the one drawback, but they sure look good. Just keep it out of sunlight. It's also surprisingly quiet, not silent, but very quiet for a compressor fridge.

The shelves are designed to work with cans which is a big plus as most of these glass refrigerators are designed for wine. This is a big difference. You cannot store cans with frames designed for wine bottles. I believe optional wine racks can be purchased for this unit.

The unit comes with a nice stainless steel doorframe and handle and looks like it costs a lot more than it does. In fact, it is less than a third of what we paid for our older beverage display counter of the same size. Decent price, excellent product that works as hoped. Whynter BR-125SD Beverage Refrigerator, Stainless Steel

I'm so happy to write this review being the first one as I had to purchase blindly and on chance. Unfortunately, I made a mistake and want to prevent others from doing the same. As with every other beverage fridge on Amazon, this one doesn't get cold enough.

PROS

- Attractive Design

CONS

- Poor components quality

- No auto defrost

- Advertised temperature is not 100% true

- Did I mention the temperature? This is a fridge after all

Okay, the main problem is the temperature and circulation in the fridge. The temp actually did reach 35 degrees F near where the cold air is pumped in, but all the way at the top of the fridge, I got readings of 60 F. As you go up shelves, it looses temp quickly.

Why is it losing temperature? The problem is two fold. First, the fridge never shuts off, yet it is still not cold. That means that cold air is being leaked somewhere. The door seal is tight and the inside has no holes, so I'm clueless on where it's all going. Secondly, there is no circulation in the unit. There needs to be a fan blowing the cold air around since it leaks out faster than it can stay cold.

How did I resolve this issue? I bought a fan and pointed it from the bottom shelf up. It works...kinda. I'm getting 45-50 F on the top shelf now, but it's hard to find a small battery powered fan that will run 24/7 and last for more than a week.

Another problem is that I had frost building up on the back after only 1 day of use and there is no auto defrost. Don't confuse that frost for the fridge being cold though. The frost is only on the back-side and doesn't make the thing any colder.

All-in-all, I will most likely be returning this since it's pointless to only have 30 cold cans at a time in the back of the unit. I want a glass door fridge for my soda so bad and will continue a search. CAN SOME COMPANY PLEASE MAKE A DECENT BEVERAGE FRIDGE? I beg you!

Before writing this review, I contacted the makers to ask for advice which they offered little. Do the makers of these things test their product first? You've got to be kidding me.

*UPDATE* I did return this item and purchased a 4.6 cubic ft plain old fridge instead. It actually makes things cold and works perfectly. It seems that anything with a glass door on Amazon (or anywhere for that matter) does not get cold enough. I don't know why that is. The glass door looks nice, but coldness > looks so I have to recommend everyone to buy a regular mini fridge instead. - Wine Cellar - Wine Cooler - Wine Refrigerator - Wine Storage'

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Depression Cure Amazing Oil

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I rarely review items but I cannot NOT review this one ... I've never found a better product for so many ailments. It has helped in so many ways but none so much as mentally. My husband and I have found a profound difference in our mental acuity and well being. We've stopped taking Aleve. Our joints feel so much better and our ability to move around has improved. We tell everyone we know that they have to at least give it a try. There are sooo many benefits and I cannot think of them all right now. Please give this a chance - you may be extremely pleased as we are. Hemp Seed Oil 60 Capsules

Taking a tablespoon of the oil is horrid to me, and my dermatologist recommended hemp oil supplements, so this was a great solution. (She also recommended Polypodium leucotomos, which I purchase on Amazon as Fernblock.) The hemp pills are large, if you have trouble swallowing large pills use caution.'

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Arch Support - arch support, gel

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This is the newest version of Dr. Scholl's "Extra Support" insoles. The old ones were dark green, and did not have the gel - this new version has a massaging gel portion in the heel. That is the main difference.

I've been using these for around a year now (not the same pair, multiple pairs).

Pros

- Good heel cushion, and good "cupping" of the heel.

- Decent support. Easily better than many other insoles, especially those in a lower price bracket.

Cons

- Not enough forefoot cushion! The forefoot will wear out LONG before the heel does. Why don't they put a gel forefoot as well? This insole would be fantastic!

- Price, especially when compared to how long the insole will last you.

Overall, it's not a bad insole. You could do MUCH worse. However, the cushioning in the forefoot is a huge complaint. These are designed for "bigger men"... so why ignore the forefoot by only offering the signature gel cushioning in the heel? Give us the full treatment for our money!

Take a look at what Sof Sole has to offer. The Sof Sole Athlete Insole is a better choice, you can actually see that there's a gel cushion especially for the forefoot. I liked these better, and they're not too much more expensive than these Dr. Scholl's. I have found that Sof Sole makes an insert called "Airr" (with two "R's") which don't seem to be available on Amazon. They're more expensive, but the forefoot gel is even larger than on the "Athlete" and they are the best I've tried so far.

Just be careful when you choose these insoles, experimenting can get expensive very quickly. Dr. Scholl's Massaging Gel Extra Support Insoles, Men's Size 8 to 14, 1-Pair Package

This worked great for me - very comfortable in the shoes I wear to the office every day. I have a desk job, but was looking for more comfort than in the shoes I have. They held up well for me as well, although I've probably kept them too long - almost a year. Still some support left in the arch and heel, the front half (no gel section) is not worn through, but pretty much flat now. I plan to swap these out more often in the future - every 4-6 months for me most likely.

I used these inserts for my issued uniform boots and they are amazing! I went through 4 weeks of training under pretty rough conditions and these things held up amazingly! I never had any football problems, even after being on my feet all day for a month in the same pair of boots. They offer great cushion and support on all types of surfaces and while marching, walking, and running. If you're a big guy and have trouble with your shoes, I would definitely suggest looking into using these inserts. They are well worth the money spent and I use them in all of my boots. - Gel - Arch Support - Dr Scholls'

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Avery Labels - badges, name badges

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I needed these to create badges for a film festival. Surprised to find these for $11 and Avery ones going for $30+. The same product, only by C-line. My Office Products shipped next day. Received within 2 business days. Will buy from them again. C-Line Hanging Style Name Badges with Elastic Cord, 4 x 3 Inches, Clear, 50 per Box (96043)

These nametags were perfect. We used them for a retreat. They're clear on both sides, so we printed names on the front and the weekend schedule on the back. Delivery was very quick as well. Very pleased with the overall service and product.

I couldn't find nametags of this type in France so had them sent to a friend in the US who brought them to our reunion. Plenty of room to have a photo of each person as well as the name in large type. Perfect! - Name Badges - Badges'

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Digital Art - pen, graphics

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The Wacom Bamboo stylus for iPad works rather well. In my experience it draws respectably and feels good in the hand. The Bambou has a soft rubber tip that reacts serviceabily on the iPad screen. A rubber tip stylus works much better than a sponge tipped stylus, like the Pogo. However, Boxwave, Acase, and Targus all make very good rubber tip styli that work nicely , perhaps even better than the Bamboo stylus, and on Amazon they cost anywhere from half to one third the price.

Unfortunately I see no real advantage to the Bambou stylist. The tip isn't smaller then any of the aforementioned styli and if the tip wears out you can't replace it. It's true the Bambou is a bit heftier than the other styluses, but in use, a heavier stylist tends to tire your hand out more and after several hours of drawing or typing this can be most tiresome.

Wacom is a very well-respected name in the tablet industry. They make excellent products. This is a good product at an outrageous price. If Wacom would work to redesign this stylus with a smaller, replaceable and more responsive tip it might justify the price. For the time being, until the price comes down in half, I would recommend going after one of several less expensive and as good alternatives. There's just no advantage to this stylus. Bamboo Stylus for iPad (CS100K) - Drawing - Stylus - Graphics - Pen'

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Digital Frames - digital frames, digital picture frame

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The frame itself is great to look at and is priced great; however, when you compare it to like the Insignia frame at the same size, this product's options are extremely limited. The frame doesn't allow for shuffling of images and the max for rotation is 3 mins. Other frames allow for an hour or even a day which is very nice. I do like the way the frame looks, it's just too bad that it's so limited; otherwise, it would be highly recommended. Coby DP700WD 7-Inch Widescreen Digital Photo Frame (Wood Design)

I got this as a Christmas gift for my Mom. I've been watching for digital frames to come down in price, and I got this for something like 25 bucks on Black Friday. It's not worth it. I took this thing out to load it up with family photos before I gave it to my mom, and I was shocked at how poor the picture quality is. My high-res photos come out looking literally blocky.

I'm not being a pixel snob, either; the blockiness is immediately apparent at a distance of about 3 feet or less. Maybe my expectations were unrealistic for digital photo frames, but I thought I was buying something that would be just like a regular picture frame that magically changed the picture at set intervals. As it is, I think my mom would prefer a traditional frame with just one real photo in it to this little toy.

My main gripe is obviously the resolution, but this thing fails on almost every other front as well. The buttons are comically unresponsive and un-intuitively laid out; the menu is slow; and the supposed auto-rotate feature does nothing. This thing doesn't even remember when you manually rotate a photo to display it that way again the next time it comes up.

Bottom line, don't buy this product. I guess I'll look for a more expensive one that has a higher resolution, or else just abandon the idea of a digital frame altogether.

For the price, this digital frame is OK. It's very pixilated.

My biggest annoyance with the product, however, was that the package and manual claims the resolution is 480x234. After cropping some photos to that pixel size and loading them to the frame, there were large black bars above and below the frame.

I had to guestimate the true resolution which comes much closer to 480x266.

I recently bought this for a Christmas gift. Thank goodness I tried it out! First of all, there is no manual of how to download pictures. Second, I finally found out how, but it only did it once, I couldn't load more. Third, I tried calling Coby customer service to find out more information and they said the product is defective, send it back (of course with a 20% less restocking fee!). I finally found a way for it to work for me, using a memory stick. I wanted to see what it was like on the frame, but it wouldn't turn on....I've tried everything. It is junk, what a waste of money. Thank goodness I hadn't given it as a gift yet, how embarassing to recieve a piece of junk

This is my third digital frame purchase (and cheapest) and have to admit, it's more than comparable. I know that's not usually what you look for in a review, "well, it was good enough" but at the price ($25) "good enough" is fine with me. If you're not used to digital frames, you may notice a pixelated look up close. Don't worry, from further away you don't notice it.

If this is on sale again, go for it.

When I ordered this frame, I didn't realize I was ordering a wide-screen frame. I didn't exchange it, but most of my photos didn't fit in the wide-screen and when I zoom it or make it full-screen, the picture quality gets very poor. It's not a bad one, but if you are ready to pay for extra features and better picture quality then don't consider this.

The manual is so poorly written that the unit becomes worthless. Photo quality is poor when you do get it to show a photo. This unit was made specifically to put money in Coby's pocket not build a reputation for a high or moderate quality product. It is a shame to through the frame in the garbage but it is worth more in the garbage where it produces far less agrivation.

I will, however, remember the name Coby. Just for the wrong reason.

So i bought this as a birthday gift and now im stuck last minute shopping. It arrived quickly and all but was defective. The entire digital frame was shifted and wasnt aligned properly with the wooden frame and as a result an entire 1/4 of the screen isnt visible and its already small as it is. I recommend everyone to stay the hell away from this product as the wooden frame doesnt even look nice and it overall looks cheaply made.

It is confusing how to load pictures onto this unit, and the instruction manual is not helpful. It tells you which menu to use but that's it. The controls, located on the back, don't help: its counterintuitive and confusing.

Also, it does not indicate in the manual, on the box, or anywhere on the interface, how much capacity this frame can hold. You have to just guess until it doesn't let you save any more photos. i had to remove my flash drive several times and resize my pictures, which would have been OK if there was any indication, anywhere, of the max capacity of the frame. But it's nowhere. I also tried looking online for information but could not find storage capacity anywhere. Judging by the amount of low-res pictures I was limited to storing on it, I am guessing its max capacity is embarrassingly low.

A disappointing product. - Photo Frame - Digital Frames - Digital Picture Frame - Digital Frame'

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Computer Accessories - illuminated keyboard, back lit

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This is a very nice keyboard for the money. I'm pleased with it overall & would recommend to others.

Pros: The keys are vivid & clear when illuminated. The keyboard was completely plug-n-play on my Windows Vista machine. Keys are quiet & have a very nice feel to them. Keyboard itself is nicely compact, taking up less space than my previous keyboard.

Cons: When the keyboard isn't lit, the keys are hard to read. Not a big deal though as I can't imagine that I'll be turning the lighted function off any time soon. With the compact size, some of the buttons such as home, delete, page up, etc are positioned in a vertical row to the right of the enter key. It will take some getting used to as every time I go to hit the backspace, I end up hitting the home key. Black LED Lighted Keyboard W-9868BK USB

The light makes all the difference. Without the light, the keyboard is very difficult to use. There is a BIG problem with lighting the device. The light is turned on using the Scroll Lock. This turns off the arrow keys. I hate the consequences of no arrow keys! Excel becomes very awkward, actually a nightmare, to navigate.

I have searched for a detailed manual and, so far, had no success. There must be a way to light the keyboard and not lock out the arrows. I'll keep searching, but if anyone has one please upload it to this product.

The other reviews are correct about key size and placement issues. I am forever turning on the Cap Lock when typing the letter "a" or trying to key shift. The keyboard does not have a normal configuration. There are numerous cumbersome key placements that make average touch typing impossible.

While I regret choosing to be so cheap, this keyboard is an improvement over the Dell Inspiron setup. Oh, for my old iMac ... I miss you so.

Wow, I cant belive I sat in the dark all these years without this, what a god send this key board is the best, everyone in my family wants one I love it, bright clear and even though its a bit smaller than the normal key board I had no problems ajusting..

Alright, a couple of things to consider here:

1. The backlighting. Fantastic. Bright enough to clearly see in the dark, without being overpowering. The blue is really cool.

2. Typing. I used to use a laptop keyboard, and this brings me back to those days. I don't think it uses scissor keys, but there's not a lot of drop or resistance to them. Also, the key surfaces are flat, not cupped like on a lot of normal keyboards. It feels a lot like a laptop keyboard, which I love. Typing has a definite click, especially if you hit the keys hard, but it is by no means a loud keyboard.

3. The keys. RIGHT SHIFT AND BACKSPACE ARE VERY SMALL. This does take some getting used to, but I find it well worth it for a smaller keyboard and for having the arrow keys in closer, which is comfortable for a former laptop user. The letter keys are standard size.

Conclusion: I love it. I absolutely love it. It gets 4 stars because right Shift and Backspace will be troublesome for a lot of people, but as far as my own experience with it I would give this a 5. Great product, especially for an off-brand company (the instructions are in Engrish).

This was my first lighted keyboard and I really liked it. But after 3 months, the letters are already starting to rub off (every keyboard I get does this, though, so it's my skin oils doing it, I guess.) My biggest issue, other than the backlighting goes off and on at weird times (could be interference from a metal desk, for all I know) is that I can't quite get used to it. It seems to be a normal keyboard layout (aside from the itty bitty backspace key which I do NOT like at all) but I have more trouble with this keyboard than I do the tiny keyboard on my netbook and I am told it's because I am a fast typist and these lighted keyboards have some feature that interferes with that.I love the fact that it's black, the blue lighting is adequate without being blinding, and I don't have to always have a light on to use it. I've looked at many different keyboards like this and found this to be the best deal with the least bright and annoying backlighting.

I was thinking of buying another one, but I contacted the seller weeks ago to inquire about also getting a silicon protective cover for the keyboard and they didn't even bother to respond so I may just look into other options, maybe something with a backspace key I can see and easily use.

I guess if you're a peck-peck-peck type using this to play games in the dark that only require clicking and minimal typing, this is perfect. It turned out to be a double edged sword for me but I still think it's a very good item. The ease of installation alone is a great selling point but if you type fast like me, you're probably going to run into the same problem I did.

This keyboard is a great buy I love it, although the small backspace button took some time getting comfortable with and when the LEDs aren't on it is very hard to see the keys. I would have rated it a five if the LEDs worked on a Linux system (I had windows and it lit up great).

Overall, great keyboard for the money. However that being said, it is very small compared to the full size keyboard that came with the computer. Space bar is about half sized, along with the backspace and enter keys. Also very annoying the HOME key is directly next to the backspace, and since the backspace key is tiny, it takes some getting used to I have hit the Home key a million times and its very frustrating. Also, the volume control media buttons dont seem to work, I could probably investigate and find out but its not 100% plug and play if you are looking for that. I got this keyboard to be able to type in the dark because the light keeps my daughter awake so it serves its purpose, in time I am sure I will get used to the small size. The led lights are very bright and the keyboard is very easy to read, however when the light is not on it is next to impossible to see the letters on the keys. Also the light does not have its own button, it is shared with the scoll lock key which is a little annoying. - Back Lit - Illuminated - Cheap Keyboard - Illuminated Keyboard'

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Garmin Nuvi 1300t - gps, garmin 265wt

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The Garmin 1300T is a nice GPS navigation device with the usual features, plus the additional great feature of FREE lifetime traffic information. But there are two things you need to know about the traffic information feature. First, in order for it to work, the device needs to be connected to the charger, and the charger needs to be plugged into the car cigarette lighter. This is because the antenna receiving the traffic info is located on the charger wire. The traffic information feature will not work if the device not connected to the car through the charger. Second, the traffic information feature also provides advertising - the advertisers are apparently the ones who are paying Garmin and the traffic system so that you can have free traffic info. The advertisements show up on a small line at the bottom right of the screen when the device is in the traffic info mode (which is a separate display from the navigation mode). Note of this is explained in the very brief quick-start guide. Another thing a buyer should know is that an 100/220 volt "home" charger is NOT included in the box. Also a case for the device is NOT included in the box. But you can buy these separately for additional money. My only criticism is that all of these things are not clearly brought to the attention of the buyer before the purchase. Garmin nüvi 1300T GPS Navigation System

I have had this going on a month now and find it to be one of the best, if not THE best GPS Vehicle Nav I have come across. I've several handhelds of various names as well, but in sticking with the scope of this review, I will only mention my previous experience with the vehicle GPS units.

I've had just about every brand name of GPS unit in search of the "perfect" one. Up until now, the closest I came was with a Nuvi 350 when it was first released in 05, which I foolishly sold as I wasn't using it as much as I had originally thought. Back then, GPS Nav was a nicety and not nearly as "big" as it is today. Since then, I've had units from Magellan, Cobra, Finedrive (Ugh!), Whistler, TomTom, Mio(My favorite TeleAtlas based brand) and Navigon. All had their plusses and minuses but, never really hit that sweet spot. With the exception of one small detail, the 1300 FINALLY gets it.

I can't tell you how happy I am to be back to a Navtech based device. While TeleAtlas certainlny has come a long way, it's still not as accurate as Navtech. I still have two of my TeleAtlas based units(Mio and TomTom) and have done a series of comparisons between the 1300 and the others, with the 1300 being the most accurate. The Navigon actually has free map updates and is running the very latest maps, but still falls short in comparison.

The routing alogarythim is also much better in this unit than with rest. With the exception of the Nuvi 350, of course, which routes very similar to the 1300. That's not to say, there are no routing flaws. All GPSes have flaws, and this is no different. However, the strange routes are far less than with my previous units.

And last, but not least: Appearance. Good lord this thing is gorgeous! The map display is top notch and looks great scrolling through whatever road I may be on. I know this doesn't really matter to some, but for those who like good looking graphics, this is the unit for you!

Also, I HIGHLY suggest getting the 1300T over the 1300. That is if you live in an urban area and are affected by traffic on your commute. This has saved me TONS of time, as people around here can't seem to drive through a simple tunnel without crashing daily! I will point out, however, the free lifetime traffic does come at a small cost. There are unobtrusive ads(hotels mostly) at the bottom of the screen when on the traffic menu. These only show when not moving and are quite small. Definitely not something to get in a fuss over, but thought I'd point it out.

The only thing I would change about this model(and the whole Garmin vehicle line) is the ability to better control your detours. On my previous TomTom, Magellan, Navigon and Cobra, I could tell it how far to reroute and in some instances, choose the route. Garmin just gives you one Detour and that's it. Sometimes even putting you back on the same road a few miles up. This isn't as much of a problem with the traffic module, as it automagically routes you around the traffic. But it would still be nice to have more tweakability.

First of all, I am a MAP guy. I like paper maps, Paper maps at my local AAA and they have gotten me to my destination for years without problems. That said, I work in the transportation industry as a dispatcher. My drivers often claim that they can not find a street because it does not show up on their GPS. This is because they do not enter the information correctly. Street numbers, Street spelling are very important with all GPS receivers.

I have traveled to the Sierra foothills to the local drives in the San Francisco bay area. The free traffic alerts are pretty accurate. The GPS navigation routes are pretty direct and good. When I take my own route or a turn, it recalculates quickly and gives me the direction to where I need to go. Satellite acquisition is quick and have never had a problem with it. The points of interest are nice to find post offices, restaurants, and other stores. Has the option to spell out the particular name of the retail outlet you may be looking for.

I would recommend this Model to anyone looking for a GPS receiver with good features and is priced reasonably. Use with conjunction with a Iphone or regular map, its all the GPS I would ever need. Now I want to see how long it will work without problems. At the time of this review, Ive owned it for little over a month.

Got this as a gift a few months back and took it on vacation with us to Las Vegas. It was a lot easier to use than the GPS system that was built into the rental car. In fact it was working like a champ until the last day of our trip. Then when you turned it on, it would boot to the Garmin logo screen and freeze there. It was fully charged and ready to go but it would never get past that logo screen. I figured that I'd reconnect it to my laptop to see if that would shake loose the problem. Nope, no luck. Got on their web site and quickly discovered comments from other users who had a similar problem. Apparently the original software that shipped with the nuvi 1300 had a fatal software flaw in it that would cause the entire unit to seize up and be unuseable. Something happens occassionally when using the USB cable to sync with your computer. The problem is easily avoid IF you download the latest software update to the nuvi before this self destruct kicks in (which needs the USB sync to your computer to complete, so cross your fingers).

The good news is that they had very responsive customer service that shipped me out a replacement unit within a week. Down side is that it is a whole new nuvi, so any saved data on the original unit will be lost and need to re-entered on your replacement unit.

Still, despite the initial issue, I have been overall pleased with the performance of the nuvi. The screens are pretty intuitive and the Eco mode option is good if your like to track your fuel economy and route to your destination with the minimum use of gas. - Garmin Nuvi - Garmin 265wt - Gps - Nuvi'

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Jennifer Aniston

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I'm not sure it is essential to have worked in an office to enjoy this film, but I'm certain it will hit home for those who have. The movie was a complete bust at the box office, which utterly mystifies me, because it is hysterically funny and reflects the experience of millions of people across the United States (and I assume elsewhere). In an age where companies are seeking to lay off workers at any possible opportunity, this film has perhaps even more relevance now than it did when it came out in 1999.The humor of the film works on multiple levels, but for me so much of it is funny with a twist of the knife, for much of the humor hints at a much more serious fact: modern work is genuinely dreadful and alienating. Perhaps many office workers love their job, but I hate mine, and I assume that I am merely one of millions. No one in this film has a meaningful job. Even Lumbergh, though the boss, has an absurd position. Peter Gibbons is at least able to be honest about the ridiculousness of his plight during the incredibly funny sequence in which he is hypnotized.The film is a collection of many, many wonderful moments. I started laughing from the second that Peter Gibbons gets trapped in the traffic jam and is passed by an old man on a walker, and didn't stop until the very end. The film is a parade of very funny bits, from Michael Bolton and his passion for gangsta rap to Joanna's boss urging her to wear more flair (played by director Mike Judge) to Peter's neighbor who would yell at him through the walls to Peter's bizarre fantasy in which Lumbergh is making love to Joanna holding a cup of coffee in one hand and her ankle in the other to virtually any conversation involving Lumbergh and Milton. Some of the humor is a bit too broad. For instance, although I defy anyone not to find Milton's sequences funny as heck, they don't fit in quite as neatly with the satire of the rest of the film. I wouldn't, however, want to trade them in for a tighter movie.In a way, this movie has made my life easier to live. I suspected my job was absurd before seeing this film. Now I know it is. But somehow knowing the truth makes it easier to get through the day. Office Space

This movie made an almost "psychic" connection with me... the first time I saw it, I had just come home from my nightmare job -- many of the same things depicted in the movie had happened to me that very day, including the printer jam with that exact message "Error - PC Load Letter", while trying to print a report that was already late (what the heck does that message mean, anyway?!). I related so well to this movie's honest, astute, and technically correct observations of office culture in the 90's, that the brilliantly original bits of commedy were almost incidental to me (I must have annoyed the heck out of my wife with outbursts like "Oh my GOD, that's so TRUE!" every two minutes). I caught some of the more subtle humor in subsequent viewings. I'll admit, the movie lost its hold on me about 2/3 in, when the main character (who had by this time become an icon to me with his new found "no fear of consequences" attitude) took a strange criminal direction, and his angst began to return. This seemed to break the consistancy. I wan't too thrilled with Jenifer Aniston's performance either, although I suppose that had more to do with her script. In any case, the second time I watched the move, none of this bothered me as much.I've since purchased the DVD, and have worn this disk out playing it for friends. I'll never get tired of this movie... even the sound track makes me laugh. It's a wonder that it didn't get better reviews, although I guess one really would have had to have experienced office politics in the 90's to fully relate (I wonder when was the last time in the 90's that Ebert heard, "Don't forget to fill in your timesheets!")Some reviewers gave it low ratings claiming that it was "lightweight"... okay, so it's no Citizen Kane, but it certainly doesn't claim to be either! Give it credit for what it is -- as a lighthearted observational commedy, it's brilliant. And that's not to say that it was a total no-brainer either... on an intelligence level, I'd rate it much higher than say... any movie ever made by the Fairley Brothers (and certainly much lower on the "obnoxious bathroom humor"-scale).It's a pretty sad testiment to the intelligence of the average North American that movies like "Me, Myself, and Irene" brought in more money than Office Space. I hope Mike Judge doesn't let this stop him from creating another gem.

If you've ever worked in a tiny cubicle, pushed papers, and fought a worthless fax machine in an attempt to earn a living, you will love this movie. OFFICE SPACE is a hilarious movie that deconstructs everything that makes an office worker's life so miserable: from morning traffic, to catch phrases (it looks like somone has the Moondays), to bosses that totally ignore their workers. This movie had a low budget, but Mike Judge is a brilliant filmmaker. He takes a relatively unknown cast and is able to milk hilarious, yet totally lifelike performances from each actor and unites everything together in a coherent conceptually comedy masterpiece (e.g. the fax-beating scene with the ganster music playing is just pure brilliance). Of course, the film says a lot about the actors as well, they don't seem to be just characters or caricatures: they seem like real people. There is no sex, relative little violence (well, there is a lot of violence toward inanimate objects), and relatively little cursing words (most of the foul language comes from the film's soundtrack). A movie that's destined to become a modern comedy classic.

If you have ever worked in a cubicle farm for a technology company, or ROFL after reading Dilbert cartoons, and know what ROFL means, you will love this movie. Mike Judge (creator of Beavis and Butthead) digs into and makes fun of the things that people hate most about their jobs, with such accuracy that he must have consulted Scott Adams himself while developing the screenplay.With company names like "Penetrode", this movie takes numerous humorous stabs at the idiocy foisted upon the modern working class by the "management class", those highly-compensated stuffed-shirts with no more qualifications than an MBA hanging on their wall. These are the people who abuse you every time you make a mistake, and try to convince you that they are really your buddy in a thinly veiled attempt to keep you submissive and cooperative. Office Space tears into the very heart of the manipulative phony friendship ploy that so many managers think of as their "brilliant" management technique.So if you're tired of being shocked every time you touch a door knob, and sick of having half a dozen different "bosses" giving you conflicting work assignments, then I highly recommend that you buy this movie and blow off some steam, before it's too late!This film is a lot of fun to watch, but if you're looking for an intellectually challenging work of art, this is not the film for you. The story is quite simple; it is a single-layer story that conveys the same information on subsequent viewing as it conveyed during the first viewing. The visual and audio elements are interesting and entertaining, but not artistic. This is a fun comedy that a lot of people can identify with, not deep social commentary. However, the social commentary that IS in the film couldn't be more timely.The DVD itself is mediocre. No extras to speak of, other than cast bios and one trailer. Transitions from one menu to another are slightly animated, and the way the DVD starts up is cute, but overall the power of the DVD medium is not utilized.Movie ------- Originality: B+ Creativity: B+ Complexity/Depth: C+ Relevance/Message: A+ Artistic Merit: C Overall Entertainment Value: ADVD ------ Transfer Quality: A Extras: C- Use of Medium: C+'

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Pencil Sharpener - pencil sharpeners, pencil sharpener

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Before purchasing the X-Acto Electric Pencil Sharpener, I paid half the price for an electric sharpener from Wal-Mart that lasted over five years. This product has lasted a mere five months. Rarely used, it often sticks, overheats after only a few uses, and then ceases to work at all.

I had hoped a sharpener of better quality would last longer, especially considering it isn't even used very often. It would seem I was mistaken. X-Acto Electric Pencil Sharpener (1818)

This "sharpener" won't sharpen. When you try to use it, the pencil tip comes out slightly lopsided, with the lead covered with wood on one side all the way to the tip -- wood beyond the farthest reach of the lead. Result: the wood-tipped pencil won't write, won't even deposit a mark on the paper. And it isn't the pencil's fault. I tested three different lead pencils and four colored pencils. I even gave each pencil a second sharpening, a second chance. Same result each time: tip covered with wood.

The cause of the problem seems to be that this sharpener has only one roller-cutter. Manual sharpeners have two roller sharpeners and work perfectly (but have to be screwed in place -- no desktop use, block venetian blinds on window sills -- and can't be placed in certain locations where the hand crank becomes inaccessible). The X-Acto 1818, with its single cutter, doesn't seem to hold the pencil at the correct angle. The pencil isn't gripped between two cutters. That seems to account for the lopsided cutting.

I suspect that this model requires precision assembly, so that the cutter is installed at the perfect angle. Since other reviews suggest that this model sometimes works, my conclusion is that buying this model is a gamble. In my case it was a complete waste of money: the "sharpener" simply didn't work. So if you buy one, you are gambling. You may get a properly assembled one that works, and you may get one that doesn't. - Home Office - Pencil Sharpeners - Pencil Sharpener - Electric Sharpener'

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Porter-cable - porter-cable, 23 gauge

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I usually don't write reviews of a tool until I've used it quite a bit, but I'm going to make an exception in this case because there is only one other review. I would like to thank Jim, the first reviewer, as his comments inspired me to take the plunge and try this product.

This Hitachi NP35A is my first micro pinner, although I do own and use a few larger pneumatic tools (15 gauge nailer, 18 gauge nailer, 2 staplers). I typically prefer to use screws rather than nails, but there are occasions when the unique attributes of a power driver nail outweighs it's many disadvantages.

Here are my first impressions of the Hitachi NP35A 23 Gauge Nailer.

Pros:

o compact, lightweight, and comfortable to hold.

o high quality product, for example magazine slides in and out with smooth precision.

o trigger is comfortable, double trigger is relatively easy to get used to.

o the soft nose tip leaves no mark whatsoever on even soft woods.

o very quiet, pleasant to use (no hearing protection needed with this little guy).

o easy side loading of pins, and automatically adjusts to different pin sizes.

o using the soft tip, appropriate air pressure, and good technique, pins are driven to a perfect depth just below the surface (the depth is adjustable via the use of a hex wrench on the nose piece).

o surprising nice blow molded plastic case.

o an easy to see bright orange "low pin indicator" (of course, it doesn't work if one is not paying attention and doesn't look at it ... just one of my many faults I'm afraid....)

o although the minimum specified pin length is 5/8", I was able to use the 3/8" pins without a problem (this is quite a good thing, for my projects).

o made in Taiwan (often a significant step up in quality compared to China made goods).

Cons:

o the manual has a few typos (e.g. "all crews must be tightened..."), and it is bloated with the usual tedious and uninformative safety stuff (dictated by lawyers, presumably), but really, you can probably see that I'm nit-picking here.

Notes:

I have tested this product primarily with Western Fir (actually harder than many "hard woods"), and a sample piece of 100 year old clear white oak (recovered from a badly broken desk). As long as one presses the tip firmly to the wood all pins are driven flush, although one does have to crank up the air pressure a bit for longer pins and harder wood.

I used Grex 23 gauge pins (since they come in a convenient multi-size package, available here on amazon for about ten dollars).

The longest pin length I tried was 1". This gun is specified to be able to handle 1-3/8, and I do not doubt that it will, but for now I can't see myself needing or wanting to drive these incredibly tiny, thin little needles into anything that would require longer lengths. However I know that many people do use much longer pins. Perhaps as I become more comfortable and experienced with this tool I too will join the super-sized crowd.

As you probably know, these pins are much smaller than 18 gauge brads, and much less noticeable. However, they are not invisible, especially in lighter woods. Nonetheless, they are much less visually distracting than their 18 gauge cousins. Also, if you build small things (say drawer inserts using 3/16" thick dividers) an 18 gauge brad is simply too big - it would split the wood - whereas a 23 gauge pin works very nicely (along with a bit of glue).

Hope this information is helpful to you. Hitachi 23 NP35A Gauge Micro Pin Nailer

Had purchased a pin nailer from HF about 7 months ago and now finishing up a trim job on kitchen cabinets it decided to quit accepting 1 inch pin nails. Ran a search on Amazon and found this one. I have 2 other Hitachi nailers, so I ordered this for overnite delivery (Amazon Prime). Used it today and absolutely no problems. Its light, accurate and the nose pad protects the work piece. You do have to adjust the depth when using the nose pad. Adjustment is quick and easy. Hitachi makes some questionable quality items, but I have found their nail guns to be of a high caliber. If you need a high quality pin nailer, this is it.

11/4/2010

UPDATE:I guess I spoke too soon !! All of a sudden it started to jam. Tried various manufacturers pin nails and they all jam frequently. A real shame!! Gonna have to return it.

I bought this gun when my 5 year old Porter Cable gun gave up. What this gun does that the PC didn't is shoot 1 3/8" nails and set them below the surface in hardwoods. The PC was/is a good gun, but I feel this gun is better. It shoots bigger nails and costs less. As long as I get at the least the same amount of use from it as my PC, I'll be a happy woodworker.

excellent product for the money when compared to high end guns like grex or duofast.very light and comfortable to work with, not to mention easy loading.it's one of the few nailers in the $100 price range that shoots 5/8"-1 3/8" 23 gauge pins

I was so glad to get my micro pin nailer in the mail. It did let me down however. This nailer would consistently drive the nail too shallow despite trying to adjust the depth. I had to take off several moldings and trim pieces due to the remaining nails sticking out about 1/4 of an inch. I do not think this device was made to drive nails in that are greater than 1 inch despite what the manufacturers details may tell you. The product is made to drive fasteners up to 1 and 3/8" but in my experience this was not the case. I will return the product and save my money for the Grex micro pinner.

I bought this pinner a while back after deciding I wanted something that leaves smaller holes than 18 gauge brad nails and won't split delicate pieces.

I narrowed my choices down to the Hitachi and the Grex P635. I'm sure I would have been happy with the Grex, and kind of still want one, but the Hitachi was on sale and included a free polyurethane (the light, flexible kind) air hose. I placed my order and grabbed some Grex pins to go along with it.

The gun itself is very small and easy to handle. I have meaty fingers and never have any issues with the double trigger safety, a standard on pin nailers. It has a nice rubber nose piece to protect workpieces.

Pins are easy to load, but I can't say much for jam clearing, as I haven't had a jam with this pinner yet.

The main reason I bought this gun was to use it to pin hard maple corner blocks into place in the small arcade stick cases I build while the glue sets. Even with the cases made of hard maple or walnut, the gun has performed flawlessly. At 85 psi, with the gun firmly held to the work piece, it sinks the pins below the surface every time, and never splits the small 3/4 x 3/4 x 1 3/8" hard maple corner blocks. The pins hold tightly while the glue sets up.

It's not very loud either, but I can't imagine any of the pin nailers being loud.

To sum it up, it's a great pin nailer for the money, all things considered. It has a 5 year warranty too, which a lot of premium nailers don't even have (Grex is 1 year). It's handled everything I've needed of it, so as much as I'd like a Grex, the Hitachi will probably be my standby for a very long time. - Porter-cable - 23 Gauge'

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