Carbon Monoxide Detectors

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We bought this to supplement our Kidde Nighthawk CO detectors, the 900-0234 curved model with a 7-year warranty (we didn't want to put all our eggs in one basket!). The First Alert looks to be a fine CO detector.



Here are some positives:



1) It has the plug on a wire, so that you can put the detector somewhere other than right in the outlet. That's helpful as outlets can have other adapters in them making it hard to plug it in or be behind something rendering the CO detection harder.



2) It can be tested or silenced with a remote (hold down the volume or channel button for 5 seconds) (our Tivo remote worked!). (Some of their other products with the remote features have received critical reviews as regular remote operation has set them off!)



3) Operates on AC with a battery backup (2 AAs)



4) Batteries ARE included!!



Here are several negatives:



1) 5-year warranty unlike the Kidde's 7-year.



2) A "manual" that's a huge, cumbersome, folded sheet, with small print that's blurry and hard to read. They should supply a magnifying glass with it! This is a major concern as one needs to refer to the text for installation, for operation, to determine what to do under certain conditions, etc.



3) Yes, one can park the detector on a bookshelf (with the cord going to the outlet), but the detector itself wobbles! The previous Kidde CO detector Nighthawk model--the COPP-3 -- has the plug on a cord feature, along with a nifty slide out stand that makes it stable. (We had good luck with that model, but many did not. Plus, it's an older model, with only a 5-year warranty which is why we went for the 900-0234).



4) The CO level only shows up if one presses a button. It's a cool blue light, but unlike the Nighthawk's red LED that shows you the current CO level at all times (a reassuring 0), this displays a blank screen with a recessed green light. For some, it could be a plus as it would be less intrusive especially as the Kidde's red LED seems to be much brighter on their latest model.



5) The detector displays a battery icon when it's plugged into AC and the battery back up is installed! That's unnerving as it makes it seem as if it's running on the battery! Very odd design choice!



6) The test alarm didn't seem as loud as the Kidde's.



7) Battery cover is the front of the device, which the manual didn't explain or illustrate, and it doesn't shut well--or rather, it's awkward and you feel as if you're about to break the lightweight plastic parts.



8) One other issue, which plagues all the CO detectors and many other products on the market, is the infuriating, hard plastic packaging. It's hard to open and I even cut myself on it. There are alternatives that are just as secure but much friendlier to the environment and the customer!





In comparing the two (Kidde Nighthawk 900-0234 and the First Alert CO615), the advantage clearly goes to the Kidde. It just seems a more professional, better designed, and better thought out product. Part of that is because we're used to the Kidde design and like the red LED, but it also seems more solid (the First Alert has the seemingly fragile/flimsy cover), and has a higher quality, usable manual--it's a real booklet that's more readable and better organized (it also has a bigger font than FA's, but still could be larger). First Alert CO615 Carbon Monoxide Plug-In Alarm with Battery Backup and Digital Display

I ordered and received this item timely from Amazon. The product was well packaged and the directions for use were easy to follow. The product is nicely constructed, easy to use, and seems to work well. I like the fact I can push one of the buttons located on the front of the unit to see if the unit has picked up any CO levels from the area it is located. It is designed to plug into a wall electrical outlet and also has a battery backup. The unit is small and appears out of the way when it is plugged in and being used. So far, the two units I bought are working well so I give this product a rating of 5 stars.



Update: Jan. 14, 2011 - I have now owned two of these devices for over two years and each one is still working just fine. I have had to replace the back up battery on each just once a year, which is fairly standard, so the devices seem to be well built and last.

I bought two of these after another cheaper carbon monoxide detector had alarmed in the middle of the night. I had read some reviews of the other carbon monoxide detector having false alarms and convinced myself it was probably a false alarm but I opened windows to air out the house.



I got these two days ago and they alarmed the first night. I opened the windows and deduced that it was probably my tankless water heater which was recently installed and failed inspection. It is scheduled to be brought up to code this week.



To prove my theory I made sure the central heat was off for a day and we hadn't used the clothes dryer for a few days and I put one of these detectors in the laundry room where the tankless water heater is installed. We have one of those large jacuzzi style baths in the master bathroom (hence the need to have the tankless) and we took a bath last night. When we were done the alarm was going off. I had done some minimal research before doing this test and knew that too high of a level (12,800 ppm) can kill you instantly after just 2 or 3 breaths. I had read that 400+ can be lethal. Wikipedia states 800 ppm will cause dizziness, nausea, and convulsions within 45 min and you will be insensible within 2 hours and 1600 ppm can kill you in 2 hours. So I went downstairs to see what the reading was.



I held my breath and went in. 875ppm is what it read. I called 911 and the firemen came.



My wife, 2 year old, and 2 month old were upstairs and in a room with the windows wide open. They came in and took their readings. They said they are not allowed to work in an environment where the levels are above 30 ppm without respirators. The windows had been open for 15 minutes and they were still getting readings over 70.



Later, we compared what their professional monitor said to what the my 2nd First Alert Carbon monoxide detector was reading (remember I bought two of these). Their reading matched exactly what this unit displayed. So you can trust these devices.



Please trust your device. Thats what you bought it for. Call 911. Open windows or get out of there. The long term affects of Carbon Monoxide exposure can cause heart problems, learning disabilities, and many other terrible things. I am now worried about what this has been doing to my family over the last 4 months since the water heater was installed. Like I said I have a 2 month old....



I have posted a picture of the unit reading the max value from last night.'

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Chamberlain - garage door remote controls, garage door openers

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Being down to our last remote for our old garage opener, I was beginning to wonder how to get another remote. I got this just for fun, I didn't think it would work, but it was inexpensive enough to try out.



After reading the instructions, I was now absolutely positive it would not work. You have set dip switches (open your current remote and set it to the same dip switch pattern), and press the remote button a certain number of times (in my case 17 times). So here I am, pressing the button 17 times, thinking how stupid this is, but on the 17th press, amazingly the door opened. Of course, after you do this, you only have the press the button once to get it to work, but there seems to be a delay as it runs through your programming again.



Here is the instructions from LiftMaster:

http://www.liftmaster.com/consumerweb/pdfdocs/114A3492.pdf Liftmaster 375LM Remote Clicker Universal Remote Garage Door Opener Transmitter

This is a universal 2 - button remote that works on 390Mhz and 315Mhz rolling code freq or the older DIP switch settings technolgy. Very easy to set up. I have two garage doors one with a Genie opener system and one with a Chamberlain system; works well with both types.

We have old Stanley door openers. Stanley is pretty lame that it no longer sells or supports them, so I was looking for a universal remote that could handle 2 doors for our second vehicle. It was a bit involved to program the 10 rocker dip switch, but the following the instructions to the letter worked perfectly. The hardest part was climbing up on a ladder to see the dip switch settings on the openers. The range is good, but not great -- definitely usable. I'm buying a second one for the other car to replace the original bulky one-door opener that came with the Stanley installation.



Pros:

Opens 2 doors

Truly universal, handles many manufacturers

Small size



Cons (minor):

Involved programming for dip-switch systems

Range



Thumbs up.

This worked very well with my old craftsman garage door system. Programmed in seconds...works like a charm. I would recommend this for anyone looking for an additional garage door opener for Craftsman systems

I bought 3 of these for our 3 vehicles. They arrived in good time. They were ready to go. I just had to press the learn button on my garage door opener and they worked as they were advertised. The whole process took about 5 minutes for 3 remotes. The hardest part was climbing the ladder. I am very happy with the fact I now can open two different types of garage door opener ( liftmaster and genie ) with one remote. I live in a brand new house. I don't see why the original installation didn't come with these in the first place. Too easy.

Actually identical to the clicker version (http://www.amazon.com/Chamberlain-KLIK1U-Clicker-Transmitter-Universal/dp/B0013Q0S4S/ref=pd_sim_misc_3), but seems to have slightly better range to me than the clicker version. They program the same, are both easy as pie, and seem to work wonderfully. I couldn't be happier with this unit (although I've only had it a few days).



I used it for two garage openers, one with a dip switch and the other a Genie Intellicode. Works fantastic.

Bought this garage opener because i needed a two-button one, and didnt want to spend a bunch of money. Well you get what you pay for... It was easy to setup using the AutoLearn button on my garage door, but the RF Frequency or whatever it uses is terrible. I have to literally open my car window for the door to open from 30 feet away... My old one used to work from the end of the driveway with the window closed. But it beats opening the garage door manually.

This item is compact and comes with a battery already installed. It worked fine with

the older Sears Craftsman and the Sutherland garage door openers here. BUT, the switches

that you use to enter the code for your garage door opener have only two positions per

digit of the code: plus and minus. Many manual garage door openers have THREE positions

per digit: plus, minus, and zero. The instructions for this unit say that the receiver

(that is, the garage door opener itself) must have its code set to eliminate zeros.

Indeed, I did have to change the codes to convert them from pluses, minuses, and zeros

to just pluses and minuses. Then, the units worked fine. Note that the LiftMaster 62LM, eg

Liftmaster 62LM 2 button sears craftsman compatible 9 dip switch, also

has two buttons. It has two manual code-entry switches, and both of them provide 3 values per

code digit. It is available from Amazon for roughly the same price and is only slightly larger.

When we bought our house, it was an "as-is" deal and when the house was cleared out when the former owner ended up permanently hospitalized, whoever cleared it out took everything, including the remotes for the garage doors. I was looking for something that could control each of my doors separately and wasn't very expensive (after all, we'd just bought a house, so money was a little tight). So, we bought 2 of these units for our cars. Pairing them with our LiftMaster openers was simple and took a total of about 10 minutes. The only things that I'd say against these units is that they're a little cheaply made (but, then again they are inexpensive) and their range is not great - you basically have to be right in front of the door for them to work reliably. Sometimes they work from the end of our 25ft drive, but you can't count on it.



But overall, they're not expensive, they work, and they're easy to program, so I'm happy with them. - Garage Door Remote Controls - Garage Door Openers - Garage Door Remote - Chamberlain'

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Cell Phone Accessories - cell phone accessories, iphone

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I bought it to charge our iphones in the car, or an iphone and ipad. Its not clear in the description if it works with those (some don't) and found out when I got it that only ONE of the two ports works for these devices, and the other port doesn't (it says so on the device itself too). It was so cheap it was worth the experiment, but doesn't work for its intended purpose of charging both our phones at once in the car.



** Update **



Used it once, and worked for a while and quit while on a car trip. Took it apart and found a bad solder joint. Re-did that, and it worked for a hr more or so, then quit altogether.... Skip this one and just get a Griffon charger; worth the extra money. 2-Port USB Car Charger Adapter for MP3, Cell Ph,...

I needed a dual usb charger for a trip I went on. I ordered this because of the price and reviews. So far it has worked great. It does feel a little cheap so I am worried about the long term use, hence the 4 stars.



Pros: Works and is cheaper than most of the competitors.



Cons: Cheap feel.

Is somewhat long so if you have a gear shift close to your dc outlet as I do, then it is a tight

fit in park. I had to keep unplugging my ipod when I put the car in park.



EDIT:

I have now taken it on 3 separate trips and it works great. It has yet to fail anytime I plug in my phone and ipod. I keep it in my backpack and it hasnt broken yet so I think it is worth the money.

No way was u gonna pay $40 somtlething dollars for an iPhone charger, especially not one of those over priced ones from Apple. For about FIVE DOLLARS I get a TWO phone chargers because of this USB charger. Love it. Works great. Love it.

I purchased this charger thinking it was cheap enough to give it a try without too much worry. I plugged it in for the first time and it started charging my iPhone 4. After a couple of minutes the phone beeped and when I looked at it, it wasn't charging any more. Assuming it was just a bad connection in the cigarette lighter, I looked at the charger and noticed that the red LED was still lit. Two seconds later smoke started coming out of the charger. It was fried. The good news is I'm not out too much money, and best of all, it didn't damage the iPhone.

Hi B0ught it with intention that it will be helpful for charging i-phone while driving along with My GPS. But only one port work at a time ,you either can charge Phone or GPS. Not of use for which i ordered it ..totally waste of money

I bought this to charge my blackberry torch and itouch. However, the power for one of the outlets is not enough to charge either item. When I plug it in a message pops up, "not sufficant power source" So I'm glad I can still use the one side, but not what I was hoping for. - Car Charger - Iphone - Cell Phone Accessories - Usb Adapter'

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Money Management - money management, financial software

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After reading the reviews here I decided to purchase the digital download and give the program a try; why not since it offered a 100% money back guarantee.



I'm telling you, there is NO point to this program-none! Unless you don't have access to your bank's online checking & savings account, then you might find Quicken Deluxe useful, but otherwise this software is joke.



The way Quicken is advertised they make it sound like you can view all of your debts and accounts in one place. Kind of true but only if you spend hours manually typing it into Quicken yourself. Unlike Mint, you can't just enter your account information and then your data is automatically imported, updated and presented in a coherent, useful display.



So why not just use Mint? Because it doesn't support all accounts and institutions.



The customer service between Amazon and Quicken is a joke. If you download the software through Amazon you get it cheaper but you have to chase Quicken for the refund. I've emailed then but I haven't even gotten a courtesy reply from them. Amazon is difficult to get in touch with and they are not helpful anyway.



I feel like I have been flat out robbed of my money and I'm doubtful I'll ever get it back!



Do not buy this useless product, and if you do buy it here, make sure you get an actual disc; DO NOT BUY THE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD--you will get abandoned by Amazon and Quicken!!!! Quicken Deluxe 2011 [Download] - [Old Version]

All software has bugs in it, and so it is sometimes necessary to release software before one has all defects fixed 100%. And all companies deserve to sometimes override customer comfort in favor of the bottom line. But Quicken does both in such a ham-handed and amateur way that they have become the poster child for mediocrity, bloatware, and authoritarian mandatory upgrades.



Even if one looks beyond the dozens of little nuisances in the Quicken 2011 UI, the quirky inability to customize data entry, and the bloatware aspects of the software, there are so many issues that continue to plague this product line year after year that it is a wonder they even remain in business. I have been a Quicken user since 1989/1990 because, honestly, it does most of what I need to do, and after 3 or 4 months of banging around inside a new version or release, I can eventually get it centered enough to not drive me crazy. I simply avoid using the areas of the product that are known to corrupt or lose financial data (and there are a bunch!).



But every three years, like some locust swarm, come the emails from Quicken with the news that they have given up trying to support whatever current release I use. I cannot get past the annual jaw-clenching animosity I feel towards the company when I get these so-called "sunset" discontinuance emails about how yet another very recent version of the program is being discontinued, and that one-thrid of current users will either now be forced to pay to upgrade to a new package which is guaranteed to be more bloated and more buggy than the one they have, or else be forced to finally say "No" to the sunsetter coercion and agree to stop getting on-line updates and what Quicken refers to (without any sense of apparent irony) as tech support.



Quicken claims that each new release is a major improvement in the update engine. Although this seems unlikely, given that the development team is arguably in over their heads in so many other aspects of the product, let's assume for a moment that it's true. WHY on EARTH would they spend their time making enhancements when there are so many year-after-year continuations of basic defects that get discussed all over the internet? How about taking one year and making it simply a "quality improvement" release and we'll skip the cool flashy features?



Quicken is really the only game in town , and they act like it. (yeah I know about MS Money and mint.com but they have their own issues)... There are a million of us out here who will bail the instant someone, ANYONE can come up with a reasonable alternative. A company like Intuit, whose customers stay in the fold only because they are shackled through necessity, is a company that will always operate at a suboptimal level, and one that will always be on the precipice to fail.



Quicken 2011 is one more in a long line of bloated, bug-filled offerings from Intuit, further saddled with a fascistic sunsetting policy that brings business thuggery to a new level. Avoid this product.

I can't believe that this terrible product gets great reviews! Yes, it downloads my financial information quickly and easily. That's about the only good thing that can be said for it. It's budget offerings are atrocious... if you can find where they are and know how to use them. The few good graphs that it did have were lost in the "upgrade" from 2010 to 2011. Money's analytical tools were so much more useful to the average consumer I would never have converted to this tool had I not been "forced." I'm going to be exploring my options with other software as my frustration levels with this product only increase the more I use it.

Update: Getting a refund on my Amazon downloaded software was very easy. I emailed Intuit's customer service my invoice from Amazon as directed on Intuit's site. Today I received a check for the full amount from Intuit. I am happy to say their product guarantee can be relied on.

I had been using MS Money for about 10 years and decided to convert to quicken a few months ago when sites I used sent me notifications that they would no longer be supporting Money. I was very hesitant at first and read as many reviews as I could get my hands on before purchasing Quicken.



My experience with it has been very good so far. I've been using it since about mid November (around 3 months) and I've been very happy with what it offers. There have been a few things that I have missed from Money, but overall this is great. I track spending from Checking, Savings contributions, Auto Loans, Credit Cards, Student Loans, Home Mortgage, and my 401k and it works seemelessly with all of them. Ofcourse there was a learning curve and just like anything that is new and different you may find yourself missing your old product that you were accustomed to during your learning process with the new product. Once I got familiar with all the ins and outs of Quicken I'm very happy with it and think it is a great substitute to MS Money and exceeds MS Money in quite a few areas. - Quicken - Financial Software - Personal Finance - Money Management'

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993 Running Shoe - running, 993 running shoe

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I recently purchased my 1123's to help me start exercising again. 10 months ago i had a gastric sleeve gastronomy and have lost 100Lb to date. Currently i am still 100Lb from my target weight, so yes i am a BIG MAN. At first i tried to start walking with my normal shoes but the pain was unbearable, so i hit the Internet at the time and did some searching and a lot of people recommended New Balance for big people. After extensive searching i decided that the next best course of action was to actually find a New Balance store and get a professional recommendation on which model to try.

The store guy suggested i give the 1123 a try, even though they are not pure walking shoes, he said they would work best for me. I tried them at the store and didn't take them off, walked out on them. These are very comfortable shoes, specially for a BIG guy like me, the pain is gone! I haven't owned them for long yet, but I have gone for long walks, and feel like i can keep on going.

I hope New Balance will be my ally for the next 100 LB, and after this morning's 45minute walk they do feel that way.

Great shoes! New Balance Men's MR1123 Running Shoe,White/Navy,10 D

This shoe replaced the NB 1122, which I loved! The NB 1123 is a lighter shoe that has good cushioning and great room to accommodate orthotics, if you order the correct shoe size. Unfortunately for me, the pair I ordered had a defect in the stitching at the ball of the shoe which started to ravel. I returned them but should have requested a replacement pair. I also liked the comfortable snug fit. So, if you suffer from heel spurs, falling arches, flat feet, soft feet, and you are an over-pronator, this might be the shoe for you too. If Amazon has my size, I will reorder this shoe.

These are a replacement after many pairs of NB 1122s. Still a great running shoe, but for some reason they've shortened the length of the tongue. Its hard to grasp the tongue to prevent it from sliding down when you put the shoe on.

These are the best shoes that I have ever owned. I am a over-pronator and need the right shoes. I have used many but have found these shoes to be the best for me. I wear a B width and New Balance is the only company that offers a complete line of widths in all of their shoes. Kudos to New Balance.

My wife has suffered from Plantars Facia for several years. About a year ago her podiatrist recommended this shoe. Although a bit pricey, the support is perfect and pain associated with Plantars Facia has been eliminated! No, she doesn't wear the men's model but rather the WR1123. Having a B width available is perfect for her. New balance, American Made, is the ONLY running shoe for this family.

After wearing these shoes New Balance MR1123 for 2 weeks all i can say is wow, these are by far the best shoes i have ever owned.. My first pair of motion control shoes and i love them my foot pain is gone. The style could be improved on, but when your feet feel this good you don't care about style..highly reccomended.

I have plantar fascitis which involves th tendon at the bottom of my left foot..doing research I found thatthe podiatry doctors recommended th new balance 1123 as a good option I tried them and like them very much..Tom Whiting

I've been buying this specific model for about 2 years. When I hit 300 lbs, I scared myself into getting out and getting more exercise. Since I had all but worn out the soles on my last pair of sneakers, I took some time to shop around and do some research. This shoe provides great stability control, and New Balance in general is great for shoes in width sizes (I wear a 2E). My routine has been to walk about 3.5 miles a day, and I've recently stepped that up to running. I walk/run on pavement and I find this shoe gives me great support and cushioning.



My only criticism of the shoe is that the soles are thinner right under the ball of the foot (as compared to the rest of the shoe) and I find that my weight (now down to 265) combined with the pavement wears through the soles in about 6 months (about 500 miles of wear if I did my math right). However, if you work out mostly on a treadmill or some other machine, I'm sure the wear will be considerably less and the shoes will last longer. - Comfortable - 993 Running Shoe - Running - Running Shoes'

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Fitness Computer - polar, fitness computer

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Since there are now only two brief comments, these details underlying my conclusion may assist potential FT60 buyers ...





--- What Prompted the Purchase ---

A winter surprise: my Garmin Forerunner 305 yields only heart rate data when exercising indoors. Further, user comments reveal that its associated Foot Pod does nadda unless your feet are moving forward on a treadmill or the like.



Initially, it seemed the Polar F11 would be just fine for indoor tracking. While it performs well, trying to get to the data proved profoundly frustrating. As for pushing the F11's data to the Polar website (free), lotsa luck. The watch needs to chirp/talk to a microphone on your PC. Short version: the thing was a complete pain to actually use, in virtually all respects. I quickly returned it to Amazon, did more research, then grabbed this FT60. Lightyears in blissful difference!





--- Operational Details / The Watch (& Polar's Customer Service) ---

1) Setting up the watch was very intuitive. But the printed manual is indeed useful, if needed.

2) Customer service is marvelous! I encountered one setup snafu -- it seemed the setup routine died midway through. I called Polar (number at the website); quickly encountered a human; he gave me step-by-step "hard reset" instructions, which immediately cured the watch's apparent headache. No questions other than "How may I help you, M'am?" From dial-up to completion took just about five minutes, if that long.

3a) It's incredibly easy to review the data on the watch both during and after a training/exercise session. During the session, just tap the larger middle button on the right to signal you're ready to start. Tap again to get it going. To change screens, tap the up and down buttons on the right. To pause, hit the lower left button. To stop completely/end the session, tap the lower left button again. To turn on the backlight, tap the upper left button. May sound complicated, but it all feels quite natural in terms of actual usage, so it's really *NOT* about struggling to memorize anything.

3b) Reviewing data on the watch: During session, a few taps on the right buttons yield heart rate avg/max, calories burned, % of fat burned, & session duration. Ditto when the session is over; there's even a blurb teling you how you're progressing in overall fitness.

4) Once you input your particulars, the FT60 provides an accurate tailored-for-your-specs calorie count for everything, whether a Wii Boxing/ Running/ etc session (academic studies yield calorie counts per minute; Google/ as a doublecheck), spinning on an indoor bike, using a step machine, etc.

5) The heart rate strap (in the box) is so comfortable that I forget I have it on (something I can't say about the Garmin strap). Just moisten the (obvious) sensors and you're good to go.

6) Unlike the F11, the battery in BOTH the watch AND the strap are user replaceable. There's even an obvious indentation on the back of each, for the screwdriver.

7) Nice touch: you can easily remove/unclip the "power" part of the strap, saving battery life.

8) Great extras, in terms of setting up tailored programs in the watch itself. The manual explains it all.





--- The Free PolarPersonalTrainer.com Website (PPT) ---

Finally, there's the matter of pushing the data to the freebie PPT website (you can set up your account while awaiting FT60 delivery). The bad news: you'll need a $55 add-on, Flow Link, which I ordered from Pa.-based Heart Rate Monitors (free shipping) via Amazon Marketplace. Ordered on a Thursday night; USPS delivery in NC the following Monday; comes in a bubble wrapped 8.5x11 inch envelope, fitting in mailbox -- track via your Open Orders page at Amazon.



The good news: the Flow Link cradle personifies no-fuss. Download the free "WebLink" software from Polar and install. Reboot (a must, trust me.) Attach the Flow Link's USB cradle. Set your FT60 face down onto the curcular center of the Flow Link device. Polar's software springs into action, pushing the data to your PPT account as expected. (Vista Ultimate / 32-bit laptop.)



At the website, you can change the string of default-named "Training Session"s to Spinning, Wii:Boxing, Stepping, HHA (HipHopAbs), Yoga, whatever at your "My Sports" tab. If your indoor bike gives you speed and distance, that can be added to the corresponding PPT session as well.





--- Tip ---

Google SPORTTRACKS for a free and incredibly useful Win app, wherein you can (manually) log all your Polar data. Extra work, but it's so inherently motivating. Who wants to see empty days when ya sluffed off your fitness routines?! Allows you to keep track of ALL your fitness activities, whether indoors or outside.





--- Bottom-Line ---

All in all, a best-bang-4-da-bucks purchase. The premium price over the F11 has paid for itself in saved time/tears via eliminated data-retrieval woes. Watch is comfortable, and looks decent enough to wear sans exercising. For all of these reasons, I highly recommend the FT60, without any reservations whatsoever. Polar FT60 Women's Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Purple)

I absolutely love my Polar FT60! This is actually my first and only HRM (Heart Rate Monitor), so I can only give you my opinions from this one item. I do love it though!



I am a 22 year old female whom is slightly overweight and got this to help me maximize my workouts and help motivate me! I can say it has done its job!! It really helps motivate me because I am one of those people who like to keep track of everything. If you have tried calorie counting and deficits, it is super hard on your own, but by using sites like it makes it much easier! I'm not advertising caloriecount, but it is the same thing with this HRM and Polar's website [...]you can easily input all your data from your watch into the website and keep track with so much ease! It makes me not want to miss a workout day at all otherwise I have a big blank spot on my page :P



-----------------------------



PROS:

-Easy to use!

No complicated sequences of buttons to push to get to the next menu or to set the clock. When I was looking into which HRM to buy many people were aggravated by having to hold down two buttons then press another to set something or go through menus. That's just ridiculous!



-Chest Strap

While some people would prefer not to have a chest strap while working out the strap is comfortable enough to forget about it. It helps accurately track your HR and calorie rather than those which you have to hold your thumb to or similar ones where you have to stop what your doing to get your HR.



-Backlight

I like the backlight, and is quite helpful in dark situations :P (doesn't stay on for too long... maybe like 2-3 secs at a time)



-HeartTouch

HeartTouch is a function that is when you bring the watch close to the chest strap it will beep once and show you the time briefly so you can easily see the time without going through menus.



-Zone Lock

Zones are basically different levels of your heart rate which are categorized in pretty much an (easy) causal walking HR, a (medium) light jogging HR, or (hard) running HR. Now zone lock is where you can hold on the center button on the right to lock whichever zone you want to be in and the watch will beep telling you that you are not in your zone.



-Weekly Goals

Depending on what weekly goal you put into the HRM for example, if you want to lose weight, gain fitness, or perhaps exceed in fitness it will tell you to spend more time in certain zones rather than others. If you want to lose weight it will tell you to stay in a particular low or med. zone longer for the week rather than high. You are able to change what your goal is whenever you decide.



-Weekly Tracking

I'm not too sure how many weeks it will hold up to or how much memory it has, but after the whole month I've been using it I can see all of my information that has been stored on it. It will let you know to work harder or train less in a particular HR zone based on your goal.



-Waterproof (30m)

The watch, strap, and monitor are all waterproof, and does not seem to be damaged(30m it claims). In the handbook I believe it said not to use the buttons so much in the water to prevent water getting into the machine. I took it into the ocean and toyed around with it. It does not particularly work well as it cannot read the signals through the water medium, so the watch will constantly say it is disconnected (ONLY tried in ocean salt water, NOT tried in chlorine pool). MORE INFO IN CONS



-Compatiable Attachments

You can buy the pedometer, cycling attachment, or GPS attachment to go with the HRM for more distance or more accurate readings. There may or may not be more attachments that I don't know of.



-Comfortable

As I said before the chest strap is comfortable enough to forget about having it on, but the watch itself is also very comfortable and adjustable. There are also different straps you can buy if it is not comfortable for you specifically. There are also different sizes you can get if it doesn't fit you.



-Washable

The strap is easily washable, just remove the attachment of the strap and rinse/wash in the sink.



-Compatiable

Works with [...] You can buy the transmitter, but I don't think it is worth the extra $40 and hastle (I've read it is not that great). Anyone can easily input the data into the website and it only takes a minute.



-MY FAVORITE!!!! PRO!!!

It works with the gym equipment at 24 Hour Fitness (not sure what brands they are), but NEVER will I ever have to hold my hand on those semi-inaccurate and bacteria filled HR handle bars again!

It makes working out at the gym soooooo easy. I can always see my heart rate posted on the machines and I don't have to look at my watch unless I want to check out something other than my HR!



------------------------------



CONS:

-NO Stopwatch

It does not have a stopwatch... I don't really understand why it wouldn't have a stop watch, but it doesn't. Regardless that wasn't a deal breaker for me, so I bought it anyway and still love it. I can do time math in my head, so not a big deal.



-Waterproof (30m)

As I stated it is waterproof, HOWEVER it does not work well because it cannot send the signal from the watch to the strap through the water. If you are training for some sort of marathon that requires you to be on foot and then in water it's perfect. You do not need to spend time removing it from your body. If you are trying to record your HR in the water, this HRM is NOT going to work for you. You can however pop out of the water with both the watch and monitor above the water and receive a reading after a few seconds, but in all honestly it will kind of mess up your statistics in accurate calories and average HR and max. HR.(ONLY tried in ocean salt water, NOT tried in chlorine pool). FOR MORE INFO IN PROS



-Calorie/HR Menus

Can't see calories and HR at same time. You have to scroll to a different menu to see it. Hardly a big deal, but convienence.



-Losing pieces

I hope you're not like me, but I tend to lose the piece that attaches to the chest strap from time to time :( I can be unorganized so it makes sense. I recommend putting it in the same place everyday. The piece that attaches to the strap is about 2 1/2'' long 1 1/4'' high and 1/2'' wide, and I CONSTANTLY MISPLACE IT. I'm always looking for it. - Ft60 - Polar - Heart Monitor Watch - Fitness Computer'

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Portable Vehicle Gps - gps, traffic

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History with GPS Navigation:

I've used built-in Honda (Alpine), standalone Garmin, and Ford 'Sync' audio GPS navigation devices.

I loved the Honda navi for its size, and I hated it because updates were sparse and expensive.

I loved the Garmin for being up-to-date but I hated it because it always seemed to change its mind a lot, or direct me into strange areas.

I didn't really care for the Ford Sync navigation, as it wasn't a visual navi. Included for free with the car, but I choose not to use it. Maybe only good as a 'back-up' in case the TomTom fails-- though I don't think it ever will.



I sold my Honda and needed a new navigation system.



I bought the XXL 540TM for...

1) Screen size

2) Frequent map updates (4x a year + Map Share)

3) Ability to customize it (lots of settings to play with)

4) Well Known & Quality (I've always heard 'Garmin' is the best, but when I've tried Garmin, I didn't like it!)

5) Lane Guidance

6) IQ Routes (figuring out which roads were best to use)



By the way, in case you were wondering the "TM" stands for "Traffic" and "Maps", indicating there are free traffic and map updates. I had NO problems entering the "Lifetime Maps & Traffic" code provided.



What's in the box:

-> GPS device itself

-> Window mount (with suction cup)

-> Dashboard 'sticky' pad

-> USB cable (to connect to PC)

-> Car Power adapter

-> Set Up Guide

-> Slip of paper with 1 code, valid for Lifetime Map/Traffic updates



The first thing I did was hook it up to my PC and run all the updates. (A newer map was available + GPSFix + Map Share.) It took about 1.5 hours to update all of it. After it was done, it took up about 96% of the 2GB built-in memory. (I didn't check how much it used before updating.) Not a lot of 'wiggle room' to add more features. No built-in SD slot to add memory, either.



One major downside is that I don't like how easily the device 'pops off' the windshield mount. (See further explanation under "The BAD" below.) I am considering getting a (non-adhesive) weighted/padded mount to put on the dashboard.



The GOOD:

+ Screen size met my expectations. Easy to see everything on the screen



+ Startup time (including time to lock onto satellites) seemed fairly quick



+ Roads were up-to-date and labeled properly. Didn't find any errors



+ Allowed me to customize just about everything I wanted to.



+ It functioned perfectly as a Navigation device. This is where I felt Garmin was lacking. With all the features a Garmin has, it never seemed to 'navigate' the way I liked. Of all the features, the 'Navigation' is the most important, and TomTom does it well from what I've seen.



+ It pronounced some 'hard to say' roads perfectly! I'm sure I'll find some that are not right, but Garmin/Sync had a hard time saying road names.



The "OK":

+- Traffic is only updated by RDS (sent by local FM radio stations). This is what I paid for. RDS updated only major roadways (Interstates) and marked some accidents / road construction / road closures. It only worked when the power cord was plugged into the accessory power port on the car (as the cord functions as the antenna.) I would have preferred TomTom's GO/Live line of products which has a built-in 'cell phone' to grab more detailed and current traffic information. But, these were out of my price range. The XXL 540TM does "just enough" traffic to make it useful.



+- It takes some time to calculate a long distance route. But, I also know that it is using IQ Routes to choose the best roads. It seemed 1 or 2 seconds longer than it needed to be, but certainly not a huge problem.



The BAD:

- Internal memory not expandable. 96% used up without any 'extras' installed? Hope I don't need more...



- When browsing maps (dragging my finger) it is a bit 'laggy'. I don't expect perfection, but it seemed sluggish. Fortunately, I don't plan to browse maps often, so I'll deal with it. I tried turning off Points Of Interest (POIs), and turning off 3D maps (using 2D maps instead), and it really didn't seem to make a difference. I'm impressed with the detail it showed, but wasn't thrilled about waiting 10 seconds for the entire screen to finish 'drawing'.



- Windshield mount seemed to 'pop off' too easily. When suctioned to the windshield, I have to use 2 hands to 'hold' the GPS and keep it attached to the mount while I adjust. I suppose it is useful for people who leave the mount stuck on the windshield. I prefer to remove the device AND the mount and hide them when not in use. (I figure a thief will know that the mount is for a GPS, and that the GPS is hidden in the car somewhere.)





I have yet to try this out on a LONG or COMPLEX road trip, but I have no doubts from what I've seen so far that it will be just fine.



OVERALL, I'm happy with the device. Happier than I was with Sync, Alpine, or Garmin. I consider myself an 'Average' navigation user (not a beginner, not an expert) and will update the review after using it more.



Sidenote: I ordered through Amazon, using "Beach Camera" seller. It was delivered ONE (1) business day after I ordered it! I used 'Standard' shipping, and FedEx (Home service) had it delivered fast. Very pleased with Beach Camera's shipping emails and speed!



=========================

UPDATE 11/18/2010:

I thought I'd provide an update after 6 months of using this TomTom device:



1) I am still very happy! It's the 1st GPS I've used that "just works" and I'm glad I don't have to mess with it.



2) I've mastered the technique of adjusting the screen position while simultaneously holding the suction base. Back in May when I first reviewed it, I was concerned about how 'easily' it popped off. Now, it is still annoying, but I've minimized the amount of times it happens by holding it appropriately. It doesn't annoy me enough to buy a different stand/holder.



3) The suction cup still holds on quite well. It hasn't fallen off yet. (I attach/detach from the windshield every time I use it.)



4) Traffic Receiver: I've been satisfied with alternate directions/road closings. It is quite accurate, even in rural areas where I didn't expect road closures to be displayed.



5) Long-distance travel: I've used it for a few long trips (1000+ miles) and had no problems whatsoever with it. I found the 'estimate' of time to be extremely accurate. It was no more than 10 minutes off. (I calculated the time I stopped for gas and added it to the original estimate.)



6) Battery life: I've found the battery life to be holding a little less charge than it used to, but nothing that I feel is alarming. Most of the time, I have the power cord connected anyway (so I can grab the traffic updates with the antenna built into the cord.)



Overall, this is my favorite GPS. I've been hooking it up to the computer less and less (meaning I am forfeiting new 'map share' corrections). I even decided NOT to get the latest map update. Why? Well, I feel everything is working just fine the way it is. I may update if I have the free time. This is in sharp contrast to my previous GPS experience, where I'd pray for updates to fix stubborn issues. The TomTom is just fine and I have had no major complaints. I am NOT in the market to buy a new GPS because I'm finally satisfied.



=========================

UPDATE 06/03/2011:

Here is an update after 1 year of using this device!



1) The battery is holding less charge than last year, but it still lasts 6-8 hours without needing a charge. Not a problem for me, because I use the car adapter most of the time.



2) I drove to Canada, and the maps were accurate! In fact, I liked that TomTom still told me the speed limits of the roads. (Sign said 100kph speed limit, TomTom showed 60 mph limit.) I found this helpful so I didn't have to squint at the tiny "kph" on my car's speedometer. I've made this trip before in the past (without my TomTom), and I chose to "Avoid Tolls" on this trip. TomTom found a very nice route that I had not known about. It used IQ Routes to get me around the rush-hour traffic too! I used the "Itinerary" feature for the first time, and found it worked quite well. I programmed 6-7 destinations the night before my trip. The next day, I simply opened the Itinerary and it asked me if I wanted to travel to the 1st one. I also ended up re-ordering a destination to later in the trip, and found an option to re-order. Very helpful!



3) I updated my map just once (right before my trip to Canada). I installed this on a new computer. I was worried that TomTom wouldn't 'know' that I was eligible for free maps on my new computer. But, I had no problem whatsoever! For those of you who don't know, all your map updates, downloadable color schemes, icons (etc) are done through the TomTom HOME software. You create an account with TomTom, and the TomTom HOME software uses that account to 'know' you're eligible for Lifetime Map updates.



4) I did discover 1 piece that doesn't work for me. I cannot use the "Safety Cameras" add-in from TomTom HOME. I haven't researched it though. I got an error message when trying to add it. No big deal for me, since I only planned to add it for curiosity. A quick Google search didn't reveal it as a widespread problem. I'll update this review if I find a cause/solution.



5) Yes, the GPS still "pops off" the mount too easily. It bugs me from time to time, but still not enough to buy a different mount/base.



6) Am I in the market for a new GPS? Nope! Still very happy with this one. (I got sick of every other GPS within 6 months of using it. But, knowing I still love this TomTom after 1 year says a lot!)



Good job TomTom, you exceeded my high expectations. Thank you! TomTom XXL 540TM 5-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator (Lifetime Traffic & Maps Edition) - Traffic - Tomtom - Large Screen - Gps'

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Purple - purple, otterbox

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You can see my other reviews to know that I buy A LOT of cases - it has became an addiction of sorts. With that said, I have often found Otterbox products to be the best of the best. (See my 5 star Otterbox iPhone 4 Defender review for proof!)



I received this item last Monday and I was anxiously awaiting installing it and giving it a go. Unfortunately my excitement quickly subsided. I hate to sound negative but this case leaves a lot to be desired. Below I will give you my unbiased thoughts on the case and its pros/cons.



Pros:



Much thinner than the Defender case

All ports are easily accessible

Lightweight



Cons:

The screen protector that it comes with is very sub-par, I've purchased several screen protectors in the past for both my iPhone(s) and other models, the one that came with the Otterbox ranks near (or at) the bottom of the list as far as quality build and ease of installation in avoiding air bubbles etc.

The case doesn't quite fit "right" sometimes the silicon case will come loose from around the lip of the phone and it will in turn cause the polycarbonate shell to shift and not only fit awkward but look horrible as well.

The cover for the audio out jack (headphone jack etc.) should have been designed better. It often protrudes from the case and just looks awkward.



In conclusion I would state that though the case isn't the worse (and 2 stars may be harsh) due to the price and quality expected from Otterbox it came up well short of expectations.



I will try to post pictures later showing this case next to a bare iPhone 4 and also next to the Defender case. OtterBox Commuter Series Hybrid Case for AT&T and Verizon iPhone 4 (Purple/White)

Hi, I just got this case yesterday. It's the third one I've tried with my iPhone 4. Otterbox makes fine cases so I expected something nice and was not disappointed. I also had the Commuter and Defender cases for my iPhone 3Gs.



Here are some notes for you:



- The case provides the best protection of the three I've tried. The Apple bumper case is nice but the open back leaves a lot of glass exposed. This one gets the job done while not being too bulky.



- Compared to the iPhone 3Gs Commuter case this one exposes more of the hard plastic surface and less of the rubber. The plastic is textured nicely so gripping is still secure. In all fairness I think I do prefer the design of the 3G/3Gs version.



- The phone will connect (Yeah!) to my Magellan car mount and B&W speakers with this case. It would not connect with the thicker Apple bumper case. I'm also able to get other cables to connect to it that would not connect with the bumper case. The opening for the thirty pin connector is larger on the Otterbox case.



- Putting the screen protector on can be frustrating but I was mostly successful this time. Dust must be avoided at all cost while applying it. Hey Intel, can I use your clean room for a few minutes?



It's a good compromise between protection and bulk. If you had the 3G version you might be a little disappointed because the fit on this one doesn't seem quite as good.



Update (9/2/2010): The reviewer(s) that said the case can be uncomfortable on your ear while making calls was right. If you make a lot of calls this could be rather annoying. I'll post a picture or two of the offending sharp edge. I filed the edge on mine with my Leatherman to smooth it out. That helped a lot.



Regards,

John

This case exceeded my expectations i had after reading some of these peoples reviews. First of all, the fit is perfect. i dont know if maybe some of these people didnt put it on right (it takes a while to get it right) but mine fits snugly.second, It does not feel cheap. The plastic is not very thick but it doesnt need to be thick to protect, it is only there to hold the shape of the silicone. It is the perfect balance of protection and bulkiness.. I had a defender series for my 3gs and that thing felt like a brick.. this one feels just right, not to mention its a lot cheaper than the defender. If youre gonna be rock climbing or working at construction site, then theres no reson why you would want the defender over this case. The screen protector is pretty cool, i dont really see the point of it because the case sits in such way that your screen will not get scratched. i still put mine on and cant even tell its there.. I would highly recomend this case, and no i dont work for otterbox, im just a regular guy that really liked this product and i dont think the reviews on it are very accurate. Thanks!

Sadly, this is the first review I've written, because I've had such a bad experience with this case. I'm a big OtterBox fan, I had a Commuter on my previous 3GS, and a Defender for my old 3G which is now on my wife's S. Both of those cases are great and I don't have a negative thing to say about them.



I had such a good experience with the previous version of the Commuter, that I got one for my Iphone 4. Unlike other reviewers, I think the screen protector is great, the only reason I gave this case 2 stars instead of one. I've had several screen protectors in the past, and they've mostly been all the same. The OtterBox protector seems to be of higher quality, and its the first case I've gotten on with absolutely no bubbles. Also, while trying to get the bubbles out on other protectors, you end up scratching the protector with the credit card. OtterBox solved that issue by putting an extra layer on the protector, and once you have worked all the bubbles out, you peel off the outer layer, leaving a pristine screen protector. I honestly can't tell that it's even there. Unfortunately that's where the good stops.



The silicone on the Iphone 4 commuter seems cheap, and doesn't fit the phone as well as in previous versions. The corners and parts that aren't covered by the outer shell constantly move and don't hug the phone as tightly as on the last version.



The hard protective shell is a complete failure on my case. When you initially take it out of the case, you can tell that the plastic is of cheaper construction than previous models. It is significantly thinner than the last, which is nice from a size perspective, but it just feels cheap in your hands, like it is going to break at the slightest stress. Also, the worst thing about mine is that it just doesn't fit the phone. It is too big for the phone, leaving gaps around all 4 sides. On 2 sides, the gap is small enough as to be almost not noticeable, but on 2 it's very obvious, and its so far from the silicone that the whole case flexes in your hand. On my particular case, it's obvious that the protective shell was machined too large for the silicone. No matter how much massaging and fiddling you so with the case, it won't fit the phone properly. As I've said before, on my 3GS, once you snap the outer case on, it's bombproof.



I bought the case direct from OtterBox the day it became available, and Amazon's price is now significantly cheaper. Still, this case isn't worth the cheaper price.



-Update

Otterbox customer service replied, and are sending out a replacement case. Their customer service was very friendly. I'll write another update when the new case arrives.



-Update 2

Customer service promptly sent out a replacement case. The 2nd case definitely fits better, it fits the phone correctly, but there isn't the tight, solid feel of previous versions. As other reviews have noted, the outer case can be uncomfortable against your ear. There are better cases out there for less money, for example, the 'free' case I got through Apple. I got a Griffin Reveal Etch through the free case program, which doesn't offer as much protection, but the case feels solid and fits the phone much tighter than the Otterbox. I still think they make great products, but this one was a failure. At least they've dropped the price since I ordered mine. - Otterbox - Purple'

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Audio System - home theater, speakers

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Ok let's start by telling you, that I am not just some guy doing a review. I have purchased and tested 3 other Soundbars and tested all the rest in the stores... First was the Vizio Bar - Ok sound, but did not produce a real surround sound effect. And I was able to max... out the volume at 3am in the morning with out waking anyone up... Needless to say it ain't all that loud... Although it had easy one wire hookup with a fiber optic cable... Second was the Sony HTC100 with HDMI hookups. This one was loved for it"s ease to hookup HMDI components straight to it and it acted as a switch. The big thing is, this unit was horrible on sound. I turned it up to it's max of 50 and could still hear my dishwasher in the background... As a matter of fact when me and best buy guy Dave tried it, we could talk over it on max vol... Now for the Samsung HW-C450: Amazing - amazing- amazing... This unit out did all the others on volume of only 26 with a max of I don't know (I think 60), because I'm afraid to turn it up because it may bust the speakers it's so loud... This Sound bar is great for the person who knows nothing about 5.1 and 7.2 channel theater systems. You will be very happy. Now I am a owner of a old Sherwood Receiver and 5.1 Dolby Surround System, with Cerwin Vega speakers... And it doesn"t give the back noise as great, but it definitely stands it's ground for a one pc speaker... Now for someone who knows about theater systems, don't get scare, this is the best low cost unit you can get and you will be amazed, but all I'm saying is, don't expect a 5.1 Dolby Sound from this. It is amazing sound, but doesn't hit every corner like your seperate speakers will. Now for design, A+++... Samsung gets thumbs up from me. It's not a big as the others @38" I think... But this thing hits harder then the rest. But the look is classy with revealed speakers with the crome tone tips... Just nice... Oh and I almost forgot it's touch operated, which is a nice added feature... Now for room size, mine covers a petty good sized family room. And still rattles the walls upstairs. And clearly heard outside the house. This one has 2 options for sound hook up, Analog RCA (Provided) and Fiber Optic (Provided). I opted for Fiber Optic, because my TV automatically sends the sound from the TV to the Soundbar. Which is the easiest thing for me, because it saves you from having to hook up and waste money on a receiver. All you would have to do if you had all HDMI hookup (Seeing if your TV didn't already have enough of them) is buy a HDMI switch from online or Best Buy. I use my Cable box HDMI, Blu Ray Player HDMI, DVD/VCR HMDI. But if you havee more things like Wii, Xbox360, etc. The switch will help you send the signal to the TV. I have not found any negatives with the unit as of yet. It has played both, burned DVDs well and regular ones with great sound... So there has not been any problems... Great sound, Great look, and Great price... And the Wireless Sub is fantastic. Use Cinema for Music, not Music... Under the equalizer. Has about 5 options... Samsung HW-C450 Soundbar Speaker

Bought this soundbar to go along with my 52" Samsung LCD. What a big improvement over the TV speakers! Watched 2 Blu-ray movies with it already and was very impressed by the sound. It was very easy to hookup. Just used the provided optical cable to connect the sound bar to the TV. Plugged in the subwoofer, plugged in the soundbar, turned on.... and the sub was instantly connected to the soundbar. It was up and running literally in minutes. The volume of the soundbar can be controlled by the TV remote so that's nice. You may or may not want to turn off the TV speakers. The problem with turning off your TV speakers is it will say "not available" on your TV when you adjust the volume with the TV remote, but that is a minor problem.

The sound from this system is great. Not necessarily surround sound, but it's much better than the tv speakers. I have this connected to a new Samsung TV. When using the TV speakers AND the SoundBar unit together it sounds like you are in a cave. I use the soundbar exclusively now, with the TV speakers turned off. My biggest complaint is that every once in a while the TV remote, and the SoundBar remote do not work. You can hit every button on the soundbar remote, or the volume on the tv remote, and it does nothing. This problem does not happen all the time, just randomly. It could happen twice in an hour or once a week. Every once in a while it also switches itself from Dital 1 input to the Digital 2 input (which there is nothing connected to). This usually happens in the middle of a movie, and again, it's totally random. Most of the time I love this soundbar, MOST of the time.

Mine just arrived today, and I am pretty pleased with it thus far. Take note that you will have to supply your own screws and wall anchors to place the hanging bracket on the wall, because Samsung doesn't provide them. I have this in my bedroom placed right below my Samsung LN46B550. I used to have an LN40A550, and that had a headphone jack that I connected a set of JBL Spyro speakers and sub-woofer to add some volumn to the volume. This allowed me to control the volume with just the TV remote. But starting with the 2009 models, Samsung decided to do away with the headphone jack, and connecting the JBL via A/V cable wouldn't let me control the volume remotely. I would have to get up to manually adjust the sound. This was particularly a pain, because I watch a lot of streamed content from my little Dell Zino home theater PC (don't have cable, and haven't missed any of my shows or sports), and each stream would have its own volume setting. So, on one site I'd have to really pump up the volume, and get blasted out of my socks when I'd visit another. Those problems have been solved with using the HW-C340, because I can use my TV's remote to control the mute and volume (on the TV's menu set the sound to external speakers). When you use your TV remote to turn on the mute or make volume change there will be a message that displays on the screen that says, "Not Available". However, the sound bar does perform according to what you've pushed on the remote. That extra feature alone is worth a few extra stars. I put the small remote away in my night stand.



Synching the sub-woofer with the sound bar was easy, and worked immediately. I have them on opposite walls with the sub tucked away in a corner (Yeah, wireless!). I do agree with what another buyer said in that it is difficult to see the unit's display without getting up close to read it, and it would be good if the panel lights only illuminated when a setting was being changed. In stand-by mode the bar has a little red light just like my TV, so they look like siblings. Since my room isn't that large I don't need a true surround system, but the TV speakers are a little too tinny for my liking. The output from the HW-C450 is about on par with my JBL kit; which is sufficient for me. We have a 7.1 surround sound system in the living and the difference is quite apparent, but like I said it's not need in my smallish room. This set up provides enough sound to fill the room whenever I want to turn it up. I haven't played with all of the settings or played it with a movie, but I am pretty happy with its performance with the TV and the HTPC.



The bar is pretty stylish, and should look well with any of the LCDs/plasmas that are on the market. My TV has the touch of red color, but the sound bar looks great with it. The sub is alright looking, but I don't care so much about it since it's not in plain view.



I would highly recommend this sound bar, because of ease of set up, the accompanying remote has a solid feel, the sound will boost your TV's sound, and it looks nice. - Samsung - Home Theater - Sound Bar - Speakers'

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Valentino Made In Italy - brioni made in italy, brioni

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This is the first suit I decided to purchase sight unseen.

Bianco Brioni Italian Linen Mens Suit Modern 2010 Two Button 2pc Flat Front Pants Ticket Pocket Hand Tailored Suit Navy

I said "what the heck for 150 if it's bad not to much lost". I was looking for a nice Linen summer suit so I went for it. Bottom line is my wife thinks I look good in it so hay that's a good start.



We lived in Europe for several years and always went to Italy to get my suits direct from the sewing house outside of Verona. This suit fits like those did. It had the right drop, not like most American made ones which are to much, the cut was shapely but not to trim, the jacket has a nice hang and fits well across the shoulders, and the linen is good quality. The attention to detail is high with a high quality of construction, the stitching is excellent, and the hidden finishes are well done. This fall I'll get one of the wool suits and we'll see how they compare.



I wear a 44L and only had to get the arms shorten about an inch, sleeves fell to the joint of my thumb and palm. This was unusual since I'm a tall person anyway and this is the first time that was a problem. Otherwise the waist fit well as did the jacket in the shoulders and in it's overall length, and of course I got the pants hemmed. However, I'm not sure if I'll chance a 43L next time as I think I'll have to have to much tailoring done.



Bottom line I think the "suggested retail" is a bit optimistic but for the money you are definitely getting a great bargain. I'll definitely order a wool suit for the fall/winter and if that is of the same quality I'll order more. Bianco Brioni Italian Linen Mens Suit Modern 2011 Two Button 2pc Flat Front Pants Ticket Pocket Hand Tailored Suit Navy (42 Short)

DO NOT BUY !!! i was ordering 2 suits of this unbelieable cheap and badly made suits. look and feel is like a 50.- usd suit in thailand on a local market! lowest quality you can imagine ! unbelievable .... take care ! DO NOT BUY !!!

Most of my suits are custom made with high quality fibers and craftsmanship. I have purchased a total of six suits after I received the first three and saw that they are equal in quality and craftsmanship. My custom made suits cost around $1,800.00 each and these range from around $100-$135. Now that is one of the best value purchase I've ever made.

I just received this suit. I can't even explain how impressed I am with the fitting. The quality is great and the fitting is even better. Ordered 42S in this color and light beige color. VERY HAPPY with the purchase. I like to wear my pants a little below the stomach and the inseam on the pants was perfect. Jacket is even better. Great Great quality.

I am very happy with the suit I bought for my husband. He is a 40R and the fit is good. The price even with duty etc. that you pay in Bermuda it is well worth it. Would definitely think about buying another. Happy with quality of fabric and lining. - Summer Suit - Brioni - Brioni Made In Italy - Suits'

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Valentino Made In Italy - brioni made in italy, brioni brioni made in italy Valentino Made In Italy - brioni made in italy, brioni

Fine Writing Instruments - astronauts, fine writing instruments

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First, there is a mostly-negative review of this pen from someone that did not like the Fisher ball-point ink. You either like the Fisher refills, they allow you to write on more surfaces, higher temperature range, etc., then other refills, or you do not -- they do skip more, particularly on first use, and they generally don't have the flow of say Lamy, which is generally the top refill in this category. I should note that Lamy refills do fit fine in the Fisher, so if you prefer those, and easy remedy.



In general, in terms of the Fisher Quad pen, it is a very well made pen, and an exceptional value at it's current price point. Advantages include:



* Rubber Barrel (easy to grip)

* Chrome finish below that, in high wear area

* Very good upper Barrel in a sort of grey/titanium type finish

* Better side release mechanism (many have plastic clip release)



I found the pen somewhat lighter than the metal Lamy 4-in-1 variants, but to have better heft than a lot of the cheaper pens. Make no mistake, the Fisher is very well made. The Stylus is quite functinal. The inks, once you get used to them, quite serviceable (and easily replaced with Lamy if you don't). The mechanical pencil is of the 0.5mm class. One of the top 4-in-1 pens at any price point, and an exceptional value at its current one. Fisher Space Pen, Multi-Action Space Pen (Q4)

There are already several long and good reviews for this pen so I'll try to keep mine short.



Overall:

A very nice pen, the multifunction capabilities are great and it looks good.



Pros:

Three separate writing instruments in one. 0.7 mm thick leads which doesn't break easily.



Mediums:

The stylus is a great idea but, many people won't need it. It doesn't work on the new type of touch screens found on modern cell phones (just the old ones like a palm pilot). You can probably switch the stylus out with another pen (perhaps a blue or green one) but, then the label on the end won't be correct (no big deal).



Its a space pen (which could be a pro or a con so I put it here). Some people don't like the "feel" of these types of pens. I like the fact that it can write upside down (done it many times), underwater (don't really have a need for this), in cold weather (done it) etc. I'm not used to writing with micron smooth special pen tips using ink that is ultra great or whatever. It gets the job done, if you want a pen that works you'll like it, if you want a pen that is friction free and uses ink found in one particular species of squid that only lives off the coast of Micronesia then don't get it.



Cons:

Not many and not that severe but, the ink cartridges are small so they'll run out a bit faster. You can find the regular space pen refills at places like Target or Walmart. These take smaller refills that you may have to buy online (I did anyway). You kind of have to expect this from a multifunction pen though.



Also the eraser is kinda small (like most mechanical pencils), I essentially don't use it because I don't want to buy refills. I instead use a separate eraser which is what I do with all the previous mechanical pencils I used so I don't see it as a big deal.



There you have it, my concise review. Hope it helps.

The downfall for many multi pens in the mechanical pencil. The Fisher multi has a good 0.7mm pencil and the ink pens are nice as well.



Most multi pens including the expensive ones only have 0.5mm pencils and the lead always breaks in the smaller pencil mechanicals, thus the lead runs out quick because it also does not hold much lead. The bigger 0.7mm lead means it holds less lead but it does not break nearly as much so it actually last longer. The eraser like every multi pen is basically emergency only, so keep a easer handy at the desk. I use a Staedtler Plastic Eraser.



The stylus is useless, it does not work on I-phones so it will only be good for your 1990s era Palm Pilot, I replaced it Lamy blue pen for blue, black, and red ink pens. The Fisher ink is nice not as nice as the Lamy ink but still good. Other multi's I have switched ink out as soon as I use them with Lamy ink because they are very light writing, but the Fisher ink will stay. The other things I don't like with the Fisher ink and like on the Lamy is the tip is colored coded so you can see you are using the blue ink, the Fisher red and black ink have the same tip so I scribble a bit to verify the color.



The selection action of the pen is nice it's the typical face up what you want and press the button, a small button on the side releases the selection. It works good and has little miss-selection. The look of the pen is great with the dark chrome barrel and chrome tip and buttons. The rubber grip feels great and is sized / shaped right to be comfortable not a annoying like many other grips.



The Fisher Multi does not have the heft of my Parker or my high end Rotring and Lamy multi pens. Those cost much more and have the annoying 0.5mm pencil issues so the Fisher is my favorite to use for day to day work and is a great buy.

Been using pens forever (who hasn't?) & always wanted to have a "favorite pen" but never found one.. until now. The Space pens are nothing new -- the pressurized ink writes smoothly and doesn't leak which is a huge plus. But what I really cared about is how this particular pen has not just regular black, but also pencil (.7mm too which is good since it's thick and not easy to break) & red colored ink. In my job, I must have a pencil on hand as well as red ink in addition to regular black. That meant 3 instruments. Now I am saved from that hassle. The padded grip is great and the pen is weighted perfectly. Plus, it doesn't cost a fortune for this pen either.



I had no need for the stylus function and frankly I would like to see an updated version do away with the stylus and instead put another ink color. This is as resistive screens have been on a huge decline in the past few years with much better capacitive screens taking over, and continuing to surge in 2011. Even resistive screens that exist today are so well adapted to finger pressure that you don't need a stylus for those type of screens either. Therefore, please get rid of the stylus, as it's a feature from yesteryear. - Stylus - Great Pen - Fine Writing Instruments - Astronauts'

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Outdoor Wireless Speaker - outdoor wireless speaker, great price

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My friend was having a wedding and wanted to play some back round music while everyone was socializing.These speakers were the perfect thing we were looking for. During the time these were on sale at Costco for about $120 so we got them. We had already had 2 of the speakers that we got from Kohls which were a different brand but still worked, 900Mhz. When the speakers are plugged into a outlet, the quality is great and so is the range. What is good is that you can toss some batteries into them(we had six speakers and they take 6 batteries each, do the math haha) and they will work wirelessly. The dock also takes 4 AA batteries. The quality is not the best with batteries in them, limited to about 50-75 feet, but still worked for what we needed. Now we have them in our living room and the main dock is connected to the tv and the speakers are all around the room and they work really great. They are the easiest thing to set up. All you do is plug the speaker into the wall or toss in some batteries and then connect the transmitter to the tv and it all works. So if you are looking for some good speakers but dont want the Bose price, then i would recommend you getting these and you will love them.



***PROS***

-They have good sound quality for the price

-You get 4 speakers

-Ipod dock which can be connected to the tv or other device

-Remote which powers the speakers and controls the volume

-Can be battery operated

-Wireless. Just plug into an ipod and your ready to go

-Wall mount ready. Just put 2 screws into the wall and hook the speaker up

-Can be placed in different rooms of the house



***CONS***

-Annoying blue light(can be covered up with black tape)

-Lots of "C" batteries needed so you don't have to have it plugged into the wall

-Signal strength is lowed with using batteries

-Sometimes they turn off when not in us. Pain to turn them all back on and then have to turn up the volume

-One of the speakers likes to make a static noise some times. I can be sitting on the couch and if I move my head a little forward then it makes the noise, I move it back, the noise stops. And about 10 min after I turn the tv off, that speaker likes to make one final good bye static noise.



Design- 5 stars

They are all black, but they do come in different color(black, pink, and white). It almost has a 360 speaker, but the mounting space in the back takes up some room. Then the bass is on the top. The remote is nice to have too, but you have to point it at each speaker to change the volume or turn it on or off. They have a blue LED light, which can be bright and annoying sometimes but you get use to it or you can put a piece of black tape over it too.



Quality- 4 stars

The sound works for what is needed of them. They have good sound when connected to a outlet, but when the batteries are in the quality goes down. They can get very loud if you have a lot of them together. Or you can place them around the house to listen to music in different room. Some times we have one in our kitchen to listen to the tv while we cook and eat (comes in handy).



Overall- 4 stars

They work for what you need and are great to have when ever you are having a party or just want to crank up the music. They are weather proof too.

If this review was helpful to you, plase like it. Thanks! Audio Unlimited SPK-VELO-4KIT2 Premium 900MHz Wireless Indoor/Outdoor 4 Speaker System with Remote and Dual Power Transmitter (Black)

We were shopping for a sound system for our living room, because as usual, the TV speakers aren't very loud and really get alot of distortion at higher volumes. Our living room is connected to the kitchen, and while you can see the TV from the kitchen, you couldn't really hear it. And if someone was in the kitchen, or the dishwasher was running...forget trying to hear the TV!



Anyway, I had been shopping several systems, but our living room is deep and we didn't want the hassle of running the wires for the rear speakers and we didn't want to spend the extra $200+ for wireless rears. I was just browsing at Costco tonight and found these and figured I'd try them out, and since it was Costco, if I didn't like them I could return them.



I was super excited when I got them out of the box and realized that they are literally plug and go. Couldn't be any easier to install. We have lots of outlets so finding a place to put them was no problem at all. I put one in the front of the room by the TV and one behind the couch on an end table. Those two were plenty loud for the room, so I took the 3rd to the kitchen and put it on the counter. I cooked dinner and ran the dishwasher tonight and couldn't even hear the dishwasher! The speakers were loud enough to drown it out, without being overly loud and without any distortion. (They also have holes in the back for wall mounting, if you are so inclined.) Since they are indoor/outdoor I'm not concerned with any splatter or mess from being in the kitchen, because I should be able to just wipe it off.



Then I took the 4th one out to the garage to see if it would really work as well through walls, and far removed from the transmitter, and I have to say the sound is just as good and clear outside in the garage as in the house. I'm really impressed.

I watched some hockey, listened to some music and part of a movie and the sound was excellent and crisp on all of them.



It is a little annoying that you have to turn each one on individually, and adjust the volume every time (when you turn them off it resets to the lowest setting), but on the other hand, I don't necessarily want them all on ALL the time, either, so it does allow me some versitility with the volume depending on what I'm watching and what I'm doing. I like that it came with multiple ends, too, so you can plug it into lots of different things with ease.



For the price, I don't think they can be beat. They sound just as good, or better, than any full-fledged home theatre system I've heard. They are 900mhz, and most of the "in a box" sets you can get in the couple hundred dollar range are 1000mhz, so that aren't too far behind. They serve our purpose perfectly (adding volume without distortion, and getting sound evenly through the living area) without being a big hassle or too expensive. For the casual user who just wants their TV to sound better, I don't think there's a better option at all. I would highly recommend these to anyone. Even my husband, who's the deaf one (LOL), and was pushing for new speakers, was really satisfied when he got home tonight and heard them.



Since I've only had them a few hours I can't speak for durability or longevity, but for the price, even if they only lasted a year or so they'd still be worth it. - Outdoor Speakers - Great Price - Outdoor Wireless Speakers - Outdoor Wireless Speaker'

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