Saturday 11 July 2009

Wicker Furniture - patio furniture sets, wicker furniture


Unit arrived in huge 5 foot by 4 foot box weighing 150 lbs. Upon inspection the hardware and instructions to build the table were missing. After building the love seat and one of the chairs, the second chair had a defective bolt insert that resulted in a bolt breaking off inside of the insert, rendering the chair useless. Customer service of the manufacturer says that they have no parts to sent as a replacement and that I need to return it. So, I need to disassemble everything, somehow try to repackage into a massive box, and find a way to ship a 150 lbs box back to Amazon.



Not a good experience at all and shoddy hardware. Beware. Strathwood Buckley 4-Piece Outdoor Furniture Set

I did not realize it required assembly of the chairs etc, I wish amazon would state that.



In the end I returned the set. The first shipment one of the bolts broke in the chair. I retuned everything. In the second shipment the set was missing parts.



In the end I returned because getting the missing parts took too much time and multiple attempts.



I will say that during this time, amazon customer service was excellent, polite, and really trying to help.

If you take time to study the picture, what you see is what you get. Its a plastic wicker mesh over a steel tubular frame. It ships unassembled by truck, which for us meant go pick it up at the ABF terminal. That was no problem. Shipping was very fast. Our box looked like crap but everything was in there and nothing broken. They package this thing using the cushions to protect parts that would otherwise damage. This is a good size box but will fit in a pickup bed.



Assembly was simple and about one hour with the wife adding a third hand. The chairs and love seat used two bolt sizes and the coffee table a third. Bolts were steel, but pretty light gauge. The kit comes with one of those very small cheap open end wrenches for assembly. Its OK to use a 10mm socket, however one needs to keep in mind those little open end wrenches aren't just there for convenience or poor people who don't have tools. They are there because that small size controls torque. Using classic metal technique, get them all started then go back and tighten, don't over tighten (tighten to metal to metal flat not bend), the set went together with no hitches and is sturdy with so far no retightening. The use of lock washers on each bolt is good design.



We found the cushions just a tad lighter in color than we expected, but for us that was better. The cushions are of a soft almost home furniture like material not the classic vinyl. This gives a very good comfort level, however we're not anxious to see how this will hold up in rain so can't comment there. The base seat is classic patio furniture strap. The love seat cushion is one solid piece which two would probably have been better due to its a double strap setup underneath (classic for patio furniture). I can't ding it much for that though. It does look better, however just doesn't add to the comfort level due to that bar in the center you have to have to double strap.



We use this in a covered but outdoor application so have very high expectations of a good long life. It appears to be as sturdy as our other set which is on year 18.



All in all, nice set that we were looking at twice the cost in local stores for similar product.

Product arrived next day in good shape. I had no issues with assembly and liked the way they separated parts and instructions for love seat, chairs and table. I like the way the set looks and it appears to be durable. Overall, a great value.

I am an experienced DIY guy, but this set cannot be assembled without having to re-tread the holes in the frame. When I was trying to assemble it, it appeared that the M6 bolts in many cases did not fit the holes. One broke off when I tried to force it in, so now I have to drill the broken bolt out. I did not even try to fasten the others that did not fit well, they would have broken as well. I will buy an M6 threading tool and re-thread the holes that give problems.

The whole set came in one huge box, which was damaged when I received it. The parts inside seemed to be OK (the many cushions that came with the set protect the steel parts), but since the box cannot be used to return the set in, I decided not to return it and to try to make the repairs so I can assemble it and don't have to return it. Needless to say that I am very unhappy with this.

MAttStrathwood Buckley 4-Piece Outdoor Furniture Set

We love this set!! You do have to put it together, but following the instructions was not that difficult. Looks great on our deck. The loveseat is big enough for 2 adults to fit comfortable. I think for the price this set is a great value.

Don't do it! Quality not as described on Amazon. Not Amazon's fault. Bolts had no slot for allen wrenches provided. Manufactured wrong! No one answers the phone at customer service. Be warned, don't buy it.

Received the shipment much later than promised but this was not fault of the seller. It was the shipping service they used out of Atlanta. It finally got settled, but too late for it's initial intended usage (a patio party). We put it together, and was disappointed with the quality of the pillows and cushions. So far, we have used the set, and too little time as passed to judge the lasting quality of the furniture itself.

I would seriously consider buying this set for my gazebo, but if the love seat is really 11.2 feet wide and 7.5 feet tall and 6.75 feet deep it would not fit into my gazebo. I can't help but wonder what kind of giant would need a love seat with those dimensions. Hopefully someone at Amazon will change the description to include the correct sizes. I was also looking at the Strathwood Brentwood Set, but the sizes for it are just as wacky. - Patio Furniture Sets - Patio Furniture - Wicker Furniture - Strathwood'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Wicker Furniture - patio furniture sets, wicker furniture patio furniture Wicker Furniture - patio furniture sets, wicker furniture

Electronic Dictionary - flash drive, usb flash drive


I recently bought this for my new Xbox 360 with only 4G internal memory. Searching the internet, I found out later that there are a lot of flash drives that does not work with the Xbox. Luckily, this drive works without any issue; the console ran it to a test and it passed.



It is refurbished, and it says so at the back. Not just printed on it, but printed and embossed. If you plan to give it as a gift, it is not a good idea. It also did not come in a sleek bubble pack.



The USB connection is retractable by sliding the plastic middle front button. The good thing is it will not retract while pushing it to a USB outlet, it will only retract by sliding it while holding that particular button.



For my purpose, I prefer a much smaller flash drive like the Verbatim TUFF 'N' TINY 16 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive 97168 (Black) or the Super Talent Pico-C 16 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive STU16GPCS (Silver) (I have not tried these 2 if they will work on the Xbox). This drive sticks out a lot. But for the buck and because it just works, I'll get my self a second one once I run out of memory. SanDisk 16GB Cruzer Micro USB 2.0 Drive SDCZ6-016G-A11 (Refurbished)

I own 2GB, 4GB, and 16GB versions of the black cased, amber LED, Cruzer Micro drives. All work well and I've never had one die on me. The 16GB Cruzer Micro should be just about enough instant portable storage for anything you could ever imagine. That being said, it's not the fastest drive in the world, but its compactness, retractable usb connector, and keychain ring make it one of the top USB thumb drives in my book.



If anyone's looking for speed data here's a snip from a review I did on a Blue LED 4gb Cruzer Titanium. (YES! the Blue LED makes a difference, as you'll see from the data below, so if you're looking for a 4/8GB drive I'd highly recommend the blue LED Cruzer Titanium if you can get your hands on one.)



With my 4GB & 16GB amber LED Cruzers. (Which should be similar speed to all amber LED Cruzers) I can write a 2GB .iso to the drive in 4min 32sec for an avg of 7mb/sec. I can read the same 2gb .iso from the drive in 1min 11sec, for an avg of 28mb/sec.



With my 4GB blue LED Cruzer I can write the 2GB .iso to the drive in 2min 12sec, thats an avg of 15mb/sec. I can read the same 2GB .iso from the drive in 55sec, thats an avg of 36mb/sec. Various file types take slightly different times, but all average about 1mb/sec+- from the ISO transfer speeds. This brings me to the conclusion that, in my tests anyways, the amber LED is 53% slower writing and 22% slower reading than the blue LED Titanium Cruzer.



*All NTFS formatted and connected to a Windows 7 64bit machine.



Quick rundown on a synthetic benchmark using Check Flash 1.15.1. (Test writes data to the drives capacity then reads all the data back)

4GB Cruzer Micro - Write Avg: 7.02MB/s Read Avg: 12.61MB/s

16GB Cuzer Micro - Write Avg: 6.14MB/s Read Avg: 19.98MB/s

4GB Cruzer Titanium - Write Avg: 14.03MB/sec Read Avg: 19.36MB/sec

Have a seat and let me explain the software found installed on this dongle. Introducing the software protection software called U3 Launchpad. The quickest way to get more information is at

[search engine "Wikipedia U3 LLC"] - but let me highlight the important information in this article.





Scandisk report the following on its website "The U3 technology has reached end of life. SanDisk began phasing out support for U3 Technology in late 2009."



Translation:

This is vintage (2004) OLD technology.





A U3 flash drive presents itself to the host system as a USB hub with a CD drive and standard USB mass storage device attached.



* This configuration causes Windows disk management to show two drives:

1. A read-only ISO 9660 volume on an emulated CD-ROM drive with an autorun configuration to execute the U3 LaunchPad, and;

2. A standard flash drive (FAT formatted) that includes a hidden "SYSTEM" folder with installed applications.

* U3 compliant applications can be (optionally) preloaded by manufacturers.



WHAT? You probably weren't expecting TWO drive letter when you inserted the dongle, did you?





The dongle autoruns if you leave Windows on it's default setting when inserting, installing the software on your computer - Did you expect that?







Autorun without implied consent.

Some of the dongle space used for the 'read-only ISO 9660 volume'

SanDisk shame on you.





- BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART -

Reformatting the drive will remove some of the software (the hidden "SYSTEM" folder), but not all of it. The virtual CD-ROM drive cannot be removed by reformatting because it is presented to the host system as a physical device attached to a USB hub; the official U3 Launchpad Removal Software was available on the U3 website and disabled the virtual CD drive device, leaving only the USB mass storage device active on the U3 USB hub controller, at which point the remaining software can be removed by a subsequent format, performed by the removal software itself. The U3 website is no longer accessible, but the removal tool is still available from other sources.



YUP - from SanDisk itself

[search engine "SanDisk U3 Launchpad Removal"]

If SanDisk decides to stop providing this file, use your favorite search engine to find it.





--- VERY IMPORTANT ---

Turn off the autoruns BEFORE inserting this dongle:

[search engine "microsoft kb 967715"]

THEN run launchpadremoval.exe to remove U3 protection

NOW you have a clean dongle.







Now for a startling conclusion that you probably won't expect:

A refurbished dongle is less that 1/2 the price of a new dongle - it's a steal. Compare SanDisk 16GB Cruzer Micro USB 2.0 Drive SDCZ6-016G-A11 (Refurbished) and SanDisk Cruzer Micro 16 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive SDCZ6-016G-A11 OR [Search engine "refurbished SanDisk Cruzer"]

SanDisk made a good piece of hardware - they were just 'misguided' by installing such bad software WITHOUT INFORMED CONSENT.



Having said that - it is an ACCEPTABLE purchase.

Shame on the SanDisk software. - Flash Drive - Xbox 360 - Usb Flash Drive - Sandisk'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Electronic Dictionary - flash drive, usb flash drive xbox 360 Electronic Dictionary - flash drive, usb flash drive

Boxer Briefs - boxer briefs


They are not exactly what is pictured. These are a short leg style with stitching on both butt cheeks so they offer a different kind of feel and fit.



To me at least, there is not a roomy feeling in the front like other boxer briefs and I have to "adjust" a lot or your all bound up. Fruit of the Loom Men's 4-Pack Stripe/Solid Assorted Trunks,Assorted,Medium

I have always worn regular briefs as underwear and to sleep in. I decided to give these a try. As underwear I don't like them much as they bunch up a bit. However, I love to wear them to sleep in with nothing else on. I don'y like to wear much to bed and these are great as they are short but not quite like briefs.

I like the style. Nice material. But I don't like the 2 seams in the seat. Kinda binding. I like others with a single seam in the seat. Maybe after many wearings & washings, they'll loosen up a bit. I wouldn't buy them again.

I bought the X-Large pack and these boxer briefs are simply too brief. They're quite short and uncomfortable compared to the Hanes pack that I also bought. I'll be buying some more of the Hanes boxer briefs and using these for... I don't know. I just know that I won't be wearing them.

these are like low riders or somthing, they are very small in the groin area. They lack the boxer freedom and the compression of briefs. this is a no win situation if you like roomy undies, if you like the support you def. have that.

Lost a lot of weight and needed new briefs for the gym, so I thought I'd give these a try. Definitely the best value I could find, and they've done the job quite successfully. The leg doesn't ride up, and I rarely get that obnoxious bunching. Holds everything in place nicely and really improves my comfort at the gym.

Fruit of the Loom Men's 4-Pack Stripe/Solid Assorted Trunks,Assorted,2XLarge



If these are 2XL, then I'm John Wayne.

Or maybe ....If these are 2XL, then I'm Justin Bieber .... NOT!



If you're looking at a picture on the right showing these TRUNKs ... the bottom of each leg extend no further then the bottom of his JUNK ... if you get my drift.



The material is a weave which is just plain scratchy to me. As good as their t-shirts seem , these are the balancing force on the other end of the quality spectrum.

My main problem with these is that the material is not precisely what I'd expected. It's not pure cotton and is thinner and stretchier than cotton. On the other hand, they fit well and, now that they've had a few trips through the washing machine, have held up well in a way that cotton sometimes does not. Other reviewers have concerns about the length of the leg or the stitching on the rear, but those things didn't bother me. I'm 6'5" tall and the leg length was fine and, as opposed to pure cotton or even some with a bit or spandex, these stay in place do not ride up or bunch. I might wish that I could have had a selection of the colours and prints but one doesn't. And, when you think of it, this is "under"wear so an objection to the colour or print is purely a personal matter. - Boxer Briefs'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Boxer Briefs - boxer briefs boxer briefs Boxer Briefs - boxer briefs

Easy To Use Camera


BOTTOM LINE:



With each generation, Canon makes the ELPH series easier to use and still get great results. Like it's predecessors, this one fits easily into your pocket (or the case I recommend toward the end of this review). That point alone may make this the best camera you own; having a $5k DSLR doesn't do you much good if you left it home because it wasn't worth the effort to lug it along.



However, unlike many other small cameras, this one does not sacrifice either features or quality. Well, it does give up on any reasonable manual control, things like setting shutter speed, lens aperture, ISO. What access you do have to that level of control is buried deep inside menus. It took Canon a while to realize that for most of us, if we wanted to fool with that kind of thing on a regular basis, we would be using a different camera. This camera is designed to leverage convenience over extreme control or nth degree quality.



DETAILS:



It is a small camera and carries with it the baggage that comes with the convenience of having to carry so little baggage. (sorry, couldn't resist) None of the issues raised, given that they comes as part of the convenience trade-off made me consider anything other than the 5-star rating this camera deserves.



One issue with all small cameras is the built-in flash. They are all underpowered and create red eye. Both problems are caused by the need to keep the camera small; the flash needs to be small and positioned close to the lens. Canon addresses it by putting in some really good noise reduction so you (actually the camera) can shoot at a relatively high ISO in low light allowing for a faster shutter speed. The result is an image that is both low noise and not blurry. And the best part is the camera takes care of all that so you don't have to. As a result you can take pictures in a well lit room without having to use the flash at all.



- The shutter response, as with any small digital camera for less that $500, is a bit slow for effectively capturing children and pets. The trick for doing that is to either have a great sense of timing and a shutter that reacts instantly or a reasonably fast ( > 4x / sec ) burst mode. This camera has neither.



Some other suggestions that apply:



Normally at this point I would put in some details about manually setting ISO or selecting a color space. However, for this camera it just isn't relevant. You are buying this camera because you want to take great pictures without having to worry about that stuff. If you do want to "take your photography to the next level then a great resource is the Confessions of a Compact Camera Shooter: Get Professional Quality Photos with Your Compact Camera.



Finally, I've found the Caselogic QPB-1 Compact Digital Camera Case (Black/Gray) is just the right size for this camera. It's semi-rigid so you get a fair amount of protection but doesn't add a lot of bulk. It's made even better by using one of these, Nite Ize SB1-2PK-01 Size-1 S-Biner, Black, 2-Pack, to secure it to a belt loop. Canon PowerShot ELPH 100 HS 12 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 4X Optical Zoom (Blue)

Just received my Canon ELPH 100 HS {orange} and I absolutely love it. The camera boots up almost instantly. Installed a 16GB SDHC class 10 card and now have 5000+ 12MB photo capacity or 60 minutes for HD video. The image stabilization at max digital zoom 4X4/16x works great! The camera easily fits in my pocket and is very light @ ~5 ounces.



The Canon's Digic 4 processor & CMOS sensor make this camera truly point and shoot. By default it automatically selects the light level, shaking, target focus, shutter speed, flash/noflash and ISO to pick the optimal scene type. Perfect pictures virtually every time when button is correctly pressed 1/2 way (1) before fully in (2) for photo shot. But be sure to get a class 10 card for the best video.



The only 2 minor problems I believe are:

1) It comes with a 700 mAh 3.7 Volt battery instead of the 1400 mAh 3.7 OEM version which doubles it run-time for 230 photos to almost 500 pictures per charge. This is easily fixed when ordering additional batteries just get the larger mAh capacity ones.

2) The CameraWindow transfer software doesn't automatically delete pictures after they are transferred. Some people like this as not to delete photos improperly transferred.(I do not). Some camera blogs suggest a quick format after transfer is the way to quickly delete photos/video after successful transfer.



However, this is the best point and shoot camera I have used and I still think it's a 5 star camera @ $199 MSRP.

I normally use a Nikon D50 which takes great photos, Im no professional but really enjoy taking pictures of my toddler. Well he broke my Nikon and I sent to see if it could be fixed but wanted to point and shoot because they come in really handy! I reviewed what felt like a million cameras, I touched them and felt them and shot pictures with them and hated every single one! I hadnt seen this one online (cause there werent any reviews) but I went to Shutterbug and they had it, I tried it out and loved it! I've had it for a few weeks and I use it everyday! Pictures always turn out amazing! Our house kinda has crappy lighting and its a major problem with pictures, this camera takes the best pictures by far! (not super grainy looking like others) I also wanted to camera that shoots video. I dont use it to shoot professional quality video but Im impressed! Alot better then my last point and shoot. Also my video does autofocus on video mode, so the other viewer might have had a faulty one cause mine does great. I wasnt looking to spend $200 but I'd do it again in a heart beat!



Pros:

powers on so quick

Picture quality

Picture speed (amazing)

low light pictures

video!



Cons:

....nada'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Easy To Use Camera Easy To Use Camera Easy To Use Camera

Sauna Suits


Great suit! I sweat like a pig and it's tougher that mentioned in previous reviews. I have to take the suit off in my bath tub because I'm drenched in sweat, which is why I purchased it. Then I just wash it in the tub and hang to dry. Does the job and great for the price! Just not the most flattering thing to wear in public so I only use it in the privacy of my own home. Also, I ordered a medium/large and I intially thought it was too big (I'm 5'2" female)but after a few work outs, I'm glad I purchased it bigger due to the fact that once you start sweating (which is almost immediately) the suit will stick to your skin and since I do a lot of movement and stretching, it gives me room to move without having to worry about it tearing or ripping. Everlast PVC Sauna Suit (Large/Extra Large)

Wear it 3-6 times week for the last 3 months while riding my elliptical. Boy is it ugly, but BOY does it work. Not rips, no tears. Other than my husband cracking jokes about me looking like an alien from War of the Worlds... I don't mind it at all.

Ive been using this suit for about 2 months(at least 3-4 times a week)while hitting the heavy bag and I don't care what people been saying this thing is tough and it works...

Dont be confused of the purpose of a sauna suit(to make you sweat) and it does!!Buy this thing if you are working out at home or only if you dont mind looking like a tin man outside

dont fool yourself either this alone will not make you lose weight what it will do is help remove toxins from your body while burning more calories than exercise alone, You will lose alot of water so stay hydrated its the toxins you want remove you will gain the water weight back when you hydrate but think about it this way..when you boil meat or chicken the water thats leftover holds all that grease right?so the fat stays in the pot same as the toxins in your suit

The reason this gets 4 of 5 stars is for the color and the rubber smell even after washing is pretty strong

I have purchased several Sauna Suits in the past, only to find them ripping after wearing them once or twice. The Everlast Suit mateial is strong, last a lot longer, and washes well. I do suggest you drink plenty of water so you do not get dehydrated. You will lose a lot of water weight, and then Praise God there goes the fat.

I have purchased a sauna suit from the sports authority in the past and it tears unfortunately and the material is way thinner than this product. The everlast is much better in the sense that it is a way better material and definitely makes anyone sweat faster leading to faster results.

I recently purchased this sauna suit. It is a bit thicker then other sauna suits I have had in the past which makes it feel quite durable.



There are two things I am not so happy about. I dont have a lot of excess weight on me, I have 20 lbs that I need to lose and the neck is pretty tight which causes some discomfort. I guess it works to help keep the heat inside the suit. Also, the smell is a bit strong. Im airing it out.



Overall, I am very pleased with this product as it is durable and really gets the job done, e.i. I was "sweating like a pig."

I bought this set, not to use as a sauna suit, but to keep dry. Living in Washington there is a lot of rain. Yes, I do sweat in it, but I keep warm when I have things to do & it's WET outside, which is most of the year. SO bonus I get work done and I get to add'l sweating. Get larger size to allow movement'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Sauna Suits Sauna Suits Sauna Suits

Cordless Doorbell - cordless doorbell, doorbell


I had few problems with this product as soon as it arrived. You can not put this door chime to far from the button control/door. It will still work at 15 feet, but not any further in my apartment. Chime switch is inside the button control. So you have to open it(with something really sharp) to switch a chime tone. It was very inconvenient.



To conclude: product works well under some limitations but was not designed with consumer in mind. GE 19216 Wireless Door Chime Kit

I like it. It was fairly easy to install. I prefer the westminster chime and am having a hard time finding another that I like for the back door. Originally purchased it with one button, then bought the lighted button, sold separately on amazon. I think it looks much better. Seeing the light makes it easy to see at night and gives some assurance that it is functional.

I have tried many bells over the years and they all eventually wear out; however, I do recommend that if you purchase a wireless bell, you purchase one which has a plug in Ding Dong.

This GE 19216 has been in use for a couple of months now and works just fine. I was impressed enough with it to buy a second one for my next door neighbor. It was fun opening up their bell and pulling out one of the little plastic thingies to alter the frequency codes so that our bells do not both ring at once.

Installation is simple and the bells work just fine. I cannot determine the distance that the bells can transmit because both installations are well under 50 feet.

I do recommend this product for its quality and ease of installation. Enjoy your Ding Dong!

I love this doorbell. I use in my room, I sleep in the attic, and it has its own set of stairs and I like to have my privacy. It's perfect because it also has 7 different chimes, I have it set to fog horn. It was very easy to set up, the button can be nailed, screwed in, or put up with sticky tape. The speaker plugs in and can go pretty far.

This is a very ' easy install ' doorbell chime. Of the several various sounds of which one can program, I find that the Westminster chime is the loudest of all ( myself having partial hearing loss, this one's easier to hear; the other choices; door knock (it's the most quieter of all) , fog horn, and the 'cuckoo chime' (this sound 'is for the birds, pardon the pun). Overall, not a bad product; just one drawback, having had other wireless door bells, I'm sure one will have to replace the batterie often to the push button component itself IF you have lots of visitors; as for the main part that chimes, one just plugs it into the AC ( also, a good feature on it is the fact it has an on / off switch )

The product was easy to install, and works without any problems. The plug-in part was great, since there is no need to change batteries on the chime. The wireless button has a sticky which works quite well near the front door.



The only chime that sounded ok was the regular ding-dong. The others sounded horrible. But I needed functionality more than a pleasant chime, so this worked very well for me.



I am planning to get another chime and see if I can have the same door bell ring both chimes at the same time.

We recently started the process of selling our home, and the finishing touch to getting everything staged and looking nice was a door bell. The previous owners had, well, who really knows what they had done. A physical door bell was affixed in the hallway, but there was not a button in sight. Just a hole in the trim around the front door. Instead of crawl around in the attic, I figured wireless would be the way to go. The price was right, and I really didn't care much about how it looked or sounded, because we'd be out in a few weeks.



Install was simple. Attach the double sided foam tape to the button, affix the button the the outside, and plug in the receiver/dinger. Simple as that. This chime features a variety of different sounds to let you know wen somebody is at the door. Unfortunately, they are all pretty annoying. The default "Ding Dong" plays twice in a row, making it sound like your visitor is banging on the button. The outer sounds are, well, cheesy. And all of them have a low quality digital feel to them.



Overall, if you just need a quick, simple, door bell, go for it. If you want something that adds a little class when people come to visit, I'd say try and find something else (but you probably won't at this price point).

Got tired of the batteries going dead and people telling my door bell didn't ring. Replaced the battery powered chime. Door bells work fine with new unit and I now have a spare unit in case one of the push buttons go bad. Recommend buying the plug in one to start. - Cordless Doorbell - Doorbell - Wireless Door Chime Doorbell - Door Chimes'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Cordless Doorbell - cordless doorbell, doorbell wireless door chime doorbell Cordless Doorbell - cordless doorbell, doorbell

Physical Therapy Aids - weights, fitness


I had a set of Cap 5 lb adjustable ankle weights which has elastic on the pockets and a set of 20 lb ones with velcro when I ordered these.



I prefer the elastic holding the weights in. The Velcro ones dont close all the way and stick to my clothes and the carpet and cause problems. The Cap weights with elastic dont. If I ever get to the point where they are starting to fall out, I will just sew them closed. I only use them for home exercises, not for walking or running.



One seam on the bottom of the 5 lb set opened, but there was enough space to sew it back. CAP Barbell Adjustable Ankle Weights,10-Pound - Fitness - Wrist Weights - Exercise - Weights'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Physical Therapy Aids - weights, fitness weights Physical Therapy Aids - weights, fitness

Christmas Gift


This is my first review ever. This is also the first time I have ever ordered something from Amazon that was not what I expected.



The phone does work. It was also new, as stated. Works fine. This does not appear to be a US version though.



1.) The included manual has a table of contents going up to page 100+... The last page of the manual cuts off at page 80-something. It also says in the back to contact Motorola-Asia for assistance. Not a deal breaker, but this may indicate the level of detail of the seller.



2.) I say this does not appear to be a US version because I have two (2) used U.S. Razr v3's in my briefcase right now and this is just not quite the same. This seems it might be a U.K. version.



My 2 previously purchased US versions do NOT have the extra button above the wheel/pad. This seems to be the only visual distinction...which results in...



No such things as "missed calls" on this phone. It is classified as a Received Call, but either has a "check" or "no check" next to the entry seemingly indicative of it being a missed call or not.



Speed dial assignments (1 though 9) are 4 digit values (1001 through 1009).



Cannot lock Smart Key on phone exterior.



No light illuminated when charging.



"Center" is spelled "Centre"



Installed graphics are not even remotely the same.



Doesn't seem that time will auto-set.



Doesn't even use the same battery part # as my 2 other U.S.-purchased phones.



That is why I do not believe this to be a U.S. Version phone as stated.



I am not very happy about this. I am going to seek to get this resolved. This is why I purchased this from Amazon because I believe they will make this right.



End Motorola RAZR V3 Unlocked Phone with Camera, and Video Player--U.S. Version with Warranty (Black)

A replacement for my original Motorola Razr V3. I guess they don't make them like they used to. Not the same, quality-wise as my original, but it'll do. Paint chip off easily, sure wished I had opted for the silver one, not black.

I have never written a review before but I think this is important. These phones are NOT new! I purchased two of these phones for my sons. I tried to set up the internet and found that the phone was either used or refurbished and had the previous users information. Both also had parental control blocks on the internet and the previous users passwords were necessary to remove the block. I called my carrier and they told me there was nothing I could do and I should return the phone. I am extremely disappointed!

I bought this phone and when it arrived it was a cheap refurb that had problems from the moment I put the sim card in. The Customer service is bad, basically you have to use email to get a RMA Number and then they take their sweet time sending you a RMA form that makes you list all this stupid infomation then you have to send it back to them. I have not gotten a number yet, even after sending them emails to check on the status. STAY AWAY FROM THIS VENDOR.

I bought this phone around a year ago, and now it has become totally useless with the ear piece on the phone no longer functioning. In general, I found the phone to be of poor quality, with the buttons coming un-glued, and the screens getting glazed over.



The battery life is great, and so is its ability to move photos and files via blue tooth. I will however, not buy another.

As per my understanding better if they start the rate between 0-5, so that I can give then 0 instead of 1. Worst support from OEM Shop. I would like to advise everyone never purchase the things from Amazon.com. They are having lots of stupid vendors, those they are selling the things online and Amazon has no control on them. I am really frustrated.

I bought this phone after my second Z520a died and I got burned on an eBay auction for a third one. I'll get my money back on that one since there was tracking and PayPal involved with a failure to actually ship. (Ebay/Paypal refunded 6/2010)



Anyway, you have an idea of what phone I am used to and now I have this one.



I received it in two days, I used UPS Second Day service. I was getting pretty desperate since the eBay phone never came and I was in get something, anything mode.



As far as I can tell, the phone is new. It didn't smell like smoke or have bagged items that looked like they had been opened.



Sim slot seemed flimsy but is making a good connection. Powered up and worked. That is pretty darn important!



Branded Cingular on back, symbol for T-Mobile on wall paper.



Reception quality is less than my Sony Erricson Z520, bluetooth doesn't seem to let me get to photos on the phone, I can connect but not to files I know are on the phone. I ordered Motorola Phone Tools 4.0 last night, maybe the view will improve. I hope I can revise a review as I have more time with it. I *hope* this isn't one of those crippled locked down phones the blood suckers (cell companies) try to turn into a profit center on ringtones and picture up/down loading.



Ringer and speaker phone are not very loud. Memory is 5MB, the Sony had 16MB.



The longer I write the lower my opinion is getting. Oh, the battery doesn't seem to hold charge worth a darn. Like down to a bar after one day w/o talking on it more than a minute. I ordered another battery.



I have a USB car charger for my ancient Palm TE, it won't charge the phone. Runs my Garmin Colorado GPS and charges the Palm just fine. That is an irritation.



It does have multiple alarms. That is nice, I take a lot of meds and being prompted to take each one is a nice feature over my z520 with only one alarm.



Where could this phone actually rack up points over time?



Reliability. As much as I loved my z520, I went though two of them, well three if you count the time I took parts from the first one to fix the second one. Google white screen of death. Also, the magnet for the flip function tended to draw in metal dust right near where the output transistors for the RF section were located. Stupid. I work in a machining facility.



Staying connected. My last phone had a habit of just dropping me were signal strength was good.



It is a phone. It was 72.49 with free shipping if I had time to wait.



Wes Szumera



Edit 6/5/10



I purchased a copy of Motorola Phone Tools 4.0 and it would not connect to the phone.



The battery that came with it was a dud, the one I bought cheap from The OEM Shop actually seems to work. I only get a charge complete with it if I use a PC to charge it though. The other battery is still a dud, I tested it again using the PC as a charger.



I complained about the bad original battery and Amazon wanted me to ship everything back which I was against. The phone does work and I don't want to be quality assurance on another one. Eventually they contacted me and said they gave me a 15 dollar credit and buy another battery, don't send yours back.



When I tried to apply it the credit turned out to be 6.99 but I bought the replacement battery for just less than that so it is all good on that.



I finally got my ring tones on the phone but I had to use PKCommander v6 from [...] which always makes me nervous since it is hard to tell if the software you get for free is clean as in no bad packages attached.



Speaker volume sucks! My custom ring tones are not as loud as the Z520a and they buzz. The only good thing I have to say about this phone is that it does have multiple alarm clock settings. That is becoming its most redeeming feature.



Oh yes, flat black, avoid it if you expect the paint to stick on it. I'm not a slave to style so that doesn't bug me too much.'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Christmas Gift Christmas Gift Christmas Gift

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder - dying, ptsd


This is the best self-help book on the topic of trauma recovery. I have used this book with literally hundreds of patients who have experienced severe trauma -- and have yet to find a better single reference. The author guides you (and your therapist, if you have one) step by step through the entire process of recovery. She takes a psychoeducational approach through out. This approach helps to create necessary cognitive frameworks that trauma survivors desperately need in order to begin to make sense of the strange experiences they are often frightened to share with others. The careful building of these frameworks buffer the survivor against overwhelming emotions and feelings of helplessness. The author includes exercises for each phase of recovery, helps you with pacing and timing, and most of all, normalizes the subjective experience of the survivor. One of the most important things she articulates is the phenomenon of "secondary victimization." In brief, secondary victimization results from the well-meaning but damaging responses of your friends and loved ones to your trauma. Often, these ignorant reactions amplify the original trauma and complicate, or completely prohibit, healing. Her description of the biological reaction to traumatic incidents is priceless. Many fail to connect the many possible negative physical reactions to trauma with the traumatic experience itself. Because the physical symptoms sometimes occur weeks or even months after the event, people fail to see them as connected to the trauma. They often see them as isolated entities, adding to the feelings of craziness and being out of control. Just understanding how trauma can affect us biologically (sometimes permanently) lessens the pain and confusion of those reactions and can help the survivor reduce feelings of weakness and self-blame. This enables a person to begin to design effective strategies to address these symptoms. One of the other strengths of this book the inclusion of various kinds of trauma -- from childhood sexual abuse to military terror to auto accidents. This normalization of the survior's reaction across domains of trauma helps to de-emphasize the event and to refocus the indiviudal on moving through the sequale to complete healing. Healing is truly possible. This book is a wonderful tool. I Can't Get Over It

I am so impressed with this book! I have read a lot of books on being a survivor over the years, but this one tops them all. Sensitive and concise, with no agenda but the compassionate healing of the survivor, Aphrodite Matsakis is an impressive and knowledgeable author who will take you wherever you need to go gently, but clearly and firmly. Questions addressed include a clear definition of PTSD, its biochemistry, traumatic events, three levels of victimization, triggers, the healing process, and specific traumas: crimes committed by strangers, rape and sexual assault, domestic violence and sexual abuse, suicide of a loved one, natural catastrophes (like earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, fires), vehicular accidents, and war and combat.Add to that the extensive list of resources in the appendices, and I can't think of a better place for a survivor to begin, continue or complete a journey through the recovery process.

For anyone looking for an easy to understand yet comprehensive book on Ptsd, this is it. Because of the self tests and advisories of when to seek professional help, I was able to accept that PTSD was likely my problem and I have since found a therapist and am working on getting over it! I still return to this book frequently and each time that I do it opens a new door or reveals some insight that moves me on in my recovery. The book is very easy to understand and a great resource for survivours of all types of traumas.For an overview of PTSD, and help on getting started on recovery, this is the book to read. and return to again and again

I stumbled across this book in a professional journal, obtained and read a copy, and now I've referred at least 15 patients to read this book as part of our ongoing psychotherapy. The breadth of the book is excellent as it appeals to many different aspects of trauma; this is a nice departure from similar books in that so many others are limited to addressing one type of trauma (e.g., sexual abuse, automobile accident, battle victims, etc.). I'm finding that although the reading can be intense for my clients, the book is making full use of the supervision and support provided in therapy.I'm very pleased with the book and will continue to use it in my practice.

I highly recommend this book for trauma survovors, or for any loved one or family member of a trauma survivor. It explains trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and details causes, symptoms, and treatment. It is also a workbook for helping individuals understand their symptoms and recovery options. I believe that it is literally a life saver.

I'm the webowner of the PTSD Sanctuary. This is the best book I've found on PTSD having PTSD myself. Assists one in understanding PTSD and has exercises in the book to do if you are able. Basic theme of the book is to assist the trauma survivor in their own recovery. I highly recommend this book.

It seemed every paragraph hit me hard. The book is highly informative and has excellent examples to help in insight and healing. If anyone wants to get their life moving again this would be a place to start.

This is a terific book for working on recovering from trauma. it involves a *lot* of work, but this is what makes it useful. the author takes you through numerous exercises to find how specifically the trauma affected you. If you have trouble dealing with the effects of trauma, this book and a good therapist will get you well on your way to recovery.

This is the first book I ever worked through when I started my journey of healing from the abuse I'd experienced in my past. It is very helpful, easy to read and to understand. I looked forward to doing the assignments in the book because I felt better afterwards (most of the time) and it made me learn a little more about myself and who I am. Definitely a must-read for survivors of trauma. - Trauma - Bs - Dying - Ptsd'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Post-traumatic Stress Disorder - dying, ptsd trauma Post-traumatic Stress Disorder - dying, ptsd

Budfits - apple, earbuds


I hate that the normal iPod earbuds always fall-out while I'm doing any kind of moderate physical activity. After exploring my options with wrap around head phones, sound isolating ear phones (the kind that "plug" your ear canal), I can honestly say I was impressed that these seem to work the best for me. They clip right onto the back of your earbuds and they work like a charm. In bike rides, I have only ever had to adjust them due to my hand snagging the cord on its way to the water bottle than due to any jostling. In a half hour jog, they stay the course without fail, and just seem to work.



I do think you want to leave them on all the earbuds all the time. If you keep clipping them on and off, I can see you potentially running into trouble with the clip's ability to grip the speaker. EARBUDi Clips on and off Your Apple iPod® or iPhone® Earbuds - and Turns Them Into Running Headphones. Soft Over-The-Ear Design with Earbud Tilt & Rotation - Provide a Custom Comfortable Fit. EARBUDi's Simply Hold Your Apple Earbuds in Place for Any Activity From Gardening to Running.

If you plan on using these to run, don't waste your time or money. I was having trouble with my IPod earpieces falling out repeatedly so I tried these. The clips actually held the earpiece further from my eardrum and because they are not nearly form fitting to the ear (they basically just lay on top of your ear), as you start to run, the earpiece falls out almost immediately. Within the first tenth of a mile I knew it was a lost cause and disconnected the clips as I ran. At least they were cheap enough to chalk it up to an experiment gone bad.

I'm constantly listening to music through my iPod, and one of the most annoying things that happens with the Apple earbuds is that they easily slide out, especially at the gym when my ears are a little sweatier than normal and I'm moving vigourously. I personally find the original Apple earbuds to be excellent in terms of sound quality, so I didn't want to abandon them. I looked for Apple-brand earbuds designed with clips like some other known brands, but they didn't have any. I'm really glad I came across the Earbudi clips, they work very well! The design lets you wrap the clips around your ear nice and snug, and you can easily snap the Apple earbuds on and off. Great quality rubber too. Highly recommended.

My iPOD ear phones always fall out when I am running (or walking). I have the ear phones that come wiht the iPOD. It is very annoying. I saw the EARBUDi on Amazon and ordered one for my wife and one for myself. We love them!!!! First, it is very affordable...so just buy it. It is very easy to use, they are comfortable, and most importantly...now my hearphones stay in place....and I can listen to my music while I am excercizing. I plan to run a 1/2 marathon in a few weeks...and my EARBUDi will be going along for the ride!

Do not buy! This is just a warning. You may take it or leave it as you wish. However, when I first saw these I thought `"These will be great for working out'"... not true! The material that connected to the `speaker` portion of the headphones are very supple; thus they DO NOT have a firm grip on the ear bud! I re-adjusted them to see if I had not put enough pressure on the so they would `snap' into place but that was not the issue; they were not fabricated to `snap' onto your ear buds. Thus, the ensuing problem: I lost a clip somewhere. It just fell off some where after a workout and I am highly upset. Not only that; but the clips that are supposed to `hook' onto the back of your ears were way too flexible. I have had ear buds in the past that were of a little sturdier material and it was e-z for me to remove and then `re-hook' them onto my ears. However, these bend and `snag and pull' on your hair as you put them on or take off. They may work well for guys or people with short hair but not for long or medium hair. Maybe if you put some adhesive on them they won't fall off your ear bud .... But for $10 it should have been a better engineered product!

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

UPDATE: I had a problem with the performance of the product. It is a good idea but it didn't work for me. I lost a clip after a few days of fumbling with it. I left feedback on product and the seller was excellent!! I received a HAND WRITTEN note expressing his concern over my dissatisfaction, a refund and a pair of clips. I intend to apply adhesive to these so I can continue to use the Apple headphones. This is the unexpected excellent service that is missing from companies today! I hope this company goes on & continue to treat their customers like people and not like faceless stats in their database. Thanks (Jordan or Gordon) -Handwritten notes have its limitations ;)!

Within an hour of using these clips they broke and it was from just taking them off my ear. One of the plastic rings snapped off and now I can't use it anymore. A total waste of my money. Also, for the hour that I did get to use them I noticed that they wiggle around so much that it doesn't hook onto your ear well at all. They fell off several times, thus defeating the purpose. - Apple - Ipod - Earphones - Earbuds'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Budfits - apple, earbuds ipod Budfits - apple, earbuds

Sensitive Skin - foaming, johnsons


I use this product for my daughter who has really thick very curly hair! It makes her hair very manageable & easy to brush! It leaves it looking shiny and silky plus my favorite part is the pear scent smells SO good!! Love this stuff!! L'Oreal Paris Kids Tangle Tamer Conditional Formula, Sweet Pear, 9-Fluid Ounce - Sensitive Skin - Body Wash - Foaming - Johnsons'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Sensitive Skin - foaming, johnsons sensitive skin Sensitive Skin - foaming, johnsons

Floor Nailer - hardwood flooring nailer, flooring stapler


I am a flooring contractor and after using $480 flooring nailers for the past 7 years, I can say this is well worth it. My previous nailer bit the dust in the middle of a job and I rented one from "rip off Depot" and after spending $70 on a day and a half rental I figured I would order this one to at least get me past this flooring job and then cross my fingers for the next. I can honestly say that this is as good or better than both of my Bostich staple nailer and cleat nailer (each over $450!!!). Also, keep this in mind, all these nailers are made in China, none are made in the USA anymore. Bostich or aka Stanley used to make their nailers in the USA and it was worth the price but they have since fired all they american laborers and have not lowered their prices dispite the 1/4 cost of building the nailer since being built in China, now they are made in China for about 1/4 the cost and the rest is now in the wallets of CEO's of Stanley/Bostich so it really doesn't matter anymore( damn shame to). Stanley /Bostich is simply riding on their name. All the brands are pretty much the same now a-days unfortunetly. The 7 year warranty caught my eye and is key. This is definetly a no brainer. Here are a few obvious perks ...



Freeman Nailer ($190) 7 year warranty - Bostich - ($470 +) 7 year warranty

Freeman Nailer T, L & Staples ($190) Bostich - Staples only! want L cleats? Spend another $470 ($960+)

Freeman Made in China Bostich - Made in China

Freeman Decent durable plastic Carrying Case Bostich - Cardboard Box & some used tape

Freeman Parts - Aluminum Bostitch Parts - "aircraft grade aluminum" i.e. ...um, Aluminum!

Freeman Rubber Mallet, Oil, wrenches Bostich - Rubber Mallet

The bottom line is this: If this Freeman nailer gets me past 5 years of service then It did the job and I made an Excellent investment. If it gets me past 2 years than I still made out. Not to mention they also have a seven year warranty and I did call their support before hand and tell them I had a broken one and they said they would send me a new one with shipping sticker to send old one back ( I always do this with expensive tools), so they seem to be standing behind their warranty. Also, this nailer shoots three different type of nails! So save your $280 for something else nad buy the Freeman. Only thing they need to do now is make the damn thing in the USA then I would REALLY be impressed and give the 5 stars! Also, "Aircraft grade Aluminum" is like saying my t- shirt is made of "aircraft grade cotton" ... there are 15 grade types of Aircraft aluminum and guess what- even Harbor Frieght tools are technically "aircraft grade Aluminum". Once again Bostich/Stanley is trying to screw with our heads, banking on hte name and robbing you blind. Freeman PFL618BR 3-in-1 Pneumatic Flooring Nailer

Great price, beats renting that's why i got it obviously.



Did about 1,200sqf on the first job with a few jams (probably not oiling enough) but that wasn't a problem.



Very nice finish on the gun, handles great.



On the second job the piston or whatever is inside just wouldn't return the actuator and is audibly leaking air. I think i was just hitting this thing to hard and it couldn't take the abuse. Not sure what broke down. The website says 7 years limited warranty.



I would love a replacement but now i have to ship it to the company (not Amazon, which sucks) so not sure if it is worth the time and the fees involved. It already cost me time to drive around and rent a replacement, then drive to return it. Probably spent double already with all the stoppages.



If you are doing a small project (a room or two) then this is definitely your tool.



If another job comes about i will be probably considering something more heavy duty. Still undecided if I will go through with the repair process.



Reliability is more important then an eye catching price. That applies to all products, doesn't matter if it was made in China or say Ohio.



-- update



Very, very, very good customer service. Got the tool replaced in 3 days no hassle whatsoever.

Invested about 1/3 the price of a name brand pneumatic flooring nailer and installed about 3500 square feet of hardwood flooring without a hitch. No miss fires, jams and worked to perfection. Light weight, easy to load and built solid. Would recommend with no problem

I purchased 900 sq. feet of hardwood flooring to replace some worn carpeting in our house and decided to try installing it myself. Since I was doing the job over several weeks, renting a flooring nailer at $30/day was not practical so I decided to purchase one. I purchased the Freeman based on the reviews, reasonable cost, warranty and availability of replacement parts. The gun arrived in a nice case with a sturdy hammer and an easy to understand manual. I never had a nail jam and the gun worked great but about halfway through the first room the driver blade failed to retract after firing a nail. This happened a few times despite making sure the tool was oiled before operation. It could sometimes be remedied by pulling back on the magazine spring, but I did have to remove the drive guide a couple of times to correct it.



I called Freeman's 800 number and spoke with a very helpful person who suggested I try a test involving my compressor and call back with the results. Unfortunately, the problem persisted. When I called back again I was told that they were very sorry I experienced problems with their product and they would replace the nailer and send me a return shipping label for the defective tool. I was expecting to get the label in the mail, return the defective tool and then get the replacement as that is how most companies operate. I was very surprised to have a brand new nailer arrive a few days later with the return shipping label enclosed. This is clearly a company that stands behind their products with outstanding customer service. The other reviewers of this nailer reported trouble free operation but problems can occur with any tool, even the most expensive. I can recommend buying any Freeman tool with confidence because of the 7 year warranty and a company that truly backs it up with great customer support. I gave the tool 5 starts despite the glitch because of my positive experience with customer service. I also purchased a Freeman PFN64 Finish Nailer for my project that has performed flawlessly. - Floor Nailer - Hardwood Flooring Nailer - Flooring Stapler - Hardwood Floor Nailer'


Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information


Floor Nailer - hardwood flooring nailer, flooring stapler floor nailer Floor Nailer - hardwood flooring nailer, flooring stapler