Tuesday 1 December 2009

Tomtom Gps - large screen, car gps


For the price, this thing is awesome. Out of the box my battery was already charged and ready to go. I see the stories about it not working accurately. Personally, I drive for a company near Boston Mass.. I go in and out of the city as well as suburbs all day; Including rotaries(roundabouts), tunnels, tolls, etc etc... 99% of the time it's dead on. If I had one small complaint; Once in a great while Tomtom will tell me to switch lanes slightly late in the city, setting me in a bit more of a rush than I want to be. Other than being late into a lane once in a great while my G.P.S sees many many road miles and combined with a proper mounting kit the system works awesome for a daily driver like me. I have a feeling that parts of states like Hawaii, Alaska, Maine, Vermont , Washington State, and Oregon will have more problems with the actual mapping due to surveyors accuracy, but this can be taken care of (for the most part, if not in the future) by connecting the device to your computer and taking part in user corrections downloads which are free. The system allows you to use 3d or 2d mode, avoid tolls, look at your route ahead of time in text or map mode, free browse the maps, set tons of points of interest. It recalculates your route very quickly if you miss your turns or exit. It was good enough for me to care enough about writing a positive review..lol TomTom XL 335SE 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished)

This unit works well but a few things are disappointing. The voices that give you street names miss probably 40% of the turns and instructions, they just don't happen. You see what you need to do but you don't hear it. The other voices miss about 5 - 10% of the instructions. The mount doesn't hold as strong as I would like. The manual doesn't cover everything and there aren't quite enough "points of interest" (such as major chain stores, etc.) Those are the gripes but I do like the unit overall. The lane guidance feature is nice. It calculates accurate routes quickly. It's thin and light weight. The touch screen works well. Despite the manuals vagueness, it's easy to figure out the different features.



UPDATE: There was a fix to the problem regarding the missed spoken directions that was corrected when I last updated the unit on my PC.

Recently I purchased a Tomtom XL335SE. The price was very attractive under $80. In the past I was operating a Magellan unit that I really enjoyed using, but it was stolen from my car several weeks ago. The Tomtom GPS unit is feature rich. Lots of eye data - what time you will get to your location, miles left, current time, speed limits, lane assist.



Part of my attraction to the unit was all the features, but here is what it is lacking. Can't enter address via zip code, in the commercials they are airing on tv it states that Tomtom has a million more miles of road vs. their competitor. I was traveling to a remote destination and it did not have the street address. My Magellan which I purchased back in 2006 had the street address. It has the feature called IQ routes which is suppose to get you to your destination quicker, but what you can't do is tell the unit you want to take the scenic route, shortest distance, avoid toll roads. I really liked that feature on my Magellan. I am on the road daily for my job. I was travelling a route that I typically take and IQ routes tried taking me in a different direction. I kept on driving and thought it would correct it self. It wasn't until I turned the unit off and on again that it gave me the different route home.



I'm in the process of updating my Tomtom on my computer so hopefully it corrects most of these issues. I'll keep you posted on what else I see as time progresses with the unit.

it looks like brand new. It's factory refurbished though. I'm totally satisfied with the product. I'll never get lost if I have it on my car. There is a variety of very nice and easy-to-hear voices to direct you on the way. It's light-weight and very portable. The menu is so friendly and easy to use.

The only bad thing for this product is about the mount. The mount is so loose and it's likely not to attach so tightly to the device. In addition, the mount is made with hard plastic , and I can find some small breakages at the joint. So, handle with care if you don't wanna break your mount. On balance, that's not a big problem because I'm a typically careful person :)

Just had this device delivered last week and 1st thing I tried was to hook this device with Tom Tom Home software and for the owner who are complaining of not getting Latest Map Guarantee and they attribute it for device being refurbished that is not correct. You all pick up the phone and call Tom Tom and they will do some formality which require you to send a proof of purchase to them and that will solve the issue.

This is what I did and solved the issue - I am another happy Tom Tom customer.

I bought this as a gift for my husband and he just loves it. He calls it "Thelma" when she speaks to him :)

We have traveled up and down the whole East Coast and she has never failed us yet!!! We recommend this TomTom ... you'll never have to get lost again!!!

I was sceptictal when first buying this GPS because I have spent significantly more in the past on comparable products and been dissappointed. However, it is clear that this GPS is the best bang for your buck and then some. The large 4.3 inch screen has a great resolution. The set up is very simple and the GPS on a whole is very user friendly. I would highly recommend this product to anyone in the market for a GPS. Don't be fooled by the price, it is a great product.

I bought this unit on a whim. It was my first GPS. Good price, but very flawed. I updated the maps as soon as I got it.



Flaws:

1. Voice cut-off.

Like a bad cellphone call .. all the time.



2. Numbers -- can't enter dashes.

Here in Hawaii, we have addresses like 94-234 Kamehameha Hwy. You CAN"T ENTER the dash!!! If you enter "94" instead of "94-234", you get about 1/2 mile from your destination.



3. Bad routing.

Going eastbound on I-H1 past Aloha Stadium into town, the correct route is: I-H1 to H201 (H78) to I-H1. Tomtom instead routes you to I-H1 to Halawa Hgts exit to H201 to I-H1. Ridiculous!!! That exit is very dangerous -- doing 360 degree turn. This bad routing algorithm alone makes this unit TOTALLY UNUSABLE on Oahu.



Pros:

1. Easy to use.

2. Cheap. - Maps - Gps - Car Gps - Large Screen'


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Ipad Charger - ipad charger, usb charger


I wanted to have a second cable for those times when I don't want to sync, but just charge my IPad. The cable performs perfectly with the charger that came with the IPad and allows me to keep the syncing cable plugged into my desktop computer. Apple iPad USB Data Sync & Charging Cable - White

According to what I've read, some computers may not charge your ipad using this cord while others it might. I was lucky in this regard because I had a usb wall charger (rated at 6 volts), which will charge my ipad using the cord, over an 8 hour period. This lengthy time works fine for me, since I just plug it in before going to bed and the battery lasts me all day. As far as the data transfer: it works great, I don't see any difference with this cord compared to the original one from Apple, that I don't have. So if you don't mind a slow charge (if your computer will do it or wall charger), this is a good cord.

This product was horrid, I put it into my ipod and as I was putting it in, I felt something weird about it. As I was removing the charger from the Ipod the jack part broke off as if it was poorly made. I would suggest to anyone to not get this and save yourself the money and time wasted on a cheap product. I would have shipped it back to the seller, but it probably would have cost more money and more of an annoyance so I decided to skip that and head to my local Walmart and buy one there.

You get what you pay for. Once I plugged this in and tried to remove it, the cable separated from the connector. It's as if it was never soldered in the first place. Horrible quality control and a genuine knock-off. I blame myself for being cheap. Never again. Don't waste your money!

This cable is exactly like the USB sync cable that comes with your iPhone/iDevice when you buy them new. It works great and is such a better price. $1 each here compared to $20 at the local electronics store!

The cable works just fine. It may be just the one I got, but in order to make it connect you really have to push it into my iPad. It just doesn't fit/connect as easily as the Apple one that already comes with the iPad). If the iPad end were a bit better I'd have given it 5 stars (the USB end is perfect). Handy to have around, and as I said it works like a charm, I just have to be sure it's plugged in all the way. - Usb Charger - Sync Cables - Ipad Charger'


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Gift Card - kindle, kindle gift card


I was given a Kindle last year for Christmas. This year, for my birthday, I requested an Amazon gift card to buy Kindle books, and my daughter sent me one. It's wonderful. I just registered it as the clear instructions indicated and a few minutes later I was reading a new book on Kindle. It's a thoughtful, timely gift that allows the recipient to choose what they would like. Amazon.com Kindle Gift Card - $50

I found the plastic to be sturdy. I appreciated the rounded edges, which helped to avoid injury or embarrassing clothing snags while carrying it to my computer. The number was a little complicated because it also included some letters, but I was able to enter them using my keyboard with no problems. Then I shopped 'til I dropped.

I ordered these cards in preparation for the upcoming Holiday season. Placing the order was a breeze. I had ordered the generic gift card. My order was shipped by UPS next day air and it arrived as promised. Each envelope had the gift card attached to generic greeting card and another envelope to mail the greeting card. I did redeem some of the cards and the balance was immediately credited to my amazon account. Overall, I am satisfied with my purchase and will likely buy this again.

This is the PERFECT gift ... so many things to choose from on Amazon and very easy to redeem (just type in the card number at checkout or add the gift card number to your Amazon account).



After reading all of the reviews, I just want to clarify EXACTLY what you can expect to receive/get with your GIFT CARD order. IMPORTANT NOTE: Do NOT combine/order GIFT CARDS to be mailed with other items from Amazon if you want the FREE 1-DAY shipping on your GIFT CARD(s). Order GIFT CARDS separate from other items you are ordering from Amazon (i.e., place more than one/separate orders on Amazon). If you do not, you will not receive FREE one-day shipping on your GIFT CARD(s).



1. I read the reviews that said that all of the GREETING CARDS (that contained the gift card) were sealed and that the person was not able to see which gift card went to which person (if they ordered different cards and/or different dollar amounts). Because of this, I placed 5 different orders for 5 different gift cards ALL sent to myself. That was unnecessary. Because while the OUTER envelope (which is really the Amazon's packaging for the greeting card/gift card combo) is sealed ... the GREETING CARD, which the gift card is attached to, and the ENVELOPE that it goes in are separate INSIDE the sealed ENVELOPE packaging (which is meant to be opened PRIOR to giving as a gift). So, when you open that sealed envelope you will see the card, as well as the gift card amount. At that point, you can also write a personal message on the GREETING CARD prior to giving.



2. The actual $ GIFT CARD for the Christmas designs are just the generic brown "a" with the curved underline (i.e., the Amazon.com logo). The ONLY thing that has the CHRISTMAS or holiday designs are the GREETING CARDS themselves. (LOOK closely at the pictures that Amazon shows and you will see this.) So, the GIFT CARDS do not have Christmas or holiday designs on them.



3. The PERSONAL MESSAGE that you type appears ONLY on the PACKING SLIP/receipt thrown in the box or bubble envelope that Amazon ships the SEALED ENVELOPE in. (That is, the little piece of paper that shows the GIFT FROM, shipping address and what was purchased.) Your message will NOT appear on the GREETING CARD, which is SEALED inside the ENVELOPE packaging. The person would have to look on the PACKING SLIP to see the personal message. NOTE: I order ALOT on Amazon and I have on occasion received items that *I* ordered for myself with no packing slip, which is not an issue because *I* ordered it. But, if I had received/or sent it as a gift, that could be an issue. The FIVE separate GIFT CARD orders that I placed and received all contained that small fax-paper like packing slip. BUT, it COULD happen that an order MIGHT not contain the packing slip since I have received orders without any packing slip. It's too bad that Amazon doesn't at least offer the option to have the message typed directly on the actual greeting card (like ToysRUs) when it's going to someone as a gift (and maybe say it would take longer than the standard 1-day shipping). Just a suggestion!



4. As I said, I ordered SEVERAL gift cards ... some arrived in a "book" or "cd/dvd" box and some arrived in a bubble envelope. Go figure! I guess it just depended on who packed it. ALL arrived via UPS the next day (where the next day was a business day). Two of the cards that were shipped in a bubble envelope did arrive slightly bent ... nothing major. Probably the best way for them to ship them is in the book/dvd/cd box since none of those arrived bent. (Note: If you live at an address or are sending to an address that UPS does not deliver to OR are only ble to receive items at a PO BOX because you live in a rural area, you might want to check with Amazon PRIOR to ordering a physical gift card.)



5. ALL of the information (#1-#3) that I included in my review, Amazon now includes in the ITEM DESCRIPTION. I'm not sure if Amazon changed their ways, added this information AFTER people were upset and complained, or it was there and people failed to read it. In any case, hopefully, my review helps to further clarify. It's always nice to know what your money is buying.



BTW, I also ordered 2 PRINTABLE gift certificate/cards. It was really easy ... picked the design, amount, quantity and entered my personal message. After checking out/paying, I received an e-mail from Amazon.com in a few minutes with a link for me to PRINT the card. After printing, fold the paper twice and voile an INSTANT CARD w/GIFT CERTIFICATE! Super quick, easy and a really cute looking card (similar to those 4-picture square, homemade greeting cards). - Gift Idea - Kindle - Kindle Gift Card - Amazon Gift Certificates'


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Organic - socks, organic


I am torn just what rating to give these socks... perhaps a 3.5. I think they are of rather good quality, but they aren't very soft, just average I suppose. The soles of the socks do have a certain thickness but the top is very sheer, and fairly see through, and also has a slightly thicker band that crosses the middle. I thought the way the top looked was not very attractive, but might be appreciated in summer. The lip at the back I'm sure would be helpful if the back of someones shoe tends to rub the back of their foot. Ecoland Women's Organic Cotton Coolmesh Ankle Socks w/ Arch Support - 6 Pack Value - Natural (4-10 Shoe Size)

I love these socks!! They are nice and thick on the bottom, but mesh on the top, so they aren't hot, and they have the squeezy arch-support thing in the middle which actually makes a difference. I also love that they're organic. A bit more expensive, but so comfy!

I love these socks. Organic, good price on amazon, and they are the perfect thickness. I love that there are sections on top that seem like vents to keep feet cool. Highly recommend. Organic is the way to go! - Organic - Socks'


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Dog Grooming - dog grooming, nail care


Before you can actually use this product you first must accustom your pet to the PediPaws. Unless he or she is in a coma, your pet will absolutely despise the sound and vibration of it. Don't let that deter you! As the caring, dedicated pet owner that you are, you will persevere!



After one very long week, I learned that Sophie the dog is more patient than stubborn, and grudgingly learned to "put up" with the tool. However, Fuzzy the cat refused to do the same--he saw no need to suffer fools gladly.



The experience revealed two major drawbacks with the PediPaws: It files the nail in miniscule amounts at a time and can only be used in bursts of 7 seconds or so. (If used longer, the heat generated through friction could injure your pet.) If your dog's nails are overlong, this project could take you days---maybe weeks. Even if the nails were recently trimmed, you will have to constantly file them to maintain that length.



If you and your pet are extraordinarily patient, you would probably not even worry about purchasing this product, but you might enjoy the challenge of using it nonetheless. If you find it hard to resist a new gadget or power tool, I recommend buying the complete Dremel Drill Tool Set. That way, when you abandon using it to file nails, you will be able to find less dubious uses for it.



As for myself, I intend to keep it and, during evenings while watching TV, I will file my own nails. It is my hope that its sound, vibration and heat will remind me to never again purchase anything that is: "As Seen On TV." PediPaws Pet Nail Trimmer

I was excited when my pedipaws arrived, my dog hates having her nails trimmed and keeping her still is a chore. I acclimated my dog just like the instructions say, and she did okay but the pedipaws didnt. It's basically a grinder so you would think its easy, but the thing only has one speed, a safety guard that blocks your view, and is bulky and awkward. I managed to grind down my dogs nails, but not smoothe them well. I do not expect everyone to have the same experience that I have, but I still would not reccomend this product.

I am a professional dog groomer, and we hear SO many complaints about this tool, and have gained so many new nail grinding clients since it's introduction. It doesn't have good battery life, and isn't tough enough for a large dog's nails.



The Dremel MiniMite is a MUCH better investment, because it actually has enough power for larger dog's toenails. It is light weight, not too noisy, easy to control. I've only had two dogs in the past month (out of a couple hundred) that objected to it too badly to finish the job.



Dremel 750-02 Minimite 13,000 RPM 2 Speed 4.8-Volt Cordless Rotary Tool



It doesn't have a guard, but just do a swipe at a time until you figure out how much it'll take off. If youre not sure how to do this, google "toenail grinding" and you'll be able to figure it out pretty quick.



It is still possible to quick dogs with these tools, and if you press and hold them, the heat caused by the friction does become uncomfortable.



For really long nails, it's best to trim off the excess with a regular nail trimmer, and then after that you can upkeep them without trimming, just the grinding.

My dog 60lbs hates the sound. This product also took a very long time to use. Pressure on the sanding stick cause the sanding to stop. This product was pretty much useless to me and a waste of time and money.

I have to give Pedipaws an average score. Here are the pros and cons of what I have found:



PRO

It wasn't as loud as my Dremel and my dog wasn't freaked out, but it dids take some coaxing for her to get used to the noise. Now my dog is fine with it.

I like the guard so my dog can't reach down and grab it, which could cause harm if a dog grabbed a Dremel without a guard.

I like that it takes the nails off in small amounts, so I don't overdo it and hit the quick.

For me, it is easy to use.



CON

It is battery operated using C batteries and I hate using batteries. I wish it was corded.

The file tool will eventually become dull and I will have to replace it and they are expensive. I am going to try to find a way to make my own, saving a lot of money hopefully!

The guard is a yellow color and makes it harder to see what you are filing.

You can't use much pressure at all or the wheel stops, which is a good thing, in that it is hard to cut into the quick, but bad in that it takes a long time to get the nail trimmed. You can only file for 3 seconds and then you move on to another nail, and do them all, then come back and do it all over again, which takes time and I mean TIME! So busy people, better to use the nail cutters.

I don't know how this will hold up in time. It is fine now, but it doesn't have the quality of a Dremel in my opinion.



So that is what I have found about my Pedipaws. Would I buy it again? Yes and no. Yes, if they made it to where you could adjust the speed more, so you could get more filed. I understand too much power would be bad, but just a little more power would do wonders. I would want it corded so I wouldn't have to buy batteries. Also an affordable way to buy extra file wheels. Then I would buy it. It would be a great thing. But like it is I would pass on it. If you have a dog who hates nail cutters, you might try this, but the noise might be another obstacle to overcome.

So my final verdict is: This could have been a great product, but like it is, it is just OK.

I was a little unsure about this purchase since most "seen on tv" products are cheap and don't work. BUT I love this! It worked on my 50 lb dog and my little 15 lb dog. My little dog is scared to death of noises, but she wasn't bothered at all. They both actually liked getting this done. I was in shock! It trimmed their nails perfectly. I give this product 2 paws up! - Dog Grooming - Pet Grooming Tool - Dogs - Nail Care'


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Wireless Lan Adapter - wi-fi, wireless adapter


I've been trying to get a wireless adapter for my Windows 7 64bit operating system for a few weeks, but none of them had drivers that worked with my PC. And then I stumbled upon this little beauty and it worked as soon as I plugged it in - the drivers installed automatically (I didn't even have to use the drive mini-CD that came with the device). External Antenna USB WiFi Wireless IEEE 802.11G/B WLAN 54Mbps Network Adapter USB2.0 Wireless Lan USB Adapter for Laptop Noteook Desktop PC Suport Vista/Windows 7(32bit & 64bit)/Linux

I purchased two of these for my wife and myself because we like to sit out back on nicer evenings and wear down our laptop batteries together.



I have installed the drivers on XP, Vista, Windows 7 and tonight on Ubuntu 10.10. In order of ease-of-install I go with Win7, Vista, Ubuntu and XP. Win7 and Vista both installed the drivers without the disk, Ubuntu seemed trickier but not really. I plugged it in, ran update manager and rebooted (Ubuntu does a full reboot on my netbook in under a minute and a half.) XP was a nightmare of picking through the mis-labeled folders on the disk, giving up and finding the drivers online.



As far as performance is concerned, I saw little signal boost on XP (went from 1 bar without to 2 bars with.) Win7 and Vista both showed a steady two bar increase (1 without to 3 with) but the most impressive was Ubuntu. On Ubuntu I went from barely 1 bar without the dongle to full signal with a rare fluctuation down to 3 bars if someone stands directly in the signal path.



I've read the other reviews and they seem pretty mixed but my opinion is that this is hands-down the best purchase under $20 I've ever made.



I'm writing this review from my back patio with my Ubuntu powered Ideapad s10-3t and wireless dongle.



"A computer is like an air conditioner, it works great until you open Windows."

Ok, I read the reviews and bought this anyway.

I'm a computer guy and I figured this can't be THAT difficult.

Well ... the instructions sheet might as well have been blank for all of its use and there is no model number anywhere on the box or instructions.



THE GOOD NEWS ... I got it to work.

If you run the program from the following folder on the disk they provide (F:\WiFi Card\RT2070,RT3070,RT2770,RT3072,RT3572,RT3370\windows) you can then install the driver or the driver and a utility for this card that works under XP (I'm using it right now).

I chose just the driver and am using Windows to control my network card but its up to you ... chances are if the driver works the utility will to, I just don't happen to like the utilities I have had with other cards.



One other note ... if they happen to ship different models of cards in these little boxes and the above application does not work, try the other dirctories ... the other "LONG" application name file isby the same company and installs a driver for a differnt model card. You can also drill down into the other folder on the disk and find the setup.exe that is referenced in the instruction sheet they provide.



I hope this helps ... and I hope that little antenna makes this card work better than my old one.



For the price, if you have the patience to make it work then I give it a 4 ... it appears to be good hard ware but the instructions REALLY need some work.

I realize I paid less than six bucks for this thing, but it sure made me work for the savings. Contrary to what some other reviewers have said, this thing did not install easily. Not only did it not auto-install the driver, I had to jump through all kinds of hoops to install it from the disk. The Windows installation wizard couldn't find the correct driver on the disk. The disk has at least five "setup.exe" files for a number of different devices. Of course the adapter gives you no indication of what model it might be, so I ended up installing them all, one by one, until I got to the one that worked. On top of everything, I had to disable my antivirus in order to get the drivers to install. After about two hours I did finally get the thing to work. I don't recommend this unit for the technically challenged, or for anyone with a low frustration threshold.

Bought this to see if I could get it working under gentoo. For you linux users here's the important bit you'll want to know before purchasing.



lsusb:

Bus 001 Device 002: ID 148f:2070 Ralink Technology, Corp.



To get it working in gentoo you should follow this:



Kernel Config:

[*] Enable loadable module support --->



[*] Networking support --->

-*- Wireless --->

<*> cfg80211 - wireless configuration API

[*] cfg80211 wireless extensions compatibility

[*] Wireless extensions sysfs files

<*> Generic IEEE 802.11 Networking Stack (mac80211)



[*] Device Drivers --->

[*] Network device support --->

[*] Wireless LAN --->

#Disable Ralink here

< > Ralink driver support --->

[*] Staging drivers --->

<M> Ralink 2870/3070 wireless support



source: http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-848390-start-0.html



You can get the firmware by following the above link or you can download it from here (what I did):

[...]



Choose "Firmware RT28XX/RT30XX USB series (RT2870/RT2770/RT3572/RT3070)"



once you untar it:

sudo cp rt2870.bin /lib/firmware/rt3070.bin



Make sure you rename it or else your kernel won't find it.



Just follow this to get networking working:

[...]



for wpa_supplicant, you can put -Dwext for the driver. wext just means generic linux driver.



Last, but not least. I've been using wicd to connect. It works great. Haven't tested network manager.



Anyway that's my guide. Hopefully it helps someone.



Reply if you need help. - Usb Network Adapters - Wi-fi - Wireless Adapter - Win7'


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Learning Resources - finance, educational


I use this game in the classroom as a math support teacher and at home with my kids. All of the kids love it and it moves at a good pace. I appreciate how the game doesn't just let the kids always decide what combination of coins they'll use to represent a certain value. When they spin the spinner, it will sometimes land on no dimes or no nickels, and so on. So they need to figure out how to make a certain amount without those coins. Learning Resources Money Bags A Coin Value Game

We got this game when my daughter was in first grade. She was having some trouble with her homework because the worksheets made it difficult for her to tell the difference between some of the coins. She was getting frustrated and kept saying, "I don't get it."



This game helped her get more comfortable with money, the value of money, and counting money.

Many educational games aren't nearly as fun as traditional board games. Not this one. This plays as well as any traditional board game. It's easy to follow (even my five-year-old played). It also plays quickly, which is great for the young players with shorter attention spans. I plan on purchasing more of this brand.

I bought this game for my son, Zachary (7), when he was in kindergarten because he was having trouble telling the difference between nickels and quarters. Zachary, his sister Kaitlyn (8) and I still play it. One thing that I love about the game is that the rules are simple enough for the children to play together. But the biggest plus is that they are counting coins and quickly learn how to make change. My children LOVE when they land on the Banking space and are given the option of trading their coins in (ie. 2 dimes and a nickel for a quarter). Whomever has the most money at the end of the game wins (and it usually isn't me! ha ha ha). I'm actually here on Amazon today to buy another copy of the game for my niece and nephew. It's a terrific and fun way to learn about money. It always amazes me how many adults can't make change... it's important to me as a parent that my children can.

I recently purchased this because my 6 year old had no concept of money. He did not know how to count money at all although we would let him pay for his own items at the store. Whenever we would let him pay for his own items at the store, he would simply throw a handful of money at the cashier and hope that it was enough. Well, after the first time playing this game, he was able to count using dimes, nickels, and pennies. He can not count with the quarters yet but I figure that it is just a matter of time.



The thing that I really enjoyed about the game is that he wanted to play again and again and did not realize that he was actually learning. He loved making money. At the end of the game, I ask him to convert as much of his change that he can into dollars. This helps him to realize that the coins translate into dollars.



I love the coin pieces as well. The plastic pieces are about as close as you can come to the real thing. My son was able to identify the real coins (which he really struggled with before) after playing the game and working with the plastic coins.



I highly recommend this game as a learning tool for youngsters who struggle with the concept of coins.

My 6 year old son loves everything to do with money. So when I saw this game I had to get it for him. He loves it. We play it every night and he is learning how to count money and make change. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves to play games

I play this with my 6yr old and my 4yr old. They love it. It is awesome how it teaches counting money, it is always a different game. There is no way for them to just do the same thing they did last time in order to win. Once they move to the correct spot and have a certain amount of money they have to give or recieve, the spinners tells them which coins they can use to get to the specified amount. So it really requires a little thinking and the children are always amused by the different ways they can come up with an amount of money. Example: get to 52 cents with out using quarters. So with the coins left in thier hand they figure out how to count 52 cents. There is a little more to it than what I have explained and it even gets a little more fun and creative. Great game.

I will start with the negative and end on a positive note. On the negative side:



In my opinion, this game is too simple to be fun for an adult. Yes it is a children's game, but adults end up playing too. All you do is roll the die and take the amount of money for the space on which you landed. One educational addition is that you have to spin a spinner and you may have to determine the coins to take without using dimes or nickles etc. It would be more fun if you could buy something with your money, and that could even involve making change which would also make the game more educational.



My children do not like it when the spinner lands on the moneybags symbol and they don't get their money for that turn. We sometimes just ignore that rule. Of course they need to be able to lose well, but there are not many turns in the game, so often enough, once you've given up your money for even one turn, you have lost the game. They don't like to feel like they've already lost within the first couple of turns but have to continue playing.



On the positive side, my older children (ages 5 and 7) in general enjoy playing this game and do use and improve money counting skills while playing.

I bought this game for my very attention hungry niece for her 6th birthday. She loves it, most board games make her pouty or intentionally annoying because they are either too hard for her or too boring for the adults playing with her. This game managed to distract her from needing to win. While she'll had trouble remembering how much each coin is worth, after only a couple of games, she could identify each coin and its value. Even though the game is rated for ages 7-9, I'd recommend it to anyone with children as young as 5. - Educational - Finance - Learning Resources - Math Games'


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Jewelry Making - jewelry making tools, torch


I have been using this torch in my business for fine silver soldering for many years. Tried several others, but this is the best--and now they have improved the adjustment system for better flame control. I just bought 2 new ones to add to the 3 older ones that are still working after YEARS of use. Blazer GB2001 Self-Igniting Butane Micro-Torch

I have been taking a PMC jewelry class for the past two years, but was always afraid to use a torch to fire my jewelry pieces, that is until my instructor did a demo with her Blazer Micro Torch. I tried it and liked the self-igniting feature and the fact that you did not have to keep pressure on the trigger to keep it running. She suggested that I check on Amazon.com as she had gotten her torch from Amazon. I did and found it to be less expensive and got free shipping also. What a great deal. I have been using it for about one month, and I love it. I have just finished a necklace of fused pure silver links and my Blazer did all the work. I would highly recommend it to my friends.

Recently this product migrated from the workshop into the kitchen where I discovered that it works beautifully for torching your creme brulee to create that crunchy sugar topping. I originally purchased it for use with silver wire in jewelry making (performs wonderfully there too). The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because the ignition switch doesn't work first time every time.

To be honest I use this most often to light candles. Oh, I have used it to solder and any number of typical applications. And this instrument RULES! It's flat out cool. It is a "James Bond" sort of thing. Which brings me back to "Father's Day" or Dad's or your husband's birthday - Get this! Buy it NOW! This Blazer Torch is great looking and a killer tool.



At any rate, I've owned 2 of these. The first one was with me for 15 years. The second is in my hand. Own one. The Blazer Torch is a good thing.

I purchased this product for my son for a cigar lighter but I have had one that is for all practical purposes just like the new one that I bought I for my son. I have had it since 1986 and I have never had any problems with it at all. I have used it for silver soldering and making jewelry and for many other uses. The only difference between the new one and the old one is that the removable base on the new product is larger and provides more protection against tipping. It is a little pricey but it is a high quality product and well worth the money. I do recommend using high quality when it is filled. - Blazer - Torch - Butane - Jewelry Making Tools'


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Jewelry Making - jewelry making tools, torch blazer Jewelry Making - jewelry making tools, torch