Wednesday 27 October 2010

Wire Hose Clamps - cleaning tools, wire hose clamps


Clamps are great. Small issues with a few but nothing unexpected. That is until you realize that the standard shipping alone is more than the product cost. $7.70 to standard ship a $6.99 product?

This bear bites!! READ THE FINE PRINT FIRST..... Grizzly H5357 10 Pack 4" Wire Hose Clamps

It is mildly annoying that Grizzly uses such a strange price/shipping price structure (as others point out), but this review is based on the final price of getting them to my porch.



For ten of them, I think it's a good deal (at time of writing). Mine all function properly without any missing hardware. I'm big on high quality items, but I can't imagine why one would need these to be higher quality. They are just basic hose clamps. I recommend them (at least if you ever think you need more than 4 of them).

I looked at these and the other 4" hose clamps Amazon is selling and couldn't tell a difference other than a huge one in the price, so I ordered 50 of these for a new dust collection system. They came quickly and work fine. Several out of the 50 had some problems, mostly missing the small washer at the screw end, which is easy to find a replacement for.



I don't see how Jet can charge almost almost $5 for one of these clamps when Grizzly charges $5.90 for 10. Even with the shipping you come out way ahead. If you compare the pics close they look exactally the same. Save your money and buy the Grizzly.

A DUST-COLLECTION SYSTEM IS A MUST FOR ANY WORKSHOP. THE COST OF BUILDING SUCH A UNIT CAN BE DAUNTING.



THIS IS A GREAT VALUE AND, AS SUCH, MAKES IT THAT MUCH MORE AFFORDABLE TO PUT TOGETHER A DUST-COLLECTION SYSTEM TO ENHANCE THE AIR-QUALITY AND SAFETY OF YOUR SHOP.



AS FOR THE CLAMPS THEMSELVES, I REALLY LIKE THEM. I USED A COMBINATION OF THESE HOSE-CLAMPS AND THE "OLD-SCHOOL" HOSE CLAMPS (THE TYPE TYPICALLY USED ON RADIATOR HOSES) AND I PREFERRED THIS STYLE.

I purchased these clamps after having one of them come on my Grizzly Dust Collector. They work VERY well and the price is right.



I found additional uses beyond connecting 4" hoses from my woodworking machines to the dust collector. One is my dryer hose, which until I got these was always working its way off the dryer or the outlet. Once I used these clamps... no more issue (Which pleased my wife because our laundry room would get unbelievably hot and humid whenever the damn hose came off!)



GREAT PRODUCT... and much better than other clamps I have used. (Also available in 2 1/2" size as well (which I also have purchased). - Dust Collection - Accessories - Wire Hose Clamps - Cleaning Tools'


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Indoor Organization - garage organization, garage rack


I expected the item to come with the support bracket shown in the picture, but it did not. I just made something out of a 2x4. The straps are nice. It has a hook on each strap that you can hang each strap from. I have two kayak's hanging from it. A third kayak would be really high to lift by yourself. Quality looking product, no real complaints. The boats hang flush to the wall. Harmony 3 Boat Hanger Set - Garage Rack - Kayak Rack - Garage Organization - Boating'


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1080p Projector - lcd projectors, home theater


I snatched up this projector as soon as I could after it was introduced (October 2010). I felt confident buying a brand new product because this projector is an evolution of the highly regarded 8100 from last year. The 8100 brought 1080P resolution to the mainstream of the home projector market. For the same price or lower, the 8350 improves upon the 8100 in several areas. First, it has inorganic rather than organic LCD panels. This feature suddenly became important to me when my six year old Sanyo PLV-Z2's blue panel gave out. I found out that (eventual) blue panel failure is a common problem with the old Sanyo's organic panels. Inorganic panels are more stable and heat-resistant. In addition to the inorganic panels, the 8350 is brighter than the 8100 and it has a higher contrast ratio (black/white).



Since most people (including me) won't be comparing projectors side-by-side, I'll tell you what's likely to be important to somebody considering a home theater projector purchase. Placement flexibility is very important to home projector buyers on a budget. If you have to pay someone to do a ceiling installation, you can pay half this projector's list price just for the installation. The Epson 8350 has a long 2.1 power zoom lens and vertical and horizontal lens shift. What this means is that you can likely put the projector on a bookcase shelf at the side of a room 10-15 feet away from your projection wall or screen and skip any formal installation whatsoever. The second important feature is brightness. Unlike my old projector, the new Epson is bright enough to project a good picture with room lights on. It can easily substitute for a 60 inch flat panel television, with modest light control measures. With the lights off, you can crank the image up to 200 inches if you have the space. (By the way, I've never bothered with getting a screen. I don't even use a white wall. I project onto a tan wall, and the picture is fine.)



The biggest marketing feature of this projector is its 1080P native resolution. It looks good. I was a little surprised that 1080P didn't make as much of a difference as I expected, but it looks good. I didn't really have to make many changes to the default settings to get a picture of my liking.



I have only used the projector with HDMI input. Other inputs are available - see the product description for details. Kudos to Epson for including a LIGHTED remote. I don't know why all projector remotes aren't lighted. The projector is very quiet. The advertised lamp (bulb) light is 4,000 hours. That will mean several years of use for an average buyer. There is one feature that's not particularly convenient, and that is size. This projector is surprisingly large. You really notice it in the store if it is positioned next to business-class projectors. In the business niche size (small) and light output/dollar are key features. Business projectors don't have the lens shift and zoom flexibility of the 8350. Business projectors typically have lower resolution, and they are louder than the 8350. If you are looking for a projector to carry with you to business meetings and to sometimes use at home for movies there are probably better (lighter and cheaper) choices; however for home use the Epson 8350 is hard to beat.



Finally, I want to remind people who have never purchased a home theater projector that you have to have a source for the picture to be fed to the projector. I use a Playstation3 and a stand-alone HDTV tuner (hard to find except online) plugged into an Onkyo home theater receiver. You should budget for a home theater receiver (receivers with speakers are called "home theater in a box" or HTIB) that has HDMI in and out, preferably at least 3 inputs and 2 outputs. It's best to rig things so that everything goes into the receiver, and then one HDMI cable goes from the receiver to the projector. It is a lot cheaper to get your HDMI cables online.



In conclusion, the Epson 8350 can be thought of as a tweaked "next year's model" of the 8100. Since the 8100 got the core features right, not much improvement was needed. Epson apparently controlled the inventory of the 8100s pretty well. After the 8350 was released, I looked for blow-out deals on the 8100 and didn't find any. You can pay just as much for the outgoing 8100 as the 8350. You might as well get the newer model.



SUPPLEMENT 12/28/2010 - Using a projector for motion gaming.



I've had people ask me how you can use a projector to play Wii games. Remember, with a home theater projector, the projector is (usually) behind you, not in front of you like a television, so you can't put the sensor bar on the projector. The answer is quite simple, and that is to use an audio-video receiver or a dedicated HTIB receiver. You plug the console into the receiver just like you would plug it into your television. The receiver will either be in front of you or close enough to the front that you can run the game's sensor cable to game console without any improvised wiring. Wii games are quite fun blown up to wall size, even though the Wii is not a high definition device. PS3 games and BluRay movies on the Playstation 3 look fantastic. I don't have an XBOX 360, but if you want to give me one, I'll be happy to write about it.



UPDATE 5/17/2011 - FIRST LAMP DIES. My first lamp (bulb) just burnt out. If this becomes a repeated thing, it will justify a lower rating. The lamp had under 700 hours, well under the 4000 hour rating. It seems like the official Epson replacement lamp is hard to find in stock, but I just ordered a third party replacement lamp, the Electrified ELPLP49 / V13H010L49 Replacement Lamp with Housing for Epson Projectors - 150 Day Warranty which is apparently in stock. Once I get a chance to install it, I will update this review.



UPDATE 5/19/2011 Right after I put in the order for the replacement lamp, I remembered reading on AVS Forums that some projector buyers from various manufacturers who experienced premature lamp failure sometimes got goodwill replacements even when the lamps were technically out of warranty. I emailed Epson about the problem, and in less than 24 hours, they responded via email that they would ship a replacement lamp. I'll never know whether Epson was influenced by the fact that I have publicly described my experience with the projector here ever since I got it. I'm sure it didn't hurt. It was a show of good customer service by Epson, nonetheless. I cancelled my Electrified replacement lamp before it shipped. I'll update when I receive the Epson replacement lamp. Remember, whatever projector you buy, if the lamp fails prematurely, go ahead and call or email the manufacturer and ask for a good will replacement. I'm sure you can't go to the well repeatedly, and most of them handle these on a case by case basis.



UPDATE 5/30/2011 Epson promptly sent me a replacement lamp as they promised. I installed it, and it works fine. 5 STARS FOR EPSON CUSTOMER SERVICE on this. The lamp wasn't technically under warranty but they replaced it as a customer satisfaction gesture. In comparison, the last time I had to call Sony about a warranty repair, they gave me the third degree. Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 8350 (V11H373120) - Lcd Projectors - Home Theater - Epson Projector - Hd Projector'


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New Era


I buy this hat every year at the start of the season. It was the first time I actually bought a fitted hat online. Skeptical at first, I decided to give it a go at Amazon.com. I could not be more happy! Fits perfect, looks perfect and feels perfect. MLB New York Yankees Authentic On Field Game 59FIFTY Cap (7 3/8)

I've been buying loads of stuff from Amazon for some time now and simply do love their service & products.



Early last month, I made my very first "Made in USA" Yankees cap purchase from Amazon ... unfortunate for me, I somehow made a wrong size selection with my order, it was just too big.



Apart from my personal error, I totally loved the quality and the finishing on this product, it was exactly what I dreamt it would be.



After a couple more different size purchases made with Amazon, I finally figured out my size, it was a 6 7/8.



What surprised me with my latest order was that, this particular "authentic" Yankees cap in size 6 7/8, was marked "Made in China" ???



So, can anyone confirm if this is still a genuine product?

Hat looked good and brand new in the box. Bought a 7 1/4 hat and it fit like a 7 3/8...only time this happened is when I bought it off amazon. Suggest buying the hat in a store and not online due to this. Dont know why. But my other 5 hats are all 7 1/4 and fit perfect. Yet the only time I buy a hat offline with the same measurement its off...hmmm makes me wonder if its real or not.

This hat is the classic internet purchase. Go to you local hat shop, try on the different styles and sizes. Then buy it on Amazon. I saved approx 40 percent on what I would have paid in my local speciality store. It is the exact same product! I absolutely love this hat. Go Yankees!!!!

I didn't actually purchase this hat off Amazon, but rather over at the Lids ha store.

This hat has it's pros and cons.



Its pros are that the colors on this don't seem to fade nearly as much as my new era wool hats and don't bleed after being exposed to excessive water. Also they don't seem to shrink at all compared to my wool hats as well.

The cons are that it actually seems to heat up your head faster than the wool hats do. They don't seem to breathe as well either. And personally, I kind of miss the new era flag on the left side of the hat.



If that doesn't bother you though, go for it defiantly. It's still nice to wear in any weather and I think will actually last longer than the wool hats will.

I have owned the new authentic caps since they have come out in 2007. I recently got a new one because I needed a bigger size. The materials used have gone down in quality slightly, the new caps aren't wool & acrylic like my 2007 cap, but rather 100% polyester and made in china. I do think the cap looks good and I like wearing the same cap that the players were on field. I am a proud NYY fan and this cap fulfills its purpose. Go Yankees!

My husband loves the yankees and he has to have a yankee hat every year. This hat was terrific! A great value and the right size. Its hard to find a 7 3/4 hat! This hate is going to be worn a lot. It will make a wonderful gift.'


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Mp3 Player - mp3 player, chargers


So I asked myself why pay double or triple to get a car charger and a home charger for my Sandisk e260? I used only the house charger so far and it was fast and I got a full charge. When the e260 attained a full charge either the charger or MP3 player shut off automatically to protect it from over charging too. The seller (Planet) shipped fast as well. I gave it 4 stars as the wiring isn't as thick as would like but heck for the bucks it is fine. 2-Piece Value Combo Pack Of Brand New Home Wall Travel Plug in Ac Charger + Vehicle Cigarette Lighter Power Car Charger with IC Chip For SanDisk Sansa

I really expected it to be junk for this price. But they both work great. Its really great that its multivoltage cuz my second home is on a tropical island and the voltage is 220. The other great thing I like is both of these chargers let u listen to the music while its charging. The usb supplied charger wont. Im totally happy with this product, [...], but its still the deal of the century.

I got product on time and AWESOME value...would have been like 30$ at best buy or anywhere else. Does what it says and comes with not only wall but car charger as well. I have the Sansa e260 and it works great a definate buy if you want to charge your player in your home wihtout using your pc or your car.

Player has been working well for a while now but I was tired of charging it via the PC. I plugged in the Sansa to the new wall charger and after a few minutes of the "charging" animation, the battery icon turned grey and that was all she wrote. Sansa still works but the battery cannot be charged. I can still run it off the old USB cable but it does not charge the battery.



Oddly enough, the battery isn't "dead". If I let the player power on after plugging it in and then unplugging it, the battery status just shows an empty grey battery but it has been playing music for over 30 mins now. This charger did something to the Sansa and it wasn't "charge the battery".

...although the shipping cost is more than the product. But hey, I'm not complaining. Bought an extra set to share. Wall charger works fine. Haven't had a chance to test the car charger, but have no doubt it'll work.

For the price it can't be beat!!!!! Both items worked perfectly and the quality seems excellent. How can I say anything bad when the cost was only $6.00. INCLUDING SHIPPING!!!! I'm thinking of buying a few more just to keep them handy at work, in the car, on the boat, etc. A definate buy! - Mp3 Player - Sandisk - Charger - Chargers'


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Adobe Photoshop - bamboo fun, pen tablet


I've owned a pen-only Wacom tablet before and I think they make good products, but if you get this one you should be aware of several points that I didn't figure out until I started using this one, although, to be fair, there were indications to some problems on the web, I just sort of flaked in my research.



1)The Draw: The drawing and pen functions with the pad are terrific, and unless you're used to high-end tablets, this will probably be fine for you, although the surface is rougher than the older, pen-only tablets and I suspect will wear out nibs fairly quickly. They supply you with three extras.



2)The Touch: While the touch on this, even the "tap to click" works pretty well, I'm not able to use it full time as my interface -- I still use a Logitech track ball. If you're used to one of the glass touchpads on a Macbook or Macbook pro, this will seem a bit sluggish, but if you're used to the trackpad supplied with many netbooks (Like my Dell mini)this thing will be a revelation. Overall it's nice.(There are scrolling issues, see below.) The mouse buttons have a nice, smooth feel, too. Not too clicky, but not so soft you don't know you're pushing them. Mind you, this is after just two days of use. I have no idea about the durability.



3)The Size: This is the larger of the Bamboo Fun tablets. While it should have been blindingly obvious, I suppose, that this was going to be big, it really does take up a lot of room on the desktop. To use it as a touch interface, it's really more than you need. There may people who need the extra space for graphics, but for day-to-day use, the smaller Bamboo Fun or Bamboo Craft touch/pen would have been fine. I'm working on two, 24 inch monitors and this is still way more space than I need. This is about the size of a 13inch laptop, so unless you have room for something that size on your desk all the time, in addition to your keyboard, the smaller Bamboo might be the way to go.



4)The Scroll: The two-fingered scroll function works great until it doesn't. I kept getting a lock up after a couple of swipes in Firefox 3.6, and even my trackball's scrolling would lock for fifteen seconds or so after it locked. This was fixed by turning off the auto-scroll and smooth-scrolling IN FIREFOX. That said, I found that solution in a forum where many people had reported scrolling problems and this fix didn't work for all of them. They also reported similar issues in Photoshop CS2 & CS3 as well. I'm using this with a Mac Pro 2x Xenon processor with 8GB ram, but people with Windows machines reported the problem as well. Wacom didn't seem to address it on their web page other than to respond to users that it, more or less, was the user's fault. I haven't tried it with Photoshop yet, but it seems to work fine in Painter and Art Rage Studio Pro, and I haven't had any scroll problems with the pen, only the touch functions. Your mileage may vary, but I'd be wary of expecting to use this as your only interface until you see a lot of "fixes" reported on the web.



5)The Design: It looks very spiffy, especially if you like the brushed-aluminum look and feel. It's substantial, too - heavy enough to stay in place on the desk. There's a loop for the pen to go into, which is a nice addition my earlier Wacom didn't have. (I use stick-on Velcro to keep the pen attached to that one.)As other's have said, though, the USB cable is permanently attached to the tablet instead of plugging in with a mini-USB plug, as earlier models did. This could become a durability problem if you travel with the tablet a lot, as the connection point isn't very heavily reinforced.



6)In Conclusion: You are more or less in a one-player game. For the price, you can't really get a pen pad with touch from anyone except Wacom, and if this is your first tablet, again, I think you'll probably love it, but do look at the smaller touch/pen tablet first, maybe save yourself some cash, and expect to keep your mouse around for a while, at least, until you iron out any touch navigation problems that you may have with your particular applications. Wacom Bamboo Fun Tablet

I spent quite a bit of time looking at various tablets, reading reviews, and trying to figure out which had the most bang for the buck; the Bamboo Fun won in just about every category. Please note that I am not a professional graphic artist, just a hobbyist (though technically savvy enough to understand the features [eg pressure sensitivity]), so I'm reviewing it from that perspective.



Installation was a snap. Download the latest drivers from the Wacom site, plug it into a USB port, and you're all set. I tried it out on two laptops and a desktop and installation was flawless on each.



The tablet is thin and light, with a more-than-adequate amount of active space (I wanted something that would let me do longer strokes without feeling cramped). The multi-touch capability is really nice with graphics programs that support it; being able to pan and zoom with my left hand while my right remains mostly dedicated to drawing is great (and a quick press of one of the Bamboo's 4 buttons will turn touch off, which comes in handy [no pun intended]). For reference, the touch-sensitive area is 7.5" x 5.1" and the pen-active area is a fairly generous 8.5" x 5.4". You can configure it for left-handed use (lefties rejoice!).



The tablet is very smooth and responsive with Sketchbook Pro and ArtRage 2.5. I wasn't that thrilled with Corel Painter 4 Essentials, which comes bundled with it; the UI was clunky and not very intuitive (spend the $20 on ArtRage instead - you won't regret it). The Bamboo Fun also comes bundled with Photoshop Essentials, which should be useful if you don't already have a full version of Photoshop.



The battery-less pen, with two configurable buttons and 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity, is very comfortable in the hand and I admit it, I love the eraser on the end. :) The tablet has a fabric loop on one side for holding the pen when transporting it.



The tablet comes with three extra nibs and an extraction tool, which isn't listed in the product description.



Overall, for a couple of steps above entry level I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Bamboo Fun as a great tablet for the price. - Bamboo Fun - Graphics Pad - Tablet - Pen Tablet'


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Oem Battery - battery, oem battery


After reading several reviews I was a little hesitant to order the product but the price was right and the battery I received appeared to be new and performs as as it should. The battery it replaced was drained in less than a day with minimal use. The new batter lasts 2+ days with moderate use. I am very happy with my purchase of this product. NEW BLACKBERRY OEM C-S2 BATTERY Curve 8530, 8700, 8700c, 8700f, 8700g, 8703

The claim is that these are new batteries but beware! It was obvious right out of the envelope that my "new" battery was used; it had scratches on the housing & the contact points had marks on them. I bought this because my original battery stopped holding a charge, but this one didn't even make it a day before completely dying. I hadn't even made any phone calls or used the internet. I should be upset but it's true what they say: you get what you pay for. Maybe they occasionally send a new one out, but it'a a role of the dice. You would be better off paying the extra money at your carrier's store so you know what you're getting. This is too good to be true!

My suggestion, call the vendor before you order and you will get a sense of their customer service. Impossible to get ahold of these guys on my order. No communication, no shipment. Finally an email, out of stock on backorder. 10 days after order placed. Scam! Positive feedbacks must be plants. Now I have to make sure they don't charge my credit card again. Please, don't make the same mistake. Call before you order. These guys are a rip off.

Made in China (most likely a knock off given the value), but still is high quality enough to resemble and function just like the made-in-Japan definite article. At least for the first 3 months of usage.

This is the second time I've ordered the C-S2 from Amazon. The factory battery lasted 2 years, the Amazon purchased battery lasted 2 years, and now I am on my third battery. For $5 and change this battery beats buying the same product from the mobile phone store for $20.

This review in NO WAY reflects the awesome Vendor of this battery. The item was shipped extremely fast and the buyring process was totally painless. The price was right, and I would order form this vendor again in a heartbeat.



The battery itself is junk. It looked to be brand new as described and after a full charge, lost an entire bar in 1 night (8 hours) with zero use. I guess the BlackBerry Curve 8330 even with a new battery can't last an entire day unless you go easy on it. I purchased this battery to hopefully get 1.5/2 days worth of use out of it before recharging. Not going to happen. A modest workout with this phone brings it to 45% in no time at all.



Ahh well. This new battery seems to ENDURE longer than the old one so I'm satisfied if not overjoyed.

I ordered this battery at the same time as another product (book) and I received this one (in just 3 days), before the other item was even shipped! The battery cost me just $5.40 with NO shipping charge. I've used the battery for about 3-4 weeks now and it has performed as EOM. Battery is good.... vendor is GREAT! Thx - Battery - Blackberry Battery - Oem Battery'


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Canvas Belts


After going through 2 leather belts (both began falling apart not too long after beginning use; I only wear them for school), I knew I had to find another type of belt to use. [Because obviously leather doesn't like me] This belt feels sturdy and looks fashionable. I'm expecting it to hold up longer than my previous two belts.



And if the belt is too long, the buckle is detachable with a really sturdy clip/clasp so you can cut off any excess. Columbia Men's 38mm Cotton Washed Webbing,Black,42

I bought the black version of this belt and was really pleased with the slightly faded, elegantly casual look and feel. It looks equally good with jeans as well as Dockers. If they had more colors - such as olive, brown and blue - I would almost certainly get those, too. The beige does not go very well with my wardrobe.



If your waist is 40" or more, I would suggest you be a little hesitant about this belt. I wear 38" jeans and there's only about 2" extra on the belt. If your waist is smaller, though, there are very easy instructions for reducing the length of the belt while maintaining its factory look.



The buckle is a bit clunky and occasionally jams a little bit and - initially at least - it was a little difficult opening the buckle. On the flip side, though, the belt serves its function admirably, and there's no danger of it getting loose while you have it on.



I have little hesitation in recommending this belt.

I am a long time Vegan and will only use non leather belts and shoes.

This belt is well made and should last a long, long time. I like the fact that is a full 1 and 1/2 inches wide and it fits with jeans perfectly. It is fully adjustable and you just cut it to fit. You can't got wrong with this purchase and as always with Amazon ordering and receiving it is fast and painless.

What curdles my lunch more often than not, is that nobody seems to proofread their descriptions anymore. Did anyone catch the first statement? "100% leather". Really? Cotton leather, no less. That said, they are right about 100% cotton. But the same make & model I got from Kohl's was a blend of polyester and cotton. And except for one reviewer, you have no idea what the width is. I have many narrower than 1 1/2" wide loops on some pants. But I do like this size webbing as it isn't as wimpy as the military issue. This one is also easier to slip a tape measure hook over the top of it because of it's beefiness. You will get a very decent web belt in this one. And the price here (at this time) is a deal.

I was really disappointed with this belt. After reading the other Amazon reviews I though this was going to be a quality product. Unfortunately, the craftsmanship of the metal feed attached to the canvas is surprisingly bad. You have to struggle to feed it through the buckle and when you release the buckle and try to pull the belt back out, the metal end, being so poorly made, tends to bend at either end, getting stuck in the buckle and preventing you from taking the belt off. Also, the buckle is somewhat sharp and actually tore a hole in one of my shirts. A final caution is that the belt is very wide and will not fit through pant belt loops that are at all narrow.

I bought this belt and the eddie bauer web belt. this one has a better belt color, thicker pin mechanism, and slightly studier material. but i like the darker color and completely rectangular style of the buckle on the e.b. version, hence the 4 star rating. but can't go wrong with this one.

I got this belt to wear with my boat shoes and casual clothes. This belt is so great for the money. I love it and its really stout. I am in the military and I have a couple of military issued belt and this belt makes them all look like a joke. Will buy a few more just in case.'


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Playstation 3 - board game, ps3 games


My boys are 9 and 6, and have been playing this game for the last two days. They seem to like Life the best, but also really like the Mouse Trap game. I like that I don't have to clean up any pieces from the real games. I think its a great way to introduce your kids to these more complicated board games. The games are quick, although the graphics are somewhat of a let down for PS3. It looks much more like a Wii game graphics wise, but they don't seem to care and if they are happy, I'm happy. Hasbro Family Game Night 3

This game is horrible, I cannot believe it has Hasbro's name on it. You have two options in each game: Original and Remix. You would think that original would be exactly like the real game - wrong. It has a stupid mini game in each one. In Twister, it's nothing like Twister at all. It's more like dance dance revolution and the characters don't even do "left foot red" or anything. In the Game of Life, they really should have just adapted the first version of the game they made for PS1 because it was a thousand times better. This one is lame and just about every 7th spot on the board is some lawyer game where you have to argue your case by flicking the left trigger back and forth. It's annoying. There is no such thing as "have tattoo removed" or anything similar to the real Game of Life. I can't even figure out how to play Clue...where are the cards that you check off? You have to earn something called Rumor Points to be able to make an accusation. Mouse Trap is probably the only one similar to the real game but there is this mini game you have to play pretty much every turn that I just don't understand the point of. It kind of just throws you into the mini game with no real explanation of what to do or why. Yahtzee...moves so quickly I don't even understand it. Again, no real instructions. I know I played that card game before but I couldn't remember how and the game on here doesn't make it any easier.



This was really a sad attempt at a game. The graphics are better than the original Family Game Night, and I'm sure kids will still love it but if you are looking to buy this for nostalgic reasons...don't bother.

Brings a whole new meaning to game night. The first time we used it, we were just going to play a quick game to try it out. We ended up playing all day long and didn't even realize it. Awesome way to play old family favorites. Pass one controller around for up to 4 players.

If you know what this package is going in, you have a better chance of liking it. A lot of people have (understandably) trashed "Hasbro Family Game Night 3" simply because the 5 games they included aren't the original games we grew up with.



I won't sugarcoat it: There are some seriously puzzling decisions going on here. I think this collection of party games is okay, but not great. There's some fun to be had, but nothing to guarantee a satisfying purchase.



NOTE - Every game has a Regular Mode and a Remix Mode



TWISTER

Let's get the elephant in the room out of the way, both Modes for this game suck. It's like "Guitar Hero" or "Dance Dance Revolution", and doesn't even remotely resemble a game of Twister. All you do is press the controller buttons to match the screen, and it's all done to a short selection of cheesy music that lasts about 30-60 seconds tops per session. Honestly, Twister on this disc just sucks.



MOUSE TRAP

The Regular Mode is perhaps the most faithful to the board game from this PS3 disc. Instead of building the Mouse Trap machine itself, you play a short minigame to determine how many pieces get built at a time. The videogame does a better job of building the machine, obviously. Let's face it --- the real thing was a pain in the butt. On the other hand, rather than watching a real-life marble contraption, you watch a video game do it for you, which isn't as much fun if you ask me.

The Remix Mode is a neat change of pace. You basically roll the dice to maneuver a figure-8 style board, collect cheese, and construct mini-traps that hurt both you AND the other players. Nothing special, but it's still fun for a few playthroughs.

I like Mouse Trap the board game, but I don't love it. So, the videogame gets the same recommendation from me.



YAHTZEE HANDS DOWN

This game probably has the most replay value in the back. Instead of rolling dice to win Yahtzee combinations, players are dealt playing cards to try to match the combination in the middle of the board. Players can swap out cards, hoping their next turn will reveal better results. The game itself is pretty solid, but the AI will occasionally give up cards that could've helped their own hands. Other than that, it's a good one.



THE GAME OF LIFE

Now, this is more like it! I don't remember the board game very well, but with the Regular Mode, the basic concepts of choosing Career-vs-College, raising a family, spinning the wheel to move, and trying to make the most money are in tact. There are a few silly variations, like playing simple minigames instead of choosing cards from a deck. Most of these minigames are fun, but it sucks that the Getting Married space always makes you do this stupid dance minigame like Twister.

The Remix Mode is basically the same game, except you get rewarded and penalized with move spaces, and there's no money involved. First player to reach the end wins the game. Simple, but a decent alternative to those who don't enjoy the money management.

I'm also disappointed that you can't look at the whole game board very clearly. But I still had fun, and have played several times alone and with my wife. We both find The Game of Life to be a fun diversion.



CLUE/CLUEDO

Oddly enough, this is very faithful to original board game, and its changes are solid choices for a videogame adaptation. Instead of just doing the traditional checklist of murder clues, you have to earn the right to narrow your search by landing on spaces that give you Rumor Points. Play any of a few minigames, fill up your Rumor Point meter, and investigate away. The videogame does a poor job of explaining the intricacies, but once you get the hang of it, it works very well.

The Remix Mode is also a lot of fun. Before rolling your dice, there's an Event Die that changes things up. A pool party resets the players & suspects around the game board, while other rolls will eliminate possible rooms & suspects. I prefer the slower-paced Regular Mode, but my wife and I both loved the craziness from Remix Mode

Clue/Cluedo is my easily favorite of the pack.



OVERALL

My Reactions:

+ Twister sucks.

+ Mouse Trap is decent.

+ Yahtzee Hands Down is quite good.

+ The Game of Life is worth playing again and again.

+ Clue/Cluedo is easily the best of the bunch.



My wife pretty much agrees with me, except she prefers The Game of Life over Clue. We both loved playing those two games the most.



It's very simple: The board games are better than what this videogame disc provides for you, and this disc doesn't do a good job explaining how to play these games (except for the embarrassing Twister). Twister is a huge letdown. Mouse Trap is perhaps too faithful to the board game, but it's decent. Yahtzee Hands Down is its own style, but still very fun. Thankfully, Clue/Cluedo and The Game of Life are solid adaptations of the classic games, with acceptable/forgivable changes.



There are some unlockables, but the game does a terrible job of explaining where they are with even those! And even though I love PS3 Trophies, they never make or break the quality of a game.



I suggest you just find some buddies and play the old-school board games, or go online and find some way of playing games more faithful to the original versions. But if you're really desperately looking for a PS3 disc that people can play these games on --- and understand that they're very different versions --- then pay 20 dollars at the most.



If you have friends to play with (online or offline), then "Hasbro Family Game Night 3" is a fun way to kill a few hours here and there. But if you're playing solo against the computer, just skip it. - Family Game - Ps3 Games - Board Game - Video Games'


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Blackberry Curve Silicone Case - case, blackberry curve silicone case


I bought this case for my new Blackberry Curve 8530. It looks fantastic, the fit is spot-on, and it definitely protects the phone! The case certainly lives up to its protection status due to my dropping my phone at an angle that should have otherwise wrecked the phone, and neither phone nor case have a mark. I am also extremely pleased at how fast I received my case. I ordered the case last Wednesday, and it was at my door Monday morning, which was 5 days sooner than I had anticipated. I am very happy! Hot Pink Silicone Case / Skin / Cover for RIM BlackBerry Curve 8520 / 8530

First off when I received this "hot pink" silicone case, it was a very light pastel pink. It was so poorly made that it barely fit on my Blackberry, it kept falling off! The case is very thin, providing no protection to your phone, and does not fit very well on the Blackberry's at all. Please don't waste your $$ on this item!

The shipper sent out a hard case along with screen protectors and a gel cover for my blackberry! I spent about $8.00 for everything. I was not expecting much but everything far exceeded my expectations..... I love the case, its adorable, fits perfectly and I did not have to wait long for it at all. I highly recommend buying from this vendor, you will not be disappointed.

I bought this cover for my phone becuase with the current cover that I had I was not satisfied with the color or how it fit. I bought this one expecting it to be the "hot pink" in the picture but I was let down. The up side was that the cover fit my phone perfectly and I feel like its well protected. I just wish that the color in the picture was correct.

Fits the model stated perfectly! It is very durable and has protected my phone when I have dropped it! Also, it's very easy to just slip right on and off in case you have to do a battery pull, unlike hard cases.

the price is unbeatable, it's easy to put on the phone, very handy when you have a little child who likes to "steal" your phone and throw it through the whole apartment ;) yes, it smelled a lot like rubber when it first was delivered but only for a day or two. i like it! - Case - Blackberry Curve Silicone Case - Blackberry Skin - Blackberry'


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Mens Interest - mens, mens health


As a regular reader of "Men's Health," I have long enjoyed its articles for their entertaining style and the useful information contained in its pages. After several years, however, it has become obvious that there are only so many abs exercises, or amusing sex tips, or ways to portray men as charmingly stupid. I realize that I no longer need to buy the magazine as I can just look at the back issues I have instead. It covers the basics well, but does it over and over, so my advice is to enjoy it for a year and then go on to more advanced things on your own. Men's Health (1-year auto-renewal)

I've enjoyed subscribing to Men's Health magazine in the past but I had to stop to prevent being sold products and renewals without my authorization. Be aware that with your subscription, they will automatically renew your subscription "for your convenience" and bill you accordingly.



Also, I would receive post-card notices in the mail about their latest fitness guide ($28) and how I can "preview" it for 21 days. Of course, I think not and toss the card out. Too bad I didn't pay close enough attention. I have to fill out and send the card back in order to decline. The fitness guide shows up in the mail and I have 21 days to repack it and ship it back. They got me with two of them (I admit, I did fail to get it shipped back before 21 days was up) and, along with the auto-renewal, I had enough and called and told them I didn't want to be a customer anymore. Fine....I thought. It's been four months since my last issue and here I am now with a postcard from Rodale Books about previewing the 2008 Fitness Guide. I guess cancelling my subscription wasn't enough to keep them from auto-selling me stuff.



Can you imagine this new tactic of selling becoming the norm? The retailer gets to choose what we order and it's up to us to decline it. Crazy! If you google for "Rodale return card 14 days" you'll see that there are some who have attempted to sue Rodale over this. Think twice before ordering this magazine and being subjected to the same sales tactics.

Men's Health used to be a top-notch magazine with great writers and helpful and innovative articles for all men. Writers like Greg Gutfeld and Denis Boyles gave the magazine a sharp wit and truly made the magazine a stand-out. They turned up their noses at political correctness and wrote what most others wouldn't dare. The writers were real men (and women) who weren't afraid of putting their reputations on the line. They told it like it was, not how the advertisers wanted you to hear it.However, they're all gone and all that's left is an emaciated skeleton of articles that are not interesting, innovative, or remotely intelligent. In fact, the only men I know who look at it now are my gay friends, for the great pictures of muscles on the cover and inside. But they, also, are too smart and savvy to waste their time on the lame articles. I don't know what happened to the management of that magazine, but somebody made some devastating decisions. I've never seen a magazine go from being truly one-of-a-kind to just a faceless jumble of paper and staples among the crowd. If you want articles on fitness, almost any other magazine will be better than Men's Health. The newest teeny bopper rag will have deeper articles on relationship than Men's Health. They assume the average guy is extremely insecure and has a sub-standard IQ. This magazine had a great thing going, and they blew it. Big time. Don't waste your time or money.

I know that Amazon does not have the option of zero stars but if given that option, I would still give Men's Health one star for at least its content. I have been a fairly consistent subscriber to the magazine for about 6 years and I have definitely been educated and entertained by its content. The authors and layout staff have definitely made Men's Health a pleasure to read.



Unfortunately, over the last couple of years that I have noticed, the parent company, Rodale has been engaging in some fairly poor business practices. First off, they love to send random hardcover books to you and charge you for them without you ever really consenting to it. There is basically no way for you to ship back the books without costing a fortune on shipping fees. To my knowledge, there is no option of opting out of this.



Also, unlike a lot of other normal magazines, Rodale never gives you the option of renewing your subscription. They pretty much just send you a bill at the end of your original renewal period and charge you for the next period automatically. If you do not respond they will send your debt to a collection agency and that is a whole different nightmare to deal with.



Of course I'm sure if we all read that thing we signed before subscribing to the magazine that there will be a section in small print informing us that Rodale can do whatever it wants. In that aspect, it is indeed my fault for letting them take advantage of me but I have recently canceled my subscription and never plan to subscribe again until Rodale decides to change its policies.

I like Men's Health a lot, because it is one of the most practical, useful magazines I get. It covers fitness, diet, health (it is very big on prevention and self-diagnosis early, so as to avoid major health problems later), fashion (good stuff, trendy and basic, not latest-from-Paris kinds of stuff), relationships (carefully sneaked into a magazine that looks like it isn't about relationships -- clever, because men don't read magazines about relationship tips), finance, and other topics that come up. There are brief articles on each of these (this is the magazine I read while standing over the kitchen sink eating breakfast -- articles tend to be brief enough to finish in that period of time), and I appreciate the witty, upbeat style that is not pompous or pretentious, just good basic 'guy stuff'. Alas, in each issue there is at least one article on 'how to drop five pounds this week' or 'how to lose 10 pounds by Easter' -- these look like they'll work and seem very reasonable, but I cannot comment on their effectiveness (would that I were able to!). I can comment on the effectiveness of time management, basic financial planning, and exercise routine advice -- these have worked for me. In fact, I credit many of the articles in this magazine with helping me to plan a graceful exit from my old job and into my new self-employment career and graduate school/seminary endeavour, by illustrating stories and giving useful advice. There are also fun things, too, like a recent issue's back-page article on how to effectively tan, by the tan-master himself, George Hamilton. Do you know how to tie a bow-tie? This magazine had an article showing that, too. This is not an 'in-depth' magazine, but then again, it doesn't pretend to be. Many of us work and live in a world that doesn't permit time-consuming research and consideration of essays on health and fitness, unless we are professional in that field. Thus, magazines like this fill a need. So far as health and fitness magazines are concerned, this one is a good one -- many magazines are veiled soft-core erotica. Men's Health does not avoid the topic of sex, but doesn't overplay it the way many do. The magazine has a good graphic sense to it -- it illustrates the physical things discussed in photographs without as much embellishment as many other fitness magazines. Comparing this to several others on the magazine rack, it is understated, has less flash and more substance in the articles. Definitely worth a look! - Fitness - Magazine - Mens Health - Mens'


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Mens Watch


I just received this item a week ago. I loved the styling and couldnt find another rectangular watch with a rugged feel that compared to this model. I had never seen the watch in the flesh before ordering it, but was very happy with it when it arrived. The size was as expected, quality of workmanship was excellent. The manual was a little sketchy with setting the watch, but after a careful read its pretty straightforward. I will say there are no instructions on how to size the band, its rather intuitive but it would be nice if the manual were to spell it out to allieviate the feeling of "i hope i am correct in cutting the band!" I was concerned with the accuracy of the watch, but i am thrilled to report that it runs about 3 sec a day slow, which is right in line with the performance of my rolex. Overall very satisfied with this watch and with the amazon experience. Baume & Mercier Men's 8749 Hampton Square Titanium Watch

What a gorgeous watch?



I had ordered this watch on Amazon and it was delivered by the third day with free S&H. Such a classy watch. Even though it has a rubber strap (which is what I wanted in the first place because of the sporty look), I can wear it with my suit. Craftsmanship was outstanding. High quality material. The square face and the black color give it an elegant look. Yet the style is rugged. A well balanced combination for a watch at this price. It is definitely an eye catcher while it can be worn casually. Very happy with this purchase.

Very nice watch, exactly what I was expecting it to be. Amazon forgot to mention in the description of the product that you can see the mechanism in the back. The watch arrived only 2 days after my purchase, and the price was the best I could find all over the web. I live in Brazil, this very same watch retails for US$ 8150,00 over here !!! It was a great deal and I am very happy with this watch.

Having shopped for some time for a better timepiece, I not only thought this watch was handsome, but different, and sold at an incredible discount. Since I received it in late-November, 2010, never has it kept accurate time. A watchmaker suggested first that since it's automatic maybe I do not give it enough movement; he told me to wear it during my 45-minute work-out. I wear the watch daily. I even wind it occasionally. It has always lost at least two minutes weekly. (My inexpensive watches keep perfect time.) At this price, I am not only disappointed, but find incredible that it cannot be adjusted at a local Baume & Mercier dealer, that I am told that maybe it can be sent back to the factory (minimum 2 months lag), that this watch is from the "gray market" and the warranty is useless.

I saw this watch at a Macy's up close and personal and fell in love with it. The problem is that it was a little to pricey for me. I was then on amazon looking for something totally different and found this watch again. I could not believe my eyes. The watch was almost half less than the prices I've seen it anywhere else. Was this a scam? I took a chance and bought it anyways. The watch arrived at my house the NEXT DAY! I opened the box expecting to be disappointed. I was amazed instead. Not only was the watch half of the price I had seen it everywhere else, not only was the watch in my hands the next day but, the watch was as beautiful as I had seen it before. You would have to be crazy to buy anywhere else! Amazon, I'll be back!

I bought this item almost a month ago, This is so comfortable and looks luxurious and sporty.

It is very hard for a watch to have both sporty and classic feeling.

But, it has. Also, movement working perfect. Very Accurate.

Super Accurate.

I would prefer wearing this watch for daily usage in comparison with IWC.

This is that good.

To me, Even if this is as expensive as IWC, I would buy this one.

Super satisfied.Oh, I went to Ben Bridge and the engineer was asking where I bought this watch and told me this watch is so beautiful so he's gonna get one too.

Everyone loves this watch and I love it too

Super nice watch.

light comfortable looks awesome.

Working perfect.

Couldn't be better than this.'


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3m Car Care


I own an 11 year old car and the headlights had become significantly glazed over. The only thing the drill doesnt come with is a drill. (which would really drive up the cost of the kit) The steps are pretty easy to restore your headlight



1. Clean the headlight and tape around the headlight edgeds to protect the paint job.

2. Use the "yellow" sanding disk with the drill attachment. The headlight will take on a more cloudy, but uniform, appearance

3. Use the "white" disk and smooth out the surface

4. Use the "gray" disk (with water) and begin the polishing of the surface

5. Finally use the "orange" foam disk with the polishing compound and complete the job.



Instructions are included with the kit and are pretty straightforward. I would say that anyone can do this job in approximately 2 hours or less. The drill attachment is WELL worth the money.



I was actually able to do two cars with one kit. Obviously this will depend on the condition of your headlights. I would recommend buying one kit per car though.



When using the kit I actually wiped off the "dust" that was created between steps. This wasnt mentioned in the instructions but I dont feel that it effected the results either. If you do the same thing then you will not see much of the "white slurry" described in the instructions when using the gray disk.



I hope this review helps and I will try to check back later to see if anyone has some comments that need answering. 3M Headlight Lens Restoration System

When I saw the 3M Headlight Lens Restoration System, I liked the idea. Speed up my headlight polishing by using an electric drill? Count me in! It's got to beat wetsanding lenses for 30 minutes a pop.



In execution, though, it definitely falls short of the idea for a couple reasons:



1. 3M demonstrates the product on a mid-90s Ford Taurus, which has huge, round headlamps proud of the bodywork--perfect for the system 3M has created. If you drive anything else, you'll rapidly discover you can't safely machine sand your entire headlamp. The pad is just plain too big for many other applications, where you have tight radiuses, 90° corners, and lamps recessed into and/or abutting bodywork. You can cover the most important part on any vehicle, but if looks are a priority, you may want to buy another (manual) product.



2. 3M uses their cheapest dry-only papers in this kit. Most competing products use wet sanding or wet polishing; this one mostly uses dry sanding and kicks up a lot of plastic dust. Definitely follow the admonition to use eye and respiratory protection.



3. Jumps in grit give the results you'd expect. You jump from 500 to 800, then to 3000, and then compound the lens. The results aren't bad by any means, but if looks are a factor you'd do well to do some intermediate sanding (or use a product like Meguiar's G12310 PlastX Clear Plastic Cleaner and Polish -10 oz. to finish off after the compounding).



You could definitely do worse than the 3M kit if your goal is just to see, but you can definitely do better if you want that showroom-new look and aren't driving a Taurus.

This product is just incredible. I have a 6 year old Jetta which had deep pits in the headlight lenses. They looked like they had been sand blasted. [...]. The results were fantastic. The lenses now look as good as new.



Some tips from my experience:

1. If you're going to wash your car the same day as you restore the lenses, wash after you do the lenses. Some plastic dust blows around and there is some spatter on the wet sand.

2. Be sure to really protect the surrounding paint. 3M recommends two layers of automotive masking tape, which I did. But I did cut through in two places with the edge of the sandpaper. So if there is any chance of touching the body of you car with the edge of the sandpaper, put on 3 or 4 layers of tape.

3. The kit comes with plenty of supplies: sandpaper and plastic polish. The directions warn that there may not be enough supplies, but I had plenty left over, although admittedly the Jetta headlights aren't that large. I don't see any need to buy the kit with the large bottles of plastic cleaner and polish unless you need that stuff for other projects.

4. I followed the directions exactly. I went the extra mile of doing extra passes on each level of sanding to insure I got out all the original damage and then each level of sanding scratches. I got as uniform level of appearance as I could. As the instructions say doing more at each level makes the next level easier. I also ended each level with a few passes with lower pressure.

5. I'd say the only tricky part is holding the drill steady while you sand away. It can jump around if you're not careful. I set up a stool with the appropriate height so I could rest my forearm that was holding the drill on my thigh. I held the drill with both hands and then moved it steadily across the lens. I sanded the whole lens with horizontal passes overlapping on each pass and then repeated vertical passes. I used about 10 total passes at each level.



Each lens took me about 30-45 minutes. I was skeptical that my damage could be repaired. But there is absolutely no evidence of the original damage and the lenses look as good as new. It is so satisfying to see the results, what a difference.



Oh, and the price is a terrific bargain too.

I was a bit sceptical about how effective this product could be for its relatively very low price. The competitive "3 and 4 stage" type products cost at least three times the price and are a lot more involved to apply. However, the 3M results were truly impressive. You do have to follow the instructions and be sure to use the foam cushion backing pad included in the kit as well as a drill with the recommended RPMs. With that said, you will get truly impressive results at a cost less than any other do-it-yourself product and certainly well below the hundred dollar plus you would have to pay a professional shop. Definitely a "best buy" and highly recommended!'


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