Automatic Battery Charger - battery charger, chargers

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This little charger works equally well when charging and maintaining both 6 and 12 volt automotive batteries. It's a good choice for maintaining batteries in cars which are driven only on special occasions. Schumacher SC-600A SpeedCharge High Frequency Battery Charger

It can charge both 6V and 12V batteries, with different amp selection. Different from some of the older style charger, this one will automatically shutoff when charge is full. So you can plugin, clamp on, turn on and walk away doing other things. Never worry about overcharge the battery.



It is light weight and great tool to have, if you have a lot of batteries around. We use it to charge and check the batteries for the large UPS power supplies in our office. Properly maintained battery can extend its life so much, worth many times the cost of this charger.

I purchased the product from Walmart for about $30.00. I purchased it as a compliment to a more powerful but not automatic charger I already have. My main purpose is to keep boat batteries charged during the off season. After reading the instructions and hooking it up it went through the charging and stopping cycles as indicated in the user's manual. All of the indicator lights worked as stated in the manual. So far I have charged two batteries. I hooked them up in the evening, the indicator light showed they were at about 75% charge. By morning they were fully charged and the charging cycle had stopped. According to the user's manual once the charging stops it goes into a maintainance mode where it monitors the battery and when it falls below a pre-set charge, it begins a recharge cycle again. The automatic function is nice because you dont have to worry about over charging. The 6 ft power cord and 6 ft charging cables are convenient because I could charge my boat battery in the garage without having to use an extension chord. I have only charged two batteries but so far, so good.

I tried to start my lawn tractor recently and found that the battery was very severely DEAD!!. I went online and purchased this Schumacher SC-600A speed charger. I hooked it up overnight and that battery was fully charged and quite able to start my tractor the next morning. Great performance, and very easy to use. Next, we're going to top off the car batteries before the really cold weather sets in.

This charger works perfectly. I have had other chargers over the years and have borrowed chargers from friends and family. The last one I used was from a neighbor and, although it said that the two batteries I tried were charged, they would not crank the car or lawn tractor at all. I put both batteries through a full charge with the Schumacher and both came up trumps. Both the car and lawn tractor fired up immediately. I returned the neighbors charger and have not looked back. It was well worth the price as I would have had to replace both batteries. Highly recommended.

I bought this battery charger based upon the Schumacher reputation. I've only used it twice so far, but very happy so far. The 3 ranges of current fit my needs well.



I also don't need to be concerned with overcharging since it's capable of switching to a trickle charge after the battery has reach the full charge state.

I used this charger on 7 to 9 amp/hour batteries. At first it charged the batteries fine but I started to notice that when charging at 2 amps it wouldn't register as fully charged sometimes. It would stay to 4 bars but not go to the charged light even after a longer than normal time. I would change to 4 amps and then it would be fully charged. I worry that it may be overcharging some batteries.



I also noticed that it couldn't read some 6 volt rechargable lantern batteries (4.5 amp/hour). This is the main reason I bought this charger. I have a automated Schumacher 1.5 amp charger and thought well of the company, that is why I wanted to buy another Schumacher.



The charger seems to work fine on larger batteries automotive or motorcycle, so it is good for that.

Schumacher's basic charger - 6V or 12V, 2A, 4A & 6A charge rate. Automatic charger that charges, then goes to maintenance mode. Their more expensive chargers have higher charge rates (10A & higher) and additional built-in metering like voltmeter to test state of charge, etc.

I am using it exclusive for my 2 cars in the winter. Went on vacation and returned 6 days later to find the car wouldn't start when the trunk lid (truck light) was left open. With regular below 32 degree weather in the winter in Wash DC, bought this to maintain the 2 car batteries. After jump starting my wife's car, decided to buy this to charge the battery and monitor battery condition (can't leave her stranded or home alone with a dead car battery).



Instructions were simple, but use caution anyway. Charger had approx 6 feet alligator clip cables to connect to battery and keep away from battery (acids, fumes, etc.). With negative-grounded car, attach red clip to positive battery terminal, then black clip to ground (charger must be unplugged from AC). Then plug into AC. Charger has "connection" indicator tyo show a battery is recognized. Then select 6V/12V, then select charge rate (2A or more). When charging, has "charge" indicator light and 3 lights (25%, 50%, 75%) to show progress. When fully charged, 3 progress lights go off and green "charged" indicator lights up and it goes into maitenance mode. Unplug the charger, then disconnect the 2 clips from the battery.



The unit has a five (5) year warranty; very few electrical/electronic devices now have a warranty beyond 1 year. Even the big appliances like washers, dryers, dish washers now come with just 1 year -- the manufacturer effectively increased the price by 10% which is about the repair rate for the 3rd to 5th years.

I bought the Schumacher SC-600A along with the Schumacher SE82-6 to see which one works better on my 12V batteries. So I tried both of them out this past weekend. The SE86-2 costs a little more and is completely manual. While the SE82-6 has a dial indicating the current charging/maintaining Amp, I found the SC-600A to be not only convenient but also worry free. I had to keep watch on the SE86-2 every 4 hours while it was charging and saw the Amp needle move down as the battery charged to full. On the SC-600A I just left it overnight (at the suggestion of other reviewers) and didn't worry about it. When I woke up the next morning the Green light was on to indicate the charge was complete.



The SC-600A also has a nice feature in it where it will Desulfate your battery if you left it uncharged for too long (according to Schumacher's website and manual). None of my batteries were left uncharge to that state so the SC-600A did not kick in to that mode. One thing I wish the SC-600A has would be the digital or needle Amp readout to indicate either the percentage of battery charged or current Amps. I know the bigger brother model SC-1000A and SC-1200A both have the digital read out but I wasn't looking for a charger greater than 6 Amps since that's enought for most applications. But for the price, you can't beat the convenience of the SC-600A charger. - Battery Charger - Chargers - Schumacher - Automotive'

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Camcorder Case - zi8, camcorder case

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== Silicon Sleeve for the Kodak Zi8 ==



PROS: (Unfortunately) this is the only silicon sleeve available for the Zi8 as of yet. The material is very smooth to the touch (good for slipping into pockets!) and does well to protect most of the camera. It's engraved with "Kodak" and "HD" on the rear and front--respectively--so it feels "genuine." And if you haven't removed it yet, this sleeve is also good for covering the loud and juvenile "YouTube!" sticker (don't ya think?) that Kodak stuck to the front of the Zi8.



CONS: The sleeve is NOT anti-static--it was covered with a thin layer of dust nearly 20 minutes after I took it out of the package (of course, this might also mean I need to vacuum!). You can wipe it dust-free easily, but annoying nonetheless, especially if you carry the camera in a (lint-y) pocket. Most distressing is the bizarre "custom" cut, which in some places, seems like it was cut generically rather than specifically for the Zi8. Also, Kodak ignored covering a small but important portion of the front of the Zi8 near the controls--a strange omission worth noting. Perhaps MOST annoying are the side pieces--thin strips that run along the front sides of the Zi8. They're flimsy and thin enough such that just by gripping the camera normally, you cause them to flex and move around.



BOTTOM LINE: It'll have to do for now, and it IS another layer of protection for the Zi8. But static dust and a poor cut means another design is badly needed. I know that many of us, eager to make the Zi8 more rugged, will be waiting! Kodak 1736933 Zi8 Silicon Sleeve (Black)

This is a useful product. It covers the Zi8 nicely and gives it a good grip...and easily slips on and off.



Holes are in the important places. Note another reviewer said a hole exists for no reason....this is actually for the infrared sensor in case you want to use a remote.



The only time you need to take the sleeve off is to change the battery or use the USB arm (which I never use since I just take out the SD card to transfer video...you don't need to remove the sleeve for this).



Yes, it collects lint, like most other silicone sleeves I've seen (e.g., for blackberries, iphones, etc). But that's really irrelevant given the protection and grip you get....granted, its not gonna help if you drop it on concrete, but it will prevent dings and scratches.



Amazon's service was great, as usual.

I like this product for the protection, if you accidentally dropped the camera, but the only reason why I give it 4 stars was the case covers the speaker in the front. I didn't notice it until I was playing the video and was wondering why the volume was so low after turning it up to the max, then I pulled off the case and the sound was clearer. I had to carefully cut out a portion of the rubber case so the speaker would show thru and it worked fine.



On the previous reviews I read about the static, which is true, but I bought a static guard spray, took off the case and sprayed it down and it helped alot.

The case serves its purpose by protecting the camcorder and most importantly creating a better grip (all tat shiny material is slippery) However, you will not be able to access the USB cable without taking the sleeve off first.

Pros: saves your product from bumps and nicks. gives you the basic protection.

Cons: two most prominent trouble areas are (1) Doesn't protect the camera lens part, which seems to protrude (a bit) out of the rubber protective casing, thus leaving it highly vulnerable to scratches (when the camera is placed on any hard surface for example); (2) USB part of the camera cannot be used with the cover on.

I got the video camcorder for my birthday two months ago and thought we have come a long way since the Hi-8 tapes of yesteryear so when I got this I was very pleased. I wanted to protect the little guy so I sought out a cover, but I'm a grown-up man and I wasn't looking for anything cute or cheap. I also wasn't entirely in love with the color of the camcorder (was hoping it was going to be black) so it was a good way to solve that dilemma without upsetting my g.f. So I bought this one and it fit like a glove! It was slick, sturdy, and added a nice touch to the camcorder. It's not bulky but it's sturdy enough to slide it in and keep a snug fit.



I was very pleased with the purchase price and I look forward to seeing how it holds up over time.

The case fits well.

Has all the cut outs for the camera controls.

Thick Silicone- More added protection.

Has grooves to better hand hold the camera.

Bad things-

Macro mode is hard to select with case, mainly due the macro mode switch being located

on top of the camera.

Transferring video requires removing the case. Sucks.

Overall- good case. Really good.

I would buy again...

This is a good fitting sleeve. The two front sides strips (on the sides of the screen) are a bit thin, but have not torn or stretched at this time. The texture offers good grip. I would have preferred a sleeve/case that had a built in screen protector, but I could not find any for this camera. I simply added a universal screen protector cut to fit. Overall, I rate this 4 out of 5 due to the thin strips on the sides and not built in screen protector. I recommend a buy, unless someone decides to offer one with a screen protector. - Camcorder Case - Case - Zi8 Case - Zi8'

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Camera Strap

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I bought this strap for my canon 30D and it is much better than the strap that came with the camera. Carrying the camera with the lenses attached, does not cause my neck pain. The strap is padded with neoprene which does not "dig" into your neck, and you can quickly disconnect the strap with the "quick disconnect" connectors. Even in the hot sun sweating, the strap does not cause discomfort. Note, I have not yet tried the strap with a heavy "L" lens, but it works great with the smaller lenes.

ps, it also makes you look more "professional" if you care about such a thing... OP/TECH USA 1501012 Pro Strap for cameras and binoculars- neoprene (Black)

I bought this strap to replace a Nikon strap for a D90, 50mm lens, and the heavy SB900 speedlite. OP's strap DRASTICALLY reduced fatigue and pressure, making the camera feel less than half its weight.



It does this by combining a wide, thick neoprene piece and stiff elastic sewed onto it. You get "goosh" from the neoprene, and just the right amount of "give" from the elastic.



HOWEVER, the neoprene/elastic section is at the top / in the middle of the strap, and is about 10 inches long (in the sample photo, the neoprene section is the larger/wider part) . The rest of the strap (the two sides that are skinny in the photo) is a rough nylon-type fabric, with plastic clips to quickly attach/detach the strap from the camera.



I am female, so I frequently use the camera when wearing a scoopneck blouse where part of my upper chest, back, or shoulders are exposed. The nylon fabric was soo rough and scratchy to my skin, that I could hardly bear the strap longer than 10 minutes before my skin felt raw everwhere it was rubbing. The neoprene and elastic section was so comfortable I wish they would have just made the entire strap out of that.



To salvage my purchase, I used a sewing seam ripper to disassemble the strap, and sewed the comfy neoprene strip onto my original Nikon strap. This was a perfect compromise. It was not quite as good as the original due to being unable to use the stretchy elastic section. However, the OP strap would have been otherwise unusable because of how horribly it rubbed my skin. Thankfully, the neoprene strip sewed onto my Nikon strap is awesome - I have worn it for two 2hr shoots, and it was very comfortable.



I wouldn't expect a guy to have any problem with the strap, because men's shirts cover the skin all the way up to the neck, so the roughness of the material would not be an issue. If you are a guy, you will love the strap! If you a girl, perhaps try something else, or remake the strap like I did, or plan to always wear shirts that cover you completely to the neck.



I gave it two stars because it would be completely unusable to me as it is (1 star), but since I was able to take it apart and use part of it very nicely, it gets one more star.

I very often carry 2 Nikons, both with the MB-10 battery pack. I purchased one of these straps to see if it would be effective. What a difference! You will not believe how much lighter your camera feels! It is so much more comfortable and balanced around your neck or over your shoulder. There is simply no comparision to the $5 strap supplied with your camera. The length is very adjustable and the wide part can be easily removed via plastic clips when your camera is on a tripod. I have already ordered 2 more [one for my other camera, and one for my daughter]. This is a great product that, by the way, also looks very professional.

I was plagued byt the stock strap for my Digital Rebel XTi and knew there existed a better product. Based on professional forum postings, I gave this one a shot. Now I no longer am tired of wearing my camera for more than thirty minutes and recently spent time with this around my neck for almost 6 hours continuously during an event shoot.

I have always used Op Tech straps as they have never let me down even in the days of film. They make your load so much more comfortable and have solid construction they really need to be put on every camera you use. Nothing beats a Classic as they say, but the Pro is a bit better as it forms more to the neck and shoulders of the user. The Op/Tech Classic strap Op/Tech Classic Strap for Cameras, Camcorders & Binoculars - Red is still a worthy buy, it just got moved to my back up camera.



C'mon folks, you pay good money for your camera. Fork out a few extra dollars on a good strap that will allow you to shoot all you want when you want without worry of aches and pains. Trust me; after a few hours of carrying even a lighter set up around with this strap on instead of the one that came with your camera, your body will thank you.

Excellent product. I purchased this to replace the original camera strap that came with my Canon Xti, as it was just not comfortable enough after I addedd a 100-400mm Canon lens. This product worked out perfectly, long enough to make it possible to carry my camera with this large telephoto lens crossed over my shoulder, and under the opposite arm. No strain on the neck, as I can help support the weight with one hand on the lens.'

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Nailer - pastor

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I was in need of another siding gun, and saw the NV75AG just hit the market. Being that I own the siding (4 years use) and framing (8 years use) versions Hitachi makes (both superior products), when it came time to get a second nailer for siding the choice was clear. For several years I have been contempating getting a coil framer. When sheeting walls on the ground I loose considerable time reloading with the stick framer. This gun holds over 225 nails in one coil! And should my stick framer blow a top seal, or sider fail, the NV75AG will allow me to continue. The gun functions flawlessly, with both the depth adjustment on the gun and a non maring tip included. Hitachi includes all allen wrenches and fittings, something other makers should but don't. Only complaints, cost and plastic skirting. Cost, well it takes the place of 2 guns. Skirting, easily removed. Hitachi NV75AG Round Head 1-3/4-Inch to 3-Inch Coil Framing Nailer

i purchased two of these guns last year and have used them heavily, without any problems. these are great tools. very well designed. light enough for siding all day, compact and very fast for framing, sheathing and subflooring. i don't waste time loading nails every minute. no jam problems. just don't try to load mangled coils, duh.

Amazon's Tool Crib shipped on time with no glitches. The 75 nailer is typical of Hitachi's great nailers, and has the versatility to do framing and siding. Mine has gone through about 4000 2" Senco and 3" Bostich nails for fence building without a miss and little sign of wear. Since I only use it once in a while, I'm confident it will last me a lifetime.

The Hitachi NV75AG is a terrific coil nailer. Because it shoots sheathing thru framing nails the 75AG could be the only framing nailer in your toolbox. The real advantage of this gun is the (lack of) weight. Compared to any gun that will do the same, this gun is light. It may seem a little heavy when it's loaded with a full coil of 3" framing nails but it's not long before the coil gets shorter and then the gun is really nice to use. Everything about the 75AG is well designed and manufactured. Hitachi simply makes the best nail guns. I have owned and still own, Senco, Paslode, Makita, DeWalt and Max guns and I'm convinced Hitachi is the best. If I had to get down to just one it would be the NV75AG, the most versatile and comfortable gun I have used.

This is an excellent siding and framing nailer, however it is not as powerful as a Hitachi NR83A framing nailer, which has a substantially larger air chamber for driving nails. In most cases this nailer is great for framing; its compact size allows you to face-nail and toe-nail easier in tight spaces. However, when nailing a .131 x 3" framing nail into two pieces of old growth fir 2x (not as common of scenario these days unless you reuse materials from demolitions on the West coast), the nail will often sit proud about an inch or more. The Hitachi NR83A will usually sink the nail in this scenario, albeit sometimes the nail may sit about a 1/4" proud.

I bought this nailer to hang fiber cement lap siding on my home. This nailer is very easy to operate and comfortable all day in your hand. I've put about 2500 nails through it so far with only a few jambs, usually only when I come to the end of a coil of hit something underneath. Very easy depth adjustment and loading. Using this with the Malco FCG2 Fiber Cement Siding Plank Gauges for 4" exposure works like a charm. Easy guages lets you hang by yourself. Although I use them maily to hold the piece in place while I remove the guide and place a wood guide I make to ge the "exact" exposure. I'm very fussy on this.



I highly reccomend this nailer. It's also great for nailing exterior wood trim, lots of power.

Been using it for a few months now and am overall happy. The gun does fine for toenailing, subfloor/sheathing and with new doug fir. It is a bit underpowered for old wood and engineered lumber. The gun shines for doing some akward overhead work like drops, which is why I got it. If you are going to get one gun, get the 83, but the 75 is a nice gun to have if you are having more than one.

It is expensive but it is a first class tool, I have used it to side a house with HardiPlank siding, It drives the stainless steel nails that I am using

just fine,it is balanced and lightweight. It is highly recommended.

.

I just wish it came with a case and an air fitting - Pastor'

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Macbook Case - laptop bags, macbook case

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The mCover Hard Shell Cover Case for the new Macbook Air (released late in 2010) is one of the first hard shell covers made specifically for the new Air, and despite the company's reputation I had some trepidation about buying it before it was reviewed by experienced Mac product experts. But I have to say that it's everything I want in a cover/protector for the new Air: it fits snugly and goes on with virtually no effort. It snaps on in a way that makes it almost impossible to scratch the computer. It has retractable legs that allow you to position the computer at different angles. I bought the clear model, and it's pretty much invisible. I've had it for 10 days or so now and I can only find good things to say about it. Whew! Clear mCover® Hard Shell Cover Case For NEW 13.3-inch A1369 Apple MacBook Air (NOT compatible with original A1237 13" MacBook Air, fits MC503LL/A or MC504LL/A order numbers)

When I purchased my new MacBook Air at the Apple store, I asked specifically for a clear hard shell case for it because the aluminum body of the laptop scratches really easily. I was assured that the case I was buying (for $50!) was going to fit. Did it? OF COURSE NOT. It was for the prior model. So I had to make do with the case that didn't fit to protect the computer, while searching for a hard shell case that would actually fit.



This one is perfect. The clear model has a matte finish to the lid, and from the side it almost looks frosted, but you can see the decals and stickers I have on the lid just fine. It is ridiculously easy to put on and while I was afraid of cracking it while I snapped each corner into place, the case was way more durable than I gave it credit for. It is very, very lightweight, doesn't add much at all to the dimensions of the machine, and it isn't slick or slippery to carry, either. Plus, it has feet. Yup. Flippy feet. I didn't think I would use them, but they tilt the laptop to a very comfortable typing height.



Plus it was much cheaper than the one I purchased at the store. BOO. YAH. It fits exactly right - thank you to mCover for clearly labeling the correct model and compatibility in the title and description of the item so I knew I was getting the right case for my laptop.

I was researching for a protection accessory for my 13" MacBook Air to avoid scratches (...because it's so precious, right?) but at the same time don't look so bulky that it turns your thin Macbook Air into a 3" custom body armor.



I looked at the popular InvisibleShield by Zagg, checked their website, very impressed with it. But I found two reasons not using that awesome product: One, No matter how good the shield is in preventing SCRATCHES, it wouldn't prevent a lightest DENT to chassis caused by bumps when one had to rush for an emergency meeting while holding his boss's caramel macchiato on the run. Secondly, it's quite hard to install because you have to ensure the environmental setup to be really clean, lint free - unless if you live in a science lab.



Then I found this product under the "Similar Items" category. I read other owner's reviews, looked at the pictures, and purchased it (Color: Clear). So here are my comments (in bullet form for your convenience):



LIKE:

- Structurally strong: Plastic is constructed with hard and malleable property with a matte surface. 1.5mm plastic layer surrounds all four edges. Coverage excludes the ports for accessibility. Cover will protect most minor bumps.

- Tight Fit: Connection to body is by 11 short tabs that snaps to the inner edges. The hinges are very short, extending only 0.5 mm towards the body - meaning lesser leverage to the tabs - meaning grips well and tabs won't break easily. I actually had a real hard time removing it because a speck of pencil-dot-dust was left inside the cover while installing it - don't ask why, I just had to ...

- Visually pleasing: I stepped back a few meters away and the case just vanishes... Just kidding. It looks very thin, transparent and discreetly designed.

- Heat distribution - I initially suspected the laptop might get warmer being wrapped with an inducting material. However, it seems fine (over a normal computer usage - browsing web with Aerosmith song playing). I also worry about the wi-fi signal being damped, but it seems fine.



DISLIKE:

- Not precisely molded. For example, the 2 tabs at the back cover (at the fan area) obstructs the top cover when one swivels it open. As a result, a rubbing sound between the plastic hinge and the two tabs occurs. This is not a con really but more of a remark for improvement opportunity. So if only the tabs are a hairline thinner (about 0.3 mm), it would be fine.

- Weight affects monitor hinges. Because MacBook Air's thin hinges is weak to support the weight addition of the plastic cover on top of the top metal body. The screen "falls out" when you lift the main board up (about 45 degree elevation) - So just be careful if you want to preserve your hinge's friction.

- Visual Flaw (Subjective): There is a visible carved square marks on the five tabs in front cover which is inevitably a part of manufacturing process. Also, The word MBA13 (hardly visible though) is embossed on the top left corner on the top cover - Dislike!



Bonus Review:

- It comes with a free keyboard shield made of soft-rubber . Quite useful goodies but the thing is it also cupped the sound volume as MBR's sound actually flows out from the spacings between the keys. - Muffing and vibrations are produced above volume level 4.

- Shipping is godspeed. I like this guy, whoever runs the order. - Apple - Laptop Bags - Macbook Air - Macbook Case'

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Kayak - inflatable kayak

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We needed a cheap way to get into kayaking and found this kayak on Amazon. If cheap and easy is what you are after this is the way ahead. We got it to the lake and had it inflated in minutes with a coleman quick pump(which is not that good). I also purchased a skeg and some ali paddles.



Minutes later we were paddling around the lake figuring out turns and direction techniques. We have also been down flat water rivers and have had great fun. The boat is super stable and even take our 7 month old in it. Sevylor Tahiti Fishing/Hunting Inflatable Kayak

When I was looking for an inflatable boat I was looking for ease of inflating and deflating while I was camping. It is very easy to inflate and deflate. I would recommend buying an electric pump that also deflates as well. Fishing can be a bit challenging at first because of the light weight which causes drift especially when fighting the fish, but after hours of practice you will learn the dynamics of the boat and it will become second nature. This boat is great for double kayaking with a friend.

I have a small car and this works perfect for when I am wanting to float about the lakes while camping. I can blow it up and I am on my way. It is very sturdy. I have purchased two boat cushions that I sit on when rowing to bring my body up, it is easier. I also bought the SKEG, this is a must, keeps you from spinning in the lake. I haven't quite figured out the sides which have indicators on them, sure I will figure out the right amount of air with use. Overall an awesome ride!

I was thinking of buying a kayak just to get out on the water, and maybe for fishing. I live in an apartment in the city, however, and have no place to keep a hardside boat unless I consider it furniture. When I read about inflatable kayaks I was interested, but skeptical. I checked around, and narrowed my choice to this Sevylor and the Sea Eagle. I went with the Sevylor at $105 plus shipping, and I'm pretty happy so far.



I went to a small (45 acre) lake to give the thing trial run. I had to hike about 1/2 mile down a trail to get to the lake. I was alone, and able to carry the deflated boat, all my fishing gear, and a few other things this distance without too much trouble. I inflated the boat in about ten minutes with a hand pump, and was on the water. I paddled the entire length of the lake, heading into a stiff wind (about 15mph) without breaking a sweat. I have the skeg, and didn't have any problems with tracking. At the far end of the lake, I used a 5 lb. anchor while fishing several small coves. It worked perfectly. I caught a couple of bass and some panfish, and found the boat to be stable in the water the entire time and surprisingly comfortable. After a couple of hours I had fished my way back to the landing, deflated and packed everything back to the car.



If you're a serious, hardcore kayaker... go buy a kayak. If you want to be able to explore a lake and go fishing on a whim for less than $200 (boat, paddle, pump, etc.)with a boat that you can fit in the trunk of a hatchback, I'd get this thing.



=====

Update: 8/7/11

=====



I have used this boat several times over the last couple of months. I can report that it is holding up well, and I'm still very happy with the purchase.



I eventually did take it out with a passenger, and found that it feels just as stable while carrying two people as it does with one.



This is a nice, convenient item for the price.



=====

Update: 8/7/11

=====

Hello, I bought this kayak on a whim. I've been in and out of hard shell kayak's all my life. But this is my very first inflatable. I bought it because I was tired of fishing from shore. It's great to start off with. We have an ozark trail electric pump, which had it inflated in about 10 minutes including the time to figure out what goes where. I'm seeing a lot of reviews mentioning a Skeg. This i feel is a must. It was windy out today, and we were twirling like a feather in the wind. Even so we were able to navigate somewhat. We used one of the oars as a rudder which seemed to give us much better forward control. My girlfriend is a bigger girl and the two of us definetley went over the weight limit, but you wouldn't know it.



Still a little scared with my hooks around it. I think I may upgrade to the Sevylor Colorado soon, only because this first inflatable was so much fun!

This kayak is a lot of fun. Wife and I take it out to Grapevine Lake, in Grapevine, Tx. It is a big lake, with lots of boats. Keep reading for details on that. We take it out to the middle of the lake and just relax there.



--Durability

Pretty sturdy, I was a bit scared the first time we took it out, but after the first time I became very comfortable with it. The lake where we go is pretty deep so I'm not concerned with branches or big rocks sticking out. As soon as we leave the shore, I'm worry free, though I bring the patch with me just in case (and my PFD). We thought about going to Trinity River in Arlington, the water there was great, but there were too many branches sticking out of the water, so I'd rather take a hard shelled kayak there. Other than that, the valves are great, excellent quality PVC.



--Heading

After reading all the reviews, we bought the directional skeg with the kayak, so I never tried it w/o the skeg. The skeg keeps you straight, but of course it is not perfect. If 2 of you are on the kayak, you will have to coordinate your paddles, and both have to try to keep it straight. Sometimes we have problems on windy days, the wind & current can make you go around in circles, but that is expected given the size of the thing. I'd say winds under 20mph should be OK for fun kayaking. If you stay close to the shore, it should help as well. And for beginner kayakers, keep the paddling smooth and uniform. Another tip for keeping it straight, but again, sometimes the wind will turn you no matter what and you'll have to correct your direction very often. Wakes created by boats and jet-skis don't seem to affect it that much (actually they make the paddling more fun).



--Size & Seating

I've heard some comments about the size and fitting 2 people. I am 5'11", the wife is 5'4". We both fit just fine. We even bought a dry bag to carry our belongings (wallet, cell phone) and we put that under the canopy in the back. One problem we had in the beginning was the front seat. The backseat almost feels like a recliner, and it's very comfortable, but the front seat kept moving a lot, since it doesn't have anything to lean on (except for the legs of the person behind you). The way we solved that was by undoing part of the string tying down the front canopy, and using that to tie the seat (there's a hole in the middle, we just tie it there). That seems to hold the seat up pretty well, doesn't slide at all, so it's more comfortable for the kayaker in front. Also, the seats can be a pain to inflate, but they don't take much air. I'm still researching a replacement seat option.



--Portability & related items

Fits in the trunk of our small sedan just fine. We bought these items as well:

Coleman 12-Volt DC QuickPump - Good pump, we're in the water in 5-10 mins.

Kwik Tek Deluxe Kayak Paddle 2 sect Alum 84" Curved Blade - 2 sections, so they fit in your trunk even if you have a small car.

Ascend(tm) Heavy-Duty Round-Bottom Dry Bags -keeps your valuables dry.

O'rageous® Men's PFD Neoprene Life Vest - fit pretty well, comfy, though I tend to unbuckle it sometimes for easier paddling. - Inflatable Kayak'

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Beta

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I just got my Tomtom VIA 1505TM yesterday, and having just got off the phone with the (easy to reach & very friendly & helpful) customer service here is what I wish I'd known before I bough this: it's still in Beta and isn't supported by a lot of Tomtom's infrastructure yet. For example, as of today (April 5th 2011) you aren't going to find it on most of the drop down menus on Tomtom's website or as an option on the phone menu when you call customer service. More seriously, it can't connect to Tomtom Home which is the software that allows you to do the fun things Tomtom offer like downloading voices or other doodads to your device. I was really looking forward to customizing my GPS with various voices and I'm sad I can't do that. I am assured that over the course of this year Tomtom will send updates to the VIA GPSes that will eventually allow them to join the party but for now there is very little support for this product. I think it's kind of weird to release a beta that has less functionality than the models it supersedes without clearly warning potential purchasers so I'm writing this review today. I also can't buy a carry case sized just to fit my VIA - which is a different shape to previous models because it attaches to my car using a different system. I'm told its a better system but since this is my first GPS I wouldn't know.



Hopefully by the end of the year (as I said, I'm writing this on April 5th 2011) this review will be obsolete but right now, if you purchase this GPS today, you will not be getting a fully supported device. I'm not happy at having been lured into Beta testing Tomtom's new product line, this is my first GPS and I paid $200 for it, I wanted a great experience right out of the box. As it is I'm just feeling a bit sad about the whole thing, and even the charming customer service hasn't made that go away.



The thing is, this is a really nice piece of engineering. It is super easy to set up and use. It works in a fundamentally different way to previous Tomtoms, and you can use it while it is plugged into your computer. A friend of mine has an earlier Tomtom and I know she gets frustrated at not being able to access her Tomtom while it is attached to her computer so that is a definite plus. I'm not complaining about the device itself, it is very cool. I'm told that this model is the future of Tomtom, and that in time it will do everything the other models do and more, but the fact is that it doesn't do that now, today, April 5th 2011.



So. Early adopters and devoted beta testers rejoice! This is definitely the Tomtom for you. Buy one and enjoy yourselves. But those of you who, like me, just want to get where you are going with a bit of fun along the way, and the least amount of hassle, might want to pick something else. TomTom VIA 1505TM 5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Traffic & Maps

I bought this GPS right before my trip around the south western United States that encompasses Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colarado, New Mexico, Arizona (where I got a freakin speeding ticket by the cameras for doing 77!), and finally LA back to northern California. I planned my trip with the TomTom by setting the destinations as the state capitols.



Before the trip, I set up all the settings such as color and car icon (which I switched to Micky mouse) and the welcome and goodbye screens. The personalization is limitless with the Tomtom Home application you install on your computer, there you can update the firmware and maps (lifetime maps), also you can choose from thousands of screens and car icons, a very big plus. I changed the voice to a Indian accent, which cost a dollar or two but was hilarious.



Performance wise, I'd say is very on par with TomTom's reputation. Recalculations do not take more than 7-9 seconds, also satellite signal lock, while not instant, was much faster than any of my other friends GPS units. My only gripe is, whenever you exit the freeway or dont exit the freeway when you are supposed to, the unit can't sense it until the exit or stretch of freeway goes beyond the circle of triangulation. This problem I have seen on every single GPS unit I have seen or owned, even on the Lexus I used to drive that senses wheel turn. It's not a very big deal, but be aware that this is a very pervasive problem among GPS units.



The menu is very simple, with large icons that relate to its function. Typing is very easy, like texting on a smart phone that does not have physical keys, although if you have big fingers, you might mistype sometimes, not a deal breaker by any means, just type steady. Know that the 5 inch screen is comparatively big. The 1505 also comes with Voice recognition so you can just speak your destination.



The resolution is 480 by 272 pixel resolution. Its dimensions are 4.7 inches long by 3.1 inches wide 1 inch deep, and it weighs 6.5 ounces, not very large and can fit any pocket, cubby or glovebox.

You get two extra gigabytes of memory than the cheaper models: 4 GB. But, it doesn't have a SD card slot which really really sucks, but I guess 4GB will suffice.



Battery life, averaged, is about 2 hours, i found if you switch off voice guidance and lower the brightness, you get a little more. Thats not bad, as most trips i take are less than 2 hours, i really do not like having to plug in the cigarette adapter.



The 1505 comes with an integrated mounting feature like most TomToms, which is a really nice feature. Basically, your mount is connected to the back of your device, and you simply pull it out when you want to set up your TomTom on your dashboard.



You also receive a variety of other applications, including Map Share, IQ Routes and Advanced Lane Guidance. Map Share allows you to update your TomTom map as often as you like for free. This ensures that you always have the latest road information for free.



The IQ Routes application ensures you never get stuck in traffic. This feature actually downloads the latest traffic information to provide you with the shortest route to your destination. It doesn't just go by the posted speed limit of a road; it actually pulls up how fast cars are actually moving which is a real lifesaver, especially when I was going through LA. LA traffic especially along 101 is notorious and I was very very grateful that the 1505 actually sensed the traffic speed and gave me a short cut to ahead of where the traffic was. Like the Maps, the traffic feature is lifetime too, and it doesn't have ads like I have seen on some Garmin GPS units.



The Advanced Lane Guidance feature is for anyone who's ever missed a turn because they were in the wrong lane. This feature will visually show you how many lanes lead to which exit so you can be sure if your lane will work.



If you want a big screen and a pack of features, then the TomTom VIA 1505 is for you. The 1505 with the lifetime maps and traffic is pretty much standard fare, all you need in a GPS unit with lifetime road and map info, TomTom menu simplicity, and a huge screen; all for just 200. However the deal breaker for some might be that the 1505 doesn't have hands free, but that was fine for me, I have a bluetooth device on my stereo.



in the box:

- TomTom 1505TM

- Suction mount (to mount to window or dashboard pad)

- Dashboard pad (blastic circle that provides a stable surface for the suction mount)

- USB cable

- Cigarette adapter

- Set Up Guide

- 1 code, valid for Lifetime Map/Traffic updates



When i bought this 1505 model, i purchased the 1535 VIA as well for a friend who's birthday is coming up. It is basically the same exact thing as the 1505 but it has bluetooth handsfree for only like 20 bucks more. I didn't need that feature because my car already has bluetooth. We switched our units for like a week, and honestly, i could not tell it was hers except for the fact that she didn't download the Indian accent voice package on hers.



Side note, i recently clarified with my friend, she says the 1535 does have a SD card slot, so thats one more extra feature of the 1535'

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Ear Hook

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I received only six hooks with my original order, but the seller promptly sent me the rest of the order with no hassle after I contacted them. These hooks seem as well made as the one I received with my Motorola H790, and I have been using the first one for the past month or so without any problems. It fit the headset just fine and actually seems more comfortable than the original. I wouldn't hesitate to buy these if you need a replacement. As long as you're careful not to bend the hook too much when you're putting the headset on--which is easy to do--I don't think breakage will be more of a problem than with the original. 12 Pieces (6-clear/6-black) Earhook Ear Hook Clip Loop Replacement Compatible with Following Bluetooth Headset

Ordered 12 received 18. The clear ones are a little thicker than the black ones. The black are maybe a little more flexible, but I would push that. Not as sturdy as some of the clear fexible units around at higher cost. For the price and quantity, these are a very good deal.

Hi,

I at first received the wrong size for my bluetooth, and emailed them to let them know what had happened, and they sent me the correct size and I sent to wrong size back with no problem.

They were awesome!!!

The product description clearly lists fitting the LG HBM-760. Be advised it does not replace the old earhook the same way. Instead of clipping into the previous mounting point, this hook has to be forced over the speaker mounting point. It's a tight fit and the old mounting point is simply no longer used. It would be nice if they provided these instructions as this change was not obvious at all (at least not to me).

These things are worthless! Once you snap them onto your bluetooth - if you try to rotate the ear hook it will snap. Be sure to carry the whole bag with you, you'll be replacing it about once per day.'

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Casio G-watch

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.. And not only does it blend perfectly with my ACU's(Uniform) , but off duty in civilian clothing i can wear it where ever. Stylish yet simple. Hi-Tech with a futuristic, hard ass.. bad boy look and feel to it depending on your point of view. Love it. A MUST BUY! Yeah the LED doesn't illuminate the digital time, but what other watch illuminates when its pointed at your face at night? What other watch this reliable, shockproof, magneticproof, shockwave proof, water proof, has a speedometer! plus the analog hands move automatically(thought that was cool). But the manual takes some time to figure out. a small price to pay for this Hi-Tech watch. A must if you are in the Military.



-got it as a early xmas gift from a friend back in the states. love it. G-Shock Big Combination Military Watch - Matte Black

This is my 3rd G-Shock in 20 years. My first lasted 5 years then was destroyed when I had the battery replaced & it did not stay waterproof, my bad for not verifying before I took it in salt water. The second one was ripped off my arm after I had it for 10 years when the water ski rope grabbed it when I wiped out, probably still going at the bottom of the lake, that was about 5 years ago. This one looks great & has excellent functions. I really like the complements I get when wearing it. It fits great, is comfortable to wear & is very light. Since the band seems to always be the weak link on G-Shocks, I ordered 2 replacement bands from Casio so I am ready for this watch to last for many, many years. As others have stated, it is a bit hard to read the digital part in lower light, but I don't find that a problem as the time is displayed on the hands & that is the primary reason you wear a watch! I have had it for 3 months now & it has stayed accurate to 10 seconds so far, I am a pleased owner of this watch.

I went crazy when I saw this watch online, I'm active duty and any thing black smacks me in the face and makes me want to buy it, so I just had to have this watch. I loved it at first its all matt black pretty big face nice strap pretty spec ops looking. After a few weeks when I really started to get down to using it, I realized it was not as good. The dial light is orange and it does not really light up the entire face as well in the dark it kind of casts a shadown over the dial which sucks when you're training at 0230 in the woods with nothing around.



The digital layout is the worst its in the negative format which is black all around and the numbers are light grey. Its not flushed with the watch dial so whe to illuminate the dial light you just cannot read the digital time it's always black. When doing PT in the mornings in the dark you need to see the seconds display and its too black to see any thing, if the hands happen to be over the digital display it makes it ever worse. Now being military I have some unusual circumstances so it does not really work out for me, BUT I adapt and over come! Over all it still looks good its pretty light and is a nice big watch which I like, time format can be set to 24hr too, it's just the stop watch function and the light on this watch sucks, I'm going to get the one in red and black it does not have the black digital display and is easier to read in the dark. I hope this helps my peps!!!



Over n out!

I agree with the other reviews...this is a great looking, stylish watch. However, I work, at times, in low light areas. I can see the analog hands just fine, but the LED light does not illuminate the digital portion at all! And the only way I can see the digital is to get out a flashlight and shine it on the display. I took a chance on this watch, and was sadly disappointed of the fact I can only fully use it on a sunny day or in a well-lit room. :-( Even worse, Im deployed and it took forever to get to my location. Now, it is outside the 'two weeks' return policy. :-(( BIG thumbs down.

As others have already stated here, the illumination will only show the analog hands, not the digital display. In all fairness to Casio this is designed to be a tactical watch, so it tries to maintain light and noise discipline. The watch does not beep a lot in comparison to other sports watches, which could be good or bad depending on your perspective. Even when it does beep, like when the alarm goes off, it's not very loud. I normally wear analog dive watches such as Luminox or Casio, but needed a stopwatch during fitness training. I was impressed how light this watch is compared to my dive watches! The band is comfortable and features lots of holes for precise adjustment and they allow more air to your skin.

I was really hoping the reviews about a lack of brightness were over stated but they are accurate. First off I love this watch. Very cool looking and even more durable. I like it and will wear it. However when the next paycheck comes in I will buy a Luminox and will probably have to make an effort to wear this watch. I have just un-boxed the watch. Now admittedly my living room does not have the best lighting but no exaggeration I can see the hour and minute hands very well and that's it not even the 5 minute hashes around the face of the watch. The light is weak and it only further illuminates the hour and minute hand and in no way illuminates the stuff I cannot see. I am going to have to move right underneath the light or move to another room in order to see what the other windows are and to figure out how to set the watch. To summarize very very cool but only wear in the daytime. I bought this for work while on an oil rig and at night this watch will do me no good at all.

I just love this watch! The 51mm face is big but it wears much smaller. It's true that you can't see the numbers in the dark but the light shows what the time is with the analog hands. Very stealthy looking watch.

Now I'm a little disappointed about the price since this watch retails for $99 and Amazon sells it for $129. Even the price on the tag was removed when I opened the box. My fault for not shopping around though... Paid for overnight and got it in 2 days.

Not too thrilled about that either.'

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Multi-port Usb Hub - 7 port, usb hub

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This is a high-quality, versatile USB hub at a bargain price. I am a very pleased owner of several Belkin products, and always look to the Belkin name for quality & problem-free use. This hub was no exception.



I purchased it for my Windows Vista 64 desktop PC (no brand name - I built the system from components). It was "plug-and-play" easy to install, w/ no additional drivers needed. Vista 64 recognized it without a hitch, as well as any other devices I have plugged into the hub, both powered (printer) and non-powered (mouse & keyboard). It includes an AC power supply which I like for desktop hubs - I have found over the years that some non-powered hubs do not play well with non-powered USB devices.



It looks attractive sitting on my PC tower case which is black as well, and I like the additional thought that went into designing the base to serve also as a "knick-knack" tray (for paperclips, etc.). But to me the "killer feature" of this hub is that it is two hubs in one. The black base features 3 USB ports, while the removable silver attachment has an additional 4 USB ports. There are electrical contacts on the bottom of this attachment so that, when plugged into the base, it is powered. When removed, it acts as a standalone, non-powered travel hub, great for laptop use. (And, in fact, when the silver travel hub attachment is disconnected from the black base, the black base then has 4 available ports - the three on the back & the one that the travel hub attachment plugs into). I use the travel hub sometimes on my MacBook Pro, and it works great, even with two non-powered devices - a mouse and a Kensington numeric keypad. Another reviewer mentioned that the travel hub section was too "thick" to be used on a MacBook - it is indeed just a little bit thicker than the Macbook Pro itself such that when you place the MacBook Pro flat on a table, it pushes up a wee little bit on the hub - but not enough to make it unusable. Regardless, I use a laptop stand that makes this a moot point for me.



A final nice touch on the travel hub portion is that it swivels 180 degrees so it can be twisted out of the way of other ports, etc. on a laptop. Or, you could even turn it to a more convenient position while it is plugged into the base, although in that case the top attachment would function as only a non-powered hub if swiveled as the two electrical contacts would not contact their mates on the base. Belkin F5U706 2 in 1 USB 2.0 7-PORT HUB

The description is a little misleading. Yes, this is a USB 2.0 hub in that it has USB 2.0 ports. However, the silver portion, when attached to the main hub, is only USB 1.1. That works fine for mice and keyboards, but not much else.



So only the four ports on the base are particularly useful. So if you bought this, like I did, to plug permanent items in the back and temporary items in the top, you'll be disappointed.



You can do better...

This hub seemed like the perfect combination of features and price and with mostly positive reviews (there are always a few bad reviews) I went ahead and purchased. For about 3 months the hub worked flawlessly, even when using several ports at one time. Then, suddenly, the hub stopped working and my computer stopped recognizing anything plugged into the hub.



I tried all the normal problem solving such as unplugging, rebooting, trying different ports on my computer, etc. but nothing worked. It was not until I came back to Amazon and re-read the negative reviews that I realized I'm having the exact same problem as others listed, namely, that it is the powered base that has stopped working. If I remove the 4-port attachment hub and plug that directly into the computer port, it works. However, the base remains useless.



Interestingly, after using the hub this way for a bit, I decided to see if the base would work plugged into the 4-port adapter (which remained plugged directly into the computer) and it did. Then I tried the base without the hub directly into the computer - worked again. So I reassembled the whole thing as it should be and lo and behold, it worked fine.



So I have no answer on what caused the problem or what specifically solved the issue. I just know that right now, it works.



Belkin does have an easy to use replacement page on it's website, which I will use if problems persist. If your hub is not working and is within the warranty period, I would suggest by-passing the call in support center and just get it replaced. All the call center did was waste 20 minutes of my time to tell me to go to the website for a replacement.



So I'm giving the hub 3-stars since, when working, it is terrific, but downgrading due to occasional problems.

I pick-up this hub for my 40GB PS3. I works great with an external hard drive, PlayStation Eye, and RockBand (guitar, mic, drums). And that still leaves one front port on the PS3 open and 2 on the hub!



No problems, hard drive spins up as soon as the PS3 is powered-on. Good overall design, attaching the permanent devices to the bottom (rear facing) hub allows easy access to the vertical ports (in my set-up).



The power cord connection is on the bottom hub (same side as the usb ports). The unit also has a blue LED (front).



CONS: The power adapter is way oversized in my opinion. - 7 Port - 7 Port Usb Hub - Usb Hub - Powered Usb Hub'

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Travel Adapter - travel adapter, portable

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I originally set out to get the volume module to replace the one I lost with my original set of Shure SE210s, but then I saw this kit for the same price. You can never have too many 1/8"-1/4" adapters and the airplane adapter is invaluable. The volume module is almost a necessity with the Shure earphone since you'll want to be able to adjust the volume quickly if you need to. Shure EAADPT-KIT Attachable Volume Control

The product performs as expected. The volume control works without any obvious sound distortions. I use it as a resistor to get rid of background static (hissing) on my earphones which are sensitive to the higher power levels on my laptop. Recommended.

I messed up the headphone jack in my 1st gen iPod Touch by pushing in an old plug that was slightly too big. After that, only one channel played.



After dispairing a while and opening the iPod case (which didn't help), I bought the Shure EAADPT along with a Sendstation PocketDock, which allow me to get the audio out of the dock connector of the iPod. They work with all my iPods (we have 4 in our household, a 1st generation, a 2nd gen, and a 4th gen Touch, and a Mini). I use them in two of my cars, plugged into a Monster cassette adaptor. The combination produces crystal clear sound - noticeably better quality than I heard straight from the headphone jack. The sound is clearer because it is the Line output, bypassing some of the amplifier circuitry in the iPod, which I guess is not the best. Even though I bought the Shure and Sendstation for my messed up Touch, I use them whenever I listen to any of the iPods - that's how much better they makes them sound. My only complaint with the Shure is that it is a little too easy to move the adjusting wheel, and it has no marking on it to show the volume level.



Highly recommended. - Headphone Accessories - Travel Adapter - Earphones - Portable'

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Criterion Collection - criterion collection, world war ii

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The same week I saw 'Saving Private Ryan', I saw 'The Thin Red Line'. I left the theater both times with the same reflective shock; silent for the drive home despite the questioning of my friends. In hindsight, I could have told you who would say what about these two films. 'Ryan' would attain wide commercial success, and 'Line' would be missed. Most, including anyone who reviews this film poorly, did not get it. This film is Video Poetry. In the same way that e.e. cummings would capitalize the letters R O U N and D through that wonderful poem about the round moon, the director laces the obvious bits of typical film (dialogue, acting) with constant thematic visual reinforcement. Man and nature are compared and contrasted. Just watch as the sun catches the blowing grasses in spectacular fashion before the field becomes a massacre. Our aims as a socitey are impeached. See the change in attitude between the native people and the formerly AWOL soldiers. There is an ugliness about it that you cannot help but feel. Something is intuitively wrong with everything going on, and the subtle suggestion of this fact is presented with difinitive dilligence. The sleeper of this film is the masterfully placed musical score- seamlessly woven through the fabric of tension and release- sometimes a backdrop, sometimes running thick over the dramatic action for reinforcement. Go buy the CDs- both are fantastic! I cannot believe that every soldier hazards the thoughts expressed in this film. Nor would I suppose it impossible that some in fact did. The war, however, is simply a device for the expression of some very valid points. If it makes you reconsider your preconceptions of what goes on in GI Joe's mind, all the better. If you are after an easily accessable night in front of the boob tube, go for Private Ryan. If you'd like something to think about for months to come, spend a few hours with The Thin Red Line. The Thin Red Line (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

I already loved the film, so waited so patiently for Criterion to come out, as it simply HAD to come out, with a definitive edition. I read and posted on the various fora, sent the emails, re-tweeted the enigmatic and happy Twitpic that Criterion posted, jumped all over the Criterion newsletter when they came out with their gnomic icon confirmation. I got the Blu-Ray the day it dropped, and have spent the subsequent couple days in a kind of reverie. I just watched the film -- which is, full stop for effect, absolutely STUNNING in Blu-Ray. Every technical aspect, from the color to the surround-sound (I so love the use of Charles Ives' "The Unanswered Question" in the middle of a battlefield atrocity), is reference-quality AWESOME. I've yet to experience the commentary, but I've watched the insightful feature on James Jones and the novel from his daughter and listened to the chants; there's still the 15 deleted scenes and the wartime newsreels on Guadalcanal to go through, plus some other extras I'm sure. The essay is wonderful. If you think you experienced a religious ecstasy the first time you saw The Thin Red Line, just experience it again on this Criterion Blu-Ray and undergo true cinematic rapture.



** UPDATE ** I've watched all of the extra features, which are uniformly insightful and superb.



Commentary: This is by cinematographer John Toll, production designer Jack Fisk, and producer Grant Hill. Criterion commentaries are usually of three breeds, I find: hit-or-miss commentaries by film scholars (Peter Cowie's Bergman commentaries would be hits, the dull "you see the door in that shot? that door represents an opening" commentary on Solaris would be a miss), idiosyncratic commentaries by directors (Edward Yang, Jim Jarmusch), and then incredibly detailed production commentaries by people who worked on the production (The Last Metro, both Malicks). I like the director commentaries the most, since they usually combine both interpretation and production stories. The Thin Red Line commentary is completely about the production of the film, suffused with an almost worshipful regard for Terrence Malick. I found it a little dry. I would've liked discussion about, say, the poetry of the film -- the beautiful scene of Witt's mother dying, for example, which is like a Renaissance painting. Instead you hear that that scene was one of the last ones filmed.



Actors: An almost 30 minute featurette, featuring interviews with Sean Penn, Kirk Acevedo, Thomas Jane, Elias Koteas, Dash Mihok and Jim Cavaziel. I didn't find this particularly interesting; the actors uniformly fawn over Malick's genius and basically congratulate themselves for participating in the film.



Casting: A twenty minute featurette with the casting director, Diane Crittenden, featuring many audition tapes. Pretty interesting to see now well-known actors audition in the beginning of their careers (Nick Stahl, especially). Thomas Jane was quite the rockabilly.



Music: Hans Zimmer talks about his ambitious (he calls it "pretentious") ideas for the soundtrack of the film, particularly the idea that the music "should keep asking questions." I didn't realize that Zimmer had done the thoughtful music for Thin Red Line: it's so different from the sonic bombasts he's been doing lately.



Editing: Malick's team of editors, Billy Weber, Leslie Jones and Saar Klein discuss their work on their film. I found this feature to be the most interesting of the lot, particularly their discussion of how Malick pared the original 5-hour cut of the film (which, according to them, was plot-heavy, expository and filled with dialogue) into its current form, which is essentially a silent film layered with voiceover. Apparently Malick watched the assemblies with the soundtrack out, listening instead to Green Day. Who knew Terrence Malick liked Green Day?



Deleted Scenes: These fourteen minutes of deleted scenes show what a different movie The Thin Red Line could have been: they're basically straightforward dialogue and action scenes, with little or no voiceover or music. One of the events that actually happened to James Jones that he put into the novel -- he was surprised by an enemy soldier while taking a crap, and managed to kill him -- turns out to have been filmed after all. Another scene shows George Clooney displaying some fine actorly chops.



Kaylie Jones: James Jones' daughter talks about her father and the writing of The Thin Red Line in an illuminating featurette.



Newsreels: Ten 2-minute newsreels from 1942 talk about the American involvement in the Solomon Islands and Guadalcanal in an incredibly gung-ho, Celebrate Our Boys fashion. It's an amazing counterpoint to the film.



Melanesian chants: Audio-only feature on the native chants used in the film.



Trailer: Watch this after you've seen the film, since like most trailers it completely gives everything away. - Blu-ray - Terrence Malick - World War Ii - Criterion Collection'

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Romantic Comedies - norah jones, david strathairn

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My Blueberry Nights opens in New York within the comfy confines of a small café owned by an expatriate Englishman named Jeremy, Jude Law. While busy taking care of his numerous customers, he receives a phone call from a woman asking him if he remembered a man eating meatloaf, later it becomes evident that it was pork chops and not meatloaf, and soon a pretty, but disheveled woman, Elizabeth, played by Norah Jones, makes an appearance at the café and gives Jeremy a set of keys in case her ex-boyfriend comes back. Each night after that occurrence, Elizabeth returns to the café to see if the keys have been picked up and converse with Jeremy. The two strike up a quick friendship and eat the café's leftovers each night. Some things like cheesecake are completely gone each day, some things like chocolate mousse are mostly gone each day, and there is always an untouched blueberry pie because it is left unwanted. It is this pie that Elizabeth eats every night and after a few weeks, she heads on an impromptu road trip.



During her travels, Elizabeth meets a wide assortment of interesting characters. In Tennessee she meets Arnie Copeland, a kind-hearted, but alcoholic policeman who is a patron at both the diner and bar she works at. While drinking to soothe his broken heart, Arnie becomes friends with the much younger Elizabeth and she learns of his wife Sue Lynne who left him. Things seem moderately stable for Arnie, at least within the haze of alcohol, until, one night, when Sue Lynne comes into the bar with another man. After Tennessee, Elizabeth heads west to the land of gamblers where she meets a blonde, southern female gambler named Leslie, Natalie Portman, who loses everything in a match against a fellow with a large forehead sporting a repulsive Hawaiian shirt. Again, Elizabeth becomes friends with her fellow drifter and learns things about others and herself in the process.



Meanwhile, Jeremy, who has been receiving postcards without a return address from Elizabeth, back at the café, writes numerous postcards to Elizabeth, hoping that one of them will reach her, because his heart has opened to her in her absence.



A number of film viewers seemed to be against My Blueberry Nights while it was in the pre-production stage because it was Wong Kar Wai's first film using all non-Asian actors and actresses, as if the aesthetics and beauty found In the Mood for Love and Chungking Express could not be translated over from Asian actors to non-Asian actors. With Taiwanese directors Ang Lee and Hou Hsiao-hsien having done similar endeavors, it stands to reason that Wong would be successful also. While the accents of Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz are a bit overdone and the script does in fact sound like it is coming from a translation at points, the Wong Kar Wai sense of film aesthetic still strongly comes through with his wonderful selection of music, Cat Power's "The Greatest" plays a prominent role in the film, and its sense of loneliness and the beauty and sadness that can be found in loneliness when one is not only alone in body, but in an unfamiliar land. Some say that this is Wong Kar Wai's worst film, but with his worst being better than most, My Blueberry Nights is still a worthy film for the Wong Kar Wai canon, and should not be scoffed at by his "fans" because it stars non-Asian actors and actresses. My Blueberry Nights (The Miriam Collection)

There is much in Wong Kar-Wai's first all English production to admire, but the cast, the dialogue, and the translation of Asian aesthetics unto accent-dimmed performances is so pronounced we have no option but to enjoy the movie solely for its artistic merit while lamenting its prosaic shortcomings. The usual antics and brilliance of the director are all deployed to a whimsical effectiveness, if sometimes deliberately indulged. The usual close-ups and askance visual is present frame after frame, with opaque intrusions, slantwise peering, obstructed lavishness, and aided by the diner/pub setting the movie is infused with neon latency. In fact the plot is simple and very bleak. Action hardly ever takes place during the day, save for the occasional interlude which seems to be a way to mark as pronounced the comparative glare that the night offers. At times we have the camera slide its intensity along a bar or a table, stolidly stuck on a fork pricking through a slice of pie, or meandering about the outskirts of a bar, column after column, shadows crawling senselessly through a disorderly tension that seems innocent enough to hide behind the crevices of our visual. Overall the very Asian aesthetic quality of the camerawork tellingly foreshadows a candor that has us become voyeurs more so than spectators. In Asian culture it is best not to invade one's private space and here it is carried out to such beauty that it offers a sense of indiscreet respect.

Where the movie falters however is in its casting, of which some are excellent artists used in a middling unfortunate fashion. Jude Law and Natalie Portman are sensational actors but oddly cast in the drama. Their intensity is unique but too forceful for the narrative introspective layover. The graceful Norah Jones is very mediocre. She has promise but the flick rests too much on her inner turmoil to be successful since she cannot be the keystone of the narrative in a way to match the intensity and bravado of her colleagues. The story is very simple. Elizabeth is stuck on her boyfriend whose just broken-up with her. She will have to labor through her incredulousness and inability to let go. The diner's owner, played by Jude Law offers her a shoulder and an ear while terribly straining the poetic attitude of the atmosphere by introducing a dialogue that metaphor driven closes the doors it chances to open. In fact while observing the action from behind window panes or timidly joining the session while tip-toeing about a door left ajar we discover a tenuous delicacy of touch that is as fragile as Norah Jones' performance.

David Strathairn, cast as Arnie, the alcoholic policeman who cannot let go of his wife, strikes a rapport of morbid proportions with Lizzie. While on a lovelorn escapade to Memphis, Lizzie nurses her loss and begins to recover, but in the process as she learns to give up, somehow that same sense of absence transfers to Arnie who is separated from a wife who wants nothing to do with him. The perfection of his character study and depth only highlights the misses of the others, including Arnie's estranged wife Sue Lynne (Rachel Weisz). Arnie gives up on a night of madness and overglowing anger but determines to commit suicide. Enters Natalie Portman, a southern vixen with a penchant for gambling.

The neon-hued camerawork receives added sheen from a trip to Vegas on a brand new Jaguar, only to find out that the every win is also a loss. Ultimately that is the upshot of the narrative which is brightly demented by the braggadocio devil-may care sensibility of Leslie (Natalie Portman). The death of Leslie's father causes a reunion between Lizzie and the diner's proprietor Jeremy, who functions as the jar of sweets everyone is sure with due time Lizzie will find her way to. Time spent through glowing hues that distil an aura of hopeless references and tame performances that jarr all the more because uninspired while beset by the contrasting tenderness of the visual.

A movie worth watching, because of the addictive intensity provided by the camerawork of Darius Khondji, but the elegiac tone of a "Chungking Express" or "In the Mood for Love" is affected by the sobering vapidity of a plot that plays with the notion of loss and gain by using a maudlin dialogue and a cloyed, exhausted attempt at allegorizing by way of sappy, overburdened poetics. - Jude Law - Wong Kar Wai - David Strathairn - Norah Jones'

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