Sunday 9 January 2011

Pull-on - clog, pull-on


Good product but Amazon's size chart is not suitable for hasbeens shoes. Everybody knows that 9 US shoe size is 40 EU shoe size. I have purchased swedish hasbeens Women's 444 Clog 9M US thinking that should be a 40 EU but is 39 EU. Amazon should review its size table because it makes people get confused. I am unhappy with this purchase, this is the first time that it happens to me.ATENCIÓN COMPRADORES EUROPEOS HASBEENS 9M US = 39 EU, 10M US = 40 EU¿? TENED CUIDADO AL COMPRAR. swedish hasbeens Women's 444 Clog,Black/Nature,9 M US - Pull-on - Clog'


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Portable Printer - portable, mobile printer


I read the previous reviews and I did some research on the net about this printer. I was skeptical when I received it in the mail from Amazon about how it would be. Let me start off by saying that I am happy with it! But it is not perfect! It fits easily in my Targus backpack laptop bag with all the other gadgets I carry around with me. I saw one review that stated that the text printing was fuzzy but it seems very crisp to me and very fast for such a small printer. The photos are good quality but of course could be better from a 6 or 7-color printer, but since I have this in my bag along with a box of 4x6 photo paper I can print off a picture at any time if someone wanted a copy (and that happens a lot and sometimes I get paid for it! LOL). Convenience is King.



Here are a few specs that I figured out.



Number of photos from a single color cartridge: ~30

Approx price per photo: $.52 (With Epson glossy photo paper which I found for $16.99 for a 100 sheet box)



So, here is the deal, you are definitely paying for the convenience of printing your photos any where AND having the ability to print to letter or legal size paper. My fiancé and I have a lot of hobbies and we tend to be on the go a LOT. When we need to print out a map to somewhere or print out instructions for some kind of project while we are in the parking lot of Lowe's we count on this printer big time!



Bottom line... Is it the best and cheapest printer out there? Nope! Is the best printer for my on the go lifestyle and convenience? Totally! Canon PIXMA iP90 Photo Inkjet Printer (9466A001)

I have wanted a small, lightweight travel printer for some time and after reading a number of reviews and researching a number of options I decided to buy the Canon PIXMAiP90 Photo Inkjet Printer. I travel weekly and often need the use of a printer and so the purchase of the Canon seemed timely and has proven to be a wonderful printer. I admit I also purchased the Bluetooth option and the extended batter as well so the total cost of this bundle was right around 400.00. This is a bit pricy but after using the printer dozens of times I have no regrets for purchasing the printer or the wireless and extended battery options. The printer is easy to use, quiet and prints both color and b&w documents quickly and with very very good quality. I printed an 8x11" photo on old color paper from a small image and got very impressive results. B&W documents are crisp and of an excellent quality. What else do you want from a printer. Easy, quiet, quick and sharp quality prints!

The bluetooth and extended battery options are by no means necessary but I have bluetooth and love that I don't have to carry a bunch of cables and battery charger every time I travel. The extended battery lasts a long long time. I wish I could say exactly how many hours but I have printed at least 300 pages and never had to recharge, even when the printer was not in use for more than a week.

I carry my laptop and printer in a laptop backpack and even with magazines, ipods, files and the other stuff we carry around the printer feel lightweight and doesn't add a trmendous extra weight to the pack.

Cartridge use seems adequate and I have yet to replace a cartridge. Installation of them is easy as is the installation of the software.

I give this printer a 5 star because if has exceeded my expectations of a small, lightweight travel printer, that I also use at home. I would dfeinitely purchase this printer again.

At first after doing a little research i found that the this printer had the best capabilities to be a wireless printer and that i'll be able to print what i wanted in any situation. And it has surpassed many of what i spected for it.



Good printing quality, rather fast for such a small printer, very light in weight and has a very slick design (it looks much better than the HP competition), the software that comes with it works fine, i bought the bluetooth add-on with the battery for complete wireless capabilities,overall a very good COMPUTER printer.



In the previous paragraph you must have noticed i capitalized the word "COMPUTER", and that's were it's short in its capabilities there's no support, printing system or driver for PDA's, yes it is capable of printing via bluetooth and infrared, but personally i had problems through infrared that the printing came with miscellaneou characters, i had to get a third party printing software for my pda which i was able to print but the software that i could get can only print Word documents, Excel and typed notes but no hand writing, so no support for PDF or photos, or whatever other thing.



I contacted Canon regarding this problem, asking is there a way that i'll be able to print on this equipment from my PDA?, and it seems that Canon has decided that the only way to support this devices is through some protocols called OPP or BIP, but this protocols mostly come in cellphones not in PDA's.



So the conclusion is if you are not going to print from a PDA and your going to use your computer instead it's a great buy. If your a looking for a PDA printer better stick to the HP models eventhough you have a Palm PDA or any other brand.

Ok where do I begin with this one...



Cons...



Price - Very expensive if you want to be mobile with it.



Printer ($250 plus shipping) along with the optional bluetooth adapter (an additional $80 or so plus shipping), and also the optional battery pack kit (an additional $140 plus shipping). I paid a total of over $500 plus shipping costs for this printer and the accessories to be able to use it wireless.



Included Software - Didnt auto install and doesnt always work



I had to call tech support to find out if the disk was bad or what and we ended up going into the disk and manually installing each program which ended up not installing the icons or other little special things.



Printer/Bluetooth Installation/Setup -



If you are using a usb connection then you are ok but be warned of the "work arounds" needed and other problems when using the printer strictly with the bluetooth adapter.



The printer would not install via the bluetooth connection right out of the box. There is no documentation with the printer or bluetooth manual as to where the adapter should be installed either. I had to call tech support to find out where to install the adapter. I had to call twice to tech support in order for someone who would actually take the time out to help with the situation.



Cannon has a very weird way of a work around to get the bluetooth adapter to work with the printer and computer. First of all you have to figure out which way you want to connect the printer on your computer. Your computer's bluetooth hardware has to be configured to work with Microsofts drivers for the printer to work properly such as giving you ink status and other functions. You only have one way communication under Windows XP SP2 and that is to only print to the machine and nothing else. The other draw back to this configuration is that other devices such as my wireless headset wouldnt work anymore using the microsoft drivers. So, if I wanted both devices to work I had to use the device drivers that came with my computer's bluetooth adapter and I was back to square one with only one way communication to the printer but at least all other wireless devices would work again.



When I called tech support about this problem they tried to help but didnt know about any such problems even though its all over the internet about people having problems getting the bluetooth to work properly or even at all with their bluetooth adapters that are installed in their pc. One tech even had me uninstall the printers software and upon reboot the computer would not boot up at all. I spent a month trying to reinstall everything back into the pc.



Setup also requires you to install the printer using a usb connection first and then installing the printer again but with the bluetooth connection therefore installing two different printers. Anytime you need to do something to this printer it has to be connected via usb to do any maintenance on it.



This printer was a major pain to get up and running.



Print speed/Quality -



The printer takes a lot longer to print the same page of text compared to my lexmark x6170 all in one. Also, in between each page there is a default drying time which can be changed to go longer but not turned off completely.



Pros...



Mobility - No need for wires or power adapters

Small - fits in a briefcase or laptop bag easily

Print Quality - is better than most small compact printers

Cartridges - are cheap but dont really last that long since they are so small



Do I recommend the printer you ask...yes i recommend it if you are a mobile person and need to print things on the spot anytime anywhere and are willing to shell out over $500 to do so.



Once you do get it up and running properly you will not be dissapointed with it. - Portable - Canon - Photo Printer - Mobile Printer'


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Rapala


I like this lure for fishing from a boat or use near the shore - to mimic a small bass swimming arround structure - like a rock. I almost got a huge fish last fall. Hopefully I will catch it this summer or spring.

Shipping and handling were good - no complaints. Rapala Rattlin 05 Fishing Lures (Baby Bass, Size- 2)

I am relatively new to using this type of lure. I recently moved to a different area, and am trying to change my fishing style to match the new techniques required.



This lure is great for med retreive rates, at least when Im using it. Too fast and it seems to get too wobbly and fish stop biting. Too slow and it doesnt seem to attract them as well. I have managed to catch some nice bass, a few big ones, and also caught many croppy and other small fish.



Lure sinks quickly, but rises fast when reeled in. Bass in my area seem to love it. Problem for me is that I usually fish from shore so I have issues with it getting tangled in the weeds. I avoid this by using this lure in the areas I know, and reel it to the surface over the areas with large weed beds, letting it sink on either side of it.



This is a great lure, relatively heavy for its size allowing for some good casting distance. Performs well, they go after this lure, and once they bite, none have gotten off.



Great lure to add to your box.'


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Panasonic Plasma - 1080p, 3d


I am the ecstatic owner of a Panasonic TC-L32X2 32-Inch 720p LCD HDTV with iPod Dock, so when it came time to move up to a 42" set for the living room (and move the 32" to the bedroom to replace the 27" tube TV), I mostly confined my search to Panasonic. I had considered the previous version of this unit (TC-P42S2) because it was highly rated on Amazon, as well as slightly less expensive, but I decided to take a chance on the newer model--even though it's so new that it has no ratings or reviews. (As of 3/27/11, however, this unit is less expensive.)



I ordered this TV on a Saturday and received it via delivery truck on Wednesday. Setup was painless (it is pretty heavy, though). I was pleasantly surprised to see that it supports Internet connectivity (although it wasn't something I was looking for, the concept has really grown on me), but less pleasantly surprised to learn that the wireless dongle (Panasonic DY-WL10 Wireless LAN Adapter for select Panasonic Viera HDTVs and Blu-Ray Disc Players) is another $99. For that much, I think I'll run a LAN cable. [I did; see below. Also see the comments for another wireless alternative.] I'm using the three HDMI ports for my Verizon FIOS set top box, Apple TV 2, and JVC XVBP11 Blu-ray Player. A set of RCA audio/video inputs takes care of my Pioneer laserdisc player. (Yeah, I'm old school.) I don't foresee using the SD card slot for anything but firmware updates, but I like having USB ports so we can watch our Flip movies in full HD glory--once I learn how to do it, that is.



I was very happy with my LCD TV even in the middle of the day; maybe that's why I never realized just how bright our living room is. The first time I tried to watch this TV from the couch, the reflection from the skylight was terrible. Around noon, the glare was nearly unbearable.



In late afternoon/full dark, this TV looks fantastic. It's so good, in fact, that I couldn't tear myself away from 2 Fast 2 Furious, which says a lot. The problem is that I do most of my viewing during the day, so I'm not sure that it's going to work for me in the long run. I'll have to give it a few more days. The preset color modes aren't perfect, but they're fairly accurate right out of the box. Both Netflix and iTunes movies streamed over the Apple TV look great. When I have some time I'll run Video Essentials to get the levels dialed in.



The speakers are adequate at low volumes, and there are separate bass and treble adjustments, but at normal volumes, certain low frequencies rattle the cabinet. It was particularly bad while I was watching Inception, but my wife even noticed it during "Top Chef." I know I'll eventually have to upgrade my 15-year-old Sony receiver (it has only RCA input, and the TV has only digital audio output), but it's a little irritating that I have to do it just to watch TV without annoying rattles. If the sound quality were better, I would be happy to give this TV a full 5-star rating. (If it were just about the picture, I would.) Additionally, I need to jack up the volume when I use my Blu-ray player--a problem I also have with my 32" TV. I suspect that the player's audio output level is lower than the DVR and Apple TV. NOTE: After the first few days of viewing, the rattles disappeared. Also, I wired up the DVR box and the BD player to the receiver, so I have big sound when I want it (unless I'm using the ATV).



One feature I will never use is called C.A.T.S., which adjusts the TV's brightness according to the room's light level. Evidently it's set to On in Standard picture mode, which I discovered by accident. After exploring the settings, I found it and turned it off. I want my TV to stay at a consistent brightness level no matter what the room light is doing. (I'll bet this is why the picture looked so bad at high noon. We'll see.)



So all things considered, am I happy with my purchase? Yes. The detail and clarity blow my mind. I'll test it with some more Blu-ray movies over the next few weeks and see how it performs during the day, but I think we have a winner. Welcome to the family.



Update 3/19/11: I ran a 50-foot ethernet cable (BluCables 50 ft CAT 5e LAN Network Ethernet Cable 350MHz) from my Verizon FIOS router to the TV. I wasn't able to connect automatically; after a few failed and frustrating attempts that made me consider buying the dongle, I manually input the network settings for the TV (the trick was finding and assigning an unused IP address) and bingo. Bonus: firmware updates over the 'net. I might move the Apple TV to the 32" in the bedroom, but the Viera Cast selections are limited. Netflix is essential and Amazon VOD is nice to have, but I really want Hulu. I'm still very pleased with the TV; my only minor gripe is the amount of heat it puts out. (I understand that this gets better. I hope so.)



Update 3/25/11: For those of you who, like me, are interested in getting Hulu via Viera Cast, I received this from Panasonic: "Thank you for your inquiry. This Model TCP42S30 includes a feature called EASY IPTV. Easy IPTV includes and is limited to: Netflix, Pandora Internet Radio, Cinema Now, Facebook, Napster, & Amazon Video On Demand. Hulu is an application featured in Viera Connect which this TV does not have. The TVs that have Viera Connect & Hulu capabilities are:

PLASMA: TCP65VT30, TCP55VT30, TCP65GT30, TCP60GT30, TCP55GT30, TCP50GT30, TCP65ST30, TCP60ST30, TCP55ST30, TCP50ST30, TCP46ST30, and TCP42ST30.

LED: TCL37DT30, TCL32DT30, and TCL42D30

[Some models are not available yet and are still awaiting release in Late Spring / Early Summer 2011]"



Why there would be a difference between models, I have no idea. But there you go.



Update 4/14/11: I moved the Apple TV into the bedroom with the 32" TV and have been using Viera Cast to watch Netflix movies. I haven't noticed a single stutter so far. Picture quality appears to be the same as with the ATV. My only gripe is that there's no search feature, and the recommendations in each category are limited in number. The best way around this, I've found, is to use my computer to put movies into my Watch Instantly queue and move them to the top. I also replaced my BD player with an all-region JVC XV-BP10 so I can watch my Region 2 Godzilla movies. ("Godzilla vs. Megalon" didn't look this good in the theater!) Panasonic VIERA TC-P42S30 42-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV - Viera - 3-d - 1080p - 3d'


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Picture Hanging - picture frame, ipass holder


The low-profile dual lock is a nice fastener. But it is a lot more expensive than industrial strength velcro and not much stronger, if at all. I recently used both industrial strength velcro and low profile dual lock to put up clear acrylic and chrome spice shelves on the inside of cabinet doors. I did not want to drill holes in the doors so I looked for a strong fastener and experimented putting up 1 shelf with just the velcro and 1 with just the dual lock. Both fasteners did the job well and are strong enough to hold up a shelf plus various bottles without any problem. Each shelf with spices weighs roughly 4 pounds. Here are my observations comparing the two fasteners:



1) The dual lock is three times or more as expensive as industrial strength velcro. With the product here, you get just 5 feet of usable fastener. They give you 10 feet of self-mating dual lock, but you have to use half of it for one side and half for the other. They should make it clear that it's good for only 5 feet of fastening. Velcro on the other hand markets their product correctly. So when they say 15 ft, for example, you get 15 feet of each side -- or 15 feet of usable fastener. So with the dual lock, I got 5/8" x 5 feet of usable fastener for $12 which was what Amazon was selling it at the time. They are currently selling industrial strength velcro for $24 for a 2" x 15 ft length. And you can get it even cheaper if you look around. So it's tremendously cheaper than the dual lock.



2) The low-profile dual lock is thinner and cleaner looking than the industrial strength velcro. So if you need a thin fastener or need a cleaner look, then go with this type of dual lock.



3) The industrial velcro is more flexible. So if you need to wrap the fastener around parts of an object, velcro is the way to go.



Keep in mind that 3M makes many types of dual lock, and the low-profile dual lock is not as strong as regular type 250 dual lock. Type 250 dual lock is much thicker and also much more expensive than the low profile type. But if you have a very heavy object to mount, then that is the type of dual lock to buy. Radio Shack sells type 250 dual lock from 3M under the name SuperLock. On the low-profile dual lock package, they recommend 4 square inches of fastener per pound of weight. But with type 250 dual lock you can attach 4 lbs per square inch. That will give you an idea how much stronger type 250 dual lock is.



So, from weakest to strongest, here is how I rate commonly available fasteners 1) regular velcro 2) low-profile dual lock and industrial strength velcro 3) Type 250 dual lock.



Bottom line ... since low-profile dual lock is so much more expensive than industrial strength velcro and not noticeably stronger, I would suggest using the low profile dual lock only for applications where you need a really clean looking or thin fastener. Otherwise, industrial strength velcro can get the job done just as well and much more cheaply.



I gave this product only 3 stars because 1) they don't make it clear that the 10 feet of self-mating dual lock is good for only 5 feet of application and 2) I don't find it any stronger than industrial strength velcro but it's much much more expensive. 3M Dual Lock Low Profile Reclosable Fastener 5/8-Inch-by-10-Foot, Clear

This is a great product, it does hold tight and the tape is removable. My husband uses it to hold his tray that, holds all his electronic gadgets that are needed with truck driving. I recommend this product.

I live in Arizona and have added a number of electronic gadgets to my truck. Mounting them has always been a problem. When I use Velcro, the glue on the back melts during the hot summer and the gadget falls off of wherever I have stuck it. This product has glue on the back that withstands the summer heat (so far), allowing me to simplify and beautify my add-ons.

This product which is somewhat similar to the hook and loop fasteners works fine. The problem is that it has been hyped so much on the WEB that I thought it would be much stronger than it really is. It seems to work a little better than the "V" product but not that much better.

Much better than Velcro, specially if you want to fix to glass or plished surfaces. Does not leave the stcky goo when removed and the strenght is superior. Since it has no hooks like Velcro, is not too easy to damage clothing.

This is nothing like velcro. Velcro has 2 different face materials while this just has one. You have to very firmly press the two pieces together and they kind of "snap" together. I hope the adhesive holds up to inside the car temperatures as well as other reviewers have said. Velcro adhesive doesn't hold up well at all in high temperatures. If it doesn't I'll come back and edit. - Ipass Holder - Picture Frame - Guitar Pedals - Gps Mount'


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Bargain Yoga - skidless, bikram


...for the bleeding in the laundry. There are all sorts of methods for dealing with this, e.g. putting a tablespoon of white vinegar in the wash water; washing twice before use; washing in very cold water; washing with like colors only .....



I've decided just to buy the white ones. Solves the bleeding problem and bypasses all the above.



That aside, these are genius mats and there are sure to be imitators on the market soon. One side is covered with rubbery nubs and the other side is smooth, so you can choose how you want to use it. (for pilates I use a sticky mat and then turn rubber side down, so no slippage; for hatha I turn rubber side up for toe grips .... cheating I know but there it is.)



They absorb sweat well for bikrammers, though major sweaters might still consider the Breathe mats for bikram.



So. Namaste. Yogitoes Skidless Premium Mat Size Yoga Towel (Stone)

I am somewhat disappointed with this product. I expected not to skid at all, and I still slide around a fair bit in yoga class. It does do a great job absorbing sweat in hot yoga classes and it also moves around very little on my mat, even when I jump forward/back. However, I'm still looking for something that will help my hands to stop sliding when I'm in downward dog. I had hoped this was that solution, but it's not.

Having slip-slided through vinyasa and ashtanga classes for nearly 10 years, this product looked like the answer to my prayers. Until I tried it. And experienced it flip up and kink with every jump back. If you must try this, spray it down with water before you begin to practice, so you get more traction. Or fold it up at the front of your mat and pull it out when you're sweating up a storm. It will not "stick" unless it's damp. I repeat, it must be damp! Never use fabric softener with it, it will render it useless. Downy completely obliterates the traction. Expect the stitching to unravel when you wash it...even if you wash it on cold in the gentle cycle. Another piece of advice, get the white...unless you have time to wash it separately in cold every time you use it (which is inconvenient if you practice more than once a week, which you probably do if you're considering this). The color runs and fades and, over time, you'll find you have to wash it in hot to really sanitize it. In which case, the dot on the front will crack and peel. I've given up the yogitoes and replaced it with a good, old fashioned towel. I also sometimes use the hand-towel sized yogitoes...that one is pretty good. Overall, just bring a towel that hasn't been washed in fabric softener and skip this thing. Particularly if you do vinyasa or ashtanga. Yogitoes is good in theory, but not practice.

I was getting tired of dripping sweat all over my yoga mat, so I was torn between buying one of these towels, or a cotton yoga blanket. I went with the towel after reading the reviews here. As other reviewers have noted, the non-nubby side of the towel is quite slippery. The cloth is much smoother than a standard terrycloth towel and there's just no texture to "grip".



The towel itself sticks to my mat beautifully, but my hands and feet were sliding all over the smooth side of the towel. I took another reviewer's advice and dampened the towel before my next class. That definitely helped. I haven't tried using it with the nubby side up, maybe that makes a difference. Overall, I'm happy with it, but this towel would be greatly improved with more texture on both sides.

After reading the other reviews for Yogitoes, it sounded like an absolute must-have. It is nice looking and the rubber nubs on the underside do stick well to the surface underneath. However, I didn't find the towel side to be sticky enough at all. I do work up a sweat but apparently not enough moisture on the hands and feet for this thing to work. During triangle pose and downward dog, I felt my feet slide apart ever so slowly. For someone at the edge of their pose, a slip could mean injury at worst or a break of flow at best.



I've washed the mat three times and it does bleed the first two washes. I've used it enough hoping I would finally stick those down-dogs. Each time, I've flung it off and used my Gaiam mat mid-practice. So I end up putting wear and tear on the Gaiam too. I can't return the Yogitoes now. But I can use it in the floor at home for stretches and in class for shivasana, so it isn't a total loss.



This mat just didn't do it for me.

After seeing many fellow yogis use these in class to keep from slipping on their mats, I saved up and bought one. After reading the cleaning instructions carefully to avoid the bleeding of colors onto other clothes, I washed it separately. Unfortunately, my first washing caused the edging/stitching to become unraveled. Just a bummer for a $45 product. I have yet to fix it or use it because once it's used, it needs washing and will continue to fall apart. Returning defective products purchased on the internet is loathsome. I had better get out my sewing machine and start stitching...if only I had the proper type of thread. Ughh! - Bikram - Bargain Yoga - Skidless - Hot Yoga'


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Ipad Speaker


I have the original iPad, and wanted some enhanced sound when playing music in rec room or in kitchen area. I also wanted to check email and do other things while charging. Probably, the iLuv 747 would have had greater range and deeper bass, but that is bulky, you can only use ipad in portrait mode, it may hold the ipad2 but I would think it would be wobbly, and you cannot adjust the viewing angle. This iSound system delivers good sound enhancement(but don't expect it to blast the neighbors out), you can hold the iPad in portrait or landscape modes, and adjust the angle for viewing. It will also fit the iPad2 with special adaptors that are included, and which adjust for the slimmer iPad2. The plastic arm that holds the iPad seems sturdy, but only time will tell. You slip the ipad thru the gripping arms and down onto the connector, so it is a fairly easy and secure connection. As with most such systems, you cannot have a protective case on your iPad when you use this speaker dock. I plan to use this system only when I need the enhanced sound, so this is a minor hassle. One caution however, if you lift to carry the whole unit, remember that the iPad will slip right out as it is only gripped from the sides and not locked in place from the top. Yes, this is the voice of experience ;-) So, I am very happy with this system. It's just what I wanted; better sound, flexible viewing, charging, and small enough to carry from room to room. Delivery was fast, and it is easy to set up. Shipping was an extra $4. It does come with a remote for very basic volume and on/off functions but the remote barely works at maybe 4-5 feet! I do not know about the remotes on other systems, but had thought most would be functional at 7-8 feet. The other functions on the remote work with the ipod. I just tossed the remote back in the box as un-needed, but if this is important to you, then you might want to check out other systems. iSound Cinema Sound for iPad and iPad 2 (ISOUND-4561)

Yes It does work with iPad 2 !!!

I was not sure it would work with iPad 2. I even tried e-mailing the company and got no response. It is a little loose being that the iPad 2 is thinner but it does the job and I'm happy :)'


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Cordless Screwdrivers - rechargeable batteries, dewalt


I've had the small Dewalt screwdriver for about five years and one of the batt.'s would no longer charge.

I found it cheaper to buy a new one from Amazon then to have Battery's Plus rebuild it.

A very reasonable replacement for the low price. DEWALT DW9057 Compact 7.2-Volt 1.7 Amp Hour NiCd Pod Style Battery

I have had this screwdriver for several years. I bought from Home Depot for I think $99.00. It came with the charger and two batteries which now will not hold a charge for very long. So, off to Batteires Plus to get them rebuilt. Nope - no way, the new Ray-o-Vacs they sell for $25 are $5 less than the rebuild fee. Actually, I was going to get $5 off for quantity rendering the prices equal but decided to leave and take my chances on the net.



I got to Amazon and noted the $29.99 price with no shipping (Prime Customer) and no sales tax. Even so, a few cents more but not enough for me to ride back to Batteries Plus.



Then, the deal breaker - the new screwdriver with 2 batteries and another charger is $78.99 - $18.00 more than just the two batteries. How could I not buy the whole set again. I will still have one battery per screwdriver.



And so it goes.

I've tried after market batteries for my DeWalt screwdriver and none of them last as long as the DW9057 and even though I opted for the free shipping I still recieved it fast. I have purchased from Amazon for some time now and I have never been dissapointed.

I have been using my Dewalt 7.2 volt screwdriver/drill kit for well over two years now both at home and on my job for light duties. It's size, weight, and configuration are great for small jobs, and I am still using my two original batteries after all this time though they are reaching the point I need to replace them now. The replacements are very reasonable in terms of cost, equivalent to Ryobi battery costs.

Hard to find these batteries in our city. As usual if I cannot find things here local I know I can find them on the internet and Amazon is usually the first place I start. The batteries are new and have the power and lasting power they should have. I am very pleased with the purchase and the speed in which they arrived. Thank You!

I love this tool. It's got the industrial sized oomph when you need it. It's a screwdriver on steroids - so when the batteries got weak after a couple of years I ordered one on the internet. It came quickly and it fit my old driver to a tee. Then I just pitched everything, including the driver and battery in the garbage.

I purchased 2 of these for the best price and got them from amazon. My old ones had finally wore out and wouldnt charge up. These new ones got my dewalt screwgun back to 100 percent and running screws like the unit was doing when I bought it brand new. Thanks amazon for the best price I could find anywhere.

I bought this 7.2 volt Dewalt cordless driver on e-bay and the batteries would not hold a charge. The Dewalt rep advised me when I called that the batteries were six years old when I bought it, so I ordered a new one from Amazon and it works fine and does a lot of work before needing a charge. It has changed my mind about this tool. It really is a workhorse and powerful enough for most projects that I do. I don't even need a second battery to do most of the jobs that require a drill.

We had a very hard time finding this battery in any store, even the battery specialty stores. The price here seemed reasonable and so far, works perfectly.



So glad we found it, the tool would have been useless without a battery. - Cordless Screwdrivers - Dewalt - Battery - Rechargeable Batteries'


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Cordless Screwdrivers - rechargeable batteries, dewalt battery Cordless Screwdrivers - rechargeable batteries, dewalt

La Crosse Technology - atomic, bargain


This is a great watch.

It looks stylish and syncs automatically with the atomic reference in Colorado. Please note that because it syncs automatically, there is only one button!! You will not be able to easily set it manually, but you don't need to. Using the one button, you just need to select the time zone you are in,

and once the watch syncs, you are set.



The display is clear from all angles and all light conditions including semi-bright sunlight, which is much better than many other LCD watches.

Band is adjustable, great watch. La Crosse Technology WT-967S Metal Strap Atomic Watch

I like the watch very much. It keeps perfect time. It has a true expansion band that fits very tight. There are two things that you should know: 1) It is larger than a "typical" watch and 2) the back is plastic, not stainless steel.

This is my second La Crosse Atomic Watch. It is very accurate, comfortable to wear, attractive design, and suits my personality. By the way, the first watch became infused with water and rusted to te point of complete failure. I am making sure my second watch does not have the same end.

Unfortunately the wristband was never comfortable and after a year of ownership it is falling apart. The silver paint on the case is about 80% worn off the cheap plastic case. The pictures don't show it, but it is very large watch.



I wouldn't buy it again and I am currently searching for something better.

The watch is quite attractive and works as advertised but the case is so flimsy that you are lucky if it lasts a week. It would be a bargain if it could be worn but as is should be avoided. I bought a Casio atomic watch that is much nicer and appears to be much sturdier.

I bought one of these in May 2007. If failed in September. LaCrosse replaced the innards under warranty. It failed again a year later. LaCrosse--only after 2 repeats of my inquiry--declined to replace it again without charge. They actually asked for more than I would pay for a new one via Amazon.



Further, the watch is too big. It is too big because the case material is too thick. It is too thick because it must be made of plastic to avoid attenuation of the radio signal. - Watches - La Crosse Technology - Atomic - Bargain'


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La Crosse Technology - atomic, bargain bargain La Crosse Technology - atomic, bargain

Cordless Drill - power tools, drill


I bought the PC180DK-2 at Lowes about a year ago. Honestly, I was really impressed with this drill. I'm a machine tool technician. I use this cordless drill everyday on the job. It's main duty is removing and reinstalling screws, bolts and any kind of screw fastener. I have to say this the strongest "torquest" drill I've ever used. There were a few times when I forgot to turn the torque down (I was in Drill mode) when this thing just about broke my wrist off. The two batteries hold a charge for a long time and recharging is pretty quick.

The environment I work in can get pretty nasty. These machines use coolants and lubricants. This stuff can get all over my drill especially around the hand grip.

What I found after about 9 months was the rubber material they used in manufacturing the grip was starting to come off from getting wet all the time. This is something that happens on a lot of drills not just the PC180. I just peeled off the rubber pieces that were flapping in the wind and moved on.

If you asked me a month ago if I would buy another PC180DK, the answer would have been an absolute YES. But here it comes; in the last week or so the two batteries will not stay locked on to the drill. I examined the drill to see if something had broken off but it looks fine. I'll be using it and suddenly the battery unlocks itself and in some cases it comes right off the drill and hits the floor. It has gotten to the point where I am duct taping the battery to the drill body. It appears that the spring locks on the batteries are giving it up. The spring tension isn't like it use to be. So in conclusion, this drill would be probably ok around the house but I'm not going to buy another for the type of work I do. Porter-Cable PC180DK-2 18-Volt NiCd Drill/Driver Kit

I purchased this at Lowes a few months back for home/weekend warrior use. It's fantastic, tons of torque. As mentioned by others, the light isn't the most useful because it's blocked the chuck. Although it's handy as a quick flashlight as needed (you can squeeze the trigger just enough to turn on the light but not start the chuck turning). For a weekend warrior, no hesitation. Yeah, you're paying less because it's NiCad instead of Lithium Ion, but if you take care of the batteries (do a full discharge/recharge, unlike lithium ion which is meant to be "topped off" regularly) you should be fine.



It was rated very highly, if not #1 in its category, by consumer reports as I recall.

I'd used this drill on masonry job without problems. Good performance for good price. Would be better if total weight was lower. Good power and torque. Gear box and clutch are decent for this price class. Battery endurance is very good. Best value drill.

I'm really happy with this drill. I only have one quibble: The LED that shows your work area in the dark is partially occluded by the chuck, so there's always a little shadow. Aside from that, it's great.

This drill replaced a 5 yr old 12V drill that recently died. Having the two speeds to choose from is great so I can set the drill and torque appropriately. It's a bit heave than my other drill, so that is why I only gave 4 stars. However, I don't plan on using it over my head for extended periods of time. Used it to install an outside dryer vent cover to brick and the it cut through like butter. Also used it to hang curtain rods. Very pleased with my purchase.

Works as advertised. Nice carrying case, drill seems well crafted. Charger and batteries connect and charge well. Have had the drill only a few days so it is too early to tell how well it will stand up over time.

My old B&D drill /driver batteries gave out and it had served me well for many years. Time for a new drill/driver. I wanted one that would have a better battery life. I reviewed these products on Consumer Reports and the PC unit came recommended. I love having the led light and the unit has worked great and the battery lasts a long time. Not the cheapest unit out there but buying quality pays off in both the long and short term with more productivity and less problems.

I purchased this drill (along with the circular saw, reciprocating saw, and light) in a combo pack at Lowes a couple of years ago ($189). The drill itself is reasonably powerful for not being a hammer drill, so you can expect to enjoy a fair amount of torque for just a drill/driver. I ended up using this drill for an assortment of activities: hanging sheetrock, driving sheetmetal screws into HVAC piping, hanging cabinets, etc. For the time that I was using it, it performed well, but the forward/reverse control ended up wearing down over time, and it didn't take any special shock to break, such that I could no longer use my drill in the forward direction. On the Black and Decker scale of tools they manufacture, this drill would probably go in the middle between their cheap "Black and Decker" products, and their quality brand "DeWalt". As such, the forward/reverse control on this drill took much longer to break than a Black and Decker drill that was being used only casually.



Another note - the batteries seem to charge fairly fast originally, but after a while, they'll take longer to charge - up to a few hours. Also, the price here on Amazon is decent, but not too impressive. If you aim to get a drill, do so shortly before Father's day at Lowes, and you'll likely be able to get this same model for $39, or for the same price, you can get the drill in the set with the circular saw.



Bottom Line - If you work professionally, and are going to be using this drill a lot, don't get it. Upgrade to a Milwaukee, DeWalt, or Makita, or some equally respectable brand, because you'll end up saving money in the long run. A benefit of this kit is the wide assortment of attachments that go with these batteries (sanders, grinders, impact drivers, reciprocating and circular saws, spiral saws, etc.), so if you're looking for a cheap assortment of battery tools, this is a good bet, so long as you don't work any of them too hard. - Porter-cable - Drill - 18 Volt - Power Tools'


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Dtv Ready Portable Tv - portable tv, lcd tv


If, like me, you live in a medium-fringe TV area, and you are going to be using the supplied (or other external) antenna, one of the first things to do when you receive this cute little TV is to connect it to the best antenna available to do your auto-scan. That's easy because it has a standard antenna connector, and necessary because this TV will_not_tune to any channel not previously found by auto-scan. Manual tuning just selects a channel previously auto-scanned. At my location, the attached rabbit-ear antenna is virtually useless. But with my large, amplified home antenna connected, I easily picked up all the digital stations I usually get, plus one more, and with no problems from the many big trees around my home. So the tuner is very sensitive and not very subject to multipath interference. With the supplied external antenna connected, I eventually managed to get all the stations received using the big antenna, which was a nice surprise, although it took some fiddling with antenna position (Two inches can make all the difference). The digital TV picture provided is very good, with very nice color, resolution and contrast.



I didn't expect great sound, since the speakers are tiny (about 1 inch diameter, on the front). It's certainly not high fidelity, but it is intelligible at least. The sound from earphones is somewhat better.



Other surprises include no volume and no power on/off switch on the credit-card sized remote (No big deal. Gotta be almost within reach to see the picture details anyway). And the internal battery cannot be charged on the car adapter -- It's charged only when the TV is connected to AC power.



The Axion web site is listed in the manual as [...]



Follow-up 2/4/09: Still like this TV, but I'm now on the second one -- The first stopped responding to the remote control after about two weeks, and was quickly replaced for free by Amazon. The second one performs at least as well as the first. Further thoughts: This TV is intended to be placed on a table top, like a picture frame, but if you must mount it elsewhere, well, there is a threaded hole like a tripod socket on the bottom. It doesn't look very strong, and appears to be just molded into the plastic. The manual says nothing about it. Also, the AC adapter does generate some electrical noise (so does the TV), so AM radio reception may be affected, especially if the radio is close by. Axion AXN-8701 7-Inch Widescreen Handheld LCD TV with Built-In Tuner, Black

I had a 5" black and white in my kitchen and knew with the digital conversion, I would need something else. I ordered this based on the 2 reviews out there at the time and I am so pleased with this TV. I live in Houston so there are almost 40 channels available between the digital and the analog, I get channels on this that I don't even get on my standard cable! initially I had trouble with some of the digital stations, I kept moving the TV around trying to pick up the signal (my problem was that I want the TV to sit under my cabinets and I guess that was interfering with the antenna picking up clear signals). I was getting frustrated and then remembered the other antenna it comes with. I unplugged the internal connection and plugged this extra antenna in and placed it on my window sill and all the channels came in perfectly without having to adjust anything. The cord on the extra stand up antenna is long enough to put it rather far from the TV which is very convenient because you can move it around to find the best reception. The picture is clear as a whistle and the sound is very good, not muffled or fuzzy at all. The wide screen is another bonus, most of the digital HD channels are in wide screen mode so it works out well. This is a no brainer to set up and I am so glad I took the plunge and bought it!



Update: I have not had to use this yet in a power outage but have occasionally unplugged it and brought it to the table to watch during dinner when I wanted to see a show I was in the middle of. The 1 1/2 hr. battery now barely works for 1/2 hr. and I have not used it often. I really bought this to use in my kitchen but also just as importantly, to work during another hurricane after having a small black and white that took batteries and worked beautifully last time I needed it. With the new digital change, I had to find something else to have on hand and apparently, this won't be it. There is a new one coming out in August that does take regular alkaline batteries, I would suggest you go for that one if you want something to work in emergencies. Will still use this in my kitchen but now I will probably have to buy the other one just for emergency use since I live in a hurricane prone area. Very disappointed.



Update #2: Found a solution to the low battery power. The new TV that has the battery option is not well rated and apparently to get the battery power, you have to buy an additional $70 piece. After some research, I discovered that Duracell makes an 100 watt inverter power to go unit, it is a supplemental battery that can be charged from any outlet and/or from your car as well, and it will provide additional battery power not only for this TV but for cell phones, ipods or any other small electronics. Not only will it provide power, it will recharge your devices as well. It provides 44 hrs. of charge for an ipod, 12 days for a mobile phone, and 2 hrs. for a laptop. And, it has several outlets on it so you can use more than one device at a time with this battery. This item sells for about $40 and is a good solution for anyone who worries about being without power for any length of time.



Was asked for a link for the power source so here it is: Duracell 852-0281-07 DC to AC 100 Watt Inverter & 4.0 Amp/Hour Lithium Ion Mobile Power Source and I have this one which I picked up for about $40 but it is currently $99: Xantrex Technologies 852-0281 XPower PowerSource 100 Watt Inverter



UPDATE #3: Finally found a real old fashioned battery solution that this TV will work with. You just need D batteries and can keep replacing them for long term outages. This will also work with other small electronics with the right cords (like cell phones and ipods and anything with a car charger). Unfortunately Amazon doesn't sell it but here is where I got mine:

[...]



This should finally solve a lot of the problems with these digital TVs! - Battery Operated Tv - Portable Tv - Lcd Tv - Dtv Ready Portable Tv'


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Dish Cloths


I got a set of the blues for my kitchen and love them enough to get a second set immediately.



These are replacing perfectly functional cotton cloths; I love the microfiber in comparison. It does a great job of cleaning up and they dry so quickly... don't have to worry about them getting mildewy stinky. They absorb huge amounts of liquid, so they're great for cleaning up spills. They are also good for regular cleaning, including dusting and bathroom cleaning. They seem to be great at cleaning shiny surfaces, w/o leaving lint or streaks behind, and they're mildly abrasive if you want to use them that way to scrub a spot.



Since some have asked about this: The size is about 12" square. There are also towels available in this brand if that's what you're looking for.



I've since gotten some more as gifts. Warning on the pink! The "fruit punch" set looked to me to be what I'd call "pastels", but the colors are all snappier than I understood from the photo. The yellow and green are fine for the person I plan to gift these with, but the pink is LOUD, maybe a hot pink. (I think I was expecting more of a bubblegum.) So I might return the "fruit punch" set. DII Microfiber Cloth, Blues, Set of 6

I did a bit of research on microfiber cloths before buying these. There are some being made substandard since the microfiber become so popular. These had an 80/20 split of the fibers they are made of and all I read said that it should be at least 70/30, so I felt good about them.



They are the size of your standard washcloths, so they are not good if your are looking to replace your dish towels. For cleaning they are a perfect size, however. I love that one side is more textured than the other making it great for tougher jobs.



Just dampen them and go to work. Did a great job on all the LCD screens in the house. I have dusted and cleaned the bathroom and kitchen with these so far and I have not been disappointed.



Remember, you can't dry these or wash them with different colored cloths as they will start to pick up fibers from them. I got this set to try and I am ordering more sets in the same colors so that I won't have to do so many small loads.

These dishwashing towels work great on granite surfaces. They are very absorbent and don't leave streak marks. I had previously purchased them at Garden Ridge, but they no longer carried this size. I was excited when I found them!

As a few have stated before, they are small. These Microfiber dish cloths are the size of washcloths, which was a little off-putting at first. But after using them a couple of times I realized they really don't need to be big at all. I used to use large Microfiber towels, like the ones you would use to dry you car with, but often found them to be too big. These absorb just as much water as you would expect out of a towel this size, which is quite a bit. After they are saturated, simply rise them and ring them out. They dry our dishes just fine, and can clean up spills really well.



These towels do bleed, particularly the red and orange ones. After soaking them in the sink for a bit and a couple of washes in the washing machine they were fine. Don't use a fabric softener with a microfiber towel. Not in the washer and not in the dryer. The chemicals in the softeners will coat the

microfibers, keeping them from working like they should.

I use these everywhere - in the bathroom to wipe up the sink top, to dust the furniture, to wash dishes, to dry the dishes. Nice and thick and seemingly durable (time will tell). Set of 6, so you can always have a clean one around. I'm happy with these cloths.'


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Over-the-head Headphones - headphones, sony


I travel a great deal and have a drawer full of noise canceling headphones by Panasonic, Kensington, JVC and Sony. Each had limitations -- not enough high end, poor construction, poor noise reduction, or in the case of lesser Sony's I bought several months ago, pretty good sound, but rather inadequate ear cups and poor portability (they wouldn't fold up to occupy as little as possible space in my briefcase.)Always worried about losing or damaging something while traveling I did not go for the full kahuna and buy Bose.



So, having seen these around some local shops and taken a listen I bought the NC40 and immediately took them on a trip.



By and large they are fine. When turned on (don't even try to listen to them when off) the sound is rich and clean; lovely base and good high end, which is important to my tired ole ears. Plenty of mid-range. Nice volume. I'm not sure they are world beaters in terms of overall noise reduction, but they certainly take the edge off and from my same old seat near the rear of a Southwest jet, they provide a relaxing and easy to take listening experience. One WANTS to use this extremely comfortable headset, whether noise reduction is needed or not. I hear things I didn't know my MP3 decoder put in a file. Oh, I listen mainly to jazz and classical music.



Oh yes, they fold up neatly and I like the on-off switch/battery holder, which lives by itself on the connecting line and has an override button that works beautifully. Sony MDR-NC40 Noise Canceling Headphone (Black)

As a frequent business traveler, I was looking for some noise canceling headphones but did not want to spend the chunk of change on Bose. After reading some of the reviews on these Sony's here and other places, I decided to give them a shot. I'm glad I did! Now, I'm no audiophile, nor do I have much to compare these to from a noise canceling perspective, but they do their job well. Yes, you have to have them turned on for them to sound decent, but the battery life seems very good. I've made 3 trips to China and a few domestic trips with the original battery still in them. Probably 60 hours conservatively (I only use them on the planes). I can keep them on for a 13 hour flight with out any discomfort, and I am very pleased with the degree of noise canceling.

I find it funny when I read other people's reviews and they complain about the sound of these units with the power turned off. These units are noise canceling headphones. They were not meant to be "hi-end listen to all your music all the time type of headphones." There are tons of other headphones to choose from that will surpass the performance of the Sony MDR-NC40 for everyday use and for a lot less money.



The NC40 are a noise canceling headphones. They were meant to cut the constant drone of airplane noise or the constant sound you get when riding in a bus or a train... and they do work.

I guess what I can honestly say is if you travel 5 or 6 times a year on a plane then this is a great choice. I have not listened to the Bose models, but I can tell you this, no matter what I can afford, there is no way I could justify 3.5X the price for the Bose headphones to travel with a few times a year.



The NC20 sits on the ear, it does not cup the ear. You can still hear when people talk to you at normal levels. If you are dealing with a screaming baby behind you just crank up the volume of whatever you are listening to and it will drown out the unwanted sounds.



These are great if you use them for what they are intended. You can buy the NC40 here on Amazon and then get a set of Bose TriPort Headphones for regular every day listening and still be at less than 1/2 the price of the Quiet comfort headphones.



The bottom line is I would recommend the NC40 to anyone who travels, but not to some one who just wants headphones to use at home.

Sony Mdr-Nc40 Noise Canceling Headphone (Black)

As long time audiophile (30 years) I still find digital fiddling with music a little disconcerting, but these headphones do the job at the price point intended. Even though advertised "iPhone compatible" I was worried until the jack fit perfectly in the iPhone, a problem to date.



While some may scoff, I have never heard a set of speakers or headphones that didn't benefit from a "white noise break-in" which I will commence this evening. My initial impression bordered on 5 stars, but the extra bass bump with the noise cancelling on, dropped it down a star. I have been listening to my iPhone with the $100 in-the-ear-canal VModa earplugs and was concerned my high frequency hearing was deteriorating faster than I had thought. The VModa's must roll off at 12kHz...These Sony phones brought out crystaline delicate highs I haven't experienced for years. I suppose my old Sennheisers and Yamaha headsets were in need of replacement long ago...



I have tried the Bose noise cancelling phones and they did a very good job...of filtering out the music and feeling like a pair of socks were placed in my ears. I know there are many Bosse fans out there, but audio equipment has always been broken down into two major categories for me: Realism vs.Drama (Bose being dramatic, like the old floor standing speakers with the equalization box). I come from the Linn Sondek realism school, but that is a different story for a different time. Anyway, the Bose noise cancelling phones, were horrid, unmusical sound control devices. If I would have been forced to choose that day (at the Bose Store), I would have purchased the convential Bose headphones. I know little of the digital processing for noise cancelling save the generation of an inverse (out of phase) wave of the "detected noise" to cause cancellation. Automotive companies are/have experimented with this concept to eliminate exhaust system noise.



The Sony's are a bit bass heavy in the noise cancel mode without flattening out the highs however. Turning off the noise canceling removes the bassiness, but I can live with the fat bottom end as this is the more preferrable setting if again forced to choose. These phones image spectacularly and handle vocals with a smooth easy, effortless swweetness. You can actually understand the singer and what he/she is singing. Mind you, I still am getting used to the lossy MP3 encoding after years of analog addiction, but the Sony's for the price are a great buy. Note I am saying $100 is well spent.



After a few weeks of white nosie on these guys, I can bet they will get better. My acid test will be on my home system with a DMP label CD recording, the closest thing to analog available. To this date, no one understands digital recording and production like Tom Jung and Co. I will report back as I am fascinated to see if my $100 love affair lasts.



RCK - Sony - Headphones - Noise Canceling - Over-the-head Headphones'


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