Tuesday 17 May 2011

Swim Goggle - swim goggles, swimming goggles


I started swimming about 6 months ago to get in shape. Pool chlorine really bothers my eyes; even a little exposure will cause hours of discomfort. I tried 10 or 12 different goggles in a variety of sizes and styles. For my face, the Hydrospex is the most effective. It keeps ANY water from reaching my eyes - all of the others leaked to some degree, regardless of price or configuration. My 10-year-old swam competitively this summer, and she also tried quite a few alternatives before settling on the Hydrospex Jr.

These Speedo goggles have stood up to 5-7 swims per week for 5 months now with no signs of wear. The headband stays adjusted, the gaskets form a great seal around the eyes, and the anti-fog feature is a nice benefit. I've dropped them in the parking lot, and they ride around in my workout bag continuously, as I swim at different locations on different days, but they still look new. I've bought a 2nd set in case I ever manage to lose or break these - I don't want to be without them!

Just a note - some of the other goggles that I tried were also Speedos, and others were also respected brands, but the Hydrospex are by far the best fit for my personal facial shape. Be aware when selecting goggles that each design will fit people differently. It doesn't make a particular brand or model "good" or "bad", it's just what works for an individual. Shop around and try different styles until you find what works for you . Once you find the right fit, you should experience no leakage or discomfort. For me, the Hydrospex are just the right ones. Speedo Hydrospex Swim Goggle (Smoke/Smoke)

Careful if they are not adjusted correct the lens will appear to double the image under water. The nose bridge is not adjustable so if your head is very small or very large you could have double vision with these. If so look for a goggle with an adjustable nose bridge. I had trouble at first but when I got it adjusted correctly it was ok. Quite good, clear vision and no leaks.

Revised:

I gave these goggles 3 stars before, but I'll change it to 4 now if I can.

If what you need is to keep the water out of your eyes for recreational swimming and playing, these goggles are a good choice. Another reviewer said they were very good at keeping the water out at first, but after a few uses, they may leak; originally I had agreed. I've changed my mind because the leaking may be operator error. After using them for awhile, I forgot to put on the straps as recommended by the packaging. If you do it correctly, and you shouldn't have the problem I had which was - by the time I'd get from one end of any pool to the other, I'd generally (not always) have to lift them up to drain them out. Swimming laps, this was annoying. Then I remembered the detail about how to put those straps on right. They may steam up, but the leaking will be minimal, if I get any at all.

I wear goggles, not so much so I can see underwater, as to protect my eyes from water-gunk and from the burning sensation of chemicals. They're and worth the $5.00 I spent for them on sale at a department store. I'm not sure I'd want to pay Amazon's price + shipping and handling.

I used to be a fan of these goggles and used them for several years with a level of satisfaction that would have earned them at least a four-star rating. However, after purchasing a new pair recently, I've had nothing but problems. No matter how I adjust the fit, I get incredible leaks after only 25m. It's a shame because I really do like the clarity of the lenses and how bright and crisp everything appears through them. Obviously, though, when you're not able to get an effective workout for having to empty your goggles every 100m (if you're lucky), nice lenses are hardly worth having. I won't be spending my money on another pair of these again.

Pros:



They have a solid nose piece.

They act as sunglasses.

They are comfortable.

They barely leak at all.

They form a great seal.



Cons:



The anti-fog coating wears off after about two weeks.

They are a little hard to adjust.

I guess goggles is one of those things that either works for you or it doesn't. Most of Speedo's goggles have great reviews so I wasn't sure which ones would work for me. Ordered the oversized Baja model which wasn't up to the mark for me because it hurt after wearing it for some time. Replaced them with these Hydrospex goggles and these are PERFECT! Very comfortable to wear, keep the water out completely, do not get foggy (I ordered the black ones), and do not hurt at all.

These goggles are great! I just took up swimming and my husband recommended this kind with the hard piece between the lenses and they are great! Never fog up and never leak - nice snug fit. I love them! - Swimming Goggles - Goggles - Swim Goggles - Swimming'


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Directional Mic - microphone, camcorder mic


After spending many days combing the internet and reading review after review I decided to give the RODE VideoMic Directional Camcorder Microphone a try. I wanted something that was good, light, somewhat short and inexpensive. I have a small mini dv camcorder that is only about 5 inches long and didn't want a mic that would get in my viewfinder's shots. The mic sticks out about 5 inches in front of my lens, but manages to stay out of my shots.



First let me comment on the sound. This little bugger picks up sounds very well. In a quiet room I can be 40 yards away and still pick up the conversation. The quality is outstanding. The audio compared to the built-in mic in my camcorder is night and day. The Rode is so clear. The price is great. I'm guessing the quality would compare to other mics in the $300 range.



My Rode came with a Dead Cat wind screen which resembles a cat's tail. It really saved me some money! At first I didn't use the Dead Cat, but then I ran into a little wind which interfered with gathering good audio. After using the Dead Cat, I always keep the wind screen on the mic. It does not interfere with the clarity of the audio and works incredibly well in breezy conditions. I will mention that I had to trim the hair on my wind screen because I could see the hair in my videos. After trimming the hair a bit, the wind screen is still effective and no more hair dangling in the top of my video screen.



The shock vibration design is cool and they even gave me extra rubber band thingies. This mic sits high off the camera and stays out of my shots. Since the mic is somewhat far away from the camcorder, I don't pick up any camera humming noise that can happen with other mics that are too close to the camera. Even on my hotshoe, I don't get any humming.



I wish I could say that I have used $300 mics and above, but I haven't. I will say that you won't be disappointed with this microphone. I'm a photojournalist by trade and I have begun to shoot video for our newspaper's web publication. This mic is perfect for my needs.



If you buy it, don't forget to turn off the mic. I accidently left mine on. There is no auto shutoff. Rode VideoMic Directional Video Condenser Microphone w/Mount

The introduction in the owner's manual states it perfectly. Rode said that when looking for a good camcorder microphone, they were either horrible pieces of junk or super expensive professional models and so they decided to design a mic for this purpose. This model strikes a perfect balance. The quality of this mic is excellent. It is very sensitive and has good directional properties so it rejects noise to the side quite well. Although not meant for picking up sound from long distances it can do quite well from 20 feet away and maybe more.



The mount is attached to the mic so this is the only way you can use it and it is made to mount to the standard "shoe" that is on nearly all camcorders. It is a mono microphone but it has a stereo miniphone jack that plugs in the camcorder mic jack and feeds the audio into both channels. After trying several inferior microphones I was delighted to stumble upon this mic. It is a good value and an excellent microphone for camcorders.

I like the sound I get from the mic and it is very good valuue for the money for prosumer cam owners, but consumer-level camera owners should beware.



I bought this mic and found that it was way too sensitive/hot for consumer cameras like a Panasonic gs200 which has no audio input level control. It picks up too much background noise and overwhelms the camera's automatic gain controller when things get loud. I'm not sure if the gs200 had a mic attenuation setting or if turning it on would have been a sufficient answer. I put a cheap radio shack in-line volume controller in between the mic and the camera (which can introduce crackle if you adjust it while recording).



On prosumer cams with input level control like the Canon GL2 it works fine, even without turning on mic attenuation. If you have a camcorder with input level controls I might get this.



Another important caveat: You cannot run this mic through a the 1/8" connection of a Beachtek mixer box. You'll hear nothing on the beachtek's output because of an impedance mismatch. I don't know if putting an XLR adapter on the mic cable would work.

I bought this mic because I, probably like you, was planning to shoot a movie with a common hand-held HD camera and virtually no budget to splurge for the good stuff. Though the audio you get from this mic is top notch, the mic was all but destroyed on a four week trip that I filmed in hopes of making a documentary. Firstly, the rubber bands that suspend the mic began squeaking with every little movement of the camera, which spoiled hours of audio before I was able to find a fix (vaseline). The bands also constantly broke and had to be replaced, which is a waste of time out on the field when filming. It may help to double up on the rubber bands, or buy your own because the included ones don't tolerate rough wear. Honestly I'm not sure why the mic needs a shock mount at all. Many shotgun mics firmly attach to the hot shoe with no suspension and function equally well.



After more use, the plastic cold foot just wore down and began to slide out of the shoe, needing to be wrapped in duct tape to not fall off completely. A metal foot with a better locking mechanism would be appreciated.



Also as you're probably aware, you're going to need an adapter to use this with many of Canon's video cameras which use a small proprietary shoe system, and all the adapters I could find are cheap plastic crap which are sure to break as well.



Like I said, the audio is great, but I'm upset that I left for the trip with a brand new snazzy mic and came back with war-torn remains brutally duct taped to my camera. I think they should use more metal and redesign the shock mount to make this product durable enough for an extended shoot. - Rode - Video Mic - Microphone - Camcorder Mic'


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Garmin Nuvi 765t - extended warranty, kindle


*3* year warranty for mechanical failures, malfunctions AND accident protection at $40? It cannot get any better than this!



I almost bought the store warranty instead of Squaretrade's because I did not know they existed!

In April, I purchased an "Apple Ipod 8gb Touch" to give to my little sister for her birthday. When I was at the biggest electronics store here where I live(Best Buy), I was hesitant to buy this because I know my sister to be careless and risky at times. I nearly bought the $50 2-year store warranty UNTIL my younger brother happened to call me to tell me something. Well I told him of my whereabouts and my business and it was at that moment that I learned about Squaretrade. He informed me NOT to buy the store warranty and educated me about Squaretrade. He had a good experience with Squaretrade for his Xbox. I purchased the warranty directly from [...] and paid with Paypal.



Ok, I have already had to use the warranty. I was right about my sister being careless in this sitution. Last month, there was a drink spilled on the darn thing and now the oh-so popular item is useless! When I contacted them, Squaretrade emailed me the free return shipping label and I sent the worthless thing back. Within 5 days I had a reimbursement of the Ipod in my Paypal account. Good to go...my sister went and bought another brand of mp3 player. SquareTrade 3-Year Electronics Warranty Plus Accident Protection (Electronics $175-200)

My story is short and sweet. I recently bought a Kindle 3G+wifi and I loved it! But I read some reviews on amazon saying the screen was fragile, I also read on some Kindle forums about people who had accidentally sat on their Kindle but had a warranty with Squaretrade.



So I made myself a cover, and just to be safe I got myself an extended warranty from Suaretrade to cover anything bad that might happen.



Well I am an absolute klutz, and didn't have the cover on one day with the Kindle in my pocket... and as I'm moving around in my chair I hear a popping sound. It was the Kindle's screen breaking. So I checked with Amazon first, and was pretty sure their warranty wouldn't cover the screen accidentally breaking (sure enough it didn't). So I filed my claim with Squaretrade, they sent me a shipping label and I shipped it to them in the same box it had come in.



After some problems with UPS they received it and pretty soon they reimbursed me for the Kindle, and since I took it in the form of an Amazon gift card they even threw in an extra 5%, enough to get a Kindle book!



and besides that they were very friendly on the phone, they picked up the phone very promptly and I wasn't left on hold (having dealt with a few banks lately, I could tell you a thing or two about waiting on hold to talk to a live person!). They were patient with me and answered all my questions. They seemed to really value and appreciate my business.



I am exceptionally happy with their service and I recommend a squaretrade warranty if you are in the market for an extended warranty, or are a big klutz like me and you break things!

I have purchased the extra insurance on several other items in the past. On my cell it was $4.00 per month with ATT and with Square Trade I got 3 years for less then what it cost with ATT. I did the same with a camera I purchased and it worked out the same.

I would strongly encourage anyone that makes a purchase now days to keep this company in mind. They have been true to me and my friends 100% without any problems. Your information is kept right in our account to view at any time. A claim for is easy and fast to complete as well. All claims are complete and to with in one week. Thank you for being such a wonderful program!

Sarah Shriver

I had questions about coverage on a REFURBISHED Kindle2 from Amazon Warehouse Deals. I emailed them questions BEFORE I purchased the Kindle2. Having read MANY Kindle2 reviews it seemed very important to have an extended warranty. Many reviewers mentioned SQUARETRADE for the coverage and the value. When all my questions were answered I purchased BOTH the Kindle2 AND the SquareTrade warranty.



Believe it or not, I just got off a SquareTrade initiated phone call seeing that all my questions were answered and VERIFYING the item covered...SHOCKED! I have never received a follow-up call from Best Buy or any other company I purchased a warranty from.

I've had multiple iPhones and a standalone GPS covered through squaretrade. Recently my GPS fell in a puddle and as a result completely died. I filed a claim with squaretrade, sent them all the information and in just a few days my claim was approved for the full purchase amount. I would highly recommend getting their warranty as it not only covers manufacturing defects but you can also get it with accidental damage coverage.

Best warranty service ever. I bought my GPS on ebay and it broke down after a year. I contacted squaretrade and my total purchase price was refunded!!!!!!!! I will never use any other warranty except Squaretrade. Awesome customer service too!!!!!!!11 - Extended Warranty - Kindle - Service - Claim'


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Positive Placement Gun


I bought this gun about a year ago. It's great when you are fastening joist hangers on decks, truss ties, floor truss hangers. Man this kicks too. Careful when you use it cause it can shock your wrist. Makes my framing days alot faster when I am build a new home. It's very light and small enough to get into tight spots. I like how safety works on it. And loading is pretty nice too. This gun is worth having if you frame alot houses or build alot decks. Time it saves is worth the cost. Would buy again. Hitachi NR65AKS Strap-Tite 1-1/2-Inch to 2-1/2-Inch Positive Placement Nailer with Short Magazine

This is a sweet strap nailer. I bought the short magazine one a few weeks and have been very pleased with its performant. We framed up a house that called for A35 on every freize block and a H1 on every truss, not to mention the various straps and other hangers. It worked awesome. It had no problem driving 2 1/2 nails into 6x12 beams for straps. It is very quick to use with the nail tip sticking out, just point and shoot. It even worked for toenailing 2 1/2 nails in the joist hangers, I don't know if they recommend that or not, but it worked. Overall it probably almost paid for itself on one job, it is light, easy to use, powerful, everything you are looking for in a gun. I also put a rafter hook on it, the same one that fits that NR83, and that is handy too, worth that 12 bucks for the hook.

This is a nice, light metal strap nailer. It's angled so it gets into most tight places. I've done three houses with it and haven't had a jam. It fires the nail each and every time with no problems. This is a real labor saver!

I had been using the Paslode Positive Placement nailer previous to purchasing the Hitachi. We had nothing but problems with it, not to mention that it feels like a boat anchor. Once I bought this, my guys won't use the Paslode anymore. I only wish I would have bought this one 1st! When you buy quality, you only cry once...

Received this in time to use it on a small addition I'm currently building. Began to have some problems right off the bat with this gun. First off, it won't fire the last 5 nails without another strip of nails to back them up. Now this may not be Hitachi's fault, but I used the nails that Amazon advertised with the gun, and a second strip will not fit in. So you have to pull out the last few nails to proceed. Second, the safety probe slipped from the track it rides in and jammed, preventing the gun from shooting until you stop and replace the safety into position. This happened several times, slowing the process down immensely. Pretty costly considering the price of labor these days. I have to say I really expected a lot better engineering from Hitachi. They need to do some serious re-designing on this one.'


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Glass Shelves - tv mounts, glass tv component shelf


I just put up this unit and installation was easy (came with instructions unlike other poster's experience). The unit is well made, strong, and has ample room for running cables through the center channel and access holes. The only drawback is the depth of the shelves are somewhat short for components that are deep and/or require additional depth due to larger cable plugs (like HDMI cables).



I plan to make some wooden covers (to sit on top of the glass shelves) to provide the extra depth I need.



I would recommend that you simply measure the depth of your components first, including the length of your longest cable plug to ensure this unit will work for you. Otherwise, you will have the front feet of your audio/video components dangling off the front edge of the shelves. Cheetah Mounts AS3B 3 Component Shelf Wall Mount Bracket for LCD, LED, Plasma TV Components

If your trying to figure out what component shelf to buy look no further my friends. Before I purchase anything I usually click on Amazon.com to get individuals reviews/opinions. Let me tell you, if you are in the market for a Component shelf for your lcd look no further. This is a beautiful, attractive 3 tray shelf which I put my Bose Stereo and Xbox 360 on.



Both components have plenty of room to set on their individual tray and wire management is not difficult at all. When sitting away from my stand I do not see any wires which is very important to me. The other thing I would recommend to anyone that is in the market for something like this. Do 'NOT' place it under your flat screen tv! Why you might ask? The reason for this is when I'm watching a movie on my flat screen tv all I want to see in my 'field of view' is the tv and not a 3 tray shelf with electronic components!



I've seen so many customer images with their component shelfs under their beautiful flat screen tvs and under their tvs they have this big, honking shelf!



Trust me, you will enjoy the movie that you are watching more if all that is in front of you is the movie and not anything else that is going to distract you.

This shelf stands in the corner of my room and looks very attractive I must add. All my friends and family also complement this stand when they first enter my room.



So, there you have it. Just buy it instead of pulling your hair out trying to figure out which one to buy...

Not too difficult to put together. The cable trough down the back is a bit small for 3 shelfs worth of components. Power cables won't fit at all and just go down the side. But I really like it. Well worth the money. Looks great on the wall.

***UPDATE*****

A very nice lady from Cheetah Mounts called me about this issue and was able to offer a simple solution. Use a hair dryer or some other source of heat to warm the plastic and it is easier to remove. Thanks for the great support and I would buy from this company in the future.



As one of the other reviews said the plastic on these shelves is EXTREMLEY hard to remove. My wife and I spent almost an hour (with a razor blade)to get the plastic film off of one shelf. We decided to leave it on the others. The system was fairly easy to put together and easy to hang on the wall.

The shelves themselves are great, they look amazing, I love the style, the ease of assembly and mounting, everything.



One major problem, the shelves are nowhere near large enough to hold anything substantial, neither my cable box, nor my stereo receiver fit on the shelves. These are specifically outined in the description of the item. Should I have measured before purchasing, of course I should have, but I don;t see how the description can be seen as accurate in this regard.

Pros:

1. Looks nice.

2. Sturdy.

3. Functional.

4. Provides a good solution for those in need of wall mounted components.

5. Best price for this type of product.



Cons:

1. Will cause you the most frustration any product will ever cause you in this price range, I promise!

2. The plastic wrapping on the glass has to be pealed off like skin after a sunburn, you will be cursing aloud after the first side of the first pane, by the third piece of glass you will have wished you never bought the product and likely be needing psychological counseling.

3. The threads on the bolts were damaged making it impossible to start the nut. This was the case 3/4 times. If you don't have an expensive re-threading kit like I do, forget it!



Good luck, I hope you have a better experience.

I'm a recently separated woman, and with elbow tendonitis, and arthritis in my hands, I was in the market for a great looking, easy set-up for my new 40" tv components.

While the set-up instructions are minimal, I have enough know-how, and tools to do the job. Also, I am under 5' tall. With my 14 year old daughter helping me to get it on the wall, it mounted in a jiffy, and it looks great! (Yes, we mounted the tv by ourselves, too).

As far as the cable management goes, I find that, since it is only attached at the top, if I pull it slightly away from the wall at the bottom, it's easy enough to get cables through without having to thread them. There seems to be plenty of room for everything I have: 2 HDMI, 2 optical, numerous power, several speaker cords...you get the idea.

I am considering it, or the 2 shelf unit for the livingroom tv. That's a 47".

This is the information I was looking for when I searched for the right shelves. I hope this helps! :) - Tv Mounts - Glass Tv Component Shelf - Audio-video Shelving - Home Theater Component Shelf'


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Laptop Battery Chargers - compaq ac adapter, hp


I've had a Compaq Armada e500 laptop for a long time now and this is my fourth power cable. Mind you, this has nothing to do with the quality of the part, I own cats and cats like to chew cords.



One complaint I've had with previous replacements is the length of the cable. The original cord seemed to be infinitely long such that I could go almost anywhere in a room and still be plugged in. Other replacement cables seemed to always be a few inches short. Not so with this one. While it isn't quite as long as the original, it is long enough to get the job done.



The reason I give this cable 4 out of 5 stars is simply that the brick itself does get fairly warm when in use. Other cables have gotten downright hot so this one is an improvement, but none of the aftermarket units dissipate heat like the original cable.



If you own a compatible laptop and need a replacement a/c adapter, go ahead and pick this one up. HP 65W Smart AC Adapter PPP09L

I have a Compaq EVO N610C and I was looking for a replacement AC Adapter to work in Caracas, Venezuela. This adapter works fine and charge battery, but I took out three stars because it is rated 18V & 2.5 Amp = 45W and seller did not show this technical information in big letters. It is not the exact replacement for original 65W charger, rated 18V & 3.6 Amp from Compaq.

This charger is extremely cheap. Although the sticker on the charger indicates it is the replacement part number for HP's charger, I'm not so sure I believe that. It is made of cheap parts, cheap plastic, cheap plugs and has a cheap transformer inside. I paid less than two bucks for this charger, and within a week, the plug broke inside the laptop. The box itself got so hot it melted. You get what you pay for. And since it was under two dollars, it's not worth paying return shipping on it to send it back. I already paid eight dollars to get it here.

this product worked perfect!! used for a compaq c700 laptop. the only negative is the cord isnt as long as the original but for the price, it is well worth it!! It worked so well that I bought an extra one because the price was low so i have one for livingroom and bedroom.

The 1st cord that was sent was broken. They sent me another one immediately w/out me having to return the broken one. The 2nd one they sent wouldn't power the laptop and after looking it was not on the list for replacement cords for the laptop. This cord has been sent back to them today at my cost. I am awaiting a credit.

It's HP's fault, not the manufacturer of this product, but it doesn't matter. It won't work for your 17-inch dv7 laptop.



HP originally sold the dv7 with an underpowered 65-watt adapter. The HP replacement adapter is 90-watts. No 65-watt replacement adapter will work. Order a 90-watt adapter for a different model, or give the ******** at HP $70 for their replacement (which is 90-watts). HP should have recalled them. I have gone through 1 12-volt car adapter, and 3 65-watt replacement adapters for mine, but none work. For all, the computer says, "plugged in, but not charging" and the battery quickly dies. Save yourself a lot of headache and expense, and just buy a 90-watt adapter for your 17-inch laptop.



Here is the HP original equipment link:





Here is the HP replacement parts link:



Note how the original equipment has a 65-watt ac adapter, but the HP replacement part is 90-watts.



Here is what you really need:

HP 90W Smart Pin Dongle AC Adapter (KG298AA)

This was a replacement to my original compaq power cord that lasted three years and two tours in Iraq, plus numerous other trips around the US. The price was better than fair, it shipped relatively quickly from the States to where I'm stationed, and it was very well packaged. It does what i need it to, and fits nice and snug to my laptop's power receptacle. I did also purchase a laptop surge protector, as power here is thoroughly unpredictable. The velcro cord-keeper is also a nice touch. - Laptop Power Adapter - Hp - Charger - Compaq Ac Adapter'


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Home School - digital recorder, voice recorders


I was looking for a voice recorder to capture my lectures but also be able to transfer them onto my computer for back up. The recording is very good quality but it's frustrating that I am unable to transfer my recording. So, if you are looking for a "record and erase" voice recorder, this is the right one. Olympus Digital Voice Recorder (VN 6000)

Get this for yourself or college student.

I went back to school after twenty years and bought this recorder incase i missed something during the lectures-boy am I glad I did! I have listened to the lecture recordings and noticed that I missed alot,even though I felt like I was paying attention.

works absolutly great! long record time availability-1 gig- long battery life and no problems picking up the teachers voice from anywhere in the room.

5 stars!

I teach piano and suggest that students record their lessons with a digital voice recorder. I've seen just about every kind you can imagine in just about every price range you can imagine! After using my students' recorders, I chose to buy this one. It's great. Even comes with a protective case. It's small, easy to use, and has lots of storage capacity It's definitely easier to operate than Sony's product - and definitely cheaper. Definitely priced well for the quality of the recorder.

VERY nice for the price. First set of AAA batteries that came with lasted thru 3 seminars, each 2.5 to 3 hrs in length, before getting the "LOW" battery message. Usually sit a good 25 feet away, give or take, from the speaker and it picks up EVERY word clearly - as long as its pointed that way. *NO PC connectivity (but that wasn't why I bought it)* Simple press of RECORD during recording puts it in Pause mode. NOT voice activated, if that's what you need. Need to read the manual to figure out how to manage all the folders and for playback - and you'll have the minor pain of re-setting the clock when you replace the batteries (but all recordings safe when you do so).

Technology is forever changing - I purchased this at a price which made it an excellent value for money. Given the archaic machine that this replaced, my father was AMAZED at the storage capacity and ease in which he could operate this slim practical document saver. He is not yet apt when it comes to the computer, is learning to use the internet ... as far as emailing goes ... I am afraid to mention search engines just in case he becomes overwhelmed ... however his little number was like driving a car, in other words, he never read the directions, grabbed it and flew!



A lovely gadget. I suggest you use it for the business AND for the reasons I purchased it, to capture the history of a wonderful man who at 70 has much to share. There is enough space on this little ditty for him to release his soul for generations to enjoy in years to come. Love the fact that downloading the gems and pearls of wisdom and reflections is so easy.



Get it!

We bought this for my 10 year old Son. He's loved the Home Alone movies and wanted to recreate those taping moments to play back to the bad guys. I had to write this after he was distraught because he couldn't find his recorder. We finally found it in a pair of freshly washed jeans. Luckily it was washed in cold and found before the dryer cycle. We pulled the batteries and let it dry out for two days. Put new batteries in and it came on. I thought it wiped out the memory, but after setting the date/time, it came right back where it left off all recordings in-tact and works as good as a squeekie-clean new one!

There is no way to transfer the recordings to computer?? I guess I should have read the description better but just figured from some like Olympus there would be a way to transfer recordings.



For me its useless.

I got this as a present to help a friend with some classes she is taking. After I got it I wanted to keep it. It was hard to let go.. :P



When I finally gave it to her I couldn't stop playing with it, "showing her" the features and things, until she finally took it from me. Now she loves it. I haven't used it too much, but I can say that the features are superb: recording time is surprising, audio quality is very good, you could record days of audio with this little thing. Haven't tried hooking it up to the computer yet but to me this was one of the main reasons for getting it. Plus the price, you really can't beat that. And to top it all off you can also plug in a microphone and headphones, which is an excellent touch. Also the controls are very intuitive and easy to use.



I want to get another one for myself now! - Olympus Digital Recorders - Voice Recorders - Digital Recorder - Voice Recorder'


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Blizzard Entertainment - collector s edition, blizzard


This review is for the contents of the collectors edition package, not the game itself.



The 175 page art book is fantastic. It's hardback and has a nice protective sleeve covering it. The sleeve depicts Deathwing as seen on the Cataclysm website. The concepts and literature inside are great to read/view and it's really cool to see the artistic visuals of all the new NPCs, clothing items, zones and even stills from the cinematic trailer. Many pieces of art depict several different stages of concept certain characters passed through over the period the expansion was developed. Some pieces give a visual representation of events that have transpired and affected the current storyline (there is a piece showcasing the Garrosh/Cairne duel which ultimately ended in.. well i won't spoil that one for you ;) ) The artwork is just really cool. Blizzard certainly has some very talented artists working for them. Various letters written by characters in game are peppered throughout the pages which give insight to the events which have happened and served to shape the new world since the shattering. While not essential for casual fans, they are still a great read for those who love the lore behind World of Warcraft and the book is a wonderful addition of graphic art to any person's collection.



The soundtrack features 17 absolutely phenomenal orchestral tracks from in game. I'm a huge fan of the music of World of Warcraft and the new tracks are very beautifully done and really invoke a real sense of "epicness". The title track is the best its been since the vanilla days (it even incorporates the original Legends of Azeroth theme), and the addition of revamped tracks from old world zones like Elywnn forest and Durotar are a nice, nostalgic touch. I enjoyed the score from Wrath of the Lich King but i think i enjoy this one much more.



Also included:



- In game Lil' Deathy companion pet. He has a welp model, but looks like a midgit-fied Deathwing. every character you'll ever start again will receive him along with a feat of strength. Standard and digital versions of Cataclysm will not receive this pet.



- Mouse pad depicting Deathwing looking upon the ravaged continents of Azeroth. I use an optical mouse so i really have no use for a mouse pad, but it may very well serve as a nice showpiece for any player looking to add a little flavor to their desktop.



- Wrathgate starter deck with a Landro's Gift loot card. Not really useful to me since i don't play the trading card game, but the loot card can provide a very lucrative reward if you're lucky. For instance, one of the possible obtainable items when you receive your gift box is a swift spectral tiger, which bar none is the rarest mount in game and very expensive if purchased from anywhere else. I wasn't lucky, and only got Papa Hummel's pet biscuits.



- Behind the scenes DVD featuring insight into the development of Cataclysm, which is about an hour long. I haven't watched it yet, but i would say it's a fair guess that the DVD is top notch. No hardcore fan of the game would pass up the chance to see how the creative process at Blizzard works, since we rarely if ever have a chance to outside of blue posts.



** After writing this review i was able to watch the DVD in it's entirety. Let me tell you, i didn't expect much going in but by the end my expectations were well exceeded. There is a lot of information packed into this disc and Blizzard went into great detail about all of the changes that were made and explained a lot of the secrets behind their programming magic. There are thorough explanations behind why old world flying was never included in the last 2 expansions, the reasoning and logic behind many of the zone changes, and the developer's went into great detail on the process of creating new zones for this expansion, the challenges they faced in creating content that would rival or exceed what we saw With wrath and their desires to create an experience that was rewarding not just for new fans but for old veterans of the game as well. Also discussed on the disc was the process behind creating the cinematic movie for the expansion ( a project that proved to be far more challenging than i ever thought it was), Warcraft History and a plethora of interviews by developers and artists associated with the World of Warcraft.



- And the expansion itself, which comes on 1 DVD disc. The beauty of this expansion is that the bulk of the material was already patched in before release, so all players really needed to do was provide their activation codes and wait until the servers went live. since all the content can be digitally downloaded once your account has been upgraded, the DVD is more or less a means to reinstall the game without an internet connection.



The package is very sturdy and well put together. All the items that come with it rest in little cutouts on a tray which are lined with felt to prevent scraping or scuffing of your items, and everything fits in smoothly without sliding/bouncing around inside. the tray slides into the outer sleeve kind of like a really big DVD set. You can stand the box vertically and it will remain still, or you can put it on a shelf like a book. Either way is up to you. I would personally rather display it out in the open since it looks so cool, but that's me.



A worthy purchase at 80 dollars, and a great addition for any fan of the game out there. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Collector's Edition - Blizzard - Cataclysm - Collector S Edition - Mmorpg'


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Nose Hair Trimmer - ear hair trimmer, nose trimmer


I was in need of a new trimmer, and had in the past been underwhelmed by battery-powered models. I saw this trimmer and decided I'd give it a shot, and I have to say I'm impressed. It trimmed like one would expect it to, and it doesn't have issues with losing power and not cutting well. It may not be flashy or have a lot of bells and whistles, but if you are looking for a trimmer that does a good, dependable job, this one fits the bill. MANGROOMER Essential Nose and Ear Hair Trimmer

I have had several nose trimmers over the years and it is nice to finally purchase one at a low cost that works great. I bought this becuase I already own their back shaver and am very pleased with it.



The motor is very strong on the trimmer and it has a nice feel and look. I recommend it and also like the wet dry feature so you can easily clean it after each use.

I had a Panasonic trimmer which was cheaply constructed. It was painful to use this since it pulled the hair everytime. So I stopped using it for few months and after that, it stopped working. Junk! I looked at this Mangroomer for several months on and off, but did not bother to buy it. But finally I purchased this item with other item so I can get free shipping. This item is realy good. As other reviewer mentioned, you might have to use it more often but at least it does not pull hair. I am very satisfied with this item.

I have two Panasonics that have both been worthless, and just tried the new one with the vacuum and it is also lousy. I also have a one handed manual which does not work very well. But, this is the one! It trims the hair short and when the others stop finding hairs this one keep cutting. It is comfortable and does not pull. I finally found a hair trimmer that really works well for me and I highly recommend it.



Update: I have used it for a while now and find it to be the hair trimmers of hair trimmers. Excellent unit works how they all should work. Forget Panasonic as they do not have it figured out yet.

I have ear hair like Yoda, and so this was the ultimate challenge for an electric trimmer. I found that the Mangroomer rocks, especially for $15, it's a bargain and is well constructed from thick plastic.

You can take it apart and clean it in water. It runs off a single AA battery, and is no more noisy than a regular electric shaver. And it does shave close, not quite as close as a blade, but very acceptable, even for nose hair. Use it about every 5-7 days.

It does not pull the hairs, and the tip gets a bit hot while it runs...

Since I would not buy a panasonic anything, this would be my number 1 choice. I do wish that there was a rechargeable version, but I'm very happy with it and would recommend it to you- buy it for sure.

After going through years and years of painful Panasonic nose grooming hair pulls and weak motors, I bought this and it's the best I've used so far. Why? The motor on this is strong and fast, it doesn't pull at all, right on ManGroomer!

I bought this about a year ago after forgetting to bring along my Panasonic trimmer. After reading a few reviews here, I decided to give this one a try. I'm glad I did. The trimmer has a stronger motor, and spins faster that the other. So much so that you can use it for such things as eyebrows. Also, the battery seems to last longer. Given the choice again, I'd choose the Mangroomer every time.

Unlike other trimmers, this one does not cut to close to the skin or actually pull the hair so it doesn't hurt esp around the ears and nose. However since the blades do not cut too close to the skin, you will need to use it on a daily basis vs. other trimmers that cut close (but may hurt) can last few days before trimming again. Another drawback is that it's pretty loud when trimming in the ear. Otherwise good product wished it would cut close to the skin it would then be an excellent 5 star product. - Ear Hair Trimmer - Mangroomer - Nose Hair - Nose Trimmer'


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Cd Labels - cd labels, cd


I have found that Memorex disk labels are very good and easy to set up. Allows you to use your own images or use their stock backgrounds. Add text in several ways, straight, circular top, circular bottom as well as some clip images are available.



I have tried Avery's similar labels that you work from MS Word in their Mail & Labels section. I found Avery very hard to work with and far less customizable options.



My only negative is the matte finish. I personally would prefer a slick finish. But in the long and short run Memorex disk labels are the way to go for great looking jobs. Memorex White CD-R Labels (3202-0412, 50-Count)

used this for dvd labels. Used it mostly for dvds. It sticks just as good on my backup movie dvds and have watched movies--labels didn't peel off. It works great. Pictures on labels are nice from my canon pixma printer.

I use Memorex CD and DVD labels to label picture cd's and dvd's with picture slide shows on them. These labels are great because they let you pick the size of the label, small hole, larger hole or just a small label that goes around the opening in the cd. These labels are easy to print on and stick to the cd well. This is the second package of Memorex CD/DVD labels I have purchased and will buy more of these when I need to.

These particular Memorex CD labels are a much lower quality then what is advertised here. The Memorex product number on the bottom of the sheet is different than the one shown in the picture. I don't think the seller has any control over this. It appears that Memorex decided to use lower quality materials and sell them as the same thing to save a little on the bottom line. However, the difference in quality is very obvious to anyone who uses photos on thier CD covers.

I bought these labels to use with my Portrait/Wedding Slide shows DVDs. At first they would stick firmly to the CD/DVD. I;ve had these labels now for 10 months, and they have lost a lot

of their adhesive property. A few weeks ago I attached a label to a DVD and inserted the DVD into the Drive to test the burn. Well, my Mac made such a noise I immediately ejected the disk.

I noticed the label was not adhering at the edges and created a bubble. I printed two more and burnt an additional 2 DVD before getting lucky. YEsterday, I printed a label for a portrait shoot I did

on the weekend and the label would'n even stick to the DVD. I will throw the rest of these labels away and purchase an AVERY brand. I might mention that I was half way through a pack of 120 when this issue started.



I would not recommend this product to anyone.

I kept clicking on the free download option, but all I got was ads trying to get me to buy versions of Memorex software. I finally got tired of trying to get Memorex to make good on their offer whereupon I decided to cut my losses, trash their useless (to me) labels, and firmly resolve to avoid all Memorex products in the future. - Label - Cd - Cd Labels - Dvd'


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Cd Labels - cd labels, cd cd Cd Labels - cd labels, cd

2 Tb External Hard Drive - external hard drive, external storage


I work for Computing support at Arizona State University, and I have enough technical knowledge to be certified as a TECH JUNKIE :).



I am a photographer too, so I have tons of Photos (about 160GB), Videos, Software, Movies and Documentaries. I was looking for a simple external hard drive without any backup software included, I am smart enough to do manual incremental backups with file tree structure intact (I use GOODSYNC to backup, its very simple and easy to use and free).



I have looked at many many external HDDs and narrowed down to two models "Samsung Story 1TB - very good one too" and this one (I wanted it to be cheap too - got this for $85 on [...]). I did not go with other WD models because of their annoying Backup Software.



Coming to the WD Elements 1TB: Its much smaller than I expected. It is dead silent, I had to touch it to convince myself that it was running, when I first turned it on. Its not too heavy either. The indicator light is placed at the rear, which is a very good thing (I find these LED's annoying, especially at night).



After I did the first setup, I copied 383GB of data (931GB was total space). It took about 4hr 47min, speed varied between 20MBps to 37MBps. This is pretty good speed for USB 2.0. It was just a bit warm (my old segate hard drive would be very very hot for this amount of data transfer).



I would recommend it to beginners or pros alike. I am very happy with this purchase!





UPDATE:



After about three months of heavy usage, it never gave up on me. Its still dead silent and works flawlessly. It never got even warm!!



Follow these steps to get GOODSYNC for FREE:



In the beginning GOODSYNC was free, later they made a paid version as it gained popularity..



but there is a way to get PRO version for free...



1. go to good sync website

2. signup for a trial offer and you get PRO serial for free (I signed up for eMusic trial)

3. Once you get the serial, end the subscription before the trial expires...



NOTE: The above mentioned procedure may not work anymore :(



UPDATE: 07-28-2010



I sold my WD Elements 1TB and got a 2TB one a couple of months ago(as my data is on rise all the time), couldn't be happier :)

I bought it from TigerDirect for [ ... ] and got [ ... ] cashback via [ ... ] ...awesome!! Western Digital WD Elements 2 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive

I bought this on sale at Fry's for $99, way below the amazon price. I wanted something simple as most hard drives these days come with their annoying built in software which cannot be deleted (like WD Essential Edition). This is a hassle free drive and is not bundled with any of the extra software which is exactly what I wanted. You simply plug it in and it works. It can easily be formatted to work with macs as well. I've been using WD hard drives for years and I own several models of the "essential" and "passport" editions. They are very reliable.



This elements hard drive has a sleek and sexy, minimalist design. It is well built overall and constructed of durable plastic. There is a slot for the USB cable, a slot for the power adapter and a tiny circular white light which blinks when it is in use (the light is not overwhelming as some hard drives can be). All three of these features are on one side/face of the hard drive (as shown in the picture), so if you have this plugged in and it is facing away from you, you won't see the light at all. This doesn't bother me but it may be a turn off for some people.



When in operation, it is very smooth and quiet compared to other WD hard drives I own. This may be due to the fact that it is closed entirely and there are no holes for ventilation as in other WD models. But this doesn't bother me because I just use this as a backup and don't need it on all of the time. This could (emphasis on "could") be an issue if you are constantly using your hard drive because it may become hot. I haven't experienced this at all, just speculating. If you are just backing up files and, say, watching a movie on your computer which is stored on the hard drive, I think you'll be fine and there won't be any heating issues.



More info here on WD's website: [...]

I purchased the 1tb Elements (WDBAAU0010HBK-NESN) for use with a Dish DVR 622.



Installation was was truly "plug and play". I simply took it out of the box, plugged it in, and it was immediately recognized by the DVR. I have since transferred about 200gb of content to/from it, and have watched content directly from the drive. So far, it is working perfectly. It automatically spins down after a few minutes of non-use, as well as when the DVR is powered off. It also spins back up automatically (less than 10 seconds) when the DVR accesses it.



One thing some people might not like: The case is designed to sit flat (as pictured), not on its side. There are four small non-skid pads on the bottom corners, but none on either side. There is no indication on the box, in the documentation, or on Western Digital's web site as to whether the drive will work properly on edge. As a general rule, WD drives are designed to operate sideways or even upside down (any X,Y,Z orientation), so this one probably will too -- but you'll need to provide your own non-skid pads.



Several similar Western Digital drives, such as the late model "My Book" series, now include a firmware-based CD-partition that is difficult to remove, and can cause compatibility issues with some devices. That partition contains backup software and utilities that are of questionable value in any case, and of absolutely no value when using the drive with a non-computer device (like the Dish DVR). The Elements -- at least at time of this review -- doesn't include any of that junk. (Note: WD does have a downloadable utility to remove the partition from the other drives, but if you don't want that junk then save yourself the time/trouble and just buy the Elements drive.) - 2tb - Usb Hard Drive - External Storage - External Hard Drive'


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Unlocked Cell Phone - touchscreen, unlocked


Well, nobody is perfect. This samsung S5230 is not perfect either, has very well touch monitor (not sensitive); The body is light, good small size, good reception, good sound, good display, ok photo, allow MicroSD with a good size of memory, quad band and unlocked, well structured display interface and button placements, very responsive lock button, etc. etc... The battery life is terrible, between 24-30 hours with very light use, i.e. 3-4 calls a day of 2-5 minutes/each. However, with the price of $130s, compared to LG Vue, or even iPhone... I think I can live with that (I have iPod touch that is pretty similar to the iPhone, just w/o 3G, GPS and GSM capability). Not recommended for those who are traveling a lot, but good for those who stay stationary a lot The features are awesome. Samsung Star GT-S5230 Unlocked Phone with Full Touchscreen Quad-Band GSM Bluetooth, 3.2 MP Camera, Voice Record, MP3 and MP4 Speaker Phone--U.S. Version with 1 Year Warranty (Black)

After some usage, I can tell I have used this cellphone enough for writing a review. It is a nice phone with really cool features. The size is good enough for you to handle it comfortably. The camera takes good quality photos but not so good quality videos. It only works on GSM so Internet browsing is slow --probably also depends on the provider-- The bluetooth is easy to turn on/off and the speaker is really good for conferencing as it's very loud. The screen sensibility is cut at the corners/borders. It reads MP3s and the FM Radio works only with the earphone but it is OK. The games it comes with are really good --especially the sudoku one-- I plugged a 4GB microSD class 4 card and no problems detecting the card or uploading/downloading stuff from it.

I bought this phone for my son, thinking since it says US it would be in english.. but no it was spanish. I did finally about 3 hours figure out how to change the the language settings. How am i supposed to know how to change them when I cant read the screens it comes set to.



But for those of you out there that might be facing the same issue. Here is how you change it,



when you power on the phone there will be three icons at the bottom. In spanish they are

teclado, contactos,menus



check the menus in the bottom right hand corner there is a button called adjustos push that buttom,( icon of a gear wheel) the go down to telefono click that,( icon has a phone with a sunshine in it) the first button at the top of the screen is idioma ( language in spanish) click that and set both defaults to english. and at the bottom of the screen click Guardar ( save in spanish) if you do not click Guardar it will not change.



If your phone happens to come in a different language the same steps apply the icons will be listed on the screen just named something differently.



I will not be purchasing anything else from this seller.

You've read the specs on the phone; the screen is nice, the touch works about expected, the OS is laid out logically, and it has a few goodies & apps tucked away so that you feel its more than a basic phone. It also works with AT&T with no problem.



Physically, the phone is light, smaller than it appears, and the battery seems to be fine, although I don't talk a lot on my phone. The Camera works well in either landscape or portrait mode, and the camera app fast and works fine.



Here's the stuff that isn't so great:



1) While the phone supports bluetooth, it only appears to support very basic profiles, so it doesn't look like you can transfer pictures, addresses, and data with your computer which is a significant drawback

2) I was very disappointed to realize it doesn't support a normal headphone. Instead, it has a weird proprietary headphone jack, and the headphones supplied are about the lowest quality

3) The FM radio is great except that it won't play the FM radio without the headphones attached. But here's the weird part, once the headphone is attached you can play it through the speaker. You can't make this stuff up.

4) No WiFi, which means data access will always cost you money through your carrier.



I would buy it again. The screen quality and size make it worth $100. But don't expect this to compete with a smart phone. Its more like a basic phone with a few extras.

I picked this phone because it was supposed to be a US phone. IT IS AN INTERNATIONAL PHONE. After I finally got it set up it works. To send pic mails you have to hit send, it pops up an error message then when you go into the outbox and resend, it goes through. The camera has no stabalizer and no flash. If your hands are really steady and you're in the sunlight, it takes good pictures. I'm pretty happy with it over all.

I was happy with the phone but found out that it is not compatible with AT & T, they worked with me on trying to get it running but I can not get any media messages. I only wanted it for a short time til I switch to T Mobile, hopefully, I can use the phone with them.. But the delivery came quick.... - Unlocked - Unlocked Cell Phone - Samsung - Touchscreen'


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Infrared Repeater - ir extender, ir emitter


We got a Harmony 700 remote, a Next Generation Remote Control Extender, and the 6-eye extender. Our remote control experience is now perfect and utterly awesome. Easily with a click of just one button, we can turn on everything we need and it all comes on, configured right for what we want to do. Or turn it all off with one press. And it doesn't matter where we are in the house. This has made a huge difference for us because the projector is above and behind our heads, and the rest of the media equipment is to the left and also behind. It was previously impossible, even with the Harmony remote, to control everything in one pass. Because of the different locations we'd have to aim at the media center, wait until everything was off, then press another button and aim at the project and wait until it was off. Now we don't have to aim at all. We can do the instinctive "point at the screen" and it all works, thanks to the RF of the Next Generation, and the IR extender cables of the particular product I'm reviewing here, the Next Generation 6-Eye IR Extender.



The cables for the Eye Extender are long. This was important to us because it means they reach the projector *and* the rest of the equipment. And I like that they come stuck together but can easily be separated. I only separated what I needed to, and this makes it a little easier to keep cables neat. The little IR eyes are small and discreet. I'm very pleased with this product! Next Generation 6-Eye Infrared Remote Control Extender Emitter

I am having a full home theatre seup including Optoma HD66 projetor.I wanted to cover all my home theatre equipments inside a wooden cabinet. But after closing the doors my home theatre receiver and satellite receiver did not work with my IR remote. Then after searching in Amazon.com I came to know about "Next Generation Remote Control Extender". Today I received this product. Directly from the box, I could able to setup without any instruction and now all my remotes works when the doors are closed. Even it works from another room. I am extremely happy about this product and sellers service.

Simply put, this product works FLAWLESSLY and require minimal setup. All that's required for setup is to insert the battery/transmitter unit into the remote, install the IR emitter onto the device and that's it; you've just added RF functionality to each of your remote controls!



STRONGLY recommended for HT buffs who'd like to extend their remote controls. - Ir Kit - Ir Extender - Ir Emitter - Remote Control Extender'


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