Sunday 29 May 2011

Camera Nikon Cool Pix - camera accessories, nikon camera case


My wife and I have a tendency to kill digital cameras, but I bought this case for my wife's new camera and it is the best decision I ever made. The case not only looks great but protects the camera well too!!! Highly recommend this case to anyone who likes to use their camera in a variety of situations, where the camera might get damaged, such as out hiking or boating and fishing. The case does a great job of protecting the camera while it is being transported, plus the case is small and light, which makes it convenient when traveling. Blue Case for Nikon Coolpix Digital Cameras

The case is very nice. My only problem with it is that my Nikon L22 fits so snuggly into the case that there is no room for extra batteries that I like to carry in case the ones in the camera run out of power while I am away using the camera.

This is a nice little case, especially for the price, which is why I gave it a good rating. I was pleased with it until I tried to fit my new Nikon Coolpix S8100 inside. There was no way it was going to fit, which is a bummer. I did check the measurments before purchase and there was one dimension that I thought might be a little tight, but this case doesn't seem to fit a S8100 in any way. It appeared that the height, width and depth of the camera were too big. They will need to change the case description to exclude the new S8100's. Shame since I liked it much better than the cheezy one that came with the camera. The color is cool too. If you have a smaller camera this is certainly worth the money.

I just purchased a Nikon Coolpix S8100, and this was the suggested case for it. Unfortunately, the camera is a little too big for the case, and it won't zip closed. I gave it 2 stars, since it really isn't the sellers fault that it doesn't fit, but the quality of the case seems a little questionable to me.

I got this camera case for my blue Nikon Coolpix camera thinking that it would go well with the blue color of the camera. Well, it surely did, but I wasn't prepared for the cheap quality of the material used. It is sturdy and durable but feels cheap in hand. Would not buy this product again.

Small Compact Case. Slips right on your belt, and flips open for great ease of use. Fits the Nikon 620 perfectly. Haven't had any problems with the zipper getting stuck like other reviewers have mentioned. For the price, its a MUST HAVE!

There's a loop of fabric running between the two zippers that seems useless, so I cut it off. I just wanted a cheap camera case that would fit a Nikon Coolpix, and this works fine. The tab on the front says "Camera Case", and looks a little dumb, but it seems difficult to remove without destroying the case. - Nikon Coolpix - Camera Nikon Cool Pix - Camera Accessories - Nikon Camera Case'


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Sony Walkman Mp3 Player


I bought 3 of these in different colors for my three kids. They wanted the more expensive ipod nano, but since the new version is so small (and they already lost ipod shuffle's because they were so small)I opted for the walkman. The kids and I love the walkman. It's got all the capabilities that they wanted without the price. I was able to use our itunes library to load with songs and videos and it was easy! Great value for the price. Sony Walkman NWZ-E354 8GB Digital Music Player (Blue)

My daughters, ages 13 and 8, both bought one of these with their holiday money. What a great choice! It came ready to go straight from the box. Both Sony's were fully charged and started right up, navigating was simple and syncing with our computer was a snap. Even our 8 year old opened it right up and moments later had videos uploaded and was happily listening to her favorite songs. The video quality is absolutely amazing. The screen isn't overly large but the image is crystal clear. Sure, they both love the ipod touches and admittedly, this lil gadget is only for music/book listening and video watching-not playing games or communicating electronically--but for the price and given their primary desire was to listen to music and watch some videos, this was a perfect choice and is still compact enough to easily carry around or even run with. A+ My only regret is not yet upgrading my own Philips GoGear

This is the best music player with all the features that you need. The price is perfect and should be advertised more to give IPOD a run for its money. Music, movies, pictures, pod casts, and FM radio all for under $70.00.

First of all, I received this item two days early. Thank you amazon.



FM Radio- Overall very good.The connection is very good and you can hear the sound very well. You also have the option of creating a preset channel. Helpful because you don't have to scroll through EVERY SINGLE channel each time you want to listen to a specific channel.



SensMe- I though it was very useless. What it does is it plays songs according to the mood you choose. It only can read the moods of the songs pre-loaded into it. But since I don't use it, I don't really care. Minor...



Playlists- You can make playlists on your computer and put them on your Walkman. Seemed pretty simple. Works great.



Videos- You can put videos on your Walkman. They show up surprisingly good and look great. The only con is not very compatible.



Music- THE BEST FEATURE! When you select the "music" icon from your home screen, it organizes your music into All songs, Album, Artist, Genre, Release Year, and Playlists. ( two more options book mark and folder but im not looking into that.)When you select a song a screen poops up that shows the cover art, the little time bar, the song name, artist, and the album name. Great layout.Last but not least the music sound quality is great. I enjoy this thoroughly.



Pictures- You can put pics on the Walkman. haven't really used the feature but the sample pics look great and very clear. You can put a group a pictures as a screensaver or set one as your background.



Podcasts- NEVER looked into that. Sorry.



Settings- in the settings there are music, video, podcast, photo, FM radio, alarm/sleep timer,common, and language settings.



Controls- Arrow pad around a play/pause buttons. When you wrap your hand around the Walkman your fingers go straight there. Very easy to press. There is also a option button that you can hold to power off. There is also a back button that you can hold to go to the home screen.



Screen-The quality is really good. Everything shows up nice and bright. Doesn't scratch very easily or anything.



Capacity- Its says 8gb but is actually 6.99.

I bought this for my daughter right after Christmas since her previous MP3 player had died on her. Her boyfriend was trying to convince her to go with I-Pod, but I refused to download I-tunes onto my computer. I went to a local electronics store and seen this exact MP3 player (just different color) and I liked it and thought I would check on Amazon to see if I could purchase it cheaper and I did! After the first week of my daughter having it, her boyfriend has now ditched his I-pod and has this exact MP3 player as well. I'd say, if you can convince him to ditch I-anything... The product is really good.

I have owned this MP3 for 3 months now. I am very happy with the ease of operation and the fact that I loaded it in no time. You don't need an entire manual. The website is available if you need any help. I think this a great player for the money and would recommend it. You don't have to be a techie to figure it out and love the fact that it plugs into my car.

I generally like Sony products. I had an older version Walkman MP3 that was great - but it was left on a plane so I needed to replace it. I bought the NWZ-E354. I like everything except this - and it's a deal killer, I am going to send it back. When you turn it off and then go back to it the next day, it does not save where you were. It takes you back to the home screen. This means I have to go through several screens then back into my folder, then scroll down the list of songs to try and find out where I left off. Doing this day-in and day-out is a total waste of time. And if you are outside (running), it is hard to do because it's hard to see the screen, which would be no big deal if the MP3 player went back to the song you were listening to the day before. I called Sony support to see if there was a problem with my unit or if it was by design and I was told it was by design. Some nerd of an engineer obviously does not routinely listen to MP3 players. I guess if going back to where you left off does not bother you, go ahead and get it. This glitch drives me absolutely nuts.'


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Remote Control Extender


This product works GREAT and is very inexpensive compared to others. I recommend using this product over wireless repeaters for reliability and cleanliness of installation.

PROS: Very neat installation and very accurate repeater for a complete system using a Sony 52 inch LCD. Ample wires and expansion capability. Feels like a well built product with clear labeling on the box for easy installation. I added a standard 12 foot long 3.5mm M/F stereo extension cable to lengthen the 10 foot IR Receiver cable that was included in the kit. This allowed me to put the IR receiver on the TV (wall mounted Sony) and put the box in the equipment closet 12 feet away. It worked flawlessly. They should advertise this capability on the Cables to Go website.



CONS: The double back tape on the IR Transmitters seemed kinda week. I don't think they'll fall off over time, but actually might. The IR transmitter plugs pop out of the box very easily. I think they are using the wrong plug/socket combination in the design; they work, but come out VERY easily when they should 'click' in like the IR receiver and power plug do. The power cord is the same plug as all the other ports. It is easily confused with the port next to it labeled "Status". The unit will not work if the power is in the "Status" port, but when miswired, does not fry the unit either. (Uh, don't ask how I learned this...)



Great Product. Highly Recommended. 9 out of 10 for the IR Transmitters not locking in correctly. Cables To Go Impact Acoustics 40430 Infrared (IR) Remote Control Repeater Kit (Black)

This is a great, well priced repeater although it may not be compatible with all equipment.



The unit worked well for my Pioneer Elite receiver and DVD player, but unfortunately it could not transmit the signal at all for my AT&T U-verse "cable" box. The U-verse system is a new technology and apparently the remote is using a frequency that is not within the range of the Cables To Go unit. I called tech support and they were very accomodative and helpful although they had not run into this issue before with the new AT&T units. They had fixed an issue with certain Scientific Atlanta units and therefore figured we could try that remedy. They mailed (at no cost) a new receiver "eye" in an attempt to fix the issue. The new part arrived quickly and I was very hopeful that we would be all set - unfortunately it did not work and I was forced to retunr the unit to Amazon.



All in all - I would recommend the unit if my equipment were compatible. It appears there is really no in between - it will either work with your equipment and in that case it works well - otherwise it simply cannot transmit the signal and thus it will not work at all. I recommend you search online to see if it is known to work with your equipment or you could likely call Cables to Go and ask them if they know whether or not it will work.

I searched for weeks to find a solution for my new house. I had just got a 55" LED LCD TV and new leather furniture and the last thing I wanted in the room was a stack of electronics emitting different color LEDs from every knob and switch. I mounted a shelf in the garage, directly behind the TV, and now I have one of the cleanest setups I have seen. I tried 3 or 4 different IR repeaters from $40-$150 and none met my expectations. Some had delays, others I had to hold the buttons for 2-5 seconds, and some just simply did not work. The 40430 setup easily in about 5 minutes, and worked immediately with my Tivo, DVD, DVR and HD cable box. I had a concern with the HD functions so tech support gladly sent me a newer revision of the IR receiver, no questions asked. I never had to speak to a machine and the 2 guys I spoke to (Doug & Brad) were very nice. Now everyone that comes to the house, friends, family and service guys all comment and are just amazed at the simple look and the ease of use! Note: Xbox 360 uses RF signals so you shouldnt need a repeater. Mine works just fine through the wall. Also, if you mount the ir emitters directly on a device you should remove the sticky stuff (which sort of obstructs the ir signal) and just tape it on.

This is a GREAT product. I moved all my audio/video equipment to the walk-in closet behind the wall that my TV is mounted on, and now I have a very clean setup. I work for one of the better known CE companies and have tested and used many similar products, including expensive products used for professional installations. There really is no reason to pay more, as long as you understand what this product can and cannot do.



PROS:

1. very inexpensive yet performance and the build quality are as good as units costing 2-3 times as much

2. IR receiver is actually more sensitive and has a wider angle than the IR receivers embedded in my various A/V equipment. As a result, I get better IR performance than when my Harmony One remote was firing directly at the equipment in the same room.

3. It's nice to have SIX output ports (to IR emitters) - most units costing 2-3 times as much only have 4.



CONS:

1. Would have been nice to be able to plug two IR receiver into the unit so that I can use a remote in my patio (AVR Zone 2); however, you won't find this feature in a product that sells for anywhere near the 40430 price....



** RECOMMENDATION ** check to see if your equipment has a 3.5mm IR input connector (usually on the back); if so, buy a mono 3.5mm plug-to-plug cable and run it directly from one of the 40430 output ports to your equipment - you get a cleaner setup without gluing an IR flasher to the front. My Harman Kardon AVR has both IR-in and IR-out so I was able to daisy-chain the IR through it to my BD player.



5 enthusiastic stars!!!



Added 3/18/2010:

Amazon is also selling a 2-in/1-out IR connecting block which you can use to add a 2-zone capability to the 40430:



Vista Acoustics C21 $[...].

Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002COJETA?&tag=shopwiki-us-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325



You'll also need to add an IR sensor for your 2nd zone (e.g. speakers in patio.) All together you'll double the cost of the 40430 alone, but it's still a lower price than anything I have been able to find that has 'native' 2-zone capability.'


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High Speed - motorola, comcast


I was renting a modem from Comcast for $4 per month which really was horrible. The modem would crash, reboot, not work, etc... I spoke to some Comcast tech's on Twitter and they recommended I go and buy this modem since it was not yet being distributed by them in my area. Voila, off to Amazon I went.



I purchased the modem, it arrived the next day. I turned everything off....router, computer, etc. The setup was as follows:



A. Plug cable into new modem.

B. Plug ethernet cable from modem to your computer (first time only).

C. Power up modem.

D. Power up computer.

E. For Comcast - Web page comes up that allows you to change your modem.

F. Enter some details....ie. your account number, etc.

G. DONE....shutdown modem, and plug ethernet cable to Router.

H. Enjoy DOCSIS 3.0



I have had this thing for a few weeks now and it works perfectly well on a daily basis. We are actually getting what we pay for...which was not the case with the old junk that comcast provided. We are getting about 60mbps down and 12mbps up...on a good day.



Motorola has an excellent modem again.. Motorola SB6120 SURFboard DOCSIS 3.0 eXtreme Broadband Cable Modem

I bought this modem the other day because I felt my old SB5101 modem was not optimized for speed. I have a regular DOCSIS 2.0 service through Comcast. The modem made a huge impression on me after it was installed. The download and upload increased around 20 percent. The amazing thing is that this modem squeeze extra bandwidth out of your existing service (weather you have a standard basic megabyte connection or the newer DOCSIS 3.0 service high speed connection). The noticeable difference was the latency speed of the connection. When I click on a link on a web page, the page loads up as soon as the link is clicked. My old SB5101 modem would take a few extra milliseconds to load. What does this mean? If you play video games like Halo 3 via X-box or Call of duty, you will have a reaction time advantage against your competition. The clear negative of this product is that it takes longer to boot-up. If you power cycle the modem or if your internet service provider resets the modem, it will take two minutes to restart. It will take Comcast longer to recognize the modem when you call in to give the Mac address because when they reset the modem remotely, it will take two minutes for the modem to initialize. Once it is online it performs flawlessly. Anyone that buys this modem will benefit from the extra tweaks it has regardless if the are using a basic or super high speed internet service.

As I understand it, this is a great modem to use if you have a very expensive, extremely high speed internet package. The reason for this is that it has bonded channels technology that enables you to get more bandwidth (at high speeds) than the Motorola Surfboard 5120 or 5101. So if you have the top of the line internet package, and a very fast computer, and if the cable internet in your area supports DOCSIS 3.0, this thing could work screaming fast for you.



I do not have screaming fast internet, although my computer is pretty bleeding fast. I can't afford that kind of cost for a monthly subscription, because it is a constant and forever drain of a lot of money, and I don't earn that much money where I can do that.



I am located in the Phoenix, Arizona area, and have the $40/month Preferred internet package. My downstream bandwidth varies a lot by the time of day, it ranges between 13Mbps all the way up to about 23Mbps when almost everyone else is in bed sleeping.



My upstream bandwidth is capped real low, as with most consumer internet packages, so it hardly varies at all. It's almost always the same, at about 1Mbps.



If you want an accurate test of your internet bandwidth, do not use the main bandwidth testing sites. Their tests are way too short in duration and give you an extremely exaggerated notion of your top speeds. Go to testmy dot net and use the largest size tests they will allow you to.



Before purchasing this modem from an unnamed extremely large local retailer, I had read lots and lots of reviews saying that this modem dramatically improved the speed of relatively slow connections. I tested my bandwidth both before and after very thoroughly, both upstream and down. In the before part of my tests, I was using a Motorola Surfboard 5120. I saw absolutely no significant difference in either my upstream or downstream speeds after switching in the newer model. The reason this happened is because the 6120 is designed with the bonded channel DOCSIS 3.0 technology that provides you with more bandwidth *in very high speed applications only*.



So, if you have a bleeding fast internet connection, and your internet service provider supports DOCSIS 3.0 in your area, then you could see quite a large improvement in your bandwidth from this modem, according to everything I have read and heard. However, if like me, you cannot afford that speed of connection, you would be much better off saving your money and either keeping your Motorola Surboard 5120 or 5101, or getting one of those instead, since they are less expensive. - Comcast - Sb6120 - Surfboard - Motorola'


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Recycled Printer Paper


Not much to say... We use this paper for printing off recipes or various personal use things. We wanted recycled paper to decrease impact on the environment. I would not use this if you are looking for a higher quality paper as it is flimsy, but for us, it gets the job done. Ink adheres well to the paper. Printworks Recycled Multipurpose Paper, 20 Pound, 92 Bright, 500 Sheets, 8.5 x 11 Inches (00011)

Okay first I gave it a 2 star rating because I'm a sucker for recyled paper! However, if it wasn't I would have given it 1 star. It is the thinest flimsiest paper I have ever seen.



I gave it a chance anyway and printed out a couple of pages for my daughter and was deeply disappointed. I usually use HP paper and am able to print on both sides without seeing any bleeding but with this paper that's a dream. Even printing on one side you can see everything on the other with any ink! I now use it for paper whenever my kids feel like drawing or coloring since I can't use it for anything else! I would send anyone a couple pages to try out if Amazon would let me! I'll stick to HP or even generic Office Max.'


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Zojirushi Bread Machine - bread recipes, bread


I bought this book last Christmas after receiving a machine for a gift. I made a few recipes from the owner's manual and experienced quite a few flops. I refused to be defeated and knew there must be a book out there that would help me make good bread (with the machine that I had begged for). THIS is the book! I read all the reviews that precede 2002 and got the book right away. I love the way Hensperger explains ingredients, the science of bread and how the machine works. We use our machine at least 3-4 times a week. Some of my favorites from the book include the Hamburger and Hot Dog Buns (I will never buy storebought again!), the Garlic Foccacia, the Orange Bread with White Chocolate, Apricots and Walnuts, and for sandwiches my family loves the Instant Potato Bread and the Maple Buttermilk Bread, both of which turn out light and fluffly.I remember reading a review that discussed the different ways to measure flour. For some reason, if I do it Hensperger's way, I always have to add more flour. So, I just scoop it without aerating the flour first.Another review mentioned that you "have to" use SAF yeast. I haven't found this to be true. I have used the SAF, but have also used fast-acting and bread machine yeast. Both have turned out fine. All of the ingredients have been at a local supermarket (I live in a small town - 23,000, on the Central Coast of CA) except the specialty flours like barley, spelt, semolina, etc. Those I have found at a health-food store.I can't say enough good things about this book! My copy is tattered and stained and I am enjoying working my way through all the recipes. It is a book I definitely can't live without

I am a fan of Beth Hensperger's, and have baked my way through others of her bread books, and so was very excited when I discovered this book. Several of the breads I have made have been fantastic -- the Whole Wheat Cuban Bread and the Spelt Bread, for example. But I've had many problems when baking from this book (I bake twice weekly, and experiment once a week), which suggests that some of the recipes weren't tested, they were just "written" or adapted from convetional recipes. I'll mention two, the Honey Wheat Berry Bread and the Sennebeck Hill Bread. If you follow the instructions for the 2-pound loaf, in both cases, you'll have a bread that will rise way beyond the capacity of the largest machine -- I have a Zo, with a huge capacity. I was lucky enough to be in the kitchen at the time, and rescued the breads by taking the pan out, putting a greased heavy duty aluminum collar around the baking pan, secured with paper clips, and baking in the oven. That's not what I expect from someone as skilled as Hensperger. And I don't want to have to be in the kitchen when using a bread machine. So be forewarned.

I received this book for Christmas, and have been having lots of fun with it. I first made a country-style bread that combined whole wheat and bread flours with a touch of maple syrup, and it was yummy. I'll be trying one of the Italian semolina bread recipes this weekend for an Italian dinner party. But my favorite so far has been the Vienna bread. It is best while still warm from the machine (slathered with butter, if you're feeling naughty). It is fairly dense for a white bread, makes great sandwiches, and keeps well for several days. I haven't yet tried any of the biga (starter) breads, but I am looking forward to them. I wish the book contained a cinnamon-raisin bread recipe that was *not* gluten-free; I'll have to improvise.The instructions in this book are clear and very easy to follow. I also appreciate knowing which recipes are suitable for use with the delay timer. While some ingredients are hard to find, plenty of the recipes call for readily available items. I've discovered that the vital wheat gluten required in most recipes is available at my local Safeway, as are Red Star yeast and semolina flour. The fact that vital wheat gluten is *not* the same as wheat gluten flour is mentioned in the book, but not emphasized strongly enough. Also, I have to remember to add salt along with the liquid ingredients, although the recipes list salt with the dry ingredients, because my bread machine manual states that salt can interfere with the action of the yeast if it comes in contact with the yeast too early. Perhaps this is a possibility unique to my machine (a Breadman Ultimate). I agree with an earlier poster who complained that recipes using the Dough cycle (for breads to be baked in an oven) call for unplugging the machine at the completion of the cycle; this seems unnecessary. Overall, I am pleased with and inspired by this book, which contains a great amount of useful information and a slew of easy and delicious-sounding recipes! Thanks, Beth!

I absolutely LOVE this book!! Buy-it-a-ring-march-it-down-the-aisle love it!! I'm one of those people with more cookbooks than I shake a whisk at and I go to this one over and over and over! It has everything! I've never had a loaf go wrong and every recipe I've tried is just delicious.



To start with, the Roman Bread alone (p. 409) is worth the price of the book! The granola bread, the blueberry coffee cake, Mexican chocolate bread, brioche rolls...I could go on and on!! It has everything from the simplest white and wheat to unique breads using exotic grains and interesting nuts, fruits and herbs (persimmon bread, lavender rosemary bread). It's made me a better baker because there are so many notes on the science of how bread "works". And it's not just bread - if you could make pot roast in a bread machine this book would tell you how to do it! There are jam recipes, quick bread recipes and recipes for using the leftover bits. There are pizza and calzone recipes that include the toppings, not just the dough. The Cheese Pizza Torte is amazing!

I love my bread machine but I'm not the biggest fan of the shape of the pan, so I often use the dough recipes and then proof the bread and bake it in a regular pan. Many of the recipes for country loaves have you do that anyway for a more authentic loaf.



My husband bought me the book as a Christmas present when I was 4 months pregnant. Here it is August and the bread machine hasn't gone back into the cupboard yet! It's a miracle our daughter wasn't born weighing 17 pounds! Forget whatever companion book Amazon recommends with this book - buy the latest Billy Blanks or Kathy Smith video (or both!) - you'll be eating A LOT of bread if you get this book! - Baking - Bread - Bread Machine - Cookbook - Bread Recipes - Bread Cookbook'


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Memory Card Adapters - sim, cutter


POSITIVE: Cuts the SIM perfectly. The trick is to press down quickly with lots of force. If you do it slowly, you might be left with edges that need filing.

I put the cutter on the floor and pressed down with my foot. Worked like a charm.



NEGATIVE: The included converters to convert a micro-sim to SIM are no good. I won't recommend using them, unless you're willing to damage your phone.



Conclusion: Use this only to make a SIM micro-SIM. I would have given it 5 stars if the included sim converters were any good. Micro SIM Cutter, Converter with 2 SIM adapters

I was a little hesitant to chop my SIM card up, but the Noosy works flawlessly. The SIM adapters on the other hand are of questionable quality. They are flimsy and therefore very difficult to insert into most sim card slots. Just trying to get the micro SIM card to fit into one of the adapters is difficult (the plastic is very flimsy). Having said all that, I purchased this along with a better SIM card adapter that I found on Amazon and I am very pleased with the results.

Shipping: *****, it came quicker than I expected.

Item:

Grip: *** feels insecure, but yet again, this is just a sim-cutter to be honest.

Sim Cutter Productivity: ***** Cuts the sim into Micro-sim perfectly. No residue or sharp ends. Fitted firmly into my Iphone 4

Micro Sim Adapter: **** Despite some negative reviews, if pressed firmly, the Microsim fits perfectly into the adapter. I use it frequently when I move contacts from my older phones which does not support Micro-Sim such as my Xperia X10.

Overall Experience: ****

I like the product. You can see the chip through the hole before you punch it.



The T-Mobile chip area is large. It almost fills the Micro chip. I was nervous to squeeze it, but it worked just fine and didn't cut any of the metal.



It's going in my suitcase for future use.

Exactly as advertised. The resulting SIm is a bit rough around the edgedes but with an exacto knife this is easily fixed. A few more sim converters and a cleaner edge would be nice, but for this price who can complain.

This is a fantastic product. And I was very happy with the shipping too.

I use an AT & T iPhone and wanted to put another Sim card to go to India. Ordered Gevey sim, but you don't get micro sims in India, so I brought this Sim cutter and it is just too good.

Great product, made from stainless steal, looks and works great. Product works 100% with no issues. Sim adapters work and fit 100% how they should. Product is heavy in weight but it works great. This is the unit you should purchace if you are in the market for buying an item like it. Great product, Works 100%, They also gave me a fast shippment. Product came in the mail just like it was listed as on Amazon. No complaints, purchase from this Company.



Edit!!!

I tried to put my iPhone4 Microsim in the sim converter and then use it to activate my friends iPhone 3GS, and it got stuck in his 3GS and broke the sim card trey (The system that the trey pops out with completely broke.) Do NOT use the sim converters with an iPhone2G/iPhone3G/iPhone3GS. You may use it with another GSM phone that doesn't have the sim chip slide in like an iPhone 2G/3G/3GS. I am not happy with the sim card converters!!!



However the sim card cutter works great as I have stated above, and you may use the sim card converters with most cell phones just not the iPhone2G/3G/3GS. - Cutter - Adapter - Sim - Iphone'


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Christmas Gift - annoying, cell phone


When I purchased this product, I read all the reviews on Amazon first but neglected to do a little checking on who wrote them. Amazingly, the glowing reviews came from people who reviewed just one product - this one. And the same exact reviews (word for word) were on both pages for the white and black Zomm products. Not that I think anyone plants reviews on Amazon to sell products...but it does make one wonder.



Although at first it sounds like a wonderful idea (good enough for me to buy 2 Zomms), the Zomm suffers from one fatal problem (for most people) - it is really just a Bluetooth headset with a disconnect alarm. It's not really a "Wireless Leash" as the advertising says, just another headset. And what does that mean? First and foremost, it means that when you install and select the Zomm it automatically de-selects and replaces any REAL Bluetooth headsets on your phone. If you currently use a wireless Bluetooth headset (I live on my headset), you CANNOT use it when the Zomm is selected. If you de-select the Zomm to use your headset, then the alarm goes off! You are forced to use the handset or the "speakerphone" option of the Zomm. My Plantronics headset is now useless.



And when you start your car (if you use a built-in hands-free system), either the Zomm gets disconnected by the car (and then the alarm goes off!) or your hands-free system is now useless. Which means that, if you keep the Zomm selected in the car (in order to silence the alarm), you must then use the Zomm speakerphone option to make calls (making a non hand-free call is illegal in my state). And without the noise-canceling built into my automotive hands-free system, all the road noises interfere with the call and essentially my phone is useless.



So, if you normally use a Bluetooth headset or a hands-free system in your car, this is NOT the product for you.



Interestingly, none of the reviews on Amazon even mentioned this problem. Neither did the Zomm website or the enclosed instruction manual. So much for honest advertising.



(And yes, this is my first Amazon review. Why did I write this review? Generally I am happy with my Amazon purchases and I am usually technically savvy enough to know what I am buying. But with absolutely NO disclosure of this basic weakness, I stupidly spent $150 for 2 of these devices and spent an evening trying to make them work. Tricking people into buying your product by hiding important details is just plain wrong. I don't want anyone else making the same costly mistake I did. And yes, I will be returning the 2 Zomms I bought on Amazon.) ZOMM Wireless Leash, Bluetooth Speakerphone, and Personal Safety Device for Mobile Phones (Black)

I received ZOMM from a friend and initially liked it based on the ability to tell me that I had left my phone behind (which I do very often). There are a ton of other features built in to the product that are very useful. Luckily, I haven't had to use the panic alarm/emergency calling function (but am glad to know it's there). What I do love to use is the speakerphone. My phone always seem to be at the bottom of my purse, out of reach when it rings. ZOMM will pick up the call for me and I can talk right into the device - it is really clear. ZOMM is a great little product!

My Zomm was bought for a self birthday present. The feature of buzzing when I have a call is useful if I was in a loud room, but I felt the Zomm distance to cell phone when it alarmed that the phone was out of range could be a lot longer distance. I should be able to go to the basement with the phone in my pocket without the alarm setting off. But yet, that alarm is loud enough to definitely remind me my cell is awol.

I selected the white zomm because it fits my style. I like being able to have an electronic device that isn't overly masculine (I'm a woman). The thing about this electronic key chain that I like most is the fact that it is a panic alarm, which can startle any potential oncoming bad guys, AND especially that it'll call an emergency number that I've set! No matter where I am, when by myself (and being smart about my surroundings) I can be confident that I can call someone for help if needed just by pressing a button for a few seconds.

I am usually aware of where my iPhone is at all times; however do sometimes misplace my keys and so it is cool that I can disconnect the wireless leash bluetooth connection from my phone and the zomm will ring out wherever it is! So, that's kinda neat too. I don't use the speakerphone much, but think it's great that I can use it if I need to. Also, I've heard some buzz about an Android App (per their blog) coming out soon and am super excited about the ability to customize my zomm's settings from my phone...really hope that comes out sooner than later!! :-)

The battery needs charging about every 4 days or so, which isn't bad because I can charge it while at work during the day when I know I'm safe and have my phone nearby. Great device! Thanks Amazon for providing your customers with new tech stuff!

Im pretty amazed by this device. I don't leave my phone behind anymore as the annoying alarm has trained me to keep it close. I went to zomms website and did the download and turned the phone alarm thing to vibrate only because I feel like a month of using it every day really helped me keep my iphone close. But I still keep it on my keychain and I use it all the time when Im driving to talk with people.



I dont care what anyone else is saying, I love this little thing. since I charge my iphone every night i just plug my KEYS in next to my phone and it's always powered up. really good!!!

Not only is it a great gift for him, but quite honestly, if he's away from his cell phone, he doesn't hear it ring and consequently, I nor others can reach him. I always think what happens in an emergency and his cell phone is not on/with him. So everybody wins:)

It was the best gift I ever got him

Highly recommend! - Joke - Awesome - Cell Phone - Annoying'


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Seagate - hard drive, storage


NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED:

I've watched the issue with these drives carefully for about 2 months. It looks like Seagate solved the problem and that a vocal few were ever really affected. By few I mean relative to the thousands sold. And I am not defending Seagate. This whole fiasco was unacceptable.



MY SYSTEM:

I picked up 8 of these drives. I'm running them in 4 separate DLink DNS-321 RAID boxes. I've copied about 4TB of data back and forth across them for days. My only firmware update needed was for the DLink so that it could properly handle the new 1.5TB drives.



In the end I believe all is well with both the drives and the DLink DNS-321. I will of course update this review immediately if I see any problems.



PERFORMANCE:

We are able to watch movies from this drive arrangement on 3 computers simultaneously across a 100mb network from the same drive while adding new files to the drive from a 4th computer.



This means I can be adding movies unattended to the system while watching an Epic Man movie on the plasma in the living room... while the kids are watching Monsters Inc in the bedroom... and the wife is off watching some chic flick in the Den. :)



The combination of DLink and these 1.5TB drives is fantastic and seems as stable as the WD 1TBs I was using previously.



PROPER DIAGNOSIS:

Don't confuse your drive DIEING after a week with the previous firmware problems of this particular drive. Blame the vendor that shipped the drive like it could bounce !



ON A SIDE NOTE:

I will say I am sick of Amazon, Tiger and other vendors shipping hard drives like they are indestructible ROCKS. Even if they arrive working, this inadequate packaging is certainly taking years off the life of our drives. One of my 8 arrived DEAD as a brick thanks to this nonsense. I am furious about this issue !



Will it take a class action to stop this behavior of guaranteeing future drive sales by damaging todays drives through deliberate mishandling of our purchases ?! Wake up AMAZON ! Wake up TIGER !



UPDATE: Dec 14 2009

One year later, I own 22 of these drives now. 12 are running daily in DNS-321 Raid boxes. The other 10 are used as back up drives in a drop in SATA adapter. No failures since 2 in the first few weeks, I believe due to poor packaging. About 6 of my drives came with the BAD firmware. I never had issues with that either. Call me blessed. I just think the DNS-321 and these drives work very well together.



UPDATE: Jan 8 2011

Another year passes and most of my 1.5TBs have all been pulled from DNS-321 RAID boxes and used as loose backup drives in a drop in SATA adapter. I've replaced them with the larger Seagate 2TB drives for larger capacity. NO FAILURES OF EITHER DRIVE 1.5TB or 2TB ! I have a couple Hitachi's and WD 2TBs. The Seagate drives are quieter and come off sleep in my RAID boxes faster than the other brands. All are used for video streaming over a network and do a fantastic job.



TIGER has been shipping drives MUCH BETTER. Amazon packagers have sent me drives packed poorly just 2 months ago. I requested replacements and Amazon handled the no charge exchange well. But they should NOT have been shipped that way. Seagate Barracuda 7200 1.5 TB 7200RPM SATA 3Gb/s 32MB Cache 3.5 Inch Internal Hard Drive ST31500341AS-Bare Drive

Update: I wrote this review before a firmware update was made available and my comments reflect the situation at the time. When the updates were made available, I flashed my 5 drives and they've been working fine ever since. I'd change the rating to a 4 star if the editor allowed.



I and many others have been experiencing serious problems with these drives including:



* dropping out of RAID configurations for no apparent reason

* being ejected from a RAID configuration due to read / write errors

* freezing for up to 30 seconds



These problems have been reported on Linux, Vista, XP, and OS X and appear to be related to how the drives flush their write cache. In many cases, the drives work fine for days or weeks before problems appear. In my case, I bought five of these for my Qnap TS-509 Pro and they worked great for about two weeks under various read / write loads. Since then, I've had all three of the problems mentioned above on different drives and they are growing progressively worse. The latest problem was three of the five drives disappearing from the RAID5 volume while I was attempting to copy the files to a different NAS.



A work-around that has been successful for some is to disable the disk write cache. Other than the obvious performance penalty and reduced lifespan this causes, some systems do not provide a means of disabling disk write cache (such as the Qnap).



References to these problems can be found on many forum threads:



Qnap: http://forum.qnap.com/viewtopic.php?f=142&t=8826

Netgear: http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=20435&start=60&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Synology: http://www.synology.com/enu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&p=47101

AVSForum: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1080005

macrumors: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=571843

Ubuntu: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=933053

Slashdot: http://hardware.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1003109&cid=25458241

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/review/product/B00066IJPQ/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?_encoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1



The most informative thread may be found on Seagate's own support forum, where it appears Seagate is blaming everyone but themselves for the problem:



http://forums.seagate.com/stx/board/message?board.id=ata_drives&thread.id=2390&view=by_date_ascending&page=1 - Storage - Barracuda - Hard Drive - Sata'


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Hdmi To Dvi - dvi, hdmi cable


I wanted to output my video (TV shows, streaming web video, etc.) to my HDTV. This cable outputs the video from the DVI port on my MacBook Pro to the TV HDMI input.



Works perfectly and reproduces color better than the computer monitor.



Note: DVI does not carry a sound signal (HDMI carries both sound and video) so you'll need a headphone out to RCA output to have both video and sound output to the TV from the computer. [ie. Headphone jack to Red/White RCA output.] 10FT / 3m HDMI TO DVI M/M CABLE

I bought the monster cable version of this cable for $160 at my local electronics store. Then i got online and found this cable, when i got it in the mail it worked just as well as its more expensive counterpart. I'm returning the monster cable today. Don't waste money on expensive cables, with a digital signal it doesn't matter

I ordered this cable to connect my MacBook pro to my 50-inch HD TV. It works like a charm, Just connect the cable to the Macbook and TV and change your TV input respectively and you can watch your Macbook on the TV. No need to make any changes to the Macbook.

This product does exactly what you'd think it would do - send video hmdi-dvi or vice versa. I don't think cables can exceed expectations, its a cable. Its 10 feet long. It works. It has fufilled its destiny. It works and is cheap, 5 stars.

PROS:

- Price is as low as you can go!

- Crystal clear HD output from Computer to 40" 1080P HDTV



I mainly got this to play my computer games on a bigger screen, and the resolution turns out better than PS3 and xbox360, as expected.



I also use it to play movies and videos from youtube and Netflix, in which the HD content for both is seen the way it's supposed to be.

Good quality DVI-HDMI cable that would cost 20+ bucks more in the store. Used to to connect my [Charter] Motorola Moxi DVR to my Sony LCD TV. No difference in picture quality but I went from 5 cables (component) to 3 cables (HDMI and LR audio) which was my intent. Also at 3 meters in length it will be long enough to fish through the wall at a later date.



Update: I found that there was a slight green shift in the color using this cable so I went back to component cables. I was unable to determine if it was an issue with this product or an issue with the output from the DVI port on my DVR box (most likely). So I can't fault this product and have no other means to test it.

It works, is cheap, and seems to be the appropriate length; the only thing I've noticed is that if the HDMI part of the cord is shifted left or right everything is still visible but it all becomes a shade of blue (I'm assuming the cable is at fault).

I ordered this cable to hook-up my new 6200 LE Nividia graphics card to my very nice hd plasma tv. The picture comes across nice, only if you're running 24hz if you want 1080p though. But after I was done, I tried to hook back up my PS3 and all of my HDMI ports stopped working. Apparently cables like this are capable of locking-up HDMI ports on certain models of tvs. Now the only thing that works through my HDMIs is this cable.

A similar 8 foot version of this cable at Best Buy is $100+, I got a 10 foot version for $6 delivered to my door. As for the product, it works great! I use it, along with an audio Y cable, to watch Netflix from my Laptop's HDMI output to the DVI in on my "older" HD monitor.

Without this cable all of my regular DVD's played at 480i. I did not know what I was missing until I used this cable and suddenly all my regular DVD's were upconverted to 1080i. Its not quite as good as either of the HD formats, but its close enough to make you wonder if paying 2X or 3X as much for an HD disc is worth the price. And using component connections is not even close to the quality you get with the HDMi cable. - Dvi - Hdmi To Dvi - Cables - Hdmi Cable'


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Mathematics - ti-83, calculator


Why would I want a TI 83 you may ask? What about the 89? It's a higher model, and has more buttons! Yes, that's exactly it, it has more buttons, and way to many features you won't use. I have a Ti 83+ (More memory than the origional, but same everything else) and it is great! It has built in Financial Apps, which is a nice addition (and helpful!) compared to the 82 (which it is also compatible with!). But the 89? Even the 85? They take greater than calculus students to even need/use those functions, and they are a much harder to learn calculator. The Calculus teacher at our school says that the 83 will get you all through calculus and most likely beyond college. My calculator, which is really easy to learn, came in handy the first day in Geometry. We had to figure an area of a wierd shape and we only had the co-ordinates, i punched them in, and POW, found the area. If you do get this calculator, a TI-Graph Link is a must, this allows you to download software and updates from TIs website, some software could almost be considered cheating, while others can be games for fun. Unless you want to spend $200 for a TI-92+ (not even allowed by most teachers, it's so powerful), this is THE calculator for you! Texas Instruments TI83 Graphing Calculator

As a math teacher, I would highly recommend for $5 more to get the TI-83 Plus. The are essentially the same calculators, except the Plus provides memory that will be worth more than $5 as you put programs on your calculator--a must for physics labs.

The beginner TI (81, 82, 83) calculators are great for high school math and business type college math classes. However, if you think you're going to head towards any engineering major in college (i.e. you're going to take calculus) you will want a more powerful calculator when you get there. I bought a TI-81 when I was in high school and it was great (then). When I got to college it was fine for first quarter calculus, but by second quarter I wanted something more powerful. I ended up buying the TI-85 which had a bit more of a learning curve, but was a much more powerful and useful tool. In retrospect I wish I would have bought the TI-85 in high school, but who knew! Bottom line... If I were a high school student looking at pursueing an Engineering study path I would go for the TI-92. If I were a high school student worried just about high school or thinking of a Business study path, I would buy the TI-83. Either way the TI is a great calculator, second only to HP!

I bought this calculator back in High School about 6 years ago and have not regretted purchasing it ever. It is a great calculator, which is the proverbial truth that it takes a licking and keeps on ticking. The only reason that I mention this is that calculators take really large beating in backpacks and this specific one handles those very well. In the 6 years that I have had this calculator it has worked flawlessly and I have taken it with me to collage, where it is serving me very well. I would very much recommend this calculator to anyone that needs a graphing calculator. It does not matter if you are in high school or collage. It's a great calculator. Further more unlike some of the other non-TI calculators and even the TI-86 and TI-89 this one is very easy to learn and use.

This product by Texas Instruments is the perfect blend of ease of use, many features, and overall functionality. This is the perfect calculator for the high school / college student. It does all you would need it to do all the way up through Calculus Honors. I enjoy the program writer function in which you can write your own programs to solve complex math problems, or you can use it to program you own games and what not. I can't justify spending more for a better model when this calculator has all you would need and then some.

I didn't have to have this calculator until 9th grade when I took Algebra 2. It has been the most reliable thing I have ever bought in my life. It's not needed for any level of math under Algebra 2. I'm now a college sophomore and am still using this calculator. I've been through trig., calculus, and stats. and it has been a lifesaver in all of them. I couldn't imagine taking those classes without the calculator. It is extremely durable. I don't know how many times I've dropped mine and it is still working. My one very important suggestion is that after purchasing your claculator, you should engrave your name or initials on it because a lot of them get stolen in school because they are so expensive.

The TI-83 is decent and supports pretty much any math function a high school student would need, and is sufficient for college students not majoring in math or physics, but it lacks some usability features found in the 85 and 86. The menu system of the 83 is much more time consuming to use. On the 85/86, commonly used functions go in a custom menu, and menus can remain open at the bottom of the screen while you work. This saves a ton of time over the 83, and to me is worth the difference in price. - Ti-83 - Calculator - Mathematics - Engineer'


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Green Housecleaning - green housecleaning, household hints


I am very impressed with the amount of great cleaning tips in this book! I would have given 5 stars, but I honestly cannot understand why every item he says to use is a brand name product. Does it really matter if you use a "Conair 1875 Watt Hair Dryer" when removing a bumper sticker? Um, no I think not. And literally EVERY SINGLE tip names specific brands, which I guarantee 9 out of 10 times makes no difference what-so-ever. Who knows...Maybe he got a kickback from the companies he mentions. Regardless, great book I would definitely recommend to anyone who hates cleaning as I do. Joey Green's Cleaning Magic: 2,336 Ingenious Cleanups Using Brand-Name Products

I teach Consumerism to middle school students and they were fascinated with Cleaning Magic. They found great ways to save money and get things clean. They gave it an A+ after factoring the savings into their household monthly budget project.

This book would go in the category of 'teaching a new dog old tricks'. For readers who are new to the world of DIY the book may be more useful than it was for me. I bought the book because I thought (based on the advertisement) it would help me remove latex paint from wood trim in my old house. I did not find the help I needed. The biggest use for the book, for me, is that it is a central storage point for all the tips about cleaning that I've heard over the years.

Many times I have read Joey Green's helpful hints in a grocery store insert and have torn them all out to keep and use. Having this book has put them all in one place and has made it much easier to find just the hint that I was looking for. It is great to be able to use everyday products that we all have in our homes.

The book was a very good price and was shipped promptly.

This book has lots of surprising tips. Some of them are genious. I had gotten lint all over a black top that I was going to wear in an hour. I followed the tip and it was like magic. He does use bounce a lot throughout the book. Who knew there were so many easy fixes for so many daily problems. Hats off to you, Joey. - Green Housecleaning - Home Remedies - Household Hints'


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Brad Nailers - cpo bostitch, brad nailer


Since each seller may have a different standard and policy, my review is more specific to the one that I purchased from Tool King. Please see my uploaded photos above, the unit I received was likely to be a rental unit. There are stains all over the handle. The paint on the tool is worn off at corners, indicating substantial usage. The signs of "reconditioning" are the black marker cover-up of the scratches on the black paint. The tool is in working order. But it is deceiving to call it refurbished. Factory-Reconditioned Bostitch U/SB-2IN1 2-In-1 Narrow Crown Stapler/18-Gauge Brad Nailer

This gun works perfect with not one problem. I have always liked Bostitch tools and this one being reconditioned has been tested better than a stock shelf item and I would buy reconditioned anytime with full warranty and I save about 30%, a good deal in my book.

Just started to use the 2 in 1 Bostitch. I would personally recommend to anybody that has a workshop or is a woodworking. It's lite weight plus can get into about any space to staple or put in a brad. Yes' it is small but packs enough power to set the stable or brad where you want it.

works just like it noted in the booklet with no problems.. looks brand new (I could not tell if it was used at all).. Came in a case with complimentary staples and nails (Hello and Thank You Bostitch/Amazon) Thanks so much to whom it may concern....

I bought this item for the flexibility of being able to use brads or staples in it, and the price was very reasonable. When I tried out my Bostitch U/SB-2in1 I could not get it to drive the brads all the way into the 3/4 in plywood I was using for the test. I had the air preasure at the Max recommended for its operation. There is a little knurled wheel in the front, but adjusting it up or down did't seem to make any difference. I looked in the operating manual that comes with the nailer, but could find no solution to the problem. The manual is very poorly written. So I just had a bunch of brads with their heads sticking out of the wood. Maybe they should send a nail set along with this item.



I tried out the staples and had the same result.



I don't know whether its being reconditioned had anything to do with the poor performance. In any event, this one is not a good buy at any price.

Works excellently perfect for the home repair projects I'm involved in.

In the box was everything I needed to get started. You just need a compressor and hose.

The gun is reasonably light, about 2 pounds, making it very easy to maneuver.

Tool King had the best overall deal.

I just ordered this nailer on 6-15-11 and received it TODAY!! (6-16-11) WOW!! that was quick...So, I take it out of the box. The carrying case is clean and working order with the owners manual. The nailer is clean, no blemishes, doesn't even look like it has ever been used.

I tested the nailer with the provided narrow crown 18 Gage staples and then the brad nails. The gun works perfect. I am glad I bought this from Amazon instead of paying full price on a brand new unit. If your looking for good quality tools, CPO is the way to go. I cant say enough good things about CPO.



Thank you

Billy

Factory-Reconditioned Bostitch U/SB-2IN1 2-In-1 Narrow Crown Stapler/18-Gauge Brad Nailer



I started to do some minor repairs after our foundation was repaired and realized a trim nailer was badly needed. I located this one on the internet and figured the price was right. I am glad I bought it . it came in a nice case, came quickly and works great.

No complaints on this refurbished item. Redid all of my kitchen cabinet doors using this baby. I'm sure it saved me over $3K. Couldn't be happier. Says it shouldn't be used over 100 psi, but I cranked it up to 120 just to get thru the hard beadboard I put over the melamine, and it did great. This was using the 3/4" staples, which I know I went thru a few hundred. I haven't used it yet as a brad nailer. - Woodworking - Brad Nailers - Brad Nailer - Cpo Bostitch'


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