Recording - recording, podcast

Visit Store Now !!

I have been testing USB mics for the past week for use with a web-based seminar ("webinar") program we run at my company. I needed a mic small enough that I could ship it to remote presenters, with excellent audio quality and super simple setup (our speakers are not audio pros). Today, I found that mic, the Blue Snowflake. It folds into its own case for protection, and the USB cable fits inside too. The package is about the size of two decks of cards, stacked. The case opens to allow you to stand it on a desk, or hang it from an upright laptop display. Both sounded great, the display mount a little better, because of the better positioning.



We've been doing our seminars through higher-end, XLR and this is not as good as them, but costs much less and works over USB. I have the Blue Snowball as well (I also recommend), which I use for podcast recording and in my tests this sounded as good (if not better) for the narration style recording we will be doing.



On our Macs (10.5 and below) it's plug and play - plug in and select the mic as the Input mic in the System Preferences, and you're done. Whatever app can accept audio on your machine, can use this. These seminars use a Flash-based audio system, and it picked up the mic instantly. You may have to adjust the Input level in the system prefs, depending on your app, and it's controls.



Downside: the mic pivot on my unit is a little loose, so I have to be careful placing it. The USB cable is stiff enough to stabilize it though. Once it's set, I don't fear it will move, unless hit.



I bought mine at an AppleStore (on a whim, I had been thinking about buying one to test) for $79. I have no regrets at that price, so considering that at the time of this writing, the price here is $20 cheaper, I think this mic is a phenomenal value. Especially if you've used common USB headset mics with their miserable sound. Blue Microphones Snowflake USB Microphone

It is a good design, but I find myself not liking it as much as others seem. It works well mostly, and looks cute, but is also quite obviously flawed.



Pros:



(1) Convenience and mobility. No need to wear a headset or handhold a mic.

(2) Sound quality much better than built-in microphones.

(3) Built-in soundcard (A/D converter) with quite good quality. No need to worry about the humming noises of laptop internal sound cards, and no need to mess with external sound cards.

(4) USB compatibility. Truly plug-and-play.

(5) Pretty good build quality, better than most consumer products.

(6) Good-looking.



Cons:



(1) Picks up too much ambient sound. Even a slight wind generates unacceptably high level of background noise. Completely unusable outdoors. Consider to use it only in a quiet room. This is partly because of the far placement required of this mic (much further from the mouth than a handheld mic and therefore the gain level has to be set high to pick up the sound), and partly because of the mic's design itself. This microphone is supposed to be unidirectional, but its ability to reject ambient sound is not even remotely close to that of handhold microphones I've used, not to even mention microphones that have noise cancellation mechanisms.



I believe this microphone was designed with conflicting goals which forced compromises. When it comes to microphones, there are two very different types of uses. The first type is the recording of a single source from a single direction (such as an individual speaker's voice), the second type is the recording of multiple sources from multiple directions (such as a conference room). These two types need very different types of microphones, namely unidirectional for the former and omnidirectional for the latter. I feel the maker of the Snowflake would like to have both type of buyers with a single design. Not a good idea. I think they should give an option of two different types to the Snowflake, either using a modular system or using a switch. In addition, because the Snowflake is intended for mobile use, they should also consider adding noise cancellation feature to deal with ambient noises. With the present design, this limitation alone makes the Snowflake nearly useless to me because I intended to use it on my laptop mostly in the backyard.



(2) In addition to the unacceptable ambient noise level, inherent noise (self-noise) level is also higher than a good handheld microphone or good headset. (The inherent noise is the noise generated from the microphone and the circuit even when there is no ambient noise.) When used at the supposed placement in relation to the user, this microphone is clearly not as clean as the high-quality microphones I've used. This may not be a problem for noncritical recordings, but it is something to be remembered if your recording demands high quality. Personally, I want to use it for voice recognition, which I believe is a more challenging environment than casual recording. Based on my short experience, I am somewhat satisfied, but not without reservation because of the noise. I just hope the noise does not significantly impact the recognition accuracy. So far, it does not appear to be a serious problem, but the higher noise level is obvious and I am concerned. Of course, this is talking about dictating in a quiet room. If there is any appreciable amount of ambient noise, the Snowflake is completely unusable as I discussed above.



(3) Aside the noise issues, the sound quality is not as good as professional microphones used with a good sound card. The recorded sound is simply not as round, tight and solid. The sound quality is in the middle between a built-in mic and a good separate mic (such as a decent headset or a handheld microphone). I say this based on testing with actual recordings, not speculation. While the Snowflake is noticeably better than a built-in microphone, it is noticeably inferior to a good handheld microphone or a quality headset (such as those used in wireless microphone sets).



(4) There is an annoying bug when used with voice recognition program NaturallySpeaking. Whenever you put the computer in sleep and later wake it up, the USB Snowflake will not come out of the sleep. You will have to unplug the microphone and replug it to make it work. This happens only when voice recognition program is running. I'm not sure what causes the problem (the microphone, the voicerecognition program, or the computer operating system?), but this shouldn't happen. I use Vista. Other external USB devices all work fine in this respect. Regardless what the cause is, this is quite annoying because I put my laptop in sleep frequently. Because the problem may not be caused by the microphone, I don't mean to downgrade the microphone by this problem. But those who consider to use this microphone for voice recognition should take notice of this issue.



(5) The joint of the microphone head is very loose, hardly able to hold a position firm. This makes you nervous all the time, and in fact does cause frequent adjustments. This is clearly an overlook and must be improved in the next iteration of this product (if there will be one). Nothing affects the user experience like unreliability.



(6) There is no tightening nor adjustment mechanism for this thing to be clamped over the edge of the computer lid. It just loosely and barely hangs there. Not very stable, and easily falls off with any laptop movement. I eventually decided to place the microphone aside the computer. This works well (but does require a support surface), because thankfully the metal case can be flipped over to become a standing frame. Very convenient.



(7) I wish they could change the shape of the frame to make it comfortable to hold in hand if needed to (for example, if you really need a low noise level for recording by placing the mic close to your mouth). With the current design, the metal frame is not only heavy but too edgy and uncomfortable to hold for very long.



(8) I feel the whole thing is a bit too heavy for its intended type of use. Is it possible to make it lighter without sacrificing the integrity? I don't know. I kind of like the feel of its metal make, but still think lighter would be better.



To be fair, however, the lower sound quality and worse noise characteristics compared to handheld or headset microphones isn't totally surprising, because such characteristics are inherent to the detached type of use in which the microphone is placed at a distance from speaker. The sound quality of any microphone depends greatly on the distance between the user and the microphone. I tested the Snowflake handholding it close to my mouth (about 3-4 inches away), and found the quality of the recording was quite close to that of a good handheld microphone. But of course this is not how the microphone is designed to be used. Placed over the top edge of my laptop lid (the intended way to use it), the Snowflake sounded decidedly worse. The noise floor is much higher, because at that distance, the recording level has to be raised to the maximum in order to have a decent pickup. Still much better than a built-in microphone, but if you are hoping for very high-quality recording comparable to a handheld or studio microphone, you shouldn't buy this microphone. Especially, if you intend to use it outdoor, I strongly recommend not to buy this microphone. On the other hand, if you would like to have the convenience of not having to handhold a microphone or wear a microphone over your head, I'm not aware of a better USB-based computer microphone out there at this time.



Overall, interesting and promising design that may satisfy lots of users who are not very discriminative in terms of the sound quality, but for those who don't want to compromise too much, don't hope too much. It's very good for indoor use, but are unsuitable for outdoor use, and also not to replace a high quality microphone for high-quality recordings (even in a quiet room). And yes, the sleeping bug and several other flaws do bother me. - Podcast - Mic - Microphone - Recording'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

podcast

Stereo Adapter

Visit Store Now !!

Great quality adapter! Had to replace one that was going loose, and this worked very well.



No static, snug fit, good price, fast shipping, quality packaging. All in all, good product and seller.



I'm buying a second one for backup! Hosa GPM-103 3.5mm TRS to 1/4" TRS Adaptor

This is 3.5mm female to 1/4" male adapter. I bought this for my Casio keyboard.

I connected keyboard's 1/4" female phone jack to audio receiver and works great.

I guess this is bulk adapter; it was not in retail package when it arrived, this they didn't mention in product description.

I recently purchased this item to play music from my iPad/ iPod through a PA system. I teach music and need reliable equipment that produces good quality sound so that my students can "dig into" the music. This product provided just that for a great price.

This little jobber did just the trick so that I could listen to my amp through my headphones and not annoy my neighbors. Obviously it's not as good as having some headphones that can plug right in, but I'd pay twice what I had to for this thing the way it performs.

I bought this so I could run my radio/ mp3/ thru my amp while I work on my mountain bikes. It works pretty good for that. You have not lived until you have heard Rush Limbaugh blasting via a Marshall 1/2 stack'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Stereo Adapter

Finance Calculator - calculator, financial calculator

Visit Store Now !!

This new "II" version is a newer style of the older HP-10B, which will now go out of production. The new style has a smoother case and a more 21st century look, but the calculator and its functions are still the same.I have used (and own) many of the available financial calculators on the market. I "recommend" the HP-10B to my university finance students, both graduate and undergraduate.The HP 10B-II is a directly positioned competitor to the TI-BA-II+, but HP's entry is superior. The keys feel more solid, the machine itself "seems" better made. Having worn out more than one of each, my experience has been that the HP has more staying power. And, the TI-BA-II+ often requires more keystrokes to accomplish the same tasks (i.e., NPV calculations). ...The HP 10BII has a well written manual, including examples on using the function. HP has the manual available on-line on their website for the inevitable time that the user needs it and has lost the original.While there are cheaper financial calculators, it seems that this particular level is the minimum I would recommend to professionals or students. Less expensive versions, while saving a few dollars, miss important features. As a general rule of thumb, if the calculator can perform the "IRR" function, as this can, it will be able to handle pretty much any calculation into which the finance student, professonal, or banker will run. Lesser machines do not have this function.Ironically, even larger fancier calculators, such as the venerable HP-12C, are in my estimation inferior as well. The 12C uses RPN logic which, while saving even more keystrokes, is simply foreign to most students. More importantly, some functions, such as the Time Value of Money functions, on the 12C require interpretation. On the 12C, for example, solving for the number of periods in an annuity, the value gets rounded UP to the next integer.Strongly recommended as the best value in inexpensive financial calculators. HP 10bII Financial Calculator

To be certain, this is a good calculator, and it is a decent value at this price, but not even HP would say it's the best ever.I'd much rather be purchasing the HP 17BII - with it's expanded functions, but this will certainly do 95% or more of the financial functions I need it to do. The 17BII has some added features which admittedly are not requirements (Date, Time, Appointment) but I do strongly prefer the menu options on the 17BII and the programming function.To address a couple concerns mentioned here:1. Yes, the calculator will round .275 to .28 -- if you have it set to display only two digits right of the decimal. That's what it should do. You can, however, easily set the display to three digits or whatever degree of significant digits you wish.2. I have checked interest rate calculations and all I ahve done work out fine. Perhaps the problem mentioned here has been addressed.The 12C is a better, more capable calculator. But the 12C also requires one to learn RPN. Many people prefer not to use RPN. On the 10BII you can set it to work with "standard" data entry or RPN -- your choice.The 19BII is also a better calculator, but it's large with a fold-out keypad (it opens like a book, standard looking calculator on the right, alphabetical keys on the left). It was also more expensive - close to $150 many years ago when I got one. Again, this is far more than people really need, which is probably why you can't find it on the HP website any longer.Unfortunately, I can't find the 17BII on the HP website either. It appears that both the HP 17BII and the 19BII have been discontinued. I really found the 17BII to be the best in function and price combination.As for quality, I think the reviews here are right. My old HPs are still going strong, but one 17BII I bought a year ago seemed light and less sturdy. Sure enough, it died recently, which is why I conducted a search for a replacement. (There are some refurbished ones availableso, but even that great calculator isn't worth that price.So I've reluctantly purchased the 10BII. It feels light and cheap, but we'll see how it holds up. It uses two wafer-thin 1025 batteries v. three button batteries of the 17BII, so I'll change more frequently.In summary, this is a strong, capable calculator, and probably one of your best bets at this point. It will almost certainly perform what you need it to do. Read the very user friendly instruction guide if in doubt. However, there are better options out there that can do even more if you're willing to learn a more complicated system (12C) or are fortunate enough to find the 17BII and pay the higher price.Good luck.

This calculator is now the most popular among Undergraduate Business Programs. And it is somewhat sufficient to solve textbook problems in introduction to accounting and finance. Functions can be easily explained to those classes. However, once you get into the real finance and investments your professor will want you to purchase the HP 12C instead. That one will be able to solve the more advanced and complex problems and all that more accurately. Once you move on to grad school there is no other option but the HP 12C - or an equivalent calculator by another manufacturer. And you will need that more advanced one at work, too - for all entry level analyst positions in finance and accounting. Unless you have already decided that the pre-requisites in finance and accounting will be the only time when you need a financial calculator, there is really no use to get accustomed to the HP 10B. You might as well purchase the more advanced calculator immediately (and save some money) although it is a little more difficult to use. - Hp - Financial Calculator - Finance - Calculator'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

finance

2009 Amazon Frustration-fre - lodge, cast iron skillet

Visit Store Now !!

I honestly cannot say enough good things about this pan. At first I was skeptical and a little hesistant about cooking with cast iron. Growing up in the south I knew the magic of cast iron cornbread made with fatback, but I also knew the special care that went into seasoning the beloved pieces of cookware. When I saw that this was preseasoned I went for it. I worried that it might be a lightweight pan and only sublime quality for the price but I was pleasantly surprised. This pan has a heavy weight to it and is crafted solidly. I've used it for hamburgers (they make the best I've ever tasted), grilled chicken, pork chops, and shrimp (YUM). Something I learned is that things tend to stick a little so coating the pan with vegetable spray is a good idea. Also, try soaking your shrimp in a mixture of butter and garlic before grilling it. I am in love, it hasn't even left my kitchen counter to go into the cabinet since I bought it because I use it so much. My husband being a Yankee wasn't used to the goodness of the cast iron but now that he sees how perfectly it browns meat while still leaving it moist he is hooked. With this pan I find the grooves to be so helpful. You can season the meat without worrying about all the seasoning burning to the pan. Also they're nice and deep so that the fat that does run off actually stays off the meat. Cleaning it is SO easy! I just run hot water into the pan while it's still hot from the stove then use a sponge or dish towel (NO SOAP) to wipe it out, rinse it off, and then spray with vegetable spray while it's warm before putting it away. I have to say that Lodge has a loyal fan in me. With quality old time cookware like this, without the hassle of seasoning it first you can't go wrong.

Okay, so my THIRD (count em *3rd*) Foreman grill in like 7 years bit the dust. I thought briefly about getting a new one, but the fact that they're a pain to clean, you can't set the thermostat and bottom line it gets very greasy and messy...fuggit about it! I considered the Cuisinart Griddler which looks really cool but I really didn't want to pay $100+ for one. Also I don't have a LOT of counter space. On the other hand I DO have a stove...so I started browsing. I already have a Lodge cast iron regular skillet and it's served me well for YEARS now. When I saw the grill skillet with the ridges I knew that's what I was looking for!



I just had a chance to use it for the first time this evening. What a pleasure - it was pre-seasoned so just had to wipe a bit of olive oil on the surface. Heated it up, and made a delicious steak! Came out nice and juicy with grill marks, not all dry and cooked wrong like on the Foreman. However I will have to buy a grill press as I used the bottom of my smaller cast iron skillet to 'sear' the steak and get those nice marks. But even buying both the grill pan and the grill press, you're paying significantly less than you would for a Foreman - and this cast iron lasts forever. Your grandkids will still be using it, I bet! Cast iron is better than any of those non-stick cooking surfaces (like on the Foreman) that flake off. Ew! Take it from me, get this pan and a grill press and skip the Foreman...

Let me open by saying that the negative reviews on this pan were, in my opinion, written by people who aren't quite sure how to use it. It's really pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Just try the following:



1) Put the pan on a large burner.

2) Coat it lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

3) Turn the burner on somewhere between medium to medium-high.

4) Once the pan is hot, put in burgers, chicken breasts, pork chops, or other decent cuts of meat. How you choose to marinate/season said cuts of meat is entirely up to you.

5) Cook anywhere from 4-7 minutes per side.

6) Enjoy your exquisitely prepared meal.

7) Clean up the pan with hot water and a ScotchBrite sponge. If you encounter difficult-to-remove, burnt-on food stains, try putting a thin layer of kosher salt on the pan and scrubbing with the SB sponge.

8) Rinse the pan thoroughly and dry completely with paper towels or whatever.

9) Coat lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

10) Store until next use.



Call me crazy, but that sounds pretty easy to me. Bottom line to all of you cast iron naysayers: be patient, keep using this pan, and eventually you'll learn how to get the most out of it. It really is terrific!

I looked at several different options - such as the Foreman grill before settling on this grill pan. Although I have a small back patio, I've never used a bbq and wouldn't be comfortable doing so, not to mention I'm just cooking for one so the time spent setting it up wouldn't be worth it to me. The Foreman grill, based on reviews, didn't sound like it would be easy to clean and wasn't reliable. The grill pan looked like the perfect solution. Although the pan is heavy, there are two handles which makes it easy to move and carry over to the sink. Following advice I'd found on the internet, I use cooking spray generously and bought a wire scrub brush to clean it with. The pan does create smoke so I'm always sure to turn on the kitchen fan and open the back door before I even turn the stove on as well as disconnect the smoke detector. The pan heats up fairly quickly and cooks the food evenly and quickly. I must admit I don't use it frequently and have only tried a handful of foods, but I have been pleased with my experiences and would recommend this item. - Skillet - Cast Iron Grill Pan - Cast Iron Skillet - Grill Pan - Stovetop Grills - Lodge'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

cast iron grill pan

Ipod Touch Accessories - ipad, stylus pen

Visit Store Now !!

These stylus are very well made and work very well, if all you want to do is find an alternative to pressing the onscreen keyboard. However, these stylus are totally useless for use with a drawing program because the rubber tip will not glide across the screen. If you use your iPhone outdoors and you are wearing gloves, these stylus are for you. If you want to draw, then you'd be better off with a stylus with a soft foam tip. 3 Pack of Universal Touch Screen Stylus Pen (Red + Black + Silver)

Short and sweet:



I've tried three of the stylus brands offered on Amazon: The $15.00; the $11.99 aCase; and the cheap three-pack "Universal Touch Screen Stylus.".



It is easy to tell you which not to buy: the cheap ones. The rubber tips on them have too much friction. You can't write or draw easily; you literally feel like the Stylus is getting stuck on the screen. Guaranteed, one zillion percent, you will hate it.



Now, to the Boxwave vs. the aCase.



This isn't just a draw; there's not even a fight, because the two products are exactly the same (there's one subtle difference in the way the little headphone-jack string insert is attached to the pen. One uses a tiny, carbiner-type hook, and the other a ring. You'd probably never notice the difference, because there is non.



So, which to buy? The aCase is three dollars cheaper, but it only comes in black. That's it.



Boxwave: http://www.amazon.com/review/create-review/ref=cm_cr_dp_wr_but_right?ie=UTF8&nodeID=172282&asin=B000ETU944&store=electronics

aCase: http://www.amazon.com/Acase-Apple-Capacitive-Stylus-Black/dp/B003ULE6GU/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_1

Three-pack: http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Touch-Screen-Stylus-Silver/dp/B002BBJMO6/ref=pd_cp_e_3

I should have read the reviews carefully.

Do not buy this if you want to use it with your iPhone to draw, slide the screens or do anything cool.



The tip is very soft and you need to put some effort in pressing it against the screen. If you try to slide it, you are in danger of damaging the screen since the tip moves away and the hard plastic of the stylus can scratch your precious sceeen.



This is probably good if you are missing a finger or you are wearing gloves and your apps are in the main screen.

There are three (3) types of touch screens, buy the correct stylus for your screen.



From eHow:



Resistive-type screens lack the clarity of other touch screens but they tend to be very durable and can be used in a variety of environments. Resistive-type screens are the most common in use today.



Capacitive screens are resistant to outside elements, making them very durable, and they still maintain a high clarity. Unlike resistive and surface wave screens, which can be used with stylus, capacitive panels must be touched with a finger.



Surface wave touch panels are the more advanced of the three types, offering the highest clarity. But they are more easily damaged by outside elements.



[...]

The iPad has a capacitive touch screen, your gloves won't work, and that plastic stylus from your old Palm PDA won't work either. Buy a capacitive stylus for your iPad.

For reaching those peskly small areas on your iPod Touch screen, the Universal Touch Screen Stylus Pen does the trick! They are comfortable in the hand and helps to make some of those tasks easier on the iPod Touch. If you have trouble with fingers that don't quite work the way you wish, then this is another reason to consider purchasing these pens.Silver Universal Touch Screen Stylus Pen for Apple Iphone 1st Gen, 3G 2nd Gen, Ipod Touch

The price and shipping time on this item are great. Sadly, the item itself is basically useless. I bought this for my iPad and it works but you have to mash really hard and then it leaves a funky streak mark and it's hard to get it to work and then it isn't very precise. I bought it to have a stylus to use with a drawing app and given how big the tip is and hard I have to mash to get it to work it's much less useful than simply using my finger.

This is a very nice stylus with a soft rubber tip. They work great on my Instinct and with the rubber tip there is no fear of scratching the screen. My only "issue" is that the stylus are to thick to fit into the stylus pocket on the stock Instinct case... but the size does make the stylus much more easier to control so you're more accurate with them. I'm glad I ordered the three pack because I can just keep one at work, one in the car, and one at home.

With fat fingers and hands that sometimes shake, these styluses worked great on my iPad AND my DroidX phone. I often give them away to friends and have ordered about four packs so far! For the price, it's worth a try! - Stylus Pen - Iphone Stylus - Stylus - Ipad'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Ipod Touch Accessories - ipad, stylus pen ipad Ipod Touch Accessories - ipad, stylus pen

Ipad 2 Cases - ipad 2 cases

Visit Store Now !!

1) In the interest of full disclosure, I was asked to write this review by the seller. I was going to anyway, but the small incentive they offered made me take it off the "do next week" list.



2) I was one of the first to get an iPad 2. Not only am I obsessed with electronic anything - I even bought a wi-fi enabled coffee maker - I own a small IT business. It's my job. My clients expect to see the newest everything - from handhelds to phones to laptops. I was also one of the first to get an iPad 1. After I got the original iPad, I tried out 6 different cases, ranging from $10 el cheapo cases on eBay to $80 cases from Amazon, before I found "the one." The one I loved was the iPad 1 version of this case. After the iPad 2 case came out, I was on pins and needles waiting for this one to be released. I did try two other cases - one silicon and one leather - and they were horrible, so bad they aren't worth mentioning in comparison.



3) Even though I am a conspicuous consumer and early adopter, I prefer a modest profile. This case fits that need perfectly. The case is slim, with soft but tough leather on the outside and soft lining. It is NOT thick and makes the iPad about a thick as two bound magazines or a very thin book. It feels perfect and adds no heft to it.



4) The pebbled outer layer prevents most finger smudges, and the rigid clip-closing makes sure the case keeps a svelte, even profile. No buckles or ripples or anything. It sits flat on a desktop, and feels perfectly balanced in your hand.



5) The "trap" corner design of the grip is great - you see the iPad in it's full beautiful industrial design glory. It is not hiding behind a frame of jagged leather, or held cockeyed.



6) It bends to nearly every conceivable position you need the iPad in. True, it does not give multiple viewing holds & angles from the upright/portrait position, but then in my use the iPad is only in that position when I am reading, and I am holding it when I am. for video viewing or typing, it is in landscape mode and I can use any of the 5 positions this case lets you set up in seconds to do it.



7) The iPad removes more easily from this case than any other. So if you have other docks, displays or anything, there is no fumbling around with it.



8) I got a GREAT price on this, but even at full list price this case is undervalued. This case is the best money I spent on a computer equipment other than the iPad itself.



9) I not only recommend this to my clients, but even to strangers in an elevator. Just get it. You will not regret it. Acase iPad 2 High Quality Premium Slim Leather Case Folio with built-in Stand for Apple iPad 2 2nd Generation - 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, WiFi and WiFi +3G (Black)

I've had this case for just a few days (I'm on my 3rd day of use actually) and I fully satisfied with it.



Before going for it I reviewed several other options and now I'm convinced that I made the right choice (I must admit that I hadn't purchased an Acase item before and I wasn't sure, but by the 2nd day I became an instant fan).



I was surprised of the fit, it was just perfect (I'm using an anti-glare cover but had no issue getting my iPad2 right in place). I guess that if you're constantly inserting and extracting the iPad2 from this case the "hold" may eventually degrade, but I purchased it with the intention of not taking it out frequently.



ALL controls and ports are easily accessible and there's no need to remove it.



One detail I wasn't really enthusiastic when I made the purchase was the color of the microfiber interior (green), I thought I would've preferred it to be dark gray, but I it was a nice surprise to see that I actually like the tone a lot.



There's other review that mentions that the best typing position isn't shown in the pictures (I'll try to post a couple of pictures to show it), but all you need to do it to bring the iPad all the way to the front -not using the grooves, but the "clip" that secures the case when closed.



I totally agree with that reviewer that this provides a comfortable angle for typing and (I really like this!) keeps the microfiber interior away from the surface you're placing it on (desk, table, etc.) so it stays clean and that eventually will help protect the screen. Right now there's a picture showing a typing position with a similar angle but it exposes the microfiber interior to whatever is on the surface your placing it (dust or other stuff) -the Apple cover for the iPad1 had the same flaw- I prefer the other option and keep the microfiber interior clean.



The leather isn't shiny and I like it's matte finish.



One little detail is that when I first unpacked the case, it had a not-so-nice odor, but after 3 days it has diminished a lot and I guess in a couple of days more it will have disappeared.



I'll update the review if the odor persists and after I post the pictures. - Ipad 2 Cases'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Ipad 2 Cases - ipad 2 cases ipad 2 cases Ipad 2 Cases - ipad 2 cases

Fountain Pen Ink - pens, fountain pens

Visit Store Now !!

I read all the reviews regarding this pen and decided to make the purchase. Once I received and began using it, I was amazed at how smooth and comfortable it was to use. It looks great and simple and it serves its purpose. I would recommend buying either a refill cartridge or the converter to use refillable ink since I used it up within a week (of heavy use of course!) Lamy Safari Charcoal Fountain Pen - Charcoal, Medium Nib L17M

I've bought Watermans and a few others. Almost without exception the companies other than Lamy are designing their fountain pens with Victorian or pseudo-Modern/pseudo-contemporary design principles. I think the point that's lost is that these pens are not only far from obsolete, but in some ways the most functional of all the pens. I was introduced to the Safari as a student in Art & Architecture at Virginia tech. An odd thing, I thought. But with the Fountain, you get the most control over the line. For drawing, they are very useful, also for writing. I write a lot in notebooks when I'm not directly writing into the word processor I use fountains. And i'm telling you the physical connection between the pen, the paper & the hand matters. But in any case, though these pens are thought to be a throw-back, inferior technology & the users sappy nostalgics or at best eccentrics, Lamy is not so foolish.



Lamy's fountains are very modern and have been since the 2000 fountain transformed the company. The Safari is one of the best. And in one sense I can't say the 2000 is better. Sure, it's got a gold nib (platinum coated too) and feels better than any pen I've held in my hand, but I don't dare take it out with me, and this is a nice point to bring in the clip. If you lose pens this clip will likely save you. Attach it to the most convenient part of your clothing but not to a book cover; you'll bend it out.



This particular body: the charcoal goes pretty far back. If you want a textured feeling go with the charcoal. All of the others are made with a shinier plastic and are extremely smooth in texture. My first was a charcoal and I recently bought one more.



Nib size: it is pretty well known that Lamy nibs run a bit big, but I wouldn't even rule out the broad nib. That's what I've got in the charcoal now. The ink flows much more smoothly than medium nibbed Safari and is not too broad. People say parker this, parker that. If you're looking for a great design that you'll use all of the time, buy this. And if you're looking for a perfect writing instrument, I'd recommend the Lamy 2000 even over the more expensive models. But there's no accounting for taste.



Note on the broad nibs. The broad nib takes a while to break in. The biggest mistake is to bear down on it because the ink won't flow for a second. You'll prematurely split the nib (something that is only okay after the nib is fully broken in and springy). You'll likely avoid an initial battle with the flow if you buy m nib or finer, but the broad nib flows the freest when flowing.

This is the second Lamy Safari fountain pen (medium nib) I've bought for myself. They are good value for the price, lay down a good line and write relatively smoothly. The one problem I've encountered in both pens is that they leak out of the nib if stored on their side or cap end down, when I use them with the optional converter. I have not had a problem with them as long as I store them cap end up.

At the risk of offending the gun haters, the Lamy Safari is to pens what the Glock 17 is to pistols: it's made in Germany/Austria, it's made of polymer so it's light, and it works very well. Like the Glock it even has a little built in window so you can tell how much ammo or ink you have left.



I'm not really into fountain pens but my wife bought me a gift quality fountain pen for my birthday. I fell in love with the way it writes but it was just too darned heavy for writing. So I bought the Lamy Safari. The medium tip makes my chicken scratch handwriting look less scratchy.

I wanted to start back writing with fountain pens,after doing research on this pen it was the best one for me.I ordered this in medium (nib),based on the quality of paper the pen ink spreads out sometimes more than it suppose to.



I ended up purchasing a fine nib again because a fine writes like medium in ball point pens.i often travel with the two together. - Fountain Pens - Pen - Lamy - Pens'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Fountain Pen Ink - pens, fountain pens lamy Fountain Pen Ink - pens, fountain pens

Mac External Hard Drive - time machine, mac external hard drive

Visit Store Now !!

I was originally planning on buying an Apple Time Capsule hard drive since we have 3 macs and I try to buy only Apple-branded accessories as they work well together. But after researching it, a lot of people don't like the Time Capsule because it dies almost always around 18 months. (right after the warranty expires) So I searched for an alternative and found the Western Digital My Book for Mac which I ended up buying. The hard drive is small, quiet, and didn't feel cheap. As soon as I plugged it into my Mac, a pop-up window appears asking if I would like to use it as an Apple TIme Machine. I clicked okay and it backed up everything on my computer to the My Book. The first back up takes several hours, but after that, backing up is very fast via USB 2.0 and with 1 TB of space, I don't have to worry about filling up with space soon. I mainly use this to back up my machine, but also use it to temporarily store large files to transfer from one mac to the next. Western Digital is known for reliable hard drives so in retrospect, this is probably a smarter purchase than buying a Time Capsule which was much more expensive.



It comes bundled with it's own software, but I do not use it. Time Machine works well with this hard drive so I don't need any other type of software. Some people complained about not being able to delete the software, but its not a big deal. Whenever you plug in the hard drive, the software icon appears on your desktop, but you can unmount it or just ignore it. Doesn't really take up much space on the hard drive. Western Digital My Book for Mac 1 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive

This is supposed to be a Mac Edition external HDD and it still doesn't have a FireWire connection. I don't see how this is a "Mac Edition" with no FireWire options.

Other than that, the features in the drive are good. With Time Machine you won't need WD's extra software. As soon as you plug it in you'll be asked how you want to use it.

Choose Time Machine and it'll do the rest.

Just a quick chat about my initial impression of the WD My Book for Mac 1TB USB2 edition, but first, a word on my current environment. I have an early 2009 iMac with 4GB RAM running Mac OS X 10.6.x and plan on using this drive exclusively for TimeMachine backups.



My first impression was actually pretty negative in that I was surprised at how low-rent the case is for the My Book. Compared to the aluminum skinned previous WD external USB/FW400 drive I have, this My Book represents the worst in Chinese manufacturing. Also contributing to my woes, is the included wall-wort being the typical "too big to fit any normal powerstrip" size. Again, all my previous external drives had external powerbricks with regular wall plugs making extremely convenient to plug into a powerstrip or UPS.



With the overall aesthetics out of the way, I was happy to see a USB2 cable included for the single USB ported device and it seems to live up to the USB bandwidth rating one would expect. Yes, it would be nice if Apple had some type of eSATA connection for the iMacs and one must give up the first born child to afford a FW800 enclosure right now (about 40% more as I write this). But with all that being said, USB2 does fine for archival purposes and should be thought of as such.



A note regarding the sound, this is not an especially loud drive but its far from silent. Somebody made a comment about it sounding like mice trying to gnaw their way out of the crappy case their stuck in and I would agree with that. But again, its not all that bad and especially for TimeMachine purposes.



Finally, I am convinced that one could skip installing the WDsmartware software that comes with the drive. Outside of the encryption part, there doesn't seem to be anything here better than what TimeMachine delivers in OS X 10.5 or 10.6 and I have chosen to uninstall the software (of course it now want to fill my logs with launchd warnings but I'll take care of that soon enough). I think the only reason one would want this bloat is if they want to mirror files on the local drive with this external drive because one may carry this drive from machine X to machine Y and have the files 'restored' to a similar directory on machine Y? I don't know but that's my only guess.

I have two other WD (500GB) drives for my Imac that I use for external storage, but I kept having problems running my Time Machine backups.(not enough space on External to backup). I ordered my 2TB WD from Amazon and hoped for the best. Well I received it and opened the box and plugged it in. I went to my System Preferences and clicked on Time Machine chose my new HD and set it for my backup. That was it, of course it is going to take a bit of time for the initial backup, but that was it. No problems and it runs like a champ. I have already reccomended it to my niece for her mac.

Picked up one of the Western Digital 1TB backup drives after we suffered a catastrophic hard drive failure last month. Should have bought it online and saved some cash but we wanted to get it right there in the Apple store as they were installing our new hard drive, so we plunked down $129.99 retail for it.



We've had it up an running for almost a full month now and haven't had any issues with the device at all. It's as plug-n-play as you can get. The drive has already been formatted and indexed to work with the Mac. You can use WD's bundled software or choose the Time Machine option right at the start. I'd recommend the Time Machine choice. From that point you just let the drive do it's job. Files are backed up any time you modify a file for any reason.



It's unobtrusive and intuitive to use. Connects via USB cable. Not pretty or flashy in appearance, but who cares? Runs quiet and the case stays cool. This is a way cheaper backup option than Apple's pricey Time Machine drives. The 1TB of space is perfectly sufficient for our needs, but this also comes in a 2TB model for those who want or need the additional storage capacity.



Highly recommended. - 1 Tb - Time Machine - Mac - Mac External Hard Drive'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Mac External Hard Drive - time machine, mac external hard drive time machine Mac External Hard Drive - time machine, mac external hard drive

Yoga Towels - bikram, yoga towel

Visit Store Now !!

I never write reviews, except if something is exceptionally horrid or exponentially amazing. These towels are the BEST for hot yoga. Extra long, super soft, and DON'T BUDGE for anything. There was no need to readjust throughout the whole 90 minute Bikram session. I know it's just a towel, but my practice benefits from not being distracted by crumpled terry cloth under my feet. Loves 'em and a most-definite recommend. Hot Yoga Mat Towel 2 Pack for Bikram Ashtanga Iyengar

I practice Bikram yoga 3-6 times a week. I have a yogi-toes towel and a similar knock-off brand and I agree with other reviewers who like a towel that stays in place (thanks to the little rubber nubs). I bought these towels because you get TWO for the price of one yogi-toes. They fit over my mat perfectly - actually about an inch longer than my mat. If you use them straight out of the packaging they don't lay flat because of the folds but now that I've washed them, they lay perfectly flat and I don't seem to have any trouble with them moving around or bunching up. (Perhaps those people who have this problem are moving around too much on the mat to begin with.) The best part about these towels is that they are WAY more absorbent than the yogi-toes and they dry much faster as well. I'm glad I bought these and not another expensive yogi-toes!

I ordered this towel primarily for its value, as I practice Bikram yoga (almost) daily and needed several to use between washings. I'm very pleased with its quality and the cool blue color. It is extremely soft microfiber, which is incredibly absorbent during a hot practice. Its 2' x 6' size fits perfectly over my yoga mat (Yoga Mats by Mivizu Eco Friendly Anti Slip Yoga Mat With Extra Thickness Skidless Mat for Pilates, Exercises, Aerobics, Yoga 72" x 24" x 1/4" 7 Color Options). It moves minimally during postures, but certainly not enough to be distracting, and certainly not enough to warrant spending double the price on other pricey brands. Don't use fabric softener when washing, as it will diminish the absorbent quality.

I recently started taking hot yoga classes based on Baptiste method. Without towels, mat becomes slippery and poses unstable. Considering that this is vinyasa style yoga to ensure constant, stable movements, I choose to invest in purchasing these towels. They came in solid white color. Having two is helpful because I can alternate them between the washes. They can be hang dry and can dry overnight. These towels may not be as attractive as Yogitoes or Manduka brands, but they are practical and serve their purpose just fine. I am sure I will be getting more as I am increasing my number of classes per week. Having them all in same color makes wash more energy efficient.

Having these hot yoga towels to do Bikram doesn't make the "torture room" any less difficult, but it does make the practice more do-able both during and after class. The yoga towel completely covers the rubber mat so offers a security from its slipperiness during postures as well as doesn't twist like terry cloth towels . . . thus you don't have a wad of towel underfoot while trying to do standing bow pose. After class, the super-absorbent towel easily washes with a good soak in some soapy water and then dries quickly if left hanging. Living in the city, I don't have laundry in my apartment so the towel's quick wash-and-dry allows me to use it a couple times before I send it off to the laundromat.

I have to agree with the other reviewer, this towel bunched up CONSTANTLY during Bikram. I looked around at the Manduka and Gaiam mats and they had not even a crinkle. The positives are theyre heavenly soft, super absorbant and dry quickly. But you get what you pay for. They have a good grip and my feet dont slide on them, the only problem is that they dont lay completely flat and need constantly adjustment, or jusy lay on the crinkles.

The yoga towels were a great value compared to the nice bright yoga towels that I see at my yoga studio for $65. Two for $50 is a much better value. I don't worry that others have the nicest deep colors vs. the palid grey of this product. The problem is that the towel tends to bunch up on my mat even with water spritzed on to hold it in place. Perhaps my chatterrunga is a not as light as the next person's. Still even a twist from one position to another bunches up the towel. I look around and see the $65 towels laying perfectly flat and wonder if it might be worth the 260% mark up...

Overall good, especially when it gets a bit damp. I have tried the yogitoes as well for hot yoga. Both work well but the yogitoes did grip a bit more. However, this is a great buy and the towels do work very well for hot yoga.

I have a Gaiam mat and use this on top in my hot yoga class. I used to slip and slide constantly without this towel, and beach/bath towels bunch up way too much. My REI pack towel did an ok job of decreasing slippage too, but it wasn't nearly long enough to cover the whole mat. I've never tried a more expensive towel, but I am highly satisfied with this one. - Bikram - Yoga Towel - Yoga Towels'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Yoga Towels - bikram, yoga towel yoga towels Yoga Towels - bikram, yoga towel

Ipad 2 Leather Case - ipad 2, leather case

Visit Store Now !!

Yoobao Executive Leather...188g....leather..........kickstand

CaseCrown Bold Standby.....226g....faux leather...kickstand

BearMotion Leather:...........291g....leather .........kickstand

SwitchEasy Canvas:...........392g...."canvas".......3 grooves



I've tested the 4 cases above with an iPad2. Each is a portfolio case. You can find reviews of each online. I found good video reviews of each except Bear.



Three of these are "kickstand" cases. That is, the cover folds back and slips into a notch (the "kickstand") which holds the cover in a certain way that creates a stand. One case (SwitchEasy) doesn't use the kickstand but instead has grooves on the inside cover which the side of the case can slide into to create a stand.



All cases had magnets on the cover that turned the iPad on/off. This function worked well with all of them. Also, none of them had any problem with the magnets turning the case off if you flipped the cover around back, as some of other cases do (I had the latest version of the Yoobao, which apparently fixed that problem in an earlier version).



The Bear Motion was my favorite. The review below goes from lightest to heaviest.



YOOBAO EXECUTIVE. A glove for the iPad that was just a bit too flimsy for me.

Pros:

Very light. By far the lightest. It is basically a thin leather glove that goes around the iPad, and then a thin leather portfolio cover. You barely noticed the extra weight/bulk.



Cons:

1. Though made well, I didn't think it lived up to the vaunted reports of "Yoobao quality" that some other reviewers mentioned. A few of the holes on top were slightly off, and I wasn't really impressed with the look of the black leather and the off-white stitching.

2. The kickstand worked, but not as well as the other two kickstand cases in this review. Because the Yoobao is so light and thin, the cover would slip out of the kickstand notch sometimes if you were moving it around in your lap or in bed. No problem of course if it was static, like on a table.

3. Most annoying to me, the cover magnets were not strong enough to keep the cover closed if you turned it upside down or just grabbed it to carry it a certain way. In other words, the flap would flap open, turning the thing on and then off again when it flapped closed. It seemed to do this every time I picked it up.

4. It offers only a very thin layer between your iPad and the outside world (not a con for me but perhaps for others). It's fine for walking into a meeting or putting in your briefcase. But if you were concerned about the iPad getting banged around and wanted serious protection, it's not the case for you (particularly with the flap issue noted above).



CASECROWN BOLD STANDBY - A well made faux leather case. My runner-up. It is very close in design to the Bear

Pros:

1. least expensive of the lot

2. well made, everything works.

3. second lightest, while giving almost as much protection as the heavier models. Indeed, I would say it's got the best weight and bulk of the 4.

4. faux leather is actually quite nice. Unless closely inspected, hard to tell it's not the real thing. It looks smart.



Cons:

1. The volume buttons are just a tad difficult to reach, you have to kind of push your way in there. (The Bear has a bit of this but it's so slight as not to be an issue.)

2. After handling the Bear leather case, you can kind of tell the CaseCrown is not real leather when it's in your hands. It's just something I noticed. You might not.

3. Perhaps because of its lighter weight and bulk, or its build quality, it's just a bit looser and flimsier than the Bear. This might not sound like much, but over time it started to annoy me. For instance, when you flipped the cover behind the iPad to hold it open, or when you put it in its kickstand to create a stand, the cover had a "looseness" not found in the heavier cases. That is, it would come off its stand, or would flop around a bit, or otherwise just feel a bit loose and cheap. Another minor example is that the cover, while it always worked to turn the iPad off when you closed it, sometimes didn't line up exactly with the edges of the screen the way it did with all the other cases. These examples may seem minor, and perhaps they are, but as I say, after experiencing the feel of the Bear - the looseness of the CaseCrown started to bug me.



BEAR MOTION LEATHER. A really well made leather case. My first choice. It is very close in design to the CaseCrown.

Pros:

1. To me, had the best overall "Feel". Fine leather and acceptable weight. The Bear is 100g heavier than the Yoobao, which to my hand felt acceptable. In contrast, the SwitchEasy is 100g heavier than the Bear and, again, to my taste, was just 100g too much - see discussion of SwitchEasy below). The CaseCrown is similar to the Bear but a bit lighter and cheaper (see below)

2. The case was sturdy and offered good protection all around. It of course offered more protection than the Yoobao. It also perhaps had a bit more than CaseCrown (because it was a bit thicker, but they were more or less comparable) and a bit less than SwitchEasy. It was light enough to carry into a meeting but sturdy enough to throw in a knapsack an feel it was secure.

3. The magnets work flawlessly, closed with a "snap" and kept it closed until you wanted to open it. Best magnets of the lot.

4. The stand worked very well. The best of the kickstand cases, probably because, again, the leather was thicker than with the other two and so everything just stayed in place a bit more.



Cons: All these "cons" are very much a matter of personal taste

1. It's probably about average weight for these things but just slightly heavier than I'd like. If I had my druthers, the weight and thinness of the CaseCrown would be what I wanted, coupled with the quality and sturdiness of the Bear.

2. It's the least "cool" looking of the 4 cases. It's just a conservative black leather case, with no real "flash". SwitchEasy is by far the coolest looking. The Yoobao might also be viewed by some as cool though I personally didn't like it so much. The CaseCrown and Bear are similar, but CC probably edges out the Bear in that the Bear is a bit thicker and boxier.

3. The leather covers almost all of the black borders of the screen. The other two kickstand cases left a bit more black exposed, which I preferred aesthetically, and the SwitchEasy leaves all of it showing (which, again, looks cool). I couldn't find anything functionally wrong with this. Although one reviewer mentioned that it might get in the way of certain programs where you had to swipe to the edge of the screen, I didn't have that experience.



SWITCHEASY CANVAS - A cool, innovative case but for me, a bit too much bulk.

Pros:

1. Exceptionally well made. The strongest and sturdiest of the bunch, probably offering the most protection.

3. The grooves worked well as a stand, though because I use the iPad a lot in bed and on the couch, I think I may prefer the kickstand system, though it really is a matter of taste.

2. To my eye, a very cool looking case, the coolest of the bunch. The "canvas" isn't canvas but some high tech material. The material and design were top notch. I also loved the way the iPad was held in the plastic shell backing so that - unlike the other three - the whole of the screen was uncovered (black border and all).



Cons:

1. Too heavy. This is of course a matter of taste. I tried it for days and really wanted to prefer it, but in the end the heaviness (and the cover issue discussed below) just started to get to me. As I mentioned above, it's just 100g heavier than the Bear but that was 100g too much. I'm a strong adult male. I carry around a laptop in my briefcase all the time. But I wanted my iPad light, and this just made it a bit too heavy for me.

2. Too bulky. Related to the above and, as above, a matter of taste. To me, just a bit too much thickness when you were actually holding it and, for instance, folding the flap back around behind it to work with the screen.

3. The cover. The cover has magnets, which worked fine, but it also has a curved extension that bends over the side and kind of clicks it closed. This extension bugged me. It didn't easily close. You kind of had to push and force it over the side (if you didn't do this, the magnets wouldn't connect and turn the thing off, and the cover would not be secured. I suspect it may have worn in over time, but I used it on and off for a week and it was always a bit of a chore to actually open and close the thing. This really got to be annoying, particularly compared to the others that so effortlessly opened and closed.

4. Since it uses a "groove" rather than "kickstand" design, you had to kind of pull part of the iPad off of the back base (where it was held by Velcro) to put it in the grooves and stand it up. Not a big deal but, again, just an added bit of work that the other cases didn't have. Over time, this annoyed me a bit.

5. I loved the material, but even with the black version that I had, I felt it might start showing stains, hand sweat, etc. over time in ways the leather and faux leather cases wouldn't. However, I'm not sure of this and so it may be an unfair comment.



SUMMATION:

I ended up taking the BearMotion because of build quality, functionality, hand feel and acceptable weight. I wish it had been slightly lighter and thinner (like the CaseCrown) while keeping its build quality/feel (which was better than the CaseCrown) - and of course if it looked a bit cooler -- but I felt for me it was the best of the lot. The CaseCrown was the runner up but ultimately, the feel and quality of the Bear won me over, beating out the slightly lighter, slightly trimmer, slightly cheaper, CaseCrown. The SwitchEasy is a great case, but just too big and bulky for me, and the cover clip bugged me. I didn't like the Yoobao's because it's overall look didn't work for me and, most importantly, the cover flap came open whenever it was tilted. The lightness was a great asset though and the protection it offered would have been enough for me if other factors had been more appealing.



Hope that helps! Bear Motion (TM) 100% Genuine Leather Case for iPad 2 2nd Generation Folio with 3-in-1 built-in Stand for Apple iPad 2 (Latest Generation) Tablet (Black) - Ipad 2 Leather Case - Ipad Leather Case - Leather Case - Ipad 2'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

ipad 2 Ipad 2 Leather Case - ipad 2, leather case

Pink Kitchen - knife set, pretty in pink

Visit Store Now !!

I just recieved this knife "ex" and I absoultely love it. Its pretty tall and beautifully colored. And me and my friends cant stop talking about it.Also, the knifes that come with it are amazingly sharp. the stand has magnets inside it so the knifes dont just fall out,and the covers in the back protect you from hurting yourself or anyone else other than the "ex" I am now going to decorate my kitchen around this great little item. If you know a girl or woman that is hard to shop for and has a good since of humor go for this right now. Its great.. The Ex 5-Piece Knife Set with Unique Pink Holder Designed By Raffaele Iannello

I got this as a gift.

I really like how it looks.

I only have two small comments about it:

1.) It is taller than you think.

2.) The knives are not really dishwasher safe.

I have rust spots on mine. They cut just fine, but aren't that pretty anymore. I could polish them I guess. Just my two cents.

I saw this product in the Fireworks store in Seattle, WA. I did not see it at that time in Amazon. So I ordered it from Fireworks. A few weeks later I saw it in Amazon for almost half the price. Anyway, I saw some negative comments about this product. I am a non-violence advocate; so the thought of violence did not occur to me when I saw this product. Although the figure is made of plastic (I was expecting it to be ceramic), the knives are excellent; worth the price. It is a conversation piece. I love it; I always love something different and unique. - Pink - Amazon Oddities - Pretty In Pink - Knife Set'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Pink Kitchen - knife set, pretty in pink pretty in pink Pink Kitchen - knife set, pretty in pink

Great Deal - cell phone battery, battery

Visit Store Now !!

i purchased this battery for my motorola razr phone after my original battery wouldnt hold a charge. after reading some of the reviews i didnt think the battery would work very well, but to my surprise it is working fantastic. the battery is working as well or better than the original battery when the phone was brand new.

i have extremely pleased with this purchase. Motorola BR50 Cell Phone Battery

Great seller. Battery was here just days after ordered. It's a good battery, but I have noticed it's lost strength before my brand new one from Sprint did. However, I'm really happy with the price, so it is what it is. No complaints.

They claim to sell "New" cell phone batteries. They may not have been used, but they don't work either! They don't hold a charge. I was sent two different batteries and neither of them worked well. Very dissapointed with them and their product.

I bought a BR50 battery for my Razr and was sent a BR56 which was supposed to be a stronger battery. After charging it for 24 hrs, it would not last more than one day. I returned it and got another BR56 in replacement with the same results. My old BR50, even in its decrepit state lasts longer. NOT HAPPY!

The company sent me the wrong battery twice and charged me for return postage! I am currently hoping to resolve the issue with them. I am waiting to see my credit card bill to confirm credits! I would not purchase from them.

The worst purchase I have ever made on the Internet. I bought two batteries for my Wife and me.I have tried them several times in both my wife's phone and mine.



I emailed and told the Amazon Vendor about the problem and they sent me two more batteries equally as bad. I emailed back on January 28th and no reply.



They are supposed to last up to 12 days of standby or up to 5 hours of talk time.



If the Amazon batteries have a full charge they last three days without talking. If we talk 15 minutes they last two days max on Standby.



I took my phone off the charger with a full charge yesterday at 12:30 pm and I spoke a total of one hour and the battery was dead by 2:30 PM that same day (two hours later).



Either they received a defective batch of batteries or their stock is very very old.



Last Tuesday the 27th of January I bought a new Razr battery from T-mobile. I charged it as always and put it in my Wife's Razr V3. today is Tuesday February 3, 2009 and the T-Mobile Battery still has just under half on the first charge left. This is with talking and standby combined.



I guess you get what you pay for! - Cell Phone Battery - Battery - Br50 - Razr Battery'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

cell phone battery Great Deal - cell phone battery, battery

Not Recommended - media labels, cd label

Visit Store Now !!

I used the labels on dvd's for my indie short.

Very easy to use by printing online at the Avery site. At first I tried to print within Word and in Photo Shop but couldn't get that to work.



I also bought the plastic applicator as I am all thumbs and had nightmares of having dvd's stuck all over my arms and ruining product. The applicator worked fine as well. I found the best price at Amazon. My local stores were more expensive and did not have enough product.



I tested on a blank sheet first to make sure it was hitting correctly on the page. Printed sixty (2 up). They look great.



I used a large sepia picture over a majority of the white label background.



You can also purchase colored labels from specialty shops but I have no experience with their quality and don't believe those are Avery products.



These Avery matte whites came out great. Avery DVD Labels Matte White for Ink Jet Printers (8962)

Avery labels work the best for CD's and DVD's. Note that the price is lower than retail stores ( Staples, for one) but after shipping its about the same.

Insure that your software points to the proper label code or you will go through several labels before you get the right one. Its sometimes different than the label code on the package.

I bought these labels to put on my DVD discs so I wouldn't have to write on them with a magic marker. One time I was writing on discs and stacking them not realizing the magic marker transfered to the disc above. So I decided to use labels instead. I could only find matte surface for the template I was using so I gave them a try. I use a nice inkjet printer from Canon which prints photos great but on this label it just prints so so, but it was still better than magic marker. After doing about 15 discs I needed to get info from one of the discs so I put it in the computer and started to hear weird noises coming from my DVD player. The disc never was recognized by the computer and I could not get it out. I called Tech Support and they helped me to get it out. The tech said it was not the first time he had to help someone with this problem. I thought it was just the computer so I decided to try the DVD player with a show I recorded from TV and it made noises also but played OK for a while and then stopped. I thought I missed the end of Amazing Race. I took the label off very carefully and the disc played fine. So I took all the labels off my discs and made new ones to put on the slim jewel cases, no sense throwing them away. I now use Lightscribe Discs which I could only get to work on my Mac burning software not not on my PC.

Instead of paper, as used for CD labels, this package uses film. Supposedly, it is better for DVDs to preserve longevity. How true that is, I cannot say. I've had success using both kinds of labels on DVDs. However, I use the film type labels for one main reason - the printed results look good, better than the paper labels. This was borne out when a colleague asked me how I created the labels for some DVDs I sent him. He was really impressed with their quality. I only wish these labels were available in photo glossy. The biggest issue is if the labels are not put on correctly, one or two bubbles may occur between the label and the disk surface. Usually you can wipe away the bubble by pressing from the inner side of the disk to the outer side (the same way you clean a CD/DVD). I use Avery's "stamper" to put the labels on and rarely have a problem with bubbles. The stamper also makes sure the label is nicely centered against the disk.

We use these at my office to send clients a digital copy of their interviews. We create labels for them as well as for us to organize them. With multiple clients these labels make it easy to organize the discs. The quality is great and if you put a label on then need to take it off sometimes you can put it back on.

To use Avery's DVD film labels is realize that: This company should not be in the label business; DVD film-label technology has simply not advanced far enough for consumer use; design and manufacturing standards fall well short of where they should be; or some combination of the above. To add insult to injury, the price is outrageous, far more than the DVD disk and printer ink required to make a completed DVD. I've applied more paper labels from Avery and Memorex than I care to think about, and these belong back in the R&D department, where someone needs to figure out what went wrong. Even on my Avery brand applicator these labels are such a tight fit that they have to be slowly worked to the base of the centering spindle. Then the inevitable results: label application is accompanied, nearly 100 percent of the time, by bubbles. It is anywhere from difficult to impossible to force them out from under the label. Using a needle to prick the material is an absurd waste of time, suitable perhaps for a user with three or four labels to produce, but infuriating for a professional on a production deadline. We are told (by Avery) that paper labels are unsuitable for DVDs because they can absorb moisture, warping the disk and making it unplayable. I know from experience that at least some paper labels are thick enough to cause binding in tight-tolerance disk players, such as those in laptop computers. Yet the bubbles that occur with these film labels are no better, easily thicker than paper. The solution? Apparently it is ugly, naked disks with inscriptions scribbled by Sharpie. That's unfortunate. (By the way, I don't work for the company, its suppliers, distributors, sellers or others somehow connected. Bet that doesn't surprise you.) -- Thomas Ryll, Vancouver, Wash. [...]. - Not Recommended - Cd Label - Cd Labels - Media Labels'

Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information

Not Recommended - media labels, cd label cd labels Not Recommended - media labels, cd label