Friday, 3 April 2009

Entertainment Software - action rpg, fantasy


I normally don't post reviews but some of these people I'm seeing dropping 1 star grades on this game are just nuts. They complain that Dungeon Siege is linear and not really an rpg. Guess what - it wasn't designed to be. Dungoen Seige is a hack-n-slash. It's designers wanted everyone who played the game to finish it. They wanted to take the guess work out of rpg's and make a product all could enjoy. And they did this quite nicely. This game could best be described as a diablo II - very linear, combat heavy game with team based combat and fighting system ala Baldur's Gate. The story is thin, very thin - by design. If these guys who flame a 1 star on this game would have done 30 minutes worth of reading, they would have known this wasn't an epic Baldur's Gate style game. This game is fighting, item collecting, killing and it's pure fun. So if you want to kill in mass quantites w/ great graphics and a new twist on character creation, buy it. If you want a rich rpg with a gigantic plot and a world to wander about at your whim, don't. And if you don't want the latter, don't slam the game for failing to be that - b/c Dungeon Siege never tried. Dungeon Siege

It's nice to have a life; it really is. Wife, kids, golf, tennis; even writing these things is an enjoyable part of it. It all comes to an end though, when a game like Dungeon Siege comes around. Life? Sunshine? Forget it. I don't want it any more. Give me a computer, a dark room, a shut door, and EVERYBODY GET OUT. Indeed, I fear I begin to resemble the little monsters I so relentlessly slaughter while playing this game. It is a RPG, or role-playing game, which essentially means that you take the part of the primary character during it. In Dungeon Siege the scenario is this: you are a simple farmer, and one morning you wake up and find that a spell has been put on the community, and all kinds of demons and monsters have risen up and are murdering humanity. You have about ten seconds to digest this before they come after you. Unlike other computer games I have played, such as Age of Empires and Pharaoh, there is no redeeming intellectual value to this one. In those games, there is some history to learn or an ancient historical battle to be refought, but in this one, all those considerations are gone. Your job is to kill monsters, hundreds and hundreds of diverse and different kinds of monsters, over and over again. You want to learn something? Read a book, Einstein. And what monsters! Abominable snowmen, screeching forest trolls, sword-wielding skeletons, resurrected corpses, flying gargoyles, goblins, giant worms, skeleton dogs, white wolves, boars, swamp witches, cyclopses; my goodness, if there is a horrible beast mentioned in myth or fiction, chances are you'll run into it here, usually in an unexpected and deadly fashion. And they all have something they can get you with: massive clubs, gas, electrical bolts, fire-breathing, swords, bows and arrows; some of the little beasties even surround you and throw rocks at you: believe me, there are a zillion ways to die in this game. (And I'm here to tell you, I experienced them all.)You start off with your dying neighbor telling you that you must get to town. All you have is a knife. This is pretty much how the game goes. You get to one place, you are given another mission, (or missions), then you go merrily on your way to the next. Each time it gets a little more interesting, and a little more difficult. But you are getting stronger too, depending on which skills you use; and also richer, with the gold you pick up off the enemies' dead bodies or find in hidden treasure chests. This allows you to purchase better and more dangerous weapons; stronger armor, including helmets, gloves, boots, and shields; and spells, if that's what you choose to do. To me, the "shopping" was as fun as anything: picking and choosing cool-looking armor, or weapons such as hammers, axes, bows, swords or clubs. You can't wait to get out there again and hit something with them!You can also increase your skill as a mage, or magician, by using spells and that sort of thing, and although these types of characters play an important role in the game, I found that playing this kind of character just wasn't as fun. They're weaker, for one thing, and easier to kill; for another, it just doesn't give you the same thrill as bashing some poor, ignorant zombie into the ground. The sound and the visual effects are really wonderful, spectacular even. Right off the bat, in fact, you're in a forest, confused and uncertain as to what to do next, and what do you know: it starts to rain, with big drops falling everywhere and making that foreboding pitter-patter. During the course of the game you will experience deserts, forest, swamps, snowy mountains, towns and in the end, a magnificently detailed, huge, colorful castle. And of course there are the underground places: mines, crypts, tunnels, dungeons, caves . . . all spectacularly rendered and beautiful to look at. There were many times I simply had to pause the game to drink it all in. It is stunning. And the sounds: the hum of machinery in the goblin cave, wind blowing, rain falling. I actually turned down the sound while in the swamp a couple of times to be sure the night sounds--crickets, bullfrogs, etc.--weren't coming from outside my window! The playing of it is a dream. You won't have to practice anything here. All you really need is the left clicker on your mouse. To view what's to the left, move the cursor to the left side of the screen. To get a birds-eye view, move the cursor to the top. To get a more level view, move it to the bottom. Very simple. It'll take you a minute to be playing this. I am just overwhelmed by this game. In fact, it is so perfectly done in all respects that at various times during the day the remembrance of it comes back like some odd, vivid, intense dream. And the playing of it, of course, literally transfers you to a different world. A world in which you become utterly immersed, and in which real life is forgotten. This is what you want when you play a computer game. It is really a superb creation, and a joy to play. - Action Rpg - Fantasy - Rpg - Pc'


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Flat Panel Wall Mount


I was skeptical of this mount. Why should this be so cheap compared to other mounting kits? I ordered one (due to the price), and prepared to return it if I did not think the mount could handle the weight of the 52" LCD TV (Samsung).



Once I got it, I understood the cost. Good low-cost design and built with solid heavy duty steel.

- Two horizontal bars are load-bearing, and for proper VESA spacing, they have to be parallel and relative distance must be in the right tolerances. These are made of solid steel.

- Two vertical bars (in the wall mount) are flimsey, and that's ok. it should be solid enough make a rectangle box w/ square angles. That's it.

- Two vertical mounting (to the TV) brackets are of heavy duty metal. Making this in to two parts (not one), reduction of material, but also allows free horizontal adjustment on the TV mount.

- By doing the above, the kit is small, uses less metal (and reduce shipping and material waste).



Positives

---------

1. Good solid and heavy duty construction.



2. Good value (low-cost). Paid less than $ 25 including shipping.



3. Easy install. Took 15 min to figure out the instruction (which is not totally clear), and 10~15 min to install and ready to watch.



4. built-in level worked well during marking of mouting holes on the wall --I tested w/ my own, and was consistent.



5. Once the mounted on the wall, and bracket on TV, you could adjust horizontal TV placement on the mount, just by sliding few inches left or right, post install. I expect this to be safe and true if the wall mount is directly screwed into the wall studs. I do not expect dry-wall install without the use of the studs to handle such adjustment.



6. The brackets on TV could also be used to adjust vertical TV placement by a few inches up and down. But for this one, you'll need to lift TV off the bracket and adjust and pull back :-).



7. There is a reasonable space (I would say, just right) from the wall to the TV to get cables/connectors through WITHOUT using any expensive 90 degree connectors. Plenty of space between two horizontal bars to put extra power outlet and data HDMI cable outlet to hide all the cables.



8. This supports tilt up/down, and works well. Amazon product description does not make it clear.



Negatives

---------

1. Just one. Clearer instruction so that I do not need to spend 15 min figuring things out. One could learn a lot form IKEA :-).

2. Packing/Packaging -- Not necessarily Cheetah Mount issue -- mine came w/o missing parts, although I noticed torn cardboard box edges and some parts COULD have been lost during shipping. Either double box, or have Cheetah use heavier box stock.



Helpful Hints & Comments

-------------------------

1. DO NOT forget to tighten the screws (2) on the bottom horizontal bars AFTER TV is placed on the wall mount -- especially if you are in CA w/ quake. This is what prevents TV falling off the mount accidentally. But do not over-tighten (you are NOT securing from left-to-right movement).

2. Very happy w/ my purchase. Will get one more for my other TV. Cheetah Mounts APTMM2B Flat Screen TV Wall Mount Bracket, uses Universal Tilt Mount 32-55" - Plasma, LED, LCD TV Wall Mounts Mounting Brackets

The Cheetah mount is an incredible value. The mount is amazingly sturdy and very well built. It took me about 30 minutes to assemble the parts out of the box. Then another hour to mount the TV to the brick above our fireplace. I used 4 Quicktap blue masonry anchors to attach the mount to the wall, and it is so secure I could probably hang from the TV itself.



I was also pleased to find that the mount included all of the hardware (bolts, washers, spacers) that you would need to mount almost any VESA compatible flat panel. Our TV is a 52 inch Samsung (750 series) and the bolts I needed were included.



Overall, a great buy.

All I have to say is what a deal. I've always read consumer reviews for anything I've bought, but never felt compelled to write a review until now. This product is so cheap for what you get. Any complaints about the product itself lead me to question their expectations. I've learned a lot about consumer reviews by this product. People are whiners. This mount took me less than 1/2 hr to put up and it's rock solid. I saved $150 over a comparable mount at Best Buy! I'm pumped!

I took a chance, against my better judgment. I asked myself how can a $25 mount compare to a $300 mount? I have 2 girls and I would totally shoot myself if my 52" Sony Bravia (W series) ever fell on one of them. Well, I got this mount and I was already impressed. It is made of this extremely dense, slightly bumpy, but smooth to the touch metal. I mounted the first part to the wall and had my dad, who has owned his own construction company, to test it out. He approved by hanging his 180 lb body from it.



I did have to take a trip to Lowes because the screws to the TV were too long (20 thread). I bought 16 thread and added 2 lock washers, per screw, that already came with the mount. I also spent $30 on a good stud center finder because I wasn't going to mess around.



I feel very confident with this mount and I am very happy to have saved a bunch of money. If you buy this mount, just take your time, watch a few you tube videos about hanging a TV, and use common sense.'


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Christian Fiction - kindle active content, video poker


This active Kindle game (which should work on the Kindle 2, Kindle 3, or Kindle DX) mimics the "Jacks or Better" single-player video poker games you might see at bars or in Vegas casinos. You start with 100 credits and choose an amount to bet, and are dealt 5 cards. You are able to hold whichever cards you'd like (from none up to keeping all 5), and then get new cards to replace the ones you discarded. The goal is to get the best poker hand you can. There is a list of payouts, ranging from a pair of Jacks or better that pays back your original bet, two pair pays 2-to-1, a full house pays 9-to-1, and so on up to 800-to-1 for a royal flush.



Gameplay is fairly simple, although a bit slow given the limits of the Kindle's e-Ink screen. It takes a few moments to update your chip count once each hand is over, but the delay is hardly unbearable. (It should go without saying that the graphics are in black & white, but they are done pretty well and everything is clear on my K3.) Your cards are spread across the bottom of the screen, and you press the Q or W buttons to hold card 1, E or R to hold card 2, and so on using the top row of the keyboard (the corresponding buttons are always shown on the screen just below your cards). Then you press the enter key or the 5-way controller, and you receive your new cards and your payout (if any) is calculated and added to your total. The game didn't suffer any lag or crashes in the limited time I've played with it so far.



The game also offers hints, which you can optionally turn on or off. Even better, you can have it suggest the optimal play (which cards to hold and which to discard) only when you make a sub-optimal choice. It provides a list on the right side of the screen showing which hands are better than others -- keeping a low pair is better than keeping 4 to an open-ended straight, for example. It's very helpful for learning the optimal strategies.



It also tracks statistics, including your highest chip count, number / percentage of hands won, number / percentage of each poker hand you've gotten (pair, two pair, three of a kind, etc.), and both the percentage and longest streak of making the optimal play. You can save your game and resume later.



All in all, it's a fun little diversion, a little something extra for your Kindle in between books. Certainly worth having on my Kindle, especially since it was free when I downloaded it. Video Poker

Overall, the game does what it is supposed to do: replicates one of the video poker bandits with the standard Jacks or better to win, etc. If that kind of game is your cup of tea, you'll probably like it especially considering the free price vs. paying something for it.



The main drawback is the game is pretty slow - you select the cards you want to keep and press the button, and nothing happens. You press it again, then you get your draw cards - all with a noticable delay that is kind of annoying. However, it didn't seem to bother my third grader who played many hands before finally putting the Kindle down.

When I got this game I also though it was slow and a bit boring. But the more I play it, the more I like it. I can get into it, play a few hands and get out -in between reading, of course-.



It actually grabs my attention and is so simple to play.



Oh, and for free, it is well worth the money!

I like the format of the game, especially the Strategy list and the way it informs you of incorrect plays. However, there are 2 issues I would like to see improved:



1. There is a bug with payoffs. The game pays off the correct amount after a win, but does not return your bet. Yet when starting the next hand, it still deducts the bet amount from your credits.



2. The game is a bit slow. It would help to remove the flashing of the win and credit fields after a win. The way the Kindle changes a field would be enough to "highligt" the changing of the fields.

This is a free for kindle owners. It is a fun game for people who know how to play poker. Those who do not know the game, can use it to learn because the game is introduced by pages of instruction. There are two ways that the game can be played: with and without advice. If one selects advice, the kindle will suggest how the hand should be played. It will also tell you if you made a mistake. You can also select whether you want to play easy hands or hard ones.

Video Poker for the Kindle is a version of the machine that one would play in casinos. The game is very slow moving and doesn't offer the quick exciting play of other Kindle games. The fact that it is free save this from being one star.

Video Poker for the Kindle is just that, a game for a reader. For those who use their Kindle as a gaming device, I'm not sure this is the best available, but for the reading user who wants a little diversion now and then, this is an excellent game. Since it contains a single style poker game, Jacks or Better, those of us who have a short attention span might find it frustrating to be unable to change poker games. I personally play for a few minutes now and then as a break from reading or when I am doing something else like taking a phone call or listening to the news. It's unlikely that the game will grab B&M casino players like the machines which inspired this game, but for the Kindle you can't go wrong for the price.



To play this game, you can bet a maximum of 5 per play, and select to receive the program's recommendations or not. If you read the recommendations, you can then select to accept those recommendations and press either A or S to move forward more quickly. Alternatively, you can make your card selections by pressing a button under each card to select that card for holding. No need to be concerned with running out of funds because any time you reach a zero balance, another $100 are applied to your fund. I've earned over a thousand dollars in this game and have gone bust several times. Best part of this is no ATM fees when you need more funding.



The longer the game is played, the slower it runs. As expected, the Kindle battery is run down more quickly, but that's easy to fix with a charge. I like Video Poker for the Kindle for short spurts and recommend it for a little escape. - Kindle Games - Games - Kindle Active Content - Video Poker'


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Ipod Alarm Clock - iphone clock radio, clock radio


First time in ages I've had to read the instructions for a clock step-by-step, but it was oh-so-worth-it. How nice to charge my iPhone on my nightstand and not have to fumble for it in the morning, and even better, to awaken to music of my own choosing! The display is easy to read, the iPhone fits snugly and easily into the dock, and now that I've figured out how it works, it'll be fine. I'll want to keep the instructions on hand, though, for future reference (but the fact that it's not intuitive will help keep it safe from my college-aged daughter who likes to steal everything when she comes home on the weekend). The speakers sound much better than I expected for a clock this size, too--another pleasant surprise. Sony ICF-C05iP Clock Radio for iPod (White)

Sony ICF-C05iP Clock Radio for iPod (White)



My favorite thing about this alarm clock is not the ipod feature which is why I purchased it, but it's the different settings for the display. The display can be bright, dim, dimmer or off with a tap to the snooze button.

I also agree with the first reviewer that it was not and intuitive set-up. I had to refer to the set of instructions for the first time in years!

Ourchased as Christmas gift and went over like gang busters! This is a great IPOD Alarm Clock. Lots of features...has multiple dimmer settings for the display, summer DST button in back (just push and is set for daylight savings time, and they found it fairly easy to set up. They really loved the small footprintof the clock. It is not more than 5" L and 4" W. Very nice and great price!

Awesome look (I've white one) - compact size - works great with iPod 3rd Gen iPhone 3GS - Radio, FM - Alarm and most importantly alarm with ipod/iphone music :) - mornings are melodious !!

I would give 5/5 for the look and size, 3/5 for the sound quality (I'm use to Harman-Kardon), 4/5 for feaatures it has. It lags the AUX input, not able to connect my Samsung Galaxy S using Aux cable :( - probably they could make the driver supporting it......but over all pretty good job by SONY!!

After I finally got an iPod nano, I decided I wanted a radio for it, one that included an alarm. I looked through review after review of models by iHome, RCA, Sony, and others. I didn't want to spend too much money, since I would only use it for the alarm and occasionally as a radio. I have had a Sony CD Clock/Radio for nearly 10 years, and until this past year, it worked great (the CD player finally died, but the clock and radio still work.). I decided to get this model at Christmas, and I have been very pleased with it so far. The sound is surprisingly good for such a small speaker set. I have no trouble setting the alarm to just the song I want, and while some have complained that it is difficult to work initially, I had no problem with it. As long as this little thing works at its current level for a year or two, I will be supremely satisfied with it. I would definitely recommend this to others, and buy another down the road. Works with the latest generation nano, though it is not listed on the specs.

What I like about this alarm clock is that it keeps my iPod charged and ready to go while allowing me to wake to the music I choose. I also appreciate that when the power goes out and comes back on my clock still has the correct time. That said, there are several things about this unit that I do not like.

As with previous reviewers I had to "read the instructions" and they are not intuitive so I too need to continue keeping the instructions near the clock.

I was initially drawn by the bright or less bright feature of the display but the reality is that I simply can't read this clock - at any brightness - without my glasses on at night - a problem I did not have when I was using a colored LCD display. It may simply be that this clock is not for folks with astigmatism. For those without eyesight difficulties this should present no problem.

I bought this radio for my bathroom because it was small, had a clock, and had a dock for my IPod. I was so pleasantly surprised that I could actually use the radio. We live in a rural area about 40 minutes away from the radio stations we can listen to. There is no radio in our house that can get good reception from any of these stations. I didn't expect this radio to be any different and was just planning on listening to my IPod. This radio gets great reception and now I mainly listen to the radio stations on it. I would definitely recommend this radio.

The little (in shelf space) clock/radio is a great buy, as value for price. The sound is very good for the small speaker, the dial light dims completely. There are more than enough station memories, but setting them up is a little tiring. There are just two iPod inserts/adapters and none fits the iPod video 5G (which you have to use without an adapter and becomes sort of loose). It's a good buy and I'd recommend it if you don't care for total hi-fi.

The battery that came with the clock appears to be dead, or that function doesn't work - I don't know because I'm too lazy to go find a new battery for it since it's one of those flat ones. (AAA would have been nice!) Also, for some reason I didn't even think to check to make sure this was a feature until I got the clock, but you can not set the day/s of the week for the alarm to go off and also there is only one alarm. Besides that - this little clock has been great. Just the right size, loud alarm, dimmable display, iPhone 3GS dock...it's great. - Iphone Clock Radio - Ipod Clock Radio - Clock Radio - Ipod Alarm Clock'


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Thursday, 2 April 2009

Audiophile - dac, pc audio


Let me preface this review by saying that I am no audiophile but just an audio enthusiast who really enjoys and gets into his music.



Now, the review:



SIZE / BUILD / DESIGN / AESTHETICS :

The udac-2 is small i.e. very portable (more than the pictures lead you to believe) and I love that. I travel a lot for business and its size is so very much appreciated.

Looking at the pictures I thought it would feel slightly cheap or plasticy but I was VERY VERY wrong; the all aluminum construction is first rate and the unit feels EXTREMELY solid. The volume control has a good feel / actuation and the soft blue led light (when on) is a classy touch.



The RCA and Coaxial(S/PDIF) outputs are all gold plated and again, like the rest of the construction, very solid. I'll cover the sound quality from the RCA outputs in the audio performance section of the review.



There are a few color choices. I decided to get black but after getting it, seeing and feeling it, I wish I had gotten red or silver; its that good looking.



AUDIO / PERFORMANCE / SOUND QUALITY :

Right out of the box the sound quality is outstanding. The DAC and amplifier are both very musical. I listen to all kinds of music and all genres and ever since I got the udac2, I have listened to every kind from Jazz to hip hop, rap, dance, rock, pop etc. I just cannot wipe the grin off my face.



I have the following headphones:



Ultimate ears super.fi 5 pro

Klipsch Image S4i

Sennheiser HD595.



I tried the udac2 will all three and although each and every one of them sounded great, the udac2 made my Sennheisers sing. I usually reserve the use of the Sennheisers with my old Nakamichi stereo receiver but no more. This thing just blows the Nak's headphone amp out of the water. The audio review that follows is the udac2 with the Sennheisers.



Group/ Artist: Down To The Bone

Album: From Manhattan To Staten

Track: 01 - Staten Island Groove

Format: flac



I think this is a very dynamic (albeit quite long) track filled with layers and layers of elements. While listening to the track and almost each and every element stayed distinct and I think I may have picked up another element that I didn't know existed. I tapped my fingers and feet the whole time I listened to it.



Group/ Artist: DEPECHE MODE

Album: Violator (Remastered 2006)

Track: 06 - Enjoy The Silence

Format: flac

I have heard this track countless times and is one of my favorites. The udac2 did it justice. The baseline, drums, the guitar riff throughout are crystal clear and in perfect harmony.



Group/ Artist: Blue Man Group

Album: The Complex

Track: 03 - Sing Along (Featuring Dave Mathews)

Format: MP3, 320Kbps



I got completely lost in this track the 2 or 3 times I listened to it over and over. I don't know what else to say.



Group/ Artist: Bass Mekanik

Album: Max Killa Hertz

Track: 02 - Aktivate-Terminate

Format: MP3, 320Kbps



The bass and percussions were solid. Never once did the bass get muddy.



Group/ Artist: Green Day

Album: American Idiot

Track: 04 - Boulevard Of Broken Dreams

Format: flac



I felt Green Day were playing live for me.



I feel like listing every track I listened to and there was about 40 or 50 but this review would never end then.



The RCA outputs as I mentioned earlier are very solid. I connected the udac to the old nakamichi receiver in the bedroom. The signal was very strong and I wished this product was around a few years ago. I would have got this instead of a sound card to connect my HTPC to my home theater receiver; the sound quality would have been 10x better.



CONCLUSION / CLOSING THOUGHTS

It is everything that nuForce claims it is and more. Truth be told, I just cannot seem to stop listening to it and at $129 it is a steal. It has allowed me to enjoy my music when I am on the road as much as my main rig (some electronics connected to a McIntosh amp feeding paradigm studios) at a fraction of the cost.



Bravo nuForce!!





UPDATE APRIL 22, 2011

This thing is still as awesome as ever. Now that its broken in, it sounds even sweeter than before. In fact it sounds so good that I ended up replacing the sound card on my HTPC with the uDac2 (using the RCA outputs to my receiver). Results in one word? Fantabulous! And man is it Quiet! I cannot believe how much noise the old sound card (sound blaster X-Fi Xtreme) was picking up from the motherboard. Now, with the uDac2, all I hear is very detailed music and nothing more. NuForce Icon uDAC-2 (Black) Headphone Amp and USB DAC (24bit/96kHz)

I had the udac-1 and thought it was a tremendous bang for the buck.

Just as a dac alone, is worth the price.

Not that it was perfect. I thought the udac-1's midrange was a little too forward, and treble a little rolled off. But again, nothing to complain about considering the price.



Well now with the udac-2 they have worked on these small imperfections making it definitely worth the upgrade. When I hook up the udac-2 to my B&K amp through the B&W 705 speakers, they sound so close to the Pico dac that it's hard to tell the difference.



I will add that the udac-2 still retains a slight midrange forwardness and warmth to the tone of the sound. Not as much as the udac-1 but enough to make the midrange shine and give warmth to the sound of any speaker or headphone. You can almost say that they are very tube like in character.



Really pleased!

I only very recently began my journey into getting the very best audio for my systems.



I've tried out many pairs of headphones, and settled on a lower-budget pair of Senn HD595's. I figured, my system (Macbook Pro) wouldn't be pumping awesome music anyway, considering I have very little 320kbps FLAC/other lossless music on my computer. I took the dive to get the uDAC from a recommendation by a good friend.



WOW. This little thing has increased the quality of my music more than any of the other hardware I've bought so far. Every noise that now comes out of my Mac is jitter-free, as if someone had replaced every sound on my computer with one that was much higher-quality.



I read online that some people are worried about the controls with this thing. I have tested this on both the OSX and PC sides of my Mac. The system volume controls now work well with the DAC - I can now control the DAC's volume through both its own hardware switch (which is a great feature by itself) as well as through the computer/OS.



It's remarkably small, and requires no knowledge of anything to set up - just plug and play. Comes with a proper USB cable of good length (for me anyway). For those who are wondering, the light on the uDAC 2 (at least for this black one) is a less intrusive white, not bright blue. - Headphone Amp - Dac - Portable - Pc Audio'


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Swingline - staples, stapler


This stapler works perfectly! Not a single mis-fire (mashed staples)yet. This thing actually fires the staple into the paper with ease. No batteries. You won't be disappointed! My kids love it!! I need to find a desktop model so I can throw out my regular stapler. This uses standard staples and holds a small amout so you need to have some available since it only ships with 50. I used a bunch playing with it the first few minutes. I tried to staple through 17 pages of 20 weight. It made it, but I had to fold over the staple. It made it through 20 also, but there was even more work involved in getting the staple to stay. It is rated for 12, but I wanted to see it's limits. Here is something that has actually been engineered properly and does more than what it's designed to do!!!! PaperPro Nano Miniature Stapler, 12 Sheet Capacity, Translucent Green (1811)

This stapler looks good. It would have been a great stapler if it actually worked. It was a pain to get it to open to replace staples, and the directions didn't help either. The second time I tried to open it, it fell apart. I hate to sound angry, but it's a waste of money and time.

It seemed to work well for a couple of months, then the staples would go through the paper without folding over, like you're tacking something on the wall. After that it has been hit or miss, and I can't get it to really staple anything over 3-5 pages now. It's especially sad because their desktop-sized staplers work REALLY well, but I guess mini-sized is not their forte.

This stapler broke within the first few times of use. I tried to staple 10 pages and it started to jam and misfeed the staples. Then it couldn't even staple a single piece of paper properly.



In my search for another mini-stapler, I purchased the Swingline Tot Stapler which has a much more solid stapling mechanism, is smaller, and actually works.

The staples are ejected very powerfully, almost like a staple gun. It's a good size, and the bright color means I always know which stapler is mine. I can carry it in my work bag and it doesn't take up much room, but it can handle a decent number of pages. No jams yet.

I picked this up locally because I didn't want to wait for it, and I will say it's a bit cheaper than listed here, which makes it an even BIGGER bang for your buck! Simply put, this stapler ROCKS. Gone are the days where you had to leverage yourself and press with two hands to staple a stack of papers--this stapler is one-touch! It's also the perfect size to just toss in a drawer, which saves prime desk real estate. The only downside is that it only takes 50 staples at a time, but I can live with it and it doesn't lessen the product any in my opinion. You won't be sorry you got this! - Nano - Paper - Staples - Stapler'


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Swingline - staples, stapler stapler Swingline - staples, stapler

Shoulder Strap Bag - bookbag, shoulder bag


Got this because I have a couple classes where all i need is my Netbook. Good thing that is the intended use, as not much else will fit in there.



I can get my Toshiba NB205 with the 11 inch screen plus a couple of spiral bound notebooks and that's it.



Will say good construction. Though it's small, it doesn't give off the "man-purse" vibe, but only because it has a mil-surp vibe.



The closures are not snap, so I hardly use them. Rothco BATTLEFIELD MESSENGER MEDIC BAG

When I saw the bag on Amazon and read the reviews saying it was too small, I was still expecting a good-sized field bag. When I got it, it was actually a little bigger than I had imagined. It's about half the size of my standard messenger bag, and that was the size I wanted.



People also complained a lot about the straps being a very plastic-y leather, and my hopes weren't high when I got my bag. But even with all the bad reviews on it, the straps on mine were very soft and easy to work with, so I don't see why people were complaining, unless the bag has been updated since the time of their purchase.



All in all, I'm happy with my bag.

The minute the box came i wondered what size the bad will be. From reading the reviews i thought it will be small but no, it normal size and i could fit my MacBook Pro 15" inside. Buy, its really good.

While the bag does look great, its size is extremely underwhelming. I cannot imagine any school books of any use fitting in it, nor a laptop other than 13" Macbooks or netbooks fitting into it, as most 13" PCs have extra case room, it might not fit easily either.



Essentially, I have to gift this to a friend and search for a new bag. Again.

the bag is ok in size. the problem is that shoulder strap is generic. I have seen better strapson 10 dollar back packs at walmart. the closing straps are to flimsi and small, not enough stitching to make them look dorable. it should have snap on connectors or a simple peg and loop. need more padding and stitching at the bottom. eventualy it is going to rip from the bottom unless you just carry bubble wrap or facial tissues. this thing would not last a week in the battle field, you would thin that this was a good army surplus item, but it is not

I read the reviews so I was expecting it to be small and as some people mentioned a bit cheap looking, but I was quite happy with the product I received. It IS smaller than it looks on the picture, though not small enough to look like a purse for any guys that are considering.



The canvas material is nice and it seems sturdy enough; its absolutely perfect for my iPad, Moleskine, and wallet, with plenty of room leftover. However there are no inside pockets. :[



The medical symbol is unique and I really like the vintage look of the bag, the red paint doesnt look cheap or shiny. The straps are a bit plastic-y but I personally ripped mine off and sewed some nice distressed straps on instead.



All in all, I love this bag. Its a conversation piece and its a good size when I just want a few things with me.

Item arrived as advertised, proper color scheme as shown in picture. Only complaint lies in the leather straps, that have a sort of plasticky looking front, which is of an odd light tan color, that distracts from the period look of the bag.

The bag is a lot smaller than it looks in the picture. I was hoping to get my laptop into it, but sadly, I'm unable too.

No inner pockets, and leather straps are hard to buckle/unbuckle (I don't bother with them). Bag is more khaki than green (as it appears in the picture).



Other than that I'm pleased. The canvas is high quality, the bottom of the bag is even re-enforced with an extra layer. Very long, adjustable strap. Shipping was very fast also.



It is a nice bag, but I probably would not buy again, based on the size issue. - Medic - Bookbag - Cool Bag - Shoulder Bag'


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Shoulder Strap Bag - bookbag, shoulder bag medic Shoulder Strap Bag - bookbag, shoulder bag