Thursday 30 June 2011

Windshield Wipers - anco, wiper blades


Already have issues with these wipers after 2 months of use. I only purchased these since there was a rebate at the time - will NOT purchase these again. They are loud since first use. And now there are streaks - doesnt wipe away all water from windshield. I use rainx frenquently. Anco 31 Series 3122 Wiper Blade - 22"

Anco 31 Series 3122 Wiper Blade - 22"



I used this for my Kia Optima 2004 model and its great. The earlier wipers made noises like nails on a chalkboard. But this is totally streak free, very quiet and is easy to install. Actually, its more like push it into place, rather than install! And what's more I got two wipers for about [...]. Highly recommended by someone who has had a hard time with bad wipers! Thanks...



Update 07/02/2010



These wiper blades are finished. I am ordering a replacement. They are very short lived! Not recommended!

I will never buy this product from amazon again. The blades I received had already been opened (and amazon indicated they were new in the box) and the 22" blade is bent, meaning it does not wipe the whole surface area as intended. I already had thrown out the box or would have returned the item.

These wipers are garbage! The very next day after putting them on, the driver's side literally fell apart.

I know these are economy wipers, but I expected to get a bit more out of them than 24 hours!

They are made of cheap plastic pieces that are linked together haphazardly.

My advice is spend a few more dollars and get the Rainx brand wipers, they are metal... EVEN the cheapo wipers at my local auto part store are metal and better made!

For the price, these wipers cannot be beat. They offer a clean wipe and install easily. I have had a pair on my wife's car for 10 months, including the winter, and they still work well. Occasionally they have been a little noisy, but wiping them off with glass cleaner every so often seems to prolong their life.

I purchased these wipers based on the positive reviews... WOW! What a mistake!! I put them on my wife's 2004 Toyota Camry and my 2004 Toyota Echo, and they seem to have apparently "dried out" while exposed to sunlight, for every time you turn on the wipers, they "skid" along the windshield and make a lot of noise. My wife complained to me about them... more than once... saying they were EXTREMELY noisy. They worked OK for a VERY short time, but it didn't take them very long to become "dried out" and start "skipping along" on the windshield, making much noise, and no longer cleaning the windshield as they were meant to do. Apparently, Anco uses VERY low quality rubber for these... hence the low price. If I could have given them zero stars, I would have. I am 64 years of age and have had many different windshield wiper blade replacements in my life, but never with such poor results. Don't waste your money on these!!!!

I bought this wiper and a Ford Motorcraft wiper at the same time for a comparison on my two cars. The Anco wipers are not worth the cheap price they charge you, they are very poor out of the box . The old wipers I replaced did a better job and they were separating. These wipers streak the windshield and are noisy as soon as you put them on. Not worth the time it takes to swap them and maybe you might do better with used wipers. The Motorcraft wipers I bought as a comparison are smooth like butter with a very clean windshield as a result. Not sure what consumers reports was evaluating but this wiper was poor for both the passenger and the drivers side. Not sure I have ever bought a wiper that was worse.



Be warned - Windshield Wipers - Anco - Wiper Blades - Wipers'


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Fetish Apparel


Awesome, but heads up, they're too small for most men to wear. Your bits will tend escape out the top or side.

Very sexy though :P.



I can't complain about mini-booty shorts being too small though, so it's 5-stars here. Exactly the product I expected. BLACK FAUX LIQUID "LEATHER" HOT PANTS CLUBBING MINI BOOTY SHORTS, LARGE'


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Ipod Touch Case With Magnetic Catch


I was absolutely happy with this purchase. After much researching of the different cases for the Ipod touch gen 2, I decided on this. This is a great value and very high quality. Because of its padding, I know that my Ipod is well protected. All buttons and cable can easily be accessed even while in the case. To me this is a no brainer compared to those "gel/silicone" cases or other types. I like the magnetic closure because I can wrap the earbud wire around the ipod and then close the case keeping the wire intact. Premium Black Folio Wallet Leather Case for Apple Ipod Touch Itouch 8Gb 16GB ...

This items falls into the 'get what you paid for' category. I agree with the reviewer who said it had an odd smell, and with my iPod Touch 2G in the case, the clasp doesn't reach far enough to engage the magnet. (I see from other reviews that other people didn't have this problem; I suspect it's a quality control issue and I just got unlucky.)



However, it offers great protection for my Touch, and a piece of velcro fixed the clasp problem. I feel much better throwing the Touch into my purse with this case on it than with the metal case I had before that exposed the face. It's also more substantial this way, and less likely to get lost. (I've already thrown the Touch into the trash by accident once with the metal case on.)



Also, I use my Touch to read ebooks, and it's much easier to hold the Touch in this fold-out case while I'm reading.



So I do recommend this product, for the price.

When I decided to buy this product, there was only 1 review and it was a bad one. I decided to buy it anyway and I'm glad I did. I haven't experienced any problems with the product. I prefer the idea of a magnetic closure over a velcro type. The iPod Touch 2nd G looks really good in it, and with a little plastic screen protector (which you have to buy separately), my new toy is super extra big-time safe from all the sharp & pokey things in my purse or pockets. It's not that expensive, so why not try it? That's what I thought anyway, and once again, I'm glad I did.

I've searched several websites and stores for my Ipod touch 2nd generation. Most of them are for 1st generation. Fortunately, I found this leather case. My Ipod touch fits tightly into this fine leather case. The side openings are perfectly designed for the side buttons and connections. The magnet stands on the spot without any effort. I highly recommend it because of its cheap price, good quality and good design.

I just got a iPod Touch 4G (8GB) and this Leather case. If you are considering this case for your 4G model, STOP, this leather case is not designed for it.



The case is good for storing the iPod (4G) and nothing else.

- Its hard to reach the power button

- The case does not grip the Ipod - its a slide in from the left

- The Ipod 4G is thinner than the previous versions and constantly slides in this case

- Hard to control when driving - The flap gets in the way

- There is no provision for the rear camera

and more...



Not worth spending on this case if you plan on carrying the case with you and actively using it..

Received product in a timly manner. Looks good and feels good. Real problem with the magnetic clasp. Everytime I put the Touch into the case it drains the battery over a short period of time. I believe its due to the magnet which is located direcly behind the iPod. Would show caution if purchasing.



Port Charlotte, FL

This case is pretty dang good for the price. It surely isn't the best one ever, but it's a bang for your buck. The leather is good quality. Nice and smooth while not being too soft so it could protect your ipod nicely. The ipod fits nicely in the case. Although sometimes it moves a little and the leather around the screen gets in the way. That isn't a big issue and you'll get used to it. Using the volume buttons on the side is a little difficult to use and takes some getting used to. You should expect that though since your buying this type of leather case. Using the hold button is the most difficult thing to do and is pretty much the worst part about this case. The magnet isn't the strongest one. It feels like it's really easy to undo. Too easy. This isn't a big issue either, just a little con. There isn't really much to say bad about this case considering it was $8 including shipping.



By the way, the issue about the smell I guess only happens to some cases. I can only smell it when I put my nose up to it. It doesn't smell that great. Smells like the garden section of Wal-Mart.



Overall, I recommend this case. Really good value for a very good price.



Pros:

Good Leather

Accessability to most buttons and inputs

Protects iPod

Very Good Price



Cons:

Hold button is too hard to use

Leather around screen might get in the way sometimes'


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Ipod Touch 4g Case


This fits perfectly and my daughter loves the design. Sometimes I have to help her get it off when she wants to switch covers - at first I though I would break it - but it surprisingly didn't break. She loves the design and it's still intact. Snap-On Protector Hard Case for Apple iPod Touch 4th Generation / 4th Gen - ChalkBoard Stars Design

Great Ipod cover! It is so very sturdy and durable once placed on the Ipod. There are 2 spots of where the plastic is thin and you need to use caution when handling it when not on the Ipod, but once it's on your good to go! Great colors too!

This case comes in 2 pieces and is simple. It snaps on the front and back, fits like a glove and has the correct holes for the camera. I put it on the Ipod Touch 4th generation. I also put my own screen protector on the Ipod since the case just protects the body. Really like it.

I personally think that this an okay product. I love the beautiful design on the front but, it is really hard to get off. One time while is was trying to get the case off, the side broke and and now there's a crack in it. Also, DO NOT GET THIS FOR ANOTHER TYPE OF I POD TOUCH because the iPod touch 4th generation is thinner than all the others so it might not fit and there is a hole for the camera on the back so it might look weird.'


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Replacement Battery - ni-mh, makita


This battery is performing exactly as the original. It is still new so I do not know its life span. It charged quickly so I was able to use it after only six hours. It arrived promptly and was well packaged. Pwr+ 9.6v Ni-mh 2100mah Makita 9000 9033 193890-9 192696-2 632007-4 Battery Replacement

The original battery in my Makita cordless drill was approaching 20 years old and needed replacement. Looked online for one and decided on this one. Got it in and charged it and put it in the drill. Have used it several times and it's doing great, no problems so far. Would bye another if need be. - Makita - Ni-mh'


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Garmin Friction Mount - friction mount, dashboard mount


After doing hours of research for a dash mount for my Garmin Nuvi 205w, I decided to give this one a try, and so glad that I did. I looked at the bean bag one and this one, and really wanted a smaller footprint and less bulky mount to put up on my dash. I was concerned about this mount and it rolling, flipping, or tumbling off the dash. To my surprise and delight it never moved !! I have tried it in both of our cars, even used it in the van for our vacation. Fits all three and sits there holding it's position. Some have made notes about a residue that is left behind, I experienced this in 2 of our vehicles, but when I cleaned the car and wiped the dash down, the `residue' was gone. Most likely from the silicone bottom on the mount that holds it in place. Love the flexibility and the fact that you can bent this mount to contour to your dash, and then the swivel mount allows you to adjust the Garmin to see it at any angle. Mounted in my car I took a few corners hard to try and tumble the mount w/ the Garmin, but no luck, it just sat there telling me where to go "literally". Granted I am sure you can tumble it of the dash if you hit a hard core bump or drive erratically, but everyday driving & circumstances it does it's job. If the bottom silicone gets icky from lint, dirt, debris, all you have to do is wipe it down with a cloth and good as new !!



Love the look, the small foot print, and the flexibility. I would recommend this mount to anyone that is looking for a more stylish, but completely functional dash mount, that can go with you most anywhere and in any vehicle.



Loving my Garmin Mount & Garmin Nuvi 205W... Garmin Friction Mount

I already have the "bean bag" mount and was glad to see this new, updated design, so I ordered. It does look more "factory". Was unpleasantly surprised when it arrived. The main upper portion is a pliable plastic that molds to the contours of your dash. The bottom, though, is a strange feeling silicone, that leaves your fingers feeling like you just handled a silicone spray or lubricant. Right on the packaging, but hidden from view until you remove the mount, is a message about cleaning residue left behind on your dash. Indeed, it even left an imprint mark on my kitchen counter while I was reading the packaging! Who wants to clean up a silicone stain every time you use it. I've already sent it back and will stick with the bean bag.

Got it to replace the Garmin bean bag friction mount. The base of this unit allows twisting to conform to the curves and contour of the dash.



This base will not move on the dash as it has a "sticky" base, however, the base and the mounted GPS toppled and rolled off my dash and landed on the front passenger seat when I cornered at moderate speed.



So while it won't slide, it can fly!

I was skeptical about buying this product at first. When I got it I was even more doubtful that it would work well since it was so light weight and small. How could this stay in place? Boy was I wrong. The rubber has a piece of metal in it so you can mold it to the dash board. The backing is just like one of those rubber lint rollers with a tacky side. I took really hard turns on exit ramps and it did not fall over. It holds in place solid. I did get a residual wet mark on the dash board kind of like when you use armour all and do not blend it in well. It does just wipe off with the palm of your hand though. I would recommend placing it in a zip lock bag or something when you take it down so it does not collect junk from under the seat. Clean up is easy with just soapy water and let air dry when too much dust accumulates. This is better than the bean bag.



I would also like to add that the reviewers saying this product falls off their dash is most likely because they do not clean their dashboard. Just like a lint brush, you must remove the lint for it to work!

I almost returned this item as I thought it was too unstable with my Nuvi 255WT. While driving on normal roads, I noticed the GPS was shaking to the point that navigating with it became downright annoying. I found the problem to be the rear of the flexible/sticky base where the mounting arm is attached. While the front of the base stayed firmly in place, the rear could twist up slightly from side to side resulting in the GPS shake I was experiencing. I believe this is because the rear of the base is more narrow than the front and therefore not as stable. For comparison, I switched back to my old Garmin sandbag mount and there was absolutely no shaking with that one. But, I really liked the looks, lower profile and better non-slip design of the friction mount and decided to work with it a bit more. Fortunately, I found that I could eliminate the shaking by pressing one/both bottom corners of the GPS unit into contact with the rubber base. This worked perfectly and with the shaking gone, and that sticky base stuck to the dash, my GPS has never felt more secure (better than the sandbag). I would definitely recommend this mount to others and if you experience the shaking problem, just try the tip I mentioned above.

Until I purchased this mount I only used the Garmin on road trips, now I used it almost all the time. It is almost like having a built in GPS. It sits on top of the dashboard, you just place where you want it and it stays, no suction cup needed. When you leave the car just place it on the floor out of sight with the GPS in place. I can program it while holding it close instead of reaching over the dashboard to the GPS mounted on the windshield. If you have a portable Garmin GPS this is the way to go.

This is a road warrior's dream. Garmin thought through the movable dash mount very carefully with this product.



I've travelled (airplanes to rental cars) for a few years with the Garmin bean bag mount Garmin Portable Friction Mount [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]. It's kind of a pain in the neck, you have to remove the arm completely, find a place to store that, and then find a place where that bean bag won't get all bent up. When you arrive, assemble all that junk and toss it on the dash.



This mount is simplicity and designed around tossing it in a carryon bag. The rubber / silicone base is about the diameter of a CD with an extesion about 1/2 that size. So it's compact. The arm for mounting the GPS folds almost completely flat. So the whole thing transports very easily.



Mounted on the dash, simply bend the pliable rubber base to conform to the dash, flip the arm up, snap in your GPS, and you're good to go. This thing holds the dash as well as the beanbags. No the GPS doesn't fly all over any more than it does with the beanbag.



And the base is some kind of strange material like a post it note. It does feel weird and smells odd the first few days. Any residue - no not happening. It sits on a Mercedes dash with no fear that it will ruin my dash.



This is a much more portable and solid version of a removable dash mount, than the beanbags. The pictures don't do it justice. - Friction Mount - Garmin Mount - Gps Mount - Dashboard Mount'


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Touchpad - apple, mac


The Macbook Pro has just been updated on April 13th 2010. There are some upgrades and a few changes between this year and last years model, detailed below.



UPGRADES



1) The MBP 13 now has 4 gb of ram standard (2 x 2 gb sticks). This allows you to multi-task easily without any issues ( last years model had only 2gb of ram which was inadequate) Now there's no need to spend more money upgrading your ram UNLESS you're really into heavy duty multimedia work



2) It also features the Nvidia GeForce 320M integrated graphics processor with 48 processing cores. This is an improvement compared to the Geforce 9400M graphics chip in last years model and will help in graphics and content creation.



3) The included hard drive is 250 gb (160gb in last years model).



4) Mini display port now supports video AND sound with a compatible Mini-DP to HDMI adapter (last years model only supported video)





STANDARD FEATURES - from last years 13 inch model (minor changes noted in brackets) are



An Aluminum unibody,

Core 2 Duo Processor ( 2.4 ghz - up from 2.26ghz ),

1280 x 800 resolution Glossy LED backlit screen,

iSight camera,



8x slot-loading SuperDrive dvd burner

Large glass multi-touch trackpad ( Intertial scrolling is now enabled ),

Backlit keyboard with comfortable chiclet keys

Magsafe power adapter (with redesigned tip to reduce stress on the cable)



1 Firewire 800 port,

2 USB 2.0 ports ,

SD Card slot,

Wi-Fi - 802.11n specification; 802.11a/b/g compatible, Bluetooth 2.1 and Gigabit Ethernet -10/100/1000.



Software included is OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and the iLife 09 suite of content creation tools. A 1 year warranty on parts and 90 day telephone technical support is standard.



The lack of the latest Intel Core i5 or i3 processors processors in this machine is disappointing ( Anybody paying $1200 for a notebook positioned as a pro product, would expect new rather than "old" processors to be part of the configuration ) but I'd still recommended the MBP 13 to people looking to buy the lightest and most portable Macbook Pro as well as a capable machine in it's own right. Demanding applications like Skype, Photoshop, Lightroom, iMovie run smoothly.



I would also consider purchasing applecare - AppleCare Protection Plan MC258LL/A - For Portable Apple Computers 13.3 Inches and Below along with the notebook.



The truth is, Apple uses most of the same parts (hard drives, processors, dvd drives, wireless cards) that other laptop manufacturers use so their reliability is no worse or better than other laptop manufacturers. Unfortunately what most customers don't know is that if a product / part malfunction occurs after the first year limited warranty has ended, Apple charges extremely high fees for repairing and replacing parts (when compared to other laptop manufacturers ) IF you don't have Applecare.



Keep in mind, the A.P.P. only covers hardware failure - not accidental damage so it's still expensive for what you get but it's better than paying Apple's prices for repair/replacement parts.



Another warranty extension option to consider is Squaretrade (which also includes damage protection). It's better to pay once for Applecare or Squaretrade (whatever you prefer) and be covered for 2 more years after the first year is up than pay exorbitant repair/replacement fees if a part malfunctions.



About the battery, Apple advertises it as lasting for 9 to 10 hours of use. In reality, it allows you to be mobile for 3 to 6 hours - depending on what task you're using the computer for. Also, it's an inbuilt battery so once it's exhausted, you will have to take your machine back to an Apple store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider for replacement. However, Apple states that the battery will hold 80% of it's charge for up to a 1000 charges which means approximately 3 to 4 years of daily use. So it should be a while before you have to go in for that battery replacement.



Also, Since the MBP has a mini display port, you'll have to buy a MiniDP to VGA convertor or MiniDP to DVI convertor if you ever want to connect your MB Pro to a larger monitor - since Apple does not include it with the machine it will cost you $30 more IF you buy it from Apple. Here's a cheaper option - Mini DisplayPort to DVI Female Adapter Cable for Apple Macbook, Macbook Pro, iMac, Macbook Air, Mac Mini Laptop



For those who are confused about whether they should purchase the $1199 MBP 13 or the $1499 MBP 13 - the only difference between this model and the higher priced model is processor speed and hard drive space - the $1199 MBP 13 has a 2.4 ghz processor and 250 gb hard drive and the $1499 MBP 13 has a 2.66ghz processor and 320 gb hard drive. Whether a 266 mhz (10% difference) and 70 gb more of hard drive space is worth 300 dollars more is your call. (Although you can purchase a 500 gb notebook hard drive for approximately $80 and install it yourself. Instructions are in the MBP 13 manual and you'll need a Philips #00 screwdriver. Installation videos are also available online)



Hope this helps!



UPDATE - The MBP has a good quality screen but I have to add that it may not be for everybody. Online reports on Apple's MB Pro support forums and personal experience indicate that the glossy LED screen causes tremendous eye strain and headaches for some people. A few users have said that they cannot use the computer for more than an hour at a time because of the eye strain and headaches.



Mine and other's issues with the screen are individual cases but the possibility does exist that the screen may not suit you and cause eye strain and other health issues. At the same time, you may not face any of these issues. My advice would be to use the MB Pro as a notebook extensively within the fourteen day return window and if you face any of these issues, do not hesitate to return it. If you do not face any of these issues, then please enjoy using your MB Pro. Apple MacBook Pro MC374LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop - Apple - Macbook - Laptop - Mac'


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Ipod Nano - ipod accessories, nike


I'm usually somewhat jaded when I see technology, and I was skeptical this would be much better than an equivalent $10-15 pedometer. However, Apple has once again proven that details matter.



I bought this for my wife (forget about having to have Nike+ shoes - it works fine slipped into laces or in a shoe wallet). She plugged it into her first-gen (1G) Nano, and instantly the Nike+ menu option appeared. There's a little calibration that has to be done, but once you get going, it's just neat. You can specify your workout type (distance, duration, just go), and then select a playlist (or shuffle, or something else) and you are off!



There's even a built in voice that will give you a verbal run summary at the touch of a button (and at scheduled intervals).



I run with a fourth-gen (4G) big (disk) iPod, and no, it doesn't work with my iPod. Too bad. I might have to get a Nano just for running - this is too cool, and saves the time off of keeping a running log - it keeps one for you, which you can upload.



Good:

-don't need Nike shoes

-works amazingly well out of the box

-easy to use

-neat features (like voice alerts about pace, distance, etc)

-ultra-light

Bad:

-only works with the Nano

-supposedly can't replace the battery in the shoe transponder - we'll see about that

-some calibration required Apple Nike + iPod Sport Kit for iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G

First off this is a great addition to all the weekend warriors out there. It can help keep you motivated via the headphones or the internet (when you get home)



There are some minor things you should know about when owning one of these kits.



1. You have to have an iPod Nano, not a video, iphone, classic, shuffle, whatever... I plugged this into my ultra cool iPod touch and it did not work.



2. Put the disk inside your shoes tongue or get one of the lace kits. Dont buy the shoes built for this. (see next)



3. If you are not headed out the door DO NOT HAVE THIS IN YOUR SHOE! The battery will die and youll need to buy the sender unit (the red thing) again. If you run out to get groceries in your car make sure this is out of your shoe. Having one in your shoe and not having the iPod on will not save all your walking data.



Motion (of any kind even riding in your ash tray) will use up the battery! Take it out and place it on your dresser. Unless you live in a volcanic area it should last a long time.



4. Get a good belkin or other nano type running case. This will help.



All in all a great product. If you treat it well it is a great help for your fitness routine.



edit:

Just figured this out, if you use an ellipticle machine you can tape the sensor to the arm at the farthest point back. It is not 100% accurate but it does read fairly close. Basically you will lose 1/10th the run (or so on my em)

Hope this helps! You can check my progress: http://runnin2lose.blogspot.com

I can't say enough good things about this product. I got mine at Christmas and I love it. Let me start by saying that I hate running and walking. I find walking to be boring and running to be no fun at all. In the six weeks that I have owned this device I have run/walked almost 80 miles. I can say for a fact that this is probably more than I have run/walked (directly for exercise that is) in my entire life leading up to this point. I love bike riding and swimming but I can't swim at any time of the day and as much as I love biking you have to go so much further to get the same results and there just aren't enough places to bike near my house.



The main reason that this is so motivating is the Nike website. When you sync your iPod your information is uploaded to the Nike website where you can view great charts and graphs of your runs. It tracks your records as well (fastest mile, furthest run, etc.) It allows you to set goals (run 40 miles in 4 weeks, burn 10,000 calories in 4 weeks, etc.) It also allows you to challenge other people with this device. Well, my best friend got one for Christmas as well. He lives 250 miles away and we are already on our second challenge. The first was who can run the most miles in 30 days. The current is who can run 60 miles first. The website keeps track of your progress and shows you how far each participant has gone so far. So you can see if you are ahead or need to pick up the pace. It is great and makes you want to run further and more often.



I always knew I was competitive but I never realized how competitive I was! The other day I ran 7 miles (further than I have ever gone at one time in my life) just so that I could get a good headstart on my friend!

Fun piece of kit but if you are a serious runner expecting accurate results there are some major flaws in the product.



1. starting and stopping your workout is not a push one button job - you have to scroll through menu's - so if you are on the starting line looking to do your best 10km and then the gun goes off, everyone will be long gone before you get through the menu's to start your workout. Stopping too is not simple - if you are just out having fun then it is not a major issue.

2. Accuracy - though you can calibrate the sensor it is not 100% accurate - typically my wife and I have both found that if you can get around 90% to 95% you are doing well - however that is a 1km or at least 500m out every ten. So again not that useful if you want to measure your best 10km time

3. Downloading to Nike has its problems too - you just need to read the forums to see how many problems people have with their best times not being recognised, not been given their trophies, distances and times not matching up etc. etc. etc.



Bottom line - fun for keeping a more or less record of what you have done - useless as an accurate log of your times and distances - Nike Plus - Nike - Ipod Nano - Ipod Accessories'


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Multifunction Printer - hewlett-packard, photosmart


Yes, like other reviewers have said, this ink does die out a little fast but that is understandable seeing as how it is a small ink cartridge. People on here are starting to blame Amazon for some reason which is weird. I don't really have a problem with this ink but I do have a problem with my printer. It tells you that the ink has died out and you need to replace it way earlier than you actually need to. Don't pay attention to your printer or the levels it shows on your HP ink level chart on your computer. Don't change it until the actual ink starts to fade on your prints. HP 564 Black Ink Cartridge

The HP 564 Original Black is really inexpensive to buy. In addition, they do a fairly decent job of printing. However, I seem to be replacing these cartridges way, way too often. I am experiencing roughly 50-75 prints before the printer tells me it's time to replace the cartridge. HP advertizes up to 250 yield. I'm getting nowhere near that claim.



Overall, this product is horrible.



And, I refuse to purchase the more expensive "XL" version (3-4 times the cost of the non-"XL" version), even though HP claims they last 3-4 times longer than the original. HP advertizes up to 800 yield on these "XL" versions. I don't believe their first claim of 250 yield, so what makes you think I will believe their second claim.

You've heard it before I'm sure. HP Vivera is great ink, vibrant colors, nice skin tones, pretty decent blacks.. But if you are an occasional printer - maybe do a batch of photos once a month or so, go with the smaller (not the XL) cartridges. The XL's will actually time out before they run out. You're better off buying more of the smaller carts.



December 2010 UPDATE: I'm not sure if it's a direct result of the class action suit against HP for their approach to expiring these cartridges or what - but the way that they report their remaining qty and expiration has changed. Now when the cartridge reports its remaining ink, it says that it's an estimate - based on the amount of time you've had the cartridge installed. Now it allows you to print even if it "estimates" that one of your carts is empty. This has solved the problem for me when I would print a dozen pages of black text and then a month later it would prevent me from printing because I'm out of Cyan or something.



Bottom line: For my HP Photosmart C6380, this problem no longer exists. Thanks HP.

I'm amazed at how fast this new HP Photosmart printer uses ink in comparison to my old one. The colors are brighter, but are they deeper - no. I'm trying the XL ink now, and if the usage doesn't improve the printer is going back. With the cost of the ink, the fact you can't refill the cartridges, and constantly reordering, it's just not worth it. It hardly makes me want to upgrade even further to the even more expensive ink. Not real happy with HP right now. Had my old printer for 4 years and very pleased with it, it just couldn't handle the Vista upgrade, so in their planning, you have to purchase new...Not better.

I purchased a HP 6380 printer last January & although I am reasonably happy with the print quality & ease of use, the output from the ink cartridges is abysmal. A standard HP 564 black ink cartridge is supposed to produce 250 sheets (according to the information on the box) I have been getting 35-50 sheets of standard text (no block color printing). I have spent considerably more than the original purchase price in the last 10 months alone on ink for what I consider to be light home use. Needless to say, I will not be buying an HP printer again in the future.

Ink uses up too fast. On the first day I installed the cartridge, I haven't even printed anything out yet, but the printer, after moving its cartridges around, already used up about 40% of the ink. Within a month I had to buy new ink cartridges again.

Used the 564black that was shipped with my printer. Even with below average printing (occasional) and always using fast-economical prints, the printer now says I am very low on ink! I am going to let it drain all the way until it prints no more. In any case, I can understand that this being a small cartridge and all, but its not worth wasting so much plastic to house such a micro sized ink. I dont know what HP achieves by these low volume cartridges (other than being able to ship a cartridge with the printer).

I agree with some of the other comments that this ink cartridge runs out very very fast. We only use the fast draft mode for efficient ink use and yet despite being a smaller cartridge, proportionately we get very few prints out of a cartridge in comparison to our old HP printer. This seems to have been the trend as HP keeps making the printers less expensive and finding ways to get you to spend more money on the ink. I'm going to seriously rethink my next HP printer purchase and likely opt for a different brand despite having been relatively happy with my last 6 HP printers over two decades. I hope someone from HP takes notice - their short term gain and ink business had gone too far and will be a long term loss of previously loyal customers. - Hewlett-packard - Photosmart - Inkjet Cartridges - All In One Printer'


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Ipod Nano - ipod accessories, nike


I'm usually somewhat jaded when I see technology, and I was skeptical this would be much better than an equivalent $10-15 pedometer. However, Apple has once again proven that details matter.



I bought this for my wife (forget about having to have Nike+ shoes - it works fine slipped into laces or in a shoe wallet). She plugged it into her first-gen (1G) Nano, and instantly the Nike+ menu option appeared. There's a little calibration that has to be done, but once you get going, it's just neat. You can specify your workout type (distance, duration, just go), and then select a playlist (or shuffle, or something else) and you are off!



There's even a built in voice that will give you a verbal run summary at the touch of a button (and at scheduled intervals).



I run with a fourth-gen (4G) big (disk) iPod, and no, it doesn't work with my iPod. Too bad. I might have to get a Nano just for running - this is too cool, and saves the time off of keeping a running log - it keeps one for you, which you can upload.



Good:

-don't need Nike shoes

-works amazingly well out of the box

-easy to use

-neat features (like voice alerts about pace, distance, etc)

-ultra-light

Bad:

-only works with the Nano

-supposedly can't replace the battery in the shoe transponder - we'll see about that

-some calibration required Apple Nike + iPod Sport Kit for iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G

First off this is a great addition to all the weekend warriors out there. It can help keep you motivated via the headphones or the internet (when you get home)



There are some minor things you should know about when owning one of these kits.



1. You have to have an iPod Nano, not a video, iphone, classic, shuffle, whatever... I plugged this into my ultra cool iPod touch and it did not work.



2. Put the disk inside your shoes tongue or get one of the lace kits. Dont buy the shoes built for this. (see next)



3. If you are not headed out the door DO NOT HAVE THIS IN YOUR SHOE! The battery will die and youll need to buy the sender unit (the red thing) again. If you run out to get groceries in your car make sure this is out of your shoe. Having one in your shoe and not having the iPod on will not save all your walking data.



Motion (of any kind even riding in your ash tray) will use up the battery! Take it out and place it on your dresser. Unless you live in a volcanic area it should last a long time.



4. Get a good belkin or other nano type running case. This will help.



All in all a great product. If you treat it well it is a great help for your fitness routine.



edit:

Just figured this out, if you use an ellipticle machine you can tape the sensor to the arm at the farthest point back. It is not 100% accurate but it does read fairly close. Basically you will lose 1/10th the run (or so on my em)

Hope this helps! You can check my progress: http://runnin2lose.blogspot.com

I can't say enough good things about this product. I got mine at Christmas and I love it. Let me start by saying that I hate running and walking. I find walking to be boring and running to be no fun at all. In the six weeks that I have owned this device I have run/walked almost 80 miles. I can say for a fact that this is probably more than I have run/walked (directly for exercise that is) in my entire life leading up to this point. I love bike riding and swimming but I can't swim at any time of the day and as much as I love biking you have to go so much further to get the same results and there just aren't enough places to bike near my house.



The main reason that this is so motivating is the Nike website. When you sync your iPod your information is uploaded to the Nike website where you can view great charts and graphs of your runs. It tracks your records as well (fastest mile, furthest run, etc.) It allows you to set goals (run 40 miles in 4 weeks, burn 10,000 calories in 4 weeks, etc.) It also allows you to challenge other people with this device. Well, my best friend got one for Christmas as well. He lives 250 miles away and we are already on our second challenge. The first was who can run the most miles in 30 days. The current is who can run 60 miles first. The website keeps track of your progress and shows you how far each participant has gone so far. So you can see if you are ahead or need to pick up the pace. It is great and makes you want to run further and more often.



I always knew I was competitive but I never realized how competitive I was! The other day I ran 7 miles (further than I have ever gone at one time in my life) just so that I could get a good headstart on my friend!

Fun piece of kit but if you are a serious runner expecting accurate results there are some major flaws in the product.



1. starting and stopping your workout is not a push one button job - you have to scroll through menu's - so if you are on the starting line looking to do your best 10km and then the gun goes off, everyone will be long gone before you get through the menu's to start your workout. Stopping too is not simple - if you are just out having fun then it is not a major issue.

2. Accuracy - though you can calibrate the sensor it is not 100% accurate - typically my wife and I have both found that if you can get around 90% to 95% you are doing well - however that is a 1km or at least 500m out every ten. So again not that useful if you want to measure your best 10km time

3. Downloading to Nike has its problems too - you just need to read the forums to see how many problems people have with their best times not being recognised, not been given their trophies, distances and times not matching up etc. etc. etc.



Bottom line - fun for keeping a more or less record of what you have done - useless as an accurate log of your times and distances - Nike Plus - Nike - Ipod Nano - Ipod Accessories'


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Trifolds


Well worth the money. It's a fairly inexpensive wallet that's of good quality and looks good too. It had everything I needed as far as places to put credit cards and business cards and pictures in the middle. I'm delighted with my purchase.



David in Wisconsin Swiss Bags Mens Leather Trifold Wallet - Soft Lamb Skin Leather - Black Comes in a Gift Bag

The wallet is good. The outer leather is soft and comfortable. However, the card slot of this wallet is a little tight. It took me some effect to insert all my cards into it.

overall ,it's a great wallet.

My husband had this wallet and used it for years. It was still in good shape but was starting to show its age. He was still using the old one and refused to get a different brand. So I bought him the same one and he was more than happy with it. He totally loves it.

Really satisfied with my new purchase---everything is just as pictured. The only "pinch" is the size of the card pockets. They are just a bit smaller than I had hoped, but I managed. For the price it's a real bargain. Amazon came through for me again !. Jack A.'


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Photography Equipment - photography, lighting


I will keep this short and sweet -



Does this thing work like it should? Absolutely. It is made of good materials and has held up pretty good so far. I am a pro photographer, but never above a good deal - I am a big supporter of "the little guy".



Is this of the same quality as a pro reflector? No. I am already feeling the rim starting to bend in places and ways it shouldn't, but I do not anticipate it breaking any time soon.



Would I buy this again? Absolutely. I would rather buy 4 of these over the coming years, rather than spend a lot of money on one, which may or may not be as likely to break in the same amount of time.



Cheap.

Works.

Recommended.



**EDIT**



Almost a year, and PLENTY of shoots later, and this great piece of equipment is still going strong!!! I use this thing on most out door shoots which don't require off camera flash, and for portraits you can't go wrong! Highly recommended still! 43" 110CM Round Multi Disc Light Reflector! Portable, 5 in 1: Translucent, Silver, Gold, White, and Black! Collapsible! Perfect for Studio or any Photography Situation!

When I say "cheap", I don't mean poor quality. I mean inexpensive. Digital Juice sells theirs online for $100- and it's the same thing! I have no complaints. This thing works great. But, let's say, for the sake of argument, that it IS poorer quality and only lasts 1/2 as long as the one digital juice sells. So what?! It's only $17! I can buy several more- and still pay less!

Does the job its supposed to. When you get one of these, if you don't already know, look on Y-tube how to fold one back up and put into the case. The case is as big as a medium pizza pan; the disc is large enough to conceal half an average adult body.

Customer service was A+ to correct a slight issue with the order.

Would do business again with seller since they made the correction painless.



DT

I purchased this disc to use for my outdooor photoshoots . First it works as a reflector should with no problem, howeever it broke when trying to bend it back into shape one day after only having it about a month .I twisted it the way my assistant and I always do and the metal snapped it is now impossible to fold into smaller size It is still usable just not able to twist down for easy storage. Im not sure if this is true of all collapsible reflectors as this is the only one ive bought.

There are many available reflectors on the market, and numerous collapsible

versions. This reflector works just great and is available at a very low price.



I used it within minutes of its arrival, and had excellent results.

This was the cheapest 5-in-1 reflector of this size and was a great deal.



The spring is very strong, so watch out not to let it pop out and hit someone upon opening.



The zipper can snag a bit, but if you push down on the metal frame (it's flexible after all), then you can more easily zip it closed. It's decently made and the sewing and quality of materials are satisfactory.

I shoot a lot of fashion/editorial photography so I wanted a good reflector to help bounce light in outdoor shoots. After looking at a few, I decided this seemed like a fair price and a lot of versatility, so I ordered it.



I was very pleasantly surprised to see that in addition to being a reflector, the center part was a good thick silk, and not just a white bounce card like I had assumed. I absolutely love it, and it has been such a great tool for shooting portraits in harsh sunlight.



Everything collapses easily into a manageable sized case. If you need to bounce or diffuse light I highly recommend this set and this seller.

I had the 22-inch Flashpoint reflector and happened to be in the market for a larger disc reflector. I was about to buy the 43-inch Opteka reflector for $30 when I saw this one for $17 including free ship. I honestly didn't know what to expect, but at half the price why not? It folds down to a nice 15-inches - very compact and easy told fold back in. The carrying feels a little cheap but not where it counts.

I was blown away at the quality of this when I got it. The metal frame is so sturdy that I think it might even be a little TOO sturdy (lots of resistance when folding up).. but that's a good thing. Zippers work good, and reflector material is great quality (could possibly rip if not careful though, as it's sort of a sticky material that could get caught on things).



No complaints. Should get a lot of use out of this. And for 17 bucks shipped to my door, it's a fantastic deal. Did my first shoot outdoors using the gold reflector and the photos came out great.

If you are sure about the size (this thing is huge) then just buy it:



- It has a low price and a very decent quality

- No problems with the zipper on my one (for changing the cover)

- Comes with a hanger/hook and a black zipper-pouch (folds down to a flat, round package of 15.5 inches / 40cm)



Which combination is available?

You can take off and flip the cover and by doing so chose between inside only (big softbox) / silver+black / gold+white.



Should you buy a reflector holder arm for it?

You actually don't need a reflector holder arm (costs more than this reflector) because you can e.g. hang it on the top of a tripod. It has a hanger attached to the inside frame which loops out through a hole in the outside cover, so you can use that no matter on which side you have it turned. A reflector holder arm just makes sense when you use the reflector inside in a studio setting. Outside when there is wind, an arm would be even more unstable and also it takes additional time to set that up.





HOW DO I GET THAT BACK IN THE POUCH?

I had to watch a Youtube video to learn how to get that folded back to pouch-size... You actually hold it in front of you like a steering wheel on 9am and 3pm, then you twist it so the frame forms an "8" and then you do the exact same twist a second time. - 5-in-1 Reflector - Photography Equipment - Photography - Lighting'


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Garmin Nuvi 855 - garmin ac charger, garmin nuvi 855


Garmin Nuvi 800 series Standard Red LED Wall / AC / Home Charger is a time and Battery Saver, also, the price was right.

I needed it for a phone and GPS battery charger.So far it's a work horse and worth the money, if you needed it of coarse. Garmin Nuvi 855 Standard Red LED Wall / AC / Home Charger!

I used it once. Worked jus' real good.



Can't find it now - it's probably with the 87 other AC adaptors I have because the idiots in the electronics industries can't agree on one or two standard charger voltages and connector shapes... grrrr....

I really don't have one of these wall chargers. I did buy the accessory kit for the Garmin 260W, and use the USB cable attached to my desk top to charge my Nuvi - for what it's worth. Also, I might mention that the Sandisk 2GB SD card I bought for my 260w may not serve to increase "memory" for GPS Garmin Nuvi functions. The SD card will hold photos and recall them to display on the Nuvi, but I don't know that it will service "routine" GPS functions. If anyone has, knows, or gets information about this, I would like to hear about it.



I conveyed this info so that people won't buy stuff that they really don't need, and expect it to do what it won't do.

I got this charger along with a Garmin nüvi 855. The charger does what it says it does, and charges the GPS just fine. The only problem I have isn't really with the charger, but with the GPS. When the charging through the USB port like this charger does. The GPS stays powered on in "USB Connected Mode" the whole time. You can't turn it off, and so the screen, back-light, and maybe the GPS antenna are running while charging. Thus, increasing the time needed to charge. - Nuvi 855 - Garmin Ac Charger - Garmin Gps - Garmin Nuvi 855'


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