Reviews Written By: A1CFU5XJXN3PV4provided by Amazon.com |
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 | Lenmar Canon NB-4L Equivalent Camcorder/Digital Camera Battery | |
 | "Battery Stinks...Warranty Is Worse" | 2009-09-22 |
| Like many others here, my battery died and wouldn't take a charge after less than one year's use. As there is a 3-year warranty, and I had my receipt, I didn't think it would be difficult to get a replacement.
My initial request (per online form) to Lenmar was simply ignored. My second request got me a form letter saying that I should mail the dead battery to them, preferably insured, at my own cost - after which they'd send me a replacement battery for "$7.50 shipping." In other words, I'll pay as much in postage as I would to replace the battery. And, oh yeah, "allow 4 weeks for your replacement to arrive." I'll try some other brand of battery, thanks, and hope that this warning can steer others away from this questionable company. | ||
 | Get It Together: Organize Your Records So Your Family Won't Have To (book with CD-Rom) (3rd Edition) | |
 | "Thorough, Understandable and Invaluable!" | 2009-02-18 |
| I wasn't sure how much I'd benefit from this book, as I already have a couple of software packages that cover much of the same material. But Melanie Cullen's "Get It Together" is far more comprehensive than those other products, covering not only the expected basics but everything from arranging pet care to what epitaph you'd like on a headstone. More than just an instruction book, this oversized volume allows you to enter your important data step by step (and includes additional forms on a CD ROM). Be warned - it's going to take considerable time and effort to fill everything out...but having this information collected may save your loved ones huge amounts of time, money, and emotional pain. As usual, NOLO makes the material accessible and easy to understand. Very highly recommended! | ||
 | Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac (Expression Media Edition) | |
 | "Expression Media Is Poor Solution for Media Catalogs" | 2008-12-20 |
| As the main components of MS Office 2008 (Word, Excel, etc) are well known and reviewed elsewhere, I wanted to focus on the program that makes this the "Mac Special Media Edition" - Expression Media. Expression Media is a program designed to be an all-encompassing media cataloging solution for people wanting to organize movies, video clips, pictures, music and more. The program will theoretically make thumbnail images of media (on your harddrive, or removeable media) which you can use in the future (much like iPhoto or iTunes, but for more formats). Personally, I'd hoped to use Expression Media to keep track of stock footage clips and other video production materials. Unfortunately, the program just doesn't work in a satisfactory way. Dragging and dropping .AVI files from DVDs, I sometimes got thumbnails and sometimes didn't. Videoclips from the DVDs can be auditioned within the catalogs, but only if the proper disk is inserted at the time (you'll otherwise see a thumbnail still, but get a message that your media can't be found). This isn't surprising - but was disappointing. It would be preferable if the program gave you the option of creating compressed versions of the video files to store in your catalog. Frustratingly, after creating a catalog from a DVD, I'd try to eject the disk (in order to put in a new one and continue cataloging) and would get the message that the disk was still in use. After a dozen or so tries, the Mac would finally eject the disk (note: this is a program specific problem; my computer is fine, and I'm not a nitwit who can't eject a disk). NOTE: the program does a better job of dealing with files which are stored locally on your hard drive. However, if you have a lot of DVD-based media (like I do), it's simply not practical to transfer everything onto hard drive. I'm giving the Office 2008 suite overall 3 stars because Word, Excel, and Powerpoint are good, state-of-the-art programs (albeit feature-heavy and poorly documented). I give Expression Media only a 1-star rating, and will continue looking for a Mac program that will allow me to catalog media files in a useful way. | ||
 | Vertical In-the-Ear Headphones - MDRW08L | |
| "Great...While They Last" | 2008-09-05 |
| The good news is that these nearly weightless headphones sound great, and will actually stay in the ears of those of us who can't seem to master ear buds (and seriously, what's up with those anyway?) The bad news is that I've yet to have a pair of these last longer than about 3 months before one channel (usually the left) goes dead. The lightweight wires are so insubstantial that a short circuit is guaranteed...and I have yet to be able to take things apart and patch them into working order again. So by all means buy these for small, relatively comfortable, good-sounding headphones (especially nice in the gym) - but understand that it's basically a disposable and won't last long. | ||
 | Sony MDR-W08L Traditional In-Ear Vertical Headphones | |
| "Great...While They Last" | 2008-09-05 |
| The good news is that these nearly weightless headphones sound great, and will actually stay in the ears of those of us who can't seem to master ear buds (and seriously, what's up with those anyway?) The bad news is that I've yet to have a pair of these last longer than about 3 months before one channel (usually the left) goes dead.br /br /The lightweight wires are so insubstantial that a short circuit is guaranteed...and I have yet to be able to take things apart and patch them into working order again. So by all means buy these for small, relatively comfortable, good-sounding headphones (especially nice in the gym) - but understand that it's basically a disposable and won't last long. | ||
 | Honeywell HT800 Super Turbo High Performance Fan, Black | |
 | "Lasts About A Year - But It's a Good Year" | 2008-02-19 |
| I go through these Honeywell fans like mad. Although they've got a 5-year warranty, they routinely fail in about a year of regular (daily) use. That is, they'll either stop turning very well, or develop horrible rattles and squeaks. As it would cost more to send it in for replacement than to buy a new one, the warranty is fairly pointless. That being said, these are great little fans for the money while they last. They REALLY move air, and have a good "white noise" sound (if you're looking for a quiet fan, keep looking - if you want something to help drown out background noise, this is it). I wish these were a bit sturdier - and could be opened for cleaning. But all in all, unbeatable for the money. | ||
 | Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Student and Teacher Edition | |
 | "Kludgy, Cumberson & Crashes" | 2008-01-15 |
| Yeah, the title for this review sounds like a law firm. Sadly, there's nothing particularly funny about Office 2004. I bought it primarily for Microsoft Word, and have been very frustrated with the program's tendency to crash almost every time I use it. Additionally, there are so many (ahem) "features" that the program has become very difficult to use. Whenever possible, I use Word 5.1, which seemed to hit the sweet spot of usefulness and stability. Word 2004 just isn't stable enough for me to trust major projects to. | ||
 | Bubba Ho-Tep (Limited Collector's Edition) | |
| "Disappointing Film, But Bruce Campbell Is Great" | 2007-09-24 |
| I had really hoped that this little film would have more to deliver. It seems to have a cast of about 10 people, and the evil mummy (inexplicably wearing a cowboy outfit) looks no better than Halloween costumes in the $100 range. Special effects? Hmm...I think not. (Hey, here's a wild idea - if you're going to put a giant scarab beetle in your movie, how about building one with legs that move?) That being said, Bruce Campbell is terrific playing the aged and crusty Elvis Presley. I was expecting his performance to be pure over-the-top camp, but it was funny, sympathetic and thoroughly believable. The film is worth seeing just for his performance, and you'll wish that the rest of the production was worthy of all he brings to the role. | ||
 | No Plot No Problem!: A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days | |
| "Not Like Other Writing Books - Which Is A GOOD Thing!" | 2007-08-30 |
| There are plenty of other well-written reviews here, so all I want to say is that after buying dozens of other books about the art and craft of writing, Baty got me to do something no one else had: WRITE A NOVEL! If anything, all of those other books (and there are some excellent ones) confused and intimidated me - and I've been writing professionally for decades. But Chris Baty magically took the pressure off, described how to approach the project in tasty, bitesized chunks and, miraculously, made it fun! There are other books about technique which serious writers will do well to own. But this is the first and only book which somehow finally got me to do it. Not by pushing me, but by inviting me. Very highly recommended! | ||
 | Lexar Media 128MB JumpDrive Music USB Drive | |
| "Great Combination of Features/Price" | 2004-04-04 |
| I've been waiting for an affordable MP3 player with at least 128mb of RAM, and when I discovered the Lexar I jumped on it. I've been playing with it for several days now, and the experience has been entirely positive! As a Mac user, I've seen a lot of players that needed Windows software or drivers. Not the Lexar - it needs no drivers or special software. You just plug in to a USB port, then drag music files in and out. Simple! I wasn't too sure about the single "joystick" control, but have since come to the conclusion that it's an elegant way of handling things. With that single control, you can easily and intuitively move between different songs, play modes, EQ settings and more. The sound quality is absolutely great, though the ear buds were useless for me (a side note: was I sick from school the day they taught people how to jam ear buds into your ears? I can't make them stay in!) which is the only reason I've given the product 4 stars instead of 5. I've substituted the very inexpensive & lightweight SONY MDR-WO8 headphones, and it's a great combination. A side note: I've got tinnitus (a condition in which you have constant ringing/whistling in the ears), and frequently need to have "white noise" to mask the unpleasant sounds. I've put several sound effects tracks on this player - white noise, rainstorm, babbling brook - and can use the player anytime and anywhere I need. Dedicated in-the-ear systems for tinnitus sufferers run hundreds of dollars, so the Lexar is a bargain (plus, there's still room for plenty of my favorite music!). Highly recommended. | ||
 | ALSOFT DiskWarrior for OS X (Macintosh) | |
| "Bad docs, Bad discs, Bad experience" | 2004-03-13 |
| I wish I could be one of those people giving DiskWarrior 5 stars and saying "it saved my keester!" Unfortunately, my case is more "I'm still hosed...and now I'm out a hundred bucks!" The first annoyance was that the DiskWarrior CD itself has been reproduced so cheaply (blue dye, like a 10-cent blank CDR for home burning use) that my G4 wouldn't recognize it. "Yeah, those Phillips superdrives are touchy," says tech support. Mind you, the drive has never rejected any OTHER disc I've tried. And despite the hundred dollar price tag, there are no printed docs with the disc - just a PDF manual. You know, the kind you could read IF your computer was working. Of course, if it was working you wouldn't need DiskWarrior, would you? In the PDF manual, it says you can make an additional startup disc (in this case to boot into OS 9 instead of the default OS X)...but it doesn't say HOW to do this, or even hint at it. It's entirely unintuitive, and I needed two phonecalls to tech support AND considerable knowledge of Macs to make such a disc. Not that it helped. Maybe my problem is more than just a bad directory - but I don't think so. So far, DiskWarrior hasn't accomplished anything. I'd call tech support for help, but they keep only banker's hours (M-F and out the door by 5 central). Considering the markup on this disc-without-manual, you'd think they could afford decent tech support. I've heard enough good things about DiskWarrior to think it must be doing something for somebody. But for me, the program is overpriced, under documented and a waste of time. | ||
 | Barney - Come on Over to Barney's House | |
| "Exciting New Look, And Retains The Old Magic" | 2002-08-22 |
| Some reviews here have criticized this title unnecessarily, because it looks a bit different from earlier Barney titles. To my eye, it looks much better - and my three little ones have happily embraced it. There are some nice surprises in here for Moms and Dads - jokes that are actually funny, fewer and more natural-acting kids (and even some "real kids" who appear from time to time making "silly pickle faces" and other such fun). My kids liked the interactivity of playing "guess who's at the door" with visiting nursery rhyme characters, and they got a huge kick out of the adorable puppy which Barney brings to visit. And of course, there are tons of classic songs, just like always. In summary, if you're looking for exactly the same kind of Barney videos you can watch for free on PBS every day, choose one of the other titles. If you want a fresh new look at Barney which you'll enjoy (nearly) as much as your kids do, by all means pay a visit to Barney's House! | ||
 | Cathy Fink ,Marcy Marxer ,Brave Combo - All Wound Up! A Family Music Party | |
| "Grammy Nominee for Best Children's Album!" | 2002-01-05 |
| As of this writing, "All Wound Up" has just been nominated for a Grammy as Best Children's Album (musical). Don't be surprised if it wins, as this album is a delight from start to finish! Too many albums for kids are scaled-down musically, or drenched in synth. This is real music, by real musicians - and there's a real sense of fun whether you're a child, parent, or oh-so-cool babysitter. | ||
 | Who Moved My Cheese An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life | |
| "Worth Reading to prep for "Who Cut the Cheese"" | 2001-05-19 |
| "Who Moved My Cheese?" is more than a book - it's a phenomenon. For some people, it changes lives. For others - it's a bit hard to take seriously. For BOTH of those groups, I recommend checking out the definitive parody "Who Cut the Cheese?" by Stilton Jarlsberg MD (Crown Publishing - be sure to check the author's name, as there's a book about "gas" with the same name). The two books coexist happily on my book shelf: I read "Moved" when I need a little jumpstart in my motivation, and I read "Cut" when I just need a laugh to take some of the stress off. Together, they make an effective team! | ||
 | The Other 90%: How to Unlock Your Vast Untapped Potential for Leadership and Life | |
| "Like Shredded Wheat: Good for you, but a bit dry" | 2001-05-17 |
| Cooper's book does a good job of making us think about what is too frequently overlooked about our own potential for success. There are enough anecdotes included that it's likely most readers can find someone/something to identify with...and hopefully turn that identification into motivation. My one complaint is that, like many self-help books, "The Other 90%" makes for a somewhat dry read. I'd suggest keeping a copy of Stilton Jarlsberg's "WHO CUT THE CHEESE?" (the hilarious parody of Spencer Johnson's "Who Moved My Cheese?") close at hand to add a little levity to the mix. | ||
 | The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials, Book 3) | |
| "Trilogy Becomes a Train Wreck" | 2001-01-30 |
| I really wanted to like "Amber Spyglass" - especially since I had so much time and emotion invested in the first two books. Sadly, the third book is a complete train wreck which dissolves in philosophical gobbledygook, glaring logical inconsistencies, continuity errors, and "cheats" as the author introduces new rules at the last minute to tie-up his loose ends. The overall feeling is that Pullman must have written the first two books without having a clear idea how he was going to wrap it all up, or what he really wanted to say. As a result, we have characters saying things like "When you said (something in Book Two), you really meant exactly the opposite, didn't you?", or doing something absolutely impossible and saying "I'll tell you how I did that someday, but the time isn't yet right." Oh, brother. That's not a character speaking - that's a desperate author speaking. It's telling that after reading all three books in the "His Dark Materials" trilogy, I still don't know what that title means. Who is the "His" referring to? What are the "Dark Materials?" I could get into more specifics, but I don't want to include "spoilers" for anyone who's going to read this book; obviously some people have enjoyed it...if you're not a critical, thoughtful reader, maybe you'll be one of them. For anyone else - don't waste your time. | ||
 | The Golden Compass | |
| "A Great Beginning...But Trilogy Falls Apart" | 2001-01-30 |
| I really enjoyed "The Golden Compass" - and moderately enjoyed the sequel "The Subtle Knife" - but I just finished the third book in the trilogy ("The Amber Spyglass") and feel that readers should be warned: the trilogy COMPLETELY falls apart by the third book. You can read my review on the page for "Amber Spyglass" if you want details. But as this series is being targeted to young readers, I hate to think of them investing the many days and hours in reading hundreds of pages...all to have it fizzle out at the end (Pullman implodes with logical inconsistencies, continuity errors, metaphysical gobbledygook, and devotes most of his energy on a confusing attack on God and churches. I'm not even a church-goer, and I still found it off-putting). Steer your young readers to Harry Potter or (better still) "The Lord of the Rings." You've been warned; wish someone had warned me. | ||
 | Various Artists - Soundtrack - O Brother, Where Art Thou | |
| "A Great CD - And A Tip About Another" | 2001-01-12 |
| Others have so eloquently described the great music on this CD that I won't do anything more than agree and say "buy it!" But I also want to give a suggestion: if you like the music in "O Brother," then jump over to Amazon's page to order Tom Roznowski's "A Well Traveled Porch." You'll enjoy the same folksy integrity and artistry. Although a contemporary artist, Roznowski would have felt right at home in the time (or in the soundtrack) of "O Brother." | ||
 | Miriam Stockley - Miriam | |
| "Incredible and Beautiful" | 2000-11-16 |
| I was a fan of Miriam Stockley from the Adiemus series, but wasn't sure if I should buy this solo effort. If you find yourself having the same dilemma, dear reader, do not hesitate - BUY THIS CD NOW! Far from being "Adiemus Lite," this is a magnificent CD which, if anything, overshadows that series. The symphonic orchestration is lush and wonderfully recorded. And that voice - my God, Miriam Stockley transports me to another world whenever I play this album. It is by turns relaxing, ethereal, moving, magical, and transcendent. Of course, her many-layered vocals are impeccably recorded, and the World Music influence characteristic of her Adiemus work is well represented. This isn't just a CD - it's a gorgeous emotional journey. | ||
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