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 | Sennheiser CX 300 In-Ear Headphones - Silver |
 | "Great Earbuds at a Great Price" | 2009-02-05 |
I'm no audiophile, but I seriously doubt that you'll find better earbuds in this price range. I see that some people have been critical of these when used during exercise/activity. I don't think this type of earbud is intended/marketed for use during exercise/activity, so it's not fair to rate them on that basis, since there are headphones out there that are specifically marketed to the active person. (Note that the asymmetrical cord is meant to go around the back of your neck, rather than the front, so that when you take the earbuds out, they don't fall to the ground.) That said, my husband & I gave each other an iPod Touch 2G for our anniversary. I gave him these earbuds with his iPod. He gave me a pair of Pioneer earbuds. I immediately compared the sound of the Pioneer earbuds to the Sennheisers. No comparison! The Pioneer earbuds were a huge disappointment! I needed to listen to the Pioneers on a louder volume, but they lacked base, and the music was full of static. My husband has some permanent hearing loss, and can't hear some wavelengths, but even he could hear the difference. The Sennheisers have nice base and clarity, although if you're a basehead, I suppose that it's possible to find earbuds with more base. I don't need the base to overwhelm all of my music like a teenager breaking the decibel ordinance driving down the main drag. The Sennheisers provide a richer, deeper, truer sound with nice highs and lows (though, I'm no sound techie). My only concern is that the earbud style (common to any brand of earbud) blocks out ambient sound TOO WELL. I wouldn't want to be wearing these in a public park, on the subway, or walking downtown in a metropolitan area, for example. Being insulated from the sounds around me would make me feel unsafe, not to mention that most of the time, I'm taking care of my 3-year-old, and even if I'm listening to music, I need to be able to hear her in order to keep her safe. I guess that's why they make speakers with iPod docking stations, but those aren't really portable. The sound quality of these are great, but I do wish I could find some good quality, drop-in style earbuds that come in a smaller size to fit my smaller ears, rather than the typical one-size-fits-all drop-ins like the Apple earbuds that come with the iPod, because in many situations, it's good to be able to hear ambient sounds, even while you're listening to music. If you're looking for economically-priced, compact earbuds with great sound, you can't go wrong with these. I immediately replaced my Pioneer earbuds with a pair of these. These would probably be great for watching movies on a portable DVD player during a long flight, too.
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 | Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium |
 | "Very disappointing" | 2008-04-07 |
We bought the original, first generation Ocean Wonders Aquarium, and received this one as a gift. For starters, we weren't impressed with the larger, clunky size of this newer version or the fact that the battery compartment is a separate compartment that you have to screw onto the main body from outside of the crib -- that feature really limited where we could attach it to the crib. Because of the way the battery compartment attaches, we had to attach it to the headboard, which puts it up too high. Maybe it was just the one that we got, but when we first turned it on, it blew a few bubbles, and it's never blown any more bubbles since. The sea creatures "swim" around merry-go-round style, temporarily disappearing behind the background scenery as they go around. The movement seems even less realistic that the first version. They go around kind of slow and jerky. I agree with some others that the lighting is too bright, but it doesn't seem to bother our daughter. And while the volume control is a dial, it still seems like the volume is either too loud or too soft. The 2 "activity" knobs are very boring. Our daughter has never even bothered with them. The red knob spins around and has a little face on it to make it look like a crab. The other knob is a spinner ball similar to some cat toys. The activity knobs on the older version are more interesting -- when you spin the ball, the clam opens & closes his mouth & when you pull the switch down and let it go again, the star spins. The lighting on the older version is not as bright and the volume control dial seems to work better. Although we have both the 1st generation Ocean Wonders and this one attached to her crib, our daughter has always preferred the older version. We've had to replace the 1st generation Ocean Wonders Aquarium twice, as the motor does wear out eventually (after approx. a year of daily/nightly use), but it's the one she turns on first when she wakes up in the middle of the night and wants some familiar comfort, and she always tells us when it needs new batteries (she's 2 1/2 now). The first version is hard to find now, but it's definitely better than this one. Even if you can find a new, never removed from the box version of the 1st generation Ocean Wonders Aquarium, it might not work properly due to years of sitting with lack of use, but I still can't recommend this 2nd generation Ocean Wonders Aquarium. Maybe try the 3rd generation version instead. Or if you have a now defunct 1st generation Ocean Wonders Aquarium, get another one if you can find it -- you can use the defunct one for spare parts, gear belts & such.
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 | Furreal Kitty Cat |
| "Our Daughter Loves It!!!" | 2008-01-04 |
We just bought this cat at Walmart for our 2 1/2 year old daughter after Christmas. She'd recieved some money & gift cards & we were looking for an electronic puppy, but we found this, instead. It looked cool on demo mode in the store, and the functions described on the box seemed suitable for a toddler. An older child in the store had received one for Christmas, & told us that it was "awesome!" They sold out quickly. Didn't have high expectations after reading the other reviews here. It looks pretty realistic for a $45 "robo pet." We had to rehome a new dog due to the dog not being trustworthy with our daughter. She was asking for "her doggy," so I gave her this cat & hoped to distract her with it. It was a hit right out of the box!! We've already named her Snowball. My daughter began carrying it around with her immediately, and wanted "her cat" near her at all times, either in her lap or sitting right next to her. As far as I can tell, it does everything it's supposed to, & she's had no trouble whatsoever getting it to respond. She's already discovered that putting her hand over/across the kitty's face will get it to turn its head, blink, move its ears, swish its tail, & meow (opens its mouth when it meows) -- she loves that!! And she's gotten it to hiss when handling its tail (you need to grab the tail in a specific place right behind the butt to get it to hiss). Petting the kitty's back does cause it to purr and sort of kneel down & knead its paws (although the paws don't really look as if they're moving to me) -- again, she loves all of that, too!! The kitty does sit back up on her own after kneeling, purring, & "kneading" her paws. If you put your hand on the back of kitty's neck, you can feel her purr. This "cat" has already given her more "love" than our real 10-year-old cat, who doesn't interact with our daughter much due to his age. You can pet it's forehead, belly, & back (& cheeks, I think) for a response & some purring, so since she's been carrying it around all day, it's been one active kitty! Our real kitty won't let our daughter carry him around, & he's too heavy for her anyway. Initially, the kitty did go to sleep when it was ignored for a few minutes, but then, it seemed to move, meow, & purr for no reason, even when my daughter wasn't touching it. I think the demo batteries that came with the kitty were wearing down, & causing it to act erratically. We put in fresh batteries, & it stopped behaving so erratically. It was still a little active, & not going to sleep. I finally figured out that being in the living room with the TV on & my daughter's constant motion & noise was probably too much stimulation for the kitty. I put her in a dark, quiet room, and she goes to sleep fine (of course, there's always the OFF switch). She does awaken w/o being touched, though. My husband came home, turned on the light, and was taking off his coat, etc., & she woke up, started moving, & meowing again. Don't know how long this kitty will last. We haven't had it long enough. It has fallen from about 2-3 feet onto the carpet several times, & is ok so far, but doesn't seem as sturdy as TMX Tickle Me Elmo. However, TMX Elmo is severely neglected, & like I said, my daughter loves this kitty!! Yes, you can hear motors & gears moving, & you can feel hard plastic under the fur, but my daughter doesn't seem to notice or care -- that's all that matters!! We're very happy with it! Worth every penny for the joy it brings to my daughter!! We also found Scamps My Playful Pup at eBay, but I think he *may* be a little advanced for our daughter. We'll see. She's precocious for her age. If you have a young child, can't have any pets, & can find this toy somewhere, get it if you can!! I bought 2 more for my friend's girls! [Tips: (1) Make sure your cat has been switched from "Try me" mode to ON. (2) Wait for your cat to stop moving, meowing, purring, etc. before trying to activate another function. (3) If behaviour seems erratic, try turning cat off for a while, and then, back on again. (4) OR try putting in fresh batteries if behaviour is still erratic. (5) If the cat won't go to sleep, put her in a quiet, dark room OR turn her OFF!] Bottom line: keep expectations realistic for a mid-priced toy -- this is not meant to replace a live cat. Don't expect the cat to live forever. It's not built like The Terminator. It doesn't walk (you'd have to pay a lot more for that!), but our daughter doesn't care, as she carries it with her all over the house. This toy was not purchased for Mom & Dad, so our daughter's reaction is the one that counts! BTW, these can still be found at a certain huge auction site for at or below original retail.
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 | Fisher-Price: Giggle Doodler |
 | "A Hit Right Out of the Box!" | 2006-12-19 |
My 18-month-old daughter loved this as soon as she saw it. She sees Mom and Dad using pens and paper, and she's at that stage when she wants to "scribble," too. This is perfect for mess-free scribbling. Too bad there's no picture of this product. Half the Magna Doodle frame looks like Elmo, and the other half looks like Cookie Monster. When you slide the eraser towards Cookie Monster, you get to hear Cookie Monster. And when you slide the eraser toward Elmo, you hear Elmo sound effects. I disagree with reviewers, who said the sound effects are too loud, annoying, or scary. We find the volume to be just right (there is an off switch). After just a few minutes of showing my daughter how to use this, she learned how to scribble on the screen, and how to to slide the eraser to clear the screen. As other reviewers mentioned, sadly, the cute sound effects made by the stylus (pencil) quit after just a couple of days -- really a shame, because my daughter really loves this toy for the sound effects. Far from being frightened by hearing, "Cookie Monster!," she will slide the eraser back and forth just to hear Cookie Monster and Elmo. I also recommend See 'N Say Juniors Elmo & Clip-On Doodle Pro for on-the-go play. Crayola Washable Crayons are also great for toddlers learning to draw.
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 | Little Leaps Grow-with-Me Learning System |
 | "Better in Theory than in Reality" | 2006-12-08 |
We saw the commercial for this toy, but are a bit disapointed after receiving it and getting it set-up. First, regarding set-up -- skip the "Quick Set-Up Guide." The "Quick Set-Up Guide" leaves out an important step -- press the big, red button while the green light is still flashing. Save yourself the frustration. Put in the DVD that comes with the system, and follow the set-up guide on the DVD (you'll need to have the quick set-up codes for your DVD player ready). That said, we did manage to get it set-up after some frustration. Set-up took more than 5 minutes, though! It works fine with our Cyberhome DVD player. The "game controller" is basically a remote control of sorts for your DVD player. The "game" (DVD) operates on a pause/play basis. The DVD will play for a few minutes, showing your child some new concepts, and then, it will pause and ask your child to press a button to continue/help/hear the answer/etc. Your child can press any of 3 large colorful buttons on the "game controller" to get the "game" to continue. The yellow button slides a bit. The blue button is similar to a light switch -- it can be pushed up or down, and is used for scrolling through items on the DVD/game menus. The red button is a standard button, and is used for selecting items from the menus. The problem with the "game" is that it's slow. Baby has to watch several minutes of the program and wait to be asked to press a button (any button will do). My 17 1/2 month old doesn't have the patience to sit, watch, and wait to be asked to press a button. She wants to press all the buttons all the time right now! She pressed the buttons like she was playing the piano until she was tired of that, and then, had more fun climbing all over me like I was a jungle gym as we sat on the couch together. She did not have the attention span to sit through an entire "game" patiently as is intended. The play aspect of the "game" is just too slow. Although I must say that some of the characters ARE cute, and she did enjoy the Baby Cam (from "Say It Baby") through the park with the baby's eye view where she got to identify some of her favorite animals & vehicles -- duck, dog, cat, train, & plane. But I still had to keep the game controller away from her until it was time to press a button. (Baby Cam is one of the samples on the DVD that comes with the system.) Do yourself a favor if you buy this game system & buy a game or two to go along with it. You'll be disappointed in the "sample games" that come with the system. They're just a few samples from the actual games. For what you're getting, it gets expensive when you start adding games to the system. We're sure that she'll never use the toddler mode due to the slow pacing. By the time she's that advanced, we'll need to buy her a better game system that's more interactive and more responsive. If your child has the patience to sit, watch for 2-3 minutes or more, wait to be asked to press a button, & watch patiently some more, then you & your child may enjoy this together. If you don't expect too much, then you might not be disappointed.
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 | True Romance (Unrated Director's Cut Two-Disc Special Edition) |
| "The Power of Love on Steroids" | 2006-03-27 |
Violent, bloody, fast-paced, passionate, sexy, romantic, complete with a Mexican stand-off -- what more could you ask for in the perfect date movie? Makes me wanna take a road trip with my sweetie and make a "pit-stop" at the first phone booth along the way . . . . . . If you're a fan of Tarantino's work, then, this is a must-have DVD. This, along with other Tarantino movies -- Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill 1 & 2 -- is one of my favorite movies of all time. I've seen this movie several times since it's original release, and 13 years later, it hasn't lost any of it's appeal! There are 2 scenes that make this DVD well worth the price. The scene with Vincenzo Coccotti (Christopher Walken) & Clifford Worley, Clarence's father (Dennis Hopper), is a must-see for all Walken fans -- Vincenzo, a Sicilian, in search of his boss' stolen cocaine, gets an education from Clifford Worley about the true lineage of Sicilians while questioning Clifford about Clarence's whereabouts -- fabulous, funny dialogue, classic, sinister, creepy Walken. And the scene with Virgil (James Gandolfini, ever the perfect mobster, even before Sopranos), the henchman, & Alabama -- I could watch this movie over & over again just for those 2 scenes alone. Alabama is, by no means, the meek damsel in distress waiting for her hero to ride in for the rescue -- to protect her man, there are no holds barred! Also, not to be missed is the scene with Gary Oldman, as Drexl, the pimp, and Clarence (Christian Slater) when they "settle up" over Alabama -- beware the blind courage of a man pumped full of testosterone & adrenaline fueled by love! And don't miss the cameo appearance by Samuel L. Jackson. For all Tarantino fans, buy it! You won't be disappointed!
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 | Baby Call Nursery Monitor - 27 Channel |
| "Another Great Sony Product" | 2005-08-04 |
We've always found Sony products to be of high quality, & this baby monitor is no exception. We're very happy with it. The reception is crisp & clear. We have 2 cordless phones -- a 2.4ghz & 900mhz -- not to mention plenty of electronic appliances throughout the house & a wireless network, but we've experienced no interference or static. The volume is great as well. I think we have the volume turned to less than half and we can hear our baby loud & clear. We like the voice-activated mode & there are five lights at the top of the receiver that show the sound level when baby stirs, but I don't think we've actually paid much attention to the lights, as our baby still sleeps in our room at night. We mostly use the monitor in the afternoons when our baby sleeps in her own room in her crib with the door closed & we're busy trying to do chores around the house. My husband can clip the receiver to his pants & take it outside while he does yardwork. If baby stirs while he's outside, he has no problem hearing her. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because the base unit does not have a battery powered option/backup, & that would be a valuable feature where we live. We experience frequent power outages, so the monitor won't work without a battery-powered base unit during a power outage. I would definitely recommend this product if you don't mind the extra dollars, & if power outages aren't a concern for you.
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