Reviews Written By: A2B7BUH8834Y6Mprovided by Amazon.com |
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 | The Others | |
 | "Will Give You the Willies" | 2007-05-28 |
| This is a welcome throwback to honest-to-goodness thrillers - no gore, just psychological spookieness. No senseless nudity, foul language or gouged eyeballs here - but fear reminiscent of the George C. Scott thriller, "The Changeling" or more recently, "The Sixth Sense." Nicole Kidman's acting is so impressive, as is the acting of the entire cast, you will find yourself on the edge of your seat. Set in post World War II England, Kidman's character, Grace, lives in a large mansion on a posh estate. Her two children, Anne and Nicholas, suffer from a rare genetic anomoly that makes them sensitive to light beyond that of a strong lamp. Pure sunlight - even ambient light can raise blisters on their skin and ala Dracula, will kill them. Grace pines over her missing husband who never returned from battling the Germans, yet is not a confirmed MIA or KIA casualty. She finds herself housebound, unable to mingle with anyone in polite society or travel anywhere out of fear for her children's safety. Acustomed to being without electricity during the German bombardments throughout the war, Grace has decided to leave the luxury turned off, depending on heavy curtains to block out the light during the day and using oil lamps at night. Grace tells her 3 house servants that her daughter, Anne, has a vivid imagination who tells of ghastly eyeless women and an invisible boy named Victor. Grace repeatedly punishes Anne for lying... but soon she realizes there really might be 'others' living in the house with them. Whispering voices, creaky floors and other things that go bump in the night have you on your mental toes to figure out who might be dead, who might be alive and if one or more of the characters is just plain nuts and imagining the whole thing. I must admit, this is not my favorite genre. I do not belive there are earth-bound spirits of the previously living people walking around in people's homes - so it's not like at the end when all the loose ends got tied up that I had chills going up my spine - but if you had an experience like that with "The Sixth Sense" or "The Changeling," this movie will not disappoint. Having an intelligent storyline, superb acting and all devoid of rampant sex and toilet humor is a welcome relief compared to most movie fare coming out of today's Hollywood. While there are many scene changes in the large manor, the closed rooms and constant darkness and chiaroscuro lighting give the viewer a very claustrophobic feeling to the point you feel Grace's almost psychotic desperation and feeling of being trapped. Even the few moments when you see her outside the manor, the dense, eerie fog furthers the trapped sensation of the viewer and the characters. The acting of Alakina Mann (Anne) and James Bentley (Nicholas) cannot be understated in making this more of an experience than a film. Much of Kidman's acting shines through in the scenes in which she is by herself, panicking in fear and desperation. This is one of those films that truly highlights the depth of her acting acumen. | ||
 | The Others | |
| "Will Give You the Willies" | 2007-05-28 |
| This is a welcome throwback to honest-to-goodness thrillers - no gore, just psychological spookieness. No senseless nudity, foul language or gouged eyeballs here - but fear reminiscent of the George C. Scott thriller, "The Changeling" or more recently, "The Sixth Sense." Nicole Kidman's acting is so impressive, as is the acting of the entire cast, you will find yourself on the edge of your seat. Set in post World War II England, Kidman's character, Grace, lives in a large mansion on a posh estate. Her two children, Anne and Nicholas, suffer from a rare genetic anomoly that makes them sensitive to light beyond that of a strong lamp. Pure sunlight - even ambient light can raise blisters on their skin and ala Dracula, will kill them. Grace pines over her missing husband who never returned from battling the Germans, yet is not a confirmed MIA or KIA casualty. She finds herself housebound, unable to mingle with anyone in polite society or travel anywhere out of fear for her children's safety. Acustomed to being without electricity during the German bombardments throughout the war, Grace has decided to leave the luxury turned off, depending on heavy curtains to block out the light during the day and using oil lamps at night. Grace tells her 3 house servants that her daughter, Anne, has a vivid imagination who tells of ghastly eyeless women and an invisible boy named Victor. Grace repeatedly punishes Anne for lying... but soon she realizes there really might be 'others' living in the house with them. Whispering voices, creaky floors and other things that go bump in the night have you on your mental toes to figure out who might be dead, who might be alive and if one or more of the characters is just plain nuts and imagining the whole thing. I must admit, this is not my favorite genre. I do not belive there are earth-bound spirits of the previously living people walking around in people's homes - so it's not like at the end when all the loose ends got tied up that I had chills going up my spine - but if you had an experience like that with "The Sixth Sense" or "The Changeling," this movie will not disappoint. Having an intelligent storyline, superb acting and all devoid of rampant sex and toilet humor is a welcome relief compared to most movie fare coming out of today's Hollywood. While there are many scene changes in the large manor, the closed rooms and constant darkness and chiaroscuro lighting give the viewer a very claustrophobic feeling to the point you feel Grace's almost psychotic desperation and feeling of being trapped. Even the few moments when you see her outside the manor, the dense, eerie fog furthers the trapped sensation of the viewer and the characters. The acting of Alakina Mann (Anne) and James Bentley (Nicholas) cannot be understated in making this more of an experience than a film. Much of Kidman's acting shines through in the scenes in which she is by herself, panicking in fear and desperation. This is one of those films that truly highlights the depth of her acting acumen. | ||
 | The Others | |
| "Will Give You the Willies" | 2007-05-28 |
| This is a welcome throwback to honest-to-goodness thrillers - no gore, just psychological spookieness. No senseless nudity, foul language or gouged eyeballs here - but fear reminiscent of the George C. Scott thriller, "The Changeling" or more recently, "The Sixth Sense." Nicole Kidman's acting is so impressive, as is the acting of the entire cast, you will find yourself on the edge of your seat. Set in post World War II England, Kidman's character, Grace, lives in a large mansion on a posh estate. Her two children, Anne and Nicholas, suffer from a rare genetic anomoly that makes them sensitive to light beyond that of a strong lamp. Pure sunlight - even ambient light can raise blisters on their skin and ala Dracula, will kill them. Grace pines over her missing husband who never returned from battling the Germans, yet is not a confirmed MIA or KIA casualty. She finds herself housebound, unable to mingle with anyone in polite society or travel anywhere out of fear for her children's safety. Acustomed to being without electricity during the German bombardments throughout the war, Grace has decided to leave the luxury turned off, depending on heavy curtains to block out the light during the day and using oil lamps at night. Grace tells her 3 house servants that her daughter, Anne, has a vivid imagination who tells of ghastly eyeless women and an invisible boy named Victor. Grace repeatedly punishes Anne for lying... but soon she realizes there really might be 'others' living in the house with them. Whispering voices, creaky floors and other things that go bump in the night have you on your mental toes to figure out who might be dead, who might be alive and if one or more of the characters is just plain nuts and imagining the whole thing. I must admit, this is not my favorite genre. I do not belive there are earth-bound spirits of the previously living people walking around in people's homes - so it's not like at the end when all the loose ends got tied up that I had chills going up my spine - but if you had an experience like that with "The Sixth Sense" or "The Changeling," this movie will not disappoint. Having an intelligent storyline, superb acting and all devoid of rampant sex and toilet humor is a welcome relief compared to most movie fare coming out of today's Hollywood. While there are many scene changes in the large manor, the closed rooms and constant darkness and chiaroscuro lighting give the viewer a very claustrophobic feeling to the point you feel Grace's almost psychotic desperation and feeling of being trapped. Even the few moments when you see her outside the manor, the dense, eerie fog furthers the trapped sensation of the viewer and the characters. The acting of Alakina Mann (Anne) and James Bentley (Nicholas) cannot be understated in making this more of an experience than a film. Much of Kidman's acting shines through in the scenes in which she is by herself, panicking in fear and desperation. This is one of those films that truly highlights the depth of her acting acumen. | ||
 | APPLE M9404LL/A AppleCare Protection Plan for iPod | |
 | "Well worth the price" | 2006-12-10 |
| Granted, I would never spend $59 to cover a $79 iPod Shuffle... but for any of the other iPods over $200, it's a good deal... and here's why. Out of the box, you get a one year limited warranty. In the first 90 days of this out-of-the-box warranty, you can call Apple once for a general question - like "how do I speed up this track" or "tell me how in the hell to use this infernal gadget!" - but after that, it's $49 per call... unless there is something technically wrong, then the call is free. It is a toll-free #. The one year limited warranty is a 2-parter. In the first 6 months of this warranty (this is where reading the fine print really helps), you can contact AppleCare or go to an Apple Retail Store if your iPod is failing (not from accidental damage, though - just if it stops working or behaves badly) - if they cannot do a software fix for it, they will replace the iPod with a refurb unit. The refurbs have new cases and new batteries - but the LCD and Hard Drive might be refurbs. This is also in the fine print. The unit is still covered under your warranty for the life of the warranty period. Your warranty period starts from the date of purchase of the iPod, not the date of purchase of the warranty. You have one year to buy the warranty and register it online. So, let's say you are a last minute shopper and you fly to New York to shop at the Fifth Avenue Apple Store that is open 24/hrs a day, 365 days a year... and you buy the blooming iPod on Christmas day. You of course remember the date (like a birthday) in your memory... knowing you have one year to buy the warranty and register it... you will have until Christmas EVE the next year to buy & register the warranty online. You cannot buy it on the one-year anniversary - it's one day too late - 366 days, not 365 days. Don't procrastinate! By waiting, you do not add time to your coverage. So - back to the limited warranty - after the first 6 months, there is a processing fee. This is waived if you have the AppleCare Protection Plan (APP), but if you just have the limited warranty, you'll pay $29 plus tax for a replacement unit. Why? They ship the old unit back to be taken apart and recycled and it covers the shipping of the replacement unit to the store or to you (if you do the mail in service instead of going to the store). When you get a replacement unit, the unit is covered for the length of your warranty or 90 days - whichever is longer. When you have APP, there are no more fees - you have coverage for 2 solid years - unlimited phone support and no fees if you have to replace the unit in the store 20 times. If you drop the unit, accidentally put it in the washing machine or run it over with your car, they will be able to tell and that kind of damage is not covered. If you have a warranty on your car, you use it if you hit a speedbump and your transmission falls out. But, if you wrap your car around a tree, this is an insurance issue, not a warranty issue. Same with the iPod. Apple does not sell insurance. Some credit cards do offer limited insurance on electronics. You will have to check w/ your card to see if this coverage is available for you. Some people opt to do all their holiday shopping at a big-box retailer w/ their attractive 6-12 months no interest deals... that's fine and dandy - but you need to be aware of some of the extended warranties they sell. Ask lots of questions. Many big-box retailers offer a 4-year warranty for about the same price as Apple's 2 year warranty - but what is in the tiny print is that in the first year, you have to take the unit to Apple for service. So - you take it into Apple (or mail it in) - they don't 'repair' your unit - they either do a software fix if it was corrupted software (something you can do yourself at home) or they will replace the unit. When they replace the unit, you now have a new serial number - and this is not covered by the other retailer's 4-year warranty. You won't know this until 2 years later your ipod dies again - you go to the big box retailer and they tell you that the iPod you have in your hand is not the one you covered with their warranty. Oops! With your APP warranty, you're paying 8 cents a day for peace of mind. And if you're buying a $400 iPod, it's nice that you don't have to worry about getting another one for 2 years. It's a hefty investment only to have to pay $30 for a replacement in 6 months if the thing starts acting funny, then paying for a new one. By the time your APP runs out, you know they will have come out w/ some new awesome model you 'have to have' anyway. I still have the first iPod I bought about 5 years ago and it still works. The battery life is nil, but plugged in, it still works... but I still bought a new model when it came out... and you will too. | ||
 | Epson P-2000 Multimedia Storage Drive, Viewer, and Audio/Video Player (B31B174011) | |
| "Needs some improvement, but what an awesome device!" | 2006-07-19 |
| I've been a professional photographer for about 20 years, but I did have a hiatus in that span in which photography fell by the wayside. I've gotten back into the craft and for the most part, I have kissed film goodbye - and I would have bet my left arm that would never happen. I just bought a new digital outfit to begin my new venture into the photo biz and asked an acquaintance who is a freelance photographer and who is sent on assignment by such publications as Time & Life. He recommended the P-2000 when I asked his opinion on the best device out there to use in the field to clear out CF cards and after getting to handle one in person, I agreed with him and bought mine 2 weeks ago. The image quality is STUNNING. There is no other way to put it. Colors are crisp & sharp on the moderate-sized display and the controls are iPod-ishly intuitive and easy to operate. There are some things I believe should be done to make the next incarnation a 5-star achiever: 1.) This puppy really needs to have a firewire port. Say what you will about USB 2.0 - on a Mac, Firewire is simply faster. I have a USB 2.0 port on my iMac, but this thinig is too freakin' slow in importing images via USB to the computer. This is a device for professionals - I'd say can the SD slot in favor of a firewire port! 2.) The charging port is on the opposite side of where the lanyard attaches. ... so, if you want this to charge while in its protective case, you have to turn the lanyard in the case and have it charging in an awkward position. 3.) They seriously need to come out w/ an external battery charger. I do not see the point of buying a separate battery if there is no charger other than the unit itself. 4.) The delay between clicking on a thumbnail and/or zoominig in is WAY TOO LONG. Sometimes, it's zooms in fast, and other times it feels like an ice age is going to pass you by while you wait. 5.) It is way too picky on video formats. The example/demo video that came w/ the unit is a .mov Quicktime file - but I have quicktime files that play fine on my Mac that won't play on this thing. Granted, I will primarily be using this as a professional companion in photoshoots, not as a video player - but you get the idea. 6.) Where you put in the CF card, it needs to be labled more clearly on the orientation so you don't jam it in backwards. 7.) When the disk is full and you want to import the photos into iPhoto - it takes FOREVER. I have imported photos from external hard drives, CDs and DVDs before, but this is the slowest EVER. I shot a wedding rehearsal and the wedding itself - well over 2000 photos in about 14 hours of activities over 2 days. I got home and hooked this puppy up at 4pm and started importing photos. I went about my day, took a nap and about a few minutes to midnight, went to look at the photos and they were STILL importing! Only about 75% had been imported. I don't know if this is a 2000 rpm drive or if it's a USB 1.0 or what its shortcomings are in the speed dept., but yikes, it takes way too stinking long! Despite its shortcomings, it is a fast downloader from CF to the drive while in the field. Not as fast as I'd like, but decent. I used this device yesterday during a photoshoot in which I took bridal portraits for about 3 hours. I imported over 700 photos and the bride viewed many of them, zooming in on several - and half the battery life remains. This device pays for itself in just saving the cost of larger capacity CF cards over time. Thus far, I am very pleased with this purchase. | ||
 | Joni | |
| "a book you'll never put down - ever" | 2006-06-16 |
| This is one of those few stories that never leave you. Even after you have read the book, closed it and put it on the shelf, the story remains and you can't get it out of your head. A bright, energetic, full-of-life girl goes diving into the shallow water - an act that will forever change her life and ultimately change the lives of millions of others. Suddenly, this athletic, independent young girl is trapped in a body that will not move. Paralyzed from the shoulders down, she finds herself no longer independent, but fully dependent on the care of others for the simplest of tasks. Things we take for granted like wiping away tears, blowing your own nose or brushing your hair - now on someone else's time table, not your own. Understandably, this turn of events shakes her faith as she shakes her mental fists at God for dashing all her hopes and dreams for the future. Failed romances, rocky friendships, family heartaches - Joni holds nothing back in this insightful view into her world. Through her emotional and spiritual failings, the author shares her growth and understanding of God's plan for her life and the lives of others. Using her mouth to draw and paint, the author became an established artist long before people realized that the artist whose work they were admiring was completely paralyzed and unable to use her hands. This revelation thrust her into celebrity where she has been able to make more of an impact on the lives of others than she would have ever been able to have accomplished prior to her injury. Through her charity, Joni & Friends, the author has provided for wheelchairs for the disabled around the world and opened the doors of opportunity to wheelchair bound people everywhere. I've seen the author on Larry King a few times and always wondered, "how does that woman keep smiling and keep such an upbeat attitude?" It is hard to imagine a worse fate than what she has endured since her accident, yet after reading her personal account of her life since that fateful summer in 1967, the reader understands exactly why she smiles and truly has joy in her life. I picked up this book thinking it would be 'interesting' and nothing more - I was delightfully surprised to find this to be a page-turner I could not put down. Even though I've finished reading this autobiography, I doubt I will ever truly put this book down. This is a story that sticks with you long after you've closed the back cover. | ||
 | Joni | |
| "a book you'll never put down - ever" | 2006-06-16 |
| This is one of those few stories that never leave you. Even after you have read the book, closed it and put it on the shelf, the story remains and you can't get it out of your head. A bright, energetic, full-of-life girl goes diving into the shallow water - an act that will forever change her life and ultimately change the lives of millions of others. Suddenly, this athletic, independent young girl is trapped in a body that will not move. Paralyzed from the shoulders down, she finds herself no longer independent, but fully dependent on the care of others for the simplest of tasks. Things we take for granted like wiping away tears, blowing your own nose or brushing your hair - now on someone else's time table, not your own. Understandably, this turn of events shakes her faith as she shakes her mental fists at God for dashing all her hopes and dreams for the future. Failed romances, rocky friendships, family heartaches - Joni holds nothing back in this insightful view into her world. Through her emotional and spiritual failings, the author shares her growth and understanding of God's plan for her life and the lives of others. Using her mouth to draw and paint, the author became an established artist long before people realized that the artist whose work they were admiring was completely paralyzed and unable to use her hands. This revelation thrust her into celebrity where she has been able to make more of an impact on the lives of others than she would have ever been able to have accomplished prior to her injury. Through her charity, Joni & Friends, the author has provided for wheelchairs for the disabled around the world and opened the doors of opportunity to wheelchair bound people everywhere. I've seen the author on Larry King a few times and always wondered, "how does that woman keep smiling and keep such an upbeat attitude?" It is hard to imagine a worse fate than what she has endured since her accident, yet after reading her personal account of her life since that fateful summer in 1967, the reader understands exactly why she smiles and truly has joy in her life. I picked up this book thinking it would be 'interesting' and nothing more - I was delightfully surprised to find this to be a page-turner I could not put down. Even though I've finished reading this autobiography, I doubt I will ever truly put this book down. This is a story that sticks with you long after you've closed the back cover. | ||
 | Joni | |
| "a book you'll never put down - ever" | 2006-06-16 |
| This is one of those few stories that never leave you. Even after you have read the book, closed it and put it on the shelf, the story remains and you can't get it out of your head. A bright, energetic, full-of-life girl goes diving into the shallow water - an act that will forever change her life and ultimately change the lives of millions of others. Suddenly, this athletic, independent young girl is trapped in a body that will not move. Paralyzed from the shoulders down, she finds herself no longer independent, but fully dependent on the care of others for the simplest of tasks. Things we take for granted like wiping away tears, blowing your own nose or brushing your hair - now on someone else's time table, not your own. Understandably, this turn of events shakes her faith as she shakes her mental fists at God for dashing all her hopes and dreams for the future. Failed romances, rocky friendships, family heartaches - Joni holds nothing back in this insightful view into her world. Through her emotional and spiritual failings, the author shares her growth and understanding of God's plan for her life and the lives of others. Using her mouth to draw and paint, the author became an established artist long before people realized that the artist whose work they were admiring was completely paralyzed and unable to use her hands. This revelation thrust her into celebrity where she has been able to make more of an impact on the lives of others than she would have ever been able to have accomplished prior to her injury. Through her charity, Joni & Friends, the author has provided for wheelchairs for the disabled around the world and opened the doors of opportunity to wheelchair bound people everywhere. I've seen the author on Larry King a few times and always wondered, "how does that woman keep smiling and keep such an upbeat attitude?" It is hard to imagine a worse fate than what she has endured since her accident, yet after reading her personal account of her life since that fateful summer in 1967, the reader understands exactly why she smiles and truly has joy in her life. I picked up this book thinking it would be 'interesting' and nothing more - I was delightfully surprised to find this to be a page-turner I could not put down. Even though I've finished reading this autobiography, I doubt I will ever truly put this book down. This is a story that sticks with you long after you've closed the back cover. | ||
 | Uniden Tru5865-2 5.8Ghz Cordless With Cid | |
| "great for environments with wireless networks" | 2005-09-29 |
| The speaker phone in the base and the handset is the best quality of any phone I have ever used. I have bought so many hands-free ear pieces that sounded great for a week, but then tanked - but I will clip the beltclip of this phone on my collar as I do chores and I can have a conversation without problems with folks who say I sound loud and clear. I have an 802.11 b&g compatible wireless network at home with 3 wireless routers in various location in my home. Wireless phones below the 5.8ghz range can wreak havoc with these networks. Having the extra handset that doesn't require a phone jack is a real blessing. When I built my house, I had no idea I would one day have an indoor rabbit as a pet - and rabbits chew cords, which necessitates moving phones to other locations where I didn't think to have phone jacks installed. Since the satellite phone requires that it first sit in the original handset, you know that your neighbor isn't listening to your conversation with their own handset the way it used to work in the early 1990s. The range isn't stellar... if I get more than 50 feet away, conversations get garbled, but part of that is due to the short wavelength of these microwave phones. Concrete is also a natural filter for RF (radio frequencies), so any concrete in the line of sight between your handset and base is going to cause interference. I have had these phones for 3 years and have had to replace the battery once - and unlike all the other portable phones I have had, this is the only one where I wasn't ready to just buy a whole new phone when the battery died. I like the easy-to-understand interface that doesn't require me to consult a manual and the speakerphone is a neck saver. I simply do not hold a phone to my ear anymore - it's not good for your neck or spine to crook your head for hours at a time and I like using a phone that requires no hands. I have owned several cordless phones and so far, this is the best. | ||
 | Irish Spring Deodorant Bath Bar, Original, 4.5 oz | |
| "Not just for bathing anymore..." | 2005-09-28 |
| Irish Spring smells great and really opens your eyes with it's powerful, yet unoffensive smell... but thanks to a friend's helpful tidbit, I now use these bars for more than just bathing. Much cheaper than sachets and they last longer, an open bar put in each drawer keeps clothes smelling fresh even if they've been sitting in the drawer for months without being worn. Keeps clothes from getting musty, and tends to keep ants at bay. I have had a problem recently with ants getting in the house and as they look for food for the queen, their scouts go EVERYWHERE... but since I put bars of Irish Spring in my chest of drawers, that is one piece of furniture they avoid like the plague. | ||
 | Samsung TX-R3079WH 30" Wide SlimFit HDTV with Built-In HD Tuner | |
| "poor manual, some frustration, but AWESOME RECEPTION & CLARITY!" | 2005-09-26 |
| While I love gadgets, I'm not into spending tons of money on televisions. I frankly don't watch TV as much as I did in my teens and as long as I can see everything without snow, I figured I didn't need anything too fancy. I was content with the 32" Sony CRT I had for the past 8 years until it went off to be with the Lord. I went to some local super centers to look at their offerings - it's nice to have lots of TVs in a certain price range, all playing the same loop, side by side so you can compare color depth along the entire gamut as well as refresh rates, intensity, glare, etc. I had heard that HDTV was the next wave of the future and since I expect a TV to last at least 10 years (or until it gives up the ghost), I didn't want to be left in the technological dust, regretting my purchase, so I compared prices and quality, and this Samsung SlimFit was the hands-down winner - NO CONTEST. The clarity in HD is stellar and in regular, non DTV mode, it's no slouch, either... but if you're used to a regular analog (non digital) TV, you will notice lower quality on analog channels. Why is this? A typical analog CRT set has about 300 lines of phosphors top to bottom. The HDTV has 1080 lines - so it has to take the 300 lackluster analog lines and basically triple the info - so it looks ok, but underwhelming if you are switching from a nice, expensive analog TV. I asked tons of questions at the big box retailer to make sure that if and when I got this home, I wouldn't be coming back with an AK-47 if my reception did not match what they had in the store. I live in a town of about 90,000 people and while we have digital cable, we do not have HDTV available via cable. The big box retailer is stuck in the same town, and they assured me they were not getting a satellite feed. When the delivery men came with my TV and set it up, I was underwhelmed. The reception was worse than on the dead TV when it was still living. I went back to the store and talked to the salesman, who filled me in on some great information. With HDTV over the air, if you get as much as 51% of the signal, you get the whole thing... so I got some RCA HDTV-ready rabbit ears and voila - I get local HDTV streams for free over the airwaves from Dallas and it is so stunning, I've caught myself frozen on the carpet, standing and staring at vacuum commercials. The depth, the clarity - mind blowing. I have an old DVD player - about 7 years old, and it does not have progressive scan, but a fairly new DVD, "The Bourne Identity," looks freakin' awesome on this TV, even w/o the progressive scan. The better option from progressive scan is the up-conversion which gives even more of a clarity booster. The TV has it's own equivalent of an A/B/C/D/E switch via remote, so when you want to switch from Playstation to DVD to TV to PVR, you don't have to keep hopping out of your seat and flipping a switch. Three cheers for couch potatoes! My less than stellar review is for the following reasons: 1.) The directions are incomplete. I have a PVR/DVR and while I had everything flawlessly hooked up with my previous TV myself, even the "specialists" that set up my TV didn't know what to do. I had a committee meeting of sorts with the guys at the big box retailer until after about 30 minutes, one of them came up with the solution that was not provided in the manual. 2.) If you've pointed your antenna toward the transmitter in your town for DTV signals, sometimes you'll get all but one of them and one will fade in at out - but will have brain freeze while you try to change channels while it tries to decide if it's getting a signal or not. It is MADDENING! 3.) You can add/delete channels, but not the HD sub channels (ie, 4-1, 5-1, 5-2, etc.) so if it doesn't get it by auto scan, you have to keep fiddling with the antenna and pray and auto search the entire spectrum over and over again. This drove me freakin' crazy and everyone at Samsung should have their fannies smacked for this. 4.) The warranty sucks unless you get an extended warranty, which I did. It's covered for a year, but the set weighs over 200lbs and you have to pay to ship it to Samsung w/ the 1 yr warranty! Then, they decide if it's covered or not. Even if it's covered by the warranty, you still have to pay to ship it back. It's crazy! I paid the big box retailer a couple of Benjamins for a 4 year warranty that not only quadruples the warranty, but also means that if it croaks, the big box retailer comes to my house and hauls it off at no charge and they take care of everything through Samsung for me. If I never need the warranty, my daily cost of ownership over 4 years is pennies a day - but if I ever do need to make use of the warranty, it's worth its weight in freakin' gold. The friends and family that have come over to visit have had their jaws drop on the clarity of this TV and are all coveting one themselves. I looked at HDTVs for 3 months before settling on this one and despite the shortcomings cited above, this is the best one you can get for the price. The next step up is going to get you in the big-time 4-5 digit range to get a DLP - which in comparison, makes my own awesome set look like doggy doo... which is hard to fathom being possible until you see a Samsung DLP in person - it's enough to induce convulsive sobbing from the sheer emotional joy your eyes experience... but until I hit the Lotto, this 30" SlimFit is going to do the job quite nicely. | ||
 | Land of the Lost - The Complete Second Season | |
| "transcends mere nostalgia" | 2005-09-26 |
| When I first ordered these DVD sets, I did so with great trepidation. Would seeing the shows again after a 30 year hiatus live up to my memories of it being a deep, compelling and thoroughly entertaining experience? Or, would I be disappointed and feel foolish for thinking so highly of the 70's fare? I can say happily that I am not only not disappointed, I even enjoy the shows more now. The sci-fi in these shows is original, deep and thought provoking. These are not just a re-hashed Gilligan's Island with dinos - these shows are so well thought out, even by today's standards. After seeing such technological feats as Gollum and the dinos in Jurassic Park, it's easy to get judgmental over the special effects, but the special effects in these TV shows trumped anything else on TV at that time by leaps and bounds. It was a forward thinking show that appealed (and still appeals) to children and adults. Not only are the shows awesome - the commentary tracks and interviews are pure unadulterated GOLD! I caught myself laughing out loud to some of the comments by Wesley Eure (Will Marshall) and Kathy Coleman (Holly Marshall). I was tickled by the interview with Walker Edmiston, who was not only the voice of Enik, but the voices of Sigmund, Burp, Slurp and Big Daddy on Sigmund and the Sea Monsters (among others) and he gives demos of those voices - what a joy! My face hurt after watching these episodes from smiling so much during the commentaries and interviews. This set is so well done, I feel like sending a box of chocolates to everyone at Rhino. They even put an Easter Egg in the DVD - if you're in the Extras section and hit the menu button on your remote (not on the screen), you get a blow-up of an 8-track cassette showing Wesley Eure's greatest hits! I would have liked to have seen the stars show photos of themselves (and/or home movies) at different ages, with various stars out of makeup, etc. I loved the fact that the stars appreciated the shows as much as the viewers. This Season 2 set is purely awesome! | ||
 | Land of the Lost - The Complete Third Season | |
 | "1976 - the year Sid & Marty sold their souls to the Devil for a propane torch in a dinosaur costume..." | 2005-09-26 |
| Before buying all 3 seasons on DVD, I read the reviews thoroughly. One of the reasons I became an Amazon reviewer is due to the fantastic warnings against bad items and encouraging words of recommendations for others from reliable reviewers... but I did not follow my own advice on heeding the words of wisdom from so many reviewers that gave this season such a poor review. These shows are AWFUL! Rick Marshall is gone and we don't know why Spencer Milligan left the show. To explain his absence, a new horrendous theme song is introduced - written by Wayne Osmond of the famed Osmond family... the song explains how during yet another earth quake, another time shift occurs - Rick is playing with the crystals in one of the pylons when the earthquake hits and he is sucked into a time doorway. Instead of chasing after him so they can at least be in the same time period as dear old dad, Will and Holly just stare and scream for their father. The earthquake has destroyed their home in the cave and as they look for new shelter, they find Cha-Ka all alone - all the other Pakuni are gone - missing, and it would appear Cha-Ka is the last of his species. Conveniently, another familiar father figure falls from the sky - "Uncle Jack" Marshall went looking for his missing brother and niece and nephew and conveniently did so at the same time the earthquake hit and found himself also in the Land of the Lost. Uncle Jack (Ron Harper of "The Planet of the Apes" TV series fame) wears the same outfit as his brother and has similar survivalists skills. The three family members and Cha-Ka move in together - into a temple in the lost city... new animals are introduced which look like they were put together by Stevie Wonder. There's Lu-Lu- the 2-headed water dragon that has these forked tongues that stick out about 6 feet and then there's Torchy - a dinosaur that breathes fire for no particular reason. He doesn't use it just for defense - but just because he can. In nature, we can observe creatures such as the bombadier beetle which can create chemical explosions, but only when defending itself. The Sleestak now fiddle with their arms and flap their jaws for no reason. Not only does Enik talk, there is now a "head Sleestak" who also talks - and they are all just a bunch of losers. Enik is no longer just mysterious - he's a jerk... and then there are these horrendous plot lines that are like re-hashed Star Trek episodes - no originality, just cheese. The only thing I did enjoy seeing was the tremendous improvement in acting ability with these actors, especially Kathy Coleman. She was good before, but she is so believable, even with these ridiculous stories, she should have been given other big roles on the small screen and large screen. She was analgous to the Tina Majorino of the 90s and the Dakota Fanning of today in stellar child acting. I also appreciated how brother and sister were no longer showing themselves as competitors, but overtly showed their love and concern for one another in these episodes. The commentary and interview with Ron Harper is eye-rolling. He praises this season as the best and the direction as stellar. Did Ron do mushrooms during the filming of these shows? It was the 70s after all. Actually, he struck me as being more nostalgic and star-struck than honest about his appraisal of the shows. In at least 2 episodes where Will Marshall sings his home-spun ballads with a home-made mandolin or whatever instrument that is, and Uncle Jack looks so annoyed and disgusted - you can almost read his thought bubble, "My agent said I would be the big star in this show. How in the hell do I get out of this contract?" The only thing, and I do mean the only thing, that would have saved this DVD set from being so awful was if every episode had a commentary track from Kathy Coleman and Wesley Eure - because you know they would be laughing their butts off at these plots. My theory is that they probably did do comment tracks, but were so inflammatory against the director of the 3rd season that Rhino cut them to prevent being sued. These are still labeled as Krofft productions, but the life in these shows are long gone. Were it not for Kathy Coleman's acting, the entire set would lose yet another star and basically be toilet worthy. Land of the Lost was awesome because of the stellar sci-fi writing, and the lackluster plot lines of the 3rd season are why the show falls on its face. It's no wonderr that the season was cut short and this was the end - by the 2nd episode, most of the fans that were old enough, probably drank themselves into oblvion, drowning their sorrows in booze or other substances. I only vaguely remembered these shows - I think because I must have blocked them from my memory to protect the purity of the first two seasons. I cannot get over how awful these shows are, whether or not they are compared to the previous 2 seaons... even without comparisons, they do not stand up on their own. In a word: BLEH! | ||
 | Apple 4 GB iPod Nano Black | |
| "Amazing technological leap doesn't even look real!" | 2005-09-21 |
| You have to physically handle and hold the new iPod Nano to believe it is real. It is approximately 1 ounce in weight, so almost unnoticable on your person - whether it's in a pocket or an armband. The small color screen is stunningly brilliant in brightness and color definition. The black iPod shows fingerprints more prominently than the white version - but ooh la la, it is most sexilicious to look at! I'd personally love to see one of these in red as well. Because they are so new, third party vendors haven't had much of a chance to make cases and other products for the Nano. There are only a handful of already existing products out there that are already compatible with the Nano... Available FM Transmitters: Forget the iTrip and those of that ilk - current versions won't work with the Nano. Your choices for now are the Belkin (which is buggy) and the Monster iCar Play Plus. The Monster version isn't cheap, but it's an integrated charger and FM transmitter and is one of the best out there. Available Cases: The Apple branded armband - looks like a glorified bandaid in the case, but looks decent when you wear it Apple branded Tubes - good luck finding one, most Apple Stores still haven't gotten any in stock Apple branded iPod Socks - designed for the older iPods, they work fine with the Nano - but can cause minor scratches Available Speakers that Charge: The JBL OnStage - fits fine, sounds great The Bose Sound Dock - is visibly off-center, but fits fine, sounds freakin' awesome Altec Lancing's IM3 for full and mini - fits but sound is lackluster Klipsch - sounds great... Nano is greatly dwarfed, however by such large equipment... akin to building a superdome around a book of matches. By the time you read this review, 10 other vendors will have probably already submitted their patents and copyrights to lawyers for new gizmos. Apple has announced that the new configuration of how the Nano connection is set up will be the NEW standard for all forthcoming iPods... this will help vendors make products more quickly and without quaking in their boots that by the time they get something to market, it will be outdated - and should encourage lots of new development like we have yet to have seen thus far in the iPod accessory industry. The Nano adds a World Clock, a stop watch and a combination lock to the "extras" menu. The famous silver back collects scratches and fingerprints exactly like its counterparts - but this is a known - get a case to protect your investment. Contrary to what another reviewer posted, the Nano is not "fragile" - far from it. There are no moving parts - so you could probably use this as a hacky-sack for an hour without fazing it. At least one consumer has published their own abuse study of the Nano, running it over with a car and throwing it from a moving car at 55mph before finally rendering it useless after a 40 foot drop onto cement. The screen makes it a tad more vulnerable than the shuffle... but it's a sturdy piece of industrial art. My less than perfect rating is for the following: 1.) No firewire support - even if you have a dock connector to firewire cable, you won't be able to use it - it is USB 2.0 only. What is Apple thinking? Hello! Remember your loyal Mac users who prefer FireWire? 2.) Sole earphone jack is too close to dock connector - using a splitter probably precludes charging it at the same time. 3.) No extra jack or connector on flipside so remote can be added while it charges... so if and when the vendors make recorders, remotes and other goodies for the Nano, you won't be able to use them in tandem with a charging solution. 4.) No bluetooth. Why is this an issue? More and more items are becoming BT enabled. One application I can think of right now is a Nano finder. The Nano is almost weightless and very thin - if you misplace it, how are you going to find it? If it had BT and you had (for example) a Nano finder on a keychain, clicking it could send a signal to your Nano to make audible clicks. Just an idea. This review loses a star for the other reasons, however, not this one... but come on, Apple! 5.)Still no way to get custom logo engraving via Apple unless you're a corporation with a large order... third party vendors are now doing laser engraving so you can put photos of pets, kids, yourself, your logo, etc. on the back of your iPod - but Apple offers no such solution. Considering that stamps.com allows you to make your own legal US postage with a photo of your pet, and they are able to prevent porn and other objectionable imagery through, there is no reason why Apple cannot make this accommodation. 6.) Limited (still!) photo capabilites. Compact Flash cards are like diamonds - the bigger they are, the more they are per carat (or rather, per MB). The iPod Photo camera connector connects a camera just fine - but not to the Nano! There is no explanation for this - it still uses a dock connector, but won't work w/ the Nano. The camera connector isn't that great to begin with, because you can ONLY use it to connect an iPod to a camera, not to a compact flash or multi reader... so if you're out in the field taking photos, you can't take them until your photos download and you waste your battery in your camera. If you could attach a card reader to the connector and download photos for storage on your iPod while simultaneously shooting more photos with your camera using a different card so you can swap without losing precious shooting time. Camera connector shortcomings notwithstanding, it doesn't work with the Nano. I know I already stated this, but I'm still frustrated. The part of me that loves Apple's innovative technology and design wanted to give this incredible gizmo 5 stars - but there is still overt room for improvement and I know Apple can do this! | ||
 | Land of the Lost - The Complete First Season | |
| "a dream come true" | 2005-09-18 |
| While these shows originally aired on Saturday mornings, I never knew about them showing at that time slot - I grew up seeing them re-run after school and during the summers in the afternoons. Of all the shows on television, this was my all time favorite and one of my most fondly remembered. One thing I really appreciated about these shows even at age 6 when they first aired, was how deep, engaging and non-patronizing they were. These were not simply "kid" shows. This was real in-your-face science fiction at full throttle - where kids were treated with respect. I never felt talked down to as an audience member or as a child watching these shows. They were mentally engaging and it was easy to overlook some of the less-than-stellar effects which were still pretty advanced for their time. At age 6 I knew that the dinosaurs were claymation. Heck, Grumpy the T-Rex didn't even have a throat and he had a mouth more like Kermit the Frog than a menacing dino - but I didn't care. The sound effects, the music, the eyes - all gave me the creeps. The show's premise is utterly brilliant: a family is on a camping expedition and has all their camping gear above their raft as they paddle "high on the rapids." An earthquake hits and they plummet down a waterfall to certain death only to find they have somehow entered a time-door of sorts to another time and dimension where even the weather and gravity are artifically controlled, dinosaurs run amok and the veggies are freakin' huge. Rick Marshall, his son Will and daughter Holly are alone in this utter wilderness with no telephone, no TV, no toilets... somehow they manage to survive for years without threadbare or stained/ripped clothes and even find time make friends with the natives and learn the Pakuni language. It's not just a 1970s Jurassic Park, either - there are all sorts of weird things going on - the half-insect/half-lizard "men" known as the Sleestak are second only to the Tiki god in "Trilogy of Terror" on the fear meter. Their eerie hisses made my heart go a flutter. There are exploding crystals, astronauts parachuting in, all sorts of interestingly whacky sci-fi stuff. The acting of Spencer Milligan, Kathy Coleman and Wesley Eure cannot be overstated. Their unique abilities to be believable made the show believable. Were there cheesy scenes? You bet! A bit over acting here & there? Yes! BUT - this was a believable family doing the best to stay sane in an insane environment. The DVD has commentaries from the stars that will have you holding your gut laughing. An interview with the now adult Kathy Coleman and Wesley Eure is awesome. They loved working on the show and cherish the memories as much as those of us who grew up watching the series. The back stories on what went on behind the scenes as well as their take on certain themes and characters is utterly priceless. For decades, I have pined for this show and whenever I've run into 30-somethings and the topic of this show would come up, I have always heard the comments of either "I LOVED THAT SHOW!" or "Those Sleestak scared the pee out of me!" or both. The show was so well thought out. Professional voice talent went into the masked/make-uped characters. A linguist from UCLA invented the Pakuni language to make it grammatical and believable. Basketball stars of the 70s played the Sleestak... and the best sci-fi writers of the era wrote for the show, including D.C. Fontana and Walter Koenig. The commentaries are a hoot, and priceless in my own estimation. I love this DVD set! I had gotten the VHS version of the shows, but quickly replaced them when this DVD set came out with the commentaries and interviews with the cast. The only thing I'd like to see would be out-takes, home movies and period photos of the cast out of make up, etc. Other than that, flawless - a fantastic job by Rhino - God bless them one and all. I cannot say enough how much joy and nostalgia these shows have brought into my home. | ||
 | The Bracelet | |
| "one tacky Christmas gift leads to a lifelong impact on two lives..." | 2005-09-14 |
| Miss Thompson teaches a 5th grade class. She is a tad judgmental if not very human as we all are. Sometimes, for no specific (or at least legitimate) reason, we find people in life we just don't care for and it's hard to always put on a poker face. Jean Thompson tells her students that she loves them all the same, but her behavior is quite transparent to everyone but herself. She finds one student in particular, Teddy Stallard, unkept, unattractive and frankly unlikable. When Christmas comes along, all the students bring presents to her and Teddy's is the most ugly and tackiest of all - a cheap perfume bottle and a cheesy bracelet with missing rhinestones - and it looks like a monkey wrapped them. Miss Thompson is very professional and politically correct, so when the students laugh at his gifts, she puts on the bracelet and dabs on some perfume. After class, Teddy talks to her about the gifts, revealing the sweet heart of gold beating in this unlikable boy. His revelation to her changes her, humbles her and enables her to be an unforgettable influence on Teddy's future life choices. A boy that could have easily grown up to be a loveless and self-absorbed thug is clearly changed by the attention and affection from his teacher and in the end, they heal each other in ways neither of them, especially Miss Thompson, can ever imagine. The book is short (a bit shorter than this review, I imagine!), but deep. It can be read once in just a couple of minutes, but will be read over and over again by any child. It's sweet, it's moving and it is moral. I can't say enough about how awesome this little book is for all children to have. Teddy's mother suffers a major illness and then dies and is left with an ineffectual father - so for real young children who may suddenly freak out with the possibility of losing a parent, this should be given to a child with discretion - but like all books for youngsters, it's ideal for parents to read the books with their kids and talk about what they think about the story. | ||
 | Antec USB-Powered Notebook Cooler (Pearl) | |
| "works like a charm with my iBook" | 2005-08-30 |
| Since my iMac has been undergoing repairs, I've found myself using my iBook for extended periods of time at one sitting and this sucker gets hot! In the area left of the trackpad, it can get hot enough that it's simply uncomfortable to type and I worry that something's going to blow. That's when I started looking for a solution and found this cooler on Amazon. It just arrived today and I've gotta say so far, I'm very pleased. I've had my iBook running for 8 hours with the cooler and while the computer is a little warm, it's not breaking my left arm into a sweat anymore. There are two settings - low and high - low is inaudible, but I have mine on high and you can hear a little bit of a breezy sound in there. I wouldn't call it fan noise per se - I don't hear rattling or spinning, just air movement, but it is no way distracting. There is a compartment underneath for storing the USB power cable during travel. When you plug this into the USB port on your laptop, you're not losing a port. It has a piggy-back female port so you can plug in a hub or another USB device right into the same slot. I feel much safer about my iBook's innards now that I have this Antec cooler underneath, keeping it running smooth and warm instead of blazing hot. | ||
 | Altec Lansing IM2 Portable Speakers for MP3 Players | |
| "great sound and punch for the price" | 2005-08-05 |
| I set up AirTunes (ala Apple's Airport Express wireless routers) in my house. I didn't want to spend a fortune on speakers and invested in the inexpensive Duet set by JBL after hearing a demo in the Apple Store. WOW. JBL delivers with every product they make - or at least every product that I've been exposed to. The green LED lets you know from a glance whether the speakers are on or not. Very helpful when setting up wireless music networks! Despite the lack of a subwoofer, these small speakers fill a reasonably sized room with sound that is rich, clear and without any rattles or hums... whether it is spoken word or rock-n-roll. Whether plugged directly into my iBook or into my Airport Express, I get great, uncompromising sound. Are they Bose quality? No... and they're not $249, either! For the price, you're going to be hard-pressed to find speakers that sound this good and look this nice. | ||
 | Canon EOS 300D 6.3MP Digital Rebel Camera with Lens 18-55MM Lens - Kit | |
| "a great intro into digital SLR ownership" | 2005-07-27 |
| I had an Olympus 5MP point-n-shoot Camedia camera I was pretty happy with for portraits. I was annoyed w/ the fixed lens that prevented me from taking good photos of wildlife. I have hummingbird feeders in my backyard and unless you've had the opportunity to work with hummingbird families for years, the sweet, tiny animals are skittish and don't often pose for you when you get too close. When my point-n-shoot stopped focusing, I took advantage of this situation by rationalizing this bigger purchase.
What a joy it has been to use this camera. The 6.3MP is a significant improvement over 5 and the ability to take photos in manual mode cannot be understated. With the fixed point-n-shoot, the camera refused to shoot if it didn't "feel" that it was in focus... so it was impossible to shoot sunsets, lightning or other natural beauties in the "infinity" range of the focal length. The Rebel makes use of Compact Flash - the oldest, yet still the best technology for taking fast, high-quality photos in digital cameras. My less than perfect rating is due to the small memory buffer. You can take up to 3fps very easily, but if you click-click-click the shutter, it doesn't matter if Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and Elvis start doing a little soft-shoe right in front of you, by the time the Rebel finishes writing the recent 3 quick shots to the CF card, the shot of the century has already slithered back into the swamp by the time the camera is ready to be used again. If you're taking portraits, not a problem. A click here and there and you'll never notice the lack of memory buffer... but if you're shooting at a ball game or other quick moving objects, you're going to get frustrated very quickly. The flash is decent, but you really need a good flash like the 580 in the hot-shoe if you want a better even spread and avoidance of red-eye. A lot of folks shrug about red-eye since most affordable or free programs like iPhoto or Photoshop Elements have built-in correction for red-eye - but red-eye correction by one click is only available for humans. If you're shooting wildlife, forget about any software that has a one-click (or a million clicks!) solution for blue-eye in dogs, yellow-eye in cats, flaming-demon eye in bunnies or the variety of odd reflections you will get bouncing off retinas of various species. The best way to circumvent this problem is to avoid bouncing flash directly into the retinas of your subjects from the get-go. No more glare or odd reflections when you use a better flash. The ability to upgrade to better lenses is the crux of SLR ownership. The sky is the limit. Get a good wide-angle and a good, fast telephoto and you've got yourself set for some great shots. This camera isn't going to take advantage of CF cards faster than 40x, so you can save money by buying the slightly slower CF cards, but I invested in the 80x cards so I can use them when I upgrade cameras. This Rebel has gotten me back into photography after a decade-long hiatus. The camera automatically detects vertical shots and turns them 90 degrees for you in the LCD window. It is quick and easy to adjust the ISO to "push" the film (so to speak) to take advantage of low-light situations, but you get the same grainy effects as you do when you push real film. With an ISO of 100 and using a 512MB CF card, you have 157 photos at your disposal - if you push it all the way to 1600, 104 shots on the same card. At 400, your shots are already compromized regarding print quality... but if Sasquatch comes-a-knockin' in the wee hours, you'll still get decent proof if you shoot at 1600. Having a background in film photography spanning 2 decades, I didn't even have to consult the manual for this camera to use it fresh out of the box. It handles in many ways like a professional film SLR, and unlike the point-n-shoots, there aren't cryptic settings that have no film parallel. For sunny days and outdoor shots, this camera is a sheer joy to use. | ||
 | Canon EOS 300D 6.3MP Digital Rebel Camera (Body Only) | |
| "a great intro into digital SLR ownership" | 2005-07-27 |
| I had an Olympus 5MP point-n-shoot Camedia camera I was pretty happy with for portraits. I was annoyed w/ the fixed lens that prevented me from taking good photos of wildlife. I have hummingbird feeders in my backyard and unless you've had the opportunity to work with hummingbird families for years, the sweet, tiny animals are skittish and don't often pose for you when you get too close. When my point-n-shoot stopped focusing, I took advantage of this situation by rationalizing this bigger purchase.
What a joy it has been to use this camera. The 6.3MP is a significant improvement over 5 and the ability to take photos in manual mode cannot be understated. With the fixed point-n-shoot, the camera refused to shoot if it didn't "feel" that it was in focus... so it was impossible to shoot sunsets, lightning or other natural beauties in the "infinity" range of the focal length. The Rebel makes use of Compact Flash - the oldest, yet still the best technology for taking fast, high-quality photos in digital cameras. My less than perfect rating is due to the small memory buffer. You can take up to 3fps very easily, but if you click-click-click the shutter, it doesn't matter if Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and Elvis start doing a little soft-shoe right in front of you, by the time the Rebel finishes writing the recent 3 quick shots to the CF card, the shot of the century has already slithered back into the swamp by the time the camera is ready to be used again. If you're taking portraits, not a problem. A click here and there and you'll never notice the lack of memory buffer... but if you're shooting at a ball game or other quick moving objects, you're going to get frustrated very quickly. The flash is decent, but you really need a good flash like the 580 in the hot-shoe if you want a better even spread and avoidance of red-eye. A lot of folks shrug about red-eye since most affordable or free programs like iPhoto or Photoshop Elements have built-in correction for red-eye - but red-eye correction by one click is only available for humans. If you're shooting wildlife, forget about any software that has a one-click (or a million clicks!) solution for blue-eye in dogs, yellow-eye in cats, flaming-demon eye in bunnies or the variety of odd reflections you will get bouncing off retinas of various species. The best way to circumvent this problem is to avoid bouncing flash directly into the retinas of your subjects from the get-go. No more glare or odd reflections when you use a better flash. The ability to upgrade to better lenses is the crux of SLR ownership. The sky is the limit. Get a good wide-angle and a good, fast telephoto and you've got yourself set for some great shots. This camera isn't going to take advantage of CF cards faster than 40x, so you can save money by buying the slightly slower CF cards, but I invested in the 80x cards so I can use them when I upgrade cameras. This Rebel has gotten me back into photography after a decade-long hiatus. The camera automatically detects vertical shots and turns them 90 degrees for you in the LCD window. It is quick and easy to adjust the ISO to "push" the film (so to speak) to take advantage of low-light situations, but you get the same grainy effects as you do when you push real film. With an ISO of 100 and using a 512MB CF card, you have 157 photos at your disposal - if you push it all the way to 1600, 104 shots on the same card. At 400, your shots are already compromized regarding print quality... but if Sasquatch comes-a-knockin' in the wee hours, you'll still get decent proof if you shoot at 1600. Having a background in film photography spanning 2 decades, I didn't even have to consult the manual for this camera to use it fresh out of the box. It handles in many ways like a professional film SLR, and unlike the point-n-shoots, there aren't cryptic settings that have no film parallel. For sunny days and outdoor shots, this camera is a sheer joy to use. | ||
 | Kleenex Upright Expressions Facial Tissue, 75 ct | |
| "no need to conceal in a tissue cozy" | 2005-01-07 |
| Some tissue boxes need to be hidden because they look so tacky and sterile, but not Kleenex Expressions. I have a box in every room of my house for the unexpected sneeze. Kleenex tissues are soft and gentle to even the most raw noses. A recent sinus infection gave me new appreciation for Kleenex brand tissues. | ||
 | Contour Design SHCASEPH Ipod Photo Showcase - White | |
| "adds moderate shock protection" | 2005-01-03 |
| If you drop an iPod, it's akin to dropping a computer - it's not good. No harddrive does well when shaken or dropped, but you can lessen the blow of impact by using this Contour Design case. It comes with a foam lining so that your iPod isn't just surrounded by hard plastic. A clear-plastic window protects your iPod's screen so you can read song titles and menu options while keeping your screen scratch free. You never have to remove your iPod from the case because you can charge it from the bottom and access the clickwheel and plug in your ear buds while it's still in the case. A sturdy, low-profile clip is perpendicular to the iPod, so it hangs on your hip horizontally instead of vertically - meaning you're not hitting it with your leg as you walk. One of the best hard plastic cases out there. | ||
 | APPLE m9648g/a Belt Clip for 40GB iPod | |
 | "affords little scratch protection" | 2004-12-29 |
| The clip is mimimalistic and elegant in design like the iPod itself, but it affords no protection from scratches from normal everyday activities. The iPod is a scratch magnet. The clip is sturdy, but unless you never brush up against anything, EVER, this is a clip that's begging for iPod damage. Note that this clip only accommodates the 40 GB iPod, not the iPod photo which is physically larger than its monochromatic screen counterpart. | ||
 | Speck Products iPod Skin for 3G iPods | |
| "great for dock owners" | 2004-12-29 |
| The one thing that will get your iPod scratched like crazy other than not having a protective case is having to remove your iPod from its case and put it back in repeatedly. Other "skin" cases require that you pull your iPod through taut openings back-n-forth to utilize a dock, but not the Speck brand. The bottom flips up so you can dock your iPod without fiddling with sliding it in and out. Doesn't have a clip, which means you can put the whole thing in your pocket without being poked. | ||
 | APPLE M9766G/A iPod Photo Dock | |
| "replacement for a lost iPod Photo Dock" | 2004-12-29 |
| Unlike the docks for the regular and mini iPods, the iPod Photo Dock has an S-Video out port so you can take your iPod with you (probably how you lost your dock to begin with) and use it like a pocket-sized Enfocus machine for your own slide show akin to a PowerPoint presentation. The dock will let you put your photos on a large TV or monitor via the S-Video port while you navigate from slide to slide by way of the iPod controls. | ||
 | XtremeMac SportWrap iPod Mini Armband | |
| "great for running in the rain..." | 2004-12-29 |
| ... but not a downpour. The case isn't waterproof, but it is highly water resistant. The width of the case is suspect, however. It's like they used Mr. Universe as a model. I've got big fat upper arms and my arm is still too tiny for the giant width of this arm band.
The controls are not accessible (although they are visible) when sealed up in the clear plastic compartment, meaning you have to fiddle your fingers through a couple of layers and fumble to change volume or songs while running/jogging. | ||
 | SENDSTATION 5148-POCD PocketDock for Apple iPod MP3 Player | |
| "sure beats toting a cable" | 2004-12-29 |
| The new dock-connector ports on the 3rd & 4th generation iPods are superior to the 6-pin firewire ports that the 1st and second generation iPods had - the jacks got loose all the time on those models. The advantage to the older models was that you could go anywhere to anyone's computer and as long as they had a firewire cable, you could connect your iPod to their computer. The pocketdock restores this compatibility to you so you can leave your cable at home to avoid risks of crimping or damaging the cable that costs nearly 40 clams to replace. | ||
 | Apple iPod Dock for 20GB and 40GB iPods | |
| "for those with dock envy" | 2004-12-29 |
| I have the third generation 15GB iPod, which did not come with a dock. The newer 20GB models also do not come with a dock, but the docks are not necessary accessories for charging. Those who buy the 40GB 4th generation models get the dock for free - so for those of you with dock envy, you can now have your cake and eat it, too. The dock simply extends your charging/connection cable another 3 inches and gives your iPod a place to perch ala PDA on your desktop. A bit more elegant than "just laying there." A must-have for desk neat-freaks or those who want to make sure their iPod backs don't get scratched. | ||
 | APPLE m9647g/a Belt Clip for 20GB iPod | |
| "nice, complimentary design, but poor protection of your iPod" | 2004-12-26 |
| When you spend nearly 300 clams on your new iPod, you want to protect the plastic surface from scratches. This clip exposes the surface and in particular, the screen, to a multitude of hazards and scratches as the entire façade is exposed while this is clipped to your hip. The plastic clip is sturdy and strong and it firmly grips your iPod. The design is minimalistic like the elegance of the iPod itself, but this far from an ideal design when it comes to protecting your investment. At the very least, it should have come with a screen protector. | ||
 | Speck Products SkinTight iPod Skin Lime | |
| "Well-thought design is better than iSkin..." | 2004-12-25 |
| ...but it needs a screen protector! Every time you take your iPod out of a case and put it back in non-stop, you're going to scratch it. At first, only barely-detectible fine, tiny scratches, that soon build up to a cacophony of scratches. Ideally, you want a case in which you almost NEVER remove your iPod. If you have a dock, this is the one to get, because you don't have to take it out of the case to dock it. The bottom section swings out for dock access while the most vulnerable-to-scratching parts of your iPod remain covered by the rubbery skin. Unlike iSkin models, these have no clips. Also unlike the iSkin, there is no screen protector, and that is truly shameful. The one place the scratches will show up at their worst is on the screen. This model is for 3G (Third generation) iPods with the four buttons above the scroll wheel, not for click-wheel versions. | ||
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