Best Buy Products Reviews

Western Digital My Passport Essential 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive WDBAAA5000ABK-NESN

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 13:12:00 +0000

Western Digital My Passport Essential 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive WDBAAA5000ABK-NESN

Contrary to what most other reviewers are saying, the USB interface on this drive is not proprietary. It's the new (about 2 years old) Micro USB interface which we'll see on many new electronic products.

My Samsung cell phone has it and it's used on some bluetooth headset chargers. The advantage is it allows a slimmer product and is supposed to provide a more secure connection. I can use the same cable which connects my phone to my computer and charges it to also connect the WD Passport Drive to my computer.

The virtual CD mounting is another story, especially if it can't be turned off. I've submitted a question to WD on this. We'll see what they say.

--- 10/4/09 Update: Here's the response I got from Western Digital: "Please be advised that the Smartware utility can't be removed from the new My Book or Passport Essential, as it is a separate locked image partition within the unit. If you want to disable this application from launching, there are two possible ways around this:

1. Delete drive letter for image partition, simply going to Disk Management. (the partition should be listed as a CD-ROM unit, named WD Smartware)

2. Disabling the autorun feature, however, this will still have the item show up on My Computer."

I probably would decrease my 4 stars rating now if I could. Seems like WD has needlessly complicated their previously very good drives.

Reviewed by : Skimetron, October 1, 2009

Techno Source Rubik's Revolution

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:06:00 +0000

Techno Source Rubik's Revolution

First off, I'm reviewing this as a toy on it's own; I'm not comparing it to the original Rubik's Cube since they are two different toys. Comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges. Now that that is out of the way, I think the the Rubrik's Revolution is a really fun toy for all ages. The games are simple enough for anyone to pick it up and play without much instruction. Most of the game modes are variations of having the player turn off a lit side before the timer runs out. The challenge in turning off the lights is that you can see at the most three sides of the cube at once. The player is required to constantly rotate the cube to see all sides. Although not complex, it's very fun to keep trying to beat a continuously decreasing timer. I'm disappointed in the game modes Rapid Recharge and Code Cracker because are really short and too easy to complete even if it is your first time playing. While I'm not sure if this happens with every game mode, a few of them just end once you get so far. I would have like them to just keep getting faster till I lost and then I could try to beat my high-score.

The design of the cube seems really well thought out. It's approximately the size of a regular Rubrik's Cube with the center cube in each side hollowed out. If you stick your finger about a half-inch in, you can press the light-up button and hear a distinctive click. The buttons always register right away without a problem. The position of these buttons make it pretty much impossible to accidentally press and slightly adds to the challenge. The power switch is inset on the red side of the cube and positioned so that I have never accidentally turned off the device while playing with it. This is quite a feat when you consider that your hands on constantly moving in every direction on the surface of the cube while playing. The stickers on the cube are the shiny holographic type, and they help you recognize the color of the side if you are playing in a dark room and really just make the whole cube seem cooler looking in a techno-futuristic way. The voice and recorded sounds of the cube also contribute to this feeling. Someone in my family commented that the voice is too monotone, but I like it because it seems futuristic like the computer from Star Trek is talking to you. The only major problem I have with the design of the cube itself is that it's impossible to know how to adjust the volume without looking in the instruction manual. It seems like there should be more levels to adjust the volume to because even on the softest level it's still pretty loud, loud enough to prevent me from playing late at night for fear of disturbing my roommates.

Overall, this is a pretty nice toy. It's not going to revolutionize the way people think about toys, but that really not what it's trying to do. I think as long as you aren't trying to make this into the original Rubrik's Cube, most people will have some fun with this cube. This is a game that puzzle fanatics will hate, but people who are into reflex-testing games like early arcade video games will love.

For the best experience, I would recommending playing this game in a darkened room. The cube looks really neat when it lights up and this will actually make some of the games easier since you can look for the lights on the floor and walls instead of having to have to look directly at a face to see if it is lit.

Reviewed By : Jared : Dec 26, 2007

Click to see Product Details & Price of Techno Source Rubik's Revolution

Bose Wave Music System

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:56:00 +0000

Bose Wave Music System

In fine, the Bose Wave music system is a little wonder.

Reading reviews here and there, it's clear that people who don't like this system expect things it wasn't meant to do. Some complain that it doesn't do what a multi-thousand dollar multi-speaker room-filling bunch of equipment will do. What sort of fool expects a compact stereo system to do that? Others don't like AM reception. Who wants AM reception? There's no music on AM, just a bunch of pseudo-musical noise, a lot of neo-fascist talk radio, and too much blatant superstition ("religion"). Some want bass/treble controls. We'll get into that later.

The Bose is primarily designed for music on FM. There's precious little music there, either. Again, mostly noise, superstitious nonsense, and Hitler-worshipping Republicans. But there is also REAL music - you know: Scarlatti, Soler, Schubert, Schumann, Strauss (J), Strauss (R), Scharwenka, Sousa, Spohr, St.Saëns, Suk, Sullivan, Stravinsky, Schmidt, Schmitt, Sibelius, Stanord, Surinach, Shostakovich, Sondheim, Schickele ... that bunch. For other stuff, you don't need good sound - a couple of tinny $5 speakers just fine. Get off the net and go to Good Will.
The Bose is also designed for the music lover who doesn't have a lot of space for hardware. Space is for CDs, scores, the Grove dictionary ... not to mention opera DVDs. This little wonder is designed to deliver great sound, but not multi-thousand $ sound.

I have 2 Boses (bedroom, kitchen) and am getting a 3rd (office). Like it? I'll say!! The Bose has unusually rich sound, mostly because it has a very fine bass response. Sometimes it's a little more than strictly necessary, but it's often revealingly effective. It's great for things such as the organ in St.Saëns' 3rd Symphony. Yes: no bass/treble controls, and I know that there are people who like to fiddle with such things ... often endlessly. It's a habit, like channel surfing. My hearing is not so utterly precious that I need to make micro-adjustments in sound, in the hope that it will meet my ultra-refined senses of perfect pitch and perfect mix.

There are, strictly speaking, no controls on the radio at all. Everything that can be done must be done with the remote. The really good news is that you get a second identical remote with the CD player add-on. The remote is quite small, but it's very easy to see what's on the buttons.
The radio also takes 1 CD. The add-on takes 3, for a total of 4. That covers pretty much every opera and Mahler symphony known to Man. The add-on is hooked up with 2 very short connectors, so you don't have excess wiring hanging about. The add-on comes with a CD that programs it, so basically this is a plug-and-play system that requires no fiddling. Apparently you can also hook the whole thing into a larger sound system, your computer, and maybe even your brain if you're into digital prosthetics.

The radio's display is clear and distinct ... no backlit stuff that requires extreme magnification to make out. The display also wonderfully adjusts itself to the ambient light level, so that at night it's not intrusive. The CD add-on has 3 little lights, one for each occupied slot. These are orange, changing to lemon-lime for the currently active CD. These do not dim, alas, and some people may find them annoying. I play the bedroom system all night (good for the brain) and did in fact quickly adjust to the CD lights.

One nice feature is that the CDs are played in sequence and the system goes back to the first CD when it's finished with the last. You can also program different sequences with the remote. Another excellent feature is that the system will retain all settings for 48 hours if it's unplugged or there's a power failure.

The user manuals are thorough and full-sized (8 ½ x 11), so that you can actually not only see the print, you can read it.

The sound, as I've said, is remarkable for such a small piece of equipment. Amazingly, even turned down very low, the sound will fill a good-sized room. I haven't turned the set up to its highest volume, but I've had it fairly high and encountered no distortion.

Reception: Bose sells a dipole FM antenna that helps with the stations with actual music but not much power. Our local station, XLNC, used to be only 1000 watts, hard to pick up on some equipment, but came in fine on the Bose (no antenna). Now it's 7500 watts and will drown out any nearby crud. The Bose usually picks up KUSC, 100-odd miles to the north, very clearly. But of course I'd guess they have enough watts to run the State electric chair, if we had one. We use needles. Nobody has to share.

This is spiffy equipment. It doesn't work miracles, nor walk on water, nor raise the dead, nor kill the undead. It doesn't make the bed and definitely doesn't do windows. Or Windows. What it does is give you sound that equals more expensive equipment (not a lot more, but more) and does it from a modest corner of your bookshelf. It comes in ivory or charcoal. As to stereo separation: what do you want from speakers 18 inches apart??? Do the math, people. Still, separation is better than you would expect.

If you don't want to spend the money, get a boom box. You can enjoy complaining about your inability to microadjust bass and treble on that as well. If you want huge sound so that Wagner will cause your walls to tremble and crumble, spend a bunchabucks for 50 speakers and a receiver a yard long and 26 inches high. Go wild. But don't send $500 to do $5000's job.
Reviewed By : R.C. Walker "catu11us" : March 25, 2008

Click to see Product Details & Price of Bose Wave Music System

Homedics SBM-500H Therapist Select Shiatsu One Massaging Cushion with Heat

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:51:00 +0000

Homedics SBM-500H Therapist Select Shiatsu One Massaging Cushion with Heat

OMG, I absolutely **LOVE** this Massager!!!!!! If you're looking for a massager that actually works then the Homedics SBM-500H is for you. I had been wanting a back massager for a few years now but could never find one that actually felt nice short of the $1,500+ chairs they sold at Sharper Image or Brookstone until I found this one at Bed, Bath and Beyond. I tried all 4 of the ones they had on display and was instantly in LOVE with this one for $199 as the other ones hardly did anything or else they hurt on certain areas of my back. I wanted it so bad that I had to wait until my birthday to receive it from my fiance' and I have to say its the one of the best presents I've EVER received!!! I use this massager everyday since it sits atop my computer chair which I'm on my computer every few hours so it always helps with any stress and back pain. A lot of times in the past I've woken up with pain in the small of my back area due to sleeping which I ended up having to buy a memory foam bed topper which helped a lot but lets just say since I received this in September I haven't had any back pain whatsoever. This massager is very relaxing, works so well on getting the knots out and its great to have the back massager with heat as well as the neck massager w/heat working at the same time. I also love how nice & toasty the heat works as it works great for when I'm cold and works especially nice together with the massager. I know you won't be disappointed in this massager. : )

Reviewed By : Cristi : Nov 25, 2008

Click to see Product Details & Price of Homedics SBM-500H Massaging Cushion with Heat

Himalayan Crystal Rock Salt Lamp

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:16:00 +0000

Himalayan Crystal Rock Salt Lamp

I've been looking all over the net for the placement of these salt lamps. As you know, each sector of a house represents some aspect of your life. And placement of certain objects within the house can either improve or make worse your life depending on where you place objects. But what I've gotten from the net has been somewhat mixed.One one hand, I know that pink and orange (the color of these lamps) is represented by fire, and hence should be good in either the NE, SW, and possibly the S or center sectors. But on the other hand, salt is also used as a cleansing agent in feng shui to clear out negative chi supposedly. There is even one article claiming that salt lamps sending out bad chi. Who knows?I'm thinking that salt is its own element all together. It is probably not a good thing to place in your east or SE sectors as salt dries up wood, and probably not a good thing to put in your N sector as it would soak up a lot of water. But if you have a lot of negative yang chi in the NE sector, or maybe SW sector, then maybe these lamps might be good. I frankly don't know. Anyone know or they just guessing like me?

Reviewed By : Bandazar : Nov 17, 2008

Click to see Product Details & Price of Himalayan Crystal Rock Salt Lamp

Braun PocketGo P-70 Men's Shaver

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:13:00 +0000

PocketGo P-70 Men's Shaver

I've used a blade for 26 years and during that time only tried an electric shaver 3 times (a Remington a Philips and something else). After each electric shave my skin was so irritated I figured I would never be able to use one. I could not get past the pain to continue using one.
While shopping for one as a gift I read reviews for shavers from the big players (Braun, Remington, Philips/Norelco) and thought "hey, for $20 may be I'll give it another try". So I did.
I am very impressed with this travel shaver. My skin had only very slight irritation the first time I tried it and that was it - regular blade shaving was starting to get very irritating in those sensitive areas (neck and around the mouth) probably due to the fact that stubble seems to turn into wire with age. It's not quite as close a shave like a good razor gives but not too far from it (and don't forget this is an inexpensive travel shaver so some of Braun's more expensive shavers are probably closer yet)!

From what I can gather no one shaver can get every single hair (neck being perhaps the toughest spot) but a single wipe with a blade can get those.

So if you're ready for a new experience (or just need a new shaver) check out Braun's line and reviews on various sites. My guess is that if the reviews are above a 4 out of 5 you probably can't go too wrong.

I'm using this as a daily (shavers are basically a daily touchup kinda thing). I love it and my skin is loving it too!

Reviewed By : Damian J. Spooner "DJ" : Dec 20, 2008

Click to see Product Details & Price of Braun PocketGo P-70

Philips Norelco arcitec 1090 Men's Shaving System

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:10:00 +0000

Philips Norelco arcitec 1090 Men's Shaving System

Intro:My first electric was a Norelco. Once it died I switched to Braun and while the cleaning system seemed attractive at first I got tired of spending on the cleaning solution. I then got a cheap Remington which is pretty decent for the price (around $40 I think) and later got a Panasonic ES8097.My favorite razor was the Panasonic. It offered a superb shave, cleaning was fast, easy, and cheap. The wet shave was pretty useless, though, and the battery was terrible. I have to recharge it once it indicates an 80% charge. This started a few months ago at 40% and keeps climbing each month. This is why I decided to get a new razor.

Arcitec 1090:This is a good electric razor, but it has some notable drawbacks:- Trimmer- Only cordless use (although the battery is supposed to last long). For the price, I would have preferred the ability to keep on using the razor once the battery dies in a few years.- Limited range of motion (as mentioned in other reviews). My older Norelco "hugged" my jawline and chin much better. Norelco boasts about "optimum skin contact in curved areas" but when shaving often there's not enough contact in some areas. Contact is great on the cheeks and neck.- No wet shaving. I prefer dry shaving, but the option would have been a pleasing addition for such an expensive razor.- Price. It's a nice razor, but not $240 nice.

On the positive side:+ Great shaves with very little initial irritation. After using it for a few days there was no irritation at all.+ Fast shaves+ Comfortable+ Low maintenance+ Easy to clean. No need to purchase additional cleaning supplies. One can use the small brush provided, rinse under hot water, and/or submerge the head in hot water with a bit of soap and turn the razor on.+ Nice display which is not ON all the time.+ Charging stand and pod. The pod is a bit larger than the razor itself, but I did not find it inconvenient when traveling.+ Fully charged in one hour+ Seems to be well constructed. Originally I had purchased a Remington F-720 designed by BMW. As soon as I took it out of its box I was disappointed. It felt like a cheap toy. I returned it and got the Norelco instead.

The 1050x, 1060x and 1090x have slightly different features but the razor itself is essentially the same. One can download the manual and compare them. I chose the 1090 since the price difference with the 1060 was minimal where I bought it, and I liked the idea of being able to see exactly how many minutes of battery I had left. I was lucky to find a place that had them on sale, and additionally I had received a coupon for a 30% discount in my purchases. I am very happy with this razor, but I would never pay $240 for it.

Conclusion:Overall I'm very happy with the Arcitec 1090X. For the price, I think that Norelco could offer a better product. I'm glad I found a great deal on mine, otherwise I would have chosen a different razor probably similar to my Panasonic.

Reviewed By : Could be better considering the price : Nov 11, 2007

Click to see Product Details & Price of Philips Norelco arcitec 1090

Canon PowerShot SD1100IS 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Pink) with Selphy CP760 Photo Printer (Pink)

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 06:06:00 +0000

Canon PowerShot SD1100IS 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Pink) with Selphy CP760 Photo Printer (Pink)

I've always had an aversion to digital cameras but I finally broke down and got this, my first one, (!) at a fantastically low price during "Cyber Week" at BestBuy. I settled on the SD1100IS Elph after having done some research, reading scores of reviews and spending time comparing similar point and shoots like Sony's Cybershot, Panasonic Lumix, Nikon Coolpix and others. I kept coming back to this one because of the style, the compact build, the numerous favorable reviews, all of the functionality and the fact that it had a viewfinder which I thought would come in handy shooting in bright sunlight.

I think it would help to know my skill level as a photographer (none) and technical ability (pretty good with everything BUT digital cameras). So if you're the technical type and looking for how this measures up compared to other digital cameras from a strictly technical standpoint, you will likely want to skip this review!

As a rank beginner I had to start out slow, poring over the manual and learning the basics, then began experimenting by taking close-up pictures of my cat. At first I ended up with a lot of washed out shots of a squinting, irritable-looking animal. Luckily within 24 hours my knowledge and skill level improved markedly (see my image posts on December 14, 2008 - three pics taken in late afternoon in foliage mode make me look like I didn't just get started yesterday..and I did).
Having said that though, I still think you shouldn't let the "point and shoot" designation fool you. If you have never used a digital point and shoot, there is a lot more to learn than pointing and shooting. In fact it's a pretty complex business to take great pictures, but this camera does help make the process as easy as possible. I found the biggest improvement I could make was learning to select scene modes for various scenarios (indoors, outside, etc.). There are so many cool features packed into this little wonder that it would probably take months to learn everything, but you can start taking pictures like a pro in a surprisingly short amount of time if you just experiment and then refer back to the manual when you need to know how to take a specific shot or figure out where you went wrong when they come out wrong. After having shot a few images that were overexposed (standing too close, should have turned off the flash); blurry (didn't follow the advice of pressing shutter button halfway down to let the camera focus first); or "noisy" - where I will experiment with adjusting the ISO settings downward) - I put the blame on myself and not the camera and I think rightfully so.

Other pluses are its size - it is really compact but not so much that it's hard to hold. You do want to put the wrist strap on and make a point of wearing it whenever you take pictures because it's easy enough to drop. I liked that it came with a charger you can just plug directly into the wall without an adapter, and that the battery charged in less than an hour and a half.

Perhaps the easiest thing of all is installing the camera software on your PC and downloading images. The image transfer was nearly instantaneous -no waiting. And I really appreciated that every time I took a bunch of new pictures and reconnected the camera, I got a window asking me if I just wanted to download the pictures that hadn't been transferred to the PC yet. No hunting around for images and trying to figure out how to just separate out the latest ones to download.

Another cool thing an advanced photogrpher will appreciate - and so will I as I learn more - is that in the ZoomBrowser application (on the accomapanying CD) you can review your photos and get detailed shooting information on every shot you take - shutter speed, aperture, light metering, ISO speed, focal length, shooting mode, image size and quite a few other things as well.
If you're still on the fence about this, shop around and hold out for a great deal. I got mine at Best Buy and they threw in a 2GB memory card as part of the package. The 32MB one it comes with is a bit of a waste of time, as it will probably only hold less than 10 high quality images.

I will admit I hesitated a long time before settling on the Elph after having been scared a bit by the negative feedback on the fatal lens error issue. Doing some poking around into this, I think it's something that probably happened in a small percentage of Canon point and shoots, and an even smaller percentage of this particular model. If you're worried, buy it locally and get an extended service protection plan. I did, and I figured it was worth the extra piece of mind for the under $18 a year for two years that I paid for it.

Not to get too far off topic but I experienced issues with faulty equipment in my Canon Pixma printer when it was brand new, and their customer service (via email) was lightening fast (we are talking a couple hours at most in each case) and they replaced the ink cartridges I needed fast and at no cost to me. I am of the impression that Canon is a great company and have only experienced excellent customer service each of the several times I have contacted them for help and/or advice.

If I had to pick one negative about this camera, I'd say that the little door that covers the entry point of the connector cable where you hook it up to your PC or TV (for transferring/viewing images) is a really flimsy piece of plastic that seems like it will almost certainly bend off with regular use. They should have made this a sturdier component considering how often it is likely to be used.

I also surfed around for cases and thought the ones Canon makes are pretty ugly and cheap looking so I settled on one made by Olympus (the slim leather case in dark brown to match my bohemian brown Canon if you're interested) which is a tiny bit larger than the PowerShot dimensions. I haven't received it yet but it appears to be high quality, well constructed item for under [...] at the authorized Olympus dealer on eBay.)

Reviewed By : Reviewer : Dec 14, 2008

Click to see Product Details & Price Canon PowerShot SD1100IS

AeroGrow AeroGarden with Gourmet Herb Seed Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 06:02:00 +0000

AeroGrow AeroGarden with Gourmet Herb Seed Kit

see update at end of review

******************

I was lamenting about only having frech lettuce, herbs, chives, and tomatoes from may garden during the long fall-winter-spring parts of the year. The refrigerated stuff from the grocery store goes bad right away and does not taste as good as the fresh stuff from the garden, either.

Then I saw a Time Magazine page on the new AeroGrow AeroGarden, and I just had to try it out. After reading the AeroGrow website before making the purchase, I realized that buying one garden would not work for me, as the tomatoes cannot be grown in the same garden as lettuce & herbs. This is partially due to the large amount of room taken up by the tomatoes, and also because the lamp/watering cycle is different and finally because the nutrients are different.

So, I bought two gardens, along with the Salad Greens seed kit and Cherry Tomato seed kit. Each garden comes with a mixed herb kit, so I figured to mix in a few herbs with the other seeds, and if they did not work, no big loss.

The products came quickly and the instructions for assembly were very clear and well written with excellent diagrams. I came to realize that this somewhat pricey product at least comes from a company that produces a classy product (a rare thing these days). I found a space on a shelf beside the basement stairs, and placed both assembled gardens there. I also bought and placed a digital thermometer with maximum/minimum temperature memory readouts ($10 at Radio Shack), because I was unsure of what temperature extremes the plants might experience in that location (68-72 as it turns out).

The seed kits contain pre-seeded planting pods. Each pod is basically a plastic cup shaped frame with two pieces of foam rubber inside the cup part, like two slices of bread with the seeds sandwiched between them. They simply insert into the seven holes in the top of the garden's water tank. The Salad Greens and Herbs come with seven pods per kit, while the Tomatos come with three pods plus four hole plugs-the plants are bigger so three of them take up thw whole space available. The hole plugs prevent evaporation of the water through the unoccupied holes.
The water tank holds exactly one gallon of regular drinking water. Well water is not recommended, presumably because of impurities, and since I am on a well I bought two one-gallon plastic jugs of 'drinking water' at the store for 50 cents each and filled the tanks with their contents. A pump in the tank takes water and pipes it to the rim of each of the seven holes in the tank's top, and here the trickle of water flows into the foam sandwich of each seed pod. The foam stays moist and the rest of the water drips back down into the tank. The garden's 'computer' cycles the water flow on and off according to the amount recommended for the type of plant being grown. A water level sensor turns on a flashing red light when it is time to add more water to the tank.

The top of the garden is a reflector with two compact-fluorescent lamps, of the variety that has the special ultraviolet (UV) coating that causes the emmitted light to resemble sunlight. The reflector rides on a vertical pole that extends up from the garden's base, so you can raise and lower the lamps as required to keep them the correct distance above the plants. The garden's 'computer' also turns the lamps on and off according to a schedule tailored to the type of plant. If using the gardens in a place where the light might be a problem at night, you can syncronize the computer so that the lights are on only during the daytime and off when you are trying to sleep.
The seed kits come with little clear plastic cups that cover each pod until the seeds have germinated, then you can dispose of them. The kits also come with a bag of nutrient tablets, which you add to the water tank when the computer prompts you to by flashing a red light. The nutrients are tailored to the type of plant being grown, and there are enough of them to feed the plants during their anticipated life span.

I planted one garden with five salad green (leaf lettuce) pods, plus one pod each from the Herb kit, chives and parsley. The other garden got the threee pods from the Cherry Tomato kit; two reds and one yellow variety.

Each seed pod has a label that tells you how many days to wait for plants to appear after germination. All of my plants appeared like clockwork.

I have had the gardens for about six weeks now, and have been enjoying salads containing lettuce, parsley and chives plus other odds and ends from the fridge, for the last two or three weeks. The lettuce and herbs are all beautiful, with no problems from bugs or too much/too little water, excessive temperatures, etc. No need to wash the plants or check for bugs or pick off bad spots, everything goes straight to the salad bowl. What a joy! Even with only five lettuce plants, I have to eat two meals including salad each day to keep up with the growth. This would easily feed two people, and if all seven salad green pods had been used, three people.

The tomatoes are all doing well ahnd have been pruned according to instructions. It will be some time yet before they produce flowers, and then fruit. But based on the health of the plants, I expect a good yield.

Each seed kit comes with a full color manual/booklet that covers all aspects of 'planting', germinating, feeding, pruning (if required) and then harvesting the plants. There are also photos of plants where things have gone wrong (leaves burned because the lamps were not raised up as the plants grew taller, etc) with clear instructions on how to recognize problems and correct them. Harvesting instructions clearly tell how much can be taken at a time without killing the plant, and so on.

The AeroGrow gardens are a well designed, well built product with excellent documentation. All my visitors are amazed at how well the product works, and many have gone out and bought their own. I anticipate years of improved eating because of this product.

*****************

Update November 2007

I used my two gardens all Winter (2006/2007) until it was time to start getting produce from my real (outdoor) garden in the Summer, at which time I put the little gardens to rest for the season. During their use, I got a large crop of cherry tomatoes, all of which were beautiful. I went through on crop of lettuce and salad greens, and when the lettuce finally bolted, I replanted with only lettuce (no chives, etc this time) and got another couple of months worth of lettuce. I have now fired them up again in the Fall, and have nice little plants popping up. Aerogrow has more seed options available now, so I have planted a more interesting kind of lettuce.

Reviewed By : P. Schmidt : Nov 28, 2006

Click to see Product Details & Price of AeroGrow AeroGarden with Gourmet Herb Seed Kit

Global Distinctions Buy-One-Get-One-Free Ottoman Set

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 04:23:00 +0000

Global Distinctions Buy-One-Get-One-Free Ottoman Set

If you don't wish to sacrifice quality too much for price, then this brand ottoman is for you. We use the small ottoman for propping up our feet and the larger one for storing our baby girl's books and toys. We have owned this ottoman for nearly a year and are very happy with it.

PROS:1. Durable construction; we use the larger ottoman to sit on when we have many guests over.2. Simple cleaning surface (easy to clean).3. Since you get two-for-one it pretty much guarantees if the smaller ottoman is not high enough for your feet, the larger one will be.4. Lightweight; easy to lift if you need to move them around.5. Soft corners; in other words baby-safe

CONS:1. Smaller ottoman sinks in if you sit on it. I don't feel it will break, but they just did not secure this part with a flat board/surface. I suppose this was done to allow your feet/heels to sink in and be more comfortable.

IN SUMMARY:Best price you will find, two-for-one, best quality (for the price you will pay). I recommend a buy.

Reviewed By : JoelNale : Aug 21, 2008

Click to see Product Details & Price of Global Distinctions Buy-One-Get-One-Free Ottoman Set

K'Nex Speed Coaster

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 04:19:00 +0000

Speed Coaster

I bought this as a project to work on together, w/ my daughter who is 3 yrs old. Interestingly enough, even though she is way under the targeted age group of 7+, she easily learnt how to snap the pieces together and w/ some guidance from me in gathering the various parts actually assembled most of the supporting structure. This definitely speaks volumes about the ease of assembly of the product.

Setting up of the track proved to be a little challenging for her (no detraction from the product) not so much for the difficulty in getting delicate track struts to snap w/ other components but more so because of the need for precision (out of the league of a 3 yr old), so had to put that together myself while she assembled the gear chains.

The entire assembly took us two days of working together (we put in a couple of hours each day). The operation held her spell bound and this has been one of our 'most fun' projects working together. My daughter enjoyed the experience and you could see her actually 'getting it' towards the end of the project. So would definitely recommend it to other parent-child teams.

Comments on the assembly:- The directions while pretty well illustrated aren't crystal clear - the coloring of the components leaves a little to be desired (had to call in the wife to decipher some colors)- The chain connecting the drive shaft is dodgy at best until you modify the assembly a little (more on that later), which is the primary cause of the loss of a star, but this is probably a common issue, so the box had supplementary information on how to tackle such a situation- No extra pieces (I can see the need for a couple of extra blue beams for support of the chain)- The tracks seem a little delicate, while my daughter did try to push the car up the incline to get it to move w/o the motor a couple of time she dint really put it through the full 'kids test', but it did cause us some concern

All of the above certainly seem like a litany of woes, but I wanted to list all the issues out, and they are relatively insignificant (especially in conjunction to the price of the product), when you consider how much fun my daughter had putting it together and running the car up and down. Though I will add, it is more fun to put together than see the car run (but that could just be me).
More on the issue w/ the chain:- The chain as I mentioned earlier was loose, this causes the chain to slip and lose pulling power- If you take off a chain link to fix the problem then it pulls the chain too tight against the frame and the motor isn't strong enough to pull the chain over, causing the shakes and rattles (thought it was going to bring the structure down- The best solution is to actually dismantle a blue rod w/ two yellow connectors on the second level of the support structure and move it to the top in such a way that it pushes the chain over a couple more of the bottom teeth of the gear wheel, this will do two things, get more of the motor torque to apply as well as reducing the play in the chain- You will also have to move the motor in a horizontal plain versus the vertical plain as shown in the pictures

The fix above probably seems complicated but it isn't. I unfortunately had to do it by trial and error after which I found the supplemental piece that showed how to do just that.

Over all a great buy, certainly recommended for kids of 'all' ages, and will prove to be a great 'project' for parent-child teams.

Reviewed By : AVJ "Aregon23" : Oct 22, 2008

Click to see Product Details & Price of K'Nex Speed Coaster

Star Wars Interactive R2D2 Astromech Droid Robot

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 04:44:00 +0000

Star Wars Interactive R2D2 Astromech Droid Robot

Santa brought R2 to my 6 year old son this Christmas. My son takes this robot with him everywhere. I was concerned that he would lose interest after a few days, but he spends the majority of his day playing with R2. The entire family has enjoyed giving him various commands and in addition to the commands listed in the Command Guide, R2 has some advanced commands (sometimes known as Easter Eggs) built in that we found on the HASBRO website. Here they are:

Advanced Command #1 - Follow Me

In Companion Mode, if you say "Follow Me," R2 will turn to find you and then attempt to follow you around. Go slowly though, or R2 will lose you and turn the other direction.

Advanced Command #2 - Come Here

Also in Companion Mode, if you say "Come Here," R2 will attempt to find you and come to you. Since this feature relies on R2's heat sensing technology, kneel down in front of R2. R2 may not come directly to you, but R2 will try and find you.

Advanced Command #3 - Imperial March Song

R2 plays up to 5 songs, but only the Cantina song is expressly mentioned in the Command Guide.
To play the Imperial March, go to Character Mode by asking "Do You Remember." Ask R2 about Darth Vader and Anakin (in any order) and R2 will play the song.

Advanced Command #4 - Sad Cantina Song

Another song that R2 plays is actually a different version of the song he sings if you command him to do the dance program (in game mode). When R2 is in a sad mood, he will play a sad version of the Cantina song. There are many ways to put R2 into a sad mood. The easiest is in 'Do You Remember'. If you ask about Darth Vader, R2 will go into a sad mood. You can tell, because his mood status indicator will be red instead of blue.

Advanced Command #5 - Celebration Song

The Celebration Song is another one of the 5 songs that R2 plays and is not expressly mentioned in the Command Guide.

To play the Celebration song, go to Character Mode by asking "Do You Remember." Ask R2 about Chewbacca, Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker (in any order), and R2 will play the celebration song.

Advanced Command #6 - A "Special Surprise"

The final hidden gem for R2 really takes a little work, as well as really knowing your droid.
First, have R2 turn on his light beam by saying "light beam." With his light beam on, tap R2 three times on the head, and then place him into Game Mode by telling R2 "Game Mode" and then "Dance program." R2 will have a special dance, just for you.

Overall, I am happy with our R2. I hope you find the commands useful for your little droid. :)

Reviewed By : Miss B. : Jan 1, 2006

Click to see Product Details & Price of Star Wars Interactive R2D2 Astromech Droid Robot

Pleo Dinosaur - A UGOBE Life Form

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 04:39:00 +0000

Pleo Dinosaur - A UGOBE Life Form

We've had our Pleo for four days now and we love him--when he's awake!

Pleo is a cunningly cute robotic toy that has a very "1.0" feel about it. For better and/or worse, you can tell that some envelopes are being pushed here. The baby dino can feel touches, knows when it is upside-down, and can "see" with a small camera in his snout. Supposedly it can hear but apparently not very well.

First the good news: Pleo behaves with a good degree of "intelligence". He will purr like a kitten and growl like a puppy; he responds to being petted or stroked under the chin. His reactions are a bit slow but generally appropriate. He won't walk off the edge of a table, although he *will* back off. He knows when something is in his mouth and will make feeding sounds or, if you jostle him, he will growl and play tug-of-war. His skill at tug-of-war is a highlight.

Also, if you decide to get a Pleo, be aware that the first few times you turn it on, it will be in a "newborn" state--sleepy and uncoordinated, wanting only to be petted. So some patience is required. It seems to take a few days for the robot to become fully active and more independant.
The bad: In current form, the battery life is frustratingly poor. Put simply, your Pleo will be an inanimate object 3/4 of the time. If your battery recharges correctly--mine overheats about half-way through--you will need to wait 3 or 4 hours to get an hour of activity from Pleo. (I knew this going in, but somehow the reality of it is worse than I expected.) Even when charged, our Pleo needs constant attention or he will quickly curl up for a nap! I understand that battery issues were responsible for the release date being pushed back by many months. A robot this aware and active obviously places great demands on the battery; it would be nice if two were included or at least available!

I debated on how many stars to give Pleo. In the end, I think it deserves 4 stars, even if only for potential. (As I typed this he walked to the desk leg and spent a minute exploring it with his camera, making sniffing noises. Then he nudged it with his snout and made a frustrated sound.) I hope that Ugobe will find a (much) better solution to the battery problem, and they have promised free software updates in the coming months.

Reviewed By : Shawn Tracy : Dec 31, 2007

Click to see Product Details & Price of Pleo Dinosaur

U-Dance Game

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 05:30:00 +0000

U-Dance

Ok, you've seen trailer here & it's also on youtube com as well as now 3 videos showing hard level in action & 1 video showing the box, tutorial, easy & medium modes. Search "U-Dance game" on youtube. Also is "Chris Brown on Ellen" from megami284 & the end part is him using it on EASY: youtube com/watch?v=YeQmddHX24Q

Plastic structure: It's basic hard plastic in 3 pieces that you click together. Once put together, it's VERY hard to pull apart w/the plastic tabs (manual says not to). Luckily it's very small considering. It take 4 AA batteries & the lid has a small screw, not a tab for some weird reason. There is no DC plug out. The a/v plugs come with it & are sealed into the unit w/place for it to wind around for storage. They are composite yellow for video & white for MONO sound which plugs directly to the TV. You cannot use any other cable for better a/v. The unit has a simple on/off slider switch on the back. The sensors are nice, simple, fabric, comfortable straps even for bare feet with simple grey colored semi-reflective octagon top. I'm surprised it's that simple & it works great/perfect.Video/Audio - Very simple graphics, but great choices considering all the memory/programing is somewhere small in the plastic housing. The background dancers on are a loop, but they are good choices & you don't notice while you're concentrating on the feet graphics. Knowing which is your feet & the ones you are suppose to step on is very easy to see. The background colors are bright & positive w/o being so colorful you can't see where you are suppose to go or where you are at the time. The menu is very simple & you step & hold on the "buttons" on screen to make your selection. It has profiles using 3 initials & it has 2 player option (I assume you take turns). You can choose which song & difficulty easy medium & hard (locked until do easy & medium). There doesn't seem to be any score retention that I can see except an ultimate high score when you are actually playing & only a check mark by a song if you did well enough, I'm not sure what score you need to get a check mark. This is one of the only cons. There is an up to 9.9 score right after you do a dance is done like a reality judging show as there are a static drawing of a woman & 2 male "judges" who turn over a circular card. If you do very poorly, which is practically missing EVERY SINGLE step, after a lot of low volume boos, the song ends w/a cheery, "Keep Practicing". The scoring on Easy is VERRRRRYYY generous which is a good touch for kids & not be too negative & keep them motivated. The sound quality of the songs was done very well & the songs not done by the original artist was done well also.Extra Mini Games: There is "Lounge lizard" with very basic floating static drawn lizards that accumulate & move faster on higher levels that you kick out of the way to keep them out of the center spotlight. I found it too simply done & not enough time/effort on programming & dull. There is also "Workout" which looks like a treadmill & with tiny sneakers being your feet, you step on the diamonds, lightning feet & health circle & avoid gum, invisible feet & the air hockey looking circular controllers since they will literally put bars to keep you from moving fwd & then untimely push you back until you can't move & ends the game. I found this mini game fun & great for foot/eye coordination.There are 12 songs to choose from: ABC (Jackson 5) Run It! (Chris Brown) Don't Stop the Music (Rihanna) 1, 2 Step (Ciara) Everybody Dance Now (C + C Music Factory) U Cant Touch This (MC Hammer) I Like to Move It (Reel to reel) Cotton Eye (Joe Rednex) Temperature (Sean Paul) Crazy in Love (Beyoncé) Dance, Dance (Fall Out Boy) Get the Party Started (Pink)Gameplay:Your "feet" turn smoldering if do well & small flames if do really well. The crowd boos & cheers & you get a metal bell ding or a low buzzer sound depending on how you do as well. You step into the newly displayed feet when the feet turn from dull green/red (green = left, red = right) to bright so you know when to move on beat. This is handy in EASY mode where the movement demand is very slow & you'll move too fast & off tempo sometimes. The feet displayed are numbered as well so you can tell how to do them in order when several are on the screen. As I said, the sensitivity to your movements is precise & impossible to do any better. I was blown away by this. You step where it tells you & even sweep over any arrows between where you are & should be for more points. You don't have to be perfect on the steps, a good 60% is fine, it only comes an issue if when you're a bit off & the a new step shows up is partially on where you are & it will see it as a mistake. Easy I would say is 1/8 the time of normal dancing. Very slow & easy for anyone with low coordination or low physical endurance. In Medium, the speed was 2/3 the speed of normal dancing, quite a difference, but easy enough to get right w/o getting discouraged & still fun during. Still very simple for those who are natural dancers. Great for teenagers or adults to play with for many hours as well as kids. Oh, btw, there is almost no learning curve, you get used to watching what you see & knowing where your left/right feet are within 2-3 song attempts for teenagers or adults. Just like any other video game.At the end of the song, before you get "judged" there is a bonus 10 seconds where you sweep/move your feet to get rid of all the arrows to add to your score. In some songs, watch out for the white "bumpers", if you hit them, you lose all bonus.It's a GREAT idea, works well, almost perfect toy & a GREAT gift for anyone who likes to move/dance, who wants to learn to dance, who wants a fun way to exercise, who wants a way to improve coordination, or even a party game w/friends. The only cons/minor inconveniences are the batteries, the a/v plugs, lack of score retention, more songs & lack of foldability in half to make it really compact for storage.

I really hope this kills DDR & opens up more games ideas & play both for dancing & possibly other game ideas & uses. In a lot of ways, this is as good as a Wii title. This really has a potential to be used for other games for great interaction, maybe even for the hands? I hope this game idea is marketed unlike the Playsation 2's Eye Toy camera game line which was also great but wasn't marketed at all.

This was written when I paid 70 & hence cons/quibbles & 4 stars. For anything under 50 this is a GREAT value/STEAL & 5+ stars.

Reviewed By : Lana S : Nov 30, 2008

Click to see Product Details & Price of U-Dance

Omron HBF-400 Body Fat Monitor and Scale

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:02:00 +0000

Omron HBF-400 Body Fat Monitor and Scale

As a scale the Omron HBF-500 is excellent. It is consistent, in tests with my wife and I (who are more than 100 pounds different in weight) the scale gave the same weight each of 5 times in a row that we stepped on it. So it is consistent. I am a nurse and weighed myself on our calibrated scales and found that this scale weighed me 0.5 pounds heavier than the hospital one, which can be explained by the glass of water I drank when I got home. So it is both consistent and accurate.
So what about the body fat monitor: As to the accurracy of the monitor I cannot speak. However, it is very consistent, much more consistent than the experience that I have had with the handheld-only monitors from Omron. The scale will calculate your percent body fat & your percent skeletal muscle. It will also give you a reading of your visceral body fat, which is a better indicator of your health risk associated with body fat (visceral body fat is the fat which is inside your body surrounding your organs, which subcutaneous fat is the fat that we all see just under our skin). Using these calculations and the user-defined height, weight, and age data that you enter, it will give you your resting metabolic energy needs for the day to give you an idea of how much you should be eating to lose weight in a healthy manner.

The scale has 4 user profiles so that 4 different users can use the scale and track their data. Data can be recalled letting you know what your measurements were yesterday, a week ago, a month ago, and 3 months ago.

The handle fits well inside the front of the scale. I was expecting the scale to be bulkier than it is. It is just a little taller than a normal scale and very attractive. It isn't something that you're going to need to hide between uses. Just put it where any normal bathroom scale would fit.

The scale is a little bit difficult to use if you haven't read the instruction manual. The good news is that the manual is very easy to use and very informative. Plan on 5-10 minutes of reading time when your scale first arrives. You will be glad that you learned all about what your new scale does. After skimming the manual, my wife and I are both able to operate the scale and use all of its functionality.

Price-wise, this seems like an excellent value. The cost of a high-quality scale added to the price of a decent Body-fat monitor (which won't give you the more detailed body composition detail of this hands-and-feet monitor) will be more than the price of this one unit. Also, this unit keeps all of your data in one location. So for the price, this unit was a no-brainer for me when it was time to buy a new scale after my old one stopped being consistent and accurate.

Highly recommended.

Reviewed By : Jacob Hantla "hantla.com" : Jan 18, 2007

Click to see Product Details & Price of Omron HBF-400

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Natural Whey, Chocolate, 5.13-Pound Tub

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:55:00 +0000

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Natural Whey, Chocolate, 5.13-Pound Tub

1.Strawberry BananaWith vitamin D MilkTaste 10+After taste NoneComment: Wonderful Taste,Best flavor I think i have ever tasted.I would most definitely buy this is 10 pound bags if able.

2.Rocky RoadWith WaterTaste 2After taste noneComment: Made it with 8oz of Water, very sweet taste, sat inmy stomach for 30 minutes like a pile of sand.

3.Mint ChocolateWith vitamin D MilkTaste 7After Taste a little "diety", but not muchComments: Good flavor, kinda like a girl scout thin mint.

4.Milk ChocolateWith vitamin D MilkTaste 7After Taste Slight "Diety" after tasteComment: Tastes like a 'YooHoo' chocolate Drink made with Sweet n' Low.

5.Double Rich ChocolateWith vitamin D MilkTaste 9After Taste NoneComment: Great Flavor and could easily be taken after a work out. Does not havean overpowering candy flavor like some of the other flavors. For aChocolate lover this would be great in bulk.

6.Caramel Toffee FudgeWith vitamin D MilkTaste 2After Taste Like you just downed a pound of sugarComment: Take this after a work out if you want to vomit. This flavor is VeryOverpowering with Candy/sugar flavors. Ghastly to say the least

7.Choco Mocha CapacinoMade with WaterTaste 6After taste Like a coffee, obviouslyComment: I don't mind this flavor, but buying this in bulk is putting your selfin a position to obtain a gag reflex from any thing coffee related.

8.Chocolate MaltWith vitamin D MilkTaste 5After Taste A weird stomach Coating feelComment: Ya, it felt like my stomach was being coated in chocolate milk.Not a good feeling, No way could I drink this on a daily basis.

9.Cookies and CreamWith vitamin D MilkTaste 4After Taste A weird tasteComment: I don't know how to explain this, it has little crumbs of cookies that havenothing to do with the taste, this doesn't taste at all like cookies or cream.

10.Root Beer FloatWith vitamin D MilkTaste 8After Taste NoneComment: Not too shabby, a strong taste of ice cream with a wet kiss of root beer.I don't know how I would feel after a work out drinking this, but it ispleasant.

11.Tropical PunchWith vitamin D MilkTaste 7After Taste Sits in stomachComment: Creamy fruit punch taste. The product sits in your stomach however andand the feeling doesn't pass for a good 20 minutes.

12.Banana CreamWith vitamin D MilkTaste 6After Taste NoneComment: Wonderful flavor however it doesn't measure up to some of the others.The other fruit flavors were great and this one seem to more like aBanana laxative.

13.Vanilla CreamWith vitamin D MilkTaste 7After Taste NoneComment: Taste was very much like the Vanilla ice cream. The flavor was good however Ido not think it was worthy of a 5 pound bucket. You would most likelyget tired of this flavor very quickly, and it is very sweet.

14.Vanilla Ice CreamWith vitamin D MilkTaste 4After Taste NoneComment: Taste was alright, seemed to resemble powdered milk mix with extra sugar addedI was not a fan of this one by no means, if you really like Vanilla I wouldsuggest buying a 2 pound bucket and try that first.

15.StrawberryWith vitamin D MilkTaste 8After Taste NoneComment: My default, one thing to note though is that the "ON" label makes the samplefar different than the bucket servings. The sampler was rather good, the bucketI would give one less point. This is my default though and I have yet to get tiredof it. I honestly love the Banana Strawberry much more though... BY FAR!

16.Orange CreamWith vita

min D MilkTaste 7After Taste NoneComment: I only give this an 8 because I love the fruit flavors and I love oranges.This flavor however was VERY disappointing. This tastes exactly like thewonderful Orange cream pops you used to eat when you were little. After awork out I don't see how anyone could down a sweet ice cream flavored orangesugar pop. ...Ya, so I didn't care for this too much, if you like the sweetstuff, and you love oranges, this could be just for you.

Reviewed By : Daniel S. Shepherd "God can change anyone" : May 13, 2008

Click to see Product Details & Price of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Natural Whey

Smartparts SP72 7-Inch Digital Picture Wood Frame with Beige Matting (Espresso)

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 03:37:00 +0000

Smartparts SP72 7-Inch Digital Picture Wood Frame with Beige Matting

Pros:=====- Overall quality is excellent. Images are smooth.- Back stand prop is very sturdy, as is the frame itself.- Very bright and clear. (Has controls for brightness, contrast, contrast, and tint.)- Remote control is flat and light. Can be stored with ease.- Has many photo transition options.- Can display one or four images at a time.- Can display only one specific image if you want to.

Cons:=====- The one bug I've encountered is that (after a month of use) some images of a high resolution with a perfect 4/3 width/height ratio would be resized to something *smaller* than the frame's resolution and were displayed in the center. Basically, my rectangular images would be displayed in the middle of the frame with a ~40 pixel border of unused space. I've only seen this occur once so I haven't experimented with what causes it or how to fix it easily, but I converted all my 4/3 images size to match the exact resolution of the frame (800x600) and they display perfectly fine now. Note that it could just be a minor bug that can be fixed by removing the card and reinserting it. I haven't been able to play with that yet.

- USB transfer to inserted flash cards is painfully slow. Transferring .6 MB (one reasonable resolution photo) takes over 6 seconds. I would advise that you use your computer(/camera) to put all the images on the card that you want. Only use the USB interface to tweak the existing files, ie to remove and add a couple pictures.

- Slowest slideshow speed is about 27 seconds per picture. Not much of a con but I would prefer something more like one picture every minute or two. (A look at other digital frame specs seems to imply that all other frames have this same restriction.)

Notes:======- The digital screen has an 8 inch diagonal. The entire frame itself is 8 and 3/8 inches by 9 and 5/8 inches.- If you have images of largish resolution (say greater than 1600x1200) that you have displayed vertically, this means that the 1600 pixel height of the image will be scaled down to the frame's 600 pixel height. If the fame does this, it will give a hint of a grainy look. If you care to, you might want to scale the image down using a smart software program to get a better quality scale, and then use that image. Not a fault of the frame, just a practical limitation. Scaling 3 -> 1 makes it hard to preserve detail, especially if the image has lots of detail (ie, a facial close-up with a flash).

- Following from above: If you have pictures that you think look grainy, try resizing them to the frame's resolution with an intelligent software program. It will likely do a better job than the frame can do.

- The default brightness and tint settings may be a bit high. This is most evident in closeup photos with a flash. You may want to lower those two default settings from their defaults by a bit.

- I haven't tested the video/music playback, so I can't evaluate their functionality.

The "cons" section is longer than the "pros" section, but that's because there's more detail to say. In no way do the cons outweigh the pros.

Overall I'm very pleased with the frame. I scoured the reviews of a lot of digital frames before deciding on this one, which had good reviews. I have not been disappointed. I would highly recommend this frame.

Reviewed By : Bradley Jamison Conte : Aug 27, 2008

Click to see Product Details & Price of Smartparts SP72 7-Inch Digital Picture

Tomy I-SOBOT Robot

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 03:27:00 +0000

Tomy I-SOBOT Robot

Right to the details first...

^++ The Pros ++^

+ Excellent price to functionality ratio. It walks, it talks and it can balance on 1 leg...It can even do a somersault (to name just a few things)...All for about the price of a Robosapien V2. But in terms of robotics ability the V2 is a $0.99 Store cheapy in comparison.

+ Comes packaged with 3xAAA Eneloop batteries and a battery charger. This is an excellent addition. If you're not familiar with Eneloops brand batteries, in a nutshell they have an outstandingly low self-discharge rate while in storage. So no worries if the Robot goes off to storage for a bit, the batteries will still be decently charged when I-Sobot makes a re-appearance

+ It walks. Not some gimmicky pseudo walking, I-Sobot actually stands on 2 feet and takes human-like steps.

+ It can get back to a standing position, using 1 of 2 sequences based on whether it's on its back or belly.

+ It can balance on 1 leg and do kicks (front kicks, like kicking a soccer ball, and side-kicks like doing martial arts).

+ 4 Modes of operation:

+++ Remote Control Mode: Essentailly a real-time mode almost like a video game, where your inputs have almost immediate results.

+++ Special Action Mode: Enter in special key sequences and I-Sobot does pre-defined actions, such as doing a re-enactment of the "go ahead, make my day" from Dirty Harry.

+++ Program Mode: Enter in multiple sequences from the other modes and save them to be played in order

+++ Voice Command Mode: I-Sobot reacts accordingly to certain voice queues.+ I-Sobot was conceptualized and made in Japan. Anyone familiar with the Hobby of Humanoid Robotics knows that Japan is essentially the forerunner of the hobby, not to mention the Japanese following for it (compared to any other country, especially America) is far higher. This makes the I-Sobot both an impressive feat of engineering and durable/reliable.

+ Excellent re-playability. Take the Tickle

-Me Elmo TMX as an example. I bought one for my young son and only after a couple of minutes of watching it do the same things over and over, he lost interest and Elmo has been collecting dust ever since. The I-Sobot, on the other hand, has kept him near mesmerized for a couple of weeks and even now that's its been months later, I-Sobot still makes near daily appearances to entertain him.

^-- The Cons --^

- The I-Sobot DEVOURS battery power! If the robot is going to be used on a regular basis, I'd highly recommend buying at least 2 more sets (6 more AAA size) of batteries. The robot has 17 servos, so it's to be expected and par for the course to power this little marvel.

- No volume adjustment. The speech and sound F/X is quite loud and unfortunately there's no volume adjustment.

- Effective on flat, even surfaces only (like Hardwood Floors). It'll work on carpet and such, but not reliably.

Final WordsEspecially now that the I-Sobot can be had for under 200 hundred dollars (with a little shopping around, WELL under 200), it's a great time to pickup one of these truly bi-pedal humanoid robots. You'll find yourself coming back to it again and again, not to mention anyone you show it to is impressed at seeing something about the size of a chunky action figure walking, talking, kicking and doing air guitar!

If you've ever had a fascination with robots, the I-Sobot is the real deal.

Reviewed By : Lincoln J. Mennuti : Nov 9, 2008

Click to see Product Details & Price of Tomy I-SOBOT Robot

Himalayan Salt Lamp

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 11:05:00 +0000

Salt Crystal Lamps from The Black Tai Salt Company [...]

Black Tai Salt Crystal Lamps have a similar effect to the ionizer. However, the natural ionization of a crystal lamp cannot be compared to an ionizer. A salt crystal lamp can only have an ionization effect. However, salt crystal lamps have many advantages in many aspects and improve the general atmosphere of a room. If the lamp is next to a television or computer monitor, it's effect, through its electromagnetic field, of the device is in approximately the 100-160Hz zone. Our brain waves however, produce only 8Hz according to the Schuman resonance frequency. Therefore, the body is exposed to up to 20 times higher frequency patterns than it is generally used to. The consequences of this exposure result in nervousness, insomnia, and lack of concentration or concentration weaknesses. In addition, there will be an accumulation of more free radicals in the body, known to be a cause of cancer.The salt crystal lamp binds the negative ions with the excess positive ions. When the lamp becomes warm, it absorbs moisture and the crystal will be damp on the surface. This builds up the ion field. Through the lamp, the positively charged atmosphere of a room can be neutralized. In addition to this, the colors of the salt crystal stones have a healing effect. The therapeutic value of the colored crystals can reorganize the epidermal layer of our skin. Tests made with kids having ADHD symptoms have shown that after only one week of exposure to crystal salt lamps, their symptoms subsided. After removing the lamps, the symptoms returned.Research resultsIt's a well know fact that, through scientific and empirical research, salt crystal lamps exhibit biophysical characteristics, which demonstrate a positive effect on our well-being. From a scientific view there are three natural action principles at play: ionization, the electromagnetic oscillation and the transparent-crystalline structure developing the light waves.Before we discuss the above mentioned characteristics of the salt crystal lamps in detail, we would like to point out that salt is a primal element, like water and air and its natural minerals and trace element have unique biophysical and biochemical characteristics. Salt is to be regarded as neutral, chemically as well as physically, without its own polarity, always balancing and neutralizing. Exactly like our planet earth's makeup, human beings consist of about 70% water; brine water more specifically. This enormous potential on enclosed brine solution transmits the cosmic oscillation (vibration) energy, not only evenly over our planets, but also reaches deep into our most minute cells and nerves. It is not only the salt from chemical view that the body needs salt in order to maintain our entire bodily functions, but the salt, from biophysical view, will always be able to bring the body back into its natural energy vibration rhythm.

I. Salt Crystal Lamps and IonizationWorld-wide laboratory tests with the most diverse kinds of measuring methodology furnished the proof that the lit salt crystal lamps deliver ions to our environment. Primarily, the research points to an increased number of negative ions. The emission of ions is primarily caused by the alternating actions of the salt's ability to first absorb water, then evaporate it. To explain this more precisely, the heated salt crystal attracts the water molecules from the ambient air to its surface. The salt goes into a solution as it mixes with the water molecules. Sodium, as the positively charged ion, and chloride, as a negatively charged ion, becomes neutral and are emitted back into the environment. The uniqueness of this ion emission interrelation is only possible with the mineral salt, since salt possesses this transformation ability with water due to it's electrically neutral atomic structure. Scientific investigations of the last decades proved clearly that a balanced ion relationship with a little surplus of negative ions, can have extremely positive affects on our entire physical condition and our health. The heated salt crystal lamps can be referred to, according to research, as natural ion generators. Here however it is pointed out that the emission of ions by heated salt crystal lamps, should not be regarded as the primary characteristic, because from scientific standpoint, the surplus of negative ions is negligible. More important is its ability to clean the ambient air.Depending upon size and surface area of the salt crystal used for the lamp, the ambient air surrounding it is measurably cleaned by the transformation cycle of hydrogen and oxygen, as well as sodium and chloride ions. This characteristic is especially helpful for relieving the symptoms associated with asthma and allergies in general. The research of the characteristics of pure, or cleaned air through the action of the salt crystal lamps, is based on a medical therapy called Spelaeotherapy, a treatment where the patient enters an underground salt mine and is exposed to the concentrated atmosphere of negative ions. Further scientific research has not taken place yet under medical guidance, since scientific investigations are still at the beginning stages. One cannot compare the therapeutic effect of a singular salt crystal lamp to the effects found in a salt cave (mine), when conducted according to medical guidelines. However, there have been a great variety of holistic and positive self-therapy results, which can be classified as scientifically subjective, and should be recognized and considered.

II. Salt Crystal Lamps and Electromagnetic OscillationThe Earth is surrounded by an electromagnetic belt, and within this belt every form of life comes and goes. Therefore, every form of life on this planet earth depends on the power of this electromagnetic field of vibration, known as the Schuman resonance frequency, which states that the given frequency of this electromagnetic field is at 7.83 Hz (cycles) per second . This value in known to be the resonant frequency of our earth. The resonant frequency is the most often frequency of measurement applied to mammals and can be measured as the resonant frequency of our brains with an EEG. Also, a salt crystal, in its neutral state, exhibits this exact frequency oscillation value. But due to our industrialized and technical way of life, the human organism is being affected, particularly in our homes and offices, to artificial electromagnetic wavelengths with the most diverse frequency values, caused by electronics devices. These frequencies have been proven not only to disturb our human organism, but also to promote illness, since they constantly overlap our natural resonant frequency. As a result of this constant exposure to various frequencies, our own electromagnetic energy field becomes imprinted by the frequencies forced upon it, which upsets the natural development of our cells. Because of the atomic structure of the salt, which is already neutral, it is most likely that the artificial frequencies can be harmonized or balanced by the lit salt lamp as it works as a natural amplifier for the resonant frequency of 8-10 cycles per second, which is so necessary for our life. With the use of a salt crystal lamp we can adjust and neutralize electromagnetic wavelengths caused by electronic devices in natural way.

III. Salt Crystal Lamps and Light WavesWhen we talk about light we mean, for the most part, the oscillation energies, or electromagnetic wavelengths, which lie in a nanometer range visible to our human eye. From the color therapy it is well-known that the human organism needs the light waves of the rainbow spectrum (300-700 nanometers) for the health and preservation of the body. Our body's cells are supplied by light with new energy in the form of electromagnetic wavelengths. Thus the atomic structure of each individual cell vibrates in its own given order and can radiate bio photons as the cell's own electromagnetic energy field.The specific oscillation values of salt crystal lamps depend upon crystalline color structure in the so-called warm clay/tone range of 600-700 nanometers. For decades, the field of medicine has been using irradiation with monochromatic light, since these color vibration areas exert direct influence on our cell producing functions. To what extent a salt crystal lamp can be employed for natural irradiation therapy, is yet to be seen without further research. However, salt crystal lamps have been used therapeutically for years.© 1999 - Institutes of Biophysical ResearchThe Black Tai Salt Company and Katen TransLogic

Click to see Product Details & Price of Himalayan Salt Lamp

Pyramat S2000 Sound Rocker Gaming Chair

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Pyramat S2000 Sound Rocker

I got this chair off of coke rewards and even though I have surround sound system, it still was a good buy. This chair kicks butt for sound. You would not think it by looking at it, but if you were in apartment and cranked this baby up full blast people from all the way down the hall could hear it and you would probably get kicked out of your apartment.

The chair is basically like sitting on a decent quality speaker that you would use for a nice entertainment system. It has a nice bass although you have to mess back and forth to get the right amount of sound to bass.

It is incredible to be playing a battle game or horror scenario game (which I did and it had a heart beating that scared the crap out of me) this chair will really draw you into the game not only with the sound but because the sound is vibrating through your body, which can be really cool and really creepy.

Only things to watch out for are

1) the chair as other reviewers have said is not that comfortable, you can sit in it for a while but there is no place to lay your head so your neck starts to ache alittle..anyways just play for alittle while and then give it a break and then go to gamin' again

2) you can only sit on the chair if you weight 200 pounds, I know it sounds crazy, what person would weight over 200 pounds that does not take care of them selves, well we live in a world of fast food restaurants and don't even have time for sleep let alone exercise so, it is just alittle disappointing that they could not accommodate for the husky gentleman or gentlewoman
3) be careful with the cords and with the rocker. the cords that come with the rocker are awesome that they come with extension cords but they are average grade and so is the plug in for the power. So if you are not careful you could get it underneath the weight of the rocker (and believe me it is heavy) and could be so long cords. just be careful as I am sure most people are just a warning

that aside this is an awesome chair for gaming, when it comes pass that it does not seem fit for the realm of movies, television, or computer (unless you have a laptop). so this purchase would be most likely for gamers only.

Reviewed By : cartoon starving : Aug 4, 2008

Click to see Product Details & Price of Pyramat S2000 Sound Rocker

Homedics SBM-300H Therapist Select Shiatsu PLUS Massaging Cushion with Heat

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 05:40:00 +0000

Homedics SBM-300H Therapist Select Shiatsu PLUS Massaging Cushion with Heat

Since developing a bulging disk (now under control, thankfully) a few years ago, I have gone through two of Homedics' Shiatsu massagers. I wore the first one out, and still have the second. While both of the previous models performed wonderfully where the Shiatsu massage was concerned, I felt that Homedics' missed the boat by not including a heat function in those early versions of the chair massager.

But that was in the past. Homedics has hit the ball out of the park with their new chair massager offerings! Not only do the newer models have a heat function, but the massagers can perform either a Shiatsu massage or a rolling massage. I confess to not being very excited about the rolling massage when I read about it. I was convinced I would test it only for the purpose of reviewing this device, and then stick to the Shiatsu massage. Having tried both, I have to say I am more than impressed with the rolling massage and find myself giving both massage styles equal time. The variety proves even more effective than the strict Shiatsu did before, something I didn't anticipate, but makes sense now.

I said before that my bulging disk issue subsided some time ago, but I still have a flare up with my Sciatic nerve periodically, and I definitely hold a lot of tension in my back. My job in the IT industry as a Systems Engineer has me in front of a computer all day during the work week, and often in server rooms where the keyboard, mouse, and monitor position is decidedly not ergonomic. In fact, I am often standing in front of a rack-mounted server to work, with a keyboard positioned for a man instead of my 5'5" height. Needless to say, the job creates a great bit of tension in my back.

The Homedics massagers serve very well to reduce the tension in my back. The new model, SBM-300H Therapist Select Shiatsu PLUS Massaging Cushion with Heat, shows a vast improvement over a device that already worked very well. The adjustable rollers allow the massager to hit any spot on your back while using the rolling function, whereas previously you had to reposition your body on the massager to accomplish this. The pause feature is another I've wanted for years. This allows you to temporarily pause the massagers to work out a particular spot that needs more attention. The heat function is everything I hoped for - covering the whole of the back, it works better than a standard heating pad does, but with a more gentle heat. Although the temperature is not adjustable, it is set at a level that is both effective and comfortable.

The price on this device is more than fair, considering the benefit received from its numerous functions. Using the Homedics SBM-300H Therapist Select Shiatsu PLUS Massaging Cushion with Heat regularly prevents me needing to visit a professional masseuse frequently, keeping my back more relaxed and agile and maintaining a quality of life and physical comfort that I could not do without.

Reviewed By : Jennifer Ray "Reviewer for Wild on Books" : Nov 9, 2007

Click to see Product Details & Price of Homedics SBM-300H Massaging Cushion

Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 05:17:00 +0000

Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor

First, let me say that I am obsessive when I buy electronics. For a few days I will do research on various forums and consumer electronic sites in an effort to make sure that my hard earned money will go to the best product. Most of my research lead me to the Garmin 305, and I couldn't be happier.

When I received my Garmin I was waiting for all the problems that some of the reviewers had; band didn't fit, battery had problems, screen was too small, and performance problems. Let me just say, after spending a few weeks with the 305, that I believe most of the bad reviews are based on the reviewers not understanding how to change or manipulate the features on the 305. Almost all of the poor reviews I have seen--minus the actual faulty machines--could have been fixed by either reading the manual or just tinkering around...even the dreaded "erratic" pace count can be smoothed out.

The Good:

1) Does even more than I thought it could! Whatever you want this little machine for, it will blow you away with its versatility.

2) It is very light! I wear a stainless Submariner which is twice as heavy as the Garmin 305.

3) The 305's GPS is accurate...extremely accurate. I have 3 courses I run on a regular basis. I know the exact length of these courses and was anxious to see if the 305 could perform. I was astonished that it was exactly right! I would have been happy with a 50-foot+ standard deviation...but it was exact!

4) No problems with the heart rate monitor. Once again, let me state that most of the people that have problems with the heart rate monitor are probably plagued by user error.
The Bad:

1) I wish I could put more that 4 items on the screen. I know people have complained about not being able to see the screen, but I find it easy to read...I just want a few more items on it.
2) Should have a color screen.

3) I would prefer that it comes with a Velcro athletic band. I know they can smell after a few workouts but I like the convenience.

Lastly, I have only written a few reviews on Amazon as I feel that can't make that much of a difference in a consumer's opinion...but let me say this; if you want a watch that will keep track of your location, distance, speed, heart rate etc., then you need this watch. You can't go wrong!

Reviewed By : Where did all the Lee Marvins go? "jb2008 1" : Dec 12, 2008

Click to see Product Details & Price of Garmin Forerunner 305

TomTom ONE 125 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 03:25:00 +0000

TomTom ONE 125 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

The TomTom ONE 125 3.5-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with U.S. Maps is one of many new updated GPS units available this fall. It is compact and well designed. And for those with more extensive foreign language needs than the standard "English or Spanish" options included with most beginner units, the two dozen included screen languages and even more spoken languages will blow you away.

Perhaps the overall best feature is the "map-share" updates that allow users to alert when a route has been closed or changed due to construction. Instead of having to pay and wait for next years update, if you subscribe to this you get it for free! Additionally, the TomTom's safety features are also head and shoulders above the competition. The included menu allows you be alerted with speed warnings, traffic cameras, and even directions to emergency services via the one touch "Help Me!" menu.
However, there are some basic features missing, including an SD memory card and text to speech directions. While I do not intend to outline all the features of competing products, I am going to compare this product where relevant to show users where they might need to consider other options. I personally have owned many Garmin models, one Magellan Maestro and a starter Navigon unit. There are even many more options on the market today, but I believe most users should be choosing from these four brands for a starter unit.

PROS:+ Great compact starter GPS unit with convenient all-in-one form factor+ The "map-share" updates are the killer app of the TomTom GPS line; bad routes are corrected by users like you, and you can get the updates with the application+ Comes with a GPS, USB PC syncing cable, car power adapter and mounting disk+ The included integrated mount is more convenient, though it mounts closer to the window than I would like+ An updated map is provided free of charge if they come out within 30 days of purchase+ Add-on applications and updates are not all free but still priced better than Garmin's+ AWESOME safety feature extras to alert for driving breaks, speed limits and thresholds+ Also warns you by default to remove the unit when you reach your destination+ Cool safety camera alerts give you audio and video of cameras on your route+ "Help Me!" emergency menu directs you to emergency services with one click+ Status bar preferences also allow extra features (compass, next street, etc.)+ Many more included car symbols than Garmin or Magellin+ Includes a pedestrian mode comparable to Garmin's under "planning preferences"+ Interface Includes icons to alert you when you are nearing POIs+ Does seem to update route changes faster than other models+ Gives you the option to automatically avoid delays with traffic updates (though receiver is sold separately and it's not clear if and where one can be connected to this model)+ The TomTom Home application makes it VERY EASY to update settings and download software extras+ Still displays info even without a connection, unlike the Garmin models which sometimes *hide maps* till they find the signal again+ While it is equally poor at acquiring signaly bring all your maps on cards- The power / USB connection port is recessed into the bottom of the unit; this may make it hard to use some standard USB cables to connect to your computer in a pinch- The standard USB connection cable has a connector that is at a right angle, which keeps it out of the way but also makes it harder to remove- Dashboard mount disk must be stuck with adhesive to your dash; Garmin friction mount is better, though they do sell alternative mounts that are comparable for the TomTom- Need an additional attachment for traffic service (though not great in all areas)- Must hold on/off button for a long time when turning on- Did not come pre-charged, like my Garmin did- Software interface is not as slick as others like the Garmin and the Navigon- Neither the 2D nor the 3D views are as attractive as any of the other brands- Not the least expensive starter unit on the market- Does not include text to speech to give you spoken street names- No included Bluetooth (though not great in all areas)- Must hold on/off button for a long time when turning on- Did not come pre-charged, like my Garmin did- Software interface is not as slick as others like the Garmin and the Navigon- Neither the 2D nor the 3D views are as attractive as any of the other brands- Not the least expensive starter unit on the market- Does not include text to speech to give you spoken street names- No included Bluetooth connectivity to pair with your smart phone for hands free operation- Traffic receiver is sold separately and it's not clear if and where one can be connected to this model- Won't alert you to missed turns and will automatically recalculate, which may not always be ideal- Equally poor at acquiring signals as other models- Without a signal, the screen gives you much less device information (such as battery life)

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The product description notes this unit as "widescreen." It is not really widescreen. This is the standard 3.5 inch size that all starter units come in. In fact, though the body seems slightly more narrow than the Garmin 200 series, the screen is exactly the same size. The Garmin simply has a larger border area around the screen. It's adequate for me, but those with weak eyes often prefer the 4.3 inch widescreen models.

The description seems to indicate that this unit includes Bluetooth, which it doesn't as far as I can tell. Bluetooth has become an almost standard feature for GPS unit. If I can find a way to pair my BT phone with it, I will update this. But this seems like a typo to me.

FEATURES VERSUS THE COMPETITION

Garmin has been feverishly updating their lineup, and the entry level unit that compares most closely with the TTO125 is the Garmin nüvi 205 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator. It is one of several updated models in the 200 series. Like this unit, it has a similar size and form factor.
The Navigon 2200T 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator includes the additional features of text-to-speech (for street names) and free traffic alerts. It's also much slicker and has a 3D reality view that is best among all manufacturers. Similarly the Magellan Maestro 3250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator adds a host of features, though the improved looks are still a notch below Navigon. It also includes maps of all of North America and Mexico standard. However, neither Magellan's nor Navigon's data updates are as good as TomTom's. Still, given all the extras, they are both strong competitors as well.

Some of the higher-end 4.3 inch wide Garmin versions like the Garmin Nuvi 205W and Garmin Nuvi 255W offer more features and a bigger screen.

Learning where to go in the menu to change settings also seemed less intuitive than the Garmin. One thing I may have to wait a year to learn is whether they are going to spam me with *map update* sales pitches like the Garmin does.

Like all GPS units, this one also has the dreaded delay in finding satellites, particularly when indoors. However, once you do find a satellite this unit seems to hold the signal well. While satellite acquisition seems about the same on all my units, holding the signal was better on the TomTom.

CONCLUSION

This is a GPS unit that covers the basics very well and has many more software options than entry level models from the competition. Thanks to map-share and TomTom Home, the data seems to be updated better than units from Garmin, Navigon or Magellan. So if you need a starter GPS, this gives the Garmin a run for its money.

But the included features, even for base models, are not nearly equivalent to competing units. The look and feel is also not nearly as slick, though that should matter less than features and functions to most people.

But of course, value is a concern. For the price of Garmin's maps, they have guaranteed I will probably never buy an update from them. With the TomTom, investing in extra apps or updates might actually be a little easier to swallow. But the prevailing prices for the Garmin units themselves, including the 205, 255, and 255W, make most of them a better value. The 205 sells for about 20% less than this model, and the wider screened 205W goes for around the same price. Even a few 600 and 700 series models are not too far off in price. And many models from Garmin, Navigon and Magellin also include Bluetooth connectivity and free traffic updates.

If you need the frequent updates and extra choices in languages, the TomTom One 125 wins hands down. Similarly, the safety features are really tops in this product category. Some may just want the TomTom because they prefer the simpler looking interface. But considering the greater number of features and lower costs of most comparable Garmins, many will opt for one of those models instead.

Enjoy.

Reviewed By : Mark "Technology, Music & Movies" : Nov 19, 2008

Click to see Product Details & Price of TomTom ONE 125 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Omron HR-100C Heart Rate Monitor

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 03:23:00 +0000

Omron HR-100C Heart Rate Monitor

Being a person who hasn't ever joined a gym, I never knew stuff like this existed. I was very interested in this item because I've been walking for exercise but wasn't really sure I was reaching my target heart rate consistently.

The monitor, which displays the time as well as your heart rate on a watch, works in conjuction with a gizmo that you strap around yourself, just under your chest. (I will tell you, since I was concerned about this, that it's hardly noticeable once it's in place...it's a 12" or so long piece of plastic with an adjustable elastic strap...not very bulky at all!) The monitor also features a stopwatch and an alarm, so that after you set your minimum & maximum desired heart rates, you can be alerted when you are out of range. The alarm is a "beep-beep" that I can hear over the book on tape I drag along with me. Your heart rate is updated every second or two so you will always know if you need to pick up the pace a bit.

Although I have not yet had to do so, the chest strap has a removable backing, and you apparently can change the battery yourself (this is a big deal, I guess, since some of the more expensive monitors require that you send them to the factory for a battery change). The elastic strap is also completely removable, which makes it very easy to wash (and you will need to if you're exercising!).

The monitor comes packaged in a small, zippered carrying case, and includes an attachment that allows you to place it on a bicycle handlebar.

This does everything I need it to, and I recommend it for anyone who is just getting started in an exercise program.

Reviewed By : ll2 : April 26, 2006

Click to see Product Details & Price of Omron HR-100C Heart Rate Monitor

Rubik's Professor Cube 5x5

noreply@blogger.com (Best Buy HDTV) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 05:33:00 +0000

Rubik's Professor Cube 5x5

I did order a 4x4x4 Rubik's Revenge Cube and when I got the cube, it was stiff and hard to rotate. This new 5x5x5 was barely stiff and didn't require much lubrication. I use Silicone to lube the inside of the cube.

The cube is fragile like most cubes bigger than the standard 3x3x3. Though this cube moves very well and is built very well. My only concern is the 8 center pieces on each side. The very center piece of just fine but the pieces surrounding it are quite loose but are at least staying on.
People have actually complained about the cube being heavy, the pieces pop right off the cube a lot and the stickers peel too much.The cube is heavier than a 3x3x3 and 4x4x4 but honestly, if you can't handle the weight of the cube you are just skin and bones. The pieces will pop right off if you try to speedcube with it or not take care of it; the commonsense stuff. Finally, the stickers will peel off eventually, but will peel immediately if you treat it poorly; scratching it, sliding it across a desk, storing it some place where it can be scratched or crushed.

Overall, the cube's construction is very well done and is not that challenging because I can solve a 3x3x3 and 4x4x4 without any trouble. This is a good brand, Eastsheen (a rival brand) cubes are garbage and this is the brand you should go with.

Reviewed By : Mareaus Andrada : Feb 12, 2008

Click to see Product Details & Price of Rubik's Professor Cube 5x5