Toshiba 57H81 57" HDTV-Ready TheaterWide Projection TV
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $3,199.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Toshiba's 57H81 57-inch HD widescreen projection television offers two ColorStream HD component-video inputs, SRS 3D surround sound, and stereo MTS sound with dbx noise reduction.

This HDTV-compatible set (540p/1080i) is configured in a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio, offering film detection with true 3:2 pulldown, a 3D Y/C digital comb filter, and a wide, 160-degree horizontal viewing angle. The two speakers each receive 15 watts of audio power and benefit from Toshiba's Sub Bass System (SBS). ... Read more

Features

• SRS 3D surround sound and Toshiba's Sub Bass System (SBS)
• 57-inch HDTV-ready projection television with 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio; 52.1875 x 55.74 x 23.625 inches (W x H x D)
• 3D Y/C digital comb filter and special picture-in-picture feature for split-screen viewing of 2 TV stations simultaneously
• Parental control, three picture modes (sports, standard, movie) or user selectable settings
• Connections: 2 stereo analog RCA outputs (1 fixed-level, 1 variable-level), 5 stereo analog RCA inputs, 1 monaural center-channel input (RCA), 1 composite-video and 1 RF audio/video output, 2 component-video outputs, and 3 S-video inputs

Reviews (10)

OH MY GOD
This was definitely one of the best purchases I have ever made.The clarity of this television will blow you away.One complaint that I have to make is the fact that I had to purchase surround sound after I received the television.This tv with surround sound and a good dvd player will make you want to watch all of your old movies all over again.I am beyond impressed and very happy with the toshiba brand name after making this purchase.(one small note, the green projection lense went bad after a week, but warranty covered it)

In Living Color
I did a lot of research before buying and, for its price range, this TV seemed like the best bang for the buck.When I finally took the plunge it initially looked like I had made a horrible mistake.Right out of the box, the picture was truly horrible.After quickly using a reference disk with calibration patterns to tune the TV, an amazing transformation took place.The picture was absolutely gorgeous!

I've now had this TV for several months, and can honestly say it's been a great purchase.Perhaps the most noteworthy strength is how vivid the colors are.Really, it's virtually impossible to overstate how beautifully and powerfully colors appear on screen.Put "Toy Story" in your DVD player and put it on the screen of this baby and your jaw will hit the floor.

Give yourself a treat and bring one home soon.You'll be glad you did.

This TV does not disappoint
I purchased this TV in November after much research online and in the various stores...This was the best set for the price and I could not be more satisfied.After 5 months of owning it, I don't know how I did without it!The picture is clear, the sound is terrific and nicely complements my home theater system...Although leary about spending nearly [$] for a purchase online, I was very happy to save the cost of shipping and sales tax.My only complaint was that the company that delivered the set sent only one person for what is clearly a two person job.I ended up having to help the guy get it into my house. ... Read more

Asin: B00005NGRV
Subjects:  1. Projection    2. Big Screen    3. HDTV (HDTVs)    4. High Definition Television    5. enroute    6. Television (Televisions, TV, T.V., TVs)   

The Longest Journey
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (17 November, 2000)
list price: $39.95 -- our price: $19.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Before embarking on The Longest Journey, check yourpreconceivednotions of reality at the door. While this may play like a traditionaladventuregame, the story is anything but conventional. As art student April Ryan you'llsoon discover you have the ability to bridge two worlds--the 23rd-century,science-oriented Earth that you live in, and its counterpart, Arcadia, wheremagic is reality and technology is the stuff of legends. Telling you more thanthat would spoil the story, but suffice it to say that your ability to crossbetween the two worlds must be used to save both.

The game spans four CDs and needs all that space to hold both the gorgeousgraphics and hours of high-quality speech. Everyone you meet has plenty tosay,and you'll want to listen to everything because the game contains some of themost brilliant voice acting ever recorded. Each character has such a distinctand engaging voice that you could play this game with your eyes closed and itwould maintain much of its beauty, although you likely won't want to blinkafteryour first glimpse of the game's detailed environments. The graphics run at afeeble maximum resolution of 640 x 480 but are packed with enough atmosphereandanimation that they look great even on a large monitor.

The Longest Journey obviously excels from a technical standpoint, butit's the writing that really makes it memorable. April maintains a diary thatcan be read to give players further insight into the game's strange events,andinto April's mind as well. Lengthy conversations that seem tedious at firstlater serve to really make you care about the game's characters. They becomemore than simply people who exist to dispense items or tell you where to gonext, and it's fascinating to watch April develop as she slowly absorbs thegravity of the situation into which she's been thrust. This game may seem likethe longest--and most boring--journey at the beginning, but after a few hoursadventure fans and anyone else who likes a good story will probably wish itwould never end. (Note to readers: this game has an ESRB rating of Mature, andcontains a lot of adult language.) --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Outstanding production values
• Terrific writing
• Should run well on practically any computer

Cons:

• Many of the puzzles are too contrived
• Game gets off to a slow start

... Read more

Features

• Over 150 locations spanning two distinct and detailed worlds
• More than 70 speaking characters
• Exciting mix of 2D and 3D graphics in high-resolution
• Supports both 16- and 32-bit colour depths in software and hardware
• Each scene featuring multiple 3D characters with up to 1,000 polygons each

Reviews (198)

Great Game
I'm normally a strategy gamer but I heard so much about The Longest Journey, I decided to try it.I bought it used from Amazon, and have been playing it nonstop since I received it.

The story is excellent so far - it could stand on its own as a fantasy novel.The writing is great.Some people have criticized the game for the use of 4 letter words, but the dialog really reflects the way young people speak.Most people, if they're honest, will admit that they spoke that way when they were 20.

My only quibble with the game is that some of the solutions to the puzzles were too obscure.I believe that, without internet access, lots of players will not be able to finish the game.This would be a shame, as the story and dialog are so good, everyone who plays should be allowed to play through to the end, even if they can't solve the puzzles.

Disappointing at best
I can usually approach media with the sense that it comes from a certain time or period. But when I bought The Longest Journey based on the positively glowing reviews, I expected to be wowed regardless of technical limitations. I expected not just one of the best adventure games ever, but "one of the best games ever."

I have played other games in the adventure genre and what I found reassuring, I suppose, is that it would give you gentle guidance on where to go and what to do. Even if it ended up killing you, you would be able to eliminate one possibility.

The case is not so with The Longest Journey, and this was what I found to be merely one of the very frustrating aspects to the game. In each new area I would become stuck, knowing exactly what I was *supposed* to be doing, but not knowing what to do in order to trigger the event. Eventually I learned that I had to talk to characters an inordinate amount of times to trigger everything that I was supposed to. This took away from the flow of the game by forcing me to backtrack often, and to listen to a lot of text 5 minutes long that could really be simplified into 5 sentences.

It's not that I don't enjoy dialogue, either. I love hearing the characters come to life through inflection, but I need something more than a bare wall to stare at while I'm listening. All of the character faces are animated, I can see them moving as the characters speak, but we never are close enough to see them. This seems like an especially poor decision to always distance the player from the people involved. That is also why I put in a recommendation for Knights of the Old Republic instead of this game. KOTOR manages to spend the majority of the time talking, and still not seem boring about it. It's not that I'm a slave to graphics, either. Blade Runner managed to be an excellent adventure game in all its pixellated goodness, and Bad Mojo is one of my favorite adventure games of all time. But all these games shared a deep connection with the characters involved, which brings me to my next point.

The story, supposedly the selling point of most adventure games, seemed lackluster and very, very anticlimactic to me in this game. Often there would be characters that would be introduced or placed in danger, and I knew I was expected to feel some sort of response for that, but the encounters between characters were often either too short or not focused on the characters themselves, leaving me confused why they were placed in the game at all except as a deus ex machina, a vehicle to conveniently push the character forward. Furthermore this left me confused as to why the lead character, April, should care so much about people she had just met, and made it very hard for me to relate to her.

Next, the puzzles, supposed to be the secondary focus of adventure games, were sometimes very easy (inventory items and on-screen hotspots accounted for most of this) or much too obscure. (Maerum temple, anyone?)
I was never given any indication of how to solve any of the puzzles, although most of them I figured out through a bit of foresight and some tedious errand girl running back and forth. To me that doesn't make a very "fun" game. That makes a frustratiing and needlessly nitpicky game.

Finally, and I realize this is a bit of a cheap call, but the ending was pretty lame in my opinion. It answered no questions, gave no excuses, and seemed altogether too sure of itself. It seemed to me as if the screen faded to credits, and the developers turned to the player to say "See? Wasn't that *amazing*?"

The game was at its best when it first introduced a new area or character, because it was then that I was filled with that sense of wonder and anticipation characteristic of many adventure gaes, but I was consistently disappointed with the results due to a lack of technical prowess and an insanely disappointing lack of intuitive gameplay.
I would suggest looking at other games first, most especially KOTOR, but even something as moderately entertaining as "Primal" on PS2 has this game beat, I'm afraid.

With some hope, the sequel, an action-adventure hybrid, will feature a more close relationship with its main characters, not to mention a better concentration on contextual rather than incidental storytelling.

Profanity and pro-homosexual propoganda
I bought this game because the reviews I read were glowing and it looked like it had good graphics.

When I got home and loaded it (it took forever to install) I discovered that the game was 95% just walking around and talking to various characters. Some of the characters are homo-sexual and the language was terrible. I don't want to listen to profanity or some gay woman telling me about her sexual life. I just wanted to play an adventure game. I didn't want to hear all the gay talk. After about a half an hour I had had enough of this game.

This game was totally boring with reguards to gameplay.

The content was vial.

The profanity was plentiful and totally uncalled for.

I give this game my lowest rating.

... Read more

Asin: B0000507UR
Subjects:  1. Computer Games    2. Adventure   

Supernova
by James Spader Peter Facinelli Robin Tunney
Director: Walter Hill, Jack Sholder, Francis Ford Coppola
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (30 July, 2002)
list price: $4.94
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Filmmakers apparently count on the fact that generational turnoverrenders old formulas fresh again for new audiences. Which is the only explanation for this sci-fi thriller, which could kindly be called an homage to Ridley Scott's trendsetting Alien. A medical rescue ship responds to a distress call from a mining colony and finds only one survivor: a strange young man (Peter Facinelli), who comes aboard carrying an even stranger alien artifact. But the plot of this film, which was directed and then disowned by Walter Hill, grows confused as it tries to explain the sinister force that will lead to a star going to supernova status, causing a universe-shattering explosion. Some nice sexual tension between James Spader (as a recovering drug addict who is the ship's copilot) and Angela Bassett (as the ship's doctor). Notable mostly, however, for the eerie resemblance, both physical and vocal, between Facinelli and Tom Cruise. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Dolby
• NTSC

Reviews (95)

Average story and acting, spooky to be in space!
This film has average acting and storyline.The very cliche' of being trapped on a ship with a rogue criminal has been beat to death over the years, but we still find this film fun in that it shows how deep into space you can get.Gives you a feeling of cabin fever and vertigo.If you like Sci-Fi I would suggest to rent Mission to Mars or Red Planet before you go with this film.

In the early years of the 22nd century, a medical rescue team is traveling the netherworlds of deep space, waiting to answer emergency calls aboard what amounts to an interstellar ambulance. Captain Marley (Robert Forster), pilot Vanzant (James Spader), medical officer Evers (Angela Bassett), medical technician Penalosa (Lou Diamond Phillips), paramedic Lund (Robin Tunney), and computer technician Sotomejor (Wilson Cruz) pick up a distress signal from a group of workers involved in a mining operation on a comet. But as they move in for a rescue, they discover that this isn't the mission of mercy they were expecting.

They pick up Larson (Peter Facinelli), a mysterious and menacing man with a strange alien artifact, who draws the ship into the orbit of a huge star that is due to explode into a supernova at any time!

Not As Bad As They Say
I was expecting to see a terrible movie, like Battlefield Earth terrible.But this film was actually well-done.The story was suspenseful and the acting was great.Too bad Robert Forester's role isn't as big as it could have been.First he was in Black Hole, then he's in Supernova.I wonder what solar-related sci-fi film he'll be in next?:)
This film is worth checking out.Even after all the negative hype, it's 1 1/2 hrs well-spent.

Really awful picture
Done in the Dean Devllin/Roland Emerich style of little script, tons of cgi effects, and really bad acting.Movie looks like it was edited very poorly, both the PG and R rated versions make no difference.It's sill a poor movie. ... Read more

Asin: 6305922640
Subjects:  1. Science Fiction   

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary)
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (1998)
list price: $25.95 -- our price: $22.06
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

The 1998 10th edition of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary marks the 100th anniversary of this distinguished and popular reference standard, and this is more than just an interesting statistic--it means that Merriam-Webster brings years of experience and reams of citation files to the creation of this latest edition. Improving on their last dictionary, they've added more than 100 pictorial illustrations and supplemented the synonym paragraphs with examples. Along with the English dictionary, which forms the heart of the reference, the editors at Merriam-Webster have included a brief introduction to the English language and a history of the English dictionary, a guide to pronunciation, and a series of appendices that include chemical element abbreviations and symbols, foreign words and phrases, extensive sections with biographical and geographical names, signs and symbols, and a handbook of style.

But getting back to the book itself--it's impressively comprehensive for a collegiate dictionary, with more than 215,000 definitions. Each item includes a pithy wealth of information, with first usage date, etymology, and pronunciation, and clear, precise definitions. In addition, there are often usage notes, synonym cross-references, illustrative quotations, variant spellings and pronunciations, regional labels, and information on capitalization, function, and inflections. Then there are the extra touches. Under bible, for example, there's a chart detailing books of the Old Testament, Jewish Scripture, Protestant apocrypha, and books of the New Testament. Under months is a table listing the months of the principal calendars--Gregorian, Jewish, and Islamic. And wonderful line drawings illustrate terms such as mackerel, lyrebird, hedgehog, and the ancient Celtic stringed instrument known as a crowd. All this makes it a valuable reference--detailed enough for editors and writers, accessible enough for students and casual definition seekers, updated with the new vocabulary of technology, and rigorous enough for the linguistic perfectionists. --Stephanie Gold ... Read more

Reviews (78)

GREAT BOOK
This is a one stop dictionary. All you need under one cover. I purchase other dictionaries from Oxford, Collins and Cambridge to name a few and this one tops them all by a long shot. For what you are getting you should be paying a lot more. BUY THIS DICTIONARY NOW.

Ugly Font Makes Viewing Distasteful
The font used in the entry window is plain ugly; so ugly in fact that I doubt I will replace my American Heritage Dictionary with this one. The characters are too close together and some portions of some characters are lined too heavily.My system is Microsoft Windows 2000. As a test I installed the product on another W2K system with the same result.
Other notes: it tries to install Adobe Acrobat over a more recent version.

Very good for everyday use
An important issue with choosing a dictionary is finding a balance that meets your needs.

My first choice of dictionaries is the 20 volume OED for depth and breadth of coverage. Some disadvantages of the OED are the price and the size. My second choice of dictionaries is the Shorter OED, which is smaller (2 volumes) and cheaper, but has about 1/3 of the entries (roughly 500,000).

My third choice of dictionaries is the "New Oxford American Dictionary," which is easy to carry and use - it has roughly 250,000 words. The NOAD is handy because it has definitions arranged in order of most common usage - "core meanings" followed by related senses. It does not have the extensive literary citations that the OED and shorter OED have.

My fourth choice of dictionaries is probably the Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged, which has about 450,000 words. The disadvantages of this dictionary are that the main text has not been updated since 1961 (although an 89 page addenda is added at the beginning), the layout is hard to follow, and it's a bit unwieldy.

Which brings me to my fifth choice of dictionaries, which is the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate dictionary. This dictionary has roughly 200,000 words, so it loses some breadth and depth of coverage. However, it's very useful for everyday use, and a nice balance between portability and breadth and depth of coverage. ... Read more

Isbn: 0877797099
Subjects:  1. Dictionaries    2. Dictionaries & Terminology    3. Dictionaries - General    4. English Language Dictionaries    5. English language    6. Reference   

The Essential Barbra Streisand
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (29 January, 2002)
list price: $24.98 -- our price: $22.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Barbra Streisand's bravado made her one of the 1960s' overnight sensations. This 40-cut compendium traces her recording career from early tracks that frequently relay her subtlety to often impressive accommodations with soft rock and still later vibrato-fests that find her taxing the limits of performer's ego and listeners' ears. The narrative is one of direct, sometimes showy, emotion giving way to empty displays of technique. By 1983's icky anthem "A Piece of Sky," Streisand has plowed under the light touches of "Lover, Come Back to Me" and the triumphal Central Park version of "Happy Days Are Here Again." Where she produced schlock masterworks when teamed with Neil Diamond ("You Don't Bring Me Flowers") and Donna Summer ("Enough Is Enough") in the '70s, a diva summit with Celine Dion led to the car wreck of 1997's "Tell Him." Essential wraps up with previously unreleased takes of "Someday My Prince Will Come" and "You'll Never Walk Alone." --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Features

• Limited Edition
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (93)

This Truley is Streisand's Highlights from her career
This collection goes from the year 1963 - 2002 the album is perfect, it has many of her greatest songs Its great to have a Cd with her "Esstential Recordings " Their is not a bad song on the entire Cd i also loved the two new recordings "Some Day My Prince will come " And the greatest versoin of "You ll Never Walk Alone" Barbra is truley amazing i love all her cds and all her songs . This is a great Collection to add to your cds. Because what would music be without the One and Only Barbra Joan Streisand

A world without Barbra is a very sad world, indeed
I love Barbra and have ALL her records.That's right!ALL.But why carry so many CDs when you can get this double disc collection, which has, like, everything!!I am in heaven right now, and I'm loving every minute of this fabulous album.Buy now!Make it an urgent priority.

I adore this album...
...firstly it represents Barbra's career quite well, from love ballads to show tunes. Secondly it always makes me feel great when I play it. Thirdly no ones voice can send you like Barbra's, it is just so stunningly crisp,clear and beautiful and she is one singer no one tries to immitate, how could they?
A great album for fans and the uniniated alike. The cover is not a this page suggests either, this one of two cover photo's, one, as here, is a very 70's Barbra with an Afro style perm and the other, older, wiser, still georgous and with sleek stright hair. Isn't the lady just brilliant? ... Read more

Asin: B00005V3WH
Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Musicals    3. Pop    4. Pop Vocals    5. Soft Rock    6. United States of America   

Panasonic DVD-RV31S DVD Player (Silver)
Average Customer Review:
Electronics (25 March, 2001)
list price: $199.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Panasonic's DVD-RV31S DVD-video player delivers a combination of quality video and special features usually found only in more expensive players, if at all. Among many other features, the DVD-RV31S offers MP3 playback, robust connectivity, and an advanced version of Panasonic's simulated surround sound with proprietary Bass Plus technology and a dedicated subwoofer output.

This unit's state-of-the-art component-video outputs allow for digital video transmission to compatible video equipment. It also offers standard composite-video outputs and an S-video output. A built-in 27 MHz/10-bit digital-to-analog video converter maximizes picture quality from these outputs, while brightness, color, and contrast controls let you fine-tune picture quality.

A digital-cinema mode illuminates the picture and fine-tunes color, even in low-light scenes. Additional video features include one-touch cinema memory, freeze frame, frame advance, and black-level controls.

An optical digital-audio output channels a bitstream for DTS and Dolby Digital surround sound, fostering glorious home-theater sound when decoded with an appropriate surround receiver.

Advanced Virtual Surround Sound (VSS) simulates a surround effect using only your two front speakers. Furthermore, the DVD-RV31S's dialogue enhancer pumps up the center-channel output to emphasize a movie's spoken audio. A 96-kHz/24-bit digital-to-analog audio converter and dynamic range compression (for late-night viewing) complete the DVD-RV31S' robust audio arsenal.

If you're not quite ready for 5.1-channel audio but already have a powered subwoofer, you'll appreciate the versatility of this player's discrete subwoofer output. The DVD-RV31S's pair of analog-audio stereo outputs along with its subwoofer output simulate theatrical sound by setting up a two-channel-plus-bass output that sends all low-frequency information to your subwoofer.

A built-in stabilizer and twin-laser pickup offers improved playability with the DVD-RV31S. Playback formats include DVD-video, video CD, audio CD, MP3-encoded CD, CD-R, and CD-RW. (Please note, however, that MP3 playback may vary depending on the content and disc type used.)

For your viewing convenience Panasonic's high-speed scan comes with five speeds, and the player also offers chapter preview, updated onscreen menu icons, a front-panel jog-shuttle dial, and a multibrand remote control.

Panasonic's DVD-RV31S comes in silver and is Energy Star compliant. This model is covered by a one-year parts, 90-days labor warranty. ... Read more

Features

• Also includes S-video output, component-video outputs, multibrand remote control, and front-panel shuttle dial
• DVD/VCD/CD player with MP3, CD-R, and CD-RW playback
• Optical digital-audio output for Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound
• Features Panasonic Advanced Surround (VSS) system with Bass Plus, 1-touch cinema memory, and dialogue enhancer
• Discrete subwoofer output routes home theater sound to your subwoofer

Reviews (50)

Beware..Big Defects and they don't care
Mine died just after the warranty period. Got the dreaded "error"
message and tried everything to bring it back to life!!The new "Panasonic" is not the company of old. They sell garbage and feel little remorse. It would be easier to swallow if it was a cheap Chinese player for $30 but it's not!!

Piece Of Junk.Do Not Buy!
I will never buy anything again from Panasonic after purchasing this piece of junk. I had it for a year almost to the day and used it probably 10 times. Then one day it gives me this H02 error and stops working. I search on the internet about this error and find a thousand other angry customers complaining about the same problem, all saying they didn't even use it that much but it still failed. I called Panasonic who said they wouldn't do anything because it had been over a year. There should be laws against making products so cheap they can't even be used 10 times without failing. What a waste of money.

ben lake and the hdv600
We just wanted to say thank you! to Ben for his fantastic advice about the infinitely annoying HO2 message on the hdv600.Very helpful and thank you so much.Unfortuately I am now getting an ho5 error message, if one at all.I have had my hdv600 for 3yrs which seems better luck than ppl have had with this model.. But what's ho5?! ... Read more

Asin: B000059ZZH
Subjects:  1. godfather, shrek, phantom, star wars    2. DVD Player (Digital Versatile Disc Players)   

All-Clad Stainless Solid Square Spoon
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $19.99 -- our price: $19.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Renowned worldwide for its cookware collections, All-Clad now makes kitchen accessories, and that's welcome news to serious and professional cooks. This 13-inch solid spoon is a perfect example of the tools' professional-grade quality. It's made of heavy 18/10 stainless steel that is polished to a mirror finish. The handle, which features the same famous design used in All-Clad's cookware, is grooved on the top and rounded on the bottom for comfort and holed in the end for hanging on a hook or peg. The spoon is slightly cupped for scooping out, say, simmered beans, and its leading edge is straight and slightly angled to fit the bottom of a pot. All-Clad tools are dishwasher-safe and carry a lifetime warranty against defects. --Fred Brack ... Read more

Features

• Lifetime warranty against defects
• 13-inch spoon with straight, slightly angled edge
• Durable, professional-grade tool
• Made of heavy 18/10 stainless steel polished to mirror finish
• Handle grooved on top, rounded on bottom for comfort

Reviews (2)

Heavy but even worse...it scratches my All-Clad pans!
I bought this All-Clad stainless spoon and was very excited to use it but it was very disappointing (and heartbreaking!) I used it on my brand new All-Clad stainless pan and it scratched up the pan really bad with just one time of light use! Hence, I have put this spoon away b/c I don't want to ruin any of my other metal pots and pans.I guess I could use it to serve but it defeats the purpose of me spending this $$ on it.

This spoon looks nice but it is very heavy.My arm got tired from using it to stir-fry.I don't recommend buying it.Cooking shouldn't be this painful.=(

Best style of spoon ever!
My mother had a squared-off spoon ever since I can remember.It is great for cooking, getting the corners of the pots, and completely covers the bottom of the pan!No need to use a spatula and a spoon with this one!I have been looking for years to find one for myself and am greatful to find one here. I would encourage all cooks of all ages and experience to get one for themself and anyone they know! ... Read more

Asin: B00005AL7M
Subjects:  1. All-Clad    2. (Allclad)    3. (Al-Clad)    4. Tools    5. Gadgets    6. Cooking Utensils   

Fujifilm Superia X-TRA 400 35mm Film (4-Pack)
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $12.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

This package includes four rolls of Fuji 35mm Superia X-TRA 400 ASAcolor print film with 24 exposures per roll. The X-TRA 400 speed deliversexcellent results when shooting action subjects or shooting in low lightconditions. The Superia X-TRA has a patented 4th color sensitive emulsion layerdesigned to capture true color even under fluorescent lights. The two-stagetiming DIR couplers improve color brilliance, enhance edges for sharpness, andimprove the rendition of reds and purples. The film is DX coded for use incompact automatic cameras. It can be developed using standard CN-16 or C-41processing. ... Read more

Features

• Captures true color even under fluorescent lights
• 35mm color print film
• 400 ASA
• For action or low-light shots
• Patented 4th color sensitive emulsion layer

Reviews (9)

Great film!
I use this film just normally for everyday stuff.It isn't grainy when you enlarge the photos, and the colors are just outstanding.I use the 800 for the really important stuff though because I think the colors are more vibrant.But, for just vacations, stuff around the house, the 400 will do a great job.Anything less it basically a waste of money.I shoot at least a roll a week just of everyday life and this is the one that I choose all the time.I have a basket full!

I love this film
This film has great color production and performance.The price is also just right.You can't go wrong with the Fujifilm Superia X-TRA 400.

Best all around film
Modern 400 speed films are better in every way than the slow 100 speed films when I first started shooting 35mm.Because of this I see no reason to shoot anything slower than ISO 400 these days.Of all the color films I like Fuji Superia the best; the colors are rich and saturated without looking unatural.Grain and sharpness are very good for a fast film.This is now my standard film.I buy bricks of Fuji Superia X-TRA and onsies and twosies of everything else and my pictures have never looked better. ... Read more

Asin: B00004TWLZ

Brazil
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (06 June, 2000)
list price: $17.98 -- our price: $17.98
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

This Brazil's greatest hits album is made with such affection and panache that it's all but irresistible. Vocalist Rosemary Clooney, in her autumnal prime and possessing a spot-on feel for the material, teams up with guitarist-singer John Pizzarelli and a superb ensemble led by her pianist, John Oddo, in delivering this love letter to the magical music of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luis Bonfa, et al. The familiar tunes--"One Note Samba," "Boy from Ipanema," "Wave," "Dindi," "Corcovado," "Once I Loved," and eight others--get fresh, even surprising interpretations. Take Jobim's "Boy from Ipanema," where Clooney, her voice deepened by time but still resilient and lithe, duets with the exquisitely breathy Diana Krall, who adds gently swinging piano lines. Or that wonderful Ary Barroso standby, "Brazil," done in three tempos: an out-of-time opening with Clooney speak-singing; a very leisurely samba, recalling the 1940s and 1950s; and a brisk bounce, where Pizzarelli plays glowing-toned lines.

The slower tunes have an enchantment all their own. Clooney invests such bittersweet songs as "Corcovado," "Once I Loved," and "Meditation" with lyric readings so wise and informed, you know she's been there. The achingly poignant "How Insensitive," a duet with Pizzarelli, is a heartstopper. The vibrant "Desafinado," perky "One Note Samba," and complex "Waters of March" are among the solid matchups between the voices of Clooney and her guitarist. They each swing in their own manner, and their harmonies make a good blend. Pizzarelli is the featured vocalist on "Wave" and "Dindi" and plays the beamingly upbeat "Sweet Happy Life" (a.k.a. "Samba de Orfeo"). Throughout, first-rate solos from the likes of saxophonists Gary Foster and Nino Tempo and trombonist Chauncey Welsch add vital flavors. If you're a Clooney or traditional Brazilian fan, this is a must-have. --Zan Stewart ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Truly Wonderful CD by one of the greatest singers ever
The songs on this cd are Brazilian classics, and Rosemary Clooney sings them beautifully.There's not a bad song on the entire cd.Go ahead and buy this one - you won't regret it.

Rosie Good As Ever, Simply Shines
I can't believe all the negative feedback I've been reading from other buyers of this CD.Yes, this may not be Rosie's BEST, but it's still right up there alongside some of her great releases in the last 15-plus years on the Concord label.It's also unfair comparing this release to those by Sinatra and Fitzgerald in their heyday.If Rosie was their age (mid-40's) when she recorded this bossa nova and Jobim recording, then yeah, this release might've turned out differently, maybe much better, just like those by Frank and Ella.You're comparing someone who's in her early 70's to artists who were decades younger when they recorded the same material---does that sound fair??

Fans of Rosie have to judge the music for what it is---which is still excellent.She's in great voice here and the arrangements are superb.Rosie's bandmates should be commended for accentuating her vocals, never overwhelming them, which is what Brazilian and bossa nova music are about----subtlety and elegance.John Pizzarelli certainly deserves his spot alongside Rosie on some great duets, and surprisingly, gets his own solo on 3 tracks here, which I can't understand why the folks at Concord are so generous to allot him these many tracks on a Rosemary Clooney release??He certainly acquits himself very well.Surprisingly, the WORST track on the CD is the duet between Rosie and the now red-hot Diana Krall on "Boy From Ipanema".Krall's vocals drag this duet down into the gutter.She sounds listless and unenergetic---some verve and energy would've helped, Diana!!Even Clooney can't rescue this downer track from Krall's saggy interpretation.Other than that, I still rate this CD a "Strong Buy"!By the way, Rosie, Happy Birthday today (May 23)!Happy 74 years !

A remedy for insomnia...
Someone who reads this looking for a recommendation to buy or not to buy.... Now THAT is the question...It depends on what you're hoping to hear.

If you are looking for the soft guitar instrumental and pleasant sounds that reflect the Brazilian life of leisure, you'll like this album.Clooney and company do it.If you're hoping to hear the big band or jazzy excitement that a Clooney performance always conjures, then you'll probably be disappointed.

Forty years ago, Clooney's sound had an almost South American flavor and maybe somebody, somewhere thought the old gal still had it in her pipes.Either the arrangements on this album are lackluster, or her samba days are gone. She's known for picking only songs to sing that are a compliment to her talents and this choice surprises me.The collection comes across as a little too sleepy and relaxed... almost to the point of boredom. ... Read more

Asin: B00004TQYE
Subjects:  1. Bossa Nova    2. Jazz    3. Pop    4. Traditional Pop    5. Vocal Jazz   

Nokia 900 mAh NiMH Extended Vibrating Battery for Nokia Phones
Average Customer Review:
Wireless Phone Accessory
list price: $39.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Compatible with most vehicle chargers
• Battery vibrates when phone set to silent mode
• 30 percent more capacity than ni-cad batteries of the same size
• Environmentally friendly
• Compatible with Nokia 5100, 6100 and 7100 series phones

Reviews (11)

Be quiet!!!
The vibrating battery is a great idea for people, like me, who do not like to see everybody staring at you when your cell phone rings.I also am very annoyed by other people's cell phone ringing louder than the person next to them.A vibrating battery is a great solution to that.

This particular battery could, however, be a little stronger.When I take the bus or on the subway, I can sometimes not feel it vibrate, and therefore miss a call (which is not the end of the world, by the way!!)

Vibrating Battery
This Battery that is a vibrating battery is an excellent choice, before when I heard a cell phone go off with the same ringtone I would always look down to see if it was mine, But with the vibrating feature I now now it's for me.

Nokia Battery
This battery is pretty cool the only thing is that my nokia 5165 Cell phone does not fit into my other holder. That is a small price to pay for a vibrating battery. The battery holds an excellant charge. Try out this battery. ... Read more

Asin: B00004W64Y
Sales Rank: 2386

Artline 6200 Coach Lamp Bird Feeder
Average Customer Review:
Lawn & Patio
list price: $9.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• 16 inches high
• Bird feeder; features gold-colored American eagle and dome
• Dome swivels open for easy refilling
• Large 6-1/4-quart capacity; 4 sections
• Comes with 5-1/2-foot steel pole

Reviews (1)

A Good First-Time Bird Feeder!
This is a good buy for someone purchasing their first bird feeder. The pole which is enclosed is rather flimsy and not that tall, so for security you really need to replace it. By all means, purchase a squirrel guard,because if squirrels get up on the feeder, which they will, they not onlyeat all the seed but they also severely gouge the bottom tray and seedfalls out more easily. If you're really serious about a bird feeder, then Iwould try one that is sturdier. ... Read more

Asin: B00002N8FI
Sales Rank: 2392
Subjects:  1. Backyard Birding    2. Bird-Watching    3. Bird Feeders    4. Seed Feeders    5. (Birdfeeders)    6. (Birdwatching)   

Segway Human Transporter (HT) i Series
Average Customer Review:
Electronics

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Early Adopters Pick: November 2002. World's first dynamically stabilized Human Transporter; forward and backward maneuvering guided by rider's natural motions.

The Segway Human Transporter (HT) is a truly 21st-century idea. A two-wheeled electric vehicle that's practical, efficient, slightly miraculous, and an undeniably fun way of getting around, it's as different from a bicycle or motorcycle as the original personal computers were from their lumbering, mainframe predecessors.

Control
In our tests, we rode the Segway HT in a variety of indoor and outdoor environments. Zipping along on the little platform was so steady and comfortable, we quickly forgot how much technology was at work to keep us balanced. The Segway HT moves forward with cues from your body language--the subtle leaning you use to balance yourself while walking or running. When you lean forward, the Segway HT goes forward. A walking lean produces a walking rate, a steeper running lean can bring the machine to its top speed of 12.5 mph. The Segway HT stops when you right yourself again.

Steering is controlled separately with a small twist-grip on the left handlebar. The Segway HT's two-wheeled design makes it quite agile--it can do sharp turns and turn completely in place. Sharper turns require slight leaning into the turns, as you'd expect, but the Segway HT helps by actively regulating turn responsiveness based on your speed. One small complaint: using a throttle-like control for turns instead of acceleration did take some getting used to, but the inconvenience was minor and went away over time.

Overall, we were surprised how quickly we were able to get comfortable on the Segway HT. A novice can be underway in seconds (with supervision) and ascending ramps and turning figure eights in minutes. After training and a few hours of use, a rider should feel comfortable with a wide range of activities.

Riding
The Segway HT moves briskly along on both paved and rough terrain, taking ruts and potholes bumpily but with no loss of control, even for the beginner. Modest hills were ascended with ease and without much discernable effort. All things told, the Segway HT seemed rugged enough to provide reliable transportation in pedestrian environments ranging from rural trails to the sidewalks of a congested city. And utility aside, it's worth stating that the element of machine-assisted balance was a continuous delight. We simply had more control over our movements than we previously could have imagined possible. This was particularly true on downhill rides, where our body language had a degree of command over gravity so unusual that it produced a dreamy, floating feeling.

The Segway HT is not a medical device; if you can't easily stand upright or endure some jostling on varied terrain, it will not solve these problems for you. But while the Segway HT cannot provide balance that the rider doesn't already have, its responsiveness brings a subtle beauty to the rider's movements. We watched more experienced riders start, stop, swoop, and turn as gracefully as figure skaters. In fact, the machine's ease of use could create some overconfidence. The Segway HT has not suspended the laws of physics--its wheels need traction. While the machine will keep itself level under almost any situation we could imagine, a careless rider who drops a wheel over a curb, or tries to turn too quickly on a slippery surface, certainly could take a tumble. Segway advises that riders wear a safety helmet (like a bicycle helmet) and start out in the Beginner mode before moving on to the faster settings.

User-Friendly Design
The Segway HT's controls are simple. A single round display on the handlebars shows either a smiley face (meaning "get on") or a frown face ("get off"). A graphic surrounding the face indicates the battery level. The Segway has no brakes--slowing down involves the same process as acceleration--and its gentle rate precludes any need for a speedometer. We timed its startup speed from the off position to ready to ride: pressing an encrypted "key" to the key port (the key looks like a large watch battery on a plastic fob), hitting the start button, and waiting for the smiley face to come up took a little more than one second.

This machine is clearly designed for close interaction with pedestrians. Its footprint is only a bit wider than a large man, so we were able to do things like ride comfortably in an elevator with another Segway HT rider and a pedestrian, with an almost disappointing lack of bustle or incident. The machine can haul 75 pounds of cargo and still support a 250-pound person, though you'll need touse the HT's soon-to-come mounted accessory bags for any serious buying trip.

Usability
Having ridden a Segway HT, we think almost anyone would be delighted to try this machine. Inevitably, however, one must ask about how usable it is. Clearly, it isn't a car: it won't carry multiple passengers or much luggage, go long distances, or protect you from the elements. Still, we thought of many circumstances where the Segway HT could be a fun and practical alternative to other modes of transportation. We can see potential users as regular folks traveling to and from work each day, students and professors in college towns, city dwellers who take many short trips, retirees in Sunbelt resort communities, vacationers traveling with RVs, and people with easy access to nature trails and walkways.

Well-Built Construction
We had the opportunity to look into the guts of the Segway HT in its pre-assembled state. Inside it was clean and simple, and the few moving parts, such as the gears, struck us as rugged and well made. There are no cooling fans; the circuits and engine are cooled through their contact with the platform's heat-drawing aluminum casing. Each finished HT is tested both at the software level and for quality riding on an obstacle course in the assembly plant. See the technical specifications for more information.

Conclusion
We're convinced that anyone who tries a Segway HT will be smiling in minutes. The other advantage is that early purchasers will certainly be the first on their blocks to have one. But for how long? We think we'll all be seeing much more of the Segway HT in the future. --Erik Hammen

Pros:

• Very high build quality
• Environmentally friendly, extremely energy efficient
• Requires little storage space
• Newness factor--you've never ridden anything like this before
• Fun to ride, and looks cool

Cons:

• Purchase price may be prohibitive for many potential users, though the cost is partially offset long term by nominal upkeep
• Laws regarding legal riding areas (sidewalk versus street) vary from state to state
• Minor inconvenience: rubber plug-in protectors on the machines seemed a bit loose, flopping around a bit on the more rigorously used machines, inconsistent with generally excellent build standards
• Accessories, like carrying bags and lights, will not be available until spring 2003

From the Manufacturer
The Segway Human Transporter is the first transportation product to stand, balance, and move in the same way we do. It harnesses a unique technology called "dynamic stabilization"--the result of more than a decade of research, development and testing, and tens of thousands of hours in field trials--to constantly monitor and balance the Segway HT and rider.

The Segway HT allows riders to travel short distances in dense environments that would be prohibitive to other transportation devices. An amazingly elegant design makes the Segway HT a part of you, sensing subtle changes in your balance and responding immediately. The Segway HT has a level of maneuverability never before seen on wheels--it can balance in place, move forwards and backwards, and turn in place.

Purchase of a Segway HT includes a training session on its operation and features, in order to properly prepare a new rider for safe and enjoyable operation of this new technology.

See Segway HT Advantages.

About This Offer
Because of the unique and revolutionary nature of the Segway Human Transporter, we advise you to read Segway's Purchase, Safety, and Ownership Guidelines when considering placing a deposit. The guidelines describe the terms and conditions of sale, the product warranty, and the details of the Segway HT Early Delivery Contest. Also, the guidelines will help you understand any restrictions or regulations relating to its use in your state. After placing your deposit for the Segway HT, you will receive an e-mail from Amazon.com on behalf of Segway that has the contest entry form. ... Read more

Features

• World's first dynamically stabilized, self-balancing Human Transporter
• Forward and backward maneuvering is guided by rider's natural motions
• Easily navigates most walkable areas, including paved surfaces, dirt roads, grass, and inclines
• Emissions free, powered by rechargeable NiMH battery packs
• Fun to ride--a unique experience

Reviews (104)

Pure transport JOY!
Let me tell you, there is no better way for a human to be transported than the Segway Human Transporter.I was getting tired of walking on my legs, then I got an iSeries Human Transporter for my birthday.That day changed my life.I now can have any girl I want and have made millions on the stock market.How many human tensporters can do that for you?

There are many fake Human Transporters out there.This is the only Human Transporter that will fulfill all of your wildest dreams.

Keep an eye for the Segway Rocketpack Humanoid Flying Modulus.It is in the near future.

Wonderful Tour + Toy but...
It's not very functional.

I had the opportunity to tour Chicago downtown on one of the city architecture tours with segways for about three hours. I can't tell you how giddy I was to get on one. I had seen policemen patrolling around parks and airport with them. It took me about two minutes to get into the balance of it. The controls were very intuitive and easy to use. The whole system is sorta dummy proof. It shuts down itself if you get off it, it refuses to go past a certain speed limit (in fact, almost pushing you off of it after you reach a certain point), and it can stop on a dime.

After using it for a couple hours and after reading a couple reviews here, I have to agree- the segway isn't really intended for more than an expensive toy. It's not comparable to a mopeg or a bike. Our tour was about two hours and half long and at the end of it, my battery was almost at its end. We only went around the Lakefront and to Millenium Park and back to the Adler Planeterium, a mere area of a couple miles. And our batteries were dangerously low. The only way I can see myself using a Segway in an every day environment is if I happened to live like ten minutes from work. Past that, and the segway is pretty much a waste. It would take too long to charge and too expensive to replace the battery for it to be cost-effective. I could take a bus, train, or even bike to a destination for cheaper and faster.

This is not a rip on the Segway technology. I just think the machine isn't made to be very functional. On our ride around the parks, I noticed how poorly it performed on uneven ground (gravel, water, grass). Every little bump was almost a thud when I crossed them. I had to be watch out for cracks and crevices when riding it. Things I wouldn't have done if I was riding a bike. This is all based on my experience with the iSeries. I haven't used the rugged version of the Segway and can imagine it would be better but at a thousand more, it's kinda a moot point.

Overall, I'm glad I got a chance to ride a Segway. I was dying to try one. I couldn't contain the smile I had, as I zoomed past staring strangers and an embarassed girlfriend. But, I couldn't see myself buying one, even though, I work and live in downtown Chicago.

This human transporter is alright by me
Well, let me be the first to tell you that The Segway Human Transporter is a wonderful innovation. I'd been waiting a good while for a quality human transporter, and finally, I felt my waiting had paid off. This baby hit the market, I quickly dished out the 5K needed, and the transporting began. Everything was great, laziness was at an all time high, I really felt like the future was now. "Look at me and my transporter" I'd shout, then I'd turn and mumble to myself, "You fools and your walking and non-space age way of transporting." Life was peachy. Then it came, my boss, Gargon IV, said there was a dilemma on the planet Xaoton 99. I was all over it. I had my Segway transport me, (bet you didn't know it was capable of galactic transport) all the way to Xaoton, with the Segway making the trip quite comfortable and relaxing. I arrived at Xaoton and things were all messed up. I soon found myself in a sticky situation, but it was nothing that the Segway couldn't get me out of. Things got ugly. To make a long story short, the Segway overcame a highly advanced Xaotion army with highly highly evolved technology and all kinds of super high tech lazer guns. So the planet of Xaoton 99 came to peace in the end and everyone was happy

And boy was I glad that my knees didn't catch a lazer because I just wouldn't look as cool anymore on my Segway without the lower half of my legs. The Segway is an amazing improvement in human transporting, it's amazing we can look ahead to the wonderful world of hover transporters travelling warp 10. The Segway Human Transporter is a great start, now lets keep the ball rolling.
... Read more

Asin: B00007EPJ6
Subjects:  1. Computerized cart; iseries;Two-wheeled platform; ht;h t;    2. Motorcart; Motion machine ;htiseries;Standing vehicle; transport    3. segwue; sague; sigue; sigway;sigwey;thingy;transportation    4. i-167; dean; kamen; kaamen; kaman;deka; first;167;    5. invention; new;self-balancing;travel;navigate;eye167;pedestrian   

2 Pack PS2 Memory Cards: Red & Blue
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $39.99 -- our price: $30.95
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (23)

Best thing if there is more than one player
My self, my wife, and the the two boyz we have are all playing with the PS2. Each has his/her own game and savings. This is a must if you have more than one player using the game. Each has his memory card (stick) and has his/her own game levels saved on it. Never had any trouble with any of them, nor did it ever hang on me. I am truely satisfied with the product.

Great cards
There really isn't any flaws with these memory cards and buying two instead of one is alot better than buying 2 seperately and it'll save you some bucks. The only thing is that if you have 3 or more games that use 2000+K memory space you might wand to consider the 32MB memory card that codejunkies makes.

Must Have For A Playstation2 Owner
I am a frequent playstation2 player and this is a neccessity. I have been getting games since the PS2 came out, and I have over 50 videogames so I have a total of 5 memory cards and they are all full. If you play videogames you are going to need at least one, but it is much cheaper to buy this pack and they come in cool red and blue colors. Some videogames take up ALOT of space on the memory card such as the Jak series and Madden NFL Football series. I reccomend this product to ANY PS2 owner and I suggest buying two of these because in the long run you are going to need them. If you are going to buy someone a PS2 you need to buy them this and an extra controller because if you don't they will very dissapointed. You can't go wrong with this product and I do not reccomend buying ANY non-Sony produuct including memory cards. ... Read more

Asin: B00006F2EP
Sales Rank: 28
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. Controller    5. Rumble Packs (Paks)    6. Cables (Cable)    7. Adapters (Adapter)    8. PS2 (PSX2)    9. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    10. Playstation2 (Play station2)    11. Memory cards    12. Great Deals (Outlet store)    13. Cases    14. Storage   

Sew News
Average Customer Review:
Magazine
list price: $71.88 -- our price: $19.92
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Magazine Subscription

Reviews (2)

sharpen your skills
A great feature of this magazine is that each issue highlights a specific sewing skill (fitting pants properly, making buttonholes well, etc.) and provides in-depth instruction with illustrations and photos to help you build your skills.I'm a big fan of efforts to keep this art and trade going over the generations.When Mom's not available to guide me by phone, the magazine can fill in for her.

Only Subscription I Keep Renewing
If you sew anything, quilts, clothing, crafts, embroidery, you will enjoy this publication. I have had a subscription for nearly six years, ever since I began sewing clothes for my family and friends.
Sew News is packed with great ideas, tips, and tidbits on various subjects (i.e notched collars, working with silk, the history of scissors). Online resources and mailorder sources are also included with each issue. Sometimes, free patterns are offered as well.
The only thing which bothered me this year was when they changed the binding from a thicker, substantial binding to the thinner, stapled type. It annoyed me because I save these in my sewing library for later reference and sometimes they can get damaged a little in the mail. However, I strongly recommend applying for a subscription because these mags are tough to find in stores and, of course, the sub rate is better. ... Read more

Asin: B000060MGX
Sales Rank: 672
Subjects:  1. Sewing (Sew)    2. Crafts (Craft)   

Fire Engine for Two
Average Customer Review:
Toy
-- our price: $69.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Nothing gets a kid's attention like a fire engine racing by, and nowhere's a bright red version that's pleasingly kid size. The Fire Engine for Twois bright red, 31 inches long, 32 inches tall, and made of tough and ruggedplastic. The ignition key turns with a satisfying ratchety sound, the steeringwheel rotates, and the front wheels are entirely mobile, making quick turns andsudden reversals a snap. It's powered, in the best Flintstones tradition, byyour little one's feet moving under the seat, and there's an extra seat in backfor a friend to ride along. Like any proper emergency vehicle, it also has asiren and flashing red light, located right on the dashboard, that activate withthe press of a button. Whether it's an emergency run to the cookie jar or a dollthat needs a trip to the hospital, the Fire Engine for Two will get a couple ofkids going in a hurry. --John Longenbaugh ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Fire Engine for 2
I really think the construction of this is very poor and when you go to install the roof supports the fasteners that they give you are the kind that once you install them they will never come out. I think the company should have dome some more thought into it. There are diifernt kinds of fasteners that are safe for the kids that can be removed like a nylon screw with a nut. Also the roof support does not sit flush in the hole so when you go and tap the bolt in the hole the pole will shift upwards and you can miss the hole. I even tried to contact the company through their e-mail and also tried to call and no one has called me back. This was a birthday gift that I now have to try to get the roof support secured so it is safe. I will never again buy a step 2 product based on this experience. Also the front wheels they are very hard to turn. I tried to move it with nobody in it and the wheels went where ever they wanted to go except the direction that I was heading.

price check
couldn't find your " let us know icon" Your price for this toy on line is 59.99 at walmart.com it is 49.94 and at target.com it is 49.99. Since I have always had great success with amazon/toysrus I would rather purchase this item through you, but this is a huge price difference. Especially when you have to add shipping costs. Thank you Erica Strahl.

Daycare mom
I have had three of this item in the past 3 months and am not happy with any of them .I am returning the third one soon. Steering and wheels are not working correctly. Two children can tip it over also. I bought it for my grandchildren and the kids in my daycare center.A BIG disappointment for me and a BIG hassle to keep returning it to the factory.
I have the Police car and the kids LOVE it and play with it every day.
I have lots of climbers made by this same company and they have held up for years. 30 years experience in buying childrens toys. ... Read more

Asin: B00000IZJ2
Subjects:  1. Pedals    2. Fire Trucks    3. Preschool    4. Ride-Ons    5. Firefighting   

Brother HL-1440 Laser Printer
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $279.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

If you're looking for laser quality without the traditional laser price, the Brother HL-1440 may be the ideal choice. This high-quality black-and-white printer handles jobs at an impressively speedy 15 pages per minute. It can also print professional-looking documents at 1,200 x 600 dpi resolution -- all for a reasonable price.

Setup with the HL-1440 is simple and straightforward, with connections for both parallel port and USB. It comes with a standard 250-sheet paper tray and supports manual duplexing. A manual paper feed is handy for inserting unusually thick papers. The drivers utilize economical power and toner-saving modes, and the unique Shockwave-based Print Management System! (software) combines straightforward operation with an exciting interface.

Weighing about 17 pounds, this desktop printer has a footprint of 17 by 15 inches and supports TN-430, TN-460, and DR-400 toner cartridges. The standard 2 MB of memory is easily upgraded to 34 MB. Optional networking is supported, and a second optional paper tray is easy to install. Both PC and Mac compatible, the HL-1440 comes backed with a one-year warranty on parts and service.

What's in the Box
Laser printer, universal 250-sheet adjustable paper cassette, drum unit assembly with toner cartridge, instructions, driver CD-ROM, AC power cord; printer cable not included ... Read more

Features

• Up to 15 pages per minute print speed
• True 1,200 x 600 dpi resolution
• 2MB standard memory, expandable to 34MB
• Universal 250-sheet adjustable paper cassette
• Parallel and USB ports; PC and Mac compatible

Reviews (154)

Reliable Printer!
I've had this printer for over a year now... actually two years now!Got it at Office Depot and it was a Consumer Reports Best Buy.So, based on that, I purchased it.It works great - all the time.I think it may have jammed once or twice since I've had it and that was probably my fault.The toner is expensive, BUT it does seem to last a long time and the printing is GREAT qualiy.We are only printing in our home office, so it's not extensive.We've had to get new toner once or twice and it runs about $80 (which I think is pricey).

I'd recommend it to anyone without hesitation.

In My Experience, A Piece of Trash
When this printer works, it tends to produce nice, clean copies (except when mysterious gray splotches begin to appear on every page).But there's the rub-- it almost never actually works. It can't seem to print ten pages without having a meltdown, with all kinds of LED buttons incoherently flashing and the printer stubbornly refusing to do much of anything.The printer consistently complains of paper jams when there are no paper jams, and, bottom line, simply won't print when you need it to.I guess I have to disagree with the love-fest many of its users have expressed on this site; I'm at the point of being ready to just throw the printer out the window and get a new one.With all the headaches this printer has caused since the day I bought it, and the countless ways it has slowed down my work, I would rate this a Zero. My suggestion: Do not buy this product; in my experience, it is, when all is said and done, a piece of trash. Spenda little more, or a little less, and leave Brother behind.

This is a GREAT option for the home user.
I have a two computer "network" at home in which I previously used two average quality inkjet printers (one for each pc).With laser printers having cost so much in the past, I never bothered to put one in at home.I was surprised to see that this model is not only affordable at its regular price of 99 dollars, but I found it at Office Max for 79.99 (they are no longer going to carry it)!

Because I have had great success using the Brother HL5170DN at work, and because a friend has the 1440 and loves it, I decided to give the HL-1440 a try for home use.I can say without a doubt that this is one good printer.I would think that even if I had paid twice as much as I did (which makes it all the sweeter).The print speed is very fast and the quality is great.I am still impressed with how crisp and clean this machine can produce images and graphics.

I am told that the toner cartridge that came with the printer (#430) is good for about 3,000 pages.By factoring that plus the cost of replacement cartridges, I feel that this printer is a fantastic choice for home use.I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Asin: B00005MEP6
Subjects:  1. Laser Printer (Printers, Printing)    2. Mac Macintosh Machintosh Apple   

911: Fire and Rescue
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (14 June, 2001)

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

911: Fire & Rescue is a third-person interactive game that takes you into a 3-D virtual world of the firefighter. Put your firefighting skills to the test as you encounter various types of fires, ranging from grass and electrical fires to car and house fires. Your mission is to keep your firefighter alive. Beginning with training missions, your firefighter hones the necessary skills needed to battle the blazes, avoid the back drafts, and save the lives of those injured. You will have three goals: extinguish the fires, rescue the victims, and keep your firefighter alive. The game has 15 challenging missions. ... Read more

Features

Reviews (2)

Amazingly fun....But Very Challenging on level 6, 7, so on!
This is a great game. The Prism 3D Engine makes the graphics amazing! this game is an amazing Fire Fighting game. As you get farther in the game, the levels get extremely hard. You also get less time to complete the levels. This game is a definate "MUST BUY!!!"

Awesome!
I knew I had a good thing when I started this game up and pressing the launch button after I installed it. The reason is, is because right before the game starts in the top left hand corner of my screen a little box came upthat said "Prism 3D Engine". This is the same engine that was used to make "Shark: Hunting The Great White." If you have played "Shark" you'll know why I was excited about the Prism 3D engine. It's awesome. Let's start with the graphics. They are great. I wasn't expecting them to be this good. As you walk through a house or office building you really feel like you are walking through smoke. The rooms are filled with gray smoke. As you put out the fires more smoke comes up. You can see the light from the fire around the corner flashing on the wall before you even see a fire. One time I was in a big office building and I couldn't find the next room with a fire, then I looked up at the ceiling and saw orange light flashing on it, I followed it and found the doorway to the room. That was cool. The sounds are great but nothing spectacular, sound of fire or your fireman coughing as he inhales smoke. The music is rockish and fits the game very well and is actually quite good. ... The gameplay. This game is played from the first person view. You will fight fires and rescue victims in homes, office buildings, and highway wrecks. To fight these fires you get, the truck hose which has unlimited water, foam hose which is limited, fire extinguisher which is unlimted also, first aid kit, and oxygen, also limited. There are three kinds of fires, Alpha, the easiest kind and you can put that out with the regular truck hose, Bravo, which you have to use the foam hose on to put it out, and Charlie, which are electrical fires and you have to find the fuse box and turn off the power before you can put these out. The game consists of moving room to room putting out fires and rescuing victims. Sound fun? Nope. But it is fun! I love running through a smoke filled home putting out these fires and rescuing the people. It's different from fraggin people all over the place like in other games. One thing that I think would turn people off from this game is the timer. I hate timers in video games. This bugged me at first because 98 percent of the time you lose a mission, it's not becaused you died, it's because you ran out of time. But then I thought, real life firefighters have a short period of time to put a fire out as well. So now I don't mind the timer so much. I wish you could have been able to use an ax to chop doors down or to move debris out of the way but all the doors are unlocked, no debris, so no ax, but oh well. Maybe in a sequel???Overall this is a great game. I love it and have much fun with it. It's not deep or action packed but good fun. There is something koo about saving people's lives. Get it! ... Read more

Asin: B00005A3KZ
Subjects:  1. Computer Games    2. Action   

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4) (Harry Potter)
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (08 July, 2000)
list price: $29.99 -- our price: $19.79
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling offers up equal parts danger and delight--and any number of dragons, house-elves, and death-defying challenges. Now 14, her orphan hero has only two more weeks with his Muggle relatives before returning to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Yet one night a vision harrowing enough to make his lightning-bolt-shaped scar burn has Harry on edge and contacting his godfather-in-hiding, Sirius Black. Happily, the prospect of attending the season's premier sporting event, the Quidditch World Cup, is enough to make Harry momentarily forget that Lord Voldemort and his sinister familiars--the Death Eaters--are out for murder.

Readers, we will cast a giant invisibility cloak over any more plot and reveal only that You-Know-Who is very much after Harry and that this year there will be no Quidditch matches between Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Instead, Hogwarts will vie with two other magicians' schools, the stylish Beauxbatons and the icy Durmstrang, in a Triwizard Tournament. Those chosen to compete will undergo three supreme tests. Could Harry be one of the lucky contenders?

But Quidditch buffs need not go into mourning: we get our share of this great game at the World Cup. Attempting to go incognito as Muggles, 100,000 witches and wizards converge on a "nice deserted moor." As ever, Rowling magicks up the details that make her world so vivid, and so comic. Several spectators' tents, for instance, are entirely unquotidian. One is a minipalace, complete with live peacocks; another has three floors and multiple turrets. And the sports paraphernalia on offer includes rosettes "squealing the names of the players" as well as "tiny models of Firebolts that really flew, and collectible figures of famous players, which strolled across the palm of your hand, preening themselves." Needless to say, the two teams are decidedly different, down to their mascots. Bulgaria is supported by the beautiful veela, who instantly enchant everyone--including Ireland's supporters--over to their side. Until, that is, thousands of tiny cheerleaders engage in some pyrotechnics of their own: "The leprechauns had risen into the air again, and this time, they formed a giant hand, which was making a very rude sign indeed at the veela across the field."

Long before her fourth installment appeared, Rowling warned that it would be darker, and it's true that every exhilaration is equaled by a moment that has us fearing for Harry's life, the book's emotions running as deep as its dangers. Along the way, though, she conjures up such new characters as Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, a Dark Wizard catcher who may or may not be getting paranoid in his old age, and Rita Skeeter, who beetles around Hogwarts in search of stories. (This Daily Prophet scoop artist has a Quick-Quotes Quill that turns even the most innocent assertion into tabloid innuendo.) And at her bedazzling close, Rowling leaves several plot strands open, awaiting book 5. This fan is ready to wager that the author herself is part veela--her pen her wand, her commitment to her world complete. (Ages 9 and older) --Kerry Fried ... Read more

Reviews (4914)

HP - FOOLY SIK
Books 1,2,3 had a real lot going for them. I was worried that after 3 the rest would flop. I think the John Masden series of 7 books was a real mistake. Book three was a fine ending, but he went and added 4 more, in which nothing new happened.

Rowling shows that 4 books can be done and done brilliantly. I complained about the length of book 5 because so much of it was supurfluos, but book 4 is different. The plot is like a web of genius, or a jigsaw puzzle of plot-based intrigue, or a tapestry of etc etc. Plot, more than character, is what drives the Harry Poter books - Rowlings' stories are always huge and complete, and wrapped up so neatly. She gets the 'who dunnit' aspect of intrigue perfectly - unlike the boring pretentious Agatha Christie, Rowling creates Plots that make sence, plots in which the numerous hints she dropps actually add up to something.My problem with Christie is that she would always insert hints for every character who DID NOT 'do it', then, in the last 5 pages, would smugly tell us "no it was the cook Scaramangious fidel, who murdered beatrice whatsit, and THIS is HOW and WHY". Rowling actually goes to the trouble of working out the ending first, instead of just killing of characters until 2 remain, then telling us who the baddie is. I realy cant stand Agatha Christie.

Anyway HP4 is great. I still have respect for the character's, something that I lost in book 5 when they all started 'going out'. Read my review of 5 if u want. I'm sorryI just can't stand the way nobody in the whole of hogwarts seems to have any romance going on till book 5, then suddenly all the characters become soppie stars. I completely lost respect for Hermione, my favourite character, when she started dealing out Docter Phill style romance advice. I hate the way Ginny flits around from boy to boy without any of it meaning anything. She ditches her first guy friend because her team beat his team in QUIDITCH FOR@$@#!$'s sake. "Just choose someone better next time" says Ron. Ginny: "Well I've chosen Dean thomas would you say he's better".

ARRRGH!

awsome
My all time favorite is Harry Potter and the Goblet of fire. I liked it because I kike that series. I also did this book because it is very mysteries. This book is about Harry gets entered in a contest.

read me! (the book not the review)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth book in the Harry Potter series, is without a doubt the best book I've ever read. It's great how Rowling is able to put such suspense into her books. Even though it was scarey at the end, I liked that the books are getting darker. It makes things more interesting. But it's not "hide under the covers" scarey, which is good because I get nightmares. Now stop reading my review and start reading the book! ... Read more

Isbn: 0439139597
Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - Fantasy    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft    4. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Imaginary place)    5. Humorous Stories    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Magic    8. School & Education    9. Schools    10. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    11. Wizards    12. Fantasy