Category Archives: Electronics & Computers

  By admin | June 17, 2013 - 12:35 am | , ,
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Toy Story 3

If your kids are asking for both the Nintendo Wii and the Nintendo DS version of Toy Story 3, rest assured that though the themes are the same, the games are different enough to feel that they are completely different games.

I feel the Wii version is more difficult than the DS version, as does my nine year-old son. My six year-old daughter was able to complete the DS Story Mode twice in a day, whereas my nine year-old decided after two full days of play that the Story Mode in the Wii game was too difficult. He got bored and gave up. I’m sure if he gave it another two days, he’d have finished the game, but he hasn’t revisited it since. He was on level 5 of 8. He did prefer the Toy Box Mode and spent much of his time there.

Two player mode is only available in Story Mode.

STORY MODE

In this mode, the players are sometimes able to play with two players. I say sometimes, because in the first scene, it was not possible. When two players play together, the screen is split. This was, at first, a turn off for me, but then I saw the advantage of it when I played with my daughter, who did not want to be where I was.

The players are usually able to get hints and even learn exactly what to do, but that help is not always available or clear. It took me quite awhile to figure out I needed to shoot the crystals to explode the floating masses of land to use as leap pads to the opposite cliff. (My son was not there to help me.)

Story Mode consists mostly of completing scenes from the movie or somewhat related to the movie, like trying to get out of Andy’s room or navigating through a video game with Buzz Lightyear.

TOY BOX MODE

In Toy Box Mode, a single player only game, players go around town completing missions — little tasks like finding cloth or digging for gold. From there, the players earn gold and customize their experience. This would be so fun as a two player game. It’s too bad that option is not available.

SUMMARY

This game would be more exciting if two players can play together then entire game. It’s more difficult than the DS version. However, it looks like it can be completed quickly by anyone determined enough to try. Unfortunately, it was not thrilling enough to hold the attention of my nine year-old for more than two days, and he can stay with a good game indefinitely.

I personally like the Wii version better than the DS version because it is more challenging, but there are some scenes that are frustrating enough for me that I’d prefer my son complete them for me before I continue playing. (For instance, I’m no good at blasting the evil characters in the level 3 part of the Story Mode.)

My son’s rating for the Wii version? He says the Toy Box Mode is awesome but the Story Mode is okay. That averages out to four stars. He says if he had to choose between the DS version and the Wii version, he’d choose the Wii version.

My daughter says she prefers the DS version because it’s easier.

As an aside, be aware that both the Wiimote and nunchucks are necessary to play.

This product was provided for review by the Amazon Vine program.

V7 Edge Toploader Laptop Bag

  By admin | June 17, 2013 - 12:15 am | ,
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V7 Edge Toploader Laptop Bag for 13.3-Inch Ultrabook, Black with Red Accents (CTD4-9N)

The selling point of the V7 Edge Toploader Laptop Bag has got to be its myriad of features. For a low-budget laptop bag, it can do a lot. I used it for work, packing my 10 inch netbook, Kindle 3G, Kindle Fire, wallet, mouse, iPhone, keys. There’s a place for everything. It holds it all.

Some things I noticed: The nylon lining is thin and the shell had some mild marring new, out of the box. I’m not sure of the durability, but it’s held up so far. Padded protection for my netbook is good. I would recommend it for students or any traveler who needs to stay organized on a budget.

This product was provided for review by V7 Power.

Yubi Power YP250ABLU 2500mAh Ultra Compact Lipstick Size Portable Power Bank Backup External Battery Charger

  By admin | June 17, 2013 - 12:09 am | , ,
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Yubi Power YP250ABLU 2500mAh Ultra Compact Lipstick Size Portable Power Bank Backup External Battery Charger – [Stylish and Tiny 3.70 x 0.86 x 0.86 inch Dimensions] (Blue)

This Yubi Power External Battery Charger is perfect for someone who needs a charger without a lot of bulk. 2500 mAh is enough to charge my iPhone one full charge.

It comes with a pouch and a short micro USB cord. I used my own 30-pin charging cord for the iPhone. Any phone that charges with a USB port can be charged with this power bank.

The only problem is the power bank does get hot. Most power banks warm up when they charge a device, but this one is uncomfortably so. I wouldn’t say burn, but I feel like taking it out of my purse to let it cool off. It seems like many smaller power banks are like this, but I especially noted it with the Yubi Power. Leaving it on the counter to charge my phone works for me.

Otherwise, the power bank is fine. I carry it around in my purse sans pouch. It’s so small and lightweight, I don’t even know it’s there.

This product was provided for review by Stanley Global.

3M Adjustable Foot Rest

  By admin | June 14, 2013 - 10:55 pm |
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3M Adjustable Foot Rest, 22 Inch Wide Slip-resistant Platform (FR530CB)

There’s got to be something about me and chairs. I just can’t stand to sit without putting my feet up on something. It was so nice to find this 3M Adjustable Foot Rest. The relief on my back was instant.

I can raise the footrest by unscrewing four screws. I can definitely feel the difference between 4″ and 4 3/4″. I prefer my footrest lower to the ground.

I can adjust the footrest to any angle with the touch of my feet. The swivel mechanism can be tightened and loosened, but it was perfect when I got it so I left it alone.

I’m 5’5″ and this works well for me. I think shorter people or children whose feet don’t touch the ground could really benefit from this. I don’t have that problem, but my back is telling me propping my feet up is a good thing. Glad I got this footrest.

This product was provided for review by the Amazon Vine program.

Rosetta Stone French Level 1-3 Set

  By admin | June 14, 2013 - 10:52 pm | , ,
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This review was originally posted September 23, 2010.

Rosetta Stone French Level 1-3 Set

I am thoroughly enjoying my Rosetta Stone TOTALe (pronounced toe-TAH-lee) French software. I did once use a two week trial of Rosetta Stone Spanish (not TOTALe), and although I enjoyed it, the TOTALe course is many times better.

The TOTALe course has four parts: Rosetta Stone Course, Rosetta Stone World, Studio and Audio CD’s. The Studio and World are what sets this apart from the regular Rosetta Stone course. They are absolutely phenomenal. More on that later.

Before I delve into the actual course, here are some interesting facts you might like to know.

AGE RESTRICTIONS AND MULTIPLE LEARNERS

This software can only be installed on one computer. However, I was able to add my two children to the software course. According to the Rosetta Stone customer service department, I can add up to five users to the Rosetta Stone course, as long as they use the same computer.

My children cannot access the Rosetta World, because they are under 13. I changed my son’s age to show him older than 13 and found that he could not access Rosetta World because only one user is allowed to use Rosetta World. However, I was given the option to purchase Rosetta World access for him at a very reasonable price.

ACCESS FROM MULTIPLE COMPUTERS

Although I could only access the Rosetta Stone Course from the one computer it’s installed on, I can access Rosetta Stone World from any computer with an internet connection by simply signing in on their website.

Personally, I like Rosetta Stone World interface when accessing it directly from the software on my computer rather than through my Internet Explorer. Signing in is much quicker. When I do it through a web browser, I have to suffer through signing in with my password and waiting for it to check my system.

EXTENDING THE COURSE

Rosetta Stone offers users the option to add levels 4 and 5. Online service can also be extended for a reasonable price.

WHAT COMES IN THE BOX

1) Quick start pamphlet.

2) Installation CD’s for levels 1-3.

3) Activation card for 9 months of online access.

4) Audio CD’s for Level 1, units 1-4.

5) Stickers for the keyboard to customize it for special French accent marks (so the user knows where to find the keys).

6) Headset.

SOFTWARE AND HEADSET

The software installed on my Vista system without a hitch. I’m not sure how well it works on other systems.

The sound and voice recognition with the headset is wonderful.

So here I go dissecting the course itself.

CUSTOMIZE YOUR COURSE

Each student may customize his course by choosing one of four options:

1) reading, writing, speaking, listening (recommended)
2) reading, writing, speaking and listening — extended (more repetition)
3) speaking and listening
4) reading and writing

In providing this review, I have chosen option 1.

AUDIO CD’S

These are to be used in conjunction with the course. I suppose they could be used to supplement some other language course, but one could not learn the language from the audio CD’s alone. They are completely in French, with the exception of an English speaking man telling the listener to listen, or listen and repeat. No translations are given. The phrases come from the flash cards we see during the lessons, so they trigger associations.

ROSETTA STONE COURSE

Rosetta Stone is total immersion. I’ve found it is the most wonderful way to learn.

One example of a typical lesson: The student is shown a series of flashcards along with very short sentences. Maybe it’s four different people with a ball: a man, a woman, a girl, a boy. The speaker says, “The man has a ball.” “The woman has a ball.” “The girl has a ball.” “The boy has a ball.” So the student knows the one common word is “ball,” which must be the round thing. The word that changes, that must describe the man, woman, girl and boy.

Sometimes, I’d know a word, could match it up, but didn’t know what it meant. I had a strong desire to look it up, but I trusted Rosetta Stone would one day make it clear. Well, after seeing the word (in my particular case, it was “to have”) numerous times, it finally dawned on me what it meant. I don’t even know when it happened, it just became clear. And so it goes with other words.

Total immersion can be very challenging to people used to traditional teaching methods. The need to know and translate every word can be strong, but I can attest that context will eventually make it clear.

This course is broken up into levels. French has levels going all the way up to 5. I was told by the Rosetta Stone customer service rep that I should be conversational by level 3. Levels 4 and 5 delve deeper into the culture.

The structure of the courses is as follows: There are five levels. Each level has four units. Each unit has four core lessons followed by varying numbers of sub-lessons. So, level>unit>core lesson>sub-lesson.

The core lessons take about half an hour each and it gives the overall gist of what is to be worked on during the sub-lessons. The sub-lessons are only 5 to 10 minutes long and deal individually with different facets of the core lesson, like vocabulary, grammar, spelling, etc. By taking one to two sub-lessons per day and about one core lesson per week, I can finish one unit per month.

STUDIO

The studio sessions can be scheduled for any time slot available. From my experience, it is best to finish a unit before taking the studio lesson for that unit. The session may be repeated as necessary.

The studio session is like a live, online classroom with a native speaking teacher. Students log in at the appointed time. We can see the teacher, but the teacher can only hear us. She shows us many of the cards we see during our course lessons and individually asks us questions about them. She also asks us to speak to each other in a very controlled way. I intend to take a session every week in order to have a live teacher correct my speech and to gain more experience speaking and listening. This in and of itself is worth the price of the TOTALe.

So far, my studio sessions have had between two and four students (including me). They last 50 minutes each.

ROSETTA WORLD

Another way TOTALe shines. In my box was a card with an activation code good for nine months of Rosetta World service, which I could pay to extend (and I might very well do just that).

1) Listen, read, or listen and read stories. The stories are unlocked as we progress through each level so that the vocabulary isn’t too challenging.

2) Play solo games. Three games are available. In one game, we much listen to the speaker describe a card and we must find that card. Another game is a memory card game where we match the picture to a written description of the picture. The third game is a bingo type game where we listen to a story and must choose words that come up in the story on the bingo card until we get a bingo.

3) Duo and Simbio. These modes contain all the Solo games plus five more games to play against another player. In Duo mode, we play against a French learner. In Simbio mode, we are matched up with a native French speaker who is learning our native language so we can help each other.

Both Duo and Simbio modes can be played via keyboard or microphone. I am finding most people prefer keyboard.

The World hours are from 10 AM to 10 PM Pacific Time, although I’ve been able to play outside that time slot. There aren’t many players most days, just a few, but enough to be able to interact. The Duo rooms are more active than the Simbio room, where I’m only finding one player if I’m lucky.

PROS:
+ easy to learn
+ voice recognition software
+ live teacher
+ interact with other learners
+ interact with native speakers
+ may add up to five learners to the Course on one computer
+ may access World from any internet connected computer
+ may pay to extend course and online access
+ IPad and IPhone aps available

CONS:
- difficult for learners who insist on translation
- can only be installed on one computer
- additional learners do not have access to World (but one may pay to add access)
- children under thirteen not permitted in World

SUMMARY

I love, love, love Rosetta Stone TOTALe. It has enabled me to speak French without being self-conscious. I can access live instructors, repeat any lesson I don’t understand. My children can be added. I can enter the World from anywhere. Oh yeah, there are iPod and iPad apps (which I can’t review but they sound great). What’s not to love?

This product was provided for review by the Amazon Vine program.

UPDATE: The World hours are now 9 AM to 9 PM Pacific Time, but I have been there outside those hours. As long as someone is there, we can play a multiplayer (2-player) game. Otherwise, solo mode is available anytime.

Studio sessions are very flexible. They must have gotten more coaches or else the coaches are working more hours, but I can schedule a session for any time from morning to evening, 7 days a week. This is not true for all TOTALe languages, so it’s a nice feature.

UPDATE #2: ADAPTIVE RECALL

I did not have Adaptive Recall in my initial review, because I did not know it existed. It has been about 3 1/2 months since I started my lessons and 2 1/2 months since my original review. Now that I have entered Level 2, I’ve had the chance to experience Adaptive Recall and have found another reason to love TOTALe.

Adaptive Recall takes me through little review lessons from the past so that I don’t forget what I’ve learned. Apparently, depending on how well I do, the review lessons will repeat more or less frequently. I have the option of skipping the Adaptive Recall Lessons, if I desire. I didn’t skip them. I found them very helpful.

UPDATE #3: It’s been about six months since I started Rosetta Stone. Something amazing happened today. I was taking a studio session and as the coach asked me questions or asked me to interact with another learner, I was able to respond without fishing for the words, mentally doing translation gymnastics from English to French. I opened my mouth the the words spilled out. It was far from proficient, but I was able to express myself more fluently than ever before. I surprised myself by not thinking in English. Wow.

UPDATE #4: It’s now April, 2011. I’ve been at it for awhile and still enjoy my lessons. There has been a recent bug in the Rosetta Stone World. When I’m there, if I ever hit the backspace button (which happens a lot, because I frequently mistype, especially in French), it kicks me out of the game. This was not previously an issue. I hope they fix it.

UPDATE #5: The problem with the backspace button was caused by the Adobe Air update. Per technical support, I uninstalled version 2.6 and installed version 2.5 and my problem is no more.

UPDATE #6: I was kicked out of a studio session today for using a wireless headset. Too much echo, they said. Only wired headsets allowed, folks. (They did send me a wired one free of charge when I complained that the one I got with the Rosetta Stone had broken.)

UPDATE #7: I’ve been at this for about a year. My French cousins just came over for a visit and I think I understood a lot of what they were saying to each other. Can’t hold an intelligent conversation yet, but I can probably get around in Paris and the basics are okay. That’s not bad. I’m midway through level 2. The games section seemed to have died down. Not many people there, but I don’t spend much time there anymore, so maybe they are there when I’m not looking. The studio courses have opened a lot of slots, so I can take classes just about whenever I want. They even email reminders now, which is helpful.

Grace Digital GDI-EGRX601 ECOXGEAR – ECOROX

  By admin | June 14, 2013 - 10:42 pm | , ,
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Grace Digital GDI-EGRX601 ECOXGEAR - ECOROX Rugged and Waterproof Wireless Bluetooth Speaker – Retail Packaging – Black

I tested the ECOROX on my iPhone and Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ tablet. It puts out a lot of sound for something that’s only 5 inches long. At maximum volume, I could hear it loud and clear from the other rooms in the house. The connection is good, I like the bass, there’s no static, and it’s not tinny. I could actually use it for a party.

It could be used anywhere, really. Like its larger cousin, the ECOXGEAR ECOXBT, it looks like it could survive being run over by a truck — perfect for the rugged outdoors. It even comes with a carabiner, to hang on a hook or backpack.

The ECOXGEAR can also be mounted, but you’ll have to provide your own mount. It can fit on all of my tripods. When I want it to look cute next to the hot tub, I put it on a mini tripod and adjust. It will work on any mount that will hold a standard camera.

The speaker is waterproof, meaning it can fall into the water and survive. It’s not meant to play submerged (not good at all, don’t try). Actually, the speaker floats. I put it in the pool and the hot tub and I can vouch that it still plays after those ordeals. I even use it in the shower, where it works perfectly.

Lastly, there is a phone function. When calls come in through my phone, I can answer it. I tested it with my son, both from the speaker end and the phone end. The sound through the speaker is good. It picks up everything. The problem is the other end, where it’s touch and go. The sound is sometimes good, sometimes difficult to hear.

I like the ECOROX because it’s small and portable and packs a punch with the sound. It’s the best Bluetooth speaker of its size that I’ve ever owned.

This product was provided for review by Grace Digital.

V7 32GB SDHC Class 4 Flash Memory Card

  By admin | June 14, 2013 - 10:38 pm | ,
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V7 32GB SDHC Class 4 Flash Memory Card (VASDH32GCL4R-1N)

I used thisV7 32GB SDHC Class 4 Flash Memory Card in my HD camcorder. Photos and videos store on it just fine. I haven’t had any problems. The only thing that concerns me is it’s a class 4 card. Most people are now using at least a class 6 or higher.

The difference is the speed of transferring large amounts of data. When I move a 1.71 GB file to the class 4 card, it takes 4 minutes and 53 seconds. With a class 6 card (the next level up), it takes 2 minutes and 7 seconds. A class 10 card would do even better.

If you don’t intend to transfer lots of data at once, this card is a good card. If you need speed, go with a higher class.

This product was provided for review by Ingram Micro.

Logitech Wireless Headset H760

  By admin | June 11, 2013 - 5:35 pm | ,
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This review was originally posted September 26, 2010.

Logitech Wireless Headset H760 With Behind-the-head Design (981-000265)

I use this Logitech Wireless Headset with my Rosetta Stone software. Voice recognition with this headset is excellent. I haven’t had any problems.

I am not an audiophile and I don’t normally use this for music, but I think the sound is wonderful. The stereo has depth and richness, a surround sound quality. That’s just a bonus for me. During Rosetta Stone, I don’t hear any static or interference. It’s crisp and clear.

I like the onboard controls. It’s very intuitive, easy to feel. I can control volume and move to the next track or previous track. I mostly use the volume control and it works very well with my Vista system.

The mic boom swings out of the way when I don’t need it. When I do that, the mic automatically turns off. I hear a beep to let me know when I’ve swung it far enough to turn it on or off.

Charging is through the USB port. A charging cord is included.

My only problem with the headset is comfort. It must grip my ears more than the standard headsets to keep from falling off. That makes it slightly more uncomfortable. The size is adjustable, but even at its largest size, it grips my ears. Also, I like to lean my head back on the chair and it protrudes far enough back to interfere with that. I really think it is a nice headset, but the behind-the-head design may just not be for me.

UPDATE: So far, battery life has been good. I only have to charge it every other day or so. The mic stopped muting when I lift the boom. Logitech support will take it back, but I am debating whether I should send it back or not. I use this every day and don’t want to be without it. They promise to send me a new one the minute I have this scanned into the UPS system, but that’s still a few days without my headset. It may not be my first choice in a headset, but it’s the only one I have and I need it. Still a nice headset. Would like an over the head design better.

UPDATE #2: About five months after the initial review. Not only is the mic mute feature not working, but the plastic on the back of the headset cracked and fell off. I have no idea why. At least it still works. I have finally decided to take up Logitech up on its offer to replace my headset. They have been very quick and courteous so far. I normally have good experiences with Logitach products and I’m hoping this is a fluke.

UPDATE #3: I’m on my second headset and it has also developed a crack in the back, just like my old one. It must be a flaw in the design. The headsets are not very durable I’m hoping Logitech will replace it with a different model.

UPDATE #4: I’m disappointed. My headset cracked completely and I’m unable to use it. Logitech seems to have given up. They haven’t offered to replace it or answered any emails. It’s still under warranty. I’d like something different, though. This model has serious problems.

UPDATE #5: They sent me one more headset. I’m hoping it’s the last one.

Also, I just got kicked out of Rosetta Stone today. They said the cordless headset causes too much echo for the other students and the coach. I’m not sure if that’s true. At any rate, I’m banned from using this headset during their studio sessions.

OPSO iPowerJuice

  By admin | June 10, 2013 - 1:40 pm | , ,
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Apple Authorized Brand OPSO iPowerJuice 5200mAh High Capacity Portable Charger Station External Battery Pack Backup Battery Power Bank Charger with MFi(Made for iDevices) Certification for iPhone 4 iPhone 4s The New iPad iPad 2 iPod touch iPod nano;Samsung Galaxy S4 S3 S2 Galaxy Note 2;Nokia Lumia 920 900 N9;Sony Xperia Z;Motorola Razr;Blackberry Z10;Smart Phones Android Phones, Including a USB to Micro USB/Dock 2 in 1 Data Cable

A lot of power banks stand out for their power, the number of adapters, the extras like LED lights and onboard USB cable. The OPSO iPowerJuice stands out for its simplicity. While it lacks all the bells and whistles, it’s beautiful. It looks like it’s made for my iPhone 4S. In fact, it comes with a short micro USB cable and an iPhone 30 pin adapter.

The OPSO is small enough to fit comfortably in a pocket or purse. I was charging my iPhone in my pocket at work as I was walking around. My coworker saw it and she wants one.

Yes, I did recommend it to her. This power bank has enough juice to charge my 4S twice, which is pretty good for its size. I’ve also charged my Kindle 3G with it. The only improvement I’d like to see is replacing the 1 amp port with a 2 amp one. I sometimes want more speed.

Packaging is attractive enough to give as a gift for the gadget geek on the go. Nice.

This product was provided for review by AIBOCN.

The Pencil Grip Crossover Grip

  By admin | June 8, 2013 - 10:21 am |
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The Pencil Grip Crossover Grip Ergonomic Writing Aid

I bought both The Pencil Grip and The Pencil Grip Crossover Grip for my daughter. She actually holds her pencil correctly, but her grip is so tight that she hurts her finger. These grips open up her hand. They are fatter and cushier than other pencils grips I’ve seen. My daughter says they make it more comfortable for her to hold her pencil.

The difference between The Pencil Grip and The Pencil Grip Crossover is that The Pencil Grip Crossover has wings, which help prevent students from wrapping their thumb around the pencil.

The grips are easy to slip on the pencils and use. The only problem I had with it were the instructions, which had an illustration of the standard Pencil Grip. They instruct us to place the large end facing down, but it’s hard to tell which is the large end, the bulbous end or the end with the wings? I had to go online to see how to use The Pencil Grip Crossover.

Basically, place the pencil in a vertical position with the eraser resting on the desk. Slide The Pencil Grip on with the stamped words “The Pencil Grip” facing down. If the child is right-handed, his thumb goes on the “R” and his index finger on the “L.” Vice versa for left-handed children.

It’s not easy adjusting children’s pencil grasp. They like to hold it the way it works for them. This pencil grip helps adjust hand position without the constant need for verbal correction and the kids seem to like it. Even my son is using it, and I never asked him to.