I got these to use on floating shelves next to my fireplace that I have books and other nick-nacks on. They are pretty standard bookends. They easily up a row of hardcover and softcover books just fine.
Friday, September 1, 2023
Product Review: Black Mountain Products Single Stackable Resistance Band
Product Review: Black Mountain Heavy Duty Resistance Band Handles
I got these to use with a set of stackable resistance bands that have clip handles. The set of resistance bands only came with a pair of handles which sometimes were a pain to change during workouts if I wanted to use a different band or combination of bands. I have only used these for quite a few workouts, and they have held up fine for a couple of years now.
Product Review: zitriom Premium Office Chair Caster Wheel Universal Standard Size
I have an office chair that lost one wheel during a move. These fit perfectly into a standard rolling chair base. It would be nice if you could order just one at a time, but at least I have extras should I ever need another one.
Product Review: Blue Sky 2019 Monthly Wall Calendar
I purchased this calendar because it has larger "blocks" for the days of the week so I can keep track of workouts. It is very good for that kind of thing, or for those who need to keep track of doctor appointments or just generally need a calendar that gets filled up, but does not want to keep track of everything on their phone or in a daily planner they carry around.
Product Review: Marilyn Monroe Wall Calendar (2019)
This is a 16-month calendar with a mix of black and white and color photos of Marilyn. They are a combination of pictures that are from some of the well-known photo shoots of her, and others that are lesser-known, some of which I have never seen before (and I get a calender featuring her every year). Each month also includes an inspirational phrase printed on the picture. I am not sure that any of them are actual quotes that Marilyn ever said, but I think they are something that some people may like and others may find a bit silly. Overall though, it is a good choice for a 2019 Marilyn calendar for those of you who, like me, get one every year.
Product/Food Review: Maggi Seasoning Cubes
Maggi seasoning is good for a variety of foods, including soups and Asian dishes. I bought these because the liquid Maggi seasoning is becoming harder to find in stores in my area. It provides the same flavoring as the liquid, but the drawback to the cubes is that it is harder to control the amount so it is easier to over-season or under-season whatever you are putting it in. After a few times of using them, you will get used to how many cubes you will need to use. If you order these on Amazon, I would hold out for when it is offered with Prime shipping, otherwise, you may have to wait quite a while to get them delivered.
Monday, August 28, 2023
App Review: Curiosity Stream
Curiosity Stream is an app that has educational documentaries. While this is a free download you do have to have a subscription to watch anything. It has hours of documentaries available (I am partial to the Astronomy/spaced-based ones) and it would be nearly impossible to get through them all. If you are generally a fan of documentaries and want more than what is available on other streaming services, this is a great addition.
Product Review: Amazon Basics 6 foot HDMI Cable
I bought this to hook up a UHD blu-ray to an LG 4K TV. It is a great, inexpensive cable (especially when compared to the cost of ones in box stores) that provides great sound and picture. I have not had issues with either the cable or the picture from the 4k player to the TV since using this to play several 4k discs over the past couple of years. 6 feet is the perfect length for the setup I have, and I think will be fine for most people. I definitely recommend it for those looking for a high-speed HDMI cable.
Product Review: DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Benfei DP DisplayPort to VGA 6 Feet Cable Male to Male Gold-Plated Cord
I got this because I have an older VGA monitor that has a serial port connection on the other end. This has a VGA on one end and a display port connector (not USB) on the other. So if your computer does not have a display port connection, you will need to get a display port to USB adaptor. They have them on Amazon, but none at a reasonable price, so you may want to shop around.
Once I got the second adaptor this worked great to allow for another monitor for my laptop. This would be perfect if had a USB connection on the other as an alternative to the display port connection so you did not have to get another connector to use it if your computer does not already have a display port connection. That knocks it down a star for me, but otherwise, it works well.
Product Review: LG Electronics 86UK6570 86-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2018 Model)
I have had the 86" version of this TV for a few years and have not had any problems with it or any big complaints. I love the fact that it has 4 HDMI ports so I can hook up all the devices I have (PlayStation 4, 4K UHD blu-ray player, a region-free regular blu ray player, and a Roku) to it without having to use a splitter. I also have an HD antenna hooked up to it, and another nice point is that you can tell it your zip code, and it will give you a guide to all the over-the-air channels. It does come with a sling TV app, along with Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, MAX, and the like. I have a Roku soundbar so most of the time, when I watch shows through any of those apps, I use the Roku versions.
It will definitely take a couple people to set up. It comes in a 130lb box that is about 8 feet long and 4+ feet tall, so one person will not be able to maneuver it much at all. The one I got came with just the regular LG remote, not the "magic" remote that has more functionality. The picture and sound quality have been great with UHD discs, regular blu-rays, and even over-the-air channels. I used to have it sitting on two Ikea shelves I laid on their side and put side by side (so about 10 feet long give or take with the two together). The stand is just wide enough to fit on that setup. I have had a stand custom-built for it, but you can wall mount it or keep it on the floor (depending on your seating situation). It was pricey when I bout it, but it was definitely worth the price.
It will definitely take a couple people to set up. It comes in a 130lb box that is about 8 feet long and 4+ feet tall, so one person will not be able to maneuver it much at all. The one I got came with just the regular LG remote, not the "magic" remote that has more functionality. The picture and sound quality have been great with UHD discs, regular blu-rays, and even over-the-air channels. I used to have it sitting on two Ikea shelves I laid on their side and put side by side (so about 10 feet long give or take with the two together). The stand is just wide enough to fit on that setup. I have had a stand custom-built for it, but you can wall mount it or keep it on the floor (depending on your seating situation). It was pricey when I bout it, but it was definitely worth the price.
Product Review: CorLiving Bakersfield TV Stand
I got this to put a 55" TV on. It does seem pretty sturdy once you get it together, but the instructions are not the greatest (due in part to the fact that the pieces are not labeled very well) and it was not easy to tell what all of the pieces were just by looking at them and matching them up to the instructions.
I ended up getting it together with some pieces backward, so the inner pieces that act as separators in the lower part would not go in. Instead of taking it apart and putting it back together I just left it as is. It has been stable and the TV fits on it (although just barely, so if you have anything bigger than 55", depending on the stand that acts as the base of the TV, this will probably be too small). With those provisos it is decent.
Product Review: UHOO Lanyard
I have this to carry a bus card and a door pass for the building I work in. There are two pockets, although only one side is see-through, which may or may not be an issue for you depending on what you put in it. It is very sturdy and has a strap that can go around your neck and is strong enough that it will not fall off. I definitely recommend it.
Product Review: Aluminum Mesh Washing Machine Lint Trap
These are pretty run-of-the-mill lint traps that do what they should. One thing I do like is that they have the heavier type of zip ties that are harder to find these days, The zip ties that come with most traps, especially those that come with the traps sold in stores, are pretty thin and flimsy and do not keep the traps in place once the water starts going through the hose from the washer into the sink. So, I was glad to see these came with the better ones.
Product Review: Marcy Combo Weights Storage Rack
The rack fits up against a wall perfectly and is very steady. It took about an hour to put together. I did most of it by myself, but it will help to have a second person when you are putting the top shelf on, otherwise, you are going to be in for some frustration. The instructions are okay. Not great, but not horrible. All-in-all a good storage solution if you have a relatively small weight set that you want to get up off the floor.
Product Review: Sweetbriar Classic Vintage Messenger Bag
This is an average size, soft-sided bag. It has a zipper pocket inside to put a man's wallet, pen, cell phone, etc. It is not huge, but enough to put a handful of small items like that. That pocket is not big enough to hold a larger pocketbook like many women keep in their purses.
The main compartment is big enough to hold a book, a small(ish) laptop, or a tablet. It is not as protected as a laptop bag will be, so if you drop it, or if it gets kicked or something, anything that is fragile could get damaged. With that proviso, however, it is a good bag to take if you use public transportation and do not want to carry around a traditional briefcase or larger bag.
App Review: HBO Go
This was the app that was used if you subscribed to HBO through a cable or satellite service or through DirecTV Now. The interface was okay, not great, but I could generally find what I was looking for without an issue. I have not had issues with it crashing, buffering, or freezing up as other reviewers on Amazon did (nor have I had those kinds of issues using the MAX app.
My one complaint is that it did not hold your login credentials long enough. For many apps, and I would say most of the ones I use, once I log in with my DirecTV NOW username and password they will stick unless I uninstall and reinstall the app, or after the app is updated. This one seems to log me out on a much more consistent basis. Then I have to go through the process of entering the code into the activation site, resubmitting my DirecTV NOW credentials, etc. It does not take a ton of time to do so, just a few minutes, but pain nevertheless. Of course, this has now been replaced with the MAX app, which has a much different interface and user experience, so the functionality of this one is moot now.
Friday, August 25, 2023
Product Review: Travelambo Front Pocket Minimalist Leather Slim Wallet RFID
The one con is for those who carry cash, it would be a bit of a pain because the
center compartment is really the size of a credit card so you have to fold
whatever cash you put in it, and you are realistically looking at only a few
bills being able to fit in it. For those who do not carry cash, however, it is
just fine.
Book Review: Patent Searching Made Easy
It is a good book for the very basic introduction to searching for prior art. It is focused on the various systems available through the PTO to search old patents by keyword or classification number(s), and goes step-by-step through the process for doing that. It makes passing mention but does not go into any great detail, on the other available services, both free and paid, to search patents (such as Google Patents). Nor, does it go into detail on other non-legal sources like trade or industry sources for finding prior art. Although most prior art comes from previously issued or applied patents, it is not limited to prior patents or patent applications.
The book is an easy read and you can get through it fairly quickly. It is a good companion to the book Patent It Yourself, which walks through the entire patent process from the time you invent something, to actually getting a patent. While this does not tell you everything you need to know about patent searching, it is a good primer for those who want to keep costs down and not have a patent attorney or agent do everything for them (for those who are brave enough to tackle trying to tackle a DIY patent). It can also be helpful for a novice patent attorney looking to get a leg up on learning how to do a part of the job (if you search art before writing claims and/or do a lot of freedom to operate work) and your firm does not farm out the work to a prior art search firm. I definitely recommend it.
The book is an easy read and you can get through it fairly quickly. It is a good companion to the book Patent It Yourself, which walks through the entire patent process from the time you invent something, to actually getting a patent. While this does not tell you everything you need to know about patent searching, it is a good primer for those who want to keep costs down and not have a patent attorney or agent do everything for them (for those who are brave enough to tackle trying to tackle a DIY patent). It can also be helpful for a novice patent attorney looking to get a leg up on learning how to do a part of the job (if you search art before writing claims and/or do a lot of freedom to operate work) and your firm does not farm out the work to a prior art search firm. I definitely recommend it.
MPOW H5 Bluetooth Headphones
I am not an audiophile by any means, so I am not sure how these would stand up to higher-end headphones. But, for an inexpensive pair of Bluetooth headphones, I am very satisfied with them. I used to work in a cubicle jungle where I could sometimes put headphones on. Using the active noise cancellation I heard very little background noise or people talking around me.
The sound for both music and talk radio is very good, and they feel very comfortable on my head. They are not adjustable however so if you have a larger head then they would be very uncomfortable or may not fit at all. For a pair of inexpensive Bluetooth headphones, this is a good option.
Book Review: Patent Law in a Nutshell
The nutshell series of books are supplements that are usually intended for people currently in law school taking a class pertaining to the subject. In my case, I never took intellectual property in law school, instead, I went back to school to get an engineering degree so that I could practice patent law. This was one of the sources I used to get familiar with patent law before I started studying for the patent bar exam. This version of the book was put out before the America Invents Act which changed some of the rules about who can get an invention, so some of the information, especially at the beginning of the book is dated. However, much of what is in the book is still very applicable and while it is not an in-depth treatment enough that you could sit down and write your own patent or pass the patent bar exam, it will give you a high-level overview of patent law, and can still be used as a reference.
It walks through the history of the United States patent system and the concepts of patentability, claims, claim construction, infringement, and a brief introduction to the various international conventions. While it would be more helpful to patent litigators, there is still good information for patent prosecutors and that those people who want to attempt to take on the challenge of writing their own patent can use. And, it can easily be used in conjunction with Patent it Yourself and its companion books (although there is a lot more legalese in this, as you would expect). As someone who is becoming a patent attorney in reverse (I got a law degree, then went back to undergrad to get an engineering degree) I started reading this as I was finishing school to get the basics of patent law that I did not learn in law school, then read Patent it Yourself to get a better idea of the nuts and bolts of the patent application process, and will eventually get a copy of the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, which is what you are allowed to use when taking the patent bar.
It walks through the history of the United States patent system and the concepts of patentability, claims, claim construction, infringement, and a brief introduction to the various international conventions. While it would be more helpful to patent litigators, there is still good information for patent prosecutors and that those people who want to attempt to take on the challenge of writing their own patent can use. And, it can easily be used in conjunction with Patent it Yourself and its companion books (although there is a lot more legalese in this, as you would expect). As someone who is becoming a patent attorney in reverse (I got a law degree, then went back to undergrad to get an engineering degree) I started reading this as I was finishing school to get the basics of patent law that I did not learn in law school, then read Patent it Yourself to get a better idea of the nuts and bolts of the patent application process, and will eventually get a copy of the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, which is what you are allowed to use when taking the patent bar.
Textbook Review: Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics 6th Edition
This book was used for my Fundamentals of Thermodynamics class, which was one of a handful of electives I had to choose from to get my EE degree. We used the 8th edition in class, but aside from the homework problems, the 6th edition had all the same explanatory material and tables, and I was able to get a used copy for $25 as opposed to a new copy of the 8th for over $200.
I would call this a decent textbook. The explanations were fairly clear and it gives quite a few example problems at the end of the chapters and often showed a couple of different ways to solve the problems. Luckily I had a teacher who walked through a lot of examples in class, and sometimes she made things a bit easier than the book's explanations. The one nitpicky point is, as others have pointed out there are no answers in the back of the book (or on CD) to any of the problems. And as is the case with most math, science, and engineering textbooks the amount of (and difficulty level) of the problems in the set at the end of the chapters far exceed what is shown in the examples either in the chapter text itself, or the more detailed fully worked out examples will show you how to do. So having some kind of answer key to check yourself would be helpful.
Overall I would say it is a good, but not a great book. The chapters can get a bit long, and honestly, I think the publishers would do a service to students to put out a version of the book with just the material that a one-semester-long fundamentals course would cover. That way students who have to take a full year and get the longer version of the book and students who are just taking the one-semester can get it a little cheaper. But, it is better than some math and science textbooks out there.
App Review: HGTV GO
This is an App that has most of the HGTV shows on it. It is free to download, but you have to sign in with your account information for whichever TV provider you have, be it cable, DirecTV, DirecTV Now, etc. If you do not have a cable or satellite provider (unless they have altred the policy) everything will be locked if you try to watch something. Once you do, you can stream pretty much every show on the network.
It mostly has just the most current episodes of the various shows (whatever season is currently airing, or most recently aired, and occasionally the season prior to that). It does not have every episode of every show, especially those which have been around for more than a few seasons. Some of the shows allow you to fast-forward through the commercials and others make you sit through 4-5 commercials (and sometimes the same commercial run over and over). If you are a cord-cutter and are a fan of the shows on the network, it is a great way to watch them when you want, especially if whatever streaming TV service you use does not have (or you do not want to pay for) DVR functionality.
All of the HGTV shows are now on MAX, which used to be HBO Go and then HBO Max. So if you subscribe to that you do not need to watch this, but if you do not want to pay for another streaming service and still have a cable subscription, this is a good option.
Product Review: Philips Norelco OneBlade, Hybrid Electric Trimmer and Shaver
I am one of those people who detest shaving because I get razor burn and ingrown hairs. I absolutely cannot use electric razors that cannot be used with shaving cream, and I have yet to find "regular" blades that don't irritate me. I can say the day after my first shave with this, it is much better (so far) than using a traditional blade.
I used shaving cream and this, and it gave a very good, smoother than I expected, shave. No razor burn at all, and so far, and I get far fewer ingrown hairs when using this than I do with regular razors. I definitely recommend it, especially those with sensitive skin.
Product Review: Plastic Graduated Cylinder
I needed one for a Thermodynamics project. It is nothing fancy, just a plastic cylinder with measurement markings. It arrived quickly and in good condition. It is probably not something I will ever use again, getting it at a much better price than a glass equivalent was great. I am very satisfied with it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)