Product Review: Marcy Combo Weights Storage Rack

 

This is a relatively small weight stand. It is much smaller than those you will see in a traditional gym. Even so, it still holds quite a bit of weight. I have weights ranging from 5 to 30 lbs and 4 kettlebells on the rack itself, then weight plates ranging from 2.5 to 10 lbs hanging on the bars. 

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.

Product Review: Travelambo Front Pocket Minimalist Leather Slim Wallet RFID

 

The wallet is slightly longer than a credit card, and the thickness with everything I have in it (one credit card, one debit card, my license, insurance cards, and a couple store store-saver cards) is about as thick as my iPhone 7 with its case. It holds everything securely and can easily fit in the front pocket of my jeans or dockers. My only suggestion for improvement would be to make it a bit longer so the center compartment can hold more. 

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.