Weather has been a major want ever since the first Sims game was
developed. Maxis however had fans waiting for years till finally they
release the expansion pack that would include weather. FINALLY!
I had a twinkle in my eye when I first saw the box for sale for $29.99
at my local gamestop. I opened up my wallet without so much a thought.
SO HOW WAS IT?
Well firstly let me talk about what the newest additions are. With any
Sims 2 expansion pack you always get new clothing, new objects, and new
decorations. The Sims 2 Seasons adds all of this. You have a whole new
wardrobe, however like all Maxis expansions, the new clothing is always
usually very ugly, and does not fit right graphically with the rest of
the game.
The clothes you get with this expansion pack however are pretty well
done compared to what Maxis had been throwing at us in the past. But the
wardrobe lacks. There are only about 5 or 6 new fall/winter themed
outfits for the girls, and 4 or 5 for the boys. Bah! The summer clothing
is non existent, and so is spring.
The best thing about the new clothing is that your Sims will change
into them when they go outside. However you must make sure you buy the
coat rack for this to occur. Without the coat rack your Sims will go
outside in whatever they are dressed in.
This is bad... and it is bad because in the winter if your Sims goes
outside wearing say a bikini, they risk freezing to death. If your Sim
turns blue, he will freeze to death unless someone comes outside to
break him free of the ice. If your Sims does make it inside without
turning into a frozen block, you may want to give him some hot chocolate
to warm him back up to normal temperature.
The same rings true for summer time. Your Sims can now overheat. There
new thermometer which will be placed next to their faces on the bottom
screen will show their temperature. To cool a hot Sim off you can prompt
them to go swimming, or to go inside to make some lemonade.
NEW ITEMS:
You will find a few select items sprawled throughout your furnishings
menu. However most of them do nothing but sit there looking ridiculous.
There will be snowmen, jack-o-lanterns, scarecrow and other various
season themed pieces. None though for me looked nice enough to care
about or make note about.
Some useful new items however include the juicer, and hot cocoa
machine. The juicer can be used only when a Sim places in fruits or
vegetables. These fruits and veggies can only be obtained by growing
them in the garden. I will cover this feature further on.
You will also be getting a new barbecue grill, and now you can go fishing in the pond. Your Sims can grill the fish they cook.
THE NEW POND:
As I had just mentioned earlier, you're Sims can now go fishing, the
more they fish the better they will get at it, and can even earn badges.
These badges are meant more for bragging rights, as they prove to be
useless seeing how there is no career in fishing. Most of the time
though expect your Sim to catch garbage and boots. It's a random chance
for fish, and the time wasted is more frustrating than not.
Now from here you would think it would be more useful to use the pond
for ice skating in the winter time. NOPE! This was an annoying new
feature, the ice skating rink is completely separate, and takes up a lot
of room. There is also a roller rink, the actions are the same though.
Your Sims put on skates and twirl around the new rink. I thought it
would of been more charming to allow them to skate on a frozen pond.
Sigh.
The only way you can fit a rink in your home is if you waste an entire
level on it. So build your home with 3 levels if you must have the rink
inside. If you must have it outside, build the home with a lot of extra
outdoor room. You're going to need it; for the garden.
THE GARDEN:
This seems to be the main purpose for the entire game, gardening. You
can now make a garden in the new garden section. You drag the dirt tile
over the lawn and make your garden any size you want. From large to
small, it;s up to you. Next you can add a greenhouse to protect the
plants from bugs. You can make the green house easily by dragging it
over the garden and making it the size you want. Next you add the green
house roof, and the door. You can also add lamps to the ceilings, and
sprinklers to water the gardens for you.
You then will prompt your Sim to garden. They will add soil, or plant
tomatoes. You want to add soil first for healthy plants. The more your
Sims tends to the garden the better they will become. As they get better
more vegetables will be available for planting. However you must get
good to get the new plants.
There are also fruit trees you can tend to. Apples, oranges, and
lemons. You can also place these in the greenhouse if there is available
room. Its advised to do so. If you place them outside, you will be
tending to them more often seeing how bugs will attack them almost every
moment they can.
Once you have a good garden going, you can call on the phone to become
a member in the Gardner's club. Once you call and accept evaluation, a
group from the club will come over and grade your garden. It is
recommended to have them come 'before' you plant anything. I know that
sounds weird, but if they come over and you have a big garden odds are
you will have sick plants. Sick plants lower the grade.
I call the garden club before as I am planting my first garden. That
way they come over and my saplings are all healthy babies. If you get a
good grade they will give you a gift to put anywhere on your lawn.
That mystery gift is a wishing well. With this well many cool things
can occur. I don't want to blow the surprise, but I will say this, if
you need some cash, make a wish, feeling lonely, make a wish... get the
hint. You can wish for numerous things using this well, and most of the
time the outcome is good. However wishes can backfire, so don't over
wish.
WEATHER
SUMMER:
Summer season is just like an old standard version of the game.
Nothing looks different. However this is the best season for plants and
trees to begin growing larger.
In the summertime your Sims can also go outside and go lightning bug
hunting. If your Sim is lucky they will catch one and put it in a jar
inside. The jar will glow, but be careful, the bug will die in a few
hours if not released.
You can also hunt for butterflies. The same thing happens when you
catch one. Your Sim will put it in a jar, and bring it inside. Only it
won't glow.
Your Sims can also go swimming during this season.
SPRING:
Rain and thunder happen a lot in rain, and if your Sim goes outside to
splash and play in puddles you run a high risk of electrocution. TIP:
STAY OUT of the jacuzzi during a storm. The odds are very very high to
get electrocuted by lightning. I have lost numerous Sims this way. The
main problem with the Sims has always been that a visiting Sim will stay
in the jacuzzi for days at a time, and not leave. Usually it will be a
visiting guest who gets zapped. Once they try to run they get zapped
again, hopefully someone with a high liking for this Sim is on the lot
to plea for their life, otherwise they'll die. There is also a random
chance of a tree getting zapped and catching on fire. The fire will go
out quickly though, and there is no need to call the fire department.
FALL:
In the fall leaves will pile up on your Sims lawn. You can rake them
in piles and play in them, or add them to your gardens compost bin if
you bought one. This compost is used as free soil. So it's best to
compost it.
Other than that there is not much more to do in the fall.
WINTER:
It snows. Obviously. You can have snowball fights in the snow, make
snow angels, and snowmen. You run the risk of freezing, so keep a close
on on your Sims thermometers.
MUSIC:
The music in the Sims remains the same as it always had. There is a
new jingle as the game loads, but other than that nothing sticks out as
new in the actual game.
GRAPHICS:
The graphics in The Sims 2 Seasons matches that of the Sims 2 game
itself. It is nothing spectacular, but the graphics are pretty well
done. Snow looks and sounds like snow when yous Sims walk over it, rain
makes the sound of rain, storms are spectacular, and the lightning zaps
are impressive. The leaves that fall look realistic.
OVERALL:
The game lacks, you only get 4 Sim days of each season which makes
things change too quickly. The majority of the game in my opinion
focuses more on the garden than the seasons. This game should of been
called The Sims 2 Gardening. The new objects are nothing spectacular and
you don't get many at all. I'm not saying this expansion is horrible,
it's probably the best one Maxis has released yet. But like all Maxis
expansions and Stuff packs, this game lacks.
RECOMMENDATION:
Sims 2 Seasons is cool if you can find it on sale. Otherwise I wouldn't waste the $30.
System Requirements:
-Full version of The Sims 2
-Mac OS X version 10.3.9
-1.2GHz PowerPC G4 or Intel processor or higher
-256MB of RAM (512MB recommended)
-32MB video RAM (ATI Radeon 9000 or NVIDIA GeForce FX5200 or higher)
-2GB hard disk space
-DVD drive
WHERE TO BUY IT:
Any local gaming store, walmart, target, bestbuy, or online at www.thesims2.com
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Review of The Sims 2 Glamour Life Stuff
Every Sim fan I know anticipates the release of anything and everything
Sims. Glamour Life Stuff was one of those necessities for all Sim fans
alike. Finally something new for our Sims. As much as we all wished it
was an expansion pack, sometimes you have to settle on whatever Maxis
throws at you, and lately Maxis has been throwing a lot of junk our way.
First it was Family Fun Stuff, and next in line was this release. After being burned by Family Fun Stuff, I was hesitant to drop down another $19.99 for Glamour Life Stuff. Besides my Sims were already rich, why not spoil them with some more extravagant things.
Thats exactly what Glamour Life Stuff is about. The wealthy side of the Sims, luxurious clothing, rare items for the home, statues made of gold, vases so wonderful they are considered museum quality, furniture fit for a king, and clothing so beautiful it is sure to please any Sim snob. At least that is what Maxis promised anyways. The reality is, all that glitters is not gold.
So what came with this stuff pack? Well a bunch of useless stuff. 60 useless items to be exact. On the cover of the Glamour Life Stuff box things looked promising, fur coats, new suits, lush looking couches, and exotic new furniture.
CLOTHING:
Yes, you can expect some new clothing, with any new stuffs pack, thats usually a guarantee. There are fur coats, new suits for men, some new evening dresses, and umm... thats about it.
The fur coats come in 3 colors, black, gray, and white. However like with the last stuffs pack, I noticed something off. The clothing was way too big to match up correctly with the rest of the game. This is the same error in Glamour Life Stuff. The fur coats are so big and puffy looking, it looks ridiculous. Another bummer is that the coat stays on. You can not take it off, unless you change, and a Sim walking around in this huge furry thing for too long is lame. I would of liked if it were removable to a nice outfit underneath. Thats asking for too much I guess though, huh Maxis?
The suits for men however are probably the most decent ones we have seen in quite some time. Each suit has a nice fashionable color, with a matching carnation on the side. They fit well and do not look too bulky like the woman's clothing. A few of the suits though are horrendous, and look like something a pimp with no fashion sense would wear.
There are also new cocktail dresses. They are a bit over the top in my opinion, and resemble prom dresses or bridesmaids dresses. Again, more clothing your Sim wouldn't look good walking around in.
There are also a few new pajamas for your Sims, but again these pajamas look way too big and baggy, and they do not match right with the Sims body shapes. They would of been nice, yes. But Maxis over did it, and for some reason continue to make baggy clothing. The pajamas however are silk, but do not flow in the game so this makes them look more like shiny plastic than clothing.
There are no new swimsuits which is a major dissapointment. There has not been swimsuit additions since The Sims 2 released. Thumbs down Maxis. They better come out with a Sims Summer Fun Stuff next!
I'm also still disappointed in Maxis' lack of new makeup for my Sims, or accessories, or... or... anything that involves building the Sims. Some new hair would be nice, without the ridiculous hats! I mean Sim websites designers are making better looking hair and accessories than the developers. That's sad!
OBJECTS:
As usual Maxis always seems to make the number seem good by saying, 'over 60 new objects!'. Then they go and fill that umber with a bunch of useless paintings. Blah! Thats right, expect to see a whole new slew of paintings.
There are a few new statues, but again they are way too big to look and fit comfortably in with the room or game. Another thumb down.
The new couches and furniture do not look glamorous nor luxurious. They look like plastic! I don;t know whats glamorous about plastic sofas and chairs, but they are so ugly I have yet to place them even in the poorest of my Sim homes. The colors are tacky, and it makes everything clash. Blech!
You can also expect to see some new carpeting and wallpaper. However you will not be getting many, and none stand out as luxurious. There will also be a new stereo and television set that look more retro than they do expensive or glam like.
There is a small selection of new lighting as well, one is a large outdoor street lamp, and some others for the home. A new ceiling lamp, and a few scones. Again, nothing seems luxury like to me here.
BUILD MODE:
Finally Maxis has given us something to work with, outside. Ooops. Everything new in this mode is horrible looking. Expect to see some odd shaped windows in hot colors. I don't mean hot in a good way either. Hot red, hot yellow, hot green. The colors actually are painful on the eye. There are also bubble shaped windows, that resemble bubbles a child would blow from a tube of actual bubbles. It seems like this particular style should have come with the under sea theme in Family Fun Stuff. Maxis must have forgotten to put it in with that pack, so they just randomly tossed it into this one.
There is also a new glass staircase you can build. It matches nothing unless you are going for an all window type home. I'm just a little pissed that Maxis still has yet to give us a spiral staircase. Too lazy!? I know they hear their fans, yet choose to ignore them.
OVERALL:
Maxis has done it again. Disappointed me yet a second time. First time shame on you Maxis, second time, shame on me.
I honestly should have known better. I should have waited for reviews to come out before buying it, or I should have at least waited till it went on sale. But I'm a fan of the Sims game, not the Sims stuff packs.
For me, it is another way for Maxis to gain a quick million. For the fans, it is a major sad disappointment. Honestly this kind of garbage should have been added in for free in an expansion pack. These stuff packs are just a sleazy way to get fans to waste even more money on pathetic content, and it's not right.
RECOMMENDATION:
Only if you can get it for dirt cheap. Or borrow the disc from a friend whom already wasted money.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
Pentium III 800 MHz, 512 MB RAM, graphic card 32MB (GeForce 2 or better), 3.5 GB HDD.
First it was Family Fun Stuff, and next in line was this release. After being burned by Family Fun Stuff, I was hesitant to drop down another $19.99 for Glamour Life Stuff. Besides my Sims were already rich, why not spoil them with some more extravagant things.
Thats exactly what Glamour Life Stuff is about. The wealthy side of the Sims, luxurious clothing, rare items for the home, statues made of gold, vases so wonderful they are considered museum quality, furniture fit for a king, and clothing so beautiful it is sure to please any Sim snob. At least that is what Maxis promised anyways. The reality is, all that glitters is not gold.
So what came with this stuff pack? Well a bunch of useless stuff. 60 useless items to be exact. On the cover of the Glamour Life Stuff box things looked promising, fur coats, new suits, lush looking couches, and exotic new furniture.
CLOTHING:
Yes, you can expect some new clothing, with any new stuffs pack, thats usually a guarantee. There are fur coats, new suits for men, some new evening dresses, and umm... thats about it.
The fur coats come in 3 colors, black, gray, and white. However like with the last stuffs pack, I noticed something off. The clothing was way too big to match up correctly with the rest of the game. This is the same error in Glamour Life Stuff. The fur coats are so big and puffy looking, it looks ridiculous. Another bummer is that the coat stays on. You can not take it off, unless you change, and a Sim walking around in this huge furry thing for too long is lame. I would of liked if it were removable to a nice outfit underneath. Thats asking for too much I guess though, huh Maxis?
The suits for men however are probably the most decent ones we have seen in quite some time. Each suit has a nice fashionable color, with a matching carnation on the side. They fit well and do not look too bulky like the woman's clothing. A few of the suits though are horrendous, and look like something a pimp with no fashion sense would wear.
There are also new cocktail dresses. They are a bit over the top in my opinion, and resemble prom dresses or bridesmaids dresses. Again, more clothing your Sim wouldn't look good walking around in.
There are also a few new pajamas for your Sims, but again these pajamas look way too big and baggy, and they do not match right with the Sims body shapes. They would of been nice, yes. But Maxis over did it, and for some reason continue to make baggy clothing. The pajamas however are silk, but do not flow in the game so this makes them look more like shiny plastic than clothing.
There are no new swimsuits which is a major dissapointment. There has not been swimsuit additions since The Sims 2 released. Thumbs down Maxis. They better come out with a Sims Summer Fun Stuff next!
I'm also still disappointed in Maxis' lack of new makeup for my Sims, or accessories, or... or... anything that involves building the Sims. Some new hair would be nice, without the ridiculous hats! I mean Sim websites designers are making better looking hair and accessories than the developers. That's sad!
OBJECTS:
As usual Maxis always seems to make the number seem good by saying, 'over 60 new objects!'. Then they go and fill that umber with a bunch of useless paintings. Blah! Thats right, expect to see a whole new slew of paintings.
There are a few new statues, but again they are way too big to look and fit comfortably in with the room or game. Another thumb down.
The new couches and furniture do not look glamorous nor luxurious. They look like plastic! I don;t know whats glamorous about plastic sofas and chairs, but they are so ugly I have yet to place them even in the poorest of my Sim homes. The colors are tacky, and it makes everything clash. Blech!
You can also expect to see some new carpeting and wallpaper. However you will not be getting many, and none stand out as luxurious. There will also be a new stereo and television set that look more retro than they do expensive or glam like.
There is a small selection of new lighting as well, one is a large outdoor street lamp, and some others for the home. A new ceiling lamp, and a few scones. Again, nothing seems luxury like to me here.
BUILD MODE:
Finally Maxis has given us something to work with, outside. Ooops. Everything new in this mode is horrible looking. Expect to see some odd shaped windows in hot colors. I don't mean hot in a good way either. Hot red, hot yellow, hot green. The colors actually are painful on the eye. There are also bubble shaped windows, that resemble bubbles a child would blow from a tube of actual bubbles. It seems like this particular style should have come with the under sea theme in Family Fun Stuff. Maxis must have forgotten to put it in with that pack, so they just randomly tossed it into this one.
There is also a new glass staircase you can build. It matches nothing unless you are going for an all window type home. I'm just a little pissed that Maxis still has yet to give us a spiral staircase. Too lazy!? I know they hear their fans, yet choose to ignore them.
OVERALL:
Maxis has done it again. Disappointed me yet a second time. First time shame on you Maxis, second time, shame on me.
I honestly should have known better. I should have waited for reviews to come out before buying it, or I should have at least waited till it went on sale. But I'm a fan of the Sims game, not the Sims stuff packs.
For me, it is another way for Maxis to gain a quick million. For the fans, it is a major sad disappointment. Honestly this kind of garbage should have been added in for free in an expansion pack. These stuff packs are just a sleazy way to get fans to waste even more money on pathetic content, and it's not right.
RECOMMENDATION:
Only if you can get it for dirt cheap. Or borrow the disc from a friend whom already wasted money.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
Pentium III 800 MHz, 512 MB RAM, graphic card 32MB (GeForce 2 or better), 3.5 GB HDD.
Review of iRobot Roomba: The Robotic House Maid
We've had our eye on the vacuum that will clean for you for quite some
time. The iRobot Roomba was it's name, and when it first came out, $500
was not our game. So with time, the robot vacuum improved, and the price
did too.
We got ours for $199 on sale. A bargain, but at the same time I worried...was it junk?
WELCOME HOME BABY BOY!
The Roomba need to be charged before we could put him to good use, and see what this hype was all about. To be honest it is the thought of this vacuum doing the work for you, but deep down in my mind I kept thinking this whole concept was garbage. It would break and die in a week or so, and that would be that. $200 down the drain.
It took about 6 hours for our Roomba to fully charge up. Once the green light went on, we pressed CLEAN, and we were greeted with a doo doo doo doo doo doo chime. The chime is enough to bring a smile to your face every time you set him to go cleaning.
His round shape made me wonder if he would get stuck in corners, and would need help getting out. However our iRobot proved me wrong, he needed no help. All he needed was you to press CLEAN.
We also assumed he would break easily because to be honest, the vacuum did not feel like the most sturdy thing in the world. The Roomba was actually quite rickety feeling. Once it got to cleaning though we realized this thing was a bull, and could take quite a beating.
OUR MODEL-
The Roomba 4150 does not come with a wall or a self-charging dock, so the price is a bit more affordable. There are other models that come with laser walls ensuring your Roomba does not fall down stairs, or leave rooms you want it to clean the most.
The self charging dock is a neat feature that you can buy separately. Once your Roomba begins to go low on batteries it will position itself up on the self charger. Pretty neat, but pricey. Besides the thing cleans the house, so plugging it on manually every now and then is not much of a task.
SIZE:
The iRobot is about 13 inches in diameter, and just about 4 inches tall. It weighs about 12 or 13 pounds. It fits easily in the closet or, better yet, store it under the couch out of eye sight.
At our house we leave him out, for bragging rights. Hehe!
The Roomba has a sensor bar in the front of it. It is basically like his face. This sensor is used to sense objects. The Roomba will hit into walls, and turn around to avoid it.
At the bottom of Roomba there are his spinning brushes, this particular model comes with an extra set of brushes. However we've had ours for months and have not had to replace them. So long as you clean them out every now and then, your vacuum will run without problems or needs for brush changes.
Roomba will suck up anything, so if you have socks, or clothes lying around, do the thing a favor and pick them up. This is how you jam the vacuum, and pulling out socks and clothes are bound to eventually ruin the vacuum.
MAIN FUNCTIONS:
The Roomba has 4 main cleaning functions, all with unique features:
SPOT:
You can pick this button to have the vacuum focus on one area. If you see a dirtier spot on the floor, Roomba will focus on it for quite some time if you press this button.
MAX:
This function can be set if you want the Roomba to clean until it's battery is dead. It is sort of unnecessary to pick this function because the clean function is all you really need.
CLEAN:
The Roomba will clean the room for approximately an hour before shutting itself off. This is about all the time the Roomba will need overall.
POWER
Umm.. it shuts it on and off.
KEEP YOUR ROOMBA CLEAN!
You should clean out the Roombas dust bin every time you use it. A clogged bin will only release dirt into the carpet, so be sure to check it frequently. Also be sure to clean out the bottom brushes regularly.
WHATS GREAT ABOUT ROOMBA:
Roomba has been a blessing, we can turn him on and leave the house, and come home to clean carpets and for such a small vacuum this one sure can suck. I mean that in a good way too. Not only that this vacuum is bag-less, you no longer have to go out and purchase expensive bags for your vacuum.
The Roomba can also withstand a pretty good beating without breaking or malfunctioning.
WHAT'S NOT SO GREAT?
Even though the Roomba can take a beating, it does not mean your belongings can too. Basically what I'm trying to say is that if you have an unstable end table or piece of furniture, the Roomba will knock it over, and could cause breaks. When you first turn on the Roomba in a room, watch it at first to see what items it will knock over, and take care of it.
The Roomba is also pretty loud. I don't care how many people tell you it's not, expect the same noise racket from this little thing, that you would a larger vacuum cleaner.
The Roomba also has issues getting from wooden or slate floors onto carpet mats. You may have to lift it up, or it will go around it.
OVERALL:
iRobot Roomba 4150 is like having a robotic maid in the home, and we honestly could not enjoy him more. Even with his bullying ways, it's a great vacuum for those on a tight time schedule.
Our next purchase is going to be the Scooba. The sister cleaner to the Roomba. This bad boy washes floors!
RECOMMENDATION:
I couldn't recommend this one more. Its an easy, inexpensive way to get your home clean without any physical labor on your part. Just sit back and watch as he does it all without breaking a sweat.
GET ONE:
You can purchase this model, and other models online at the official iRobot site at www.iRobot.com
We got ours for $199 on sale. A bargain, but at the same time I worried...was it junk?
WELCOME HOME BABY BOY!
The Roomba need to be charged before we could put him to good use, and see what this hype was all about. To be honest it is the thought of this vacuum doing the work for you, but deep down in my mind I kept thinking this whole concept was garbage. It would break and die in a week or so, and that would be that. $200 down the drain.
It took about 6 hours for our Roomba to fully charge up. Once the green light went on, we pressed CLEAN, and we were greeted with a doo doo doo doo doo doo chime. The chime is enough to bring a smile to your face every time you set him to go cleaning.
His round shape made me wonder if he would get stuck in corners, and would need help getting out. However our iRobot proved me wrong, he needed no help. All he needed was you to press CLEAN.
We also assumed he would break easily because to be honest, the vacuum did not feel like the most sturdy thing in the world. The Roomba was actually quite rickety feeling. Once it got to cleaning though we realized this thing was a bull, and could take quite a beating.
OUR MODEL-
The Roomba 4150 does not come with a wall or a self-charging dock, so the price is a bit more affordable. There are other models that come with laser walls ensuring your Roomba does not fall down stairs, or leave rooms you want it to clean the most.
The self charging dock is a neat feature that you can buy separately. Once your Roomba begins to go low on batteries it will position itself up on the self charger. Pretty neat, but pricey. Besides the thing cleans the house, so plugging it on manually every now and then is not much of a task.
SIZE:
The iRobot is about 13 inches in diameter, and just about 4 inches tall. It weighs about 12 or 13 pounds. It fits easily in the closet or, better yet, store it under the couch out of eye sight.
At our house we leave him out, for bragging rights. Hehe!
The Roomba has a sensor bar in the front of it. It is basically like his face. This sensor is used to sense objects. The Roomba will hit into walls, and turn around to avoid it.
At the bottom of Roomba there are his spinning brushes, this particular model comes with an extra set of brushes. However we've had ours for months and have not had to replace them. So long as you clean them out every now and then, your vacuum will run without problems or needs for brush changes.
Roomba will suck up anything, so if you have socks, or clothes lying around, do the thing a favor and pick them up. This is how you jam the vacuum, and pulling out socks and clothes are bound to eventually ruin the vacuum.
MAIN FUNCTIONS:
The Roomba has 4 main cleaning functions, all with unique features:
SPOT:
You can pick this button to have the vacuum focus on one area. If you see a dirtier spot on the floor, Roomba will focus on it for quite some time if you press this button.
MAX:
This function can be set if you want the Roomba to clean until it's battery is dead. It is sort of unnecessary to pick this function because the clean function is all you really need.
CLEAN:
The Roomba will clean the room for approximately an hour before shutting itself off. This is about all the time the Roomba will need overall.
POWER
Umm.. it shuts it on and off.
KEEP YOUR ROOMBA CLEAN!
You should clean out the Roombas dust bin every time you use it. A clogged bin will only release dirt into the carpet, so be sure to check it frequently. Also be sure to clean out the bottom brushes regularly.
WHATS GREAT ABOUT ROOMBA:
Roomba has been a blessing, we can turn him on and leave the house, and come home to clean carpets and for such a small vacuum this one sure can suck. I mean that in a good way too. Not only that this vacuum is bag-less, you no longer have to go out and purchase expensive bags for your vacuum.
The Roomba can also withstand a pretty good beating without breaking or malfunctioning.
WHAT'S NOT SO GREAT?
Even though the Roomba can take a beating, it does not mean your belongings can too. Basically what I'm trying to say is that if you have an unstable end table or piece of furniture, the Roomba will knock it over, and could cause breaks. When you first turn on the Roomba in a room, watch it at first to see what items it will knock over, and take care of it.
The Roomba is also pretty loud. I don't care how many people tell you it's not, expect the same noise racket from this little thing, that you would a larger vacuum cleaner.
The Roomba also has issues getting from wooden or slate floors onto carpet mats. You may have to lift it up, or it will go around it.
OVERALL:
iRobot Roomba 4150 is like having a robotic maid in the home, and we honestly could not enjoy him more. Even with his bullying ways, it's a great vacuum for those on a tight time schedule.
Our next purchase is going to be the Scooba. The sister cleaner to the Roomba. This bad boy washes floors!
RECOMMENDATION:
I couldn't recommend this one more. Its an easy, inexpensive way to get your home clean without any physical labor on your part. Just sit back and watch as he does it all without breaking a sweat.
GET ONE:
You can purchase this model, and other models online at the official iRobot site at www.iRobot.com
Review of The Sims and Santa Claus Happy Holiday Stuff Pack
Maxis is slowly trying to cover every aspect of regular human lives for
the Sims. From seasons, to business careers, and with a recent stuff
pack. Holidays.
I was delighted and all for it when I first heard about it a little before Christmas time, and couldn't wait to get my greedy hands on it. I rushed to the store before Santa even had a chance to put it under my tree.
I wasn't expecting much though, every stuff pack Maxis has ever thrown on the shelves have been crap. I figured this stuff pack would be filled with festive crap.
Stuff packs differ hugely compared to expansion packs. Stuff packs come with 'stuff', where expansion packs come with an entire new realm within the game.
Maxis also released the Holiday edition of the Sims, which cost $39.99. It is basically the Sims 2 with the holiday 'stuff' added in for free. However if yo already own the original game, there is no need to buy the Holiday edition, and this is why Maxi released the stuff pack. Many fans would be pretty pissed off if they had to spend $39.99 on something they already had.
WHAT KIND OF STUFF IS INCLUDED?
Holiday stuff of course. Haha!
On a more serious note, you will be getting mainly a collection of objects that focus on Christmas. There are some other holiday things that come with the pack, but Maxis barely covered Halloween, and Thanksgiving Day. Valentines Day is not present at all. There are also a few objects that focus on Hanukkah, and New Years Day.
In the objects menu you can find snowmen, lighted reindeer, Christmas lights, a radio, a few decorative dining room furniture pieces, and some wall hangings.
Now my biggest issue was with the outdoor object sizes. They would have been really cute additions if Maxis hadn't blown them up to sizes that almost match the entire home. Who the hell wants a statue in the yard that is as tall as the house? No one!
My next issue was with the dancing snowman, once you turn him on, your game will run slowly. I have a fast machine too, and there is no reason for this. My PC was designed for gaming, and why this snowman slows it down is beyond me.
The dining room furniture is nice, but honestly cannot be left out long once you install The Sims 2 Seasons, seeing how there are only 4 days of seasons. It'd look pretty dumb to have it be summer time with your home decked out for Christmas time.
This stuff pack also features the Christmas tree. This was the biggest disappointment of all. On the cover of many magazines, and even on their website, it shows a Sim child opening gifts. This is NOT the case. The tree is there solely to look pretty, and there are no actions involved. The worst thing about it, is that if the trees lights are left on for a few hours it lights up on fire. Lovely way to start Christmas right! Sheesh!
There are also a few new doo dads for you to place on top of the fireplace mantel, such as nut crackers, candles, and stockings. Again, the stockings have no actions for your Sims.
The candles will light up though, but the light they put off is barely even recognizable, unless you have a plasma screen monitor.
SANTA:
Yes he will visit, if you throw a holiday party. You can choose this option over the phone, and your guests will arrive. At midnight, Santa will arrive, or old man winter with a dancing baby. The dancing baby is pretty creepy.
What sucked more than anything was how you could not interact with any of these NPC'S. They came to visit, yet did nothing but look cute in the game. It would of been nice to have Santa come and give the kid Sims something. BAH!
Old man winter does the same thing. He will walk around the lot ignoring you. If you're not quick you could even miss them. So keep an ear out for bell chimes. Thats how you know old man winter or Santa is on the lot.
I've never felt more jipped from Santa Claus in my life! Ech!!!
WHAT ELSE?
Oh yeah, there is a cornucopia for the kitchen table or counter, a frosty music box radio thingamajig that plays 4 annoying tunes over and over again. I'm surprised the 'smash' action is not available. There are some Halloween statues, again...too big to fit in the yard and look normal, a jack-o-lantern, and..umm...that is seriously about it!
Oh I'm sorry, how could I forget, the frigging mistletoe. The only action in the game! Stand under the mistletoe and someone will come and give you a big ol' kiss.
To me this mistletoe is nothing more than a family destroyer. You see, my Sims for some reason will stand under it on their own, and if I'm not careful a guest or someone on the lot will kiss them. If the wife or husband sees... well you know what happens, the cheating memory.
I didn't know a kiss on the cheek because of this frigging mistletoe would tear my Sims apart. Avoid placing this in your home if you know whats good for you.
So thanks MAXIS, for giving my Sims a tree that sets itself on fire, a Santa without any presents, presents that cannot be opened, a mistletoe that causes Sim spouses to think mistletoe kisses are cheating devices; thanks for the creepy dancing baby, gigantic statues that don't fit on the lawn, the radio that plays the same annoying jingles, stockings that cant be looked in, the snowman that slows up my game, and candles that waste space and produce no light. Thanks Maxis, for the headache! Thanks!
Recommendation:
Nay! This stuff pack will cost you $19.99 and is the biggest rip-off Maxis has released yet.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
800 MHz processor or better
256 MB RAM if Windows XP, Windows ME, Windows 98 or Windows 2000
At least 3.5 GB of hard drive space
I was delighted and all for it when I first heard about it a little before Christmas time, and couldn't wait to get my greedy hands on it. I rushed to the store before Santa even had a chance to put it under my tree.
I wasn't expecting much though, every stuff pack Maxis has ever thrown on the shelves have been crap. I figured this stuff pack would be filled with festive crap.
Stuff packs differ hugely compared to expansion packs. Stuff packs come with 'stuff', where expansion packs come with an entire new realm within the game.
Maxis also released the Holiday edition of the Sims, which cost $39.99. It is basically the Sims 2 with the holiday 'stuff' added in for free. However if yo already own the original game, there is no need to buy the Holiday edition, and this is why Maxi released the stuff pack. Many fans would be pretty pissed off if they had to spend $39.99 on something they already had.
WHAT KIND OF STUFF IS INCLUDED?
Holiday stuff of course. Haha!
On a more serious note, you will be getting mainly a collection of objects that focus on Christmas. There are some other holiday things that come with the pack, but Maxis barely covered Halloween, and Thanksgiving Day. Valentines Day is not present at all. There are also a few objects that focus on Hanukkah, and New Years Day.
In the objects menu you can find snowmen, lighted reindeer, Christmas lights, a radio, a few decorative dining room furniture pieces, and some wall hangings.
Now my biggest issue was with the outdoor object sizes. They would have been really cute additions if Maxis hadn't blown them up to sizes that almost match the entire home. Who the hell wants a statue in the yard that is as tall as the house? No one!
My next issue was with the dancing snowman, once you turn him on, your game will run slowly. I have a fast machine too, and there is no reason for this. My PC was designed for gaming, and why this snowman slows it down is beyond me.
The dining room furniture is nice, but honestly cannot be left out long once you install The Sims 2 Seasons, seeing how there are only 4 days of seasons. It'd look pretty dumb to have it be summer time with your home decked out for Christmas time.
This stuff pack also features the Christmas tree. This was the biggest disappointment of all. On the cover of many magazines, and even on their website, it shows a Sim child opening gifts. This is NOT the case. The tree is there solely to look pretty, and there are no actions involved. The worst thing about it, is that if the trees lights are left on for a few hours it lights up on fire. Lovely way to start Christmas right! Sheesh!
There are also a few new doo dads for you to place on top of the fireplace mantel, such as nut crackers, candles, and stockings. Again, the stockings have no actions for your Sims.
The candles will light up though, but the light they put off is barely even recognizable, unless you have a plasma screen monitor.
SANTA:
Yes he will visit, if you throw a holiday party. You can choose this option over the phone, and your guests will arrive. At midnight, Santa will arrive, or old man winter with a dancing baby. The dancing baby is pretty creepy.
What sucked more than anything was how you could not interact with any of these NPC'S. They came to visit, yet did nothing but look cute in the game. It would of been nice to have Santa come and give the kid Sims something. BAH!
Old man winter does the same thing. He will walk around the lot ignoring you. If you're not quick you could even miss them. So keep an ear out for bell chimes. Thats how you know old man winter or Santa is on the lot.
I've never felt more jipped from Santa Claus in my life! Ech!!!
WHAT ELSE?
Oh yeah, there is a cornucopia for the kitchen table or counter, a frosty music box radio thingamajig that plays 4 annoying tunes over and over again. I'm surprised the 'smash' action is not available. There are some Halloween statues, again...too big to fit in the yard and look normal, a jack-o-lantern, and..umm...that is seriously about it!
Oh I'm sorry, how could I forget, the frigging mistletoe. The only action in the game! Stand under the mistletoe and someone will come and give you a big ol' kiss.
To me this mistletoe is nothing more than a family destroyer. You see, my Sims for some reason will stand under it on their own, and if I'm not careful a guest or someone on the lot will kiss them. If the wife or husband sees... well you know what happens, the cheating memory.
I didn't know a kiss on the cheek because of this frigging mistletoe would tear my Sims apart. Avoid placing this in your home if you know whats good for you.
So thanks MAXIS, for giving my Sims a tree that sets itself on fire, a Santa without any presents, presents that cannot be opened, a mistletoe that causes Sim spouses to think mistletoe kisses are cheating devices; thanks for the creepy dancing baby, gigantic statues that don't fit on the lawn, the radio that plays the same annoying jingles, stockings that cant be looked in, the snowman that slows up my game, and candles that waste space and produce no light. Thanks Maxis, for the headache! Thanks!
Recommendation:
Nay! This stuff pack will cost you $19.99 and is the biggest rip-off Maxis has released yet.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
800 MHz processor or better
256 MB RAM if Windows XP, Windows ME, Windows 98 or Windows 2000
At least 3.5 GB of hard drive space
Review of The Sims 2 Pets
I was seriously upset when I heard about the release for The Sims 2
Pets. It was a slap in the face, it was like Maxis was saying, "yeah we
already made a pets expansion pack for the Sims 1, so we decided to
remodel things a bit, and remake it again in the Sims 2, enjoy!"
Being a Sims fan though, I had to purchase it just to see what it was all about. It did look much nicer than the Sims 1 pets expansion on the cover of the box. Things looked semi promising, so I dropped down the $39.99 and went on my way.
The Sims 2 Pets installed in about 10 minutes, and usually when Sim games take a long time to install, it means you're getting a lot more.
HOW TO MAKE/GET A PET?
I got the new option to make a pet. I could make puppies, kittens, or adult dogs and cats. You make the pets in the same create a family area. You can create a pet, and add it to any household, or you can make a pet as you make a new family.
In this area you choose your breed of dog, you choose their colors, and you can alter their sizes, you can make a thin dog, or fat cat, huge ears, or miniature ears. I however found it difficult to make my dog look realistic to my dog I have in 'real' life. My main issue with body making for dogs and cats was that their heads would look too large for the rest of their body. In the game however things sort of proportioned themselves out, which was pleasing to see. All of these genes will be passed on to the animals pups or kittens if they have any.
This is not the only way you can obtain a new furry friend to your home. In the neighborhood there will now be stray animals. They range from raccoons, cats, and dogs. Your Sims can build a relationship with these animals, and once the relationship is high enough, a pop up screen will ask you if you would like to adopt the animal. You can choose yes or no.
PERSONALITY:
Like any animal, they each have their own personality. You can choose the personality of your dog, you can choose to make him friendly or aggressive, smart or doofy, lazy or playful.
PUPPIES AND KITTENS OH MY!
If you have a male and female dog or male and female cat, the option to 'try for puppies/kittens' becomes available. The animals though must have a high relationship in order for you to have puppies or kittens.
If the relationship is high, the dog or cat will have kittens in about 4 Sim days. You can raise them, or sell them to Sim friends.
WELCOME HOME FIFI:
When your pet first comes home it's going to need a lot of training. Some pets will break furniture, eat plants, pee on the floor, and be aggressive towards Sims just jogging by, or the mailman of course. Some pets will also eat from the garbage, or eat food left on tables. So naturally when you get your pet home, you must start training!
TRAIN YOUR PETS!
That' right, this is the main component of the game. Training your pet. You can train your animal numerous tricks, from sit, speak, pee outside, stay off of furniture, eat food, play dead, come, and many more. Once the dog or cat has been trained they can get jobs.
MOOD AND NEEDS:
Your pets will have mood swings usually because they are being neglected or are hungry. A dog will growl if it is unhappy or whimper, and a cat will scratch. Be sure to check the needs of your animals as often as you would your Sims.
CAREERS:
You can choose your animals career, from rescue dog, to police dog. There are about 4 careers for you to choose for your animal. However make sure your dog has some skills before throwing him or her into a job.
DEATH:
And also keep in mind your animals will age. Dogs will get old and die, as will cats, so enjoy them while you can. They become elder animals in about 25 days, and will become more sluggish.
I must say I was very disappointed in death, but the purpose of this game is to simulate real life, and death happens in real life.
BIG BAD WOLF! AHHHH!
A new interesting twist has been added into the Sims 2 Pets. Wolves. Some of your Sims may fear getting bitten by one which will lower their aspiration meter into the red. If your Sims do get bit though, they too will turn into..... HOOOOWWWWLLLL.
Don't worry though, you could by potion from the fortune teller woman. (The one who sets up blind dates) Call her on the phone, and she will always have the cure for changing you back into a normal Sim.
It's sort of like turning into a vampire in the Sims, it's cool until the Sims dies. Sigh. Regardless though, it was still a neat addition into the game.
PET STORE:
There will now be a pet store in town. Your Sims can bring the whole family in a taxi or by car. Here you can buy treat, other small animals (which I will cover later on), collars, and toys or bones.
PARK:
In town there will also be a few new parks for you to bring your pet. Here the animals can meet with other dogs, and play. There is not really very much to do here besides that though.
OTHER ANIMALS:
There are other animals in the game, the wombat (guinea pig type animal), or a parrot or fish.
A major problem I had with these small animals is that they require you to fill their food bowls like 4 times a day. Each time they need a food refill it will cost you $20, at almost $100 a day and the constant need for feedings becomes more annoying, and tedious. I don't know why Maxis set things up like this, but it seems like a flaw they were too lazy to fix.
MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF PETS:
You're household can hold up to six animals if you only have 1 Sim in the home. So you can make a neat old lady and her cats type home if you'd like. Doesn't everyone have one in the neighborhood anyway.
NEW ITEMS FOR PETS AND HOME:
When you have a pet, you need supplies, and there is a nice assortment of pet dishes food feeding, cat scratches, cat houses, dog houses, mouse toys, squeaky toys, bones, litter boxes, and basket beds.
Not only that, there are new pet themed rugs and walls. A statue, and a few random pet themed objects that you can place within the home. I am not too impressed with the small selection of objects for the home, but I did like the assortment of pet usable items.
MUSIC:
The load screen will have new music and pictures as it loads the game, but once in the game the standard Sims chime will be present. Nothing new here.
GRAPHICS:
Hey, they're not so bad, animals fur looks almost realistic, but not too realistic, and the animals match up to the rest of the game without looking awkward.
ISSUES:
Although it is a decent expansion pack, the fun factor runs out quickly. Once you visit the park, have kittens or puppies, deal with a bird that eats too much, and train your dog into a super dog or cat, the game play goes quickly to boredom. All aspects of the game can be played in less than a week, and after that pets become more of a nuisance.
OVERALL:
In my opinion The Sims 2 Pets is a decent expansion pack, however I would have liked to see something new, and not a remake of the old
Being a Sims fan though, I had to purchase it just to see what it was all about. It did look much nicer than the Sims 1 pets expansion on the cover of the box. Things looked semi promising, so I dropped down the $39.99 and went on my way.
The Sims 2 Pets installed in about 10 minutes, and usually when Sim games take a long time to install, it means you're getting a lot more.
HOW TO MAKE/GET A PET?
I got the new option to make a pet. I could make puppies, kittens, or adult dogs and cats. You make the pets in the same create a family area. You can create a pet, and add it to any household, or you can make a pet as you make a new family.
In this area you choose your breed of dog, you choose their colors, and you can alter their sizes, you can make a thin dog, or fat cat, huge ears, or miniature ears. I however found it difficult to make my dog look realistic to my dog I have in 'real' life. My main issue with body making for dogs and cats was that their heads would look too large for the rest of their body. In the game however things sort of proportioned themselves out, which was pleasing to see. All of these genes will be passed on to the animals pups or kittens if they have any.
This is not the only way you can obtain a new furry friend to your home. In the neighborhood there will now be stray animals. They range from raccoons, cats, and dogs. Your Sims can build a relationship with these animals, and once the relationship is high enough, a pop up screen will ask you if you would like to adopt the animal. You can choose yes or no.
PERSONALITY:
Like any animal, they each have their own personality. You can choose the personality of your dog, you can choose to make him friendly or aggressive, smart or doofy, lazy or playful.
PUPPIES AND KITTENS OH MY!
If you have a male and female dog or male and female cat, the option to 'try for puppies/kittens' becomes available. The animals though must have a high relationship in order for you to have puppies or kittens.
If the relationship is high, the dog or cat will have kittens in about 4 Sim days. You can raise them, or sell them to Sim friends.
WELCOME HOME FIFI:
When your pet first comes home it's going to need a lot of training. Some pets will break furniture, eat plants, pee on the floor, and be aggressive towards Sims just jogging by, or the mailman of course. Some pets will also eat from the garbage, or eat food left on tables. So naturally when you get your pet home, you must start training!
TRAIN YOUR PETS!
That' right, this is the main component of the game. Training your pet. You can train your animal numerous tricks, from sit, speak, pee outside, stay off of furniture, eat food, play dead, come, and many more. Once the dog or cat has been trained they can get jobs.
MOOD AND NEEDS:
Your pets will have mood swings usually because they are being neglected or are hungry. A dog will growl if it is unhappy or whimper, and a cat will scratch. Be sure to check the needs of your animals as often as you would your Sims.
CAREERS:
You can choose your animals career, from rescue dog, to police dog. There are about 4 careers for you to choose for your animal. However make sure your dog has some skills before throwing him or her into a job.
DEATH:
And also keep in mind your animals will age. Dogs will get old and die, as will cats, so enjoy them while you can. They become elder animals in about 25 days, and will become more sluggish.
I must say I was very disappointed in death, but the purpose of this game is to simulate real life, and death happens in real life.
BIG BAD WOLF! AHHHH!
A new interesting twist has been added into the Sims 2 Pets. Wolves. Some of your Sims may fear getting bitten by one which will lower their aspiration meter into the red. If your Sims do get bit though, they too will turn into..... HOOOOWWWWLLLL.
Don't worry though, you could by potion from the fortune teller woman. (The one who sets up blind dates) Call her on the phone, and she will always have the cure for changing you back into a normal Sim.
It's sort of like turning into a vampire in the Sims, it's cool until the Sims dies. Sigh. Regardless though, it was still a neat addition into the game.
PET STORE:
There will now be a pet store in town. Your Sims can bring the whole family in a taxi or by car. Here you can buy treat, other small animals (which I will cover later on), collars, and toys or bones.
PARK:
In town there will also be a few new parks for you to bring your pet. Here the animals can meet with other dogs, and play. There is not really very much to do here besides that though.
OTHER ANIMALS:
There are other animals in the game, the wombat (guinea pig type animal), or a parrot or fish.
A major problem I had with these small animals is that they require you to fill their food bowls like 4 times a day. Each time they need a food refill it will cost you $20, at almost $100 a day and the constant need for feedings becomes more annoying, and tedious. I don't know why Maxis set things up like this, but it seems like a flaw they were too lazy to fix.
MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF PETS:
You're household can hold up to six animals if you only have 1 Sim in the home. So you can make a neat old lady and her cats type home if you'd like. Doesn't everyone have one in the neighborhood anyway.
NEW ITEMS FOR PETS AND HOME:
When you have a pet, you need supplies, and there is a nice assortment of pet dishes food feeding, cat scratches, cat houses, dog houses, mouse toys, squeaky toys, bones, litter boxes, and basket beds.
Not only that, there are new pet themed rugs and walls. A statue, and a few random pet themed objects that you can place within the home. I am not too impressed with the small selection of objects for the home, but I did like the assortment of pet usable items.
MUSIC:
The load screen will have new music and pictures as it loads the game, but once in the game the standard Sims chime will be present. Nothing new here.
GRAPHICS:
Hey, they're not so bad, animals fur looks almost realistic, but not too realistic, and the animals match up to the rest of the game without looking awkward.
ISSUES:
Although it is a decent expansion pack, the fun factor runs out quickly. Once you visit the park, have kittens or puppies, deal with a bird that eats too much, and train your dog into a super dog or cat, the game play goes quickly to boredom. All aspects of the game can be played in less than a week, and after that pets become more of a nuisance.
OVERALL:
In my opinion The Sims 2 Pets is a decent expansion pack, however I would have liked to see something new, and not a remake of the old
Review of The Casio EXILIM ZOOM EX-Z60
The Casio EXILIM ZOOM EX-Z60 is a 6 megapixel Digital camera, that looks
as if has been on a diet since birth. This thing is slim! It is
seriously only 1 1/2 cm thick. It can fit in your back pocket, however the manual does not recommend this, seeing how you can sit on it, or have it fall out of your pocket, and break. Not good! Not cool! So store it in a safe place.
Although it is skinny, and about the same size as a credit card, it by no means feels cheap or flimsy. It's a nice hard sturdy little camera.
I would however advise you to buy a padded pouch or case for it for protection against scratches or falling, seeing how this camera does not come with one.
I'M GOING BIG SCREEN!
There is a 2.5 inch LCD screen, it is huge compared to most cameras available these days, and It is also very crisp and clear when viewing photos on it. The LCD screen is positioned to the right side of the camera on the back, on the left side of the screen are your search function buttons.
"CHHHAAARRRGGGGEEEE"
The EXILIM also came with a rechargable lithium battery that is located at the bottom of the camera. This is the same slot that the SD memory card is inserted. You simply click out the battery by pressing it; It will pop up. (I find this difficult, seeing how they don't give you a whole lot of finger room in there) You now can insert it into the charger; it clicks right in. It only takes it about an hour to fully recharge. It's really no big deal seeing how the battery will last hours upon hours. Mine was able to last through an entire 1gb memory card worth of pictures, and some before draining.
*The Exilim It does not come with an SD card, so you are going to want to purchase at least a 1gb card or more. The 1gb card will hold 300 or more photos.
The camera does have a built in memory, but it will only hold 10 photos at once. So unless 10 photos at a time is cool, I'd buy an SD card.
You can purchase them from $20-40 depending on what card you get. You can place this card right in the butt of the camera with an easy click in, click out release chamber.
FAST!
Once the camera is turned on, it is ready to take pictures in approximately 1.4 seconds! Once you press the shutter, the photo is taken almost instantly, with approximately 0.002 second release time lag. Basically, you won't miss a single moment. You want that perfect shot of when your baby smiles, or took his or her first steps. You're not going to miss it.
LIGHTS, CAMERA ACTION!
To view photos that you have previously taken you simply hit the 'PLAY' button that is located directly next to the LCD screen. You then hit the arrow keys to locate previous photos. You also are given the option to delete photos you do not wish to keep. You simply use the arrow keys to get to the 'DELETE' button, and click it. It will ask you if you are sure.
SHARE THEM, OR PHOTO SHOP THEM!
The Casio EXILIM ZOOM EX-Z60 Digital Camera comes with a CD that you can use to view and upload your photos on to your computer through an available USB hub (the camera will come with the wires you will need to do this). Its very quick and easy to install the CD into the computer.
You can also simply stick the SD card into your computer if you have the available slot, or a multimedia computer that allows for this type of action. If you do have this available slot, it is the fastest way to upload your photo onto the computer. From here, you simply save the ones you want. You can now send them through email, or fix them up in any available photo restoration program you are using on your computer.
BAM, POW, ZOOM!
The EXILIM also comes equipt with a 3x optical zoom lens. I was able to take a really scary shot of a regular daddy long leggers, lightning bugs, ladybugs, etc... the shots came out incredibly, and the quality was equal to a shot you'd find in a magazine. It could of also made an awesome DVD cover if your into making independent films.
FUN FEATURES
This digital camera comes loads with tons of features for taking photos. I will kindly take my time and go through each individual one, and how well they worked for me.
1. You've got the option to use 'BEST SHOT'. This is a setting the camera will use if you do not choose any other settings. It programs itself to the best setting depending on your location. The quality of these photos are always superb.
2. PORTRAIT- This is used for face shots mostly, or shots of simple household objects. This setting in my opinion takes the same quality shot as 'best shot' does.
3. SCENERY- This setting would be used for just that. The quality is crisp and clear. You really get wonderful shots if you are photographing mountains, deserts, beaches...etc.
4. CANDLE LIGHT PORTRAITS- This setting is used in situations such as birthdays. The photo comes out clear and beautiful. You don't get that squiggle mark line in candles like other cameras do. However it tends to make the scene all around it yellowish. It for me is just okay.
5. PORTRAIT WITH SCENERY- Same as 2 and 3. Just together. This setting is nothing special, and also sort of not needed. You can simply use best shot for the same effect.
6. CHILDREN- Why this setting was added is beyond me. It is another feature that one does not have to use. You can use BEST SHOT for this as well. It comes out exactly the same.
7. SPORTS- This setting is used for moving shots. You get no blur if you use this setting, ex. while someone is kicking a ball, or jumping. It really is a nice added feature and works great.
8. PARTY- This setting makes photos have an yellow tint like the candle light shot. I'm not impressed with it at all.
9. PETS- Like the 'children' setting. It is the same as best shot. Nothing special here, and also not bad though. Takes a good clear crisp photo every time.
10. FLOWER- Same as best shot, pet, and children settings. Nothing new, nothing bad.
11. NATURAL GREEN- This setting is used for when you happen to be in a lush green forest or jungle. Don't ask. It makes green things seem more green than they are. They do look more crisp though.
13. AUTUMN LEAVES- This is a nice feature if you want to take a shot of your kids playing in leaves. It is a crisp nice shot. However I find it not needed.
14. SOFT FLOWING WATER- River rafting anyone? It takes a good shot, and freeze frames flowing water. It does look neat, however I don't see why it was needed. You could also use best shot and get the same results.
15. SPLASHING WATER- Like the flowing water, it freeze frames splashing water. I find this to be neat, however also very dangerous for your camera to be in this situation.
16. SUNDOWN- Say you want to get a shot of a sunset.. well now is your chance. It takes a really nice photo, and does not leave an squiggles or blurry spots on shots.
17. NIGHT SCENE- It's used just for that. It's also very effective if you happen to be in Las Vegas at night. Takes awesome shots of buildings without the squiggle worms. This setting won't clash a scene and make it look like day. Results are nice.
18. BACKLIGHT- This setting is used for just this situation. I am not a 'photographer' and at times find this setting hard to use. I never seem to have the right backlight, and the photos either come out too dark, or too light. I guess this setting is great for those with some time in photography school under their belts.
19. NIGHT SCENE PORTRAIT- This setting sort of works the same as NIGHT SCENE. I don't really see a difference in the quality of photos.
20. FIREWORKS- This setting is awesome for firework shots. They come out perfect every time. The firework is not distorted, no squiggle lines. I'm really surprised at how great this setting works.
21. FOOD- Works the same as the best shot setting.
22. TEXT- I was also surprised at how well the camera worked under this setting. Why it is needed is beyond me though; but it does work well. It will take a perfect shot of any text. Say an assignment, book or small sign. Does the job to the tee.
23. COLLECTION- Say you want to get a photo of a bunch of dolls, toys, or anything really. This would be the setting for you. I find it ridiculous though. You again, can use best shot for such things.
24. FOR EBAY- Now this is one feature I like. This camera will take a shot in ebay format, so you don't have to play around with it afterwards to get it to work on ebay. Very very neat feature for ebay sellers.
25. ANTI-SHAKE- Now I find this setting hard to use. I guess you need a tri-pod for it. If you shake the photo comes out blurry. It's strange and I still haven't figured out how to use it properly.
26. HIGH SENSITIVITY- This setting makes your photos red. It's used for high sensitive locations. You can get a nice shot of a fireplace with this setting however.
27. MONOCHROME- Black and white! This is really one of my favorites. It seriously makes boring photos look mysterious. I love this feature. Takes really nice quality photographs.
28. RETRO- This setting takes a yellowish photo. It's supposed to make your shots look retro. However to me they just come out looking dull.
29. TWILIGHT- This setting is best used for city scape. They do come out looking nice and clear. But you can get the same sort of result using NIGHT SCENE.
30. OLD PHOTO- This is another favorite. It is used to take photos, of old photos. It works like a charm, and is great for older photos that you just want to restore on the PC, or to save for safe keeping.
31. BUSINESS CARD OR DOCUMENT- Same as text really.
32. WHITE BOARD- Also takes the same shot as text does. Nothing spectacular.
33. VOICE RECORDING- Yes, you heard it. You have the option to record your own voice. Leave yourself a reminder, or record a professor. Works great. Will allow you to record as long as your SD card has enough space. The larger the SD card, the more time you have.
34. MOVIE- Another awesome feature from this camera is the ability to take home movies. Again depending on the size of your SD card will determine how much video time you get. Really neat feature. Love it! Also very neat for (www.myspace.com) freaks who love video blogging.
To get into these 34 different setting simply push the "BS" button on the right bottom side of the camera next to the LCD screen.
AND THERE IS MORE:
Out of all 34 settings most of them, for me, were not really needed. However the settings that did provide different quality photos were awesome. Most of them however really showed no difference in the quality of my photos.
Other features include 'rapid flash'. This allows you to take 3 consecutive photos in only 1 second. SWEET! Soft flash prevents over exposure of your photo, and revive shot will make your old photographs look like new ones.
EXPOSURE WARNING:
An exposure warning will pop up on your screen if you are in too light of a setting, or too dark. You can than adjust it by choosing the appropriate shot setting.
OVERALL
I have been completely satisfied with my Exilim camera. I spent only $199 at Walmart, and it truly is money well spent. This camera always provides me with fast and high quality photos, and I love how small and convenient it is.
YOU KNOW YOU WANT ONE!
So go and get it!
The Casio EXILIM ZOOM EX-Z60 is a sleek and sexy camera that I would recommend to anyone who wants to take high quality photos without the hassle of a bunch of photography equipment. It is user friendly and it is easy to use. Beginners will be taking fabulous shots in seconds.
Although it is skinny, and about the same size as a credit card, it by no means feels cheap or flimsy. It's a nice hard sturdy little camera.
I would however advise you to buy a padded pouch or case for it for protection against scratches or falling, seeing how this camera does not come with one.
I'M GOING BIG SCREEN!
There is a 2.5 inch LCD screen, it is huge compared to most cameras available these days, and It is also very crisp and clear when viewing photos on it. The LCD screen is positioned to the right side of the camera on the back, on the left side of the screen are your search function buttons.
"CHHHAAARRRGGGGEEEE"
The EXILIM also came with a rechargable lithium battery that is located at the bottom of the camera. This is the same slot that the SD memory card is inserted. You simply click out the battery by pressing it; It will pop up. (I find this difficult, seeing how they don't give you a whole lot of finger room in there) You now can insert it into the charger; it clicks right in. It only takes it about an hour to fully recharge. It's really no big deal seeing how the battery will last hours upon hours. Mine was able to last through an entire 1gb memory card worth of pictures, and some before draining.
*The Exilim It does not come with an SD card, so you are going to want to purchase at least a 1gb card or more. The 1gb card will hold 300 or more photos.
The camera does have a built in memory, but it will only hold 10 photos at once. So unless 10 photos at a time is cool, I'd buy an SD card.
You can purchase them from $20-40 depending on what card you get. You can place this card right in the butt of the camera with an easy click in, click out release chamber.
FAST!
Once the camera is turned on, it is ready to take pictures in approximately 1.4 seconds! Once you press the shutter, the photo is taken almost instantly, with approximately 0.002 second release time lag. Basically, you won't miss a single moment. You want that perfect shot of when your baby smiles, or took his or her first steps. You're not going to miss it.
LIGHTS, CAMERA ACTION!
To view photos that you have previously taken you simply hit the 'PLAY' button that is located directly next to the LCD screen. You then hit the arrow keys to locate previous photos. You also are given the option to delete photos you do not wish to keep. You simply use the arrow keys to get to the 'DELETE' button, and click it. It will ask you if you are sure.
SHARE THEM, OR PHOTO SHOP THEM!
The Casio EXILIM ZOOM EX-Z60 Digital Camera comes with a CD that you can use to view and upload your photos on to your computer through an available USB hub (the camera will come with the wires you will need to do this). Its very quick and easy to install the CD into the computer.
You can also simply stick the SD card into your computer if you have the available slot, or a multimedia computer that allows for this type of action. If you do have this available slot, it is the fastest way to upload your photo onto the computer. From here, you simply save the ones you want. You can now send them through email, or fix them up in any available photo restoration program you are using on your computer.
BAM, POW, ZOOM!
The EXILIM also comes equipt with a 3x optical zoom lens. I was able to take a really scary shot of a regular daddy long leggers, lightning bugs, ladybugs, etc... the shots came out incredibly, and the quality was equal to a shot you'd find in a magazine. It could of also made an awesome DVD cover if your into making independent films.
FUN FEATURES
This digital camera comes loads with tons of features for taking photos. I will kindly take my time and go through each individual one, and how well they worked for me.
1. You've got the option to use 'BEST SHOT'. This is a setting the camera will use if you do not choose any other settings. It programs itself to the best setting depending on your location. The quality of these photos are always superb.
2. PORTRAIT- This is used for face shots mostly, or shots of simple household objects. This setting in my opinion takes the same quality shot as 'best shot' does.
3. SCENERY- This setting would be used for just that. The quality is crisp and clear. You really get wonderful shots if you are photographing mountains, deserts, beaches...etc.
4. CANDLE LIGHT PORTRAITS- This setting is used in situations such as birthdays. The photo comes out clear and beautiful. You don't get that squiggle mark line in candles like other cameras do. However it tends to make the scene all around it yellowish. It for me is just okay.
5. PORTRAIT WITH SCENERY- Same as 2 and 3. Just together. This setting is nothing special, and also sort of not needed. You can simply use best shot for the same effect.
6. CHILDREN- Why this setting was added is beyond me. It is another feature that one does not have to use. You can use BEST SHOT for this as well. It comes out exactly the same.
7. SPORTS- This setting is used for moving shots. You get no blur if you use this setting, ex. while someone is kicking a ball, or jumping. It really is a nice added feature and works great.
8. PARTY- This setting makes photos have an yellow tint like the candle light shot. I'm not impressed with it at all.
9. PETS- Like the 'children' setting. It is the same as best shot. Nothing special here, and also not bad though. Takes a good clear crisp photo every time.
10. FLOWER- Same as best shot, pet, and children settings. Nothing new, nothing bad.
11. NATURAL GREEN- This setting is used for when you happen to be in a lush green forest or jungle. Don't ask. It makes green things seem more green than they are. They do look more crisp though.
13. AUTUMN LEAVES- This is a nice feature if you want to take a shot of your kids playing in leaves. It is a crisp nice shot. However I find it not needed.
14. SOFT FLOWING WATER- River rafting anyone? It takes a good shot, and freeze frames flowing water. It does look neat, however I don't see why it was needed. You could also use best shot and get the same results.
15. SPLASHING WATER- Like the flowing water, it freeze frames splashing water. I find this to be neat, however also very dangerous for your camera to be in this situation.
16. SUNDOWN- Say you want to get a shot of a sunset.. well now is your chance. It takes a really nice photo, and does not leave an squiggles or blurry spots on shots.
17. NIGHT SCENE- It's used just for that. It's also very effective if you happen to be in Las Vegas at night. Takes awesome shots of buildings without the squiggle worms. This setting won't clash a scene and make it look like day. Results are nice.
18. BACKLIGHT- This setting is used for just this situation. I am not a 'photographer' and at times find this setting hard to use. I never seem to have the right backlight, and the photos either come out too dark, or too light. I guess this setting is great for those with some time in photography school under their belts.
19. NIGHT SCENE PORTRAIT- This setting sort of works the same as NIGHT SCENE. I don't really see a difference in the quality of photos.
20. FIREWORKS- This setting is awesome for firework shots. They come out perfect every time. The firework is not distorted, no squiggle lines. I'm really surprised at how great this setting works.
21. FOOD- Works the same as the best shot setting.
22. TEXT- I was also surprised at how well the camera worked under this setting. Why it is needed is beyond me though; but it does work well. It will take a perfect shot of any text. Say an assignment, book or small sign. Does the job to the tee.
23. COLLECTION- Say you want to get a photo of a bunch of dolls, toys, or anything really. This would be the setting for you. I find it ridiculous though. You again, can use best shot for such things.
24. FOR EBAY- Now this is one feature I like. This camera will take a shot in ebay format, so you don't have to play around with it afterwards to get it to work on ebay. Very very neat feature for ebay sellers.
25. ANTI-SHAKE- Now I find this setting hard to use. I guess you need a tri-pod for it. If you shake the photo comes out blurry. It's strange and I still haven't figured out how to use it properly.
26. HIGH SENSITIVITY- This setting makes your photos red. It's used for high sensitive locations. You can get a nice shot of a fireplace with this setting however.
27. MONOCHROME- Black and white! This is really one of my favorites. It seriously makes boring photos look mysterious. I love this feature. Takes really nice quality photographs.
28. RETRO- This setting takes a yellowish photo. It's supposed to make your shots look retro. However to me they just come out looking dull.
29. TWILIGHT- This setting is best used for city scape. They do come out looking nice and clear. But you can get the same sort of result using NIGHT SCENE.
30. OLD PHOTO- This is another favorite. It is used to take photos, of old photos. It works like a charm, and is great for older photos that you just want to restore on the PC, or to save for safe keeping.
31. BUSINESS CARD OR DOCUMENT- Same as text really.
32. WHITE BOARD- Also takes the same shot as text does. Nothing spectacular.
33. VOICE RECORDING- Yes, you heard it. You have the option to record your own voice. Leave yourself a reminder, or record a professor. Works great. Will allow you to record as long as your SD card has enough space. The larger the SD card, the more time you have.
34. MOVIE- Another awesome feature from this camera is the ability to take home movies. Again depending on the size of your SD card will determine how much video time you get. Really neat feature. Love it! Also very neat for (www.myspace.com) freaks who love video blogging.
To get into these 34 different setting simply push the "BS" button on the right bottom side of the camera next to the LCD screen.
AND THERE IS MORE:
Out of all 34 settings most of them, for me, were not really needed. However the settings that did provide different quality photos were awesome. Most of them however really showed no difference in the quality of my photos.
Other features include 'rapid flash'. This allows you to take 3 consecutive photos in only 1 second. SWEET! Soft flash prevents over exposure of your photo, and revive shot will make your old photographs look like new ones.
EXPOSURE WARNING:
An exposure warning will pop up on your screen if you are in too light of a setting, or too dark. You can than adjust it by choosing the appropriate shot setting.
OVERALL
I have been completely satisfied with my Exilim camera. I spent only $199 at Walmart, and it truly is money well spent. This camera always provides me with fast and high quality photos, and I love how small and convenient it is.
YOU KNOW YOU WANT ONE!
So go and get it!
The Casio EXILIM ZOOM EX-Z60 is a sleek and sexy camera that I would recommend to anyone who wants to take high quality photos without the hassle of a bunch of photography equipment. It is user friendly and it is easy to use. Beginners will be taking fabulous shots in seconds.
Review of Vojo Energy, the Caffeinated Breath Mint With Guarana and Vitamin B12
I'm always tired, and I'm always looking for means of finding some cheap
energy. Such as teeth staining coffee, and caffeine pills. My lack of
sleep is what causes these burnouts, and the need to falsely energize my
body back to normal. A quick jolt of caffeine always does the trick.
But I can't leave work 10 times a day to go get a cup of Joe.
When I ran across new Vojo energy mints, I was immediately intrigued. What the heck, an energy mint?! That's definitely new, thats a modern miracle if you ask me. This miracle mint contains, Sorbitol, Guarana seed extract (22% Caffeine), Xylitol, Peppermint Oil, Crystal Menthol, Magnesium Stearate, Sucralose, and Vitamin B12.
Suggested serving size is 2 mints. To get them to act quickly you slip 2 of them under, (not over) your tongue. This way the Guarana hits the bloodstream faster, causing your energy jolt to occur quickly. Supposedly!
WHERE TO BUY THEM:
I found my Vojo while waiting on line at a local Walmart. The mints came in an 0.29oz pack, in the flavor of peppermint. You can also buy cinnamon, and spearmint. They will cost about $4.00 after taxes. You can also spot these in any deli, or gas station quick stop. The price will remain close to the same.
PACKAGING:
Vojo came in a matte black rectangular box. Inside are the small mints, and a mirror. Why they added a mirror is beyond me, and I have still yet to figure out why the bothered with it. Maybe to watch yourself get energized? I have no idea. The click shut box is a perfect size to fit easily in your pocket, or bag without any issues.
THE MINTS:
The mints are small. Smaller than an aspirin. It actually can be compared to the size of a birth control pill. The mints are white, and have brown flecks throughout the mint.
TASTE:
It's definitely peppermint, but I can also note something Herby. It's quite strange but not disgusting. I imagine this is the Guarana adding to the peppermint taste.
HOW WELL DO THEY WORK?
Just as well as a mint. I can place 3 under my tongue and not feel any more energized than before. I honestly think its the thought they are selling. If I think I will get energy, maybe I will. But because I thought these baby pills would do crud, they did crud. Nothing. Oh but wait, my breath smells pretty herbal minty good. Thats about it.
The mints will melt completely in about 5-7minutes when placed under your tongue, and all that will be left behind is a cool refreshing feeling in your mouth. How awake you will feel I honestly think will depend on how much you believe in the product.
ISSUES:
The box can and will click open if you leave it sideways in your bag. The click down design is not tight enough to stay shut if it gets banged around.
The mirror was stupid to add in, and after a while the mirror will get cloudy mint powder on it, so it's always cloudy and again...useless.
WHAT I LIKE:
They're tiny mints, so you don't end up with that cheek bulge you get while sucking on a normal sized mint. They are tiny enough to where you won't have 100 different people asking, 'can I have one?'
Vojo energy also leaves my breath fresh for a good hour or more. The scent is subtle enough as to where I have fresh breath without smelling like a candy cane.
WHAT I DISLIKE:
The design of the box, the idiotic mirror, and the fact that I do not feel energized afterward.
OVERALL:
As a mint, Vojo Energy is fantastic, but for an energy boost, they're a total gimmick.
When I ran across new Vojo energy mints, I was immediately intrigued. What the heck, an energy mint?! That's definitely new, thats a modern miracle if you ask me. This miracle mint contains, Sorbitol, Guarana seed extract (22% Caffeine), Xylitol, Peppermint Oil, Crystal Menthol, Magnesium Stearate, Sucralose, and Vitamin B12.
Suggested serving size is 2 mints. To get them to act quickly you slip 2 of them under, (not over) your tongue. This way the Guarana hits the bloodstream faster, causing your energy jolt to occur quickly. Supposedly!
WHERE TO BUY THEM:
I found my Vojo while waiting on line at a local Walmart. The mints came in an 0.29oz pack, in the flavor of peppermint. You can also buy cinnamon, and spearmint. They will cost about $4.00 after taxes. You can also spot these in any deli, or gas station quick stop. The price will remain close to the same.
PACKAGING:
Vojo came in a matte black rectangular box. Inside are the small mints, and a mirror. Why they added a mirror is beyond me, and I have still yet to figure out why the bothered with it. Maybe to watch yourself get energized? I have no idea. The click shut box is a perfect size to fit easily in your pocket, or bag without any issues.
THE MINTS:
The mints are small. Smaller than an aspirin. It actually can be compared to the size of a birth control pill. The mints are white, and have brown flecks throughout the mint.
TASTE:
It's definitely peppermint, but I can also note something Herby. It's quite strange but not disgusting. I imagine this is the Guarana adding to the peppermint taste.
HOW WELL DO THEY WORK?
Just as well as a mint. I can place 3 under my tongue and not feel any more energized than before. I honestly think its the thought they are selling. If I think I will get energy, maybe I will. But because I thought these baby pills would do crud, they did crud. Nothing. Oh but wait, my breath smells pretty herbal minty good. Thats about it.
The mints will melt completely in about 5-7minutes when placed under your tongue, and all that will be left behind is a cool refreshing feeling in your mouth. How awake you will feel I honestly think will depend on how much you believe in the product.
ISSUES:
The box can and will click open if you leave it sideways in your bag. The click down design is not tight enough to stay shut if it gets banged around.
The mirror was stupid to add in, and after a while the mirror will get cloudy mint powder on it, so it's always cloudy and again...useless.
WHAT I LIKE:
They're tiny mints, so you don't end up with that cheek bulge you get while sucking on a normal sized mint. They are tiny enough to where you won't have 100 different people asking, 'can I have one?'
Vojo energy also leaves my breath fresh for a good hour or more. The scent is subtle enough as to where I have fresh breath without smelling like a candy cane.
WHAT I DISLIKE:
The design of the box, the idiotic mirror, and the fact that I do not feel energized afterward.
OVERALL:
As a mint, Vojo Energy is fantastic, but for an energy boost, they're a total gimmick.
Guide on Writing Product Reviews What to Do, and What Not to Do While Writing a Review
I have been writing reviews since I first learned about Epinions back in
2001. At first I was lost, I didn't know where to start, and even after
viewing others reviews, I was still confused on exactly what I had to
do to make my review as helpful as possible to consumers.
It took me quite some time to get the knack, and once I had the knack; or formula I should say. I was pumping reviews out that were all extremely helpful to those reading them.
I figured I may as well share my knowledge with those of you who are new to writing reviews.
1. Always start off with a reasoning as to what made you buy the product. Was it the price? The labeling? or just something you felt you needed? This is basically your opening line. Try to make it fun, and try not to bore those reading the review. If they are bored within your first paragraph, be aware that they may not read the entire review, and just skip it.
2. DO NOT WRITE LIKE THIS. People who stumble upon your reviews will get annoyed with the capital letters, and skip right through it. Not only that it is a strain on the eyes.
3. Do share where you got the product. If you tell people to 'BUY THIS', and you have a great review all about the product, the consumer is not going to know where in hell you got it. Extra research on the consumers part is just annoying. Be sure to give details on where you got it, and let them know if it is available online for purchase. Provide a link to sites selling the product.
4. If your product you are reviewing has ingredients, add them in. Not everyone is interested in ingredients though, so usually I will stick them down at the bottom of the review, for those who may be interested.
5. Describe the packaging the product comes in, in full detail. Say you are reviewing dog food, be sure to give details on the bag color, the picture on the bag, and how many ounces comes in the bag.
6. Tell consumers how to use the product. Not everyone knows how to use what you may be reviewing, so give a detailed explanation on just how to use it.
7. Add in any tips or facts about the product.
8. Be honest! Don't butter up a review, or slam it because you are angry with a sales clerk at Walmart. We're reviewing a product, not how rude Molly the manager was.
9. When writing a good or bad review on a product, always be sure to weigh out it's pros, and cons.
10. Create your own grading criteria within the review if you want. With video game reviews, be sure to add every little detail, such as graphics, sound of the game, re-play value, what the game is about, and the type of game it is. Then grade each one based on a 1-10 grading criteria. 1 being the lowest, 10 the highest.
11. After you have mentioned the pros, and then the cons, next give everyone your personal overall opinion. You can't just write a review on a product without an opinion. What good would the review be without a personal opinion?
12. After giving your overall opinion, be sure to add in whether or not you would recommend this product or not to others.
13. If you are reviewing a website, be sure to add in shipping charges, what the site sells, ease of navigation on the site, how well a product is packaged, how long it took the package to arrive. After reviewing the site, you're on your way to reviewing the product you bought in a separate review.
14. Don't sound like a broken record, be fun with reviews. No one wants to read a review that seems like it was written by Ben Stein.
15. Another major NO, is reviewing a store and only mentioning how horrible customer service was. This can always be a pain in the butt for consumers to read. I have seen tons of reviews on McDonald's that mention how horrible 'Jane' was as the counter lady. For one, most consumers are not going to go to that very same McDonald's where Jane works, and secondly, no one cares about Jane, or how stupid she was.
Try not to get too personal when it comes to reviewing stores. Mention their selection, prices, isle sizes, line wait times, cleanliness, and staff. But do not focus on just one when writing a store review. Never, ever, mention last names, phone numbers, or any other personal information about the staff, no matter how mad you are at them. This is illegal, and it could land you into a lot of trouble with the law!
16. When you are upset with a company while writing a review, do not beg for others to follow lawsuit on them, or file with the BBB. This is not a review, this is a whining rant.
17. Do add in extra helpful information such as when and where this item is on sale, give consumers links to online coupons if you find any. Any extra helpful information is sure to make for a successful review.
18. Refrain from cussing. This offends some, and they may totally ignore all of your future reviews if you use foul unnecessary language. Words like sh** and bit** may even upset some. So use caution when bleeping out words. Whenever I see excessive cussing in product reviews, I will either block that person from my mind, and no longer visit their pages.
If the site I am reviewing for does not allow cursing, I will report the foul mouthed member. There is enough foul content on the Internet, why add more?
19. If you just had a bad experience with a product or service, give yourself a 24 hour cooling off period. If you write a review in this state of mind, to consumers it is going to look like a whining baby like rant. Keep it professional sounding, no matter how angry you are. You want to write a review, not a complaint. I have come across far too many reviews that are nothing more than complaints. They mention little to nothing about the product or service, and only focus on the thing that made them angry.
20. Feel free to add in your name, or user name to the bottom of your review. This way when you google your name it will come up. This is also a fool proof way to seeing who may have stolen your work. There are many reviews that are plagiarized, so keep your eyes peeled for anyone who may have stolen your reviews!
21. Always add in any warnings that may be written on the product.
Basically when writing product reviews, don't just toss an opinion out there and figure that is all you need. I have seen many reviews where reviewers simply mention how much they love this about the product, and how great it is, and it's so wonderful. All these people mention is their opinion, yet they mention nothing about the actual product. Reviews like this for one, sound as if they have been written by a small child, and secondly no one will come back to read your future reviews.
With these simple tips you will be writing excellent reviews in no time. Just remember, take it slow, create your own formula when you are comfortable.
Here is the formula I use:
WHY I BOUGHT IT:
PACKAGING:
COST:
HOW MUCH AM I GETTING, OR HOW MUCH ROOM DOES IT OCCUPY IN MY HOME:
HOW TO USE IT:
HOW IT WORKED FOR ME:
WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM USING THIS:
WHAT I LIKED:
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
WHERE TO BUY ONE FOR YOURSELF:
OVERALL OPINION:
RECOMMENDATION:
INGREDIENTS IF ANY:
WARNINGS IF ANY:
Give each section a good well written paragraph or two, and you will be on your way to writing excellent reviews from here on out.
It took me quite some time to get the knack, and once I had the knack; or formula I should say. I was pumping reviews out that were all extremely helpful to those reading them.
I figured I may as well share my knowledge with those of you who are new to writing reviews.
1. Always start off with a reasoning as to what made you buy the product. Was it the price? The labeling? or just something you felt you needed? This is basically your opening line. Try to make it fun, and try not to bore those reading the review. If they are bored within your first paragraph, be aware that they may not read the entire review, and just skip it.
2. DO NOT WRITE LIKE THIS. People who stumble upon your reviews will get annoyed with the capital letters, and skip right through it. Not only that it is a strain on the eyes.
3. Do share where you got the product. If you tell people to 'BUY THIS', and you have a great review all about the product, the consumer is not going to know where in hell you got it. Extra research on the consumers part is just annoying. Be sure to give details on where you got it, and let them know if it is available online for purchase. Provide a link to sites selling the product.
4. If your product you are reviewing has ingredients, add them in. Not everyone is interested in ingredients though, so usually I will stick them down at the bottom of the review, for those who may be interested.
5. Describe the packaging the product comes in, in full detail. Say you are reviewing dog food, be sure to give details on the bag color, the picture on the bag, and how many ounces comes in the bag.
6. Tell consumers how to use the product. Not everyone knows how to use what you may be reviewing, so give a detailed explanation on just how to use it.
7. Add in any tips or facts about the product.
8. Be honest! Don't butter up a review, or slam it because you are angry with a sales clerk at Walmart. We're reviewing a product, not how rude Molly the manager was.
9. When writing a good or bad review on a product, always be sure to weigh out it's pros, and cons.
10. Create your own grading criteria within the review if you want. With video game reviews, be sure to add every little detail, such as graphics, sound of the game, re-play value, what the game is about, and the type of game it is. Then grade each one based on a 1-10 grading criteria. 1 being the lowest, 10 the highest.
11. After you have mentioned the pros, and then the cons, next give everyone your personal overall opinion. You can't just write a review on a product without an opinion. What good would the review be without a personal opinion?
12. After giving your overall opinion, be sure to add in whether or not you would recommend this product or not to others.
13. If you are reviewing a website, be sure to add in shipping charges, what the site sells, ease of navigation on the site, how well a product is packaged, how long it took the package to arrive. After reviewing the site, you're on your way to reviewing the product you bought in a separate review.
14. Don't sound like a broken record, be fun with reviews. No one wants to read a review that seems like it was written by Ben Stein.
15. Another major NO, is reviewing a store and only mentioning how horrible customer service was. This can always be a pain in the butt for consumers to read. I have seen tons of reviews on McDonald's that mention how horrible 'Jane' was as the counter lady. For one, most consumers are not going to go to that very same McDonald's where Jane works, and secondly, no one cares about Jane, or how stupid she was.
Try not to get too personal when it comes to reviewing stores. Mention their selection, prices, isle sizes, line wait times, cleanliness, and staff. But do not focus on just one when writing a store review. Never, ever, mention last names, phone numbers, or any other personal information about the staff, no matter how mad you are at them. This is illegal, and it could land you into a lot of trouble with the law!
16. When you are upset with a company while writing a review, do not beg for others to follow lawsuit on them, or file with the BBB. This is not a review, this is a whining rant.
17. Do add in extra helpful information such as when and where this item is on sale, give consumers links to online coupons if you find any. Any extra helpful information is sure to make for a successful review.
18. Refrain from cussing. This offends some, and they may totally ignore all of your future reviews if you use foul unnecessary language. Words like sh** and bit** may even upset some. So use caution when bleeping out words. Whenever I see excessive cussing in product reviews, I will either block that person from my mind, and no longer visit their pages.
If the site I am reviewing for does not allow cursing, I will report the foul mouthed member. There is enough foul content on the Internet, why add more?
19. If you just had a bad experience with a product or service, give yourself a 24 hour cooling off period. If you write a review in this state of mind, to consumers it is going to look like a whining baby like rant. Keep it professional sounding, no matter how angry you are. You want to write a review, not a complaint. I have come across far too many reviews that are nothing more than complaints. They mention little to nothing about the product or service, and only focus on the thing that made them angry.
20. Feel free to add in your name, or user name to the bottom of your review. This way when you google your name it will come up. This is also a fool proof way to seeing who may have stolen your work. There are many reviews that are plagiarized, so keep your eyes peeled for anyone who may have stolen your reviews!
21. Always add in any warnings that may be written on the product.
Basically when writing product reviews, don't just toss an opinion out there and figure that is all you need. I have seen many reviews where reviewers simply mention how much they love this about the product, and how great it is, and it's so wonderful. All these people mention is their opinion, yet they mention nothing about the actual product. Reviews like this for one, sound as if they have been written by a small child, and secondly no one will come back to read your future reviews.
With these simple tips you will be writing excellent reviews in no time. Just remember, take it slow, create your own formula when you are comfortable.
Here is the formula I use:
WHY I BOUGHT IT:
PACKAGING:
COST:
HOW MUCH AM I GETTING, OR HOW MUCH ROOM DOES IT OCCUPY IN MY HOME:
HOW TO USE IT:
HOW IT WORKED FOR ME:
WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM USING THIS:
WHAT I LIKED:
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
WHERE TO BUY ONE FOR YOURSELF:
OVERALL OPINION:
RECOMMENDATION:
INGREDIENTS IF ANY:
WARNINGS IF ANY:
Give each section a good well written paragraph or two, and you will be on your way to writing excellent reviews from here on out.
Leapfrog's Fly Pentop Computer: A Review
I got the fly pen a few Christmas' ago. Why I was compelled to have it
is obvious. I enjoy writing, and the cool commercials played a major
part in my wanting one.
I could learn Spanish just by writing the word out in English!!! No way! I was sold! I had to have one for myself. I also work in a real estate office so I figured this little tool could come in handy for when I got a Spanish speaking customer.
The pen itself costs $99 plus tax, but you can buy them on sale for much less when sales are occurring. They seem to go on sale a lot in Walmart, and I have seen them for $89 before.
After buying the pen I then realized I needed to buy all of these additional programs and special paper called Fly Paper. The Spanish program which is nothing more than a mini cartridge ran me $30, and the Fly notebook was another $10.
Now at first everything was kosher. I was writing words from English and just tapping the pen on the word I just wrote, and wallah. Hello- Hola', Goodbye- Adios'. I could even go back and tap it again at any time and it would translate the words for me again.
Then just as things seemed to be cool, everything went downhill from there. The pen, it just stopped translating when I re-tapped the word. So what I had was a half a notebook filled with English words, that the fly would no longer recognize or translate. Useless! I'm calling shenanigans!!!
I must add that I was also little disappointed in flys false advertising, they made the pen seem so easy to use in their commercials. They didn't mention that the pen comes with a page of codes you had to remember to make the fly function correctly.
After every different function you want to use you have to memorize these circular codes with letters inside. C circle. M circle. Circle, circle TR, circle!!! Ahhh!!! Your kid may as well just study his or her spelling words than try to remember this page of ridiculous codes.
FLY IN SCHOOL:
This pen is useless in school. It speaks, therefore having this disruptive little device in school, is most likely going to be grounds for having the pen taken away, letter home, or detention. Some teachers will consider this device a cheating device, so avoid having it with you in school.
MOVING ON...
Okay so there's some good things that this pen does. It teaches a child to write neatly. The fly will not recognize messy handwriting, nor will it recognize lower cased letters. So your child will learn how to write neat upper cased letters only. Nothing else.
I also don't understand why fly pen only allows fly paper. Or why none of the fly paper is lined. This is annoying seeing how most children, and even myself write crooked on unlined paper.
ANYTHING GOOD?
Fly Pen also remembers your birthday. So when you turn it on, it will say happy birthday and play this musical little beat for you. But it only works if you turn it on, on your birthday. You of course must set it first.
There's also one cool feature, that looses its cool in about 10 minutes. You can play the drums or the piano simply by drawing it out in basic circle, and rectangular patterns. But like I said, its only neat for about 10 minutes.
ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE:
The fly by leapfrog, also has additional software available for purchases.
The fly journal-
this one I own, and let me tell you its nothing special. Its another $30 cartridge with a flimsy little notebook for you to write in. There is only one thing that's different about this journal, than an ordinary $5 notebook with blue lines. The stickers talk when you click on them. There are about 30 stickers. Yay! So if you do the math its a dollar a sticker!
Fly Baseball cards-
Now I'm not sure if every edition of the fly pen came with them, but mine came with 5. These cards are basically useless, so if they didn't come with your fly pen, save yourself the $10. All these cards do are, talk.
You can run your pen across the statistics, and little facts on the back of the card, and the pen will read them for you. I guess this pen is good for the blind. Now thats a great concept! - I bet I could go somewhere with that idea... oh, anyways...
Fly Spanish-
I spoke of this $30 cartridge earlier. Like I said, it only works on a page for page basis. It will forget everything previously written on old pages. Thus wasting paper.
Fly through spelling-
I don't own this one. So I honestly don't have any good, nor bad opinions on this cartridge. But I will say, it's $30.
Fly through tests-
Don't own this one. But I'm almost positive this will not be allowed in school. Again rendering this tool useless. I don't know of any schools that would allow cheating during a test. You'd be a fool to send you kid to school with this pen. This cartridge will be another $30; your catching on now. Almost $30 for any additional game or cartridge.
Fly through math-
Again don't own this one. $30
OTHER NECESSITIES:
Fly ink refills- more ink for the pen. They run $8-$10 depending on where you buy them.
I also know of some games such as Fly Gotham City, or Batman. Not sure what this little game does. But I'm sure once the paper runs out, so does the $30 game.
THE SPECIAL PACK FLY PEN:
This special package comes with the fly charger and will cost a bit more than just buying the pen. However you will want to buy the special pack, because you will need a charger in the long run anyways. This pen goes through batteries like crazy, so get the one that comes with the charger.
I've had no issues with the charger. It seems to do the job in good timing. 15 minutes to a half an hour on a completely drained battery. It also came with speaker buds for your ears. I guess they added these so kids could try and sneak this bulky device in school. It wont work, no kid is going to get away with using a fly pen in school without getting caught.
All in all I feel that if you don't have the additional $200, or more to spend on all the different add ons for the fly pen, don't bother with it. Ink refills, paper refills, new cartridges, charger, games... etc.
The price of leapfrogs fly pen isn't just $99. Don't be fooled.
BULKY:
Fly pen itself is not designer for smaller hands. It's quite heavy and bulky. Not to mention the fact that your kid already has to be a genius in works just to get this thing to work properly. My 9 year old nephew couldn't even grasp the concept, or the circle codes. He tossed it aside like an old teddy bear. I couldn't even give it away to him.
Also don't be fooled by the false advertisements that will most likely spring up on television around the holidays enticing your children, and getting them to believe that this pen is cool.
Leapfrog advertises a great technology achievement. Or "Leap". The only place this pen is going to leap, is to the back of the closet.
I could learn Spanish just by writing the word out in English!!! No way! I was sold! I had to have one for myself. I also work in a real estate office so I figured this little tool could come in handy for when I got a Spanish speaking customer.
The pen itself costs $99 plus tax, but you can buy them on sale for much less when sales are occurring. They seem to go on sale a lot in Walmart, and I have seen them for $89 before.
After buying the pen I then realized I needed to buy all of these additional programs and special paper called Fly Paper. The Spanish program which is nothing more than a mini cartridge ran me $30, and the Fly notebook was another $10.
Now at first everything was kosher. I was writing words from English and just tapping the pen on the word I just wrote, and wallah. Hello- Hola', Goodbye- Adios'. I could even go back and tap it again at any time and it would translate the words for me again.
Then just as things seemed to be cool, everything went downhill from there. The pen, it just stopped translating when I re-tapped the word. So what I had was a half a notebook filled with English words, that the fly would no longer recognize or translate. Useless! I'm calling shenanigans!!!
I must add that I was also little disappointed in flys false advertising, they made the pen seem so easy to use in their commercials. They didn't mention that the pen comes with a page of codes you had to remember to make the fly function correctly.
After every different function you want to use you have to memorize these circular codes with letters inside. C circle. M circle. Circle, circle TR, circle!!! Ahhh!!! Your kid may as well just study his or her spelling words than try to remember this page of ridiculous codes.
FLY IN SCHOOL:
This pen is useless in school. It speaks, therefore having this disruptive little device in school, is most likely going to be grounds for having the pen taken away, letter home, or detention. Some teachers will consider this device a cheating device, so avoid having it with you in school.
MOVING ON...
Okay so there's some good things that this pen does. It teaches a child to write neatly. The fly will not recognize messy handwriting, nor will it recognize lower cased letters. So your child will learn how to write neat upper cased letters only. Nothing else.
I also don't understand why fly pen only allows fly paper. Or why none of the fly paper is lined. This is annoying seeing how most children, and even myself write crooked on unlined paper.
ANYTHING GOOD?
Fly Pen also remembers your birthday. So when you turn it on, it will say happy birthday and play this musical little beat for you. But it only works if you turn it on, on your birthday. You of course must set it first.
There's also one cool feature, that looses its cool in about 10 minutes. You can play the drums or the piano simply by drawing it out in basic circle, and rectangular patterns. But like I said, its only neat for about 10 minutes.
ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE:
The fly by leapfrog, also has additional software available for purchases.
The fly journal-
this one I own, and let me tell you its nothing special. Its another $30 cartridge with a flimsy little notebook for you to write in. There is only one thing that's different about this journal, than an ordinary $5 notebook with blue lines. The stickers talk when you click on them. There are about 30 stickers. Yay! So if you do the math its a dollar a sticker!
Fly Baseball cards-
Now I'm not sure if every edition of the fly pen came with them, but mine came with 5. These cards are basically useless, so if they didn't come with your fly pen, save yourself the $10. All these cards do are, talk.
You can run your pen across the statistics, and little facts on the back of the card, and the pen will read them for you. I guess this pen is good for the blind. Now thats a great concept! - I bet I could go somewhere with that idea... oh, anyways...
Fly Spanish-
I spoke of this $30 cartridge earlier. Like I said, it only works on a page for page basis. It will forget everything previously written on old pages. Thus wasting paper.
Fly through spelling-
I don't own this one. So I honestly don't have any good, nor bad opinions on this cartridge. But I will say, it's $30.
Fly through tests-
Don't own this one. But I'm almost positive this will not be allowed in school. Again rendering this tool useless. I don't know of any schools that would allow cheating during a test. You'd be a fool to send you kid to school with this pen. This cartridge will be another $30; your catching on now. Almost $30 for any additional game or cartridge.
Fly through math-
Again don't own this one. $30
OTHER NECESSITIES:
Fly ink refills- more ink for the pen. They run $8-$10 depending on where you buy them.
I also know of some games such as Fly Gotham City, or Batman. Not sure what this little game does. But I'm sure once the paper runs out, so does the $30 game.
THE SPECIAL PACK FLY PEN:
This special package comes with the fly charger and will cost a bit more than just buying the pen. However you will want to buy the special pack, because you will need a charger in the long run anyways. This pen goes through batteries like crazy, so get the one that comes with the charger.
I've had no issues with the charger. It seems to do the job in good timing. 15 minutes to a half an hour on a completely drained battery. It also came with speaker buds for your ears. I guess they added these so kids could try and sneak this bulky device in school. It wont work, no kid is going to get away with using a fly pen in school without getting caught.
All in all I feel that if you don't have the additional $200, or more to spend on all the different add ons for the fly pen, don't bother with it. Ink refills, paper refills, new cartridges, charger, games... etc.
The price of leapfrogs fly pen isn't just $99. Don't be fooled.
BULKY:
Fly pen itself is not designer for smaller hands. It's quite heavy and bulky. Not to mention the fact that your kid already has to be a genius in works just to get this thing to work properly. My 9 year old nephew couldn't even grasp the concept, or the circle codes. He tossed it aside like an old teddy bear. I couldn't even give it away to him.
Also don't be fooled by the false advertisements that will most likely spring up on television around the holidays enticing your children, and getting them to believe that this pen is cool.
Leapfrog advertises a great technology achievement. Or "Leap". The only place this pen is going to leap, is to the back of the closet.
Frosty Paws Peanut Butter Ice Cream for Dogs Dog Tested, Mother Approved!
Since my dog cannot type, I figured I would write about his Dog Paw ice
cream experience for him after I have conducted my interview.
Okay... I'm holding the microphone up to his wet nose, as I begin my interview.
"Bubba, how' did you like that Frosty Paws ice cream?"
-Well woof... woof...woofff....hoooowwwllll.... lick, lick, slurp... slurp
"Oh thats great, I'm glad you love it, but did you know, that this ice cream is specially designed for dogs?"
Woofy?
"Yes, smart dogie! Sorry, no, you cannot eat all 4 cups at one time. 3.5 ounces in one cup is more than enough. You only weigh 7 pounds yourself."
-Woof woof, howl....
"Yes I know, the white dog with the red and black scarf is very cute. But you know it's only a drawing on the box."
-Ruff rufff... woooofff...
"Yes, I know, they cool you off on hot summer days, but you already had one babes."
-Hoooowwwllll
"Oh, I got it in the ice cream section at the grocery store, and yes, they do come in more flavors. Peanut butter, and original."
-Grrrooooowwwwllll
"No, you just had one!"
-Howl, howl, howl
"Oh, okay, you can have another one later. Gez!"
I guess it is official my dog is in love with his Frosty Paws.
When I first saw them staring back at me in King Kullen I honestly didn't think he would go for it. My dog loves ice cream, and I the bad dog mommy I am, always let him have it. When I saw ice cream designed for dogs, it was only natural that I'd pick up a case. However, seeing how Bubba has become so used to eating human ice cream, I thought he would look at me like I was nuts when I tried feeding these dixie cups to him.
But hey, he liked it. Surprise, surprise, it's a miracle!
The peanut butter flavored ice cream smelled like peanut butter, but peanut butter for dogs. You know that scent, that iron like phewy stink you get when you open a tin can of green beans. It's not human it's not normal. But thats because it's for dogs. (The green beans...no comment). I wanted to give it a lick, to see what he was going through, but it smelled pretty echy, so I avoided the tongue dip.
The ice cream itself, did look old though. Something I definitely would not eat. It had sickly light pukish color to it. I was not impressed, but low and behold, the dog was, so that was all that mattered.
ISSUES:
One issue I have with Frosty Paws ice cream treats though, is the cup itself. My dog cannot fit his face into the small cup properly, so I always have to give it to him in a bowl. If you just give the dog the dixie cup, they are going to make a mess pushing it around the floor with their faces, or they're going to leave a lot behind to be wasted.
THE GOOD:
Well its obvious my dog loves them, and so do the other dogs in the house, but besides them liking it, I was also happy knowing that he was getting a healthy nutritious snack to keep him cool. There is no added sugar, and Frosty Paws ice cream contains protein, minerals, and vitamins that every dog needs.
Frosty Paws contains:
WATER, DRIED WHEY, SOY FLOUR, ANIMAL FAT (PRESERVED WITH BHA AND BHT), DRIED WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, VEGETABLE FAT, SOY LECITHIN, PEANUT BUTTER SYRUP (PEANUTS, CORN OIL, SALT), MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE, MONO-DIGLYCERIDES, CARBOXYMETHYLCELLULOSE, POLYSORBATE 80, POLYSORBATE 60, CALCIUM CARBONATE, NATURAL FLAVOR, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, FERROUS SULFATE, ZINC SULFATE, MANGANESE SULFATE, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, SILICON DIOXIDE, VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENT, NIACIN SUPPLEMENT, COPPER SULFATE, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT, POTASSIUM IODIDE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT, FOLIC ACID.
Guaranteed analysisCrude protein not less than8.0%Crude fat not less than6.5%Crude fiber not more than1.0%Moisture not more than68.0%Sodium not more than0.50%
PRICING:
Frosty Paws ice cream comes to $5.99 for the 4 3.5oz cups in my local grocery store. Pricing may slightly vary depending on where you are from.
MORE:
To view more frozen treats from Frosty Paws visit www.Frostypawstreats.com.
OVERALL:
Frosty Paws ice cream is a treat that I find myself loading into the cart week after week. Especially in hot summer months when I know my dog will appreciate them most.
Okay... I'm holding the microphone up to his wet nose, as I begin my interview.
"Bubba, how' did you like that Frosty Paws ice cream?"
-Well woof... woof...woofff....hoooowwwllll.... lick, lick, slurp... slurp
"Oh thats great, I'm glad you love it, but did you know, that this ice cream is specially designed for dogs?"
Woofy?
"Yes, smart dogie! Sorry, no, you cannot eat all 4 cups at one time. 3.5 ounces in one cup is more than enough. You only weigh 7 pounds yourself."
-Woof woof, howl....
"Yes I know, the white dog with the red and black scarf is very cute. But you know it's only a drawing on the box."
-Ruff rufff... woooofff...
"Yes, I know, they cool you off on hot summer days, but you already had one babes."
-Hoooowwwllll
"Oh, I got it in the ice cream section at the grocery store, and yes, they do come in more flavors. Peanut butter, and original."
-Grrrooooowwwwllll
"No, you just had one!"
-Howl, howl, howl
"Oh, okay, you can have another one later. Gez!"
I guess it is official my dog is in love with his Frosty Paws.
When I first saw them staring back at me in King Kullen I honestly didn't think he would go for it. My dog loves ice cream, and I the bad dog mommy I am, always let him have it. When I saw ice cream designed for dogs, it was only natural that I'd pick up a case. However, seeing how Bubba has become so used to eating human ice cream, I thought he would look at me like I was nuts when I tried feeding these dixie cups to him.
But hey, he liked it. Surprise, surprise, it's a miracle!
The peanut butter flavored ice cream smelled like peanut butter, but peanut butter for dogs. You know that scent, that iron like phewy stink you get when you open a tin can of green beans. It's not human it's not normal. But thats because it's for dogs. (The green beans...no comment). I wanted to give it a lick, to see what he was going through, but it smelled pretty echy, so I avoided the tongue dip.
The ice cream itself, did look old though. Something I definitely would not eat. It had sickly light pukish color to it. I was not impressed, but low and behold, the dog was, so that was all that mattered.
ISSUES:
One issue I have with Frosty Paws ice cream treats though, is the cup itself. My dog cannot fit his face into the small cup properly, so I always have to give it to him in a bowl. If you just give the dog the dixie cup, they are going to make a mess pushing it around the floor with their faces, or they're going to leave a lot behind to be wasted.
THE GOOD:
Well its obvious my dog loves them, and so do the other dogs in the house, but besides them liking it, I was also happy knowing that he was getting a healthy nutritious snack to keep him cool. There is no added sugar, and Frosty Paws ice cream contains protein, minerals, and vitamins that every dog needs.
Frosty Paws contains:
WATER, DRIED WHEY, SOY FLOUR, ANIMAL FAT (PRESERVED WITH BHA AND BHT), DRIED WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, VEGETABLE FAT, SOY LECITHIN, PEANUT BUTTER SYRUP (PEANUTS, CORN OIL, SALT), MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE, MONO-DIGLYCERIDES, CARBOXYMETHYLCELLULOSE, POLYSORBATE 80, POLYSORBATE 60, CALCIUM CARBONATE, NATURAL FLAVOR, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, FERROUS SULFATE, ZINC SULFATE, MANGANESE SULFATE, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, SILICON DIOXIDE, VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENT, NIACIN SUPPLEMENT, COPPER SULFATE, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT, POTASSIUM IODIDE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT, FOLIC ACID.
Guaranteed analysisCrude protein not less than8.0%Crude fat not less than6.5%Crude fiber not more than1.0%Moisture not more than68.0%Sodium not more than0.50%
PRICING:
Frosty Paws ice cream comes to $5.99 for the 4 3.5oz cups in my local grocery store. Pricing may slightly vary depending on where you are from.
MORE:
To view more frozen treats from Frosty Paws visit www.Frostypawstreats.com.
OVERALL:
Frosty Paws ice cream is a treat that I find myself loading into the cart week after week. Especially in hot summer months when I know my dog will appreciate them most.
Review: IAMS Savory Sauce Country Style Chicken for Dogs Sauce for Dry Food
I live in a house with 10 other occupants, besides my mom, dad and
brother. There names are Fifi, Beanie, Ren, LaLa, Peanut, Tybalt, Bubba,
Bully, Flea, and Putt- Putt. Wait, I almost forgot about Tootsie. Opps,
make that 11 dogs. (Pinn was right).
It's hard keeping count when there are that many pooches running around. However as large as that seems, most of these dogs are all so tiny you barely even know they're there. Except for when the 11 dwarfs start howling.
So out of the 11 dogs, there is bound to be a handful of spoiled rotten pooches that will show their teeth to you when you try to feed them dry food. Seeing how food prices can be costly, we don't go out of our way to make sure the picky eaters get what they want.
However when the price of our dog food went up, we went with something cheaper. The result was a handful of unhappy dogs. How were we going to get princess Fifi, and prima Donna Beanie to eat this new stuff?
Our solution so we thought would come with the purchase of IAMS Savory Sauce in Country Style Chicken flavor. Thats right, sauce! Sauce that is meant to be poured on top of dry food to add a juicy flavoring to the food.
The packaging looked nice enough that for a moment I truly thought this was made for humans. It comes in a bottle that resembles a BBQ sauce bottle. It had an easy click up cap. On the bottle was a picture of a piece of all white meat chicken breast with a cut in it. It looked delish!!! Of course with such nice looking packaging, we figured the dogs would go nuts for it.
The sauce itself we could see through the bottle in certain areas where there was no labeling sticker covering it. The sauce itself was a light brown and gray like color with particles of chicken floating throughout. It looked good!
At home we popped the top and took a sniff. Mmmm... yes, it smelled delicious, like chicken gravy. I was even wiling to give it a little lick to see how it was. I refrained from doing so of course.
We assumed that once the dogs got a sniff of it they'd be in heaven, and we'd be forced to buy a new bottle every week.
We poured a decent amount on top of their wet food, and watched as Fifi stepped up to the plate. She sniffed it and walked away. Peanut was next, and usually Peanut will eat anything. He is the only Chihuahua I've ever seen with cellulite.
Peanut stepped up, took a piece of dry food covered in the sauce out of the bowl, and placed it on the floor, and walked away. Ren, showed no interest at all. Putt-Putt putted up like a broken down car, took a sniff, and followed Fifi. It was a no go. Tybalt stepped up and took a few good hearty bites. She didn't seem to notice the sauce or dive in like we thought she would. She was never a picky eater though.
Lala stayed in her bed, she didn't even bother to get up to see what was going on. Flea stepped up to the bowl and took a few bites while waging her tail. She seems to eat new treats we get only to satisfy us. This dog actually nearly smiles to show her appreciation, but we could tell she just was not digging it. Next came Bully, our newest member. He will eat ANYTHING, and the sauce was to die for according to him. He plowed his big triangular face into the bowl and slurped up what was left. The other dogs didn't even get a turn. However I have a feeling, like the majority, they wouldn't even have gave it the time of day.
So, it seems that larger dogs seem to only prefer this type of treat. Tybalt the husky didn't seem to mind, and Bully the bull terrier was in heaven. I suppose some snacks are meant for the big boys.
Seeing how only 2 of our dogs seemed to be okay with IAMS sauce, we have no future plans to buy another bottle or any other flavors.
PRICING:
We found our IAMS savory sauce at Walmart for $2.99. It's a pretty decent deal compared to most treats on the market today.
OTHER FLAVORS:
Besides chicken, there is also beef, and bacon. They even have a formula specially made for puppies.
RECOMMENDATION:
Well for the cheap price its worth a try. Your dog may love it or hate it, you just never know until you try it.
My statistics came to 2 out of 11 dogs approved.
(Flea doesn't count, because she only ate it to make us happy, she never touched it again)
It's hard keeping count when there are that many pooches running around. However as large as that seems, most of these dogs are all so tiny you barely even know they're there. Except for when the 11 dwarfs start howling.
So out of the 11 dogs, there is bound to be a handful of spoiled rotten pooches that will show their teeth to you when you try to feed them dry food. Seeing how food prices can be costly, we don't go out of our way to make sure the picky eaters get what they want.
However when the price of our dog food went up, we went with something cheaper. The result was a handful of unhappy dogs. How were we going to get princess Fifi, and prima Donna Beanie to eat this new stuff?
Our solution so we thought would come with the purchase of IAMS Savory Sauce in Country Style Chicken flavor. Thats right, sauce! Sauce that is meant to be poured on top of dry food to add a juicy flavoring to the food.
The packaging looked nice enough that for a moment I truly thought this was made for humans. It comes in a bottle that resembles a BBQ sauce bottle. It had an easy click up cap. On the bottle was a picture of a piece of all white meat chicken breast with a cut in it. It looked delish!!! Of course with such nice looking packaging, we figured the dogs would go nuts for it.
The sauce itself we could see through the bottle in certain areas where there was no labeling sticker covering it. The sauce itself was a light brown and gray like color with particles of chicken floating throughout. It looked good!
At home we popped the top and took a sniff. Mmmm... yes, it smelled delicious, like chicken gravy. I was even wiling to give it a little lick to see how it was. I refrained from doing so of course.
We assumed that once the dogs got a sniff of it they'd be in heaven, and we'd be forced to buy a new bottle every week.
We poured a decent amount on top of their wet food, and watched as Fifi stepped up to the plate. She sniffed it and walked away. Peanut was next, and usually Peanut will eat anything. He is the only Chihuahua I've ever seen with cellulite.
Peanut stepped up, took a piece of dry food covered in the sauce out of the bowl, and placed it on the floor, and walked away. Ren, showed no interest at all. Putt-Putt putted up like a broken down car, took a sniff, and followed Fifi. It was a no go. Tybalt stepped up and took a few good hearty bites. She didn't seem to notice the sauce or dive in like we thought she would. She was never a picky eater though.
Lala stayed in her bed, she didn't even bother to get up to see what was going on. Flea stepped up to the bowl and took a few bites while waging her tail. She seems to eat new treats we get only to satisfy us. This dog actually nearly smiles to show her appreciation, but we could tell she just was not digging it. Next came Bully, our newest member. He will eat ANYTHING, and the sauce was to die for according to him. He plowed his big triangular face into the bowl and slurped up what was left. The other dogs didn't even get a turn. However I have a feeling, like the majority, they wouldn't even have gave it the time of day.
So, it seems that larger dogs seem to only prefer this type of treat. Tybalt the husky didn't seem to mind, and Bully the bull terrier was in heaven. I suppose some snacks are meant for the big boys.
Seeing how only 2 of our dogs seemed to be okay with IAMS sauce, we have no future plans to buy another bottle or any other flavors.
PRICING:
We found our IAMS savory sauce at Walmart for $2.99. It's a pretty decent deal compared to most treats on the market today.
OTHER FLAVORS:
Besides chicken, there is also beef, and bacon. They even have a formula specially made for puppies.
RECOMMENDATION:
Well for the cheap price its worth a try. Your dog may love it or hate it, you just never know until you try it.
My statistics came to 2 out of 11 dogs approved.
(Flea doesn't count, because she only ate it to make us happy, she never touched it again)
Milk-Bone Original Dog Biscuits: Dog Food Review
The only reason Milk-Bones landed in our home was because they were a
steal at a local Costcos. $8 for a 10 pound box. We figured there would
be no treat that came even close to that when it came to price.
We heaved the huge box into our over sized cart and headed out the door. You see in our home there are 11 dogs. These dogs for the most part are all picky eaters, so the milk-bones were not for these dogs. The milk-bones were for our newest member Bully. We have been training him with treats, and no matter what the treat is, the dog has no problem chowing down.
The box read:
The hard crunchy texture of Milk-bone Original can help clean the teeth and freshen breath. As your dog chews, Milk-bone Original Biscuits help remove residual food particles from your dog's teeth, thereby helping freshen breath. See our web site at www.Milkbone.com for more calorie and health information.
It all sounded great, and for the price why not?
MILK-BONE ORIGINAL BISCUIT IN MEDIUM:
I remembered milk-bones right when I opened the box, and I also quickly remembered why we stopped buying them many years ago. They looked and smelled disgusting. The bone is in a cute dog bone shape with an old dehydrated brown look to it. The things just didn't look healthy. They smelled like cardboard, and I wondered if even Bully would eat them. Bully is like Mikey, 'he'll eat anything', but by the looks and scent of these milk-bones I wasn't so sure.
"Bully sit"
Bully will run up to you, sit, and then wait to be told to do a trick such as lay down or give paw. He did his trick with ease, and I handed him a milker.
"Chomp, chomp, chomp'. The medium sized bone was gone in 60 seconds. I was even surprised, he's not that big a dog yet, so seeing how quickly he swallowed the bone was pretty scary. He then got up, and sat, waiting to be told to do another trick so he could have another bone.
Yay! Bully likes them. Good, he was the dog we had in mind while buying the milk-bones. But there were 10 other dogs left wide eyed, wondering just what we had in the magical big red box.
One by one, they all came to collect a bone. Most of them though left them on the kitchen floor for Bully to come and sweep up. The ones that did eat them seemed content.
I was also content seeing how Milk-Bones are also good for their teeth. Chewing Milk-Bones will reduce tartar build up, and help freshen breath. Seemed good to me, the dogs overall seemed happy with their cardboard scented bones, so we were too.
THE NEXT DAY:
Oh, the dogs loved the bones, sure they did. But the next day we awoke to a bunch of not so pleasant gooey surprises. The dogs that ate the bones all got diarrhea. However we didn't quite put two and two together yet. We didn't even consider that the milk-bones were perhaps what gave the dogs the poops. So we gave it to them again.
Day 2 rolls around and it's the same story. By now, we brighten up to the situation. The Milk-Bones were the culprit! We right away discontinued use, and the dogs are now going to the bathroom like regular dogs again.
THINGS TO AVOID:
Milk-Bone original biscuits for puppies
Milk-Bones for small dogs
Milk-Bones for medium dogs, large ones and extra large ones.
Serving sizes range from 1-5 bones a day. However we were only giving the little ones one bone, and Bully chomped down about 3 or 4 of them. Basically it does not matter how many or how little they have, either way they are still going to get the runs.
It's all the same ingredients just in different size bones, and most likely the same ingredients that cause diarrhea. Don't get me wrong, your dogs will love them, but what do dogs know when it comes to having an upset tummy? They don't know the cause.
So whats in this stuff that may of caused this 2 day explosion of ...
Ingredients:
Wheat Flour, Wheat Bran, Beef Meal and Beef Bone Meal, Milk, Wheat Germ, Beef Fat Preserved with Tocopherols, Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, Brewers Dried Yeast, Poultry Digest, Dried Cheese, Calcium Carbonate, Malted Barley Flour, Sodium Metabisulfite (Dough Conditioner), Vitamins (Choline Chloride, dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, D-Activated Animal Sterol (Source of Vitamin D3)), Minerals (zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, ethylenediamine dihydriodide (Source of Iodine)), Natural Flavor.
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein...Min...15.0%
Crude Fat.......Min....5.0%
Crude Fiber.....Max....3.5%
Moisture.........Max...12.0%
Calcium..........Min....0.8%
Calcium..........Max....1.3%
Phosphorus.......Min....0.8%
Copper...........Min....7.3mg/kg
Zinc.............Min..120.0mg/kg
Iodine...........Min....1.5mg/kg
Vitamin A........Min...5000IU/kg
Vitamin D........Min....300IU/kg
Vitamin E........Min.....50IU/kg
Riboflavin.......Min.....2.2mg/kg
Pantothenic Acid.Min....10.0mg/kg
Vitamin B12......Min...0.022mg/kg
Choline..........Min....1200mg/kg
Okay, so I can't figure out which ingredient may of caused the diarrhea, but it looks like its filled with all sorts of odds and ends. It is no wonder none of the dogs tummy's reacted the way they did.
OVERALL:
Milk-Bones got dropped by us about 10 years ago because the dogs wouldn't eat them. 10 years later they get dropped again, not because the dogs won't eat them, but because whatever the hell is in them is causing massive diarrhea in all of our dogs.
RECOMMENDATION:
No way. Keep these treats away from your dogs. It's like feeding them laxatives.
We heaved the huge box into our over sized cart and headed out the door. You see in our home there are 11 dogs. These dogs for the most part are all picky eaters, so the milk-bones were not for these dogs. The milk-bones were for our newest member Bully. We have been training him with treats, and no matter what the treat is, the dog has no problem chowing down.
The box read:
The hard crunchy texture of Milk-bone Original can help clean the teeth and freshen breath. As your dog chews, Milk-bone Original Biscuits help remove residual food particles from your dog's teeth, thereby helping freshen breath. See our web site at www.Milkbone.com for more calorie and health information.
It all sounded great, and for the price why not?
MILK-BONE ORIGINAL BISCUIT IN MEDIUM:
I remembered milk-bones right when I opened the box, and I also quickly remembered why we stopped buying them many years ago. They looked and smelled disgusting. The bone is in a cute dog bone shape with an old dehydrated brown look to it. The things just didn't look healthy. They smelled like cardboard, and I wondered if even Bully would eat them. Bully is like Mikey, 'he'll eat anything', but by the looks and scent of these milk-bones I wasn't so sure.
"Bully sit"
Bully will run up to you, sit, and then wait to be told to do a trick such as lay down or give paw. He did his trick with ease, and I handed him a milker.
"Chomp, chomp, chomp'. The medium sized bone was gone in 60 seconds. I was even surprised, he's not that big a dog yet, so seeing how quickly he swallowed the bone was pretty scary. He then got up, and sat, waiting to be told to do another trick so he could have another bone.
Yay! Bully likes them. Good, he was the dog we had in mind while buying the milk-bones. But there were 10 other dogs left wide eyed, wondering just what we had in the magical big red box.
One by one, they all came to collect a bone. Most of them though left them on the kitchen floor for Bully to come and sweep up. The ones that did eat them seemed content.
I was also content seeing how Milk-Bones are also good for their teeth. Chewing Milk-Bones will reduce tartar build up, and help freshen breath. Seemed good to me, the dogs overall seemed happy with their cardboard scented bones, so we were too.
THE NEXT DAY:
Oh, the dogs loved the bones, sure they did. But the next day we awoke to a bunch of not so pleasant gooey surprises. The dogs that ate the bones all got diarrhea. However we didn't quite put two and two together yet. We didn't even consider that the milk-bones were perhaps what gave the dogs the poops. So we gave it to them again.
Day 2 rolls around and it's the same story. By now, we brighten up to the situation. The Milk-Bones were the culprit! We right away discontinued use, and the dogs are now going to the bathroom like regular dogs again.
THINGS TO AVOID:
Milk-Bone original biscuits for puppies
Milk-Bones for small dogs
Milk-Bones for medium dogs, large ones and extra large ones.
Serving sizes range from 1-5 bones a day. However we were only giving the little ones one bone, and Bully chomped down about 3 or 4 of them. Basically it does not matter how many or how little they have, either way they are still going to get the runs.
It's all the same ingredients just in different size bones, and most likely the same ingredients that cause diarrhea. Don't get me wrong, your dogs will love them, but what do dogs know when it comes to having an upset tummy? They don't know the cause.
So whats in this stuff that may of caused this 2 day explosion of ...
Ingredients:
Wheat Flour, Wheat Bran, Beef Meal and Beef Bone Meal, Milk, Wheat Germ, Beef Fat Preserved with Tocopherols, Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, Brewers Dried Yeast, Poultry Digest, Dried Cheese, Calcium Carbonate, Malted Barley Flour, Sodium Metabisulfite (Dough Conditioner), Vitamins (Choline Chloride, dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, D-Activated Animal Sterol (Source of Vitamin D3)), Minerals (zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, ethylenediamine dihydriodide (Source of Iodine)), Natural Flavor.
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein...Min...15.0%
Crude Fat.......Min....5.0%
Crude Fiber.....Max....3.5%
Moisture.........Max...12.0%
Calcium..........Min....0.8%
Calcium..........Max....1.3%
Phosphorus.......Min....0.8%
Copper...........Min....7.3mg/kg
Zinc.............Min..120.0mg/kg
Iodine...........Min....1.5mg/kg
Vitamin A........Min...5000IU/kg
Vitamin D........Min....300IU/kg
Vitamin E........Min.....50IU/kg
Riboflavin.......Min.....2.2mg/kg
Pantothenic Acid.Min....10.0mg/kg
Vitamin B12......Min...0.022mg/kg
Choline..........Min....1200mg/kg
Okay, so I can't figure out which ingredient may of caused the diarrhea, but it looks like its filled with all sorts of odds and ends. It is no wonder none of the dogs tummy's reacted the way they did.
OVERALL:
Milk-Bones got dropped by us about 10 years ago because the dogs wouldn't eat them. 10 years later they get dropped again, not because the dogs won't eat them, but because whatever the hell is in them is causing massive diarrhea in all of our dogs.
RECOMMENDATION:
No way. Keep these treats away from your dogs. It's like feeding them laxatives.
Product Review: Mountaineer Pet Tent
I bring Bubba everywhere. Bubba is my best friend, my companion, and I
can tell him anything without worrying he will spread the gossip. Bubba,
my best friend, is a dog. He weighs 8 pounds and stands a proud 8
inches tall. He is my double 8.
If I'm going to the ocean, Bubba must follow, if I'm going camping, Bubba is right by me. I don't leave him behind, he loves the great outdoors, and for me to be enjoying the lovely summer days while he sits home bored, that would just be unfair. I shouldn't, no, wait... no one should have a dog if they do not intend on sharing life with them.
Dragging Bubba to the ocean though at times can be a pain in the butt. Sometimes he's grumpy and just wants to lay down, and Bubba is not such a friendly fellow. If a stranger approaches my 8lb yorkie, he may bite. While I'm at the ocean though, it can be difficult for me to go in the water while Bubba is on the beach. He likes to wander, he is small, and he could easily get lost or stolen. Usually when I bring him along on outings, I sacrifice my fun for his. I needed something to contain him, and something that would keep him cool on hot summer days.
I originally thought of buying him a pet carriage, but wheels on sand don't mix well, and this contraption is ridiculous looking. I treat my dog like he's my baby, but I certainly do not want people looking at me like I'm the crazy dog lady.
While browsing for pet supplies recently I came across a pet tent by Mountaineer at www.walmart.com. The pet tent came in 2 sizes 36X36X36 or a larger 48X48X48. The tent looked cool, it had air ventilations on all sides so he could get a nice cool breeze, it had more than enough room for me to place a food and water dish inside while he could rest safely and comfortably while I go for a swim.
What I also loved was how the tent is made with weather resistant fabric designed to repel water. So even in the rain, your pet will stay dry. The sturdy frame also withstands strong winds, so you don't have to worry about your pets tent toppling over in harsher conditions. I'm going to be honest though, even with all of those great features, what attracted me to this tent the most was the appearance. It was like a miniature humans tent. I loved it, and I knew it would be convenient for me, and for my dog.
The tent itself is dome shaped and its primary color is moss green, with a teal colored door. The door zips up from the outside, and is built so your pup cannot get out after you seal the door. You can also open the side panels with 2 side zippers for your dog to lounge under whenever he wants. This is basically to protect a relaxing dog from the sun.
This tent is a sure charmer for not just you and your dog, but anyone who happens to get a look at it is in awe and can't help but ask where you got it.
SETUP:
Seriously takes less than 5 minutes. There are 2 plastic yet sturdy flexible bars that run criss cross to form the dome. You can dig these sticks into the ground for further assurance that the tent does not topple over. Thats it. After you have the bars set in correctly you can just place the tent wherever you want.
RECOMMENDATION:
Mountaineer's pet tent is a must have for anyone who brings their dog along on summer outings such as the beach, camping, or anywhere where you as a pet owner would like a little free time to yourself. With the pet tent you don't have to worry about your pooch wandering off or getting hurt. Do make sure you add food and plenty of water while your pet is inside of the tent. Do not leave your pet in the tent for long periods of time on hot summer days. Also try to position the tent in shade if possible.
AVAILABILITY:
This pet tent is only available online at www.walmart.com, or at www.summitcampinggear.com. The price ranges from $26.00to $34.97 depending on the size you order.
If I'm going to the ocean, Bubba must follow, if I'm going camping, Bubba is right by me. I don't leave him behind, he loves the great outdoors, and for me to be enjoying the lovely summer days while he sits home bored, that would just be unfair. I shouldn't, no, wait... no one should have a dog if they do not intend on sharing life with them.
Dragging Bubba to the ocean though at times can be a pain in the butt. Sometimes he's grumpy and just wants to lay down, and Bubba is not such a friendly fellow. If a stranger approaches my 8lb yorkie, he may bite. While I'm at the ocean though, it can be difficult for me to go in the water while Bubba is on the beach. He likes to wander, he is small, and he could easily get lost or stolen. Usually when I bring him along on outings, I sacrifice my fun for his. I needed something to contain him, and something that would keep him cool on hot summer days.
I originally thought of buying him a pet carriage, but wheels on sand don't mix well, and this contraption is ridiculous looking. I treat my dog like he's my baby, but I certainly do not want people looking at me like I'm the crazy dog lady.
While browsing for pet supplies recently I came across a pet tent by Mountaineer at www.walmart.com. The pet tent came in 2 sizes 36X36X36 or a larger 48X48X48. The tent looked cool, it had air ventilations on all sides so he could get a nice cool breeze, it had more than enough room for me to place a food and water dish inside while he could rest safely and comfortably while I go for a swim.
What I also loved was how the tent is made with weather resistant fabric designed to repel water. So even in the rain, your pet will stay dry. The sturdy frame also withstands strong winds, so you don't have to worry about your pets tent toppling over in harsher conditions. I'm going to be honest though, even with all of those great features, what attracted me to this tent the most was the appearance. It was like a miniature humans tent. I loved it, and I knew it would be convenient for me, and for my dog.
The tent itself is dome shaped and its primary color is moss green, with a teal colored door. The door zips up from the outside, and is built so your pup cannot get out after you seal the door. You can also open the side panels with 2 side zippers for your dog to lounge under whenever he wants. This is basically to protect a relaxing dog from the sun.
This tent is a sure charmer for not just you and your dog, but anyone who happens to get a look at it is in awe and can't help but ask where you got it.
SETUP:
Seriously takes less than 5 minutes. There are 2 plastic yet sturdy flexible bars that run criss cross to form the dome. You can dig these sticks into the ground for further assurance that the tent does not topple over. Thats it. After you have the bars set in correctly you can just place the tent wherever you want.
RECOMMENDATION:
Mountaineer's pet tent is a must have for anyone who brings their dog along on summer outings such as the beach, camping, or anywhere where you as a pet owner would like a little free time to yourself. With the pet tent you don't have to worry about your pooch wandering off or getting hurt. Do make sure you add food and plenty of water while your pet is inside of the tent. Do not leave your pet in the tent for long periods of time on hot summer days. Also try to position the tent in shade if possible.
AVAILABILITY:
This pet tent is only available online at www.walmart.com, or at www.summitcampinggear.com. The price ranges from $26.00to $34.97 depending on the size you order.
Make the Halloween Costume that Will Guarantee a Costume Contest Win
I'm a Halloween fanatic, I try to get to all of the contest party's, I want to win, I want money! I deserve it!
Halloween is the best time of the year, aside from fall being my favorite time of year, it's also the best time for my creative juices to begin stirring. I begin thinking about Halloween in June. I'm that hooked, the thoughts race through my head, what the hell can I be this year that will knock onlookers off of their feet? Shall I be a princess, or a disgusting creature that children will go running from?
Ah yes, the disgusting creature...my specialty.
Last year however my budget was tight, and I had to really get to thinking about how I could pull together a creepy look and still win in the costume contest.
My brain began to think, I already had a fake prosthetic chin and a few hairy warts, and a bald head cap. Grand total was about $20 for those cheap props. But now I needed something to get these prosthetics to stick to my own face. I knew spirit gum would do the trick, but I wanted something more, something new, cheap and effective.
I went to a local party supply store, that sells Halloween costumes this time of year. I wasn't looking for a costume though, I wanted to be original, unique and delightfully freakish.
While browsing the makeup section I cam across liquid latex. It was a small 3 ounce jar for $8. I knew I could probably work some magic with this, so I bought it, having complete faith in it. I didn't have much of a choice, it was about all the money I had.
I also bought another container of spirit gum in case all else failed.
Next was to create my look. The Halloween party was in about 8 hours. I had to get working, and fast. Everyone else in my family already had their expensive yet un-original costumes all picked out, but me...the creative one. I knew I could work with the little materials I had.
First came my bald cap, and thank GOD i bought 2 of them. I have a lot of hair, so tucking in came to be no easy task. I had to improvise. The first cap ripped, so I used the more sturdy cap the second time around. I was able to get it to somewhat stick, but it was still too tight.
I decided if I cut sections off of the other cap to cover up any tight spaces it would work. I spirit glued some small strips of the other bald cap onto loose spots to conceal my hair completely. It worked like a freaking charm!
Now I have my bald cap on, and I am looking pretty freaky. Next was probably the most interesting concept. I had read online about using food on your face for a unique scab like and wart appearance.
I went into the cabinet and pulled out some cornflakes and rice crispies. I placed them to the side for later use.
Next I had to attach my $3.99 chin. I honestly did not see this working out well because the chin was thin cheap and flimsy, so I stuffed it with tissue paper to give it a tick look. Now it wasn't floppy. Perfect! I then put a few dabs of spirit gum around the inner edges of the chin, and it stuck on without an issue.
Next I began putting makeup on. Cheap makeup and even old makeup I had from years past. A cheesy collection of cheap clown sticks will work fine. You can buy them for 99 cents in a dollar store. I began by coloring my eyes in first. Black mixed with green, purple and white gave me a nice bruise like look.
After applying makeup I now had to figure out what the liquid latex was all about. The whole thing though was a lot easier than I thought. I applied dabs everywhere on my face, large dabs and small ones. Once the liquid began to dry I simply rubbed my finger around the, to give it a ripped or peeled skin like appearance. I then colored these scabby cuts in with some red and green makeup to give it an infected look.
As good as this looked, it needed more. This was when my food came into the picture. Yep, my edible costume. Haha! I then dabbed a small amount of spirit gum onto my face and quickly began to apply the cornflakes and rice crispies. The rice crispies gave me a neat scabby like wound appearance, while the cornflakes amped up the appearance of ripped skin.
I colored the cereal in by blending in red, and green, with a little bit of white to give it a pussy like appearance.
I was amazed, this looked fantastic. 5 hours into my creation I looked at myself in the mirror and knew, I had this contest in the bag. My $25 creative investment would ensure a 1st place prize. But I had a few hours left, and I knew I could do something else.
Now I know you can't see it well in the photos of my creation, but I added hair. I ripped some hair out of doll we had in the basement, I then applied some spirit gum to my bald cap, and flowed the hair onto my head.
My final step was the easiest one. I had to wisp a small layer of transparent oil free powder onto my face. This ensures that the makeup does not leak or get greasy looking as time goes by.
I could pretty much wear anything and still win. I choose an oversized victorian looking green dress I found in a local thrift store years earlier. I applied some fake cobwebs to it, and my look was complete.
My final creation, is shown in the picture. Even I was shocked. I totally stripped my face from a nice looking girl to a zombie that had risen from the dead. Well done!
So did I win?
You bet your arse I did. I got first place, and my competition was left in the dust. My costume amazed and frightened people all throughout the night.
It just goes to show that you do not need a lot of money to create a top winning costume. A little bit goes a long way.
The steps are simple.
1. Buy some cheap $3-5 prosthetics for your face, which include a chin, and 2 bald caps. You may also add long ears and horns if you find them.
2. Buy some clown makeup at any local dollar store
3. Buy a jar of liquid latex
4. Make sure you have at least 2 small containers of spirit gum. ($2.99 each)
5. Have some cereal on hand.
6. Be creative, you only get great results when you put in the extra effort.
7. HAVE FUN!!! That's how you get noticed most at costume contest.
My look took me approximately 5-6 hours to achieve. It was well worth it, and I won a cruise trip for 2.
For a larger photo visit this link http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a3/dimeuhday/HalloweenWinner.jpg
Halloween is the best time of the year, aside from fall being my favorite time of year, it's also the best time for my creative juices to begin stirring. I begin thinking about Halloween in June. I'm that hooked, the thoughts race through my head, what the hell can I be this year that will knock onlookers off of their feet? Shall I be a princess, or a disgusting creature that children will go running from?
Ah yes, the disgusting creature...my specialty.
Last year however my budget was tight, and I had to really get to thinking about how I could pull together a creepy look and still win in the costume contest.
My brain began to think, I already had a fake prosthetic chin and a few hairy warts, and a bald head cap. Grand total was about $20 for those cheap props. But now I needed something to get these prosthetics to stick to my own face. I knew spirit gum would do the trick, but I wanted something more, something new, cheap and effective.
I went to a local party supply store, that sells Halloween costumes this time of year. I wasn't looking for a costume though, I wanted to be original, unique and delightfully freakish.
While browsing the makeup section I cam across liquid latex. It was a small 3 ounce jar for $8. I knew I could probably work some magic with this, so I bought it, having complete faith in it. I didn't have much of a choice, it was about all the money I had.
I also bought another container of spirit gum in case all else failed.
Next was to create my look. The Halloween party was in about 8 hours. I had to get working, and fast. Everyone else in my family already had their expensive yet un-original costumes all picked out, but me...the creative one. I knew I could work with the little materials I had.
First came my bald cap, and thank GOD i bought 2 of them. I have a lot of hair, so tucking in came to be no easy task. I had to improvise. The first cap ripped, so I used the more sturdy cap the second time around. I was able to get it to somewhat stick, but it was still too tight.
I decided if I cut sections off of the other cap to cover up any tight spaces it would work. I spirit glued some small strips of the other bald cap onto loose spots to conceal my hair completely. It worked like a freaking charm!
Now I have my bald cap on, and I am looking pretty freaky. Next was probably the most interesting concept. I had read online about using food on your face for a unique scab like and wart appearance.
I went into the cabinet and pulled out some cornflakes and rice crispies. I placed them to the side for later use.
Next I had to attach my $3.99 chin. I honestly did not see this working out well because the chin was thin cheap and flimsy, so I stuffed it with tissue paper to give it a tick look. Now it wasn't floppy. Perfect! I then put a few dabs of spirit gum around the inner edges of the chin, and it stuck on without an issue.
Next I began putting makeup on. Cheap makeup and even old makeup I had from years past. A cheesy collection of cheap clown sticks will work fine. You can buy them for 99 cents in a dollar store. I began by coloring my eyes in first. Black mixed with green, purple and white gave me a nice bruise like look.
After applying makeup I now had to figure out what the liquid latex was all about. The whole thing though was a lot easier than I thought. I applied dabs everywhere on my face, large dabs and small ones. Once the liquid began to dry I simply rubbed my finger around the, to give it a ripped or peeled skin like appearance. I then colored these scabby cuts in with some red and green makeup to give it an infected look.
As good as this looked, it needed more. This was when my food came into the picture. Yep, my edible costume. Haha! I then dabbed a small amount of spirit gum onto my face and quickly began to apply the cornflakes and rice crispies. The rice crispies gave me a neat scabby like wound appearance, while the cornflakes amped up the appearance of ripped skin.
I colored the cereal in by blending in red, and green, with a little bit of white to give it a pussy like appearance.
I was amazed, this looked fantastic. 5 hours into my creation I looked at myself in the mirror and knew, I had this contest in the bag. My $25 creative investment would ensure a 1st place prize. But I had a few hours left, and I knew I could do something else.
Now I know you can't see it well in the photos of my creation, but I added hair. I ripped some hair out of doll we had in the basement, I then applied some spirit gum to my bald cap, and flowed the hair onto my head.
My final step was the easiest one. I had to wisp a small layer of transparent oil free powder onto my face. This ensures that the makeup does not leak or get greasy looking as time goes by.
I could pretty much wear anything and still win. I choose an oversized victorian looking green dress I found in a local thrift store years earlier. I applied some fake cobwebs to it, and my look was complete.
My final creation, is shown in the picture. Even I was shocked. I totally stripped my face from a nice looking girl to a zombie that had risen from the dead. Well done!
So did I win?
You bet your arse I did. I got first place, and my competition was left in the dust. My costume amazed and frightened people all throughout the night.
It just goes to show that you do not need a lot of money to create a top winning costume. A little bit goes a long way.
The steps are simple.
1. Buy some cheap $3-5 prosthetics for your face, which include a chin, and 2 bald caps. You may also add long ears and horns if you find them.
2. Buy some clown makeup at any local dollar store
3. Buy a jar of liquid latex
4. Make sure you have at least 2 small containers of spirit gum. ($2.99 each)
5. Have some cereal on hand.
6. Be creative, you only get great results when you put in the extra effort.
7. HAVE FUN!!! That's how you get noticed most at costume contest.
My look took me approximately 5-6 hours to achieve. It was well worth it, and I won a cruise trip for 2.
For a larger photo visit this link http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a3/dimeuhday/HalloweenWinner.jpg
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