Echo Loop Invitation Only Review - Day 1

A few days ago I was sent an invitation to purchase the first wave of Invitation Only Echo Loop rings. I wasn't quite sure exactly what it all was about, but because I am such a gigantic fan of Alexa devices, I decided to take a closer look to see if it was something that I would be interested in.

In our home we have every single Alexa device imaginable. Except of course the silly microwave.

 I like the idea of having a ring right at my hand to just bark orders into. Especially when coming home at night, and wanting complete access of my home. We have Smart bulbs, smart Outlets, and smart TVs. I thought it would be extremely neat to just be able to turn lights on from the car in the driveway before I even got out. Whether or not that's worth the $140 that I paid, after taxes, it's still undetermined.

The first thing that I was prompted to do was to order the sizing kit for the ring. This is basically a box of Prototype plastic rings that you are to wear on your finger for the day, before actually ordering the size. This box of plastic Rings arrived within 24 hours, in the sizes of small medium large and extra-large.

 I decided to get the ring that fit my middle finger best because I don't like things on my pointer finger. My fiance who is a male, was able to fit the extra large one on his middle finger. He has large middle fingers, and this ring size was roughly a size 12. That is as large as it gets. Anyone with larger fingers your s*** out of luck.
After ordering the sizing kit and deciding on my ring size, I really sat there for a moment to contemplate whether or not I actually needed this ring. It wasn't free, but I would obviously be offering feedback and reviews, and this is probably why Amazon chose me as an invite only.

I felt sort of duped, that these weren't sent to us for a even deeper discount, considering the fact that this feels like it's in a prototype stage. I basically feel like a guinea pig, without any payment. In fact I'm paying them, and offering vital feedback for whether or not this Echo Loop will actually launch properly. I can only hope it's nowhere near as terrible as the echo Auto.

So today, 4 days after choosing my ring size my Echo loop finally arrived.
It came in a yellow bubble wrap envelope that look like it had been beat up a few thousand times before it arrived to my door. I was a little less than pleased with that. 
Inside of the yellow envelope contained a very small square box. It didn't seem nearly as lucrative as past devices. I didn't mind though, I opened it up and was greeted with a beautiful blue card insert, with my beautiful ring sitting right there. It looked exactly like the plastic prototype ring, only made with black metals. It felt far more high quality than I was expecting.

Inside of the belly of that box I found the charging cradle, and a USB wire. Unfortunately it does not come with a USB charging Outlet you have to have one of those already. I thought that was strange considering how cheap they actually are and considering the high price of this ring I assumed it would actually come with it. When this ring is released it will cost $179

Right now, the ring is sitting on it's charging cradle. I'm sitting here patiently waiting for it to be fully charged. Once it is fully charged and ready to go I will be updating this very post. So please stay tuned

Day 2

So this is where we had some major gripes. Infuriating ones to be honest.
I woke up to find my echo loop was only at a 20% charge. I left it on the cradle all night. The button on top of topnofhe charger were flashing yellow and all was working well. However it must have dropped connection to the charger and drained the battery throughout the night.

I found this issue to be a repetitive one. The 3 small metal plates inside of the ring that are supposed to make contact to the charger metal contact plates slip up a lot and don't make a good connection. I deeply feel amazon needs to correct this before launching the echo loop to the public.
The cradle is flawed. Big time.

The next issue upon waking up and recharging was that the echoloop was no longer connected to the Alexa app..so it was as if my app dropped the device and in had to contact customer service for help

Unfortunately they couldn't fix the issue and was sending me out a new ring. I thwarted that when I figured out how to reset the ring on my own. Thank god in am tech savvy.
I had to unpaired the device from Bluetooth and deactivate from the app..then in had to factory reset the echo loop which was didficult and was not included in the manual on how to factory reset. .I hope amazon adds this in the manual when the loop launches to the public.

After a grueling few hours my echo loop was back and running. It has dropped the Bluetooth a few times more than I'd like, but I resolved the issue myself so far.

Once I was good to go I made 2 calls using the echo loop. The calls worked flawlessly. However I was unable to connect it when I had incoming calls. I'm not sure if that is even a feature. BUT since it advertises as incoming and outgoing calls it should work. I have yet to get incoming calls transfer from phone to loop, although I can Mae outgoing calls on it.
I will toy with toy this more tomorrow or call customer service for some insight.

All in all, just a few hours toying with the device and we are off to a rocky start. I can hope tomorrow goes better than today did. I spent more toyhisime troubleshooting today, than I did enjoying the new device.

Day 3

I kept my phone nearby all day. I found that whenever I walk too far away from the phone and Bluetooth lost its connection, that was when the echoloop would have its most problems.
When I visited my mother's house, and ended up on her WiFi, I once again lost the connection. Which prompted me to have to pair it up once again using Bluetooth on my phone. That wasn't a big deal, however when I got home later on that afternoon I lost the connection to the Alexa app again. My frustrations were so high at this point that I decided to reach out to customer service yet again. I asked if developers were updating the software to make sure the echo Loop did not lose its connection to the Amazon Alexa application. Unfortunately none of them had an answer for me, the only thing they tried to do was to have me send the ring back. It was absolutely infuriating.
So as of today, if developers don't get this situation ironed out there is no way in hell this echoloop should ever be released to the General Public. It's so close to being that really neat Hi-Tech device, but unfortunately as it is right now, I wouldn't be able to recommend it

Review of The Sims 2 Seasons: The Sims Now Have Weather!

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

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.

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

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

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

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.