Joined on 07/06/03
Garmin Portable Friction Mount
Pros: A snap (literally) to install. Fits my Garmin 1450 LMT perfectly and provides adequate support and stability. The mount easily fits the dash of my Ford Explorer with adequate room to adjust the viewing angle of the GPS. The mount provides just the right amount of flexibility to conform to the dash contour of the Ford and my wife's Honda Accord without being "limp". The price is reasonable for a well made accessory.
Cons: None so far.
Overall Review: You won't find the base dimensions shown anywhere so I'll list them for your benefit. Front to rear is 6-1/2" and 4-7/8" at the widest point. Fully extended, the adjustable ball mount is approx. 4" high from the bottom of the base. Finally, I don't know how long the sticky base material will last. Keeping the dash surface clean should improve your mileage.
WinDVD 8 Platinum
Pros: Comprehensive User's Guide
Cons: My first attempted install was on a late model laptop. When viewing a DVD movie the movie would stall or stop and start intermittently. I then tried this product on two different desktop systems. Same results, so it's not the computers that cause this problem. Then I downloaded & tested the demo version of Power DVD 7 on the same 3 computers. No problems! InterVideo needs to patch this product. For now, it's a dog.
Overall Review: Take the time to download and test the trial versions of both products on YOUR system before you part with your money. I wish I had.
Arctic Cooling ACFZ11-LP
Pros: Excellent cpu cooler for HTPC case. Quiet and efficient with my Core 2 Duo 6750 cpu. Far superior to the stock Intel cooler.
Cons: None
2009 Ducati Motorcycle 1198
Pros: It's pretty and it comes in a nice box.
Cons: DieCast isn't what it used to be.
Overall Review: I bought this for my son as a stocking gift for Christmas 2011. He owns 2 Ducatis and I thought he would get a kick out of this model. Well... In my day DieCast meant metal. This scale model Ducati is all plastic. It's probably 1/12 scale, and it does have moveable bars, but everything else is pretty cheap. It isn't worth $9.50. More like $3 at the $ Store, but he'll probably like it anyway because it's from his dad.
Corsair Rebate Scam
Pros: The memory works.
Cons: Attempts to activate the $20 rebate card at mycurrentbalance.com have failed. The website won't load and calls to the 877 number are disconnected after a few rings. Very disappointed that a company as well known as Corsair is associated with this miserable performance.
Overall Review: Rebates tend to be a rather dodgy way for companies to get you to pay full price, by not honoring the rebate. I hold Corsair (and Newegg) responsible for this practice. As a result I can't recommend that anyone base their buying decision on the purchase price after rebate.
Hannspree SN12E24B7P Notebook
Pros: Full featured notebook that delivers above average performance in its class. Windows 7 (32 bit) software - without all the junkware you get with most notebooks. Easy setup. All external ports work fine. Excellent screen resolution for work or play. Does not generate a lot of heat on the bottom surface. The touchpad can be switched on/off! Drivers for Windows 7 (64 bit) are available at the Hannspree website if you want to upgrade. It has Bluetooth and a decent webcam.
Cons: Hard drive noise is audible when the computer is active and even sounds a little scratchy at times. Keep an external backup just in case there's a drive failure! Little stick-on labels cover one of the screws on the access covers for the memory and hard drive. If you remove them the warranty is voided. Lame. So, wait a year if you want to upgrade the memory to 4 MB's, or take your chances.
Overall Review: It was easy to reconfigure the partition sizes with Windows 7, and the sensitivity of the touchpad is adjustable. I added a Pixxo wireless mouse and an external DVD Rom drive for convenience. (All from newegg.com). Assuming that the notebook lasts more than a few months, it's a great value. Last: Be careful about using Windows Update to change the LAN driver. Read the forums. Some users report problems after changing the driver. The factory installed driver works fine with my Cisco/Linksys E4200 wireless router, at a distance of approx. 100'.