Harman Kardon Soundsticks II 3-Piece Plug and Play Multimedia Speaker System
Harman Kardon Soundsticks II 3-Piece Plug and Play Multimedia Speaker System
2 Satellite Speakers and Subwoofer for Stereo Sound / For use with a PC, Mac, MP3 Player, or any device with a standard 3.5mm headphone output Includes AC Adapter with USA plug Volume control on right satellite speaker Compatible with a PC, Mac, MP3 Player, or any device with a standard 3.5mm headphone output
Customer Review: Very surprised and remain pleased
Bought these fancy speakers used, off Ebay last summer and I cannot be happier. Not being an audiophile, I just wanted something that looked great on my desk and sounded better than my cheap speakers that came with my PC years ago. Boy was I surprised. Never had a sub-woofer before, still have my monster speakers from the latter 1980’s and enjoy a bit of bass when I’m listening to music.
Well, times change don’t they. Instead of listening to my stereo and CD player, I find myself sitting at the PC listening to ‘net radio a lot while working. Unsatisfied with those puny speakers, I started searching for an upgrade. You will not be disappointed. Not only do they look like something from apple, they sound very much like upscale speakers. I can turn them up, just a bit, and enjoy music all across the bonus room and my office at home. Movies sound even better. Star Wars or Harry Potter are a whole new experience. Now my wife fusses at me to “turn that music down” for a whole new reason.
Between the blue light and the way too futuristic volume control, this set will charm anyone to be a believer. One minor piece of education, when you “accidently” push the volume buttons togther, that mutes the speakers. Took me a few days to figure that out. Guess when she says, “did read the directions, stupid?” that she has a point. Otherwise, my sticks have been one of my best purchases and further pushes me toward being a true mac head. Good luck, you will NOT go wrong with this purchase.
Customer Review: Awesome Speakers but Questionable durability
Great speakers at a great price. Very clear sound and nice low bass. Impressive design with touch sensitive volume control. My only complaint is that there is no power button to turn the speakers off. I have a Mac Book Pro, so I plug the speakers in and out. It makes a terrible noise when unplugging it from my laptop if I don’t “mute” the speakers first (by simultaneously touching the volume sensors). It’s annoying but I can live with it. Without the power off button, the unit might have questionable durability. I am already on my second unit because the first one blew out! Amazon replaced it for free! No questions asked. This is an great looking speaker set but has some quirky design flaws.
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Excalibur Game Time II Chess Clock 
Ready, set, game! Play chess, checkers, backgammon, scrabble, or any other board game with the added excitement of racing players against the clock. This device features two precision digital clocks, each with 3/4″ displays, that keep split-second track of time per move. An optional tone and red light signals when time has expired. Select from preset time controls or create your own.
Price: $49.99
Customer Review: Lots of functions, great price, but flimsy with awkward buttons
There is a lot to like about an Excalibur chess clock: it is inexpensive, it has lots of functions, and it is very easy to learn how to use it. First off, the price: you can buy three of these clocks for the price of a Chronos, but then you get what you pay for. Most of the guys in my chess club have Chronos clocks and I also have two that I have had for years. Yet, I have never even heard of a Chronos clock that failed. These Excalibur clocks, on the other hand, definitely have a limited lifespan. A lot of players start out with an Excalibur clock, but sooner or later the clock breaks down and then they buy a different kind of clock. Personally, my main peeve with the Excalibur is that I really dislike the buttons on it. The problem is that the button movement is not completely smooth and therefore it is possible to hit a button in such a way that it does not go down all the way and then you have to hit it again (this is extremely annoying when you are playing blitz). Other than the buttons, the problem is that these clocks are flimsy and do not take well to jostling. Still, if you just want a clock for occasional use, and if you are looking for something cheap and functional, this clock is your best bet.
Customer Review: Good One with Excellent Price
Though I didn’t use this one much, This is solid build and good display. Price is reasonable.
District B13 [HD DVD] 
For eye-popping kinetic thrills, District B13 tops the class. In the near future, the worst ghettos of Paris have been walled in and left to rot. When a neutron bomb gets stolen by a criminal kingpin in seedy District B13, Damien–a cop who specializes in deep cover assignments (Cyril Raffaelli, a stuntman turned actor)–has to team up with Leito (David Belle), who grew up in the district and has his own reason for going back: the kingpin kidnapped his sister (tough yet adorable gamine Dany Verissimo). The plot takes a few preposterous turns, but it’s beside the point–every turn serves only to maintain the relentless flow of sheer physical prowess. Belle is one of the inventors of a sport called parkour, which treats a city’s architecture like an obstacle course; while running from gun-toting thugs, Leito leaps, bounds, and scrambles up and down buildings with astonishing grace. The fight sequences are just as down-to-earth yet over-the-top as Damien whirls, kicks, and crunches through armies of bad guys. Just as important is the tongue-in-cheek tone that never turns smirky; the movie doesn’t take itself seriously, but doesn’t mock itself or its basic cinematic pleasures. Anyone looking for a break from the overbearing CGI and self-important pomp of Hollywood action movies should watch District B13. –Bret Fetzer
List Price: $29.98
Amazon Price: $20.95
Used Price: $21.50
Customer Review: awesome!
Completely underrated French film that made no noise stateside and didn’t even get a soundtrack released despite killer beats from Da Octopusss (you have to go his myspace page to hear them), this is flat out the most delightful action movie I have seen this decade. The action is excellent, the leading tag team are affable despite, apparently, being stuntmen by trade, the dialogue is sharp and the pacing quick, the plot is completely ridiculous and it has all the style of everything that Luc Besson has even been remotely associated with. In and out in a frenzied 90 minutes. Really, any plot that features a nuclear bomb with a 24-hour timer on it has to be a good movie.
Customer Review: An entertaining action film
District B13 (originally titled Banlieue 13 in its native France) is directed by Pierre Morel, and stars Bibi Naceri, David Belle, Cyril Raffaelli, Tony D’Amario, and Dany Verissimo. *** District B13 takes place in France in the not-so-distant future. The worst parts of the country have been literally sealed off by walls, isolating and quarantining the residents within. In these sectors there is no law and order, and the drug lords reign supreme. One man refuses to put up with the drug lords, and destroys a valuable shipment. His sister is abducted in retaliation, and his plot to rescue her fails, landing him behind bars. Eventually, he joins forces with an undercover officer - and the twosome must find a deadly neutron bomb before it can be set off. *** As far as “purely action” movies go, District B13 is a fine French import. It’s light on the story and plot development, but when it comes to action and stunts, the film is on a plane all its own - and the film spares no expense on the thrills. The movie feels more like a collection of stunts and action scenes than something with a flowing, truly coherent storyline. But at the end, after having been thoroughly entertained by all of this, who am I to complain? If it’s action you seek, this is your film. *** The personnel who worked on this film really show their stuff off in the action scenes, making the entire movie entertaining. Belle and Raffaelli are more than just actors, they largely do their own stunt work - and the results speak for themselves. The filmmakers here edit these action scenes excellently, and when you watch the movie, you’ll see that the results speak for themselves. The crew here, on both ends sides of the camera, accomplishes everything they set out to do. *** Yes, the characters are a bit on the shallow and one-dimensional side. But this isn’t the kind of movie that puts its emphasis on character development. For action fans, there’s no finer foreign film. — Image And Sound: My review is based on a screener disc, so picture quality on it doesn’t represent the commercially-released disc. — Special Features: None on the screener disc I reviewed. Final Words: District B13 is a fun-filled, non-stop, action-laden thrill ride that makes no apologies for what it is - and is all the more entertaining because of it. If you’re looking for a dosage of cinematic action, District B13 is for you.
Inspector Gadget:Coo Coo Clock Caper
List Price: $9.99
Used Price: $4.39
Customer Review: One of the coolest Inspector Gadget movies!
I really like this movie, I love Inspector Gadget and how he can’t tell who’s a M.A.D. Agent and who’s not. But, when Gadget, Penny & Brain go to Switzerland, they’re trying to investigate a gold-stealing theft, and this insane clock-making dude melts it and makes them into gears, when Gadget & Brain go to the Clock-maker, Gadget gets a watch that makes his gadgets go wacko, and like in every episode, Penny gets captured by the bad guy, but everything turns out good in the end, except when poor Brain when he cought a cold. I really like this movie, it’s the grooviest yet, man!
