Things I Own - a list by wiredd

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About this list:

These are products I've actually bought and used.

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I have experience using these products

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Viewing 1-10 of 38 Items

Misto Gourmet Olive Oil Sprayer

7 people recommended this item

Description

We recently bought one of these and have been really happy with it. It looks nice in the kitchen, sprays olive oil finely and evenly, and really makes your nice olive oil much more versatile and useful.

Updated Jun 4, 2009

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Rival SCVC604HSS 6 Qt. Removable Crock Pot Slow Cooker

First to recommend

Description

We got this as a wedding gift and didn't use it for a long time, but lately we've been using it a lot. You can make great tasting, affordable meals without much effort, and you don't have to pay nearly as much attention as you do when cooking in an oven.

We've made pot roast, #bbq pork, caribbean style pork (using a great packaged sauce from @Williams-Sonoma) and chicken tikka masala.

This crock pot has high, low and warm temperature settings, and it automatically goes to warm once the timer goes off. I really like the simplicity, and I'm not sure I'd want a more expensive version with more features - since this seems to have everything I need.

Updated May 17, 2009

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Pentago: A Game for Smarties

4 people recommended this item

Description

Oh, you know I am gonna recommend this. The great thing about being a board game geek (I think I am almost there) is that you have to play with SOMEONE, so at least you're not alone in your geekiness.

Pentago comes from Sweden, land of the Vikings, Ikea and blonde supermodels (in that order, roughly). It's a simple 5 (not 4) in a row wins game, but with a twist. After you place your marble down (anywhere), you must rotate one of the 4 wooden board pieces 90 degrees. Those are practically all the rules.

This adds an entirely new level to the gameplay, as you have to start thinking in multiple dimensions. Defeat or victory can come from nowhere, with the simple twist of the wrist. However, you DON"T have to be a smartie to play, just someone willing to think a bit.

A great game that is easy to learn (my #1 rule) and nicely made (nice wood, aluminum pieces; my #3 I think). Gameplay usually only takes 5-15 minutes (# 2), but if you're both good, it can go up to 30 or so.

Updated Feb 12, 2008

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Personal Trainer Cooking for Nintendo DS

First to recommend

Description

I recently bought this as a gift "for my wife". It's a collection of about 250 recipies from all over the world, with simple instructions to walk you through getting the ingredients, preparing and cooking. It has voice recognition (to go forward and back) so that you can keep your hands free - this was a little quirky for us, but worked reasonably well.

The recipe collection is great, and it's probably easier to use than a cookbook for many people. A very cool "game", and the kind of application that someone should develop for smartphones as well.

Updated Feb 28, 2009

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Sony VAIO VGN-CR510E/J 14.1-inch Laptop

First to recommend

Description

I recently purchased this laptop, and for the most part I've been happy with it. The specs (2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo, 3 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, integrated webcam) are pretty nice for a sub-$1000 laptop, and the design is pretty nice (although not as nice as the considerably more expensive MacBooks and MacBook Pros).

This is my first Windows Vista machine, and yes, it's pretty annoying with all the "confirm it was you that's running this program". I'm planning to install Ubuntu soon, but haven't decided between dual boot or VMWare.

My only complaint with the hardware is that the battery life seems pretty short (typically a little over an hour for me, and I'm not even using the DVD drive), and occasionally the machine runs out of battery without any prior warning. I think I need to contact Sony and get a replacement battery.

UPDATE: I never contacted Sony, but the battery did seem to get better after a few weeks of use. It's still not quite what I'd like, but I can usually get about 2 hours on Vista and 3 hours on Ubuntu.

Overall, I'm happy, and really impressed that I can get a machine with at least 4x the processor and hard drive, and with 6x the RAM as my last laptop, for about one thrid of the old laptop's price.

Updated Dec 31, 2008

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Hive Game

First to recommend

Description

Hive is a game we discovered while on vacation last weekend. It's a fairly simple strategy game for 2 players, who each get a set of six sided insect tiles. There are 5 types of insect, and the goal is to surround your opponent's queen bee first.

This is a really fun game. It usually takes around 15 minutes, but still stretches your mind quite a bit. If you like the idea of a thinking game but chess feels like overkill, Hive might be for you.

Updated Oct 6, 2008

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Samsung HL61A750 61-Inch 1080p LED Powered DLP HDTV

First to recommend

Description

I recently purchased this set and so far I've very pleased with it. Here's the thinking that went into this purchase:

Plasma: pro - bright picture, cheaper than LCD, con - burn in, high power consumption.

The burn in risk ruins plasma for me. With video games, use as a computer, and crawls/other features TV, I don't want to buy something that's going to degrade.

LCD: pro -bright wide picture, con - expensive

We were very close to getting a 52" Toshiba LCD, which would have been a fine choice. If you're going to sit 6-7 feet from your set and/or the extra $500+ you'll pay doesn't faze you, go with an LCD from Sony, Samsung or Toshiba.

DLP: pro - cheaper, larger sizes available, con - viewing angle, slightly thicker

For us, it really came down to price and the DLP features being sufficient. This set is available for well under $2000, and (if you can find it), there's a 56" version that should be under $1500. The usual arguments against DLP are

1. The lamp is $300 and needs to be replaced every few years. This is no longer an issue with LED based DLPs like this one.

2. Rainbow effect. I don't notice it, and it's supposed to be greatly reduced in this generation.

3. Viewing angle/brightness. Still an issue, but we're not throwing a bunch of super bowl parties, so it's not an issue for us.

4. Thickness. You can't mount this to a wall, but I don't care about that. This set is ~18 inches thick and about 70 lbs. It's bulky, but not heavy.

If you do pick a DLP, Samsung is the brand to go with. This model is also available in 56" and 67" models. If all the prices are doable, make your choice based on how far away you'll be sitting. For 8-9 feet, the 61" model is perfect, but it'll be overwhelming if you're 6-7 feet away.

After 2 months, I haven't had any problems with this set. With the money I saved by not buying a smaller LCD, I can afford to get a nice Blu-Ray player or a small computer to attach.

Updated Aug 6, 2008

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Bob Marley: Live at the Roxy, Hollywood, California 1976

First to recommend

Description

A legendary live performance from Bob Marley and the Wailin' Wailers. Great sound quality, small club atmosphere, double CD - if you're looking for Bob Marley, this is a much better choice than the many hits albums you'll find floating around.

Updated Dec 6, 2006

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New Balance 992 running shoe

2 people recommended this item

Description

These are pretty much the best, most comfortable running shoes you can get. I got my first pair for Christmas last year, and I'm hooked and will probably only buy these in the future.

They are expensive, but if you run a fair amount, your feet will thank you. Far more comfortable than the relatively cheap running shoes I used to wear.

Updated Aug 6, 2008

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Electric Technician Sunglasses

First to recommend

Description

I got a pair of these for skiing last season, and I've been wearing them for pretty much everything these days. They're comfortable, look great and are kind of in between fancy designer sunglasses and plain sports sunglasses. I'm hoping I can avoid losing these.

Updated Sep 10, 2008

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Viewing 1-10 of 38 Items

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