Heineken BT06 BeerTender Tubes, Pack of 6

CUSTOMER REVIEW



There must be a monopoly on this product, because the price for these disposable tubes is outrageous. These are one mini keg, and done. Really irritated that I can't find copy cat product elsewhere. Also, the tubes are longer than they should be, still trying to figure that one out. If you are the only company able to make these cheap plastic tubes, you would think that they would fit perfectly. Not so much.



via Amazon Best Seller V2 copy copy http://www.amazon.com/Heineken-BT06-BeerTender-Tubes-Pack/dp/B002XVWC7S/ref=pd_zg_rss_ts_la_appliances_5

Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm IS II Lens and EOS HD Movie Mode (Black)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Updated 8/6/13



Even though this camera was released back in early 2011, it still is a wonderful and simple camera to use which delivers excellent image quality under any shooting conditions.



The camera has a glossy plastic finish which doesn't exactly exude quality or make it feel like a high-end camera. But construction on this camera is very tight. The plastic is light-weight but its not flimsy like you would expect. There is no rubberized handgrip, which I think was a mistake to omit this on this camera. Especially since its predecessor (and its competitors) have them. Outside of that, the hand grip is a very nice size. The one upshot to the lightweight plastic is that the camera feel very light with the kit lens attached.



One thing you have to watch out for is that the camera feels very out of balance when attaching a heavier lens. The Canon EF-S 18-200, while a good performer optically when paired with the T3, feels way too front heavy. And this will be true with a lot of the pro-grade Canon lenses that you attach to the T3. That said, this camera is a perfect DSLR for hiking due to its light-weight design (when used with the kit lens). It doesn't weigh you down or make you feel like you have a boat anchor around your neck.



The buttons and menu system have the typical degree of straight-forwardness found in most Canons. Canon's menu system is easy to learn and navigate through. That makes the T3 a good candidate for a student or someone that wants to learn photography in general and wants a camera they can grow with. Of course it offers full Auto mode but when you're ready to try and manipulate the more advanced manual controls, the Canon Rebel T3 is about as unintimidating as they come. It's also a great entry into the DSLR realm for hobbyists currently using an advanced point and shoot (and can be found for almost the same price as some advanced point and shoots).



With the exception of burst shooting, this camera's performance is excellent. Excellent start-up, shot-to-shot, and autofocus performance. It has 9 autofocus points compared to its predecessor's 7 points. I do not reccommend this camera as a budget action shooter. It has a slow continuous burst rate (2.7fps) and a very limited buffer. The Nikon D3200 shoots at 4 frames per second, but that is currently retailing for $200 more than the T3. So you'll have to decide whether or not that feature is important to you.



The camera comes with a nice, chunky battery which delivers excellent battery life. The viewfinder is 95% coverage and I found it to be satisfactory, some people say its really cramped but personally I think it's alright. The screen resolution is rather low at 230k, but in real-world use it's not as bad as you would think, and somewhat viewable in direct sunlight. I think both the viewfinder and the LCD are of better quality than the ones found on the Nikon D3100. And overall, the T3 is faster and more fluid than the D3100. After having shot with both cameras, I personally think the T3 is more enjoyable to shoot with... despite the D3100's better plastic and more advanced spec sheet.



The camera ships with the standard 18-55 kit lens but I suggest buying the kit which includes the additional 55-250 lens. The kit lens is sufficiently sharp but it might be worth investing in the newer 18-55 STM lens, as it is reportedly sharper than the 18-55 lens included with this camera.



Despite having a sensor that is of lower resolution than the newer Rebel SL1 and Rebel T5i (12 megapixels is still plenty for everyday use), the camera has image quality that pretty much matches or exceeds those cameras in most areas. It takes a very clean shots up to and including ISO1600 and has excellent dynamic range, color reproduction, and exposure. The camera does a nice job of balancing noise reduction with detail retention up through about ISO3200. And despite being 2 1/2 years old..it still competes very well with newer models on the image quality front.



The movie mode, while delivering solid video quality, is rather limited. It's 1280x720 HD and there are very limited manual controls. It's more like something you would use for quick clips rather than longer videos or movies. I think the Rebel T5i & SL1 are better choices if you're equal parts into videos and photos as they have far better video modes than the T3 does. But if you're main interest is stills photography, this probably won't matter much to you.



The Rebel T3 may not be the sexiest camera around but it is a simple, enjoyable camera to shoot with that delivers nice results with minimum effort and it appeals to a broad range of folks from DSLR newbies, to hobbyist, to even professionals looking for a light-weight backup to their higher end gear. At its current price, it is a great value and I highly reccomend it.



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Sony DSC-WX80/B 16.2 MP Digital Camera with 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Love this camera! Takes great low-light photos (with or without flash) and has some great features. Took it out golfing the other day and using continuous shutter mode it actually caught full swings frame-by-frame. Very high quality pics too, when I uploaded them to the computer you could make out tiny details in a big picture - like the logo on my golf ball! In addition, they dual purposed the gyro sensor in the camera that helps stop blur t so you that while reviewing series of shots you can tilt the camera to cycle through them making almost a miniature movie of your pics.



Panorama works well and is super easy - no pausing in between frames, just keep moving the camera. Love the full 16:9 aspect ratio of photos as well. Wifi works great too - very cool and easy to send the pics right to your smartphone (which lets face it, is where most of us keep our photos now) for storage and uploading to sites like facebook.



It is really small though which makes it great for putting in your pocket or taking it out with you, but also makes the buttons a little close together. Takes a little getting used to.



When purchasing this camera it came down to this and the Elph 130. I liked the buttons and simpler of the layout of the Elph better, but I think I made the right choice with the wx80 - full hd videos, excellent low-light capabilities, panorama and a faster frame rate. Plus it charges by micro-USB without having to take the battery out of the camera - you can just use your phone charger.



I've read some issues about battery life, but I haven't had any yet. We took over 50 photos golfing in like 30 minutes and lost about a quarter power - and that's with a lot of screen time reviewing shots. I purchased a bundle with an extra battery pack just in case though.



I highly recommend this camera. Sorry for the long review, but when I was debating between cameras there weren't a lot of good detailed reviews, so I thought I'd try and help out.



via Amazon Best Seller V2 copy copy http://www.amazon.com/Sony-DSC-WX80-Digital-Camera-2-7-Inch/dp/B00AQDGAPK/ref=pd_zg_rss_ts_p_photo_3

Danby DBC120BLS Beverage Center - Stainless Steel

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I was reluctant to order this at first due to a lot of comments around the packaging of the unit and them showing up with dents and scratches. When the unit arrived the outside parcel was a bit torn. However the seller must have taken the feedback that was given and made some changes as my unit was in perfect condition without a single scratch or dent. It was double boxed. The OEM box has the unit inside with a Styrofoam shell. Then the EOM box was lined with stiff cardboard corners and wrapped in Styrofoam around that and then placed in an additional box. Only the otter box had a slight tear. Given the weight of the unit it was expected. Don't hesitate to order this unit as I'm certain it will show up in perfect condition if we were to order an additional one.



The unit itself is made of quality materials. I placed a digital thermometer inside the unit and it holds a sold 37 degrees inside. Keep in mind this is a minifridge and not a cooler. A major difference. The only complaint I have about the unit is that we have it downstairs behind our bar. Not in the bar but behind it sitting on the carpet. When placed on the carpet the door would drag the carpet and after our first basement break in party the door was left slightly open a few times because the door was difficult to shut. I tried to adjust the feet to raise the unit up but was unable to do so because the legs are not adjustable. I happen to have an extra 18X18 tile from the bathroom. I sat the unit on top of the tile and it solved the problem. The door open and shuts perfectly. Keep in mind we do not have shag carpet either. It is a medium density stainmaster carpet with standard stainmaster padding. If you plan to place this in a carpeted area do yourself a favor and go purchase an 18X18 tile.



As others have mentioned the shelves don't hold cans the best when you go to fill it as some tip from side to side when placed vertical. I removed the second from the bottom shelf to hold 4-5Liter kegs. I can hold exactly a case of beer in the bottom section which is not as deep as the others since the compressor housing is in the way. Which leaves me with the top full shelf and the very top shelf that holds them in a horizontal fashion. The horizontal shelf holds a 12 pack 6 on each side. Without the removal of a shelf this unit will not accommodate 16oz water bottles or beer bottles placed vertically. These will need to be placed on their sides unless you remove a shelf.



Overall I would give this fridge a 5 out of 5 or 10 out of 10. It servers our purposes perfectly and it looks great, and it was at a great price point. If I had to make a couple of changes or a wish list. I wish it used an LED bulb for that newer look. Additionally, I wish the light could be turned on when the door was shut since it is a glass face to showcase the drinks inside. UPDATE: Finds out there is a switch inside on the side of the light to turn it on. Check that off the lsit! Other than that it's the perfect height and the top is being used to hold our EdgeStar 5Liter Kegerator. Which places the tap at the perfect height and I am 5'10".



All in all don't hesitate to purchase this unit as I searched for several weeks and really did my homework before ordering a mini fridge for our bar when we finished the basement. I assure you that you will not find a better product at this price point.



UPDATE: Over a year later this thing is still ice cold and no issues. Look no furhter, the perfect minifridge holds true!!!



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Fujifilm Instax Mini Instant Film, 10 Sheets (5-Pack)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



The picture shows a box of five film cartridges, but it really comes with two boxes of two and a single cartridge (not boxed). When mine arrived the single cartridge was cracked :( I contacted the seller and will update in the future. Yeah.. kinda bummed.



via Amazon Best Seller V2 copy copy http://www.amazon.com/Fujifilm-Instax-Instant-Sheets-5-Pack/dp/B004U7JYXS/ref=pd_zg_rss_ts_p_photo_5

GoPro HERO3: Black Edition

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Gopro Hero 3 Black: Purchase date: March 7, 2013. This is a long review, but I have addressed some technical issues here that may assist you if you have bought a Gopro Hero 3, or if you plan to. I have put mine through its paces for nearly 2 weeks before posting this.



The first thing you must do is update the firmware manually. After several attempts with the automatic process, my Gopro -and many others I suspect- failed to update, and it was never at all apparent that the process failed. After several days of use, the camera began to malfunction. If you don't get your firmware updated successfully, you are guaranteed to have major problems.

Here is a quick guide on how to manually update your firmware: (If you have a Mac, or are not computer-savvy, check online for more detailed instructions. Lawrence M. Friedman posted a comprehensive how-to on Gethypoxic.)

1. Jot down your serial number (both lines) from inside the battery port. Insert a Class 10 micro SD, battery, and take a picture to ensure your card is good. Ensure WiFi is off, and charge your camera to 2 bars if necessary. (Steps 1-5 on the update instructions at GoPro.com.) At this point, do not connect your Gopro to your PC.

2. Instead, download the update files from Gopro.com onto your PC. To do this, follow the prompts for 'manual update.' Complete the registration fields.

3. Connect the camera to your PC & power up. Open your Gopro drive, then move the update files from your PC onto your Gopro. DO NOT put the files into either folder (DCIM or Misc), just place the files next to those folders (root).

4. Disconnect your GoPro from your PC, then turn it back on. This should initiate the update process.

IMPORTANT: Now pay attention to your Gopro LCD display. During the process, look for the message on your LCD that reads 'updating.' Your front LED light will flash intermittently. You will soon see a progress percentage on your LCD and the blue WiFi light will turn on. Make sure your progress climbs to 100%, then your camera will shut itself off.



If you do not observe your camera behaving as I described, the update did not work and you will have to try again. If the process fails, do not expect to receive an 'Update Failed' message as Gopro claims. The firmware issue is causing huge problems for many users; largely because they believe that they successfully installed the new firmware, but the process actually failed.



After my firmware was updated successfully, I have not experienced any of the major failures that many users have reported. My battery does not drain overnight when turned off as some people have reported. My camera never fails to read its SD card. I started & stopped recording via WiFi repeatedly, and everything worked great. Freezing is the major catastrophic problem common in the negative reviews. I shot video for 45 minutes continuously and never had any lock-up issues during use. I function-tested every option in the menu and never experienced any malfunction, but for one exception.

My camera froze a few times when powering on, requiring a battery rip. I'm not sure what causes this, and it happened only a few times over the past 2 weeks, while I have turned the camera on & off hundreds of times with no issues. Some have theorized that it is related to using the USB charger, or moving files off of the SD card, but I have been unable to determine a common condition that will cause the problem consistently. You can expect to experience this glitch too; it is a very common report on the Gopro forums, and I have friends that have had the same experiences. We are hoping that Gopro will solve this issue with another firmware update. Note: If you are forced to pull the battery, leave it out for at least 60 seconds. Update 7-3-13: After 4 months of heavy use, my Gopro Black is working flawlessly. It has not frozen during use or startup after the latest firmware update (Version 2.39). Some of my friends have experienced occasional freezing, but it's very rare; note: we use our Gopro H3B's on a daily basis.



If you're going to buy a Hero 3, update the firmware manually right out of the box. After that, if you have freezing issues, a defective battery, or buttons that do not work as they should, just take it back to the store for an exchange or refund. Best Buy gives you 15 days. I can't imagine dealing with any customer service trying to fix a lemon. I don't get why anyone even tries. That being said, my remaining criticisms are relatively petty, and are being made against a functional Hero 3 Black. The bottom line is that I love this camera so far. It earns 4 stars.



Be prepared for a fast-draining battery. The 45-minute video I mentioned earlier took my battery from 100% to no bars. However, after the 45-min recording, I was able to shoot an additional 28 minutes on fumes (with no bars showing on my battery gauge) before it died. This battery test was made on the 1080/60 setting, without WiFi or Protune in use.

You will likely need a backup battery plan, such as spares with a wall charger. There is a great kit on Amazon for $29 made by Wasabi, Wasabi Power Battery (2-Pack) and Charger for GoPro HD HERO3 and GoPro AHDBT-201, AHDBT-301 or the Gopro battery Bacpac (which I have never tried). Note: You can swap batteries and your settings will not return to factory defaults. I left my battery out for 5 minutes and it still retained my settings. This is a huge positive for Gopro since I routinely swap out batteries. It would be a real pain to reset my resolution & preferences every time, not to mention the date/clock. I use my Gopro for skydiving, which means my videos are short, and I am never far from an A/C outlet. The battery life on the Hero 3 could pose a challenge for those who venture into the wilderness...or the water. Something to think about. I used a Hero 2 for a year, and the difference in the battery life is noticeable. Note: It took 140 minutes to charge my battery from totally drained to 100%. From the point of no bars to 100%, it took 100 minutes to fully charge. These tests were done with the included USB cable connected to a PC.



My other minor complaints include the lack of a printed manual. I downloaded it from online, then printed the PDF, so I have a 66-page 8.5x11" book. A pocket-sized manual that I can fit in my camera case should be standard issue with a $400 package. This is not too big of a deal because once you learn the system, there are only 6 to 8 pages from the manual that are actually useful.



The panel that covers the charging port is not tethered, so I already know that this little door (14 x 21mm) will eventually get lost. Another issue is that the unit gets hot while recording; but as long as it doesn't do any damage or cause a breakdown, I guess that's just the way it is. A Gopro will not allow itself to overheat; it will shut down automatically if it gets too hot.



When you open up your DCIM folder after recording, you may notice several blank-icon files (type LRV & THM) scattered among your video/picture files. Some computer people call these "mouse droppings." The LRV files can be changed to MP4 and are functional as a mini clip. This is useful for efficient editing projects on slower computers. After setting up your edit, you then replace the LRV with your original HD file. The THM files can be changed to JPG and serve as thumbnails to your photographs. But I just delete all the droppings. I don't fully understand how to exploit them, and they only show up once in a while.



The greatest improvement over the Hero 2 is the new video options available. The 1080p/60fps is my favorite setting. This feature alone is the reason I bought the H3B. The Hero 2 would only shoot 30FPS on 1080. And to my delight, once I selected 1080/60 on my H3B, I found that I can then adjust the FOV within that setting. On the hero 2, your FOV options were very limited depending on your resolution setting. The H3B gives incredible freedom to customize the look of your recordings. Note: The recording versatility on the Black edition is better than on the White or Silver models. The premium price is not just for the remote.



The 4k cinema mode is essentially useless to me. It offers a maximum frame rate of 15 FPS, which resembles a slideshow. The 2.7k offers 30 FPS, and renders incredibly impressive resolution, but you'll be lucky if your computer can play it smoothly. After seeing the excellent results of the 1080p/60FPS videos, I doubt I will ever change that setting except to do super slow-motion, for which I would use 120FPS-- which is only available on 720p resolution. Apparently, there is a plan from GoPro for an upcoming software update that will expand the FOV options on the 720/120FPS mode. Right now it's Wide only. UPDATE 5-7-13: The new firmware update gives more FOV options.



The WiFi remote is definitely cool and handy. It makes it a snap to control your camera after it's mounted. It is simple to set up and operate. But like the camera, the remote battery drains quickly; and the charging cable is proprietary, so you will have to take it with you to charge the remote during downtime. I also installed the GoPro app on my Android smartphone. This allows you to use your phone as a remote. You can see on your phone what the camera sees, even while it's not recording; lots of fun possibilities there.



The camera is noticeably thinner and lighter than the H2. The buttons are easier to activate; they are larger and more sensitive. It also uses a Micro SD card, not the standard SD used by the Hero 2. Because the height & width are unchanged, the casing doors are interchangeable with the Hero 2, and the LCD Bacpac from my H2 is fully functional on the 3; that made my day!



The firmware situation is unfortunate, and Gopro owes a lot of customers a big apology. I myself grew quite frustrated until I was advised to use the manual process. This review was going to be a 1-star profanity-fest, until I figured out the firmware debacle. If you disregarded all reviews of the Hero 3 in which the user failed to update the firmware, I'm sure the overall feedback would be much more positive. Even after my initial troubles, I am still a fan of Gopro. I can live with the power-up freezing glitch for now. For skydiving and short trips, the Hero 3 Black is a great camera. Blue skies!



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