Reviews by askrob

askrob says "Great Star Trek Series" about Star Trek Enterprise: The Complete Series

askrob — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:29:07 GMT

Okay, I was never a big Trekkie till I started watching Next Generation while living in the UK. Patrick Stewart got me to take Star Trek seriously. Having watched all eight series, I was certainly hungry for more...Voyager, Deep Space 9 followed.

I did not get to see Enterprise when it first aired, but I bought the series on recommendation from one of my friends. I had low expectations given some of the comments and reviews, as well (and here is the heresy) the fear that it would be similar to the original series - not my favorite Sci-fi experience...loved the characters and stories just not the low budget effects and campy acting (but then without it there would have been no franchise). Instead, I was really pulled into the story of the first Enterprise, the first warp 5 ship, the technical teething problems (and being outgunned by every alien in the galaxy), how the federation ultimately came together etc...and yes even the Temporal Cold War thread. The crew of the NX-01 consisted...

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askrob says "If you need a quick midwest getaway, this is the place" about Sundara Spa - Wisconsin Dells, WI

askrob — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:09:05 GMT

Have been to Sundara several times, and always have the same experience. This is the place to relax for a weekend getaway. First it is relatively new (that is a major plus in my preference set...I would prefer a new roadside motel at the airport to an old 5 star on Central Park). Luckily, Sundara is not only relatively new, it set in a beautiful area of the Dells (no water parks to be seen for at least a mile).

The new Wild Rock Golf Club is right next door and guest get preferred rate. there is a complimentary spa breakfast buffet, and dining in menus for lunch and dinner.

All the rooms have fireplaces, Kohler power showers and baths, and most have screened portches and there is a terrifc spa and heated pool as well. Above all it is quiet. I never thought that I the Dells would be a place that I would want to that is probably because we do not have kids yet), but Sundara makes the stay worth while.

Here are the accolades as well

10 Most Romantic Spas in America
- Luxury SpaFinder...

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askrob says "Waste not, want not" about GE White 6.0 cu. ft. Extra Large Capacity Electric Dryer

askrob — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:09:03 GMT

It was time for a new washer/dryer, the old one literally was falling apart. I think one of the things that was top of mind was energy savings this time around. While the dryer is not Energy Star, the washer is.

After looking a wide variety of washer dryers, we settled on the GE Profile DPSE810EGWT. It has a ton of feature, but I think my favorite one has been the auto dry sensor. I could be imagining it, but it seem like the cycles are shorter...no worry about over drying. I also think stylistically, the GE is more appealing than the typical white box appliances. The drum surfaces (stainless steel) seemed better quality as well. So far we have had no problems.

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askrob says "Top Notch Energy Efficient Washer" about GE GE WPRE8150K White 4.1 Cu. Ft. Top Load Washer

askrob — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:09:03 GMT

Bought the GE WPRE8150K White 4.1 Cu. Ft. Top Load Washer in combination with the GE White Profile 7.0 Cu. Ft. Electric Dryer - DPSE810EGWT

I have to admit that it was the style and the LED read out that first attracted me to it. Then on closer inspection, the build quality and energy savings. Most of all, I love the Precise Fill Auto-Load Sensor: which automatically measures the load size and add just the right amount of water

Given that our previous washer and dryer were on deaath's door, the difference is enormous. But as you use it, you start to realize how wasteful the older appliances were. Haven't got the electric bill yet, but I am guessing there is a significant savings here as well as conservative water usage. I was a bit worried about the requirement for concentrated soap, but this has not been an issue to date ...and in truth seems more like a recommendation than requirement.

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askrob says "Finally, I no longer need to squint" about Sony - Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-52XBR9 52-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LCD HDTV

askrob — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:09:02 GMT

So, I waited a long time to buy a flat panel TV. The costs were always to high and I never had the space. Being a Sony loyalist and movie junckie, I opted for a BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-52XBR9 52-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LCD HDTV.

It was a tough decision as now there are so many choices and Samsung gave this Sony a real run for the money. (I also nearly opted for a 65" Pioneer DLP projection TV, but this was one of my less lucid moments)...my fiance (luckily) put her foot down.

It was the right decision, the Sony BRAVIA has been terrific. Picture, sound, and style were my decision factors, and I have never been disappointed to date.

HDMI is the way to go and I paired this with a Sony Blu-ray player as well. The only thing I wish these sets had was a built in cable card. I just don't like the extra set-top box ad remote...but this is not Sony's problem. It does have all the mod cons though: 1080p, Ethernet Connection(s): 1 (Rear) HDMI Connection(s) (Total): 4 (3 Side/1 Rear) HDMI PC Input: Yes...

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askrob says "I am hooked on Blue-ray" about Sony BDP-S360 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player

askrob — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:29:59 GMT

I now am on my second generation Blu-ray player, and the Sony BDP-S360 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player has been a real joy so far. Particularly in terms of loading speed and picture quality.

The biggest issue I had with its predecessor - Sony BDP-S300, was the loading and menu speed of some discs. This was clearly a software issue concerning the evolving disc stands that the manufacturer does warn customers about, but it still is a little irritating.

The S360 doesn't seem to have any of those issue and movie enjoyment is all you need to worry about. It comes with all the bells and whistles you would expect:

MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC (H.264), HDMI version1.3, HDMI audio output7.1, Video resolutions 480p, 576p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p, DVD upconversion for 720p, 1080i, 1080p

I noticed that there have been some comments about sound quality and load times, but to be honest I haven't noticed. Even plugged directly into the TV through HDMI, the sound is more than acceptable.

Missing features: cannot access...

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askrob says "Looks like a fun toy for really young kids" about Wooden Rocking Horse

askrob — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:14:44 GMT

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askrob says "Solid, but a little flawed" about Dell XPS M1330 Laptop

askrob — Tue, 13 May 2008 22:55:51 GMT

I have owned over 6 Dell laptops over the last 12 years. Throw in a Sony Vaio, IBM ThinkPad and an HP Pavilion, and I still think one could call me a Dell loyalist. For the last five years I owned a Dell Latitude D400. In spite of the some of its speed/power issues, it was great for its size, weight, style and build quality.

So when it came time to retire the Latitude, I looked at the Dell XPS 1330. Given its weight, speed and price, plus all of its touted bells and whistles, it seemed like the logical choice.

The System:

XPS M1330, Matte Black Casing

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7500 (2.2GHz/800MhzFSB, 4M L2 Cache)

4GB, DDR2, 667MHz 2 Dimm

13.3 Inch Wide Screen WXGA TL WLED Backlit LCD with Camera

320-5603 128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS

250GB 5400RPM SATA HARD DRIVE

8X DVD+/-RW Slot Load Drive

56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery

85 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Additional Battery

Dell Wireless 400, Ultra Wide Band Card

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium

Pros:

Weight, speed, power, style and overall...

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askrob says "If you have no choice, you can live with it" about RIM BlackBerry 8700 Smartphone

askrob — Sat, 10 May 2008 17:15:15 GMT

I have been using this phone for the last 5 months, and have owned a BlackBerry in the past. My real purpose in using this phone is the e-mail function. I think the general issue with this phone is that e-mail platform is a little clunky and antiquated. As a BlackJack user as well, there is sharp contrast between the functionality and feature set of the two. The BlackBerry's e-mail platform makes it difficult to view e-mails, see object details and find specific files. Cutting and pasting (addresses and other text) is awkward, it is hard to edit text, and difficult to view or attach files. While not all Microsoft applications are wonderful in themselves, the benefits of a Microsoft e-mail platform as with the Samsung BlackJack seems to really stand out here versus this BlackBerry.

The size, weight and feature set are also a drag on this phone. If you have no choice and your corporate infrastructure insists on using this phone, then I guess you can make do. But if you have a choice, there......

askrob says "A really relaxing getaway" about Gran Melia Puerto Rico - Rio Grande,

askrob — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:15:07 GMT

I had a chance to stay in a Melia property a year ago while on business in Cancun. The ME Cancún was recently renovated, and I was really impressed with my experience. So, when it came time for a real vacation, we took a chance on another new Melia property in Puerto Rico. Again the experience was most enjoyable. The atmosphere is a mix between Carribean, Latin and Asian fusion. The staff were great, the rooms were first rate, grounds, pools and beaches were beautiful. We also really enjoyed the food and tried to sample all the restaurants - especially the Asian Bistro.

There were some snags: reservations for the restaurants usually needed to be made well in advance, taxis to and from San Juan were expensive, and there were often lines for things such as the poolside cafe. The "ambient/techno" club feel of the lobby bar also may not be everyone's cup of tea. However, when you factor in the setting, ocean, sun, rain forest, Old San Juan, and the temperature these issues seem trivial. Overall,...

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