Product "PC/Silicon Case for iPhone 5S & iPhone 5 - Black / Lime Green" by AmazonBasics

About the Product: Product Features: Combines a polycarbonate hard shell with a shock absorbing silicon core for optimal protection.

Perfect fit for iPhone 5S allowing easy access to all ports and controls.

Ships in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging.

My Review: This is a very bright design for a protective shell for your iPhone. I have to confess that I did not drop my iPhone on purpose just to test how good this case would be. I do not have the guts to do that. But I am confident that in case the phone really drops (Oh, Gravity!) it will be protected as good as it gets (keep in mind that this is not an Otterbox...). The design is beautiful and the openings are in the correct place for the speakers, camera etc.

I recommend this product for every user that is worried about protecting his/her iPhone with elegance. There is a variety of different color combination available for you to choose.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

If you read this review, feel free to leave a comment.

Product "QuickBooks Pro with Enhanced Payroll 2014" by Intuit

About the Product: Intuit QuickBooks Pro 2014 with Payroll Enhanced 2014
Product Features: Value Pack: Two products in one box; Organize your business finances all in one place and save time on everyday tasks; Pay employees and file taxes in 3 easy steps from within QuickBooks; 1 year prepaid Enhanced Payroll subscription (includes 1 employee – easily add more); 60 Day Money Back Guarantee.
New to QuickBooks? Easy to Set Up, Learn, and Use; No accounting knowledge necessary; Quickly import your data from a spreadsheet; Step-by-step tutorials show you how to create invoices, record expenses, and more.
Organize Everything in One Place and Save Time on Everyday Tasks: Manage vendors and expenses easily - enter, track, and pay bills; Easily create and customize estimates, invoices, and statements; Get complete and reliable records at tax time; Download your online banking transactions directly into QuickBooks.
Track How Your Business is Doing and Get Financial, Tax, and Sales Reports in One Click: Get the information you need with easy-to-use reports; View and manage income and receivables using the new Income Tracker; Get a real-time snapshot of your business activities with Company Snapshot.
What's New for QuickBooks 2014? Powerful new email capabilities. You can now add multiple attachments, customize email templates to include customer or job info, and see email history by customer. See all your banking transactions. Improved bank feeds pull in all your banking transactions from multiple banks and accounts so you can view and categorize them for tax time. See who's paid you (and who hasn't). The new Income Tracker shows all your income-producing transactions in one spot, including overdue invoices so you can remind customers to pay you. Little things to make business easier. Track bounced checks, see key reports in just one click, and other customer requested improvements.
Intuit Enhanced Payroll 2014 - Paychecks in Three Easy Steps: Create unlimited paychecks; Just enter hours and approve salaries; Get instant paycheck calculations; Print paychecks instantly; Use free direct deposit.
Pay Payroll Taxes: Calculates federal and state payroll taxes; Click to pay taxes electronically.
File Payroll Tax Forms: Automatically fills in the latest federal and state tax forms for you; Click to file federal and state tax forms electronically. 

Additional Features and Benefits: Unlimited payroll runs; Pay 1 employee and easily add more (nominal fees apply); Track job costs within QuickBooks; Get instant W-2s at year end; Free support from payroll experts (phone, chat or online); Works within QuickBooks—no double entry; Requires Internet access and QuickBooks Pro, Premier or Enterprise Solutions.
System Requirements Pro Requirements: Windows Vista (SP1 inc 64-bit), 7 (inc 64-bit), 8 (inc 64-bit); At least 2.0 GHz processor, 2.4 GHz recommended; Minimum 1 GB of RAM for single user, 2 GB of RAM recommended for multiple users; Minimum 2.5 GB available disk space (additional space required for data files); 60 MB for Microsoft .NET 4.0 Runtime (provided on the QuickBooks CD); Minimum 1024x768 screen resolution, 16-bit or higher color, default DPI settings; Minimum 4x CD-ROM drive;
All online features/services require Internet access. Product registration required. Integration with Other Software Microsoft: Word and Excel integration requires Word and Excel 2003, 2007 or 2010 (inc 64-bit); Synchronization with Outlook contacts requires QuickBooks; Contact Sync for Outlook 2003, 2007 and 2010 (32-bit only) (downloadable for free at: www.quickbooks.com/contact_sync); E-mail Estimates, Invoices and other forms with Windows Outlook, Outlook Express and Mozilla Thunderbird, as well as web mail services such as Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Hotmail Compatible with QuickBooks; Point of Sale version 10.0 and later Multi-User Windows Vista (SP1 with UAC on), 7 (with UAC on), 8 (with UAC on),Windows Server 2003 (SP2), 2008 and 2012, Windows Small Business Server 2008 Enhanced Payroll Minimum System Requirements Internet access Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) QuickBooks Pro or Premier 2012 or newer, or Enterprise Solutions 12.0 or higher (all sold separately) updated to the most current maintenance release; Valid credit/debit card on file for processing payroll.
Note: Not compatible with QuickBooks Online editions or QuickBooks for Mac. Check stock sold separately. Plus sales tax where applicable. Pricing varies depending on number of employees. Terms and conditions, features, support, pricing and service options subject to change without notice.
General disclosures: Requires an annual payroll subscription, Internet access, Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), valid credit/debit card for processing payroll, and QuickBooks Pro or Premier 2012 or newer, or Enterprise Solutions 12.0 or higher (all sold separately) updated to the most current maintenance release. Not compatible with QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks for Mac. After the first year, your subscription will automatically renew each year at the then-current price using the billing info we have on file at the time of your renewal, unless you cancel. Call us anytime at (800) 624-2106 to cancel your payroll subscription. Note that you must activate this payroll subscription within 60 days of purchase or by May 31, 2015, whichever comes first. Check stock sold separately. Plus sales tax where applicable. Pricing varies depending on number of employees. 24/7 access is subject to occasional downtime. Terms and conditions, features, support, pricing and service options subject to change without notice. 

1. Includes paying 1 employee; $2 per employee, per month for each additional employee. QuickBooks Pro and Premier support a maximum of 14,500 employees, customers, vendors and other names combined. However, performance may slow when processing files containing more than 100 employees. 

2. If you are not completely satisfied, simply contact Intuit within 60 days of purchase for a full refund of the purchase price (excludes employees and other connected services fees). 

3. Transfer data from Peachtree 2009-2011; Microsoft SBA 2006; and Microsoft Office Accounting 2007–2009 using free tool available at http://quickbooks.intuit.com. Transfer data directly from Quicken 2012-2014, QuickBooks 4.0-2014 and Microsoft Excel 2003–2010, as well as web mail services such as Gmail, Yahoo! Mail and Hotmail. 

4. Download your data from participating banks until May, 2017. Online services vary by participating financial institutions or other parties and may be subject to application approval, additional terms, conditions and fees. 

5. Direct deposit to W-2s employees is free, but additional fees apply for direct deposit to vendors. 

6. E-file and e-pay features are available for federal and select state taxes. Please check availability at www.payroll.com/fileandpay. You may need to register with tax agencies in order to use e-file and e-pay features 

7. All available state tax forms are listed at www.payroll.com/support 

8. Active subscription required or additional fees may apply. You are responsible for printing W-2s for your employees and filing with the IRS. 

9. Payroll phone support is available Monday-Friday 6 am-6 pm Pacific Time. For more info, see www.payroll.com/support. Intuit reserves the right to limit each telephone call to one hour and to limit each contact to one incident. Inquiries are limited to the following QuickBooks payroll areas: installation, upgrade, assistance, and basic functionality. Fees apply for QuickBooks Pro support. 

10. QuickBooks Pro/Premier: One user included; option to add up to two additional licenses for Pro and four for Premier—sold separately. All copies of QuickBooks must be the same version-year. Online Simple Start: One user only. Product upgrade required for multi-user access. QuickBooks Pro supports a maximum of 14,500 customers, jobs, employees and other names combined, and a maximum of 14,500 items.

My Review: I have been using Intuit products since 1998, when I started doing my checking account control using Quicken98. When I had my company in Florida (from 1994 to 2005) I started using QuickbookPro around 1998 and I had no issues for many years, but I just used it to print invoices, estimates and control checking account and other investments. Minor inventory control was done manually. In 2010 the Hard Disk on my computer crashed and I called Intuit to grab a new installation code for my Quicken98 and the operator laughed in my face, said that they did not support Quicken98 for years and that I was crazy if I wanted to still use that product, when they had much more advanced ones and I should update to Quicken2010. That type of treatment made me very upset, but after two months considering what I should do, I ended up buying Quicken 2010, and I do not regret it. And generally speaking I like the format and user friendliness of Intuit products and that is why I decided to give QuickBooks Pro 2014 a shot, as I intend in the near future to open a new small business. I am not sure if I am ready to use the payroll feature immediately, but I intent to try.
I received this package and immediately installed the QuickBooks Pro 2014 part of it. It was straight forward. No flaws. It was a very quick installation process. After entering data for a fictitious company I was able to create items, services and customers and then, invoices. Although it has been 8 years since last time I used QuickBook Pro, I was back to speed in no time. Overall I am very pleased with this software and I know it has all the features I need to have the job of controlling my small business done. Probably I will try the payroll feature in the next 2 to 4 months and I will be back here to share my experience.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own. 

 If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!

Product "WD832KEV Ultra Quiet and Strong 1/2 HP Belt Drive Garage Door Opener" by Chamberlain

About the Product: From the Manufacturer: The Chamberlain Whisper Drive Ultra-Quiet and Strong 1/2 HP Belt Drive garage door opener is our newest opener and is the ultimate blend of power and quiet. It features our exclusive Motor Vibration Isolation System (MVIS) – which eliminates power head vibration for reduced noise – making it the ideal choice if you have rooms positioned above the garage. As added convenience features the opener has a timer-to-close function that will automatically close the garage door in case you forget, and MyQ technology that allows your garage door opener to automatically control interior and/or exterior lights (with purchase of additional MyQ accessories) so you will never come home to a dark house again.

My Review: I am not a handy person, by far. And it took me only three hours to remove my old LiftMaster 1/3HP system that was not working properly (it was more than 30 years old) and put this new Chamberlain system in place. The material came very well packed and the instructions to assemble and wiring the system was very clear. Remotes for the car were already programmed. The keypad to open the door from outside was easy to program (I chose my own 4-digit code), following a detailed step by step procedure very well described in the manual. I tried to fool the system by not installing the sensors, but the door simply do not close if the sensors are not there... And that was what took me big part of the three hours of installation, going out and cutting two pieces of 2x4 wood  (not provided) to place the sensors. When I tried to install the sensors directly in the wall, the direct sight that is necessary for the two sensors to work properly was blocked by the frame where the door slides... Anyway, after everything was in place, I was very pleased with the final result. All controls were working properly (including the lights) and it is really a silent motor we are talking about. As I have a two door garage at home, I will place an order for an additional unit of the same model for the other door and I will be able to program the same remote control for the car to open the second door (the remote has three buttons, so it can hold up to three different doors).

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own. 

 If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!

Product "NN-SN973S 1-Piece 2.2 cu.ft Inverter Technology Microwave Oven, 1250 watt" by Panasonic

About the Product: 2.2-cubic-foot microwave oven with Inverter technology for true, variable microwave power. Attractively housed in fingerprint-resistant stainless steel, this 1250-watt microwave oven by Panasonic makes a stylish and convenient addition to any contemporary kitchen. The 2.2-cubic-foot unit with its 16-1/2-inch turntable perfectly cooks and evenly heats anything from breakfast foods and after-school snacks to dinnertime meals and appetizers when entertaining. Ideal for busy professionals and on-the-go families, the microwave oven provides quick and easy meal preparation while nicely accommodating surrounding decor. Create savory stews and other meals with ease. The countertop oven can be installed in the wall using an optional matching trim kit. Many people just use their microwaves for making popcorn or warming up soup because most microwaves just have one temperature setting--high. Conventional microwave ovens might have a low-power setting, but this is achieved by "pulsing" the high-power setting on and off rather than by emitting a steady stream of low-powered energy. Panasonic's trailblazing Inverter technology delivers true, variable microwave power, which means even temperatures and consistent textures throughout the food being cooked. The consistent delivery of microwave energy allows delicate foods to simmer without the edges and surfaces overcooking, so foods have the look and taste you expect--without the wait. The Inverter microwave oven perfects the art of cooking, taking microwave cooking to a whole new level. You'll experience delicious food that better retains its color, nutrients, and flavor and that's easier and faster to prepare. Oh, and you can still make great popcorn. Single, Compact Power Supply Furthermore, the Inverter power unit is smaller and lighter than conventional microwave circuitry (aka the heavy, enclosed side of the microwave), which allows for more interior space to fit that favorite casserole dish, without increasing the oven's overall exterior dimensions. Weighing just 37 pounds, the oven's roomy interior measures 18-1/2 inches long by 18-7/16 inches wide by 10-15/16 inches high, while its compact exterior measures 19-7/16 inches long by 23-7/8 inches wide by 14 inches high. 

Highlights: 

- One-Touch Genius Sensor Cook With the touch of Panasonic's Sensor Cooking button, the microwave takes the guesswork out of creating a great meal, by automatically setting power levels and adjusting cooking or defrosting time. The sensor measures the amount of steam produced during cooking, and signals the microprocessor to calculate the remaining cooking time at the appropriate power level automatically. 

- Embossed Tactile Control Panel Raised control panel buttons deliver a slight resistant and enhanced feedback when pressed for quicker, more intuitive touch-sensitive operation. 

- Inverter Turbo Defrost Panasonic evolved the Turbo Defrost feature, which allows you to defrost foods even faster than previous Panasonic Auto Defrost. Panasonic Inverter Turbo Defrost technology is an advanced microwave sequencing system using the inverter continuous-power delivery method. 

- Keep Warm Feature A pulsing delivery of very low microwave power keeps food temperatures at a constant level--without overcooking. So, foods like stew, gravy, and desserts remain warm in the oven until they're ready to be served. 

- Clock/Timer Time-of-day clock and versatile timer provide exceptional convenience. 

- Quick Minute - The one-touch button allows you to automatically set the time in one-minute increments.

- Child-Safety Lock - For safety, the oven's child safety lock prevents electronic operation (door still opens). Press Start three times to lock ("Lock" will display); press Stop/Reset three times to cancel.

Make Mealtime Marvelous Create all your favorite recipes, quickly and easily, with Panasonic's Inverter microwave oven. Eggs Appetizers Soups Casseroles Fish/seafood Meats Pasta/grains/cereals Poultry Sauces Vegetable side dishes Pies Desserts and breads. 

My Review: This is a state of the art microwaves. Interior space is huge (I bought the 2.2 cubic foot), allowing my wife to put a whole soup casserole inside it! But it would be just a regular microwave if not by its incredible feature called One Touch Genius Sensor. The microwave adjust its power levels based on the amount of steam produced during cooking and calculate the remaining cooking time. This is just perfect so you do not need to guess and overheat your meal. More than that, although the physics behind the scenes goes beyond my knowledge, the Inverter Technology seems to work fine, adjusting power level to intermediate levels without stay just pulsing high power on and off, heating your food uniformly. So, the problem of defrost foods with pieces of ice still there is over. This microwave also has a beautiful design, with stainless steel exterior, looks good in our kitchen. Panel is easy to understand and use. I highly recommend this product.  

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not request to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own. 

 If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!

Product "SYNC Calorie Activity Tracker" by Sportline

About the Product:

• Captures your daily calories burned, steps taken, distance traveled and activity time.
• Wear on your hip on in your pocket.
• Quickly sync data to MapMyWalk app, the largest community of fitness walkers.
• Use MapMyWalk tools to challenge and motivate.
• 1 Year battery life.

My Review: This is a very compact toy that keeps track of your movements. It records steps, miles that it represents (based on your height it calculates the length of your step), calories consumed (kcal based on your weight) and total time of activity. The setup is simple, although the product did not come with a user manual. But pressing the setup button for a while (probably around 5 seconds), the device enters into setup mode and then you can set up the clock, calendar (day, month and year), height and weight (you select either in pounds or kilos). Although the device "per se" is nice, the possibility of syncing it with a free application named "MapMyWalk" is what it is most attractive. This application gives you the history of your workouts in a nice graphic but you could also go wild and set some routes and courses and set some goals, etc. 

Overall, this product is a very nice incentive for you to keep your resolution to lose weight or to keep exercising. I recommend this product to any person who wants to track his/her exercises.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not request to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own. 

If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!

Product "Study Kit with Tabs, Flags, Arrow Flags, Note Tabs, Grid Notes, full Adhesive Notes, Label Pads and Flags + Highlighter" by Post-It

About the Product: Post-it Study Kit includes eight products sure to help you get organized and create a system that is a smarter way to study. These products will help you Find what you're looking for, Remind you of key information, and Remember the important stuff. Kit includes Tabs for dividing sections in books and binders; Flags to mark and pinpoint information; Label Pads to label binders, notebooks and more; a variety of Notes and a Flag+ Highlighter combining yellow flags and a highlighter in one convenient device. All of this in a sturdy box that will be easy to throw in your back pack so all those study essentials are with you when you need them.

My Review: Post-It prepared a very useful combination of their products in this package, containing one graph pad, 5 pads for notes, 3 sets of different colored flags and a marker with embedded flags on it. The yellow highlighter with the flags is to most useful product, very convenient to have at hands when you are reading or studying. I left the product for my younger daughter that is in high school to use and she simply loved all the items. Everything came in an excellent package that can even be used to transport all the items in a backpack.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not request to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own. 

 If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!

Product "Colorful Activity at Times Square Augmented Reality Jigsaw Puzzle, 1000-Piece" by Ravensburger

About the Product: Discover Times Square with a 360-degree view while finding out interesting facts about NYC. Project your own picture on one of the billboards and forward to your friends. Ravensburger's Augmented Reality puzzle collection makes your puzzle come alive. Download the free AR Puzzle app from the App Store that utilizes the camera function of the iPhone® or iPad® versions 2 or higher to animate the scene. Experience a totally new visual reality and reveal audio details, sound effects and factual formation.

My Review: I love the picture selection. In a sense it makes the puzzle easier with so many colors. Usually if you have similar tonalities of blue (skies, seas) or green (trees, grass), things are more challenging, but there is a lot of fun on this puzzle. I am a puzzle maniac, having assembled jigsaw puzzles from 100 to 9000 pieces (a 13200 pieces is in the queue and I am really going to the 18,000 and 32,000 pieces from Ravensburger in the future...). Some of them were 3D puzzles, like the Taj Mahal, US Capitol, Neuschwanstein Castle, Big Ben, etc. This particular puzzle is another very high quality product from Ravensburger. All the pieces have an excellent finishing and they stick together very well. 

What differentiates this puzzle from any other I have assembled before is the so called Augmented Reality, bringing more reality through the use of an application that I loaded on my iPhone. With this application, you chose between 360 degree view or facts. When you point your camera to certain parts of the puzzle you have in the screen of the phone more level of details in better resolution than you can see in the puzzle itself or some facts about that image. It is kind of entertaining for a while.

I usually assemble this size of puzzles on top of Foam Boards. They are very light and conveniently cheap. The foam board being 3/16'' (5mm) gives your puzzle enough support. I usually cut the board (easily done with a cutter) after glueing the puzzle, leaving a border of 1'' at each side, so I can pin the board in my garage (that, at this point, is full of puzzles...). What help me a lot is that my wife and daughters also like the challenge, so we move fast. A 1,000 piece puzzle do not last a weekend, although the 8,000 piece one took us 2 months (most 2 to 3 hours at night work) to put together. It took us 3 days to put this one together. I highly recommend this puzzle for the excellent quality to everyone that enjoys challenges alone or with the whole family. It is a guaranteed entertainment for hours, listening to music or talking in family environment. 

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not request to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own. 

 If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!

Product "5-Port Desktop Gigabit Switch, Steel Case" by TP-Link

About the Product: The TP-LINK 5-Port 10/100/1000Mbps Desktop Switch provides you an easy way to make the transition to Gigabit Ethernet. Increase the speed of your network server and backbone connections, or make Gigabit to the desktop a reality. Moreover, TL-SG105 adopts lower power consumption design. With the innovative energy-efficient technology, the TL-SG105 can save up to 65% of the power consumption, making it an eco-friendly solution for your home or office network.

My Review: This is not a popular brand for Switches, but I decided to try it anyway, considering that the price was honest and I was in need of a Gigabit Switch. The product did not disappoint me. I was able to hardwire my laptop (1000Mbps), my Apple TV (100Mpbs) and they worked just fine together. At this point I do not have any 10Mbps device I could attach to the switch, so I was not able to test that particular speed. The product comes in a very tiny case, very convenient as it does not use a lot of space and it does not get hot over time. The metal case might help dissipate the heat.

The manufacturer sends the 9V adapter and also four rubber feet that you can glue to the bottom of the case, if you are using it over the table. You have the openings in the case, to hang it on the wall, although necessary screws for that are not provided.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!

Product "75-feet expanding hose, lime" by Rumford Gardener

About the Product: The rumford gardener expanding hose is durable and kink free. expands to 75ft with water pressure and shrinks back for easy storage in the provided cinch bag. no more straining with heavy hoses, the rumford gardener expanding hose weighs less than 1lb.

My Review: Interesting concept, but poorly executed. The idea behind this hose is great, being flexible, but they used poor quality material. The water pressure it delivers is very low (do not take me wrong, water pressure at home is great), and the loss of pressure comes from leaks that appears immediately throughout all the hose. The connector is made from a very cheap plastic and cracked at the first installation. I am disappointed with overall quality of this product.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!

Product "5-Position Baseball Brush Tee" by SKLZ

About the Product:

• When you are at the plate it's important to be ready for whatever pitch comes your way - be it inside, outside or right down the center. The 5-Position Brush Tee allows you to master these while also giving you a more realistic ball flight off the tee. 
• Standard tee with brush top and height adjustment. 
• Positions for 5 different zones across the plate. 
• Helps build confidence and hand-eye coordination in youth players. 
• Brush top provides more realistic ball flight, feel and feedback - get cleanly through the ball without any shock to the bat or hands.

My Review: This is like the traditional T used for training on your swing at baseball/softball balls. Extremely easy to assemble, it is solid and made with excellent quality. My daughter is using this product for the last two weeks and she cannot be happier. Her hitting already improved in real games during last weekend.
The difference with this one is that you can adjust the pole to different positions related to the plate, to simulate inside or outside ball, for example. You can also easily adjust the height. Very useful tool to improve hitting quality and hand-eye coordination.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!

Product "Cathedral Snow 1000-Piece Puzzle" by Pastime Puzzles

About the Product: Designed by Stephen Lyman, this Puzzle marks the revival of the cherished Pastime Puzzle brand - from Winning Moves Games - featuring the return of unique puzzle piece shapes called Whimsies. No two puzzle pieces are the same and include interlocking border pieces. The pieces feature a clean snap and fit, found only among the highest quality jigsaw puzzles.

My Review: I love the picture selection. It is very challenging with the fog and sky in similar shades and all trees, mountains and ground contributing to the difficulty. 

I am a puzzle maniac, having assembled jigsaw puzzles from 100 to 9000 pieces (a 13200 pieces is in the queue and I am really going to the 18,000 and 32,000 pieces from Ravensburger in the future...). Some of them were 3D puzzles, like the Taj Mahal, US Capitol, Neuschwanstein Castle, Big Ben, etc. This particular puzzle is a very high quality product from Pastime Puzzles, the first one I assemble from this company. All the pieces have an excellent finishing and they stick together very well. I usually assemble this size of puzzles on Foam Boards. They are very light and conveniently cheap. The foam board being 3/16'' (5mm) gives your puzzle enough support. I usually cut the board (easily done with a cutter) after glueing the puzzle, leaving a border of 1'' at each side, so I can pin the board in my garage (that, at this point, is full of puzzles...). What help me a lot is that my wife and daughters also like the challenge, so we move fast. A 1,000 piece puzzle do not last a weekend, although the 8,000 piece one took us 2 months (most 2 to 3 hours at night work) to put together. It took us 10 days to put this one together. I highly recommend this puzzle for the excellent quality to everyone that enjoys challenges alone or with the whole family. It is a guaranteed entertainment for hours, listening to music or talking in family environment. Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not request to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!

Product "Hit-A-Way Jr. - 2-in-1 Youth Batting Trainer" by SKLZ

About the Product: The Hit-A-Way Jr. batting trainer is the fun and safe way for children to develop their batting skills. It's construction mirrors that of the SKLZ adult swing trainer, the Hit-A-Way, but brings it down to youth proportions. The Hit-A-Way Jr. sets up in seconds and easily converts to a tee with two different height options, giving your future all-star two ways to have fun. Start your little one by hitting a ball on the T-Ball stand, then graduate them to getting comfortable swinging the Neoprene bat and hitting the moving ball. The tethered ball simulates real pitches and develops hand-eye coordination, balance, and timing in both right- and left-handed batters.
Features:

• Sets up in seconds for hours of play or practice 
• Use as a batting trainer or as a T-ball trainer 
• Tethered ball simulates real pitches 
• Great for right- and left-handed batters 
• For indoor or outdoor use

My Review: Previously I had bought the big version of this batting trainer for my daughter, as she was struggling on the hitting aspect of her game. When I saw that SKLZ had this youth version I immediately thought about my nephew that is six years old. It was a blast! He enjoys so much his new equipment that he wants to sleep with it. First day he spent more than four hours playing with it and definitely he was starting hitting the ball much better at the end of the four hours. Best part is that he was so tired that he did not complain when sent to bed! But for more "serious" training, there is the need of an adult supervision to adjust the level of the ball (height and distance) as this changes after a few hits. It is easy to assemble but the material is not solid that will last a lifetime. But if it last one year of some use (not intense), it will already be worth the money.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!

Product "Half and Half Sweetened Instant Tea Mix, Iced Tea and Lemonade, 24.34 Ounce" by Lipton

About the Product: Lipton half and half lemonade iced tea mix has the freshness of iced tea along with the great taste of cool lemonade. This tea and lemonade flavor mix is a beverage the whole family will love to drink, and is an easy way to refresh your mealtime. With the delicious blend of thirst-quenching Lipton iced tea and the sweet taste of lemonade in simple to make mix, you can enjoy these great flavors anytime of the day.

My Review: I was very pleasant surprised by the effect the lemonade had on the iced tea. I would never do this mix voluntarily but at the end, it was a very nice combination of flavors. Initially I was worried about the fact that it was sweetened, but even that proved to be not a killer. The amount of sugar is enough to break the bitterness of the tea and the lemon and the final result is a very refreshing drink.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!

Product "AVR-X1000 In-Command 5.1-Channel Networking Home Theater Receiver with AirPlay (Black)" from Denon

About the Product: The AVR-X1000 A/V surround receiver provides network functions that let you enjoy Spotify, Pandora, and SiriusXM Internet Radio, as well as AirPlay for enjoying content from your iTunes library stored in an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or a PC or Mac. It also supports the Denon Remote App that lets you operate the basic functions of the AVR-X1000 from your iPhone or Android device. With the addition of a separate power amplifier, the AVR-X1000’s multi-zone functionality lets other people enjoy music or video entertainment from a separate source in a different room while you enjoy your own programs in the main room.

My Review: This is a very powerful product, very easy to set up. The feature I enjoy most is the two-zone, two-source multi-room capability, that allows me to listen to my music in a room while my daughters are in a different room enjoying the home theater with their program. My previous receiver was a Sony STR-D615 that I have been happily using for the last 18 years. But this new one, being modern, have network capabilities, that really increases how fancy you can go on its usage. It is not fair comparing electronics products that were manufactured almost twenty years apart, but definitely if you have all the other electronics, you will have fun connecting them together and streaming all audio from your iProducts to this Denon equipment. Sound reproduction is very decent (I have JBL speakers) and with proper adjustments it matches the sound quality of my old faithful Sony. Go for it!

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

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Product "Catapult Soft Toss Machine - Baseball Trainer" by SKLZ

About the Product: Use the Catapult Soft Toss Pitching Machine to work on both the offensive and defensive aspects of your game. Use regulation baseballs for soft toss or to practice footwork and glove-hand ball transfer. Or use 9" plastic balls for pop fly practice. The unit adjusts for height and distance and serves balls every 8 seconds.
Features:

• Spiral ball funnel holds up to 8 regulation size baseballs.
• Automatically tosses balls every 8 seconds.
• Adjustable height and distance.
• Use with AC Adaptor or 4 D Batteries (not included).

Catapult Usage:
1) Add baseballs to machine:
Prior to starting the machine add up to 8 balls to the Spiral Ball Funnel.
2) Adjust ball flight angle:
Before adjusting the ball flight angle turn the Catapult off. Loosen the trajectory lever knob at the front of the machine. Adjust leg up or down to adjust the ball flight angle. Tighten trajectory lever knob. Stabilize Catapult by adjusting the rear stability bar. Unscrew knobs on both sides of the bar and adjust height so that the bar rests on the ground. Secure into place by tightening each knob.
3) Adjust ball throwing distance:
Using the adjustable distance knob, tighten to increase ball throwing distance, loosen slowly to decrease ball throwing distance.
4) Power up machine:
The Catapult runs on 4 D Batteries (not included) or with the provided AC Adapter. If using the AC Adapter, connect to the side of Catapult Base below the power switch. If using batteries flip the Catapult over. Press down on the black tab and slide the battery cover off. Install batteries as shown. Turn product ON to power up and OFF to power down. Ensure all persons and pets are clear of the Catapult and the path of the ball before powering on.

My Review: This is a good practice equipment, very easy to assemble and you can use almost immediately after receiving it. But do not think it is a pitching machine, because it is not. It will never reach the speeds of a real pitcher, but it is still good for practicing hand/eye coordination and reaction time. My daughter uses it with the 9" plastic balls for pop fly practice.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

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Product "Fastpitch Reaction Ball - Softball Agility Trainer" by SKLZ

About the Product: Reaction Ball fielding aid is perfect for improvement of hand-eye coordination and reaction time. Volley the Reaction Ball between two athletes, or rebound it against a wall. Upon landing, the ball will bounce in an unpredictable manner. Repeating these steps will improve your speed and coordination.

My Review: This is a very useful product (at an honest price) to improve reaction time and hand-eye coordination. Upon throwing the ball at the floor, it will bounce in an randomly manner and it will keep the kids in their toes to catch it before it bounces again. Excellent training speed. Your reflexes will be tested at their maximum. Use only outdoors...

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!

Product "SpeedSac - Variable Weight Sprint Trainer" by SKLZ

About the Product: Build explosive leg drive out of the blocks with the SpeedSac. This variable weight sled allows you to strengthen your lower body muscles by resistance training, similar to metal sleds. Practice exploding from a set position, improve your dash time, and increase overall speed. With removable weights, the SpeedSac allows you to adjust the towing resistance. You can also use the handles on the bags to perform various upper and lower body exercises such as lunges or front raises.

Features:

• Includes 3 durable weight bags that can be filled with up to 10 pounds of sand (30 pounds total). 
• Sled material won't harm grass or mark wood floors. 
• Adjustable leash length to accommodate athletes of any size. 

Sand not included.

My review: This is a very nice set of exercise equipment that will help you exercise your leg muscles. After 20 minutes exercising you will discover muscles that you never new were there, as they all will be hurting like hell.

The sealing of the packages is excellent, so you do not make a mess after filling the bags with sand. I use my bags in my basement and there is no sign of sand anywhere. My wife would be very mad at me if that was the case...
The product comes with a workout poster. On one side, we have recommended drills for only the speed sack and on the other side, a 6 week workout program that combines the speed sac with other SKLZ products, and both have beginners/advanced adjustments. A DVD with instructions is also included in the shipment. The DVD gives demonstration videos for most of SKLZ products. Each video demonstrates regular speed and slow motions with different angles so you can see and teach proper form.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

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Product "Pujols Quick Stick - Underload Speed Training Bat" by SKLZ

About the Product: Narrow your focus and broaden your game. Get plenty of swings for maximizing hand speed, hand-eye coordination and contact.

My Review: This is not a regular bat. It is a training stick. As it is made of aluminum, it is extremely light-weight and when used with plastic golf-size balls (3 included) it helps you a lot with hands-eye coordination and hand  speed. With balls of this size, your accuracy needs to be in shape and using plastic balls you do not need to worry about breaking windows or damaging fences. The stick we received came in a fixed size of 30". I could not figure out how to adjust the length, as claimed by the manufacturer.

Excellent acquisition for a very decent price.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

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Product "QuickSwing PX4 Baseball Trainer" by SKLZ

About the Product: Joe Mauer's original Quickswing is an effective batting aid for developing a short, quick swing. The Quickswing PX4 is the next evolution offering 3 additional ways to train: tee simulation, soft toss and turnaround double play. The PX4 is a versatile solo trainer or coaches tool. It auto-feeds 12 baseballs, eight softballs, or 14 SKLZ small training balls every six, eight, and ten seconds. If you add the included adjustable angle rebounder, the QuickSwing becomes a soft toss machine.
Features:

• Multi-use batting and fielding trainer. 
• Develops fast hands, sharp reaction times and solid mechanics. 
• Ideal for any skill level. 
• Auto-feeds 12 baseballs, 8 softballs or 14 small training balls. 
• Releases balls every 6, 8 or 10 seconds. 
• Unit requires 3 size AA batteries (not included)

My Review: This is a very simple product consisting of a tube that is attached to a support in an angle that make the balls slide towards the open end. You feed balls from the top and there is a mechanism that releases the ball every 6, 8 or 10 seconds (you chose the time according to your needs). Depending on the configuration you assemble it, the ball might bounce on a trampoline so you can hit it afterwards. You can also try to hit the ball before it bounces. But the overall idea is that this equipment helps you to increase your eye/swing coordination. After two weeks using this equipment, my daughter showed better results in her hitting during games.  This is a valuable equipment, not expensive like a real throwing machine, and produce the expected results is you dedicate some time for your training. 

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

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Product "Pro Grade Power Tee - Ultra Durable Baseball Tee" from SKLZ

About the Product: The professional-grade Power Tee is made for players who are serious about their game. The heavy-duty base stands up to even the heaviest hitters. Train throughout the whole strike-zone with the adjustable height.
Features:

• Ultra-durable construction to withstand thousands of swings from elite players. 
• Steel plate base for maximum durability and stability. 
• Pro stem tip for a low profile that doesn't interfere with the player's swing. 
• Smooth stem and insert movement for quick adjustment and break down. 
• Adjustable height from 21to 38 inches.

My Review: This is like the traditional T used for training on your swing at baseball/softball balls. Extremely easy to assemble, it is solid and made with excellent quality. My daughter is using this product for the last two weeks and she cannot be happier. Her hitting already improved in real games during last weekend.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!