Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: tapakeg on November 30, 2007, 04:03:03 PM
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Ok, if you have any questions about a product for the holiday season post it here and hopefully some people with more technical knowledge or personal experience can help.
Here is mine.
I am thinking about getting a roomba. I have done research, but I would like to hear from someone who has purchased one.
roomba (http://www.irobot.com/sp.cfm?pageid=122)
I would also like to get a digital movie camera for the family. Something under $300 or so. Do I want one of those mini DVD ones, or do they have memory cards? Any brand better than another. I will mostly be using it for e mail and web sharing.
Thanks, and keep the questions and answers coming
Tapakeg
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I prefer digital 8 on movie cameras and I stick with Sony. There are lots to chose from.
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Oh, good idea tapakeg.
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If you can wait, get the roomba from http://www.woot.com. They put refurb ones up for sale for about $140-$150 every week or two. I got one and it's neat. Just pick up the clutter on the floor and push the go button. It runs around for an hour or two and then parks itself to recharge. Neat.
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I got a wifeba:D
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does this thread come with a complimentary handbag?
real men don't shop.. they buy stuff :)
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Here comes a short novel...
I've had a Roomba Discovery for 3 years.
I have hardwood floors and a throw rug in the living room. The standard upright vacuum cleaners would just spin dirt/dust into the air before the vacuum head ever reached the debris. (It had an agitator on the front, ideal for rugs...terrible for hardwood no matter how high you had it above the floor)
At the time I worked part time for Sears. As these were new, they were offered to us with a substancial discount.
The Pros:
Push button, walk away.
Not loud. About as loud as a hair dryer on low.
Gets under beds, couches, etc...hard to reach stuff.
Excellent at nabbing pet hair/dander
Excellent support. Mine had a sensor issue where it would spin in circles. 2 days later, a USB thumb drive arrived. Plug into port, power up Roomba and watch it load new version. Problem solved. Mail thumb drive back.
The Cons:
High amount of cleaning required to the actual unit. If you don't mind investing about an hour a month to clean the brushes and stuff, its fine. The newer models seem to include special tools to make this easier.
Filters and accesories are limited...so buy em online or at Sears. You seldom see them elsewhere.
Batteries dont seem to last long as they get older. Mine's red (low) after 30 mins.
As they are so low to the ground, if you have a moderate amount of pet hair/debris on the floor, it just pushes it along....unable to stuff it underneath itself.
They have excellent vacuum power. Left unattended, they will suck up a floor mat and drag it around.
Don't bother watching the thing at work. You'll watch it just miss debris for several minutes. It has an algorithm it follows to eventually hit every part of the room 3 times.
Summary:
These are pretty cool devices. If I had to give it a 5 star rating, it would be a solid 4. The cool factor is up there but having to see if its really picked up everything is a draw back. NOTE!! Newer models have improved on these issues...larger waste bins and more. And the price has come down substancially. I still have the power broom (dirt devil) I use in conjunction with it for bigger jobs.
The Scooba is a floor washing variant that looks neat...but for that amount of money, Id rather get a floor scrubber.
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I work at a big chain retailer, we sell the Roombas. I personally wouldn't get one, but my sister and I are getting one for our parents this Christmas. Now I'm basing this on sales alone no personal experience as of yet. Most Roombas we sell (any of the 5 or 6 models that we carry) tend to get returned, most usually because the battery goes dead fast. Now whether or not proper directions were followed I have no idea. We also hardly sell any at all unless they are on sale for a good amount.
I'd personally skip the convenience and go with a Dyson vacuum. If you choose to go that route I'd be more than happy to give you my advice on them, although I've seen others on this board that greatly dislike Dysons. To each their own, you can always take it back.
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I work at a big chain retailer, we sell the Roombas. I personally wouldn't get one, but my sister and I are getting one for our parents this Christmas.
_____________________________ _____________________________ _
So you and your Sister really hate your parents?
That's sad.
Mac
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(quote) I work at a big chain retailer, we sell the Roombas. I personally wouldn't get one, but my sister and I are getting one for our parents this Christmas. Now I'm basing this on sales alone no personal experience as of yet. Most Roombas we sell (any of the 5 or 6 models that we carry) tend to get returned, most usually because the battery goes dead fast. Now whether or not proper directions were followed I have no idea. We also hardly sell any at all unless they are on sale for a good amount.
I'd personally skip the convenience and go with a Dyson vacuum. If you choose to go that route I'd be more than happy to give you my advice on them, although I've seen others on this board that greatly dislike Dysons. To each their own, you can always take it back. (unquote)
We've had a Dyson and a Roomba for several years and both have become our favorite cleaning equipment. The Dyson is powerful and fun to use.
The Roomba Discovery is like a pet to my wife. Cleans under beds and other difficult spots, then heads for its power source to dock and recharge!
Can't wait for the next robot breakthrough. Maybe it will be his and hers Stepford Wife and Stepford Hubby?
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Originally posted by AWMac
I work at a big chain retailer, we sell the Roombas. I personally wouldn't get one, but my sister and I are getting one for our parents this Christmas.
_____________________________ _____________________________ _
So you and your Sister really hate your parents?
That's sad.
Mac
Hate? Extremely!
Not really, they just like the idea of not having to physically vacuum every week. Not sure how well it's going to work with the animal hair but time will tell I suppose.
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Originally posted by Halo
We've had a Dyson and a Roomba for several years and both have become our favorite cleaning equipment.
Both are your favorite; but which one is more favorite than the other?
I mean... one has to be just a little less favorite... still favorite but just not as much.*
*Reference Brian Regan
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Co-favorites. A Dyson and a Roomba are like a car and a bike -- same general purpose, but quite different. Dyson favorite vac, Roomba favorite robot vac.
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wait ~ the roomba is a vacuum? That sounds like a big no-go for a gift for your mom ~ you telling her that you like that she cleans?
I could make a wishlist of things that I would like to get as gifts from my husband and/or kids. None of them would include anything close to a vacuum. I got a set of tires for my truck one year for valentines day ~ that's another no-go
*edit* well, instead of just sharpshooting someone else's idea, I thought I'd add in here an idea as well.
If you gotta go with something functional, get a wallet ~ put in it a gift card from starbucks, a gift card from the local book store, a gift card from a chainstore (wal-mart or target, or dillards or whatever), a little bit of cash, and a picture of each of the ones she loves (husband, each of the kids, etc). So for all that, you don't have to get the most expensive stuff... but it would be nice to get a wallet that's already filled w/the stuff that you like ~ not just an empty wallet. Plus, usually those places w/gift cards let you determine how much you want to put on the cards ~ so it can be a lot, or it can be a little. That gift would be good for anyone (not just Mom's)
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Gift idea for the Mom of little ones:
Basket filled with this:
Tickets to the movies (you can usually buy them in advance): make it a kids movie ~ one ticket for dad & one ticket for each of the kids. No ticket for Mom ~ she stays home on movie night. While everyone else is out at the movies ~ she stays home with this (also in the basket)
Bath-fizzles
candlestick w/candle
a book
a cd of her fav. relaxing music.
small box of chocolates
maybe some PJs (nice & comfy ~ it's for her, not dad)
So Mom gets to soak in the bath totally relaxed ~ no husband, no kids for just a little bit of time.
This gift is good for any time of the year ~ not just Christmas.
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I put up the money, my sister gets the ideas. Plus we get 25% off it anyway. It's a robot vacuum though, we're supposedly letting her relax and let a machine do the cleaning, at least the vacuuming.
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Originally posted by nirvana
I put up the money, my sister gets the ideas. Plus we get 25% off it anyway. It's a robot vacuum though, we're supposedly letting her relax and let a machine do the cleaning, at least the vacuuming.
Well, you can't get any better than that ~ cooperation between sister & brother, no matter what the gift is, usually works out good. :aok
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Bath-fizzles
candlestick w/candle
a book
a cd of her fav. relaxing music.
small box of chocolates
maybe some PJs (nice & comfy ~ it's for her, not dad)
Subsitute Penthouse Forum for the book and a mesh nightie for the PJs and I agree 100%!
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Originally posted by Excel1
real men don't shop.. they buy stuff :)
haha... almost forgot, an unlike the deviant retard son of one of my neighbours real men don't go to the shops with their boyfriends only to get caught jerking each other off...true story :rofl
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Originally posted by tapakeg
I would also like to get a digital movie camera for the family. Something under $300 or so. Do I want one of those mini DVD ones, or do they have memory cards? Any brand better than another. I will mostly be using it for e mail and web sharing.
Thanks, and keep the questions and answers coming
Tapakeg
When it comes to digital camcorders Canon has the best quality and features dollar per dollar.
That being said, I think most folks would be better off with a pocket point and shoot digital camera’s movie mode than a dedicated camcorder. They are smaller, cheaper, easier to download* than a mini DV camera and take better/higher resolution clips than most inexpensive dedicated camcorders. (No tape to rewind or search and no FireWire just cut and paste files) Memory cards are so big and cheap now that they give camcorders a run for their money. My little Canon SD1000 will take 640x240 resolution clips at 30 fps. My 4 gig SD card was only $34; I can shoot for 40 to 60 minutes of footage on that card. I believe most low end camcorders shoot at 320x240 ay 30 fps; that’s fine for YouTube, but the quality is limited. The greatest advantage of a dedicated camcorder is that they have much better zoom and generally have better image stabilization. Many pocket point and shoot digital camera also have decent image stabilization, however. Here’s some sample footage from my SD1000 that has been edited/compressed for the web: http://hallbuzz.com/movies/2007/britta_blows_up.wmv I bought mine for $200, but have seen them on sale recently for $190. The Canon PowerShot A560 has pretty much the same features, with more zoom, perhaps a better lens and is only $140, but is bigger.
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I highly recomend shopping on the internet.
Example:
The wife & I were at Walmart last night at 5 PM.
It was like 5,000 bridges in the state were missing their trolls, and we found them all in one spot.
Folks with 5 kids in tow yapping on cell phone while they ran over my wife with a shopping cart. Somehow, a person who WALKED into the store now can't....gets into an electric cart, tootling down the aisle at the speed of dead. It must have also been illegal alien night, but I didn't get the memo.
I think I'll shop as much as possible on the internet this year...I'm not into crowds.
68ROX
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TxMom
Just outta curiosity, what goes into Daddys Basket?
:D
Mac
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Originally posted by AWMac
TxMom
Just outta curiosity, what goes into Daddys Basket?
:D
Mac
I'm into the 'basket' thing.
I've got a whole bunch of baskets to give TxDad & the kids. I'll post one later. My fav. so far has been the BBQ basket.
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Hmmm wasn't the Roomba featured in the movie "Batteries Not Included" :huh
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Good advice, Esk, on using a good digital camera's movie mode. I've been very happy with the clips I get from my Canon Digital Elph 400.
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Originally posted by Holden McGroin
Both are your favorite; but which one is more favorite than the other?
I mean... one has to be just a little less favorite... still favorite but just not as much.*
*Reference Brian Regan
I love the little league snow cone bit.
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My wife and I are going to by a large tv for ourselves. Thats it. No hustle and bustle at 3pm dec 24th for me this year. Ahhh..deck the halls!
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Originally posted by 68ROX
The wife & I were at Walmart last night at 5 PM.
It was like 5,000 bridges in the state were missing their trolls, and we found them all in one spot.
Folks with 5 kids in tow yapping on cell phone while they ran over my wife with a shopping cart. Somehow, a person who WALKED into the store now can't....gets into an electric cart, tootling down the aisle at the speed of dead. It must have also been illegal alien night, but I didn't get the memo.
68ROX
I don't go to walmart, no matter what is on sale at what price. Those stores are always disorganized & crowded.
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Originally posted by Halo
Good advice, Esk, on using a good digital camera's movie mode. I've been very happy with the clips I get from my Canon Digital Elph 400.
My Elph S400 finally died and that’s why I bought the 1000. I shot a lot of clips with it as well as stills. The best movie mode was 320x240 15 fps, but I was pretty happy with it. The newer ones shoot at twice the width, height and frame rate, basically 8X the data. I think there are some that will shoot at a 1024x768 mode. I have a Nikon 8400, but it’s almost as big as an SLR. It has a great 640x480 30fps mode as well, but it’s just too big to slip into my pocket. Both cameras have great time lapse modes also and I’ve had a lot of fun with them.
One more thing about the SD1000, in good light it will take a picture about one second after being turned on. The startup time is almost a non-issue.
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Originally posted by LePaul
Batteries dont seem to last long as they get older. Mine's red (low) after 30 mins.
Since I work at Batteries Plus for my college part time job, I see Roomba batteries from time to time. We refer people to buy new batteries off of Amazon for about $50 since we'd charge $100+ to rebuild it. $50 is a pretty good price actually as our cost on the batteries is about $35-40.
2-3 years of regular use is about what you'd get out of them. They use either 2700mah or 3000mah sub-c size NiMH cells. So as anything that is battery operated, the batteries won't last forever and should be an expected maintenance expense (however, OFTEN overlooked).
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My wife's a toughie to shop for..FIRST..she wanted a Smith & Wesson .40 cal sub-compact...NOW, she wants a table-saw with a 40 inch + fence, and mebbe a planer too (They don't MAKE #%#$%^ table saws with fences that big:furious )
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Originally posted by Excel1
does this thread come with a complimentary handbag?
real men don't shop.. they buy stuff :)
Tell that to the gun guys! :rofl
Or when a guy gets the car or motorcycle or boat bug! Too funny!!! :rofl
In those situations, you guys take "shopping" to unknown heights!
TIGERESS
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That's true, Tigeress, although for true dedication and total commitment to the art of shopping, it's still tough to exceed the focus of felines on the prowl.
My wife and youngest daughter once spent half an hour trading insights about some trinket, happily chattering away like windup mannequins at a mall holiday display. And they weren't even in the store -- they couldn't get past the display window at the entranceway.
My wife and I have a pact. She doesn't have to go into gun and computer stores with me. I don't have to go into sewing and household/clothes/jewelry/doodad emporiums with her.
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I hate shopping. I hate the crowds, the lines, everything. I make a list, I go in, get what I need, find the shortest line & get out.
Our family does this 'thing' where the girls (about 8 - 10 of us) go out for a full day of shopping, coffee shop hopping, lunch, more shopping, another coffee shop, movies, dinner, then home.
When we go on these treks, I bring a good book. I sit on the benches in the mall hallway & read when they go into a store. When they come out, we continue the trek. They're all super company, which is why I go. But the shopping part sucks so very badly.
I don't even like grocery shopping. I try my best to do all that during the middle of the night, when nobody else is there but me ~ no screaming kids three carts wide blocking the aisle, no three mile long lines, etc... by then, the shelves are even restocked. Works for me.
:aok
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Heh, I hear ya, TMom. Hope you and your hubby manage that getaway vacation soon. Such luxury to be pampered however briefly when you have to do so much pampering all the time. Find one of those grotto spas and massages and let someone else's fingers do the walking. Luxuriate!
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Thanks Halo, I appreciate it very much :)
Just a pipe dream though. No vacations on the horizon over here. :)
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Originally posted by texasmom
Thanks Halo, I appreciate it very much :)
Just a pipe dream though. No vacations on the horizon over here. :)
Hi TxMom!
When I was at the hair dresser's preparing for my recent trip I once again looked at the plaque at my regular girl's station:
"The only way to predict your future is to create it."
Wishing you a future with a very cool vacation for you and TxDad!!!
TIGERESS
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Originally posted by Halo
That's true, Tigeress, although for true dedication and total commitment to the art of shopping, it's still tough to exceed the focus of felines on the prowl.
My wife and youngest daughter once spent half an hour trading insights about some trinket, happily chattering away like windup mannequins at a mall holiday display. And they weren't even in the store -- they couldn't get past the display window at the entranceway.
My wife and I have a pact. She doesn't have to go into gun and computer stores with me. I don't have to go into sewing and household/clothes/jewelry/doodad emporiums with her.
Sounds like a very workable plan to me dear!
Yes, for me shopping is the point; not so much a means to an end, many times. :rofl It's fun! :) even if I don't buy anything on a particular day.
TIGERESS
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Originally posted by Tigeress
Hi TxMom!
When I was at the hair dresser's preparing for my recent trip I once again looked at the plaque at my regular girl's station:
"The only way to predict your future is to create it."
Wishing you a future with a very cool vacation for you and TxDad!!!
TIGERESS
:D You're very right. Maybe I'll give that to HIM as a gift for Christmas! *wink*