LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Hacker's Guide Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was GREATLY disappointed, for the following reasons:
1) Most of the hacks in this book are lame. (Sorry, a board game using Lego pieces does NOT count as a hack).
2) There's very little in this book about the Mindstorms NXT. The first 79 pages of the book don't address the NXT at all, and the rest of the book only addresses the NXT tangentially, in most cases using only five or six NXT parts to build the hack. (Some hacks don't use NXT parts at all).
3) The book seems to have had a "first-to-market" strategy, in order to make a quick buck and to take advantage of the interest surrounding the NXT.
Rock-bottom message: it's a slapdash, hodgepodge assortment of stuff that will not advance your knowledge of the NXT one iota.
Save your cash and get another book.

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Build and Program Over 20 Challenging Design Projects in Just 30 Minutes Eachwith the New Generation of LEGO® MINDSTORMS®

More powerful and intuitive than ever, LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT is a new robotics toolset that enables robot enthusiasts and hobbyists to build and program all kinds of projects. The LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT Hacker's Guide explores this new generation of LEGO MINDSTORMS, providing a collection of projects, how-to expertise, insider tips, and over 500 illustrations to help readers become expert NXT hackers.

This cutting-edge guide describes new advances that make LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT such a great robotics resource. The book explains the all-new NXT intelligent brick…the interactive servo motors with rotation sensors that align speed for precise control…the ultrasonic sensor that allows robots to "see" by responding to movement…the improved light and touch sensors that let robots detect color and feel…and much more. The LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT Hacker's Guide features:
Expert, insightful commentary by a member of the LEGO MINDSTORMS Developer Program
A hands-on account of the new technologies and expanded sensor capabilities of LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT
A collection of 10 hacking projects with step-by-step instructions for creating things ranging from solar power to ZigBee® technology to tank tread feet ["projects" appears twice.]
A portfolio of 12 exciting design projects featuring R. Buckminster Fuller's Geodesic Dome, Rem Koolhaas' Seattle Central Library, and the world's first NXT wristwatch
Complete disclosure about a "secret" game that is hidden inside every LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT kit
An in-depth guide to the NXT programming language
A special LEGO factory kit offer available only for readers of this book

Inside This Groundbreaking NXT Reference
• Your First Robot • Stupid RCX Tricks • Save Your RIS • As Smart as a Brick • MOVE IT! With Servo Motors • Hmm, I Sense Something • Yes, But I Don't Know How to Program • Testing, Testing; Oh, Trouble Shoot • Katherine's Best Hacking Projects • Katherine's Design Fun House • NXT Programming Language Guide • NXT Elements • NXT Resources

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JVC GZ-HD500 80 GB High Definition HDD Camcorder Review

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(More customer reviews)This camcorder is a replacement to a Sony DVD camcorder I had a few years ago. The quality difference is amazing. The quality inside is good in a well lit room and only average in a poorly lit room but that is typical with any camcorder under 1000. The outside quality is amazing, it really blows me away on DVD I made using the XP recording format. UXP is the best quality but XP is the best you can burn to a DVD. It looks almost blu ray disk quality, it will really blow you away. This is my 4th camcorder and the software included is actually not bad, if all you want to do create simple dvd's with it. It user friendly and has a few nice options, more advanced users will need to pick up better software but it is better than the basic software I have ever recived with any of my previous sony camcorders. You can even record in UXP format and have it converted just for burning to dvd purposes to xp format, that way you still have it in the best quality incase you ever get a Blu Ray burner which is also supported by this software by the way. I got this from Amazon for only $369, that is a amazing deal.

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JVC Everio GZ-HD500 Digital Camcorder GZHD500BUS Camcorders

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Sony MDR-V700DJ DJ-Style Monitor Series Headphones Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The 700s are absolutely perfect for hardcore DJ use and in my opinion only second to Pioneer's HDJ-1000s. And please do note that this is not a trivial fact. Everything in them is designed to suit this purpose, and no other. The bass is such a prominent force in them because that's exactly what you need when cueing songs. I've tested them in indoor and outdoor parties and they are invincible. Beatmatching is a pleasure because you can identify the bassy elements of a song with immense accuracy and definition.
I personally don't think they are for listening, say, with a portable device or at home with a Hi-Fi. They are way to bassy in their overall delivery of sound. But please don't get me wrong: they are not meant to be used to 5 hours of John Coltrane or Debussy, but they are beautiful to any bass oriented genre and the on-off-on-off environment of DJing. For home/portable use, I strongly recommend the Sony 7506s. They are lightweight, extremely comfortable and have a perfect balance of bass, mids and highs EQ-wise. Every situation has its best headphones. DJing: 700s - Audiophilia: 7506s

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The music is all yours with the MDR-V700DJ Studio Monitor Series DJ headphones. They sport reversible, swivel earcups for DJ and remix applications, complete with an auto-return mechanism. These headphones pack 50mm drivers for reference-quality sound, and sport a folding design for easy transport. Just plug them in and start spinning.
Plug these in and start spinning.Click here for a larger image

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