Latest, but Unfortunately NOT the Greatest...
349296
I am very picky when it comes to electronics.  I like new stuff, cutting edge technology, in other words I always want Latest and Greatest.  However, I never hurry things, and take my time doing research and analysis before I buy anything.  For the most part I've been pretty happy with what I got - HDTV LCD, DVD players, digital cameras, computer accessories, etc.  Recently I have purchased a new cell phone (Panasonic X800 smartphone), and decided to get a Bluetooth headset to go along with it.  I spent probably about 2-3 weeks reading, analyzing, comparing before making a final decision to go with Jabra JX10.  It's been 2 months now since I've bought it, and I am more than convinced that I haven't made the right choice.  Here is why in the form of Pros and Cons.  First, the good things:

Pros:

Design (also see Cons) - It's not a bad looking set, although I think it could be better.  It's definitely small, which doesn't make you look like a cyborg, and has a nice color combination.  It is also lightweight, which is not a bad thing either.

Incoming Sound Quality - I can hear people just fine.  Loud, and clear (for the most part).

Cons:

Design - I am not sure who named Jacob Jensen the "world's renowned designer".  Perhaps he is very famous in Denmark.  But over here, in US, he is just another name.  Is it me or does this headset look like a little fish?  So much for that "Famous" Design.  I mean, it's not a bad looking set (I've definitely seen worse), but I've just heard so many people talking about the "Wow Factor", that I was expecting to see something a little more appealing.

Outgoing Sound Quality - Every single person I have talked to when using this headset, complained about poor sound quality.  I've heard comments like "I can't hear you", or "You sound like you are in a tunnel", or other typical things that people say when they can't hear you well enough.  So much for the DSP technology.

Operating Range - I like to wear my phone, using a belt clip, on the right side of my body.  I like to have a Bluetooth headset in my left ear.  What is the advertised working range of this headset? 33 feet if I'm not mistaken.  In any case, what's the distance between it and the phone? 1 - 1.5 feet... Well, I have noticed quite an increase in sound quality, if I wear it on the same side with my phone.  How about that?!  And yes, I have tried leaving it in the car and then slowly walking away from it.  The signal completely disappears after about 10-15 feet.  Not even close to what's been advertised.

Comfort - I can't wear it for extended periods of time without having it giving me a headache.  Half an hour at most.  I've tried wearing it with and without a hook, on left and right ears, but nothing helped.  Pretty disappointing, especially considering the price, which is the next one on the list.

Price - I was expecting a lot more from a $100 headset.  What exactly are we paying for here?  Sound quality?  It's not that good.  Comfort?  Once again, it's not all that comfortable.  There is also a possibility of loosing it if you wear it without an ear hook.  Wait a minute.... I know!  We're paying for that "famous" Jacob Jensen's design.  Give me a break!

Summary - I strongly advise you to think twice before investing into this headset.  It's certainly not cheap, and not the best performing piece of equipment out there.  I'm not sure about you, but I'm gonna check out Plantronics Discovery series next.  Hopefully it'll turn out better than this one from Jabra.
1196564
I loved the first two books in the series, but the grand finale isn't quite as grand. Still, if you've been following the series, you need this for closure, because it does wrap things up. I'm not thrilled with the ending, and I found the whole novel less amusing than its predecessors. Perhaps I overdosed on all the Monty Python-esque humor, stunts and pratfalls and illogical set pieces. This book continues the saga of a badly planned, ineptly handled Apocalypse, where bureaucracy is hampering the angels, political infighting is messing up the demons, and humans get in the way, willing or not. Christine Temetri, a hack writer for an end times newspaper, seems to be the smartest opponent of the upcoming devastation; she is now assisted by an FBI specialist in explosives who has Tourette's Syndrome; and our friend Mercury, a sarcastic and apathetic slacker angel, is pivotal to the plot. But, as in the previous books, the plot is more of a series of skits which may or may not tie together. I suggest reading it a bit at a time, to avoid the overwhelm of this particular type of humor.
1888658
I've been a long time fan of George Duke and have most of his albums from his long career. I assume this was his last release? (He recently passed in Aug 2013.) But unfortunately I was disappointed in this particular album - which is tough for me to say. It was only $5 so I'm not totally bummed. I could do without a lot of the voice-over like interludes and many of the tunes just don't appeal to me. I have the rest of this talented man's music to fondly remember him by - so I certainly won't let one album spoil my appreciation. DreamWeaver is certainly not his best stuff in my humble opinion. Duke has a great catalog of albums starting from back in the late 1960s ... choose one or more of them to really get what he was about.
1909813
I really love this series, especially the early ones. This, the latest in the series was a little disappointing. I felt it didn't have the same draw that many of the others did. I didn't feel the investment I have in the past. Still, I enjoyed catching a further glimpse into the lives of Geoff and Eli.
3302551
Not a bad CD, but not as good as their earlier work. Still worthwhile!
3000442
I'm an avid HP fan but this last one...well, let's just say it's not my favorite. The previous 5 got increasingly better, number 5 being my favorite, so I was expecting an AWESOME book in the Half-Blood Prince. I bought it at midnight the day it came out but I just couldn't devour it like I did the others.  This book just doesn't have too many redeeming qualities about it. Not a bad book by any stretch but not a great one either, like the other ones are.  I will still read number 7 I'm sure.  But I don't have such great expectations anymore....hopefully, this is not the shape of things to come...I guess we'll find out soon enough!
2362682
I have loved the Vorkosigan series.  Great characters and plots, excellent writing.  But I gotta agree with others who say this latest installment just isn't up to the level of the earlier books.

Libertarian sexuality is part of the series, but this novel extends it to marital infidelity (with a subordinate officer no less) on the part of Aral, who is consistently honorable and faithful in all prior stories.  The storyline would have been more consistent with earlier novels had Jole and Aral cared for one another, but been respectful of Aral's marriage and military nonfraternization standards.  Indeed, their relationship would have been more touching and sympathetic to the reader.

And there's no interesting plot.  The freethinking sexuality of prior novels descends from being a thought-provoking part of the larger story to being much of the story itself, offered in frankly boring detail.
2005182
I'm a big fan of Charles de Lint and have been breathlessly awaiting the fourth collection of his Newford-based stories, which I then read pretty much in one evening.
Though none of the stories were bad, there was something about them that dissatisfied and I couldn't quite put my finger on it ... the above Publishers Weekly review clarified it for me.  These stories feel rather lazy and passive compared to the previous three collections.  They feel very self-referential, several of them begin by referring to and summing up some previous story from the character's "life" before moving into a new tale that isn't nearly as alive and interesting as the original appearance of the character had been.
I was also disappointed that the last quarter of the book was just a reprint of "Seven Wild Sisters," which was published as its own independent book earlier this year.
Perhaps Newford is becoming tired as a story device; I hate to say it, because I love de Lint's Newford and I always enjoy visiting its streets.  But with a few exceptions, these stories just weren't as alive as the previous ones have been.
I'll still follow de Lint wherever he takes me, though.  A fan's a fan.  :)
4401814
I love this series, and really enjoyed Adam and Abby's romance, but I do have one complaint with the recent books in this series. I loved the earlier books, particularly Joe and Janey's story because most of the book was focused on them. In recent books, more than half of the book is spent revisiting all of the other characters, even sex scenes with them, which gives the book a disjointed feeling and takes away from the main romance, to this reader.

I like checking in with the other characters, just not to this level, where their story lines are continued with multiple scenes for all. To be honest, I skimmed through most of the other stories to get back to the ones I cared about, primarily Adam and Abby.  Maybe if it was just two or three others revisited and limited it to that, it would work better, but again, this is just my opinion.

For instance, I wish the story-line with Adam's company and his ex-girlfriend had gone a bit deeper, I was looking forward to a big showdown scene that never happened.

As always though, I still get each new book in this series, because I do enjoy Marie's writing and characters.
4279053
i really enjoyed the first two albums, especially "hopes and fears", but this new album i just can't get in to. not because they changed their style or whatever, but the songs just aren't that great. i'm not understanding this drastic of a change. it definitely wasn't needed. oh well, hopefully the next one will be waaaay better. just hope i don't have to endure a bunch of the new stuff when i go see them live.
2126855
'Kill Or Be Killed' is the band's eighth and most recent CD. I sort of lost interest in Biohazard awhile back, for the most part anyway. This latest effort is okay, but it isn't as good as their 'State Of the World Address' or 'Mata Leao' discs. Notice that the rap element now is gone, which (to me) is good. Tracks I thought were worth mentioning are the title cut "Kill Or Be Killed", the mosh-able "Heads Kicked In", "Dead To Me" and "Beaten Senseless". Overall, a so-so metal release.
138101
if doug coupland were U2 this is his "Pop" album. but even that album had moments of greatness. jpod? a line or two that made me only long all the more for the 90s douggie i know and love.

i've read all but one of coupland's novels and was looking forward to tearing into the latest (even went to one of his readings to get it autographed...). his last few offerings have been getting weaker and weaker and i was hoping this was his rebirth...

the books is laden with pop, comupter and socio-cultural trends that feel forced; like your dad trying to sound hip when he picks you and your friends up from soccer practice. that sort of cultural commentary was his bread and butter but here? it seems he skimmed a year's worth of Time magazines to find out what the kids are into these days. the author as charachter device was wince-evoking each time doug entered the scene. earnest advice: don't waste your time or money. read "life after God" or "Girlfriend in a coma" instead.
2115065
I'm a guy, so perhaps I'm not the target audience for this series, but I really enjoyed "What's A Girl Gotta Do". I liked the irrelevant character of Robin Hudson -- who can't love a character that uses poision  ivy for personal protection! (Reminds me of something from P.G. Wodehouse  -- another favorite author.)
Since then I've checked my bookstore every  few months for the latest in the series. I recently read "The Chelsea  Girl Murders" and I think the series has lost some of its fun. Perhaps  because Robin has "grown up", gaining responsibilities. Perhaps  it's because many of the characters from earlier books aren't here but in  passing. Or, perhaps because she's no longer using poision ivy. It's still  worth a read, but it's not as good as the earlier stories.
3164841
As I've stated before, i'm a Kellerman fan and i've read them all. That said, there's no question there's been a decline in the quality of his Delaware novels since the Flesh & Blood/Murder Book days a decade ago. I can't really put a finger on the issue, but the recent novels just seem less intricate, and written as if they were rushed out without the care most earlier editions contained, when the novels seamlessly blended psychology and crime thriller.

Guilt is another example of the boilerplate efforts we've come to see with Kellerman of late. The premise is interesting, in that baby bones were found in a park some sixty years apart in age. However, the plot turned really awful towards the end with the whole "Branjelina" storyline involving the actress and her deadbeat husband. Even the magic reveal, which usually saves a Kellerman novel, were so easy to spot for both cases that there wasn't much suspense leading up to the end.

Overall a major disappointment for a devoted fan and longtime reader, and for me Guilt rates right up there with The Web as Kellerman's biggest clunkers.
3882746
I have been with this story from the beginning, and have enjoyed it. However, there seems to be a lack of direction in the last 2 novels. I like  the progressin of the characters, the intrigue, the slowly evoling  storyline, everything, but this has stoppped progressing and now just  drags.  There are parts of this book that are entertaining, but this book  could have been condensed into a few chapters, rather than a 600 page book.  Please, Mr. Jordan, continue evolving the story, so that I can finish it  before my time here is done ( i only have 20-30 years left)
1447827
Well - I am really sorry, but in my opinion the best songs on this new album are the ones already on the last EP, but they had more drive and more feeling on that original recording. Where is the band going with this album? Where did the depth go, the brilliance, the versatility they had shown before? This one feels rather superficial, like accidentally tuning into a random folk radio station. Hoping for a better third album.
1079747
Not as good as the last two but still pretty good.