Awesome reviews, disappointing reality.
348772
The lamp wasn't as high quality as the reviews led me to  believed. In fact, after I opened it, I had to re-read the other reviews to make sure I wasn't imagining things.

The smallest of my issues: I thought it was going to be a yellow strip running along the center, as shown in the photographs - instead it was a cheap red plastic strip that didn't even go end to end. I was willing to overlook this because that's not that big of a deal, it just wasn't what I was expecting.

The biggest issue: I couldn't get the base to connect to the lamp. It seems as though the plates that secure it were bent making it a problem for the plate to slide into place properly. If you get this lamp, you'll see what I'm talking about. If the plates look like they're tilted or bent in any way, return it. I got worried about the scratches from my couple of attempts and decided the frustration just wasn't going to be worth the risk of scratching it up since all kinds of marks were made. That and I was already having bad feelings about not being able to choose the color (colors like red and yellow are kind of part of the choice you're making, right?). So, I returned it the next day.

I'm bummed, too, because I thought it would be a real conversation piece in an otherwise boring cubicle farm.
1916948
A quick, cheap gorging but without much satisfaction.
First for the good points that earned the book its two stars.  The one thing that this book certainly didn't lack was imagination.  The world which he has created is strange, bleak, and sarcastic -- and it's somewhat interesting, though not on any "deep" level.  It is full of sometimes subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle critiques about the current (meaning 1992) world and the direction in which Stephenson thinks it's heading.  There are plenty of reviews here which describe many of the critiques (franchises taking over the world, the absurb beaurocracy of the US government, etc), so I won't delve into them here.
The book certainly had that cool techie factor that you'd expect from a cyberpunk novel.  A virtual reality "Metaverse"; goggles allowing nightvision, infrared, millimeter-wave radar, ambient-sound processing.  A fission-powered, gatling "rail-gun".  There's no shortage of such examples, and they're certainly fun to read about; though they're typically not fully fleshed out or justified in the reader's mind.  The tech factor isn't as sophisticated as I'd like (coming from a Computer Science background).  There are a few utterly ridiculous examples of future technology (such as the Metaverse representation of Rife's information network as a bunch of big colorful blocks with connections between them), but all in all it's enough to keep the interest of the average techie if he's willing to set aside reality.
Bad Parts.  Put simply, this book just isn't well written.  I'm admittedly no English guru, and I typically criticise a book more on its content than its structure, probably because I'm not familiar enough with good structure.  But if someone like me can say that a book wasn't well written, that's probably bad.  It completely lacked any sense of flow.  It's almost as if he had this story in his head and just regurgitated it onto the page (like a movie script, as some reviewers have pointed out).  The whole religious subtext was well researched, but then very sloppily (though imaginatively) laid out.  I was particularly disappointed in the end when I expected many of these creative subelements of the story to come together and tie up, and they were just severed.
This shouldn't throw you off from reading Neal Stephenson.  I'm in the middle of reading his (much more recent) book "Cryptonomicon", and it seems the complete opposite of "Snow Crash".  It's much more mature, much better thought out, and with less flash.  Honestly that makes it a little boring.  I'd love him to find a happy center between these two extremes, but until then I recommend William Gibson.
189521
TruthSeeker is right.  So many reviews from people who have only posted one review ever - looks like fake reviews.
780489
I gotta say, I'm very surprised at how many reviews describe the sound quality of these as 'awesome,' 'terrific', 'stupendous,' etc. I'm not a big audio snob, but the very first time I fired these up, I felt a pang of disappointment. My 'Menzingers' tracks didn't sound bright, bassy, or full. I would actually use words more like 'muddy,' 'distorted,' and 'sizzling bacon.'

It's really unfortunate, because the overall hardware design and ergonomics seem really nice. They're not made of the most premium materials, but that keeps them light and easy to wear. The + and - buttons (click once for volume, hold for track change) are fairly easy to feel out with your hand and intuitive. It was a cinch to pair, although I did notice about three minor hiccups in an hour's use, despite having my phone within arm's reach the entire time.

The wireless is super compelling, of course. It's really awesome to not have to deal with a cord at all. I was actually using them in the car (because my car's sound system is pathetic), and it's cool to be able to hop out, music still going, run my errands, drop them around my neck when I interact with a person. Super cool.

They sound better than my phone's speaker, but that's not really a comparison I want to be making. They would be fine for podcasts. Some music tracks are better than others  but I found myself ultimately more distracted than enjoying my tunes. Not for me.

Basically, I wanted a somewhat lower-profile pair of headphones to take on a plane, and these looked like they would fit the bill, but I was so upset with the audio quality that I ended up returning them the same day, and going with the Sony MDR-XB650BT wireless 'phones instead. They're $100 versus the $50 I paid for these, but oh my god, so worth it. After about an hour of using those tonight, they sound 10x better, haven't hiccuped at all, and just as easy to control.
2728606
If you would like to read a lengthy but informative review, read Jonathan's review.  He pretty much nails it.
First, huge Indy fan here.  Huge.
This is not the game I've been looking forward to for such a long time.  After the excellent Emperor's tomb, this game seems like a two generation step backwards.  It's bad enough it's not a X-box 360 or PS3 game, but this seems like they had some neat stuff they almost developed, tossed a bunch of cheap filler in, and called it a game.  There is no exploration, no adventure.  It's a button masher.
And sometimes even the cue for the button comes up so late you die immediately, wait for the re-load and work your way back to that spot, and then hit the right button that saves you.  The game is extremely linear, no wonderfully designed areas to wander around in, just a path to follow.  The graphics are sub-par, (sometimes as in: what the heck is that supposed to be) and Indy's likeness is off, but the voice is good.
Unfortunately to me, Lucasarts fails more often than it succeeds in most of it's games, and this one fails pretty badly.  It almost seems like a quickie meant to cash in on the movie like so many other 'licensed' games.  The only saving grace is that it's half the price of today's normal 'nex-gen' games, so I do not feel as ripped off as I could, but I wish I had rented it and I'm fairly certain one could pick this up real cheap in a few months.
I'm bummed.  I really really really wanted to enjoy this game, and it's actually quite painful to be this disappointed.
502473
I absolutely love Baxter's Manifold: Time.  It's one of the most imaginative hard SF books I've read in a very long time.  It's full of giant, brilliant ideas of dazzling scope and beauty. And Manifold: Space is quite simply outstanding.  But my sample of Manifold: Origin gave me cause for concern.  And a longer sample from another source didn't get any better.  In fact, it got worse.  Intelligent reviews from multiple sources have confirmed my disappointment.  I won't be buying this book.
4950932
The reviews were good, the reality is better. It fills a room fantastically, connects to the phone or ipod from across the house, and runs forever on the battery. I tried hard to find downsides, and after a month of use, I've come up with two not-even-valid complaints -- The extendable handle for pulling it around is moderately flimsy, and it's kind of ugly.

Realistically, it's one of the best purchases I've made off amazon ( not that monoprice doesn't normally exceed expectations.)
3151918
I ordered this product on the basis of its recommendation, then when I went to read the reviews, I could tell immediately they were bogus reviews, probably all written by the same person... so I'm feeling betrayed by Amazon. I can no longer trust their reviews, I'll have to scrutinize them now very carefully.
4054876
This book was full of enjoyable pieces of information, like the history of various 'luxury houses' and the behind-the-scenes craziness of Oscar night dressing! However, what disappointed me is that the author did not detangle two different motivations behind people's pursuit of luxury.

1) Quality. The middle/upper middle class person might be buying the luxury item not just because they are pursuing a 'dream' but simply because they believe a brand name conveys quality and durability. Now its a problem when 'mass marketing' simply implies that quality and durability have gone to the dogs. But as long as the quality is still good....nothing wrong with it!  One of the essential features of a developed society is that EVERYONE should have access to good quality items. Its well known that today, most $20 wines are better than what aristocrats in the 16th century drank, and that is well and good. Similiarly, there is absolutely nothing wrong if today's typical woman wears a shoe, carries a bag, wears a dress, that could only be afforded by the elites 100 years ago. What deeply bothered me is the contempt the author seemed to display for the 'hoi polloi' who did not know their place, and thus 'pawed' over goods that should have remained in the realm of a privileged few.

2) Counterfeits. Now this is interesting.....and a woman who is knowingly buying a 'fake' purely for the sake of a logo is a very different story than the one who is buying something that she truly believes has quality and durability. The counterfeit-purchaser is looking purely for social status, and is essentially 'cheating' to do so, and it would certainly be fascinating to learn more about the mentality that drives that. Why would anyone knowingly purchase a bag that is made of inferior materials, shoddily constructed, and bears fake LV logos? After all, she might have gotten the 'real' thing at a reputable vintage store at a reasonably affordable price. I would have loved to read some well-researched insights into the 'rewards' of buying counterfeit, and how they might vary in different cultures (Europe, USA, Asia).

Overall, a book that started out with promise, offered some good insights, but ultimately disappointed!
3893702
I really wanted this to be great.  I mean, I know that that statement kind of goes without saying, but I really, really wanted this to be great.  Julie Roberts, Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti and the blessed Tom Wilkinson all in the same movie; too good to be true, right?  I mean, this had success written all over it; and from the guy who wrote and directed the most surprising film of 2007 (for me, beings that I expected to hate and wound up loving it), I just couldn't wait to see him take on a lighter film.  The trailers looked all sorts of cheeky and delightful; and some of the initial reviews were borderline raves so I was all psyched out for this.

Um...well...yeah.

The film opens with clear chemistry between Roberts and Owen; which is maintained throughout the film (thankfully) and then explodes in a slow-motion fist fight between Giamatti and Wilkinson that is utterly hilarious and as brilliant as the film gets.

It's all downhill from there.

The main problem with the film is its structure.  Tony Gilroy is a very accomplished screenwriter; serving up all three `Bourne' films as well as the Oscar nominated `Michael Clayton' and this years surprisingly deep `State of Play', so I was astounded (in a bad way) with what he did here.  `Michael Clayton' (which he also directed) had this eerie sense of mysterious suspense, but it never became too complicated for its own good.  I understand that `Duplicity' is in another category, but the same formula should apply.  Yes, when dealing with a crime caper you have to enlist an arsenal of tricks and twists to keep everyone guessing; but `Duplicity' is so all over the place that the mystery becomes more frustrating than intriguing.  There needs to be at least a sense of clarity so that the audience doesn't become irritated, trying desperately to figure out just what is going on, for if it is too hard to grasp the audience gives up.

My wife went to sleep.  I would have too if I wasn't determined to write a review for this today.

The timeline jumps become even more confusing when you are trying to figure out just when certain things are taking place.  Because of the fact that they will jump back short time spans as well as long (they'll jump back 5 years, then 18 months, then 3 years, then 3 months) one can easily become lost as to the exact timeline of events.

I loved the final twist, even if it was too little too late, and I loved the performances.  Owen and Roberts were utterly delicious and worked effortlessly together.  Giamatti is a ham, but he is perfect for that type of character work.  Tom Wilkinson makes EVERYTHING better, but he is so underused here.  I love what he does, his calm and collected delivery just aching for more screen time, and his final scene is flawlessly delivered.

Great actors giving great performances in a muddled mess of a movie; don't you hate that!

I can't really recommend this one.  It is boring, horribly paced and confusing as all get out.  How do you find yourself OSCAR NOMINATED for your directorial debut and then follow it up with THIS?  What is even sadder is that Gilroy wrote the script for `State of Play', which was also released this year and was 100x's better than this mess.  `State of Play' could have turned into a muddled mess as well, had the script been poorly executed, but Gilroy turned in a very cohesive and easily understandable thriller that maintained an air of mystery, intrigue and calculated suspense; everything this film lacked.

He should have directed that one.
3894189
I was about to purchase this book and decided to read the reviews first. The majority of the reviews rave about how great the book is but there are some critical reviews that I can't ignore.  Such as incomplete or wrong measurements.  Someone even mentioned flies on the page with the desserts (GROSS!)
1115326
Most reviews were so positive and tech specs were so impressive that I took a chance and purchased all the holograms, expecting this to be a unique piece of art.  Instead, my experience was quite underwelming.  Field of view is extremely limited, details are not sharp, and 3D effects barely stand out, although most reviews who admire this piece woukd disagree.  I'm not sure if my expectations were simply too high or if there was something wrong with my holograms.  I opened two of them and both were disappointing though.  If you are expecting clean crisp images similar to that from a good quality 3D TV, you will be sorely disappointed.  The texture is similar to cheap holograms you see packaged with certain blu-ray or dvd packages.  As other reviewers testify, there are blotches and dark spot imperfections.  I thought there might be a protective film but there are no instructions to imply that and it isn't discernible enough to risk damaging the plate.  Technology really doesn't look better than what's been around for years.  On the plus side, image is in color and is quite large.  Shining ultra-bright white LED light does enhance it but otherwise certainly not worth the money.  I didn't even bother opening the Han Solo or Kylo Ren holograms.  Additionally I contacted Zebra support to inquire if there was something I was doing wrong and never received a response.  If you are still interested, i would highly recommend you see it in person first, if possible, before purchasing.
1408560
Gosh, I sure wanted to love this book, and after reading the other glowing reviews here (which made it seem as though it might as well have come bundled with a halo of ethereal light) I eagerly awaited its arrival.  Perhaps my expectations for this book were far too high, but the amount of five-star reviews for this book still baffle me.  Not enjoying playing the role of "hipster contrarian", I nevertheless greatly disagree with all of the superlatives that have been offered here so far.  I can't help but think that the five star reviews are less about this book, than about giving credit due to one of the great esoteric scholars of our era.  As this is my first introduction to Michell's work, perhaps I do not have the "benefit" of being previously introduced to his more scholarly works, but I simply must call this as I see it.

First of all, a note on the format/contents.  This book was culled from a regular essay column that Michell wrote for a periodical called "The Oldie", so the essays are about the length (and sadly, only a little bit deeper) than the sort of output you'd get from your average _Reader's Digest_ piece.  The proponents of this meandering stream of so-called "radical traditionalism" would undoubtedly label this "pithy", but "uninspired" is much more apt.  These little two or three page pieces feel like little more than stream-of-consciousness e-mails you'd get from your 90-year old grandfather who had just smoked marijuana for the first time.

There's very little "tradiitional", much less "radical", about this book.  In fact, most of this "radical traditionalism" would be very much at home in any mainstream liberal publication.  One of the things that I cherish most about old people is they usually speak their mind as they have nothing to lose -- which makes Michell's "ho hum" sort of attitude at the thought of his ancient island being overrun by Islamic and African invader pretty pathetic indeed -- he's got stronger opinions on experimenting with psychedelic drugs than he does on immigration!  (As Kevin MacDonald put it regarding the hordes of blase defeatists that compose our so-called intelligentsia -- "I am sure he takes great pride in being known far and wide as tolerant, principled,  and fair-mindeda moral paragon; an upstanding member of his community with an excellent reputation for honesty and fair play; an example to one and all; a virtual saint. Just the sort of guy you would want in your hunter-gatherer band of non-relatives during the Ice Age." )

There's absolutely nothing "radically traditionalist" about being opposed to mass production, commodification, the use of sex to sell junk to the masses, etc etc etc. -- it's all been covered ad nauseum by both the Left and the Right for decades.  Like the 'Traditionalism" of the likes of Huston Smith, which is really just a more erudite version of the syncretism found in any sort of New Thought or Unitarian church, there's precious little of substance here at the end of the day, not even the inkling of a reasonable critique of our current problems -- just the sort of "ho hum, what can ya do, let's just all hang out and wait for the Antichrist" sort of resignation that is indistinguishable from good old fashioned apathy.  Michell's defense of Christianity comes across as only slightly less toothless than the likes of some "scientific apologist" like Bishop Spong.

Those who are expecting a more "bedtime reading" version of Rene Guenon or Julius Evola will be sorely disappointed, although fans of the toothless "traditionalism" of Charles Upton (i.e., the sort of "traditionalism" that won't get you excluded from the cocktail party circuit in any large urban area) might find something of worth here.  I'm giving this book two stars since I liked the cover art and somewhat enjoyed the section on Darwinism.
685140
I am the kind of guy who buys and loves most every book that is recommended to me by one of my mentors.  As I am in the process of trying to learn and grow and apply the tools of the new social media and latest technology, when I read the recommendation I snapped this book up with great expectations. I Sat for hours in hopes of really getting the usable tools that the book seemed to promise.  The recommendation, the landing page and the reviews on Amazon all had me keyed up for great.  The book unfortunately delivered nothing of substance.  It was a mish mash of generic, over used popular business pablum.  And never delivered on the promise of usable, nuts and bolts information.

I wanted to love it.  But after devouring it, sat the book down and felt like I had been duped by a great marketing campaign.  I honestly feel bad about writing a bad review like this, but I feel worse about letting unsuspecting would-be buyers waste their time and money.

Not sure how all of these rave reviews ended up here on Amazon, but my guess its the product of good friends, or readers who have are unsophisticated and easily pleased.
2204934
Spoiler alert!
_____________
Oh where to begin... I'm really torn on Infinite (no pun intended). It covers some seriously ambitious material. However, the massive hype, perfect scores and claims of this being the pinnacle of gaming have caused me to voice my opinion in a review... something I don't normally do.

To start, the story as a whole doesn't come near Bioshock or System Shock 2. Despite this, its gets off on a good start and the first act was solid.
Once they start to ramp up and reveal string and quantum theory more as a story premise it begins to falter.
The 'ending' itself is a deus ex machina in my eyes, and the attempt to extend this to the entirety of Bioshock was rather contrived. This frustrated me more than moving me. I've studied quantum physics, so perhaps this is one reason for my impression. I feel as if they ticked the boxes they wanted to cover for the story, but had a hard time filling in the process of how to get to the material within said boxes.
Choice ultimately has no impact. This is 'explained' through quantum theory again, ala Schrodinger's cat. Just more deus ex machina in my eyes; ergo this comes off lazy and frustrating.
Like others have said- this is more of a game on rails (no pun intended) for a pretentious movie that continually forgets itself, its roots and the source material as it proceeds.

I'm a noir fan, so I thought I'd like Booker as an anti-hero, but his motivations are never fully realized. His baptism as the cornerstone and therefore fulcrum of the story is again, rather lackluster and contrived. Using an explanation through very loose and lazy applications of string theory doesn't help.
On the other hand, Elizabeth was a highlight, but again, her implementation was very hit and miss.
Songbird... what the hell happened here? I wanted this character IN the game, but 3 interactions and then its death in Rapture was disappointing.
Ultimately, the atmosphere is not at the level of the other Shock games; despite being drop dead gorgeous and initially powerful. It begins to come apart the more the you realize you are simply a ghost until the guns come out. This works in the other Shocks, but when the environment is living and breathing it falters.

The gameplay is receiving quite a bit of criticism, and I'd have to agree with the negative more than the positive impressions. Its a regression more than an evolution of the Shock series.
As a side note: if you're making excuses for the lackluster gameplay- don't give the game a perfect score. Remember, this is a game.

In the end, the characters, the story and the gameplay had serious potential; but it seemed more concerned about self-masturbation than engaging the player. I left feeling a bit empty and ultimately disappointed.
4311377
The footage in this blu-ray is GREAT. Some parts are extremely impressive in 3D. It's the best 3D content that I've viewed so far. However, the environmentalist message gets old before it even starts. The commentary was disappointing and an utter pain to listen to. I don't know why they couldn't have produced a film that just displays the beauty of the Grand Canyon and its surroundings without having to inject a "beat you over the head" environmentalist message into it. People don't spend money on a 3D setup and a 3D blu-ray to sit though the blu-ray and listen about the supposed bleakness of the Colorado River's future.

The scenery makes it worth sitting through though. In fact, you could just turn on some fitting music and mute the blu-ray's audio, which would do away with the sickening commentary altogether. Overall, I recommend buying this just to view the incredible 3D footage.
1207026
Will buy the next release, but was disappointed.