Good yes, but could be even better.
594259
Why not five stars? Well, because this book could be much better. It is not bad, and if you know that your future employer uses C++, by all means, get it. But what if your future employer (as many) believe that C++ is so 1990s that they will wince when you begin in C++? (Of course, there is nothing wrong with C++ at all, but it is 'old' and thus discriminated against for no reason). You could of course, go to the website and download the Java code --and this book does have all answers posted in Java. Now, Java is also not new, and folks would rather have you code in Python or Ruby during the interview, but Java gets more respect than C++ (though of course, both languages can be excellent choices depending on the task and programmer).

So, among all of the sycophants reviewing here, some sound advice for new versions:

1. A Java edition, in addition to C++.
2. Python code anyone?
3. More graphs, many more graphs and illustrations.
4. Please stop presenting the problem, and then having us flip to the answer hundred of pages later. Just put them all together and explain. Trust your reader to develop their own solutions if they want. In fact, almost everyone wants to memorize the solution presented in the book, for better or worse, or has no idea on how to proceed (without hints) and needs to flip and read the solutions anyway.

And above all, separate algorithms from code implementations. Treat the former in pure form, then code. That is much more helpful than reading in C++, figure out the algorithm, and rewrite it in C (yes many places prefer C over C++, 'to see if you can code without syntactic sugar,' or perhaps because the interviewer is not that grounded on OO and classes and C++) or in Python or Ruby, or (arghhhhh some will say) in Javascript. (Yes, you need to target the code preferred by the interviewer and, for better or worse, is is not always C++).

With these and many books like this, you start getting the feeling that they are marketed and even written to feed on the fear of technical folk during the interview process and teach algorithms generally completely out of relevance to most day to day software engineering. Or bought by interviewers that really do not trust themselves to ask algorithms relevant to their daily work. But, like it or not, all interviewers should review a book like this, and learn from it.

Instead of only poring over books like these, become a better engineer, not just a coder of arcane algorithms, by getting yourself some excellent algorithm books, such as Cormen's or even Knuth's if you really are not scared by math and want to be "real hard core," and learn real computer science while you develop a good eye to the math and the wisdom to select functional algorithms in context. (I think Cormen et al is much much easier to read if you ask me, even though the text is long).
1233671
Good, but there's a few things they could fix.  The construction is a bit strange, you have to unscrew a screw to replace batteries, and the on / off button is hard to find at night.

It works good during the day with cars with a lot of window tint.

If this was rechargeable, with a USB cord to charge it, and if the on/off button was easier to find this could be the best thing since the slimjim.  However until they make a 2.0 version that fixes these things, it's not quite up to the greatness level.

It is better then flashlight in mouth method though.
1293341
Overall I like this case but there are just a couple things that could be made better. 1st is the stand. I know you want it to be durable as it says but I bent back my thumbnail so bad, it even started bleeding, while trying to open it the first time. Eventually I had to use my stainless steel letter opener to pry it open and I gave it a bunch of scratch marks. Since then I can only kinda close one side to be able to open again without tools. 2nd and final improvement would be the screen protector is just a bit too small. the cut outs for the camera and everything are positioned right but there is a good size gap between the screen and the case so after a while it gathers crumbs/hair/dust/ etc and if these bubbles keep getting bigger around the edges then I'll have to just remove and toss it. In the future maybe a full screen encasing the phone instead of a stick-on thing? Overall I love the durability and I have already dropped it with no damage done to my phone so thank you for that. It looks kinda awesome too and my boyfriend wants one for his phone now.
3223643
This is a great concept doomed to fail in meeting high expectations, I know.  This will turn your iPad into a microscope but of course it will never be as good as a real microscope.  But isn't it great to be able to multi-task your stuff and spare the need to buy and store a microscope that you'll maybe use once a year, until your kids discover YouTube?  But the result isn't quite as good as a microscope, but I think pretty close.  AND you get to take pictures of what you did with your iPad.

So my 13-year-old sciency son was able to assemble this all on his own.  There's a QR code (remember QR codes?)  that takes you to a decent and helpful video on how to assemble but he didn't need it.  When assembled the platform and support seem like they don't quite fit into the box - maybe just 1/8th inch too tall.  That's annoying.

You get a large poster that seems unnecessary.  Ravensburger is inspiring you to go out and collect samples to examine.  This is the hardest part and I would have preferred that they give us one prepared slide so we can have a control of how good the device works.  Instead it's late Saturday night and I'm pulling out oregano leaves and hoping we get a good result, all while trying to make this work for the first time.

Ultimately I think the results are good.  See my photos of a quarter and some kosher salt, under the two magnifications provided.  I would recommend look at the item under low mag first and then add more mag.  I wish I had something biological to look at.

There's an onboard light provided.  Our second generation iPad doesn't have one I think.  Even though we have an Otterbox around the iPad it worked fine.  I think it comes down to using the focus knob to get a good result.  I'm curious if removing the Otterbox (not a trivial undertaking) would improve the results.

So 4 stars for not quite fitting in the box, providing a useless poster, and not giving us a sample slide as a control.  This is a great idea and every kid with an iPad should have this to go with it!
2210177
I've had my Kindle for a couple of weeks now, but held off on reviewing to get a better understanding of its high points and low points.  I'm sure most of my thoughts have already been covered by the 1000+ reviews posted, but wanted to add my drop of water to this growing stream of feedback.

Overall, I've enjoyed the Kindle experience, hence three stars.  However, there is definitely room for improvement as one would expect w/ any 1.0 release.  In particular, from my point of view, the Kindle is great if you fit the following profile: 1) Read multiple books simultaneously, 2) Read books that tend to be lengthy, 3) Travel frequently, and 4) Are comfortable being an early adopter.  If you fall into one or more of these categories, then you'll probably be okay w/ the Kindle, but the device itself is not going to blow anyone away.

In particular the the physical design is a bit on the clunky side.  The now infamous "turn page" buttons are the primary shortcoming I've run into.  They are very easy to hit and unlike a paper book, it's often cumbersome to "flip" around to find where you were when you set the Kindle down and inadvertently move to a new page.  Short of some firmware upgrade that changes the way the button clicks execute, this issue won't be addressed until a full redesign takes place.  In addition, the included case is a bit chintzy.  It can be a chore to get the Kindle lodged just so to avoid it falling out.  Once you get it situated it's not too bad, but it should be much easier.  Hopefully this will be addressed by after market accessory makers.

Another aspect of the Kindle some may find annoying is the screen refresh.  Every time you turn a page, the screen flashes black momentarily, then renders the text on the new page.  I personally haven't found this to be distracting, but others that I've allowed to play w/ the device have commented on it.  On the upside, the display is very crisp and easy to read as one would expect from an eInk device.

Speaking of positives, there are quite a few.

Far and away is the wireless capability and online store component.  It's very well put together and easy to navigate to available content.  Maybe too easy...I can see how you could blow through some serious cash with no effort.  Some have concerns about coverage based on their location and that's valid.  If you're in a large metro area, you're probably good to go.  If not, check the coverage map on the Kindle page to figure out if you'll be driving to the nearest Interstate to download a book.

Battery life w/ the wireless turned off is fantastic.  I've can go about a week w/ fairly regular reading before having to charge.  You really only need the wireless to shop and search Wiki / online content, so not critical to the experience most of the time.

Obviously the size when compared to most hardcovers is a bonus.  It's much smaller and lighter, making it a boon to frequent travelers.  Most of the books I read tend to be long and that usually means leaving them at home on road trips, which means it takes me about a year to finish a book.

On balance I'm happy w/ the Kindle.  However, the Kindle is best suited to books and it's experience is built around them.  The blog / newspaper content doesn't seem as well suited to the format.

So, if you want an alternative to lugging around bulky hardcovers and the ability to access new reads from most locations, the Kindle's for you.  If you want an iPod like device that does a bunch of other stuff, you'll want to pass.  The Kindle is a reading device first and foremost.

I give it five stars for convenience, but until the design flaws are addressed, I can't give it five overall.  Three stars for now, but w/ tons of upside potential.
2384915
Really good. Could be better, but is way better than nothing. Septuagint based OT and Orthodox commentary help converts like me to break old Protestant habits, but not enough in some places.
1076073
I like the holster alright, but it can be improved. First off, it would be nice if it had a pocket for the extra pellet clips, and if there was an easy way of attaching to hip. Also, the gun does fit in it, and feels a bit safer when in it, but I really wish it would go all the way in and the trigger didn't show at all. The strap that goes on back of gun is helpful, but putting everything missing and quality of holster, and comparing to price plus shipping, I would say it's probably not worth it. Happy shopping.
1626230
It's good but it could use more details and tell how to read the book correctly.... and add a little more color.
4482887
While there's room for improvement, there's few (if any) alternatives for an Aquaponics system of this scale and quality. This is a good product. Let me tell you a few of the things I wanted to know before the purchase. First, here are some things the kit DOES include: the black planter that surrounds the tank, substrate to put in the planter, water pump, hoses, fittings, a timer, and a light bar. Second, you should keep in mind what this kid does not include: a light, a tank, water heater, water testing kit, or any other aquarium stuff. You will also need some form of gear to sprout seeds or cuttings to be planted  into the system.

While all of the manufactured parts are light and made of relatively inexpensive materials, the kit looks rather nice and professional once setup. The sound of the water running through the system is akin to having a fountain in the room. I suspect some plumbing exntensions could reduce the noise. The light bar is adequate and looks nice enough, but I wish I could extend it about a foot higher to make better use of my light. It's taken some practice, but I currently have a balance of glowfish and shrimp in the tank and some basil, lettuce, and spinach in the grow bed and the tank seems to be staying clean and the plants are staying green.

For Makers: One great bonus is that the legs are hollow, leaving room for some IoT hardware if you're looking to add automation or monitoring to your system. I'm planning to mount a camera pointed into the tank so I can live stream my fish around the home network.
3694558
I liked this well enough.  The story is good but I can see potential for it being better and hope that will happen for the sequel.
4891734
I have been playing games passionatly for 20 years now. I gave this three stars not because its a bad product but because it could be so much better. The box this controller comes in is great. Can't beat it for the price. The controller itself is sturdy, it can take a beating. But it always feels like plastic in your hands. The d pad and the face buttons are super squishy which is a real dissapointment. However the L and R shoulder buttons are fantastic which is really weird but Ill take it! The rest of the buttons are okay to decent. This comes with a really nice Nintendo great flat usb cord. What needs to be better is how this thing connects to devices. You have to turn it on with different button combinations, look at the lights, reset it, turn it off, turn it back on, and all sorts of weird things to get it to work. Its better than a lot of other devices in that its bluetooth is actually reliable and the latency is pretty good (could still be better). And its stand is actually usful and attractive. It also comes with a keychain thing which is a really nice touch. The firmware gets updates every now and then which is nice, but the software itself is clunky and unresponsive. Overall its great to have, but I don't know if i would have bought after seeing it in person.
542834
Very neat, but it could have a better finish touch. Very pleased though!
4148523
Surprisingly warm and protective.  The touchscreen contact area should be tighter-conforming, completely seamless, and more sensitive.  The contact are should also extend over the top of each finger.  Pretty good overall, but would be much better with the above improvemnents
4477348
Bought this a couple of years ago, and generally it is excellent.  Almost perfect.  Almost.

The problem is that only two of the corners, where the metal rods push into and stretch the material taut, are reinforced with little velcro strips that fold over the ends.  I think these are there to allow the ends to slip out of those sides for assembly, and then you tighten the velcro to hold the rods in place.  On the other side, the pocket just ends, and presumably the rods will stay put there.  Problem is, since it is a high pressure point, the rods eventually poke through the fabric there.  In one corner, the rod has completely popped out, and in the other a hole is forming, and it won't be long now.

Will be taking it in to my local seamstress to see if she can fix and reinforce it.  Would be a lot better if it gets slightly redesigned to make the corners more robust.  Hopefully the folks at Fotodiox read these reviews.  If that improvement happens, I will buy a second one immediately.
3553705
I used "German in 32 Lessons" when learning German, and found it superior in many ways to other introductory books (and I looked at a lot of them).
However, there are a number of shortcomings which make it less useful than it could be--shortcomings that could be easily remedied.  First, there needs to be a section in the front of the book on pronunciation.  Second, there needs to be an alphabetical list of vocabulary words in the back of the book.  Third, it needs to be updated, some of the slang is a little outdated.  Fourth, it would be great if it had an accompanying cassette or CD.
If these four things were done, I think it would be BY FAR the best introductory language book on the market.  It has great strengths--logical, bite-sized lessons, useful vocabulary, clear explanations of important grammar.  But it needs a bit of tweaking.  Adrienne, are you listening?  W.W. Norton & Company, are you listening?  Please update the whole series.
2893075
Good idea, but some upgrades would be nice. (water seems to empty too fast, design a little clumsy, and also a little bit cheap feeling) but other than bent brissels, has held together fairly well. As with all wire brushes, be extra careful to make sure individual needles that fall out are not left on your grill.
3260067
There's a few things that can be improved with this :

1. I prefer tactile buttons instead of a touch sensitive surface
2. Indication that timer has been enabled - and an indication of how much time before it goes off would be great
3. The first arm cannot be adjusted much, meaning you can't have the light very low. Other than that, it's very adjustable.

A remote control would have been absolutely perfect, but that would be asking for too much at this price point.

I like the ability to change light temperature, brightness level is useful, and USB port is very convenient. It also remembers the last color temperature that was chosen. An attractive and well built lamp. But I'd really like tactile buttons.