I started creating websites about 3 or 4 years ago now, but Microsoft Visual Web Developer really sparked my interest. It makes it quite easy for a programmer to create and publish a website. In addition, it provides excellent help topics, examples, and tutorials to help you along the way. Visual Web Developer, or VWD for short, is based on Microsoft’s ASP.NET. This is essentially a new vers...

I bought this TV tuner about 2 year ago because it was quite cheap. I believe I paid about $10 after rebates. This is one of those things where you get what you pay for. The picture quality is mediocre. It’s neither good nor bad. It’s perfectly watchable, but it’s not crisp and clear. The audio and video both work fine. They are synchronized well and all of that too. Via an included adapt...

I got this set on Black Friday for only $40 after rebate. Rocketfish is owned by Best Buy, so I wasn't sure how good this would be. But it was a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse set for only 40 bucks, so I figured I'd get it. I'm glad I did. The keyboard and mouse look pretty cool. The colors are black, silver, and red, so you get a stylish look. The keyboard is pretty big, so it's not extremely...

I got this steering wheel a long time ago, and it’s still works great for me. It only cost me $40 on amazon.com with a rebate, so it was a great deal at the time. I’ve been very impressed with it. The diameter of the wheel is about 10 inches. There are two hand grips on either side with indentations that match your hands. The wheel is quite comfortable, and it’s just the right size for a des...

I bought this flash drive back in the fall of 2007 sometime. I had been wanting a large flash drive, so I decided to go with a 2GB one. I already owned a Cruzer Micro 1GB flash drive and loved it, so this one looked like a good choice. I read reviews and did my homework on it, then decided to purchase it. I paid $25 at Buy.com. The case is one of the best features. As the name implies, it is...

My first cell phone was the Audiovox CDM8910 CDMA Camera Phone. I got it mainly because it was one of the only free phones with a contract at U.S. Cellular at the time. It seemed to be the best one. I have not been nearly as impressed with it as I was at the store though. It seems like a decent phone when you first play with it. The menus are easy to navigate, and for the most part the setti...

First of all, let me say that they are a few spoilers in this review, and I do reveal some of obvious details of the plot. The first time I watched Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, I was literally rolling on the floor with laughter. Jim Carrey has always been on of my favorite actors, and this movie didn’t change that a bit. The movie begins with Ace Ventura (Jim Carrey) pretending to be a del...

I got this USB hub on Christmas of 2006. I’ve been pretty pleased with it. I’ve seen better hubs, but a hub is a hub and this one does the job for a nice price. The biggest thing I didn’t like was that it was quite difficult to plug USB cables and devices into the ports. The ports are very tight, and I had to literally yank the cable or device out. To my satisfaction, the ports began to loos...

To start off, I have to say that this is the most realistic game I have ever played. The graphics, sounds, and game play are all amazing. First, let me talk about the graphics. Each track and car in the game is designed with incredible detail. The cars look exactly like the real car they are based on. Even the headlights have near-perfect detail. The tracks are simply amazing, with real curv...

I got the Centon MP3 Player a couple of years ago. I had not owned an MP3 player before that, and so I was fairly pleased with this one. The size is perfect. It’s not too big so that it gets in the way, but it’s also not so small that you forget it’s with you. The design is nice, but not overly flashy or anything. Who says an MP3 player needs to look really good anyway? If it plays your musi...

Age of Empires II (Gold Edition) is an excellent strategy game for the PC. You get to choose your civilization, then get out there and build a town, defend it, and attack other towns. The goal is wipe out the other civilizations so you rule the world. Game Play The game play is very well done and entertaining. You control just about everything with the mouse in a way that is simple but ef...

This is one of Nintendo’s single most creative games ever made. Not only does it have cute characters that walk around and talk with you, but it uses real time! When you’re not playing, things still happen in your time. Every time the game is started it figures out what happened while you were gone and updates the game before you start playing. If you are wondering what this game is all abou...

I use my Energizer AAA NiMH rechargeable batteries for everything. I use them in radio controlled cars, my MP3 player, flashlights, remotes, etc. They work great and last forever. Modifying and driving radio controlled cars is my hobby, so I need a lot of AAAs. I got a couple packs of these a few years ago, and since then I have gotten 5 or 6 more sets. They last quite a long time in my cars...

I got this phone to replace my last one, which was the Audiovox I reviewed. This phone blows away the Audiovox. This phone is pretty durable. The hinge is strong enough to snap easily. This thing can take some falls (within reasonable height, of course) without breaking. The sound quality is pretty decent. It’s not amazing, but it’s not garbled or fuzzy or anything. It plenty clear enoug...

I use my Rayovac 1 hour charger for all of my NiMH AAA and AA batteries. It has always worked perfectly for me. To date, I have not had any problems with it. This charger indeed fully charges the batteries in about 1 hour. A lot of times they are even done in less time. I’ve had this thing for years now, and it’s performance hasn’t decreased a bit. It can charge 1, 2, 3, or 4 AAA or AA Ni...

This remote is handy tool that every PS2 user should have. It makes it very easy to use the PS2 as a DVD player. You can even turn the PS2 on/off with it. If you have the 5000 series PS2, you can even eject the disc from the remote. The power button only works on the 5000 series PS2 or the slim one. I got mine on eBay a while back for about $12. I love it. I can turn my PS2 on from anywhere ...

This is a great way to get started with programming in Visual Basic. Even if you aren’t a kid, it’s a very useful book. It’s targeted towards kids so the language is simple and it moves somewhat slowly, but it’s still a great start for anyone. Assuming they still provide it, you can get the “demo” of the book for free. It only has a few of the chapters, but it gives you a good idea of whethe...

Connect Four is a classic favorite. This game puts it in electronic form. It’s perfect for the kids on long car trips. The display shows a blue frame that looks similar to the real game. Black and white circles represent you and the computer. They are just like the red and black checkers used in the real thing. To select the column you want your checker to go in, you use the left and rig...

Hangman is fun on paper, but playing an electronic version is even more fun! It’s especially good for the car. The game has a small LCD screen with the man, the letters remaining, and the blanks for the word. The sound can be muted for when those around you are getting annoyed with the sounds. The High Score button shows you the all time high score, which is fun for seeing how well you are d...

Wheel of Fortune is a great game show. But playing it is even better! I got this a long time ago, but it’s still pretty fund to play. It’s easy to use and the puzzles are fun. You can play with up to 2 other people. Or you can play solo against the computer. The category and puzzle are randomly selected, just like on the game show. To spin the wheel, there is a blue slider on the top. You...