Rated Best

Best DVD & CD retailer: Deep Discount

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Yes, even in this world of iTunes, Amazon, Hulu, NetFlix, and even BitTorrent, there is still occasionally a need to buy a CD or DVD. It could be a rare item or an import not available on the digital sites. Or it could just be a 45 DVD collection that would be unwieldy via digital delivery. In times like this, I turn to Deep Discount.

Deep Discount has a really great selection, extremely cheap prices, and free shipping on all purchases. So you can buy a single CD or DVD and not have to fill the order up with something else, like you would at Amazon. They even have a low price guarantee, so you can buy with confidence.

Here are a few things I recently bought through Deep Discount (and Amazon's price for comparison):

The West Wing complete collection: $184.78 (Amazon: $209.99)
Get Nack by Ben Folds Five: $16.36 (Amazon: $31.99)
TV Eyes by Jason Falkner: $35.25 (Amazon: $51.99)

As Dan Crevier helpfully points out in the comments, you can get an additional 4% off Deep Discount's already-low price by going through the Live Search Cashback promotion. Just enter the site via this page.

Shop at DeepDiscount.com

Best dog leash: Planet Dog zip lead

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0800

I bought this lead on a whim from a local store that was going out of business. It turns out to have been a great purchase, even at full price.

I've had my share of Flexi-leads over the years. The concept is great, but they are always too big and heavy, and they require you to actively grip it by the handle. The Zip Lead, in contrast, is small, light, and secures around your wrist like a fixed length lead. It can fit into a coat pocket easily, and it can be locked off and used as a fixed lead if needed.

I got the medium one for my dog, and the 10 foot length is perfect. I had previously had an "extra long" lead which went out 20 feet, and that is just too far. It's too easy for the little bugger to get wrapped around a bush, or to get up a good head of steam thereby yanking it clear out of my hand.

Based on my experiences with this product and their clear support of shelter dog adoption, I'm definitely going to check out the other stuff made by Planet Dog.

Get Zip Lead from Amazon

Best digital TV converter box: Channel Master CM-7000

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0800

On February 17, 2009, all over-the-air TV broadcasts will cease transmission in the analog format and switch exclusively to digital. While this doesn't affect those who have cable or satellite TV, it does for everyone else. And as someone who is looking for a way to drop the $60+ monthly bill from DirecTV, it seems like a perfect opportunity to do so.

The US government is helping people out with the switch by providing $40 coupons towards the purchase of a converter box. Granted, these are pretty bare-bones options in this program, but you can't beat the final price of $10-$40. So your first order of business is to request those coupons on their site: https://www.dtv2009.gov

After you wait the 4-6 weeks for the coupon to show up, you're ready to buy your converter box. I consider an S-video output to be an essential feature; Most modern TVs have an S-video input, and it gives a much sharper and richer picture than a coax RF or RCA connection. So that leaves us with just two options: The Apex D250 and the ChannelMaster CM-7000.

From the customer reviews tab on BestBuy.com, it looks like there are serious quality issues with the Apex. The CM-7000 reviews while fewer in number have a more reassuring tenor than Apex. So for me the choice is clear. The cheapest I could find it online is from SolidSignal.com.

Get a CM-7000 from Solid Signal

Best people management book: First Break All the Rules

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0800

A colleague is off to his first official job managing people, and this is the one book I recommended. Really all of the books that Marcus Buckinham has written are good. But this is his first and best.

The thing that makes it so great is the underlying methodology. They studied countless people in a variety of companies, organizations, and workgroups. From that they distilled out the themes that were common among great managers.

At the highest level, it comes down to the people. Spare no expense in finding the right person from the job (or conversely, getting the wrong person out of the job). Once you have them, focus on their talents and strengths, spending as little time as possible mitigating weaknesses. Spend the most time and effort on your best employees. And finally, clearly define the desired outcomes and appropriately reward for achievement. Don't dictate the means by which results are achieved.

If you read only one book about people management in your life, make it this one.

Get First Break All the Rules from Amazon

Best graphic design book: The Non-Designer's Design Book

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0800

I am an interaction designer by trade. I deal mostly with defining the concepts and flows for interacting with a system (like a web site). But the success of my designs are heavily influenced by the visuals of the final implementation. As such, I took it upon myself to learn the basics of graphic design.

I read through a bunch of different books, and found that The Non-Designer's Design Book by Robin Williams was the best. It presents the concepts simply and plainly and uses a lot of illustrated examples.

Since typography is a big part of graphic design, I also recommend you read a book on typography. Luckily, Robin Williams has written just such a book, and there is a single volume that contains both the Design and Type books. This is a must-read for any interaction designer or front-end developer. But anyone who puts together a newsletter or resume or party invitation or greeting card would benefit from it.

Get the Non-Designer's Design Book from Amazon

Best dog walking harness: Gentle Leader Easy Walk

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0800

I've had dogs as both a kid and an adult. I've tried a variety of dog collars and harnesses, and the Gentle Leader Easy Walk is my top pick.

The primary goal is to prevent the dog from pulling. A standard collar does little to dissuade the dog from pulling, and if he pulls to sharply, it can choke him. My dog used to get a bald band around his neck from pulling on his collar. Pinch collars are right out; it is simply animal cruelty.

A standard harness is pretty much optimized for pulling. It's better on the dog than a collar, but with a harness he can really get his weight behind it.

Gentle Leader also makes a device that rests on the top of dog's snout. While it works OK, I can't abide the look of it. It reminds me too much of a muzzle used for a dog who bites. Judging from the body language of passerby, others feel the same way.

The Easy Walk by Gentle Leader fits on much like a standard harness, but it has straps that compress across the dog's chest as he pulls. It's designed to be uncomfortable, but not physically hurt the dog.

Of course the best thing to do is to actually train your dog properly not to pull in the first place. One of these days...

Get a Gentle Leader from Amazon

Best in-shower shampoo dispenser: Aviva Trio

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0800

I've always disliked bottles in the shower. They are slippery, non-ergonomic, and nearly impossible to get the last 5% of the product out without resorting to aggressive human-on-bottle violence.

Life has been a lot better since I installed a shampoo/soap dispenser. I get just the right amount of product using only one hand. I don't have to pick up and put down (and drop, and pick up) a bottle. And I can drain the bottles dry by leaving them upside-down at the top of the dispenser.

I like the Aviva since it has transparent chambers, making it easy to tell when things are running low. It's also compact and a nice neutral color compared with other brands. I have the 3-chamber version, since I use soap, shampoo and conditioner. Although perhaps I should upgrade to the 4 chamber dispenser so I can have my rated best shaving oil in there too.

Get an Aviva Trio dispenser from Amazon

Best meat substitute: Morningstar Farms Meal Starters

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0800

I've been a vegetarian for 9 years and a vegan for 2. Books like The Food Revolution and The China Study are quite convincing in linking animal protein (e.g. meat) to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and a myriad of other health problems. Luckily giving up meat doesn't mean giving up meat-based dishes.

Gardein is a new imitation meat made from wheat and soy protein, and it is really good. The flavor and texture are excellent. So much so that when Yahoo! cafeterias rolled it out last year, the head chef would consistently get two types of email: those praising the fake meat, and those lambasting him for "accidentally" serving real meat by mistake.

Morningstar Farms Meal Starters is Gardein with some additional seasonings marketed at consumers. The big advantage is in distribution. You can get Morningstar Farms' products at almost any major supermarket. If you want to pay a bit less, Trader Joe's also has their own TJ-branded Gardein product.

Meal Starters come in both chicken and steak versions. It definitely works best as a component to a dish. My favorites: add the chicken to a mixed greens salad with balsamic vinaigrette; and combine the steak with grilled onions, peppers, and seasonings wrapped in a tortilla for fajitas.

Get Morningstar Meal Starters at a store near you

Best cordless phone: Panasonic KX-TG1032S

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0800

I recently replaced our aging 5.8GHz cordless phone with this one. It garnered a "Best Buy" from Consumer Reports in their latest cordless phone test, and was rated best cordless phone with answering machine by Consumer Search.

Despite upgrading from 2.4Ghz to 5.8, we had horrible static/interference problems from day 1 with our old phone. In comparison, my new Panasonic is so quiet it sounds like a land line to me. (With DECT 6! Not that any consumer knows or cares what that means. And don't get me started on these consumer unfriendly product names. KX-TG1032S? C'mon.)

The only downside so far is that you can't see the number of messages left on the machine from across the room. All of the UI is done via the LCD display on the handset.

I bought the two-handset package. The base station supports up to six. If you need more handsets, consider the three or four handset packages.

Get a Panasonic KX-TG1032S from Amazon

Best battery charger: La Crosse BC-900

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0800

There's little reason to use disposable batteries anymore. Rechargeable technology has gotten to the point where you can get almost as much power out of them as disposables. And it turns out that the charging process has a pretty big impact on the performance of the batteries.

Most chargers are dumb circuits that simply jam a current through the battery, no matter its current state of charge. This can ruin a perfectly good battery. Enter the BC-900. It not only monitors the charge on the battery, it can do a discharge + recharge cycle, or even a full refresh where the battery is discharged and recharged several times in a row. This can bring back a battery that was rendered unusable via a bad charger.

This unit also has selectable charge rates, so you can choose to charge more quickly at the cost of reducing the lifespan of the battery. It comes with 8 batteries (4 AA and 4 AAA) and 4 C and D cell adapters, so you get a nice start all in one package.

Get a La Crosse BC-900 from Amazon

Best markers for kids: Crayola flip-top

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0800

This is a recommendation from Chris Finne. He has three kids in the 0-4 age range, and has clearly had experience with inferior markers.

These are superior for two important reasons:

They have flip-tops, so the caps never get lost.
Markings will wash off walls and clothes.

Get Crayola Flip-Top Markers from Amazon

Best credit card: Chase Freedom cash back

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0800

I've had a Citi Dividend card for several years now, and naturally I thought that would be the one to recommend. But things have changed and it looks like the general consensus is that the Chase Freedom is currently the best out there.

I pay off my credit card balance every month, so things like APR and late fees don't matter at all. Top concern is a card that is universally accepted (which limits me to Visa or MasterCard), and maximum cash back. The Chase Freedom meets both of these. It's a Visa, and it gives 3% back on your top category purchases, 1% on everything else.

I do not consider cards that give other rewards: airline miles, points, or earmarked funds. It's not worth the hassle of being limited by what I can do with my rewards, even if I do get a slightly better rate. One of my first credit cards was the GM card (along with a Discover card). By the time I figured out I did not want to buy a GM vehicle, I had already build up several hundred dollars worth of useless credit. Never again.

It looks like the American Express Blue Cash card is a good option for those spending large amounts every month. But it doesn't meet my criteria for a universally accepted card. While I do have an AmEx, there are too many places that don't accept it making it not possible to use as my primary card.

Get a Chase Freedom credit card

Best cooperative board game: Pandemic

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0800

I admit it; I know the designer of this game. But that doesn't color my recommendation of the game. Head on over to Board Game Geek and check out the reviews yourself. It's currently ranked 24th, ahead of some really amazing games like Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Modern Art.

What sets this game apart from most others is that all players are working together against the mechanic of the game. You all are trying to cure four diseases before the outbreaks spread out of control. Because of this, it's a lot more interactive than so many games out there (some of which are very nearly parallel games of solitaire). And interactions that do happen are positive. Because of this, it's a good choice for people who aren't serious gamers.

The one drawback of the game is that it only plays up to four players, so it's not good for larger groups.

Get Pandemic from Funagain Games

Best sport energy bar: Clif Bar

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0800

A tasty, healthy energy bar is a staple for me whether I'm traveling, hiking, camping, or just need a snack between meals. Clif Bars are by far the best. On a recent trip to Alaska, I packed about a dozen in my luggage and, along with some dried fruit and roasted nuts, improvised breakfast and lunch. This saved time, money, and hassle in a place where everything is expensive and even just finding vegetarian food is a challenge.

Clif Bars are made with only natural ingredients (70% organic), they are high in vitamins and fiber, relatively low fat, no dairy, and they taste great. There are 18 flavors to choose from, so you're bound to find one you like. My favorite is Cool Mint Chocolate, but I sometimes mix it up with a Black Cherry Almond, Peanut Toffee, or Banana Bread. If you're looking for one with low fat, go for the Apricot.

Other bars I've tried are either too much like a candy bar, with tons of added sugar and preservatives, or they are barely edible, like the PowerBars that inspired Gary Erickson to make a better bar. Plus Clif Bars are widely available. I've seen them in most grocery stores, convenience stores, and even in outdoor stores like REI.

Get Clif Bars from Amazon

Best Music/MP3 store: Amazon

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0800

After a decade of fighting the inevitable, music companies are finally allowing DRM-free purchase of music. Amazon, Rhapsody, and yes even Walmart are the big players. iTunes has a few select tracks, but the vast majority of their music still has copy protection, so I can't recommend it.

Amazon MP3 has the best selection, best prices, best customer service, and is the easiest to use. The songs sound great encoded at 256kps, and they all include full meta-data and album art. MP3s have many advantages over CDs: instant gratification, only buying the songs you want, and it's better for the environment. They do require a special Downloader application when buying multiple songs, but I found this makes the purchase experience extremely easy.

Rhapsody launched their service last week to great fanfare, but as I discovered first hand, it comes up short. I cannot recommend nor even use Walmart, as they support neither Firefox nor the Mac.

As is typical of all MP3 stores, you cannot download a purchased song more than once. Thus, I highly recommend that you back up your music immediately after purchasing it. There are online storage sites like Microsoft's SkyDrive which are perfect for this.

If you are looking for some music that isn't part of the MP3 store yet, you can always fall back on buying a CD. Amazon has an amazing selection, and you can often find really good deals in the used & new section. In some cases, you can buy a used CD for 1¢ plus $2.98 shipping.

Get Music from Amazon