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Off-topic – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame DVD
If you’re over 30, you have to buy, rent or borrow the new DVD highlight reel of the induction ceremonies of the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Watching the greats, including Bruce Springsteen, Mick Jagger, Ray Charles, and Neil Young, as well as probably 30 other legends takes you back to dozens of moments in your life, back when we lived through the radio and what it told us we should like. What is most surprising is that the music holds up, the performances are tight and inspired, and you end up feeling like it was all more than just music.
It’s three DVDs and your kids might not sit through all of it, or understand why you like watching these guys screaming and jumping around, but it will give you a close-up view of these performers that will transfix you.
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iPad or Kindle? (video)
Hate me if you want, but I just won a new iPad last weekend. I was speaking at the Modern Media Man Summit and won the bright, shiny object on the first day, immediately enhancing my opinion on the conference, the people around me, and life in general. The iPad is one of those “things” that, when you touch it, brings immediate joy and amazement. I’m not ’90s enough to not see through it and realize how fleeting that joy is, but the first time you hold one in your hands, there is no denying the feeling it brings.
So, iPad or Kindle? Here’s my semi-objective take on the situation.
1. Thing of beauty, lovely to hold, likely enhances people’s perception of you, at least in the short term. I once had a brand new hard-to-get sports car that felt like it had the same effect. Kids would bow to me; pretty girls would yell to me from open windows. Literally. However, it left me wondering if people loved me, or thing surrounding me, and a bit confused at times.
2. Many, many apps and diversions, though much is still iPhone small and fuzzy when you blow it up to full-size.
3. Price at $499 intro is steep. Plus, the “cheapo” version, which I have is only 16G, which is like an iPod nano. It fills up very fast and could not take all of movies or photos without rejecting it all.
1. Highly practical solution for readers. Easier to read in glare, and supposedly easier on eyes after long periods.
2. Lighter weight than iPad, but iPad is so light, it’s hard to believe this is an issue.
3. Boring white, a little like beige computers of the ’90 before Mac reinvented the world. Utilitarian looking, and hard to imagine it inspiring anyone to new heights of poetry or enlightenment. You have to hand it to Apple. When I work with their products, I never feel like it’s the machine that isn’t inspiring. On the other hand, Apple forces me to face up to my own ability to realize the potential they provide me.
4. Cheap! The Kindle is $137 today in September and the rumor is that it will be sub-$100 by Christmas. Nice job, and I think an attractive price point, given that the books you stick into it are still going to be full price and not sharable with other people. (Does that suck or what?).
5. Better at beach and in sun (see ad below). I hate the beach and sun, so what do I care.
Bottom line: If you have the bucks, grab an iPad and experience limitless joy, at least for a short time – until iPad 2 comes out and you feel like a sorry loser for having the “old model.” Buy the one with 64G and bask in your good fortune, though quickly realizing that that still isn’t enough to sync without constantly pruning your collection of old “Gilligan’s Island” reruns.
Second bottom line: If you have kids love to read and who travel, buy them a Kindle for Christmas when prices come down. The Kindle, at a lower price, is a perfect solution to a child carrying 10-15 books in a suitcase. The Kindle allows no game-playing distractions and delivers on its promise. It’s a very practical way to carry lots of books to read on the go.
New Kindle ad. Selling on price not always a great story.
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Handerpants™ – Underpants For Your Hands – is this real?
If they aren’t, they should be. I bet they make a bazillion dollars on joke gifts alone, before they get cocky and lauch “footerpants.”
You have to love some of the uses they imagine for them.
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Stocking stuffer idea or gift for rough and tough dad
The folks at
On the Job Lotion and Cleaners sent me some samples of their products for guys who work with their hands, or guys like me who get stuck with the dirty chores on the weekends. I’ve had a chance to try them and they look pretty good. At a bit under $10, they make a nice gift or stocking stuffer for someone who might not go out and buy something for themselves.
I particularly like their On the Job Hand Lotion, which comes in a pump bottle that mixes lotion with antiseptic. I have very dry hands which are always cracking, especially in the winter. This lotion promises to not only moisturize but also kill 99.99% of germs on contact. This makes it a good alternative to drying bacterial wipes and cleansers that quickly dry out the hands if used very often.
They also make On the Job Hand Armor, which protects the hands and makes it easier to clean up after greasy or messy jobs. They also make a hand cleaner that promises to be hard on messes, but easier on hands, as well as a lip balm
Like the old Lava soap ads, these products look very good for hard jobs and worth a look.
GreatDad.com Review Policy: The featured product for this review was provided to us, at no cost, by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. We do not accept monetary compensation for reviewing or writing about products. We only review products that we have personally tested and used in our own homes, and all opinions expressed are our own.
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New Books for Dads this week: The Baby by James Briggs
Something about The Baby says it’s probably more autobiographical than the author is letting on. The author is English. The main character is English. His girlfriend is French. The girlfriend in the book is French. A you might find that a bit distracting since you’re reading what feels to be of very much true-to-life story about what happens to a typical guy when he hears those classic words, “Honey, I think I’m pregnant.”
The book therefore, reads less like a novel than real life. For future d a with with a him for dads looking for the inside track on what really happens during pregnancy, it’s a good read. There just aren’t enough books out there that deal honestly with all the changes men go through during pregnancy and after childbirth. It’s the life-changing event for all the reasons depicted on TV, but for a lot of reasons no one ever talks about. In the baby you get some ideas about what men really think about women, babies, sex, work, life, and death. Anything that brings little bit more reality to this subject will be good for men and for relationships. The worst thing going into any new adventure, marriage or childbirth included, instead expectation that is either too rosy or too jaded. The Baby may help some men understand that the realities of having a baby are somewhere in between.
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