<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Level Up House</title> <atom:link href="/category/reviews/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link></link> <description>Home is the best place on earth</description> <lastBuildDate>Wed, 11 Jun 2014 18:40:02 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5</generator> <item> <title>Thing I Like: D-Link Wi-Fi Cloud Camera Review – Spy on your Home!</title> <link>/2014/thing-like-d-link-wi-fi-cloud-camera-review-home-surveillance/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 11 Jun 2014 18:18:43 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Gadgets for the Home]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category> <category><![CDATA[cameras]]></category> <category><![CDATA[D-Link]]></category> <category><![CDATA[gadgets]]></category> <category><![CDATA[home surveillance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[home tech]]></category> <category><![CDATA[review]]></category> <category><![CDATA[security]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Wi-Fi]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=3129</guid> <description><![CDATA[For a long time, I dismissed home security products as evidence of suburban paranoia run amok. Who wants to dig through archive footage to figure out which neighbor’s dog pooped in your yard? Eh.. not me. But then my dad went down the home surveillance rabbit hole and got me hooked, too. I now have three D-Link Wi-Fi […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_3142" style="width: 160px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Day_Night_DCS_932L.jpg"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3142" class="wp-image-3142" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Day_Night_DCS_932L.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="221" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Day_Night_DCS_932L.jpg 830w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Day_Night_DCS_932L-203x300.jpg 203w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Day_Night_DCS_932L-694x1024.jpg 694w" sizes="(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3142" class="wp-caption-text">Palm-sized and lightweight, D-Link Cloud cameras let you spy on your home – even in the dark.</p></div> <p>For a long time, I dismissed home security products as evidence of suburban paranoia run amok.</p> <p><em>Who wants to dig through archive footage to figure out which neighbor’s dog pooped in your yard? Eh.. not me.</em></p> <p>But then my dad went down the home surveillance rabbit hole and got me hooked, too. I now have three D-Link Wi-Fi cameras and I think they’re super awesome. I spy on the dog, check that I put the dinner away, and confirm that I closed the garage door. Mundane stuff, sure, but having “eyes” everywhere is awesome.</p> <p>Read on to learn more about these great little cameras and find out which one is best for <strong>you</strong>.</p> <p><em><strong>PS:</strong> I wasn’t paid or perked to write this review, and I do actually own and use these cameras! The camera shots you’ll see in this review are mine. I’m just a tech enthusiast searching for the best gizmos and gadgets for her home, so if you see an error let me know.</em></p> <p><em>The links in this article are Amazon Affiliate links. Purchases made through these links help support this site at no additional cost to you. Read my <a href="/about/privacy-policy-and-disclosures/">affiliate disclosure here</a>. </em></p> <p><em> Please enjoy and share this review. :)</em></p> <p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-3204 aligncenter" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_Review.jpg" alt="DLink_Camera_Review" width="500" height="500" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_Review.jpg 500w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_Review-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_Review-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_Review-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></p> <h1>D-Link Wi-Fi Cloud Camera Review</h1> <p>Home surveillance via little Wi-Fi cameras isn’t so much about trying to catch a crook, it’s about <strong>keeping an eye on things.</strong></p> <ul> <li>Did you leave the garage door open?</li> <li>Who is ringing the doorbell?</li> <li>What are the kids doing in the yard?</li> <li>Is the dog on the couch or chewing up the rug?</li> <li>Did you leave the medicine out?</li> <li>Is the kitchen on fire?</li> <li>Is the basement flooding?</li> </ul> <p>At just $45-$100 a pop, it’s easy to get hooked. My Wi-Fi cameras have been in action for 2 months now, and I LOVE checking my “spy network” when I’m away.</p> <div id="attachment_3136" style="width: 259px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_At_Window.jpg"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3136" class="wp-image-3136" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_At_Window.jpg" alt="D-Link Wi-Fi Cloud Camera watching out a window" width="249" height="332" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_At_Window.jpg 384w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_At_Window-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 249px) 100vw, 249px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3136" class="wp-caption-text">I spy with my little camera… a yard.</p></div> <h2>Why D-Link? D-Link vs. Dropcam</h2> <div id="attachment_3165" style="width: 244px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006P88VSE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B006P88VSE&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20" rel="nofollow"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3165" class="wp-image-3165" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Dropcam_Wifi_Camera.jpg" alt="Dropcam_Wifi_Camera" width="234" height="234" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Dropcam_Wifi_Camera.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Dropcam_Wifi_Camera-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Dropcam_Wifi_Camera-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Dropcam_Wifi_Camera-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 234px) 100vw, 234px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3165" class="wp-caption-text"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006P88VSE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B006P88VSE&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20" rel="nofollow">Dropcam</a> is a feature-packed alternative to the D-Link cameras, but be careful not to buy more features than you need.</p></div> <p>Rapid adoption of broadband and smartphones opened the home monitoring floodgates! There are a<em> ton</em> of brands to choose from, but the major players in the “inexpensive home surveillance” category right now are D-Link, Dropcam, Samsung, and Linksys. Which one you choose basically comes down to your budget and your desired features.</p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F9FCW7K/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00F9FCW7K&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20" rel="nofollow">Dropcam</a>, for instance, is another popular home surveillance camera manufacturer, but Dropcams is aimed at a rather sophisticated and upscale ($$$) market. Dropcams are cool, don’t get me wrong – they offer a plethora of great features: remote zoom, tilt, two-way talk, high def video, additional motion-detection sensors, easy wall mounting, and off-site recording as an option. If you don’t need those features, though, there’s no point in paying for them – and you can get 3 or 5 of the most basic D-Link cameras for the cost of <em>one</em> Dropcam(!).</p> <p>I didn’t need Dropcam’s bells and whistles, and I’d rather have 3 good enough cameras instead of one overkill camera, so I went with D-Link.</p> <h3>D-Link Camera Features & Advantages</h3> <ul> <li><strong>Inexpensive:</strong> Seriously, the cheapest one is around $35. Dropcams start around $125. (Prices fluctuate, check Amazon for the current price.)</li> <li><strong>Well reviewed: </strong>The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00452V66G/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00452V66G&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20" rel="nofollow">D-Link DCS-930L</a> is <strong>Amazon’s #1 best seller</strong> in the Home Security Systems category</li> <li><strong>Mix and match options to suit your needs</strong>: Day or Day/Night, Wi-Fi repeater, recording to on-camera memory, two-way speakers, remote viewing angle adjustment</li> <li><strong>Adjustable camera head:</strong> It stays put, too.</li> <li><strong>Extend Wi-Fi network range:</strong> Boost your router’s Wi-Fi signal to the furthest corners of your house</li> <li><strong>iOS / Android app:</strong> It’s free and it works great.</li> <li><strong>Easy setup: </strong>Installation details further down</li> </ul> <p><strong>PS:</strong> If you’re just getting started with home monitoring, you’ll want to buy all your cameras in the same “family” so you can use 1 app to check them all. Try to choose a brand family that will meet your needs for years to come.</p> <h2>How does it work?</h2> <p>Once your camera is set up, it streams live video that you can access via the web portal (<a href="https://www.mydlink.com/entrance">http://mydlink.com</a>) and/or via the free iOS/Android app. The video stream looks good and updates every second or so.</p> <p>This 6 minute video by Lon Seidman takes you on a tour of the camera’s features. Most of these features are shared by all D-Link Wi-Fi cameras. (Caution: bad music!)</p> <p><iframe loading="lazy" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CreyAoWjk3w" width="640" height="390" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <h2>Mix and Match Features</h2> <p>D-Link makes a big variety of cameras, giving you the flexibility to buy only the features you want.</p> <p>For example, if you just want to check on your dog while you’re out during the day the inexpensive DCS-930L is all you need. If you want to set up a full-fledged home surveillance network, you can buy several remotely controllable cameras and use the built-in D-Link software to watch their feeds simultaneously.</p> <p><em>** denotes the models I personally use.</em></p> <table id="tablepress-7" class="tablepress tablepress-id-7"> <thead> <tr class="row-1 odd"> <th class="column-1"><b>Model</b></th><th class="column-2"><b>Night Vision</b></th><th class="column-3"><b>Wi-Fi Repeater</b></th><th class="column-4">Remote Pan/Tilt</th><th class="column-5">Description</th><th class="column-6"><b>Approx. Price</b></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody class="row-hover"> <tr class="row-2 even"> <td class="column-1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://leveluphouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/icon_DCS_930L.jpg" alt="" width="74" height="104" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3175" /></br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00452V66G/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00452V66G&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">DCS-930L</a> **</td><td class="column-2">No</td><td class="column-3">No</td><td class="column-4">No</td><td class="column-5">Inexpensive home monitoring</td><td class="column-6">$</td> </tr> <tr class="row-3 odd"> <td class="column-1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://leveluphouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/icon_DCS_931L.jpg" alt="" width="74" height="104" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3182" /></br><br /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00452V66G/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00452V66G&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">DCS-931L</a> **<br /> </td><td class="column-2">No</td><td class="column-3"><b>Yes</b></td><td class="column-4">No</td><td class="column-5">Day cam with Wi-Fi range extender</td><td class="column-6">$</td> </tr> <tr class="row-4 even"> <td class="column-1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://leveluphouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/icon_DCS_932L.jpg" alt="" width="74" height="104" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3176" /></br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004P8K24W/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004P8K24W&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">DCS-932L</a> **</td><td class="column-2"><b>Yes</b> - 15 feet</td><td class="column-3">No</td><td class="column-4">No</td><td class="column-5">Day/night without Wi-Fi range extension</td><td class="column-6">$$</td> </tr> <tr class="row-5 odd"> <td class="column-1"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://leveluphouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/icon_DLink_DCS_933L.jpg" alt="" width="74" height="104" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3183" /></br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00452V66G/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00452V66G&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">DCS-933L</a></td><td class="column-2"><b>Yes</b> - 15 feet</td><td class="column-3"><b>Yes</b></td><td class="column-4">No</td><td class="column-5">Day/night with Wi-Fi range extension</td><td class="column-6">$$</td> </tr> <tr class="row-6 even"> <td class="column-1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://leveluphouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/icon_DCS_942L.jpg" alt="" width="74" height="104" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3194" /></br><br /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0061MU0A6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0061MU0A6&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">DCS-942L</a></td><td class="column-2"><b>Yes</b> - 15 feet</td><td class="column-3">No</td><td class="column-4">No</td><td class="column-5">Day/night with <b>on-camera microSD video recording</b></td><td class="column-6"></td> </tr> <tr class="row-7 odd"> <td class="column-1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://leveluphouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/icon_DCS_5010L.jpg" alt="" width="74" height="104" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3180" /></br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CR0JAT8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CR0JAT8&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">DCS-5010L</a></td><td class="column-2"><b>Yes</b> - 26 feet</td><td class="column-3">No</td><td class="column-4"><b>Yes</b></td><td class="column-5">Day/night with app-controlled pan/tilt</td><td class="column-6">$$$</td> </tr> <tr class="row-8 even"> <td class="column-1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://leveluphouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/icon_DCS_5010L_black.jpg" alt="" width="74" height="104" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3179" /></br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CR0JAT8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CR0JAT8&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">DCS-5010L</a></td><td class="column-2"><b>Yes</b> - 26 feet</td><td class="column-3"><b>Yes</b></td><td class="column-4"><b>Yes</b></td><td class="column-5">Day/night with app-controlled pan/tilt and Wi-Fi range extension</td><td class="column-6">$$$</td> </tr> <tr class="row-9 odd"> <td class="column-1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://leveluphouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/icon_DLink_DCS_2332L.jpg" alt="" width="74" height="104" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3184" /></br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CKJ2MIM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CKJ2MIM&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">DCS-2332L</a></td><td class="column-2"><b>Yes</b> - 15 feet</td><td class="column-3">No</td><td class="column-4">No</td><td class="column-5">Day/night with rugged casing for outdoor use</td><td class="column-6">$$$</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <!-- #tablepress-7 from cache --> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=DLink%20Wi-FI%20wireless%20camera&linkCode=ur2&rh=n%3A172282%2Ck%3ADLink%20Wi-FI%20wireless%20camera&tag=leveluphouse-20&url=search-alias%3Delectronics" rel="nofollow">Search Amazon for the model(s) you’re interested in</a> to see current prices and stock.</p> <h2>Wireless & Wi-Fi Range Extension</h2> <p>All the D-Link cloud camera models are designed to work with your existing Wi-Fi network. You can use a wired Ethernet connection if you prefer, although the provided cable is very short.</p> <p>Some of D-Link’s cameras offer Wi-Fi range extension. This extends the reach of your home’s existing Wi-Fi network and works for all devices (not just more cameras). I <strong>love</strong> this feature, since my home is rather wide and my Wi-Fi router is in the far end of it.</p> <p>Alas, this also means that if your Internet connection or power goes down, so do your cameras.</p> <h2>Great Image Quality</h2> <p>The DLink Cloud Camera image quality is high enough for my uses. Here’s a few sample shots taken at 640 x 480 (click to see full size):</p> <div id="attachment_3131" style="width: 444px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Wifi_Camera_Outside_image_quality.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3131" class="wp-image-3131" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Wifi_Camera_Outside_image_quality.jpg" alt="DLink Wifi Camera review" width="434" height="325" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Wifi_Camera_Outside_image_quality.jpg 640w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Wifi_Camera_Outside_image_quality-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 434px) 100vw, 434px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3131" class="wp-caption-text">Me in my yard, as seen by a D-Link camera I placed in a second story window.</p></div> <div id="attachment_3146" style="width: 442px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_Watching_Dog.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3146" class="wp-image-3146" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_Watching_Dog.jpg" alt="DLink_Camera_Watching_Dog" width="432" height="324" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_Watching_Dog.jpg 640w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_Watching_Dog-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3146" class="wp-caption-text">Watching the dog from across the living room with a daylight-only D-Link camera. (Gadget is good at avoiding the protective blankets, it seems.)</p></div> <div id="attachment_3147" style="width: 442px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/dlink_camera_front_yard.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3147" class="wp-image-3147" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/dlink_camera_front_yard.jpg" alt="dlink_camera_front_yard" width="432" height="324" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/dlink_camera_front_yard.jpg 640w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/dlink_camera_front_yard-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3147" class="wp-caption-text">Watching the driveway and front steps with a D-Link camera placed in the front window.</p></div> <h2>Spy into Darkness</h2> <p>D-Link cloud cameras can see in total darkness up to 15 feet or 26 feet, depending on the model. Cameras that support night vision automatically flip their lens and LEDs as the room’s brightness levels change. The lens changeover is audible, so be careful placing day/night cams into rooms where the clicking sound would annoy you.</p> <p>Here’s how night vision looks in a very dark room:</p> <div id="attachment_3150" style="width: 443px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Night_Camera_Shot.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3150" class="wp-image-3150" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Night_Camera_Shot.jpg" alt="D-Link Wi-Fi Cloud Camera Review Night Vision Test" width="433" height="325" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Night_Camera_Shot.jpg 640w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Night_Camera_Shot-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 433px) 100vw, 433px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3150" class="wp-caption-text">My dog walks past the family room camera in near-darkness.</p></div> <p>The only light is coming from the camera’s LEDs and the dim lamp at the far end of the room. The camera makes the room look MUCH brighter than it was in real life.</p> <h2>Recording Capabilities</h2> <div id="attachment_3186" style="width: 170px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/sandisk_micro_32GB_card.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3186" class="wp-image-3186" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/sandisk_micro_32GB_card.jpg" alt="sandisk_micro_32GB_card" width="160" height="122" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/sandisk_micro_32GB_card.jpg 500w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/sandisk_micro_32GB_card-300x229.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3186" class="wp-caption-text">Some DLink cameras support recording to a removable <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009QZH7BU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009QZH7BU&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20" rel="nofollow">SD card</a>.</p></div> <p>I haven’t really felt the need to record what my cameras see for later review (I just watch in realtime), but all the DLink Wi-Fi cameras can be configured via DLink’s software to save footage to a hard drive.</p> <p>Or! You can a model that supports on-camera recording, like the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004P8K24W/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004P8K24W&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20&linkId=A4UZVPEWO23W4AGU" rel="nofollow">DCS-942L model</a>. You can stick a 32GB MicroSD card into this bad boy and record an entire weekend worth of (low frame rate) footage.</p> <h1>101 Uses for Wi-Fi Cameras</h1> <p>At first I was like… “What am I going to do with a camera? I don’t want to sit and watch my yard all day.”</p> <p>Then I realized the power of pointing the camera <em>into</em> the house.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Inside garage:</strong> Check if you left the garage door open! We do this a lot…</li> <li><strong>Kitchen:</strong> Confirm that food and medicine got put away, even if you’re out of the house. Or watch the oven timer. Or see if that pot’s boiling yet. (I also found out my dog likes to inspect the garbage can when I’m not around.)</li> <li><strong>Living room:</strong> Keep an eye on your dog/kids/spouse.</li> <li><strong>Basement:</strong> Is that storm sending water into the basement? Or did you just leave the lights on?</li> <li><strong>Nursery:</strong> Watch baby sleep (I don’t have a baby, but if I did I’d would totally use one to watch said baby.)</li> <li><strong>General peace of mind.</strong> Confirm that the house did not, in fact, burn down while you are away on vacation. Yay!</li> </ul> <p><strong>I found a few outdoor uses, too. </strong>(By <em>“outdoor</em>” I mean <em>“the camera is inside and pointed out a window”</em>. Note that night vision does <strong>not</strong> work when pointed through a window.)</p> <ul> <li><strong>Neighborhood spy cam:</strong> What was that noise? If you’re at your computer, keep a browser tab open to show the live feed. (Spoiler: noise was probably another FedEx truck going by.)</li> <li><strong>Pool:</strong> Keep an eye on your backyard pool</li> <li><strong>Yard surveillance:</strong> Did you leave the gate open? What are the kids doing out there? A camera pointed into the yard makes it easy to check.</li> <li><strong>Pointed out window towards front door:</strong> If your house’s layout allows for it, you can use your cam to see who’s at the door.</li> </ul> <p>I can only imagine how much less crap my sister and I would have gotten away with as kids if my mom had access to a network of these little spy cameras. D-Link cloud cameras would also be great for checking on elderly parents, pets, children, contractors, and babysitters.</p> <h1>myDlink App</h1> <p>The companion viewing app is called “myDlink Lite” (here’s <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mydlink-lite/id372571229?mt=8">a link to the iOS version of the app</a>). The app is great. It’s simply laid out, the layout is easy to navigate, and I’ve been impressed by its ability to stream (very choppy) video over even the crappiest 1-bar 3G.</p> <ul> <li>Works in horizontal or vertical format</li> <li>Manually switch into “night vision” mode</li> <li>Save a snapshot (to your phone) of what you’re currently seeing</li> <li>Access all of your home’s cameras</li> <li>Listen to audio feed (or mute it)</li> </ul> <div id="attachment_3197" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_App.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3197" class="wp-image-3197" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_App.jpg" alt="DLink_Camera_App" width="590" height="437" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_App.jpg 1296w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_App-300x222.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_App-1024x758.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3197" class="wp-caption-text">Access any of your cameras remotely via D-Link’s free smartphone app.</p></div> <h1>What’s in the box?</h1> <p><strong>In the box:</strong> D-Link camera, power adapter with a nice long cord, a short white Ethernet cable, and instruction/advertisement booklets.</p> <div id="attachment_3148" style="width: 527px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Cloud_Camera_Box_Contents.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3148" class="wp-image-3148" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Cloud_Camera_Box_Contents.jpg" alt="DLink_Cloud_Camera_Box_Contents" width="517" height="388" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Cloud_Camera_Box_Contents.jpg 640w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Cloud_Camera_Box_Contents-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 517px) 100vw, 517px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3148" class="wp-caption-text">DLink Cloud Camera 1100 (DCS-932L) box contents.</p></div> <div id="attachment_3132" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3132" class="wp-image-3132 size-full" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_Parts.jpg" alt="DLink Wifi Camera" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_Parts.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DLink_Camera_Parts-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /><p id="caption-attachment-3132" class="wp-caption-text">D-Link camera with power cord and included Ethernet cable.</p></div> <h2>Installation</h2> <p>Trouble with installation is the cause of many (if not most) of the camera’s negative Amazon reviews. My tips for a smooth camera installation:</p> <p>1.<strong> Triple check your Wi-Fi password.</strong> The installation fails silently if the password is entered wrong. Pretty dumb that it can’t say “hey bonehead, your password is wrong!”, so watch out for that.</p> <p>2. <strong>Access the camera directly via its IP address.</strong> Even if you’re having trouble with the installation itself, you might be able to access the camera directly. Go to your router’s control panel (usually accessed via 192.168.0.1) to see a list of connected devices, or start guessing IPs and you might be able to access the camera’s own control panel. My cameras, for example, ended up being something like 192.168.0.7 and 192.168.0.12.</p> <p>3. <strong>Call D-Link’s support line.</strong> They’re actually well-trained and English-speaking. They helped my not-so-technical dad through the installation of his cameras.</p> <p>The only complaint I have about the camera installation process is the requirement to upgrade firmware right away. This only seems to affect some cameras – one of mine needed a firmware upgrade as soon as I got it all set up in the right location. Why couldn’t the firmware update have been part of the installation wizard? Updating the firmware requires bringing the camera back to the router and plugging it in directly, so hang onto that Ethernet cable.</p> <p>Other than that, the installation wasn’t a problem and once it’s done it’s good forever (or until there’s a firmware update, which so far has just been once in two months).</p> <h2>Wi-Fi Camera Limitations</h2> <p>These cameras are awesome, especially for the price, but there are a few things you just can’t do or don’t work as well as you might hope:</p> <p><strong>Night vision works great… unless you’re aiming through a window. </strong>The night vision LEDs (the red lights on the front of the camera) create blown-out white spots on the window glass when it’s dark outside. If you don’t need to see through the window at night, just get a daytime camera and point it out the window.</p> <p>If you want night vision through a window, these cameras can’t do it. You’ll need an outdoor camera like the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CKJ2MIM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CKJ2MIM&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20" rel="nofollow">DLink Wireless Day/Night Outdoor (DCS-2332L)</a> which comes in a weatherproof casing .</p> <p><strong>Motion detection is spammy and doesn’t work well.</strong> I fiddled with motion detection regions and sensitivities for a month before I finally just gave up and disabled motion detection. The idea is nice: get emailed a picture whenever there’s significant motion. In reality, I was getting spammed tons of photos every time a branch or the sunlight moved. The tech just isn’t there.</p> <p><strong>Cameras can (on occasion) take a long time to reconnect to D-Link’s servers.</strong> I don’t know what caused it, but one time I moved my cameras and it took them 30 minutes to become available via the app again.</p> <p><strong>Not battery powered.</strong> Your spy network goes down when the power’s out, though I imagine you could hook the camera up to a UPC (and your router, too) for usage during a power outage.</p> <h1>Conclusion</h1> <p>I love these little cameras. The added peace of mind has been completely worth it, and I’ve been expanding my spy network over the past few months to watch more corners of my home. If you have kids or pets, or just worry about your home, you might really love having an extra set of “eyes” watching over your home</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Top Gun Plumbing Review (Puget Sound)</title> <link>/2014/top-gun-plumbing-review-puget-sound/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 17 Feb 2014 14:00:29 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Puget Sound area]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=3024</guid> <description><![CDATA[This is my own review of a Puget Sound area business. I was not paid or perked to write this review – I just want to help get the word out about Top Gun! Top Gun Plumbing has fixed my house’s sorry plumbing twice in the last year and a half: When the water line […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>This is my own review of a Puget Sound area business. I was not paid or perked to write this review – I just want to help get the word out about Top Gun!</em></p> <p><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/top-gun-plumbing-bothell#hrid:WcmMUBmCDTUHk2mTPNF8uQ/src:self">Top Gun Plumbing</a> has fixed my house’s sorry plumbing twice in the last year and a half:</p> <ol> <li><strong>When the water line under our driveway broke</strong>, spilling thousands of dollars worth of water into the ground</li> <li><strong>When my hot water tank blew a leak</strong></li> </ol> <p>We also got a gas line estimate from them – they were the lowest of three separate estimates. We did not move forward with this project, but just throwing it out there – Top Gun also does gas lines.</p> <h1>Top Gun Plumbing Review</h1> <p>Top Gun is basically my go-to plumber. Plumbing emergencies are not fun, but thanks to Top Gun I feel pretty confident that they’ll have me covered next time water starts gushing out of something.</p> <p>Top Gun’s got it all: <strong>fast phone responses</strong>, <strong>knowledgeable and friendly workers</strong>, <strong>same- and next-day work</strong>, <em>and</em> the <strong>best pricing. </strong>For two completely separate projects (a new water line and a new gas line) Top Gun’s pricing beat the two competitors I also got quotes from.</p> <p><strong>Nice extras:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Their paperwork is legible!</li> <li>They arrive exactly when they say they will!</li> <li>They call before they arrive!</li> <li>They get permits for their work when required! (Beacon Plumbing did not even mention a permit, but they were in a hurry to dig up my yard and charge me $7000 for the project Top Gun did for $3500).</li> </ul> <h1>New Water Line</h1> <p>Back in November 2012, our main water line (which runs under the driveway between our water meter and our house) blew a leak. A huge leak. This leak went undetected for a couple days until the water utility came out to tell us to knock it off – <strong>we had racked up over $1100 in water usage.</strong> Holy crap.</p> <p>I got estimates from three companies:</p> <ul> <li>Beacon Plumbing, who wanted to hose me for <strong>$8100</strong> and never mentioned a permit</li> <li>Puget Sound Plumbing and Heating who estimated the job at $5000</li> <li><strong>Top Gun who did the job for $3500</strong> and didn’t tear up my yard like Beacon wanted to. (They also got a permit for the work)</li> </ul> <p>Top Gun’s first day on the job set us up with a temporary water line (it’s basically a hose). They then brought in some fancy digging equipment to tunnel under our driveway, and the new line went in a few days later. Damage to our yard was minimal – they put the grass “chunks” back into place for me and it all healed up in a few months.</p> <div id="attachment_3026" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/top_gun_plumbing_review_yard_dig.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3026" class=" wp-image-3026" alt="Top Gun Plumbing Review. Top Gun did a great job on my water line replacement." src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/top_gun_plumbing_review_yard_dig.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/top_gun_plumbing_review_yard_dig.jpg 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/02/top_gun_plumbing_review_yard_dig-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3026" class="wp-caption-text">This was a huge, messy job, but Top Gun Plumbing did fantastic work.</p></div> <p>Everyone who came out to work on the job was friendly and skilled (they even worked in almost non-stop rain).</p> <h1>New Hot Water Tank</h1> <p>This one’s a shorter story: our hot water tank was old and crappy (and its demise was not unexpected). One day it just started spraying water out the top. <strong>Top Gun came out within hours</strong> and put in a shiny new one for just over a thousand bucks.</p> <div id="attachment_3027" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/top_gun_plumbing_review_new_hot_water_tank.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3027" class="size-full wp-image-3027" alt="top_gun_plumbing_review_new_hot_water_tank" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/top_gun_plumbing_review_new_hot_water_tank.jpg" width="384" height="512" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/top_gun_plumbing_review_new_hot_water_tank.jpg 384w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/02/top_gun_plumbing_review_new_hot_water_tank-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3027" class="wp-caption-text">Top Gun Plumbing replaced my hot water tank the same day my old one blew its top. This is a picture of the new hot water tank.</p></div> <p><strong>A+++ </strong></p> <p><strong>I love Top Gun Plumbing. </strong>I wrote this review a full year after both projects were completed, and the work they did has held up perfectly.</p> <p>PS: I know you’re thinking it, so I’ll say it. <strong>DANGER ZONE!</strong></p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Mongolian Grill in Woodinville Review</title> <link>/2014/mongolian-grill-woodinville-review/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 16 Feb 2014 17:45:17 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Puget Sound area]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=3029</guid> <description><![CDATA[Are you craving stir-fry near Woodinville, WA? Look no further than Mongolian Grill at 13780 NE 175th ST. (Between 135th and Garden Way) I’ve tried them all and declared Mongolian Grill in Woodinville the best Mongolian grill on the Seattle eastside. It is so. SO. GOOD. Mongolian Grill in Woodinville Review It’s delicious, what more […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Are you craving stir-fry near Woodinville, WA? Look no further than <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mongolian-grill-woodinville">Mongolian Grill at 13780 NE 175th ST</a>. (Between 135th and Garden Way)</p> <p>I’ve tried them all and declared <strong>Mongolian Grill in Woodinville the best Mongolian grill on the Seattle eastside</strong>. It is so. SO. GOOD.</p> <h1>Mongolian Grill in Woodinville Review</h1> <p>It’s <strong>delicious</strong>, what more do you want? <strong>Here’s why Mongolian Grill rules:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Servings are <strong>massive</strong></li> <li>Lunch and dinner prices are reasonable</li> <li><strong>You get complete control</strong> over what’s in your bowl<em> (finally, I can get all the veggies I want!!)</em></li> <li><em></em>You can request sauce in a cup instead of poured over your meal</li> <li>Brown rice!!</li> <li>Unlimited fortune cookies!!</li> <li>Double and triple meat options</li> <li>Chicken breast is an option!</li> <li>Clean and nicely decorated</li> </ul> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/mongolian_grill_stir_fry.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3030" alt="mongolian_grill_stir_fry" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/mongolian_grill_stir_fry.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/mongolian_grill_stir_fry.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/02/mongolian_grill_stir_fry-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p>Even better? It’s just off the Sammamish River bike trail. Work up an appetite on the trail and then eat a huge lunch at Mongolian Grill. Or walk around Molbak’s and then eat. Or hit a movie. Have dessert at TCBY afterwards.</p> <p>Sheesh, the options are endless. Just don’t crowd up my favorite restaurant too much, okay?</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Low Rate Hauling & Yard Clean Up Review (Puget Sound)</title> <link>/2014/low-rate-hauling-and-yard-clean-review-puget-sound/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 13 Feb 2014 08:00:59 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Puget Sound area]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=3013</guid> <description><![CDATA[This is my own review of a Puget Sound (WA) area business. I was not paid or perked to write this review – I just want to help get the word out! Low Rate Hauling & Yard Clean Up is a Puget Sound area business specializing in – what else? – hauling away debris. I […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>This is my own review of a Puget Sound (WA) area business. I was not paid or perked to write this review – I just want to help get the word out!</em></p> <p><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/low-rate-hauling-and-yard-clean-up-seattle#hrid:3CEcE9S0oIMAPd1Am-2cyw/src:self">Low Rate Hauling & Yard Clean Up</a> is a Puget Sound area business specializing in – what else? – hauling away debris. I called them at 5:30 in the afternoon just hoping to get a quote, but they were able to come out immediately <em><strong>and the JOB WAS DONE</strong> </em>three hours later. SHOCK AND AWE!</p> <h1>Low Rate Hauling & Yard Clean Up Review</h1> <p>Low Rate Hauling was fast, friendly, and took care of this nasty job so fast I had to look twice to reassure myself it actually happened. These two guys worked very hard and quick and left the job site pristine. <strong>A+!</strong></p> <p><strong>Backstory, in case you’re interested:</strong></p> <p>My home came with a giant mess of broken-up concrete underneath the deck. The pieces were so heavy and the deck so low to the ground, I had no idea how we would haul these blocks of concrete out. I also had no idea how we’d dispose of them.</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/deck_debris_before.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3014" alt="Low Rate Hauling & Yard Cleanup Review: All this crap is GONE!" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/deck_debris_before.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/deck_debris_before.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/02/deck_debris_before-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p>The debris removal process looked like this – Low Rate Hauling & Yard Clean Up just put the blocks into bins and hauled them to their truck.</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/haul_deck_debris_away.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3015" alt="Low Rate Hauling & Yard Clean Up Review: Hard at work removing my deck debris." src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/haul_deck_debris_away.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/haul_deck_debris_away.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/02/haul_deck_debris_away-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p>The price (a few hundred dollars) was beyond reasonable for how hard these guys had to work to remove the concrete, haul it up the hill, and get it out of my backyard.</p> <p><strong>Low Rate Hauling took all of the following:</strong></p> <ul> <li>A ton of broken up concrete from under my back deck</li> <li>A pile of old rotted wood</li> <li>30 or so feet of plastic lawn edging</li> <li>A porcelain toilet</li> </ul> <p>They were totally awesome, I would hire them again in a heartbeat for junk removal in the Puget Sound area. Give ’em a call at (206) 683-6412.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Thing I Like: Amazon Locker Review</title> <link>/2014/amazon-locker-review/</link> <comments>/2014/amazon-locker-review/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 20 Jan 2014 08:00:42 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=2808</guid> <description><![CDATA[Depending on where you live, if you’ve bought something on Amazon.com lately you might have been offered an “Amazon Locker” as a delivery destination. Instead of selecting your home or office address, you pick a nearby locker and it gets delivered there instead – no signature required. What is this sorcery?! A magic box I […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="width: 256px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/amazon_locker_review_locker_pic.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" " alt="Amazon locker review locker structure" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/amazon_locker_review_locker_pic.jpg" width="246" height="184" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Amazon Lockers provide a secure way to receive packages.</p></div> <p dir="ltr">Depending on where you live, if you’ve bought something on Amazon.com lately you might have been offered an <strong>“Amazon Locker” as a delivery destination</strong>. Instead of selecting your home or office address, you pick a nearby locker and it gets delivered there instead – no signature required.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>What is this sorcery?! A magic box I can ship things to and <em>it’ll stay safe and not-stolen</em> until I show up to get it?!</strong> Well, okay, that sounds incredible – so I gave the Amazon locker a try.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Verdict:</strong> <strong>Amazon Lockers are awesome.</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Here’s why:</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Why use an Amazon Locker?</h1> <ul> <li><strong>Discreet</strong> – don’t want to ship that embarrassing thing to work? Now you don’t have to!</li> <li><strong>Safe</strong> – your package doesn’t sit on your porch all day begging to be stolen</li> <li><strong>Flexible pickup times</strong> – lockers are available as long as the business is open, which in some cases might be 24 hours a day</li> <li><strong>Plenty of time</strong> – the locker will hold your package for 3 business days (<em>plus any weekend those days might encompass</em>)</li> <li><strong>Free</strong> – Amazon lockers don’t require an extra fee (or even an <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/prime/signup/videos?tag=levleuphouse-20">Amazon Prime</a> membership)</li> <li>Heck, <strong>you can even<em> return</em></strong> certain items to Amazon Lockers</li> </ul> <p>I don’t have a reliable, discreet way to receive packages. Shipping to my house sucks because the package sits on porch all day getting cold and/or wet (not to mention broadcasting to every passerby that my house is currently vacant). Shipping to the office isn’t discreet and there’s nowhere to comfortably keep a package at my little desk. Plus, everyone wants to know what’s inside it.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Design</h1> <p dir="ltr">Amazon Locker was extremely easy to use. Get this:</p> <ol> <li>Amazon <strong>emailed me a short code </strong></li> <li><strong>I entered it into the touch-screen</strong> attached to the lockers</li> <li>The <strong>matching locker popped open</strong> automatically</li> <li>The locker <strong>stayed open until I manually closed it</strong></li> </ol> <div id="attachment_2810" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/amazon_locker_open.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2810" class="size-full wp-image-2810 " alt="Amazon Locker review Amazon Locker pops open" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/amazon_locker_open.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/amazon_locker_open.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/amazon_locker_open-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/amazon_locker_open-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2810" class="wp-caption-text">The locker pops open – and stays open until closed by the human using it.</p></div> <p dir="ltr">At <strong>5’8” I was able to reach into even the tallest lockers</strong>, but very short people or people with limited mobility might experience some difficulty reaching the top row of lockers, which were face-high for me.</p> <div id="attachment_2811" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/amazon_locker_review_taking_package.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2811" class="size-full wp-image-2811 " alt="Amazon Locker review height and usability" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/amazon_locker_review_taking_package.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/amazon_locker_review_taking_package.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/amazon_locker_review_taking_package-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/amazon_locker_review_taking_package-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2811" class="wp-caption-text">At 5’8″, I’m able to reach the highest lockers. Your mileage may vary.</p></div> <h1 dir="ltr">Locker Locations</h1> <p dir="ltr">The locker locations are as (or as <em>in-</em>) convenient as the locations they’re installed in. <strong>See if Amazon lockers are in your location</strong> by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=ur2&nodeId=201117850&tag=leveluphouse-20">clicking here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">If they’re not near you yet, just sit tight: Amazon is <strong>adding more lockers like crazy right now</strong>. If you want to tell Amazon to hurry up, log into your Amazon account and go to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=locker_hp_fd?docId=1000841451">Amazon’s Locker page</a> and suggest your zip code.</p> <p dir="ltr">I shipped my item to a Rite-Aid pharmacy a couple blocks from my office. Rite Aid’s hours, as well as most other businesses participating in the locker program) go late enough for me to drop by and pick up my package after my workday ends.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>My only gripe</strong> is the locker I used was positioned in the back of the store. I actually had to spend a few minutes looking for it – the locker is a huge grey metal structure, but it was around the side of the pharmacy and there were no signs inside the store directing me to it. Obviously, this is designed so that I walk past a lot of Rite Aid merchandise on my way to the locker… but it wasn’t fun to search the store for the lockers.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Delivery Speed</h1> <p dir="ltr">I placed my order on Monday and my item arrived Wednesday. The estimated delivery was Thursday, but Amazon seems to under-promise and over-deliver as a matter of routine as this happens with packages delivered to my house or office as well.</p> <p dir="ltr">Amazingly, the locker would <em>hold the package from Wednesday ’til Monday. </em>Amazon promises to keep your package available for 3 business days, but I had <strong>six full days</strong> to come by and get it.</p> <h1>Any Restrictions?</h1> <ul> <li>Items must <strong>weigh less than 10 lbs</strong></li> <li>Items <strong>can’t be more than 1 cubic foot or so in size</strong></li> <li><strong>Can’t be a Subscribe & Save item</strong></li> </ul> <p>Amazon doesn’t restrict use of lockers to Prime customers.</p> <p><strong>To add a locker to your Amazon.com account:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Log into your Amazon.com account</li> <li>Go to “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/css/account/address/view.html/?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=ur2&tag=leveluphouse-20&viewID=searchStores">Search for lockers in your area</a>” and type in your location</li> <li>Add whichever locker(s) are convenient to you</li> <li>Next time you order something, that locker will appear as a possible shipping address</li> </ol> <p><strong>PS:</strong> If you’re wondering what I bought – it was a <a href="/2013/12/joby-gorillapod-review/">flexible Joby camera tripod</a>!</p> <h1>Read More</h1> <ul> <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Locker">Amazon Locker on Wikipedia</a></li> <li><a href="http://gizmodo.com/5951272/amazon-lockers-review-the-drugstore-is-your-new-mailbox">Gizmodo’s Amazon Locker Review</a></li> </ul> <p><strong>Note to readers:</strong> This article is about Amazon.com. Some of the links are my own Amazon Affiliate links – if you purchase something from Amazon.com after clicking one of my links, a small % of your purchase helps support this site. As always, I encourage you to shop around and price compare to be sure you get the best deal!</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>/2014/amazon-locker-review/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Yes, you can have Frontier FIOS without a landline</title> <link>/2014/frontier-fios-without-a-landline/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 01 Jan 2014 23:25:07 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=2658</guid> <description><![CDATA[I know, it’s 2013, who the heck still has a landline? We did, for two reasons: Verizon told us we had to get the phone line in order to get FIOS, and we believed ’em. (Verizon has since sold the FIOS service to Frontier, and maybe the rules changed along the way.) We liked using our […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/frontier_logo.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright" alt="frontier_logo" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/frontier_logo.jpg" width="213" height="95" /></a>I know, it’s 2013, who the heck still has a landline?</p> <p>We did, for two reasons:</p> <ol> <li><strong>Verizon told us we had to get the phone line in order to get FIOS, and we believed ’em.</strong> (Verizon has since sold the FIOS service to Frontier, and maybe the rules changed along the way.)</li> <li><strong>We liked using our <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GX6MJ8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001GX6MJ8&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Plantronics cordless headset</a></strong> for long weekend phone chats with our parents and didn’t know how to use it with an iPhone (yet)</li> </ol> <p>But it was ridiculous to pay $50 a month for a landline and $250 a month for our iPhones – that’s one more phone line than we have <em>people</em>!</p> <p>Something had to go.</p> <p>Now, there seems to be some confusion online about whether it’s possible to have Frontier FIOS without a landline, so I’m writing this to say that <strong>yes, you can have FIOS without a landline</strong>. We called Frontier to request dropping the landline, and yes, it was possible (thanks, Frontier). We are now a FIOS-only home – no landline, no TV, just FIOS internet. This cut our monthly bill almost in <em>half</em>.</p> <p>I have been <em>very</em> happy with my FIOS Internet for the last three years and being able to cut a service I wasn’t using is the kind of good service I expect from companies I choose to do business with.</p> <p>Stay awesome, Frontier.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Thing I Like: Joby GorillaPod Tripod Review</title> <link>/2013/joby-gorillapod-review/</link> <comments>/2013/joby-gorillapod-review/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 31 Dec 2013 14:00:27 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=2574</guid> <description><![CDATA[I wrote about my Joby GorillaPod tripod last week in my post “5 Best Tech Travel Accessories” but honestly, this flexible travel-friendly tripod is so awesome it deserves its own review! A flexible tripod? Whut?! I only discovered it because I was trying to find a tripod compact enough to take into Walt Disney World, and now I’m […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_2599" style="width: 240px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005HY4U4Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005HY4U4Q&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2599" class="wp-image-2599 " alt="Joby GorillaPod Review Canon Point and Shoot" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_Review_CanonPointandShoot.jpg" width="230" height="307" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_Review_CanonPointandShoot.jpg 384w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_Review_CanonPointandShoot-225x300.jpg 225w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_Review_CanonPointandShoot-185x246.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 230px) 100vw, 230px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2599" class="wp-caption-text">Joby GorillaPod says “Hello”. Good news: only 1 in 10,000 gains sentience and fires lasers at humans.</p></div> <p>I wrote about my <strong>Joby GorillaPod tripod</strong> last week in my post “<a href="/2013/12/my-5-best-tech-travel-accessories/">5 Best Tech Travel Accessories</a>” but honestly, this flexible travel-friendly tripod is so awesome it deserves its own review!</p> <p><em>A flexible tripod? Whut?!</em></p> <p>I only discovered it because I was trying to find a tripod compact enough to take into Walt Disney World, and now I’m kicking myself for not getting one sooner!</p> <p>I spent 10 days twisting, posing, straightening, curling, and oh yeah – taking photos! – with my new Joby GorillaPod on a recent trip to Walt Disney World. I’m not easy to impress, usually accessories in the sub-$40 category are a disappointment, but I am actually <em>really impressed!</em></p> <p>The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005HY4U4Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005HY4U4Q&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Joby GorillaPod</a> tripod might be perfect for you if…</p> <ul> <li><strong>you take photos with a point-and-shoot</strong> or a light-weight DSLR</li> <li>you want to<strong> get everyone in the shot</strong> without setting up or lugging around a tripod</li> <li>you want to take photos at<strong> dusk or nighttime </strong>and need the camera to stay steady</li> <li>you want to<strong> be in your own photos</strong></li> <li>you want (or need) to<strong> travel light</strong></li> <li>you like to<strong> take video</strong> – a small tripod is handy for stabilizing your camera!</li> </ul> <p><a href="http://joby.com/">JOBY</a> is a manufacturer of many cool camera accessories. I wasn’t paid or perked to write this, I just think the tripod is awesome!</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/joby_tripod_review.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-2618 aligncenter" alt="joby_tripod_review" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/joby_tripod_review.jpg" width="490" height="322" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/joby_tripod_review.jpg 490w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/12/joby_tripod_review-300x197.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/12/joby_tripod_review-185x121.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 490px) 100vw, 490px" /></a></p> <h1>Joby GorillaPod Tripod Review</h1> <h2><strong>Durability</strong></h2> <p>I usually expect <$40 things to be rather flimsy, however this tripod has now survived <strong>four flights in my carry-on bag</strong>, <strong>a week in Disney World</strong>, a few <strong>craft photo shoots</strong>, and a good deal of idle bending and <strong>playing with it just for fun</strong>. I bent and twisted this thing every day. I even took it on roller coasters. It’s still in one piece!</p> <p>The camera clip-on mechanism feels strong, and the camera sits tightly on the clip’s pad, never becoming loose or falling out of the tripod on its own.</p> <p>Each of its legs is made up of a series of ball-and-socket plastic links. Each “ball” goes into a “socket” to make a stiff chain with rubber feet at the ends, and the rubber rings help with gripping.</p> <div id="attachment_2613" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/joby_ball_socket_closeup.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2613" class="size-full wp-image-2613 " alt="joby_ball_socket_closeup" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/joby_ball_socket_closeup.jpg" width="500" height="225" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/joby_ball_socket_closeup.jpg 500w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/12/joby_ball_socket_closeup-300x135.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/12/joby_ball_socket_closeup-185x83.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2613" class="wp-caption-text">Close-up of the Joby tripod’s ball-and-socket leg design.</p></div> <p>It feels pretty rugged to me, especially for something that’s mostly plastic.</p> <h2><strong>Portability</strong></h2> <blockquote><p><em>The best tripod is the one you have with you.</em></p></blockquote> <p>Full-size tripods don’t fly well, are a pain to carry all day, and are flat-out unwelcome or unsafe in many places, but the Joby tripod is small enough to go pretty much anywhere. (Well, I wouldn’t take it to a mosh pit…)</p> <p>I bought the Joby tripod specifically because I’d be able to bring it into Walt Disney World’s theme parks. Full-size tripods get rejected at the entrance gate, but I wanted to actually get some decent photos in the parks and this tripod totally made that possible<em> (see my photo examples further down).</em></p> <p>It’s lightweight enough to carry all day in a cinch sack on my back, and I also spent a good deal of time just carrying it around in my hand as I looked for good shots.</p> <h2>Where to Use a Joby Tripod</h2> <p>Everywhere! Once you start looking for places to put this thing, you’ll see the world in a new way.<em> </em></p> <blockquote><p><em>“Can the Joby attach to that?” </em></p></blockquote> <p>I found no shortage of objects to stand or wrap the Joby tripod on:</p> <ul> <li>metal-top <strong>garbage cans</strong></li> <li>wrap around<strong> sign posts</strong></li> <li><strong>car roof / hood</strong></li> <li><strong>fire hydrants</strong></li> <li><strong>railings</strong></li> <li><strong>half-height walls</strong></li> <li><strong>benches</strong></li> </ul> <p>You can even angle the legs and use it as a “stick” for your camera for taking selfies at a bit further than arm’s length.</p> <div id="attachment_2603" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_DisneyWorld.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2603" class="size-full wp-image-2603" alt="Joby GorillaPod review doing a long exposure shot" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_DisneyWorld.jpg" width="384" height="512" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_DisneyWorld.jpg 384w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_DisneyWorld-225x300.jpg 225w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_DisneyWorld-185x246.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2603" class="wp-caption-text">Metal-topped garbage cans were my best friends at WDW: ubiquitous and just the right height. Here’s my Canon + Joby setup working on a video.</p></div> <h2>Additional Features</h2> <p><em>But wait, there’s more!</em></p> <ul> <li><strong>Bubble level</strong> helps you know if your shot is straight</li> <li><strong>Easy-to-eject camera</strong> – the camera screws into an eject-able plate, so it comes off quickly</li> <li><strong>Tilt camera 90 degrees </strong>for vertical shots.</li> </ul> <p>Joby sells the quick release clip separately, too, so you can have an extra or replace a lost one.</p> <div id="attachment_2611" style="width: 176px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D0Y7JXY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00D0Y7JXY&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2611" class="wp-image-2611 " alt="Joby extra quick release clips" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Joby_Quick_Release_Clip.jpg" width="166" height="132" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Joby_Quick_Release_Clip.jpg 339w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Joby_Quick_Release_Clip-300x238.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Joby_Quick_Release_Clip-185x146.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 166px) 100vw, 166px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2611" class="wp-caption-text">Joby sells spare “quick release” clips in case anything, uh, bad happens to yours.</p></div> <h1>My Joby Photos</h1> <p>My Joby tripod <strong>revolutionized</strong> my vacation photos. This section talks about photos I couldn’t have taken without this thing: <strong>dusk photos</strong>, <strong>night photos</strong>, <strong>group photos</strong>, and <strong>stable video</strong>.</p> <p>Historically, my photos from a trip are iPhone selfies taken at daytime and scenery shots. Anything from dusk is a grainy mess and my photos are nothing to get excited about. I’m not really a “photography enthusiast” (but if a DSLR with nice lenses showed up at my doorstep I would not be sad). I’m sure some of these <em>duh, it’s-this-simple</em> revelations are old-hat to more experienced photographers, but if you showed me these photos 6 months ago I’d have said, “There’s no way I took that, and there’s no way I did it with such cheap equipment”.</p> <h2>Dusk Shots</h2> <p>Ahh, dusk. That magical time of day when cameras need to be stabilized with a longer shutter time to take a halfway decent shot.</p> <p>Compare these two photos –</p> <div style="width: 624px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_Review_iPhone_Tower_Shot.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="Joby_Review_iPhone_Tower_Shot" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_Review_iPhone_Tower_Shot.jpg" width="614" height="377" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">iPhone 4S photo – the typical grainy/blurry kind of photo I usually take on trips, especially at sunset.</p></div> <div id="attachment_2601" style="width: 624px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_Review_Long_Shutter_Shot.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2601" class=" wp-image-2601" alt="Joby_Review_Long_Shutter_Shot" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_Review_Long_Shutter_Shot.jpg" width="614" height="377" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_Review_Long_Shutter_Shot.jpg 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_Review_Long_Shutter_Shot-300x184.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_Review_Long_Shutter_Shot-185x113.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 614px) 100vw, 614px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2601" class="wp-caption-text">Same time of day, this time using a Canon point and shoot and the Joby tripod to hold it still.</p></div> <p>Inexpensive point and shoot camera + small tripod =<strong> Oh, my. Wow. <strong>Dang. </strong></strong></p> <h2><strong>Nighttime Shots</strong></h2> <p>To get a decent nighttime shot, your camera has to be able to hold completely still for a few seconds. Many point and shoots can do this, but without a tripod it’s a lost cause.</p> <p>Disney’s Magic Kingdom has a cool castle covered in glowing “icicles” in December, but there’s practically nowhere to set a camera down. I wrapped the Joby’s legs around a railing to get this shot.</p> <div style="width: 624px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_review_night_time_photo.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="Joby_GorillaPod_review_night_time_photo" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_review_night_time_photo.jpg" width="614" height="461" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">I wrapped the Joby legs around a metal railing to hold the camera steady.</p></div> <p>This next shot demonstrates how the camera can be tilted 90 degrees to the left (or right) on the Joby tripod for vertical photos.</p> <div style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/best_tech_travel_accessories_joby_tripod_in_action.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="best_tech_travel_accessories_joby_tripod_in_action" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/best_tech_travel_accessories_joby_tripod_in_action.jpg" width="384" height="512" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">This photo of my Joby doing its thing was taken with my iPhone. The iPhone 4S did better than I expected in this fairly dark scene.</p></div> <div style="width: 419px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_review_long_exposure_nighttime_shot.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="Joby_GorillaPod_review_long_exposure_nighttime_shot" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_review_long_exposure_nighttime_shot.jpg" width="409" height="614" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">But here’s the photo the Canon took with its 3 second shutter time and utter stability. I can’t believe *I* took this photo. So purty!</p></div> <h2>Group Photos</h2> <p>Here’s another luxury we’ve never had before getting this Joby tripod: vacation photos of <strong>both</strong> of us! Together! <em>Like we know each other and stuff.</em></p> <div id="attachment_2604" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_Review_EPCOT_group_photo.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2604" class="size-full wp-image-2604" alt="Joby_GorillaPod_Review_EPCOT_group_photo" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_Review_EPCOT_group_photo.jpg" width="384" height="512" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_Review_EPCOT_group_photo.jpg 384w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_Review_EPCOT_group_photo-225x300.jpg 225w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_Review_EPCOT_group_photo-185x246.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2604" class="wp-caption-text">I put the Joby on a half-height wall near the entrance to the Mexico pavilion in EPCOT for this nice shot of Jim and I together.</p></div> <p>The tripod opened up all kinds of possibilities with timer-delayed shots:</p> <div style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_Hybrid_Shot2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="Joby_GorillaPod_Hybrid_Shot2" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_Hybrid_Shot2.jpg" width="512" height="384" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">We put the Joby on a nearby fire hydrant (and the camera on a 10 second delay) to create this fun photo at the Gatorland entrance in Orlando, FL.</p></div> <div style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_Best_Tech_Accessories.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="Joby_GorillaPod_Best_Tech_Accessories" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Joby_GorillaPod_Best_Tech_Accessories.jpg" width="384" height="512" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Here’s how we set up the camera for the Gatorland shot. Fire hydrants and railings make really good Joby stands.</p></div> <h2>Videos</h2> <p>Just because I could, I took a 45-second video of the giant fish aquarium in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Here’s the setup:</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/joby_gorillapod_video_fish.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2600" alt="joby_gorillapod_video_fish" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/joby_gorillapod_video_fish.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/joby_gorillapod_video_fish.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/12/joby_gorillapod_video_fish-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/12/joby_gorillapod_video_fish-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p>Here’s the video – silky smooth.</p> <p><iframe loading="lazy" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/NYbcE_hFMPo" height="390" width="640" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <h1>Choosing a Joby GorillaPod Model</h1> <div id="attachment_2615" style="width: 343px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EVSLRO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000EVSLRO&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2615" class="size-full wp-image-2615 " alt="Joby GorillaPod Original in pink " src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Joby_Other_Color_Options.jpg" width="333" height="346" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Joby_Other_Color_Options.jpg 333w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Joby_Other_Color_Options-288x300.jpg 288w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Joby_Other_Color_Options-185x192.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 333px) 100vw, 333px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2615" class="wp-caption-text">The Joby GorillaPod Original comes in a bunch of colors. Alas, the Original is the “light-duty” model, capable of holding only small cameras (up to 9 ounces).</p></div> <p>While my review is specific to the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005HY4U4Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005HY4U4Q&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Joby GorillaPod Hybrid Grey</a> (follow Amazon link to see the exact model), there are more Joby models to pick from. The key difference between the models is the <strong>amount of weight that can be supported without sagging</strong>, though there’s also a neat-o <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0038YWLCA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0038YWLCA&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">magnetic version</a> that only holds lightweight cameras.</p> <p><strong>HOW LARGE IS YOUR CAMERA?</strong></p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EVSLRO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000EVSLRO&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Joby GorillaPod Original</a>:</strong> up to 11 ounces (small point and shoot cameras)</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005HY4U4Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005HY4U4Q&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Joby GorillaPod Hybrid</a>:</strong> up to 2.2 lbs (smaller DSLRs, camcorders)</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KFRSG4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000KFRSG4&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Joby GorillaPod SLR-Zoom</a>:</strong> up to 6.6 lbs (“Pro-sumer” SLR cameras with zoom lenses, heavier camcorders)</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GCU0MY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001GCU0MY&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Joby GorillaPod Focus</a>:</strong> up to 11 lbs (SLR cameras with heavy lenses, bigger camcorders)</p> <p>If you’re using a point and shoot camera the Original or the Hybrid are both sufficient. I went “up” a strength because I might upgrade my camera someday, and because I liked the reassurance of having more strength than I really needed.</p> <p><strong>Note to readers:</strong> I’m not affiliated with Joby, I just think their product is super awesome. Some links are Amazon Affiliate links – a small % of your purchase (if you make one) helps support this site. As always, I encourage you to shop around and price compare to be sure you get the best deal!</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>/2013/joby-gorillapod-review/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>2</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Scammed by Dollar Rent a Car!</title> <link>/2013/scammed-by-dollar-rent-a-car/</link> <comments>/2013/scammed-by-dollar-rent-a-car/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 23 Dec 2013 14:00:35 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Ripoffs]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=2582</guid> <description><![CDATA[We’re normally a bit happier here at LevelUpHouse, but not today. Today we’re angry at Dollar Rent a Car for RIPPING US OFF. Ripped Off with “Loss Damage Waiver” Jim and I spent a week in Orlando, Florida, driving what we thought was a $17/day (before taxes and fees) rental from Dollar Rent a Car, […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p dir="ltr">We’re normally a bit happier here at LevelUpHouse, but not today. Today we’re<strong> angry</strong> at Dollar Rent a Car for <strong>RIPPING US OFF</strong>.</p> <div id="attachment_2587" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Dollar_Rent_a_Car_Scam.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2587" class=" wp-image-2587 " alt="Scammed by Dollar Rent a Car $200 in damages" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Dollar_Rent_a_Car_Scam.jpg" width="384" height="288" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Dollar_Rent_a_Car_Scam.jpg 640w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Dollar_Rent_a_Car_Scam-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Dollar_Rent_a_Car_Scam-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2587" class="wp-caption-text">My husband and I in Orlando, FL, driving a car we didn’t yet know had been signed up for a$28.99/day “loss damage waiver” by Dollar Rent a Car.</p></div> <h1 dir="ltr">Ripped Off with “Loss Damage Waiver”</h1> <p dir="ltr">Jim and I spent a week in Orlando, Florida, driving what we thought was a $17/day (before taxes and fees) rental from Dollar Rent a Car, until the day we returned it – the bill was HUGE! We didn’t know it when we picked the car up on Sunday, but <strong>the guy at the desk had signed us up for a $28.99 daily charge for a “Loss Damage Waiver” we declined</strong>. My own insurance through USAA covers rentals, and so does the credit card we put it on. We don’t need <em>triple</em> coverage!</p> <p dir="ltr">One week with this unwanted coverage = <strong>$202. </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">When we got back we waited in the “pissed customer line” (which was longer than just us) for help, but the “top guy” Bryan wasn’t good for anything but attitude and sass. When I complained that Dollar ripped us off, he said, “If that’s how you want to look at it.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Well, yes, that is how I look at being charged $202 for something I didn’t agree to pay for. <strong>Who pays $57 a day for a compact Mazda in a competitive car rental market!? </strong>We were scammed by Dollar Rent a Car and the so-called “top guy” on staff couldn’t do jack about it! Good grief.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Update: We got a refund! <strong>Complaining on Twitter to <a href="https://twitter.com/DollarCars">@DollarCars</a> got me a full refund of the amount. </strong></strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong></strong>Seeing as the Internet is full of people complaining of not getting refunds out of this company, I guess I’m one of the rare success stories.</p> <p dir="ltr">My in-person complaint to the so-called manager at the Dollar desk in Orlando International Airport was a waste of time – the dirtbag they have manning the counter is only good for upselling angry customers on future rentals. Calling their 1-800 number got me nothing more than an offer of a $50 discount on my next Dollar rental (WTF!? How do you even<em> offer</em> that with a straight face?!).</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Complaining on Twitter? </strong>Come on…<strong> </strong>Well, apparently, Dollar Rent a Car pays attention to Twitter.<strong> </strong></p> <h1 dir="ltr">Dollar’s Dark Patterns</h1> <p dir="ltr">A “dark pattern” is a type of user interface designed to trick users into doing things, such as signing up for insurance or installing toolbars they didn’t want. (Read more at <a href="http://darkpatterns.org/" target="_blank">http://darkpatterns.org</a>) If you were scammed by Dollar Rent a Car, it was probably one of these tricks:</p> <h2 dir="ltr">Trick #1: Moving Accept/Decline Buttons</h2> <p dir="ltr">As we verbally declined options such as GPS, extra driver, a bigger car, and extra insurance with Dollar’s agent, we confirmed our choice on Dollar’s signature screen. This screen contained at least one “dark pattern”: the<strong> Accept/Decline buttons swapped places as we advanced through the screens. </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong></strong>But we noticed the changing button locations, so I’m not sure we were victims to this particular trick. Instead, I think we were victims to either a checkbox that looked unchecked or the agent just added the coverage after we signed everything and hoped we wouldn’t notice (and we didn’t, because the extra charges for extraneous coverage are on <strong>the underside of the folded receipt</strong>).</p> <h2 dir="ltr">Trick #2: Folded Receipt in Booklet</h2> <p dir="ltr">Dollar handed us our receipt folded and in a paper booklet, as shown in the image below.</p> <div id="attachment_2588" style="width: 650px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Dollar_Rent_a_Car_scam_folded_receipt.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2588" class="size-full wp-image-2588 " alt="Scammed by Dollar Rent a Car with a folded receipt trick" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Dollar_Rent_a_Car_scam_folded_receipt.jpg" width="640" height="640" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Dollar_Rent_a_Car_scam_folded_receipt.jpg 640w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Dollar_Rent_a_Car_scam_folded_receipt-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Dollar_Rent_a_Car_scam_folded_receipt-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Dollar_Rent_a_Car_scam_folded_receipt-185x185.jpg 185w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Dollar_Rent_a_Car_scam_folded_receipt-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2588" class="wp-caption-text">Our Dollar rental receipt was handed to us folded to the exact size of the paper booklet it came in. Extra charges are itemized below the fold.</p></div> <p dir="ltr">Unfolding the receipt reveals the worst prize ever –<b> HIDDEN CHARGES!</b></p> <div id="attachment_2584" style="width: 377px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/dollar_scam_below_the_fold_extra_charges.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2584" class=" wp-image-2584 " alt="Scammed by Dollar Rent a Car with a Loss Damage Waiver coverage we declined" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/dollar_scam_below_the_fold_extra_charges.jpg" width="367" height="490" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/dollar_scam_below_the_fold_extra_charges.jpg 612w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/12/dollar_scam_below_the_fold_extra_charges-225x300.jpg 225w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/12/dollar_scam_below_the_fold_extra_charges-185x246.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 367px) 100vw, 367px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2584" class="wp-caption-text">“OPTIONAL COVERAGES” is on the receipt under the fold. This is where Dollar hid the “Loss Damage Waiver” for 6 days at $28.99/day.</p></div> <p><strong>Why is there such a large space below the estimated total? </strong>It’s probably to push these extra charges under the fold, where unsuspecting victims are less likely to spot them. Our bad – we stopped reading at “estimated charges”, which looks like a total. Yes, it’s a high total, but we understand that rental car companies put a “hold” on your credit/debit card to cover “incidental charges”, such as you returning the car late.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Dollar’s Useless Desk Agent</h1> <p dir="ltr">We returned the car with a full tank of gasoline and spotless, but our final receipt showed we’d be billed a massive amount -$202 more than I’d expected.</p> <p dir="ltr">We complained on the spot. We were sent to a special line at the Dollar desk, a line with no one waiting on the end of it. We stood for about 20 minutes before anyone came out to help us, and I’m 99% sure the guy only came out because I started bawling over being ripped off (on my birthday no less) and made a bit of a scene.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dollar’s “top guy on staff” was some guy named Bryan who is apparently authorized to do absolutely nothing in the name of customer service. He sassed us (“If that’s how you want to looki at it”) and told us about how “he rents cars and he knows how the screens work”, but he wouldn’t show us what we signed. The guy was basically a walking “F— You” to Dollar’s customers, and completely useless. I mean, at least the equally insulting 1-800 number offered a piddly discount off the next car we [never] rent with Dollar.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Dollar’s Useless 800 Number</h1> <p dir="ltr">Bryan was good at one thing: pointing at the back of my rental pamphlet where there is a phone number labeled “Customer Service” printed in red ink. (Thanks man, you’re a real help!)</p> <p dir="ltr">Dollar’s customer service number is <strong>800-800-5252</strong>, but don’t expect any miracles. Our call to this number the following Monday netted us an offer of $50 off our next car. Haha, sure, at Dollar Rent a Car’s rates $50 doesn’t even cover the first day! We did <strong>not</strong> accept this offer out of fear because <strong>1) it’s a stupid offer</strong> and <strong>2) it might make us ineligible for an actual refund</strong> on the amount we were scammed out of.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Dollar’s Surprisingly Helpful Twitter</h1> <p>I knew I was in trouble the moment I loaded up DollarCars’s Twitter stream: herein lies loads of pissed customers all complaining about overcharges and poor customer service. The occasional ad for “deals” punctuates (and pushes down) these complaints, but I think the complainers are winning this war.</p> <p>With nothing to do but sit and stew in the terminal as I waited for my delayed flight, I started complaining to <a href="https://twitter.com/DollarCars" target="_blank">@DollarCars</a>. I complained <strong>a lot</strong>. I don’t know if the volume had anything to do with it, but I continued to complain the next day, and the next until finally whoever is running the account asked me for my Rental Agreement number and, a day later, <strong>refunded me $224.</strong></p> <p>They even gave me the tax back – how ’bout that?</p> <h1>Happy Ending?</h1> <p>I’m very glad to say this story has a happy ending, but it easily could not have. Dollar had no reason give me a refund – they burned me bad, and now I’m just an angry customer who will never rent a car from them again. I’ve shared my story to help others who are now (or will be) in the same situation I was ten days ago – ripped off and furious at Dollar Rent a Car.</p> <p>My own Googling found people complaining of <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g45963-i10-k5019847-Dollar_Rental_Cars_Not_Happy-Las_Vegas_Nevada.html" target="_blank">$250 cleaning fees on cars returned clean</a> and <a href="http://www.consumeraffairs.com/travel/dollar.htm" target="_blank">$9/gal refueling fees on cars returned full</a>.</p> <p>I’m afraid I haven’t heard the last from this unscrupulous company. I’ll be scrutinizing my credit card statements.</p> <p>There’s a reason why Dollar is so much lower priced in the rental matrix – Dollar will just get money out of you some other way.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>/2013/scammed-by-dollar-rent-a-car/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>3</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Tide Washing Machine Cleaner Review</title> <link>/2013/tide-washing-machine-cleaner-review/</link> <comments>/2013/tide-washing-machine-cleaner-review/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 21 Oct 2013 13:00:02 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category> <category><![CDATA[laundry]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=2242</guid> <description><![CDATA[You mean you have to wash your washing machine?! Apparently with HE washing machines, you do. Or at least that’s what Tide wants you to think as you put another $18 worth of Tide Washing Machine cleaner into your cart. But does it work? Read on for my Tide Washing Machine Cleaner review. Our Stinky […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p dir="ltr">You mean you have to wash your washing machine?! Apparently with HE washing machines, you do. Or at least that’s what Tide wants you to think as you put another $18 worth of Tide Washing Machine cleaner into your cart. But does it work? Read on for my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003A013QW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003A013QW&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Tide Washing Machine Cleaner</a> review.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Our Stinky Washing Machine</h1> <p dir="ltr">We have a top-loading Maytag Bravos HE washing machine (bought new in ‘09). We do about <strong>5 loads a week</strong> in it, all in the same day, and then <strong>we don’t use it again for 6 days</strong>. Over the last year it developed a stink that got progressively worse – like, to the point where I could smell it outside the laundry closet. Gross.</p> <p dir="ltr">I poked around the machine’s nooks and crannies hoping to at least get a handful of mold to explain the problem, but no source was found. When I realized I was washing my pillowcases in a giant metal armpit, it was time for the funk to go.</p> <p dir="ltr">When I saw Tide Washing Machine Cleaner I figured I’d give it a try and report back.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/tide_washing_machine_cleaner_price.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2243" alt="Tide Washing Machine Cleaner review Tide on shelves at Target" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/tide_washing_machine_cleaner_price.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/tide_washing_machine_cleaner_price.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/tide_washing_machine_cleaner_price-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <h1>How to Use Tide Washing Machine Cleaner</h1> <p dir="ltr">Tide Washing Machine Cleaner is like a <strong>nuclear scrub for your tub</strong>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Open the packet, dump it into your tub, and run a cycle using hot water.</strong> Your machine proceeds to bathe itself.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Cost</h1> <p dir="ltr">These are pricey at <strong>$8.39 for a box of 3 packets</strong>, which works out to about <strong>$3 after taxes for a single cleaning</strong>. At this price, it’s no wonder Tide tells you to use it <em>monthly</em> (uh thanks, but no). I’ll wait until it starts to stink again before using another packet.</p> <h1>Results</h1> <p>The Tide bombing was a <strong>complete success</strong>. At first, I feared the Tide cleaner just masked the smell with its abundant <em>THIS IS WHAT CLEAN SMELLS LIKE!!!!</em> odor, but’s been <strong>3 weeks and 15+ loads since the cleansing</strong> and the <strong>stench has stayed gone</strong>. The product’s own smell was still going strong a week later, but disappeared as soon as we did a load of laundry and now the machine just smells like nothing. (Which is great – the best smell is NO SMELL!)</p> <p>It seems that our situation was one that was treatable by the Tide product, so hooray!</p> <h1>So What Causes an HE Washing Machine to stink, anyway?</h1> <p>In researching our stinky washer problem, I learned that washing machine stink is often from the leftover detergent being allowed to get mildewy. (There are other sources, so if a Tide bombing doesn’t work for you, consider further investigation).</p> <p>But since we live in the PNW where anything that sits idle for more than a few hours starts to accumulate mildew, it seemed likely that we were dealing with a run of the mill mildew accumulation.</p> <p><strong>Two other things I learned:</strong></p> <p>1) Closing the lid exacerbates washing machine stinkiness (we leave it open now)</p> <p>2) Bleach apparently does the same thing for a lot cheaper</p> <p>We don’t keep bleach around but I imagine I could run a lot of bleach loads before I approached the cost of these Tide packets, so once I use up all my packets I’ll try the bleach technique and report back. I also read that these packets seriously gum up front loaders, so please keep that in mind as you decide if <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003A013QW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003A013QW&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Tide Washing Machine Cleaner</a> is right for your smelly machine!</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>/2013/tide-washing-machine-cleaner-review/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>2</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Shaw Brazilian Vue Review – 1 Year Later</title> <link>/2013/shaw-brazilian-vue-review/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 12 Sep 2013 13:00:42 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=2082</guid> <description><![CDATA[Sixteen months ago we had Shaw Brazilian Vue laminate flooring professionally installed in our home. It replaced a messy patchwork of old vinyl and hardwood floors in our downstairs. Our installation area included our kitchen, dining room, front entrance, front hallway, and downstairs half bath. All told, we covered about 478 square feet with Brazilian […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-4399a2fb-f5f5-7c4f-cad8-62d4ca8d7610">Sixteen months ago we had <a href="http://shawfloors.com/laminate-flooringdetails/brazilian_vue_sl930-rain_forest">Shaw Brazilian Vue laminate flooring</a> professionally installed in our home. It replaced a messy patchwork of old vinyl and hardwood floors in our downstairs.</p> <p dir="ltr">Our installation area included our kitchen, dining room, front entrance, front hallway, and downstairs half bath. All told, we covered about 478 square feet with Brazilian Vue at a cost of $4,124 for materials and installation (before tax – the final price was $4,515).</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Brazilian Vue Review – The Short Version</h1> <p dir="ltr">I’m not thrilled with the floor and I would not buy Shaw’s Brazilian Vue again. Shaw’s Brazilian Vue attracted us with its low price and now we’re paying for it in other ways.</p> <ul> <li><strong>It’s been scratched despite light usage</strong></li> <li>We have a <strong>poorly installed floor-board</strong> in a high traffic area that <strong>shifts when walked on</strong></li> <li><strong>Every footprint shows</strong>. EVERY FOOTPRINT. EVER.</li> </ul> <h1 dir="ltr">Choosing a Floor</h1> <p dir="ltr"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_floor_samples.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-2086" alt="brazilian vue sample comparison" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_floor_samples-300x225.jpg" width="300" height="225" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_floor_samples-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_floor_samples.jpg 512w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>After a month of show-room stalking, taking home samples, reading online reviews, looking at them at different times of day, photographing samples and asking our parents for their opinion, we settled on <strong>Shaw Brazilian Vue in Rain Forest</strong>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>I wanted dark floors.</strong> (I now recognize what a sin that was.) Dark wood floors are so beautiful in magazines and homeowner blogs, but they are high maintenance. I was imagining rich chocolatey floors against striking white trim and pale mint green walls. Like in a magazine! (Hahaha)</p> <p dir="ltr">What I actually have is a <strong>dust-covered footprint mosaic</strong> that stays that way despite weekly cleaning, a shifting board with a large crumb-filled seam, and a few scratches despite light usage.</p> <p dir="ltr">So let’s talk about Shaw Brazilian Vue itself.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_rain_forest_sample.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2091" alt="brazilian vue review rain forest sample" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_rain_forest_sample.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_rain_forest_sample.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_rain_forest_sample-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <h1 dir="ltr">Durability</h1> <p dir="ltr">I’m disappointed by Brazilian Vue’s durability. After sixteen months there are two noticeable scratches (that I’m aware of) and some more subtle wear throughout.</p> <p dir="ltr">Two scratches may not seem like a big deal but let me tell you how little we have used this floor.</p> <ul> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr">We have <strong>no pets or children.</strong></p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr">We <strong>both work full time</strong>, and when we are home, we’re typically upstairs at our computers.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr">We <strong>take our shoes off as soon as we come inside</strong>.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr">Our shoes are <strong>soft-soled sneaker</strong>s, and I put on high heels maybe once a year and I don’t walk around the house in them. 95% of the traffic on this floor is either barefoot or in socks.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr">We <strong>installed the floor after finishing the rest of our downstairs projects</strong>, specifically to limit how much activity the floors would be exposed to.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr">I <strong>padded the feet of our dining table and chairs</strong> as soon as the floor was installed.</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">I cannot imagine what a wreck the floor would be if we actually, you know,<em> used it </em>the way a lot of people use their floors.</p> <p dir="ltr">We were super careful, so I’m sad that we managed to scratch it in the first year of its life. I would not recommend installing this floor to a home with children, clawed pets, or anyone using feet or wheels to get around.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Dirt Visibility</h1> <p dir="ltr">My floor always looks dirty (which is frustrating for a clean freak like me). Dirt visibility is a function of two factors:</p> <ol> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr">the floor’s dark color</p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr">the floor’s smooth surface texture</p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_smudges.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-2088" alt="brazilian vue review footprint smudges everywhere" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_smudges-300x203.jpg" width="300" height="203" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_smudges-300x203.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_smudges.jpg 512w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>I don’t know if this is because it’s a dark floor, or because it’s a laminate, or if it’s because of something Shaw coats its floors with, but it’s ugly and <strong>I’ve never had this problem with the half-dozen other laminate floors I’ve lived over so I’m blaming it on the Brazilian Vue itself</strong>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Brazilian Vue’s dark color and smooth texture looked nice in the showroom and as a sample in the corner of our kitchen, but it <strong>does not look nice in our dining room covered with crumbs and footprints</strong>.</p> <p dir="ltr">We sweep a couple times a week but it’s not enough to keep the floors looking nice because the real villains here are the <strong>footprints</strong>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Every barefoot step leaves smudges on the floor</strong>, and these accumulate until the floor is basically a dappled mosaic of footprints. The footprints don’t wipe off with a quick swiff of the Swiffer, either. I have to gently scrub the floor with a wet rag (and then they come right back).</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Texture/Surface</h1> <p dir="ltr">As I’ve said above, Brazilian Vue is <strong>sleek and smooth</strong>. Brazilian Vue was one of the only laminate floors we found that didn’t have a crazy fake-looking texture. Most competitors had a noisy, jagged-line surface texture that looked fake and often went against the grain of the wood image printed onto the laminate.</p> <p dir="ltr">The lack of this textural “fake grain” was our main reason for choosing Brazilian Vue, but the lack of any grain at all creates a fake look of its own. (We chose the lesser of two evils.) The <strong>subtleties of real wood are nonexistent</strong>, and sometimes I think this floor looks just a bit too “perfect”, a little too machine-made.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Seams</h1> <p>This <strong>ugly gap</strong> is another complaint I have about my Shaw floors. I think the pale brown is the “tongue” that normally connects the boards (rather than the underlayment, which is a white padding material).</p> <p>This is probably a defect of the installation that could have happened with any brand of laminate, but it’s <strong>eye-catchingly ugly</strong>, it’s <strong>located in the center of a high traffic doorway</strong> (kitchen to dining room), and it’s hard not to feel disappointed about my choice of product every time I extract <strong>another meal’s worth of crumbs from this crack</strong>. It also<strong> shifts noticeably when stepped on</strong>. Hooray.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_gap1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-2090 aligncenter" alt="brazilian vue review gap in floor board" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_gap1.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_gap1.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_gap1-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/shaw_floor_gap.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2806" alt="shaw_floor_gap" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/shaw_floor_gap.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/shaw_floor_gap.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/09/shaw_floor_gap-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/09/shaw_floor_gap-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"> <p dir="ltr">The rest of the seams are tighter and don’t attract so much dirt, but they all have this weird fake looking edge (you can see it in the above photo).</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Feel</h1> <p dir="ltr">The “feel” of the floor is somewhat difficult to describe, but the Brazilian Vue does feel nice to walk on.</p> <p dir="ltr">It’s got enough cushioning – not as much as our apartment or previous home’s laminate had, but enough. Aside from our noticeably shifting board in the kitchen/dining room doorway, the floor’s pops and shifts are within what I would consider the normal range.</p> <p>Brazilian Vue was the thickest laminate floor we considered. Here’s a photo I took in a floor vent to show you just how thick this floor is.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_thickness_layers.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2092" alt="brazilian_vue_thickness_layers" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_thickness_layers.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_thickness_layers.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_thickness_layers-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr">The thin white layer under the Brazilian Vue itself is the underlayment. The Brazilian Vue probably doesn’t feel as padded to us since it’s so thick and far away from its underlayment (our first home’s laminate felt very padded, and that floor was much thinner).</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Color</h1> <p dir="ltr"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_dining_table.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright" alt="brazilian vue review clashes with dining table" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/brazilian_vue_dining_table-300x225.jpg" width="300" height="225" /></a><strong>Be careful about selecting a floor color</strong>. We thought we were careful: we obsessed for a month over samples and looked at them constantly, and we still managed to screw it up.</p> <p dir="ltr">Brazilian Vue “Rain Forest” is <strong>way redder</strong> than we expected, even though we took home a fairly large sample (one of those jumbo ones, it was probably 16” square) and looked at it for days before making a purchase.</p> <p dir="ltr">The red clashes with our dining table, which now looks orange next to the red floor. It never looked orange to us until this floor was under it, and we didn’t spot this in our sample comparisons.</p> <p dir="ltr">There’s no room in our budget for replacing our dining table just because it clashes with the floor, so we will just deal with it.</p> <p dir="ltr">Brazilian Vue also has a certain “flatness” to its color that’s hard to describe. While it’s definitely dark and red-tinted, it still has a hard-to-describe quality that makes it appear shallow and more fake-looking than I expected it to.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Final Bits of Floor Buying Advice</h1> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Don’t get dark floors.</strong> You’ll <em>never</em> achieve that beautiful dark floor / bright walls look. It’s hopeless. Dark floors are all footprints and dust. Cry it all out, it’s okay…then go buy something mid-toned.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/garage_floor_debris.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright" alt="garage_floor_debris" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/garage_floor_debris-300x225.jpg" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Do the demolition yourself</strong> and you can cut your<strong> install cost by half</strong>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Just keep in mind that it is hard, time-consuming work. Doing the demolition of the existing floors (the kitchen had five layers of vinyl and plywood) saved us almost $1000, but it was brutal labor. The old floor tear-out consumed four weeks of our free time, wrecked us physically, made the kitchen impossible to walk through, and turned our home into a construction zone for almost two months. Oh, and the debris pile we generated was massive (the installers handled the removal). <a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/garage_floor_debris.jpg"><br /> </a></p> <p dir="ltr">Still, tearing up your own floor will cut your new floor costs nearly in half so it’s hard to argue with the savings.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Save up for hardwood, if you can stomach it</strong>. I’m too cheap to spend that kind of money on a floor, which is why I bought a laminate floor. For comparison, my Brazilian Vue was about half the cost of the cheapest hardwoods that we priced out.</p> <p dir="ltr">If I had to do it over, I’d choose laminate again but I would select a lighter-colored design with a bit more texture to it.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> </channel> </rss>