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Only the Best Earn the
PET Seal of Approval from
The 15 Minutes Products
Evaluation Team (PET) |
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Great Mid-Level Camera
ENTAX K-r,
a robust entry-level DSLR, boasts several important
improvements over the previous Pentax K-x. It has a 3-inch
LCD with 921,000 dots of resolution compared to the 2.7-inch
LCD with 230,000 dots. The K-r has an ISO sensitivity of 100
to 25600 compared to K-x 100 to 12800. Its Lithium-Ion
battery, which allows 560 images on a single recharge, is
adaptable to four AA batteries, whereas the K-x had AA
batteries only. And the K-r shoots 6 frames per second in
contrast to 4.7 on the K-x.
 The
printed user’s manual is formidable at 352 pages. Once you
master the instructions, you’ll find this compact,
lightweight digital SLR camera easy to handle and enjoyable
to use. You have fast access to the essential control
buttons and levers conveniently placed on the camera’s grip
side.
The K-r features a
CMOS image sensor with 12.4 megapixels. It has in-camera HDR
image capture including a Night Scene HDR mode, and
excellent live-view LCD monitor, and HD video. Continuous
firing mode allows for 6 fps. It takes an SD/SDHC memory
card.
The Pentax K-r is
extremely comfortable to handle. A great camera for the
mid-level shooter. Street price is $699 with 18-55mm lens.
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 Travel
Gear You Must Have
AGELLAN’S, the
premiere travel gear source on the planet, has numerous cool
items that appeal to the female traveler. Here are five that
stand out. There is a lot more to choose from at
www.magellans.com. For a print catalog call 1-800-962-4943
day or night. AROUND
THE WORLD SKIRT You will find this wrinkle resistant
cotton, stretchy spandex skirt utterly comfortable for
travel. Regular (S-XXL) and Petite (S-XL) come in black,
plum or gray, priced at $52.50. Women’s (1X-3X) come in
black or plum at $56.50.
AROUND THE WORLD CARDIGAN
This will coordinate with your skirt. It’ a nice shape with
on-seam zippered security pockets. Light heathered gray or
black in sizes Regular (S-XXL) or Petite (S-XL) at $62.
 MELLO SANDAL
This orthopedically designed footbed from Softwalk is
supports multiple pressure points, enabling you to walk for
hours in comfort. Fashionable for both daytime and evening.
The leather sandal has 2¼-inch heel and deco cutouts, with
elastic gores for a nice fit. Whole or half sizes 6-10, 11.
Comes in black or stone, $109.
 SONIC
TOOTHBRUSH This travel toothbrush is a must-have. It
even comes with an AAA battery, so you don’t need to pack a
charger. Includes a replacement brush head and travel case.
Colors are white/turquoise and white/purple, at $20.85.
Order two or more at $18.85 each. Replacement heads are
$5.85 each.
LUGGAGE
HUGGERS Do you have trouble identifying your bag from
all the other similar bags on the carousel? This
poly/spandex band will help you spot your suitcase quickly.
Comes in blue or red in sizes S (21-24 inch bags) for $12.85
or L (24-27 inch bags) for $14.85. |
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 Speedy
Memory Card Transfer
SB 3.0 Universal Memory Card Reader
promises to transfer data from your memory card to computer
ten times faster than USB 2.0: almost 10,000 images in less
than a minute, 2,000 MP3 files in less than 13 seconds.
It’s compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 at slower
rates.
This Delkin device is
great for backing up or sharing pictures, video, documents
and music. An LED blinks during transfer.
It will meet
all your needs with slots for CF Type I & II (UDMA), SD (all
classes), microSD, Memory Stick, MicroDrive, MMC, xD and
more. Yu can use more than one slot simultaneously for card
to card transfer. Price $39.99 at
www.Delkin.com.
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Mouse Makes
Nice Gift
OTORMOUSE
is an elegant mouse that will appeal to the Porsche (or any
classic sports car) in your spirit. It lays claim to the
world’s smallest 2.4 GHz USB receiver for its wireless
functionality. Motormouse boasts real rubber tires, a wide
spare tire for the scroll wheel, and a trunk that stores
batteries and receiver. Comes in black, silver, red and pink
for $49.95.
 Order
the gift-wrapped edition ($54.99) for your business clients
or friends and you get a gift box with additional items,
including a soft carrying pouch with a spare battery section
inside, a mouse mat, and two AAA batteries. Order from Avant
Garde Gifts, of Marco Island, Florida, at
www.motormouse.us.com.
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 Rockboarding
For Fitness And Fun
OCKBOARD
is a scooter that stays on track as you
propel it along. The reinforced handlebar is comfortable to
grip as you go Rockboarding on the pavement. You can adjust
the telescoping downpipe to lock the handlebars at the right
height for you.
The nylon-reinforced
spokes and urethane wheels provides nice traction and smooth
rides. No kicking or batteries necessary. You rock back and
forth and the scooter flies, up to 10 mph.
When Junior PET
Johnathan gave it a test drive, he was the envy of all the
neighborhood. Every kid on the block had to have a go at it.
At the end of the day you fold it down to a compact size and
put it away. Great for travel as it fits nicely in the car.
It’s quite a lot of
fun for ages 8 and on, up to 200 pounds. "We wanted to
combine fitness and fun that would appeal to kids as well as
parents," said Richard Miller, head honcho of M.Y. Products
in Franklin, Indiana. See more at
www.rockboard.com. Available at Toys R Us and
www.amazon.com for $199.99.
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 The
Best of Toy Fair
O BAGGIE
is the best backpack for kids
on the go, whether to school or on trips. This wonderful
versatile bag eliminates the clutter of life for kids,
featuring panels to store things such as arts and crafts
materials, and extra pockets to carry all your essential
electronics. These multiple compartments hold a spare set of
clothing. One is even lined for food storage. Your kid can
hang the Go Baggie on the headrest in the car to allow easy
access to all its essential contents. It converts into a
sturdy mobile play station. The fold-down activity desk/dry
erase board will keep the child busy as you concentrate on
the road. Great for children ages 5 and up. Backpack comes
in different designs and colors, including Jaguar, Tiger,
Peacock, Zebra and of course Princess. Available for $39.99
at
www.gobaggie.com.
 LEMONADE
STAND
will appeal to all kids who know the value of a penny. This
all-wood 32-pound stand sets up in minutes and allows the
young entrepreneur to dish out drinks to thirsty neighbors
and rake in the pennies for his favorite charity (read:
college fund). The water-resistant top is big enough to hold
cups and pitchers, with an extra shelf below the counter to
stash your cash. The solid wood stand comes in three
flavors: natural wood, yellow and white. Use the built in
chalk board in the front to create your own graphics to lure
the customers. Use the chalk, stickers and Design Idea Book
to decorate the stand and lure thirsty customers. Brings out
the creativity in your kid. Minimal assembly required, but
that should pose no problem—your child will help you. After
a busy day you can fold it up and store it the closet,
garage or the trunk of your far. Priced at $149.00 for
natural wood, white for $139.99, and yellow/orange at
$139.99 at
www.qtccompany.com.
 GOTCHA!
A fast-paced party game, launched at the American
International Toy Fair in February in New York, this new
offering from Buffalo Games will keep your friends in
stitches. It’s geared for 3-8 players, ages 14 and up, the
game tries to catch players who fail to follow the rules.
For instance, a rule card might direct people wearing jeans
to use finger quotes while speaking. If any jeans wearer
speaks without finger quotes, the first player to catch that
and hits the buzzer scores. With thousands of different
possible rule combinations, every game is different. Half a
dozen cards are included so you can create your own rules
and maximize the hilarity. $27.99 at
www.buffalogames.com.
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