text:
Flatbed Scanners | Cheap Flatbed Scanners | Document Scanners | Portable Scanners | Photo Scanners | Buying guide | Reviews
Scanners come in many shapes and sizes, but flatbed scanners, in which you place the objects on a flat "scanbed" and close the lid before scanning, are the most common type. This design works for a wide variety of media types: loose documents and photos, bound material such as books and magazines, and even three-dimensional objects if they're not too bulky. Since you don't have to put anything through a document feeder, flatbed scanners are the best for protecting easily damaged materials, such as stamps or irreplaceable family photos.
If you need to archive lots of unbound pages and documents, it gets very time-consuming to constantly lift a flatbed lid and scan one page at a time. For jobs like these, a sheet-fed document scanner is a better option. A sheet-fed scanner lets you insert pages one by one, without the extra step of lifting and lowering the lid. Many have the convenience of a built in automatic document feeder (ADF), which can churn through an entire stack of paper without user intervention. Many sheet-fed scanners also have duplexing capabilities, which means that they can scan both sides of a page that's been fed through once.
These scanners typically weigh no more than a couple of pounds and are small enough to fit inside a backpack, making them easy to tote around. Most portable scanners are also sheet-fed, but unlike full-sized document scanners, they can be slow and tedious to use. Still, they are ideal for scanning in a few paper documents or business cards while on the road. A scanner app for your smartphone is another option for digitally capturing documents on the go.
If image quality is the absolute chief concern, you'll need to shell out significantly more cash for a professional-grade photo scanner. Photo scanners offer higher optical resolution – measured in either pixels per inch (ppi) or dots per inch (dpi) – than typical multipurpose or document scanners. (The two terms are often used interchangeably, but dpi technically refers to the fidelity of an image printed on paper, while ppi is for images displayed on a screen.) Many also include premium features to help improve scan quality, such as automatically editing out dust and scratches. However, unless you're a photographer or graphics professional, a dedicated photo scanner might be overkill for your needs.
In recent years, standalone scanners have taken a back seat to multifunction printers (MFPs), also known as all-in-ones. These devices combine the functions of a scanner, printer, copier, and sometimes even a fax machine, in one unit.
According to PCMag.com, the choice between a scanner and an MFP comes down to your personal scanning needs. If all you ever need to scan is letter-sized, single-page documents – with perhaps the occasional longer document or book page thrown in – then an MFP is probably the better choice, and we cover some great alternatives in our report on multifunction printers. However, those who frequently scan multi-page documents, or need a high-resolution scanner for photos, artwork and, especially, transparencies such as negatives or slides, will find a stand-alone scanner to be a better option.
Scanners range in price from as little as $60 to $1,000 or more. To help you find the best scanner for your needs without breaking the bank, ConsumerSearch digs through expert and user reviews to find the best picks for different uses and users. Scanners are evaluated on the quality of the scans they produce, of course, but also on their speed, ease of use, and overall reliability.
Flatbed scanners are the most common type of desktop scanner. They're also the most versatile and are ideal for multipurpose use. The combination of a scanbed and a top-opening lid can accommodate bulky objects that won't go through a document feeder. Flatbed scanners can handle both documents and photo prints, but you'll have to pay a bit more for one that can scan photographic slides and negatives. As long as your scanning needs are modest, experts say there's no need to spend more than $200 on a general-purpose flatbed model.
The best flatbed scanners combine great performance, ease of use, and a wide range of features, along with a useful software package. Overall, the Canon CanoScan 9000F Mark II (Est. $170) is the best value we've found in a multipurpose scanner. It's recommended by TheWirecutter.com as the best low-cost scanner that can handle printed photos, negatives, and film.
Despite its relatively low price tag, the CanoScan 9000F Mark II can scan photos and artwork at resolutions of up to 4,800 dots per inch (dpi). For film, its maximum resolution is an even more impressive 9,600 dpi. Reviewer Lizz Schumer of TheWirecutter.com describes images produced by the CanoScan as clean and beautiful. She notes that the scanner automatically sharpens images and corrects colors, and with a little more work, it's possible to edit out dust, scratches, and "gutter shadows" (the dark areas that appear between pages when scanning a book).
The CanoScan 9000F Mark II is also the fastest printer in TheWirecutter.com's tests. It takes about 5 seconds to scan a black-and-white page at 300 dpi, 11 seconds for a full-color page, and only 6 seconds for a small color photo. The scanner offers the choice of an auto Scan mode, which recognizes, crops, scans, and saves an image with a single click, or advanced mode, which lets users make additional adjustments to brightness and contrast before scanning.
User reviews at Amazon.com and B&H Photo back up Schumer's findings. Owners say the CanoScan 9000F Mark II is fast, delivers clear images with accurate color, and warms up almost instantly. However, not all users are happy with the Canon software package. Some say the ScanGear program, used for adjusting pictures in manual mode, does a poor job of making fine adjustments such as color balance and exposure, and others found the My Image Garden program for organizing and storing photos very awkward to use. Schumer considers the Canon software "serviceable" but says it's no substitute for the Adobe Photoshop Elements software that comes bundled with some competing models – a $100 value.
Although the CanoScan 9000F Mark II produces very good images, its didn't have the best image quality in TheWirecutter.com's tests. That honor belongs to the Epson Perfection V550 Photo (Est. $165). This Epson scanner's features are fairly similar to the Canon's; it can scan film, slides, and negatives as well as prints, and it has digital image correction and enhancement (ICE) for editing out dust and scratches. Also, like the Canon, it has an LED bulb for instantaneous warm-up. However, its optical resolution of 6,400 dpi makes it capable of reproducing photo prints even more faithfully. Also, unlike the Canon, the Epson Perfection V550 can upload scans directly to Facebook and other cloud-based services.
Unlike the CanoScan, the V550 doesn't automatically touch up images to make them clearer. This means its images are incredibly accurate, but the downside is that any necessary adjustments have to be made by hand. Moreover, Schumer found the V550 harder to use. The first unit she tried never worked at all, despite hours of fiddling and a call to customer service. Once she got a working replacement, she began to have problems with the software, which she said was "very confusing" and "required a lot of trial and error," even when she followed the instructions in the manual. In addition, the V550 is significantly slower than the CanoScan, taking about 15 seconds for a black-and-white page, 20 for a full-color page, and 25 for a photo.
Users at Amazon.com and B&H Photo have similar complaints, and several say Epson's quality control isn't the best. Moreover, owners find Epson's technical support incredibly unhelpful. However, they admit that the scanner's image quality is great, particularly for negatives, and that setup is usually easy. Both the Epson and the Canon are backed by a one-year limited warranty.
If all you ever need to scan is text documents and the occasional batch of photos, then you can probably find a scanner that meets your needs without spending a lot. Cheap flatbed scanners, priced at $100 or less, can handle these basic scanning jobs, but they typically can't scan film or negatives. Resolution on budget scanners is often lower than on their pricier cousins, but some can reproduce images at 4,800 dots per inch (dpi) – the same as our top-rated flatbed scanner. Also, these budget-priced scanners don't always come with as complete a bundle of software.
In this price range, the scanner that earns the most recommendations is the Canon CanoScan LiDE 220 (Est. $75). It can do just about everything the highly rated Canon CanoScan 9000F Mark II (Est. $170) can do, with the exception of scanning film and negatives. It produces high-quality photo scans, with a maximum optical resolution of 4,800 dpi. It also provides basic image-enhancement options, such as color correction and dust removal. Reviewers at TheWirecutter.com and PCMag.com say it consistently produces clear, sharp images for all types of materials, although purists may be displeased with its tendency to automatically sharpen photographs. It's also not as fast as the pricier Canon scanner, taking about 10 seconds for a black-and-white page, 14 seconds for a color page, and 20 seconds for a photo.
The LiDE 220 offers you a good range of options for formatting and storing your scans. It can convert documents to searchable PDF and editable text formats, and reviewer Lizz Schumer at TheWirecutter.com says its optical character recognition (OCR) is fairly accurate. It sometimes runs into trouble with unusual or extra-small fonts at first, but they usually come through correctly on a second pass. The LiDE 220 is also capable of sending scanned documents to the cloud, but you have to install the appropriate software on your computer to do that. Both Schumer and M. David Stone of PCMag.com note that the My Image Garden software that comes with this scanner is extremely limited, with very few options for editing your photos.
The CanoScan LiDE 220 is lightweight (just 3.4 pounds) and fairly compact. One nice feature is that you can store and use it in an upright position, so it takes up less room on your desk. It's powered via USB from a host computer or laptop. Some users like this feature, since it eliminates the need for a power cord, but others dislike having the scanner tethered to their PC. We didn't find enough user feedback on this scanner to evaluate its long-term durability. However, it's covered by a standard one-year warranty.
Another strong performer in this price range is the Epson Perfection V39 (Est. $70). It matches the CanoScan LiDE 220 in terms of optical resolution, and it's roughly on par in terms of speed – slightly slower for black-and-white documents, but slightly faster for photos. Like the Canon, it's lightweight, can be used in a vertical position, and requires only a USB cord for power. It also comes with the same limited one-year warranty.
Stone, in his review for PCMag.com, actually prefers the Epson Perfection V39 to the Canon, saying it does slightly better on text recognition. However, Schumer, who tested both machines on both Windows and Mac systems, could not get the OCR to work with a Mac. She also said the Epson's scans "weren't as eye-pleasing" as the Canon's, and she found its unlabeled buttons confusing and "finicky" to use.
Users who review the Epson Perfection V39 at Amazon.com like its compact size; many users even describe it as "portable," although it's not designed for travel. They also say it's versatile – capable of scanning photos, documents, and books, and exporting them to multiple file formats – and it produces good images. However, we found numerous complaints that the scanner isn't very user-friendly. Some users describe the software as finicky, and many Mac users couldn't get it to work at all. Even those who had no problems using the software describe it as limited, offering few options for fine-tuning images. However, Stone points out that this is true only in the scanner's fully automatic mode. In its advanced mode, he claims, the V39 actually has the opposite problem: it gives a degree of control that "can be overwhelming" for newbies.
If you have lots of loose pages to scan, but you don't need to scan film, photo prints, slides, books, magazines, or other media, a sheet-fed document scanner is the best way to get the job done. Document scanners are designed to process large batches of unbound paper, and to do so quickly. Most come bundled with optical character recognition (OCR) software, which can turn an electronic image into searchable text in a document.
Most document scanners come equipped with an automatic document feeder (ADF), which will automatically load page after page in a stack. Many ADFs on document scanners have a duplexing feature, which enables them to scan one side of a page, flip it, and immediately scan the reverse side. These are less expensive than duplexing document scanners with two scanning components, which can scan both sides simultaneously. High-volume document scanners can cost into the thousands of dollars, but we found some less expensive models that are very suitable for small to mid-size business use.
Experts rave over the Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500 (Est. $420). This sheet-fed scanner is an excellent value, producing highly detailed scans of text documents at speeds of up to 30 pages per minute (ppm) in professional tests. Experts say turning countless pages into searchable PDF files is quick and painless. The scanner has a top-quality ADF, which can hold up to 50 sheets and scan pages in simplex or duplex mode. It can also scan business cards, post cards, and legal-size sheets, automatically detecting the document size. It has a USB 3.0 port for speedy connection speeds, and you can also scan wirelessly to PCs, Macs, and Android or iOS devices via Wi-Fi. The scanner comes with a one-year manufacturer warranty.
Both professionals and users describe the ScanSnap iX500 as fast and reliable, churning through paper with no jams or misfeeds. They also agree that the OCR software is also highly accurate. Owners find the scanner easy to set up and use, and they say it's remarkably quiet and compact for such a powerhouse. The main complaint we saw from users is that Fujitsu doesn't update its software often enough. This caused the scanner to stop working or become unreliable when they upgraded the operating systems on their computers.
One quirk of the ScanSnap iX500 is that, like other Fujitsu scanners, it doesn't have a TWAIN driver. This driver, used with most scanners, allows you to launch the scanning process from within an application, and the scanner "pulls" the scanned document into the program. This Fujitsu scanner, by contrast, uses a "push" system: first you scan the document, and then you open it in the program of your choice. The scanner gives you a menu of recommended programs, and you can add other programs to the menu if you prefer. Although this system appears to work fine for most users, it adds extra steps to the scanning process for those who rely on specific image software.
For users who find the lack of TWAIN support a deal-breaker, reviewers recommend the Canon imageFORMULA DR-C225 (Est. $380). A top pick at PCMag.com, this Canon scanner is a match for the Fujitsu in speed and accuracy; reviewer Tony Hoffman says it performed one-sided scans at just over 24 ppm and two-sided scans at 48.4 images per minute (ipm). Unlike the Fujitsu, the Canon doesn't offer Wi-Fi connectivity, and Hoffman reports that it's not as good at scanning business cards. However, its OCR is even more accurate than the Canon's, and he finds its bundled software to be "more capable" for document management. Not all users agree with this assessment, though; although the scanner gets good overall reviews at Amazon.com, most of the complaints we saw focus on the software, which users say is cumbersome and not very intuitive.
If you're looking for a document scanner with even more speed and power, it might be worth ramping up to the Epson WorkForce DS-860 (Est. $800). It's roughly twice as expensive as the Canon and Fujitsu scanners, but it's more than twice as fast; in tests at PCMag.com, it achieves speeds of 73 ppm for simplex pages and 146 ipm in duplex mode. Professional reviewers and users also gives the scanner high marks for its text recognition and document management. However, they also complain that the software package is skimpy; the only bundled application is an OCR program, and only the "light" version at that.
Document scanners, with their automatic document feeders (ADFs) and workhorse builds, are great for offices where they can sit in one place and churn through paper, but they're far too clunky to even consider taking them on the road. Sometimes you need to be able to scan documents while on the go, and that's where portable sheet-fed scanners come in. These lightweight scanners are small enough to tuck into a backpack or laptop case. Most are USB-powered, so you won't need to lug around an extra power brick everywhere you go. Typically, they require users to feed one sheet through at a time, and their scan quality and capabilities are limited compared to their full-featured desktop brethren.
In this category, we found the most recommendations for the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300i (Est. $250). It's a little on the large side for a portable scanner, weighing just over 3 pounds and measuring about 11 by 4 by 3 inches. It has an automatic sheet feeder (officially rated at a 10-sheet capacity, but reviewer Amadou Diallo at TheWirecutter.com says it can actually handle up to 20 sheets without jamming) that can make duplex scans. It can be powered directly off AC or via a USB connection to your computer, though you need to use two USB cables to give it all the juice it needs.
Its comprehensive ScanSnap software suite is compatible with both Macs and PCs. This software, according to Diallo, is the ScanSnap S1300i's greatest strength. It comes with special applications for reading receipts and business cards, and it can export scanned information to a variety of file formats, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and iPhoto. In Diallo's tests, the optical character recognition (OCR) is outstandingly accurate, reproducing 99 percent of all words correctly. Diallo also describes the software as logical and intuitive to use without having to consult the user's manual. On the down side, the S1300i, like other Fujitsu scanners, doesn't come with TWAIN or ICA drivers, so you can't initiate a scan from within an application. However, Diallo thinks the ScanSnap suite is good enough that this is a small loss.
The S1300i's chief weakness is speed. Although it's not the slowest portable scanner in TheWirecutter.com's tests, it isn't the fastest either. It takes just over 2 minutes to scan 20 sheets in duplex mode at 200 dpi, giving it an overall rate of 9.4 pages per minute (ppm). At its maximum resolution of 600 dpi, the rate drops to 1.5 ppm. The thousands of users who review the scanner at Amazon.com, B&H Photo, and OfficeDepot.com say the scanner process is slowed further by the software, which takes a long time to process and store each document. However, they love the ScanSnap's accuracy and ease of use. Owners rave that it can scan any document, including receipts and business cards, and it automatically corrects documents that are put in crooked. They also say it seldom jams, but if it does, it's easy to clear.
If the Fujitsu's slow speed is a deal-breaker for you, consider the Canon imageFORMULA P-215II (Est. $260). It's the fastest portable scanner in TheWirecutter.com's tests, with a rate of 16 ppm at 200 dpi and 4.5 ppm at 600 dpi – faster than even some desktop models. It's also lighter than the Fujitsu, at 2.2 pounds, and slightly more compact. Another plus is that, unlike the ScanSnap S1300i, it can run at full speed off USB power alone. However, it can't match the S1300i's accuracy when it comes to OCR. According to TheWirecutter.com, it captures only 96 percent of all words correctly compared to the Fujitsu's 99 percent – a small but significant difference.
Another problem with the P-215II is its software. Diallo notes that the Canon software suite is available only on CD-ROM, which makes it impossible to install on newer Macs that don't have an optical drive. This means you're stuck with third-party software that doesn't perform as well. And even those Mac users at Amazon.com who were able to install the software say it doesn't work with Mac OS 10.12 (Sierra). Owners also complain that the scanner occasionally grabs multiple pages at once, and scans on the card reader tend to come out crooked. However, users do like the P-215II's small size, fast speed, and plug-and-play setup.
If you only need to scan an occasional document while you're on the go, you may not need a dedicated scanner at all. There are a variety of apps available for iOS and Android that can turn a photo taken with your smartphone into a PDF. They can even use OCR to create searchable text. Scanning apps aren't as fast or as versatile as a portable scanner, but they cost a lot less – and more importantly, they don't require you to pack an extra device in your suitcase.
One scanning app that comes up often in reviews is Scanner Pro (Est. $4). It's designed for use with an iPhone or iPad. Reviewers like it because it makes it easy to share your documents via e-mail or send them to cloud-based services such as Dropbox. The current release also includes OCR, a feature that was missing from earlier versions.
Jason Cipriani of Macworld likes Scanbot even better than Scanner Pro. Its main advantage is that it's so simple and intuitive to use. When you launch the app, it automatically opens your camera and converts the pictures you snap to scans – and it even helps you adjust your position for the cleanest possible image. The app is free for Android or iOS, but it costs an extra $5.99 to get access to OCR.
The app that gets best ratings for Android users is Mobile Doc Scanner. Preston Gralla of ITWorld.com says this app is great not just for scanning but for automatically cleaning up your documents to make them as clear as possible. The "lite" version of the app is free; the full version, which includes OCR, costs $4.99.
While some mainstream flatbed scanners do a great job handling photos, slides or negatives, photographers – or those who require professional image quality – need even greater fidelity. For these users, the best choice is a flatbed scanner designed specifically for scanning photos. Typically found on the high end of the price scale, these scanners offer higher resolutions than most flatbed scanners. Most of them also come with premium features and software, such as image retouching and scratch removal capabilities, to improve scan quality.
Reviewers say the Epson Perfection V800 Photo (Est. $680) is the best choice for professional photographers and advanced amateurs looking for the ultimate in photo, slide and film scanning. This scanner is the successor to the discontinued Epson Perfection V700 Photo, which also earned highly favorable reviews. Like the V700, the V800 has a dual-lens system in which one lens scans at 4,800 dots per inch (dpi) and the other scans up to 6,400 dpi for larger files. Both scanners also have a 4.0 Dmax rating, meaning that they can reproduce gradual changes in shading from white to black and fine shadow detail (details of images in dark areas) better than most scanners.
However, according to M. David Stone of PCMag.com, the V800 is even better than its predecessor. Its image quality is better by a small but noticeable margin, and it also works faster. In Stone's tests, the V800 took 38 seconds to scan a single slide at 2,400 pixels per inch (ppi), 2 minutes and 28 seconds to scan 4 slides at the same resolution, and 1 minute 25 seconds to scan a slide at 6,400 ppi. Film scans take about the same amount of time. Adding the digital ICE feature increases the scan time for a single frame to 2 minutes 51 seconds. One reason the V800 works faster than the V700 is that it now has an LED light source that makes warm-up all but instantaneous.
The Epson Perfection V800 Photo can reproduce both prints and transparencies up to 8 by 10 inches in size. It also offers a variety of scan modes, from fully automatic to fully user-controlled. Stone finds the scanner's SilverFast utility has a bit of a learning curve, but says it offers good control once you overcome that. The chief downside of the V800 Photo, he finds, is the fact that its relatively high price tag doesn't get you a bundled photo-editing program. Owners who review the scanner at Amazon.com and B&H Photo say the software is intuitive to use, and they appreciate the scanner's fast operation and high-quality images. Their main complaint is that the film holders are flimsy and awkward to use.
If you need to make high-quality photo scans but are put off by the V800's high cost, the Epson Perfection V600 Photo (Est. $210) offers a good alternative. It doesn't have the dual-lens system found on the V800, but it can scan at resolutions up to 6,400 by 9,600 dpi. It also offers a good selection of scanning modes, from fully automatic to fully manual, and options for touching up images. There's digital ICE for editing out dust and scratches, color restoration, and a bundled ArcSoft PhotoStudio program for editing images.
Despite these benefits, however, the V600 doesn't fare quite as well in reviews as the V800. Stone, in his review for PCMag.com, says it produces high-quality scans for both prints and film, and it's only slightly slower than the V800. However, its image quality isn't quite a match for the V700, which in turn isn't quite up to the standards of the V800. Also, editors at Imaging Resource found that while the V600 did a great job scanning prints, its results with color negatives were "unreliable."
The V600 has thousands of reviews from owners at Amazon.com, B&H Photo, and OfficeDepot.com. Most of them agree that the scanner is easy to set up and use and produces clear images, with good color and resolution. They also note that its OCR works very well for searchable documents. On the downside, Epson's quality control and customer service come in for some knocks from users. We also saw warnings that the digital ICE software can sometimes yield strange results.
If your main goal is to convert all your old snapshots to digital form as quickly as possible, the Epson FastFoto FF-640 (Est. $650) could be your best bet. At just 600 ppi, it can't come close to the image quality of the other Epsons, but it's much faster. You can load up to 30 photos at a time in the scanner's feed slot – of varying sizes, if you like – and just press start to scan the lot. In tests at TheWirecutter.com, it whipped through a stack of 30 photos in just 38 seconds at 300 ppi, or 1 minute 42 seconds at 600 ppi. Reviewer Amadou Diallo says it produces clear images with excellent color detail – not as good as a flatbed scanner, but better than most document scanners – and it's "competent" for scanning documents as well.
Owners at Amazon.com, OfficeDepot.com, and B&H Photo give the Epson FastFoto high marks for its speed, file organization, and image-enhancing abilities. One feature they particularly love is the scanner's ability to automatically detect writing on the back of a photo and save it as a linked file, keeping the notes together with the photo scan. Although they find the FastFoto easy to set up, some say that its software can be confusing. Another big drawback is that it can't handle Polaroids, which limits its capabilities for converting old family photos.
The biggest problem with the FastFoto is its high price tag. At $650, it costs nearly as much as the top-rated Epson Perfection V800 Photo, and its image quality isn't nearly as high. However, if you don't have the time to scan in all your photos one by one, the FastFoto makes a good alternative to a photo-scanning service. According to Diallo, these services typically charge around 40 cents per print – so if you have more than around 1,500 photos (two full shoeboxes) to scan, buying this scanner is a cost-effective option. It doesn't do quite as good a job of restoring faded or overexposed prints as the services do, but Diallo says it "held its own in well-exposed images that had vibrant color to begin with."
What do you need to scan? What type of scanner you need largely depends on what, as well as how often, you'll need to scan. Flatbed scanners are the most practical for multipurpose use. They're generally more versatile and cheaper than scanners geared toward a specific function. They're a safe bet if you'll be scanning delicate material such as photos, film or slides, and they're essential for handling 3D objects or bound material like books and magazines. Those who need to create digital copies of lots of loose pages and documents should consider a sheet-fed scanner, which is designed specifically for this task. High-end photo scanners are relatively expensive, but they're the best for high-resolution scans of images. They're also ideal for scanning film, slides, or negatives, although some basic flatbed scanners can handle these materials also. If you need to scan unusually shaped items, such as business cards or three-dimensional objects, look for a scanner specifically designed to handle these tasks.
What resolution do you need? If you're scanning plain-text documents or documents with business graphics, resolution isn't a huge concern – experts say 200 dpi is adequate, and 300 dpi is plenty. New scanners typically have resolutions of least 600 dpi, which is sufficient for images, as long you don't enlarge them too much or zoom in too far. For the finest detail or printing scans at a larger size, you'll need a scanner with a higher resolution – at least 4,800 dpi. Reviews note that you should take claimed resolutions with a grain of salt, as these specs are often inflated or are bottlenecked by the scanner's optical hardware. However, as a rule of thumb, the higher a scanner's claimed resolution, the higher its real-world resolution is likely to be.
What about color depth? Color depth is a measurement of how many variations of colors the scanner can see. It's generally not important on document scanners, but it is very important for scanning photos and drawings. Photo scanners typically have 48-bit color depth.
Do you scan in bulk? If you plan to churn through huge stacks of paper on a regular basis, an automatic document feeder (ADF) is a must. Look for an ADF with a capacity greater than or equal to the number of pages you typically need to scan at a go. If you have to scan a longer document once in a while, you can always add more pages partway through the process.
How big are your documents? The larger the scanning area, the larger the document or photo you can reproduce (and the larger number of smaller images you can scan at a time). Most flatbed scanners can only accommodate letter-size documents, so if you need to scan legal-size pages or large pieces of artwork, look for a larger scanbed.
Do you need duplex scanning? There are several ways to scan two-sided documents. True duplexing scanners have two scanning elements, so they can scan both sides of a page at once. Other scanners have an ADF with duplexing capabilities; it scans one side of the page, flips it, and scans the other. Duplexing scanners are faster, but they're also more expensive. If cost is a concern, a cheaper alternative is a basic scanner with a manual duplexing feature in its driver. This is a good choice if you only need to scan two-sided documents once in a while.
What operating system are you using? Pretty much any scanner works with recent versions of Windows, but if you're using a Mac or Linux system, double-check to make sure the scanner is compatible with it. We saw many complaints from Mac users who bought scanners only to discover that they weren't compatible with the latest version of the Mac OS – or, in other cases, with older versions.
How much space can you spare? A final consideration is size. If you plan to take your scanner on the road, it's obviously important to have one that's as small and lightweight as possible. However, even for regular office use, many owners appreciate a scanner that doesn't take up too much valuable desk space. It's also handy to have trays and other extensions that fold up into a more compact form when the scanner isn't in use.
Amadou Diallo, an experienced technology writer and reviewer, spent more than 70 hours researching and testing portable document printers. Starting with 98 models, he narrowed the list down to just three that were Mac- and PC-compatible, included an ADF, and were light enough to move regularly from room to room. He tested these for text accuracy, speed, and ease of use, running through dozens of documents of all types and sizes, before naming a winner.
For this review, Lizz Schumer consulted professional and user reviews to identify the 20 most recommended scanners. She then selected the four with the strongest reviews and subjected them to 18 hours of hands-on testing to evaluate speed, image quality, and ease of use. Each machine scanned a variety of documents, including text and images, film, print, and a finger painting by a 1-year-old (with stickers).
PCMag.com is the most prolific and consistent reviewer of scanners. Product roundup articles are thorough, informative and frequently updated. Scanners are rated on a 5-point scale, and the best earn editors' choice nods. Most models receive a detailed single-page report based on thorough, hands-on testing for both hardware and software. Reviewers scan documents, business cards, photos, slides, and film, test each scanner's OCR capability, and also evaluate speed and ease of use.
Amazon.com carries thousands of scanners, including sheet-fed, flatbeds, film scanners, and business card scanners. The best-rated scanners here receive hundreds of reviews, and sometimes thousands, with overall scores of at least 4.5 stars out of 5. Owner feedback here is particularly useful for gauging a model's long-term durability and reliability.
B&H Photo is another good source for user reviews. Scanners are divided into three categories that must be searched separately, but within each section, it's easy to sort the reviews to see which scanners have the most ratings. Flatbed and document scanners have the most reviews, with several models getting 4.5-star -ratings from 50 owners or more.
Nearly 150 scanners are sold through OfficeDepot.com, but only a dozen or so have more than a handful of reviews. We found the best ratings for Epson and Fujitsu scanners, with several models receiving ratings of 4.3 stars or better from hundreds of owners. Individual reviews are fairly brief.
Preston Gralla, a contributing editor at IT World, offers his take on which iOS and Android apps make the best alternatives to a stand-alone scanner. His choices include both free apps, paid apps, and free apps with in-app purchases. They include features like converting scans to PDFs, performing OCR, and allowing you to share your files via wi-fi or cloud-based storage.
Macworld's Jason Cipriani reviews apps that can turn your iOS device into a makeshift scanner for on-the-go use. Based on his personal experiences with a variety of apps, he names Scanbot and Scanner Pro as the two that are easiest to use, comparing their features and how they work. For those who prefer a portable scanner, he recommends the NeatConnect.
Reviewer Ted Landau pits the Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500 against the Neat NeatDesk for Mac for the title of best document scanner. Specs are similar – both scanners can scan up to 600 dpi resolution, with similar features and speed – but Landau names the iX500 as the winner based on hardware, software and features. The iX500 earns a strong recommendation for a desktop scanner, with 4.5 "mice" out of 5.
The most recent scanner review at Laptop magazine is this roundup of five portable scanners from 2012. Each scanner gets a one-paragraph write-up summarizing its pros and cons, plus a link to a full report that evaluates design, setup, ease of use, and performance in detail. A handy chart compares how well each scanner handles black-and-white documents, color photos, and business cards. One of the covered scanners is now discontinued.
Imaging-Resource.com is one of the best online sources for camera reviews, but it hasn't published any scanner reviews since 2009, and only one covered model is still current. That's a pity, as its reviews are among the most detailed and complete we found. Each one covers the scanner's specifications, what's in the box, the setup process, and several "case studies" showing how the scanner handles different photos and documents.
Sponsored Links are keyword-targeted advertisements provided through the Google AdWords™ program.
These listings are administered, sorted and maintained by Google. For information about these Google ads, go to adwords.google.com.
Google may place or recognize a unique "cookie" on your Web browser. Information from this cookie may be used by Google to help provide advertisers with more targeted advertising opportunities. For more information about Google's privacy policy, including how to opt out, go to www.google.com/ads/preferences.
By clicking on Sponsored Links you will leave ConsumerSearch.com. The web site you will go to is not endorsed by ConsumerSearch.


text:
It's a pleasure to welcome a special guest to Magical Musings today, New York Times bestselling author Jill Barnett. I've been a huge fan of Jill's for over 15 years now, ever since my mom bought me the A HOLIDAY OF LOVE anthology that featured Jill's wonderful Christmas story, "Daniel and the Angel." That dogeared paperback is still on my keeper shelf, and I reread the story every Christmas.
I was thrilled to discover Jill on Twitter, and over-the-moon when she agreed to join us here. I asked her to address the very broad topic of "Starting Over" because all of us face transitions in our lives: new school, new home, new job, new town, marriage, divorce, motherhood, empty nest and more. It's rich fodder for authors and it's inescapable for all of us as we live our lives. So without further ado, here's Jill.
A few years back, when blogging was at its inception, I wrote on Amazon one day about a gander I'd seen often near an island road. He had lost his mate a while back, but still some days you would see him, regal and tall, looking at us narrow-eyed as he stood guard while his goslings crossed the road. The cars would be lined up, waiting as his young family waddled from a grassy knoll, over a strip of asphalt, to the harbor's edge. I made the mistake once of getting out of the car to shoo them along because I was late for the ferry and this one silly little goose kept running in circles and that gander came at me, wings flapping. I did not know this until later, but geese mate for life. So after that, those times when he was alone at the edge of the harbor, looking a little lost, I felt a kinship with him. I thought perhaps if I looked into his eyes I would see the same emptiness I sometimes felt.
My husband and I met my junior year of high school. He was a year older, and we were together on and off until we married in our early twenties. Chris and I were married for twenty-seven years and I had never once thought of my life without him. But one night a policeman knocked on my door to tell me he was gone, that he had died in an instant, and my life and my daughter's life changed forever.
So now that you're completely depressed, let me say that I have always felt I was lucky to have him as long as I did. That did not make the struggle of widowhood any easier, but it kept me sane for a long time…until I decided to write a book about a family like us, about a woman who has a great life, a loving husband, a successful business, four loud, independent and opinionated adults kids.
In a heartbeat everything changes and she has to start over. Maybe I was insane to tackle a woman's most difficult journey. As I was writing BRIDGE TO HAPPINESS, I questioned my sanity too many times to count.
So many writers I adore, Pat Conroy, Danielle Steel, Elizabeth Gilbert, write about their own lives in fiction and memoir, recreating their own traumas as a way to release the pain or take them on a journey to a better place. Maybe they want to rewrite the outcome.
My title says it all. BRIDGE TO HAPPINESS. I chose to rewrite the ending, to tell a story about a woman's journey to hell and back and then to love and joy and happiness again. I think I decided to write my own happy ending.
So you would think a book about starting over might be depressing, and who wants to read that? (Not me, I lived it.) But I decided to tell March's story honestly, her real pain, along with all the black humor that comes along with loss and our struggles to just get through the difficult times. March's journey is not mired in only loss and grief, but in a mix of all the crazy things that we do to heal. And yes, I can eat three dozen cookies, an entire box of Wheat Thins, and spend too much money all in an effort to heal. I can laugh and joke at a pink Elvis urn that plays In The Ghetto just as I can drink too many Margaritas and sing Jefferson Starship off-key at the top of my lungs. I do not jog, so the book is really fiction. Whenever I think of jogging I remember an old, funny Henny Youngman line, "I can't jog because my cigarette goes out and the ice cubes fall out of my drink."
So I would like to invite you to come along the rocky, ugly, but sometimes laugh-out-loud road that March travels. We woman are strong. We can carry an amazing human spirit, and we can find our own happiness. Sometimes it's just waiting around the next corner, or over the bridge ahead, or even…sitting right next to us.
— New York Times bestselling author Jill Barnett has written 19 novels and short stories since she sold her first book over 23 years ago. She is a six time RITA® finalist and Favorite Book nominee, and Romance Writers of America® Honor Roll member, who joined RWA in 1984 and was one of the founding members of San Francisco Area RWA chapter. She has been published worldwide in 23 languages, her last book THE DAYS OF SUMMER was an international bestseller, and her first new book in over four years, BRIDGE TO HAPPINESS, is available this month. For more info, visit Jill's website or her Facebook author page.
Thanks, Jill, for joining us today. I hope all your readers will stop by and say hello or possibly share their own "starting over" stories. As an incentive, I'm offering up a $20 Amazon gift card to one lucky commenter (randomly chosen from all the comments left by midnight tonight!). This way, you can buy Jill's ebook Bridge to Happiness and maybe one or two others as well!
Jill will be responding to comments throughout the day, so be sure to check back to follow the discussion.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
500, 472, 425, 368 Discussion, 68 472 Timing Question in Cadillac Engine Discussion; My 68 472 is giving me fits setting the base timing properly. I put in the Crane electronic conversion kit, ...
- 05-17-05 01:16 AM #1Cadillac Owners Member
- Automobile(s): 1968 Deville Convertible
- Join Date
- Aug 2004
- Location
- Vegas Baby!
- Posts
- 99
68 472 Timing Question
My 68 472 is giving me fits setting the base timing properly. I put in the Crane electronic conversion kit, added dual exhaust, edelbrock 1406 carb, and a 1000 cca battery, new vacuum advance and all new hoses. (In case anybody asks). I have the Chilton 67-86 book and the 1968 cadillac shop manual. and I've set timings on cars like this for twenty years before I bought my 96 STS.
I thought timing was like riding a bike in that you never forget.
Anyway, here's what I do: I unplug the vacuum hose to the advance and plug with a golf tee. The car is at normal operating temperature. RPM is about 550 with the car in drive, parking brake on, (no vacuum goes there anyway, I just run PCV, Brake, Smog, Dist, and Tranny) and Wife in the Driver's seat with foot off the brake just in case. Timing light is on #1 cylinder (pass side) and connects to battery. Notch in pully lines up with the middle notch on tab =5 deg BTDC.
Here's what I get: car runs like crap.
Here's what I do: same as above, but gradually advance timing to what looks like approx 12 deg BTDC. Car idles smoother, sounds better, and I back the idle screw down because as I advance the timing, the RPM goes up.
Then: My mechanic says the timing is at 4 deg as measured by his Snap-On digital timing light, but my new yet low tech timing light is still showing 12 deg BTDC.
I get no indications that my timing gears are off. Car starts great even when hot. No hesitation at either mid range or high RPM and car is OK off the line.
So after this rather long dissertation, my question is this:
What is causing the discrepancy in timing readings between mine and my mechanics? and who's is correct.
Re: 68 472 Timing Question
I have heard that it is not uncommon for different timing lights to read differently. Dunno how to check this. Buy a case, and average the results?
I'm not familiar with how the Cadillac harmonic dampners are made, but I know with Chevies that the rubber ring connecting the center to the outside can slip, causing screwey timing readings. This is easy to check by looking through the #1 sparkplug hole, putting the engine at TDC, and seeing if the timing notch lines up with 0* on the pointer.
- 05-17-05 09:07 AM #3Cadillac Owners Connoisseur
- Join Date
- Jan 2003
- Location
- Ohio
- Age
- 47
- Posts
- 1,258
Re: 68 472 Timing Question
Colt D,
Sounds like it's either a connection problem or a problem with the light itself.....try another light.
These engines don't have an exposed dampner like a Chevy. The timing mark is on the crank pulley.
- 05-17-05 05:21 PM #4Cadillac Owners Member
- Join Date
- May 2004
- Location
- tx
- Posts
- 90
Re: 68 472 Timing Question
I sort of noticed the same thing over the years. Anyway, for vehicles of that vintage, I time them the old fashioned way. Advance the timing a bit and take it for a little ride. You want as much advance possible without pinging (or very little only under hard acceleration). This is the way the old timers did it (no pun intended). In fact some of the old school mechanics (not many left anymore) could set the timing perfectly on the first try just by listening to the engine at idle. No test drive, no timing lights. I wish I was that good.
Re: 68 472 Timing Question
Thanks guys. I set it pretty close by ear the first time, so I guess that makes me an old timer. I'll just mark it where it is and advance it a bit as needed. I'll borrow my neighbor's light and see if there's a difference. If not, I'll just follow the old maxim: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Lord knows there is enough that is broke to keep me busy.
BTW, beautiful day in Vegas for a topless ride.
Re: 68 472 Timing Question
I still think I've got a problem with the timing because now that the weather has warmed up, she's overheating. After she runs for a while, she knocks and pings, but not before she gets warm.
Cooling system-wise, t-stat and water pump is good and I get good flow through the radiator. It hasn't boiled over, but the coolant overflow reaches max, and after a couple of days, the radiator is hella low.
Everything I read says that too much advance make the car run hot and ping. If I put the timing back to 5* she runs like a yugo.
Assuming my mechanic's timing read is right, I need a timing light. But if my light is right, then the cam is out of synch with the crank and I'll have to redo the timing chain. Does anybody else know how check valve timing?
Re: 68 472 Timing Question
Does anybody have experience with 8.8mm solid core wires affecting the strobe on an inductive timing light? Here's what the manual for my timing light says:Some ignition systems and/or specialty spark plug wires (solid core wires, racing wires, offroad wires) radiate above normal Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI) and Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) which can cause improper operation of testing equipment. Contact the manufacturers of these parts for instructions on how to use an inductive pickup with their systems.Link to the manual is here: http://www.iequus.com/assets/manuals/3551-55e.pdf
Re: 68 472 Timing Question
Sounds like the mechanical advance is binding.
Re: 68 472 Timing Question
Ape, I thought about that, but I've only been able to find new weights and springs for the HEI distributor. I have the old points distributor, but I put a Crane points eliminator on.
Besides, at 550 rpm, the mechanical advance shouldn't be kicking in, unless it doesn't unkick after it kicks in. I'll check it by seeing if the timing advances as RPM's go up with vac advance disconnected.
Re: 68 472 Timing Question
Ape, you may be right. I checked base timing today, and it wasn't as far off as it had been. I bet my advance springs are shot. I changed the timing to about 6-7* base, and if I get the mech advance doing what its supposed to do, I'll be ok. Now, I'm confident my valve timing is correct, just like the last 2 certified mechanics told me.
Re: 68 472 Timing Question
Don't count on replacement springs to fix the problem. Try removing the rotor and working the mechanism back and fourth while spraying sone WD-40 or similar towards the shaft. Sometimes it takes a while to get everything free. In extreme cases the distributor has to come apart. Save your original springs. It could take a long time to get the curve that you want unless you have luck and/or test equipment.
Re: 68 472 Timing Question
Places like Summit or Jegs will have a recurve kit for a points dist. All the internal parts will interchange with Chevy points distributors.
Try cleaning up the weights first though, might not need the kit.
Re: 68 472 Timing Question
Weights did clean up nicely. I also got some gunk out of the springs. Reset the base timing at 6* and she runs much better than before at what was allegedly 6*. I think this is a done deal. With the timing where it should be and the mech and vacuum advance doing what they should be doing, all she needs is a good radiator and I can actually take her out of town.
Thanks for everyone's help.
Re: 68 472 Timing Question
Even at 6* BTDC at base timing, she was running a bit "Putt Putt" so I advanced the base to 10* with quite a noticeable difference. Something still seems "off" and I'm not 100% convinced the valve timing is optimal. If I disconnect the coil and bump her over to TDC on the #1 cylinder, isn't there a way I can look at the left bank of valve springs to see if the valve timing is right?
At Idle, my manifold vacuum is holding almost steady at 18, but if I put the base timing down to 5* it drops.
This puts me back at square one, so if anyone can tell me what to look at, I'd greatly appreciate it.


text:
[Date Index]
[Thread Index]
[Author Index]
Re: Fit : complex data to complex function, coefficients must be real
On 7/10/04 at 2:48 AM, Timothy.Van.Renterghem at intec.Ugent.be
(Timothy) wrote:
>I want to fit (function Fit[] in Mathematica) complex data to a
>complex function, but the fitted coefficients must be real numbers.
>How can i do this ?
Have you just tried using Fit with complex numbers? When I use Fit with complex numbers it seems to work fine. For example
data = Table[N[{Exp[I/n], 2*Exp[I/n]}], {n, 1, 10}];
Chop[Fit[data, {x, 1}, x]]
To reply via email subtract one hundred and four


text:
B. Pumper – Shut The Fuck Up [ Montana Fishburne, J Pipes & Fabolous Diss ]
Video Rating: 2 / 5
Montana Fishburne calls the Big J Show on Hot 101.9 (KRSQ) to discuss her recent decision to enter the world of the porn industry
VladTV.com – Pumper explains the "Do not work with" list
Video Rating: 3 / 5
Video Cam Direct Upload
Video Rating: 1 / 5
Story: VC Ashok Direction: Suresh Vinu Starring: Jayaram, Kanaka, Jagathy, Indrans, Chippy, Oduvil Unnikrishnan, Philomena, Kanakalatha, Johny, Jose Palissery, VD Rajappan, Mani C. Kappan Special Appearance: Innocent
Video Rating: 5 / 5
NEW MUSIC 2010. Produced by MoneyMoss. Brian Pumper ft 50 cent. "GRIND OR DIE" Ever wondered what a track by Brian Pumper ft 50 cent would sound like? well here it is…. if you feeling the beat, give me a thumbs up….if you not feeling the beat, give me a thumbs up….(dont hate) lol THIS IS A BEAT/INSTRUMENTAL PRODUCED BY MONEYMOSS need a beat like this? www.soundclick.com/moneymoss
Video Rating: 3 / 5
VladTV.com – Brian Pumper kicks an exclusive freestyle for our VladTV viewers
Video Rating: 1 / 5
This video was uploaded from an Android phone.
Video Rating: 0 / 5
Brian Pumper going in on Juelz Santana because Juelz called him a homo and a weirdo *shrugs* This dude B. Pumper is funny as hell though
Video Rating: 3 / 5
Ziplok1's webcam video August 07, 2010, 09:54 AM ziplok.us
Drake – Miss Me ft. LiL Wayne Drake – Miss Me ft.LiL Wayne (Official Music Video) HQ HD Miss Me – Drake Ft.LiL Wayne Lyrics New HD Cover Young Flip Drake Ft. LiL Wayne – Miss Me (Full Remake w/Chorus) Lil Wayne Right Above IT Drake Eminem Ft Rihanna Love The Way You Lie Kanye West Power Jay – Z Beyonce Drake – Miss Me Review Drake – Miss Me Recap Bobby Lashley vs Chad Griggs – Strikeforce Houston RD2 Strikeforce Houston: Bobby Lashley Wants Dave Bautista Next Strikeforce Houston Weigh – Ins Heavyweight gun for hire, Chad Griggs became exactly that tonight at Strikeforce: Houston, defeating the much hyped former WWE Superstar, Bobby Lashley after two rounds of action in Houston, Texas. Lashley immediately gets the takedown to open the fight, moving to side control and landing the right hand. He fails to secure the mount and Griggs finally rolls out from under him midway through the round. Lashley scoops him up and slams him back down soon after. Griggs works his way back to his feet, landing some knees to the body. Lashley shoots in again and puts him down but he appears to be cut. The round ends. Lashley shoots in to begin the second and after a struggle, takes it to the ground. Lashley moves to the mount position but Griggs defends well. Lashley looks tired. The referee stops the bout to check the cut and for some reason restarts them back on the feet. Lashley shoots in but Griggs defends it and begins to hammer away. The bell sounds and the referee waves it off in …
Video Rating: 3 / 5


text:
|Alexis Bledel
|Ryden Malby
|Zach Gilford
|Rodrigo Santoro
|Carol Burnett
|Michael Keaton
|Mr. Malby
|Jane Lynch
|Mrs. Malby
|Fred Armisen
|Guacanator Pitchman
|Bobby Coleman
|Hunter Malby
|Catherine Reitman
|Andrew Daly
|Lloyd Hastings
|Kirk Fox
|Craig Robinson
|Funeral Director
Recent college graduate Ryden Malby has a grand plan: Find a fabulous apartment and land a job at a prestigious publishing house. However, her rival Jessica steals her dream job, and Ryden has to move back in with her weird family while she sorts out her life. A stack of rejection letters grows while she hangs out with her best friend and her neighbor, but if she is to gain traction in her life again, Ryden will have to make a new plan.


text:
Simplicity, McCalls, Kwik Sew, Simple Sew, Butterick & Vogue
Abakhan stock a large selection of Sewing Patterns and Dressmaking Patterns suitable for many different occasions, including Evening Wear, Jackets & Coats, Dresses, Suits, Baby, Junior, Children, Holidays and Costume Wear. All our Patterns are organised by occasion, finding what you require is easy. We also stock Sewing Patterns by leading brand Simplicity and McCalls.By selecting your own Sewing Pattern, you are able to create a unique, stylish and fashionable look which can be customised to fit a variety of sizes. To accompany these Sewing Patterns you can use some of our high range Fabrics and Hemline Sewing Accessories to really make your hand made item, that bit more special and unique. Using Sewing and Dressmaking Patterns are a great way to achieve a professional look without overspending and, as ever, if you require advice just get in touch via the contact page and one of our experts will get straight back in touch with you.
Knitting Patterns & BooksDo you need ideas or inspiration of what to knit? To inspire you with new ideas and help guide the ideas you already have, our patterns and books make sure the best outcome is achieved. Patterns for hats, blankets and scarves amongst other items are included.
King Cole The Professor Owl and Mr Prickles Giant Hedgehog Pattern 9018
Regular Price: £2.89
Special Price £2.03each.
King Cole Hedgehog Tinsel Chunky Pattern 9015
Regular Price: £2.89
Special Price £2.03each.


text:
What: A new boutique two-tier tea shop complete with a tea wall, tea tastings, tea baristas, a tea bar and tea art work. There is also free wifi.
Who's behind it: Owned by David Elghanayan, who also co-founded spirits supplier Vanquish Wine, Amanzi tea is also a successful wholesale business and flagship store based in the US. It was created in South Carolina after the founders spotted a gap in the market for quality teas and tea products.
What to try: There are 40 to choose from and the options are divided into black, white, rooibos, beneficial and herbal tisane teas. There is also a chai menu, matcha lattes, tea-based frappés, iced tea lemonades, a range of bubble teas or virgin tea-based cocktails like the lychee mar-tea-ni.
Find it: 24 New Cavendish Street, W1, amanzitea.co.uk
What: a new Soho tea room selling sandwiches and 10 loose-leaf teas supplied by the Rare Tea Company.
Who's behind it: Launched four months ago by freelance journalist Sophie Hudson and her boyfriend, who thought it would be fun to set up a modern version of the traditional tea room. "In keeping with the English theme, we're trying to make sure we source as much of our produce from British farms and suppliers. We love the taste and the ethics of this tea."
What to try: The English Breakfast is a Malawi black tea, while the Earl Gray and peppermint varieties are Cornish teas made on the Tregothnan estate. Pots start at £2.60 but you can take tea bags away with you.
Find it: 19 Kingly Street, W1B, urbantearooms.com
What: A new mobile brew bar selling black, green and oolong teas and homemade crumpets.
Who's behind it: 27-year-old Londoner Emilie Holmes, who, following an effective crowd funding campaign, has begun a personal project to "bring better cups of tea to the streets of London: loose leaf, custom-brewed and served from a 1974 Citroen H Van."
What to try: For breakfast Holmes recommends a Number 1 Golden Tips Assam, for an afternoon brew try a Number 6 Darjeeling Second Flush or for an uplifting green tea try Number 3 Jade Tips.
Find it: Tuesday-Friday at Kings Boulevard, N1C, kerbfood.com/traders/good-proper-tea; @goodpropertea
What: This Mari Vanna-esque Kensington tea room near Notting Hill Gate opened 12 weeks ago. Designed to look like someone's living room, inside you can find a menu of hot food, homemade cakes and coffee but tea is the focus here and you can drink it listening to the in-house pianist tinkling away.
Who's behind it: Ex-civil engineer Emma Aladay always wanted to own a tea shop. Two years ago, after a visit to the south of France, she decided to start her own. "Tea. This is what I enjoy. But here it's about making people feel like they're at home," she says.
What to try: From a 30-strong tea menu, Aladay says younger people opt for rooibos or chai teas while older customers stick to a special blend of Canton Earl Grey. The Oolong tea is also popular.
Find it: 34 Kensington Church Street, W8, facebook.com/candellatearoom
What: New Filipino snacking and bubble tea lounge in Portobello. Extensive range of bubble teas to choose from but Tommy the barman is happy to recommend something to suit you. There is also free wifi so you can type as you sip.
Who's behind it: Entrepreneur Claire Buyson, who pitched her business idea to her then boss. He immediately liked it and invested in it. A bubble tea lover herself, Buyson was keen to show London how much fun it could be and Lakwatsa launched in December 2012.
What to try: Taro bubble tea – a sweet tea-based drink mixed with tapioca pearls. Oreo Cookie flavour is a bestseller for kids.
Find it: 7 Blenheim Crescent, W11, lakwatsa.co.uk
What: An espresso, lunch and tea bar with loose-leaf teas provided by the Welsh teahouse Waterloo Tea. The owners, who started Salt in November 2011, take their tea as seriously as their coffee, claiming always to brew it properly for the right amount of time at exactly the correct temperature. "It does take longer but it always tastes better."
Who's behind it: Aleem Hussein, who says that there needed to be more options for people who didn't only drink coffee. "I drink a lot of coffee but my wife drinks tea so I needed to provide for Mrs Salt."
What to try: a Chinese green tea called Hairy Monkey – Aleem says the most common mistake is the way people brew green tea: "it should be brewed at a very low temperature of 70 degrees. It should never have a bitter taste. This one is sweeter than our normal green teas."
Find it: 34 Great Queen Street, WC2B, saltwc2.co.uk
What: Tea house in Spitalfields market launched in 2006. There are in-shop master classes, and lunchtime or Thursday-evening tasting events including pure tea tasting, tea and chocolate pairing or tea cocktails. Turn up and a tea-rista will help you work out what tea will suit your mood.
Who's behind it: John Kennedy and his Japanese wife Tomoko Kawase want to make tea that is mostly unfamiliar to Brits more accessible. They say we are mostly focused on south Asian teas but instead they prefer to look at varieties from China and Taiwan.
What to try: bestsellers include the Jasmine Pearls and also the white teas, which are popular all year round. In the cold weather, they sell plenty of roasted oolongs but moving into spring, they will be looking at selling greener teas which are known for their cooling effects.
Find it: 6 Lamb Street, E1, teasmith.co.uk
What: A small tea shop near Bond Street where the owner will give personal recommendations and let you sample freshly made brews. There are more than 50 varieties of tea from more than 35 producers. Anyone visiting can try a tea at the tasting table for a fee.
Who's behind it: The exceptionally knowledgeable Tim D'Offey, who spent 10 years visiting small family-run tea estates in India, Sri Lanka, China, Japan,Taiwan and Korea, before setting up his London tea-importing business in 2000 with his business partner Alex Fraser. The shop opened in 2005.
What to try: Teas from Asia, including the world's rarest and most expensive tea, Mother Tree Da Hong Pao, made by Master Xu in China. Postcard's traditional English teas can be found in restaurants including Arbutus, The River Cafe, The Delaunay and Quo Vadis.
Find it: 9 Dering Street, W1S, postcardteas.com
What: A bubble tea bar-cum-science lab offering everything from almond pearl milk tea to kumquat red fruit tea. After launching in 2011, the fourth site recently opened in Notting Hill.
Who's behind it: Ex-equities trader Assad Khan, who first tried bubble tea in New York in 2005 and thought it would have legs in London.
What to try: Stay simple here. It's easy to go overboard and order as many mixes as possible – but you just end up in a sickly sweet flood of brightly coloured liquid and pearls.
Find it: Soho, Harvey Nichols, Notting Hill and Westfield Stratford City, bubbleology.co.uk
What: Shoreditch bar with food, live music, cocktails, a 22-strong organic tea menu and afternoon tea party packages. Art work rotates on the walls.
Who's behind it: Zac Holeburn, who decided to open a tea bar adjacent to the usual bar "not only because we are trying to encourage people to be healthy in a bar by providing a range of organic teas but also because tea has always been part of an English culture and we are trying to preserve that here."
What to try: Most popular are peppermint, organic blueberry burst, organic china pai mu tan and organic English breakfast.
Find it: 2-4 Paul Street, Shoreditch, EC2A, blueberrybar.co.uk
- More about:
- Tea


text:
How do you dry your hair?
View Single Post
View Public Profile
Send a private message to lushaholic
Visit lushaholic's homepage!
Find More Posts by lushaholic
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,375
Saturday, September 9, 2006 at 09:32AM
I picked airdry because that's what I do most of the time. Sometimes I might diffuse on low for 5 minutes, but that's only if I'm extremely short on time. I get better clumping when I air-dry, which is what I like, and less fly-aways. I plop for as long as I can, but I think what really helps speed up the drying time a bit is that I use these really absorbent, cloth-paper towels to scrunch my hair with right after I've added my products. I scrunch quite a bit until the 3 towels are soaked, then I plop for at least 20 minutes, but sometimes up to an hour. I still takes a few hours for my hair to completely dry, but at least it's better than the several hours it would take if I didn't do the above. I think my hair can be deceiving because while it's not coarse, I definitely have a lot of it, and every stylist has always commented on how much moisture it sucks up and how long it takes to dry.
3a/2c f/mii. pics added 2/3/07


text:
Log Out
Our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy have changed. We think you'll like them better this way.
It's 4:20 Bro! Time for a massive new episode of everyone's favorite weather show: The No Name Show! Big Steve will (if he manages to call in) discuss a scary advertisment he saw for an Easter activity in Colorado. We'll discuss a little bit of NBA Playoff action, talk about how much the Mariners still suck, and talk about the possibilities for Goonies 2, which has recently started filming. We'll test the listeners on their knowledge of state capitals, give out the Douche of the Week award, play a little Fun With Words, and finally, Aaron will give out his list of the Top 7 Episodes of News Radio. Join the fun!
Sorry we couldn't complete your registration. Please try again.
Please enter your email to finish creating your account.
Receive a personalized list of podcasts based on your preferences.


text:
Long Row(d) Home
The citys goals for the Better Broadway construction project were threefold: to create jobs, to make South Broadway safer, and to make it more beautiful. But as an unintended (though quite predictable) consequence of the months-long initiative, Broadway was a muddled mess. And nobody suffered more than the shops and businesses along Antique Row.
The road was closed, there was no parking, it was so much harder to access a lot of the shops, and a lot of people just decided, Oh, Im just not going to take Broadway, because it went on for so long, says Dana Cain, organizer of the Better Broadway Bash.
The event imagined as the launch of what will ideally become an annual Antique Row Summer Festival celebrates the end of construction and welcomes shoppers back to one of Denvers most treasured assets. Its sort of like the big reveal at the end of all those shows on HDTV, Cain explains. The whole thing about antiques is, its all about memory and nostalgia. It ties in perfectly. Oh, remember Antique Row? When we used to be able to go there?
Beginning today and running through the weekend, businesses along the strip will host an Antique Row(d) Show (free appraisals), set out sidewalk sales with up to 50 percent off and offer live music and other entertainment, including stilt walkers, antique and vintage vehicle shows, and the Handsome Little Devils Victorian circus act. Participating shops will also disseminate free raffle tickets culminating in a drawing at 4 p.m. tomorrow for a $1,000 Antique Row shopping spree.
For more information, go to http://danacain.com/antique-row-summer-festival.
Aug. 20-22, 2010
Get the Things to Do Newsletter
Sign up for our weekly guide to events in Denver, and never be bored again. With suggestions for every day of the week, our recommendations will keep you busy on any budget.
Popular Stories
Upcoming Events
TicketsWed., Jul. 26, 8:00pm
Ces Cru
TicketsThu., Jul. 27, 7:00pm
Bruce Bruce
TicketsFri., Jul. 28, 7:30pm
Van Wholen (Tribute to Van Halen and the Who)
TicketsFri., Jul. 28, 8:00pm
Sponsor Content


text:
In the old Western days when women were not allowed to dance with men, men danced together and that is the reason for the hand on the shoulder holding a can of beer and the other hand to the side. The only women who eventually danced with these men were Indian Squaws and that is where all the turns came about, because Indian women loved to spin. Two-step is a Western dance whose popularity has spread all over the United States.
Two-step can be danced to contemporary country music and is a very popular dance at many country western clubs and social events.
Two-Step songs and artists include:
All Jacked Up-Gretchen Wilson
Party of One- Trick Pony
Down by the Chatahoochee-Alan Jackson


text:
Developing a unified theory of provider and patient incentives to advance payment and benefit-design reforms
This project will engage behavioral economists and others to help the Health Care Incentives Improvement Institute (HCI3) refine and begin to use a promising incentives theory that attempts to unify both external incentives, such as professional payment schemes or consumer benefits, with intrinsic incentives, such as personal motivations, in order to help those attempting to improve health care. The purpose of such a unified theory is to: (1) help health care payers and purchasers understand areas of care in which health professionals and patients might have a relatively high sensitivity to external incentives, such as payment incentives; (2) quantify the potential improvement that payment and other incentives might have in certain areas of care; (3) guide payers and health professionals to certain interventions that could help maximize the impact of payment and benefit changes on health professionals and patients for certain areas of care; and (4) ultimately help accelerate and focus the implementation of payment- and benefit-reform efforts. The deliverables will include: (1) an issue brief on the unified theory of improvement in health care incentives; (2) a Web-based application of the framework; and (3) an operational model based on this refined theory of health care incentives, which will help guide health professionals and payers as they pursue incentive reforms.
Grant Details
Amount Awarded $137,506.00
Awarded on: 11/1/2012
Time frame: 11/15/2012 - 8/15/2013
Grant Number: 70472
Health Care Incentives Improvement Institute, Inc.
13 Sugar Street
Newtown, 06470-2046
Francois de Brantes
Project Director


text: Hello everyone......first post here. Would anyone happen to know the current value of a S&W Model 624, .44 Special, 3" barrel, 6-shot, all stainless steel, double action revolver? I believe it is a Lew Horton 1 of 5,000 but I could be mistaken. I'm sorry but I don't know the 624-? number as I don't have it on me right now. It has both the factory wood grips with finger grooves and Pachmayr grips. Thanks in advance.


text:
Teaching Team Competencies
Jewels, Tony J. & Albon, Rozz (2006) Teaching Team Competencies. In Cartelli, Antonio (Ed.) Teaching in the Knowledge Society: New Skills and Instruments for Teachers. Idea Group Inc., pp. 174-186.
Within institutes of higher education, the incorporation of various types of group work into pedagogies is already widespread, yet many examples fail to embrace a rationale for, or the potential benefits of, multiple contributor environments essential in a knowledge intensive society. We propose that for optimum IT workplace effectiveness, in which principles of knowledge management need to be applied, it is necessary to take into account the competencies of the teams in which individuals work and to explicitly teach team competency skills.
Impact and interest:
Citation counts are sourced monthly from Scopus and Web of Science® citation databases.
These databases contain citations from different subsets of available publications and different time periods and thus the citation count from each is usually different. Some works are not in either database and no count is displayed. Scopus includes citations from articles published in 1996 onwards, and Web of Science® generally from 1980 onwards.
Citations counts from the Google Scholar™ indexing service can be viewed at the linked Google Scholar™ search.
|ID Code:
|Item Type:
|Book Chapter
|Additional Information:
|For more information about this book please refer to the publisher's website (see link) or contact the author email@example.com
|Additional URLs:
|Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > EDUCATION (130000) > EDUCATION SYSTEMS (130100) > Higher Education (130103)
|Current > QUT Faculties and Divisions > Faculty of Education
|Copyright Owner:
|Copyright 2006 Idea Group Inc.
|Deposited On:
|16 Mar 2007 00:00
|Last Modified:
|10 Aug 2011 12:59
Export: EndNote | Dublin Core | BibTeX
Repository Staff Only: item control page


text:
Lexus LF-LC Blue Coming to LA Auto Show
Lexus will bring its eye-catching LF-LC concept to the Los Angeles Auto Show for its North American debut later this month.
The car initially debuted almost a year ago in Detroit, albeit not in the blue you see here. Apart from a color change, the slick-looking Lexus concept has a lot going on under its skin that differs from the red Detroit car.
SEE ALSO: Lexus LF-LC Blue Concept is a 500 HP Hybrid
It still uses a similar 500-hp hybrid drivetrain featuring an Atkinson-cycle engine, but this time power is distributed between all four wheels rather than just the rears. That hybrid system also benefits from a high-density battery pack capable of storing more power while weighing much less.
Carbon fiber technology from the company's venerable LFA supercar also contributed to the LF-CC headed to L.A. Finally, it features a revised interior over the red car. In spite of that, many of the features that won it so much popularity are still intact. Its futuristic gauge cluster is there, as are the many cabin features finished with organic shapes.
GALLERY: Lexus LF-LC Blue Concept
[Source: Car and Driver]


text:
Pirates cut ties with pitcher Karstens, trade Resop
The Pirates on Friday cut ties with right-handed pitcher Jeff Karstens to clear space on their 40-man roster for catcher Russell Martin.
Karstens was the only one of the Pirates' eight arbitration-eligible players who was non-tendered before the midnight deadline. The Pirates tendered contracts to closer Joel Hanrahan, second baseman Neil Walker, righty James McDonald, and first basemen Garrett Jones and Gaby Sanchez.
The Pirates also came to contract terms with right-hander Charlie Morton on a one-year, $2 million contract to avoid arbitration. Morton, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, made $2.445 million this year.
Reliever Chris Resop, who is in his final year of arbitration eligibility, was traded to the Oakland A's for minor league right-hander Zach Thornton. Thornton, 24, went 4-0 with 16 saves and a 4.53 ERA last year at Class A Stockton.
Resop is due to make more than $1 million through arbitration. He had a 3.91 ERA and 1.425 WHIP in 61 relief outings last season.
A player tendered a contract must be offered at least 80 percent of his previous season's salary. A player who goes through arbitration is practically guaranteed a raise, even if he is coming off a subpar year.
Teams and players who were tendered will exchange salary arbitration figures Jan. 18. If the sides cannot agree to terms, the process goes to arbitration hearings Feb. 4-20.
Karstens, 30, spent the past five seasons with the Pirates and went 23-35 with a 4.31 ERA in 123 games (82 starts).
"It was a tough decision for us," general manager Neal Huntington said. "We worked hard to reach a (contract) agreement with his agent and were unsuccessful. Our next step became trying to trade Jeff. We were unsuccessful, so we reached the decision to let him leave."
Pain in his shoulder and hip limited Karstens to 90 innings last season, his fewest since 2008. Yet when Karstens was able to pitch, he was effective, putting up a 3.97 ERA and a career-best 1.147 WHIP. He made $3.1 million.
Karstens is rehabbing at his offseason home in Baltimore and began throwing two weeks ago.
"It's going well," Karstens said. "It feels nothing like it's felt in the past (offseasons). I feel happy to throw. In the past, I was nervous about even playing catch in the offseason."
Note: Infielder Yamaico Navarro, who was designated for assignment earlier this week, was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for righty Jhondaniel Medina. Medina, 19, went a combined 1-3 with a 4.14 ERA in 11 games (seven starts) for the Gulf Coast League Orioles and Low-A Aberdeen.
Rob Biertempfel is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at email@example.com or 412-320-7811.
You are solely responsible for your comments and by using TribLive.com you agree to our Terms of Service.
We moderate comments. Our goal is to provide substantive commentary for a general readership. By screening submissions, we provide a space where readers can share intelligent and informed commentary that enhances the quality of our news and information.
While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderating decisions are subjective. We will make them as carefully and consistently as we can. Because of the volume of reader comments, we cannot review individual moderation decisions with readers.
We value thoughtful comments representing a range of views that make their point quickly and politely. We make an effort to protect discussions from repeated comments either by the same reader or different readers
We follow the same standards for taste as the daily newspaper. A few things we won't tolerate: personal attacks, obscenity, vulgarity, profanity (including expletives and letters followed by dashes), commercial promotion, impersonations, incoherence, proselytizing and SHOUTING. Don't include URLs to Web sites.
We do not edit comments. They are either approved or deleted. We reserve the right to edit a comment that is quoted or excerpted in an article. In this case, we may fix spelling and punctuation.
We welcome strong opinions and criticism of our work, but we don't want comments to become bogged down with discussions of our policies and we will moderate accordingly.
We appreciate it when readers and people quoted in articles or blog posts point out errors of fact or emphasis and will investigate all assertions. But these suggestions should be sent via e-mail. To avoid distracting other readers, we won't publish comments that suggest a correction. Instead, corrections will be made in a blog post or in an article.


text:
Complete Columbo collection
- Type:
- Video > TV shows
- Files:
- 69
- Size:
- 42.54 GiB (45673471998 Bytes)
- Spoken language(s):
- English
- Uploaded:
- By:
- sawsd
- Seeders:
- 24
- Leechers:
- 39
- Comments
- 22
- Info Hash: 1381EFEAEF0894DD94733AE8979E612A7B69489E
(Problems with magnets links are fixed by upgrading your torrent client!)
Neatly packaged collection of all Columbo episodes.
Oh, how I want this... but no space on my HD
I have a slow upload speed (80 kB/s) so you guys need to keep seeding when you are done downloading. You can do high priority on some episodes if you want something to watch while waiting for the whole thing to finish.
@sawsd: Downloading at about 20 KB/s and uploading at about 200 KB/s. No worries about your upload speed :o) We're doing our best to re-seed what we get from you.
I don't suppose you have the subs included, do you?
There are only .avi files. I've got the pilot episodes (season 0) at 100% and, fortunately, they don't have subs embedded in the picture (I hate it when they do that).
I don't know about subs. What language would that be?
Thanks for reseeding. :-)
We seem to be stuck at 33.6% for now. I suppose the seeder took a vacation for the holidays. The swarm appears to have 35.2%, but whoever has the extra 1.6% doesn't upload it back to the others. For now, the best thing we can do is share the bits we've got and hope for a holiday miracle.
Done 100% episodes: S0E1, S0E2, S9E1, S9E6. The pilot episodes are really good (while S9E1 really sucks) and I'm currently sending everything I have back to the swarm at about 350 KByte/sec.
@sawsd: We miss you ;)
Done 100% episodes: S0E1, S0E2, S9E1, S9E6. The pilot episodes are really good (while S9E1 really sucks) and I'm currently sending everything I have back to the swarm at about 350 KByte/sec.
@sawsd: We miss you ;)
@Sphereo: Let me know if you remember the exact names of those torrents, I have shitloads of unused bandwidth and I could try as well to help build this one. My current ratio is 15 and I intend to keep it going ;)
I'm not a big torrent fan, but I like this particular one. Thanks again, sawsd!
I'm not a big torrent fan, but I like this particular one. Thanks again, sawsd!
I'm at 99.7% now, uploading at 1.5 MByte/sec :o)
this is the best torrent ever.
thx a lot, will seed
thx a lot, will seed
by the way , it would be very cool if someone could improve on some of the ~400MB episodes inside this torrent by making xvids of the seasons that are shared here in DVD9 format, for instance this one: http://thepiratebay.se/torrent/3594658/Columbo.Season.4.DVDR
just an idea :)
just an idea :)
oh just one more thing....that particular one seems to be dvd5 but thats beside the point ;)
please guys downloaded Persuaders 5G in 3days even with my slow download speed(50kb/s) been on columbo now for God knows when,it is usually on 0.8kb/s.pls seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed
One of the best torrents out there. I am very proud to say i completely downloaded it. started the journey 10 July finished 2September. for the newcomers....expect this too..... thanks uploader!!
Please seed??? I've been attempting to download this for 2 weeks now. I know its a huge file and I totally understand that, But 2 weeks later and I'm barely at 4 percent. My usual Download speed is 13Kb/s and my upload speed is around 120Kb/s. Please If I could download this at my usual speeds I would have this in 3 days, Maybe even less. I've already uploaded 4 gigs, and If I get some more seeders and get this file quicker I will seed for a YEAR at High priority!
Download the whole series here http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Px-qOPeAQn8J:ww.projectw.org/viewtopic.php%3Ff%3D51%26t%3D3144493%26view%3Dnext+fileserve+columbo+complete&cd=10&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au&source=www.google.com.au
from this original web page http://www.sharingzone.net/?r=107405
You will have to register to see the original content
from this original web page http://www.sharingzone.net/?r=107405
You will have to register to see the original content
If you're interested in the subtitles, you have them all available in many languages at sites like www.opensubtitles.org, www.allsubs.org, etc. You can easily watch the film with subtitles with any popular video player (for example, with VideoLan VLC player through the menu option: Video > Subtitle track ...and here open the folder where you've loaded the subtitle). However, you'll need a program to synchronize the movie with the subtitles VERY EASILY, the best one is Subtitle Workshop (free), the instructions are very clear and easy.
Thank you.
Thanks you very very much ...sawsd.
i downloaded less than 2 days, anyone who wants subtitles can get easily.
i downloaded less than 2 days, anyone who wants subtitles can get easily.
Has anyone link to the Columbo Bluray release?
thanks so much awesome speed, i suggest every one to upload/seed at least 1.9 Ratio like i usually do! thanks to the uploader 4 this cheers!


text:
We need your help to stop the intense suffering of millions of animals who are slaughtered for their fur around the world.
Your gift today will help PETA educate American consumers and millions of other people around the world about the fur industry's horrific treatment of animals. It will also enable us to pressure more and more retailers to stop selling fur altogether—the list of companies that refuse to sell fur is growing nearly every week.
Please support PETA's ongoing investigations and campaigns to expose the cruelty of fur manufacturers, farmers, trappers, designers, and retailers by making a gift right now to PETA's campaign against fur.
All fields with an asterisk (*) are required.
Your Name
Organizational Name
Location Information
Other Information
If you donate and have not yet registered, you will be automatically signed up to start receiving updates and communications.
Donation Information
Your donation will be in U.S. dollars. You can find the value in your local currency by using a currency converter.
Please Charge My Credit Card
General Info: About PETA | Contact PETA | Contest Terms and Conditions | Disclaimer | Donate Now | Privacy Policy | Texting Terms and Conditions
Site Tools: Accessibility | Site Map | Subscribe to E-News | Copyright © 2010 PETA Read our full policy
International Sites: | PETA Asia-Pacific | PETAenEspanol


text: Event Report: Worthersee 2014 Share Comments In 1939, Ferdinand Porsche purchased a summer home on the southern shore of Lake Worthersee, Austria. His grandson Ferdinand Piech still lives in the home, venturing to Reifnitz each May for an annual gathering of car enthusiasts. Yes, this is that Ferdiand Piech and yes, he goes to that car show named for the lake. Maybe you won't be surprised when we tell you that the good Dr. Piech was named an honorary citizen of Worthersee this year. I mean, it seems a foregone conclusion, but apparently there are only four of these ever and now he's one. Piech showed up during this final week of the event wearing his usual sun hat and surrounded by a veritable who's who of Volkswagen Group management that included Martin Winterkorn, Rupert Stadler, Ulrich Hackenberg and more. As a first-time attendee from America, the level of play, here along this incredibly picturesque lake, is hard to fathom. Over the course of the event, we're told no less that 150,000 fans converge on the region for this meeting of enthusiast minds. That's six times America's largest show Waterfest… gargantuan in its own right. Another interesting aspect: though the official calendar may read just a few days long, we know especially from this year's coverage, provided daily on these pages by UK contributor Si Gray, that the span of the event actually pushes nearly three weeks. By the time we'd arrived on scene, we'd hit one of the main official days nearly a week after Si Gray had headed home from the more serious gatherings early in the event. This meant the town of Reifnitz had transformed into a pay-to-enter jam of cars and fans, with over 120 vendors and cars parked in nearly every open spot. By afternoon the crowd was as thick as Mardi Gras, leaving us fighting a jam even on foot as we attempted an additional circle thorough the event. Water ski boats-turned-taxis ferried over fans from lakeside towns like nearby Velden, while a SEAT-sponsored cruiser offered up party barge services that would transport you in grand festive fashion, from one dock to another while choreographed dancers gyrated to dub step. Walking the event turned up even more details other event planners may perhaps only imagine. Vendors line the sidewalks around town or fill open yards. Large tents enclosed parts distributors while smaller roadside tents hocked sunglasses, T-shirts and of course booze. On one corner was a BBS-sponsored burnout competition area, and across the street was a behemoth of a tent advertising lap dances inside. Beer and cocktails, seemed to be served everywhere, including places like the official manufacturer stands. Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT and Skoda all officially manage stands here. Each even boasted its own concept car reveals. Even more interesting for those watching the goings-on of the Volkswagen Group as a whole, Dr. Piech hinted in his honorary citizen acceptance speech that the group's sportscar manufacturers might show up here in the next few years. Given that, it seems only a matter of time before Porsche, Lamborghini, Bentley and maybe even Bugatti get their own day here on the shores of this highly picturesque lake. Walking the show seemed the best way to see all of the cars on hand. Unlike the simple formula of parking automobiles on a lot or field where seeing all of the cars seems simple enough, this event is much more fluid. Some cars show up early in the day and sit static on their spot all day. Others move around in search of better spots or may even simply cruise the circuit. Cruising a circuit. That's something more shows need. Forget what you know of cruising the strip at H20i. There aren't really any stoplights in Reifnitz, and there's no grand straight multi-lane strip. This is a small Austrian village and there is a slow-going stop-and-go cadence to automotive travel as one circles the zone that makes up the show. It offers a great way to see and be seen, which might explain why many seemingly rounded the course continually. It was also why many more simply lounged roadside and watched the show pass them by as they sipped their favorite beverage. Volkswagen used the opportunity to show off a few concepts. Chief among these was the Vision Gran Turismo GTI. Part of a series whereby multiple manufacturers design cars specifically for the game, this open-top GTI-inspired racer was presented by none other than Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi. Over at Audi, the A3 clubsport quattro concept took center stage. Though named an "A3", Audi says the car is based on the "S3". Given it's got bulging fender flares and a boosted 2.5 TFSI 5-cylinder, we're guessing it's actually an early interpretation of what we might see from the RS 3. Just in case it wasn't readily apparent to anyone before, we hope that our two-plus week coverage of Worthersee has proven to our readers as much as it has to our staff that this event really isn't just a bucket list item. Yes, you should definitely go at least once. However, we'd go so far as to recommend making a tradition out of it. Why? There is Worthersee and then there are all other shows. Maybe partying is for you, in which case there's none bigger in the enthusiast car show space. Maybe the industry fascinates you. This is the only enthusiast event where you'll see concept cars unveiled and see if not rub elbows with the creator of Gran Turismo or perhaps the creator of such niche automotive milestones as quattro or the Porsche 917. No wonder European car enthusiasts plan their vacations around it. We're thinking of doing the same and are wondering why more Americans don't do it as well.


text:
Posted by Luca Paderni on April 5, 2011
We have just published my new report on loyalty marketing: "A New Approach To Brand Loyalty."
From the interviews with more than 50 marketing leaders, we have learned that more than 40% of chief marketing officers (CMOs) admit that their brand loyalty programs underperform or produce erratic results, or they simply do not know how the programs are performing. The survey also shows that for most CMOs, loyalty marketing is often seen as a means to an end, not a strategy, and that their approach, while necessary, has unclear objectives and focuses too much on short-term financial goals.
Other key findings from the report:


text:
Goose Golf Towel Review
By mustang6560 on 10/12/11
It's nice when companies proactively contact us because they want us to review their product on our site (I guess we're doing something right). Sometimes it's well known companies and sometimes it's lesser known companies like Goose Golf who are trying to get their name out. Either way, we are happy to provide thorough and honest reviews for our readers.
Goose Golf sent us a few towels to review and away we go, but first, let's here from them.
From Goose Golf:
The Goose Towel is the ultimate golf towel to help you optimize the performance of your golf game. Playing with clean golf clubs is essential for every player regardless of your ability. In order to achieve the best possible outcome for every golf swing you take you need to ensure that your clubs are in the best possible condition. That means clean and dry golf clubs. Clean grooves and dry grips mitigate the adverse effects that dirty clubs have on grip, trajectory and spin. Clean clubs deliver superior distance and control. Just check out the pros. Their clubs are spotless and for good reason. They realize how critically important clean clubs are to their play.Design
The Goose Golf Towel, like similar wet-dry towels, features a 3-layer design that opens in the middle. The exterior of the towel is made up of high quality absorbent cotton and the interior is made up of microfiber material. The two layers are separated by a third waterproof layer that is designed to prevent moisture from seeping between the wet and dry layers.
The size of the Goose Golf Towel is arguably its best selling point. The towel only measures 17" tall by 9" wide, so it doesn't take up a lot of room on your bag. I've played with several different towel styles and I prefer the design of the Goose Golf Towel because it's sleek, and since it is essentially a 34" folded in half, it provides plenty of real-estate to wash and dry your club. It annoys me when I have to constantly move my towel to access the pockets of my golf bag, but it's not an issue with the Goose Golf Towel.
The other nice feature of the Goose Golf Towel is the Velcro logo on the top of the towel. I didn't realize it had any significance at first, but you can attach your golf glove to it. The Velcro seemed to be strong enough to hold your glove, but I didn't use it because the last thing I want on the golf course is to have to backtrack to get something I left behind, especially something like a glove.
My initial thought with all wet-dry towels is always "Does the middle layer actually keep the wet and dry layers separate?" So naturally, the first thing I do is pour a generous amount of water on the inside of the towel and wait to see what happens. I played a few rounds with the Goose Golf Towel and it appeared the water proof layer worked as intended. Moisture from the interior didn't seep through to the exterior. I did find the cotton exterior seemed to dry fairly slow. I noticed it took longer and longer each time to dry my club as the round wore on. I think it was partly related to the fabric, but I also think the weather had something to do with it beather because I live in a tropical climate and the humidity levels are always high, which makes everything dry slower.
Every Goose Golf Towel comes with a miniature towel called the Putting Mate that is designed to clean your golf ball. I forgot to bring it with me to the green half the time, but I found the Putting Mate to be very practical. It makes cleaning the mud and grass stains on your ball much easier and you don't have to worry about getting your hands dirty or wet before you putt.
You can find the Goose Golf Towel online for less than $25 and it comes with the Putting Mate and a logo ball mark. It's available in four different colors - black, coffee, grey and lavender. Stay tuned, as we may or may not be planning to give a couple away tomorrow in our weekly giveaway ...
Learn More About Goose Golf Towel
[ comments ]
Kurt the Knife says:
after one wash my "frogger" towel lost its wet-dry separation becoming an all-wet rag.
Maybe this thing might serve in the Ncal winter season.
birdieXris says:
@Kurt - did you contact the manufacturer? Mine has gone through like 10 washes and still works like when it was new, albeit with a few more pills and lint that it picked up in the wash.
This towel though seems like it would be much better. Just because of the size. While i like a lot of towel, the triple layer design tends to be bulky. And boy is it ever on my current one. I think Goose Golf put more thought into the design. I'd be interested in one when mine finally goes kaput.
meatball413 says:
the link is broken. when you click "learn more" at bottom of article it opens a blank page. just a heads up.
thanks for the review!
jev says:
"A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have". So, should we assume the golfer using one of these towels also have "a toothbrush, face flannel, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet weather gear, space suit etc., etc." with him?
I just need a towel that says "Don't Panic!" :-D.
golfnutz2002 says:
My wife just bought me one about a month ago. I didn't use it immediately because I have a frogger hanging on my bag...interestingly I ended up using my wife's (think she got a violet one) cause it cleaned better. So that did it for me, and honestly the towel isn't as cumbersome, kudos to them for the thoughtfulness.
golfnut358 says:
I received this towel about a week ago,and I must say,It's great!!! inside stays wet for the whole round,and outside stays dry.Haven't had to wash it yet,so time will tell.I'll let you know.
[ post comment ]
Most Popular: