The Incredible Hulk (4 of 5 stars)
Thank God for this movie! Not only because it was a legitimately good flick, but because I desperately needed something to cleanse my pallet after seeing “The Happening” last Friday.
This movie has a good story that feels true to the classic Hulk television show, impressive special effects, and lots of action. They actually do a pretty good job of quickly getting you up to speed as to what is going on, and how Bruce Banner has gotten to where he is. You could easily see this movie and enjoy it without already seeing the Eric Bana version, which if you’re lucky is the case for you… (they do a remarkably good job of redeeming themselves from that film). If you are an old-school Hulk fan or like comic book/superhero movies, you won’t be disappointed.
My love-hate (mostly love) relationship with redbox.
I probably visit a redbox at least once a week, and depending on the season it can be several times a week. You just can’t beat the convenience and price that they offer, which really makes me wonder what their impact has been on rental stores like Blockbuster. I have probably only been to a Blockbuster two or three times in the last year since I started using redbox. It’s usually after driving up to one of their locations, seeing a line of 8-10 people, and deciding that it’s worth the extra $3.50 to not wait in line.
I rented a movie at the redbox tonight and despite how much I like their service, I was reminded of a couple of frustrations that I commonly have when using them. There are a few things that I really wish they would change/improve with their kiosks and website.
- Add a return slot on the side of the machine that allows people to drop their movies off without standing in the rental line. I realize that this would require some re-engineering of the kiosks, but it would be so worth it.
- Maybe create dual station kiosks for high-traffic locations. This would obviously also require some re-engineering, but I think it would also make sense.
- PLEASE create a mobile version of the website (ideally at m.redbox.com) that can be easily and quickly accessed using a phone. It’s a joke trying to use it on my Treo.
I’m sure I’m not the first person to think of these things, and maybe the folks over at redbox are already working on such improvements. I really like using their service, and I’m happy that they appear to be succeeding. I’m just hoping that they will adapt to their popularity by enhancing the capabilities of their website, and release 2nd generation kiosks that move the lines a lot faster.
Logitech VX Nano - This mouse rocks!
So my mouse broke today, and I was going nuts using the dumb touch pad on my laptop. I ran over to Best Buy to get a new one, but was having difficulty finding a wireless mouse that had a back button and wasn’t the size of a brick. Both Logitech and Microsoft had some neat little wireless mice, but they only had 3 buttons. I finally broke down and grabbed a Blue Shirt to see if they could help me. After telling the kid what I wanted, he immediately recommended a Logitech VX Nano.
The coolest thing about it is that the receiver is tiny! It is smaller than a nickel is round and only sticks out about 1/3 of an inch from your USB port. This allows you to leave it plugged in all of the time, rather than take it out every time you throw your laptop in a bag.
Here are some of the other great features it comes with:
- 5 button mouse as well as a multi-direction scroll wheel.
- Small, but not too small.
- Nice weight and balance.
- Nifty little cushioned case.
- Batteries ARE included.
It’s a little weird that I’m this excited about a mouse, but it’s awesome!
