Dyson DC41 Animal Ball Vacuum

The following is a guest post by Ashley:

A few days ago we purchase a Dyson DC41 Animal Ball vacuum. Living in an apartment complex with old carpeting and a dog who is shedding like crazy with it being Spring, we decided to run some tests just to see how much of a difference the vacuum actually makes. We sectioned off the living room and in the first section we used our old cheapo vacuum, the next section we used the Dyson, and in the third section we used no vacuum at all. Looking at the comparisons, you could see the difference the Dyson made. It actually pulls the carpet fibers back upright so the carpet is not matted down, not too mention the color difference. The feel of the carpet the Dyson was used on was different, too. It felt clean on bare feet, unlike the other two sections that still felt dirty. We emptied the Dyson bin and then ran the Dyson back over the carpeting that we used the cheapo on to see how much was missed. After doing so, the Dyson bin was filled 1/3 the way full of dirt and debris the cheapo had not picked up.

This vacuum is amazing! We cleaned the cealings, all the corners and edges of the rooms and hallways, and it even picks stuff up off the linoleum floors. The vacuum glides across the floor with ease, is SUPER light, and the lip is so flat it fits under all the furniture including the couches! We have used the vacuum every day since we purchased it and it's worth EVERY penny it cost us. I have not a bad thing to say about the Dyson other than it's so powerful we have lost a retraction cord from the blinds cleaning the windows (but even with that it was so easy to remove). They really did think of everything!

Dyson DC41 Animal Ball Vacuum passes The Trav Test with A+.

•Category: Products
•Location: Stores
•Cost: $599
•Ease of use:
 Easy
•The Trav Test grade: A+

Microsoft

I've said before that I'm a major Apple fan so you'd probably expect me to hate Microsoft off the bat. Well, that's partially true. I do hate their hardware (PCs, Zune, etc), but think their software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc) is quite good. In fact, I haven't used Apple's word processor since it was ClarisWorks! With that said, I have a bone to pick with Microsoft.


I own the Microsoft Office 2011 Mac Student version. I got it when I was a student. No longer a student, I now need access to Outlook, which is not part of the Student version. To use it, I need to purchase a product key, but It's impossible to purchase a product key for just Outlook. This is ridiculous! In order to use Outlook (which Microsoft already installed on my MacBook Pro!), I'd have to re-buy ALL of Office 2011. So I'd have to pay TWICE for 3/4 of the applications in order to pay ONCE for 1/4 of them! That is absolute bullshit and I refuse to do so.


This is why people refer to them at Micro$oft and pirate their products like crazy!

Microsoft fails The Trav Test with D-. 


• Category: Products
• Location: Computer
• Cost: Too damn much!
• Ease of use:
 Easy
• The Trav Test grade: D-

Happy Darwin Day (Observed)!

Yesterday was the 203rd birthday of Charles Darwin. Let's celebrate today by honoring science!

darwinday.org

Charles Darwin passes The Trav Test with ∞A+. 


• Category: People
• Location: Everywhere!
• Cost: Free!
• Ease of use: Easy!
 
• The Trav Test grade: ∞ (Infinite) A+! 

Money – The Fragrance of Success

If you watch The Shark Tank on ABC, you probably saw Money – The Fragrance of Success on the episode that aired Friday, February 3rd. Well, I do and I did and I had to have it! I won't lie, I LOVE money! Whoever said "money doesn't buy happiness" was 99% wrong. Does it directly buy happiness? No - but it buys security which leads to happiness - but I digress. I also love (and have a mild addiction to) cologne. My all-time hands down favorite is Essential by Lacoste. It's delicious. When I saw this product, I had to have it. I don't know if I'd want to actually smell like money. Does money smell good? I'd say that it doesn't really smell good per se, but it does have a distinct smell that most people enjoy. So I immediately purchased Money.

My bottle of Money arrived on Wednesday. My first impression was the packaging. The plastic wrap used to protect the box is very odd. When I tried it unwrap it, the plastic wrap broke off in pieces rather than unwrapping. Think of an old tortilla shell rather than Saran wrap. Not a great first impression. Upon opening the box, I found the shredded real US currency. I love that bit! Once I removed the shredded money, my impression went negative again. Talk about a roller coaster: Shitty plastic, then "Oh! Cool!", then "Really?". The box makes the cologne look like a similar size to my Lacoste Essential bottle (big enough to last a while, but small enough to throw in a messenger bag or car storage counsel), but it's pretty damn tiny. At 1.7oz (does anyone really bother to read that before ordering?), it's less than 1/2 the size of my Lacoste and almost the same price. I wasn't impressed.

Even though it was almost 7pm by the time I opened the box, I had to put the cologne on. It doesn't smell anything like money. At all. With that said, however, it does smell good. It's a familiar fragrance, but I haven't taken the time (and won't be doing so) to figure out what other cologne it reminds me of. I like it. I'm used to having strangers stop me to say how good I smell and ask what I'm wearing, which probably means I'm wearing way too much cologne, but I like to smell it! Strangely, no one at the office has ever mentioned my cologne so they either dislike it or just don't notice/care. I wear Essential pretty much every single work day so I thought that wearing Money on Thursday would make people notice. They didn't. So overall, I like Money, but I'm not blown away. They'll need to improve upon the packaging and double the bottle size to make me a repeat customer.

Money - The Fragrance of Success passes The Trav Test with a B-/C+. 


• Category: Products
• Location: Online
• Cost: $42.50
• Ease of use:
 Easy
• The Trav Test grade: B-/C+. I couldn't decide. It's not an F and it's not an A.

LinkedIn DirectAds

I was recently looking for a new day job and, being a technophile, I used the internet to my advantage. At first, I solely used SEO (search engine optimization) so when you Googled my name, my LinkedIn profile would be in the search results and also appear as an ad.  I then received $100 in free LinkedIn DirectAds advertising through a promotional mailing, so I figured that was even better than the Google AdWords platform since folks are only on LinkedIn for professional things whereas they are on Google for many things. My experience with LinkedIn Ads was largely negative. The only good thing about it was that it was easy to set up. Since I had the free Ads to use, I set the maximum budget for my ad at $100, but it quickly used it somehow. When I noticed this, I immediately turned the ad off. The DirectAds platform reported that I caught it before any clicks sent me over budget, but soon after I was charged $79.56 because the system failed to turn my ad off. I spent approximately 2 months dealing with customer service trying to get a refund. The Ads Specialist I dealt with at first, Troy, was extremely rude and unhelpful. I told him I wanted to escalate to a supervisor and he said he was the person who made decisions about refunds. I went over his head and got my refund anyway.


This past Friday I received an email from a LinkedIn Product Manager asking me about my experience with LinkedIn DirectAds. I told him exactly what I wrote above. In fact, I copied most of the above from the email I sent back to him. Now last night I got an email from LinkedIn's "social media guy" asking if I'd like to participate in a social media ad campaign for LinkedIn DirectAds. Really? I mean, you obviously got my information from the Product Manager - the one that knows my experience was bad. You want to share that? Apparently he doesn't want to share it, so I'm doing it for him.


Don't get me wrong, I find LinkedIn to be a fantastic product, but LinkedIn DirectAds is like LinkedIn's step-child that the parents lock in a dog cage so they can go bar hopping every night. The Ads Specialist (read: customer service) was rude and unhelpful. Now, months later, they ask for my experience? Check your records and you'll have an answer. Then I sent the answer that they should already have had and they obviously didn't even bother to read it or else why would they pass it along so I could potentially participate in an ad campaign for them? Come on, LinkedIn DirectAds, and therefore LinkedIn, get your shit together! I'm so glad you chose not to hire me for the position I applied for! I guess they only want incompetent illiterate folks - that's not me!


PS - Google's AdWords ROCKS. If you want to do an SEO campaign, go with Google.

LinkedIn DirectAds fails The Trav Test with an F.


• Category: Products
• Location: Online
• Cost: Expensive since their shit doesn't work properly
• Ease of use:
 Easy
• The Trav Test grade: F

New Year's Eve Essentials!

Well, it's that time of the year again... the end! First, I want to thank you, the readers, for a wonderful 2011! I'm so happy that you enjoy this tiny consumer reports operation I started! While you're generally void from the comment section, I love reading your emails and seeing you repost my reviews! Thanks! 2012 will be awesome with you all around!


With that said, most of you will be going out on the town for New Year's Eve. The Trav Test has 3 essential items to make your night an A!


1. Agloves. I've told you about Agloves before and Tweeted about their newest products. You'll want to use your touchscreen phones, but it's cold in many places! Stay warm AND connected with Agloves!


2. Blistex. I'm not sure if it genuinely counts as prevention, but if you'll be kissing people at midnight, 50%-80% of them have herpes! Blistex claims to relieve cold sores so you'll want it in your purse or pocket! (On that topic, grab some condoms, too. Even if you won't need them, someone will.)


3. Numbers for taxis or a taxi finder app. You'll probably be a drunk mess, so don't drive. It's simple!


If you have these 3 (ok, 4) items, you can be confident that you'll have a great time!*


*The Trav Test is not responsible if you have a shitty time. If you do something stupid, it's on you. If you have a really annoying significant other, that's on you, too. If you have nowhere to go on NYE, have these items anyway - you can go to see a movie. Using the Agloves, use your iPhone to get a ride and have the Blistex ready when your lips are super dry from the salty popcorn! All kidding aside, be safe, have fun, and see you next year!

New Year's Eve passes The Trav Test with an A+. 


• Category: Fun!
• Location: Everywhere!
• Cost: Depends!
• Ease of use:
 Easy!
• The Trav Test grade: A+!

Thundershirt

Simon, my 8 year old Jack Russell Terrier, is a nut. EVERYTHING gives him anxiety. Everything. From the slightest raising of the volume of one's voice so someone can hear to the vacuum to thunder and everything in between, Simon gets freaked out. I've tried calming tablets and while they totally work, they take hours to kick in so if a bad storm is approaching, it's probably over before they kick in. For anxiety-causing things that are planned, such as fireworks on the 4th of July, I could give him a tablet early enough for it to work, but then I have a loopy dog for the other 22 hours that there aren't fireworks going off. The vet has recommended giving him something like Paxil, but that's really expensive. Finally, a few months ago, the vet recommended trying Thundershirt. I looked at it in the clinic and did some research and ordered it.

The basic science of Thundershirt is sound. Applying constant pressure helps relieve things like anxiety and is a treatment I am familiar with for special needs students. It's like a constant hug, except you can still function because you don't have a person attached to you. Thundershirt has great reviews all over the internet and is veterinarian approved - plus with the 45 day money-back guarantee, it has to be good, right? Well, not for Simon.

Thundershirt arrived on a Wednesday, which was perfect since he had surgery planned for 2 days later. The instructions said to put food on it so it creates a positive association - simple classic conditioning - so I  put the Thundershirt on the floor and put a treat on it. Simon wouldn't touch it. After 30 minutes, I was sick of waiting, so I decided I'd put it on him even though he hadn't eaten the treat. When I started to open it, the velcro freaked him out and he went to hide, but I caught him. This wasn't the ideal first try, but hey, now he's experiencing anxiety so we'll see if it works! I put it on him and he went upstairs to hide under the bed. He wouldn't come out until he finally smelled his dinner being served and came down. After he ate, I took it off and the velcro again scared him so he went to hide under my car in the garage. Great.

2 days later was his surgery. When I went to put Thundershirt on him, he wasn't as freaked out by the velcro, but he still didn't love it. When I said we were going in the car, he was so excited that I could have put a vacuum on his back and he wouldn't have cared. When we got to the vet, he was okay - not great, but not terrible either. I thought maybe it was working since the website does say that it may take a few tries for some dogs. The vets took Thundershirt off of Simon while he was put under and I didn't touch it for a week since he was doing a lot of sleeping anyway. For his 1-week follow-up, I put it on him. The velcro had little to no impact this time, but he was awful at the vet. He barked, growled, and snapped at the vet. Great. At his 2-week follow-up, he wasn't naughty, but he was very, very anxious.

Out of 4 tries, none had any impact. With the 45 day window coming close, I washed it, plucked the hair off of it, and sent it back. I was really hoping it would work, but it didn't. Since the science makes sense and so many others have found it to be amazing, I can't say that Thundershirt is crap, I just think my dog is a freak of nature. If you have an anxious dog, I'd say give it a try, but make sure you're watching the calendar so you can return it if need be. Maybe it will work for your dog, maybe not.

A JRT wearing Thundershirt (not Simon)

Thundershirt fails The Trav Test with an Incomplete. 


• Category: Products

• Location: Online, Vet Clinics, Stores

• Cost: $39.95

• Ease of use: Easy

• The Trav Test grade: Incomplete (The first incomplete ever!)

Neato XV-11

Just about one month ago, I got the Neato XV-11 robotic vacuum for testing. I was interested in testing a robotic vacuum because the concept is awesome and, frankly, it is 2011 yet there is nothing Jetsons-like in my home. Also, with a Jack Russell Terrier who sheds more than you could imagine, daily vacuuming is a good way to keep the house clean between full weekly cleanings. Although I'm a "neat freak", I'm not lugging a full upright vacuum out every single day. Plus, my aforementioned dog is deathly afraid of the vacuum and daily anxiety for him would be even worse for me. So I went on the hunt for a robotic vacuum to test.

My search started with the product everyone is familiar with: Roomba. It's expensive, round, and the reviews aren't great. Plus, with 6 different models ranging in price from $300 to $600 and many different features, I didn't know which one to get. Roomba Pet Series sounds like it would make sense, but it doesn't have other necessary features. As I was reading other reviews, I kept reading comments saying to get Neato instead. I checked Neato out and understand why people were saying so. It's U-shaped, so it fits in corners, has "RPS" or room positioning system, and supposedly has the best suction for a small robotic vacuum. At $399, it's right in the middle of Roomba's prices, but many people say it's much better. Sold!

Having my Neato XV-11 for about a month now, I can tell you that it is awesome. It doesn't have the suction that a good upright has, but it has more than a cheap upright. For most of us, the atmospheric pressure suction rating means absolutely nothing so instead, here's a practical description: it picks up dust, dog hair, popcorn, crumbs, nail clippings, and even the occasional bug that sneaks into the house. Translation: it works very well. Instead of dragging a fairly heavy upright vacuum up and down the stairs, I can very easily pick up this small, 15 pound machine and take it anywhere. On the main floor where I have the base, all I need to do is push the main button twice and the entire level will be vacuumed while I do other things. When it's finished, it goes back to the base and charges. On the other 2 levels, I can set it down, push the button, and again that's all. When it's finished, it returns to where it started and shuts off. It's fantastic.

Ok, so how does it compare to a good upright, other than suction? One of the great things is the path it uses to clean if you have carpet that leaves those awesome vacuum marks. I really do love those! Other robotic vacuums (i.e. Roomba) take a completely random path. Neato first goes around the perimeter of the room, then cleans the rest of the room systematically so it leaves nice vacuum lines, THEN it leaves the room and starts the next one. It can detect doorways and stairs so it goes room-by-room and doesn't fall over any edges. As for noise, it's not exactly quiet, but it's not exactly loud either. You can hardly hear it if you're on a different level, but it's too loud to watch TV if you're in the same room. What's really great, however, is that it does not have that really loud, high pitched sound upright vacuums make. It is that sound that makes my dog go crazy. Without that sound, my dog isn't bothered by Neato at all. Now, Neato doesn't completely replace your upright. You'll still need to manually vacuum once per week if you're a neat freak like me. Why? Well, the extra suction of an upright gets any dirt that is deeper in the carpet and Neato obviously can't move things to vacuum under them. If you don't have a dog or kids, you probably could go 2 or more weeks easily.

All in all, I'd recommend Neato for everyone. If you're lazy, it does the work. If you're a slob, it picks up after you. If you're busy, you can set up a schedule and never think about it again. If you're a clean freak, you can be sure that the house is cleaned daily without any work on your part. It works on all floor types, too. I honestly can't think of a single situation where Neato wouldn't be a great purchase. And yes, I paid for my Neato myself, so you can be sure that the company isn't paying me to say these things! I wouldn't hesitate to purchase Neato again!

Neato XV-11 passes The Trav Test with an A+. 


• Category: Products
• Location: Online, Some stores
• Cost: $399
• Ease of use: Super easy
 
• The Trav Test grade: A+
• UPDATE: Click Here

Kensington

Ok, folks, this is a slightly different post than you're used to. It's about a product that I love and a company that I love even more! Ever since I purchased my first iPhone back in 2007, I've searched for the best way to store it and use it in the car. When I got my current car in 2008, I drove directly from the dealership to Best Buy to have a touchscreen and Bluetooth-enabled system installed. That solved the problem about using my iPhone in the car since I can play my iTunes library and take calls over Bluetooth, plus the radio display shows my battery level, signal strength, and connection status. What about storing it, though?

A few years ago I found the Kensington Windshield/Vent Car Mount for Smartphones at the Apple store. It is fantastic! I've always used the windshield mount rather than the vent mount simply because I don't want to block the airflow in my car, but I was nervous at first about using the windshield mount. It's just a small suction cup that holds the 12" flexible arm which holds the phone holder which holds my expensive iPhone, but it's perfect. The mount has adjustable side clamps that hold the phone steady and a button on its back that releases the grip. I loved this feature until one day, the button got stuck and the clamps no longer worked. I emailed Kensington immediately and they responded the next day offering to send me a new one. Since this issue occurred within a year of purchase, I thought this was great customer service - exactly how it should be. Somehow, the button became unstuck so I never had Kensington send me a new one.

A few weeks ago, my Kensington broke again. This time, the suction cup completely detached from the arm. Since it's at least 2-3 years old now, I didn't think this was a big problem. I just grabbed some super glue and reattached the suction cup. That didn't work. The rest of the mount is perfect fine, so I thought perhaps I could email Kensington again and see if I could buy a new arm only rather than paying for a whole new unit that I didn't need. They again responded within a day and offered to send me a brand new mount. I was happily shocked. My warranty has long expired and I didn't expect much help because of that and the fact that a brand new one is under $30. 6 days since they emailed me back, a brand new mount was at my doorstep. Kensington really knows how to make good products and have really happy customers. Needless to say, I highly recommend both the Kensington Windshield/Vent Car Mount for Smartphones and Kensington itself. I will be a loyal customer for the foreseeable future! And, if anyone at Kensington happens to see this, THANK YOU!

Broken :(

Brand new!

Kensington Windshield/Vent Car Mount for Smartphones & Kensington both pass The Trav Test with an A+.





• Category: Products, Accessories
 

• Location: Online and in many stores.
 

• Cost: $29.99
 

• Ease of use: Easy
 

• The Trav Test grade: A+

Beauty Charade

One thing you won't find reviewed on The Trav Test is make up since I don't wear any! If you happen to be interested in make up tips and tricks, check out Beauty Charade. My friend Kayla recently started the site to blog about her finds. While I can't say I know anything about make up, she definitely does. It's not just make up, though, as she always has something to say about things from nail polish to false eyelashes and everything in between. Maybe I can even talk Kayla into doing some posts here if she does any product reviews!

Beauty Charade is promoted by The Trav Test with an A+.

• Category: Products, Beauty

• Location: BeautyCharade.com

• Cost: Free!

• Ease of use: Easy

• The Trav Test grade: A+

Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator

While I have only had the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator for just under 1 week, I am already a huge fan!  As I noted in the review preview, I was rather nervous to use it.  Many of the reviews on Amazon.com and other similar sites said that there were issues with water leaking into the battery housing and to avoid the product until those issues were resolved.  I'm not sure if the manufacturer changed the product or not, but I have not had any problems.  Knowing how the product is assembled, I have to assume that the problems are caused by user error.

With the aforementioned problem not posing an issue for me, I am happy to report that the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator is a great product.  I have had sinus issues for years.  I had polyps removed and my sinus openings enlarged almost 10 years ago.  I've had intense sinus pressure and infections consistently over the last 2 years and was beginning to think that the polyps were back.  Since the polypectomy was the absolute worst pain I could imagine, I was not rushing to have it again.

In the last week, I have used the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator daily before bed.  My sinus pressure and most recent infection are gone.  I also cannot remember the last time I was able to breathe as well as I can today.  My ability to breathe freely is most likely a combination of the effects of the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator alone as well as the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator allowing my Nasonex nasal spray to work more effectively.  If these results continue, I think I will be using this product every day for the foreseeable future.  While the cost of the WaterPik Sinusense Soothing Saline Easy-Pour Packs adds up, at about 12¢ per day (120 for $15 on Amazon), it's certainly worth it.  It's even cheaper through Walgreens using the manufacturer coupon and Walgreens rewards.

Using the Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator isn't the most comfortable thing, but it's definitely not painful either.  The sensation is similar to getting water up your nose while swimming.  I have found that using warmer water is more comfortable as colder water more closely resembles drowning.  It's difficult to describe - not unpleasant, but also not pleasant.  10 seconds (per nostril) of an awkward feeling is certainly worth the benefits, though!  If by some chance my results disappear or the battery housing begins to leak, I will post an update. As of today, however, I'd say this product is one of my new favorite things!

Waterpik SWI 615 Sinusense Water Pulsator passes The Trav Test with an A+.

 • Category: Products, Sinuses, Medical, Health

 • Location: Online or in stores nationwide

 • Cost: Varies.  $35.20 on Amazon.  $34.99 from Waterpik.  I got mine on sale for $29.99 at Walgreens plus I had a $10 coupon from Waterpik's website!  $19.99 cannot be beat!

 • Ease of use: Easy!

 • The Trav Test grade: A+

Jen Brookman Graphic Design

When I launched The Trav Test in February 2010, the purpose was simple.  I use a large variety of products and services and wanted to share my experiences with friends.  I threw together the website in a matter of minutes and took under an hour to design the logo.  Today, however, The Trav Test is more than a personal blog for friends.  I never could have expected the level of success and media coverage my simple site has received.  It recently became evident that I needed to step up my graphic representation online!  I created The Trav Test's Twitter account and began looking for a graphic designer to save the day!  I received a handful of replies, but Jen Brookman's reply stood out.  She sent me to her portfolio and I was blown away.  Ready to begin working together, I emailed Jen and got the ball rolling.

Jen was incredible.  It was clear that she wanted to deliver exactly what I wanted.  While I know Jen could have come up with hundreds of ideas for a completely new logo, I just wanted the one that I made to be re-freshed.  I needed something that was higher quality with a transparent background.  I also wanted to use my favorite rare font, if Jen had it, of course.  Not only did Jen have my font, but she also had the ability to deliver exactly what I was looking for and then some!  Originally, I was just going to stick with my burgundy red logo, but Jen sent a few colors including a burgundy gradient.  I really loved the gradient look so that instantly became the new main logo, but Jen also provided me with the logo in every color of the rainbow for special uses or if I change the color scheme!  Jen did all of this fabulous work in a matter of hours and we maintained seamless contact via email.

If you or your company ever needs any graphic design work completed, Jen Brookman Graphic Design has my highest recommendation.  She is professional, highly skilled, and fast!  Her prices are very competitive and she will work with you to make sure you get exactly what you're looking for.  From logos to ads, posters to invitations, and everything in between, Jen Brookman Graphic Design is your solution.  As for the work she did for me, the only other thing I can say is THANKS!  Stay tuned to see all of the logo varieties she did for me as they are used around the web!

Jen Brookman Graphic Design passes The Trav Test with an A+.

 • Category: Graphic Design, Services, Online
 • Location: Online
 • Cost: Varies
 • Ease of use: Beyond Easy!
 • The Trav Test grade: A+

Agloves

If you use a touchscreen device (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Droid, Evo, etc) and live someplace with winter, Agloves are for you.  They are a revolutionary new way to use winter gloves and a touchscreen device at the same time.  Other companies have made other products that tried to solve this problem.  They all failed.  Dots Gloves, for example, have some nickel or brass on the fingertips.  The problem with this is that if the gloves don't fit perfectly (actually, they need to be on the tight side), they don't do a damn thing.  They also don't work if you use the pad of your finger to scroll since the nickel or brass is only on the tips.

Agloves, however, work because they have silver nylon throughout.  Silver is the most electrically conductive element so your capacitive touchscreens LOVE silver.  Or, rather, they (g)love it.  You know, I'm typing this thinking I need to find something else to say because 2 relatively short paragraphs doesn't do Agloves justice, but they're simply so great there's nothing more to say.  If you have a touchscreen device, do yourself a favor and order Agloves.  You won't regret it.  Plus, for a limited time, you can enter "Free Shipping" in the coupon code and save the $3 shipping fee!  Actually, if I had to come up with 1 complaint to be my usual cynical self, I'd complain that I paid $3 for shipping when the shipping label clearly says they only paid a little over $1!  That's kind of annoying, but the gloves are still damn good!  Since the CEO, Jennifer Spencer, personally wrote "Thank you" and signed the packaging insert, I'll even give Agloves a few extra brownie points!

Agloves.  Conduct yourself.™

Agloves passes The Trav Test with an A+.

• Category: Winter Accessory

• Location: Agloves

• Cost: $17.99 + $3 shipping when the Free Shipping code expires

• Ease of use: Beyond Easy!

• The Trav Test grade: A+(++++++++++++++)

Elago's Apple iPhone 4 Premium Privacy filter-Protect Screen

I may sound like a paranoid schizophrenic here, but I always think people are looking at my iPhone.  Whether I'm texting in line at the grocery store or playing a game at my desk, only I need to know what is on my screen.  On my iPhone 3Gs, I used 3M's iPhone Privacy Screen and it was fantastic.  3M has not made an iPhone 4 version so I'm unfortunately stuck looking at other manufacturers. 

My first (and only) attempt was using Elago's Apple iPhone 4 Premium Privacy filter-Protect Screen.  Elago claimed, when I purchased mine, that this filter screen would be absolutely bubble-free.  This claim has since been removed as you can see in the picture below that bubble-free it is not!  

Save your money and wait for 3M to make one - none will be as good!

Elago's Apple iPhone 4 Premium Privacy filter-Protect Screen fails The Trav Test with an F.

• Category: iPhone Accessory

• Location: Amazon

• Cost: $19.99

• Ease of use: Mildly easy to apply, but bubbles make it useless.

• The Trav Test grade: F

AT&T 3G MicroCell

Despite all the back and fourth gibberish between wireless providers, I find AT&T to be pretty damn good.  Since I am a fan of full disclosure, I want you to know that I have never used any other provider.  I've been an AT&T customer since the Cingular days.  The only time I had an issue with the service was my first semester of college at Winona State University in Winona, Minnesota.  Winona is located between a bunch of bluffs and only one service provider had a tower in or on the bluffs.  I was, however, able to pick up Cingular signal in certain places so I fared better than others, but I digress.

According to the AT&T Coverage Viewer, my house is located in the "best" service area with complete 3G coverage.  Outside, service isn't an issue, but problems exist inside of my house.  On the 1st and 2nd floors, I usually registered about 3 bars.  This is fine for SMS or MMS.  If I have a call, though, the call is either going to be less than clear or totally drop out.  Worse yet is that my office is in the finished basement.  Down here I usually had 1 bar, enough for SMS and MMS to work, about 75% of the time.  Calls don't work at all - sometimes the phone will ring, but often calls will be routed directly to voicemail.  The other 25% of the time my iPhone read "No Service" or "Searching."  To get around this, I gave people my Google Voice number and then routed the call to my home landline, but this is less than ideal.

The 3G MicroCell itself was first available almost a year ago.  It was released in Charlotte, NC which served as the trial market.  Apparently the trial went well and it was next released in Raleigh, NC in late September and in Atlanta, GA in early October.  Continuing the gradual rollout, Arizona launched in late March, California, Nevada, and New Mexico in early April, and it launched in Wisconsin and Illinois earlier this week.  Interestingly, I never received the availability email from AT&T that I signed up for, but got an inside tip that it was available.

The 3G MicroCell costs $150.  There is no monthly cost, unless the user adds on unlimited MicroCell calls for $20 per month.  I barely touch my 500 minutes, so I opted not to add it on.  The 3G MicroCell can be discounted if you have a corporate discount through school or work AND the discount applies to accessories.  Unfortunately, my corporate discount is service only so I had to pay full price.  The AT&T employee offered to register the device for me in-store, but I opted to do it myself so I didn't have to spend any extra time in a store full of gadgets when there's room on my credit cards.  Registering it online was extremely simple.  The device initially took 34 minutes to activate, much shorter than the 90 minutes the set-up guide says it takes.  I then moved the device to a different location (since my kitchen countertop isn't a very good spot) and it took 14 minutes to re-activate.  I received a text message and email from AT&T when the initial activation was complete, but not on the re-activation.

Thanks to the 3G MicroCell, I now have 5 bars everywhere in my house.  I ran a few tests to make sure everything was working and found nothing wrong.  I was even able to place a call from inside of a walk-in closest in my basement.  SMS and MMS now completely work and I have 3G service in the basement, too (although I connect to my wifi inside).  I do think it's kind of ridiculous to pay $150 to AT&T because their service isn't strong enough to reach my basement, but I guess I'm willing to do so in order to fully use my $500 phone!  I definitely recommend the 3G MicroCell based on my experience with it in the last few hours.  It's been great to be able to take calls in the basement!  I would give it an A+, but I'm downgrading it since I think it should be provided to those of us with service issues for free.


Side note: For those of you looking into AT&T U-Verse, I was told that wireless U-Verse boxes are coming soon.  I'd love to switch to U-Verse, but am unwilling to have a new RJ45 cable installed everyplace I want a TV, especially since I already have coaxial cables in those places!  Wireless boxes will allow me to have U-Verse service anywhere with a power outlet which means I'll probably be switching in a few months!  Sweet!

AT&T 3G MicroCell passes The Trav Test with a B+.

• Category: Products, Wireless, AT&T

• Location: AT&T Stores (Check for local availability here)

• Cost: $150 (plus $20/month if you want unlimited calling added)

• Ease of use: Easy

• The Trav Test grade: B+

Gloves In A Bottle

Winter is harsh on skin for pretty much every single person, but those of us with already dry skin are even worse off.  The combination of winter's ravage and constant use of hand sanitizer at the office to avoid the flu left my hands dry and cracked.  My knuckles were so dry that they would often bleed slightly.  Fed up with the dryness, I set out to find a lotion that truly moisturized and protected my hands without making me smell like an old lady or feel extremely greasy.  After months of searching, I found Gloves In A Bottle.


Gloves In A Bottle is an effective lotion that can be found in many stores across the country and ordered online.  Because it claims to not be easily washed off, it is considered a shielding lotion.  Gloves In A Bottle stopped my bleeding knuckles with one use.  After a few days of use, my hands had absolutely no signs of dryness at all.  The product even added so much moisture to my cuticles that I haven't had a hangnail in weeks.  While unscented, the lotion does have a certain smell, but it fades away once dry and isn't caused by any added fragrance(s).  Gloves In A Bottle also does not feel greasy - something that I hate with other lotions.  After a few seconds, the product is absorbed by the skin and I can even use my iPhone without any hesitation.  The product simply works and for this reason, I cannot rave about it enough.  I have absolutely no complaints and would highly recommend Gloves In A Bottle to everyone!

Gloves In A Bottle passes The Trav Test with an A+

• Category: Products, Skin Care, Health

• Location: Stores nationwide or Online

• Cost: $14.95 per 8oz bottle (individually)

• Ease of use: Easy

• The Trav Test grade: A+

The Return of The Tonight Show

Tonight marked the return of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno!  The real Tonight Show!  While I don't typically watch late night talk shows, I tuned in for Jay's return.  The intro was fantastic!  They did a play on The Wizard of Oz complete with the amazing Betty White.  The new set seems to be a hybrid of the old Tonight Show set and the Jay Leno Show set.  It's a bit wonky, but it will work.  I love the guest chairs, but Jay's new desk is not my style.  It looks like something I could find on the set of "Hairspray" the movie.

Jay's first guest back, Jamie Foxx, was intense to say the least.  Since he was extremely happy and not at all depressive, I'm thinking he was high on cocaine.  I guess I should say "allegedly" incase he stumbles across this.  I enjoyed Jamie on Oprah last Friday, but tonight I wanted him to sit down and shut up!  Lindsey Vonn was interesting, but I think she forgot the rest of her dress backstage.  Perhaps she was in a hurry.  She didn't say anything unexpected so if you missed it, no biggie.  Jay's musical guest was Brad Paisley.  I hate country music for the most part so I was not into it.

Overall, the show was good, but "underwhelming" as my friend Andrea put it.  I won't be setting my DVR to catch every show, but if I'm sitting around at 10:35pm, I'll tune into The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

The Tonight Show passes The Trav Test with a B

• Category: TV, Talk Show

• Location: TV

• Cost: Free

• Ease of use: Easy

• The Trav Test grade: B

HTML Goodies

I spent some time thinking about what I would review as my very first post.  The first post is going to set the theme for posts to come, right?  Well, maybe.  I was leaning towards a post about my recent experience at Superdawg's new Wheeling, IL location because it was great, but then I thought about HTML Goodies.


HTML Goodies is a really simple site that I have used for YEARS to help me with web design.  I can remember back to 6th grade when I used HTML Goodies to teach me how to write a link code.  I memorized it and, of course, still use this knowledge today.  I have not memorized other things - like color codes (except black and white) - and HTML Goodies is a great resource to look these things up.


Whether you use HTML many times a day as part of your career in web design or only every 3 months when you change your Myspace page (actually, does anyone use Myspace anymore?), HTML Goodies is a great place to get help.  The creator, Joe Burns, writes in a way that is fun and easy to understand.

HTML Goodies passes The Trav Test with an A+

• Category: Tech, How To
• Location: Online
• Cost: Free
• Ease of use: Easy
• The Trav Test grade: A+