Herculodge

If You're Looking for a Sleek Manly Watch: Tauchmeister T0220A Black PVD Diver

 

 

 

Suppose you're turned off by many of the chunky blinged out watches featured here. Suppose you want something more light, more stealthy, more sleek. Is there a manly watch out there that fits that bill? 

Check out the 43mm Tauchmeister T0220A Black PVD Diver. I want one of these. I could wear this anywhere. You might have to get the white numeral version and the T0221 with the red numerals. Both are too cool. 

One point of confusion that needs to be cleared up: Both Amazon and Long Island Watches describe these watches as having "precise quartz movement" but the dials read "automatic" and state the number of jewels. I should contact Long Island Watch and get this cleared up. 

Update:

The Long Island Watch owner replied to my inquiry to tell me a mistake has been made: The watches are indeed automatic. Based on other models, we're probably looking at a Citizen Miyota. 

 

 

Is the $30 Shark Watch an Invicta Ocean Reef Killer?

 

Angelo sent us a link to Shark watches from Hong Kong. I know nothing of their build quality, but this model seems to have taken its cues from the venerated Invicta Ocean Reef. 

Q2 Internet Radio Review

Thanks, Vimal:

Review: Q2 Internet Radio

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/blog/2012/01/23/review-q2-internet-radio?cmpid=enews012712&spPodID=020&spMailingID=4361690&spUserID=MTE1NTU1NTIyMDUS1&spJobID=261620076&spReportId=MjYxNjIwMDc2S0

 

Keith's First Impressions of His Sangean PR-D5

 

My new PR-D5 arrived today. I agree, AM audio is a bit muffled or muted, better on strong stations than weaker ones; but reception is great, as good as anything I have. FM stereo audio is very good to my ears; surprising given the small speakers and how close together they are. FM reception is better than average, but not as good as my best portables. Build quality seems good except for the preset push-buttons; they feel flimsy. I won't be using them very much for fear of wearing them out.

It's an odd bird; not as robust-sounding as a good boombox or tabletop, but not exactly a portable, either. Still, I'm glad I have it; it fills a niche in my collection.

 

We Will Only Vote for a Presidential Candidate Casting Would Choose for a Movie

 

 

On Colin Cowherd's ESPN show today, he said he doesn't know a lot about politics, but he knows enough about the power of TV to say that Newt Gingrich doesn't look the part of US President and is so badly cast for the role that he could never win. However, Romney does look the role. And the Republicans know this; therefore they know a Gingrich ticket would end in sure defeat against Obama. 

Both Obama and Romney, Cowherd said, "pop" on TV in ways Gingrich does not. On a related note, I saw a news analysis excerpt in which a talking head said that if Gingrich wins Florida, all hell will break loose in the Republican Party. 

As I'm bored by politics in general, I hope Gingrich wins in Florida because it's a more exciting, and I daresay a volatile, story. 

Ed's Rosebud Radio: Eldorado Transistor

 

A Rosebud Radio is the one from your childhood that recalls radio bliss. Here's Ed describing his:

This was my first Transistor radio that my parents gave me on my 10th birthday in 1960. It's an Eldorado (Hitachi?) 6 transistor AM/SW radio. It cost $75, probably hundreds in today's dollars. I enjoyed it for months until January 27 1961, 51 years ago today, when it fell out of my pocket on a snowy day. I was devastated.

Move forward 45 years and I found the same model selling on eBay, and I finally found my long lost "rosebud" radio. It still works well, by the way.

 

Jomashop Sold Me the Wrong Watch Twice and Made Me Pay for Return Shipping Twice

 

 

 

Jomashop sent me the wrong Invicta Russian Diver (white dial), with a distressed leather strap when its website described it having a black rubber one.

I returned it. I had to pay the $12 shipping cost.

Two weeks later, the same WRONG watch showed up with the same ugly, distressed leather. This time I got a refund but not before shelling out another $12 for return shipping.

I'm out $24 and I got nothing but a headache. As a further note, they sent me the wrong black dial Russian Diver (same distressed leather strap) but they paid for the shipping on this one. Their policy seems arbitrary. 

Thanks, Jomashop. Never again. 

 

 

Universal Radio Expected to Release the Grundig G2 Reporter in April

 

 

Ante writes:

Universal just posted some more detailed info on Grundig G2. The release of the radio is now expected for April, instead of initially mentioned May, and the price is USD 149. Actually, US buyers can already make their orders.

All the best from very very cold Sarajevo.

Jeff writes:

If this gets long life between battery charges, I'll be tempted to get one. 

 

Quiznos Sandwich Chain in Debt, Default, and Decline

 

This morning I heard about Quiznos' financial woes on NPR. About 12 years ago, I thought it was an upscale alternative to Subway, but about 3 years ago the food seemed subpar and I never returned.

Now with 600 stores closing it's on life support. 

Sangean CL-100 Is Easily More Appealing Than the Sangean PR-D5

 

 

The little speaker in my Sangean CL-100 is far more clear than the muffled dual speakers of my PR-D5, which got so bad they degraded to distortion, on both FM and AM, as I noted a week or so ago.

I should add that I bought my first PR-D5 in 2007 (I looked up my Amazon review); I had to exchange it for a new one when the power supply stopped working. So this PR-D5 is a replacement. 

The AM on the CL-100 is well above average and I hear voices crystal clear with little background noise, so the PR-D5 doesn't have a huge advantage here.

The FM on the CL-100 is far more sensitive than the PR-D5's. 

The CL-100 has a smaller footprint.

The CL-100 has better ergronomics. You can press the buttons without knocking it down. With the PR-D5, you need two hands because of its upright position. 

My only complaint about the CL-100 is the volume fade every time you change the station and upon initial turning on of the radio. The volume takes a few seconds to restore to original position. I don't know why Sangean did this but it's not a deal killer by any means. 

At present, the CL-100 is in the guest bathroom and it performs admirably. No buyer's regret. 

It's a shame the PR-D5 has lost its appeal for me. I really like the new black model that come out a few weeks ago.