Burt's Bees Lip Balm

           

            It’s getting to that time of year where just about everyone and their mother is carrying around some sort of moisturizing cream or balm for their dry, chapped lips. I’m from New York and I thought one of the perks to going to school in South Carolina would be the feeling of moisturized lips throughout the winter. For at least my time here, I thought that a tube of chapstick wouldn’t even cross my mind. Of course, with my luck I wasn’t able to shake this problem.

            Having to use chapstick is inevitable for me, it’s just a matter of when. We all know we are done for on the first cold day of fall when we throw on that chapstick. Just once will get your lips hooked all the way till the warm days in April. So with this in mind, this year what I decided to do was fight the urge for as long as possible. I didn’t last very long, considering my lips are already at about four doses a day. Four doesn’t seem like a lot but I’ll remind you that it’s still only the first week of November.

            With all of the experience I’ve had, I can confidently say that there’s only been one type of lip balm that gets the job done. For me, the chapstick of choice is Burt’s Bees Lip Balm. My lips are the type that can’t function without their treatment dosage. Even though it may only work for a few hours, I haven’t found one other brand that can match the job done by Burt’s Bees. Bees Lip Balm includes vitamin E to provide increased moisture to your lips and peppermint oil to produce a tingling sensation that may help decrease the irritation commonly associated with chapped lips. They provide an insane amount of flavors in which I always have trouble choosing from. They carry all different kinds such as menthol, pink grapefruit, blueberry and dark chocolate, coconut and pear, vanilla bean, wild cherry, honey, mango butter (etc.). Some of those do sound a bit strange but still, more flavors is never a bad thing.
            As you probably know, tubes of chapstick are prone to get lost. They’re so tiny and you carry them everywhere. In out and of the pocket, it’s only a matter of time till you forget where you leave it. So, because we, or I at least, run through lip balms like it’s water, the price tends to add up. I can’t say I’ve ever fully completed a tube and that certainly is not something to be proud of. Burt’s Bees Lip Balm is a little pricey, however, you do get what you pay for. I would recommend this product to anyone who is very careful with his or her belongings. After all, who wants to be spending tons of money on chapstick when the season of giving is right around the corner???

Transparent Duct Tape

            Transparent duct tape is a problem. When there is no handle with a blade to keep track of the end, then good luck wasting your time. People purchase duct tape on a regular basis because it’s a very versatile product. The problem is, the producers still sell the rolls of tape that look like the one in the above picture.

            A single roll of duct tape is a pain in the butt to work with. First of all, keeping track of the end is annoying in itself. I don’t know about the producers of this product by I’m human and I only have two hands. When I’m working with duct tape I feel like I need at least three. I need a hand for the scissors, a hand to hold the roll of tape, and also a hand to hold the end of the tape so I don’t have to go searching for it.

            The other day I shipped a box to my family back in New York. I packed everything I needed into the box and I began to look for a roll of tape in my apartment. I found a big roll of transparent duct tape (similar to the one in the above picture) and I thought to myself, “here we go.” I knew exactly what I was getting myself into so I was strategically going to plan this out. However, before I even was going to prevent the problem, it was already there. It took me a solid five minutes to first find the end of the tape. On top of that, when I went to peel it, I got caught in the exact situation I was trying to avoid; you know, the never-ending cycle of peeling the tape back but only getting half of it? Well, I was in a 15-minute battle with this roll of tape going back and forth peeling sides trying to even them out. Yes you read that right, those fifteen minutes isn’t even including the extra five minutes I originally spent just looking for the end.

            I was hoping to find a picture of what I’m trying to explain but nothing seemed to come up. I don’t think it’s too big of a deal though because I’m sure you understand exactly what I’m talking about. So, to conclude my story I decided to toss the roll of tape and just take the opened box to the UPS store. The people there were nice enough to do the taping for me. And yes, if you were wondering, they did have the roll of tape with the handle (similar to the one in the picture below). They’ve been around the block and they’re obviously not making that mistake twice.

UP by Jawbone

I’ve been really tired lately. I don’t know if it’s the change of weather or if school and my physical activities are really starting to catch up to me. Anyway, my teammate had noticed how tired I looked the other day. He made some comment that I should invest in a wristband that wakes your body at an optimal time. I couldn’t tell if he was just messing with me or if he was actually serious. So, what did I do next? That’s right. That night I went ahead and began to research this product to see if it’s actually a thing. I came across the UP by Jawbone and it seems like I couldn’t have found a more exciting creation.

The UP by Jawbone is a wristband that tracks your activity, diet and sleep and then suggests simple adjustments that lead to more rest and happier days. At the moment, I can’t think of a more perfect gadget for me. I feel like the designers of this product went inside my brain and developed a device that specifically fits what I’m looking for. 

 Tracking what you eat is a very simple way to lose weight. The UP by Jawbone is perfect for this. For me, I don’t want to lose weight. I am just interested in keeping track of the food I eat. Right now there is no simpler, more convenient way to do so than by using this product. Features of this wristband include frequent meals, an enhanced calorie counter, and an expanded library of restaurant menus. There's even a Food Score, so you can quickly see how healthy your food choices are. My teammates like to think I go over the top with my healthy behaviors but I enjoy eating right and being active. Having a wristband that can help me do so on the fly will make my life that much easier. You’d be surprised at what a change this device can make to your living habits.

  If you’re planning on losing weight or eating healthy, then you must be interested in how active you are. UP by Jawbone tracks this as well. With precise step tracking, workout logging and Insight Reports, UP is way more than just a calorie counter. How is this product not booming right now? Maybe there should be a better marketing scheme because I can’t see people that are attempting to be fit, not utilizing a picture-perfect device like this. Then again, they might just be unaware that it even exists. After all, I know I was.

  On top of all of this there’s more. The UP system gives you an in-depth picture of your sleep (just what I need). I guess my friend was right.  Features like sleep graphs let you see the good, the bad, and the rapidly improving. With this device, you can use bedtime reminders, Power Nap, and Smart Alarm to get to sleep and wake at optimal times. This thing has me drooling.

  These qualities are great and all for a product but there’s just one problem; the UP by Jawbone is sitting at $130 right now. I’m a college student and I don’t have that kind of money on hand. I wish this product would sell for a bit cheaper, however, I can see why the producers are asking for so much. This device can do everything in order for a person to maintain a healthy living, and more. I guess what I’m trying to say is, if Christmas doesn’t come sooner than December, I know what I’m saving my money for.

Heinz Glass Ketchup Bottle

            If you’ve ever been out to eat at a restaurant then you’ve probably came across the Heinz glass ketchup bottle. Now, after reading that first sentence and realizing that you have, then I’m sure you know exactly what I’m going to rant about. The only reason anyone is ever going to bring up this absurd product design is to completely rip it apart.

             The Heinz glass ketchup bottle is a problem to all restaurant eaters. The ketchup is basically glued to the inside of the bottle. The only way to get it out is by vigorously shaking it or slamming the bottom of the bottle enough times to make the people around you think you’re crazy. Of course there is the third option of using a knife to invite these luscious ketchup globs out of their home but who wants to deal with that. I don’t want to have to do any unnecessary work before I engulf my food. After all, it is why I go to a restaurant, right?

            The funny thing about this is there is no light at the end of the tunnel. When I don’t feel like using the Heinz glass ketchup bottle I may ask for some ketchup packets. All problems solved….you would think. For a person like me, I like ketchup a lot. When my waiter/waitress comes back with three ketchup packets I obviously have to ask them for more. It seems as if there is a pinch of ketchup in each one of these packets and I would consider you almighty if you can scrape out more than 50% of what’s inside. Those things are basically useless. At least eight of those are sufficient for a person like me. Actually, eight sounds like a lot, maybe seven.
            As I was looking for a picture of the Heinz glass ketchup bottle to add to this post, I came across an interesting video. An MIT PhD candidate named Dave Smith along with a team of mechanical engineers and nanotechnologists at the Varanasi Research Group have been in the lab addressing this common dining problem. What they came up with was a super slippery coating called “LiquiGlide” that is made of nontoxic materials. It can be applied to all sorts of food packaging, though ketchup bottles may be its first target. Here is a video to show the potential for this design.

The Blendtec Designer Series Kitchen Blender

My family had made a purchase last year on a blender that was on sale. We bought the Blendtec Designer Series kitchen blender. I didn’t think much of it because who does, after all it’s just a blender. However, after putting this thing to good use for juices, smoothies, cutting up vegetables (etc.) I’ve came to the realization that a blender is one of the most versatile appliances you can have in your kitchen. 

            When looking for an appropriate blender there are three key categories for evaluation: performance, features and design. The performance of this blender is outstanding. It has the power to blend any type of ingredient in large quantities. This blender includes a commercial-grade motor. This motor provides up to 1,560 watts of power, making it one of the most powerful blenders out there. With power this strong it makes work in the kitchen much more effective and efficient.

            Next up are features. This blender features a variety of options to help you create the perfect concoction. You can choose from batters, crushed ice, smoothie, ice cream, whole juice and soups. These options are displayed on the device by icons to help you choose the perfect setting quickly and without any hesitation. This makes the product easy to use, which is very important to the consumer. I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone complain about the simplicity of a product. 

            Last up is the design. The design of the Blendtec Designer Series kitchen blender is flawless (to my standard at least). It’s not bulky at all. The noise level of this powerful blender is low and there are much less vibrations than any other blender I’ve had in the past. To add to that, the motor base of this kitchen blender is flat and sealed, so if a spill does happen to occur, you can simply wipe the device. There is no need to clean between the buttons, which is a huge plus. This became a pain to me when having to deal with it for every single other blender I’ve encountered.
            Overall, I think the Blendtec Designer Series kitchen blender has everything you need. It has never failed to complete a task for me in the kitchen. It’s reliable and available in a variety of colors allowing you to best match your kitchen décor. I would highly recommend this product!

Colgate Total Advanced Pro-Shield Mouthwash

           

            So, the other day I went to take a swig of my Colgate Total Advanced Pro-Shield mouthwash and lost a little portion of my bottle. By “lost” I mean spilled a good amount of mouthwash all over my bathroom counter. I picked up the bottle and looked at it, trying to figure out whom in their right mind would design such a huge bottle without any handles to grip it with. Of course, I was the consumer dumb enough to purchase it but you can’t blame me, it was the only bottle left in Wal-Mart at the time.

            This bottle is so big that I decided to take a picture with my hand next to it just to give you an idea of what I’m working with. I’m sure Colgate saves money by making such a huge bottle rather than offering a few smaller bottles in a pack, but it really is inconvenient to the consumer. I find myself dodging the use of mouthwash now just because it’s frustrating for me to have to deal with the enormous sized bottle (by the way, if you’re wondering to yourself..yes, I do brush my teeth at least twice a day).

First of all, with this bottle there is no convenient spot for it to go. It does not fit in my mirror bathroom cabinet so I have to leave it in my closet. Secondly, it’s heavy and oversized. If you don’t have some halfway decent grip strength, don’t even bother wasting your money. You’ll realize this thing is a little heavier than it looks, especially when you try pouring it into the cap. It’s one thing if Colgate designed a little grip for you to place your hands but I guess that is way out of their design budget. However, the one good thing I can say about this product is that I am definitely set for the whole semester, maybe even the year at the rate that I’m using it. The thing is, I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. It can be good that the bottle is just that big and I haven’t even really put a dent in it. On the flipside, I’m not sure if I’m using mouthwash as frequently as I would have if I had a smaller, more convenient bottle. I think the size and the effort it takes for me to take this thing out of my closet and then go in and put it back, has caused me to refrain from using mouthwash daily. Obviously walking to the closet seems effortless but when I’m running around in the morning every second counts.
            Yes, this product is big, it is oversized and there seems to be a poor design concept in the fact that there doesn’t exist any comfortable spot to hold/pick it up. However, I will not complain about not making an extra trip to the store because this bottle may last me a little longer than I expected. I’m glad I purchased this product, I just thing there is a little room for improvement in its design. 

Clamshell Packaging

            At one point or another, we have all came across this miserable idea of “clamshell packaging.” Clamshell packaging is everywhere. From everyday items to children’s toys, electronic devices to kitchen tools, I find it absurd that anyone would think this style of packaging isn’t a crime. Clamshell packaging is impossible to open by hand. People resort to sharp objects or even biting (in my case), which doesn’t always end well for my teeth. The smart way to open this package is with scissors, however, even then there comes to be massive hand-shredding chunks of plastic that are left sticking out of every angle. With your bleeding hands and sore mouth you say to yourself, why on earth would anyone design packaging that’s impossible to open?

            Clamshell packaging is supposed to prevent a thing called “package pilferage.” This is a crime when small, relatively expensive objects are removed from their outside packaging and stolen. By implementing this idea of “clamshell packaging,” it makes it impossible to open anything with less than a machete. This, in turn makes shoplifting harder. I’m all for this when packaging an expensive product because I too, would not want my product/merchandise to be stolen off of shelves. However, what about the inexpensive objects that are clamshell packaged? I’m talking about the products like the pens in this above picture. Is it really necessary for the seller to have this kind of item packaged in a way that is impossible for the consumer to open? There has to be a point where the consumer won’t even purchase the product because they already know the battle they would enter themselves into. For example, let’s say there exists a package of pens wrapped in clamshell packaging and a package of pens wrapped in soft plastic right next to each other. Personally, I know I’m automatically reaching for the ones with the easy-to-open packaging. Why risk shredding my hands on opening a package of pens when I can just purchase a pack of the same pens without the hassle of dealing with the tight wrapping. It’s common sense to me.

            On top of all of the problems clamshell packaging proposes, I did some research and found out that many clamshell packages are made with PVC and PET. PVC is a harmful plastic that is very difficult to breakdown. What about PET you ask? Well, PET could be replaced by recycled PET to reduce cost and waste. So, if using this type of plastic contributes to a more environmentally wasteful lifestyle, why do we continue to use it, especially for the inexpensive products such as pens? I ask myself this question over and over again but can’t seem to find an answer.

Keurig K45 Elite Brewing System

                         

                    According to www.statisticbrain.com, it is said that about 54% of Americans over the age of 18 drink coffee everyday. This is a crazy statistic to think about because it doesn’t even include how many cups of coffee these people are consuming. Obviously, there are people who drink one cup of coffee but I can bet you that a majority of these people drink more than that. People can become reliant on caffeine, especially hearing that 18 billion dollars a year is spent on coffee. I’m happy to say that coffee hasn’t sucked me in…just yet.
                    I like to drink coffee every now and then but not daily. When I do choose to start my day off with a cup, I’m happy to say that I use my brand new Keurig K45 Elite Brewing System. This product is very ideal. I kept looking to find a poor feature of this invention but I failed in doing so. Keurig has my bid and I’m sure many others as well. I’ve done my research and avid coffee drinkers rely on three main aspects for their brewing products. These include speed, simplicity and taste.

                   The Keurig K45 Elite Brewing System delivers a brewed cup of coffee in under a minute. For those who are pressed for time, this speed is ideal. How about simplicity? Well, Keurig systems are one-touch operated machines. With just the click of a button you can be on your way to a caffeine-filled morning. To add to that, unlike traditional drip coffee makers, which require users to pour loose grounds into a filter basket, users install a small sealed cup that contains both a filter and coffee grounds. Cleanup literally consists of taking the kcup out of the machine and tossing it in the trash. Taste? That’s easy. Currently, there are over 170 varieties of coffee and tea available for Keurig coffee makers, and this number will only continue to grow over time. To add to that, depending upon cup contents and machine model, users can brew coffee, tea, hot cocoa, espresso, and iced beverages. The Keurig K45 Elite Brewing System allows for this.
                     This is one of the most basic Keurig models, so it is also among the most affordable options. You would think that the features for this product may end there, however, quiet brew technology ensures that the machine is extremely quiet throughout the brewing cycle. As you can see there are countless reasons to invest into this machine, especially if you are an avid coffee drinker. I myself am not a consistent coffee drinker but still think this machine has paid for itself, and then some. I highly recommend this product to even the occasional coffee consumer.  

The Infamous Juice Container

                    I think it’s borderline impossible to look at the picture above without remembering those epic battles you fought when you were in elementary school. This design was supposed to make opening a milk/chocolate milk/juice container fairly simple, however, I think the designers failed to realize that the term “usable” was also included in the features of good design. I’m certain that anyone who has came in contact with one of these containers knows the struggle of pushing the corners of the opening back, pulling the center, but not being able to pour out what’s inside.

                     This picture above has me reminiscing my childhood when I’d be sitting at the lunch table looking like the dork who couldn’t open his juice container. “No everyone, it’s the container not me.” I promise you when I looked for my milk or juice, I was feeling every possible container for the stiffest and sturdiest structure. I dread to remember those days where I was stuck with those soggy containers that I would have to perform an operation on just to quench my thirst.  I don’t know if it was the lunch ladies leaving the containers in ice until the ice turned to water, or if it was just that bad of a design. Although, I can’t even blame the designers for this because my school and I’m sure every other elementary school in the country were the ones keeping them in business!
                     You would think that this design wouldn’t be too much of a problem, but even till this day I have trouble with it. For every three containers I open, one of them decides to fight back. Sometimes I’ll have to use some sort of tool to pry it open and other times the thing will rip open and half the juice will end up on my clothes. I have my little cousin entering into elementary school this year and I say prayers hoping he’s not the laughing stock of the cafeteria.    

Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus

                   Apple did it again. Just when I thought an iPhone couldn’t get any smaller or techier, I was proved wrong with the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus. These new mobile devices are unbelievable. The features aren’t too big of a change from the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c; however, I would look into these new tweaks they made. I can guarantee you that you may second-guess your decision on which one of these four iPhones you should purchase.

                  Being the person that I am, I personally would go for the iPhone 6 plus. Yes, it is the most costly but the improved features are just what the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c needed. With higher resolution displays, up to 128 GB of storage, Apple Pay (the new pay with your phone service) and optical image stabilization, the iPhone 6 plus blows by the other 3 phones with ease. This is without mention of the longer battery life lasting you about 80 hours of audio, 14 hours of video, up to 24 hours talk time over 3G and 16 days of standby. These are only some of the new features this iPhone has to offer. Of these features, the two I would like to talk about are the enhancement in battery life, as well as the new addition of the feature called Apple Pay.

                  Apple Pay is an easy, secure and private way to pay on the go. The times have changed. Walking around with bulky wallets, losing credit cards, looking for the right credit cards, and swiping and waiting are all put to an end with this new way of payment. With this new feature, payments can happen with a single touch. I know it sounds crazy but this is a step into the future and Apple was the first to make the move. Why am I not surprised?
                  The second feature I was very happy to see was the increase in battery life. I’m tired of walking around with my iPhone charger, having my brightness on low and turning on airplane mode when I’m not using my phone. It’s such a pain in the butt. My iPhone 5’s battery won’t last me a full day and I don’t even use it often. I feel like every time I look down at my phone it has lost another 10% of battery life. This was one of the changes I was looking forward to and I’m glad Apple pulled through for me.

Move Theater Armchairs

                     Everyone no matter where you are from, has been to the movie theaters. If you told me you haven't ever been inside of a movie theater, I would tell you straight to your face that you are lying. Now, I'm hoping that when I say the word "armchairs," everyone will have the same opinion about them. Yes, armchairs at your local movie theater may be comfortable, they may lean back far enough to where you are basically laying down, but one thing they all have in common is the same problem. This problem is the four arms and three arm rests problem.
                     Whenever I go to the movies, whether it's with my family or friends, I always seem to be the one stuck next to the stranger. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, that's just the way it is. On one side of me I'll have someone I am familiar with and on the other side of me I'll be next to a person I've never met before. Now, I'm not an awkward person but when that stranger and I both go for that single armrest between us, there is an awkward moment of who's going to claim their territory and who's going to be the one to back down. I hate this. The last thing I want to do is buy my ticket for a movie and sit there uncomfortably for the full two hours. There is no convenient place to put that arm beside right smack dab on that armrest.
                    On the other side of me, it's easy to cooperate with the person next to me because I know them. We can work things out by saying something like, "you know, I'll take the front of the armrest and you can have the back." That side with the stranger though, that side is just complete chaos. If I happen to win that battle for the armrest, count on me never getting up. If I have to go to the bathroom then I suck it up. If I need something to eat then I fight through the two hours starving. Why, you ask? Well, one thing is for sure, if I get up from my seat at any point of the movie then the game is over. I lost. I know if I leave my seat I'll come right back to that stranger sitting comfortably on MY armrest, spread eagle. This is a terrible design of a chair. Off the top of my head the only solution I can think of is to make the armrests in the movie theater thicker. It may cost the designer a few extra bucks, but for the consumer it is worth it. Please, all I ask is for these people to take this problem into consideration. Maybe I'll even be making some more trips to the movies.

Apple Headphones

                    I'm a huge fan of Apple. I can't count on my hands how many items I've bought an item from them over the past two years. That sounds like a good statistic, however, I'm not sure if it actually is. The reason I've purchased so many items from Apple in the past two years is simple; the Apple headphones for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 are poorly designed. So to answer the question you were going to ask, yes, I've bought countless Apple iPhone headphones recently.
                    I can't pinpoint the actual design problem of the headphones. I've had a couple pairs just terminate on me. Sometimes one headphone will lose sound and other times both will go kaput on me. I'm not looking for high-quality headphones but I am just asking for some durable headphones that can last me at least a full year. I understand that it is not economically feasible for the company to spend extra money on the headphones because then the price of the product would drive up. Maybe that's why I keep going back to Apple myself. The headphones are cheap enough to last me a couple of months while also getting the job done when I need them. I go to the gym almost everyday so why would I want to spend the extra money on high-quality headphones? At any moment I can drop a weight on them.
                    It's smart of Apple to maximize their profits this way but I won't let them off the hook that easy. Thank you Apple for designing the iPhone 5 headphones to go inside the ear. This was very helpful for me but what you guys didn't seem to change was the audio quality. When I make the music through my headphones loud, the vocals become fuzzy. Not to mention I get these dirty looks because all of the people around me can hear my music just as clearly, or unclearly in this case, as I can. I too would be upset if my peace/privacy was invaded, however, with these headphones it's tough to hear the music without having the people around you listen in too. Again, I just want to be clear. I'm not totally knocking the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 headphones completely because I keep going back for one reason or another. All I ask is for Apple to step up their game a little bit. I understand people aren't buying the iPhones for the headphones but to me, and I'm sure a lot of other people, it's a very important part of the purchase.