What tennis racquet does Roger Federer use? Federer has been with Wilson beginning with the Pro Staff. After the Prostaff Original 85 was discontinued, Federer’s racquet of choice was the flagship Wilson Tour 90. Now Federer uses the Wilson Six.One Tour BLX. This version of the 90 gets Wilson’s new BLX technology, which involves weaving Basalt fibers into the composition for improved vibration resistance. Wilson claims its BLX treatment allows a smoother signal to reach the player after impact for cleaner feedback and the “perfect feel.” Feel is good for the tennis player who plays with control and has a variety of shots in their game. The ability to switch from top spin, to slice, to flat strokes takes feel in your stroke. You can sum this racket up in 3 words: Touch, Precision, and Spin. Like its predecessors, the Wilson BLX Six-One tour 90 tennis racquet offers excellent plow-through. Users in various tests mentioned they were able to generate a lot of pace and penetration with this racquet.

What is plow through? More “plow through” equals to less vibration on your arm. Plow through can actually be expressed numerically as the proportion of a racket’s mass actually involved in striking the tennis ball. Depends on balance, swing weight, mass, and where you tend to catch the ball on the racket face – really the distribution of racket mass as related to the tennis ball. Everything from slice to topspin was zinging. Some users struggled with this line of racquets from Wilson, but this type of racquet may fit players with a two-handed backhand. Having both hands on the racquet worked well with the plow through and one reviewer felt it seemed much more manageable and easier to maneuver. Another reviewer the racquet felt more muted or dampened when compared to the Wilson KFactor and nCode racquets.

Technical Specifications:

• 90 square inches,16 x 19 string pattern, 12.5 ounces (strung)
• Length 27 inches 69 centimeters Head Size 90 square inches 581 square centimeters
• Weight 12.5 ounces 354 grams Balance Point 12.375 inches
  31 centimeters 9pts Head Light Construction 17.5mm Straight Beam Composition Karophite Black / Basalt String Pattern 16 Mains / 19 Crosses

The Six- One tour is clearly a player frame. With its thin flat beam, relatively high swing weight and head light balance this frame screams aggressive all courter. While it is more forgiving than the original Six- One tour retail frame it still demands long fast fluid groundstrokes, efficient service motion, and clean volley execution to get the most from it.

So is there more to the changes in this racket than a paint job? The surprising answer is yes. This may be the most linear racket on the market. There is a perfect progressing of power that is directly linked to how hard you hit a shot. A lot of non player frames that provide extra pop are harder to control on touch shots.

This racket allows you to hit drop shots consistently just a few feet from the net if your technique allows. Roger Federer has added the drop shot to his match play since 2009 and the engineers have tuned the equipment for those players with stroke variety. The spin production makes these shots even more deadly. Federer just never had a chance to play Nadal much in 2009 due to Nadal dealing with knee problems. It appears that the sweet spot is slight larger that the K-factor but this may be the Basalt fibers at work removing harsh unwanted vibration. At the net the maneuverability is very good despite the frames weight. Bad volley technique such as long backswings will be an issue for all but very physically strong players. The nearly perfect feel of this racket allows you to absorb the power of hard hit passing shots and take the offensive. It is great at drop volleys as well.

Serving requires solid technique and requires you to make all of the power. If you are looking for extra heat on your serve don’t expect this frame to give it to you. Accuracy is incredible. It is possible to hit all of the angles and to do so consistently with this frame. But if your technique falters it is not going to be pretty.

From the baseline the spin capabilities and precision allows you to dictate play from the first shot. The ability to hit with lots of topspin, chip, slice and flatten out shots is very nice and quite predictable. This is where the Basalt fibers are most evident. The feel of the ball on the strings is a good as ever but the frame is better damped. One of the few rackets that does not need a string damper. Along with good topspin generation, this is a perfect frame for hitting low biting slice shots as well.

The experts at Tennis Express have suggested the Six-One tour is a bit like taking a Mercedes -MacLaren F1 Car for a spin. If you are highly skilled at tennis, this racket gives to superb feedback on every shot and the things you can accomplish with it are nearly limitless. If not, your best bet in both cases is to sit and pose, at least that way you can look the part.

While this is one of the best Wilson tennis racquet frames on the market, it is tailor made for an advanced player with nearly perfect technique. If you have a tendency to hit the ball a little late but still would like a BLX tour frame, look at the review for the BLX tour 95.

Due to the small head size it is wise to string (especially with poly strings) at the lower end of the tension range as a starting point.

Popularity: 51% [?]

In the coming weeks, Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland, the Clash of the Titans remake and How to Train Your Dragon will all be released in 3-D in North America, while Avatar could also still remain in some locations. Not all theater owners have bought the new digital projectors and made the necessary upgrades to screen the films in the new format, so a limited number will be able to actually show all the titles in 3-D. About 3,900 to 4,000 3-D-ready screens are to be available in the U.S. and Canada by the end of March. But, typically, a movie in wide release might show on up to 10,000 screens.

Alice in Wonderland, produced by Disney, scheduled for release March 5,  is one of 20 3-D releases scheduled this year with additional films expected to be announced. The main issue of course is that less than 10% of movie theaters,  roughly 4,000 screens can project in 3-D. This is personally felt in Bozeman, Montana, where there is no ability to watch these movies in 3-D. Hollywood seems to be ahead of its movie distributors for 3D technology. This lack of 3-D supply and theaters is putting pressure on theater owners who may not have enough screens to play both avatar which is running strongly going into the Academy Awards as well as house wonder.

In a traffic jam becomes even more congested. In early April class of the Titans snippets during the Olympics broadcast. Theater owners are trying to add 250 screens a month and will eventually pick up the pace from 4000 screens at the beginning of 2009 to hopefully 7000 screens by the holiday film releases. 3-D technology has given the industry some optimism. Higher ticket prices have helped increase revenue and fatten profits for Hollywood.  Movies such as “Dragon”, and Alice in Wonderland were filmed in 3-D., but Clash of the Titans is being converted from 2D just before they are released. If the movie does well as a 3-D movie, then more studios will look to convert to 3-D movies. However, quick 3-D conversions are not as good and could end up with moviegoers being dissatisfied with the technology. 3-D which is done well and good for the industry that bad 3-D can risk spoiling the whole concept.

The quest to deliver 3d television shows, video games, and movies to 3-D ready HDTVs is moving forward despite the dearth of programming. A supply of 3-D broadcasts may entice viewers to use the special glasses. To learn more about 3-D ready LCD Tvs, please check out the LCD TV buyers guide.

The simulation of three dimensions requires two images, one each for the users left and right eye. The two approaches include analgryph and polarization. The analgryph technique uses color filters in paper lenses and some people say it works best on HD flat screens.  Viewers prefer projection technology using polarized light and inexpensive plastic glasses. A third approach that does require glasses, currently favored by Philips Electronics, may take several years before commercial release.

Samsung has released two 3-D ready plasma TVs , 42 inches and 50 inches.  The 50 inch plasma TV is priced at $2,656 (shop for HDTVs online). However, Network broadcasters may be the critical path to 3D in the home. Broadcasters just invested in major upgrades for high-definition television and are reluctant to spend more money on infrastructure to explore 3-D technology. In the end,  consumers will be the judge in the the sales growth of 3D ready LCDTVs.

Popularity: 41% [?]

As parents, one of the milestones in parenting is teaching your child to ride a bike. For everyone parent with young children, there is a new bike accessory invention on the market that may eliminate the training wheel. As every parent knows, the training wheels create instability in the bike as it tips from one side to another. Bikes with training wheels require frequent adjustments and never really allow the child to move smoothly from training wheels to two wheels.

A new company is introducing a product to challenge the conventional method. It is a new type of children’s bike accessory called the Gyrowheel. The gyrowheel is designed to replace traditional training wheels by swapping out the standard front wheel of a children’s bike. A kids bike that contains a spinning disk generates a force to self stabilize the bike. The spinning disk creates a force that is powerful enough to hold the wheel upright at very low speeds. This allows kids to learn the pedal and then gradually ratchet down the power.

The wheel retails for about hundred dollars. 12 inch Gyrowheels are designed to fit 12 inch kids’ bikes and 16 inch Gyrowheels are designed to fit 16 inch kids’ bikes. What size bike you should buy depends on the rider’s inseam. It’s best to take a look at the size chart on the individual bike as they vary in style and dimensions.

• 12 inch bikes typically accommodate riders who are 34-46 inches in height
• 16 inch bikes typically accommodate riders who are 38-52 inches in height

If a new rider is between sizes, the manufacturer recommends the smaller of the two appropriate sizes. A smaller bike allows for easier handling, including steering and pedaling. It also allows the rider’s feet to touch the ground more readily, which makes new riders feel more confident. Further, they recommend that new riders start out by pushing along the ground with their feet, so an appropriately small bike is particularly important for this.

Popularity: 29% [?]

Hypnotic Poison Perfume for Women by Dior

Seductive, bewitching, sensual…

Everything about Hypnotic Poison speaks of seduction: The name, like a sorceress’s spell; the red, tactile bottle, shaped like a “poisoned” apple and poised between fetish and fairy tales; and the olfactory testimonies that its magic works on men like a charm. Look no further!

Milky bitter almond and caraway are flanked by jasmine on one end, sensual musk and snugly vanilla on the other, resulting in a baby-powder scent for adults: like the stuff worn inside a PVC corset late at night. We’re careful not to overreach ourselves when talking about seductive perfumes, but Hypnotic Poison truly acts as an aphrodisiac of the senses and catnip for men!

Fragrance Family: Woody Oriental

This family emphasizes the woody character of Floral Orientals. The milieu of rich Oriental notes and the potent scents of patchouli and sandalwood produced some of the most original perfumes of the 1990s. The Woody Oriental family is aptly names since it embodies the woody character of Floral Orientals. The key difference is that their flowers and spices play second string to the dominant sandalwood and/or patchouli notes. The Oriental influence is more noticeable, too, and balances the deep wood notes.

Recommended Use

Romantic



Popularity: 37% [?]

How can any serious tennis fan look at a Babolat AeroPro Drive tennis racquet and not be reminded of the unbelievable spin creation and shot-making prowess of Rafael Nadal? The yellow color of the tennis racquet is distinctive.

When choosing a tennis racquet, there are several factors to consider, such as weight, balance, and head size. By learning how to differentiate between several kinds of racquets and what they can offer to the tennis player based on his or her playing ability and style.

Tennis Warehouse reviewed the latest version, the AeroPro Drive GT. Babolat is now on the third version of the Aeropro drive racquet and it’s been updated with Graphite Tungsten (GT). The goal of adding GT to the construction is to improve stability, power and control in your groundstrokes. Look for the GT in the model name.

The racquet has a head size of a 100 square inches and is 27 inches long. This size gives it the tennis racquet label of midsize plus, or tweener. Tweener racquets are great for players who are looking for a blend of both power and control from their tennis racquets. These racquets are made for tennis players who have medium to long swing speeds and take medium to long cuts at the ball. This category of racquets is especially ideal for junior players age 12 and higher who are making the transistion from junior to full length tennis racquets.

Tennis Aerodrive GT Specifications

Head Size: 100 sq. in. / 645 sq. cm. Length: 27 inches / 69 cm

The review period lasted a month while they hit an amazing amount of tennis balls. You can read more about selecting the right tennis ball in our tennis buying guide

What impressed the tennis racquet review team the most about the AeroPro Drive GT tennis racquet was the power and access to spin from the baseline. The AeroPro Drive tennis racquet in all its permutations is known as an extremely spin-friendly tennis racquet. Nadal is known for heavy spin on the clay courts.

This spin capability can also come in handy when hitting second serves, or just looking to hit with some spin. Reviews indicated that they were able to get the ball to kick nicely.

In summary, the reviews give this tennis racquet an above average rating. The team found this racquet provided a more solid and stable response from all areas of the court. The playtesters were impressed with the power and spin they were able to generate. The open string pattern offered lots of bite and a lively feel to their strokes.

Popularity: 69% [?]

Sony is known for giving alphabet letters to the different models of Vaio computers. Now, Sony has unveiled the colorful E series this week. This is just after Sony launched of its W-series Eco Edition miniature laptop. Sony Vaios are considered the best laptop computers for high-end audio/video tech with exclusive software, making them ideal for recording music, photo editing, and general multimedia use outside Apple computers. They are invariably fast computers boasting cutting edge performance and attention to style.

Sony markets their laptops in the premium price range, abhorring the release of cheap laptops, and targets users pushing the boundaries of multimedia technology. Many of their new offerings boast fingerprint sensors and core duo processors, and all share the inimitable Vaio logo.

Here are some interesting features of the E series. The laptop has a ‘Web’ button that loads a Linux-based graphical user interface that allows you to browse the Internet without having to wait for Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit to load. This is a nice feature that mirrors the differentiation netbook manufacturers have catered to recently. There is also a fancy Web clipping tool that allows you to keep track of anything interesting you come across during your browsing session, and gain access to these things from any other PC or Web-connected mobile phone. The Sony Vaio E series has a large 15.5-inch screen in resolutions up to 1080p HD, as well as a full keyboard with number pad that runs edge-to-edge across the bottom width of the laptop.

The line is available in a variety of high-gloss colors: Caribbean Green, Iridescent Blue, Coconut White, Hibiscus Pink and Lava Black. The E series has a $700 starting suggested retail and is available for pre-orders today through SonyStyle.com. From recent press releases, Sony will make the E series available through their distribution line in March 2010. The E series feature 15.5-inch displays, Intel Core i5 processors with Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost, up to 500GB of hard-drive storage, HDMI ports and each runs Microsoft’s Windows 7 Premium OS. An optional Blu-ray ROM drive is available as is Bluetooth connectivity. The laptops include a built-in Web cam.  In addition, three matte colors are also available: Maple Brown, Silvery White and Gunmetal. The keyboards include separate number pads. Sony recently has made some very good HD media-focused laptops sporting big screens, most notably in their F and NW lines (see F series review summary below). The NW series started in the high 800 dollar range and has dropped about $100 since its release. While laptop prices keep dropping, Sony has announced a new line of multimedia laptops that offer new Intel processors and an aggressive price point. The Vaio E could potentially offer as much as other Blu-ray Vaios do at a price range that Sony quotes as being “about $700.” According to Sony’s Web site, the Vaio E series prices start at $799. All new VAIOs start with a new model prefix – VPC.

Product Review Digest of Sony F Series Laptops:

The F Series is the next generation model line that follows  the older FW models. Over the past year, the Sony VAIO FW-270j was positively reviewed and recommended for entertainment purposes. Specifically, it has an HDMI port for using the computer as a potential blu-ray dvd player that sends the picture to your HDTV. The battery life would barely make it through a full length movie, and the battery generally lasts three hours. The reviews suggest that this model is not ideal for gamers. The FW series came out in 2008. Cnet reported that the FW270J display is not really true 1080p, despite the sticker on the system implies that it is an ideal portable entertainment center.

The new Sony F series continues the tradition of big screen notebook line. Sony features an innovative technology , called TransferJet, in this line of notebooks which allows users to move photos from select cameras by merely placing them on the laptop’s palm rest (albeit with added cost and time). This multimedia machine has some drawbacks, but when it comes to performance, most reviewers consider the F Series is one of the best Core i7 notebooks around.

Popularity: 34% [?]