Black and Decker 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker

Hey Everyone,

For my final Usability Blog I have decided to take a look at my Black and Decker 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker. I have had this coffee maker for about 2 years now. It retails at $34.99. My former roommate purchased it while in University from Canadian Tire in Waterloo Ontario. He ended up leaving it to me when he got news of his ill grandmother and moved home to Sault Ste. Marie to be with his family. I guess you could say this particular coffee maker has some sentimental value for me as well. Lots of fond memories making coffee together and chatting our stress away.
   

From Black and Decker's Website

I don't tend to leave this coffee maker plugged in when I'm not brewing a pot. There is a functioning clock on the front side as you can see in the picture. If I didn't already have a clock on my microwave, I might consider leaving it plugged in for that reason. What's great about the clock, is that it is also programmable as a timer to start brewing automatically at a set time. For instance, when I was working early mornings in the Fall, I would put a filter in with coffee and measure out about 6 cups. It made it nice and easy for me in the morning when I was barely conscious and stumbling around getting ready for work in the dark. 6 Cups gave me enough for a mug with my eggs and toast as well as a full travel mug for the road. The interface for programming is simple and intuitive, anyone could figure it out without instructions. Its essentially a coffee alarm clock.      

Dimension	Definition
Effective	Serves its purpose and has some nice additional features that makes it a bit  better than other makers on the market.
Efficient	Brews a full 12 cups in about 10-15 minutes, easy to clean.
Engaging	Sleek and attractive design. Not an eye sore for your counter top.
Error Tolerant	Because it is an electronic interface, I would assume that once the clock stops  working it would be time for a new coffee maker. I do not have warranty  information because I was not the one who purchased it.
Easy to Learn	Intuitive interface, basic coffee maker otherwise.

Insignia 2.0 Computer Speakers

Hey Everyone,

Today I am going to review some computer speakers from Future Shop as shown below. They cost $34.99 (however I worked there at the time so they cost me only $19.98). You can check them out online by clicking the on the link in the caption.

Insignia 2.0 Computer Speakers (NS-PCS40-C) Black

These are not high end speakers by any means, but they are much better quality than cheaper models and they do the trick for watching TV shows, sports, and listening to music. They have a good clean crisp sound that can fill some space if cranked up a bit.

Dimension	Definition
Effective	Perfect for desktop computing, and comes with a headphone jack (and an alternative AUX jack) for easy access. Power and volume controls make for effective controls.
Efficient	Acts efficiently delivering high quality sound for a smaller smaller space. Also cost efficient and doesn't require a great deal of power.
Engaging	Simple and attractive design.
Error Tolerant	I have yet to encounter an error with the speakers, but for the most part when a speaker goes it is because it has been popped or the wiring becomes faulty from poor connections.
Easy to Learn	Plug and play, gives another headphone jack to replace the slot on your computer/motherboard.