Reviewing The Casio CTK-2100 61 Key Personal Keyboard

Posted on July 21, 2011 by ith
Casio-CTK-2100 Keyboard

The Casio CTK 2100 Keyboard

Piano playing is something that many people would be interested to learn but all the costs involved are too much for most people. You do, however, have another option and that is to buy a keyboard in order to begin learning how to play. The Casio CTK-2100 61 Key Personal Keyboard is one of those keyboards that could help you learn how to play.

One good thing about the Casio CTK-2100 is the fact that it features a full 61 keys. The important thing about this is that you are going to learn how to play the piano on a real piano. The Casio CTK-2100 61 Key Personal Keyboard runs on 6 AA batteries or you can use an AC adapter to plug in to the wall so you don’t have to waste batteries. This is a great feature since you can take this with you anywhere you go and never miss a practice session.

One other thing you might like if you are not able to afford piano lessons is that the Casio keyboard features a built-in piano lesson plan. The fact that almost anyone can follow the lessons is something that you will enjoy. You will also be scored on your playing and your grade will appear on the display screen. If you have a hard time learning, you will like fact that the Casio CTK-2100 can tell you what fingers you have to be using at any given time.

You may also be happy to find out that this unit features 400 high quality tones that can be changed in order to play music from all different genres. You will find that the 150 accompaniments that come with the Casio CTK-2100 61 Key Personal Keyboard can help you play any kind of music. For those of you who don’t know, this is a good way to learn how to play.

And for those of you who are thinking of purchasing the Casio CTK-2100 for a kid, you will be happy to find out that it features a headphone jack. This is actually great for child who wants to use this Casio keyboard all day long and would otherwise drive you crazy with it. This is a good and silent way to keep your kids out of your hair for a while. The headphone jack can keep your home nice and quiet.

Keeping the keyboard at the correct level is important and you can get a special stand for that. These special stands can see to it that the Casio CTK-2100 is at the correct height for anyone. Of course, you do not have to get this stand; it is just a nice little addition.

If you are searching for a way to learn the piano, the Casio CTK-2100 is a good alternative. Something else you must understand about this unit is that it is not a top-of-the-line model. This is also a truly cheap way to get started since you can get this keyboard for under $150 on Amazon. All the same, this doesn’t stop several people from fretting about the quality. Which I think is quite good, particularly for the price.

Features:

  • 61 keys
  • Built in lesson plan
  • 400 tones
  • 150 accompaniments
  • headphone jack
  • runs on 6 AA batteries
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LEGO 8016 Star Wars Hyena Droid Bomber

Posted on February 2, 2011 by ith

The LEGO 8016 Star Wars Hyena Droid Bomber is here, and it is everything you’ve come to expect from the LEGO Star Wars universe.    The packaging reads that it is intended for ages 7 – 12, but Star Wars collectors of all ages will love this set.  It contains 232 pieces, and comes with mini-figures and some great extras.

In this set you get three great Rocket Battle Droids, looking as good and exciting as always in the LEGO Star Wars universe.  By their sides they carry long blasters.  They are orange in color with gray accent, and wear jetpacks on their backs.

Looking at this Droid, you’re probably really impressed.   For the price, this is a truly huge Droid.   You can move the wings up and down on this Hyena Droid Bomber.  In addition, the left side head on the top of the Droid moves up and down. The second head on the top of the unit doesn’t appear to have much use, other than aesthetic appeal.  This vehicle also features stable legs (despite how they might appear), which is a great asset for this set.

The coloring on the Droid is pretty standard, with a gray body and slate blue colored accents throughout the piece.  This Droid can either function as a walking droid with legs or as a flying droid with wings.  The piece stands tall when in walking position, and looks more like a ship in the flying position.

You can drop up to four bombs using a mechanism utilizing two levers and a rubber band.  You get four bombs that are very easy to reload.   The set is about 10” wide, and it does take up a good amount of space.

From a playability standpoint, it is somewhat limited, since there are fewer moving parts and weaponry than found in other LEGO Star Wars sets.   This set is perfect to combine with other sets to create a bigger world.

LEGO Star Wars has done it again, putting together a great set to please fans of LEGO and the Clone Wars universe.

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LEGO 7749 Star Wars Hoth Echo Base: Should You Add It To Your Collection?

Posted on December 27, 2010 by ith

The LEGO Star Wars Hoth Echo Base (set 7749) is here, and it is everything you’ve come to expect from the LEGO Star Wars universe.    Recommended for ages 7 – 12, it is also a great item for Star Wars enthusiasts of any age.   With 155 pieces, this set also features great mini-figures and some worthwhile extras.

The first mini figure in this set is a Han Solo, complete with cold weather gear and a hefty snow hood.   His torso also features some binocular printing along with detailed clothing including a holster and belt.  Also included are Rebel Troopers, featuring a visor that moves up and down, depending on your preference.  He has the familiar torso markings of a light tan coat and wears a white backpack.   There are two in this package, and one includes a long blast rifle.   Included also is a Snow Trooper, with a helmet that detaches along with the backpack.   This helmet/backpack is in one piece.  With his helmet/backpack removed, this figure has no printing on the back of his torso.

The other Snow Trooper in the set can be used to shoot the included E-Web Heavy Repeating Blaster, a cool weapon indeed.  The E-Web Repeating Blaster is gray and black, with support legs and an imposing barrel.   There is a power box also attached which is detachable.

Also in this pack is a great new Tauntaun.  You’ll find that this Tauntaun is an improvement over previous incarnations.  Naturally, you can seat your Han mini figure in the attached saddle, and store his binoculars in the saddle side.

The Echo Base itself is a great piece, with a rotating missile launcher with flick fire action, a good playability feature you won’t want to miss.   The left side of the Echo Base has a missile tower, with a missile launcher with flick fire action and space for a mini figure.  This hatch can be in the up or down position, depending on your preference.   The inside of the tower contains enough space to place another mini-figure as well.   This space is surprisingly roomy for a LEGO Star Wars piece.

Within the Echo Base control panel is a catapult system of sorts, giving some extra playability.  There is a long black tube on the front of the control area that attaches back to the missile tower.   Also with the base is a weapons storage box with space for whatever you want to put there.

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The Rundown On LEGO 8017 Star Wars Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter

Posted on December 21, 2010 by ith

The TIE Fighter - Up close and personal

LEGO 8017 Star Wars Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter is available now, and an awesome entry into the world of LEGO Star Wars.   Recommended for ages 7 – 12, it is also a great item for Star Wars enthusiasts of any age.   It contains 251 pieces, and comes with a mini-figure and some great extras.

This exclusive anniversary edition TIE Fighter is something special.   Darth Vader is the mini figure in this set; not a big surprise, of course.  This Vader carries the chrome light saber with the familiar red blade.  The torso has a lot more detail than in previous incarnation of Darth Vader.   On his torso you’ll see his full utility belt that includes the same red and green accents on either side of the buckle you observe in the source material.  In addition, there is the familiar central control unit, also featuring some of the red and green accent.   Additionally, we see the robe detailing, which really shows how much LEGO outdid themselves with this Darth Vader design.  Like all LEGO Star Wars Darth Vaders, the helmet pops off this mini figure.   The new face includes eyebrows and burned flesh detailing around the face.   Naturally, his black cape is also included in this mini figure.

The TIE Fighter has a great look, and is faithful to the iconic source material.  The “wings” on the side of the TIE Fighter are attached at one point, which makes the stability just a bit lacking.   The cockpit in the front looks fantastic, with two red guns right below the main front hatch.   Darth Vader fits in the front cockpit, of course, and snaps right in.

The bottom of the TIE Fighter includes some small pieces that have real missile firing capability.  It’s true that the TIE Fighter has fewer munitions than you typically see on LEGO Star Wars ships, the power and usefulness of this particular shooting mechanism is apparent right off the bat.

The box has some great collector value as well, with the familiar LEGO Star Wars logos.   The TIE Fighter in action on the front of the packaging looks slick, with the new LEGO Star WARS mini figure artwork on the upper right hand section of the packaging.   This new LEGO Star Wars logo shows Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, a StormTrooper and more, against the backdrop of the Death Star. Luke holds his blue bladed light saber, and Darth Vader holds – of course – his menacing red light saber.

When putting this together, we also found a time-lapse photo set of building the Darth Vader’s Tie Fighter set.  Check it out via Flickr:

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It’s a Boba Fett Christmas!

Posted on December 9, 2010 by ith

Boba Fett Christmas StatueSurfing today and we found this Boba Fett Holiday Statue.  Looks great!  (We want this for next Christmas season.)

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LEGO 7748 Star Wars Corporate Alliance Tank Droid In A Nutshell

Posted on December 4, 2010 by ith

LEGO 7748 Star Wars Corporate Alliance Tank Droid is available now, and an awesome entry into the world of LEGO Star Wars.   The packaging reads that it is intended for ages 7 – 12, but Star Wars collectors of all ages will love this set.  It contains 216 pieces, and comes with mini-figures and some great extras.

The Lego Battle Droid

The set features four mini figures, with two Jet Troopers, with some great detailing.   The jetpacks look cool and sleek, and they both carry simple blasters.   The detail in the face is good on these Troopers as well, with determined expressions on their faces.  You’ll also love the two Battle Droids that come with this set.  These mini figures should be familiar to LEGO Star Wars enthusisasts.

Included in this set is a 7-piece catapult, which can be used to launch your mini figure.   The Clone fits right onto the catapult, and you do get some interesting launching action.   Users may or may not want to do an eventual modification of this catapult to increase its range, as in this set is it somewhat limited due to the relative size of the catapult.

The Tank Droid itself is the focal point, and looks really good here.  Two base rollers on the bottom of the tank give it stability, and they also move a bit up and down.  I suspect it is to give the tank some flexibility in movement during play.   The top of the Droid features two little yellow “eyes”, looking out ahead of the tank.    Surrounding the tank is the rubberized main roller, which has some give, lending some realism to the whole look.

Flick fire missiles live on either side of the tank body, and they have a nice look.   There is some good firepower in this set, and you’ll definitely get a lot of use out of these powerful weapons.

The box may interest some of the collectors out there as well.  As you’ve probably seen, it features the Tank Droid in action, with blasters firing at attacking Clones.   The upper right hand portion of the box includes the LEGO Star Wars logo picturing three Troopers standing next to each other.

What do you think?  Is that enough to be of value or is the Tank Droid just a little too goofy looking?

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The Basics on LEGO Star Wars 8097 Boba Fett Slave I

Posted on December 3, 2010 by ith

The LEGO Star Wars 8097 Boba Fett Slave I (8097) ship has arrived, with an age range 9 to 14, with a whopping 573 pieces in the set.  Without reservation, it has to be said that this is an extremely impressive LEGO set.  Don’t ignore the colors and detail, and be sure to note the incredible playability.  Most US retailers sell this set for about $80.

Like all sets, you receive some great mini-figures with this said, including Boba Fett complete with awesome detail and battle damage.  With range finder and battle detail, this mini-figure packs some punch.   He carries a blaster in his right hand, and has his battle cape over the left arm.   You’ll want a closer look once you see the fantastic detailing on his printed torso.

There is a Bossk figure in this set, a new character that Lego hasn’t made previously.  His hard plastic head features great detail, on a body with front and back printing of his battle gear.   He also carries a blaster in his right hand.  You can remove his helmet to reveal Boba Fett’s face as well.

You can recreate the scene from Empire Strikes Back and take Han Solo back to Jabba the Hutt

Han Solo is, of course, complete with this set.   It features a new face and torso detailing that is an improvement over previous incarnations.   Naturally, his body frozen in carbonite is included with the package as well.   A great feature is that the actual Han figure snaps right into the backside of the carbonite piece; really fun from a playability standpoint.  Previous versions of this item were just a sticker, but the quality is way up in this set with the actual body molded up and out of the piece as it appears in the Star Wars universe.

The Slave I isn’t dramatically different than the older version, but you’ll find some improved features.  On the back of the Slave I, there’s a hatch that opens to reveal a spot for Han Solo encased in carbonite.  There are canisters on either side of the piece for weapons or other storage.  Each side also has fold out weapons with flick fire action.  There are guns that revolve around, front to back, but they don’t feature the same flick-fire action.

The bottom of the Slave I has some great reddish-brown panels that give the Slave I some real character and detail.  Boba Fett fits right into the cockpit of the Slave I, and the wings on each side actually move Boba Fett inside the cockpit.   Bossk will fit into the cockpit as well, if you so desire.

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What You Need To Know About LEGO 7676 Star Wars Republic Gunship

Posted on October 2, 2010 by ith

LEGO 7676 Star Wars Republic Gunship is available now, and an awesome entry into the world of LEGO Star Wars.   Recommended for ages 9 – 14, it is also a great item for Star Wars enthusiasts of any age.   It contains 1034 pieces, and comes with mini-figures and some great extras.

In this set you’ll find Obi-Wan Kenobi, Plo Koon, Asajj Ventress, Commander Cody and Clone Trooper.  Notable in this set is the Obi Wan, wearing his new Clone Wars uniform.   His torso detailing looks great, something that will be welcome in your LEGO Star Wars collection.  This set features the first Plo Kook mini figure, who looks detailed and appealing to LEGO Star Wars fans.  Also a first for this set is the Asajj Ventress, looking great.

The Clone comes complete with his own speeder, which users can deploy from the back as needed in battle.   This is just the first of the many awesome features you’ll find in the LEGO 7676 Star Wars Republic Gunship.

The front of the gunship has a compartment that opens, revealing a mini command station.   Open yet another compartment and see the medical tank or “healing chamber” that flies on board the LEGO 7676 Star Wars Republic Gunship.  These are some welcome details that really make the difference in this set.

You’ll find a variety of additional features on the back of this set.  On the wing of the Gunship you’ll find the bubble cockpit, with space for a mini figure.   Both wings feature this same cockpit.   Moving up the wing to the center of the gunship are two positionable cannons, huge weapons that dominate in battle.   Eight flick-fire missiles live between the two cannons, which bring some fun playability to this set.  Eight is a big number for LEGO Star Wars sets, so you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck here.  Yet another swivel gun lives on the back of the Gunship, and two swivel guns populate the frong.  Not one, but two cockpits provide a spot for your mini figures, with a nice slim line look to the front of the Gunship.

Two mini probe droids are found below the battle cannons in a compartment, a detail that brings something special to this set.

This version of the Gunship contains 400 more pieces than found in the previous version of this ship.  That, in and of itself, should be revealing as to just how much detail has been put into this ship.   Multiple compartments, plenty of mini figures, and a huge array of firepower make this Gunship something that you’re going to want to have as soon as possible.

Related squidoo lens: Lego Star Wars Republic Gunship Review

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New Lenses for Sept 27th

Posted on September 28, 2010 by ith

It’s a new week and we put a few more lenses up on Squidoo to promote some of our toys:

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Do You Need LEGO 7675 Star Wars AT-TE Walker In Your Collection?

Posted on September 27, 2010 by ith

The AT-TE Walker is perfect for your Clone Wars battles

The LEGO 7675 Star Wars AT-TE Walker is here, and it is everything you’ve come to expect from the LEGO Star Wars universe.    Recommended for ages 9 – 14, it is also a great item for Star Wars enthusiasts of any age.   It contains 799 pieces, and comes with mini-figures and some great extras.

The mini figures in this set are fantastic, with a wide variety of characters.  Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka, Captain Rex, Clone Trooper and Battle Droid mini figures, plus Rotta the Hutt all make an appearance here.   This Battle Droid is no stranger to LEGO Star Wars owners, and this particular droid does not carry a gun.  The Anakin is also a figure that is seen elsewhere in the LEGO Star Wars universe, so no surprises with that figure.   You’ll love the Captain Rex in this set, looking good with plenty of detail.  The STAP vehicle comes in this set to accompany your Battle Droid.   There are four blasters and newly-designed wings to make this a great improvement over past incarnations.

Open up the hatch at the back of the vehicle, where you’ll find a compartment for four of your mini figures and four weapons.   The other hatch under the AT-TE gun has open space as well, with a container for whatever you want to put there.   The driver chair is in the front, utilizing a nice sliding mechanism.

The front of the AT-TE Walker has four swivel guns, giving this unit some great firepower.   The back has two swivel guns as well, which compounds the heavy firepower.  The legs on the unit have a rubber band mechanism that give it a nice snap-back when they’re pulled downward.   The entire piece is very sturdy as well, meaning it can stand up to the play you want to throw at it.

The front has a button for shooting good-sized missile.  There are two of these weapons, adding significantly to the firepower of the AT-TE Walker.  The Clone Trooper has a place to sit on the top main gun on the AT-TE.    With its 360 degree range, this gun is effective defense against Imperial forces, and has a 45 degree range top to bottom.

The AT-TE six-legged walker is faithful to the source material, and looks straight out of the Clone Wars series.  This LEGO Star Wars AT-TE measures 15.5” (39cm) wide and 8” (20cm) tall.  (There’s also more information on our Squidoo lens.)

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