Reviews by Dyllan

Dyllan says "E-rewards.com is worth the time, but rewards options are limited" about e-rewards

Dyllan — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:59:00 GMT

E-rewards gives credit for surveys, in their own currency. It is displayed in dollars, but this is deceptive as most of the rewards are worth about half of the dollar value.

That being said, it's still worthwhile. One survey I took, which took me about half an hour, earned me $50. Most take a few minutes, after which you're told you don't qualify and you are given somewhere between $0.50 and $2.00 in credit. They always let you know up front what you'll be earning, both if you qualify and if you don't.

Still, it's a minimal time investment, and there are some good merchants available (though not a ton).
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Dyllan says "Viewpoints - you're here. Make up your own mind." about Viewpoints

Dyllan — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:55:05 GMT

Okay, the site seems good. But maybe it's due to the promotion with Mypoints, or maybe it's just because people are lazy, but way too many reviews are just taglines, no details. And these average in equally with the full reviews. If all you have to say is "I like it," then you shouldn't be writing a review.

Still, navigation is easy enough, and the site shows promise.

Also, why are you reading a review of the site you're on? You're here - make up your own mind.
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Dyllan says "Monopoly: Hours of boredom to determine a nearly random winner." about Monopoly Board Game

Dyllan — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:47:43 GMT

I did like this game, when I was still learning to count money. It had a couple advantages... first, I could flex my new found addition skills, and second I had a decent chance of beating the adults. There's a reason for that - the near lack of any strategy. You roll randomly, buy whatever you land on (unless you want to let your opponents get it at auction), and wait to see who lands on your properties to pay you money.

Games like Monopoly are the reason so many Americans think gaming is boring. Honestly, I'd rather play chutes and ladders... at least it's over sooner.
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Dyllan says "Carcassonne makes board games fun again." about Rio Grande Games Carcassonne

Dyllan — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:44:02 GMT

Carcassone is one of those games that is easy to learn, but engaging enough to be fun, over and over again. The concept is simple, so simple it sounds like a children's game - lay down tiles to build castles, roads and farms. But when your opponent merges his castle with yours, stealing the points to win the game, you realize the strategy isn't nearly as easy as the gameplay.

The game requires no more setup than Scrabble - put all the tiles face down, and teardown is just throwing them back in the box. So it's perfect for a group of friends to pull out and play, without tying themselves to hours of drudgery like the products of certain monopolistic gaming companies.

Years after purchase, we still play Carcassonne regularly.
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Dyllan says "LeapFrog: Letter Factory is my daughter's favorite DVD." about LeapFrog: Letter Factory

Dyllan — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:25:38 GMT

Both my daughters loved this DVD. My oldest is starting to outgrow it at age 7, but my youngest, at age 4, watches it daily. And yes, it's a good idea for parents to be in the other room if they don't want to go mad from the repitition. But unlike other children's movies, the repetition here serves a purpose. What's being repeated is the sounds that each letter of the alphabet makes.

Honestly, I don't understand why this movie is fun, but the kids love it, and they're learning phonics. It's great.

-Dyllan
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