tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38128358067840236292024-03-07T03:48:12.615-05:00Analog/Digital"The future is a distant memory"<br>
Anthropology • Web • Media • Society • EthnographyFran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.comBlogger154125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-3756609640237196002020-01-19T12:17:00.000-05:002020-01-19T12:18:25.630-05:00Can academics change the world?<br />
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<a href="http://theconversation.com/academics-can-change-the-world-if-they-stop-talking-only-to-their-peers-55713" target="_blank"><img alt="http://theconversation.com/academics-can-change-the-world-if-they-stop-talking-only-to-their-peers-55713" border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="1193" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFR32qxT2ZF43bR0dJQJ5wFIfWQKcvVQAzpJxQ0mmbrMIyF_3fsM95Ga7Xf7EKWicdNlRwNLR1-Ldam7il9jXfOO9ny1sj7ogz7eb4sog7FlSA3m8KHB7sc67XiEoZnoEcXcuX0xQnlc/s640/Conversation.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
Via <a href="http://theconversation.com/academics-can-change-the-world-if-they-stop-talking-only-to-their-peers-55713" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>:<br />
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Research and creative thinking can change the world. This means that academics have enormous power. But, as academics Asit Biswas and Julian Kirchherr have warned, the overwhelming majority are not shaping today’s public debates.<br />
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Instead, their work is largely sitting in academic journals that are read almost exclusively by their peers. Biswas and Kirchherr estimate that an average journal article is “read completely by no more than ten people”. They write:<br />
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Up to 1.5 million peer-reviewed articles are published annually. However, many are ignored even within scientific communities – 82% of articles published in humanities [journals] are not even cited once.</blockquote>
This suggests that a lot of great thinking and many potentially world altering ideas are not getting into the public domain. Why, then, are academics not doing more to share their work with the broader public?<br />
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The answer appears to be threefold: a narrow idea of what academics should or shouldn’t do; a lack of incentives from universities or governments; and a lack of training in the art of explaining complex concepts to a lay audience. </blockquote>
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<span data-offset-key="mgbd-0-0"><span data-text="true">Are anthropologists more prone at failing to reach outside academia than experts in other disciplines? What can we do better?</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="3dlp4-0-0"><span data-text="true">I've worked on projects within anthropology that were born of grand popularizing intentions. More often than not, they still ended up mostly catering to academics talking to other academics, via formats that maintained the most traditional academic structure and which still act as academic currency. Since then, I've experimented with (my own) writing in ways to better engage public audiences and make some of the theoretical concepts and ethnographic data less impenetrable without watering down the anthropological quality. It's a skill you have to practice to refine. It most certainly isn't taught in any systematic way in academia, and even if it were, I'm not certain everyone who is good at one can compete in the other. I'd love to be proven wrong. Thoughts?</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="e4c05-0-0"><span data-text="true">The second part of this proposition suggests that anthropologists talk to/at their peers too much and at the expense of the wider public. I'd say that as a discipline, we talk within too small a circle of peers interested only in our tiny niche of interests. Both of these things do a disservice to popular(izing) anthropology. Certainly anthropologists can present the big picture concepts to the outside world better if we open up to each other first.</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="6qpe0-0-0"><span data-text="true">Comment below to share your favorite public-facing or popular anthropology resources. </span></span></div>
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Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-81901792265745000152016-01-23T11:15:00.000-05:002016-01-23T11:15:44.047-05:00The Essential Conditions of Good Anthropological Fieldwork<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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The anthropologist must study the whole of the social life.
It is impossible to understand clearly and comprehensively any part of a
people's social life except in the full context of their social life as a
whole. Though he may not publish every detail he has recorded, you will find in
a good anthropologist's notebooks a detailed description of even the most
commonplace activities, for example, how a cow is milked or how meat is
cooked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, though he may decide to
write a book on a people's law, on their religion, or on their economics,
describing one aspect of their life and neglecting the rest, he does so always
against the background of their entire social activities and in terms of their
whole social structure. </div>
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Such, very briefly and roughly, are the essential conditions
of good anthropological fieldwork.</div>
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Evans-Pritchard, E. E. 1951. Social Anthropology. London:
Cohen & West. pp. 77-80. </div>
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Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-71537430219342836412015-08-09T08:46:00.000-04:002015-08-09T08:46:44.199-04:00Learning from failure: The case of the disappearing Web siteThis article that I wrote with David Zeitlyn and Viktor Mayer-Schönberger based on the digital ethnographic research I did for the Oxford Internet Institute/Oxford Anthropology in 2014/15 came out in May 2015. I've been traveling and working in Europe this summer and haven't had time to post it until now. Read it online (for free!) at First Monday: <b><a href="http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/5852/4456" target="_blank">Learning from Failure: The case of the disappearing web site.</a></b><br />
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<b>Abstract:</b> This paper presents the findings of the Gone Dark Project, a joint study between the Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology and the Oxford Internet Institute at Oxford University. The project has sought to give substance to frequent reports of Web sites “disappearing” (URLs that generate “404 not found” errors) by tracking and investigating cases of excellent and important Web sites which are no longer accessible online. We first address the rationale and research methods for the project before focusing on several key case studies illustrating some important challenges in Web preservation. Followed by a brief overview of the strengths and weaknesses of current Web archiving practice, the lessons learned from these case studies will inform practical recommendations that might be considered in order to improve the preservation of online content within and beyond existing approaches to Web preservation and archiving.<br />
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There's a PDF download available on <a href="https://www.academia.edu/14783784/Learning_from_failure_The_case_of_the_disappearing_web_site" target="_blank">my Academia page</a>. Feel free to follow.<br />
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Are any other anthropologists working on digital preservation? Let me know in the comments. <br />
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Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-21347296546049310082014-03-19T12:20:00.002-04:002014-03-19T12:20:52.983-04:00Survey for Anthropologists<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUTmNJTrsLatcJxJb4i6pH9f_9YCpv6VjyqmkOqdLn_ldB-ZEfeEexIhZVgH0BVpcKsK65R1Jj3RvqzBmEiDQsLrYWvefScA0TdGjRc_WDtJ4dEwGeOSBf6XWCXcUAFGye6r3ZpNfu60/s1600/OAC.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUTmNJTrsLatcJxJb4i6pH9f_9YCpv6VjyqmkOqdLn_ldB-ZEfeEexIhZVgH0BVpcKsK65R1Jj3RvqzBmEiDQsLrYWvefScA0TdGjRc_WDtJ4dEwGeOSBf6XWCXcUAFGye6r3ZpNfu60/s320/OAC.PNG" /></a></div>The <a href="openanthcoop.ning.com">Open Anthropology Cooperative</a> exists because back in 2009, a group of like-minded anthropologists from around the world came together to create something genuinely new using a combination of free and open technologies, social media and self-government. In 2014, we're now looking at a fairly altered media landscape. Anthropology has also moved on, with greater awareness of open access, public anthropology and academic power imbalances, all originally sources of the OAC's founding philosophies. We were occupying academic anthropology before it became mainstream!<br />
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The OAC homepage has nearly 8,000 members. Our Facebook group is catching up with almost 4,000 members joining in the first year alone. What's more, some (probably a lot) of those new FB members do not have an account or profile at the OAC network. How can we unite the two audiences and encourage more participation between platforms? What are your most meaningful interactions at the OAC and how can your experience be improved? It's time to re-evaluate, grow and develop the site. For this, we need your help. <br />
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<b>Take the brief survey here: <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1xt-5SQOmVroWaTxUMRFvfxOKp8oRZOlyd5HIE5x5aCI/viewform">OAC Member Survey 2014</a></b> (Survey closes March 31, 2014)<br />
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This survey is part of an effort by a team that includes Keith Hart, Ryan Anderson, Kate Wood and myself (Fran Barone). If you're up for the challenge, you can always join the team. <br />
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You can also post any comments or questions about this survey or your ideas for future site development <a href="http://openanthcoop.ning.com/forum/topics/oac-survey-meta">in the OAC forum</a>.<br />
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Not familiar with our Facebook page? <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/161765339613/">Explore the OAC on Facebook</a>.<br />
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Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-14763480703596860642014-03-02T11:51:00.001-05:002014-03-02T11:51:30.870-05:00Global cities: digital urbanisation in the 21st centuryFull details about my panel at IUAES/JASCA Inter-congress 2014 are now available. <a href="http://www.nomadit.co.uk/iuaes/iuaes2014/panels.php5?PanelID=2933">View the complete list of accepted papers and abstracts here</a>. The conference will take place from 15th to 18th May 2014 in Chiba City, Tokyo, Japan. Please share and attend! <br />
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The overall theme of the conference is <i>The Future with/of Anthropologies</i>. <a href="http://www.iuaes.org/japan2014/registration.shtml">Registration is open</a>. Follow the link for information and fees. <br />
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<b>Global cities: digital urbanisation in the 21st century (Commission on Urban Anthropology)</b><br />
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The landscape for Anthropological investigation is changing rapidly with the approaching ubiquity of digital communications, the social relations forged on these, and the material outcomes of distributed social networks and processes that emerge on a global stage. Digital relationships must not be viewed as a 'special' aspect of people's social lives, but as increasingly central in day to day life.<br />
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Late 20th Century thought anticipated a homogeneous global culture occupying a virtual global village. Instead, digital social relations increasingly are critical elements in the social networks of formerly locale based rural and urban populations. Rather than moving towards a mono-cultural global village, we find an increase in local heterogeneity, with individual fractions spanning a global venue. We are seeing great changes in the organisation and operation of urban and rural locales, whether we are considering people in the remote Pamir Corridor in Tajikistan, or Silicon Valley in the USA.<br />
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At the turn of the 21st century, the concepts of place and space are being revalued, and the relation of people to places and spaces is being reconsidered mainly within experiential and phenomenological approaches. The connection of people with places acquires new meaning in the context of digital networks, where a sense of place is rapidly being displaced and altered by new technologies. These new technologies attribute increased significance and value to places through 'opening up' places to a world net-based audience and by enhancing the specific and unique character of each locale through provision of direct comparators.Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-45781564490652653622014-02-28T15:01:00.001-05:002014-02-28T15:02:30.034-05:00Gone Dark Project: Preserving the vanishing web<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWM_0FrCYEYWizXMg2AE2KInHASONjuC6lUVnWowPnaCPcel0gWTGqwUuV646HNZY1OWfVS9R4YYb8sWEFws-nosTaL8RS-rtYz1Tc4_YQe1sgvWtGbX1ZyWFye802kpOCYK1rqKUFIJQ/s1600/fbcoversmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWM_0FrCYEYWizXMg2AE2KInHASONjuC6lUVnWowPnaCPcel0gWTGqwUuV646HNZY1OWfVS9R4YYb8sWEFws-nosTaL8RS-rtYz1Tc4_YQe1sgvWtGbX1ZyWFye802kpOCYK1rqKUFIJQ/s1600/fbcoversmall.jpg" /></a></div>The Oxford Anthropology "Gone Dark" Project on web preservation is <a href="http://www.facebook.com/sitesgonedark">now on Facebook</a>. "Like" the page to join us. You can also take part in further discussion at the Open Anthropology Cooperative: <a href="http://openanthcoop.ning.com/forum/topics/gone-dark-project-what-happens-when-websites-die">What happens when websites die?<br />
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<div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/sitesgonedark/posts/430293007102778" data-width="500"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sitesgonedark/posts/430293007102778">Post</a> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sitesgonedark">Oxford Anthropology Gone Dark Project</a>.</div></div><br />
Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-69126963948028655852013-12-26T13:00:00.001-05:002013-12-30T13:02:43.413-05:00eReader/Tablet Review: Barnes & Noble Nook HD 7"<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nook HD 7" and a piece of toast, courtesy of barnesandnoble.com. I don't know why.</td></tr>
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<h2>For the paperless academic on a budget</h2><br />
Virtually every article about improving one's academic workflow (note-taking, reading, writing and general office/mobile productivity) begins and ends with the iPad. In some respects, makes a lot of sense. On top of design, branding and marketing elements, Apple also has the advantage of a well-stocked app store. An important trade-off here is a hefty price tag. Meanwhile, there are plenty of devices for well under $200 that offer promising features and competitive app stores as well as the ability to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sideloading">sideload</a> content and apps. Android devices, for example, fit the needs of students and academics extremely well, if not better than their Apple counterparts. First and foremost, many Android or even Windows phones and tablets are more likely to have expandable memory, which is great if you don't keep all of your files in cloud storage and/or if you are not likely to have a regular data or WiFi connection (such as in the field).<br />
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Which brings me to my next point: academics actually have a particular and sometimes peculiar set of needs for their devices. These admittedly vary from person to person, by discipline, age, work environment and place on or off the departmental food chain. For me, I focus mainly one three major tasks, in order of importance: 1. Reading. A lot of reading. 2. Taking and making notes. 3. Saving and organizing files. Everything else from photos and video to social media is secondary for the purposes of this review, but certainly not altogether unimportant. <br />
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There are a couple more caveats. I'm a strong believer that you should only ever invest in the technology you <i>need</i> instead of overspend on technology you'll never make full use of. So it's best to read this review keeping in mind how you like to work and what you find necessary or unnecessary; intuitive or counter-intuitive. A lot of people come to me for advice about buying tablets or other gadgets. I wish I could say that it always surprises me how often they fail to consider <i>actual</i> needs - what they'll be trying to do with the device - rather than its looks, brand name or quirky functions (<i>that phone doesn't have the app where I can remote start my car's ignition from Mars, I'd better spend the additional $200 and upgrade my service plan ...</i>). If you were taking a tablet to the field for actual fieldwork tasks (interviews, etc.), I would likely recommend something designed for that kind of work, like the Galaxy Note 10.1 or potentially an iPad, but that is a separate review.<br />
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Even though I'm a lover of gadgets, for day-to-day use, I actually find tablets rather fiddly for things like social media or anything that involves a lot of typing. I don't play games, listen to music, Skype chat or even watch videos on mine. I have a laptop with internet access, a phone and a media player, so I don't need a tablet to recreate all of the functions that these individual devices do very well. Instead, I want it to supplement the repetitive and/or arduous tasks that my other devices do rather poorly. That is, I need a more effective portable library to store, read and annotate PDFs and eBooks. As it happens, the Nook HD 7" is excellent as both an eReader and a tablet and is therefore worth reviewing as for a device to help academics go paperless on a budget. <br />
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That said, it's far from perfect.<br />
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<h2>About the Nook HD</h2><br />
B&N mostly makes eReaders like the highly rated Nook Simple Touch. Indeed, after B&N's earlier stumbles with the Nook Tablet and Nook Color, the Nook HD itself started its life as more of a glorified eReader than a full-fledged Android tablet. Upon its release, the Nook HD series was burdened by lackluster software including a useless web browser and a very limited app store. However, the recent Google Play update (late 2012) <a href="http://www.zdnet.com/barnes-and-noble-turns-its-nook-hd-line-into-full-powered-android-tablets-7000014889/">bumped the NookHD/HD+ into fully fledge Android tablet terrain</a> – albeit still somewhat constrained by B&N's restricted version of the operating system - and returned this once unassuming device to my radar. Those with the technical know-how can <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_rooting">root</a> it fairly easily to free themselves from B&N's walled garden, but most general users won't need to. (Rooting voids your warranty, which you might not want to do given a software glitch that affects these devices within the return period. See below. Also, regular software updates from Nook will break your root). Just run the update out of the box to get full access to the Google suite of apps including the Play Store, Play Books, Music, Magazines, Chrome web browser, etc. <br />
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I chose the 7" HD because it's a good crossover device and therefore best value for my needs. It allows me to read and markup my thousands of academic PDFs while also being lightweight and comfortable enough to read novels. I have something like 2,000 books and articles on my Nook HD added in the three months or so that I've owned it. It also comes in a 9" (HD+) option, which is probably best suited for purely academic work because you get more screen area to work with, so those three-column academic papers require less zooming/scrolling. Socio-cultural anthropology doesn't get much of these multicolumn pages, but my recent foray into cognitive anthropology has been another story. The 7" version is optimal for all other types of books. The lower profile and weight reduces wrist strain and is preferable for those with smaller hands like myself. I tried both out in my local B&N, where they were the same price ($149 for 16GB. There's an 8GB 7" for $129 while the 9" 32GB is $179) and went for the 7" for portability even though the 9" screen was appealing. They've been on sale for as low as $79.<br />
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<h2>Specifications</h2><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Rating: 4.5 out of 5</span><br />
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The full technical specs for the Nook HD <a href="https://nookdeveloper.barnesandnoble.com/devices/nook-hd">are available here</a>. I'll go over what I see as the key points, especially those specs that stand out from the competition. <br />
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<b>Speed</b>: the device is fairly nippy with a Dual Core 1.3ghz processor and 1GB RAM. It runs Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich (modified by B&N). <br />
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<b>Storage capacity</b>: Internal storage varies by price (see above), but you get virtually unlimited storage space because it takes micro SD memory cards up to 64GB for expansion. Not only is this great to have and a definite advantage over other devices that lack expandable memory, but in the case of the Nook HD, its software makes storing your files on an external card highly recommended (again, more on this below). Expandable memory is noticeably absent from the Google Nexus, iPad mini and Kindle Fire HD/X. <br />
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<b>Connectivity</b>: On one hand, the Nook HD/HD+ require proprietary charging/data cables which are pretty expensive to replace in the US. On the other, the device charges really quickly compared to, say, the Amazon Kindle HD. I can get a full charge from empty in around 1.5 hours. WiFi-only for downloads and no NFC. <br />
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<b>Battery life</b>: Out of the box, I estimate about 9 hours for reading, but just going through the menus and flipping between apps can have noticeable effect. Since I mostly read, I've turned down the screen brightness for comfort and get up to 14 hours on a single charge. It hardly uses any battery on standby. I can pick it up two days later and the battery will have drained only 1-2%. <br />
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<b>Pixel Density</b>: Booklovers are already in on the Nook's secret. The screen resolution of 1400x900 at 243 pixels per inch is ideal for – you guessed it – reading. This means much less eye strain if you spend hours pouring over ebooks and documents. Text and images render beautifully crisp and clear. For comparison, 250ppi is the benchmark for the "retina" display that you pay for with Apple and the eye can't make out more detail beyond that point. 243ppi bests the comparable tablets in its price range like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7", Google Nexus 7" (2012) and even the Kindle Fire HD 7", its most direct competitor as an eReader turned tablet. This alone was a major reason why I chose the Nook HD and it does not disappoint. <br />
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<h2>Look and Feel</h2><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Rating: 4 out of 5</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/tablets/Nook%20Tablet/NookHD/HandsOn/NookHD-HandsOn-14-580-90.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/tablets/Nook%20Tablet/NookHD/HandsOn/NookHD-HandsOn-14-580-90.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nook HD 7" in Smoke (photo: techradar.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The Nook HD measures 7.7"x 5.0" x 0.43". The screen is the same size as other comparable 7-inch tablets, but it can give the impression that it is smaller/narrower due to the noticeably wider bezel. The aesthetic impact is debatable, but I actually prefer a wide, grippable bezel so you can hold the device comfortably without getting your fingers all over the screen. The fact that the frame is plastic gives it a somewhat cheaper look, but it also allows the tablet to weigh in at a mere 300g, which is a fair trade-off for me. Plus, the plastic is reminiscent of the portable devices of yesteryear that were markedly more durable against everyday wear. <br />
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Overall, the device resists fingerprints fairly well. It also has a really comfortable soft-touch rubber backing that feels very stable in the hand and is completely the opposite of the cheaper appearance of the front. More bothersome is the build quality of the buttons and the sd card slot. The volume and power buttons and SD card slot protector are a cheap, clicky plastic which is shiny unlike the matte finish of the rest of the body, almost like an afterthought. The card slot protector feels extremely flimsy. Most of the superficial flaws can largely be mitigated by the various protective accessories (cases, skins, folio covers, etc) available, but if the card slot breaks off, you're pretty much stuck getting dust inside. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/tablets/Nook%20Tablet/NookHD/HandsOn/NookHD-HandsOn-05-580-90.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/tablets/Nook%20Tablet/NookHD/HandsOn/NookHD-HandsOn-05-580-90.JPG" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/tablets/Nook%20Tablet/NookHD/HandsOn/NookHD-HandsOn-04-580-90.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/tablets/Nook%20Tablet/NookHD/HandsOn/NookHD-HandsOn-04-580-90.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nook HD power button and SD card slot. Photos: techradar.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Another very obvious shortcoming for the Nook HD when compared with, say, the Kindle Fire HD, is that there is no front- or rear-facing camera. No camera at all. I would have liked to see a front camera at least for the occasional Skype chat, but it's not that big a deal for me personally. However, because there is no camera, not all Android apps are supported, including Skype and anything that requires photos/videos or scanning. <br />
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<h2>Quality Control/Unboxing</h2><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Rating: 2 out of 5</span><br />
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If slight build issues were the only thing to contend with, this would be a near-perfect device at such a low pricepoint. Unfortunately, one major flaw with the Nook HD is that there appears to be a real problem with Barnes & Noble's quality control. I had store credit available, so I purchased my Nook from my local Best Buy. When I brought it home and opened the sealed box, the device was in terrible shape. Although it shipped factory packed in protective plastic, this plastic sleeve and the tablet inside were both covered in heavy smudges and clearly marked with fingerprints. That shouldn't happen with a new device. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfwR5QN7tqzxNkf_6q1z-NGLXIIB2Ma8hWUAFeJthyLByQ08cvshEacFDe3EW7WqozRvyt_A8A2SNua9LKhXvehA2r1_EGM-BpTPibPOgQf27KW2fYAbiez-CfOuXLH1oqenN3ZUBjGHk/s1600/Mank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfwR5QN7tqzxNkf_6q1z-NGLXIIB2Ma8hWUAFeJthyLByQ08cvshEacFDe3EW7WqozRvyt_A8A2SNua9LKhXvehA2r1_EGM-BpTPibPOgQf27KW2fYAbiez-CfOuXLH1oqenN3ZUBjGHk/s400/Mank.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unboxing. Photo by author.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I assumed that I was given a refurbished or open box item and went back to Best Buy for an exchange. This time, I opened Box #2 in front of a sales associate. They were surprised to find that the device inside was also covered in oily smudges. They insisted that they never open products from the factory or re-shrink wrap them, so the source of the problem had to be Barnes & Noble. I was skeptical, but called B&N to find out more. They had never heard of devices shipping in bad condition. I doubt that; but regardless, I did what most people on the Internet do and blamed Best Buy. With my return partially in store credit, I then travelled to 2 more Best Buy locations and opened 3 more Nook HD boxes in front of store managers. All had some kind of damage. In one store, the manager even tried to clean the smudges off the screen, but they wouldn't come off. In another, the bezel was broken and loose from the screen. It became clear that something was seriously wrong with the poor quality devices from B&N. Before giving up, I made a last ditch effort to order from the Best Buy website. It arrived with out any trace of smudge or mark on the screen. Success! However, the inner plastic tray that holds the device was cracked at the corner. And so there was a matching tiny gouge in the plastic bezel near the headphone jack. <br />
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Best Buy couldn't get away without the blame this time, as the geniuses packed the item like this: <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTYn0cAAece1-LRzZBVObLhFkcrUghBxt0suCtqAi_QZ3YHFaqZAyfD52k4RtFWUKKn_IMcTlraGnPhZfQeywEk1ZrxLiqbHBkmWwvSHnixQHhOxTAxfr4I0bxOVSLxZ-smlZCbmR7XY/s1600/BB+Packaging.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTYn0cAAece1-LRzZBVObLhFkcrUghBxt0suCtqAi_QZ3YHFaqZAyfD52k4RtFWUKKn_IMcTlraGnPhZfQeywEk1ZrxLiqbHBkmWwvSHnixQHhOxTAxfr4I0bxOVSLxZ-smlZCbmR7XY/s400/BB+Packaging.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quality packaging skills from the geniuses at Best Buy. Photo by author.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The accordion-shaped crush pattern on the box is, I assume, courtesy of UPS. It's nice when companies work together to give you great service.<br />
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The screen was flawless and it booted up, so I kept it instead of making a fourth return which would cost me more in gas than the device itself. This is pretty abysmal quality control and prevents me from rating the Nook HD higher than 3.5 stars. That's without even turning it on and thus negates many of its admittedly positive attributes. As an aside, Best Buy was extremely accommodating with my request to keep opening and discarding Nooks free of charge, whereas B&N customer service is pretty useless. When I reported the units damaged, they could only offer a refurbished device as a replacement and also proceeded to deny that their products leave the factory in bad shape. A quick check of YouTube unboxing videos shows their smudges are common. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://collegetimes.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/bullshit.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://collegetimes.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/bullshit.gif" /></a></div><br />
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<h2>Functionality and Usability</h2><br />
<font color="blue">Rating: 3 out of 5</font><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxoh1e5m7plgU0w2yQ88RqDEeSALVsXYNTZ6w0KTvun9QE9C9QffBwqxqLXixRjil5qELzNZlDAkvjjXeUqDpgAsa3CEbqadDiWrP8NZ9VBeQCy6nXXHhZ4rzczFYjhHOaDzhBbxp5WY/s1600/NookToday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxoh1e5m7plgU0w2yQ88RqDEeSALVsXYNTZ6w0KTvun9QE9C9QffBwqxqLXixRjil5qELzNZlDAkvjjXeUqDpgAsa3CEbqadDiWrP8NZ9VBeQCy6nXXHhZ4rzczFYjhHOaDzhBbxp5WY/s320/NookToday.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Although the software might seem a little clunky (sometimes a lot of actions are required to arrive at a simple task), I actually find it reasonably intuitive. The fact that it's aimed at a wide audience, and with Nook's paired-down focus on reading, means that it's simple to use and learn how to navigate. Opening files is extremely fast, scrolls well and is very comfortable. As mentioned above, access to the Google Play store means that the old complaints about restricted operating software are rather moot for most users. Out of the box, the interface is fairly customizable, with personalized lock screens and wallpapers, widgets, recent documents carousel and sliding desktop screens for categorizing icons. It's certainly nice to look at, if not the most functional if you're in a hurry. There are interface apps you can download to tweak the appearance without rooting. The modified Nook version of Android includes a Nook Today screen which basically tries to sell you eBooks based on your interests (okay concept, but I wish I could add other retailers to that screen. Sorry, B&N, you're too expensive). It also supports multiple user accounts and parental controls, neither of which I make any use of. <br />
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The library menu is pre-organized into categories or shelves by Nook that you can't change, including Books, Documents, Magazines, Catalogs, etc. Anything you put into these folders on the device or the matching folders on your SD card will show up there, with the exception of the Documents folder (I can't fathom why). As a result, all books and journal articles stored on the SD card must go into Books if they are going to show up on the device. But then they show in one massive list that is cumbersome to sort. That's irritating. You can create new "shelves" (also cumbersome because they get hidden under "My Shelves"), but not get rid of the default ones. If you buy a magazine from the Nook store that B&N misclassifies as a "Book", you can't move it between shelves to rectify the problem and customer support couldn't care less. <br />
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Similarly, you can install new apps, but can never get rid of the ones that come pre-installed (like Hulu Plus, Facebook and Pandora). Even if you click "uninstall" or use a file manager app to force it to uninstall, the next time you put your wifi on, they'll download again. A workaround is to hide the offending apps from your user profile. The same applies to books that you've purchased from Nook. If you want to archive them to the cloud, you have to do so from the B&N website or they'll keep coming back even after you try to hide them. The software is full of little annoyances such as these, but, in general, nothing too major. A custom launcher or file manager app can be an instant remedy to most organizational issues, so it's not worth getting too hung up on the interface. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJeMncbF1KVosEUHNZCzLLO79nOuAhRhX7fPq41p0Wy8S9WJn3N8l5JB2nvSFjBRxP9gvAl7ZwC7UAyf6Wy9CzSCMP-hfLwLN-q7kDJPP_2DTsE_ufLhsKRjnfSD6owY6ZV2J4NzyF-U/s1600/Nook+Library.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJeMncbF1KVosEUHNZCzLLO79nOuAhRhX7fPq41p0Wy8S9WJn3N8l5JB2nvSFjBRxP9gvAl7ZwC7UAyf6Wy9CzSCMP-hfLwLN-q7kDJPP_2DTsE_ufLhsKRjnfSD6owY6ZV2J4NzyF-U/s320/Nook+Library.JPG" /></a></div><br />
On the plus side, Nook's native reader application is actually very good. It's light, fast and sleek, supports a wide range of file types, and is easy to use. For regular eBooks (ePubs) the Nook Reader app is as good as any alternative from the Play store. For catalogs, magazines and graphic novels, the Zoom View feature automatically adjusts the page turns to take you to the next relevant section or block of the page while making the best use of the screen real estate. You can also read PDF files in the native Reader app, but I recommend a third party PDF reader for the kind of intensive reading, annotating, editing and highlighting that students and researchers are often engaged in. I'll write up another review for the best Android apps for academics soon where I will go through the various PDF readers, but the app market has quite a few to choose from. From the ones I've tried on the Nook thus far, note-taking, highlighting and annotating functions really well, attesting to adequate screen sensitivity. In short, with a PDF reader installed, the Nook HD becomes an ideal device to read/download academic content. <br />
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Another B&N perk is that you can get free wifi at any B&N location. Plus, while you're in store, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/NOOK-in-Store/379003218/">you can read any books you want for up to an hour</a>. If you have a nice B&N nearby or on campus that can be useful, even if only for reading new bestsellers or novels for free over a series of visits. The Overdrive app also works on Nook, giving you access to eBook loans from your local public library and any participating university libraries. <br />
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<h3>99% Error</h3><br />
The software is easy enough to get used to with next to no learning curve. Sadly, I encountered a serious glitch that is now impossible to overlook and has long-term affects on usability. I'm referring to it here as <a href="http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/NOOK-HD-HD-Support/Stuck-at-loading-99-won-t-boot-up/td-p/1457563">the "99% error"</a> and together with B&N's failed quality control, it forces me to cap my overall rating at no more than 3.5 stars. Basically, randomly and for unknown reasons, the Nook freezes during boot-up. Reports from user forum discussions indicate that some sources of the freeze include following a software update or after modifying user accounts, or, in my case, after the unlock screen froze and I had to reboot the device. Instead of fully booting, the screen locks at 99% loading and never loads the interface. The battery would simply drain if you let it keep "loading". The next time you charge it and turn it on, it would again only get to 99%. There are various suggested remedies to fix this, but a hard reset to factory settings is the only thing that really works. <br />
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Having to hard reset a device happens from time to time and is not that big a deal. What is a big deal is when you can't actually access the device to back up your files before doing so <i>and</i> there's really no way to tell if or when it's going to happen. This is where I have trouble recommending the Nook if you tend to gather a lot of local files like notes, images and annotations. Apart from the SD card, anything stored to the device memory and not in some cloud service (apps and most app data in Google Play are safe) will be wiped in the event your Nook freezes and needs to be factory reset. This makes regular backups of any data on the drive an absolute must. <br />
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However, even more annoying is that if you have made any notes or highlights in your eBooks using Nook's native Reader app, this data cannot be backed up anywhere. You can't even export highlights/notes at regular intervals for your own data preservation. Unlike Amazon Kindle's whispersync service, even your Nook books purchased from B&N will lose their bookmarks, notes, highlights and annotations. The workaround is using a third party app that allows exports (I have not found one that will do this automatically). Even then, all you will have is a separate file with a list of highlights and annotations. You can't import them back into the book's text again. You'll also need a file manager to move any exported files to your SD card from the Nook's internal memory, and that's something novices will probably struggle with. Some apps put files in places on the Nook that appear to fall haphazardly into the My Files category. Making sense of where everything is stored to get your backups right will get more confusing as time goes on and more of the space is used up. It's kind of a mess. <br />
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The potential to lose all data stored to the internal memory means that it's safer to keep all documents on the SD card except for app data. This should irritate anyone who, like myself, paid extra for 16GB onboard storage ... but at least I have plenty of space for apps?<br />
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<h2>Conclusion</h2><br />
<font color="blue">Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5</font><br />
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I would absolutely recommend this device as an eReader (with the caveat that even though the Nook Reader app is great, you'll want to install one that allows some kind of backup if you like to keep your reading notes). I am also confident in recommending it for academic users, because of the availability of quality productivity apps from Google Play and the overall comfort of reading and making notes even with the limited screen size. The battery lasts for up to 14 hours of reading with the screen reasonably bright (the high pixel density means little to no eye fatigue). The screen is also highly responsive. The build makes it lightweight, portable and comfortable to hold. If the software were more stable and the quality control more reliable, this could be a 5 star device. That said, updates are still being released, so there may be a patch for any lingering issues in the future (fingers crossed). <br />
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Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-24818947423150761202013-10-16T19:05:00.000-04:002013-10-16T19:17:30.938-04:00Links of the Day #16Today's links span a few intriguing areas of digital culture, from comedic consumer reviews and defining geeks/nerds to the annoyances of public cell phone chatter. Then there are a couple of links about erasing and forgetting in the digital age (one theoretical and the other a practical implementation), followed by an article about how ethnographic research was put to use during Obama's presidential campaign. And finally, a looming question for anthropology.<br />
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<div id="emailbody" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0 2em;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><table id="itemcontentlist"><tbody>
<tr xmlns=""><td style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0;"><div style="margin: 1em 0 3px 0;"><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Delicious/franicious/~3/Bu4l9PPHyYE/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">The Internet for her: Amazon reviews as a comedic genre | PopAnth</a> </div><div style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 9px 0 3px 0;">Posted: 12 Mar 2013 01:44 PM PDT</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0;">Never a truer word spoken in jest? This is a great example of the power and nuance behind consumer reviews: "Last August, the Internet exploded with product reviews for a newly marketed set of ball-point pens, the lavender and pink BIC for Her. The pens were marketed as slim and gently colourful, in an attempt to hit the multi-trillion dollar women's market of female buyers for American household products. And the public appreciated this. A lot. The pens garnered over 800 sardonic reviews on the American website amazon.com, and over 500 reviews on its sister website, amazon.co.uk.<img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Delicious/franicious/~4/Bu4l9PPHyYE?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" width="1" />"<br />
<div style="margin: 1em 0 3px 0;"><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/Ee1uGZYq4BQ/geekiness-or-nerdiness-is-it-a-culture?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Geekiness or Nerdiness: Is It A Culture?</a> </div><div style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 9px 0 3px 0;">Posted: 30 Mar 2013 07:47 PM PDT</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0;">I posted this over at the OAC: It used to be easier to conceptualize "geeks" and "nerds". Now it seems you can "geek out" on almost any specialist topic, from movies to fountain pens. My foremost association for geeks has always been computing/programming and electronics. The Geek Anthropologist highlights gaming culture, Comicon and even steampunk as the height of geekiness. Most of these have also become trendy hobbies for rich celebs and pretty girls, a fact that exploded into some contentious redrawing of the lines of real and fake fandom. Fandom is, IMO, a better word for a lot of this than geekery. The same with "nerds". Nerdiness today seems above all to be a fashion statement, not a predilection for studying and introversion to the point of social awkwardness, which is what it always meant when I was growing up. Follow the link to read more and join the conversation ...<img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E4/Ee1uGZYq4BQ?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" width="1" /></div><div style="margin: 1em 0 3px 0;"><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/KeOpPu9Wtik/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Science Shows Overheard Cellphone Chatter Is Particularly Annoying | Wired Science</a> </div><div style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 9px 0 3px 0;">Posted: 14 Mar 2013 12:08 PM PDT</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0;">Why is overhearing someone's cell phone conversation so universally irritating?: "It's an everyday intuition shared by millions, perhaps billions of people, now validated by research: Overheard cellphone conversations are very distracting. According to a new study, listeners notice those conversations more than dialogue between two people. It's a seemingly involuntary response. There's just something attention-demanding about hearing one person on a phone."<br />
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/YlylQ-RKmlY/right-to-internet-erasure-protects-freedom-to-forget-past.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Right To Internet Erasure Protects People’s Freedom To Forget The Past</a> <br />
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 9px 0 3px 0;">Posted: 05 Apr 2013 07:49 PM PDT</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0;">Viktor Mayer-Schönberger says the ability to forget our past, both on and offline, is an essential part of what makes us human. "The more I've worked on data protection over the past 20 years, the more I've realised that at the heart of this, what matters as much as the privacy aspect is the issue of human decision-making," said Mayer-Schönberger, professor of internet governance at the Oxford Internet Institute. "Humans need to make decisions about the present and the future. The beauty of the human brain is that we forget, which enables us to think in the present. That is necessary to help us make decisions."<br />
<div style="margin: 1em 0 3px 0;"><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/CuJ-HI4dUKk/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">NoteShred</a> </div><div style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 9px 0 3px 0;">Posted: 02 Jul 2013 03:31 PM PDT</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0;"><div style="margin: 1em 0 3px 0;">Taking on web privacy with self-destructing messages. "The idea behind NoteShred is simple. You create a note, assign it a password and then select how and when you would like the note to "shred" itself. The note has a unique URL that you can send to a recipient along with a password for them to open the note. You decide when the note will destroy or "shred" itself.<img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E4/CuJ-HI4dUKk?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" width="1" />"</div><div style="margin: 1em 0 3px 0;"><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/E-IsllA1Ur8/obamas-ethnography-project-key-to-his-2012-victory?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Obama's 'Ethnography Project' Key to His 2012 Victory | Ken Walsh's Washington</a> </div></div><div style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 9px 0 3px 0;">Posted: 05 Jul 2013 03:34 PM PDT</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0;">On how politicians implement ethnography: "In 2012, he succeeded, largely because the depth of his research was so extraordinary. Benenson says his goal as a pollster is "to understand the hidden architecture of opinion" and to "probe deeply into the underlying values and attitudes that shape how people are viewing the issues of the day and the content of their lives." One way that Benenson set the Obama campaign apart was through the ethnography project. It was designed as a deep dive into the world of everyday Americans not only to clarify their views on politics but to find insights into their "daily lives,"".</div><div style="margin: 1em 0 3px 0;"><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/0c0ARAfS2ao/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">What’s Wrong With Anthropology? | Anthropology.net</a> </div><div style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 9px 0 3px 0;">Posted: 30 Jun 2013 09:41 AM PDT</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 140%; margin: 0;">Suffice to say, 2012 was a tough year for anthropology... so what do to about it?<img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E4/YlylQ-RKmlY?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" width="1" /></div></div><img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E4/KeOpPu9Wtik?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" width="1" /></div></div></td> </tr>
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</tbody></table></div>Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-90912783376979666952013-08-26T15:59:00.000-04:002013-08-26T15:59:15.939-04:00Fetch Eyewear Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnjjTSgFTwpW73GmI6tn9dOSzLBba-JhrIG-7053lpBjDJIAMcOmzRddkRQ6a7N3vRsa2pybneQYlZB38p0rtECBtB9BhC_0k32chgqP2NVYmRQVKSU3o4R_kZ9gZnoFdoHqAMXWjOgg/s1600/fetch1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnjjTSgFTwpW73GmI6tn9dOSzLBba-JhrIG-7053lpBjDJIAMcOmzRddkRQ6a7N3vRsa2pybneQYlZB38p0rtECBtB9BhC_0k32chgqP2NVYmRQVKSU3o4R_kZ9gZnoFdoHqAMXWjOgg/s640/fetch1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>About this review</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.fetcheyewear.com/">Fetch Eyewear</a> is the latest in my review series of online eyeglass retailers focusing on predominately online stores that offer a limited range of designer frames, at-home trials, a risk-free returns policy, free shipping both ways and charitable programs, all at a price point of around $100 (or $125 for high indexes). I'm not out to find the cheapest possible glasses, but the best value for money and most safe/reliable companies to buy from. You can <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/search/label/glasses">view the full series of reviews to date here</a>. Fetch kindly opted to take part in this series by providing me with a pair of high index sunglasses, making them the seventh company that I have reviewed since I first started shopping for glasses online last year. <br />
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<b>About Fetch Eyewear</b><br />
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Portland, Oregon-based Fetch Eyewear is a non-profit venture of "tile maven" and interior designer Ann Sacks. Inspired by her personal need for stylish, reasonably priced glasses and her daughter Amy's desire to form an animal rescue organization, the company combines both of these enterprises by donating all of the profits from their glasses sales to the <a href="http://www.fetcheyewear.com/about/pixie-project">Pixie Project</a>, a 501C (3) non-profit animal rescue organization that finds permanent homes for rescued animals. According to Founder Ann Sacks: <br />
<blockquote>
Fetch reflects the belief that fashion is nothing without compassion. Our frames stand on their own based on high-quality optical materials, but they also appeal to the socially conscious consumer who wants to get involved and give back.</blockquote>
Doing good while looking good is something we can all get behind, and this is certainly the most generous contribution among the companies I've reviewed so far. <br />
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<b>FetchEyewear.com website experience</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfb6ZjzOovqy8ugZ5ElKx3jO_Qld1d2B8TuHY6fAvIkVcB7OASCIwfrpK4rOc5wOiPXzMQ-4W3JZ9iQs0Kwc_kNvMXRGv3xrLUoyH9eL60tsjTIYdAOMaY32PUnerQP0gm_B38UKWFyU/s1600/Fetch+Cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfb6ZjzOovqy8ugZ5ElKx3jO_Qld1d2B8TuHY6fAvIkVcB7OASCIwfrpK4rOc5wOiPXzMQ-4W3JZ9iQs0Kwc_kNvMXRGv3xrLUoyH9eL60tsjTIYdAOMaY32PUnerQP0gm_B38UKWFyU/s640/Fetch+Cover.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Fetch website is modern and attractive. It is easy to navigate and to find all the information you need about glasses, lenses and guarantees, as well as the charitable program which is prominently announced on the front page alongside photos of loveable animals from the Pixie Project. The main navigation sorts frames by gender, then by type: "reading", "prescription" and "sunglasses". After you choose the type of glasses you're looking for, you can helpfully sort them by frame color, shape, size and face shape and even adjust the layout of the results. It's very easy to choose the frame color and lens type options you want from the individual item pages, so even if you're browsing under "reading", one click will take you to "sunglass" options. Each frame page also offers a description of the style, views from a couple of angles, available color options, the measurements, a photo of a model/models wearing the glasses, and a guide to the fit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZuJnKIEWDKqTYTrZ2o1iLVusIHxPB_x0iQIk5JBKGqMOHh_BZgeNdnecsU6R8kVo6R3zFUSUzT_2qYjlFAJBKKF-B4kVAXo1QPsOfovy6U5a_vV7XEjMVo8EibaER4joUJ5oq1yiKWak/s1600/Findyourfit.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZuJnKIEWDKqTYTrZ2o1iLVusIHxPB_x0iQIk5JBKGqMOHh_BZgeNdnecsU6R8kVo6R3zFUSUzT_2qYjlFAJBKKF-B4kVAXo1QPsOfovy6U5a_vV7XEjMVo8EibaER4joUJ5oq1yiKWak/s320/Findyourfit.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
There are two things in particular which stand out to me about the Fetch website compared with others. One is the "<a href="http://www.fetcheyewear.com/find-your-fit">find your fit</a>" feature. There several useful and extensive guides for choosing the best frame to fit your skin/eye/hair tone and face shape. Fetch goes well above and beyond other guides like these, especially with the skin tone and hair color suggestions that point to a more fashion-minded aesthetic as is also reflected in the design of the glasses themselves (more on that below). You can read about the design process behind the making of Fetch frames <a href="http://www.fetcheyewear.com/about/how-we-design">here</a>. <br />
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The second thing is more easily overlooked. In my opinion, their <a href="http://www.fetcheyewear.com/customer/glasses-info#lenses-information" target="_blank">page with advice on glasses care</a> is excellent. For example:<br />
<blockquote>
For day to day lens care, use the cleaning cloth included with your glasses. This cloth is ideal for removing fingerprints and smudges without damaging the lenses. Fight the temptation to use shirttails, paper towels or tissue to wipe lenses as the fibers may scratch the lens surface. To remove surface dirt, run the lenses under lukewarm water and gently rub the surface with your fingers. After the dirt is dislodged, pat dry with a soft cotton cloth and follow up with the lens cloth.</blockquote>
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Let's compare this to the cringeworthy instructions from Warby Parker: "To thoroughly clean your lenses, simply rinse them with lukewarm soap and water, and dry them with a paper towel." Never do this! <br />
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These days most glasses websites look more or less the same, but I have to give credit to the <a href="http://adpearance.com/blog/how-to-use-keyword-research-to-make-your-website-more-user-friendly">web architects for Fetch</a> because the design is simple, yet unique enough to communicate the brand and aesthetic. <br />
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<b>Frame selection</b><br />
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At the time of writing, I counted around 25 different frame styles on the Fetch website, but many these come in multiple colors. The frames themselves certainly benefit from Ann Sack's modern and sleek design sensibilities. Because they are all in-house designs, there are unique styles that you won't find elsewhere. Browsing through the selection of frame styles on the website, I was impressed by the variety of shapes, colors and sizes. There are really no frames that I thought were garish or ugly, which is always a good sign for me of the time and effort that is put into making the collection cohesive and appealing for most customers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUyjN2ATgygcR8mIHfBAXu4VuV8mkwXZhgnyo4j9F5_8uyOeczvy7Lfs_eK22I14_zG2RNY2bCLHQlRYfqGoLIMyDMXA97zyaXZFcOOtmgr6n14vr7u2Hzq8l7hq46dm88ASczpphXMs/s1600/Frames.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUyjN2ATgygcR8mIHfBAXu4VuV8mkwXZhgnyo4j9F5_8uyOeczvy7Lfs_eK22I14_zG2RNY2bCLHQlRYfqGoLIMyDMXA97zyaXZFcOOtmgr6n14vr7u2Hzq8l7hq46dm88ASczpphXMs/s640/Frames.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
The collection boasts frames constructed of cellulose acetate and/or sustainable massa bamboo (select styles) with stainless steel rivets and three or five barrel fixed hinges. They don't offer flex/spring hinges because they do not meet Fetch's standards for withstanding wear and tear. Anyone who has traditionally worn spring hinges might question this, but a lot of the latest designer glasses in big name brands use cheap spring hinges now that don't last as well as they used to. Conversely, I haven't had any problems with fixed hinges on acetate glasses that I've ordered online. Spring hinges do adjust for a more comfortable fit with less hassle, so that may be a trade-off to consider if you tend to need adjustments and, like me, do not have a trustworthy local optician. However, Fetch Eyewear's warranty includes this especially generous clause: "Your lifetime warranty covers any frame damage caused by third party adjustments." That is reassuring given that I have previously had local opticians mess up my glasses during a routine adjustment and even break a frame that I had ordered online.<br />
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<b>Cost</b><br />
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Reading glasses with lenses or frame-only (no lenses) cost $85. Prescription glasses cost $125 with standard CR-39 plastic lenses and there is a $40 bump for high-index 1.67 lenses, making that $165.<br />
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<b>Home Trial</b><br />
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You can order six pairs of Amy Sacks-branded designer frames from Fetch Eyewear to try on at home before you decide which ones to purchase. I had a hard time narrowing down my choices, mostly because all of the frames come in a variety of great colors. The one that I was most excited to try was <a href="http://www.fetcheyewear.com/product/dash/Mineral/designer-glasses">Dash in Mineral</a>. <br />
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My home trial arrived within a few days of ordering, which is not bad considering it came from Oregon to New York. I had special ordered Sadie in Ballet via email, but this frame was sadly not included in the trial box when it arrived with one empty slot. I got back in touch with customer support and they sent out the missing frames right away so I was able to try out all six together. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3T00It0eYPJYhIWsLJulvuWFzZSDi978pc8OiKmgfQb33E22wU5jKCrLTQUrY074sWfc4u4Jq52diLFvs0exNRx1_fBCHW3X47NwArf6LASsTzJV9NM4cKJbXv_-rH2laM0phCpMTI-s/s1600/Fetch+Trial+Trip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3T00It0eYPJYhIWsLJulvuWFzZSDi978pc8OiKmgfQb33E22wU5jKCrLTQUrY074sWfc4u4Jq52diLFvs0exNRx1_fBCHW3X47NwArf6LASsTzJV9NM4cKJbXv_-rH2laM0phCpMTI-s/s1600/Fetch+Trial+Trip.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
The home trial frames are secured by an elastic band to the interior of a brown cardboard box as opposed to the black cloth presentation boxes that come from other companies. I like the simplicity of the box and its eco-friendliness. However, the elastic bands make it a little difficult to get the frames in and out easily. The glasses did not come packaged in any plastic bags or covered in any way other than the folding box (see photos). As a result, the trial frames I received were covered in a lot of smudges and fingerprints. Some had dust and hair on them and they really needed to be cleaned before I tried them on. One or two were crooked from multiple trials. Only the Sadie frames arrived brand new. I don't have a problem with trial frames getting sent around a lot – I mean, that's what they're for. I always clean mine before I send them back as a common courtesy, even though I assume the company selling them is going to clean them up and repackage them for the next customer. So it was a little disappointing to see that no effort had gone into that. <br />
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I started by trying Dash in Mineral. I loved the shape and color in person just as much as on the website. Alas, they were too big for my face. I kept them on my short list up until the last day before ordering, but had to face the fact that they just didn't fit right. I thought Reese were going to be strong contenders, but they were thicker and more pointy at the temples than I wanted. The bourbon color was very pretty, though. Sadie in Ballet were probably the most feminine in shape in the set and Jack in Ocre the most masculine. I liked them both a lot, but one issue that is worth mentioning is the color of these frames is not true to what is presented on the website. The stems of the Jack glasses look like a deep olive green on the website, but turn out to be a bright lime green in person. Similarly, Sadie in Ballet looks like it has wood-toned stems, but in person these are flesh-colored and actually too close to my skin tone for comfort. For these reasons, I had to reject them both to my dismay. Lastly, Jill in Tortoise and Baxter in Cyprus were very similar frames in style and even color, only Baxter sport thicker stems and a duller finish. The Baxter trial frames were also a little tight on me. I finally decided on Jill in Tortoise with gray tinted sun lenses. This actually surprised me, as the Jill frames are featured on a model throughout the website and I didn't think they would look right on me. It turns out they really suit me, so another thumbs up for home trials!<br />
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<b>Unboxing</b><br />
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My order arrived in a couple of weeks. The glasses were very well packed and presented on arrival, complete with a friendly note card, warranty, refund policy, background information about Fetch, and a branded cleaning cloth with an adorable cat on it. The charcoal gray case is lightweight, but sturdy, and reads "Eyewear for Animals" inside. <br />
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<b>Frame & Lens Quality</b><br />
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I am very impressed by the quality of both the frames and the lenses provided by Fetch. My new Rx sunglasses arrived in pristine condition and were ready to wear with no adjustments necessary. The frames are a beautiful, warm tortoise brown polished to a perfect shine that really compliments the Jill's classic style with a feminine twist. With their rounded edges and mid-weight stems, I can see these glasses being a perfect fit for both petite and larger faces. On me they are fairly bold and give me great coverage in the sun. My husband has remarked that they are his favorite out of all my glasses. On top of their appearance, the build quality and sturdy and secure hinges make them feel like a solid pair of glasses that will last a long time.<br />
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The 1.67-index lenses in my strong Rx fit perfectly inside the frame with only a little sticking out on the one lens that it slightly stronger. I consider that an ideal fit because the frames are still feminine and not clunky, but contain the lenses securely. They don't make the frame feel too heavy at the front as is prone to happen with high index lenses in higher prescriptions, either. The prescription itself is just right and my vision is excellent. The lenses arrived spotlessly clean, which is always great because there's nothing worse than having to wipe down a new pair of glasses before you even wear them.<br />
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I requested a gray tint for the Rx sunglass lenses. The first thing that I noticed, compared with my <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2013/03/eyefly-review-tinted-sunglasses-for.html">Eyefly sunglasses</a> is that the color of the tint was more of a warm, champagne-ish gray rather than a cold gray. For photographic purposes, it is ideal to have a cool gray because this will keep the truest colors outdoors. The difference is hardly noticeable when I hold them up to the light, so I would put it down to the fact that they are actually a darker, stronger tint in general and that's a good thing. I am thrilled with the sun lenses and the protection they provide. On very bright days, such as walking around NYC in the summer, they are just right. <br />
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<b>Conclusion</b><br />
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Fetch Eyewear glasses are of outstanding quality and very reasonably priced even for high indexes. On top of that, the designer background of Ann Sacks results in some standout frame options you won't find elsewhere and also allows Fetch to offer an unmatched 100% charity program for animal rescue. While my home trial could have been improved, Fetch got it right where it counts the most: in customer service and in delivering a stunning pair of glasses. Don't forget to check out their website giveaways and sale frames for great deals. My reviews up until now have been predominantly focused on local NYC companies, making Fetch Eyewear the first West Coast representative in this series. I am happy to report that I had a smooth and seamless experience with Fetch Eyewear, attesting to great customer service in online eyewear coast-to-coast. <br />
<br />Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-61296465141956005682013-05-30T12:44:00.002-04:002021-06-06T07:26:16.409-04:00Confronting race and racism in anthropologyThe latest issue of <a href="http://anthropologiesproject.org/" target="_blank"><i>Anthropologies</i></a> containing a collection of short pieces on race and racism is now available. Check out the table of contents below for the complete list of articles including my own submission on the public perception of anthropology and race (with a hint of the digital). I recommend reading the entire issue which offers a good mix of personal anecdotes from life and stories from the field as well as hard-hitting academic commentary. Standouts include Ryan Anderson's intro, and Doug La Rose and Steve Bunce's papers, which go beyond simply rehashing American ideas about race. All of the pages are open to comments and discussion, so let's keeping talking about race and/in anthropology.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Confronting Race & Racism</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span> </b><br />
May 2013<br />
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<u><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Contents</b></span></u></div>
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<a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/05/introduction-racism-hidden-away.html" target="_blank">Introduction: Racism, hidden away</a></div>
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Ryan Anderson </div>
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<a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/05/race-matters-and-anthropology-counts.html" target="_blank">Race matters and anthropology counts! </a></div>
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Agustin Fuentes</div>
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<a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/05/researching-race-while-being-raced.html" target="_blank">Researching Race While Being Raced: Reflections on Race Politics in Anthropology </a></div>
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Nicole Truesdell</div>
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<a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/05/race-and-public-perception-of.html" target="_blank">Race and the public perception of anthropology </a></div>
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Francine Barone</div>
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<a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/05/not-all-white-men-are-richbeing.html" target="_blank">Not all White Men Are Rich:Being an Anthropologist and a Suitor in Ghana, West Africa</a> </div>
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Douglas La Rose</div>
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<a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/05/medicine-in-black-and-white.html" target="_blank">Medicine in black and white </a></div>
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Candace Moore</div>
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<a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/05/cosmopolitan-apartheid-racial-landscape.html" target="_blank">Cosmopolitan apartheid? The racial landscape of Contemporary Colombia </a></div>
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Steven Bunce</div>
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<a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/05/five-questions-with-jonathan-marks.html" target="_blank"><br />
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<a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/05/five-questions-with-jonathan-marks.html" target="_blank">Five Questions with Jonathan Marks</a><br />
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Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-73652759075206536312013-05-01T11:00:00.000-04:002013-05-01T15:08:54.495-04:00Links of the Day #15Today's links cover academic publishing and open access; some recent headline news in anthropology; and the significance of place and locality in the ethnography of the Internet.<br />
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Delicious/franicious/~3/35oFdV5WxSI/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="2" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">No More Half-measures: Anthropology must Take Responsibility for Open Access</a> </div>
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Posted: 06 Feb 2013 11:54 AM PST</div>
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Open Anthropology will republish old content from other AAA publications that will be selected by the journal editors for its relevance to current policy discussion and usefulness to a broad audience. This content is supposedly intended to be open access, but contrary to what its name implies, the AAA press release states that Open Anthropology will have "a specific policy. . .on 'ungating' and perhaps 're-gating' content after a certain period of time." If this is the case, then Open Anthropology is not really open access.<br />
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/EiL7eFPa3fU/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Want to Change Academic Publishing? Just Say No</a> </div>
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Posted: 20 Mar 2013 01:31 PM PDT</div>
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Hugh Gusterson on Academic Publishing: "Recently, two Taylor & Francis journals asked me to review article submissions for them. In each case, I was probably one of 20 to 30 people in the world with the expert knowledge to judge whether the articles cited the relevant literature, represented it accurately, addressed important issues in the field, and made an original contribution to knowledge. If you wanted to know whether that spot on your lung in the X-ray required an operation, whether the deed to the house you were purchasing had been recorded properly, or whether the chimney on your house was in danger of collapsing, you would be willing to pay a hefty fee to specialists who had spent many years acquiring the relevant expertise. Taylor & Francis, however, thinks I should be paid nothing for my expert judgment and for four hours of my time."<img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E4/EiL7eFPa3fU?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" width="1" /></div>
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/HVo0fmoFKwo/the-real-news-of-anthropo_b_2744551.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="3" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Paul Stoller: The Real News of Anthropology</a> </div>
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Posted: 26 Feb 2013 12:25 PM PST</div>
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"I'm afraid that these protestations will have little impact on the public perception of anthropology or, for that matter, the social sciences and humanities. For the moment, these counter-arguments can't compete with the deeply mythical texture of the life and times of Napoleon Chagnon. In the sweep of time, though, Chagnon's work is but a blip on the screen. In the nanosecond reality of the media universe, Chagnon's ideas and struggles will quickly revert back to what they are: "very old news." The real news in present-day anthropology is the ongoing work on structures of poverty and social inequality, work that exposes how contemporary economic practices trigger widespread real world suffering. That scholarship produces results that are politically threatening to men like Rick Scott, Scott Walker and Rick Perry. That's why they're slashing higher education budgets. What better way to undermine anthropology, sociology, and the humanities and protect their economic and political interests?" - Paul Stoller</div>
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/UQHZlVl-Tp0/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="2" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">The Destruction of Conscience in the National Academy of Sciences</a> </div>
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Posted: 26 Feb 2013 12:28 PM PST</div>
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Because this part keeps getting overshadowed, University of Chicago anthropologist Marshall Sahlins in his resignation from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the United States’ most prestigious scientific society: "Nor do I wish to be a party to the aid, comfort, and support the NAS is giving to social science research on improving the combat performance of the US military, given the toll that military has taken on the blood, treasure, and happiness of American people, and the suffering it has imposed on other peoples in the unnecessary wars of this century. I believe that the NAS, if it involves itself at all in related research, should be studying how to promote peace, not how to make war." <br />
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/_H4XYhXJYxg/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">On Legitimacy, Place and the Anthropology of the Internet | Ethnography Matters</a> </div>
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Posted: 26 Feb 2013 12:33 PM PST</div>
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"Today anthropology is facing a crisis of place, representation, and legitimacy similar to what journalism experienced a decade ago. Like journalists at the turn of the millennium, anthropologists have dealt with the challenges posed by the internet by ignoring them, downplaying the importance of the medium, and discounting its impact on the lives of the people they study. Despite the importance of the internet to people all over the world, there are few ethnographic studies of internet use conducted by anthropologists, and the anthropologists who do conduct this kind of research are marginalized and dismissed." Wait, what?<img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E4/_H4XYhXJYxg?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" width="1" /></div>
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/wwjiqC1T_gc/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">How the Internet Reinforces Inequality in the Real World</a> </div>
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Posted: 06 Feb 2013 11:57 AM PST</div>
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"What happens to the people who aren't on the map, or who are barely represented at all? "What I worry is that what this will start to do is simply reinforce the divides and the differences between the haves and the have-nots, the cores and the peripheries," Graham says. "It's most worrying for the places that are essentially off the map – or not in the database. Think, for example, of a sandwich shop in a Detroit neighborhood on the other side of the digital divide that has no website, no Yelp reviews, no little red balloon on Google Maps. How do people find it? Surely this form of invisibility is bad for business." This sounds logical, but in practice not all small-town businesses need or want a global presence on the web. Maybe not in all cases, but in most neighborhoods without the internet, people find businesses that have no web presence because the people who shop there are locals. </div>
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Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-26035716853093696812013-04-05T12:59:00.002-04:002013-04-05T12:59:40.843-04:00Mezzmer Eyewear Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6oXCmiDjqFw3YdONOWPJ0KE5bo46zkxyLgmJsFhyIET5xOkU4Xz7BqaUgo8IRqTey5_QVeYWGGjySoC4ekzP0S8PaZZRgUF023kIAKip28ZVe0bJLkKkCr8ruDvlMvIINGmYYvUdxgQ/s1600/mezzmer_square_text_out_black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6oXCmiDjqFw3YdONOWPJ0KE5bo46zkxyLgmJsFhyIET5xOkU4Xz7BqaUgo8IRqTey5_QVeYWGGjySoC4ekzP0S8PaZZRgUF023kIAKip28ZVe0bJLkKkCr8ruDvlMvIINGmYYvUdxgQ/s200/mezzmer_square_text_out_black.jpg" width="171" /></a><br />
Since my reviews of Glasses.com, DB Vision and Warby Parker exploded in popularity, I wrote two additional reviews for high index sunglass options - Cocoons and Eyefly. In response to requests, I have decided to continue my look at some of the latest trendsetting companies now selling eyeglasses online that fit a certain model set out in my earlier reviews. These new web stores offer a limited range of mostly non-designer frames in trendy styles, free home trials, a risk-free returns policy, free shipping both ways, preferably a charity program, and a price point around $100 ($125) for high indexes. In this respect, I'm not out to find the cheapest possible glasses, but the best value for money and most safe/reliable companies to buy from.<br />
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Mezzmer kindly opted to take part in my review series, making it my sixth eyewear review since last year. At some point, I may move some or all of my reviews and how-tos to another blog for ease of browsing. There is an anthropological connection to my new work on online consumerism that will be made clear in the future. But for now, it's all about the glasses. <br />
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<b>About Mezzmer</b><br />
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Mezzmer, Inc. is a web-based eyewear retailer founded in March of 2011 by brothers Michael and Roger Lee. They don't currently have a brick-and-mortar store, but I believe that they are based out of NYC. Their brand philosophy is simple:<br />
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<blockquote>
We’re people just like you. People who wear glasses. People who are always astounded at the exorbitant price tag that comes along with glasses. We created Mezzmer to redefine how eyewear is delivered and give you an alternative to overpaying for your glasses. Without compromising on the style or quality. </blockquote>
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Brilliant. My experience with Mezzmer was just as refreshingly uncomplicated. <br />
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<b>Mezzmer.com</b><br />
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The Mezzmer website has a simple yet bold design that is very clear and easy to navigate. I like that the images of the frames are big and clear before you click on them. A mouseover makes it easy to get more details, add them directly to your home trial order, or purchase. You can sort the frames by width (narrow selections shown in the screenshot above), color or face shape. Each frame page gives a nice succinct description of the frame style, views from a couple of angles, the measurements, a photo of a model wearing the glasses, and a guide to the fit. The simplicity of the layout makes it easy to find what you're looking for. The only improvement I would recommend – as always – is that they add a vertical measurement to the frame size guide. But their in-home trial program takes the guesswork out of sizes, anyway. <br />
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Frame selection</b><br />
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I counted around 40 optical frames ($99 including lenses; $129 for high index) and they also carry a range of polarized sunglasses ($99 incl. non-RX lenses; $149 for prescription), making them a very affordable choice for both types; see below for discount codes. This review is for a pair of optical frames.<br />
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Browsing through the selection of frames on the website, I found that I liked a majority of them. The collection as a whole is definitely my style. Although they are all acetate frames, the selection caters for all tastes, from narrow to over-sized frames, round to rectangle, and classic colors like tortoiseshell to bold red or fades. The connecting aesthetic of the collection is that they are all riffs on classic shapes and color tones with nothing excessively flashy or complicated. <br />
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Since I already have a pair of slightly narrow rectangular frames and glasses with wide and embellished arms, I was hoping to find something that had a more classic design and an overall slim build with not too chunky a profile. This can be a problem in my Rx, because the lenses tend to be heavy and can cause a lightweight frame to slip or tilt if it isn't very well constructed and balanced. Because I have a petite face, I normally can't shop beyond the Narrow category or possibly Medium depending on the frame dimensions. The good news is that Mezzmer's selection of narrow frames is quite diverse compared to other retailers. Just because you have a narrow face doesn't mean you want basic small frames!<br />
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<b>Home Trial </b><br />
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You can order 5 pairs of Mezzmer frames to try at home before you decide. As professed in my previous glasses reviews, I am a huge fan of home trials and believe that the opportunity to try glasses at home has truly revolutionized the eyewear industry, enabling online companies to compete with brick-and-mortar retailers and, above all, for customers to get the best shopping experience. The difficult part was choosing just 5 frames that I liked best. <br />
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On the website, I fell in love with <a href="http://www.mezzmer.com/presley-eyewear-tortoise-pink-eyeglass-frame">Presley</a>, which comes in three great shades enhanced by a back layer of contrasting color acetate (tortoise/pink, brown/amber and black/crystal). I am a big fan of small details like that. Next, I added <a href="http://www.mezzmer.com/big-easy-eyewear-ash-eyeglass-frame">Big Sky</a> in ash gray, a big bold frame with a keyhole bridge like the one I like so much on my sunglasses from my last review. Then I chose two slightly smaller frames keeping in mind my ideal measurements. <a href="http://www.mezzmer.com/astaire-eyewear-honey-eyeglass-frame">Astaire</a> had the right dimensions and also the thinner profile I was looking for. I chose the warm honey color instead of black on impulse. <a href="http://www.mezzmer.com/shelby-eyewear-grey-green-eyeglass-frame">Shelby</a> was my fourth pick. The gray color I chose has a lime green backing and a pearlized finish on the stems that looked a bit tortoise-y in the photos. These highlight the overall impression I got of Mezzmer's attention to details with frame selection: the bold and unique aspects are carefully balanced in placement keeping true to more classic styles. The last pair I added for home trial was <a href="http://www.mezzmer.com/brass-eyewear-black-eyeglass-frame">Brass</a>, a timeless, thin, black rectangular frame. Always a solid choice. <br />
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My home trial kit arrived within a couple of days of placing the order. The frames were well-presented and in good condition for trying on, each packed in a plastic baggie and housed in a tray case. <br />
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I started with Presley, my favorites from the website. They looked just as great in person, but were sadly just too big for my face. Big Sky were also too tall/chunky and a bit uncomfortable because they sat too high. Brass were fine, if a little wide, and would have been perfect a few months ago when I was looking for plain black rectangular frames to replace my old computer glasses that were simple black wireframes, but I was hoping to find something that made more of a statement and was unique to Mezzmer. I also have to be careful with wide frames because of the high index lenses I need (see the <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/10/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Frame PD tutorial I wrote in the second half of this post</a> to learn why). On the other hand, Shelby, the gray with pearl arms and lime green contrasts, definitely stood out to me. They were perfect for my face with the right proportions and rounded edges that I've come to prefer over sharp rectangles. The flare at the temple wasn't too conspicuous, the brow hit just right and they did not overpower my face. From the front, the gray is the predominant color, but the green adds a bit of interest. It was a close call between these and the final pair I tried, Astaire. When I first put them on, I wasn't too sure about the size and shape. I soon fell in love with them. I would usually go for a straighter brow, but I was sold on the beautiful honey-brown tone that matches my hair in the light and the timeless simplicity. <br />
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Having done a few home trials now, I can't emphasize how important it is to try all the options on a few times spaced out over the week you have them. The good thing about home trials is that while you might find that your favorite frames from the website just aren't right (like I did), that doesn't mean you won't find something that suits you even better, so be open to the process. If, like me, you can't see yourself in the mirror when you're wearing trial frames with non-Rx demo lenses, another tip that I haven't mentioned so far is to take short videos using your webcam of you trying on different styles. Previously I suggested taking photos, which works, too, but videos can give a more realistic look at how the frames will look in normal conditions. <br />
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<b>Unboxing</b><br />
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I placed my order a few days after receiving my home trial kit. The website checkout is very intuitive and there were no problems. Here's how they arrived:<br />
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The glasses were very well packed and presented on arrival, complete with a friendly note card and a pink ribbon. They also came with a branded black cleaning cloth. The white case is lightweight and has a padded top, which is a nice touch. <br />
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<b>Frame Quality</b><br />
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I was impressed with the quality of the frames from Mezzmer and extremely pleased that I decided on Astaire. They arrived clean and ready to wear with no adjustments needed. To put this in context, so far my glasses from DB Vision, Glasses.com and Warby Parker all needed adjustments upon arrival or shortly after. Finding a local optician to do this is quite the task where I live. DB Vision is in Texas, so no help there. Warby Parker's office in Manhattan is way too crowded at the times that I can possibly go there. Glasses.com took several returns to get my order right and I even had to return my first Eyefly sunglasses for a replacement. Since buying online is always a calculated risk and Mezzmer is entirely web-based, it I couldn't be happier that they arrived so perfect. <br />
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<b>Lens Quality</b><br />
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There is a $30 bump in costs for 1.67 high index lenses from Mezzmer, which is the only suitable option for my prescription. As mentioned above, because these can be heavy (and my right lens is slightly thicker than the left), it is often risky choosing a slim or light frame to contain fairly big lenses. But there are absolutely no problems with my Mezzmer glasses. They are ideally balanced. The clarity of vision is also accurate, clear and undistorted. The lens sits well in the frame with no defects in manufacturing around the edges of the kind I have noted from other retailers before. I don't get any eye strain whatsoever. They are also easy to clean. In short, I am really impressed with Mezzmer and have no doubt that you will be, too.<br />
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<b>Customer Service</b><br />
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Customer service at Mezzmer is friendly and efficient. Co-founder/owner Roger personally replied to my email to accept my invitation to participate in my review series and graciously provided me with the glasses and all the personalized assistance I would need. I also received prompt automatic notifications throughout the various stages of my home trial order, delivery and return as well as a tracking number for my order. Everything went smoothly. But don't worry: if you're not fully satisfied with your own order, there is a <a href="http://www.mezzmer.com/30-day-return">30-day return or exchange policy</a>. <br />
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Mezzmer also takes social responsibility seriously by donating 3% of each sale to charity through their <a href="http://www.mezzmer.com/hiw/buy-and-give/">buy and give program</a>. Unlike some of the other charity programs from eyewear companies that I have described here, Mezzmer lets the customer choose the non-profit organization that will receive the funds: Big Brothers, Big Sisters; Helen Keller International; Breast Cancer Research Foundation; Animal Welfare Institute; or Action Against Hunger. They are all worthy causes and every donation counts. <br />
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<b>Conclusion</b><br />
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I highly recommend Mezzmer Eyewear for your next pair of glasses. <br />
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<span style="color: green;">Pros:</span> Great selection of smart frames in classic styles; quality lenses; good charity program; fast service; attention to detail<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Cons:</span> No brick-and-mortar storefront (not a problem for me); no virtual try-on (kind of obviated by the home trial program, but some people like it); returns not completely free<br />
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<b>*Discount codes!*</b><br />
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The only thing better than a great product and exceptional service is a discount on top. Right now you can get a coupon code for Buy One Get One 50% off on all glasses by liking <a href="http://www.facebook.com/MezzmerEyewear">Mezzmer Eyewear on Facebook</a>. See the slider ad on the left side of the Mezzmer homepage. Alternatively, take 25% off your order with the code SPRING25, also currently available on the website.<br />
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<b>What's next</b><br />
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Thanks to the overwhelming and positive response to my eyeglasses reviews, I have learned a lot about the various companies offering glasses online today. Each review has been a great experience which I have been happy to share. So far I have covered: DB Vision, Glasses.com, Warby Parker, Cocoons, Eyefly and Mezzmer. Other companies which fit the model described at the top of this post include: Fetch Eyewear, Lookmatic, BonLook, BenjiFrank, Collins Bridge, Tortoise & Blonde and ClassicSpecs. Warby Parker and Eyefly are also of this type, but DB Vision is no longer in the same price range. (FYI - Australia has its own locals, Sneaking Duck and Oscar Wylee, but I don't recommend Oscar Wylee because they promote their company through comment spam and that's not working with social media, it's working against it. So send all your Aussie business to Sneaking Duck!) Finally, there is a whole other side to the online eyewear marketplace that has had a presence on the web for some time, including the likes of Coastal, Zenni Optical, 39dollarglasses, EyeBuyDirect and Firmoo. Since shipping and returns are not free and high index lenses cost too much to take the risk, I have not drawn my attention to them as yet. But all of these retailers could benefit from an extensive review. Stay tuned to see if any of them make it here and also drop a line in the comments if there's a particular review you'd like to see me write.<br />
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You can also get glasses news, discounts and updates via my <a href="http://glasses.collected.info/">Glasses Collection</a>.<br />
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<br />Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-18129046097101712362013-03-30T22:40:00.000-04:002013-03-30T22:40:47.878-04:00Links of the Day #14It has been a while since I've posted a link roundup. This is mostly for technical reasons (the feed stopped working) and also because I've been busy. Now that it's all working, I'll clear the backlog and then try to make these more regular again. Today's links include various perspectives and reflections on anthropology with some humor, technology, news and urban art mixed in.<br />
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/ReucFix37PU/why-has-anthropology-shifted?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Why has anthropology shifted from discovery and explanation to moralism and advocacy?</a> </div>
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Posted: 23 Feb 2013 09:45 PM PST</div>
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Philip Salzman via the OAC: "What happened in anthropology during the second half of the 20th century was the increasing politicization of anthropology. Political influence became not just an influencing factor, but the raison d'etre of anthropologists. One index of this was the formation of political identity groups within the American Anthropological Association. Currently there are formal Sections devoted to political advocacy: The Association for Feminist Anthropology; The Association for Indigenous Anthropologists; The Association of Black Anthropologists; The Association of Latina and Latino Anthropologists ... Who ever thought that anthropologists would segregate themselves by race? By ethnicity? By ideology? By personal preferences? But it is not just self-segregation; rather, anthropology has become a tool for lobbying for benefits of particular groups. The goal of anthropology becomes advancing certain political objectives: gender specific, racially specific, ethnically specific, preference specific."<img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E4/ReucFix37PU?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" width="1" /></div>
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/J6ZKpbjCcjM/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="3" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Anthropology, Inc.</a> </div>
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Posted: 23 Feb 2013 01:42 PM PST</div>
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"The corporate anthropology that ReD and a few others are pioneering is the most intense form of market research yet devised, a set of techniques that make surveys and dinnertime robo-calls ("This will take only 10 minutes of your time") seem superficial by comparison. ReD is one of just a handful of consultancies that treat everyday life—and everyday consumerism—as a subject worthy of the scrutiny normally reserved for academic social science. In many cases, the consultants in question have trained at the graduate level in anthropology but have forsaken academia—and some of its ethical strictures—for work that frees them to do field research more or less full-time, with huge budgets and agendas driven by corporate masters."</div>
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/GZDiob1nqfM/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="3" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Q&A: The Anthropology of Searching for Aliens</a> </div>
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Posted: 06 Apr 2012 09:43 AM PDT</div>
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Yes, aliens: "Before we can understand an alien civilization, it might be useful to understand our own. To help in this task, anthropologist Kathryn Denning of York University in Toronto, Canada studies the very human way that scientists, engineers and members of the public think about space exploration and the search for alien life."<br />
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/QxjJh9DeOjU/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">AnthroFail</a> <br />
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Posted: 12 Apr 2012 08:54 AM PDT</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Funny Tumblr: "Anthropology: You're doing it wrong"</span>.<br />
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/_WKziPi3KZ0/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Oxford Bibliographies</a> <br />
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Posted: 21 Mar 2013 12:44 PM PDT</div>
Multisubject resources, including Anthropology: "Developed cooperatively with scholars and librarians worldwide, <i>Oxford Bibliographies</i> offers exclusive, authoritative research guides. Combining the best features of an annotated bibliography and a high-level encyclopedia, this cutting-edge resource guides researchers to the best available scholarship across a wide variety of subjects."</div>
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/HFI4gEseKIg/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="4" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Uranium City is small-town Canada taken to the extreme</a> </div>
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Posted: 23 Mar 2012 01:59 PM PDT</div>
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Vanishing city: "Northern Saskatchewan's Uranium City may be a life too isolated for the likes of most city dwellers, but as photographer Ian Brewster and anthropologist Justin Armstrong discovered on their trip to the ghost town, the city's sense of community has kept its remaining 70 inhabitants going strong. "I have this idea of writing a place into existence," says the 35-year-old Armstrong, a professor at Wellesley College outside of Boston. He wrote his dissertation on vanishing cities across Canada and the United States, and wanted to continue his work with the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation through Uranium City. "So how do you take it from being just a sad, abandoned place to having a really rich narrative and history that might otherwise have been evacuated?""<br />
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/l0SqaL6c1-A/in-italy-illusion-is-the-only-reality.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="2" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">In Italy, Illusion Is the Only Reality</a> </div>
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Posted: 23 Feb 2013 01:50 PM PST</div>
"It is the constant impression of people outside Italy that Mr. Berlusconi is some kind of evil buffoon and that the vast majority of Italians repudiate him. They cannot understand how a man so constantly on trial for all kinds of corruption, a man with a huge conflict of interest (he owns three national TV channels and large chunks of the country's publishing industry), remains at the center of power. The answer, aside from the extraordinarily slow and complex judiciary and a distressing lack of truly independent journalism, is that Mr. Berlusconi's political instincts mesh perfectly with the collective determination not to face the truth, which again combines with deep fear that a more serious leader might ask too much of them. One of the things he has promised is a pardon for tax evaders. Only in a country where tax evasion is endemic can one appeal to evaders at the expense of those who actually pay taxes."<br />
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/66hg2jFqBUY/mayor-bloombergs-geek-squad.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Mayor Bloomberg’s Geek Squad</a> </div>
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Posted: 24 Mar 2013 08:50 AM PDT</div>
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Big data is actually useful for something? "Now the city has brought this quantitative method to the exceedingly complicated machine that is New York. For the modest sum of $1 million, and at a moment when decreasing budgets have required increased efficiency, the in-house geek squad has over the last three years leveraged the power of computers to double the city's hit rate in finding stores selling bootleg cigarettes; sped the removal of trees destroyed by Hurricane Sandy; and helped steer overburdened housing inspectors — working with more than 20,000 options — directly to lawbreaking buildings where catastrophic fires were likeliest to occur." <br />
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/ybmi8T-Ou40/Artist.asp?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="2" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Jeremy Mayer:Typewriter Assemblage</a> </div>
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Posted: 10 Aug 2011 10:55 AM PDT</div>
This guy makes people out of re-assembled typewriter parts. <br />
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<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Delicious/franicious/%7E3/WalYrYWO4kw/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" name="2" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">How New York Pay Phones Became Guerrilla Libraries</a> </div>
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Posted: 10 Apr 2012 12:48 PM PDT</div>
Street art: "John Locke thinks people should read more. So in the past few months, the Columbia architecture grad has slipped around Manhattan with a sack of books and custom-made shelves, converting old pay phones into pop-up libraries.</div>
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Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-68647688045064934572013-03-18T12:46:00.000-04:002013-04-30T22:26:07.511-04:00Eyefly review: tinted sunglasses for fieldwork and photography<center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizuWxFoSaf2zP_3aNVLBtZ0NFQseY4MKqLTWz4nnPOEzwznqg6d0Fe7m6IqXzhfz9M1cvHiy7_XE30pBHTNmUoCJfMTcQSxKcgHOcRuhvb5P8gNKFpTWP1isKN4O3JXAJsmKMEK0TRtfk/s1600/Eyefly+1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="499" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizuWxFoSaf2zP_3aNVLBtZ0NFQseY4MKqLTWz4nnPOEzwznqg6d0Fe7m6IqXzhfz9M1cvHiy7_XE30pBHTNmUoCJfMTcQSxKcgHOcRuhvb5P8gNKFpTWP1isKN4O3JXAJsmKMEK0TRtfk/s640/Eyefly+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></center><br />
<i>[Update 10 April 2013] My Eyefly sunglasses broke! Scroll down for more info.</i><br />
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In my <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2013/02/anthro-field-gear-review-cocoons-overx.html">last post</a>, I detailed why polarized sunglasses are great for everyday use and to protect your eyes from harsh glare, but less than optimal for outdoor photography and/or using any devices with an LCD screen like digital cameras, tablets, smartphones, laptops, etc. To recap, lens polarization causes LCD screens to black out at certain angles depending on the manufacturer, so you can't always see what is displayed on the screen. However, there is a solution for photographers and tech geeks: <i>tinted</i>, not polarized, lenses.<br />
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I take plenty of photos as a hobby and an ethnographer and spend a lot of time using LCD devices, so I have been on the lookout for an alternative to polarized lenses that will still shade my eyes and enable me to see what I'm doing on sunny days. Not too much to ask, right? Well, previous "designer" sunglasses have cost me up to $700 choosing from the cheapest styles available in my prescription. Those plastic sunglass clips from the drugstore never work for me. Luckily, the past couple of years has seen the state of the glasses market <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/19/fashion/eyeglasses-on-spec-online-retailers.html">revolutionized by a new set of online retailers</a> offering quality, reasonably priced eyewear to the masses.<br />
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After browsing a few sites, I was excited when I learned that <a href="http://www.eyefly.com/">Eyefly.com</a>, whose glasses cost only <strike>$99</strike> $94 [<i>Update 04/2013: price reduction!</i>] including lenses ($124 for high index prescriptions), offer non-polarized tinted lenses with "a neutral gray or brown tint" and UV protection. I visited Eyefly's website when I received a request for my thoughts about the company after the publication of my series <i><a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/07/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">How to buy glasses online</a></i>. I immediately loved their selection of frames (more on that below). And I am now pleased to be able to add Eyefly to my comprehensive review of high index eyeglasses in the $100 price range. <br />
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I'll begin with a little information about the company and a brief overview of the website shopping experience, so scroll down if you want to skip right to the glasses.<br />
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<b>About Eyefly.com</b><br />
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Eyefly is a joint venture between <a href="http://bluefly.com/">Bluefly.com</a>, the trusted designer fashion and accessories retail site founded in 1998, and A + D Labs, fashion eyeglasses designer and manufacturer. Both Eyefly and Bluefly are based in the center of Manhattan's fashion district. New York City is a quick becoming a hot spot for great eyeglass retailers. So for me, Eyefly feels like a local company. As a business, it can be categorized alongside other glasses start-ups currently taking the web by storm. The model is simple: by ditching designer markups, providing a great customer experience and tapping into the web, affordable glasses in trendy styles are brought directly to the consumer without the inflated prices of the traditional retail model. At <strike>$99</strike> $94 for a complete pair of glasses (+$30 for high index lenses), Eyefly's fashionable frames and affordable prices make them strong competitors in this new eyewear marketplace. <br />
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<b>Website shopping experience</b><br />
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The Eyefly website is easy to browse with a comfortable, sleek interface. All the information you need is right at hand, including an augmented reality virtual try-on facility to upload a pictures of yourself from a couple of angles for testing out your favorite frames before buying. You can sort the frames by width (narrow, medium or wide), color, material and style, which helps when browsing for your perfect look and fit. <strike>In terms of design and layout, I like that the same frames in different colors appear as a separate entries on the search page. This seems like a small point, but it's surprisingly important. It is amazing how different a pair of glasses looks when it's in a color you don't like versus one you do.</strike> [<i>Update 04/2013: Eyefly.com has a new look</i>] You can toggle between other colors on the product page without returning to the search. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxNVzx15E8Y_w3cqiSJFuBLXKg00vk3WNfxJM_4_yOXLA72XWAzr5srt-PQc0Si7kL-4Tm_xVzTzTeqim8vCzU6-S-f3YjFDH6Ec-_FfLB0vTQfjauYCVfaoIA8j-tw9TMxiCG8ebpHo/s1600/Eyefly2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxNVzx15E8Y_w3cqiSJFuBLXKg00vk3WNfxJM_4_yOXLA72XWAzr5srt-PQc0Si7kL-4Tm_xVzTzTeqim8vCzU6-S-f3YjFDH6Ec-_FfLB0vTQfjauYCVfaoIA8j-tw9TMxiCG8ebpHo/s400/Eyefly2.jpg" width="400" /></a>Standard frame measurements are displayed at the top left of each individual product page. I like how the glasses pages also give a brief blurb and highlights about what stands out about that frame style. If you're feeling especially fashionable, you can also follow a link right to Bluefly to complete your look.<br />
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This is the first company that I have reviewed which does not offer a home try-on service, but you can make use of their virtual try-on to get an idea of how the glasses will look. The only things I can think of that I would add to the website are the vertical lens measurements for each frame so you can get a feel for their total dimensions. Hardly any websites do this. I'd love if every company would start listing vertical measurements. It would make shopping for glasses online much easier (for me at least). <br />
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<br />
<b>Frame selection</b><br />
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I haven't counted them all, but there are definitely over 30 different frame styles that come in a variety of colors/finishes. These include a range of <a href="http://www.eyefly.com/women/shop-women/sunglasses/viale-roma-1.html">classic</a> and vintage acetate frames in angular, <a href="http://www.eyefly.com/women/calle-de-serrano-1.html">wayfarer</a>, <a href="http://www.eyefly.com/women/lenox-avenue.html">cateye</a> or <a href="http://www.eyefly.com/women/alexanderplatz-green.html">round</a> shapes as well as more <a href="http://www.eyefly.com/women/avenida-da-liberdade-2.html">modern/architectural</a> metallic and <a href="http://www.eyefly.com/women/bleecker-street.html">wire frames</a> in full- and <a href="http://www.eyefly.com/women/carroll-gardens-2.html">half-rim</a> styles. I like that their designs were not too elaborate, yet I had not seen the exact ones on other sites, so they were also unique (see, for instance, <a href="http://www.eyefly.com/women/shibuya.html">Shibuya in blue/tortoise</a> and <a href="http://www.eyefly.com/women/calle-de-serrano-1.html">Calle de Serrano</a>). Each pair is named for an international city street, which is a fun idea. <br />
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The great selection of sizes, shapes and styles means that there's something for everyone. I am used to only finding one or two options from a website that I would consider sight unseen, either because of fit issues or they are just not my style, but Eyefly has so many glasses that I like. That said, I quickly fell in love with the <a href="http://www.eyefly.com/women/shop-women/eyeglasses/oak-street-2.html">Oak Street</a> frames, which have a great vintage style, but are not overly chunky or wide. My only worry was that the lenses might be too tall because the website does not include the lens height measurement. Rather than guess, I sent an email to the customer service team (no live chat right now, but there is also a phone number) and got a reply right away, so don't hesitate to get in touch if you need more information since you can't try them on at home first. <br />
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Now, on to the glasses review: <br />
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<b>Unboxing </b><br />
<br />
Shortly after I decided on my frames, I received an email from Eyefly with a tracking number and my glasses arrived promptly a couple of days later. Inside the box, the sunglasses came in a new, black Eyefly case which was slid into a slim, white Eyefly box. I like the case a lot. It's a perfect size and has a good weighty feel to it, plus their fun logo branded on it. A cleaning cloth was not included (I was kind of hoping for one with their cool logo), but luckily I had a spare one to tuck in there.<br />
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<center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLNUs3wlhD3mGSWUQQkc8Pe5n65ExnRYXvcFweTL4sfdkupgY4SkVX2R66D54vO2C0HE8zFp1pUNX9QsYYz5r52gclhoZMe9pNWE9S1-TQI2iFa67njJSysyyZhXIKfRCMut0Wl3X3nI/s1600/Eyefly+Unboxing.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLNUs3wlhD3mGSWUQQkc8Pe5n65ExnRYXvcFweTL4sfdkupgY4SkVX2R66D54vO2C0HE8zFp1pUNX9QsYYz5r52gclhoZMe9pNWE9S1-TQI2iFa67njJSysyyZhXIKfRCMut0Wl3X3nI/s400/Eyefly+Unboxing.jpg" width="400" /></a></center><br />
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<b>Frame Quality</b><br />
<br />
Apart from being a perfect fit (I cannot emphasize enough how refreshing it is to find a range of frames that I really like in a size that will actually fit my face), the Oak Street frame that I had chosen turned out to be so nice that I wish I had a spare $129 to order a pair in another color with regular, non-tinted lenses for everyday wear. I would probably never take them off. I've already had compliments on them. <br />
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The Oak Street frame features a keyhole bridge and has a slim, lightweight profile that doesn't weigh heavily on the nose or overpower the face. They come in black, brown, or my chosen pair: black front and tortoise arms. Even though they are quite thin for plastic frames, they contain my high index lenses perfectly, are well-built with sturdy hinges, and extremely comfortable. I can tell that the frame is well balanced because my right lens Rx is a little thicker than the left, which caused some tilting in a lightweight designer frame that I had previously owned, but these are completely level. Meanwhile, they are so light that I forget I have them on. <br />
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My only very minor complaint is that the hinge on one side is screwed on very tight (not much movement when you fold or unfold the arms) while the other side is easier to move. I tried loosening the screw with a glasses tool, but couldn't get it to budge. It doesn't affect fit in any way, but it is a little stiff when I'm trying to get them back into the case. They will probably loosen with wear. <br />
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<b>Lens Quality</b><br />
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I couldn't help but get carried away on the glasses themselves, even though the main point of this review is to assess the lens tint. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten! The lenses arrived with a gray tint although I did not specify a particular color in advance (also available in brown). As it happens, gray is the ideal tint for photography because it maintains the most natural colors and also happens to match the frames I had chosen perfectly, so another thumbs-up to customer care for thinking it through for me. <br />
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With sunglasses, you still get Eyefly's standard or high index polycarbonate lenses with UV protection, only the lab can't add their usual anti-glare coating because, according to their customer service rep, it would prevent the tint from sticking to the lens. I have always worn glasses with anti-reflective coating, so I wasn't sure if it would be bothersome in some way, but it's not noticeable at all when wearing them. <br />
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It had been raining and snowing on and off prior to the arrival of my Eyefly sunglasses, but luckily the weather broke as they arrived and I got a few sunny and glare-y days to test out the lenses. As soon as I put them on, I could tell that the prescription was accurate, which is great. There really is nothing worse than getting a new pair of glasses that make you dizzy, as I attested to in <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/review-how-to-buy-glasses-online.html">another post</a>. Best of all, they provide exceptional clarity of vision in the sun. At first I thought that the tint could have been even darker (no doubt because I'm super photo-sensitive) but on second thought, it's ideal for photography and LCD viewing as-is. Screens are clear and easy to read. It was a welcome relief to be able to see my camera screen from all angles and to just keep one pair of glasses on all day without worrying about changing a clip. <br />
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In short, <strike>not only are these my new favorite glasses, they are the best Rx sunglasses I've ever worn</strike> (see April 30th update below). Well done, Eyefly! <br />
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<b>Final notes: guarantees and customer service</b><br />
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Eyefly offers 30-day returns <i>or</i> exchanges for another style if you change your mind or are unhappy for any reason. They provide free shipping both ways. The first pair of frames I got from them had a slight defect, but they happily took them back and remade the glasses at my request. A customer service rep even double-checked the quality control to make sure they would be perfect this time and kept me informed about the progress via email right up to shipment. There was a short delay between my return and the replacement pair when I had to send a follow-up email, but I really have no complaints about the service. <br />
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The customer support team went above and beyond for me. For the purposes of this review, a standard optical frame (Oak Street) was fitted with the gray tinted lenses that are normally only available in their sunglass frames. Because the sun frames in their collection were a bit large for my face, they graciously obliged my special order and I couldn't be happier with the result. <br />
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<b>Conclusion</b><br />
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<span style="color: green;">Pros:</span> Great selection of frames, tinted non-polarizes sunglass lens options, accommodating customer service, cool case<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Cons:</span> <strike>No</strike> charity program coming soon!, no cleaning cloth included, <strike>no</strike> home try-on coming soon! [updated 26 March 2013]<br />
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In sum, I highly recommend Eyefly for glasses and especially suggest you check them out for tinted sun lenses for photography and LCD work in the field. <br />
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<b>Update </b>[30 April 2013]: They broke!<br />
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</b> <i>On April 10th, only a couple of weeks after my Eyefly glasses arrived, I took them out of the case, but before I could put them on, one of the arms fell right off. I had only worn them a handful of times. I was especially sad because I was planning on wearing them for a trip upstate on my birthday that weekend. Anyway, I wrote to Eyefly about it and they offered to send me a new pair, which they did. All told, this is the third pair I received, so it has taken them three tries to get it "right". </i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2A0QjC89miQmsujm7AI9-0SFCR3uoyk5fJJ4jqourYAETBu9eOZzG28Vg1VZfT37nnfASdaVxxFP_-1GoMaEdDTcqhl_n3b_s_rddC4QK57YAfC0LQ4xSAwks4UziA78ABe4MauhqBc/s1600/Eyefly+Broken+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2A0QjC89miQmsujm7AI9-0SFCR3uoyk5fJJ4jqourYAETBu9eOZzG28Vg1VZfT37nnfASdaVxxFP_-1GoMaEdDTcqhl_n3b_s_rddC4QK57YAfC0LQ4xSAwks4UziA78ABe4MauhqBc/s400/Eyefly+Broken+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<i>In my review, I mentioned that one of the arms on the glasses was stiff. That's the arm that broke off, so there was definitely some kind of defect. This new pair is not stiff (in fact I had to slightly tighten one arm), but the arms are a bit splayed out compared to the perfect fit on the last ones. I haven't managed to get to an optician to have them fitted, mostly because the opticians here loathe helping customers who get glasses online and I don't feel like dealing with that; but also because the last opticians I asked to fix my glasses really messed them up. So my latest pair isn't as perfect in appearance or comfort as the previous pair. The new case was also a little dinged up. And I now realize that what I thought were very sturdy frames are actually rather delicate. They must be to break after only a handful of wears. After all this, I'd definitely advise choosing a more robust frame if you order from Eyefly. That said, their customer service was prompt in replacing them. </i><br />
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Image credit: Eyefly screenshots by <a href="http://gripdesign.com/pages/work/portfolio/eyefly.php">Grip Design</a>; unboxing photo by author.Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-67015277329621836692013-02-17T09:00:00.000-05:002013-04-05T13:07:20.088-04:00Anthro field gear review: Cocoons OveRx photochromic eyewear A few months ago, I embarked on a series of posts reviewing online retailers of high index (read: strong) prescription eyeglasses. The result was an unexpectedly detailed 5-part comparison review called <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/07/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">How to buy glasses online</a>. Although the posts were not especially anthropological in content, all 5 parts of the series are now in the top 10 most popular of all time on this blog. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7EZcmoyQZjYQbRDe0CK4lQ3w8NwPU02dUvbnzboGdReANS5K1BwbhyphenhyphendTO4Pye2yzhtPahN3gUfz0SiiW_WOFH3nyz_SSBFX-3let8CZ9zS8xUHXUeaM8HlxfBEMmHN7-jmoVEmkCgmE/s1600/researchers+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7EZcmoyQZjYQbRDe0CK4lQ3w8NwPU02dUvbnzboGdReANS5K1BwbhyphenhyphendTO4Pye2yzhtPahN3gUfz0SiiW_WOFH3nyz_SSBFX-3let8CZ9zS8xUHXUeaM8HlxfBEMmHN7-jmoVEmkCgmE/s320/researchers+copy.jpg" /></a>In the course of reviewing what is generally seen as a specialist item, I became aware that many of the needs I had for eyewear were common with other academics (a lot of us need corrective lenses... due to all that reading/writing and staring at our screens?). I also realized that key factors in my search for adequate and reasonably priced eyewear connected with my experiences as a field researcher. That got me thinking about essential field gear for anthropologists and how I never considered putting glasses on the list. I begin this review by addressing this common oversight (no pun intended). <br />
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Whatever the vision needs, including contact lenses or non-Rx sunglasses, eyewear and eye care should be factored into the anthropologist's field preparation. For ethnographers working in less-than-ideal conditions far away from eye care professionals, or in my case, on a tight budget with no insurance, glasses are an essential, yet easily overlooked component of the field kit. What if your lenses break and there is no local optician to replace them? The first good advice is to have a couple of spare pairs, which is something my <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/07/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">how-to on buying discounted eyewear online</a> can help you with. (If you can afford several spare pairs of high index glasses without bargain hunting online, might I direct you to my coffee donation button at the top of the page?) As it happens, when I was in the field, I did not have spares and I could not afford the optician's prices while I was there. Having always purchased glasses from opticians, I wasn't even aware at the time that I could order glasses online and probably could have saved myself a lot of money and eyestrain had this been an option.<br />
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<b>Specialist needs</b><br />
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Up to now, my reviews of the online buying process for high index glasses have been about mitigating the prohibitive costs of designer eyewear/lenses and better informing consumers on the facts and risks of internet glasses shopping. However, wearing glasses or contact lenses in general brings up a broad range of problems and concerns for field researchers well beyond cost alone. These include visual acuity in inclement weather, wet, or dusty conditions; light sensitivity in sunny or high-glare environments; lens care without access to water/lens solution; excessive wear and tear caused by harsh conditions; and overall inconvenience of wearing corrective lenses during certain activities.<br />
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Anthropologists often find themselves in pretty arduous terrain. Wet conditions can be a nightmare for glasses-wearers. Sure, we tend gravitate towards sunnier climes... it's one of the perks, right? But if you're photo-sensitive like me, harsh sunlight is painful and distracting, causing headaches and limiting how and where you can travel and for how long. Strong sunlight and intense night glare while driving are both especially problematic for high index glasses. To compound this further, I study digital technologies and am an avid photographer. That means that on a daily basis I spend a lot of time looking at LCD screens in the sun; yet another thing to consider. <br />
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Sunglasses sound like the simplest solution for counteracting photo-sensitivity in direct sunlight and high-glare conditions. However, prescription sunglasses are even more expensive than regular single vision glasses. My last pair of high index sunglasses from a retail chain in the US cost nearly $700. I think I wore them twice on a short trip to Spain, but by the time I returned to the field, my prescription had changed. Now they sit unused in a case somewhere. I've tried custom sunglass clips, but they are invariably more trouble than they are worth and only fit that one pair of glasses that they came with. The cheap clips available at drugstores are cheap for a reason.<br />
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Luckily, my one pair of glasses just about held out for my duration in the field, which I admit does not, at first glance, appear to be the most taxing environment (the Mediterranean coast). That said, after enduring 16 months of punishing 50 mph winds at the foothills of the Catalan Pyrenees, with the dust, sand, sun and heat, by the time I left, the lenses and my eyes had taken a real beating. Dusty winds and salt-dense air virtually stripped the anti-reflective coating off of my expensive prescription lenses, effectively intensifying the glare from the sun which beat down on all but a handful of days. Here's a picture of what my lenses looked like when I got back from the field: <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNqoGL6kCT7X3exs4jS1r1jbgj9X7V2wcif_U-emMrkeC_CwFSG0pJ2bZZG4xZzZSazRVysmBuMhQMh7JgI2GBQj-MyDyvghBJMFIfwMA2zA5fychUUN8C0KkrIm2Tx9azuBmDhSiYT8c/s1600/Old+glasses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNqoGL6kCT7X3exs4jS1r1jbgj9X7V2wcif_U-emMrkeC_CwFSG0pJ2bZZG4xZzZSazRVysmBuMhQMh7JgI2GBQj-MyDyvghBJMFIfwMA2zA5fychUUN8C0KkrIm2Tx9azuBmDhSiYT8c/s1600/Old+glasses.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harsh weather took a toll on my lenses.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I never gave a second thought to my glasses before I got to the field. As it turned out, with my sensitivity to sunlight and the damaging effects of windy weather, however prepared I thought I was with my regular glasses and flimsy, cumbersome tinted clip-ons, I learned the hard way that I was not. <br />
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Even in the most mundane conditions, it doesn't take long to realize that a field gear kit needs to include much more than just rugged clothes, a backpack and some notebooks. Looking at a return to outdoor field research in my near future, I am now urgently seeking a solution to the problems of sun, glare and harsh weather on fieldwork and photography. What follows kicks off what will become a new series on essential fieldwork gear for ethnographers, photographers and field researchers. <br />
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<b>The Product: Cocoons Photochromic OveRx sunwear by Live Eyewear</b><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpM1XbfxyaEyoJvB40rjyN5b5IcO3I7wdlx_Y8aue685YNz00Q6GGG3XzL4VnJIdAxTr6hurFbnUmiit86Gk_Xm27Cn6am9mledyWyIAvMNuOnHuB01q6GTc-HNlALpb-d3lfI818r5jY/s1600/Photochromic_page_header_2+(vseyewear.com).jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpM1XbfxyaEyoJvB40rjyN5b5IcO3I7wdlx_Y8aue685YNz00Q6GGG3XzL4VnJIdAxTr6hurFbnUmiit86Gk_Xm27Cn6am9mledyWyIAvMNuOnHuB01q6GTc-HNlALpb-d3lfI818r5jY/s400/Photochromic_page_header_2+(vseyewear.com).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I heard about Cocoons OveRx eyewear and instantly thought that they would make a perfect solution for fieldwork, hiking, photography and other outdoor activities that require or could greatly benefit from both <i>protective</i> and <i>tinted</i> lenses. Unlike regular sunglasses or clip-ons, Cocoons OveRx are designed to be worn over prescription eyewear. They come in a variety of lens tints and frame colors/finishes, but all are equipped with polarized UV400 Polaré lenses. The "flex2fit" frame technology and side shields ensure 360-degree coverage from the sun and elements. From the <a href="http://cocoonseyewear.com/">Cocoons' website</a>:<br />
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<blockquote>
Designed to fit comfortably and securely over 99.5% of all prescription eyewear frames, the patented OveRx designs are engineered to deliver unparalleled protection from damaging UV light and harsh glare. Integrated brow and underside protection eliminate reflected light from the peripheral, from above and below. Injected polycarbonate side shields block peripheral light without compromising the wearer's range of vision. The result is a collection of frame styles that delivers 40% more protection than conventional sunglasses.</blockquote>
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After explaining my specialist needs as an ethnographer and photographer, Dave over at Live Eyewear offered to send me a pair of Cocoons' new photochromic OverRxs for the purposes of this review. Here's a description of the photochromic or color-changing lenses:<br />
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<blockquote>
Cocoons Photochromic sunglasses feature Polaré® polarized lenses designed to adapt to varying light conditions, providing optimal light transmission while eliminating glare from dawn until dusk. Polaré polarized photochromic lenses are UV activated, meaning that as UV levels increase, the lens tint becomes darker to maintain a comfortable level of light transmission. When UV levels decrease, the lenses become lighter, allowing additional visible light to reach the eyes, while continuing to eliminate blinding glare that can be present even under low light conditions. </blockquote>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7bSXKlRNDnXuJoVU7vWIl_7OO-FjBVFR8WdWICc-LuVumDEdepsIbOdYjBwM_6jlW10GDtYObYjKGy6abiaprIfkUR6BDXT5mj4VYpg3RorB0USRUlQT6s5fsO1jdDQMqQLYfDGjsJk/s1600/cocoon-photochromatic-lenses+(speert.com).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7bSXKlRNDnXuJoVU7vWIl_7OO-FjBVFR8WdWICc-LuVumDEdepsIbOdYjBwM_6jlW10GDtYObYjKGy6abiaprIfkUR6BDXT5mj4VYpg3RorB0USRUlQT6s5fsO1jdDQMqQLYfDGjsJk/s640/cocoon-photochromatic-lenses+(speert.com).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illustration of photochromic lenses (via speert.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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The photochromic lenses sounded perfect for all day wear, especially as I take a lot of photos in the evening and am bothered by glare at night. Another benefit is that since they fit <i>over</i> my prescription glasses, I wouldn't have to take them off and on like I would if I were switching between regular glasses and prescription sunglasses. That's good for me because I don't like to fumble with stuff when I'm busy. In addition to protecting my eyes from harsh glare, I liked the idea that OveRx fit-overs could protect my new prescription glasses and lenses from the kind of damage my old glasses suffered from all the wind, dust and salt erosion in the field. The added bonus is that I wouldn't need to upgrade them every time my prescription changes.<br />
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<b>My review of Cocoons OveRx photochromic eyewear</b> <br />
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As soon as I received the trial pair from Dave, I got to work reviewing the Cocoons. I tried them in a variety of conditions: dull days, sunny afternoons, on beaches, while hiking, for snow photography and during windy storms. <br />
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Read on to find out if Cocoons OveRx are an essential addition to your field bag.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4B4NhcS0cNOjplZuIK8Z57TlThszFqi0QS-_dk90zWuZ-SxpndBaIEsD9Xrz6PbYj1ZGnMY_vlzqHI9yoej_23DU-r2MWbSMllOuiciJVJV6A6khg69P-9Xj1z23PRBIsp6aYaeFndI/s1600/Cocoons+shipped1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4B4NhcS0cNOjplZuIK8Z57TlThszFqi0QS-_dk90zWuZ-SxpndBaIEsD9Xrz6PbYj1ZGnMY_vlzqHI9yoej_23DU-r2MWbSMllOuiciJVJV6A6khg69P-9Xj1z23PRBIsp6aYaeFndI/s400/Cocoons+shipped1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The package I received from Live Eyewear</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffl1yECDL1gyy1PuHTlLuxdZy_XC2Lt5mrSR3AjjpLL_SeYw4ozleYP4Zs2T0QGayMf1cbZCErMVEziN5S-KRuhjCSDgyJpQxyTTsuZe340sW6VxBVbeH_oKuibNLkovJp22fLqFDheg/s1600/Cocoons+shipped1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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<b>Retail cost</b>: $59.95 from Live Eyewear<br />
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<b>Quality</b> <br />
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The build quality of the Cocoon OveRx glasses is excellent. The frames are flexible, yet sturdy. They arrived well-packed with a complimentary neoprene case and microfiber cleaning cloth. Initial impressions are enhanced by the soft-touch finish, flexible arms and attention to detail. The polarized lenses are also high quality and seem durable. The glasses are lightweight and easy to carry or tuck into a backpack without worrying about breakage. The case also comes with a clip on it so you can hook it onto your gear if you prefer.<br />
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<b>Fit</b><br />
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As mentioned above, the 360-degree fit-over style with coverage provided by the side lenses and brow guard make these a much more effective option than sunglass clips. The flexible arms – just pinch the ends up, down, in or out to adjust – enable an adequate amount of sizing and secure fit to the head. Beyond that, to get the best fit, you select the right size Cocoons at the time of purchase, ranging from streamline (small) to aviator (extra-large). <br />
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I own three pairs of everyday glasses in slightly different sizes, and I kept that in mind when choosing the Cocoons that would fit over the largest of the three (and thus the other two pairs as well). The fit in terms of dimensions according to the size chart on the website seemed adequate. I highly recommend <a href="http://www.cocoonseyewear.com/popup.php?m=chart&id=1">downloading the sizing chart</a> or, better yet, finding a retailer nearby where you can try them on. The pair I received was true to size and they do fit over my glasses, but not without some minor issues: <br />
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I used to wear basic wire frames, but now I predominately wear acetate glasses that are relatively thick at the front and stems (accounting for the thickness of the lenses). In this regard, what I have noticed is that the "depth" of the Cocoons does not seem ideal for vintage-inspired plastic frames. They don't seem to go "all the way on" when I have plastic frames underneath. As a result, there are some gaps at the temples and along the top that prevent 100% coverage in the rain/wind/high sun. I caught myself putting a hat with a visor on to counteract this, which kind of defeats the purpose.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-TVPw-nrCNaFk_4TKzGhXh45AeaCmW0xRaTlAqz1SB221cVOP9RCWeQ4fifuDOpLVTKfgtcL8bsgC0eigqdhNXdd72yRYi4I-7aetYgM2KGmMwxKjlAj8N_El4h8n_kWnQeMajezWLc/s1600/Cocoons+detail-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-TVPw-nrCNaFk_4TKzGhXh45AeaCmW0xRaTlAqz1SB221cVOP9RCWeQ4fifuDOpLVTKfgtcL8bsgC0eigqdhNXdd72yRYi4I-7aetYgM2KGmMwxKjlAj8N_El4h8n_kWnQeMajezWLc/s320/Cocoons+detail-b.jpg" /></a>Directly related to this is that the Cocoons nosepiece does not sit the same way with plastic glasses as it does with metal frames that have traditional nose pads. With plastic frames, it rests against the bridge of the glasses, putting extra weight on the nose, instead of making a snug and comfortable fit directly onto the bridge of the nose. If one has petite features like mine, that is a lot of bulk on the nose. It feels like the bridge of my glasses underneath takes all the weight; and this may be compounded by the fact that thicker "arms" on the plastic frames also prevent the flex fit Cocoons from fully adjusting to the head. <br />
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Final points on fit: when I try to take my Cocoons off while leaving my glasses on (the whole time-saving benefit of fit-overs), they pull my glasses off, too. When I want to put them on, I have to take my glasses off, lay them in the frame and then put the double pair of overlaid glasses on at the same time, otherwise it is too difficult to get them to sit correctly. <br />
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I don't want to overstate the size issues. Rather, I recommend trying a pair first to be sure. I find it odd that at least two of my three pairs of glasses fall within the .5% that Cocoons cites for poor fit. I believe it is much to do with my being petite and wearing larger profile glasses, since slimmer glasses are less problematic underneath Cocoons. But this is still worth keeping in mind if you are sporting the trendy vintage-style, over-sized glasses that are making a strong comeback. <br />
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<b>Lenses</b><br />
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Anyone who has worn Transitions brand knows the benefits of photochromic lenses that go from light to dark depending on the ambient light conditions. The Cocoons photochromic lenses worked just as promised. I could leave them on much of the day in the sun, and even when the sky gets dull, there is no urgent need to remove them to be able to see. They get dark enough in the sun, but not too dark to see important stuff like, for instance, a notebook with notes during an interview. The polarized lenses really cut the glare outdoors, increasing visible detail and definition, and I actually found them very beneficial while in the car. Worth nothing is that it is also possible at some angles of the sun and indoors to see the reflection of your eye in the lens of the Cocoons, indicating that this bothersome problem apparently plagues fit-over glasses the same as it does with clip-ons.<br />
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There is one very major downside to polarized lenses which is not unique to Cocoons, of course, but is absolutely essential to mention here. The light from LCD screens is polarized, meaning that while wearing polarized sunglasses, the screens on devices like cameras, tablets, computers and mobile phones "black out" at certain angles where the polarizations cross. For me, this means that I can't see the screen on my digital camera screen when I tilt it 90 degrees to take a portrait shot. I would have to tilt my head in the opposite direction to compensate for the competing polarizations in order to align them and make the screen visible again. So while the lens quality is fantastic, they are rendered somewhat useless for photography, among other LCD-dependent tasks. There's no industry standard for polarizing LCD screens, so your mileage may vary. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWr0J7V_vfKrsUi1ddBX6RY79GtGIQ3RAdDDD-bOOY03vWtUVvuxk3ReM_6PE-1rASu0aFYHnksdNV9-XrNukC09CA4N54wQGfp2vABN00FgTmH5QhkDJnIIKXGH5SqoePaL0dtXaK7s/s1600/images+(macrumors.com).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWr0J7V_vfKrsUi1ddBX6RY79GtGIQ3RAdDDD-bOOY03vWtUVvuxk3ReM_6PE-1rASu0aFYHnksdNV9-XrNukC09CA4N54wQGfp2vABN00FgTmH5QhkDJnIIKXGH5SqoePaL0dtXaK7s/s400/images+(macrumors.com).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illustration of the "black out" when viewing an iPad<br />
through polarized sunglasses (via macrumors.com)</td></tr>
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<b>Performance</b><br />
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I tried the Cocoon OveRx glasses in all weather and light conditions over the past few weeks. They performed excellently in terms of protection from the sun, wind, sand, salt, dirt and other environmental issues. In addition to the sun protection mentioned above, a fantastic benefit of OveRx glasses is that they not only protect your eyes, they protect your expensive eyewear as well. The rugged, sturdy construction of the Cocoon frame and lens and their reasonable price point compared with a new pair of glasses means that they can take the environmental beating, leaving your glasses unscathed underneath. You can take splashes of saltwater or gusts of wind and sand without worrying about scratching up or eroding your coated optical lenses. The Cocoons rinse clean easily. Oh, and they come with a <i>lifetime warranty</i>. <br />
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Other performance-related notes: Due to the fit issues I mentioned above (not a flush fit at the front), there are some gaps at the temples with the top guard over the eyes not being "deep" enough to contain the glasses. Rain and wind may still get in at this gap in the harshest conditions and some sun leakage happens, too, probably contributing to the reflection issue mentioned above. Note that these minor complaints are not nearly as pronounced as they would be with a normal pair of sunglasses! The Cocoons are definitely a superior product for this reason. Of course, if you wear contact lenses or if your vision is fine, they make an ideal pair of full-coverage sunglasses with nothing underneath. <br />
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<b>Summary and final recommendation</b><br />
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Cocoons OveRx are definitely a more worthy option for high index sun protection in harsh environmental conditions than clip-ons or standard polarized sunglasses. Their advanced side and top protection, glare minimization and photochromic lenses (optional) are standout features. Even accounting for the unfortunate (and unavoidable) lens polarization issues with regard to LCD screens, for the majority of conditions, Cocoons are ideal for fieldwork. And, despite some fit issues, my Cocoons are now an indispensable addition to my field bag. <br />
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Final rating: <b>3/5 stars</b> for digital photography; <b>5/5 stars</b> for the field kit. <br />
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<br />Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-17490276952392497452013-01-18T14:14:00.000-05:002013-01-18T14:14:26.243-05:00The Neoliberalized, Debt-plagued, Low Wage, Corporatized UniversityThe latest issue of <a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/01/issue-16.html">Anthropologies</a>, including my submission, is now available (see table of contents below). I recommend reading all the articles in full and have quoted selected highlights from each. Erin Taylor has also written a succinct and thoughtful report on her blog: <a href="http://erinbtaylor.com/university-inc-striking-fear-into-the-heart-of-academics/">University, Inc.: Striking fear into the heart of academics</a>. This is an important, powerful and timely issue that speaks to pervasive problems affecting us all. To reiterate Ryan Anderson's concluding thought in his introduction, "please read, pass this around, comment, and find your own way to keep the conversation going. That's a good first step toward eradicating the "suck" from academia."<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/01/issue-16.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjo24jd7zetiuz0LqeTo4_KgcF7Qvoo4r10m2FudRUTldfVILa-jvjk0vKFfX9Yv5W2BcAPp6c2U9NhnOW4nINbcTNjor88cPnGefW6ZhR_eoGR33zS6nNSuOv_pzYrwMEhQnNZZUU2jA/s640/college-grad_7.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Anthropologies</i> Issue 16, January 2013<br /><br />
<font size="3">The Neoliberalized, Debt-plagued, Low Wage, Corporatized University</font></b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><b>~ Contents ~</b></span></span></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/01/introduction-speaking-of-neoliberal.html"><b>Introduction: Speaking of the neoliberal university</b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ryan Anderson</div><blockquote>So there's one option: we can take the university system full bore down the for-profit, privatized trail blazed so willingly by the U of Phoenix folks. We'll be in the hands of administrators like the former director of the University of Phoenix who, when asked about the purpose of education, said: "I'm happy that there are places in the world where people sit down and think. We need that. But that's very expensive. And not everybody can do that. So for the vast majority of folks who don't get that privilege, then I think it's a business". And there you have it. The choice is ours. What side will you pick?</blockquote><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/01/fear-and-loathing-in-academia.html"><b>Fear and loathing in academia</b> </a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Francine Barone</div><blockquote>Because academia relies on such a hierarchical system, people are affected in different ways, separated by static categories and self-interest. Too often we suffer alone, hiding behind office doors churning out publications, cursing the process that we mindlessly reproduce.</blockquote><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/01/busting-apart-silos-of-knowledge.html"><b>Busting apart the silos of knowledge production</b> </a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Erin B. Taylor</div><blockquote>Graduate students are taught that tenure track is the only option because their freedom to create knowledge will be severely curtailed in an applied world. The lecturers and professors who teach them this scramble like mice in a wheel to keep their jobs under adverse conditions because they believe there is no other viable path. They may study hegemony in their distant fieldsites, but they have no idea how to recognise it or deal with it when it affects their own lives. </blockquote><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/01/some-historical-notes-on-decline-of.html"><b>Some historical notes on the decline of the university </b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Keith Hart</div><blockquote>There have never been so many graduate researchers chasing so few jobs. Universities are too rigid, top heavy and expensive to act as the research engine of contemporary societies and are being replaced by smaller, more flexible and hungry organizations. Research publications have become largely meaningless except for purposes of academic promotion.</blockquote><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/01/passing-with-pills-redefining.html"><b>Passing with Pills: Redefining Performance in the Pharmaceuticalized University</b> </a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tazin Karim</div><blockquote>Evan, another non-prescription user tells me that before college, he never considered taking Adderall. He explains that: "It wasn’t until I was mature enough to understand that grades actually mattered that I saw the value of something like Adderall. I think that's why if my parents ever found out, they wouldn't be pissed, they would be proud of me for taking initiative. Everyone here has the opportunity to take Adderall to study if they really want to – so if they choose not to take it, that's on them."</blockquote><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/01/neoliberal-education-from-affordable.html"><b>Neoliberal Education: From Affordable Education to Expensive Training</b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Patrick Bigger & Victor E. Kappeler</div><blockquote>Simply stated, the movement toward online learning, hailed by its proponents as a democratic revolution, is little more than a pragmatic response by universities to a deception perpetrated by political elites, capitalists in the tech sector, and increasingly powerful neoliberal NGOs like the Gates Foundation. Superficial, unengaging, and of questionable outcomes, online educational programs constitute a manifestation of the neoliberlalization of nearly everything for the public, students and educators alike. It is not lost on the anti-educationalists, including politicians seeking to dismantle what’s left of the welfare state, tech entrepreneurs, and sections of Christian fundamentalists that a good crisis is a terrible thing to waste.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/01/surviving-in-meantime.html"><b>Surviving in the meantime</b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Greg Downey</div><blockquote>We are told that reform, restructuring, or removal of courses is justified because of "student preference," whether or not there is actual evidence that market forces are pushing the change. In an unrelenting bad economic climate, the disjuncture may not be so obvious; here, it can be jarring. If the budget is actually in surplus, it takes serious goalpost movement to manufacture an appropriate sense of institutional anxiety. In fact, many of the changes seem to stem, not from market considerations, but instead from impulses toward bureaucratization, desire for greater central control, old fashioned battles for prestige or turf, and even new, trendy management discourses and literature in "learning and teaching."</blockquote><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.anthropologiesproject.org/2013/01/review-of-andrew-delbancos-college.html"><b>Review of Andrew Delbanco's "College"</b> </a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ryan Anderson </div><blockquote>Ideally, Delbanco explains, college is supposed to be a place where students receive critical guidance as they learn how to start asking and answering questions for themselves. It's a place where people learn what they are all about, and starting figuring out who they are and want to become. But many of today's students show up to college with a range of habits, ideas, and behaviors firmly set in place. A lot of them are deeply concerned about how they stack up with their peers. College is an incredibly competitive place these days, and that competition takes a variety of forms.</blockquote><br />
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Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-62920953010308097352013-01-17T09:22:00.000-05:002013-01-17T09:22:00.267-05:00Anthropological Video Games?Via <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2012/12/anthropological-video-games.html">The New Yorker</a>: <br />
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<blockquote>A cluster of teenagers gathered around a small table, and passersby could hear them exclaim, “Asian! Yeah, I knew it!” and “Aryan? That seems ridiculous.” They hovered over two iPads in the Grand Gallery of the Museum of Natural History during the Margaret Mead Film Festival, playing a game called “Guess My Race.” It was one of five video games in the Mead Arcade; the others included “The Cat and the Coup,” which traces the downfall of Iran’s first democratically elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadegh, and “Sweatshop,” in which you hire and fire workers for your loathsome factory. <br />
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Aiding the swarms of museum patrons who stopped to play were volunteers from Games for Change, a New York City-based nonprofit that encourages the development of what it calls “social-impact games.” (All of the games at the arcade are also available for free through the organization’s Web site.) I sat down at a laptop to try my hand at running a sweatshop. To a bouncy techno soundtrack, the boss floor manager, who keenly evoked Hitler, spewed insults and directions—”Lazybones! How are you today? Shh-h-h-h. I don’t care!”—and the orders started pouring in for shoes, shirts, hats, and bags. [...] <br />
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In 1940, Margaret Mead created a card game along with her husband, the anthropologist Gregory Bateson. Called “Democracies and Dictators,” its cards contained instructions such as “Dictator! Crippled Industries: You have put your leading industrialists into concentration camps. (lose a card in 5).” Mead wrote that it was based on “the basic ideas that democracies and dictators play by different rules and work with different values.” She tried to sell the idea to Parker Brothers, but it was never produced for public consumption. The games on display at the Mead Arcade have been markedly more successful. “Sweatshop” had a million plays during its first three months, and “The Cat and the Coup” has received acclaim from gamers around the world—including one German reviewer who wrote that it is “like Monty Python being dropped in a bowl full of Persian kitsch.” </blockquote><br />
Read the <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2012/12/anthropological-video-games.html">full article here</a>.<br />
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Learn more about <a href="http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/">Games for Change</a>. <br />
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Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-70743314766527931512012-12-29T18:08:00.000-05:002012-12-29T18:08:46.136-05:00[Book Review] Tuff City: Urban Change and Contested Space in Central NaplesMy review of Nick Dines' <i>Tuff City: Urban Change and Contested Space in Central Naples</i> is available via the Open Anthropology Cooperative Press. You can read/download the full review <a href="http://openanthcoop.net/press/2012/10/19/tuff-city/">here</a> and <a href="http://openanthcoop.ning.com/group/oacbookreviews/forum/topics/review-of-a-book-on-naples-by-fran-barone">discuss it over at the OAC</a>. <br />
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<a title="View Book Review (N. Dines. <i>Tuff City</i>, Berghahn, 2012.) on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/118352410/Book-Review-N-Dines-Tuff-City-Berghahn-2012" style="margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block; text-decoration: underline;">View full screen version </a><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/118352410/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll" data-auto-height="false" data-aspect-ratio="undefined" scrolling="no" id="doc_41103" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe>Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-29365824898635112622012-12-13T13:55:00.000-05:002012-12-17T13:38:27.029-05:00Unwanted: Don't bother earning a degree in anthropology or archaeology<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtktufH4XI4H-Ws3hCUXrIaJbJeGR6OiNiC4TCDEn1nvErKcObndc87dONPHREbmty9TWt0Scjfl2e5rhNX-9rM81k2JMRWqn3LBfH09LlixBvBIg99KpZz_Swjc93vhMhOnfYe1VEY6k/s1600/anthroindia.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="224" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtktufH4XI4H-Ws3hCUXrIaJbJeGR6OiNiC4TCDEn1nvErKcObndc87dONPHREbmty9TWt0Scjfl2e5rhNX-9rM81k2JMRWqn3LBfH09LlixBvBIg99KpZz_Swjc93vhMhOnfYe1VEY6k/s320/anthroindia.png" /></a></div>Yahoo! Education (an appropriate name, I'd say) has today published an article on <a href="http://education.yahoo.net/articles/degrees_to_avoid2.htm?kid=1NQM0">the top 5 most unwanted, unhelpful degrees a person could possibly waste their time earning</a>. Some usual suspects make the list, like Philosophy and Religion, while more unexpected ones like Architecture (you should do an MBA instead, apparently, which doesn't bode well for our buildings) and Information Systems also appear. Perhaps not unsurprisingly is that Anthropology and Archaeology make the list at #3, followed by Area Ethnic or Civilization Studies, which I can't help but feel are also close enough to anthropology for this to be a double sting. <br />
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According to Vicki Lynn, senior vice president of Universum, a global talent recruiting company that works with many Fortune 500 companies, bachelors degrees in anthropology and area studies are useless for finding a job. In other words, they are worthless. As academic anthropologists, we are producing class after class of unwanted, unskilled graduates. <br />
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<blockquote><b>Unwanted Degree #3 - Anthropology or Archeology</b><br />
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Interesting? Yes. Important? Definitely. Marketable? Not so much... Lynn says a bachelor's degree in either anthropology or archeology is "totally limiting. Except for on a faculty or doing tours to the Parthenon, I don't know what you would actually do with this [degree]. Maybe there's some career in excavating or some other specialty, but I would assume the demand for these degrees is really small and shrinking." Again, numbers from the "Hard Times" report seem to back that, with recent grads in these areas logging a 10.5 percent unemployment rate.<br />
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<b>Unwanted Degree #4 - Area Ethnic or Civilization Studies</b><br />
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Quick, what exactly does a bachelor's degree in area ethnic or civilization studies help you pursue? Not sure? Chances are neither are most employers, says Lynn, and that could be a problem for landing a job. "Some degrees have really bizarre names, and if you have one of those and you have to try to explain it to the recruiter or an employer, it's not helping you, so I would avoid them. These two fall into that category," she says. Unfortunately, the data from the "Hard Times" report backed Lynn up, noting that recent grads in this field yielded a 10.1 percent unemployment rate.</blockquote><br />
It's hard to argue with unemployment figures. Yet it is not difficult to see that a sheer ignorance of what key skills these degrees impart is rampant outside of our misunderstood discipline. This goes back to my argument <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/12/more-open-thoughts-on-anthropology-and.html">in my previous post</a> that Anthropology has a huge PR problem. It is also reminiscent of the time Gov. Rick Scott of Florida tried to eradicate anthropology from his state because of its inherent uselessness. A comprehensive record of this affair can be found at <a href="http://blogs.plos.org/neuroanthropology/2011/10/11/florida-governor-anthropology-not-needed-here/">Neuroanthropology</a>. Perhaps Vicki Lynn missed what anthropologists had to say in response to Gov. Scott's categorization of anthropology as a non-scientific, useless degree with no career prospects. <br />
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Kristina Killgrove, bioarcheaologist at the University of West Florida, responded to Gov. Scott in her blog post "<a href="http://www.poweredbyosteons.org/2011/10/why-is-anthropology-needed.html">Why is Anthropology Needed?</a>", which I find has one of the best responses to the idea that graduates in anthropology have few skills to offer employees in today's marketplace (emphasis added):<br />
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<blockquote>First and foremost, the focus of anthropology is on understanding yourself in relation to others. This may sound pretty simple, but it involves critically thinking about why you do what you do, why others do what they do, and what factors affect these actions: e.g., religion, economy, biology, politics, family structure, gender, ethnicity, etc. While we tend to deal with individuals in our line of work, we're also interested in the community - the commonalities in experience at various scales.<br />
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That's all well and good, you might say, but what skills do students learn in an anthropology course? Don't they just learn how to throw around adjectivized names like Foucauldian and Marxist? I tell my students - and then demonstrate as best as possible throughout the semester - that anthropologists do learn several key skills:<br />
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- We learn clear, precise record-keeping skills and have to be attentive to detail. You have to observe what people say (and what they don't say), what they do (and what they don't do), what their bones or bodies tell you. <br />
- Anthropologists also learn analytical reading and critical thinking skills: how to read between the lines of a text, to question an author's or speaker's biases and the cultural context in which their ideas were formed. Thinking critically means questioning one's own biases in addition to those of others. <br />
- We also learn how to deal with unfamiliar social situations - we learn new languages and new rules for communication with people from all over the world, and we do this through participation in addition to observation so that we can understand where someone else is coming from.<br />
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Through these approaches, anthropologists want to understand the amazing variation in humankind - past and present - as well as the social and cultural context in which that variation occurred or is occurring. I think this is a powerful way to approach the world, but students aren't always convinced. How can anthropology help in the job search?, they ask.<br />
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The majority of my undergraduate students, particularly in the large lecture courses, will go into one of three main occupational spheres after graduation: health and medicine (doctors, nurses, genetics research, allied health fields, etc.), business and economics, and teaching (from preschool to PhDs). Anthropology is useful to all of these fields:<br />
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- Medicine - The health professions aren't just about biology or chemistry or pharmacology. For example, is your African-American patient more likely to suffer hypertension because of his genetics or because of his diet? Anthropologists have tackled questions like these, with our dual emphases on biology and culture.<br />
- Business - You can crunch numbers in econ classes, but it only helps you predict what will happen under certain economic conditions. It is equally important to understand how individuals and cultures deal with money, for example, or how they react to global developments that have lasting effects on the way they see the world and act within it. Future business people can learn about the global economy and people's place within it through anthropology.<br />
- Teaching - This field isn't just about imparting facts for students to learn. A good teacher is attuned to a classroom that has seen many changes over the last few decades. My parents' generation was in high school when integration happened - and teachers are even today dealing with a pedagogical legacy that excludes certain ethnic or racial groups or is prejudiced against them. Today's teachers think long and hard about how to convey information in the best possible way, how to use multimedia, how to engage students who take different approaches to learning, how to remedy old curricula that focus largely on DWMs - dead white males. Future teachers can also benefit from understanding the main tenets of anthropology in designing lessons, engaging in instruction, and communicating with students and their parents.<br />
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<b>In short, anthropology is useful for anyone whose future job will require them to develop the interpersonal skills to work with the public. And that includes just about every college graduate today.</b><br />
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I'd also go one step beyond saying that anthropology is imperative for college grads to work in a globalized market: anthropology needs to be brought into high schools. Many high schools around the country teach courses in psychology and sociology. Both of these are excellent options, but why not anthropology as well? The analytical and critical thinking skills we teach our students are fundamental to future jobs in many different fields, but it's our bio-cultural focus, our understanding of how we as living beings interact with our natural and cultural world, that sets us apart from psych and soc. And I think that's well worth teaching our high schoolers. <br />
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Let me close with a quotation from one of my favorite authors (and one-time anthropology student), Kurt Vonnegut, whose words - from an interview in 1973 - still ring true in our poor education of youth in anthropology:<br />
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"I didn't learn until I was in college about all the other cultures, and I should have learned that in the first grade. A first grader should understand that his or her culture isn't a rational invention; that there are thousands of other cultures and they all work pretty well; that all cultures function on faith rather than truth; that there are lots of alternatives to our own society. Cultural relativity is defensible and attractive. It's also a source of hope. It means we don't have to continue this way if we don't like it."</blockquote><br />
In my previous blog post, I concluded that anthropology's problem is at least two-fold: how we engage with each other and how we present ourselves to the rest of the world. Clearly we are failing at the latter. But as Killgrove argues, <br />
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<blockquote>Part of that is our fault [and] we need to figure out ways to make anthropology more relevant. <b>We don't have to continue this way if we don't like it.</b></blockquote><br />
It is easy to dismiss assessments like this of anthropology as "ignorant"; however, we are responsible for the level of public ignorance about anthropology and its usefulness in the world. <br />
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On another level, this article reveals serious defects in the hiring practices of the current employment market, where prospective employees are expected to be trained to the exact parameters of a job description by the completion of a bachelor's degree, rather than being hired to do a job based on their competence, critical thinking skills, capability of learning on the job and the facility of working with people in multicultural settings, all gleaned from a culturally aware education. Of course anthropologists have less to offer a job market that does not serve, at its very foundations, the needs of clients and customers as <i>people</i> beyond numbers on a spreadsheet. <br />
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Check out this presentation for more information about what actual anthropologists do. Hint: it's not about the Parthenon. <br />
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<center><iframe src="http://prezi.com/embed/vmvomt3sj3fd/?bgcolor=ffffff&lock_to_path=0&autoplay=no&autohide_ctrls=0" width="550" height="400" frameBorder="0"></iframe></center><br />
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In case you missed it:<br />
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<a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/12/more-open-thoughts-on-anthropology-and.html">More open thoughts on anthropology and academia</a><br />
<a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/11/what-matters-and-what-doesnt-open.html">What matters and what doesn't: open thoughts on academia</a><br />
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See also:<br />
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<a href="http://www.livinganthropologically.com/2012/08/21/anthropology-is-the-worst/">Anthropology is the worst college major for being a corporate tool, best major to change your life</a> (Living Anthropologically)<br />
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(12/16/12) <a href="https://digsanddocs.wordpress.com/2012/12/16/anthropology-is-useless-not-to-my-students/">Anthropology is useless? Not to my students</a> (Digs & Docs):<br />
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<blockquote>Returning to the question of "What's the value of an anthropology major?", I <strike>think</strike> hope it's self-evident. You leave a good anthro program as a better writer, a more critical thinker, someone who can appreciate not just the fact of human diversity, but why it's so persistent and important. You've learned how to study up on a topic you're not familiar with, analyze the basic assumptions and implications of the topic's party-line thinkers, and how to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. You've learned to distrust simple, one-size-fits-all explanations. And you've gained experience in defining important questions, collecting and analyzing data, and writing up conclusions that are both conscious of your bias and faithful to your observations.</blockquote><br />
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Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-10139407636066784192012-11-13T15:42:00.001-05:002012-11-13T15:43:21.108-05:00Back to Anthropology<b>Product Reviews?</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://media04.hongkiat.com/thumbs/400x256/negative-product-reviews.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="256" width="400" src="http://media04.hongkiat.com/thumbs/400x256/negative-product-reviews.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Regular readers of this blog may have been wondering about my <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/10/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">brief foray into eyeglass reviews</a>, like what it had to do with anthropology or academia or ethnography or any of the other usual content I post here. In fact, I have written product reviews on this blog before (see 'Product Reviews' tab above), mostly on hardware and software. There are two main reasons why I write online consumer reviews and how-tos. Firstly, I like being able to produce something useful that will draw in a wider audience, especially if I have had trouble finding something suitable or comprehensive on a topic myself. <br />
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Back when I was a PhD student, I often lamented the lack of <i>practical</i> hardware and software reviews for stuff I could actually afford (which wasn't much), so I gravitated towards reviewing free and open source software or hacks and workarounds to make basic computers/browsers more productive. My own field kit was mixed bag of old technology put to new uses. Rather than buying a bunch of premium and proprietary software, I immersed myself in the belief that there is almost certainly a free/low-cost way to do most tasks using one or a combination of open source or gratis software/web-based applications. The learning curve is steep, but worth it when you can't afford more. That's more or less how I got on to tech reviews and how-tos in the first place.<br />
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In a similar vein, I still notice a lack of academic-oriented reviews for products and services, especially cross-over consumer items like tablets, digital recording devices, clothing or field gear. I had trouble finding a decent academic review of the Kindle DX graphite, for instance. Most of my reading is qualitative where extensive note-taking and highlights are imperative, but other academic styles of working are very different. Plus, anthropologists need to know what's going to work for them in the field as well as the office (or lack thereof).<br />
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I was sure that I had bored readers to death with eyewear reviews, but actually my 5-post series on glasses has become the most popular on this blog to date. I'm pretty confident that they've helped people to save a lot of time, energy and money. I intend future reviews to be of more direct interest to academics, anthropologists, students, geeks or social researchers, but not exclusively. My next planned review will also be of an optical nature, but with fieldworkers in mind. <br />
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Secondly, I am working on some new research to do with media and consumerism, so consider the product reviews that appear here as a minor form of participant observation. Details will follow in the future, but there are more pressing things on my agenda at the moment. Just to be clear: I will never post pre-written "sponsored" reviews (read: robot spam) to get ad revenues and won't ever post anything that I haven't written myself and don't honestly believe. I'll also clearly state when I've been given a complimentary product sample to review. <br />
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A brief <i>Urban Firewalls</i> update (finally)<br />
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I designated October as my month to return to my PhD thesis to prepare it for publication. Given my highly unstable personal circumstances at present (not to mention ending the month with Hurricane Sandy and a prolonged blackout), I am actually impressed that I managed to start getting down to work. I am currently drafting a plan for the new book version which includes re-working the chapter layout and refining the ethnographic contributions, potentially adding some comparative case studies from outside of Spain, and more original material that did not appear in the PhD version. The PhD manuscript as it stands presents a detailed story about a small Catalan town and its highly localized responses to technological and urban change. By re-organizing the contents, I hope to enable the local data to interweave with a more universal story of humans and technology and contribute to a more comprehensive anthropology of the digital age. I have a <a href="http://urbanfirewalls.com">new website</a> where I'll post updates of the progress of Urban Firewalls.<br />
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<b>New at the OAC</b><br />
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There have also been quite a few items of interest over at the Open Anthropology Cooperative recently. We started shaking off the back-to-school malaise with a new e-seminar and some great blog posts. In case you missed it, catch up on the <a href="http://openanthcoop.ning.com/forum/topics/new-oac-online-seminar-22-oct-3-nov-patience-kabamba-in-and-out-o">seminar for "In and Out of the State" by Patience Kabamba</a>. In his featured blog, John McCreery asks, <a href="http://openanthcoop.ning.com/profiles/blogs/don-t-be-a-dick-how-can-than-work">what about society and culture have changed to make being a dick the road to failure instead of the key to success</a>? I am surprised that no one has yet provided any <a href="http://openanthcoop.ning.com/forum/topics/anthropology-and-handling-bullies">ethnographic studies of bullying</a> in the forum, but this is a question I will be returning to shortly in an upcoming blog post. The US presidential elections inspired <a href="http://openanthcoop.ning.com/profiles/blogs/linguistic-anthropology-and-electoral-madness">this post about language and politics</a> and <a href="http://openanthcoop.ning.com/profiles/blogs/lessons-for-anthropology-from-the-u-s-elections">this follow-up blog on election lessons learned</a>. Speaking of openness, <a href="http://openanthcoop.ning.com/forum/topics/poverty-targeting-and-the-proxy-means-test-why-anthropologists">why don't anthropologists share what they know about households with economists</a>?<br />
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Despite this fairly steady stream of new and interesting additions to the site, the subject of "stagnation" in our forums has surfaced yet again, leading us to re-question the state of affairs over at the OAC under the header <a href="http://openanthcoop.ning.com/forum/topics/the-rise-and-fall-of-social-networks-lessons-for-the-oac?commentId=3404290%3AComment%3A173972">The Rise and Fall of Social Networks</a>. If you are interested in the politics of making a site like the OAC work and some of the ongoing obstacles we are facing, please join in the discussion. My response to that thread will give you an idea of where I stand on a number of issues as well as a hint at what I'm working on for the future of the OAC:<br />
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<blockquote><p>Some good points in this article, at least for thinking about a historiography of social networking sites. But then there are significant differences between social networks and academic networks, much of which have to do with return on time investment, volunteer labor and long-term objectives, not to mention power relations and status hierarchies that carry over from the academic world. Much of activity on the social web need not concern itself with aims, intentions or long-term goals. It's easy. It can keep ticking over until boredom or newness - whichever comes first - force change. Academic networks don't work exactly the same way. The OAC mixes both together, which may contribute to an identity crisis of sorts.</p><p>I don't agree with all the points made in the article about Facebook vs. Twitter. I actually think that Twitter is, on the whole, more active and powerful than Facebook. Facebook's modus operandi is outdated, the layout and structure muddled, its features are restrictive and its policies are confusing. Sure, for most users, a lot of this is irrelevant. Even Apple can convince people its products are inherently usable, which is patently untrue. Yet both of these companies are successful by closing off their markets and thereby normalizing clumsy technology and unintuitive interfaces. Twitter not so much. But I digress ...</p><p>There are probably more dead blogs on the internet than active ones. There are at least <a href="http://www.tech.sc/facebook-estimates-83-9-million-accounts-are-fake/">83 million fake, unused or inactive Facebook accounts</a>. I have emails that lapsed into oblivion over the years, websites that expired, and domains I never renewed. Is there any technology online that is not subject to simply running its course? This post, <a href="http://www.followsteph.com/2008/03/31/why-are-there-so-many-dead-blogs/">Why Are There So Many Dead Blogs</a>, does a pretty good job of noting all the simple human factors involved. It's not only the technology that determines what network lives or dies.</p><p>Playing around on Twitter and/or keeping in touch with family on Facebook are not analogous to activity at the OAC. The first is fleeting and impermanent. The second is personal and intimate. The latter takes more time commitment, at least some critical thought, and the expectation of some kind of pointed exchange or response over time. We've tried to add site features that lower the barrier to participation (share buttons, twitter tab, RSS), but the returns on this are also quite low. The content that is uploaded without the requirement of reciprocity or response (e.g. "sharing a video", "liking" something, "listing an event"), is really incidental to any wider successes here, or so it would seem.</p><p>The more significant products of the OAC's concerted efforts - namely the Press - require investments of time and energy. They attract participants because they fit longstanding academic value models. Academics change slowly even if we'd like to think that new modes of communication make a qualitative difference to how we live and work. Hence why email has not imploded as the means for transmitting academic information. Mailing lists are still popular because they are semi-closed/private and simple. They do one useful thing well enough to stick around. In early OAC days, Twitter was a big deal for us: a real paradigm shift that led to the OAC's development in the first place. Today, no one seems that bothered to engage on Twitter. Perhaps that is a failure on our part as far as implementation, but it is more likely that Twitter no longer fills a communicative need for the OAC since circumstances have changed. The OAC Facebook page is now a bit more active, but still pretty separate from the main network.</p><p>We have had continual debates about what the site hopes to achieve or "do" - a mission statement - that would attract participants and be meaningful. Yet no one seems willing to take on a more permanent role in shaping the site. If the OAC is imploding, what's the precise cause and remedy other than lack of dedicated interest?</p><p>I have concentrated a lot on technical development at the OAC and I still believe that a deluge of content is preventing more adequate use and navigation of the site. I do agree with John that we need to streamline access to the most interesting content and like the idea of running a "best of" series that resurrects old posts to keep them alive. Instead of pushing for some "new" spark, we are likely not making best use of what we already have. I wish Ning made it easier to index and display old posts. I have sketches/ideas for site changes, but I am scrambling to keep on top of things at the moment. We don't have as strong a development team as we once did among the admins, and it really can't be done without wider interest.</p></blockquote><br />
We have been talking about these issues at the OAC in some form or another since the site's speedy launch in 2009. I am now committed to taking more drastic efforts to put an end to pervasive content-navigation woes in the hopes that related participation woes will also disappear. A few weeks ago, I began experimenting with site improvements for revamping the OAC's appearance, perhaps better termed "image". The OAC homepage hosted on Ning has been both a source of the OAC's successes as an academic/social network and a frustrating infrastructural barrier to expansion. I am working on some bold ideas that would involve making more dramatic changes beyond Ning. If the experimentation starts to look like an actual possibility, I will float the new ideas on-site for feedback. As I mentioned in the post above, any lasting effort cannot really be forged without wider community interest. If you can help in any way to make the Open Anthropology Cooperative a more effective, active and useful site for anthropologists to accomplish meaningful things, please volunteer your skills. <br />
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<b>New to anthropology: PopAnth</b><br />
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The launch of <a href="http://popanth.com/">PopAnth</a> in September marks an exciting move forward for anthropology online. PopAnth presents snapshots of anthropological knowledge for popular audiences in online magazine format. It was formed out of a discussion about public anthropology over at the OAC. The team, including some OAC veterans, has really embraced the idea of opening anthropology and making it more publicly engaging. The articles are fun to read and really distill worthwhile talking points about what anthropology is and what it hopes to discover about people. <a href="http://blogs.plos.org/neuroanthropology/2012/11/03/popanth-get-it-while-its-hot/">Greg Downey over at Neuroanthropology</a> sums up the motivation and intentions behind PopAnth, including samples of recently submitted articles and how to get involved. <br />
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Image from hongkiat.comFran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-13749134639657149812012-11-04T22:21:00.000-05:002012-11-14T14:28:51.727-05:00Reflections on Hurricane Sandy, media and disconnection<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/franthropologist/8152562511/" title="Hurricane Sandy: Parked by Franthropologist, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8207/8152562511_78876f8fe5_n.jpg" width="234" height="320" alt="Hurricane Sandy: Parked" align="right" style="padding:10px;"></a>Last week, Hurricane Sandy pummeled the east coast of the US. Power outages due to extreme coastal flooding, high winds and fallen trees have caused food and gas shortages in my area that are only now beginning to be resolved. As I write, many fellow Long Islanders and New Yorkers are still without electricity, heating and hot or clean water. You have by now – and likely before myself, since I have been in a blackout for some days – seen the ghostly images of dark and empty NYC streets, subway lines under 10 feet of water, cars thrown upon sand banks on Long Island beaches, and rubble where houses once stood in New Jersey and throughout the region. I have documented some of the devastation in photos such as the ones in this post and more that I will share on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/franthropologist/tags/hurricanesandy/">Flickr</a> over the coming days. <br />
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Power is still being restored in my neighborhood. Our electricity has just returned, but only a block away the lights are still out. 15 minutes away in all directions, coastal residents on Long Island and in Queens are still faring much worse. Many have lost their homes entirely. <font color="red">If you are in the area and want to volunteer your assistance to those struggling in the aftermath of the storm, visit <a href="http://nycservice.org">nycservice.org</a> to offer your help</font>. Be sure to check your local transit schedules and road warnings wherever you're heading and keep roads clear for emergency vehicles. As of November 3rd, Most LIRR lines into the city are up and running on an hourly basis. Full fares are now being charged. <br />
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I talked a bit about media representation(s) in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2011/08/hurricane-irene-photos-and-media.html">last year</a>. This post is along the same lines. There are plenty of commentaries on the political and economic impact of "frankenstorm" (ugh) Sandy pretty much everywhere. I don't have dramatic stories of severe damage to tell because we were largely spared (Hurricane Irene took our old roof, so we were inadvertently well-prepared for the heavier winds this time). The damage from Sandy has been harsh, but the immediate area in which I live was free from flooding and major destruction, with the exception of some fallen trees. Our major issue has been exploded transformers and downed power lines, which are unwisely suspended perilously in the sky. On cue, there has been some renewed political discussion about why the entire region does not have subterranean power lines, but I suspect as little will come of this as of asking why coastal NY has no protection from floodwater as is the case in, say, the Netherlands. It was only a Category 1 storm and the devastation has been extensive. <br />
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Before the storm, people rolled their eyes at the suggestion that this was going to be "the big one". Many stayed in their homes on the barrier islands (flimsy strips of sand sticking out in the Atlantic) to wait out the storm instead of moving inland. After the storm, rescue teams had to go out to areas in Zone A that should have evacuated in order save the residents who had refused to do so. It was too late for some. Was it a massive media failure that more people panicked prior to Hurricane Irene, which caused comparatively minimal damage last year, than prior to Sandy, whose effects have been devastating? In the aftermath of Sandy, especially with the upcoming presidential elections, the country will ruminate for some time on why/how our infrastructure buckled so easily under the pressure of the storm. But will we learn from it? <br />
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/franthropologist/8152561925/" title="Hurricane Sandy: Inside Out by Franthropologist, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7110/8152561925_d77a1b5694.jpg" width="500" height="299" alt="Hurricane Sandy: Inside Out"></a></center><br />
<b>Blackout</b><br />
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As an anthropologist of technology and digital lifestyles, it was certainly an experience to be forced into a low-tech existence for a few days. It is possible that most people, myself included, like to think that they are prepared for "the worst" when they are probably not. In light of recent events, it might even be hasty to mock those <a href="http://youtu.be/tH6UA_Zs3ho">doomsday shut-in weirdos on the discovery channel</a>. For example, many people here stood in line for hours to buy expensive emergency generators from the hardware store before the storm, only to be hit with a gas shortage and unable to fuel it in the days after. They stocked up on food and drinking water, but when the power lines went done, fridges had to be emptied. Some household water supplies were tainted by sewage due to rising flood waters and others loss gas for cooking and heating. We don't think of all these basic necessities as "high tech" modern luxuries, but it has taken days for local authorities to get their mainframes up and running to even supply the energy and figure out where the broken transformers and down lines were. <br />
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Since I spend a majority of my life in some or other state of digital connectivity, immediately after the power cut I was initially struck by an imprecise feeling of emptiness with not being able to get online. All landline telephone, internet service and wifi networks died instantly. My cell phone service also went down or spotty for 4 or 5 days until AT&T shared its lines with T-Mobile. Ironically, AT&T service got my phone working for calls, but blocked data connections, so I could not browse any websites on my phone. By day 2 without power, I was irritated that I couldn't turn my TV on to see some news about the storm. I found an old transistor radio powered by a 9V battery (yes, both of those things still exist. Who knew?) which was my only channel of information during the storm and it was frustratingly non-interactive. The hosts kept saying things like "look at these images coming in" and "here is a chart" and "have you ever seen anything like this?"<br />
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I spent the cold nights (no heat) trapped inside reading or listening to music in between radio reports. Both of these are activities that, I now realize, have become habitually bundled up with other tasks that I'm normally doing online. Sitting in the dark doing either on its own felt irritatingly monotonous without the obsessive clicking between windows that normally accompanies my work habits. "Just" reading or "just" listening to music is no longer a full activity. It feels unproductive; like I'm not doing anything at all. The false sense of productivity I otherwise get from being connected to the web is, I'm pretty certain, a clear product of the induced ADD of a life permanently online and it was probably good to disconnect for a while to become more aware of it. <br />
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<blockquote><font size="6" face="georgia">There was a palpable sense of desperation from people I encountered everywhere: always staring at their phones, refreshing their Facebook apps and longingly charging their laptops, as if we were all missing out on something essential.</font> </blockquote><br />
By the evening of day 3, I surprisingly felt my need to be connected had all but dissipated, except for a nagging feeling like I "should" want to get online to get information. But information about what? Other than checking my mail and a few emails I had to send, nothing was too pressing. With the power outage and everything locally at a standstill, it was hard to imagine any substantial things going on in the rest of the world that I had any real urgency to know about. I did keep thinking of stuff that I would normally have Googled immediately, but instead had to make a short list to catch up on later. Yet there was a palpable sense of desperation from people I encountered everywhere: always staring at their phones, refreshing their Facebook apps and longingly charging their laptops, as if we were all missing out on something essential. As the days passed, that seemed to gradually fade, replaced by more important concerns of immediate survival as supermarket shelves emptied, gas lines got longer and nights grew colder.<br />
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/franthropologist/8152562745/" title="Hurricane Sandy: No Gas For You by Franthropologist, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7107/8152562745_0b20778f1e_z.jpg" width="640" height="241" alt="Hurricane Sandy: No Gas For You"></a></center><br />
<b>Disconnect</b><br />
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What I found intriguing about the media coverage is that in the multitude of speeches from NJ Governor Christie and NYC Mayor Bloomberg, listeners were urged to log on to city, utility and charitable websites for vital information affecting their survival: where to get gas/food/clothes/water; when power would be restored; how to survive harsh winter conditions with no heat; in which areas the water was no longer safe to drink; what bridges and tunnels were closed. And yet with mobile web and internet down, it was impossible for nearly 3 million people to log on and get this information. I have to wonder how many other T-Mobile users lost web access when AT&T blocked it. <br />
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Have we lost our ability to successfully go low-tech to transmit information? LIPA (Long Island Power Authority) is notorious for its inability to move at a suitable pace in restoring power. Throughout the disaster, it neglected to even provide service estimates of when electricity would be restored on the Island, whereas all other power authorities in the region were doing so on at least a daily basis. The LIPA emergency hotline went down for days and most people were unaware that you could text message in reports about fallen trees and power lines.<br />
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Still, news outlets proclaimed: go online for information. The NYC Mayor's office Twitter account was updated regularly, but since I had no web access for almost 6 days, I was never the wiser other than the insistence by radio news voices that this was the case. Calls for volunteers gave web addresses instead of phone numbers. It was truly frustrating feeling disconnected in my own town/city even when everyone else was without power, too. The frustration of disconnection – whether web-based or just a generalized feeling of being lost – seemed to affect the other residents of my town as well. <br />
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<blockquote><font size="6" face="georgia">Stories of price-gauging, exploded generators and fridges full of rotten food united small groups of previously unknown neighbors tethered to the wall via their charging cables.</font> </blockquote><br />
Shops and supermarkets with generators stayed open throughout the disaster. Some offered "charging stations" with multiple outlets for people to top up their phones, laptops, tablets and devices. These became popular congregating areas for commiserating locals as well as essential power sources. Information transmitted between phone-charging patrons was just as significant as the public broadcasts on the radio: Which stations still have gas? How long are the lines? Does the supermarket have bread? Water? Candles? Stories of price-gauging, exploded generators and fridges full of rotten food united small groups of previously unknown neighbors tethered to the wall via their charging cables. <br />
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While Google was putting together a fairly useful <a href="http://google.org/crisismap/2012-sandy">interactive crisis map</a>, only a privileged few with functioning smart phones and apps could make use of it. The majority with no power and those with cheap dumb phones had to utilize street-based networks and word-of-mouth to get by. Did temporarily disconnecting from the web lead people to reconnect with their offline "communities"? I doubt it. <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/11/01/reports-fistfights-guns-gas-stations-shortages-Sandy">Actually</a>, a lot of people were acting like apocalyptic asshats. But I venture that those recovering from the storm will agree that honing our low-tech information gathering skills so that we can function in future states of disconnection is not an altogether bad idea. <br />
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Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-79446819325095502822012-10-04T16:49:00.000-04:002013-04-05T13:08:03.401-04:00How to buy glasses online: A comparison review of Glasses.com, Warby Parker and DBVision.com (Part 5)This is Part 5 of my multipart review <i>How to buy glasses online</i>. I have already posted my reviews of <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/09/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">DB Vision</a>, <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Warby Parker</a> and <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/review-how-to-buy-glasses-online.html">Glasses.com</a>. This recap and summary is my final post which completes the series.<br />
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So far I have <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/07/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">introduced the predicament of buying glasses with high index lenses in a monopolized glasses market</a>, and reviewed my online shopping experience at three web-based optical retailers: DB Vision, Warby Parker and Glasses.com. Along the way I have attempted to provide objective reviews of these retailers based on my personal experiences as well as advice for anyone considering buying high index glasses online. <br />
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<b>Review summary</b><br />
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For this post, I intended to rank my three purchases and pick my standout favorite. That turned out to be more difficult than I thought. Instead, I'll finish with a brief summary and the pros and cons of each pair. This will supplement my earlier reviews now that I have had the time to wear each pair for a longer period. <br />
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<b>Glasses.com</b><br />
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I now have 3 pairs of glasses from Glasses.com. The first, subject of <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/review-how-to-buy-glasses-online.html">Part 2</a> of this review, are designer frames with 1.74 high-index lenses. The second are the same frame with 1.67 lenses and are slightly defective. I was allowed to keep them after requesting a fourth replacement order. The third, not mentioned in this review until now, are a pair of computer glasses, also designer frames, with 1.67 high-index lenses that I purchased using the complimentary $100 credit provided by Glasses.com for the inconvenience of messing up my first order so many times. <br />
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Pair 1 took forever to get right and the lens package I ended up receiving is not available on the website because they were upgraded by special order (for free). Since I had tried these glasses on at several opticians and ordered them before any others, I assumed that these would be my favorites and this was also my rationale for investing more money in them ($248; $183 after discounts). To be honest, I love the pair with 1.74 lenses, but it is an unfair comparison against the other companies since 1.74s are not even available on-site. While I also love the frames alone, they are not as robust as I had hoped. My new computer glasses also have a somewhat weaker frame than I feel they should for the retail price. Perhaps that is not entirely Glasses.com’s fault. It is the fault of costly designer frames not being made like they used to be; and you would get the same exact frames at, say, Pearle Vision. Still, they are more delicate than I had hoped. <br />
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That said, upon first ordering, I was also not happy with the lens coatings and vision clarity on the premium lens package from Glasses.com, nor the highly polished edges, which led to many returns. While they happily obliged my returns, it began to border on the ridiculous, hence all the compensation (a full refund and $100 credit). My second order - for computer glasses - went smoothly: I got a personal call back to let me know that the order was placed and they even upgraded me to a premium lens package free of charge. So with the $100 credit I had on my account, I paid nothing for my computer glasses, either. Alas, the first pair had to go back (I thought it was a problem with the lens weight, but now I feel it was a faulty frame), but the replacement pair is perfect. <br />
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I have mixed feelings about Glasses.com. In total they have given me 3 pairs of glasses with a retail value of almost $1000 for my trouble. I was ultimately happy with both the distance and computer glasses and got a backup pair thrown in. I can't top the customer service I received when things went wrong ... but so many things went wrong. The imperfect quality of the lenses and tendency for the frames to arrive defective has me worried. <br />
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<span style="color: green;">Pros</span>: Very good and patient customer service; Good selection of designer frames; Coupons and discounts available; Exceptional returns policy<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Cons</span>: Higher prices than other sites; Defects common (in my experience)<br />
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<b>Warby Parker</b><br />
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I loved my Warby Parker glasses right out of the box. The frames felt strong, the color was great and the lenses gave me exceptionally clear vision. They instantly rose to the top of my list as my favorite glasses ever, above all because of the clarity of vision and instant comfort. When switching between glasses, they still give me the least feeling of needing to "adjust" my eyes and never make me dizzy. Although the tips of the stems feel a little tight on my head, the lenses feel so natural that I can forget I am wearing glasses. <br />
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I wore them for the first week or so after I got them, but then switched to the other glasses in this review as they arrived to test them all out. I put my Warby Parkers on again this week for the first time after a long gap. The clarity of vision is still perfect, but there are a couple of reasons why they are no longer my absolute favorites. First, they're a real pain to clean. After using plenty of lens solution and a microfiber cloth, when I hold them up to the light there is still a ring around the lens on the inside and outside of the frame which is impossible to get completely clean. I have had glasses since I was a kid and I am at a loss as to how to clean these. Second, I have noticed that on the tip of one stem there is tiny mark in the plastic surface as if it's peeling. I didn't even realize they were coated with something on the surface and I hope it doesn't get worse. Since I've hardly worn them, that is a bit worrying. Also, when I place them on the table, the stems are uneven. I don't believe this was the case when they first arrived. Since I meticulously return them to their case wrapped delicately in a microfiber cloth after each use, all I can presume is that they mold to your head as you wear them. Lastly, after a few days of wear, the lenses seemed to have settled into the frame and they may not be as accurately cut around the edge as I first thought and reported. No one would probably notice but me, but the right side lens has a dark patch along the bottom edge because of the way it has been cut.<br />
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<span style="color: green;">Pros</span>: Fixed, fair prices; Charity program; Best standard polycarbonate lenses; Great frame collection (metal frames now available, too). <br />
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<span style="color: red;">Cons</span>: Hard to clean; Long-term quality TBD.<br />
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<b>DB Vision</b><br />
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DB Vision offered me a complimentary pair of their digital glasses. It took me four in-home trials to arrive at a pair of frames. My hopes were not high, since I knew nothing about the brand new company, was skeptical about the digital lenses and had trouble deciding on a frame that fit. As it turns out, I love the frames and the digital lenses. The clarity of the lens is fantastic, even in a frame with a much larger lens than I thought I could wear given my Rx (see below). Even though they are also plastic frames with 1.67 lenses, they are easier to clean than my Warby Parkers and show no signs of wear. All told, I have worn these the most often, making them my unexpected favorites. <br />
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<span style="color: green;">Pros</span>: Digital lenses provide exceptional range of vision; High-quality frame with sprung hinges<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Cons</span>: Prices have jumped astronomically (see revised table below); Most frames too large for me<br />
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<b>*Updated* Summary Table</b><br />
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Here is an updated table condensing all the important information you need to know about these three retailers:<br />
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<table border="2" bordercolor="#000000" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: #c3c3c3; border-collapse: collapse;"><caption>High Index Glasses (Complete with Frame, Lens and Shipping) Cost Comparison</caption> <tbody>
<tr style="background-color: #0066ff; color: white; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-top: 5px;"> <th></th> <th>Warby Parker</th> <th>DB Vision</th> <th>Glasses.com</th> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td><b>Virtual Try-On</b></td><td>Yes</td> <td>No</td> <td>Yes</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Home Try-On</b></td> <td>Yes; 5 frames per order, 5 day period</td> <td>Yes; 4 frames per order, 5 day period</td> <td>Yes; 5 frames per order, 7 day period</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td><b>Offline Storefront</b></td> <td>Yes, several states</td> <td>Yes; pharmacies, kiosks and military bases; locations <s>not</s> listed on website</td> <td>No, but free frame adjustments at Walmart </td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Live Chat</b></td> <td>Yes</td> <td>No</td> <td>Yes</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td><b>Free Shipping/Free Returns</b></td> <td>Yes/Yes</td> <td>No/Yes</td> <td>Yes/Yes</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Returns Policy and Guarantee</b></td> <td>30-day no hassle money back; 1 year replacement on lenses if scratched</td> <td>"Customer service" promise</td> <td>30-day no hassle money back; 1 year defect protection on frames and lenses; 1 year 50% credit towards purchase for accidental damage</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td><b>Frame Materials</b></td> <td>Cellulose Acetate; Titanium</td> <td>Acetate or Metal</td> <td>All types</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Hinge Types</b></td> <td>Teflon-coated, five-barrel hinges (not sprung)</td> <td>Spring hinges on all frames</td> <td>Varies (designer)</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td><b>Lens Material</b></td> <td>Polycarbonate</td> <td><s>Standard polycarbonate or</s> digital polycarbonate</td> <td>Polycarbonate (2 high-index options)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Frame adjustment cost</b></td> <td>Reimbursed - send in your receipt</td> <td>Reimbursed - send in your receipt</td> <td>Ask for certificate to Walmart</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td><b>Total Cost for 1.67 High Index lenses + Shipping</b></td> <td>$125 for plastic; $175 for titanium</td> <td><s>$64.95 (standard) or $104.95 (digital)</s>$249 ($50 frame plus $199 lenses) </td> <td>$89 or $129 plus cost of frame (min $29, max $395 depending on designer); coupons available</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Shopping experience rating</b></td> <td>5 stars</td> <td>5 stars </td> <td>3.5 stars</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td><b>Quality of glasses rating</b></td> <td>4 stars</td> <td>4.5 stars </td> <td>3.5 stars</td> </tr>
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Well, that about concludes my review, except for one last bit of advice about Frame PD, a factor that is lacking from most online buying tutorials I have seen. <br />
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<b>A final word of advice: PD and Frame PD</b><br />
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I recently helped my parents order their glasses online and realized that it is very confusing for people not familiar with frame measurements to make educated choices about eyewear online. Especially with some of the cheapest eyewear websites not included in this review, a majority of the new, trendy styles come with very large lenses or over-sized nose bridges (this also applies to "alternative fit" styles coming from Asia). Virtual try-ons often resize the frame to fit your face, so you would never know its real size without reading the numbers. <br />
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I have thus far only had a chance to mention this key point in passing. In previous parts of this review, I have talked about lens types, coatings, product guarantees, shipping, costs, quality control and why it costs so much more and is much more difficult to get decent high index lenses compared to standard plastic CR-39 or mid-index polycarbonate (which are not suitable for prescriptions above +/-4.00). I also advised that consumers shop around – online and offline – to find frames in a suitable style, shape and size before attempting to buy the exact or similar frame online. But this is not always possible to do given the constraints and pressures of shopping in-store. <br />
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The three retailers chosen herein were selected for their in-home try-on programs, but there are also many other online opticians with even cheaper prices that might offer suitable options within your price range. For instance, Zenni Optical, Eyebuydirect, Coastal.com, 39dollarglasses and Firmoo all offer reasonably cheap frames and lenses. The sites have mixed reviews and their return policies vary from generous to miserly. A full review is outside the scope of this post. Since high-index lenses are never included in the super cheap offers (like “full pair of glasses for $6.95”, “first pair free” or “free lenses”), you have to click through to your cart and choose your lens options before determining your final price. In this way, it's a bit like the bait-and-switch that happens at your optician’s office (Buy-1-get-1-free on all glasses! *<span style="font-size: xx-small;">single vision, under +/-4.00</span>). It can be daunting and confusing to buy glasses online site unseen, but ultimately cheaper than the companies reviewed in full here. I chose not to take the risk of buying frames that I could not try on beforehand, but I might do so in the future. If you are buying high-index glasses online with or without in-home trials, the following information may be useful. <br />
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<b>What is "Frame PD" and why does it matter?</b><br />
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In the previous installments of this multipart review, I made reference numerous times to PD or pupil distance and also to what is known as a "frame PD". These important measurements are what I refer to when I say that a frame is "too big" for my face and/or my prescription. I am spending a bit of time on this because this is a how-to for high index glasses, which require thinned lenses that are prone to aberrations and distortions when incorrectly fitted. If you do not wear high index glasses, this will likely be less of a concern to you, but not irrelevant.<br />
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Your <b>Binocular PD</b> or <b>Pupil Distance</b> is the measurement – in millimeters – of the distance between your two pupils. The measurement is needed to prepare your glasses, because it indicates to your optician where your eyes will sit in the frame. This is vital, because when glasses lenses are cut, the center of the lens is the most accurate point of your prescription where your vision will be the clearest. It is also the narrowest point. Distance lenses will flare outwards from there, becoming thicker (and more distorted) towards the edges. Ideally, your eyes should sit centrally in your frames for this reason. The center of the lens (its thinnest point) must sit right in front of your pupil. A millimeter either way could cause issues.<br />
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One of the keys to buying glasses online is that you need to know your PD. Your optician will likely measure this with a handy machine that you look into for a few seconds. Liberating this measurement from your optician is no small feat. But, once armed with your PD and your Rx, you are comfortably able to have your glasses made anywhere – including by online retailers at a fraction of the price. Many opticians see giving this number away as bad business. I see not giving it to me as even worse business, because I'll never be back again, not even for an eye exam or when I have comprehensive vision coverage. Luckily I found a helpful optician nearby (after several attempts at different ones) who measured it for me without question. He realized that a) it wasn't taking business away from him because I had no intention of shopping in-store anyway, because b) there was nothing he could do to help me afford his prices. Your local optician may or may not feel the same way. I have heard that Walmart opticians give out PDs to anyone who asks, so that might be the best route if the Walmarts near you are less hideous than the ones in New York. <br />
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It is also possible to measure it yourself, using <a href="http://www.glasses2you.co.uk/glasses/guide-to-buying#Pupillary">instructions like these</a>. There are now apps for phones and tablets that purport to measure it for you. I'm not going to advertise those here since I can't verify if any of them work. I also doubt the ability of high-index lens wearers to successfully navigate one of these apps once they take their glasses off. If you choose to do it yourself, try it a few times and using the different methods so that you can be sure of its accuracy. Adult PDs are usually between 60 and 66mm and will not change, so you do not have to have it re-measured with every new eye examination. <br />
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So, figuring out your personal PD is <i>relatively</i> simple. But what is a "frame PD" and why does it matter? Referring to the measurement sample image from firmoo.com (above), the frame PD is the measurement that includes the lens width plus the bridge distance (nose). So using the figures in the sample, <b>the frame PD is 52mm+18mm, or 70mm</b>. <br />
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For illustration, let us assume that your <b>personal binocular PD is 60mm</b>. That leaves a 10mm difference between the two measurements (70mm - 60mm = 10mm). Divide by two and you get 5mm per lens. You can plug the data from your frame into this simple formula to work it out for yourself: <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: magenta;"><table border="0"><tbody>
<tr> <td><u>((Frame PD) – (Binocular PD))</u></td> <td>=</td> <td>horizontal decentration per lens</td> </tr>
<tr> <td>2</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></b><br />
<br />
The resulting number gives your lens dispenser the appropriate level of "horizontal decentration", or the distance in millimeters that they have to literally slide your lens to one side in your frame so that the thinnest and strongest part of the lens – the center - falls in front of your pupil. <br />
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All raw, uncut lenses are large circles (see image above). The lenses in a pair of glasses are smaller, usually oblong and cut out from the blank lens circle. The more off-center they are (based on the horizontal decentration between your PD and the frame PD), the thicker the visible edge will be on your actual glasses. You can see photographs of the <a href="http://www.firmoo.com/how-to-make-eyewear.html">process of cutting, centering and glazing lenses here</a>. <br />
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Shifting a lens 5mm might not sound a lot, but it <i>is</i> a lot for high indexes. What does it mean for your glasses? Well, the more out-sized your glasses are, the thicker your lenses are going to be. This has aesthetic ramifications, especially for thin metal frames, because your lens edges will stick out of your frame and look like coke bottles. Using my measurements and prescription, if I choose a frame with 54mm lenses and 18mm bridge, my lens edge would be 7.4mm thick at 1.67 high index. By choosing a smaller frame (50x16, for instance), the edge thickness drops to 5.7mm. That is a substantial savings in excess weight and distortion. <br />
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If the edges of the lenses are polished, then you will be burdened by glare unless the frame covers it entirely. You will also notice more distortion or warping as you look through the outer areas of the lens (my digital lenses from DB Vision noticeably reduce this). Finally, bigger lenses will be heavier on your nose and can weigh down your glasses, causing them to slide or even give you headaches. A bridge that's too wide for your face will add to your frame's PD and also be prone to sliding. This is an important tip for petite women who want to wear trendy hipster glasses with big lenses, or, like myself, who prefer the fit of men's frames to narrow girly ones. <br />
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A helpful tool for determining just how distorted your high index lenses will be depending on the size of the frame and your lens index (1.67 vs. 1.74, for instance) can be found here: <a href="http://www.justeyewear.com/thickness-calculator/">Lens Thickness Calculator</a>. <br />
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Use a ruler or tape measure against the edge of your current glasses to get an idea of any changes in your Rx affecting the thickness. If you're worried that your lenses will be too thick, the best way to fix that is to choose a frame with a smaller lens width or frame PD. Choosing a thinner lens option will also help, but all the websites that I reviewed here only offered 1.67 high index (except for the special replacement I was given by Glasses.com at 1.74). Acetate frames hide the lens edge more than thin metal frames; thick stems hide it more than narrow ones. Avoid semi-rim styles. But those are mostly superficial concerns. The main reason to avoid over-sized glasses is the eyestrain and potential impact on your visual acuity. That doesn't mean you can't wear wayfarers; they just have to be the right proportion.<br />
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The good news is that once you find a pair of glasses that fit your face well and are the right size, you probably won't have to go through this process again. Simply write down the measurements of your frames (they're written on the frame itself) the next time you need to go shopping. If you figure these measurements out at your local optician, you can then freely order on one of the cheaper websites that doesn't offer IHTO and reduce (though not eliminate) your risk of being unhappy with your purchase. As it happens, back before online shopping, I never paid much attention to this and just relied on other people telling me that the frames looked okay. I would get them home later with my prescription in them and usually not be fully happy with the choice. So for me I had to do this from scratch so that I could update my glasses with more modern styles and still get a good fit for my lenses. It was worth the time. <br />
<br />
When one optician kept harping on about size, I felt very limited in his showroom. Every time I chose a frame, he would shake his head disapprovingly. He kept insisting on a small, round, wired frame like the one I was desperate to get rid of. And he was right to keep me alerted to size, but buying online (risk-free with free returns) let me experiment a bit more. I now have 3 pairs of glasses all with slightly different sizes, but with a total width (both lenses plus bridge) of either 116 or 117mm. (I didn't measure them at the time, but this is how it worked out, attesting to the fact that you can tell the right frame PD by the fit and how they look on you). They are all different materials and lens heights, from 26mm to 32mm. On the advice of the offline optician, I never would have gone with a 32mm tall lens, but they actually excellent for the range of vision they provide. In short, even high index wearers can experiment – within reason – with frame size and style. Just be sure to <a href="http://www.framesdirect.com/include/information/face_shape_guide.aspx">shop for your face shape</a> and be aware of potential distortions. I keep linking to this poor girl, but her experience is one we can all learn from: <a href="http://www.theredglasses.com/2010/11/review-on-zenniopticalcom-and-my-new.html">this is what happens</a> when you bargain hunt in haste without checking your ideal measurements!<br />
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<br />
<b>The End</b><br />
<br />
I have thus far had over 2,000 unique views on this series of posts, attesting to a lot of people seeking information about buying glasses online. I would not hesitate to recommend any cheap glasses website for people buying single vision, regular index glasses, because you can get them as cheaply as $6.95 a pair and are not limited by concerns over distortions. But this review is aimed at high-index wearers whose concerns over lens quality and cost are more profound. Popular shopping forums direct people to sites like GlassyEyes for reviews and tips about buying glasses online, but not only is that site rather slow and out of date, it is also not geared towards high-indexes and does not review any of the three sites that I have ordered from. Judging by the positive responses I have received, my reviews fill a niche in the market. Please get in touch if you need any more personalized eyewear advice or if you would like me to do a review of your products.<br />
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To my other regular visitors, we will return to our regularly scheduled anthropological programming in my next post!<br />
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<br />
<br />
<h3>
Eyeglasses Review Index</h3>
<ul>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 1): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/07/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">A comparison review</a></li>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 2): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/review-how-to-buy-glasses-online.html">Glasses.com</a></li>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 3): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Warby Parker</a></li>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 4): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/09/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">DB Vision</a></li>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 5): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/10/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Summary and Conclusion</a></li>
</ul>
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<br />
<br />
Image Credits from top: Y4G3R/Deviantart; PD tools, Frame PD and uncut lens photos all from Firmoo.comFran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-17635377097449141412012-09-10T16:54:00.001-04:002013-04-05T13:08:25.567-04:00How to buy glasses online (Part 4): DB VisionThis is Part 4 of my multipart review <i>How to buy glasses online</i>. I have already posted my review of <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Warby Parker</a> and <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/review-how-to-buy-glasses-online.html">Glasses.com</a>. This is the third and final review to complete my comparison, and will be followed by a recap and summary post in Part 5. <br />
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<b>DB Digital Balance – <a href="http://www.dbvision.com/">DBVision.com</a></b><br />
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Each of the companies reviewed in this series stand out from the crowd for one reason or another: Glasses.com for its branding and designer frames. Warby Parker for its soaring popularity and media coverage. DB Vision also caught my eye for some exceptional reasons. It is probably the most unique in terms of the product (digital lenses) and shopping experience (online or via kiosk in select locations). DB may be the least well-known, but hopefully this review will change that. <br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
Since this has been my first time buying glasses online, I have relied a lot on word-of-mouth and online product reviews to narrow down my options. DB Vision was, for me, a mysterious newcomer (launched in June 2012 according to their Facebook page) that I happened upon incidentally with a Google search back in early July when I was looking for sites that offered free home try-on. Their website is sleek and modern in appearance and layout, but the brand itself is so new that a quick search for DB Vision or "Digital Balance reviews" brings up next to nothing. <br />
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That's usually enough for me to move along, but their offer of a pair of frames + <i>digital lenses</i> for only $99 (a rock-bottom $59 for standard polycarbonate) and no bump in price with either type of lens for high index got me extremely interested. Just the frames alone were priced at only $39 and could also be ordered with plano (non-Rx) or prescription sunglass lenses [See "Updated Prices" below]. They also provide 30-day no-hassle returns and have a one-year anti-scratch policy on all lenses. <br />
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I returned to the website a few days in a row to browse the frames and read more about the lenses, coatings and other information. When I viewed the <a href="https://dbvision.com/Try/Location">Find A Location</a> page to see where the company was based, it simply stated "shopping malls, pharmacies and military bases", with no addresses. The website has since been updated, so I'm going from memory, but there was an indication that you could visit kiosks at these locations and purchase your glasses with a swipe of a credit card. The minimalist level of information kept me a little in the dark, but I was intrigued. <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/business/columnists/cheryl-hall/20120908-farmers-branch-company-takes-battle-for-prescription-eyewear-into-mall-walkways.ece">An optician with self-service kiosks in malls and pharmacies</a>? As the kind of person who prefers self-checkout to dealing with humans, that's right up my alley. Major geek points. As it happens, however, their locations are all in Texas.<br />
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Some expert Googling skills helped me to determine that DB Vision is part of the Dr. Barnes group of companies including Dr. Barnes Eyemart Express, Dr. Barnes Vision 4 less, Dr. Barnes Vision Mart Express and Dr. Barnes Eyewear Express. Wow, he sure loves his name. (I admit Dr. B. is a nice name.) None of these are well-known in New York, so I had simply never heard of them. <br />
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What would the quality of DB Vision lenses be like? I was tempted to start with a set of home demo frames and go from there, but one can never be too safe before giving away their credit card details to secure an order from an unknown company with a minimalist website. I'm naturally wary about this, so I threw out a tweet to see if anyone could help. <br />
<br />
<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Anyone ever ordered from <a href="http://t.co/MR3jstvp" title="http://dbvision.com">dbvision.com</a>? I need reviews. All I can find out is that it's owned by this guy <a href="http://t.co/SNc6A2a2" title="http://www3.dmagazine.com/content/100-Most-Expensive-Homes-In-Dallas-2011/H.-Doug-Barnes">www3.dmagazine.com/content/100-Mo…</a><br />
— Dr. Fran Barone (@Frnnr) <a data-datetime="2012-07-07T23:38:14+00:00" href="https://twitter.com/Frnnr/status/221750001120972800">July 7, 2012</a></blockquote>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></center>
<br />
My request for reviews and link to Dallas eyeglass mogul H. Doug Barnes' multimillionaire profile netted me a kind response from @<a href="https://twitter.com/dbvisioneyewear">DBVisionEyewear</a> explaining that the company is new and inviting me to be their first reviewer, even going as far as to offer me a complimentary pair of glasses. The personal touch sold it for me and I placed my first in-home try-on order for 4 demo frames. <br />
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Later, I would receive a tweet and blog comment from Nancy (@<a href="http://twitter.com/teagreenmint">teagreenmint</a>) raving about the quality and price of her digital glasses from DB Vision. You can read about her experience buying from a DB Vision kiosk at RiteAid <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/07/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html?showComment=1344348776999#c3698661186048096845">here</a>. Apart from some delays with shipping (20 days from start to finish with some gaps in communication) her order was packed well and she is very happy with her glasses and the customer service. I love that social media can so easily change the way companies do business and consumers find information and like-minded shoppers. This is one of the reasons why I decided to write these reviews. Many thanks to Nancy for getting in touch!<br />
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[Update] Hot off the presses: If you're visiting from Texas, be sure to check out <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/business/columnists/cheryl-hall/20120908-farmers-branch-company-takes-battle-for-prescription-eyewear-into-mall-walkways.ece">this article over at Dallas News</a> for more information about the Barnes family, DB Vision's innovative business plan, its in-store and mall locations, and how to purchase your frames from one of their kiosks. I like this quote in particular:<br />
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<blockquote>
As for competitive reception at the mall: "It’s been bloody murder," he says. "We knew that they weren't going to be happy, but we didn’t know how bad of a reaction we were going to get." DB Vision opened 20 feet away from the entrance of the EyeMasters in NorthEast Mall in Hurst. "They would just stand in their doorway and glare at us," Barnes says. "They forced us to move to the center of the mall. It’s next to the Gap, so it's actually better for us."</blockquote>
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That's how you know you're doing something right!<br />
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Note that the frame options and buying process differ in-person from online and that this review is for the website only. Already purchased from DB Vision at an offline location? Be sure to share your review in the comment section below.<br />
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<br />
<b>Customer Service</b><br />
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My Twitter contact from DB Vision kept in steady communication with me throughout my ordering process and answered all of my questions (there were many) in a cheerful, polite and prompt manner. I also received a helpful email from Matt McBride answering some of my questions about the company's background, lenses and home try-on service. For instance, he gave me this bit of background about the company:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
Who is DB Vision?<br />
DB Vision is the newest optical experience by Dr. Barnes, – a visionary committed to value and quality for more than 37 years, and who owns and operates more than 130 optical retail stores in 32 states. Based out of its home office in Farmers Branch, Tx, DB Vision is focused on developing the best online optical retail experience possible, along with small optical retail footprint solutions in malls and pharmacies. </blockquote>
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Because my online order was being dealt with personally – there are no DB Vision kiosks in New York at present – I had no delays and felt that there was always someone at hand to help me. The website could do with some improvements to streamline the ordering process (more on that below), but I could not have asked for more patient customer service. By the end, I had opted for 4 home trials spaced over a month and asked plenty of questions about the lenses, coatings, edge polish, frames, etc. I have yet to encounter a single offline optician who would be as generous with their time and information as that of the online retailers reviewed here.<br />
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As far as social media engagement, I dealt mostly via DM on Twitter. There have been only a few public posts on that account, and no real action on their Facebook page (not that I'm so bothered about Facebook). Since I am one of the earliest customers on the website and their kiosk locations are still being named, perhaps it is just early days. Maybe they are even better known in Texas and the name has simply not reached New York yet. I do hope that they will consider taking a more active role on social media. It's a great way to spread the word and keep an ongoing conversation with existing and potential customers. <br />
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<br />
<b>Digital Balance Lenses</b><br />
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Out of all the companies in my multi-part review, only DBVision.com offers digitally-surfaced lenses that they call Digital Balance lenses:<br />
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<blockquote>
<i><b>Polycarbonate Digital Balance Lenses</b> </i><br />
<br />
DB Vision offers high-definition eyeglass lenses called Digital Balance. Digital Balance lenses are the result of an advanced manufacturing process that reduces higher-order aberrations – difficulty seeing at night, glare, halos, blurring, starbursts, double-vision – occurring in lenses created with traditional lens manufacturing tools and processes. With digitally surfaced Digital Balance lenses, the fabrication of the lenses from an eyeglass prescription is optimized with advanced manufacturing tools or "surfacing" equipment much more precise than conventional tools. In fact, digital technology can surface a lens in higher power intervals compared to increments of conventional eyeglass lens tooling. When optimizing the lens power, the technology also takes into consideration how the lenses, when in the frames, are positioned in front of the eyes. The result of a Digital Balance lens is a viewing experience 10 times more accurate at all points of the lens when looking through it, and a view that's like looking at the world in high definition! </blockquote>
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You have to admit that it sounds amazing. And it should! Any high-index wearers who have been to their local optician or Lenscrafters recently will certainly been pushed into upgrading to digital or HD lenses. My optician was going to dispense me 1.67 high index digital lenses (as offered by DB Vision) for $375 plus I would have had to buy my frame elsewhere because I don't have vision insurance. That deal was actually fair by offline optician standards. Lenscrafters wanted something like $750 for their equivalent lenses after all the prerequisite up-selling that they force on customers. <br />
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Now, while I am becoming proficient in purchasing glasses online, I am not an expert on digital lens surfacing or high definition lens options. I do think that what Luxottica companies up-sell as improved digital lenses are certainly not worth what they charge. The information provided by DB Vision does specifically not indicate that their digital lenses are "free form", which is a term I have often heard to describe the digital process. I don't even know if there's a single industry standard on that, so I am not sure of the technical veracity of claims about better clarity. <br />
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I found <a href="https://www.vsp.com/free-form-lenses.html">this useful website which explains</a> in the most detail I have seen thus far how new digital, free-form lenses make an improvement upon the prescription clarity of standard polycarbonate lenses. Apart from lessening higher-level aberrations via more accurate surfacing, the other improvements - namely, greater Rx accuracy up to 1/100th of a diopter, and better vision acuity based on how close the frame sits to your eye - seems like something that would have to be measured at the time of your optical exam using digitally calibrated machines and/or at the time of your fitting, respectively. How that can be achieved by purchasing via the web is not entirely clear to me. All I know for sure is how I feel and see when I put them on; and I think most people will agree that that is the most important test.<br />
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<br />
<b>Frame Selection</b><br />
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To put the DBVision.com shopping experience in context with the other companies under review here, they also offer in-home try-on (IHTO) for free, with 4 frames for up to 5 days and free return shipping. They carry a variety of metal and acetate, full-rim or half-rim, frames organized on the site into four categories: <i>Business</i>, <i>Vintage</i>, <i>Sport+Sun</i> and <i>Fashion</i>, with 18 unique styles in each category. These categories are helpful and pretty accurate in terms of an overall label for the styles contained in each one. <br />
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<a href="https://dbvision.com/shop/Business">Business</a> frames tend to have a more executive look, with simple styling and sharper angles in acetate, half-rim metal and classic wire frames. Since I tend to like simple, rectangular frames, a lot of these were my favorites. In my first two IHTOs, I ordered several of these as demos, including <a href="https://dbvision.com/product/BROKER">Broker</a> (which I nearly selected as my final choice) and <a href="https://dbvision.com/product/ASSET">Asset</a>. <br />
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The <a href="https://dbvision.com/shop/Vintage">Vintage</a> frames are mostly chunky plastics in bold, geek-worthy styles like wayfarers or aviators. My absolute favorite frames that I tried on came from this category – called <a href="https://dbvision.com/product/BERKLEY">Berkley</a> – but they were sadly too large for my face. If you are considering them, they are a very nice frame with a solid build and black front acetate backed by tortoise shell, which gives them deep, rich warmth that will work well with most skin tones. I was sad when these didn't work out for me. <br />
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The <a href="https://dbvision.com/shop/Sport">Sport + Sun</a> collection features fashionable sunglasses as well as streamlined wire frames with sporting lifestyles in mind. I tried the <a href="https://dbvision.com/product/FINISH%20LINE">Finish Line</a> wire frames, which have curved stem tips that really hold on well to the back of your head during physical activity. I almost went for these wire frames just for the jogging benefits. They really stay put. <br />
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Finally, the <a href="https://dbvision.com/shop/Fashion">Fashion</a> collection stands out with its colorful and shiny details on the temples. You can't tell at first glance on the website until you look at all angles of the frame, but the glasses in this collection are adorned with metallic patterns, sparkly rhinestones or even leopard print. I surprised myself by choosing a frame from this collection – <a href="https://dbvision.com/product/soho">Soho</a> – in chunky gray acetate, but they are also rather vintage in style. <br />
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My first IHTO order arrived within a few days of placing it and the following three orders were just as prompt. Overall, the frames are excellent quality and I believe that they all have sprung hinges for comfort. I had one wonky frame in the trials, but this is something I also experienced with the other companies. It can be annoying, but I am certain that no company would hesitate to send out a new demo pair for you should you contact them about it. I just ordered them again in my next set. <br />
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The frame selection at DB Vision (72 different styles) is certainly broad, but it would have been nice to see two or three color options per frame. Sometimes a second color is shown in the sample images, but it is not clear whether or not you can order it. For instance, my Soho frames also come in tortoise/olive as worn by one of the models on the item page (I'm partial to tortoise). <br />
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As mentioned above, a majority of the glasses have some kind of hardware adornment on the temple, like a chrome segment or pyramidal rows of plastic. I tend not to like shiny metal bits stuck to things and looked for more plain options. But as it happens, the Soho frames have silver details on the temples, and I like them a lot! So I am fairly confident that there are frames in their collections to suit everyone. Sometimes you have to go out of your comfort zone and you'll be surprised. A trickier request would be to have the frames come in petite sizes. That would be helpful for me, but a lot of frame manufacturers only make one size. It's just my bad luck that I like more "masculine" frames that tend to be larger. <br />
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[There is not much room here for a full explanation about what I mean when I say that the frames "are too big" for my prescription, so I am going to write a separate section in my next post regarding binocular PD, "frame PD", lens sizes and how you can optimize your frame choice for high-index lenses.]<br />
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<br />
<b>Website Features</b><br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.dbvision.com/">DB Vision website</a> was still under construction when I first visited and it has since been updated to contain more information, such as store locations. The four glasses categories described above are prominently featured for easy browsing from the top of the page. You can also view the frames on models in their online <a href="https://dbvision.com/Lookbook/Vintage">look book</a>. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQhuOa1kaODwR3vZ1zYCNjZu9i1LBF1pzcwjaFSI72Wx3xrldVaK1VXuSTVCLtraTG8_sxlD3ISa4CMlgJt-P5rfn9qcvDso_Eo9xinlaRPxAf-1xQH7pUWbgFMzEd5BGOFBB70XXKM4/s1600/LookVintage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQhuOa1kaODwR3vZ1zYCNjZu9i1LBF1pzcwjaFSI72Wx3xrldVaK1VXuSTVCLtraTG8_sxlD3ISa4CMlgJt-P5rfn9qcvDso_Eo9xinlaRPxAf-1xQH7pUWbgFMzEd5BGOFBB70XXKM4/s1600/LookVintage.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
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Also on the site are <a href="https://dbvision.com/Learn/Faq">FAQs</a> about their <a href="https://dbvision.com/Learn/Lenses">lenses, coating options</a> and policies. Admittedly, the website has a few teething problems. For one, some pages of the look book do not match the frame selection. Clicking on the links, you are brought to the wrong page, or, alternatively, the frame available for purchase is a different color. I mention this only because it is an easy fix to remedy the links.<br />
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As I also noted about the Warby Parker website, there are no vertical dimensions on the frames, so you are left wondering just how big your glasses will be. Had I known some of the frames would be 37mm in height(under 29mm is ideal for me), I would not have included them in my IHTO. There is no virtual try-on, so IHTO is really the only option and of course that's the best way to be sure of the fit. The pictures of the models wearing the glasses do not help as much as one might think. Plus, I have been confused by the colors of the frames and even the tint on the sunglasses, because it looks much darker on the model than the sample photo of the frame on its own.<br />
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Having said that, I love the 360-degree interactive images on each frame page. The pictures are really clear and you can get a good feel for the glasses by turning them around. As far as I can tell, it's a site feature unique to DB (and its sister sites). <br />
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Any information not yet on the site has been readily available to me through my Twitter contact. One way that communication could be improved for customers, however, is with a live chat facility. I tend to use live chat more than telephone when I'm shopping online. It's just a preference, but I think it helps to have as many live communication options as possible. Of course telephone support is available.<br />
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One of the reasons why I had to place my final order for my DB Vision glasses by Twitter and email is because I could not enter my prescription on the website. The strength of my OD was not listed in the drop-down menus. Relatively speaking, it is not that strong a prescription, and they did a great job filling it, so I'm not sure why the option is not on there. One last note is that in the order history in my Account, no tracking number is provided for shipments (even though there's a place for it). On the positive side, there is a page which instructs you on how to adjust your glasses yourself in case they don’t fit right out of the box. DB will also refund you up to $10 if you have to take them to your optician for an adjustment. <br />
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<br />
<b>My DB Vision Glasses</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLai75Or0N2fUIVW8FvPiV78M-Zk6rFu3oCIJaE46XxvT6JH3QQQqCNBeLCISSPIXij4UszWhIN5P_nxKLHedsLYyB4t875wNxqr5VAomSB1pkyJscxxzhp6cq2kLAsLO_6kJupv54nGk/s1600/Unboxing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLai75Or0N2fUIVW8FvPiV78M-Zk6rFu3oCIJaE46XxvT6JH3QQQqCNBeLCISSPIXij4UszWhIN5P_nxKLHedsLYyB4t875wNxqr5VAomSB1pkyJscxxzhp6cq2kLAsLO_6kJupv54nGk/s320/Unboxing.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I placed my order via email on August 28th and received my new DB Vision glasses in the post via overnight delivery on September 7th. The delivery was prompt and the glasses were very well packaged in a sleek black case inside a DB vision box, which was bubble padded in an outer cardboard shipping box. Inside the case, they were wrapped in a foam sheet secured with tape. Also included were a new cleaning cloth (very nice) and a handy screw driver tool. I appreciate the care that went in to packing them so well. I actually really like the glasses case, too; it has squared edges and a nice "brushed" appearance on the matte black finish.<br />
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At 49mm wide by about 32mm high, the Soho frames have bigger lenses than I'm used to wearing. I would normally not order lenses this "tall" because I always presume that I will notice a lot of distortion or dizziness. But I really loved how they looked in the home try-on and wanted to try something new. They have a fun, vintage-geeky style to them that suits me perfectly. Also, I predicted that they would be a good test for the clarity of the digital lenses, especially the claims that Digital Balance lenses offer a wider, more accurate and sharper field of view. Are they really as great as they sound? <br />
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The glasses looked perfect when I unwrapped them. Since I have had some initial trouble with this from Glasses.com, I examined the edge of the lens closely before putting the glasses on. They were cut completely accurately. The thick acetate frame hides the edges nicely and I immediately loved the black/gray color frames even more than I remembered from the demo frames. <br />
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I slipped them on and gave my eyes a few minutes to adjust. They definitely felt different from my other glasses and they were certainly clear and sharp. At the time of writing, I have been wearing them since I first tried them on. They feel great and don't make me dizzy at all. I never see any reflections or lines in bright sunlight or in traffic at night. The anti-reflective coating is as good as any premium-priced lens I've worn before. Having "tested" them a bit over the past few days, I also believe that there is a wider field of view compared with other lenses I have worn. That is to say, there is less distortion as I look through more peripheral parts of the lens and when I move my head from side to side. As a result, I'm exceedingly pleased that I chose the frames that I liked the most even though they had bigger lenses. Avid readers may recall that in my last update to my review of <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/review-how-to-buy-glasses-online.html">Glasses.com in Part 2</a>, I hypothesized that some of my dizziness might have come from the large lenses. Not so with my DB Vision glasses.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVVq6-jvUJxL7vJsc4R1JGJA_Kh7aOwVB8aFsn-od9hSh-3JTOGEwkzvmZsELHq5SmkoJCaQSxG_fzd8UuZq4sJ6RpaYwpYANNjWJI5r5CmQHBEhszFjX5EYA5S9HhN6Fj_6kU-z7lW0/s1600/sohospin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVVq6-jvUJxL7vJsc4R1JGJA_Kh7aOwVB8aFsn-od9hSh-3JTOGEwkzvmZsELHq5SmkoJCaQSxG_fzd8UuZq4sJ6RpaYwpYANNjWJI5r5CmQHBEhszFjX5EYA5S9HhN6Fj_6kU-z7lW0/s1600/sohospin.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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The frames are also comfortable. For the sake of being thorough, the bridge may be a little wide for my nose (they slide just a bit) and I do kind of wish they had maybe a 16mm instead of 18mm bridge, but that can easily be remedied with some stick-on pads or by following the <a href="https://dbvision.com/Learn/Adjust">adjustment advice</a> on the website. I used the included screwdriver to tighten up the stems at the hinges which needed only a half turn at best. Just to cover everything, the silvery detail on the left side/temple feels a tiny bit loose if I grip it with my fingers, but nothing that I would otherwise notice while they are on. <br />
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I can safely say that <u>I highly recommend DB Vision glasses and Digital Balance lenses</u> for the quality of frame and lens, their selection of both modern and classic frames, and their generous and attentive customer service. I have been receiving many hits on my website since I first made mention of reviewing DB Vision. There is obviously a decent pool of potential customers waiting to learn more about the company and maybe a little nervous about jumping in with a new retailer in what is becoming an overwhelming marketplace. To these visitors, I recommend that you give DB Vision a try!<br />
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<br />
<b>Updated Prices</b><br />
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One of the things that initially drew me to DB Vision was their competitive prices. As mentioned above, in early July 2012, the cost of frames was $39, and any frame including lenses started at $59 for regular polycarbonate and just $99 for digital lenses. Since then, there have been some changes. All frames (as of August 19, 2012) now cost $50. The option for standard polycarbonate lenses has been removed, so now they only offer digital lenses. The price of these has jumped to $199 (<i>excluding</i> frames), or $249 with frames. While this is still highly competitive (recall that the same deal from my local optician would have cost me $475 for frame and lens), it is more than double the introductory price. The price for no-line progressives also jumped up to $299 from what I believe was $159 or $179 previously. Adding transition lenses in gray or brown adds $75 to the price. I am pretty sure that the cost of Rx sunglasses has increased, too (now $269) but I can't remember what it was originally. As much as I'd like a pair, I can't afford Rx sunglasses at that price. <br />
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Similarly, and although this is technically out of the scope of this high-index review, my mom and dad are looking for no-line progressives + transitions, and these are another expensive buy from the optician. From DB Vision, they come out to $424 for digital progressives. At Glasses.com, designer frames with no-line polycarbonate progressives and transitions came out to $198. <a href="http://eyebuydirect.com/">Eyebuydirect</a> can do "free form" photochromic progressives for as low as $75. (I have read good things about Eyebuydirect, but as yet do not know how their "free form" lenses might measure up to DB Vision's high quality digital lenses). So as not to continue inadvertently publicizing their earlier prices (I published my review table in Part 1 with the then-accurate figures some weeks ago), this explanation was necessary. <br />
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Update: I just read the following in the Dallas News article mentioned above (published two days ago, September 8, 2012):<br />
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<blockquote>
Barnes wanted to offer only the high-end digital lenses but found that some customers didn't trust newfangled lenses. And some felt the prices were too good to be true, so he actually raised them. "<b>The most shocking thing was that people couldn't and wouldn't believe the price. By raising the price, we've seen more people be comfortable with purchasing the digital product.</b>"</blockquote>
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Really, Texas? This appropriately biblical facepalm is for you:<br />
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<b>Final Thoughts</b><br />
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Which brings me to my last point. Up until now, I had been wearing the same glasses since about 2002 and the same lenses since about 2004 (I had them re-lensed when I could not afford to buy new frames). Although the frames have held up, my lenses were well and truly past their utility at least 3 or 4 years ago. The coating had all but scratched off (I wear them every day, in all conditions, including gale force winds on cliffs in Spain during my fieldwork). For the past year especially, looking through them was extremely uncomfortable. The right eye had a big worn patch right in my field of view; everything looked blotchy and unclear. Now, after wearing my new glasses for a few minutes, I could never return to the old ones. I'm not even sure how I managed to tolerate them for so long and I just hope it didn't do any lasting damage. <br />
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The frames only survived as long as they have because I am really careful with them, knowing that, despite their importance for my everyday well-being and optical health, I cannot afford to replace them at the prices that opticians generally charge. After scraping by on student loans and loose change to pay for my PhD only to enter a dire job market with no healthcare coverage, no insurance and no federal aid or state benefits, I have to watch every penny. Anyone who has ever spent upwards of $600 on glasses that they could not really afford - evidently not a problem for wealthy Dallasites fearful of a good deal - never sits on them by mistake, throws them, leaves them lying around out of their case or cleans their lenses with the corner of their shirt.<br />
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Understanding the extortionate cost of wearing high index glasses is yet another reason why I have been so meticulous throughout my reviews. A lot of people might not notice small imperfections where I look for them. But my glasses have to last a long time! I have even kept my old frames which – I give credit in part to sturdy construction by Ocean Pacific in addition to my own care – are still in pristine shape and would probably outlast most new frames on the market today. I doubt I'll wear them again given the plethora of frame choices at reasonable prices online, but you never know. <br />
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I am very thankful that companies like DB Vision, Warby Parker and Glasses.com (among dozens of other online retailers) exist and that they offer such amazing discounts to their customers. For some, acquiring a haul of cheap glasses on the internet is just for fun, but being able to afford to see again was a lifesaver for me. For once, I own more than one pair, alleviating my horror that my glasses might break at an inopportune moment and I will have to recruit a seeing-eye dog to find my way home. I am also confident that if my prescription changes or if I need to replace them in a year or two, I have much more affordable options than ever before. Not only that, but they look great and give me fantastic clarity of vision. No more ugly, over-priced, bottom-of-the-barrel frame and lens options earmarked for the uninsured who are invariably treated like dregs by Luxottica. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUfNrXmU1r5fKo5NsdcKhDKG694s-nUbDTQSH4LmnMQhN5bGFE5C5q7OLmqH34ptPGxtRUsF4YPzo4Ln1fYMq7rKYH79AF-b56H4nYnk53dpkBMrAHvHC7zRDJi_dLy31wE6CBcrb5E0/s1600/kiosk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUfNrXmU1r5fKo5NsdcKhDKG694s-nUbDTQSH4LmnMQhN5bGFE5C5q7OLmqH34ptPGxtRUsF4YPzo4Ln1fYMq7rKYH79AF-b56H4nYnk53dpkBMrAHvHC7zRDJi_dLy31wE6CBcrb5E0/s320/kiosk.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Above all, DB Vision was extremely generous in offering me a complimentary pair of glasses without any demands as to the content of this review (unlike "sponsored" reviews of other popular online retailers that you will certainly find on other blogs). Everything you have read here is my honest opinion and reflects my actual experience. I am always pleased to find companies that understand and adapt to today's consumer world influenced by social media, where people expect honest reviews to reflect the integrity of honest companies, or they move along elsewhere. <br />
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I wish DB great success as they expand into the growing market. Their edge will be their digital lenses with their standout production (the best cut lenses I have seen throughout my buying experiences), attention to detail in packing and shipping, good variety of frame styles, innovative shopping methods (online or via kiosk) and, of course, the personal touch. All they need now is a storefront in New York! <br />
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<br />
<b>Want more?</b><br />
<br />
Stay tuned for a summary post recapping my shopping experience (with photos of my glasses if I get around to taking some) an updated comparison table, a Frame PD tutorial and tips about choosing the right frame for your face given the properties of high index lenses.<br />
<br />
Continue to <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/10/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Part 5</a>.<br />
<br />
Looking for more reviews and advice? Go back to <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/07/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Part 1</a>, <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/review-how-to-buy-glasses-online.html">Part 2</a> or <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Part 3</a>.<br />
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<br />
<h3>
Eyeglasses Review Index</h3>
<ul>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 1): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/07/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">A comparison review</a></li>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 2): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/review-how-to-buy-glasses-online.html">Glasses.com</a></li>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 3): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Warby Parker</a></li>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 4): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/09/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">DB Vision</a></li>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 5): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/10/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Summary and Conclusion</a></li>
</ul>
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<br />
Images:<br />
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All DB Vision images are from DB Vision.com and belong to DB Vision. <br />
Jesus facepalm from MotivatedPhotos.comFran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-67405645199175629602012-08-08T15:10:00.005-04:002013-04-05T13:08:56.145-04:00How to buy glasses online (Part 3): Warby ParkerThis is the third part of a multipart review series, <i>How To Buy Glasses Online</i>. Part 3 focuses on Warby Parker (<a href="http://warbyparker.com/">warbyparker.com</a>). If you haven't read <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/07/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Parts 1</a> or <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/review-how-to-buy-glasses-online.html">2</a>, you should start <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/07/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">here</a>. <br />
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This post marks the second of three companies under review, so I'm about mid-way in the total review process. To recap so far, this multipart review has spanned the progress of my attempt to buy high-index glasses online for the first time. Thus far, I have <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/07/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">discussed some tips and tricks for choosing online retailers and selecting frames with high-index lens buyers in mind</a>, then <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/review-how-to-buy-glasses-online.html">comprehensively reviewed my purchase at Glasses.com</a>. As of the writing of this post, my Glasses.com review is still a work in progress, so be sure to check back to see how it all works out. Each part in this review is comparative and cumulative, so best to start at the beginning if you're new to all this. Now, on to Warby Parker.<br />
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<b>Warby Parker</b><br />
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As noted in Part 1 of this series, Warby Parker is making pretty big waves in the glasses marketplace. Their story is <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/hip-eyewear-warby-parkers-new-spectacles-07012011.html">all over the web</a>, so need to repeat it here. <br />
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You have probably heard of them by now, anyway. Aesthetically, Warby Parker is a hipster's paradise. And no, that's not really my scene, but then again I've been a geek since before it was trendy. Luckily, I suit horn-rimmed glasses and Warby Parker carries a great selection at very reasonable prices. Their near-instant popularity has, in large part, stemmed from what sounds like an unbelievable deal to anyone who is used to buying glasses from a chain store. You can get a full pair of glasses for only $95. Remember, however, that this is a high-index lens review, so that jumps to <b>$125</b> for me (single vision high-index 1.67 polycarbonate + frames). That's still a bargain considering that I have been consistently quoted upwards of $500 offline for the same product. <br />
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So successful is their model - itself borrowing from Toms and Zappos.com - that it has been replicated around the web, from the likes of Eyefly and Classic Specs to this <a href="http://www.jimmyfairly.com/fr/">French company</a>. This is all good news for consumers like you and I. Greater competition in a marketplace heretofore controlled by monopolistic chains selling "designer" names at inflated prices (I'm looking at you, Luxxotica) can only be a good thing. Of course, as with any product, the rock-bottom prices available on the internet are only worth the savings if the goods and services are of as high a standard as the expensive guys. This is certainly the case with Warby Parker, which makes me more than happy to review this company. <br />
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<br />
<b>The Product</b><br />
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Like Glasses.com and DBVision.com, Warby Parker offer standard polycarbonate and 1.67 high-index lenses. All WP <a href="http://www.warbyparker.com/inquiries/#lenses">lenses</a> are double anti-reflective coated and scratch-resistant with a one-year guarantee. The <a href="http://www.warbyparker.com/inquiries/#frames-03">frames</a> are substantial and have a nice, sturdy feel to them. They are supported by strong, Teflon-coated 5-barrel hinges (not sprung). I discuss my first and second impressions of the frame quality below. Unlike Glasses.com and DBVision.com, who each carry both metal and plastic frames, Warby Parker offer exclusively acetate glasses [Update Oct 2012: <a href="http://www.warbyparker.com/titanium-collection">Titanium frame collection</a> now available!]. According to the company, they "are made of high-quality cellulose acetate sourced from a 150-year-old family-owned Italian company" and are made in China. <br />
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Warby Parker's retro/vintage styles are distinctly recognizable: definitely "on trend" if you're fashionably young, or beautifully simple and timeless if you appreciate the classics. Each of the frames come in more than one color or finish – matte black, whiskey tortoise, clear crystal or striped chestnut, to name a few – making their collection quite extensive even though it may at first glance seem rather limited compared to big retailers. As long as you like acetate frames, I am certain there is a style for every face shape and sensibility. I would also recommend giving acetate frames a chance if you have not previously worn them (read on to see how I overcame my own prejudice against plastics!).<br />
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<b>The Website</b><br />
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The Warby Parker website has a simple and intuitive UI that is easy to browse and offers virtual try-on as well as several angle views of most of the frames. <br />
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When you click on the sample image of each style, you are also provided with the measurements of the frames/lenses. This includes the lens width, bridge width and stem length. On regular optical frames (not sunglasses), the lens height is not displayed. For sunglasses, all measurements, including lens height, are displayed when you mouse-over the image of the frames. This is one feature that I believe could be improved, as lens height is a significant measurement for getting the right fit in any type of frame. <br />
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It would also be great if there were an option to order Rx sunglass lenses in any of the standard optical frames that could feasibly contain them, as I believe is the case with DBVision.com (I'll correct this supposition in the next part of my review if necessary). <br />
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Regardless, the minimalist style of the Warby Parker website is both unique and fun to browse (albeit a little top-heavy in terms of navigation, but that's a geeky complaint, not a consumer one). The frames are all very attractive and, if you're willing to be a bit adventurous, certainly worth a trial. Like all the companies in this review, they offer a free in-home try-on of 5 frames for up to 5 days, so it's not too big a deal not to have all the measurements since you can try them on before you buy. Because of their popularity, you will also find a lot of images floating around the social web, from blogs to YouTube to the official WP Facebook page, of people trying on and discussing their frame options, so that is also a helpful tool to narrow down your choice.<br />
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<b>Customer Service</b><br />
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WP also wins a prize for being extremely transparent and informative on its company story, history, philosophy and materials. I won't repeat it here, but <a href="http://www.warbyparker.com/Our-Story">check out their website to learn more</a>. In short, part of their business model includes a buy-one-give-one policy ("for every pair of glasses we sell, we provide a pair to someone in need"), so you can not only afford to see well for yourself, you can do a good deed in the process. (I understand that Classic Specs also donate 6% of each frame to charity, as well as a frame breakage policy similar to Glasses.com, but I did not care enough for their frames or website to include them in my top 3 companies to order from. I find the Classic Specs website extremely frustrating for reasons I can't precisely pin down. Are they just WP <a href="http://betabeat.com/2012/03/warby-parker-classic-specs-copycat-cease-and-desist-03092012/">copycats</a>? I am certainly not wading into <a href="http://classicspecs.tumblr.com/post/18945992371/an-open-letter-to-warby-parker">this mess</a>.)<br />
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WP offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee, with a 30-day no-hassle returns policy, free shipping both ways, and the aforementioned one-year no-scratch guarantee on lenses. I had to log on to their live chat to ask about a frame guarantee, and while no specific warranty is given, they promise to "work with you" to make you happy should your frame not hold up. Judging by the service I have received, I would have no reason at all not to trust this promise. <br />
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The service at WP is really exceptional. Email updates are prompt and the live chat is handy. The people who work there are just so friendly, it's like a complete 180 from the stuck-up opticians I have found near to my home on Long Island. I haven't had the need to call them. Their chat is only online M-F during working hours, unlike Glasses.com who seem to be around all hours of the day and night, but then WP is a smaller outfit. The IHTO service is speedy and it's the only company out of three that slips each frame into a little plastic pouch as well as putting them in a tray. I like that. It makes you feel like someone took the time to clean them up and repack them with each IHTO. The little pouches also have UPC labels with the name of the frame of them, so you can keep track without keeping your invoice nearby.<br />
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Also noteworthy is that their use of social media is pretty great. They have really embraced the culture of their demographic and the tools available to revolutionize the way companies do business today. You can find them on Twitter, Facebook and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/warbyparkerhelp">YouTube</a>, actually interacting with and responding to their customers. I have had several responses from the WP Help team on Twitter during the course of my order and writing this review.<br />
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Lastly, they also have 11 showrooms around the country, so they skirt the line between online and offline retailer, giving you the brick-and-mortar comfort without the price. You can see why WP became a strong contender for my second pair of glasses. When I learned that WP's HQ is here in New York (SoHo), I even thought about applying to work with them. Alas, I'm certainly not cool enough for that.<br />
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<b>In-Home Try-On</b><br />
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The first IHTO that I ever ordered in the entire process of buying glasses online was from WP. At that time (early July), I had not tried on many plastic frames and I wasn't sold on them as a whole. I had always worn metal frames with nose pads and spring hinges in designer brands. I like my glasses to stay put and not slide down, which I always imagined to be the case with acetate frames. Since I wear my glasses all the time and in all conditions, I have previously equated spring hinges with comfort and durability. My first impressions of quality – namely, that the acetate frames from WP would not be as durable as metal frames I had always worn – were influenced by my own poor experiences rather than reality. I am pleased that further down the line I ordered another set of samples from WP. I admit to once having some prejudice against acetate frames. Not any longer, because I am thoroughly impressed with the quality of my Warby Parkers. <br />
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My first IHTO was a bit of a bust, with the exception of one pair, largely because I submitted my shopping cart without double-checking that I had put the right frames in (I had changed my choices a lot). I thought I looked goofy in most of them and returned them shortly after. For my first trial of acetate frames ever, the feel was probably just a bit too strange, but I loved the way the Reece frames looked on me. In fact, appearance-wise, they were my ultimate favorite glasses that I had tried up to that point – including those at brick-and-mortar opticians. Other than the Reece, my choices of frame were poor because in my noobish state I hadn't taken into account all the dimensions. That is why I now recommend that anyone shopping for frames focus on size as well as style. It makes all the difference, especially for high-index lenses (because of the distortion factor). <br />
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Way back at this early stage, I thought that I would be ordering one pair of glasses from my optician, and the cost was mounting up, so I tabled the idea of ordering from WP for the moment. Fast-forward about a week or so and by then I had tried on at least 100 more frames in various optical stores and IHTOs from other sites. I had also been comparison shopping online for good deals and chose to order my designer frames from Glasses.com. That's also when I first encountered DBVision.com (review to follow). After I put in my order with Glasses.com, it left my IHTOs from WP and DB pitted against each other for round two.<br />
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Since searching for frames at WP was only part of my eyeglass browsing experience, I was juggling IHTOs from several companies at once, but I am doing my best to keep the sequence straight in these reviews! I ordered my second WP IHTO on a Saturday (within minutes of placing the same with DBvision.com) and they arrived first, on the following Tuesday, which is why I'm reviewing them in this order (after Glasses.com and before DBVision). <br />
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I ordered the Reece again along with the four others in the picture (I took them out of their plastic pouches to take the photo above). This time I paid special attention to the quality of the frames. I liked Reece again, but I noticed that the demo frames sounded awfully <i>creaky</i> when I tried them on. As I moved the stems in and out, or if I held on to the front of the frame, they made a funny cracking sound. I tried to put it down to the fact that the demo lenses are just basic plastic and with my own prescription in, it would likely be different. The other frames in the box were all more robust than Reece (pictured in the middle), which has a comparatively thin structure.<br />
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In particular, I also fell in love with Fitz (first on the left and also pictured above in the section <i>The Website</i>). They have a thicker frame and bigger lenses and I loved how they felt on. I really warmed up to the vintage styling since my first trial. Right up until the last day of my IHTO, I was deciding between the two. Although Fitz "felt" better in terms of build and had a thicker rim, the lens size at 52 and bridge of 17 (compared to Reece at 51/14) was undoubtedly too big for me. <br />
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In fact, being a petite person, a majority of the frames probably have lenses and bridges that are too big for me. Adding nose pads myself could probably help with bridges up to 17 or 18. I'm going to discuss "frame PD", lens sizes, magnification and distortion in my review of DBVision.com (Part 4). For now I'll just say that the Reece were a safer choice for my face and more versatile for my wardrobe and lifestyle. What decided it for me was that the Fitz were a little heavy and somewhat looser on the nose because of the wider bridge, so after the lenses were put in they would get even heavier, not to mention the distortion on a lens that big in my prescription. Had it been available in a 49-50 lens size and 14-16 bridge width, I probably would have ordered Fitz instead. <br />
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Sure, I could have tried one more IHTO and maybe ordered the Linwood (but they're never available for IHTO ...), Zagg, or Beckett frames to try something larger in other proportions. After my initial experience with Glasses.com, I wasn't exactly in a hurry to rush into buying a second pair of glasses. But, at the same time, between all the IHTOs from the three companies under review and countless opticians, I had tried on just about all the frames I could stomach. At only $125, I promised myself that if my WP frames turned out great and my Glasses.com order never got resolved, I would just order another pair from WP. So I got decisive and ordered the Reece in Whisky Tortoise. <br />
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I couldn't be happier with my choice. <br />
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<b>Placing and receiving my order</b><br />
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I placed my order on 7/30 and promptly received an email confirmation. I received another email when the order shipped out on 8/2 and they were delivered via UPS on 8/6. The packaging was excellent and ensured a safe journey. The outer postage box was a perfectly snug fit around the contents, unlike the spacious boxes used by Glasses.com that are prone to being smashed. Inside I found a long Warby Parker cardboard box containing a large, powder gray/white, soft-touch case with vibrant blue inner lining and Warby Parker brand name. Beneath that was a thoughtful little "thank you" card. The case is quite large because it is a standard size for all of their frames, even though the Reece are one of the slimmest models. Inside, the frames were wrapped in a gray microfiber cloth. <br />
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You may recall from Part 2 that only a couple of hours earlier that day I received my third defective pair of glasses from Glasses.com. You can imagine my trepidation in unveiling this second purchase. I actually sat with the sealed parcel for a few moments before opening it, not sure if I could take any more disappointment. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vwcdubya/5175730243/" title="Warby Parker - Digby by vwcdubya, on Flickr"><img alt="Warby Parker - Digby" height="384" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4091/5175730243_d01c11c8b5_z.jpg" width="500" /></a></center>
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I gently unfurled the microfiber cloth to reveal my new glasses. They were pristinely clean, polished to a beautiful shine, and perfect in every way. My first impression was that a great deal of care had gone into filling and packing my order. As I opened the glasses to try them on, I felt the quality of the frame to be excellent. The color was a deep tortoise brown, actually much deeper and richer in color than the demo frames which were a bit more orange in the light. This made me very happy because I wanted a dark tortoise. The hinges were very sturdy, and the cracking noise at the front of the frames was non-existent now that the lenses were in. The stems still make a little noise at the hinges, but nothing that suggests poor quality. <br />
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My frame choice was just right. The lenses are the perfect size and the frames are comfortable on my nose and supremely lightweight. I hardly notice that they're on, which is exactly what I want from my glasses. My high-index lenses are completely contained within the frame (a great benefit of full acetate frames!) for the first time on any glasses I've ever owned. <br />
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Probably the most important thing to review with any glasses purchase is the <b>clarity of vision</b>. As soon as I put them on, my vision felt very comfortable. I have no dizziness, headaches or feelings of distortion. I cannot say the same about my first two pairs of glasses from Glasses.com. I have noticed that there is a little bit more glare on the lenses when I sit in front of direct light (e.g. my computer monitor) than on my previous glasses. To be clear, I can't see or notice any glare when wearing them, but when I look at my webcam feed, there can be some shine on the lenses when I move my head back and forth in front of my bright monitor. It's probably just the type of AR-coating and does not significantly bother me. I do not think it would show up in photos or anything.<br />
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In short, I have had a perfect experience ordering my glasses from Warby Parker and I would highly recommend this company to others in my position. The savings are immense (even if they are not the cheapest on the web) and the quality stands up. <br />
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<b>Other thoughts</b><br />
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Since this review is really targeted at people who, like me, wear strong prescriptions, I thought I would share one worry I have had throughout this process. A lot of the WP frames have quite big lenses. The Fitz are bigger than Reece, but many are even bigger than that (I am talking lens width <i>and </i>height). A very wide lens in a high Rx will be prone to distortion and very thick outer edges. Hence "coke bottle" lenses and the need for thinned high-index lenses to begin with. That is pretty standard knowledge and high-index wearers usually try and keep their lenses as narrow as possible to avoid too much thickness/distortion. It's something people with weaker prescriptions don't really have to bother with. But <a href="http://www.theredglasses.com/2010/11/review-on-zenniopticalcom-and-my-new.html">a lot of us have to</a>, and cheaper, high-quality glasses are a better value for high-index lens wearers than anyone else. <br />
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In addition, my other concern with some of the WP glasses is the height of the lenses. A lens' optimal visual acuity is quite specifically located at the thinnest part of the lens; or, in other words, the spot pinpointed by your PD (that's why you have to provide it). Where your eyes sit within your lens frame is of the utmost importance for proper and safe vision. To illustrate, here's WP's lovely YouTube helper, Taylor, dishing out helpful advice. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/e4rgvJrH9us" width="420"></iframe></center>
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See how her eyes are looking through the very top of her stylish frames? Shouldn't this cause concern for strong Rx lens wearers? What I'm suggesting is that WP's frame choices restrict a large portion of buyers; in this case, people wish smallish statures and very poor vision. Even though they look lovely and fashionable, quite a few are probably not suitable for high indexes. If this applies to you, make sure you take the time to try on your frames with this in mind, or better yet, consult your optician. <br />
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I'm lucky that the Reece frames fit me so well, but they only come in one color that I like (tortoise). For some reason they are not available in black? <br />
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Another thing I thought I would mention for anyone else who is getting plastic frames for the first time is that the lenses seem harder to clean than wire frames. I notice that I have to take a little more time using the microfiber cloth to get around the inside of the frame, otherwise it just pushes any dust into the inner corners. In this respect, I'm probably lucky for once that my lenses are thicker at the other end :). I also catch myself wiping the frames, too, which I hardly ever did before. <br />
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I believe that just before my order arrived, WP was featured on Nightline. With the great reviews they're getting, I have no doubt their business will keep expanding. As long as they maintain this same quality and attention to detail as they grow (always a challenge and a risk), then their attempt to alter the dominance of the current glasses marketplace may very well succeed. <br />
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To conclude: I've enjoyed shopping with WP so much and am so content with my purchase that, if I could afford it, I would have already ordered another pair (or two).<br />
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<br />
<h3>
Eyeglasses Review Index</h3>
<ul>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 1): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/07/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">A comparison review</a></li>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 2): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/review-how-to-buy-glasses-online.html">Glasses.com</a></li>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 3): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Warby Parker</a></li>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 4): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/09/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">DB Vision</a></li>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 5): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/10/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Summary and Conclusion</a></li>
</ul>
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Images:<br />
1 - 3: Screenshots from WarbyParker.com<br />
4. Photo of IHTO frames, by author.<br />
5. Unboxing photo by Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vwcdubya/">vwcdubya</a>.<br />
6. Reece frames, screenshot from WarbyParker.comFran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3812835806784023629.post-20980142230356769302012-08-05T11:44:00.021-04:002013-04-05T13:09:22.968-04:00How to buy glasses online (Part 2): Glasses.comThis is the second part of a multipart review series, <i>How To Buy Glasses Online</i>. If you haven't read Part 1, you should <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/07/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">start here</a>. <br />
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<b>Glasses.com</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.glasses.com/">Glasses.com</a> (1-800-Glasses) is run by the same people as 1-800-Contacts. This is pretty much a household name in contact lenses, so I felt fairly confident wading into online glasses buying with this company. Before I begin, I want to just make it clear that Glasses.com is not compensating me in any way for writing this review. I have noticed that most other reviews around the web are "sponsored", and they are pretty useless because of it. A sponsored review is like a sponsored politician! <br />
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<b>Policies, guarantees and warranties</b><br />
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Glasses.com has some of the most generous policies for customer satisfaction in online marketplace. They offer a price-match guarantee, so if you see your glasses cheaper on another website, you can save even more off their already reasonable prices. (Note that the price match only applies to a frames+lenses package. More on this later). They have a one-year manufacturer's warranty against defects on the frames <i>and</i> lenses (full replacement value) and even a one-year anti-breakage policy. If you manage to sit on your own glasses, for instance, they'll cover 50% of your cost to replace them. Talk about idiot-proof. Then there is the no-hassle, 30-day money back guarantee. Even though their prices generally work out a bit higher than the other retailers in this review (I could have gone cheaper by choosing a cheaper frame), there really is no risk because you're assured all your money back if you're not happy. Finally, as described in <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/07/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Part 1</a>, they offer free in-home try-on (IHTO) so you can test out your favorite frames before you buy them. <br />
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These policies put them well ahead of, say, ZenniOptical, who charge you for returns and don't offer IHTO. In my case, I would have to be really lucky to find the right frames sight unseen. So, while $6 glasses might seem appealing, it could cost nearer to $100 after you add in high-index lenses. That's a lot of money to risk without a full refund if something goes wrong. <br />
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Some of the other features of the Glasses.com shopping experience worth mentioning are that the customer service is fast and friendly. They have live chat on their website, which I actually prefer to telephone. There always seems to be someone around to answer my questions at the odd hours that I happen to be at my computer (usually 1:00am). I have to admit that for the purposes of this review, I contacted them via live chat about lots of stuff, even miniscule things. They were always courteous. At one point, I called their help line to ask about a defect in one of the trial frames that they had sent in the first box so I could try a new pair in the second box. Again the service was great, and I even got a spontaneous follow-up call within minutes of when the second FedEx delivery arrived. The cheerful and prompt service, however, did not stop me from having some sizable hiccups down the line, which I will address below. <br />
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Glasses.com also offers virtual try-on, where you can upload a photo of yourself to "try on" frames via the web. Of course, it's not perfect, but you can at least see when you're going to look especially goofy. In addition to virtual try-on, there's a 360 degree view of all frames and the dimensions of each frame are also given; that is, stem length, lens width, bridge width and – equally important – lens height. If you already have glasses that you like, you can use these measurements to judge how much bigger or smaller the new frames will be. This was handy, because once I had an ideal size in numbers, I could expand my search beyond the frames which would initially look like obvious choices. <br />
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<b>My shopping experience at Glasses.com</b><br />
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<i><b>1. Frame Selection and IHTO</b></i><br />
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The site differs from the other two under review here (Warby Parker and DBVision.com) because Glasses.com carries name brand designer frames like Oakley, Eddie Bauer, Lucky and Guess. I actually only found the site because I was googling for a pair of designer frames that I had tried on in person at a local optician. Glasses.com beat the price by $70 (or 40% off), which is no small savings. <br />
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Their designer frame selection is certainly very good. A normal, not-excessively-picky person (unlike me) would probably find the selection to be widely extensive. Buying online, you can easily find sites with several thousand super-cheap - but not necessarily cost-effective - frames; or, alternatively, more limited selections of in-house designs (mainly plastic) like Warby Parker, Eyefly or DBVision.com. In this respect, I like Glasses.com because their frames selection gives you plenty of styles and materials to choose from without being too overwhelming. <br />
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For my first in-home try-on (IHTO), I ordered the frames that I had previously tried on in uncomfortable settings in my local money-grubbing opticians, plus 4 others. They arrived in a neat black display box a mere 2 days later. The speed of shipping from Glasses.com has been consistently fast. <br />
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I'm not vain or brave enough to show everyone my blind deer-in-headlights stare behind trial frames. Suffice to say that when my 7-day trial began, I tried to make the best of it by trying them all on several times, taking photos of myself to review later (I can't see myself in a mirror without my prescription lenses on), and showing family members for their advice. I was really only aiming at the one pair I had tried before, but the other choices I selected online to fill my box threw me for a loop and made me even more indecisive. Luckily, the freedom of trying at home was great. There was no pressure at all. I ended up ordering another set of trials just to be sure before buying. Glasses.com lets you mark your IHTO as returned after you drop them in your mailbox with the prepaid shipping label. Then you're free to order another set. <br />
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After a series of in-home try-ons spaced over a couple of weeks, I ended up choosing my original favorites that I had first seen offline, which goes back to my recommendation to shop online and offline simultaneously in order to find what you like. They have metal fronts with acetate sides. I love the full plastic/acetate frames they carry at WP and DBvision, too, but I'm partial to adjustable nose pads on my primary pair. Also, a lot of the plastic frames I've tried (notably Ray-Bans) have been much heavier than metal ones and with noses a bit too wide for me. Once I add in high-index lenses, if the fit is not right on the nose, it can't really be adjusted and will just keep sliding down. <br />
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<i><b>2. Prices and Ordering</b></i><br />
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I mentioned that Glasses.com had the frames I wanted at $70 off retail. This was a great savings, but their lens prices are higher than some of their online competitors. You must choose one of their lens packages to complete your order.<br />
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The thinnest lens they offer is 1.67 high-index, and their premium anti-scratch version is $129. My total with frame and the upgraded lens came out to $250. I did vacillate a bit before deciding to place the order. At first the price put me off and I thought about just getting the frame online and having the lenses filled by my optician. Even though my optician was going to charge me $375 just for the lenses, they would be thinner, "digital lenses" which supposed allow for a better range of vision. Unfortunately, on Glasses.com you have to buy the frames and lenses as a packaged deal. (The frames alone were cheaper on another website, anyway.) So I went back and forth a bit and then decided to take the risk and buy from Glasses.com, since I could return them risk free if they were not right. <br />
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<u><b>First Order – July 26, 2012</b></u><br />
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As it happens, I received a promotional code that I could apply to my order. With that final price reduction, I was even happier to order them and see what I got. I finally placed my order on 7/21 and tried not to get my hopes up. The order went through on a Saturday and they arrived the following Thursday (7/26). <br />
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My first thought was, <i>wow, that was fast</i>! Then the speed made me a little nervous. Can they really do it so quickly and not sacrifice quality? I opened the package, hoping that my long wait for some new specs was finally over. Thus far I had done about 6 IHTOs, but I had yet to purchase any with my prescription in them. The box opened easily to reveal my order receipt, a new black case with the glasses inside, and a microfiber pouch. There was no packing material keeping the case secure. It was just rolling around in there. That worried me since it had been in transit, but once I gently opened the case, I found the glasses were wrapped in a protective styrofoam sheet that seemed to do the job. Unfortunately, the designer case's inner lining came unglued almost as soon as I opened it. My initial response was bittersweet. They looked in great shape, but I obviously needed to inspect them closer. I'm certainly a retailer's worst nightmare when it comes to checking quality and workmanship. <br />
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I had chosen a frame larger and, IMO, more modern than my old pair. I was worried that the lenses at 1.67 would be much thicker than my current 1.70s. So I was happy to see that the frame I had chosen hid the thickness quite well. There was more lens refraction than in my old pair, but that comes with the high-index territory. The alternative is to order 1.74s online somewhere else; choose a different, smaller frame (ugh, I am so done with trying on frames); or pay $500 at my optician. I don't really trust any of the online companies that have 1.74s because they have crappy reviews, don't have the frame I want, don't allow frame trials, or have a bad returns policy, etc. <br />
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Having decided that I love my new frames, my happiness at receiving my new glasses so quickly was short-lived for two reasons: <br />
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<ol>
<li>The lens in the right eye had been cut poorly at the base. That's the only way I can describe it. There was some kind of mark and it looks like a jagged nick in the edge where it sits in the frame. I couldn't get a good photo of it, but I could see it immediately from the outside when I looked in the mirror. It was definitely a manufacturing defect. </li>
<li>The edges of the lenses were polished to a reflective shine. I don't know who ever thought that this would be a good idea for high-index lens wearers. Supposedly some people think it minimizes the appearance of thickness. I have news for those people. Glossy edges on thick lenses are like putting a girdle on an elephant: not fooling anyone. But seriously, apart from the aesthetics, the glare is hideous for the wearer when looking out of the lens. The shards of light that pierce your eyes are literally painful. I had this experience once before and I absolutely hated it. I would not recommend that anyone with high-index lenses get polished edges, unless the thickness/opacity of the frame blocks the edge light entirely. This is pretty much a deal-breaker for me. Note that the gloss is added to the lens after it is cut, so this process can be omitted. </li>
</ol>
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So I called Glasses.com as soon as I determined the problems to ask them about an exchange because of the damaged lens and to see if the lens polish could be left off my new pair. I was reluctant to simply return them and get my money back because I liked the frames so much.<br />
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With my first order, I had less success on the phone than I did with online chat (or so I thought, see below), because every time I called the help line, the entire glasses team was always in a meeting. I explained my problem in fine detail to the very friendly guy who answers the phone only to find out that he actually knows very little about anything to do with glasses or orders or returns or exchanges and he has to get someone to call me back. On this occasion, no one ever did call me back. I ended up on live chat explaining the problem all over again. Not to worry, I was given a return authorization and told that my replacement pair would be sent out expedited at no extra charge. I am not sure how much faster they could arrive than the 4 working days of the previous pair, but that's fine. I also put in a special request to have the lenses left unpolished. <br />
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My re-order confirmation came by email confirming no charge and expedited shipping. I waited for my new glasses and crossed my fingers. <br />
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<u><b>Replacement Order #1 – August 1, 2012</b></u><br />
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I received my replacement glasses on 08/01. When I saw the FedEx van pull away, I hurried to the front door to pick up the package. Before I could even remotely get my hopes up, I saw that the packaging was very badly damaged. A box that clearly said contained eyeglasses had been smashed by the FedEx delivery idiot beyond any box I had ever received. I took some pictures (see left) and then I debated opening it at all or just sending it straight back. The last box I received contained no padding whatsoever, just a case swimming around, and the unfortunate rattling sound of the new box confirmed that the packaging method is insufficient in cases like this. <br />
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I opened them anyway, mainly to see if the lenses were cut better this time and if the edges were still polished. The answer to these two questions was also disappointing. Well, the lenses were cut okay, but the left lens was sitting oddly in the frame, sticking out at the back and sunken in at the front. [Update: I brought them to an optician who pointed out that the reason the lens is sticking out is that the frames are bent!] And of course the edges of the lenses were still polished despite making the request to a very understanding and courteous online chat representative. Although I love all the contact options Glasses.com offers, I do not like when I am told one thing and receive another. <br />
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I called up customer service right away and spoke to a friendly rep who listened to my lengthy set of complaints about the packaging, the lenses and the polish. She apologized (again) and said that they would send me out a new order right away (again). She also informed me that it looked like my request I had made via the online chat about not adding polish to the lens edges never made it to their lab (duh), which, she accepted, was entirely their fault. Yes, yes it was. I mean, really, there's little point in having online chat if it's just for show.<br />
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I wasn't offered any kind of compensation other than another replacement pair. I'm not really complaining about that, but it seems like the least they could have done. Anyway, more important to me is finally getting some wearable glasses. I now await the arrival of my third and final order from Glasses.com. If this pair is not perfect, I will simply ask for my money back. <br />
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In the end, more important than customer service or fancy websites or frame selection is the quality of the product you receive. Thus far, I have not received a quality product. My new order is scheduled to arrive on Monday (tomorrow) and I will update this post accordingly with the results. <br />
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Update 08/05/2012: I received an email today notifying me that I would be charged $600 because my IHTO had not been returned. Obviously, this was an error. I sent back the package on 7/18/2012 and proceeded to order glasses from them after that (not something a frame thief would likely do?). I've just been back on to their live chat where the representative informed me that, once again, the mistake is "entirely [glasses.com's] fault":<br />
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<blockquote>
We have had a glitch in our system recording when we do and don't receive the in home try on boxes back. I have my manager notating your account now so you will definitely not be charged!</blockquote>
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I have kept a transcript of the chat just in case the information once again fails to get from the online representative to my account. Glasses.com seems to keep making mistakes when it comes to my glasses. <br />
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<u><b>Replacement Order #2 – August 6, 2012</b></u><br />
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Quick update: My third pair of glasses from Glasses.com arrived today. The box was in pristine condition, but that's pretty much where the positive comments end. The frames were in terrible condition, the stems stretched out, the metal fronts somewhat bent again, and the lens edges were just as shiny and polished as before. There were even sticky marks on the frames that I had to wipe off. The looked like they had been worn and adjusted before. The prescription felt better than the previous pair, which is also worrying as for quality control. I asked for a call back from a manager so I could discuss my final options for dealing with this. No one called back (again). <br />
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In other news, my Warby Parkers also arrived today and they're brilliant. I have to get my eyes dilated tonight so I want to give them a few days before I write a full review.<br />
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Update: 4:30 pm. Two and a half hours after I asked for a call within 30 mins, I received a call from Brian at Glasses.com. He has reviewed my account in detail and was very apologetic about all the problems I have had. He was fully understanding about the seriousness of my complaints. He has promised to see a new order through personally from start to finish, including leaving the polish off the lenses and making sure that the frame is in top shape. He also offered me compensation in the form of a full refund of my purchase price, plus a generous $100 credit in my Glasses.com account towards another purchase so I can give them another chance to offer me their ideal customer service experience. I am thankful to Brian for his understanding and, although I am quite exasperated by it all, I look forward to receiving a new pair and finally completing this review.<br />
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<u><b>Replacement Order #3 – 16 August 2012</b></u><br />
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My third replacement order from Glasses.com was placed over the phone by Brian on August 6th (see above) and arrived on August 16th, via overnight delivery. I had decided that this would be my last and final attempt to have these glasses made (this process had started with several IHTOs over a month ago), so naturally I was a bit nervous upon opening the box. On the phone, Brian reassured me that he would follow the glasses through production to avoid the problems that have plagued my orders. He kept me updated with emails throughout the order process, which took longer than previous orders. In the end, I didn't really mind the extra wait, because I presumed that the time taken would reflect in the final product. <br />
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Fresh from the mail delivery, I pulled the zip tab on the box and removed my 4th identical glasses case in as many weeks. I opened it carefully and slowly unwrapped the protective foam sheet from around the glasses. The arms looked straight. The front of the glasses looked even and no longer crooked. This was looking good! Unfortunately, I did find some more sticky gunk on the right stem of the frame. I surmise that this is residue from a sticky UPC label added when the frames come from the manufacturer. I noticed the label on the first pair of demo frames. It was a little annoying to have to find some way to clean it off before I could try them on. I dare not douse acetate with Goo-Gone, so I used warm water and a little lens cleaning solution and gently wiped it clean with a microfiber cloth. That out of the way, I continued my inspection.<br />
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My prime complaint with the last pair was that the edges of the lenses were polished to a radiant gleam, one that is very distracting in all light conditions. As I looked at the edges of the new lenses, this looked to be <i>somewhat</i> reduced. Certainly the top edge was less glare-y. The right lens is marginally thicker (because of my Rx), and it looked as if it had been filed at an angle where it stuck out extra. This wasn't so aesthetically pleasing, but it was on the inside of the frame and I couldn't tell when they were on. As long as I could see okay through them, it wouldn't bother me if it cut down on the glare. <br />
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Trying them on, I did notice somewhat less "edge glare"; enough that it was not at all bothersome compared to the other 3 pairs. This was a great improvement. I also found that it took my eyes much less time to get used to them and that they were not making me dizzy. Just to be thorough in my report, I did notice increased eye fatigue. I wore them for an entire day and my eyes did get quite tired. I do not experience that at all with my other glasses from Warby Parker, which are immediately comfortable whenever I put them on. But tired eyes on day one was probably to be expected. I was continually "testing" the lenses, giving myself impromptu eye exams, seeing if the sharpest point of vision was directly in front of my pupils, etc. <br />
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By the evening of the first day, I was quite excited and pleased that perhaps this time they had finally cracked it and sent me some decent lenses and frames. I went out during the day, spent some time outdoors and went shopping, read books, and used my computer, all with no problems apart from a bit of eye fatigue (no pounding headaches like with an earlier pair). That night, I settled down to watch a movie on TV. I turned off all the lights (as one is wont to do during movie-time). As the film started, I became aware of some strange light glare. My eyes were pretty tired by then, so I rubbed them and the glare seemed to come and go. I also cleaned the lenses with some fresh solution. But the longer I watched, the more noticeable it got. <br />
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There were some small vertical glare lines like shards of light that came and went as the scenes changed from light to dark. I guess that can be common with some glasses. I put it down to my eyes being more sensitive after a day of glasses testing. However, what quickly became most worrying and quite unbearable was when I noticed a long, pronounced horizontal "line" in my field of vision. It was like someone held a thin, translucent fishing wire across my face towards the top of the frames; or perhaps more like a faded ray of sunlight shining through trees. At any rate, by this point I was having trouble concentrating on the movie. The Star Trek screen shot (below, right) comes close to illustrating what I mean, although it's intentional in the movie and that wasn't what I was watching! <br />
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Aware of my own fatigue, I switched to my Warby Parkers to see if I was just imagining it. No glare lines whatsoever. That was pretty disappointing, but since it had been going so well, I decided to give it a couple more days. <br />
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The next day I started fresh and had a pretty decent day, minus some slight eye fatigue. I began to wonder how long it would take to get used to them and why I was suffering fatigue at all. I persevered and at some point stopped noticing any fatigue. That night, I went to do some shopping and left the store after dark. Driving home, I immediately noticed that horizontal glare line again. Similar to watching the movie, in the dark of night with the street lights, I was plagued by this unbearable line in my field of vision. To be clear, I've been wearing high-index lenses most of my life and I'm used to aberrations like the star-burst pattern you get with traffic lights. This was different. After some Googling, the closest descriptor I could find is a "horizontal lens flare". Apparently, game designers and film makers are quite excited about<a href="http://www.crydev.net/viewtopic.php?f=280&t=58566&start=45"> simulating and enhancing lens flares in their work</a>. It works better in movies than eyewear. <br />
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I called Brian on Monday (August 20th) to let him know the verdict: that there is not a great deal of use for a pair of glasses that I can only wear during the day. <br />
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He returned my message that afternoon and was as pleasant and understanding as ever. I felt a bit bad delivering the disappointing news, but he took it well. This time, I recommended that he investigate the problem further rather than just sending me infinite replacements. It has already become cost-ineffective for me to keep prolonging this madness, so he must certainly feel the same way. Plus, the continued disappointment and the ridiculously drawn-out process is weighing on me. <br />
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I hypothesized that the combined failures of all 4 pairs of glasses fell into two main categories. First was that perhaps the <b>combination of my high-index lenses and the style of frame</b> just would not work together. High-index lenses are aspheric (flatter in front) and a lot of modern frames have a "wrap" style to them. Given the obvious tendency for this particular frame (see Updates 1 and 2) to warp at the front, it might just be an ill-conceived match from the beginning. Second was the <b>Teflon Elite lens coating</b>, which seemingly was the cause of my latest dilemma, when the frame itself was in top shape yet the lens had flares in the dark. Brian promised to check with his lab technicians on these two points and get back to me the same day. If the frame was at fault, he would allow me to choose another one free of charge.<br />
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<b>Update: August 21, 2012</b><br />
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He called the next morning (August 21st). I was not optimistic, especially as I had already promised myself that this would be the last time! He informed me that after checking with his lab, they determined that the lens/frame combination was fine and that there appeared to be no defect with the lens coating or the coating process. I commend Brian for doing his best to rectify the situation, but since there was no discernible fault, I wondered how we would proceed. By then I had lost hope and figured nothing could be done. There was little he could offer me that would tempt me to bother with a 5th replacement pair. 5th!<br />
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However, Brian's attention to customer satisfaction was clear. It really is difficult to get angry in the face of his sympathetic cheerfulness. After careful discussion with his lab technicians, he offered the solution of providing me with ultra high-index 1.74 lenses (a higher index than is offered by Glasses.com in normal circumstances). These are the thinnest polycarbonate high-index lenses on the market. Although I used to only wear 1.74s, these days they are well out of my price range at most opticians and online retailers.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.opticianshandbook.com/Data/Sites/1/lenses/thinner&lighter/thinchart1.png.tmp.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://www.opticianshandbook.com/Data/Sites/1/lenses/thinner&lighter/thinchart1.png.tmp.png" width="545" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click image to enlarge. [Source: <a href="http://www.opticianshandbook.com/choosing-the-right-lens-material.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Opticians Handbook</a>]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Regarding their premium Teflon Elite lens coating (part of their $129 lens package that I opted for), he informed me that a different coating would be applied. I admit that I did not expect an offer for ultra high-index replacement lenses with an entirely different coating. Perhaps I am a glutton for punishment, but I really do like the frames and I would also like to see Brian's endless attempts to make me a happy customer succeed. Since this solution was markedly different from the other replacements, I was willing to give it a try. On top of that, Brian suggested that I just keep the latest pair instead of sending them back again. They're okay for daytime and it's always good to have an emergency spare, so I thought that was reasonable compensation for the trouble. <br />
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I really don't want to think about what happens if the new glasses aren't right. I also have $100 in credit to use on the site. There are some nice frames on sale at the moment in their "free lenses" promotion, but I'd have to pair them with the regular 1.67 lens package ($89, reduced in the promotion to $30) to stay within the $100. I'm a little wary at present to put any extra towards them, just in case! I'll just wait and see how it all turns out first. <br />
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<u><b>Replacement Order #4 – Estimated Arrival: 23 August 2012</b></u><br />
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One month since the date of my first order from Glasses.com, I received my final replacement pair of glasses. I'll try and keep this relatively short given how these updates have stretched out this review. If you persevered and have made it this far, thank you and well done! I hope it has been helpful. <br />
<br />
Upon removing the new frames from their case, this pair had obviously been made to the specifications that Brian and I had agreed upon. The polish had finally been left of the edge of the lenses! The edges are matte (like frosted glass), and this in itself reduces nearly all of the edge glare that had been causing some issues. They are much more comfortable to look through. The frames were in great shape. Because the lenses were 1.74 high index (thinner than the first 4 pairs), they fit well into the frame and showed no signs of coming out. Because they don't stick out as much, the lenses sit better aligned against the face, reducing, I believe, some of the aberrations I was experiencing before. <br />
<br />
This is pretty significant, because it is possible that potential customers should be advised when their frame choice is not ideal for the lens size given their Rx. This may have been the case with the 1.67s, or may not. I'm not sure, because there were other faults (like the twisted/defective frames). Having said that, the new lenses fit fine and I'm extremely happy with them aesthetically. I am thankful that Glasses.com resolved my issues by offering me the thinner lenses. If I were to order from them again, I can safely say that I would choose a plastic-front frame with their standard lenses, given my prescription and apparent dislike of polished lens edges. <br />
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At any rate, the new glasses felt much improved. I wore them for a day and prepared to give them the most important test at night. As described above, the biggest problem with replacement pair #3 was the strange horizontal night glare (lens flare) that was appearing in dark conditions like driving at night under street lights or watching a movie in the dark. I tried not to get my hopes up that the new pair would be any different and waited impatiently for sundown. I tried them for two nights in a row and they were perfect. No glare whatsoever from any angle or in any light conditions. The coating is certainly superior to the Teflon Elite offered on my original order. <br />
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While I am certainly pleased that my new glasses are now just right for me, in the context of this review, it is again significant to note that these solutions were made on special order after a month of re-ordering. Naturally, I am still worried that any other glasses I were to order from now would be subject to the same problems. Even though this is a specialist, high index review, I know that these concerns resonate with most glasses wearers who opt for lens coatings to reduce glare and aberrations. I have never actively worried about <i>any of this</i> when buying glasses. I chose lenses and coatings, and they just "worked" as advertised. That is how it should be, so having it done wrong so many times before it was done right was a frustrating experience and one I'd prefer not to endure again. <br />
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What I would advise to anyone reading this and wondering if it is worth the risk, is that if you choose to order online - Glasses.com included - make sure you test out your glasses in all conditions. Make use of your full returns period. Don't just put up with things and assume that you'll "get used to it" over several weeks or that you simply "get what you pay for". Remember that the retail value of my Glasses.com pair was $248, which is considerably less than I would find at an optician, but still no small amount. You can always return them and try again (hence the importance of good return policies as detailed in Part 1) or work out a satisfactory replacement with the provider. Glasses.com has been more than accommodating to my needs, even if it did take a bit longer than necessary, IMO. Lastly, be flexible with your frame choice just in case. <br />
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I now have a pair of glasses that I am very happy with. I also have a spare set which are admittedly not ideal for night driving, but everyone should have a backup pair. <br />
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My last step will be to pop into my local opticians to have my nose pads adjusted. (Glasses.com offers adjustment vouchers to Walmart, but the nearest location is pretty far from here and the Walmarts on Long Island are a much bigger nightmare than loose glasses.) I know YouTube says that you can do it yourself, but because these glasses took so long to get right, I'd rather leave it to a professional. I might also have the hard plastic pads replaced with soft ones. At the moment, they fit a bit loose, which leads me to one last point. <br />
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The final thing I would like to address before closing this chapter is that I mentioned dizziness as a perennial problem with my glasses from Glasses.com. For instance, when I first put them on and look down at the ground or left to right, I feel a bit woozy. The new pair has taken a bit less time to adjust, but the feeling is still somewhat there for the first few hours. What's causing this and why does it only happen with my Glasses.com order? <br />
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Firstly, it is happening less with this pair than the others. Secondly, I surmise it is likely due to the fact that the lenses (50mm by 29mm) are much taller and a bit wider than I have previously or concurrently worn. This gives me more lens surface to look through and I'm not so used to having to move my head and not just my eyes to avoid normal peripheral distortions. I will discuss lens center-periphery clarity more in Part 4, but suffice to say that the bigger the lens surface, the thicker the edges, and the more peripheral distortion at the thickest parts. So there's that. Third and finally, because the nose needs to be adjusted, they slide down a bit while I'm wearing them. Normally this wouldn't be too problematic, but given the size of the lens, the movement is bound to cause some problems with consistency. After a quick visit to the optician, I expect that they'll be supremely comfortable. Of course, I could be wrong on any of these points, but this is my impression.<br />
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<b>Conclusion</b><br />
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It certainly took a while, but Glasses.com came through and provided me with a great pair of specs. As part of the compensation for my troubles, I have some credit to use towards another pair on the site. Of course I worry that their standard lenses and coatings might be ineffective in my case, but I am certainly prepared to give it a try. I have no doubt that with the service I received they will always endeavor to make me a happy customer, and that is extremely important to me. <br />
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<a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Continue to Part 3: Warby Parker</a> ...<br />
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Also stay tuned for Part 4 of this review where I discuss the unique offerings from newcomer to the online market, DB Vision.<br />
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<h3>
Eyeglasses Review Index</h3>
<ul>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 1): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/07/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">A comparison review</a></li>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 2): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/review-how-to-buy-glasses-online.html">Glasses.com</a></li>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 3): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/08/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Warby Parker</a></li>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 4): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/09/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">DB Vision</a></li>
<li>How to buy glasses online (Part 5): <a href="http://www.analogdigital.us/2012/10/how-to-buy-glasses-online-comparison.html">Summary and Conclusion</a></li>
</ul>
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Images (from top): 1-4. screenshots from Glasses.com; 5. photo by author; 6. Stark Trek lens flare from <a href="http://coffeecommander.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/flare_.jpg">Coffeecommander.net</a>; 7. High-index lens comparison chart from opticianshandbook.com.Fran Baronehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09806944367760756885noreply@blogger.com2