MrPHD
MrPHD's Stats
- Review Count113
- Helpfulness Votes97
- First ReviewMarch 27, 2014
- Last ReviewJuly 25, 2024
- Featured Reviews0
- Average Rating4.4
Reviews Comments
- Review Comment Count0
- Helpfulness Votes0
- First Review CommentNone
- Last Review CommentNone
- Featured Review Comments0
Questions
- Question Count0
- Helpfulness Votes0
- First QuestionNone
- Last QuestionNone
- Featured Questions0
- Answer Count32
- Helpfulness Votes32
- First AnswerMarch 27, 2014
- Last AnswerOctober 27, 2021
- Featured Answers0
- Best Answers4
A sleek design in stylish colors³ that sets you apart from the crowd. It’s ultra-portable at under 2.5 pounds with a vibrant 12.4" touchscreen for work or play, wherever you are.
Excellent Secondary/Travel work machine
Customer Rating
4.0
Posted by: MrPHD
on November 1, 2023
I'm a pretty big fan of Microsoft products - I loved my Surface Pro 2, and then the Surface Pro 4, and now my main machine is the Surface Laptop Studio, which so far is the best Surface product I've owned. However, do I really want to travel with such an expensive laptop? Do I want to risk damaging it in taking it outside of my home? The answer to that - NO! It's way too valuable to risk damaging or getting stolen on trips. So what to do? You get sometime smaller, lighter, that would be relatively "okay" if I lost it.
Enter the Surface Laptop Go 3, it's nowhere near as expensive as the Laptop Studio, but that also means it is nowhere near the quality. I love the weight, the feel is very nice, has a touch screen, but no pen support (because really, if you can't fold it down to a tablet, then there is no point to using a pen at an awkward angle). The keyboard feels pretty good, but it's not backlit like the Studio, so it's harder to type at night to see keys.
The trackpad placement and size is good, but oddly, not as smooth as the Studio - it's not terrible - it just requires a slightly lighter touch, which is not bad, but noticeable when switching between the two laptops.
With a "budget" PC like this, you're not going to get great internal specs either. Will it handle web browsing, movie watching, working w/Office or CRMs - of course! It's fine for all of that!
Will it handle gaming? Not graphic intense games, I installed Fortnite on it, so I could join in on a game or two while on vacation, but as soon as I started an actual game - it struggled incredibly and was quick to really heat up, regardless of the low video settings I had set. That's a bit of a bummer, I was hoping it would behave at least as good as a Switch (which struggles as well).
And again, with the price comparison, I get it, it's not meant to be as great. It's not going to get you intense gaming, but it is a good lightweight work computer. I will definitely use this for work/casual browsing on trips and leave my Surface Studio safely at home.
Pros:
Not incredibly expensive
Very lightweight
Great battery life (on casual work/browsing)
Touchscreen
Not incredibly expensive
Very lightweight
Great battery life (on casual work/browsing)
Touchscreen
Cons:
i5 chip
8GB base RAM
non-backlit keyboard
no gaming
Trackpad requires lighter touch
i5 chip
8GB base RAM
non-backlit keyboard
no gaming
Trackpad requires lighter touch
If this is a secondary machine, this is great. If you want to make this just your work machine, that will also work (unless using apps that require an i7, then this is under powered). If this is going to be your work AND personal (w/gaming) machine - then this is not the PC for you. You'll want something a bit more powerful.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Take your headset and accessories on the go with style and protection. Designed to fit your headset, Touch Plus Controllers, charging cable, adapter, headstrap (standard or Elite), and Active Straps, this case features an outer felt shell and contoured inner compartments to keep your gear organized and secure. With its lightweight construction, soft hand strap, zipper opening, and rounded profile, the case makes it easy to carry and access your Meta Quest 3 and accessories on the go. This genuine Meta Quest accessory ensures a perfect fit, durability and convenience for your VR setup.
Perfect charging/carrying case
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: MrPHD
on October 18, 2023
I have cases for most of my products, but i tend to not really use them because they somehow feel impractical or I've added something to the device that makes it NOT fit into the case (example: Nintendo Switch Pro controllers won't fit in normal Nintendo Switch cases!).
And like the Nintendo Switch Pro controllers, I added the Elite Strap to my Quest 3, which makes it much bigger - but no worries - it totally fits in this case!
What else fits in the case? Both controllers fit snugly in the case, and there is a little compartment you can lift up to hold your Quest 3 USB-C charging cable AND charging power brick.
Since I charge my Quest 3 each time after use, I found that I can place the Quest 3 in the case, and still attach the USB-C cable so it can charge while it's in the chase! So as to not just sit around collecting dust, or in a location where it might fall down! I just have to lift the case to check when the Quest 3 is fully charged.
I don't entirely understand why there is a lanyard like strap at the top of the case though. I don't think I would feel comfortable hanging my Quest 3 on a hook somewhere - right? I keep the case horizantal and not upright, as if it's on my head. That seems a lot safer, but maybe I'm over protective.I have cases for most of my products, but i tend to not really use them because they somehow feel impractical or I've added something to the device that makes it NOT fit into the case (example: Nintendo Switch Pro controllers won't fit in normal Nintendo Switch cases!).
And like the Nintendo Switch Pro controllers, I added the Elite Strap to me Quest 3, which makes it much bigger - but no worries - it totally fits in this case!
What else fits in the case? Both controllers fit snugly in the case, and there is a little compartment you can lift up to hold your Quest 3 USB-C charging cable AND charging power brick.
Since I charge my Quest 3 each time after use, I found that I can place the Quest 3 in the case, and still attack the USB-C cable so it can charge while it's in the chase! So as to not just sit around collecting dust, or in a location where it might fall down! I just have to lift the case to check when the Quest 3 is fully charged.
I don't entirely understand why there is a lanyard like strap at the top of the case though. I don't think I would feel comfortable hanging my Quest 3 on a hook somewhere - right? I keep the case horizontal and not upright, as if it's on my head. That seems a lot safer, but maybe I'm over protective.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Play in comfort with this adjustable, ergonomic head strap that fits most head sizes with the quick turn of a dial. This Elite Strap upgrades your fit by taking pressure off your face for increased comfort and weight distribution. The soft and flexible silicone support cradles the back of your head, reducing fatigue. This genuine Meta Quest accessory easily installs on your Meta Quest 3 for a perfect and secure fit every time you play, create, and explore in VR.
Why isn't this stock?
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: MrPHD
on October 18, 2023
I appreciate the videos on how to attach this elite strap, but the top strap doesn't easily thread through it as the video suggests! The trick is to bend the tip of the strap before! Then it will easily bend as you put it through the loop.
The Elite Strap turns the Meta Quest 3 into the PSVR2's very well done comfort strap.The back has a dial for tightening, just like the PSVR2, but unlike the PSVR2, you also need to unwind it to take it off. The PSVR2 will unwind itself as you pull the strap apart. This also means, for friends with bigger heads, you have to unwind to expand it long enough to fit over heads. This should also be more comfortable for users that wear glasses, but since the Quest 3 screens are already clear (as opposed to the PSVR2), I don't even have to wear my +1 glasses.
For how much the Quest 3 is, this should be included, and the stock strap should have never exist. The Elite Strap makes being in the Quest 3 a lot more comfortable for long sessions, especially if you're using it for work like I am!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Expand your world with Meta Quest 3, a mixed-reality headset that lets you jump into full immersion or blend physical and virtual worlds to transform your home into an exciting new playground. It’s the most powerful Quest yet*, reimagined from the inside out with breakthrough technology. Extraordinary experiences come to life with lightning-fast performance and dazzling details. And with the world's best library of 500+ immersive apps, there’s something for everyone to discover. See child safety guidance online; Accounts for 10+. *Based on the graphic performance of the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 vs. Meta Quest 2.
Surprisingly well done, sound is lacking
Customer Rating
4.0
Posted by: MrPHD
on October 18, 2023
I tried the mixed reality game, First Encounters, which I found extremely entertaining, allowing me to walk 2 different areas shooting these creatures that were also hiding behind furniture. That was great, more games like this, and I'm all for it - that beats my PSVR2.
However, I didn't get the Quest for gaming (though I will obviously get a couple anyways, but the majority of my VR library exists on the PSVR and PSVR2). I got the Quest 3 for movies and productivity. My 2 favorite things right now Remote Display and Bigscreen Beta, and Peacock VR.
Remote Display allows you to work off your PC/laptop onto a GIANT screen, while still able to see your surroundings. I don't have room for a complete computer workstation setup, so I just work off a laptop, but now I have a large screen which makes looking at excel documents A LOT easier. I don't even have to use the controllers, because I can simply use the hand tracking. Now the hand tracking does have a bit off a downside(at least for me) - since my laptop is in front of me, the system Quest bar is also at the bottom, so depending how I place my laptop, I will sometimes accidentally trigger an app on the bottom, because my hands are at the bottom typing! The solution (for me) is to bring my laptop closer to me, so the system bar is above the keyboard. You also need a well lit room for the hand tracking. Can you watch videos on youtube through a browser? Yup! You sure can! Of course the problem is the sound is going to come from the PC and not the Quest, so you'll need to connect to PC via headset/bluetooth to go immersive. I'm currently writing this review while wearing the Quest 3 on a giant screen, while typing off my laptop. I cannot stress enough how great it is to finally have a giant screen to work off. I use the passthrough when I'm in this, so I can clearly see everything around me, including my own watch/phone. PSVR2 does have a passthrough viewing mode, but unlike the Quest 3, you still can't move freely around because you're wired, and it's hard to read your phone/watch.
Bigscreen Beta, is basically a meeting room/lounge/movie theater where you can rent movies (including 3D movies), and watch along with others. This is what I did with my PSVR, originally - just watch movies / 3D movies (I own a few) in the PSVR. The downside of the PSVR was you're wired to PS4/5 and it drifts after a while, and of course - it's heavy! The PSVR2 fixes that a little as it is not as heavy- but the Quest 3 is the lightest, and most comfortable to use.
The screen inside the Quest 3 appears to be much better than the PSVR2. I had to make a lot of adjustments to the PSVR2 when I first got it, and it still looks a bit blurry, but the Quest 3 immediately showed me very clear non-blurry texts and images.
Finally, Peacock VR, you can watch anything from the Peacock catalog (which I tried to watch Prince Of Darkness), but the sound...the sound is not good, you can hear everything outside (and I have an a/c and air purifier going on). I tried plugging in 2 different wired over the year headsets, but the sound is too low. That's a real problem for me, that means I can't fully enjoy movies unless I make everything quiet in the room - which is not going to happen.
The other big disappointment about this, is that it's from Meta, who even though I opted out of emails, have decided they need to bombard me with emails daily, including one that suggested I buy The Meta Quest 3 512GB. What? What? You know I already own one, that's how you got my info, and now you're telling me I should've bought a better one? STOP SPAMMING ME META!!
Pros:
Lightweight
Mixed Reality looks great
Do not need to use controllers for movies/productivity apps
Feels comfortable (with the elite strap, not the stock) to wear for long periods of time
The visuals inside are very clear to read
Lightweight
Mixed Reality looks great
Do not need to use controllers for movies/productivity apps
Feels comfortable (with the elite strap, not the stock) to wear for long periods of time
The visuals inside are very clear to read
Cons:
128GB is not a good size, the base size should be 256GB, and then a 512GB option
The stock strap should've never existed, Elite Strap should be stock
Requires light to use hand gestures, but also so it can see the room your in clearly
Sound is terrible for a noisy environment. I don't know why wired headsets are set so low, that the max is barely audible, which is bad for when you want to fully immerse yourself in a movie
Not enough streaming Apps - we need Max, Showtime, Hoopla, just bring all the apps!!! My entire movie digital library lives in AppleTV!
128GB is not a good size, the base size should be 256GB, and then a 512GB option
The stock strap should've never existed, Elite Strap should be stock
Requires light to use hand gestures, but also so it can see the room your in clearly
Sound is terrible for a noisy environment. I don't know why wired headsets are set so low, that the max is barely audible, which is bad for when you want to fully immerse yourself in a movie
Not enough streaming Apps - we need Max, Showtime, Hoopla, just bring all the apps!!! My entire movie digital library lives in AppleTV!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Move beyond the desktop. Don’t just sit there—move. HP Envy Move 23.8-inch All-in-One PC is movable and rechargeable. So you can take your business, recipes and workouts from the desktop to the countertop to the tabletop and back again. Plus, with a big screen and an Intel processor, you’ll be transported too.
Best HP Touchscreen All In One
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: MrPHD
on October 2, 2023
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I never thought I would love an All-In-One as much as this one - and all before turning it on. Note only is it INCREDIBLY thin, the keyboard has a large touchpad! I love touchpad! I cannot use a traditional mouse as it hurts my fingers, so I've only been using touchpad because it doesn't hurt to use them. Not only does the keyboard have a touchpad- but there is a pouch in the back of the computer for the keyboard storage!
There is some weight to the keyboard, but it feels okay for long sessions - what doesn't feel okay though - the touchpad coating seems to be a little more resistant than my other ones. I can glide my finger over my other touchpad, but on this one, it doesn't smoothly move, it drags with normal pressure. In other words, you have to use a much much lighter touch to smoothly move around, something I am not used to, or never had to do.
What a clever design! It has its own handle, and it's feet retract to stay slim. I did not understand the picture, it was trying to tell me that i just need to sit it on a table and the feet come out, but there i was, trying to figure out how to lock the feet in place for a few minutes, until I just put it down and voila! Monitor feet! It is so slim that it feels insane this has an entire computer system inside of it. Not only a full computer system, but also has a battery inside! You can really "move" it! I was originally worried about having a PC that I needed to place near my APC, but as I was using it, I noticed it had the full battery indicator on, and sure enough, plugging it kept the computer on.
Pros:
Windows 11 (home) - you shouldn't be on Windows 10 anyways!
24" inch sleek and touchscreen monitor
Internal Battery!
Wireless keyboard WITH large touchpad
Storage space for the keyboad/touchpad!
HDMI port for dual and input
Built in Webcam w/privacy slider
Handle on top to easily move it around
Windows 11 (home) - you shouldn't be on Windows 10 anyways!
24" inch sleek and touchscreen monitor
Internal Battery!
Wireless keyboard WITH large touchpad
Storage space for the keyboad/touchpad!
HDMI port for dual and input
Built in Webcam w/privacy slider
Handle on top to easily move it around
Cons:
i5 chipset (it's not terrible, it's fine)
8GB of RAM (If I were to use this for personal / gaming, that's too low)
Limited ports (1 USB, and 1 USB-C)
I'm having issues using the L, S, and Backspace - it's more noticeable if I have the keyboard right in front of the monitor, less so I'm further away.
Slim design does not allow for any angling of the monitor. It'll always be at a 90 angle.
i5 chipset (it's not terrible, it's fine)
8GB of RAM (If I were to use this for personal / gaming, that's too low)
Limited ports (1 USB, and 1 USB-C)
I'm having issues using the L, S, and Backspace - it's more noticeable if I have the keyboard right in front of the monitor, less so I'm further away.
Slim design does not allow for any angling of the monitor. It'll always be at a 90 angle.
Do I recommend this? Yes, this is not a power user's computer, but this is the perfect student/work(which is what I'm using it for) machine, or a machine where you do not have a lot of space.
Best HP All-In-One I've had - and I've had quite a few since early 2000s!
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
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Outdoor 4 is our fourth generation wire-free smart security camera that helps you protect your home inside and out right from your smartphone.
Not as simple as you think
Customer Rating
3.0
Posted by: MrPHD
on September 26, 2023
First of all, the packaging is kind of annoying, trying to keep everything minimal is fine, but the first thing you see when you open the box, is the 3 "simple" instructions of downloading the 1) downloading Blink App 2) Select the device 3) repeat. What is all in the box? Why are there 2 batteries? What are all the other attachments? (the box lists what is included - Camera, AA batteries, mounting kit, synch module 2, usb cable, power adapter). Scanning the QR code will send you to the website where you can watch very simple non-speaking videos of what to do. I'm all for videos without anyone speaking, and this isn't a big problem for me - but then I think about people without technical knowledge, like your older parents. Would they be able to figure any of this out? No. Not at all, this setup, as simple as it is, is still too complicated for your non-technically inclined average consumer who can barely navigate a smart phone to understand what is really going on.
The mounting brackets was slightly confusing, because it's a simple snap on, without reading that it just snaps on, you wonder how it's going to actually attach, as it attaches to the part of the camera that has a giant screw. When you see a giant screw like that, you wonder if you have to take it out. Luckily, I read enough that it just snaps on, and it really did. Except the screw is what opens the back, to put in the batteries, which, i forgot to do before snapping the mount.
During the sync model wifi setup, it only saw the Wireless 2Ghz systems near me, not any 5Ghz, which is what I use. For people who only setup 5Ghz systems, this is where they fail. Remember that comment about your parents figuring this out - this is another point where they would be stuck.
Another important part to note - you need to have the camera back off to scan the QR code when you get to the point in the app. Therefore, you need to go in a specific order, which again, feels a little complicated for someone who thinks you can just set this up real quick, as the box suggests.
I got the camera to have an alternate angle on my patio, which I have squirrels visiting throughout the day. The default sensitivity settings (6 of 9), do not pick them up, even if they literally stand right in front of the camera! Setting it to sensitivity 9, picks them up, but there are 2 problems with. The first, when you increase the sensitivity, the app warns it will drain the battery quicker. Secondly, it still does not always pick up the squirrels, especially if only one comes up.
Anyways, I was a bit underwhelmed with the battery (although convenient, not having to wire it) and motion sensitivity.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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The HT-S2000 soundbar delivers high-quality audio and an upscaled cinematic surround sound experience for all your content. Built for the Sony ecosystem, this compact soundbar solution is compatible with Sony SA-SW3, SA-SW5 subwoofers and, SA-RS3S rear speakers and integrates fully with BRAVIA XR TVs.
The soundbar I didn’t know I needed
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: MrPHD
on April 25, 2023
I’ve had 3 soundbars now, each one being a vast improvement over the previous. They’ve all been moderately priced soundbars (the room is not very large so no need for a high end soundbar), and now this Sony has made the soundbar I didn’t realize I needed this entire time.
This was the simplest soundbar setup of the 3 that I’ve had. You just need the 1 HDMI cable to plug into the eARC/ARC HDMI port, and to download the Sony Home app. That’s pretty much it! You don’t need to sign up for a Sony account, you don’t need to connect the soundbar to the internet (no Alexa/Siri), and you don’t even need to use the remote, since you can do everything within the Sony app itself.
My TV outputting sound so quickly on the Sony made me realize my previous soundbar, which would always take up to 30 seconds before it would turn sound on, was either failing or just not made well.
Once you’ve spent all of the 3 minutes physically connecting the soundbar and opening the app, you’re in business with the basic settings.
The first thing I did was turn on the Sound field, enabled DTS Virtual:X, and DSEE. I also enabled the Automatically Adjust Volume, to avoid loud sources when switching inputs.
I also enabled Auto Standby, which is excellent as I put in my earbuds when watching a movie on AppleTV, or my gaming headsets when on the PS5, either one stops sounds from soundbar, so there is no point in having it on. The downside of this (which is really just a user issue) – when the soundbar is turned off (either manually or after 20 minutes), the screen goes black for about 5 seconds. While on my headset/earbuds, I still hear the sound, that is never a problem, but the TV goes black so I don’t see what’s going on for a few seconds. This is particularly a problem when playing a game. I’m getting used to manually turning it off and getting the black screen immediately before getting it by surprised. Again, not really a problem with the equipment itself, but more of usage of it.
I’ve also enabled the IR-Repeater, it seems to make my TV remote work better because I can now just point to the soundbar instead of going out of my way to point it to the tv (I have furniture that can block IR on TV if I’m sitting in certain spots).
With all those settings enabled, watching movies and TV shows now are a world of difference with the 3.1 sound coming out on the soundfield. Dialogue actually sounds clearer than before, and there are certain TV shows where the dialogue is just much lower than the rest – Ted Lasso is one of the shows. Previously, I would have to raise the volume and that made everything loud, but now I can simply press the Voice Mode on the app (or remote) and it actually boosts dialogue without boosting everything else. This is so useful, but at the same time, since the dialogue already seems to be boosted without it, I don’t need to use the feature/adjust sound as much as I did before!
The Bluetooth function is also great, you can set it to Bluetooth via the app or the button, and switch between the two.
Pros:
Strictly a Soundbar, no internet required
Great App: no account required, can turn device on/off, can switch from TV to Bluetooth. All functions available in app
Dialogue is much clearer, plus Voice Mode
Good remote: all the buttons you need, and remote itself feels nice to touch
Strictly a Soundbar, no internet required
Great App: no account required, can turn device on/off, can switch from TV to Bluetooth. All functions available in app
Dialogue is much clearer, plus Voice Mode
Good remote: all the buttons you need, and remote itself feels nice to touch
Cons:
Turning off soundbar give you 5 seconds of black screen
Sound Field is direct, so you would have to adjust the soundbar to point to you if you’re not directly centered in front of it
Turning off soundbar give you 5 seconds of black screen
Sound Field is direct, so you would have to adjust the soundbar to point to you if you’re not directly centered in front of it
Not many cons, because this is a great soundbar. Feels premium for moderate price! Highly recommend.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The best just got better with the new Nextbase 622GW 4K Dash Cam. With an abundance of new features and world’s firsts, the 622GW is the most accurate, powerful and highest image quality Dash Cam in the market today. Ultra-clear 4K recording at 30fps captures those all-important finer details, with recording at 1440p HD at 60fps or 1080p HD at 120fps for super slow motion available. An improved sensor ensures enhanced night vision on even the darkest roads. Image quality is at the forefront of the Dash cam revolution, with Image stabilization reducing vibrations from your vehicle and improving footage clarity. Another first for Nextbase is Extreme Weather Mode, to provide a clearer image in misty conditions using special defogging algorithms, crucial for winter and night-time driving. The 622GW is the world’s first Dash Cam to include what3words. This provides your exact location to a 3m square location without the need for a data connection, crucial for emergency services to precisely locate you. Coupled with Emergency SOS and Alexa Built-In, the 622GW shows its further ahead the field with technology advancements. Increased connectivity for transferring footage to your mobile phone is key with new built-in Bluetooth 5.0 and Hyper-Sync Wi-Fi 5GHz speeds are up to 10x faster. This ensures syncing times with the MyNextbase Connect app (IoS 12.1 or later and Android 5.1 and up). The 622GW is compatible with any Nextbase Rear View Module, to offer-all around protection, whilst crucially maintaining front 4K image quality, with 1080p full HD rear recordings. The 622GW features all the much loved Nextbase features including Intelligent Parking Mode, high accuracy 10x GPS readings, a 3” HD IPS touch screen and the fully patented Click&Go PRO mount design, for the ultimate Dash Cam user experience. Note- For this product a U3 class Nextbase microSD card is required (Not included). The ability to maintain a high WRITE speed consistently is what Nextbase SD cards are designed to do better than any other SD card. Any drop/fluctuation in WRITE speed within the SD card causes the Dash Cam footage to buffer, and in some cases will stop the recording entirely. Our Nextbase SD card controller and Firmware on the SD card achieves the requirements from our Dash Cam, where other SD cards cannot. Due to the continuous recording and overwriting of the card, the SD card needs to be a high-endurance card, otherwise the card may develop faults after a period of time; if a lower-capability card is used, certain features on the camera will not fully function due to being unable to re-write and record. Nextbase has over 3 million dash cams sold, 115 unique patents, custom designed processors and improved sensors which record fast moving objects in perfect picture clarity for day and night time driving. Auto adjusts contrast and brightness to further improve the footage details in the event of an accident. Save time, money, and ease with Nextbase Dash Cams.
Excellent DashCam for Motorcycles
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: MrPHD
on December 5, 2022
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Hear me out, excellent camera for motorcycle rides!
I got rid of my car a while ago and now just use a motorcycle, I’ve been looking at different vendors to get a dashcam to record and track my rides, which is often me driving into areas I’ve never been before, and I forget exactly where I was when I saw interesting things.
I originally tested the dashcam on a bike usability by purchasing a cheap $60 dashcam, which has stuck to my windshield for over 2 years(!!). That made me comfortable knowing that a new mount/cam won’t fall off on the ride, and can now buy a more expensive dashcam with actual features.
The first thing I noticed when researching this particular dashcam, is that the file lengths are only 1, 2, and 3 minutes (vs my 15 minutes on my cheap dashcam). The UK support told me the reason lengths are so short is to quickly save files and not have gaps between files. For reference, there would always be a 2-3 second gap between my 15 minute files. Even though that does not sound like much – it is, especially if you want to take an image that occurred in those 2-3 seconds! It can be frustrating!
When the dashcam arrived, there is a rather large notice on the box “BE SURE TO USE A NextBase microSD card, Available separately” and the instructions also note the importance of using their card versus another other card, even if it’s a U3 rated card. I take issue with this – if it is important to use their own card, then they should *include* a card, don’t sell it separately! Especially since their branded cards are much more expensive than regular U3 cards. They say you *can* use any cards, but it will eventually fail…so again, this is very lousy way to force you to buy their card after you’ve spent a lot of money on the original dashcam.
Another lousy thing, they have a polarizing filter you can add, which for sure would help any ride, but did they include that? No, of course not! So now I’m reading the instructions and I have 2 items I should have, but don’t! That was very frustrating.
I highly recommend downloading the manual from their website, as the one included doesn’t really have enough info on the configuration/settings, THERE ARE A LOT!
After configuring all the settings (including turning Image Stabilization on and setting Impact Sensitivity to low), I mounted it camera to my bike, and took off for a ride towards and around Downtown Los Angeles.
On my way down there, I noticed that the camera went into Protect mode a few times – because it thought I was in an accident. I wound up having to turn off Impact Sensitivity, which I also did on my previous dashcam so that was expected – it’s a bike, it’s going to bounce a lot.
I did not bother using the NextBase IOS app, but I did use the PC app, and what an experience! As you can see from the picture, the player shows you the video, the speed, the location, how much the image stabilizer is working, and the file route segment in a google maps corner. In this example it only shows a short street because I have not combined any of the videos, which you can also do. This is extremely helpful, as now I can pinpoint where any cool murals I stumble into are exactly located!
Lastly – the image stabilization is fantastic – my videos are all very smooth with it on! All of my previous videos on the cheap dashcam were all very bumpy.
Pros:
Excellent Image Stabilization
Touch screen, including a button to protect the video (so it doesn’t get erased)
Strong Magnetic connection from dashcam to mount
USB cable plugs into the mount, instead of the camera, and the mount separates and attaches easily
GPS and MPH (or KMH), Date and Time stamps on the video (these are options that can be turned on or off, including adding your license place on the video)
Ability to merge files to a longer video
Excellent Image Stabilization
Touch screen, including a button to protect the video (so it doesn’t get erased)
Strong Magnetic connection from dashcam to mount
USB cable plugs into the mount, instead of the camera, and the mount separates and attaches easily
GPS and MPH (or KMH), Date and Time stamps on the video (these are options that can be turned on or off, including adding your license place on the video)
Ability to merge files to a longer video
Cons:
NextBase branded/formatted cards are required, but they do not include it
Polarizing filter recommended, also not included
NextBase Player takes a long time to load 37 HD files(for this ride) and it looks like the player gets stuck/frozen, but it’s just creating the thumbnails, so be patient.
2 hour ride = 28GB, I only have a 64GB card, so I’ll have to wait until there is a sale on their cards to buy a much bigger one, even though I have multiple 256GB U3 cards, which if I believe them, will all fail eventually.
NextBase branded/formatted cards are required, but they do not include it
Polarizing filter recommended, also not included
NextBase Player takes a long time to load 37 HD files(for this ride) and it looks like the player gets stuck/frozen, but it’s just creating the thumbnails, so be patient.
2 hour ride = 28GB, I only have a 64GB card, so I’ll have to wait until there is a sale on their cards to buy a much bigger one, even though I have multiple 256GB U3 cards, which if I believe them, will all fail eventually.
As you can see, there aren’t that many cons on this – the 2 cons are essentially lousy sales techniques, and loading a lot of video files is expected to be slow.
I *love* this dashcam – for my bike, I’m so glad I contacted UK support prior to ordering this, otherwise I would not have ordered it thinking that 3 minute video files are totally useless. I did not think to ask support about the importance of their branded cards, if I had, then I would have gone ahead and ordered their cards, instead of ordering mine (which I am not even going to bother testing).
I guess that is a reminder to always read online manuals / FAQs of any expensive products to make sure it will meet your expectations!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The EOS R10 is perfect for content creators looking to take their creativity to the next level. Featuring a high-speed shooting 15 FPS mechanical shutter^,~ a 24.2 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor, and lightning-fast auto-focus, all in a sleek, lightweight design.
Mirrorless Camera w/fully autofocus? Yes please!
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: MrPHD
on October 25, 2022
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
Back in 2008 I bought my first "professional" camera while I happened to be in Japan - felt right to buy it when I was near the actual headquarters. I loved it, it took amazing pictures if the conditions were right, but when I would look the viewfinder, the picture would look perfect, and when I reviewed it later, it was not. This has always been a very frustrating normal thing I had to deal with when using that kind of a camera. However, the only way to get the most out of the camera was to take a photography class, which was very useful, but there is so much information and as time goes on, I have forgotten it all.
Now in 2022, the Canon EOS R10 is not only a much better camera, but mirrorless with amazing autofocus quality. I used my friend's daughter and dog to try out the Fully Automatic Shooting (Scene Intelligent Auto) mode. As you can see in the included pictures, the camera was able to focus on both human and very annoyed animal who would not stop moving. These kind of shots aren't available on my previous camera - in fact I would have to take at least 30 continuous shots to be able to pick out a few that looked great. Here I only took 4 shots, and each one is perfect.
Since this is a mirrorless camera, the viewfinder is digital (OLED screen), so you can see exactly what the shot is going to look like immediately. You can even use the little thumbstick, called the Multi-Controller button (an 8 directional stick) to set an area you always want in focus. This, in comparison to my other camera, is mind-blowing that it can detect multiple faces/animals and will show me it to me correct, in real time. The digital viewfinder was easy for me to see without my glasses, so that was is another plus, as I that is no longer the case w/mirrored viewfinder.
The camera's almost 3 inch LCD screen is touch screen, you can skip the Multi-Controller and just touch what you want the camera to focus on. You can also tilt the screen, in addition to pulling it out and reversing it so you could see the screen while facing the lens.
Video recording is also pretty good - like Scene Intelligent Auto mode, Auto exposure Movie Recording, is able to autofocus on fast moving subjects, including animals.
Basically, the Canon EOS R10 is a great camera to start getting into photography - that was the original intention of my first DSLR, but it was just too complicated to use - this camera will basically do it all for you! Sure, you can set it on manual and use it like a regular camera, but after using the fully auto mode - why would you??
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Soundcore - by Anker Liberty 4 True Wireless Earbud Headphones - Black
Soundcore by Anker Liberty 4, Noise Cancelling Earbuds, True Wireless Earbuds with ACAA 3.0, Dual Dynamic Drivers, Hi-Res Audio, Heart Rate Sensor, CloudComfort Eartips, Spatial Audio, 28H Playtime
Finally Earbuds I actually like
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: MrPHD
on October 19, 2022
I've never really been a fan of wireless earbuds, they always seem to fall off on me, sound funny, or I have to raise the volume because the outside noise is too loud to hear them. The other issue is of course the earbuds falling off. The Apple wired earbuds were pretty much my favorite, only because I would use them in my helmet, as they're the only ones that would stay in. However, these premium wireless earbuds are great! The default ear tips worked best for me. The Small and Large would were not a good fit, but I’m glad they are included as obviously everyone has different sized ears.
I started simply with just using the earbuds and connecting to my iPhone, you could tell that the noise cancellation was automatically on, but that's about it. After using it for a few days on calls and just listening to music, I decided I wanted to use the app and see what other features I'm missing out on.
What features was I missing? the ability to use "transparency mode" - which allows you to eliminate noises but focus on voice, or a "fully transparent" mode which just brings in all outside noise - this would be useful for when walking on the street to be aware of your surroundings. The most important feature is "HearID ANC" which allows you to run an ear canal test customize the sound to your specific ear, this is highly recommended.
What features was I missing? the ability to use "transparency mode" - which allows you to eliminate noises but focus on voice, or a "fully transparent" mode which just brings in all outside noise - this would be useful for when walking on the street to be aware of your surroundings. The most important feature is "HearID ANC" which allows you to run an ear canal test customize the sound to your specific ear, this is highly recommended.
The other reason I needed to app - after I had successfully connected the earbuds to 2 devices (Nintendo Switch & iPhone), I could no longer connect to new devices - which I wanted to connect to my AppleTV. In the settings within the app, there is a "Dual connections" area in which is where you can start connecting more than 2 devices. Once I went into there, I had the option to connect a new device.
On the AppleTV, when watching anything I switch the spatial audio mode to Movie Mode, because it brings the vocals closer to you, whereas the "music mode" it sounds more like you're in a concert, which works better for music. Bonus: if you use head tracking, the audio will come out of the left/right earbud depending on where you are looking, which is fantastic.
The only thing I don't like, which is across most headsets, is the echo/concert hall effect when you're on a call, because of the mic. I can hear myself breathing and it feels very uncomfortable, this usually happens when using a headset that has a boom mic close to my mouth. Again, this is normal, and other people are used to it, it is not normal for me but it's acceptable.
The only thing I don't like, which is across most headsets, is the echo/concert hall effect when you're on a call, because of the mic. I can hear myself breathing and it feels very uncomfortable, this usually happens when using a headset that has a boom mic close to my mouth. Again, this is normal, and other people are used to it, it is not normal for me but it's acceptable.
There is also a wellness portion in the app as the earbuds can also measure your heart rate, and can connect to Apple Health, but I did not get into it and I'm not interested in it as I already have an Apple Watch that does the same.
Pros:
HearID ANC /Spatial audio Head tracking
Good battery life
Can be connected to 2 devices at the same time
Power levels shown in the app
Fit Tests to properly relay sound to your specific ears
HearID ANC /Spatial audio Head tracking
Good battery life
Can be connected to 2 devices at the same time
Power levels shown in the app
Fit Tests to properly relay sound to your specific ears
Cons:
Pricey, but premium sound
Pinching controls for each earbud seems difficult (however, you can customize and change sensitivity of pinches, just not interested)
Requires app/account if you've already connected 2 different devices
Most features require the app.
Pricey, but premium sound
Pinching controls for each earbud seems difficult (however, you can customize and change sensitivity of pinches, just not interested)
Requires app/account if you've already connected 2 different devices
Most features require the app.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Samsung - SmartThings Item Tracker - White
Secure yourself, a loved one or valuables with this smart, versatile Samsung SmartThings tracker. Its geo-fencing feature triggers smart home automations or alerts you when a pet or person who has it leaves or enters your designated zone. Double-press the button of this IP68-rated Samsung SmartThings tracker to notify authorized persons of your current location.
So I am in need of a gps tracker for my husband who has dementia. I want something user friendly for the technically challenged. Something I can put on his key chain that would notify me if he leaves the home,
This should work for you, the initial "setup" is the most difficult in which you have to setup the "Home" zone, and it will alert you (via the app) that the device has left the zone. You will want to charge the device every few days.
5 years, 4 months ago
by
Posted by:
MrPHD
Samsung - SmartThings Item Tracker - White
Secure yourself, a loved one or valuables with this smart, versatile Samsung SmartThings tracker. Its geo-fencing feature triggers smart home automations or alerts you when a pet or person who has it leaves or enters your designated zone. Double-press the button of this IP68-rated Samsung SmartThings tracker to notify authorized persons of your current location.
Is there a monthly service fee?
1 year of LTE service included, after the first 12 months service price is $5 a month or $50 per year.
5 years, 4 months ago
by
Posted by:
MrPHD
Samsung - SmartThings Item Tracker - White
Secure yourself, a loved one or valuables with this smart, versatile Samsung SmartThings tracker. Its geo-fencing feature triggers smart home automations or alerts you when a pet or person who has it leaves or enters your designated zone. Double-press the button of this IP68-rated Samsung SmartThings tracker to notify authorized persons of your current location.
What’s the range
No real "range" - it's GPS based.
5 years, 4 months ago
by
Posted by:
MrPHD
Samsung - SmartThings Item Tracker - White
Secure yourself, a loved one or valuables with this smart, versatile Samsung SmartThings tracker. Its geo-fencing feature triggers smart home automations or alerts you when a pet or person who has it leaves or enters your designated zone. Double-press the button of this IP68-rated Samsung SmartThings tracker to notify authorized persons of your current location.
Two quick questions. Is the lanyard long enough to fit around a man's neck? He won't remember to put it on but if I could put it around his neck he won't leave without it. Is it water proof. Can he shower in it?
The included lanyard is NOT long enough to fit around a neck of any size person or animal. You would want to just buy a separate lanyard that would be big enough.
The device is listed with an IP68 rating, and this is what that means according to Samsung: "Devices backed by an international standard rating of IP68 are deemed fit enough to withstand dust, dirt and sand, and are resistant to submersion up to a maximum depth of 1.5m underwater for up to thirty minutes."
That tells me it should be okay to use it in the shower.
The device is listed with an IP68 rating, and this is what that means according to Samsung: "Devices backed by an international standard rating of IP68 are deemed fit enough to withstand dust, dirt and sand, and are resistant to submersion up to a maximum depth of 1.5m underwater for up to thirty minutes."
That tells me it should be okay to use it in the shower.
5 years, 4 months ago
by
Posted by:
MrPHD
Listen to your favorite music or enjoy streaming video with this set of Insignia computer speakers. An integrated headphone jack lets you enjoy stereo sound without disturbing others, and the universal design works with desktops and laptops. With simple power and volume controls, these Insignia computer speakers offer effortless operation.
Listen to your favorite music or enjoy streaming video with this set of Insignia computer speakers. An integrated headphone jack lets you enjoy stereo sound without disturbing others, and the universal design works with desktops and laptops. With simple power and volume controls, these Insignia computer speakers offer effortless operation.
Does this include a cord to connect the speakers to a monitor? Like an audio jack?
Yes, it comes with audio jack to connect to computer. If your monitor has built in speakers and an audio jack, you can connect them to it.
6 years, 1 month ago
by
Posted by:
MrPHD
Listen to your favorite music or enjoy streaming video with this set of Insignia computer speakers. An integrated headphone jack lets you enjoy stereo sound without disturbing others, and the universal design works with desktops and laptops. With simple power and volume controls, these Insignia computer speakers offer effortless operation.
Sonos - Beam Soundbar with Voice Control built-in - Black
Get more out of your home theater setup with this Sonos Beam compact smart soundbar. A 5-speaker with five amplifier setup delivers rich, big sound to your room, while the single-cable connection allows for fast, easy setup. Compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control, this Sonos Beam compact smart soundbar lets you control the volume and power with the just sound of your voice.
Will this device pair well with the vizio m50-e1? Not sure if my tv has the necessary ports for this device.
Yes, that particular TV has an HDMI ARC point - use that.
6 years, 1 month ago
by
Posted by:
MrPHD
Sonos - Beam Soundbar with Voice Control built-in - Black
Get more out of your home theater setup with this Sonos Beam compact smart soundbar. A 5-speaker with five amplifier setup delivers rich, big sound to your room, while the single-cable connection allows for fast, easy setup. Compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control, this Sonos Beam compact smart soundbar lets you control the volume and power with the just sound of your voice.
I have the Samsung ONE CONNECT box. Optical to electrical converter per say. What port of the SAMSUNG ONE Connect do i hook up to the Sonos Beam? What are the available ports of the Sonos Beam?
You can only connect to the beam with an HDMI cable. It does come with an optical to HDMI converter for older TV's/receivers.
6 years, 1 month ago
by
Posted by:
MrPHD
Sonos - Beam Soundbar with Voice Control built-in - Black
Get more out of your home theater setup with this Sonos Beam compact smart soundbar. A 5-speaker with five amplifier setup delivers rich, big sound to your room, while the single-cable connection allows for fast, easy setup. Compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control, this Sonos Beam compact smart soundbar lets you control the volume and power with the just sound of your voice.
I have a 2008 Samsung without a Arc hdmi. What is the best way to use the beam for both streaming amazon music and tv audio without any receiver/amp.
The Sonos Beam comes with an optical to HDMI converter. Assuming your TV does have optical, you can simply use that. Music streaming you connect via your phone (Android/Iphone) using the amp, and it sounds great.
6 years, 1 month ago
by
Posted by:
MrPHD