MadSquabbles
MadSquabbles's Stats
- Review Count10
- Helpfulness Votes77
- First ReviewFebruary 9, 2013
- Last ReviewMarch 18, 2017
- Featured Reviews0
- Average Rating3.7
Reviews Comments
- Review Comment Count5
- Helpfulness Votes7
- First Review CommentMarch 9, 2013
- Last Review CommentAugust 21, 2016
- Featured Review Comments0
Questions
- Question Count0
- Helpfulness Votes0
- First QuestionNone
- Last QuestionNone
- Featured Questions0
- Answer Count8
- Helpfulness Votes2
- First AnswerJanuary 18, 2015
- Last AnswerJuly 19, 2015
- Featured Answers0
- Best Answers1
MadSquabbles's Reviews
CORSAIR - RAPIDFIRE K70 Wired Gaming Mechanical Cherry MX Speed Switch Keyboard with RGB Backlighting - Black
Light up your gameplay with this Corsair RGB RAPIDFIRE mechanical gaming keyboard, featuring LED backlit keys in multiple colors. Create a customized key set, and take the shot accurately with the fast actuation of Cherry MX Speed RGB switches. This Corsair RGB RAPIDFIRE mechanical gaming keyboard uses USB for easy connectivity.
Great hardware ruined by poor software
Customer Rating
3.0
I've got the Corsair K70 Vengeance and decided I'd like a colorful upgrade so I grabbed the Rapidfire while it was on sale. It's a solid keyboard and every bit as good as my old K70, but since it could assign macros I wanted to go ahead and add that to my gaming. This is where it fails massively. Two out of four gaming sessions I've had stuck macros that wouldn't stop until I force quit the Corsair gaming program.
If this keyboard came sans macroing software I'd probably keep it. But it does, and I used and it's ticked me off it's going back in the box and back to BB. It's a shame how bad the software is for such a beautiful keyboard.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
My Best Buy number: 0089555736
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Pioneer - 4" Bookshelf Speakers (Pair) - Black
Experience lush audio with these Pioneer SP-BS22-LR bookshelf speakers that feature 80W maximum power handling for crisp, robust sound. The curved cabinet design helps minimize vibration for exceptional performance.
Boxy resonance
Customer Rating
3.0
I fell into the hype of these speakers and I'll be returning them tomorrow. I'm upgrading from some cheap old polk T15's and everyone swore that the b22's are better. At the store I picked the t15's over the b22's because of the boxy sound I heard from them a few years back. I figured since they're on sale for $77 why not try them out, plus I grabbed the center channel for $67. My main use is for near field with my PC for gaming. I've got 4 polk hooked up to an old Yamaha receiver that I had retired since it doesn't have HDMI inputs. These sound good enough for me. I got the upgrade bug so I grabbed the b22's and got a shock of disappointment as they had the same resonance I heard way back. Maybe it's just my ears that vibrate at the certain frequency these things hit - I can't eat cerals with hard marshmallows, Adelle songs make me mad because I can hear a squeaky sound in her voice that enrages me, and I suffer from allergies year round. Maybe all this make me not able to enjoy the b22's like so many do. I tweaked the heck out of my EQ and found that 250Hz is where the resonance occurs. I turned it down but sound quality degraded with it. Maybe if I'd take the time to tweak more I'd be able to find the sweet spot, but I've already found it with the t15's and, like I said, are good enough... plus I bought those jokers for $39 a pair during two different sales!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
My Best Buy number: 0089555736
0points
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55" Class - (54.6" Diag.) - LED - 1080p - HDTV
Experience cinema-like viewing from the comfort of your living room with this 55-inch Insignia LED television. It displays Blu-ray and high-definition movies in full 1080p resolution with stunning HD detail. Use the three HDMI inputs to create a home theater experience with this Insignia LED TV and your other audio and video devices.
Great value with a few flaws
Customer Rating
4.0
For $380 this is a huge TV for the price. I'm coming from a 80" projector so in size it's a downgrade but in quality it's an upgrade - you can only pull so much black from a white screen with a 500 lumen and I didn't want to put the big projector in a small bedroom because of the heat output. This TV fit the bill. Sure its blacks don't get as dark as a higher priced set and some of the shadow detail is washed out but after tweaking a bit it's pretty dang good for a sub-$400 unit. My original plan was to get the Hisense 4k, but I figured I'd try and see if I can live with the Insignia and put the $200 into something else. I've got no 4k content and can't stream it since I've got slow rural internet access. So far I'm glad I did. It's surely not as good as the Hisense, but it's "good enough". There's a good bit of backlight bleed on the edges when you have more solid scenes or darker scenes but it's not too distracting; I've actually gotten used to it. So if you don't mind giving up a little quality and saving a good bit of money don't hesitate to get this TV.
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Best Buy number: 0089555736
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HP - Pavilion Desktop - Intel Pentium - 4GB Memory - 500GB Hard Drive - White/Gray
HP Pavilion 300-020 Desktop: Just 2 inches tall and with a tiny footprint, this desktop PC fits into even the smallest workspaces. It offers the features of a full-sized desktop PC, letting you browse the Web, check your e-mail, stream videos and music, and more. It also includes dual-monitor support, making it great for multitasking.
Stutter... Stutter... Stutter
Customer Rating
4.0
I got this for $200 during a four hour sale, so for the price it's not bad at all. I've read other reviews and a couple mentioned stuttering (about 1sec pauses while moving the mouse) and I just thought it must be a bad batch from those reviews as I didn't see it mentioned in buyer reviews. Mine has it. Even with the RAM upgraded, SSD, and Win 10 I get a stutter ever few seconds. Most likely, under normal usage (web browsing, media playing - it's mostly used for a PLEX server) I don't notice it. But if I have to interact with it the stuttering does wear on you. I haven't checked to see if there's a BIOS update, but hopefully this is just a software issue with an easy fix soon.
As for a PLEX server, this thing is doing great! It's as powerful as my old C2D e6600 according to passmark and hasn't had any problems streaming. Only downside, like my e6600, it most likely won't be able to handle multiple streams. But, since I'm the only one using my PLEX server, it's not a big deal. My daughter watches YouTube mostly and my wife watches news all day.
So, for $200, it's a decent server that only pulls 4watts idle and I've only seen it go up to 16w under use using a Kill-a-Watt.
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Best Buy number: 0089555736
+1point
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ASUS - ZenPad - 7.85" - Intel Atom - 32GB - Black
Asus ZenPad Tablet: Watch your favorite media on the go on this tablet's 7.85" multitouch screen, which presents visuals in 2K (2048 x 1536) resolution. You'll have plenty of room to store pictures, videos and other files with 32GB flash memory.
Should've been the nexus 8
Customer Rating
5.0
right now I consider this my baby nexus 9! for $200 this thing is a steal. beautiful bright screen easy to hold for reading, decent size for comics but perfect for books, generous storage AND a micro SD slot which Asus added a cover to this time... there's almost nothing wrong with this tablet. without a case it's feather-light and the partial rubber back keeps the tablet from slipping while holding. speakers are surprisingly good. they're not nearly as tinny as I had expected and a bit louder, not nexus 9 good, but better than note 10.1 2014 speakers.
while there are a lotta good things about the tablet, there are also a few drawbacks:
no 5ghz - so if you need it then wait for the CA version with the stylus and bump in CPU and RAM.
stutters a little when scrolling fast. it's not really an issue for me, but if stutters bother you then you may again wanna consider the beefier version when available.
weak WiFi radio- it's possibly the weakest of all the tablets/phones I have. so if you've got a big house you may wanna think about getting a repeater... we've got three routers, rt n16, ac66u, and ubiquiti unifi and I still managed to lose signal in one spot in the house.
the "best" version is just around the corner. for $100 more you can get a stylus, bumped up CPU and extra 2GB of RAM (but this one's good enough for me).
no 5ghz - so if you need it then wait for the CA version with the stylus and bump in CPU and RAM.
stutters a little when scrolling fast. it's not really an issue for me, but if stutters bother you then you may again wanna consider the beefier version when available.
weak WiFi radio- it's possibly the weakest of all the tablets/phones I have. so if you've got a big house you may wanna think about getting a repeater... we've got three routers, rt n16, ac66u, and ubiquiti unifi and I still managed to lose signal in one spot in the house.
the "best" version is just around the corner. for $100 more you can get a stylus, bumped up CPU and extra 2GB of RAM (but this one's good enough for me).
i wish this tablet came out before the nexus 9. it would have saved me $400! not saying it's a nexus 9 killer, it's just that this tablet filled the need for a reader after selling my note 8. the only things I need now are root and a case!
another thing, one website said this tablet can use the z stylus also. it must not be a wacom digitizer if so because my s pen and bamboo pen don't register. it's possible the z stylus will have a capacitive tip to work with this stylus... nothing afaik is confirmed yet.
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Best Buy number: 0089555736
+57points
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Dynex™ - 16" Class (15.6" Diag.) - LED - 720p - HDTV
Dynex™ DX-16E220NA16 HDTV: Enjoy your favorite shows and movies in a small room with this Dynex™ HDTV, which features 720p resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate for clear on-screen images. Two HDMI inputs make it easy to connect a wide range of devices.
Stay away unless you have a specific need
Customer Rating
2.0
don't bother purchasing if you've got the space to accommodate a larger screen. for a few bucks more you can grab a tv with a far better screen. this one has very few adjustments that can actually be made. the images are oversharpened which causes bad halo's. the viewing angle is limited. even looking directly on you'll see color variances from top to bottom.
if you gotta have a 15.6" tv, then you don't have very many options. it'll work decently, but at only $10-$20 difference from the 19" with better screens you'd be better of with the upgrade.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
My Best Buy number: 0089555736
+2points
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LG - Tone Pro Wireless Headphones (1st Gen.) Holiday Edition - Black
LG Tone Pro Wireless Headphones: Voice commands let you easily activate apps or contacts, while a built-in microphone and call answer button ensures calls won't be missed. A wireless connection and a comfortable, curved design means the headphones can stay with you all day.
great entry pair of bt headphones
Customer Rating
4.0
this is my first time getting a set of BT headphones and i gotta say i'm impressed so far. the bass is nice, but not overpowering. the mids are just right and highs don't hit that point where it begins to get fatiguing after a few minutes. the sound isolation is pretty nice also.
pairing was a painless job and only took few minutes to set it up on two different devices, galaxy note 10.1 2014 and an HTC m8. the sound is louder and better on my gn 10.1 though and it could be because i have viperfx installed on it. i never got around to installing it on the m8. i did notice a slight delay in audio watching netflix, hopefully there are some tweaks that can fix that.
my main use for the headphones is yardwork. the wire on my analog set sometimes gets caught and yanks the phones right out. i don't really plan on using the mic much so the reports of it being faulty most likely won't be verified by me... i don't use the phone as a phone much anyways, lol.
i was torn between this and the Sol, but opted for the lg for two reasons, cheaper by 1/2 and the fact that i'd rather not have a $100 pair of headphones torn up and junked up by yardwork. even if i wasn't doing yardwork i'd consider getting these.
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Best Buy number: 0089555736
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Polk Audio - T15 100 Watt Home Theater Bookshelf Speakers (Pair) | Dolby and DTS Surround | Wall-Mountable - Black
The T15 are those bookshelf speakers whose high versatility is built to impress. Engineered with Polk's proprietary Dynamic Balance technology, they're primed to improve your home theater experience and take on your entire arsenal of tunes without fail. Think brighter highs, a wide-open mid-range and surprising bass response - the perfect entry into high-performance audio. What’s more, it’s easy to setup, supports Dolby and DTS, and connects to most home theater receivers, stereos or home theater processors. The best part is that it won't drain your wallet! Go big on great sound made for everyone. Add the T15 bookshelf stereo speakers to your home audio setup today.
choosen over pioneer bs-lr22
Customer Rating
4.0
there were three reasons why i chose the polks over the popular pioneers.
1- way cheaper when on sale ($60 - the pioneers did drop to around $80 a few months later though).
2- front ports. the pioneers are ported on the rear and these speakers we going to be placed against a wall for my computer system
3- pioneers on display sounded tinny. dunno if they didn't have it eq'ed correctly, but the polks sounded fuller and and less tinny. it may have been placement related issues.
so for $60 it's a steal and i'm considering going back today and get them again on sale. i've had these for 6+ months now.
1- way cheaper when on sale ($60 - the pioneers did drop to around $80 a few months later though).
2- front ports. the pioneers are ported on the rear and these speakers we going to be placed against a wall for my computer system
3- pioneers on display sounded tinny. dunno if they didn't have it eq'ed correctly, but the polks sounded fuller and and less tinny. it may have been placement related issues.
so for $60 it's a steal and i'm considering going back today and get them again on sale. i've had these for 6+ months now.
the bass is pretty deep for such small speakers. at first i ran them without a sub and was pretty happy, but then after playing a few games i felt the need to feel the action. i had a 12" infinity sub upstairs and paired it with the bookshelves and i happy as can be. 12" feels a bit of overkill, and takes up a good amount of space but i've finally got a decent computer audio set up for a relatively low price (if you don't include the $500 i paid for the sub 12yrs ago, lol).
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Best Buy number: 0089555736
+1point
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Google - Chromecast - Black
Google Chromecast: Easily stream your favorite apps and media to your TV via Wi-Fi with Chromecast. Use the included USB cable to plug the Chromecast into your TV, and control streaming content using your compatible smartphone, tablet or computer.
Great bang for the buck
Customer Rating
4.0
What's great about it: inexpensive, streams netflix among others and mirrors browser screen
What's not so great: no local content streaming
for $35 this is a great way to throw netflix to your tv. sadly, that's all I've used it for. until they allow local content or even allow plex to be installed it has very limited use for me since I've also got a sony google tv unit. but it's still one heck of a buy.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Sony - Internet Player with Google TV - Black
(184)My Best Buy number: 89555736
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Samsung - ATIV Smart PC 500T Tablet with 64GB Memory - Ice Blue
Learn more about Windows 8Easily multitask and remain productive on the go with this 64GB Samsung Series 5 Smart PC tablet that features 2GB memory and an 11.6" high-definition LED touch screen. Built-in wireless networking enables ultrafast Web surfing.
Great hardware, Poor software
Customer Rating
4.0
Ease of Use
3.0
Features
4.0
What's great about it: battery life, pressure sensitve pen, repsonsive touch screen, speedy compared to android tablets
What's not so great: poor sound in most apps, black screen when waking from dock, MS half-hearted attempt at touch interface
first of all, the tablet by itself is pretty sweet. sure it's just an expensive modern netbook with a nice screen, but it's words as a tablet too. for some the width may be unwieldy so please try it out before buying it. i have medium sized hands and don't have any problems using the tablet. but then again i also don't complain about it being heavier than most tablets by the weight of a hamburger - double whoppers=good, .2lb extra on a tablet=bad??
there are two big limitation with this tablet - RAM and internal storage. both are pretty paltry in today's standards, but it handles most tasks pretty well. just don't try and overwhelm it with too much multitasking. the eMMC is pretty slow when hit with simultaneous read/writes.
one gripe i have about the tablet i the audio. with media player the sound is nice, loud and full. in everything else it's just meh... poor and weak. tweaking external filters in mpc give an output that's just as good. you just have to put in the tweaks yourself. i haven't found any stand-alone media players as robust as most of what i had on my galaxy note 10.1, but hopefully i'll find something soon. i have tried plex and xbmc. xbmc isn't too touch friendly and you have to use mpc as your external video player to get good sound (xbmc's gain clips at low levels) and have dxva support. plex didn't boost the sound either - believe me it's weak! hooked up to a car on 100% on the tablet and head unit yielded poor output in anything other than wmp and mpc. if you hook it up to an amp it may be a non-issue.
other than those issues it nice to have a full blown OS on a tablet. i do miss my gn10.1, but i have my nook hd+ to keep me company when i feel like messing with android again. if MS gets in gear and makes a better touch interface then this could be a great product. as it is, i find it pretty decent, but it's what i want at the moment.
This product is... responsive touch screen, Perfect for Business, A nice compact size, Sharp graphics, Great screen size, ecellent battery life - 10+ hours
About me... Parent with kids, Technology guru, Gamer
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Logitech - K810 Bluetooth Illuminated Keyboard
+7points
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MadSquabbles's Questions
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MadSquabbles's Answers
ASUS - ZenPad - 7.85" - Intel Atom - 32GB - Black
Asus ZenPad Tablet: Watch your favorite media on the go on this tablet's 7.85" multitouch screen, which presents visuals in 2K (2048 x 1536) resolution. You'll have plenty of room to store pictures, videos and other files with 32GB flash memory.
What is chance for new android updates in future?
I have heard that Asus does not support updating android after you buy it. Any assurances that Asus will support this one?
supposedly the mfg are supposed to support their devices for up to 18 months, but seems samsung still lacks in that dept. so you'll get not guarantees from anyone unless you get a nexus device.
don't worry about it anyways, sometimes the upgrades don't really affect what you do much. all those under the hood changes or ui changes generally won't speed up the device or make you read pages faster. i still run 4.2.2 on my m8. it works fine so why upgrade - worse battery life, performance issues, some xposed mods won't work...
don't worry about it anyways, sometimes the upgrades don't really affect what you do much. all those under the hood changes or ui changes generally won't speed up the device or make you read pages faster. i still run 4.2.2 on my m8. it works fine so why upgrade - worse battery life, performance issues, some xposed mods won't work...
8 years, 9 months ago
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ASUS - ZenPad - 7.85" - Intel Atom - 32GB - Black
Asus ZenPad Tablet: Watch your favorite media on the go on this tablet's 7.85" multitouch screen, which presents visuals in 2K (2048 x 1536) resolution. You'll have plenty of room to store pictures, videos and other files with 32GB flash memory.
can u play games/apps
I like to play games but haven't bought the tablet?
If it does play games what types?
If it does play games what types?
i've tried minecraft pe and soulcalibre so far and both work fine. no lags or stutters.
8 years, 9 months ago
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ASUS - ZenPad - 7.85" - Intel Atom - 32GB - Black
Asus ZenPad Tablet: Watch your favorite media on the go on this tablet's 7.85" multitouch screen, which presents visuals in 2K (2048 x 1536) resolution. You'll have plenty of room to store pictures, videos and other files with 32GB flash memory.
CPU Power
how powerful is the CPU it says on the tablet that this tablet is a 64bit tablet.Is this true,and how does it compare to the cpu on the Nexus 9 which is also 64 bit(K1 CPU)...thank you
nexus 9 is far more powerful. antutu is around twice the score. scrolling and game playing smoother on the nexus 9.
8 years, 9 months ago
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Dynex™ - 16" Class (15.6" Diag.) - LED - 720p - HDTV
Dynex™ DX-16E220NA16 HDTV: Enjoy your favorite shows and movies in a small room with this Dynex™ HDTV, which features 720p resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate for clear on-screen images. Two HDMI inputs make it easy to connect a wide range of devices.
is this your smallest tv
yep... smallest TV I've owned was a two inches back in the 80's lol.
8 years, 10 months ago
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ASUS - ZenPad - 7.85" - Intel Atom - 32GB - Black
Asus ZenPad Tablet: Watch your favorite media on the go on this tablet's 7.85" multitouch screen, which presents visuals in 2K (2048 x 1536) resolution. You'll have plenty of room to store pictures, videos and other files with 32GB flash memory.
How good is the processo and overall performance?
I looked up the processor (Intel Atom Z3530), and even though its only 1.33 ghz, it apparantly out performed other higher ghz processors in other high end tablets. But I was curious as to how it performed in this tablet compared to other higher ghz processors. Does it run games and such smoothly etc...
Also I was wondering what the AnTuTu benchmarks were and where it ranks compared to tabs such as nexus 7 and the galaxy pro 8.4.
Thanks in advance.
Also I was wondering what the AnTuTu benchmarks were and where it ranks compared to tabs such as nexus 7 and the galaxy pro 8.4.
Thanks in advance.
Minecraft plays very well. I don't have any other games installed ATM.
here's a link for an antutu score:
https://mikecanex.wordpress.com/2015/07/10/asus-zenpad-s-8-0-first-antutu-score/
I quit caring about benchies a long time ago. great for checking if you device is up to par with another, but not worthwhile for judging actual performance.
here's a link for an antutu score:
https://mikecanex.wordpress.com/2015/07/10/asus-zenpad-s-8-0-first-antutu-score/
I quit caring about benchies a long time ago. great for checking if you device is up to par with another, but not worthwhile for judging actual performance.
8 years, 10 months ago
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ASUS - ZenPad - 7.85" - Intel Atom - 32GB - Black
Asus ZenPad Tablet: Watch your favorite media on the go on this tablet's 7.85" multitouch screen, which presents visuals in 2K (2048 x 1536) resolution. You'll have plenty of room to store pictures, videos and other files with 32GB flash memory.
What is the aspect ratio?
4:3
8 years, 10 months ago
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Polk Audio - T15 100 Watt Home Theater Bookshelf Speakers (Pair) | Dolby and DTS Surround | Wall-Mountable - Black
The T15 are those bookshelf speakers whose high versatility is built to impress. Engineered with Polk's proprietary Dynamic Balance technology, they're primed to improve your home theater experience and take on your entire arsenal of tunes without fail. Think brighter highs, a wide-open mid-range and surprising bass response - the perfect entry into high-performance audio. What’s more, it’s easy to setup, supports Dolby and DTS, and connects to most home theater receivers, stereos or home theater processors. The best part is that it won't drain your wallet! Go big on great sound made for everyone. Add the T15 bookshelf stereo speakers to your home audio setup today.
are these tv speakers
can these speakers be hooked-up to a tv
they can be used on a tv as long as you have an amplifier as they're not powered like some sound bars are. you may also want a sub to go with this as it may not have enough bass to fill a room.
i'm currently using them as computer speakers and never put them over 25% volume.
i'm currently using them as computer speakers and never put them over 25% volume.
9 years, 1 month ago
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Google - Chromecast - Black
Google Chromecast: Easily stream your favorite apps and media to your TV via Wi-Fi with Chromecast. Use the included USB cable to plug the Chromecast into your TV, and control streaming content using your compatible smartphone, tablet or computer.
$20 Google Play credit
one section of the Best Buy description states:
"Good for one $20 Google Play credit"
whereas another section states:
"$20 Google Play Credit
Enjoy $20 in streaming movies from Google Play when you buy Chromecast."
question i have is whether or not the $20 credit has to be explicity used for a movie or can you use the credit for books, software, etc. from the Google Play store.
thanks!
"Good for one $20 Google Play credit"
whereas another section states:
"$20 Google Play Credit
Enjoy $20 in streaming movies from Google Play when you buy Chromecast."
question i have is whether or not the $20 credit has to be explicity used for a movie or can you use the credit for books, software, etc. from the Google Play store.
thanks!
it can be used for anything, but i believe there's a 1yr redemption period. i just saw $13 disappear. amazon appstore does the same with promotional funds.
9 years, 3 months ago
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