MnstrMike
Top 250 Contributor
MnstrMike's Stats
- Review Count159
- Helpfulness Votes883
- First ReviewAugust 5, 2011
- Last ReviewFebruary 10, 2026
- Featured Reviews0
- Average Rating4.1
Reviews Comments
- Review Comment Count3
- Helpfulness Votes5
- First Review CommentNovember 5, 2012
- Last Review CommentJune 18, 2017
- Featured Review Comments0
Questions
- Question Count0
- Helpfulness Votes0
- First QuestionNone
- Last QuestionNone
- Featured Questions0
- Answer Count41
- Helpfulness Votes48
- First AnswerNovember 22, 2010
- Last AnswerDecember 8, 2021
- Featured Answers0
- Best Answers5
TCL Q55K Class Smart TVs combine premium picture technology with outstanding value for endless entertainment. QLED Quantum Dot technology and HDR10 with Dolby Vision you can enjoy enhanced contrast, accurate colors and fine details utilizing all advanced HDR formats with 120Hz Refresh Rate (144Hz Variable Refresh Rate) and Motion Rate 240 with MEMC frame insertion for exceptional motion clarity. TCL~s High Brightness+ Direct LED Backlight produces brighter images for an enhanced viewing experience for all your favorite movies and TV shows. Now featuring the TCL AIPQ PRO Processor that optimizes each scene for an unrivaled cinematic experience. Beyond movies and TV shows, you can get in the game with Game Accelerator 288 together with Auto Game Mode for the lowest latency for a more responsive gameplay without lag, designed to keep you at the top of any leaderboard. Including Dolby Atmos, DTS Virtual:X, and a new Enhanced Dialogue Mode, TCL Q55K TVs provide a complete audio package. TCL Q Class Smart TVs: Compelling Color and Choice.
42 Days...Life Will Never Be The Same
Customer Rating
3.0
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Size…nothing truly prepares you going from a 65” to a 98” TV. It is ridiculously big! In Store the 98’s are next to the 115” and the 65’s are a bit further down the row. Once you see the box delivered and you are unboxing and putting it on your wall…you notice. The downside is I am ruined for life and can never go back. Our living room is long and skinny, so it feels like a theatre room now. Our 65 was situated in the corner and then at times we would use the open wall space for projection to get that theatre experience and it would cast about an 85” picture.
Having a large format TV is definitely a better option than the projector specifically when it comes to the fan noise and projector placement, especially for occasional use. Unless you have an Ultra Short Throw that sits close to the wall. Projectors definitely have their place, but large format TV’s are the best of both worlds.
Picture/Panel…Sports, cartoons, sitcoms; anything with mid to high brightness looks great. Anything with a lot of dark scenes and/or low lighting and the backlighting type shows its limits. In low to no ambient lighting dark scense are okay, but the panel brightness is maxed at 100% and it just feels too dark. I’m coming from a mini-LED QLED FALD with 1000 nit brightness and 240 zones of dimming. So its not a fair comparison to the TCL 98Q55K which has no local dimming as the lightning is Direct Lit. Since the panel is Quantum Dot (QLED) it definitely makes the panel look really good in most situations as already stated. So if you have a high ambient light room that you plan on putting this set in, with the massive screen you are going to want to think about the type of content you plan on watching and when you will be watching. While the 98Q55K does have a Matte panel which helps with glare, because of the panel's low brightness level, it can’t get bright enough in some situations to combat glare. Over head lighting can also be an issue depending on placement so something to think about there too. When I was in BestBuy I saw the QM8K series and while that has the inky blacks of the OLED type tv’s it in no way would have worked in my home that actually has quite low ambient lighting with the blinds open. However the QM6K has a special Anti-glare panel that I would highly consider if you have a high ambient light situation and it has Full Array Local Dimming so it can do contrast better and get brighter. That panel reminded me of the “Picture Frame” Tv’s.
Angled viewing is surprisingly good with Q55K. With it being so big, its hard to be truly to the side, but in my setup its viewable from all seats…but the best ones are when viewing straight on.
Audio…the 2.1 Onkyo sound feels a bit of a gimmick as the subwoofer is not going to deliver any notable bass, but it does help make the sound not feel like it is coming from a tin can. There are equalizer settings that can be used to help dial it even better. So if you want a super clean look with just the TV on the wall, the sound won’t be disappointing as long as you keep it in perspective. However, a decent 2.1 soundbar does wonders as with any flatscreen tv produced with backward or downward firing speakers since the design style went for super slim bezels. FYI, if your current setup uses Optical audio cable, TCL does not allow for Volume level change over Optical. Not all TV manufactures do, the one that this TV replaced did. I go into more detail below, but I am not too happy with TCL’s HDMI eARC, which I am using with my Sony HT-5000 soundbar.
Concerns…the TCL 98Q55K ships with Android OS TV 12, by and large I like the Android TV OS format have used with previous tvs and stand-alone streaming boxes, however, version 12 reached end of life support from Google in March 2025…so why did TCL ship an end of the year product with an outdated Smart OS? Android 13 , 14, and 16 is available…so not like there weren’t options. My solution was to reset the tv and remove internet and put a Roku device I already had that was being used with my last TV shipped in 2024, also with Android TV 12 stopped getting Security Updates. I was really looking forward to a “one remote life”, but it isn’t so.
If TCL ever decides to do an update, I will check by just testing via Ethernet. Using it as a “dumb tv” I don’t care how the TCL process the HDMI eARC. As stated, I am using my Sony HT-5000 soundbar and when switching TV Inputs the TV sends the Turn-Off signal to the soundbar. Each time I then turn the soundbar back on, TCL flashes a pop-up and recommends I setup the soundbar. This was already done and the pop link just takes me to the Sound tab and wants me to select eARC for default sound output. I’ve tried just setting it to Auto, but when it turns off the Soundbar and I manually turn it back on, the TV does not switch the sound output to eARC, rather sends sound to both the internal speakers and soundbar which cause the echo effect.
The Sound tab is also not listed in the Quick Settings Menu, so you always have to go to All Settings, something my last TV with same Android OS TV build did have. Not sure why TCL’s version does not have it?
It appears the processing lags when changing inputs. As it first reads the resolution of the signal, then checks for HDR content. The TV ends up flashing about 2 or 3 times as it refreshes to accept the information from the source And sometimes this too will cause the Soundbar to turn off, even though, the input was not changed. Gaming on the TV is nice because of the size. The panel is not native to 120hz so that setting has to be turned on, but it then limits display settings that cannot be changed. My aging XBOX One S and PS4 Pro can both output 120hz, but only at 1440p. At this size the 4K60 is better than the 1440p120 setting to me as I’m getting pixels over smoothness.
Minus the gaming info, these areas are the only real concerns I have with this TV and is the only reason for dropping making my review 3 out 5. If I could do 2.5 I would, but I feel 2 stars is a little low considering. Since half the tv these days is the Smart OS, that shouldn’t be obsolete out of the box. Streaming apps can still be updated and at least those apps are protected, but the OS itself is vulnerable without any security updates coming. Which then also means, what you get out of the box is what you get, as TCL most likely won’t be updating the software. Thankfully my router is near by and I can easily plug in the Ethernet cable to check for updates when ever I want.
Pro Tips…there are built-in wire management “clips” that come packaged with the TV…put those on before mounting the tv if using a flush/slim mount, as they are inaccessible after the fact, While, I thought these would be useful, I realized after the fact of mounting via a slim mount, that these are only handy if you are mounting with a full-motion mount. The holes that the “clips” lock into are very close together therefore making the loop they create to hold the wire only big enough for about 3-4 wires. But not either end of the wire whether it is the power cable or HDMI. So if mounting on a slim mount, you will need to install all the cables first, then use the “clips”, and hope that all doesn’t get in the way when mounting.
I have hung many a 65’s myself, but this is definitely a 2 person job. At 104lbs (200 with packaging) and nearly
25sqft of wall space, its a beast to move around.
25sqft of wall space, its a beast to move around.
Also, the dimensions of the TV do not include the power button/mic switch so add an extra 1 inch when
factoring in your mounting clearances. I like mine to leave just enough room for the soundbar to sit and
Unfortunately, this oversight I mounted a little too low and it blocks the IR sensor. Not such a big deal
but accept when turning the TV on with the included remote as the Bluetooth apparently does work in Standby. It will turn on via my Roku Remote as it uses HDMI-CEC when powering on the device.
factoring in your mounting clearances. I like mine to leave just enough room for the soundbar to sit and
Unfortunately, this oversight I mounted a little too low and it blocks the IR sensor. Not such a big deal
but accept when turning the TV on with the included remote as the Bluetooth apparently does work in Standby. It will turn on via my Roku Remote as it uses HDMI-CEC when powering on the device.
Lastly, in the Picture Settings, there is Eye Health Protection tab at the bottom of the list, this has the Auto
Brightness setting. Turn it OFF or you will feel like you are losing your mind constantly having to change the
brightness level for each input. Out Of the Box on STANDARD you will have to change the default brightness which was set to 28 of 100 and is far too dark. When HDR content is detected it will adjust the settings and I have found it is automatically sets the brightness to 100. I use the Standard setting for normal TV viewing and have it set to 70.
Brightness setting. Turn it OFF or you will feel like you are losing your mind constantly having to change the
brightness level for each input. Out Of the Box on STANDARD you will have to change the default brightness which was set to 28 of 100 and is far too dark. When HDR content is detected it will adjust the settings and I have found it is automatically sets the brightness to 100. I use the Standard setting for normal TV viewing and have it set to 70.
When I watch sports I do change it to the Sport setting and I leave the Motion set to Low. I have never
used that setting on any of my previous TV’s but with the size it really helps with the motion blur and
makes the picture look great!
used that setting on any of my previous TV’s but with the size it really helps with the motion blur and
makes the picture look great!
I can definitely recommend buying a large format TV, but do your homework on back lighting type and ambient room brightness. I can recommend the TCL 98Q55K, just know you will want to get a stand-alone TV streamer, as I will NEVER recommend putting a device on your home network that no longer receives security updates.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Best Open Earphones Yet!
Customer Rating
5.0
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Typically not been a fan of the “Open Ear” headphone as the ones I have tried in the past don’t deliver enough sound and/or the quality and fitment was lacking. The Sony LinkBuds sound as if I have a traditional earbud in and are weighted excellent!
While the color I was sent is not my preferred choice, they definitely look good on the Misses!
The companion Sound Connect app was easy to setup with the buds and gives you a lot of settings and additions to change.
The capacitive button though takes some getting used too to get the taps just right to respond. Volume change I have found to be the hardest skill to unlock.
I let my wife give them a try as she has never been able to find an earbud that fits right, doesn’t fall out, or hurt her ear after a short time of wearing, When she does need to privately listen, she will use full over the ear headphones, also not her favorite choice, but they do the job.
The Sony Clips though never gave her any ear fatigue from wearing them for a little over 3 hours. She was just working on the computer and normal movement, however, when bending forward or looking down, they didn’t feel like they would fall out.
We each tested the different sound profiles and in our home where we have been snowed in for a few days, we didn’t really notice any differences in the Voice Boost setting, however the Sound Leakage does quiet the sound, but it still comes through crisp and clear. Even in the Standard setting we didn’t feel the sound leaked out at all when set to a loud enough volume that would make you speak louder than would be necessary when talking with someone.
As for Battery Life, out of the box the buds were fully charged and the case was at 97% so with on and off usage, still in the upper 70’s.
On a side note, my daughter came home from college for the weekend and saw them and is now trying to manipulate herself into a pair…so this household gives them 6 Thumbs Up!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Regain control of your TV with the Insignia Replacement Remote for TCL TVs. Compatible with nearly all TCL TVs, this remote is pre-programmed for easy pairing. The remote can also be programmed to control the audio level on your soundbar or speaker system. Compatible with macro and IR learning, you can set up four shortcut keys and quickly program your Insignia remote to open your favorite smart TV apps.
Good Option, NO Bluetooth
Customer Rating
5.0
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Overall it is a great replacement, or in my situation, secondary remote.
Depending on your TCL, most of their remotes these days are Bluetooth enabled, unfortunately the Insignia is not.
I’m assuming for most people this isn’t an issue, but in my situation, when I mounted my TV, I was about 2 inches lower than I meant to be, and my soundbar blocks the IR reader, so I have to hold the remote high to get around the soundbar. The OEM TCL remote being bluetooth does not have this issue.
On a positive note, every button is programmable on the Insignia remote, so I just programmed it to control the Vizio Soundbar volume. I am running an optical connection, which TCL apparently does not allow Volume control over optical like my last TV a Hisense does. So in this category, the Insignia wins over the OEM TCL.
Out-Of-The-Box the remote worked and there was no programming necessary for any of the features.
The quick launch keys A-B-C-D where already pre-programmed.
A = Netflix
B = YouTube
C = Amazon Prime
D = TCL TV+
B = YouTube
C = Amazon Prime
D = TCL TV+
Which for “D” is redundant as there is already a dedicated a TCL TV+ button, so I reprogrammed it to Disney+.
This was a way different approach than I have used on Universal remotes in the past. You don't code the key to an app, you actually code it to a command set.
For example, you start on the Home Screen at the Home position. The App row is 3 rows down from the Main Tab Menu, Disney+ was then the third app in the app row, so my command was
down, down, down, right, right, OK.
down, down, down, right, right, OK.
However, if you move the position of the Disney+ app, whatever app is now in that position (3rd) will be the app the remote opens coded to that quick launch key.
So, just something to keep in mind.
You can code up 15 moves, of which 4 are already going to be occupied by down, down, down , and OK, leaving only 11 moves.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Meet the Shark Glam Hot Tool Air Styling & Drying System. Innovative heat-controlled ceramic and powerful airflow unlock smooth silky finishes, glossy blowouts and ultra high-shine end styles without heat damage in wet to dry mode. Shark Glam Styler Suite includes Shark Silki straightener for wet-to-straight styling in as little as one pass*, and the Shark Glossi styler for ultra-fast, bouncy blowouts with maximum gloss.** *using wet mode on wavy hair in lab settings **shine/frizz vs. air drying
Looks Cool, Way Too Loud, Does Not Deliver
Customer Rating
2.0
The ladies in my home really wanted to love this product. They thought the design is fantastic and fun, and the way the top twists to become a hairdryer is a cool feature or just keeping it straight feels like holding a lightsaber. The blowout brush attachment also did okay and does successfully dry your hair.
But, that was where the positive ended.
First, it is way too loud. For my wife, she said it's so abrasive that it gives me a headache, and I literally "cringe" at the thought of having to use it again. When I used the curling attachment, the wind was right by your ear, and just too loud.
The biggest issue, however, is what it did to her hair. Product packaging says "no heat damage," but my wife and daughter cannot see how that's possible. After just one use, both of their hair was extremely damaged and felt like wheat or straw; ie riding with the top down, on a boat, etc. It was so dried out, frizzy, and static-y. The Shark Glam Blow Dryer seems to just whip your hair with hot, strong wind rather than gently drying it.
The biggest issue, however, is what it did to her hair. Product packaging says "no heat damage," but my wife and daughter cannot see how that's possible. After just one use, both of their hair was extremely damaged and felt like wheat or straw; ie riding with the top down, on a boat, etc. It was so dried out, frizzy, and static-y. The Shark Glam Blow Dryer seems to just whip your hair with hot, strong wind rather than gently drying it.
Both of them only used the low or medium heat setting.
The attachments are also a letdown.
The straightener was a pain because the air blows in a way that it kept blowing my hair up while I was trying to straighten it down.
The curler was loud, and the curler didn't stay.
My wife couldn’t figure out how to get the defrizzer to work and tried using the tutorials from the QR Code, but it wanted to you to signup via email, in which she didn’t want another email newsletter just to be able to use the product.
Lastly, it's just clunky. The dryer felt heavy at the end of the 10 minutes it took to dry their hair. And the plug is a massive brick. Using it in the bathroom there wasn’t enough space for the cord to use the lower plug on the outlet, so it had to take up the whole outlet. This could be by design as it pulls 1500 Watts (12.5amps) and keeps you from having anything else plugged in. Of course if two bathrooms share the same circuit (which is common) or you are using another circuit like in a bedroom, which are typically only 15amps, anything else plugged into it that circuit has the possibility of tripping the breaker while running.
Lastly, it's just clunky. The dryer felt heavy at the end of the 10 minutes it took to dry their hair. And the plug is a massive brick. Using it in the bathroom there wasn’t enough space for the cord to use the lower plug on the outlet, so it had to take up the whole outlet. This could be by design as it pulls 1500 Watts (12.5amps) and keeps you from having anything else plugged in. Of course if two bathrooms share the same circuit (which is common) or you are using another circuit like in a bedroom, which are typically only 15amps, anything else plugged into it that circuit has the possibility of tripping the breaker while running.
They both wished there was sort of organizer or at the very least a bag for the attachments. Obviously the Shark Glam Hair Dryer is meant to replace needing other devices by having the attachment accessories, so I am sure it is assumed there is space enough to store the attachments in a drawer, etc But an included organizer would have been a nice touch.
Overall, they felt the value just isn’t there. A mid-grade hair dryer gets the job done alongside a salon quality straightener.
For reference both my wife and daughter have brunette hair color that is very shiny and thick. The wifey uses deposit only to cover gray and my daughter has not had any color in her hair for about 24 months.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Compact dash camera with 1.5K resolution and a 120 wide-angle view for a clear, wide view of the road. Easy to install and elegantly designed for a seamless fit in any vehicle.
Mighty Mouse Dash Cam
Customer Rating
4.0
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A lot of value in a little package!
While event detection is nice, loop recording is what I was after. Drivers just seem to be getting crazier lately and I wanted something small and out of the way to fit in my Frontier windshield; which is already not very tall.
This size of the dash cam is the size of what a rear window camera or just a little bigger than a universal license plate back up camera. It feels like the VREC-HS120SC is an accessory to go with a bigger package it is so small.
Recording capabilities are decent enough, while it can do 1.5k (2304x1296) it is limited to 25 frames per second. I found that footage to be very grainy and too blurry. At 1920x1080 it unlocks 30 frames per second and it was definitely smoother and cleaner footage.
It has been overcast and/or raining this week so while not the best weather to get the best footage. I was glad to test in those conditions and happy with the quality.
Audio quality was really good and definitely better than I was anticipating.
The Android App worked fine, but there is a bit of lag and I don’t like that if you downloaded video or audio to the phone via the app, you cannot later view through the app if you are not connected to the dash cam. Of course, it is accessible via the system file manager, but still odd it is not via the app.
Changing any recording settings is a bit of a pain as it requires a restart with each setting change. Since the connection to the camera is done via WiFi and not bluetooth, you have to re-establish connection manually each time it restarts…if you have the connection to not automatically connect each time you turn on the vehicle/dash cam, in which you will want it setup that way so you can retain Cellular data.
I was able to run the camera off of a 20,000 maH battery pack so I could test how the camera operated and gauge the field of view before mounting. In the end I decided to not use the sticky mount included and ordered a third-party universal suction mount. It does make the device stick down a little more, but it lets you dial in the exact way you want it without worry of making a mistake.
Storage/Recording Time
All files record only 1 minute in length, so you will end up with a lot of them! But it makes for faster file creation and reduces the risk of a file not saving.
1 Minute of 1920x1080 = 120MB; 57GB formatted card = 486 Clips or 8 hours of footage.
1 Minute of 2304x1296 = 170MB; 57GB formatted card = 343 Clips or 5.72 hours of footage.
1 Minute of 2304x1296 = 170MB; 57GB formatted card = 343 Clips or 5.72 hours of footage.
128GB MicoSD card is the maximum storage size so figure on doubling the clip/hours of footage stored with a formatted card if upgrading from the included 64GB card. For my purposes it is fine.
I thought about just using an action camera, but the issue with those is overheating because it is continuous recording. Being in the window means direct sunlight and less airflow over the action camera, plus needing to manually start and stop recording without a crash detection.
So in the end a dedicated dash cam is definitely a better option for the job.
Overall the VREC-HS120SC is a good option for a small and simple dash cam. While the app is a bit laggy and I cannot understand any of the audio alerts, the dash cam gets the job done and at great value. My only real complaint is it not coming with a suction cup attachment to begin.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Unfold extraordinary with Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Our largest screen, plus advanced AI with Gemini.~ It~s the best Pixel for multitasking and entertainment.
Golly Gee, Breaking Things...Breaks Them
Customer Rating
4.0
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Plays stupid games; win stupid prizes I think sums up the last 24 hours of Tech Influencer opinions.
Did it change my view of the 10 Pro Fold, yes, but not because of the dangerous outcome that is being proported.
First off, my use case has been fantastic. There are a couple of changes I would like to see in future iterations mostly the inner screen camera being under the screen, I prefer squared edges over rounded, and true flagship cameras. But again, I have had no issues with battery usage, playing games, and taking photos outside of lighting conditions.
I love the fact that the 10 Pro Fold has a SIM Card Slot over the rest of the 10 series and that is an actual deal breaker for me when I am traveling overseas in areas that are not considered as developed as others and for any future phone, which could push me out of the flagship market.
Having a physical Fingerprint reader again is wonderful and reminded me how many "try again errors" for underscreen I have in my own usage.
The IP68 rating has been called into question and it was the main factor for even considering the 10 Pro Fold given my random use environments and the likelihood of debris getting behind the folding screen and hinge. It's clear that this rating is for the screen and ports only, as the hinge can allow a multitude of debris sizes into the mechanism. However, comparing to the Z Fold 7, the 10 Fold Pro was still able to fully open and close, which cannot go undocumented.
So, at least the screen is safe for anything getting under it and that still represents a huge win over any other foldable currently available.
While the hinge may let in debris greater than the IP68 rating allows, I have not had any issues as I don’t put my devices through torture testing, but take care of them, use my brain, and expect to get the maximum longevity out of them even given the design and usage by the manufacturer. Hoping that within the margin of an occasional accident the device holds up as expected.
I have no qualms about talking the 10 Pro Fold out into the real world and going about my life. I will take a little extra precaution on when, where, and how I use it, but being on a construction job site or digging holes was never going to be in the cards. Even when I do my vehicle maintenance, I go to my Pixel 5 that has been relegated to “iPod” status as I go full do not disturb mode to get things done, as well as, realizing that with each job the likelihood of a phone falling out of my pocket or getting abnormally pushed upon as I role around on the ground under a vehicle. And same for the yard work when throwing debris in the area hacking at weeds and dirt.
So, while there may be a few scares coming from the Tech Influencers, take it in stride. The 10 Pro Fold does represent the latest and greatest from Google, as will the 11, 12, 13 ad infitum.
If your craving to scratch that itch of a foldable, I say scratch it. Maybe get a case that protects the hinge too for that extra layer of protection, but don’t get too taken away from influencers or at least seek out the ones that actually use the device as a primary and then comment on it.
I am still getting used to Pixel Launcher and so that lends its own curve of evaluation, as I have preferred One UI combined with Good Lock. But I have long been a third-party launcher user and embraced the full customizability of Android devices. Which for me translates into any device I buy I plan on modifying from its stock form, at least in the software department.
The intrigue of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is clearly the “Fold” and for me how does it fit into and/or change my workflow. I currently am in the full Galaxy ecosystem with a S24U, Tab S9 FE+, Book5 Pro, Watch 4, and Buds Pro 2. I thought the 10 Pro Fold may disrupt my workflow as the SPen has been the reason for sticking with Samsung over the past 5ish years, but I find that the my real work of using a digital pen gets done with the tablet and my use of the SPen has just been transformed into the actually being able to read pristine type font versus by caveman drawings.
I won’t say the productivity necessarily waned, it does make for the content consumption a more enjoyable experience and the lack of the SPen has been replaced by the fact I can use a keyboard and mouse without need for an external screen to do some work should the need arise…like writing this review.
And if I had to pick just one device in my repertoire, well the 10 Pro Fold definitely gives me the do-it-all factor.
Sound is fantastic! There is a proper orientation that Google says to hold the device to get the best sound when in Open mode and that is to rotate the phone 90 deg counter clockwise or camera from top right to top left. This assuming most people will hold in the right hand which no places the speakers left lower and right upper sides of the phone. However, that also means you are now holding the phone by the front screen which means more fingerprints…eeww yuck!
A few times in YouTube I noticed the spatial sound some issues when not holding in the recommended orientation, but another option is to turn off the spatial sound or wear earbuds.
Battery life is getting me through the day. I work from home so am on WiFi, but also low cellular signal and default to WiFi Calling. Besides calls and messaging, I mainly use YoutTube, FB, Insta, reading apps, and various work related apps and they all seem to function fine.
I did try some gaming like COD:Mobile and a couple different RPG’s, and TMNT. More screen is always more better, connect a controller and even more screen is even more better-er. I didn’t have any lag, still achieved high KDR, and started expanding my horizons on what gaming can be like on smartphone given the new screen real estate.
Overall, I think Google has given us a great device, it will face the music on its choices of behind the cameras and possibly with the hinge, which will only translate in lowering its price. But for it being their 3rd Gen foldable, it does get a lot right and the balance is there.
This device is still on the bleeding edge of technology and so that has to be taken into consideration. The boundaries are being pushed because the slab phone is ubiquitous with form and function to the point AI is the only new frontier for them. Breaking the mold are foldables trying to achieve both of those fronts at the same time.
Would I and can I recommend the 10 Pro Fold? Yes, I have no qualms after my experience with it.
Should you buy it? That is always left to the individual end-user. There is greater risk within the foldable phone market and I think the overall the 10 Pro Fold takes a step to reduce it. Use it and don’t abuse it, like with anything, and it will remain a great device.
Should you buy it? That is always left to the individual end-user. There is greater risk within the foldable phone market and I think the overall the 10 Pro Fold takes a step to reduce it. Use it and don’t abuse it, like with anything, and it will remain a great device.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Travel the globe without worry using the Insignia 70W Travel Adapter. It features four plug types (United States, European Union, United Kingdom, and Australia) and is compatible with 13 different outlet types, allowing you to stay charged in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. The adapter offers 2 international AC outlets, 3 USB-C ports and 2 USB ports. The blades and pins retract into the adapter when not in use to easily toss in your bag and take on the go.
Yes Please May I Have Another!
Customer Rating
5.0
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Oh thank you Insignia!!!
I travel back and forth from Southern Africa every year and this device is going to be fantastic for that. Crossing through South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Ethiopia I will encounter nearly all three adapter types, having it built in is great for space saving and reduces the risk of misplacing an adapter.
Typical all-in-ones with USB charging building are massive, but the Gallium Nitride charging shrinks the charging internals down and overall makes the device perfectly sized to charge how you need.
The combination of charging is fantastic! There are limitations in charging speeds depending on the number of USB ports used. The USB-C1 is the fastest rated charging port and its location is the same as the USA AC outlet (Polarized and Non-Grounded), so depending on the orientation of what is plugged into that outlet, it can block the USB-C1 port.
Looking at the User Manual it does not indicate if using both AC Outlets, whether the charging protocols are affected.
Overall the adapter can handle a max rating of 2400W at 240V and 1000W at 100V; that is 10 amps either way. And I would guess that on 120V circuit it would translate to 1200W, keeping to the 10 amp max.
There is a fuse built-in along with a slot with a spare fuse (wonderful!) rated at 10 amps. So the reality is you are only going to be able to use 10amps worth of combined power AC/DC.
There is an LED indicator light on the bottom of the adapter (USB 4 Port row).
Solid = normal
No Light = possible overload
Solid = normal
No Light = possible overload
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Complete your home theater setup with the Insignia HDMI 3-Port Switch with 4K HDR Inputs. The switch connects three HDMI devices, such as streaming sticks, gaming devices, computers, or Blu-ray players, to a TV screen or projector. A simple press of a button switches between the inputs to send on-screen. The switch features 4K HDR at 60Hz to support high-definition signals up to 18 Gbps, providing a crisp picture on the screen.
3 Is Better Than 2
Customer Rating
5.0
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Best thing since sliced bread was first ever toasted with jam.
My monitor has two HDMI ports, but to switch back and forth requires a couple button clicks, but it doesn’t always seem to register. Adding a switch was a no brainer to make it easier. I don’t have need yet for the 3rd port, but its nice to have the option.
The Input LEDs and the IR port are on the front and the HDMI Ports and Power Port are on the back.
Having the remote is a great feature for a TV situation so that you don’t have to get up and hit the button. It is IR so you have to have line of sight. For my purpose it is quicker to just hit the select button on the switch itself.
My monitor is a 34” 1080p 21:9 and there are no issues with the source. The switch is rated up to 4K HDR 60Hz.
In the box was the switch, remote, and a 5v/1amp USB Power brick with a 6 foot USB-A to USB-C cable, and two double-sided rubber strips to mount to a surface. I guess depending on your setup that could be useful, but again the IR requires line of sight. I had considered mounting on the back of my monitor, but then learned how the remote worked. The device is extremely light, so putting on the underside of a table or shelf, etc could be an option for a clean cable management setup.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Power up your party anywhere with the JBuds Party Speaker, where intense next-level sound meets portability. This portable Bluetooth speaker unleashes 30 watts of incredible sound and delivers 12+ hours of playtime, enough for all day fun. Personalize your sound with customizable EQ settings and set the mood with dynamic RGB lighting effects all in the JLab App. Take control with the intuitive JLab Media Knob and four quick access buttons or go big by connecting up to 100 JLab Party speakers with LabSync for a truly massive sound experience. With IPX6 waterproofing and a convenient loop strap, this speaker is ready to bring the party anywhere, anytime.
Small Package Big Sound
Customer Rating
4.0
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Be the life of the party with the JLab JBuds Party Speaker…or at least the one that brings the speaker!
The JBuds Party Speaker pumps out pretty good sound for the size of the speaker. Bass is good, but does have a little bit of a hollow sound on heavy/deep bass tracks. HIghs and Mids are pretty good, the spoken word comes through crisp and clear.
Battery Life is appears to be pretty good. It was 100% out of the box, but dropped to 80% pretty quick. However, it has held at 80% for a few days. I’ve been running for about an hour each day for 5 days.
Bluetooth distance is pretty far with no drop in quality. I disabled the “Calls” option via the bluetooth setting on my phone as I just want to cast media, so I cannot comment on that feature.
According to the feature list JLab Speakers can be paired with up to 100 speakers…that would be some party!
Having a couple of these though would be nice for an outdoor or muiti-room party. Pairing your phone to a projector and couple of these speakers would make for a great backyard movie night.
If you are in the market for a portable speaker, for the price and feature set, plus quality, the JLab JBuds Party Speaker is hard to beat…pun intended.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The HOVERAir X1 helps you capture stunning, hands-free videos of your favorite moments. Designed for ultimate ease of use, the X1 features a compact, foldable design, a quick 3-second takeoff from your palm, and intuitive self-flying modes. Its triple stabilization system ensures smooth, shake-free footage, while the built-in gimbal camera captures sharp 12MP photos and Ultra HD 2.7K HDR videos. With 32GB of built-in storage, you can save and access your footage easily using the Hover X1 app.
Reporting Live from Downtown!
Customer Rating
3.0
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I love the concept of the HoverAir X1 as personal recording device or as the marketing states “a pocket-sized flying camera”. Whereas, a traditional drone is meant for all kinds of aerial footage of landscapes with some options for personal recording, the X1…hovers. There are accessories that are compatible with the X1 that can turn it into a traditional drone. Its no DJI Mini, but its not meant to be either. And I think that adds to its appeal.
The biggest feature shock the HoverAir X1 has that baffles me at this price point is ‘Follow-Me’ mode; you instantly switch into your favorite TV Reporter personality! Audio is recorded through your phone or if you have headphones connected to the phone it will record through that too.
It is possible to launch the drone and use the pre-programmed quickshots sans the app, but by using the app you can change the default settings for each of them and as stated record audio. You have the ability to change Resolution, distance the cameras stays from the subject, and how long the recording lasts.
The noise cancelling works really well, the sound of the blades which is quite high pitch as drones are, is cut out from the audio feed.
I could see this being a child's first “drone” or something nifty for going on a hike. Even for some small business purposes.
Camera quality is decent. You definitely want to be outside and have good lighting. There was a lot of noise on the from the foliage, and testing indoors in what I would think was good lighting, the camera definitely struggled on quality. On startup it specifically states not to fly in low-light, when raining, and tight spaces. If using indoors, make sure it is static or has large open space.
While the tracking does seem to be good, it cannot understand stairs or poles. I started at the top of my stairs and it watched me go down and instead of panning around it didn’t maneuver around the hand rail or post. When setting up directly in front of the stairs, still at the top, it didn’t follow me down, it merely just descended in place, but then it got to close to the handrail and lost tracking and landed on the ground below. Follow distance was set on Medium, so possibly having it closer would have done so. However, it seems to like gradual changes in direction all around.
Battery Life is going to be your biggest enemy though, as each only lasts 11 minutes of continuous use. The user guide warns these are Lithium-Polymer batteries and not Lithium-ion, which means you cannot just through it on the charger right after use as the battery needs to cool down first. And the same goes after charging, they have to cool down before use…such are Li-Po batteries. It is also advised to charged with no higher than a Power Delivery (PD) 18w rated charger (not included). I would pay attention to this as Li-Po batteries are not like Li-Ion that can be left charging even after reaching 100% for a little while. Still not great for Li-Ion, but even worse for Li-Po. So if you don’t have a PD rated charger, you will want to pay extra close attention to when these finish charging.
Thankfully, most chargers you have from the past few years have a minimum rating of 5v/3amp producing 15w or 9v/2amp producing 18w.
The HoverAir X1 definitely has a niche in the market to fill and after flying regular drones for many years, it was strange how simple it was to get going out of the box. Reminding myself this is a “pocket-size flying camera” helped to keep things into perspective.
The biggest drawback I walked way with while keeping that in mind is the decibel level of the blades. If it was at least half the decibels it would be a huge hit if you are thinking of taking this in a public area that is congested, but as is you are definitely going to get a lot of stares as people take notice.
Durability seems to be pretty good. It soooo light weight so it should stand the test and since you are actually flying it (at least not with out the accessories to do so) it doesn’t move all that fast unless you are.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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MnstrMike's Questions
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Camcorder with webcam functionality
I need a reasonably priced camcorder that can also serve as a webcam. Which models have this feature?
It all depends on what you will use it for most. Any line-up of camcorders will do just fine for a webcam and on sale you can get a webcam for around $30.
For home videos, it all just depends what you are going to be doing, if you need a super zoom lens 30x or higher? Standard Def or HD? If you are only going to be putting them on a PC or do you want to watch directly on TV? There are still the tape versions available that you use the camcorder as a VCR. Or you can buy one that burns directly to mini-DVD's, holding 60 minutes of video. The last option records to SD cards and can hold anywhere from 2 hours to 16 hours, just depending on the size of card or built-in memory. Most of these camcorders only can record for about an hour to an hour and a half because of battery charge.
I know it's a lot of questions and doesn't really answer yours. Going off of "Reasonably priced and webcam" for specifications means anything less than $150 will work for your purposes.
For home videos, it all just depends what you are going to be doing, if you need a super zoom lens 30x or higher? Standard Def or HD? If you are only going to be putting them on a PC or do you want to watch directly on TV? There are still the tape versions available that you use the camcorder as a VCR. Or you can buy one that burns directly to mini-DVD's, holding 60 minutes of video. The last option records to SD cards and can hold anywhere from 2 hours to 16 hours, just depending on the size of card or built-in memory. Most of these camcorders only can record for about an hour to an hour and a half because of battery charge.
I know it's a lot of questions and doesn't really answer yours. Going off of "Reasonably priced and webcam" for specifications means anything less than $150 will work for your purposes.
Products from my answer
Toshiba - Camileo H30 High-Definition Camcorder with 3" Touch Screen - Black
Samsung - Ultra Compact Camcorder with 2.7" LCD Monitor - Purple
Flip Video - UltraHD (3rd Generation) Camcorder - 2 Hour - Black/Silver
15 years, 3 months ago
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Posted by:
MnstrMike
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Knoxville, TN