dorkhead2's stats
- Review count86
- Helpfulness votes964
- First reviewNovember 22, 2014
- Last reviewMarch 15, 2024
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- Average rating4.5
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- Answer count15
- Helpfulness votes49
- First answerDecember 1, 2016
- Last answerNovember 21, 2021
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The A20 Wireless headset Gen 2 is designed to give you gaming audio freedom on several levels. Its 2.4 GHz signal provides an extended wireless range and the microphone delivers clear and accurate communication with easy mute functionality. The USB transmitter allows for easy cross-platform connectivity.
Customer Rating
5
Good Sound, Great Mic, Easy to Use
on October 17, 2020
Posted by: dorkhead2
from Tustin, CA, USA
I’m using these headphones for gaming on my PC. They are designed for both the XBOX One and a PC or Mac. They’re easy to use, just plug in the included USB transmitter, press the small button on the transmitter, press the power button on the headset and they’re setup. From there, you can go into either the sound settings on your computer or the settings within the game you’re playing and select the headphone as your main source for audio and mic. This last step is necessary or sound will continue to come out of your computer’s speakers and not the headset.
In terms of quality, the sound they produce is loud and clear. There is a decent amount of bass too. There’s also a button on the headphone that acts like an equalizer and provides two additional sound adjustments (for a total of 3) to tweak the levels of bass and treble. The circular volume knob on the headset is easy to reach and it does a good job adjusting the volume for either the sounds of the game or audio coming from other player’s mics. It’s nice that you can adjust these setting independently. To do so, you either press the audio button right below the circular volume knob before you adjust the volume, or you press the mic button right above the volume know to adjust just the mic audio. This level of customization built right into the headset is convenient.
The headset itself is comfortable and the ear cushions are a soft padded material. I did notice they started to feel a little heavy after using them for hours, but that’s common with most gaming headsets.
Overall, I’m satisfied with these headphones.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Now the Roomba i3 EVO robot vacuum is smarter than ever, learning and mapping your home room-by-room so it can clean the room you want, when you want—with 10x the Power-Lifting Suction* and Premium 3-Stage Cleaning System. Powered by iRobot OS, it stays one step ahead of everyday messes, by learning your life and suggesting cleaning schedules—to clean when you’re out enjoying life. On-demand cleaning is only a command away, with Google Assistant and Alexa compatibility** that let you direct your robot to messes right when they happen. With Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal, Roomba will return itself to the base when the bin is full, automatically empty and resume cleaning, so you don’t have to think about emptying the bin for months at a time. (*Compared to the Roomba 600 series cleaning system)
Customer Rating
4
Good Vacuum, Missing Advanced Smart Map Features
on September 20, 2020
Posted by: dorkhead2
from Tustin, CA, USA
I was disappointed to find out that the i3 does not support many of iRobot's Advanced Smart Mapping features, which includes customized cleaning zones and “keep out” zones. Having the ability to customize the floorplan of the different rooms in your home helps considerably in targeted cleaning and preventing the robot from accessing certain areas (a.k.a “keep out” zones). In addition, with the advanced smart mapping features, you can label each room and tell the vacuum to go and clean that specific room. The robot intelligently leaves its base, heads straight for the selected room, cleans that room, then returns to it home base to charge. Another feature that is not included with the i3 model, but is included with the i7 model, is the ability to create zones within a room. For example, I own an iRobot Braava jet m6 mopping robot that has the advanced smart mapping features, and I created multiple zones in my living room. One zone is the high traffic walkway, and the other zone is the area under the couches. I can tell my Braava jet to mop only the walkway area, rather than mop the whole leaving room, which includes under the couches. This saves time, cleaning solution, and maintenance on the unit. So, many of these features are not available with the i3 model, and only available with the i7 model. iRobot’s website does list these differences in the i3 and i7 product comparison page. However, they are listed on the iRobot Home App webpage. There is a footnote on the bottom of the page that states that these features are only available with the s, i, and m series Roomba robot vacuums and Braava robot mops, but it doesn’t specify that it’s only available for the i7 model, and not the i3 version. I don’t think this is intentional on iRobot’s part, just an oversight they haven’t fixed yet.
Some positive features about i3 is that its suction is truly exceptional for a robot vacuum. It can pick up cat litter effectively. And the new style rubber brushes do a very good job at not allowing pet and human hair to get tangled around them. Another positive is the motors the drive the wheels; they are very strong. The vacuum can easily move over thresholds and from hardwood to carpets. Unfortunately, this strength has its downside. In one particular room in my home, the floor transitions from hardwood to a heavy shag carpet. Most other robots I’ve owned, will hit the shag carpet and work around it. This model can make its way onto the thick carpet, but eventually gets bogged down, then stuck. I don’t think this model is designed for extra thick carpet. Which is fine, but I wish I had a way through the app to draw a “keep out” zone so I don’t continuously get a “Robot is Stuck” error. The first few times it got stuck, I would open the app and see the customized map it had drawn of my room’s floor. I was excited because I thought I could edit the map, like on my Braava jet m6 mop. I looked for the map edit icon (see pic) within the app, but it was missing. It appeared under the Braave jet mop, but it was not available for the i3 model. This was very perplexing to me because the customized map was already drawn in the app by the i3, but the feature to edit it is turned off for this model. I then tried one of iRobot’s virtual wall accessories, which is not included with this vacuum. It looks like a small pencil holder (see pic) that you place on the ground and depending on the direction you point it, it will create an invisible wall that the robot knows not to cross. The virtual wall kept the robot from going onto the carpet, but the wall only stretched about 4 feet. My carpet is at least 12 feet wide, so once it got past the 4 feet distance, it made its way onto the carpet, then eventually got itself stuck. I ended up standing on the carpet and placing my foot along the edge to prevent it from crossing onto the carpet. I did this for the length of the carpet. Hoping that after I taught it to stay away from that area of the floor, the next time it would vacuum, it would not try to cross onto the carpet. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and it would go onto the carpet each time and get stuck. This behavior is contradictory to the description for this unit, which states that it “Goes where it's needed, avoids where it's not.” And its “Reactive Sensor Technology tells the robot where it can and cannot reach, which means less getting stuck on furniture and more knowing where to go.” I guess these features may work in other settings, but it didn’t work in this situation. Also, it’s quite possible that these features will be improved overtime, and updates can be sent to both the vacuum and app.
To get some clarification on its mapping and sensor ability, I called iRobot’s tech support. I was instantly connected with a live person who wanted to understand the issue. She was very helpful and communicated my information to the engineering team. Afterwards, she did confirm that many of the mapping features are not available with this model but thanked me for my feedback because it can help with improving this model. As a courtesy, they offered to send me an additional virtual wall, which I appreciated. I now understand that many of the smart map features are only available with the i7 model, but it would be nice to at least enable the “keep out” zone feature, so those with similar issues can prevent their robot from getting stuck in the same place. Still, I can’t say enough about iRobot’s customer service. They were extremely helpful and thorough with their support.
Overall, I would recommend this vacuum if you’re looking for a strong vacuum that can cover the majority of your home without the need for mapping customization. You may need to invest in a virtual wall or two, or simply block the area with something heavy to keep the robot from entering specific areas, but otherwise it can vacuum hardwood floors and light to medium pile carpet extremely well. If you want all the additional smart map features, you’re better off looking at the i7 model.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Sony's intelligent noise-cancelling headphones with premium sound elevate your listening experience with the ability to personalize and control everything you hear. Get up to 30 hours of battery life with quick charging capabilities, enjoy an enhanced Smart Listening feature set, and carry conversations hands-free with speak-to-chat.
Customer Rating
5
Exceptional Noise Cancelling, Good Sound and Bass
on August 16, 2020
Posted by: dorkhead2
from Tustin, CA, USA
The active noise cancelling (ANC) on these headphones are incredible. They pretty much eliminate all low frequency noises, such as air conditioning hum, or car noises. I haven’t taken them onto an airplane yet, but since the roar of jet engines are another type of low frequency sound, these headphones are designed to eliminate most of those sounds too. It’s amazing, every time I put them on, the room suddenly goes quiet. And I am not exaggerating. They really work that well. They also do a good job reducing higher frequency sounds, such as talking or screaming. They don’t eliminate high frequency sound as much as they do for low frequency sounds, but they do reduce loud talking a lot. The talking appears so far away that you soon forget that others are having a conversation in the same room as you. I can’t say enough about how well the ANC works on these headphones.
Regarding sound quality, they do a really good job reproducing and separating the sound field. The audio comes out very clean and crisp. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying these headphones are on par with audiophile quality headphones, but they do produce very good sound for a set that includes ANC. What I appreciate about them is the amount of bass they produce too. I prefer headphones that are a little heavy on bass and these fit the bill. And if you are not a fan of heavy bass, there are plenty of preset equalizer options withing the Sony Headphones app that will allow you to pick a sound that you prefer. Or you can use any EQ app to adjust the sound to your preference.
In terms of how loud these headphones can get (how loud they can play music in your ear), they are definitely above average for wireless Bluetooth headphones. I’ve had other wireless headphones that weren’t powerful enough to produce a volume loudness for my liking. With these other headphones, I would crank them up all the way, and I would be disappointed that I can’t get the audio louder. These headphones, on the other hand, do get the music pretty loud, more so than others. And when I have a desire to make them even louder, I use the included audio cable and hardwire them directly to my phone. I have even connected them to a headphone amp to make them even louder. The audio still sounds crisp and not distorted. I really appreciate that these headphones include the option to go wired, as well as wireless.
I will note that the headphones have to be used wirelessly in order for some of the touch features to work. When connected wirelessly, I can use the swipe up/swipe down volume feature, as well and the track skip feature. However, when connected using the headphone cable, the volume and song skip settings can only be adjusted from the phone. I didn’t realize this at first when I was connected using the cable. I was trying to get the touch feature on the outside of the right earcup to respond to my volume adjustment attempts, and nothing was happening. However, when I realized what was going on, I tried the touch feature again in wireless mode and it worked well. The same goes for Sony’s special audio codec (LDAC) that improves the sound of low-quality digital music files; it only can be used when connected wirelessly though Bluetooth. This is by design because Bluetooth has the ability to support these features, whereas they’re not supported with the wired connection.
Overall, I am really impressed with these headphones. However, my opinion isn’t what matters here. What really matters is what my wife thinks when she puts them on. You guessed it; these have become her new best friend. She reaches for them when the kids and I are really loud trying to accomplish a battle royale each night when where playing video games. I don’t blame her.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Stream audio and video with this black Belkin USB-C to HDMI adapter and charger. The USB-C port connector delivers up to 60W for ultra-fast device charging, while the plug-and-play design offers hassle-free use. This Belkin USB-C to HDMI adapter and charger supports 4K resolution at 60Hz for transmitting clear, detailed visuals.
Customer Rating
5
Charges devices while presenting. Works well.
on July 11, 2020
Posted by: dorkhead2
from Tustin, CA, USA
This dongle works as designed. I was able to connect it to the USB-C port on my Samsung Galaxy S10 phone, 10-inch Galaxy S4 tablet, and 15-inch Dell laptop (see pics). With the use of an HDMI cable (not included), I was able to display all three devices on my TV. And because the dongle has an additional USB-C port for charging, I was able to charge the device while presenting.
Charging is accomplished by using the charging adapter and USB-C cable that came with your device. So instead of plugging the cable directly into your device, you plug it into the dongle, then plug the dongle into your device. There are plenty of after market chargers out there that can be used to charge your devices, but keep in mind that the dongle allows up to 60-watts of power to pass through it. Meaning, it can easily keep your Andriod phone and iPhone charged, as well as an Andriod tablet and iPad, and many laptops that require 60 watts or fewer. The notable exceptions are the latest MacBook Pros laptops that come with an 87-watt charger, as well as power-hungry gaming PCs. While a 60-watt charger can charge a MacBook pro, it may not be enough to power it properly when in use. There is a chance that the device will continue to drain, albeit slower, if your running resource intensive programs. Still, it won’t stop you from using the dongle to output your display to an external monitor, TV, or projector.
This is a quality accessory with the added bonus of powering your device up to 60-watts. On top of that, it can also handle 4K video.
And just in case anyone is wondering, it cannot be used with a Nintendo Switch. It wasn’t designed for that. I tested it on my Switch just to double check, and the Switch wouldn’t recognize the dongle, therefor it didn’t send a video signal to my TV. The dongle was designed for laptop computers, tablets, and phones with a USB-C connection. Just make sure your device is designed to output video through it’s USB-C connection.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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8of 8voted this as helpful.
Molekule Air Mini+ air purifier is FDA-cleared for medical use to destroy viruses and bacteria. This 510(k) Class II medical device features a 360-degree air intake that replaces the air in a 250-square-foot room. The device uses a patented PECO-Filter, which is coated with a proprietary catalyst and breaks down viruses & bacteria at a molecular level. It also traps 95% of particles 0.3-1 micron in size like mold & pollen allergens.
Customer Rating
4
It does its job well. Rated for 250 sq ft room.
on May 11, 2020
Posted by: dorkhead2
from Tustin, CA, USA
This is my first time owning an air purifier unit. I decided to get one because I’m tired of smelling the cat’s litter box, which happens to be located in my bedroom. I’ve lived with the smell for years and finally decided to try one out. So far, this purifier is making a difference. The room doesn’t smell anymore and there’s less dust in the air. The difference is noticeable.
This unit has many pros and a few cons. The largest pro in my opinion is this particular model, the Air Mini+, has the ability to detect the amount of particles in the air and will adjust it’s filtration strength and fan speed based on the amount of pollutants in the room. I set up the air purifier between the litter box and my bed and every time the cats go restroom and kick up a lot of liter and dust, the unit detects it and increases its fan speed to suck more of the dirty air into the unit. There is a 4-level indicator scale, represented in different colors by an LED light on top of the unit, that shows you how much debris is in the air. When the air is clear/clean, the LED is green; when it detects a higher level of particles, it’s yellow, and so on. For the most part it runs at the lowest speed (green) but will adjust itself and change the different levels when necessary. For example, I was cooking in the kitchen and setoff a lot of smoke from cooking greasy food, and once that smoke made it’s way into the bedroom, the unit went into overdrive. I think this was the only time it may have reached the highest/dirtiest level. Of course, it was running close to full speed, but it did adjust itself back down when the air was cleaner.
In terms of how much noise this unit makes, it’s like a low hum when it’s at its lowest speed. It really doesn’t get too noisy, in my opinion, until it reaches level 3. However, what’s noisy for me may be okay for you, and vice-versa.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have an easy time connecting the unit to my home Wi-Fi. The physical setup was easy, but the unit failed to flash the while Wi-Fi indictor light on top of the unit after plugging it in. According to the instructions, once the while light begins flashing, you can begin the pairing process within the Molekule app. I was never able to follow the standard steps in the instruction manual. It took a lot of syncing attempts, along with power cycling the air purifier unit (as suggested by the app) to finally get a successful sync. Hopefully, this process can be improved either through an update to the app or unit in future releases. This is the main reason why this product lost a star. I was a little disappointed on how difficult it was to add the unit to my network and get the app to recognize and connect to the filter. However, once everything was connected, the app has been reliable, and it’s never lost communication with the unit. I like how I can adjust the fan speed from my phone, or simply switch it to Auto Protect mode (particle sensor).
Another con is the inability to turn off the color indicator light that sits at the top of the unit. This is the same light that changes color when the unit detects a change in air quality. The light does stop glowing five or so seconds after it changes color, but it turns on every time it changes color. This happens throughout the night and I can see how this can become an issue for some. Fortunately, this doesn’t bother me or my wife. It would also be useful if the app displayed a history of when the unit changed cleaning levels. This is less of a con and more of a wish-list item, but it would be nice to know the different times the unit detected bad air quality and when and how long it adjusted itself to filter the air in those instances.
Regarding the cost of this unit. It seems to be slightly higher than comparable products. My guess is due to the type of technology utilized within this unit. While most air purifiers use HEPA filters, this unit uses a PECO filter (photo electro chemical oxidation). Essentially, in addition to a mechanical filter, the unit combines UV lighting to breakdown pollutants at a molecular level. The PECO filter itself is the company’s proprietary technology, but it’s based on a technology known as PCO (photocatalytic oxidation), which has been in use for decades to clean contaminated air and water. Even though this special filtration wasn’t the primary reason I choose this unit, it may be important to individuals looking to have a higher level of filtration, and therefore cleaner air circulating inside their home. But keep in mind, each model is rated for a specific square footage. This particular unit (Air Mini+) is rated for a room no larger than 250 square feet. In my case, this was the perfect size for my master bedroom.
Overall, I’m happy with this unit. And I’m glad I decided to finally get an air purifier for my room.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Monitor your property and capture 1080p footage with this eufy smart floodlight camera. The super-bright 2500-lumen motion-activated lights provide excellent illumination for nighttime recording. This eufy smart floodlight camera offers the option to livestream HD video from your smartphone, and two-way audio communication lets you interact with visitors from afar.
Customer Rating
4
Excellent Lighting, Very Good Camera, Great App
on April 18, 2020
Posted by: dorkhead2
from Tustin, CA, USA
I’m a huge fan of Eufy products. This is my 3rd security camera. The hardware is always well made with quality material. And the accompanying security app is well designed and easy to use. I was hesitant at first when choosing this brand, a year ago, because the Eufy name itself is not well known. But while I was researching this product, I learned it is made by Anker. Anker is a well-established electronics company that was created about 10 years ago by a couple of former Google engineers. They have a strong reputation for making quality products with lithium-ion batteries. This made sense when I picked-up my first pair of Eufy security cameras last year. Using their lithium-ion technology, they could hold a charge for close to a year. Even though this floodlight model is hardwired to power, it still offers the same quality parts as their other security cameras. Namely, the color picture is sharp and clear during day and night; the infrared LEDs do a very good job seeing in total darkness; and the bright-white LED floodlights do an excellent job lighting up the surrounding area.
Physically installing the light is easy if you already have electrical running to a junction box outside. If you currently have a floodlight, then you’ll most likely have the necessary and proper electrical hookup. The most important step is to make sure you turn off the power at the breaker box before you start the physical installation. After the installation or when you first supply power to the unit, you’ll need to download the Eufy Security app to complete the setup. Unfortunately, I had a little trouble going through the steps on the app because it said I’ll need to turn off my cellular radio in order to continue. The app takes you to your phone’s call settings, but it didn’t provide any guidance or helpful tips on how to disable your cell’s radio. I was installing the app on a Samsun Galaxy S10 with the latest Andriod 10 operating system on AT&T’s network. I first guessed and turned on airplane mode. Knowing that airplane mode also turns off the phone’s Wi-Fi network, I manually turned the phone’s Wi-Fi back on because I knew I needed that for the install. Well, that didn’t work. After turning off airplane mode, I eventually found a setting called Mobile Data under the Mobile Network menu. I disabled Mobile Data and the app finally allowed me to continue the install process. Up until then, I was kind of stuck in a loop in the app. It wouldn’t allow me to continue and it kept on going back and forth between the app and my phone’s settings. That part was frustrating, but I’m glad I figured it out eventually because the rest of the install process was easy and the app itself is well designed with a lot of options. You don’t have to use all the options, but they’re there if you want to customize the floodlight and its motion sensor or the camera and its separate motion detection. One last comment regarding the aforementioned app installation issue. I ended up not needing to contact Eufy’s tech support for this issue, but I do recall needing to contact them a year ago when I was installing my other set of Eufy cameras. I believe I used the instant chat feature within the app that instantly connected me to a live support person. They were extremely helpful and were able to solve my support issue.
The hardware itself does an excellent job sensing motion to trigger the floodlights. Separately, the camera detects motion and always captures the movement on clear video. The floodlight and camera work hand-in-hand, but like I mentioned earlier, you can customize it to meet your needs. For example, I lowered the sensitivity on the physical motion sensor to allow it to only turn on the floodlights if there is movement close to the house. But at the same time, I was able to set the camera’s motion detection zones separately, to begin recording when motion is detected in the areas I specified. I also have a unique case where I do not want the camera to turn on its infrared sensors at night. Since I have a gate near the camera, the infrared does too well of a job lighting up the area in front of the gate. When it does this though, the white balance is thrown off and I can’t see anything beyond the gate. Since Eufy allows for a wide range of features, I was able to turn off the infrared at night and allow the camera to record beyond the fence without any problems. If someone does get close to house, the floodlights still turn on and the camera records the person very clearly and in color even at night.
It is important to note that this camera does not have Eufy’s special AI chip installed that allows it to differentiate movement caused by a person versus some other object or animal. Sometimes this can be helpful if all you’re concerned about is only capturing movement of individuals. My other Eufy camera (eufyCam 2) has this chip technology and it not only detects human movement, it also captures a picture of their face and provides it as a preview when you review the clips within the app. This feature was very impressive, and it was included for free with the eufyCam 2 hardware. Other companies charge extra in their monthly cloud backup plan to get a feature such as this. Eufy, on the other hand, does not require a service plan. All your recordings are locally stored on the device for this camera. They specifically mention that the recordings do not get uploaded to their computers/server/cloud. All your recordings stay private and encrypted on your local device. And when you view the camera and its recordings through your app, the camera is sending the video wireless to your phone. For those security concise people who do not want their recordings accidently leaked or viewed by the manufacturer, this design feature is well worth it. And for those who still prefer a cloud backup, Eufy does offer a very reasonably priced cloud subscription. Price-wise, it’s on par or less than its competitors. Other companies can charge a lot more for their cloud options.
A couple of other things I want to mention is how fast the app connects to the camera when you want to view live footage. When you open your app to view the camera, there isn’t a lag. The live video comes up in a second or two. Other security camera’s I’ve used can take up to ten seconds or more. I love this about their product. The connections are fast on all three Eufy cameras I own. A separate note is about the brightness of the floodlight. The brightness can be customized. If it’s cranked up all the way, it can be very bright. I lowered my down to like 30% and it’s perfect for my patio area. The light itself is the bright white light (5000 Degrees Kelvins). There isn’t the ability to change the light’s color temperature, say down to the soft white temperature of around 2700K. Since it’s a floodlight, I can live with the light’s bright color temperature. If it was lighting the inside my house, that would be a different story.
Overall, I really like this unit. It does what it’s supposed to do very well. The motion detection works, the camera records really well in day and night, and the app is very dependable and easy to use.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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eufy eufyCam 2, 2-Camera Surveillance System: See everything that happens around your home in 1080p HD with this eufy eufyCam 2 kit. Quick and easy to set up, two wireless cameras and a home base provide all that you need to get started, while smart integration ensures you can easily connect to other smart devices. This eufy eufyCam 2 kit provides 365 days of use from a single charge for continuous observation.
Customer Rating
5
No Monthly Fees, Good Quality, Easy to use App
on November 12, 2019
Posted by: dorkhead2
from Tustin, CA, USA
I picked-up this camera for two reasons: 1) there is no additional cost, like a monthly cloud subscription, to view my saved footage, and 2) it is made by Anker.
I have been buying Anker products for years because of the quality. Anker was started by two former Google employees and their knowledge in technology and product manufacturing shows in their products. Everything I’ve bought from them has worked well and lasted, so I was curious to see if their new wireless camera system is the same. And so far, I’m really impressed.
These cameras come with a lot of features that make using them extremely easy. And the accompanying app is reliable, simple to use, and allows for you to customize settings if you choose to do so. Many of these features (e.g. human detection & facial recognition) cost extra with other brands but are included as part of this system for no extra cost. And not having to pay anything extra per month to view and store my footage was very important to me.
In terms of setup, it was very easy. There is a speaker at the bottom of the base that provides verbal instructions to aid in the setup process. The audio is quite loud, so I don’t recommend setting the system up while the family is asleep for the night, like I did. It takes about 12 hours for the cameras to fully charge, so I charged them the night before I planned on setting everything up. After setting up the base and cameras inside the app, you are prompted to update the firmware (the hardware’s software) on each. I highly recommend updating the firmware as soon as the system is up and running. Doing so brings the software up to date with the latest features, as well as corrects any bugs and errors that users may have encountered in the past.
Other features include the ability to connect the base directly into your router using an Ethernet cable, or via Wi-Fi if you’re not able to set it up in the same location as your router. In terms of battery life, the app has three modes that control how much the camera activates and records events. You can choose from: “Optimal Battery Life” where video clip length is kept to 20 seconds max; “Optimal Surveillance” where video clip length can be up to 60 seconds; or “Customize Recording” where video clip length and detection periods can be customized. I’m assuming the 365-day battery claim is achieved with the first setting only (Optimal Battery Life). I choose the second option to begin with, but the modes can be changed anytime. And if you want to extend the number of recordings the base can store, there is an option to plug a USB drive into the base. The app’s help section clearly states that this feature isn’t enabled yet but will be supported in a future update.
In terms of picture quality, the images are clear and crisp at 1080p in well lit conditions. I also love that the viewing angle is 140 degrees, which is much wider than most competing cameras on the market. And during night use the images are also clear. However, I noticed that the infrared lights do a good job lighting up the dark areas immediately in front of the camera but aren’t strong enough to brighten the areas further away (see pic). This may be because the camera only uses 4 infrared lights. Other cameras I’ve used either had more lights or brighter ones built in. My guess is the number of infrared lights on these cameras are related to the battery life. It’s a trade-off I’m willing to accept if it means I only need to charge these cameras once a year as they claim.
A few more things worth mentioning, I tested the sirens on both the camera and base, they are loud, but not ear piecing loud. Depending on your needs, this may be acceptable or not. There are sirens built into the camera’s themselves, so if someone tries to steal one from its mount, the siren on the camera and base will go off. Again, these settings are optional, but it’s well thought options like this that makes this camera system well worth it.
Another well thought out option is this camera’s ability to use Google Assistant. This feature is still in the Beta (testing) phase, but I was able to pair the camera with the Google Home app. Once connected, I can say, “Okay Google, show the Patio camera on the living room TV.” You can see an example of this in the attached pic. It shows the Eufy camera pointed towards the TV while streaming its live feed on the screen. While I don’t have a Google Hub, my TV does support Google Chromecast, so anyone with Chromecast can use this feature. Similar features are also being tested from Amazon Alexa too.
Finally, if you need help, you can live chat with tech support directly through the app at any time, day or night. I had a few questions, so I used this option a couple of times and was connected with an Eufy employee immediately and got the answers to my questions within minutes. Again, this is another reason why I’ve trusted Anker products all these years. I am really happy with this system.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+38points
41of 44voted this as helpful.
Meet the 2nd generation Nest Mini, the smart speaker you control with your voice. Just say "Hey Google" to play songs from Spotify, YouTube Music, and more.* Music sounds bigger and richer. Ask your Google Assistant about the weather, news, or almost anything. Hear your personalized schedule, current weather conditions, and reminders.** Set timers and alarms. And control your compatible smart devices.***
Customer Rating
5
Excellent Voice Assistant, Easy to Use, Good Sound
on November 8, 2019
Posted by: dorkhead2
from Tustin, CA, USA
Having owned the 1st generation Google Home Mini, I’m keenly aware of its functionality and reliability, both of which are excellent. This 2nd generation model, now called the Google Nest Mini, is just as reliable as the first.
The most significant improvement is the sound quality. Even though this newer model is the same physical size as the earlier one, the quality of the speaker/driver is improved. Before, if you wanted to cast music from your phone to the device, the sound was tinny and not very powerful. Now, the sound is louder and fuller with some actual base notes. The base isn’t the kind that will knock your socks off, but at least there’s some lows coming from this speaker. But it’s important to keep in mind that this puck-sized speaker’s main purpose is to offer Google Assistant, not be the backbone of your sound system. However, if you need a small speaker to play some music, this 2nd generation model will more than suffice.
When using the Google Assistant feature built into this speaker, I find it works well with many of my smart devices. For example, I’ll ask Google to turn off the living room lights, and the speaker does an excellent job hearing my voice over the TV and other noise, to execute my instructions. This model now has 3 internal mics, as the previous model only had two. The accompanying Google Home App does a good job walking you through the steps for setup, unless you hit a snag. I encountered a problem while connecting the device to my home Wi-Fi network during the in-app setup. There was an error and I had to start over again. When I attempted to setup the device a second time, the app couldn’t even recognize the device. I figured I needed to factory reset the unit, but I couldn’t find any instructions on how to do so. The 1st generation device has a physical pinhole button on its underside; this unit does not. I ended up going to Google support site for the Nest Mini and found the instructions on how to factory reset the device. For those wondering, you’ll first need to switch the physical mic button to the off position (located on the side of the unit), then when the lights on top turn orange, you’ll need to press your finger down over the lights on the center of the Nest Mini. After 5 seconds, the assistant will tell you that you’re initiating the factory reset process. And after 10 seconds, the device resets itself. After factory resetting it, I initiated the setup process on the app again. This time the Mini was recognized and was completely setup and paired with the Google Home app.
Aside from this hiccup when setting-up, I’m very pleased with this speaker/assistant. The main draw of using a Google Assistant device over other options is being able to use the power of Google’s resources (intelligent search results, translation features, compatibility with many smart devices, and its ability to understand naturally speaking language). I’m very pleased with this updated model.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+5points
5of 5voted this as helpful.
With BPM Connect, taking your blood pressure at home has never been so convenient. The device provides medically accurate blood pressure and heart rate measurements with immediate color-coded feedback on the device. BPM Connect synchronizes seamlessly via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to the free Health Mate app, where you can see all your data history and share it with your doctor.
Customer Rating
5
Well-Made Device. Consistent. Useful App Features.
on October 23, 2019
Posted by: dorkhead2
from Tustin, CA, USA
This is a simple to use well-made device. It works perfectly with its app to keep track of your results over time. I already own the Withings Sleep Mat, so I’m familiar with the associated app. Both devices use the same Health Mate app. The app does a good job displaying your readings. There are options to view your results over weeks, months, and years.
The unit is consistent with its blood pressure readings. I get similar results from this device when compared to documented results from recent doctor visits. It provides an option to have it read your blood pressure once, or you can choose to have it take three readings in a row to calculate a more accurate average. If the device is registered to more than one person (phone), after a reading, it’ll ask you to select a person to assign the results to. The persons name will display on the front of the device. You simply press the button to select that person or hold the button down to move to another person.
Regarding setup, Bluetooth is needed to pair the device to your phone, but after initial setup, the device can communicate over any internet connection (Wi-Fi, or your phone’s cellular network). If you prefer not to use the app to see your results, they are presented directly on the front of the device itself.
A couple of observations about the device is when fitting it to your arm, it’s easier to balance the solid white piece at the top of your arm while tightening the strap. Afterwards, you can slide it sideways to have the white part be on the upper inside of your arm, as the directions suggest. Also, it can be alarming on how tight it squeezes while taking your reading. However, it eventually releases its pressure without any harm to your arm.
Overall, this device is very convenient and easy to use device. It communicates with the accompanying app flawlessly. And I like how I can monitor my blood pressure readings over time.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
Boost your confidence with this Upright Go 2 posture trainer. Integrated sensors detect when you're slouching to help train your body for better posture in under 14 days. Use the device by itself or sync with the Upright app on Android or iOS. With a portable design, 30-hour battery life and easy-touch adhesive to keep it safely in place, this Upright Go 2 posture trainer is ideal for all-day wear.
Customer Rating
3
Requires a lot of fine-tuning to be effective
on October 22, 2019
Posted by: dorkhead2
from Tustin, CA, USA
I think my excitement and expectations for this product resulted in a little disappointment once I started using it. I’ve always known I didn’t have the best posture, especially when I’m walking, but I couldn’t seem to benefit from this device as much as I hoped. To be fair, I think my expectations were high. The device is well made, and the accompanying app is well designed. But after using it for over a month, it didn’t seem to address my main concern of correcting my slumped shoulders and slightly-off posture while walking. I will admit, I did grow tired of it constantly buzzing, so I did turn off Training Mode probably more than I should have. But the device’s inability to know when I was purposely leaning over to help someone at their desk, or to bend down to tie my shoe, for example, lead me to cut-off my training earlier than recommended. Because of this, I grew frustrated using the device in any setting other than sitting.
I found it easier to use the device while sitting at my desk during the workday. When I activated Training Mode at my desk, it did do a good job notifying me when I started to slump or lean too much. I ended up learning quick that my desk posture was better than I expected. Meaning, the app allows you to customize the device’s sensitivity, as well as the amount of time it waits before it notifies you that you’re sitting incorrectly. I found that I needed to increase the sensitivity and decrease the time so I can be notified quickly if I was slightly out of posture.
Another concern I had is if I was calibrating the device properly. When you first turn on the device and open the app, you are shown a tutorial on how to sit and stand properly so to successfully calibrate the device. I never quite felt that I was calibrating it properly. If you have bad posture to begin with, it’s possible to calibrate it incorrectly. Therefore, any training during that session, the device will see your posture as acceptable, even when it’s truly not proper posture.
I also found that I couldn’t use it while I was driving. Again, I was hoping to gain better posture while driving. I found that the device was too sensitive for all the starting and stopping/braking. It would buzz even when I was sitting properly, especially when coming to a stop. My only guess as to why it does this may be due to an accelerometer inside misinterpreting the forces from starting, stopping, and turning as leaning too forward, back, or to the side. It thought I was slouching at every stoplight and turn.
In terms of the quality of the device itself, it’s well made. The provided adhesive is very effective and sanitary. The adhesive part can be gently washed with soap and water, which refreshes the adhesive for continues use on your back.
Overall, as you can tell, I was a little disappointed with it. But as I stated earlier, maybe my expectations are too high for such a simple device. It appears many other people can use it effectively and found that it meets their needs. Also, it’s still possible that a software update can address the constant buzzing during training when you must lean-over for longer periods of time. Either that, or I try to better use the device within its constraints to have it be more effective for me.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
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Sure, it’s great for Netflix, the big game and the real housewives of wherever. But the U7G is made for the gamers. It’s got our exclusive ULED technologies, 4K resolution, Quantum Dot Color, Dolby Vision HDR, Full Array Local Dimming zones and Android TV operating system. On top of all that, we added a 120Hz Native panel for smoother, more fluid motion and HDMI 2.1, Variable Refresh Rate and Auto Low Latency Mode for gaming. The U7G also has up to 1,000 nits peak brightness, which makes HDR ‘pop’ and means the picture is lit no matter how bright the room. All this looks great on paper. Now think how much better it would look on this TV.
Does this tv has Bluetooth to connect my sound bar wireless?
Yes. To add Bluetooth devices, you go to Settings, Remotes & Accessories.
2 years, 5 months ago
by
dorkhead2
With the 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processors enabling up to 8-cores and 16-threads of multi-threaded performance, the latest generation of Alienware m17 goes beyond its predecessor. Featuring the new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 with Ultimate performance for gamers and creators. Realistic ray-traced graphics and AI-accelerated DLSS. Our latest thermal technology, Advanced Alienware Cryo-Tech, is an engineering approach where an Alienware system’s gaming performance is never compromised by means of electrical and mechanical methods while maintaining system stability during the highest performance states.
Is the ram upgradable?
With the 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processors enabling up to 8-cores and 16-threads of multi-threaded performance, the latest generation of Alienware m17 goes beyond its predecessor. Featuring the new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 with Ultimate performance for gamers and creators. Realistic ray-traced graphics and AI-accelerated DLSS. Our latest thermal technology, Advanced Alienware Cryo-Tech, is an engineering approach where an Alienware system’s gaming performance is never compromised by means of electrical and mechanical methods while maintaining system stability during the highest performance states.
Can you put more nvme ssd disks?, it should have capacity for 2 extras
Yes, it has two additional slots available. There's a third slot, but it doesn't appear to have a connection to the motherboard. But the other two are for additional nvme ssds.
3 years ago
by
dorkhead2
Sony's intelligent noise-cancelling headphones with premium sound elevate your listening experience with the ability to personalize and control everything you hear. Get up to 30 hours of battery life with quick charging capabilities, enjoy an enhanced Smart Listening feature set, and carry conversations hands-free with speak-to-chat.
why is the mx3 the same price as the mx4 if there is no major changes?
There are a couple of major changes: 1) improved mic use while talking, and 2) a new Bluetooth Audio SoC (System on Chip) processor.for even better audio. Smaller changes include a new Speak to Chat feature and other noise cancelling pausing features.
With these upgrades, especially with this models ability to use all 5 mics to improve taking on the phone through these headphones, it just makes sense to purchase the new model instead of the older one. Also, they probably stopped making the older model, so these will become the only ones available soon.
If you own the previous model, that's a whole other question. It's up to you to decide if it's worth upgrading. But I think your question was about choosing between the two for a first time purchase.
With these upgrades, especially with this models ability to use all 5 mics to improve taking on the phone through these headphones, it just makes sense to purchase the new model instead of the older one. Also, they probably stopped making the older model, so these will become the only ones available soon.
If you own the previous model, that's a whole other question. It's up to you to decide if it's worth upgrading. But I think your question was about choosing between the two for a first time purchase.
3 years, 8 months ago
by
dorkhead2
Sony's intelligent noise-cancelling headphones with premium sound elevate your listening experience with the ability to personalize and control everything you hear. Get up to 30 hours of battery life with quick charging capabilities, enjoy an enhanced Smart Listening feature set, and carry conversations hands-free with speak-to-chat.
Is the mic noise canceling or just the headphone speaker potion?
The 5 mics on these headphones are definitely a part of active noise cancelling system. They are all used in conjunction to measure the outside sound and filter it out, especially when you're talking. This year's model of these headphones (WH-1000XM4) greatly improve on the mics ability to hear and filter out sound compared to the WH-1000XM3 model. That's one of it's best improvement over the past model.
3 years, 8 months ago
by
dorkhead2
Sony's intelligent noise-cancelling headphones with premium sound elevate your listening experience with the ability to personalize and control everything you hear. Get up to 30 hours of battery life with quick charging capabilities, enjoy an enhanced Smart Listening feature set, and carry conversations hands-free with speak-to-chat.
Can this be paired to my HTST-5000 Soundbar?
Usually, the soundbar will receive audio from a device, like from a phone or television. I'm not sure about if they will send out audio to another receiving device, like these headphones. However, many soundbars can connect to the TV's audio using the audio return channel (ARC) through the main HDMI cable. Maybe this particular soundbar can send that audio to wireless headphones,such as these, if it's using the ARC option, but I doubt it. It's probably something you'll have to call Sony about to double check.
3 years, 8 months ago
by
dorkhead2
Stream audio and video with this black Belkin USB-C to HDMI adapter and charger. The USB-C port connector delivers up to 60W for ultra-fast device charging, while the plug-and-play design offers hassle-free use. This Belkin USB-C to HDMI adapter and charger supports 4K resolution at 60Hz for transmitting clear, detailed visuals.
Is this compatible with the Nintendo Switch for charging and display output?
No, it is not compatible with the Nintendo Switch. I tested it on my Switch and the Switch wouldn't recognize it, so it didn't output any video to the TV. I wish it was compatible because that would have been awesome. But it was mainly designed for laptops, phones, and tablets, not the Switch.
3 years, 9 months ago
by
dorkhead2
Monitor your property and capture 1080p footage with this eufy smart floodlight camera. The super-bright 2500-lumen motion-activated lights provide excellent illumination for nighttime recording. This eufy smart floodlight camera offers the option to livestream HD video from your smartphone, and two-way audio communication lets you interact with visitors from afar.
will it work with homekit
No, but the EufyCam 2 does.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/eufy-eufycam-2-2-camera-indoor-outdoor-wire-free-1080p-16gb-surveillance-system-white/6386028.p?skuId=6386028
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/eufy-eufycam-2-2-camera-indoor-outdoor-wire-free-1080p-16gb-surveillance-system-white/6386028.p?skuId=6386028
4 years ago
by
dorkhead2
Improve your confidence with the Upright GO posture trainer. The personalized program trains your body to notice when you're slouched, while the small, lightweight design makes it unnoticeable. This Upright GO posture trainer features an app on iOS and Android for real-time progress tracking and provides instant feedback once placed on your back.
How well does it stay on? If you work an outside labor job where you sweat a decent amount will it stay connected to your back?
It's not designed to be used during heavy physical activity that results in a lot of sweat. The instructions clearly state this. However, I did find that it stays on really well during light activity. The silicon adhesive seems to be really effective, especially when it's new or cleaned with soap and water. But if using during heavy activity, it will eventually fall off.
4 years, 6 months ago
by
dorkhead2
Boost your confidence with this Upright Go 2 posture trainer. Integrated sensors detect when you're slouching to help train your body for better posture in under 14 days. Use the device by itself or sync with the Upright app on Android or iOS. With a portable design, 30-hour battery life and easy-touch adhesive to keep it safely in place, this Upright Go 2 posture trainer is ideal for all-day wear.
Will this device help remind me to hold my shoulders back? Or would a brace be better?
If you're sitting or standing upright properly, but still have slumped shoulders, the device will probably not detect it. However, the instructions do mention that the device does not necessarily have to be placed at the direct center or your back. It didn't mention the possibility of placing it near your shoulders, but I believe it's sensitive enough to detect if they are not upright in the correct position. This is something you many want to ask the maker of the Upright Go directly. They may be able to give you better guidance on your question. It's a good one.
4 years, 6 months ago
by
dorkhead2