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Pilgrim007
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- Review count47
- Helpfulness votes197
- First reviewFebruary 25, 2010
- Last reviewNovember 3, 2023
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.6
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- Answer count2
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- First answerJune 11, 2019
- Last answerOctober 15, 2020
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Enjoy your favorite music and podcasts anywhere with this Sony PG10 portable wireless speaker. It features a splash-proof top with four built-in cup holders, and will be great for parties with outdoor party mode. Bluetooth connectivity allows pairing this speaker with up to three devices simultaneously, while the built-in rechargeable battery lasts for up to 13 playback hours.
Posted by: Pilgrim007
from Oregon
I'm usually skeptical of portable devices that promise great bass but I was not disappointed with the Sony PG10.
As far as Bluetooth speakers go, this is one of the best with some nice extra features that indoor and outdoor party-folk might really enjoy.
The unit is fairly portable, although you will need two hands to carry it. It is lighter than you would imagine, considering the 13-hour battery and size of the woofer. It has two modes for indoor and outdoor and each is triggered by the position that the tweeters are in - folded out for outdoor and left folded in for indoor.
To really enjoy this system, you should download the Sony Music Center app. It will guide you through connecting the Bluetooth as well as centrally manage your library and external players such as Pandora and Spotify which makes changing tunes a little more seamless for the host. There is a second app that works with it too called Fiestable but I did not try that. It supposedly allows more remote control of the front features as well as voice control which could be useful for the busy party host/DJ.
I found the unit very easy and intuitive to use and it did not require too many instructions to explore the features. There are several preset equalizer settings that are accessible through the Sony Music Center app as well as the ability to customize them yourself although I found this harder as the sound cuts out for a split-second each time you make a change. That said, for party/dance/most other types of music, I found the default setting to be more than satisfactory.
This would be a good tailgating accessory. It is more than loud enough and has a built in FM radio as well as the streaming capability. I played around with tuning the radio and most local stations sounded great. You can save them as presets as well which is useful. I'm not sure if the included cup holders are as useful as promised but the unit does claim to have a spill-proof top in case someone's red solo cup gets knocked over on top there. Still, I would prefer no liquids near any of my sound equipment.
The indoor mode sound was very good although I was hoping for slightly better mid range. The bass cannot be faulted though and for entertaining, it is more than adequate and fills any room.
To test the outdoor mode, I took the speaker out to a 6-acre spot of land as it would definitely not go down well in my part of suburbia at full blast!
The wider sound dispersion from the outdoor mode worked very well and I could hear all the tracks very clearly and loudly from quite some distance away. I probably walked about 150 yards or more away and could still hear everything very clearly, from all angles and not just in front of it. No quality seemed to be lost despite the unit's relatively modest size and the folded out tweeters seemed to fire up and out in that position which helps spread the sound in a wide arc of dispersal.
I cranked the volume up to its maximum on the unit and then you can still control volume further on your streaming app. Stood right next to it was a little uncomfortable but a few steps away it was comfortably loud and the sound did not distort at all. Sony also added a hole for a standard speaker pole so you could put it up higher for even better sound dispersion.
The unit also has the ability to plug in a microphone so the host could make announcements on it as well as have party goers join in with karaoke to any songs - the unit has buttons to alter the pitch up or down in case anyone is really struggling which could be a lifesaver on occasion!
Battery life seems to be very good. I have run it for about 5-6 hours so far and still around 50% of battery life reported. Charging it up is as easy as plugging it in with a standard power cable but you don't need that when you head outside although it will keep charged up if you have a power source to hand.
Things that would run the battery down faster include charging a phone (with the included USB port), running the Extra Bass mode (but really, why wouldn't you do that?) and having the volume cranked up but these are just things to bear in mind and should not affect anything but the longest of all day/night parties.
I am very impressed with this unit. It is great to have on hand for outdoor parties. It would make a very powerful indoor, Bluetooth speaker that puts most other portable units to shame with its superb bass. When I am not using it for outdoor events, it will be my garage/workshop unit and I look forward to that thumping bass when I next head out for some garage chores.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Keep rooms clean with this Shark APEX DuoClean with Zero-M corded stick vacuum. Featuring a powerful motor and innovative DuoClean dual brushrolls, this vacuum easily removes dust, dirt and debris from floors and carpets. This Shark APEX DuoClean with Zero-M corded stick vacuum has a slim profile to get underneath furniture.
Customer Rating
5
Excellent vacuum, especially if you battle hair!
on April 9, 2019
Posted by: Pilgrim007
from Oregon
I was interested to test this vacuum out as I already own a Shark DuoClean NV801 which is a similar but older model. I vacuum a 2,650 square foot home about once a week.
First impressions: it is not as easy to pause as with a standard, upright vacuum that will lock into place. With this one you would need to either lean it up against something or stop and put the canister into the storage position (see photos). It's not the end of the world and probably unavoidable with this form factor.
I missed not having a place to attach the provided accessories but you can get these separately if necessary. I was able to complete my task without it being a huge problem but had to think ahead a little more.
Now some positives! The cleaning power is just as good as my other Shark vacuum which I was concerned about before testing. It can switch between hard floors and carpet quickly and was actually better at handling area rugs. For instance, we have a long runner in a hallway and I previously had to just use the hose to dab away but with the Rocket, I could put it in the slower brush roll gear and it did an excellent job on the rug. My wife even commented how good it looked (finally!)
The Zero-M feature is excellent. I previously had to stop about half way in and clean a mass of hair off the roller with the other Shark vacuum. With the Rocket, I think I saw just a single hair which would probably have been dealt with automatically. I compared the brush roller housings on the the Rocket and the earlier model I own and Shark appear to have really reworked it for the better!
An advantage of a stick vacuum like this is that it can get under furniture very easily and I noticed I could really get under and vacuum more than with my upright, which gets close but is prevented from going further by the canister. If you have lots of furniture to vacuum under, this type of vacuum cleaner might be more beneficial in the long run.
My wife commented that this vacuum made less scuff marks on the hardwood floors. It was certainly easier to push around than I was expecting. The vacuum also came with a hose and nozzle, as well as an attachment to remove pet hair from furniture.
It was possible to detach the canister from the stick and just attach to the brush roll which worked well for doing the stairs. You can also just detach the canister and either add an attachment or suck up debris as is, which was useful when I did not have an attachment to hand.
The cord is plenty long and extended as far as my other Shark vacuum does although it seemed to go a few inches further because of the stick form-factor.
The canister is a little clumsy compared to the upright vacuum I also own. I like being able to just hold the canister over the garbage can and press a button to dump the debris but with this one, it sort of splits in half so you need to be over a larger garbage can or you might miss. I did first time but at least the vacuum was ready to go again to pick up the small amount I spilled. I only had to empty the canister the same amount as my other vacuum so that was also a nice suprise.
All in all, a quite impressive stick vacuum and the Zero-M technology to deal with hair is something I would want on any future vacuum purchase as well. It does an excellent job on both carpets and hardwood floors and is very quick and easy to use around the house, upstairs, downstairs and the stairs themselves!
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The intelligent, easy-to-use AirPort Extreme Base Station with simultaneous dual-band support is the perfect wireless access point for home, school or office. It offers next-generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology and delivers high-performance wireless access for Mac computers, PCs and Wi-Fi devices such as iPhone®, iPad®, iPod® touch and Apple TV.
Posted by: Pilgrim007
from Oregon
I had wanted to upgrade our wireless router for a while but held off as I couldn't see much benefit from going to the latest Airport Extreme from the previous model.
Lately I found that we had some very weak spots around the house and so decided to get another Airport and wire them together for a roaming, bridged setup.
This was a simple setup and works great but what was really amazing was the wireless speeds our Apple devices were getting, compared to the old setup. The 802.11ac connection is very fast and we are really noticing a difference with downloads and just connecting in general.
I can't think of any negatives with this router. If you had the previous model, it's even simpler to configure the new one (I switched from one to another within about 10 minutes) and even a new setup shouldn't be too difficult.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this router - it's very fast, simple to configure and very reliable.
My Best Buy number: 0956219815
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Feel the power of sound through this Yamaha Aventage AV receiver. Experience surround sound with the 11.2-channel system featuring Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, giving you clarity and realism. Multiple connection options such as Wi-Fi, wireless direct and Bluetooth give you total control. This Yamaha Aventage AV receiver supports MusicCast, AirPlay and Spotify Connect, letting you access millions of songs.
Posted by: Pilgrim007
from Oregon
I needed to replace an Onkyo 705 which still functioned well but was getting old and lacked HDMI inputs.
As I had recently got a 4K TV that did HDR, I wanted something that would be able to handle that, had Audio Return Channel and drive two sub-woofers.
This was an expensive pick and I had to think carefully about whether to go this big or get one of the smaller Yamaha models but I'm really happy I got this one.
It handles 4K great although I turn off the processing options and just let the TV handle up scaling. The ARC function works well with sending TV sound back into the receiver although there are a couple of quirks common with all receivers to work around, regarding ARC. Still, the payoff is worth it with this receiver as it can then output Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos over ARC which you can't do over the simpler, optical cable output.
The receiver drives my Polk 7.2 system much better than my Onkyo could manage. It has more power and is able to push more channels although an amplifier is recommended for some Atmos/DT:X setups.
The setup on this box was really easy - I switched it in for my old unit in about an hour, including Yamaha's proprietary audio/room setup.
It's taken me about a week but I've got it to a point where I don't need to fiddle about with it (unless I want to which is sometimes fun) and it ties in well with my other components and a Harmony Hub that drives it all.
I would recommend this receiver if you have the other kit to make it worthwhile and are looking for an Atmos compatible setup. Otherwise, it might be a bit overkill and you could probably get by with one of the lower models which are also excellent.
My Best Buy number: 0956219815
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Display your compatible soundbar while maintaining a neat, uncluttered look with this PowerBridge SBCK power and cable management kit that installs with PowerBridge models ONE-CK, TWO-CK or TSCK (not included) for simple mounting.
Customer Rating
4
Good idea. Needs some refinement.
on August 24, 2016
Posted by: Pilgrim007
from Oregon
This is a good unit and fits well with the single and dual outlets Powerbridge also make. I ended up adding this to an existing double outlet which worked out well although there are some caveats.
First, make sure this Powerbridge will be hidden by the sound bar. A lot of the new ones are super slim and may actually be shorter than the height of this power outlet. Ours was close and you can just see the bottom of it if you get on the floor about 8 inches away and look up. Not a big deal for us but the new Vizio bars are slimmer than this.
Next, this Powerbridge won't work well with a "wall-wart" power adapter that some sound bars use for power. It's designed to take just a plug and cord so if your sound bar is not like that, prepare for some modification. To be fair, Powerbridge have recognized this problem and are in the process of redesigning the next version to accommodate these power configurations. I was able to work around it and stay within code.
Finally, when they do redesign this, they need to rethink where the two power cables and the A/V cables will feed in. Instead of coming in through the back like they do in the two outlets, they come in through the top and bottom. This makes it particularly difficult to get the unit into the wall as the two, rather stiff Romex cables fight to prevent a flush fit. I ended up cutting out some more sheet rock (notching) to allow the Romex to fit through. The notches get hidden by the lip of the Powerbridge but it's still an annoyance, given how easy the outlets are to fit. I take a star off for stuff like that and not dealing well with the "wall wart" power adapters.
Otherwise, a great unit and worked well for me. I could have waited for the new unit to release but I guess I was impatient and figured I could work around the shortcomings.
First, make sure this Powerbridge will be hidden by the sound bar. A lot of the new ones are super slim and may actually be shorter than the height of this power outlet. Ours was close and you can just see the bottom of it if you get on the floor about 8 inches away and look up. Not a big deal for us but the new Vizio bars are slimmer than this.
Next, this Powerbridge won't work well with a "wall-wart" power adapter that some sound bars use for power. It's designed to take just a plug and cord so if your sound bar is not like that, prepare for some modification. To be fair, Powerbridge have recognized this problem and are in the process of redesigning the next version to accommodate these power configurations. I was able to work around it and stay within code.
Finally, when they do redesign this, they need to rethink where the two power cables and the A/V cables will feed in. Instead of coming in through the back like they do in the two outlets, they come in through the top and bottom. This makes it particularly difficult to get the unit into the wall as the two, rather stiff Romex cables fight to prevent a flush fit. I ended up cutting out some more sheet rock (notching) to allow the Romex to fit through. The notches get hidden by the lip of the Powerbridge but it's still an annoyance, given how easy the outlets are to fit. I take a star off for stuff like that and not dealing well with the "wall wart" power adapters.
Otherwise, a great unit and worked well for me. I could have waited for the new unit to release but I guess I was impatient and figured I could work around the shortcomings.
My Best Buy number: 0956219815
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Withings - Pulse Wireless Activity and Sleep Tracker - Black
Customer Rating
4
A great little gizmo for staying active
on December 4, 2013
Posted by: Pilgrim007
from Oregon
Age:35-44
Gender:Male
This is my second Pulse - the first just disappeared from the belt clip, clipped inside a pocket after a month. I was sad but figured I would learn and move on with a second Pulse.
This one has lasted much longer - I keep it in my pocket all day and only use the clip in the house, when I work out.
It is fairly accurate and really does track steps walked accurately. I have seen it track running as well although I don't do much at present so can't say if the distances/steps ran is dead-on accurate.
The sleep function is excellent and has really encouraged me to put more thought and time into going to bed on time and getting a solid 8 hours of sleep. It can track when you are awake in the night and gives separate totals for time in bed and time actually asleep, with fairly accurate reports on light and deep sleep periods (even has a pictogram showing the sleep patterns).
It synchs well with the iPhone app (I don't have Android but hear it works with that too) and is a useful tool for anyone interested in increasing and maintaining activity, with the goal of an active lifestyle.
I think I may buy a third - not to replace mine but because my wife is interested in it since I've had mine. Hopefully this is an indication of how highly I (we) rate them. Just keep it safe in a pocket or similar and don't ever reply on the rubber clip it comes with, especially outside of your house.
What's great about it: Easy to use, synchs well with the mobile apps
What's not so great: Easy to lose, clip shouldn't be relied upon.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Withings - Wireless Scale - Black
(145)
Withings - Blood Pressure Monitor for Apple® iPhone®, iPad® and iPod®
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Xbox 360 Elite is the premier console package with a massive hard drive, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port, a high-definition cable, and a premium black finish for the console. In addition to a black wireless controller and Xbox LIVE headset.
Customer Rating
4
Better Replacement
on February 25, 2010
Posted by: Pilgrim007
from Oregon
I bought this Elite to replace a Premium model which had to go back to Microsoft for an out of warranty repair. This is technically my third Xbox 360 as the first (launch) one got Red Ring of Death within a couple of years - the second was a refurbished Premium which lasted another couple of years and then this one, which I hope will be the last.
I'd thought about getting another Xbox 360 anyway so applied a lot of Best Buy Rewards points and picked this one up for next to nothing, plus free shipping and at least had a replacement machine within a couple of days, while I waited for the old one to get repaired.
The bigger hard disk drive is a plus. The 20 GB on the older machine was full within a year so I'm hopeful that the 120 GB on the Elite will work out better.
HDMI connection is particularly convenient - it removed a bit of the clutter from behind the entertainment center as you only need one cable from the Xbox 360, as opposed to say a VGA or component cables and then the optical cable for digital sound. Also, it makes it much easier to change inputs on the TV as now I only have one monitor HDMI cable going from my amplifier to the television and so all the other components, including the XBox 360 plug into the amp and use some kind of pass-through. Before I had to program in a step to change over to the VGA input and often it would screw this up in the macro so I don't have that problem any more.
In all, this is a decent system so far but given the record of dead machines I have suffered over the years, I'm hoping that third time is the charm.
If not, I guess it will be a PlayStation for me next time....
What's great about it: HDMI connection, easy to set up and transfer old licenses, bigger hard disk
What's not so great: Still noisy, still don't trust it won't get Red Ring of Death at some point
I would recommend this to a friend!
Performance
4
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Upgrade your daily cooking with this Instant Pot Duo Nova pressure cooker. The 8-quart capacity holds enough food for up to eight people, while the 14 one-touch smart programs simplify meal preparation. This Instant Pot Duo Nova pressure cooker includes a steam rack, soup spoon and measuring cup for convenience.
Does this instant pot have WiFi capabilities ?
This model does not have Wi-Fi,
3 years, 6 months ago
by
Pilgrim007
Get cinematic audio at home with this Klipsch BAR 48 sound bar. Three 1-inch soft dome tweeters deliver crisp high notes, and the included 8-inch wireless subwoofer delivers impressively detailed bass. Integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity let this Klipsch BAR 48 sound bar stream wireless audio from smartphones, tablets and networked computers.
Does this have surround sound ?
It is an option you can add - Surround 3 speakers are what you would need.
4 years, 10 months ago
by
Pilgrim007