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  • Review count
    127
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    112
  • First review
    April 20, 2016
  • Last review
    March 8, 2024
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buckeyestargazer's Reviews
1 2 3 4 5 ... 13 >>
 
  • Tech Insider Network
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Perfect monitor for production, video, light gamin
on March 8, 2024
Posted by: buckeyestargazer
The HP series 5 27" IPS LED FHD 100Hz Monitor is the perfect monitor for office productivity, video and light gaming.
The good: the monitor is super bright, bright enough for any space. In my slightly dim office the screen brightness is at 40% and at full brightness it hurts the eyes. Moving to a bright, sunlit space, the monitor is still plenty bright enough at 80%. Contrast is good as well and has many levels of adjustment. Speaking of adjustments, most settings can be accessed via the HP app, or by the menu buttons on the monitor itself. I find the app much easier and quicker to use. There are two HDMI ports and one VGA port. The monitor has a nice tilt and height mechanism. Watching HD video is pleasing. The screen feels very large on my smallish desk. The monitor sits only about 18 inches from the front of the desk, and the ideal placement would probably be closer to 24-30 inches away.
The bad: HP uses a proprietary power plug, and I've never been a fan of proprietary power plugs and in today's world these kinds of devices can be powered by USB-C. Even a standard 5.5mm/2.1mm plug would be better. There are no USB ports and it would have been nice to include some for a 5v power source. This is a production monitor, but it also would have been nice to have either built in speakers or a sound port of some kind.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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To the music lovers with a playlist for every mood and moment, meet your new obsession. Bose designed earbuds with OpenAudio technology that combines complete openness to your surroundings with rich, private sound only you can hear. Get your run on, take a call, go all day. Do whatever your thing is and pause for nothing. Compromise? A word you don’t believe in. With Bose Immersive Audio, the open-ear headphones don’t just feel good and look good, they bring you closer to your music. Bose Immersive Audio spatializes music so you’re not only listening to the music. You’re in it. Are you ready to change the way you listen?
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Incredible sound, great hardware, but not for me
on February 24, 2024
Posted by: buckeyestargazer
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are clearly an innovative new design from Bose. I can see this design's appeal for many people, but it's not for me.
The earbuds come in a nice, compact case that boasts nearly 20hrs of charge time. The earbuds themselves will last about 4 hours with immersive audio on and about 6 hours with it off. I'm impressed with how the earbuds are placed in the charging case. Since these earbuds are flexible and longer shaped when stretched out, I was concerned I'd have to fiddle with putting them back in the case, but they slip in effortlessly and are held in place by strong magnets. There is also a USB-A to USB-C cable included in the box.
I must say that the immersive audio versus regular stereo audio is pretty special. The immersive audio has a more concert/stadium like sound to it, despite being an open ear design. I would say that the sound quality is the best of any earbuds I have tried.
Downloading and connecting the earbuds via the Bose app was effortless and worked first time.
Bose achieved a great quality sound while still being truly open. In other words, while the music quality is exceptional, I could also hear everything going on around me as if the earbuds weren't even there. They truly are open air.
However, these aren't for me. Frankly, it took me about 10 minutes to figure out how to put them in my ear. They do feel comfortable and once they are on you don't feel them hardly at all, but every time I try to put them on I end up having to fiddle around until I get it right. I also don't like the fact that others around me can hear the audio if in a quiet space. If there's even just a little bit of background noise I'm sure it won't be an issue, but in a very quiet area others will hear it if they are nearby.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Say hello to JBuds Mini our smallest earbuds ever, where size doesn't compromise performance. These tiny titans pack a punch and deliver a powerhouse of features that will elevate your listening experience. From rocking out to your favorite tunes at the gym or diving into a captivating podcast on a crowded commute, prepare to immerse yourself in impressive audio quality that truly defies its size
 
  • Tech Insider Network
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Tiny earbuds, good sound, convenient case
on November 2, 2023
Posted by: buckeyestargazer
The JLab JBuds mini true wireless earbuds are .... TINY. I was pretty shocked at how small they are, but have also been surprised how well the earbuds work and how convenient they are.
First the size. I would guess that the fit of these earbuds is going to depend a lot on the individual. Most earbuds fit pretty well in my ears, but my wife and daughter must have tiny ears because they cannot get standard earbuds to stay in their ears very well. When my wife and I watch something on a laptop she has to physically hold the standard earbuds in place. The JBud Mini earbuds are the first ones she has ever tried that stay put in her ears. For myself, they feel a little lost in my ears. I need to use the largest gel tips in order to feel that they will stay on properly. But neither of us have had any issues. For that reason alone I recommend these earbuds for a variety of people.
The earbuds connected by bluetooth to my phone and laptop without any issues at all. Just take them out of the case, put them in my ear, and connect them on the device and it's all good.
One thing I did not like right out of the box is that the touch controls were WAY too sensitive. It felt like just waving my hand by my ear would trigger something. This is controllable via the JLab app, which also has some other nice settings to dial in how you like it, including noise cancelling.
If you've had any issues with earbuds not fitting well, give these a try!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Protect and monitor your home from anywhere with the Tapo TC73 Pan/Tilt Camera. This indoor home security solution provides a seamless out-of-the box experience with easy installation and a 360° field of view of pets and people within the home. Experience 2K QHD Clear View, Smart Motion Tracking, AI Detection and much more directly from your smartphone through the Tapo App.
 
  • Tech Insider Network
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
A great camera with some minor things missing
on October 25, 2023
Posted by: buckeyestargazer
I have become a fan of TP-Link wireless products because the user experience has been smooth and easy. The Tapo TC73 Pan / Tilt camera continues this trajectory and is a great surveillance camera, especially at this price point.
One comment first: the title of the product says "Wired Security Camera". When I see "wired" I think that means it needs to be connected by Ethernet cable directly to a central hub, but this camera is wireless and stands alone. That tripped me up at first. I guess they mean that it does not run on batteries but needs a wired power source (provided).
The camera tilt/pan capabilities are smooth and silent and provide a nearly 360 degree rotation and 90 degree up angle. I can see people using this to monitor pets while away with the ability to look around further. But even without the pan/tilt the camera has a fairly wide viewing angle.
The TP-Link Tapo app is very easy to use and setup. I like the fact that the Tapo app allows other TP-link products, such as the older Kasa cameras, to be incorporated into one app.
The camera has impressive night vision capabilities. There is a mode for wider, larger shots that are further away with a brighter IR light source, and a mode for smaller rooms with a dimmer IR light source. But one of the things TP-Link missed on this is the ability to completely turn off the IR/night vision mode. For my use case that is important.
I would have given 5 stars if not for the inability to turn off the IR light.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
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Meet Pixel 8. The helpful phone engineered by Google, with an amazing camera, powerful security, and an all-day battery. [1] With Google AI, you can do more, even faster – like fix photos, screen calls, and get answers. [2] And Pixel 8 has personal safety features for added peace of mind. [3]
 
  • Tech Insider Network
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
This phone and camera are amazing
on October 18, 2023
Posted by: buckeyestargazer
I love the Google Pixel 8! From start to finish, using the Pixel 8 has been a pleasant experience. This review will focus mostly on the camera and AI editing tools, but there's a lot more to love also.
Coming from an older pixel phone, setup was a breeze. The Pixel 8 walks you through the process of moving everything over from the old phone to the new phone, including app data and settings so that (almost) everything looks and works just like you're used to. There were a few apps that needed a bit more input from me to get set up properly, and one app that turned out to be incompatible because it was so old.
The camera is utterly amazing, even on the non- "pro" version of the Pixel 8.
The macro camera is wonderful. The cameras switch seamlessly between macro and regular and even this non-professional photographer can get clear close ups. See the flower pic, taken from about 2cm away.
The camera has an 8x zoom, which isn't much but the clarity of the resulting image is impressive. The photo of the stone structure was taken from 150 yards away using the 8x zoom.
A new feature is the "Best Take" option. If you take a series of similar photos, like 5 pics of a family, the Best Take option will scan the 5 photos and make suggestions to take the best of each photo to make a better resulting photos. Did someone blink in an otherwise good photo? The Best Take can shift that person's face from another photo into the best photo.
Magic Editor is an AI editor that seems to do a nice job at enhancing photos without going overboard. The second picture of the stone structure used the Magic Editor to bring out more of the background sky as it actually appeared, and not washed out due to overexposure.
I also appreciated the photo unblur options, which again were subtle and not overbearing.
For video editing, one feature I like is that background noises can be seamlessly removed with the AI tools, such as background wind.
I would recommend this to a friend!
User submitted photo
User submitted photo
User submitted photo
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Spearheading the Wi-Fi 7 revolution with cutting-edge technology and unimaginable power, the NETGEAR Nighthawk RS700 harnesses the power of Wi-Fi 7 to unleash speeds up to 19 Gbps. With 320MHz channels and multi-link operation, experience lower latency and dramatically enhanced Wi-Fi performance. Leveraging NETGEAR's over 25 years of Wi-Fi expertise, the RS700 features a sleek body with high-performance antennas and a significantly smaller footprint. A 10 Gigabit Ethernet port unlocks fast speeds of today and tomorrow. Experience the next-generation gaming, AR/VR, and 8K video - all streaming flawlessly in your home.
 
  • Tech Insider Network
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
A huge improvement
on October 12, 2023
Posted by: buckeyestargazer
The Netgear Nighthawk BE19000 Tri-Band router is a huge improvement over earlier offerings and has greatly improved my WiFi experience.
The router has a unique tower form factor that I really like because it saves a lot of desk space, and the antennae are internal to the unit. It is quite attractive IMHO.
The router comes packaged well with clear getting started instructions. Like most things these days, setup is done via the Nighthawk app and setup was rather simple and straightforward. The app discovered the router quickly and from unpacking to connecting devices took about 5 minutes. It comes with a trial of the Armor security software. One of the "benefits" of this subscription based software is that it will scan the devices on the network and recommend security actions. Long story short, I got so tired of all the MANY notifications about various things that I completely turned off notifications for the app. Not a big deal though.
In the past I've had some issues with devices randomly dropping out momentarily, even devices that are close to my old router. After a week of use, I can confidently say that with the Nighthawk BE19000 those issues are gone. I have not had any drops.
At any given time I have 20+ devices connected to the network and it doesn't miss a beat.
Most importantly, I am now getting far faster internet speeds (not WiFi network speed) over a greater distance. My cable internet speed is usually around 350mbps download/40mbps upload but I would only see 100mbps/20mbps. I immediately noticed that my speeds with the Nighthawk router were more like 300mbps/40mbps so I'm now getting the full speed I pay for.
The WiFi network speed is also much greater as well. Pictured is a WiFi speed test (not internet speed) from about 15ft away from the router. On the 5Ghz band the link strength is -47 dBm, with a link speed of 500-855 Mbps. Speed tests of the WiFi network are now around 500Mbps! A huge improvement. I had no problems with the WiFi connection at 100ft away from the router.
Ethernet speeds are capable of 10,000Mbps (yes, 10,000) with the right equipment. All my Ethernet cables cap out at 1000 though.
I would recommend this to a friend!
User submitted photo
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Meet the Ninja Thirsti 18 oz. Travel Bottle engineered to keep drinks colder and fizzier for longer. This innovative drinkware is designed for carbonated drinks but is perfect for still, sparkling, hot or cold drinks too. LeakLock lid won’t leak, drip or spill. This durable 18/8 stainless steel bottle resists scratches and dents and fits in most cupholders making it ideal for life on the go.
 
  • Tech Insider Network
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Does what it says
on October 12, 2023
Posted by: buckeyestargazer
I was intrigued by the Ninja Thirsti travel bottle and its claims, so I was glad to try it out. In short, Ninja's claims are (mostly) accurate.
The Thirsti travel bottle is made from quality materials and claims that it will keep cold fizzy drinks fizzy for up to 24hrs and hot drinks hot for 12hrs. The literature says that one way it keeps drinks fizzy is because of an ultra smooth interior surface, so there are less surfaces for bubbles to form on. The interior is indeed super smooth, and the cap has a seal to keep freshness in. However the cap is also easy to remove quickly.
For the cold test I filled the bottle up with a fresh soft drink and let it sit on my kitchen counter (72F ambient temp) for 24hrs. I was pleasantly surprised that the soft drink was still pretty much as it would be out of the can and was still quite cold. However I'm sure that if the bottle was bouncing around more there would have been less fizz but I thought it kept it pretty well and also kept it cold.
The hot test was a little less successful. After 12hrs my coffee was a little warmer than lukewarm, but who waits 12hrs to drink their coffee anyway?
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
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Gas-like performance without all the drawbacks of gas. That’s what the Worx 40V Power Share 14” Cordless Chainsaw gives you. We’ve doubled the volts of our standard Power Share tools and made a chainsaw powered by two 20V batteries. Double the run time and upgraded performance but still with cordless convenience and without the smell or expense of gasoline. We’re able to achieve this on account of the saw’s high-efficiency brushless motor. It’s more durable and uses less battery than a motor based around a brush design. It spins the 0.043” gauge chain, with a 3/8” pitch, at 26ft/s. So you’ve got all the power you need to perform every regular chainsaw job. Cut 26” diameter logs on the ground or 13” diameter trees that are still standing, for instance. Auto-tensioning and auto-oiling systems keep the bar and chain running at peak performance throughout the entire life of this tool. And on-board battery charge indicators, and oil-tank markings, let you know when you’ll need to recharge or refill the oil. Plus, the quick-stop chain brake adds an extra level of safety to this saw, so you’ll know you can always shut it down at a moment’s notice.
 
  • Tech Insider Network
Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
OK for small limbs and jobs
on October 6, 2023
Posted by: buckeyestargazer
First of all, set your expectations. An battery operated chainsaw is not equivalent to a gas powered chainsaw. If you're expecting the same productivity then you will be disappointed.
The chainsaw comes well packaged and I like that the printed directions were fairly clear and concise. It comes with two batteries (both of which are used at the same time during operation), a dual charger and a plastic blade cover. One thing that is NOT included is bar and chain oil, which is necessary for operation. It would have been nice if a small bottle was included.
Prior to operation I topped off the batteries with a 15min charge until they were fully charged. To start the chainsaw you need to pull back on a large lever and it clicks into place, and then you can start the motor. Be aware that it sounds like you're breaking something when you pull that large lever back but it doesn't harm anything.
I put the chainsaw through a very demanding test, one that you would nor normally do. I had a limb that was about 12 inches in diameter, very dry, and I attempted to cut it in half length wise. Again, this is not how you would normally do it and it's very demanding because almost the whole length of the chain was contacting the wood.
As you can see in the picture I got about 3/4 of the way through the limb before the batteries died. This took perhaps 6min of continuous hard cutting. That may not sound like much but if you were cutting a 3 in limb it would only take a few seconds to get through that and so it would last much longer if you were cutting up smaller limbs. Even so, I was quite disappointed in the battery life. Also, at several points the chain seized up. One nice feature is that when this happens the chainsaw stops for safety, but the chain seized up about 5 times in the course of cutting this large limb. And yes, I was using chain oil.
A full recharge on the batteries took about an hour and 15min.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
User submitted photo
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Never miss a feeding with the WiFi-enabled, automatic pet feeder for cats and dogs. Give your cat or dog the right amount of food on time, every time, with the Feeder-Robot, the automatic pet feeder that allows you to set portion-controlled meal schedules from the app or the unit.
 
  • Tech Insider Network
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
So convenient
on October 2, 2023
Posted by: buckeyestargazer
The Whisker Feeder-Robot Wi-fi auto-feeder is a super convenient addition to your pet care needs.
The Feeder-Robot comes well packaged with easily identifiable parts. Setup was not too difficult, although I found the directions in the box lacking.
The feeder has both automatic and manual feeding modes. The "Gravity" feeding mode dispenses a meal every 6 hours. The Automatic feeding mode can be scheduled however you want it (number of meals, portion size, timing etc). There is also a manual button to dispense a snack or meal when the button is pressed.
We have one cat that is, shall we say, large and in charge. She clearly needs portion control but being a working family that is away for most of the day we don't want to give too little food. The feeder robot solves that problem and allows us to dispense 3 small meals throughout the day. At first our cat was unsure about the feeder, but the only way she was going to eat was if she ate from the feeder bowl. Don't cheat and give your pet food outside of the feeder robot. Our cat needed a day to get used to it but now she comes around the feeder at the approximate feeding times we have set.
The feeder can be setup and controlled by the panel buttons on the unit or by the Whisker app. I find the app to be easy to use and can be used from anywhere so that's what I normally do.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
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Outdoor 4 is our fourth generation wire-free smart security camera that helps you protect your home inside and out right from your smartphone.
 
  • Tech Insider Network
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Capable camera, good option for those on a budget
on September 26, 2023
Posted by: buckeyestargazer
The new Blink 4 outdoor security camera is a good option for more budget minded shoppers. The Blink system has a lot of options for this price point.
The camera arrived well packaged with the camera, Sync Module, batteries, USB cable, mounting kit and power adapter.
Setup was fairly straight forward, although I found the directions severely lacking. As with most things these days, you need to first install the Blink app and create an account. The Sync Module is the "hub" for the blink system. After installing the app and creating an account, plug in the Sync Module and connect the system to your wifi network. Install the batteries in the camera, add the camera in the app and "follow the directions." That sounds simple enough but I had trouble getting everything to connect properly at first, and there are no other written directions if you run into a problem using the app for setup. It took several tries before the camera would show up in the app and there was no way to troubleshoot anything until the camera was recognized. My advice: after connecting the sync module to your wifi network and installing the batteries in the camera, wait 5min before trying to install the camera in the app. I think it just takes a while for everything to communicate together.
During daytime the camera has a nice, crisp picture. I find the low light capabilities to be sub par, but the night time/infrared works very well.
I like the fact that notifications can be configured so that I don't overwhelmed with alerts, and there is also a motion detection sensitivity slider so you can adjust how quickly the camera fires a notification.
The included mounting hardware is easy to install.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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