3Tcubed's stats
- Review count237
- Helpfulness votes1,641
- First reviewMarch 1, 2014
- Last reviewJune 3, 2026
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.4
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- Answer count72
- Helpfulness votes46
- First answerJanuary 10, 2015
- Last answerJanuary 12, 2022
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Robotic pool skimmer that autonomously collects leaves, debris, and bugs from the water~s surface. Eco-friendly and cordless with smart navigation for continuous, energy-efficient cleaning all day.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
I've had a pool skimming robot for about 7 years (3 different ones). They've all improved, but the harsh weather of Phoenix, AZ does a number on anything left in a pool 24/7, 365 days a year. You see I have a 60'x60' Ficus tree with about 250K leaves on it. They periodically fall and inevitably end up in the pool. I've been relying on skimming robot to pick up the bulk of these leaves, however under windy conditions some will make it to the bottom, as do figs that fall from the tree and don't float that long. When I have little or no wind I have to empty my skimmer every 2-3 days, when its windy I have to empty them (at least) twice a day. It's still it better than manually using a leaf skimmer. The Wybot F1 is similar in size to my previous skimmers, but it does not have any external propellers (as my others have). It also has a mesh filter which is slightly finer than my robot have been. In order to empty the F1 you have to remove it from the pool. My others have had lids that lifted open and the debris basket could be removed while it was in the pool, but with the water level being below the top of the pool this is a real reach, so it's just as easy to take the robot out of the pool when emptying the debris basket. My pool has a large rock waterfall at one end, which means the pool is not smooth (not cool deck all the way around). My first robot had a issue with this and it could get stuck; the WyBot F1 and my prior robot floated high enough this was not a problem for them.
The WyBot F1 has 2 cleaning modes: Smart and Standard. In standard mode when the battery is above 20% the robot runs pretty continuously, and stops and starts periodically when the charge is below 20%. In Smart mode when the battery is above 50% it runs intermittently cleaning in 10 minutes cycles. Below 50% it cleans less frequently, this allows it to lower power consumption and clean day and night. It can also be controlled from your smart phone (remote control - but I don't plan to use it like this}. I'd say the leaf bin of the F1 is holds about the same volume as my previous robot. My previous robot could carry a chlorine tab, the F1 does not have provision to do this (so I'll just use a pool float as I did before). Both robots randomly move about the surface of the pool picking up any leave they run across. If you created waves in the pool my previous robot might loose some leaves from it's debris bin, this seems less likely to happen with the F1. The F1 has a provision to be charged via a charger (a different voltage than WyBot C1/C2 uses (but don't use the wrong charger, the plugs are the same (and a charger for the F1 is not provided). This is nice option for the winter months when the sun does not shine as long. And it should not be necessary in the longer days of summer. The F1 uses the same app as other WyBot products use. It connects via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (2.4Ghz only).
I've had an opportunity to compare the F1 to my prior robot, keeping both in the pool at the same time over several months (a pretty fair competition). After extensive comparisons the F1 did not collect nearly as much debris as my prior robot. The F1 did not move about/across the pool nearly as often as my prior robot (unless I manually charged it via their charger (not solar only like my prior robot)). The F1 would periodically need to be reset via the power button (as it would stop reporting to Bluetooth). When this happened it would not wake up (using the external charger also corrects this issue). The F1 seemed to perform better/longer in standard mode than in smart mode. And in my opinion F1 seemed to float to low in the water, making it difficult for it to pick up floating debris (there is a floating flap at it's "mouth" if the float is too high it prevents debris from entering it). Over a typical day with a fair amount of leaves in the pool I'd say the F1 picked up less than 20% of the debris my prior robot did. I found that even leaving the F1 in Phoenix's full sun would still not fully recharge it.
I did work with Wybot's customer support regarding these issues. They were great at correcting issues that they had control over, but they really never addressed that fact that the F1 did not work as well as my prior robot. So I'm now using their WyBot C2 robot to clean bottom and walls of my pool (love it). And I'm still using my prior robot to clean up floating debris.
The two pool robots come close to giving me a low maintenance pool.
Pool robots are the way to go. I just can't recommend the Wybot F1.
Pool robots are the way to go. I just can't recommend the Wybot F1.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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BlueParrott Pro B350 is a lightweight, comfort-first Bluetooth~ headset engineered for clear calls and easy communication throughout long, multi-stop driving days. Its industry-leading AI voice isolation microphones deliver 98% noise cancellation, while passive noise reduction in the earcup ensures clear calls on busy roads and around the vehicle. An ultra-light design with a soft ear cushion and T-bar pad reduces pressure for all-day comfort, plus up to 40 hours of talk time without interruption, Bluetooth~ connectivity and an extended, reliable wireless range help drivers stay connected in and out of the truck allowing you to leave your phone in the vehicle while dropping off orders or taking a break~ideal for long-haul truckers, food delivery drivers, regional drivers, ride-share drivers, farmers, landscapers, RV drivers, off-road enthusiasts, or anyone on the move. With simple voice control to answer and reject calls and the customizable BlueParrott Button~ for one-touch Push-to-Talk or mute, the Pro B350 enables quick, distraction-free communication that keeps attention on the road. Rugged IP54-rated protection ensures dependable performance for everyday driving conditions.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
I got the Blue Parrot Pro B350 for two reasons. My office has 2 computer servers in it along with several NAS units. The fan noise is quite annoying, especially while on phone calls. Because of this I often go out to "my phone booth" in my backyard. The problem here is my pool pump, A/C and birds. Yes, birds. I have a huge tree with hundreds of nesting birds. They are constantly chirping. I had high hopes for this headset, which claims to block 98% of background noise. A big plus for me is they only cover one ear, which makes them lighter and they offer 40 hours of talk time. I've used a BlueParrot desktop mic for podcasts for several years, and have always been happy with it. So the BT350 Pro was worth a try. I wanted a better phone booth.
Installing the Blue Parrot app was very simple. Getting the B350 to pair was very easy. I charged them fully, and updated their firmware when I first got the B350 connected to my iPhone, the update took 4-5 minutes. There is no instruction manual in the box, but from the app the provided instructions are excellent and walk you through the app's various pages. There I found my favorite feature, Voice Control. You can say "answer" or "ignore" to take a call or to skip one. On a call you can say "hang up", to drop a connected call. You can say "Louder" to turn up the volume. And you can say "mute"/"unmute" to control the microphone. This makes the headset really hands free. The other feature I found useful is you can push the mic boom up to also mute the call, and pull it down to unmute. This physical switch helps you to remember if the call is muted. Until I actually used this, I didn't realize how convenient it was.
The real test is my office and back yard. I called my wife from my office, not telling her where I was. When I told her after a few minutes she was quite surprised, where is the fan noise. I then walked out my backdoor to my pool area. And again she said she could not hear the A/C, pool or birds over her phone. She said she could still hear birds outside from her seat in the window. But they were not coming from over the phone. She was impressed. So was I. I wore the headset for a few hours making and taking multiple calls. Very convenient, very quiet. I then went and sat in front of the television, the person I was talking to could not tell I had it on.
The only thing I found disappointing, is when the headset is charging it will not connect to Bluetooth while charging. Their website says it will lose Bluetooth when you start charging, but that you should be able to reconnect; I did not find that to be the case (w/firmware 1.4.0). It could be something they can fix. But as I tested it the headset does not support BT when charging. Given it has 40h of charge, this is not really that big of a deal, just a minor inconvenience.
I found my better phone booth!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Designed to move with you, the Epson EF-30 Smart Personal Projector delivers big-screen entertainment virtually anywhere. Whether it's a rooftop hangout or a backyard movie under the stars, this all-in-one projector makes every moment count~with built-in Dolby Audio and automatic picture adjustment, the memories start the second you press play. From casual hangouts to a cozy night in, the EF-30~s Full HD up to 100'' picture with 350 Lumens Color Brightness (IDMS Rated) and 350 Lumens White Brightness (ISO Rated)~ makes every occasion feel bright, bold and larger than life. Featuring Epson exclusive 3-chip 3LCD Triple Core Engine technology and a sleek, modern design, you can project stunning visuals on nearly any flat surface~perfect for last-minute get togethers or perfectly planned events. Our unique Epson Projection Studio app~ for iOS and Android is a whole new way to play. Liven up your next gathering with personalized videos that bring your favorite moments to the big screen. We can~t wait for you to see it. And finding something to watch has never been easier. Just power on your EF-30 personal projector and the built-in Google TV~ puts over 10,000 streaming apps at your fingertips~, including Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu. Plus, with Google Assistant you can use the included voice remote to search across all apps, including live TV and even YouTube to find exactly what you~re looking for.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
I've had a projector in my family room since the '90s. It's a fairly large room (24'x 14') set up for my home theater(s) (with a 7.2 surround sound setup). My last 3 projectors were Epson's. My current projector is an Epson EL21; the prior was an 8350. I moved from the 8350 to the EL21 in November '24. I've been looking for a true native 4K laser projector (for a reasonable price) for quite some time. I have to say I really love Google TV on the EF21; it provides full access to the full Google Play store (including Netflix, Disney+, YouTube TV and Fandango), all missing from most Android based offerings. The EF30 has the same setup features that Epson EP21 has, with a few subtle improvements (EpiqSense 2.0). Their setup functionality is almost magic. They have added a companion smartphone tool that called the Epson Setting Assistant (for mobile device adjustments).
The EF30 weighs 3.8lbs (1.5 less than the EF21) and is only 2.8"h (vs 4.5"h); the footprint of both are 7.8"x7.5" The Google TV interface is almost identical, Epson's implementation is superb, especially if you use multiple streaming services. It takes time to set each up, but once done, it is so simple to find and use any of them. Both EF21 also support HDR10. The EF30 uses a 3-chip 3LCD display technology and the EL21 uses a 3-chip LCD laser projection system. They are both Native Full HD (1920 x 1080). The EF30 has a rated brightness of 350 ISO/IDMS lumens (color and white) and the EL21 is rated at: 1000 ISO/IDMS lumens.
Getting the projector unboxed and set up was straight forward. Plug it in, point it at a wall or screen, turn it on and within about 2 seconds it displays a Google TV logo that it autofocus on, then it determines screen size and then auto adjusts for keystone changes and refocus'. Within 6s a bright Google TV menu is displayed. I then set up the WiFi connection (it lacks an Ethernet port which the EL21 has, that I've never needed to use as I've not had any high speed WiFi has issues). The projector automatically checks for a firmware update (which existed) but only took a few minutes to install.
Like the EF21, the EF30; if you turn it on/off and don't move it, it restarts within 2-3s; if it detects that it's not positioned as it was previously (or its power is lost) it goes through its auto set-up. I still find its accuracy in doing this is amazing (superb accuracy). I can see some pixel separation in the 1920x1080 HD output but it is very crisp and clear. As a test I turned the projector off, moved it to the left about 3' and turned it back on. The projector auto adjusted for the change and made keystone corrections that were nearly perfect. I moved it further off center, now about 6' off center. I didn't expect to be able to correct this much. And I was right, it had a smaller screen image with a somewhat trapezoidal shape, but it was sharp. I went into the manual setup menu, and had the projector determine screen size. I then manually adjusted the keystone. The focus was a little softer but a really great picture. From 15' away the image looked exceptional. The projector will perform the best when it's about the same distance from the screen as the screen width, but with its auto adjust for screen size, it's perfectly happy with a 16:9, 16:10 or even a 4:3 screen. The adjustments it makes to deal with screen size causes the razor clear sharpness to be slightly compromised, but barely noticeable. My screen has 1.3 gain, which actually helps this slightly dimmer projector (vs EL21) project better whites. From the remote I found that the projector ships with brightness at 100%, which I found fine. I turned up the contrast and sharpness slightly (from 50 to 70) and I found it improved the display. I then hooked the projector up to my home theater via a 25' HDMI 2.1 HDR certified cable. I played a 'setup' Bluray to verify the screen setup (that I've always used to set up a new projector). The HD focus was spot on, the contrast needed to be turned down a bit, a brightness just fine. With the EF30 I could get the blacker than black to display perfectly (which I could not with the EL21). In fact I found the blacks and greys of the EF30 to be much more pleasing than the EL21 (in a fairly dark room).
I did a comparison between the EF30 and the EF21 with the same source (EF30 on top of the EL21) with the screen setting being as identical as I could get them; sizes and position on the screen). The EF21's 1000 lumens (10' from screen) was brighter than the Epson EF30. The whites were a brighter white and the greens were greener. The reds from the EL21 had a bloom that the EF30 did not. And blues were pretty comparable. The gray scales both showed 64 discernible changes but the EF21's were somewhat lighter. I'd have to say EL21 had a slight sharper picture, with each pixel more clearly separated. The 8350's pixels with the longer throw distance, blended together more, the pixels having a visual separation, where the EL30's pixels better blended together. Seated from 16' away texts one the screen was nearly identical. Both with sharp black text. The EL21 had a bit of overlap with pure white text. When watching a baseball game the EP30 seemed a bit faster with quick motion. The green playing looked different, the green's were clearly different. The brighter green's on the EF21 made the grass look more artificial, the EL30 look more natural. But when moving from one to the other, both looked appropriate, both looked real, they were both great HD pictures (just exactly the same). I then put in a Bluray of "The Batman" in 4K Ultra HD. It's one of the darkest filmed movies I could recall. Here the EF30 was the clear winner, even the darkest shadowy scenes had more depth. It could be that the EF21 brighter projection just does not handle extreme darkness as well as the EF30's dimmer output. Both were fine to watch this dark movie. Switching back and forth, the EF30 seemed more accurate over the same range of colors. I also watched Top Gun: Maverick 2. I turned down my home theater to see the audio from the EF21; It was surprisingly well balanced. No real deep bass, but the voices were clear and reasonably loud (with the projectors built speakers). There was decent stereo separation. Very similar to the EL21's audio. Both are adequate for a small meeting room or bedroom. Not that I'd trade my 7.2 surround sound for the projector sound. It was just adequate. A decent sound bar would be preferable. Both projectors support Bluetooth 5.2 output for wireless speaker connection. I feel this is an important feature. I certainly like this as I have a set of wireless Denon speakers that work perfectly paired to the EF30. To be fair I also watched an afternoon baseball game, where the room was much brighter. Here the EF30 looked much more washed out than the EL21, a case for brighter being better. So for a very dark room the EF30 has the better picture. But with rooms with daylight and windows the EL21 excels.
The real star of the both projectors is the smart TV functionality (Google TV). It is exceptionally easy to use, the extensibility that is offered via Google Play is off the chart. I have an older Sony TV as well as a fairly new Hisense both with Google TV. Neither offers as much functionality as the Google TV in the Epson EF30. This is what we were promised when Smart TV first came about. The menu switching speed is outstanding, the organization of the menus is largely up to the user (easily changeable). I was able to add dozens and dozens of streaming services that make this highly flexible. I added a number of services that my wife also subscribes to. Using different accounts for different services was straightforward.
So I'm still in the market for a reasonably priced, native 4K projector. I was truly surprised that the smaller, less expensive EF30 held up as well as it did against the EF21. But comparing one against the other was enlightening. My old Epson 8350 consumed 272 watts in normal use. Both the EL21 and EF30 consume about 100 watts in normal mode, and they are nearly totally quiet. I can't hear the EF21 when it's on and just barely hear the EF30 (23db vs 28db). The EL21 has a dynamic contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1 and the EF30 is just quoted as having a 1000:1 contrast ratio, but I'd say in real life they are about the same. The EL21 wins the brightness contest, period. Both quote 20,000 hours of 'bulb' life. They both support Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, but the EF30 also supports the newer Wi-Fi 6. I did test outputting sound through my theater's BT input and it worked very well, but the audio sent via the eARC was far superior.
I'm quite impressed by this new Epson projector. If you're mainly going to use it at night, I think you'll be impressed too.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Performance awaits with OMEN Components. Get game-changing performance with an AMD Ryzen 7 8700F processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 graphics. Experience faster gameplay with AI-enhanced features, including AI-powered DLSS, real-time ray tracing, and ultra-responsive gameplay. Stand out with full aRGB control and more inside OMEN Gaming Hub, and choose from various aesthetic options to add your personal flair. Plus, with DTS: X Ultra technology, experience authentic, spatially accurate 3D sound to enjoy the best entertainment experience. Make your choice with OMEN Components inside, and when it comes time to upgrade, it's easy with an industry-standard form factor and toolless access.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
The HP Omen 35L is quite a box. Supporting WiFi 6 (802.11ax the high-efficiency wireless standard that offers up to 9.6 Gbps speeds). It has the latest Bluetooth 5.4 (still hard to find). It supports Gigabit Ethernet via a built-in RJ-45 port on the rear I/O panel (supporting 2.5GbE). It has the latest Zen Gen 4 Ryzen 7 8700F (4.1GHz Processor running upto 5 GHz, w/16MB Cache, 8-Cores (16-Threads)) for Powerful Performance. Not to mention the latest GeForce RTX 5070 with 12GB GDDR7 Dedicated Graphic memory. It's VR Ready with a single 32GB DDR5 (6000MT) DIMM (can support up to 128 GB). It has a 850W Power Supply. And very attractive RGB Lighting. It includes a gen 4, 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD. It has 4 USB 2.0 ports and 2 USB 3.2 Type-C ports. It can drive 4 monitors via a single HDMI port and 3 Display Ports. It has a Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack, and Audio In/Out ports. It has Windows 11 Home (64) installed. The left side of the case has a large glass panel on the side which allows you to see in. The quality of the internal cable routing is exceptional. It has 2 PCIe NVMe slots, the second is under the RTX 5070 ( yes it has to be removed to access the second slot (not that difficult, I added a second 1TB SSD). There are 2 SATA ports, but only a tool less drive holder for a single 3.5" HDD (with space for a second but no drive holder). When HDD drive prices come back down to earth, I plan to add a 24TB drive for backup (might add 2 - SATA RAID configurations are technically possible with software-based RAID via Windows or BIOS-level RAID configuration).
The HP Omen 35L is a very well-cooled gaming PC that provides excellent 3K/4K performance. And what surprised me the most was how whisper quiet it is. Having had many other gaming systems I was expecting the whirl of server style fans. But it's exceedingly quiet until you push the GPU with modern games. It uses industry-standard parts to make upgrading easy. The system starts very fast and runs very quietly. It's handled everything I've thrown at it without any slowdown. Games run smoothly on high settings, and multitasking feels effortless with the installed 32GB of DDR5 RAM (which I'd planned to upgrade to 64GB or more eventually). I plan to eventually run a Web Server and SQL Server in virtual machines, but I'm having a tough time adjusting to today's memory prices. I've been using a "UFO" gaming laptop, which was quite expensive. This Omen absolutely blows it away in terms of smoothness and the ability to drive multiple monitors at the same time (I'm using 3, one widescreen, and two 3K 27" monitors).
I edit a lot of Astrophotography which requires stacking hundreds of 20-30Mb images (.fits files). I thought my laptop was doing a pretty great job (processing 500 images in 30 minutes). Well this Omen cut that job down to just over 19 minutes (the improved GPU helps, but it's a huge amount of data that is processed); the latest Ryzen 7 is truly an exceptional processor. I play all new modern games in 1440P with well over 150fps hitting 220fps on high settings. Depending on the package you get it may or may not come with a keyboard and a mouse; which is fine by me as I end up with my own gaming mouse and programmable mechanical keyboard anyhow.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Upgrade your mobile gaming setup with the GameSir G8 Plus MFi Type-C Mobile Controller ~ the official Apple-certified controller built to deliver true console-level performance on your iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. Designed for gamers who demand precision, speed, and comfort, this controller replaces unreliable Bluetooth connections with a stable, low-latency Type-C wired link, giving you instant response time in every match. Featuring Hall Effect joysticks and analog triggers, the G8 Plus offers drift-free accuracy and long-lasting durability, making it perfect for competitive shooters, racing titles, RPGs, and cloud-gaming platforms. Two remappable back buttons let you trigger advanced moves faster, while the ergonomic, textured grip ensures all-day comfort during intense gaming sessions. The adjustable stretch design securely fits most smartphones and compact tablets (125~215 mm), and pass-through charging keeps your device powered while you play ~ so the action never has to stop. With customizable faceplates and interchangeable thumbsticks, you can tailor the controller to your personal style and gameplay preferences. If you~re tired of touchscreen controls and want a premium, console-style experience on mobile, the GameSir G8 Plus MFi is the perfect upgrade.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
The GameSir G8+ wired game controller can be used with iOS or Android USB C phones. It only connects via USB. My first impression is that it is a high quality controller, with textured plastic grips and a smooth front. It weighs 10.9oz (which is about 35% less than a Xbox controller 15.7 oz) and about the same size. It is a highly user customizable controller. It can either be customized via the controller directly or re-mapped via their application. Any paddle or button can be remapped. They include 3 additional thumb sticks that you can change out for different styles of thumbstick. Individual paddles can be disabled or remapped. The controller can also control the audio/mic from a wired headset (std 3.5mm connector). All the buttons are laser etched and can be replaced. The controller face plated (right and left) can easily be removed and replaced (held on with magnets).
The GameSir App can be loaded from the Apple store or the Android play store (there is not currently a windows app). The app provides a graphic interface to remapping all paddle/button remapping. You can also change the performance curve of buttons, so a small press does nothing or a small press triggers very quickly; widely customizable. The app provides a means to update the controllers firmware, and a button to quickly get to the documentation (and other products GameSir offers).
Connecting the controller to your device is easily done using the USB-C connector to the right side of the controller, once connected the bottom left button lights up showing you are connected (no buttons to press to turn it on). There is a USB-C port on the bottom of the controller that provides pass through power to your device (including fast charging). This version of the controller doesn't have any batteries in it, keeping the weight down. I tried both with Asphalt Legends, Pacman and several RaceRoom games all worked as expected. The controller is instantaneous responsiveness. The feel of the controller is very good, I do wish the back had more of a rubberized feel. The light weight controller felt great. I re-mapped the "Y" and "A" buttons to be shift up/shift down and it worked perfectly. The quality of GameSir's in box documentation is not great (lots of languages with tiny print). The step-by-step setup information is sufficient (it's the size of the printing). But they do have a GQ code that takes you to online versions (setup and app documentation) which is much better. If you want better control of your hand held games this is a very nice controller. The degree/flexibility of remapping all paddles/buttons is quite excellent. Using the GameSir app is pretty good. I do wish it would let me have named or numbered profiles that could be saved to handle re-mapping for different games. Here they lose a point.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Samsung~s 27" Odyssey G4 Gaming Monitor offers brilliant lifelike visuals for exhilarating, engaging gameplay. Fast IPS panel with a 178~ wide viewing angle accurately delivers clear, crisp hues that remain consistent from multiple viewpoints. HDR10 provides brighter highlights and nuanced shadows for added depth and more realistic scenes. 300Hz Refresh Rate and 1ms response time (GtG) enables ultra-smooth gaming precision with minimized screen lag, while AMD FreeSync Premium reduces choppiness and image tearing. Black Equalizer enhances visibility in dark scenes, making it easier to view fine details, while Virtual Aim Point provides elevated precision and accuracy. Height-adjustable Ergonomic Stand pivots, tilts, and swivels for the perfect view.
Customer Rating
5
The best IPS screen I've seen
on April 20, 2026
Posted by: 3Tcubed
Monitor quality keeps improving, unfortunately my wife's eyesight is going the other way. Besides size, I'd not considered them helping people with eyesight problems. I recently saw that the new Samsung monitors had a new and improved Matte finish. I've had matte finishes on other notebook's/monitors, but they had a negative effect on the quality of viewing. My wife's vision problem is exacerbated by screen reflections. My hope was a screen with an improved matte finish will be easier for her to view, and a 27" will be a big step up from her notebook.
Unpacking and setup of the monitor was very extremely easy. One built in screw attached the monitor arm to the monitor base. The Monitor arm is built so that the monitor can be viewed in either portrait or landscape orientation (yea) with a reasonable amount of tilt. The G4 monitor has a HDMI and a Displayport connector, as well as power in and audio out (headphones or for powered speakers). It has a 100mm VESA mount on the back. To test it I hooked up to one of my notebooks. Once plugged in I connected the HDMI Cable to the notebook and monitor, it promptly displayed the notebook's screen on the G4 monitor. By default the G4 was a little dim and colors were not quite right. I used the on/off - Joystick on the lower left of the back side of the monitor to go into the set up menu. I increased the brightness, contrast and sharpness to pretty much match the display of my notebook. The monitor on stand is 16" tall, and is 24" wide. With a stand it's 9.5" deep and weighs 9.9 lbs. The stand does allow height adjustment and allows you to use the monitor in portrait mode. It has a very small bezel so two could be used together without much distraction. It supports full HD (1920x1080) with AMD FreeSync, and claims to have 1ms response time with up to a 300 hz refresh rate. It includes both a HDMI cable and a DisplayPort cable.
Once I made the color adjustments I found the color was very pleasing. And the matte finish is remarkable. NO reflections, you get close to the screen and look in any direction you get true colors without any reflections, it's very immersive when you lean in. To me it is a great example of how much monitors have improved and continue to improve. This is strictly a 1920x1080 HD monitor, not a 2K or 4K display. It does support HDR10 (extended blackness, mostly having to do with video), yet its blacks are quite deep and its colors quite consistent. And running with either the 100hz or 300hz refresh rate there is absolutely no flicker. It supports 3 levels of Eye Saver (low, high and off) mode which reduces potentially harmful blue light emissions. I thoroughly enjoyed watching videos on this display. It has multiple gaming modes which adjust up the brightness and it sharpens the contrast settings automatically. It also has a Response Time Settings and auto sync to prevent tearing when gamings fast moving images (seemed pretty effective in Asphalt Jungle and Turismo 7). In normal PC mode the game mode setting improves screen readability from a distance, the text is sharper/cleaner. But for movie viewing it hurt dark images significantly. I don't recommend game mode for video viewing or video editing, all dark areas are blown out.
This is not the highest performing monitor you can purchase (but you know that), but for its price you get a very high quality product. It makes a great extension monitor. And my wife absolutely loves it. The lack of reflections is great for her vision issues. The audio quality was MUCH better than I expected (but no built in speakers). The quality is very good.
This is not the highest performing monitor you can purchase (but you know that), but for its price you get a very high quality product. It makes a great extension monitor. And my wife absolutely loves it. The lack of reflections is great for her vision issues. The audio quality was MUCH better than I expected (but no built in speakers). The quality is very good.
The colors are nearly perfect, when I compared my notebook (w/OLED Display) to this monitor. The monitor does great with gaming but still only Full HD; and does not have the sharpness of an OLED screen, but it may be the best IPS screen I've ever seen. It also seems like a great monitor for Image Editing or graphics work (except for the lack of 2K/4K resolution).
But I do like this monitor a lot, for day to day computer use it's excellent. I think it will be perfect for my wife.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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CORSAIR~s VANGUARD 96 WIRELESS shrinks a full keyboard with arrow keys, a tenkey pad, an LCD screen, rotary dial, and 6 programmable G-keys into a super-compact frame. Featuring wobble-free pre-lubricated CORSAIR MLX switches, it~s also hotswappable, supporting compatible 3-pin and 5-pin switches. The stunning LCD screen takes personalization to the next level with animations, stats, and game integration support. Quad-layer sound dampening provides satisfying keypress acoustics, and 8,000Hz wireless hyper-polling delivers lightning-fast inputs via SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS. VANGUARD 96 also features Elgato Virtual Stream Deck integration, FlashTap SOCD handling, and easy customization via our web-based utility, CORSAIR Web Hub.
Customer Rating
5
A lot more than a keyboard
on April 3, 2026
Posted by: 3Tcubed
The Corsair Vanguard 96 Wireless Keyboard is a lot more than a keyboard. It's a keyboard that is 75% the width of a full keyboard (it does not have the keypad to the right); so it takes up less room on your desk. It's considered a mechanical gaming keyboard. Taking it out of the box the first thing you notice is that this is still a hefty keyboard, weighing in at 2 lbs 9 oz (41 ozs 1.167 kg). As soon as you plug it in to charge it, you see just how pretty it's full color LEDs are. At the top right there is a 1.9" Color LCD display. This display cycles throught selectable Command functions (Volume Up/Down/mute). The LCD also displays the status of Cap Lock, Num Lock, Gaming Mode, Connection mode, Battery Level. Quite a bit of information. The keyboard goes to sleep if no key has been hit (or dial turned) for 1 to 2 minutes. During this delay the Corsair logo is displayed (Bluetooth, Volume Level, Battery Level, connection speed). The backlighting is quite exceptional and the light shined throught the keys so the keys are actually illuminated not just back lighted. The user manual is accessed via a QR code inside the box (this should also be under the keyboard or something, who keeps boxes). The keyboard can be connected via USB Cable, RF (Dongle) and Bluetooth. An app called Web-Hub is used to program macros and to adjust the polling rate (from 125hz (8ms) to 8Mhz (0.125ms) - remarkable). The keyboard is compatible with Windows, Apple, Xbox and PlayStation). The app when connected to the keyboard via USB will also upgrade the keyboard firmware and wireless firmware (do this when you first connect the keyboard with the web-hub app). The rotary dial can be used to control 11 different functions (determined in web-hub app).
I installed the web-hub app and updated the firmware. But I personally got this for the "real" keyboard, and real key travel. The pre-key travel (the amount you can depress the key before it registers) is a bit more than 1mm and full key travel is 3.6mm. And you can program macros and to have up to 5 profiles for various games (accessed from buttons on the left side of keyboard). The Macro creation is done through the web-hub app or via keyboard key sequence (fn+M for 2sec). The key sequence loads onboard memory with the key sequences (5). The app allows you to store an unlimited number key sequences in your web-hub app (each can be loaded a profile number (1-5).
The keyboard also allows you to customize the keyboard by changing switches. There is a tool to remove the keycap and a tool to remove the key switch. You can acquire additional keys through Corsair (I did not try this). I hooked the keyboard up to 3 separate computers and 3 via bluetooth (Windows, macOS and Android). Pairing went very easily, but switching from to another sometimes required the switch function (fn+left-key, fn+left+key, fn+left ENT key had to be done more than once). Anytime the keyboard comes back to life the pairing is displayed on the LED display and the left hand key flashes based on the connection in use (pretty neat). There are 11 predefined lighting effects because each key has its own led, the effects are quite astounding (Horizon, Static, Watercolor, Spiral Rainbow, Color Shift, Color Pulse, Color Wave, Rainbow Wave, Type Lighting key, Type Lighting Ripple and visor) each of these can have color, speed or direction modified. The web-hub App allows substantial additional customization.
From Windows 11, I could barely tell the difference between a hardwired USB connection and the Bluetooth connection. I suspect this was due to using BT 5.3, but not positive. Both were very responsive, and under both I could overrun the keyboard buffer (miss keystrokes if hit too quickly), although this was more difficult than I thought it would be given the length of the key travel. The amount of sound dampening the keyboard has is very good. It's not like my clickety old Cherry keyboards. It has very low and consistent latency making it very high performance for gaming. You can rest your fingers on "fire" or "move" buttons with some pressure waiting for action. On some keyboards, like most laptops, any pressure on the keyboard is registered as a press. That's where this keyboard shines. Adding a good deal of quietness is a huge bonus (IMHO). The LED can apparently be user programmed from the web-hub app (Replacing the Corsair logo). I didn't try doing this. I'm quite impressed by the aesthetics and functionality of this keyboard. I look forward to using it for years to come.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Cordless robotic pool cleaner with AI debris detection, dual-layer filtration, and brushless motors. Effectively & powerfully cleans floors, walls, and waterlines in in-ground pools. Long runtime and quick recharge for efficient, hands-free cleaning.
Customer Rating
5
Another Great WyBot Robot
on January 27, 2026
Posted by: 3Tcubed
Last year I got the Wybot C1 pro to clean the bottom and walls of my tile pool. I had talked to tech support at Wybot before making my purchase, as there was info about pool robots having a hard time climbing tile pools because they are so smooth. They assured me that their pool robots had enough water pressure to work properly. And they shipped additional "float" material with every robot if there was an issue. They were right, I had no problems. And I no longer had to scrub my walls or skim the leaves off the bottom of my pool. You see I have a 60'x60' ficus tree with about 250K leaves on it. They periodically fall and inevitably end up in the pool. When it's not windy I can run the floor robot about twice a week and all is good. When it's windy it's more like once a day. But the leaf bin would become very full. I was so happy with the results, I looked into the next model up, the C2 Pro Vis. Its leaf container is larger, and it has a camera to search out debris, rather than just stumbling upon it. I have to say that it works extremely well. When I get a big enough storm I'll know for sure, but it easily holds 50% more leaves. It is much easier to open, and it can run longer (not really a problem as my pool is fairly small). The C2 Pro is a little taller, and its suction is a bit stronger. They both have micro filtration (which works amazing well at catching fine debris). The robot both have heavy suction through the bottom, and a strong flow of water out the top (which pushes down on the robot on the floor, and out on the walls).
The C2 Pro Vision AI robot has more modes of operation; they both did a great job of preventing any water line issues. Neither did a great job on my square steps out of the pool. Both use the same Wybot app, which really only works when the robot is not in use to set up the mode you want the robot to operate in. Bottom only, Walls only, or both. And then the pattern you want it to use on the bottom and walls. And the C2 can do extra work on the waterline or go on a dirt hunting mission. The latter is quite interesting to watch, as it finds leaves one after another not moving in any given pattern. With my pool having say 100 leaves on the bottom it will find the largest concentration first, then the next largest etc, until it starts picking up single leaves. It moves pretty quickly and effectively sucks up each leaf. Keep in mind it's also filtering the water throught it filter as it goes. It has a turbo mode that includes a removable, cleanable HEPA filter. I used this in the winter when my pool's water is VERY clean, and it picked up a few traces of algae. I expect in the summer this is a bigger deal.
I'm happy to have upgraded, the C2 Pro Vision is a step up from the C1 pro, but the C1 pro did a great job on its own. But given the number of leaves I have a problem with, the C2 is the better choice for me. I do have a robotic solar skipper that helps keep the surface clear. The two together come close to giving me a low maintenance pool. Still have to backwash eccentric, but pool robots rule!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Power up your on-the-go Wi-Fi with ASUS RT-BE58 Go ~ the ultimate Wi-Fi 7 travel router! Whether you're backpacking through a city, cruising on the open sea or working remotely in the airport, its versatile connectivity options, commercial-grade security, advanced VPN support and multi-SSID settings keep you and your crew connected anytime, anywhere!
Customer Rating
4
Great Travel Router+Unexpected Features
on January 26, 2026
Posted by: 3Tcubed
I recently bought the TP-Link BE3600 Travel Router, but have since seen a US government concerns about national security, warning about it possibly being hackable or "sending data home". So I thought I'd test a very similar looking Router the Asus RT-BE58 Go. I was using Asus Meshable routers in my home for many years. But they didn't release WiFi 6 routers as fast as several others. I also found that several of their routers could not handle the large number of devices I had. I was told by ASUS that given the number of devices I had I needed to only get Routers that had 1Gb internal memory. The 4 that I had had 768Mb and 512Mb. I travel quite frequently and I'm always concerned about Hotels and Resorts that have open WiFi networks. On these networks I've been using a Travel Router for more than 10 years. I use the WISP capability to connect to their WiFi networks but then have my own WiFi networks from withing my room/suite. Since travel routers came out I'd set up my own private 2.4G and 5G networks. Now with the latest Travel Routers I can also set up WiFi 6 and 7 networks; which improve the speed and offer better security protocols.
Many hotels have installed what is called Captive WiFi networks. These make you logon through their own portals, usually asking for your Room# and Name. Better support for these networks is why I upgraded to the TP-Link. I knew that the Asus RT-BE58 supported a 2.0Ghz quad core CPU (which is great, especially for it's size). What I did not know is that it has 1Gb internal memory. With a travel router I'll never have hundreds of devices connected (like I do at home). The TP-Link supported 2.5Gbps & 1Gbps Ethernet as does the ASUS but it very rare for me to connect it via ethernet (except for testing). Both offered a shared USB3.0 port. And both offered WPA3 Encryption. And both offered direct VPN connectivity. I really like the ASUS control panel, and the fact that all settings are backed up via through your "home" Asus account. Yes this means you must register with them, but being able to control your Router's setting via the web is very convenient. TP-Link does not have support this. With the ASUS hooked up to my home (1GB network), my iPhone 17 and iPad could achieve WiFi data ratees over 800Mbps via my home WiFi 6 network. This is exceptional, something I'll never see in a hotel. This ASUS RT-BE58 Go is also supposed to support WiFi Meshing with a future FW update (per documentation and their web site). They also have a very simple way to share access to your WiFi connections by sending a QR code to a device or Sharing access information, this way you don't need to tell someone visiting what your password is, but can allow them to connect to you secure network. The VPN worked very well. I had a lawyer visit, that needed network access to their home office via VPN, they had a connection in under a minute or two. I've tried to VPN to my home office with the TP-Link and had difficulties with it being reliable, their support blamed my home router (for not being TP-Link). Over all I'm very impressed. The other interesting feature the Asus RT-BE58 Go has is if you can set your Phone up as a WiFi hotspot, it can be used as a the primary network, a backup network or in parallel to improve performance. I've set mine up a backup network, so if the hotels connection drops, I still have internet access without re-connecting any devices to a new network. This is secondary network connectivity is completely seamless. When you have a fast 5G connection, it's most helpful.
Connecting via a Captive network is not as easy as TP-Links "modem" application. ASUS requires you to connect a device to the router, and then the Router detects a web page change (sometimes, as you may need to force a new connection) this can cause a couple of extra steps in setting up a new connection. I've only tried it once at this point. Maybe I just have to get the hang of it. It works, but has more steps involved. I think the speed of the two is very comparable. I think the ASUS has slightly better range then the TP. But I've not tried both in difficult environments (large areas) to tell for sure. Over all I prefer the ASUS user interface, and feature set.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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This bundle includes our best camera yet~HERO13 Black~plus the Dual Battery Charger, 3 Enduro batteries, a 64GB SD card and a camera case. In addition to best-in-class 5.3K60 video and legendary durability, HERO13 Black is compatible with HB-Series Lenses. These lenses expand your capture capabilities for more immersive POV shots, the ability to focus closer than ever, motion blur using neutral density filters and anamorphic footage. The powerful Enduro battery delivers incredible recording time in all weather conditions, while an updated mounting system delivers more mounting flexibility than any GoPro before it. And with essential features such as HyperSmooth 6.0 video stabilization, automatic highlight videos and the ability to auto upload your footage to the cloud,2 HERO13 Black delivers an incredible combination of leading-edge tech and creative possibilities.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
It seems like I just upgraded to the Hero 11 Black... And now I'm upgrading to the Hero 13 Black! Well I'll tell you I considered the Hero 12 last year, but the lack of GPS tagging was a show stopper for me (period). Now that the Hero 13 has GPS, and improved motion stabilization (HyperSmooth 6.0) with longer battery life and a 156° Field of View. I'm a sucker for the next version. To be honest I had all sorts of overheating problems with the Hero 11, especially with static 4k shooting. But I really loved using it to film podcasts in 4k and editing down to 1080p with either a landscape or portrait orientation and not cropping off image data. I've been using the 11 with the creators tripod ("Volta"), which can provide additional power to the camera, and act as camera grip and as a remote control for the camera. The good news is the 13 can still use the "Volta". But the 13 can't use the same batteries as the 11. But the new batteries offer a longer charge. They have also improved the HDR Video (which I thought was pretty good already) with HLG HDR (Hybrid Log Gamma High Dynamic Range). And still photos now use a 27MP sensor (a step up, but not state of the art for cameras). They claim to have enhanced the microphone, I'll still likely use a wireless mic for podcasts; but this enhancement now allows you to use Apple AirPods or any Bluetooth earbuds or other wireless mics during filming or narration PLUS you can give voice commands remotely and hear alerts from your camera. The camera now has Audio Tuning, in “Standard Mode” audio mode delivers true-to-life audio, while in “Voice Mode” prioritizes your voice over other ambient sounds.
The GoPro 13 supports many new accessories. Including a 'Contacto' Magnetic Door and Power Cable Kit. A Ultra Wide Lens Mod, a Macro Lens Mod, a ND Filter 4-Pack (ND4,ND8,ND16,ND32), Max Lens Mod 2.0 (Ultra Wide Angle POV Lens), Cinematic Ultra Wide Angle Lens, Max Lens Mod (Upgrade stabilization + field of view), Light Mod (Camera LED Light Accessory, Fluid Pro AI (Multi-Device Gimbal Stabilizer With AI Tracking) and a Display Mod Front Facing Camera Screen. I've always used my GoPro with a cage so that I could attach other devices via cold shoe connectors. The Media Mod has 2 cold shoes with a USB connector in/out which breaks out a HDMI connector and attaches an improved microphone with windscreen. If you want to use the Display Mod front facing camera screen the media mod cage must also be used. I do think the "Contactto" door plus cable should be part of the standard product considering that competing products include magnetic connectors.
The GoPro 13 supports many new accessories. Including a 'Contacto' Magnetic Door and Power Cable Kit. A Ultra Wide Lens Mod, a Macro Lens Mod, a ND Filter 4-Pack (ND4,ND8,ND16,ND32), Max Lens Mod 2.0 (Ultra Wide Angle POV Lens), Cinematic Ultra Wide Angle Lens, Max Lens Mod (Upgrade stabilization + field of view), Light Mod (Camera LED Light Accessory, Fluid Pro AI (Multi-Device Gimbal Stabilizer With AI Tracking) and a Display Mod Front Facing Camera Screen. I've always used my GoPro with a cage so that I could attach other devices via cold shoe connectors. The Media Mod has 2 cold shoes with a USB connector in/out which breaks out a HDMI connector and attaches an improved microphone with windscreen. If you want to use the Display Mod front facing camera screen the media mod cage must also be used. I do think the "Contactto" door plus cable should be part of the standard product considering that competing products include magnetic connectors.
When I put two (nearly depleted) batteries into the external charger, I expected it to take about 2 hours for them to charge. But I found that the charger determines which battery is the most charged, and charges that battery. After finishing the first battery it then charges the second, so charging time for 2 depleted batteries took almost 4 hours. So the new batteries (1900mAh each) last about 2.5 hrs when shooting 1080p, and closer to 100min when shooting 4K and 90min at 5K (w/voice control and GPS off). They are also supposed to be better at low temperatures, running better in below-freezing temperatures down to 14°F (-10°). In my testing I was shooting 5K with HyperSmooth enabled and GPS enabled. When I started to transfer via the Quik App (wirelessly) I encountered an overheating error. Upon research, GoPro suggests turning HyperSmooth and GPS off when they are not "required" (to reduce overheating). With my GoPro 11 I would have never gotten 60m of 5K video recorded continuously with WiFi+GPS enabled. With my GoPro 11 I'd conditioned myself to disable WiFi when shooting 4 or 5K (and disable hypersmooth when using a tripod (when it's necessary). So simple testing says the GoPro 13 is better, but with too many features enabled there are still issues (this was with it 85 degrees outside, not the 110+ degrees Isometimes shoot in the AZ summer). One 'trick' I found to prevent overheating, is to remove the battery from the camera and attach it to the "Volta" tripod (which has a 4900mAh battery in it (more than 2.5x the power of the new batteries)); I've never had an overheating issues when the camera has no battery in it (drawing more power from the battery is what causes the additional heat). In testing I must say that the new HyperSmooth 6 is incredibly good. It was very good before, it's now great.
I really like the wider field of view and better zoom (35mm Equivalent) (GP13: 12 to 39mm vs GP11: 15.1mm to 24.4mm); the 2x digital zoom is very nice to have, but it sacrifices quality, it will likely remain disabled. I have yet to use the H.265 IP Streaming (1920 x 1080) but I will likely use it on an external monitor if I'm not using the Media Mods HDMI output. The faster max shutter speed (1/2000s vs 1/480) is nice with full sunlight, and nice to be able to set directly. I didn't have access to any of the new lens', but I understand that the GP13 can automatically detect what lens mod is attached (a nice feature). I did some testing using the HLG HDR, and found that some of my computer monitors/4K TV's supported it; on others it made no difference. So it must be a new feature that did not exist on older products. I am really glad they brought back GPS support (was missing on GP12). I also think the audio quality from the camera alone has improved. With the Media Mod case/mic I could not hear a difference. Transferring photos/video via Wi-Fi seemed a little zippier. Using the camera attached via USB-C, files transfered MUCH faster (USB 2 vs USB 3 I suspect). But the best new feature is the inclusion of BT audio. The ability to use my favorite BT earbuds (including airpods) to transmit audio to/from when paired to the GoPro13 was the best reason to upgrade. I have wireless mics, but they don't compare to then multiple mics built into my Technics, Denon & Bose Earbuds which are so much better The ability to pair and use them with their echo cancelation is a much cleaner solution (not less expensive if you don't already have them). GoPro is obviously looking at what their competitors are offering, and stepping up their game. I can't say the video quality is much different from the GP11. The still shots are (or can be), and the ability to take a still while shooting video is much improved. For me the GP13 is a worthy improvement over the GP11.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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can A sim card be put into the Apple® - The new iPad® with Wi-Fi - 32GB - Black for local internet
Im trying to get internet access in Afghanistan
No, you either buy a 4G version or the Wi-Fi version; you can't upgrade/add 4g to the wi-fi version.
11 years, 4 months ago
by
3Tcubed
Phoenix.AZ
Toshiba Chromebook 2 CB35-B3340 Laptop: This ultrathin, portable Chromebook is great for anyone on the go. Easily connect to Wi-Fi hotspots with the built-in high-speed wireless LAN.Learn more about Chromebooks ~
Will a Chromebook 2 pair with a single band 2.4 mhz wireless N router?
Yes; I'm using with Netgear Nighthwlk x6; and I can pair with 2.4g & 5G networks a swell as AC, and it can see my other legacy networks.
11 years, 4 months ago
by
3Tcubed
Phoenix.AZ