DavidJr's stats
- Review count291
- Helpfulness votes2,335
- First reviewDecember 8, 2015
- Last reviewJune 30, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.2
- Review comment count3
- Helpfulness votes2
- First review commentJune 3, 2016
- Last review commentJune 3, 2016
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- Answer count104
- Helpfulness votes220
- First answerDecember 9, 2015
- Last answerDecember 23, 2021
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- Best answers34
![H&R Block - Premium & Business Tax Software - Windows [Digital]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/6386/6386087_sd.jpg)
This H&R Block Premium & Business Tax software offers everything small business owners need to easily complete their personal and business federal and state taxes. It includes a free online chat with a tax professional, step-by-step guidance on hundreds of credits and deductions, and in-person representation in the unlikely event of an audit. The H&R Block Premium & Business Tax software provides assistance to small business owners, including creating payroll and employer (W-2 and 1099) forms and more.
Customer Rating
5
Complex taxes a little more simplified
on February 6, 2020
Posted by: DavidJr
from Roanoke, VA
The H&R Block Premium & Business edition is perfect for anyone with a small business that needs to create their own tax forms, like W2 and 1099 or partnership/corporation/nonprofit returns and may need to file multiple personal tax returns. The software installs two separate programs, H&R Block 2019 and H&R Block Business 2019. Once installed they both will want to check for updates, which is highly recommended. Both have a very similar style and look as they guide you and ask questions throughout the forms. Many fields are direct and simple, like name and address, but even on these pages they have helpful information on the side. In the Business software under the simplified questions and answers you can go directly to the Government instructions if you want to see the full language, the personal tax return software keeps it simple and provides links to the help center if you want more details.
Several fields as you are guided along have a “Learn More” option giving more details ranging from a single sentence that is almost as vague as the item itself to more details that you could imagine for that single question. For the most part it answered my own curiosity of what could be entered for that particular field.
Included with your activation you get 5 federal e-file returns and $9.99 for any after that. However, you can use the software to prepare and print as many paper versions as you want. The price includes 1 state download and it still costs $19.95 to e-file for each state. If you need a different state for any other return, it costs $39.95, but you now have that downloaded and can use it for any other returns you prepare. Essentially with those costs you have $90 of e-file and state forms available, not considering how much help you get in putting everything together and online support. However, if you don’t need the added business forms or don’t plan on filing multiple federal returns, other editions may suit you better.
Provided you followed all of the guidance throughout the software and entered information correctly, H&R Block has their Maximum Refund Guarantee where if you find tax software that gives a bigger refund, they will refund your fees. They also have their free in-person audit support should the IRS or your state office ever decide to look into your claims for audit.
Having used their online filing a couple times, everything is very familiar. However, they are two separate systems and this software keeps everything local. So as with any tax, financial and personal information it is upon you to keep it safe and backed up.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Make your moves with this Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite gaming mouse. With the 17 programmable buttons and a repositionable Key Slider system, this mouse offers comfort and function for longer gameplay. An 18,000 dpi sensor delivers pinpoint accuracy. This Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite gaming mouse is built for durability with a braided cord and sturdy scroll wheel.
Customer Rating
5
A mouse with a thousand buttons
on January 22, 2020
Posted by: DavidJr
from Roanoke, VA
A mouse with a thousand buttons, or so it feels. With the ability to program 17 buttons in three different profiles you can have all kinds of options. Each profile saves the specific button actions, the lighting for four different zones and the different DPI settings. The lighting is kind of essential to help tell what profile you are on and you can set the color for the DPI settings. The DPI is insane from as low as 100 all the way up to 18,000 which I don’t know how anyone can control that slight of a movement.
All of these settings require that you have the iCUE software installed, but you can save the current profile settings, which are instantly applied to the mouse, to one of the on board hardware profiles. This will allow you to use the mouse on any computer with the settings you prefer without having to run the iCUE software on it. The instant apply is kind of annoying at times, especially if you want to change the right/left click functions, as they are required to be applied to a different button before you switch them, or you happen to change something accidentally and have to use this new setting to fix it. The ability to remap the buttons ranges from assigning a simple keyboard stroke to complex macros. You may spend a lot of time in here just trying to get the mouse the way you want it.
Another customization feature is the ability to slide the 12 button keypad forwards or backwards a bit with the included allen key. Having this feature makes it so much easier to get the most function out of the keypad. The alternating texture of the keys also helps in finding the keys without looking at them, but that takes a little learning to get used to. With them being lit it isn’t hard to get a quick glance and catch the numbers. I still find myself bumping the wrong button from time to time though.
The performance options and the surface calibration also allow you to get the best out of your play space. Say for instance you use some ceramic feet on your mouse, but had poor motion, you can run the surface calibration and the mouse now reacts properly to that lift distance.
This mouse can be a game changer but it does take some time to customize and familiarize yourself with it.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Intensify your gaming experience with this cream CORSAIR PRO wireless gaming headset. Plush memory foam ear pads deliver cushioned comfort, while the high-performance 50mm neodymium audio drivers offer rich full-range audio. This CORSAIR PRO wireless gaming headset has a Discord-certified unidirectional detachable microphone for clear communication in the din of battle.
Customer Rating
4
Decent sound, PC and PS4 only*
on January 17, 2020
Posted by: DavidJr
from Roanoke, VA
The sound quality on these is pretty decent and you can get some ear tickling bass. The ear pads are large and soft enough to avoid contact with most of my ear, but the material isn’t very breathable so sweat can build up. The microphone is pretty standard for headsets around this range and was instantly picked up by Windows 10 and PS4. It is kind of disappointing that there aren’t any other input options such as Bluetooth or 3.5mm wired as this only works with the included USB dongle. Which out of curiosity worked with a USB-C to USB-A adapter on my Samsung Note 10+ but will not work on an Xbox One. There is also a small rubber cap and foam cover for the removable microphone which both can super easily be lost.
I have no idea what makes these “PRO” compared to the HS70 SE as everything about them looks exactly the same. The 7.1 surround is just like Pro-logic where it will simulate positional sound, but actually place sounds where there aren’t supposed to be any when you have an isolated sound. Example being right channel sound will be heard in the left ear slightly. Besides, it is software driven and not something unique to the headset as you have to have iCue software installed and running for it to work. You can get a better effect when you enable spatial sound like Windows Sonic or Dolby Atmos for headphones.
As for iCue, it is a shame that it does not save any settings to the headset, but completely runs through the software. Even settings like the voice prompt and EQ are not saved to the headset. When not hooked to the computer with iCue you only get beeping tones for power, mic on/off and auto shutdown. The auto shutdown is by audio, not movement, so if you are sitting in a quiet moment for 5 minutes you will hear a tone, as if the battery is running low, and it will be a couple more times until they shut off unless sound from the device is played or the power button pressed to cancel. With iCue running you can change this duration and a voice will tell you that it is shutting down.
I’m not saying these are bad headphones, I just feel that the PRO term feels like there should be more.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Immerse yourself with booming audio using this Arcam SA20 Class G integrated amplifier. The ultra-low distortion lets sound flow cleanly, while the high-quality components provide the durability needed to last years of regular use. This Arcam SA20 Class G integrated amplifier runs 90W of power through each channel for rich audio.
Customer Rating
3
Clear defining audio, limited options
on January 14, 2020
Posted by: DavidJr
from Roanoke, VA
I have two entertainment receivers for providing multi-channel audio and video passthrough. They are great for listening to Dolby and DTS surround movies. I’d even say they have been pretty good with music. However, using my same speakers and this Arcam HDA SA20 I am amazed at the clarity of audio that I was missing. Flipping between my systems on the same song, from the same source I could hear notes and separation in the sound that I had never heard before. I played some 90’s alternative grunge that has a lot of electric guitar and sound on top of the lyrics. Although I could hear the song fine on my other systems, there was obvious distortion that was not there on the SA20.
However, this was at normal to loud listening range, at about 50 out of 99. When I cranked it above 60 the distortion from the SA20 was even worse. At first I thought it was my speakers, though they are rated for 150 watts and the SA20 is only 90 watts per channel. I tried my other speakers and the same thing. However, I was using a digital input when I noticed this. If I used an analog input, avoiding the digital analog converter, I could crank it all the way up to 99 and not get the same decibel or distortion as I was getting at 60 with digital input. I don’t intend to listen to it that loud all the time, but is kind of disappointing that there is so much more possible power for it to sound over driven by the DAC.
As I mentioned with my other receivers, which were only a fraction of the cost, they have so many other input and output options. This one is only a 2 channel amplifier that is really limited in its capabilities. Figure the least it could do is stream from the network with its wired network connection. However, that is not the case and the network connection only allows you to use the Arcam Control app to adjust volume, balance, and the settings. The USB port is for firmware updates only, while the app can show you the version is 1.3 but using the menu on screen shows 1.0.3. So, at first I thought the 1.0.9 update was older than 1.3, but realized that there wasn’t anything higher.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I haven’t had a single stereo amplifier since my parents old stack back in the 80’s. The audio clarity at “normal” listening range of the SA20 is defining compared to my cheaper systems. I just feel that something at this price point in 2020 should offer so much more. Especially for something that is still made in China.
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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-5points
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Record audio using your smartphone with this Samson Satellite USB/iOS broadcast microphone. Two 16mm condenser capsules capture clear, accurate audio, and the three pickup patterns let you record detailed audio in a variety of situations. This Samson Satellite USB/iOS broadcast microphone offers easy portability and includes USB and Lightning cables for connecting to a range of devices.
Posted by: DavidJr
from Roanoke, VA
This Samson Satellite microphone has the classic look of a broadcast microphone but the plug-n-play of a modern USB device. On a Windows 10 device it was as simple as plug it in, open recording software and I was up and running. The audio was clear, sharp and 1000 times better than the built in microphone on my laptop. When I hooked it up to my desktop computer and used headphones to monitor, I ended up getting garbled sound and a flashing red light. However, the manual actually has three pages of a step by step guide on what this is and how to fix it and it was a mismatch in sample rates as described in the manual, Once that was cleared everything worked as intended.
The pickup patterns that can be switched on the front were surprisingly accurate. I was spinning the mic around just to confirm the patterns and anything not in that particular pattern was well dampened. Though convenient and prevents the noise of a switch, the mute button is touch sensitive, so changing the pattern usually meant accidentally changing the mute as well, so be mindful of the LED color, yellow is muted.
The legs give the ability to angle the microphone, but only to a point as it will begin to slip under its own weight. You also need fingernails or a tool to get them out as they fold away to give a slim profile, which is nice if you have a ⅝” boom to use instead.
As for sound, I compared this to a couple other microphones and the quality was pretty good. Background noise was minimal as the pickup patterns help reduce sounds not in that pattern, omni-directional gets the most as it is intended to get sound all around. The distance from the mic is really noticeable though. Up close, under a foot, voice was accurate, clear, loud. But, get out about arm's length, 3ft, or the center of a table and everything sounded so distant. The Samson Satellite also picks up any bit of a breeze, so if you have a fan blowing on your or are a breathy talker, you will get a lot of popping.
If you want to get more complex with recording, MOTU Digital Performer Lite is available for download and registers using the serial number of the microphone. Like any editing software though, it can be a bit difficult to understand, but had a fair bit of options for a Lite version of the $499 software.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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-5points
9of 23voted this as helpful.
This high-quality ink tank printer with an automatic document feeder plus fax delivers up to 2 years of ink in bottles included in the box.³ Get faster connections with dual-band Wi-Fi¹, and easy mobile printing with HP Smart app.²
Customer Rating
4
Fraction of a penny per page, slow but detailed
on December 16, 2019
Posted by: DavidJr
from Roanoke, VA
One thing about printers is having to replace the cartridges, which some can cost more than the printer itself. Recently several printer manufacturers have come out with models similar to this HP Smart Tank printer where you just replace the ink, instead of the full cartridge. However, this is the first one that I have seen that you still install a cartridge, just the difference is that it refills from the tanks. The cartridge looks like any other printer cartridge for the most part, with the built in printhead. So, should anything happen to print head quality, this is a part that could be user replaced. I don’t know the actual milliliter capacity of these cartridges, but you can see in the picture the comparison of the ink bottles and tell that it is going to be able to fill it up several times over.
Setting up the printer does require removing some transportation parts, installing the cartridge/printheads and filling the tanks for the first time. The process is relatively mess free, as I found it messier to peel the safety seal of the bottles than anything else. The instructions are simple and you have multiple ways of connecting to this printer. One thing I have seen an issue with other printers is that they only have 2.4 GHz wireless, which can be difficult in some areas. This HP printer also has 5GHz, as well as USB, Ethernet and WiFi-Direct. You can also use other features to print such as AirPrint, Google Cloud or HP ePrint which gives you an email address to send attachments to be printed directly to the printer. By default, this feature is enabled with a ridiculously hard to remember email which can only be changed through your HP account once this printer is added to it.
The directions tell you to get the HP software, drivers or app. However, I was able to print from my Android phone and computers on my network without any additional installation. Once installed, the HP Smart App on Windows 10 instantly found my printer and provided a simple interface to manage the printer. The HP Smart App on the Android phone required that I install the HP Print Service Engine, even though it worked without either apps to start with. However, the interface and options are the same as the PC app. For full feature control of the printer, the best way is to connect to it through a browser using the IP.
Print quality, when set to best, is really good. I printed several photos and compared to other inkjet photos I have printed, I was amazed at how colorful and glossy they came out. The only downside of higher quality is speed, especially mixed color pages which get 3-5 pages per minute, doing color copies at 2 PPM with default settings. Scanning even seemed slow, especially if you decided to crank the DPI up. Which is maxed at 300dpi for the feeder and 1200 for flatbed scanning. Another downside to the 651, though it comes with an automatic document feeder for the scanner, does not have an automatic duplexer. So, double sided printing requires manually returning pages to the feed tray and hitting continue on the computer, not even the digital display of the printer.
If you aren’t concerned with speed or duplexing, but know you print a lot, maybe a mix of photo and documents,there is no comparing a fraction of a penny per page in ink. With black claiming about 6,000 pages a bottle, compared to XL cartridges that come in at less than 1,000 and cost twice as much, it’s hard to beat. Especially when it comes to color cartridges that typically handle far less, these bottles claim up to ~8,000. I’m not going to test that theory any time soon, but with a fair amount of documents, photos and full page photos the tanks look to have barely moved.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+34points
36of 38voted this as helpful.
Panasonic easy-to-use video baby monitor uses the same clear and secure (non-wi-fi) long-range DECT technology found in its top-selling cordless home phone systems. DECT systems offer clear, secure and interference-free signal strength up to 1500 feet* more than the length of four football fields, and twice the range of comparable monitors. Anywhere in or outside the home you can clearly and continually keep tabs on your child. The Panasonic baby monitor includes a bright 3.5-in. color monitor and easy controls that sync to an improved wide-eyed, wall-mountable monochrome night vision camera in the baby's room. The video camera can be controlled remotely to pan, tilt and zoom the camera from the baby monitor to look in on your child anytime. Improved long-life, built-in battery charging in the monitor stores power for up to 13 hours of standby time and up to 5 hours of power for continuous use. A smart motion sensor alerts you when the baby is awake or crying. A temperature sensor alerts you if the room is above or below a range you set. When activated, sensors sound a chime, illuminate a LED on the monitor and display notifications on the monitors screen. Microphones and speakers in both video camera and baby Monitor enable 2-way talk with anyone in the room. And, you can play gentle, soothing sounds that include five types of White noise and a choice of lullabies.
Customer Rating
5
Where was this when she was a baby?
on December 13, 2019
Posted by: DavidJr
from Roanoke, VA
So when my daughter was a baby, many years ago, we didn’t have anything near this technology to help keep an eye on her. Now with this Panasonic Long Range Baby Monitor we can watch our granddaughter and be alerted of any movement or sound before she even starts crying out. Plus, with all of the recent news about hackers getting into baby monitors and wireless home cameras, the closed circuit style technology on this one ensures that someone from across the internet isn’t watching as well. The range on the monitor is rather decent. While testing, not as a suggestion to leave your baby alone, we were able to go across the street and a house down, which is at least 1000 feet or more and maintain a conversation with someone in the room with no noticeable loss in quality. Once we broke the range it notified us on screen and attempted reconnection until back in range.
This monitor can detect motion, sound and temperature ranges based on your settings. Then with the smart settings you can be alerted by screen lit only, with a small notification icon at the top of the screen, or screen lit + notification. Which is an audible tone and a light on top of the screen that will light up amber or green based on the intensity of the sound or motion. The only thing that was somewhat obnoxious is that you must confirm the notification with OK before any of the other buttons can be used. Also, it would be nice if there was some sort of a snooze like feature, especially when someone is tending to the baby, you don’t need the constant notifications, but also don’t want to forget to enable it again later.
The lullaby is a neat feature, but if you don’t already have the auto lullaby set and the speaker volume at a decent level, you might scare the baby more than sooth. The reason being that the lullaby is instantly played as you scroll through the list of sounds which include 5 musical tones and 5 noises, like white noise, rain and heart beat. So for a split second as you might want to get to lullaby 5, you are playing random noises as you step through the others.
Camera quality isn’t the best I’ve seen, but decent enough to see what is important. Plus you have a decent range of pan and tilt as well as a 2x zoom. The images may look like there are two camera, but the other circle is the microphone. To me it looks like an owl, a little more pleasing than a standard camera. The power cord for the camera is about 10 ft long, so you can set the camera just about anywhere in a typical room. This also comes with a bracket for easy wall mounting. The monitor lasts several hours unplugged, it lists 5 hours of screen time or 13 hours of standby, but this is all subjective of how much it is being triggered throughout the day. The included charger for it is about 6 ft long.
Overall, we like it. Giving us that added peace of mind that we can take care of other things while she sleeps in a quiet room.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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8of 8voted this as helpful.
Start on your path to online video stardom with this AVerMedia Live Streamer DUO starter pack. The combination of the Full HD camera and Live Gamer MINI lets you stream and record in clear 1080p resolution at 60 fps. Hardware encoding causes almost zero impact on CPU performance when recording with this AVerMedia Live Streamer DUO starter pack.
Posted by: DavidJr
from Roanoke, VA
If you want to dabble in streaming, or even just recording your console gaming on a PC, this Live Streamer Duo bundle is a decent starting package. You get the Live Gamer Mini video capture box and a decent camera for nearly the price of what a similar webcam can cost alone. Connecting it is easy enough, you will need another HDMI cable, and two USB ports on your computer. The included directions are very minimal, but they do recommend getting the RECentral software. If you plan on using something else, at least get the AVerMedia StreamEngine.
The AVermedia RECentral software is fairly simple to setup and use. However, I had a couple times where the video from the capture device would just stop while the webcam and audio continued. Using OBS I had no such issue though it does take a little more to configure OBS. With OBS I had to select the video device as Live Gamer Mini Stream Engine to properly capture the consoles audio.
With the RECentral software, there is a setting you may have to change for the Live Gamer Mini if you happen to trigger the HDCP copy protection warning. No matter how much power cycling and restarting I did, once I triggered it while attempting to watch a streaming show on the XBox while everything was still running, I couldn’t get it to go away. The only thing that removed the copy protection warning and returned capture video was turning the HDCP Detection off. However, that setting prevents streaming services from working again till returned, to prevent recording of copyrighted material.
As my subject reads, this is entry level as it is only 1080p, to include passthrough. Full HD is fine for streaming and TV/ Monitors that only support 1080, but if you enjoy your higher resolution locally, this won’t support it. The webcam is better than most built in laptop cameras and the built-in microphones aren’t bad, but there are better out there. Besides, it is mini and if you like to do this on the move, it is all a small enough package to throw in with a laptop.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+8points
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Experience smooth movements and quality tracking with this Lexip B5 LED gaming mouse pad. The metal construction provides durability and enhanced traction, while the customizable RGB lighting offers a personalized look. This Lexip B5 LED gaming mouse pad is lined with nonslip material to hold everything steady during intense gaming sessions.
Customer Rating
3
Nice hard textured surface, waste of USB port
on November 24, 2019
Posted by: DavidJr
from Roanoke, VA
This mouse pad does give a nice large, hard textured surface that works really well with the Lexip Pu94 mouse or any mouse that has the Lexip ceramic pads. It still works great with any mouse for that matter. Having the non-slip large hard surface keeps from wearing out my desk surface and it much larger than a standard mouse pad. The lighting effects are neat, but limited.
As cool as I think it is to have lighting effects that could go along with the mouse, this misses the mark in a couple places. One, you can’t truly customize the lights, but go through a few presets with a button at the top middle, in the mouse pad play surface. Secondly, the USB port is just a wasted port. I would have thought that the USB would at least extend the port for you by providing a port on the back of the large bracket. The bracket, that is taller that the mouse pad that is just there to hold the braided USB cord and snag your mouse cord as you slide back and forth. Besides, this mouse pad is literally just using the mouse port for power. So, I don’t see how there are specific requirements for it as a standard USB wall charger gives all the same features as shown in my picture.
I feel if the large bracket had been a bit smoother in edges, not so gaudy looking, provided a USB-A port to extend the mouse and had the button on the bracket instead of the play area, I would say that it’s worth it without the ability to fully customize the lighting. But, since it is just taking another port and the mouse occasionally clips on the bracket, I can’t recommend.
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
The entire Meta Portal family is video calling designed to bring people closer. Meta Portal TV brings smart video calling to the biggest screen in your home and turns your TV into a smart video calling screen that’s perfect for group calls. It’s easy to call friends and family on their smartphones and laptops with Messenger and WhatsApp, even if they don’t have a Meta Portal. A Smart Camera pans and zooms to get the whole room in shot and automatically adjusts to keep everyone in frame as they move and talk naturally. Smart Sound makes sure you can be heard by reducing background noise and enhancing the voice of whoever is speaking. Meta Portal’s simple privacy settings mean you can easily disable the camera and microphone, or block the camera lens with a cover. All Meta Portal WhatsApp calls are end-to-end encrypted and you can choose to call individual Messenger contacts using end-to-end encryption. Meta Portal TV needs a wireless internet connection and AC power. Meta Portal voice command availability varies. Screen images simulated. User experience may vary. Requires wireless internet connection and Facebook or WhatsApp account. WhatsApp is not available on tablets. Features, functionality, and content vary and may not be available on all Meta Portal models or in all areas and languages. Some features may require a Facebook account and downloading the Portal mobile app. Additional account registration, terms and fees may apply. Meta Portal TV requires an HDMI cable (not included). Meta Portal TV comes with a remote control.
Posted by: DavidJr
from Roanoke, VA
Using the Facebook Portal TV reminds me of the time in the movie Back to the Future part II where future McFly is talking to Needles on his big screen TV. However, the Portal TV is much higher clarity and we have face tracking. The Portal TV is like your own personal home video teleconferencing system. However, you don’t need an IT team to set it all up. If you know how to connect an HDMI cable to your TV, connect to your WiFi and use Facebook, you are already an expert. Once connected everything else is guided through on your TV.
Initial setup did take about 30 minutes or so as it did require some updates plus you have to use another internet connected device to connect the Portal TV to your Facebook account. Once running though I was able to call anyone in my contacts that has Messenger, Whatsapp or another Portal device with voice or the included remote. Voice activation works with “Hey Portal” and some various commands. I found out the hard way that watching a Portal ad with Katy Burg will also try to call Katie on my friends list.
The face tracking on this single camera is pretty surprising. For a single wide angle camera it acts like you have your own cameraman as it follows you around and zooms in and out when there are others in the room. However, it could still use some work as there are times when it doesn’t pick up others that you want or the tracking has your head more at the top of the screen. There are several times that I wanted to point something else out in the room, like my dog, but unless my face was there no one could see it. An option to manually control the pan and zoom would be ideal, but for now the only manual option is a spotlight where you can select one face out of the room. This strangely works on large pictures in the background too as I stole the focus from a friend and it zoomed into their picture on the wall.
If you have kids or family and friends that are distant, this is by far the coolest thing. With the camera able to see the majority of my living room, kids are easily able to run around and play while talking to whomever. There are times I wish I had something like this when my kids were younger and we were hundreds of miles away from the rest of our family. Not only is it great for seeing and talking, but there are fun little augmented effects, games and story books that make it a fun event. There are still some minor issues with the effects and the position in which a single person is placed in the face tracking messes with some of them even more. Especially if you try the shared effects where it seems to only focus on the center of the camera and your head is is too high on the screen to play the games. The shared effects also only work Portal to Portal even though Messenger has some of the same activities.
Another shared feature is being able to use Facebook Watch and view videos that are on Facebook with another Portal TV user. While watching the video either person has the option to play/pause the video however some other features will be limited. It also starts the video before the other person starts watching it, but will rewind it so that you are both watching it at the same time. This is a feature that I wish the could expand into other smart apps such as CBS and Starz so that you could watch other shows together or in group calls.
Speaking of smart apps, there are a few apps like Spotify, Pandora, Red Bull TV, CBS, Starz, Showtime and a couple others that allow you to turn your TV into a smart TV. However, some of the most common smart apps are not available. Another smart feature is having Alexa integrated, once logged into your Amazon account. Just like any Alexa device, just say “Hey Alexa” and whatever it is you need and it will respond through the integrated speaker of the Portal TV device. Some of the features I have used on other Alexa devices did not seem to respond on this one though.
You can have up to 5 accounts associated with the Portal. The primary account, or first account, will have to use the device code first in order to add another user which will have another device code. When the second user was added, none of their contacts showed up. However, we were able to call that profile and answer from the Portal. After a while though, contacts did finally show for this account. The only issue I had from there is when trying to connect with others on the Portal through Messenger as it will ask to answer and drop call until the other person answers on their other device.
The portal TV reminded me a lot of the Xbox Kinect in the build style and size. However, the Portal TV easily rests on top of my thin TV or entertainment center with the ability to ever so slightly angle down. The Portal TV is also its own smart device so it only needs the TV for video and sound. For those concerned about privacy you can slide a little panel in front of the camera which turns off video and the button on the side disables the microphone, indicated by a red light that it is off.
Bottom line is that this is an amazing device and is really meant for you to share with other Portal TV users to get the most out of it. If you want to stay visually connected with family and friends this is so much better than a webcam or a phone cam even though it is limited to the area the TV is in. I feel this is more of a 4.5 star, and since this is the first generation I feel they have plenty of room to improve.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+22points
24of 26voted this as helpful.
DavidJr's Review Comments
Samsung Gear VR for Select Samsung Cell Phones: Mobile virtual reality is finally here. Watch movies in your own private cinema, be at the center of your favorite games, and socialize with friends in a virtual world all your own. The lightweight design and intuitive touchpad drop you right in the action and allow for hours of immersive entertainment.
Overall
1 out of 5
1 out of 5Very unhappy about not getting the GearVR programs
By Sunshower
I tried many different ways to find out how to download the Gear VR programs by going to Samsung and Oculus online. All unsuccessful!!
DavidJr
June 3, 2016
Once you connect the Gear VR to the phone it starts a download for the software. There appears to be no other way to initiate the install. Once the Oculus software is installed, games and applications can be purchased through the application or from inside the store while wearing the device.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
Samsung Gear VR for Select Samsung Cell Phones: Mobile virtual reality is finally here. Watch movies in your own private cinema, be at the center of your favorite games, and socialize with friends in a virtual world all your own. The lightweight design and intuitive touchpad drop you right in the action and allow for hours of immersive entertainment.
Overall1 out of 5
1 out of 5Need certain phones to use this.
By Donna
Wasn't told at time of purchase that certain phones were required to use this device. After purchase was when this was discovered. During this time we purchased a new home and was moving. After the move, tried to return the item because I didn't want to purchase a new phone. The only way the store would accept this return was to give me a gift card. I didn't want a gift card that I would most likely not use. Not happy with this policy at all. Also have made posts to FB in regards to your policy. I will not EVER enter your store again or make another purchase from you online. This is NOT how you treat a customer and expect more business from them.
DavidJr
It is labeled on the box and the site details
June 3, 2016
It says on the front and back of the box, "Compatible with Note5/S6 edge+/S6/S6 edge" and anywhere you look online it says it as well.
+2points
2of 2voted this comment as helpful.
Samsung Gear VR for Select Samsung Cell Phones: Mobile virtual reality is finally here. Watch movies in your own private cinema, be at the center of your favorite games, and socialize with friends in a virtual world all your own. The lightweight design and intuitive touchpad drop you right in the action and allow for hours of immersive entertainment.
Overall
2 out of 5
2 out of 5I have problems getting my phone to sync with this
By Drestyle
When I put my phone in the unit it doesn't seem it. I keep having to pull it out and try again.
DavidJr
June 3, 2016
What phone are you using and is it up to date? The Samsung Gear VR is only compatible with Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy Note5, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge and a software update from your carrier is required for S6 edge+ and Note 5.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
DavidJr's Questions
DavidJr has not submitted any questions.
Enjoy everyday gaming with this ASUS notebook PC. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS processor and 16GB of memory deliver fast and smooth performance during intensive gaming, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card renders high-quality videos for enhanced videos and games. This 14-inch IPS Level Full HD ASUS notebook PC has a 512GB SSD that provides storage for all types of files.
Does it have a display port?
This has an HDMI 2.0b port and a USB-C beside it that will support Display Port adapters. There is not a dedicated Display Port.
2 years, 9 months ago
by
DavidJr
Enjoy everyday gaming with this ASUS notebook PC. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS processor and 16GB of memory deliver fast and smooth performance during intensive gaming, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card renders high-quality videos for enhanced videos and games. This 14-inch IPS Level Full HD ASUS notebook PC has a 512GB SSD that provides storage for all types of files.
Is the RAM and SSD upgradable on this computer?
Yes, both the SSD and 1 module of RAM can be upgraded on this laptop. However, there is only one M.2 and one RAM slot, so the current devices will have to be removed. Max RAM is 24GB meaning a 16GB chip can replace the current 8GB as 8GB is on board.
2 years, 9 months ago
by
DavidJr
Enjoy everyday gaming with this ASUS notebook PC. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS processor and 16GB of memory deliver fast and smooth performance during intensive gaming, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card renders high-quality videos for enhanced videos and games. This 14-inch IPS Level Full HD ASUS notebook PC has a 512GB SSD that provides storage for all types of files.
Standard gtx 1650? And is it gddr5 or gddr6?
Standard NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GDDR6 @ 4GB (128 bit)
2 years, 9 months ago
by
DavidJr
Enjoy everyday gaming with this ASUS notebook PC. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS processor and 16GB of memory deliver fast and smooth performance during intensive gaming, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card renders high-quality videos for enhanced videos and games. This 14-inch IPS Level Full HD ASUS notebook PC has a 512GB SSD that provides storage for all types of files.
Can the ram be upgraded? (To ASUS: There are currently two different answers given by you on this questionboard!)
The RAM can be upgraded. There is only 1 RAM slot though, with 8GB on board and 8GB that is user replaceable. This can be upgraded to 24GB total, so a 16GB PC4-3200 chip can be installed in place of the current 8GB.
2 years, 9 months ago
by
DavidJr
Enjoy everyday gaming with this ASUS notebook PC. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS processor and 16GB of memory deliver fast and smooth performance during intensive gaming, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card renders high-quality videos for enhanced videos and games. This 14-inch IPS Level Full HD ASUS notebook PC has a 512GB SSD that provides storage for all types of files.
Can I upgrade the 512GB SSD to a 1TB SSD?
The installed M.2 NVMe drive can be user replaced with a larger version. An upgrade guide is available on the ASUS support site.
2 years, 9 months ago
by
DavidJr
Enjoy everyday gaming with this ASUS notebook PC. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS processor and 16GB of memory deliver fast and smooth performance during intensive gaming, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card renders high-quality videos for enhanced videos and games. This 14-inch IPS Level Full HD ASUS notebook PC has a 512GB SSD that provides storage for all types of files.
Is it possible to upgrade or change the AMD RYZEN 7 to a higher model And is it possible to change the GeForce GTX 1650 to RTX 2060 or higher?
On this specific model, no. There are other models that can be more customized on the ASUS site.
2 years, 9 months ago
by
DavidJr
The latest Intel 11th Core i5 processor with GeForce® RTX3050 Ti graphics also equipped with a large 17.3" FHD 144hz display. Personalize your laptop with RGB keyboard.
Whoever bought it (I never saw it out of "coming soon", it went straight to "sold out") please let us know: Is it 3050ti or 3060ti? Thnk u
It is a Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050Ti Laptop installed as seen from the System Information here.
2 years, 10 months ago
by
DavidJr
The latest Intel 11th Core i5 processor with GeForce® RTX3050 Ti graphics also equipped with a large 17.3" FHD 144hz display. Personalize your laptop with RGB keyboard.
Will this laptop support Xbox?
It is a Windows 10 computer and supports Xbox in the way that any other Windows 10 computer does. It does come with a month free of Xbox Game Pass which gives you access to PC Game Pass games. It does not play Xbox games that are not already in the Microsoft store for PC if that is what you are asking. You still need an Xbox if you want to play the game streamed to this computer.
2 years, 10 months ago
by
DavidJr
The latest Intel 11th Core i5 processor with GeForce® RTX3050 Ti graphics also equipped with a large 17.3" FHD 144hz display. Personalize your laptop with RGB keyboard.
Does it support controller use? (Xbox one, PS4, or custom versions of them)?
Any controller you can use with Windows 10 will work with this computer as is. Wirelessly some PlayStation controllers use Bluetooth and Xbox controllers usually need an adapter.
2 years, 10 months ago
by
DavidJr
The latest Intel 11th Core i5 processor with GeForce® RTX3050 Ti graphics also equipped with a large 17.3" FHD 144hz display. Personalize your laptop with RGB keyboard.
Is it a 48wh or 90wh battery and does it come with HDD caddy with a connector?
This comes with a 48Wh battery and there is no room or connections for an internal HDD. There is a spare M2 slot for an additional NVMe SSD.
2 years, 10 months ago
by
DavidJr