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- Review count153
- Helpfulness votes118
- First reviewJune 9, 2013
- Last reviewMay 13, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.2
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- Answer count13
- Helpfulness votes4
- First answerNovember 29, 2016
- Last answerJuly 8, 2020
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Shark SmoothStyle is designed to style and smooth hair with heated comb technology for a healthy, voluminous finish. Use Blow Dryer Brush Mode for wet-to-dry volumizing with no heat damage and Heated Comb Mode to style, align, and smooth.
Customer Rating
4
Better than a blow dryer
on August 26, 2023
Posted by: bradcon
Overall, this is a solid styling tool. I've used it in both the wet hair mode and the dry hair mode on my thinner, slightly less than shoulder-length hair. I first used it in dry hair mode to see if it would smooth my hair and remove any frizz on a non-wash morning. When using the dry hair mode, it actually did get rid of any second day frizz. I did not use any hair care products when using it in the dry hair mode. I have naturally straight hair, so did not really create any curl or bounce, but it did extend my previous day's style each morning when I didn't wash my hair. There is only one setting for dry hair mode, and it does take a moment to warm up, so pay attention to the lights as indicated in the instructions. Don't try to use it until it’s fully heated when in dry hair mode, or you will not achieve smooth, frizz-free results. I also tried it in wet hair mode, which promises wet to dry styling volumizing, and no heat damage. It left my hair very bouncy and shiny and very soft; it felt better than any salon blowout. So, I would definitely recommend the SmoothStyle. When using it in wet hair mode, I noticed much more volume versus standard blow drying. I did use styling product (specifically a dollop of leave-in conditioner, palm, and a few sprays of heat protection) when using it in the wet hair mode. It worked very well to both dry and style my hair, while polishing and leaving my hair styled. It dried my hair fast, and there was no frizz. When using in the wet hair mode, I selected the highest heat setting to start and then went down to the second heat setting, and both worked well. The lowest heat setting did not seem to get the frizz out as well for my particular hairstyle, when in the wet hair mode. When using it in wet hair mode, it is recommended to section off your hair, and I found that advice to be correct. I used a large clip and just pulled out each section, one at a time starting from the bottom and back and working my way to the top and front. Then when I was done with all the sections, I flipped my hair over as recommended, and gave one final brush through from the bottom to the top or back to the front, depending on your hairstyle. Following those instructions gave me the most volume and wave in my everyday hair style. The only con is that the unit itself is quite large and fairly heavy, and therefore a little bit difficult to manipulate. The extra cool touch handle on the top of the unit did help with that somewhat, but it is still quite heavy.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The WF-1000XM5 features cutting-edge technology to deliver premium sound quality and the best truly wireless noise-cancelling performance on the market1. With a specially designed driver unit, for wide frequency production, deep bass and clear vocals, these headphones are designed to immerse you in a sound so good, it feels like you’re in the studio with your favorite artists.
Customer Rating
5
Good sound once you adjust it
on August 5, 2023
Posted by: bradcon
I have owned previous iterations of Sony's true wireless earbuds, and these are a definite improvement. Just aesthetically, they're better looking: smaller, and they don't protrude as much from your ear. Plus the case is smaller and now charges wirelessly. They use the same app to manage and control their performance. These are now touch sensitive, so no buttons to push. The touch controls can be annoying when you inadvertently turn the noise cancelling off when trying to adjust the fit, but that's an issue with nearly all touch-sensitive earbuds. I was initially disappointed with the sound. The highs and midrange were great - crisp and clear - but the low end performance was weak. I expect less from earbuds than over-the-ear headphones, but these were still a letdown. None of the preset equalizer settings in the app did enough to boost the bass, but I was able to get good performance when I created my own settings with the low end turned way up and the "clear bass" maxed out. The noise cancelling performance is excellent. And as noted previously, it's easy to turn on and off with a tap of the left earbud. These fit me great out of the box, but there are three sets of tips to adjust the fit to your ear precisely. There are also some new updates to the app, including the ability to sense your location and automatically adjust settings depending on where you are, for example, turning off noise cancelling at work. However, you need to be signed into your Sony account to use that feature, and the app was very buggy about letting me sign in. Another thing the app can do is "find" your preferred equalizer settings by running through a series of choices where you pick what sounds better to you. Overall though, the app adds a lot to the performance of the buds, and once you get them tuned just right, the sound is really, really good.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Pixel Tablet is engineered by Google to be more helpful at home – and in your hand. Place it on the Charging Speaker Dock for great-sounding music and video streaming.[1] Control your smart home, and say “Hey Google” for hands-free help.[2] It’s all powered by the Google Tensor G2 chip, and it’s the perfect companion to your Pixel phone.
Posted by: bradcon
I always thought the Nest Hub should have been more like a tablet, but this tablet should be a bit more like a Hub. In many ways, it's better than a hub. You can undock it, and it has the full functionality of an Android tablet. It is much more customizable. It's bigger. Yet it retains some of the cool features of the hub when it's docked. It gives you access to all of your smart home features. You can play music and tv shows and even movies on command. The speaker is good enough to be your music streaming device, and you can even broadcast to other connected speakers around the house. You can cast from the tablet to another Chromecast enabled TV or device. Or you can cast from your phone to the tablet. It seamlessly interconnects with your other Google devices and your Google account. I even transferred a lot of information from my iPhone during setup. One surprising, but very nice feature, is that it will let you use Apple Music as one of your streaming accounts. Nice as it is, though, some of the features are not fully baked yet. Voice commands were very spotty about interpreting what I actually wanted it to play, and there's no easy way to just select what you want to play manually. When selecting a show to stream, it could not recognize that I get my Showtime content through Paramount+, and there was no way that I could find to direct it to access that content through the proper subscription service. It also was unable to log into my Starz account during setup, and I could not find a way to log in outside of the setup process. However, for the services it was able to add during setup, it does a nice job of integrating that content and making it accessible through the desktop interface. The main screen is customizable with widgets, but the selection of widgets is still limited. The screensaver is nice for displaying information in the background when you're not actively using the docked tablet, but it will time out and turn off. It should be always on like the hub, or even better, recognize when you turn your attention to it, and present relevant information or options. I can't decide whether this is more like a more powerful hub, or just a feature-added dock for an Android tablet, but it mostly works as either.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Citizen - CZ Smart 44Mmm Unisex Stainless Steel Hybrid Sport Smartwatch with Silicone Strap - Silver
Introducing the second-generation CZ Smart Hybrid, the smarter smartwatch with 18-day battery life. The Citizen CZ Smart Hybrid smartwatch with 44mm stainless-steel case with blue topring, red accents, and blue silicone strap marries the iconic design you expect from Citizen with innovative science and technology brought to you in the proprietary new wellness app, YouQ. CZ Smart YouQ leverages AI Models built with IBM Watson Studio and research from NASA to provide a 24-hour forecast ahead, helping you anticipate patterns of fatigue and alertness. YouQ then offers highly personalized insights and suggested actions to help you improve alertness and promote the building of better habits, readying you to meet whatever the day may bring. The CZ Smart PQ2 Hybrid watch is compatible with both iPhone and Android and runs on the Citizen Connected app. Utilize the Citizen Connected app to manage your notifications and customize your dials to stay on track with the convenience of information at a glance on your hybrid smartwatch display. Battery life varies based on usage.
Customer Rating
4
limited functions make for great battery life
on June 2, 2023
Posted by: bradcon
Visually, this watch is quite striking. The metallic blue bezel really stands out, and the screen resolution is sharp enough to appear naturally part of the dial. The rubber strap is comfortable, and while large, the case doesn't hang over the sides of my 6.75" wrist. You can modify the top and bottom pushers to create shortcuts to your preferred functions, the selection of which is more limited than a typical smart watch. Operation is fairly intuitive, though figuring out how to switch between and modify dial layouts in the app was more difficult than it needs to be. It also doesn't help that some watch faces can be customized to show different information and others cannot. There is a third-party app that will bring in some external information from the internet, but that is also quite limited. The pulse rate and pulse ox sensors appear to be fairly accurate, but updates of that data are not frequent. If you want take a reading at a specific point in time, the watch is picky about holding your hand still or laying it flat on a table (the latter for measuring pulse ox). It was also not great about automatic detection of workouts. It thought I was rowing when I was doing bicycle crunches, and when I did a 30-minute row, it only recorded three and a half minutes of it. What it does have is great battery life. After a full 24 hours of wear, the battery level had only gone down to 95%. If you want to trade the broader functionality of a true smart watch for better battery life while still hanging on to most of the essential features, this may be the option for you.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Body Comp offers a total body assessment with weight precise up to 50g, plus full body composition metrics (body fat and water percentage, plus muscle and bone mass), cardiovascular assessment (Standing Heart Rate, Vascular Age), and an Electrodermal Activity Score, providing the most complete and accurate overview of body metrics ever offered. Every weigh-in appears in the Withings app automatically, via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth sync. And unlike many smart scales, with Wi-Fi sync, you don’t have to have your phone with you when you weigh-in to synchronize your data.
Customer Rating
5
probably best in class
on May 25, 2023
Posted by: bradcon
I don't have a direct comparison to other current models, but I have been using a body composition scale from a different manufacturer for a number of years, and this one blows that one out of the water. I have suspicions that my old scale wasn't so much measuring body composition as calculating what it probably is because all the numbers seemed to move in sync all the time. I don't believe that muscle mass will fluctuate up and down like total fat will. The numbers delivered by the Withings scale bounce around more relative to each other, which in my opinion makes them more believable. I also continued using my old scale as I started using this one to see how the numbers compared. Absolute weight is usually within a couple tenths of a pound of each other, though the Withings scale consistently comes up with a couple of percentage points higher on body fat percent. The numbers aren't necessarily a direct correlation though, because this scale will break down visceral fat from total body fat. It also spits out a couple of unique numbers - at least compared to my old scale: vascular age and electrodermal activity. I don't have much to compare those to, but the app claims my values are normal for my age, so I guess they're fine? The color display screen is a HUGE upgrade from the old lcd display, and it seems to do much better at connecting reliably to my WiFi network. The app is also better than the old one I was using. The nice bonus is that it drew in all of the information I've been collecting for years in the Apple Health app. I might even prefer the way it displays the information enough to use it instead of the Health app. It even pulls in the non-scale information my watch collects like sleep, exercise, blood oxygen, and heart rate data. if you're as obsessed with measuring and tracking your personal health information as I am, then this is definitely the scale for you.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Get hands-on cleaning control and hands-off debris removal with the All-in-One Tower that keeps your LG stick vacuum clean, charged and ready to go—automatically. Two quick release batteries and Kompressor technology combine for uninterrupted cleaning power, with multiple tools for cleaning all kinds of surfaces, both high and low. Done for the day? Return the vac to the tower to recharge, store tools neatly out of sight and let Auto Empty clean out the dust bin for you. Your hands, floor and air stay clean and your CordZero vac is ready to go when you need it next.
Posted by: bradcon
The stand takes care of most of the hassle of a stick vacuum - emptying it and charging it - and looks sleek in the process. The downside is that you need extra room on the sides and behind it, and you will have to change the collection bag occasionally. The attachments store neatly in the sides, which swing open, but you have to leave room for them to swing open. There's even a little brush for cleaning the attachments. You will also need to swing both sides open to access the collection bag when it needs to be changed. There are some washable filters associated both with the tower and the stick vacuum. The fan that sucks the dirt out of the vacuum and into the tower exhausts to the back of the tower, so you need to leave room behind the tower and be aware that it will be blowing air that direction - it stirred a few dust bunnies out of the corner the first time it ran. The spare battery and charging station is hidden in the top of the tower, and it will charge both simultaneously, but it also takes twice as long to charge them both at the same time. The vacuum does have good power. Running on normal speed, it would pick up dirt that my old stick vac needed to be on high speed for. This does have a "turbo" mode, but you have to keep the button depressed the entire time you want that extra suction. Don't bother trying to connect it to the smartphone app though - it's buggy and crashes, and I'm not convinced there's additional value there anyway. Overall, this is a good vacuum in an attractive stand that adds a lot of convenience.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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This new generation of the home line-up has an even wider soundstage than its predecessor, re-engineered for a more immersive experience. This new generation has tweeters angled outwards and updated waveguides to deliver a consistently solid sound that is so wide it chases you around the room. Experience a balanced sound, with crisp, soaring treble and controlled, rumbling bass. Built-in Dynamic Loudness adjusts the tonal balance of the sound, ensuring your music sounds brilliant at every volume, while Placement Compensation corrects for any nearby reflective surfaces that may affect the sound. Marshall has taken its signature rock ’n’ roll home speaker line-up and given it a stripped-back look that makes a loud statement. Its iconic design knocks all other speakers off the shelf. Generation III is ready for the future of Bluetooth technology and has been built to deliver next-generation Bluetooth features the moment they are available. Over 55 years of sound knowledge is combined with future-proof technology to completely immerse you in your music.
Customer Rating
5
Bigger and better than before
on May 5, 2023
Posted by: bradcon
There are some real improvements over the previous generation of this model. For one, it's bigger, which is going to enable better low-end performance. The first thing I test with a new speaker is how well it handles music with a lot of bass. This one handles all but the very lowest frequencies. And for those frequencies, you're not really going to expect any speaker to handle them unless it's a subwoofer. There is an improvement in the controls as well. The old model had a spring-loaded power switch that you would have to hold down for a couple of seconds to turn on or off. You either had to stand there and watch the lights to see when it was on or listen for the little guitar riff it would play when it powered up or down. This one has a simple bat switch. It still looks nice, but it's either on or off, no waiting and listening. The app allows you to adjust bass and treble for rudimentary equalization controls, mimicking the dials on the unit itself, and it also allows for "position compensating," modifying the sound output based on whether it's near the edge of a shelf or a wall. This really is a top of the line bluetooth shelf speaker (with the ability to accommodate line input too) with looks to match.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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JVC Marshmallow Plus true wireless active noise cancelling inner ear headphones with memory foam ear tips for a custome secure fit. Includes Low Latency mode for gaming and watching videos. Bluetooth version 5.3 ensures a stable wireless connection and enjoy up to 26 hours of total use with included rechargeable charging case that includes USB-C charging. Three sound modes and independent Left/Right single-ear use. Auto-pairing and auto on/off. Touch controls for music or phone calls. Sweat and splash-proof IPX4 rated, ideal for sports and fitness. Integrated microphone with voice assistant compatibility.
Customer Rating
3
The marshmallow thing is not great
on April 24, 2023
Posted by: bradcon
Yes, sure the marshmallow tips are comfortable, but they really diminish the sound quality. When I first put these in and started listening, I though it was the weakest bass response I had heard in a set of earbuds in a long time. And that was with the "bass" mode enabled because I like bass. I did notice that they seemed to be sitting quite far out in my ears, even though the standard size (medium) tips that usually come preinstalled nearly always fit my ears perfectly. So I decided to swap the tips out for a different size to see if that improved the sound. The extra tips include three sizes of "normal" tips - the kind you find with just about every brand of earbuds with replaceable tips - and two sizes of the foam (marshmallow) tips. I tried the normal, medium sized ones first and they immediately sounded much better. Good even. But the whole gimmick is supposed to be the marshmallow tips, so I also tried the smaller size foam tips, and the sound quality got bad again. So you can go for extra comfort or better sound. I choose better sound. One other thing about the tips: I had similar foam tips on some earbuds I used a few years ago and made the mistake of wearing them during a workout. They absorbed sweat like a sponge, and it ruined them. I did not try that with these, but I would caution against getting them wet. And I would advise just wearing the regular tips because the sound quality is so much better. The noise canceling on these is pretty much non-existent. I toggled the noise canceling on and off, and the difference is barely detectable. So, as regular, non-noise canceling buds, these are fine, but then why are you paying for "marshmallow" noise-canceling buds?
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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The stylish Chromebook Spin 311 easily transforms into anything you need it to be, thanks to its flexible 360° hinge that lets you rotate it to any angle to create a notebook, stand-up display, tent or tablet-style device. This immensely versatile laptop folds into any situation, allowing you to take it anywhere and use it everywhere! Weighing in at just 2.31lbs.It's ultra-light and easily transported in a backpack or bag. The power efficient MediaTek Kompanio 500 MT8183C processor and generous battery give it up to 15 hours of battery life, meaning a full charge will easily last the working day and all evening. Get the best of Google, with millions of Android apps, Gmail, Maps, Docs and Pics. Back up all your files safely in Google Drive. Whatever your need, this super portable design meets the rigors of daily life—inside and outside the classroom.
Customer Rating
4
good size keyboard, slightly cramped screen
on April 21, 2023
Posted by: bradcon
I was looking for a highly portable solution for working online, and that is exactly what this Chromebook delivers. It's definitely not a refined product, but you're not really looking for that if you're buying a Chromebook. While the size is just right for throwing in a backpack or a carryon, the screen could've been a bit larger. There's a lot of wasted bezel space around the screen that would have been more valuable to use as display space instead. The screen that is there is pretty good, though. I actually had to scale up the display a couple of notches to make it easier to read, but if your eyes are better than mine, you could keep the scaling at 100% and use that screen real estate for work instead. The keyboard is perfectly fine for typing, with good spacing between the keys. It does not feel cramped at all. The mouse pad feels a bit cheap, and though I paired a bluetooth mouse, I will switch back and forth between using the mouse and the touch pad. I have had zero issues with connectivity, either bluetooth or WiFi, and processing speed is perfectly fine as well. Of course, the Chromebook OS is not placing huge demands on processing speed, and you're not going to try to use this as a gaming rig either. Overall, this is a good, inexpensive solution for doing online work on the go.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Work smarter and enjoy constant, fade-free power with the Greenworks 80V battery-powered 18” cordless chainsaw. With up to 270 cuts on a single charge, this lightweight, quiet-running saw features chain speeds up to 78.74 ft/s and 10,500 rpm for fast cuts with no bogging down, heat-treated steel bucking spikes for gripping wood securely, inertia-activated chain break that stops that chain when kick-back is detected, and automatic chain oiler that keeps chain perfectly lubricated. With hassle-free, trigger starts, you’ll get to work fast, with no priming, no choke, and no pull cord; plus, battery fully recharges in just 60 minutes. Greenworks exclusive Intelligent Power combines TRUBRUSHLESS motor technology, lithium-ion battery power, superior cutting, and ultra-fast control systems for power output equivalent to a 50cc gas-powered motor. Includes 4.0 Ah battery and rapid charger. Battery is compatible with 75+ Greenworks 80V products. Life. Powered. By Greenworks.
Customer Rating
4
a big beefy battery
on April 13, 2023
Posted by: bradcon
Not sure exactly what I was expecting, but it wasn't a battery of this size. Obviously a chain saw is going to require a lot of torque, and that's going to require a beefy battery, but this one is a monster. The charger has its own built-in fan to manage the temperature when charging. It's quite heavy as well. Most of the weight can be attributed to the motor and the battery, and it probably comes in pretty close to what a gas-powered chain saw is going to weigh. If you're new to chain saws, you may not realize that you're going to need bar and chain oil to operate this. This isn't a little dose of oil to keep the engine lubricated; it actually gets consumed during operation of the chain saw. The manual claims that a full reservoir will give you 20-40 minutes of operation. So if you don't already have it on hand because you own another chain saw, you will need to buy some before you can use this one. Once you have the prerequisites met, it's pretty simple to run. Make sure the chain brake is off, then there's simple safety button to depress the trigger. There's plenty of power, but that's expected with a battery of this size. Ergonomics are pretty standard for a chain saw; the weight balance is good. This isn't some light-weight electric weed trimmer; it's a no-nonsense power tool.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Make hands-free calls and listen to music with these Sony wireless in-ear sport headphones. The wireless design frees your range of motion, and the microphone makes conversations more convenient. Listen to music for over 8 hours on a single charge with these Sony wireless in-ear sport headphones, which are moisture-resistant for use during strenuous workouts.
Make hands-free calls and listen to music with these Sony wireless in-ear sport headphones. The wireless design frees your range of motion, and the microphone makes conversations more convenient. Listen to music for over 8 hours on a single charge with these Sony wireless in-ear sport headphones, which are moisture-resistant for use during strenuous workouts.
Make hands-free calls and listen to music with these Sony wireless in-ear sport headphones. The wireless design frees your range of motion, and the microphone makes conversations more convenient. Listen to music for over 8 hours on a single charge with these Sony wireless in-ear sport headphones, which are moisture-resistant for use during strenuous workouts.