TechnicallyWell's stats
- Review count146
- Helpfulness votes1,845
- First reviewDecember 6, 2009
- Last reviewJune 30, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.7
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- Answer count21
- Helpfulness votes28
- First answerDecember 6, 2009
- Last answerNovember 27, 2021
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- Best answers5
Train like a pro with these JBL sport wireless headphones. Pure Bass technology delivers high-quality audio, and a built-in sensor captures your pulse on demand and records your heart rate for future analysis through the free smartphone app. Comfortable and secure, these JBL sport wireless headphones are great for training and fun.
Posted by: TechnicallyWell
from NY
-= Sound Quality =-
As you would expect from JBL, the sound quality on the Under Armour Sport Wireless Train headphones is great. These headphones seem to favor mids and highs more than the bass. The bass is good, but the highs seem to overpower the bass at times.
Now, that’s not to say that these sound like cheap “tinny” headphones by any means. In fact, listening to George Ezra’s “Shotgun” on these headphones really brought out the lows that I hadn’t really noticed before. However, these headphones are not quite up there with Bose sound quality.
-= Design =-
These headphones are meant to stay put during a workout, so they tend to “squeeze” your head a little more than other headphones. This normally wouldn’t be a problem, but the ear cups aren’t quite big enough to cover my entire ear. Therefore, the ear cushions actually press against my ears (instead of around them) which can start to become uncomfortable for me after about an hour or so.
The ear cushions can actually be removed and washed when they get sweaty, which helps prevent the stank from using these at the gym. Please note that you cannot throw them into the washing machine with the rest of your gym clothes; they must be washed by hand.
-= Features =-
My favorite feature of these headphones is the TalkThru function. By tapping the Under Armour logo on the right side, your music automatically lowers and the microphone starts broadcasting to both ears. This allows you to have a quick conversation with a friend or hear directions from your workout instructor. There is a slight delay which makes it awkward for me to talk (my voice is over amplified and echoes), so it’s better for hearing rather than talking.
There is no active noise cancellation feature on these headphones, so they will not completely drown out the sounds around you. There is also no built-in heart rate monitor like the in-ear JBL Under Armour headphones.
The controls on the right ear cup allow you to play and pause your music, adjust the volume with a single tap, skip and rewind tracks, answer phone calls, and activate Siri or Google Assistant on your phone.
This is also an AUX cable included for when you want to directly wire the headphones to a device (instead of using Bluetooth).
-= Battery Life =-
The headphones can last up to 16 hours on a single charge, so if you’re only wearing these to the gym, you can probably get through a week without recharging. The headphones charge with a standard Micro USB cable.
-= Summary =-
The Under Armour Sport Wireless Train Headphones have great sound quality and stay securely in place while working out. The TalkThru feature is very useful and saves the trouble of having to take your headphones off every time you want to talk. However, there is no active noise cancellation, so you may still hear the noise around you. Battery life is sufficient and uses a standard Micro USB cable to charge.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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13of 17voted this as helpful.
Ditch the headphone cable with these Insignia Bluetooth wireless earbuds. With up to five hours of use per charge and an included charging case for mid-day boosts, these earbuds are ideal for daily use. These Insignia Bluetooth wireless earbuds feature a built-in microphone for hands-free calling and easy voice commands.
Customer Rating
4
Great Fit and Decent Sound Quality
on December 29, 2018
Posted by: TechnicallyWell
from NY
[[ Design and Fit ]]
I have found Insignia’s truly wireless headphones to be have a much more secure fit than other truly wireless earbuds. The soft ear hooks fit comfortably around my ears and stayed in place even during HIIT workouts and running.
I do find that the sweatier I get, the “seal” into my ear canal can work loose and I lose some of the bass, but the ear hooks keeps the earbuds from falling completely off of my ear. So if you’re purchasing these for working out, you shouldn’t be disappointed, but please note that this “seal” also creates an underwater-like effect, meaning I can hear every footstep vibration amplified when these earbuds are in.
However, I’m not a huge fan of the touch pads on the side of each earbud. Normally, you can simply tap on the earbuds to play and pause your music (a double-tap skips to the next track). When adjusting the earbuds, I find myself accidentally activating the touch buttons and pausing my music. Although the Apple AirPods have a touch sensor, they do not seem to exhibit this issue like the Insignia earbuds. I would have preferred a physical button in this case.
[[ Sound Quality ]]
The sound quality is very good on these earbuds. They are passive noise cancelling earbuds, meaning that you need to seal them to your ear canal for the best sound quality and to muffle outside sounds. When seated properly in your ear, the Insignia earbuds have a very good bass output and mids and highs also sound very balanced.
The sound quality is not quite up there with Apple AirPods, but at half the price, the Insignia earbuds have more more than acceptable sound quality.
[[ Connection ]]
The connection between the left and right headphone seems to do fairly well. Indoors, I don’t really experience a lot of issues with the sound cutting out between the two headphones unless I’m near a router or other interference. Outdoors, the sound cutouts are slightly more frequent, especially if I wear my phone on the left side of my body (it pairs with the right earbud). Overall, I’m very pleased with the connection stability.
[[ Battery Life and Charging ]]
On a full charge, the headphones last up to 5 hours and the charging case can recharge the earbuds about 2 times, so you could get about 15 hours of usage when the case and earbuds are fully charged.
It’s important to line up the charging pins properly when returning the earbuds to the case or they may not make a solid connection. Closing the case helps to press the earbuds into their respective slots. In fact, I find the earbuds don’t usually charge until I press the case shut.
Oddly, the right earbuds must be placed in the left-side of the case and the left earbud goes into the right-side of the case, which is likely the opposite of what most people are expecting.
The earbuds and charging case are also a lot bulkier than I was expecting, especially when compared to the Apple AirPods. They definitely don’t fit in my jean’s pockets
The earbuds and charging case are also a lot bulkier than I was expecting, especially when compared to the Apple AirPods. They definitely don’t fit in my jean’s pockets
[[ Overall ]]
Sound quality is very good and the connection is -- for the most part -- stable in these truly wireless earbuds from BestBuy. The fit is comfortable yet secure, making them ideal for working out. However, the case is somewhat bulky and not as convenient to carry when compared to the Apple AirPods.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Get work done with this Dell Inspiron Chromebook laptop. The 14-inch Ultra HD touch screen supports EMR pens, and the Intel Core i3 processor powers system tasks smoothly with the 4GB of RAM. The 128GB of eMMC storage lets you store documents and media files on this Dell Inspiron Chromebook laptop.
Customer Rating
5
Great performance, sturdy build
on December 12, 2018
Posted by: TechnicallyWell
from NY
[[ Build and Exterior ]]
Probably one of the first things you'll notice about this Chromebook is that it is somewhat thick. It definitely does not fall into the ultra-book category, but the aluminum exterior makes this unit feel very sturdy and durable.
The Chromebook does seem oddly heavy, so I can't see myself using it in tablet mode (keyboard folded behind the screen) for long periods of time.
On the outside of the unit are 2 USB Type-C port on either side of the laptop, a USB 3.0 port and headset jack on the left side and a Micro SD card slot on the right side. On the bottom is a built-in holder for the included stylus. The keyboard is also backlit, which makes late night typing much easier.
[[ Display ]]
The 14-inch display is ample without making the Chromebook overly large. Colors are sharp and the IPS display looks great from different angles. However, the screen is shiny and will definitely show glare from any light behind you, which is something to keep in mind if you plan to use this Chromebook outdoors.
The display is a touchscreen, so you can use it for interacting with apps, or using the included stylus for drawing. The display also rotates all the way back, so you can hold the Chromebook in tablet mode or prop it up in "tent" mode for movie watching.
Video playback, such as Netflix, looks great and playback is smooth, making this machine perfect for loading up offline Netflix shows for a long plane ride.
[[ Performance ]]
The i3 processor definitely makes a difference in the general "snappiness" of the machine. Opening tabs and web pages is fast and responsive. The unit also includes 4GB of RAM which some might consider too low for a Windows 10-based machine, but seems to be just fine with Chrome OS. I had 10 websites open on different tabs with a YouTube video playing in the background and the machine was still performing great.
Thanks to the Google Play store, you can also install many Android games on the Chromebook. I tested out Asphalt 8 and the graphics looked incredible with very minimal stutter.
Using Geekbench 4 Android app running on this Chromebook, it scored a 4490 single-core score and 9208 multi-core score. For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has a single-core score of 1960 and a multi-core score of 6472.
[[ Battery Life ]]
Dell states that this unit can run 10 hours on a single charge, and after 5 hours of web browsing, I still had about 60% of the battery remaining, so the 10 hour claim seems to be accurate.
I've found that I'm able to recharge the Dell Chromebook with many "Power Delivery" chargers, such as the 5-port Power Delivery Charger from Anker. Connected to this charger, the Chromebook charged at a rate of 15V 2A (about 30 watts).
Overall, this Dell Chromebook appears to be a strong performer with a strong exterior. It should definitely hold up as a daily driver while providing zippy performance.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Use the Google Smart Light Starter Kit to control the lights using just your voice. Set up in a snap: just plug in Google Home Mini, screw in the GE C-Life smart light bulb, and download the Google Home app to get started. Then just say "Hey Google" to dim, brighten, turn on and turn off the lights."
Customer Rating
5
A Great Way to Get Started on Your Smart Home
on December 4, 2018
Posted by: TechnicallyWell
from NY
[[ Setup ]]
The setup process was very easy.
Install the smart bulb and plug in the Google Home Mini in the same room. Since the bulb is Bluetooth-based, it will only work a short distance from the Google Home Mini.
1. Download the Google Home app to your iPhone, iPad or Android device. Upon opening the app, I saw a banner asking me to "Setup 1 Device".
2. The app walked me through setting up the Google Home Mini first.
3. The app then automatically asked me if I wanted to setup the bulb. It quickly found the bulb and added it to my Google Home profile.
1. Download the Google Home app to your iPhone, iPad or Android device. Upon opening the app, I saw a banner asking me to "Setup 1 Device".
2. The app walked me through setting up the Google Home Mini first.
3. The app then automatically asked me if I wanted to setup the bulb. It quickly found the bulb and added it to my Google Home profile.
[[ Performance ]]
I have a mix of both Amazon's Alexa and Google Home at my house and I find that the Google Home is a little better at understanding my voice commands and a little quicker at responding.
I was pleasantly surprised at the sound performance of the Home Mini's speaker. It's definitely better than the Amazon Echo (2nd generation) with decent minds and highs and a tiny bit of bass. Listening to Pandora was definitely doable and sounded a lot better than my iPhone's built-in speakers.
The Google Home Mini also is fast to control the included GE smart bulb, responding almost instantly to commands to turn the bulb on and off and also to adjust the brightness. However, the bulb connects via Bluetooth, which limits its range compared to other wireless connections such as WiFi, Zwave and Zigbee. Therefore, the Google Home Mini and the GE smart bulb should be located in the same room (or the next room over) to avoid communications issues.
[[ Features ]]
The GE smart bulb does what most smart bulbs do: turns on and off and dims from 0% to 100%. Unfortunately, the bulb only outputs a "daylight" color temperature only and cannot change to a warmer (or colder) white color. It is also not a multi-color bulb, so you can't change it to "red," for example.
The Google Home Mini can do a lot more than control this one bulb. It can give you the weather, check your calendar, control other smart home products (like Philips Hue and Samsung SmartThings), play Pandora and much more.
Unfortunately, the bulb included with this kit will not work with an Amazon Echo and it requires a separate hub to work with Alexa.
[[ Value ]]
Whether you're just getting started with a smart home or you're converting from Alexa to Google Home (or maybe maintaining both?), this starter pack is a quick and easy way to jump into home automation. The setup process is very easy thanks to the Google Home app's awareness of the Google Home Mini and smart bulb combo and the app easily walks you through the process of getting both up and running.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Capture your biggest adventures with this AirSelfie2 portable drone with leather carrying case. This drone records 1080p Full HD and features a 12MP still camera for high-quality results, and the compact size makes it easy to take this drone with you when traveling. Featuring a vibration-absorber system and multiple sensors, this AirSelfie2 portable drone records clear, blur-free images.Fly Responsibly:Before takeoff, update all software and firmware, and read the instructions thoroughly.See the FAA website for registration requirements and information about flying a drone safely: https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/. Additional state or local requirements may apply. Check your local jurisdiction. The following websites may help you make informed decisions about flying your drone: www.knowbeforeyoufly.org and www.modelaircraft.org.
Customer Rating
3
Good for indoors, but stability is an issue
on December 4, 2018
Posted by: TechnicallyWell
from NY
Setup
The AirSelfie2 comes very well packaged with both Quick Start instructions and a full manual. However, I still found the steps in the manual somewhat out or order, as it emphasized the need to perform a calibration first, when in reality you need to connect to the drone's WiFi first.
Installing the AirSelfie 2 app on your phone launches an IKEA-style video showing you what to do and not do. However, I feel that voice instructions would have been more helpful than the animated illustrations alone.
Once you power up the drone (by holding down the power button on the bottom of the unit until you hear the high-pitch tones), the AirSelfie2 will begin broadcasting it's own WiFi network. Connect your phone to the network (the password is "12345678", which is somewhat hidden in the manual) then launch the AirSelfie 2 app. Under "Settings," you'll find instructions for performing the calibration. You'll want to calibrate the unit often, as it seems to need it in order to fly in a stable fashion.
Once the calibration process is complete, you're ready to select a mode (I chose "Easy" for my first flight). Hold down the Launch icon until the propellers start moving, then lightly toss the AirSelfie2 in the air. This takes some practice, as my first toss caused the AirSelfie2 to crash to the floor and my second toss caused it to hit the ceiling.
Performance
If you've flown a larger drone (such as the DJI Spark) before, you'll find the AirSelfie2 to be a lot less stable. Even when flying the AirSelfie2 indoors in a windless environment, the AirSelfie tends to drift left, right, up, down... pretty much every direction. It can be tricky to line it up for the perfect selfie. I did find that the face detection helped: the drone would still drift, but once my face went out of the frame it tried to correct itself.
The AirSelfie2 tries to stabilize itself by utilizing a sensor on the bottom of the unit and maintaining a constant spot on the ground/floor/carpet/etc. Unfortunately, there does not appear to be any sort of GPS positioning in the unit to aid with the stabilization.
You'll want to get familiar with the 3 control modes in the AirSelfie2 app:
Easy: There is a touch "button" for each movement, such as up, down, forward, back, left, right, and turning.
Medium: The app uses a more tilt-based approach that moves the AirSelfie2 depending on how you hold the phone.
Expert: 2 virtual joysticks appear on the screen like a more traditional drone. The propellers also work the strongest in this mode, making it ideal for outdoors.
Medium: The app uses a more tilt-based approach that moves the AirSelfie2 depending on how you hold the phone.
Expert: 2 virtual joysticks appear on the screen like a more traditional drone. The propellers also work the strongest in this mode, making it ideal for outdoors.
The camera is 12MP and can record 1080p video, however low-light performance is somewhat lacking which is unfortunate for indoor use. Please note that the app will initially show a low-res "preview" image when you open the gallery. The pictures will look a lot better once you tap the "download" icon and save the image to your phone.
Battery Life
Battery life can also be problematic, especially when you're learning to fly the device. A full charge provides approximately 5 minutes of flight time. Recharging the device can take up to an hour, so you'll want to plan accordingly if you want to take a lot of selfies while you're out and about.
The AirSelfie2 recharges with a standard USB-C cable and can be recharged from a normal USB wall charger, car charger or power bank.
Value
I feel like I need to constantly use the app's flying controls to keep the unit from drifting away or running into something in the house, which kind of kills my smile for that selfie I'm trying to take.
However, the unit does appear to be durable as it has survived several minor collisions and crashes. I also like the fact that the unit uses a standard USB-C cable to recharge, but the short 5 minute flight typically limits me to only a few selfies before I have to wait an hour for the unit to recharge.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Keep the music going at your next party or backyard barbecue with this Sony portable Bluetooth speaker, which features a six-hour battery life. The compact size fits neatly on a desk or table, while the splash-proof design makes this speaker perfect beach adventures. Use the on-speaker buttons to start your tunes or turn up the volume. This Sony portable Bluetooth speaker comes with EXTRA BASS sound to bring out the best in your playlists.
Customer Rating
4
Small and lightweight, but lacking bass
on September 25, 2018
Posted by: TechnicallyWell
from NY
Sound Quality-----
At just a fraction of the size of the SRS-XB31, the SRS-XB01 can't compete with the sound quality of its bigger brothers. Sound is more "tinny" and bass is lacking. The speaker can get somewhat loud and can fill a small to medium-sized room, but it won't be powerful enough for parties or for entertaining a crowd. Despite this, the sound is still better than my iPhone's speaker and I find this speaker handy for carrying around the house to listen to music or podcasts. I would rate the sound about on par with the Anker SoundCore Mini 2.
Bass Performance-----
Despite the "Extra Bass" verbiage in this speaker's marketing, the bass on this speaker is lacking. It's not completely absent and, in fact, lows sound fairly good on this speaker. However, you won't get that satisfying "thump" heard in Sony's larger speakers.
That's not to say that music sounds terrible on this speaker, but at a MSRP of around $35, you can't set your expectations too high.
Features-----
- IPX5 Water Resistant: It's not rated as high as some of speaker's larger speakers, but it is resistant to splashes (just don't submerge it in liquid).
- Carrying strap: Personally one of my favorite features, the strap makes it easy to hang this speaker from a back pack while hiking or to simply tether the speaker to your wrist while working around the house. The speaker is very lightweight (5.65 oz).
- Music control buttons: You can play/pause, adjust the volume and skip tracks on the speaker directly without needing to dig out your phone.
- Speakerphone: The speaker has a built-in mic and can be used to answer a quick phone call by pressing the Play button while your phone is ringing.
- Micro USB charging: You don't need a special cable to recharge this speaker as any Micro USB cable will do, although a USB-C port would have future-proofed it a little more.
- Carrying strap: Personally one of my favorite features, the strap makes it easy to hang this speaker from a back pack while hiking or to simply tether the speaker to your wrist while working around the house. The speaker is very lightweight (5.65 oz).
- Music control buttons: You can play/pause, adjust the volume and skip tracks on the speaker directly without needing to dig out your phone.
- Speakerphone: The speaker has a built-in mic and can be used to answer a quick phone call by pressing the Play button while your phone is ringing.
- Micro USB charging: You don't need a special cable to recharge this speaker as any Micro USB cable will do, although a USB-C port would have future-proofed it a little more.
Battery Life-----
The speaker gets about 6 hours of usage while listening at a medium volume. It definitely seems like Sony could have fit a larger battery inside of the unit and I'm curious as to why they didn't, as a single charge won't quite get you through the work day.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Maintain clean floors in your home with this Rug Doctor carpet cleaner. The powerful suction removes even the toughest dirt and can be used on a variety of surfaces, and the pivoting mechanism lets you clean hard-to-reach places. This Rug Doctor carpet cleaner has a lightweight, ergonomic design for hassle-free operation.
Customer Rating
4
A large machine, but it's effective
on July 19, 2018
Posted by: TechnicallyWell
from NY
One of my summer jobs as a teenager was at a local grocery store where I would sometimes have to lug the huge Rug Doctor rentals to and from customer's cars. I'm glad to see a smaller, more consumer-friendly model is now available and found it to still be an effective cleaning solution.
The assembly out of the box was very simply and only required attaching the handle and securing it with a screw. Removing all the packing laminates took some time, but the machine was almost ready to go out-of-the-box.
To start cleaning, I removed the "clean water" tank from the top of the machine, filled it with hot water and added 3 ounces of solution from the included 9 ounce trial bottle (so you'll get about 3 cleaning sessions from the included bottle of solution). My machine came with the carpet nozzle pre-installed which has been my main use of the machine, but a nozzle for hardwood floors is also included.
The machine is somewhat large and bulky, but the handle tilts back and side-to-side which makes pushing the machine a little more comfortable. The machine definitely has some weight to it (especially with a gallon of water in the tank) and your arm can quickly become fatigued if cleaning a large area. At times, I was kind of missing the two hand operation of the larger Rug Doctor machines.
However, the FlexClean does an effective job cleaning the carpet and I'm often surprised by the amount of dirt collected in the "dirty water" tank. I found it to be just as effective as my friend's larger carpet cleaner. It's definitely not a lightweight machine, but it's a lot lighter than renting a full-sized Rug Doctor machine.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Plug in and light up your outdoors. Simply plug in and connect to your existing Hue bridge to enjoy the 16 million colors available to enhance the beauty of your yard or create any ambiance you like. This base kit provides three light points and all cables/power supply you need to get started. Lily landscape spots are fully weatherproof. Hue bridge is not included.
Customer Rating
5
It's nice to have an outdoor option from Hue
on July 17, 2018
Posted by: TechnicallyWell
from NY
I've been a Hue customer for years and while I've used the portable Hue Go outside in the past, it's not rated for outdoor use and I had to be careful not to get it wet. I'm happy to finally see some official outdoor options from Hue.
The setup process for these lights are fairly straight-forward, but the IKEA-style instructions can be a little bit confusing as the numbered steps actually show two different mounting options. I decided to push them into the ground which involved removing the pre-installed wall brackets and hand screwing them into the pointed base and then sticking them in the ground. There are two 3-prong adapters included that allows you to run the power cord from either end. The heavy cords and metal construction appear very weather-resistant, but only time will tell. I've had a few thunderstorms come through since they've been in place and they are still working fine.
Once I had the lights placed outside where I liked them, I connected the power cord to an outlet and opened up the Hue app on my phone. It took about 4 minutes for all 3 lights to be discovered by the app. I placed the new lights in a new "room" titled "outside" so I can tell Siri to simply, "Turn on the outside lights".
I have the lights shining up the banisters and they do a great job illuminating my front porch at night. They get plenty bright and could probably serve as a spotlight to light up the yard if so desired. I actually dim them to about 25%-30% to get a comfortable evening glow. I set them to blue, red and white for the Fourth of July and they looked great for the holiday. I'm already planning color schemes to use for Halloween and Christmas.
As with other Hue bulbs, the Hue app can be used to set different colors and scenes, as well as scheduling them to come on at a certain time each evening. Overall, I'm very happy with the look of these lights and I'm happy to have some Hue lighting options for outdoor use now.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Add music to your day with this portable Sony speaker. Its Live Sound mode broadcasts sound waves in a wider arc for a true concert experience, and the Extra Bass setting deepens the low notes. This water-resistant Sony speaker has flashing lights that sync with the beat to create a party atmosphere wherever you go.
Customer Rating
5
Great sound and some improvements over last year
on March 13, 2018
Posted by: TechnicallyWell
from NY
Sound Quality
You're likely most interested in the sound quality of the Sony SRS-XB31. If you love bass, it definitely does not disappoint. Highs and mids come through clear and bass has some kick to it (more on that in a second). Streaming music from Apple Music and Pandora both sounded great, but the speaker does tend to over emphasize low frequencies and can sound "muddy" at time, expecially with the bass enhancement feature on.
Using Sony's Music Center app, you can also access the "Live Sound" feature that Sony states will provide a more 3D sound experience with "festival vibes." Well, I'm not sure about the festival vibes, but what I found is that it does is maintain the bass of the "Extra Bass" mode while increasing the volume and enhancing some of the mids. It definitely sounds good and I actually prefer it over the "Extra Bass" feature.
Bass Performance
Sony's Bluetooth speakers tend to be bass heavy and that's definitely the case with the SRS-XB31. Unlike last year's model, there's no dedicated "EXTRA BASS" button. You can turn the Extra Bass feature on and off using the Sony Music Center app, or by holding down the Volume Down and Play buttons for 3 seconds, until the power indicator changes colors.
Features
- Lights: This is one of my favorite features of the speakers, although some people may find it gimmicky. There is the outer ring that surrounds the speaker on the front and the sides that changes different colors. There are also two white LED "strobe" lights on either side. You can set the lights to dance with the music, set a more calming lighting effect or turn off the lights completely by using the Sony Music Center app. The lights really do add a bit of a party atmosphere and helps this speaker stand out from other brands. If you don't like the lights, you can hold down the BATT/LIGHT button inside the cap on the rear side of the speaker for about 3 seconds.
- Party Booster: You can add some sound effects to the music that you're playing on the speaker by tapping it in different places. Depending where you smack it, you can add a snare scratch, kick drum or cowbell. The harder you hit it, the louder the sound. You can turn this feature on/off by holding the the volume + and - buttons for 3 seconds.
- Rustproof, Waterproof, Dustproof: The IP67 rating means you can take it to the beach and not worry about salt water ruining the speaker. So you take the party virtually anywhere.
- Wireless Party Chain: You can sync this speaker with other compatible models to play the same music simultaneously. Works with SRS-XB21, SRS-XB31, SRS-XB41, SRS-XB20, SRS-XB30, SRS-XB40, GTK-XB60, GTK-XB90.
- Micro USB charging input: My biggest complaint of last year's SRS-XB30 was that it used a proprietary charging cable. This year's SRS-XB31 solves that issue with a standard Micro USB input (although, USB-C would have maybe future-proofed this speaker a little more).
- USB charging port: If your phone runs low on power, you can grab your phone's charging cable and plug it into the full-sized USB port on this speaker. The speaker then serves as a power bank for your phone (but reduces the runtime of the speaker).
- Phone and Siri support: I found this feature handy on last year's model while the speaker was poolside and my phone was tucked away in my bag. You can answer a call on the speaker by tapping the Play button. You can also access Siri or Google Assistant by holding down the Play button for about 3 seconds and you hear the activation sound. You then use the speaker's built-in mic to talk to the caller or Siri.
Battery Life
The SRS-XB31 gives you up to 24 hours with the lights off and with the sound mode set to "Standard". However, with the lights on and the Extra Bass feature enabled, you can expect more like 4 to 6 hours of battery life. So definitely keep that in mind if you're trying to plan an all-nighter. You can check the battery status in the Sony Music Center app on by tapping the Battery button under the flap.
Overall, Sony's new SRS-XB31 speaker features great sound, a multi-color LED light ring and easy pairing for NFC-equipped phones. The optional "Extra Bass" setting does a great job of kicking it up a notch if you're all about the bass.
My Best Buy number: 0966083741
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Extend your next-gen AC Wi-Fi connection in hard-to-reach locations of your home such as the backyard, garage, or bedroom, so you can get blazing AC3000 Wi-Fi speeds to Smart TVs, Blu-ray Disc players, iPads, tablets, laptops, and smartphones. Powerful amplifiers and four high-performance external antennas deliver maximum power and range, allowing everyone in your family to enjoy 4K/HD movie streaming, simultaneous online gaming, social media, and more.The Max-Stream RE9000 tri-band range extender helps you get the most out of your home Wi-Fi by delivering faster speeds than dual-band range extenders. Dedicated backhaul technology maximizes Wi-Fi speeds by assigning a single, dedicated 5 GHz Wi-Fi band to your router. This frees up the remaining two bands to focus exclusively on your streaming media players, game consoles, and other connected devices, so you'll enjoy full-strength Wi-Fi without slowdown or degradation.
Customer Rating
5
Great (if you're in the Linksys ecosystem)
on March 12, 2018
Posted by: TechnicallyWell
from NY
Setup
The setup process for this range extender is very easy if you have another Linksys Max-Stream router. Pairing it with my Linksys EA9500 router involved simply pressing the WPS button on the side of the router, then the WPS button on the side of this range extended. Once the LED turned green, it was ready to move.
You'll want to place the range extended about half-ways between your router and the WiFi dead-zone section in your house. In my case, my bedroom on the second floor is furthest away from the router on the first floor. While the WiFi works in this room, I find my iPhone switching from the 5 GHz band to the 2.4 GHz band which can sometimes cause a delay while it changes. I would prefer to have the more stable 5 GHz band all over my house.
I placed the extender in the middle of the second floor and pulled up the web interface for the RE9000. Using the "Spot Finder" page on the web interface, it confirmed I was in the "just right" zone.
Features
One of the most appealing features of this range extender is the "Seamless Roaming." You know how your phone automatically switches from cell tower to cell tower while you're driving? We really haven't been able to have seamless switching with WiFi. Even if you have two WiFi networks in your home, your phone will typically hold on to the first one it encounters even if it moves closer to a stronger WiFi network.
Seamless Roaming looks to solve that so you can have uninterrupted FaceTime calls, for example, as you move around your home. The RE9000 supports Seamless Roaming with some caveats:
- The router must support it. This includes Linksys' other Max-Stream routers.
- Your phone must also support it. This includes the iPhone 4s and later, the iPad 3rd generation and later, and the Samsung S4 and later. Your device manufacturer would be your best resource to determine if your phone supports 802.11k ("WiFi Roaming").
- Your phone must also support it. This includes the iPhone 4s and later, the iPad 3rd generation and later, and the Samsung S4 and later. Your device manufacturer would be your best resource to determine if your phone supports 802.11k ("WiFi Roaming").
Performance
When paired with a Max-Stream router, the two devices are able to dedicate a 5 GHz band between them, creating a solid connection suitable for high bandwidth applications such as 4K HD video streaming.
I tested this out by making sure my iPhone X was connected to the range extender (you can see what devices are connected in the web interface) and performing a speed test. My home connection maxes out at 30mbps (which is still suitable for 4K streaming) and I saw the same speed connecting to the RE9000 as I did connecting to my main EA9500 router. I tested out a 4K Amazon Video stream and it worked flawlessly while connected to the RE9000 range extender.
Overall, the RE9000 range extender really shines when paired with a Linksys Max-Stream router. It gives you Seamless Roaming which allows your device to quickly switch from your router to the range extended and vice versa. While the Linksys Max-Stream system is a somewhat pricey ecosystem to invest it, it does deliver high speed performance for larger homes with a fairly easy setup process.
My Best Buy number: 0966083741
Mobile Submission: False
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