CraigB's stats
- Review count172
- Helpfulness votes2,720
- First reviewFebruary 11, 2013
- Last reviewMay 12, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.2
- Review comment count7
- Helpfulness votes6
- First review commentNovember 29, 2013
- Last review commentJanuary 31, 2017
- Featured review comments0
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- Answer count43
- Helpfulness votes53
- First answerMarch 24, 2015
- Last answerNovember 6, 2021
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Experience high-quality sound anywhere with this Polk Audio BOOM Bit wearable Bluetooth speaker. Its steel spring clip attaches it securely to your clothing, providing great audio without blocking out noise from the surroundings. The 3-hour battery life of this compact Polk Audio BOOM Bit wearable Bluetooth speaker keeps the tunes coming on any adventure.
Customer Rating
3
Tiny speaker for a specific type of person
on May 2, 2017
Posted by: CraigB
from Texas
Pros
Very compact
Reasonable sound quality for size
Secure clothing clip
Water resistance
Convenient USB charging
Very compact
Reasonable sound quality for size
Secure clothing clip
Water resistance
Convenient USB charging
Cons
Only has a clip option for securing
Status beeps are confusing
No indications of multiple button functions
3-hour battery life
Only has a clip option for securing
Status beeps are confusing
No indications of multiple button functions
3-hour battery life
The Polk Bit is an interesting portable Bluetooth speaker. Not like your normal Bluetooth speaker that you leave sitting on a table. This speaker is much smaller than most and intended to be worn. The Polk Bit is not much bigger than a pack of gum. It is water resistant, not waterproof. It would likely handle any moisture short of swimming. It uses standard usb for charging. The port is covered by a thick rubber cover which, once put on, can be difficult to take back off. This prevents the cover from casually falling off at the expense of a little more time to open for charging. The only option to wear the speaker is via a clip. It can be worn on a belt or shirt but it does have a warning that the material cannot be too thick.
The only buttons are a volume up and down which serve to turn the speaker on, off, answer a call, and of course change volume. It does not tell you anywhere on the unit which combination is of button presses turns the unit on an off or activates Bluetooth pairing but after a few uses it is not hard to remember. What is a little more confusing is feedback for turning on, Bluetooth pairing, turning off, and low battery all are just a series of tones. The only way to know what the tones mean is keep trying and once you figure it out to memorize them. Even then, they are similar. Voice feedback would have been more intuitive to understand the speaker mode. There is a Bluetooth status light, which uses flashes to indicate Bluetooth mode. Voice feedback again would be preferred and would have negated the need for a light. Battery life averaged about 3 hours. Near the end of battery life, the speaker would make another tone every few minutes. Without knowing what the tone means, it is difficult to tell if it is a notification tone or some other tone until the speaker finally dies.
Sound quality is decent with no real discernable bass. Primarily it excels at mid tones leading to an overall acceptable sound quality for music in this size range. Often smaller devices do well at high tones leading to a more unpleasant sound. Call quality was generally acceptable but callers reported volume was low if the speaker was more than approximately 12 inches away. Overall volume is louder than the average cell phone but less than regular desktop Bluetooth speakers.
For such a small device, the main question would be who the intended customer is. You can get larger, cheaper Bluetooth speakers that pump out louder sound with longer battery life. The price point at the time of review is a little higher than competitors and should be taken into consideration. The best use for this speaker is for people who are on the go and either cannot or will not use headphones. Possible uses include a warehouse worker wanting to enjoy music with more quality than off their phone speaker but cannot wear headphones because other sounds must be hear. Another would be possibly doing gardening outside. If the speaker were made slightly larger to improve battery life to near 8-9 hours, it would be used for a full workday improving usefulness. A lanyard or carabineer clip would also be nice to improve options for securing to clothing. Overall, if you need a compact Bluetooth speaker for on the go, this might be the one for you as long as expectations of battery life and sound quality are kept in check.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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-2points
0of 2voted this as helpful.
Head from hardwood to carpet for quick-and-easy full-house cleanups with this Dyson V7 Motorhead vacuum in hand. The direct-drive cleaner head dives deep into your rugs, getting up dirt from even hard-to-reach spaces. Disconnect the handle of this Dyson V7 Motorhead vacuum, and you've got a cordless handheld vac for simple sweep-ups of spills.
Customer Rating
5
Powerhouse in a small package
on March 29, 2017
Posted by: CraigB
from Texas
Pros
Light for the amount of power
Turbo mode nearly as strong as upright
Large brush works well on deep pile
Convenient docking station
Switch instead of button for turbo mode
Quieter
Longer run time
Direct drive brush means no belt to replace
Washable, lifetime HEPA filter
Durable mesh screen
Emptying is easy
Switching tools is quick and easy
Docking station uses same mounting holes as older models
Light for the amount of power
Turbo mode nearly as strong as upright
Large brush works well on deep pile
Convenient docking station
Switch instead of button for turbo mode
Quieter
Longer run time
Direct drive brush means no belt to replace
Washable, lifetime HEPA filter
Durable mesh screen
Emptying is easy
Switching tools is quick and easy
Docking station uses same mounting holes as older models
Cons
Roller depth not adjustable
Brushes on combination tool a little too long for power
Feels heavy for extended use and can hurt hand
Hard surface cleanup could be better
Emptying dust bin can be messy
Roller depth not adjustable
Brushes on combination tool a little too long for power
Feels heavy for extended use and can hurt hand
Hard surface cleanup could be better
Emptying dust bin can be messy
The Dyson V7 Motorhead is the latest iteration in their line of stick vacuums. They target people who want a smaller, easier to handle vacuum that doesn’t need a cord. Each vacuum in the series share similar traits in design but the higher up you get a larger floor brush, more powerful suction, more runtime, and more accessories. If you are interested in Dyson, you already expect them to be targeted at a more premium focused customer so price shouldn’t be a primary focus. That said, the features that the V7 Motorhead provides in such a small package are comparable to its price.
The V7 Motorhead has a number of subtle changes that add up to an overall nice design. If you are looking to upgrade from their Slim stick vacuum, you will notice the brush is quite a bit larger meaning it can handle deeper pile carpets much better. At first glance it might be hard to notice but the casing is slightly larger than the Slim. The docking station and accessories from your Dyson slim stick vacuum will not work. If you are simply replacing your older Motorhead, it might work fine but I did not have one to compare. The good news is if you can’t reuse your docking station, the new one uses the same screw holes. There is no need to go making extra holes in your wall to accommodate.
Comparing to the V6 Motorhead, Dyson has increase the runtime 50% from 20 minutes to 30 while reducing the sound levels. In fact, during initial testing it was quiet enough to warrant thinking it is weaker. Nothing could be further from the truth. On low, the brushes could be felt beating the carpet. On high, it could lift a high pile throw rug. With such a powerful unit, a manually adjustable height would be helpful to prevent it from grabbing the carpet. If you want to use turbo mode on high pile, it is best to only pull the vacuum towards you because even if you could push it the suction would cause the motor protection to stop the roller. Overall, carpets are where this unit shines. Although very capable on hard surfaces and handy for quick cleanups, some debris would hit the roller and simply fly to another part of the room. It’s a common problem with multi surface vacuums and is not unique. Often, a second pass often was able to pick up the offending piece. It does highlight that the V7 Motorhead is better for carpet than hard surfaces.
The V7 Motorhead comes with a combination tool and crevice tool. Both work well at their respective jobs. The combination tool has such long brushes that you will likely find yourself using turbo mode or the suction is not strong enough to reach the length of the bristles. The system for change accessories is very easy to use and quick. Whether cleaning the floor, your couch, or the hidden corners of your house just grab the accessory for the job and with a quick click you are ready to go. The quick release buttons are big and easy to press.
Cleanup is easy. The unit includes a washable HEPA filter to make sure that last bit of dust doesn’t end up back in the air. It isn’t primary way dirt and grime are trapped so you will rarely need to clean it. The dirt bin is large enough to accommodate 2 or 3 moderately dirty rooms before needing to be emptied. The clear container has a full line so you know when to stop but pet hair might make this difficult to read as it sticks up high in the container. Emptying is very easy but best achieved in an empty bag. When you pull the lever and the bottom falls out, the debris comes falling out as well and can create a dust cloud. This method is an area where Dyson should continue working on new innovations. If your trash bag is too full and you attempt this, you might end up with dust all around your trash can. The first few times the release lever is used, it might feel a bit tight and make a sound giving you the impression you are breaking it. After several uses, the lever loosens up to feel more natural. A nice feature is that the filter screen pulls up when emptying as the debris falls out of the bottom. The reason this is nice is because, particularly if you have pets, the screen gets clogged with pet hair. As the mesh is pulled up, it widens the gap between the mesh and container allowing any debris trapped on the mesh to simply fall. If anything else remains, the mesh is easily accessible to clean.
Overall the V7 Motorhead is a capable, well thought out, cordless vacuum. Understandably, it is not as powerful as its upright counterparts. With the power of the V7 Motorhead, t he question is if you need more. In testing, the V7 Motorhead could pick up nearly anything except items too larger for the roller to pick up. If maximum cleaning power and suction are most important, look towards the Dyson upright models. If want something for quick spot cleanups or overall house cleanup without the hassle of a cord, this will work well. Bear in mind, if you wish to test the 30-minute runtime of the unit you likely will find the initially light 5.45 pounds starts to make your hand sore. Having such a capable cordless makes cleanup easier, excuse free, and almost fun.
My Best Buy number: 2528554201
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+16points
27of 38voted this as helpful.
Work, play and communicate with this Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 featuring a 2.15 GHz + 1.6 GHz quad core processor. This versatile tablet has an ultra-clear Super AMOLED display, so you can watch HD movies on the go. Capture and share your world with the 13MP camera in this Samsung Galaxy Tab S3’s, which features an integrated flash for great results in low light.
Customer Rating
4
The tablet Android fans have been waiting for
on March 17, 2017
Posted by: CraigB
from Texas
Pros
Beautiful, vibrant screen
Excellent daylight reading
High quality build
Rounded metal edges are comfortable to hold for long periods
Four excellent speakers that are loud without distorting
With four speakers you still have sound regardless of how it is held
Glass build prevents speakers from vibrating tablet at loud volume
Includes stylus giving it many of the features of the Note line
Stylus is smooth and responsive
Storage doubled to 32GB from previous generations
Noticeable faster than previous generations and very smooth
Includes Blue Light filter mode to make nighttime viewing better
Good battery life
Rear facing camera has a flash
Photos are good quality for a tablet in good lighting
Split screen functionality for better multitasking
USB-C
MicroSD card slot for storage expansion
Includes an LTE model
Fast charging
Includes plenty of extra stylus tips
More capable as a 2-in-1 than other Android tablets
Weight feels very good
Very thin
Beautiful, vibrant screen
Excellent daylight reading
High quality build
Rounded metal edges are comfortable to hold for long periods
Four excellent speakers that are loud without distorting
With four speakers you still have sound regardless of how it is held
Glass build prevents speakers from vibrating tablet at loud volume
Includes stylus giving it many of the features of the Note line
Stylus is smooth and responsive
Storage doubled to 32GB from previous generations
Noticeable faster than previous generations and very smooth
Includes Blue Light filter mode to make nighttime viewing better
Good battery life
Rear facing camera has a flash
Photos are good quality for a tablet in good lighting
Split screen functionality for better multitasking
USB-C
MicroSD card slot for storage expansion
Includes an LTE model
Fast charging
Includes plenty of extra stylus tips
More capable as a 2-in-1 than other Android tablets
Weight feels very good
Very thin
Cons
Launch price is expensive
Glass back is likely more fragile
Glass back is a fingerprint magnet
Glass back makes the tablet feel more slippery
32GB is low for the price point
Not waterproof or water resistant
Stylus cannot be stored internally
Stylus pressure sensitivity inconsistent with stock note app
Fingerprint scanner use still not reliable
Cameras poor quality in anything but good light
Looks like a boring slate even though it is high quality
Launch price is expensive
Glass back is likely more fragile
Glass back is a fingerprint magnet
Glass back makes the tablet feel more slippery
32GB is low for the price point
Not waterproof or water resistant
Stylus cannot be stored internally
Stylus pressure sensitivity inconsistent with stock note app
Fingerprint scanner use still not reliable
Cameras poor quality in anything but good light
Looks like a boring slate even though it is high quality
For a long time Android slates have looked fairly similar. They have been overall good quality but not quite the premium feel of competitors. Samsung in their Galaxy tablets improved build quality and used more premium materials but they did not have stylus functionality. The Note tablets could use a stylus but possessed a lower end processor and screen. The Galaxy Tab S3 is set to merge the two lines into one and expand the overall functionality to more of a 2-in-1 device like what most people are looking for today.
The Tab S3 uses the exact same dimensions as it’s predecessor with a 9.7 inch screen but now it has a glass and metal build reminiscent the Galaxy smartphones. This gives the Tab S3 a very premium feel. The metal edges are rounded enough to prevent cutting the hand but still provide good grip. The same cannot be said of the back glass. It feels nice in the hand and looks premium but the back glass is more slippery, more likely to be damaged, and is a fingerprint magnet. Some of this could be alleviated by use of a case. In fact if you are accident prone that is the first accessory you should get. The design, although premium, is also very understated to the point of looking a bit boring. There is a definite upside to the glass back and that’s when it comes to sound. Most tables with metal backs cause a reverberation in the metal causing sound to degrade and distort with volume. With the Tab S3, the glass seems to temper this vibration. Combine this with the new four speaker setup and you get very loud, clean sound in a small package. This is quite possible the best sound quality of any tablet. With four speakers, the added bonus is no matter how you hold it you are unlikely to cover all four meaning you still get good sound. The Tab S3 sports the traditional hardware button saddled by two capacitive buttons. The hardware button does have a fingerprint reader that just requires a tap, not a swipe like the first generation Tab S. Unfortunately during testing, use was still unreliable. Sensitivity was excellent so hopefully this just requires a software fix.
As with nearly any Samsung product what stands out is the screen. The Tab S3 seems to have bumped up the game quite a bit. The screen is the first thing that strikes you and maybe it’s a good thing the tablet design is somewhat boring because it allows you to fully appreciate this screen. This is the first tablet, other than one with an e-ink screen, that has been readable in the sun. In fact it can get so bright that you could easily use the screen as a flashlight in a dark room. This is also useful because, unless you spend most of your time outside, the screen rarely needs to ramp up the brightness past roughly 30%. The screen ratio does mean you will have black bars on the top and bottom for watching movies but it also means it is comfortable in both landscape and portrait orientation. It does seem Samsung intends most usage to be in portrait as the buttons are configured for portrait use.
A welcomed addition to the Galaxy Tab line is the inclusion of an S-Pen. The old Note tablets were nice but lacked a high resolution screen and of course the old Galaxy Tab line lacked stylus support. It seems Samsung decided to simplify and merge the line to the benefit of fans. In fact, they have simplified things so far as to have only one tablet in the series. I suspect this is because if you want more, Samsung wants you to upgrade to their new Galaxy Book line. Otherwise, you essentially have a Note tablet with the high resolution screen and higher specs of a Galaxy Tab. Functionality is very similar to the Note line of phones although not identical. The S-Pen is very responsive and has almost no lag. It is light in the hand and has a nice amount resistance across the screen. Just like other S-Pens, no battery is required. Pressure sensitivity and tilt are included but pressure sensitivity was a bit inconsistent in the stock apps. Unfortunately unlike the Note phones you won’t find an S-Pen slot in the tablet so you are going to have to find a way to carry it, such as a case with a pen slot or loop. Overall, the S-Pen experience is very solid for a new product.
The Tab S3 is a solid performer with a Snapdragon 820 and 4GB of ram. It might not have the latest processor or the most memory but they definitely didn’t skimp on power. Unfortunately, the storage is only 32GB. Although it doubled previous models and includes expandable MicroSD card storage, a lot of apps refuse to install to the card. This means you have more breathing room but power users will still have to watch their storage usage. Overall, the processor and memory combination leads to a much more fluid experience than existed on previous Galaxy tablets. Even with mild multitasking this tablet doesn’t see to lag at all. Animations are very smooth and fast giving the Tab S3 a fluidity that is rare in Android tablets.
If you are an Android fan who has looked at tablet or 2-in-1 offerings and wished that Android had something comparable, this might finally be the one. Although it still leans towards content consumption, it definitely improves things in the productivity front as well. In fact, if there were an option, the Tab S3 would be rated 4.5 stars. If there is any major sticking point, it would be the price. The issue is that even though the specs have been upgraded and S-Pen functionality is now included, the price point puts it right in line with some regular 2-in-1 PC devices which offer greater functionality and similar premium build. Reports have surfaced that Samsung has been including the keyboard case in preorders which definitely sweetens the deal. The suggested retail price at time of launch makes it a little hard to recommend compared to other offerings unless you are a hardcore Android fan wanting a premium Android tablet now. The good thing is Samsung has a track record of running sales and specials shortly after launch. If history holds true, Samsung will make the Tab S3 look even more attractive not very long after launch. Wait for a promotion if you can. If you can’t wait, you will likely still be very happy with your purchase.
This entire review was written and posted solely using the Tab S3 with the keyboard case.
My Best Buy number: 2528554201
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+116points
138of 160voted this as helpful.
Arlo Pro takes the worrying out of life with the 100% Wire-Free indoor/outdoor home monitoring system. Arlo Pro includes rechargeable batteries, motion and sound-activated alerts, 2-way audio, a 100+ decibel siren, and 7 days of free cloud HD video recordings. Arlo covers every angle to help keep you safe and protected.
Customer Rating
4
Good system with lots of potential
on January 21, 2017
Posted by: CraigB
from Texas
Pros
Extremely Quick setup (A 2 camera system takes roughly 30 minutes)
Very easy set up. It comes with basic instructions but the app nicely walks you through each step
No need to run wires
Compact
Discreet cameras easily blend in with lighter color homes
Good daytime video quality for the price
Includes microphone and speaker
Flexible mounting options. Included option is easy but other fixed mounts can be used
Large rechargeable batteries
Motion trigger is supposed to get an update to determine if the motion is by a person
All devices get regular security updates. Even the cameras get updated wirelessly. Nice considering cameras are a new target for hackers.
Inanimate objects don’t seem to cause false motion triggers
Standard external hard drive can be used for local storage
Basic plan included for free
Easily expandable
Extremely Quick setup (A 2 camera system takes roughly 30 minutes)
Very easy set up. It comes with basic instructions but the app nicely walks you through each step
No need to run wires
Compact
Discreet cameras easily blend in with lighter color homes
Good daytime video quality for the price
Includes microphone and speaker
Flexible mounting options. Included option is easy but other fixed mounts can be used
Large rechargeable batteries
Motion trigger is supposed to get an update to determine if the motion is by a person
All devices get regular security updates. Even the cameras get updated wirelessly. Nice considering cameras are a new target for hackers.
Inanimate objects don’t seem to cause false motion triggers
Standard external hard drive can be used for local storage
Basic plan included for free
Easily expandable
Cons
Support for Windows is poor for the new touchscreen devices.
No Windows app for Windows 8 and 10 devices of any size.
Video quality, mainly night time, is probably not good enough for legal purposes.
Night video quality makes recognition near impossible past approximately 10 feet
Easy to steal or move regardless of mounting
Camera speaker is not very loud
Provided screws use too fine of a thread and the metal head strips out easy
All videos are public if someone can intercept your emails on the way to your inbox. (Email delivery by design is not encrypted so if someone intercepts your emails on the way they can see any of your videos with audio)
Recording time is fixed so even if motion or sound is still occurring you can miss recording
Web interface has some bugs such as freezing on zoom, Live play button disappears, and touch doesn’t work.
Sound recording doesn’t occur until a few seconds after video recording
At least one camera exhibited a noticeable “ticking clock” sound when recording audio
Connecting them hardwired defeats the weatherproofing
Instructions do not give tutorial about advanced features but rather let you discover them
No organizer for hard drive recordings
Dependent on good upload internet speeds. The more cameras you have, the faster the upload speed you need. This can be a limiting factor for some.
Long lag time to start live viewing even with very fast connection
Support for Windows is poor for the new touchscreen devices.
No Windows app for Windows 8 and 10 devices of any size.
Video quality, mainly night time, is probably not good enough for legal purposes.
Night video quality makes recognition near impossible past approximately 10 feet
Easy to steal or move regardless of mounting
Camera speaker is not very loud
Provided screws use too fine of a thread and the metal head strips out easy
All videos are public if someone can intercept your emails on the way to your inbox. (Email delivery by design is not encrypted so if someone intercepts your emails on the way they can see any of your videos with audio)
Recording time is fixed so even if motion or sound is still occurring you can miss recording
Web interface has some bugs such as freezing on zoom, Live play button disappears, and touch doesn’t work.
Sound recording doesn’t occur until a few seconds after video recording
At least one camera exhibited a noticeable “ticking clock” sound when recording audio
Connecting them hardwired defeats the weatherproofing
Instructions do not give tutorial about advanced features but rather let you discover them
No organizer for hard drive recordings
Dependent on good upload internet speeds. The more cameras you have, the faster the upload speed you need. This can be a limiting factor for some.
Long lag time to start live viewing even with very fast connection
Setup was very easy, particularly for a security camera system. The entire process is achieved by following the steps one by one as the app tells you. Install the app, set up your Arlo account, plug in the base unit to power and internet, sync the cameras, hang the cameras, and you’re done. A two camera system only took approximately 30 minutes. The kit includes metal bases, screws, and wall anchors but the screws are small and easy to strip. The metal bases work with a strong magnet included inside the camera. Although convenient, the metal bases allow someone to easily steal or move these expensive cameras so placement is important. Netgear offers screw in mounts for a more rigid and secure mounting. The entire hardware and software process has had a lot of thought put into making it easy. There are no complicated router changes needed to be made at all or complicated programming. Oddly some features, like changing the recording quality, must be done on a regular computer for which there is no app.
There is one strange feature omission from Netgear. This system has a Pro designation and yet support for regular, more modern computers, is limited. Businesses by and large use Windows computers and the most popular type of Windows computers selling today are Windows 2-in-1 convertibles with touchscreens this trend is forecasted to increase and yet this system is barely even useable by any touchscreen Windows device. This is also odd because what better way to check out a security video than on a large screen. You are forced to use a browser to view videos which the experience varies based on browser. Simple things like moving a slider don’t work because the website doesn’t work with touch. Browser administration has other bugs, such as the Live Video button disappearing. If this was an app you wouldn’t have to worry about how the end user’s choice of browser affects the experience. Not having a Universal Windows app is a missed opportunity. I have seen a large increase in clients that are buying Windows 2-in-1 systems instead of desktops or Android/iOS tablets for their primary system. A Windows Universal app they could support such systems, or any other form factor of Windows for that matter. Imagine if the app was on Xbox One in your living room and you want to check on things outside. Just say “Hey Cortana, open Arlo” and you could see your video feed or videos quickly and easily from the convenience of your couch on a big screen. That would be great. If you have smaller Windows devices, the website is unusable. It tries to get you to use an app that doesn’t exist. Oddly enough if you have a link to a shared video the same website will serve you the video in a mobile optimized format. Smaller Windows devices and Windows Mobile devices are left unsupported. Future updates and app releases could easily alleviate this but for now Windows support is poor.
The base unit comes with a Sync/Siren button, network port, and two USB ports for storage. The siren is loud and sounds like newer smoke alarms. It can be trigger locally, by the app, or via configurable rules such as motion or audio sensing. You can switch the base unit to modes for recording for motion and/or audio, no recording, or armed or disarmed based using Geofencing. You can also define your own custom modes allowing specific cameras and audio for each to be on or off. Due to battery restrictions, there is no continuous recording. Recording time from motion is a default of 5 seconds regardless of if the motion continues. Cameras include built in IR for night vision, motion sensor, microphone, and speaker and are weatherproof assuming the charging plug cover is on. One large difference with the Pro version is the inclusion of large rechargeable batteries which should last quite a long time between charging. When video is recorded, it is uploaded via your internet connection to your account meaning a good upload internet speed is important. Videos are stored in a calendar format and can be viewed, shared, or deleted from the interface.
Overall performance when factoring in the price for features was good. Shuddering and lag was minimal with surprisingly good wireless range. Remote viewing of live video is reasonably quick although it still took several seconds and is highly dependent on your internet upload speed. Audio took about 2 seconds to start every time after a motion trigger recording or manual live viewing and had a slightly audible tick-tock sound. The built-in speaker is barely audible at max volume. As with all security systems, there is a loss of some detail to do recording compression. Daytime recordings show signs of video compression but subjects are still reasonably recognizable at approximately 25 feet. Nighttime viewing brings recognition down to approximately 10-15 feet before subjects hard to recognize. Although not official, friends in law enforcement said it is not good for legal purposes as they must have a definitive, recognizable face to use the video. Motion detection was generally good but people moving fast could often elude the recording. Due to the fixed recording time, the system could also miss recording an event if it ran past the configured time.
A big concern is the video sharing feature. Arlo by default emails you anytime it records. It conveniently sends you a screenshot of what it recorded. However; the email sends a direct link to the video that can be viewed without logging in. This would be even more concerning if you had cameras in your house. By definition, is sent unsecured between providers. Although the industry is trying to improve that, you should always assume your emails have no encryption when sent to you. This means that it is possible and relatively easy for criminals to eavesdrop and see your videos with audio without ever knowing your account info. The good thing is that is easy to remedy turning off the feature that emails you when it records a video. That way the link to the video won’t be sent out on the web unsecured and your videos are still stored in the cloud without being shared openly. Hopefully, Netgear will remedy this in the future.
Overall, it is a nice system for the price point when compared to the competition. Compared to legacy DVR and NVR security camera systems this makes the whole process a lot more accessible for the average consumer. As long as you keep your expectations in line it is a nice system. All security camera systems, particularly ones costing less than $2,500 have limitations.
Overall, it is a nice system for the price point when compared to the competition. Compared to legacy DVR and NVR security camera systems this makes the whole process a lot more accessible for the average consumer. As long as you keep your expectations in line it is a nice system. All security camera systems, particularly ones costing less than $2,500 have limitations.
A standout feature, even comparing to high end systems, is this system will automatically get updates for security. Anyone who watched the news in late 2016 saw that the biggest hack was perpetrated using devices, such as camera systems, that weren’t updated. That is something still lacking in the “professional” security camera world. You also won’t have to hire someone to come pull wiring through your house or small business. Cameras can be placed wherever you can mount a base. If for some reason, such as poor signal, the place doesn’t work they are easy to move. It not be a real high definition security camera system but it also costs nowhere near as much. Just be sure you can accept the Cons before buying. The overall system is well thought out and with continued improvement of the listed cons this could be the best system for nearly any price.
My Best Buy number: 2528554201
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+24points
36of 48voted this as helpful.
Make your home an internet haven with this versatile Linksys Velop wireless Wi-Fi system. Three identical tri-band dual-stream AC2200 routers, each equipped with a quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 processor, deliver lightning-fast internet. Equipped with Bluetooth 4.0/LE, this Linksys Velop wireless Wi-Fi system is simple to set up and pairs easily with computers, tablets and smart devices.
Customer Rating
3
Consumer mesh Wi-Fi needing a big software update
on January 16, 2017
Posted by: CraigB
from Texas
Pros
________
Compact
Easily blends into any part of the house allowing placement based on need instead of aesthetics
Offers true mesh technology with automatic routing
Separate backhaul channel to help keep speed between nodes higher
Ports are universal so you don’t need to understand wan versus LAN or uplink versus bridge
________
Compact
Easily blends into any part of the house allowing placement based on need instead of aesthetics
Offers true mesh technology with automatic routing
Separate backhaul channel to help keep speed between nodes higher
Ports are universal so you don’t need to understand wan versus LAN or uplink versus bridge
Cons
________
Device Prioritization (very basic QoS) has issues with higher internet speeds.
Built in speed test can’t achieve the speed resulting in a low number. Subscribed speed cannot be manually entered to compensate
No way to configure via a Windows computer of any sort. No website or app.
Antennas seem weak as speed between nodes was not consistent.
Only offers two ports per node
Configuring via the app is slow. Between 12-15 minutes per node
Limited advanced functionality (Port forwarding is offered but only device based prioritization)
Antiquated, extremely basic, parental controls. You must manually enter URLs per device.
No category based internet filtering. You are the parental controls
No log to see what sites your kids are accessing to block easily
No way to name the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands differently for legacy compatibility
DHCP cannot be configured in any way or even turned off.
Valid DHCP range not showing without using less than official means.
LAN network address IP configuration is not adjustable without calling support. Stuck as 192.168.1.x.
No option for reserving static IPs on the network
Nodes cannot hardwired to allow faster speed and redundancy like a corporate mesh system.
________
________
Device Prioritization (very basic QoS) has issues with higher internet speeds.
Built in speed test can’t achieve the speed resulting in a low number. Subscribed speed cannot be manually entered to compensate
No way to configure via a Windows computer of any sort. No website or app.
Antennas seem weak as speed between nodes was not consistent.
Only offers two ports per node
Configuring via the app is slow. Between 12-15 minutes per node
Limited advanced functionality (Port forwarding is offered but only device based prioritization)
Antiquated, extremely basic, parental controls. You must manually enter URLs per device.
No category based internet filtering. You are the parental controls
No log to see what sites your kids are accessing to block easily
No way to name the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands differently for legacy compatibility
DHCP cannot be configured in any way or even turned off.
Valid DHCP range not showing without using less than official means.
LAN network address IP configuration is not adjustable without calling support. Stuck as 192.168.1.x.
No option for reserving static IPs on the network
Nodes cannot hardwired to allow faster speed and redundancy like a corporate mesh system.
________
Unlike regular mesh Wi-Fi, Velop cannot be used as just Wi-Fi while still being a mesh. This means in my case I have one unit sitting in closet in a less than ideal location. Corporate mesh Wi-Fi has an access point mode allow you to place the access points where they are needed most.
The Linksys Velop system is intended to address one of the biggest problems old fashioned Wi-Fi systems encountered as internet speeds have increased and people start doing more online streaming. In a conventional system, Wi-Fi speed and strength drops the further you get away from the place where your internet comes into the house. By having multiple of what Linksys calls nodes spread throughout your house that work together the signal can be evenly spread everywhere allowing full strength and speed. This is a concept that has been around in the business sector for many years but was far too expensive and complicated for home use and the Velop intends to address this. Make no mistake, any consumer mesh Wi-Fi system today is going to be around $300 and up so you if you want good coverage and speed, regardless of manufacturer, you are going to have to spend more money. The best place for Wi-Fi is also out in the open so a traditional box with ugly antennas and wires won’t be tolerated. Just like many other solutions these nodes are designed to be placed in the open with minimal wiring and a more attractive design.
Starting with setup things are different. You get three nodes that come with just a power cord. You get one Ethernet cable for your main node but that is it. If you need a local connection the bottom of each unit comes with two multi-purpose ports. They are not specifically designated and the system seems to know whether you are connecting the port to the internet, your network, or local device. It’s very convenient. If you have a fair number of wired devices you will need to purchase switches. In order configure your network, the process has been simplified. You install an app and just let it walk you through configuring and labeling each node. It will allow you to define where you put them, if the placement is ideal for signal, and then make sure the software is up to date on the node. There is one name for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks and you can also define a guest network. Oddly, there no way to configure a separate name for the different bands so those of you with older Apple devices might run into trouble.
The app is available for iOS and Android. Strangely, there is no way to configure this with a Windows computer. This is strange because devices such as Velop are often offered by computer consulting companies to small to medium business as a cheaper alternative to more expensive corporate equipment. These companies also typically do not want staff to have client information on their personal devices so not having a way to configure via their work computer is quite odd. This also leaves out anyone who opts either to have a different smartphone or has no smart phone. Not all hope is lost though as Linksys is open to customer feedback and I already asked to be added to the list of people asking for a Windows universal app. I can even imagine if they offered a Windows Universal app playing on the Xbox One and just telling Cortana to have Velop prioritize my Xbox One or even shut down access to all other devices so my gaming is not affected by anyone else. So many unique possibilities not being utilized. For now, this a glaring omission and my Xbox One and my Surface Pro have been rendered useless for this. It is software so maybe Linksys could think more outside the box and see the potential.
Instead of traditional QoS (Quality of Service) this has what is called Device Prioritization. You can choose a device on your list and give it high priority but that is it. There are no options for prioritizing based on service or port. To activate device prioritization, you must run the integrated speed test which brings up a bug in the administration. If you have a higher internet speed, mine is at least 400Mbps, the speed test will not be able to give a full read of your internet speed. This means if you turn on the device prioritization it will artificially cut your speed down. In my case, it took my 400Mbps connection, read it multiple times as 150Mbps and limited my max speed to 150Mbps for any device. Turning off prioritization caused my speed to jump up to 315Mbps but node to node speed was inconsistent leading to tests showing speeds from 180Mbps to 330Mpbs. This replaced a competing mesh product that just came out recently, placed in the same area, that always produced consistent node to node speeds up near 400Mbps. Velop was unable to achieve full speed even with device prioritization off. Linksys Support is aware of the device prioritization issue and hopefully in the coming weeks and months a solution for this will be put in place. Ideally the speed test system should be upgraded but it would be even better if you could manually enter your internet speed for times like this when the integrated system just can’t keep up. I have already received a callback so Linksys is very keen on improving this.
Normally with any Wi-Fi, including corporate mesh systems, you can configure your Wi-Fi as either the control for everything or just serve only as a mesh Wi-Fi access system. In the case of the Velop, it’s all or nothing. If you want to use Velop, you are going to have to make this your one and only system. There are no options to turn DHCP on or off or configure any static IPs. In fact, even under the advanced settings it doesn’t have anything about switching the address range used on your internal network. This presents a problem since many modern ISPs have their modem configured to use range 192.168.1.x, just like Velop. This causes routing problems as well as a security threat as the system has no way to know what is inside or outside your network. A call to support uncovered a less than official way to do this but the point is I shouldn’t have to. They are also aware of this and hopefully future updates will change the setup.
If you are a gamer, looking for a mesh Wi-Fi add-on, want to have comprehensive parental controls, want QoS controls, need to have a different internal network besides 192.168.1.x, run internal static systems such as servers or NAS, or want to have a way to configure and administer the system via your computer then you are best to look elsewhere. It is an odd combination trying to cater to people who don’t want to mess with their Wi-Fi and want max speed and yet the people most likely to spend the money on the high-speed internet packages will most likely want much more control. Of course, this is a new system and these adjustments and abilities could be added in later versions of the software but currently, about the only thing this system offers is broad Wi-Fi coverage in an attractive package.
Advanced users, gamers, and power users might want to look elsewhere or check back after future updates. It has A LOT of potential but the software is still extremely basic even when compared to basic routers.
Who is this system most suited? If you mainly use Wi-Fi, want a system to cover your entire house regardless of size, and don’t care that there are almost no controls of any sort then this might be for you. Setup is about as simple and basic as it can get and for such people I recommend this product.
My Best Buy number: 2528554201
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+21points
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The Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop System is our most advanced floor cleaning system ever. Featuring both a Steam Mop and a Spray Pocket mop, the Genius system is the right solution for all your cleaning needs. Harness the power of steam to sanitize 99.9% of household bacteria*. (Sanitization studies were conducted under controlled test conditions. Household conditions and results may vary.)
Customer Rating
4
Good way to avoid chemicals if you are patient
on January 8, 2017
Posted by: CraigB
from Texas
Pros
Doesn’t require anything but water
Sturdy design
Flexible head means easy access to nearly any area
Included fill cup stores conveniently on wand
Cleaning solution has easy access holder on wand
Includes touchup wand for times when you don’t need a full steam clean
Doesn’t require anything but water
Sturdy design
Flexible head means easy access to nearly any area
Included fill cup stores conveniently on wand
Cleaning solution has easy access holder on wand
Includes touchup wand for times when you don’t need a full steam clean
Cons
Does not stand up requiring it to be propped up
Wall storage is awkward and includes no hardware
Doesn’t have multiple steam settings
Steam burst option is of limited use
Sanitize function requires a large number of passes
Does not stand up requiring it to be propped up
Wall storage is awkward and includes no hardware
Doesn’t have multiple steam settings
Steam burst option is of limited use
Sanitize function requires a large number of passes
The Shark Genius Pocket Steam Mop promises to clean and even sanitize your floors without the need for harsh chemicals. In fact, it recommends against using any chemicals with the steamer. Of course, no solution can clean up every bit of dirt and grime from your floors on the first pass but skipping the chemicals makes the process a bit longer. There is a feature to flip over the mop and use a burst of steam to loosen really stuck on grime, which is nice, but in practice doesn’t do much. If you have a clump of mud stuck on tile the steam burst will loosen it up a bit but still be prepared to make several passes. A built-in scraper to take off those particularly nasty bits could have helped alleviate some of this. If you want to use the steam burst, you must flip over the mop head each time. Not the end of the world but if you have a lot of small spots you will find yourself flipping the mop back and forth regularly. In most cases, the plenty long and can handle reaching all corners of a medium sized room without a problem. Controls are very simple. You only have a power/pause button. Just fill it up with the conveniently provided fill cup and wait for it to heat up and you are ready to go. If your intention is sanitizing your entire floor without using chemicals you will need to be extremely patient. The manual recommends at least 15 passes over the same spot for full sanitization. Because of this, I suspect most people will only use this for sanitizing on a spot.
The kit includes a spot cleanup mop and has an included cleaning solution. This is helpful for quick cleanups. There is nothing to plug it. The mop has an included holder for the spray bottle so you can have this ready to go any time you need to do a quick spot clean or even a quick touchup of the entire floor. Keep in mind that the steamer and cleanup mop share the same cleaning head. Unless you purchase an extra head, you will need to transplant the head from one to the other.
One thing both the steamer and mop have in common is awkward storage. The cleaning head is very flexible and does not provide any support to allow the unit to stand free. If you are in the process of cleaning, you will need to find a corner to prop it up or it will fall straight to the floor. Storage while not in use is a similar challenge. Neither wand includes a storage system or even a hook to hang. About the only way to hang it would be by the very large hand loop meaning you would have to have an equally large wall hook to accommodate. Because of this design, the most common storage method will likely be propping it up in a corner.
This brings up the question of who this is best suited. If you are the type of person who likes to avoid using chemicals for personal or health reasons and you are willing to trade some extra time, this is for you. Storage issues aside, it gets the job done and does so with just plain old water. Of course, the touchup mop does have a cleaning solution but there using the mop is not dependent on it.
My Best Buy number: 2528554201
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Listen to music on the go with these Sony wireless headphones. Their Bluetooth connectivity lets you stream music and take calls from compatible devices, and the built-in battery provides up to 9 hours of playback time on a single charge. Jam to your favorite tunes in comfort with the foldable, around-the-neck design of these Sony wireless headphones.
Customer Rating
5
Thoughtfully designed
on December 1, 2016
Posted by: CraigB
from Texas
Pros
Just as comfortable as a necklace with flexible band around neck
Multiple earpieces
Earpieces stay in place well without discomfort
Good battery life
Simple voice announcements for status
Universal Micro USB charging port
Stays in place well using cord clasp
Mids tones are very good
NFC charging is extremely easy
Just as comfortable as a necklace with flexible band around neck
Multiple earpieces
Earpieces stay in place well without discomfort
Good battery life
Simple voice announcements for status
Universal Micro USB charging port
Stays in place well using cord clasp
Mids tones are very good
NFC charging is extremely easy
Cons
Bass tones are too strong
Highs tones are too weak
Control buttons are poorly differentiated using touch
Clasp to hold around your neck could be easier to use
Bass tones are too strong
Highs tones are too weak
Control buttons are poorly differentiated using touch
Clasp to hold around your neck could be easier to use
For years, I have stuck with traditional headphones because the wireless headphones I have seen have either had rigid parts that hang around your neck or the overall music quality just didn’t justify the change. I just dealt with the cords getting tangled and regularly snagged on clothing as I moved around. About twice a year I would have to get a new set as they would usually get destroyed by those shortcomings.
I finally decided to take the plunge and go wireless with the Sony XB70BT headphones and couldn’t be happier. I have quickly forgotten how often my cord would get snagged or tangled and I just enjoy using them. They have a soft, flexible rubber band that goes around your neck and conforms much like a necklace except without the cold shock of metal. In fact, sometimes I have forgotten I was wearing them for a short period.
If you want headphones for exercise but don’t like the kind that use the extra piece to grab onto your earlobe to stay in place these might be for you. I wouldn’t do gymnastics with them but they should work great for most regular exercises. To make sure they stay in place, there is a small slotted piece on the wire of one earbud that you push the other earbud wire in. This allows it to wrap around your neck and stay in place much like a tight necklace. It does a good job of staying in place but a slight redesign would be helpful as pushing a flexible wire into the tight slot can be a test in patience. Once in, it works well and keeps things secure. A small addition that would be helpful is if there was a way to store the earbuds when not in use but the headset was still around your neck. The buttons can be used without looking. It might take a little time to adjust as the tiny raised sections on each are a bit difficult to tell apart.
The first time you pair the headset with your phone you will get to take advantage of an easily overlooked but extremely helpful feature. If your phone supports NFC, just tap the side of the headphones with the NFC logo. You phone will simply ask if you want to pair, you tap Yes, and you are done. No codes or any other work. Very simple. If you need to switch devices, just press and hold the power button until it says “Bluetooth Pairing” and tap the logo with your phone or NFC capable device you are done.
Headphones that speak might sound a little strange but this one is done thoughtfully. When you turn them on, off, activate pairing, or certain other options the headphones will say in plain English what they are doing. If you are from England you would say it speaks in “proper English” I suppose. The voice is only used for operations where more information is helpful. Regular changes in volume and track skips are either a tone or just the action. You’ll only here speech when something more than a tone is helpful. Overall, it’s a nice touch that just makes them feel a bit more refined.
The big question is how do they sound. For speech, everyone I have spoken to has not even noticed that I am using a headset. The microphone seems to work just as well as the one built into my phone. When listening to music I wouldn’t say these are top of the line but considering you can spend over $100 on corded headphones expectations must be kept in line. They sound is very good for most music. An equalizer would be great but phones don’t general offer an equalizer for Bluetooth devices. Considering sound quality for music, each person of course has their own sound preferences but I would describe the sound as a slightly muddy but not unpleasant. With weak highs, the bass seems a bit too heavy. Midtones are excellent. Of course, this is all very subjective and this may suit you just perfectly. Keep in mind we are talking about compressed Bluetooth audio anyway. Don’t expect to hear every nuance of your favorite classical music through this set. Hopefully my description will help you decide if the sound properties suit you.
Overall I have been extremely happy with my foray into wireless headphones to the point I am not sure I will ever go back for regular use. I will probably always have a set of wired for at home when sitting still but for all other uses, the Sony XB70BT headphones do a respectable job for the money.
My Best Buy number: 2528554201
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+16points
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Play games or program tech solutions on the wide 23-inch screen of this HP LED HD monitor. The antiglare flatscreen offers views from any angle, and the 1920 x 1080 display offers super-sharp images. This HP LED HD monitor has HDMI and VGA inputs, letting you connect a variety of peripherals and devices.
Customer Rating
5
Great monitor for the class
on December 1, 2016
Posted by: CraigB
from Texas
Pros
Bright and Crisp
Attractive design front and back with almost no bezels.
Sleek Stand
Good color accuracy for the price
Light and thin. Doesn’t take up much space on a desk
Affordable for a good IPS panel
Bright and Crisp
Attractive design front and back with almost no bezels.
Sleek Stand
Good color accuracy for the price
Light and thin. Doesn’t take up much space on a desk
Affordable for a good IPS panel
Cons
No height adjustability
Stand doesn’t rotate
Has a lot of glare (See Photo)
Only has HDMI and VGA. No DVI or DisplayPort
Thin stand means allows monitor to wobble easily from vibration
Proprietary power adapter
Proprietary means no desk stands or wall mounts
No height adjustability
Stand doesn’t rotate
Has a lot of glare (See Photo)
Only has HDMI and VGA. No DVI or DisplayPort
Thin stand means allows monitor to wobble easily from vibration
Proprietary power adapter
Proprietary means no desk stands or wall mounts
For the many years, I have been changing computers and upgrading while sticking with my tried and true old 17” square LCD. It did the job but more and more seeing newer, more sleek monitors that had larger screens in smaller cases made me want more. My old monitor was dim and just made work hard on the eyes.
I saw this HP monitor and my first thought was honestly, “HP makes monitors?” I was curious because the monitor looked very sleek so I gave it a shot. It isn’t feature laden with a fancy stand, lots of ports, and spot on color accuracy. Instead of using a bright low glare screen, they use a cheaper bright screen that has high glare. All things considered, what they offer is a just enough ports to get the job done, a tilt stand, color accuracy for all but the most demanding users, speed for even experienced gamers, enough brightness for most conditions, and an IPS panel all for a price you typically pay for poor monitors in this size.
I am a person who typically tries to save money but always gets disappointed by some glaring flaw of more affordable products. This is probably the first time in a long time I have found myself content with a more budget device. Of course, I would like a higher end monitor but unlike other times, I feel content with a “lower end” unit. Surprisingly, for a monitor in this class it includes color calibration profiles out of the box. I adjusted the monitor myself as I felt the default monitor settings left things a bit too washed out but overall I feel HP hit just the right checkboxes to make this a great value. As you can see from my pros and cons this is not a perfect monitor but knowing how much more monitors can cost at this size, the cons are very easy to overlook.
Unless there is some big feature listed in the cons you just must have, for most people this monitor will make you very happy you spent the money.
My Best Buy number: 2528554201
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+3points
3of 3voted this as helpful.
![Finding Dory [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray/DVD] [2016]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/5329/5329706_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Enjoyable sequel to Finding Neamo
on November 28, 2016
Posted by: CraigB
from Texas
Let's be honest. Sequels will always reuse some of the storyline from the first movie but some do it better than others. Of course the main characters from Finding Nemo are in Finding Dory but having the story focus on Dory instead is a nice change. It made the story much more enjoyable and even added some new, funny characters. If you liked Finding Nemo, you will probably like Finding Dory.
My Best Buy number: 2528554201
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0points
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Keep unwanted hair to a minimum with this Philips grooming tool. The waterproof design lets you use it in the shower, and eight attachments make this trimmer perfect for grooming different sections of the face. This Philips grooming tool has a turbo setting to increase cutting speed, and it charges in just one hour to reduce wait time.
Customer Rating
3
Decent trimmer with some glaring flaws
on November 23, 2016
Posted by: CraigB
from Texas
Pros
Large number of trimming attachments
Improved hair trimmer means no more cuts
Quieter and more solid than previous model
Lithium ion battery lasts a long time
Self-Sharpening
Works in the shower
Large number of trimming attachments
Improved hair trimmer means no more cuts
Quieter and more solid than previous model
Lithium ion battery lasts a long time
Self-Sharpening
Works in the shower
Cons
Different attachments are not sealed meaning trimmer hair gets inside with no way to clean unless you also remove the lubricant
Attachments don’t have any indication of which way to put them on leading to some fiddling
Guard for trimming beards can inadvertently cut at different lengths depending on angle
Guard for trimming beards doesn’t lift hair first meaning if you have fine hair the lengths are uneven no matter the direction you trim
Cannot run via power cord so if battery is dead you cannot trim
Shaver does a poor job of catching finer, software hairs
No stand included
No cleaning brush
Different attachments are not sealed meaning trimmer hair gets inside with no way to clean unless you also remove the lubricant
Attachments don’t have any indication of which way to put them on leading to some fiddling
Guard for trimming beards can inadvertently cut at different lengths depending on angle
Guard for trimming beards doesn’t lift hair first meaning if you have fine hair the lengths are uneven no matter the direction you trim
Cannot run via power cord so if battery is dead you cannot trim
Shaver does a poor job of catching finer, software hairs
No stand included
No cleaning brush
I own the previous version of this model and although I liked it, there were some flaws I had hoped had been addressed in the latest update. The first thing a trimmer should do, of course, is trim. I have fine, soft hair which is more of a challenge. Unfortunately, the results turned out to be mixed.
First is the general trimmer head. It can be used with the different guards to shape larger areas or without to detail trimming if you like. I preferred using it for details over the detail trimmer as it seemed to be more thorough. The new, more rounded tips, of the latest design don’t cut the back of your neck like the old design. They also seem to do quite a good job for that purpose. The issue is when you are using the facial hair trimmer. It has been redesigned to remove the combs and depth guard in front of the blades. This means that if you don’t keep the trimmer exactly parallel you will trim unevenly very easily. It did so poorly when I was trimming I ended up changing the beard style to hide the problem.
Although I don’t normally use a nose hair trimmer, sometimes a little touchup for a formal event where more attention to detail is needed. The new nose hair trimmer does what the old version seemed to struggle with and that’s trimming hair. It does occasionally have a little trouble but the original version was not even useful. If you are a person who require regular trimming of nose or ear hair this should work well.
Included in the kit is a traditional foil razor. I didn’t expect much out of this as I usually don’t have much success with my hair type using foil razors. As suspected, this attachment was near useless for me. Repeated attempts at shaving resulted in an irritate neck more than a trimmed one. I can’t completely fault the trimmer as it seems my hair type is a challenge for all trimmers. However; I can say if you have fine or soft facial hair this trimmer won’t help much.
It is nice for this to include wet or dry functionality. I might use it to trim my beard some day in the shower if I can ever get a mirror that doesn’t fog up. Until then, the main possible use would be bodily trimmer. I would like to use this feature but I just have one issue. It doesn’t seem hygienic to use the same trimmer head for the rest of your body as you would your face so of course I didn’t try to use it to trim body hair. It would be nice if there were a head just for face and another of the same for just the rest of your body.
The kit includes a travel bag. If you travel a lot this will come in handy but I suspect a lot of potential customers such as myself already have a travel shaving bag or maybe several. What we don’t have is a stand for holding the trimmer and the attachments at home. A bag can also be purchased cheaply and will work find but you can’t go out and buy a trimmer stand anywhere. I hope in a future version the bag is changed in favor a stand. The fact that it comes with no stand brings up another issue. If you want to charge it, you don’t have a place to put it except just awkwardly sitting on your counter. If you ever forget to charge it like me since it doesn’t have a neat way to sit on the counter, you will run into another limitation. Although it has a lithium ion battery, which is great for runtime and power, it cannot be run directly off the cord. If you take the trimmer out of the bag and battery is dead or it dies abruptly while trimmer you must wait about 30 minutes for it to be of any use. I was really hoping to see this addressed from the previous generation.
I personally like to keep my trimmer clean. I don’t like hair stuck in all parts when I put it away because inevitably the trimmings end up in my clothes or elsewhere. This is another area where the Phillips trimmer falls short. Most attachments are open inside and allow trimmed hair to fall inside and right into the white grease that lubricates it. No brush is provided in the kit to clean up. Even if you do have a brush, you still have a problem. You can’t effectively clean out the hair without removing the grease. This means your best option is to leave the hairs to collect insides the heads. Overall the design forces you to deal with the mess.
For all the cons, I still like the trimmer as it gets the job done and offers a lot for the price. I only wish that Phillips has made some adjustments that could have made this unit much better.
My Best Buy number: 2528554201
I would recommend this to a friend!
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CraigB's Review Comments
Watch your favorite movies, TV shows and sporting events in crisp 1080p resolution with this Samsung UN65FH6001FXZA HDTV, which features Clear Motion Rate 240 to preserve picture detail during fast-action sequences.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5This is an awesome TV for the cost
By Korom
from Raleigh, NC
First, this is a fantastic monitor. If you have a receiver for your HDMI switching and watch TV with the sound through that receiver then this is the PERFECT TV for you. I use it with my Denon e300 receiver, all my HDMI inputs go into the receiver with one HDMI cable going to the TV. Minimal fuss and muss. The picture quality is truly incredible for a LCD TV, the blacks are very very good, almost as good as my Panasonic Plasma but its understandable that its not that good as LCD cannot show true black like a plasma can. I checked 3 bars for the sound quality but honestly I never used the internal speakers. I gave this 5 stars and would have given it 6 stars if I could have (on a 5 star scale) because the picture quality is just that good.
Bottom line: Fantastic TV for the price.
CraigB
Texas
An LED TV is a type of LCD TV
November 29, 2013
Folks. For those of you telling this reviewer that he is talking about the wrong TV because he calls it an LCD, it is an LCD. LED TV's are still LCD TV's. The difference is the backlight behind the LCD is LED's instead of CCFL(fluorescent). Both still have and LCD screen that you actually look at up front.
+2points
2of 2voted this comment as helpful.
Microsoft Band 2 (Large): Keep track of your health and fitness goals throughout the day by monitoring your heart rate, steps taken, calories burned, sleep quality, hours slept and other helpful metrics. Just pair with your Windows Phone, Apple® iOS or Android device via Bluetooth to receive alerts at a glance.Discover how the technology of Microsoft Band 2 can assist you in a healthy, productive lifestyle. Learn more ›
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5Best fitness tracker for the money
By CraigB
from Texas
When choosing high end fitness bands, my choices went back and forth between the Microsoft Band 2 and the Fitbit Surge. Fitbit has been in the business for fitness wearables for longer but I chose the Band 2 for what I felt was better value for my money. I purchased during a $50 off sale making it even more attractive and $50 less than the Surge. My main phone for this review is a Lumia 1520 with Windows 10 Mobile. I assume others will write reviews of the phone for other platforms and that is where this review starts. This fitness wearable is by far the most compatible. It supports iOS, Android, and Windows Phone/Mobile. Fitbit does as well but support for Windows Mobile is more limited. Comparing it to the Surge, it has more customizability, color screen, and a partially metal build. It feels more premium than the Surge. The metal does have 2 downsides. The first is that the finish used shows scratches extremely easily. See included picture. The second is that sweat and soap cause a foul smell very quickly requiring regular cleaning.
The Band 2 can be worn in two positions. The first is with the screen facing outwards like a watch. I tried this but it felt uncomfortable and viewing the screen was awkward particularly considering the screen doesn’t have a vertical view. This leads me to my preferred position which is with the screen facing inwards. It is much more natural to view and operate. It also feels more comfortable and is in fact the recommended way to wear the device. If there was any concern it is that wearing it inward the screen is always contacting surfaces when you lay your arms down. It uses gorilla glass but it still concerns me that I might scratch the screen. Every fitness wearable wasn’t completely comfortable to wear for one reason or another but this one starts to feel about like a watch after an adjustment period. Before you get the size right you might put it a place that binds you wrist or hits a nerve. I also learned it can get the heart rate just fine without tightening it down so far you hit nerves. Just like a watch it will take some fiddling to find your perfect tightness. Fortunately, the latching mechanism feels strong and has more adjustments than a tradition watch as well giving you more flexibility. Just make sure you use the sizing guide on the size of the box to choose the correct size. It shows wrists sizes with the wrist sideways.
Now the big question is how it works for tracking vitals. I haven’t worked with VO2 Max so I can’t comment on that but after getting the fit correct, the heart rate seems pretty close. Checking manual it was usually within about 10BPM or less from actual. Tracking steps seems a little different. It is difficult to verify but it seems to be a little high on the number of steps sometimes compared to my old hip worn pedometer. It just seems like I can reach 5,000 steps fairly easily. I am not a runner so I have not tested the GPS but I have read that some units have come from the factory with a bad GPS. What’s really nice is with all the vitals it gathers, more than just heart rate, it should be a fairly accurate color estimate. It has guided workouts you can add but I used the generic color tracking and added my own workout types to track. You can add things like HIT and weight training for your own purposes but it uses all the sensors to estimate the color burn instead of estimating based on the workout type. I feel this is more accurate but cannot verify. When you start workout mode, by default the screen stays on showing your workout time and heart rate. I suspect it is not as accurate as a chest band but it seems pretty good. After your workout is done you can see the entire workout on your phone or the website with your heart rate the entire time and your max marked. If there was any gripe it would be that you can’t have it vibrate when you hit your target or max heart rate. That would have been a great feature but, who knows. Maybe they will add it in the future. You can even use the website to compare your vitals to others in your height, weight, and age category. It’s all anonymous and very informative.
When not working out it still tracks your heart rate all the time but the other useful time to check is when you are sleeping. It can detect your sleep but if it gets it wrong you can only delete the time, not edit. You are better off starting your sleep tracking yourself. While sleeping, it will monitor you and in when you wake up you can see what your resting heart rate was overnight to get an even better picture of your health. It also has a smart alarm you can activate. If you want to wake up at a set time, just set the alarm and it will vibrate to wake you up. What I really like is if you activate the smart alarm and set it for 7:30am it will wake you up somewhere between 7:00am and 8:00am when you are most awake. That means you don’t wake up to an alarm feeling like you haven’t rested. You can even set the strength of the vibration.
Since this is a little bit of a smart watch you can add some apps. Since the phone doesn’t have any memory though, expect to only have them work when around your phone. It can control music on your phone and even use voice recognition with Cortana. I am running a prerelease build of the phone software so on occasion the connection dropped but it wasn’t hard to get back. I have found the notifications actually quite nice. I can leave the phone in one place in the house and still get notifications and respond to basic texts. I can also connect my phone to the stereo and change tracks and turn the volume up or down. It’s a standard feature for a smart watch but this is a fitness wearable and much cheaper than a smart watch. There are even some extra apps you can add and some third part utilizes to customize it further but if you want a smart watch more you might want to go that route. If you want a smart fitness tracker, this thing is hard to beat.
Pros
Solid (premium) build quality. It often gets looks and people asking what it is
Tracks more vitals than any other fitness wearable
Comfortable after figuring out your preferred fitment
Bright, sharp screen with auto brightness
Smart Alarm
Customizable workouts
Workout coaches
Customizable with smart watch type features
Solid latching mechanism
Good battery life for its functionality (2 days with no GPS and auto on screen)
Fast charge time (30 minutes to 80%)
Gorilla glass screen
Works on iOS, Android, Windows Mobile, and Web. The web is the most feature rich
Integrates with Health Vault
Constant heart rate
Portal to compare health
Rich sleep stats including restful sleep, times awake, resting heartrate, and recovery
Solid (premium) build quality. It often gets looks and people asking what it is
Tracks more vitals than any other fitness wearable
Comfortable after figuring out your preferred fitment
Bright, sharp screen with auto brightness
Smart Alarm
Customizable workouts
Workout coaches
Customizable with smart watch type features
Solid latching mechanism
Good battery life for its functionality (2 days with no GPS and auto on screen)
Fast charge time (30 minutes to 80%)
Gorilla glass screen
Works on iOS, Android, Windows Mobile, and Web. The web is the most feature rich
Integrates with Health Vault
Constant heart rate
Portal to compare health
Rich sleep stats including restful sleep, times awake, resting heartrate, and recovery
Cons
Cannot change band because electronics are built in
Metal area is a trap for sweat and soap requiring regular cleaning to prevent odor
Cannot change screen orientation
Awkward wearing screen outward
Metal finish is easy to scratch
No build in memory to bring music and store GPS while leaving phone behind for a time
Water resistant instead of waterproof
Possible to scratch screen with it facing downward
Sync is a bit slow
Cannot change band because electronics are built in
Metal area is a trap for sweat and soap requiring regular cleaning to prevent odor
Cannot change screen orientation
Awkward wearing screen outward
Metal finish is easy to scratch
No build in memory to bring music and store GPS while leaving phone behind for a time
Water resistant instead of waterproof
Possible to scratch screen with it facing downward
Sync is a bit slow
CraigB
Texas
Additional Findings
January 9, 2016
I just wanted to add an extra observations to my original review.
For those of you who want to view the display outside in sunlight, it doesn't seem to get that bright. For me that is not a big deal because outside exercises are typically the type where I don't use real time tracking but if you are the type who needs to read the display in direct sunlight, you might find it difficult. I will be checking further and report back if I find anything because indoors it is so bright that I wonder if I have done something wrong in the setup. Even with this finding I still feel it is the best for the money.
Also, if you happen to swap between phones or get a new phone you will have to factor reset the band. I periodically switch phones and discovered this. The system is designed to easily replace your band while using the same phone but if you move the band to any phone, even one that was restored from a backup of your original you will have to factory reset the band and set it back up. Not a huge deal because little is actually stored on the phone.
One other huge bonus for Windows Phone/Mobile users. If for some reason you either forget or choose not to wear your band and have a Lumia that is capable you can use it to augment your Band. Sometimes for different reasons I don't want to wear my band and only need to track steps. If I just keep my Lumia 950 in my pocket, it will track my steps and add them to what the band couldn't track. That particular feature is one I really love. The only caveat to that is while it updates the steps on the app and portal, the extra steps from your phone don't get transferred back to your band. This means if you took 2,000 steps with your band and phone and an additional 5,000 with only your Lumia the app will report 7,000 steps total which is correct but your band will continue to report 2,000 steps. Minor quibble though for a great additional feature for Windows Phone fans.
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ecobee ecobee3 Programmable Touch-Screen Wi-Fi Thermostat: Maintain a comfortable home with this programmable thermostat, which is Apple® HomeKit-enabled, so you can control the temperature remotely using your compatible device. Home IQ helps you conserve energy.
Overall
1 out of 5
1 out of 5cant set custom temps..sensors are glitchy
By annaj
i was trying to get this thermostat to set 4 or 5 different temps automaticly per day. an ecobee tech couldnt help me get this done on my web portal account . the sensors dont read the occupancy after being in the room for hours like being in a bedroom all night when u wake up the sensor will read unoccupied or sitting in the living room all day the same thing will happen after a few hours. a regular programable thermostat would have been a better choice.
CraigB
Texas
Did you try IFTTT
February 7, 2016
I was just wondering if you have looked into IFTTT to set those custom automatic temps. I haven't tried your exact scenario but the Ecobee3 can be connected to an IFTTT account to extend it's functionality.
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Your household wants to play, stream and work online all at once. With this Linksys router, you can do it all without buffering or other interruptions. Use the Smart Wi-Fi app to get started, control, and monitor your home network from anywhere.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5Solid router with good range and speed
By CraigB
from Texas
I am posting this review after about a week of use. If I find anything more significant after posting I will add it as a reply to my original post. Be sure to check there for additions.
I needed to upgrade my WiFi because the internet service in my area was about to be upgraded to exceed the capacity of my current wireless N solution. This router seems as if it was marketed towards moderate power users as well as people with less technical skills who need an upgrade. Packaging is minimal the same as most routers today. It comes with a CD for documentation but it is not used for setup. This is a good thing because as an AC router most people upgrading to this would have newer devices, few of which have an optical drive.
I needed to upgrade my WiFi because the internet service in my area was about to be upgraded to exceed the capacity of my current wireless N solution. This router seems as if it was marketed towards moderate power users as well as people with less technical skills who need an upgrade. Packaging is minimal the same as most routers today. It comes with a CD for documentation but it is not used for setup. This is a good thing because as an AC router most people upgrading to this would have newer devices, few of which have an optical drive.
For the non-technical
This is not very hard to set up. You plug power into the only spot it fits. There are three antennas that screw into very noticeable spots on the back. And the internet plug is clearly labeled. The instructions tell you what to do in a few steps to get the device to take care of the rest. It also has the wireless already set up if you are afraid to do it and even comes with a sticker with the information so you will know what the password is to get on the WiFi. It already has a guest WiFi too but there is a separate login so someone can’t just borrow your internet without you giving them the password. If you feel more comfortable there are apps for iPhones and Android phones to control the device. Speed and range are very good but if you can it is always recommended to install it as close to the center of your house and avoid metal. The router can pretty much take care of itself after that and it shouldn’t require any further work.
This is not very hard to set up. You plug power into the only spot it fits. There are three antennas that screw into very noticeable spots on the back. And the internet plug is clearly labeled. The instructions tell you what to do in a few steps to get the device to take care of the rest. It also has the wireless already set up if you are afraid to do it and even comes with a sticker with the information so you will know what the password is to get on the WiFi. It already has a guest WiFi too but there is a separate login so someone can’t just borrow your internet without you giving them the password. If you feel more comfortable there are apps for iPhones and Android phones to control the device. Speed and range are very good but if you can it is always recommended to install it as close to the center of your house and avoid metal. The router can pretty much take care of itself after that and it shouldn’t require any further work.
For the technical people
If you are looking for a device with tons of granular settings, this might not be the device. Of course the power users I am referring to would probably be better suited sticking with the WRT series. I doubt this device will ever see an aftermarket firmware. It attempts to have a clean interface but that means it will feel slower than a power user router for some settings changes as transitions and animations run their course. Setting changes that require a reboot happen nearly as fast as the fastest routers out there. Although the stock firmware attempts to look fancy and simple it still has a decent amount of settings for all but the most extreme power users. The antennas use a standard connection so if you wanted to upgrade to larger ones later that is possible. Hardwired speed has been very good. I’m just a casual gamer but this hasn’t slowed me down at all and I cannot tell the different hardwired from my old gaming router. Wireless speed is actually very good as well although I was never able to achieve the 1300Mbps link speed advertised even right next to the unit. I maxed out at 900Mbps and it is possible that is related to my AC devices. My old router would drop down to the 39Mpbs on the opposite side of my house whereas this one can maintain at least 177Mpbs and often more.
If you are looking for a device with tons of granular settings, this might not be the device. Of course the power users I am referring to would probably be better suited sticking with the WRT series. I doubt this device will ever see an aftermarket firmware. It attempts to have a clean interface but that means it will feel slower than a power user router for some settings changes as transitions and animations run their course. Setting changes that require a reboot happen nearly as fast as the fastest routers out there. Although the stock firmware attempts to look fancy and simple it still has a decent amount of settings for all but the most extreme power users. The antennas use a standard connection so if you wanted to upgrade to larger ones later that is possible. Hardwired speed has been very good. I’m just a casual gamer but this hasn’t slowed me down at all and I cannot tell the different hardwired from my old gaming router. Wireless speed is actually very good as well although I was never able to achieve the 1300Mbps link speed advertised even right next to the unit. I maxed out at 900Mbps and it is possible that is related to my AC devices. My old router would drop down to the 39Mpbs on the opposite side of my house whereas this one can maintain at least 177Mpbs and often more.
So far during my ownership the stability of this device has reminded me of the old Linksys routers how even the cheap ones never locked up. I’m hoping it stays this way. If you want to change settings, you can do so the standard way most technical people do via the IP address or it has a built in URL. Thankfully it doesn’t require some odd application for initial setup. Unlike standard routers, this one is cloud connected when you choose so meaning remote access is passed via the cloud. It does support some dynamic DNS options but they seem more to push you towards connection via their cloud. Fortunately, this is optional except if you want to take advantage of the built in USB ports and access files remotely. I don’t have a spare drive to test right now so unfortunately I could not test the NAS performance. It does have a very basic QoS which allows you to set up to 3 services or devices as high priority but that’s pretty much it. It has some newer options but then oddly has more old services, such as Real Player and Rhapsody.
Pros
Large, replaceable antennas
Great Range
Reliable
Gigabit Ports
Fast Processor
Status lights can be turned off
Decent amount of features for all but the heavy power users
Doesn’t require a special application for setup or CD
Has USB ports for attaching a hard drive
Offers automatic firmware upgrades to keep security up. Good for keeping non power users safe (Can be turned off)
Documentation is thorough if you need help. You just click help on the top bar
Major changes that require a restart are almost unnoticeable to users as it restarts fast
Has WiFi secured by default and requires a password to be configured during setup. This is good if you are buying one for family and just want it secure without needing to help them. It even has a handy sticker with device specific WiFi passwords so someone can’t just look up a default WiFi password for the unit and borrow internet.
Large, replaceable antennas
Great Range
Reliable
Gigabit Ports
Fast Processor
Status lights can be turned off
Decent amount of features for all but the heavy power users
Doesn’t require a special application for setup or CD
Has USB ports for attaching a hard drive
Offers automatic firmware upgrades to keep security up. Good for keeping non power users safe (Can be turned off)
Documentation is thorough if you need help. You just click help on the top bar
Major changes that require a restart are almost unnoticeable to users as it restarts fast
Has WiFi secured by default and requires a password to be configured during setup. This is good if you are buying one for family and just want it secure without needing to help them. It even has a handy sticker with device specific WiFi passwords so someone can’t just look up a default WiFi password for the unit and borrow internet.
Cons
Interface tries too hard to be attractive slowing it down with animations
Only supports 2 Dynamic DNS providers.
QoS settings seem to cater to power users but offer little customization
QoS rule changes require moving service or devices boxes around and the interface jumps quickly between sections. This often causes you to accidentally move something you didn’t intend to.
Included “Apps” are of limited usefulness and only work on iOS and Android which leaves out anything Windows (No Windows 10 Universal Apps) and no Mac. No configuring your router with touch, like via a Surface, using a Windows App.
Interface tries too hard to be attractive slowing it down with animations
Only supports 2 Dynamic DNS providers.
QoS settings seem to cater to power users but offer little customization
QoS rule changes require moving service or devices boxes around and the interface jumps quickly between sections. This often causes you to accidentally move something you didn’t intend to.
Included “Apps” are of limited usefulness and only work on iOS and Android which leaves out anything Windows (No Windows 10 Universal Apps) and no Mac. No configuring your router with touch, like via a Surface, using a Windows App.
Final Notes
Higher end units near this price point I have owned have had large aluminum heatsinks to dissipate heat. This one has one very small heatsink. I suspect heat stress will be higher on this unit and might be why this case has such a large open cavity you can easily see straight through the vent holes. I suspect longevity will be lower but only time will tell. So the unit has not felt very warm so fingers crossed.
Higher end units near this price point I have owned have had large aluminum heatsinks to dissipate heat. This one has one very small heatsink. I suspect heat stress will be higher on this unit and might be why this case has such a large open cavity you can easily see straight through the vent holes. I suspect longevity will be lower but only time will tell. So the unit has not felt very warm so fingers crossed.
CraigB
Texas
Longer term observations
February 22, 2016
Adding to my original review I have found some new observations to add to this router. I switched to using it as an access point, which takes a little digging, and found out that once you do so you lose a lot of features that should still work but are removed. For example, as an access point you get no guest networks. You can only have 1 2.5GHz WiFi and 1 5GHz. All features such as WMM and QoS are completely gone. Remote administration is turned off. I have also experienced an odd condition where my Xbox One cannot connect using the exact same key as my old router that my Xbox was connected to. I have also experienced 1 lockup where the unit just completely stopped responding and had to be power cycled. Over all it's still a good router but it feels like it could use a little more firmware refinement.
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Microsoft Band 2 (Large): Keep track of your health and fitness goals throughout the day by monitoring your heart rate, steps taken, calories burned, sleep quality, hours slept and other helpful metrics. Just pair with your Windows Phone, Apple® iOS or Android device via Bluetooth to receive alerts at a glance.Discover how the technology of Microsoft Band 2 can assist you in a healthy, productive lifestyle. Learn more ›
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5Best fitness tracker for the money
By CraigB
from Texas
When choosing high end fitness bands, my choices went back and forth between the Microsoft Band 2 and the Fitbit Surge. Fitbit has been in the business for fitness wearables for longer but I chose the Band 2 for what I felt was better value for my money. I purchased during a $50 off sale making it even more attractive and $50 less than the Surge. My main phone for this review is a Lumia 1520 with Windows 10 Mobile. I assume others will write reviews of the phone for other platforms and that is where this review starts. This fitness wearable is by far the most compatible. It supports iOS, Android, and Windows Phone/Mobile. Fitbit does as well but support for Windows Mobile is more limited. Comparing it to the Surge, it has more customizability, color screen, and a partially metal build. It feels more premium than the Surge. The metal does have 2 downsides. The first is that the finish used shows scratches extremely easily. See included picture. The second is that sweat and soap cause a foul smell very quickly requiring regular cleaning.
The Band 2 can be worn in two positions. The first is with the screen facing outwards like a watch. I tried this but it felt uncomfortable and viewing the screen was awkward particularly considering the screen doesn’t have a vertical view. This leads me to my preferred position which is with the screen facing inwards. It is much more natural to view and operate. It also feels more comfortable and is in fact the recommended way to wear the device. If there was any concern it is that wearing it inward the screen is always contacting surfaces when you lay your arms down. It uses gorilla glass but it still concerns me that I might scratch the screen. Every fitness wearable wasn’t completely comfortable to wear for one reason or another but this one starts to feel about like a watch after an adjustment period. Before you get the size right you might put it a place that binds you wrist or hits a nerve. I also learned it can get the heart rate just fine without tightening it down so far you hit nerves. Just like a watch it will take some fiddling to find your perfect tightness. Fortunately, the latching mechanism feels strong and has more adjustments than a tradition watch as well giving you more flexibility. Just make sure you use the sizing guide on the size of the box to choose the correct size. It shows wrists sizes with the wrist sideways.
Now the big question is how it works for tracking vitals. I haven’t worked with VO2 Max so I can’t comment on that but after getting the fit correct, the heart rate seems pretty close. Checking manual it was usually within about 10BPM or less from actual. Tracking steps seems a little different. It is difficult to verify but it seems to be a little high on the number of steps sometimes compared to my old hip worn pedometer. It just seems like I can reach 5,000 steps fairly easily. I am not a runner so I have not tested the GPS but I have read that some units have come from the factory with a bad GPS. What’s really nice is with all the vitals it gathers, more than just heart rate, it should be a fairly accurate color estimate. It has guided workouts you can add but I used the generic color tracking and added my own workout types to track. You can add things like HIT and weight training for your own purposes but it uses all the sensors to estimate the color burn instead of estimating based on the workout type. I feel this is more accurate but cannot verify. When you start workout mode, by default the screen stays on showing your workout time and heart rate. I suspect it is not as accurate as a chest band but it seems pretty good. After your workout is done you can see the entire workout on your phone or the website with your heart rate the entire time and your max marked. If there was any gripe it would be that you can’t have it vibrate when you hit your target or max heart rate. That would have been a great feature but, who knows. Maybe they will add it in the future. You can even use the website to compare your vitals to others in your height, weight, and age category. It’s all anonymous and very informative.
When not working out it still tracks your heart rate all the time but the other useful time to check is when you are sleeping. It can detect your sleep but if it gets it wrong you can only delete the time, not edit. You are better off starting your sleep tracking yourself. While sleeping, it will monitor you and in when you wake up you can see what your resting heart rate was overnight to get an even better picture of your health. It also has a smart alarm you can activate. If you want to wake up at a set time, just set the alarm and it will vibrate to wake you up. What I really like is if you activate the smart alarm and set it for 7:30am it will wake you up somewhere between 7:00am and 8:00am when you are most awake. That means you don’t wake up to an alarm feeling like you haven’t rested. You can even set the strength of the vibration.
Since this is a little bit of a smart watch you can add some apps. Since the phone doesn’t have any memory though, expect to only have them work when around your phone. It can control music on your phone and even use voice recognition with Cortana. I am running a prerelease build of the phone software so on occasion the connection dropped but it wasn’t hard to get back. I have found the notifications actually quite nice. I can leave the phone in one place in the house and still get notifications and respond to basic texts. I can also connect my phone to the stereo and change tracks and turn the volume up or down. It’s a standard feature for a smart watch but this is a fitness wearable and much cheaper than a smart watch. There are even some extra apps you can add and some third part utilizes to customize it further but if you want a smart watch more you might want to go that route. If you want a smart fitness tracker, this thing is hard to beat.
Pros
Solid (premium) build quality. It often gets looks and people asking what it is
Tracks more vitals than any other fitness wearable
Comfortable after figuring out your preferred fitment
Bright, sharp screen with auto brightness
Smart Alarm
Customizable workouts
Workout coaches
Customizable with smart watch type features
Solid latching mechanism
Good battery life for its functionality (2 days with no GPS and auto on screen)
Fast charge time (30 minutes to 80%)
Gorilla glass screen
Works on iOS, Android, Windows Mobile, and Web. The web is the most feature rich
Integrates with Health Vault
Constant heart rate
Portal to compare health
Rich sleep stats including restful sleep, times awake, resting heartrate, and recovery
Solid (premium) build quality. It often gets looks and people asking what it is
Tracks more vitals than any other fitness wearable
Comfortable after figuring out your preferred fitment
Bright, sharp screen with auto brightness
Smart Alarm
Customizable workouts
Workout coaches
Customizable with smart watch type features
Solid latching mechanism
Good battery life for its functionality (2 days with no GPS and auto on screen)
Fast charge time (30 minutes to 80%)
Gorilla glass screen
Works on iOS, Android, Windows Mobile, and Web. The web is the most feature rich
Integrates with Health Vault
Constant heart rate
Portal to compare health
Rich sleep stats including restful sleep, times awake, resting heartrate, and recovery
Cons
Cannot change band because electronics are built in
Metal area is a trap for sweat and soap requiring regular cleaning to prevent odor
Cannot change screen orientation
Awkward wearing screen outward
Metal finish is easy to scratch
No build in memory to bring music and store GPS while leaving phone behind for a time
Water resistant instead of waterproof
Possible to scratch screen with it facing downward
Sync is a bit slow
Cannot change band because electronics are built in
Metal area is a trap for sweat and soap requiring regular cleaning to prevent odor
Cannot change screen orientation
Awkward wearing screen outward
Metal finish is easy to scratch
No build in memory to bring music and store GPS while leaving phone behind for a time
Water resistant instead of waterproof
Possible to scratch screen with it facing downward
Sync is a bit slow
CraigB
Texas
Band split after serveral months
May 23, 2016
As others who have discovered after owning the Band 2 for a while, the band itself tends to split. Even if you are gentle the rubberized material just doesn't seem to hold up. The good news in my case is I leave reasonably close to a Microsoft Store. I brought it to them and as always they took great care of me. The assistant store manager was the one who assisted me and he said that Microsoft is aware of the problem and is already working to fix the issue. I had the same problem with the first generation Type Cover for the Surface. Back then they took care of me and ultimately Microsoft corrected the issue. It's unfortunate this kind of thing gets through but at least it doesn't seem to be a hassle to get it resolved.
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Enjoy powerful performance with this compact HP Pavilion Wave computer. The Intel i3 processor provides fast data handling, while the 1TB hard drive lets you store plenty of files. This HP Pavilion Wave computer has 8GB of RAM to run the latest applications and four USB ports for connecting multiple accessories.
Overall3 out of 5
3 out of 5Still can't get the speaker/microphone to work.
By Murphdad013
from New York , ny
The HP help line is terrible and Best Buy was no help at all. In fact I spoke directly ....finally...with someone at HP who said that my Paviliion Wave needed an external microphone headset for montonaccess Cortona. WRONG!!!!
CraigB
Texas
It has a built in microphone
January 16, 2017
I own this unit and it has a built in microphone. I use it for Cortana regularly. Sounds like the support person got it wrong.
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Arlo Pro takes the worrying out of life with the 100% Wire-Free indoor/outdoor home monitoring system. Arlo Pro includes rechargeable batteries, motion and sound-activated alerts, 2-way audio, a 100+ decibel siren, and 7 days of free cloud HD video recordings. Arlo covers every angle to help keep you safe and protected.
Overall4 out of 5
4 out of 5Good system with lots of potential
By CraigB
from Texas
Pros
Extremely Quick setup (A 2 camera system takes roughly 30 minutes)
Very easy set up. It comes with basic instructions but the app nicely walks you through each step
No need to run wires
Compact
Discreet cameras easily blend in with lighter color homes
Good daytime video quality for the price
Includes microphone and speaker
Flexible mounting options. Included option is easy but other fixed mounts can be used
Large rechargeable batteries
Motion trigger is supposed to get an update to determine if the motion is by a person
All devices get regular security updates. Even the cameras get updated wirelessly. Nice considering cameras are a new target for hackers.
Inanimate objects don’t seem to cause false motion triggers
Standard external hard drive can be used for local storage
Basic plan included for free
Easily expandable
Extremely Quick setup (A 2 camera system takes roughly 30 minutes)
Very easy set up. It comes with basic instructions but the app nicely walks you through each step
No need to run wires
Compact
Discreet cameras easily blend in with lighter color homes
Good daytime video quality for the price
Includes microphone and speaker
Flexible mounting options. Included option is easy but other fixed mounts can be used
Large rechargeable batteries
Motion trigger is supposed to get an update to determine if the motion is by a person
All devices get regular security updates. Even the cameras get updated wirelessly. Nice considering cameras are a new target for hackers.
Inanimate objects don’t seem to cause false motion triggers
Standard external hard drive can be used for local storage
Basic plan included for free
Easily expandable
Cons
Support for Windows is poor for the new touchscreen devices.
No Windows app for Windows 8 and 10 devices of any size.
Video quality, mainly night time, is probably not good enough for legal purposes.
Night video quality makes recognition near impossible past approximately 10 feet
Easy to steal or move regardless of mounting
Camera speaker is not very loud
Provided screws use too fine of a thread and the metal head strips out easy
All videos are public if someone can intercept your emails on the way to your inbox. (Email delivery by design is not encrypted so if someone intercepts your emails on the way they can see any of your videos with audio)
Recording time is fixed so even if motion or sound is still occurring you can miss recording
Web interface has some bugs such as freezing on zoom, Live play button disappears, and touch doesn’t work.
Sound recording doesn’t occur until a few seconds after video recording
At least one camera exhibited a noticeable “ticking clock” sound when recording audio
Connecting them hardwired defeats the weatherproofing
Instructions do not give tutorial about advanced features but rather let you discover them
No organizer for hard drive recordings
Dependent on good upload internet speeds. The more cameras you have, the faster the upload speed you need. This can be a limiting factor for some.
Long lag time to start live viewing even with very fast connection
Support for Windows is poor for the new touchscreen devices.
No Windows app for Windows 8 and 10 devices of any size.
Video quality, mainly night time, is probably not good enough for legal purposes.
Night video quality makes recognition near impossible past approximately 10 feet
Easy to steal or move regardless of mounting
Camera speaker is not very loud
Provided screws use too fine of a thread and the metal head strips out easy
All videos are public if someone can intercept your emails on the way to your inbox. (Email delivery by design is not encrypted so if someone intercepts your emails on the way they can see any of your videos with audio)
Recording time is fixed so even if motion or sound is still occurring you can miss recording
Web interface has some bugs such as freezing on zoom, Live play button disappears, and touch doesn’t work.
Sound recording doesn’t occur until a few seconds after video recording
At least one camera exhibited a noticeable “ticking clock” sound when recording audio
Connecting them hardwired defeats the weatherproofing
Instructions do not give tutorial about advanced features but rather let you discover them
No organizer for hard drive recordings
Dependent on good upload internet speeds. The more cameras you have, the faster the upload speed you need. This can be a limiting factor for some.
Long lag time to start live viewing even with very fast connection
Setup was very easy, particularly for a security camera system. The entire process is achieved by following the steps one by one as the app tells you. Install the app, set up your Arlo account, plug in the base unit to power and internet, sync the cameras, hang the cameras, and you’re done. A two camera system only took approximately 30 minutes. The kit includes metal bases, screws, and wall anchors but the screws are small and easy to strip. The metal bases work with a strong magnet included inside the camera. Although convenient, the metal bases allow someone to easily steal or move these expensive cameras so placement is important. Netgear offers screw in mounts for a more rigid and secure mounting. The entire hardware and software process has had a lot of thought put into making it easy. There are no complicated router changes needed to be made at all or complicated programming. Oddly some features, like changing the recording quality, must be done on a regular computer for which there is no app.
There is one strange feature omission from Netgear. This system has a Pro designation and yet support for regular, more modern computers, is limited. Businesses by and large use Windows computers and the most popular type of Windows computers selling today are Windows 2-in-1 convertibles with touchscreens this trend is forecasted to increase and yet this system is barely even useable by any touchscreen Windows device. This is also odd because what better way to check out a security video than on a large screen. You are forced to use a browser to view videos which the experience varies based on browser. Simple things like moving a slider don’t work because the website doesn’t work with touch. Browser administration has other bugs, such as the Live Video button disappearing. If this was an app you wouldn’t have to worry about how the end user’s choice of browser affects the experience. Not having a Universal Windows app is a missed opportunity. I have seen a large increase in clients that are buying Windows 2-in-1 systems instead of desktops or Android/iOS tablets for their primary system. A Windows Universal app they could support such systems, or any other form factor of Windows for that matter. Imagine if the app was on Xbox One in your living room and you want to check on things outside. Just say “Hey Cortana, open Arlo” and you could see your video feed or videos quickly and easily from the convenience of your couch on a big screen. That would be great. If you have smaller Windows devices, the website is unusable. It tries to get you to use an app that doesn’t exist. Oddly enough if you have a link to a shared video the same website will serve you the video in a mobile optimized format. Smaller Windows devices and Windows Mobile devices are left unsupported. Future updates and app releases could easily alleviate this but for now Windows support is poor.
The base unit comes with a Sync/Siren button, network port, and two USB ports for storage. The siren is loud and sounds like newer smoke alarms. It can be trigger locally, by the app, or via configurable rules such as motion or audio sensing. You can switch the base unit to modes for recording for motion and/or audio, no recording, or armed or disarmed based using Geofencing. You can also define your own custom modes allowing specific cameras and audio for each to be on or off. Due to battery restrictions, there is no continuous recording. Recording time from motion is a default of 5 seconds regardless of if the motion continues. Cameras include built in IR for night vision, motion sensor, microphone, and speaker and are weatherproof assuming the charging plug cover is on. One large difference with the Pro version is the inclusion of large rechargeable batteries which should last quite a long time between charging. When video is recorded, it is uploaded via your internet connection to your account meaning a good upload internet speed is important. Videos are stored in a calendar format and can be viewed, shared, or deleted from the interface.
Overall performance when factoring in the price for features was good. Shuddering and lag was minimal with surprisingly good wireless range. Remote viewing of live video is reasonably quick although it still took several seconds and is highly dependent on your internet upload speed. Audio took about 2 seconds to start every time after a motion trigger recording or manual live viewing and had a slightly audible tick-tock sound. The built-in speaker is barely audible at max volume. As with all security systems, there is a loss of some detail to do recording compression. Daytime recordings show signs of video compression but subjects are still reasonably recognizable at approximately 25 feet. Nighttime viewing brings recognition down to approximately 10-15 feet before subjects hard to recognize. Although not official, friends in law enforcement said it is not good for legal purposes as they must have a definitive, recognizable face to use the video. Motion detection was generally good but people moving fast could often elude the recording. Due to the fixed recording time, the system could also miss recording an event if it ran past the configured time.
A big concern is the video sharing feature. Arlo by default emails you anytime it records. It conveniently sends you a screenshot of what it recorded. However; the email sends a direct link to the video that can be viewed without logging in. This would be even more concerning if you had cameras in your house. By definition, is sent unsecured between providers. Although the industry is trying to improve that, you should always assume your emails have no encryption when sent to you. This means that it is possible and relatively easy for criminals to eavesdrop and see your videos with audio without ever knowing your account info. The good thing is that is easy to remedy turning off the feature that emails you when it records a video. That way the link to the video won’t be sent out on the web unsecured and your videos are still stored in the cloud without being shared openly. Hopefully, Netgear will remedy this in the future.
Overall, it is a nice system for the price point when compared to the competition. Compared to legacy DVR and NVR security camera systems this makes the whole process a lot more accessible for the average consumer. As long as you keep your expectations in line it is a nice system. All security camera systems, particularly ones costing less than $2,500 have limitations.
Overall, it is a nice system for the price point when compared to the competition. Compared to legacy DVR and NVR security camera systems this makes the whole process a lot more accessible for the average consumer. As long as you keep your expectations in line it is a nice system. All security camera systems, particularly ones costing less than $2,500 have limitations.
A standout feature, even comparing to high end systems, is this system will automatically get updates for security. Anyone who watched the news in late 2016 saw that the biggest hack was perpetrated using devices, such as camera systems, that weren’t updated. That is something still lacking in the “professional” security camera world. You also won’t have to hire someone to come pull wiring through your house or small business. Cameras can be placed wherever you can mount a base. If for some reason, such as poor signal, the place doesn’t work they are easy to move. It not be a real high definition security camera system but it also costs nowhere near as much. Just be sure you can accept the Cons before buying. The overall system is well thought out and with continued improvement of the listed cons this could be the best system for nearly any price.
CraigB
Texas
New developments after extended use
January 31, 2017
I have discovered some new elements to the system with more use.
The first is that I did find a way to adjust video quality via the app and not just the website. It turns out the way it is displayed is as one of 3 choices instead of a slider.
Next is that the cameras only work with Netgear's proprietary charger. Even though it uses USB both the manual an other say it only works with the Netgear one.
Finally I discovered that the motion detection does sometimes act strange. I purchase one additional camera and for some reason no matter the sensitivity of the motion it records a motion even every 30 seconds at night. I have observed that it seems to happen more if my neighbor has a light on but even that is not consistent.
+4points
4of 4voted this comment as helpful.
CraigB's Questions
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Can photoshop Elements 2022 edit both video and photos? Thanks,
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eufy eufyCam 2, 2-Camera Surveillance System: See everything that happens around your home in 1080p HD with this eufy eufyCam 2 kit. Quick and easy to set up, two wireless cameras and a home base provide all that you need to get started, while smart integration ensures you can easily connect to other smart devices. This eufy eufyCam 2 kit provides 365 days of use from a single charge for continuous observation.
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Hi, I bought this laptop. I don't know how to activate windows 10 included. Thanks
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