BobinVA's stats
- Review count151
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- First reviewDecember 19, 2014
- Last reviewNovember 6, 2025
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- Average rating4.1
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- Answer count28
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- First answerAugust 12, 2016
- Last answerJanuary 22, 2022
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Stay active with this Suunto Spartan Trainer watch. It has 24/7 activity tracking with a heart rate monitor to keep track of goals and target zones, and its sport-specific training modes help you get the most from your workout. The integrated GPS on this Suunto Spartan Trainer watch lets you trace your steps.
Customer Rating
4
Great watch at a competitive price!
on February 25, 2018
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
Although my trusty Garmin 305 is still working, I began thinking it might be time for an upgrade when a friend asked if that was a tablet strapped to my wrist! OK, so maybe it’s not that big, but there are smaller options available today.
One such option is the Suunto Spartan Trainer Wrist HR. In a much more reasonably sized package, I get all of the functionality of my previous sports watch and more.
Right out of the box, the Spartan is charged and ready to go. What I thought was a very thorough user’s manual turned out to be about 5 pages of instructions repeated over and over in just about any language you can think of. No problem, I’ll find instructions on the web.
The first thing I did was to download the Suunto Movescount software and check for a firmware update for my watch. This is a simple process and it goes quickly. Anxious to try out the watch, I disconnected and decided to give it a try. The watch comes pre-loaded with a number of “sport modes” that are already configured with the metrics that are most important for a particular exercise. For example, my main sport is running, so the basic setup for the running sport mode includes pace, heart rate, distance, duration, and more. There are 4 different screens for each exercise. The first question I had was “how do I configure these screens to display what I want to display in the order that I want to see them?”. On my Garmin, I was able to configure those screens right on the watch, but the Suunto doesn’t allow that. Instead, you have to go to the movescount web site. This is where you can change the settings on the watch, and then you synch those settings to the watch using the Suunto Link app. Once I learned that, I set up a custom sport mode with the metrics I wanted to see, in the layout that I prefer. I also deleted the sport modes that I wouldn’t be using.
Using the Spartan is a breeze. One thing I really appreciate about the newer watches is that they don’t make you wait while they acquire a satellite signal for the GPS. You can simply choose your exercise, press start, and take off. As you complete each mile, the watch vibrates to let you know. It also has a heart rate monitor built in, which uses light to measure the heart rate right on your wrist. It’s not as accurate as using a separate chest strap, but it’s a whole lot more convenient. I did some running wearing both my old and new watches to compare them. The Suunto seemed to consistently track my runs as being longer distances than the Garmin, but I think that may change over time. Each time I synch the Suunto, it tells me it is optimizing the GPS, so I expect that to get better over time. Even so, it’s not a drastic difference, and who’s to say that the Garmin is right?
The Spartan is thicker than a standard watch, but not largely so, and that means you can wear the watch all day long, not just when you’re exercising. It has the features of a fitness tracker, so it keeps track of your steps, stairs climbed, heart rate, etc. all throughout the day. You can even use it to track your sleep patterns, but I did not do that, since I can’t stand having something on my wrist while I’m sleeping. Maybe one of these days I’ll give it a try. It features several watch faces from which you can choose, but none of them are anything to write home about, and I didn’t see any way to import watch faces from other sources.
The Spartan is thicker than a standard watch, but not largely so, and that means you can wear the watch all day long, not just when you’re exercising. It has the features of a fitness tracker, so it keeps track of your steps, stairs climbed, heart rate, etc. all throughout the day. You can even use it to track your sleep patterns, but I did not do that, since I can’t stand having something on my wrist while I’m sleeping. Maybe one of these days I’ll give it a try. It features several watch faces from which you can choose, but none of them are anything to write home about, and I didn’t see any way to import watch faces from other sources.
While the Spartan is not a “smart watch”, it does connect to your phone via Bluetooth, and you can receive notifications from your phone for things like texts and news headlines. Although you can’t interact with the notifications from the watch, it’s actually a nice feature to have. I’ve never been able to see the value of the high-end smart watches, but I’ll admit that I do like being able to check a notification easily while driving without having to pick up the phone (which I shouldn’t be doing anyway, right?).
Battery life is good, and I can get about 4 days out of a charge, using the GPS every day for about 45 minutes. Charging doesn’t take long, and it’s easy to connect it to the computer, synch my information, and charge it at the same time.
The Spartan features lots of screens to help you keep track of your fitness. You can see a weekly summary of key metrics like distance run, average heart rate and average pace on a daily basis. That’s pretty cool, but it’s even better when you upload the data to movescount or other apps such as Map My Run. There, you can easily see your trends and keep track of your fitness over time.
Overall, I’m very impressed with this watch. This is a tough category, and you have decide if buy in at a price point like the spot where the Spartan is, or do you go further and get a full smart watch such as the Apple Watch. At $279, this is a pretty good bargain, and you get a lot for the money. You don’t get a touch screen at this price, but I think that’s a reasonable trade-off. The buttons are responsive, and I prefer physical buttons when everything is sweaty or otherwise wet, so I would definitely not pay more for a touch screen. I’m very happy with this watch and am looking forward to getting a lot more use out of it. If you’re in the market for a GPS watch, you should definitely include this one on your short list!
Overall, I’m very impressed with this watch. This is a tough category, and you have decide if buy in at a price point like the spot where the Spartan is, or do you go further and get a full smart watch such as the Apple Watch. At $279, this is a pretty good bargain, and you get a lot for the money. You don’t get a touch screen at this price, but I think that’s a reasonable trade-off. The buttons are responsive, and I prefer physical buttons when everything is sweaty or otherwise wet, so I would definitely not pay more for a touch screen. I’m very happy with this watch and am looking forward to getting a lot more use out of it. If you’re in the market for a GPS watch, you should definitely include this one on your short list!
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Enhance your listening experience with these Plantronics headphones. They wirelessly connect to any Bluetooth-enabled device to eliminate the hassle of traditional corded models, and they work with Siri, Cortana and other virtual assistants for convenient control. A single charge lasts up to 18 hours, so you can listen to your Plantronics headphones worry-free all day long.
Customer Rating
3
Good, but there are better options
on January 21, 2018
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
It’s been a long time since I’ve had a pair of headphones, either on-ear or over-ear, so I was looking forward to these headphones from Plantronics. With recent advances in Bluetooth technology, I was hoping that the sound quality would be better than some of the early offerings for wireless headphones that I’ve tried. How did they measure up? Read on…
The first thing I noticed was that the build quality is very nice. The padding on the ear pieces is soft, and has a premium feel. The headband is of a high quality as well, and seems like it’ll stand up well over time.
As an on-ear model, my first concern was comfort. Unfortunately, the 505s did not deliver on comfort. I have a large head, and lots of hair, so if I put the headband at the crown of my head, it made for a very tight and uncomfortable fit. To make them moderately comfortable, I had to tip the headband toward the back of my head, but this would make them more likely to fall off during exercise. They felt pretty good on my ears, but after about 30 minutes or so, I needed to adjust them, as they were beginning to hurt. Not too much, but enough to tell me that using these for long hours would take some getting used to.
Pairing the 505s with my phone couldn’t have been easier. Within seconds, I was ready to go. A nice touch is that you can pair with a second device, but I didn’t try that. I’ve done that with Bluetooth speakers, and it’s annoying when they try to connect to multiple devices at once. Because of that, I haven’t yet tried out this feature.
The sound quality was good, but not great. I was impressed with the overall clean sound that I got in these headphones. They have a lot of bass, and the good news is that it is not muddy or distorted. The bad news is that it comes at the expense of the mids and highs. The mids and highs are there, but it’s like they’re a bit “deemphasized”. I especially prefer to hear crisp highs, but they are a bit lacking here. Overall, the sound is rich and full, and I think that most people will really enjoy it. I do, but just wish for a bit more at the high end.
I wondered how they would perform as a set of corded headphones. This is a great option to have, in case your battery runs out and you can’t take time out to charge them. I plugged them in to my old Cowon mp3 player (which I love), but was pretty disappointed with the sound. They seemed to do much better connected by Bluetooth, but I can’t be sure if that’s because my mp3 player is just too old to drive these. So, I plugged them in to my home stereo, which has much more power. As I suspected, this was much better, but the lacking mids and highs were still noticeable to me. As a comparison, I plugged in my son’s Audio Technica ATH-M40x. These had much better sound overall (though not as much bass), and the comfort was excellent, even for my big head.
I wondered how they would perform as a set of corded headphones. This is a great option to have, in case your battery runs out and you can’t take time out to charge them. I plugged them in to my old Cowon mp3 player (which I love), but was pretty disappointed with the sound. They seemed to do much better connected by Bluetooth, but I can’t be sure if that’s because my mp3 player is just too old to drive these. So, I plugged them in to my home stereo, which has much more power. As I suspected, this was much better, but the lacking mids and highs were still noticeable to me. As a comparison, I plugged in my son’s Audio Technica ATH-M40x. These had much better sound overall (though not as much bass), and the comfort was excellent, even for my big head.
I took the 505s with me on a neighborhood walk, to see if I would notice anything else, and I did. A slight breeze was very audible whistling through the cups, which I found to be annoying. I’m not talking about a windy night, just a gentle breeze. It was distracting, to say the least. I’m not sure which design element causes this, but if you’re going to use these while running and listening to audio books, it may be a factor for you. The built-in mic for calls worked very well, and the person on the other end said they had no trouble hearing me. That’s no small feat, since there is no visible microphone, and nothing protruding from the cups.
The on-ear controls are nice and work very well. One thing I found quite annoying, however, was the way they implemented the female voice telling you that the volume is at maximum. As you would expect, she announces “volume maximum” when you first turn it up, but then this same announcement comes across between each track! I can’t think of any reason why this would be a desirable feature. I turned the volume down 1 click and that took care of it, but I shouldn’t have to do that. This is something that needs to be corrected.
All in all, I liked these headphones, but for the money, I think I’d prefer to buy a pair of the Audio Technica ATH-M40x headphones. They’re over-ear, so they were much more comfortable for me, and the headband was big enough to accommodate my head size. If you really prefer the on-ear style (and it is better with glasses), I think you’ll be happy with these 505s, but make sure you try them on first.
All in all, I liked these headphones, but for the money, I think I’d prefer to buy a pair of the Audio Technica ATH-M40x headphones. They’re over-ear, so they were much more comfortable for me, and the headband was big enough to accommodate my head size. If you really prefer the on-ear style (and it is better with glasses), I think you’ll be happy with these 505s, but make sure you try them on first.
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Type on anything with Logitech K480 Wireless Multi-Device Keyboard - a unique compact computer keyboard that also works with your tablet and smartphone. Easily switch between 3 connected Bluetooth devices by turning the EASY-SWITCH dial. Type in comfort with the familiar keyboard layout, with all the shortcut keys you use the most, whether you're typing on a Windows, Mac or Chrome computer, or an Android or iOS tablet or smartphone. Plus, this multi-device keyboard features an integrated cradle that holds your phone or tablet at just the right angle for you to read while you type.
Customer Rating
3
Good, but not great keyboard
on December 25, 2017
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
Verified Purchase:Yes
I was looking for a keyboard that could easily switch between devices. I've been using a Microsoft BT keyboard for years, and I still love it, but it's a pain to re-pair every time I want to use it on a different device. Enter the Logitech K480.
This keyboard switches easily between devices, and the slot is handy for when you need to stand your phone or tablet up. My biggest complaint is the way that typing feels on this keyboard. The keys are a good size, but the way they travel just doesn't lend itself to fast touch typing. It's not horrible, and I know I'll get used to it, but it's just not great. In addition to the feel, it's a bit loud, and sounds cheap.
Also keep in mind that this keyboard isn't a great traveling option, if you're carrying it around. It's heavy, as it needs to be in order to not topple over when you're using it to prop up your tablet. This is better for a desk setup where you have multiple devices and just want to have a single keyboard. In that case, it will probably work well for you, provided you don't mind the drawbacks I mentioned.
For a better traveling keyboard, get the Logitech Keys to Go keyboard. That one is very thin and light, and surprisingly, typing on it feels pretty good. I love that keyboard!
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![The Martian [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray] [2015]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/304b2327-370a-41e7-956a-951dd4939472.png)
Customer Rating
4
Great movie!
on December 17, 2017
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
Verified Purchase:Yes
This is one of Matt Damon's better movies, and it's very true to the novel. If you've read the book, you won't be disappointed with this movie, which is more than I can say for a lot of adaptations. The pace of this movie is very good, and the ending is satisfying. Pick up a copy--you won't be sorry!
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Customer Rating
4
A rebound for House of Cards
on December 17, 2017
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
Verified Purchase:Yes
I thought that season 4 was not very good, and I didn't think the series had any gas left in the tank. Season 5 showed that they can still keep you coming back for more. This was a much better season, and created interest for season 6. Too bad there may never be a season 6. Because of that, you should get this season to round out your set!
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Go from hundreds of mystery folders to a visual view of your photos automatically sorted by date, subject, people, and places. See your best photos auto-curated based on quality, faces, subjects, and more. Make your photos look amazing with automated photo editing options, and create and share printed artwork, new dynamic slideshows, photo collages, and gifts for friends and family.
Customer Rating
4
Lots of power, but good for novices, too.
on November 26, 2017
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
It’s been quite a few years since I’ve updated Photoshop Elements on my computer. So many, in fact, that I didn’t even have Elements installed. When I recently had the opportunity to pick up the 2018 version, I figured that maybe it was time for me to see how Elements has changed.
Installation took a while (it’s a 5.1 GB program) but went smoothly. I experienced no problems during installation, and appreciated that Adobe offers the opportunity to install either from the DVD or by downloading it from Adobe’s servers. That’s a great option with fewer and fewer laptops coming with optical drives these days (or if you just don’t feel like dealing with the disc).
I decided to start with the Organizer. I’ve been using a free tool for this task for some time now, so I was interested to see how the new Elements would compare. Overall, I think Elements is the better organizer and its integration with the editor is excellent. I had over 37,000 photos to import, which took a while, but that’s to be expected. One thing I really liked about the organizer was the ability to tag photos to a location on the map. Elements offers a lot of ways to tag your photos to make it easier to find them later. With as many photos as I have, this is a great feature that I’m looking forward to exploring.
On the editing side of things, Elements offers three modes: Quick, Guided and Expert. Quick mode is where you’ll old standby adjustments like Smart Fix, exposure, lighting, color, balance and sharpening. A great feature that was new to me was the ability to see a side-by-side view of the before and after. This is a great way to see the impact of the changes you’re making and undo them if necessary.
Guided mode walks you through making changes like replacing the background, changing the depth of field, or changing the composition of the photo. This mode makes it easy to do some things that previously would have been considered difficult. It’s really just a repackaging of the tools, but this is great when you just want to get it done.
Guided mode walks you through making changes like replacing the background, changing the depth of field, or changing the composition of the photo. This mode makes it easy to do some things that previously would have been considered difficult. It’s really just a repackaging of the tools, but this is great when you just want to get it done.
Expert mode is what you would think it should be: you’re the expert, so you do it all yourself with the wide variety of tools available in the program. It’s clear that there is a huge amount of depth in this program, and it’s going to take me a long time to get through it all. What’s great about that is that Adobe has provided a wealth of helps, both in the documentation as well as the wonderful eLive mode. This is where you can find help for what you’re trying to do, as well as getting ideas and guidance on new techniques. This is a wonderful resource and one that I’m sure I’ll spend a lot of time with.
Making minor adjustments is easy to do, and this has always been a strength of the program. The ability to get rid of red eye, whiten teeth or open closed eyes is very cool and can help you salvage a photo that might otherwise be a loss. I did find it frustration, however, to try to go deeper without the knowledge and experience to do so. In other words, I was hoping that things like replacing the background would be easier to do with this version. I tried to use the magic lasso tool, but could never really select what I was trying to select. Perhaps I’ll be able to do this with more study and practice, but in my opinion, this is the kind of thing that an editor should make easier. This just points out that there is a huge amount of capability hidden in this program, and will reward those with the perseverance to figure it out.
Overall, I think Photoshop Elements 2018 is a good value, and gives the user a powerful set of tools for managing and improving their photo collection. You can often find Elements on sale, so if it’s been a while since you’ve upgraded, now’s the time to pick this up. If you have the prior version, I’m not sure there’s enough new stuff here to justify the upgrade, but you should at least check it out.
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Take this 11.6-inch Acer Chromebook anywhere you need to go thanks to its compact size and light weight. With its Intel Celeron N3060 dual core processor, you can enjoy fast Internet browsing and computing. The high visibility of the HD touch screen display with LED backlighting lets you use this Acer Chromebook in almost any lighting conditions.
Customer Rating
4
Very good chromebook with lots of screen space
on October 22, 2017
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
I've been intrigued by the idea of a Chromebook for a long time, but could never bring myself to take the plunge and get one. That all changed with the introduction of the Acer Chromebook 15. There are endless reviews of Chrome OS and whether it is a suitable replacement for Windows or Mac OS, so I'll try to keep comments of that nature to a minimum. Instead, I want to focus on this particular Chromebook, and what sets it apart from others.
First off, this Chromebook is the only one on the market sporting a 15.6 inch screen. That makes it a direct competitor for the laptop size that is probably most prevalent, at least until recently. It also gives a lot more working space if your goal is to get real work done on your Chromebook. I think most people think of Chromebooks more like tablets, which is very appropriate for the 2 in 1 designs, but not so much for the traditional clamshell design. At first, I didn't think I wanted something this big, but after using it for a while, I realized that I didn't need to break out my regular laptop as much just to get "real" work done. At this size, the Chromebook is every bit as capable of "real" work as your normal laptop, with some limitations, as I'll talk about later.
Getting started with the Chromebook was quick and painless. After logging in to my Gmail account, I was ready to go. The first thing you'll notice is that this Chromebook features a very nice screen. It's a full HD IPS screen, which means that it features great extra-wide viewing angles. I found the screen to be very pleasant to look at, and the inclusion of touch-screen capability allows you to take full advantage of the Google Play store, which is included on all newer Chromebooks.
The Acer Chromebook 15 is well-built, and feels solid. The palm rest and top cover are both aluminum, which give it a more "premium" feel. It's not crafted from a single piece of aluminum, like a Macbook, but it feels very solid nonetheless. The bottom is plastic, which probably helps it to be a little lighter. The keys have good travel, and typing is comfortable. The keys are backlit, which is a nice touch. Coming from a Windows machine, it does take a bit of adjusting to get used to the layout of a Chromebook keyboard. The touchpad is excellent. It is very sensitive, and clicking feels solid and responsive. No complaints in the input department.
The Acer Chromebook 15 is well-built, and feels solid. The palm rest and top cover are both aluminum, which give it a more "premium" feel. It's not crafted from a single piece of aluminum, like a Macbook, but it feels very solid nonetheless. The bottom is plastic, which probably helps it to be a little lighter. The keys have good travel, and typing is comfortable. The keys are backlit, which is a nice touch. Coming from a Windows machine, it does take a bit of adjusting to get used to the layout of a Chromebook keyboard. The touchpad is excellent. It is very sensitive, and clicking feels solid and responsive. No complaints in the input department.
One thing you'll immediately notice is that there is a lot of space around the keyboard. That's because Acer decided to go with top-firing stereo speakers, with one on either side of the keyboard. These may actually the best sounding speakers I've heard on any of the many laptops I've used. They have plenty of volume and don't sound tinny or filled with distortion at all. They are so good, you'll want to have music playing in the background.
Much is made of battery life on chromebooks, and the Acer Chromebook 15 delivers. I've been regularly getting 10-11 hours on a charge, and it charges very quickly through either of the USB-C ports. Speaking of ports, there is no HDMI port, so you'll need an adapter if you want to hook up this machine to a TV or projector. I think I would have rather given up one of the USB-C ports in exchange for a full HDMI port.
The Acer Chromebook 15 comes with 4GB of RAM, which was plenty for everything I did. The machine is responsive, even with lots of tabs and apps open. As you might expect, most, if not all, file storage is done online, but the Chromebook does have some local storage. Mine came with 32 GB of eMMC storage, not SSD, unfortunately. Chrome OS is really set up to discourage the use of local storage, so I haven't really done much with that. This machine does come with a microSD card slot, so I'll probably make use of that, since Chrome OS treats the local storage as a cache, and may delete older files, so probably not a good idea to count on the local storage. Speaking of the SD card, I had an old one that we previously used in a phone, so I figured I'd give it a shot. This particular card may be damaged, and while attempting to format the card, my chromebook crashed. It recovered quickly, but I do want to know more about why that happened and whether that's normal, but I would have expected it to handle the card, even a bad one, more gracefully. On the other hand, after that happened I was able to access the files on the card, which no other machine has allowed me to do. So, that's a win!
So, what's the verdict? The Acer Chromebook 15 is a great machine, and with the large screen size it is actually a candidate to be your laptop replacement. Whether you are a convert to Chrome OS or not is another question, but if you are a convert, then this is certainly a good machine to consider. It costs a little more than the budget machines, but you're getting a very well-built machine that you can feel good about. You may see other reviews talking about how huge it is, but that's only in relation to those small chromebooks that are basically tablet sized. If you consider this as a full laptop, it's a great size, and it's also pretty lightweight. Given the great battery life, you can carry just the machine with you for a full day's worth of work, leaving the charger at home. If you're in the market for a chromebook, you owe it to yourself to check this one out!
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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In this sequel, the illusionists known as the Four Horsemen (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Lizzy Caplan, and Dave Franco) return to perform a spectacular stunt in the hopes of clearing their names and exposing the unscrupulous behavior of a tech mogul named Walter Mabry (Daniel Radcliffe).
Customer Rating
3
Good, but not as good as the first
on October 22, 2017
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
Verified Purchase:Yes
As a big fan of the first movie, I was excited to be able to see the sequel. While it does retain much of the feel of the first, it's missing that "special" feel that the first one had. The female character has been replaced, and the character played by Daniel Radcliffe is a good addition, although you might not think so at first. We learn a little more of Lionel Shrike's story, and that's a good thing. Overall, I think this is definitely worth seeing. In fact, I think I need to watch it a few more times to pick up the subtleties, and that's why I bought it.
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Set up your workstation with this 23-inch Acer widescreen monitor, and enjoy ample space for graphics or document work. The ultra-thin backlit LED display offers easy viewing in any light from any angle, and brilliant 1920 x 1080 resolution brings your work alive. This Acer widescreen monitor features an adjustable tilt stand for comfort.
Customer Rating
4
Great monitor at a great price
on October 12, 2017
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
I’ve been using the same 20” flat-screen monitor for about the last 12 years, and it still works. However, it was made before HDMI was common, so its main input is VGA. So, I decided it was time to upgrade. This Acer 23” widescreen monitor is a very good value in its price range. It is extremely thin and light, and with a very small bezel, it doesn’t take up any more space than necessary.
The monitor comes with power cord, base for the stand, and a VGA cable. I think it’s interesting that Acer chose to include a VGA cable as opposed to an HDMI cable. Fewer and fewer laptops still include a VGA port, so I would have expected them to include an HDMI cable instead. Perhaps the thinking is that most households are more likely to have an HDMI cable than a VGA cable, but I digress.
While many people will probably not even look at the included documentation, I decided to do so. There I was surprised to learn that the stand is not detachable and must be straightened in order to use it. Why was that surprising? Because the box contained a base and post for the stand. The post inserts into the back of the monitor and then fits into the base, which can be fastened to the post using the attached screw. While it isn’t immediately apparent, the monitor can be tilted to your desired angle.
With the monitor assembled and plugged in, I then went in search of the power button. On the bottom right side of the monitor there are 4 buttons. Unfortunately, they are not labeled, so I just chose to press the one on the far right, figuring that would be the power button. It was, as confirmed by a tiny blue LED that lit up. Since the buttons aren’t labeled, you just have to start pushing them to figure out what they do. It’s not actually a big deal, however, as the on-screen menu is well designed and the controls shown on the screen line up with the buttons, indicating which button does what. It definitely works, but it’s a little cumbersome to use.
The screen itself is very bright and clear, with full HD resolution. In fact, it has brightness to spare, which is nice. With an IPS display, the viewing angles are excellent. It features 4 different display modes: standard, graphics, movie and user. Except for user mode, these are pre-set packages of settings such as brightness, contrast, etc. User mode is what you get when you manually change any of the settings.
The resolution of this monitor is 1920 x 1080, and it looks very good. I don’t have experience with high-end monitors, so I don’t know if they would be any different, but I noticed that when I viewed text up close on the screen, it didn’t appear to be as sharp as it was on my laptop’s screen. Perhaps that has to do with pixel density, but I’m not sure. It’s a very subtle thing, and does not detract from the image. It’s really a function of how close you sit to the monitor, so perhaps I was a bit too close. Especially at this price range, I would not consider this a drawback.
Overall, this is a great monitor at a great price. It’s large enough to provide plenty of work space, so you won’t feel cramped at all.
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Enjoy lag-free gaming with this Linksys dual-band Wi-Fi router. Its Killer prioritization engine works with Killer-enabled computers to minimize peak ping by up to 77 percent, and the 1.8GHz CPU delivers super-fast speeds with wired and wireless connections. This Linksys dual-band Wi-Fi router has a custom-built user interface that lets you manage your gaming network performance.
Customer Rating
4
Powerful router!
on September 29, 2017
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
It's not often that I think about the word "unboxing" when considering a router, but that's what happened when I received my Linksys WRT32X AC3200 router. The box is matte black with a magnetic closure that makes you think "quality". Inside, the router is nicely packaged in custom foam inserts and the box itself is lined with foam like you'd see in a sound-proof room. Not exactly what I've come to expect from the packaging for a router. So far, so good.
In the past, setting up a new router was one of those things that I looked forward to about as much as I looked forward to getting a filling in a tooth. Thankfully, those days are gone. Setting up this router is a pretty easy affair, and you can choose to manually input your settings, or go with a more preset approach. One thing that was especially nice was that there are presets for the most popular DNS providers: Google, OpenDNS or your own ISP. As a user of OpenDNS, I appreciated being able to input my DNS settings with just the click of a button.
If you're setting up the router wirelessly, Linksys offers a temporary WiFi network that you can join to enter the settings for your network. Unfortunately, I found this temporary WiFi to be a bit spotty, as I kept having to reconnect, so I gave up and used a hard-wired Ethernet connection for initial setup instead. If this is your first router, you may find that pretty annoying.
If you've used routers from other manufacturers before, you'll immediately notice that the GUI for this Linksys router is very different. I appreciate that they've worked hard to make it visually appealing and easy to use, but sometimes it felt like settings were either missing entirely or hidden. This can make it difficult to drill down into some of the more advanced settings, but I didn't run across anything that I wasn't able to do.
Linksys combines the 2.4 and 5 Ghz bands by default, but you can separate them if you wish. Combining them is a nice feature that allows the router to choose the band with the most capacity. For other routers, you have to switch bands manually if you want to avoid too much traffic on the other band.
This Linksys router automatically checks for firmware updates in the middle of the night and applies them while you're sleeping. This is on by default, so unless you change it, you should ensure that the router is using the correct time zone for your location. Otherwise, you could end up with a router restart in the middle of a big online gaming session!
Strangely, I did not find a way to filter devices by MAC address. This is a pretty common feature, so I'm not sure why Linksys didn't include it. I'll keep digging, because it's possible that I just didn't find it. Another curious omission is the lack of an iOS app that you can use to administer your router. I found this to be a handy feature on my old router and one that allowed me to check traffic and make changes without starting up my computer. Hopefully Linksys will create an app soon.
I like to check my router's log files occasionally to monitor connections over time. Most routers allow access to their log files, and this one is no exception. If you make use of these, you'll want to view them using a tool like Notepad++. Otherwise, you'll just be looking at one giant string of text all put together.
A feature that I've come to rely on over the years is online storage. This allows you to add a USB flash drive to instantly add network storage for the users on your network. Although I tried everything I could think of, I did not successfully access the flash drive via WiFi. The approach that Linksys takes to online storage is pretty clunky and not at all user friendly. Compounding this problem is the fact that you have to go to the Linksys website and locate the documentation on your own. It's not too bad, but I felt that it could be a lot more comprehensive than it is. Some things just aren't explained in any depth at all, which could be a problem for a newbie.
In terms of performance, this router is rock solid. I experienced a strong signal throughout my house, and it was a bit stronger than the router it is replacing, which is about 6 months old. Although I do not have any devices that feature the Killer prioritization engine, I do appreciate the ability to prioritize devices on the network. My sons often complained about signal dropouts on the old router, so I'm hoping that this feature will solve that issue for us. We've been able to use multiple devices connected to the web at the same time while also streaming a movie on TV, with no dropouts or slow-downs. The inclusion of Gigabit ethernet ports is also a nice touch.
Overall, I'm very pleased with this router. It is built like a tank (and kinda looks like one, too) and has performance to match. I haven't had it a long time yet, so it remains to be seen if it outperforms less expensive routers over time. It's built specifically as a gaming router, so if you have devices that are able to take advantage of those features, you'll probably really like this one.
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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2of 2voted this as helpful.
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MX Master 3 is instant precision and infinite potential. Designed for designers and engineered for coders, it~s our most advanced Master Series mouse yet. App-specific button customizations speed up your workflow in the apps you use most and the electromagnetic MagSpeed wheel enables fast noiseless scrolling. Your hand rests perfectly on the sculpted form and allows you to work comfortably for hours across multiple computers and operating systems in one fluid workflow. Ready for video calls - predefined settings for Microsoft Teams and Zoom let you instantly mute and Start/Stop your video call. With MX Master 3, you can truly master what you make.
Bluetooth is turned off on our work computers. Will this operate as a wired mouse with the USB cable attached or is it strictly for charging
Yes, it will operate as a wired mouse that way, but that is really defeating its purpose. Can you use the unified receiver instead? I'm doing that instead of bluetooth, and it works very well.
6 years ago
by
BobinVA
Multitask comfortably using this HP Pavilion 32-inch monitor. The QHD resolution provides immersive visuals for gaming and a spacious work space. Enjoy consistent clarity and color from multiple positions thanks to the 178-degree viewing angle. This HP Pavilion 32-inch monitor features an anti-glare panel for better visibility in bright conditions, while the Low Blue Light mode reduces eyestrain.
Wall mountable - yes How can this be wall mounted? Please suggest a wall mount for this monitor.
The monitor comes with a bracket that you can attach to the back of the monitor. This will allow you to attach it to a mount. I'd suggest a full-motion wall mount that has the square center bracket, as this will match up with the bracket on the monitor itself. I don't think the monitor conforms to the VESA standard for mounting brackets, but I'm not sure. I'm not mounting my monitor, so these are just some thoughts after having just setting mine up. Good luck!
6 years, 4 months ago
by
BobinVA
Protect your home or business with this Swann 1080p Wi-Fi floodlight security camera. The Full HD resolution lets you review captured footage in stunning detail, while the floodlight ensures that subjects are illuminated. This Swann 1080p Wi-Fi floodlight security camera includes a siren and two-way audio for scaring off trespassers and potential intruders.
How good is the motion detection really? I have purchased several cams and the motion detection is awful. Thanks
I've found it to be quite good. Sometimes it seems to pick up the motion of swaying tree branches. I'm still trying to figure out the optimal sensitivity setting.
6 years, 5 months ago
by
BobinVA
Protect your home or business with this Swann 1080p Wi-Fi floodlight security camera. The Full HD resolution lets you review captured footage in stunning detail, while the floodlight ensures that subjects are illuminated. This Swann 1080p Wi-Fi floodlight security camera includes a siren and two-way audio for scaring off trespassers and potential intruders.
How long are the recorded clips? Do the clips start before motion is detected?
I think the clips are about 30 seconds. They do seem to start before motion is detected, which results in complete clips of the action.
6 years, 5 months ago
by
BobinVA
Protect your home or business with this Swann 1080p Wi-Fi floodlight security camera. The Full HD resolution lets you review captured footage in stunning detail, while the floodlight ensures that subjects are illuminated. This Swann 1080p Wi-Fi floodlight security camera includes a siren and two-way audio for scaring off trespassers and potential intruders.
Can the floodlight be wired and howlong do the battery last
I'm not sure if there are other models, but mine is wired only. There is no option for it to be battery powered. Given how bright the lights are, and how often they're likely to be tripped, I would think that batteries would go dead pretty often. If you have the choice, hard wire it.
6 years, 5 months ago
by
BobinVA
Meet Bose Frames. Bluetooth sunglasses with a soundtrack. The first audio sunglasses with built-in Bose speakers for an immersive audio experience unlike any other. A revolutionary personal audio experience hidden inside two classic designs, each enriched with premium accents and materials. Play music, take calls, and enjoy the sun with UVA/UVB protection. Bose Frames Alto feature a classic angular lenses, available in small and large size.
How long does the battery last?
Unlock new potential for your wireless headphones with this Airfly headphone accessory. It plugs into any conventional headphone jack to enhance your listening experience and can pair with in-flight entertainment systems for added convenience. This Airfly headphone accessory has an eight-hour battery life and recharges through USB, so it's easy to take anywhere.
Can you plug wired headphones into this to make them wireless?
No, this is a wireless transmitter, not a wireless receiver. The headphone jack in the AirFly is for the source of the sound, and it then sends it out to headphones that are able to receive the signal.
6 years, 6 months ago
by
BobinVA
Study or work hard on this HP Envy convertible laptop, which features a large 15-inch screen. The laptop opens up easily to create a tablet for note-taking, while an AMD Ryzen processor supports Windows 10 Home and other applications effortlessly. The reliable128GB solid-state hard drive on this HP Envy convertible laptop stores lots of files and programs.Learn more.
Can this device connect to both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi?
Run programs on this 12.3-inch HP Chromebook convertible laptop. Its detachable touch-screen display lets you enjoy brilliant 2K content, and you can write and draw on it with the included Active Pen. This HP Chromebook convertible laptop has 32GB of storage, and its Intel Core m3 processor and 4GB of RAM provide smooth performance.
Does this computer have a camera in which I can use Skype?
It has both front and rear-facing cameras. However, I don't think there's a version of Skype that will work with Chrome OS. If this is a deal breaker for you, you should research that to find out.
7 years, 4 months ago
by
BobinVA
Run programs on this 12.3-inch HP Chromebook convertible laptop. Its detachable touch-screen display lets you enjoy brilliant 2K content, and you can write and draw on it with the included Active Pen. This HP Chromebook convertible laptop has 32GB of storage, and its Intel Core m3 processor and 4GB of RAM provide smooth performance.