BobinVA's stats
- Review count129
- Helpfulness votes435
- First reviewDecember 19, 2014
- Last reviewJune 13, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4
Reviews comments
- Review comment count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentNone
- Last review commentNone
- Featured review comments0
Questions
- Question count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First questionNone
- Last questionNone
- Featured questions0
- Answer count28
- Helpfulness votes23
- First answerAugust 12, 2016
- Last answerJanuary 22, 2022
- Featured answers0
- Best answers2
Polished, professional Full HD video calls. The C920S HD Webcam delivers remarkably crisp, clear and detailed images in vibrant colors. HD autofocus and light correction adjust to provide consistently high definition, and the dual mics on either side of the lens capture natural sound. The privacy shutter puts you in control of what you show.
Customer Rating
4
Big improvement over the laptop webcam
on April 10, 2019
Posted by: BobinVA
from Forest
The built-in webcam that most laptops come with is good enough for the occasional video call, but not if you want to start your own YouTube channel. Is the Logitech C920 good enough for that? Well, I’m not sure, but I do think it’s a pretty good performer at a good price point.
This year’s model comes with improved sound and low-light capabilities, and I was impressed with the overall video quality. No, you’re not going to shoot HD movies with this, but it’s a surprisingly good camera for the kinds of videos that you see for things like computer reviews or unboxing videos.
The camera has a clever attachment mechanism, with rubber coatings to prevent scratches on the back of your laptop’s lid. It adjusts so that you can get the angle you want, and it even has a screw-in to allow you to use it with a tripod. This is great if you want to avoid the reflections of your screen’s backlighting on your glasses. It’s a nice touch that doesn’t require you to carry an additional adapter.
I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but I have sometimes accidentally turned on my web cam while on a video conference call. That can be embarrassing, so many people I know have a piece of paper taped over their webcam. With the Logitech C920, there’s an included lens cover that you keep in place unless you’re using the camera. When the camera is in use, two blue accent lights on either side of the lens will light up, letting you know that you’re on camera.
As I mentioned earlier, video quality is very good, and so is the audio quality, thanks to the stereo microphones. Video call quality was very good, so this device does what it should, and does it well. The camera works well with apps such as Skype, but if you want to record your own videos, you’ll want to use dedicated software. Logitech makes the software available as a free download from their website. The software is very good, but it is confusing that Logitech still lists Windows 7 and 8 in its requirements. When I saw that, I wondered if I was at the right place. It turned out that I was, but it would have been better if Logitech were to set up a dedicated link just for getting the software instead of dropping us into their support site. That’s not the end of the world, but with so many other products, it’s not hard to click on the wrong thing and end up in an entirely different place. Once I got the software installed, it worked well and was very easy to create videos, with plenty of different options to choose from.
Overall, this is a definite step up from the built-in webcam, and at a price that makes it worth doing. I haven’t tried other webcams that are available, but I’m happy with this one.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+3points
3of 3voted this as helpful.
Enjoy quality signal reception with this Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro antenna. A 65-mile range ensures reception of a wide variety of channels, while the integrated TV signal indicator LEDs simplify placement for optimal signal strength. This Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro antenna comes with a 16-foot detachable high-performance coaxial cable for connectivity and features a plug-and-play design for quick installation.
Customer Rating
4
Review of Mohu Supreme Pro
on March 20, 2019
Posted by: BobinVA
from Forest
As cord cutting becomes more popular, alternative services such as Sling TV or DirectTV Now don’t always include local channels. There are currently no good options for getting local channels over the internet. That’s where the Mohu Supreme Pro comes in.
Mohu has been making indoor TV antennas for some time now, and they make great products. This is my third Mohu antenna, and I got the Supreme Pro to replace my original Mohu Leaf, which has served me well. Read on to see how it did.
Mohu has been making indoor TV antennas for some time now, and they make great products. This is my third Mohu antenna, and I got the Supreme Pro to replace my original Mohu Leaf, which has served me well. Read on to see how it did.
There are 2 main differences between the Supreme Pro and the Leaf. One is size: the Supreme Pro is more than twice as wide as the Leaf. This is presumably to help it pull in more signals. The other big difference is that the Supreme Pro is an amplified antenna, meaning that it includes a powered amplifier. Mohu did a great job of making the amplifier convenient. It’s a small aluminum box that gets its power from the USB port on the TV. Since most TVs have a USB port on the back, you can easily hide the amplifier on the back of the TV. The Supreme Pro also features an LED signal meter to indicate the signal strength, although normally the antenna would not be visible if it’s mounted on the wall behind the TV.
Speaking of mounting, the Supreme Pro comes with Velcro dots and push pins. These allow you put it on the wall behind the TV and keep it out of sight. With my old Leaf, I would often have to move it to a window on either side of the TV to pull in certain stations. I was hoping that I wouldn’t have to do that with the Supreme Pro, since it’s much more powerful than the Leaf.
Whenever you hook up a new antenna, you need to allow the TV to scan for channels. I was surprised that the Supreme Pro found 3 fewer channels than I previously had. That was not a big deal, however, since those channels were repeats of others that were lower on the spectrum. It was still a bit odd that it wasn’t able to find them.
The Supreme Pro does seem to be a bit more powerful in that it allows me to keep it behind the TV and pull in almost all of the 29 channels I get without moving it. The additional power isn’t that noticeable, however. Overall, the standard Mohu Leaf antenna still compares favorably to this newer model. For me, a lower-priced model may perform just as well. I am a big fan of Mohu products, and I recommend them to my friends often. I don’t think you can go wrong with a Mohu antenna, but you may want to consider carefully whether it’s worth it to spend extra for the higher models.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+7points
7of 7voted this as helpful.
Embellish your device with a functional attachment by using this black Speck GrabTab phone accessory. It’s compatible with most brands and cases, and the card-sized, flat design slips smoothly into your pocket. Use the hanging loop on this Speck GrabTab phone accessory as a grip for a secure hold or as a kickstand for hands-free viewing.
Customer Rating
5
Good alternative to bulky pop-out buttons
on January 4, 2019
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
The *speck Grabtab is a different take on phone accessories like popsockets, which give you a firmer grip on your phone, preventing you from accidentally dropping it when it slips through your grasp. Popsockets are good, but for those of us who keep our phones in our pockets, the added bulk is a significant downside.
The Grabtab provides the same functionality that you get from popsockets, but in a very slim package that is barely noticeable when not in use. The Grabtab attaches to the back of your phone with adhesive, like similar accessories. The middle strip can be pushed up with a thumb to form a loop into which you insert a finger to secure the phone in your hand. The loop locks in the forward position, but I found that the loop made this way was too loose to use on my finger. If I allowed it to slide back a bit, it was then tight on the finger and made the phone much more secure.
Leaving the loop in the fully locked position allows you to use the loop as a sort of “kickstand” to prop the phone up in landscape orientation, for watching videos. This worked as advertised and can be flattened out of the way when you don’t want to use it.
This is a simple device that does what it’s supposed to do. It’s an example of doing a couple of things well, and that’s it. I think this is a superior alternative to the popsocket approach, since I appreciate the thinness of this design. If you’ve been avoiding the alternatives because they stick out too much, this might be just what you’ve been looking for.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Create digital copies of important documents with this Epson WorkForce scanner. Its versatile document-handling capability accommodates standard paper, ID cards and receipts, and the included Nuance OCR software converts output into editable files or searchable PDFs for efficient archiving. This Epson WorkForce scanner’s small, lightweight design offers portability, and the USB interface provides easy connectivity.
Customer Rating
4
A great tool for the road warrior's arsenal
on December 20, 2018
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
When I first saw the line of Epson portable scanners, I passed them by, since I have one of those all-in-one printers that also does scanning. Since I have that, I don’t need a portable scanner, right? Once I thought about that, I decided to give the ES-50 a try, to see if it was worth having.
The first thing I noticed was how small and light this thing is. It’s a little more than an inch wide and about 10 inches long. In case you weren’t sure, this is a sheet-fed scanner, designed to feed pages up to about 8.5 inches wide, with no limit on the length of the pages.
The ES-50 does not have its own power supply, nor does it run on batteries. Instead, it runs off of power from the USB port, making it truly portable. It’s a very simple device to use, and has only one button. When you first connect it to your computer, you are prompted to download the driver/software package from Epson’s website. Navigating printer manufacturer’s websites isn’t always easy, but Epson makes this step very straightforward, so you’ll have the software installed and running in no time.
I wanted to get started right away, so I loaded a sheet and hit the scan button. It moves through the device pretty quickly (5.5 seconds per page) and then you see a preview in the software. I was disappointed in the resolution before I realized that I needed to set the resolution in the software. I changed it to 600 dpi, but then I was not allowed to scan anything, and got a cryptic error message. After a bit of trial and error, I realized that all resolutions are not available for all paper sizes. By default, the software is set to automatically sense the paper type, but you can’t use the higher resolutions unless you specifically choose a paper size, such as letter. With that done, I got much more readable scans.
The software offers a few nice touches, like automatically removing hole punches, or straightening out the scan for you. These are definitely helpful. There’s even a setting to allow you to feed one page after another automatically, which is very useful when you’re scanning in a lot of pages. Using auto-feed mode is the portable substitute for being able to load a stack of pages in a flat-bed scanner and let it feed in automatically. Granted, you probably wouldn’t want to feed in hundreds of pages this way, but it’s not really designed for that use case anyway.
The Epson ES-50 is a great on-the-go solution for getting documents into your computer. On a road trip, this device would make it easy to scan and upload documents that you received during the day, and relieves you from having to keep up with all that paper. It also allows you to scan in receipts and plastic cards (credit card sized) in case you need to do that. It’s quite a versatile machine for its size, and at this price point. Now that I have it, I can imagine getting quite a lot of use out of it. Just having it handy will ensure that it’s used more than my printer’s scanner in the basement. If you need to digitize documents on a regular basis, especially while traveling, this is a good tool to have in your toolkit.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+3points
3of 3voted this as helpful.
Enjoy your workout and travel playlists with these JBuds Air true wireless earbuds. Three EQ settings include JLab Signature, Balanced and Bass Boost to customize your listening experience, and the charging case provides 10 hours of additional battery life. Take clear, hands-free phone calls with the built-in microphone and Bluetooth 5.0 technology of these JBuds Air true wireless earbuds.
Customer Rating
4
Great performance at a third the price of Air Pods
on December 13, 2018
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
I’ve been a little obsessed with Bluetooth headphones this last year, having picked up everything from on-ear headphones to waterproof earbuds to bone conduction headphones. While each of them has their benefits, the main drawback for all of them is how they handle the wire between the ears. Dealing with that wire has been one my big annoyances, as I can’t stand having the wire “pull” across the back of my neck and cause the earbud to shift in my ear. Traditional headphone style handles that by hiding the wire in the headband, and honestly that is one of the better ways to do it, but I’ve always wondered if truly wireless earbuds would be better.
The category of true wireless earbuds has been growing, especially since the introduction of Apple’s Air Pods, but I’m not willing to fork over $169 for something that doesn’t even fit all that well. When I saw the JLab JBuds Air on sale during Black Friday, I decided to give them a try. I already have 2 other JLab Bluetooth headphones, and I’ve been really pleased with them, so I wanted to see how they would do with true wireless earbuds. With a retail price of only $50, the risk is a lot less.
The JBuds come in a black plastic case which also doubles as the charging station. The earbuds themselves provide 3.5 hours of play time, and the case can charge them 3 more times for an additional 10.5 more hours. While I haven’t had them very long, this is a pretty convenient setup.
Pairing the earbuds was very easy, but the first step is to pair them to each other, which is also incredibly easy. Like other JLab headphones, these have 3 EQ settings: signature, balanced and bass boost. While I wish that JLab included the ability to create custom EQ settings (like Jay Bird), I do like the signature setting and think it sounds very good. Speaking of sound, this is an area where the JBuds really shine, especially given their price. Compared to my other Bluetooth earbuds costing between $99 and $129, the JBuds are at least as good, and even better than those more expensive models. One reason the JBuds sound so good is that they fit in the ear very well and seal against the ear, creating much better bass. I was quite surprised at how good they sounded.
Getting a good fit with the JBuds was refreshingly easy. After struggling with those other, more expensive models, I was expecting more of the same here. What a pleasant surprise that I only had to swap out the ear tips to get the right size and put on the cush fins and I was good to go! The fit is excellent for me, and the cush fins provide a great seal, resulting in the aforementioned bass. A slight twist in the ear “locks” them in and seals them. They’re very comfortable and can be worn for long periods without discomfort.
JLab has implemented a pretty clever system of button presses for controlling your music. There is a button on each earbud, with different functions. For example, a click on the right one increases the volume, which clicking the left turns it down. Other functions are similar, except they use multiple clicks or longer holds. My only beef with this system is that the buttons are harder to press than I would like, but I suppose I can’t complain too much at this price point. Pushing as hard as you have to push is not comfortable when you consider you’re pushing the earbud deeper into your ear, requiring you to reseat the ear bud often. Overall, though, it really works well.
Bluetooth connectivity is good, but the JBuds are a little more sensitive than other models. The BT receiver is in the right earbud, so they work better if the phone is on that side. When the signal is interrupted, it causes one of the earbuds to cut out, which is a bit disconcerting. While I wish they were a little better in the connectivity area, I don’t think this is a big problem, and it’s not too much different than other models.
Bluetooth connectivity is good, but the JBuds are a little more sensitive than other models. The BT receiver is in the right earbud, so they work better if the phone is on that side. When the signal is interrupted, it causes one of the earbuds to cut out, which is a bit disconcerting. While I wish they were a little better in the connectivity area, I don’t think this is a big problem, and it’s not too much different than other models.
Surprisingly, the microphones are better than I expected. Callers told me they could hear me very well, so the JBuds are usable for phone calls. The only downside is that calls only use the right earbud, which reduces the overall volume of the call.
I think JLab is getting it right by offering reasonably priced wireless headphones that have better than expected performance. The JLab Retro headphones showed what could be done with a budget-priced set of headphones with 80’s chic, and now the JBuds show that you don’t have to pay a lot to get decent performance in the true wireless arena.
Do yourself a favor: pick up a set of these and pocket the savings!
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+45points
60of 75voted this as helpful.
Maximize the efficiency of your kitchen with this Calphalon quartz heat countertop oven. The quartz heating element preheats faster, while the 11 presets make it easy to defrost, bake, roast and dehydrate food. This Calphalon quartz heat countertop oven includes baking and pizza pans as well as a dehydrator and a regular baking rack.
Customer Rating
4
Does everything well!
on November 29, 2018
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
There are a lot of toaster ovens on the market, ranging in price from around $30 all the way up to several hundreds of dollars. After almost buying several other models, I settled on this Calphalon, which offers a good mix of features and value.
This oven is very well built! You can feel the quality as soon as you take it out of the box. The dark grey top and sides are textured to hide fingerprints, while the door feels solid and opens smoothly. At this point you start looking for the instruction manual and you find...a pamphlet. Very little is given in the way of instructions. It is an easy to use oven with fairly self-evident controls, but it would have been nice to get some instructions to confirm how things are supposed to work. It would have been especially nice to get some tips on how long particular foods should be cooked, but that is not provided. Since this is a convection oven, it’s supposed to cook faster--how much faster? Unfortunately, you’ll have to guess. There isn’t even much additional information available online.
The display is very nice-looking and easy to read. The oven offers several modes: toast, bagel, bake, roast, broil, pizza, cookies, reheat, keep warm, defrost and dehydrate. Again, it would have been nice to get some information how these modes differ from one another. For example, what’s the difference between roasting and baking? How does “pizza” differ from regular old baking? It’s not a big deal, but it could have been easily remedied.
For most of the modes, preheating is required. While preheating, the display flashes “preheating”, but it doesn’t show the progress of the temperature climbing. Without that, you think it’s taking longer than it is, but it actually heats up pretty fast, getting to 400 degrees in 3 or 4 minutes. Baking is straightforward and the convection fan does indeed speed things up. We’ve cooked chicken, pizza, pies and casseroles and have been very pleased, especially with how evenly it bakes. Reheating foods also worked very well and is much better than microwaving.
We were intrigued by the dehydrate function, so we gave it a try. We sliced up pineapples and put them on the dehydration tray (the oven comes with a pizza pan, standard rack, baking/broiling pan and dehydration rack) and started it up. You can choose from either 150 degrees or 200, but without instructions, we had to guess. We only left the pineapple in there about 3 hours, but it did indeed produce dehydrated fruit! We should probably have left them in there longer, but this was good enough to test it out.
I’ve seen other reviews that were critical of the baking performance of this oven, but I’ve been very pleased. It does heat up and cook faster than my full-sized oven, so that would definitely save on electricity costs. One place where it doesn’t really make sense is for toasting a single piece of bread or a couple Pop Tarts. That’s a case of overkill, where heating up even this size oven is more than you need. It can take as long as 6 or 7 minutes to toast Pop Tarts, and that’s just too long--use your regular toaster for that.
Overall, I really like this oven. I continue to find uses for it, and it’s big enough to be helpful when you’re cooking a big meal and need a second oven. It’s a good value, and I’d recommend it!
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+16points
16of 16voted this as helpful.
Velop is a flexible Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi system of modular nodes that work together to provide a flawless signal for any home. Now with new plug-in nodes that fit all wall sockets, you'll be assured coverage in traditionally underused areas, and the sleek design only uses a single outlet. Velop works with any Internet Service Provider (ISP), making customization simple, and with Tri-Band performance and Intelligent Mesh™ technology, you'll always be on the fast path to the Internet.
Customer Rating
4
Good performance and super easy setup
on November 25, 2018
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
The new Linksys Velop mesh wifi router promises easy setup and consistently strong signals throughout your house, up to 5000 square feet. Does it deliver? Read on…
To start, you need to download the Linksys app to your phone. The app will guide you through setup and is very easy. In fact, the worst part for me was when it was creating an account for me. It got hung up and I had to try again, and it finally went through. If that’s the worst part, that shows you how well the process works.
You first set up the “base” router, which doesn’t look like a traditional router at all. For me, that’s a plus, since I have to keep mine on an end table in the living room. Setup is quick and easy, and your main tasks for the base are to name it and give it a password. From there it connects to your modem and gets you on the internet.
Next you need to set up the other access points. These are basically range extenders that have been engineered to easily connect to the rest of the system and boost your signal without creating additional networks in your house. This is so much better than trying to repurpose old routers as range extenders. My experience even with “official” range extenders is that they’re finicky at best. Connecting additional nodes is a breeze, and all you need to do is keep your phone near each node while it connects to the “mother ship”. After that, you’re good to go!
I enjoy having some control over my network, and the app does a good job of allowing you to access and change settings. Unlike my previous Linksys router, this does not have preset DNS providers like OpenDNS already set up. That made it a little bit of a process to figure out how to use Open DNS, but ultimately it wasn’t a big deal.
While there are 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz signals, the router manages which one your traffic will use. With other routers, we’ve had problems being able to connect game machines like the Switch to the fastest band, but so far that hasn’t been a problem with the Velop. There may be a way to control this, but I haven’t found it yet. The router also supports guest networks, which is a must-have for me. A nice touch is parental controls of individual devices. This is a fantastic feature, and it’s so much better than having to apply restrictions to everyone who’s using the router.
One thing I’m not crazy about is the limited number of ethernet ports available--two. I realize it’s because they want to make the router more aesthetic, so it’s much smaller than a traditional router. If you need more ports, you can easily pick up a port extender, but it would have been nice to not need that.
Linksys provides a smartphone app to control the router. This app is very good, and provides access to most of the settings you’ll want to access. You can also access the admin panel directly on your computer, and this is pretty good as well. My previous router was the Linksys WRT32X, and that control panel left a lot to be desired, so this is an improvement.
Overall, I’d say this was the simplest router setup I’ve ever experienced. I have a strong signal throughout my house now, and we’ll see how well it supports online gaming. So far, I’m quite impressed with the whole experience. Hopefully I won’t need to pull out my old router again!
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Pair your smartphone with these Jaybird X4 wireless sport headphones and head to the gym or hiking trails in comfort. The thoughtful design works with music or your contact list, letting you take and make calls easily. Equipped with Comply Ultra soft tips and rated IPX7 to resist water and sweat, these Jaybird X4 wireless sport headphones create a comfortable experience with every jog or set.
Customer Rating
3
Excellent headphones, but a fatal flaw
on September 29, 2018
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
I’ve been on a quest to find the perfect Bluetooth headphones, and my latest foray is the Jay Bird X4 model that just came out. A friend has been raving about the X3s, so I was very excited to learn that the X4s were coming onto the market. I jumped at the chance to get them for myself. Did they live up to my expectations? Read on...
The X4s come with 3 sets of silicone fins that help the X4s stay put in your ears, as well as 2 different sizes of comply foam tips (a nice touch) and 2 sizes of silicone tips. These are necessary to get the right fit, since the fit is critical to fully enjoying these earbuds. It’s important to take the time to try out the different tips and sizes of fins so that you truly get a good fit. This was an area that I didn’t fully appreciate, as I’m accustomed to buying lower-quality earbuds and just going with the default setup.
The X4s are designed to be used in one of two different ways: with the cord going over your ears, or with the cords hanging down below your ears/behind your neck. The over the ear configuration is great for running. With the innovative cord tightener, the cord is tight against the back of your head and doesn’t restrict your ability to turn your head to either side. This is something I really loved, and is one of the reasons that these are such good earbuds. The other configuration, with the cord going around the back of your neck, is much easier to pop into your ears and go, but it can be annoying when the cord drags against your skin while turning your head. In my opinion, this is partially due to the fact that the cord is flat, and a smaller diameter round cord would alleviate this. Either way, the X4s are not going to move while using them during exercise. They’re sweat and waterproof, meaning you don’t have to worry about them during a workout, and they can just be rinsed off afterward.
The sound quality of the X4s is outstanding! One of the reasons for this is that Jay Bird has included an app that allows you to customize the EQ settings and send them to the earbuds, making them available for all your listening, no matter the source. Getting the right fit in the ear canal is important to getting the right sound quality. Call quality is also excellent, probably better than any other Bluetooth headset I’ve used, including those dedicated to phone calls.
There was one area where I thought the X4s were disappointing, and unfortunately, it’s a big one. The area is Bluetooth connectivity. The X4s were especially sensitive to the location of the phone on my body while walking or running. If I put it in a back pocket on the side of my body opposite the controls, the signal would drop out frequently. During an audiobook, this would cause me to miss out on words. Using the over-ear configuration made this problem even worse, rendering them basically unusable. To me, this is a critical flaw, since there’s not much point to wireless earbuds if they can’t maintain a connection.
If not for the Bluetooth issue, I would have rated these higher, but that is a deal-breaker for me. For comparison, I used some of my other Bluetooth headphones, and subjected them to the same positioning of the phone that I used with the X4s, but none of my other models exhibited the same problem. Perhaps this is something that can be improved through updated firmware (if that’s even possible), but for now it prevents me from liking these as much as I wish. The excellent audio quality, good fit and high quality build make these something I want to love, but can’t quite get there due to the Bluetooth issue. Maybe I got a bad unit. I will definitely increase my rating if this can be fixed.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+7points
16of 25voted this as helpful.
Put a vintage twist on your private listening with these retro-style JLab Rewind wireless headphones. Their Signature, Balanced and Bass Boost EQ settings provide flexible listening options, and the built-in microphone lets you carry out voice commands through Siri or Google Assistant. Enjoy nonstop music playback for up to 12 hours with these JLab Rewind wireless headphones.
Customer Rating
4
Excellent bargain headphones!
on July 26, 2018
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
I already have 2 pairs of Bluetooth earbuds and a pair of on-ear mid-range headphones, so why would I want these? Because sometimes I just want a comfortable, easy to use, inexpensive pair of headphones, and these JLab headphones fit the bill.
I don’t have a small head, so the first thing I’m interested in is headphones that fit. My other on-ear pair are nice, with a great build and very nice materials, but they’re ruined by a headband that’s just too small. The Rewind Retro headphones have a nice headband with plenty of room for adjustment, so they satisfied my comfort requirement. They’re also very lightweight and sit nicely on the ears, so they’re comfortable enough to wear for long periods of time.
What about sound quality? Surely headphones this inexpensive can’t possibly sound good, right? Wrong! I was very pleasantly surprised at just how good these headphones sound. With 3 preset EQ choices, it’s easy to find one that sounds good with whatever you’re listening to. For the price, it’s shocking how good these sound, with a decent amount of bass as well. For going on walks with the dog, I think these are my new favorites! Now, don’t get me wrong, these aren’t going to compete with headphones costing multiple hundreds of dollars, but that’s exactly the point--you’re getting pretty decent sounding headphones without having to invest a whole lot. Maybe I don’t have the best bluetooth headphones, but I do have several others costing 5 times as much as these, and they don’t sound 5 times better than these.
I don’t think these are meant for use while exercising, but there’s no reason you couldn’t use them there, as long as you don’t mind the foam earpads getting soaked with sweat. The headband provides a good amount of pressure on the ears, so I think they’d actually stay in place pretty well. I have waterproof earbuds for that purpose, so that’s not why I got these.
Speaking of the foam pads, I got the black ones with orange pads. This look took me back immediately to the 80’s and my first portable cassette stereo--that’s where the “retro” comes from. They also came with a pair of black ear pads in case you want to be less conspicuous. One thing to keep in mind with headphones using this design is that they’re “open”--you’re not the only one who can hear your music when you turn it up loud enough. I do expect these pads to stretch over time, since accessing the charging port requires the foam to be pulled aside in order to insert the charging cable, which is included, by the way. Getting the cable inserted is a little annoying, but it works well to keep the headphones from being bulkier than they need to be.
As for controls, these headphones feature on large button on the right ear. It’s used to turn on/off the power, and pause music. You can also use it to skip tracks, but it doesn’t control the volume. This is unfortunate, but at this price point, it’s hard to complain.
The headphones do include a microphone, which worked with Siri, but it was basically unusable for making phone calls. The person on the other end really couldn’t tell what I was saying. Others have said that call quality was pretty good for them, but I would definitely not agree with that. I left myself a message and I sounded like I was across the room trying to use a poor quality speaker phone. So, I won’t be using these for calls, but that’s not why I got them in the first place.
Overall, I’d say these are an unbeatable value for headphones, as long as you don’t need to use them for calls. For such a low price, you’re getting some pretty good technology and performance, and you don’t have to treat them as if you can’t afford to replace them. If you’re in the market for an inexpensive pair of Bluetooth headphones, do yourself a favor and pick these up!
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
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.
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
I’ve been using the HP Envy x360 predecessor to this one that came out in 2016. I’ve been a big fan of that model, so when I found out that HP was continuing to update the line, I was excited to find out if it would live up to its family name.
I know that many people trash HP, but I’ve had a lot of success with their machines. Prior to this machine, my family has had 4 other HP Windows machines, and the new HP X2 Chromebook. All of them have been excellent machines that have served us well.
This new Envy x360 has the same Dark Ash aluminum finish that my current machine has, and I’m a big fan of it. The all-aluminum cladding resists fingerprints and holds up well to normal wear and tear. This is a very good-looking machine!
One thing I love about this line from HP is that they offer the option to purchase AMD processors. AMD provides just as much if not more performance than their Intel counterparts, at a much more affordable price. This machine is no exception, and together with the 128 GB SSD, you get very snappy performance. Startup is fast, and loading programs happens very quickly, faster than my other HP with a 1TB traditional hard drive.
As is common these days, the x360 features a beautiful 1080 screen, which is also a touchscreen. While not super high-definition, the screen looks very nice and has good brightness. This laptop is also a 2-in-1, which means that its hinges allow you to fold the screen back around to use it as a tablet. While I think that 15.6 inches is too big to use it as an actual tablet, it is nice to be able to do that in situations when you need to have a lower profile and lay it flat on your lap. It also supports Windows Ink. I do not have an active stylus to try with it, but I’m intrigued by the concept.
The speakers on this model sound good and have a good amount of volume. You won’t be blown away by them, but they’re quite good. They’re mounted under a nice-looking grill just above the keyboard. This is a good placement when you’re in regular laptop mode, but not so good when in tent mode, watching a movie. Nonetheless, I think most people will be satisfied with the performance of these speakers.
Can you play games on this laptop? HP included AMD’s integrated Radeon graphics chip. You’re not going to be able to play intense high frame rate games on this laptop, but it handles games like Ultimate General admirably. I did experience a few issues with flickering of artifacts at higher resolutions, but this was fixed by lowering the resolution. Even at lower resolution, the game looked great and performed well. To me, this is the perfect combination for a laptop to hit--both productivity and fun, and the x360 does just that. I’m not a serious gamer, so spending a lot of extra money to get extra gaming performance wouldn’t be worth it to me.
This is a great all-around performer, and I think it’s in a good spot with regard to value. My biggest complaint is the stingy size of the SSD. This is the one area that all device manufacturers overcharge for, and I don’t understand that. In today’s world, 128 GB is not very big, and it mars an otherwise excellent machine. You’ll either have to manage the space wisely, or you’ll end up replacing the drive or supplementing it with an external drive. A 512 GB SSD would have made this the perfect laptop. If you can accept this limitation, this is a very good value.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+1point
2of 3voted this as helpful.
BobinVA's Review Comments
BobinVA has not submitted comments on any reviews.
BobinVA's Questions
BobinVA has not submitted any questions.
Create, learn, work, and play like never before. Featuring an immersive 9.7-inch Multi-Touch Retina display,¹ powerful A10 Fusion chip, and now supports Apple Pencil,² there's nothing else quite like iPad.
Can I buy this without service to a wireless carrier for the same price?
The WiFi only model for $329 does not include cellular service with a wireless carrier, and is the cheapest price available (other than sales).
6 years ago
by
BobinVA
Enjoy up to 10 hours of wireless audio with these Sony noise-canceling headphones. They produce rich sound by playing at audio frequencies of 3-40,000Hz and have a closed-back design that blocks outside noise for a better listening experience. These Sony noise-canceling headphones sit comfortably behind the neck and work with or without the 1m wire.
Can you mute while on a call. I want to take some conference calls on my way to work and need to mute myself. Is there a way to mute while on the call from the headphone. I know i can always mute from the phone. Thanks.
Yes, you can mute by pushing the volume up and down buttons simultaneously, but that's a little tricky, so it might be easier to mute from the phone.
6 years, 4 months ago
by
BobinVA
Keep your Wi-Fi connection strong anywhere in the house with this NETGEAR router. Monitor your network with the NETGEAR genie app, keep track of your kids with parental controls, and use multiple devices simultaneously for downloading, gaming and more
Is there a monthly charge for this netgear wireless router? Or does it just need an outlet and from there your off and running?
No monthly charge, you just need a modem to provide a signal, and you'll be good to go!
6 years, 8 months ago
by
BobinVA
Type on your terms with Keys-To-Go, the super-slim, super-light Bluetooth keyboard for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV that fits anywhere and goes everywhere. The durable, spill-proof Keys-To-Go helps you escape the cramped on-screen keyboard and turn any space into a workspace whether you’re in the backyard, the kitchen, or the park. Keys-To-Go has comfortable, soft keys that type silently so you and people around you can focus without distractions. Plus, a full row of iOS shortcut keys provide one-tap access to your most-used functions including volume and media controls.
Is this compatible with an iPad pro
Yes, but don't expect it to take the place of the Apple Smart Keyboard. This is a great keyboard, but it will connect via blue tooth, not using the new smart connector.
6 years, 9 months ago
by
BobinVA
Type on your terms with Keys-To-Go, the super-slim, super-light Bluetooth keyboard for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV that fits anywhere and goes everywhere. The durable, spill-proof Keys-To-Go helps you escape the cramped on-screen keyboard and turn any space into a workspace whether you’re in the backyard, the kitchen, or the park. Keys-To-Go has comfortable, soft keys that type silently so you and people around you can focus without distractions. Plus, a full row of iOS shortcut keys provide one-tap access to your most-used functions including volume and media controls.
Will this work with the new IPad 5th generation (2017)?
It'll work with any blue tooth enabled computer.
6 years, 9 months ago
by
BobinVA
View files or videos in custom positions with this HP Envy x360 laptop. The hinge lets you lay the computer flat, fold it for use as a tablet or prop the screen at angles to enhance your viewing experience. When you aren't streaming videos on this HP Envy x360 laptop, convert it to a traditional position for standard keyboarding action.
How do you turn on the keyboard backlite ?
View files or videos in custom positions with this HP Envy x360 laptop. The hinge lets you lay the computer flat, fold it for use as a tablet or prop the screen at angles to enhance your viewing experience. When you aren't streaming videos on this HP Envy x360 laptop, convert it to a traditional position for standard keyboarding action.
does this computer come with windows 10 or.........
Yes, it's Windows 10, the November, 2015 build.
7 years, 10 months ago
by
BobinVA
View files or videos in custom positions with this HP Envy x360 laptop. The hinge lets you lay the computer flat, fold it for use as a tablet or prop the screen at angles to enhance your viewing experience. When you aren't streaming videos on this HP Envy x360 laptop, convert it to a traditional position for standard keyboarding action.
have msata ssd socket inside ?
I'm not sure about what's inside, as this laptop really isn't built to make it easy to open up. It's quite thin, so I doubt there's an extra slot in there. Sorry that I don't know for sure.
7 years, 10 months ago
by
BobinVA