BobinVA's stats
- Review count151
- Helpfulness votes449
- First reviewDecember 19, 2014
- Last reviewNovember 6, 2025
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.1
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- Answer count28
- Helpfulness votes23
- First answerAugust 12, 2016
- Last answerJanuary 22, 2022
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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!
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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!
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2of 3voted this as helpful.
NordVPN is a VPN (virtual private network) ~ it encrypts your internet data and hides your virtual location. What~s more, the advanced Threat Protection feature helps you avoid trackers and ads, scans URLs to make sure the websites you visit are safe, and inspects downloaded files for malware.
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
In today’s world, internet access is essential to everyday living. As we’ve become more and more dependent upon internet access, we’ve come to expect freely available wifi wherever we go. At one time, free wifi hotspots were a differentiator for restaurants, hotels and coffee shops, but now it’s an expected perk wherever we go. But while ubiquitous wifi has been a blessing, its unencrypted nature has also opened up yet another avenue for “the bad guys” to get to our data.
What to do? As I’ve been investigating options, there weren’t many that were realistic. I’ve even resorted to staying off hotel wifi altogether, but that cripples my ability to get things done. One option that was very intriguing was called Tiny Hardware Firewall. The idea is to purchase a small, battery-powered router with VPN software that you can take with you to create a private hotspot for several devices. While I think this is a very good idea, I’m not crazy about the $99 per year VPN fees. I don’t mind paying for the up-front hardware costs, but after that, why should I have to pay such a high price for VPN software?
That’s when I found NordVPN. It’s the highest-rated VPN on several review sites, and has a much more reasonable yearly cost (if you take advantage of one of their multi-year specials). So, I decided to give it a try. In short, NordVPN is effective and very easy to use.
Installation is a breeze. There are clients available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, and Chrome extensions. Setting up an account was quick and easy, and it was a quick download and install for each platform. By default, you can use the auto-connect feature to find a server near you. From there, you get a new IP address and you’re protected! Nord is based in Panama, which is a good thing because Panama is one of the countries that don’t share information on logging. While I’m not using a VPN to anonymize my internet activity, for those who are sensitive about privacy, this is important.
One thing I was initially worried about was the impact of a vpn on my speed. Doing a before/after speed test, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the impact was negligible. After all, a big hit to my throughput speed would mean that I wouldn’t use it. NordVPN only impacted my speed by about 5%, which I think is worth the added protection.
NordVPN also includes some extras, like an automatic kill switch in case you unexpectedly lose your vpn connection. A feature named CyberSec automatically blocks malicious websites, malware and unwanted ads. This is a great bonus.
Setup on iOS devices was just as easy. The only additional step is that you are asked if you want to set up a VPN profile in your settings. Saying yes will allow this to be done automatically, and you’re ready to go. When Nord is protecting you, you’ll see a small “vpn” in the top left corner, next to your connection strength icon.
The one thing that I’d like to see is a better solution for Chromebooks. NordVPN does have a Chrome extension that works just as easily as their other versions, but this only protects your activity within Chrome. Now that Chromebooks support Android apps, those need to be protected as well, and the Chrome extension doesn’t do that. You can get a NordVPN Android app which can protect your Android activities, but this doesn’t protect your web activities. You can manually set up a VPN connection in settings, but newer Chromebooks cannot be set to not use the IPv6 protocol, and NordVPN doesn’t support IPv6, so I couldn’t get this approach to work. ChromeOS is evolving rapidly, so I hope a comprehensive solution for ChromeOS will be forthcoming.
So far, NordVPN seems to be the solution I’ve been looking for. The license allows up to 6 devices simultaneously, which is enough for me to protect devices for me and my wife. I’ll see how it goes in long-term everyday usage, but right now I think NordVPN is the way to go.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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2of 3voted this as helpful.
Hugh Jackman delivers a fantastic performance as P.T. Barnum in this spectacularly colorful musical for the whole family. Motivated by a desire to provide a good life for his wife (Michelle Williams) and children, Barnum founds a destined-to-be-famous circus which proves to be, not only immensely popular and profitable, but also a place in which a group of talented misfits can call home. Zac Efron, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson co-star; songs include "The Greatest Show," "Come Alive," "Rewrite the Stars," and more. 105 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks English DTS HD 7.1 Master Audio, DVS 5.1, Dolby Digital stereo, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1; Subtitles English (SDH), Spanish, French; sing-along; audio commentary; featurettes. Two-disc set.
Customer Rating
4
It was over before I knew it!
on June 24, 2018
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
Verified Purchase:Yes
Let me start by saying I'm not a fan of musicals. I watch them because my wife likes them, but in general I would not choose to watch a musical if I can help it. I wasn't sure I wanted to see "The Greatest Showman" because of that, but with all the buzz, and the fact that my wife wanted to see it, I decided to take a chance on it. I'm so glad I did!
I was a bit nervous about another Hugh Jackman musical, since I thought "Les Miserables" was terrible. What a pleasant surprise this movie was! Jackman does a fantastic job and sounds great. The cast is excellent, and the musical score is expertly put together. You'll be tapping your feet throughout.
Some have criticized this movie for not being historically accurate. As long as you're not expecting to get a history lesson from watching this, you can ignore that and just have a good time. The movie is very stylized and has that "magical" quality that just makes it a fun ride.
When the movie ended, I was gearing up for the next chapter. That's how enjoyable it was. For a fun break from everyday life, do yourself a favor and watch this one!
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
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.
Customer Rating
4
Excellent Chromebook and "real" tablet in one!
on June 20, 2018
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
The promise of the new HP X2 Chromebook is great: a single device that is at the same time a really good laptop and a really good tablet. After being curious for a long time, I got my first Chromebook last year, the Acer 15, and really liked it, but was always attracted to Chromebooks with a different form factor, like the 2-in-1s from Asus and Samsung. When I heard about the new X2 Chromebook from HP, I wondered if this could be the one I’ve been waiting for, so I decided to find out.
The first thing I noticed when opening the box was that the X2 feels solid. Everything about it shouts quality. Just like other Chromebooks, getting it set up and ready to use is a breeze. Once you’re connected to the internet, all your apps and settings are automatically downloaded. This is one of the great things about Chromebooks!
The first thing I wanted to experience was the keyboard and trackpad. These are your interface with the machine, so they can make or break the experience. I’m happy to report that the keyboard is a pleasure to type on, and the trackpad is excellent! There is a good amount of key travel, and even though it’s the same size as the Chromebook Pro, the keys are spaced better and it doesn’t feel as cramped. The surface of the keyboard is covered in a material that’s made to look and feel like leather, and it’s really nice. It feels great and makes typing more comfortable. And no, it's not backlit. Unless you absolutely need this, I don't think it's a deal breaker.
Another crucial component is the screen. The X2 uses the same panel as the one in the Google Pixelbook, and it’s beautiful. It’s plenty bright, and you’ll be shocked at the resolution when you crank it all the way up. In fact, it makes things too small to see. This is an excellent screen. Along the edges of the screen, HP has hidden the speakers. This is great because they fire toward you, which makes them sound so much better. I was impressed with the sound level and quality, and I think these are probably better than those I’ve heard on other Chromebooks.
HP includes an active stylus with the X2, and the keyboard features a pen loop to hold it. That is a nice touch, since you have to pay extra for the stylus for the Pixelbook or iPad. That also made me think that HP wants to change the way we think about Chromebooks. Obviously, they’re pushing toward more tablet functionality (I’ll get to that in a bit), and part of that is the use of a stylus. The gold standard in that area is the Apple Pencil. This is one of those things that Apple really got right—it just works! I was hoping for something similar here, if not exactly up to the same standard. HP includes a drawing program that shows off the capabilities of the stylus, but I was more interested in handwriting. Here’s where I was disappointed. Most apps, including MS OneNote, suffer from terrible lag, making the stylus almost unusable. Finally, I found Squid, which deftly supports the HP stylus and provides a top-notch handwriting experience. I don’t know if this issue is the fault of the apps, Chrome OS or HP, but it’s pretty disappointing to find support for the active stylus only partway there. Perhaps we’ll see this improve as Chrome OS improves, but right now I see this as a partial miss. Overall, the Samsung S pen works better in the apps that aren’t yet optimized for styli. I hope this will be an area of great improvement in the days ahead.
The thing that really sets this Chromebook apart is the fact that it's a detachable. If you just want a regular laptop-style Chromebook, you probably won't like the hinge on this one that protrudes a bit out the back. That hinge is what allows this Chromebook to truly be on your lap if you want, but also allows you to detach the screen and use it as a tablet. The hinge is strong enough to hold the screen at the correct angle. When you're ready to use it as a tablet, just pull it off the keyboard. It's held by a magnet and guided by plastic tabs on each side of the screen. Without the keyboard, the tablet is only 1.6 pounds, which makes it light enough to hold and use for extended periods. HP has thoughtfully put the buttons and ports in the right places so as not to get in your way when using it as a tablet.
Should you buy the X2? I think that depends on how you plan to use it. If you like the idea of having a tablet without adding another device, I think you'll love this one. The fast processor, great build quality and excellent keyboard/trackpad all work together to make this one of the best Chromebooks available today. Even if you're not going to use it as a tablet a lot, this configuration gives you a lot of freedom to use it the way you want.
We'll see if the stylus support improves as ChromeOS improves. As for the finish on this Chromebook, I think it looks great, but the ceramic white on the back of the screen seems like it's going to show scuffs too easily. This is a premium Chromebook that is a joy to use. If having a detachable tablet appeals to you, you can't really go wrong with this one!
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+12points
13of 14voted this as helpful.
Create, learn, work, and play like never before. Featuring an immersive 9.7-inch Multi-Touch Retina display,~ powerful A10 Fusion chip, and now supports Apple Pencil,~ there's nothing else quite like iPad.
Customer Rating
4
A great iPad just got even better
on May 27, 2018
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
Verified Purchase:Yes
When Apple came out with the 2017 model iPad at a reasonable price, it was enough to convince me to buy it. I thought it was great, but I always wished it had support for the Apple Pencil. I bought a passive stylus that was actually quite good, but it wasn't the Pencil. So, when the 2018 model came out and included support for the Pencil, I was back again! I took the plunge and bought the new model, as well as the Pencil. In short? I love it!
Should you go out and buy this new model and get the Pencil? That depends. I was interested in doing a lot more handwriting, and maybe a little drawing. For handwriting, you can get results almost as good as the Pencil by using a good passive stylus such as the Adonit Jot, together with the great app Goodnotes 4. If all you do is handwriting, I'm not sure it would be worth it to spend the money for the new iPad and Pencil. If, however, your iPad is a couple generations old or you want to do some serious digital drawing, then this is a great option at a much better price than you'd get buying the iPad Pro.
The iPad 2018 sports the A10 processor, which is just a bit slower than the A10X in the Pro, but you really won't notice the difference. Also, don't be swayed by those who act like the non-laminated screen is a deal-breaker. It isn't. Yes, a laminated screen is definitely better, but it's not worth spending hundreds more. And unless you're a serious artist, you probably won't miss the real time color calibrations of the iPad Pro. If that matters to you, you probably need to buy the Pro anyway.
I think Apple has given us a fantastic tablet at a price that makes sense. Those who criticize Apple's use of the older form factor seem to miss the fact that this is the very reason why it's available at such a good price. This strategy got me to buy, and if they keep this up, I plan to be an iPad customer for years to come!
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+94points
113of 132voted this as helpful.
Only at Best BuyEnter the RPG arena with this Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop. It has 1TB of storage, and its NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card loads dynamic in-game visuals and Full HD movies smoothly. The quad-core Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of DDR4 RAM let this Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop perform efficiently.
Customer Rating
4
Affordable gaming laptop
on May 1, 2018
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
I’ve always loved gaming, but wouldn’t consider myself a “serious” gamer. Nonetheless, it’s always annoying when a laptop’s fan can’t keep up with the heat generated by a lengthy gaming session. With a limited budget, the best I could usually do was to get one of those cooling pads with built-in fans to put underneath the laptop, but even that was hit or miss.
Enter the Nitro 5. At $799, this is not a high-end gaming rig, but it’s a reasonable price for one that sports dedicated video memory for its GPU and other touches to enhance gaming performance. In other words, it allows people who are willing to spend some but not a lot to get better performance for their gaming time.
Set up was pretty typical for a Windows machine. It’s got the usual amount of bloatware on it, but I wish that more manufacturers would forgo doing that. Whenever I get a new machine, I always take the time to create recovery media before I install anything. When you need to start from scratch and your hard drive is toast, this is a life-saver. The recovery media creator doesn’t seem to limit the number of times you can run it (unlike some others), but it was probably the slowest recovery media creation process I’ve ever encountered. It doesn’t allow media creation on DVDs (not that I could find), but instead requires a USB flash drive. Once that was done, I was ready to get to some gaming.
I decided to start with an F1 racing game to see how it would do. The Nitro5 handled it with ease. There were no glitches, and it was just as good full-screen as it was in a window. I turned on Nitro Sense and was pleasantly surprised. It monitored CPU and GPU utilization, and showed the ambient temperature for each. With Cool Boost on, the fan would run at a higher level, and didn’t allow the temperature to get above 80 degrees. I was impressed with how well it handled the temperature, and the extra fan power really did a good job cooling things down.
From an aesthetic perspective, the Nitro 5 looks pretty great. It’s black and red, with a red light backlit keyboard that looks great. It also includes a double row of number and function keys, which is a nice touch. The keys have good travel and feel good when typing, but they don’t offer a lot of tactile feedback when gaming. Nonetheless, I didn’t find that to be a problem. The speakers are plenty loud, with average sound quality. It sports a good-looking screen that is more than adequate for gaming and productivity work.
The Nitro5 sports the usual complement of ports, including one USB-C port, and still has an Ethernet port. Those have become increasingly rare, but you would expect one on a gaming rig. Overall, I’m pleased with this machine and I’m looking forward to many hours of gaming fun. For a gaming laptop that won’t break the bank, you should give this one a look.
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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-2points
0of 2voted this as helpful.
Amp up your workouts with these JLab Epic Sport wireless earbuds. Memory Wire ear hooks keep them securely in place during activity, and their six tip options and interchangeable Cush Fins let you make custom adjustments for an ideal fit. These JLab Epic Sport wireless earbuds have a 12-hour battery life for uninterrupted listening during long training sessions.
Customer Rating
4
Good option for active lifestyles
on April 15, 2018
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
A few years ago, I got a pair of no-name Bluetooth earbuds, just to try them out. I wasn't convinced that Bluetooth could reliably deliver good quality sound and provide decent battery life in such a small package. Well, I was wrong, and those cheap buds are still going strong. So, when it came time to get a new pair, they would be the benchmark against which any new buds would be compared.
The JLab Epic Sport came nicely packaged, with lots of extra tips in different sizes, as well as a nice zippered case, which turned out to be a bit of a hassle to use. They also included different sizes of "cush fins". More on these later.
The Epic Sport buds are marketed to active people, so one of the main features is that they stay in your ears during activities. There's nothing more annoying that having to repeatedly push your ear buds back in, so I was anxious to see how these would measure up. They accomplish this through the use of "memory wires" that go around behind your ears. These can be bent to fit the shape of your ears. I really like this idea, but it doesn't play out as well as I'd like. The wire is more difficult to position than I would like and trying to get it to the right shape while on my ears caused my ears to get irritated. Eventually, I got it to where I liked it, but taking them off and putting them back on seems to bend the wires away from the shape I set. So, I generally just go for "close enough".
Using other buds while running often resulted in a weird sort of air-pressure percussion sound in my ears, which was pretty unpleasant and distracting. This happens when the buds form a seal in the ear canal. As you run, air pushes out, creating this sound. This is a bit of a catch-22, because a good seal is necessary to get any kind of bass response from your ear buds, but it is that seal that causes the problem. The Epic Sport buds are held by the wires at a particular angle, preventing you from pushing them far enough into your ear canals to get such a seal. Again, this is a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that, without a tight seal, you don't have to deal with that annoying sound. The curse is that this prevents these buds from having any good bass sound.
Speaking of the seal, it's vitally important that ear buds provide a good seal in the ear canal or you won't be happy with the sound. Fortunately, JLab provides lots of tips, and even a couple different styles. Because they're held a little farther up the ear canal, I needed to use the largest tips to get decent results. The cush fins I mentioned earlier perform the same sort of function, but in the outer ear instead of the ear canal. These are very important to get a good fit, so don't ignore them, thinking they're just decorations.
These ear buds do a good job of handling ambient wind noise, and they do indeed stay put while running. There is a small control bar that dangles just behind your right ear, and this contains the on/off/pause button, as well as volume up/down buttons, which also serve to allow you to skip forward and backward in the track listing. A thin wire connects to the other ear bud, and it seems to work best to put the wire around the back of your neck. I was impressed with how this wire stays out of your way and does not become a distraction. They did a really good job with this. I think the thinness of the wire is crucial—larger or flat wires just get in the way.
Battery life is quite good, and a quick rinse in the shower after a run was easily handled by these buds. They're pretty comfortable and wearing them for several hours straight was no problem. All in all, I think these did a very good job at fulfilling their intended purpose.
I definitely liked the JLab Epic Sport ear buds, but there were two areas that, if improved, would put these over the top: I wish they were just a little more comfortable, and I'd like to see the overall sound signature be a little better. They're a little light on bass, and that makes a big difference. Experimenting with the rubber tips and cush fins helped somewhat, but I could never get it quite "right". For most uses, I think you'll be pleased with these, but if you have the opportunity, compare them to some others, especially those who approach the way they fit in a different manner.
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+3points
3of 3voted this as helpful.
Enjoy your favorite songs with this Bluetooth Sony speaker. Its multicolored line lights and flashing strobe turn any gathering into a party, and the 12 hours battery keeps the music playing all night long. This portable Sony speaker is resistant to water, dust and rust, so you can supply the tunes for any adventure.
Customer Rating
4
A great addition to a crowded BT speaker market
on March 29, 2018
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
Much like the heyday of mp3 players several years ago, I think we’re in a “golden age” for Bluetooth speakers today. The market is flooded with them, and it can be hard to figure out which one to buy. I’ve been using a Sharkk wireless speaker for several years now, and I love it, so it is my benchmark for other speakers, at least in the sub-$100 category.
The Sony SRS-XB21 is different right out of the box. It is covered with a unique, water and dust-resistant fabric that rinses easily and looks very good. In the box you’ll find the speaker, a charging cable, and some sparse instructions in many languages, as is typical of Sony.
Connecting a device via Bluetooth is easy. A musical chime lets you know you’ve successfully connected. After that, just start playing music. The sound is rich and full, and very loud for the size of the speaker. Sony provides 3 sound modes: standard, extra bass, and live sound. Extra bass is what you’d expect, and it really does provide added punch to the lower end. Live sound tries to mimic the sound of a large room, to make the soundstage seem bigger than it really is. It works quite well, but I’m not really a fan of it. To use live sound, you’ll need to install the Sony Music Center app (more on that in a moment).
Compared to my older Sharkk, the Sony has fuller and richer sound, even in standard mode. I was quite surprised by this, as I’m a big fan of the big sound I get from my Sharkk. On top of the speaker are buttons for play/pause and volume up/down, as well as the power/Bluetooth pairing button. Conspicuously missing are buttons for skipping tracks (you’ll have to use your device for that). This thing can easily fill a good-sized room with sound and would be great at parties.
Sony is trying to differentiate itself with some additional features. There are two thin white lines around the speaker, and these are actually lights. The lights can pulse with the music if you want. In addition, you can turn on “party mode” and produce sounds by hitting the speaker with your hand in different places to the beat of the music. Different sounds are produced in different spots. The idea is to hold the speaker one hand and tap it with the other. While this may be fun for a while, I really didn’t see the value in it. It’s a gimmick that will garner some laughs at a party, but I doubt this’ll be a go-to feature for most people.
The Music Center app allows you to control the lights and turn party mode on and off. It will also link to your iTunes library (for iOS) and allow you to both control your speaker and choose music from the same app. The app provides the ability to tailor the sound a bit, and even includes a rudimentary equalizer. This is a nice touch, and I found it to work well, in spite of the many complaints you’ll find online about this software. The app isn’t just for the speaker, it’ll also control other Sony devices you may have.
If you have more than one speaker, or if your friends also have them, you can link them together and use them to play the same music together. This is another example of Sony’s desire for these speakers to be the “life of the party”.
If a call comes in while you’re listening to the speaker, it automatically converts to a speakerphone, although I thought this feature was a bit lackluster. This is very handy, and is pretty standard on Bluetooth speakers. Overall, I think this is a really great speaker. It is dustproof and waterproof, so it can go wherever you go, and the battery life is fantastic. For me, it is my new go-to wireless speaker. You would do well to include it on your short list.
If a call comes in while you’re listening to the speaker, it automatically converts to a speakerphone, although I thought this feature was a bit lackluster. This is very handy, and is pretty standard on Bluetooth speakers. Overall, I think this is a really great speaker. It is dustproof and waterproof, so it can go wherever you go, and the battery life is fantastic. For me, it is my new go-to wireless speaker. You would do well to include it on your short list.
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Make your smart home digitally secure with this Bitdefender BOX 2 cybersecurity hub. It protects your connected home and your family from hackers and privacy intruders. You get complete, multilayered cybersecurity for an unlimited number of internet-connected devices. Bitdefender BOX 2 is 100 percent compatible with your home network and lets you control all your connected devices from a single app.
Customer Rating
4
Good, but make sure your router can support it
on March 12, 2018
Posted by: BobinVA
from Lynchburg, VA
When I first heard about the Bitdefender Box 2, I was very excited to get one. Here was a device that promised to protect not just my computers, but any device in my house that connects to the internet. So, I decided to get one.
The Box is a nice-looking piece of hardware. To set it up, you must download an app for your phone, you can't set it up using a computer. No problem. Once in the app, you simply set up an account using your email address and a new password that you make up, and you're ready to go.
Once you power up the Box, it will boot up and begin broadcasting its own wifi signal. Join the new "network" that it just created, and you're ready to continue setting up the box. Setting up the Box is a breeze, but here's where I ran into an unanticipated problem.
The preferred configuration is to use the Box with your existing router. To do that, you must put the router in bridge mode. On a dual-band router, this dedicates one of the frequencies to the Box. On a single-band router, this turns your router into an access point. This makes sense, since you're going to be sending all your wifi traffic through the Box. Unfortunately, my router does not allow me to put it into bridge mode. It's simply not an option. So, I sadly realized that the only way I could use the Box would be to use it as a standalone router.
I continued the setup to use the Box as my router. This is very simple—just create a name for the new network and give it a password. Your devices join the new network just like they would any other. The signal strength was good, but not great, and network traffic seemed to flow just fine.
Adding devices to your secure network is easy as well. From the Bitdefender Central app, send an email to yourself for the proper platform (Android, Windows, Mac, iOS). Go to that device, open up the email, and install the Bitdefender software on your device. It's really a very easy process, and it seems to work pretty well.
For me, though, the inability to use my router really makes this a deal-breaker. The Box is not marketed as a replacement for your router like other products are, which I like. But that means that if I use the Box as my router, then I have to forgo the high-end capabilities of my router. Now, if you're coming from a fairly middle of the road router and you were ready for a replacement anyway, you might find that the Box is a more than capable router in its own right. I think it's a pretty good performer. But for me, I've got a really good router already, so I'm not interested in putting it aside. As a result, I didn't get to fully experience what the Bitdefender Box 2 can do for me.
If you're in the market for a new anti-malware solution, the $99 subscription that comes with the Box 2 certainly makes this a very good deal overall. But unless you can use it as intended, be aware of its limitations, or just use it as a standalone router.
My Best Buy number: 0052986086
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Logitech Wireless Mouse M185. A simple, reliable mouse with plug-and-play wireless. You get the reliability of a cord with wireless convenience and freedom~fast data transmission and virtually no delays or dropouts. You~ll enjoy the high quality and reliability that have made Logitech the global leader for mice~plus a three-year limited hardware warranty. The tiny nano receiver works right away without software and is small enough to leave in your USB port so you won~t lose it. And on top of that, this comfy, contoured mouse treats your hand right.
Will this mouse work with a Lenovo Think Pad?
It should work, either using the Logi Bolt receiver that is included, or via Bluetooth.
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Make sure you move the switch on the charging case that enables wired mode to work. You may not have noticed that switch. Good luck!
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Does the screen protector come with the case?
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Bring out your creativity to share your life stories. Adobe Sensei AI technology* and automated options do the heavy lifting so you can instantly turn photos into art, warp photos to fit any shape, and more. Add moving overlays or 3D camera motion to take your photos to a whole new level, and save them as MP4s for easy sharing on social. Grow your skills with 60 Guided Edits that step you through how to create perfect pet pics; extend, remove, or replace photo backgrounds; and more. Effortlessly organize your photos, and craft personalized creations like dynamic photo and video slideshows with all-new styles and inspirational quote graphics. Transform your favorite photos into gallery-quality wall art, beautiful prints, and unique keepsakes with the built-in prints and gifts service. ~And enjoy an updated look that makes the software even easier to use and navigate. *Adobe Sensei is the technology that powers intelligent features across all Adobe products to dramatically improve the design and delivery of digital experiences, using artificial intelligence and machine learning in a common framework.~FUJIFILM Prints & Gifts service is available in the U.S. only.
Gee - I don't want to pay monthly. So is it a lifetime license where you never have to pay again?
Yes, this is a perpetual license. Unless you can get enough value out of a subscription, it's not worth it. Since I don't edit photos enough to pay for a subscription, this is perfect for me.
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Can you turn on the light with an external switch?
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Wirelessly display content from a phone, tablet, or laptop onto a bigger screen with the ScreenCast Wireless Display Adapter. With its support of multiple wireless display standards (Miracast, AirPlay, and Chromecast), this wireless display adapter is compatible with devices and TVs you already own, including Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Android operating systems. Perfect for home, travel, office, and more. The ScreenCast works with a wide variety of apps. Just connect and share!
Can this be used to stream Netflix/Amazon from MacBook Pro to Samsun smart tv?
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I would just like to ask if I can use this mouse for an ipad air with an ios of 12.4?
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GE Appliances is dedicated to providing the right solutions for rooms of any size. Our window air conditioners are designed to offer exceptional comfort while remaining quiet, and our latest connected technology makes these products versatile and easy to use.This 8,000 BTU smart window air conditioner cools medium rooms up to 350 square feet. Energy efficient cooling with 3 cooling and 3 fan speeds provide flexible and optimal home comfort. Integration with the SmartHQ app allows you to monitor, schedule, and control your connected air conditioner from anywhere, or use the electronic controls with included remote to easily to adjust and manage your settings. This AC installs easily in a double hung window with included EZ Mount window kit and fixed chassis. Additional features like eco mode, power interruption restart, 24-hour on/off timer, and removable filter offer ease of use and maintenance.
Does this ait conditioner work with alexa?
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