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Bring paper into your digital workflow with reMarkable Paper Pro. Ultraslim and portable, but with a full-size 11.8~ color display, adjustable reading light, and an unmatched paper-like writing experience.
Customer Rating
3
Colorful e-ink tablet
on November 17, 2024
Posted by: BobinVA
I’ve read all the articles about how handwriting is actually better for retaining information, and since then I’ve been in pursuit of the perfect tools for taking notes by hand, yet integrating with my digital lifestyle. I’ve tried apps that scan paper pages, physical notebooks with dedicated apps, handwriting apps on Windows 2-in-1 laptops, Chromebook apps, and handwriting apps for my iPad. Each of these have things to commend their use, but ultimately all had some fatal flaw. That’s when my attention turned toward e-ink tablets.
The release of the Paper Pro brought what seemed like the perfect device for writing: excellent hardware utilizing a robust set of tools, and now in color! I picked one up and put it through its paces. If you are in the market for one of these devices, I hope I can help your decision process.
Unwrapping the Paper Pro gives your first glimpse of color on the e-ink screen. The build quality of the Paper Pro is impeccable. It’s a little thicker than the reMarkable 2, but that’s probably due to the frontlight. The aluminum back and sides feel smooth and solid, and there are 4 rubber feet on the back to keep it from moving on a table.
Setup was easy and the step-by-step walkthrough takes you through the entire process. After connecting to wifi and checking for software updates, you’re good to go. Two things are immediately apparent: the large size of the screen and the feel of the Marker Plus on the screen. Other e-ink tablets have textured screens, but compared to the Paper Pro, they feel much smoother. The Paper Pro has a “scratchier” feel and some additional resistance that is actually quite pleasant. I know that not everyone will like this, but I felt that it made my writing more accurate with more definite feedback, so I prefer what reMarkable has done with their latest screen.
The Paper Pro features a wide array of writing instruments, including ballpoint pen, fineliner, highlighter, pencil, mechanical pencil, calligraphy pen, marker, shader, and paintbrush. Each of these has 3 thicknesses and 6-9 different colors. More on color later. The Paper Pro uses an e-ink panel that is not used by other manufacturers, so it behaves a bit differently than others. It is noticeably grayer than others I've used, but not negatively so. It also seems to have a bit less contrast, so I found it necessary to use a thicker line. This is one area that is a bit disappointing—contrast. Using a very fine pen thickness makes it harder to see, and while I can use a thicker pen to help with that, the bottom line is that the panel just has less contrast.
The writing experience is excellent. The Marker Plus feels good in the hand, and it includes a built-in eraser for a more natural experience. Once I found the pen style I liked, I got busy taking notes. The reMarkable operating system is pretty intuitive. It was easy to create folders and notebooks. There is almost no lag while writing, but the screen refreshes are more noticeable than other e-ink screens. That didn’t bother me, but it may be a bit disconcerting at first. Palm rejection is perfect. There seems to be a bit of inconsistency between times when a finger touch works and when you need to use the pen. Moving objects around on screen can be done with a finger, but the pen is required to complete the operation. A similar thing happens when selecting the pen type. I’m sure I’ll get used to it, but thought I’d mention it.
One of the big things introduced with the Paper Pro is color. Highlighting on an e-ink tablet without color was always unsatisfying, so it’s very nice to see highlights in color. Highlights initially show up in gray, then switch to the chosen color after the screen refreshes. Be aware that while the colors are very nice, they’re not bold and vivid like you might see on an lcd tablet or computer screen. That’s just the nature of e-ink, and the colors are still very effective, and much better than not having them. This is one of the best features and one that I intend to use a lot.
Here are a few features that I really like having:
• Settings stay with the document! Things like page orientation, pen style, thickness and color are remembered from document to document—very convenient!
• You can have different page styles within the same document
• The ability to add layers to make sets of changes that can be reversed without affecting the base document.
• Ability to add typed text with formatting, together with handwritten text. This allows for much more flexibility.
• Ability to email documents to anyone directly from the Paper Pro.
• Settings stay with the document! Things like page orientation, pen style, thickness and color are remembered from document to document—very convenient!
• You can have different page styles within the same document
• The ability to add layers to make sets of changes that can be reversed without affecting the base document.
• Ability to add typed text with formatting, together with handwritten text. This allows for much more flexibility.
• Ability to email documents to anyone directly from the Paper Pro.
Another new feature over the reMarkable 2 is the addition of a frontlight. This version of e-ink panel has a noticeably gray tinge, as I mentioned earlier, and this impacts the level of perceived contrast. Using thicker pen styles is one way to combat that, but the frontlight helps as well. Too bad the Paper Pro is equipped with such a weak frontlight. There are 4 levels of brightness, but I would only ever use anything less than maximum if I were in a completely dark room. The frontlight definitely helps, but sometimes I couldn’t tell if it was on. It’s nice to have and definitely makes this a better device, but it’s just underwhelming and makes you wish for more.
The companion apps (desktop and mobile) provide the ability to view your notes on other devices, and the optional Connect subscription also allows editing those notes on other devices. You can also do live screen shares with the app, allowing better collaboration with your notes in a meeting. This is a nice feature. Integrations with OneDrive, Google Drive and Dropbox are a very nice touch and allow for seamless sharing of documents back and forth with those services. Note, however, that this does not mean you’ll have live synch with those services. Documents saved back to your cloud service will need to be renamed to retain your changes.
For me, my main use for a device like the Paper Pro is as my daily planner/to-do list. That means that I need to be able to see those things at a glance, without having to take a deliberate action to do so. That alone eliminates the most traditional tablets from contention, unless you’re willing to leave it plugged in all day. The Paper Pro features “light sleep”, which puts the unit to sleep after 20 minutes with the last-used page still showing, for up to a few hours. I love this! It’s also possible to set the device to never turn off. With the frontlight turned off to save battery, this could be a viable option.
Battery life is good, but not great. With my usage pattern, I can get through almost a week pretty comfortably. The light definitely impacts that, as does the need to charge the Marker Plus, which is done through its magnetic attachment to the side of the unit.
What about reading? Writing is the main purpose of the Paper Pro, but you can also read books in Epub format (if they’re not protected) or PDFs. With the larger screen size, both of these look great. This is especially useful for larger technical documents. It doesn’t feature all the reading-friendly features of a dedicated ereader, so you may not be able to get rid of your e-reader just yet, but if you have a lot of DRM-free material, the Paper Pro is more than adequate as an e-reader.
The biggest roadblock to adoption for the Paper Pro has to be cost. At $629 with the Marker Plus, this is a very expensive writing tablet. While the overall experience is better than what you can get elsewhere, is it $300 better? If you’re most excited about color and the larger size, then perhaps you’d say yes. There are some significant features that are better on the Paper Pro, but again, those have to be weighed against the cost. While I recommend the Paper Pro, it’s really only for those who can afford to pay for the latest and greatest and don’t care about the expense. The first iteration of a color reMarkable is excellent, but it does feel a little like a 1.0 release, so I expect it to improve in future iterations.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Introducing the ultimate solution for effortlessly preserving and revitalizing your cherished memories. Say hello to our cutting-edge photo scanner and PictureStudio photo editing software, designed to breathe new life into your old, faded photos with just a single touch. Gone are the days of sifting through endless photo albums in search of that one special moment. With our seamless search feature, navigating through your digitized photo collection has never been easier. Simply enter a keyword or filter by tag, and watch as your memories come to life before your eyes. Whether it's restoring colors to faded photographs, organizing your entire photo collection in one convenient location, or effortlessly sharing and backing up your memories, AMBIR has you covered.
Customer Rating
3
What I needed, but has a fatal flaw
on October 28, 2024
Posted by: BobinVA
I’ve scanned many photos using a flatbed scanner, but the process is less than ideal. You have to make sure you keep the glass spotless, and lining up and scanning each photo just takes too much time. For these reasons, I was interested in the Ambir Photo Scanner. It’s a sheet-fed scanner, similar to a document scanner, allowing you to load a photo into the feeder and automatically scan it into the included Picture Studio software.
Setup is easy. It begins by downloading and installing the software from Ambir’s website (.Net Desktop 8.0 is required). Once this is complete, you are prompted to connect the scanner. Next, insert one of the included calibration sheets into the scanner. A few moments later, you’re ready to start scanning your photos.
There are lines on the back of the scanner to indicate where you should place your 5x7 or 4x6 photos, but photos of many different sizes are supported. Available resolutions are 300 dpi and 600 dpi. This is usually sufficient for old family photos, but isn’t high enough if you’re looking for professional tool. Insert the photo face down, then click the scan button in the software. The scanner can also be set to automatically start scanning when it senses a photo being placed in position.
The software is simple, but does provide some good options for enhancing your scanned images. The license for the software is authenticated by connecting the scanner, so it’s not possible to use the software on its own without at least connecting the scanner when you start up the software.
Photo editing options include exposure, white balance, saturation, brightness, contrast, sharpening and blur. There are also a number of pre-set filters included, such as vivid, warm, cool, etc. You can remove red eye, dust and scratches, or change the tint and color levels. Overall, the software provides a decent set of tools for making basic changes and improving your photos, but it’s not a replacement for a full-featured photo editing package.
Photo editing options include exposure, white balance, saturation, brightness, contrast, sharpening and blur. There are also a number of pre-set filters included, such as vivid, warm, cool, etc. You can remove red eye, dust and scratches, or change the tint and color levels. Overall, the software provides a decent set of tools for making basic changes and improving your photos, but it’s not a replacement for a full-featured photo editing package.
Once you’re finished making changes, clicking “save” brings up the choice of output formats, but selecting one doesn’t bring up a button to finish the process. You’re left wondering how to make it save, only to find out that the file has already been saved. Once you know this, it’s okay, but there should be some confirmation of file operations. The software has a bit of a quirky user interface, but you get used to it quickly and can find your way around.
I wasn’t expecting to get bundled software on the level of Adobe Photoshop, so my main interest was more in the hardware as a tool to provide an easy and fast way to digitize my piles of old photos. Unfortunately, almost all of my photos feature a glossy finish, and that finish turned out to be something that didn’t work well with this scanner.
The scanner uses a rubber roller to grip the photo and pull it down and across the camera lens. It does just fine with photos that have a matte finish, but on glossy photos it does not pull the photo through evenly, resulting in skewed, distorted images (sample attached). There is also an included plastic sleeve, called the carrier sheet, that is meant to be used for photos that may be too damaged or fragile to scan on their own. This can be used for scanning glossy photos, but I sometimes had trouble getting the carrier sheet to feed correctly as well. Cleaning the roller with alcohol seemed to correct this, and the carrier sheet worked well after that, so the carrier sheet does seem to be an option. Ultimately, though, I have a large collection of glossy photos, and having to load and unload the carrier sheet for every photo would be much slower than being able to feed the photos through one right after the other.
I want to give kudos to the team at Ambir. In addition to the issues with the feeding of photos, I also had trouble with the drivers for the scanner which rendered the software inoperable. I contacted Ambir for support, and I must say they were wonderful to deal with. They were very responsive to my emails, and then put me on the phone with a technician. They quickly shipped out a new unit the same day. They were trying to determine if the original unit was defective, and although I don’t think it was, I was very impressed with the level of service. They also sent me a pre-release update to the software that corrected my issue with the drivers, so I was able to run the software again. This kind of service is rare these days, and Ambir should be commended for providing such good service!
Is this the right solution for you? If you’re scanning photos with a matte finish and don’t require a lot of complex editing, then yes, this would be a good solution. If you’re like me, however, with loads of slick, glossy photos, then this is not the ideal way to go. The Ambir Photo Scanner is reasonably priced and with a good set of features, but for me its most basic function doesn’t work well enough to meet my needs, and thus I can’t recommend it.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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With the magic of AI and automation behind the scenes, it~s never been easier to fix flaws, fine-tune specific areas, and add motion to quickly bring your vision to life.
Customer Rating
4
Power and ease, but now for a limited time
on October 24, 2024
Posted by: BobinVA
I have a love/hate relationship with photo editing. I have thousands and thousands of photos, most of which would benefit from editing to improve them. I love the results achieved by making good edits, but I don’t love the effort it takes effort to learn how to do that.
Adobe has been the king of the hill for many years, but its full-featured tools can be more than necessary for casual users, which is where Elements comes in. I’ve been in the habit of getting the new version of Elements every other year, and that pattern holds true this year as well. One of my goals in this review is to highlight the new features added since the 2023 version. Here’s a list of what’s new since 2023:
• Simply brush to remove objects
• Add realistic depth of field with precise control
• Change the color of any object
• Create motion effects with four new one-click Quick Actions
• Match color and tone with one click
• Select a sky or background with one click
• Seamlessly combine multiple photos
• Web app and mobile companion app (??)
• 3-year subscription model
• Add realistic depth of field with precise control
• Change the color of any object
• Create motion effects with four new one-click Quick Actions
• Match color and tone with one click
• Select a sky or background with one click
• Seamlessly combine multiple photos
• Web app and mobile companion app (??)
• 3-year subscription model
One of the things that makes Photoshop Elements so appealing is its mix of power and convenience. Unless you’re trying to do some of the more esoteric professional functions, it’s likely that you’ll be satisfied with the powerful features included in Photoshop Elements. Layers, masks, filters, noise reduction and so much more are available in Elements. Also available are many powerful and easy guided edits that harness some of that power without making you learn all the intricacies required. Here are my experiences with some of the new ones:
Brush to remove objects – a coveted feature on other platforms, this one comes to Elements for 2025. The idea is simple: use a brush to “paint” the object you want to remove, then Elements uses AI to make it disappear. For objects that are fairly set apart and which have clear background elements around them, this works very well. For more complicated compositions, the results can be a little more iffy. I did learn that choosing a good brush size makes a difference, and the AI is pretty impressive in how it interpolates background elements to fill in the area occupied by the object you’re removing. If the automatic removal isn’t perfect, you can revert to the old-fashioned clone stamp tool to clean it up further.
Add realistic depth of field with precise control – this is an easy way to blur out the background to focus on the object(s) in the foreground. You can choose either simple mode (let PS decide what to blur) or custom mode. In custom mode, using the “magic” selection tool, simply select the object you want to stay in focus, then click the blur button to make everything else go out of focus. Simple mode is a little indiscriminate, but custom mode does a pretty good job.
Change the color of any object – if you’ve ever wanted to simply change the color of an object, this is the tool for you. Want to make that purple flower red? Just auto-select it, chose red for your new color, and click ok. Your purple flower is now red, but you’ll need to change your selection if you don’t want everything inside the selection outline to be included. This is a nice shortcut from doing it all yourself.
Select a sky or background with one click – PS 2025 makes it easy to select the sky so that you can substitute another background or change its color. There’s also a guided edit designed specifically to replace the sky. Either way, this is a great way to brighten up those outdoor shots taken on a hazy or extra bright day. It was easy to replace the sky with something more colorful, but watch out for other elements in the photo that are the same color, as those get replaced as well.
To be honest, I was able to do most of this stuff in the 2023 version as well, even if it did sometimes take a few more clicks. In fact, an effect found in the 2023 version, tilt-shift, is no longer available in the 2025 version. This effect made your photo look like a miniature without requiring a tilt-shift lens. I’m sure there’s a reason this was removed, but I couldn’t find it.
To be honest, I was able to do most of this stuff in the 2023 version as well, even if it did sometimes take a few more clicks. In fact, an effect found in the 2023 version, tilt-shift, is no longer available in the 2025 version. This effect made your photo look like a miniature without requiring a tilt-shift lens. I’m sure there’s a reason this was removed, but I couldn’t find it.
There’s a new and improved (?) raw editor this year, but one of the biggest changes can’t be found in the software. New for 2025, Elements is no longer available as a one-time perpetual license. Instead, it is now a 3-year license. Adobe touts this as a “one-time” purchase, but I’m not sure what they want to convey with that statement. Perhaps they’re contrasting that with paying for the license every year. In that case, perhaps we should divide the purchase price by 3 and consider that the true cost of using the software. Nonetheless, you won’t be able to edit photos after the license expires. Is this a good or bad thing? In my opinion, it’s bad as it removes the last available option from Adobe for a tool that I upgrade when I deem it necessary. This will undoubtedly push some to their competitors’ offerings. Ultimately, though, Photoshop Elements is still the best available mix of power and convenience. Competitors may be able to match the ability to do complex edits, but few (if any) of their competitors make the complex easy, as Elements does with its guided edits.
There are no major new features to be found here, as the 2025 version is again an incremental improvement. If you have a version from the last year or two, I’d say sit this one out. If you’re purchasing photo editing software for the first time, Elements is still a good value, even as a new addition to the ranks of subscription software. If you’re truly opposed to subscriptions, there are alternatives, but be prepared to spend some time learning to use them.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Unlock the power of two ovens in the counter space of one with the Ninja Double Stack XL Countertop Oven & Air Fryer with Pro Cook System. Only Ninja has the FlexDoor that creates 2 separate ovens so you can cook 2 meals, 2 ways at different temperatures and cooking times. Use just the Top Oven for quick snacks, sides, and sheet pan meals~or the Bottom Convection & Air Fry Oven for larger roasts, bakes, or air frying up to 6 lbs of wings. You can also sync both independent ovens to cook a full course meal that finishes cooking at the same time with Smart Finish with DualZone Technology. While your meal cooks, FlavorSeal technology prevents flavor crossover between ovens. Two cooking zones in one eliminate back-to-back cooking for 65% faster meal-making than your traditional oven. The Pro Cook System with Auto Detect Intelligence precisely monitors temperatures, so you don~t have to. Plus, this countertop dual oven features 12 cooking functions for the ultimate versatility.
Customer Rating
5
Versatile oven loaded with features
on October 15, 2024
Posted by: BobinVA
Years ago, my favorite oven had a smaller, thinner oven (like a pizza oven) on top with a larger, more standard-sized oven below. We sold that oven in a house sale and have never had anything like that again. Since then, we’ve become very dependent on a countertop oven that sees more usage than our regular oven by far. Our existing countertop oven has been great, but Ninja just came out with an update to their oven that combines the best of all of these: a dual countertop oven with loads of features!
**Size**
Since you’re probably putting this under your kitchen cabinets, you’ll want to know the size of this oven. Ninja lists the dimensions as follows: 18.6 in L x 16.39 in W x 13.26 in H. By comparison, my previous oven was 11.6” tall, so the Ninja Double Stack adds a small second oven while not giving up much on the height of the main oven, and only adds about 1.25” to the height! For me, this was a big deal, since if it won’t fit under my cabinets, it has no place in my kitchen.
The top oven compartment is ideal for baking small items such as pizza or dinner rolls or a tray of vegetables. It is definitely meant for those kinds of things, so keep that in mind. Trying to put taller items in there will result in the food touching the top and getting burned.
**Controls**
Ninja has done a good job of not overloading the panel with controls. Both ovens have their own time and temp buttons, and there is a dial for selecting things like cooking programs. There are 3 additional buttons for the thermometer: preset, doneness and manual. More on these later. There is one additional control, for turning on the Smart Finish feature, which allows the oven to time the completion of top and bottom ovens so that they’ll finish at the same time.
**Features**
The Ninja Doublestack XL includes 12 cooking programs: Bake, Broil, Reheat, Keep Warm, Toast, Bagel, Air Fry, Conv.Bake, Pizza, Air Roast, Whole Roast, and Dehydrate. These are selected by turning the dial to highlight your choice in the program list.
One thing I think is pretty striking is the display. Unlike most competing ovens, there is no screen on the face of the oven. Instead, information shines through the brushed nickel finish! Before I turned it on, I assumed there was no display, but couldn’t imagine how I would know what choices to make (would it be a series of beeps?). This is a great design decision and contributes to the sleek, modern look of the oven.
New for this year is a plug-in thermometer. The oven features a small port on the side (like a headphone jack) where you can plug in the thermometer. Insert the thermometer in the middle of the meat, then use the thermometer preset button to choose fish, beef, chicken or pork. You can also choose a small or large size (bottom oven only), and a doneness level (rare, medium, etc.). The choice of doneness level determines the internal temperature setting for the meat. The chicken setting only allows one temperature—165 degrees. The manual button allows you to set a temperature to whatever you like.
There is also a button labeled “Smart Finish” which ensures that both ovens finish at the same time. Details about this in the next section.
**Performance**
I’ve been using my Ninja Foodi grill to air fry French fries, so I wanted to see how the Double Stack would compare. Using the included air fry basket, I cooked up a batch of French fries that were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, easily as good as the results I get from the Foodi, but with less clean-up.
Next, we prepared some meals using the thermometer. We dialed in the settings as described above for the top oven, then chose the settings for the bottom oven. The last step was pressing the Smart Finish button and pressing start. The oven with the shorter cooking time was automatically placed on hold while preheating the other oven. A progress bar showed how things were going on the bottom oven, while the internal temperature of the meat was shown for the top oven. Smart Finish ensured that both ovens finished at the same time—super convenient! More impressive was that if I made a change to the settings for either oven during the cook, it would recalculate the total time and adjust accordingly. After turning out multiple successful meals this way, we may just cook this way all the time.
Random thoughts: using the top oven as a toaster also worked well, but it does take some experimentation to find settings to your liking. One advantage a regular toaster has is that it’s easier to get items out that are not laying on an oven rack. Preheating time in the top oven was only 3 minutes to reach 350 degrees, much faster than our large traditional oven. Convection airflow is noticeable in this oven, which I appreciated, coming from a previous oven that I was never sure actually circulated any air. This makes for speedy convection baking times.
**Negatives**
There really aren’t many, but I’ll mention two. A roast tray is not included, but really should have been, since that’s a needed accessory for roasting a whole chicken. The handle on the door, while being very attractive, is actually too big. When the door is laid down to pull food out of the oven, the handle prevents the door from laying flat, and that can make it a bit tricky to navigate the hot surfaces.
**Conclusion**
The Ninja Double Stack XL oven is an upgrade in multiple ways, and I’m very glad to have gotten it. We’ve had several Ninja kitchen accessories, and they’ve done it again with this one. Like all our other Ninja accessories, the Double Stack oven is built superbly and includes a plethora of thoughtful features that make it a joy to use. The only thing limiting our usage is when we need to cook a very large dish, but thankfully that’s rare. If you’re looking for a countertop oven, I’m not sure you can do better than this versatile model.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Introducing the Flex Open Clip Wireless Earbuds, the epitome of convenience and innovation in earbud technology. With its unique, clip-style design, these earbuds offer a distinct open-ear experience unlike any other. Simply clip them around your ear and immerse yourself in your surroundings while still enjoying your favorite tunes. Featuring touch controls directly on the earbud, managing your music and calls has never been easier or more intuitive. With USB-C charging, you can quickly and conveniently power up your earbuds for extended listening sessions. Compatible with the JLab App, you can further personalize your listening experience to suit your preferences. Enjoy a remarkable 21+ hours of playtime, ensuring you never miss a beat throughout your day. Thanks to multipoint technology, you can seamlessly connect to any two devices simultaneously, making it effortless to switch between your smartphone, tablet, or laptop without missing a moment of your audio experience. Experience the freedom and versatility of the Flex Open Clip Wireless Earbuds - where innovative design meets exceptional functionality for the ultimate listening experience.
Posted by: BobinVA
I’m a big fan of earbuds/headphones that leave the ears open to allow you to be aware of your surroundings. I enjoy bone conduction headphones, but they do leave a lot to be desired in the sound quality category. Newer “air conduction” earbuds are attempting to resolve this issue, and there are currently two approaches to this: ear hooks and ear clips. Bose is the first to come out with ear clips, but they are pretty expensive, so I decided to try the new JLab Flex Open earbuds.
The ear clip design is sort of like a large earring around the outer part of the ear. This places the battery/button slightly behind the ear, with the speaker module inside the ear, but not blocking the ear canal.
The ear clip design is sort of like a large earring around the outer part of the ear. This places the battery/button slightly behind the ear, with the speaker module inside the ear, but not blocking the ear canal.
Comfort:
It takes a little getting used to putting an earbud on your ear in this position, but it’s pretty easy. Angling the loop up or down can make it more comfortable, as well as improving the sound. I was concerned that these would not be comfortable, but they were quite comfortable, and a little fiddling allowed me to quickly find the optimal spot. The key here is whether these will work with your ears, since the length from the back of the loop to the speaker and battery is fixed, so I think these will either work for you or they won’t. These are very comfortable, but they did start making my ears sore after about an hour. I’m still in the phase of getting used to these, so I expect that to improve the more I use them.
Aside from the minor discomfort I just mentioned, the Flex Open earbuds are very lightweight and comfortable, making it easy to forget you’re wearing them. The clip approach is surprisingly secure, allowing them to stay put no matter how you move. In spite of that, I’m not sure you’ll want to use these for sports involving a lot of sweating or rain. They’re only rated IPX4, which JLab calls “everyday proof”. Since these essentially use a tiny speaker, that’s an open hole where water can enter, so I won’t be using these while I run.
One big advantage to the clip design is that it doesn’t interfere with glasses at all. This is a big advantage that is shared by in-ear buds as well, but most open buds/headphones using either a headband or ear clips interfere with glasses. Not having to deal with that is nice.
Sound quality:
All of the “open” style earbuds/headphones sacrifice sound quality for situational awareness, and that’s why we buy them. That said, the newer “air conduction” style brings a huge improvement to the sound quality over bone conduction models. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Flex, but I was very pleasantly surprised at how good they sound. They don’t seal inside the ear canal (they’re not supposed to), so you’re not going to get pounding bass like the best in-ear monitors, but these do a remarkable job, especially at 80% less than the Bose model. I haven’t tried that one, so I’m not able to comment on what may be different, but I can forgive a lot when saving that much money.
Open earbuds create a wider soundstage, which is quite pleasant. The midrange and high notes are crisp and clear, the bass is good, in spite of not being as prominent as in-ear monitors. JLab provides 3 EQ settings: signature (enhanced bass & treble), balanced (flat) and custom (you set using the equalizer in the app). I’m always partial to custom settings, and while you won’t be wowed at your customization options, being able to tweak the sound a little does sound pretty good. Remember that openness is the real goal with this type of earbud, so the idea is to have a reasonably good sound while still being able to hear your surroundings. JLab has delivered an earbud that sounds better than you would expect at this price point.
Open earbuds create a wider soundstage, which is quite pleasant. The midrange and high notes are crisp and clear, the bass is good, in spite of not being as prominent as in-ear monitors. JLab provides 3 EQ settings: signature (enhanced bass & treble), balanced (flat) and custom (you set using the equalizer in the app). I’m always partial to custom settings, and while you won’t be wowed at your customization options, being able to tweak the sound a little does sound pretty good. Remember that openness is the real goal with this type of earbud, so the idea is to have a reasonably good sound while still being able to hear your surroundings. JLab has delivered an earbud that sounds better than you would expect at this price point.
The Flex clips are not as loud as I had hoped. I first noticed this when using them while riding my electric scooter in the neighborhood. The wind blowing into my ears easily overpowered the Flex, requiring me to turn my head to hear. This would happen while riding a bike as well. Comparing these to my Shokz Open Fit, I found that the Shockz are considerably louder, but they cost a whole lot more as well, so take that into account. Given that the Flex are not targeted for use while exercising, the lower volume level isn’t a problem. They’re plenty loud enough for use indoors.
Controls:
I’ve had previous JLab earbuds, and while I prefer physical buttons, JLab’s previous implementation of physical buttons always seemed to be a little too hard to push for my liking. This resulted in me driving the earbud into my ear whenever I wanted to push a button. Touch-sensitive buttons solved this, but I think this version of the touch buttons is JLab’s best yet.
JLab always provides the most functionality at its price point, and the Flex Open is no exception. Touch controls can be mapped to 4 different options for each ear, providing a lot of flexibility to set up the controls to your liking. Every other earbud manufacturer should do it like this!
Call quality:
Call quality is passable, but I wouldn’t say it’s great. It’s not bad either, it’s just that it’s obvious that you’re using something other than the phone itself. That doesn’t inhibit the ability to have a conversation, you just won’t be able to pretend you’re not using earbuds. Sound quality for calls in the earbuds is just as good as podcasts or audiobooks. At this price point, that’s not a showstopper at all.
Conclusion:
With prices moving ever higher for quality earbuds, JLab has delivered another winner in the value space. Full-featured and with great sound, the JLab Flex Open provide a solid open-ear alternative to more expensive alternatives. I’ve had some longevity issues with other JLab earbuds in the past, but if these can avoid that, it’ll make them a no-brainer purchase decision. If you want open earbuds for heavy exercise, I suggest you look at other alternatives, but for light exercise or all-day office usage, these fit the bill nicely.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Get a close, comfortable shave any where with the Philips Norelco Portable Shaver. With 18 self-sharpening ComfortCut blades made from stainless steel and 37,000 cutting actions per minute, each hair is comfortably cut right above the skin for a smooth, even finish. 3D Floating Heads move in 3 different directions, following your facial contours for a clean shave, even in difficult-to-reach areas. It lets you quickly freshen up anytime, whether it's a sudden meeting, an unplanned outing, or a quick touch-up while traveling, saving time in your busy schedule. Adapt your shaving routine to your needs - choose a comfortable dry or a refreshing wet shave. You can shave with gel or foam, even under the shower. This portable electric shaver is water resistant so you can easily clean it under the tap. The IPX7 rating means that the shaver can be submerged in up to 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. Travel with peace of mind with its durable battery - you get 2 months of shaving with one charge~. Keep the shaver safe with the convenient deluxe travel case. Home or away, you're always ready to go. The built-in travel lock prevents the shaver from turning on while on the go. Enjoy convenient charging with a USB-A charging cable. (wall adapter not included) ~ assuming an average shaving time is about 1 minute per day.
Customer Rating
4
Compact and convenient travel shaver
on September 2, 2024
Posted by: BobinVA
I got rid of my last electric shaver decades ago and never looked back, but the new Philips Norelco “on the go” travel shaver pulled me back in to try an electric shaver again. Its compact size and long battery life are designed to go with you so you can shave whenever you need to do so.
In the box you’ll find the shaver (already charged) along with a nice, zipped travel case and charging cable. The case does not have room for the cable, but that’s to make it as small as possible for just taking the razor with you. Charging requires a USB-A wall adapter, which is not included in the box. Norelco says that a full charge lasts for 60 minutes, and that’s probably accurate. I’ve been using it for the last 10 days on the same charge, and it’s going strong. That’s especially nice for something that you will be taking with you, since you might not want to have to worry about charging it in your car.
Let’s talk about why you would buy one of these, and that’s shaving. The smaller size means that there are only two shaving heads, not the traditional three. Obviously, that’s a good thing because it makes it smaller, and it does fit easily in the hand. Norelco recommends moving the shaver in a circular motion to allow the blades to cut from all directions, and this does in fact make for better performance.
This shaver is completely waterproof, which I love. One reason is because it makes it super easy to clean after each use—just take it apart and run the heads and body under the water. That’s it! Another reason I love the waterproofing is that I can use it in the shower, or with shaving cream. This makes the shaver very versatile and allows you to use it in the way you prefer. I tried it all 3 ways: dry, in the shower, and with shaving cream. Dry is the quickest and most convenient, but I think it may actually get a little closer with the use of shaving cream. Regardless, it's nice to have options to use it however best works for you.
The instructions say that it can take 21 days for your beard hairs to adjust to this type of shaving, especially if you’re coming from a traditional razor and shaving cream. I’m not quite up to 21 days yet, but I’ve gone more than 10 days so far and I can definitely tell that the closeness of the shaves is getting better. Overall, however, I wouldn’t say that this shaver can get as close as a non-electric razor, but it’s quite good.
Could this replace those disposable razors and shaving cream? That depends on what you value most. If you would like to break free of having to be at a sink in order to shave, then this will set you free. Its small size and long battery life will allow you to shave while commuting to work, saving time. It’s also great for a quick touch-up in the middle of the day before that important meeting, when it wouldn’t be practical to go to the restroom and lather up for a shave. To me, that’s one of the biggest reasons to use a shaver like this one. If you value the ability to get the closest shave possible, I’m not sure that any electric shaver can beat a regular razor, but no regular razor can beat the convenience of an electric shaver. There’s also the benefit of not having to worry about nicking your skin like is so common with a regular razor.
Norelco says the blades are self-sharpening, but also recommends replacing them every year. I’m hoping that they’ll actually last longer than a year, but we’ll see. If I continue to get closer shaves as time goes on, I’ll be very happy to leave my razors and shaving cream behind.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Velox Mini Qi2 is a versatile dash & windshield phone holder that utilizes Qi2 technology for a powerful magnetic hold and fast wireless charge. Designed exclusively for Qi2-enabled devices including MagSafe compatible iPhones and cases, the Velox Mini Qi2 delivers up to 15W of power. Just tap your phone against the mount face and powerful magnets will hold it in place in perfect alignment. Securely install the Velox Mini Qi2 on your vehicle~s dashboard or windshield via a super strong, reusable suction cup base with sticky gel formula. A dashboard pad is included to protect you dash from any potential damage. The telescopic arm easily extends from 4~ to 6.75~ and pivots on a 260* arc to give you ultimate flexibility when installing the mount. A ball joint rotates and tilts so you can adjust the cradle for an ideal and safe viewing position in either portrait or landscape mode. A series of ventilation holes constructed around the mount help to dissipate heat and maintain airflow, while the anti-slip silicone finish offers added support and a gentle, scratch-free connection to your phone. Now it~s easier than ever to keep your phone powered up on the go!
Customer Rating
4
Secure phone mount with wireless charging
on August 20, 2024
Posted by: BobinVA
I’m one of those people who’ve been going around without a phone mount in my vehicle, which meant balancing the phone on my leg when using the GPS. The new iOttie Velox car mount is the one that finally changed my ways.
The Velox I got is carbon black, and looks very sleek. In the box you’ll find the mount, a car power adapter with USB-C port, and an adhesive pad to use for protecting the dashboard. The Velox can be mounted either on the dashboard or the windshield. Either way, it attaches using a very secure suction mechanism, assisted by stickiness on the suction cup.
Attaching the Mount
I wanted the phone to be visible, but didn’t want to obstruct my view of the road. That meant attaching it to the windshield on the left side of the steering wheel. I’ve seen people mount theirs in the middle of the windshield, but I just can’t understand blocking the view that much. Attaching the mount is very easy—just clean the chosen spot, flip up the suction cup lever, put the mount where you want it, then close the lever to secure the suction cup to the windshield. Mounting it this way is very secure. I had to move mine a few times to get into just the right location, and it wasn’t hard, but the removable adhesive actually adds a lot of strength to the grip. It does this while not leaving any residue on the glass—impressive!
The phone is held to the mount by the Qi2 charging magnet. Simply line up the magnetic circle on the back of the phone with the round mount, and it snaps into place. This is very convenient for mounting and unmounting the phone as needed. The magnet seems pretty strong, but not overly so. I was concerned that hitting a bump might jar it loose, but that hasn’t happened to me yet. I have an iPhone, so the magnet lined up perfectly with my phone. I assume this would work equally well with other phones utilizing the Qi2 charging standard, as long as the magnets line up. I appreciate that the mounting magnet is covered in a soft silicone material so that it won’t scratch the phone.
Charging
The Velox is not just a phone holder it’s also a wireless Qi2 charger. I didn’t have the previous model, but I read that some people thought it was underpowered. This model delivers up to 15W, which is plenty to charge up an iPhone while driving around town. I have a pickup truck with its own built-in wireless charging pad, but it’s so underpowered that I never use it. With the Velox, I finally have a wireless charging pad in my vehicle that actually works!
The Velox comes with a USB-C power adapter, so the power cable must be routed to the adapter. In my chosen location, it was pretty easy to route the cable behind the weather stripping in my door, then under the steering wheel to reach the center console. Other than a right turn under the dash, this was a direct route, but the 1.5 foot-long cable was too short. This is the only real negative that I encountered, and it required me to purchase an extension cable to make it work. For those mounting in the center of the dash/windshield, this cable length will likely be enough, but I don’t think my situation is unusual, so I wish that iOttie had included a longer cable.
One thing to note is that the power cable is not removable, so you can’t choose to just use the mount as a phone holder. Of course, you don’t always have to keep it plugged in to power, but it might have been nice to have the choice to unplug if so desired. The power adapter was a little bit finicky, and needed to be seated just right to make it work. Once seated, however, it stays securely in place, so I don’t think this will be a problem.
Charging is fast and easy, and the phone gets hot while charging, just like with any wireless charger. The magnet mount does include ventilation holes, which is good because mounting near the windshield like I did can put the phone in the sunshine, which will add to the heat produced by the charger. Something to keep in mind.
Conclusion
I’ve had other iOttie mounts (not with chargers), but this one is my favorite. I started my review saying that I didn’t have a mount, which is true because my previous mount stays in a drawer in my house. The new Velox will stay permanently in my truck, as the new location for my phone while driving. I can be confident that it will hold my phone securely and charge it without my having to fish out a charging cable that will only get in my way.
The Velox is a great option if you’re in the market for a mount plus charger, and iOttie priced this new one at the same price as their other similar models.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Best Buy essentials 20W Wall Charging Kit is compatible with USB-C iPhones, Samsung smartphones, tablets and more. Keep all of your USB-C devices charged with up to 20 watts of power and an included USB-C cable means everything is ready to go right out of the box. This 2-pack gives you an extra wall charger and cable.
Customer Rating
5
Two chargers for one price
on August 6, 2024
Posted by: BobinVA
If you’ve bought a lot of devices over the years, you likely have a lot of charging adapters and cables around the house. Most of those are probably of the USB-A variety, but most device manufacturers are moving toward USB-C, so that leaves you with a lot of chargers but fewer than you need in any particular location. In my case, many of those old USB-A chargers are very low power, which means slow charging for newer devices.
This Best Buy Essentials kit includes 2 power adapters and 2 USB-C to USB-C charging cables, so you can stash one in multiple places. The USB-A port provides 12 watts of power, while the USB-C port offers 15 or 20 watts, depending on what the device needs. If both ports are used together, the maximum output is 15 watts. This was certainly better than my old standby USB-A charger, and it’s plenty for charging earbuds, phones or other smal devices. It’s even a match for the charger that came with my iPad Air 4th generation, so it’s a capable mid-level charger. However, don’t mistake it for the more powerful fast chargers supplied with most laptops. While I was able to charge my laptop, it was very slow, and couldn’t keep up when doing more power-intensive tasks on the laptop.
If you’re looking for a reasonably priced set of chargers, including cables, then this is a great package. For the price of a comparable Apple wall adapter (without cable), you can have 2 of these adapters, each with a cable, and each with dual ports.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Meet ProArt PX13 ~ your go-to 13-inch convertible laptop, designed to effortlessly switch between forms, ready to fuel your creative passion whenever inspiration strikes. Its OLED touchscreen ensures precise color accuracy for flawless proofing, while versatile I/O ports seamlessly connect all your peripherals. This NVIDIA Studio-validated laptop packs GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU and up to a 50 TOPS AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, a pairing that will supercharge all your creative endeavors. With AI-enhanced creative features, military-grade toughness, and a long-lasting battery, ProArt PX13 transforms any setting into your studio.
Customer Rating
4
A small but powerful laptop
on July 29, 2024
Posted by: BobinVA
Opening up the new ProArt PX13 felt like it should have been accompanied by its own music. The device comes in a super nice all-black box, with the ProArt name embossed in shiny black letters. Inside, the laptop is encased in a black cloth-like sleeve.
This is a thin and light laptop, but Asus has done a great job of striking the right balance between thinness and usefulness. It’s nice to see a full-size HDMI port, which is often hard to find these days. Two ventilation ports flank the screen on each side of the keyboard deck. The port selection is actually quite good, and includes 2 USB-C and 1 USB-A port, as well as a headphone jack, micro SD card reader and proprietary power port.
*Hardware
Let’s start with the hardware. The version I got is black aluminum, covered with what Asus calls a “nano coating”. Whatever it is, this stuff is amazing! I’ve had other dark-colored aluminum laptops, and they’ve been fingerprint magnets. Not this one! It may seem a small thing, but this is a nice touch that makes the device seem a bit more premium. The underside of the keyboard reveals a plastic panel with vents for air. I’m not sure what I think about that, as the plastic seems a bit out of place with the rest of the premium metal and glass materials. On the other hand, it does make for a nicer feeling material to put on your lap, and it looks like the entire bottom may be removable. I believe it may be possible to replace the SSD, and if so, that is great!
Opening the laptop reveals a gorgeous 3k screen. Especially for this size, 4k would be overkill and reduce battery life, which needs to be preserved. The resolution makes everything super sharp, and the brightness is more than enough. It’s also a touchscreen that works as a tablet when the screen is folded back over the base. I happened to have a Bamboo stylus that I wasn’t using, and it was a pleasant surprise that it worked with the PX13! I didn’t do a lot with the handwriting, but it seems to work well. For me, this is an extra feature that’s nice to have, but not my main reason for getting this laptop.
The keyboard is one of the best I’ve used on a laptop. When I got the PX13, I was upgrading from my favorite laptop keyboard ever, and I thought I’d be disappointed in the Asus keyboard. I’m happy to say, however, that this is a fantastic keyboard! It has the right amount of key travel to give solid feedback on every keypress. The keys are larger than many other laptops that try to squeeze in too many extra keys, and that makes the keyboard immediately comfortable. It’s also backlit, with multiple levels of brightness and even a dedicated emoji key. love this keyboard!
The touchpad is also quite good. It’s a good size in relation to the keyboard, and I think Asus did a really good job of finding the right ratio between the two. One thing that makes this laptop unique is the inclusion of the their “dialpad”. Although I haven’t had an Asus laptop before this one, I understand that they’ve featured physical dials on some models. The PX13 features a version of the dial that utilizes a dedicated part of the touchpad in the upper left. It can be programmed to provide different functions depending on what’s on the screen, and the idea is that you can easily bring up things that are used most often, eliminating the need for finding the right key sequence or opening the right menu. When I first used it, I found it a bit difficult to activate (it’s off by default), and then it was finicky to use. While I haven’t mastered it yet, I’m coming around to see how it might come in handy to have some functions easily available. The good news is that, if you find that you don’t like it, it can be left off and it won’t inhibit your use of the trackpad.
The PX13 features stereo speakers under the keyboard, tuned by Harmon Kardon. These speakers may not reproduce the full dynamic range of music, but they are surprisingly loud for a laptop. I wasn’t expecting much, but I was happy to discover that they could be used in a pinch to fill a room with sound and are more than adequate for online meetings. Speaking of online meetings, the camera is fine for online meetings, offering 1080 resolution.
*Battery Life
This is one of the few places where I was a little disappointed. Battery life is rated at 10 hours, but as always, that depends upon how you’re using it. There are a host of settings that you can play with to get more performance or better battery life, but with the settings on “balanced”, I was getting around 6 hours. Not bad, but not good enough to leave the charger at home. And speaking of chargers, this one is rather large. It features a nice long cable and allows the power plug to be removed, but it adds some bulk when traveling. Thankfully, the PX13 will also charge using a USB-C power cable, if you have one, although it may not charge as fast as with the proprietary charger.
*Software and features
Asus has done a really good job of including useful software, not just “bloatware”. Three main software tools are included:
• MuseTree is a tool that provides a modern interface for interfacing with OpenAI for text and creative drawings. In my limited tests with it, it was not immediately intuitive as to the best way to use it, but I look forward to becoming more adept with it. Installation took several tries, as early attempts either wouldn’t complete or showed error messages about the machine not having enough resources. Eventually I got it to complete, and now I’m good to go. It is very slow to start up, but I assume that is due to all the AI connections it’s making behind the scenes. If Asus can improve this, I think it has a lot of promise, but as we all know, AI is changing every day.
• ProArt Creative Hub is a nice tool, providing a dashboard for getting an overview of system performance similar to task manager, but more visually appealing. It also provides the ability to adjust things such as color calibration and blue light control. From here you can manage your performance profile and keep tabs on system temperature and fan usage. This will be my go-to tool for managing system performance and tweaking settings for creative work. There’s even a dedicated button on the function key row to bring it up!
• StoryCube is an intriguing tool. As an avid photographer, I have thousands and thousands of photos, making organizing and managing them a challenge. So, I was excited to find out if this tool could make my job easier. I immediately encountered a roadblock—StoryCube seemingly cannot tell the difference between the local folder used with OneDrive and the cloud version. The program kept telling me to choose a local folder, as cloud folders aren’t supported. Unfortunately for me, that means I can’t use it until I figure this out.
• ProArt Creative Hub is a nice tool, providing a dashboard for getting an overview of system performance similar to task manager, but more visually appealing. It also provides the ability to adjust things such as color calibration and blue light control. From here you can manage your performance profile and keep tabs on system temperature and fan usage. This will be my go-to tool for managing system performance and tweaking settings for creative work. There’s even a dedicated button on the function key row to bring it up!
• StoryCube is an intriguing tool. As an avid photographer, I have thousands and thousands of photos, making organizing and managing them a challenge. So, I was excited to find out if this tool could make my job easier. I immediately encountered a roadblock—StoryCube seemingly cannot tell the difference between the local folder used with OneDrive and the cloud version. The program kept telling me to choose a local folder, as cloud folders aren’t supported. Unfortunately for me, that means I can’t use it until I figure this out.
These three are a good set of tools for managing the device and making use of AI for personal creativity projects. I’m looking forward to becoming proficient with them, but it will obviously take some time. Asus has also included complimentary subscriptions to Adobe and CapCut, which is a good value if you don’t already have such tools and want to try them out.
The MyAsus tool does a really good job of combining lots of information about the device in one place. From here, you can monitor system performance metrices, make changes to settings, perform diagnostics, and find system updates. I really like the way Asus puts everything together in one place, but unless I missed it, this is not available without setting up a free account. I’m not opposed to setting up the account (and that is necessary for registering your device), but key settings should be available regardless of whether you have an account or not. Again, I could have missed it, but I can’t go back and undo the fact that I have an account.
*Copilot and AI
Computer manufacturers, especially Microsoft, are touting the “new age” of AI computing. Admittedly, I have a lot to learn, but I’m very interested in discovering how AI can be used to improve my workflows. The software included by Asus is a good start, and these seem similar to tools that Microsoft is including with their latest machines. The real game changers, however, have yet to arrive, so it’s too early to tell how these new Copilot certified PCs will actually change the game. The dedicated Copilot key is nothing more than a shortcut to the Copilot prompt page on Microsoft’s website for now. That’s fine, but it’s not more than we already had. So, I’ll stay tuned until later when Microsoft rolls out some of their bigger changes, and then hopefully the PX13 will ready for the new challenges that will come with those changes.
The PX13 is a really great machine. It’s not cheap, but Asus hasn’t skimped on this one. A top of the line AMD chipset with dedicated GPU, 32 GB of RAM, 1 TB of storage and a 3K OLED screen make for an excellent and very portable machine. Add in the extra touches that Asus has thoughtfully included, and the result is a very nice machine. Especially if you’re the creative type, this is a machine that you should be considering, given the attention that Asus has paid to the screen. The only real mark against it, in my opinion, is the middling battery life. 6-8 hours on a charge isn’t bad, but these days there are more and more options that can beat that. Other than that, this one should be on your short list.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Experience home theater like never before.BRAVIA Theatre U Wireless Wearable Neckband Speaker uses Sony' 360 Spatial Sound technology to transport you into the action of your favorite shows and movies, while not disrupting your household. Pair with your compatible Sony BRAVIA TV to enjoy thrilling Dolby Atmos sound.
Customer Rating
4
Excellent sound quality and comfort at a price
on June 13, 2024
Posted by: BobinVA
I have a lot of wireless Bluetooth audio options, and I’m always looking for new offerings that deliver sound in new, innovative and comfortable ways. The new Sony Bravia Theater U wearable speaker brings a new way to get portable, high-quality sound in a comfortable package. At $299, this is not an impulse buy, but it certainly offers an intriguing option in a world of “me too” earbuds.
The Bravia Theater U is essentially a soundbar that wraps around your neck. Two chunky speakers hang down, one on each side of your neck, with a flexible, rubber coated neckband in between. The undersides are covered with a padded vinyl-like material, making them soft against your collarbone. On the inside of the right speaker, you’ll find the power/Bluetooth button and a mute button. On the inside of the left speaker, there are buttons for volume up/down and a center button for play/pause. All of the buttons are rubber coated, and the device has an IPX4 waterproof rating, meaning that it can handle the occasional splash if you’re wearing it while at the sink doing dishes.
Setup and sound quality:
Out of the box, the Theater U starts up in pairing mode. Find it on your phone’s list of available Bluetooth devices and you’re good to go. I already had the Sony Headphones app, and it instantly recognized the Theater U. Setting sound options, such as EQ was very easy – more on that later. Upon starting up the first song, I was immediately impressed with how good this thing sounds. Music was rich and full, with nice clean bass and crisp, clear high notes. In a direct comparison with a good set of earbuds, the Theater U lacked the immediacy of the earbuds, but the open air sound brings a different kind of ambience and sound stage that earbuds just can’t replicate. With earbuds, you’re always aware that you’re listening with something in your ears that’s trying to sound like a room full of speakers. With the Theater U, it actually is a set of speakers firing at your ears. It’s a subtle difference, but one that I really enjoy. What’s really nice is that you can listen to your music without being cut off from your surroundings. With so many open ear options available today, it’s nice to find one that doesn’t sacrifice sound quality in exchange for situational awareness.
Watching TV with the Theater U:
Sony markets this as wireless audio for watching movies or playing games at home. I’m not a gamer, but I was looking forward to using it with my Samsung QLED television. The Theater U paired easily with the TV, but when I chose to connect and listen through the Theater U, I experienced stuttering audio until it just quit trying. I unplugged and restarted the TV, but got the same result. After multiple tries, I gave up. Even changing the setting in the app to tell it to prioritize a stable Bluetooth connection didn’t make difference. It’s disappointing that the main use case for these is the one I can’t use. I might not have been surprised if I were using an off-brand TV, but this one is a major brand that’s only a few years old, so it should have worked.
Theater U and working from home/phone calls:
Having a dedicated mute button makes the Theater U into a portable speakerphone for working from home. I’m on conference calls all the time, and using the Theater U frees me from sitting in front of my computer and allows me to move around while staying connected. A simple press of the mute button on the right speaker toggles the microphone on or off. The excellent sound quality makes it easy to hear the participants on a call, and no one had any trouble hearing me as well. Using the Theater U as a hands-free speaker phone also works well. The speakers are comfortable enough to just keep wearing them all day to be ready when a call comes in. If all you want is a wearable speaker for calls and meetings, Sony’s NB10 wearable speaker is smaller, lighter and much cheaper, but is nowhere close to the sound quality of the Theater U.
Using the app:
The Sony headphones app continues to improve, and it works well with the Theater U. Multiple EQ options including 2 custom settings allow you to tweak the sound to your liking. Sony continues to partner with several providers to offer 360 Audio. I tried this and thought it was enjoyable, but not something I want to pay for. I did go through the Audio 360 setup, however, and thought it was interesting that Sony uses pictures of your ears to tune its sound output.
Conclusion:
Are these the wearable Bluetooth speakers for you? They boast excellent sound, are very comfortable and don’t require anything to be in your ears, and can serve as a great work from home mobile speaker system. The problem is that there are many wireless earbuds and headphones that can do the same thing and also allow you to use them for completely private audio in a coffee shop or while walking around the neighborhood. As a wearable speaker, they’re best suited for the home, and I can see how they would be great for a less invasive listening experience while watching a movie, but I wasn’t able to experience that for myself. Using it with Playstation 5 requires the use of a special cable that connects to the controller. That would eliminate any issues caused by Bluetooth, but the cable might be a little annoying. I’m not a gamer, but thought you should know.
At $299, the Theater U is a little pricey for an audio device that really can’t be your go-to in all situations. If you just can’t stand having earbuds in your ears and aren’t happy with the other open-ear offerings, the Theater U is a great choice and sounds better than any other open-ear product available. If you’re a gamer or can use these with your TV, they provide a great audio experience that won’t disturb the whole house. Outside of these groups, it may be difficult to justify, but I am very impressed with the Theater U. They accomplish what Sony set out to do, and have improved greatly on past iterations.
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.
3 years, 7 months ago
by
BobinVA
Free your travel with the LG TONE Free FP9. Connect to in-flight entertainment systems even without Bluetooth capabilities. Get peace of mind with a UVnano charging case that kills 99% of bacteria on the speaker mesh¹ and medical grade ear gels.² Plus, get better clarity for calls on the go.
How do I connect using the wire? I tried it on my computer using the manufacturer provided connection and it did not work. What do I do?
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!
3 years, 8 months ago
by
BobinVA
Serious protection. Subtle styling. Built sustainably. W~KE for Apple iPad (7th generation, 8th generation, and 9th generation) is a sea-change in case construction, using mostly ocean-based recycled plastic without sacrificing performance. Molded with a mellow wave pattern, the look is contemporary to the core. And after purchase, you get to donate a dollar to one of LifeProof~s water-conscious nonprofit partners ~ for free.
Does the screen protector come with the case?
![Adobe - Photoshop Elements 2022 - Windows [Digital]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/6475/6475048_sd.jpg)
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.
3 years, 10 months ago
by
BobinVA
eufy Security Floodlight Cam 2 Pro provides 360~ pan and tilt camera coverage in 2K HD resolution. It boasts smart lighting, real time communication via 2-way audio, all with zero monthly fees. You don't even need a eufy Security HomeBase. This eufy Security Floodlight Cam 2 Pro is compatible with most smart devices and can be easily controlled through the eufy Security App. The floodlight can be installed either on the wall or on the ceiling. (Existing outdoor wiring and weatherproof junction box required.)
Can you turn on the light with an external switch?
No, the light switch needs to stay on at all times so that the unit has power, but you can manually control the light through the app.
4 years, 1 month ago
by
BobinVA
Inspired by athletes, designed for everyone. The AfterShokz OpenMove Open-Ear Lifestyle Headphones in Slate grey were created with versatility in mind. OpenMove by AfterShokz brings you bone conduction technology with a lightweight, titanium fit taht ensures all-day wear.
I’m cyclist and occasionally get caught in rain, can it survive?
Yes they can survive a downpour, just don't submerge them.
4 years, 8 months ago
by
BobinVA
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?
Yes, it should work with any device that can join the wifi network created by the device. Keep in mind that not all video content is supported for screen casting.
4 years, 11 months ago
by
BobinVA
Meet the Logitech Pebble i345. It takes your iPad to higher places with a level of precision and control you can~t get with a tablet alone. Use it to click, scroll, and control your workflow like never before. It~s small, portable, and comfortable~so you can keep exploring, wherever you go.
I would just like to ask if I can use this mouse for an ipad air with an ios of 12.4?
It's just a bluetooth mouse, so I believe it will work on any device that supports bluetooth connectivity.
5 years, 4 months ago
by
BobinVA
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?
Obtain high-quality color prints with this Canon PIXMA wireless inkjet all-in-one printer. The 4.3-inch LCD touch-screen panel simplifies operation, while dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity and voice-activated printing provide enhanced efficiency and support a smooth workflow. This Canon PIXMA wireless inkjet all-in-one printer utilizes a six-ink system with a photo blue ink tank for brilliant results.Prints up to 15 ISO ipm* in black, up to 10 ipm* in color