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    December 27, 2016
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    December 27, 2016
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Bren's Reviews
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Watch over your little one at home on the 7-inch, 720p High-Definition LCD Parent Unit Display or remotely on your smartphone with the VTech RM766HD Smart WiFi video baby monitor. View rooms from top to bottom with the 100-degree vertical tilt angle and from side to side with the 360-degree horizontal pan capability. Enhance your baby’s sleep environment with a sound & light profile recommended by experts. Magnify details with the industry’s best 30x times zoom on the mobile app or 24 times on the viewerup to eight times and monitor room temperature and humidity levels directly from the Parent Unit Display. Plus, see your baby as clear as day, even in ultralow light, thanks to the automatic infrared Night Vision. Free professional in-app advice and videos provided by the experts at help assist in sleep and the growth and development of your baby.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
High tech monitor, but wifi connection is iffy
on December 25, 2023
Posted by: Bren
My wife and I are quite impressed with this baby monitor. Not only was it incredibly easy to set up initially out of the box with the baby monitor display, but we got both of our phones hooked up to it via the Vtech Baby Pro app in no time at all! The phone app was absolutely free and yields an incredible picture and control of the camera, almost intuitively so.
The HD picture of the camera unit itself is great. So much so that it almost can pull double duty as a decent live security camera if that is how you are inclined to use it when your little one gets old enough to no longer need it directly monitor their sleep and other activities. However, the night vision is not exactly fantastic. It is perfect for monitoring the audio and movements closer to the camera, but it gets pretty blurry and pixelated about 6 feet away in true night vision mode. Ergo, if you are going to wall mount it above your baby’s crib, ensure that you check its night vision quality first in your specific positioning and use case.
There are a few little issues with the camera that I have noticed. One is that the temperature gauge is completely uncalibrated, and you cannot do it manually. I have a calibrated, good quality thermometer in a few of my pictures next to the baby monitor, and you can see that there is as much as a 3-degree F difference in temperature. Ergo, I do not think we are going to relying on this as a temperature monitor, but that concerns us very little as our house has good HVAC and doesn’t suffer from crazy temperature swings.
A couple of thoughts that I feel I should share are as follows. First, this device in its full functionality depends on a really good wifi signal. If you have struggles with either speed or good signal coverage with your wifi, you may be better off with a different model. We used this over at our sister-in-law’s house for our nieces and found that with their wifi, we had terrible lag and image quality that made it almost unusable. Also on the note of wifi, a consideration for some is that this device, while having some security built in, is wifi-dependent in its best use and therefore may be susceptible to the security risks like hacking. There is good information out there about the security risks of baby monitors.
Altogether, my wife and I love this baby monitor with our great wifi and will be using it with our little one! Thank you for reading and I hope this review brought up some good points!
My wife and I are quite impressed with this baby monitor. Not only was it incredibly easy to set up initially out of the box with the baby monitor display, but we got both of our phones hooked up to it via the Vtech Baby Pro app in no time at all! The phone app was absolutely free and yields an incredible picture and control of the camera, almost intuitively so.
The HD picture of the camera unit itself is great. So much so that it almost can pull double duty as a decent live security camera if that is how you are inclined to use it when your little one gets old enough to no longer need it directly monitor their sleep and other activities. However, the night vision is not exactly fantastic. It is perfect for monitoring the audio and movements closer to the camera, but it gets pretty blurry and pixelated about 6 feet away in true night vision mode. Ergo, if you are going to wall mount it above your baby’s crib, ensure that you check its night vision quality first in your specific positioning and use case.
There are a few little issues with the camera that I have noticed. One is that the temperature gauge is completely uncalibrated, and you cannot do it manually. I have a calibrated, good quality thermometer in a few of my pictures next to the baby monitor, and you can see that there is as much as a 3-degree F difference in temperature. Ergo, I do not think we are going to relying on this as a temperature monitor, but that concerns us very little as our house has good HVAC and doesn’t suffer from crazy temperature swings.
A couple of thoughts that I feel I should share are as follows. First, this device in its full functionality depends on a really good wifi signal. If you have struggles with either speed or good signal coverage with your wifi, you may be better off with a different model. We used this over at our sister-in-law’s house for our nieces and found that with their wifi, we had terrible lag and image quality that made it almost unusable. Also on the note of wifi, a consideration for some is that this device, while having some security built in, is wifi-dependent in its best use and therefore may be susceptible to the security risks like hacking. There is good information out there about the security risks of baby monitors.
Altogether, my wife and I love this baby monitor with our great wifi and will be using it with our little one! Thank you for reading and I hope this review brought up some good points!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
ScanWatch Light is the perfect representation of what a health hybrid smartwatch should be: advanced sensors providing essential & accurate health data all nested in a premium & lightweight watch. And because improving or maintaining health is a journey that benefits from around-theclock tracking, ScanWatch Light packs 30 days of battery life before needing to be recharged.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Basically, a Watch with some “Fitbit” features
on November 21, 2023
Posted by: Bren
The best way to sum up this review is that this is a really nice-looking watch with some smart tech to it, rather than, say, an Apple Watch that is a smart tech item with some watch features. This piece of gear is for the discerning gal (the target audience) who would prefer to have a less obtrusive, less distracting piece of wearable tech on their wrist that tracks essential metrics like HR, steps, etc., without being the all-attention-owning device that smartwatches like Apple Watches tend to be.
The setup was truly so easy and seamless. We already had the Withings app with our Withings wireless scale, so it was easy to get everything loaded up with this new device. All the steps were intuitive and it is refreshing that, unlike an Oura ring, there is no subscription required to track metrics like your sleep quality on the Withings app. It also came with over 40% battery, enabling one to use it for even a few weeks right out of the box!
This watch is really spiffy looking. My wife loves how it looks and enjoys how it is kind of stealthy and low-key, but can still display texts or let her know who is calling on its small but easy-to-read display. The included fluoroelastomer wristband is comfortable and keeps the watch snug on her medium-sized female wrists without being overly tight. The battery life is outstanding, too! This is the kind of piece of smart tech that you can take on a couple of weeks’ vacation and not have to worry about bringing the watch charger at all! It is advertised to have up to 720 hours of battery life, which when converted, is a whole month of use! Ergo, it is also able to track metrics while you are asleep, unlike many Apple watch models, which are barely able to make it through a total of 14 hours of use before needing to be charged.
This watch is something that, if released ten years ago, would have positively owned the market prior to the advent of the Apple Watch. At a time when basic Fitbits were considered high-tech, something like this would have been of tremendous value to the market. Today, though, many of us are spoiled with a vast array of tech products that are so undeniably good at almost replacing our smartphones when it comes to convenience factors like answering text messages, phone calls, and even interacting with our music and other smart features on big, bold colored displays. Thus, while this watch from Withings is attractive and basic in its smart functions, it is lacking in some of those departments that make even an older or refurbished smart watch from other large competitors the clear winner for many. I would almost be inclined to say that this watch might be a good selection for a young female athlete or on-the-go individual who wants some smart functionality but maybe hasn’t been deemed to be ready for a full-on smartwatch by their parents.
If a basic and stylish watch is what you are looking for that has smart features to it, go for this model! Otherwise, skip it in lieu of similarly priced older or refurbished big-brand name watches that offer far more tech bundled into this wearable wrist technology package.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
 
Elevate your auditory journey with the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2E Over-Ear Headphones that seamlessly merge 24-bit processing high-res DSP, custom 40mm drive units, and feature Qualcomm aptX Adaptive, creating an immersive sound production for your movies, music, and shows. Advanced features including active noise cancellation resulting in crystal-clear calls, promise a technologically sophisticated experience. Step into a realm of luxurious comfort and sophisticated design with these over-ear headphones. Its premium architecture showcases plush foam earpads and an elegant finish, providing an unobtrusive yet snug fit even during extended listening sessions. This seamless fusion of comfort and aesthetics creates a haven for your senses, amplifying your listening experience. Take full command of your sonic environment with the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2E Headphones. The Bowers & Wilkins Music app allows seamless direct streaming, efficient voice assistant support, and customizable noise cancellation adjustments. The substantial 30-hour battery life, quick-charge support, and other essential features cater to your audio needs throughout the day, making the Px7 S2E an ideal companion for your day-to-day adventures. These headphones not only feature technological prowess but also an aesthetic feel, ensuring that every note, beat, and whisper sounds exactly how the artist intended.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Mid-Range Headphones Hitting Above Their Class!
on November 18, 2023
Posted by: Bren
Attempting to explain what these headphones are like is akin to trying to explain the smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies to someone who has never smelled them before. You must personally experience these headphones to understand what a literal sensual experience they are! Bowers and Wilkens have managed to deliver a set of headphones here that comes in at a lower price than some of the giants like Apple Airpods Max and deliver sound, comfort, noise cancellation, and battery life that are all parallel if not surpassing some of the higher-priced wireless headphones out there.
The sound out of these headphones out of the box is incredible and surprisingly neutral in audio balance in comparison to the many headsets out there that attempt to drown out glaring audio imperfections by over-emphasizing bass tones. I did bump up the bass in the app a bit and was impressed by the thumping, visceral tones the drivers in this headset elicited. I tested Bass Head from Bassnectar and was astonished during some of the deeper bass drops that all the tones came through and even reverberated as they would with external audio equipment. If I wasn’t aware of these headphones on my head, I would have thought I was back in my high school car with dual 12” subwoofers enclosed in a ported enclosure in the trunk! The rest of the audio balance is incredible too. The driving rhythm track in the mid-range towards the beginning of Empress of the Damned by Gunship comes through in such a manner that it feels like it is pulsating in my throat and my chest with the tonal qualities. Vocal and instrumental music comes through unexpectedly balanced and detailed as well. Rylynn by Andy McKee stuns with the detail of his acoustic guitar playing, and Sea Shanty Medley by Home Free was giving me chills along the sides of my neck with the separation and detail of each of the singer’s vocal ranges. Finally, the Sound of Silence (Cover) by Disturbed almost had me choked up with just how precisely David Draiman’s voice was projected by these Px7 S2e 40mm drive units. That is one of my favorite covers of all time and this is one of the first headsets I have used in memory that truly gives justice to that song’s range and fullness. Altogether, I think this is a headset with audio characteristics that will satisfy all but the pickiest consumer and prosumer audiophiles.
The looks and beauty of these headphones cannot be understated. This Ocean Blue set is positively sublime to visually experience in person. I am a fellow who conforms more towards matte black and white colored personal electronic devices, but these are a departure from that and manage to draw attention and praise to the looks while also not leaning too far in the direction of either feminine or masculine (for those that care about such things). Every texture, piece of plastic, and component of this headset feels and looks high quality, even down to the clickiness and perfect separation of the thoughtfully implemented and positioned physical buttons. They even added texture to the middle, multi-function button (pause, play, etc.) on the right ear cup so it is easy to get anchored at where your finger is at on the buttons. These buttons are big enough too that I think you could find and press them with ease even while wearing gloves! That is a nice benefit for us cold-weather commuters. I also find the position of the buttons to be somehow intuitive. Every time I bring my right index finger up to the rear of the headset, I am somehow getting to the right button I want every time. Real thought was put into the ergonomics design of this headset!
If you are interested in wearing these headphones for daily commutes on public transportation or for study or work in noisy environments, you are in luck. The noise cancellation is, in my opinion, best in class in this price range. The earcups are comfortable, conforming, and manage to create a perfect seal around my ears which is a big component of the noise cancellation equation, plus the four ANC microphones (6 mics total including the 2 mics for communication) on this headset seem to be outstanding at keeping the outside low, mid, and high tones out of your audio experience. I am certain I could be consoling a crying baby in my arms while wearing these headphones and manage to cut out most all of that noise signature. When I compare these to my AirPods Pro 2 earbuds, which are best in class for earbud noise canceling, these headphones come out ahead in that metric. The ambient Pass-Through is also commendable and helpful for phone calls and safety during risky commute portions such as crossing busy intersections. My sensitive ears can detect a just barely audible amount of hiss from the mic pass-through, but it is hardly noticeable unless I am actively listening for it.
Another piece of praise is that the battery and charge time on this headset are just insane to me. You can get SEVEN HOURS with just a FIFTEEN MINUTE charge! I will say it again: 7 hours of battery life, with a 15-minute charge! That means that even in the worst of circumstances where you forgot to charge your headset for days of use and it is dead in the morning before your morning commute, just plug these into a USB-C power source for a few minutes before you leave, and you will be able to get through a chunk of the day with just that quick charge! The case is a welcome and handsome accessory and the clever little storage spot inside of it for the USB-C charging and 3.5mm audio cables is also quite clever. I might even store a couple of SD cards in there for when I am on the go editing content!
The headset itself is built so comfortably that it is obvious that the geniuses at Bowers and Wilkens aren’t just a bunch of audiophiles or audio engineers but are people who actually know what it is like to wear headphones for more than a few hours straight. It can be pure misery. These headphones I am happy to report have caused me zero discomfort at all over more than 8 hours straight of wearing them with minimal interruptions between over days of use. The earcups have kept my ears remarkably cool and the earcups, to my surprise, do not press the temples of my blue light glasses into my face like some other headphones models do. The ear cups instead seem inclined to just comfortably mold around them! So, glasses wearers, rejoice! These are darn comfortable for all except perhaps the most obstinately thick and square-framed glasses out there!
Some final points I want to touch on before wrapping this review up are the wireless and app connectivity features of this headset that are highly convenient and worthy of a headset at this price range. The app is not just a gimmick as with some audio companies’ apps. The B&W music app has utility in customizing buttons on this headset, adding music into the app itself for streamlined audio control, turning on and off features like wear sensor (pauses music when you move the headphones off your ears), and most conveniently, set up of multiple Bluetooth connections and how you want to prioritize them. I use both my iPhone and my MacBook Pro alternatively all day for school and work and I thought I was going to be stuck using only Apple Ecosystem products for that unbeatable quick handoff and instant connection experience the chips inside them provide. But here, my friends, is a good competitor! I have both my MBP and my iPhone set up in the connections of this app and now it will seamlessly switch between the two depending on which is playing audio. An example is that I will be listening to a lecture on my laptop, get a phone call on the iPhone, pick it up, and I am hearing and talking through the speakers and mics of this headset! That is just perfect for my needs. The only aspect of it that feels a little sloppy is that my interminable fixation with using the Spotify Connect features makes swapping back and forth a little bit of a hassle sometimes since the headset and Spotify Connect feature get things mixed up on which device I want to listen from versus control from.
The only small detractor I can give to this headset is that there is no IP rating that I can find regarding their dustproof and waterproof abilities, so I do not feel confident recommending them for very sweaty use or outdoor inclement weather use when not covered.
Music can be more than just an audio experience. It can be something that transports you out of wherever you are to different times, places, feelings, and more. These B&W Px7 S2e’s are headphones that are capable of doing that for you. Thanks for reading this review and I hope it encourages you to make the purchase I think you are probably already leaning towards making if you have read reviews this long, haha!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+5points
5of 5voted this as helpful.
 
The PowerShot V10 is a vlog and still camera in a new highly portable form factor with components from the popular G-Series line that lets you create impressive videos on-the-go. With stereo sound capture, a built-in stand, and easy live streaming, this cam is ready to go when you are. Don’t let its size fool you, this is a vlogging studio in a compact package that can be operated with one hand to let you express your story!
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Great camera; needs tweaks for true excellence!
on November 16, 2023
Posted by: Bren
One of the top benefits of this vlogging camera is that it is utterly intuitive to use. I am an experienced tech reviewer but a novice photographer/videographer, and this camera is built for someone just like me in mind who wants to capture some good video footage or pictures but doesn’t want to have to mess with 15 different settings on the camera to do it. Some examples of it being intuitive are as follows: You want a vertical format video for TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube Shorts feeds? Just tilt the camera to the side and you will get vertical footage, no editing in post needed! Want to record your video? The big, red-rimmed button on the front of the camera is what you press! Want to flip the screen around mid-recording from front to back? Just flip it and it automatically switches with no extra work on your end! Want to shorten up a clip you just filmed for easy upload to social media? You can do it right inside the camera itself! Want to mess with a setting on the screen? It is a touch screen display so go for it! Now for some more details on the experience with opening and using this camera.
Unboxing this camera is a dream in 2023 for those concerned with landfills and oceans that have piled up with plastic and packaging waste. I was astonished when opening the box that there was not any plastic as part of the packaging at all! Even the lanyard and USB-C charging cord were stored in little paper envelopes like what you might get some seeds in at a farmer’s market! Impressive! The manual that is included with this camera is not the advanced manual, that can be found on Canon’s support page for the PowerShot V10.
This camera delivers exactly what it promises for someone like me. I am not big on using my personal cell phone for content creation since it just fills up its internal storage and I am too cheap to pay for iCloud. What is nice about this camera though, is it has the advantage like other reviewers have pointed out of having the outline and appearance of cellphone from a distance, so you are far less likely to stand out when filming in environments with onlookers who might be irritated by or excessively interested in a large, pro-grade style camera. Even if it doesn’t have the appearance of a “normal” camera, it does have some features of those that you will value. The threaded tripod mounting point at the bottom is great for someone interested in putting this on a tripod or mounting other accessories to it like grips such as the Tripod Grip HG-100TBR from Canon. The built-in stand is great for standing the camera up on flat surfaces like desks or counters for filming! One thing that concerned me when I first saw its design is that it could run the risk of pinching the screen of the camera such it is designed to fold away behind it, but luckily the stand will only touch the outside frame of the camera screen if it accidently gets closed on it!
The 4K 30FPS footage this camera captures is excellent. Every time the camera turns on at this resolution setting, though, it warns you that the camera may overheat and shutoff on this setting. I have not had any issues with this personally. It is very easy to switch between different resolutions and FPS settings on the fly in between shots without having to dig to deeply into the settings. The camera struggles to auto focus and adjustment sometimes in darker environments, but the clear, wide-angle lens is so good at gathering in details and is everything I would have hoped for in a little vlogging camera. Image stabilization is great and when turned on in the settings it definitely smooths out the bounciness of my gait as I am walking around and recording. As they show off in the marketing of this device, the camera does not require your arm be extended all the way out to get a good image of you talking in frame with some scenery or review objects in the background. I was amazed when, at full arm extension, this wide-angle lens was able to shoot my entire living room behind me with no problem! The internal microphone also does an admirable job of picking up my voice while I am recording but excluding ambient droning noises like the wind or my fan.
One of the unexpected benefits of this camera is its ability to be interpreted as a plug and play webcam through USB connection for both my Windows desktop PC AND my 2021 MacBook Pro 14 running MacOS! By going into the settings of the camera and changing the “USB Connection App” from photo import mode to video calls/streaming mode, I was able to plug it directly into my computers without any driver installs or anything and it was instantly recognized as an external camera! I was able to use it with Zoom and the video quality far exceeds the built in 1080p Facetime camera of my 2021 MBP 14. On my gaming/streaming Windows PC rig, I was able to get a really cool view of my desktop keyboard and mouse movement while streaming on OBS as a secondary camera (as in my pictures). So, this V10 camera certainly has that flexibility and utility to operate in that capacity! It is also set up to be able to easily live stream via app connection on your phone on the Canon CameraConnect app. I was able to get it set up for YouTube no problem. A gripe with the camera though is that for whatever reason, when I have this hooked up as a streaming camera source to my computers, the camera does not seem able to charge in this format and input the image to your device. I will keep playing with this and come back and edit my review if I find a solution, but that means you are limited to using this for webcasting or as a webcam source for only the hour this camera’s internal battery can provide.
Here are a couple things I wish that Canon would have done with this camera. With this selection specifically on Best Buy, I noticed what I received did not have many of the advertised accessories as shown on the Canon PowerShot V10 website (UK at least), like a carrying pouch, Lens cover etc. I feel that this was a bit of a cheap out and I would have liked to have had these accessories. Another thing that I noticed is that the USB-C cord included with this camera is only a USB 2.0 transfer speed capable cord when trying to pull files directly to your computer off the camera, yet on their website they offer a USB 3.1 cable! I think this is another cheap out. Another idea more than a cheap out is that it would have been nice if, for a relatively entry-level vlogging camera like this, Canon would have included a micro-SD card to get started with, even an inexpensive small 64GB V30 U2 MicroSD card, just so users could get started with it right out of the box! This is particularly true given that even firmware updates are unable to be performed on this camera until you have a microSD card available for downloading firmware updates. This probably isn’t a big deal for experienced photographers and vloggers who already have an army of SD cards, but I don’t think this camera is necessarily targeted at that population but rather beginners like me who are just realizing the benefits of filming with a separate, dedicated device rather than their phone. Here is a short video I made for YouTube with the V10. You can see that it has a little difficulty getting certain objects in focus, but the internal mics sound decent! https://youtube.com/shorts/qSKoGM-IhVA?si=uYKZ8el-ryLeHGjv
A couple other disappointments I have with the camera are as follow. For one, it has a maximum movie recording time of 1 hour––for no reason at all that I can ascertain, just arbitrarily. This is a bummer to me, because I really would have liked to have used this camera to test things like battery life on laptops I review and have the recording go continuously (with the camera hooked up to power, of course). I tested it just to be certain, and sure enough, the camera just stopped recording at 1 hour even though it was hooked up via USB-C to power and I had plenty of room on my 256GB SD card for the recording. Definitely a bummer and something I wish they would change on a firmware update or future models. A caveat to this is that I do understand that this camera is geared for short form vlogging style content creation so they probably did not consider longer length recordings necessary. Another bummer is that this does not have a swappable battery. This camera has about 55 minutes of recording on a single charge at 4K 30FPS according to my testing, so you will have to wait for it to charge back up for almost 2 hours between each of these recording stents. A swappable battery would have made this more fluid and perhaps helped with the battery degradation that plagues all lithium-ion battery devices overtime. It feels like a waste that someday, I am just going to have to throw this whole camera away when it can’t hold a charge anymore. One final little gripe is that this camera does not have a flash of any kind, so when you are taking photos you are not going to be able to get the benefit of a flash. You will have to look into higher end models for that!
Altogether, I can honestly say that this camera is perfect for people who like to keep their content creation and vlogging style recordings separate from their personal phone and are just looking for a separate highly portable camera to get started with. The 4K 30FPS footage this records is great and perfect for getting some high quality TikTok or YouTube videos posted! But if you already have a phone with excellent cameras and substantial storage, you might skip this camera in lieu of a model that has better image stabilization, a swappable battery, and longer recording length per movie like the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III. Thanks for reading and I hope this review has been helpful!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+4points
4of 4voted this as helpful.
 
Enhance your smart home security with the Essential Indoor Camera. It has an Automated Privacy Shield that is designed to protect your privacy by giving you the control to open or close it from the Arlo Secure App. You can also view details with crystal-clear video in 2K resolution and you don’t need to turn on the light to check in on your home, kids, and pets with Night Vision. If you see something suspicious, you can use the Integrated Siren to ward off intruders. Zoom in 12X to see details, receive notifications, and watch live video on your phone when motion is detected. The Essential Indoor Camera sets up in minutes by connecting directly to Wi-Fi via the app. An Arlo Secure plan trial is included. After trial, a paid plan is required to keep premium features like 30 days of video cloud storage, People, Package, Vehicle Detection, 24/7 Emergency Response, and more.¹
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Excellent image, versatile indoor security camera!
on November 14, 2023
Posted by: Bren
One of the most commendable aspects about all Arlo devices in my experience is the simplicity of setup. There are few other security camera apps that make it as fluid or as simple of a process! This camera was as easy to set up in the app as any of them I have used, and there is a great variety of mounting options for this camera available including a standard threaded hole for mounting to typical tripod or pivoting mounts. The long USB-C power cord is a welcome addition to this camera, as is the included AC power adapter for it. It vastly increases the versatility for powering it, up to and including hooking it up to a USB-C port equipped power bank if you want to hook it up in a really obscure location without easy access to wall socket.
The high resolution 2K footage this camera records is absolutely insane. It is such nice quality and thus far has demonstrated perfected distinction between animal and humanoid forms when triggered in our living room. The night vision recording is equally astonishing. There is no blurring at all of figures even in pitch black recording scenarios, I have included a screen shot of it.
The only thing I wish this camera had is a micro SD card storage solution so I could have hard back up of recordings. Alas, in this increasingly digital age we are in, cloud storage and security payment plans have just become par for the course with a lot of these consumer-grade wireless camera companies like Arlo.
We are going to be using this camera to monitor our baby nursery soon, and I have totally confidence that I will be able to get it mounted perfectly and have a great view of the whole room both night and day!
Thanks for reading and I hope you are as impressed by the quality of the camera footage as I have been.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Browse, explore and connect with confidence on the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 powered by a Celeron N4020 Processor. The IdeaPad 1 packs responsive performance in a thin and compact 17.9 mm chassis, making multitasking on-the-go a breeze. Get the most out of your device with a frameless display for more screen and Dolby Audio speakers, along with 11 hours of battery life and rapid charge. Great for video calls, the 720P camera comes with a privacy shutter to keep out spying eyes, as well as Smart Noise Cancelling to eliminate background noise.
 
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Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
A labor to set up, serviceable for light use.
on November 10, 2023
Posted by: Bren
With an admirably long battery life, decent build quality, weight less than 3 pounds, and reasonable serviceability for web browsing and Office apps productivity, this laptop is actually a decent deal if you can get it on one of these crazy sales where it is $100-$120 off in price! Otherwise, when you approach its full retail price, I would skip it and spend an extra chunk of money on a machine with a tad more modern specs like 8GB of RAM to minimize your frustration, even if you must buy refurbished or renewed. If you do decide to buy this laptop, I feel I am obligated to first advise potential buyers on how to setup this laptop so that they do not pull out all their hair and then immediately return this laptop or set it on fire out of frustration.
Steps to setting this laptop up in a manner that maintains your sanity:
1. Take a deep breath and let go of your initial 2023 speed expectations. This is going to take a while, get ready for the marathon, because this will be no sprint.
2. Plug it into power and preferably perform this setup while you have a movie or show or two in a row playing in the background to distract your attention while this machine slowly proceeds through its setup. Satisfactory setup and usage took me nearly three hours waiting on the machine to slowly update and set up.
3. When you get through the initial Windows installer setup and first boot onto the desktop, DON’T TOUCH THE MACHINE. It is likely going to be pegged out at 100% of CPU and RAM usage while it is first booting up and doing a ton of background processes and tweaks. Any actions you try to perform are going to feel so slow you will think the laptop is busted. It is best to wait for maybe 10 minutes and follow whatever prompts that pop up like Edge settings before you go clicking around too vigorously. If you have OneDrive from another Windows computer and you have logged in with your Microsoft account, this can add another long and indeterminate amount of time that you need to let this sit idle while it retrieves all your cloud information and makes it available for access via the native OneDrive folder.
4. Next, go into the settings to Windows Update and have it check for updates. Install all updates and then restart the computer as instructed. Then check AGAIN for updates, and install all of those, restarting if need be. By doing that, you are making sure you have the latest Windows updates and drivers for your computer installed so you know that none of those issues are bogging you down during your first real use of the machine.
5. Uninstall McAfee Security. The Windows security software installed on this operating system is sufficient for most and McAfee is a memory hog and will constantly pester you with security program offers and coupons.
6. Check Windows Update ONE MORE TIME or TWO MORE TIMES for updates, just to make sure nothing has been missed.
7. Now, you are ready to start your real use of the machine!
Now to the lengthier part of my review. I am going to be honest: I was ready to give up on this laptop. Through the entire length of this 3 hour or so set up and update process, I was ready to huck this laptop out the window. It was slow as all get out in every metric while it was slowly and laboriously updating, with the RAM and CPU pegged at 100% utilization almost the entire setup process. That was not a good sign. Much to my surprise, this machine almost had a sort of “break-in” period, where it was initially clunky in its usage through all of its updates, but now has managed to actually be enjoyable enough to use that I am incorporating it into my daily usage for this review period! This laptop is incredibly lightweight at less than 3 pounds on my scale (2Ibs 14.8oz) and is only a half an inch or so wider than my 2021 MBP 14. The top shell is metal and feels high quality, even if it is a little prone to fingerprint accumulation, and the bottom shell of the chassis is strong feeling plastic and the keyboard deck is also metal, although it is a little flexy.
Perhaps the best part of this laptop is the keyboard and trackpad. Although the keyboard is not backlit, it is an appropriately responsive keyboard with a good layout and excellent tactile feedback from the keys. The keycaps themselves are covered in a sort of eggshell textured matte finish that keeps the finger oils and prints off the keys and makes for a nice grippy feel while typing. I am indeed typing this review on this laptop, and it is a great experience. The trackpad is a real surprise on this laptop. It is, I kid you not, better than the trackpad of a $2300 dollar gaming laptop I just tested. It is an almost glass smooth trackpad with nice left and right built-in buttons at the bottom left and right of the trackpad that are clicked in a springboard fashion. The touchpad is perfectly responsive and precise and responds to Windows multitouch gestures like three fingers swipe up to give a view of all the windows and programs open on your desktop. I have been using this trackpad for over 4 hours on this laptop just today and I have not had the slightest inclination to pull out a mouse to use with it.
Another aspect of the hardware of this laptop I am content with is the screen. This screen is not the brightest, sharpest, or highest definition capable screen out there by a long stretch, but it provides users EXACTLY what I think they need on a laptop of this price in the way of being reasonable for some good-looking YouTube or Netflix videos. It has relatively good viewing angles and also hinges open almost just a few hairs shy of flat to the keyboard! The speakers on this are another case of being reasonable at the price. There are two tiny speaker grills under the front lip of the laptop and the sound the speakers emit is neither loud nor high in clarity, but they are serviceable.
Gratefully, Lenovo absolutely knocked the input and output ports of this laptop out of the park. The include charger is tiny, juices the laptop up quick, and super easy to pack up and take on the go. The 3.5mm barrel port for headphones works great and delivered plenty of volume to my Apple earbuds I still like to use from time to time. The laptop includes an HDMI port that was capable of putting out a beautiful, buttery smooth image to my 32” 1440p (2K) display at 60Hz refresh rate. The USB-C port is data transfer only as far as my testing can tell. There is no charging through it (bummer) nor was it able to send a display out to my monitor via an HDMI to USB-C cable.. Also included is a full-sized SD card slot (take some notes, Dell), and two full sized USB-A ports for connecting a mouse, flashdrive, or any other USB-A accessory you might be considering (take some notes, Apple). This has all the I/O most any average light laptop user could want!
The battery life is absolutely excellent on this laptop. Unplugged I ran intensive setup tasks, benchmarks like Speedometer 2.1, watched multiple YouTube videos, and had many apps open and installations done for almost 4-1/2 hours, and I still had 63% of the battery remaining when I turned in for the night! It is incredible to me how efficient these laptops are getting now. While the Intel Celeron is not my favorite family of processors historically for raw computational power and multitasking, darn if they don’t make for an efficient chip in this laptop! As for the EMMC flash memory in this laptop, 128GB is just serviceable for having the OS installed on it and some of your favorite pictures, music, and documents stored on it. It is reasonably speedy to with a 310MB/s read and 230MB/s write speed on my CrystalDiskMark desk from the Microsoft app store.
The best use of this laptop is light web browsing use and working within the native Microsoft Office apps. Microsoft Word opens relatively quickly in about 5 seconds after your first time setting up and operates very smoothly with no stuttering of character population while typing and demonstrates very smooth scrolling. I have reviewed higher-end gaming laptops that couldn’t get this right! This is most definitely an appropriate selection for young students in middle school or elementary school who just need to write some basic essays, or older adults who are looking to generate some basic letters or fill out documents. Microsoft OneNote is likewise very smooth to type in and navigate. It can be a tad slow to populate some of the pages and my bigger workbooks I use for taking school notes, but it is nothing insufferable, even for someone who is used to much higher end PC’s for day-to-day use. Microsoft Excel is likewise admirably quick for very basic use. I have a one-page sheet I use for our household budgeting that only has a few simple equations built into it and there where no stutters or issues at all while browsing that workbook. I can imagine that the pitiful 4GB of RAM would be a major choke point for larger workloads on Excel, but I was at about 72-82% of RAM utilization and 62%-95% CPU utilization while I had a Word document open, OneNote notebook open, and my excel budgeting spreadsheet open. This left enough headroom for smooth switching between and I also had Microsoft edge on a YouTube page playing some music in the background.
Altogether, I am surprised at the end of this review to actually be able to recommend this laptop given how much of a hastle it was to set up in the year of 2023. Thus, if you buy this, know that for the first day of owning it, you are going to be engaging in a very frustrating setup and pseudo-break in process to get this machine feeling smooth. But once you do, it is well worth it to any low-key laptop buyer looking for a simple machine with great portability and great battery life packed into a bargain of a new laptop, especially at sale prices!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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+27points
28of 29voted this as helpful.
 
Whether your mess is wet or dry, the Roomba Combo i5 robot vacuum and mop can double up on cleaning tasks with one machine. From spilled crackers to everyday shoe prints—this robot can handle it. Set it to vacuum only or vacuum & mop your hard floors by swapping in the Roomba Combo Bin.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Excellent vacuum, decent enough robot mop!
on November 3, 2023
Posted by: Bren
This Roombo combo i5 vacuum and mop is a great machine for putting aspects of your home cleaning routine on auto pilot! Whether you would prefer to use the mop for maintenance vacuuming followed by wet clean-up work or have the vacuum component handy to keep the heavier accumulation of dirt down in your carpets, rugs, and all other surfaces, this Roomba has you covered. This model makes more sense for my use case than the package that includes the self-emptying tower with this Combo i5 Roomba given the tower is not compatible with the combo mop attachment for-self emptying. So, I would say that if you are having misgivings on which one to go with, I would say get the self-emptying tower model if you are going to have the vacuum-only component swapped in more than 75% of the time. Otherwise, it really isn’t that difficult to just empty the collection bin on the Roomba yourself once it gets full!
As with other Roombas I have owned in the past, set up on this machine was incredibly easy. Downloading the iRobot app and scanning the quick start QR code on the quick start paperboard guide in the packaging takes you through all the aspects of setting up this little clean up machine step by step from advising you on how to assemble the home base charger and drip tray to getting you started on sending the Roomba out on its first Smart Mapping mission around your home. This task is crucial in order to assure that the Roomba gets a good idea of its surroundings and you as the owner are able to set up and edit the smart map according to areas you might want extra emphasis on cleaning or just want to have the Roomba leave alone completely. This first Smart Map run does take a while and the Roomba will not be cleaning during it; the Roomba will just travel around and map out rooms and obstacles. I left the Roomba in the format it came in out of the box which has it set up for vacuuming while it ran across the whole house mapping including on our carpeted floors. This process for our 1300 Square foot condo took a little over 3 hours including a pause to charge itself up given that it came out of the package with only 20% or so of a battery charge. So be prepared to give this machine ample time for set up, charging, and completing its smart mapping run so that you can enjoy all of its tremendous benefits!
The combo bin that allows the Roomba to vacuum and then mop in one go is truly a genius thing that does wonders for our hardwood and linoleum floors. It would be silly to expect this machine to handle the rigors of mopping up heavy mud or other dense, excessively soiled or piled-up messes, but the clean-up of just regular day to day or week to week accumulation is where this Roomba stands out as truly ingenious. In this set up, you just need to be aware to empty to the vacuum collection bin when it gets full (the app notifies you) and also you may need to check the mop pad once and a while and give it a good rinse to make sure it has picked up and packed any larger particles into the mop pad fibers. All of this said, I just love this attachment and the fact that I can just use water as part of the mop routine! I still use a Swiffer for when we have heavier soiling or want to implement a cleaning agent as part of hardwood floor maintenance, but I am enjoying just using water in the Roomba! It fills up easily right from your tap and it also will notify you when the water is getting low. iRobot does sell a very reasonably priced cleaning solution concentration called Braava Jet Hard Floor cleaning solution concentrate in case you are interested in getting some factory compatible cleaning solution for the Roomba!
A couple of tips and borderline cons I would mention about this Roomba model. First off, if you are going to use the combo bin with mop function, ensure that your home base charging station and drip tray for the Roomba is set up on a hard floor surface and that it does not have to travel over any carpets to start its mopping function. I noticed that when the mop pad is pretty sodden with water, it can take a long time to dry and the last thing you want to do is have your Roomba drag a wet mop pad over your carpeted floors to reach its mopping destination. Another matter of issue with the charging station and drip tray is it seems to like to move around a lot on my hardwood floor, so I may be getting some extra tacky anti-slide feet from 3M or something to stick onto the bottom so it doesn’t get bullied around so much by the Roomba when it comes on and off of it.
The next tip and borderline con I would mention is the smart map set up on this particular Roomba model has been annoying. I have had Roomba’s in the past like the J7+ that were a breeze to set up and appeared to have perfect accuracy on the first try of getting the layout of our home. Additionally, it obeyed the boundaries I set in place and never wavered. This i5 Combo has been rather refractory in this process and I even had to swap in the vacuum bin and send it on a brand-new mapping run in order to get it to have a more accurate picture of my home.
A tip before you set it up for its mopping function by swapping in the combo bin is to ensure that you send it on some “dry run” vacuuming missions to each of your designated hard floor surfaces to ensure it actually understands and accurately gages the boundaries. I was horrified when my Roomba was mopping and it suddenly jumped a boundary and started dragging it wet mop pad over my carpet! Yikes. I got that boundary line figured out and haven’t had issues since, but just be aware that there might be some trial and error to this process.
Overall, I think that this Roomba i5 Combo delivers exactly what I would expect and more for a product making these promises at this price! It offers the means to maintain a clean home and with a little time spent getting it dialed in right, can save a lot of manual labor hours for maintaining the cleanliness of your floors!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
 
Get eyes on your real front door: The myQ Smart Garage Video Keypad lets you see and control who opens your garage door. Grant access by assigning unique PIN codes for family, guests, or service providers. Get meaningful insights with real-time alerts that will tell you when someone has accessed your garage. Easy installation with integrated Bluetooth technology makes for quick Wi-Fi pairing. A must have for any smart home. Only works with myQ, Chamberlain, LiftMaster, Raynor, and AccessMaster garage door openers made after 1993.
 
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Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Great camera-Needs more power and storage options!
on October 27, 2023
Posted by: Bren
This keypad is highly robust in its build quality and performs how I would expect for a smart garage video keypad. I am really happy about the wide angle, HD view of the camera and how high the build quality of this device is. The first time you click the keypad buttons, you are bound to be impressed as I was as to how rock solid it feels. Setup via the myQ app was easy as could be and I really appreciated the checklists and walk through step by step for getting this connected to my garage door opener!
There are a couple areas of improvement that this could use, though. I really don't like how Chamberlain is essentially twisting your arm through storage impoverishment to sign up for and maintain a subscription with them in order to have cloud storage for your video recordings. I would have far preferred an option to have physical, local storage such as on a microSD card in order to ensure that I have access to recordings in the event of a power or internet outage.
Another aspect that I feel needs improvement in 2023 is the battery and power options for this device. I am not pleased that you have to detach and dig all the way into the rear of the video keypad to get access to charge the battery and that unless you have a second charged battery ready to go, the keypad is left out of commission for the duration of the time the battery is being charged, which is a looooonnnggg time. Other reviewers haven't exaggerated this. I got the video keypad in the mail and pulled out the battery to charge it around 4pm with wall adapter/microUSB hookup of appropriate amps and watts, and I was utterly astonished when it was still not charged by 10pm! To keep current with the increasingly autonomous and low maintenance camera systems and electronics out there I would have loved some sort of solar solution or external plug in option to at least allow the camera to stay operational while being charged. I am a bit of a pessimist when it comes to home security and my gut says that the day those neighborhood kids would egg my garage would be when this camera is out of commission while its battery is taking 8 hours to be charged from empty.
Overall, these are just my takes and hopefully Chamberlain will come forward with some options to make this keypad a little more consumer friendly on the storage and battery fronts. Thanks for reading!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
The Dyson V15s Detect Submarine is engineered with the power, intelligence, versatility, and run time to deep clean your whole home. Now with three cleaner heads for all-in-one cleaning. The Submarine cleaner head washes hard floors and removes wet and dry debris simultaneously. The Fluffy Optic cleaner head reveals invisible dust on hard floors. The de-tangling Digital Motorbar cleaner head deep cleans carpets and hard floors without tangles and adapts suction power to floor type.⁴ A piezo sensor intelligently optimizes power and run time based on the debris picked up, reporting it all on the LCD screen.⁴ The versatile cordless format transforms into a handheld vacuum with one click so you can clean up high, down low, and everywhere in between. Comes with a 2-year warranty and lifetime Dyson support.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
5 Star Vacuum, 4.5 Star Wet Mop!
on October 27, 2023
Posted by: Bren
This is one of the most exciting reviews that I have done in a while. I love reviewing tech products of all sorts, but once in a while, something comes along that actually revolutionizes the way we conduct our household. This Dyson V15s Detect Submarine is one of them. What Dyson is offering here is a pricey but wicked cool cleaning device that has as more technology built into it than some automobiles from a few decades ago. The TL;DR of this review is that if you already own a newer Dyson vacuum such as the base-model V15 detect, it will be up to you whether buying this newer complete wet/dry set with the Submarine wet roller head is worth it. Unfortunately, the V15s Submarine wet roller head is not backwards compatible with standard V15 detect models (I checked with my already owned V15 detect), so you are going to need to upgrade to this entire kit to enjoy the tremendous benefits of the mop head. If you are coming from an older cordless vacuum or corded vacuum, then whip out that card and add this thing to the cart, because you are going to kick yourself once you get it and see how much better and more efficient cleaning your home is with this setup!
The standard V15 vacuum portion of this bundle with the included implements is excellent and is directly on par with the base V15 detect bundle that I already own. Accessory for accessory and attachment for attachment, everything is almost the same as my old V15 detect bundle (apart from the handle having “v15 Detect Submarine” being written on the vacuum extension). This is awesome because, in my opinion and that of many others, the V15 Detect is qualitatively and quantitatively one of the best cordless vacuums on the market today! I will try not to go into a nauseating amount of detail given that the V15 detect and associated features are already well known and available on the market, but I will give my overview. The fluffy detect head absolutely slays hard floor dirt and messes and with the detect feature, reveals dirt, dust, and hairs that I would have never seen without it. The digital MotorBar cleaner head is one of the only vacuum heads I have ever used that can handle vacuuming up my wife’s 3-foot-long curly hairs out of our carpets without getting them all wound up around the brush head. Finally, the included attachments are just right for pitching into corners, blinds, fan blades, and all the other places you may not normally think of that are vacuumable before getting your hands on a fantastic wireless vacuum like this! Dyson has additional attachments available and so far, it appears that all of the attachments for the original V15 detect are cross compatible with the standard vacuum portion. The base dry vacuum portion of this package is an industry leader but retains a few of the irritations others have mentioned before like the trigger that can be strenuous to pull for lengthy amounts of time for arthritic or delicate hands and the lack of any good way to stand this thing upright when not in use (I usually go for placing it into a corner of my kitchen counters and that does the trick).
Now, the Submarine wet roller head. I have decided that Dyson has built some sort of spell craft or sorcery into this attachment, because what this amazing implement does practically defies conventional household cleaning expectations. What blows my mind is that clean tap water goes into the water reservoir, and what dumps out of the waste collection bin is gritty, dirty water, even when I run the mop head over what appears to be visually clean floors! I am just amazed by this. I ran this detect over some spilled orange juice, and nothing was left but a spotless part of the floor without even the slightest detectable bit of stickiness and only the thinnest layer of moisture from mopping that evaporated within a couple minutes. I ran it across some tough coffee and creamer spills that I neglected to wipe up a few weeks ago and that had unfortunately petrified onto my wood floor in the kitchen. After running this wet roller head over the spots for a few back-and-forth slow passes, the spots had disappeared! The disassembly and reassembly of the mop head attachment is incredibly intuitive, and Dyson includes a visual guide to get you started. What I think is most compelling about the Submarine wet roller head is that it is truly designed to be user maintainable and with just using plain water, requires that no dollars be spent on expensive exclusive detergent mixtures or cleaning agents! I am thrilled with this and love the implications. If you feel you need to use a cleaner or detergent on your floors, Dyson advises to use a low foaming solution, stick to common household cleaners, and to avoid bleach. They do not feel the cleaners are necessary, but you may feel you need them. My method personally if I am going to be cleaning up something nasty like pet yuck will just be to run the wet mop over the mess. sanitize the area afterwards with Lysol or Clorox wipes, and then of course thoroughly clean the roller head attachment components so it doesn’t turn into a microbiology lab.
You may not quite want to throw out your old mop though. The place where I give this mop head 4.5 out of 5 stars is basically that it is not quite floorboard to floorboard easy to use. I pushed the wet roller head up against a stain right next to a floorboard trim piece and found when I pulled the roller head back that I had squeezed some of the dirty water out of the roller head and it had pooled up against the floorboard (as in my pictures). Another deficiency in its design is that I really do think it is important to give whatever hard surface you are going to mop a good vacuuming first with the fluffy detect head. The mop head stays incredibly clean of the dirty water since that is getting continuously squeegeed out into the waste bin, but larger dirt and food particles appear to get embedded in the mop roller ever now and then which logically takes a toll on your mopping performance. Therefore, some care must be taken when using this wet roller head, but it is honestly one of the coolest cleaning products to ever roll through my household. The maintenance of the wet roller head is incredibly easy. It breaks down in just a few simple steps and the wet roller head just needs to be cleaned with cold water and the implements allow to air dry for a while once you are done! Care just needs to be taken not to soak the electrical contacts at the top of the Submarine wet roller head pivoting-neck connection point. The drip tray included with the Submarine wet roller head is perfect for allowing some of the little remaining moisture to evaporate off and keeps the implement from smelling musty and mildew from building up.
Altogether, this V15s Detect Submarine package is a ready option for keeping an entire household with most every type of flooring squeaky clean from top to bottom. The Submarine wet roller attachment is not just a gimmick either but is actually a handy tool for generally maintaining of hard floors, small spills and messes, and for scrubbing away some of those tougher stains and spots on hard floors. The entire setup here is undeniably expensive, but every aspect of this vacuum appliance from the air filter to the new wet roller head is designed to be user maintenance and vastly reusable, so there really is positive impact with this setup of having to go through expensive filter replacements and proprietary detergents and cleaning agents all the time! Thanks for reading and I hope this review gets you as excited as I have been to own this Dyson V15s Detect Submarine package!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+13points
15of 17voted this as helpful.
 
Smart camera optimized for the garage. Works alone or as an upgrade to your myQ-connected garage door opener, the Smart Garage Camera easily adds streaming video, recorded events, motion detection and 2-way communication to the myQ app.
 
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Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Excellent camera, needs local storage option.
on October 26, 2023
Posted by: Bren
I have really enjoyed this camera in my garage. It has a great, wide-angle picture and has such excellent motion capture that it even detects movement through my garage door windows when the garage is closed, day and night! I get the alerts without delay to my phone (this can be adjusted) and I have also noticed no issues with connectivity at all via WIFI! Something I noticed is that this particular camera is dual band, meaning it can be picked up on 2.4gHz or 5GHz wifi bands, which means you are always getting the best connection it is capable of. I also like the fact, as a rare change, that this camera is hardwired. It is really going to be used as a “set it and forget it” camera to monitor my garage when I am away from home etc.
The image is really clear and the night vision is excellent. The two way audio is a bit of a gimmick though, as the max volume the camera can emit is so tinny and quiet that I think people more than 10 feet away would be hard pressed to even make out the words.
The only thing I am really not happy about here is the lack of onboard local storage options. I would have loved to have installed a 128GB micro SD card for storage of recorded footage, but instead, it will only store on the cloud which means it is out of luck in the event of a internet outage or if I am unwilling to may for the Chamberlain subscription.
All in all, this is a good camera that is really purpose built and convenient for garage installation and monitoring, but it has the quirks that people need to know about.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
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The HP Smart Tank 7001 supertank printer makes printing seamless from start to finish for the whole family with a high-capacity refillable ink tank and wireless connectivity. Create outstanding-quality color documents at a low cost with up to two years of Original HP Ink included in the box¹.
 

Is it supported by Big Sur Op System? Does it work with airprint?

It does work with airprint! I am having no problems on my Apple MBP currently :)
3 years, 8 months ago
by
Bren
 
The Canon imageFORMULA R10 portable document scanner is simple to set up and easy to use, anywhere. Easily convert paper documents to searchable digital files, using the built-in software, to get and stay organized.
 

Does this product scan both sides of a document? Is this user friendly? Thank you

Yes, it does scan both sides of a document and a card! I found it to be extremely user friendly, I just had to be patient with the updates to the software and firmware upon first setting it up :)
3 years, 8 months ago
by
Bren
 
The Apex 5 gaming keyboard has hybrid mechanical switches that combine the smoothness of a membrane switch with the added durability, performance, and satisfying tactile click of a blue mechanical switch. It also has per-key RGB customization, OLED Smart Display, aluminum alloy frame, premium magnetic wrist rest, and more.
 

Can the key caps be switched out with other key caps

Yes! They are compatible with most Cherry MX keycaps! From Steelseries' Blog post on the hybrid mechanical switches, "Like a blue switch, it registers a keypress with a click at 2mm, bottoms out at 4mm, and requires 50cn of force to press. Because it is a mechanical switch, you can even put aftermarket keycaps on them"
5 years, 3 months ago
by
Bren
 
The PRO headset from Logitech G is designed with and for esports pros. Aluminum forks, steel headband, and memory foam and premium leatherette head and ear pads keep you comfortable through marathon training and competition sessions. Pro-G 50mm drivers deliver incredibly accurate audio with improved bass response. The advanced USB DAC has a five-band onboard EQ that can be programmed via G HUB software with settings from your favorite esports pros. Pro-tuned, detachable boom mic with wind screen and pop filter ensures your comms are crystal clear. Designed for PC.
 

do these work for ps4?

Yes, the cable will plug into your PS4 controller and be good to go for use for audio and microphone use, no problem!
5 years, 11 months ago
by
Bren
 
With its Bluetooth interface, this Logitech MX Anywhere 2 910-004373 wireless mouse enables you to pair with up to 3 Bluetooth Smart Ready devices simultaneously. Darkfield Laser Tracking technology allows operation on most surfaces, including glass.
 

Does this product work for gaming?

Extremely well, depending on your needs. I use it for battlefield 1 and Doom and I love it. The programable buttons work awesome. For RPGs you may want a mouse that has more programable buttons, depending on your style :) If that is the case, I recommend the one's below:
 
Products from my answer
Razer - Naga Epic Chroma Wireless MMO Gaming Mouse - Black
4.6 out of 5(315)
 
 
 
Razer - Naga Hex V2 Wired Laser Gaming Mouse with Chroma Lighting - Black
4.6 out of 5(188)
 
 
 
Razer - Naga Chroma USB MMO Gaming Mouse - Black
4.7 out of 5(903)
 
 
 
 
 
8 years, 4 months ago
by
Bren
 
Razer Blade Laptop: Developed in partnership with Intel and NVIDIA, the Razer Blade delivers performance to run the most demanding games of today. Powered by an Intel Core i7 quad-core CPU, NVIDIA GeForce graphics processor and a 14" LED display, you'll be blown away by the immersive visuals of your games in crisp high definition 1080p.The Razer Blade features 6th Gen. Intel Core i7 quad-core processor. This ensures your games and media playback run with powerful processing performance anywhere, anytime.The Razer Blade features a high-performance NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 GPU. This means you play games the way they were meant to be played, with fluid frame rates and rich DirectX 12 graphics, and in VR.With NVIDIA Optimus technology, the Razer Blade combines great performance and great battery life by intelligently delivering power only when you need it, and conserving it when you don't.
 

Is this with QHD or Full HD?

Full HD
8 years, 5 months ago
by
Bren
 
Razer Blade Laptop: Developed in partnership with Intel and NVIDIA, the Razer Blade delivers performance to run the most demanding games of today. Powered by an Intel Core i7 quad-core CPU, NVIDIA GeForce graphics processor and a 14" LED display, you'll be blown away by the immersive visuals of your games in crisp high definition 1080p.The Razer Blade features 6th Gen. Intel Core i7 quad-core processor. This ensures your games and media playback run with powerful processing performance anywhere, anytime.The Razer Blade features a high-performance NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 GPU. This means you play games the way they were meant to be played, with fluid frame rates and rich DirectX 12 graphics, and in VR.With NVIDIA Optimus technology, the Razer Blade combines great performance and great battery life by intelligently delivering power only when you need it, and conserving it when you don't.
 

is this the newest one razer blade?

Yes it is! The 1060 GPU rocks!
8 years, 5 months ago
by
Bren
 
Only at Best BuyPlay your way to the top with this HP OMEN notebook. The Intel Core i7 processor provides lightning-fast response times, and the 1TB hard drive is enough for all your favorite games and apps with room to spare for music and video files. This HP OMEN notebook has a full-size backlit keyboard for fast, easy typing.
 

How long does the battery last and can the ram be upgrade

Battery has averaged 2.5 to 3 hours under normal use and 1 hour or so with gaming (as should be expected in any gaming laptop, really). The RAM can be upgraded given you are patient and careful when you unscrew and pry open the back. 8GB of 2133Mhz RAM is what it has stock in one of the two available slots.
8 years, 6 months ago
by
Bren
 
Only at Best BuyPlay your way to the top with this HP OMEN notebook. The Intel Core i7 processor provides lightning-fast response times, and the 1TB hard drive is enough for all your favorite games and apps with room to spare for music and video files. This HP OMEN notebook has a full-size backlit keyboard for fast, easy typing.
 

will programs be installed on the ssd before the hdd

Yes, they will be. By default to allow quick bootup and accessing times. You can select the 1TB "D" drive though when you are downloading. I keep all of my games on the 1TB drive and it has worked perfectly.
8 years, 6 months ago
by
Bren
 
Only at Best BuyPlay your way to the top with this HP OMEN notebook. The Intel Core i7 processor provides lightning-fast response times, and the 1TB hard drive is enough for all your favorite games and apps with room to spare for music and video files. This HP OMEN notebook has a full-size backlit keyboard for fast, easy typing.
 

Does This laptop have a usb-c port or a Thunderbolt port

No, it does not.
8 years, 6 months ago
by
Bren