This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
I'm not a professional photographer but I know the basics and I have a collection of family pictures that date from the beginnings of digital photography. I use a MacBook Pro (M series) and I must not be the target audience for this. To me it's practically unusable.
What I got with this product is a Three year license to use Elements 2025, with both the photo and video editor. After three years it should stop working unless renewed. I checked with a photographer and confirmed that this is in no way related to the professional product line, it’s a separate product developed by a separate division.
There are three components to this: the organizer, photo editor and video editor.
The organizer I think it's the most lacking of the products: I have a library of about 61K pictures including some videos, all organized in Apple Photos. When first opening the Organizer, it's evident that it's not a modern macOS application: While it is an Apple Silicon application, it feels like it was made decades ago. It was only able to catalog 31K images after two days, as it becomes progressively slower with each image, and most of them are thumbnails created by Photos, so it doesn't really work with Apple Photos. To switch to this product one would have to export all the photos to a separate folder and start again. After two days of waiting I was able to select some pictures to work with the Photoshop Elements Editor. It has some interesting filters but feels very basic and its AI capabilities seem primitive. For example, trying to remove a person from a landscape just smudges incoherent pieces of the surrounding section of the picture, with a blob resembling some landscape where the person was. I was perhaps expecting too much. Other filters like adjusting colors work fine but it's also available on the native applications so not much new. The filters to retouch old scanned pictures works. Premiere is the video editing tool. This is also geared towards beginners. I didn't find it any more capable than iMovie, and just more basic, which can be a good thing for quick work.
Overall I cannot recommend this to any macOS user, although I see the value in a Windows user with a moderate library, since there are not a lot of tools provided in Windows and photos are simply organized in folders, which is where Adobe Elements works best.
Introducing MX Creative Console, streamline your creative workflow with intuitive and customizable backlit LCD keys and tactile controls for precise adjustments on the dialpad. MX Creative Console lets you quickly access shortcuts and actions on your favorite apps with recommended profile configurations, or customize it to fit your own workflow.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
In short, it provides additional input methods that are fully customizable. To start describing this, there are actually two products that are separate but work better together. All is tied by the Logi Options+. The Dialpad is a Bluetooth/Bolt console with one dial, one scroll button and four customizable buttons. I'm using it with the Bolt receiver which I'm already using with the MX series keyboard and mouse. It does not include the receiver itself. It uses two AAA batteries, included. Considering this won't be used nearly as much as a mouse or keyboard, the batteries should last a very long time, and that's likely why it's not rechargeable. The Keypad is the showpiece. It's powered by an USB-C cable, so it's not meant to be used by multiple computers at once like other Logi MX accessories. This is because the each of the nine main keys are actually tiny OLED screens. It comes with its cable and a cradle so the keys it can stay at an angle. If one used the Logi Options+ software before, with this also recognizes the application that is being used and can adjust the input devices based on the application. I'm on conferences a lot and one of the supported applications (There are not many yet) is Zoom. In this case it maps the keys for different meeting settings and sets the keys background blue. The dialpad also can be used to control meeting settings like view, turn on/off mic and camera, leave, etc. The keypad also has two screen scroll buttons on the bottom that is used to switch pages for the keys. So on the system mode (When no other customized app is running up front), added a second page with a shortcut editors (like converting to plain or HTML decoding), a stopwatch and other functions. Also keys can be used to launch a dial on-screen to be able to make adjustments with the dials.
Overall is very polished. It reminds me of a streaming deck but it's geared towards creative and professional applications. I see a lot of potential. Currently there aren't many applications that come with customizations already defined, but Logi Options+ has a sort of customizations store where I expect will provide more applications soon. I'm an early adopter for this so I expected this, and having used other MX products, I've seen the software improve over time. It can be a real time saver.
Meet the Ninja Prestige Smart XL Air Fryer & Countertop Oven with Pro Cook System, and up to 10x the convection power of a built-in oven. With Smart Surround Convection, flipping and rotating isn~t required to ensure all-around crisp. With a 90-second oven preheat time, get fast, crispy and juicy results- from whole chickens to baked goods and tasty appetizers. The Pro Cook System monitors the internal doneness of your food so you~ll never under or over cook food again. Plus, it features 10 cooking functions: Air Fry, Whole Roast, Air Roast, Bake, Dehydrate, Pizza, Broil, Toast, Bagel, and Reheat. The Ninja Prestige Smart XL Air Fryer & Countertop Oven with Pro Cook System compliments your countertop, while offering variety to your meals.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
Unlike most other toasters, it doesn't have the controls on the left side taking valuable space. Instead the controls are on the handle, which takes less space. However be aware that is also very deep and also quite tall, so this might be something to consider with non-standard counter sizes. A reason while this is very deep is that the very large convection fan on the rear of the unit takes considerable space.
The controls, that are on the handle are well though of. When turning it on, the handle illuminates with a list of all the cooking modes and a digital numeric display in the center.
Everyone in the family got how to use it right away the first day. To me that means it's intuitive. It also has lights with recommendations on which one of the four rack positions to use, it takes any confusion out of it.
Because it has four rack levels it can cook on two racks at the same time.
This model comes with two rack trays, two sheet pans, one roast tray (that goes on top of any of the two pans), and an air-frying tray that can also be used for dehydrating, and also a built-in thermometer. The thermometer plugs into the bottom of the handle and comes with its own magnetic holder when storing away. We keep it on one side of the oven. Ninja also offers additional accessories for this oven like additional trays and pan, an additional mesh dehydrating pan, ceramic pan, cutting board (customized to store on top of the oven) and molds.
Because it has a very powerful convection fan, it can also 'air fry', for which it recommends using non-stick oil spray. The dehydrating mode works by combining heat with air circulation, which can dry some fruits or vegetables in about 6 hours.
While the glass can get very hot (it's not a double-glass), the handle here the controls are remains cool to the touch.
Overall it's a great machine that one can tell it was very well thought of. Comes with good amount of accessories and even some recipes to try out. Likely the largest convection fan in a unit of this type. One caveat is that it can be hard to clean when air frying because it doesn't use a deep basket like other models, any splashes end up on the sides, door or fan, so we use it mostly as an oven and we keep a dedicated air fryer (Also from Ninja).
The Google TV Streamer (4K) delivers your favorite entertainment quickly, easily, and personalized to you.~,~ Get fast performance, responsive navigation, and tailored recommendations from Google~s most advanced streamer yet.~ And all your content is organized for you in one place, so you~ll do a lot less searching and way more watching.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
Anyone that used a recent Google TV or Chromecast with remote will find this familiar. It's a faster version of Chromecast, with an improved remote and 32 GB of storage with over 26 Gb available to install apps and it's much faster than our old Android TV. Like current Google TVs, it has plenty of TV apps available via the Play store, it analyzes what one watches and provides recommendations across different apps. The main screen makes it easy to watch content from different apps one after the other, including your YouTube history and some social media apps (TikTok, etc.). The remote uses two AAA alkaline batteries (included), and it can control the TV powering it on and off via IR or HDMI, as well as volume control and depending on the TV, changing inputs. It's voice enabled, so when pressing the assistant button, can use Ok Google to find TV content or control smart home devices that are integrated with Google Home, as well as showing camera content (As in, show me the front door camera). It also has a find remote button on the back of the unit that makes the remote beep. The streamer is powered by USB-C. It comes with a long USB-C to USB cable and a power adapter that is a small USB plug. One can use another power supply if it provides enough power, and this doesn't require much. Unlike the Chromecast, it has a built-in Ethernet in addition to Wi-Fi. I'm using Ethernet and works great. Unlike Chromecast, the HDMI cable is not included. Make sure to get an 'Ultra High Speed' or one that supports 48Gbps if the TV supports Dolby Vision.
This streamer also improves in supporting Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos in addition to other HDR and audio formats.
The other major improvement and likely the reason this is a 'tabletop' device instead of dangling on the back of the TV, is that this also has a Thread radio so it acts as a Thread Border Router for Matter devices. This is important if using Google Home, as it's always on and allows to remotely control Matter devices that use Thread radios, without the need to have a Google Nest hub. There is no Google Home app on this, so besides acting as a hub for Google Home apps, one can control devices and view cameras via the Google voice assistant on the remote.
The tabletop part of the streamer is light cream matte and slopes down in the front making it look more like a pebble. It's very small. I think it could've been another dongle but the radios will likely work much better when on a table.
If your TV isn't smart, or it fell behind the times, and you prefer the Google TV experience, this works great. It makes any TV a Google TV.
Roomba Combo 10 Max robot + AutoWash dock is our most powerful cleaning robot yet. It vacuums with 100% more suction power*, mops back-and-forth with downward pressure~and learns which rooms get dirty fastest and gives them the deep cleaning they deserve. With advanced smart navigation, it knows how to get around any home and clean each area in the optimal way. Even the dock is smart, automatic bin emptying, liquid refills, washing the mop pad, and pumping clean water through the dock to ensure it stays clean. When your cleaning robot is designed smarter, it makes your life easier.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
Roombas are my preferred robot vacuums. We had some earlier models and tried other brands which I did not like. The initial setup using the iRobot app is very well accomplished. Packaging is all recyclable and setting it up tool very little time. Because this is replacing an older model that I plan on using elsewhere, I was able to import the floor map, so got to use it right away. One of the things I like about Roombas is how it connects to Alexa (As well as Google Home) so I can tell it to "Mop the kitchen" or "Vacuum around the dinning room table", as well as several other integrations..
This model is currently the top of the line for Roombas, that includes a mop which can raise when not needed and the base station is capable of emptying the trash receptacle on the vacuum and store in a much larger dust bin. The charging station is also able to refill the vacuum with either water or cleaning solution and also wash and dry its mop, which is new for this model.
Opening the front door on the base reveals a clean water/solution tank, a slightly smaller dirty water tank (for when cleaning the mop) and the trash bag. All is serviced through the front door so the top of the base station is intentionally flat so one can use the space to put things like plants or decorative items on it.
Suction is quite good, and it auto adjusts the level depending on dirt detected. Mopping works by moistening the floor with water or cleaning solution, and then dragging the mop on the back of the vacuum. Note that the mop itself does not spin. The mop is made with bacteria resistant fabric. If the vacuum's internal trash container gets full or runs out of liquid, it can go back to its base to resupply and then continue where it left off.
I did have an issue where the vacuum ran out of battery in a room which should've had an easy and short access back to its base, and because the mop was extended, had much trouble charging it again. This happened the first time I let it clean the whole floor, but so far it did not re-occur. Another time it got stuck with gym equipment on the floor, where it climbed into it and lost traction. Unlike old Roombas, all new models use cameras to navigate (learning 'landmarks' within the house) and detect trouble areas and other things on its way. The problem with this is that if the room is dark or even not well lit, it might not work as expected. This is meant to require little maintenance but the rollers do get a good amount of dirt on them, but have the good design of usually not getting tangled in hair. However the side brush gets quite a lot of hair tangled on it that has to be cleaned manually. Parts that are meant to be changed on a given schedule are the side brush, rollers, HEPA filter (on the vacuum, attached to its dust bin). As for supplies, the mop lasts for a long while, and also needs vacuum trash bags for its base. Cleaning solution can be either water or one of the recommended Bona floor cleaners that are pre-mixed and ready to use.
When the vacuum returns to its base, it will empty its internal bin into the base, and it does this by using a very powerful and very loud vacuum within the base. This can be startling, although it's quieter than on previous models. If it needs to clean its mop, the noise level is not too bad, but then it will run a loud fan for several hours.
Overall it's a great vacuum and it's room map I think is the best system. My main issue is that it doesn't work at night with the lights off.
The Monduo 14-In. Pro Duo Display is a masterpiece of craftsmanship that seamlessly merges form and function. Crafted with an elegant aluminum housing and stunning glass screens, this display elevates workspace aesthetics. It offers a brilliant 2K resolution with an ultra smooth 144Hz refresh rate. The 100% DCI-P3 color gamut ensures true-to-life visuals with 500 nits of brightness make every detail shine, even in well-lit surroundings. This display is a versatile tool, accommodating the needs of creative professionals, multitasking enthusiasts, and passionate gamers. With 2 additional screens, it transforms your laptop into a productivity powerhouse or an immersive gaming setup and allows for seamless integration with the Monduo app. The 14-In. Pro Duo Display isn't just a laptop accessory; it's a statement of sophistication and your personal gateway to success.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
These displays works beautifully, although with some important considerations. The displays are high quality IPS type, 2560 x 1600 pixels in a 16:10 format, with a glass screen. These are two totally independent displays tied together in an aluminum case. These are bright (500 nits) and fast with an advertised 3ms response time (These are not HDR panels however). Each panel has two USB-C and one HDMI connector.
My main concern is that these are heavy, at over 4 pounds, these are much heavier than the laptop attached to them. So it doesn't cause undue pressure on the hinges, the center piece has a built-in pedestal. This is really necessary otherwise the whole thing falls down. The center of these displays extend as necessary and has enough force to close tightly. There are some soft plastic clips on the sides that hold onto the screen to it stays with the screen, and then one has to use the integrated pedestal on the back of the middle piece. This works very well, and it's an excellent design, with the exception that it's quite heavy.
On each side there are two USB-C ports and one Mini-HDMI. The connectors are on the center piece which makes it more stable. It comes with one short USB-C cable, one longer USB-C cable, one mini-HDMI to HDMI cable, and one thinner USB-C cable that's for charging only. Ideally the laptop should have at least two USB-C ports with video output (Or Thunderbolt). If it has one of these ports, one of the monitors need to use the HDMI port, and a power source. If the laptop has two USB-C ports but needs to be charged, one can also connect the USB-C power to one of the monitors and it supports USB-C PD to power the laptop as well.
There are no physical controls on the monitors, so no power nor brightness adjustments. It all has to be done from the computer. In Windows, this can be done from the display settings, selecting each monitor and adjusting the resolution, scaling and brightness. There is an optional Monduo application for Windows but it doesn't do much. It does help coordinating brightness. On macOS. It also doesn't need a display, but needs an application that can control the brightness for the display. There's a Monduo app that should be downloaded. They call it a driver but it's not really a driver as these monitors are plug and play, and are standard, independent displays. The app is a custom version of BetterDisplay, and it does a great job of adjusting the resolution, scaling and brightness. It works quite well and matches closely the brightness on the Macbook. So far, I used it on a MacBook Pro M1, MacBook Pro M3 and on a current-gen Asus Zenbook, all of which have Thunderbolt ports. The ZenBook has a 14" display so it looks more even than on the MacBook Pro that has a slightly taller screen.
Overall, they work great, with the caveat that are quite heavy, so ideally this should be used when I'd need to work from an alternate desk or instead of getting external displays, not something I want to carry around when working from a coffee shop.
Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 Bluetooth true wireless earbuds come with a Smart Case that is equipped with an advanced chip that provides seamless audio streaming from a treadmill, television, or the in-flight entertainment system on a plane. Plug case into 3.5mm or USB-C jack to stream content wirelessly to your earbuds to enjoy spatial sound powered by Dolby Audio. Elite 8 Active Gen 2~s are designed to withstand your toughest workouts. Tested against US military-grade standards with rigorous cycles of thermal, shock, dust and water treatment, they give you excellent performance in any environment. Completely watertight even when fully submerged in water, the wireless earbuds can withstand huge clouds of dust and survive drops from 3 feet totally intact. With ultimate grip through Jabra ShakeGrip, they stay secure in your ear all day without the need for ear wings. Powerful 6mm speakers ensure the audio is clear and rich no matter what you~re listening to. Powerful Adaptive Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) automatically adapts to the environment you~re in, filtering out unwanted interference from wind and other extremes. The wind neutralizing HearThrough technology muffles any wind interference, delivering cleaner, sharper sound wherever you are. Natural HearThrough also provides an open ear experience so you can stay in tune with your surroundings without compromising on sound quality. Leave your phone at home but take your music with you. Download your music to your smartwatch, connect your earbuds, and head out for a phone-free run. Your connection will stay solid and stable no matter what, so you can push yourself to the limit without bringing your device along for the ride. And with Bluetooth Multipoint, you can seamlessly switch between your phone or smartwatch without needing to reconnect. 56 hours (ANC off) of battery in earbuds + case & Fast Charge to get 1 hour of battery in 5 minutes. Need to know the weather forecast or take a call on the go? Simply tap the earbud and ask your preferred Voice Assistant, without having to reach for your phone.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
Upgrading from previous generation Jabra, the upgrade in the case makes it worthy.
I like how these fit my ears and stay in place comfortably for hours.
Like other Jabra models, these have a very rich sound. Adjusting the sound profile via the app lets me find the right amount of bass and sound clarity. Being an ‘active’ model, these are waterproof and great at resisting dust.
Jabra has been making headsets longer than anyone else and also one of the first earbuds. They've been refining this for many years and this model shows. Each earbud has several microphones and configurable side tone (almost of own voice heard back through the headphones), making it a more natural conversation, with adjustable wind noise control. ANC and sound awareness (HearThrouh) are configurable through the app and can be activated by pressing the left earbud. They can also be used in 'mono' mode by wearing either one while the other is on the case.
The new feature on these ‘Gen 2’ models is the case: It’s very thin and can be charged wirelessly or via USB-C, and when connecting the USB-C cable to a computer or tablet, it works as an USB audio device (does not require Bluetooth), and not only that, the cable has a 3.5mm audio plug that can be used on a treadmill or airplane, which is why got these. When the case is connected this way, press the button on its side, it lights up white and then it works like wired headphones.
Note that USB audio is only for audio output only (not microphone), and volume control works like wired headsets.
Bluetooth connection is multipoint and remembers the last 10 connected devices. Multipoint allows connecting a laptop or watch and phone simultaneously for example. Fast/Switch pair supported on Android and Windows also. It supports SBC, AAC and LC3 codecs.
The controls are very intuitive. It has physical buttons, with configurable actions for single, double of triple click on either earbud. Holding the buttons increases or decreases the volume. It can launch the phone’s voice assistant (Siri on iPhones) and can optionally launch Spotify with clicks. It also has ear detection so can pause music when taking one of the earbuds off.
Battery is rated to last 8 hours with ANC and 14 without, before the earbuds need to be recharged. The case can charge the earbuds 4 times before it needs to be recharged.
Overall these are excellent, and the addition of the 3.5mm/USB-C audio in the case makes them so more useful.
Introducing Logitech MX Anywhere 3S for Mac ~ a compact mouse optimized for macOS & iPadOS, with matching Apple finishes and a design that blends into your Apple setup. It~s upgraded for ultimate performance with quiet clicks and 8K DPI any-surface tracking. Logi Options+ enables flow to work simultaneously on multiple Apple computers.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
Having used the previous MX Anywhere 3 on a different computer, this improves in several aspects an already very well designed mouse. While being a travel mouse, this is very comfortable for daily, extended use. It feels comfortable in hand. The ribbed sides provides a good grip.
The 'Mac' edition is almost identical to the standard version. Besides the color selection (Mine is in white), it comes with an USB-C charging cable instead of the USB-A cable. Otherwise it provides the same functionality.
The improvements from the previous generation (MX Anywhere 3) narrow down to these: - 'S' is for Silent: The mouse buttons provide the same tactile feedback but they are more muted. There's a faint 'toc' instead of the familiar 'Click'. It's much more subtle. Ideal for home offices where silence is valuable. - For the last few years, many professional grade Logitech devices can use the 'Bolt' USB adapter instead of standard Bluetooth, which is not compatible with the older 'Unifying' receivers. These are presented as more secure. I was already using an MX Keys keyboard with the Bolt receiver and the mouse connected via the Bolt receiver with no problem. - It has a newer 8000 DPI sensor, which tracks on practically any surface. The previous version is 1000 DPI, and this is the standard setting on this as well, but can be changed to 8000 DPI via the Options+ application. Needless to say, it works perfectly on my desk.
Everything is configurable in this mouse: The scroll wheel is all metal, and knurled. It 'clicks' at low scrolling speeds and automatically changes to a free wheel while scrolling faster. It uses magnets inside to adjust. The transition speed is adjustable as well, and there is a button behind the wheel to change this manually. This button is also configurable to do about anything else. There are also two side buttons that are usually configured for backwards/forward, depending on the application.
The mouse can be used while charging
Like other 'MX' mouses and keyboards, it can be simultaneously paired to three devices at the same time (Mac, PC, Android, Chromebook, iPad) be either Bluetooth Smart or with the 'Bolt' USB receiver, which is sold separately and included with some keyboards.
The Logitech Options+ software that is also used through the MX line provides customization that goes beyond the control panel. It's very well designed and it's constantly improved.
When used with this mouse, the application can be configured to alter the mouse settings depending on the application being used. This includes web browsers, Microsoft Office suite, teams and Zoom. For example, the default template for Zoom is to use the side buttons to mute audio or video. Another standout feature is the 'Flow' mode. This requires that one has a compatible Logitech keyboard, one of the MX series mouses, and two or three computers. Both computers also need to be on the same network (although one can be wired and another wireless as long as they are on the same network), and not on a VPN. When both the keyboard and mouse are simultaneously synced to these computers, Flow allows to switch both the mouse and keyboard automatically between computers (It changes the actual pairing selector on both keyboard and mouse, and also lets share clipboard and drag files between computers (copying from one to another).
The latest improvement on the Option+ application is, of course, AI: In this case, one can configure one of the buttons to launch an AI assistant dialog while writing something, that can be used to rephrase or summarize. There's a Logitech Built-in dialog for this, or can launch ChatGPT instead. Another recent and very useful feature is the ability to create macros than can be launched via keystrokes or mouse buttons, and it's very flexible opening applications, entering text, etc.
A minor annoyance is that it doesn't work as an USB mouse when plugged via USB-C (But still works while charging). Also I did not appreciate that it doesn't come with the Bolt USB connector. Apple considers the connection via the Bolt adapter as 'Secure' so it works during initial boot (FileVault enabled).
Overall, this is a fantastic mouse, like the rest of the MX series. There are not enough differences between the standard and Mac versions. White is the exact same. The 'Space Gray' is not the same as the Black or Graphite on standard versions but it's regardless the same.
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.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
These are alternative to headphones with some advantages: There is no weight on my head and ears Much better aware of surroundings
Sound is rich: clear, nuanced and with good bass. The sound is very directional: When wearing there, I can hear the sound from these very clearly, but a short distance away, it's sound is much more faint. There is no privacy like a headphone however.
The speakers rest around the neck and have light padding on the back. There is some weight to them so will definitely notice them at fist but can get used to it quickly.
The buttons and ports are covered so it can withstand getting splashed. Oh the exterior right side there is an USB-C port that's used for charging, and also comes with a special USB-C to 3.5mm analog audio. However it does not support USB audio. It does not work while being charged.
On the inside, left side there are the volume and play/pause buttons (double and triple clicks change songs). The left side has the power/pairing button and mic off button. The mic off only works when the phone or computer request listening on the microphone. When off, a small amber light comes off and a reminder is played every few seconds. The reminder is not configurable. I used it on several meetings and phone calls and it works great. People can hear me just fine. The band around the neck is rubberized and malleable to it's easy to adjust.
Although this is a speaker, not a headphone, it's configurable when paired to a phone using the Sony Headphones Connect app. It can connect to two devices simultaneously (Like a phone and computer or phone and TV) via Bluetooth, and the app has settings for controlling the Bluetooth connections as well as equalizer and other settings.
Spatial audio: This did not work for me. On the phone, it requires an additional app '360 Reality Audio' which requires an additional subscription, for some reason, so it's a no for me. Then IO tried to connect to a recent Bravia Google TV and It works as a stereo speaker, no other surround audio settings available.
It connected to the TV using the SBC codec, and it connects to my iPhone and laptop using the AAC codec (This is shown on the Headphones app).
The multipoint connection works well. If listening to music on the laptop, and a call comes in, it pauses the audio on the computer when I take the call, and resumes it afterwards.
Battery is good, It goes down about 20% each day or so I've used it for several hours. I really like the sound of these speakers
The Homey Pro (Early 2023) is the next generation of smart home hub. It is packed with state-of-the-art technology to talk to and unify your smart home devices. It is compatible with WiFi, Bluetooth LE, Zigbee, Z-Wave Plus, Infrared, Matter, and Thread technologies. So it works with over 50,000 devices from more than 1,000 brands~and counting. Use Homey Flow within the Homey app and make all your devices work together seamlessly, And when you use Homey Pro in conjunction with the Homey Bridge (sold separately), you can extend wireless coverage throughout your home.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
I've been using home automation systems for quite a while, so I'm familiar with different commercial and open source systems.
The advantage of this dedicated home automation hub is that it can connect to different products from different vendors and technologies, and seamlessly integrate them in very customizable and powerful ways. The interface on Homey is the best I've seen when it comes to the easy of connecting devices and creating automation flows.
One can create flows by connecting block together (simple automations), which is very intuitive, but more limited. For more advanced setups, the multiple pieces can be connected via lines like in a mind graph, with advance logic including variables, timers, weather and environment data, presence, etc. If this is not enough, then one can directly code in a JavaScript dialect. Yes this option is best left to programmers but it's relatively easy to learn. This is barely required though and the flow based automations are impressive.
When connecting devices, it has radios for Z-Wave 700 (This is their previous generation, since this product was originally launched in early 2023), Zigbee and Thread when used with Matter. It also supports the most common brands that already have established systems. For example, our Ecobee thermostat can be controlled by linking the Ecobee credentials. Our IKEA window treatments can be controlled via the IKEA gateway, which in this case is a direct connection within our home, no internet required. It also supports some very basic multimedia controls. It can connect to our Sonos speakers, Some of our Amazon Echo speakers (but not all of them), and Chromecast-enabled speakers as well. It can connect to some security cameras but it doesn't handle video. Instead it uses motion and people/package notifications from the cameras to be used in automations. For example, if the camera detects movement, and anyone is in the house, it can play an announcement on specific smart speakers, turn a light on, etc.
We have an extensive collection of Z-Wave devices from several different vendors. However many were not directly usable if Homey doesn't have specific support for a particular model, and the generic actions that one can do with an unrecognized device is much more limited than with other controllers, so Homey is best if one sticks to what it's directly supported.
The device itself is a black circle that has no ports except for a single USB-C that's used mainly for power. There is no Ethernet, as this works via Wi-Fi. If one wants to connect it via Ethernet instead, which would be recommended for the most stable connection in a key element of one's home network, requires using an external adapter. Homey sells one and also 3rd party USB-C Ethernet hubs or adapters are supported, or specific PoE adapters. There is a bright light circle that changes colors in a pattern when on, and uses other fixed colors when initializing or for a fault. The color animation can be turned off from the app.
Homey is initially set up using a phone (via Bluetooth) and once it's running, it can also be managed from a web page. It also has an infrared remote, so it can control things with an infrared remote control, but it has to be within line of sight of the Homey box, or one would have to add additional satellite home boxes to control IR devices in other rooms. I had no need to use IR controls, as it also can control my older Harmony remote with a hub, although only for basic functions.
For daily control, use either app or web page. It also supports Apple Watch.
It also connects to Alexa and Google Home so with either system one can control lights and other devices. This works very well. There is currently no official support for Apple Home. There is an experimental support for Apple Home but in my test it was not usable. I wanted to use Apple Home as my main interface since I always carry a phone, but it did not really work.
Another good feature is that it has very nice reports in forms of charts and logs covering everything from movement, to temperature and A/C charts, energy usage and more. It can also show glance information from what every smart speaker or TV is playing with volume and track controls.
Overall, this is both an advance device and very simple to get started with. It's thoughtfully designed, but some features are not quite ready and for many devices it requires community supported features that might or might not work as intended. Other less popular brands are missing. Basic features like Z-Wave are under-represented. The main control is via tiles on the interface, and that's a bit limited. It doesn't allow for much customization.
Simplify your everyday life with the Google Home, a voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant. Use voice commands to enjoy music, get answers from Google and manage everyday tasks. Google Home is compatible with Android and iOS operating systems, and can control compatible smart devices such as Chromecast or Nest."
Not directly, but it supports IFTTT, so you can create individual applets on ifttt.com and from there have them act on 'Comcast Labs' that controls XFinity X1 boxes, but not Xfinity home
Simplify your everyday life with the Google Home, a voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant. Use voice commands to enjoy music, get answers from Google and manage everyday tasks. Google Home is compatible with Android and iOS operating systems, and can control compatible smart devices such as Chromecast or Nest."
Simplify your everyday life with the Google Home, a voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant. Use voice commands to enjoy music, get answers from Google and manage everyday tasks. Google Home is compatible with Android and iOS operating systems, and can control compatible smart devices such as Chromecast or Nest."
If this works with Nest system will it work with Ecobee* system? I We decided against the Nest system due to the class action suits regarding house fires. I would love to add this to our home.
No, unlike the Echo, it does not integrate directly with Ecobee. It supports Samsung SmartThings, so that could be a way, or via IFTTT.com is another way of integrating with Ecobee, but not directly today.
Simplify your everyday life with the Google Home, a voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant. Use voice commands to enjoy music, get answers from Google and manage everyday tasks. Google Home is compatible with Android and iOS operating systems, and can control compatible smart devices such as Chromecast or Nest."
Can you ask Google Home to retrieve local phone numbers? We're considering one for elderly parents and were hoping it could help them answer simple frequent questions.
Yes, it provides phone numbers like when searching on a computer. For example, asking it for the phone number of a local pizza place will provide the number along with some other information. It won't dial any phone though.
Simplify your everyday life with the Google Home, a voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant. Use voice commands to enjoy music, get answers from Google and manage everyday tasks. Google Home is compatible with Android and iOS operating systems, and can control compatible smart devices such as Chromecast or Nest."
Will Google home translate English to Korean and Korean to English?
Yes, it works like Google Translate. You have to tell it to translate between languages every time though. so not good for carrying conversation but good enough to ask it for phrases.
Simplify your everyday life with the Google Home, a voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant. Use voice commands to enjoy music, get answers from Google and manage everyday tasks. Google Home is compatible with Android and iOS operating systems, and can control compatible smart devices such as Chromecast or Nest."
Does google home has an accesory for lock and unlock doors?
No, but look into integrating it with a Samsung SmartThings that can control locks and can be controlled by both Amazon Echo and Google Assistant. However be aware that it doesn't recognize who's talking so it will open the door to anyone that knows how to ask
Connect favorite peripherals to this Acer Aspire laptop. Four USB ports let you connect accessories, transfer files or charge a cellphone while you work, and HDMI outputs make dual-screen functionality possible. Access nearby wireless networks with this Acer Aspire laptop and stream videos or upload your own images captured with the built-in HD webcam.
i need it to be plugged all day every day as my primary work laptop. is it OK? what is the recommendation to prolong battery life?
Connect favorite peripherals to this Acer Aspire laptop. Four USB ports let you connect accessories, transfer files or charge a cellphone while you work, and HDMI outputs make dual-screen functionality possible. Access nearby wireless networks with this Acer Aspire laptop and stream videos or upload your own images captured with the built-in HD webcam.
Does it only come in the color grey? or is there more available colors?
With 3D capability and 2 pairs of included 3D glasses, this Epson Powerlite Home Cinema 3500 LCD projector brings your favorite movies and other media to life. The built-in stereo speakers deliver lush, enveloping sound.Not sure what size projector or screen you need? Learn more.
I have to proyet to 6 mts wide wall from a distance o f 4 mts are there any poyector that can do that
You should look at short throw projectors for these distances. Short throws are typically used in schools and classroom environments. For example; best Buy carries the BenQ HT1085ST that is HD (1920x1080) and is short throw
With 3D capability and 2 pairs of included 3D glasses, this Epson Powerlite Home Cinema 3500 LCD projector brings your favorite movies and other media to life. The built-in stereo speakers deliver lush, enveloping sound.Not sure what size projector or screen you need? Learn more.
EPSON 3000 Series Projectors Availability
Will BestBuy carry this projector once it is available? (I see the two higher end models listed as "Coming Soon"). http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Product.do?sku=V11H653020
If so, do you have an ETA on when it will be available? Looks like a few other online shops are saying early October. Thanks.