explore42's stats
- Review count153
- Helpfulness votes571
- First reviewFebruary 26, 2016
- Last reviewOctober 16, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.3
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- Helpfulness votes0
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- Answer count24
- Helpfulness votes239
- First answerFebruary 26, 2016
- Last answerDecember 23, 2021
- Featured answers0
- Best answers8
Whether you’re streaming your favorite show, watching movies, or listening to your favorite music – do it all from one device. Take movie night to the next level and with full HD, built-in wifi and fast, high-definition streaming. Get started in seconds with an included HDMI cable for seamless setup.
Customer Rating
3
Great Disc Player but Outdated Steamer
on April 7, 2021
Posted by: explore42
from Cincinnati Ohio
I would only recommend this player if you are looking to play CD, DVD or non-4k Blu-ray disc . If you own a 4k TV or 4k Blu-ray disc then you definitely want to pass on this model. Also the streaming capability is very limited due to the lack of common apps – no Amazon, Spotify, Hulu, Discovery, Disney or many other popular apps that you can find on the vast majority of streaming devices today. Because of this I would not recommend this player for streaming purposes.
Setup And Streaming: Getting the player operational was fairly straight forward. Once I connected the hdmi cable and powered it up I was able to connect it to my wireless network without issue. This is where the disappointment started because the home screen has very few of the popular streaming apps and there is no way to add ones that are missing. I also noticed that the app selection process was slow and tedious, its definitely not in the same class as even the lower cost Roku or Amazon sticks available today. The remote control’s size and functionality were good and it worked well with the player.
Playing: This is where this player really shined. The DVD and Blu-ray load times were very fast. I was able to play music CDs that were purchased as well as created on my pc. I was able to play every type of DVD including home videos I created on DVDs using my pc. The player did a reasonably good job upscaling the DVDs to HD but it was definitely obvious that it was being upscaled due to the clarity of the resolution. I was also able to play Blu-ray content and the HD resolution was fantastic. The clarity and colors were great and typical of what you would expect from a Sony device. The player has a USB port on the front of the unit and I was able to play music, display photos and play videos from a USB drive. The only downside of this player is that there are no controls (play, stop, fast forward, rewind, pause) on the front of the player so you are totally reliant on the remote control. If you ever lose the remote any universal remote should work but its definitely an inconvenience to not have the standard function buttons on the front of the player.
Pros:
- Played every CD, DVD and non-4k Blu-ray disc that I tried.
- Played music files, photos and video files using the USB port
- Compact design and small footprint
- Fast at loading DVD and Blu-ray disc
- Supports wi-fi as well as hard wired ethernet connections
- Played every CD, DVD and non-4k Blu-ray disc that I tried.
- Played music files, photos and video files using the USB port
- Compact design and small footprint
- Fast at loading DVD and Blu-ray disc
- Supports wi-fi as well as hard wired ethernet connections
Cons:
- Doesn’t support many popular apps and there is no way to add them
- No front panel control buttons (Play, Stop, Fast Forward, Rewind, Pause)
- Doesn’t upscale to 4k or support 4k content
- Streaming functions were tedious and slow
- Doesn’t support many popular apps and there is no way to add them
- No front panel control buttons (Play, Stop, Fast Forward, Rewind, Pause)
- Doesn’t upscale to 4k or support 4k content
- Streaming functions were tedious and slow
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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24of 24voted this as helpful.
The Roomba 600 series robot vacuum is a great way to begin cleaning your home smarter. It learns your cleaning habits and then offers up custom cleaning schedules—taking on daily dirt, dust, and debris from carpets and hard floors. It even has an edge-sweeping brush to get into corners and along edges. Google Assistant and Alexa compatibility let you start a cleaning session with just your voice, or simply use the iRobot Home App. When your area’s pollen count is high or during pet shedding season, the Roomba 600 series robot vacuum can even suggest extra cleanings —to help keep your floors clean every day of the year. *(Alexa and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com or its affiliates. Google is a trademark of Google LLC)
Posted by: explore42
from Cincinnati Ohio
The iRobot Roomba 694 is not the fanciest or smartest Roomba vacuum available but it does an adequate job vacuuming. It has most of the typical iRobot features like the Roomba avoidance sensors, 3 stage vacuuming, it can be controlled and scheduled using the iRobot Home app via wi-fi, its compatible with all flooring types and it can interface with Alexa and Google home. While this unit is missing some of the more advanced features found on the more expensive models it is capable of doing the standard vacuum chores around the house. It uses random cleaning patterns vs a mapped out cleaning pattern. The plus here is that you don’t have vacuum marks left in your carpet where the vacuum has run week after week. The downside is that this vacuum is more apt to run into things and because of its random nature there is no guarantee it will vacuum the entire area before the battery is depleted. If you have an older Roomba like I do you will be surprised to find that the dustbin is smaller and the filter is curved vs the old style rectangle. Due to the smaller bin size you definitely want to empty the dustbin after every use especially if you have pets. The dustbin filter, the corner brush and the rollers are easily accessible and easy to replace when worn out. So far I am able to get about 80 minutes of carpet vacuuming between charges. Unlike the more expensive models this Roomba will randomly vacuum until its battery is low and then it returns to the base unit. It does not go back out once recharged to cover any areas that were not vacuumed in the first round. Overall I like this vacuum but it is more prone to get stuck because of its random pattern of vacuuming and it is definitely noisier than previous models which I have owned.
Pros:
- Typical iRobot Roomba quality
- Works on hardwood as well as carpet
- Easy to access brushes and easy to empty the dustbin
- Works with iRobot virtual Wall Barriers
- Compatible with iRobot Home app via wi-fi
- Compatible with Google Home and Alexa
Pros:
- Typical iRobot Roomba quality
- Works on hardwood as well as carpet
- Easy to access brushes and easy to empty the dustbin
- Works with iRobot virtual Wall Barriers
- Compatible with iRobot Home app via wi-fi
- Compatible with Google Home and Alexa
Cons:
- This Roomba is louder than previous models
- No Virtual Barriers are included
- Random pattern of vacuuming is more prone to miss areas
- Can have a difficult time docking
- Small dustbin with an oddly hinged dustbin door
- Not compatible with older iRobot filters
- This Roomba is louder than previous models
- No Virtual Barriers are included
- Random pattern of vacuuming is more prone to miss areas
- Can have a difficult time docking
- Small dustbin with an oddly hinged dustbin door
- Not compatible with older iRobot filters
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Whether you prefer pods or drip, choose how you brew with the Mr. Coffee Pod + 10-Cup Space-Saving Combo Brewer. This programmable coffee maker lets you to brew a single cup using a pod, or up to 10 cups of drip coffee into a carafe. The pod holder attachment makes this coffee maker more versatile: you can brew 2 ways, and save countertop space. This coffee making machine is designed with a Strong Brew Selector, as well as an advanced water filtration system to help improve coffee flavor. This drip coffee maker also features a stainless steel thermal carafe that keeps coffee hot for hours. When brewing a carafe, if you need a cup before brewing is finished, use the Grab-a-Cup feature. Also includes removable reservoir, and a reusable single-serve filter.
Customer Rating
4
Dual Purpose Space Saver
on March 25, 2021
Posted by: explore42
from Cincinnati Ohio
Finally, a Coffee maker that can brew a pot of coffee as well as brew a cup from a pod. My wife is in love with this coffee maker because we just freed up a fair amount of counterspace. Even though this coffee maker is slimmer in size it has all the same features and brews just as good a cup of coffee as the Mr. Coffee maker it was replacing. We also think this brews pods as good if not better than the other pod brewers that it is replacing. The strong brew selector and the Select-a-Cup feature both worked like just like our older Mr. Coffee maker so we didn’t lose anything in this upgrade. The water reservoir can be filled by removing the lid and pouring water in to fill it or you can remove the entire reservoir and fill it at the sink and then mount it back in the coffee maker – both are easy and convenient to do. One nice feature about the water reservoir is that it comes with a replaceable water filter. I have a love hate relationship with the carafe. It definitely keeps the coffee warm for a long time but because of its shape and lid opening it can be difficult at times to manage. To pour coffee you need to push a button near the handle to open the pour spout but because the carafe is so rounded you have to raise the carafe higher than a normal pitcher to get the coffee to pour. When the carafe is full it can be heavy and when its near empty you really have to angle it to get the last cup out. All considering we are very happy with this coffee maker.
Pros:
- Doesn’t take up a lot of space on the counter and replaces two larger units!
- Brews up to 10 cups of coffee with an easy to fill reservoir
- Brews pods as good if not better than the original
- Because of the way the pod holder mounts in the coffee maker it is very easy to clean
- Built in water filter which is easy to access and easy to replace
- Carafe keeps the coffee hot for a long time, no coffee maker left on all day
- Easy to select number of cups you want to brew up to 10
Pros:
- Doesn’t take up a lot of space on the counter and replaces two larger units!
- Brews up to 10 cups of coffee with an easy to fill reservoir
- Brews pods as good if not better than the original
- Because of the way the pod holder mounts in the coffee maker it is very easy to clean
- Built in water filter which is easy to access and easy to replace
- Carafe keeps the coffee hot for a long time, no coffee maker left on all day
- Easy to select number of cups you want to brew up to 10
Cons:
- The carafe can be heavy when full and because it is solid its not possible to see how much coffee is in the pot.
- The carafe has a small lid opening so its difficult to clean
- The lid on the carafe is button operated and it’s a slow pour.
- The carafe can be heavy when full and because it is solid its not possible to see how much coffee is in the pot.
- The carafe has a small lid opening so its difficult to clean
- The lid on the carafe is button operated and it’s a slow pour.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The new Dell 24" Curved Gaming Monitor is equipped with a 4ms Response Time - 165Hz - AMD FreeSync™ Premium Technology featuring Vertical Alignment, Anti-glare with 3H hardness, and 1500R Curvature. Adjustable height and LED screen, this 24" monitor is equipped for ultimate game play.
Customer Rating
5
Full Featured Gaming Monitor
on March 19, 2021
Posted by: explore42
from Cincinnati Ohio
Getting a monitor that gives you a great FHD panel with a high refresh rate for a reasonable amount of money has just gotten easier. This Dell monitor once I got it fully set up really amazed me. The overall display quality, build, stand flexibility and ease of set up makes this monitor a real winner. Naturally one of Dell’s larger curved monitors will give you a more immersive feel but if you don’t have the space or the money this is a great alternative.
Features: The display is VA panel which supports FHD 1920 x 1080 with a refresh rate up to 165hz. It has up to a 178 degree viewing angle and a 3000:1 contrast ratio for deep blacks. The response times are 1ms in MPRT mode, 4ms Gray to Gray (GtG) in Super Fast mode and 8ms GtG in Fast mode. There are two HDMI ports, a Display Port and a Headphone/audio out jack. The monitor has the typical Dell stand which gives you total control over the display height and angle. I think this is more important with a curved screen than a flat screen. To get the full immersive feel you need to have the monitor at eye level so that your eyes are aligned with the middle of the screen. Since this is a 24” monitor I set mine up so that I was sitting about 1.2 ft away for playing games, that is the minimum recommended distance for a 16 x 9, 24” FHD display. When doing anything else I would move back to about 24 inches from the screen. If you sit close your games are going to become far more intensive. The display has a very thin side bezel so all the control buttons are on the right rear of the panel. There is one main joy stick menu button and four function buttons. These are the buttons you need to access the set-up menu but more importantly you use them for selecting input source, short cuts and game presets. So when choosing where to put the monitor its important to make sure you can get your hand around the right side of the display. The other option is load Dell’s Display Manager (DDM) app for windows and control everything via the app.
Setup: After I put the monitor together on its stand and cabled it I went through the basic set up items. My gaming laptop can do up to 144 hz at FHD so I configured Windows for 1080 at 144hz and set the monitor’s response time settings to MPRT – note that MPRT only works with 144hz and 165hz refresh rates. Next I checked out the monitors performance using the Eizo monitor test and TestUFO. The panel was perfect with no pixel issues and the colors and gray scales were uniform across the panel. Playing with the TestUFO I was able to see how much the 144 hz refresh improved over a standard 60hz rate. I repeated this same process with my desktop which support FHD 1080 at the 165hz refresh rate. Again the monitor looked and performed great. There are five preset game settings and 3 customizable presets as well. The preconfigured presets are Standard, FSP First-Person Shooter, MOBA Multiplayer Online Battle Arena, RPG Role-Playing Games and Sports. These are definitely something you are going to want to play around with and if you don’t like them you can create up to three more presets to meet your taste.
Bottom Line: What I really like about this monitor is that the colors are vivid and blacks are reasonably black. Some of my games seemed to run better under MPRT and others seemed to look better using the Super Fast response time. I’m not sure how much of this was personal preference vs measurable performance but I played with the settings until I found what I liked. I would recommend making sure your game’s refresh rate is set correctly because I found several of mine defaulted to 60 fps and I had to manually change it. I also found that because it’s a curved monitor the in-game camera angles can change the immersive feel. Viewing the game from inside the car was much more immersive than having the camera show a bird’s eye view from behind. You need to try the various options because what worked on a flat screen may not give you the maximum benefit of this curved monitor. Lastly because this is a VA monitor its good for general use as well. Getting used to the curved screen while doing spreadsheets and documents does take a little getting used to but once you do it becomes a non-issue.
Bottom Line: What I really like about this monitor is that the colors are vivid and blacks are reasonably black. Some of my games seemed to run better under MPRT and others seemed to look better using the Super Fast response time. I’m not sure how much of this was personal preference vs measurable performance but I played with the settings until I found what I liked. I would recommend making sure your game’s refresh rate is set correctly because I found several of mine defaulted to 60 fps and I had to manually change it. I also found that because it’s a curved monitor the in-game camera angles can change the immersive feel. Viewing the game from inside the car was much more immersive than having the camera show a bird’s eye view from behind. You need to try the various options because what worked on a flat screen may not give you the maximum benefit of this curved monitor. Lastly because this is a VA monitor its good for general use as well. Getting used to the curved screen while doing spreadsheets and documents does take a little getting used to but once you do it becomes a non-issue.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+2points
5of 8voted this as helpful.
Take outdoor entertainment to the next level with this 2.1 rock speaker system by Sonance. These durable rock-like speakers are weather-resistant and hold up to heat, wind, rain, snow, and UV rays. They resemble large rocks, so they blend in perfectly with the landscaping in any backyard or garden. Two satellite rock speakers and one 10” rock woofer deliver amazing high-quality sound with crystal clear highs and full-bodied bass that blends in among the landscape.
Posted by: explore42
from Cincinnati Ohio
My previous outdoor speakers were mounted on my deck and provided good sound quality but most of it went to the neighbors due to where I had to mount them. These Sonance Magrocks allow me to place the speakers lower and closer to where we want the music to be heard. The addition of the woofer definitely is an improvement in the sound quality.
Pros: Good Build Quality, Visually Appealing, Overall Good Sound Quality
Cons: Spring Loaded Connector!
Build Quality: These speakers are solid and definitely carry some weight. The overall rock appearance helps the speakers become less noticeable in the yard. The bottom of the speaker where they are sealed was heavily caulked and because it is on the bottom none of it shows. They used clear caulk which I think will be easy to monitor and replace should it ever fail. The satellite speakers have a 1” tweeter and a 6 ½ “ mid-range/woofer. The woofer has a 10” woofer and utilizes a 150 hz low pass filter to derive its sound. Combined the speakers provide a 35 to 20khz response. The satellite speakers have a 6 foot wire permanently attached and these connect to the woofer. The woofer then attaches to your amplifier and uses high pass filters to supply the music to the satellites. The connector panel on the bottom of the woofer uses spring loaded connectors! I would have thought that speakers this expensive would have had banana connectors / 5 way binding post . I am not a fan of spring loaded connectors and would replace them if I could.
Setup: Because these speakers require a separate amplifier there is no requirement for electric near the speakers which is a plus if you are installing them around a pool like I am. There are three speakers, two satellites providing the left and right channels and a single woofer that sits in the center. You need to purchase and run outdoor speaker wire from your amplifier to the woofer. Then you connect the wiring that is already attached to each satellite to the woofer. There is a plate that covers the wiring connector underneath the woofer to keep things somewhat sealed from the outside.
Cons: Spring Loaded Connector!
Build Quality: These speakers are solid and definitely carry some weight. The overall rock appearance helps the speakers become less noticeable in the yard. The bottom of the speaker where they are sealed was heavily caulked and because it is on the bottom none of it shows. They used clear caulk which I think will be easy to monitor and replace should it ever fail. The satellite speakers have a 1” tweeter and a 6 ½ “ mid-range/woofer. The woofer has a 10” woofer and utilizes a 150 hz low pass filter to derive its sound. Combined the speakers provide a 35 to 20khz response. The satellite speakers have a 6 foot wire permanently attached and these connect to the woofer. The woofer then attaches to your amplifier and uses high pass filters to supply the music to the satellites. The connector panel on the bottom of the woofer uses spring loaded connectors! I would have thought that speakers this expensive would have had banana connectors / 5 way binding post . I am not a fan of spring loaded connectors and would replace them if I could.
Setup: Because these speakers require a separate amplifier there is no requirement for electric near the speakers which is a plus if you are installing them around a pool like I am. There are three speakers, two satellites providing the left and right channels and a single woofer that sits in the center. You need to purchase and run outdoor speaker wire from your amplifier to the woofer. Then you connect the wiring that is already attached to each satellite to the woofer. There is a plate that covers the wiring connector underneath the woofer to keep things somewhat sealed from the outside.
Performance: I hooked the speakers up to a Yamaha receiver that provides 140 watts of power. The satellite speakers provide good mids and highs with clarity. I tried various favorite songs and they performed well without showing any distortion even at the higher volume levels. Because the Woofer plays the bass for both the left and right speaker it needs to be located in the center and not too far from either satellite. I noticed that when you move the satellites too far away from the woofer you start to notice the sound originating from the woofer which is not what you want to hear. When they are properly spaced per the installation specs, 6 to 12 feet apart the woofer seems to disappear and the sounds all seem to originate out of the satellites. I would highly recommend considering this when figuring out where to place the speakers. Originally I wanted to put the satellites at the ends of our wall with the woofer in the center but the sound quality suffered so I opted to move the speakers closer to the woofer. Second choice was in the small flower garden that is waiting for spring as shown in the photos.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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1of 3voted this as helpful.
ASUS TUF Gaming Laptop. Enjoy everyday gaming with this ASUS notebook PC. The Intel i7 processor and 16GB of RAM let you run graphics-heavy games smoothly, while the potent NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics produce high-quality visuals on the fast 15.6-inch 144hz FHD display. This ASUS notebook PC has 512GB SSD that shortens load times and offers ample storage.
Posted by: explore42
from Cincinnati Ohio
Upon opening and unpacking this laptop my first thoughts were how thin and solid it felt. This has to be nearly half the thickness of my older gaming laptop and at least a pound lighter. I’ve been very happy so far with the performance and overall quality. Its quite the balancing act of trying to get a good gaming laptop that is portable and affordable and I think Asus has done a nice job with the TUF Dash.
Specs: This laptop is well equipped for the price. The display is 1920x1080 HD at 144hz which isn’t the fastest or highest resolution these days but its adequate for the games I play. The CPU is the new Intel i7 11370H, the memory is 16gb of DDR4 3200 and the SSD is a M.2 NVMe PCIe 512gb SSD. Due to its thin design only a second M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD is supported. Its easy to install a second SSD but be sure to watch the screw lengths because there are two different ones when removing the bottom cover. The video card is the new NVidia RTX 3060 and its built for gaming. The laptop supports wi-fi 6, has an ethernet port, three USB 3.2 ports, a Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C type) port and an audio jack. The keyboard is a back lit chiclet style keyboard with three settings for brightness and three modes; Breathing, Strobe and Static. There is only one color choice which is light green. The WASD keys are clear which looks more funky than making it look like a gaming keyboard. On the plus side there are dedicated keys for Volume level, Mute and the Armoury Crate launch. The directional keys are slightly larger which is nice. The speakers are located in the front of the base and are typical laptop speakers. There are four vents for cooling, one on each side and two in the back. What its doesn’t have is a much shorter list. There is no numeric keyboard, no DVD drive and no web cam which is a downside if you plan on using this for more than gaming.
Performance: I really like the Asus Armoury Crate which gives you four preset configurations Silent, Windows, Performance and Turbo. These settings are quite useful when you are using the laptop and trying to limit the heat and noise. Using Geekbench 5 I was able to get Single Core = 1541, Multi Core = 4833 and CL score of 100089. This is much faster than my older gaming laptop so I am happy with the results. Because the laptop is so thin the amount of venting that can be done is limited. When playing Forza Horizon 4 I could barely hear the speakers over the fans. Not all the games were that bad, it just depends on the game and setting. I found playing most of my games on Performance vs Turbo kept the fan at a more tolerable level. The laptop after a half an hour of gaming gets pretty warm and after an hour or more you are going to want to stay clear of the vents. The Keyboard gets warm but nothing more than I would have expected on such a thin laptop. I would highly recommend using gaming headphones for anyone who plans on gaming using the Turbo mode. Both my gaming headphones and wireless controller connected via Bluetooth without issue and I never felt like there was any delay in response even when running the laptop all out. The display was a pleasant surprise, it provided good contrast and brightness and the colors were rich. Since the display has a 144hz refresh and the highest resolution supported is 1980x 1080 HD I didn’t expect the NVIDIA RTX-3060 to have any problem keeping up and I wasn’t disappointed. Lastly, I would have no problem recommending this laptop as a multipurpose laptop. It would be a perfect laptop for anyone who games, dabbles in photo and video editing and also uses the typical Windows Office apps.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+22points
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Experience total freedom on a budget with Jib True. The newest true wireless earbud from Skullcandy is easy to connect and easy to enjoy. Call, track change, and volume controls are all within close reach through one main button. 22 hours of audio on a single charge means you spend less time recharging and more time enjoying your music. Jib True earbuds are adventure-ready, too. An IPX4 rating means Jib True is sweat- and dust-resistant. You don’t need to worry about damage if a little rain kicks up during your urban or outdoor adventure. Dual microphones make your calls clearer and if you feel like keeping one ear open, you can use either bud ‘solo’ without missing a beat
Customer Rating
4
Great Value but a Bulky Fit
on January 20, 2021
Posted by: explore42
from Cincinnati Ohio
The Skullcandy Jib earbuds have a lot to offer at a very affordable price. The 6 hour battery life – 22 hours including the case, the IPX4 sweat and water resistant rating, and the ability to operate either earbud as a single master earbud make these earbuds quite appealing. The downside is these earbuds are large so the fit can be problematic.
Fit: These earbuds are much larger than my prior Skullcandy Sesh ear buds. Because of this I found myself checking the fit more often than I like when moving around. I tried all three ear cups but none of them made the earbud feel more secure. Anyone who has small or shallow ears may have a difficult time getting them comfortably inserted where they won’t fall out. Another difference is that these earbuds are thicker and sit at the base of your ear. Other earbuds I own are shallower and curve upward vs sitting on the bottom of the ear. If you are used to shallower earbuds you may find that these don’t fit as well. Also because of their size these earbuds are quite noticeable when worn.
Setup: Skullcandy includes a nice card with all necessary information needed to get the earbuds paired and working. The earbuds come in a small case where they are magnetically pulled into the charging position. Because the case is small and earbuds are thick it can be a little difficult getting them out of the case. On the outside of the case there is a single led that indicates the battery level of the case. The more it flashes the more battery life there is left. A voice prompt alerts you when the earbud’s battery only has 30 minutes of power left. Each earbud has a LED to indicate that it is charging and in pairing mode. I had no issues with the earbuds pairing to any of my Bluetooth devices. Because these earbuds can be used individually you need to make sure both pair.
Setup: Skullcandy includes a nice card with all necessary information needed to get the earbuds paired and working. The earbuds come in a small case where they are magnetically pulled into the charging position. Because the case is small and earbuds are thick it can be a little difficult getting them out of the case. On the outside of the case there is a single led that indicates the battery level of the case. The more it flashes the more battery life there is left. A voice prompt alerts you when the earbud’s battery only has 30 minutes of power left. Each earbud has a LED to indicate that it is charging and in pairing mode. I had no issues with the earbuds pairing to any of my Bluetooth devices. Because these earbuds can be used individually you need to make sure both pair.
Functionality: Each earbud has a single mechanical button on them that is used in various combinations to do everything from changing the volume to answering the phone. Because of the looser fit I found that pressing mechanical buttons annoyed my ears.
Sound Quality: These earbuds won’t produce booming bass or crystal clear highs but for everyday commuting and streaming music or a video from a phone I felt they did a reasonably good job. Like most earbuds you need a good equalizer to get the best quality sound and these were no different. I added some bass and mids while cutting down the high end to get the best results for my taste. Skullcandy promotes the earbuds as having a Noise-Isolating fit however I didn’t find they isolated noise any better than other regular earbuds.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Polk MagniFi 2 high-performance home theater sound bar and wireless subwoofer system provide bigger, more dynamic sound than traditional sound bars, and is optimized to make movies, TV, video games and music come to life. The MagniFi 2 comes with a wireless 8" subwoofer and features patented SDA surround technology for a wider, more immersive listening experience and Voice Adjust technology for crystal clear dialogue. Stream your favorite music with Chromecast built-in from Google Play Music, Amazon Music HD, Apple Music, Roon, Qobuz, Spotify, Tidal and many more. Compatible with HD and 4K TVs. Includes HDMI and Optical cables for quick and easy setup. At just over 2” tall, the sound bar can easily fit under your TV without blocking its remote sensor, and with 2 keyhole slots coupled the unit can also be mounted to any flat surface offering a variety of placement options.
Customer Rating
4
Immersive and Flexible but lacking strong Bass
on January 10, 2021
Posted by: explore42
from Cincinnati Ohio
I’ve owned several Polk speakers over the years so my expectations were high when I got the MagniFi2 soundbar. I have always felt that Polk is very good at producing speakers that provide very clear mids and highs and this soundbar did not disappoint in that regard. The bass while ok was not as impressive for a couple of reasons as discussed below. The preconfigured equalizer settings for music, movie, night, sport and 3D give you some interesting options and using the voice and bass control adds to the flexibility. Overall this is a good soundbar for the money.
Pros:
- Supported all my 4k content whether I was streaming or using my DVD player.
- Three HDMI ports and ARC support
- Good clear frequency response especially across the mids and highs for music.
- The Voice Adjust is really nice for shows and sports when you need to increase the vocal ranges.
- The LEDs on the front of the soundbar are intuitive once you understand their function.
- The sound stage is quite large and Polk does a good job producing virtual surround sound.
- The 3D audio mode adds some dimension to the soundstage. This feature can be amazing on one video and flat out bad on the next. With this turned on it seems like the bass is lessened which can also be a negative.
- Simple set up for the Wi-Fi connection via Google Home as well as Bluetooth. Both worked with no issues.
- The Subwoofer automatically paired with the soundbar and the connection stayed solid without any drop outs.
Concerns:
- The only complaint I have with the audio quality is with the bass. At times it seemed like the bass was lacking punch or muffled.
- The subwoofer has very short legs so if you have carpet the carpeting can “deaden” the subwoofer response. My subwoofer sank deep enough that there was barely a fingers width between the subwoofer frame and carpet.
- If you are wall mounting the soundbar you have to make certain there is enough room between the bottom of the TV and the top of the soundbar for you to reach the manual buttons.
- The remote control is well laid out but the buttons can be difficult to find in low light and they require a fair amount of push to actuate the button.
- The 3D affect can really enhance some movies but in others it becomes a detriment. The audio soundstage is expanded but it also increases some of the background sounds which can be overwhelming. It also can introduce some reverberation and echo which can be distracting.
- No eARC support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio formats. I found that some of my DVDs (Top Gun for example) didn’t play the audio because the soundbar does not support Dolby Digital True HD. By making changes to the DVD player settings or the movie’s audio settings I was able to get all them to play audio eventually.
- No Dolby Atmos or DTS:X support but it does have Polk’s 3D variant.
- Supported all my 4k content whether I was streaming or using my DVD player.
- Three HDMI ports and ARC support
- Good clear frequency response especially across the mids and highs for music.
- The Voice Adjust is really nice for shows and sports when you need to increase the vocal ranges.
- The LEDs on the front of the soundbar are intuitive once you understand their function.
- The sound stage is quite large and Polk does a good job producing virtual surround sound.
- The 3D audio mode adds some dimension to the soundstage. This feature can be amazing on one video and flat out bad on the next. With this turned on it seems like the bass is lessened which can also be a negative.
- Simple set up for the Wi-Fi connection via Google Home as well as Bluetooth. Both worked with no issues.
- The Subwoofer automatically paired with the soundbar and the connection stayed solid without any drop outs.
Concerns:
- The only complaint I have with the audio quality is with the bass. At times it seemed like the bass was lacking punch or muffled.
- The subwoofer has very short legs so if you have carpet the carpeting can “deaden” the subwoofer response. My subwoofer sank deep enough that there was barely a fingers width between the subwoofer frame and carpet.
- If you are wall mounting the soundbar you have to make certain there is enough room between the bottom of the TV and the top of the soundbar for you to reach the manual buttons.
- The remote control is well laid out but the buttons can be difficult to find in low light and they require a fair amount of push to actuate the button.
- The 3D affect can really enhance some movies but in others it becomes a detriment. The audio soundstage is expanded but it also increases some of the background sounds which can be overwhelming. It also can introduce some reverberation and echo which can be distracting.
- No eARC support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio formats. I found that some of my DVDs (Top Gun for example) didn’t play the audio because the soundbar does not support Dolby Digital True HD. By making changes to the DVD player settings or the movie’s audio settings I was able to get all them to play audio eventually.
- No Dolby Atmos or DTS:X support but it does have Polk’s 3D variant.
Setup: My TV supports ARC so I connected the HDMI cable to my TV’s ARC HDMI port and it was up and working. When I went to wall mount the soundbar I realized that getting to the buttons could be problematic so I made sure it was a couple of inches below the TV. The subwoofer paired with the soundbar on power-up and was operational without me having to do anything. I next added the soundbar to my Google Home account and put the soundbar on my wi-fi network so I could cast to it. All this was simple and straight forward without any type of issue.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Blueair Classic 480i air purifier allows you to take full control of your indoor air with integrated sensors, smartphone control, and Alexa compatibility. Independently certified for rooms up to 434 ft², the Classic 480i comes standard with a DualProtection filter to remove odors, as well as 99.97% of airborne particles, like pollen, dust, pet dander, bacteria, viruses, and more with HEPASilent filtration technology. The durable steel construction and up to 5-year warranty with product registration ensures clean air for years to come. The Classic 480i operates at whisper-quiet noise levels (32- 56 dB) and is ENERGY STAR certified for best-in-class energy efficiency (15-90 W).
Posted by: explore42
from Cincinnati Ohio
If you want to remove contaminates from your indoor air this Classic 480i is one that I would highly recommend. The filter is very quiet on the low speed and the medium speed is about the same noise level as my laptop fan. On high its about the equivalent of the air sounds you hear on a jet when flying. It’s a distinct back ground noise but not enough that its annoying. On high this unit will filter the air 5 times for a 400 sq ft room. Due to the Hepa-Silent filtering process the air moves quickly through the 480i so even on low it supplies a nice amount of air circulation. The overall build quality and intuitive controls make it a breeze to use and maintain. The Blue Air app gives you total control remotely or through schedules. The physical appearance of the 480i is fairly pleasing while being non distinct. Bottom line is this 480i does a great job filtering the air and when running on low or even medium its easy to forget its even in the room.
Set up and Operation: Setting up this air purifier is simple. You can either use the app to run the filter remotely or on a schedule or you can manually control it from the control console. The control console resides below a lift top door on the top of the filter so its easy to access and easy to read once you understand the icons. The indicators give you a good = blue or bad = orange indication so they don’t provide the same level of detail as the app provides. The 480i comes with two stage filtering. The first stage filters the contaminates and the second stage filters the VOC, smoke and odors. The filters are easy to access and replace via a door on the rear panel of the unit.
App: The Blue Air app was easy to install and set up. Once you have downloaded the App you follow the instructions on pairing your mobile device to the filter. Both devices have to be on a 2.4 Ghz wifi network. Within the app you can see the indoor air quality, the outdoor air quality, the filter status, the fan speed and any schedules you have set up. I can't validate how accurate the air quality measurements were in the app but the 480i is AHAM certified so I know if there are any contaminates this unit will filter them. The unit has four fan speeds; off, low, medium or high which can be set manually via the control panel or via the app. The filter status indicator is just a timer that shows you how many days are left before you should replace the filter. The scheduling feature in the app allows you to set up multiple activities per day. I have ours running on high or medium for most of the day with the LED brightness set to medium. Then at night I have the filter run on low with the LEDs off. I set it up to run like this throughout the week and if at any time I want to turn the fan up or down I just use the app or control panel to make the temporary changes. If you use Alexa you can add the Blue Air skill and control the fan speed via Alexa as well. Its not the fanciest app but the scheduling works well and it performs all the necessary functions I needed.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Soundcore by Anker Flare 2 wireless portable speaker provides a 360° immersive audio/visual experience and enhances the atmosphere of any gathering. When you want a deeper bass for your party, the Flare 2 portable speaker is the best choice with its BassUp technology. The custom-designed DSP chip and dual bass radiators deliver 100% more bass than ordinary portable Bluetooth speakers. It doesn't stop there, this party speaker is IPX7 Waterproof, so your party stays rocking no matter the weather. Even a full submersion in water will not harm the Flare 2 Bluetooth speaker.
Customer Rating
5
Sight and Sound Excitement
on December 11, 2020
Posted by: explore42
from Cincinnati Ohio
This speaker brings out the fun with its good sound and entertaining light rings. I am thrilled with the overall quality of the Soundcore Flare 2 speaker and the Soundcore app.
Pros:
- Good sound quality and sound dispersion for a speaker this size
-Light Rings add fun to the music
- Soundcore App offers total control and flexibility, definitely worth using
- Water proof and very portable
- Ability to synchronize multiple speakers via Bluetooth linking
- Good speaker phone and microphone audio quality
Cons:
- No Stereo Capability
- Buttons on top are hard to find especially if you are using this as a speaker phone
- No external battery level indicator, it would be nice if the light ring could be used as a battery indicator on start up
Speaker: The speaker looks and feels like a quality component. It has some weight due to the batteries and speaker components but not so much weight that its not portable. The speaker provides good sound dispersion and a fair amount of bass with the bass boost on for a speaker this size. Its plenty strong enough with 20 watts of power to provide more sound than a typical speaker this size can provide. The controls are on the top and the side of the speaker. On top there is the power button, the volume up and down, the light ring selector and a multipurpose button in the center. The buttons are rubber coated mechanical switches which means you have to depress them to actuate them. This is good for water proofing but it makes it more difficult to find them. This is really a problem if you are using the speaker as a speaker phone because the multipurpose button is the answer button. Sitting on a desk it can be problematic finding the button when the phone is ringing. The audio quality and microphone quality are quite good as a speaker phone if only the buttons were easier to use. The advertised battery life is 12 hours but I think the actual number of hours depends on the user. I use mine for several hours and always put it on charger at the end of the day. The speaker has two light rings that really make this speaker stand out. There are multiple light functions in the app to choose from and you can actually pick the colors to use in the rings. Depending on the light mode the ring light will actually pulse with the music played. If you aren’t interested in the lights you can turn them off. If you purchase more than one of these speakers you can link them together to synchronize the music and light rings – perfect for parties or events.
Soundcore App This has to be one of the best apps for portable speakers. Its simple to understand and it offers great control over the speaker and light rings. The app has three main pages; Equalizer, Home and Light settings. The home page allows you to power off the speaker, check the battery level, play or pause the music and set the volume using a half moon style dial. The equalizer page has four preset equalizer settings as well as a custom preset that lets you fully customize the equalizer. You can also turn on the bass boost which really does make an impact on the sound quality. The light page has 6 preset lighting patterns. Within each pattern you can choose which colors to use which makes the light rings totally customizable to your taste. I am really impressed with the quality of this app and its ability to control the speaker and lighting.
Pros:
- Good sound quality and sound dispersion for a speaker this size
-Light Rings add fun to the music
- Soundcore App offers total control and flexibility, definitely worth using
- Water proof and very portable
- Ability to synchronize multiple speakers via Bluetooth linking
- Good speaker phone and microphone audio quality
Cons:
- No Stereo Capability
- Buttons on top are hard to find especially if you are using this as a speaker phone
- No external battery level indicator, it would be nice if the light ring could be used as a battery indicator on start up
Speaker: The speaker looks and feels like a quality component. It has some weight due to the batteries and speaker components but not so much weight that its not portable. The speaker provides good sound dispersion and a fair amount of bass with the bass boost on for a speaker this size. Its plenty strong enough with 20 watts of power to provide more sound than a typical speaker this size can provide. The controls are on the top and the side of the speaker. On top there is the power button, the volume up and down, the light ring selector and a multipurpose button in the center. The buttons are rubber coated mechanical switches which means you have to depress them to actuate them. This is good for water proofing but it makes it more difficult to find them. This is really a problem if you are using the speaker as a speaker phone because the multipurpose button is the answer button. Sitting on a desk it can be problematic finding the button when the phone is ringing. The audio quality and microphone quality are quite good as a speaker phone if only the buttons were easier to use. The advertised battery life is 12 hours but I think the actual number of hours depends on the user. I use mine for several hours and always put it on charger at the end of the day. The speaker has two light rings that really make this speaker stand out. There are multiple light functions in the app to choose from and you can actually pick the colors to use in the rings. Depending on the light mode the ring light will actually pulse with the music played. If you aren’t interested in the lights you can turn them off. If you purchase more than one of these speakers you can link them together to synchronize the music and light rings – perfect for parties or events.
Soundcore App This has to be one of the best apps for portable speakers. Its simple to understand and it offers great control over the speaker and light rings. The app has three main pages; Equalizer, Home and Light settings. The home page allows you to power off the speaker, check the battery level, play or pause the music and set the volume using a half moon style dial. The equalizer page has four preset equalizer settings as well as a custom preset that lets you fully customize the equalizer. You can also turn on the bass boost which really does make an impact on the sound quality. The light page has 6 preset lighting patterns. Within each pattern you can choose which colors to use which makes the light rings totally customizable to your taste. I am really impressed with the quality of this app and its ability to control the speaker and lighting.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Designed to make printing easier for the whole family, the HP ENVY 6055 all-in-one printer lets everyone print, scan, and copy everyday documents, schoolwork, borderless photos and more. This wireless picture printer can order ink for you and deliver it to your door with up to 50% savings on ink using the HP Instant Ink delivery service, so you can print high-quality documents and photos when you need them (subscription required). Set up, and connect the all-in-one printer to your family's mobile devices in a few easy steps for remote scanning and sharing using the HP Smart app. And keep connected, and reduce interruptions with self-healing Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 technology. Prints up to 10 ISO ppm* in black and up to 7 ppm* in color.
is this self healing?
I assume you are asking about wireless self healing. According to the specs it is self healing. I have this on my 2.4 wireless network and so far its been rock solid.
4 years, 4 months ago
by
explore42
Designed to make printing easier for the whole family, the HP ENVY 6055 all-in-one printer lets everyone print, scan, and copy everyday documents, schoolwork, borderless photos and more. This wireless picture printer can order ink for you and deliver it to your door with up to 50% savings on ink using the HP Instant Ink delivery service, so you can print high-quality documents and photos when you need them (subscription required). Set up, and connect the all-in-one printer to your family's mobile devices in a few easy steps for remote scanning and sharing using the HP Smart app. And keep connected, and reduce interruptions with self-healing Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 technology. Prints up to 10 ISO ppm* in black and up to 7 ppm* in color.
Is this printer good for home use from a computer and my iPhone?
As long as you are printing about 100 to 200 pages per month this printer should work for you. The HP Smart software works on my Ipad so it should work on your iphone. Download the app from the Apple store and check it out. I have the software on my ipad and my windows laptop and can print without any issues. There are also buttons on the printer if you would prefer to use them vs the software app. This printer can scan, print and copy but it cannot receive faxes. You can send a fax using HP's cloud services but it cannot receive a fax. Also if you do a lot of color printing realize that the colors are in a single cartridge with this printer so if one color is used up you have to replace the entire color cartridge.
4 years, 4 months ago
by
explore42
Enhance your mobile play experience with these Emerge gaming triggers. They can be added to smartphones to provide more satisfying left and right buttons, and the tactile switches are great for use with first-person shooters. These Emerge gaming triggers have suction cups to hold them securely in place during use.
Will they work on an iPad mini???
As long as you can download the HP Sprocket software from the Apple store and you can turn on the Bluetooth connectivity on your IPAD the printer should work fine.
4 years, 9 months ago
by
explore42
Turn moments from your phone into effortless photo creations. Designed to use with Bluetooth and the HP Sprocket app, plus the included power bank, you can easily transform photos from your camera roll or social media into sharable memories.Creates a 4" x 6" photo-quality print in as little as 61 seconds*
Does this version print 2x3 sticky back photos too, or just the 4x6 size?
Experience hands-free phone usage with this LG TONE Flex wireless stereo headset. The integrated Meridian Technology, 32-bit Hi-Fi DAC and multilayer metal construction deliver fine-detailed audio with high resolution, while retractable earbuds and a flexible neckband offer comfort. This LG TONE Flex wireless stereo headset is Bluetooth enabled for effortless syncing with your smartphone.
Are these sweat resistant?
They are not water or sweat proof. I would not recommend using them in any type of workout activity.
4 years, 9 months ago
by
explore42
Game on the go with this Dell Inspiron laptop. An NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti runs most titles, while the two tuned speakers and 15.6-inch Full HD anti-glare narrow-border display deliver an immersive experience. This Bluetooth-compatible Dell Inspiron laptop has a 9th-gen Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM, handling multitasking without issue, and the 512GB NVMe SSD offers exceptional data access speeds.
Can I add Ram to it?
It comes with 8gb in two slots. According to Dell's specs you can upgrade to 32gb.
4 years, 10 months ago
by
explore42
Game on the go with this Dell Inspiron laptop. An NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti runs most titles, while the two tuned speakers and 15.6-inch Full HD anti-glare narrow-border display deliver an immersive experience. This Bluetooth-compatible Dell Inspiron laptop has a 9th-gen Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM, handling multitasking without issue, and the 512GB NVMe SSD offers exceptional data access speeds.
How much ram is there?
It comes with 8gb in two slots. These can be upgraded up to 32gb per Dell's specs.
4 years, 10 months ago
by
explore42
Game on the go with this Dell Inspiron laptop. An NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti runs most titles, while the two tuned speakers and 15.6-inch Full HD anti-glare narrow-border display deliver an immersive experience. This Bluetooth-compatible Dell Inspiron laptop has a 9th-gen Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM, handling multitasking without issue, and the 512GB NVMe SSD offers exceptional data access speeds.
Is this a 144hz screen?
Game on the go with this Dell Inspiron laptop. An NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti runs most titles, while the two tuned speakers and 15.6-inch Full HD anti-glare narrow-border display deliver an immersive experience. This Bluetooth-compatible Dell Inspiron laptop has a 9th-gen Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM, handling multitasking without issue, and the 512GB NVMe SSD offers exceptional data access speeds.
There is another slot for solid or hard drive?
Say goodbye to cords and cables with these Skullcandy Sesh true wireless headphones. Bluetooth technology seamlessly connects to your smartphone, tablet or PC, letting you stream music or take phone calls with the built-in microphone. These water-resistant Skullcandy Sesh true wireless headphones come with a charging case, providing up to an extra 7 hours of listening time.
What is the maximum distance that the blue tooth works before it disconnects from your phone??
The documentation for the Skullcandy Sesh says 30 feet but that varies with the device you are connected to and the environment you are in. I found that I could easily go to over 30 ft when connected to my IPAD but my at that same distance I would get drop outs when connected to my Samsung phone. The things to consider are the environment - thickness of walls and floors as well as other electronics that may be supplying interference.
4 years, 11 months ago
by
explore42