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JohnZ
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- Review count75
- Helpfulness votes43
- First reviewOctober 23, 2016
- Last reviewMarch 22, 2020
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.7
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- Answer count7
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- First answerMay 15, 2017
- Last answerFebruary 25, 2018
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Relax and enjoy hands-free carpet and hard-floor cleaning with this ECOVACS robotic vacuum cleaner. Multiple cleaning modes and a Smart Motion system adapt to your floors, and you can control it with the ECOVACS app, Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. This ECOVACS robotic vacuum cleaner runs up to 120 minutes for complete floor coverage.
Posted by: JohnZ
from Boston, MA
Do you even really need a robot vacuum cleaner? Should you spend twice as much for something better? How much do you need to restrict where the vacuum can travel? Those are the types of questions you should be asking yourself before going out and getting a robot vacuum cleaner. If you're hoping the robot vac does much more than light vacuuming, you're going to fill up the bin quickly and need to manually empty it out before the robot vacuum will be effective again. The DEEBOT N79SE is no different. Will your pet be afraid of it? Depends on the pet really. Our dog just watched while the robot vac sucked up its tail. If your dog sheds heavily, no robot vacuum I've seen yet will be good for you, a definite daily help, but with any heavy hair, it will get wrapped around the roller wheels quite easily besides filling up the bin.
Functionally, the DEEBOT N79SE works fine, if your room and lifestyle allows it. If you have an open floorplan, it will be difficult to restrict where the machine can go. If however you have smaller rooms where you can barricade it off like by just closing the door, for instance, then you'll enjoy the functionality more, but... would need to carry the unit from room to room for it to clean more than the single room. You can always tell the unit to just clean around the room's edges, which might work for an open floorplan, or there's the "spot" mode which cleans where you start the unit, circling outward as each ring is cleared.
The app is a new twist to the robot vacs. Seems like a great direction to go as it shows you how much life is left on your filter for instance. Curious to see if that is purely calendar time based, like every three months, or "as needed" based upon the amount of cleaning it performed. Nice twist with the Alexa / Google Assistant integration. It almost feels like an episode of The Jetsons, though I seem to recall Rosie the Robot pushing around an upright vacuum, not one that was automated. Of course, you can just treat the vacuum as an RC-car and drive it around manually with the app. Why someone would do that, I don't know, as the idea of getting a robot vac is to let it do the cleaning, while you're out and about doing your own thing.
One thing I almost don't like about the unit is the amount of work you have to do to setup the room for it to clean. While it will stear around objects it "sees", it just might get stuck in the closet if you forget to close that. And generally just need to rid the floor first of bigger obstacles / trash items.
Battery life is okay but you can cut it in half roughly by upping the power. It is rated for 2 hours but you'll almost never need that length of time to fill up the bin, to be emptied.
For an entry level robot vacuum cleaner, you'll get what most people are looking for. Is that enough for you is a question. Spending more won't fix issues like dealing with doghair but it will give you an auto-emptying feature that just isn't available at this price point.
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Send voice-activated commands via the built-in Google Assistant of this Sony Bluetooth portable speaker. Its EXTRA BASS and LIVE SOUND modes deliver powerful audio, and the multicolored lights and flashing strobe create a party ambiance. This Sony Bluetooth portable speaker resists splashes and dust for durable outdoor use, and the 16-hour battery life provides extended listening time.
Posted by: JohnZ
from Boston, MA
Perfect speaker for the teen listener. With the extra base and live sound modes, they get optimum sounding audio while their parents yell for them to turn it down. Easy to carry around, though not the lightest thing, best left in a single position for that party, but rated to handle the dust and water of outdoor use. Thanks to Google Assistant, you don't have to stand next to the unit to change the song to something more appealing if you don't like the current selection. Of course, that has its negative effects if the voice controls are abused. You won't be disappointed from the sound coming from this speaker and the synced up lighting features. You might even develop some muscles if you lug this around, too much. About the only negative feature. Given the size and weight, the 16 hour battery life should serve you well, too, for most parties, at least.
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Look sharp with this electric Philips Norelco Prestige shaver. Its Superb SkinComfort rings ensure the NanoTech precision blades flow fluidly across even seven-day beards, and the multi-direction ContourDetect head follows the definitions on your face for a precise trim. This Philips Norelco Prestige shaver's lithium-ion battery recharges in one hour so you can quickly resume your grooming routine.
Posted by: JohnZ
from Boston, MA
I can't remember the last time I got a new shaver that wasn't wet/dry. That seems a must have nowadays. The last shaver I had I could never tell when it had to be recharged. This one has nice clear LED digits showing how much power you have left before needing a recharge.
You'll get a nice close shave with the NanoTech precision blades. One exception, if you want to call it that, is the beard trimmer, so you can clean up the whole face more easily.
If you travel, you'll love the travel lock mode where it won't turn on accidentally when left in luggage/carryon. You'll also get to use the nice case it comes with.
Overall, a good all around value with better than average closeness
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Insignia 4K UHD Fire TV Edition is a new generation of smart TVs featuring the Fire TV experience built-in and including a Voice Remote with Alexa. With true-to-life 4K Ultra HD picture quality and access to all the movies and TV shows you love, Insignia Fire TV Edition delivers a superior TV experience that gets smarter every day. The Voice Remote with Alexa lets you do everything you'd expect from a remote—plus, easily launch apps, search for TV shows, play music, switch inputs, control smart home devices and more, using just your voice.
Posted by: JohnZ
from Boston, MA
It hasn't really been that long since we bought our last flat screen but the prices have dropped so much lately for such better quality that it was hard to resist. Throw in Fire-TV and Alexa and it is practically a no brainer, especially if you want to be a cord cutter and just get high speed net access from your provider without spending a ton of money for a higher end unit.
Setup of the unit was a breeze, just have to wait a little bit for the software upgrade.
Picture quality is great, especially for the price point. I wish we could get a larger screen, but this is what fits over the fireplace without doing major work. Fine when sitting at edge of screen though our room isn't that wide where it might be a problem.
Sound quality is fine as the room isn't that large. No need for a soundbar, though I'm sure would be better with one, for a larger room.
User interface is a bit awkward in places, all depends on what you'll frequently be doing. I like the voice input and connectivity to Echo for voice controls. Just have to "train" the eleven year old to not abuse it. For now the novelty is too new to him to care about his annoying behavior when watching TV. While the system has its own parental controls, not sure if it is worth using on top of controls from service provider.
Definitely would have benefited from longer power cord.
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Print pictures from your smartphone with this HP Sprocket 2nd Edition Instant photo printer. The compact chassis fits in your pocket and features advanced Bluetooth connectivity so you and your friends can quickly and easily print pictures from your smartphones. This HP Sprocket 2nd Edition Instant photo printer lets you know whose picture is printing with personalized lights.
Posted by: JohnZ
from Boston, MA
Great way to print photos on the spot. Pictures come out a little darker than expected with colors a little muted. Playing around with settings to see if can improve but those are with defaults, and haven't improved them yet. Requires permission to record audio which I don't fully get since it prints photos not videos. Extremely easy to setup. Wish it came with more than 10 sheets of photo paper. Another thing to lug around but light enough that it doesn't add much weight/space needed to backpack.
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Party all night with this LG PK7 portable Bluetooth speaker. It uses Meridian Audio technology and dual tweeters for excellent sound quality, while the 22 hours of playback time keep you dancing. Get the perfect celebratory atmosphere with the LED multicolor mood lighting on this LG PK7 portable Bluetooth speaker.
Posted by: JohnZ
from Boston, MA
Pairing to my LG G6 phone was a piece of cake. Then I could customize the behavior with their Music Flow app. What behavior? One feature it has is flashing lights to the music. My pre-teen son loves the flashing lights to the beat of the music, I find it distracting.
I tested sound quality with some Imagine Dragons songs. Heavy bass came across well, especially when the Enhanced Bass filter was enabled. You can also enable the Clear Voice filter for phone calls. I've heard better quality for both but at a higher price point. As long as your not annoying the neighbors loud, you should be happy with the sound quality.
I was impressed with the battery life, though at six pounds+ I can better understand why. Do you need more than 20 hours of batter life? For something like a weekend camping where you're away from a plug, sure.
My son loves the speaker. I'm just at the point of sounds like many of the other speakers I've tried out. Adequate, yes, but nothing spectacular where I'd run out and get a second, with one exception. If you do have a second, you can pair them up to get true stereo sound. Positioned properly, that feature sounds nice, though untested.
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Listen and talk in comfort with these Jabra Evolve stereo headphones. Dual Bluetooth capability lets you connect to multiple devices simultaneously, and its integrated busy light provides a signal to others when you are busy. Enjoy amazing sound without background noise interference thanks to the passive noise cancellation of these Jabra Evolve stereo headphones.
Posted by: JohnZ
from Boston, MA
My son was looking to try a set of on-ear headphones. Mom always calls up and he can't hear her with any of the over ear varities. While that problem has mostly been solved (he just ignores her now), the sound quality just isn't as good for listening to music. They suffice fine for those lengthy Fortnite sessions as they're lighter, and good enough quality for voice calls, just not the right solution if you're looking for something primarily for music listening.
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No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Watch classic and modern flicks on this Samsung Blu-ray player. It supports 4K televisions and monitors for enjoying exceptional picture quality, and its HDR technology delivers deeper contrast and improved details. The built-in Bluetooth on this Samsung Blu-ray player lets you watch content on your mobile device while it's playing on another display.
Posted by: JohnZ
from Boston, MA
There was a time when a Blu-ray player was just that, a Blu-ray player. Now you can do so much more than just watch a disc via a connected screen. Just connect over WiFi to one of your streaming services and you can watch Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube among others. Picture quality of a Blu-ray disc is superb, though it will upcycle. Setup via Wi-fi was fine. No problems encountered yet after initial setup and usage. Includes batteries, hurray. More movie nights thanks to the better display and ease of integration to various tools.
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Return to simplicity with this Lenovo all-in-one desktop computer. It has an Intel Core i7 processor that blazes through various tasks, and there's 1TB of storage within its slim 23.8-inch screen, so you don't need a tower. With 8GB of RAM, this Lenovo all-in-one desktop handles multiple applications like a charm.
Posted by: JohnZ
from Boston, MA
I typically am a laptop person but have been wanting more screen space lately. The choices are an external monitor or switching over to a desktop system. I've been avoiding the desktop route as they've typically required lots of space, which I didn't have. The Lenovo - 730S-24IKB All-in-one offers a nice compromise in between the two, where you have a desktop system but no tower, so the only thing taking up space is the monitor, which also houses the CPU/memory/hard drive, etc. At 11 pounds, the unit definitely isn't a truly portable system like a laptop but it can immensely be more easily moved around between different rooms of the house if you want to without having to strain to look at a smaller screen of a laptop.
The system is reasonably fast with its Intel Core i7/8GB memory setup. The 1TB HD also gives you plenty of space to store your music, movies, pictures, etc. Do listen to your audio through your (optionally Bluetooth) headphones though, as the audio speakers don't offer the best sound. I think this is the first desktop I've had with a touchscreen. After having for so long on laptops/phones, would feel backwards to not have any more. Runs really quiet.
Some cons... The keyboard does feel a little cramped. I'd love to have an SSD HD included. If not for the full TB, perhaps a smaller one to speed up help boot time. At just $1k price, though, you get a 128MB cache but not a full SSD as that doesn't fit into the price point. A non-trial version of anti-virus software would have been nice. Better speakers. Would prefer a larger range of heights for the monitor. Currently need to put on a few books to raise to a more comfortable level.
Works well for the typical user. I wouldn't connect an HTC Vive to it but does well enough for my lower-end gaming needs.
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Get a better view of the enemy in dark spaces with this 27-inch Acer Predator XB2 gaming monitor. Full HD and NVIDIA G-SYNC and ULMB technology decrease blur and ghosting to make images clearer. The lightning-fast 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time of this Acer Predator XB2 gaming monitor mean your shot reaches the target faster.
Posted by: JohnZ
from Boston, MA
I got this to connect to my laptop so I had a bigger screen when gaming at home. My son had a different idea and seems to have confiscated it for his Nintendo Switch. FortNite and other high intensity games look great on the screen. I fully understand why they say it has smooth gaming action.
Does have small speakers but tend to keep the headphones on instead. When I don't use headphones, use a nice set of Rosewill speakers, instead.
Very easy to setup. Just be careful and not drop when connecting screen to base.
Awkward button "labeling", where buttons are on bottom right back when looking from front. Their labels appear on screen and you kinda just have to figure out what each label represents.
For the first person shooter gamer, you won't be disappointed.
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Create incredible images every day, anywhere with Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan. Get the magic of Adobe Photoshop CC and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC, plus everything else you need to organize, enhance, and share your photos like a pro on your desktop and mobile devices.
Just wondering if this is a good home editing system for both audio and video . . . I have a Dell Windows 10 How complex is it? Ratings? Can I install it myself? Thank you! Janie E.
I don't see any video editing features. Easy to install though.
6 years, 2 months ago
by
JohnZ
Create incredible images every day, anywhere with Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan. Get the magic of Adobe Photoshop CC and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC, plus everything else you need to organize, enhance, and share your photos like a pro on your desktop and mobile devices.
Disc are download?
Download
6 years, 2 months ago
by
JohnZ
Clean your carpets efficiently with this iRobot Roomba vacuum. It lets you set a schedule for automated vacuuming, and the sensors help it navigate under furniture and around objects on the floor for a more thorough cleaning job. This iRobot Roomba vacuum has internal brushes, agitators and suction to handle debris and pet hair.
Does this have to have a monthly subscription to keep it running? How does it know where to go?
No monthly fees required.
There is a single "box" you can use to setup a barrier. The box has two modes. You can use the straight line mode to block off a doorway. It will setup an barrier to between it and the wall across from it that the Roomba won't cross. There is also an "arc" mode that you can use by let's say placing it between your dog bowls. That will create an arc around the bowls so it won't repeatedly ram into them. Otherwise, it has free reign of where it will go. If the battery starts getting low, it will return to base.
There is a single "box" you can use to setup a barrier. The box has two modes. You can use the straight line mode to block off a doorway. It will setup an barrier to between it and the wall across from it that the Roomba won't cross. There is also an "arc" mode that you can use by let's say placing it between your dog bowls. That will create an arc around the bowls so it won't repeatedly ram into them. Otherwise, it has free reign of where it will go. If the battery starts getting low, it will return to base.
6 years, 9 months ago
by
JohnZ
Clean your carpets efficiently with this iRobot Roomba vacuum. It lets you set a schedule for automated vacuuming, and the sensors help it navigate under furniture and around objects on the floor for a more thorough cleaning job. This iRobot Roomba vacuum has internal brushes, agitators and suction to handle debris and pet hair.
What are the dimension and how can be charged? It has a bag to store all the dirty? Thanks
The Roomba is about 13" around. There is a base you plug into the wall that the machine parks over whenever it needs a charge. So, add a couple more inches for depth for the base. No bag. It has a small bin in the front that you can empty when the machine is parked.
6 years, 9 months ago
by
JohnZ
Get your floors sparkling clean with this Bissell Spinwave powered mop. It’s made for sealed hard surfaces, and it uses washable cleaning pads that can be customized according to the type of flooring and level of cleansing the job requires. This Bissell Spinwave powered mop swivels to let you access hard-to-reach places.
Does it come with a bristle pad, or scrub pad attachment?
No.
6 years, 11 months ago
by
JohnZ
Get your floors sparkling clean with this Bissell Spinwave powered mop. It’s made for sealed hard surfaces, and it uses washable cleaning pads that can be customized according to the type of flooring and level of cleansing the job requires. This Bissell Spinwave powered mop swivels to let you access hard-to-reach places.
Does it suck up the water?
No
6 years, 11 months ago
by
JohnZ
Get your floors sparkling clean with this Bissell Spinwave powered mop. It’s made for sealed hard surfaces, and it uses washable cleaning pads that can be customized according to the type of flooring and level of cleansing the job requires. This Bissell Spinwave powered mop swivels to let you access hard-to-reach places.
Can you use any solution with this machine ? Also, does this clean in the grooves of textured floors ?
It is not recommended you use another solution. I think that has the potential to void the warranty.
6 years, 11 months ago
by
JohnZ