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Ruff
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- Review count23
- Helpfulness votes89
- First reviewDecember 19, 2015
- Last reviewMarch 30, 2018
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.1
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- Review comment count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentNone
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- Answer count9
- Helpfulness votes6
- First answerJuly 7, 2016
- Last answerJuly 7, 2016
- Featured answers0
- Best answers3
Share your favorite music in any environment with this Sony portable Bluetooth speaker. Its high-quality fabric cover resists water damage and keeps out dust, and its compact size makes it easy to store and transport. For extra fun, this Sony portable Bluetooth speaker has flashing lights that sync to your music.
Customer Rating
4
The Quality You Would Expect From Sony
on March 30, 2018
Posted by: Ruff
from Portland, ME
This speaker is compact, durable, and rugged. It is pretty heavy for its size, which could be considered an asset or a drawback, depending. I absolutely love love love that it is waterproof, dustproof, and rustproof as I often tend to take these portable speakers to the beach and/or lake where dirt, salt, sand, and water are all at play. I feel much more confident about using this speaker in the elements than I did my last Sony portable speaker.
All in all the sound quality is okay. It’s definitely on the better side for the price range, but there are pricier options that will give you better sound production, and specifically more bass (which is what this model seems to lack). It definitely will satisfy most people’s needs for a small, portable speaker to take with you on the go though.
Battery life was good, and charging time seemed to be reasonable to get back to a full charge. The only downside in this regard is there is no good way of knowing charging status, other than the unit announcing it through the speaker. Another type of indicator would have been a nice touch.
My Best Buy number: 2141492539
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Enjoy your favorite songs with this Bluetooth Sony speaker. Its multicolored line lights and flashing strobe turn any gathering into a party, and the 12 hours battery keeps the music playing all night long. This portable Sony speaker is resistant to water, dust and rust, so you can supply the tunes for any adventure.
Customer Rating
4
The Quality You Would Expect From Sony
on March 30, 2018
Posted by: Ruff
from Portland, ME
This speaker is compact, durable, and rugged. It is pretty heavy for its size, which could be considered an asset or a drawback, depending. I absolutely love love love that it is waterproof, dustproof, and rustproof as I often tend to take these portable speakers to the beach and/or lake where dirt, salt, sand, and water are all at play. I feel much more confident about using this speaker in the elements than I did my last Sony portable speaker.
All in all the sound quality is okay. It’s definitely on the better side for the price range, but there are pricier options that will give you better sound production, and specifically more bass (which is what this model seems to lack). It definitely will satisfy most people’s needs for a small, portable speaker to take with you on the go though.
Battery life was good, and charging time seemed to be reasonable to get back to a full charge. The only downside in this regard is there is no good way of knowing charging status, other than the unit announcing it through the speaker. Another type of indicator would have been a nice touch.
My Best Buy number: 2141492539
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Improve your dental care routine with this Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean electric toothbrush. It has three modes for a customized brushing experience and a pressure sensor to protect your gums from over-brushing. This Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean electric toothbrush has a built-in timer to encourage you to meet the recommended brushing time.
Customer Rating
5
Just the Right Amount of Options
on March 30, 2018
Posted by: Ruff
from Portland, ME
This is my third Philips Sonicare toothbrush over the years, and so far it is my favorite. It has just the right amount of options (I don’t need my toothbrush to connect to a smartphone app), but enjoy being able to choose between different modes depending on how my mouth and teeth look and feel.
The whitening mode is my go to, as it really does keep surface stains from building up. I use the standard cleaning mode on the highest intensity every other day to get a deep clean in. Haven’t really found much use or enjoyed the gum massaging mode, but it’s an option for those of you who might be in need of that.
This is the first Sonicare toothbrush I’ve had that keeps track of how long you’ve been using the brush head, which is great for those of us who have too many other things going on in life to keep track of when to replace our toothbrush. Very useful.
All in all, this is the “sweet spot” across all of the models they offer, I feel.
My Best Buy number: 2141492539
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Elevate your workout with these JBL Free wireless headphones. Their hands-free design lets you control music and make calls with the touch of a button, and the charging case stores 20 hours of backup power to keep tunes playing through your entire workout. These JBL Free wireless headphones use JBL Signature Sound to provide high-quality audio.
Customer Rating
1
Connectivity Issues Spoil The Experience
on January 24, 2018
Posted by: Ruff
from Portland, ME
The JBL Free wireless headphones are simply not worth the money or hassle. What comes in a promising package from a normally high-quality brand is a complete disappointment. The headphones are a nice size, have an array of ear tips to accommodate all ear shapes and sizes, and look good. The charging case is a nice touch as well, albeit a bit large to have to carry along. But headphones are meant to deliver quality, reliable sound...and this pair of headphones does neither. The sound quality is sub-bar at best. Volume, bass, and tone are all issues. Almost everything comes through sounding "tinny." Not to mention the connectivity issues with the left ear piece. It constantly cuts in and out, making it almost unbearable to listen to anything (as it is intended to play stereo sound). When the left earpiece does work, it is full of static noises. Very frustrating that headphones can't do the one thing they are meant to do well.
I did not even use the microphone function on any phone calls to test that out, as it seemed pointless, and I cannot speak to battery life. But even from the literature included with the product, it does not seem to be very long.
Unfortunately these headphones will be going in the trash where they belong.
My Best Buy number: 2141492539
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Make your home a more welcoming hub with this Philips Hue white ambiance A19 starter kit. Whether you desire a warm natural glow or energizing color tones, customize it just the way you like with the accompanying app. For parties, easily sync your lights to music with this Philips Hue white ambiance A19 starter kit.
Customer Rating
5
Great way to kickstart a smart home
on December 20, 2017
Posted by: Ruff
from Portland, ME
The Philips Hue White Ambiance starter kit is a great way to kickstart a smart lighted home for those who are just venturing into the connected smart home arena.
Although more expensive to implement than smart switches that control the existing “dumb” bulbs you may already own, the Philips Hue lineup gives you more flexibility and endless options to customize your lighting experience beyond the normal on, off, and dimmed options. And it’s as easy as replacing a bulb to install, no wiring required.
Setup with the Hue Bridge was not as seamless as I would have hoped. In fact, I still haven’t gotten the bridge to recognize the bulbs successfully, but also have not attempted to troubleshoot as I use an Echo Plus as my smart hub. I will say that setup through the Alexa app was effortless. Each bulb is marked with a serial number that you enter into the Alexa app, and then ask Alexa to find available connected devices. She did so with ease.
Once you have all bulbs synced to the bridge or smart hub, customization is up to you from there. You can group sets of bulbs to be controlled together, or control them individually, both by voice with an Echo or manually in either the Alexa or Philips Hue apps.
The quality of light itself is very good. I tend to keep my bulbs on the warmer side of things, as the white “cooler” tones are very bright and feel eery and unnatural. There are very few instances where you will need the cooler option in your home.
Overall, I expect to exclusively use Philips Hue light bulbs in my home from here on, as they are super easy to connect and control and seem to have a higher quality to the light they give off than cheaper alternatives.
My Best Buy number: 2141492539
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Request songs and initiate searches from Alexa with this Ultimate Ears BLAST wireless speaker. Its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity let you access the internet, make voice commands and take calls without stopping the music you’re streaming. The 360-degree profile and full-range drivers of this Ultimate Ears BLAST wireless speaker produce big, dynamic sound for your music.
Customer Rating
3
Excellent BT speaker falls short of “smart”
on November 28, 2017
Posted by: Ruff
from Portland, ME
The UE Blast is quite simply one of the best sounding compact Bluetooth speakers on the market. It easily outperforms similarly priced speakers from the likes of Bose, Harman Kardon, and JBL.
It produces a full range of tones without ever sounding tinny or flat. It is capable of producing impressive bass, and volume for its size. I replaced a Bluetooth speaker in my home that was nearly four times the size, without questioning whether or not the Blast could produce the same quality of sound. A unique advantage of this model is that it produces stereo sound as its speakers are multi-directionally positioned within the unit.
Now as far as being a “smart” speaker, powered by Alexa...it falls short in a few areas. First and foremost, Alexa is connected through WiFi and only supports (and therefore only can control) Amazon Prime Music or Amazon Music Unlimited. That means that if you use Spotify, Apple Music, or another streaming service, you must connect through Bluetooth and therefore cannot utilize Alexa’s built-in controls. This also means that if you’re streaming music over Bluetooth, that you lose connectivity when Alexa is activated. The speaker cannot simultaneously connect to Bluetooth and WiFi, and is incapable of smartly switching between the two. Once you have activated Alexa you must manually reconnect and restart the music that you had been playing through Bluetooth. This is a huge inconvenience, and the speaker’s biggest downfall.
Setup is fairly easy, but requires the Ultimate Ears app to be installed on your phone. The app itself is pretty basic, but even so still has some shortcomings. Once I set up the speaker once, I had to repair Bluetooth to my phone several times for no apparent reason, which was not easily done.
Battery life is decent. Not nearly the 12 hours of playback that the materials quote though. Probably closer to 8 or 9.
The unit itself is fairly attractive, made out of quality materials, and is fully dust and waterproof which is a must for a portable speaker.
My only other complaint is that the charging port is on the bottom of the unit, so you cannot leave the speaker upright (its natural position) while charging. To do so, you would have to shell out $40 for the charging base for either the UE Blast or Megablast. Seems like an ill-conceived design or a way to gouge the customer on what is an already pricey product.
If you’re just looking for a great Bluetooth speaker, this does a nice job, but you could probably find a cheaper non-“smart” option.
My Best Buy number: 2141492539
Mobile Submission: True
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Achieve a clean shave with this streamlined Philips Norelco Multigroom trimmer. The sleek base fits neatly inside your palm for a more secure grip, and the 18 interchangeable attachments let you customize your look. This compact silver Philips Norelco Multigroom trimmer fits into your carry-on or suitcase for easy travel.
Customer Rating
5
Comfortable, long-lasting, easy to clean grooming
on October 23, 2017
Posted by: Ruff
from Portland, ME
The Philips Multigroom 7000 is simply a comfortable, durable, long-lasting, and easy to clean grooming tool to meet all of your needs.
The feel and finish of this model is excellent. The battery lasts incredibly long on a single charge. The stainless steel blades and body make cleaning up after use a breeze (just rinse with water and pat or air dry).
The blades themselves are smooth and glide evenly, no pinching or pulling! The attachments are a nice bonus. The different size guards are easy to snap on and off to change, and there is one guard per length so you don’t run the risk of accidentally changing the length midshave (like you would with an adjustable guard).
Comes with a nice little cloth bag and some cleaning tools to keep everything organized and well oiled.
Highly recommended!
My Best Buy number: 2141492539
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Keep floors and carpets clean with this SHARK® ION™ robotic vacuum. Its smart sensors navigate floors while adapting to and avoiding obstacles, and you can set up no-go areas with Bot Boundary strips. This SHARK® ION™ robotic vacuum has a long-life lithium-ion battery that keeps it operating for a full hour on a single charge.
Customer Rating
5
Incredible gadget for effortless routine upkeep
on October 22, 2017
Posted by: Ruff
from Portland, ME
Out of the box, the Shark Ion Robot seems a little overwhelming if you have no prior experience with a robotic household appliance. However, the quick start guide and the user’s manual do a great job of guiding you through the ins and outs of the device.
At first, I was unsure of how a robotic vacuum would fair in a small, 750 sq ft apartment with an open concept. My biggest concern was the tight angles and obstacles like furniture lining the walls.
After quickly assembling the vacuum and programming the remote, I decided to try out a location that the docking station would be suitable for. Again, in a smaller apartment, this was a challenge as the directions suggest that the docking station have a three foot radius on either side, and a five foot clearance in front of it.
The unit struggled a little bit to get out of tighter areas such as hallways, and a pantry nook on the first few goes. However, after a day of allowing it to “roam” the area it seemed to learn earth individual space in the apartment and was able to master covering the entire surface of each in a few passes.
After it’s first full sweep, the removable dustbin was surprisingly full of dirt and debris that I didn’t even realize was covering my floors! I use a Dyson upright vacuum about once a week to maintain the cleanliness of the apartment, but clearly that simply is not enough. The Ion Robot will be a lifesaver in keeping up with dust and dirt that gets tracked in and out of the apartment on a daily basis.
On day two of using the Ion Robot, it was able to clean the entirety of the apartment in the time it took to shower and dress in the morning. It was also able to dock itself on command in under 20 seconds on the first attempt.
I have yet to test out the scheduled cleaning, but trust that the device would do well to clean the apartment on its own while I’m away at work, or asleep at night. And yes, it is quiet enough to have cleaning while you’re asleep!
Cleaning the device seems straightforward and easy to do. There is a HEPA filter included that should be replaced on a regular basis (after a few months of use).
I would recommend this product to anybody that doesn’t have a ton of time to be cleaning throughout the week. It seems to cut down on the dirt and debris that we track in and out of our living spaces on a daily basis pretty drastically, and will prevent me from having to do a deep clean as often as I once had been doing. All in all, this product is somewhat of a technological marvel!
My Best Buy number: 2141492539
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Go blue with this sport band for the Apple Watch. The 42mm design locks in place quickly thanks to the easy-to-use connectors, and the blue coloration stands out on your wrist. Its powerful moisture and sweat resistance ensure this sport band for the Apple Watch stays looking great for years to come.
Customer Rating
4
Inexpensive sport band alternative
on October 20, 2017
Posted by: Ruff
from Portland, ME
Verified Purchase:Yes
Bought this at a rock bottom price just because I couldn’t pass it up. Didn’t have any sport bands in the blue family. The color is alright, very Tarheel like. Quality is decent, it gets the job done. It’s not quite as nice as the real deal from Apple, as the seams along the sides of the band are visible and not smooth.
I would buy it again though in other colors if they were cheap enough.
My Best Buy number: 2141492539
My Best Buy number: 2141492539
Mobile Submission: True
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Provide ample battery power for your Apple Watch with this Belkin MIXIT DuraTek charge cable. Its inner fiber liner adds strength and durability, and the 4-foot length offers plenty of leeway between the wall and your nightstand. This Belkin MIXIT DuraTek charge cable has protective insulation to shield the wires from damage as it bends and flexes.
Customer Rating
5
Great choice for an additional or replacement
on October 17, 2017
Posted by: Ruff
from Portland, ME
The Belkin Duratek Apple Watch cable is a great choice for anybody that is in need of an additional or replacement cable for their Apple Watch.
The cable is sturdy, but flexible. It is immediately obvious upon seeing and feeling the braided Kevlar casing that this will withstand being stepped on, pinched, dragged, snagged, twisted, or kinked.
The wireless charger module is considerably larger than the original cable’s, which I found to be a good thing. I leave my cable plugged in beside my nightstand and if I ever accidentally knock it off, I find myself fumbling around in the dark to find it. This made it much easier to search for and grab onto when you can’t necessarily see what you’re doing. The downside to the added size would be any third party docks or stands that you might have to thread the charger through...it is conceivable that this charger would not fit some products.
The 4 foot length seemed to be just about what I needed for it to reach where intended in most cases, and the flexible ends made it easy to direct it around anything that was in the way (i.e. furniture).
An attached leather wrap, clip, or bungee would have been a nice touch though for anyone that might use this as a travel cable. I fully intend on buying another cable for my car, where it would be nice to wrap the excess length in something to keep it out of the way.
I did not notice any dramatic difference in the speed that it charged my Watch, however it was hard to gauge because I usually charge it overnight. For all intents and purposes, it got the job done just as well as the original.
Overall, I would recommend spending the money on this charger over the alternatives as it has some nice features that will ensure you won’t find yourself having to replace it again in the future.
My Best Buy number: 2141492539
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Ruff's Answers
Pack a stereo experience in your backpack with this black Sony portable wireless speaker. This Bluetooth-enabled speaker provides up to 12 hours of battery life and features a water-resistant design for use outdoors. This Sony portable wireless speaker includes a stereo mini jack and comes with a Micro USB cable.
Would I be able to use this speaker on both an ipod nano 7th generation and ipod nano 4th generation without using the bluetooth option?
Yes, as long as you have a 3.5mm male-to-male auxiliary cable. There is an audio in port on the back of the device next to the microUSB charging port.
7 years, 9 months ago
by
Ruff
Pack a stereo experience in your backpack with this black Sony portable wireless speaker. This Bluetooth-enabled speaker provides up to 12 hours of battery life and features a water-resistant design for use outdoors. This Sony portable wireless speaker includes a stereo mini jack and comes with a Micro USB cable.
How long does it take to charge and can you use it plugged in charging?
In my experience, the speaker is fully charged in less than two hours from a completely depleted state. You can absolutely use it while charging.
7 years, 9 months ago
by
Ruff
Pack a stereo experience in your backpack with this black Sony portable wireless speaker. This Bluetooth-enabled speaker provides up to 12 hours of battery life and features a water-resistant design for use outdoors. This Sony portable wireless speaker includes a stereo mini jack and comes with a Micro USB cable.
Will it work with Samsung Galaxy 6 phone.
Yes. Any device that is Bluetooth capable will easily pair with this speaker.
7 years, 9 months ago
by
Ruff
Pack a stereo experience in your backpack with this black Sony portable wireless speaker. This Bluetooth-enabled speaker provides up to 12 hours of battery life and features a water-resistant design for use outdoors. This Sony portable wireless speaker includes a stereo mini jack and comes with a Micro USB cable.
Is this speaker the extra bass version?
Yes. It has the "Extra Bass" mode that can be toggled on or off depending on whether you want richer bass tones or to conserve battery life.
7 years, 9 months ago
by
Ruff
Pack a stereo experience in your backpack with this black Sony portable wireless speaker. This Bluetooth-enabled speaker provides up to 12 hours of battery life and features a water-resistant design for use outdoors. This Sony portable wireless speaker includes a stereo mini jack and comes with a Micro USB cable.
How does the sound of the Sony compare with the sound from the Bose Soundlink?
In my experience (having owned both), the SRS-XB2 produces much crisper, clearer tones, provides a more distinct bass, and produces a much louder sound without distorting audio.
7 years, 9 months ago
by
Ruff
Pack a stereo experience in your backpack with this black Sony portable wireless speaker. This Bluetooth-enabled speaker provides up to 12 hours of battery life and features a water-resistant design for use outdoors. This Sony portable wireless speaker includes a stereo mini jack and comes with a Micro USB cable.
What is the difference between this model (SRSXB2) and the SRSX2 model?
The SRS-XB2 is an updated model that includes "Extra Bass."
This is activated through a specific mode on the device that produces louder, more distinct bass notes. There is a button on the device that allows you to toggle the mode on and off (for battery conservation purposes).
This is activated through a specific mode on the device that produces louder, more distinct bass notes. There is a button on the device that allows you to toggle the mode on and off (for battery conservation purposes).
7 years, 9 months ago
by
Ruff
Pack a stereo experience in your backpack with this black Sony portable wireless speaker. This Bluetooth-enabled speaker provides up to 12 hours of battery life and features a water-resistant design for use outdoors. This Sony portable wireless speaker includes a stereo mini jack and comes with a Micro USB cable.
If my iPhone is linked via Bluetooth will speakers also ring loud when called & will music stop and allow speakerphone function ? Thanks
Yes. As long as your phone is not in silent mode, the speaker will ring just as your phone would during and incoming call. The speaker itself has a speakerphone function and includes a built in microphone. It can be activated with the speakerphone button on the device itself, or through Siri on an iPhone.
7 years, 9 months ago
by
Ruff
Pack a stereo experience in your backpack with this black Sony portable wireless speaker. This Bluetooth-enabled speaker provides up to 12 hours of battery life and features a water-resistant design for use outdoors. This Sony portable wireless speaker includes a stereo mini jack and comes with a Micro USB cable.
can you pair these speakers
Pairing to a Bluetooth audio source is simple with this model. There is a dedicated Bluetooth button on the device that allows you to put it into pairing mode. It also is capable of being paired with an additional speaker to create true stereo sound, which also has a dedicated button on the device to make this possible.
7 years, 9 months ago
by
Ruff
Pack a stereo experience in your backpack with this black Sony portable wireless speaker. This Bluetooth-enabled speaker provides up to 12 hours of battery life and features a water-resistant design for use outdoors. This Sony portable wireless speaker includes a stereo mini jack and comes with a Micro USB cable.
Can I charge my phone using the USB port?
No, you cannot charge your phone through this device. It only includes a microUSB port for charging the device itself (aka no power output).
7 years, 9 months ago
by
Ruff