Cupra's stats
- Review count189
- Helpfulness votes1,010
- First reviewNovember 23, 2013
- Last reviewSeptember 26, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.3
Reviews comments
- Review comment count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentNone
- Last review commentNone
- Featured review comments0
Questions
- Question count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First questionNone
- Last questionNone
- Featured questions0
- Answer count6
- Helpfulness votes18
- First answerSeptember 26, 2016
- Last answerOctober 14, 2019
- Featured answers0
- Best answers2
Sear, brown, sauté, and slow cook all in one pot for maximum flavor with the Calphalon Digital Sauté Slow Cooker. The cooking pot removes and can be placed on electric, gas, or induction cooktops to brown or sear ingredients before slow cooking. The LCD digital display provides intuitive control of multiple cooking modes, for tender pulled pork, curry chicken, paella, and more. The nonstick ceramic coating is easy to clean and delivers 11x more durability* than standard nonstick surfaces, plus it’s PTFE- and PFOA-free. The Calphalon slow cooker is perfect for one-pot family dinners with its 5.3-quart capacity. The cooking pot is also oven safe for further heating, cooking, and warming options. Gorgeous dark stainless steel will enhance any kitchen’s countertop and metal construction provides long-lasting durability.
Customer Rating
5
Great looking and functioning slow cooker!
on November 28, 2018
Posted by: Cupra
from Keller, TX
We've used several slow cookers over the years and typically purchased the $30 versions. Didn't really think we needed anything more than that.
Along comes the Calphalon Digital Sauté Slow Cooker. First off, it's one of the nicest looking slow cooker (or crock pot) that I've seen. You won't be ashamed to have this one left out on your countertop. The dark stainless steel helps it to blend in a lot with other items in the kitchen, but also stand out as something sleek and stylish. The rotary knob on the front is plastic, but has a good weighted feel to it as you rotate it through 'off, warm, low and high'. The timer buttons (+/- and cancel) actually have an 'automotive' feel to them, like well made switchgear. I was nicely surprised by that. The digital display looks a little more bespoke and in keeping with the design, rather than an off the shelf afterthought as well. The timer advances in 15 min increments, and if you press and hold, you can advance by the hour as well. Overall, a very nice design.
Our previous slow cooker is a 6 QT oval. This one is 5.3 QT and round. So far we haven't missed that extra 0.7 QT, as this Calphalon Slow Cooker appears deeper than our previous one.
The weight of the cooker overall is very light and manageable. The heating unit itself is incredibly light. The interior liner, the main cooking part is aluminum with a non-stick coating. It is a metallic dark grey, which compliments the main unit nicely.
Being aluminum and non-stick coated (all over) means that it can be used in more than just the slow cooker. You can put it on the stove to sauté meat before turning on the slow cooker. You can put it in the oven after you've made something like sweet potato casserole, so that you can brown the marshmallows on top. It's very versatile indeed which sets it apart from other slow cookers. Just make sure to use wooden or plastic utensils in it, otherwise you may scratch off that important non-stick coating.
After making sweet potato casserole and browning the marshmallows, I was concerned about cleaning any of the burnt marshmallows off of the side of the liner, but as a nice surprise, it cleaned up incredibly easily. Almost wipe clean in fact. Very nice, as our previous ceramic one was a lot tougher to clean after cooking something like that. One thing we did notice is that the liner (the aluminum non-stick part) did seem to hold onto some odors from the previous meal that was cooked, so we took to storing it with the lid off, just to make sure it aired out. It never transferred anything to the next meal, but the odor was something we noticed, even after a thorough cleaning.
Another thing to note is that being metal, it does get very hot, so you can't just go pick it up after your meal has cooked without some oven gloves or protection for your hands. Also, if you are browning, the lid is NOT oven safe, so you can't cover it using the lid in the oven.
The timer is accurate, and works well. Give a short audible notice when the time is up and it reverts to the warming function for an additional 4 hours when the time is up. After that, as a safety precaution, it will turn off.
We left it on all day yesterday cooking chicken for 'Taco Tuesday' and when we got home, it was in the warm setting, the chicken was so soft and succulent and just shredded perfectly as soon as you touched it.
Very pleased overall with this Calphalon Digital Sauté Slow Cooker, it's functionality and design set it apart from other slow cookers.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+9points
9of 9voted this as helpful.
Make media more fun with this HP Spectre Folio convertible laptop. Three possible screen positions let you watch videos or edit photos in comfort, and its powerful Intel Core i7 processor is ideal for gaming. This HP Spectre Folio convertible laptop has a 256GB M.2 solid-state drive, ensuring speed and ample storage.
Customer Rating
5
Luxurious, Stylish 2 in 1 Laptop-Tablet Folio
on November 22, 2018
Posted by: Cupra
from Keller, TX
The HP Spectre Folio 2-in-1 13.3" Touch-Screen Laptop is a technical marvel. Really enjoy picking it up and using it.
First off, the packaging makes it look like you are unwrapping a high end piece of jewelry or expensive clothing. Black paper with a discrete 'HP' sticker holding it together greets you, along with a lovely aroma of quality leather. Unwrap the black paper and you see the cognac brown laptop, looking just like a folio notepad. This helps make it look not like a typical laptop, but something a lot more discrete.
And this is NOT a typical laptop. Sure, it opens up into a traditional layout with a screen an a keyboard, all the while protected in a nice leather package, but instead of hinging all the way around back, leaving the keyboard exposed on the back, there is a hinge half way up the back of the screen allowing the screen to fold face up over the keyboard, keeping it protected and leaving the leather on the back side to protect the laptop.
The screen also slopes forward in front of the keyboard to stand the screen up like a tablet would, for watching movies. You can have the laptop ask you with a prompt when it transitions from laptop to tablet or to just do it automatically. Full Windows functionality remains when it's in tablet mode.
Included with the laptop is a Windows Ink pen and an included AAAA battery. With the touchscreen on the laptop, and when in tablet mode, you can use the Windows Ink Pen to navigate, write, draw, scribble on the screen. Very intuitive buttons and smooth action make it very easy to get to grips with. I'm a Graphic Designer, so it's nice to be able to sketch ideas while writing in meetings, rather than just typing meeting notes. I downloaded Plumbago, a Microsoft product which allowed me to have different paper types to write on and a variety of pens/colors etc, and it works flawlessly on this laptop, especially in tablet mode.
The keyboard is very MacBook-esque, low profile, sharp travel keys, backlit and responsive. I'm typing this review on it now and its smooth and fluid.
There is an indent on the back of the screen on the right side to attach a stylus loop to store the Windows Ink Pen. It would be nice to have the option to mount it on either side of the laptop for those left handed people (myself included) out there, but it's hardly a deal breaker, but a nice to have.
Video quality is fantastic on the 1920x1080 touchscreen with dark blacks and crisp images. The Bang and Olufsen speakers, sure, they work, but they sure are small in this package and don't pack a tremendous punch. But this isn't an audiophile computer to start with, and it is so beautiful, that the sound can be forgiven.
The laptop is a little heavy, definitely heavier than your average folio, but that does mean that you can open the top with just one hand as the weight keeps the keyboard on the desk. But placing it in a backpack to go to work, it didn't feel noticeably heavier than any other laptop I've carried around.
One of the standout features to me, compared to my previous HP Spectre, is the lack of fan sound. My previous laptop would constantly have the fans running and get unbearably hot on my lap. Not with this new HP Spectre Folio... it's quiet as a church mouse and doesn't appear to get too hot at all. Performance has been fantastic so far, picking it up throughout the day in both laptop and tablet mode, it fires up quickly each and every time I open it, and it locked by optional facial recognition.
Overall very happy with the performance, design, weight, resolution and practicality of this 2 in 1 laptop - tablet combo. It's become my goto, for quick browsing of the internet, to taking notes with sketches in meetings.
I've already recommended it and shown it off to several work colleagues who are also besotted with how it looks and how it performs.
Nice work HP, nice work. The Spectre line continues to get better and better with each iteration.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+4points
5of 6voted this as helpful.
The Streamlabs water monitor gives you the peace of mind that your home is protected from water damage. It attaches easily to your existing plumbing, with no pipe cutting required, and uses ultrasonic technology to measure and detect changes in the flow of the water in your pipes. It's Wi-Fi enabled, so you can check on your home anytime, anywhere using the smartphone app. And real-time leak alerts will notify you if you need to take action. The Streamlabs water monitor is also part of your complete smart home, integrating with both Nest and Alexa systems.
Customer Rating
5
Water Monitoring Made Easy!
on November 5, 2018
Posted by: Cupra
from Keller, TX
The Streamlabs Wi-Fi Home Water Monitoring and Leak Detection System is a sleek product that runs inline on your main waterline allowing you to monitor water consumption at your house and also detect any potential leaks that might occur.
First off, the packaging is some of the best I've seen in the retail industry, I felt like I was opening a product much more expensive than it is (The exterior box might just be a little overkill though, no mater how nice it is. Soft touch oversized boxes looked and felt fantastic. I appreciate this attention to detail being a Graphic Designer. Once past the packaging you are left with a minimalist 'Apple-like' box with simple black and white instructions.
You DON'T need any tools, you DON'T need any plumbing skills and you DON'T need to panic when installing the system. It clips onto the outside of your pipes using included zip ties. One word of warning in the instructions and on the label on it's underside, do NOT slide the monitor around on the pipe, you'll damage the sensors. Thankfully Streamlabs includes a spare set of sensor pads for when you do exactly this.
I chose to set up my app BEFORE hooking up the monitor to the pipe, in the cool comfort of the house, and not in the heat of the garage. This was a smart move, highly recommended if you live in a hot climate. Once the app is set up, it asks you to calibrate the monitor, which is when I moved to the garage and installed it on the pipe I wanted to monitor in less than 3 minutes, and had a reading from the monitor almost as soon as I connected it to the app and tapped calibrate. The monitor detects the type of pipes you have, and gives you instructions to turn off the water, it will calibrate, and then asks you to go and flush a toilet or turn on a faucet. The monitor has two LED lights on it, one blue one for wifi connection and one green one showing waterflow monitoring. That's it. No other lights or sounds are emitted from the unit.
The app has a nice user interface using the Streamlabs corporate palette of black, with white graphics and blue accents. It's a good looking and easy to use app.
The home screen lets you know how many gallons of water you've used today, whether there is water running or not and the ability to switch between home and away modes, and also an alert status. IF you click on your daily usage, you then see a live 'gallons per minute' reading, the temperature of the room (which is very useful in a garage, if the temperature gets below 40 degrees, the system will alert you), and then an hourly monitor with little blue dots whenever you've had water running. Below that are comparative graphs for today, yesterday, last week, and last month.
You can also connect your Streamlabs monitor to Alexa, to then enable the home and away features of the system.In 'home' mode, the system monitors water usage as you would expect. In away mode, it will alert you if a toilet is flushed for example, when it wouldn't flush ordinarily, if you were away. Those notifications will be incredibly useful, especially if you are away, and you don't expect a toilet to be flushing.
I have the slow leak notifications set at 0.5 gpm for longer than 20 minutes and my major leak alerts set to 4.0 gpm for longer than 5 minutes. You can adjust these settings as you so choose.
All in all, a great little 'piece of mind' monitor that allows you to track your water usage, so you can compare it to your latest water bill, but more importantly, you can be notified of potential leaks in your water system that could save you thousands of dollars in repair bills, when you are able to catch that leak before it gets too costly.
Piece of mind in a small package, does exactly what it says it will.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+9points
9of 9voted this as helpful.
Enjoy interactive streaming with this Google Nest Hub. With the built-in Google Assistant, you can view your calendar, receive alerts and reminders, and control devices from the single dashboard, and voice control lets you access other smart features. This Google Nest Hub lets you listen to music from Spotify and Pandora and view YouTube content. "
Customer Rating
4
Good but not perfect.
on November 4, 2018
Posted by: Cupra
from Keller, TX
The Google Home Hub is a nice addition to a Smart Home ecosystem. I have been using a competitors brand for a while now, and wanted a small screen to be able to view live video feeds from my cameras.
Google Home Hub has come to market at a great price point for a product like this. It was fairly easy to set up, although going back to change some settings, ironically had me Googling the product for more information!
You plug it in, download theGoogle Home Hub app and then continue the set up from there. It is fairly intuitive. Much like the competing product, you can match up different smart ecosystems to the Google Home Hub and control them from there.
So far I've connected my 8 Arlo Cameras, my Pioneer Elite Amplifier and my ecobee thermostats and their corresponding sensors.
The first time I ran everything after linking them to Home Hub, it worked perfectly. But the second time I went to do it, I had to relink the cameras and the thermostats. This was annoying, but so far, they haven't become unlinked again yet.
I feel that the Home Hub response rate is slower than others, seemingly taking a time to respond, but, the response is usually accurate and factual.
The ability to call up YouTube videos is a nice touch, when I had an adult moment and forgot how to tie a Windsor knot, simply asking 'Hey Google, how o you tie a Windsor know' instantly streamed me a video to the device and played automatically.
Overall this is going to be a useful device, with features that you can add at your pace, thousands of partner products are available and many more will be added over time.
The speaker is good, but not great. I'm sure it's small size has a lot to do with that but there is a built in equalizer that allows you to customize the sound.
All in all a nice product in an attractive footprint.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+4points
4of 4voted this as helpful.
At BISSELL, we know pets can make a mess at any moment – that’s why we created the Pet Hair Eraser Turbo. It doesn’t matter if you vacuumed just hours before Fido left behind a trail of fur, you need to be ready for any mess at any moment. The Pet Hair Eraser Turbo comes with powerful pickup packed into a lightweight and agile machine for easy and convenient everyday cleanup. Enjoy the Quick Release Extension Wand which is always on and always ready to tackle those tricky, hard-to-reach pet messes around the home. Plus, with features like the Tangle-Free Brush Roll and a Hands-Free Empty Dirt Tank, you don’t have to worry about cleaning your vacuum after you’ve cleaned your home. You can also breathe easy with the Smart Seal Allergen System with Febreze* that traps dirt and allergens and eliminates odors so you can enjoy a fresher, cleaner home. *Febreze and Febreze logo is a registered trademark of The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, Ohio used under license by BISSELL Homecare, Inc.
Customer Rating
5
This vacuum sucks... well...
on November 1, 2018
Posted by: Cupra
from Keller, TX
I mean really well! The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Bagless Upright Vacuum really has some suction power. I live in a 2 year old home, and in a couple of places of high traffic, the new carpet had been crushed down. This new Bissell has revitalized some of that carpet, pulling the pile back upright.
Setting up the vacuum out of the box took a second or two to double check connections. I had placed the instruction booklet to one side, as there are 'quick start' instructions on the end of each connection of the hose, handle etc. Made for a quick and easy set up.
There is a slide guide on the handle that allows you to transition between high pile carpet and low pile carpet/hardwood flooring. That took a moment for my wife to get used to, as without that setting on hardwood floors, the vacuum would 'throw' dust and particles around, but switching the slider sorted that out perfectly. There is a switch that allows you to turn off the brush, enabling you to be able to use the very convenient wand for those hard to reach places. There is a 'detail' attachment, with a built in LED light, which is perfect for getting any dust and cobwebs out of the corner of the room, and makes it a lot easier to see them. There is also a motorized brush that helps you get rid of unwanted pet hair from sofas cushions and places that might be more difficult to get the vacuum into.
As the name suggests, this vacuum is geared towards pet owners. I've owned several different major brand vacuums, all claiming they are pet busters. This Bissell actually lives up to that name! The technology that enables the brush roller to remain tangle and hair free is impressive! I have not found more than two or three hairs on the roller at all. It does a fantastic job of keeping it tangle and hair free! Incredible. And the cannister is easy to empty when you finished vacuuming, although being new, there was a good amount of static electricity in it, and I did have to reach inside the cannister to empty it. I'm sure in time it will just release the dust and debris straight into the trash can.
There are LEDs along the leading edge of the roller which is a nice feature. I wish they were a little brighter, but they are very useful when vacuuming in darker areas, like on hard wood floors, or under sofas etc. It comes with a 30ft cord allowing you to get to most areas of your home without having to continually unplug it and move to another area.
The vacuum has a small footprint and is very maneuverable especially on its small wheels, with a side to side pivot. This allows you to weave in and out between dining chairs with ease. There is a good range of motion with the swivel head, but not quite as low profile as some other vacuums I've used in the past, but then they didn't have anywhere near as good a suction as this machine has. So I guess there has to be a trade off somewhere.
If I had one complaint about the vacuum, it would be the wand/handle clip mechanism. The vacuum isn't the lightest and with the back and forth movement of vacuuming, I can feel some 'give' in the handle, it moves back and forth inside the locking mechanism, so it doesn't give me 100% confidence in it's longevity, but time will tell. It does come with a 5 year warranty (which I signed up for right away - as I normally forget to register products and then end up not being eligible for warranty service. This was quick and easily done with an account online at Bissell.com).
Overall, I am very impressed with the suction this vacuum has with its 120V motor. It's really made me feel like my carpets are getting a thorough clean whenever I go over them.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Enjoy smart TV navigation with this Logitech K600 TV keyboard. Its precision touch pad makes browsing the web and searching for your favorite movies more user-friendly. This Logitech K600 TV keyboard connects wirelessly to smart TVs from up to 15m away, so you can relax comfortably in your recliner while selecting shows.
Customer Rating
3
Limited Compatibility Keyboard
on October 21, 2018
Posted by: Cupra
from Keller, TX
I was excited to order the Logitech K600 Keyboard to use with the TVs in my house, for when I'm using onscreen menus, using Netflix etc.
Seeing that the keyboard is compatible with Sony Bravia TV's (of which I have two) this seemed like a great product for me to ditch the remote and have a sleek, nicely designed and well laid out keyboard to use instead.
Opened the keyboard to set it up, and looked at the instructions, seemed easy enough, 1, 2, 3 and you're done. Numbered stickers on the keyboard helped you along the way. Set up the keyboard and plugged in the USB receiver into my TV. Nothing. Then a message, this USB product is not compatible with this device.
Come to find out that the keyboard is only compatible with Sony Bravia TVs from 2016 onwards. So, that counted out the 2014 Sony Bravia TV in my living room. I relocated upstairs to my 2016 Sony Bravia TV in a playroom. Same result, not only does the keyboard not work with Bravia TVs before 2016, it also doesn't work with Bravia LCD TVs, but only the OLED or Ultra HD TVs.
Therefore in my experience, the keyboard has limited smart TV capability, for those who don't read the small print or impulse buy, just reading 'Sony Smart TV Comaptability'.
So, moving on, I next connected to my cell phone using he bluetooth settings, pairing was smooth and easy and worked nicely. I was able to open Apple Notes, and instantly start typing notes. The keyboards great at being able to switch between my iPhone and my Macbook, that worked seamlessly.
Logitech have done a nice job with the design of the keyboard, it's nice looking, it feels good and has a nice weight to it. The key travel is nice with a firm feel to them. No complaints there.
But these aren't the reasons I picked up the keyboard, not to attach to my iPhone, iPad or Macbook, but to use it with my TVs, to be able to have another way of browsing through the menus, and it just didn't work for me. I wanted to love the keyboard, but I can't.
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Take your playlist with you by using these noise-cancelling Sony headphones. Their 40mm drivers with liquid crystal polymer diaphragms fill your ears with booming audio to immerse you in songs, and they're ergonomically designed to provide comfort during extended listening sessions. These Sony headphones have a proprietary noise-cancelling processor, so you can immerse yourself in the music.Industry Leading Noise Cancellation. *As of August 30, 2018. According to research by Sony Corporation measured using JEITA-compliant guidelines. In headband-style of wireless noise-canceling headphones market.
Customer Rating
5
World Class Noise Canceling Headphones!
on September 20, 2018
Posted by: Cupra
from Keller, TX
These Sony WH-1000XM3 Noise Canceling headphones are truly exceptional. They are well built, incredibly comfortable and the battery life is a superb 30 hours. And with that, if you plug them in to charge for 10 mins, you get an additional 5 hours of life out of them. Way to go Sony!
I have a pair of the leading competition to this new offering from Sony, which I used on a recent trip to Iceland. When I first put these Sony headphones on and turned on the noise canceling function, it was like how I imagine sticking your head into a vacuum in space. It was almost complete silence, unlike the competition!
Turned on my 'goto' when using new headphones, Disturbed's version of 'The Sound of Silence'. It has a range of lows, highs, bass, heavy guitar and clean crisp vocals. To start with, it sounded 'ok'. But after turning on the Sony Headphones Connect app, there is a variety of controls in there that amp the sound up no end.
Adaptive Sound Control: detects how you are using the headphones, if you are siting, standing, running etc and adjusts the noice canceling function appropriately.
Ambient Sound Control: A manual versions of the above, allows you to focus on voice and mute out ambient sound.
Noise Canceling Optimizer: Runs a routine with the headphones on your head, measures atmospheric pressure and adjusts the sounds based on your wearing preference.
Sound Position Control: You are able to adjust where the sound field comes from around your head. This one stumbled me a little, as I get making the sounds a little more spatial, above you or in front of you, but you have control to position the sound to the front left, front right, rear left and rear right individually, not sure when you would use that.
Sound (VPT): This gives you the opportunity to enhance the sound using preset parameters, including Arena, Club, Outdoor Stage, and Concert Hall.
Equalizer: Allows custom adjustment of the Clear Bass signal and also 5 sound equalizers to fine tune the sound to your liking.
Sound Quality Mode: You can choose a priority based on sound quality or a stable connection to your music source.
DSEE HX: This Digital Sound Enhancement Engine enables you to be able to listen to your music library in near High Resolution Audio thanks to some clever monkeying around the Sony engineers came up with!
Function of the Ambient button: You can configure this button to change the ambient sound of the headphones or control Google Assistant.
Auto Power Off: You can adjust the time that elapses between non-use of the headphones and when they power down to conserve battery life.
Overall, once the app is configured to your liking and your sound preferences, these headphones deliver clear vocals, nice punchy bass even when not turned up loud at all, and the noise canceling functionality beats the traditional front runner!
And the trick up it's sleeve, the right hand ear cup is touch sensitive. Swipe up to turn up the volume, down to turn the volume down, swipe in front of you to advance a track and back to rewind. Double tap pauses, a second double tap resumes your music. A long press in the center activates Siri or Google Assistant and best of all, if you cup your whole hand over the right cup, your music fades down, noise cancelation stops, and the ambient volume kicks in, meaning you can hear the voices around you, amplified into the headphones, without the need to take the headphones off at all. Remove your hand from the cup and they go back to playing music at the volume you had set, with the noise canceling functionality back in place. Truly remarkable technology. Absolutely love these headphones. They are now my goto headphones that I carry into work every day!
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
Bring vibrant sound to your outdoor entertainment area with this Sonance outdoor streaming music system. A magnetic-mount audio keypad gives you a central command station for controlling playlists and volume, while Wi-Fi connectivity means you can use your home's internet connection to stream content. Featuring powerful speakers, this Sonance outdoor streaming music system delivers clear audio quality for your listening enjoyment.
Customer Rating
5
Fantastic Backyard Upgrade
on August 12, 2018
Posted by: Cupra
from Keller, TX
When the bespoke Magnolia Outdoor Streaming Bundle arrived, I was surprised how large the packaging was. Inside the box were 4 items, all individually packaged, so this has been put together as a kit by Magnolia/Best Buy. You get the two Sonance MAG 06 Outdoor Speakers, the Sonos Connect:Amp and the iPort xPress remote. (Description says 'Audio Keypad' but lets face it, it's a remote!).
I opened the Sonos Connect:Amp first, as it's the coolest looking piece of kit in the box. It's a nice, sleek designed box in aluminum and white. It has three buttons on the front, play, and volume up and down. That's it. On the back, you get four really nicely engineered, spring loaded speaker wire terminals. They push and grab the wire when you place it in the hole. Very secure connection. There is also a subwoofer connection and a voltage switcher, two ethernet ports and audio left and right connections. It's vented on top to let out the heat. This unit is NOT rated to be left outdoors. It is not waterproof or weatherproof at all.
Next up was the iPort xPress remote. It is a relatively simple remote with play/pause, next track, favorite, volume up and down buttons. This remote is wifi enabled, so it will work anywhere that you have wifi signal in the house. So you don't have to worry about a signal not going through walls or glass to get to your Sonos Connect:Amp.
It charges via an included USB adapter and charges within 3 hours. A little LED status indicator on there lets you know what state it's in and charge apparently lasts 6 months.
It charges via an included USB adapter and charges within 3 hours. A little LED status indicator on there lets you know what state it's in and charge apparently lasts 6 months.
Next I opened the Sonance MAG 06 Outdoor Speakers, which are IP66 Weatherproof rated. They were larger an slightly heavier than I was expecting, but their build quality is excellent. They feel really tactile, the included mounting hardware and brackets feel nice and solid. They have connection terminals on the front of the speakers in an IP rated and sealed area, making it easier to keep them water tight, but to also access them during installation.
I mounted the brackets using the screws from my pre-wired speaker housings on my back patio. The holes in the mounting bracket match up perfectly with an electrical box outlet, and being as that was cemented into my wall, it was the perfect place to mount the bracket. Two screws and pulling the wires through the center of the bracket was a breeze. (Please note that no speaker wire is included in this kit at all). My house was pre-wired for outdoor speakers, so that is what I used.
The speakers are a little heavy to hold in one hand and feed the speaker wire from the back to the front, so I ended up resting it on my shoulder as I did do. The clip into the speaker bracket with a satisfying and authoritative 'click'. They are adjustable up and down (or side to side depending on how you mount the bracket), with a locking mechanism as well. There is a black IP rated cover to go over the speaker connections, and then white vanity grills to go over the front of the speakers.
With the outside part sorted, I headed back indoors and got to work setting up the Sonos Connect:Amp.
Using the spring clamps in the back I hooked up the speaker wires into the back of the Sonos Connect:Amp and plugged it in. It turns on with a green light on the front and that is it.
Downloaded the Sonos App and also the iPort app for the remote.Setting up the Sonos Connect:Amp was really simple, you find the product within the app and it walks you through setting it up. Took about 4 mins total to set up (assuming you have your wifi password to hand!). The iPort app is equally as easy to use and connect to your Sonos system.
I then linked my Spotify family account and my Amazon Music account to the Sonos system and pressed play.
First song I played was Disturbed's rendition of 'The Sound of Silence', which has amazing clarity, and depth of bass along with rising intensity throughout. It sounded good, but not amazing, like the Klipsch and Pioneer Elite setup I have in my living room.
Delving a little deeper into the app, I found out why... you have control over EQ and Loudness settings as well under 'My Room'. Click on that in the app and you can adjust the settings there. The whole system 'woke up' then, filled the patio with strong, dynamic sound, enveloping me while I was grilling! Sounded a lot, lot better than I was expecting for an outdoor system. Very impressed with the sound. It's bright and loud without distortion. The bass is strong without being overbearing. I would highly recommend this package to anyone wanting to extend their music collection out into the back yard!
Very impressed!
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+7points
11of 15voted this as helpful.
Sleep better. Cover unwanted noise with soothing sounds. Bose noise-masking sleepbuds™ are uniquely designed for sleep. They don’t stream music or have acoustic noise cancellation. Instead, these tiny, wireless earbuds use pre-loaded, soothing sounds to cover up unwanted noises, so you can get to sleep — and stay asleep. Plus, unlike traditional earplugs, they’re super comfortable and made to stay in place all night long, even if you sleep on your side. 1. Choose your sound, 2. Set an alarm, 3. Fall asleep without unwanted noise.
Customer Rating
4
High quality, dedicated sleep buds.
on July 8, 2018
Posted by: Cupra
from Keller, TX
The first thing you'll notice when you open up the Bose noise-masking sleep buds is the quality. Opening the charging case, it's a wonderfully weighted, aluminum case, not plastic, with a solid, rubber, non-slip base. The case opens by sliding the lid rearward. You are presented with the two sleep buds, and 5 little round lights. These show the state of charge, with all five dots lit showing a full charge. To the left and right of these are two longer pulsing lights. These are the charging lights for the two sleep buds.
The sleep buds are attached to the case with two tiny magnets on the underside of the units. They come with the 'Medium' fitting installed from the factory. Testing out all three sizes, the medium fitting worked best for my wife. I've been excited for my wife to test these out so see if she can drown out my snoring, which I believe is going to be the primary use for most people spending this much on dedicated sleep buds. These buds DO NOT play music through them at all, just the preloaded soothing sounds from Bose. They are not headphones. And they are not noise-cancelling, simply due to their small form. They are about the size of your pinkie when taken out of their rubber ear shaped molds.
Download the Bose Sleep App and you can connect the sleep buds to your phone. In doing so, you are able to connect to the sounds that will play in your ear as you sleep. I chose to take the sleep buds out of the case and put them on top of my phone as they connected. You can adjust the sound volume and the style of ambient sound that you want to hear, ranging from babbling brook to subtle wind, to waterfalls. I believe there are 12 sounds overall.
So - with my wife excited to try these out, she walked around the kitchen and pushed them into her ears, getting a nice seal on them, and curving the ear shaped pieces into the recess in her ear. She then had my son and I pretend to snore and try and talk to her, while she adjusted the volume and a broad smile beamed across her face as she shouted 'I can hardly hear you both at all!!!!'. This appeared to be the answer to her prayers, and respite from my snoring! She was soooo excited. So these things really do work!
Moving forward to this weekend, and the reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 stars, we went on a trip to see family, we stayed up late after traveling from Dallas to Atlanta, and my wife was really tired. We got into bed and she tried putting the sleep buds in her ears while tired and in the dark. This to me, I consider a 'real world' test. She was able to get the buds in her ear, but couldn't get them 'locked in' to her ears, so they were uncomfortable and fell out. She tried three more times and got frustrated, gave up and resorted to her tried and true earplugs.
What she would like to see from Bose is a short video on how to insert the ear buds correctly, so that she can practice and get it right every single time. When she tried them on in the kitchen as mentioned above, she was able to look at the buds, adjust the orientation after looking at them, and make them fit snugly, and therefore reaping the full benefit from the product. In the real world scenario, trying to insert them in the dark, while tired, she wasn't able to get them to lock in to her ears, meaning they didn't work at that time.
Overall, the Bose Sleep Buds ARE a great product. The are well engineered, well presented with a robust design, casing, and are aesthetically pleasing. And they DO work, and they work well.
They are however, a little more challenging to get into your ears in the dark when you are tired, and they are quite expensive, as a replacemment for your usual ear plugs.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Plug in and light up your outdoors. Simply plug in and connect to your existing Hue bridge to enjoy the 16 million colors available to enhance the beauty of your yard or create any ambiance you like. This base kit provides three light points and all cables/power supply you need to get started. Lily landscape spots are fully weatherproof. Hue bridge is not included.
Customer Rating
4
Philips Have Nailed Outdoor Lighting!
on July 8, 2018
Posted by: Cupra
from Keller, TX
I've been using Philips Hue lights around the house for years now. The ability to voice control my lights is fantastic.
This new addition to the Philips Hue range, the Lily Outdoor lights is a great extension to an already versatile line of lights and accessories.
The lights, casing and cabling are all made to a high standard and appear to be very durable. The housings are black coated aluminum, the 3 cables are heavy-duty with 2 watertight 3-way connectors.
I took the products out of the boxes and put them together. They come with either wall mountable bases (installed from the factory) or extended ground spikes. I assembled the two-piece ground spikes and removed the wall mountable bases. Plugged the lights into the wall and they turn on automatically.
Next, you will need to open your Philips Hue app and connect them to your Philips Hue Hub (a hub is not included in this base kit). The user manual has little stickers on it with the serial no's of the three lights in the kit to make it a lot easier to connect the lights to the hub.
When you add the light (by tapping on the 'add light' button in the app) you can choose to type in the serial no of each bulb as you add them. When they are added they flash to confirm they are connected.
From there, you can adjust the color of each light individually. You can use the pre-determined scenes, or you can choose your own combination from 16 million colors. I chose to create 'Christmas' - with two green and one red light, 'Easter' - with two blue and one pink light, 'Halloween' - with two orange and one yellow, '4th of July' - with one red, one white and one blue, and finally 'Evil'(!) created by my 7 year old son - with two red and one orange light!
The possibilities are endless with the color options, have fun with them! You can transition between your personal settings and the pre-determined scenes as well.
I've also set up a dusk till dawn timer for them within the Philips Hue app, so that I never have to worry if they are on or off at the times I want them to be. That is a nice piece of mind feature within the app. I hadn't used that feature before as all of my previous Hue lights were simply and on or off state on demand, not a pre-set schedule.
My only issue I had with the bulbs (hence the 4 stars and not 5) is that one of them sometimes had a mind of it's own, and would turn on in a color of it's choice, not the choice that I had set up or the pre-determined scene either. For example, 'Tropical Twilight' will show up with two peach colored lights and a purple, or my own 'Christmas' scene would show up with one white, one red and one green.
Simply put, one of the bulbs would forget what color it was supposed to be. Resetting the bulb back to 'Bright' and then re-choosing the scene you wanted seemed to correct the issue most of the time. The connectivity of the app to the bridge to the bulbs outside, so far appears to be robust and works very well.
Simply put, one of the bulbs would forget what color it was supposed to be. Resetting the bulb back to 'Bright' and then re-choosing the scene you wanted seemed to correct the issue most of the time. The connectivity of the app to the bridge to the bulbs outside, so far appears to be robust and works very well.
I'm really pleased overall with the Philips Hue Lily lights and they are a great addition to the outside of my house. My neighbors have already commented on the new lights outside my house and aim to purchase some in the near future!
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+4points
5of 6voted this as helpful.
Cupra's Review Comments
Cupra has not submitted comments on any reviews.
Cupra's Questions
Cupra has not submitted any questions.
Cupra's Answers
Philips 3200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine w/ LatteGo, Black
How cups of coffee can it brew at once?
This machine brews one cup of coffee at a time, alternatively, it can brew two cappuccinos at one time.
4 years, 11 months ago
by
Cupra
Philips 3200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine w/ LatteGo, Black
Can it do cold drinks as well as hot? And what is the maximum volume it can brew? Can it brew a whole pot of coffee?
No, this machine does not do cold drinks. It has 5 pre-set coffee settings, and a hot water setting. It brews single cups at a time, so won't brew a whole pot at one time.
4 years, 11 months ago
by
Cupra
Multitask comfortably using this HP Pavilion 32-inch monitor. The QHD resolution provides immersive visuals for gaming and a spacious work space. Enjoy consistent clarity and color from multiple positions thanks to the 178-degree viewing angle. This HP Pavilion 32-inch monitor features an anti-glare panel for better visibility in bright conditions, while the Low Blue Light mode reduces eyestrain.
Wall mountable - yes How can this be wall mounted? Please suggest a wall mount for this monitor.
The monitor includes a wall mount, along with a regular stand.
5 years, 3 months ago
by
Cupra
Meet Bose Frames. Bluetooth Sunglasses with a Soundtrack. The first audio sunglasses with built-in Bose speakers for an immersive audio experience unlike any other. A revolutionary personal audio experience hidden inside two classic designs, each enriched with premium accents and materials. Play music, take calls, and enjoy the sun with UVA/UVB protection. Bose Frames Rondo feature distinct rounded lenses with a smaller fit. Approved and tested for prescription lenses.
Are these in stereo?
Yes, they are in stereo. They also have Bose AR, augmented audio, surrounding your head with directional sound. They sound really good for a product like this. Not as good as in-ear headphones, but they do have a surprisingly good sound.
5 years, 4 months ago
by
Cupra
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.
Can I access lights when NOT at home
Yes you can. Using the app, you are able to control them from anywhere in the world. And I have done! While on vacation to the UK, from the US, I would monitor my house through my video cameras and then adjust the schedules of my lights, randomizing them and checking them from almost 5000 miles away. Worked really well.
6 years, 9 months ago
by
Cupra
Frigidaire 4.5 Cu. Ft. Compact Refrigerator: Keep a few essential snacks and drinks properly chilled inside this Frigidaire compact refrigerator, which features a Store-More crisper, a SpaceWise shelf, a 0.7 cu. ft. freezer and more. You can even place a microwave or other items on the top using the SpaceWise countertop.
Is this refrigerator okay for undercounter installation in a small bar area kitchen next to the under counter dishwasher?
Yes, it's fine. I have mine installed in a bar area in my media room. Not had any problems in the month that I've had it there.
8 years ago
by
Cupra