Batlacit's stats
- Review count228
- Helpfulness votes918
- First reviewFebruary 13, 2016
- Last reviewJune 23, 2025
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.5
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- Answer count55
- Helpfulness votes100
- First answerSeptember 21, 2016
- Last answerJanuary 21, 2022
- Featured answers0
- Best answers11
Ensure full power for your mobile devices during long drives with this Anker ROAV Bolt car charger. It’s compatible with Google Assistant for voice-controlled navigation and music streaming, and it supports versatile connectivity via Bluetooth, and auxiliary port. This Anker ROAV Bolt car charger’s compact, lightweight design offers convenient portability and storage.
Customer Rating
5
Not quite as easy as plug and play, but it's close
on April 21, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
When my car was new, the fact that it had voice commands (activated by a button on the steering wheel) to use the navigation system and built in Bluetooth support for hands free calling was seen as the pinnacle of luxury. Ten years on, and it hasn't aged well. Yes, the voice commands work... if you're willing to learn the precise sequence of keywords necessary to coax it through each step. And the Bluetooth connection works great... so long as all you want to do is use it for phone calls as opposed to music.
A few years ago I remember going on line and looking to see if there was any way to bring these features a bit more up to date, and discovering that unless I was willing to rip out half the dashboard to install a new head unit (leaving a gaping hole in the facing in the process) I was out of luck. I remember thinking at the time how ridiculous this was - that surely someone should be able to come up with a better way to graft newer tech into older cars.
Well, it took a few years, but they got there eventually. With this charger and a decent smartphone, you've got everything you need to bring your older car into the modern era at a bargain. No messing with replacement head units that clearly don't fit in the dash, no splicing new hardware into the wiring harness, and pretty much no compromises necessary. Setup really is as simple as plugging the unit into a 12v outlet and, if you have one, running the included wire to the aux-in jack. From there you can connect to the device with your phone and be walked through customization and setup in about two minutes. Once that's done, you can talk to it like any google home device. In my testing I never had any issues with responsiveness or accuracy, which is particularly impressive when you consider that it not only has to deal with engine noise, but in my case was also located inside the closed central console of my car.
The features you get should be familiar to anyone who's used Android Auto - notifications and messages can be read out to you, you can dictate replies, and remotely control your phone entirely with voice commands. There are a few caveats though. To start, the system won't do much without a phone present to pass audio on to Google's servers, where the actual voice recognition takes place. Next, if you don't have a 12 volt adapter right next to your aux-in jack you pretty much need to either make an awkward wiring run or go without wireless music streaming - one of the best features of the device. And finally, you really need to watch the volume on your aux in. When I first plugged it in at the volume I usually need to use for a phone or MP3 player it produced so much static and other interference that I almost gave up. Once I turned it down to a more sensible level, this abated completely.
All in all, this is an extremely polished device for a first generation product. I'd highly recommend it to anyone with an older car looking for an affordable way to get full hands-free controls.
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Listen to music with improved quality using this Sony XB22 portable speaker. The LIVE SOUND feature provides a three-dimensional sound experience and broadcasts music to a large area for a concert-type feel, while the EXTRA BASS boost improves low-end tones. This Sony XB22 portable speaker is convenient to use with a variety of devices with Bluetooth capabilities.
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
The SRS-XB22, like all of Sony's Extra Bass speakers, certainly has no qualms about broadcasting what the primary selling point of the device is supposed to be. This thing has to be at least 70% woofer, and you will definitely be able to feel it as soon as it starts playing music, podcasts, or cell phone notification sounds.
Of course while audiophiles who demand perfect replication of the original sound will probably want to give it a pass because of this, if you're looking at buying a speaker that's literally named the Extra Bass 22 I'm willing to bet you have other concerns. This this is quite clearly meant to be a party speaker, and as a party speaker it's pretty easy to recommend. It's loud, durable, and very flashy in more ways than one. Prominently placed in the center of the speaker are a pair of party lights which do their best to sync up with the beat and do an okay job of it. On the back are several buttons, a wired input, and a charging port all very well hidden beneath a thick rubber waterproof cap. This is also where you can set up a pair of these to produce stereo sound, or chain up to a hundred together in a party chain for when they just aren't loud enough. The cap is VERY secure, to the point that I found it very difficult to get it opened up to charge it, so I imagine that water and dust will find it more or less impenetrable. And like most Sony devices, pairing it via bluetooth is as simple as tapping your device to the NFC point indicated on the speaker's casing.
I did find a few minor downsides in my time with the speaker. Occasionally the audio would stutter a bit when connected to my phone over Bluetooth for reasons which I was never able to determine. The rubberized surface and cloth grille are also both very good at picking up fingerprints and dust, which makes me a bit concerned about much punishment it could take before it starts looking like something you just don't want to show off in public. But these are definitely nitpicks. Overall, it seems like a pretty choice for a waterproof speaker to bring along on a picnic, tailgate party, or just to set up next to the pool. Particularly if you want to see your music make ripples in the water.
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Keep your files in one place with this 2.5-inch Samsung 2TB internal solid-state drive. Boasting read speeds of up to 550MB/sec., this solid-state drive improves system performance by reducing startup and file loading times. This Samsung internal solid-state drive accommodates large numbers of files and programs with its 2TB capacity.
Customer Rating
5
Fantastic storage drive if you know how to use it
on April 10, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
So, the first thing you should probably know when looking for an SSD is that when it comes to performance, power consumption, and noise, solid state storage is always better than what you can get with a mechanical drive. Unfortunately, another thing that you’ll quickly discover is that the reverse is true when looking at overall longevity, system compatibility, and price. Samsung’s QVO (Short for Quality Value Optimized) drives hope to fix at least one of those problems and, so long as you use it properly, I’d say they’ve done a pretty good job of doing it.
The way they’re doing this is by making use of a new type of flash memory known as QLC, which allows you to store more data within a single chip than you could with previous designs. While this type of memory is less expensive to produce and offers extremely high read speeds, it does come with a pair of very noticeable downsides: writing to it is very slow, and it’s extremely prone to burning out. While the spec sheet quotes speeds and endurance on par with other SATA SSDs on the market, which predominantly use TLC or MMC memory, that’s not really telling you the whole story. The write speed they’re quoting isn’t the actual write speed of the drive, but the write speed of a very large high-speed cache they stuck into it to store incoming data until it can be written to the actual storage. And they got around the durability issue just by making the drives very big, so that wear and tear can be spread out over as much hardware as possible. Under ideal conditions, you’ll never be able to tell the difference. But the moment you saturate the cache by trying to write hundreds of tiny little text files to a folder or start re-imaging the drive every weekend, it’s going to be clear that Samsung worked around the problems with QLC rather than removing them.
And this is where the disclaimer I included at the start of this review comes back into play. This is a case where ideal operating conditions are very achievable. This may not be the best choice if you’re looking for a boot drive or a fast photoshop scratch disk, but if all you need is a storage drive for movies or games then going with one of these should be a no-brainer. Nine times out of ten you’ll get the performance of a more expensive SSD and massive amounts of space. I’d also recommend it as a cheap way to extend the life of an aging laptop, since as mentioned earlier it’ll still beat a mechanical disk and it’s probably not worth spending twice as much on a high end SSD for a computer that’ll likely die halfway through the disk’s life.
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Stay in constant communication with other players when you wear this Logitech stereo gaming headset. The 3.5mm input works with computers, laptops and gaming consoles for added versatility, and the 50mm drivers bring big sound to your ears. With lightweight leatherette ear cups, this Logitech stereo gaming headset offers added comfort throughout extended play sessions.
Customer Rating
4
Nice headset for your desk
on March 15, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
Gaming headsets these days are constantly adding new features and ways to differentiate themselves from the pack that, ultimately, don't actually do much to impact the experience. The G332 eschews this approach of going for flash over substance to deliver a more modest package that's nonetheless a great audio experience.
After using it as my daily driver for a week, I've got very little to complain about in regards to the audio. The sound is great for pretty much anything you might to listen to, with audio that's a bit heavily weighted towards bass tones but ultimately is consistently clear and powerful. The mic works just as well, and the fact that it automatically mutes itself every time you flip up the boom is a great feature that I wish more headsets would incorporate. It's also a very comfortable headset, with the leatherette padding never getting too warm. I also greatly appreciate the volume control mounted at the back of the left earcup, as it's a lot easier to find and operate than in-line volume controls that you find on most headsets.
That said, there are a few things that keep me from recommending it without reservation, and most of them have to do with build quality. The amount of tension you get in the swivel mounts for the ear cups is inconsistent, with one of them freely rotating while the other is very tight and tends to creak with every adjustment. The input cable is also very thin, unsheathed, and most worryingly permanently mounted to the headset. Paired with the lack of a carrying case and the headset really only seems to get bigger when you fold it up, and I have some reservations about how well the headset would stand up to regular travel.
I'd probably recommend this to someone who's looking for an accessory for a desktop gaming rig, where you aren't likely to have to worry about regular trauma being inflicted on the cord or swivel mounts. But if you're looking for something to throw in a bag with a gaming laptop and lug around to LANs or stuff into an overhead compartment, I think it might be worth spending a bit extra for something with a real carrying case and replaceable cabling.
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Get a faster, closer shave with this Philips Norelco shaver. Ideal for managing facial hair, this shaver features a click-on bear styler with five length settings that make it easy to maintain your look. This Philips Norelco shaver features SkinProtect blades for a cleaner shave and prevents skin irritation with its ComfortGlide rings.
Customer Rating
5
Fastest shave I've ever had
on January 7, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
Generally speaking, I've stuck to foil designs for electric razors I've used in the past. They always seemed to work well enough, and I didn't see any reason to mess with a proven system. But recently I've noticed that my foil shaver has been disappointing me more and more, and figured it was time to give the rotary blades a shot.
And wow, I have been missing out.
This thing is fast. Ridiculously fast. You can feel the thing gathering up the stubble as you go, and you rarely need to do multiple passes to get it all. Which, admittedly, is a little less comfortable than the foil shavers but I'm more than willing to make that trade.
I've really only noticed two downsides so far. The first is that that once the stubble gets past a certain length, it struggles to get hold of it. After coming back from a week long camping trip it was missing hairs left and right, leaving me with random patches of beard along my jawline and ears. I'd definitely recommend using the included trimmer attachment to get any stubble you might have as short as possible if you ever skip a couple of days. The second is that there are a lot of places for hair to get caught, making cleaning a little bit of a chore. Hopefully, that's something I can learn to improve on with time.
Definitely recommend this razor to anyone who might have doubts about just how effective this style can be.
And wow, I have been missing out.
This thing is fast. Ridiculously fast. You can feel the thing gathering up the stubble as you go, and you rarely need to do multiple passes to get it all. Which, admittedly, is a little less comfortable than the foil shavers but I'm more than willing to make that trade.
I've really only noticed two downsides so far. The first is that that once the stubble gets past a certain length, it struggles to get hold of it. After coming back from a week long camping trip it was missing hairs left and right, leaving me with random patches of beard along my jawline and ears. I'd definitely recommend using the included trimmer attachment to get any stubble you might have as short as possible if you ever skip a couple of days. The second is that there are a lot of places for hair to get caught, making cleaning a little bit of a chore. Hopefully, that's something I can learn to improve on with time.
Definitely recommend this razor to anyone who might have doubts about just how effective this style can be.
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Collaborate with teammates using this Razer BlackWidow Elite mechanical gaming keyboard. An ergonomic leatherette wrist rest provides support for marathon play sessions, while the fully customizable keys let you create your own unique system for gaming. With dedicated media keys and a multifunction digital dial, this Razer BlackWidow Elite mechanical gaming keyboard offers responsive operation.
Customer Rating
5
Just Fun!
on January 7, 2019
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
There’s no getting around the fact that Razer keyboards don’t come particularly cheap, even by the standards of mechanical keyboards. When my brother-in-law heard that I was using the BlackWidow Elite at home, his first question to me was “why would you spend that much money on a keyboard?”
The answer was simple: It’s fun!
Mechanical keyboards, for those who are unfamiliar, differ from conventional membrane keyboards by using an individual mechanical switch for each key. This results in a keyboard that is substantially more durable, more responsive, and in possession of a distinctive tactile feedback that is satisfying in a way that’s hard to describe if you haven’t experienced it for yourself. There are three major manufacturers of mechanical switches and numerous different subtypes allowing you to tune the feel and performance to your preference, so finding one that’s a good fit for you can take a bit of work. This one uses Razer Green switches (made by Kaihua) which offers something of a middle ground between gaming performance and typing. The switches make an audible click with each keypress and have a minor tactile bump. Razer offers two other variants: one a pure linear switch with no tactile bump (optimized for gaming) and one with a dampener to make them a bit quieter for typists who don’t want to drive everyone around them insane.
Speaking as someone who’s usually stuck to Cherry switches before I found the razer switches a little less satisfying to use, as they’re much more lightweight and possess a slight amount of friction in the action that I never got from my typing-oriented MX Browns. It’s still a very good experience, but very much skewed towards gaming over typing (which shouldn’t be entirely surprising.) The build quality is spectacular, with a solid deck, a comfortable magnetic wrist rest, and quality molded keycaps. They’ve also included dedicated media controls, a must-have in my opinion, and a USB passthrough for a mouse or charging devices from your computer.
That said, if you’re buying a Razer keyboard just for the typing experience, I can’t help but feel that you’re doing it slightly wrong. You can get cheaper mechanical keyboards with these features from a variety of vendors – but none of them will have the build in Chroma RGB lighting that makes this keyboard quite literally shine.
This is my first experience with Chroma, but I’ve gained some familiarity with most of the other RGB ecosystems out there. Chroma is so far ahead of them that it verges on the absurd. The UI is straightforward and user friendly while still offering the most comprehensive options for customizing lighting and key bindings that I’ve ever seen. It has built-in effects integration with an abundance of major titles. And most impressive of all, it can connect to several other systems such as Philips Hue smart lighting and synchronize the RGB effects across them to produce a truly immersive lighting experience.
It is perhaps one of the most gratuitously useless features you can find, and using it is pure technophilic joy. Launching a game like Divinity II and having a red lightning storm start up in your gaming room is one of those experiences that can remind you why gaming can be so fun. And, in my mind, it justifies the premium pricing all on its own. Because, once again, this is a luxury item. The premium you pay isn’t necessarily for more utility, but for a premium user experience. And the BlackWidow Elite delivers that in abundance.
The answer was simple: It’s fun!
Mechanical keyboards, for those who are unfamiliar, differ from conventional membrane keyboards by using an individual mechanical switch for each key. This results in a keyboard that is substantially more durable, more responsive, and in possession of a distinctive tactile feedback that is satisfying in a way that’s hard to describe if you haven’t experienced it for yourself. There are three major manufacturers of mechanical switches and numerous different subtypes allowing you to tune the feel and performance to your preference, so finding one that’s a good fit for you can take a bit of work. This one uses Razer Green switches (made by Kaihua) which offers something of a middle ground between gaming performance and typing. The switches make an audible click with each keypress and have a minor tactile bump. Razer offers two other variants: one a pure linear switch with no tactile bump (optimized for gaming) and one with a dampener to make them a bit quieter for typists who don’t want to drive everyone around them insane.
Speaking as someone who’s usually stuck to Cherry switches before I found the razer switches a little less satisfying to use, as they’re much more lightweight and possess a slight amount of friction in the action that I never got from my typing-oriented MX Browns. It’s still a very good experience, but very much skewed towards gaming over typing (which shouldn’t be entirely surprising.) The build quality is spectacular, with a solid deck, a comfortable magnetic wrist rest, and quality molded keycaps. They’ve also included dedicated media controls, a must-have in my opinion, and a USB passthrough for a mouse or charging devices from your computer.
That said, if you’re buying a Razer keyboard just for the typing experience, I can’t help but feel that you’re doing it slightly wrong. You can get cheaper mechanical keyboards with these features from a variety of vendors – but none of them will have the build in Chroma RGB lighting that makes this keyboard quite literally shine.
This is my first experience with Chroma, but I’ve gained some familiarity with most of the other RGB ecosystems out there. Chroma is so far ahead of them that it verges on the absurd. The UI is straightforward and user friendly while still offering the most comprehensive options for customizing lighting and key bindings that I’ve ever seen. It has built-in effects integration with an abundance of major titles. And most impressive of all, it can connect to several other systems such as Philips Hue smart lighting and synchronize the RGB effects across them to produce a truly immersive lighting experience.
It is perhaps one of the most gratuitously useless features you can find, and using it is pure technophilic joy. Launching a game like Divinity II and having a red lightning storm start up in your gaming room is one of those experiences that can remind you why gaming can be so fun. And, in my mind, it justifies the premium pricing all on its own. Because, once again, this is a luxury item. The premium you pay isn’t necessarily for more utility, but for a premium user experience. And the BlackWidow Elite delivers that in abundance.
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Relax stiff muscles with this HyperIce Hypervolt cordless vibration massager. Quiet Glide technology keeps the rotating heads moving smoothly across your skin, and the lightweight ergonomic design makes it easy to use for myofascial release. Improve your range of motion and promote good circulation with this HyperIce Hypervolt cordless vibration massager.
Customer Rating
4
More "percussive" than "vibrating" massage.
on December 18, 2018
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
I've tried a LOT of different massage tools, as well as an abundance of stretches and a few painkillers, to try and sort out the mess that is my neck and shoulders. And unfortunately I've never really had the greatest luck with any of them. That said, I'd also never tried one that looked like a piece of construction equipment, so I figured maybe adding some extra horsepower would do the trick.
You can imagine my astonishment when this thing's staccato pummeling of the back of the neck introduced me to a brand new sensation: a complete lack of muscle pain!
Now, before you immediately rush out and buy one, it didn't last. After doing a little more research to see what had actually just happened, I discovered that this thing basically works on a principle called "gate theory." Basically, it deliberately overstimulates the nerves in the area you apply it to, making you numb to pain. The idea being that while you can't feel the pain, it will be easier for your muscles to relax.
After using it fairly regularly for about a week, I have to say that there might indeed be something to this theory. My neck is certainly not fixed, but being able to have an hour or two of relief every day does seem to be making it a bit better. And it's very effective for the primary use it was made for - namely keeping your muscles from cramping up after intense activity. I've been trying my best to prepare for a hike, and I have to say my legs have never felt better for using this a bit before and after each workout.
That said, there are definitely a few things that keep it from earning a full five stars. To start - this thing comes with an abundance of different attachments and tips, plus more than enough power to shake your fillings loose. It looks like something you should have a license to use in most states. And yet, there's virtually no instructions on the proper use (or what the various attachments are for) included with the device. There are a few youtube videos (which I had to find myself) which will get you started, but some help from the manufacturer would have been nice. Another thing you'll want to keep in mind is that while it advertises it's great for hikers and the like, the thing is frankly far too big and heavy for me to consider throwing in a pack. Maybe this is wishful thinking, but it really seems more like a device you keep at home than anything else.
I personally don't find these to be dealbreakers, but it's something to keep in mind if you're thinking about buying one. It's definitely not the kind of product I'd recommend to just anyone, in fact I know more than one person who would probably seriously hurt themselves with it, but if you're the kind of person who frequently deals with muscle soreness due to working out or engaging in other outdoor adventures it might be worth giving this thing a look.
Also, as a word of warning: I'm only half kidding about this thing shaking your fillings loose. Don't do what I did - start somewhere further away from your head until you know what kind of kick it has.
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Use the Google Smart Light Starter Kit to control the lights using just your voice. Set up in a snap: just plug in Google Home Mini, screw in the GE C-Life smart light bulb, and download the Google Home app to get started. Then just say "Hey Google" to dim, brighten, turn on and turn off the lights."
Customer Rating
5
Great way to test the waters of smart lighting
on November 30, 2018
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
Smart lights and smart speakers have been becoming increasingly popular as of late - allowing all of us to live out the fantasy of living on board the starship Enterprise and being able to boss our home around. But, oddly enough, you don't see much by the way of combination packs yet. This kit seeks to change that.
There's nothing particularly notable about the contents - the provided bulb is fairly basic and incapable of doing much more than dimming, and the Google Home Mini is the most compact and basic device in the Home lineup. Sufficed to say there's a lot you don't get if you're planning to convert every room to smart lighting. But it's the perfect sampler configuration to let you work out if smart lighting is something that's actually worth investing more money in.
Google has gone out of their way to make the process as painless as possible as well. The mini comes out of the box ready to pair with the bulb, and the excellent Home app will guide you through setup without any kind of fuss. It only takes a few minutes to get everything up and running, and from there controlling the light is as easy as telling the Mini what you want. If you do decide to take the plunge afterwards, the bulb they provided is one of the more affordable options for smart lighting and performs very well. There are definitely better systems for those willing to pay an extra premium, but if you're used to standard bulbs I don't think you'll have any complaints about this.
Best part is that even if you do decide that smart lighting isn't worth investing in, a Google Home Mini is a pretty awesome device to have. it's a halfway decent speaker, a really good alarm clock, and a white noise machine among other things. As such I have no difficulty recommending it to anyone who's curious about setting up their own smart home.
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Prepare shakes and complete blending tasks with this Ninja smart screen kitchen system. It uses FreshVac technology to preserve the vitamins, flavors and appearance of natural ingredients, and with 1400 watts of power the stacked blades help the processor puree and chop with maximum precision. The touch screen display of this Ninja smart screen kitchen system offers easy access to various functions.
Customer Rating
5
Genuinely smart blender with a pump.
on November 29, 2018
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
The first time I’d ever heard of vacuum blending was when I saw this device. I wasn’t entirely sure what to make of the addition of a vacuum pump, but having had very good luck with Ninja appliances in the past and being in need of both a food processor and a better blender I was eager to try it out.
After using it for a couple of weeks and drinking many, many smoothies I’m honestly still not entirely sure what to make of the FreshVac attachment, but the rest of the package has impressed me so much that I’m extremely satisfied regardless!
First, I want to talk about build quality. Frequently devices like this which seek to fulfill multiple functions suffer from a variety of problems with parts being more fragile, complicated, or difficult to clean than what you’d get with a purpose built unit. I’m happy to say this is an exception to that rule. Everything you get is very sturdy, dishwasher safe, and built with an eye towards ease of use. The only thing I’m remotely worried about is the vacuum pump itself, as I’m not really sure how I’d go about cleaning it out if it ever sucked up some milk or other perishable liquid. The safety system built into it seems pretty good at preventing that, but it’s definitely had a couple of close calls that made me wonder if some of the maximum fill markings are a little too generous.
Second, the features. While the FreshVac pump takes front stage here I actually found myself much more taken by the intelligent blending system. Whenever you insert one of the three vessels, the system automatically detects what it’s working with and presents you with a set of preset modes that do a better job than I can with manual settings. The smoothie function, for instance, starts things out with a series of short bursts that help mix the ingredients together and work free anything that might be stuck to the side or above the blades before gradually increasing speed to blend it all together. It works fantastically well, and thanks to the fact that the blending vessel has a locking lid you don’t even need to supervise it while it works.
The FreshVac feature itself is a little harder to judge. The box promises brighter colors, more powerful tastes, and smoothies you can let sit in the fridge overnight. I can really only corroborate two of those claims. The colors are indeed a bit more vibrant when you use the pump – but not quite so much as the box would have you believe. And leaving the vacuum-pumped smoothies in the fridge for a few hours worked fine – but as you might expect didn’t do much to actually keep them from starting to separate. As for flavor… perhaps I just didn’t choose the right recipes, but the difference was so slight that I’m hesitant to rule out the placebo effect. It seemed to have more of an impact on texture than it did the taste. As you might expect, anything blended with the FreshVac is going to be a bit less frothy at the end of it for not having all that air being whipped into the food but I’m not sure how much of a difference that’s really going to make. I was also a little nervous about just how powerful the pump is when using it with the larger blender vessel – the sides of which visibly bowed inwards and let out an occasional creak as the pump pulled a vacuum.
So, as I said at the start, I’m mixed there. There definitely is a difference between using the pump and not, but if you’re not a good enough cook/blender devotee to really understand when it is and is not called for I doubt it’s going to blow your mind. Overall, it’s still a fantastic appliance that I’m glad to have in my kitchen.
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The Shark Rocket Self-Cleaning Brushroll Corded Stick VacuumShark has created a self-cleaning brushroll that delivers nonstop hair removal. Add that to an ultra-lightweight vacuum with floor-to-ceiling versatility and an XL dust cup, and you�ve got the Shark Rocket Self-Cleaning Brushroll Corded Stick Vacuum.
Customer Rating
4
Great mini vac
on October 26, 2018
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
Lately it seems like there's an abundance of mini vacuums like this which occupy the space between a dust buster and a full upright. Ever since getting a robot vacuum I've been kind of interested in them since while the robot isn't quite thorough enough to eliminate the need for an upright vacuum, it always seems like a huge waste to drag such a huge machine out for detail work and the occasional dog related mess that's more than the robot can handle. The Rocket in particular drew me thanks to the self cleaning brush head which promised to keep hair and fur from jamming the mechanism.
After using it for about a week, I've sadly come to the conclusion that it's not quite the compact powerhouse I'd hoped for that will finally let me get rid of my upright. But it's also a lot better than the oversized dust buster I'd worried it could turn out to be.
The brush does a decent job of picking dust and fur out of carpets and hardwood floors, and the lightweight design makes it easily the most nimble vacuum I've used when it comes to getting around corners and into hard to reach spots. And while the anti-tangle system isn't perfect, it was a noticeable improvement over both the robot and the upright when it came to tackling the metric ton of cat hair that can materialize overnight. I also was very pleased at how easy it was to dump out the dust cup over the garbage - a process that at first looked like it was going to be much more complicated than it needed to be
Unfortunately, its compact size is also its downfall when compared to the upright. When I used it in rooms where the robot can't reach, it managed to pull an impressive amount of dust and dirt and left things looking great. But in the living room, which receives a daily automated cleaning, it barely seemed to pick up anything while the upright (run right after the Rocket) managed to fill about a quarter of its bin with stuff it had coaxed out of the carpet.
I'd like to emphasize that the Rocket didn't do a bad job at cleaning - in fact you'd probably be hard pressed to see the difference. But as someone with dust allergies, that last bit of difference is potentially a big deal for me.
I'd definitely recommend this thing for college students or anyone who just doesn't have the space for a big vacuum. And it could easily replace a robot to do quick day-day sweeps though heavily trafficked areas. But I don't think we're quite to the point where a unit like this can replace a traditional upright yet.
Mobile Submission: True
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Extend your PC’s RGB lighting with the CORSAIR iCUE LT100 Smart Lighting Towers Starter Kit, part of the iCUE Smart Lighting Ecosystem. 92 RGB LEDs light up your room with ambient lighting that dynamically integrates with your games and media for a truly immersive experience. Cycle through 11 lighting profiles out of the box with push-button control or connect to CORSAIR iCUE software to synchronize your RGB lighting effects across all compatible CORSAIR devices in your system and all external iCUE Smart Lighting devices. The Starter Kit includes two lighting towers with 46 customizable LEDs each, housed in light-diffusing casing that softens and blends light. With an included removable headset holder, LT100 Smart Lighting Towers add convenient, versatile, and stunning RGB lighting to any setup.
how tall are they
Per the spec sheet they're 422mm tall - the headphone holder adds about two millimeters to whichever one you stick it to. In more practical terms, they're just about exactly as tall as a 32" LCD (not including the stand.)
3 years, 8 months ago
by
Batlacit
Meet the Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 6.5qt. Pressure Cooker Steam Fryer with SmartLid. The pressure cooker that steams and crisps. SmartLid slider unlocks pressure cooking, air frying, and Steamcrisping - all under one SmartLid. SteamCrisp Technology steams and crisps at the same time for faster, juicier, crispier results*. 14 one-touch programs unlock even more versatility. (*Vs. Ninja Foodi OL501 in dry mode only)
Does this model have hands free pressure release when pressure cooking timer is done, or do you have to manually release steam after pressure cooking?
You do need to manually toggle the valve. That said, it's very well designed to keep your hands free of any steam that might escape in the process.
3 years, 8 months ago
by
Batlacit
The new Alienware x17 is super thin, extremely light laptop . Now’s your chance to game with gear that knows no boundaries. The Alienware x17 gaming laptops with advanced Alienware Cryo-Tech™ cooling defy boundaries. Introducing Element 31 thermal interface material and a Quad-Fan Design. We are incorporating more fan blades, more copper materials, and vapor chambers to deliver ample power while dissipating the heat more efficiently and allowing the fans to run less resulting in reduced noise. The x17 features five tailored power states, and grants access to thousands of games with Windows. Alienware laptops will bring your favorite games into hyper-reality with Windows DirectX 12 Ultimate. Constructed with magnesium alloy and aluminum parts gamers can experience the evolved Legend Industrial Design that reimagines the way you game. The Alienware x17 is equipped with 11th Gen Intel processors, has more storage options with dual drives featuring SSD and includes powerful NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 30-series discrete graphics.
Can you please give me an idea of what is the most recent AAA game can this laptop play?. I'd love to get an idea of what I am going to expect when purchasing this laptop! like, can it play Deathloop? or perhaps Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart for example?.
It can play Cyberpunk 2077 on Psycho (at least while plugged in.)
3 years, 8 months ago
by
Batlacit
The new Alienware x17 is super thin, extremely light laptop . Now’s your chance to game with gear that knows no boundaries. The Alienware x17 gaming laptops with advanced Alienware Cryo-Tech™ cooling defy boundaries. Introducing Element 31 thermal interface material and a Quad-Fan Design. We are incorporating more fan blades, more copper materials, and vapor chambers to deliver ample power while dissipating the heat more efficiently and allowing the fans to run less resulting in reduced noise. The x17 features five tailored power states, and grants access to thousands of games with Windows. Alienware laptops will bring your favorite games into hyper-reality with Windows DirectX 12 Ultimate. Constructed with magnesium alloy and aluminum parts gamers can experience the evolved Legend Industrial Design that reimagines the way you game. The Alienware x17 is equipped with 11th Gen Intel processors, has more storage options with dual drives featuring SSD and includes powerful NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 30-series discrete graphics.
Please confirm if this specific model that is available for sale comes with the standard four zone RGB keyboard or the per key RGB keyboard?
The new Alienware x17 is super thin, extremely light laptop . Now’s your chance to game with gear that knows no boundaries. The Alienware x17 gaming laptops with advanced Alienware Cryo-Tech™ cooling defy boundaries. Introducing Element 31 thermal interface material and a Quad-Fan Design. We are incorporating more fan blades, more copper materials, and vapor chambers to deliver ample power while dissipating the heat more efficiently and allowing the fans to run less resulting in reduced noise. The x17 features five tailored power states, and grants access to thousands of games with Windows. Alienware laptops will bring your favorite games into hyper-reality with Windows DirectX 12 Ultimate. Constructed with magnesium alloy and aluminum parts gamers can experience the evolved Legend Industrial Design that reimagines the way you game. The Alienware x17 is equipped with 11th Gen Intel processors, has more storage options with dual drives featuring SSD and includes powerful NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 30-series discrete graphics.
Internal disc drive or is an external needed
No internal optical drive - pretty much everyone's started phasing them out at this point.
3 years, 8 months ago
by
Batlacit
The new Alienware x17 is super thin, extremely light laptop . Now’s your chance to game with gear that knows no boundaries. The Alienware x17 gaming laptops with advanced Alienware Cryo-Tech™ cooling defy boundaries. Introducing Element 31 thermal interface material and a Quad-Fan Design. We are incorporating more fan blades, more copper materials, and vapor chambers to deliver ample power while dissipating the heat more efficiently and allowing the fans to run less resulting in reduced noise. The x17 features five tailored power states, and grants access to thousands of games with Windows. Alienware laptops will bring your favorite games into hyper-reality with Windows DirectX 12 Ultimate. Constructed with magnesium alloy and aluminum parts gamers can experience the evolved Legend Industrial Design that reimagines the way you game. The Alienware x17 is equipped with 11th Gen Intel processors, has more storage options with dual drives featuring SSD and includes powerful NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 30-series discrete graphics.
Will the 1TB SSD be a Gen3 or a Gen4?
It uses PCIe 4.0. The drive that's included isn't the fastest I've seen, but it'll handily beat any of the last generation NVMe drives.
3 years, 8 months ago
by
Batlacit
The new Alienware x17 is super thin, extremely light laptop . Now’s your chance to game with gear that knows no boundaries. The Alienware x17 gaming laptops with advanced Alienware Cryo-Tech™ cooling defy boundaries. Introducing Element 31 thermal interface material and a Quad-Fan Design. We are incorporating more fan blades, more copper materials, and vapor chambers to deliver ample power while dissipating the heat more efficiently and allowing the fans to run less resulting in reduced noise. The x17 features five tailored power states, and grants access to thousands of games with Windows. Alienware laptops will bring your favorite games into hyper-reality with Windows DirectX 12 Ultimate. Constructed with magnesium alloy and aluminum parts gamers can experience the evolved Legend Industrial Design that reimagines the way you game. The Alienware x17 is equipped with 11th Gen Intel processors, has more storage options with dual drives featuring SSD and includes powerful NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 30-series discrete graphics.
I recently purchased this laptop. It came with windows 10 preinstalled. The product description tells that it has windows 11. Does that mean that I have to wait for the windows 11 update. Or is there an issue with my laptop
That'll depend on what date your laptop was manufactured. As of mid-October the factories aren't set up to load Windows 11 on new units yet, so they're shipping ones with Windows 10 with the keys needed to get the free update ASAP. Windows 11 is having something of a staggered rollout, with certain models getting the upgrade ahead of others. That said the one I received on 10/12 got the option to update within a day, so you might just need to check Windows Update to confirm that you actually want it.
3 years, 8 months ago
by
Batlacit
The Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum combines powerful vacuuming with Matrix Clean Navigation, leaving no spots missed for an ultra whole-home clean. Features include: powerful Shark suction power, Matrix Clean Navigation for a deeper cleaning, HEPA 60-day capacity base for collecting and trapping dust and allergens, and CleanEdge Technology for better edge cleaning.
WOW Awesome Can you please help me with what is the actual run time. Confuse with below- Up to 120 minutes of runtime for whole-home cleaning. And with Recharge and Resume, the robot will return to the dock, recharge, and can pick up where it left off
120 minutes is how much you might be able to get under optimal conditions assuming a battery that's close to brand new, a wide open room with nothing for the robot to get stuck on, and a floor that's already clean enough that it doesn't need to ramp up the suction for targeted cleaning. In other words, it's probably more than you'll get in day to day use. I wouldn't be that concerned about it though. The biggest advantage to having a robot with active navigation like this is that it knows where it was when it ran out of battery. So when it gets low it stops, returns to its dock, then picks up where it left off once it's gotten enough charge to finish the job. So long as it doesn't end up cut off from its charging base by a closed door or the like, it can stick with a cleaning job more or less indefinitely.
3 years, 9 months ago
by
Batlacit
Stream Deck gives you 15 LCD keys to control your apps and tools. Trigger actions, launch social posts, adjust audio, play sound clips, activate lights, and much more. Get visual feedback to confirm your commands. Set Stream Deck to automatically switch key configurations as you jump between apps. It’s the ultimate workflow hack, and it’s fully customizable. Personalize your Stream Deck with custom icons, screensavers, and a growing range of interchangeable faceplates. Use the app to configure keys with ease, and hit the Stream Deck Store for app plugins, icon packs, thousands of royalty free tracks, effects, and more.
Elgato's website is pretty terrible. No real info and only list one model with no model number listed anywhere. What's different about this one versus the KAA model?
In terms of functionality it's pretty much identical. They've adopted a slightly different design for the stand which makes the whole thing look a bit more streamlined, added the option to remove and replace the faceplate for increased customization, and modernized the USB interface. I'd say it's more like a refresh of the original aimed at extending the product's lifespan than a wholly new device.
3 years, 11 months ago
by
Batlacit
Explore realistic 3D audio with sound precisely projected from above, in front, behind and to the side of you with the latest acoustic technologies.
What does this new 850A do that the 2020 year 950T cannot? Would this 850A be the big brother to the 950T or does the 950T provide a better sound experience since it it is a 9.1.4 system. I too am tossed which one to purchase.
The 950 is the next model up from the 850 - even with the 850A being newer it can't compete with a system that's got 6 additional channels to play with. You'll be better up with last year's 950 model.
4 years ago
by
Batlacit